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

The next morning at 8:30, in He Ying's office.

She held a cup of coffee to perk herself up, because she hadn't slept well the night before.

She looked at the photos and data that Chen Dapeng sent her several times.

1110 million.

This number is like a thorn stuck in her mind, and she can't get it out no matter what.

She was thinking about a question—did Fang Mingyuan know about this money?

He must know.

Liuhe Town is his home, and Fang Zhiwen is his cousin.

Such a large sum of money "hidden" in Liuhe Town's accounts could not have been done without his tacit approval.

But the question is—to what extent was Fang Mingyuan involved?

Was it a case of concealing information? Was it tacit approval and condoning? Or... was he the ultimate beneficiary of where the money went?

Different answers mean different coping strategies.

If it's the first two scenarios, she can use this money to pressure Fang Mingyuan into making concessions, thus creating a breach in the county's power structure.

But if it's the last one...

That would be more than just a power struggle; it would be a violation of discipline and the law.

He Ying picked up the now-cold coffee, took a sip, and frowned at the bitterness.

She put down her cup, picked up the phone on the table, and dialed Su Wanqing's number.

"Director Su, please come to my office."

"Yes, County Head."

Less than three minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

Su Wanqing pushed open the door and came in, wearing a dark blue suit jacket, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and holding a notebook in her hand.

"County Magistrate, you wanted to see me?"

"sit."

Su Wanqing sat down opposite her, opened her notebook, and held the pen to the paper, waiting for He Ying to speak.

He Ying did not speak immediately.

She leaned back in her chair, looking at Su Wanqing with a deep gaze.

Su Wanqing felt a little uneasy under her gaze, but her expression remained calm.

"Director Su, you've been in the government office for five years now," He Ying finally spoke, "and have served under three county heads."

Su Wanqing nodded: "Yes."

"What do you think makes me different from my two predecessors?"

Su Wanqing was stunned for a moment.

This question is not easy to answer.

Saying that He Ying was better than the previous two is tantamount to evaluating a leader, which is inappropriate.

Saying it's almost the same would seem perfunctory.

She thought for a moment, carefully choosing her words: "Every county head has a different working style. The old county head is very experienced, County Head Li has strong execution capabilities, and you..."

She paused for a moment.

"You're more daring in doing things."

He Ying's lips twitched slightly: "What do you dare to do?"

"We dare to touch things that no one has dared to touch before." Su Wanqing raised her head and looked into He Ying's eyes, "like Liuhe Town."

The office was silent for a few seconds.

He Ying picked up her coffee cup, then put it down again.

"Director Su, you're a smart woman. I won't beat around the bush." ​​She looked at Su Wanqing. "I need your help."

Su Wanqing's heart skipped a beat.

She knew what He Ying was going to say.

The last time Liu Zhiguo sat down opposite her in the cafeteria with his tray and asked her, "Does Xiao Chen have any special relationship with the county magistrate?" she knew that something was changing.

Later, Chen Dapeng was transferred to the Information Department, and she probably guessed the power struggle behind it.

Later, He Ying asked her, "Did County Magistrate Fang mention anything to you?" and she answered that question.

From that moment on, she knew she was on the same side as He Ying.

But she kept waiting—waiting for He Ying to say those words to her in person.

"County Magistrate, please speak."

"I need a written receipt from the Finance Bureau." He Ying's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "It concerns a sum of money. In December 2023, 3 million yuan was allocated to the Liuhe Town Finance Office, under the category of 'Other Expenses'."

Su Wanqing paused for a moment on the paper with her pen.

"What's wrong with this money?"

"In the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau's documents, this money is listed as 'Special Funds for Rural Revitalization.' But in the Finance Bureau's accounts, it's recorded as 'Other Expenditures.'" He Ying looked at her. "The same amount of money, two different categories. Don't you think there's a problem?"

Su Wanqing remained silent for a few seconds.

She quickly pieced together the events in her mind—

She knew about and had even read the two documents He Ying had asked Chen Dapeng to write after their last research trip to Liuhe Town.

Chen Dapeng must have found the problem and was then transferred to the Information Department.

Now, He Ying wants her to go to the Finance Bureau to get a written certificate.

This shows that He Ying does not trust the Finance Bureau to issue vouchers directly to Chen Dapeng—because Chen Dapeng has already been targeted.

But when she asked for it, it was different.

She is the deputy director of the government office and the liaison for the county magistrate; requesting financial data is perfectly reasonable.

"County Magistrate, what do you intend to use this certificate for?"

He Ying did not answer directly.

"Let's get it first."

Su Wanqing nodded and did not ask any further questions.

She closed her notebook and stood up.

"I'll take care of it right away."

"Director Su," He Ying called out to her.

Su Wanqing stopped and turned around.

"Have you thought this through?" He Ying looked at her. "Once this is done, there's no turning back."

Su Wanqing stood at the door, looking at He Ying.

She remembered many things.

Five years ago, when she first came to the government office, she was just a staff member who knew nothing.

Back then, the old county magistrate always spoke in bureaucratic jargon during meetings, always circled documents when approving them, and always said "we'll study it" when encountering problems.

Later, a new county head, Li, took over. He was younger and wanted to do some things, but he couldn't.

Because if Fang Mingyuan doesn't agree, things can't be done in the county.

County Magistrate Li served for two years before being transferred.

On the day he left, he was packing his things in his office, and Su Wanqing went to see him off.

He stood by the window, looking out at the courtyard, and said, "Wanqing, this county is a very complicated place."

At the time, she didn't quite understand the meaning of that sentence.

Now she understands.

After He Ying arrived, she saw changes.

Although this change is still very subtle, so subtle that it is almost imperceptible—the way He Ying squats down in the fields of Shuangqiao Town to knead the soil, the way He Ying presses for data at the meeting in Liuhe Town, the way He Ying transfers Chen Dapeng to the Information Department as a strategic retreat.

These are details that others wouldn't notice.

But she noticed.

She noticed that He Ying was different from the previous two county heads.

He Ying is not here to "gild her resume," not here for a "transition," and certainly not here to "drift along."

She's here to get things done.

Moreover, she is not afraid of trouble.

"County Magistrate," Su Wanqing said calmly, "I've made up my mind."

He Ying looked at her, and the scrutiny in her eyes slowly turned into a kind of approval.

"Go."

Su Wanqing turned and left the office, gently closing the door behind her.

She stood in the corridor for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and then walked downstairs.

Instead of returning to her office, she went directly out of the government compound and drove to the Finance Bureau.

The Finance Bureau is located on the west side of the county town, in a separate five-story building with a white tiled exterior, which looks newer than the county government building.

Su Wanqing parked her car downstairs and went inside the building.

She didn't go to the budget department—that was the normal procedure, which involved filling out forms, getting approvals, and waiting.

She went straight to the fourth floor and knocked on the door of the director's office.

"Come in."

Su Wanqing pushed open the door and went in.

Du Jianguo, the director of the Finance Bureau, was sitting behind his desk reading documents. The man, who was in his early fifties, had gray hair and wore reading glasses. He looked more like an old professor than a director of the Finance Bureau.

Upon seeing Su Wanqing, he took off his reading glasses and smiled, "Director Su? What a rare guest. Please have a seat."

Su Wanqing sat down opposite him, and without exchanging pleasantries, went straight to the point.

"Director Du, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"you say."

"I need a written receipt from the Finance Bureau regarding a sum of money allocated to Liuhe Town last December."

Du Jianguo's smile faltered for a moment.

Which funds?

"300 million, the category is 'Other Expenses'."

Du Jianguo leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

He didn't answer immediately, but looked at Su Wanqing with something indescribable in his eyes.

"Director Su, is there a problem with this money?"

"No problem." Su Wanqing's tone was calm. "Our government office is compiling a typical case study on rural revitalization, which mentions that this money is 'Special Fund for Rural Revitalization.' We need to confirm the exact category of the funds to avoid errors in the publicity."

This reason is perfectly reasonable.

After listening, Du Jianguo nodded, but his gaze lingered on Su Wanqing's face for a few seconds.

He picked up the phone on the table and dialed a number.

"Old Zhou, find the receipt for the 3 million yuan that was allocated to Liuhe Town last December and bring it to my office."

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Su Wanqing and smiled, "Wait a moment, it'll be ready soon."

Su Wanqing nodded and sat there, her expression unchanged.

Du Jianguo looked at Su Wanqing, lost in thought: "Why does Su Wanqing want this voucher? Is she really just taking it to avoid errors in the advertising? That reason might fool a three-year-old..."

He worked in the Finance Bureau for more than ten years, rising from a clerk to the director, and served under five county magistrates.

He always greeted each new county magistrate with a smile and was always ready to help.

But he knew in his heart that there were some things he could give and some things he couldn't.

Will what you give away become an arrow shot at yourself?

he does not know.

But he knew that Su Wanqing's personal request for the receipt meant that He Ying cared a lot about the money.

He couldn't refuse to give He Ying what she cared about so much.

Because He Ying is the county magistrate.

Because He Ying came from the provincial level.

He heard that He Ying's maternal grandfather's family had deep connections in the province.

He hadn't confirmed these reports, but in official circles, it's better to believe something is true than not.

After waiting for about five minutes, there was a knock on the door.

A young man walked in, holding a document in his hand.

"Director Du, here are the credentials you requested."

Du Jianguo took it, glanced at it, and handed it to Su Wanqing.

"Director Su, could you take a look? Is this the one?"

Su Wanqing took it and looked at it carefully.

The document clearly states: Disbursement Unit: Liuhe Town Finance Office; Amount: 3 million yuan; Category: Other Expenditures; Date: December 21, 2023; Signatures of the person in charge, the reviewer, and the approver are all present.

In the signature section for the approver, two words were written: Du Jianguo.

Su Wanqing's gaze lingered on those two words for a moment before she put the voucher into her bag.

"Director Du, thank you. I'll return it when I'm done."

Du Jianguo smiled and said, "No rush. Director Su, feel free to come to me anytime if you need any information."

Su Wanqing stood up, turned around, and left the office.

The moment the door closed, Du Jianguo's smile slowly disappeared.

He leaned back in his chair, took off his reading glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

He picked up the phone, hesitated for a moment, and didn't dial.

He wanted to call Fang Mingyuan, but after thinking about it, he put the call down.

He was unsure what He Ying intended to do with the certificate.

If it's just for publicity, then his call to Fang Mingyuan is making a mountain out of a molehill and will only arouse Fang Mingyuan's suspicion—is Du Jianguo siding with both He Ying and Fang Mingyuan?

If it's not for promotional purposes...

Du Jianguo closed his eyes, and a thought flashed through his mind.

Did He Ying come down from the provincial capital with some special mission?

The thought startled him.

But the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

A 30-year-old county head at the level of a division chief is the youngest in the entire province, bar none.

The cadres parachuted into Qingshun County were not locally trained and were not subject to any local influence.

After arriving, instead of rushing to carry out vanity projects, he first went to Shuangqiao Town and Liuhe Town to conduct research, asking very detailed and specific questions.

Then, her people started checking the data for Liuhe Town.

Now, she needs written proof from the Finance Bureau.

Each of these things, taken individually, seems perfectly normal.

But when viewed together, they become quite intriguing.

Du Jianguo opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling.

He spent his entire life in Qingshun County and witnessed countless things.

Some people went in, some got promoted, and some retired.

He didn't want to be one of those who "went in."

If He Ying truly came with a mission, then what she is doing now is just the beginning.

There are even bigger moves to come.

He must figure out which side he stands on before any "bigger moves" come.

Du Jianguo picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, County Chief Fang, this is Du Jianguo."

On the other end of the phone, Fang Mingyuan's voice came through: "Director Du, what's the matter?"

"It's nothing serious." Du Jianguo smiled. "Just asking if you need the Finance Bureau's cooperation on anything lately, so we can prepare in advance."

"Not at the moment. I'll have the office contact you if needed."

"Okay, okay."

Du Jianguo hung up the phone, and the smile on his face disappeared.

He didn't make that call to ask Fang Mingyuan what kind of cooperation he needed.

He was trying to confirm one thing—whether Fang Mingyuan was paying attention to He Ying's movements.

Fang Mingyuan said "not for the time being," his tone calm and without any sign of anything unusual.

But Du Jianguo noticed it—there was a hint of deliberately suppressed wariness in Fang Mingyuan's voice.

This shows that Fang Mingyuan is also paying attention to He Ying.

Du Jianguo leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

"Qingshun County is about to undergo a major change."

……

Su Wanqing returned to the county government, but instead of going to her own office, she went directly to He Ying's office.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in."

He Ying was sitting behind her desk, looking at documents.

Su Wanqing walked over, took the voucher out of her bag, and placed it in front of He Ying.

"County magistrate, we've got it."

He Ying picked up the voucher and read it from beginning to end.

Her gaze paused for a moment when she saw the column "Approver: Du Jianguo".

"Didn't Du Jianguo ask anything?"

"I asked. I said it was to verify information for promotional purposes."

He Ying nodded and put the voucher down.

"County Chief, there's one more thing." Su Wanqing didn't leave, she stood there, "Du Jianguo hesitated when he gave me this voucher."

What do you think?

"He must have guessed something," Su Wanqing thought for a moment, "but he still gave it to you. It shows he didn't want to offend you."

He Ying leaned back in her chair and looked at Su Wanqing.

What do you think of Du Jianguo?

Su Wanqing thought for a moment: "Shrewd, but not stupid. He's worked in the Finance Bureau for over a decade and managed to stay in that position, which shows he's good at interpersonal relationships. But he's not Fang Mingyuan's man—at least not entirely."

Why?

"Because he kept a record of every single payment he approved for Fang Mingyuan." Su Wanqing lowered her voice. "I heard that he has a special filing cabinet with the records of all the large sums of money approved by the Finance Bureau over the years. Only he has the key."

He Ying's eyebrows twitched slightly.

She hadn't heard of this news before.

If Du Jianguo really kept a secret record, then he has more things in his possession than anyone else.

"Where did you hear this news?"

"That's what an elderly person from the Finance Bureau said. I'm not sure if it's true or not."

He Ying nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

"Director Su."

"exist."

"For now, only you, me, and Xiao Chen know about this."

Su Wanqing nodded: "I understand."

"And another thing," He Ying said, looking at her, "Xiao Chen works in the IT department and needs someone to look after him. Liu Zhiguo is keeping an eye on him, and Fang Mingyuan's people are also watching him. You've been in the government office for so many years, you know a lot of people, so help me keep an eye on him."

"Don't worry, County Chief," Su Wanqing said. "I'll keep an eye on Xiao Chen."

He Ying nodded.

Su Wanqing turned and walked out.

When she reached the door, she stopped and turned around.

"County Magistrate."

"Um?"

"I've been working in the government office for five years. I've seen three different administrations, and I think what you're doing is the right thing to do."

He Ying's lips twitched slightly.

"Director Su, thank you for your understanding."

Su Wanqing nodded, turned around and left the office.

The moment the door closed, He Ying leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh.

She picked up the receipt on the table and looked at it again.

1110 million.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

But at least, she has something now.