493: Preparing to leave quietly

After the Yushu City Cadre meeting concluded, Jiang Shiyu and his group, just as Xu Minghao and the others had expected, were in no rush to leave; they all agreed to stay for dinner and attend the farewell banquet for Lin Zifeng.

After the meeting ended, there was still some time before the banquet, so Lin Zifeng invited Jiang Shiyu, Zhu Jiahua, and Qin Xiao to his Office for tea, with Xu Minghao and Wei Ting accompanying them.

The group arrived at Lin Zifeng's Office. Wang Zhongyu diligently poured tea for everyone and then, showing great tact, stepped out of the Office.

In Lin Zifeng's Office, all his personal items had already been packed up by Wang Zhongyu and brought home by Lin Zifeng over the past few days, so the Office looked rather empty at the moment.

The group did not talk about work anymore, instead chatting about anecdotes and daily life.

It wasn't until Zhao Delin came to inform everyone that the banquet was ready that they walked out of the Office and headed toward the Government Canteen.

The banquet lasted for over two hours before it concluded. After seeing off Jiang Shiyu and the others, a tipsy Lin Zifeng, about eighty or ninety percent drunk, refused anyone's company and strolled alone through the Municipal Party Committee Compound.

Watching Lin Zifeng's retreating figure as he strolled, Xu Minghao and the others knew that Lin Zifeng did not want to be disturbed at this moment, so they got into their cars and left one after another.

Lin Zifeng looked at everything in the Municipal Party Committee Compound, not missing a single corner.

More than half an hour later, Lin Zifeng walked into the Office building alone. Li Qiang, who was waiting downstairs, watched Lin Zifeng's back and said to Wang Zhongyu, "Brother Wang, what is wrong with the Secretary?"

"The Secretary is saying goodbye to Yushu City in this way! Let's just wait quietly for the Secretary," Wang Zhongyu said thoughtfully.

Li Qiang nodded and said, "Brother Wang, when is the Secretary going to report to the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department? Why hasn't he told us yet? Although I am reluctant to see the Secretary leave, his departure is already set in stone."

Hearing Li Qiang's question, Wang Zhongyu said with confusion, "I asked the Secretary yesterday, but he just smiled without answering. I don't know what the Secretary is thinking."

While Wang Zhongyu and Li Qiang were chatting downstairs waiting for Lin Zifeng, Lin Zifeng had arrived at the Office alone.

He carefully looked over the inside and outside of the Office, and finally stood in front of the window, lit a cigarette, and watched the colorful night view outside.

After smoking two cigarettes in a row, he turned and left the Office. When he arrived downstairs, he looked at the two people waiting and said with a smile, "Let's go, take me home." He then got straight into the car.

Li Qiang parked the car downstairs at Lin Zifeng's home, and Lin Zifeng and Wang Zhongyu both got out of the car.

Lin Zifeng waved goodbye to the two and prepared to go straight upstairs, but he was called back by Wang Zhongyu.

"Secretary, please wait a moment."

Lin Zifeng turned around and looked at Wang Zhongyu, asking, "What is it, Zhongyu? Do you have something to say?"

"Secretary, when do you plan to report to the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department? Please tell me the time so Qiang Zi and I can prepare in advance to take you to the provincial capital."

"You and Qiang Zi should go back and rest! From now on, your mission is over. Prepare to take up your new positions!"

Hearing Lin Zifeng's answer, the two understood the meaning behind his words: he was not letting them take him there.

Therefore, Wang Zhongyu quickly spoke up again, "How can that be, Secretary? Let me and Qiang Zi take you! Otherwise, we will have regrets in our hearts."

"Brother Wang is right, Secretary. Let me and Brother Wang take you to the provincial capital!" Li Qiang also quickly chimed in.

Hearing their sincere words, Lin Zifeng smiled with gratification and said again, "You have worked by my side for so many years; don't you understand my character yet?"

"Besides, although I have been transferred from Yushu City, it's not like I'm never coming back, or that we won't see each other again. Don't make it sound like a life-and-death separation. Let us all move toward our new positions!"

After saying this, Lin Zifeng took the initiative to reach out, shook hands with both of them, patted their shoulders, and turned to walk upstairs.

The two watched the voice-activated lights in the stairwell stay on until the third floor, then they got back into the car. Once Li Qiang drove out of the Residential Community, he said, "Brother Wang, are we really not going to see the Secretary off?"

"The Secretary won't let us take him; what else can we do? Although the Secretary looks easygoing, he is a man who keeps his word. Don't you know that by now?" Wang Zhongyu asked rhetorically.

"I understand the Secretary's character, but why is the Secretary doing this?" Li Qiang said, feeling very puzzled.

"Perhaps the Secretary just doesn't want to experience the pain of parting," Wang Zhongyu said with a sigh.

Just then, Wang Zhongyu's phone rang. Seeing it was a call from Xu Minghao, Wang Zhongyu quickly answered it.

Lin Zifeng returned home. Chen Yuxi had already prepared the Sober-Up Soup and was sitting in the Living Room waiting for him.

Seeing Lin Zifeng enter the house, Chen Yuxi came over with the Sober-Up Soup. As she handed it to him, she said, "You're back, honey? I guessed you wouldn't be able to avoid drinking much today. Hurry up and drink the Sober-Up Soup!"

"Thank you, honey." Lin Zifeng thanked her while taking the Sober-Up Soup, and gulped it all down in one breath.

"Why are you being so polite with me? Go take a shower and get some rest early! Didn't you plan to leave at four o'clock tomorrow morning? You've drunk so much; will you be able to get up tomorrow morning?" Chen Yuxi said with a look of concern.

"Don't worry, I can get up. Getting up early is nothing."

As Lin Zifeng said this, he walked into the Bathroom, while Chen Yuxi muttered softly, "Getting a promotion is a glorious thing, isn't it? Why does it feel so sneaky, like we're thieves?"

Although Chen Yuxi muttered quietly, she had guessed some of her husband's thoughts.

Therefore, after Lin Zifeng told her yesterday that they would leave at four o'clock tomorrow morning, Chen Yuxi had packed up everything in the house and loaded the items to be taken into the car.

More than ten minutes later, Lin Zifeng walked out of the Bathroom wearing pajamas, and the couple returned to the Bedroom and slept in each other's arms.

The night passed without incident. The next morning, as the alarm set by Chen Yuxi for 3:30 rang, the couple woke up at the same time and began to get up and get dressed.

After getting dressed, Chen Yuxi went to the room where Lin Yining was staying.

A quarter of an hour later, Lin Zifeng carried Lin Yining, whose eyes were still barely open, and the family of three walked out of the house. Chen Yuxi locked the door, and the three of them walked downstairs.

"Mommy, Daddy, why are we getting up so early today? It's still completely dark outside!" Lin Yining asked in confusion.

"Mommy and Daddy are taking you to Grandpa and Grandma's house. Once we get to the provincial capital, you can see your aunt and brother. Are you happy, Ningning?" Lin Zifeng said gently.

Hearing what Lin Zifeng said, Lin Yining became happy all of a sudden.

The family of three arrived downstairs. Lin Zifeng placed Lin Yining in the back seat, covered her with a blanket, and prepared to let her continue sleeping. Seeing Chen Yuxi get into the driver's seat, he sat in the passenger seat.

Chen Yuxi started the car, and while driving, she said, "You still smell like alcohol when you breathe, so let me be your driver."

Lin Zifeng nodded with a smile, and Chen Yuxi drove steadily out of the Residential Community.