The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Chen Shi ate two bowls of rice and put down his chopsticks. Shen Xiaorong said, "Brother, let me serve you some more rice."

Chen Shi wiped his mouth with a tissue: "I'm full. I ate all of this myself; you didn't eat much."

Shen Xiaorong said, "I ate a lot too. I usually only eat one bowl of rice, but I was happy tonight and ate two bowls."

Chen Shi laughed and said, "The two bowls you ate are not as much as the one bowl I ate."

Shen Xiaorong looked at Chen Shi: "Brother, is my cooking delicious?"

Chen Shi took out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, and exhaled the smoke: "Delicious, even better than what a chef at a five-star hotel makes."

"Really?" Shen Xiaorong looked incredulous.

"Really, the food you cook is the best in my heart."

Shen Xiaorong smiled, still happy inside. Chen Shi took a few more puffs of his cigarette, and the room was filled with smoke.

Shen Xiaorong fanned the smoke with her hand: "Brother, can you please stop smoking? Consider my feelings. I feel very uncomfortable inhaling your secondhand smoke."

After finishing his meal, Chen Shi, as was his habit, lit a cigarette. He quickly extinguished the cigarette he hadn't finished smoking, smiled at Shen Xiaorong, and said, "I won't smoke anymore. I'll be more careful in the future and won't smoke in front of you."

Shen Xiaorong smiled sweetly and stood up to clear the dishes.

After Shen Xiaorong finished washing the dishes, Chen Shi opened the cake, lit the candles, and it was already dark. Chen Shi checked the time; it was past eight o'clock.

"Shen Xiaorong, come and make a wish." Chen Shi took out a lighter and lit the candle.

Shen Xiaorong sat in front of the cake, and Chen Shi went to turn off the lights. The candlelight shone on Shen Xiaorong's face, and Chen Shi suddenly had a sense of déjà vu. In his mind, it seemed that he had experienced the same scene somewhere before.

It seemed like Shen Xiaorong had known him for a long time and they were very close.

After making his wish, Shen Xiaorong blew out the candles and called out, "Brother, turn on the light!"

Chen Shi snapped out of his daze and quickly turned on the light.

Shen Xiaorong took a fork and cut the cake for Chen Shi: "Brother, have some cake."

Chen Shi took the cake from Shen Xiaorong and ate it heartily: "Don't just watch me eat, you eat cake too. Today is your birthday, it has a different meaning, it represents starting your life anew and forgetting everything from the past."

Shen Xiaorong cut a small piece and ate it in small bites. She overcame her fear and ate the cake. Unconsciously, she would recall the scene of Shen Lang hitting her. The scene flashed through her mind like a movie.

Tears streamed down her face as she ate, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. After finishing the cake, she overcame her fear, cut off a small piece, and began to eat. Slowly, her fear disappeared.

Chen Shi watched quietly as Shen Xiaorong ate cake with tears streaming down her face. When Shen Xiaorong had eaten two pieces of cake and stopped crying, Chen Shi took a tissue, handed it to her, and said softly, "Wipe your tears."

Shen Xiaorong took the tissue and wiped away her tears: "Brother, I overcame my fear, conquered myself, and was reborn."

Chen Shi smiled with satisfaction: "Shen Xiaorong, you are the best."

"Thanks"

Chen Shi looked at Shen Xiaorong: "Don't sit down, I'm thirsty, make me a cup of tea."

"You are my brother, and this is your home too. At home, you can be self-sufficient and have plenty to eat and wear."

"If you don't make me tea, I won't come again."

"You dare! If you don't come, I'll go to the Education Bureau every day and bother you to death."

Shen Xiaorong still stood up and went to make tea for Chen Shi. After a while, she brought the tea to Chen Shi and said, "The water is freshly boiled and very hot. Drink it later."

She took a stool, put the cup on the stool, and said, "I would never do such a stupid thing. In a few days, you will find me annoying and never talk to me again."

A smart woman makes a man unable to leave her, rather than pushing him further away until he leaves forever.

Chen Shi joked, "You're so young, how come you seem to know so much about men?"

"I understand my dad. He's a man, and through my dad's case, I can analyze men's preferences."

Despite all the variations, men, whether young or old, share one common trait: they all crave admiration.

The pinnacle of a woman's love for a man is adoration.

Shen Xiaorong looked at Chen Shi and said earnestly, "Brother, I admire you."

Chen Shi casually asked, "What do you admire about me?"

"I've seen your official website profile. You were born in 84, so you're 28 years old this year. You're the youngest director of the Education Bureau in Chunyang County."

It's not easy for a top student from a rural area to reach your current position.

I also grew up in a rural area, so I understand your struggles. Your family can't help you; in fact, they might even hold you back.

I was born in 96 and am 16 years old this year. You are 12 years older than me. In 12 years, when I am 28, it is unknown whether I will be able to reach your current position.

In my heart, I regard you as an idol who rose from humble beginnings to achieve greatness, and I will follow in your footsteps and move forward.

Chen Shi took a sip of tea: "Do you want to be an official in the future?"

Shen Xiaorong shook her head: "The officialdom is too complicated. It's not a place for someone like me, a commoner, to stay in."

With my beauty, if I were to enter officialdom, many leaders would overlook my talents and only see my beauty.

I don't want to be a vase, because vases are easily broken. I want to grow into a towering tree, with roots that run deep into the ground, so that no matter how strong the wind and rain, they can't blow me down.

The most reliable support is the support you have for yourself.

Chen Shi looked at Shen Xiaorong. She was indeed very beautiful, and her beauty was unique, making her stand out in a crowd.

There are many beautiful women, but few who are both beautiful and intelligent.

If someone like Shen Xiaorong has no background, is beautiful, but not smart, it would be a disaster.

Wildflowers by the roadside, before they even bloom, are picked, played with, and then discarded in the stinking ditch.

Only flowers carefully nurtured in gardens, tended by gardeners, and untouched by anyone, will bloom profusely and attract countless eyes.

Beautiful and intelligent women are the real deal. They know how to protect themselves and how to hide their beauty. They don't show off their beauty to everyone. They only display their beauty when they feel safe to do so in order to gain more opportunities.

At school, Shen Xiaorong was insecure and introverted, always keeping her head down and dressed plainly. No one thought she was pretty, which was also a way of protecting herself.

Chen Shi said earnestly, "No one will dare to bully you from now on. I will protect you."

This was clearly not the answer Shen Xiaorong wanted. She didn't need protection; she could protect herself. With a smile, she said, "I can take care of myself. I don't need your protection."

Chen Shi thought she was just being stubborn, so he changed the subject and asked, "What wish did you make for your first birthday? Maybe I can make it come true for you right now."

Shen Xiaorong smiled and said, "Wishes cannot be spoken aloud; if they are, they will not come true."

Wishes fulfilled by others are meaningless.

Chen Shi glanced at his watch; it was almost 10:30. He called Yang Bin to come pick him up.

Shen Xiaorong asked, "Brother, are you going back?"

"If I don't go back, where will I stay?"

"Sleep in my bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

Chen Shi wanted to tease Shen Xiaorong: "Didn't you say that a man and a woman alone together would get into trouble?"

Shen Xiaorong's cheeks flushed, and she smiled: "If you can't even control yourself, you can't possibly become the director of the Education Bureau."

Top students are different; they can analyze everything very thoroughly.