Chapter 7: The Evening Moon Takes the Stage

"Huh? You went to my dormitory?"

Fang Jing was astonished. Sensing the coldness in Lu Hao's tone, she hurriedly explained, "Don't overthink it. My dad called me this afternoon about my job transfer, and I was in a rush to head back to the county seat. Wang Shaojie happened to call saying he was in Fangshui Township and asked if I needed a ride, so I just let him pick me up at the school."

"I heard Wang Shaojie was just promoted to deputy section chief. I thought it wouldn't hurt to have more friends within the system, and since I was hitching a ride, I invited him up for a cup of tea. He smoked a cigarette in my room."

Wang Shaojie again!

Moreover, he had just been demoted to Fangshui Township by Li Zhen, yet somehow Wang Shaojie had been promoted to deputy section chief. It was completely unexpected.

"Stay away from him in the future. That guy doesn't have good intentions toward you," Lu Hao said in a deep voice.

Having been with Fang Jing for six years, he knew her character well. Although he knew she wouldn't do anything to betray him, Lu Hao still felt the need to offer a stern reminder.

"Alright, alright, I know. Don't be angry; I'll definitely keep my distance from him from now on."

Fang Jing knew she was in the wrong; a man and a woman being alone together was bound to make Lu Hao suspicious.

She hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, it's my dad's birthday tomorrow. Remember to buy a cake and come to our place for dinner in the evening."

Hearing this, Lu Hao's expression softened, and he nodded in agreement.

After hanging up, he checked Fang Jing's bedsheets and covers. They were neatly folded as always, with no unusual scents. He also checked the shoe cabinet by the door, which contained a pair of his own slippers. Whenever he visited, he always habitually placed his slippers with the toes facing inward. Seeing that their position hadn't changed, his mood improved significantly. They were engaged, after all, and he certainly didn't want any unpleasantness between them.

That night, Lu Hao stayed at Fang Jing's dormitory. Lying in bed, though exhausted, he couldn't sleep. He called Liu Yuanda, but the phone was still off. It seemed he hadn't been released since being taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission. He couldn't help but recall that Wang Shaojie's attitude toward him earlier had been odd. Although Wang Shaojie had acted surprised when he heard about Liu Yuanda, upon closer reflection, his tone suggested he might have known it was going to happen.

Could Wang Shaojie be involved in Liu Yuanda's downfall?

The more Lu Hao thought about it, the more complicated it seemed. Eventually, he drifted into a deep sleep.

***

The next morning.

As Lin Xiyue passed by the Party and Government Office, she called out, "Xiao Sun, notify Lu Hao from the Poverty Alleviation Office to come to my office for an organizational talk."

She had already put Song Bo in his place yesterday, so she assumed Lu Hao had been transferred back.

"Secretary Lin, he isn't here. He was transferred to the township middle school to work as a maintenance man yesterday afternoon," Xiao Sun replied.

"The township middle school? A maintenance man? Who arranged that?" Lin Xiyue paused, her pretty face instantly turning icy.

"It was arranged by the Township Mayor himself."

"Li Haotian? Why would he transfer someone for no reason?" Lin Xiyue’s expression was grim.

"I... I don't know."

"Personnel arrangements should be reported to me first. Transferring someone out of the township government requires going through the Party Committee process. Don't you know that? I think you're no longer fit to sit in the Party and Government Office. Why don't you go to the middle school and work as a maintenance man yourself?"

Lin Xiyue left those cold words behind and walked away.

Xiao Sun broke into a cold sweat. Panicked, he chased after her. "Secretary Lin, it was Mayor Li who ordered me to make the arrangements. He said he would notify you."

Since Mayor Li Haotian wasn't there, Xiao Sun had no choice but to throw one leader under the bus to appease the other. However, Lin Xiyue saw right through this political tactic. She ignored him and kept walking, leaving Xiao Sun on the verge of tears.

"Secretary Lin, I was wrong, I'll never do it again! I promise I'll report to you first next time..."

"Go and bring him back immediately. If you can't, you can stay there with him."

Lin Xiyue walked away without looking back, leaving Xiao Sun wiping sweat from his forehead. The township government was already short-staffed; transferring people out was sheer madness. Especially since she had just had Song Bo bring Lu Hao back from Xiangyang Village yesterday, only for Li Haotian to banish him to the middle school that afternoon. This wasn't just targeting Lu Hao; it was a strike against her. A cold glint appeared in Lin Xiyue's eyes.

Meanwhile, Xiao Sun had already sped to the middle school on his electric scooter to find Lu Hao.

"Lu Hao, I'm Sun Xiaolei from the Party and Government Office. Get on!"

"Where to?"

"You've been transferred back to the Poverty Alleviation Office. Come back with me right now."

This time, Sun Xiaolei’s attitude was much more respectful.

"Transferred back again?" Lu Hao was stunned. He was about to get on the scooter, but then changed his mind. "I'm not going back. You treat me like a toy, making me come and go as you please? I think being a maintenance man at the middle school is fine. I can play games with the students and kill time; it's not bad at all."

Seeing Lu Hao refuse, Sun Xiaolei was dumbfounded, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. "How can you not go back? If you don't go back, how am I supposed to answer for this?"

"That's your problem," Lu Hao remained unmoved. The events of the last two days had been like a revolving door. Did they really think he was a circus monkey with no temper?

Sun Xiaolei was nearly in tears. If he couldn't bring Lu Hao back, he knew that with Lin Xiyue's uncompromising personality, he would definitely be kicked out of the township government. He panicked, apologizing to Lu Hao like a subservient child, but Lu Hao stood firm.

***

Meanwhile, at the township government building, Lin Xiyue walked into the office of Zhao Gang, the Party Secretary of Fangshui Township. She looked solemn. "Secretary Zhao, there is something I need to discuss with you."

"Secretary Lin, what’s so serious? Sit down, try this authentic Mingqian tea." Zhao Gang greeted her with a smile and poured her a cup.

Zhao Gang was the top official in Fangshui Township; in this remote area, he was the literal king of the hill. However, in all of Fangshui, Lin Xiyue was the only one he treated with such courtesy. Her background was a mystery; she had been parachuted into the township a year ago as the Deputy Party Secretary. Rumors were rife—some said she had offended city leaders and was demoted, others said she had powerful backers and was just there to pad her resume before a promotion. Regardless, no one dared to offend her, not even Zhao Gang.

"I don't know much about tea, don't waste it on me," Lin Xiyue said coolly.

"True, you prefer coffee, but we can't find that in this poor township," Zhao Gang joked. Lin Xiyue was the only one who dared speak to him in such a tone.

"Secretary Zhao, I'm here to report to the county that I intend to resign from my position as the Organization Committee Member," Lin Xiyue said, getting straight to the point.

"Why?" Zhao Gang was baffled. As Deputy Party Secretary, she also held the concurrent role of Organization Committee Member. She had always kept to herself, so this sudden challenge caught him off guard.

"A graduate from a prestigious university named Lu Hao was just transferred from the county, and someone arranged for him to work in logistics and maintenance at the middle school. It's a waste of talent, and no one even notified me!" Lin Xiyue emphasized.

"Logistics at the middle school? Shouldn't he be in the Poverty Alleviation Office?" Zhao Gang asked, puzzled.