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

There was a gentle knock on the door of the private room.

Secretary Qin pushed open the door and came in, carrying two dark brown paper bags. The bags had no logos, were thick, and were tied with ribbons of the same color at the opening, simple and understated.

He first bowed slightly to Li Shiman, his face bearing the respectful but not obsequious smile typical of secretaries within the system: "Director Li, I apologize for disturbing you."

Li Shiman put down her silver fork, her gaze falling on the paper bag, her smile unchanged: "Secretary Qin, is there something you need?"

"That's right," Secretary Qin said naturally, as if stating something perfectly ordinary, "When I accompanied Miss Chen Nuo in just now, I found this next to your car."

He placed one of the slightly larger paper bags in front of Lissmann.

"I noticed the packaging was quite nice, and I figured it might have been left behind by you or Secretary Zhou, so I brought it in."

That was a perfectly watertight statement.

They didn't say it was a gift, nor did they say who gave it to them.

I found it.

But everyone in that private room understood...

What could you possibly find?

The parking lot has surveillance cameras and security; if something were lost, it would have been brought over long ago.

This is the art of language in officialdom.

You can't say you're giving a gift outright, especially on occasions of this level.

To put it bluntly, it's bribery, it's giving someone a handle to use against you.

You could say you found it, you could say you took it with you, or you could say it was something you left behind.

They both understood each other implicitly, and neither of them would expose it.

Li Shiman's smile deepened. She didn't touch the paper bag, but instead smiled at Fang Jingxiu: "The people under Director Fang are so meticulous."

Fang Jingzheng lit a cigarette, and upon hearing this, he simply gave a faint "hmm," as if it were truly just a trivial matter.

But Chen Nuo noticed that his ignition movements were very steady, and the rhythm of the smoke he exhaled was very even.

That was a sign that he was in a good mood.

Secretary Qin then handed over another, slightly smaller paper bag.

The packaging is more refined, and the ribbon is light gold.

It was placed in front of Chen Nuo.

His words this time startled Chen Nuo: "Ms. Chen, I saw this by the car too. I thought the packaging was suitable for young people, and I figured it might have been left behind by your friend, so I brought it in as well."

Chen Nuo was stunned.

What friends does she have in the East China Sea?

Not to mention, how could someone possibly leave a gift next to Director Li's car?

But she quickly realized what was happening.

This was arranged by Fang Jingxiu.

He prepared a return gift in the name of Chen Nuo's friend and had Secretary Qin deliver it to Director Li as if he had found it.

In this way, Director Li accepted the gift, but in return, he was indebted to Chen Nuo.

Although Fang Jingxiu paid for and selected the items, they were nominally gifts from Chen Nuo's friends.

In Director Li's eyes, Chen Nuo was no longer just a student who needed to be taken care of, but an insider with his own network and who knew how to reciprocate.

This dedication is truly profound.

It was so moving that Chen Nuo's eyes welled up with tears.

"Thank you, Secretary Qin." She took the paper bag, her voice trembling slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "My friend probably heard that I was meeting with Director Li today and specially prepared this for me."

She spoke so naturally, as if it were true.

Li Shiman looked at Chen Nuo with a hint of approval in her eyes.

This girl is not only beautiful and smart, but also knows the rules.

They know how to respond and how to make the scene convincing.

"Your friend is so thoughtful," Li Shiman said with a smile, finally reaching for the paper bag in front of her and placing it naturally at her feet. "Thank him for me."

"Definitely." Chen Nuo nodded.

Having completed his task, Secretary Qin bowed slightly and left the private room.

The whole process took less than two minutes, but all the necessary information was conveyed and all the necessary favors were done.

Fang Jingxiu didn't say a word the whole time, just smoked and occasionally chatted with Li Shiman about the new energy project.

But his gaze would occasionally fall on Chen Nuo.

In those eyes, there was scrutiny, expectation, and... a hint of satisfaction.

He was watching to see if she could handle the situation.

And she caught it.

Not only did they catch it, they caught it very well.

Li Shiman was clearly in a better mood and became more talkative: "Xiao Chen, I'll have Secretary Zhou send you the application materials for that young director support program. Prepare them well, and I'll keep an eye on things for you."

From "you can try" to "I'll keep an eye on things for you," the weight of this promise has increased even further.

Chen Nuo quickly thanked him.

She knew that this was not just a result of her good performance.

It was also due to the two gifts that Fang Jingxiu found.

After the dinner ended, Li Shiman and Secretary Zhou left first.

As they walked out of the restaurant, Li Shiman's driver had already pulled up at the door. Secretary Zhou carried the dark brown paper bag with a natural air, as if it were her own briefcase.

Before getting into the car, Li Shiman glanced back at Chen Nuo, her smile carrying a meaningful undertone: "Little Chen, learn well from Director Fang. He can teach you much more than the school can."

Chen Nuo nodded respectfully: "Yes, thank you for your guidance, Director Li."

The car drove away.

Only Fang Jingxiu and Chen Nuo remained at the restaurant entrance.

A biting wind blew, and Chen Nuo instinctively pulled her coat tighter. Fang Jingxiu naturally took off his scarf and wrapped it around her neck.

The movements were so natural, as if they had been done countless times.

The scarf still carried his body heat and the scent of cedarwood; it was warm and soft.

"Brother Xiu," Chen Nuo looked up at him, his eyes shining like stars in the night, "thank you."

Fang Jingxiu looked down at her: "What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you... for teaching me," Chen Nuo said softly. "And thank you for being so considerate of me."

Fang Jingxiu stared at her for a long time.

Then he reached out and gently touched her cheek: "You've learned it?"

"Mm." Chen Nuo nodded. "I've learned it."

"Remember," Fang Jingxiu's voice was particularly clear in the cold wind, "there are some things that can't be said outright in this circle, and some gifts that can't be given openly. You have to know how to use phrases like 'found it' or 'brought it along casually'."

He spoke slowly, as if instructing a student: "A person like Director Li wouldn't accept gifts openly offered. But if she found them, she wouldn't be able to refuse."

Chen Nuo listened attentively, memorizing every word.

She knew that Fang Jingxiu was teaching her the rules.

Teach her how to survive and navigate this arena of power.

"Also," Fang Jingxiu paused, "you did well today. Your responses were natural, and you didn't seem nervous."

This is a very high compliment.

Chen Nuo's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, and then blossomed with joy.

"It's because you taught me so well," she said softly.

Fang Jingxiu smiled, a faint smile, but one that felt especially warm in the night.

The car is coming.

Secretary Qin opened the car door, and Fang Jingxiu let Chen Nuo get in first, then he got in himself.

The car drove away from the hotel and disappeared into the night in Goan.

Chen Nuo leaned back in his seat, touching the scarf around his neck, and felt an unprecedented sense of peace welling up inside him.

She knew that from this day forward, she had truly stepped into this industry.

Fang Jingxiu was the one who guided her.

Not only did they guide her, but they also taught her the rules step by step.

This kind of man...

How fortunate she is.