Chapter 134: Even Province No. 1 Is Afraid of the Old Master

Alas, the bones by the Wuding River, still are the person in the spring boudoir dream… Ah, pah pah pah! Alas, the alarm rings N times, still the person in the spring boudoir dream.

During these New Year days, lying like a corpse has become a habit; I just can't get up.

This is the true portrait of my aunt Lin Yuzhi.

Tomorrow I must not oversleep.

Tomorrow I've made an appointment with Senior Secretary Liang to go mountain climbing; the mountain actually isn't much to climb, it's mainly for show, and it's rare that Senior Secretary Liang can take a day out of his busy schedule to come to the capital for a date.

Before bed.

Lin Yuzhi pushed open Lin Dongfan's bedroom door, poked her head in, and instructed Lin Dongfan: "I give you a task: tomorrow morning at seven, call me to wake up on time, no mistakes."

"No, this is such a high‑difficulty task; you should ask someone else. Have the old master call you. With your terrifying morning temper, only the old master dares to pull off your covers. I'm timid—don't drag me into this."

Lin Dongfan shrank under the covers, not even showing his head.

Lin Yuzhi thought it over; what the kid said actually made some sense, so she reluctantly compromised: "I allow you to pull off my covers tomorrow morning, and I promise not to yell at you."

"What? Good night."

"Good night, little lamp—I said I allow you to pull off my covers tomorrow morning, and I promise not to yell at you."

"You said the same thing the day before yesterday, and the whole family heard your howling." Lin Dongfan remained curled under the covers, playing on his phone, responding intermittently.

Lin Yuzhi furrowed her brows: "Will you call or not? If you don't, I'll drag your wife to sleep with me, leaving you to guard an empty room every night, with no one to warm the bed."

"Snatching someone else's wife—is that polite?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Lin Dongfan's head shot out from under the covers.

He gave Lin Yuzhi a small, contemptuous glance in return.

Lin Yuzhi gave a sly smile: "Little brat, still can't handle you? Remember, tomorrow morning at seven, call me to wake up on time, no mistakes."

Without waiting for Lin Dongfan's reply, she turned and left after saying that.

Lin Dongfan was speechless, indeed spring had arrived, all things revived, animals entered their mating season—even the marriage‑averse aunt could no longer bear the loneliness.

I reckon, tomorrow Senior Secretary Liang is likely to face disaster.

Lin Dongfan shrank back under the covers and sent a message to Chu Lingxi: "Honey, why are you still chatting nonsense with the old master? The bed's already warm—wait for you to come online for the meeting."

"OK."

Although Chu Lingxi only replied with an OK emoji.

Lin Dongfan remained excited as if he'd taken a vial of Mighty Vajra Pills; he reached out, flung his clothes from the covers, reached out again, and threw his pants out…

Tonight's meeting topic remains the discussion of the origin of life.

Because there are too many mosaics on the big screen, please parents watch with your minor children to ensure pure minds are not polluted by the mosaics.

As a lifelong VIP of the Warm‑Guy family, Lin Dongfan has never disappointed his relatives.

However…

After dawn, he will be like all the office drones in the circle: either lie flat, or rise up and fight to the bitter end; if he can't win…

…even if he kicks the bucket, it's fine—after eighteen years he'll be another warm‑guy.

Seven o'clock in the morning.

Lin Dongfan punctually slipped into his aunt's room.

He turned on her computer and multimedia speakers, set the volume to maximum, opened the music player, searched for "Funeral March", and set it to repeat.

After clicking play, he flashed out of the room at the speed of fleeing at the sound of wind, taking the door with him.

What happened afterward.

Lin Dongfan never got to witness it.

He only saw the old master practicing slow‑speed tai chi in the courtyard; when he heard the mournful, low‑echoing wail from inside the house, the old master's face instantly turned as dark as hell.

I estimate, the first thing the old master does upon returning indoors is either grab his horsewhip or snatch his crutch.

When he heard the furious roar from inside the house—"Playing this during the New Year? You're rebelling! Get up!!!"—Lin Dongfan slicked his legs and fled faster than a rabbit.

On the way to the 37‑unit Grass Hat Hut courtyard.

Passing through a park.

He saw Jianglan Province's bigwig Liang Jingzhong, dressed in a pristine white sports outfit, sitting on a park bench, occasionally lifting his wrist to check his watch—apparently waiting for someone.

Lin Dongfan immediately went up to greet him: "Secretary Liang, good morning."

"Dongfan?"

Since the last time in Nanzhou when Liang Jingzhong and Lin Dongfan confirmed each other's gaze, Liang Jingzhong has taken extra care of Lin Dongfan, protecting him like a son.

He smiled and sized up Lin Dongfan: "Not bad spirit—after recognizing kin, hasn't the old master whipped you?"

"I think I get it—you don't dare go home to look for people because you're afraid the old master will whip you, right?" Speaking and laughing, Lin Dongfan offered him a cigarette.

Liang Jingzhong waved his hand, indicating he doesn't smoke.

For the embarrassing question, he just smiled and didn't answer, then turned and asked Lin Dongfan: "Has your aunt, the Great Immortal Maiden Lin, gone out?"

"I just observed three seconds of silence for her; when I left, it seemed the old master was carrying out family law." Lin Dongfan lit the cigarette, took a puff, and struck as calm a pose as possible.

It was as if the morning tragedy had nothing to do with him, not a penny's worth.

Liang Jingzhong's smile carried a hint of pity, somewhat wistful: "This old master, even during the New Year he's not polite—his temper has been violent all his life."

"Secretary Liang, may I ask you something?"

"No need to ask—I really do like your aunt; we've grown up together since childhood. At our age, whether we marry or not is no longer important. All my life, I've regarded her as my wife."

"That's not what I wanted to ask."

"Then what do you want to ask?"

Liang Jingzhong's eyes flashed with surprise.

Lin Dongfan took a slow drag of his cigarette, pondered, then asked: "The people of the provincial disciplinary commission keep dragging out the issue of Xiao Yunce without getting to the root; even your pressure is useless?"

"During this New Year festival, I originally didn't want to talk about depressing matters."

Liang Jingzhong gave a faint smile.

Liang Jingzhong then spoke openly to Lin Dongfan: "Since you asked, there's no harm in saying it. As for this matter, if you view it from above Nanzhou, Xiao Yunce is the head of the Executive faction; but if you view it from above Jianglan Province, Xiao Yunce is merely a frontline soldier. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection didn't send anyone down; relying solely on the province's self-investigation, the resistance is not small."

Seeing Lin Dongfan fall silent in thought.

He thought Lin Dongfan didn't understand.

Liang Jingzhong further explained: "Yin Qiuhong's position in Nanzhou is equivalent to Xiao Yunce's position in the province. The resistance faced by Nanzhou in investigating Yin Qiuhong equals the resistance the province would face in investigating Xiao Yunce. Do you understand now? Those in the province who protect Xiao Yunce can form a reinforced platoon."

"It's not that I don't understand; I just didn't expect the melon vine to be so long and so thick." Lin Dongfan said: "You are the number one of the provincial party committee; I never expected you also to have times when you cannot push forward the process."

"The Organization Department of the Central Committee talked with me; now everyone in the province knows my term in Jianglan has only a few days left, so their apprehension of me has greatly lessened." Liang Jingzhong laughed: "Many people bet I won't make it up; most likely I'll be laterally transferred to another province. I have to admit, those people's ability to read the situation is still quite sharp."

"Secretary Gao Peng, are you also part of the faction that strongly protects Xiao Yunce?" Lin Dongfan asked.

Liang Jingzhong responded noncommittally: "Of course, otherwise how could he have strongly recommended Xiao Yunce to serve as Mayor of Nanzhou? After I leave, your father-in-law Chu Jinsong will likely be left isolated and helpless."

"Before you leave, give him a hand." Lin Dongfan said: "I'm not talking to you about family ties now; I'm talking about politics— the people of Nanzhou need him."

"You little rascal, whenever you get a chance you just climb up the pole." Liang Jingzhong laughed: "Don't worry, before I step down, I'll arrange everything that needs to be arranged."

"Then let me first thank you on his behalf, and wish you a happy New Year, may you always have endless worries— family affairs, state affairs, worldly affairs, everything to worry about." Lin Dongfan clasped his hands in a New Year greeting.

Liang Jingzhong looked speechless: "This kind of blessing, you'd better save it for your father-in-law."

"All right, then you wait here slowly for someone, I'll leave first." The young, handsome Lin Dongfan casually exhaled a mouthful of smoke, truly embodying carefree charm.

This made Liang Jingzhong immensely envious, and he couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic for his lost youth.

Liang Jingzhong watched Lin Dongfan turn and leave with a smile: "April 1st, the Nanzhou People's Congress election— can you actually find evidence of Xiao Yunce's corruption before the meeting convenes? Give me a rundown so I know what to expect."

Lin Dongfan strode on without stopping, merely raising his hand to make an OK sign.