Name: My father is Zhao Dehan, and I hope he will become a dragon!

In the Zhao family home, a ray of winter sunlight peeked through a crack in the window, illuminating the open appointment documents.

Zhao Dehan's finger hovered in mid-air; he didn't dare touch the paper.

He stared at the words "Vice Governor (one-year probationary period)" for a full minute.

Is this the vice governor?

A year is still a bit too long.

This means that Zhao Dehan is not a "natural high-ranking official," but rather holds a "high-ranking experience card" with limited time, scope, and responsibility. If used well, he can be promoted to a full-fledged position after a year and become the true cornerstone of Handong. If used poorly, the card will be invalidated, and his situation will be even more difficult than it is now.

The three main issues are: resolving the debt dispute between Dafeng Factory and Shanshui Group, the continued arrears in teachers' salaries, and zero land sales.

If you do a good job, you'll become a vice governor.

If you don't do a good job, you're finished!

"……this……"

Zhao Dehan's voice was dry: "I've never even been a deputy mayor."

Zhao Chongming sat opposite him, slowly peeling an orange.

She broke off a piece of fabric, casually tossed it into her mouth, and said with a grin, "Dad, you've managed the purse strings for twenty years, approved over three thousand projects, and shut down a multi-billion dollar unfinished project—do you really think the comrades in the Second Bureau of the Organization Department of the Central Committee don't know who you are?"

Zhao Dehan suddenly looked up: "You...you pulled some strings for me?"

"certainly!"

Zhao Chongming laughed and said, "I've spent quite a bit of money. During this time, you've helped me build connections, and I've also taken advantage of that time to use those connections to make some changes to your image!"

"What characterization?" Zhao Dehan felt as if he couldn't see through his son at all.

"Simply put!"

Zhao Chongming said, "You're a senior section chief in the finance system, now a key variable for stability in Handong. Going to Handong would make you a firefighter. First, the Dingyizhen landslide was an 'urgent, difficult, and dangerous' situation. Second, the mess in Guangming District is one that no one dares to take on, making it a 'special work requirement.' Third, you've long been in charge of financial approvals and are familiar with the entire chain of land, funds, and projects, making you 'exceptionally outstanding.'"

Zhao Dehan was stunned: "Me, am I really that outstanding?"

Although my father embezzled.

However, their abilities are undeniable.

The only troublesome ones are misers; they're so used to being poor that they don't understand how to distribute profits.

Moreover, he is timid.

As for Zhao Chongming, he is a completely different type.

He doesn't care about money or anything like that.

It would be best to become a vice-provincial level official; if not, this money is still a transaction.

Don't panic!

He made it clear that money doesn't work in China; power is the most important thing.

As for courage.

I have a system as my overlord, even closer than my own father, what am I afraid of?

Zhao Chongming peeled another segment of orange: "Dad, you're a soldier who's passed the organization's test now. They haven't found out you embezzled anything, but now that there's a problem in Handong, it's not impossible that they might parachute in a Sha Ruijin, and then parachute in another one like you!"

"Now, the most important thing is whether you can put the collapsed roof beams back up."

"How much did you spend?" Zhao Dehan asked, his eyes wide open.

Zhao Chongming smiled and said calmly, "I don't know, four to five hundred million, or maybe more!"

"What?" Zhao Dehan was stunned.

Then, realizing something was amiss, he couldn't help but ask, "At most I embezzled... cough cough, you earned at most two hundred million, four or five hundred million, how is that possible?"

"You really think I'm throwing cash at you?" Zhao Chongming shrugged. "I'm throwing away the 'future'."

"The future?" Zhao Dehan hesitated for a moment. "How so?"

He leaned forward and lowered his voice: "Zhang Wei and I have started a joint venture company. Next, we will open five more companies, just like the one in Yizhuang. We estimate that we can earn 860 million yuan. In every contract, there is a small note: 'After the project is completed, a technical consulting fee of 3.5% of the actual total investment will be paid to the designated platform.'"

Zhao Dehan's pupils contracted: "...This is acceptable...!"

"No."

Zhao Chongming calmly corrected, "This is a compliant market service agreement. The consultation details are clearly stated: performance evaluation of fiscal funds, cost accounting for primary land development, and optimization of resettlement housing construction standards—all within your areas of expertise."

Zhao Dehan remained silent.

This is a sneaky way of slipping money, not just giving it directly.

It is more concealed and harder to investigate.

In 2007, the money was simply given out in a rough manner, but this approach became less and less effective over time.

The methods are becoming increasingly covert.

The devil is always one step ahead of the saint!

He picked up the now-cold cup of tea on the table, took a sip, and said, "The money won't be recorded, won't be pocketed, and won't be signed off on. It will only be released after the project is completed and the audit is passed. The designated platform is overseas, and it will be paid in US dollars. Don't worry, there won't be any problems!"

There shouldn't be any problems until at least 2012.

As for 2012, we'll see. In five years, my father should be able to secure his position in Handong.

Zhao Dehan stared at his son, then suddenly asked, "...Is Zhang Wei willing to cooperate?"

"How could he possibly be unwilling to cooperate?"

Zhao Chongming shrugged and said calmly, "Don't underestimate our power. Making him succeed might be difficult, but preventing him from succeeding is a piece of cake. I think he's quite shrewd; there are some things we can let him do!"

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Zhao Dehan slowly closed the appointment document, his fingers pressing on the cover, then sighed and said, "You really have a lot of nerve!"

"Dad!"

Zhao Chongming said with a smile, "You should think this through carefully. To help you improve, your starting point is already higher than most people's!"

Despite Qi Laoting's repeated recommendations from Gao Yuliang, he never managed to become a deputy provincial governor.

Zhao Dehan took a deep breath: "Let's go, to Handong!"

A residential compound for family members of a ministry in Xicheng District.

Hou Liangping pushed a "Preliminary Investigation Report on Comrade Chen Hai's Car Accident" in front of the leader and tapped the signature column on the last page with his fingertip.

"Minister Wang, before Chen Hai had the accident, he was sorting out the flow of Ding Yizhen's three 'preliminary guidance funds' in Guangming District. He was still calling me and discussing this matter when he had the car accident!" Hou Liangping took a deep breath.

The leader didn't even glance at the report, only raising his eyes: "Comrade Liangping, we're considering sending you to Handong to replace Chen Hai. What do you think? Are you interested?"

"Yes."

Hou Liangping immediately said, "I request to be transferred to the position of Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Handong Provincial People's Procuratorate."

After a moment of silence, the leader suddenly asked, "I heard... Zhao Dehan, the Zhao Dehan you investigated before, has just been appointed as the vice governor of Handong Province?"

Hou Liangping was taken aback: "What?"

The leader took a deep breath: "You've always suspected Ding Yizhen of having dealings with him, and at this critical juncture, appointing him as the vice governor of Handong Province puts you under immense pressure!"

"I remain steadfast in my belief that Zhao Dehan is problematic!" Hou Liangping said earnestly, "Boss, I'm not afraid of pressure!"

"Look!" The leader turned to the last page of the report and pointed to a line of bold small print:

"The conclusion of the qualification review for Comrade Zhao Dehan is: his integrity is good, there are no complaints or reports against him, and no problems have been found in the audits of the past three years."

"This is utterly ridiculous." Hou Liangping closed the report and said with utmost seriousness, "Therefore, I must go—not to support him, but to tear off the 'clean' paper covering him, one by one."

The leader smiled and said, "Don't talk to me about that yet. Go and report to Comrade Xiao Ai first!"