Yuan Han could only speculate wildly.
Could it be that Zhou Yi was struggling abroad and making a fuss about returning home, and while Zhou Wenbang couldn’t suppress his promotion due to his excellent performance during his assignment, he still didn’t want him in the same city as Zhou Yi, so threw him to Pengcheng?
Beijing was in the north, Pengcheng in the south – even by train it took a long time.
Now a section chief, Yuan Han was feeling rather smug.
Amid others’ flattery, Yuan Han drank himself drunk.
Someone as shameless as him couldn’t possibly keep a low profile. Within days of arriving in Pengcheng, everyone knew Section Chief Yuan had powerful connections. They said he was the son-in-law of some Beijing leader – which leader wasn’t mentioned – and even in Pengcheng, Section Chief Yuan had support, being a relative of Pengcheng’s mayor!
Yuan Han had always wanted to attach himself to power.
Though he despised Xia Xiaolan internally, after arriving in Pengcheng, he tried to leverage her influence.
He was the Zhou family’s son-in-law, and Xia Xiaolan was to be their daughter-in-law – they would become relatives, which naturally made him Mayor Tang’s relative too.
These half-true rumors spread, and no one dared verify with Mayor Tang – would Yuan Han dare make such claims without any family connection?
Combined with his minor authority, Section Chief Yuan became quite popular within days of arriving in Pengcheng.
Pengcheng wasn’t that big, and within days this reached Mayor Tang Hongen’s new secretary’s ears.
How could a leader’s secretary not know who their leader’s relatives were?
Interestingly, this secretary deliberately reported this when Xia Xiaolan was visiting Mayor Tang at city hall. He claimed it wasn’t intentional – who would believe that?
Unlike the former Secretary Peng.
Young people are so eager to show loyalty to their leaders that they disregard family members’ feelings.
Xia Xiaolan immediately apologized obediently, “Uncle Tang, this trouble was caused by me. I’ll handle it!”
Tang Hongen waved dismissively: “Such minor matters don’t need special handling. He’s not the only one trying to claim relation to me. If he dares break laws using my name, I won’t care whether he’s the Zhou family’s son-in-law or not.”
Then he’d learn that being his “relative” wouldn’t bring leniency, but rather stricter punishment.
“The Zhou family doesn’t want this son-in-law either, they’re trying to get rid of him. But you’re right – we aren’t even officially related to the Zhou family yet.”
Old Tang was always guarded about Zhou Cheng, so Xia Xiaolan spoke to his mindset.
Tang Hongen was barely satisfied, “Good that you understand.”
Tang Hongen couldn’t be bothered to spare a glance for someone like Yuan Han. He didn’t care what nonsense Yuan Han spread outside – Old Tang felt the Zhou family was too familiar. Xiaolan was only dating Zhou Cheng, and not yet married to him, yet the Zhou family sent Zhou Yi to America. If they couldn’t properly raise their daughter, why should Xiaolan have to worry about it?
Xiaolan was even younger than Zhou Yi!
Tang Hongen wasn’t upset with Xiaolan – he’d long known this girl might be cunning but was very soft-hearted toward those close to her.
He was uncomfortable with the Zhou family.
A father-in-law scrutinizes his future son-in-law thoroughly and examines the son-in-law’s family even more closely under a magnifying glass.
Either way, he wasn’t pleased.
Setting aside Zhou Guobin and Guan Huie, just look at Zhou Wenbang – he couldn’t even raise his daughter properly. No wonder that despite being the Zhou family’s eldest, his position wasn’t as high as his brother Zhou Guobin’s. This man must lack ability.
Old Tang mentally drew an “×” next to Zhou Wenbang’s name.
After Xia Xiaolan placated Old Tang for a while, he dropped the subject. There was no ill feeling between them – Xia Xiaolan snagged a free lunch at the city hall cafeteria before leaving.
Tang Hongen’s new secretary still thought he’d done the right thing. Driver Wang saw everything and silently cursed him as an idiot.
A year by the leader’s side and still couldn’t read the situation.
Trying to copy former Secretary Peng but doing it all wrong. Peng used to be so guarded against Xia Xiaolan, but when the leader married Liu Fen, Peng immediately made a 180° turn in attitude, and the leader didn’t blame him… Being guarded was for the leader’s sake, being friendly was for the leader’s sake, never making decisions for the leader.
The leader hadn’t said to pressure his stepdaughter, yet the new secretary took it upon himself. Heh, what else but an idiot?
Little Wang thought he should keep his distance from such an idiot – this person’s prospects definitely wouldn’t match Peng’s.
Then he was suddenly startled.
“When did I start understanding these things?”
Little Wang silently mourned his lost innocence for a few seconds.
He hadn’t realized that after being taught by Grandmother Yu twice, he’d slowly started using his brain to think and pay attention to his surroundings. Imperceptibly, he was no longer the same naive driver as before.
…
“Does Uncle Tang’s new secretary have something against me?”
With Secretary Peng reassigned and Xia Xiaolan subsequently going abroad, she hadn’t dealt with the new secretary.
But his reminder wasn’t wrong – that shameless Yuan Han was using Old Tang’s name in Pengcheng. This pretty boy was clever – claiming to be the Zhou family’s son-in-law, but the Zhou family was far away in Beijing, with little influence in Pengcheng.
Old Tang was essentially Pengcheng’s second-in-command, the kind of strong deputy who kept a low profile personally while being prominent in his work.
With such a mayor, how much pressure was on the Party Secretary?
Old Tang had always maintained a low profile – his only high-profile appearance was at Season Ya and George’s wedding!
Whatever the secretary’s motivation, the reminder was correct – Xia Xiaolan couldn’t let Zhou’s family matters affect Tang Hongen’s reputation in Pengcheng.
Leaving the city hall building, Xia Xiaolan instructed You Li:
“I need to meet Ye Xiaoqiong face-to-face. Please arrange it.”
When would Ye Xiaoqiong make her move? Xia Xiaolan was getting anxious for her.
“Manager Xia, I’ve brought the Hong Kong newspapers you asked me to collect.”
A whole large box full – Xia Xiaolan was impressed.
Not by Xiao You’s efficiency, but by the Du family’s drama could fill so many pages. Flipping through the pile of newspapers, Xia Xiaolan saw the paparazzi were even more curious about this Fifth Mistress, practically wanting to follow her 24 hours a day, so clear photos naturally leaked out.
Xia Xiaolan picked up a newspaper, her cheeks aching in sympathy – how much bone had Xia Ziyu shaved away to change from a round face to a small pointed one? Women who could accept plastic surgery were impressive because they could be ruthless to themselves!
The Xia Ziyu in the newspapers had transformed dramatically.
Not just from the surgery, but also from the confidence money had given her.
Hong Kong media was quite superficial. In mainland China in ’86, being a young mistress to an old man would have been thoroughly condemned as against social morals.
But in Hong Kong, no one criticized it.
Even though Hong Kong had abolished polygamy, no one on the island condemned such behavior.
Being called “Mrs. Du” everywhere, and suddenly becoming Du Zhengrong’s new favorite – Xia Ziyu must be feeling quite smug. When this woman got cocky, she inevitably caused trouble.
Xia Xiaolan put down the newspaper, muttering:
“Du Zhaohui made a terrible move!”