Chen Feng, I used to wonder why you weren't as carefree as other young people, considering your decent salary. So that's how it is. It's good, really. Filial piety should always come first. You'll achieve great things.
Qin Yan looked at Chen Feng with admiration.
Qin Yan, at her age and with her power, influence, status, and wealth, had remained unmarried because she had encountered several men with poor character.
Some men, for power, would betray even their oldest friends.
Some men, for money, couldn't wait for their parents to die so they could inherit their wealth.
Some men, while having a woman who loved them dearly, still flirted with others outside.
...
In Qin Yan's eyes, these men, no matter how rich or powerful, could only be useful connections in her career, never men to spend a lifetime with.
For over a decade, every man she met was of such low character. Qin Yan gradually became disappointed in men and lost any expectations, focusing on her career as her home and remaining single.
Today, seeing Chen Feng's true side, Qin Yan felt a strange sensation stirring within her heart.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, it’s just what I should do, nothing much.”
Chen Feng replied with a hint of embarrassment.
“How about this, I’ll have a word with my friends at the town’s health bureau and have your father’s situation included in the special coordinated care. That way, your father won’t have to pay extra for his monthly medical expenses and medication.”
Qin Yan said with a serious expression.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, is that appropriate?”
Chen Feng asked cautiously.
“Chen Feng, you’ve known me for quite some time. You should know that people in my position have two additional special coordinated care quotas for medical treatment, besides our own. Don’t overthink this. I have my reasons for doing this. First, your filial piety is commendable, and I admire it, so I genuinely want to help you. Second, you are now my capable assistant. To ensure you can help me wholeheartedly without any worries, including your father in the special coordinated care for medical treatment is very necessary. If you really want to thank me, just work hard for me from now on.”
Chen Feng was so touched by Qin Yan’s words that he didn’t know what to say. He secretly vowed that even if he drove for Qin Yan his entire life, it would be worth it.
“Oh, right, I almost forgot to tell you something.”
Sensing a slight awkwardness in the atmosphere, Qin Yan changed the subject with a smile.
“What is it?”
“Captain Sun in the town government compound, I’ve had him dismissed.”
Qin Yan replied directly.
“Ah?”
Chen Feng was taken aback.
He had been thinking of finding an opportunity to deal with Captain Sun, who had humiliated him, as his relationship with Qin Yan grew closer. He never expected Qin Yan to take care of it first.
“Are you surprised that someone who humiliated you has been dismissed?”
Qin Yan asked, smiling at Chen Feng.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, you know about it?”
Chen Feng asked, feigning surprise.
“In the town government compound, I am second only to Wang Delai. I know about all the major and minor affairs in the compound, whether I choose to speak of them or not. Captain Sun humiliating you is humiliating me, so he had to be dismissed.”
Qin Yan explained seriously.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, thank you for standing up for me. I will work diligently.”
Chen Feng said gratefully.
“Don’t worry, if you work loyally for me, I won’t treat you unfairly. By the way, you’re a university graduate. Have you taken any civil service exam written tests?”
Qin Yan asked thoughtfully.
“Yes, I have. Several times, I came first in the written tests, but the interviews…”
Chen Feng trailed off. Qin Yan, as an experienced figure in politics, would definitely understand the intricacies involved.
“That’s good. Now, I have an important task for you. I hope you’ll help me with it.”
Qin Yan said softly.
Even though they were in Chen Feng’s rented room, she was wary of eavesdropping, as this was not something done in the open.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, if you have something for me to do, just tell me.”
“Straightforward. Tomorrow, I’ll send you to invigilate a civil service exam in the town. While invigilating, you’ll also complete the exam paper, and then discreetly pass the multiple-choice answers to a candidate named Tan Feng from Jiangcheng.”
Qin Yan continued in a low voice.
Chen Feng immediately understood Qin Yan's intention.
Qin Yan’s contacts in Jiangcheng, to avoid suspicion, had specifically sent their son to Mingshan Town to take the civil service exam, and then asked Qin Yan for assistance.
Qin Yan was happy to oblige.
This time, Qin Yan helped her contacts in Jiangcheng. Next time, if someone she knew needed to take the civil service exam, she could naturally send them to Jiangcheng, and they would reciprocate by helping.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, exams are very strict. I’m afraid I can’t help with this.”
Chen Feng probed tentatively.
He had participated in several such exams after graduating from university. Although not as strict as the college entrance exams, openly engaging in such minor manipulations was still impossible.
“Don’t worry, I don’t do things I’m not confident about. To tell you the truth, tomorrow’s exam is a semi-public internal exam for Mingshan Town, not a nationwide public examination. As long as it’s not too obvious, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
With Qin Yan’s explanation, Chen Feng felt more at ease.
That evening, Chen Feng diligently reviewed his past civil service exam materials all night.
The next day, Chen Feng arrived at the exam venue early.
When the exam papers were distributed, Chen Feng dared not slack off. He stood beside a candidate and discreetly began reviewing the paper.
It was similar to the national exam papers, but much easier.
However, even with a simple paper, Tan Feng, who hailed from Jiangcheng, seemed lost for words as he wrote.
Just as Chen Feng was preparing to discreetly hand the note to Tan Feng as planned, another invigilator suddenly stood beside Tan Feng without any warning.
Chen Feng had no choice but to give up.
Helping Qin Yan was important, but protecting himself was also crucial.
Assisting Tan Feng in cheating under these circumstances would be akin to courting death.
Thus, Chen Feng watched as the other invigilator stood by Tan Feng’s side until the end of the exam.
In the afternoon, Chen Feng went to Qin Yan’s office immediately to admit his failure.
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, I apologize. I failed to complete the task you assigned me.”
Chen Feng dared not look up at Qin Yan.
“This is not your fault.”
Qin Yan replied with a relaxed expression.
Chen Feng was bewildered. Without receiving the answers, Tan Feng’s written score would surely be very low. If he failed to pass the written exam, even if there were opportunities in the interview, it would be useless.
Logically speaking, Qin Yan should be very angry with such a result, shouldn't she?
“Deputy Town Mayor Qin, if you want to scold me, please do. I am responsible for my poor performance and cannot escape blame.”
Chen Feng said with deep guilt.
Qin Yan had helped him twice with significant favors: first, by arranging special coordinated care for his father's medical treatment. Second, by allowing him to move into the staff dormitory (the staff dormitory had excellent conditions. Only two types of people could enter the town government compound: those with connections, like Cheng Lu, and veteran employees, like Sister Wang from the archives department, who had over a decade of service.)
He had intended to repay her loyalty handsomely, but he had messed up.
“Chen Feng, it’s truly not your fault. It’s Tan Feng’s father who acted inappropriately. He asked me to look after him, and at the same time, he asked someone else to look after him. To put it bluntly, he was hedging his bets.”
Qin Yan explained word by word.
The stone in Chen Feng’s heart immediately lifted. So, the invigilator who had been standing next to Tan Feng was also helping Tan Feng.
The waters of the political arena run deep!