Chapter 6

Section Chief Leng went overnight to the provincial capital to help Lin Dongfan deliver medicine, and only returned to Qingyang County People's Hospital the next morning. Waiting for him was one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.

The good news was that his daughter had already awakened and was out of mortal danger.

The bad news was that his wife had turned into a cold corpse, lying in the mortuary. His mother-in-law, overcome with grief, wailed and screamed, grabbing his collar and demanding someone.

In his mother-in-law's eyes, he was the culprit of this tragedy.

In his mother-in-law's words:

He clearly knew his wife was sleep-deprived, yet he didn't call a substitute driver and even let her drive alone with their daughter back to the provincial capital! If it weren't for fatigued driving, this tragedy wouldn't have happened on the return trip.

This furious reproach left Section Chief Leng speechless.

Lin Dongfan had originally intended to return to Nanzhou immediately.

Seeing Section Chief Leng mired in the grief of losing his wife and family disputes, while also having to care for his hospitalized daughter, Lin Dongfan felt deep sympathy and decided to stay and help.

To make it easier for family to care for the child, Section Chief Leng wanted to transfer his daughter to a major hospital in the provincial capital.

Lin Dongfan stayed to help him with the transfer paperwork and escort his daughter to the hospital. He himself was busy handling his wife's corpse, sending it back to the provincial funeral home to hold a memorial service.

After going back and forth, three days were wasted; Lin Dongfan only embarked on his return journey after attending the memorial service.

At the moment of parting.

Section Chief Leng saw Lin Dongfan to the funeral home's parking lot, gripped his hand and said, 'These past few days I've caused you quite a bit of trouble.'

'You're welcome; you've also helped me.' Lin Dongfan replied.

'Tit for tat.'

Section Chief Leng then patted Lin Dongfan's arm again.

He solemnly reminded Lin Dongfan: 'Even if Chu Jinsong is truly wronged and humiliated, you cannot openly wave flags and shout for him. In officialdom, hidden arrows are hard to guard against; from now on don't be so reckless. If this leaks to certain people's ears, what consequences could there be? They could casually wave a hand and have you killed.'

'I'll remember these words; you too take care.'

Since Section Chief Leng issued this kind reminder, it shows that Lin Dongfan's campaign for Chu Jinsong's vindication has been kept under Section Chief Leng's control, and for now it hasn't leaked to political rivals' ears.

It's said that a kind word warms three winter months.

After bidding farewell to that warm Section Chief Leng, Lin Dongfan drove alone back to Nanzhou; reflecting on these days' hardships and gains, he felt more exhilarated than speeding on a racetrack.

In his previous life he lived in a muddled daze, neither knowing how to 'borrow flowers to offer Buddha' nor how to 'seize every opportunity'.

He simply didn't know how to seize opportunities, once naively believing that only by keeping his feet on the ground could he stand firm; the result was that the path beneath his feet grew narrower and narrower, leading straight to prison.

In his previous life, no one warned him of the treacherous officialdom, nor did anyone stand guard for him.

Today he finally understood: officialdom is not a solo PK arena, but a chaotic battlefield teeming with all kinds of people, where expanding one's network is crucial.

The more connections one has, the wider the road beneath one's feet becomes.

After returning to Nanzhou, Lin Dongfan took the car for a wash, filled it up with fuel, and then returned it to Su Yuhong.

Su Yuhong tossed another can of Red Bull to Lin Dongfan.

He laughed heartily:

'There were multiple collisions on the road; I heard the accident scene was horrific. Yet you managed to keep my husband's skin so pristine, not a single scratch. You must be doing this on purpose so you don't have to share a life with me.'

'All you do is talk big; if you've got the skills, come for real—book a room and wait for me.'

Lin Dongfan tipped his head back and gulped down a mouthful of Red Bull, indulging in an exhilarating life.

Su Yuhong smiled contemptuously: 'In broad daylight, you only want to drive, not to study the law? As a screw in the political-legal system, your legal awareness needs improvement.'

'You keep calling me a screw; a screw's only job is to drill holes.'

Lin Dongfan replied with righteous confidence.

Su Yuhong, unable to hold back laughter, let out a 'pfft' and kicked her leg toward Lin Dongfan's buttocks. Anticipating this, Lin Dongfan seized the moment and grabbed her long leg, hearing her let out a startled scream.

Just as she was about to twist her waist and fall, Lin Dongfan with one hand caught her slender waist.

Like a domineering CEO controlling her as she leaned back, he looked down at her peach-blossom eyes and said, 'Unmarried man, unmarried woman—driving without a license isn't illegal, got it?'

It was the first time in her life she'd been restrained by a man in such an overbearing pose.

Su Yuhong gazed at Lin Dongfan's devilishly handsome face, and in an instant felt dizzy and weak all over, devoid of any strength.

The feeling summed up in one word—exhilarating!

Until a driver behind blasted his horn, stuck his head out, and shouted angrily, 'Is this road yours? Go home and fool around there!'

Su Yuhong belatedly came to her senses and hurriedly broke free from Lin Dongfan's hold.

She stepped back to the roadside.

Seeing that driver arrogantly flip them off with a middle finger, Su Yuhong swung her bag and hurled it at the windshield: 'You single dog! If you've got guts, come down...'

'Tch!'

The driver stomped the accelerator and sped away from the scene.

Lin Dongfan lit a cigarette, smiled, and asked, 'How do you know he's a single dog?'

'Nonsense, it's obvious envy, jealousy, and hatred.'

Su Yuhong always wears a sunny smile; even though she herself is a mother-solo single for 26 years, that doesn't stop her from looking down on other singles.

She savored the brief ambiguous contact just moments ago.

Her eyes once again filled with peach-blossom light.

She smiled narrowly at Lin Dongfan: 'Your performance just now wasn't bad—you didn't throw me to the ground, and your arms are strong.'

'Controlling someone as petite as you is like handling a toy.' Lin Dongfan chuckled.

In Su Yuhong's smile appeared a hint of longing: 'That's not the point; the point is I don't disdain your bleak prospects—how about considering getting a license and racing together?'

'We're all jianghu folk; getting a license is too vulgar.' Lin Dongfan bargained.

Su Yuhong pulled down her strap, bared her shoulder on the main road and licked her lips: 'Fragrant or not? Want to live a shamelessly happy life? Want to have a litter of monkeys with me...'

'That's going too far!'

That terrifyingly alluring pose attracted who knows how many onlookers' gazes.

Lin Dongfan hastily pulled her strap back into place, gave her a stern look of contempt: "Comrade Su Yuhong, did you forget to wear your underwear today? You have no bottom line at all."

Su Yuhong smiled, narrowing her eyes: "You're doomed."

"How am I doomed?" Lin Dongfan frowned, his brows not relaxing.

Su Yuhong laughed, growing more confident: "Actually, you have feelings for me, but you don't want to take responsibility, right? So I plan to tease you a little each day from now on, but not let you succeed, and just ask you if it's unbearable."

"Um…… this……"

Lin Dongfan's eyeballs moved like a flexible scanner, scanning up and down Su Yuhong's delicate figure.

As he scanned, his scalp went numb.

Looking speechless, he said: "You're a pretty girl, but your methods are so ruthless? Watch out—once I gain power, I'll transfer you to the Old Gan Bureau, where you'll keep those bald old men company every day."

"Haha, that ambition is fine."

In Su Yuhong's view, everyone in the Political and Legal Affairs Commission Office had a chance to rise and gain power, except Lin Dongfan, who would never have that opportunity.

The reason is simple: Li Hengbo is a great mountain pressing down on Lin Dongfan's head.

Su Yuhong blew Lin Dongfan a flirtatious kiss, laughing: "Come on, in this life either you transfer me to the Old Gan Bureau to retire, or I drag you into the Civil Affairs Bureau to get our marriage license."

"We'll see."

Facing the sunshine-filled Su Yuhong in life, Lin Dongfan's smile also gained a hint of emotion.

In his previous life, he was bound for life by Fang Xiaoqian; knowing Su Yuhong liked him, he dared not get too close. In this life, to seize political resources and achieve an upset, he still could not accept Su Yuhong's confession.

Truly, fate toys with people.

Lin Dongfan swallowed his regrets, went home, took a shower, changed into fresh clothes, headed to the Chu family to cook dinner for Teacher Shen, and on the way bought some fruit and seafood to bring over.