Chapter 179

Director Zhang's phone, which she had just put down, began to beep again.

"So annoying!" Director Zhang turned around impatiently to reach for the phone. The screen displayed "Husband," so she answered it and said gently, "Honey, you're not asleep yet?"

"Zhang Zhang Ailing, where are you? It's the weekend tomorrow, I came home, but you aren't here."

"Oh... I'm at the bureau..." Director Zhang handled it smoothly. "Why didn't you call me before coming back? Is everything okay at the Provincial Committee tomorrow?"

"Hmm, it's so late and you're still at the bureau. Come back early." Director Zhang's husband sounded a bit unhappy on the phone. As the Deputy Minister of the Provincial Organization Department, it was already very difficult for him to find time to return to Yuyang from the provincial capital for a night.

"Alright, I know, I'll be back right away," Zhang Zhang Zhang Ailing said softly. "I'm hanging up now."

Zhang Zhang Zhang Ailing hung up the phone, sighed, and said helplessly, "My husband is back from the provincial capital. It looks like I have to go back tonight."

Zhao Desan deliberately grabbed her arm and said, "Director Zhang, don't go back tonight. I still want to be intimate with you a little longer."

"I want to stay too, but there's no choice." Zhang Zhang Zhang Ailing smiled helplessly and sat up to start getting dressed. Zhao Desan lay beside her, wrapping his arms around her fleshy yet slender waist, looking reluctant to let her go. In reality, he just wanted Zhang Zhang Zhang Ailing to feel that he was infatuated with her, so that she would have absolutely no psychological guard against him.

Director Zhang quickly put on her clothes, got off the bed, put on her high heels, turned around, and said, "Comrade Xiao Zhao, sleep by yourself. I'm heading back."

"Just like that?" Zhao Desan looked reluctant.

"What else do you want?" Director Zhang blinked. "Come here, give me a kiss." She bent down and planted a "muah" on Zhao Desan's forehead. "Alright, I'm off. Get some rest early."

Dressed, Director Zhang looked mature, capable, and intellectual—a completely different person from the woman who had been riding him wildly while naked. It truly made Zhao Desan feel as if his relationship with her was like a dream.

Director Zhang pulled the door shut and left, leaving Zhao Desan alone in the hotel room. It was still early, just past eleven, and he didn't have to work the next day, so he felt a bit bored.

Thinking of seeing Sister Lan today, he hadn't been able to say a single word to her because the various leaders were present. It had already been several days since they last met, and he felt quite regretful.

His feelings for Ma Lan were completely different from his trysts with these other women; it was a feeling akin to love. Ma Lan's generosity, gentleness, and approachability made him feel very close to her.

The feeling in his heart was akin to longing, but he dared not confirm if it truly was. Before achieving success in his career, he didn't want to be entangled in any emotional affairs, including the ambiguity Li Li Li Li Shanshan showed him, which was actually her having feelings for him.

A beautiful woman is a disaster—Zhao Desan firmly believed in this saying. To climb the official ladder, one must discard personal feelings, otherwise, it is easy to get implicated.

He still couldn't help but send a message to Ma Lan: Sister Lan, I miss you.

Ma Lan was also tossing and turning at home, unable to sleep. Receiving Zhao Desan's message, she felt a burst of pleasant surprise and quickly replied with the same content: Little man, Sister misses you too.

"Sister Lan, you're not asleep yet?"

"No, why aren't you asleep either?"

"I was getting ready to sleep, but I missed you."

"Desan, you've been doing pretty well lately, haven't you? You broke away from that bastard and climbed up to a full director."

"Eh, just so-so. It just happened that Director Zhang's secretary got sick, so I'm filling in temporarily. It's just a temporary job."

"By the way, Desan, you're off on Sunday, right? Sister is going to Shenfu County tomorrow. If you're free, why don't you come with me?"

"Sure."

After texting with Ma Lan for a while, he felt a bit sleepy, so Zhao Desan laid his head down and fell asleep.

The next day, he accompanied Ma Lan to Shenfu County. Ma Lan had arranged to meet with some leaders of Shenfu County to discuss the relocation issues of the Xiaogou Coal Mine. The Shenfu County Committee Secretary-General, Jianyang, was her first love from eighteen years ago. Now, with the passage of time, she still remembered him. Her painstaking efforts to manage the coal mine business were aimed at revenge—to make Jianyang's family fall apart.

Ma Lan parked the car at the entrance of the Shenfu County Committee and County Government. Saturday was usually a day off, but the Yuyang Municipal Committee had specifically instructed the Shenfu County Committee and Government to expedite the relocation work for the Heihe Coal Mine and Xiaogou Coal Mine, so Ma Lan had already notified the County Government's Land Acquisition and Relocation Office before coming.

The car stopped at the county government entrance, and Ma Lan and Zhao Desan got out and walked into the county government compound. On a Saturday, almost no one could be seen in the county government, and it was deathly quiet. Zhao Desan always felt that government institutions gave off a stern, imposing feeling. However, having already been to the Yuyang Municipal Government last time, he didn't need to be nervous about coming to the county government.

Ma Lan and Zhao Desan had already walked into the government courtyard when the guard noticed someone had entered. He quickly ran out of the guardhouse and called out to them, "Hey! Wait! What are you here for?"

The two stopped and turned back. Ma Lan was just about to ask someone where the Relocation Office was, and this was perfect, so she said politely, "We're here to discuss the relocation matter. May I ask where the Relocation Office is?"

"Oh... it's the second office from the end on the left side of the first floor of the office building," the guard pointed out.

"Oh, thank you." Ma Lan thanked him politely, then entered the office building with Zhao Desan. They found the second office from the end on the left. The door was closed, but they could hear voices inside.

Ma Lan knocked on the door three times, and someone inside responded, "Come in!"

The first thing Ma Lan saw when she pushed the door open was Jianyang. Although nearly twenty years had passed, she could never forget those facial features and that gaze. This beast, who had stolen her first time and left her pregnant without a care, had now transformed into the Shenfu County Committee Secretary-General, and his identity for their meeting was the concurrent Director of the Relocation Office.

However, Ma Lan had changed her name and undergone several plastic surgeries, so she no longer looked like she did in her youth. Lin Lin Jianyang didn't recognize her at all. Seeing a beautiful young woman appear at the door, he hurriedly stood up and asked with a smile, "May I ask who you are?"

A cold sneer flashed across Ma Lan's lips, and she said with a casual, nonchalant smile, "I am the Chairwoman of Xinmao Mining. I'm here today to talk to Director Lin about the relocation."

Any man who saw a young woman with Ma Lan's appearance and figure would be a bit dazed. Lin Lin Jianyang, who was no saint, was also a lecher. He hurriedly stepped forward with a smile to shake her hand: "Oh, President Ma, nice to meet you, nice to meet you. I've been waiting here specifically for you today." Lin Lin Jianyang held Ma Lan's hand and wouldn't let go until Zhao Desan stood beside her, at which point he finally released her hand. "And how should I address this gentleman?"

"My friend, Zhao Desan," Ma Lan said with a faint smile, the seed of hatred in her heart gradually sprouting.

"Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, hello." Lin Lin Jianyang shook hands with Zhao Desan as well. "Please, come in and sit."

Ma Lan looked back at Zhao Desan, went in with him, and sat down on the sofa. The girl inside poured them water.

"Director Lin, I'm sorry to disturb your rest today, I really am." Ma Lan took the cup and sipped the water.

"Not at all, the Municipal Committee specifically called ahead, and the relocation work is urgent, after all," Lin Lin Jianyang said politely, his gaze lecherous. One look was enough to tell he was no good.