Chapter 42: Rent-Seeking Behavior

The October countryside night was cool and refreshing, like water.

While people in the city were sweating profusely even with air conditioning running, the countryside required not even an electric fan.

Zhang Jun and his wife had spent four days at home and were preparing to return to the city the next day.

That night, after making love, Liu Yujie said to Zhang Jun, "You turned down Secretary Jin and County Magistrate Bao. I'm afraid they will hold a grudge."

Zhang Jun let out a long sigh. "What else do you suggest I could have done? If I had made promises to them, I wouldn't have been able to answer to my boss."

Resting her head on his chest, Liu Yujie said softly, "Don't get angry at what I'm about to say. No matter how powerful Governor Ma is, he won't be an official in the provincial government forever. But these county magistrates and county party secretaries down here really might stay in the province for the rest of their lives. Even if they get promoted, they'll only rise to the municipal or provincial level; they won't be transferred to another province."

Zhang Jun paused, feeling that his wife made a valid point.

Liu Yujie traced circles on his chest with her finger and said, "When Ma Hongqi eventually leaves, how are you going to deal with people like Jin Jianjun in the future?"

"Then what do you suggest as a win-win solution?"

"Have you ever thought that Governor Ma knows very well this is your hometown, yet he still sent you down here to investigate? Could it be that he also intended to give you an opportunity to build connections with the officials here?"

"Impossible. My boss hates evil as much as he hates a deadly enemy. If he knew I was shielding people from my hometown, he would definitely never trust me with important tasks again. Perhaps this is his test for me, and also a test from fate! Forget it, I'm not going to think about it anymore. A man dies when his time comes; until then, anything can happen!"

After spacing out for a moment, Liu Yujie hugged her husband and fell asleep.

The next day, Zhang Jun and his wife returned to the provincial capital.

This trip back home had left a deep impact on Zhang Jun.

There were many wealthy people in the village. Even families whose members worked away from home as migrant workers had built modern two-story western-style houses, and some had even constructed three-story villas.

Yet Zhang Jun's family still lived in the old house.

He claimed to be doing quite well for himself, but his family's living conditions were so poor! It was truly humiliating to think about it.

However, if he was unwilling to line his pockets through corruption, what else could he rely on to improve his family's situation?

His wife nagged him in his ear every day, saying that power unused would expire and become void, and that since Ma Hongqi was from Beijing, he would return there once he finished gilding his resume, leaving Zhang Jun with nothing.

Hearing such words repeatedly, Zhang Jun's resolve began to waver.

Sometimes he truly did not know what he was holding on to or what principles he was guarding.

On October 6th, Zhang Jun received a phone call from Liu Zhengjie.

"Buddy, you're back, right?"

"Just got back."

"Want to hang out and grab a bite? It's a rare holiday, shouldn't you relax a bit?"

Remembering how Shen Xue had been deceived into Ma Hongqi's room in the middle of the night, Zhang Jun's perspective on his former buddy Liu Zhengjie had fundamentally changed.

That incident remained an unsolved mystery to this day.

Zhang Jun still had no idea who had leaked the secret to Secretary-General Zhou Kang.

This matter remained buried in his heart like a fish bone stuck in his throat, yet he could not confide in anyone.

Several times he had wanted to warn Ma Hongqi, but he did not know how to bring it up.

After all, he currently possessed no evidence to prove that anyone was trying to frame Ma Hongqi.

Zhang Jun decided to accept Liu Zhengjie's invitation to probe this good friend's true intentions.

"Sure, where are we eating?" Zhang Jun asked.

"How about West Warm Pavilion? I've booked the Xuan Private Room for five-thirty this afternoon."

"Alright."

Hanging up the phone, Zhang Jun asked Liu Yujie, "I'm going out for dinner tonight, are you coming?"

"I have to work the night shift today. We're all on rotation, and I've already rested for so many days. Besides, you men will just be drinking, and I can't drink. You should drink less too; we're trying to conceive a child!"

"Conceive a child! It's been so long, and there's still no movement!"

"Sigh, do you think the two of us should go get a medical checkup? Could there really be something wrong?"

"You go if you want! I'm definitely fine."

"That's pure chauvinism! Who can guarantee anything? Do you think failing to have a child is always the woman's fault?"

Unwilling to continue the discussion, Zhang Jun took out his phone, thought for a moment, and sent a message to Shen Xue: "Five-thirty this afternoon, West Warm Pavilion, Xuan Private Room."

Shen Xue replied promptly: "Got it. Are you back? Is it just the two of us tonight, or is there a dinner gathering?"

Zhang Jun replied: "A dinner gathering. Liu Zhengjie will be there."

Shen Xue answered: "Okay, I understand."

Just as he was about put away his phone, a new message notification chimed.

This time it was from Xie Xiaoya: "Master, you're ignoring me completely? I called you several times, why didn't you answer?"

Zhang Jun did not reply.

He indeed held prejudices against Xie Xiaoya.

Back then, during his lowest moment in that guesthouse room, if Xie Xiaoya had truly surrendered to him, perhaps things would look completely different right now?

Yet sometimes Zhang Jun also thought it was fortunate that Xie Xiaoya had turned and left; otherwise, he would have landed in even greater trouble.

Caught between extramarital thrills and guarding his bottom line, Zhang Jun felt utterly lost and confused.

At five-thirty in the afternoon, Zhang Jun arrived at West Warm Pavilion punctually.

Liu Zhengjie brought a few friends along. Hearing those people address Liu Zhengjie as Director Liu, Zhang Jun suddenly realized:

"Old Liu, you've been promoted?" Zhang Jun asked.

"Heh, just promoted to a director, nothing special! You'll always be my leader!" Liu Zhengjie laughed heartily. "Come on, let's toast Secretary Zhang."

At that moment, Shen Xue knocked on the door and entered.

Seeing Shen Xue arrive, Liu Zhengjie was slightly startled at first, then smiled at Zhang Jun and asked, "Did you invite her?"

Zhang Jun nodded and extended his hand toward Shen Xue.

Without a second thought, Shen Xue took his hand.

Raising his glass, Zhang Jun said, "Let's have a toast to Old Liu's promotion."

He did not mention what relationship Shen Xue had to him, but Liu Zhengjie understood everything at a glance.

Zhang Jun and Shen Xue were not romantically involved; at most, they were close friends who walked in similar circles.

However, Zhang Jun wanted to protect Shen Xue and prevent Liu Zhengjie from exploiting her for power-seeking transactions.

Thus, through this gesture, he asserted his claim over Shen Xue in front of Liu Zhengjie.

Liu Zhengjie chuckled and finished the wine in his glass.

Shen Xue smiled faintly with pressed lips and remained silent.

Sensible as she was, she knew when to keep her mouth shut and when to speak.

After three rounds of drinks, Zhang Jun suddenly patted Liu Zhengjie on the shoulder and said with an ambiguous smile, "You're quite something, buddy, cozying up to Secretary-General Zhou's circle!"

In truth, he did not know whether Liu Zhengjie was truly Zhou Kang's man; saying this deliberately was merely an attempt to trick a confession out of him.

Liu Zhengjie was clearly taken aback for a second before grinning widely. "How did you know?"

This was his confession!

All the doubts in Zhang Jun's heart suddenly cleared up!

So Liu Zhengjie was indeed one of Zhou Kang's men!

Arranging for Shen Xue to visit Ma Hongqi's residence in the middle of the night must have been instigated by Zhou Kang through Liu Zhengjie!

And Zhou Kang must have played a crucial role in Liu Zhengjie's smooth promotion to director, right?

Silently clenching his fists while keeping a smile on his face, Zhang Jun said, "Secretary-General Zhou mentioned it to me. That day, he suddenly asked me if you and I were friends, and then I figured it out. You owe your promotion this time largely to his help, don't you?"

Slapping his thigh hard, Liu Zhengjie laughed, "I guess I was just lucky to win Secretary-General Zhou's appreciation. Now this is great—you, me, and Secretary-General Zhou form an iron triangle. Our position is rock solid!"

Zhang Jun thought to himself: *Oh, you treacherous bastard Liu Zhengjie! I treated you as a friend, yet behind my back, you plotted against me like this! Just wait and see how I deal with you!*