11: Chapter 11 Journey to Central Plains

Back home, Sun Ning returned to a life where he was waited on hand and foot.

He slept until he woke up naturally, and his grandmother was so eager to please that she practically wanted to serve meals right to his bedside.

Regardless, as long as he was back home, his heart was relaxed, and his soul was at ease.

When his father learned that Sun Ning had become a Township Head, he used his limited social experience to offer a few earnest words of advice.

He warned him never to reach out for illicit money and to do more practical things for the common people.

Only then could he live openly, freely, and with a clear conscience.

He also kept telling Sun Ning to always remember the saying, "With a selfless heart, the world is vast."

If it weren't for his father carrying two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes around the village, Sun Ning would have truly believed that his father was devoid of desires.

His father, who had always been 'stingy,' was actually willing to part with two packs of Zhonghua.

It must have been that he was happy to the extreme.

Seeing his father so happy, Sun Ning couldn't help but feel happy himself.

After spending four carefree days at home, Sun Ning bid farewell to his parents.

Before leaving, his mother was still nagging him, telling Sun Ning to bring a girlfriend home for the New Year.

Every wanderer returning home always experiences this: the first two days are a protection period, where they are cared for meticulously.

After the protection period ends, it's nothing but all sorts of complaints.

And that was exactly how it was for Sun Ning; his biggest headache was being pressured to get married.

After all, in this era, it was common to see people having children at eighteen or nineteen.

For example, his cousin, who was within the extended family, was only a year older than him, and his child was about to start kindergarten.

Every time his mother mentioned it, her tone was filled with envy.

After boarding the bus to Zhongzhou, he gave Gao Feng a call.

"Senior Brother, I just boarded the bus to Zhongzhou."

"Yes, it should take about two and a half hours."

"I'll just find a place to stay for the night. Are you free tomorrow? I'd like to pay you a visit."

"Today? Okay, then today it is."

According to Sun Ning's plan, he would arrive in Zhongzhou today and rest for the night.

Tomorrow, he would visit his alma mater from his previous life and meet up with Gao Feng in the evening.

The day after, he would head to the Gongfan County Organization Department to report for duty.

Who would have thought, as soon as Sun Ning called to say he had boarded the bus to Zhongzhou, Gao Feng told him to come over to his house.

As soon as he hung up, Gao Feng sent him the address.

Sun Ning glanced at the address and then closed his eyes to rest.

In reality, his heart was not calm at this moment.

He felt a bit of the trepidation of returning home, as well as an inexplicable desire to show off.

Although the person he wanted to show off to didn't know him in this lifetime.

Come to think of it, Sun Ning didn't know how he felt about his girlfriend from his previous life now.

Hatred, he definitely felt hatred.

If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have spent his previous life lonely, nor would he have been stuck bouncing between townships.

As for taking revenge on her, Sun Ning had lost interest.

But as for her father, the Bureau Chief, Sun Ning still intended to deal with him.

This was one of his knots, and it had to be untied.

Thinking and thinking, he turned his thoughts to Gao Feng.

But how should he save him?

"A thief with a conscience" filing a real-name report.

Sun Ning murmured to himself.

"It still has to rely on the law enforcement agencies."

Unconsciously, Sun Ning's mind began to wander again.

Sun Ning only knew it was done by a thief, but he hadn't paid attention to who that thief was.

If he relied on the law enforcement agencies openly and aboveboard.

Given the Zhao family's connections in the public security system, Deputy Secretary Zhao Weicai might hear some wind of it.

Then he might change his strategy, and Sun Ning would lose the initiative.

But he knew that Gao Feng likely didn't have his own people within the law enforcement agencies.

After all, Gao Feng had only been in Zhongzhou for a few years, and his foundation was still shallow.

He was solely focused on developing the economy and did not meddle in personnel issues.

This was also one of the reasons for Gao Feng's failure in his previous life.

If he had planted his own people in Zhongzhou, he would have eventually heard some rumors.

After all, relying on a thief to keep a secret was simply unrealistic.

Thinking and thinking, Sun Ning's eyes lit up, and he wanted to slap himself.

How could he have forgotten him?

Deputy Chief Wei Minhang, the friend he had played with from junior high until the day he died in his previous life.

He graduated from the Heyang Police Academy and, after graduation, worked as a police officer at a Police Station in Zhongzhou.

In this life, their relationship was just as solid as ever.

It's just that he got into a university in the capital, so they hadn't been in touch as frequently.

But every year when they returned to their hometown, they would definitely meet up once.

Deputy Chief Wei Minhang and Sun Ning had completely opposite personalities.

He was a smooth operator who could make friends with anyone.

He had quite the flair of a modern-day Meng Changjun.

Sun Ning clearly remembered the spectacular scene at his wedding in his previous life.

There were dozens of friends alone; Sun Ning didn't know where he got the energy to maintain all those relationships.

However, both of them came from the countryside and didn't have much of a background.

The year Sun Ning died in his previous life, Deputy Chief Wei Minhang had just barely managed to become a deputy bureau chief of a district branch in Zhongzhou.

Thinking of this, Sun Ning found Deputy Chief Wei Minhang's number and dialed it.

"Brother Bear, what are you up to?"

Brother Bear was the nickname Sun Ning had for Deputy Chief Wei Minhang; he was the same height as Sun Ning, both being 1.8 meters tall.

It was just because of his large frame that he looked burly and sturdy, which was how he got the nickname Brother Bear.

"I'm on my way to Zhongzhou, getting ready to welcome you."

The person on the other end was likely joking, and Sun Ning laughed heartily.

"Haha, good, see you tonight. Oh, right, remember to dress a bit more formally."

Two and a half hours later, Sun Ning got off at the Zhongzhou East Passenger Station.

He hailed a yellow minibus and headed toward a hotel near the Zhongzhou Municipal Government.

It was still early before the agreed time, so it was the perfect opportunity to arrange his accommodation for the next two days.

He planned to stay at the Songshan Hotel for these two days, which was the designated hotel for the Zhongzhou Municipal Committee and the Municipal Government.

Sun Ning chose to stay here mainly because it was right next to the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government.

He had just finished tidying up and was about to lie down when his phone rang.

He picked it up and saw it was a call from Gao Feng.

After answering the call, Gao Feng apologized repeatedly, saying that a meeting was currently underway.

He had taken advantage of the break to instruct his secretary, Xiao Zhang, to book a room, telling Sun Ning to go over and rest.

The location was also the Songshan Hotel.

Upon learning that Sun Ning had already checked in, Gao Feng felt even more guilty, saying that he wouldn't be able to meet his teacher, and so on.

Sun Ning quickly thanked him a few times.

After hanging up the phone, Sun Ning shook his head helplessly.

This Senior Brother Gao was mostly looking after him because of the existence of their teacher.

Actually, it was easy to understand; Sun Ning, a township-level cadre, was too far removed from him as a Deputy Mayor.

The secretary he casually groomed was already at the deputy director level.

Sun Ning only felt that strengthening his relationship with Gao Feng was still a long road ahead.

However, now that the two of them were beyond official business, they could be considered relatively close in private.

Now, he only needed to cultivate a deeper working relationship to achieve his goal.

And Sun Ning's meeting with Gao Feng today was precisely to take that first step.

Just as Gao Feng's call ended, Deputy Chief Wei Minhang's call came through.

Sun Ning declined Deputy Chief Wei Minhang's invitation to treat him to a meal and asked him to come to the Songshan Hotel for a chat.

Not long after, the hotel room door opened.

"Old Sun, haha, I've missed you to death! Are you in Zhongzhou for a business trip or a vacation?"

"You go on vacation by traveling from one place you're tired of to another place you're tired of?"

"Haha, you're right. Are you introducing me to a girlfriend by making me dress so handsomely?"

"In your dreams..."