As the sun rose in the east, the older model A6, starting with the letter A, gradually drove towards Qingcheng Village along the provincial highway, escorted by a group of cars.
Unlike the busy roads of big cities, the roadsides are lined with endless fields.
Secretary Zhou glanced at the father and son sitting upright and composed in the back seat through the rearview mirror.
The man in the back seat had a handsome face, and the years had given him a mature and charming aura. He wore a well-tailored suit and exuded the presence of a superior.
The boy beside him had a similar face to the man, with porcelain-white skin and a jade-like face. It was easy to see what a handsome man he would be when he grew up.
Thinking about the recent negative controversy surrounding her boss's divorce, Secretary Zhou sighed inwardly.
Mayor Qi, who is thriving in his political career and is the youngest mayor in the political arena, has a chaotic family life. After many years of tumultuous relationships with his wife, this marriage between a man from both the political and business worlds finally ended in divorce last month.
Mrs. Qi took her youngest son, who had just started elementary school, and fled abroad to settle down, leaving behind her eldest son and Mayor Qi.
Secretary Zhou snapped out of his thoughts and returned his attention to his work. "Mayor Qi, the developers and the media have already arrived in Qingcheng Village."
"Okay." Qi Lian'an moved his fingertips. "You can handle things with the media."
Secretary Zhou nodded and said, "Okay."
Qi Lian'an took out his phone and tapped a few times, then looked at his son beside him and said, "Xiao Shen, someone will take you to Qingshan Village. Don't wander off."
The boy looked up at the words, sunlight falling on his handsome face, his eyes turning a light amber. "I understand, Dad."
His eldest son has always been his pride, excelling in everything from academics and character to interpersonal skills.
Because of the divorce, there has been much speculation about him.
The allegations include marital discord, infidelity, and even alleged illegitimate children, leading his wife to file for divorce because she could no longer tolerate the situation.
Although all of this is fake, the path of pursuing an official career is fraught with public opinion.
Some ill-intentioned people even reached into his son's school to inquire about the situation.
He brought Xiao Shen out today for two reasons: first, to help him relax, and second, to shut everyone up.
He will not remarry unless there is a marital breakdown.
Fang Heming took away his youngest son, leaving his eldest son, Qi Shen, as the only and most important person in the Qi family to be groomed.
Qi Lian'an reached out and patted his son's shoulder, "Xiao Shen, you've always been sensible and made your dad worry-free. There's been a bit of a commotion with your mother's divorce recently, but it'll be fine in a while."
Qi Shen paused for a moment, then nodded slightly.
Qi Lian'an smiled silently. Gossip is the worst enemy in a career. Most of the Qi family members are involved in politics; this demotion is merely to enhance his resume and pave the way for future promotions.
The Qi family's political enemies have been relentlessly attacking him for this one weakness.
The old man had contacted him several times because of this, but the rumors would mostly dissipate after today.
The smile on the man's lips was seen by the boy.
The boy's eyes were calm and unwavering, like a bottomless pool, displaying a maturity beyond his years.
Qi Shen closed his eyes briefly and turned his head to look out the car window.
Sensible, huh. Because he was sensible, it was his younger brother who was taken away, and he who was abandoned by his mother.
Half an hour later.
The motorcade stopped at the entrance of Qingshan County, a small town nestled against the mountains and beside the river. A large number of officials and reporters rushed to greet Mayor Qi's car.
Crowds surged, and cameras clicked incessantly.
Qi Lian'an straightened his clothes, a friendly smile appearing on his face as he opened the car door.
Upon seeing the man get out of the car, the reporter, like a shark smelling blood, hurriedly stepped forward and bombarded him with questions.
"Mayor Qi, could you please give us a detailed introduction to the development plan for Qingcheng Village?"
"Mayor Qi, will the family disputes affect your future work?"
Secretary Zhou stood beside her boss, shielding the man from the crowd.
Through the gap in the car door, a sharp-eyed reporter spotted the boy inside.
Qi Lian'an noticed the reporters' gazes and suppressed his satisfaction. Having achieved his goal, he immediately closed the car door, blocking their view.
Qi Lian'an took the microphone and said gently, "Thank you all for coming today..."
The man answered methodically and with exceptional patience.
Qi Shen looked indifferently at his father through the car window, watching him handle the reporters with ease.
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror without thinking.
"Uncle Wang." Qi Shen composed himself, a slight smile curving his thin lips. "What's wrong?"
"It's alright, young master."
The young master has always been gentle and polite to others. How could such a kind person have such cold and dark emotions?
Uncle Wang chuckled to himself, realizing he was seeing things. "Young Master, the master instructed you to wait in the car; someone will come to greet you shortly."
"Hmm." Qi Shen lowered his eyelashes, his long, curled lashes casting a shadow in his eyes, concealing all his emotions.
Most of the Qi family members are involved in politics; they are deep thinkers and rarely show their emotions. His mother, on the other hand, is prone to hysteria.
In this respect, he is very much like the Qi family.
He is good at disguising himself, always disguising himself, suppressing the dark side of his heart.
Like a lush tree, its exterior grows towards the sunlight, but its deep roots stretch downwards into the darkness.
The same applies to his parents' divorce.
Although he never showed it outwardly, the experience of being blatantly abandoned by his biological mother was very unpleasant.
Especially his mother, who looked at him sadly while asking him to understand that she didn't want him.
......
The once chaotic and messy vegetable market is now orderly. Many uniformed government officials stand on both sides of the street to maintain order.
The plump auntie chatted with nearby vendors while eating sunflower seeds.
The woman, her large body hunched over, sat on a small stool. "Is this another inspection?"
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