I slept with my sister's classmate, and she turned out to be my boss.

"Sis, it's not convenient to talk right now. I'll call you after get off work."

"Okay, I'll wait for your call."

At five o'clock, Liu Zhiguo stood up.

"Xiao Chen, I have something to do, I'll be leaving now. You can watch the office for a bit."

Chen Dapeng smiled.

"Okay, no problem."

Only after confirming that Liu Zhiguo had really left did he call his sister.

He opened his mouth, wondering how to begin.

"sister……"

"Don't speak yet," Chen Yang interrupted him. "Dapeng, tell me the truth—are you involved in something?"

"no."

"Then why were you transferred to the Information Technology Department?"

"Normal job rotation."

"Normal job rotation?" Chen Yang sneered. "Da Peng, do you even know what the IT department does? It's practically a retirement home. A newbie who's only been here for less than a month is being transferred to the IT department, and you're telling me that's normal job rotation?"

"Sis, how did you know I came to the IT department?"

"Never mind how I know. I'm asking you now, what exactly happened?"

Chen Dapeng took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm:

"Sis, it's really nothing. The general affairs department is overstaffed, while the information technology department is short-staffed, so they transferred me there. I'm new here, so spending time in a few different departments to get familiar with the work isn't a bad thing."

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

"Dapeng, you've never been able to lie since you were little. Do you think I can't tell?"

Chen Dapeng's heart tightened.

"sister……"

"I'll ask you one more time—what exactly happened?"

Chen Dapeng remained silent for a few seconds.

His older sister knows him too well. Every lie he's ever told since childhood has been exposed by her on the spot.

But he couldn't say.

It cannot be said that He Ying asked him to check the data of Liuhe Town.

It cannot be said that Fang Mingyuan transferred him to the Information Department.

It's not accurate to say that he's currently standing on the edge of an invisible vortex, where he could be swept in at any moment.

"Sis, it's really nothing." He tried to keep his voice calm. "I just... started working here and am still adjusting. Don't overthink it."

Chen Yang remained silent for a moment.

There was only the sound of soft breathing on the other end of the phone, as if she was trying to suppress some emotion.

"Dapeng," her voice was unusually calm, "Do you think you've grown up, that you're all grown up now, and that you can handle everything on your own?"

"I don't……"

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Chen Yang's voice carried a hint of anger, but also a touch of heartache. "I'm your sister. From childhood to adulthood, what haven't I covered for you in every single thing? Now that you're in trouble, you won't even tell me?"

Chen Dapeng's eyes stung a little.

He was reminded of his childhood.

Once, he got into a fight with a classmate at school and punched the other student in the nose, causing it to bleed. The teacher was going to call his parents.

He didn't dare tell his parents that it was his sister who took half a day off to go to school and apologize to the teacher and the other parent, and that's how she settled the matter.

On the way home, his sister didn't say anything, but she bought two popsicles and handed one to him.

"Next time you fight, don't hit my nose. The nose is fragile and bleeds easily, and if it bleeds, it'll be a big problem."

At that time, he thought his sister was the most amazing person in the world.

Later, my sister went to university, got a job, got married, and started her own life.

But he knew that no matter when, as long as he asked, his sister would definitely help him.

But he couldn't bring himself to speak about it.

It's not because I don't want to, it's because I can't.

"Sis," Chen Dapeng's voice was a little hoarse, "It's really nothing. Don't worry."

"Fine. If you won't tell me, I'll call He Ying and ask. She's the county head and my best friend; she definitely knows."

"Don't!"

Chen Dapeng blurted it out.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Chen Dapeng could hear his own heartbeat, thump thump thump.

"Dapeng," Chen Yang said, as if confirming something, "why are you afraid I'll call He Ying?"

Chen Dapeng's mind raced, desperately trying to find a reasonable explanation.

"Sister, I just... didn't want to put you in a difficult position. County Chief He is your classmate. If you call her, she'll be caught in the middle. She's a leader, and if something really happens to me, people will gossip if she speaks up for me; if she doesn't, you'll feel like she's not helping."

He didn't know if his explanation would convince his sister.

But he no longer had time to think of anything better.

"Dapeng," her voice turned serious, "I have two things to tell you."

"you say."

"First, no matter what happens, I'm your older sister, and I won't hurt you. If anything happens, you must tell me. Don't bear it all alone."

Chen Dapeng hummed in agreement.

"Secondly, He Ying is my best friend, from university until now, all these years. I know her better than anyone else what kind of person she is. She wouldn't hurt you. You'll do whatever she asks you to do."

Chen Dapeng's heart skipped a beat.

"Okay, sis."

"And another thing," Chen Yang's voice carried an uncompromising tone, "I'll come to Qingshun County another day and ask you directly. Be prepared."

"sister……"

"I said I'd come, and I mean it." Chen Yang interrupted him. "That's it, bye."

The phone beeped and hung up just like that.

Chen Dapeng put down his phone and stared at the ceiling.

"My sister said she'll come to Qingshun County to ask her about it in person. What should I do then?"

My sister knows him too well.

Sitting face to face, his every expression, every glance, and every subtle movement would be seen through by his sister.

He couldn't fool her.

But he couldn't tell the truth.

Chen Dapeng closed his eyes, his mind a complete mess.

……

On Saturday afternoon, Chen Dapeng was reading at his residence when his phone vibrated.

He Ying sent a WeChat message: "Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together."

Chen Dapeng stared at the line of text for a few seconds, then replied with a single word: "Okay."

"6:30, 'Old Place' farmhouse restaurant on the east side of the county town. I'll send you the address."

"it is good."

At six o'clock, Chen Dapeng changed into clean clothes and went out.

When he arrived, He Ying was already there.

She sat in a booth in the corner, with a pot of tea in front of her, without ordering any food.

She wore a thin black sweater today, her hair was down, and she wasn't wearing makeup, making her look much softer than usual.

"You're here? Have a seat."

He Ying raised her head and tilted her chin slightly towards the opposite side.

Chen Dapeng sat down opposite her, and the waiter came over and handed him the menu.

He Ying took the menu, flipped through it, and ordered a few dishes—pickled fish, garlic water spinach, a cucumber salad, and a bowl of tomato and egg soup.

Is that enough?

That's enough.

The waiter took the menu and left.

The two sat facing each other, neither of them speaking.

He Ying picked up the teacup, blew on it, took a sip, and put it down.

"Did your sister ask you why you were transferred to the IT department?"

Chen Dapeng looked up at He Ying.

"I asked."

"What did you say?"

I said it's normal job rotation.

He Ying picked up her teacup, took another sip, and offered no comment on his answer.

The dishes were served one after another.

He Ying picked up a piece of fish and ate it slowly and carefully, picking out every single bone and placing it on the side of the plate.

Chen Dapeng also ate, but he didn't have much of an appetite, and he just poked around in his bowl with his chopsticks.

Halfway through the meal, He Ying put down her chopsticks, looked up at him.

"Dapeng, do you know why you were transferred to the Information Technology Department?"

Chen Dapeng also put down his chopsticks and looked into her eyes.

"The Fang family's suppression."

He Ying neither nodded nor shook her head.

"Anything else?"

"Your protection."

He Ying looked at him for a few seconds, and finally the corners of her mouth curved into a smile—a genuine, unpretentious one.

"You're smarter than I thought."

She picked up her teacup and leaned back in her chair.

"The matter of the 800 million yuan in Liuhe Town, actually, some people in the county knew about it, but no one dared to investigate before. Do you know why?"

"Because of Fang Mingyuan."

He Ying nodded.

"Fang Mingyuan has been operating in the county for over a decade, with people in key departments such as the Development and Reform Commission, Finance Bureau, Land and Resources Bureau, and Transportation Bureau. Liuhe Town is his stronghold. Anyone who investigates Liuhe Town is going against him."

Chen Dapeng listened attentively without saying a word.

"Do you know how Fang Mingyuan started his business?"

Chen Dapeng shook his head.

"He worked in Liuhe Town for eight years, boosting the town's economy, and then was transferred to the county, where he rose step by step to become the executive deputy county head. Many of the cadres in Liuhe Town were promoted by him. Fang Zhiwen is his cousin, and he was the one who arranged for him to become the secretary of Liuhe Town."

He Ying's tone was calm, without any emotional fluctuation.

"Therefore, Liuhe Town is not only Fang Mingyuan's hometown, but also his foundation. Economically, Liuhe Town contributes nearly one-third of the county's fiscal revenue; politically, cadres from Liuhe Town are spread throughout various departments. To touch Liuhe Town is to touch his foundation."

Chen Dapeng asked, "Then why do we need to investigate?"

He Ying looked at him, her gaze darkening.

"Because if I don't investigate, I'll always be a parachuted-in county magistrate, forever suspended in mid-air, unable to accomplish anything. And also..."

She put down her teacup and lowered her voice.

"Before I came to Qingshun County, a provincial leader told me something—'The situation in Qingshun County is rather complicated, you should be mentally prepared.' I didn't pay much attention at the time, thinking it was just polite talk. But after I arrived, I found that it wasn't just complicated, it was a monolithic place."

"A solid block?" Chen Dapeng asked.

"That's right." He Ying nodded. "Before I came, the situation in Qingshun County was like this: Zhou Mingyuan was in charge of the overall situation and balanced the various forces; Fang Mingyuan was in charge of the economy and controlled the actual resources. As the county magistrate who was parachuted in, I was caught in the middle. To put it nicely, I was 'coordinating all parties,' but to put it bluntly, I was 'neither side'."

As Chen Dapeng listened, his heart sank deeper and deeper.

"So you need to break this metal plate?"

He Ying glanced at him, her eyes filled with approval.

"Liuhe Town is the weakest point in this iron plate. Fang Mingyuan has the deepest roots in Liuhe Town, but it also has the most problems. As long as a hole is torn in Liuhe Town, the whole iron plate will loosen."

"That 800 million..." Chen Dapeng lowered his voice, "...is that the opening?"

He Ying did not answer directly.

She picked up the teacup, took a sip, and slowly put it down.

"Eight million isn't a huge sum, but it's not a small one either. But if you trace this money further, nobody knows how much more might be uncovered."

Chen Dapeng fell silent.

He recalled the data he had found—inflated industrial growth rates, inflated fiscal revenue, inflated fixed asset investment, inflated investment attraction funds…

Behind every false report, there may be hidden problems.

"So what are you waiting for by holding back now?"

"Um."

He Ying looked at him.

"You're now in the Information Section. On the surface, it's Fang Mingyuan's people watching you, but the Information Section also has its advantages—you have access to information submitted by all departments across the county, and you can know immediately where there are problems."

Chen Dapeng nodded, suddenly realizing something.

He Ying's agreement to transfer him to the Information Department was not only a sign of weakness, but also a way of looking for an opportunity.

The general affairs department was close to her, but too conspicuous.

The information department may seem insignificant, but it has access to the entire county's information flow.

He was "marginalized," which allowed him to quietly do many things.

"There's one more thing. Fang Mingyuan has been in contact with someone recently."

"Who?"

"Su Wanqing".

Chen Dapeng was stunned for a moment.

Su Wanqing?

She was one of He Ying's most trusted people in the government office, and Fang Mingyuan's purpose in contacting her was self-evident.

"Will Director Su... side with Fang Mingyuan?"

He Ying shook her head.

"Su Wanqing is a smart woman. She knows what Fang Mingyuan means by contacting her, and she knows how to deal with it. But smart people are often the most dangerous—she won't easily take sides, but once she does, it's hard to turn back."

Chen Dapeng remained silent for a few seconds.

"Have you spoken with Director Su?"

"We talked about it." He Ying picked up her teacup. "She didn't give a clear answer, but she knew what I meant."

Chen Dapeng nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

He found himself increasingly unable to understand He Ying.

In the fields of Shuangqiao Town, the way she squatted down and kneaded the soil looked like an agricultural technician.

In the meeting room in Liuhe Town, the things she said sounded like those of a prosecutor.

In her transfer to the Information Technology Department, she adopted a strategy of retreating to advance, much like a chess player.

Now, sitting in this remote farmhouse restaurant, she analyzes the power structure, factional struggles, and personnel arrangements in the county with him, looking like a general.

"Dapeng".

"Um?"

"Did Liu Zhiguo give you any trouble while you were in the IT department?"

"No." Chen Dapeng thought for a moment, "He just... often chats with me and asks me some questions."

"What do you want to ask you?"

"They asked me if we knew each other before, and why I always took them with me on research trips."

He Ying frowned slightly.

"What did you say?"

"I said I didn't know him because it was for work."

He Ying nodded, her expression unreadable, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

"Dapeng".

"Um?"

"During your time in the IT department, besides your regular duties, there's one more thing I need you to do."

Chen Dapeng sat up straight, waiting for her to continue.

"Pay attention to all reports received by the Information Department regarding Liuhe Town. No matter what the content is, as long as it is related to Liuhe Town, write it down."

Chen Dapeng nodded: "Understood."

"And one more thing," He Ying looked at him, her gaze darkening, "You should handle things with your sister yourself. The less she knows, the safer she is."

Chen Dapeng's heart tightened.

"I know."

He Ying picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of food, and chewed slowly.

Chen Dapeng also picked up his chopsticks and lowered his head to eat.

The two did not speak again.

After finishing her meal, He Ying paid the bill and stood up to put on her coat.

"You go first. I'll leave later."

Chen Dapeng nodded, stood up, walked to the door, then stopped and turned around.

He Ying was standing next to the booth, buttoning her coat.

The light shone on her, bathing her silhouette in a warm yellow glow.

"County Magistrate He."

He Ying raised her head.

"Thank you."

He Ying looked at him for two seconds, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"Go."

Chen Dapeng turned and left the private room.

My phone vibrated; it was a WeChat message from He Ying.

"I'll find a chance to explain to your sister. Don't feel pressured."

Chen Dapeng looked at the words and felt a strange, indescribable feeling.

"Okay," he typed, then added, "Get some rest."