Jiang Xiaochuan, once was a college student with military training, understood when the leader was present, the training basically intensifying. Now as leader figure himself, he comprehended the school’s tricks.

In the past, military region leaders’ inspections led to unsettling incidents, like soliciting phone numbers from female students. Jiang Xiaochuan, aware of this, chose to turn a blind eye. Unfamiliar with Yue Qingci’s current situation, he refrains from commenting on Chengzhou Military Region affairs due to the separation of military and political matters.

As Yue Qingci diligently training the students, Jiang Xiaochuan silently observes. Despite Yue Qingci trying to jokes with the student. He was joking without a smile in his face but laughed together with the students.

Jiang Xiaochuan detected a lack of genuine amusement in his eyes, perhaps a result of inherent seriousness or familial pressures.

Sometimes a huge responsibility could crush someone’s spirit.

A whistle signals a break, and Yue Qingci directed the students for a break. Observing Jiang Xiaochuan sitting on the edge of the field, he looked around and noticed that the school leaders had gone away. Yue Qingci remarks, “Mayor Jiang is really down-to-earth this time.”

Jiang Xiaochuan remains indifferent, attributing his demeanor to fatigue.

Yue Qingci, intrigued, approaches and sits beside him.

‘Does he mean that he wasn’t down-to-earth before?’

Jiang Xiaochuan remained indifferent, despite the belief that political discourse was an art. A political stance could be judged by a person’s words, so he must pay special attention on his wording. Yet, Jiang Xiaochuan didn’t think of it too much, he shook his head.

“The school is too big; I’m tired from walking,” he stated bluntly.

Yue Qingci, taken aback, approached and sat beside him. A golden ribbon encircled his finger, with a golden whistle beneath, likely the one dictating the recent rest order.

Jiang Xiaochuan’s gaze lingered on the whistle briefly. Despite Yue Qingci’s keen observational skills, he seemed not to notice it.

“It’s just a whistle, but in the army, it can’t be blown randomly,” Yue Qingci commented, manipulating the whistle with his index finger. The golden gleam under the sun bestowed an extraordinary quality.

“The whistle is different from what the instructors thought,” Jiang Xiaochuan pondered carefully and remembered that Yue Qingci didn’t have such a whistle before.

He didn’t know why, but it made him uncomfortable. It stood a reason that he knew everthing about Yue Qingci very clearly but he was unaware about a whistle?

Did Yue Qingci conceal it or did he simply not care enough about Yue Qingci before?

He asked about it with pointed finger.

Yue Qingci answered casually, “I’ve won it in the brigade drill upon entering the military area.”

Jiang Xiaochuan, choosing silence, observed the active students training in front of them, unaware of the man beside him.

Yue Qingci was stroking the golden whistle carefully and slyly thinking about increased their training volume by 30%.

Out of the blue, Yue Qingci inquired, “Mayor Jiang, do you like shooting?”

Did he like it? Probably so.

Jiang Xiaochuan responded calmly, “My father is a veteran from Vietnam War and there is a tradition in the family. I just found that I’m quite good at it.”

Yet, he resolved to avoid the shooting range to minimize encounters with Yue Qingci.

“I heard tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, the Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection directly under the Central Committee will send someone to inspect. Mayor Jiang, don’t you think your side seems a bit tricky?” Yue Qingci put the whistle into his breast pocket and picked up his hat to smooth out his sweat-wet hair on his forehead with his hands.

Yue Qingci was indeed very handsome. No wonder the girls around them were secretly taking pictures of him with their phones.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked away before Yue Qingci caught him, he avoided the man’s eyes with calm expression. He actually didn’t expect Yue Qingci to talk about this issue, but then he thought about Xue Yan. He said the people from military department also involved with the mysterious incident inside the Rong Family’s Club.

Could it be that Yue Qingci knew something? Or did he just mention it casually?

Jiang Xiaochuan wasn’t certain about the situation, so he responded cautiously, “Isn’t it the same for both good and bad?”

“Mayor Jiang, you’re quite open-minded,” Yue Qingci smiled. “I’ve always sensed you shouldn’t be so slow in your current position. Do you really not know what I’m going to say?”

“Sorry, I’m actually very slow,” he admitted, clearly indicating reluctance. Jiang Xiaochuan wanted to avoid the conversation.

No matter what the relationship, he wanted to hide away from this man. Only love could hurt someone the most in the world and he, Jiang Xiaochuan, had been deeply hurt by this man.

Even if the current Yue Qingci was different from the one in his previous life, Jiang Xiaochuan believed he would still end up the same.

He remembered the initial Yue Qingci, smart and capable. He had a rebellious heart. Despite playing tricks, Jiang saw him as a capable person, able to navigate the challenges of the world. At that time, he thought no matter how dark the world of officialdom was, Yue Qingci was only wandering on the edge but never dyed black with sins.

Whenever he was tired, sitting beside the man was like being charged with electricity. He felt calm and had the courage to face the world again.

Looking up at the sky, Jiang Xiaochuan always loves gazing up the sky since his rebirth. Sometimes, the sky would be white, light blue or dark blue.

He said to Yue Qingci, “Major Yue, I think you aren’t someone with a little wit. You should know what I’m going to say.”

Yue Qingci, narrowing his eyes, responded, “Jiang Xiaochuan, don’t you think you’re hypocritical?”

“It is indeed I am hypocritical,” he admitted, aware of Yue Qingci’s tendency to speak provocatively in calm moments.

Hypocritical, he was indeed that. In his previous life, he was completely hypocritical. He told himself that he still had justice deep inside his heart while doing disgusting things like trading power for money. Sometimes, he felt that he couldn’t stand it anymore. Such days were actually very scary.

Yue Qingci, surprised by his frankness as a deputy mayor, smiled, “Fortunately, no reporters are around. Otherwise, the city might see you on the headlines.”

“They won’t dare to photograph you,” Jiang Xiaochuan assured.

Yue Qingci teased, “I don’t know if you don’t care or if you’re just too daring. How could you say that to me.”

“In terms of level, I’m a little higher than you,” Jiang Xiaochuan joked, maintaining a relaxed expression.

Yue Qingci, pondering, frowned his eyebrows like sorting out his thought, he said, “I feel Mayor Jiang doesn’t like me, but upon reflection, I haven’t offended you. On the contrary, I’ve sought your favor, but it seems to have backfired.”

Who say it wasn’t?

When all his feelings were reduced to ashes, what in the world could reignite his dead heart?

Jiang Xiaochuan, sensing the need to depart, stood up. “If things can’t be forced, it’s better to let nature take its course. Major Yue is a clever man, adept at maximizing benefits.”

“Clever? If I were clever, I’d threaten you with what I know now and compel you to cooperate,” Yue Qingci retorted, standing as straight as a javelin.

Jiang Xiaochuan, meeting his gaze directly, remarked, “What Major Yue just said sounds a lot like a threat.”

“It’s not just similar; it is indeed a threat,” Yue Qingci acknowledged, he tilted his head a bit with his lips bent, a subtle mist in his starlit eyes.

Jiang Xiaochuan found himself reflected in those eyes.

Ha, Yue Qingci’s magnanimity really becaming much worse.

Jiang Xiachuan began to admire him again, he said, “You should consider yourself lucky, Major Yue, that I didn’t bring a voice recorder today.”

Yue Qingci laughed, “Alright, Mayor Jiang, are you leaving?”

Standing side by side, both formidable figures, they faced each other. Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the playground behind them, with students shouting, “Together, together!”

Jiang Xiaochuan, perplexed, looked on as the chanting continued.

Yue Qingci, accustomed to such incidents, turned to look.

“Well then, goodbye,” Jiang Xiaochuan said, feeling helpless, and turned to leave.

Yue Qingci donned his military cap, suppressing something beneath his heavy movements. He concealed pain and struggle, touched his forehead, and bid farewell.

Jiang Xiaochuan observed him, the brim of the hat casting a shadow on Yue Qingci’s face.

He met with the school leaders and naturally praised the military training in the university. The principal was elated, he sent Jiang Xiaochuan off with huge smile on his face.

Jiang Xiaochuan bid farewell to the group and was finally able to end the inspection.

In the car, he found Zhang Xiaoli wiping tears. “I’m sorry, Mayor Jiang, I want to resign,” she calmly declared.

Brows furrowing, Jiang Xiaochuan asked, “What’s the reason?”