Chapter 155: Testing a Cadre with This?

At five o'clock in the morning, the horizon just began to turn a fish-belly white.

Tang Ye got up on time, as he always did.

After a simple wash, he put on light sportswear, stepped out of his apartment building, and began his daily jog of several kilometers.

Having taken only a few steps, Tang Ye noticed a young woman standing quietly on the path he had to take.

Upon walking closer, he saw it was Mo Xiaoyu, the head counselor of Pinghu Middle School.

Mo Xiaoyu was thirty years old and worked as a music teacher at the school; she could sing and dance, and while her features were not stunningly beautiful, they were very pleasant to look at.

What was particularly outstanding was her nearly perfect figure, with exquisite curves and a shapely silhouette.

At this moment, she wore her hair in a high ponytail with a simple white sports headband, appearing both athletic and pretty in the morning light, while exuding a touch of charm and sexiness.

"Oh, Town Mayor Tang, what a coincidence! Are you out for a run too?" Mo Xiaoyu spoke first, her tone revealing a hint of surprise.

"Yes, I stick to this habit every day. Though this is the first time I've run into Teacher Mo here." Tang Ye replied politely, knowing full well that she had been waiting for him on purpose.

"I usually like to work out in the afternoon, but I had insomnia last night, so I just got up early to go for a run." Mo Xiaoyu gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Is that so? It seems Teacher Mo has something on her mind then." Tang Ye said thoughtfully.

Mo Xiaoyu sighed slightly, "Sigh, who doesn't have a few troubles in their life."

The two chatted as they ran.

A few minutes later.

Tang Ye raised the corners of his mouth and said with a smile, "Teacher Mo, I'm going to speed up. If you can't keep up, just go at your own pace."

Mo Xiaoyu's body wasn't up to it, but she refused to admit defeat, "Feel free to run as fast as you like, I promise to keep you company to the end!"

Tang Ye smiled faintly.

He wasn't about to fall into the trap of being overly chivalrous and decided to let her suffer a bit.

A dozen minutes passed in a flash; Mo Xiaoyu was already panting, her clothes soaked with fragrant sweat, and her footsteps had become heavy.

Looking at Tang Ye, his pace remained light and his breathing steady.

Mo Xiaoyu cursed inwardly; given Tang Ye's emotional intelligence, he must have noticed her intentions, and his performance was just him playing dumb while knowing the truth.

A sharp pain radiated from her lower abdomen, and a wave of nausea hit her throat, making her almost vomit up the previous night's dinner.

If she kept following Tang Ye, she might just run her life away.

Mo Xiaoyu gritted her teeth and decided to stop beating around the bush, saying directly, "Town Mayor Tang, Principal Chu has been wanting to ask if you have time to have a meal together recently."

Tang Ye feigned hesitation for a moment and said, "To be honest, I really don't have much interest in dining with Principal Chu."

Mo Xiaoyu was slightly taken aback but quickly recovered, "That's not necessarily true. The activities Principal Chu arranges are always very interesting; I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

Tang Ye laughed out loud, "Since Teacher Mo recommends it so highly, I'll give you some face and go see what it's about."

Mo Xiaoyu was delighted; the other party had finally taken the bait.

"The location is set at the Wangchao Tower Hotel next to the County Government, what do you think?"

Tang Ye thought to himself that if one is going to act, one must play the part fully, so he deliberately frowned, "Wangchao Tower Hotel? Let's forget that then; I'm not very interested in that place."

Mo Xiaoyu was stunned again, but quickly adjusted and said, "I'll discuss it with Principal Chu again and contact you once we've confirmed a new location."

Mo Xiaoyu returned to the school and, after Chu Dongfa arrived for work, hurried to his office to report.

As soon as she saw Chu Dongfa, she immediately began to act coquettishly, pouting her lips slightly with a tone of complaint.

"You came up with a rotten idea, actually making me go running with Tang Ye. That kid has stamina like a young bull; he almost ran my legs off, and they're still aching like crazy."

Chu Dongfa was startled at first, then couldn't help but laugh, teasing, "Is he that much of a blockhead? Or is it that you have no charm?"

Mo Xiaoyu huffed and replied indignantly, "I went to great lengths to help you, and you're actually teasing me. But I did complete the mission. He agreed to eat with you. He just felt the Wangchao Tower wasn't high-class enough."

A meaningful smile appeared on Chu Dongfa's face, "That's where you don't understand. It's not simply that he thinks the Wangchao Tower is low-class; he's sending me a signal. His appetite isn't small, so don't think you can dismiss him easily."

As he spoke, Chu Dongfa took a large envelope out of his briefcase in front of Mo Xiaoyu, pulled several bills from a stack of cash, stuffed them inside, and patted the envelope.

In Mo Xiaoyu's surprised eyes, he said confidently, "If you want a dog to wag its tail at you every time, you must feed it well the first time!"

As night fell, Tang Ye brought Guo Liang to a quiet little courtyard in the city, following the address provided by Mo Xiaoyu.

Chu Dongfa had been waiting there for a long time; upon seeing Tang Ye, he greeted him with a beaming face and enthusiastically led him into the private room.

"Town Mayor Tang, come, let me introduce you. This is President Shang, a prominent entrepreneur; all the school uniforms in the city are contracted to his company."

Tang Ye had an assessment of Shang Deyi's strength.

In many people's eyes, those bosses who build high-rise buildings are the ones with immense wealth, but in reality, those bosses might be carrying huge bank debts.

Yet, someone like Shang Deyi, who works in a seemingly niche industry, actually has lucrative profits.

The costs are low, and there is almost no risk.

Shang Deyi walked toward Tang Ye with a faint smile on his face, reached out to shake Tang Ye's hand lightly, and said politely, "I've long admired your name!"

In Shang Deyi's view, Tang Ye was merely a Section-level Cadre.

Although this young man held this position before the age of thirty and his potential could not be underestimated, the path of officialdom was like walking a single-plank bridge; one wrong step could lead to stagnation.

If it weren't for his many years of friendship with Chu Dongfa, he wouldn't have come to join this gathering.

The meal was drawing to a close, and everyone was feeling the effects of the alcohol.

Tang Ye deliberately pretended to slur his words, frequently toasting the female comrades at the table, his demeanor lacking his earlier composure.

Guo Liang also began to tacitly provide cover, helping to block drinks, as if Tang Ye really couldn't hold his liquor anymore!

Chu Dongfa sneered inwardly; isn't it rumored that you can hold your drink quite well?

Taking advantage of Tang Ye getting up and walking unsteadily toward the restroom, Chu Dongfa tucked the prepared envelope into his pocket and followed him out without a change in expression.

Just as Tang Ye unzipped his fly and turned his head, he was shocked to find Chu Dongfa had followed him in.

"Principal Chu, I'm just here to relieve myself; don't worry, I'm not drunk." Tang Ye said while deliberately letting out a loud, drunken hiccup to mask his alertness.

Chu Dongfa walked toward Tang Ye and, catching him off guard, shoved the envelope into his pocket, muttering, "Town Mayor Tang, I heard your house is being renovated; are you getting married soon? Getting married these days costs a lot of money inside and out. Take this little token of my sincerity to use; if it's not enough, just tell your brother."

Tang Ye subconsciously squeezed the envelope.

Judging by the feel and thickness, there was likely twenty thousand yuan inside.

Daring to use this to test a cadre?

His expression turned stern, and he pushed the envelope back without the slightest hesitation.

He criticized in a serious tone, "Principal Chu, doing this is inappropriate, isn't it..."