In name only: The land of Handong, I shall rule its fate.

This is absolutely insane!

Qi Tongwei looked at his teacher in disbelief. He realized that Teacher Gao actually still wanted to compete, but what leverage did he have left? Just that "Han University Clique"...

Why should I trust him?

Will we be targeted again?

"Tongwei, you've become much more mature than before, but you're still not mature enough, and your vision isn't long-term enough."

Gao Yuliang sighed, "It's true that the teacher was scheming against you, but it's also true that he wanted to help you improve."

"I chose you three students because each of you has value, and more importantly, because you are the three students I have the highest hopes for."

"Chen Hai took over Chen Yanshi's resources and also had the support of Chen Yang's in-laws. Even if his overall abilities were not as good as yours and Liangping's, he would still be the one who had the smoothest path in the original trajectory."

"Liangping goes without saying. He is the smartest. Although he seems reckless due to his backing by the Zhong family, he actually has the courage to dance on the edge of a knife. His future is bright and promising."

"And you..."

"You are my eldest disciple, and you are the one whose background is most similar to mine."

Gao Yuliang stared intently at him.

Similar backgrounds?

Qi Tongwei grinned, but he dared not accept such an honor.

Since the Chuzhou case broke out, he used his connections to investigate the local specialties of Handong. The Gao family was not as good as the Yao, Lin, Lu and Chen families, but they were not weak either, otherwise they would not have been able to implicate their teacher, a great professor.

"The similarity I'm referring to isn't economic, but rather a low social standing in terms of career advancement."

Gao Yuliang saw right through his mind. "That's why I borrowed the power of the Wu family, the Liang family, and the Zhao family one after another, because the teacher knew that if you wanted to gain something, you had to give up something else."

"But you are too naive."

"There is no conflict of interest between us. Our relationship is purely that of teacher and student. When you leave the school, our relationship will end. Helping is a favor, not helping is our right. You can't blame your teacher."

Qi Tongwei almost lost his composure, never having imagined... that everything back then could be explained this way.

"Without a teacher's arrangement to bring you into Liang Lu's sight, how far do you think you could go with your abilities and intelligence? You would probably be a division chief now, no, more likely a section chief, unable to move forward for decades, and you and Chen Yang would still separate."

"This is also one of the reasons why Chen Yanshi did not choose you back then. Your professional skills are beyond doubt, but your mind needs someone to protect it, which will inevitably consume a lot of resources."

"You must have resented your teacher a few years ago for not doing everything to promote you to the position of vice governor. Ask yourself honestly, could you compete with Governor Tianhen? I recommended you time and time again not so that you could advance, but so that you wouldn't regress. I was really afraid that one day, Governor Tianhen would take over your position by taking on a lower-level post."

And even if you rise to power, what then? A vice-governor riddled with flaws is a sitting duck, an easy target for attack. If you can't hold your ground, then I, the teacher who supported you, will also be exposed.

"You might be thinking that if your career in government doesn't work out, you should go into business, but you don't have much of a business sense, and in that respect, you're even less capable than Zhao Ruilong."

"In the end, the outcome is still the same."

"You don't even have the ability to repay the villagers who helped you. Under intense external pressure and self-doubt, you will probably still end up on the path of black gloves. Don't deny it, that's the kind of person you are at heart."

"The teacher simply saved you from the trouble in the middle. In fact, the teacher's initial plan was at least to have you as a front man, but you just didn't live up to expectations!"

"Go cry at his grave! Go fawn over Zhao Ruilong!"

"If you're already not clean enough, and then you get covered in mud, how can the teacher help you?"

"The teacher has really done everything in her power to help you."

"But your heart is too restless, you're never satisfied!"

"Perhaps the root of all these calamities was destined from the moment you met Chen Yang."

"But your teacher still has to give you one last lesson: everything in this world needs to be obtained through equivalent exchange, and the most important thing is to understand what you want."

"The Liang family was the best place for you, and your teacher hoped you could stay on this ship forever, but unfortunately you jumped ship."

"get out of class dismissed!"

Gao Yuliang got up, no longer paying attention to Qi Tongwei who was stunned on the table, and went straight upstairs to his room.

Qi Tongwei felt like his head was about to explode, it was so chaotic! He knew he had fallen into Teacher Gao's trap again, and he had to calm down. Numbly, he tidied up the mess on the table and closed the villa door.

Walking along the tree-lined path in the provincial party committee's residential compound.

A night breeze was blowing.

The chill couldn't blow away the bewilderment and confusion in my heart.

He instinctively wanted to find someone to answer his questions, and his steps unconsciously led him toward Villa No. 12, but he suddenly realized that Executive Director Lin had already gone out to conduct grassroots research.

The car drove out of the compound.

After driving for an unknown amount of time, we stopped on a street that felt both strange and familiar.

The Liang family?

Was staying with the Liang family the best option for him? No, that's not right. The more the schemer mentions something, the more the participant should avoid it.

"Tongwei, what's the matter?"

A soft female voice suddenly rang out in the car, instantly pulling Qi Tongwei back from his reverie.

He then realized that he had somehow dialed Liang Lu's number.

"Don't worry about Siming, he's already showered and gone to bed."

Perhaps not receiving a response, Liang Lu spoke again. Her voice was gentle and considerate, completely different from the sharp and hysterical tone of their previous shouting arguments.

"fine…"

"I just wanted to call and ask about your situation."

Qi Tongwei's voice was very hoarse.

"Do you want to see your dad? He's a light sleeper and hasn't gone to sleep yet."

There was a long silence on the other end of the microphone.

Liang Lu seemed to be adjusting her fluctuating emotions as she slowly spoke.

"No need to look for Dad."

Qi Tongwei's eyes inexplicably stung, but his voice remained natural as he said, "I just missed...you guys."

You are only two words.

However, it covers a wide range.

A soft laugh came from across the mountains and seas, "Siming also said he misses his father. Take a leave of absence during the New Year and don't work shifts. Come to Jingzhou and we'll celebrate the New Year together."

"good!"

The phone call ended briefly.

The bedroom door was gently pushed open, and Liang Qunfeng looked at his daughter, who was staring blankly at her phone screen, and asked, "Qi Tongwei's call?"

Liang Lu nodded, tucked the blanket around the sleeping Qi Siming, and quietly left the room.

"Tongwei's voice sounds off; it seems like he's in trouble. It shouldn't be like he has Executive Director Lin protecting him in Handong, Dad. Has what happened last time been uncovered?"

Liang Lu frowned.

She wasn't worried about Qi Tongwei, but she was worried about Qi Siming losing his father.

"They were calmed down by Lin Zhiyuan and won't make a move."

Liang Qunfeng's eyes were cloudy, but they seemed to see through time and space to the changes in Handong, thousands of miles away. "It's just that someone is eager to get away and wants to tie him to the bus."

"That idiot Qi Tongwei finally got smart for once and didn't make you come to me."

"Otherwise... I'll break his legs!"

"dad…"

Liang Lu was puzzled.

"Don't worry, we won't do anything, that idiot is the safest."