127: Chapter 127 A Beauty Arrives from the Sky

"County Magistrate Xiao, congratulations!"

Team Leader Zhang Yining rushed into the office, arms full of files. "News just came out from the Organization Department; the Standing Committee has unanimously voted for you to succeed as the County Magistrate!"

Xiao Bei was reviewing documents, his fountain pen tip pausing on the paper to leave an ink blot. As he looked up, the sunlight outside the window grazed his slightly trembling eyelashes.

"Don't talk nonsense."

He set down his pen, the metal clinking crisply against the solid wood desk. "Such personnel appointments require waiting for official documents."

"Oh, it's a done deal!"

Team Leader Zhang Yining slapped the hot-off-the-press Jinhe Daily onto the table. The headline read, "Our County Holds Leadership Cadre Conference to Deploy Recent Work," and in the accompanying photo, Xiao Bei's nameplate was already placed in the County Magistrate's seat.

Before he could look closely, the office phone suddenly rang. After Xiao Bei picked it up, his expression gradually froze, and finally, he only said one sentence: "Okay, I'll be there right away."

The County Party Committee and the County Government were separated by only a single wall.

Inside the conference room of the Jinhe County Party Committee, the air conditioner hummed, but it could not dispel the tension permeating the air. Xiao Bei sat in the front row, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously.

The meeting began.

"...Following the research and decision of the Provincial Party Committee, Comrade County Magistrate Lin Ruohan is appointed as Deputy Party Secretary of Jinhe County and Acting County Magistrate..." Zheng Guodong, member of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and Minister of the Organization Department, read the document.

"What!! How can this be!"

Team Leader Zhang Yining leaned over and lowered her voice. "It's too sudden! She was parachuted directly from the province. County Magistrate Xiao, aren't you anxious?"

Xiao Bei tugged at his tie and chuckled. "Why should I be anxious? Whoever becomes County Magistrate, the work remains the same."

"Give me a break," Team Leader Zhang Yining pouted. "After County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu was arrested, everyone thought you would be directly promoted to County Magistrate. Didn't Secretary Ma imply that too? And yet, the province suddenly parachuted someone in..."

The door to the conference room was suddenly pushed open, and Secretary Ma walked in with an entourage. Xiao Bei stood up immediately, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the woman beside Secretary Ma.

She looked to be about thirty years old, dressed in a well-tailored navy blue suit that set off her snow-white skin. Her jet-black long hair was meticulously coiled at the back of her head, revealing a well-defined jawline, like a dancer. Most striking were her eyes—pitch black, yet as cold as ice; when they swept across the conference room, they seemed to carry a tangible chill.

"Comrades," Secretary Ma cleared his throat. "This is Comrade County Magistrate Lin Ruohan. From today onwards, she will serve as our Jinhe County Magistrate..."

Xiao Bei only heard Team Leader Zhang Yining gasp beside him: "My god, this is too..."

Too what? Xiao Bei finished the thought in his mind. Too beautiful? Too cold? Or too unexpected?

County Magistrate Lin Ruohan's gaze swept across the conference room, lingering on Xiao Bei's face for less than a second, yet it made him feel inexplicably uncomfortable—that look was like an inspection, or perhaps an assessment of something.

"...I hope all comrades will support County Magistrate Lin's work." Secretary Ma's speech ended, and applause erupted in the conference room.

"Nice to meet you all." Her voice was softer than imagined, yet carried a metallic, cold texture. "I am County Magistrate Lin Ruohan."

After the meeting, the corridor was crowded. As soon as Xiao Bei walked out of the conference room, he was called over by Secretary Ma.

"Xiao Bei, come to my office for a moment."

The window in Secretary Ma's office was wide open, and the early autumn breeze blew in with a slight chill. Secretary Ma poured a cup of tea for Xiao Bei and sighed: "Regarding the matter of the County Magistrate candidate..."

"Secretary Ma, I understand the organization's arrangements." Xiao Bei took the teacup, his tone calm.

Secretary Ma shook his head. "Comrade County Magistrate Lin Ruohan was directly appointed by the Provincial Party Committee, but don't worry, the organization sees your ability... And there's Mayor Qin's side... After all, this wasn't something I could decide."

"I understand, Secretary Ma, you don't need to worry."

Secretary Ma suddenly remembered something. "By the way... the new civil servants recruited by the county this year are reporting today. It's a young man; I heard he used to be in the Criminal Police Team."

Xiao Bei raised an eyebrow. "A criminal policeman transferring to a civil servant position? Interesting."

On the way back to the office, Team Leader Zhang Yining ran over and leaned into Xiao Bei's ear: "I heard this County Magistrate Lin Ruohan used to work in the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection..."

Before she could finish, the crowd ahead suddenly parted, and County Magistrate Lin Ruohan walked over like an icebreaker, wearing five-centimeter stilettos.

"Deputy County Magistrate Xiao." She stopped half a step away, the scent of cedar on her. "Tomorrow at nine in the morning, I want to see the audit reports for all poverty alleviation projects from the last three years."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and left. The Director of the County Party Committee Office ran after her: "County Magistrate Lin Ruohan, your office hasn't..."

"Then use the one that belonged to County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu." Her voice drifted from the end of the corridor. "Spray plenty of disinfectant; don't leave anything of hers. I'm a germaphobe..."

That afternoon, a strange young man did indeed come to the County Government building. He was wearing a washed-out blue shirt, standing straight in front of the Personnel Bureau window, like a stubborn white poplar.

"Comrade, what are you…" Xiao Li from the Personnel Section asked, looking up.

"Reporting for duty." The young man handed over the transfer order, his knuckles bearing a few old scars. "Former Cangyang City Criminal Investigation Detachment police officer Chen Mo, the newly recruited staff member of the County Government Office."

The young man's pant cuffs were stained with mud, yet his old leather shoes were polished to a shine. Even more striking was the web of his right hand—there were thick calluses formed from long-term gun handling.

"Chen Mo?" Xiao Bei finally knew what the young man looked like.

"Hello, County Magistrate Xiao! I am Chen Mo, reporting for duty today." The young man gave a standard salute, his movements clean and sharp, clearly having received professional training.

Xiao Bei looked him up and down: "From the Criminal Police Team?"

"Yes, I worked in the Cangyang County Criminal Investigation Detachment for three years." Chen Mo replied, his voice low and powerful. "My parents thought being a police officer was too dangerous and insisted I change departments to take the civil service exam."

Xiao Bei took Director Chen Mo to his office and continued to ask: "Why choose Jinhe County?"

"It's close to home, and..." He paused. "I heard Jinhe County recently cracked a major case, and I feel I can learn things here."

Xiao Bei told Chen Mo to go tidy up his office, and he himself fell into deep thought.

To say he didn't care at all was impossible, even if it was just being promoted to Standing Committee member...

Xiao Bei stood in front of the window, looking at the ginkgo tree in the County Government courtyard. The golden leaves rustled as they fell in the autumn wind, like a silent farewell ceremony. He gripped the cup of tea that had already gone cold, his knuckles slightly white.

"County Magistrate Xiao, don't take it too much to heart." Team Leader Zhang Yining stood at the office door, holding a stack of files, her voice very low. "Everyone knows that in this crackdown on the corruption in the education system, your contribution was the greatest."