Nominal: My senior brothers are all big shots

On the afternoon of the third day after the Standing Committee meeting, Lin Feng was reviewing documents in his office when Qian Shumo knocked on the door and entered, his expression somewhat subtle.

"Secretary Lin, Zhou Tianming has arrived. He says he's here to visit you in his capacity as a member of the Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference."

Lin Feng raised his head and glanced at Qian Shumo.

Qian Shumo's expression was calm, but there was a hint of tension in his eyes. Lin Feng put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. "Let him in."

Qian Shumo nodded, turned and left. Lin Feng stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his back to the door.

Outside the window, the sky over Pingjiang was still hazy, and the distant mines were shrouded in smog, like a giant beast lying on the ground.

The door opened, and the footsteps were light but steady.

Lin Feng turned around and saw a man in his fifties standing at the door.

He was wearing a dark jacket over a white shirt, without a tie. He was of medium build, neither fat nor thin, with a kind, even somewhat simple, face, but sharp eyes.

That was Zhou Tianming—Old Zhou's nephew, the biggest rare earth boss in Pingjiang, and the name at the very top of that list.

Zhou Tianming stood at the door, not in a hurry to come in, but gave a slight bow and said with a smile, "Secretary Lin, I'm sorry to bother you. I am Zhou Tianming, a member of the Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference, from Tiansheng Group. I've wanted to visit you for a long time, but I was afraid you were too busy, so I didn't dare to disturb you."

His voice was not loud, but clear, with just the right amount of humility.

Lin Feng walked over and shook hands with him. "Mr. Zhou, please have a seat."

Zhou Tianming sat down on the sofa, and Lin Feng sat down opposite him.

Chen Yue brought in the tea, then left and closed the door behind him.

Zhou Tianming picked up the teacup, blew away the foam, took a slow sip, and put it down, his movements unhurried.

"Secretary Lin, you've been in Pingjiang for half a month now. How does it feel?" Zhou Tianming asked with a smile, as if he were having a casual chat.

Lin Feng said, "I'm still getting familiar with the situation."

Zhou Tianming nodded and sighed, "Pingjiang is a place that's both good and bad. The good thing is that it's rich in resources—rare earth, tungsten, fluorite, you name it. The bad thing is that with so many resources come all sorts of people, all kinds of weirdos and scoundrels. Secretary Lin, now that you're here, we're all hoping you can sort things out in Pingjiang."

Lin Feng looked at him without saying a word.

Zhou Tianming continued, "I'm a rough guy. I served in the army, and after being discharged, I came back and started a company doing rare earth business. Over the years, thanks to the care of the city leaders, the company has developed quite well. I don't have any great abilities, but I do have one thing—I follow the rules. I pay the taxes I'm supposed to pay, and I complete all the necessary procedures. I never cause trouble for the government."

Lin Feng picked up the teacup, took a slow sip, and put it down.

Zhou Tianming looked at him, his gaze holding an indescribable quality, like a probe, yet also a reminder. "Secretary Lin, matters in Pingjiang sometimes involve certain people. You've just arrived, and there may be some situations you're not yet aware of. What I mean is, if there's anything you need, just let me know. I, Zhou Tianming, will definitely do my best to handle it for you."

Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, looking at him. "Mr. Zhou, you just said you follow the rules. Then I'd like to ask you, do you know who's behind those illegal mining operations in Pingjiang?"

Zhou Tianming's smile froze for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "Secretary Lin, I really don't know much about that. I run a legitimate business; I don't get involved in those shady dealings."

Lin Feng nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Zhou Tianming paused for a moment, then took an envelope from his jacket pocket, placed it on the coffee table, and pushed it in front of Lin Feng.

The envelope was thin but exquisite, with a red label on the seal bearing the words "Tiansheng Group".

"Secretary Lin, this is just a small token of my appreciation. You must be tired from working in Pingjiang. This is an apartment I own in the south of the city. It's in a nice place and close to the municipal party committee. If you're tired, you can take a break here." Zhou Tianming's voice was very soft, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

Lin Feng glanced down at the envelope but didn't touch it.

Zhou Tianming looked at him, his smile still kind, but with a hint of nervous anticipation in his eyes. Lin Feng raised his head, looking at Zhou Tianming calmly. "Mr. Zhou, I appreciate your kind intentions. But I cannot accept this."

Zhou Tianming paused for a moment, then smiled: "Secretary Lin, please don't misunderstand, it's just a house, nothing more. Your coming to work in Pingjiang is a blessing for the people of Pingjiang, and it's only right that we business people support your work."

Lin Feng stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to him. "Mr. Zhou, I said I can't accept it. You can take it back."

Zhou Tianming watched his retreating figure, remained silent for a few seconds, then stood up, took the envelope back, and put it back into his inner pocket.

He walked to the door, then turned back. "Secretary Lin, you've just arrived, so you'll learn about some things gradually. Pingjiang is a very complex place. If you need anything, feel free to contact me anytime."

Lin Feng didn't turn around. The door closed softly.

Chen Yue pushed open the door and entered, looking at Lin Feng, hesitant to speak. Lin Feng turned around, walked to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed the internal line. "Secretary Qian, please come over here."

Qian Shumo arrived quickly. Lin Feng said, "Zhou Tianming came by earlier. He left an envelope, which I told him to take back. Go and find out what's going on with that house of his, and also, which Standing Committee members he's been in contact with recently."

Qian Shumo nodded, asked no further questions, and turned to leave.

Lin Feng stood by the window, gazing at the gray sky outside.

Zhou Tianming's words still echoed in his ears—sometimes, matters in Pingjiang are unavoidable when it comes to certain people. He recalled the names on that list, Liu Zhiyuan's objections at the Standing Committee meeting, Huang Zhiqiang's agreement, and the reports with the same tone. Those people were the same people Zhou Tianming had mentioned.

Chen Yue stood at the door, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Secretary Lin, that Zhou Tianming, is he...?"

Lin Feng turned around, looked at him, his gaze heavy. "Chen Yue, remember this. In Pingjiang, you'll find all sorts of people, and anything can happen. But there's one rule—never take what you shouldn't take."

Chen Yue nodded and left.

Lin Feng sat back down at his desk, took the list out of the drawer, looked at it once, and then put it back.

Outside the window, darkness was approaching. Night was about to fall again in Pingjiang. But he wasn't afraid. He hadn't come to Pingjiang to avoid those people. He had come to lure them in, one by one.

On the twelfth day after arriving in Pingjiang, Lin Feng decided to go to Longnan Town.

Longnan Town is located at the northernmost part of Pingjiang City, bordering a neighboring province, and is the area where rare earth mining is most serious.

In Liu Zhiyuan's planned research route, Longnan Town was placed last, because "the road is difficult to travel, so we'll go when the weather is better."

Lin Feng didn't say anything.