Chapter 748: Chapter 724:

Arriving at the Provincial Public Security Department Building, he tossed the car into the parking lot. However, the security guard at the entrance just wouldn’t let him into the building. The Ministry of Public Security, was that a place where ordinary people could waltz in as they pleased? Despite Ye Chen’s best efforts at explaining, the guy was stubbornly denying him entry.

"Shit, what do I have to say for you to let me in, huh? I’ve told you I’m Director Zhang’s husband!" Ye Chen felt somewhat at a loss for words.

"How am I supposed to know which Director Zhang you’re referring to? There are so many Director Zhangs here; dozens of property owners, over ten directors—everyone who enters there is an official!" The guard’s words left Ye Chen speechless. It seemed that bureaucracy in China was extremely heavy; one position could apparently have more than ten officials.

"Alright, alright!" Ye Chen swallowed, then said, "What if I call her to come out and fetch me, would that be okay?"

"That’s doable!" The guard immediately nodded, promptly offering Ye Chen a cigarette and smiled, "Brother, it’s not that I don’t want to let you in, it’s just the rules here. Everyone going in there is an official, and damn it, I’m the one who suffers the most here. Every time I make a mistake, I get scolded from top to bottom—because of one error, I have to endure criticism from dozens of people. Do you think that’s easy for me?"

Ye Chen was taken aback, casting a sympathetic glance at the man before responding, "Brother, sounds tough!"

"It’s fine, it’s fine!" The guard repeatedly shook his head, saying, "Shit, I’m used to it. There’s no helping it, the bureaucratic style here is just too severe."

Ye Chen felt he could understand the guard. It wasn’t just in such government units where this happened—even in some private companies, people often encountered this kind of bureaucratic attitude, rebuking subordinates at the drop of a hat, acting arbitrarily with the little power in their hands as if their authority was something that couldn’t expire. As Ye Chen chatted with the guard, he even forgot to make the call, holding a bunch of roses in one hand and a cigarette in the other, sitting and chatting on the bench.

At that moment, the sound of a car horn blared from outside. The guard jumped up instinctively, his face turning white as he said, "Damn, I’ve messed up again!"

"What’s wrong?" Ye Chen was startled and stood up. Outside, a Jeep was stopped by the barrier, unable to get in, and the impatient driver was furiously honking the horn. The guard immediately pressed the controller, and the barrier rose. The driver rolled down the window, glared at the guard, and barked, "What are you doing, don’t you want your job?"

"Big brother, my mistake!" The guard hurriedly saluted, with a completely submissive expression.

"Hmph!" The driver seemed satisfied and drove the car in. The vehicle had barely moved far when it suddenly stopped. The rear door opened, and Zhang Kaiguo actually jumped out and waved at Ye Chen, calling, "Ye Chen, what brings you here?"

"My God, is that Secretary Zhang?!" The guard’s eyes widened in shock as he inwardly calculated just how many scoldings he would have to endure this time to dodge a bullet.

"Ha, Secretary Zhang!" Ye Chen walked over awkwardly.

"You silly boy, still calling me Secretary?" Zhang Kaiguo put an arm around Ye Chen and asked, "Are you here looking for Tongtong?"

"Yep!" Ye Chen nodded and said, "But they wouldn’t let me in, so I was about to call Tongtong to come out and get me."

"What? They wouldn’t let you in?" Zhang Kaiguo’s temper flared upon hearing this, and he was about to give the guard a dressing down but was stopped by Ye Chen, who knew well how difficult the guard’s job was. If Zhang Kaiguo started to reprimand him, the guard probably wouldn’t have a job the next day. If there was a way to help, Ye Chen would naturally lend a hand.

"Let it be, he was just following the rules!" Ye Chen held back Zhang Kaiguo, saying, "I’d better go in and find Tongtong myself."

"Ha, off you go then. I have some matters to attend to here!" Zhang Kaiguo smiled and parted ways with Ye Chen.

Ye Chen made his way towards the office, with Zhang Yantong’s department on the fifth floor. Taking the elevator up to the fifth floor, he walked to the end of the corridor—and really, this building was much more beautiful than any skyscraper he’d seen in Hong Kong, extravagantly decorated. They say officials inside China know how to enjoy life, to experience it; while officials outside don’t, but relatively speaking, officials abroad are much more efficient at getting things done.

"Who are you looking for?" A man in a white shirt peeked his head out.

"Oh, I’m here to see Zhang Yantong!" Ye Chen gave a slight nod.

"You’re looking for... Director Zhang?!" The man was startled and immediately laughed, "You’re not her husband, are you?"

"Yes!" Ye Chen nodded.

"Shit, are you for real?" the man laughed heartily: "Never thought a flower from our Ministry of Public Security would be stuck in a pile of shit like you!"

Ye Chen’s face immediately turned pale, thinking to himself, shit, isn’t this like a cockroach that’s come out to be stepped on? Ye Chen really wanted to rush up and kick the man, but, with his great self-restraint, he endured it all. Hooking a smile, he said, "Why don’t you take a piss and take a look at yourself in the mirror? You’re not even fit to be a pile of shit, you’re at most a dung beetle!"

Pfft...

A girl passing by immediately burst into laughter. The man had previously relentlessly pursued Zhang Yantong and was defeated in the end. He was extremely discontented, and what was more unexpected to him was that Zhang Yantong had decided to get married. The events that followed came wave after wave, which he could hardly bear. In the end, Zhang Yantong indeed got married. This was a heavy blow to him, and he had always wanted to see Zhang Yantong’s husband. Unfortunately, this legendary man had never shown his face.

To his surprise, he now found himself face to face with the man. The sentence he had been brewing in his heart slipped out without any hesitation.

"You..." The man was so infuriated by Ye Chen’s retort that he ground his teeth and said, "You’re just shit laid by a dung beetle!"

"Haha, in the end, you’re the dung beetle that eats the shit!" Ye Chen laughed heartily.

The crowd in the hallway grew and, at last, Zhang Yantong walked out from her office. She heard a familiar voice from the crowd, pushed through, and realized that it was Ye Chen arguing with a colleague. Zhang Yantong hurried over and asked, "Ye Chen, what brings you here?"

"Tongtong, I came to bring you flowers!" Immediately, Ye Chen presented the bouquet of roses that had wilted from the argument. When people saw the bouquet, there were only a few scattered roses left, with most of them already fallen to the floor.

"Haha, are these still roses? They do look a tad better than the wildflowers in my backyard!" the man laughed heartily.

Mockery, this was pure, naked mockery. But Ye Chen wasn’t upset at all. He turned to the man and said, "Of course, with a pile of shit like you in your backyard, how could the flowers not look much nicer?"

Pfft...

The ladies watching couldn’t help but chuckle; women’s sense of humor is indeed a bit lower than others. A single sentence could send them into fits of laughter. As for the men, they simply showed a hint of a smile on their faces.

The man was so angry with Ye Chen that he said coldly, "Shit, how dare you act so arrogant on my turf? Are you looking to ruin your reputation?"

"Have you forgotten that I’m from the streets?" Ye Chen replied with a smile, "As for you, did you leave home looking to get clubbed or caught in a sack?"

At hearing this, the man shrank his neck. Those who mixed in the streets or had any connections to the underworld understood what getting clubbed or caught in a sack meant. He quickly hid back in his office and dared not show his face again. When he heard that Ye Chen had connections with the underworld, he became even more frightened and could only hide.

"That’s enough, stop scaring him!" Zhang Yantong tugged at Ye Chen’s hand and then dragged him into her office. Nizi wore a blissful expression, a new bride, yet she had not at all prepared for the role.

Zhang Yantong’s office was an independent space, of a decent size, with over ten square meters and was meticulously and uniquely decorated. Once inside, Ye Chen felt a warm atmosphere. The room had a desk, a small couch, and a unique set of teapots, which seemed to be a favorite among people in the Jiangnan region; Dian Ling had one, Zhang Yantong did as well, and even Li Ruo had a set of tea ware for entertaining guests.

The room also had some potted plants, preventing the office from feeling too cold. On the desk sat a cartoon doll, and upon closer inspection, Ye Chen realized it was modeled after him. He chuckled, "Tongtong, this little guy really does resemble me. What did you get this toy for?"

"Hmph, what do you think?" Zhang Yantong retorted.

"How should I know!" Ye Chen, holding the doll, found it quite novel.

"It’s because I’m afraid I’d forget what you look like after not seeing you for so long!" Zhang Yantong sighed with exasperation. "Other women become housewives after getting married, dedicating their time to their husbands and children. As for me? I hardly ever see my husband come home. I don’t even know what that feels like. Have you ever experienced that? Oh, no, you couldn’t possibly understand because you’re always surrounded by women!"

As she spoke, tears began to fall like rain.

"I..." Ye Chen truly despised himself. Of all things to bring up, he had to mention this. He took a deep breath and then said, "Tongtong, isn’t it enough that I admit I was wrong?"

"Hmph!" Zhang Yantong snorted softly.

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