98: Chapter 98 Climbing really fast

Team Leader Zhang Yining bowed and stumbled slightly as she turned to leave, perfectly portraying a discouraged workplace newcomer.

It was only after she had walked quite a distance from County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's office that Team Leader Zhang Yining relaxed her tense shoulders. She ducked into the restroom, locked a stall door, and took out her voice recorder to check—the entire recording was clear and complete.

When she returned to the office, Xiao Bei was waiting for her. Seeing her dejected expression, his brows immediately furrowed: "Did she give you a hard time?"

Team Leader Zhang Yining closed the door, the fragility on her face instantly vanishing, replaced by calm analysis: "Standard personal attack tactics. First, she questioned my professional competence, then attacked my appearance and character, and finally implied that I was being used by someone."

She pulled out the voice recorder, "It's all recorded; it can serve as evidence of her guilty conscience."

Xiao Bei took the voice recorder but did not play it immediately: "Did she mention the teahouse?"

"Not only did she mention it, but she also threw out photos of us being secretly photographed."

Team Leader Zhang Yining pulled up the photos of the documents she had taken on her phone, "She had land acquisition compensation documents and the teahouse's account books on her desk, but unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of the specific content."

Xiao Bei's expression was grave: "It seems our actions have indeed been monitored. That warning text message and these photos both indicate that the other party is already on alert."

"Does this mean the forces behind her are not afraid of Mayor Qin?" Team Leader Zhang Yining analyzed calmly.

Xiao Bei continued, "Or rather, they believe Mayor Qin won't fall out with them over an 'ignorant little girl.'"

Team Leader Zhang Yining suddenly laughed: "If I were truly a fresh college graduate, I would have been reduced to tears by County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu long ago. Her set of verbal tactics is indeed effective against workplace newcomers—first attack their self-confidence, then isolate them, and finally make them dependent on her."

Xiao Bei looked at her thoughtfully: "You are even more seasoned than I imagined."

"It's just a required course for children of officials." Team Leader Zhang Yining said nonchalantly, but Xiao Bei noticed her eyes dim for a brief moment when she said this.

"What's next?" She changed the subject, "County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu is already on guard; that lead at the teahouse cannot be touched for now."

Xiao Bei walked to the window, looking at Secretary Ma Wendong's office across the way: "Wait and see. They are definitely waiting for our reaction now; the more this happens, the more we need to stay calm."

He turned to look at Team Leader Zhang Yining, "You performed very well today. Continue to maintain this state of being a 'discouraged newcomer.'"

Team Leader Zhang Yining nodded in understanding: "Understood. I will let everyone know that I was scolded to tears by County Magistrate Xuan."

"Also," Xiao Bei lowered his voice, "check County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's resume, especially the key turning points in her promotion. People like this don't become like this overnight; there must be a story behind it."

Team Leader Zhang Yining was about to answer when the office door was suddenly knocked. The two quickly adjusted their expressions; Xiao Bei sat back in his seat, while Team Leader Zhang Yining picked up a document, pretending to report on work.

"Come in," Xiao Bei said.

Office Director Zhao Dehai pushed the door open and entered, his face wearing hypocritical concern: "Secretary Zhang, I heard you're not feeling well? County Magistrate Xuan asked me to come and check on you."

Team Leader Zhang Yining kept her head down, her voice as thin as a mosquito's hum: "N-no, it's nothing, just a bit of a headache..."

Office Director Zhao Dehai walked a few steps closer: "Oh my, your eyes are all red from crying. County Magistrate Xuan's temper is a bit hasty, but it's all for your own good."

He turned to Xiao Bei, "County Magistrate Xiao, do you think we should let Secretary Zhang take half a day off?"

Xiao Bei waved his hand: "No need. It's a good thing for young people to face some setbacks. Secretary Zhang, you go out first."

Team Leader Zhang Yining kept her head down and left quickly. When she passed by Office Director Zhao Dehai, she noticed a flash of triumphant satisfaction in his eyes.

After the door closed, Office Director Zhao Dehai leaned closer to Xiao Bei: "County Magistrate Xiao, please don't mind. County Magistrate Xuan is known for being strict with her subordinates, especially with young female cadres; she's always afraid they'll take the wrong path."

Xiao Bei pretended to be confused: "Oh? What did Secretary Zhang do wrong?"

Office Director Zhao Dehai lowered his voice mysteriously: "Someone saw her following you to a place she shouldn't have gone yesterday... County Magistrate Xuan is just worried that she might have ulterior motives and crooked thoughts."

"A place she shouldn't have gone?" Xiao Bei raised an eyebrow, "Are you talking about the Qingxinju Teahouse? What? We can't even drink tea now?"

Office Director Zhao Dehai's expression changed slightly: "This... the tea is good, but..."

"But what?" Xiao Bei looked directly at him, "Can't County Government leaders go to a teahouse to drink tea? Or are you saying there's something wrong with that teahouse? She, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu, can go, but we can't?"

"No, no, no," Office Director Zhao Dehai's forehead broke out in sweat, "I was just saying it casually. By the way, Party Secretary Ma asked me to inform you that there is an ad-hoc meeting at three o'clock this afternoon to discuss the issue of educational land in the Development Zone."

Xiao Bei nodded: "I will attend on time."

Office Director Zhao Dehai retreated from the office as if granted amnesty. Xiao Bei looked at the closed door, his eyes growing cold—the other party had already started to sow discord between him and Team Leader Zhang Yining; this shadow war was escalating.

Team Leader Zhang Yining returned to her small office, closed the door, and pulled down the blinds. She turned on her computer, logged into the government's internal system, and began to query County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's resume and files.

The screen soon displayed County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's official resume: "Xuan Lingyu, female, born in May 1988, Han ethnicity, member of the Communist Party of China, university undergraduate degree. Currently serving as a member of the Standing Committee of the Jinhe County Party Committee and Executive Deputy County Magistrate."

Team Leader Zhang Yining quickly browsed through this meticulously polished resume, her fingers tapping on the keyboard to bring up more detailed information. County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's promotion trajectory was indeed eye-catching—from an ordinary middle school teacher to the school's Youth League Committee Secretary, then to Deputy Director and Director of the Education Bureau, and finally becoming Deputy County Magistrate; every step landed exactly on key turning points.

"This promotion speed..." Team Leader Zhang Yining muttered to herself, "It's faster than riding a rocket."

She clicked on the detailed service record and found that during her tenure as the County Youth League Committee Secretary, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu had received the title of "Provincial Outstanding Youth League Cadre," an honor that directly facilitated her transfer to Deputy Director of the Education Bureau. And during her time as Director of the Education Bureau, Jinhe County's educational work was rated as a municipal advanced unit for three consecutive years.

"It's too perfect, perfect to the point of being unrealistic." Team Leader Zhang Yining frowned and recorded the key information.

She opened the browser and searched for County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's name, discovering several exclusive interviews with her by local media. In a report titled "From Teacher to Deputy County Magistrate: The Growth Path of a Female Cadre," County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu talked about her career choices: "I have always believed that as long as you work diligently, the organization will definitely see your efforts."

In the photo accompanying the report, a young County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu stood on the podium with a gentle smile, a far cry from her sharp image today.

"Work diligently?" Team Leader Zhang Yining sneered, "I'm afraid she 'slept' her way up."

She continued to search deeper and discovered an anonymous post from five years ago on a local forum: "The Rise of a Certain County Education Bureau Director." The content of the post was vague, but it mentioned a "special relationship between the female director and the former Party Secretary" and "gaining promotion through improper means."

There were dozens of replies under the post, mostly mocking and questioning the poster, but one of them caught Team Leader Zhang Yining's attention: "Is the OP talking about Xuan? Her husband is really pitiful."