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

Yang Xiong's mind raced. What did Chen Shi mean? Did he want to let him off the hook and prevent the Discipline Inspection Commission from taking him away for investigation?

I know in my heart what I've done over the years, and once the disciplinary committee investigates, I'm finished.

Seeing Yang Xiong remain silent, Chen Shi said, "I don't want to know what else you did. Just explain clearly how you bribed Wang Zhikai with one million. Whether or not the Discipline Inspection Commission should take you away for investigation, the organization will consider it carefully."

Upon hearing the word "consider," Yang Xiong grasped at a straw and quickly said, "Director Chen, I'll confess."

The million was delivered in several installments. I was an ordinary teacher at the Heyuan Town Central School. At that time, Wang Zhikai was the deputy head of the Personnel and Teacher Resources Department. He went to the central school to assess teachers. When he was in the toilet, I slipped him an envelope containing 50,000 yuan.

That evening, I treated him to dinner and told him that I wanted to teach at No. 1 Middle School. Wang Zhikai did not respond at the time. A month later, he transferred me to No. 1 Middle School. To express my gratitude, I gave him a red envelope containing 50,000 yuan.

After getting in touch with Wang Zhikai, I gave him 200,000 yuan two years later. He was the head of the personnel and teacher training department at the time, and he helped me get the position of director of teaching at No. 1 Middle School.

Three years later, a vice principal of the school retired. I gave him 300,000 yuan, and he helped me become the vice principal.

Three years later, he had become the deputy director, and the principal of the No. 1 Middle School was transferred. I gave him 300,000 yuan, and he helped me become the principal. Later, to express my gratitude, I gave him another 100,000 yuan in a red envelope.

Chen Shi looked at Yang Xiong and said with a serious expression, "Principal Yang, you have come this far thanks to Wang Zhikai's support."

Yang Xiong quickly explained, "I had no choice. My relationship with Wang Zhikai is purely transactional; there's no personal feeling involved. I pay him, and he does the work."

Yang Xiong thought to himself, "There was another time when Fu Li bullied Jiang Yishan, and someone posted it online. Some nosy reporters even came to interview him. Wang Zhikai led a team to investigate, and I gave him 100,000 yuan to avoid being implicated."

He only said one million, that would be enough, but the money Yang Xiong offered Wang Zhi was much more than one million.

Chen Shi's eyes turned cold: "Principal Yang, tell me how you got this million. Your salary is only a little over 100,000 a year. You might not be able to save a million in ten years."

"Explain this million clearly; there's nothing to hide."

Yang Xiong said in a deep voice, "Director Chen, this million is clean; it was never obtained through embezzlement or bribery."

My family owns a coal mine; you can look it up. It earns several million a year. This one million was a subsidy from my father. He's quite farsighted; he always felt that someone in the family should be involved in politics, not just business. He spared no expense to support me.

Chen Shi asked, "Is the coal mine under your name?"

"No, civil servants can't do business. This coal mine used to be under my father's name, but he got old and transferred it to my younger brother. It's under my brother's name now."

My father gave the coal mine to my younger brother, and I received five million yuan in cash, as well as more than a dozen properties. My family has a property division agreement, which I can show you at any time.

Chen Shi was somewhat surprised that Yang Xiong's family was so wealthy. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Go down and write an explanation, clearly stating the location and time you bribed Wang Zhikai with one million. Make sure it's detailed. Also, send a copy of the family property division agreement along with it."

Did I pass the test? Yang Xiong looked at Chen Shi: "Director Chen, I'll go down and arrange for the writing of the explanation right away."

Chen Shi said sternly, "You can't send money to corrupt officials anymore. If it happens again, no one can protect you."

Yang Xiong was overjoyed, thinking that this time he had landed safely. He quickly said, "No, I won't do it again. I'm going to be evaluated for performance and promoted. I won't take any crooked paths."

Chen Shi called out, "Go!"

Yang Xiong walked out of the office, covered in cold sweat.

Time flies, and National Day is just around the corner. National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival are combined into one holiday, for a total of eight days.

Chen Shi's phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Jiang Yiqiu calling. He answered the phone.

Yi Qiu

"Honey, are you going back home for the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

Chen Shi thought for a moment, realizing he hadn't gone home since after the Lunar New Year: "This holiday is long, I'll go back to be with my parents and celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Where are you planning to go after the Mid-Autumn Festival?

"I haven't thought about it yet."

"How about we go on a trip? Let's go to Sanya to see the sea. I've never seen the sea before, and I've always wanted to go, but I haven't been able to yet."

Chen Shi, thinking of the bikini-clad beauties on the beach, became interested: "I've never seen the sea either. Let's go see the sea."

"Great! Come over to my place for dinner tonight. We have a day off the day after tomorrow, so let's go back together."

After get off work, Chen Shi went to Jiang Yiqiu's house, which was filled with gifts.

Jiang Yiqiu said, "They were all gifts from the teachers. There are too many, and I don't know what to do with them."

"Take it home."

My parents don't eat mooncakes much.

"Have your parents send it to a relative; it's expired and it would be a waste to throw it away."

Chen Shi received many gifts and asked Yang Bin to send two carloads back to his parents to give to relatives.

Jiang Yiqiu thought this was a good idea: "We'll take it back the day after tomorrow and give it to our relatives."

Chen Shi asked, "Which school does your brother attend?"

"I just picked someone in Yizhou. He's not cut out for studying, so he'll just get a diploma and come back to do business with my parents."

Jiang Yiqiu was cooking in the kitchen, while Chen Shi was waiting in the living room. Bored, he stood up and went in to help.

Chen Shi pinched Jiang Yiqiu's buttock: "I'm yours tonight, do whatever you want with me."

"Don't cause trouble, it'll be over in a minute. I wouldn't dare order you around."

Chen Shi hugged Jiang Yiqiu from behind: "Haven't you ordered me around enough times?"

Where?

Chen Shi bit Jiang Yiqiu's earlobe, and Jiang Yiqiu felt as if he had been electrocuted, his whole body going numb. He said in a coquettish voice, "Are you trying to kill me? I'm cooking."

"Take your time cooking, no rush."

Chen Shi picked up Jiang Yiqiu and walked outside. Jiang Yiqiu called out, "Turn off the fire."

Chen Shi turned off the stove, carried Jiang Yiqiu into the room, and the two became intimate.

After a deep conversation, Chen Shi collapsed onto the bed. Jiang Yiqiu put on his clothes and said reproachfully, "Every time you come here, you're so impatient. There's no preamble, you just jump straight to the point."

Chen Shi asked, "What kind of prelude do you want?"

"You're such a clueless straight man. Don't you know how to do it? You've never even sent me flowers."

Chen Shi sat up, thought for a moment, and realized he hadn't given Jiang Yiqiu flowers yet: "I don't watch adult films."

"I told you to watch romance movies and teen dramas, not adult films."

"It's so fake, I can't stand it. It's a teen idol drama, always about love triangles. You love me, I love him, and he loves her. It's boring. Only women like to watch this stuff."

A successful man won't waste his time on a woman.

"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to cook."