Chapter 289: The Gathering Storm

The notebook in Zhu Huayu's hand was like a ticking time bomb, leaving me agitated and restless. I was absolutely certain that the notebook contained something about me. Zhu Shizhen was the one who introduced me to the Party, and now that he has been dismissed from both his Party post and administrative position, could I possibly be unaffected?

Zhu Huayu walked ahead of me, saying nothing, occasionally stopping to wait for me to catch up.

Once I walked side-by-side with her, she would quicken her pace, leaving me far behind, only to look back and call out with a coquettish laugh, teasing me that a grown man couldn't even outwalk a girl.

On the streets of Chunshan County in early winter, pedestrians were scarce, and the streetlights appeared listless in the dim night sky. Apart from the hair salons that had opened in the last few years, most other shops were closed. Occasionally, a housewife would call out in a shrill voice for her mischievous child to return home; it was only these few calls that gave this small town a sense of vitality and the joy of human life.

The small town wasn't large; it only took half an hour to walk across. We had left the Martyrs Cemetery and, in less than ten minutes, arrived at the entrance of the County Party Committee Guesthouse.

The four large characters "Huihuang Hotel" were particularly striking against the night sky. This was an inscription by Guan Peishan, and also his only one.

Zhu Huayu tilted her head to look at me and said, "Don't you want me to come in and sit for a while?"

I said, "Sure, I couldn't even invite you if I wanted to, but since you're willing to walk right into the trap yourself, don't blame me."

Zhu Huayu paused, hesitated for a long time, and asked me, "What do you mean? Walk right into the trap! What are you trying to do?"

I smiled with deliberate mischief, appearing quite ill-intentioned, and said nothing.

"You dare to be bad? I don't believe it." She seemed to be psyching herself up, drawing circles on the ground with her toe, then looked up and stared into my eyes, saying, "I'm not Teacher Xue. If you dare to be bad, aren't you afraid of bearing the consequences?"

I laughed, "Look at you, you're so young, where has your mind wandered off to?" With that, I burst into loud laughter.

She felt embarrassed, raised her small, powdered fists, and started hitting me, complaining while she did so, "Still talking about me, look at your own eyes, they're wicked, you're just not a good person."

I grabbed her hands and said, "Where are they wicked? My gaze is so innocent, yet in your eyes, it's turned into something wicked."

She stopped moving, letting me hold her small hands, and after a long while, she sighed and said, "I'd better go back."

I didn't let her go, pulled her along for a few steps, and said, "Hua Yu, do you really want to go back?"

She said despondently, "What else can I do if I don't go back? You're here alone, I'm afraid of affecting you." She suddenly giggled and said, "Right now the whole county is eyeing the position of Deputy County Magistrate, don't you want it?"

I smiled with deliberate wickedness and said, "I'm the kind of person who loves beauty more than the empire."

She looked at me in shock, said nothing for a long time, threw off my hand, glared at me, and said, "Did I misjudge you?"

"Misjudge what kind of person?" I asked her.

"I misjudged you!" She turned and walked away.

I followed closely for a few steps, grabbed her hand, and said, "You didn't misjudge me."

She stood still, tilted her head to look at me, and said with a half-smile, "I didn't misjudge you?"

I said, "You really didn't misjudge me. It's just that I feel, I love the empire, but someone has to give me the empire. If no one gives it to me, even if I die, I won't be able to die my way into an empire, not to mention that there are countless pairs of eyes behind me staring at me, waiting for me to jump into the fire pit. So, rather than wasting effort loving the empire, it's better to love beauty. Beauty is right in front of me, how wonderful!"

She was left flustered by my rambling, lowered her head shyly, not daring to look at me, and murmured, "I'm not a beauty, you're talking nonsense."

I laughed heartily, "In this world, whoever has a beauty like Zhu Huayu will possess the whole world."

My words, of course, had a purpose. The notebook hidden in the small bag behind Zhu Huayu was my ultimate goal.

"Forget it!" She laughed along with me, took out the tightly wrapped notebook from her small bag, and said as if she had made up her mind, "Even if I misjudged you, I'll accept it. Here!"

I deliberately didn't reach out to take it, hesitating as I said, "Your father said to give it to him intact, how can you show it to me?"

"Do you want it or not?" She lowered her voice and asked me, "If you don't want it, I'll burn it to ashes." She made a gesture as if looking for a lighter.

I had no choice but to take it, patted the remaining dust off the notebook, and said, "Let's go back to the room first. It's cold outside, so cold!" I deliberately hunched my shoulders.

She nodded in agreement, followed behind me, and entered the hotel lobby.

As the elevator doors opened, a crowd of men and women surged out.

I turned my head away, not wanting to look.

"Town Mayor Chen!" someone called out to me, coming over affectionately to drape an arm around my shoulder.

I turned to look and groaned inwardly; it was Deng Hanyu. With a small black bag tucked under his arm, he pulled me grinning toward the group of men and women and introduced me: "This is Town Mayor Chen, the youngest town mayor in our Chunshan County. A political star!"

The group of men and women crowded around, vying to shake my hand. I offered a bitter smile as I shook hands with each of them, preparing to find an opportunity to slip away.

Deng Hanyu seemed to read my mind, his hand never letting go of my shoulder.

Suddenly, as if he had discovered a new continent, he looked at Zhu Huayu and exclaimed with exaggerated surprise: "Isn't this little Zhu from the County Committee Office? Why are you with our Town Mayor Chen? Could it be that you two...?"

This probing question caused everyone's gaze to shift toward Zhu Huayu.

Zhu Huayu was thrown into a flurry by the sudden turn of events; her face instantly flushed red, and she was too flustered to look at anyone or speak.

I blocked Deng Hanyu and said, "Town Mayor Deng, she's just a young girl, what kind of jokes are you making?"

Deng Hanyu wouldn't let it go, saying, "Everyone, tell me, is she still just a young girl? Our Town Mayor Chen's taste is truly extraordinary."

His suggestive words made the group of men and women laugh and jeer; the laughter was filled with nothing but ambiguity!

I was somewhat annoyed and wanted to curse, but the words died on my lips, and I cursed Deng Hanyu's mother viciously in my heart.

Deng Hanyu called the group outside, pulled me aside, and said sternly, "Town Mayor Chen, this is a critical moment. You're still getting a hotel room with a young girl; aren't you afraid of people gossiping behind your back?"

His words made me furious. I roared at him, "Town Mayor Deng, rest assured, I, Chen Feng, walk straight and act upright; I'm not afraid of people wagging their tongues. To hell with it!"

My crude language startled Deng Hanyu, but in an instant, he returned to his grinning, shameless self and asked me, "I heard someone was beaten to death at your construction site?"

"Nonsense!" I cursed. "Some people just have ill intentions and fear that the world won't be in chaos."

Deng Hanyu became awkward and said with a forced smile, "I was just hearing it from others."

I said, "Town Mayor Deng, rest assured, I, Chen Feng, understand things better than anyone. Let me tell you, I've never even thought about those things, so you don't need to worry."

This conversation was like speaking in code; only the two of us knew exactly what was meant.

Deng Hanyu laughed heartily, patted my shoulder, and said, "Brother, I knew you were a sensible man."

I smiled and didn't answer him.

"Are you staying here tonight?" he asked, pointing upstairs.

I said, "Yes, a reporter from the City Daily is interviewing in our town. They're going back tonight, and the town is seeing them off here. There's no car to go back, so I have to stay the night."

Deng Hanyu thought for a moment and said, "How about we go sing karaoke together?"

I refused directly, saying, "Xiao Zhu's father has something to tell me; look, he's already come looking for me."

Deng Hanyu looked at Zhu Huayu, smiled suggestively, and said, "Alright then, I won't disturb you."

After walking a few steps, he turned back and said to me, "Brother, you'll have to help your older brother when the time comes."

I certainly understood his meaning; it was nothing more than me helping him lobby for votes when the Deputy County Magistrate election came around.

I nodded very affirmatively and comforted him, "You can put your heart at ease, Town Mayor Deng, future County Magistrate Deng."

He smiled with satisfaction, looking full of ambition, waved his hand at me, and turned to leave.

Seeing that they had all left, Zhu Huayu came over, smiling as she teased me, "Town Mayor Chen, you're getting a hotel room with a child."

After saying this, she giggled, and her carefree, lighthearted manner made my heart race for a good while.