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

Saturday afternoon at 2:30, the gymnasium inside the compound of the Jingjing Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

This is the National Development and Reform Commission's annual sports meet for its staff, with the most anticipated event being the basketball game, where joint teams from the central government and affiliated units compete against each other.

Although it's called a competition, it's really a window for each unit to showcase their spirit and demeanor. Winning or losing isn't important; what matters is friendship first, competition second.

Of course, there's also an unwritten rule: the boss's happiness comes first.

Chen Nuo sat in the third row of the audience. The position wasn't particularly prominent, but the view was excellent.

Today she wore a white silk shirt with a pink pencil skirt, her long hair was loose over her shoulders, and she wore light makeup.

Her gaze fell on the court.

Then, she froze.

Is that Fang Jingxiu?

She had seen him in a suit and tie, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, a symbol of ascetic power.

She had seen him naked in the bedroom late at night, under the dim light, seeing the lines of his shoulder blades as he leaned over, the thin layer of sweat on his back muscles, and his panting breath in her ear.

She had seen him in his loungewear and pajamas, looking relaxed, at home, and all for her.

But she had never seen him wear a basketball uniform.

The white jersey has navy blue trim and five characters printed on the back: "Jingjing Development and Reform Commission," along with a number.

10.

Her birthday.

He said this number was his lucky number.

Chen Nuo stared at the number, his heart skipped a beat.

On the court, Fang Jingxiu dribbled the ball past half-court with ease, showing none of the sluggishness typical of a thirty-year-old man.

Sweat streamed down his forehead, glistening in the sunlight. His arms were sleek and powerful, his calf muscles undulating with each run; he looked like a man straight out of an athletic gym.

At 29 and a half years old, he is the youngest director-general in the National Development and Reform Commission.

At this moment, he looks like a college student in his early twenties.

Youthful and vibrant.

These four words popped into Chen Nuo's mind, and then he felt like he was going crazy.

They're all old, yet they still call themselves young...

On the court, Fang Jingxiu controlled the rhythm with ease.

He dribbled the ball across half-court, his gaze sweeping across the entire court, not looking at the opponents, but at the distribution of leaders on his own side.

The office director was positioned at a 45-degree angle to the left, the personnel director at the bottom right corner, and several heads of directly affiliated units were positioned on the inside.

He quickly calculated in his mind who should score this goal.

The office manager is currently coordinating a tricky personnel reshuffle and needs to be present in public.

The head of the personnel department was criticized by the ministry last week and needs to make amends.

He has a good relationship with Deputy General Manager Zhang from the directly affiliated unit, but he has already scored two goals today, and scoring another one would be too conspicuous.

The ball was passed to the office director.

The office director receives the ball, adjusts, and shoots.

They're in.

The entire audience applauded.

The office director grinned from ear to ear, and Chong Fangjingxiu gave him a thumbs-up: "Xiao Fang, well done!"

Fang Jingxiu nodded, a faint smile on his lips, and ran back to the backcourt to defend.

Nobody realized that he could have easily made the layup himself.

No one noticed that the arc and force of his pass were just right for the office director to catch.

Throughout the entire event, he did the same thing: let the leader win.

Playing the game is an art.

We can't make it too obvious.

Your boss will feel that you are humiliating him.

We can't be too overtly defensive.

Your boss will think you're insensible.

The best approach is to make the leader feel that it was his own skill that led to the goal.

To make the leader deceive himself into believing that it is his own ability.

This is an instinct that Fang Jingxiu developed after ten years of struggling within the system.

Chen Nuo shifted his gaze from the stadium to the stands.

I don’t know, I’m scared.

The young female spectators around him were all focused on one person.

Fang Jingxiu.

The two girls in the front row looked to be in their late twenties or early twenties. They were dressed in stylish sportswear and their hair was neatly tied up, clearly having dressed up carefully.

They watched the game while whispering to each other, their voices just loud enough for those around them to hear.

"Which department does that person wearing size 10 belong to?"

"Director Fang from the Development and Reform Department, right? I heard he's only twenty-nine."

"Don't even think about it. He's always working, and Secretary Qin said he rarely even attends dinner parties."

"Qin Mi? Male or female?"

"Male."

"That's good... It's better for someone of the same sex to get it than someone of the opposite sex."

As Chen Nuo listened, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile.

Within the system, a man like Fang Jingxiu is indeed highly sought after.

Young, handsome, high-ranking, powerful, with a powerful background, and a private life as clean as a monk.

Which girl doesn't want to get married?

Most women working within the system will find partners within the system itself.

They know each other well, have similar jobs, stable incomes, and comparable social status.

A good match in terms of social status and shared values.

Moreover, in today's society, normal men are rarer than pandas.

If you encounter a normal person, you should be burning incense in gratitude.

Encountering someone like Fang Jingxiu...

Chen Nuo didn't think any further.

At halftime, the score was 35-28, with the team from the airport leading.

The players gradually left the field to rest, each looking for water and towels.

Qin Yang located Chen Nuo's position.

He walked over and sat down next to her.

"Chen Ke." He lowered his voice.

Chen Nuo turned his head: "Secretary Qin."

Qin Yang gestured towards the basketball court with his lip: "Aren't you going to deliver some water to Fang Si?"

Chen Nuo understood instantly.

"Okay, thank you, Secretary Qin."

She stood up, took out a towel and a bottle of water that she had prepared in advance from her bag, and walked towards the edge of the court.

In the players' rest area, Fang Jingxiu sat on a bench, chatting with several leaders next to him.

He was covered in sweat, his hair was wet, and his jersey clung to his body, revealing the outline of his abdominal muscles.

But that composure remained; the pace of her speech was neither too fast nor too slow, with occasional nods and smiles, her sense of propriety perfectly measured.

Chen Nuo walked over and stood in front of him.

All eyes immediately turned to them.

She stood out among the group of people in sportswear, wearing a white shirt and a pink pencil skirt.

"Brother Jingxiu," she said, handing him a towel in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for those around to hear, "wipe your sweat."

Fang Jingxiu looked up at her, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

He took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face, the action as natural as if he had done it countless times.

"When did you arrive?" he asked.

"You've arrived right at the start." Chen Nuo handed over some water. "Have some water."

Fang Jingxiu took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took two sips.

The office manager next to him asked with a smile, "Xiao Fang, who is this girl? Aren't you going to introduce her?"

Fang Jingxiu put down the water bottle and was about to speak...

Chen Nuo smiled slightly and took over the conversation.

"Hello, Director Li," she said with a slight bow, polite and natural. "I'm Chen Nuo from the Broadcasting Policy and Regulations Department. I'm Jingxiu's cousin. I just arrived in Beijing not long ago. I came here today to watch him play ball and experience the atmosphere of our Development and Reform Commission system."

She paused, then added:

"I've often heard Brother Jingxiu mention you, saying you're a senior figure in the Development and Reform system. Meeting you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved."

These words were spoken flawlessly.

First, introduce yourself, clearly stating your workplace and position, which conforms to the self-introduction habits within the system.

Emphasizing her identity as a watchmaker helps Fang Jingxiu out of a difficult situation and also defines her own position.

By proactively mentioning Brother Jingxiu and yourself, you give the leader face and shorten the distance between you.

Upon hearing this, the office director's smile deepened.

"Oh, Chen, you're too kind!" He waved his hand, but couldn't hide the smile in his eyes. "Fang Si's cousin, that's a relative in our Development and Reform Commission system! Let's keep in touch often, don't be shy!"

The head of the personnel department chimed in, "Xiao Chen works in the Broadcasting Policy and Regulations Department? That's a core department, under Director Zhou Huimin, right?"

Chen Nuo nodded: "Yes, Director Zhang, Director Zhou is very strict with us, but he has also taught us a lot."

The head of the personnel department nodded, a hint of consideration in his eyes.

Vivian Chow's people.

Fang Jingxiu's cousin.

This girl has quite a background.

Deputy General Manager Zhang from the directly affiliated unit said with a smile, "Xiao Chen looks like a capable person. Work hard at the broadcasting company; he has a bright future!"

Chen Nuo bowed slightly and smiled politely: "Thank you for your encouragement, General Manager Zhang. I still have a lot to learn from all the leaders."

After a few words, the atmosphere in the rest area became much more lively.

Fang Jingxiu sat beside him, watching this scene, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

This girl learns really fast.

She was more adept at using the rhetoric of those working within the system than any seasoned veteran.

but……

cousin.

It's my cousin again.

Even though I know it's the right thing to do, why am I so unhappy about it?

"Hello, cousin!" the office manager said with a smile. "Xiao Fang, your cousin is really pretty. Does she have a boyfriend?"

Chen Nuo blushed slightly, but didn't panic. She just smiled and shook her head, "I've been busy with work and haven't had time yet."

The leader turned and beckoned to a man in his early thirties standing next to him: "Xiao Liu, come here!"

The man named Xiao Liu walked over. He was of medium build, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and looked quite honest.

"This is Xiao Liu from our department. He has a master's degree from Peking University, is a key member of our team, and is also very honest," the leader introduced warmly.

"Xiao Liu, this is Fang Si's cousin, Chen Nuo. She works at the broadcasting station. You young people should get to know her."

Xiao Liu glanced at Chen Nuo, and his eyes visibly lit up.

"Hello, Ms. Chen." He nervously extended his hand. "Liu Zhiming, just call me Xiao Liu."

Chen Nuo politely shook hands with him: "Hello."

Secretary Qin, standing nearby, silently watched this scene, inwardly giving Xiao Liu's boss a thumbs up:

Great.

Introducing Fang Si's cousin to a potential partner—that's some serious taste, that's some guts, that's... a perfect score for being so reckless.

He glanced at Fang Jingxiu discreetly.

Fang Jingxiu sat there, a faint smile still on his face, showing no sign of anything amiss.

But the knuckles of the hand holding the water bottle were slightly white.

Qin Yue mentally made the sign of the cross for Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu was still enthusiastically talking to Chen Nuo: "Ms. Chen, which department do you work in at the broadcasting company? Our system often collaborates with the broadcasting company, so we might run into each other again in the future..."

Chen Nuo responded casually, glancing at Fang Jingxiu out of the corner of his eye.

He seemed perfectly normal.

But she knew he was unhappy.

Just as she was thinking of how to smooth things over, Fang Jingxiu suddenly spoke up.

"Xiao Liu," his voice was as calm as if he were assigning a task, "my cousin is still young, not even twenty-four yet. It's better for her to focus on her career now. Dating is easy to get distracted by and will only hold her back."

He paused, looked at Xiao Liu, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Let's wait until she's more settled for another two years before talking about it."

Xiao Liu was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, Fang Si is right, career comes first, career comes first."

Secretary Qin, who was standing next to him, almost rolled her eyes when she heard this.

You know that relationships can be a hindrance?

So you're letting people live in your house every day?

What were you doing in the National Development and Reform Commission office in the middle of the night?

You knew that too?

【Easter Eggs】

In the early hours of the morning, Chen Nuo cried and begged for mercy.

"Brother Xiu, have some Man."

"I will never talk to other men again."