Chapter 112

Qiao Wei also had something to say.

“Why is it you?” she asked.

Huang Zengyue put his hands in his pockets, glanced at her for a moment, turned around, and refused to answer that question.

Qiao Wei stood up and grabbed his arm.

As long as a person is alive, breathing, various emotions will naturally arise with those around them, deep or shallow.

Friendship, trust, dependence, liking, disliking, suspicion, good or bad—all kinds of emotions emerge.

In the year and a half of working together, even someone like Qiao Wei gradually let down her guard and began to trust Huang Zengyue.

Of course, it could also be that Secretary Meng’s trust in Huang Zengyue influenced her.

People tend to believe the judgments of those in power.

In the officialdom, it was clear that Secretary Meng’s experience and prowess were superior to Qiao Wei’s. As time went on, Qiao Wei gradually got used to trusting Secretary Meng’s judgments.

Not to mention the cooperation and communication between her and Huang Zengyue, helping each other and trusting each other.

From any perspective, this betrayal was infuriating.

Huang Zengyue turned to look at her.

Qiao Wei gritted her teeth. “He values you most.”

Because of this value, he was given authority. Why could Huang Zengyue accomplish so many things? It was because Secretary Meng allowed him to share his power.

Qiao Wei only shared a little, yet she could easily arrange for Gangzi to enter the technical school. Huang Zengyue shared more, so naturally, he benefited more personally.

Eyeglass lenses couldn’t hide a person’s gaze.

Huang Zengyue’s gaze and the corner of his mouth both carried a hint of mockery.

“So, he values me?” he said. “Then why won’t he let his daughter marry me?”

Qiao Wei released his arm in astonishment.

“You…” she said, “aren’t you and your spouse…”

Huang Zengyue and his spouse were not only high school classmates but also childhood sweethearts. One was a writer, and the other was an artist.

Whenever family and spouses were mentioned, he always seemed to casually praise his wife.

Qiao Wei’s impression of their marriage had always been very affectionate, with a good relationship.

“We were all classmates,” Huang Zengyue explained, dispelling her confusion. “There are only two high schools in the county. She is the third daughter of Secretary Meng. She and we were in the same class.”

But Qiao Wei was already integrated into this era. She asked, “Have you and she confirmed your romantic relationship?”

At that time, romantic relationships were not like in later generations. In major cities like Beijing or Shanghai, there might be a few real cases of free love. But in small counties or towns, a young man and woman couldn’t start a relationship without being introduced by a matchmaker or without the consent of both parents.

Sure enough, Huang Zengyue paused before saying, “I told her. She went to her father to ask, and as long as her father agrees, we can confirm the relationship.”

Qiao Wei asked, “Did the secretary break you two up?”

This matter, this past event, only the two people involved knew about it. Not even his wife knew.

Because, as Qiao Wei understood it, without formal introductions or parental consent, young men and women couldn’t start dating.

Between Huang Zengyue and that “she,” their relationship had never been confirmed. In this era, men and women were not so open-minded, and the two couldn’t openly date; they rarely acted alone.

So-called love was when he handed her the homework, and she held onto it, and they let go a second later.

It was when, separated by others, he was at one end of the classroom, and she was at the other, and their gazes met in the air.

All of this couldn’t be known by others.

As graduation approached, she promised him that she would tell her father when she went back, that she liked a boy and wanted her father to agree to their relationship.

But when she saw him again, she had changed her mind.

She followed her father’s arrangements, went to work in Lin City, met suitable people as arranged by her father, and established a relationship. Six months later, she got married.

Secretary Meng’s three daughters all married into Lin City and married well.

When the youngest daughter came to express her feelings to her father, he disagreed.

At that age, of course, there was some naivety. The youngest daughter pleaded with her father, telling him that the boy she liked was really talented.

But his family was much worse off than hers.

Secretary Meng said, “Prepare yourself mentally. When I’m no longer around, be diligent when you go to your sisters’ homes. Don’t go empty-handed; bring something every time. Be observant; bend down when necessary, serve tea when necessary, and speak kindly. You must have the demeanor when asking for help.”

The youngest daughter was astonished: “Why should I ask for help?”

Her father looked at her with pity and said, “If he marries a woman from your background, whether it’s his brothers, his cousins, his uncles, or his nephews, whenever they need help with work or their children’s schooling, they’ll come to you.”

Go and see what those people outside our door are like, observe more, and start learning now.

There are often people lingering outside our door.

They smile at the door, bow deeply, offer gifts, but not only do they not enter the house, but sometimes even the gifts don’t enter.

Even so, that smile on their faces must not diminish.

This is also a skill, the father said. You must learn it now. If you choose such a person, you must learn to bow to people and smile at them.

The father easily broke down the youngest daughter’s defenses.

Children from cadre families, originally saw more than ordinary families from a young age.

Their innocence quickly faded away.

She chose to follow her father’s arrangements, to meet, to interact, to marry, and followed the same path as her sisters.

Qiao Wei simply didn’t know how to evaluate this matter.

“You call this breaking them up? It’s just the ambiguous period of affection between high school kids. As they grow older, they naturally drift apart.”

“You, Huang Zengyue, you’re the father of three children now!”

“That was all many years ago!”

But Huang Zengyue said, “You don’t understand.”

He touched his chest, “There’s a thorn here, it’s been pricking me all along.”

You were abandoned.

You were rejected.

“I only ask you, does the Secretary know about this?” Qiao Wei asked, “I mean, does he know that his daughter’s crush was you?”

There was a slight movement in the muscles of Huang Zengyue’s cheeks.

“She arranged a job for me,” he said, “We both tacitly understood.”

Their romantic relationship had never truly existed. She said she had considered it but felt it wasn’t right.

He didn’t cling on, everyone remained calm, there was no hysteria, no loss of composure.

It all looked peaceful and friendly.

Perhaps they couldn’t start a romantic relationship, but they were ultimately classmates and friends, not yet lovers but above friends.

She introduced him to her father.

No one broke the silence. The cultured and calm young man, talented and tactful, the wise and astute leader, with a discerning eye for people.

Especially in the eyes of men like Meng Zuoyi, what is love? Love is arranging meetings through an intermediary, giving an answer in three days, and getting to know each other for months.

It’s not some vague and ethereal ambiguity. Love, what’s more important than a man’s career and ambition?

An outstanding man wouldn’t take the vague affection from his youth too seriously. When an opportunity presents itself, a man should naturally seize it.

He admired his talent and composed character, and he gave him opportunities.

A young man with ordinary background and aspirations was destined to rely on him.

Even Huang Zengyue admitted that although there was always a thorn in his heart, if there were no other options, he would certainly lower his head, bend his back, and faithfully follow this man.

Perhaps once he starts following, it would be for a lifetime. Maybe even after that man retires, he’ll still be in his prime, carrying gifts to visit the old leader from time to time.

That thorn only occasionally pricked him in the dead of night when there was no one around, he would open his eyes and wonder, am I inferior to others? Why was I abandoned?

But what could he do when he was unable to overturn the table? Endure it.

There’s no other way to go.

…

Who would have expected, as the winds change, a new path emerges.

Shanghai set an example for the whole country.

Huang Zengyue saw it clearly. Another path that didn’t exist before suddenly appeared.

The underdog rises.

The abandoned can turn the tables, and step on their former oppressors.

The thorn buried deep in his heart can finally be pulled out.

I am not inferior to anyone.

Qiao Wei watched Huang Zengyue walk away, feeling powerless.

She rubbed her face vigorously and went back to the office.

At this point, there was hardly any serious work to be done.

The office was in a mess. Secretary Meng’s office door was wide open, and it was in disarray inside.

Everyone just stayed in the office out of habit, because they didn’t know where else to go.

Seeing Qiao Wei come back, everyone seemed to have a backbone and came over to ask, “Qiao Wei, what do we do now?”

Qiao Wei glanced at Huang Zengyue’s empty desk.

She opened her drawer and took out some tea leaves. “Let’s have some tea.”

Everyone looked at each other, but it seemed… there really was nothing else to do but drink tea.

Fine, let’s have some tea.

With an hour left until quitting time, Qiao Wei tidied up her desk and grabbed her bag. “I’m leaving, see you tomorrow.”

Once she left, everyone followed suit.

The office suddenly became empty.

No one was in charge.

Who cares.

Let each family manage its own affairs.

Qiao Wei returned to the town and as soon as she got off the car, she saw several teenagers in green military uniforms running down the street, all wearing red armbands.

Qiao Wei watched their figures disappear into the distance.

She led Yan Xiang back home.

Coming back so early today, who would’ve expected someone at home. Yan Lei was already there, along with Secretary Gao from the town, Mayor Xie, and Director Fang.

Seeing her, the men in the courtyard all stood up.

“Qiao Wei, why are you back so early! What’s the situation in the county now?” they all asked in unison, “How is Secretary Meng?”

It was clear they had already received the news.

Only Yan Lei said, “Have some water first.”

The men fell silent.

Qiao Wei asked Yan Xiang to go play in his room, then took the tea pot Yan Lei handed her and drank half of it.

Yan Lei took the tea pot back and said, “We’ve all received the news. Secretary Meng was arrested last night. The superiors told me to come back and wait for you, to see if you had any news here.”

Secretary Gao and the others also waited anxiously. They had also received the news but didn’t know what the situation was like today.

This was where having people in the county came in handy – Qiao Wei could bring back first-hand news, fresh and hot.

Qiao Wei told everyone about the situation in the county today.

The men in the courtyard were not naive. Everyone knew that Secretary Meng was finished.

After all, this movement had spread from the provincial capital to various cities, and then to various counties. Such situations had played out many times in the provincial capital and cities.

Even in the small town now, there was a sense of unrest. Everyone felt insecure.

Qiao Wei remembered the young men and women with red armbands she had seen across the street just now.

She raised her eyes. “Stability must be maintained in Xiahekou. The military families are all here. If the town is unstable, the military families’ hearts will also be unstable.”

She didn’t say more.

But Yan Lei understood.

If everything around them was chaotic, people’s hearts were easily swayed as well.

The army must not be in chaos.

That meant Xiahekou must not be allowed to fall into chaos.

They exchanged a glance as husband and wife, then both stood up.

“Let’s go, Secretary, Mayor, Director,” Yan Lei said, “Let’s go see the superior.”