Chapter 730: Seizing the First-Move Advantage!

Changes in the feelings between people can actually be discerned from the details of their physical contact.

Suddenly, Ma Ran felt a sharp pain!

Huo Xiaowen bit down hard on Ma Ran's shoulder.

Ma Ran frowned in pain and looked at Huo Xiaowen in surprise: "Why are you biting me!"

Huo Xiaowen gave a light snort, with a hint of probing: "Because you haven't been yourself all day today; I suspect you have a new flame."

Ma Ran looked down at the tooth marks on his arm and explained with a wry smile: "How could that be? I've been as busy as a spinning top every day; where would I find the time!"

Huo Xiaowen, however, was relentless and pressed on: "So according to you, if you had enough time, you would go look for other women?"

Ma Ran secretly thought Huo Xiaowen was truly being unreasonable, but then he suddenly realized something.

It was actually his own mindset that had changed.

In the past, he always felt that Huo Xiaowen was his future wife, the person he was destined to marry.

That was why he was willing to pour his heart and soul into her, and even if she threw a little tantrum, he could patiently tolerate it.

But now, just because Huo Xiaowen was being a little pretentious, Ma Ran couldn't help but feel impatient.

When people are in love, influenced by hormones, they always view the other person through a filter.

Even if the other person makes a mistake, they will subconsciously find reasons to defend them.

This only goes to show that in Ma Ran's eyes, Huo Xiaowen no longer has that special filter.

Feelings have always been mutual; Huo Xiaowen could not find that former state of intimacy in Ma Ran's words, actions, and emotional feedback, which is why she kept trying new ways to rekindle Ma Ran's attachment to her.

Ma Ran walked to the bedside, picked up his shirt, draped it over himself, and began to button it.

Huo Xiaowen was stunned for a moment and asked softly: "Aren't you going to lie down for a while longer?"

Ma Ran stood with his back to Huo Xiaowen, his tone calm: "Didn't you also use to come and go in a hurry?"

Faced with these words from Ma Ran, Huo Xiaowen was momentarily speechless.

Because this excessive sensibility of Ma Ran's actually made her feel a sense of loss.

"If you want me to, I can stay," she added in a low voice.

Ma Ran turned around and smiled at Huo Xiaowen: "I'll take you back to school; after all, we aren't married yet, and if word of this gets out, it won't be good for your reputation."

Ma Ran was using his old attitude to respond to himself!

Huo Xiaowen stared blankly for a while before she began to dress in silence.

She suddenly felt that her actions today were both ridiculous and pathetic.

Ever since Ma Ran mentioned breaking up with her last time, a scar had already stretched across their hearts, one that perhaps would never heal.

Ma Ran rode his bike and took Huo Xiaowen to the school gate.

Once Huo Xiaowen's figure had completely disappeared from view, Ma Ran secretly hated himself for being useless.

Faced with Huo Xiaowen, he actually still couldn't help but waver.

He sternly warned himself that he must have a heart as cold as ice!

Having a girlfriend like Huo Xiaowen was a face-saving matter when taking her out, but she was absolutely not suitable to be his life partner.

Next time he encounters such a situation, he must never let desire cloud his judgment...

The next morning, just as Ma Ran arrived at the office, the desk phone rang.

It was Qiao Lin calling, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible joy:

"I just received a call from Chen Dongan; he's organized a gathering tonight, and you must go. He said he's specifically hosting a banquet to apologize for the misunderstanding last time."

Ma Ran secretly thought: He had only pretended to make up with Huo Xiaowen last night, and Chen Dongan had already reacted.

It really made one wonder: just how far had the relationship between Huo Xiaowen and Chen Dongan developed?

In fact, for the past few days, Ma Ran's sleep quality had been extremely poor; as soon as he closed his eyes, an unbearable image of Chen Dongan holding Huo Xiaowen like a pig would uncontrollably surface in his mind.

Ma Ran knocked on the door of Tang Ye's office and said: "County Magistrate Tang, Chen Dongan has organized a dinner tonight; I have to go, so I need to leave work early."

Tang Ye put down his mouse and nodded at Ma Ran: "Go ahead!"

After Ma Ran left, Tang Ye raised his hand to touch his chin, calculating in his heart.

He had a game of chess in mind, and Ma Ran was currently a key piece in his hand.

For him, there was a key advantage right now: the other players on the opposite side of the chessboard had not yet realized that he had already quietly begun to make his moves.

In chess, once you have the first-move advantage, you can often remain in an invincible position.

Around seven in the evening, Ma Ran arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant.

Huo Xiaowen was already waiting downstairs; seeing Ma Ran appear, she immediately walked over quickly and naturally took his arm: "Everyone else is here, just waiting for you. Even Director Qiao is waiting; you certainly have quite the ego."

Ma Ran smiled at Huo Xiaowen without much explanation.

After the two walked into the private room, Ma Ran first shook hands with Qiao Lin and Chen Dongan in turn, and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, I'm late. I originally thought about leaving early, but I was kept back by County Magistrate Tang."

Qiao Lin hurriedly helped Ma Ran smooth things over: "County Magistrate Tang is an Exchange Cadre from Huai Province on a two-year term. He doesn't have much family here, so he spends most of his time buried in work. Xiao Ma has also been so busy following him that his feet barely touch the ground. Would you like me to rearrange your work?"

Ma Ran quickly waved his hand: "No, no, County Magistrate Tang is very capable; working by his side, I can learn a lot of things."

Qiao Lin nodded slightly and praised: "You have a good mindset."

Qiao Lin had always thought this young man Ma Ran was good—he had a sharp eye for things, had ideas, and was meticulous.

Since Tang Ye came to Dayu County, he had acted with particular forcefulness, and as a result, Ma Ran, now serving as his Liaison Officer, had also become a somewhat well-known figure in the County Government Compound.

If Tang Ye were to leave Dayu County in the future, Ma Ran would certainly be promoted, and Ma Ran's ceiling for advancement might even be much higher than his own.

After all, the cadres Tang Ye could reach included people from the Municipal Organization Department and the Provincial Organization Department.

As long as Tang Ye was willing to help, Ma Ran would have the opportunity to be promoted to Section Chief or even Deputy Division Chief.

Chen Dongan leaned over to Jiang Zhongwen's ear and whispered a few words.

Jiang Zhongwen nodded and walked out of the private room, and before long, he brought two men back inside.

Jiang Zhongwen smiled and explained to Ma Ran, "Brother Ma, these two are the ones who laid hands on you that day; if you still have any dissatisfaction, feel free to pay them back today."

Ma Ran looked at the ingratiating smiles piled on the faces of those two men and sighed to himself.

When it came down to it, he was merely a Liaison Officer; if others were willing to give him face, it was all for the sake of Tang Ye that they looked at him with any regard.

"Forget it, it was just a misunderstanding that day after all; let's have a drink, and from now on, we'll treat this matter as if it never happened," Ma Ran said as he picked up his wine glass.

The two men hurriedly filled their glasses, held them up with both hands to clink with Ma Ran, and said repeatedly, "Thank you for your magnanimity, leader!"

After those two left, Jiang Zhongwen took an envelope from under the table and gently pushed it in front of Ma Ran.

Ma Ran's expression sank all at once.

He looked up at Jiang Zhongwen and questioned him loudly in a serious tone:

"Principal Jiang, what is the meaning of this..."