"Chen Fang, this guy, you said he was pretty formidable, but I think he's just so-so. I thought he would argue with me, but as you saw, he didn't dare to let out even a peep," Zhao Yiping said contemptuously.

"I didn't expect that either. He swallowed such a huge loss without a word—it seems I really overestimated him," Ding Guiqi replied.

"Alright, stop worrying about it. He's just a coward. After this incident, his credibility in the city government office is shot. Just wait for public outrage to brew, then make your move. I'll give you the bonus back, and by then, in the city government office, even if he is the top official, his words won't carry much weight," Zhu Kuang advised.

"Hahaha, then I'll have to thank you, big brother," responded Ding Guiqi with a laugh.

Zhu Kuang waved his hand dismissively, adding, "We're brothers; there's no need for thanks..."

...

After leaving Zhu Kuang's office,

Chen Fang didn't head straight back to the city government office.

Instead, he went to the top floor of the municipal government building and knocked on Zhao Yiping's office door.

With a creak,

the door opened from the inside.

To his surprise, instead of Zhao Yiping, it was a woman—a very poised woman in a ladies' suit. It was none other than Zhao Yiyi, the woman he had mistaken the day before in the lobby.

"Uh... I'm... I'm looking for Mayor Zhao. Is he in?" asked Chen Fang.

With a charming smile, Zhao Yiyi replied, "He was called away temporarily, but he'll be back shortly. Why don't you come in and wait?"

Having said that,

Zhao Yiyi opened the door wide.

Without much thought, Chen Fang walked in.

Zhao Yiyi invited him to sit on the sofa and poured him a cup of tea. Then she sat down quietly on the adjacent sofa, picked up a book, and started reading intently.

Chen Fang's eyes swept over her face.

He still marveled to himself, she looked so much like Taotao—it was an uncanny resemblance.

But the difference in their aura was enormous.

Just then, Zhao Yiyi suddenly looked up, her eyes meeting Chen Fang's. She touched her face subconsciously and asked, "Is there something on my face?"

"No... nothing. It's just that you look a lot like a friend of mine," Chen Fang replied.

Putting down her book, Zhao Yiyi smiled and asked, "Oh? What kind of person is that friend of yours?"

"How can I put it? She's a woman with a lot of personality—wild and rebellious," he described.

"So do you like wild, or do you prefer demure?" Zhao Yiyi suddenly inquired.

Chen Fang was taken aback, not knowing how to answer.

After a pause, he asked, "Is there any chance that you two are the same person?"

With a slight smile, Zhao Yiyi replied, "It seems we really do look alike, otherwise you wouldn't mistake me once and still make such a suggestion."

Suddenly standing up,

Chen Fang moved closer to Zhao Yiyi and pressed, "You are Taotao, aren't you?"

Zhao Yiyi answered with an embarrassed smile, "Sir, don't you think that this way of hitting on someone is a bit cliché?"

"It's you, don't think I can't recognize you," Chen Fang asserted firmly. Then, both hands reaching for her neckline with a mischievous grin, he said, "People might change their makeup, but your tattoo should be unmistakable."

With that, he gave a forceful tug.

Zhao Yiyi's suit jacket was pulled open to both sides.

The left shoulder was exposed.

Underneath the jacket was a white wrap top.

Half of her fair bosom was revealed,

but it was clear and unmarked—there was no butterfly tattoo at all.

Chen Fang's mind exploded.

He wished he could find a crack in the floor to crawl into right then and there.

His impudence had turned him into a brazen scoundrel.

As he started to explain,

Footsteps could be heard at the door.

Zhao Yiyi swiftly covered her clothes, and Chen Fang could only sullenly return to his seat.

Now, he didn't even have the courage to glance at Zhao Yiyi.

The door opened.

Zhao Yiping walked in.

Chen Fang also quickly stood up, greeting, "Mayor Zhao, hello."

Zhao Yiping waved his hand at Chen Fang, signaling him to sit down, and then turned to Zhao Yiyi, saying, "Yiyi, you go back first. Daddy still has some work to deal with, and we'll talk about that matter when I get home tonight."

"Alright."

Zhao Yiyi nodded.

With a somewhat resentful look at Chen Fang, she turned and left.

Chen Fang, too, took a deep breath of relief.

If Zhao Yiyi mentioned his disrespect to Zhao Yiping, he really didn't know how Zhao Yiping would deal with him.

"Do you have something to discuss?"

Zhao Yiping sat down opposite Chen Fang and asked.

Chen Fang hesitated and then said, "Mayor Zhao, there's something I want to report to you. I heard that the recent budget is tight at the Culture and Tourism Bureau. I have a suggestion that the city government's direct agencies could stop issuing bonuses for half a year, and then allocate that money to cultural and tourism projects. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this,

Zhao Yiping's brow furrowed instantly.

He scolded, "Chen Fang, what nonsense is this? Are you being too eager for quick success? Sacrificing everyone's interests for your performance, how could you come up with such an idea?"

Upon hearing this,

Chen Fang deliberately argued, "Mayor Zhao, I'm doing this with the overall situation in mind, considering the bigger picture. Besides, I've already ordered the suspension of bonuses in the city hall office, and I believe I'm not wrong in doing so."

With a slap,

Zhao Yiping hit the armrest of the sofa.

He furiously said, "Overall situation? What overall situation? Nonsense overall situation, I see you're just seeking quick success."

Having said that,

Zhao Yiping stood up.

He walked directly to the desk.

Picked up the phone and dialed a number.

The call connected quickly.

Zhao Yiping glared viciously at Chen Fang and said, "Is that you, Hu Xintian? This is Zhao Yiping. I've heard the city hall office has stopped the bonuses to allocate to the Culture and Tourism Bureau. Is that true?"

"Yes, Mayor Zhao,"

Hu Xintian said on the phone.

Zhao Yiping barked fiercely, "I don't care who issued the order, revoke it immediately. If anything like this happens again, you may not need to be the finance director anymore."

"Yes, yes, Mayor Zhao, I will cancel it immediately, at once,"

Hu Xintian was terrified.

He said obsequiously over the phone.

After putting down the phone,

Zhao Yiping pointed at Chen Fang and angrily said, "I'm not going to hold this against you this time, but if there's a next time, I definitely won't let you off lightly."

"Understood, Mayor Zhao. I guarantee there won't be a next time,"

Chen Fang said subserviently.

"Alright, I still have things to do. You can go now,"

Zhao Yiping said irritably.

Chen Fang felt secretly pleased inside.

Resentfully he said, "Then I won't bother Mayor Zhao any longer."

Having said that, he opened the door and left.

This outcome was within Chen Fang's expectations.

The reason was simple.

Firstly, stopping bonuses to allocate to the Culture and Tourism Bureau was in itself an unreasonable action; he knew it was just Ding Guiqi using Zhu Kuang's hand to suppress him.

Secondly,

Zhao Yiping had a grudge against him and would be sure to oppose anything he wanted to do.

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