97: Chapter 97 Manipulating the "Newcomer"

After three rounds of drinks, Xiao Bei made an excuse to take a call and left the private room. At the corner of the hallway, Team Leader Zhang Yining was already waiting there, handing him a mask and a hat:

"There's a situation at the tea house; County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu met with the bosses of two companies that won bids in the Development Zone."

Twenty minutes later, they were lurking in the small woods opposite the tea house. Through the telephoto lens, they could clearly see County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu talking to two men in a private room on the second floor of the tea house. One of them handed her a document bag, which County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu casually placed into her handbag.

"Did you get the shot?"

Xiao Bei asked in a low voice.

Team Leader Zhang Yining nodded, while operating two devices: "Not only did I take photos, but I also intercepted their mobile signals. Those two people are indeed the legal representatives of the companies that won the bids."

Just then, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu suddenly walked to the window and seemed to glance in their direction. Xiao Bei immediately pressed Team Leader Zhang Yining's head down, and the two held their breath, hiding behind the bushes. A few seconds later, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu pulled the curtains shut.

"Did she spot us?"

Team Leader Zhang Yining's voice trembled slightly.

"Not sure."

Xiao Bei frowned, "But we can't use this spot anymore. Let's go back."

On the way back to the County Government, Xiao Bei's phone rang. It was a text message from an unknown number:

[County Magistrate Xiao, the nights in Jinhe County are quite chilly, watch out for a cold. — A person who cares about you]

Xiao Bei handed the phone to Team Leader Zhang Yining to see. The two exchanged a glance, both reading vigilance in the other's eyes. Their every move was clearly already under the surveillance of certain people.

The next morning, Team Leader Zhang Yining arrived at the office half an hour earlier than usual. After arriving at the office, she repeatedly recalled the operation at the tea house yesterday, convinced that she hadn't left any flaws. The other party had clearly sensed something, and she was regretting that since it was their territory, yesterday's actions were indeed a bit rash.

"Secretary Zhang, County Magistrate Xuan wants to see you."

Little Wang from the office poked his head in, his face showing a trace of sympathy, "She doesn't look like she's in a good mood."

Team Leader Zhang Yining's fingers paused on the keyboard. She had anticipated this, but didn't expect it to be so direct, so fast, and so lacking in class. She closed her laptop, took a voice recorder from her drawer and tucked it into her inner pocket, then checked if her phone's recording function was working properly.

"Thanks for the heads-up, I'm going now."

She stood up, straightened her shirt collar, took a deep breath, and walked toward the elevator.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's office was on the east side of the eighth floor, the spot with the best lighting. Team Leader Zhang Yining knocked on the door three times, and a cold "Come in" came from inside.

When she pushed the door open and entered, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu was standing with her back to the door in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, her slender figure outlined in gold by the morning light. She didn't turn around immediately, but instead made Team Leader Zhang Yining stand at the door for a full half minute.

"Close the door."

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu finally spoke, her voice sounding as if it had been soaked in ice water.

Team Leader Zhang Yining gently closed the door and walked to stand in front of the desk. Only then did County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu turn around. Today, she was wearing a dark blue suit, her hair was meticulously pinned behind her head, and her lips were painted with dark red lipstick; she radiated an aura that brooked no encroachment.

"Do you know why I called you here?"

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu sat down, her fingers crossed on the desktop, her nails trimmed round and smooth, polished with an imperceptible pale pink nude nail polish.

Team Leader Zhang Yining lowered her head slightly: "I'm not quite sure, please instruct me, County Magistrate Xuan."

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu sneered and threw a few photos out of the drawer: "Then can you explain why you appeared near Qingxin Residence yesterday evening?"

The photos clearly captured the figures of Team Leader Zhang Yining and Xiao Bei in the small woods opposite the tea house. Team Leader Zhang Yining's heart rate accelerated, but she didn't show it on her face:

"Yesterday, County Magistrate Xiao said he wanted to learn about the tea culture of Jinhe County, so I took him to visit a few famous tea houses."

"Tea culture?"

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu slammed the table and stood up, "Team Leader Zhang Yining, do you think I'm a three-year-old child?"

She walked around the desk to stand in front of Team Leader Zhang Yining, her high heels tapping crisply on the floor. Team Leader Zhang Yining smelled a strong scent of perfume mixed with the smell of cigarettes.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu reached out and pinched Team Leader Zhang Yining's chin, forcing her to look up:

"Look at your face, your makeup is done like a nightclub hostess. The County Government is a serious workplace, not a place for you to seduce leaders!"

Team Leader Zhang Yining only wore light makeup today, with the most ordinary bean-paste colored lipstick. Clearly, Team Leader Zhang Yining was shocked by this move from County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu; Team Leader Zhang Yining had seen big situations before, but this was her first time encountering a female leader who put on airs and picked faults like this.

"No?"

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu let go and wiped her fingertips in disgust, "Look at what you're wearing? Your shirt buttons are undone to the second one, your pants are tight, highlighting these two thin legs vividly—are you trying to make all the male colleagues stare at you?"

In reality, Team Leader Zhang Yining was wearing the most conservative white shirt and dress pants, with the buttons fastened tightly to the very top one. But she didn't argue; her inner professional training allowed her to calm down and not retort, otherwise, it would ruin the big plan.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu walked back to her seat and continued: "A fresh college graduate like you, being able to come here with Xiao Bei, presumably didn't come through normal procedures. You might be able to use some improper means elsewhere, but not in Jinhe County! When you're told to work, just work properly, don't keep digging into things that shouldn't be dug into!"

Team Leader Zhang Yining's nails dug into her palms.

"I will work hard and do my own job well..." Team Leader Zhang Yining's voice grew quieter and quieter.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu suddenly changed her tone, like an elder speaking earnestly: "Little Zhang, I'm doing this for your own good. You're young and don't understand the ways of the world, it's easy to be used by others."

She paused meaningfully, "Especially those new leaders who don't understand the situation in Jinhe County and act impulsively; you must not get involved blindly."

Team Leader Zhang Yining kept her head lowered, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking as if she had been scolded to tears. In reality, she was concentrating fully on recording every word of County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu and every change in her expression.

"Look up."

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu ordered, "From today on, you must also learn how to conduct yourself! And be low-key! Put away that childish temper, you must think before you speak and act, and be a low-key, simple, and intelligent public servant!"

Team Leader Zhang Yining looked up. Although she was expressionless, her eyes were quietly observing the documents on County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's desk—the top one was a folder labeled "Land Acquisition Compensation for Education in Development Zone B," and beside it lay the tea house's ledger.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu followed her gaze and immediately put those documents into the drawer:

"That's all for today. Remember what I said and reflect well on your behavior. If I catch you making any more improper moves..."

She didn't finish, but the implication of the threat was self-evident.

"Thank you for your guidance, County Magistrate Xuan, I will definitely correct myself."