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

Chen Shi couldn't embarrass Yang Xiaobo too much, so he said calmly, "Old Yang, I recommended you to take over as deputy director because I value your ability to handle things. Having the will to do the job well is more important than anything else."

"I'll accept the wine, but you can't give me anything else, nor can you give it to any other leaders. That's a crime, understand?"

Yang Xiaobo broke out in a cold sweat and quickly said, "I will remember Director Chen's teachings. I realize my mistake. I almost harmed Director Chen and myself. I will deeply reflect on my behavior and devote myself to doing the work you assigned me well in the future."

Yang Xiaobo put the money in the drawer, picked up the wine, and followed Chen Shi out.

He put the wine in the trunk, smiled broadly, and saw Chen Shi off. He thought to himself, "You don't have to accept it, but I can't not give it to you. Who knows if you'll accept it or not? Not giving it to you would be inconsiderate of me, but giving it to you is my way of showing you respect."

Within the system, what often appears to be praise from your superiors is actually dissatisfaction with you, and what sometimes appears to be criticism is actually affirmation.

Yang Xiaobo returned to the private room, put the money in his bag and took it with him. Feng Yuan drove him home.

After arriving home, Yang Xiaobo put the money in the safe and took a hot shower.

His wife was watching TV in the living room when she saw him come out of the shower and asked, "You're having dinner with Director Chen tonight. Is your deputy director position a sure thing? Everyone's saying you're the candidate for deputy director."

Yang Xiaobo said in a deep voice, "What others say is their business. You can't get involved. If someone asks you, just say you don't know. This is a critical time. Keep a low profile and don't make a fuss about it."

"I know that once you become the deputy director, you'll drop the 'deputy' from my title of deputy principal and become the top leader. Being a deputy is often too stifling; you don't have the final say."

Yang Xiaobo sat on the sofa, and his wife hurriedly went to pour him some warm water. Yang Xiaobo gave his wife a look, and she quickly said, "I'll go make some tea."

Take away the lukewarm water. What is family status? This is it: family status depends on one's status outside the home.

His wife brought over the brewed tea, and Yang Xiaobo took a sip before putting down the teacup.

"You're addicted to being a leader; you want to be the principal too."

"It's not just men who like being leaders; we women like it too. You could become a deputy director from a primary school principal with just a word."

Yang Xiaobo thought for a moment and decided that since he had been promoted, he should also promote his wife; good things shouldn't go to outsiders.

He took out his phone, checked the time—it was past 10 p.m.—and after thinking for a moment, decided to call Dong Xuexi.

Dong Xuexi had already gone to bed. The first thing he did after becoming the vice principal of Fushan Town Central School was to transfer his wife, Huang Feng'e, to the school so that the couple would no longer have to live apart.

The phone rang. Dong Xuexi picked it up and saw that it was Yang Xiaobo calling. He quickly answered, "Director Yang, hello, this is Dong Xuexi."

"Old classmate, why are you being so polite? Are you asleep?"

"not yet"

"I'm bothering you so late because I have some good news to tell you. I just got back from having dinner with Director Chen. He asked if there were any suitable candidates to recommend for the Laoyan Town Central School, which is short of a principal. You were the first person I thought of. Don't think that Laoyan Town is remote. This is your opportunity. You know, to go from vice principal to principal, you have to drop the 'vice' part. Many people never drop it in their entire lives."

If you work in Laoyan Town for a year or two, you'll have the opportunity to become a deputy section chief. But you're too old to wait.

"If you don't remove the 'deputy' designation, you'll have to wait two or three years, and even then, you might have the opportunity to remove it. By then, you'll be too old to become a deputy section chief."

Dong Xuexi has now been given a new lease on life. He has thrown his former arrogance to the winds. If he wants to enter officialdom, he must lower his posture and cater to his superiors. With a smile on his face, he said, "Thank you, Director Yang. I don't know how to thank you enough. You are like my second parents. From now on, I will be your soldier and follow your command in all actions."

"Old classmate, that's enough. We're classmates. If there's an opportunity, who else would I recommend if not you? Come to the county town tomorrow and report to Director Chen. No matter how far away it is, come up at least once every two weeks to report to the leaders. Only then will the leaders keep you in their hearts."

"I will keep in mind Director Yang's teachings."

After hanging up the phone, Huang Feng'e asked, "Was that Yang Xiaobo calling?"

Dong Xuexi nodded and said, "Yang Xiaobo recommended me to be the principal of Laoyan Town Central School."

Huang Feng'e said, "Being a principal in Laoyan Town is not as good as being a vice principal in Fushan Town. Laoyan Town is too remote and heavily polluted; it's not a place for humans to live."

Dong Xuexi now understood clearly and said in a deep voice, "I won't get a good position. Yang Xiaobo is right. This is my chance. I'm almost forty. If I don't get rid of this 'deputy' title as soon as possible, I won't have a chance to become a deputy section chief."

Huang Feng'e looked surprised and said, "You really want to go?"

"It's a section-level cadre position, not something you can just go to whenever you want. You need an opportunity. Within the system, opportunities are rare, so you have to go."

Tomorrow morning I'll go to the county town to report to Director Chen and deliver some gifts to Yang Xiaobo's family to thank him for speaking well of me to Director Chen.

Huang Feng'e asked, "Wang Zhikai has been arrested, and the Education Bureau is short of a deputy director. Teachers at the school are saying that Yang Xiaobo will take over as deputy director. Is that true?"

"It's obvious to anyone with eyes that Yang Xiaobo is Chen Shi's confidant in the Education Bureau, and Chen Shi is Secretary Liu's man. If he recommends Yang Xiaobo for the position of deputy director, Secretary Liu will definitely agree."

"My goodness, Yang Xiaobo is going to get promoted again." Huang Feng'e exclaimed. If it were before, Dong Xuexi would have immediately lost his temper.

Dong Xuexi lay on the bed and pulled the blanket over himself: "I need to sort out my relationship with Yang Xiaobo. We don't have any deep-seated grudges. I was too ignorant before. I had such good resources, but I didn't make use of them."

Huang Feng'e felt lucky that she hadn't gotten a divorce. She said softly, "Let's not talk about the past. You're a leader now, and you'll catch up with Yang Xiaobo soon."

Dong Xuexi said in a deep voice, "Don't go around telling people about Yang Xiaobo becoming the deputy director."

"I'm too lazy to say things that everyone already knows."

On the other side, Ma Guanghui invited Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong to take a sauna at Heaven on Earth.

He didn't tell Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong in advance that Ma Chunlan wouldn't be coming to dinner. If he had told them beforehand, Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong wouldn't have eaten with him. He knew his own limitations.

When Zhang Kaizhi and Gao Rong arrived, he explained that his uncle, Ma Chunlan, had something urgent to attend to and couldn't come.

Zhang Kaizhi was very unhappy. He had extended an olive branch, but Ma Chunlan completely ignored it, showing no respect for him as the deputy secretary.

He still wanted to recommend Ma Guanghui for the position of deputy director, to see how Ma Chunlan would decide. He was asking, "Your own nephew, are you really going to vote against him?"

If you vote in favor, Liu Youguang will suspect that you have sided with him and will distance yourself from Ma Chunlan in the future, so he can find a way to win you over.

As the deputy secretary, he couldn't be inconspicuous. He needed to win over a few standing committee members, form his own sphere of influence, and let Secretary Zhu Ming see his abilities in order to have a chance to advance further.