Chapter 98 : Father and Son Meet

A small car stopped in front of a guesthouse in Changbei Province. The driver quickly got out of the driver’s seat, slightly bowing in a respectful manner as he opened the door for the person in the back seat. The middle-aged man, tall and dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, exuded an air of dignity.

The driver couldn’t help but steal a glance at the person in the front. He was talking with his secretary, his expression as indifferent as ever, and his posture straight, showing no sign of a long night of meetings.

A big shot from the capital is truly different; just look at that demeanor!

“Thank you for your hard work. You can go back now.”

Although it was a routine phrase, the underlying authority and pressure made the driver involuntarily bow even lower. He nodded repeatedly, “Yes, thank you for your concern, leader.”

Only when the two men disappeared through the door did the driver dare to straighten up, return to the driver’s seat, and drive away.

“I went to Daping Village, but Comrade Fan was not there,” Secretary Zhu Weiqing said, falling a step behind the person ahead and adjusting his glasses out of habit.

Fan Fangming continued to ascend the stairs with steady steps, his tone unchanged. “Then where did he go?”

Zhu Weiqing paused for three seconds before replying, “He came to the provincial capital.”

Hearing the hesitation in Zhu Weiqing’s voice, Fan Fangming glanced at him with interest, raising one corner of his lips slightly. The faint curve was barely noticeable. Seeing this, Zhu Weiqing lowered his head, not daring to hide anything further.

“Comrade Fan is at the wedding house.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the figure ahead paused momentarily before continuing forward. Zhu Weiqing wiped the sweat off his forehead, quickly moving to the door ahead of Fan Fangming. He deftly retrieved the key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

“Please come in.”

Fan Fangming stepped inside, and Zhu Weiqing closed the door behind him, following him to the desk.

Fan Fangming sneered, sitting down on a chair. He poured tea for himself and Zhu Weiqing, the sound of water pouring mixing with his deep, calm voice, creating a sense of calm before a storm.

Zhu Weiqing didn’t dare look up, so he wasn’t sure of Fan Fangming’s mood, but from experience, he could tell he was most likely unhappy. Indeed, the appearance of a woman around his son, who was even about to get married, was something he had been unaware of. Although it was a failure of his subordinates, it was also a slap in his face.

“Comrade Fan made a special arrangement, so…” Zhu Weiqing left the sentence unfinished, but the implication was clear.

“He’s quite clever.”

The words were spoken softly, but internally, Zhu Weiqing had to agree. Comrade Fan was not just clever he was highly effective, using just a few words to “turn” his father’s informant. Such skill deserved praise wherever it was seen.

However, for Fan Fangming, this was not a good thing. It only served to heighten his anger.

As expected, when Fan Fangming spoke again, his usually impassive tone was cold. “Who is she?”

Zhu Weiqing chose his words carefully and highlighted the key points: “She’s a villager from Daping Village, now working as a broadcaster at the Provincial Broadcasting Bureau.”

A broadcaster? For some reason, a vivid and beautiful face suddenly flashed in Fan Fangming’s mind. He frowned, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table. “You wait at the entrance of the Provincial Broadcasting Bureau. When you see him, bring him directly to me.”

“Ah?” Zhu Weiqing looked up in confusion.

“Go when I tell you to go.”

“Oh, yes.” Suppressing his doubts, Zhu Weiqing quickly left the room.

Once the door closed, a hint of fatigue appeared on Fan Fangming’s face. He rubbed his temples, feeling a throbbing headache. His son had always been a source of relief, so how could he cause such a problem at such a crucial moment?

A real man should first establish his career before starting a family. Doesn’t he understand that at all?

And he chose a rural girl with no connections. Isn’t this nonsense?

Ha, he knew he wouldn’t agree, so he simply kept it a secret, planning to make a decision after the fact. It was a good idea, but there’s no wall that doesn’t let the wind through. He was curious to see how this would end.

A father knows his son best. Before afternoon, Zhu Weiqing saw the familiar tall figure at the entrance of the Provincial Broadcasting Bureau. The man resembled Fan Fangming by about forty to fifty percent, especially in the eyes and eyebrows. Even though it had been nearly a year since they last met, Zhu Weiqing recognized him immediately.

As he prepared to get out of the car, his gaze involuntarily shifted to the woman following the man. They both wore similar white shirts, were strikingly attractive, and were carrying many items. They drew considerable attention, not just from him but from almost everyone on the street.

The woman had her hair styled into two braided pigtails, revealing a stunningly beautiful face. Her large, watery eyes were clear and bright, with slightly upturned outer corners adding a touch of allure. With her cherry lips and delicate nose, her gentle smile could captivate anyone.

Upon seeing her face clearly, Zhu Weiqing’s mouth slightly fell open in disbelief at such an extraordinary coincidence in the world.

Comrade Fan’s partner was actually the host from the recent gala evening!

He had been sitting behind the leaders that day. Since it was a rare moment of leisure, he relaxed and remembered only the exceptionally beautiful female host. Not only was she outstanding in appearance, but her on-the-spot responses and fluent, standard Mandarin were also impressive.

While he was still in shock, the two had already parted ways at the entrance. Noticing that the man was heading toward the bus stop, Zhu Weiqing set aside his astonishment, quickly got out of the car, and called out to him.

“Comrade Fan!”

Hearing the call, Fan Yanxing instinctively looked over, his brows furrowing deeply.

Seeing this, Zhu Weiqing forced a smile, though inwardly he cursed the troublesome nature of the task. But since he was the only one accompanying the leader on this trip, he had no choice but to handle it.

So even if he didn’t want to do it, he had to force himself!

“Please come this way, Leader.” Zhu Weiqing forced a smile, noticing that Fan Yanxing was carrying many things. He quickly stepped forward to help, “Let me carry these for you.”

Fan Yanxing knew that Zhu Weiqing was specifically waiting here, and realizing he couldn’t avoid it, he let go of the items.

“When did he arrive in Changbei Province?”

“A few days ago,” Zhu Weiqing answered vaguely. The whereabouts of a leader, even to their own family, are not to be disclosed. Having been a secretary for many years, Zhu Weiqing was skilled at this, so even when answering Fan Yanxing’s question off the cuff, there was no flaw.

Fan Yanxing glanced at Zhu Weiqing. He knew that this old fox was always tight-lipped. He didn’t expect to get more information from him; knowing this much was enough. It seemed that the situation between himself and Qingqing hadn’t been exposed for long, or else Fan Fangming would have sent Zhu Weiqing to Daping Village to catch him already.

“Let’s go.”

The car restarted and slowly drove towards the guesthouse.

“You don’t need to take the items out. Please wait here and then take me to the bus station later.” Upon arriving, Fan Yanxing got out of the car and opened the door for himself.

Zhu Weiqing, sitting in the driver’s seat, was in a difficult position, unsure whether to get out or stay put. Just as he was about to open the car door and go upstairs to check, he saw Fan Yanxing emerge in less than ten minutes.

“Let’s go.” Fan Yanxing got back in, calmly fastening his seatbelt.

Zhu Weiqing noticed the conspicuous slap mark on Fan Yanxing’s face in the rearview mirror. He glanced at it briefly before quickly averting his gaze, swallowing hard and forcing a dry laugh. “Shall I take you to the bus station?”

“Mm-hmm.” Fan Yanxing turned his head to look out the window, his face showing no emotion.

Zhu Weiqing dared not ask further questions. He drove straight to the bus station, then hurried back to the guesthouse, sweating profusely and sighing as he went upstairs.

These days, begging for a living isn’t easy. He felt like a sandwich cookie caught between father and son, unable to please either side.

When he reached the door, he knocked and heard a deep voice from inside, “Come in.”

Zhu Weiqing silently lamented his situation but showed no sign of it on his face. Upon entering, his first words were, “I’ve taken Comrade Fan to the bus station.”

“I understand.” Fan Fangming remained seated, leaning against the back of his chair. His eyes were dark and inscrutable, making it hard to guess his thoughts. After what seemed like a long time, he finally spoke, “I recall that on the night of the gala, the deputy director of the broadcasting bureau wanted to arrange a dinner?”

Hearing the mention of the gala, Zhu Weiqing’s heart skipped a beat. He was relieved that Fan Fangming didn’t bring up the broadcaster, but his relief was short-lived. After a moment’s thought, he responded with a smile, “Yes.”

But the deputy director’s invitation was likely just a formality, as she probably knew he wouldn’t accept. However, who can predict every outcome with certainty?

Zhu Weiqing was surprised and looked up, ready to offer advice, but Fan Fangming continued, “I want to meet her.”

It was clear who the “her” referred to.

Well, it seemed that the intention was not merely about a meal. No amount of persuasion would change the outcome.

—

“What? Alright, I’ll arrange it and call you back later.” Tian Fengchun hung up the phone, and the smile on her face gradually faded. What was this about? Why was there a sudden request for a dinner?

Moreover, the caller had praised the gala multiple times.

Tian Fengchun wasn’t foolish; on the contrary, she was quite sharp. From the brief conversation, she guessed the intention was to have the two hosts from the gala Li Changguo and Liang Qingqing attend the dinner.

Which of these two caught the influential person’s eye?

Tian Fengchun paced back and forth in her office, leaning more towards Li Changguo as the one of interest. However, regardless of who it was, the future prospects for both were boundless.

Those in leadership positions were all seasoned old foxes. When a person is favored by the influential, can you dare to say otherwise? If someone is favored, shouldn’t they be promoted?

In any case, the true purpose of this dinner would only become clear once she attended!