Chen Qingyan had no heart to deal with the matters in her hands. She quickly swept through the files, grabbed her bag, and headed to Chengguan Town. She needed to speed things up.
Chen Qingyan sat in the County Party Secretary's office, her pen moving across the documents. Her mind kept flashing back to the recent trivial events, making her feel restless. Suddenly, the door was gently pushed open. She looked up and saw her cousin, Li Zhiyan. She was somewhat surprised; Li Zhiyan usually didn't like coming to this kind of place, let alone seeking her out.
"Zhiyan? What brings you here?" Chen Qingyan put down her pen, trying to appear less surprised.
Li Zhiyan strode into the office, a hint of anxiety in her eyes. She tossed her bag onto the sofa and sat down directly, clearly in a hurry.
"Sister, I need to talk to you about something," Li Zhiyan said without beating around the bush.
Chen Qingyan looked at her, a hint of unease flashing in her heart. She knew Li Zhiyan was always straightforward; something big must be going on for her to be this anxious. Suppressing her doubts, she said coldly, "Just tell me what it is. If I can help, I will."
Li Zhiyan took a deep breath, as if preparing for what she was about to say. Her eyes became firm, and her tone became more resolute: "Sister, I need you to make the position of Deputy Director of the Party and Government Office or Deputy Director of Chengguan Town Police Station available."
Chen Qingyan was stunned. She stood up abruptly, her voice rising slightly: "What do you want to do?"
Li Zhiyan shrugged, a hint of mockery in her voice. "I don't want anything. I just think you should give your man some hope. It'll be better for both of you."
Chen Qingyan frowned, annoyance flickering in her eyes. "Our business is none of yours."
Li Zhiyan let out a cold laugh, clearly not backing down. "None of my business? Then why did he ask me to help you run away?"
Chen Qingyan was even more incensed. "You... Why are you helping him?"
Li Zhiyan spread her hands, eyebrows slightly furrowed, and a hint of helplessness in her tone. "Me? I just think that if you want things to go well in the future, you need to help him get promoted as soon as possible. The way things are now, in the Women's Federation, do you think he has a future?"
Chen Qingyan felt a bit guilty and lowered her voice. "I am trying, aren't I?"
Li Zhiyan stared at her sharply, her voice laced with sarcasm. "So, what position are you giving him? Still a small clerk? Is that how you show your love for your man?"
Chen Qingyan flushed, her voice softening. "I've just arrived here. I can't control everything yet."
Li Zhiyan sneered, arms crossed. "Ha, your husband is the County Party Secretary. Who would dare to oppose you? They wouldn't want to lose their jobs."
Chen Qingyan defended herself, "I can't bully people just because of my position!"
Li Zhiyan shook her head helplessly, sighing, "My dear sister, if you don't want to bully others, what will you do when others bully you, bully your little man?"
Chen Qingyan looked at Li Zhiyan helplessly, her voice tinged with hesitation, "But..."
Li Zhiyan cut her off, her tone firm, "Cousin, you've been in the system for so many years, yet you're still as naive as a fresh graduate. If you don't help him rise, how can he help you, how can he help us? Relying on yourself to climb the ladder slowly? How long will that take, and what position will you even reach? Have you thought about that? But he can climb higher."
Chen Qingyan frowned, her heart seemingly wavering, "Why?"
A hint of cunning flashed in Li Zhiyan's eyes, her tone laced with mockery, "Because he's a man. He has ambition, but he lacks the resources to support it. Now I've given him the resources, but you need to provide him with a platform to showcase himself. If you need money, I can give it to you. If you need connections, I can also provide them. But in Jiang City, who is more useful than your secretary husband? I'll be honest, for Zhewen to rise, I'm willing to spare no expense. What about you? Aren't you supposed to be his wife? What will you do?"
Chen Qingyan's face flushed with anger, her mind silently cursing, This bitch, coming to steal Zhewen from me... no, she's not stealing, she's supporting Zhewen, she's trying to corner me. She can do it, why can't I? "Do you think these two positions are suitable for him?"
Li Zhiyan smiled slightly, a hint of cunning flashing in her eyes. "It's not a matter of suitability, but rather that he needs this stepping stone. Only with this stepping stone does he have a chance to rise."
Chen Qingyan pressed on, not to be outdone, "So, which position do you lean towards?"
"Deputy Director of the Police Station?" Li Zhiyan answered without hesitation, her tone carrying a hint of certainty.
Chen Qingyan frowned, "Why?"
The smile on Li Zhiyan's face deepened, "He can be a gun for you, protecting you, and he can also protect us. Besides, some things can only be handled with a police officer's identity. Of course, you'll have to withstand the pressure from the county."
Chen Qingyan's brows were furrowed, her heart filled with doubt, "What things require a police officer's identity?"
"I can't tell you now. I'll tell you after he becomes the Deputy Director," Li Zhiyan said mysteriously, a sly look in her eyes.
Chen Qingyan took a deep breath, weighing the pros and cons, "But this isn't a simple transfer. It's across departments, and he'll be getting a promotion too."
"That's right. If it were easy, I wouldn't have asked you to put yourself out there," Li Zhiyan chuckled, a hint of teasing in her voice.
Chen Qingyan pondered for a moment, finally making up her mind, "Let me think about it."
Seeing her hesitation, Li Zhiyan couldn't help but urge, "Cousin, time waits for no one. You and him… there's too much involved. Don't try to have your cake and eat it too. For your own sake, we need a decision."
Chen Qingyan gritted her teeth, inwardly cursing herself for being so indecisive, "In that case, I'll have to go to Director Wang, then?"
"Of course. Here, take this card. Find someone to deliver it for you; don't show your face," Li Zhiyan took a card from her bag and handed it to Chen Qingyan, a glint of cunning in her eyes.
Chen Qingyan took the card, her heart filled with mixed emotions, "I know."
Li Zhiyan scoffed, a trace of mockery in her tone, "Heh, Cousin, I'm not saying this to criticize you, but I doubt you even know how to go about this, right?"
Chen Qingyan retorted, unwilling to be outdone, "I know. I don't need you to teach me."