The Ambitious Li Wen

It was a cloudy Friday afternoon, with gusts of wind blowing intermittently as if a storm were brewing. The streets were nearly deserted, and a group of girls in short skirts huddled together, shivering slightly—they hadn’t expected the weather, which had been bright and sunny just that morning, to turn chilly so suddenly.

Yet at that very moment, inside an office on the second floor of the Third Middle School administration building, a scene of heated, lewd passion was unfolding. On a clean, tidy bed, a voluptuous middle-aged woman lay on her back, completely naked, her snow-white, curvaceous body exposed. Her two large, snow-white breasts swayed freely as her body moved up and down, creating a wave of flesh, while seductive moans escaped her lips from time to time.

Kneeling before the voluptuous woman was a teenage boy of about fifteen or sixteen, also completely naked. He had hoisted her two white, plump thighs onto his shoulders, lifting her ample buttocks high off the bed. With his cock—thicker and longer than an adult’s—he was thrusting in and out of her plump, white, tender pussy, producing a series of crisp slapping sounds. Suddenly, the mature woman’s body began to convulse violently. Her thighs clamped tightly together, her large, plump buttocks swaying incessantly, and her hands gripped the iron bars at the head of the bed with all her might. At the same time, the young man increased his pace, thrusting his penis deep into her pussy with each stroke. Love juices overflowed from their joined genitals, soaking the sheets. Soon, the young man let out a cry, collapsing onto the voluptuous mature woman’s snow-white body, gasping for breath, his face radiating an expression of immense satisfaction.

The middle-aged woman let out a satisfied sigh. Looking at the young man still resting on her full breasts, savoring the moment, a wave of tenderness welled up in her heart. She picked up a towel nearby to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said reproachfully, “ “Look at all that sweat—you must be exhausted. You’ve been studying so hard these past few days. I told you to wait until tonight, but you insisted on doing it now. You’re at a critical stage of growth—you need to learn to exercise self-control, do you understand?”

The boy buried his face between the woman’s two full breasts, one hand grasping and fondling one of her large breasts as he said, somewhat absentmindedly, “ “I know, Ms. Zhang. You’ve told me this dozens of times. I’m just happy, and besides, you said you’d reward me if I did well on the midterms.”

These two were, of course, Ma Jun and Zhang Li. The midterm results had just been announced that morning. Ma Jun ranked eighth in the class, securing his spot in the top ten, and he scored first in Chinese. and second in the entire grade. He hadn’t disgraced Teacher Zhang Li, but his results paled in comparison to Li Ting’s. Li Ting had taken first place in both the class and the grade, and aside from Chinese, she had ranked first in every other subject. From then on, her reputation as an academic star spread like wildfire, gradually replacing her former title as the class beauty.

Su Jianxin came in 20th this time, a fairly average result, while Huang Guoxin made a stunning breakthrough, jumping from 40th to 11th place, nearly breaking into the top tier. He was undoubtedly Class 57’s biggest dark horse in this exam. By noon, a group of students had already dragged him out to treat them to a meal, while Ma Jun took the opportunity to sneak into Zhang Li’s office to ask for a reward. With no other choice, Zhang Li had no option but to undress and engage in intimate relations with Ma Jun.

However, Zhang Li wasn’t simply indulging Ma Jun. This week, Ma Jun had indeed performed very well—he listened attentively in class, completed his homework promptly after class, and didn’t get distracted during her tutoring sessions. He was quite diligent, so she felt she had to give him a little reward to keep him from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠getting sulky.

To avoid affecting Ma Jun’s studies and to protect his health, Zhang Li and Ma Jun haggled back and forth several times. Only after things got so heated that they nearly came to blows did they finally set a rule: they could only do it a maximum of three times a week. If Ma Jun behaved well, he could receive an extra session as a reward; if he didn’t, a session would be deducted. As a result, in an effort to get more sessions, Ma Jun actually came inside Zhang Li four times in a single night, leaving her legs so weak she could barely get out of bed. Zhang Li had no choice but to add another rule: he could only come twice per session. Fortunately, Ma Jun’s sessions now lasted no more than ten or so minutes; otherwise, Zhang Li would have had to limit the duration of his ejaculations as well.

Thinking back on her twenty-plus years as a teacher, during which she’d established countless strict classroom rules, Zhang Li never imagined she’d one day set such a blushingly intimate rule with her own student. With a touch of emotion, she hugged Ma Jun and said, “Ma Jun, you gave your first time to your teacher. Do you regret it? I’m an older woman who’s had children—I can’t compare to those young teachers. You don’t feel like you’re getting the short end of the stick, do you?”

“Teacher Zhang, you’re not old at all. To me, you look younger and younger. Your skin is getting softer, and these breasts are getting firmer—I can barely hold onto them.”

Ma Jun said with a grin. By now, he’d gotten a feel for Zhang Li’s temperament. In fact, Zhang Li’s temperament was easier to read than Liu Yan’s; you could tell at a glance if she was upset. Plus, she was cold on the outside but warm on the inside—as long as he said a few nice things, she’d gradually calm down. How could he possibly regret it? If he hadn’t met Zhang Li, how would he have lost his virginity so early and started living such a carefree, sexually fulfilling life? Plus, Zhang Li was so dedicated to her studies. Ma Jun felt nothing but gratitude toward her.

“You’re getting sweeter with your words, aren’t you? You’re just good at making your teacher happy.”

Sure enough, Zhang Li’s face lit up with a smile. After all, she was already in her forties, and to have a fifteen-year-old boy so infatuated with her was the greatest affirmation a woman could receive. She looked at Ma Jun with tender affection and said, “ “Teacher, whether what you’re saying is true or not, Ma Jun, I’m truly content right now. I don’t expect to spend the rest of my life with you like this. I just want to be there for you during these three years. Once you go to college, you’ll meet plenty of suitable girls. By then, just forget about me.”

As she spoke, a touch of sadness crept into her voice, and her eyes began to well up.

“Teacher Zhang, don’t cry. I’ll never forget you for the rest of my life.”

Ma Jun hurried to comfort Zhang Li, speaking with deep emotion, “No matter where I go in the future, you’ll always be the teacher I respect and love the most. How could I ever forget you?”

“Ma Jun, I’m truly happy to hear you say that.”

Tears glistened in Zhang Li’s eyes as she kissed Ma Jun. Her two smooth, full, snow-white thighs entwined with Ma Jun’s thick, muscular ones, rubbing against each other incessantly as they savored the pleasure of their skin pressed together. Soon, Ma Jun’s thick cock, buried deep inside Zhang Li’s pussy, began to swell again.

“You rascal, you’re at it again.”

Zhang Li immediately sensed the change inside her, and scolded playfully, “Get out of there right now. We still have class this afternoon, or you’ll be too tired to pay attention.”

“Sis Li, let me do it one more time. I’ll be quick this time—I won’t waste any time.”

Ma Jun said with a mischievous grin, but his long cock had already begun thrusting forcefully inside Zhang Li’s wet, slippery pussy. He felt her thick, fleshy walls enveloping his glans and sucking on it constantly, sending waves of exquisite pleasure through his sensitive nerves.

Zhang Li’s G-spot was being pleasured by Ma Jun’s massive cock, leaving her no choice but to reluctantly rise to the challenge. She lifted her plump buttocks with all her might, meeting the thrusts of his cock so that Ma Jun’s huge member could penetrate even deeper. The room was instantly filled once more with her stifled moans.

To pick up the pace, Ma Jun thrust with all his might, pulling his glans all the way back to the entrance of her pussy each time before slamming it back in, slamming hard against Zhang Li’s snow-white, plump buttocks, producing a series of slapping sounds. After fifty or sixty rapid thrusts, his glans couldn’t withstand the stimulation any longer and soon began to twitch as it ejaculated a stream of semen. Of course, this time the volume was much smaller, and it wasn’t as thick.

Since Zhang Li had already climaxed twice during their first encounter with Ma Jun, she didn’t reach orgasm this time; she was doing it purely to satisfy his desires. Seeing Ma Jun lying on top of her, panting heavily, she said with a touch of concern, “Look how exhausted you are, yet you still try to prove yourself. You have to cum twice every time before you’ll stop. If you keep this up, we’ll only be able to do this twice a week from now on.”

“Ms. Zhang, don’t be so heartless.”

Ma Jun climbed off Zhang Li, pulled out his limp cock, and waved the glans in front of her, grinning as he said, “If you don’t feed it properly, what if it goes out and cheats on me?”

“You’ve gotten quite bold lately. Tell me the truth—have you been cheating on me with Liu Yan?”

Zhang Li’s expression darkened as she grabbed Ma Jun’s penis, snorting coldly, “No wonder Liu Yan’s been coming by less and less lately. So she’s been too guilty to face me.”

“I’m innocent, Sister Li. We didn’t do anything.”

Caught in a vulnerable spot by Zhang Li, Ma Jun dared not move and explained with a pained expression, “I was just joking with you. I’d love to sneak a bite, but Teacher Liu wouldn’t let me. You know her temper—she’s not nearly as easy to get along with as you are.”

It turned out that Ma Jun had always thought of Zhang Li as strict and Liu Yan as gentle and approachable. But after spending more time with her, he realized that Liu Yan actually had a fiery temper as well—she just never showed it to outsiders, giving others the false impression that she’d get angry if he said the wrong thing. On the other hand, while Zhang Li seemed strict, whenever he really wanted to do something, she was always the one who ended up giving in.

Zhang Li knew Ma Jun wasn’t lying to her; she understood Liu Yan quite well, and was well aware of the conflict in Liu Yan’s mind. She wanted to take that step forward but couldn’t get past her own mental barrier, which was why she appeared so hesitant and unpredictable. To put it bluntly, Liu Yan was simply too concerned about saving face; she couldn’t bring herself to lower her proud stance. Thinking back to how she’d once thick-skinnedly seduced Ma Jun, Zhang Li sighed inwardly. Sometimes, a woman has to be a little shameless to find happiness; constantly worrying about what might be lost only serves to torment herself.

Perhaps at this point, Liu Yan needed someone to give her a gentle nudge to help her make up her mind—but that person absolutely couldn’t be her. Although Zhang Li and Liu Yan were on good terms, she could only watch from the sidelines in this situation. After all, Liu Yan was a married woman, and dragging a married woman into this would be morally wrong. It was already scandalous enough that she herself was having an affair with a student; if she were to help Ma Jun seduce other female teachers as well, that would be utterly shameless.

With that thought, Zhang Li released her grip on Ma Jun’s cock, sighed, and said, “ “Ma Jun, I’ve told you I won’t interfere in your relationship with Teacher Liu. But no matter how far things go between you two in the future, I hope you’ll treat her well and not put her in a difficult position. We women don’t take this step unless we have no other choice. A teacher doing this risks ruining her reputation. Teacher Liu is still young; it’s only natural she has reservations. You need to be patient with her. Do you understand?”

“Sister Li, don’t worry. I know what to do.”

Ma Jun hugged Zhang Li and kissed her, saying, “You and Teacher Liu are both the people I love most. I’ll cherish you both, and I won’t let you down—nor will I ever cause you any pain.”

Seeing that it was getting late, Zhang Li quickly got dressed and tidied up the rumpled bedding. Spotting the large, damp patch in the center of the sheets, she thought to herself that she’d have to take the sheets home to wash—she’d only changed them yesterday. Noticing Ma Jun grinning at her from the side, she couldn’t help but glare at him and scolded, “What’s so funny? It’s all thanks to you. Go back to the classroom right away. Oh, and I have plans tonight, so don’t come looking for me. Go home early.”

No sooner had Ma Jun left Zhang Li’s office than a fierce gust of wind blew in his face, nearly blinding him. He couldn’t help but shiver. Looking up at the gloomy sky, he thought, “This is going to be a downpour,” and hurried downstairs. Just as he stepped into the classroom, a muffled clap of thunder rolled through the clouds, and raindrops the size of beans began to fall in a steady downpour.

Most of the classrooms at No. 3 Middle School were still housed in dilapidated old buildings, and whenever it rained, the roofs would leak. Teachers and parents had long been calling for better teaching conditions. Later, the Education Bureau allocated funds to build a new school building, but the previous principal had misappropriated the money to construct an administrative building instead. Since taking office, Li Jianjun had been determined to build a new school building, but he could never raise enough funds, so the project remained on hold. Instead, he used the limited funds to recruit talent and purchase teaching equipment.

There was a leak right above Ma Jun’s head, and the water dripped directly onto his desk. Finally, with no other option, Ma Jun simply cut a hole in the desk so the water could flow through it and onto the floor. He thought to himself that when he moved up to the second year of high school next semester and got a new classroom, he would definitely choose a seat that didn’t leak.

Outside the window, a torrential downpour was raging. At the lectern, the gray-haired math teacher was loudly explaining a problem, but as Ma Jun listened, his mind began to wander. The memory of that passionate kiss with Liu Yan floated back into his mind. He had originally thought the barrier between him and Liu Yan was merely a thin sheet of paper—something he could pierce with a single, forceful push. But he hadn’t expected that what stood between them wasn’t paper at all, but a highly elastic membrane, much like the stockings a woman wears. Every time he applied pressure, he felt as though he’d broken through, yet the moment he let go, everything snapped back into place. How could he not feel restless and anxious?

However, Zhang Li’s words instantly brought him to his senses. Perhaps Liu Yan didn’t know how to face him either. As Zhang Li had said, after all, he was just a minor student. Whether he were to have a relationship with Zhang Li or Liu Yan, if the matter were to come to light in the future, most of the pressure would fall on Zhang Li and Liu Yan, who were teachers, while Ma Jun would likely be seen as an innocent victim.

Thinking of this, Ma Jun realized how selfish he had been. He had never once considered Zhang Li or Liu Yan’s feelings; he had merely been acting on his own desires, seeking to satisfy his sexual urges. He claimed to love her, yet his actions were driven solely by self-interest. Zhang Li wasn’t blind to this; she had simply been tolerating his selfishness and capriciousness all along, while he, smug as ever, believed that with just his big cock, he could completely conquer this mature woman’s body and soul. But what had he truly done for Zhang Li?

Ma Jun suddenly felt his face burn with shame. He suddenly realized a truth: if he only knew how to take and never how to give, the barrier standing between him and Liu Yan would never disappear. Liu Yan would never truly trust him, much less willingly surrender her purity to a man without a sense of responsibility. Their relationship would remain forever stuck in this ambiguous phase, unable to achieve a genuine breakthrough to true intimacy.

In the large conference room of the Gu County Education Bureau, dozens of female teachers from middle schools across the county were seated. Most of them came from rural schools; they were on the older side and dressed rather plainly. In contrast, the young, beautiful, and fashionably dressed Li Wen and Liu Yan stood out like a pair of swans among chickens, drawing everyone’s attention. Even the gray-haired old professor on the podium couldn’t help but glance at them a few extra times.

The County Education Bureau clearly placed great importance on this training session for key female teachers, having specially invited Zhu Xuewen—a veteran expert with a long career in secondary education research—from the city to lecture the participants. Zhu Xuewen was a former professor at the Municipal Teachers’ College and highly renowned within the education system, though he had since retired; coming to Gu County to conduct this training was a way for him to continue contributing his expertise.

“Hey, it looked like Professor Zhu was staring at you just now.”

Li Wen, sitting in the front row, quietly nudged Liu Yan’s arm—who was intently listening to the lecture—and whispered, “You’re really quite the charmer. Even the old professor has fallen for you.”

“Nonsense, don’t talk rubbish.”

Liu Yan’s face flushed slightly as she frowned and shot Li Wen a glance, though her pen continued to fly across the page as she took notes. She glanced nervously toward the podium, worried that Professor Zhu might have overheard Li Wen’s remark.

Since the professional title evaluation, the tension between Liu Yan and Li Wen had eased considerably, and Li Wen’s attitude had softened. greeting Liu Yan warmly whenever they met. At first, Liu Yan remained somewhat guarded, but gradually she came to believe that Li Wen genuinely wanted to improve their relationship. She, in turn, began to soften her own attitude, no longer as cold as before. After all, they shared the same office, and getting along well was naturally the best outcome.

Although she secretly despised Li Wen for having an affair with Feng Kun behind her husband’s back, Liu Yan sometimes envied Li Wen’s carefree and unrestrained nature. At least Li Wen lived authentically and never cared about others’ opinions, whereas Liu Yan’s haughty and aloof demeanor was a means of self-protection, not because she truly didn’t care. She couldn’t persevere as stoically as Ma Jun’s mother, Song Ping, nor could she bravely seek her own sexual fulfillment like Zhang Li or Li Wen; she remained perpetually teetering on the edge of moral decline.

“Alright, that concludes this section. Does anyone have any questions?”

Zhu Xuewen, who was lecturing on stage, paused, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and scanned the female teachers below. However, most of them looked down in embarrassment when their eyes met his. Zhu Xuewen felt a bit helpless and was about to continue with the next part of his lecture when suddenly, a beautiful female teacher in the front row raised her fair arm and gave Zhu Xuewen a slight smile, saying, “Professor Zhu, may I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

Zhu Xuewen’s eyes lit up as he looked at this bold female teacher with interest and asked, “Which school do you teach at?”

“Professor Zhu, I’m a high school Chinese teacher at Gu County No. 3 High School. My name is Li Wen.”

Li Wen stood up and spoke with a smile, deliberately thrusting out her full chest to showcase her curvaceous figure.

Even Professor Zhu Xuewen, though well past sixty, found himself momentarily dazzled and breathless. He cleared his throat softly, lowered his gaze, and said, “Very well, very well. What is your question?”

“Professor Zhu, you just mentioned that teachers shouldn’t act superior but should communicate with students as friends.”

Li Wen’s voice was clear and melodious, like that of a lark. “But if teachers and students get too close, it’s easy for inappropriate feelings to develop. How do you think this issue should be handled?”

The female teachers in the audience looked surprised upon hearing the question and couldn’t help but whisper among themselves, feeling that Li Wen’s question was a bit out of line.

Liu Yan, sitting nearby, felt a sudden pang of anxiety. Li Wen’s question had struck a nerve—she and Ma Jun were currently in exactly that situation. Had Li Wen discovered their relationship? She glanced at Li Wen nervously, yet was also curious to hear what Zhu Xuewen would say.

“That’s a very sensitive question, Ms. Li. Of course, it’s difficult for me to answer off the cuff.”

Zhu Xuewen paused, taken aback that this beautiful female teacher had posed such an unconventional question. After a moment’s thought, he said, “ “Middle school students are teenagers, right in the most naive yet curious stage of their lives. They yearn to explore everything unknown, including romantic feelings. We shouldn’t simply assume these feelings are wrong or unhealthy and try to stop them in a simplistic, mechanical, or even harsh manner. This is a stage everyone must go through as they grow up.”

The female teachers in the audience, who had been buzzing with discussion, now wore thoughtful expressions. As Zhu Xuewen had pointed out, their usual approach to such issues was exactly as he described: they treated students like cold, emotionless robots, denying them the right to human feelings. Not only did they reprimand students publicly for developing feelings for teachers, but they also harshly condemned early romantic relationships among students, thereby nipping what might have been innocent and beautiful emotions in the bud.

Zhu Xuewen smiled slightly and continued, “Of course, as teachers, we cannot simply indulge students in their explorations; rather, we must actively guide them. We need to help students understand that emotions are beautiful yet extremely fragile. Only when they grow up and their minds mature will they be better able to nurture these feelings. For now, the focus should remain on their studies. Therefore, my view is that we should correctly guide the development of their ideas and values while respecting their individuality. Of course, achieving this isn’t easy; it requires everyone to gradually explore and gain insight through daily teaching. But remember this: you are all public educators who serve as role models. A teacher’s duty is to impart knowledge, teach skills, and resolve doubts—and ‘the Way’ comes first. ‘The Way’ refers to principles, including morality. I’ll leave it at that.”

“Thank you, Professor Zhu. I’ve truly benefited greatly from your words.”

Li Wen gave a charming smile and sat down lightly. Seeing the female teachers around her still whispering and pointing at her, she couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. What did these hicks know? She had deliberately raised this question to leave a deep impression on Zhu Xuewen. Although Zhu Xuewen was already in his sixties—much older than Song Qihang—he was, after all, a titan in the education world. It was said that even the director of the Municipal Education Bureau had once been Zhu Xuewen’s student. If she could forge a connection with him, wouldn’t that be far better than hanging out with men like Feng Kun every day?

Liu Yan never imagined her colleague could be so calculating. She’d simply thought Li Wen was someone who loved to show off, but wasn’t a bad person at heart. She was still mulling over what Zhu Xuewen had just said: her relationship with Ma Jun had become clear after that kiss the other night. All it would take was a tiny spark to ignite the desire in both their hearts. Liu Yan had been feeling restless and conflicted these past few days, wavering over whether to take that step. But after hearing Zhu Xuewen’s words, she felt ashamed of the idea, believing she was unworthy of being a public school teacher. No matter how shameless Li Wen might be, at least she wasn’t having an affair with a student. If she were to sleep with Ma Jun, wouldn’t she be even more despicable than Li Wen?

After the training session ended, Zhu Xuewen stood up and walked toward the door, flanked by several Education Bureau staff members. Li Wen gritted her teeth and ran after him. Moments later, she returned with a slip of paper bearing a phone number, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She thought to herself that today’s training session had truly been a great success. If she could secure a connection with Zhu Xuewen, she wouldn’t have to constantly kowtow to Feng Kun anymore.

The trainees began streaming out of the conference room one after another. Liu Yan and Li Wen followed the crowd toward the exit. Seeing people trickling out of the Education Bureau building to go home for the day, Li Wen remarked with a touch of wistfulness, “ “It’s definitely better to work at the bureau. They have it so easy every day. It’s nothing like being a teacher—low pay and such hard work. Liu Yan, haven’t you ever thought about using your connections to transfer over to the bureau? With your qualifications, you’d definitely be the belle of the ball there.”

Liu Yan, however, smiled and said, “I haven’t thought about that. I think being a teacher is just fine. Dealing with students every day is actually simpler and more relaxed.”

That was her true feeling. Even at Third Middle School, backstabbing among teachers was a common occurrence; if she were at the Education Bureau, it would only be worse. She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wasn’t the type to scheme or play mind games—she simply couldn’t adapt to that cutthroat environment. It was much better to just keep things simple and stay a teacher.

Li Wen, however, curled her lips, seemingly unconvinced by Liu Yan’s words. With Liu Yan’s looks and figure, how could she possibly be content to spend her whole life as an ordinary teacher? At the very least, Li Wen herself had no desire to continue living a life where she had to count every penny. But her husband was just an ordinary office worker—honest and hardworking, with no knack for scheming or climbing the corporate ladder. It looked like he wouldn’t even make it to deputy section chief by the time he retired, so she would have to figure things out on her own.

As for Feng Kun, Li Wen had already decided to cut him loose. Although she’d reaped some benefits from him over the past few years, he was, after all, just an ordinary teacher. Even with his uncle—the deputy director of the Education Bureau—pulling strings, the best he could hope for in five years was a position as vice principal at Third High School. If she really wanted a transfer to the Education Bureau, it would be more effective to sleep with Feng Kun’s uncle directly.

However, Li Wen had learned a lesson from Li Jianjun: being too forward only lowered her value and made men think she was cheap. Look at Liu Yan—she always kept her cool and never gave anyone a friendly look, yet those sleazy men still groveled to get close to her. Truth be told, men are just that way—the more they can’t have something, the more they crave it.

As the two stepped out of the Education Bureau, a light drizzle had begun to fall. Liu Yan, who hadn’t brought an umbrella, was worrying about how she’d get home, but Li Wen smiled and said, “Why go home? Haven’t you forgotten that our department is having dinner together tonight? We might as well just take a cab to the restaurant.”

Liu Yan let out an “Oh!” and finally remembered. She had indeed heard Zhang Yang mention it that morning—Lu Qihang wanted to treat the department to a meal at the Tianfu Hotel. But since she’d been rushing to class at the time, she hadn’t paid much attention. She asked casually, “Why did Director Lu decide to treat everyone to a meal? It’s not a holiday or anything. Is something going on?”

“You bet there is.”

Li Wen smiled smugly, leaned in close to Liu Yan, and said mysteriously, “According to reliable sources, the school leadership is considering reshuffling the mid-level management. Director Lu Qihang’s position is a bit precarious, so he’s trying to win people over.”

“No way. Director Lu is doing a great job. Why would they replace him?”

Liu Yan was taken aback. She usually avoided gossiping with colleagues, so she was unaware of much of what went on at the school.

“That’s where you’re missing the point. Being a department head isn’t a position you can keep just because you’re doing a good job.”

Li Wen scanned the street for taxis while explaining to Liu Yan, “First, you need someone in high places backing you. Second, you need the people under you to support you. Plus, you can’t get in anyone else’s way. Lu Qihang must not have pulled enough strings with the higher-ups, so he’s scrambling at the last minute to win over teachers like us. Too bad it’s not going to work.”

“But I think Director Lu is doing a great job. Principal Li must know him well. “I’m sure it’s just a rumor,”

Liu Yan couldn’t help but say, thinking to herself that the head of the teaching and research office wasn’t really a high-ranking position at all, yet everyone was fighting tooth and nail over it—all because of that invisible power. It was hard to imagine what the competition would be like for even higher positions. From that perspective, Li Jianjun’s ability to hold onto the principal’s seat at Third Middle School for over a decade was truly impressive.

“Pfft, do you really think Li Jianjun is some kind of saint?”

Li Wen shot Liu Yan a glance, wondering if this woman was genuinely naive or just putting on a show of propriety. She sneered, “Those in power don’t think the same way we ordinary folks do. You think they promote whoever’s most capable, but they’re thinking, ‘Who can give me the most benefits?’ Do you get it? “Now that word’s out about the personnel reshuffle, everyone’s rushing to give the principal gifts. I bet there’ll be a crowd outside his house tonight.”

Just then, a Santana slowly pulled up in front of them. Li Jianjun poked his head out the window and said with a smile, “Is the training session over? What are you two chatting about that has you so happy?”

“Principal Li…”

Li Wen was startled. Not knowing if he’d overheard their conversation, she quickly forced a smile and said, “We just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠came from the Education Bureau and were about to hail a cab to the Tianfu Hotel for a dinner with our colleagues.”

“Then hop in.”

Li Jianjun smiled faintly, glanced at Liu Yan—who hadn’t said a word—and said casually, “ “I’m actually heading to Tianfu for dinner too. It’s raining and hard to get a cab right now, so I’ll give you a ride since it’s on my way.”

“Thank you so much, Principal.”

Li Wen grinned as she opened the door and climbed in, then reached out to motion to Liu Yan. Liu Yan hadn’t wanted to ride with Li Jianjun, but seeing that Li Wen had already gotten in, she didn’t want to seem too unfriendly. After a moment’s hesitation, she got in as well.

“By the way, how did you guys feel about today’s training session?”

Li Jianjun stepped on the gas and slowly pulled away from the Education Bureau’s entrance. Noticing that both Li Wen and Liu Yan seemed a bit reserved, he casually brought up a topic.

“Principal Li, I feel like I really learned a lot today.”

Seeing that Liu Yan had no intention of speaking, Li Wen immediately sensed her chance had come. With a smile, she said, “The expert’s lecture was truly insightful and thought-provoking. Principal Li, if there are more events like this in the future, could you let the two of us participate again?”

“Haha, that will depend on your future work performance.”

Li Jianjun saw Liu Yan looking down in silence through the rearview mirror; she looked all the more delicate and charming. He didn’t answer Li Wen’s question directly, but said, “As long as you perform well, there will only be more training opportunities like this in the future. It’s just that opportunities are given to those who are prepared—it all depends on who can seize them.”

The same words, yet they resonated differently with each person. Li Wen took them to heart; she was the type who would create opportunities even when none existed. Whether it was Feng Kun, Lu Qihang, Zhu Xuewen, or Li Jianjun—as long as someone could help her, she would find a way to get close and make use of them. If she didn’t reach out to climb the ladder, others would naturally come to her. But Liu Yan, sitting beside her, felt that Li Jianjun was reminding her not to hesitate any longer. She wasn’t interested, but there were plenty of female teachers like Li Wen out there. Who knows—he might change his mind one day.

“Alright, you two go ahead. I’ll find a place to park.”

Li Jianjun pulled up in front of the Tianfu Hotel’s main entrance, turned to the pair, and smiled. “If I have time later, I’ll come over and have a drink with everyone.”

“We’ll be waiting for the principal to grace us with his presence,”

Li Wen said with a smile as she and Liu Yan got out of the car and walked toward the hotel entrance. Suddenly, someone hurried past them, bumping into Li Wen’s arm and nearly knocking the bag off her back. Li Wen raised an eyebrow and said, “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you watch where you’re going? Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated? Seriously.”

As she spoke, she gently rubbed her arm. Liu Yan, standing beside her, also frowned slightly, finding the man’s behavior rather reckless.

The man was a potbellied middle-aged man. Hearing Li Wen’s words, he was about to snap back, but when he turned and saw Li Wen, he froze. Upon catching sight of Liu Yan, his eyes lit up, and he immediately put on a smile, saying, “ “Two beautiful ladies, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I’m so sorry. I was lost in thought and didn’t see you two. My apologies. May I ask your names? Here’s my business card. How about I treat you both to a meal sometime to make it up to you?”

With that, he took out two elegantly designed business cards and handed them to Liu Yan and Li Wen.

“Huang Shouye, Deputy Director of the Gu County Urban Construction Bureau and General Manager of the Urban Construction Company.”

Li Wen held the card and read it aloud under her breath. Realizing that this unassuming middle-aged man was actually the deputy director of the Urban Construction Bureau, her attitude shifted instantly. She smiled warmly and said, “So it’s Director Huang! It’s no problem—you’re too kind. My name is Li Wen; I’m a teacher at Third Middle School. This is my colleague, Liu Yan.”

In recent years, Gu County had been undergoing urban renewal, and the Urban Construction Bureau was a highly lucrative department—especially the Urban Construction Company, which had secured contracts for over 80% of the county’s renovation projects. As General Manager of the company, Huang Shouye routinely handled funds amounting to several million yuan daily, making him a highly sought-after figure. By comparison, the Education Bureau—though also a department at the section chief level—seemed far less well-funded, with an annual operating budget of merely a few hundred thousand yuan.

Just as Huang Shouye was thinking about how to get the contact information from the two attractive female teachers, he suddenly saw an Audi pull up at the restaurant entrance. The door opened, a middle-aged man dressed in a white shirt and black pants strode briskly into the lobby, followed by a young man who looked like a secretary. Neither of them glanced to the side as they hurried toward the elevators. The moment Huang Shouye saw them, his face turned pale. Forgetting all about chatting up the beauties, he bent over and jogged after them.

Li Wen and Liu Yan exchanged puzzled glances, wondering who this middle-aged man could be—someone capable of making the Deputy Director of the Urban Construction Bureau so nervous. Li Wen, however, had a gleam of excitement in her eyes, as if a beautiful snake had encountered an even more tempting prey.