Chapter 946: Becoming Someone Else's Benefactor!

After the New Year's Eve dinner was finished.

The whole family sat in the living room watching the Spring Festival Gala.

Tang Ye and Du Chengfeng were each alone, one upstairs and one downstairs.

The two of them were constantly answering and making phone calls.

The Spring Festival is the best time to build connections.

Subordinates must take the initiative to send blessings to their superiors, and peers can also take this opportunity to connect and improve their intimacy.

Tang Ye received a call from Ma Ran.

Ma Ran finally got the call through successfully, "Secretary Tang, I wish you a happy Spring Festival!"

Tang Ye smiled and said, "I wish you a happy Spring Festival, and please give my regards to your uncle and aunt."

Ma Ran said happily, "Thank you, Secretary Tang. I won't disturb you any further."

After hanging up Tang Ye's call, Ma Ran let out a sigh of relief, feeling unburdened.

He had experienced many things over the past year; summarizing it, he had made great progress.

Although he had broken up with the girlfriend he had been dating for several years, Ma Ran had gained a benefactor in his career.

He not only solved the problem of his official staffing status, but more importantly, his position in the County Party Committee Compound had undergone a earth-shaking change.

Whenever he met anyone, the other party would respectfully call him Director Ma.

……

The cell phone rang.

It was Huo Xiaowen calling.

Although Ma Ran had deleted Huo Xiaowen's phone number, those digits were deeply impressed in his mind.

Ma Ran walked into the room and answered the call.

"Is there something the matter?"

"Today is New Year's Eve, I miss you so much."

"Huo Xiaowen, get this straight, we broke up half a year ago."

"Did you change your heart in just half a year? I know you very well; you are a person who cherishes old feelings and couldn't possibly forget me so easily. As long as you agree to get back together, I can give up everything I have now and be with you again," Huo Xiaowen said softly.

Ma Ran sighed, "Huo Xiaowen, I beg you, spare me!"

Huo Xiaowen felt the wound in her heart suddenly tear open.

"What do you mean by 'spare you'? I gave you the best years of my life."

Ma Ran retorted, "Wasn't that the best time of my life too? Huo Xiaowen, get the situation straight, it was you who lost me!"

Huo Xiaowen said through gritted teeth, "You are truly cruel and cold-blooded."

Ma Ran said indifferently, "That's right, I am cruel, so I'm not worth you doing this."

Listening to the busy signal coming from the phone, Huo Xiaowen sighed dejectedly.

Father Huo asked softly, "How did it go?"

Huo Xiaowen said helplessly, "He seems to have already let go."

Father Huo frowned and said, "Even if you broke up, you were together after all; if you can't be lovers, you can still be friends. This opportunity is very important to me. I've inquired about it; Xiao Ma's leader, Tang Ye, has a very good relationship with Director Fang of the Municipal Organization Department. As long as Xiao Ma is willing to help, there is a high probability that the Deputy Division Chief position can be resolved."

Seeing her father's anxious appearance, Huo Xiaowen couldn't help but rebuke him angrily, "Dad, aren't you going too far? When I was with Ma Ran, you always looked down on him. Every time he came over, you forced him to buy a house and used sarcastic words to squeeze him."

Father Huo sighed, "I admit my judgment was wrong at the time. I didn't expect Ma Ran's luck to be so good, following the right leader. Tang Ye is now the Deputy County Party Secretary of Dayu County; he has great fame and extensive connections."

Huo Xiaowen sneered, "I have already tried; Ma Ran will not agree. You had better find another way!"

Huo Xiaowen locked herself in her room, took an album out of the drawer, and flipped to one of the pages.

In the album was a photo of Huo Xiaowen and Ma Ran together.

Although the two had broken up for half a year, Huo Xiaowen had always treasured this photo.

She tried hard to tell herself to distinguish between reality and emotion, but every time she heard news from Dayu County, she would always feel a huge gap in her heart.

Because she had a premonition that sooner or later, Ma Ran would become an outstanding cadre.

And she would regret her initial choice because of her wrong decision.

……

The first day of the Lunar New Year.

Tang Ye and Du Xi went out to pay New Year's calls to Hong Ruilin and Gu Yong.

Hong Ruilin's house was very lively; besides Hong Yu's family, Gu Wenqin was also there.

Gu Wenqin felt a strong sense of bitterness in her heart when she saw Du Xi and Tang Ye appear side by side.

She knew her mindset was wrong.

But, emotions are hard to control.

Song Jin pulled Tang Ye to chat and said gloomily in a low voice, "I brought a thesis over today, and the old man took one look at it and threw it aside."

Tang Ye smiled and said, "When I first started writing theses, I was also criticized by the old man for being complete nonsense. However, I have a thicker skin, and by pestering him relentlessly, I finally made him patient."

Song Jin said with emotion, "I'll send the thesis to you later; give me some more advice."

Tang Ye said readily, "No problem!"

Not far away, Hong Ruilin, knowing his granddaughter's husband was asking Tang Ye for advice on his thesis, was so angry he rolled his eyes.

A thesis that can be selected by a core journal is not something everyone can write; it requires talent.

Song Jin's level could barely reach the standard of a municipal-level journal.

It would be one thing if his ability was lacking, but the key was that he didn't have an accurate assessment of his own ability.

After staying in the courtyard for half a day, Tang Ye observed that the smile on Old Hong's face had clearly increased.

He felt relieved!

……

The next stop was to pay a New Year's visit to Du Xi's master, Captain Zhu.

Captain Zhu was in a very good mood when he saw Du Xi and Tang Ye arrive at his door.

"Master, Happy Spring Festival."

"Welcome! Why did you bring gifts!"

"It's the New Year, I couldn't come empty-handed!" Du Xi said with a smile.

Afterward, Tang Ye and Captain Zhu chatted for a while.

Captain Zhu had professional habits, and within a few words, he shifted the conversation to criminal cases.

Tang Ye tried offering a few directions.

Captain Zhu's eyes lit up, and a new line of thinking regarding the investigation of the case sprouted in his heart.

……

Leaving Captain Zhu's home.

Next was a visit to the old leader, Jiang Jing.

Jiang Rou came to open the door.

Having not seen Jiang Rou for half a year, she had changed a lot.

Her once short hair had grown long, her rounded chin had become pointed, and the corners of her eyes were narrow and long; she had transformed from an innocent high school girl into a youthful and moving university student.

Jiang Rou took the initiative to brew tea for the two of them and even prepared pastries.

Jiang Jing noticed this detail and sighed inwardly; it was clear that his daughter treated Tang Ye and his wife differently.

Over the past few days, guests had often come to the house, but Jiang Rou had never come downstairs.

"Are you getting used to university life?" Tang Ye asked.

"It's alright. The atmosphere at Qiong University is good, everyone is quite hardworking, and my roommates all have excellent grades and are especially driven; if I don't work a little harder, it seems like I'll fall behind," Jiang Rou said softly.

Tang Ye couldn't help but chuckle, "Then you're doing quite well; I thought you would relax and slack off once you got to university."

Jiang Rou gave Tang Ye a huffy glare, "I worked so hard to get into university, how could I let it all go to waste? I don't want to be mocked with snide remarks by certain people."

Tang Ye was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself, surely "certain people" doesn't refer to him!

Tang Ye smiled bitterly to himself; he had originally thought that Jiang Rou's personality had changed significantly due to the influence of university.

However, after interacting with her, it was clear she just hid it deeper.

Deep down, she was still as full of a young girl's rebelliousness as ever!