40: Chapter 40 Cui Liming was murdered.

After letting his mind wander for about ten minutes, Zhang Huaijing finally finished reading and wrote a paragraph in the document: "Agreed. I ask the Organization Department (Thematic Education Leading Group) to strictly control the identification of role models. Promote positive examples to strengthen guidance, emphasize warnings for negative cases without sensationalizing them, ensure effective ideological guidance and public opinion control, and guarantee that this education is conducted effectively and steadily."

Then, he signed his name with a flourish.

It was Lu Waner's first time seeing Zhang Huaijing's handwriting. It was truly beautiful—clear, vigorous, and upright, with sharp brushstrokes. The lines were delicate yet concealed a hidden strength. Wasn't this Slender Gold Script?

During his lifetime, Cui Liming had always liked to copy the calligraphy of Emperor Huizong of Song, and he had done quite a decent job of it.

Seeing the handwriting felt like seeing the person; Cui Liming appeared in her mind once again.

She even thought of the night of her birthday on August 25th. He had wanted her, and she had half-heartedly agreed, only for a phone call to ruin everything.

In truth, she had always regretted not giving her first time to him sooner. Perhaps the chain of time and space would have changed, and the tragedy would not have occurred. Even if his fate of dying young could not have been altered, at least he would have had her, and he could have left with fewer regrets...

Lu Waner was a simple girl who hadn't yet learned how to hide her emotions. Consequently, the expressions of surprise, sorrow, and shame that flickered across her face were quickly caught by Zhang Huaijing. He asked: "What's wrong? Did I sign it incorrectly?"

"No, no," Lu Waner hurriedly explained, blushing. "It feels like you're writing in the Slender Gold Script. It's so beautiful! It looks so good."

Zhang Huaijing felt a pang of sadness, understanding that she was thinking of Cui Liming. Perhaps this was fate; whether it was Cui Liming or Zhang Huaijing, both liked and excelled at the Slender Gold Script.

He sighed softly and said: "Yes, I like to copy Emperor Huizong of Song's calligraphy. Over time, I've developed a bit of a clumsy imitation."

"Secretary, you are too modest. It's written exceptionally well." Lu Waner looked up at Zhang Huaijing and discovered that he was gazing at her. Her heart fluttered again, and she hurriedly smoothed her hair. "Thank you, Secretary. Then... then I'll be going."

She stood up, gathered the folder, and turned to leave.

Zhang Huaijing suddenly asked: "Little Lu, are you adjusting well to the transfer to the city?"

"The city has high demands, high standards, and a fast pace. I'm still adjusting, but thank you for your concern, Secretary." Lu Waner replied while standing.

"Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Secretary Zhang. I will."

After Lu Waner left, someone else came to see him: Deputy Secretary Qiao Yaner, the beloved daughter of the head of the People's Congress, Director Qiao Xinmin.

She had dressed up carefully, with exquisite makeup and elegant, appropriate attire. As she entered, she said with a hint of coquettishness: "Secretary Zhang, you broke your promise. I've come to hold you accountable."

"Is that so? What crime have I committed?" Zhang Huaijing said with a chuckle, walking out from behind his desk to invite her to sit in the reception area.

Qiao Yaner refused to sit, saying: "I've been sitting in offices and conference rooms all day. Can we not sit? Let me stand with you for a while, looking at the scenery outside while we chat?"

"Granted!" Zhang Huaijing laughed heartily.

Thus, Qiao Yaner put her hands in her pockets, while Zhang Huaijing clasped his hands behind his back. They stood side by side in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the nearby Haizhou Central Park.

"Secretary Zhang, last time in my father's hospital room, you said you would come to our Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League for an inspection. It's been a month since you took office, and you still haven't gone. Today, I'm here to ask you to fulfill your promise."

"I will go, of course I will. It's just that there have been a lot of things going on lately, so it hasn't been scheduled. Besides, I haven't prepared yet, so I didn't dare to go rashly."

Zhang Huaijing hadn't gone, wasn't it because the Secretary of the Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League hadn't personally invited him? If he just went like that, it wouldn't show leadership authority.

"How about after the National Day holiday? Our Secretary will personally invite you."

Zhang Huaijing said: "Alright, I'll have my Secretary add it to the schedule."

"Speaking of secretaries, why did you change yours so suddenly? You didn't even give me a chance to recommend someone." Qiao Yaner turned her head to look at him, her tone filled with mock reproach.

"What? You had a recommendation?"

Qiao Yaner stepped closer to him and whispered: "Yes, there's a young man at the Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League who is young, smart, and capable. He's especially suited to be a Secretary. Can you still change it now? After all, Secretary Chen Ran just arrived."

"Do you think my office is a stage, where people can come and go as they please? Secretary Chen Ran was recommended by the Municipal Party Committee General Office, and it's already been decided. It cannot be changed again."

"How annoying. If you had come to inspect us earlier, I definitely would have recommended him first."

Zhang Huaijing chuckled and asked: "Did you come here today just for these two things?"

"Of course not." Qiao Yaner smiled mysteriously. "Are you free tomorrow? I'd like to treat you to some intangible cultural heritage beef hotpot. It's the first original store of the famous national chain brand, Chaoweihe, located right on our Haizhou Old Street."

"My schedule is full all day tomorrow."

"How about the day after tomorrow?"

"The day after tomorrow..."

"Let me tell you, that restaurant is about to be demolished. If you don't eat there now, you'll never be able to eat there again." Qiao Yaner pointed outside and said: "Look, it's right next to the Ancient County Government Office, on the old street. It's just a few steps past Haizhou Central Park."

"Demolished? Why is it being demolished?" He had long heard that the restaurant was a century-old establishment with authentic flavors.

"Didn't Shen Meizhu acquire that piece of land? She wants to carry out urban renewal, so the entire area around the Ancient County Government Office has to be demolished. Do you know? I studied Cultural Heritage in university, and I have a fondness for artifacts. Although only ruins and nine old wells remain of the Ancient County Government Office, who knows if there are artifacts underground?"

"That's Shen Meizhu's project; do you dare to oppose it?" Zhang Huaijing asked skeptically.

"Of course I oppose it. That area should be protected, restored to its old appearance, and a small county government office should be built. Then, the old buildings on the old street should also be preserved to create a historical and cultural attraction. That way, it would connect with the Memorial Archway Street, Central Park, Zhuangyuan Tower, and other scenic spots."

Qiao Yaner was worthy of her Cultural Heritage background; she was passionate about artifact preservation and understood tourism planning.

"Has the Cultural Bureau not raised any objections?"

"It's an urban renewal project led by the Mayor; who would dare to bring it up? The Mayor is so overbearing, and everyone knows the relationship between him and Shen Meizhu." Qiao Yaner pursed her lips, looking quite disdainful. "Shen Meizhu only cares about offering herself and making money; she doesn't care about artifacts at all. Currently, only the old fogies at the Archaeological Research Institute are shouting and waving flags, refusing to let development happen around the Ancient County Government Office, claiming there are artifacts underground."

"That requires professional testing and verification. Besides, although Haizhou has thousands of years of history as a city, it has always been a small border town, so there probably aren't any valuable artifacts."

Qiao Yaner said: "That's not necessarily true. The Marquis of Haihun tomb, Zhaizi Village (Four-Goat Square Vessel), Xiyang Village (Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Mausoleum), and so on—which of the unearthed artifacts didn't shock the world? Yet, those were all small places at the time."

"Anyway, several old seniors from the Archaeological Research Institute oppose their urban renewal, and I oppose it too. I'm currently finding ways to report and block it, hoping to succeed, and even more so, hoping to dig up precious artifacts. Oh, enough talking about this. Dinner the day after tomorrow, no problem, right?"

"Alright." Because of her passion for artifacts, Zhang Huaijing was willing to interact with her more.

Thus, Qiao Yaner walked away happily, her steps exuding the satisfaction of having gotten her way.

At one o'clock on Saturday afternoon, Wen Di arrived in Haizhou by plane.

The two met at a hotel near the Yangxi City airport.

The three cities of Haizhou, Haifeng, and Yangxi were relatively close to each other and shared the Yangxi airport.

Upon meeting, the two embraced passionately. After a thorough and intimate session, the couple walked downstairs hand-in-hand to eat.

There were few people in the Western restaurant, and the two sat in a corner with no one around.

Wen Di said: "Huaijing, my senior fellow apprentice Wang Meng has been investigating for a week and has reached a preliminary conclusion. I'm here to relay it to you."

"Go ahead."

"Cui Liming was murdered."