Zhang Yuanching had his pride too—especially in officialdom where hierarchy ruled, but only if you played by their rules.

True, he hadn’t clocked in on time that morning, but he’d followed proper leave procedures. They wanted to lump everything together and punish him? Over his dead body.

Qin Linyu’s attitude was the final straw—disgusting. He was an office member, nominally Qin’s subordinate. Yet when he needed support, Qin had only shoved him further into the abyss.

If they wanted to burn all bridges, then fine—let’s fight dirty. Making a scene would deal a heavy blow to Qin Linyu’s authority as deputy director.

Seeing the fury flicker in Zhang Yuanching’s eyes, Qin Linyu’s pupils shrank before he sneered. "Zhang Yuanching, have you thought this through? Do you really think you’re in a position to talk to me like that?"

With that, he slammed a letter onto the table.

Zhang Yuanching, puzzled, walked over and opened it—only to find an accusation letter naming him directly. The charge? Accepting a 10,000-yuan gift voucher.

His first reaction: Impossible. As a lowly deputy section chief, who would bribe him? Sure, he’d accepted the occasional cigarettes or tea as polite exchanges, but gift vouchers? Never.

Yet the letter was detailed—even included dates.

Then it hit him. few weeks back, a businessman claiming to be his late patron’s old classmate had given him a box of tea, instructing him to pass it to the boss. At the time, the leader was gravely ill—hardly in the mood for tea.

The boss told him to take it home. He did. And never touched it.

Could the tea be the problem?

"Yuanching, you’ve been in the municipal office for a year now. You know the rules—don’t take what isn’t yours, or you’ll be caught. How could you make such a basic mistake? Truly heartbreaking."

Qin Linyu sighed, feigning sorrow.

But Zhang Yuanching heard the glee beneath the words.

Something was off. This had to be a setup. Who would go through such lengths to target a nobody like him? Unless—

Unless the businessman wasn’t who he claimed to be.

But if he wasn’t the boss’s old classmate, the boss would never have let Zhang take the tea in the first place.

The boss’s political instincts were sharper than his own.

So where was the flaw? Who was behind this?

Panic surged. Ten thousand yuan wasn’t astronomical, but if exposed, it could lead to an official investigation—five thousand yuan was the threshold for prosecution. conviction would ruin his reputation, stain his record, and dash any hopes of promotion.

Unless the boss was still alive. Then it’d be a slap on the wrist, a verbal warning at worst. But now? With his patron gone, he was exposed.

"Or… maybe the voucher wasn’t for you? Maybe it was meant for someone else? If you clarify that, you’ll be in the clear. You’re young—still have a future..."

Qin Linyu’s fingers drummed the table as he stared Zhang down.

Zhang Yuanching saw through it immediately—they wanted him to implicate the dead boss.

After all, as the late official’s secretary, if he testified that the boss had taken bribes, the Organization Department wouldn’t investigate a corpse. But the boss’s final dignity would be shattered.

Zhang Yuanching felt a chill. This wasn’t about him—it was about erasing his former patron’s influence.

Were they so desperate to bury the past? Why such ruthlessness? At his level, he couldn’t begin to grasp the higher-ups’ calculations.

"Decided yet, Yuanching? This is about your future."

Qin Linyu pressed harder, trying to crack him.

The subtext was clear: Betray the boss, or kiss your career goodbye.

Memories flashed—his patron’s face, the trust placed in him, the visionary ideals they’d once discussed.

Zhang Yuanching didn’t hesitate. He met Qin Linyu’s gaze and said coldly, "I accept the charge. Reassign me if you must."

Qin Linyu froze, his expression darkening.

Rage simmered in Zhang Yuanching’s chest, but he stood his ground, unflinching.

Under that stare, even Qin Linyu faltered. This kid wasn’t afraid.

Damn it. He’s tougher than I thought.

"Fine. Since that’s your choice, I won’t stop you. You know where the Organization Department is—I won’t escort you."

Qin Linyu sipped his tea, all smiles—as if seeing him out.

Without another word, Zhang Yuanching strode out, back straight. He had nothing to be ashamed of.

---

Back home, Zhang Yuanching immediately found the tea box.

Inside, sure enough, lay the 10,000-yuan voucher.

Fury erupted. His first call went to the businessman—but no answer. Busy? Ignoring him?

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.

That was his first thought. But then doubt crept in.

He’d trusted the boss—if this guy was shady, the boss would never have let him take the box.

Hell, did the boss even know what was inside? He’d told Zhang to bring it home, clearly trusting it was safe.

So Zhang examined the box closely—and spotted the anomaly.

The seal had been tampered with.

Whoever did it was careful—resealed it just enough to hide the breach.

When the businessman gave it to him, the seal was intact. Zhang, though distracted, had noticed.

The boss, guessing at the contents, hadn’t bothered to check.

Later, Zhang brought it to the office, then home. Somewhere in between, someone opened it.

They knew what was inside.

Zhang Yuanching realized the true cruelty of officialdom. A trivial matter, weaponized into a fatal blow—and he couldn’t fight back.

Too furious to eat, he sat in silence, finally resolving: Go to the Organization Department.

Refusing to betray his patron meant accepting the consequences. A dead end.

At the department, he learned his new posting: Civil Affairs Bureau.

Director Guan Shuifeng—a familiar face.

Demoted from the municipal office to a subsidiary agency, Zhang Yuanching counted himself lucky. At least he kept his rank (third-level section chief), even if stripped of authority. complete wipeout would’ve erased years of effort.

At the bureau, he still had a chance to prove himself.

So when he entered Guan’s office, he bowed his head respectfully. "Director Guan, reporting for duty. Starting today, I’m your subordinate."

"Ah, welcome, welcome!" Guan beamed, shaking his hand. "With a literary talent like yours, our bureau just gained a fierce warrior!"

Two section chiefs were presenting reports nearby. Hearing Zhang’s name, they stood up.

Zhang nodded in acknowledgment.

But Guan didn’t introduce anyone. Instead, he clapped Zhang’s shoulder. "Good, good. Head straight to the Administrative Services Division."

Relieved—it was the bureau’s equivalent of the office, his old domain.

Then came the ice-cold kicker:

"The funeral parlor’s been swamped lately. Go assist with their research. Three months. Submit a report."

Guan’s smile never wavered—but to Zhang, it looked sinister.

Translation Notes: Cultural Context:

Gift vouchers as bribes: Reflects common corruption tactics in Chinese bureaucracy.

Demotion mechanics: The preservation of rank despite losing authority shows how political purges selectively target influence. Characterization:

Zhang Yuanching’s defiance: His refusal to betray his patron, despite risks, highlights integrity in a cutthroat system.

Qin Linyu’s manipulation: The deputy director’s duplicity exemplifies how workplace politics weaponizes personal relationships. Symbolism:

The tampered tea box: Represents how trust is exploited in political games.

The funeral parlor assignment: A metaphorical "graveyard shift"—a career burial. Tone:

The shift from bureaucratic jargon to stark emotional beats underscores Zhang’s isolation.

Guan Shuifeng’s false warmth contrasts with the looming punishment, creating dramatic irony.

This passage escalates the stakes, illustrating how institutional loyalty becomes a liability when power shifts—forcing the protagonist into an impossible choice between self-preservation and principle.