Chapter 19: A Change of Face

Observing Liu Wen’s expression, Liu Huang thought to himself, "Time to stoke the fire further."

He hesitated for a moment, as if his tongue were burdened by a thousand pounds. He struggled to open his mouth, finally squeezing out a vague, stuttering remark: "There is one more thing. Daughter, I don’t know if I should tell you."

Liu Wen’s sobbing gradually ceased. She seemed to be jolted awake by her father’s words. She suddenly lifted her head, her eyes rimmed with red. "Dad, what else do you have to tell me?" Her voice trembled, clearly sensing that what she was about to hear would not be simple.

"I... I just can't bring myself to say it! It’s too difficult to speak of!"

Zhu Jieyu, standing nearby, grew anxious. "Old man, there are no outsiders here. What is it that you can't say in front of us? Is it something that can't see the light of day? Or something shameful?"

Liu Huang remained silent for a moment, as if weighing his options. Finally, he took a deep breath and resolved himself. "Fine! Fine! Xiao Wen, I will speak plainly."

"Dad, just say it! Why the hesitation?" Liu Wen urged.

"Well..." Seeing that the time was ripe, Liu Huang finally spoke. "Xiao Wen, my dear child, I am not trying to slander Jiang Zhaoyang, but in all honesty, he is truly not your ideal partner."

"Why? Dad, you used to praise him to the skies! Why the sudden shift? Is it just because the Jiang family has lost its standing?" A flicker of defiance flashed in Liu Wen’s eyes; she hoped this was merely a matter of external circumstances rather than a flaw in Jiang Zhaoyang himself.

"No, it has nothing to do with the Jiang family’s decline!" Liu Huang’s expression became somewhat awkward. "My previous praise was only because I hadn't seen his true colors. I happened to learn some things yesterday—things that made me see his true nature and left me completely disillusioned with him."

Liu Huang continued, "Jiang Zhaoyang has a clerk named Bai Wei. Do you know her?"

"I do. I have met her."

"What is she like?"

Liu Wen paused for a moment, carefully choosing her words. "She is very beautiful."

"Bai Wei has a charming figure and a slender frame," Liu Huang added. "In short, she is the type of woman who is pleasing to the eye."

He nodded slightly, as if not surprised by her description, then shifted his tone. "Have you ever considered that since she and Jiang Zhaoyang work in the same office, spending all day together—a lone man and a lone woman—they might develop an intimacy that transcends their professional relationship? Perhaps even something unspeakable?"

Liu Wen was startled and immediately denied it. "No, that’s impossible!"

"How can you be so sure?" Liu Huang pressed, his gaze as sharp as a hawk’s.

"Because even with me, Jiang Zhaoyang has never acted inappropriately, let alone with someone else."

"You trust him that much?" Liu Huang’s tone was filled with skepticism.

"Yes."

"But someone told me that one morning, Bai Wei walked out of Jiang Zhaoyang’s dormitory flushed, with disheveled hair and clothes in disarray. What does that suggest? Doesn't it mean they are having an affair?"

"What?!" Liu Wen felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her shock evident. "Is that true? How... how could that be?"

"Would I lie to you? Why would I joke about such a thing?"

Listening to her father, Liu Wen felt all the strength drain from her body. She stared in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes. She could not accept this reality, nor did she want to believe that the lover who had once made her heart flutter could have such a sordid side.

"Do you still cling to someone so morally bankrupt?" Liu Huang’s brainwashing continued. "If you don't cut ties now, you will only suffer the consequences later. I am lucky I discovered this in time; it is not too late to stop. If you had entrusted your happiness to such a man, your future would have been unimaginable—nothing but misery. Setting everything else aside, for this reason alone, you must think carefully and act decisively. Xiao Wen, I have said all that I needed to say. Calm down and think it over before you make your decision."

Seeing an opening, Zhu Jieyu quickly interjected, "If you choose He Di, you won't have these problems. Though he may be less handsome, that is precisely why he lacks the capital to chase after other women. Think about it: a loyal man who is willing to give you his heart. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live a happy, harmonious life with him?"

Liu Wen rushed into her bedroom. Liu Huang and Zhu Jieyu sighed with relief, secretly congratulating themselves.

"We finally escaped from that sinking ship!"

"No, it’s more like we survived a catastrophe," Liu Huang whispered to himself, his voice trembling ever so slightly. Zhu Jieyu nodded, her eyes reflecting the same lingering fear and relief.

On Monday, Jiang Zhaoyang arrived at the township party and government office. As soon as he entered, he felt the chill in the air—a palpable silence and alienation. A few clerks were busy with their work, while others turned away, pretending to look elsewhere or staring intently at their computer screens, fingers tapping mindlessly on keyboards, ignoring his arrival.

The scene was in stark contrast to the past. Colleagues who once surrounded him, chatting and seeking his advice, now kept their distance as if he were a stranger. Jiang Zhaoyang felt a mix of surprise and confusion, his brow furrowing. He had always treated these people well, never shortchanging anyone; he had even shared his own food with them.

"Why are they looking at me with such cold eyes? What have I done wrong? Is it just because I’ve been sidelined and sent to monitor the Baiyun Mountain Reservoir? Does that warrant this treatment? Who would have thought these colleagues I spent every day with were such snobs? You can know a person’s face, but not their heart. I haven't even officially handed over my duties yet. I am still the acting director of the party office! Are they all in such a hurry to draw a line between us?"

Just then, a sharp, intrusive phone ring cut through the silence. Xia Beili, the administrative assistant, was hunched over a pile of documents, looking exhausted. Hearing the phone, she quickly looked up, checked the caller ID, and a smile instantly bloomed on her face.

"Hello, Mayor Lin! How are you? Do you have any instructions?" Xia Beili answered, her voice dripping with sweetness.

Nearby, Jiang Zhaoyang pricked up his ears, leaning forward slightly, desperate to catch every word from Lin Weiquan on the other end of the line.