Chapter 153

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Chen Guoliang sat upright behind the redwood table with his back to the window.

Apart from the imposing posture and the solemn red flag, this office that could decide the fate of the entire Jiangning Military Region was nothing out of the ordinary.

Some rural bosses might decorate their rooms several times more luxuriously than this, but the flavor of those who sat within could never shake off the earthy taste of the soil.

The deputy officer gently closed the door. Chen Yi skillfully took a cup and brewed himself a cup of red tea, smiling: "Sri Lankan high-fragrance red tea—among the generals, only you, Great Uncle, have such taste. Back when we went to Lao Gan Suo, they all brewed Biluochun in giant tea vats."

"I'm also a high-cadre child; I can't let the old-timers outdo me." Chen Guoliang laughed, stood up, and sat together on the sofa: "I know you're busy these days, making a fortune every day. How do you have time to come to the military region?"

Chen Yi stirred with a spoon, pouring milk into the red tea, and said: "Do you know anyone at the General Staff Department?"

"I know them. What's the big deal?" Chen Guoliang's rank was only Major General, but his power was immense. If it weren't for the old man suddenly stepping down, he would have been on the verge of promotion to Lieutenant General. At his position, family members speaking privately didn't avoid anything.

If it were some field-grade officers, not even the military security department—just the military police could make them suspicious for a good half day.

Chen Yi organized his words and said: "I met someone from a cult organization and handed him over to Zhu Guangliang. Last night, his department's superior pressured him. I want to know how high the source of the pressure goes. The General Staff Department and they are not under the same command. I'll make some indirect inquiries; I don't know if it will work."

"Investigating this kind of thing carries considerable risk. Is it necessary?"

Chen Yi nodded immediately.

He no longer feared the Human Development Research Society, but he didn't think he could handle it easily. If he could find a hidden figure in the upper class, it would surely bring considerable convenience.

He just didn't know whether that was merely a bought-off high official or an infiltrator of the Research Society—how wonderful it would be if it were the latter, although he knew the odds were very low.

Chen Guoliang asked for a few more details, then gave instructions: "I'll have someone make inquiries. But if even higher-ups are involved, it's hard to say. Also, if they ask back, they'll surely find out it's you."

"No problem." Chen Yi was no ordinary commoner. Even if he had truly committed a crime, those who moved against him would have to think it over again and again, and whether they could succeed was still debatable.

When Zhu Guangliang and his people made arrests, they didn't avoid anything at all—many people knew about it.

But those from the "Research Society," even if they clearly knew Chen Yi had framed Song Yuan, would still have to rack their brains guessing how much he knew.

Any secret organization is like a tiger: "one pounce, one flip, one cut"—three moves, each with tremendous power. But if those three moves are used and the prey still isn't killed, it can only become Wu Song's trophy.

Without a definite necessity, they would not expose their power.

Seeing the matter was finished, Chen Yi was about to take his leave, but his great uncle held him back: "Wait a moment. There's one more thing—I'd like to hear your opinion."

The top pillar of the entire Chen Family was now seeking his opinion.

If it were an ordinary aristocratic scion, he'd probably be overjoyed.

But Chen Yi just smiled calmly and sat back down on the chair.

Chen Guoliang leaned back comfortably in the chair, crossed his legs, and said: "Now, Old Fang sits in the Deputy Mayor's position. What I can do in Jiangning, he can soon do as well. Therefore, I'm considering taking this opportunity to change positions and go to Xijing."

"Mm." Chen Yi listened seriously and responded with a sound to show politeness.

His great uncle was in the military, after all—a relatively independent system. It was fine for supporting the family, but when it came to influencing the local political structure, it was somewhat beyond reach. To Jiangning's senior management, his presence was mainly reflected in one vote on the Standing Committee seat.

And now, through his maternal uncle Fang Zhennan, the Chen Family was temporarily bound together with city high official Sun Maoxin. His interests in Jiangning could already be guaranteed to a considerable extent. Chen Guoliang choosing to advance into the central government at this time—although he couldn't fill the power vacuum left by the old man—could at least guarantee the Chen Family's presence at the highest level of the government. At the same time, it was conducive to accumulating strength and planning slowly.

Looking at Chen Yi's expression, Chen Guoliang nodded and said: "Now there's a choice: Minister of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the General Equipment Department, and Party Committee Member. But I haven't decided yet."

This was the advantage of aristocratic scions. When others didn't know whether they had a chance for promotion, they could choose their positions.

Chen Yi hurriedly congratulated him: "Is there anything I can help with?"

Chen Guoliang laughed and said: "Not yet. But after I leave Jiangning, this place will be up to you yourselves. Can you hold it down?"

Just as he had suppressed the He Family, his great uncle was leaving. Chen Yi should have been worried.

However, the Knight's Heart he had cultivated all along made him answer very firmly: "No problem."

In that instant, a kind of confidence surged forth, unstoppable, like the first night home for a man who had survived two months in the wilderness.

Returning to the dormitory, Chen Yi first returned the car key.

The little lizard chattered on about its surveillance life, recounting every word and conversation of the two girls. It was clear that it quite enjoyed this half-peeping kind of work.

Chen Yi listened for a while, found nothing worth paying attention to, and with a flick of his hand tossed it back into the bowl by the door.

A crisp "smack" sound, and the little lizard cried out in pain.

Liu Xinyu was seriously searching for information online, and asked strangely: "What a strange sound."

"The key is broken. Help me get a new one tomorrow." Chen Yi said with a laugh, sat at the writing desk in the living room, and as usual, read books to study.

Actually, the human gene was already overflowing with a thirst for knowledge.

Anyone wants to learn; it's just that the direction and content of learning differ.

Narrow learning—that is, obtaining knowledge from books, the essence of human intelligence—is the fastest way. It can help a person gain the most knowledge in the shortest time.

By comparison, whether it's social practice or rich life experience, their value is not enough to be compared with knowledge from books—easily understood through scarcity: anyone can have rich life experience and social practice, but only some of them can understand knowledge from books. In fact, just being literate and able to speak means tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years of wisdom crystallization, all of which can only be achieved through learning.

The former Chen Yi, before coming into contact with Source Energy, had an intelligence level only slightly above average. In that situation, his motivation to learn came more from the pressure of the external environment.

But after long-term cultivation and improvement, the current Chen Yi naturally had the impulse to learn. This was not an innate interest, but the life direction determined by genes.

If one could understand books, one would naturally be willing to read. People who often read books—if they went ten days or half a month without books to read, they'd surely go crazy with anxiety.

Jin Douna, wearing high heels and holding documents, came to Chen Yi and said: "A graduate student named Han He came looking for you. Your class monitor Lin Yuan came again; she left when she saw me. Luo Xiaoshan sent you a fax. Also, these are the organization's important contents for today."

Chen Yi looked at the last one first—it was actually a standard briefing, one sentence per matter, at most two sentences, with people, places, times, and events all explained clearly.

He couldn't help but praise: "This is really good, saves time."

"After all, I was an assistant for several years."

Jin Douna said, glancing at Liu Xinyu.

The other person didn't move her ears at all, **placed on the table, massaging herself.

Chen Yi stared with eyes nearly popping out, and said aloud: "In a moment I'll write a thesis outline. If Han He comes looking again, I'll give it to him then."

"Not giving it now?"

"Now that I've given it to him, he'll definitely want to modify it again, and then ask again. Striving for perfection is fine, but I can't take it. Oh, if Lin Yuan comes asking again, just tell her I'm working on a project with Professor Lei."

Jin Douna said crisply, "Understood," like a real secretary, and returned to her seat.

In constant competition, she gradually found her place.

If she competed with Liu Xinyu in management skills, even with Chen Yi's support, she would still struggle to persist, but doing the duties of a secretary or assistant well was something she was very good at. At the same time, it could maintain a close relationship with Chen Yi.

Chen Yi naturally wouldn't think so much. He called Luo Xiaoshan, and after connecting, he laughed and asked, "Fatty, what's up?"

Luo Xiaoshan chuckled and said formally, "I heard Director Fang has been promoted to Deputy Mayor. Entrusted by my father, I extend my sincere greetings to you."

Fatty was a character of the jester type, immediately making Chen Yi laugh lightly. He said, "Your old man probably eyes that division of labor greedily."

Just as they had planned back then, state-owned assets management, road traffic, and other quite lucrative parts were assigned to Fang Zhennan. This made his Deputy Mayor value surge, not weaker than a Publicity Department Director holding a Standing Committee title. In fact, some of this fat carved out was originally held by the Deputy Secretary.

Fatty smiled and tacitly agreed, saying, "As you said, I went to the Second Ahong on Jianshe Road again. That guy has a big appetite; the money isn't settled, he wants to discuss with you. He wants to be a director of the Arabic Teaching Association and a Political Consultative Committee Member. Do you have a way?"

"National level?"

"That's right."

Chen Yi thought for a moment and said, "A Political Consultative Committee Member of Jiangning City isn't low in rank either. I'll first arrange one for him to get started. Once the money fills his stomach, I don't believe he won't be happy."

"Alright." Fatty chuckled twice and said, "My old man means the same thing. He says it's not possible, let him take money to Arabia, wants to be an Ahong, wants to be a believer, marrying four wives is the real pleasure."

Chen Yi laughed heartily, and recalled the worry before the temple that day again.

Wanting to rescue his little sister, yet not letting the family's revival be tarnished, the old Ahong's indifference and the city-level leader's persuasion and warning all made people unhappy.

"Fatty, you must tear down that temple. Whether the money earned is much or little is secondary."

Luo Xiaoshan patted his chest understandingly and said, "Rest assured. Brothers will definitely tear it down properly for you."

... (Unfinished, if you want to know what happens next, please log in www. qidian. com, more chapters, support author, support genuine reading!)