9: Chapter 9 Taking Office

Zhang Huaijing carried Jian Yun to the bed, covered her with a quilt, and looked at her face, which was like a ripe peach. He smiled and said, "Silly girl, you didn't keep drinking; you're just a one-glass wonder. Your alcohol tolerance gene might come from your father, but it's more likely from your mother. So foolish!"

But he couldn't stay with her. What if she woke up during the night and wanted to fulfill another 'first time' wish?

Zhang Huaijing took the wine and Jian Yun's room card, quietly left room 1621, and entered her room.

At seven the next morning, while Zhang Huaijing was sleeping soundly, there was a persistent knocking at the door. Needless to say, it was Jian Yun.

He opened the door. Jian Yun, wearing the same revealing slip dress from last night, demanded an explanation with a face full of anger: "Did you get me drunk last night?"

"You got yourself drunk."

"And then you just irresponsibly ran away?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Zhang Huaijing, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you..." She entered the room with a pout and sat on the bed in a huff.

"Girl, don't be angry. Hurry up and change. After breakfast, I'll take you on a tour of Changsha."

"Really? That's great!" She immediately jumped up, her smile bright and radiant, the anger on her face vanishing instantly.

"You girl, you're so grown up, yet you're still like a child, switching between joy and anger seamlessly."

"Brother Jing, go out. I need to shower and change." She blushed and pointed at the door.

At nine o'clock, Zhang Huaijing drove Jian Yun to the north gate of Huxia University. Since the license plate had been registered, he drove straight in.

"Aren't we going to Orange Isle? Why are we entering a campus?" The directionally challenged Jian Yun finally noticed something was wrong.

"Let's walk around the school first to get familiar with the environment."

"Wait, cars weren't allowed in yesterday? No, did you find someone to help? You officials are best at this. How annoying." Since things had come to this, Jian Yun could only accept the arrangement.

"Best at what?"

"Using the back door."

Zhang Huaijing brought her to the girls' dormitory, paid the accommodation fees, and completed the early check-in procedures.

He even accompanied her into the dormitory to take a look. It was a four-person room, clean and tidy, but unfortunately, it had no air conditioning. In the hellish weather of Changsha, the heat was unbearable.

Afterward, Zhang Huaijing checked out, brought her suitcase to the dormitory, and handed her ten thousand in cash, saying, "There's a supermarket on campus. Go buy a good fan. Also, you're now a student of Huxia University, and the school will be responsible for your safety. Of course, don't run around aimlessly these next two days. As for me, I've finally completed my mission and it's time to leave."

"No way, you haven't taken me on a tour of Changsha yet." Jian Yun grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go.

Left with no choice, Zhang Huaijing took her to see Orange Isle. They took a cruise ship around the island and also visited the Huxia Museum.

At five in the afternoon, rain suddenly began to fall from the sweltering sky. Raindrops pelted the car window, blurring the vision.

As Zhang Huaijing drove away, he saw Jian Yun through the rearview mirror, still standing gracefully by the roadside.

Wearing a long red dress, she stood alone in the wind and rain like a delicate flower, stubbornly staring in the direction the car was heading.

For a fleeting moment, Zhang Huaijing felt a pang of heartache.

While driving, he called her: "Silly girl, hurry back. You're getting soaked."

"Brother Jing, when will I see you again?" Her voice was choked and weak, making one feel pity for her.

"I'm your guardian; we can meet anytime."

"But I feel like you're so far, far away from me."

Zhang Huaijing had looked after her since she was very young and grew up with her; her dependence on him was etched into her bones.

***

Returning to the provincial capital, Yuezhou, that night, he stopped his car by a small convenience store and used a public phone to dial Lu Waner's mobile number. After the familiar ringtone "The White Fox" played for a while, the other party answered.

"Hello." It was Lu Waner's voice—dejected, weary, and indescribably gentle and weak.

It was so familiar, yet so desolate.

Zhang Huaijing felt immense pain. He wanted to say something but couldn't find the words, only letting out a slight sigh.

Lu Waner must have heard the sigh, as her tone grew suspicious: "Who is this? Who are you looking for?"

Suddenly, he had an idea and lowered his voice, saying, "Hello, is this Lu Waner?"

"It is."

"Oh, I'm a reporter from the Yuezhou Daily. I heard there was a traffic accident in your county, and the person involved was named Cui Liming. I'd like to learn more about the situation."

"I'm sorry, it's not convenient for us to accept interviews." Lu Waner politely declined, then paused and added, "Furthermore, the county has requested that there be no publicity or reporting. You can contact the Propaganda Department."

"I actually just wanted to ask how the accident was classified. How are the family members doing?"

On the other end of the phone, Lu Waner sighed and said, "It was ruled an accidental traffic collision. The family..." She choked up slightly. "The family is doing okay, it's just... the white-haired sending off the black-haired. They can't accept it for the time being."

Tears had long since blurred Zhang Huaijing's eyes, and his nose was running. He couldn't help but sniffle. Fearing she would suspect something, he suppressed his sobbing and asked, "Have they fallen ill?"

"No."

"Then that's fine. My condolences."

After saying that, he hung up the phone. He was afraid that if he continued, he wouldn't be able to control his crying.

He also thought about whether to call his parents, but he gave up. Knowing from Lu Waner that they were doing okay was enough to put his mind at ease.

On the morning of September 3rd, Zhang Huaijing and Wang Shuting officially received their divorce certificate.

Upon leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, Wang Shuting suddenly hugged him. After a long time, she pulled away and said gently and sadly, "Huaijing, my visa is almost ready, and I'll be going to the United States soon. Can you see me off then?"

"I'll try."

"Huaijing, I want to ask you a question."

"Go ahead."

"Over these years, did you ever love me?" This was the question she had always wanted to ask.

Zhang Huaijing gave a bleak smile. His consciousness and thoughts were a blend of Cui Liming and Zhang Huaijing; he couldn't really tell if he had loved her or not. However, the intimate pleasures of the past few days had been quite comfortable and joyful.

"I did." Zhang Huaijing gave her the answer she wanted.

Wang Shuting's eyes immediately filled with tears. Laughing through her tears, she said, "I knew it. I knew you loved me."

"Shuting, you are truly wonderful, especially these past few days." He pulled her into his arms again, giving her the warmest farewell.

On September 6th, the public notice period ended.

After an early lunch, Zhang Huaijing set off for his new post in Haizhou City.

Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department, who was in charge of department-level cadres, accompanied him to his new post.

Yuezhou was 400 kilometers away from Haizhou, taking over four hours even by highway.

At five in the afternoon, a cadre meeting was held at the Haizhou Municipal Committee People's Hall.

Cadres at or above the division level from all districts, counties, and municipal units, including enterprises and public institutions, attended the meeting—a crowd of three to four hundred people.

As Cui Liming, having lived in Wanghai County for a long time, he had seen some of them on TV and only recognized others by name. As Zhang Huaijing, he only knew some of the department-level and division-level cadres.

But he could only appear as Zhang Huaijing and continue to play that role.

The meeting primarily had three agenda items. First, Xue Zhongkai read the appointment document, enthusiastically introduced Zhang Huaijing's background, and expressed the Provincial Party Committee's requirements and expectations for Comrade Huaijing.

Then, it was Zhang Huaijing's turn to make a statement.

The applause from the cadres below was particularly enthusiastic because Zhang Huaijing was tall, handsome, elegant, and exceptionally fit, which gave everyone high expectations—especially the nearly one hundred female cadres sitting there.

However, Zhang Huaijing disappointed them.

His voice was loud, his Mandarin was standard, and he was calm and composed. However, the content of his speech was too cliché and safe, following a standard three-part structure: thanking the organization, performing duties diligently, and governing with integrity.

He even kept his head down, reading from the script almost the entire time.

Several Municipal Party Committee leaders couldn't help but look down on him a bit. They had heard he was a top writer for the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee and a prized student of Secretary Jian Weiguo, but he seemed to be nothing special.

However, Secretary Man Chaojian, who valued scripts more than his own life, cast an appreciative look at Zhang Huaijing: He truly deserves to have been the Secretary to the Provincial Party Committee Secretary; he knows how to hide his brilliance and appear modest upon arrival.