Official Career Storm

Chapter 1558 1558

Jiang Yiren grabbed the doorknob, pressed it down, and then froze.

The door was locked from the inside.

He had actually locked the door from the inside.

In an instant, Jiang Yiren's thoughts surged, her emotions turning complicated.

Why did he lock the door?

Was he deliberately guarding against me, not wanting me to come in?

Jiang Yiren suddenly felt very upset; a deep sense of defeat dragged her mood down into the dust.

She slouched back to her room, eyes wide open, unable to fall asleep no matter what.

She tried to comfort herself: maybe this was just Song Guanchao's habit.

But that excuse was far too flimsy.

Who would have such a habit.

...

Song Guanchao had heard the sound of the door, opened his eyes to take a look, then went back to sleep.

He was indeed guarding against Jiang Yiren.

It wasn't that he had an issue with her; it was because of Yu Susu, which had affected his mood.

He'd just been hugging and holding the girl's aunt, and then with her… Song Guanchao just felt it was a bit weird.

Plus he'd had a bit too much to drink tonight, his mind not as clear as usual.

Most importantly, Jiang Yiren also worked in the City Government.

He didn't know Jiang Yiren deeply enough, didn't really understand what kind of personality she had.

What if she was a willful girl?

What if she got bullied later and came looking for him every few days?

Should he help or not?

Not help?

You've already slept with her, that wouldn't make sense.

If he helped, people would see the relationship between them.

So, Song Guanchao felt that, at this stage, it was better to keep some distance first.

Keep interacting and observing.

He remembered the Secretariat Section had said they were going to have a dinner.

Barring surprises, something was bound to happen at that dinner.

It would be a good chance to see what kind of reaction Jiang Yiren would have.

...

Early the next morning, when Song Guanchao was washing up, he went over to wake her, only to find the room already empty.

She left?

Song Guanchao wasn't surprised either; after washing up, he bought breakfast and went to the City Government.

He called Zhou Xingjian over.

"Director Song, you were looking for me?"

"Is the Secretariat Section going to have a dinner soon?"

"Huh?" Zhou Xingjian was baffled. Why bring that up out of nowhere?

"I'm not too sure, I can ask around for you?"

"Check it out privately."

"Understood."

Although he didn't know why he was suddenly asking this, Zhou Xingjian's biggest strength was that he absolutely never asked what he shouldn't.

Around noon, Zhou Xingjian came over carrying two lunch boxes.

"Director Song, time to eat." He opened the boxes, and while eating said, "I checked. The Secretariat Section is having dinner tonight."

He paused, then added, "It's organized by Director Shi, said that Director Jiang has been here for so long and they haven't had a get-together yet."

After he finished, he watched Song Guanchao's reaction.

Once he found out, he guessed that the reason Song Guanchao had asked must have something to do with Jiang Yiren.

Sometimes Zhou Xingjian really envied him; aside from being highly capable, his way of doing things was overbearing—he could completely suppress a District Mayor.

Even the beauties in the City Government all had some kind of entanglement with him.

Ever since Jiang Yiren came to the City Government, who knows how many people had tried to get close to her openly and secretly, sent her confession texts, or invited her to dinner under all sorts of pretexts.

The City Government wasn't lacking in beauties—like Wu Qiangwei, she was the recognized great beauty of the City Government—but she was the Mayor; how many people dared to openly pursue her?

Jiang Yiren was different; she was only a deputy in the Secretariat Section, and she looked like the type who'd be easy to fool.

Most importantly, she was just too beautiful.

Even though she was taller than many men, it still didn't stop these people's fiery pursuit.

"Keep an eye on things tonight. Once she's done eating, send her home."

"Director Song has something on tonight?"

For this kind of thing, why not go yourself?

"Yeah, I've got something."

"Alright, got it."

...

In the afternoon, Song Guanchao went to find Wu Qiangwei: "Mayor, are you busy tonight?"

Song Guanchao asked with a smile.

Thinking of what had happened at her door that night, then meeting his smile again, Wu Qiangwei suddenly felt a bit ill at ease. "Quite busy."

"Busy with what?"

"You need something?"

"I want to buy you dinner."

They'd just had a meal, and now another one.

Wu Qiangwei said, "We'll see."

"Come on." Song Guanchao said, "This dinner tonight actually has a deeper meaning."

Wu Qiangwei set down the file in her hand and smiled. "Oh? What deeper meaning?"

Song Guanchao said, "The Secretariat Section is having a dinner tonight."

"And then?"

"As far as I know, this dinner is Director Shi's way of putting on a show of authority for Jiang Yiren."

Wu Qiangwei got it as soon as she heard it. "And then?"

Song Guanchao said, "Last time Shi Qin sent someone to install surveillance equipment in my office. We couldn't catch any evidence afterwards, but I've kept that in mind. I've been worrying about not having an opportunity to deal with her, and now she's handing me one on a platter."

"Tonight I plan to book a table in the next room, and when they're almost done eating, I'll go over."

"What are you going over there for? There's no rule in the City Government that says people can't have dinners."

"To toast them." Song Guanchao smiled, eyes narrowing. "Shi Qin wouldn't organize a dinner for no reason. She just wants to use the chance to knock Jiang Yiren down a peg. A bunch of City Government cadres getting themselves dead drunk—what does that look like?"

Wu Qiangwei understood: he simply wanted to pick a fight.

"Send me the address."

"You got it."

Song Guanchao patted his butt and walked off.

...

Evening came.

The dinner was at a mid-range restaurant, with three tables set up in a big private room.

The age gap in the Secretariat Section was quite large; the youngest were only twenty-three or twenty-four, the oldest over forty.

The system wasn't much different from private firms or state-owned enterprises; it was still an office, and wherever there were people, there were schemes and backstabbing. All sorts of filthy stuff were extremely common.

As deputy director, Jiang Yiren didn't have too many tasks on a daily basis; mostly she helped the leaders handle documents or check drafted reports.

Busy, but it was the kind of busy work with no technical content—the sort of job where you could drag someone off the street, let them stay for one or two months, and they'd be able to handle it. She was hardly irreplaceable.

Shi Qin first raised her glass and drank two rounds with everyone, and the atmosphere loosened up. People kept coming over to toast Jiang Yiren.

Jiang Yiren lacked experience and was a bit thin-skinned; she didn't know how to refuse.

But her tolerance was limited; she couldn't stand so many people coming to toast her. After about three taels or so, she was already feeling it.

"Let's drink tea instead." She tried to use tea in place of wine.

The one toasting her was an old-timer in the section, thirty-seven or thirty-eight, glasses on his face, gentle and refined, but his expression now hardened. "Director Jiang, you look down on me?"

"I don't…" Jiang Yiren felt a bit helpless and could only pick up her wine glass again.

Only then did the man with glasses smile in satisfaction and clink glasses with her.

He had just left when another old-timer came over. "Director Jiang, these past few days since you came to the section, I've been watching. Your work attitude is impeccable, you always rush to the front. Ah, young people really are full of energy. Come, let me toast you."

With him laying on the praise and admiration, Jiang Yiren felt even more awkward about switching to tea.

Shi Qin sipped her tea and glanced over at her, the corner of her mouth quirking up.

Jiang Yiren was too young and inexperienced; all these old hands in the section were shrewd as foxes and had no shortage of tricks to get her to drink.

After more than half an hour, Jiang Yiren had already had over half a jin. Her cheeks were completely red, her eyes drowsy and tired, a few strands of hair loose and messy.

In this state, she was even more alluring than when she was sober.

Shi Qin saw quite a few people licking their lips, itching to take advantage of the situation and have something happen with her.

Shi Qin picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth, then stood up and said, "Everyone, take your time. I've got something to do, so I'll head back first. You all go home early too, don't affect tomorrow's work."

As for Jiang Yiren, who was already close to being dead drunk, she didn't spare her a single glance.