Chapter 410: Marriage Proposal

No one expected that Chen Meng would actually reject He Jiaxiao's marriage proposal.

Guo Wei ran over to tell me this news; beads of sweat were popping up on the tip of his nose, and his voice was clearly trembling.

Chen Meng rejecting He Jiaxiao—wasn't this the golden opportunity for Guo Wei? No wonder he was so excited!

I was laying out the comprehensive layout for Chunshan County's economic work; Liu Misi's investment agreement had already blossomed and borne fruit. This was the first foreign investment I had led, and I needed to be personally involved in every aspect.

Therefore, after Chen Meng successfully gave birth to a son, I returned to Chunshan County, working day and night to handle government affairs.

Guo Wei was idle; apart from the projects they were doing in my Suxi Town, their economic leading group hadn't moved anywhere else. Guan Peishan hadn't made a move, and Deng Hanyu hadn't either. Even when I invited them to participate in the investment contract signing event, they made excuses and didn't come.

I didn't know what tricks the economic leading group was playing, but I had a bottom line in my heart: no matter how they played, I wasn't afraid. The investment had fallen into my lap, and as for the little bit of money in the economic leading group's hands, I didn't even have the inclination to look at it straight.

I wasn't short on money, and a man who isn't short on money stands tall.

At the County Standing Committee meeting, my limelight almost overshadowed Secretary Liu Qimeng. Everyone in the bureaus and offices looked at me as if they were looking at their own father.

During this period, Mao Ping came to see me several times, bowing and scraping, inviting me to inspect Mao Shi Town. I knew what he was thinking; this guy held the Mao Shi Reservoir resources in his hands and was waiting for rice to cook.

"The tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind." I knew the origin of this saying well. Therefore, I greeted everyone with a kind smile. I had a mandatory daily task now: before getting off work, I would definitely go to County Magistrate Yu's office and Secretary Liu's office to report. Although most of it was trivial, they were tireless in listening to my reports.

Secretary Liu even said at the Standing Committee meeting: "In doing work, one must learn from Chen Feng! Be brave in pioneering, be diligent in practice."

The investment in Chunshan County was no less than throwing a giant rock into a calm lake; the waves it stirred up made the people on the shore dance with joy. The Municipal Committee organized cadres from other counties to come to Chunshan County in batches to learn and gain experience.

I handed this reception task to Huang Qishan. Huang Qishan was good at summarizing; he could talk about this investment matter in a way that sounded miraculous. Of course, in the end, my image would definitely be tall and magnificent. It was precisely because of this that I felt at ease letting Huang Qishan handle such matters.

Guo Wei had nothing to do, so he stayed in Hengyue City every day, guarding Chen Meng and the child.

After he got the news that Chen Meng had rejected He Jiaxiao, he was the first to come find me.

I smiled helplessly; these matters of romance and children now occupied almost none of my life. But after all, these few people were closely related to my life, and I couldn't stand by and watch, nor could I ignore it.

I said to Guo Wei: "Since Chen Meng rejected He Jiaxiao, you should bravely go for it. A man must go forward without hesitation to fight for love and happiness."

Guo Wei smiled bitterly: "Mengmeng hasn't agreed to me either."

I asked in surprise: "You've proposed too?"

Guo Wei shook his head and sighed: "I don't dare."

"You haven't even proposed, how do you know she won't agree?" I looked at him strangely. This man, in the face of love, would stop at the slightest difficulty. It was precisely this personality of his that had caused him to lose a Huang Weiwei.

If he hadn't let go back then, I suspect I wouldn't have had many chances to win the beauty's heart.

"I can tell." Guo Wei smoothed his hair and coughed: "Even now, she won't even let me hold the child."

I laughed; the man before me looked desolate, his voice even hoarse. It seemed he had been suffering greatly during this time.

"I want you to help me once." Guo Wei looked at me pitifully: "I need courage and strength. You can give me these."

"What can I give you?" I laughed loudly: "You're the one marrying a wife, what strength can I give you?"

"I want to formally propose to Chen Meng. You must help me witness it." Guo Wei said seriously: "I've prepared everything, look, I've even brought the wedding ring."

He handed me a delicate brocade box, inside which lay a diamond ring.

"How do you want me to witness it?" I asked suspiciously.

"We'll go to Chen Meng's house together."

I shook my head. Chen Meng's house was Secretary Chen's house. For me, a Deputy County Magistrate, to accompany a man to propose to his daughter—what a ridiculous joke that would be.

"Proposing is a good thing, but..., I'm not suitable to witness it." I said, preparing to go out.

Guo Wei seemed to see through my thoughts; he blocked the door with his body and said: "Only you are the best candidate."

I shook my head helplessly and said with a bitter smile: "Brother Guo, it's not that I won't help you. It's just that you know what my relationship with He Jiaxiao is. If I show up, what will he think?"

Guo Wei smiled sinisterly: "That's the purpose of me coming to find you."

I looked at him, not understanding. Guo Wei said: "Think about it, if you appear at the scene of my proposal, will your cousin still have any hope?"

"What do you mean?"

"What is the relationship between your Huang Weiwei and Chen Meng? Best friends! What is a best friend? A best friend is someone you'd even be willing to trade lives with. You are the husband of Chen Meng's best friend; would she really not care about her husband's feelings?" Guo Wei analyzed triumphantly, letting me see his sinister intentions.

He didn't know that Huang Weiwei was the one who hoped Chen Meng would end up with He Jiaxiao!

"Where is Chen Meng now?" I asked, nonchalantly.

"Doing her postpartum confinement at Secretary Chen's house."

"Proposing at Secretary Chen's house?"

"Yeah."

"What if she rejects you?"

"She won't reject me."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure."

I was momentarily speechless. Things had reached this point; I was just there to add icing to the cake. If I refused Guo Wei's request again, wouldn't it make me look like a person without a shred of human warmth?

I had no choice but to nod and agree.

A flash of joy crossed Guo Wei's eyes, and he immediately said: "Let's set off now."

"Can't wait?" I teased him: "Haste makes waste, you know."

Guo Wei said forlornly: "I'm afraid someone else will get there first."

It seemed that if I didn't agree, Guo Wei wouldn't leave. I had no choice but to call Zhu Hua Yu in and arrange for her to prepare the car and some materials. I prepared to kill two birds with one stone, using the excuse of reporting work to carry out Guo Wei's proposal.

Zhu Hua Yu came in, all smiles. Ever since she returned from the United States, she had practically become a different person.

"Boss, Station Chief Hao is still waiting for you." She said, not looking at Guo Wei. Zhu Hua Yu had a prejudice against Guo Wei, stemming from the fact that he was the reason Zhu Shizhen had become disabled. In Zhu Hua Yu's view, if it weren't for Guo Wei, her father wouldn't have at least broken a pair of legs.

Zhu Hua Yu's reminder made my heart skip a beat; only then did I remember that I had been busy with investment matters during this time and had almost forgotten another major matter that was stuck in my throat.

I waved my hand and said: "Please have him come in." But my eyes went to look at Guo Wei.

Guo Wei understood what I meant and immediately said: "I'll go outside and wait for you."

As soon as Guo Wei left, Hao Qiang slipped in. Seeing me, he grinned.

I pointed to the chair in front of me and invited him to sit, but Hao Qiang didn't sit; he lowered his voice and said to me: "County Magistrate Chen, there's a lead."

I pretended to be very indifferent and said: "What matter?"

Hao Qiang gestured in the air; I looked, but couldn't see what he was gesturing.

"Machines!" Hao Qiang said: "Three machines, large scale. Powerful."

I didn't know what he was talking about. What machines? What large scale? I told you to investigate Qilin Villa, what are you gesturing about machines for?

"Lao Mo also saw it with his own eyes." Hao Qiang emphasized: "It's the first time I've seen such a scale."

I was completely lost in the clouds.

"Counterfeit money printing machines!" Hao Qiang finally said what the machines he was gesturing were.

These three words were like three bombs, instantly blowing me away. What counterfeit money printing machines? In Chunshan County, where would counterfeit money printing machines come from?

"Lao Mo is still guarding it, waiting for a word from you," Hao Qiang's face was flushed with excitement.

I understood; the counterfeit money printing machines Hao Qiang spoke of were the counterfeit money machines at Qilin Villa?

"Qilin Villa?" I asked, feeling my own voice trembling.

Hao Qiang nodded vigorously.

"Is it confirmed?"

"Confirmed."

"Is Secretary Guan still at Qilin Villa?"

"Yes."

I called Zhu Hua Yu in and instructed her: "Xiao Zhu, you and Yu Wei go to Qilin Villa, be sure to invite Secretary Guan over; I'm inviting the old gentleman to dinner tonight."

Zhu Hua Yu looked at me blankly, and I shouted: "What are you still standing there for? Go quickly."

Hao Qiang was confused by my sudden arrangement, and I said with a bitter smile: "We can't drag some innocent people into this."

He seemed to understand what I meant, his eyes full of admiration.

I smiled faintly and said: "Come, sit for a while, tell me about your work during this period."

Hao Qiang told me about the secret special case investigation team established by the County Public Security Bureau, with the Director personally taking charge. He especially mentioned that none of the people in the investigation team were police officers from the county bureau. They were all transferred from township police stations.

"The County Public Security Bureau has done a great thing." I said, giving Hao Qiang a thumbs up: "Your contribution is the greatest, I want to request a commendation for you."

Hao Qiang smiled embarrassedly and said: "It should be done. It's my duty."

I exclaimed: "Only in this way are you truly worthy of being a National Outstanding Police Officer."

The door was knocked, and Guo Wei poked his head in and asked: "Are you done?"

I said bluntly: "Brother Guo, this matter of yours will have to be delayed a bit."

Guo Wei squeezed into the room and asked suspiciously: "What's wrong?"

I laughed long and said: "I have a major matter to attend to."

Guo Wei's face darkened, he turned to leave, and when he reached the door, he looked back and said: "Chen Feng, go attend to your major matter. I'll go myself."

He slammed the door shut, and we heard a burst of hurried footsteps fading away.

"Does anyone else know about this?" I asked Hao Qiang.

My heart felt like a deer running inside it.

Hao Qiang shook his head and said very firmly: "Except for me and Lao Mo, no third person knows. Of course, excluding you."

He giggled foolishly, unable to contain his joy for the upcoming harvest.

"The Director doesn't know either?" I asked suspiciously.

"I haven't had time to report it yet. I came straight to you."

"Good! Remember, from now on, your task is to keep an eye on them. I'll arrange everything else."

Hao Qiang received the order and left. I stood up, went downstairs, and headed straight for the parking lot. ===== CHAPTER 411 =====