Chapter 147: The Enthusiastic Director Han [Part Three]

With these three chapters completed, the next chapter will, barring any unexpected issues, be the official release and update tomorrow. I will post a launch announcement shortly after!

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With these words, Wang Mengzi pulled Zhang Ye, intending to turn back.

Coming here today, the original intention had been to visit Elder Han Sheng. However, because of Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian, it was naturally no longer appropriate to proceed. After all, Zhang Ye had just hit someone—and a serving section chief at that. If the other party truly decided to press the matter and call the police, it would become quite troublesome.

"Ah, it's young friend Zhang. You're here to see my father, aren't you? Why are you leaving before even going inside?" Right on cue, Han Xingchen emerged from a hospital room. He spotted Zhang Ye immediately, along with Sun Xiang, who was still struggling to get up from the ground. Naturally, taking in the red swelling on Sun Xiang's face and the footprint on his chest, Han Xingchen instantly figured out what had happened.

Seeing that Zhang Ye was about to leave, he hurriedly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Director... Director Han..." Although Zhao Qian was tall and sturdy, as he stood before Han Xingchen—who was slightly shorter than him—he practically bent at the waist, adopting an utterly respectful posture.

Director Sun Xiang beside him also scrambled to his feet and said deferentially, "Director Han, I heard your father was unwell, so I specially prepared these health supplements for him. They will definitely be good for his recovery." As he spoke, he hastily snatched the gift bag from Zhao Qian's hands, forcing a smile onto his face.

Yet, because of the injuries on his face, the mere motion of smiling pulled at his flesh and sent a sharp jolt of pain through him, causing him to draw in a sharp breath.

"Hmm..." Han Xingchen's attitude toward Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian was noticeably cooler. He merely gave a slight nod before turning back to Zhang Ye with a smile. "Since you're already here, come on in and visit. Just yesterday, my father was still talking about you, saying how rare genuine kindness is in people nowadays, and that we must thank you and repay you properly."

"You're too kind, Uncle Han. It's just that these fellows ruined the apples I bought, so I felt too embarrassed to go straight in," Zhang Ye said with a beaming smile. "I was planning to go buy fresh ones, but since Uncle Han says so, I'll go pay a visit to Grandpa Han first."

Sun Xiang's face twitched as he shot a resentful glare at Zhang Ye.

Zhang Ye was far too vicious; even in his reply, he didn't forget to dig a trench for them.

"Haha, you come to visit, why bother bringing anything? Even if you came empty-handed, as long as you show up, my father will be happy," Han Xingchen replied with a smile. Then, glancing at the uneasy Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian standing behind him, he said coldly, "You two can come in as well. Never mind the gifts, they're far too expensive."

Since they had come to see his father, it wouldn't do to chase them away outright. However, because of Zhang Ye, his impression of them had undoubtedly plummeted.

"Yes, yes, it was our oversight," Sun Xiang hurriedly admitted his fault, cold sweat beading on his smooth forehead.

By this point, he finally realized that Zhang Ye actually knew Director Han, and judging by the interaction, they were quite close. When he recalled his earlier intentions, as well as the ban he had recently imposed on their magazine office, a chill ran down his entire spine.

With such a formidable deity standing right in front of him, why had he been acting so haughtily before? Wasn't he just asking for misery?

At this moment, he even began to blame Wang Mengzi internally, entirely unwilling to consider that if not for his own actions, things would never have reached this state.

This was the harsh reality of the bureaucratic hierarchy where one rank easily crushes another. Even though he still hated Zhang Ye to his core, the thought of Han Xingchen—his superior's superior's superior—filled him with a sense of utter despair. He was merely a deputy office director, while Han Xingchen was the full director of the entire News and Publication Bureau, a senior cadre of section-chief rank. If Han Xingchen took a dislike to him, he could be stripped of his position in an instant.

He had originally come to cozy up to Elder Han Sheng to curry favor, but because of Zhang Ye, he now had to worry about whether he could even keep his job.

Zhao Qian, standing behind Sun Xiang, was also wiping away nervous sweat. In front of this true master who held the power of life and death over his magazine office, he could no longer summon an ounce of bravado. Especially upon witnessing his cousin's attitude, an icy dread gripped his heart.

This time, they had truly kicked an iron plate.

On the other hand, Wang Mengzi was somewhat slow on the uptake, only now beginning to piece things together from the expressions on Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian's faces. It seemed that this Director Han held a rather high position?

"Could it be..." Wang Mengzi's heart began to race.

If this Director Han was willing to lend a hand, would their Tianmeng Magazine Office be able to resume normal operations?

...

In truth, even Zhang Ye had not expected Han Xingchen to be the director of the News and Publication Bureau. It was simply too coincidental. Yet, rather than being troubled by it, Zhang Ye welcomed the development. The higher Han Xingchen's rank, the greater the benefits for their magazine office.

While it wasn't strictly necessary for Han Xingchen to grant their magazine any improper political favors, as long as people like Sun Xiang no longer obstructed the office's normal operations, Zhang Ye was confident he could rapidly expand the magazine and build it into a massive enterprise.

At least in his vision, he intended to forge a complete cultural industry empire.

And the magazine could be considered the core foundation of that empire's early accumulation; losing it would have been a terrible shame.

"Grandpa Han, I've come to see you. How are you feeling now?" Upon entering the ward, Zhang Ye placed the fruit on a nearby table and said with a smile.

It was a double ward, but the other bed was empty and unoccupied. Only Elder Han Sheng lay in bed, wrapped in white gauze from top to bottom, happily munching on a tangerine peeled by his daughter-in-law.

"Oh, Zhang Ye is here! Good, very good... Look at you, coming to visit and bringing gifts besides. Hurry, put them down." Seeing Zhang Ye approach, the smile on Han Sheng's face grew even brighter. He hastily waved him over, pulling him close to chat.

Seeing the warmth Han Sheng showed Zhang Ye, Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian felt their hearts sink even further. They offered a few stiff, cautious greetings, but before they could even utter a couple of well-wishes, Han Sheng waved a hand dismissively, treating them as if they were completely invisible.

Such a stark contrast plunged their spirits into the depths of despair. Leaving felt wrong, staying felt wrong; they stood frozen in place, awkward and foolish.

"Speaking of which, there is actually a matter I need Uncle Han's help with." When Han Sheng asked how he had been doing, Zhang Ye sensed the timing was right and brought it up naturally.

Wang Mengzi, standing behind him, felt a surge of joy and paid even closer attention.

As for Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian, their complexions darkened and grew exceptionally ugly. From Zhang Ye's expression and the glances he intentionally or unintentionally cast their way, they knew precisely what he was about to say. They desperately wanted to stop him, but seeing Han Xingchen standing right there, they found themselves completely powerless.

"Oh? What is it? Don't worry, as long as it's something within my power, I give you my word. Out with it, tell me quickly." Han Sheng was momentarily startled by the words, then agreed without hesitation. Clearly, he held an exceptionally high opinion of Zhang Ye and liked him a great deal, which was why he was so eager to oblige.

"Xiao Ye, don't worry. As long as it's something I can do, I will certainly not refuse," Han Xingchen chimed in from behind, his gaze drifting from time to time toward Sun Xiang and Zhao Qian, whose faces had turned as pale as sheets of paper.