Chapter 687: Heart-to-Heart

Ouyang Qiu was waiting for me outside Heaven on Earth. Seeing me coming, he waved at me from afar.

I hurriedly walked over a few steps, but he left me, turned and walked into the tree shadow on the street. He didn't stand still until a piece of darkness covered him, then turned around and smiled at me, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

People with cultivation all have good teeth. People with bad teeth, even if they are officials, must be treacherous officials. Most people who are officials are talented. But people who are wretched, even if they have the ability to fly to the sky, will fall into the dust.

I reached out to shake Ouyang Qiu's hand, but after he looked at me from head to toe, he smiled and said, "You are going in wearing this?"

The "in" Ouyang Qiu said was naturally Heaven on Earth.

I withdrew my hand sheepishly and looked at myself, saying, "This set is not okay?"

"What do you think?" he asked back, still smiling.

"I usually wear this," I said. I was telling the truth. Since I became an official, I have liked wearing jackets all year round. Jackets are convenient and free.

"This is not your countryside. It's still about superficial work," Ouyang Qiu accused me unceremoniously, "You can wear whatever you want usually, but if you want to enter here, you must be well-dressed."

I looked up at the crowd coming in and out not far away, and sure enough, they were all dignified. I couldn't even see half of the people who were dressed casually like me.

"I'll go buy a set now," I asked hesitantly, "Wangfujing Street should have it, right?"

"No need," Ouyang Qiu waved his hand, led me forward. When he arrived at a shiny small car, he took out a brand new suit from the trunk and handed it to me, saying, "Try it, see if it fits."

I still wanted to decline, but Ouyang Qiu darkened his face and said, "Don't be mother-in-law, go to the car and change it."

When I came out of the car, I also felt refreshed. Although the clothes were fit and beautiful, I rarely wore them usually, so I felt a bit awkward.

Ouyang Qiu looked at me and praised, "Little Chen, look at yourself, dressed like this, you can be considered a division-level cadre. As the old saying goes, people rely on clothes, Buddha relies on gold. This set of equipment reflects your spirit. Good, very good!"

I laughed, and thanked him repeatedly.

This suit looked expensive at a glance, as if it were tailor-made for me. Wearing it on my body was incomparably appropriate.

"It's for you," Ouyang Qiu said lightly, "Anyway, it was given to me by others. It looks better on you than on me."

I muttered in my heart, they even have people giving them clothes to wear, what else do they need to buy?

After talking for a while, Ouyang Qiu took me to Heaven on Earth.

When we were about to reach the door, he whispered to me, "Little Chen, we are inviting a brother from the Development and Reform Commission tonight. This person is in charge

My heart skipped a beat, and I quietly felt my wallet. There wasn't much cash inside, but there was a card that my wife, Huang Weiwei, had stuffed into my hand right before I left, telling me that since I was traveling, a gentleman should carry heavy provisions to handle emergencies.

With money on me, my courage grew. I held my head high and chest out, striding through the door behind Ouyang Qiu amidst a chorus of humble welcomes.

Ouyang Qiu had already booked a private room, and guided by a beautiful hostess, the two of us went straight inside.

The big shot from the Development and Reform Commission hadn't arrived yet, so Ouyang Qiu leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest his mind.

I looked around the room, feeling as anxious as if I had stepped into an imperial palace. The decor here was truly extraordinary; everything shimmered with luster, and there were many objects I was seeing for the first time. Compared to the Lin Yin Hotel in Hengyue City, one was truly in the heavens while the other was in the mortal dust.

The Lin Yin Hotel was already the premier high-end establishment in Hengyue City, but compared to Tian Shang Ren Jian, I was surprised to find that Lin Yin reeked of provincialism everywhere, possessing neither luxury nor grandeur.

After sitting for a while, the door was pushed open, and a young man wearing glasses walked in.

His age seemed to be about the same as mine, but his temperament seemed much higher than mine, carrying a distinct air of arrogance.

She just looked at me quietly, her eyes flowing with emotion, grief and charm flying together.

The young man smiled faintly, swept a glance at me, and stopped mid-sentence.

Ouyang Qiu hurriedly called me over and introduced me: "This is Chen Feng from Central Province, the director of the local Industrial Park."

I didn't yet know the newcomer's status, but seeing Ouyang Qiu's fawning manner, I knew he wasn't an ordinary person. Just from the way he slanted a glance at me, I felt that in his eyes, I was as insignificant as a blade of grass.

"Xiao Chen, this is the leader from the Development and Reform Commission we are hosting today, Department Director Quan Bi."

I reached out with both hands, and regardless of whether he was willing or not, I grabbed one of his hands first, shook it lightly, gave it a little sway, and said sincerely: "Director Quan, I have long heard of your great name; seeing you today is an honor!"

Quan Bi, however, didn't buy it, sneering as he said: "Oh, you've heard of my name?"

Of course I hadn't heard of his name; a department director in the Development and Reform Commission, lost in that vast sea of officials, was nothing. But placed in front of us local cadres, he was a great deity.

I had learned a bit of flattery over the years, and saying sycophantic things didn't make me blush at all now.

I said: "It's more than just hearing of it; I admire you. Look at our Director Quan, young and promising, compared to us local cadres who spend our whole lives achieving nothing, bowing for a few pecks of rice."

I wasn't speaking falsely; we really were bowing for a few pecks of rice. Of course, we weren't doing it for ourselves, but for all the common people under heaven.

If it weren't for wanting more policy support, who would be willing to be servile and curry favor in front of someone who looked younger than themselves?

Quan Bi seemed very satisfied with my words; he nodded slightly and, accompanied by Ouyang Qiu, went to the sofa to sit down.

As soon as he was seated, Ouyang Qiu was in a rush to find a server, asking her to call the public relations manager, saying he had things to instruct.

What could there be to instruct a public relations manager about? I understood in my heart.

Quan Bi, however, stopped Ouyang Qiu, saying indifferently: "No need, I have my own people here."

He then stood up and went outside the door, whispering a few words to the female server who was standing there respectfully. Immediately, a radiant girl walked over, with bright eyes and white teeth, her smile as gentle as a spring breeze. She walked straight to Quan Bi's side, sat down next to him, and nodded in greeting to Ouyang Qiu and me.

"Make yourselves at home," Quan Bi waved his hand, "Once you're in this place, you should be a bit freer."

Ouyang Qiu then called two beautiful girls in; we each had one, and the six of us gathered around a table, preparing to drink and play games.

As soon as I saw Ouyang Qiu's posture, I knew he was very familiar with this place. He ordered people and drinks as easily and naturally as if he were using his own fingers.

The three girls were dressed elegantly and appropriately, all smiling faintly, their faces like flowers. Under the reflection of the lights, they were incredibly moving.

With outsiders present, it was naturally not easy for me to bring up business. Besides, a place like this was not meant for discussing business anyway. The only thing I could do was raise my glass frequently.

Ouyang Qiu and Quan Bi both had to drive, so they only sipped their drinks. The three girls, however, seemed to be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, refusing nothing.

A bottle of foreign liquor was soon bottomed out, and Ouyang Qiu ordered another, leaning into my ear to whisper: "Xiao Chen, drink freely; Director Quan will have words for you later."

With those words from Ouyang Qiu as a foundation, my previously tight-strung thoughts completely opened up. Even if I drank myself to death today, I could still be considered a martyr.

When the second bottle was almost empty, Quan Bi stood up and asked me to follow him into a small room inside.

I was secretly happy, put down my glass, and said: "Beauties, wait for me. I'm going to report on some work."

Ouyang Qiu didn't go to the small room with me; he signaled for me to hurry over.

The small room was indeed a world of its own; once the door closed, it became another realm.

Quan Bi stood with his back to me, admiring an oil painting hanging on the wall.

I walked over on tiptoe and went to admire the painting as well.

"Tell me, is this a real painting or a fake?" Quan Bi suddenly asked me.

"This..." I hesitated, thinking to myself, how could anything hanging in a place like this be a real painting? But not daring to say it out loud, I had to say hesitantly: "It should be a real painting."

Quan Bi turned around, looked at me, and smiled, saying: "Why so little confidence?"

I accompanied him with an awkward smile and said: "Director Quan, I'm from a small place and have little experience; please don't take offense."

"No need for modesty!" He waved his hand and said: "Someone of your age who can reach the division level in a local area is someone with a bright future. Since you can stand out, you must have a standard that is different from ordinary people."

It was undeniable that Quan Bi's words were pleasant to hear. Especially coming from someone like him, to us local cadres, they sounded like heavenly music.

"I think this painting should be an authentic piece," I said, examining the oil painting, "Just looking at the lines and colors, as well as the layout and artistic conception of the whole painting, it's not something an ordinary fake could imitate."

I had no foundation for saying these things, so I watched Quan Bi's reaction as I spoke.

Things like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are for people with leisure and elegance. How could someone like me, busy with worldly affairs, have such spare time?

After hearing my evaluation, Quan Bi nodded approvingly, pointed to the corner of the painting, and said: "Look at this signature; could it be imitated?"

I looked where his finger pointed and indeed found a few tiny letters in the corner of the painting. If you didn't look closely, you would think it was just a brushstroke of the painting; how could one tell it was the original author's signature?

"If this painting were auctioned, it wouldn't be less than ten million," Quan Bi sighed, "Actually, how can art be measured by money?"

I was secretly shocked; this small painting, a foot square, was worth ten million—it was simply unbelievable.

Quan Bi was right; art cannot be measured by money! Therefore, ten million or one hundred million, to me, were other people's business and had nothing to do with me.

Quan Bi suddenly changed the subject and asked me: "Ouyang said you have something to find me for?"

I laughed guiltily, cursing to myself: "Your grandmother's, are you pretending? Didn't Ouyang Qiu tell you? Besides, I'm looking for Ouyang Qiu, and Ouyang Qiu is looking for you."

I couldn't say what was in my heart, so I had to smile humbly and say: "Director Quan, I have a small matter that really needs Director Quan's help."

"Speak, what is it?"

"I want to upgrade our city's Industrial Park to a national-level one; do you think it's appropriate?" I went straight to the point.

Quan Bi wouldn't be a fussy person; one could tell from his tone of voice that this person was very capable and extremely smart.

"What do you think?" he asked me back with a smile.

I laughed sheepishly and said: "What I think is useless; the key lies with Director Quan."

Quan Bi nodded and smiled, scolding lightly: "This Ouyang, eating his fill all day with nothing to do, always dragging me into these trivial matters."

Hearing this, my heart eased; Quan Bi viewed my matter as trivial, which meant that upgrading the park was not even a matter in his eyes!

I took the opportunity to report on the current status and development prospects of the Hengyue City Industrial Park, but Quan Bi seemed to have no interest in listening to my chatter, suddenly sighing lightly: "The girl you saw just now is also from your South. She is a distant relative of mine; she graduated from university and didn't want to return to the South, wanting to develop in Beijing. But here, everything is lacking except for talent. A girl like her, without any special skills, finds it almost harder than ascending to heaven to stay and work in Beijing. Not to mention anything else, just a place to live would stump many people. This relative of mine doesn't have a very wealthy family, so buying a house in Beijing is also a dream!"

I didn't interrupt, quietly waiting for him to continue.

Quan Bi suddenly smiled again and said: "Why am I telling you this? If she can't make it, she should go back to the South early."

I said: "Since she wants to stay in Beijing, she must find a way to stay. There are definitely difficulties, but as long as they are overcome, no difficulty is too great. Besides, with you, Director Quan, here, are you afraid that a relative's child will end up on the streets?"

Quan Bi sighed: "We people also have many places where we are powerless."

"If there are difficulties, we can all think of ways together," I said, "Director Quan, if you trust me with this small matter of your relative, leave it to me to handle."

Quan Bi stared at me, then shook his head and said: "No, it's too much for you."

I patted my chest and said: "Director Quan, don't underestimate us locals; buying a house or two in Beijing doesn't count as a big deal."

Quan Bi reached out to shake my hand and whispered: "Director Chen, in three days, come to my office to pick up the approval."