Official excuse: I've put you on patrol in Handong, and the whole province is in a panic.

8 PM.

When Hou Liangping arrived home, Zhong Xiaoai was sitting on the living room sofa reading documents.

A cup of cooled green tea sat on the coffee table, and several documents marked with a security classification were spread out next to it.

Hou Liangping changed into slippers, sat down opposite her, and glanced at the documents.

"Honey...you can't bring classified documents home...you've got some serious knowledge of security regulations..."

Zhong Xiaoai glanced at Hou Liangping.

"You think you're doing well? If I don't talk to Lao Qin, you'll be summoned and disciplined by the disciplinary inspection team!"

Hou Liangping: ......

Upon hearing Zhong Xiaoai's words, Hou Liangping felt like slapping himself.

Forget it.

Why did you have to talk about Zhong Xiaoai for no reason? If you're wrong, she can verbally attack you to death; if you're right, she can kill you...

Hou Liangping chuckled dryly, moved closer to Zhong Xiaoai, and said, "Wife, do you still remember Chen Hai?"

Zhong Xiaoai paused for a moment as she flipped through the documents.

"What's wrong?"

"He was dismissed. He lost his position as director of the anti-corruption bureau and was demoted to the level of a division chief."

Zhong Xiaoai looked up and took off her glasses.

"Demoted to a division-level position? That's a serious punishment?"

"That's right." Hou Liangping crossed his legs and laughed, "I heard it was the inspection team's idea, and in the end, the Handong Provincial Party Committee dealt with him severely."

Zhong Xiaoai frowned.

"Qi Tongwei, Chen Hai, and you were known as the Three Musketeers of Han University back in the day. I've met Chen Hai a few times; he seems like an honest guy. I never expected the honest guy to be the first to get taken down..."

talking.

Zhong Xiaoai looked at Hou Liangping and laughed, "So, cherish this opportunity! Without me, you might end up in an even worse situation than him!"

Hou Liangping snorted.

"What kind of honest man is he? This time, Ding Yizhen ran away, and he almost dragged me down with him! In the end, it's because he's incompetent. He didn't arrest people when he should have, but insisted on reporting and requesting instructions from all levels, dragging things out. Now that people have escaped, he's shifting the blame onto me—"

"Alright."

Zhong Xiaoai interrupted him, her voice not loud, but Hou Liangping immediately shut his mouth.

"Liangping, if you hadn't called and pressured them first, would they have been dragged into this? In the middle of the night, without any procedures or approvals, you made a phone call and ordered the arrest of a department-level official. Who would dare to act directly? Chen Hai followed the proper procedures, which is compliant. You disobeyed the procedures, which is illegal. Now you've been promoted, and they've been demoted, and you're still here making sarcastic remarks?"

Hou Liangping opened his mouth, wanting to refute.

Zhong Xiaoai's eyes were already glaring at her.

He knew that look in his eyes all too well.

Whether at the dining table or by the bed in the bedroom, that look made his heart tighten, and he had no choice but to obey!

Hou Liangping swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

"yes..."

Zhong Xiaoai softened her tone.

"I suggest you find some time to comfort Chen Hai. Anyone can add flowers to brocade, but a helping hand in times of need shows true worth. Besides, you do bear some responsibility for this matter; he took the blame for you, and you didn't even say a word. Does that sound good to people?"

Hou Liangping was extremely unwilling, but looking at Zhong Xiaoai's expression, he obediently nodded.

"Okay, okay, I'll give him a call when I have time."

Zhong Xiaoai didn't pursue the topic any further, put her glasses back on, and continued flipping through the documents.

Hou Liangping sat on the sofa for a while, then felt the time was right and cleared his throat.

"Honey, there's something else I need to tell you."

"Um."

"Director Qin spoke with me. Chen Hai got into trouble, and the position of Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the High Procuratorate of Handong Province has become vacant. Director Qin wants me to take over the position... He will coordinate the specific details."

Zhong Xiaoai stopped flipping through the documents.

She slowly raised her head, took off her glasses, and looked at Hou Liangping.

"Did Lao Qin send you?"

"That's right." Hou Liangping straightened his back. "When it comes to handling cases, I'm the bureau's undisputed top investigator. In terms of rank, that position is at the deputy director-general level, and I'm currently at that level, so the transfer would be perfect. Director Qin thinks I'm the most suitable—"

Are you trying to fool me?

Zhong Xiaoai smiled.

Hou Liangping had seen that kind of smile many times, and every time he saw it, it sent chills down his spine.

"I didn't! It was really Director Qin's doing—"

"Still saying no!"

Zhong Xiaoai put her glasses on the coffee table.

"Liangping, are you still trying to play these petty tricks on me? I won't lie to you, Lao Qin always communicates with me beforehand about any arrangements he makes for you. Transferring you from Yanjing to Handong is such a big deal, how could he not inform me first? I haven't received a single word from him, and you come back to tell me that Lao Qin sent you?"

Hou Liangping's expression froze for a moment.

Zhong Xiaoai continued.

"In my opinion, you saw that position was vacant and got it on your mind, so you went to Lao Qin and begged him for it. Lao Qin couldn't make up his mind, so he sent you back to ask for my opinion first. Isn't that right?"

Hou Liangping chuckled dryly and scratched the back of his head.

"You could see right through me... You're so clever, my wife..."

Zhong Xiaoai snorted.

"Behave yourself from now on, and stop trying to fool me! I won't hold it against you this time."

Hou Liangping quickly dropped his playful expression and said seriously, "Wife, I'm serious. This is a rare opportunity—a deputy director-general position! In Yanjing, I'm just a second-level inspector. It sounds impressive, and although it's a deputy director-general level position, I can't actually manage anything. Going to Handong will be different..."

"What's different?" Zhong Xiaoai asked indifferently.

Hou Liangping realized that his wording was not quite right and quickly corrected himself.

"What I mean is that they should be able to work independently and have actual case-handling and management authority."

Zhong Xiaoai remained silent for a while.

"Liangping, to be honest, I don't want you to get involved in the affairs of Handong. And you should definitely not even think about that bureau chief position."

Hou Liangping became anxious.

Why?

Zhong Xiaoai sighed, looked at Hou Liangping, and said, "Do you know what the situation is like in Handong right now? The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inspection team is stationed there, the newly appointed provincial party secretary and discipline inspection secretary have just taken office, and there are still local forces like Gao Yuliang and Li Dakang deeply entrenched under them. It's a complete mess. If you go, I'm afraid you won't be able to control the situation and might even get yourself into trouble."

Hou Liangping couldn't help but say, "You underestimate me! Look at what kind of people Handong has. Our old classmate Qi Tongwei is now the head of the Public Security Bureau, and I heard he almost became the vice governor! He relied on his father-in-law, Liang Qunfeng, for that! I just wasted some time there; if I were in Handong, I might have already risen to prominence. At least, I'm no worse than Chen Hai, right? He has his father, Chen Yanshi, but I have my dad—and my dad is much more capable than his!"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiaoai was speechless.

to be honest...

Hou Liangping was stating a fact to some extent.

Zhong Zhengguo's father was indeed much better than Chen Hai's father, Chen Yanshi.

But...

In terms of ability...

Ugh!

Zhong Xiaoai looked at Hou Liangping's determined expression and remained silent for several seconds.

She sighed.

"Alright. Since you're determined to go, I won't stop you. But there are a few things you must agree to."

"you say!"

"First, once you arrive in Handong, do more and talk less, and avoid offending anyone. Second, avoid contact with the inspection team if possible, and cooperate with them if you can. Third, if you encounter anything you're unsure about, call me first."

Hou Liangping nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Zhong Xiaoai glanced at him and swallowed back the words, "If only you really knew what you were doing."

......

three days later.

Qin Siyuan personally paid a visit.

He was wearing a dark gray jacket and had a perfectly timed smile on his face when he stood at Hou Liangping's door.

Zhong Xiaoai opened the door herself.

"Director Qin, you've arrived. Please come in."

Qin Siyuan had a big smile on his face.

"Hello, Comrade Xiao Ai... I'm so sorry to bother you like this..."

Zhong Xiaoai smiled.

"Not at all, please come in!"

Qin Siyuan, with a smile on his face and even a hint of fear, stepped into the room, changed into slippers, and sat down in the living room.

Zhong Xiaoai went to the kitchen to pour water and brought out a cup of hot tea.

Qin Siyuan immediately stood up from the sofa and took the teacup with both hands.

"Thank you, Comrade Xiao Ai, you're too kind."

Hou Liangping sat in the living room with a big smile on his face.

Qin Siyuan said, "Liangping, you're so lucky! See? That's what a virtuous wife and loving mother is like! You rascal, you really are..."

Hou Liangping chuckled and said, "Director Qin, let's get down to business. There's no point in being so polite."