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

The morning sunlight slanted across the blue bricks of the courtyard, casting a lazy and tranquil golden hue over this ancient courtyard that had weathered a century of storms.

Liu Ming sat at the stone table in the courtyard, a cup of freshly brewed tea in her hand, enjoying this rare moment of leisure. Xi Wanqing was still asleep. Last night's frenzy had clearly taken a heavy toll on the physical strength of this female deputy secretary, who always maintained a cold and aloof image.

"Knock knock knock".

The crisp sound of high heels clicking on the ground broke the morning's tranquility.

Immediately afterwards, the old wooden door of the courtyard was pushed open from the outside without any politeness.

"Director Liu, you seem to be having a good time this early in the morning."

Before she appeared, her voice preceded her. That voice, carrying three parts teasing and seven parts coquettishness, could not be found anywhere else in the Forbidden City but Nangong Yao.

Today, Nangong Yao wore a very stylish burgundy trench coat, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders, and her sunglasses pushed up to her head. She exuded a cold and domineering aura that came from the ruthless business world.

She walked into the courtyard alone, wearing high heels, without any bodyguards.

"Why are you here?"

Liu Ming put down her teacup, raising an eyebrow slightly. Wasn't this woman busy with the site selection and equity transfer for the Nangong Group's headquarters in Beijing? How come she has time to come and visit this secluded mansion?

"What? I, your most important 'strategic partner,' am not even qualified to come and see you?"

Nangong Yao walked to the stone table, and without any hesitation, picked up another cup of tea that Liu Ming had just poured, tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.

"Good tea." She smacked her lips, her captivating peach blossom eyes sweeping around the courtyard before finally settling on the tightly closed wooden door of the main house.

A woman's intuition is often frighteningly accurate. Especially for a top-tier female hunter like Nangong Yao, who has honed her keen business acumen.

There seemed to be a faint, lingering orchid fragrance in the air, one that did not belong to this man.

"Keeping a mistress in a golden house, Director Liu."

Nangong Yao put down her teacup, a meaningful smile curving her lips. Her voice was low, yet it carried a dangerous aura that sent chills down Liu Ming's spine.

"No wonder you've been so unresponsive to my messages lately. It turns out the Forbidden City's allure has held back this 'national hero'."

Liu Ming coughed lightly, just about to explain.

"Squeak."

The wooden door to the main room was pushed open from the inside.

Xi Wanqing, wearing an oversized men's white shirt—obviously Liu Ming's—walked out barefoot, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

Her once cascading black hair was now somewhat disheveled, and a lingering blush graced her delicate face. The aloof, icy beauty she usually possessed now seemed imbued with a touch of earthy charm, exuding a breathtaking languid allure.

Eyes facing each other.

At this moment, time seemed to have been paused.

Liu Ming sat on the stone bench, feeling as if she could barely breathe.

A chaotic scene!

This is a real collision between Mars and Earth!

One was his soulmate in the officialdom, who had just broken through the last line of defense; the other was his strongest assistant in the business world, who was deeply in love with him and vowed to follow him to the death.

These two women, equally proud, equally powerful, and equally high-minded, collided in this morning in the most unexpected and impactful way.

Liu Ming's palms were drenched in cold sweat. He frantically rehearsed the explosive scenarios that might unfold in his mind. Would it be sarcastic remarks? Would they slap each other? Or would they simply overturn the stone table?

However, what happened next completely shattered all of this elite soldier's predictions.

"You... what brings you here?"

The moment Xi Wanqing saw Nangong Yao, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes. But as a deputy director-level cadre who had seen it all, the panic lasted less than half a second before she forcibly suppressed it.

She tugged at her oversized shirt, trying to conceal the ambiguous red marks on her neck, and tried to make her voice sound calm.

Nangong Yao stood still, her gaze sweeping over Xi Wanqing from head to toe. When she saw the shirt that clearly belonged to Liu Ming, her eyes twitched slightly.

but.

She didn't get angry.

Contrary to Liu Ming's expectations, they didn't rush in and start a fight.

She just stared at Xi Wanqing quietly, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Deputy Secretary Xi, it's been a long time. This outfit looks much better than the black suit you wore to the Standing Committee meeting."

Surprisingly, there was no hostility in Nangong Yao's tone. Instead, it carried a sense of relief that the overall situation was settled, as well as a strange intimacy.

Xi Wanqing was stunned. Looking at Nangong Yao's smiling face, she didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"Alright, stop standing there."

Nangong Yao, wearing high heels, walked straight up to Xi Wanqing and, quite naturally, reached out to straighten Xi Wanqing's slightly disheveled collar.

"It's chilly in the autumn wind, aren't you afraid of getting cold wearing so little?"

She turned her head and glared at Liu Ming fiercely. "What kind of boyfriend are you? Didn't you know to put a jacket on her?"

"what?"

Liu Ming was dumbfounded. Wasn't this script taking a little off?

"What do you mean 'huh'? Go get your clothes out!" Nangong Yao snapped at him impatiently.

Like a puppet, Liu Ming mechanically turned around and went inside to get her coat.

Only two women remained in the courtyard.

"You..." Xi Wanqing looked at Nangong Yao, her eyes filled with complex emotions, "Aren't you angry?"

"Angry? Why should I be angry?"

Nangong Yao pulled Xi Wanqing to sit down at the stone table, her voice revealing a clarity born of experience.

"Back in Ningzhou, I knew this day would come. The two of us, one is his sword, the other his shield. In this lifetime, neither of us can possess him alone."

She looked at Xi Wanqing's still somewhat wary face and sighed.

"Sister Wanqing."

Nangong Yao suddenly changed her address, calling Xi Wanqing "elder sister," which made Xi Wanqing tremble.

"The waters in the Forbidden City run too deep. Although the Zhao family has fallen, those tigers lurking in the shadows could pounce and bite him at any moment. It's too dangerous for him to fight alone in the National Development and Reform Commission."

Nangong Yao grasped Xi Wanqing's hand, her eyes becoming incredibly sincere and resolute.

"We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves now. We need to join forces. You use your connections and methods within the system, and I'll use my capital and resources in the business world. Only when the two of us work together as one can we truly create a safe haven for him in this city of Beijing!"

Looking into Nangong Yao's ambitious and affectionate eyes, Xi Wanqing's lingering resentment and defensiveness finally melted away like ice and snow.

She grasped Nangong Yao's hand in return, a relieved smile curving her lips.

"it is good."

"From today onwards, we are one family."

"Fighting side by side."

……

Half an hour later.

Liu Ming stood at the kitchen doorway, holding a kitchen knife she didn't know where to put, in a state of deep existential doubt.

In the kitchen.

That was Deputy Secretary Xi, who was cold and ruthless in officialdom.

The Empress Nangong, who wields immense power in the business world and is worth hundreds of billions.

now.

Wearing aprons, one was chopping vegetables, and the other was washing rice. They were chatting and laughing, even discussing whether to make braised pork or steamed fish later.

The scene was so harmonious, it was almost like a heartwarming family drama being filmed.

"no……"

Liu Ming swallowed hard, looking at the scene that would drive all the young masters in the Forbidden City mad with envy, and felt that his worldview had been completely reshaped.

"This is fucking more surreal than me winning a world war in the Golden Triangle."