I don't know what channels Wang Yanshu used or what kind of connections he mobilized to finally calm the storm. Xu He was judged to have been deceived by others and participated in the coordinated illegal logging, but his subjective malice was not strong, so he was not transferred to the procuratorate. Instead, he accepted administrative punishment, was detained for five days and fined 20,000 yuan.
The 20,000 yuan fine was naturally borne by me. In addition, I also took out an extra 10,000 yuan as a thank-you fee to those who helped to smooth the relationship.
After the dust settled on this matter, my opinion of Xu Tong changed drastically.
Apart from occasionally visiting her home, I rarely visit her on my own initiative.
However, Xu Tong did not attribute my indifference to her previous reckless pressure, but mistakenly believed that I was tired of her and wanted to find a new love.
This misunderstanding caused our relationship to fall into a vicious cycle from suspicion to distrust, and then from distrust to more suspicion. The rift between us gradually widened. Every communication was filled with defense and doubt. The original friendship was slowly exhausted by endless suspicion.
In the early summer evening, there are still a few wisps of lingering glow in the sky, like diluted rouge, smudged on the darkening sky.
I pushed the bicycle that had not been opened for a long time, gently brushed off the thin layer of dust on the seat, and then turned over and sat on it. The wheels rolled over the ground, making a slight squeaking sound.
I rode leisurely along the newly completed riverside landscape road in the gentle night breeze. The wind, with the moisture of the river water and the fragrance of the grass and trees, gently brushed across my cheeks.
Looking up, the new city area has lost the hustle and bustle and heat of the day, the lights are turned on, and the bright lights are interwoven into a dreamy ocean. The streets are crowded with cars and pedestrians, and laughter and joy flow freely in the air. The city night is becoming lively in its own unique way.
Looking at this prosperous scene before my eyes, an indescribable sense of accomplishment quietly spread in my heart. After all, it was an accidental chat with Lin Xun many years ago that eventually led to the birth of this new urban area.
I rode farther and farther, gradually getting away from the hustle and bustle, and there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road. It was so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat, and a feeling of melancholy surged into my heart like a tide. In recent years, I have been making rapid progress in the officialdom. However, the passion for work is fading away day by day. Every day, I am like a machine with a set program, handling various affairs step by step, weighing the pros and cons, and struggling to support the seemingly glamorous but exhausted life.
Before I knew it, I came to a bench. I sat down on it tiredly, looking up at the sky. The night is gradually getting darker in a silent but resolute manner. In the distance, bursts of frog sounds came from the wetlands, one after another.
Just then, the clear sound of a car bell broke the silence of the night. I turned my head subconsciously, and saw a man in cycling clothes riding a bicycle, stopping in front of me like a black lightning.
The cycling suit fit her body tightly, outlining her graceful figure perfectly. The chest is slightly raised, like undulating mountains; the buttocks are high and the lines are smooth and graceful. My eyes were involuntarily attracted to her and I looked at her a few more times.
She gracefully took off her cycling helmet, and her long, shiny black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, sparkling with a charming luster under the faint and hazy light of the street lamp. I looked closely, and with the help of the faint light, I finally recognized the person in front of me - Lin Xun.
I looked at her and smiled dumbly, and said in a surprised tone: "So it's you."
She parked the bike safely and sat down beside me lightly. The breeze blew past her, and her hair fluttered with a faint fragrance. "It's me who should be surprised. As for me, I ride along this riverside road almost every day unless I'm on a business trip. As for you, the last time we rode together, this precious bicycle was 'put into the cold palace' and I haven't seen you ride it since."
I sighed helplessly, a bitter smile spreading across the corners of my mouth: "Alas, I have no choice. I am tied up with work every day, so busy that I have no time to exercise."
She snorted with disdain, folded her hands over her chest, and glanced at me: "Stop making up high-sounding excuses for yourself here. You have plenty of time for eating, drinking, and socializing, but time for exercise is like squeezing toothpaste, and you can't squeeze it out no matter what. Look at yourself, you are only 35 years old, in the prime of your life, but your belly is so round and bulging, almost catching up with Xu Tong's." As she spoke, she gestured with her hands to indicate the curvature of Xu Tong's belly, with a teasing look on her face.
I subconsciously looked down at my belly, poked the slightly raised part with my finger, and said in an embarrassed way, "It's not as exaggerated as you say. I'm just a little fat. When people get older, their metabolism slows down, so it's normal to have a little beer belly."
She sighed softly, the smile on her face gradually faded, and her expression became serious: "The out-of-shape figure is secondary, the key is your condition. Why do I feel that you have been listless recently, and your mentality is not right? Have you encountered any troubles? Don't keep it in your heart, maybe you will feel better if you talk about it."
I shook my head slowly, and said in a low voice: "Alas, it's nothing serious. I just feel like my life has lost its direction and I can't get excited about anything."
She patted my shoulder gently, her tone gentle but with a hint of unquestionable certainty: "You still say no, but don't think I don't know about the things between you and Xu Tong. Some things are over and done with. Look at it more positively. It's not easy for her. You, don't always feel that you have been wronged. After all, you are also paying for your romantic debts."
I glared at her and pretended to be dissatisfied, "Lin Xun, how can you persuade others like that? You are clearly stabbing a knife into people's hearts, and you are specifically stabbing them where it hurts."
The corners of her mouth turned up, her eyebrows and eyes curved in a smile, and her laughter was as clear and pleasant as a silver bell, floating gently in the night breeze. "You are like someone who has contracted a stubborn disease. Using warming and nourishing medicine to slowly treat it will only treat the symptoms. Strong and powerful medicine is needed to completely expel all the negative and decadent "poison" in your body and make you energetic again."
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