Power and Wealth - Chapter 139

Chapter 139






It’s the 2nd day of Lunar New Year .

Luan Xiaoping had planned to return yesterday . But she was elated by the news of her son’s promotion and decided to stay one more day to accompany Dong Xuebing . This morning, Dong Xuebing sent her to the bus stop . Before she left, she cried . She felt Dong Xuebing had made her proud and want him to visit the village when he is free . Dong Xuebing was not close to his mother’s side of relatives and rarely go back . But seeing his mother’s tears, he promised he will visit her when he got the time .

Dong Xuebing returned back to his apartment alone .

Qu Yunxuan was still at her parents’ place . Chang Juan and the rest had also visited him yesterday . There should be no one visiting today .

Dong Xuebing felt bored . He went online to see if any of his former classmates were online for a chat . But all of them were offline . After switching off the PC, Dong Xuebing wondered if he should buy some gifts to his leaders . This was not bribery . It’s the Chinese culture to send gifts during festivals . Since it’s not convenient for him to visit the State Security Branch quarters, but it should be fine for him to visit Xie Huilan . Xie Huilan had helped him a lot with the incident at the Newspaper agency . He has to pay her a visit to thank her again .

That’s right . Visit Sister Xie . She is a leader in the Central Government . It will not be a bad thing to be close to her .

Dong Xuebing immediately went to the nearby shopping mall and bought a bottle of perfume worth over 1,000 RMB .

Giving gifts to leaders had lots of unspoken rules too . Firstly, Dong Xuebing cannot call up and tell the other party that he will be visiting them in advanced . He will be rejected . He will also not know if the other party was being courteous or really mean it . If he wants to give gifts, he had to visit the leaders’ straight or give them a call when he reached their place . The gift must also be specially selected . The leaders will not accept expensive presents and they will not be happy with him . If the gift were too cheap, the leaders would think that Dong Xuebing had no respect for him . That’s why Dong Xuebing picked this bottle of perfume . It’s not too expensive or cheap, and it’s suitable for female leaders .

Beiqiao .

This was the place when Dong Xuebing met Xie Huilan the first time . She mentioned that she was living in her department’s quarters nearby .

Dong Xuebing asked around and finally got the address of the Publicity Department, News division’s quarters . It was a small and old estate . There was a concrete wall surrounding the estate, and there were 3 to 4 grey apartment buildings . When the guards saw Dong Xuebing holding on to a gift, they knew he must be here to visit the leaders . They did not stop him and let him enter . The security guards there will not stop people who came here with gifts . They will only stop those who acted suspiciously .

It was quiet outside the estate, but when Dong Xuebing entered the estate, he got shocked . It was very crowded inside .


Some people were walking out empty handed, and some were walking up the stairs with lots of gifts in their hands . Outside of an apartment building, 3 people were carrying their gifts and waiting outside the gate . After someone had exit, one person outside will enter . The other two continued to remain there . They seem to be queuing up to send gifts .

Dong Xuebing was dumbfounded . The Central Government’s departments were different .

Dong Xuebing took out his phone and called Xie Huilan . He still does not know if she was at home .

The line got through . “Hello . ”





Dong Xuebing quickly say: “Sister Xie, thank you for your help with the newspaper agency . I am at the News division quarters . I would like to pay you a visit . Errr…… is this a good time?” Before Dong Xuebing knew about Xie Huilan’s position, he did not speak politely with her . But after he found out that she was the Deputy Director of the News Division, Research Department, he changed the way he talks to her . He got no choice . Her rank was way higher than him .

Xie Huilan laughed . “Don’t be so courteous . I had owed you a favor in the past, and that’s returning your favor . ”

Dong Xuebing replied: “How can your help be compared to my favor? I must thank you personally . ”

“Fine . Since you are here, come up to my place . I am staying at block 6, unit 303 . Come up 10 minutes later . ”

After hanging up, Dong Xuebing realized that block 6 was the apartment building where all the leaders from the News Division were staying . Those people who were queuing up were waiting to enter block 6 . There should be someone in Xie Huilan’s apartment now . If not, she will not ask him to wait for 10 minutes .

10 minutes later, it was almost lunchtime . The crowd in the quarters thinned .

Dong Xuebing walked up to the electronic gates of block 6 and pressed unit 303 . “Sister Xie, it’s me . ”

This was the intercom to Xie Huilan’s unit . Clicked . The electronic gate was opened, and Xie Huilan said over the intercom . “Come up . ”

Dong Xuebing quickly entered the building . But before he could walk up the stairs, he heard someone talking upstairs .

“Director Xie, you don’t need to walk me out . ”

“Old Xu, then I will not send you . ”

“Yes . Please go back . ”

When Dong Xuebing reached the second level, he walked past Old Xu . He was in his 40s, and they looked at each other without saying a word . Xie Huilan had not closed her doors and was waiting outside her unit . She smiled when she saw Dong Xuebing . Dong Xuebing quickly walks over . It’s not good to let a leader wait . “Sister Xie, Happy Lunar New Year . ”

Xie Huilan smiled . “Happy New Year to you too . Come in . ”

Dong Xuebing entered her apartment and saw a cabinet full of gifts . There were cosmetics, wine, health supplements, fruit baskets, etc . Dong Xuebing looked at all those gifts and placed his perfume on the cabinet . After that, he chatted with Xie Huilan as they walked over to the living room . This was an old apartment, but it was well decorated .

“What tea would you prefer? Flower or red tea?”





“No need . Plain water will do . I will pour myself . ”

“Hahaha . You are too courteous with me . ”

Dong Xuebing poured a glass of water for himself and sat upright on the sofa .

Xie Huilan was wearing a white shirt and black pants . Her hair was tied up in a bun and had crossed her legs . She was wearing skin-colored stockings with a pair of black high heels . She was very sexy with a slim and tall figure, coupled with her beautiful features .

Dong Xuebing had a hard time controlling his eyes . His eyes kept drifting down to look at her body .

Damn! What am I thinking? Sister Xie is a bigshot! What am I looking at? I already have Aunt Xuan, and I am still not satisfied?

Dong Xuebing scolded himself in his heart and took a sip of water to hide his embarrassment .

Xie Huilan was looking at him with a smile . She gracefully picks up a piece of orange and eats it . She smiled and pushes the fruit platter towards Dong Xuebing . “Have some fruits . Oh, Xiao Dong, I still do not know what you are working as . ”

Dong Xuebing straightened his back and replied . “I am also working for the government agency . I am working at Western District State Security’s General Affairs Office . ”

“Oh…… State Security? One of my colleague’s partner is also from your branch . General Affairs Office’s job should be quite tiring . What do you handle?”

Dong Xuebing smiled shyly . “Our Chief had delegated most of the work to us . I am in charge of most of the back-end support in the branch . ”

Xie Huilan looked at him in surprise and laughed: “Deputy Chief?”

“Yes… . ” Dong Xuebing took another sip of water and secretly looked at her chest again .

Xie Huilan looked more surprised . “Not bad . You are about to reach this rank at your age is not easy . Do your best . ”

Dong Xuebing thought to himself . You are also not much older than me, and you are already a Deputy Director of a big department . What am I compared to your rank? But Dong Xuebing knew that if they were to compare the speed of their promotions, he would win her . He was promoted to Deputy Section Chief in 4 months . How many people can be compared to him? Of course, those highly educated people who joined as Deputy Section Chief cannot be considered .

Both chatted for a few minutes . Dong Xuebing also wanted to be closer to a high-ranking leader like Xie Huilan . But they had only met each other a few times . They cannot be considered close .

After a while, Xie Huilan looked at her watch casually .





Dong Xuebing knew that this was a hint for him to leave . He quickly stood up and said . “Sister Xie, it’s almost twelve . I will not bother you anymore . I would like to thank you again for your help with the newspaper agency . If you need my help in the future, just let me know . I will do my best . ” Dong Xuebing knew what he said was meaningless . Xie Huilan is a high-ranking leader and definitely will have some background . How can he offer any help to her?

Xie Huilan stood up slowly: “Ok . I will not keep you here . I still have a lunch appointment later . ”

“I will be going then . Please stay here . I will walk myself out . ”

After leaving Xie Huilan’s apartment, Dong Xuebing stood in the estate’s compound and took a deep breath . His performance earlier was not excellent . He had chatted with Xie Huilan for so long and could not find a topic that could interest her . This is not good . But at least she accepted his gift . There is still chance for him to get closer to her in the future .

After walking out of the estate, Dong Xuebing felt hungry . He looked around and saw a restaurant . He entered and ordered two dishes . In his mind, he was still thinking about Xie Huilan’s perfect looks and her sweet smile . He could feel his heart beating faster . Sigh…… . The ancestors of the one who gets to marry Sister Xie would be dancing in their graves . Dong Xuebing wonders if Sister Xie was married or has any children . In the end, Dong Xuebing forced himself to stop thinking about Xie Huilan .

“Director Xie, Happy New Year . You are going out?”

“Happy New Year to you too . Yes . I’m going out for lunch . ”

Dong Xuebing saw Xie Huilan walking out of the estate and spoke to a middle-aged man near the gates . A firecracker landed near her . That middle-aged man quickly stepped in front of Xie Huilan to protect her . “Director Xie, firecrackers are dangerous . You must be careful when you are outside . ”

Xie Huilan laughed . “Thank you . I will be safe . ”

“Take care . ”

Dong Xuebing felt the distance between him and Xie Huilan was too far apart . He is also a leader, but only the staff at the General Affairs Office gave him respect . Look at Sister Xie, anyone she met on the streets treated her respectfully . It was not only because of her rank and position . It was the temperament of a leader . Dong Xuebing felt he still does not have the experience and air of a leader .

Dong Xuebing looked at Xie Huilan’s back view as she walked away . He was secretly learning from her .

After finishing his lunch, Dong Xuebing walked towards the bus stop slowly .

A few buses went past the bus stop, but the bus Dong Xuebing was waiting for had not arrived . He deliberates if he should walk home as it was not too far away from his house . Ring, ring, ring . Dong Xuebing’s iPhone rang . He looked at the caller ID and was surprised . It was Xie Huilan’s number . Eh? This should not be possible . I am not that close with Sister Xie, and why is she calling me?

Dong Xuebing quickly answered the call .

He cleared his throat and said: “Hello, Sister Xie . ”

But the voice of the caller was not Xie Huilan, and Dong Xuebing was shocked . It was an old man’s voice . “I saw your number on the phone, that’s why I called you . Are you this lady’s family? If not, can you inform her family?”

“What are you talking about?” Dong Xuebing sense something was not right . “What happened to Sister Xie?”

“A young girl had fallen into the water at the river east of Qiao Bei . This lady past by and saw it . She immediately drops her phone by the river bank and jumps into the water to save the girl . She managed to pull the girl to shore, but her legs got entangled with the seaweeds . I don’t know how to swim, and the rest of the onlookers dare not go into the water after seeing the seaweeds . Now…… now……”

Dong Xuebing turned pale immediately . “Hurry up and tell me . ”

The old man continued: “Sighed…… she is dead . Her body is still in the water . We have called the police and are waiting for them to come and retrieve her body . Young man, can you notify her family?”

“Impossible…… This is impossible……”

“Sighed…… I’m sorry for your loss . ”

Xie Huilan is dead?

Xie Huilan is dead?

Dong Xuebing hanged up in a daze . He could not believe what he heard . Was this a prank? Sister Xie was still chatting with him earlier, and now, she’s dead??

How was this possible?

1 second……

2 seconds……

Suddenly Dong Xuebing remembered something . He shouted at the top of his voice: “BACK!”

He can save her!

He must save her!

Translator’s notes: Lol . The author clearly has a fetish with stockings and older women . Whenever he describes a woman in this novel, he had to mention the color of their stockings .