Nominal: Intercepting Zhong Xiaoai, Dominating Handong

Qian Huiren's body stiffened slightly, but she did not refute.

Zhao Anbang's tone didn't become more stern; instead, it sounded like he was reasoning with a junior: "You should know better than I do what kind of person Gu Mingyuan is."

After he returned from Wenshan, he took the initiative to talk to you about work and kept in touch with you, which shows that he didn't want any distance between you.

If you harbor resentment towards him because of some arrangements made by the province, then you are essentially doing Yu Huabei a favor.

Do you think I don't know he talked to you? You know exactly what he said to you.

He's exploiting your resentment and trying to pull you into his camp.

Qian Huiren's gaze remained fixed on the coffee table, without lifting it.

He was silent for a few seconds, then slowly said, "Governor Zhao, you are right. I admit that I am indeed feeling a little uncomfortable, but this has nothing to do with Comrade Gu Mingyuan. It is my own problem."

Zhao Anbang looked at him, his tone tinged with relief: "I'm relieved that you say that. Go back and focus on your current work."

The integration of state-owned enterprises in Ningchuan is a shared achievement of you and Gu Mingyuan.

If you succeed, you'll be ranked first on the year-end performance review report.

"When Wang Rucheng is transferred, who would be more suitable than you for the position of Party Secretary of Ningchuan City?"

Qian Huiren raised her head, and the resentment and confusion that had been faintly present in her eyes before seemed to have been washed away by something, becoming clear.

He looked at Zhao Anbang and said, "Governor Zhao, I have remembered your words. Don't worry, I will not let my personal emotions affect my work."

Zhao Anbang stood up, walked over to him, and patted him on the shoulder: "Huiren, you're a smart man, I don't need to say more. Go back and do your job well. Ningchuan's future belongs to you."

Qian Huiren also stood up and nodded vigorously: "Thank you, Governor Zhao."

He picked up his briefcase from the armrest of the sofa, turned around, and walked towards the door.

He took two steps, then stopped and turned to look at Zhao Anbang: "Governor Zhao, what about Mayor Gu...?"

Zhao Anbang waved his hand: "You handle the matter between you and him yourself. I believe you can handle it well."

Qian Huiren nodded, turned around and walked out of the office.

The corridor was very quiet. He walked slowly, as if each step was a process of digesting the weight of what he had just said.

He stopped at the top of the stairs, stood by the window, and looked down at the vehicles and pedestrians coming and going in the provincial government compound.

The thin sunlight of a winter afternoon shines on the old locust trees in the yard, their bare branches swaying gently in the wind.

He stood there for a while, then took out his phone and dialed Gu Mingyuan's number.

The phone was answered after two rings, and Gu Mingyuan's voice came through the receiver, carrying a calm and gentle tone: "Mayor Qian."

Qian Huiren held the phone, standing by the window. The winter wind blew in, carrying a slight chill, but when he spoke, the subtle distance that had been there before had completely disappeared: "Mingyuan, I just came out of Governor Zhao's office. There are some things I want to tell you."

"Please speak."

Qian Huiren paused for two seconds, as if organizing her thoughts, before speaking with a sincerity she hadn't shown before: "Mingyuan, I may have had some thoughts recently."

Those thoughts were wrong; I was being petty.

Governor Zhao criticized me, and I also realized that I had done something wrong.

If there's anything you need to coordinate, just let me know. I won't let my personal emotions affect my work.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then Gu Mingyuan's voice came through, carrying a sense of relief: "Mayor Qian, I'm relieved to hear you say that."

There's nothing that needs to be explained between us. I know you've always supported me.

"I can't push forward the integration of state-owned enterprises by myself; I need you to guide the direction."

Qian Huiren loosened her grip on the phone slightly, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips: "Okay, that's settled then. If anything comes up on your end, just let me know."

"Yes, Mayor Qian."

After hanging up the phone, Qian Huiren put away her phone and stood by the window for a while.

He looked down at the old locust trees, where the winter sun danced on the bare branches, as if gilding the withered twigs with a thin layer of gold.

He recalled Zhao Anbang's words: "You have a part in Ningchuan's future."

He took a deep breath of the cold air, turned around and walked down the stairs, his steps much lighter than when he came up.

That evening, when Gu Mingyuan returned home, Zhong Xiaoai was busy in the kitchen.

He changed his shoes and walked into the living room, where he saw Zhong Xiaoai wearing an apron, stirring something in front of the stove. The buzzing of the range hood and the sizzling of the stir-fry mingled together, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of garlic and soy sauce.

Gu Pengyu was doing his homework, lying on the coffee table, the pencil making a soft scratching sound on the paper.

Gu Mingyuan walked over and squatted down next to his son: "What are you writing?"

"Math problem, addition." Gu Pengyu didn't even look up as he carefully wrote down crooked numbers on the paper.

Gu Mingyuan watched for a while, then stood up, walked into the kitchen, and gently hugged Zhong Xiaoai from behind.

Zhong Xiaoai paused slightly at his sudden hug, her hand holding the spatula stopping for a moment: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Gu Mingyuan rested his chin on her shoulder, inhaling the faint scent of shampoo in her hair.

"I just feel like today is especially good."

Zhong Xiaoai didn't press him further, but gently patted the hand around her waist: "Alright, alright, go wash your hands and get ready to eat. I made your favorite braised pork ribs today."

Gu Mingyuan let go of her, went to the bathroom to wash his hands, and when he came out, Zhong Xiaoai had already put the dishes on the table.

Braised pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a bowl of steaming radish soup, and a plate of pickled radishes made by Zhong Xiaoai herself, crisp and refreshing.

The family sat around the dining table, and Gu Pengyu chattered on about what happened at school, saying that his math teacher praised him today because he was the fastest at addition.

Gu Mingyuan ate and listened at the same time, occasionally putting a piece of rib into his son's bowl.

Halfway through the meal, he put down his chopsticks, looked at Zhong Xiaoai, and said with a relaxed smile, "Mayor Qian called me today and said he's come to his senses."

Zhong Xiaoai paused in her chopsticks, looking up at him. "Really?"

"Really," Gu Mingyuan said.

"After Governor Zhao talked to him, the knot in his heart was untied."

"He called me proactively and said that he shouldn't have had some of those thoughts before, and that he would fully cooperate with the work in the future."

Zhong Xiaoai paused for a moment, then said, "That's good. You've been worried about this for the past two days, and now you can finally put your mind at ease."

Gu Mingyuan nodded and put another piece of pork rib into his mouth.