Chapter 999

At this time, Xia Jian had already arrived at the entrance of the residential complex by taxi. As soon as he got out of the car and walked two steps, he suddenly saw that the Audi parked in the parking lot not far away looked familiar. He took two steps back, tilted his head, and looked carefully at the license plate, discovering it was Zheng Tulu's official car. Thinking of the flustered tone Afang had when answering the phone just now, he immediately understood what was going on. However, he thought that since Afang knew he was coming home immediately, she definitely wouldn't dare to be too blatant with Zheng Tulu. So Xia Jian walked straight into the residential complex.

At this time, Zheng Tulu had just come out of the elevator and saw Xia Jian walking toward him from a distance. He immediately panicked and hid in the safety stairs on the side, secretly observing the movement outside with his heart in his throat. Before long, Xia Jian walked in in high spirits and got into the elevator.

Watching the numbers on the elevator change, Zheng Tulu came out of the safety entrance, slipped out of the residential complex, got into his car, and began to wait for Afang's call.

After sending Zheng Tulu away, Afang got off the bed. Not having time to put on her underwear, she wrapped herself in a cotton-padded bathrobe, sat down in the living room, turned on the TV, and pretended to be watching it. After a while, she heard the door ring. A moment later, Xia Jian opened the door and walked in.

"Husband, you're back." Afang stood up with great joy and walked up to give him a hug. Xia Jian also took the opportunity to hug his wife, while at the same time looking around sneakily.

Afang felt a bit guilty and feigned calmness, acting coquettishly, "Husband, don't you see what I'm watching?"

"No." Xia Jian said with a smile, discovering there was no movement in the house. It seemed Director Zheng had already left.

"Husband, I've missed you so much." Afang acted coquettishly, stood on tiptoe, pursed the lips that had kissed another man's lower parts, and sucked onto Xia Jian's mouth, beginning to kiss him.

After kissing for a while, Xia Jian pulled her bathrobe off her shoulders, revealing her snowy-white fragrant shoulders, and kissed down along her chin. When he kissed down to her breasts, he suddenly discovered a red spot on them, which looked like it had been sucked by someone's mouth. Xia Jian asked a question he already knew the answer to: "Wife, why is it red here?"

A look of extreme panic flashed across Afang's face, but it vanished in an instant. She feigned calmness and said, "It's a bit itchy, I scratched it."

Xia Jian definitely knew what this was, but for the sake of his own official career, he could only let his wife maintain a special, intimate relationship with the leadership so he could benefit from it. So he said with feigned heartache, "Look at you, you scratched it so red, don't scratch it anymore."

"I know, husband." Afang said coquettishly. Seeing that Xia Jian was not suspicious, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll pour you some water." With that, she walked up to pour a cup of hot water and brought it over.

Xia Jian took the cup, drank two sips, and sat down on the sofa. Afang also sat down beside him and asked with concern, "Husband, how does it feel to have studied at the Party School for half a month? Did you gain anything?"

Xia Jian said in high spirits, "Wife, you don't know, having studied at the Party School once, the gains are really not small. I only now know that you must have connections to do anything; it really doesn't work without connections. This term of the Hexi Provincial Party School training class sent a total of 35 people from various units. I inquired privately, and almost everyone has connections, and they are all quite strong."

Afang said coquettishly, "Husband, didn't you go anyway even without connections?"

Xia Jian said with a smile, "Isn't that all thanks to you, wife? If it weren't for you pleading with our Director Zheng, I'm afraid the one who would be proud now is that Comrade Xiao Zhao. His cousin is said to be the Minister of the Organization Department of Hexi Province, and that connection is as hard as a diamond. If it weren't for you helping me plead, how could this opportunity have fallen on my head?"

Afang said, "If you had been able to climb up to a connection a few years earlier, you would have been a leader long ago. But this time, Director Zheng did indeed bear great pressure to help you."

Xia Jian chuckled and said, "It's not too late now. I'm the one who went to study at the Party School this time. As long as there is a vacancy in the unit, the leadership will definitely consider me first."

Afang said coquettishly, "Then I'll just wait for you to become a leader and let me enjoy the treatment of a leader's wife."

Xia Jian said with a mischievous grin, "People all say that behind every successful man is a great woman. Wife, as long as you give me a helping hand, if there's any good news, plead with our Director Zheng for me. What you say is more effective than what I say. I think as long as there is a vacancy in the unit, I will definitely have a chance to go up."

Afang then took the opportunity to say, "Then you say Director Zheng took the risk of offending Comrade Xiao Zhao's cousin to help you with such a big favor this time, shouldn't you thank him properly?"

China has been a society of human relationships since ancient times, and officialdom is even more particular about reciprocity. His wife's reminder made Xia Jian feel that he really had to find a time to thank Director Zheng properly. As for how to thank him, the first thing he thought of was, of course, sending money. This is the most common means of reciprocity in officialdom. So Xia Jian nodded, thought for a while, turned his face, and asked Afang: "Wife, how much do you think is appropriate to give Director Zheng? We don't have too much, and if it's too little, it's too embarrassing."

Afang feigned thought and said, "Husband, I think it's better not to send money or anything. Think about it, Director Zheng is such a big leader, and your unit deals with real estate companies a lot. Those real estate bosses must be very generous. You say if you want to send a lot, we've bought a house after you've worked for so many years, and there's only seventy or eighty thousand yuan in the savings book. We can't send it all out; we still have to save money for the child's milk powder. If you send one or two thousand yuan, Director Zheng is such a big official, you can't take it out."

Since the path of sending money didn't work, this put Xia Jian in a difficult position. He frowned slightly and said with a look of difficulty, "Wife, then what do you suggest? We have to show some appreciation, right?"

"Director Zheng took such a big risk to let you study at the Party School; this favor must be returned." Afang said.

Xia Jian turned his face and looked at Afang helplessly, asking, "Then how do we return this favor?"

Afang deliberately feigned thought and said, "Husband, I think it's better to invite Director Zheng to our home for a meal."

Xia Jian said in confusion, "Haven't we already had a meal?"

"That was before you went to the Party School. Now that you're back, we have to have another one; we have to have a beginning and an end." Afang said eloquently.

Xia Jian thought for a moment and said, "When should we invite him?"

Afang said without hesitation, "Let's make it tonight. You're back today, so it's just right to invite Director Zheng for a meal and talk about the Party School studies by the way. Maybe it will deepen his good impression of you."

Xia Jian thought for a moment and felt his wife was right, so he made the decision: "Okay, wife, let's do as you say and invite Director Zheng to our home for another meal."

Afang smiled gently and said, "Then call Director Zheng now and see if he can find time tonight. If he comes, I'll go prepare the food."

"Mm." Xia Jian nodded, took his phone out of his pocket, found Zheng Tulu's number, and dialed it.

At this very moment, Zheng Tulu was sitting in his car not far from the residential complex where Xia Jian lived, smoking and waiting for "news." The phone in his leather bag began to play music. Zheng Tulu knew there was a chance. Under the strong effect of that Viagra, the guy had already raised his head restlessly. He happily took the phone out of his leather bag and answered it. Xia Jian's enthusiastic voice came through: "Director Zheng, hello."

"Little Xia, what's wrong?" Zheng Tulu asked, feigning calmness.

"Director Zheng, I've returned home from my studies at the Party School today. I'd like to invite you to our home for a meal. I don't know if you can find the time."

"Is that so? Let me think." Zheng Tulu paused for a moment, feigning difficulty, and said with a smile, "It seems there are no social engagements tonight. That's fine, is it at your home?"

"Yes, yes, yes, at my home." Xia Jian said with a fawning smile, "Afang said she's afraid the food outside isn't clean and wants to cook some dishes for you herself at home, Director Zheng."

A cunning smile flashed across Zheng Tulu's face. He said with a smile, "Afang is really thoughtful, haha... That's fine, I'll go straight to your home in a while. Afang is pregnant, Little Xia, you must help her cook!"

Damn! You know my wife is pregnant and you still do it! Xia Jian cursed to himself, then said with a fawning smile, "Director Zheng, I will."

"That's fine, Little Xia, you go ahead and get busy. We'll chat slowly when I get there." Zheng Tulu said while smoking.

"Okay, Director Zheng, I'll wait for you."

After hanging up, Zheng Tulu sat in the car smoking, preparing to wait twenty minutes before entering the residential complex.

Seeing that Xia Jian had finished the call, Afang asked anxiously, "What did Director Zheng say? Does he have time?"