Time flies, and twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Chen Feng and Wang Ziwei have been married for nearly twenty years.
Chen Feng's son, Chen Yinuo, is now in his final year of high school.
From birth until now, Chen Yinuo's existence has been kept in secret.
In other words, only Chen Feng, Wang Ziwei, and Wang Jianshan knew about Chen Yinuo's appearance; everyone else was completely unaware.
After Chen Yinuo was born, Chen Feng sent him to the United States.
The reason Chen Feng sent Chen Yinuo to the United States was very different from why other powerful figures in politics sent their children to the United States.
The reason other powerful figures in politics sent their children to the United States stemmed from an ingrained sense of admiration for foreign things.
It was like a famous host in the capital who, every time they hosted a show, would get emotional, talking about how patriotic they were and how terrible the United States was. Yet, turning around, they would send their son to study in the United States.
Not only did they send their son to study in the United States, but they also planned for him to work there.
There are truly many such hypocritical individuals in China currently.
They say one thing but their actions are very telling.
It is precisely because of this that Chen Feng deeply felt.
China's current so-called strength is not true strength, but a proclaimed strength.
Something like America's is true strength.
All other countries in the world dare only to engage in schemes.
They fear other countries finding out, which would prevent their schemes from succeeding and them from gaining benefits.
America is different; America is a world power, a true power.
Therefore, America does not engage in schemes; it openly practices overt strategies.
What is an overt strategy? It is when you know someone is using an overt strategy, but you willingly follow it; this is an overt strategy.
America has employed many overt strategies over the years.
For example, selling weapons.
Whenever American weapons sales falter, America openly incites other countries to create conflicts.
Then, several countries start fighting together.
Once war breaks out, American weapons are sold rapidly.
They sell to one party, then to another.
Other countries, including China.
It's not that they don't know that all of this is America's doing.
But what does it matter if they know?
They can only watch helplessly.
The reason is simple: no country in the world dares to confront the United States head-on yet.
The United States is no longer pretending; it declares its strength and disdain for schemes, opting instead for overt strategies.
Chen Feng has not forgotten his original intention over the past twenty years, working hard to enter the upper echelons of Chinese politics and make China truly strong.
If China does not become truly strong, many problems cannot be fundamentally resolved.
For example, the issue of that island.
Without strength, no matter how much one shouts or displays military capabilities, that island issue cannot be resolved.
With strength, simply deploying a dozen nuclear aircraft carriers would naturally resolve the island issue.
This is the core of problem-solving.
Once the core problem is resolved, the problem becomes easy to solve.
If the core problem is not resolved, no amount of superficial efforts will work.
Consider the familiar problem of deserts.
After a thousand words and ten thousand explanations, the desert problem is ultimately a water problem.
If the water problem is solved, the desert problem will also be solved.
Take Israel, for instance. Why did a desert nation like Israel become a strong agricultural nation in the desert in just a few years? Because Israel's desalination technology and water-saving technology are number one globally, thus Israel truly solved its desert problem.
China has been working on desertification control for decades.
However, the results have not been significant.
It's not that the Chinese people are not working hard.
To be honest, every year, both official and civilian sectors are planting trees at an frenzied pace in desert areas, and they are planting drought-resistant species.
Yet, the results are very poor.
Why?
The reason is simple: they have not grasped the core of the issue.
China's desert water problem has never been solved.
As long as the water problem is not solved, the desert problem will persist.
No amount of talk about "man will conquer nature" or countless "Ant Forest" projects will be useful.
In a word, to control deserts, there must be water.
Without water, deserts will always remain deserts.
Then there's the issue of whether English should be included in the college entrance exam.
It's also very simple.
As long as the United States remains powerful, English will continue to be tested in China's college entrance exams.
Conversely, if the United States is not powerful, we will stop testing English, and other countries will begin to test Chinese.
Reality is like this: the weak always learn from the strong, not the strong from the weak.
China learns English for only one reason: the United States is very powerful. It's not about the superficial vocabulary taught by English teachers, such as English being the most beautiful language, the simplest language, the most widely spoken language, the language of science and technology, and that all technology requires English… all of this is nonsense.
China learns English simply because the U.S. is stronger than China, and China wants to learn from the U.S.
When China surpasses the United States, China's college entrance exams will naturally stop testing English.
The Chinese people are not fools; they won't foolishly test themselves on useless subjects.
Furthermore, whether Chinese people flock to immigrate to the United States or rush to study there is also a standard for measuring whether China is truly powerful.
Americans themselves hardly study abroad or immigrate to other countries.
Why?
The reason is simple: America is a world power, and there is no reason to go to a worse country.
Chen Feng is a very clear-headed person. Everyone believes that after twenty years of development, China has surpassed the United States.
On the surface, China has indeed surpassed the United States.
This is because China's GDP is higher than America's.
However, this is merely a superficial phenomenon.
From many details, such as America's audacity in employing overt strategies, the dominance of the English language globally, and America's firm control over that island… all indicate that America is still more powerful than China.
It is precisely because of these reasons that Chen Feng has remained steadfast in his original intention to develop China into a world power and make China truly strong.
To achieve this dream of the century, Chen Feng believes he must dedicate himself single-mindedly to China's high-level political arena and avoid being secretly harmed.
It is for these two reasons that Chen Feng decided he must hide all information about his son, Chen Yinuo.
This way, he would have no weaknesses.
In China, everyone's weakness is their children.
Having weaknesses makes it impossible to navigate the Chinese political arena.
Especially the high-level political arena, where it's even more impossible.
Therefore, all information about his son Chen Yinuo must be kept hidden.
For ordinary Chinese citizens, hiding a living person completely is virtually impossible.
Even the richest individuals cannot do it; they will be discovered.
Take Jack Ma, for example.
His son was hidden for a long time, but was eventually revealed.
However, for Chen Feng, such matters are trivial.
Chen Feng today is no longer the humble driver for a town leader; he is now the mayor of Ming City.
Furthermore, Ming City today is no longer the Ming City of the past; it has become a newly established直辖市 (municipality directly under the central government) that has emerged in China.
Let's put it this way: in China, anyone who becomes a mayor of a municipality directly under the central government is undoubtedly entering the core of China's high-level political power.
In other words, if a political figure has never served as a mayor of a municipality directly under the central government, then, unfortunately, that so-called political figure can never reach the highest levels of Chinese politics in their lifetime and cannot influence the direction of China's development.
This is the most prominent characteristic of the Chinese political arena.
Whether inside or outside the political sphere, everyone is aware of this.
Chen Feng's status as a mayor of a municipality directly under the central government, to be honest, makes many impossible things possible.
For example, Chen Yinuo is almost in his final year of high school, and only three people know about his existence: Chen Feng, Wang Ziwei, and Wang Jianshan.
Precisely because Chen Feng has hidden Chen Yinuo so flawlessly, he has never been caught with a genuine weakness while advancing in his political career over the years.
For Chen Feng, there are truly four major weaknesses.
Women, brothers, China's interests, and children.
Among these, children are the deepest of Chen Feng's weaknesses.
Chen Feng has never denied this point.
Chen Feng knows that despite his political talent.
He is still an ordinary mortal.
As long as one is a mortal, one cannot be without weaknesses.
Everyone's most fatal weakness is their children.
Chen Feng knows this, and others in China know it too.
Many people in the Chinese political arena, when managing their subordinates, use the tactic of controlling others through their children.
The excuse is that they have found their greatest weakness, so they must obey, whether they want to or not.
Why is China the easiest group of people in the world to manage? From a certain perspective, China's political arena is the least ethical and most fond of using subordinates' greatest weaknesses as leverage.
Not buying a house?
Will their children still be able to go to school?
Not paying taxes?
Will their children still be able to go to school?
Want to commit a crime?
Will their children still be able to go to school?
Not undergoing various examinations?
Will their children still be able to go to school?
…
With this simple question, "Will their children still be able to go to school?", countless wealthy and poor people have been subdued.
Chen Feng is well aware of this, and therefore, he long ago used his own authority to conceal all information about his son, Chen Yinuo.
Chen Yinuo, such a living person, seems as if he never existed.
Because he doesn't have Chen Yinuo, his greatest weakness, Chen Feng has swiftly and decisively reached the pinnacle of power in a municipality directly under the central government in just twenty years.
Twenty years, for ordinary people, is a very long time.
However, in the Chinese political arena, it is remarkably short.
To be frank, some people spend their entire lives just oscillating around the position of a clerk.
Chen Feng's rapid ascent from a deputy mayor of a county-level city to the mayor of a municipality directly under the central government in just twenty years is an absolute miracle in the history of Chinese politics.
Not only was the time taken the shortest, but he also set another record.
This record is that Chen Feng, as the mayor of a municipality directly under the central government, is the only one without the background of being a princeling (child of high-ranking officials).
From this perspective, Chen Feng's political talent is truly heaven-defying.
More than a decade ago, Chen Feng's leap from being a driver to a deputy mayor of a county-level city fully demonstrated his heaven-defying political talent. Over the next twenty years, Chen Feng, step by step, with one unprecedented political achievement after another, made great strides towards the peak of the political arena, further showcasing his extraordinary political talent.
On this day, Chen Feng was on vacation overseas.
After becoming the mayor of Ming City, a municipality directly under the central government, Chen Feng never refused any vacation arranged by his superiors, no matter how busy he was.
Chen Feng's reasoning was that his position required an extraordinary mind, and to keep an extraordinary mind clear, sufficient rest was essential.
Moreover, resting abroad, besides allowing the body to relax completely, also provided an opportunity to collect the latest and most useful overseas information.
The grassroots political arena in China doesn't require much borrowing from the latest overseas information; one simply needs to follow the directives from above.
Whatever the superiors say, the subordinates do.
Even if the superiors make the wrong decision, the subordinates carry it out as instructed.
When they reach a dead end, the superiors will naturally call them back.
In the Chinese political arena, if subordinates act on their own initiative rashly, it is very dangerous, as it might give the superiors the impression that the subordinates are rebelling.
As a mayor of a municipality directly under the central government, he is not a low-level functionary in the political arena. Naturally, Chen Feng must draw upon advanced overseas experience when managing Ming City.
For a municipality directly under the central government to maintain its vigorous development momentum, it is absolutely essential to keep pace with the world.
"Elder Chen, someone is looking for you outside."
Chen Feng, who was resting with his eyes closed after playing golf with some important figures from American business and politics, was suddenly told by his personal secretary.
"Have her wait in the hotel's VIP reception lounge. I'll be there after I change my clothes."
Chen Feng replied calmly and composedly.
"Elder Chen, I haven't even told you who it is who wants to see you, and you..."
The personal secretary was taken aback.
If this were in the Mayor's office in Ming City, it would be understandable for Mayor Chen to guess who the visitor was.
After all, in Ming City, the number of people who could enter the mayor's office was limited to the same few people, not more than ten, making it easy to guess.
However, this time it was overseas, in an unfamiliar place.
Mayor Chen, in order to enjoy his vacation to the fullest, rest to his heart's content, and most importantly, to think in peace, had made this overseas vacation extremely confidential.
It could be said that no one knew where Chen Feng was vacationing, not even Madam Chen, Wang Ziwei.
Under these circumstances, how could Chen Feng possibly guess who was coming to see him?
"The mayor of Hong Kong City is here to see me; there's no reason not to meet him."
Chen Feng explained calmly.
"..."
The personal secretary was at a loss.
Damn, Mayor Chen's political foresight is too incredible.
Without any prior indication, he guessed with absolute accuracy that it was the mayor of China's Hong Kong City.
Hong Kong, China, is a global financial center with very high economic and political standing.
Precisely because of this, the mayor of Hong Kong City, by leveraging various connections, managed to find Mayor Chen's vacation location.
As for the specific reason why the mayor of Hong Kong City was looking for Mayor Chen, no one could truly guess.
This is the high-level Chinese political arena!
No matter what they do, it is extremely mysterious.
"Hurry up and prepare. Ms. Lin Fangning and I have very important matters to discuss."
Chen Feng said in a low voice.
Although his voice was soft, his imposing presence was undiminished.
The personal secretary couldn't help but tremble slightly and immediately went to make preparations. Ten minutes later, Chen Feng, dressed in a suit, entered the hotel's VIP reception lounge.
"Mayor Chen, I'm very glad you could spare some time to see me."
Lin Fangning, the mayor of Hong Kong City, said with great excitement.
If it were China several decades ago.
Lin Fangning would definitely not have this excited demeanor.
In the past, Hong Kong, China, was arguably China's wealthiest city.
However, after decades of development, China had long caught up with the United States and truly achieved parity in many areas. Because of this, many of China's older municipalities directly under the central government and newly established ones have surpassed Hong Kong, the global financial center.
With its economic status surpassed by municipalities directly under the central government like Ming City, it was natural that they could no longer think as they did before, expecting the mayor of Ming City to make three visits to meet her, the mayor of Hong Kong City.
It's quite strange; given Mayor Chen's current status, he could completely avoid meeting her so quickly.
He could casually delay for a few hours.
"Ms. Lin Fangning, there's no one else here, so we can speak frankly."
Chen Feng said with a serious expression.
Lin Fangning is the female mayor of Hong Kong City, China, and he is the mayor of Ming City, a municipality directly under the central government. Both of them hold significant positions in China's political arena, so there is no need for pretense when they meet.
In China's lower-level political arena, many small maneuvers and pretense might be employed.
However, in China's high-level political arena, it is straightforward.
Without exaggeration, many policies that affect the entire nation of China are decided in just a few words between high-level figures.
As the saying goes, "The greatest truths are the simplest."
"Governing a large country is like cooking small fish!"
Those who reach the high levels of the Chinese political arena are undoubtedly the cream of the crop, capable of analyzing problems and acting decisively.
Sometimes, the reason certain policies are implemented slowly is not because high-level figures in China lack the intellect to think or act slowly; it is intentional.
To put it bluntly, it means that the policies are not yet mature, and time is needed to allow them to mature.
In other words,
Most matters are implemented decisively by the higher levels.
For a small number of matters, the higher levels do not act decisively because they know that sometimes, delaying is also a form of speed.
"Mayor Chen, do you know why I came to see you?"
Lin Fangning was stunned.
To be honest, the matter for which she had come to see Chen Feng was not widely known.
It can be said with certainty that this matter absolutely could not have leaked from Hong Kong.
How did Chen Feng know about it?
Did he deduce it?
This deductive ability is too incredible!
She hadn't understood why Chen Feng became the youngest mayor of a municipality directly under the central government in China before, but now she finally understood.
Chen Feng was born to thrive in the political arena.
Just like Huo Qubing in ancient China, who was born to lead in warfare.
He achieved marquis and prime minister status within twenty years.
"You want Ming City to become a dog like Hong Kong City, is that it?"
Chen Feng asked calmly.
"..."
Lin Fangning's expression changed.
Chen Feng was simply divine, using concise and sharp language to clarify the matter.
The purpose of her visit to Chen Feng was to have Mayor Chen of Ming City, a municipality directly under the central government, act as a lackey for foreigners, thereby achieving a qualitative leap in the economies of Hong Kong City and Ming City.
Although there were significant economic benefits, their dignity was completely lost. It was precisely for this reason that she had secretly come to see Chen Feng, hoping to accomplish this matter discreetly.
Throughout history, it is not uncommon for high-level figures in China to engage in undignified exchanges for the sake of certain benefits.