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

Zhong Hua hung up on He Ying and put his phone on the table.

He sat in the old rattan chair in the study.

A calligraphy scroll hangs on the wall—

"A selfless heart makes the world vast" was written by an old calligrapher in the province when he retired from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. It has been hanging for eight years, and the ink has faded a bit, but the characters are still vigorous and powerful.

He is seventy-three years old.

He has been retired from his position as a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection for eight years.

For the past eight years, he has rarely paid attention to provincial affairs. He spends his days reading, writing, and tending to his flowers. Occasionally, his former subordinates will call to inquire about his well-being.

He hung up after only a few words.

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

Once you step down, you should act like one: don't say what you shouldn't say, and don't meddle in things you shouldn't meddle in.

This is a lesson he learned after a lifetime of working in the discipline inspection commission.

Rules are not just for those in office; those who have stepped down must abide by them even more.

But He Ying is different.

He Ying was someone he watched grow up.

Her maternal grandfather and he had been friends for decades.

When He Ying was a child, he often visited the Shen family. Every time he went, he would see a little girl with a ponytail sitting in the living room doing her homework, writing each stroke carefully and diligently.

Her grandfather pointed at her and said, "Old Zhong, look at this child, he'll be successful in the future."

He just smiled and didn't take it seriously.

He watched He Ying go through every step of the way, from getting into university and working in the provincial government to being transferred to Qingshun County.

She's not the kind of girl who would casually ask for favors.

The fact that she made this call indicates that she has indeed encountered an insurmountable obstacle.

Chung-hua picked up the teacup and found it was already cold.

He took a sip, and the bitterness slowly spread on the tip of his tongue.

This is a habit he has developed over many years—he drinks tea even when it's cold, without being particular about it.

During my years working at the Discipline Inspection Commission, I often worked overtime until late at night. When the tea got cold, I didn't have time to change it, so I drank it with cold tea. I got used to it.

Qingshun County.

Liuhe Town.

The audit team was stuck with the materials.

Fang Mingyuan's wife's distant relative is the deputy director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

He Ying didn't say it explicitly, but the meaning behind her words was clear—

There is pressure from above, and this person is not low-ranking.

It's not something an ordinary person can do to be able to direct a deputy section chief to handle the materials of the provincial audit team.

A deputy section chief wouldn't dare to do that without the tacit approval of his superiors.

So, who is the one who tacitly approves of him?

Is it Huang Shide, the deputy director in charge?

Or is he someone even more accomplished than Huang Shide?

Chung Hua put down his teacup, leaned back in his rattan chair, and closed his eyes for a while.

He worked in the provincial discipline inspection commission for twenty years, rising from an ordinary staff member to a standing committee member. What kind of cases hadn't he seen?

Who can be touched, who can't be touched, and who will cause trouble if touched—

He knew it better than anyone else.

The case that He Ying investigated in Qingshun County appeared to be a problem in the county, but its root cause was in the provincial capital.

Without the protection of people in the provincial capital, Fang Mingyuan could not have run rampant in the county for so many years.

Fang Mingyuan's ability to operate in Qingshun County for over a decade, turning Liuhe Town into his own territory, is something that an executive deputy county head could not accomplish.

There must be someone behind him, and that person isn't Lao Nie—Lao Nie is a businessman, he doesn't have that kind of power.

He is the person behind Lao Nie, the one with "deep roots" in the provincial capital.

Chung-hua opened his eyes and looked at the landline phone on the table.

This phone has been with him for over a decade, through several office moves, but he's never changed it.

It's not that he's nostalgic; he's just used to it.

Over the years, many important phone calls have been made through this phone.

There were reports on the progress of the case, instructions from higher-ups, and information exchange among former colleagues.

The black plastic casing was worn shiny, and the letters on the number keys were a bit blurry, but he could still press them correctly even with his eyes closed.

This phone witnessed every important moment of the last decade of his career.

Now, he's going to play another one.

Chung Hua sat up straight, reached out, and picked up the microphone.

He didn't look through his contacts; he just dialed the number.

He memorized the eleven-digit number but never saved it to his phone.

Having worked in the Discipline Inspection Commission his entire career, he developed a habit:

Important numbers should not be saved in your mobile phone.

It's not that I have a good memory, it's that I'm careful.

The phone rang twice and was answered.

"Mr. Zhong?"

A young woman's voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with surprise and respect.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, and the pace was neither too fast nor too slow, like someone taking a phone call in an office with no one around.

Hu Yuheng is the director of the Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

She was one of the young people Zhong Hua mentored when he was in the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, and also one of the cadres he had trained and promoted.

She likes to wear formal attire, walks with a confident stride, and speaks and acts decisively—at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, she is known as "Sister Yu".

It wasn't because she was fierce, but because she was reliable and dependable, and everyone respected her.

"Xiao Hu, still awake?"

"No. I'm looking at the materials."

Hu Yuheng's voice sounded tired, but he was still energetic.

"Mr. Chung, you're calling? Is there something you need?"

Zhong Hua did not exchange pleasantries.

He's the kind of person who never engages in small talk.

When he worked at the Discipline Inspection Commission, he never said "Hello, comrades" at meetings.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone."

Let's get straight to the point.

Even after retirement, he still has the same temper.

"Keep an eye on the audit work in Qingshun County. There's some pressure coming in from the provincial department."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Hu Yuheng did not ask "which provincial department" or "who is putting pressure on him".

She had followed Chung Hua for several years and understood what he meant—"keep an eye on it," not "start an investigation," not "intervene," but "keep an eye on it and find out if anything happens."

This is the jargon of the Discipline Inspection Commission; each word has a specific meaning.

"Pay attention" is the lightest, "intervene" is a bit heavier, "intervene" is even heavier, and "filing a case" means they're really serious.

Chung Wah said "pay attention," which means he hasn't determined the nature of the matter yet, but just wants her to be aware of it.

The silence lasted for three or four seconds.

It was quiet on the other end of the phone; Zhong Hua could hear Hu Yuheng's breathing.

She was thinking, pondering the meaning behind Zhong Hua's words.

She knew that this old leader never spoke without reason.

When he calls to say "take a look," it's not just ordinary "taking a look."

"Mr. Zhong, you mean—"

"I didn't say anything."

Chung Hua's voice was very calm, as calm as if he were saying that the weather was nice today.

"Just keep an eye on it."

Another silence followed.

Hu Yuheng understood.

"Just keep an eye on it" – it's not about asking her to investigate anyone, but about letting her know that such a thing exists.

If the case in Qingshun County is really big and the higher authorities want to investigate, she needs to have evidence in her possession;

If the case isn't serious and the heat has died down, just pretend nothing happened.

This is Chung Hua's consistent way of doing things—leaving things as they are, not rushing to do anything, but not completely ignoring them either.

We'll act when the time is right.

"Understood."

Hu Yuheng's answer was brief, but Zhong Hua knew she truly understood.

She's not the kind of person who needs to be explained in detail to be understood; she only needs to hint at things.

"Okay. Get some rest."

Chung Hua hung up the phone.

He didn't say "thank you" or "you've worked hard."

Having worked in the Discipline Inspection Commission his entire life, he knew that some things didn't need to be said; saying them would only make one seem distant.

Hu Yuheng will take care of it, and he will do it very well.

She was someone he had mentored, and he knew her capabilities.

In the Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, Hu Yuheng never made a mistake in the cases she handled. This was not because of good luck, but because she was meticulous and thorough in her work, following procedures step by step and leaving no room for error.

This is also why Chung Wah promoted her back then.

Chung-hua put the microphone back on the landline, leaned back in the wicker chair, and stared at the ceiling.

The study was quiet, with the clock on the wall ticking away.

If the things He Ying found in Qingshun County were only about Fang Mingyuan, then it would be enough to stop with Fang Zhiwen.

If Fang Zhiwen takes the blame, Fang Mingyuan can be protected;

If Fang Mingyuan is safe, then those people in the provincial capital are safe.

This is the "stop-loss line" in officialdom—sacrificing a pawn to save the king.

Fang Zhiwen is a pawn, and Fang Mingyuan is a chariot.

A pawn can be sacrificed, but a chariot cannot.

But if He Ying wasn't satisfied with this, if she insisted on chasing after the car and seeing what else was hidden behind it—

Chung Hua closed his eyes.

He remembered what He Ying's maternal grandfather looked like.

The old man, who was a few years older than him, held an important position before retiring. He was decisive in his speech and actions, and when he sat down in a meeting, he could command the entire room without even saying a word.

He Ying's personality is exactly the same as her maternal grandfather's—

Once someone sets their mind on something, nothing can sway them.

She won't stop with Fang Zhiwen; she'll keep chasing after him.

They chased after Fang Mingyuan, then after Lao Nie, and finally after the person behind Lao Nie.

He pursued the person she wouldn't even reveal her name on the phone.

Zhong Hua opened his eyes, picked up the teacup, and found that the tea had gone cold.

He didn't put it down; instead, he picked it up and drank the rest of the cold tea in one gulp.

The tea was bitter, and the herbal tea was even more bitter, but he didn't frown.

When he worked at the Discipline Inspection Commission, he had seen and was used to much worse things than this.

bitter.

But it couldn't compare to the feeling in his heart.

He served as a discipline inspection official for twenty years, investigated countless cases, and sent countless people to prison.

Some people deserved their fate, some did not deserve to die, and some were pushed out to take the blame.

He knew all of this, but he couldn't say anything, nor could he interfere.

Because his responsibility is not to judge, but to investigate the case thoroughly.

As for the final verdict, that's a matter for the court.

But He Ying is different.

He Ying is his junior, a child he watched grow up.

He didn't want anything to happen to her during the investigation, and he especially didn't want her to discover in the end—

There are some things that she shouldn't touch.

But he also knew that even if some facts were clarified, it might not necessarily change anything.

Sometimes it's a power struggle.

Ultimately, it depends on which side of the scale weighs more...