"Don't think about it," Zhao Wentai said, shaking his head.
"Dad, this isn't something as difficult as reaching the sky. Why can't I think about it? I'm not ugly, am I not good enough for Chen Feng?" Zhao Hongyan pouted.
"Let's be objective, you truly aren't. Chen Feng is destined for the high echelons of Chinese politics. The woman who accompanies him must be from a prominent family. The Zhao family has some wealth, and you're not ugly. However, you are still a long way from being a lady of a prominent family," Zhao Wentai stated frankly.
Although Chen Feng was currently just a minor bureau chief in the Wuzhou district, his talent in politics, his broad vision, his down-to-earth nature, and most importantly, his extraordinary connections, guaranteed his ascent to the highest levels of power, making his future limitless.
"The more formidable Chen Feng is, the more I want to secure him. How about this, Dad? Tonight, I'll turn the pretense into reality. Once it's done, he'll absolutely marry me," Zhao Hongyan said excitedly.
She was indeed very much in love with her boyfriend, and they had been together for many years. However, in the face of immense political and economic benefits, love was insignificant.
This era was no longer the past. In the past, love could be everything. Without love, one couldn't live. But in present-day China, it had become a society driven by money. Without money, life was worse than death.
"You're thinking too simply," Zhao Wentai replied, shaking his head.
"I think this is foolproof," Zhao Hongyan said, bewildered.
"Even if you and Chen Feng consummate your relationship, he won't marry you. First, you have a boyfriend. If he truly married you, what would he be? A mistress who climbed the ladder? Do you think, with Chen Feng's personality, he would do such a thing? Secondly, Chen Feng aims to soar through the political arena to reach its apex. Would he truly marry you? His chosen spouse will undoubtedly be, and can only be, a lady from a prominent family in the capital," Zhao Wentai explained earnestly.
"Alas, Dad, the political arena is too complicated," Zhao Hongyan sighed ruefully.
"What do you think? To put it this way, the political arena is ten thousand times more complex than the business world," Zhao Wentai said, taking a deep breath.
"Dad, I've decided. Tonight, I'm still going to go all out with Chen Feng," Zhao Hongyan said seriously.
"Are you out of your mind? Knowing there's no future with Chen Feng, you're still going all out?" Zhao Wentai questioned Zhao Hongyan.
"Dad, I'm doing this for myself, and for the Zhao family. Think about it, Chen Feng has a very upright character. If I secretly slept with him, even if we can't get married, I can still be his woman. Once I'm his woman, he definitely won't mistreat me or the Zhao family," Zhao Hongyan said animatedly.
"That's a good idea. The problem is, what about your boyfriend?" Zhao Wentai probed cautiously.
"What else can be done? Continue the relationship. You know, if I break up with my boyfriend, Chen Feng will definitely feel guilty, thinking it's his fault. On the contrary, if I don't break up with my boyfriend, Chen Feng will feel like he's having an affair with someone else's wife. You're a man, you should understand a man's mentality!" Zhao Hongyan explained.
"Xiao Yan, you are indeed Zhao Wentai's good daughter. You can think things through, and for the sake of profit, you can resort to any means. By the way, how do you plan to incapacitate Chen Feng tonight?" Zhao Wentai asked excitedly.
"Get him drunk on white wine?"
"Forget it, that won't work. Chen Feng has been navigating the political world for so many years, his tolerance for alcohol is already extraordinary. By the time he's done, he'll be sober, and we'll all be drunk." Zhao Wentai shook his head.
"Then we'll have to use drugs," Zhao Hongyan said with an excited smile.
"Yes, let's do that." Zhao Wentai was also excited.
And so, during the meal, Zhao Hongyan, following Zhao Wentai's plan, relentlessly persuaded Chen Feng to drink. Zhao Hongyan and Zhao Wentai reasoned that if they didn't push him to drink, it would be difficult to administer the drug, and Chen Feng would become suspicious. Why wouldn't they try to get him drunk? Conversely, if they kept urging him to drink, Chen Feng would focus his attention on the act of drinking.
Thus, Chen Feng fell into their trap. By the time he realized it, it was too late. In a daze, Zhao Hongyan slept with Chen Feng. When Chen Feng woke up again, Zhao Hongyan was naked, looking at him with excitement and happiness.
"Chen Feng, you're finally awake," Zhao Hongyan said with a smile.
"Miss Hongyan, why did you go through all this trouble?" Chen Feng mumbled, feeling groggy.
"Chen Feng, my dad and I underestimated you before. However, at the wedding banquet, the influential figures from the provincial capital, the projects in the capital, all indicate one thing: you are a young man with deep connections. I, my dad, and even the entire Zhao family need someone as powerful as you," Zhao Hongyan explained straightforwardly.
"Even if you and your father want to leverage my influence, you could have just said so. There was no need to give yourself up. What if your boyfriend finds out? Your life will be difficult," Chen Feng shook his head.
"If you don't say anything, I certainly won't. How could my boyfriend possibly find out? And even if he did, my boyfriend would just smile and pretend nothing happened. You're Chinese too, you should know that Chinese people, when faced with immense power, will absolutely not utter a single word of refusal," Zhao Hongyan said with a smile.
"Miss Hongyan, doesn't it feel wrong to be with me secretly like this?" Chen Feng asked.
"There's nothing to feel wronged about. Being able to associate with someone as deeply connected as you makes anything feel worthwhile," Zhao Hongyan said excitedly.
Chen Feng was speechless. The deep-rooted preference for official positions in China was truly severe, permeating the very core of every Chinese person. For instance, a laborer earning over ten thousand yuan a month was, in the eyes of women, inferior to a political employee earning a few thousand. Or, if someone was favored by an influential figure from the provincial government, even becoming his concubine would bring joy to the entire family, simply because they had a connection to a leader. In China, when one person becomes a leader, the entire family benefits immeasurably.
Indeed, this concept of prioritizing official positions in China was a very detrimental one. It excessively idealized the Chinese political arena. In other countries, political employees, regardless of their rank, were merely doing their jobs. People in other countries, including the officials themselves, viewed their political positions as just that – jobs. When treated with a normal attitude, instances of corruption were rare. Unlike in China, where aspiring political employees are already fantasizing about how to make money and how to benefit friends and relatives.
"Miss Hongyan, regardless of anything else, I have indeed taken advantage of your body, and to a certain extent, you are my woman. Rest assured, I will not mistreat you or your father. However, I must remind you that my help to women is limited. I will absolutely not abuse my power for personal gain; at most, I will offer some incidental assistance," Chen Feng said seriously.
"Chen Feng, you can rest assured. With your powerful connections and background, you don't need to take risks to help us. A slight leverage of your immense influence will bring tremendous benefits to the Zhao family," Zhao Hongyan replied excitedly.
"Miss Hongyan, you and your father are quite adept at business. In the past, due to the environment of the Wuzhou district, the Zhao family had to constantly drain it to make money. Now that I'm here, I will quickly change the unfavorable environment of the Wuzhou district. Therefore, your Zhao family's approach must also change. You cannot continue to harm the public for private gain. You must have the awareness of shared prosperity and shared ruin." Chen Feng cautioned.
"Don't worry, Chen Feng. My father and I will not act against your wishes. However, there's a big problem now. With your powerful backing, Wuzhou district secured a massive municipal project. But given the current economic capacity of Wuzhou district, it's impossible to handle such a large municipal project. What can be done?" Zhao Hongyan asked with a worried expression.