Chapter 1765

"Good." Zhao Desan responded with a smile, and then they walked out of the hotel room one after the other.

After leaving the hotel, Xi Bingbing drove him to a famous Hunan restaurant nearby for a meal. On the way, both of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts and didn't say much. Xi Bingbing was reminiscing about the passionate night before, while Zhao Desan was once again thinking about Su Qing's matter, feeling extremely troubled.

The car arrived at the Hunan restaurant. The two went inside, found a secluded corner to sit down, and after ordering, Xi Bingbing saw Zhao Desan looking deeply troubled and asked, "What's wrong with you? You look like you have something on your mind."

"No... nothing." Zhao Desan smiled slightly and denied it.

Xi Bingbing didn't know what he was thinking, so she didn't ask further. The two chatted about random topics while eating. Zhao Desan had Su Qing's matter on his mind, so although he was very hungry, he had no appetite. Seeing him looking so preoccupied, Xi Bingbing asked again, "What exactly is wrong with you? You look off."

"Bingbing, I really... I really didn't expect..." Zhao Desan wanted to change the subject and ask about her, but he stammered and felt embarrassed to speak.

"Didn't expect what?" Xi Bingbing asked, puzzled.

"You... the gap between you and me is too big." Zhao Desan said with a chuckle, feeling a bit awkward.

Xi Bingbing understood the subtext of his words. She lowered her eyes, smiled, and then looked at him seriously, asking, "Is it because you know this that you feel a bit scared now?"

"Who... who's scared! What's there to be scared of!" Zhao Desan held his head high and puffed out his chest, showing a fearless attitude.

Xi Bingbing looked around, then leaned over and whispered, "Enough of that! When I drove you into Xinhua Gate that day, you were scared out of your wits! Stop acting like a big shot!"

Only then did Zhao Desan say noncommittally in a low voice, "How was I supposed to know your... your identity was different from others? Forcibly breaking into Xinhua Gate would get one's head blown off directly!"

"Now that you know, what are your thoughts?" Xi Bingbing picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and put it into Zhao Desan's bowl, asking.

"I feel... I feel it's better if we keep some distance." Zhao Desan stammered. He really couldn't afford to offend this beauty sitting opposite him, and he didn't want to offend her for any reason.

"Actually, you don't know, but because of my identity, I have almost no friends. Any friend who has a good relationship with me, once they know my true identity, will distance themselves from me. Actually, I'm quite lonely too." Xi Bingbing took a deep breath and said with a sorrowful expression.

"I understand." Zhao Desan nodded and said. For people with her status, once they have power in their hands, everything is easy to handle; the only thing they lack is sincere friends.

"Then are you willing to be my friend?" Xi Bingbing looked at him very seriously and asked.

"Just being friends, of course I can." Zhao Desan said without hesitation, then added stammeringly, "But after what happened last night, how... how can we still be friends?"

"Last night... let's forget about last night. We were both drunk." Speaking of last night, Xi Bingbing also seemed a bit embarrassed.

"Actually, nothing happened last night." Zhao Desan grinned and went along with her.

Xi Bingbing smiled faintly, nodded, and said, "Right, nothing happened."

Zhao Desan smiled lightly, looked at the table full of food, and said, "Alright, hurry up and eat. It'll get cold if we don't." As he spoke, he started picking up food and putting it into his mouth.

Xi Bingbing smiled gently and also picked up her chopsticks to eat. While eating, she used that ambiguous gaze to secretly observe Zhao Desan, but saw that he didn't seem very happy and kept losing focus. She guessed he must have something on his mind, so she put down her chopsticks, looked at him seriously, and asked, "Zhao Desan, do you consider me a friend?"

"Of course!" Zhao Desan raised his brows slightly and looked at her in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"Then tell me, are you hiding something from me?" Xi Bingbing asked directly.

"No." Zhao Desan forced a smile and denied it.

Xi Bingbing looked at him seriously and said, "Don't lie to me. Your expression has already betrayed you. You definitely have something on your mind. If you consider me a friend, tell me. Let's see if I can help you?"

Xi Bingbing's words suddenly woke Zhao Desan up. He had a flash of inspiration. That's right, why not let her try? Since she could enter and exit Xinhua Gate freely, she must have heaven-reaching abilities. As for whether she could help, he would only know if he tried. So Zhao Desan asked, "Bingbing, are you saying that as long as I have something, as long as you can help, you will try your best to help me?"

"Yes, I did say that." Xi Bingbing looked at him with a puzzled expression and nodded affirmatively.

"I do have something very troublesome right now, but it's not my own affair, but a relative's." Zhao Desan began to recount: "It's like this: my cousin is named Su Qing, and she is the Minister of the Organization Department of the Hexi Provincial Party Committee. There is a Deputy Minister in the Organization Department named Li Changping. Recently, a Deputy Secretary in Hexi Province named Yang Yongping was found to have problems and is estimated to be dismissed soon. Now, many people in the province want to fight for that Deputy Secretary position, but the ones with the best chances are my cousin and that Deputy Minister Li. However, my cousin doesn't have a very good relationship with the Provincial Party Secretary, whereas Li Changping has a very good relationship with several major leaders of the Provincial Party Committee. If that Deputy Minister Li becomes the Deputy Secretary, he will definitely find fault with my cousin in everything. Can you help with this matter and find a way to let my cousin concurrently hold that Deputy Secretary position?" Although he explained the ins and outs of the matter to Xi Bingbing very clearly, Zhao Desan still didn't hold much hope. Although her father's generation might have heaven-covering power in the Central Committee, she herself was not in the system after all.

After listening to Zhao Desan's account, Xi Bingbing narrowed her eyes and said with some difficulty, "This matter is very big, I estimate it might be hard to handle? But I can try. As for whether it will work, I dare not guarantee it to you."

Zhao Desan chuckled and said, "It doesn't matter. I'm just mentioning it. No need to make it difficult for yourself. If it can't be done, then so be it. Anyway, officialdom is too complicated, and a small person like me can't figure it out."

Although Xi Bingbing didn't express that she could help him with this matter, she heard it and kept it in her heart, remembering his affair firmly.

After the meal that day, Xi Bingbing drove Zhao Desan to the hotel where he was staying and then drove alone toward Chang'an Avenue.

At the same time, that afternoon, the Publicity Department of the Hexi Provincial Party Committee held a media conference to announce to society the investigation results of Deputy Secretary Yang Yongping, which had been entrusted by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. It announced that Yang Yongping had seriously violated party discipline and was corrupt, and after research and decision by the Standing Committee of the Hexi Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, he would be subjected to 'Shuanggui' (double designation) treatment.

Once this news was announced, voices of applause and praise from netizens spread across the internet. Because of Yang Yongping's downfall, the Hexi Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government won the praise of a portion of the people.

Although the social response to the handling of Yang Yongping was very large and enthusiastic, there was not much reaction within the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government. Because before this, as units within the system, the staff of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government had already learned of this result through various channels and methods. Once the matter spread to the internet and became a big deal, and the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection intervened to investigate, coupled with the pressure from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection above, anyone working in these government agencies that preyed on the people could be investigated for a string of problems if just one person was picked out. After Yang Yongping was investigated, everyone in the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government was in danger, and they changed color at the mention of Yang Yongping. After this result was announced, even fewer people were willing to discuss him; no one wanted to invite trouble upon themselves.

As a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Minister of the Organization Department, after the Provincial Party Committee decided to dismiss Yang Yongping at the Standing Committee meeting, she knew her good days were over.

That afternoon, before the Provincial Party Committee got off work, Li Changping sneaked to Secretary Jin's office again. After the secretary led him to the reception room to sit down, after a while, Secretary Jin opened the door and walked out of the office. Seeing Li Changping, a strange smile appeared on his face, and he said, "Changping, it's almost time to get off work. What brings you here to find me?"

"Secretary Jin, I have nothing in particular. I just came to chat with you." Li Changping said with a fawning smile.

Secretary Jin laughed twice knowingly, walked up gently, and sat down opposite him. He picked up a cigarette from the tea table and put it in his mouth. Li Changping hurriedly leaned over and held up his lighter with quick eyes and fast hands.

Secretary Jin took two puffs, lit the cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Changping, this afternoon the Publicity Department already held a media reception to announce the investigation results of Deputy Secretary Yang and the Provincial Party Committee's handling of him. What do you think of the handling of Deputy Secretary Yang?"

"Very satisfied." Because Li Changping was too excited, he answered with a fawning smile without thinking.

Secretary Jin exhaled a smoke ring, looked at him with strange eyes, a knowing smile on the corner of his mouth, and asked, "It must be very satisfying for you, right?"

Secretary Jin exhaled a ring of smoke, looked at him with a strange expression, and with a knowing smile at the corner of his mouth, asked, "You must be very satisfied with it, right?"