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

I had just finished tidying up when there was a knock on the door.

Chen Nuo went to open the door, and Secretary Qin stood outside, carrying two insulated bags.

"Ms. Chen," Secretary Qin smiled, "Director Fang asked me to bring you lunch. Also, your phone is probably out of battery, here's a power bank."

He handed me a power bank.

"Thank you, Secretary Qin." Chen Nuo took the items.

"Of course," Secretary Qin said. "Director Fang has an important meeting this afternoon and may have to work overtime tonight. He asked me to tell you that if you feel bored, you can take a walk in the courtyard, but don't go outside the gate."

"it is good."

"Then I'll be going now." Secretary Qin nodded and left.

Chen Nuo closed the door, placed the insulated bag on the coffee table, and opened it.

Two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, a soup, and a small box of fruit. The dishes were very home-style, but exquisitely prepared.

It must have been taken from the ministry's canteen.

She didn't have much of an appetite, but she still sat down and ate bite by bite.

I turned on my phone halfway through my meal after it had been fully charged.

Dozens of unread messages popped up. Some were from Wu Qinyi, some from her father, and some from several classmates.

She called her father back first.

"dad."

"Nono, are you alright?" Chen Jianguo's voice was urgent. "What happened last night? I heard you went to the police station?"

"It's alright now." Chen Nuo briefly recounted what happened, omitting the details, "Fang Jingxiu picked me up."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"He publicly endorsed it?" Chen Jianguo asked.

"...I guess so."

"What does 'consider' mean?"

Chen Nuo bit her lip: "He told everyone that I was his cousin."

Chen Jianguo remained silent for a while, then sighed, "That's fine too."

"What's so good about it?"

"Being her cousin is safe," Chen Jianguo said. "It protects you without giving people any reason to misunderstand. Fang Jingxiu is protecting you, and he's protecting himself as well."

Chen Nuo remained silent.

"Nono," Chen Jianguo's tone turned serious, "Remember this, Fang Jingxiu is a man who's after a political career. Marriage isn't an emotional matter for him, it's a political one. His future wife will definitely be someone carefully selected by her family, someone of equal social standing. You..."

"I know," Chen Nuo interrupted him. "I didn't think much of it."

He spoke quickly, as if trying to convince himself.

Chen Jianguo understood, but didn't expose him: "Good to know. What you need to do now is seize the opportunities he's giving you! The internship at the National Development and Reform Commission, the resources from Liu Qingsong's side. Turn these into your own capital; that's better than anything else."

"Um."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Nuo stared blankly at his phone screen.

Father is right.

What she should be seizing is the opportunity, not the person.

Why do I still feel so sad?

In the afternoon, feeling bored in her room, she remembered Secretary Qin's words and decided to go for a walk in the yard.

The ministry compound is indeed very large, with excellent landscaping. Although it's winter, the pines and cypresses remain evergreen. There are elderly people taking walks, children playing, and young people like her idly strolling around the compound.

She walked into a small garden and sat down on a bench.

The sun was shining brightly, and it felt warm and cozy on my skin.

"Young lady, are you new here?" an elderly woman with gray hair asked with a smile.

Chen Nuo was taken aback, then nodded: "Um... I'm here to stay for a few days."

"Which family are you related to?"

"Fang... Fang Jingxiu's cousin." Chen Nuo felt a pang of pain when she said this.

"Xiao Fang!" The old lady's eyes lit up. "I know that boy, he's exceptionally talented. He's just too busy; I often see him coming home late at night."

She paused, then looked Chen Nuo up and down: "But I've never heard of him having a cousin?"

Chen Nuo smiled awkwardly: "A distant relative."

"Oh, okay." The old lady nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

After sitting for a while, Chen Nuo got up and walked back.

When I got back to the dormitory building, I ran into a few people who were coming home from get off work. They were all in their thirties or forties, wearing dark jackets or suits, and carrying briefcases.

They all glanced at Chen Nuo a few more times when they saw him.

"Who are you?" a man wearing glasses asked.

"I live on the third floor," Chen Nuo said.

The men exchanged glances, their expressions subtle.

Chen Nuo knew what they were thinking.

The sudden appearance of a young and beautiful girl in the single dormitory of a ministry compound certainly sparks speculation.

She didn't explain and quickly went upstairs.

She finally breathed a sigh of relief after closing the door and leaning against it.

This is Fang Jingxiu's world.

Everyone is observing, everyone is speculating, and everyone is acting with a purpose.

And she, a cousin, was like a pebble thrown into a lake; the ripples she created would soon subside.

At six o'clock in the evening, Secretary Qin came to deliver dinner again.

"Director Fang asked me to tell you that he won't be back tonight," Secretary Qin said. "You should get some rest."

"Okay." Chen Nuo nodded. "Thank you."

After Secretary Qin left, she was alone in the room again.

She turned on the TV and tuned to the news channel. It happened to be broadcasting news about the National Development and Reform Commission, and Fang Jingxiu appeared on screen. He was sitting at the conference table, speaking, his expression focused and serious.

Looking at him on the screen, Chen Nuo suddenly realized that this was the real him.

Director Fang, who was adept at navigating the power arena and shouldered heavy responsibilities.

She was just a passerby in his long life.

His cousin, who reached out to him when she needed help.

That's it.

Chen Nuo turned off the TV and lay back down on the bed.

Late at night.

The nights in the ministry compound are so quiet you can hear the wind.

And in this unfamiliar room, she realized for the first time with such clarity…

Some distances cannot be crossed simply by effort.

Some people can't be possessed just because you like them.

What she should do is stay awake.