Chapter 27: The Secretary of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission—Guan Mushan

“Xiaodong, come on in! Just make yourself at home, don’t be shy.”

“I’ll go make dinner first. You go sit down, let Jiujiu keep you company.”

After unlocking the door to the first floor, Sun Xiufen slipped off her shoes, took the groceries from Yang Dong, and, with a word of instruction, headed toward the kitchen.

“Hey, what are you daydreaming about?”

Guan Jiujiu, seeing Yang Dong standing dumbly in the doorway instead of coming in, waved her delicate hand in front of his face.

Yang Dong finally snapped out of it. He glanced at Guan Jiujiu, his expression complicated.

“What’s wrong?” Guan Jiujiu grew a bit anxious at the way Yang Dong was looking at her.

“Jiujiu, you’ve kept me in the dark so badly…” Yang Dong shook his head with a wry smile. So, Guan Jiujiu was actually Guan Mushan’s daughter…

He swore, he truly hadn’t known.

In his previous life, Guan Jiujiu had always been a quiet, almost invisible girl. He’d only met her twice, and that was just because of her connection to Han Wen; there had never been any further acquaintance.

He really had no idea that Guan Jiujiu came from such a powerful background.

And just as Tian Guanghan had said, it was public knowledge that Guan Mushan had a son. That was an open secret.

Yang Dong had only ever heard about Guan Mushan’s son, never a daughter…

And he had no idea that Sun Xiufen and Guan Mushan were husband and wife…

But according to the regulations for cadre appointments, immediate family and spouses were not allowed to work in the same important department within a city, especially not in a subordinate-superior relationship.

Particularly when both spouses held middle-level positions—Guan Mushan was the municipal Discipline Inspection Commission’s secretary, Sun Xiufen was the executive deputy minister of the Publicity Department. There was no way the two of them could both remain in Lingyun City.

It seemed Sun Xiufen, for the sake of her husband’s career, might have to make sacrifices—either transfer out of town or resign.

“So you’ve figured it out?” Guan Jiujiu saw Yang Dong’s demeanor and heard his words, and immediately realized he had guessed who her father was.

A wave of unease and apprehension rose in her.

Would Yang Dong distance himself from her now? Would he feel there was a gulf between them?

After all, now that he knew she was the daughter of the city’s Discipline Inspection Commission secretary, there was an immediate status gap.

Just a moment ago, Yang Dong had felt inferior because he was the son of a farmer.

Now that he knew her true background, wouldn’t he feel even more insecure?

“Yes, your father is Secretary Guan.” Yang Dong shook his head with a bitter smile; if he still couldn’t figure it out, he’d be a fool.

Guan Jiujiu gave a helpless smile. “Honestly, I can’t choose my family. Sometimes I wish I could be an ordinary girl, without all these complicated ties.”

“These past few years at the city hospital, I’ve tried my best to keep my background a secret, fearing others would distance themselves or try to use me, that relationships would lose their purity.”

“I never told you because I didn’t want to burden you, or make you feel you had to keep your distance.”

“You’ve saved me twice. I’m truly grateful to you, and I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”

At her own front door, Guan Jiujiu finally voiced what was in her heart.

But Yang Dong just looked at her strangely. This girl really was a bit silly…

Why would he distance himself from her just because he now knew who her family was?

“Jiujiu, you’ve got it all backwards. Now that I know you’re the secretary’s daughter, I’d better cling to your coattails.”

“You’re my political resource from now on.”

Yang Dong teased, his tone light and joking.

Whether or not he was truly joking, who could say.

Guan Jiujiu breathed a sigh of relief, but glared at him. “If you dare use me to climb up the ladder, I’ll stick you with a needle. Don’t forget, I’m a nurse!”

“I’m really good at giving injections, you know.”

She raised her little fist, threatening him playfully.

“Xiaodong, why aren’t you coming in?” Sun Xiufen, now wearing an apron, emerged from the kitchen and saw Yang Dong still standing outside. She shot a glare at Guan Jiujiu.

“Jiujiu, don’t bully Yang Dong!”

“What? Mom, I wasn’t bullying him!” Guan Jiujiu protested in frustration. How could her mother accuse her of that? When had she ever bullied him?

“Auntie, please don’t blame Jiujiu. I was the one who made her angry, it’s not her fault,” Yang Dong said quickly, smiling at Sun Xiufen in an attempt to explain.

But his explanation only further cemented the idea that Guan Jiujiu had been picking on him.

Guan Jiujiu gritted her teeth, her two little canine teeth showing, and shot Yang Dong a fierce look.

“Yang Dong, you—Dad?” she suddenly stammered, her expression changing as she looked past Yang Dong.

Yang Dong sensed someone behind him, someone with a powerful presence that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

“What are you all blocking the doorway for?” Guan Mushan stood outside, hands behind his back, an air of mild puzzlement on his face.

“Sec—Secretary Guan…” Yang Dong spun around to find Guan Mushan standing barely a meter away.

He immediately grew tense.

In both his lifetimes, Guan Mushan was the highest-ranking leader he had ever met.

Though he had worked under Yin Tiejun in the municipal government office and had seen a few vice mayors, those encounters were always from afar, never this close.

Besides, none of those vice mayors were members of the municipal standing committee.

But here stood a member of the municipal standing committee, the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission—the fourth most powerful figure in Lingyun City.

Guan Mushan wore a gray cotton jacket, the typical attire of a senior official.

His hair was cropped short, and though he was only about five foot seven, the intensity in his eyes made it hard for anyone to meet his gaze.

“Don’t block the door; everyone inside!” Guan Mushan smiled, patting Yang Dong on the shoulder.

“Yes, Secretary Guan!” Yang Dong hurried inside, took out a pair of slippers, and found a size 43 pair for Guan Mushan.

Guan Mushan accepted the slippers and changed into them, then took off his gray jacket, revealing a white shirt underneath.

In the northeast, during winter and early spring, indoor heating was centrally supplied.

It was freezing outside, but once inside, you had to take off your coat or the heat would be unbearable.

“Secretary Guan, let me hang that on the coat rack for you,” Yang Dong said, taking the jacket and hanging it up in the living room.

Guan Jiujiu watched Yang Dong serving her father and complained, “You just told me I’m your political resource, and now you’ve already switched sides?”

Yang Dong froze in place, cold sweat trickling down his back.

Good heavens, Guan Jiujiu, does everything I say have to be repeated out loud?

You can’t even keep a joke to yourself? And right in front of Guan Mushan—are you trying to get me killed?

Guan Mushan burst out laughing at her words. “Political resource? That’s a rather elegant way to say ‘backer.’ No wonder you’re the government office’s star writer.”

Yang Dong quickly tried to explain, “Secretary Guan, I was only joking with Jiujiu just now, I—”

“There’s no need to explain. I trust anyone Yin Tiejun has chosen wouldn’t be a mistake,” Guan Mushan said with a smile, waving away his explanation.

Then his face grew serious as he looked at Guan Jiujiu, his tone dropping as he gave his daughter some real-world advice.

“Girl, don’t joke like that in front of others in the future. You could get him in trouble!”

“Luckily it’s me you said it in front of. If it had been someone else, that one sentence could have cost Yang Dong half his life.”

Guan Jiujiu stuck out her tongue. “Dad, I only said it because you’re here—I’m not stupid…”

“Old Guan, why are you home so late?” Sun Xiufen came out of the kitchen again, seeing her husband already settled on the sofa, and asked with a smile.

Guan Mushan nodded. “There was major progress on a case the Discipline Inspection Committee is investigating. I was listening to their reports, so I’m late.”

He glanced at Yang Dong.

“Tell me, how did you solve Yin Tiejun’s case in just one day?”