Chapter 29: The Nurse in the Dead of Night

"No!" Hu Jiayun answered with absolute certainty. She had long anticipated that Qin Feng would ask such a question.

"I admit that I pulled some strings to help you get your disciplinary action revoked, but I was not the deciding factor. I am only a Deputy Secretary; I do not have the authority to rescind your punishment."

"As for your appointment as the Director of the Civil Affairs Office, I certainly don't have that kind of power. You don't actually think that a mere Deputy Secretary like me could make such a significant decision, do you?" Hu Jiayun said with a smile.

Qin Feng furrowed his brow again. He had thought he found the answer, but now his confusion deepened.

After leaving Hu Jiayun's office, Qin Feng felt a sense of relief. He had never imagined that the "Secretary Hu" he had heard so much about was the woman he interacted with every day. Although she had denied everything, Qin Feng remained convinced that she must have been the one helping him from behind the scenes since he arrived in Bishan.

For example, after Wang Yunfei had him sent to the Bishan Reservoir, he was transferred back the very next day. Or when he intended to file a complaint with the Discipline Inspection Commission, only to find that the commission had arrived in Bishan just ahead of him. And when he was made a scapegoat and fired, he not only escaped termination but was promoted to Director of the Civil Affairs Office after working for less than half a month.

If it wasn't Hu Jiayun, he couldn't imagine who else would help him. Yet, he still couldn't fathom how she could have such influence, just as she said—she was only a Deputy Secretary of the Township Party Committee. Qin Feng remained perplexed, unable to find a logical explanation.

...

Qin Feng returned to his office to continue working overtime. As he had told Hu Jiayun, the Civil Affairs Office had just gone through a major scandal, leaving behind a chaotic mess that required an immense amount of work.

It was past nine o'clock in the evening by the time he finished. Unlike big cities, where nine o'clock is just the beginning of nightlife, Bishan was deserted once darkness fell. Everyone was already asleep, and there were very few lights to be seen.

Qin Feng walked alone along the pitch-black road toward the school, using a flashlight to guide his way. He did this every day and had grown accustomed to it.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of several motorcycles approaching from behind. He turned around, but the glare of the headlights made it impossible for him to open his eyes.

The motorcycles screeched to a halt beside him. Before Qin Feng could react, five or six men swarmed him, raining down punches and kicks.

Qin Feng knew he was outnumbered and that they had the upper hand, so he didn't even try to fight back. As soon as the attack began, he curled up on the ground, shielding his head and vital organs with his arms to minimize the impact.

The group beat him for a minute or two before quickly hopping back onto their motorcycles and speeding away. The entire ordeal was over in less than three minutes. Qin Feng hadn't seen their faces, nor could he even confirm exactly how many of them there were.

Once they were gone, Qin Feng lowered his arms, spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with dirt, and lay on the ground, gasping for air as his entire body throbbed with pain.

Enduring the agony, he managed to sit up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and lit a cigarette. He needed to clear his head and think this through.

After finishing the cigarette, he struggled to his feet and limped toward the local police station. However, when he reached the entrance, he stopped, turned around, and headed toward the township health center instead.

The so-called Bishan Township Health Center was, in reality, little more than an oversized clinic.

When Qin Feng stumbled in, covered in dirt and with a bruised, blood-stained face, the only nurse on duty was startled. She rushed over to help him inside.

Qin Feng glanced at the nurse and was momentarily surprised. She was beautiful, likely in her early twenties, tall and slender with long hair and delicate, fair skin that seemed to glow. Most girls in this area were tanned from farm work and rarely paid much attention to their appearance, so this striking young woman stood out. Qin Feng couldn't help but linger on her gaze for a moment.

The nurse noticed him looking and blushed deeply, her face flushing with a charming, rosy hue. However, she looked at him with clear disdain.

It was obvious from his battered face that he had been in a fight. In her eyes, someone who got into brawls in the middle of the night couldn't be a good person.