Chapter 69

"Town Mayor Su, your face doesn’t look very happy!" Zhou Ci, wearing a pair of sunglasses, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous light behind the lenses, said.

"Miss Zhou, why do I feel like you’re gloating over my misfortune?" Su Mu said with a feigned serious tone.

"Absolutely not! My future happiness still relies on you, how could I gloat over your misfortune? At most, I can only feel a bit of sympathy for the fallen." Zhou Ci said with a coquettish smile, standing by the roadside, her charm captivating the attention of passersby.

Some people, no matter how simply dressed, stand out in a crowd. Zhou Ci was undoubtedly one of these.

"Then it’s better to gloat over my misfortune, at least it’s a pair of foxes mourning the rabbit’s death." Su Mu shrugged.

"Hubby, in consideration of your thoughtfulness, how about I treat you to a big meal?" Zhou Ci smiled.

"Alright, I’ll give you this face!" Su Mu nodded.

"Let’s go, stop being so full of yourself here!"

Under the gaze of the crowd, Zhou Ci naturally linked her arm with Su Mu’s, and the two disappeared at the end of the road. Without a sports car to drive, Zhou Ci felt not the slightest discomfort, but rather a greater sense of happiness and joy.

"Is this the big meal you’re talking about?"

Su Mu sat in a roadside shop with decent decor, looking at the barbecue on the plate in front of him, shaking his head helplessly.

"I’m poor now, can’t afford to treat you to a fancy meal. How about we change places? I’ll even dig out my dowry if I have to." Zhou Ci said pitifully.

If Zhou Ci, such a mature woman, wasn’t a seductress, her every move would be irresistibly charming.

"Alright, forget it! Actually, I really like barbecue." Su Mu smiled.

"That’s good, here, have a kidney." Zhou Ci said coquettishly.

"You..."

Su Mu was speechless. When his finger accidentally touched Zhou Ci’s arm, the official chart in his mind suddenly started to operate, and the intimacy level, which was originally forty, soared to eighty. An intimacy level over eighty meant complete trust, and this number quietly put Su Mu’s mind at ease.

Su Mu unconditionally trusted the official chart. He wasn’t doubting Zhou Ci’s feelings for him; the courage to cut ties with the Feng family because of his words wasn’t something just anyone could do. But with the official chart, he could be even more certain, and Su Mu wouldn’t abandon it.

"From your expression, I can tell that not many people approved of your proposal. How about I use my connections to find you some investors?" Zhou Ci smiled.

"No need!" Su Mu shook his head. "Your current status is sensitive. Just after cutting ties with the Feng family, it wouldn’t be good for you to help me so much. Besides, I have other plans for you. Even if the investment drive fails, I’m not discouraged. Don’t worry, if no one in the city has the vision, I’ll go to the province."

"You’re going to Shengjing?" Zhou Ci was surprised.

"Yes, there’s something else I need to handle, so I’ll take care of it at the same time." Su Mu smiled, took a sip of beer, and pulled out a card from his pocket.

"Zhou Ci, you should be living at home now, right? Since you’re already married, there’s no need to stay there. I’m not trying to drive you away, but as a woman, you should have a place to live. I don’t know how much money is on this card, but I believe it’s enough to buy a small house and a car in Qinglin. Don’t worry about saving money for me; from the day you followed me, this is what I should do. I can’t promise more, but I can make you happy. Don’t refuse, take it."

"Refuse? Who said I would refuse! It’s only natural for a wife to spend her husband’s money. Just wait, I’m very good at spending money." Zhou Ci said with a smile, putting the card away, but her eyes were already moist, her heart touched by the softest spot.

"Alright, don’t embarrass me here. Come, let’s continue drinking. I’m leaving for Shengjing tomorrow." Su Mu smiled.

"Then tonight you have to spend some time with me. This kidney is yours, eat it!" Zhou Ci wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes, smiled coquettishly, and instantly transformed back into the seductive enchantress.

That night, Su Mu didn’t return to Heishan Town, but he didn’t go back to the Yajian Hotel either. That place had no connection with Zhou Ci anymore, and she would never set foot there again. Even if she did, it would be as the true owner, reclaiming Yajian completely.

The two of them wreaked havoc in a hotel in Qinglin City, and in the end, Zhou Ci couldn’t take it anymore and begged for mercy. Su Mu finally let her go, and the two embraced, falling into a deep sleep until dawn.

After giving all the necessary instructions, Su Mu left Qinglin City without hesitation, boarding a long-distance bus to Shengjing. Before leaving, he called Liang Changgui, Zhao Rui’an, and Xie Wen, explaining his purpose for going to Shengjing. Liang Changgui and Zhao Rui’an had no objections, mostly advising Su Mu to be careful.

Xie Wen, though he didn’t say much, didn’t stop Su Mu. The failure of the investment drive in Xingtang County had left him feeling very embarrassed. Now, he was venting his frustration on the Investment Bureau, and he had no time to deal with Su Mu. In fact, Xie Wen secretly hoped that Su Mu could make some waves in Shengjing.

If that happened, Xingtang County wouldn’t lose face completely.

The scenery outside the bus window flew by, and Su Mu, with his eyes half-closed, involuntarily thought of the official chart, which clearly displayed the recorded information. As long as someone had been touched by Su Mu, their detailed information would be stored in the official chart, and he could access it at any time.

"Seven days have passed since Li Ya went to Heishan Town, and the gray number ten hasn’t changed, meaning that there are only three days left until Li Ya is dismissed. What did Li Ya do wrong to be dismissed as the county organization minister? Could it really be because Niu Dezhu secretly colluded with Li Ya’s wife to launder money, leading to Li Ya’s downfall?"

"Xu Zhengcheng’s promotion is marked with a golden number twelve, meaning that after Li Ya falls, he will be promoted. Given his current position, the most likely promotion would be to county police chief, replacing Xue Feng. Does this mean that Xue Feng also played a dishonorable role in this political earthquake?"

"Zhao Rui’an is completely unreliable in critical moments. Even though I once expressed my support for him, he still used me as a political bargaining chip. This means that to stand firm in the political arena, I must have a reliable network of people."

Only by holding real power can you have a say in politics. Through his analysis of Zhao Rui’an, Su Mu’s mindset began to change.

Looking at the current situation, there were very few people who could be considered part of Su Mu’s core team. Lin Chen, the director of the Heishan Town Party and Government Office, and Xu Yan, the police station chief, were part of his team. Perhaps Xu Zhengcheng could also be considered one of his people. Zhou Zheng from Longjing Town also had a high affinity for him.

Apart from these four, Su Mu’s current base was pitifully weak, with no one else willing to join him. As for Lin Shuang, Su Mu didn’t consider him. If he were to break ties with Zhao Rui’an, Lin Shuang, as Zhao Rui’an’s secretary, would never join him.

Alliances in the political arena are tied by interests. Without absolute interests, any alliance will be fragile and easily broken.

"It seems that to navigate the political arena smoothly, I need to rely on the official chart, this powerful tool, to quickly build my own team."

Sigh!

After coming to this realization, Su Mu exhaled deeply, clearing his mind of all distractions, and closed his eyes to doze off.

By the time Su Mu arrived in Shengjing, it was almost noon. Since he hadn’t called Ye Xi and Li Letian beforehand, wanting to surprise them, he had nowhere to go. Thinking that his younger sister Su Ke had already started school, he decided to visit her and treat her to a good meal.

In fact, Su Mu was more familiar with Shengjing than Qinglin and Xingtang. Four years of university life had given him a strong sense of belonging to the city, and his part-time job as a taxi driver had made him familiar with every street and alley. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that even those born and raised in Shengjing might not know as many places as Su Mu.

Not to mention the area around Jiangnan University, which Su Mu knew like the back of his hand.

Around noon, there were many people coming and going at Jiangnan University. Because it was summer, a beautiful sight was the countless pairs of long, white legs. Some had long legs and wore high heels, exuding a mature and elegant aura. Others wore black stockings, their movements more alluring.

To be honest, when he was in school, Su Mu had watched many Japanese dramas, and though he didn’t often express his opinions, when he did, his roommates were always amazed.

The vibrant and youthful girls in front of him temporarily pulled Su Mu out of the cunning and deceitful world of politics, making him feel a bit of the optimistic and open-minded attitude he had when he was a student.

Jiangnan University, I wonder how many people still remember me?

Su Mu smiled, shook his head, and scanned the crowd of younger students, then took out his phone and dialed, "Keke, are you done with class?"

"Brother, why did you call me?" Su Ke was surprised.

"Why can’t I call you? I was thinking of treating you to a big meal at noon, but from your tone, you don’t seem very willing! Forget it then." Su Mu smiled.

"What? Of course I want to have a big meal... Wait, what did you say? You’re treating me to a big meal? Where are you?" Su Ke shouted in surprise.

"At the school gate!" Su Mu laughed.

"Hang up, I’ll be right there!" Su Ke screamed and hung up.

"This little girl..." Su Mu shook his head helplessly, lit a cigarette, and stood by the roadside, looking at the road in front of him, his eyes slightly dazed.

It was here that he saved Ye Xi and met her again, obtaining the official chart. Relying on the official chart, Su Mu had taken step by step to where he was now. Standing here again, the scene made him feel as if it were all a dream. If it weren’t for the official chart still spinning in his mind, he would have doubted whether any of it was real.

"Brother!"

Just as Su Mu was lost in thought, a clear voice suddenly rang in his ears, and three figures appeared before him, bringing a wave of fragrance.