Before meeting him that evening, Han Jie felt a flicker of hesitation. She wasn't sure if she could trust Li Qiang, or if tonight was merely a transaction.
Dinner, fine wine – for any mature adult, it was hard not to anticipate what might follow.
Perhaps her understanding of him was flawed, she thought, maybe he was just an emotional blackmailer looking to extort her.
Yet, Han Jie decided to go. After all, she still had the role of an informant. In this line of work, she needed to maintain contact with Li Qiang. Her informant contract didn't stipulate that she had to compromise herself physically to please Li Qiang, nor did it contain any tenet of sacrificing everything for intelligence. Even so, Han Jie used the informant's excuse to justify her decision.
...
It truly was a banquet that evening, attended by many people, including numerous socialites. Han Jie was bewildered; before coming, she had even imagined scenarios of being forced to drink.
But there was no forced drinking here. It was an open party. Most attendees were there for capital, while some businesses were eyeing power. In essence, this was a gathering of the financially powerful, and not everyone qualified to attend.
"Never been before?"
"No!"
"Then stick with me."
After a brief exchange, Han Jie and Li Qiang had little further conversation. During the banquet, when asked, Li Qiang simply introduced Han Jie as a promising junior alumna.
...
As the banquet neared its end, Li Qiang excused himself for a while, leaving Han Jie alone, which made her feel somewhat awkward. Just then, a man in a suit approached and greeted Han Jie.
"I'm aware of your situation," the man in the suit said politely.
Throughout it all, Li Qiang hadn't spoken a word on Han Jie's behalf, merely introducing her to people he knew. Han Jie understood that in such a setting, her personal matters couldn't be brought up.
However, Li Qiang had only been gone a moment when someone eagerly came over to 'flirt.' To be precise, 'flirt' wasn't the right word; it felt as if she were the protagonist of this stage, transforming instantly from Cinderella to Snow White.
"What situation are you referring to?"
"Don't worry, your ex-husband won't bother you anymore," the man in the suit whispered.
"Ah~"
Han Jie was too astonished to speak, her gaze fixed on the man's name tag. He gave a polite smile, said he wouldn't disturb her further, and disappeared from her sight. Not long after, Li Qiang returned, appearing as if he'd only gone to the restroom.
Han Jie had wanted to ask Li Qiang what was going on, but as soon as Li Qiang appeared, people quickly gathered around him, engaging in lively conversation. Han Jie had no chance to speak.
...
As the banquet concluded, someone arranged a car to drive Li Qiang. Li Qiang smiled and said seriously, "I have my own car."
"You've been drinking!"
"Does a bicycle count as drunk driving?"
Li Qiang finished, then pointed with a smile to the "Forever" brand 28-inch bicycle parked at the entrance.
"Perhaps you could help send my junior alumna back."
Before anyone could respond, Han Jie interjected, "Senior, I'll go back with you."
"Alright!"
Li Qiang didn't stand on ceremony. They walked side-by-side, pushing the bicycle along the sidewalk.
"Did you speak up for me?"
Han Jie finally had an opportunity to ask.
"Speak up about what?"
"A man said my ex-husband wouldn't bother me anymore."
"There are always a few people with keen insight. Did you remember his name?"
"I remembered his unit and his name."
"That's good."
Han Jie still didn't understand and pressed on, "Brother Qiang, what exactly is going on?"
"I'll be the deputy prosecutor in a few days."
"So this banquet was arranged for you?"
"Yes!"
Han Jie wasn't a foolish woman; she understood. Li Qiang hadn't asked anyone to do anything specific, but as soon as he brought Han Jie here, people quickly began investigating her background. Giving a gift to a leader with actual cash would be a crime of corruption for the leader and bribery for the giver. However, resolving a leader's difficulties, that was the act of offering help in times of need, a true gift.
Leaders enjoyed dealing with such intelligent people, while those who only tried to buy influence with money saw only aloof leaders.
...
It was then that Han Jie realized Li Qiang's three conditions for success were indeed true.
The first condition, adaptability. Only upon encountering society did one realize it was a mixed bag of people. When facing society, one couldn't be too rigid; even when upholding justice, one had to learn to navigate and negotiate. Otherwise, confronting society head-on would be like an egg hitting a stone.
From that day on, Han Jie's ex-husband never bothered her again. Han Jie, too, felt as if she had entered a new world. She began to proactively engage with Li Qiang, but they maintained a normal colleague-like social relationship. That night, Li Qiang had simply helped her with a favor.
However, as she got to know Li Qiang better, Han Jie discovered that his life was exceptionally clean. His social engagements were moderate, and his drinking was even more so. It was rare to see Li Qiang drunk or uttering arrogant words. Li Qiang lived a principled life. Even if Han Jie, as an informant, were to report him now, she would have no evidence.
...
It was precisely because of this that Han Jie became infatuated with Li Qiang. The three points that influenced her life were rekindled deep within her soul. This was the second point of life's success Li Qiang had spoken of during his homecoming speech: being clean.
If you are a rotten egg full of cracks, you will inevitably be surrounded by buzzing flies. Han Jie felt her ex-husband was such a person. To some extent, her ex-husband had also experienced success. But after gaining wealth, he didn't live cleanly, surrounded by all sorts of people, whom he welcomed indiscriminately. This led him to indulge in gambling, women, and drugs. His family fortune dwindled, leading him to his current state.
Upon realizing this, Han Jie understood. She no longer sought excuses to approach Li Qiang. Sometimes, they would pass each other in the hallway at work, like strangers.
However, occasionally, Han Jie would catch a glimpse of Li Qiang's slight smile through the glass of the corridor.
Is this how it ends for us?
Of course not!
Life's three elements for success: adaptability, cleanliness. Han Jie had experienced both. Now came the final element: responsibility.
...
Han Jie couldn't fathom what she needed to be responsible for, nor did she realize she had undergone a test during this period. In the eyes of her colleagues, Li Qiang occasionally engaged in "flirtatious banter" with his junior alumna. However, since Li Qiang became deputy prosecutor, this behavior had ceased. Everyone now spoke of Li Qiang's merits, and even those who gossiped couldn't find a single fault.
That evening, Han Jie returned home, showered, and applied a face mask. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Being a single woman, she went to the door, puzzled, and looked through the peephole. She recognized the person knocking – the man in the suit who had spoken to her at the banquet.
Why was this man here? Han Jie wondered with surprise. Did he expect a reward for the help he provided me?
Han Jie didn't open the door; she felt a sense of apprehension. But then her phone rang. It was a text message from an unknown sender, stating: "I'm here to talk business."
"Business?"
After much thought, Han Jie opened the door. Her heart was racing, and she even forgot to remove the face mask.
The man in the suit paid no mind. He placed a contract and an envelope in front of Han Jie, his address changing: "Madam, this is your contract."
"What, what contract?"
"It's a contract for you to invest in our company."
In fact, Han Jie had secretly investigated the company the man in the suit belonged to; it was frighteningly large.
"This..."
"Sorry to have disturbed your rest. Goodbye, Madam."
The man in the suit didn't say much more. Han Jie, dazed, saw him out. She then remembered that besides the contract, there was an envelope. Han Jie opened it. Inside was a resignation letter. All she had to do was sign her name, and she could resign tomorrow.
Han Jie thought that this contract must be related to Li Qiang. She opened it. It listed four accounts: one for a temple, two offshore accounts, and the last one for her.
Han Jie roughly understood. This was the final element of life's success: responsibility.
Later, Han Jie learned that the man in the suit was a lawyer and did not represent the large corporation she had investigated. All along, she had been undergoing a test.
From adaptability to cleanliness, and now to responsibility. Thinking about what she might face in the future, Han Jie suddenly felt a peculiar sensation. She realized she had fallen in love with Li Qiang.