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

At four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, Fang Jingxiu sat in his study smoking.

Outside the window is Jingjing in winter, the sky is gray and hazy, and the tall buildings of the Guomao area in the distance are faintly visible in the thin mist.

He was wearing dark gray loungewear, no glasses, and his hair was a little messy. He had a cigarette in his left hand and was flipping through the second draft of the National Development and Reform Commission's annual summary report with his right.

There were seven or eight documents spread out on the coffee table, all with red headers and white paper, each related to the direction of a certain industry next year.

The ashtray was already piled with five or six cigarette butts, and the study was filled with a faint smell of tobacco.

It's almost the end of the year.

Fang Jingxiu knew all too well what those four words meant within the system.

He had to write summaries, give reports, approve next year's budget, and get key projects approved. He'd been sleeping less than twenty hours in the past few days, and even Secretary Qin couldn't stand the dark circles under his eyes, so she secretly left a bottle of eye cream in his office this morning.

My phone vibrated.

Fang Jingxiu glanced at the screen: Mother.

He frowned slightly, stared at the name for a few seconds, and only answered the call when it was about to hang up automatically.

"mom."

"Brother Xiu," Fang's mother's voice came through the receiver, carrying the gentle warmth characteristic of Beijing dialect, "Are you busy?"

"It'll definitely be busy at the end of the year." Fang Jingxiu stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Dad's probably busy too."

"You two are both so busy," Fang's mother said coquettishly. "Your dad hasn't been home for a week, he's been handling work at the military base. And you too, you haven't been home to see your mother in ages."

Fang Jingxiu rubbed his temples: "Once this period of work is over, everything will be fine."

"Then come home for dinner tonight," said Fang's mother. "Your father finished work and said he'd be home tonight. It's been a long time since our family has eaten together."

Fang Jingxiu remained silent.

"What? Does nothing I say work anymore?" Fang's mother asked, her voice tinged with grievance.

"...What time?" Fang Jingxiu finally gave in.

"It's 6:30. Come home early, and Mom will cook your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Fang Jingxiu stared at his phone screen for a long time.

Family dinner.

In his family, these two words have never been as simple as just eating.

My father, Fang Zhenguo, is a lieutenant general in the army and the political commissar of an army group. He is likely to be promoted again next year.

Her mother, Lin Wanqing, was the only daughter of the Lin family in Jingjing. Her maternal grandfather was among the first group of entrepreneurs to venture into business after the reforms, and now the Lin family's businesses are spread throughout North China.

In such families, every family dinner could be a mini-political meeting.

Fang Jingxiu glanced at the time: 4:20.

He got up, went into the bathroom, took a shower, and changed his clothes.

He wore a dark blue cashmere sweater, black casual pants, and a long black wool coat. He wasn't wearing a tie, but his overall appearance was neat and tidy. His hair was styled in his usual slicked-back look after being blown dry, revealing his full forehead and deep-set eyes.

The man in the mirror, not yet thirty, already possessed the composed aura of a forty-year-old.

That was the aura nurtured by power: sharp eyes, upright shoulders, and an undeniable sense of control in every gesture.

At five o'clock, he drove out.

Even without traffic, it takes forty minutes to get from Corning to the villa area in Dongshan.

Fang Jingxiu remained silent the entire way, with Chopin's Nocturnes playing on the car stereo, but he didn't hear a single word.

He was thinking about Chen Nuo.

Last night, when I took her home, she looked back at me before getting out of the car, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Goodnight, Brother Xiu! Sweet dreams."

He said, "You too."

Then she laughed, turned and ran into the building. The hem of her down jacket billowed in a cheerful arc behind her.

Young is so good.

Fang Jingxiu tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

I'm twenty-nine years old.

Within the system, reaching the position of a powerful department head at this age means a promising future.

But within the family, not being married at this age is already a problem.

Marriage has never been a matter of feelings; it's a matter of politics.

The Fang family's only son must marry someone who has passed all political vetting and has a strong background.

My father has hinted more than once that marriage is an alliance, a resource integration, and a guarantee that the family will remain at the top of the pyramid for the next thirty years.

Therefore, he dared not break the ice with Chen Nuo.

It's not that I don't like it.

Because I like it, I dare not delay.

She's only twenty-two, still a film school graduate, her life is just beginning. Her youth is fleeting, she can't afford to waste it.

He's already twenty-nine, and sooner or later he'll have to take over the family's arranged marriages. How will he tell her then?

"I'm sorry, my family has arranged a marriage for me."

Fang Jingxiu closed his eyes.

The car drove into the Dongshan villa area.

There aren't many people living here, but each household carries significant weight.

The Fang family's villa is located at the deepest part of the house. It is a three-story building with a Chinese garden design and guards standing at the entrance.

At 6:10, Fang Jingxiu parked his car in the garage.

He paused as he entered the living room.

Besides his parents, two other people were sitting on the sofa: a middle-aged man in his fifties wearing a Zhongshan suit and a young woman.

Fang Jingxiu's eyes instantly turned cold.

This is not a family dinner.

This is a trap.

"Xiu-ge'er is back!" Fang's mother greeted him with a beaming smile. "Come on, your Uncle Liu and Si-hua are here."

Fang Jingxiu quickly adjusted his expression, put on a polite smile, and walked over: "Dad, Mom, Uncle Liu, Sihua, hello."

Liu Yang, the first executive vice minister of a ministry, is very likely to be promoted to full minister next year.

He stood up with a smile: "Jingxiu is back! You've become more and more composed over the years."

"Uncle Liu, you flatter me." Fang Jingxiu nodded, then looked at the young woman.

Liu Sihua, 25 years old, graduated with a master's degree from Cambridge University and now works in the European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jingjing. Today, she wore a beige cashmere dress, her long hair was draped over her shoulders, and her makeup was exquisite. Sitting there, she looked like a lady from a well-to-do family.

She stood up, her cheeks slightly flushed, and said gently, "Brother Jingxiu, it's been a long time."

Fang Jingxiu reached out and shook her hand, but the touch was brief: "Sihua, hello."

"You two used to play together when you were little!" Fang's mother pulled Liu Sihua to sit down. "Sihua used to follow you around calling you 'Brother Jingxiu,' and you used to find it annoying."

Liu Sihua blushed even more: "Aunt Lin..."

Fang Jingxiu sat down on the single sofa, his expression calm: "It was too long ago, I don't remember much."

These words were spoken rather coldly, but Liu Yang seemed oblivious, and said with a smile, "Kids are all like this when they grow up. Sihua works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now, and she often talks about you, saying that Brother Jingxiu is at the National Development and Reform Commission, young and promising."

"Uncle Liu, you're too kind." Fang Jingxiu took out his phone and started checking emails. "I'm just doing my job."

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

Fang Zhenguo, Fang Jingxiu's father, remained silent.

He was dressed in civilian clothes, but his posture was upright, his shoulders and back broad; even in his fifties, he maintained the physique of a soldier. He glanced at his son, his eyes sharp.

"Jingxiu," Fang Zhenguo began, "Are you busy with work at the end of the year?"

"Hmm." Fang Jingxiu didn't even look up. "The annual summary and the approval of key projects must be completed before the end of the year."

"No matter how busy you are, you must take care of your health," Liu Yang replied. "I heard that you were in charge of that new energy base project in your commission? You did a good job; the ministry even praised you by name at a meeting."

Fang Jingxiu looked up: "Thank you for your affirmation, Uncle Liu."

"Your Uncle Liu might be getting a job next year," Fang Zhenguo suddenly said. "You two might have more work-related interactions then."

That's already made very clear.

Liu Yang is about to be promoted. If you marry his daughter, it will be beneficial to your career.

Fang Jingxiu put down his phone and looked at his father: "That's a good thing. Uncle Liu is very capable, so it's only right."

Avoid the heavy and do the light.

Liu Sihua sat next to her mother, secretly watching Fang Jingxiu.

She recalled her childhood, when the children in the compound would play together, and Fang Jingxiu was always the most composed one. While other boys climbed trees to raid bird nests, he would sit under the tree reading.

Later he stayed in the country, she went abroad to study, and then...

"Brother Jingxiu," she mustered her courage to speak, "are you... still single?"

The question was so straightforward that it took everyone present a moment to catch their breath.

Fang Jingxiu looked at her, his eyes calm: "Yes."

"Well..." Liu Sihua bit her lip, "What do you think of me?"

This is practically a confession.

Fang's mother's face lit up with joy, and Liu Yang also smiled as he looked at the two young people.

Fang Jingxiu remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he said, "Sihua, you're great. Young, beautiful, from a good family, and with a good job."

He paused for a moment, then said, "But I'm very busy with work right now and don't have time to think about personal matters."

The refusal was tactful, but the meaning was clear.

Liu Sihua's eyes reddened, and she lowered her head.

Liu Yang's smile faded slightly.

Fang Zhenguo looked at his son with a deep gaze: "Jingxiu, you're twenty-nine."

"I know," Fang Jingxiu said.

"If you know, you should consider it." Fang Zhenguo's tone became more serious. "Marriage is a major life event, not a game. Uncle Liu and our family have been friends for generations, and we've watched Sihua grow up. We know her inside and out."

"Dad," Fang Jingxiu looked up and met his father's gaze, "I will consider my own marriage."

These words were spoken calmly, yet carried an undeniable force.

The living room was completely silent.

Fang's mother quickly smoothed things over, "Alright, alright, let's eat first! The food's getting cold!"

The group moved to the restaurant.

The meal was unpalatable.

Liu Sihua barely touched her chopsticks, and Fang Jingxiu only ate a little bit symbolically. Only the elders maintained a semblance of liveliness, chatting about trivial matters.

At 8:30, the Liu family father and daughter said goodbye.

After seeing the guests off, Fang Jingxiu returned to the living room.

Fang Zhenguo sat on the sofa, his face gloomy.

"What kind of attitude was that just now?" Fang Zhenguo asked.

"My true feelings." Fang Jingxiu stood in front of his father. "Dad, I know you mean well. But marriage is something you can't force."

"Forced?" Fang Zhenguo sneered. "What do you think marriage is? A love game for you young people? Fang Jingxiu, you are the only son of the Fang family. Your marriage is related to the fate of the entire family!"

"So I have to marry someone I don't love?"

"Love?" Fang Zhenguo stood up, half a head shorter than Fang Jingxiu, but with an imposing aura. "I only met your mother three times before we got married! And now? Aren't we doing well?"

"That was your era!" Fang Jingxiu raised his voice, a rare occurrence for him. "Things are different now!"

"What's different?" Fang Zhenguo stared at his son. "The game of power has never changed! What do you think you relied on to sit in the position of section chief at the National Development and Reform Commission? Your ability? Yes, you are capable, but without the Fang family's background, could you have reached this position at this age?"

Fang Jingxiu remained silent.

"Liu Yang will be promoted to ministerial level next year. Don't you know how many detours his network can save you?" Fang Zhenguo said earnestly. "Jingxiu, you are not from an ordinary family. You have enjoyed the benefits brought by your family, so you must bear the responsibilities of your family."

Fang Jingxiu closed his eyes.

"I understand," he said, his voice weary, "but I need time."

"Time?" Fang Zhenguo looked at him. "How much time do you have left? You're twenty-nine, and you'll be thirty next year. If you're still not married at thirty, how many people will gossip behind your back? What impact will that have on your promotion? Have you thought about that?"

Fang Jingxiu remained silent.

He turned around, picked up his coat, and said, "I still have work to do, I'll head back now."

"Jingxiu!" Fang's mother chased after him to the door.

Fang Jingxiu turned around, looked at his mother's worried face, and softened his voice: "Mom, I'm fine. Let me think about it."

He walked out of the villa and got into his car.

I started the engine, but I didn't know where to go.

My phone vibrated; it was a message from Chen Nuo: "Brother Xiu, I was packing today and found some photos I took at Donghai. This one of the starry sky is especially beautiful; I'm sharing it with you [image]."

Fang Jingxiu clicked on the picture.

It was the familiar Museli starry sky. The Milky Way stretched across the heavens, its starlight dazzling.

He stared at the photo for a very long time.

Then he typed: "Beautiful."

He paused, then added, "Get some rest."

send.

He put down his phone and looked out the car window at the night view of the Western Hills.

My personal feelings wouldn't allow it.

Reasonable yet cautionary.

What should he do?