Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 14 The Officials' Wives Club and the Masquerade Ball

This woman was none other than his ex-girlfriend, Su Taohong.

Su Taohong wore a royal blue backless floor-length evening gown, her figure graceful and her curves exquisite.

She stood at the doorway, looking around, seemingly waiting for someone.

Wu Zhiyuan never expected to see Su Taohong here again.

Su Taohong also saw Wu Zhiyuan and turned her face away.

Wu Zhiyuan had intended to simply pass by, but Sun Runcai called out, "Su Taohong!"

Su Taohong turned around helplessly, feigning surprise: "Director Sun, what a coincidence."

Whether intentionally or from drinking too much, Sun Runcai pointed at Wu Zhiyuan and said, "Su Taohong, Zhiyuan has upgraded his equipment significantly—"

Wu Zhiyuan gave Sun Runcai a timely wink, stopping him from continuing.

Su Taohong sneered: "So what if it's replaced with a small cannon? The hero has no place to use his skills!"

However, since Director Sun oversees many nightclubs and clubs, it wouldn't be bad to arrange for him to showcase his skills with a few sex workers.

Wu Zhiyuan pulled Sun Runcai away; he didn't want to get entangled with this kind of woman anymore.

He was blinded by lust and captivated by her beauty, missing out on several girls who were in love with him.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly remembered that Su Taohong had left some personal belongings in the room, so he turned around and said loudly, "Take some time to bring your personal belongings!"

Su Taohong said coldly, "Throw it all away! I'll never go back to that awful place again! It wasted over a year of my precious time!"

At this moment, Su Taohong was greeted by someone: Liu Yan.

Liu Yan is Zhu Datong's wife, Su Taohong's colleague and best friend, and also the matchmaker for Wu Zhiyuan and Su Taohong.

Liu Yan was wearing a cheongsam, and even though they were some distance apart, Wu Zhiyuan could still feel her beauty and temperament.

Wu Zhiyuan didn't linger and strode forward with Sun Runcai.

"Zhiyuan, Su Taohong will have her regrets, just like Bian Songlong tonight. He was so arrogant at the beginning, but he became so pathetic later."

If she finds out later that you're the chief secretary of the municipal party committee, she'll probably be begging for forgiveness.

Wu Zhiyuan said calmly, "A woman like Su Taohong can share the good times, but not the bad. There will be no future between us."

Sun Runcai suddenly asked, "You have no feelings for her anymore?"

"How should I put it? Even if you live with a dog for more than a year, you will develop feelings for it, let alone a woman with flesh and blood."

Wu Zhiyuan then changed the subject, saying, "Hong Kong's talented writer Li Bihua once said something very classic: 'Some feelings are like fingernails; once cut off, they can grow back, and they are painless.'"

But some feelings are like teeth; once lost, there's a painful wound that can never be healed.

My relationship with Su Taohong is like fingernails. Long fingernails can harbor dirt and grime, while cutting them off makes them clean and neat.

For her and me, this is the best ending.

"Zhiyuan, I suspect that Su Taohong and Liu Yan went to the masquerade ball at Jintang Hot Spring Resort."

"A masquerade ball? I've never heard of it."

"The owner of Jintang Hot Spring Resort is Zhang Wanlin, the general manager of Longcheng Dadi Real Estate Company."

Zhang Wanlin needs no introduction, right? He's a prominent figure in Longcheng; almost everyone knows him.

A masquerade ball, as the name suggests, is a ball where people wear various masks.

On the surface, it is a social event for the upper class, but in reality, it is a place for power-for-sex transactions and the transfer of benefits.

In addition to regularly hosting masquerade balls, Jintang Hot Spring Resort also has a ladies' club.

The so-called "wives' club" is simply a gathering of prominent wives of officials and wealthy businessmen, where they soak in hot springs, eat, drink, and have fun. Ostensibly, it's for networking, but in reality, it's a platform for collusion between officials and businessmen.

"By the way, Runcai, isn't Jintang Hot Spring Resort under your jurisdiction?"

"That may be true, but how can I exercise jurisdiction? Unless the director wants to quit!"

Wu Zhiyuan knew more or less about Zhang Wanlin.

He was involved in gangs when he was young, and later made his first fortune by illegally mining river sand.

He became the owner of a coal mine in Haihe County through cunning and extortion.

The coal mine was like a money-printing machine, earning him huge profits. He then ventured into the real estate industry, establishing Dadi Real Estate Company and developing multiple housing projects in Longcheng, Jiangzhou, and other places.

Jintang Hot Spring Resort was originally developed by an out-of-town owner, but after changing hands several times, it ended up under his name again.

If someone says that Zhang Wanlin has assets worth billions, no one would doubt it.

Behind every successful businessman, there is more than one official supporting him.

Zhang Wanlin was no exception.

Wu Zhiyuan didn't ask any more questions. There are at least one or two people like Zhang Wanlin in every city.

These people straddle the line between right and wrong, between officials and businessmen. With their left hand they hold "connections" that can get things done, and with their right hand they have a constant flow of "capital." They twist the rules into a rope that can be tightened or loosened at will, and turn personal relationships into commodities that can be bought and sold.

When passing by Sun Runcai's residential area, he insisted on inviting Wu Zhiyuan to his home for a visit, saying that there were some things that were not convenient to say in public.

Sun Runcai was adept at social maneuvering and had a large circle of cronies. Due to the nature of his profession, he knew people from all walks of life and was very well-informed.

Wu Zhiyuan was still filled with trepidation about becoming the secretary to the municipal party secretary, and this was a good opportunity to learn from Sun Runcai.

"Isn't your sister-in-law home?" Wu Zhiyuan asked with a smile.

"I took the kids back to my parents' house. It's a good time for some peace and quiet."

Wu Zhiyuan was also very familiar with Qin Lu, Sun Runcai's wife.

Qin Lu isn't particularly beautiful, slightly less so than Su Taohong and Liu Yan, but she's still quite pleasing to the eye. Most importantly, she's gentle and virtuous.

Although she was from a respectable family, she was not arrogant or spoiled.

Sun Runcai came from a very ordinary family, had no background, and was not particularly handsome, but he managed to win Qin Lu's heart with his silver tongue.

He became the head of the police station at a young age, and his father-in-law deserves much credit for that.

Sun Runcai brewed two cups of tea and sat down on the sofa in the living room with Wu Zhiyuan.

On the living room wall hangs a family photo of Sun Runcai, his son, and his wife, who are still infants.

"Zhiyuan, I am truly happy for you that you have become Secretary Xu Youwei's secretary."

But to be honest, while this position looks glamorous, it's actually like walking on thin ice. Every step from here on out must be taken carefully and cautiously; there's no room for carelessness.

"Runcai, to be honest, I'm really quite nervous about becoming Secretary Xu's secretary."

Previously, I worked in the municipal forestry bureau office, buried in writing materials, and didn't have much contact with the key people and things.

Now, stepping into the central government building is like being suddenly thrust into the center of a stage. The lights are on, and you have no idea who's sitting below—whether they're there to support you or to laugh at you.

Sun Runcai took a sip of tea and said solemnly, "Zhiyuan, the fact that you can think of this shows that you haven't been blinded by greed."

Let me tell you the truth: the situation inside the municipal party committee building is much more complicated than you think.

Secretary Xu is an official parachuted in, and his foundation isn't very stable. He chose you because he values ​​your clean background and the fact that you're not involved in the tangled web of local relationships.

You need to use this 'new gun' of yours in crucial moments to hit the target accurately.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded and said, "Runcai, thank you for reminding me. To be honest, I'm really unsure. You're very knowledgeable, so please give me some pointers."

Sun Runcai smiled and said, "I wouldn't call it guidance, but I'll offer a few points for your reference."

As a secretary, you need to be observant and attentive, but you must also keep your mouth shut.

Don't look at what you shouldn't see, don't listen to what you shouldn't hear, and most importantly, never say what you shouldn't say, even if it kills you.

Wu Zhiyuan echoed, "Yes, being cautious in speech and action is paramount."

Sun Runcai continued, "Zhiyuan, you must become Secretary Xu's most trusted 'shadow'."

You need to figure out his work habits, way of thinking, and even his likes and dislikes as soon as possible.

Take writing materials as an example. Every leader has a different style. Some like to pile up fancy words, some like to create new words, but some prefer to be simple, down-to-earth.

From what I understand, when writing materials, Angyang likes to pile up fancy words and use parallel sentences to create momentum, such as "make the first move", "take the initiative", and "use the trump card".

Furthermore, what are Secretary Xu's dietary preferences and dietary restrictions? Is there a regular timeframe for approving documents? What background materials need to be prepared before meeting with whomever he is...?

These details determine how long you can stay by his side.

Sun Runcai paused for a moment, then continued, "Also, be careful of the people around you."

Inside the building, a smiling face might hide a knife.

Be cautious in all situations; while you shouldn't harbor malicious intentions, you must be wary of others.