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

Chen Shi gave Yang Bin an eight-day holiday for National Day, and he drove Jiang Yiqiu's car back home.

Halfway there, he forgot to bring a gift for Jiang Yiqiu's parents.

"Yiqiu, when we get to Fushan Town, I'll buy two bottles of wine and two cartons of good cigarettes for your dad."

"I've prepared everything for you, so you don't need to go buy any more."

Chen Shi glanced at Jiang Yiqiu in the passenger seat: "How do you know I didn't buy it?"

"You're so busy, how could you possibly care about such a small thing? As your girlfriend, I have to prepare it for you in advance."

Chen Shi smiled and said that Jiang Yiqiu was doing well, neither arrogant nor impatient, and his emotions were stable.

"Thanks"

Upon arriving in Fushan Town, Chen Shi parked the car in front of a flower shop. Jiang Yiqiu asked, "What do you want?"

"Wait, I have a surprise for you."

Chen Shi got out of the car, bought ninety-nine roses, and handed them to Jiang Yiqiu: "These are for you."

"You call this a surprise?" Jiang Yiqiu said speechlessly. "Director Chen, how did you even manage to get a girlfriend? Buying me flowers right in front of me? Is that a surprise?"

Chen Shi countered, "Isn't that so?"

Jiang Yiqiu laughed and said, "You're really going to drive me crazy."

"Didn't you say I'd never sent you flowers? I have to! I didn't tell you beforehand, so stopping here to buy flowers is a surprise, isn't it?"

"Okay, this is a surprise. It's the first time you've given me flowers. Anyway, I'm happy that you thought of it."

Jiang Yiqiu's phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was his mother, Zhang Qingrong, calling.

"mom"

"Where are you? The food is all ready, just waiting for you to come back."

"We've arrived in Fushan Town, we'll be home in no time."

Chen Shi got into the car and drove to Jiang Yiqiu's house.

Jiang Huazhou and Zhang Qingrong were waiting outside. Chen Shi stopped the car, and Jiang Huazhou went up to open the door for Chen Shi.

Director Chen

Chen Shi got out of the car: "Uncle, Auntie."

Zhang Qingrong smiled broadly: "Xiao Chen, please come inside."

When facing Chen Shi, she really couldn't bring herself to call him Director Chen.

Jiang Yiqiu opened the trunk, which was full of gifts. He took out two bottles of fine wine and two cartons of good cigarettes and handed them to Jiang Huazhou: "Dad, Chen Shi bought these for you."

"Director Chen, you're coming to my home as a guest, so don't bring anything."

Although Jiang Huazhou said he didn't want it, he was actually happy. He didn't lack these things; the main thing was that Chen Shi cared about him.

Jiang Yiqiu didn't see Jiang Yishan and asked, "Hasn't Jiang Yishan returned yet?"

Zhang Qingrong said, "I've been back for a few days and I've been playing games."

Jiang Yiqiu walked into the living room and saw Jiang Yishan engrossed in playing a game, so he went up and kicked him.

"Hurry up and go get your things, your brother-in-law is here."

"Come on, come on. Why did you kick me? He's not the president of the country. Why did you make me go and greet him?"

"Stop talking nonsense and go get your things. You don't even help your parents when you come back. They work so hard every day, and all you do is play games."

Jiang Yishan reluctantly followed them out to get the things.

Zhang Qingrong was very happy. His daughter was now a leader, and things were different. There were so many gifts; they couldn't possibly eat them all.

She still asked Jiang Yiqiu in a low voice, "Xiao Qiu, did you buy this?"

"How could I possibly buy so many gifts? They were all given to me by my teachers at school. There are too many; my room can't hold them all. If you can't finish them all, you can give them to your relatives."

Zhang Qingrong couldn't stop smiling.

Jiang Huazhou offered Chen Shi the seat of honor, but Chen Shi declined and insisted that Jiang Huazhou take the seat of honor instead.

Zhang Qingrong said from the side, "You two stop being so polite. We're at home, not out socializing. There's no need for such formalities. It's the same no matter where you sit."

Chen Shi couldn't refuse, so he sat in the main seat. Jiang Huazhou poured wine for Chen Shi, but Chen Shi quickly said, "Uncle, I have to drive back later, so I can't drink."

"Director Chen, let Xiao Qiu take you home later, and we'll have a couple of drinks."

Jiang Yiqiu said, "I'll have a couple of drinks with my dad, and then I'll go back with you to see your aunt and uncle."

With a table full of dishes, Zhang Qingrong said, "Xiao Chen, eat up. These are all our own pets, never fed commercial feed."

"Okay, Auntie." Chen Shi picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

Jiang Yishan was already starving and began to eat heartily.

Jiang Huazhou raised his glass: "Director Chen, this is a toast to you."

Chen Shi was speechless. What was wrong with this old man? He was making a meal at home look like he was socializing outside. But Chen Shi was still quite happy. The old man didn't treat him like a father-in-law or a son-in-law. He knew his place very well.

"Uncle, just call me Xiao Chen." He picked up his wine glass, clinked it against Jiang Huazhou's, and drank it all in one gulp.

Zhang Qingrong said, "Old Jiang, Xiao Chen already said that this is home. Don't bring your social manners from outside into the home. Xiao Chen is our son-in-law. Calling him Director Chen feels awkward."

Jiang Huazhou laughed heartily. He still insisted on calling Chen Director, as a sign of respect for Chen Shi. He had tasted the power of authority. When the Qinghe Village Primary School was being rebuilt, Donghai Zhencheng Group was contracted to undertake the project. Knowing that he was Chen Shi's future father-in-law, they took the initiative to sign a contract with him. Stones and bricks were all purchased from him.

The government also purchases supplies from him when building nursing homes. People do this because of Chen Shi. He used to only do business with farmers, but now he looks down on farmers' business and finds it more profitable to do business with the government.

Chen Shi looked at Jiang Yishan: "Yishan, don't you drink?"

Jiang Yishan buried his head in his rice, then looked up and said, "I don't drink alcohol."

"You can't not drink. After you graduate, you'll be doing business with your aunt and uncle and socializing outside. Drinking will be necessary."

Jiang Huazhou chimed in, "Did you hear that? Your brother-in-law is right. You're an adult now, so you need to learn to drink. The family business will be handed over to you in the future. Your sister is the leader now, so she won't take over."

"What's so great about alcohol? I don't want to drink. I can just hire someone to drink and come with me, that'll do."

Jiang Yiqiu looked at Jiang Yishan: "You must have too much money to burn. Doing business requires careful calculation. Even CEOs of listed companies don't have professional drinkers."

Jiang Yishan only wanted to eat and had no interest in paying attention to them.

After dinner, Jiang Huazhou chatted with Chen Shi, while Jiang Yiqiu and Zhang Qingrong cleared away the dishes.

Chen Shi sat at Jiang Yiqiu's house until after 2 p.m., then said, "Uncle, Aunt, I'm going back. I haven't been back since after the New Year."

Jiang Huazhou said, "You are the director, and the Education Bureau is counting on you. You are so busy with work, how can you have time to come back? Take advantage of the holiday to go home and visit your parents."

Zhang Qingrong and Jiang Yiqiu carried half a cooked sheep out of the kitchen. Zhang Qingrong said, "Xiao Chen, this sheep was just slaughtered by your uncle this morning. It's a local goat, and the meat is of good quality. Take it back to your parents."

"Thank you, Auntie."

"No need to thank me, we're all family."

Jiang Yiqiu pulled Jiang Huazhou aside: "Dad, I know you want to respect Chen Shi and let him come to our house so he can feel like a leader."

Respect should be kept in one's heart; there's no need to call him Director Chen. I can tell he dislikes it, and it doesn't sound good to others either.

From now on, we'll just call him Xiao Chen; it sounds more friendly.

Jiang Huazhou nodded, agreeing that it made sense; things shouldn't be the same at home as they are outside.