After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

"Write it." After saying these two words, Su Qingwan turned around and walked towards the steps below the river embankment.

Chen Ping didn't linger. He opened the car door, tossed his phone onto the passenger seat, and started the engine. The journey from Jizhou Bridge to the provincial government took less than twenty minutes, and the six words on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's approval document kept replaying in his mind.

This matter cannot be delayed any longer.

Lin Shou-cheng's signature carries considerable weight. But this approval came too timely, so timely it sent chills down one's spine. Just two weeks ago, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology was playing coy, using the wording of "temporarily suspending the expansion of the pilot program." Now, it's a complete 180-degree turn. What happened in between?

Han Zhiming called again.

"Director, the Governor's Office has notified us that there will be a small celebration banquet at 6:30 pm the day after tomorrow in the banquet hall on the third floor of the Provincial Government building. The official purpose is to celebrate the inclusion of the Core Spark project in the list of key national projects. The attendance list has been finalized, with a total of fourteen people."

Send me the list.

"It's already been sent. Also~" Han Zhiming's voice lowered by half an octave, "the new head of the General Affairs Department is also on the list."

Chen Ping stepped on the brakes, and the car slowed down.

"Who?"

"Wei Liangjun. He was transferred here from the Provincial Party Committee Policy Research Office last month. He's 42 years old, has a smooth career, and a clean resume. Director Chu signed the transfer order."

"understood."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Ping drove his car into the provincial government's underground parking garage, turned off the engine, and sat for a few seconds.

He had seen the name Wei Liangjun once before in the Organization Department's cadre roster. A graduate of the Policy Research Office, a skilled writer with a solid theoretical foundation. His resume was spotless, too clean, as if someone had deliberately erased it.

Two days later, at 6:20 pm, in the banquet hall on the third floor.

A long table covered with a white tablecloth held three bottles of red wine and several cold dishes. The occasion wasn't grand, and the number of people was small, yet the atmosphere was subtly tense.

By the time Chen Ping placed the glass, most of the people were already seated. Director Chu sat in the main seat, talking quietly with the vice governor in charge of industry. Han Zhiming stood in the corner, holding an empty wine glass as a mere decoration.

Shen Congwen sat at the end of the long table near the door, his chair back reclined at a 15-degree angle, his hands resting on the armrests, slowly scanning each person who entered.

Chen Ping walked over and pulled out the chair next to Shen Congwen.

"Isn't it too low-key for an acting director to be in this position?"

Shen Congwen picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.

"It's good to sit by the door. You can see clearly who came first, who came later, and who is talking to whom."

Chen Ping didn't respond, but unscrewed the mineral water bottle and poured half a cup.

The sound of leather shoes stepping on the tiles came from the doorway, the rhythm was steady, and the distance between each step was almost equal.

Wei Liangjun walked in.

He was of medium build, wearing a gray suit, a neatly tied tie, and the top button of his shirt fastened tightly. Upon entering, he first glanced around at the seating arrangement at the table, then walked straight towards Chen Pingfang.

"Secretary-General Chen."

He extended his hand, his fingers spread wide, and the grip was just right—neither too strong nor too weak—his palm was dry.

"I've heard so much about you. I read your report at the Provincial Party Committee plenary session when I was in the Policy Research Office; its structure was very beautiful."

Chen Ping squeezed for a moment, then released his grip.

"Director Wei, you're too kind."

Wei Liangjun sat down opposite Chen Pingfang, picked up the wine bottle, and poured more than half a glass into the empty glass in front of Chen Pingfang.

"I'm happy today because Chipfire has been included in the national program; this is a big deal."

Chen Ping didn't touch the glass of wine, but pushed the mineral water forward.

"I don't drink alcohol."

Wei Liangjun smiled, put away the wine bottle, poured himself a glass, and raised it to wave in Chen Pingfang's direction.

"Water instead of wine is fine. To you."

Chen Ping picked up the mineral water cup, touched the rim of the cup, and put it down.

After the banquet officially began, Director Chu made a few polite remarks, and the Vice Governor provided background information on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's approval. The atmosphere relaxed, and people at the table began to toast and chat in small groups.

Wei Liangjun was the most active person in the room.

He toasted everyone in turn, his demeanor humble, his words fluent, each toast accompanied by a perfectly timed compliment. When toasting Director Chu, he said, "Director, you have a brilliant strategy," and when toasting the Vice Governor, he said, "Your leadership is far-sighted." A standard template for official social interaction, flawless.

When the second round of drinks was brought to Chen Pingfang, Wei Liangjun stood up again.

"Secretary-General Chen, I must offer this toast separately."

He held his wine glass, walked over to Chen Pingfang, bent down, and lowered his voice.

"To be honest, I have always admired you. To take on such a heavy responsibility at such a young age, your mother~" He paused for a moment, "When Ms. Su Minhua was teaching at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, my mother even went to sit in on her open classes."

Chen Ping didn't move his hand that was holding the water glass.

Su Minhua.

His mother's name.

This name has no record in the provincial government system. Chen Pingfang's resume only states "Mother deceased," without even his full name. The Organization Department has the file, but it's a sealed document, accessible only to those at the level of a division chief or higher, and requires a written application.

How could Wei Liangjun, a newly transferred director of the General Affairs Department, know his mother's full name?

How did you know she taught at the National Taiwan Normal University Affiliated Senior High School?

Chen Ping placed the water glass on the table, the bottom of the glass hitting the tablecloth with a soft thud.

"Director Wei is well-informed."

Wei Liangjun was stunned for less than half a second, then waved his hand.

"Oh, not at all. My mother mentioned it to me, just chatting. Professor Su's lectures are excellent; many people remember them."

He clinked glasses, tilted his head back and downed the drink, then turned to toast the next person.

Chen Ping remained seated. The surface of the mineral water in the glass on the table was completely still.

Across from him, Shen Congwen slowly put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and tilted his head slightly in Chen Pingfang's direction.

Their eyes met for less than a second.

Shen Congwen nodded slightly.

He heard it too.

Chen Ping withdrew his gaze, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of beef shank from the cold dish, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly. Ren Shaoting was down, Gao Ran confessed, Fang Cunyi handed over his memorandum, and Gu Deren was intercepted. The list of thirty-two people lay in that microfilm reel.

But having a few holes in the net doesn't mean the net is dismantled.

Wei Liangjun either obtained his mother's information through some channel, or someone fed it to him. Either way, it points to the same conclusion: Ren Shaoting's infiltration network, which he had cultivated for twenty-three years, still has roots buried in the ground.

The celebration banquet ended at 8:30. Chen Ping politely declined Director Chu's invitation to "stay a while longer" and went downstairs with Han Zhiming.

"Get me a copy of Wei Liangjun's file tomorrow."

Han Zhiming nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

Chen Ping drove home. There weren't many cars on the streets that winter night, and the streetlights cast long shadows of the roadside trees, sweeping across the windshield in sections.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the residential complex, I swiped my card to enter and went upstairs.

The motion-activated lights in the corridor came on, their bright white light illuminating the security door in every detail.

There was a note pressed under the door.

It was white, folded once, with one corner sticking out from the door crack, tightly clamped by the rubber strip of the door frame.

Chen Ping squatted down, used the tip of his key to pick out the note, and pinched the corner to open it.

It was handwritten, with a fountain pen, the handwriting was neat, and there were no hesitant pauses in the strokes.

Eight characters.

"Don't check your father's funeral guest list."

The motion-activated lights in the corridor went out. Chen Ping squatted by the door, the note clutched between his fingers. In the darkness, only the green indicator light of the emergency exit at the end of the corridor flashed on and off.