The Secretary General and Director Xu did not know Jiang Fuli, but even without knowing him, as soon as they opened the door, they felt a strong sense of oppression.
It was so oppressive that they didn’t even dare to lift their heads.
Ming Dongheng, who had been following Jiang Fuli, had never felt such a strong sense of oppression in all the years since he was born.
Even when Jiang Fuli had said before that it would be better for him not to go to university, he had never felt such a strong sense of oppression.
Xiangcheng’s surname is Ren?
Ming Dongheng didn’t know how they dared to say that.
He reached out his hands directly, grabbing the Secretary General and Director Xu one in each hand, and threw them out. “You go in first, I’ll deal with it.”
If Jiang Fuli were to handle this matter, he was afraid that the entire Ren family would have to be skinned.
After Jiang Fuli went in.
Ming Dongheng lowered his head and swept his eyes over the Secretary General and Director Xu. “Chen Yongkun’s men?”
Only after Jiang Fuli left did the Secretary General and Director Xu feel relieved, but before the Secretary General could catch his breath, Ming Dongheng’s next sentence made his liver and gall tremble with fear.
As Ren Qian’s right-hand man, the Secretary General naturally received Commissioner Chen’s information.
Although Ren Qian and the others called him “Master Chen” every time, it did not mean that he did not know Master Chen’s name.
Seeing the Secretary General’s reaction, Ming Dongheng knew he was right, and he couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to the Secretary General: “I will let Chen Yongkun communicate with you.”
After saying that, he opened the door and went in again, leaving the two of them outside.
Director Xu had just been transferred up and naturally had not heard Chen Yongkun’s name. Only after Ming Dongheng and Jiang Fuli had entered the room did he look up at the Secretary General and ask, “Who are these two people? And who is Chen Yongkun?”
With a preconceived notion, Ji Shaojun’s family made him look down on Bailian.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the Secretary General’s face turning pale.
“Chen… Master Chen…” The Secretary General’s fingers trembled slightly, and he suddenly realized that he had acted arrogant in the wrong place today. “Hurry back and find the boss!”
With just the momentum of those two people, the Secretary General had no doubt that the Chen Yongkun mentioned by Ming Dongheng was the same person.
With this group of people from the Ji family, he originally thought that today’s matter would be easy to resolve, but now how did it have something to do with Master Chen? He was almost running downstairs.
Behind him, Director Xu belatedly realized that the situation seemed to be a bit off.
He followed him downstairs, and when he reached the bottom, he turned around in a daze to look at the almost dilapidated building behind him.
Who exactly was Chen Yongkun? ** At the Ji family.
Shen Qing was grabbed by the sleeve by Bailian, “A Lian, let me go find Secretary to talk about it again, don’t grab me…”
She looked anxious.
The Ren family had a deep-rooted status in Xiangcheng, and they were located in a remote area. They could be said to be a local tyrant. Shen Qing didn’t understand the other things, but the Secretary General’s words about the school made Shen Qing panic!
She knew that Bailian was taking her studies seriously.
Ji Heng often said that Bailian studied until one o’clock in the morning, wanting to work hard to get an undergraduate degree.
“What are you in a hurry for, Aunt?” Bailian’s strength was great, and she forced Shen Qing to sit down and comforted her, “At worst, I’ll change schools.”
Xiangcheng’s First High School was the only decent one. What would she change schools to? Shen Qing opened her mouth, “You child, don’t pull me! What do you understand, are you as single-minded as your uncle and can’t turn around? What are you making trouble with the Ren family for? You won’t be able to catch up with the Secretary soon!”
Halfway through her speech, she suddenly felt the entire hall turn cold, and she suddenly shivered.
Looking up, she came into contact with the tall figure who slowly entered.
He was slightly lowering his head, his fine black hair hanging slightly, his skin a cold white, a pair of light-colored eyes without any extra emotion, his black windbreaker casually open, his icy features even set off the old hall with a unique charm.
Shen Qing recognized him at a glance, it was the young man at the police station last time.
Bailian was still thinking about how to stop Shen Qing, but she didn’t expect that without saying a word, Shen Qing automatically shut up.
She slowly stroked her chin, quite useful.
“Don’t worry,” Jiang Fuli glanced at Jiang He who was sitting on the floor playing with a puzzle, and said to Shen Qing, “Nothing will happen.”
“Really?” Shen Qing was a little doubtful.
In the eyes of an ordinary citizen, she always felt that the Ren family was an insurmountable mountain.
Jiang Fuli was calm and at ease: “How could Xiangcheng possibly have the surname Ren, Xiangcheng belongs to the people.”
Bailian nodded in agreement, “That’s right.”
“Ah,” Shen Qing felt that something was wrong, but also felt that it seemed to make sense, “A Lian, let go, you’re hurting me to death.”
She rubbed her hand that Bailian had gripped and hurt, and went in to make tea for Jiang Fuli.
She also got a new cup for him.
“You’re not lying to me, are you?” Shen Qing handed the teacup to Jiang Fuli.
Jiang Fuli sat on the sofa, took the new cup with “Darun Duo Supermarket” printed on it, lowered his head and elegantly blew on it, took a sip, and said, “Of course not.”
Jiang Fuli was quite capable when it came to deceiving people.
Just by sitting there, he was equivalent to a thousand troops and horses, even if he told Shen Qing that the sun in the sky was square, Shen Qing would feel that what he said made sense.
“That’s good then.” Shen Qing’s eyes turned, and she started asking Jiang Fuli for information again, “Little Jiang, where are you from…”
“…”
Bailian also listened with a headache on the side.
“Aunt, we still have to go out and scout locations.” She picked up Jiang He, “We’ll be going first.”
“Hey–” Shen Qing shouted from inside the door, “He He, remember to come play with your sister next time!”
Jiang He, who was being picked up by Bailian, turned his head with difficulty to look at Shen Qing.
When they reached downstairs, Bailian finally put him down. Jiang He stared at the few excavators that had just entered the community for a good while.
** Bailian didn’t go to the library in the afternoon.
Ming Dongheng drove the car to the address she mentioned.
It was an old neighborhood in the east of the city. He stopped the car, and as soon as he looked up, he saw a dilapidated small courtyard house, and was stunned, “This is…”
Jiang Fuli also got out of the car and stood in front of the door, looking at the plaque hanging half outside the door–
[Xingyi Martial Arts School]
The entire courtyard was very large, probably about five or six acres.
But it was almost on the outskirts of the city, with few people passing by.
The door was a heavy red elm wood door, with four door pins that had almost faded, but could still be seen to be peonies, and the bronze door knockers had already revealed their original color.
Bailian stepped onto the steps and lightly knocked on the door knocker three times.
No one came to open the door.
“Are you looking for Master Jin?” A man riding an electric bicycle passing by wiped his sweat with a towel and grinned, “He should have gone to work at the construction site, and will probably only be back around ten in the evening.”
Bailian had long known from Mao Kun that this martial arts school was no longer open.
But she never expected that the person running the martial arts school would be at a construction site.
“Thank you.” She put down her hand and thanked the man.
“I want to open the book association next door,” Bailian stepped down the steps one by one and told Jiang Fuli her idea, “This martial arts school, I searched for information online, it’s very large.”
The book association wouldn’t need a very large space.
Jiang Fuli looked up, and as soon as Ming Dongheng drove the car here, he guessed Bailian’s idea.
He took Bailian for a walk around the surroundings and pointed to the spacious area across from the martial arts school, “A bus stop can be applied for here, transportation is the most important thing at any time.”
Bailian had originally handed the book association over to the Cultural and Tourism Bureau completely, but today she changed her mind.
Handing it over to them, the people of Xiangcheng might not be able to learn calligraphy equally.
She decided to do it herself.
And the martial arts school too.
Bailian looked up at the half-hanging plaque.
She recalled what Mao Kun said about most children nowadays learning taekwondo and judo, and Ning Xiao also said that Muay Thai was very popular.
She withdrew her gaze.
“Martial arts school?” Bailian was not used to typing on the computer, so Jiang Fuli got in the car, took out his own notebook, opened a document, and typed on the keyboard with one hand to help her with the proposal, “What else?”
He casually placed the computer on his knees, his cold white fingertips pressed against the black keyboard, occasionally tilting his head to listen attentively to Bailian’s ideas.
After finishing typing, he sent it to Jiang Xizhe for brainstorming.
Jiang Xizhe, who was decisive in the financial world, thought that Jiang Fuli had sent some extraordinary document. He interrupted the meeting to return to the office to check, but it turned out to be a proposal for a local book association and martial arts school…
Before long, Chou Xuezheng, who was at a loss in the face of his enemies, received a proposal that could be called perfect.
** Ren family.
Ji Shaorong looked at the gift thrown out the door by Ren Wanxuan and couldn’t help but press his forehead.
He was used to it, whenever Ren Wanxuan got angry, she liked to throw things around, whether it was a gift from him or Ren Qian, they had all been thrown into the trash can by her, but Ren Qian’s way of raising girls was to spoil them.
He didn’t think there was anything wrong with it at all.
Ren Wanxuan was taught by Ren Qian, and Ji Shaorong had no right to interfere. Sometimes when he said a word too many, the Secretary General would accuse him of wanting to “take advantage of the Ren family”.
Not to mention him, even Ren Jiawei couldn’t intervene.
Ji Shaorong heavily picked up the gift.
When he went downstairs, he saw the Secretary General coming in from outside. He and the Secretary General had always disliked each other, which had become more and more obvious in recent years. However, today the Secretary General didn’t have time to mock him.
He went upstairs to find Ren Qian with a pale face.
As soon as he entered the study, a teacup was thrown at him! “Xiangcheng belongs to the Ren family, how dare you say that?” Ren Qian looked at the Secretary General in disbelief, “The one surnamed Xu is a fool, you’ve been in this position for so many years and still can’t see clearly?”
The Secretary General had never made such a big slip-up.
It was mainly because of that group of people from the Ji family, whom he had never taken to heart. “Old Ren, I didn’t know they actually knew Master Chen…”
“It doesn’t matter whether they know Master Chen or not, I’m asking how you dared to say those words?” Ren Qian had never been so angry. After a long while, he sat down in his chair, as if he had aged a dozen years. “I’m now suspended for half a month.”
The Secretary General’s mind was buzzing.
“You go tell Wanxuan,” Ren Qian hadn’t done anything against his conscience over the years, so he wasn’t afraid of being investigated, “Tell her she won’t be able to join the book association.”
As for Director Xu…
He had done too many things against his conscience, and no one could protect him anymore.
** Ren Wanxuan didn’t know about the changes in the Ren family.
She had already received the notification from Chou Xuezheng that Bailian was going to open a book association on her own, in a place where birds don’t even poop.
Ren Wanxuan was originally depressed about not being able to join the book association, but when she heard this news, she suddenly lost interest in joining the book association–
[Senior Brother, do you still want to join the Xiangcheng Book Association?]
Jiangjing.
Xiangcheng belongs to Beicheng, and Vice President Qian had already announced the news of Xiangcheng opening a book association in the Beicheng Book Association and encouraged everyone to join as members of Xiangcheng–
[The Xiangcheng Book Association is organized by the first place winner of our Lanting Competition this time]
This news shook many people in the Beicheng Book Association, and many people had itchy feet.
“I remember you’re also from Xiangcheng, right?” Jian Rong also had some ideas. He looked at Chou Boqing. Xiangcheng was very ordinary, but this Bailian was really attractive to people in the book association. “Team Leader Qian signed me up.”
Jian Rong held a registration form in his hand.
“I advise you not to go, I’m already trying to figure out how to withdraw,” Chou Boqing bit his lip and said to Jian Rong and the people around him, “Let me give you a heads-up, you also know what kind of place Xiangcheng is. Although she won first place, she only joined the Xiangcheng Book Association and not the Jiangjing Book Association. The Xiangcheng Book Association is located in a suburb. Vice President Qian will definitely send some people down. I advise those of you who have connections to hurry up and find them, don’t let yourselves be sent down.”
“A newly established junior association, with no one who has passed the level yet, once you go in, it will be very difficult to come out.”
With that said, Chou Boqing also sent an application report to Chou Xuezheng.
The others looked at each other. They also knew what kind of place Xiangcheng was.
Most of the people who wanted to go were relying on Bailian’s reputation, but if Bailian didn’t join the Jiangjing Book Association, what use would it be?
Without joining the book association, you can’t find a high-level teacher, and you’ll be stuck here for the rest of your life. What development can you have? Isn’t everyone working hard for the sake of the Jiangjing Book Association? Who wants to be sent down to Xiangcheng, which has no prospects?
Extremely poor.
There are no famous teachers either, and the only one who can be considered well-known is Chou Xuezheng, whose abilities are just average in the Beicheng Book Association.
“She had an exceptional performance this time, but if she doesn’t join the Jiangjing Book Association, how will she develop in the future without a teacher’s guidance? I’ll tell my grandfather and have him find a way to put in a word with Vice Captain Qian. I’m applying to withdraw,” Jian Rong frowned, also extinguishing his thoughts, “I have a third-place prize, which meets the application threshold for the Jiangjing Book Association. I’ll find a better teacher to teach me.”
“Brother,” he had just stood up when a young man came over from behind, “You’re not going, right? Can you give me the application form?”
“You?” Jian Rong looked at the young man and recognized him. This was his second uncle’s son: “Jian Zhe? What are you going to Xiangcheng for?”
He looked at Jian Zhe as if he was looking at someone with an intellectual disability.
Everyone was trying to find connections to avoid being sent to Xiangcheng, yet there was actually someone who wanted to go to Xiangcheng voluntarily? “My female cousin…” Jian Zhe scratched his head, “I want to go see that stone at Xiangcheng First High School. You were selected by Vice President Qian, so it’s not good for you to withdraw. If I go in your place, it’ll be different. Grandpa will definitely not refuse.”
The main reason was…
Jian Zhe only saw the work today and learned that what Bailian wrote was in the Liangti style.
And what he learned was also the Liangti style.
“Do whatever you want,” Jian Rong glanced at Jian Zhe and handed him the registration form, “Then you tell Grandpa yourself, I’m not forcing you.”
Seeing Jian Zhe take the registration form.
Jian Rong felt as if he had thrown off a burden.
Jian Zhe took the registration form and called Grandpa.
The Jian family valued Jian Rong highly. As soon as they heard that Jian Zhe was replacing Jian Rong to go to the middle of nowhere, Grandpa Jian naturally agreed very willingly without asking any further questions.
** Jian Zhe submitted the list and flew back to Beicheng the next day.
He then transferred to a train and arrived in Xiangcheng on Monday afternoon, dusty and travel-worn.
No one from the Jian family came to see him off.
He wasn’t surprised at all. He wasn’t someone chosen by fate in the first place.
Jian Zhe pulled his suitcase alone to the book association location. Chou Xuezheng was sweeping the floor outside the door.
Seeing him, he looked up and smiled, “Jian Zhe, right? Come in first. We’ll have a members’ meeting at six o’clock.”
Bailian quietly set up a book association without a launch ceremony or press conference.
She personally invited local old calligraphers who had not passed the level to join.
She picked up a brush and wrote the plaque “Xiangcheng Book Association”.
Jian Zhe had heard from Chou Boqing before that the Xiangcheng Book Association would be very desolate and dilapidated. However, when he actually arrived, he found that although the things here were old, they were very quaint and simple.
He took a sip from the teacup he was holding.
“Where did this tea come from?” Jian Zhe looked up at Chou Xuezheng, feeling a strong sense of strangeness in his heart.
This tea…
How could it be so similar to old Banzhang tea…
Why did he know it so clearly?
Because when Jian Rong was shortlisted for the Lanting Competition, his grandfather had given Jian Rong a tea cake. Jian Rong had bragged about it for a year and even let Jian Zhe taste it. Jian Zhe remembered it very clearly.
He even felt that the color of this tea was much better than Jian Rong’s.
“Here,” Chou Xuezheng pointed to a large jar behind him, “Bailian brought it over. If you like drinking it, you can take some back later. There’s little funding here, so there are only these things…”
He sighed.
Jian Zhe stared at the jar behind him that was several tens of centimeters tall, then looked down at the tea in his hand.
“?”
At that time, Jian Rong had bragged about that tea cake for a long time.
With so much… it shouldn’t be old Banzhang tea, right? It was almost six o’clock.
Bailian brought Jiang He over.
She was wearing the uniform of First High School, carrying a bag in her hand, with her hair tied up, and stepped into the book association hall in the setting sun.
“Everyone is here,” Chou Xuezheng invited the several old masters out, then said to Bailian, “Today is the first plenary meeting. Although there aren’t many people, it will be very difficult at the beginning…”
Jian Zhe sat next to Bailian, looking at the few people sitting sparsely around the octagonal table.
He somewhat understood what Chou Boqing meant.
“Teacher Chou, wait a moment,” Bailian was looking down at an English reading passage. Hearing Chou Xuezheng’s words, she raised her head slightly, resting her arm lightly on the table, crossing her legs, and supporting her chin with the other hand as she looked out the door, “There’s one more person.”
“Who?”
Chou Xuezheng was stunned.
He hadn’t received any other applications.
Just as he was speaking, in the twilight, a slender figure slowly appeared at the main entrance. He was still holding a cell phone in his hand, unhurriedly walking along the bluestone path.
Chou Xuezheng recognized him at a glance. It was the man who had been sitting next to Bailian in the coffee shop before.
Jian Zhe, who had originally been leaning on the table talking to Bailian.
As if sensing the gaze, he suddenly sat up straight.
There were other people sitting at the octagonal table, and everyone was originally chatting and laughing, but when they saw Jiang Fuli, they all became inexplicably nervous for some reason.
Jian Zhe half shifted his buttocks, thinking of giving up his seat to this big shot.
However, before he could stand up, Jiang He, who was sitting on Bailian’s other side, got up familiarly and sat on the stool placed to the side without any expression.
Jian Zhe: “…?”
Jiang Fuli casually pulled out the chair next to Bailian and sat down nonchalantly, greeting the people at the octagonal table, “You guys chat casually, I’ll just listen.”
He had a look of “I’m just listening casually”.
But facing him, how could Chou Xuezheng chat casually? “It’s like this, we have a total of seven… eight initial members this time,” Chou Xuezheng read out the names one by one with a notebook in his hand. When he got to the end, he hesitantly looked at Jiang Fuli, “May I ask…”
“Jiang Fuli, the ‘Fuli’ in the Turkic language.” Jiang Fuli lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, lazily leaning against the back of the chair. He reported his full name.
Chou Xuezheng nodded and added the name, then asked again, “Is this your first time joining a book association, or your second time?”
“Second time.”
Chou Xuezheng was surprised again. He thought that Jiang Fuli, like Bailian, was joining for the first time.
After all, Jiang Fuli had an elite aura all over him, more like someone in finance or politics, and didn’t seem much like someone in the arts.
“Second time,” he took a sip of tea to soothe himself and continued writing on the paper, “Which book association were you in before, and do you have a rating?”
“China Calligraphers Association, rating…” Jiang Fuli spoke lazily, pondering slightly, “Special grade member, I guess.”
Chou Xuezheng, who was holding a pen and about to write down Jiang Fuli’s information, paused and looked up in shock!
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