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

After three times in one night, Chen Shi felt exhausted and drained. He realized that being thirty was nothing compared to being twenty. He thought back to when he was in college, he went to a hotel with Qin Min five times in one night and nothing happened to him.

The two slept until ten o'clock before getting up. Chen Shi was listless. After eating breakfast, he went downstairs, where Yang Bin was waiting.

When Yang Bin saw Chen Shi come down, he quickly opened the door. He had arrived at eight o'clock and had been waiting for two whole hours.

Chen Shi got into the car, feeling drowsy. Yang Bin asked, "Director Chen, where are we going?"

"Return to the Education Bureau"

Upon arriving at the Education Bureau, Chen Shi sat in the office for a while, but felt very sleepy and couldn't muster any energy. He then returned to his residence to catch up on sleep.

I slept until 2 p.m., and when I woke up I felt refreshed. When I arrived at the office, Xu Mengmeng brought me some documents.

Chen Shi felt hungry and said to Xu Mengmeng, "Director Xu, go to the cafeteria and get a packed meal."

"Okay," Xu Mengmeng hurriedly arrived at the cafeteria. The cafeteria manager came out to greet her as soon as he saw her.

"Director Xu"

Xu Mengmeng said, "Tell the chef to quickly prepare two dishes and I'll send them to Director Chen. Director Chen likes Chef Niu's stir-fried pork, Chef Ma's Mapo tofu, and braised pork ribs."

"I'll go and call Chef Niu and Chef Ma to cook."

The canteen manager hurried to the dormitory, opened the door, and found Chef Niu and Chef Ma resting on the bed, scrolling through their phones. They had just finished tidying up and were lying down to rest. Few people eat in the canteen at night; they don't start work until 3 p.m.

The canteen manager called out, "Chef Niu, Chef Ma, get up quickly and go to the canteen to cook. Director Chen hasn't eaten yet."

Master Niu lay on the bed without moving: "Old Ma, you do it this time, and I'll do it next time. It's too tiring. Take a rest."

The canteen manager chimed in, "Everyone get up and cook. Director Chen likes the stir-fried pork you make, Chef Niu, and the Mapo tofu and braised pork ribs you make, Chef Ma."

Master Niu sat up and complained, "What's wrong with these leaders? They don't eat when it's time to eat, and it's already 2 o'clock before they come to eat. Isn't this just making things difficult for us?"

"Stop talking nonsense and get to work. It's an honor for you if the boss likes your cooking. If the company has to lay off employees, no one will dare to lay you off."

The canteen of the Education Bureau is contracted out to a third-party company, and the Party and Government Office is responsible for supervision and management.

Master Niu, his face dark, put on his shoes: "We're not on the path to officialdom, what good is it if the leader likes us? Does he think he can promote me to a leadership position?"

Being a chef is all about skill. With skill, I can let them cut my clothes however they want, and I can still get compensation. I can go find another restaurant and still be a chef there.

The canteen manager raised his voice and said, "Master Niu, if you go to work as a chef at the restaurant, no matter how late it is, you have to cook whenever customers come. You won't be able to leave work until 10 p.m.

You work here and they even provide you with the five social insurances and one housing fund. You can leave work on time before 7 pm. But when you go to a restaurant outside, who provides you with the five social insurances and one housing fund?

You are taking your blessings for granted. Many people would want this job, so stop complaining all the time.

Chef Ma smiled at the canteen manager and said, "I'll go cook for Director Chen right now."

Chef Niu reluctantly went to the cafeteria to cook.

Xu Mengmeng waited for twenty minutes until the food was ready, then carried it to Chen Shi's office.

The dishes were opened and placed on the table in the living room. Chen Shi smelled the aroma, came over, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating.

"Director Xu, you can go back to your work."

Xu Mengmeng left and waited for twenty minutes before returning to Chen Shi's office. Chen Shi had just finished eating and was preparing to tidy up when Xu Mengmeng, having timed it perfectly, quickly stepped forward and said, "Director Chen, let me do it."

After eating his fill, Chen Shi regained his energy and began to review the documents sent by Xu Mengmeng.

After get off work, she asked Yang Bin to take her to Xiaoyuan Renjia.

When Hu Santai saw Chen Shide's car drive into the courtyard, he quickly came out to greet him.

Chen Shi got out of the car, quickly stepped forward, and shook Chen Shi's hand: "Director Chen, please come in."

Chen Shi told Yang Bin to go back first and come back to pick him up later.

Hu Santai led Chen Shi to a luxurious private room on the third floor. Ye Shanshan stood up to greet Chen Shi as he entered, extending her hand: "Director Chen, hello, we meet again."

Chen Shi grasped Ye Shanshan's hand: "President Ye, hello."

Hu Santai called out, "Don't stand, sit down. The fact that we can meet again means we are destined to meet."

Hu Santai asked Chen Shi to sit in the main seat, while he and Ye Shanshan sat on either side.

The waiter served the dishes, and Hu Santai opened the wine bottle and poured wine for Chen Shi and Ye Shanshan.

Ye Shanshan raised her glass: "Director Chen, I'd like to propose a toast to you."

Chen Shi raised his glass, clinked it against Ye Shanshan's, and drank it all in one gulp.

Ye Shanshan put down her wine glass: "Director Chen, I heard you're running for executive deputy county head?"

Chen Shi looked at Ye Shanshan: "Ms. Ye, can you be of help?"

"Director Chen, whether I can help you depends on whether you can help me. Now we are partners, and it's a win-win situation for both of us."

Chen Shi was surprised by Ye Shanshan's directness and asked, "President Ye, how can I help you?"

Ye Shanshan smiled and said, "I heard that Chunyang County is going to carry out a pilot project for basic education, which will centralize school management and build a lot of primary schools. Our company does this kind of work. Director Chen, could you entrust our company to build these primary schools?"

Hu Santai poured wine for Chen Shi: "Director Chen, President Ye's company is quite powerful. The Qilin branch of the Mingzhou Teachers College Affiliated Primary School was built by their company. You should go and take a look when you have time. It's very beautifully constructed."

Chen Shi said with a smile, "President Ye, I'm really sorry, Chunyang County is a poor county with no money in its finances. The funds for building primary schools are raised by the central schools in each township themselves. Our education bureau does not provide special funding."

Last year, Laoyan Town and Fushan Town conducted a pilot program to build schools. The funding for these schools was raised by the towns themselves, and the Education Bureau did not interfere with who they entrusted with the construction.

Ye Shanshan understood Chen Shi's meaning: no money. It would be difficult to get paid even if they undertook the project.

He thought he could easily control Chen Shi, but to his surprise, Chen Shi was still so stubborn and dared to directly refuse to cooperate with him.

Chen Shi changed the subject: "President Ye, I can't control the construction of the primary school. The Education Bureau has decided to purchase all the learning materials and teaching aids for all schools in the county. I wonder if President Ye would be interested?"

Ye Shanshan and Hu Santai exchanged a glance. Hu Santai smiled and said, "There are quite a lot of learning materials and teaching aids for all the schools in the county. Director Chen, the budget should be around ten million."

"Budget of 950 million"

Ye Shanshan had never made study materials or teaching aids before, but this business didn't involve any risk. She could buy low and sell high and still make a million or two.

Was this Chen Shi trying to curry favor with her? Ye Shanshan wondered to herself.

Chen Shi picked up his chopsticks and started eating. He wasn't afraid of offending Ye Shanshan again. Liu Daming was the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission and had a say in the political and legal system, but he didn't have much say in personnel matters. He just didn't want to offend a member of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee at this critical juncture.

Ye Shanshan's company is just an empty shell. Building a school is a long-term project that cannot be neglected in the slightest. This is the bottom line.

The quality of learning materials and teaching aids may be slightly inferior, but the impact is not significant.