Official Career Storm

Su Rong looked at the man in front of her and suddenly broke into a bright smile.

With that smile, a flash of amazement lit up the man's eyes.

"Thank you, Brother Du." Su Rong reached up and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing a hint of confusion. "Brother Du, how did you know that there was a conflict between me and him?"

The man's name was Du Canyang. At her words, he gave a faint smile and said, with a touch of showing off, "When Director Song mentioned how he came to know you, I noticed your reaction was pretty indifferent, even a bit hostile."

Su Rong suddenly understood. Her big eyes sparkled with surprise and admiration as she said in disbelief, "Ah? Just from that? Brother Du, can you read minds or something?"

As soon as Du Canyang heard this, he couldn't hold back his smile. He felt a little light-headed with pride, though he kept saying it was "just a bit of experience in reading people," waving his hand again and again, while the smugness on his face was impossible to hide.

"There is indeed some bad blood between Director Song and me…" Su Rong shook her head, looking as if she wanted to say more but held back. "But Director Song is in a high position after all. I'm just angry in my heart, it's not like I'd dare to do anything reckless to him."

Seeing her so dejected, Du Canyang couldn't help wanting to perform in front of her. He snorted dismissively and said, "A deputy department–level director, that's what you call a high position? Don't be fooled by the fact that you and I are just at division level. Even at division level, it depends on which division. Our inspection team is an imperial envoy by nature. Don't mention a mere deputy department official— even the City Secretary doesn't scare us."

Su Rong said in self-pity, "That's easy to say, but the inspection team can't just do whatever it wants either…"

"Who said anything about doing whatever we want?" Du Canyang smiled mysteriously, sly as a fox.

He slowed his pace again and glanced up. Seeing that the other members of the inspection team were waiting for the elevator, he jerked his chin. "Let's go sit over there for a bit."

They went to the lounge area in the lobby, and a waiter brought them two cups of tea.

Du Canyang blew on the rising steam and said, "Do you remember what our inspection team's most basic duty is?"

Su Rong nodded. "Supervision."

"Right, supervision." Du Canyang said, "If someone files a report, we have to investigate and verify it. Now, say someone were to report Song Guanchao…"

At this point, he deliberately stopped and looked at her with a smile.

Su Rong's beautiful eyes lit up. Overjoyed, she said, "I get it. Brother Du means that if someone reports him, then we can investigate him!"

"But…" Su Rong's gaze dimmed again. She gave a self-mocking smile. "But what are the odds I'd just happen to run into a report against him."

Du Canyang chuckled lightly. "Xiao Su, you're still too naïve. Anyone can write a letter of accusation. If no one reports him, we can get someone to file an anonymous report."

"Anonymous… but the inspection team usually doesn't accept anonymous reports."

"You, you." Du Canyang shook his head. "We are the inspection team. Whether we accept it or not— isn't that up to us?"

Su Rong's small mouth parted slightly, as if her whole worldview had been shaken. "Brother Du, you mean…"

"As long as you understand what I mean, that's enough."

Du Canyang put down his untouched tea and stood up. "Alright, let's go upstairs. Get a good nap in. If anything comes up, think it through slowly. We're staying in Jiangzhou until after the New Year this time; there's plenty of time. If you have any ideas, don't be in a rush to act. Come discuss them with me first, and I'll help you think of something."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Du." Su Rong looked at him gratefully.

They went upstairs, and Du Canyang walked her to her door. Only after she went inside did he leave.

As soon as the door closed, the smugness on Du Canyang's face could no longer be concealed. The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile, as if victory was already in his grasp. "In the end, she's still young."

He did have certain thoughts about Su Rong; otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered to scheme on her behalf.

Thinking of how Su Rong had gone from wary, to surprised, to full of admiration for him just now, Du Canyang knew it wouldn't be long before he could easily win her over.

And she would be the one throwing herself into his arms.

He was far too experienced in dealing with this kind of woman— so "pure" she was practically silly.

…

In the room, the color drained from Su Rong's face, returning to its usual coolness.

Thinking of Du Canyang's smug expression just now, a wave of nausea washed over her, and at the same time she sneered inwardly, marveling at how easy men were to fool.

Just show a little admiration and surprise, and they really think that's what you feel— so stupid it's almost funny.

She had seen more men like Du Canyang inside the system than she could count.

From the moment she entered the system, the one thing she never lacked around her were men like Du Canyang, constantly fawning over her.

From colleagues at the bottom to leaders at the top, over the years there had been if not a hundred, then at least eighty.

Su Rong came from a well-off family and carried herself with pride. She looked down on these men.

She was already married. Her husband also worked within the system and had married into her family back then as an in-law.

An in-law has no status, no dignity. No one in the Su Family showed him the slightest respect, and naturally, Su Rong did not like him either.

Her parents had been worried that the man she chose wouldn't be able to hold her down, so they resorted to marrying in a son-in-law as a last resort.

Who would have thought that less than two years after the wedding, Su Rong would meet the prince charming in her heart.

Chen Jie Ming, four years younger than her.

Chen Jie Ming was tall and handsome, humorous and witty. In every way, he fit Su Rong's standards for a partner.

At first, she only paid quiet attention to this young man and never thought about getting involved with him.

But to her surprise, Chen Jie Ming actually started pursuing her.

With a willing gentleman and a receptive lady, and under Chen Jie Ming's ardent pursuit that gave her no room to breathe, Su Rong fell.

It happened during a reception for visiting leaders. They had both had a bit to drink, and that night, when Chen Jie Ming walked her back to her room, he refused to leave.

She kept a cold face and ordered him out, but all she got in return was Chen Jie Ming pushing his luck even further.

When he wrapped his arms around her and started kissing her, her body went weak. By the time she came back to her senses, she was already beneath him, moaning in pleasure.

Of course she knew it was wrong, but she couldn't control herself.

She regretted getting married so hastily, regretted that brief moment of impulse when she agreed to her parents' plan for a son-in-law.

After months of tormenting herself in that contradiction, she finally made a decision: she and her in-law husband would live in separate rooms, and she told him outright that from that day on, they were husband and wife in name only.

She didn't care if he had other women outside, but he was not to interfere with her life either.

The "husband" who had never once shown a shred of masculine pride from the day she met him to the day they married lowered his head and gave in.

Seeing him compromise with almost no bottom line, Su Rong only grew more disappointed in him.

Compared with the young and outstanding Chen Jie Ming, she grew more and more disgusted with her husband, even feeling ashamed that he was her man.

To avoid seeing him altogether, she rented an apartment outside with Chen Jie Ming. She would go home maybe once every few months. The marriage existed in name only.

Originally, she had planned to sit down with her parents at the end of the year, talk things through, and persuade them to agree to a divorce.

But disaster came too fast— Chen Jie Ming was arrested!

That night, Song Guanchao brought people to the hotel and took Chen Jie Ming away right in front of her.

In that moment, the world spun around her, and she was certain there had to be some mistake.

Only afterwards did she learn that Chen Jie Ming had colluded with local officials, embezzling and taking bribes amounting to over ten million.

As a member of the inspection team, Su Rong knew exactly how vile this was in nature.

If Chen Jie Ming had embezzled and taken bribes while working in a City Government department, there might still have been room to maneuver; she could have tried to pull strings and beg for leniency.

But he had to do it while serving as an inspector.

Inspectors were supposed to supervise others' violations and crimes, yet he knowingly broke the law himself. By nature, that was far more serious than ordinary officials taking bribes.

Yet even so, Su Rong refused to give up. She went to see many people, trying to save him, but it was all in vain.

She went to see Chen Jie Ming, crying as she blamed him for being so greedy. He told her he hadn't done it for himself, but wanted to give her a decent wedding after her divorce, and to buy a small place for the two of them in Beijing.

Those words shattered Su Rong completely. She went to people again, trying to smother the case, but no one was willing to get involved.

The corruption case in Pinghai had caused too big a stir. Anyone who dared meddle in it risked getting dragged down.

Su Rong refused to accept it. If she couldn't save Chen Jie Ming, then she would take revenge on Song Guanchao!

It was all because of that bastard— all his fault!

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!