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

At 10:47 p.m., Chen Nuo pushed open the door to the apartment.

The motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on, casting a warm yellow glow on her tired face.

She placed her tote bag on the shoe rack, bent down to untie the straps of her high heels—those black stilettos that had seemed so smart and capable when she left home that morning, now just felt like instruments of torture.

She took off her shoes and felt her feet touch the cold wooden floor, and only then did she feel a little more alive.

Only a few ambient lights were on in the living room, providing soft lighting.

Fang Jingxiu sat back on the sofa, one leg casually propped up on the edge of the coffee table, with a tablet computer on his lap.

He had just finished showering, his hair was still wet, a few strands of hair hung down in front of his forehead, and water droplets occasionally dripped onto the shoulders of his dark gray pajamas.

I was enveloped in the misty steam, feeling a unique sense of languor and cleanliness that comes with a shower.

He looked up and saw her listless appearance, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Section Chief Chen," he said slowly, a hint of amusement in his voice, "how come you're busier than me, the director? You're only just getting off work now."

Chen Nuo didn't say anything, but walked over and threw himself into the sofa.

To be precise, she fell into his arms.

She nestled into his arms, buried her face in his chest, and took a deep breath.

He had just finished showering and had a faint, pleasant scent of shower gel on him, as well as that unique, comforting fragrance that belonged only to him.

Fang Jingxiu put down the tablet and caught her.

He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Chen Nuo nestled in his arms, her voice muffled: "Director Zhou spoke with me today."

Fang Jingxiu didn't speak, but gently stroked her back with his palm, waiting for her to continue.

"The implication, both overt and covert," Chen Nuo said, "is that I should find evidence against Director Yao."

"Director Yao's evidence?"

"Um."

Chen Nuo lifted her head from his embrace and looked into his eyes. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, the result of working overtime these past few days.

"But I searched," she said, "through all channels, through all connections, through everything I could find, and there was nothing. It was completely clean, spotless, and I couldn't find a single problem."

"Impossible," he said.

Chen Nuo was taken aback: "Why?"

Fang Jingxiu reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Chen Nuo, you must remember one thing: all officials are corrupt."

Chen Nuo blinked.

"There are no officials who are not corrupt," Fang Jingxiu continued, his tone as calm as if he were describing the weather. "The only difference lies in how much they embezzle, how they embezzle, and whether they leave any trace."

Chen Nuo remained silent.

She recalled the information she had gathered this week: Director Yao's resume, his family background, and his social connections.

Indeed, there was nothing unusual.

His salary was basically in line with his family's consumption level, and his relatives showed no signs of sudden wealth. His bank statements were clean.

"But," she said unwillingly, "I really can't find anything."

"That means," Fang Jingxiu said, "that he wiped it clean."

He leaned back, adjusting to a more comfortable position, still letting Chen Nuo nestle in his arms.

"What do you consider corruption?" he asked. "Depositing money into your own account? Buying a luxury house and putting it in your own name? Driving a luxury car and parking it in front of your workplace?"

Chen Nuo thought about it and realized that it did seem to be true.

Fang Jingxiu gave a soft laugh, but there was no warmth in it.

"That's called being a fool, not a corrupt official," he said. "Real corrupt officials have long since passed that stage."

He reached for the water glass on the coffee table, took a sip, and moistened his throat.

"Chen Nuo, do you know what officials fear most when they're corrupt?"

Chen Nuo thought for a moment: "Afraid of being investigated?"

"The fear of being investigated is the outcome. What I fear most in the process is leaving traces," Fang Jingxiu said. "That's why smart people don't let themselves get directly involved with money."

"What you found are direct evidence: bank transfers, property registrations, vehicle information. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence wouldn't leave these things behind."

"Then what about them...?" Chen Nuo frowned.

"There are many methods," Fang Jingxiu interrupted her. "The most common one is to register all the assets under the names of distant relatives, the kind of relatives you can't trace back three generations to. The house, the car, the savings are all in their names. He himself has no assets, and his salary card only has a few thousand yuan a month. He's so clean that he could be used as a lesson in anti-corruption."

Chen Nuo listened intently.

"And another thing," Fang Jingxiu continued, "is money laundering through calligraphy and paintings."

"Calligraphy and paintings?"

"Hmm. Have you ever heard of those people who have a painting hanging in their homes that looks ordinary but is actually worth millions? They didn't buy it themselves; it was a gift. The person who gave it to them doesn't give money directly. Instead, they go to an auction house, spend millions to buy a painting, and then casually let the recipient know that the painting is now in their possession. The recipient then finds an opportunity to sell the painting, claiming it's a family heirloom, and makes millions in the process."

He looked at her:

"Throughout the entire process, not a single penny went directly into his account. But the money was completely laundered."

Chen Nuo was somewhat stunned.

She had only ever seen these methods in TV dramas before, and never imagined they would be so close to her own life.

“There’s a third type,” Fang Jingxiu said, “which is even more covert.”

"What?"

"Buy a house."

Chen Nuo blinked: "How do I wash clothes after buying a house?"

"It wasn't a direct purchase," Fang Jingxiu said. "It involved having an insignificant relative of mine buy a house from a developer who had partnerships with certain individuals. The contract was signed normally, the deposit was paid normally, and everything appeared to be compliant."

"and then?"

"Then, after the contract was signed and the deposit was paid, the developer suddenly breached the contract. For example, they delayed the delivery of the house, the area did not match the actual size, or various other reasons. My relative sued in court, the developer lost the case, and had to pay liquidated damages."

Fang Jingxiu looked at her:

"How much is the penalty for breach of contract? Three times the house price? Five times? The developer can afford it, since the money ultimately comes from the consumer. And that relative, after receiving this legal compensation, can turn it into clean money after it's passed around a few times."

After listening, Chen Nuo remained silent for a long time.

She suddenly realized that her methods of auditing accounts were as childish as playing house in front of these people.

"So," she began slowly, "Director Yao..."

"Director Yao has been able to stay in the deputy director position for so many years," Fang Jingxiu continued, "it's impossible for him to be completely clean. The only difference is whether he has wiped away his traces clean enough, and whether you can find that flaw that can't be erased."

Chen Nuo leaned against him, her fingers unconsciously twirling the sash of his bathrobe.

"Brother Xiu," she suddenly asked, "you said there are no officials who aren't corrupt. What about you?"

Fang Jingxiu looked down at her.

"Me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm." Chen Nuo tilted her head back, her eyes bright. "Are you greedy?"

Fang Jingxiu was silent for a second, then smiled.

"I'm greedy," he said.

Chen Nuo was stunned.

She hadn't expected him to admit it so readily.

"What I covet," Fang Jingxiu said, "is not money."

"What is that?"

He looked at her, his gaze deep.

"It's you."

Chen Nuo's face flushed red.

"I'm serious!" she punched him lightly.

"I'm being serious too." Fang Jingxiu grasped her hand. "Chen Nuo, at my level, money is no longer important. What I want, money can't buy."

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"Power, status, and influence—these things are much harder to acquire than money. But they are also far more useful than money."

Chen Nuo looked at him, suddenly feeling somewhat dazed.

His tone was calm, as if he were stating a fact.

"So," she asked softly, "you...did you do those things before?"

"Which ones?"

"Money laundering through calligraphy and paintings, cashing out through real estate purchases, and registering the properties under distant relatives' names..."

Fang Jingxiu shook his head.

"No," he said. "I don't need it."

Why?

"Because," he looked at her, "I have Shen Rongchuan."

Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment, then understood.

Shen Rongchuan.

That man who stands at the top of capital.

He could act as Fang Jingxiu's front man, his firewall, and do everything that Fang Jingxiu couldn't do personally.

"So," she said slowly, "Shen Rongchuan will do it for you..."

"Take care of all the shady things for me," Fang Jingxiu continued. "And I, for him, take care of all the things that require power to pave the way."

He looked down at her:

"This is called symbiosis. It's not greed."

Chen Nuo remained silent.

She recalled what Vivian Chow had said to her earlier that day. The message, both overt and covert, was clear: investigate Director Yao, find incriminating evidence against him, and bring him down.

Vivian Chow doesn't want clean people; she wants people who can be used, people who are obedient, and people who have a weapon in their hands.

And she, Chen Nuo, is that knife.

"Brother Xiu," she suddenly said, "I'm so tired."

Fang Jingxiu held her tightly.

"I know."

"It's not physical exhaustion," she buried her face in his chest, "it's mental exhaustion. Director Zhou asked me to investigate Director Yao, I know that's normal, that's how officialdom is, it's either you die or I live. But..."

She paused:

"But every time I think about having to find dirt on someone, dig up dirt on them, and bring them down, I feel..."

"What do you think?"

"I feel like I'm getting dirty."

Fang Jingxiu didn't say anything, but just hugged her tighter.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

"Chen Nuo," he said, "do you know how I felt the first time I did this kind of thing?"

She shook her head.

"I felt nauseous too," he said. "For three whole days, I couldn't eat or sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was that person's face. He was really good to me, truly very good. He taught me things, introduced me to people, and protected me from a lot of trouble. But he got in my way."

He looked down at her:

"Later I understood. In this position, some things are not a matter of whether you choose them or not, but things you have to do."

"Is it necessary?"

"If you don't do it, someone else will. If you don't make the first move, someone else will make the first move against you," he said. "You've been through what happened with Tang Hai. You should understand."

Chen Nuo remained silent.

She understands.

She understands perfectly.

"So," Fang Jingxiu said, "you don't need to feel dirty. You're just protecting yourself."

He lowered his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"And," he said, "what you're doing now is different from what I did back then."

"What's different?"

"You're helping Vivian Chow," he said. "Vivian Chow is our ally. Her advancement is good for us. Her advancement gives you a chance to advance. And if you advance..."

He paused:

"Only when you go up there will you have the ability to do things that I can't do."

Chen Nuo looked at him, her eyes welling up with tears.

"for example?"

"For example," he said, "to save those I can't save."

He stopped and looked at Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo's eyes, initially filled with confusion, slowly turned to shock, and finally lit up.

That light wasn't from fear, nor from anger, but rather...

The prey smelled the blood.

"Brother Xiu," she called out, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Um?"

"I see."

Fang Jingxiu raised an eyebrow.

"I will rise again and become Niohuru Chen Nuo."

Looking at her like this, Fang Jingxiu didn't know whether to laugh or feel helpless.

"Then what am I?" he asked. "Shiro?"

Chen Nuo paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.

Looking at her smiling face, Fang Jingxiu suddenly felt...

and many more.

He recalled an idea from a few months ago.

Back then, Chen Nuo would pester him every day, as energetic as a tireless little animal.

One late night, when he was so tired that his back ached, he thought to himself: If only she could have something else to do instead of trying to drain him dry every day.

He made a wish at the time, hoping that she would find new interests, keep her busy, and stop her from focusing on him all the time.

just now……

She has indeed found a new interest.

She was determined to make a name for herself in the officialdom.

This is good.

That's very good.

What about his waist?

Fang Jingxiu thought expressionlessly.

Good things don't come true, but bad things do.

Good heavens, you're taking this way too seriously.

Chen Nuo, still nestled in his arms, excitedly recounted his plan: "I'm going to start investigating from the relatives, distant cousins ​​and such, art transactions, and those seemingly legal lawsuits. Brother Xiu, what you taught me is so useful!"

She looked up, her eyes filled with admiration and fighting spirit.

Fang Jingxiu looked at her, his feelings complicated.

"Niohuru Chen Nuo," he said slowly, "are you about to start your struggle?"

"Yes!" Chen Nuo clenched his fist. "I want Director Yao to know why the flowers are so red!"

Fang Jingxiu remained silent.

He suddenly reached out and scooped her up from his arms.

Before Chen Nuo could react, she was suddenly scooped up in his arms. She gasped in surprise and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, nearly scattering the documents in her hands.

"What are you doing!" she glared at him.

Fang Jingxiu carried her to the bedroom, his expression as calm as if he were reviewing documents.

"Tonight," he said, "I will first favor Consort Xi."

Chen Nuo was stunned.

"What?"

"Didn't you want to be the Niohuru?" Fang Jingxiu looked down at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I will grant your wish. Consort Xi, you will serve me tonight."

Chen Nuo's face flushed red.

"Fang Jingxiu!" she struggled slightly. "I haven't showered yet! I'm exhausted after a long day!"

"I don't mind."

"I have to get up early tomorrow!"

"I also get up early."