"Old Meng is going too?"
Chen Feng paused.
"Yes, Old Meng has a very good relationship with Deputy Town Mayor Xiao, so he will definitely go," Qin Yan replied truthfully.
"Deputy Town Mayor Qin, I still don't quite understand. You are the second-in-command of Mingshan Town, with more power than Old Meng. There's no need for you to cater to him, is there?" Chen Feng asked tentatively.
"Theoretically, that's true. However, if you think about it carefully, you'll understand that it is indeed very necessary for me to proactively build a good relationship with Old Meng." Qin Yan spoke somewhat cryptically.
"Deputy Town Mayor Qin, forgive my ignorance, but I truly cannot understand your reason for proactively befriending Old Meng." Chen Feng asked with a puzzled expression.
"Think carefully, what is Old Meng's role in Mingshan Town?" Qin Yan said with a smile.
"Old Meng is in charge of political work, meaning he manages the personnel files of everyone in Mingshan Town." Chen Feng replied truthfully.
After answering, he immediately understood why Qin Yan was so eager to befriend Old Meng.
"Chen Feng, you are growing very fast, and you are now my capable subordinate. There's no need to doubt me. However, if I want to establish a firm foothold in Mingshan Town, having a capable subordinate like you is far from enough. I must also maintain good relationships with most of the people in Mingshan Town. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for me to carry out my work here. Do you understand?" Qin Yan explained calmly.
"Deputy Town Mayor Qin, with your explanation, I understand everything now." Chen Feng nodded earnestly.
In the evening, Chen Feng drove Qin Yan to Deputy Town Mayor Xiao's residence.
Upon arriving at Deputy Town Mayor Xiao's home, Chen Feng was taken aback.
To his utter astonishment, Deputy Town Mayor Xiao lived in a property without a land use certificate, a "small property right" housing.
"Deputy Town Mayor Qin, are you sure we're at the right place?" Chen Feng hesitated at Deputy Town Mayor Xiao's doorstep.
"Absolutely certain."
"Deputy Town Mayor Qin, this doesn't make sense. Although Deputy Town Mayor Xiao doesn't oversee Mingshan Town's economy, he is, after all, a deputy town mayor. Living in a property without a title deed is quite… unexpected." Chen Feng asked in a low voice.
"Chen Feng, you still have a lot to learn. Your perspective on things is still a bit superficial. To be honest, this is where Deputy Town Mayor Xiao is truly clever." Qin Yan explained earnestly.
If she wanted Chen Feng to grow quickly, she had to make him understand some common tactics in the political arena.
"Clever?"
"Yes, Deputy Town Mayor Xiao is clever. To put it plainly, his cleverness lies in his ability to put on a good show. The place he lives in is not his permanent residence. His actual residence is a villa in Jiangcheng. Not many people know this, but I know it very well. You've been with me for a while; you should know I have many connections in Jiangcheng."
Hearing Qin Yan say this, Chen Feng immediately understood.
One had to admit that Deputy Town Mayor Xiao was truly cunning.
Anyone who knew little about the political arena would be utterly fooled by Deputy Town Mayor Xiao.
Deputy Town Mayor Xiao truly deserved the title of Mingshan Town's Best Actor!
"Deputy Town Mayor Qin, if that's the case, does it mean Deputy Town Mayor Xiao is even more corrupt in secret?" Chen Feng asked tentatively.
"You've guessed correctly. Let's just say that the person who does the best job of outward appearances is often the one who is the most greedy for money. This is true not only in Mingshan Town but also in Jiangcheng City." Qin Yan explained.
Chen Feng glanced at Qin Yan and felt a wave of emotion. The political arena was truly a complex battlefield, and he still had so much to learn.
After straightening his clothes slightly, Chen Feng and Qin Yan entered Deputy Town Mayor Xiao's home together.
Upon entering, Chen Feng was surprised.
Almost all the important figures of Mingshan Town were present, and Cheng Lu was also there.
This fact further confirmed Cheng Lu's unusual status.
Deputy Town Mayor Xiao was a shrewd individual. If Cheng Lu were just an ordinary intern, he would not have invited her to a family dinner.
"Chen Feng, go and have a good chat with Cheng Lu. I'll go and talk with Old Meng." After saying this, Qin Yan went directly to find Old Meng.
"Miss Cheng, you've come too." Chen Feng approached her with a smile.
Having worked together on several occasions, he and Cheng Lu were now good friends, so there was no need for excessive politeness.
"Chen Feng, I didn't expect you to be here. It seems Qin Yan values you quite highly." Cheng Lu said meaningfully.
"Moderately," Chen Feng replied humbly.
To be honest, if Cheng Lu hadn't pointed it out, he wouldn't have realized that among the drivers at Deputy Town Mayor Xiao's dinner party, he was the only one present. The drivers of other important figures were waiting outside.
"Chen Feng, I have something good to show you." Without hesitation, Cheng Lu handed her phone to Chen Feng.
Chen Feng took the phone with a puzzled expression and, after a brief look, understood what was happening.
Cheng Lu had compiled information on everyone present, stored in text and image format on her phone.
"Miss Cheng, how did you collect so much information?" Chen Feng asked instinctively.
"From the first day I interned in Mingshan Town, I started collecting it gradually. To be honest, after my internship ends, I plan to become a formal employee here. If I want to stay in Mingshan Town, I need to be familiar with most of the people here. You are Qin Yan's driver, and Qin Yan respects you. You won't be driving forever, so I think it's necessary for you to get to know other staff members in Mingshan Town as well. It's very important to navigate the political arena." Cheng Lu said earnestly.
"Miss Cheng, I never expected you to understand so much. It seems your family is involved in politics," Chen Feng asked tentatively as he transferred the data from Cheng Lu's phone to his own via WeChat.
"My family is just an ordinary family in Jiangcheng. The reason I understand things about the political arena is mainly because relatives in my family are involved in it," Cheng Lu replied evasively.
"Miss Cheng, after reviewing all the data, I've noticed one thing: there is very little information recorded about Old Meng." After the data transfer was complete, Chen Feng asked.
"Old Meng is very mysterious, even more so than Town Mayor Wang Dele. I searched online for a long time and asked many people, but I couldn't get any solid information. From this perspective, Deputy Town Mayor Qin is truly remarkable for seeing the crux of the matter at a glance. Of all the people here today, Qin Yan chose to talk to Old Meng instead of others. This shows that Deputy Town Mayor Qin not only recognizes Old Meng's importance but also understands how difficult it is to obtain information about him. Therefore, she chose to approach him personally…" Cheng Lu said, looking at Qin Yan in the distance with admiration.
"Miss Cheng, I originally wanted to chat with you for a while, but now I can't." Chen Feng's mind raced as he thought of something very important.
"What are you going to do?" Cheng Lu asked curiously.
"Miss Cheng, we are friends, so I won't hide anything from you. I want to go and help Deputy Town Mayor Qin."
"Help Deputy Town Mayor Qin? How?"
"If you look closely at the expression on Deputy Town Mayor Qin's face while she's talking with Old Meng, you'll see that her progress isn't going smoothly. I want to find a way to get some core information about Old Meng, which will help Qin Yan." Chen Feng replied truthfully.
"Chen Feng, your idea is good, helping your leader solve problems. However, you need to understand one thing: Old Meng is not an ordinary person. I spent so much time collecting information about him and got nothing. Do you think you can gather any information in such a short time?" Cheng Lu advised Chen Feng.
"Miss Cheng, I can go to the outer room and find Old Meng's driver…" Chen Feng replied instinctively.
"Chen Feng, you forgot, in Mingshan Town, only Wang Dele and a few other deputy town mayors have drivers. Old Meng doesn't have a driver," Cheng Lu explained.
"You're right, I almost forgot. However, it doesn't matter. Even if Old Meng doesn't have a driver, I can ask other drivers. In Mingshan Town, the drivers of the important figures are the most well-informed group regarding political affairs." Chen Feng replied confidently.