Chapter 22: Dialogue

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When Li Mo heard that voice, his body instantly stiffened as though struck by a freezing spell.

The moment Chen Xi heard it, astonishment spread across her face. She spun around as if struck by lightning and stammered at Chen Teng, who was taking off his coat, “Dad, why did you get off work early today?”

“There wasn’t much to do, so I came home early.” After putting his shoes away, Chen Teng looked Chen Xi up and down as though inspecting a criminal. Although Chen Xi and Li Mo were not standing together at that moment, Chen Teng keenly sensed that something was happening behind his back.

At that thought, his gaze became as sharp as an eagle’s, and he instinctively turned it toward Li Mo.

Locked beneath Chen Teng’s stare, Li Mo felt an overwhelming force bearing down on him like a mountain crushing an egg.

“Is there anything you want to tell me?” Chen Teng’s eyes were as bright as torches as he stared fixedly at Li Mo, as though he intended to see straight through him while waiting for his answer.

Hearing Chen Teng’s words, Chen Xi grew frantic and was about to step forward to explain on Li Mo’s behalf. But Li Mo seized her hand tightly, then took a step forward and declared with absolute firmness, “Uncle Chen, this afternoon I confessed my feelings to Chen Xi, and she happily agreed. She’s now my girlfriend!”

Chen Teng’s gaze flashed like lightning as he stared at Li Mo. Li Mo, meanwhile, remained calm and composed, meeting his eyes without the slightest trace of panic.

“At least you have the courage to take responsibility.” After saying this, Chen Teng walked straight past Li Mo and strode toward Mu Jinyi.

Yet as he passed by Li Mo, his voice rang out once more like thunder.

“Come to my study after dinner.”

Li Mo’s heart leaped with joy. He quickly replied, “All right, Uncle Chen!”

Chen Xi also gazed at Chen Teng’s back in delighted surprise. She had originally thought that he would interfere in her relationship with Li Mo, perhaps even impose conditions on Li Mo and allow them to be together only after he fulfilled them.

“All right, put everything away and get ready for dinner!” Mu Jinyi called out. She had always supported the further development of Chen Xi and Li Mo’s relationship.

“Okay, Mom!”

Chen Xi answered cheerfully. She then pulled Li Mo upstairs to put away the things they had bought before coming back down for dinner.

After dinner, Mu Jinyi led Chen Xi away, while Chen Teng walked silently toward the study on the second floor.

Li Mo hurried after him.

Once Chen Teng entered the study, he sat down on the sofa and waited for Li Mo.

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After Li Mo entered the study, Chen Teng pointed to the seat opposite him. “Sit.”

Li Mo promptly sat down across from him.

Seeing how upright and solemn Li Mo looked, Chen Teng said mildly, “There’s no need to be so nervous. This isn’t my office, and I’m not speaking to you in my capacity as governor.”

“All right, Uncle Chen!”

Li Mo answered respectfully. Although his entire body had relaxed slightly, he still sat ramrod straight.

Seeing this, Chen Teng said nothing more about it. Instead, he looked at Li Mo and said, “Xiao Mo, since you and Xi Xi have decided to be together, there are some things I must discuss with you as her father.”

Li Mo nodded, his expression growing more serious. “Please go ahead, Uncle Chen.”

“Do you plan to remain in the public security system from now on and pursue your entire career through that channel? Have you considered taking another path?”

As he spoke, Chen Teng studied Li Mo. “As Xi Xi’s boyfriend, my son-in-law, and the husband of a Chen family daughter, you’ll face enormous pressure in the future if you develop solely within the public security system.”

“So if you truly intend to stay with Xi Xi, I suggest that you take advantage of the fact that it’s still early and find a way to leave the public security system as soon as possible, moving into local government administration instead.”

Hearing this, Li Mo immediately understood what Chen Teng meant. It was, in fact, an issue he had already considered after dealing with Wang Ze and capturing the members of the assassin organization.

Judging from the cases recorded in his memory, he would be able to prevent some crimes before they occurred if he remained in public security, while other cases would be easy for him to solve.

But his memories of how the times would develop, together with his experience of certain policies and routes that had already been proven correct, meant that he could accomplish far more in local government administration.

If, in this second life, Li Mo had failed to resolve the matter involving Wang Ze or strike a blow against that assassin organization, he would certainly have committed himself wholeheartedly to public security, devoting every ounce of his strength to fighting the criminal forces.

But now, he had decided to take another path—

One that would allow him to make greater use of the advantages granted by his rebirth, suppress the criminal forces and the protectors behind them, and contribute to the progress of the times.

Thus, he said to Chen Teng, “Uncle Chen, my plan is to work at the bureau for a while longer. Once I reach section-chief rank, I’ll transfer to a local post of equivalent rank and begin from the grassroots.”

“Besides my work in public security, I’ve also been paying attention to local development. Take Pu County, for example…”

As Li Mo spoke, Chen Teng watched him closely.

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He was using his own experience to analyze Li Mo’s expression as he spoke. As a powerful provincial official who governed an entire region, Chen Teng naturally had great confidence in his judgment.

Although he had spoken with Li Mo at the hospital before, Li Mo had then been merely the lifesaver of Chen Xi and the benefactor of the Chen family. He had not yet been one of their own.

Now that Li Mo and Chen Xi were together, the mark of the Chen family would be placed upon him automatically. Bearing the Chen family label, Li Mo would be regarded by everyone as one of them.

Therefore, Chen Teng had to reassess him.

If Li Mo appeared to be an uncut jade in his eyes, Chen Teng would provide him with some of the Chen family’s resources, giving him sufficient opportunities to temper himself.

If, on the other hand, Li Mo seemed to have little potential for refinement, then for Chen Xi’s sake, he would arrange a stable path for him—at the very least, one that would ensure the future of Li Mo and Chen Xi was not too haphazard.

As he listened to Li Mo analyze the development of several townships in Pu County, Chen Teng realized that Li Mo had not improvised his answer when the subject was raised. He had clearly been analyzing and contemplating these matters for quite some time.

This meant that Li Mo had already made plans in this regard, and Chen Teng was extremely satisfied.

He was therefore prepared to show Li Mo some goodwill.

“If that is your plan, then you must hurry and reach section-chief rank,” Chen Teng said. “Pu County is currently one of the impoverished counties under Nan City, and it will be one of the key areas in Nan City’s next phase of poverty-alleviation efforts.”

“Based on what you’ve just said, I believe this is a tremendous opportunity for you.”

Hearing Chen Teng’s words, Li Mo’s face filled with sudden understanding.

As someone reborn, he knew exactly what this poverty-alleviation project represented. It was a nationwide initiative, and according to his memories, several outstanding figures would emerge during its implementation. They had all risen from humble beginnings, yet in the end, nearly every one of them would become powerful provincial officials in their own right.

Li Mo had been so preoccupied with Wang Ze and the assassin organization that he had forgotten about this opportunity. Now that Chen Teng had brought it up and revived the memory, he naturally had to seize it.