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

Wang Mingzhang felt that was enough and looked at Liu Youguang: "Youguang, I have always thought highly of you. I would do everything I could to promote you. The reason I recommended Hong Xiaojia this time is because he has achievements to show, but you have no achievements at all. How can I recommend you?"

Liu Youguang thought to himself, "If you don't recommend me, I'll find connections to recommend me myself, but you're still not happy about it."

With a smile on his face, he said, "This has put Mayor Wang in a difficult position. I will find a way to produce some achievements to shut up my political enemies."

Wang Mingzhang called out, "Don't stand, sit down. You've drunk so much, have some food."

Liu Youguang had a very uncomfortable stomach. After receiving Wang Mingzhang's forgiveness, he repeatedly said "okay," sat down, and ate a lot of food. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach was really bad.

Wang Mingzhang also picked up his chopsticks and started eating. The dishes were all to his liking, and he was quite satisfied with Liu Youguang. If it were anyone else, this would be unforgivable, and they would be directly marginalized.

After they had finished eating, Liu Youguang raised his glass and said, "Mayor Wang, this is a toast to you."

Wang Mingzhang picked up his wine glass, clinked it against his own, drank the wine in his glass, and put the glass down: "Youguang, now that you've been officially nominated as a candidate for vice mayor, you can't be careless. You need to maintain good relations with the People's Congress. The probability of the Municipal Party Committee and the People's Congress choosing a mid-level cadre with little prestige to participate in the election is very small, and it's not like there haven't been any unexpected incidents."

Liu Youguang quickly said, "Mayor Wang, I will work on maintaining good relations with the People's Congress."

In 2004, during the municipal leadership election in Minnesota, an unexpected incident occurred: someone who was merely there to fill a vacancy ended up being elected as the deputy mayor.

The candidate selected by the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Department failed to be elected.

Liu Youguang thought to himself, "A cooked duck can't fly away. As long as the popular support isn't too bad and there's a lot of discontent, this kind of situation usually won't happen."

Liu Youguang picked up the wine bottle to pour wine for Wang Mingzhang, but Wang Mingzhang said, "Don't pour it. I haven't been home for several days. I'll go home early tonight and that's all for tonight."

Liu Youguang put down the wine bottle, saw Wang Mingzhang out, jogged forward, and opened the car door for Wang Mingzhang.

Wang Mingzhang got into the car: "Youguang, you've had quite a bit to drink, you should go home and rest early."

"Okay, Mayor Wang." Liu Youguang watched Wang Mingzhang's car leave. At this moment, he felt no pressure, but his stomach churned violently. He ran to the osmanthus tree next to him and vomited uncontrollably.

I felt much better after vomiting.

Just then, my phone rang. I took it out and saw that it was Fang Min calling.

"Feed"

"Secretary, where are you? People miss you."

"Where are you?" Liu Youguang asked in return.

"Someone came all the way from Chunyang to Yizhou to find you, hoping to give you a surprise. They went to the Provincial Party School to look for you, but you weren't there."

"I'm back in Minnesota."

"I'm coming down from Yizhou to find you now."

Liu Youguang looked around and, seeing no one, found a secluded spot and whispered, "Didn't I tell you? This is a special time. I'm running for vice mayor. We shouldn't contact each other during this period. Once things settle down, there will be plenty of time."

"I miss you," Fang Min's sweet voice came from the phone.

"Sweetie, wait two months. Once I've secured my position as vice mayor, I'll transfer you to the city."

Liu Youguang hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief. He had earned the opportunity himself, so he couldn't wait any longer.

Hong Xiaojia didn't go to the provincial level to lobby; she deserved to have her vice mayoral candidate snatched away.

.........

Chen Shi returned to Chunyang County and worked for two days. He thought about how Zhang Xiangdong had told him to get married as soon as possible, since being married would give him an advantage in the competition for deputy-level cadres.

Wang Mingzhang also asked Li Nan to tell him that he should get married soon.

Chen Shi paced back and forth in his office, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. Before this, Chen Shi had never considered marriage. He was thirty years old this year, and most people working in the system were already married.

He took out his phone and called Jiang Yiqiu.

"Honey, you finally called me."

"I'm busy with work, but I'll call you when I have time. Yiqiu, cook a few dishes tonight, I'm coming over for dinner, I have something to tell you."

"What is it that can't be said over the phone?"

"Important things should be said in person."

"Okay, what do you want to eat? I'll go buy it and make it."

"You decide what to make; I don't know what to eat either."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Shi called Xu Mengmeng to his office.

Xu Mengmeng arrived at the office: "Director Chen."

"Director Xu, go buy me a ring, around ten thousand yuan will do."

Xu Mengmeng wondered to herself, "Why buy a ring? Is Chen Shi going to propose to Jiang Yiqiu?"

With a smile, she tentatively asked, "Director Chen, are you looking to buy an engagement ring?"

There's nothing to hide, and you can't hide it anyway. The county town is too small; everyone will know what you ate for breakfast very soon.

Chen Shi smiled and said, "Yes, an engagement ring."

Xu Mengmeng said with a grin, "Congratulations, Director Chen. When are you going to get the ring?"

"Give it to me before you leave work."

Xu Mengmeng was puzzled. Why the rush? The ring had to be engraved with both of their names and was supposed to be custom-made. Chen Shi couldn't possibly not know that. Why did he want it now? Was he just telling her to buy any random ring and go through the motions?

Turning around and walking out of the office, Chen Shi thought, "He's been too hasty with the proposal. He even had someone else make the engagement ring for him."

Xu Mengmeng suddenly realized that dating her boss wasn't necessarily a good thing.

She went out to choose the ring herself; this was an order from her superior, and she couldn't afford to mess it up.

She spent over two hours and more than 30,000 yuan to buy a ring that she thought women would like, and delivered it to Chen Shi's office before leaving get off work.

Chen Shi opened the box, picked up the ring, and nodded: "Director Xu has excellent taste; the ring you chose is very beautiful."

Xu Mengmeng smiled and said, "I don't have any experience either. I just thought this one looked nice, so I chose this ring. I think Principal Jiang will like it."

Chen Shi nodded and said, "I'll pay you how much you paid."

Xu Mengmeng said, "Director Chen, it's not much money, it can be reimbursed."

"No, this is my personal matter, how can I get reimbursed? How much is it? I'll transfer it to you."

Seeing that Chen Shi was really going to give her the money, Xu Mengmeng said, "Director Chen, ten thousand eight hundred."

Send me your card number, I'll transfer the money to you later.

Xu Mengmeng left the office, and she would find a way to get the remaining 20,000 yuan reimbursed herself.

Back in the office, ready to leave work, I couldn't resist calling Wang Yanhong.

"Moe Moe"

"Yan Hong, Chen Shi is getting married."

Wang Yanhong felt a pang of pain in her heart. When she heard that Chen Shi was getting married, what did it matter to her that she was heartbroken?

I was the one who initiated the breakup, and I was the one who got married first. Chen Shi will get married sooner or later, so I'm forcing myself not to think about Chen Shi.

But I would always think of Chen Shi unintentionally. I was about to become a mother, and I had no right to think of Chen Shi anymore.

Xu Mengmeng, not hearing Wang Yanhong speak, asked, "Yanhong, what's wrong?"

"Mengmeng, my dad can be hospitalized and treated at Huahai Hospital. He will help pay for it all. I'm pregnant now, and he can't come to his wedding to give me his blessings. Can you send him two thousand yuan for me?"

"Okay, make sure you get plenty of rest. Your uncle has been discharged from the hospital, so don't feel stressed."

Unconsciously, two tears streamed down Wang Yanhong's cheeks: "Thank you, Mengmeng, for always helping me when I'm in the most difficult times."

"Yan Hong, why are you being so polite with me? I haven't been of much help to you, at most I've just given you some advice."

After chatting for a few minutes, the two hung up the phone. Wang Yanhong looked out the window. Winter in Fushan Town was oppressive, with thick fog covering the sky and visibility extremely low. It was not even six o'clock, and the sky had already darkened.