Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

A few days later, one afternoon, at the Ningzhou Municipal Administrative Center.

Liu Ming, carrying a stack of pilot plans for a youth volunteer team for "campus food safety supervision," was heading to the Municipal Party Committee's Publicity Department to coordinate media publicity.

As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I bumped into a group of people.

Leading the group was Wen Boyan, who was walking and chatting with a deputy director of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, wearing the characteristic humble smile of a subordinate to a superior.

Half a step behind Wen Boyan, a familiar and beautiful figure made Liu Ming stop in her tracks.

Xi Wanqing.

Today, she wore a well-tailored dark blue women's suit, her long hair neatly styled in a bun, and a faint air of aloofness on her face. Her cool eyes were intently listening to the leaders' conversation, and she exuded the aura of a capable and efficient businesswoman.

Clearly, she had come to the city with Wen Boyan to report on their work.

Eyes facing each other.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the corridor, neither of them spoke a word to greet the other.

This is a basic rule in officialdom.

In public places, especially in the presence of superiors, even if you have a very good relationship with someone, you should maintain a distance and be mindful of the impact.

Liu Ming simply nodded subtly in Wen Boyan's direction as a greeting, and then prepared to step aside.

Wen Boyan also saw Liu Ming, and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes, but because of the city leaders beside him, he only nodded slightly in response.

however.

In that very instant as we brushed past each other.

Xi Wanqing's usually cool and aloof eyes, which had always maintained a "business-like" demeanor, suddenly stirred with emotion.

Her gaze met Liu Ming's for less than a second in the air.

For that one second, there were no words, no expressions.

But the longing, concern, and a hint of barely perceptible resentment that only they could understand were transmitted silently between them like an electric current.

His eyes were glazed over.

Liu Ming could even read a sentence deep in her seemingly calm eyes: You heartless bastard, you've been in the city for so long and you didn't even call me?

Liu Ming felt a warmth in her heart, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips as a response.

The entire process was lightning fast and perfectly concealed.

No one noticed this brief exchange of glances, which was reminiscent of "underground workers," except for themselves.

"Ahem... Secretary Liu, are we going to the Publicity Department?"

A passing official recognized Liu Ming and greeted her warmly.

"Secretary Liu?"

Upon hearing this, the deputy director of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, who was walking ahead, paused and turned around in surprise to re-examine the young man he had just mistaken for an ordinary staff member.

Upon seeing this, Wen Boyan quickly stepped forward to introduce her: "Director Li, let me introduce you. This is our newly promoted deputy county head of Qingyun County... oh no, now she should be called Deputy Secretary Liu Ming of the Municipal Youth League Committee."

"Oh—! So you're Liu Ming!"

Director Li's face instantly lit up with a smile, and he extended his hand, "I've heard so much about you! Secretary Liu, you're so young, yet you've made such a splash in Qingyun County. You're truly a force to be reckoned with!"

"Director Li, you flatter me." Liu Ming also extended her hand and shook hands with him.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two groups parted ways.

However, at the moment they turned around, Liu Ming and Xi Wanqing turned back again in perfect unison and exchanged a glance.

There was a hint of helplessness in his eyes, and also a hint of... a sweetness that only lovers in the throes of passion could understand.

……

7 PM.

Liu Ming had just finished dinner at the company cafeteria and was preparing to return to his dormitory to continue studying the feasibility plan for the "Youth Angel Investment Fund".

My phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

[City Guesthouse, Room 302.]

There was no signature or any additional text afterward.

But Liu Ming knew who it was after just one glance.

He sighed and shook his head helplessly.

This woman...

That's incredibly domineering.

Even dating is done like giving orders.

……

The city guesthouse, third-floor corridor.

Liu Ming stood at the door of room 302 and knocked.

The door opened quickly.

The one who opened the door was Xi Wanqing.

She had changed out of the sharp suit she wore during the day and into a loose beige loungewear set. Her long hair was loose and fell smoothly over her shoulders. Her face was bare of makeup, which made her look even more elegant and refined.

She lost the imposing presence of a deputy county head and gained a gentler, more approachable demeanor, like a girl next door.

"Come in."

Her voice was soft, and her face had an unnatural blush.

The room was quiet, with a pleasant scent of shower gel in the air.

"Where are County Chief Wen and the others?" Liu Ming asked as she changed her shoes.

"I went to dinner with city leaders." Xi Wanqing poured him a glass of water. "I made an excuse that I wasn't feeling well and didn't go."

"Oh?" Liu Ming took the water glass, looking at her with a half-smile. "You seemed to be in good spirits during the day. Are you feeling unwell?"

Xi Wanqing felt a little guilty under his gaze, rolled her eyes at him, and her ears turned red.

"Is it wrong to feel...uncomfortable?"

She walked to the sofa, sat down, hugged a cushion, and curled up in the corner like a wronged kitten.

Liu Ming sat down next to her, smelling her pleasant fragrance, and felt her tense nerves, which had been strained by work these past few days, relax.

"Speak, my dear County Magistrate Xi." He reached out and gently pinched her puffed-up cheek. "Who has angered our meritorious official this time?"

"you!"

Xi Wanqing slapped his hand away, her clear, cold eyes filled with resentment.

"Liu Ming, you heartless bastard."

"It's been almost a week since you came to the city, and not a single phone call or text message!"

"If we hadn't run into each other in the meeting today, were you... were you planning to forget about me?"

As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears again.

Looking at her adorable jealous expression, Liu Ming felt both amused and heartbroken.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, letting her lean on his shoulder.

"Fool, how could you forget?"

Liu Ming's voice was low and gentle, "I've been too busy these past few days. There's a huge mess at the Youth League Committee, and that fly Ouyang Feng is buzzing around. I was afraid that calling you would affect your work."

"What about Nangong Yao?" Xi Wanqing asked sullenly. "You only have time to accompany her to the banquet?"

have to.

This vinegar jar has been thoroughly turned over.

Liu Ming explained with a wry smile, "That's different; it's a work requirement. I need the Nangong family's support to make a name for myself in Ningzhou. Besides, her and I..."

"How are you?" Xi Wanqing suddenly raised her head, her beautiful eyes staring intently at him as if interrogating a criminal.

"We... have a purely platonic classmate relationship," Liu Ming said righteously.

"Nobody would believe that!"

Xi Wanqing rolled her eyes at him. Although she didn't believe him, the sour feeling in her heart dissipated a lot.

She leaned back into Liu Ming's arms, finding a comfortable position.

"Feed".

"Um?"

"Ningzhou...is it fun?"

"It's not fun." Liu Ming shook her head. "Everyone here wears masks, and their conversations are all cryptic and uninteresting."

"So... are you getting used to it?"

"It's alright," Liu Ming smiled. "Anyway, I've almost worn it out."

The two of them nestled together quietly, chatting about trivial matters.

There was no more work pressure, no more political maneuvering.

Only this rare moment of tenderness, belonging to just the two of them.

a long time.

Xi Wanqing seemed tired, leaning on Liu Ming's shoulder, her breathing gradually becoming even.

Just as Liu Ming thought she had fallen asleep and was about to carry her to bed,

Xi Wanqing suddenly moved.

She took a small, white card out of her pocket and put it into Liu Ming's hand.

That was a... room key.

Liu Ming was stunned.

He looked down at the cold card in his palm, then at the woman in his arms, her face buried in his chest, her ears flushed red.

He felt his heart skip a beat.

"You... what is this...?"

"I...I have a meeting tomorrow morning, so I won't be able to get back to Qingyun until later."

Xi Wanqing's voice, barely audible, exploded like a bomb in Liu Ming's ear.

"There...there are two beds here...I...I'm a restless sleeper, I can't sleep alone..."

"night……"

She paused, as if using all her strength, before squeezing out the last few words from her throat—words that would make any man's blood boil.

"...Shall we chat?"