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

The capital city was clear and sunny in the early morning after the snow.

The winter sun pierced through the bare branches of the old locust tree, reflecting a dazzling but cold white light onto the snow-covered ground.

With a creak.

Nangong Yao pushed open the old wooden door of the courtyard house.

Today she wore a bright red cashmere coat, a tight black sweater underneath, and ankle-high stiletto boots, making her look like a blazing fire burning in the snow.

She was also carrying a hot breakfast she had just bought from the time-honored brand "Jin Fang"—douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) with jiaoquan (deep-fried dough rings), which was Liu Ming's favorite.

"Busy man, are you up yet? I've personally brought you a lovingly prepared breakfast, so hurry up and come out to greet you!"

As Nangong Yao walked inside, she greeted everyone familiarly. The intimacy in her tone made her seem like the lady of the house. Ever since she moved the Nangong Group's headquarters to the capital, she had been visiting this courtyard house more often than her own home.

however.

As she turned past the screen wall and walked to the eaves of the main house, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The smile on her face froze instantly when she saw the figure standing under the eaves.

That's Xi Wanqing.

She wasn't wearing her signature, stiff business suit. Instead, she wore only a loose-fitting, clearly masculine white shirt that barely covered her upper thighs, revealing a pair of long, straight, fair legs. She was barefoot on the wooden floor, holding a cup of hot milk in her hand.

Her long, slightly wavy hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, and her usually cool and aloof face still bore a faint blush from the previous night's madness.

The air fell into a deathly silence.

The sour, rancid smell of fermented soybean juice and the rich aroma of milk collided silently in the cold air.

"Clatter".

The breakfast that Nangong Yao was carrying fell to the ground.

She stared intently at the shirt that belonged to Liu Ming, her peach blossom eyes instantly igniting a fury powerful enough to consume everything. The queenly aura honed through the battles of the business world was now unleashed without reservation.

"What are you doing here?" Nangong Yao's voice was so cold it was like ice crystals.

Xi Wanqing took a sip of milk, calmly meeting her gaze, with even a faint smile on her lips.

"This is Liu Ming's home. Is it strange that I'm here?"

"you!"

Just when the tension was about to escalate and a bloodbath was about to erupt.

"squeak--"

The door to the inner room opened.

Liu Ming rubbed her messy hair and yawned as she came out. "Wanqing, bring my shirt in, I can't find it..."

Before he could finish speaking...

He saw Nangong Yao in the courtyard.

I also saw the breakfast on the ground.

They could feel the almost tangible killing intent in the air.

Holy crap.

This director of the National Development and Reform Commission, who remained calm and composed at the negotiating table with hundreds of billions of dollars and amidst gunfire, and a former elite soldier, felt a chill run down his spine and cold sweat poured down his back.

He felt like a mine-clearing expert who had stepped on a super nuclear bomb with immense power and no fuse.

Move a muscle and you'll be pulverized.

"Um... Yao Yao, let me explain, actually..." Liu Ming swallowed hard, her brain racing, trying to find even the slightest reasonable excuse.

"No explanation needed."

To Liu Ming's surprise, Nangong Yao did not make a scene like a shrew, nor did she come up and slap him.

She simply took a deep breath, bent down to pick up the breakfast from the ground, and then, in her high heels, walked step by step to Xi Wanqing.

The two women stood facing each other.

They were of similar height and had equally commanding presence. One was like fire, the other like ice.

Liu Ming was even prepared to rush up and pull them apart at any moment.

"Director Xi, oh no, I should call you Deputy Director Xi now."

Nangong Yao looked at her, the anger in her eyes gradually subsiding, replaced by an extremely complex scrutiny.

"The appointment was only made last night, and you're here this morning. It seems you're in a real hurry."

Xi Wanqing did not back down; she met Nangong Yao's gaze calmly.

"I waited for him for more than half a year. Now, I don't want to wait anymore."

"So, you've come to declare war?" Nangong Yao sneered.

"No."

Xi Wanqing shook her head, put down her milk cup, and then did something that made Liu Ming's jaw drop.

She took the initiative to extend her hand to Nangong Yao.

"I'm here to seek an alliance."

"An alliance?" Nangong Yao frowned, not taking his hand. "What makes you think I'd form an alliance with you? Just because you're wearing his clothes?"

"Because we all love this man."

Xi Wanqing's voice became more serious than ever before, even carrying a hint of solemnity.

"Nangong, you know better than I do. The waters in the capital are a million times deeper than in Jiangnan Province. Liu Ming is now the director of the High-Tech Department of the National Development and Reform Commission. He holds the power of life and death over the country's semiconductor strategy."

"How many people's interests are threatened? Domestic comprador groups, foreign capital giants—which of them doesn't want him to die?"

Xi Wanqing pointed to Liu Ming, who was still wiping away cold sweat on the side.

"He's a madman when it comes to war, and a genius when it comes to economics. But in the intrigues of officialdom and the cutthroat competition of capital in the business world, he alone can't defend against all the hidden attacks."

"He needs a shield."

Xi Wanqing looked into Nangong Yao's eyes and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I am his shield within the system. You are his shield outside the system in the business world."

"If we start a fire in his own backyard, if we trip each other up behind his back, we're not helping him; we're pushing him into the fire. Do you want to see him besieged on all sides, ending up utterly destroyed?"

Nangong Yao fell silent.

Her captivating eyes were fixed intently on Xi Wanqing.

She didn't want to admit it, but she knew very well that Xi Wanqing was right. The downfall of the Zhao family was just the beginning; the real storm was only just brewing over the capital.

a long time.

Nangong Yao suddenly smiled.

It was a smile of extreme pride and relief, truly befitting a business queen.

She reached out and grasped Xi Wanqing's hand tightly.

"Xi Wanqing, you are a smart woman."

"I agree to the alliance."

"Until all the scum outside is cleared away, we are comrades-in-arms united against the common enemy."

Nangong Yao paused, then turned her gaze to the man who was still pretending to be dead beside her, a dangerous smile curving her lips.

"However, once the world is at peace, I won't give you the position of Mrs. Liu."

Xi Wanqing responded with a confident smile in return.

"Each relies on their own abilities."

Standing to the side, Liu Ming watched as these two women completed an epic transformation from "love rivals" to "allies" in just a few minutes.

He let out a long sigh and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

That's fucking bad.

It's even more thrilling than walking on the edge of life and death!

"Well..." Liu Ming coughed twice, trying to break the still somewhat awkward atmosphere, "Now that everyone has reached a consensus, shall we... have breakfast first?"

Nangong Yao rolled her eyes at him and stuffed the soy milk in her hand into his arms.

"Go eat your breakfast! You jerk!"

After saying that, she walked straight past Liu Ming and went into the inner room.

"Sister Wanqing, this shirt is too big for you, it doesn't flatter your figure at all. Come on, let's go to my car, I'll get you two new outfits I bought, let's try them on."

"OK."

Watching the two women walk away hand in hand, chatting and laughing.

Liu Ming stood in the wind and snow, holding a bowl of soy milk with an extremely complex flavor.

It's completely a mess.