"This Chen Fang is indeed no simple character, it seems," he said. "This man cannot be kept around."

Next door to the Tian character room number one.

In a dimly lit small room.

Sister Hua, with her arms crossed, muttered to herself as she watched Chen Fang on the screen, talking to them.

Three minutes later.

Jiang Mingqing pushed open the door of the private room.

He said rather brusquely, "Minister Chen, I'm really sorry, something held me up for a moment, the dishes will be served right away!"

Chen, sitting in his chair, waved his hand and said, "No need, I've had my fill for today's meal."

"You've had your fill?"

Jiang Mingqing was taken aback.

Chen pointed with his finger to Gao Wanqin standing by his side and said, "Miss Wanqin is a feast for the eyes, President Jiang's hospitality is indeed unique."

Jiang Mingqing paused for a moment.

He said, "Minister Chen, I'm terribly sorry."

After another apology and with a stern face, he scolded Gao Wanqin, "Wanqin, what's going on? Why have you upset Minister Chen?"

Just as he was about to continue the act, Chen Fang, no longer interested, cut him off and said, "President Jiang, I've played along with your act, now let's get straight to the point. If today you only intend to go through the motions, then I, Chen, will take my leave."

Having said that, he stood up.

Jiang Mingqing became anxious.

He shot Gao Wanqin a disdainful glance.

She obediently left.

Jiang sat down beside Chen Fang, took a long sigh, and said, "Alright, since Minister Chen is a straightforward man, I'll be direct too. To tell the truth, I wanted to ask for something from you today."

"What thing?"

Chen Fang asked deliberately,

Jiang Mingqing gave a faint smile and said, "To be precise, a person, Bai Shui Village's Tian Xinran."

Upon hearing this name,

Chen Fang showed no surprise.

He smiled slightly and said, "President Jiang, Tian Xinran has always been in Bai Shui Village, always under your surveillance. You didn't act before, but now that she's in my hands, you suddenly want her. That's quite a strategy."

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Mingqing inquired.

Chen Fang sneered and said, "If I hand Tian Xinran over to you now, no matter who leaked Xie Liang's affair, the blame will eventually fall on me. If I hand her over, wouldn't I, Chen Fang, become the scapegoat?"

Jiang Mingqing shuddered.

He started to feel a bit nervous internally.

He hadn't expected Chen Fang to see right through their ruse.

For a moment, he wasn't sure how to proceed with the negotiation.

Just as he was at a loss,

The door squeaked open.

A woman in a red cheongsam walked in slowly.

Hearing the noise,

Jiang Mingqing turned around,

And quickly stood up, calling out somewhat apologetically, "Sister Hua."

"You may leave," she said,

With an expression of frustration as if to say he had let her down.

She wasn't supposed to show up, but Jiang Mingqing had been outmaneuvered by Chen Fang from the start, forcing her to intervene.

At the moment Sister Hua walked in,

For some reason, Chen Fang's face showed little surprise, as though everything was within his expectations.

After Jiang Mingqing had left, Sister Hua, looking at Chen Fang, said with a smile, "Minister Chen, we meet again."

Chen Fang smiled slightly and said, "I should have guessed, after all, in your club, I personally witnessed you smoothing over a crisis for Meng Zheqing."

Sister Hua braced her skirt with both hands and gently took a seat.

Then she kicked off her shoes directly.

Barefoot, she crossed one leg over the other.

"It's not too late to know now,"

she said indifferently.

Chen Fang let out a long sigh and said, "Fine, since the boss has shown up, I'll ask the same question again. Why should I hand over Tian Xinran to you? I am not stupid."

"Because you have no choice,"

Sister Hua said, staring at Chen Fang unmovingly, her gaze confident and certain.

"Oh? And why don't I have a choice?"

Chen Fang asked.

Sister Hua spoke leisurely, "Tian Xinran is of no use in your hands, and you are well aware that too many people are involved in this. Even if it's exposed, those higher-ups will do their utmost to suppress it. Keeping her with you is just to borrow leverage."

His thoughts were actually seen through.

Chen Fang was somewhat surprised, too.

He laughed and said, "Sister Hua, you are thinking too much. Feigning heroism has nothing to do with me, Chen Fang. Why should I expose it? Isn't it better to keep it as an ace in my hand?"

"So you really think Xue Bo will always be under your control? They truly have no remedial measures? Tian Xinran's usefulness will only last for a few days. After that, what good would even ten Tian Xinrans do?"

This hit right at the heart of the matter.

Chen Fang was obviously aware of this.

He paused, then asked, "And what if I refuse to give her to you?"

Sister Hua snorted coldly, "As I said, you have no choice. If I don't get Tian Xinran tonight, I'm afraid Minister Chen might not make it out that door."

When she spoke these words,

Sister Hua had an air of nonchalance.

A department head from the Organization Department seemed completely insignificant in her eyes.

"If being nice doesn't work, then play it tough, huh? It's quite like Sister Hua's style. After all, when we were in Baishui Village, Sister Hua wanted to get rid of Minister Lin and pin it on me. Now forcing me to stay doesn't come as a surprise."

The last shred of pretense had finally been torn away.

No need for Sister Hua to keep up appearances anymore.

She gave a cold laugh and said, "Minister Chen really is a smart man, it's a pity you're not one of mine. That's somewhat regrettable."

"Did we ever have a chance to be on the same side?"

Chen Fang asked with a smile.

Sister Hua's expression turned cold as she said, "No!"

Chen Fang nodded and said, "I understand."

At such a response, Sister Hua was somewhat surprised and asked, "Don't you want to know why we can't be on the same side?"

Chen Fang smiled, "Of course, I want to know, Miss Hua Mianhu."

As soon as the words "Hua Mianhu" were uttered,

Sister Hua shivered reflexively.

She asked in surprise, "How do you know?"

Chen Fang let out a long sigh and said, "After what happened in Baishui Village, I've been pondering one thing. At the beginning, I always thought that someone wanted to escalate the situation, which is why they chose to have Sun Congjun commit murder. Later, when I returned home, I thought about it—Lin Fei, after all, was a deputy head of the Organization Department, and I am, after all, a standing committee member of Guyang City. Who would have the audacity to plan such a shocking conspiracy, unless that person hated me to the core and wanted me dead? Only then would this logic stand."

"Having never been to Jiangdong Province, who could hate me so much? After much thought, only one person fit the bill—the woman from Cai Xiaodong's past, Hua Mianhu."

Having said that,

Chen Fang looked at the innately enchanting woman opposite him.

It was clearly evident that Sister Hua's breathing had become rapid.

She asked, "How did you know I was Hua Mianhu?"

"Did Sister Hua not know that there was one fish that slipped through the net in the Cai Xiaodong case, and this very fish had once seen you?"

Chen Fang said.

Sister Hua shuddered and asked, "Gu Yibing?"

"Right, Gu Yibing, or Hua Limo. Unintentionally, she told me the legend of the Red Chamber. To tell you the truth, at that moment, one person came to mind—you. Sister Hua, the way you dealt with Zhang Weiming, the secretary of the Wulan City Disciplinary Committee, using a woman is still fresh in my memory. Isn't the business model of Marriott International exactly the same as the Red Chamber from back then?"

Chen Fang asked.

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