Chapter 48: Touring the Imperial City

  After all, they were young and full of energy, so the two of them kept going back and forth for half the night. By the time they woke up the next day, it was already mid-morning. Fortunately, they were traveling freely and didn't have to get up as early as chickens or sleep as late as dogs like those on a group tour.

  The sun was already high in the sky, and it wasn't until then that the two of them leisurely finished their brunch and set off for Badaling and Ming Tombs. The car was a temporary loan from Yan's family - a full-size imported SUV, a Volkswagen Tiguan, which suited Ouyang Qian's personality perfectly. She drove very wildly, constantly exclaiming about how expansive the view was, how powerful the engine was, and how much fun it was to drive, far surpassing her old Kia K5 back in Hankou.

  After graduating, I worked in the government for over a year and almost never exercised. My physical condition was declining rapidly. Adding to that, I worked hard last night and my legs were shaking. This time, climbing the Great Wall really took a toll on Liu Sifeng's life. On the other hand, Ouyang Qian, who was cleaned up by him last night, recovered quickly. While climbing the city wall, she was full of energy and vitality. In the second half of the climb, she always took the lead, occasionally looking back at Liu Sifeng with a disdainful expression, seeing him dragging his heavy feet and panting heavily, his face filled with pain.

  "Useless!" The little girl couldn't help but mock.

  Liu Siyuan bitterly smiled and said: "Hey, it's because I exhausted myself too much last night."

  Ouyang Qian's face turned red, she glared at him fiercely, ignored him and ran back, leaving him far behind. By the time Liu Siyuan finally climbed to the top of the Great Wall at Badaling, becoming a hero, she was sitting on the city wall, swinging her two white legs, smiling at him.

  "I'd say even a snail is faster than you."

  Liu Siyuan was so exhausted that he didn't even have the energy to argue back, and panted: "How do you have so much energy?"

  Ouyang Qian said with a proud smile: "Hehe, I was on the track and field team in school, and after graduation, I often go to the gym, of course, I'm stronger than you."

  "Working out? Are you lifting dumbbells or training your chest muscles?" He said with a sly glance at her massive cleavage.

  Ouyang Qian couldn't help but kick him and angrily said, "Of course I'm doing aerobics, what else would I be doing...? And how can your mind be so evil?"

  Liu Siyuan cried out in pain, but Ouyang Qian ignored him and continued viciously: "I think that's enough, let's go to the Thirteen Tombs."

  "Ahh?! Spare me, at least let me rest for a bit..."

  "Hmph, never mind, hurry up and follow me. I'll wait for you downstairs for half an hour, if you can't make it, I'll drive back myself. You do as you please." Ouyang Qian waved the car key in her hand, not giving him a chance to explain, and strode away.

  The whole day, Liu Siyuan felt like the days were passing by like years. He remembered when he was at the Ming Tombs, he wished he could just lie down next to those Ming dynasty emperors. It wasn't until he finally made it back to the hotel that he felt half his life had been drained away, and his legs didn't feel like they belonged to him anymore. As soon as he saw the bed, he collapsed onto it. Ouyang Qian said something about not being hygienic, but Liu Siyuan was too lazy to respond, and just went to take a bath on his own.

  He was so exhausted that he soon fell asleep, and in a daze, he suddenly felt a pain in his ear. He opened his eyes to find Ouyang Qian wearing cute pajamas with a mischievous grin on her face, tugging at his ear.

  Liu Siyuan sighed and said: "Big sister, what are you doing?"

  Ouyang Qian saw that he was awake and smiled as she sat on his bed, saying: "I'm bored, you accompany me to chat for a bit."

  Just for this, he woke himself up? Liu Siyuan had the heart to die. "Okay, what's there to chat about?" No way out, although she was his subordinate, but also Ouyang Minister's daughter, could only force himself to open his eyes and accompany her.

  Ouyang Qian swung her legs and thought for a moment before saying: "Tell me about your emotional history."

  "What's emotional history? What do you want to know?"

  "I want to know everything, starting from kindergarten. Especially that woman who was at your home when I sent you back last time!"

  Ouyang Qian showed great enthusiasm for gossip, and an hour later, Liu Si was asked about everything from her childhood to the present. Hmm, including Fang Xinyi and Ding Hui's affairs, but not very specific though.

  "Fang Xinyi? This name sounds familiar, looks like you like her." Ouyang Qian said with a thoughtful expression. In fact, she was secretly depressed, after messing around for half a day, this guy's crush wasn't Chen Jun or the woman from his house last time, but someone else entirely, truly a playboy to the extreme.

  "Don't guess randomly..." was said, and someone with a flustered expression said: "Alright, young lady, I've told you everything, can I go to sleep now?"

  "By the way, who do you think is prettier, Fang Xinyu or me?" Ouyang Qian completely ignored his words.

  "They're all beautiful!"

  "Cut it out! Stop making excuses and tell me clearly!" Ouyang Qian finally erupted in anger.

  "They're all so beautiful......" Liu Siyuan was almost in tears.

  "Hmph, her breasts aren't bigger than mine, right?" Ouyang Qian suddenly said something astonishing.

  "That's quite different, though. By the way, how did you develop?"

  "I don't know either, anyway it suddenly grew a lot in high school, right? So, how big are her breasts? Apple? Orange?" Ouyang Qian asked persistently.

  "My goodness, I haven't even touched it, how would I know?" Liu Siyuan was almost in tears.

  "Oh, you're so innocent, how come when you're with me your true nature is exposed?" Ouyang Qian said irritably.

  "Big sister, I've explained it all, our first time was an accident, Hu Tian drugged us." Liu Siyuan said with an innocent face.

  "Hmph, you're a typical person who got a good deal and still wants to show off. Fine, I'm going to sleep, I won't chat with you anymore. You're really stupid, talking to you makes me angry." Ouyang Qian said as she huffily returned to her own bed.

  Liu Siyuan thought to himself, "Isn't it just you who forced me to chat with you? How can you turn your face so quickly? But I'm already too tired to care, whatever."

  The next day he was woken up by Ouyang Qian.

  "Lazybones, get up! The plane is this afternoon and if you don't get up now, there won't be time to play today. Let's just go straight to the airport."

  "Alright... what shall we play today? Shall we go for a stroll around Jingcheng University and Suimeng University, or head to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City?"

  "Oh, I've been to all these places before, they're nothing special. I've decided, today we'll just go window shopping!"

  At this moment, Liu Siyuan suddenly felt a blackness in front of his eyes and almost fainted.

  Until the next day, which was Monday and back to work, Liu Siyuan still felt like his two legs were filled with lead, the entire trip to Beijing for him was simply a nightmare.

  On the first day of work, Liu Siyuan only knew how wise his fake injury was. The chemical plant's situation has entered a stalemate stage, with various parties openly and secretly vying for power. Due to rumors that some environmental assessments were not up to standard and the factory would be shut down, many workers jointly wrote letters to the People's Congress and the Political Consultative Conference demanding consideration of workers' interests. Some provincial and municipal leaders also spoke out in different venues, stating that employment issues are social problems that must be prioritized, while others said that decisions cannot be made rashly and must be comprehensively considered.

  Even the environmental protection agency in the district where the chemical plant is located does not know who is behind it, and has expressed dissatisfaction with the municipal environmental protection bureau and the municipal government's supervision department for bypassing the district-level institutions and directly intervening in the affairs of the chemical plant.

  This time, it really touched the nerve of the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. Originally, they were already in a precarious situation, living in a state of anxiety every day. Unexpectedly, even the District Bureau dared to jump out and speak nonsense. Although they knew that they would definitely be held accountable for their words, they couldn't care less. Tang Zhenfeng personally ran to the District Bureau and scolded them fiercely for two hours, but it was still not enough. After returning, he also issued a notice requiring them to make rectifications. Then, Zhang Zhengdong, the Secretary-General, also expressed his dissatisfaction with the inaction of the District Committee and Government.

  Although the sword and shadow are everywhere, Liu Siyuan still chose to be low-key again, almost never commenting on anything about the chemical plant, until one day a Beijing phone call came directly.

  After picking up the phone, a clear and beautiful female voice came through: "Liu Siyuan? I'm Xiao Yuheng."