Chapter 1065

Su Yang glanced; if he usually pretended not to see, he could ignore the call, but now if he doesn't answer, he'll probably not even get through the gate.

As soon as the line connected, that all‑too‑familiar voice said, "Where are you? My dad might leave early today, and there's an event tonight, so if you're not there, hurry over."

Su Yang said, "I'm here, right at your doorstep."

"Alright, then wait there; I'll come out right away to meet you, otherwise you probably won't get in either."

Su Yang had no choice but to wait at the door for a while; the last time they came, they drove the old master's car, and apart from a few special places, the old master's car was practically a pass.

But this time he came alone; how would the armed police at the gate know which scallion he was? After three minutes, Fang Jingwen came out.

"Here, here, here—why are you squatting like a fool in a tree pit?"

Su Yang had just been squatting under a tree smoking a cigarette, and as soon as Fang Jingwen said it, he was painted as that image; in the past he would have retorted, now he has a favor to ask.

"When did you return to Jingcheng? Which unit did you go to? You all said you'd come back as soon as you're back, right? Your unit should be pretty good too, right?"

The two walked down to the lobby; Fang Jingwen kept standing where she was, looking at Su Yang, and Su Yang had to find something to say.

At this point Fang Jingwen said, "You thought I never cared about you at all? That shows you have a bit of conscience. But that's not important. Work—if you're happy, go; if not, don't. How many years in a lifetime does a person live for themselves? So I want to live a few years for myself—any problem?"

Su Yang said, "Of course not, it's just that the weather's so hot now, you're dressed so heavily—are you afraid I'll peek, or what?"

Fang Jingwen thought, This is exactly why I've been standing here half a day for you to see; you don't need to worry about work matters, really.

"Someone like you, even if I showed you, you wouldn't dare look—cowardly as a mouse."

"But isn't that fine? My heart is wide, my body is plump; I feel pretty comfortable now."

After they went up, Comrade Lao Fang hadn't returned yet; only Fang's mother was home, so Su Yang quickly greeted, "Auntie, hello."

Fang's mother looked at Su Yang with a particularly complicated expression and said, "Alright, you two chat for a while; I'll go make dinner, we'll eat at home tonight."

Su Yang thanked quickly; such treatment ordinary people probably don't get—back in the old days, if someone invited you out for a meal, that meant respect or care, because conditions were poor and few could afford a meal outside.

Now inviting someone to a hotel or restaurant is just a casual or social necessity, but truly inviting you to eat at home really shows they care and respect you.

If it didn't reach a certain level, not even a meal—people wouldn't even let you cross the door.

Fang Jingwen said, "Mom, you just go about your business, don't worry about us; I'll just chat with him about work."

Fang's mother gave her daughter a look, "You just came back saying you were exhausted, wanted a good sleep, and now you're so energetic?"

Fang Jingwen replied, "What was true then is true then; what is now is now."

Su Yang also caught a hint of subtext and asked, "Did you also just get home?"

Fang Jingwen said, "Yes, after being transferred back I immediately went on a business trip, and only today did I return."

But the real thought was: I came back because I heard you returned to Jingcheng, planning to wait for a chance; otherwise I wouldn't have come home.

Su Yang hummed, lowered his head and began fiddling with the tea cup in his hand.

Because he could always sense a change in Fang Jingwen, but he didn't want to ask.

Fang Jingwen, like nothing, sat on the sofa and began showing off fruit: "This time your family may have run into some trouble; your old father‑in‑law is too strong; if he were like other members of the Young and Strong Faction, not so dazzling, I guess this time he wouldn't be attacked by the crowd."

"I heard that actually the core few senior leaders are dissatisfied with this kind of clan‑style cultivation, so in the past two years they have promoted a number of ordinary cadres without any clan background to various positions."

"Probably also to balance power."

"But seeing your condition is pretty good, so I'm relieved."

Su Yang sighed, "All this is me, a lowly grunt, speculating; I just want to do my job well."

"If it doesn't work out, you'll just be dismissed, slink back in disgrace, and who knows where you'll be assigned next."

Fang Jingwen said, "If you say 'slunk back', you're overestimating yourself; at your rank you can't even catch the eyes of the elders."

"Who told you to go around flipping tables? For someone like you, if I were the top leader, the first thing I'd do after taking office is to deal with you."

"Otherwise, if you stay, you'll eventually become a plague."

"Look at the places you've worked; is any of them good? From towns to counties, the first‑ and second‑tier leaders have almost all been dragged in by you."

"Especially in the county, the previous Secretary and County Magistrate colluded, and this time Zhang Jiangbo's tenure is short; otherwise he'd probably end up in a cell with Zhao Nanxing."

"People like you give me a headache; before I only spread your bad reputation Within the System."

"Now guess what? Even some state‑owned and central enterprises know your story; at our last meeting, the leaders were still talking about needing unity, that only unity can raise productivity."

"Not tearing each other down, not taking pride in dragging colleagues into trouble; for example there's a cadre named Su Yang who causes collapses wherever he goes—such a person, even if he hasn't actually done anything wrong, even if people see him as a righteous embodiment, will eventually be unwelcome to the system."

"Those were the leaders' exact words."

Su Yang couldn't help but smile wryly; it seems even the big enterprises entrenched in Jingcheng have their ears to the ground, and that's been the case these past one or two days—now he's become the industry's negative example.

If this time Lao Zhou can hold his ground, perhaps they wouldn't have directly put Su Yang forward as a negative example.

They say those who bring charcoal in the snow are few, those who throw stones into a well are many; this has already begun.

"It doesn't matter what others think of me; for those who break laws, are only in office for wealth or women, as long as I meet them I'll still stand my ground with them to the end."

"Actually, even if I'm constantly criticized and can't survive Within the System, I could still go out and find a job to support my family."

Fang Jingwen, seeing Su Yang speak so earnestly about nonsense, laughed, "You've got to be kidding, your words are just like some grassroots cadres Inside the System, always shouting that our work is overtime, pay is low, we're forever poor but stable; you tell them to quit, beat them to death and they still won't quit."

"If you really want to quit, it's not impossible; I'm now at an oil company, when you go into outsourcing I'll pull some strings, hand you the outsourcing business, and in less than two years you'll become a billionaire."

The two were rambling like that when the door opened, and Lao Fang, wearing black‑rimmed glasses, walked in smiling: "Little Su, you really are a rare guest in our family."

"Ah, who is the lady sitting on the sofa? Isn't she the one who's been on back‑to‑back trips nonstop? How does she have time to bring fruit here?"