In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong!

After the spring thunder, the spring rain fell, and the parched earth was nourished by the rain. The grasslands of Handong gradually turned green.

Zhong Xiaoai returned at 9:30 in the morning.

His face was pale, clearly he hadn't been careful last night, and even his walking posture was strange. Hou Liangping's face was gloomy, and he already had a guess.

But he chose not to expose it, after all, he had made the same mistake.

Hou Liangping went to the balcony, took out a cigarette, lit it, and gradually calmed down as he puffed out the incense.

Just then, my phone rang.

Upon taking it out, Hou Liangping saw that it was a file sent by Chen Hai to his email. Puzzled, he opened it.

Ten minutes later, Hou Liangping's face turned extremely pale, until he finally couldn't hold back anymore and slammed his phone hard on the ground, breaking it into several pieces.

"Chen Hai! You pervert!"

Despite his anger, Hou Liangping could only suppress it; he knew that if things were brought to light, he might not be able to control the consequences.

The day of the memorial service arrived quickly.

Thanks to Sha Ruijin's involvement, the memorial service was of a high level. Apart from Governor Liu and the provincial government, Lu Zheng'an was absent, but all the other members of the Standing Committee were present.

This included some retired comrades, such as Huang Weimin. Although he disliked Chen Yanshi, he still came to pay his respects despite his death, leaning on his cane.

"Comrades, Comrade Chen Yanshi has left Handong forever... These years..."

Sha Ruijin stood at the front of the stage to preside over the memorial service, while family member Chen Hai stood quietly to the side with a gloomy expression, making it impossible to discern his emotional state.

When it came time to pay respects, there was the offering of flowers and a moment of silence. The process was not slow, but an uninvited guest slipped in during the process, at least for Chen Hai.

Hou Liangping walked in carrying white chrysanthemums, following behind some retired cadres to offer condolences.

Chen Hai immediately locked onto this scene, his gaze as sharp as a poisoned knife as he looked at Hou Liangping. However, Hou Liangping showed no discomfort whatsoever; on the contrary, when it was his turn to present the flowers, tears streamed down his face.

"Uncle Chen! Your passing was so sudden..."

You took such good care of me back then, and now I couldn't even see you one last time..."

The sadness seemed genuine; it was simply superb acting.

They saw each other as thorns in their side, but in this situation, with Sha Ruijin and Chen Luo present, the two could only express their hatred with their eyes.

Chen Hai clenched his fists, but soon he relaxed them and walked directly in front of Hou Liangping.

"Thank you, Director Hou, for remembering my father!"

Chen Hai stretched out his arms, wanting to hug Hou Liangping, and Hou Liangping had no choice but to accept under everyone's watchful eyes.

The two heads were very close together.

"Hou Liangping, your wife is great, I like her very much. It's a pity you haven't explored that place."

Chen Hai spoke very softly, so softly that only Hou Liangping could hear him. For a moment, even though Hou Liangping's veins were bulging and his blood pressure was soaring, he could only force a smile.

Chen Luo watched this scene quietly. Qi Tongwei would report to him from time to time about Zhao Ruilong's actions, so he was naturally aware of the hatred between Chen Hai and Hou Liangping.

Chen Luo shook his head with a smile, his gaze falling on Sha Ruijin standing to the side.

After getting closer, Chen Luo took the initiative to speak.

"Secretary Sha, how about we grab a quick bite together later?"

Sha Ruijin paused for a moment, then nodded meaningfully and said, "No problem, Comrade Chen Luo."

After the condolence ceremony, Chen Luo and Sha Ruijin got into the same car. Upon seeing this, Li Dakang, Gao Yuliang, and the others all frowned deeply, except that only Gao Yuliang kept frowning.

The vehicle stopped in front of an ordinary restaurant.

There was no need for two people to open the car door. Liu Mingyu got out of the passenger seat and opened the door for Chen Luo, while Secretary Bai got out of the driver's seat and opened the door for Sha Ruijin.

After entering the private room, Liu Mingyu and Secretary Bai tactfully went to the front desk to discuss the dishes with the owner.

The private room was spacious and quiet.

Sha Ruijin was the first to ask questions.

"Comrade Chen Luo, just say what you have to say. I don't think we should be in a competitive relationship."

Chen Luo smiled and nodded.

"Secretary Sha, what you said is very insightful. I have only just joined the provincial party committee, while you are the provincial party secretary. To say that we are in competition is a bit of an exaggeration. To be precise, we have a cooperative relationship. The long-term stability of Handong is beneficial to the development of Luzhou."

Similarly, if Lüzhou achieves something, Secretary Sha can also benefit from the leadership's credit.

"Yes, I have high hopes for the development of Lüzhou, Comrade Chen Luo."

Now that we've said this much, there's no need to test the waters any further.

"Secretary Sha, I actually know a little about the purpose of your visit to Handong."

"Hahaha, that's not surprising. Comrade Chen Luo, it would be strange if your network of connections wasn't clear."

"Secretary Sha, the Zhong family and the Zhao family are likely to engage in a fierce battle. I don't know your position, but one thing is certain: you are the top leader of Handong. The stability of Handong is related to your future and also affects the development of Luzhou. Let them fight if they want to."

However, the principle of "fighting without breaking apart" must be adhered to!

Secretary Sha, what do you think?

Sha Ruijin paused for a moment.

"Comrade Chen Luo, I agree with your suggestion. However, as you know, I am in a difficult situation. I am bound by what I receive."

"I understand that, but Secretary Sha, you are the top leader of Handong. Maintaining the stability and development of Handong is your biggest responsibility, isn't it?"

Sha Ruijin remained silent.

He sighed after a long while.

"Alas, I was too greedy, wanting to grasp everything. But Comrade Chen Luo, rest assured, I will not allow the struggle to escalate on matters of principle."

"Secretary Sha, let's cooperate sincerely!"

Chen Luo extended his hand, and Sha Ruijin, seeing this, also extended his hand and shook it.

The two had reached an agreement, and about ten minutes later, Secretary Bai and Liu Mingyu entered the private room.

They chatted with the owner for a full half hour, asking about everything from the dishes to the business's performance. Only after all the food was prepared did the two of them choose to return to their private room.

After the meal, everyone went home.

At the home of Provincial Party Committee Secretary Gao Yuliang, Gao Yuliang has been somewhat uneasy lately. He is aware of some of the circumstances surrounding Chen Yanshi's passing, and a sense of shared sorrow wells up in his heart.

"Hou Liangping is too ruthless!"

Sighing and shaking his head, Gao Yuliang stubbed out his cigarette. Just then, Sha Ruijin's car pulled up in front of the villa. Gao Yuliang watched through the balcony window as Chen Luo and Sha Ruijin got out of the car, then smiled and said goodbye.

This scene was like a sharp thorn piercing my heart.

"Yuliang, stop looking. Ever since Secretary Sha came to Handong, you've been restless. You'll be retiring in less than a year. Why bother?"

Wu Huifang's words made Gao Yuliang hesitate to speak.

In the end, they chose to remain silent.