Chapter 1457

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Xiaohua was indeed in pain.

He knew everything, yet could not change a single thing.

He couldn't even preserve his own purity!

This world is truly too cruel to idealists.

One by one, piece by piece, like knives, they sliced away at them by a thousand cuts until they compromised with reality.

This night, Wang Xiaohua suffered from insomnia.

Tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

He even thought at one point, why not just resign and quit!

Go work for his second brother, or seek a position with his eldest sister-in-law — whether financially or mentally, he wouldn't have to torture himself like this.

He could openly enjoy life, completely free of all this burden!

But his idealistic heart told him that a person's life is not about eating and drinking, not about pleasure, not even about supporting a family, not about buying cars and houses, but about doing something meaningful!

Something meaningful for the common people, for the country, even for all of humanity!

Outside the Town Government's staff dormitory, a violent storm suddenly broke.

Wang Xiaohua rushed out, letting the wind and rain batter him, trying to use the icy rain to shock awake his lofty yet in others' eyes laughable thoughts!

But as the storm swept over, his frail body did not shrink back; instead, it became steadfast.

"Shun rose from the fields, Fu Shuo from the builder's walls, Jiao Ge from fish and salt, Guan Yiwu from the scholar class, Sun Shuao from the sea, Baili Xi from the marketplace!"

He suddenly recalled a classical text he had studied in high school, "Born in Adversity, Die in Comfort," and involuntarily recited it aloud!

"When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a person, it must first bitter their mind and will, toil their muscles and bones, starve their body and skin, empty their person, and disorder their actions — so as to stir the heart, toughen the nature, and make up for what they lacked!"

Amid the violent storm, thunder and lightning incessant, on the pitch-black street there was only the sound of the raging wind and rain, and Wang Xiaohua's shouted voice.

"Ah! Wang Xiaohua, how can you think of retreating over such a small matter!"

In a blink, it was the next morning.

Wang Xiaohua came to work with a cold.

Last night he got soaked in the rain, and with recent overwork his resistance dropped, so he caught a cold all at once.

But Wang Xiaohua did not regret his act of rushing into the rain last night.

At least now his heart was much more steadfast.

Not only steadfast, but also tranquil.

In his heart, it was already very clear what he should do, and what he should not do.

In the morning he took a Cephalosporin, packed his things, and as usual, continued going down to the countryside to visit poor households.

As if nothing had happened these past two days.

Wang Xiaohua was visiting a poor household when his mobile phone suddenly rang.

He took it out to look — it was Liu Yumeng calling.

"Hey, Wang Xiaohua, you went down to the countryside again without giving me a heads-up?"

Liu Yumeng on the other end spoke in a tone that completely reversed right and wrong, as if she were the Poverty Alleviation Office director and Wang Xiaohua her subordinate.

"You like going down to the countryside that much? Then starting tomorrow, I'll assign you tasks — you must visit ten poor households every day. If you fail to complete the task, don't blame me for giving you a poor evaluation in the assessment."

Wang Xiaohua's tone was icy; Liu Yumeng couldn't help but be stunned.

Then she said with a laugh:

"Don't be like that, who made you angry? Don't take it out on me. Where are you now? I'll come find you."

Wang Xiaohua just said:

"I'm at the Baoshan Village Committee."

"Ah, you ran off to that mountain pass... alright alright, I'll drive over right now!"

Liu Yumeng clearly had something to say to Wang Xiaohua.

Wang Xiaohua pondered expressionlessly for a second, then agreed:

"Fine, come over then!"

His heart no longer struggled, so naturally he no longer feared.

Soldiers come, generals block; water comes, earth covers.

Whatever schemes and tricks Liu Yumeng and the Liu Family behind her use, he, Wang Xiaohua, will meet each move with a counter!

In a blink it was nearly noon; only then did Liu Yumeng arrive at the Baoshan Village Committee on an electric scooter.

She didn't want to drive her BMW Mini over, because Baoshan Village is even more mountainous than Shangou Village, with a stretch of road that still isn't paved.

Liu Yumeng came over and didn't rush to talk business, just followed alongside Wang Xiaohua, assisting him in visiting and recording the poor households' situations.

By noon, when they were eating at the Baoshan Village Committee's rural canteen, Liu Yumeng finally spoke:

"My dad said to invite you to our home for dinner again tonight, and then show you some very important materials."

"Oh?" Wang Xiaohua was stunned. "Very important materials? What materials?"

Liu Yumeng smiled meaningfully:

"You'll know when the time comes. Anyway, it's good for you — it can help you get your great revenge."

Wang Xiaohua guessed it at once:

"Could it be the evidence of Xiao Xueqing's corruption and bribery?"

Liu Yumeng, however, said:

"I don't know about that. Anyway, my dad just told me to say this to you. As for what specific materials, I don't know either."

Wang Xiaohua looked Liu Yumeng up and down, and said:

"You actually know. You just don't want to tell me right now."

Liu Yumeng gave an embarrassed laugh:

"Hey, keep a little mystery, will you? If you spell it out, it's no fun. Don't waste words. Just say whether you're going tonight or not. I still have to report back to my dad."

Wang Xiaohua then said:

"Going. Of course I'm going. I want to see just how far your dad's reach extends in this County Town, and how much criminal evidence on Xiao Xueqing he can gather."

In a blink, it was afternoon off-duty time.

Wang Xiaohua got into Liu Yumeng's BMW Mini.

"Let's go."

Liu Yumeng didn't start the car, but instead asked a question:

"What about the suit I bought you before?"

Wang Xiaohua casually took out a cloth bag and handed it to Liu Yumeng:

"Returning this to you."

Liu Yumeng glanced at the cloth bag. Inside, shockingly, was the suit she had bought for Wang Xiaohua.

"Why aren't you wearing it?"

Wang Xiaohua said:

"I feel more comfortable wearing my own clothes."

Liu Yumeng said:

"You should still put it on. It's more proper that way."

Wang Xiaohua's attitude, however, was very firm:

"If you insist I wear it, then I'm not going."

Liu Yumeng was stunned. She looked Wang Xiaohua up and down.

She felt that the temperament emanating from Wang Xiaohua seemed to have undergone a significant change in these past few days.

"Wang Xiaohua, you wouldn't still be on Xiao Xueqing's side, would you? She is the culprit who caused your father-in-law's death."

Wang Xiaohua closed his eyes:

"I'm not on anyone's side. Hurry up and drive. If you don't drive, I'm getting out."

Liu Yumeng still wanted to ask a few more questions, but seeing Wang Xiaohua's attitude, she could only stop while she was ahead.

Finally, she stepped on the accelerator and drove off.

Very soon, she arrived back at her home in the Aoyuan Villa District.

She parked the car in the garage, then brought Wang Xiaohua into the villa's main hall.

This time, the Liu Family had already prepared good wine and good dishes in advance. It was very obvious they intended to extend hospitality to Wang Xiaohua.

Liu Xinwen probably felt in her heart that controlling this chess piece, Wang Xiaohua, was already a sure thing.