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

Monday morning at 9:20, 16th floor of the National Development and Reform Commission building.

The corridor was so quiet that you could hear the low hum of the central air conditioning system. Occasionally, a well-dressed official or secretary would walk by quickly, their leather shoes making only a dull thud on the carpet, like a kind of strict rhythm.

Sunlight streamed in through the glass curtain wall on the east side, casting bright bands of light on the mirror-like floor, yet it could not dispel the solemnity and aloofness inherent in this power center, which permeated to its very core.

Fang Jingxiu's office door was tightly closed.

He sat behind a large mahogany desk, wearing a perfectly pressed light gray executive jacket without a single wrinkle, over which he wore a shirt of the same color, buttoned up to the top.

His signature frameless glasses perched on his nose, and his gaze behind the lenses was calm and focused as he quickly scanned an encrypted briefing in front of him about the safety risk assessment and countermeasures for the key materials industry chain of new energy batteries.

The fingers tapped the keyboard with a steady, rapid rhythm, replying to emails and annotating documents.

On the left, a neat stack of processed files is piled up, while on the right, folders awaiting processing are still piled up like a mountain.

The strong tea in the thermos had been refilled twice, and steam was rising from it. The air was filled with the slightly bitter smell of tea leaves and the scent of paper and ink.

"Knock knock." A very light but clear knocking sound.

"Go in." Fang Jingxiu didn't even look up, his voice calm.

Secretary Qin pushed open the door and came in, carrying several folders of different colors. She walked briskly to the desk and placed the folders in different locations next to Fang Jingxiu, according to their urgency and importance.

"Director, these documents are quite urgent. The blue one is the disbursement report for the second phase of the special fund for the transformation of old industrial bases in northern China. It will be discussed at the ministerial meeting this afternoon, and Deputy Director Li is urging you to review it first. The red one is a warning notice just sent by the General Administration of Customs regarding the suspected risk of repurposing some imported new energy mineral processing equipment. It is highly classified. The yellow one is a symposium invitation from the Development Research Center of the State Council. It is a closed-door seminar on optimizing strategic industrial policy tools under the new national system. It will be held next Wednesday. We need you to confirm whether you will attend and what your remarks will be."

Secretary Qin speaks at a steady and clear pace, and her reports are concise and efficient.

Fang Jingxiu hummed in agreement, his gaze still fixed on the risk assessment data on the screen, but his left hand had already picked up the blue report and was quickly flipping through it.

He reads extremely quickly, grasping the key data, points of contention, opinions from relevant departments, and potential power struggles in the fund allocation plan in a single glance.

He picked up his pen and made concise annotations next to several key data points and statements, his handwriting strong and clear.

"The overall disbursement plan is acceptable, but the third point—the subsidy for technological upgrades at 'Longjiang Heavy Industry'—should be reduced by another 5%. During the last audit, their energy consumption data was found to be inflated, and the rectification is still incomplete. The money can be given, but not too readily. Add this to the remarks."

Fang Jingxiu spoke without looking up, placing the blue folder on the side that had already been processed, and casually picking up the red classified document.

Secretary Qin immediately wrote it down: "Understood."

Fang Jingxiu's gaze sharpened as he opened the red folder. It contained information about several trading companies with close ties to the Bai family, and the imported high-precision processing equipment whose declared purpose differed suspiciously from the actual installation location traced by customs.

The Bai family's reach is indeed all-encompassing, even trying to get involved in areas related to strategic materials that are under key national monitoring.

He carefully reviewed the clues and preliminary assessment provided by the customs, pondered for a moment, and wrote: "Transfer this to the Third Division in conjunction with the Equipment Industry Division and the Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau for further risk verification. Pay attention to the methods and approaches to avoid alerting the suspects. Report the conclusions to me."

"Yes," Secretary Qin replied, then hesitated for a moment, glancing at Fang Jingxiu's profile, still focused on the screen, before adding in a low voice, "Also... Director, the Film and Television Content Review and Guidance Division of the Cultural Bureau is holding its final internal review meeting for 'The Silent City' this morning. The results should be out before noon. Should we... find out about it beforehand?"

Fang Jingxiu's fingers paused almost imperceptibly for half a second as he typed on the keyboard.

The cursor on the screen blinked silently.

The only sounds in the office were the low hum of the air conditioner and the soft whirring of the computer towers.

He didn't answer immediately; his gaze seemed to pierce through the dense data on the screen and fall into some empty space.

Film rating, especially for works like "The Silent City" that have sharp social commentary and are currently at the center of public debate, is never an easy process.

Although he had already made the necessary preparations through Director Vivian Chow and believed that Chen Nuo's work itself was of high quality, the judging process within the system can never be simply summarized by the word "quality".

The direction, timing, balance among all parties, and even the personal biases and concerns of the review experts can all affect the final result.

A rating suggestion that could be modified or restricted in its release would be enough to significantly diminish the film's social impact and cast a shadow over Chen Nuo's fledgling career within the system.

Knowing the outcome in advance wouldn't be difficult for him, given his influence. He could even conduct more effective communication before the results are released.

but……

Fang Jingxiu resumed typing, his voice returning to its previous steady rhythm, devoid of any discernible emotion: "No need."

Secretary Qin was slightly taken aback.

This is inconsistent with the director's consistent style of striving for complete control over important matters.

Fang Jingxiu seemed to know his doubts. His gaze remained fixed on the screen, and he added in a calm tone, but with an undeniable weight: "I believe her."

Do you believe she can strike a good balance between the work itself and the censorship requirements?

Do you believe she can win fair recognition based on the quality of her film?

Do you still believe that she has the ability to cope even if she encounters setbacks?

It's okay, I believe her.

Secretary Qin did not press further, but simply replied respectfully, "Yes, Director."

He understood that the director was intentionally letting go.

Film rating is the first major test that Chen Nuo needs to face and bear independently after entering the system.

The director can pave the way, create momentum, and even help her up when she falls, but he cannot walk for her or make her dependent on him.

This belief is more profound and more compelling than any direct intervention.

Secretary Qin left and gently closed the door behind him.

The office fell silent again.

Unconsciously, his left hand reached for the cigarette pack in the corner of the desk, took out a cigarette, and instead of lighting it immediately, held it between his slender fingers.

Raise your other hand, and gently rub the base of your left ring finger with the pad of your thumb. There is a very faint, almost invisible ring mark there, a mark left from wearing a pinky ring for many years.

The pinky ring is no longer there; it was given to someone who is now facing an important juncture in their life. But this faint mark is like a silent brand, reminding him of his past perseverance and present changes.

"Click." The lighter's pale blue flame shot up, igniting the cigarette.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled a grayish-white smoke. The smoke trailed clearly in the sunlight, blurring his cold, handsome features.

He leaned back slightly, sinking into the wide leather chair. This posture allowed his tense back to relax for a moment, but his eyes remained sharp as a hawk's, fixed on an unseen chessboard in the void.

Believe her, it's true.

But behind it all lies a deeper consideration, one that even Secretary Qin may not fully understand.

Secretary Qin wouldn't know, or rather, wouldn't dare to point it out, that Fang Jingxiu's current inaction stemmed from a deeper level of caution required by his position.

The news that his father, Fang Zhenguo, was officially promoted to Army General last week has already spread in military circles and certain levels of political circles.

The Fang family is now a veritable family with two high-ranking officials: the father's prestige in the military is growing, and he himself is making waves in a key position at the National Development and Reform Commission.

This prominence brings not only glory and resources, but also scrutiny under a magnifying glass and potential envy.

Previously, his request for leave and use of resources for Chen Nuo had already left some leaders who valued rules with a negative impression that young people are easily bothered by personal matters.

Now that Father has taken another step forward, the Fang family tree grows taller and attracts stronger winds, and the swaying of every branch can be interpreted as a different signal.

He must be more cautious and composed than ever before. There can be no room for error in his work; every step must be meticulously considered.

The new energy project is a significant achievement for him and a key asset for his next promotion; he cannot afford to make any mistakes.

Chen Nuo... is becoming an increasingly important part of his plan, but he has also become a weak point on his chessboard that his opponent may focus on attacking.

Is he afraid?

The cigarette burned quietly between his fingers, its smoke rising straight up. Fang Jingxiu's gaze fell on his fingers, which were rubbing against the ring marks, his eyes unfathomable.

What he feared was never the Bai family's underhanded tricks, nor the common infighting among his colleagues.

What he feared was... what if.

What if he makes a mistake? What if uncontrollable changes occur in this struggle against the Bai family and even deeper forces? What if his seemingly sturdy ship runs aground...

What should be done with Chen Nuo, who was just sent to the top by his own hands?

The girl with the stubborn look in her eyes behind the camera, the pale and fragile woman on the hospital bed, the soft and dependent woman in his arms—her dream of becoming a director, the start of her career, the little foundation and confidence she had painstakingly built up…

Will it collapse in an instant?

And what about her father, Chen Jianguo? Will he be implicated? The business world is like a battlefield. If Fang Jingxiu loses power, those who once gave Chen Jianguo convenience or cooperation because of him will turn their backs faster than turning the pages of a book.

Love me, love my dog.

For him, this word is no longer a literary description, but a heavy responsibility and a real risk.

By bringing Chen Nuo under his wing, he meant binding her and everyone she cared about to his cause. Behind this shared glory lay the cruel possibility of shared ruin.

Fang Jingxiu climbed his way up from the bottom and has seen too many people fall from grace and too many dependents crumble into dust as the big tree collapses.

He cannot fall; at least, he must not fall until Chen Nuo has truly established himself and has sufficient ability to protect himself.

This is especially true when it comes to Chen Nuo's matter.

Excessive attention and intervention may not only backfire and affect the apparent impartiality of the review process, but also easily give opponents grounds to accuse him of abusing his power for personal gain and breaking the rules for the sake of a woman.

He believes in Chen Nuo's abilities and in Zhou Huimin's fairness and professionalism, which in itself is a gesture.

Our Jingxiu's people are truly capable, and she is firmly in this position.