Chapter 134

I contacted Huang Weiwei by phone. When she heard I was in Hengyue City, she seemed very pleasantly surprised and wanted to rush over to see me immediately.

I told her that Guo Wei had entrusted me to bring some local specialties and that I wanted to find a time to deliver them to her home. She refused without even thinking, saying I could handle the things however I wanted; there were still some left at home from what I had sent before the New Year, and they took up space.

I then said I would treat her to dinner and that it would be best to call Chen Meng.

She was silent for a moment and said, "I'll arrange the dinner. Wait for my call."

In the evening, I received her call, saying it was in the VIP hall of the Lin Yin Restaurant and that I should dress up well because her mother would be attending.

Deputy Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi attending dinner with us—I didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but Huang Weiwei had already made her attitude clear; the location was set by her mother, and the people eating were also arranged by her mother. I was only responsible for going. At the end, she urged me, "Chen Feng, if you think it's convenient, invite Aunt along too."

I said, "For a meal, shouldn't we not call her?"

Huang Weiwei was silent on the phone for a moment and said, "Aunt counts as a family elder, too."

My heart skipped a beat. Calling an elder for dinner? Could she have something else in mind?

After hanging up, I called Aunt. Aunt seemed very busy; the phone rang until I almost lost patience before she answered, asking me hurriedly, "Back? Something up?"

I said, "Huang Weiwei is inviting you to dinner."

Aunt gave me a straightforward answer: "No time, you guys eat."

I said, "Aunt, what are you busy with? You don't even have time to eat."

Aunt said impatiently, "I just don't have time, so what? You're a grown man; what are you afraid of when going to dinner with a girl? Do you need Aunt to give you courage?"

I smiled, "It's her idea, not mine."

Aunt said in a flustered manner, "I won't talk to you anymore. You go; I'll call you later."

I carried Guo Wei's local specialties, hailed a taxi, and went straight to the Lin Yin Restaurant.

Huang Weiwei was standing outside waiting for me. Seeing me get out of the car, she came over with a smile like a flower, looked me up and down, and said, "Hmm, you look a bit like a township cadre. Town Mayor Chen, how have you been?"

I said with a smile, "Body is good, thoughts are good. Everything is good."

She lowered her voice and said to me, "You need to perform well later, okay?"

I looked at her strangely. She smiled embarrassedly and said, "Tonight is a family dinner; my parents, you, and me—four people eating. No outsiders."

I was shocked. Minister Huang being there was something I hadn't expected. How could a high-ranking official like him have time to dine with a small cadre like me?

Huang Weiwei saw my hesitation and comforted me, "What are you afraid of? He's just an old man; will he eat you?"

I forced a smile and said, "I'm really guilty. Minister Huang is here; why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Telling you or not, he's still here." She giggled, "I was afraid you wouldn't dare to come, so I didn't say anything beforehand."

"Aren't you afraid I won't dare to go in now?"

"Don't I know what kind of person you, Chen Feng, are? If you didn't even have this bit of courage, you wouldn't have dared to enter my house back when you were just a small township secretary."

"That was work; it was something I couldn't help. If I don't go to hell, who goes to hell?"

"Good, you guy, you dare to compare my house to hell; let's see if I don't beat you to death." She laughed coquettishly and reached out to hit me, causing people around us to glance over. She suddenly felt the strange looks others were giving her, stuck out her tongue, made a face, and pulled me hurriedly upstairs.

As soon as the door was pushed open, I saw Minister Huang Shan sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. He didn't even lift his head when we entered. Bureau Chief Chen sat to one side, watching television; seeing us enter, she smiled slightly.

I hurriedly went over to greet them, saying, "Minister Huang, hello."

His eyes shot over from above the newspaper, a glimmer of light seeming to pierce straight into my heart, seeing the timidity remaining in the seams of my bones clearly.

"You're here." He said, pointing to the sofa opposite, "Sit."

I sat down sideways, my hands placed neatly on my knees, my eyes looking straight at them, a cautious smile appearing on my face.

Huang Weiwei sat down next to me and whined coquettishly, "Dad, what are you still reading the newspaper for?"

Minister Huang put down the newspaper, took off his glasses, smiled kindly, and said, "I heard you've become a Town Mayor?"

I answered hurriedly that I had, that I had just been elected.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face. He turned his head to Deputy Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi and said, "Yazhi, this is the only time; don't let it happen again."

Bureau Chief Chen smiled and said, "Old Huang, you aren't helping someone else. Weiwei has grown up so much, but this is the first time she's opened her mouth to beg you."

Minister Huang waved his hand and said, "Xiao Wei, in the future, tell your parents if you have something; you are not allowed to go behind our backs to handle things. It has a bad influence. This time, the way you handled things—Guan Peishan called, and Liu Qimeng ran over personally to inquire, making me confused as well."

I was confused as well and didn't dare to make a sound.

Chen Yazhi saw my awkwardness and explained, "Xiao Chen, relax. What Weiwei's dad is talking about all has to do with you." She pointed at Huang Weiwei and said, "She ran to Chunshan County to find Secretary Guan and the others; it was about your election as Town Mayor."

I understood immediately. No wonder my differential election became an equal-number election. I had thought about it before; relying solely on Chen Meng's report absolutely wouldn't have had a major effect. There must have been a powerful person behind this change.

"Xiao Chen, you are now a Town Mayor, so the burden on your shoulders is much heavier. You must have achievements to convince the common people, and you must have character to make your colleagues admire you. You must grasp this well yourself." Minister Huang said earnestly, "I, Huang Shan, also walked up step by step from being a Town Mayor. I believe that as long as a person works hard, there will be opportunities."

I nodded submissively, my heart filled with one wave of tension after another. I took my hands off my knees, and light sweat broke out on my forehead.

"However, I have reported this matter of yours to Secretary He. In the future, you must never lose face for Secretary He."

My sweat increased more and more, almost gathering into a thin stream rolling down. Suddenly, I felt my hand being held by a small, cotton-like hand. Looking sideways, Huang Weiwei was looking at me with a beaming smile, her eyes full of encouragement. I smiled knowingly, squeezed her hand with a bit of strength, and conveyed my confidence to her.

Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi clearly saw our actions and coughed without changing her expression. I was so scared that I hurriedly let go, but Huang Weiwei followed closely and held my hand again.

"Let's go to the table." Minister Huang stood up, didn't even look at us, and walked straight to the table to sit down.

I let go of Huang Weiwei's hand and pointed to Guo Wei's local specialties, saying, "Minister Huang, this was entrusted to me by Secretary Guo; he wanted to invite you to taste it, Minister."

Minister Huang smiled and said, "This kid Guo Wei is not bad; he still remembers this old man." He turned to Chen Yazhi and said, "You remember Guo Wei, right?"

Bureau Chief Chen said with a smile, "I remember, the young man who had to accompany you for a few games of chess every time he came to the house. He's doing well as a secretary in the township, right?" She asked me without even looking at the local specialties.

I hurriedly reported, "Secretary Guo is very good. He has ability and courage."

Huang Shan looked at me with an approving gaze and said, "Being able to praise others behind their backs is a virtue of character. Not bad." He changed the subject and said, "This Xiao Guo, he has deep hidden motives. He won't be satisfied with just being a Town Party Committee Secretary. Xiao Wei recommending him in the past was right; this person is suitable for being an official, and he will be a good official. But his desire for office is too heavy, which will be counterproductive."

Huang Shan's words shocked me. Logically speaking, for a cadre of his level, every word he says has a basis and a reason. Evaluating others in front of me, an outsider, was unreasonable and inappropriate.

Huang Shan seemed to feel he had been too blunt and said with a dark face, "These words are just to be said casually among family members; they cannot be taken to heart, and even less can they be hung on the lips."

I was startled—how did I become a family member again?

Chen Yazhi brushed aside this topic and turned to ask me, "Xiao Chen, who is in your family?"

I reported everything in detail, one by one. Of course, I also listed my cousin He Zhi as a family member.

After listening, Chen Yazhi let out a breath and said, "Old Huang, as for Weiwei's affairs, we as parents should just provide reference."

Huang Shan nodded and urged, "Xiao Wei is a girl without political ambitions. That's fine, too; she can just be a virtuous wife and mother in the future. But we still need to pay attention to her other half. We absolutely cannot take it lightly."

Chen Yazhi said, "Old Huang, don't worry. I, Old Chen, will make arrangements." She turned to me and said, "Xiao Chen, invite your parents to come sit together another day."

I was just about to decline when Huang Weiwei stepped on my foot under the table. She looked at me with a half-smile, her face changing with unfathomable expressions.

Chen Yazhi's words were not simple politeness; asking to meet my parents was an implication of the in-laws meeting. Could I not understand?

"How about this, Xiao Chen, while you are in the city these few days, you make arrangements, and your Uncle Huang and I can also arrange a time. Weiwei, you have time to accompany Xiao Chen to Secretary Chen's house."

I was simply knocked dizzy as if by a stick, unable to distinguish directions. The sudden show of affection from the Huang family, and the request for a meeting that left no room for negotiation, left me stunned.

I ate the meal with no taste, the shadow of Xue Bing appearing in my mind the whole time. If I agreed to the parents' meeting now, and Xue Bing's matter was exposed in the future, would I encounter the joy of an empty basket? Moreover, Xue Bing occupied an unshakable position in my heart; I had long considered her my wife. So, what about Huang Weiwei?