53: Chapter 53 Hidden Reefs

"I wouldn't dare!"

Town Mayor Ding Degui waved a hand dismissively. "How about this: tomorrow, I'll arrange for someone to take Xiao Bei around to the various villages so he can get familiar with the situation."

Just then, He Weijie suddenly interjected, "Comrade Xiao Bei has his own work plan, Comrade Ding Degui; you don't need to worry too much."

The atmosphere in the private room instantly cooled down a notch.

The smile on Town Mayor Ding Degui's face froze for a split second, but then he quickly plastered it back on. "Of course, of course. Xiao Bei, if you need anything, just let me know."

Xiao Bei picked up his teacup and took a sip, his gaze shifting between the two. "I plan to spend the first week walking around and taking a look on my own, without disturbing the villages. Town Mayor Ding Degui, just get me a map."

A flash of displeasure crossed Town Mayor Ding Degui's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. "Xiao Bei is truly pragmatic! Very well, I'll have the map delivered to your office first thing tomorrow morning."

Everyone chatted for a while longer, and when He Weijie prepared to head back to the city, Xiao Bei and the others hurriedly stood up to personally see him to his car.

After sending He Weijie off, Xiao Bei politely declined Town Mayor Ding Degui's offer to continue accompanying him on a tour, and instead carried his luggage alone toward the cadre dormitory in the backyard of the Town Government.

The setting sun stretched his shadow long, swaying over the bluestone path.

"Bishi Town..." Xiao Bei murmured the name, the meaningful look in Qin Ruoxi's eyes at their parting surfacing in his mind.

He knew that he wasn't about to step into an ordinary township, but rather a complex, tangled vortex of power.

The dormitory was a small three-story building, simple in appearance but well-maintained.

Xiao Bei's quarters were arranged on the easternmost side of the top floor, said to be the room the former Party Secretary had occupied. As he inserted the key into the lock, he keenly heard rustling movements from inside.

"Someone's in there?" Xiao Bei frowned and gently pushed the door open.

The scene before him made him freeze in his tracks—a woman wearing a light blue dress was standing with her back to him, wiping down the desk. Beneath her slender waist were the full, peach-like curves of her buttocks, swaying slightly with the motion of her wiping.

Hearing the door open, the woman spun around abruptly, her ample bosom heaving beneath the tight fabric.

"S-Xiao Bei!" The woman hurriedly put down the rag, wiped her hands on her apron, and blushed. "I'm Director Liu Yinyin from the Party Committee Office. Town Mayor Ding Degui asked me to come and tidy up the room for you."

Xiao Bei's gaze swept over her impressive bust without leaving a trace, before settling on her exquisitely made-up face.

Director Liu Yinyin was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with almond-shaped eyes and cherry lips. A tear mole at the corner of her eye added a touch of allure. Her dark hair was coiled behind her head, with a few stray strands hanging by her ears, making her slender, fair neck appear even more delicate.

"Director Liu is doing this kind of work herself?" Xiao Bei placed his luggage at the doorway, his tone flat but laced with scrutiny.

Director Liu Yinyin pursed her lips and smiled, her name tag swaying gently with the movement. "The Party Committee Office exists to serve the leadership. Since you're new here, I must fulfill the role of a gracious host."

She untied her apron as she spoke.

"The room is very clean. Thank you for your hard work, Director Liu." Xiao Bei walked to the window and pushed it open, letting the evening breeze dissipate the lingering scent of perfume in the room. "However, for such trivial matters in the future, just let the comrades from the Logistics Department handle it."

Director Liu Yinyin's eyes flashed with surprise, but then her smile became even sweeter. "Xiao Bei is truly considerate of his subordinates. However..." She lowered her voice, "Some things are better handled by one's own people."

"One's own people?" Xiao Bei turned around, meeting her gaze.

"Of course," Director Liu Yinyin walked naturally to Xiao Bei's side, the faint scent of jasmine drifting into his nostrils. "The Party Committee Office is the right-hand man for the Party Secretary. If you have any needs, just give your orders to Director Liu Yinyin."

Xiao Bei subtly moved away and sat on the sofa. "Since Director Liu is so enthusiastic, why don't you start by introducing me to the situation in the town?"

A glimmer of triumph flashed in Director Liu Yinyin's eyes, and she took the opportunity to sit on the chair opposite him, her legs pressed together and tilted to the side, her knees faintly visible beneath the hem of her skirt. "Which aspect would you like to understand, Xiao Bei?"

"Let's start with the economic pillars." Xiao Bei pulled out a notebook, adopting a business-like demeanor.

"Bishi Town relies mainly on mining and agriculture, but..." Director Liu Yinyin lowered her voice, "The one that truly holds up half the sky is Bishi Coal Mine, which accounts for more than sixty percent of the town's fiscal revenue."

Xiao Bei's pen tip paused. "Who is the owner of the coal mine?"

"General Manager Xiang Wenqiang." Director Liu Yinyin's fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest of the chair. "General Manager Xiang is no ordinary person; he's a deputy to the County People's Congress, vice chairman of the County Federation of Industry and Commerce, and he has connections in the city."

Xiao Bei was thoughtful. "How is his relationship with the town?"

Director Liu Yinyin suddenly laughed, the tear mole at the corner of her eye becoming vivid with her expression. "Xiao Bei certainly knows how to ask the right questions. General Manager Xiang and Town Mayor Ding Degui are high school classmates; they play mahjong at least three times a week."

She paused. "When the former Secretary Wu was in office, the three of them often ate in the VIP private room at Jiangshui Restaurant."

There was more to her words than met the ear.

Xiao Bei closed his notebook. "How did Secretary Wu fall from power?"

"Corruption and bribery, of course." Director Liu Yinyin said it lightly, but her eyes flickered. "However, some say it was because he touched a cake he shouldn't have."

The room fell into a brief silence. Outside the window, a few dog barks could be heard, and the mechanical sounds of the distant mine were faintly audible.

Xiao Bei suddenly changed the subject. "How long has Director Liu worked in the Party Committee Office?"

"Five years." Director Liu Yinyin seemed surprised he would ask this. "I worked my way up from a clerk to a director."

"Young and promising." Xiao Bei said meaningfully. "Town Mayor Ding Degui must think highly of you."

Director Liu Yinyin's smile froze for a moment. "I'm just serving my master. Now that you are here, the object of my service will naturally have to change."

She stood up, took a business card from her bag, and placed it on the coffee table. "This is my contact information. My phone is on 24 hours a day. Since Xiao Bei is new here, you'll surely need a guide."

Xiao Bei didn't reach for the business card, but instead looked her straight in the eyes. "Director Liu is so enthusiastic, aren't you afraid Town Mayor Ding Degui will have an opinion?"

Director Liu Yinyin leaned over to tidy up the items on the coffee table, her low-cut dress revealing a patch of snow-white skin. "Xiao Bei is overthinking it. In the officialdom, smart people know not to put all their eggs in one basket."

She straightened up and suddenly said seriously, "Oh, right, there's a Party-Government Joint Meeting tomorrow morning at nine. Town Mayor Ding Degui said they want to discuss the safety rectification of the Bishi Coal Mine, and General Manager Xiang will also be in attendance."

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Bei's eyes. "A private entrepreneur attending a Party-Government meeting?"

"It's standard practice." Director Liu Yinyin walked toward the door, turned back, and gave a charming smile. "Xiao Bei, Bishi Town has many 'standard practices.' You'll come to know them in time."

After the door closed, Xiao Bei let out a long breath and walked to the window, looking at the silhouette of the mine in the night.

Director Liu Yinyin's appearance was too deliberate, but the information she revealed was very valuable. This woman, who seemed like a vase, clearly had another agenda behind her.

Early the next morning, as the morning sun just spilled into the office, Xiao Bei was reviewing the safety inspection report for Bishi Coal Mine when a steady knock came from outside the door.

"Come in."