Nominal: Starting with an entrance exam for a PhD in Economics at Peking University

Hou Liangping later used this opportunity to be transferred to Beijing. But Qi Tongwei and Chen Yang don't even have this "pass."

They haven't even formally met each other's parents, let alone gotten a marriage certificate.

Chen Yang's sobs subsided, but his shoulders were still trembling slightly.

In the past, Qi Tongwei might have been misled by Chen Yanshi's rhetoric of "fairness and selflessness," but now he has seen through the truth.

He turned to Chen Hai, his tone steady: "Chen Hai, you're about to graduate. There are some truths you should know."

Chen Hai was intimidated by Qi Tongwei's seriousness and subconsciously took a step back: "What... the truth?"

Qi Tongwei struggled to sit up, his eyes blazing: "Your father keeps saying that no job is superior or inferior, and that workers and farmers are the most honorable, so he is unwilling to help me transfer jobs. Then why has he never allowed me, the son of a farmer and a lowly narcotics officer in the judicial office, to come and propose marriage?"

Chen Hai instinctively defended himself: "He's worried that if you two live apart after marriage, my sister will suffer!"

Qi Tongwei nodded, neither confirming nor denying, and then asked, "Do you think your sister is outstanding?"

"What do you mean? Of course my sister is outstanding!"

Qi Tongwei laughed and said, "That's not what I meant. I was asking if she's the kind of outstanding talent that only one in a thousand can be found."

Chen Hai frowned: "This..."

Hou Liangping, who was standing nearby, interjected, "Senior, are you looking down on Sister Chen Yang?"

Qi Tongwei shook his head and continued to press, "Liangping, Chen Hai, you're in the student union, you should know how many people the central ministries recruit from Handong University every year?"

Hou Liangping pondered for a moment: "Less than ten, sometimes only three or five."

"Why did the Supreme People's Procuratorate choose Chen Yang, who had mediocre grades and came from the literature department, back then?"

The ward was completely silent.

Before they could answer, Qi Tongwei revealed the answer directly: "Because your father has an old comrade-in-arms who is a powerful deputy director-general at the Supreme People's Procuratorate. He has a son who is about the same age as your sister."

Chen Hai looked at Chen Yang in disbelief, but Chen Yang avoided his brother's gaze, his crying having stopped at some point.

Yes, she didn't know when she first went to Beijing. Qi Tongwei spent two years in graduate school and a year and a half working, while she stayed in Beijing for three and a half years. How could she not have realized her father's original intention in insisting that she go to the north?

Qi Tongwei's voice rang out again, calm to the point of cruelty: "Chen Yang was born and raised in Jingzhou, and all her social connections are in Jingzhou. She is of average talent and has no great ambitions. Your father went to great lengths to arrange for her to come to Beijing, simply to pave the way for your future career through this possible marriage."

Chen Hai's body trembled, and he froze on the spot.

Chapter 3 Chen Yanshi's Schemes

In the hospital room, Chen Hai's young face was flushed with anger. He couldn't accept Qi Tongwei's sharp analysis of his father and instinctively retorted loudly, "You're talking nonsense!"

Qi Tongwei had no intention of arguing with him at this moment. He calmly looked at Chen Hai and offered a simple and direct method of verification: "Call your father now and tell him that you were greatly encouraged by my meritorious service and awards, and that you are determined to apply for the most arduous frontline position after graduation. See if he agrees. If he agrees, I will apologize to you."

Chen Yang instinctively wanted to stop him, but after opening his mouth, he ultimately didn't say anything.

Chen Hai grabbed the phone in the ward and pressed the speakerphone button. While waiting for the call to connect, he stubbornly glared at Qi Tongwei: "You just wait and see, my dad is definitely not the kind of person you're talking about."

The call connected, and Chen Yanshi's serious voice came through: "Hello, this is Chen Yanshi from the Procuratorate. Who is this?"

"Dad, it's me, Chen Hai." He said excitedly, "My sister and I just visited Senior Qi. He's a true hero! He was shot three times and single-handedly took down a drug den! Liangping and I have decided that after graduation, we'll learn from him and apply to go to the most difficult mountainous areas!"

"Bullshit!" Chen Yanshi's angry rebuke exploded from the receiver. He immediately realized his lapse in composure and, forcing a smile, asked, "...Is Liangping with you?"

Chen Hai was taken aback. Although he didn't understand what he meant, he still subconsciously replied, "He's not here. He went to buy cigarettes."

After confirming, Chen Yanshi's voice rose again: "Your mother and I are getting old, and your sister is in Beijing. You have to stay by her side to take care of her! The front line is too dangerous, and your mother's health is not good. She can't bear to worry about you all the time!"

He abruptly changed the subject, bluntly stating the reality: "And speaking of Liangping, do you think he can go to the front lines? His destination is no longer up to him. He and Zhong Xiaoai have met each other's parents, and the Zhong family will naturally make arrangements—he'll work temporarily at the procuratorate, and after they get married, he can be transferred to Beijing under the pretext of resolving their separation. If he really goes to the front lines, it will be difficult to transfer to Beijing again; the Zhong family will never agree to that!"

Chen Hai subconsciously looked at Hou Liangping, only to see that the other man had lowered his head—clearly, he already knew the inside story.

Chen Yanshi's admonition hadn't stopped: "There are many frontline positions, and promotion is difficult. You'll have no chance of getting ahead if you don't risk your life. You're our only son, how can we let you take such a risk? What were we fighting through gunfire back then for? Wasn't it so that your generation wouldn't have to risk your lives like this!"

He softened his tone and shifted to a more "pragmatic" plan: "Listen to me, come to the provincial procuratorate. The cases handled there are the major and important ones, which are more important than risking your life on the front lines, and are also more suitable for you to utilize your talents."

Finally, he pointed precisely at the person he had been wary of in the hospital bed, his tone full of definitive denigration, "Was it Qi Tongwei who instigated you? I knew it! He resented me for not helping him get a transfer, so he wanted to drag you along to the mountains. He's resentful! I told you before, kids from farming families like him are inherently insecure and sensitive, impatient for quick success, and have ulterior motives! You should stay away from him!"

"I have a meeting, we'll talk about it when I get home." The call was abruptly ended.

Chen Hai stood frozen, microphone in hand. Everyone knew that the prospects for development were better at the provincial institute, but hearing these realistic and calculating words from his father, who always talked about "dedication," still left him feeling disillusioned.

In the original timeline, this scene would not have occurred. The young Chen Hai, confident in his abilities, would have believed that his position in the prosecutor's office was solely due to his own merits.

Even after Chen Yanshi retired, the legacy he left behind was enough to protect him and ensure his smooth sailing, allowing him to become the head of the anti-corruption bureau at a young age.

However, what is more crucial and ironic is that the near-vacuum of favorable circumstances that protected him for twenty years allowed him to miraculously maintain the naivety and idealism he had when he first entered the workforce.

This directly led to the situation at the beginning of the story of "In the Name of the People" where, without obtaining explicit permission from the provincial party committee or even considering the political consequences of his actions, he attempted to arrest a deputy mayor of a provincial capital city and the top official of an important urban area based solely on a telephone notification from the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

In the end, he may have been right; but in the treacherous world of officialdom, political rules often supersede the mere correctness of the outcome!

His actions at the time were politically immature, and if it weren't for Lao Ji's timely intervention, he would have almost gotten himself into trouble.

This is precisely the result of being overprotected. Too much success in youth is not necessarily a blessing.

Now, it is Qi Tongwei who will make up for this belated lesson for him.

Although Chen Hai was naive, he was not stupid. The numerous contradictions between his father's words and actions had a profound impact on him.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing to Qi Tongwei, and stormed out of the ward with a dark face.

"Chen Hai!" Hou Liangping called out, but failed to stop him, and chased after him worriedly.

Chen Yang looked worried, glancing at his younger brother who had run away, then at his lover on the hospital bed, caught in a dilemma.

In Qi Tongwei's eyes, whether now or looking back twenty years from now, Chen Yang is a good girl.

She is kind, family-oriented, and despite her privileged background, she has no spoiled habits. She has a gentle personality and is caught in the middle, torn between two options, after learning about her father's plans.

It's really not her fault. A girl with a gentle personality who has lived a conventional life for over twenty years can't possibly completely turn her back on her parents for love.

If he were still the young Qi Tongwei he once was, he would do everything in his power to stay with her.

But for Director Qi now, Chen Yanshi is being suppressed by Liang Qunfeng and will be at odds with Zhao Lichun in the future. His already limited political resources will inevitably be poured into his son, Chen Hai.

This relationship is entirely detrimental and offers no benefit whatsoever.

Most importantly, Qi Ting no longer has any feelings for Chen Yang.

The white moonlight of the past has finally become a dry grain of rice on my clothes.

He softened his voice and said gently, "Chen Yang, let's end it here. A marriage without parental blessings is unlikely to be happy. There's no need to persist in vain."

Tears streamed down Chen Yang's face. He finally nodded, covered his face, and left.

In his previous life, Qi Tongwei sensed Chen Yang's struggle and predicament, which led him to succumb to Liang Lu's power in despair—since love was destined to be unattainable, he might as well devote himself entirely to pursuing a career in government.

Having finally sorted out these two emotional entanglements, the ward returned to silence, leaving him alone.

The sunlight moved, and dust particles in the air floated slowly within the beams of light.

Qi Tongwei took a deep breath, which aggravated the wound in his chest. A sharp pain shot through him, but it also made him more alert.

Let bygones be bygones. Now, he can focus all his will and energy on the next, and crucial, battle in his life—preparing for the doctoral entrance exam in economics at Peking University.

That will be a new starting point for him to escape the quagmire of Handong and truly step into a wider world.

Chapter 4 Taking the Initiative

The essence of politics lies in uniting as many forces as possible and dividing as few opponents as possible.

Qi Tongwei leaned against the hospital bed, calmly examining the chess game he was in.

Right now, his overt enemy is the Liang family. But he knows in his heart that the Liang family is not a complete entity. This doesn't mean there are any internal conflicts within the Liang family, but rather that their interests are not aligned.

But the only person he truly and thoroughly offended was Liang Lu. She was merely a university counselor, and all she could rely on was her father Liang Qunfeng's power. Liang Qunfeng, as the Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, had his own political calculations and factional maneuvering. While he might not have fully approved of his daughter's willful and reckless behavior, he tacitly condoned it—after all, the future of a girl from a poor family was insignificant in his eyes.

However, the power of the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission is so immense that even a slight, unintentional hint of his inclination is enough to make it difficult for him to move an inch in Handong.

Memories of his two decades of ups and downs in officialdom flooded back, and he meticulously reviewed the connections he had made with those around him.

Hou Liangping and Chen Hai? Their relationship is acceptable, but they are still students and unable to offer assistance. Zhao Lichun? His status is too high, the timing is not right, and he is 10 years younger than Liang Qunfeng, with a slightly lower position. There is absolutely no way he would offend the powerful Liang family for an unknown nobody like him. The Gao Xiaoqin sisters? They are probably still minors at this time.

After much thought, the only piece of driftwood he could grasp was his mentor, Gao Yuliang.

At this moment, Professor Gao remains the aloof scholar he always was; it's impossible for him to confront the Liang family directly, and Qi Tongwei has no intention of dragging him into this quagmire. However, for his most pressing goal—to be admitted to Peking University's doctoral program in economics—Professor Gao's academic guidance and connections could provide crucial assistance. And given Gao Yuliang's character and integrity at this point, he is still trustworthy and worth relying on.

He must utilize every available resource to achieve his goal in one fell swoop. If he fails the exam this time and has to wait another year, given that he has thoroughly angered Liang Lu, the blow he will face will only be more severe, and the retaliation will not wait for him to recover and be discharged from the hospital.

Being in a position of absolute weakness and passively waiting is tantamount to sitting and waiting for death. The weaker you are, the more you must take the initiative and seize control of your destiny.

At this moment, his aura as a "hero of Lone Eagle Ridge" was his only bargaining chip. He remembered clearly that a reporter from the *People's Public Security Daily* would arrive tomorrow. This official newspaper of the Ministry of Public Security was a direct channel to the highest levels of government. Since he could no longer gain any support within Handong Province, he could only turn his attention to higher places and try to leverage their influence.

The interview took place as scheduled the following morning. Director Ding (deputy division chief level) of the Political and Legal Affairs Department of the *People's Public Security Daily* personally led the team, accompanied by a print reporter and a photographer. The Public Security Bureau of Handong Province was represented by Director Wang of the Publicity Department, who accompanied the team throughout the entire process, maintaining a rigorous and appropriate protocol.

The routine visit and interview process went smoothly. Qi Tongwei's cooperation was impeccable; his thinking was clear, and his answers were fluent, even surprising the seasoned Director Ding. In the past, when interviewing such grassroots heroes, they were often simple and reserved, requiring the reporter to patiently guide them to gradually get into the flow and uncover touching details.

But this Qi Tongwei before me, though full of emotion and earnest in his words, always seemed to speak with an overly polished and sophisticated air, making him seem less like a fledgling young hero and more like a leader well-versed in the art of propaganda. This feeling was quite peculiar.

Putting aside this slight unease, the exceptionally high efficiency of the interview was always pleasant. Director Ding was in a good mood, planning to take the team to Lincheng's famous scenic spots for field research afterward, which was also part of a journalist's job.

As the interview drew to a close, Director Ding, as is customary, asked kindly, "Xiao Qi, having made such a great contribution, what are your thoughts and plans for your future work?"

coming!

Qi Tongwei felt a chill run down his spine. He had been feigning compliance for most of the day, waiting for this very moment.

According to the standard script, he should now give a passionate speech, expressing his desire to return to his original post and continue his work, dedicating his life to the cause of public security. This would ensure a pleasant ending for both host and guests. Director Wang, who accompanied him, had even booked the hotel for the celebratory banquet.

But would Qi Tongwei follow the script? This was his only chance to get direct access to the ministries and take the initiative, so he had to take a risk.

His eyelids were lowered, and a barely perceptible tear welled up in his tiger-like eyes. His voice was low and hoarse: "Leader... I... I plan to submit my resignation after I recover from my injury."

Once the words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.

Director Ding's outstretched hand, ready to shake hands and say goodbye, froze in mid-air. But with his seasoned experience, he flipped his wrist and casually placed his hand on Qi Tongwei's shoulder, his tone becoming even gentler: "Comrade Tongwei, what's wrong? Have you encountered some insurmountable difficulties in your life, or have you suffered some grievances at work?" He turned his gaze to Director Wang beside him, "If there's anything, you can also report it to Director Wang."

Director Wang's heart skipped a beat. The propaganda system was well-informed; how could he not know about Qi Tongwei's "hero's inability to resist the charms of a beautiful woman" experience? The reason why a top student and graduate student from Handong University was sent to the front line of drug enforcement in a remote town to fight desperately was shrouded in secrecy.

He never underestimated this young man. Who knew if he would suddenly realize his mistake and become the son-in-law of the Liang family? At that time, their status would be completely different.

But these things that were kept under wraps could never be laid bare in front of the leaders from the ministry. He could only cautiously agree with Director Ding, saying, "Yes, Xiao Qi, if you have any difficulties in your life, the organization will do its best to help you solve them." He deliberately limited the scope to "life," and didn't mention a word about "work" arrangements—that was definitely not something a propaganda director like him could decide.

Qi Tongwei was certainly not naive enough to reveal his entire hand. Hoping for a righteous official to speak out was a fantasy only the weak had. A mere deputy director of a department at the *People's Public Security Daily* was incapable of upholding justice for him. If this matter were truly exposed, it would likely be quietly suppressed by the Liang family's network of connections before it even left Handong.

A bullet is most effective when it is suspended in the chamber of a gun but not yet fired.

So he simply pursed his lips, turning his grievances and resentment into silent silence, his expression stubborn and forlorn.