Chapter 128 She's Taken a Taste for Him Dong Chunling thought to herself…
Dong Chunling cheered herself up and walked out from backstage.
At this point, Mingxi and Weining had finished their opening remarks and moved on to the next segment: a training demonstration by the public security officers.
A group of broad-shouldered, long-legged police officers in uniform walked onto the stage and stood in neat rows. As slogans rang out, the police officers on the stage immediately began to move.
The drills, including drill etiquette, unarmed combat, and the use of police equipment and weapons, were presented one by one according to the prescribed procedures.
The small stage was briefly transformed into a sports field, allowing the police officers participating in this social event to fully showcase their skills.
This segment was originally Mingxi's idea. She suggested that the comrades attending the social gathering visit the daily training of the police officers so that the police officers could showcase their skills.
Director Shen relayed these words verbatim to the Municipal Public Security Bureau. The comrade in charge at the Municipal Public Security Bureau felt that this was a good idea, but there was a problem: the daily training exercises were not very interesting or entertaining.
Comrades from the Municipal Public Security Bureau suggested that the performance could be changed to a drill and ceremonial display, using scenario simulations to highlight the high morale of their comrades.
Director Shen adopted the other party's suggestion and ultimately added a practical exercise performance segment to the social gathering.
I must say, this segment was definitely worth it. As soon as the police officers stepped onto the stage, the eyes of the women in the audience lit up.
The police officers on stage are all frontline workers who undergo daily training without fail. They are all tall with long legs and perfect six-pack abs. Of course, the female officers in the audience can't see their abs because they are all covered up in their uniforms, but even so, their strong and fit physiques are still evident.
In addition, their police uniforms made them look even more outstanding, and Mingxi, who was standing by the stage, was almost overwhelmed by the overwhelming hormones emanating from them.
Wow, no wonder it's the Municipal Public Security Bureau, their training is really good. Look at those arm lines, those broad shoulders and narrow waist, look at those barely visible abs...
Feeling Mingxi's fixed gaze, Wei Ning panicked and quickly leaned close to Mingxi's ear and whispered, "I have abs too, do you want to see them?"
Mingxi: "You have one too?"
Mingxi looked doubtful. With Wei Ning's small frame, how could he possibly have abs?
Wei Ning gritted his teeth: "I really do! If you want to see it, I'll show it to you after we get off the stage!"
Wei Ning was quite embarrassed when he took the initiative to invite a female colleague to look at his abs; his earlobes turned so red they were almost bleeding.
Mingxi raised an eyebrow and admired Wei Ning's shy embarrassment for a while, then waved her hand and said, "No need, I believe you have it."
Dong Chunling, who had just emerged from backstage, was also staring intently at the stage, her gaze fixed on Captain Li in the center.
She came here today specifically for Li Yan.
Before she came, she had inquired around and learned that the best candidate at this social gathering was Li Yan. He was not yet thirty, had already received several second-class merit awards, and had become the captain of the criminal investigation team at a young age. She also heard that his family was well-off; his father was some kind of leader in the city, his mother had died early, and his father's current wife was his stepmother. His stepmother had no sons after marriage, only a daughter.
Dong Chunling had considered that since Li Yan didn't have a biological mother, if she married him, she wouldn't have a mother-in-law to keep her in check after marriage.
Don't even mention that Li Yan has a stepmother. A stepmother isn't his biological mother; there's a distance between them. And what about her? That woman thinks she can act like a mother-in-law in front of her? Don't even think about it!
Moreover, Li Yan's stepmother only has one biological daughter. Daughters will eventually get married, and all of Li Yan's father's things will still be left to Li Yan.
Before Dong Chunling came, she was drawn to Li Yan because of his good qualities. Now, seeing Li Yan's appearance, her eyes lit up even more.
Li Yan has a refined and scholarly appearance. Among the group of broad-shouldered and long-legged police officers, he stands out. He has a fair complexion and delicate features. Just by looking at his face, you can't tell his identity at all. Compared to a police officer, he looks more like a university professor.
This perfectly matched Dong Chunling's aesthetic; she liked this kind of cultured person who appeared refined and cultured on the surface.
The men she had previously set her sights on, Yan Zhiwen and Li Xiangdong, were both this type.
Dong Chunling had already been interested in Li Yan's qualities, and now that she saw how well Li Yan's appearance matched her aesthetic, she was overjoyed. When the performance ended and the host on stage asked everyone to find their own partners for activities, she rushed to Li Yan immediately.
She chuckled, smoothed her hair behind her ear, and said, "Hello, Comrade Li. My name is Dong Chunling. You may not know me, but I know you. I heard about your deeds before I came here. You are amazing, a truly remarkable hero."
Li Yan smiled politely: "Comrade Dong, you flatter me. I was just doing my job."
Dong Chunling glanced at Li Yan, then quickly lowered her head and said, "Comrade Li, you are too modest. I have heard about you. You are an extraordinary hero. You caught the comrade who caused trouble at the train station last year and threw sulfuric acid at people. You also caught the murderer who was randomly killing people in the north of the city."
Li Yan touched his nose, realizing it was the first time he had received such a straightforward compliment, and he was somewhat at a loss for how to respond.
Dong Chunling clasped her hands together in front of her chest, looked at Li Yan with admiration, and said, "I have admired heroes since I was a child, and I dreamed of marrying a great hero when I was young."
Although Dong Chunling didn't say it explicitly, Li Yan could understand the meaning behind her words. He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to say it.
Dong Chunling didn't wait for his response and continued, "I wonder what your impression of me is, Comrade Li? Do I meet your standards for a partner? I think I'm a pretty good person. My family is well-off; there are four people in my family: my dad, my mom, my brother, and me. My dad and brother both have jobs, so my family won't hold me back. I graduated from high school and also have a job. And don't you think I'm pretty good-looking?"
Dong Chunling straightened her chest and said, "I'm not just praising myself, but many people say I'm good-looking and have a good personality."
After Dong Chunling finished speaking, she stared intently at Li Yan. Li Yan was now completely flustered. He hadn't replied earlier because he considered that Dong Chunling, as a woman, would likely have a strong sense of self-respect, and he didn't want to be too blunt, fearing he might hurt her.
Who would have thought that Dong Chunling would rattle off such a long string of words?
Li Yan had no choice but to interrupt Dong Chunling, otherwise he was afraid that if Dong Chunling continued talking, she would arrange the wedding for the two of them.
Li Yan: "Ahem, Comrade Dong, we don't know each other yet, we don't understand each other at all, isn't it a bit early to talk about this?"
Li Yan's tactful refusal was completely ineffective with Dong Chunling. Dong Chunling said, "You don't understand? Fine, then understand. What do you want to know about me? Just tell me directly, and I'll tell you."
"Cough cough cough—"
Li Yan choked on his saliva.
Is this even possible?
Just as Li Yan was racking his brains trying to figure out how to start the conversation, Yu Xiaomin suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Dong Chunling, why are you in the front? Didn't I tell you to stay backstage? Have you finished all your work backstage?"
Mingxi had specifically instructed Yu Xiaomin to keep a close eye on Dong Chunling, and Yu Xiaomin dared not relax her vigilance. However, Director Shen had called her over for something, so she left briefly and didn't see Dong Chunling. Unexpectedly, Dong Chunling ran ahead of her.
The first thing she did upon returning was to grab Dong Chunling and take her backstage.
Dong Chunling was naturally unwilling. She was having a good chat with Li Yan, so how could she be taken away by Yu Xiaomin like this?
She lied and said, "I've finished tidying up backstage, so please let me stay in the front."
Yu Xiaomin: "You're talking nonsense. I just went backstage and checked. It's still a mess. You'd better go back to work."
When her lie was exposed, Dong Chunling became furious and threw her hand away, saying, "It's just work, why are you in such a hurry? I'll definitely finish what I'm supposed to do, why are you rushing me? Can't you see I'm chatting with Captain Li here? It's not appropriate to leave Captain Li here alone after you call me away?"
Li Yan quickly waved his hand: "No, no, Comrade Dong, if you haven't finished your work, you should go ahead and do yours."
Dong Chunling was so angry that she was panting heavily. She hadn't expected Li Yan to be so disrespectful.
Yu Xiaomin: "Did you hear that? You'd better come back to the backstage with me right now."
She grabbed Dong Chunling's arm and started walking towards the back. Dong Chunling was unwilling and grumbled, "You surnamed Yu, why are you so annoying? Why do you have to call me back to the backstage at this time? Oh, I see, do you also have your eye on Captain Li and are afraid I'll steal him from you? Let me tell you, you're too late. Captain Li and I had a very pleasant chat. He even told me that I'm his ideal type, and that he wants a woman like me as his partner. Even if you call me away, Captain Li won't be interested in you!"
Yu Xiaomin couldn't be bothered to pay any attention to Dong Chunling's nagging.
She pulled Dong Chunling backstage and said sternly, "Since you're here to fill in, you should do your job properly. If I find out again that you haven't done any work and are just chatting in front of the stage, then you can stop filling in and go home!"
Although Dong Chunling was resentful, she didn't want to go home in such a dejected manner, so she could only grit her teeth and say, "Fine, I'll do the work, I'll do the work, okay?"
She turned around angrily, picked up a broom, and swept the floor with a whooshing sound. She was incredibly strong, and she swung the broom as if she were treating the ground as her enemy. All the dust on the ground was kicked up and flew into Yu Xiaomin's face, making her cough.
"Dong Chunling, how did you sweep the floor! You've stirred up all the dust!"
Dong Chunling: "What do you mean? You asked me to clean backstage, and I did. You asked me to sweep, and I did. Now you're complaining that I sweep too hard and stir up dust. How can you sweep without stirring up dust!"
"Cough cough cough—"
Yu Xiaomin kept coughing, but Dong Chunling seemed to enjoy it and swept harder and harder, filling the whole room with dust. Yu Xiaomin, her face dark, went outside for some fresh air.
After she left, Dong Chunling rolled her eyes and casually threw the broom on the ground.
Damn Yu Xiaomin, she's always ruining things!
If it weren't for Yu Xiaomin, she would already be talking to Li Yan about marriage by now.
Dong Chunling cursed and swore in the room for a while before getting up. She peeked out and saw that Yu Xiaomin was no longer outside. She opened the door, intending to slip out and continue chatting with Li Yan.
But just as Dong Chunling pushed open the door, a man walked over from the other side of the corridor. Dong Chunling didn't notice and accidentally slapped him.
The man cried out in pain, clutching his forehead.
Dong Chunling instinctively wanted to yell at someone: "Are you blind?!"
But upon seeing the suit the other person was wearing, she quickly changed the subject: "Hey, comrade, are you alright? I was careless just now, I didn't bump into you anywhere, did I?"
Dong Chunling had a sharp eye and noticed that the suit the man was wearing was quite expensive. Upon closer inspection, she also noticed that he was wearing a Seagull brand watch.
Wow, this watch alone costs almost three hundred yuan, not even counting the receipt!
This guy is rich, and Dong Chunling doesn't want to offend him.
Fortunately, in the moment of panic, the person opposite did not hear the first half of Dong Chunling's sentence clearly, but only heard Dong Chunling's concerned words. He lowered the hand that was covering his head, shook his head and said, "It's okay, it's okay."
Dong Chunling stared at the other person's forehead again and again. There was no redness or swelling, and it didn't look like anything was wrong, so she felt relieved.
If nothing happens, she doesn't have to pay medical expenses.
Dong Chunling: "It's good that you're alright. Comrade, you must be careful next time."
The person on the other end gave a wry smile and said, "Okay, I'll definitely pay attention next time. I just didn't realize that the door pushes outwards."
He shrugged and said helplessly, "I told you today I wasn't going to this social gathering, but my mom insisted I come. And look what happened, I got injured as soon as I arrived."
His words caught Dong Chunling's attention. She glanced at him sideways. The man had a name tag on his body, and his name was Hu Mingyi. Dong Chunling had a vague impression of this name. He should be a colleague from the government who came to attend the social gathering.
However, Dong Chunling didn't remember the specifics clearly, only that he seemed to be an official in the Housing Management Bureau.
Being a cadre in the housing management bureau—oh my, that's a great job!
Dong Chunling's attitude immediately became enthusiastic: "Comrade Hu, why don't you want to come to this social event? I think it's very well organized and interesting. Even if you can't find a partner here, it's good to make a friend."
Hu Mingyi smiled faintly: "The social gathering was well organized, but I'm just not in the mood right now."
He sighed sadly and said, "I'm still stuck in my previous marriage."
As Hu Mingyi spoke, stray hairs fell across his forehead, adding an air of melancholy to his appearance. He wasn't particularly handsome; his features could only be described as delicate. However, he possessed a refined air. Dressed in a suit and wearing small glasses, he gave the impression of being a cultured man.
The melancholic intellectual immediately struck a chord with Dong Chunling.
She asked gently and curiously, "You were divorced in your previous marriage?"
Fearing the other party might misunderstand, Dong Chunling quickly added, "Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just curious because I've also been divorced."
"You've been divorced too?" Hu Mingyi looked at Dong Chunling in surprise.
Dong Chunling nodded and said, "He cheated on me. He has another woman outside, and that woman is pregnant. He chose that woman over me."
Dong Chunling spoke casually, making no mention of Yan Zhiwen being a habitual cheater, or how she had forgiven his filthy behavior time and time again.
Hearing Dong Chunling's words, Hu Mingyi pursed his lips and comforted her, "He's a bastard. He has no taste. He has such a good wife like you, and he still cheated on her. He's a real bastard!"
Dong Chunling chuckled and said, "It's all in the past."
If Mingxi were here, she would definitely roll her eyes.
The way she said that made it sound like Dong Chunling had long since taken everything in stride.
"And you?" Dong Chunling looked at Hu Mingyi: "What was the reason for your divorce?"
Hu Mingyi gave a bitter smile and said, "It's my fault for not doing a good enough job. I didn't give my wife enough security after we got married. She always felt that I was having an affair with other women and we were always arguing. I didn't have the patience to explain things to her properly. As a result, she became disheartened and asked me for a divorce. I tried to explain to her and beg her to get back together, but she didn't give me the chance. After we got our marriage certificate, she quickly went on a blind date with someone else and they got together. Now they've already registered their marriage."
Dong Chunling pursed her lips: "You two just got divorced, and she's already going on a blind date. It seems she doesn't have very deep feelings for you."
Hu Mingyi: "It's not her fault, it's my fault for not doing a good enough job."
Dong Chunling: "You can't say that. The fact that you recognize your problem shows you're a pretty good person, unlike my ex-husband. Sigh, why am I telling you this..."
Hu Mingyi: "Hey, I'd really like to hear about you and your ex-husband. How about we find a place to sit down and have a good chat?"
He looked at Dong Chunling. She wasn't wearing a name tag, indicating she wasn't there for a matchmaking service but rather as a staff member. He pursed his lips and added, "Of course, that's on the premise that it's convenient for you. If it's inconvenient for you, then..."
“It’s alright, I’m free!” Dong Chunling said decisively, “Let’s go, let’s go out and find a place to sit down.”
She's just filling in anyway, so she can leave whenever she wants.
Dong Chunling and Hu Mingyi left side by side, which shocked Mingxi to the point of being dumbfounded.
She pointed to the departing figures of two people at the door and said, "Am I seeing things? Dong Chunling left with a man?"
Standing next to her, Yu Xiaomin said anxiously, "Hey, no, why did she just leave like that? The social gathering isn't over yet, and she hasn't finished her work!"
Yu Xiaomin: "No, I have to go and call Dong Chunling back."
Mingxi quickly pulled Yu Xiaomin back: "Forget it, let her go if she wants to. She might not be able to do much work if she stays, and she might even cause trouble for the social event. Let her go."
Yu Xiaomin thought about it and realized that if Dong Chunling stayed, she might cause some trouble.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but complain to Mingxi: "You have no idea, I just let my eyes off her for a second, and she went to chat up Captain Li. Captain Li! He's the best-looking guy in the city's Public Security Bureau. She didn't even consider whether she was good enough for him. She just went up to Captain Li and asked him if he was satisfied with her. Captain Li was so embarrassed that he didn't know what to say, but she didn't seem to care at all."
Mingxi: ...
As expected of Dong Chunling.
It means no internal conflict and no inferiority complex.
She really should learn from this mindset.
That's why Dong Chunling can lead men around – it's because she has such a great attitude!
Thinking of this, Mingxi nudged Yu Xiaomin: "Do you know who the man who left with Yu Xiaomin just now was?"
Yu Xiaomin shook her head, "I don't know."
She hadn't even gotten a good look at the man's face.
"I know."
Wei Ning's voice came from behind Mingxi.
Mingxi turned her head: "Hey, why are you eavesdropping on their conversation?"
Wei Ning raised his hands, looking innocent, and said, "I didn't mean to listen, it's just that you two are standing next to me."
"Alright, alright." Mingxi waved her hand. "You tell me first, who's that guy?"
Wei Ning: "The man's name is Hu Mingyi, and he is a junior official in the Housing Management Bureau."
Mingxi muttered "Hu Mingyi" twice, but she didn't recognize the name.
Yu Xiaomin suddenly remembered: "I remember! This Hu Mingyi is twenty-six years old this year, divorced, no children, and his parents are both teachers. I've seen his information, and he's actually quite well-off."
Mingxi: "Divorced?"
Yu Xiaomin nodded: "Yes, they just got divorced at the beginning of this year. When we were collecting information, we even investigated why he got divorced."
When this was mentioned, Yu Xiaomin frowned, unsure how to begin.
She said, "Hu Mingyi is... a bit hard to describe. His ex-wife filed for divorce in his previous marriage because he had feelings for someone else. She said that even after marrying her, he continued to harass his ex-girlfriend. He would visit her when she was sick, fix things in her house when they broke, and mediate when she argued with her husband. Around the Lunar New Year, his ex-wife felt unwell and suspected she might be pregnant. She asked Hu Mingyi to accompany her to the hospital. Just as they were about to leave, his ex-girlfriend showed up, and he abandoned his wife and left with her. His ex-wife was devastated. Later, after a hospital check-up, she found out she wasn't pregnant and immediately filed for divorce, telling him that since he liked his ex-girlfriend, he should go with her."
Mingxi thought that what his ex-wife said made perfect sense.
He's constantly taking patients to the doctor and mediating fights; when his ex-girlfriend comes looking for him, he even abandons his pregnant wife.
Although a hospital check revealed she wasn't pregnant, neither Hu Mingyi nor his ex-wife knew at the time. From their perspective, Hu Mingyi's ex-wife was pregnant, and Hu Mingyi was willing to abandon her for his ex-girlfriend.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with her not wanting to continue living with Hu Mingyi.
Yu Xiaomin: "After Hu Mingyi's ex-wife brought up divorce, he refused to get up, saying that he had no feelings for his ex-girlfriend and that they were just friends, and that their relationship was completely innocent."
Mingxi curled her lip, not believing that at all.
It's possible that Hu Mingyi and his ex-girlfriend did not have a physical relationship.
But what the two of them are really thinking is hard to say.
No matter how close the relationship is with the ex, everyone will think it's abnormal.
Yu Xiaomin: "Anyway, Hu Mingyi and his ex-wife had a big fight for a while, and finally they got divorced. After the divorce, Hu Mingyi even went to his ex-wife's house to beg for reconciliation. He made a huge scene. He sent flowers, sang love songs, and even knelt down to recite love poems. Everyone in the area knew about it, but she didn't agree. Instead, she quickly went on blind dates and found a new partner to marry."
Mingxi: "It's more accurate to say they didn't agree!"
If Hu Mingyi really liked the other person, what was he doing before the divorce?
Why didn't you explain or express your feelings back then, instead of waiting until after the divorce to offer your belated explanation?
Mingxi looked down on Hu Mingyi.
But then I thought about it again, and realized that Dong Chunling was not someone to be trifled with.
These two are getting involved together; it looks like there's going to be some good drama.
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