Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 35 The Teacher's Wife Arrives in Longcheng

Wu Zhiyuan wondered more than once why Liu Qingqing would recommend him to Xu Youwei.

He did not know Liu Qingqing.

That time at Qinglong Mountain Forest Farm, he saved a middle-aged man who was about to die from a stroke. The woman he was having an affair with was a beautiful woman.

But after seeing Liu Qingqing's photos online, I can confirm that the woman is not Liu Qingqing, although they do look somewhat alike.

Liu Qingqing is a Huangmei Opera actress at the Provincial Grand Theater. There have been reports online of reporters interviewing her, which included several photos.

Wu Zhiyuan sent Liu Qingqing a message: "Teacher Liu, I'll be waiting for you at the exit."

Liu Qingqing quickly replied with an OK emoji.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Wu Zhiyuan searched for Liu Qingqing's figure.

He recognized Liu Qingqing at a glance based on just a few photos he had seen online.

Liu Qingqing wore an elegant light blue dress with a beige knitted cardigan over it, and her long hair was draped over her shoulders.

She wore a faint smile, her eyes were bright and lively, her gentle demeanor radiating a vibrant energy.

She was pulling a simple white suitcase with one hand, and gently putting her other arm around the pretty girl's shoulder.

Needless to say, the beautiful girl is Xu Yunxi.

Xu Yunxi looked to be seventeen or eighteen years old, and had grown into a graceful young woman, standing about 1.7 meters tall, about the same height as Liu Qingqing.

She was wearing a simple white T-shirt and light blue jeans, white sneakers, and a backpack.

Her beauty was cool and aloof, carrying a calmness and detachment beyond her years, which contrasted sharply with Liu Qingqing's enthusiasm.

Using "aloof" to describe her doesn't seem quite right, because it's rare to say that a girl is aloof, but in fact, she is aloof.

Wu Zhiyuan extended his right hand and waved at Liu Qingqing: "Teacher Liu, I am Wu Zhiyuan!"

Xu Yunxi was the first to spot Wu Zhiyuan. She nudged Liu Qingqing with her elbow to indicate that she had seen Wu Zhiyuan.

Liu Qingqing then smiled and waved to Wu Zhiyuan.

We exited the ticket gate.

Wu Zhiyuan naturally took Liu Qingqing's suitcase and then said to Xu Yunxi, "Yunxi, give me the bag."

Xu Yunxi was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "How do you know my name is Yunxi?"

Wu Zhiyuan put on an innocent smile and said, "Your dad told me."

Xu Yunxi simply said "Oh" softly and didn't say anything more.

"Secretary Wu, thank you for taking up your weekend time." Liu Qingqing smiled sweetly.

Wu Zhiyuan responded politely, "Teacher Liu, you're too kind. It's what I should do."

I got into the car from the underground parking lot.

Wu Zhiyuan said, "Teacher Liu, Secretary Xu had an important meeting this morning, and he instructed me to drive you around the area."

Liu Qingqing nodded and said, "Old Xu told me about it. Thank you for being our tour guide these past two days. Although this isn't my first time in Longcheng, I've never really explored it before, only the pedestrian street in the city center."

Wu Zhiyuan began by introducing Longcheng city and its surrounding tourist attractions and local delicacies, then tentatively asked, "Teacher Liu, where would you like to go?"

Liu Qingqing casually replied, "When in Rome, do as the host says. I'll just follow your arrangements."

We mainly came to visit Youwei, and also to let Yunxi relax and clear her head.

Liu Qingqing turned her gaze to Xu Yunxi and asked softly, "Yunxi, where do you want to go?"

Xu Yunxi uttered two words: "Whatever."

Liu Qingqing asked with a grin, "Little Wu, are there any tourist attractions in Longcheng called 'Suibian' (meaning 'anywhere')?"

Wu Zhiyuan was amused by Liu Qingqing's humor. After a moment's thought, he suggested, "Teacher Liu, Yunxi, let's go to Qinglong Lake Scenic Area first."

Not far from the city center, nestled amidst mountains and water, the scenery is beautiful. This season is perfect for a relaxing stroll without being too tiring.

"Qinglong Lake? A colleague of mine has been there and said it's very nice, let's go there!" Liu Qingqing agreed and looked at Xu Yunxi.

Xu Yunxi continued to look out the window, remaining silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

The car drove smoothly towards the outskirts of the city.

Wu Zhiyuan is a skilled driver, familiar with the road conditions, and drives both steadily and quickly.

Soft, soothing music was playing inside the car.

Liu Qingqing was in a good mood and frequently tried to find topics to chat with Wu Zhiyuan, asking about the local customs and culture of Longcheng. Wu Zhiyuan answered all her questions patiently, and his demeanor was steady and appropriate.

"Xiao Wu, how old are you this year? Do you have a boyfriend?" Liu Qingqing suddenly asked.

As the spouse of a leader, asking these personal questions shows concern and is perfectly acceptable.

Wu Zhiyuan answered truthfully: "Teacher Liu, I am twenty-five years old. I am currently single."

Liu Qingqing seemed quite interested in the topic, and laughed, "Twenty-five years old, that's a great age! Handsome, energetic, and with such a good job, I'm sure many girls would like you. Aren't your standards a bit too high?"

Wu Zhiyuan didn't hide anything: "Before I became Secretary Xu's secretary, I was a forest ranger at Qinglongshan Forest Farm. The conditions there were poor, and my girlfriend broke up with me."

Wu Zhiyuan answered frankly, and a trace of sympathy flashed in Liu Qingqing's eyes. She sighed softly, "So that's how it is. That girl is still a bit short-sighted."

Xiao Wu, don't be discouraged. Fate can't be rushed. If you meet the right person in the future, I'll help you find someone suitable.

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Professor Liu. If there is a suitable opportunity, I would like to trouble you to give me your opinion."

He respected Liu Qingqing's concern as the leader's wife and expressed his gratitude, but he did not appear overly eager.

Xu Yunxi kept looking out of the car window, remaining silent and expressionless.

Wu Zhiyuan thought to himself: Xu Yunxi certainly has the capital to be aloof. Her father is the municipal party secretary, and she herself is as beautiful as an angel.

However, on second thought, Xu Yunxi may not be truly aloof, but rather it's more like a protective shell, possibly stemming from the psychological trauma caused by her birth mother's death.

As the conversation continued, the car approached the Qinglong Lake scenic area.

Traffic increased over the weekend, and there was some congestion near the main entrance.

Wu Zhiyuan decisively turned and drove onto a less congested side road.

"Xiao Wu, did you go to the wrong place?" Liu Qingqing asked in confusion.

"Teacher Liu, that's right," Wu Zhiyuan explained. "The queue at the main intersection is long now. Although this route is a bit roundabout, the road conditions are good, and you can also pass through a wetland birdwatching area. You should be able to see a lot of waterbirds this season, and the scenery is unique."

Sure enough, the side road was shaded by green trees and very quiet.

As you walk to the edge of an open body of water, you see reeds swaying and water birds fluttering, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the main road.

"It's so peaceful here, like a paradise. Xiao Wu, let's get off and take a walk."

Walking along a long corridor that extends into the lake, Liu Qingqing leaned against the railing to admire the lake view and asked Wu Zhiyuan to take a picture for her.

Wu Zhiyuan carefully selected the angles, resulting in beautifully composed photos where the people and scenery complement each other perfectly.

Liu Qingqing praised the photos highly, and then enthusiastically pulled Xu Yunxi, who had been standing quietly to the side, over: "Yunxi, come on, let's take a picture together, the background is so beautiful!"