Xiaoyu puffed out her cheeks. Why is she always so easy to coax?

But the meat buns are innocent!

Xiaoyu took it, took a bite, and smiled, her eyes crinkling: "It smells so good."

He Yuxiang couldn't help but chuckle: "Call me if you need anything."

"I know." Xiaoyu noticed the reluctance in her brother's eyes and patted him on the shoulder with an air of maturity: "Comrade, you are striving hard, so keep working hard. Don't confine yourself to your own family. Your stage is the world, so bright, you should embrace it!"

He Yuxiang had no idea what she was learning every day: "I'm leaving."

"oh."

Xiao Yu's shoulders slumped.

He Yuxiang turned and left.

Xiaoyu followed him and said, "Brother, I will miss you. I really, really miss you."

He Yuxiang glanced at her sideways, a smile blooming in his eyes: "Mm."

Xiao Yu hummed.

Her brother really doesn't know how to say nice things.

"Brother, then remember to miss me."

He Yuxiang: "It depends on the situation, I might not be available."

Xiao Yu rolled her eyes: "You should just leave."

He Yuxiang bent his knuckles and gently tapped her forehead: "Go back to school."

"hold head high."

Xiao Yu rubbed her forehead, watching his figure disappear around the corner.

Xiao Yu ate the rest of the meat buns in small bites, then went back to class, her eyes bright and shining like a little sun.

This put Yang Yihe's mind at ease, as she had been worried about her.

After finishing her classes, Xiaoyu didn't go to the library to study like her classmates. Instead, she went to the playground to exercise. When she was about to return to her dormitory at eight o'clock, she saw a familiar figure downstairs. She cautiously called out, "Auntie?"

Chen Qing turned around, opened her arms, and Xiao Yu nestled into her aunt's arms as she always had.

"What brings you here!"

"I missed you, so I came to see you." Chen Qing smiled and patted her back. "You went to exercise, you're all sweaty."

Chen Qing took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat.

As far as the eye could see, her little Yu was bright and radiant, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead and clear eyes brimming with joy.

Xiaoyu held her aunt's hand and swayed it back and forth, as happy as a child being picked up by their parents: "Auntie, let's go to that classroom and eat secretly."

"OK."

Chen Qing followed her inside.

Xiaoyu retrieved a candle from under the podium and lit it herself with a match.

Chen Qing laid out the food, rested her chin on her hand, and looked at her little Yu with doting eyes as Yu ate until her cheeks were bulging: "Studying and exercising need to be balanced. Won't it be tiring?"

"It's alright, I've gotten used to it now, and with you here, I've gotten even more used to it!"

Peace of mind is a kind of energy that is hard to measure.

Xiaoyu was always somewhat uneasy before, and even with her uncle around, she was still afraid.

She herself couldn't say exactly what she was afraid of.

But then my aunt came.

She was no longer afraid.

In fact, Chen Qing could also sense that Xiao Yu had relaxed a lot, as if she had found someone to lean on.

"That's good. I'm happy that you live nearby."

"hey-hey."

Xiaoyu smiled happily.

Chen Qing patted her head.

Xiaoyu feeds her aunt a chicken leg: "Auntie, you should eat some too."

"I'm stuffed."

"Eat a little more even if you're full."

"All right."

Chen Qing eventually joined the battle for food.

Xiaoyu saw her aunt eating with great relish and mentally gave her a thumbs-up.

Chen Qing finally took the food box home.

The night wind was a bit chilly, but Chen Qing felt a long-lost sense of comfort.

She seems to be...

It's been a very, very long time since I've truly returned to the essence of life.

Life is good now.

But she remained silent for two consecutive months. Looking at the various reports, Minister Lian was so anxious that he developed blisters all over his mouth.

Finally, he couldn't resist going to find Chen Qing and discovered that Chen Qing's office was piled with many documents, really like a small mountain. If you knew, you would think it was the office of the director of the Consumer Goods Industry Department, but if you didn't know, you would think it was an archive room.

"Are you... planning to pack up these documents and sell them as scrap?"

Minister Lian felt like he had nowhere to put his feet.

Chen Qing looked up from the mountain of documents and saw that Minister Lian had arrived. He quickly cleared a path for him, saying, "Look, you didn't even tell me you were coming. I wanted to treat you well."

"I don't deserve such praise." Minister Lian sat opposite her and asked, "Can you tell that I've changed?"

"Huh?" Chen Qing scrutinized him carefully for a moment. "Handsome, dashing, and with an extraordinary air..."

"Alright, alright, stop with the idioms. My hair is whiter than black." Minister Lian sighed wearily. "Chen Qing, be normal."

Chen Qing: "???"

no.

What is this saying?!

Did she do something utterly rebellious?

No.

She's so well-behaved.

I've been studying seriously for two months now.

Learn at work, learn after get off work, and learn even on holidays.

What hardworking students! It's truly inspiring!

"Minister Lian, you are indeed under a lot of pressure."

Take a look.

That's not right at all.

Minister Lian has been reprimanded by his superiors every time he attends a meeting recently.

Old Li was afraid that he wouldn't value Chen Qing, so he told him to be tolerant and forgiving.

Heaven.

He does!

He can make room for Chen Qing, so Chen Qing has to work hard.

Society is changing rapidly, and everything is constantly evolving. At such a crucial juncture, Chen Qing is diligently studying.

It's good.

But it's easy to fall behind the development of society.

"Yes, I'm under a lot of pressure, I'm under so much pressure. You've come to the Consumer Goods Industry Division and you don't care about anything. Do you think this is appropriate?"

"suitable."

If she were to suddenly find herself in a department that makes decisions about the nation's handicrafts, she wouldn't be able to take responsibility for the department if she wasn't thoroughly familiar with it and didn't have a good grasp of the important matters of each department.

These days, she looks not only at the conclusions and data, but also at the process by which those reports were created.

For example, who drafted the first draft, where did the revision suggestions come from, and what subtle differences are there between the wording of the final draft and the first draft?

Similar reports from different periods have different focuses.

Having come from a large local factory to a key government agency, she had to glean from the lines the logic of the agency's power operation, its language habits, and the unspoken disagreements and balances.

Otherwise, she'll end up like a simpleton, where she doesn't even know what people are saying when they mock her to her face.

Minister Lian sighed, "Then you need to have real combat experience too!"

"I know."

"How long will that take?"

"...a year?"

"One year!!!"

Minister Lian's voice was trembling.

Chen Qing nodded, "Perhaps a year is a bit short, but I will try my best to adapt. Moreover, the Consumer Goods Industry Department operates slowly. The former director only needed to drink tea and approve documents. Although I am learning, I did not delay the matters that normally required my approval. Minister Lian, I don't have three heads and six arms. I can't blow up a new department as soon as I arrive."

Minister Lian understood this in his heart, but he always had different expectations for Chen Qing.

She is different.

Even if I go to a new department, I should still amaze everyone.

Despite her quiet and subdued demeanor, Minister Lian, after their first encounter and leaving Chen Qing's office, was still slowly processing and adapting to her situation. (End of Chapter)