Chapter 39: Marry Your Sister to Him

"There is one more thing. Last time, when I was following your instructions to arrange a new residence for Qin Feng, I specifically sought Secretary Hu's opinion. She instructed me to arrange his dormitory right next to hers."

"I have also heard rumors that Qin Feng is very close to Secretary Hu in private, to the point where he calls her 'sister'," Hong Haifeng added.

"Is that so? Then our guess was correct. I never expected them to be siblings; that explains everything," Xu Guoli said with a chuckle.

"Secretary Xu, even though your bid for the Transportation Bureau didn't go through this time, I believe that if Secretary Hu were willing to help, it would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?" Hong Haifeng continued.

Xu Guoli did not speak immediately, then shook his head. "In her eyes, I am just a small-time player. Why would she help me?"

"Didn't we manage to get Qin Feng appointed as the director?"

"That was a trade-off. She didn't let the investigation expand, and I let Qin Feng take the position of Director of the Civil Affairs Office. It was a tacit understanding. Besides, whether or not I recommended him, she could have made him director anyway. Does a matter like that even register as a favor for her?"

"That's true. But now that Wang Yunfei has suddenly become so close to Qin Feng, do you think they have received some inside information?" Hong Haifeng cautioned.

Xu Guoli frowned and remained silent, smoking one cigarette after another. Finally, he looked at Hong Haifeng and asked, "Is this Qin Feng unmarried?"

"Yes, single. I specifically asked him last time; he doesn't even have a girlfriend."

"I recall you have a younger sister, don't you?" Xu Guoli continued.

"Yes, Secretary Xu. What are you implying?"

"If I were to act as the matchmaker for her brother, do you think that would be a significant favor?" Xu Guoli asked Hong Haifeng.

"Huh?" Hong Haifeng had not expected Xu Guoli to set his sights on his own sister.

"If you were to become Qin Feng's brother-in-law, with someone like her as a sister-in-law, would you ever have to worry about climbing the career ladder?" Xu Guoli said with a smile.

Hong Haifeng, who had been displeased a second ago, instantly beamed with joy.

While Xu Guoli and Hong Haifeng were plotting against Qin Feng, the latter was already riding his motorcycle down to the village. He had bought the bike recently.

There were only three vehicles in the township: one was Xu Guoli's dedicated car, another was Wang Yunfei's, and the third was a public van. Even the van was reserved for leaders at the level of Li Dejun, Chang Yong, and Hong Haifeng; someone like Qin Feng, who was merely a department director, couldn't even dream of using it.

Unlike his predecessor, Qin Feng disliked sitting in the office. He preferred running down to the villages and visiting the homes of the common people, especially those in need. For him, a motorcycle was a necessity, as he could not afford a car.

As Qin Feng rode up to the entrance of the village, he was surprised to see a Passat parked by the side of the road. It was spotlessly clean, making him stop to take a closer look. What caught his eye was a "Government Vehicle" sticker on the side. As far as he knew, Shannan County did not require such stickers; only municipal government vehicles were mandated to display them. Why would such a car appear in this impoverished, remote area?

Qin Feng felt a flicker of doubt, but he didn't dwell on it. He continued toward the home of Grandma Li, one of the village's impoverished residents. This was his third visit this month. He took a piece of meat and a bag of fruit from his bike and walked into the mud-brick house.

"Hello, Grandma Li. How have you been feeling lately?" Qin Feng asked with a smile, handing her the meat and fruit.

"Director Qin, you are too kind. You bought me rice last time, and now you've brought all this. I feel terrible about it."

"Grandma Li, please put the meat away so the wild cats don't get it. I'm going to fetch you some water." Qin Feng, familiar with the routine, went into the back room, grabbed the shoulder pole and buckets, and headed out.

As he was leaving to head to the village well, he encountered two men walking toward him. They were dressed like farmers, wearing straw hats and simple clothes, but Qin Feng could tell at a glance they were not locals. The locals spent their days toiling in the fields, sun-drenched and weathered; they could not possibly have such fair complexions. Furthermore, the middle-aged man carried the distinct, commanding air of someone in a position of power, while the younger man beside him, tall, thin, and wearing glasses, looked like a typical office worker.

Qin Feng found it strange, but he didn't give it much thought, stepping aside to let them pass as he continued toward the well with his buckets.