Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

She opened the car door, and a faint, crisp scent of tobacco mixed with the familiar bitter orange and cedar fragrance wafted out.

Fang Jingxiu sat in the back seat, not in the front as usual. He leaned back in the leather seat, his legs crossed, his dark gray suit jacket off and draped to the side, wearing only a neatly pressed white shirt with one button undone at the collar.

He held a half-smoked cigarette in his left hand and a document in his right, looking down at it in the light of the car's interior reading light. His brows were slightly furrowed, and the lines of his profile appeared somewhat unreal—sharp and aloof—in the hazy light and the rising pale blue smoke.

Chen Nuo got in, closed the car door, and first stared at the scarlet spot between his fingers.

Fang Jingxiu seemed to sense something, looked up from the document, and met her gaze, which held disapproval and a hint of lingering grievance.

He paused slightly, then his lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. Without saying a word, he naturally brought the cigarette to his lips, took a deep drag, and then skillfully stubbed it out in the hidden ashtray on the armrest.

After doing all this, he turned to look at her, his voice slightly hoarse from smoking, and with an obvious hint of indulgence:

"Okay, sir. I won't smoke anymore."

Chen Nuo's cheeks flushed slightly at his natural address of "ancestor," and the pent-up frustration from his office encounter strangely dissipated by half.

She didn't speak, but shifted her position, leaned closer, and rested her forehead on his strong shoulder. She sighed softly, her voice filled with deep annoyance and a hint of unease, as if she had done something wrong: "Sigh..."

"What's wrong?" Fang Jingxiu didn't look up, his gaze still fixed on the documents, but his voice came clearly, with his usual composure and a hint of barely perceptible concern, "Did you get scolded in physical education class? Or did you have a fight with your classmates?" He assumed it was just a minor emotional outburst between girls.

Chen Nuo bit her lower lip, shook her head, and remained silent.

Fang Jingxiu then looked up from the documents and turned to look at her. The car was dimly lit, but his sharp eyes still caught the lingering paleness on her face, her slightly furrowed brows, and the way she looked wronged yet trying to hold on.

This is definitely not an emotion that could be evoked by ordinary trivial matters.

He closed the file, set it aside, leaned closer to her, and softened his voice: "Speak. What happened?"

His approach brought an even stronger aura, a contradictory feeling that mixed the oppressive power with the tenderness that belonged only to her, strangely causing Chen Nuo's tense nerves to relax a little.

She sniffed and whispered, "After class just now... Vice Principal Wu and Director Wang talked to me."

Fang Jingxiu's gaze instantly turned calm, like a deep pool. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Chen Nuo roughly recounted the conversation, emphasizing that the other party wanted to use her as a middleman, as well as the implicit inducements and threats.

As she finished speaking, her voice trailed off, filled with self-reproach and worry: "...I feel like I might not have handled things well. They seemed to sense my fear, and they also seemed to... suspect that my relationship with you is unusual. I'm afraid...maybe I'll cause you trouble?"

She knew she wasn't experienced enough; her skills were no match for those seasoned veterans of officialdom.

Fang Jingxiu listened quietly, without any surprise on his face, as if he had expected all of this.

He even gave a barely perceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth, a fleeting, chilling smile.

"Just for this?" He reached out, not to reproach, but to gently stroke the slightly reddened skin under her eyes with his slightly calloused thumb, the movement carrying a familiar tenderness. "What are you afraid of?"

His tone was so calm and certain that it surprised Chen Nuo.

"They know I'm backing you," Fang Jingxiu's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the enclosed carriage, carrying a sense of self-assured control. "They'll only be more cautious and won't dare to really make things difficult for you. At least not openly." He paused, looking at Chen Nuo's still bewildered and worried eyes, and unusually patiently explained the crux of the matter.

"In officialdom, unless there is absolute certainty of a fatal blow, or there is irreconcilable hatred, one will not easily break off relations, much less touch someone the other side is explicitly protecting. That would be declaring war, and the cost is too high. They are approaching you today to test the waters, to offer tribute, to establish a connection. What they want is to form a loose alliance or protection relationship with me through you, not to provoke me."

He leaned back in his chair, relaxed, as if discussing the weather: "So, getting a little information out of you, convincing them that you and I have a close relationship, isn't necessarily a bad thing in a way. It's like sending them a clear signal: you're part of my inner circle. They'll actually be more polite to you afterward, and might even offer you some favors. Because they'll think that being nice to you might indirectly please me. It's called testing the waters, and your presence is that reassuring stone."

He concluded, his tone calm yet revealing a profound logic of power politics: "It's better to have more neutral observers than to easily make an unnecessary enemy. This is their survival rule, and that of many others involved. You handled things well today; you didn't agree, nor did you completely break off relations, leaving room for maneuver. That's enough."

Chen Nuo only vaguely understood what Fang Jingxiu was saying, but Fang Jingxiu's composure and complete control greatly calmed her tense nerves.

So...it wasn't all bad after all?

In his eyes, her clumsy responses were actually quite good?

Seeing that she was still somewhat dazed, with wet eyes, filled with the confusion and dependence of someone who had survived a disaster, Fang Jingxiu's annoyance caused by his subordinates' incompetence and the Bai family's secret interference suddenly dissipated.

He reached out and gently pulled her into his arms.

Chen Nuo obediently leaned closer, her cheek pressed against his finely crafted shirt, feeling the strong, warm chest and steady heartbeat beneath the fabric.

His aura completely enveloped her, dispelling all the discomfort she felt in the administration building.

Fang Jingxiu put one arm around her thin shoulder, and with the other hand he picked up the document again and continued to browse it by the light of the car's overhead reading light, as if he had just dealt with a trivial little episode.

But the hand that was around her, his long, soft hair cascading down her back, was gently and casually stroked with his long, soft fingers, as if to soothe her.

After a while, he lowered his head and placed a dry, warm kiss on her smooth forehead, a fleeting touch, like a stamp confirming ownership, or a pure comfort.

"It's alright," he said softly, his voice deep and resonant, "Don't overthink it. In a couple of days, I'll be having dinner with one of the leaders from your education system. I'll casually mention it then, asking them to look after Chen Nuo, who's talented and well-behaved, and not to cause any trouble, okay?"

He spoke of it casually, as if it were just a trivial matter, but Chen Nuo knew that his few words carried considerable weight.

This meal was probably arranged specifically for her. That's his way—unassuming, yet able to defuse potential trouble at crucial moments using the most compliant methods, while simultaneously sending a clear signal.

Chen Nuo felt a warm glow in her heart, mixed with a touch of bittersweetness. She snuggled closer to him and whispered, "Thank you, Brother Xiu..."

"Are you hungry?" Fang Jingxiu closed the file, seemingly not planning to continue working for the time being. He looked down at her and asked, his tone returning to its usual gentleness. "What do you want to eat? I'll take you tonight."

The mention of food made Chen Nuo stiffen. She immediately lifted her head from his embrace, her face full of resistance, shaking her head vigorously: "No, no! I absolutely won't eat!"

"Hmm?" Fang Jingxiu raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Chen Nuo, with a long face, held up five fingers and waved them in front of him: "Five pounds! Brother Xiu! I've gained a whole five pounds! What does that mean? My physical education teacher even said I look like I've just been released from the pen!"

Fang Jingxiu was amused by her exaggerated expression and chuckled softly. He put down the documents, reached out and pinched her cheek, which was indeed a bit softer than before, and felt delicate and warm to the touch.

"Where have you gained weight? Let me see..." He deliberately looked her up and down, his gaze sweeping over her chest, which was rising and falling slightly with excitement, and her still slender waist. His eyes darkened, but his tone remained serious. "You don't have much fat on your face, and as for your body... I'll have to check tonight to find out."

Chen Nuo blushed under his gaze, slapped away his mischievous hand, and said firmly, "I don't care! I'm not eating it! I'm going on a diet! Starting today, I'll only eat grass!"

"Only eats grass?" Fang Jingxiu repeated, his smile deepening, tinged with obvious mockery. "Are you sure? Who was smacking their lips and muttering about spicy chicken in their sleep last night?"

Chen Nuo's face turned even redder. That was a dream! It doesn't count!

"I've just gained weight!" Chen Nuo slapped his hand away, clutching her waist, resolutely defending her judgment. "Don't try to sway my will with sweet words! I said I won't eat, and that's final! I'll starve tonight!"

Fang Jingxiu looked at her angry yet determined expression, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

He didn't try to persuade him any further, but slowly leaned back in his chair and instructed Secretary Qin in the front row, "Secretary Qin, change course and go to Yuweixuan in Liuan."

Secretary Qin responded and said something to the driver, Lao Zhao. The car then smoothly turned at the next intersection.

The name "Yuweixuan" reached Chen Nuo's ears, and his ears twitched almost imperceptibly. It was a well-known Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot restaurant in Jingjing, famous for its authentic beef tallow broth and fresh, air-freighted ingredients…

and many more!

What is she thinking!

I promised I wouldn't eat it!

She forced herself to banish the images of tripe, duck intestines, beef aorta, and tender beef from her mind, and tried her best to put on a serious face.

Fang Jingxiu took in her subtle reactions but didn't point them out. He simply continued, seemingly casually, "I heard their hot pot with beef tallow has recently improved its recipe, using more varieties of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, resulting in a richer and more complex aroma. And that snowflake beef is directly transported from Hulunbuir via cold chain that day; the marbling is beautiful, and it melts in your mouth..."

His voice was soft and his pace was slow, like he was narrating a food documentary.

With each sentence she spoke, Chen Nuo's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. She secretly swallowed, her mind in turmoil.

Should I finish this meal and then start dieting?

It's foolish not to eat when you have food to eat.

Fang Jingxiu caught a glimpse of her secretly swallowing, and her conflicted expression—pretending to be calm but with her eyes already starting to wander—and finally couldn't help but chuckle softly, his voice filled with pleasure and doting affection.

He reached out and pulled her close again, this time using a bit more force to make her press tightly against him.

He lowered his head, his lips almost touching her earlobe, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive skin, and in a whisper that only the two of them could hear, he said with a coaxing yet certain tone:

"You think I can't handle you?"

Chen Nuo's ears instantly turned bright red, and his body went limp. His already fragile will to lose weight completely crumbled under the double attack of delicious food and handsome men.

In despair, she buried her face in the crook of his neck and let out a muffled, struggling "woof," as if surrendering.

Fang Jingxiu smirked triumphantly, tightening his arms around her and holding her firmly in his embrace. He looked up at the dazzling night view outside the car window, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

Secretary Qin, sitting in the passenger seat, kept his eyes down, pretending to be invisible, but inwardly he couldn't help but think: double standards.