Chapter 46: I Don't Have a Boyfriend

Li Xiuyuan stepped out of the office building, feeling somewhat burdened. He strode toward the exit of the county government compound. Just as he was about to hail a cab outside, he heard the honking of a car behind him.

Turning his head, he saw a red Honda Accord slowly pull up beside him. At that moment, the car window rolled down.

“Xiao Li, get in,” said Wu Yiyi from inside the car. But Wu Yiyi’s demeanor now was completely different from the composed office persona he was used to. Though she wore the same outfit, her expression was much more relaxed, brimming with the vigor of youth.

Li Xiuyuan hesitated briefly, then leaned over and got in. Although they were just outside the government compound and he had already left the comprehensive department, it wasn’t unusual for colleagues to leave together—after all, no one knew if she was just going the same way.

“Wu Jie, should I sit in the back or the front passenger seat?” Li Xiuyuan asked, standing by the car door instead of immediately getting in.

Normally, when a colleague offers a ride, you sit in the front passenger seat; otherwise, it might seem like you see them as a driver. But since Wu Yiyi was female, he wasn’t sure if the front seat was convenient for her, so he asked politely.

“Sit in the front, Xiao Li. Don’t tell me you’re treating me like your chauffeur,” Wu Yiyi teased with a smile.

Li Xiuyuan quickly shook his head, opened the door, and got in, explaining, “Wu Jie, you misunderstood. I didn’t mean that—I just thought it might be inconvenient for you.”

“Inconvenient? I don’t even have a boyfriend,” Wu Yiyi shot him a glance.

Li Xiuyuan felt a bit awkward. Before he could respond, Wu Yiyi said, “Alright, buckle up. Let’s go. We shouldn’t linger here in front of the office.”

Li Xiuyuan fastened his seatbelt and glanced in the rearview mirror to see Wang Zhitao riding his electric scooter out.

“By the way, don’t call me Wu Jie anymore. It sounds like I’m really old. You can just call me Yiyi or Sister Yiyi,” Wu Yiyi said as she drove toward a restaurant.

Li Xiuyuan nodded. “Okay, Sister Yiyi.”

“I’ll call you Xiuyuan then. We’re about the same age, and I just started working a year earlier. Calling you Xiao Li again and again makes it sound like I’m some senior boss or something.”

“Alright, Sister Yiyi.”

As they chatted, Li Xiuyuan asked about her car. It was the seventh generation Honda Accord, a model that had once been wildly popular in the country. The domestically produced sixth generation had already established the Accord’s reputation, but the seventh generation’s sales truly exploded.

Within three years of its release, it sold 1.9 million units worldwide. When it first came out, buyers in some regions had to pay an extra 20,000 to 30,000 yuan to get one. By now, prices had dropped a bit but discounts were only about 10,000 to 20,000 yuan, so it remained expensive—ordinary versions cost around 200,000 yuan, while top trims approached 300,000 yuan.

In other words, driving a Honda Accord back then was far more prestigious than driving a luxury BBA car in later years.

Li Xiuyuan was quietly stunned. Wu Yiyi’s family must be well off—200,000 yuan then was enough to buy nearly two houses in Huangyuan County, where the price per square meter was about 1,000 yuan.

Meanwhile, government clerks in the county earned only about 1,000 yuan a month. Including benefits and bonuses, the annual salary barely exceeded 10,000 yuan, and ordinary clerks definitely made less than 20,000 yuan a year.

Yet here was Wu Yiyi driving a car worth 200,000 yuan.

They chatted all the way until they reached the entrance of a restaurant called Xiaokang Food Mansion. The name sounded quite fitting, though the location was somewhat secluded and the facade wasn’t flashy. However, judging by the number of cars parked outside, this was no ordinary place.

After getting out, Wu Yiyi led Li Xiuyuan inside, saying, “The atmosphere here is quieter, and the food is pretty good. You should try it.”

“Ha ha, thanks, Sister Yiyi.”

Wu Yiyi rolled her eyes. “Why are you always so polite with me? Come on, let’s eat.”

Inside, Li Xiuyuan noticed the restaurant’s tasteful decor. It was filled with private rooms, which explained the peaceful ambiance.

Without asking for his opinion, Wu Yiyi ordered the dishes herself, then looked at him and said, “Have some wine.”

“No, no…” Li Xiuyuan waved his hands repeatedly.

“You don’t drink? I heard from Wang Zhitao that you, Zhitao, and Li Boyang often drink together,” Wu Yiyi asked with a teasing smile.

Li Xiuyuan smiled wryly. “There are no secrets in this office. But I don’t drink often. Besides, when we eat together…”

“I’m driving, so I can’t drink. Otherwise, I’d have a drink with you. Drink less beer, and I’ll drive you home afterward,” Wu Yiyi said as she ordered a few bottles of beer for him. Li Xiuyuan had no choice but to agree.

As they chatted in the private room, the food arrived quickly. Li Xiuyuan took a bite and immediately praised, “The food really tastes great, Sister Yiyi. I really have to thank you for ordering the beer. Otherwise, with such delicious food, it’d be a waste not to have some alcohol.”

His words were partly sincere, partly not.

Wu Yiyi understood and put down her chopsticks, looking at him somewhat exasperated. “Xiuyuan, after work, can you please not talk like that?”

Li Xiuyuan chuckled awkwardly and nodded. The atmosphere between them relaxed a bit.

When they had finished eating and drinking, Li Xiuyuan wanted to ask about recent affairs at the county government. Before he could speak, Wu Yiyi cut in.

“Xiuyuan, the atmosphere at the county government has been tense lately. You know that, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with Director Luo, but I assume it’s not very close,” Wu Yiyi said bluntly, lowering her voice.

Li Xiuyuan fell silent. He could disguise his relationship with Deputy Director Luo Yi to some, but to someone like Wu Yiyi, who spent most of her time near the leadership, standing higher and seeing further, it was obvious.

“Lately, you should keep your distance from Director Luo. You’re new here, and whatever happens won’t concern you. Just stay quietly in the office and do your job. Don’t get involved in anything else. Many matters don’t affect ordinary clerks like us, even if we work in the county government. But the key is not to stick your neck out. Whether it’s an opportunity or a pitfall, no one knows…”

“That’s all I can tell you. Don’t ask about the rest—it’s off-limits.”

Wu Yiyi’s voice was low, but Li Xiuyuan felt his heart sink. From the fragments she revealed, he could already piece together much.

It seemed Director Luo was in trouble, possibly implicating even higher-level officials.

While Li Xiuyuan brooded silently, a black Audi pulled up outside Xiaokang Food Mansion. A man and a woman stepped out.

The man had a pig-nosed face, marked with pockmarks from acne scars, while the woman beside him was quite beautiful.

“Jingya, don’t be fooled by the small storefront. Many bureau chiefs, section chiefs, and business owners in the county like to eat here. Without someone to guide you, you wouldn’t find it. My dad took me here once. Besides the good environment, the food tastes great. I heard the owner has deep connections,” the man said mysteriously to the woman.

If Li Xiuyuan had been there, he would have recognized the woman as his ex-girlfriend, Lin Jingya.

Lin Jingya nodded obediently, saying, “Jianhui, I don’t care much about what we eat. I’m not picky. But I like going out with you to see the world.”

“Ha ha.”

Lin Jingya’s words pleased Zhu Jianhui immensely. He loved being adored by women.