Just now, he was worrying about how to persuade Commander Shen to grant Tang Xiaohua some special privilege, but now it seemed unnecessary...
His excitement had not had a chance to show on his face. Instead, he responded hesitantly.
The President clearly didn’t care about the hostage’s fate, so why did he now specifically remind Shen Xinhui for Lili’s sake to enter the military academy?
Lu Ziqing couldn’t figure it out.
"Mr. President, our school has always valued talent. Indeed, I was not considerate enough just now."
Wen Nian picked up a clean cup, poured a small cup of tea, and handed it to Shen Xinhui,
"Injuries will heal one day. The most important quality in a soldier is not physical strength but a tenacious and resilient character. Am I right, Commander Shen?"
"You’re right, Mr. President."
Wen Nian gestured with his hand for Lu Ziqing to sit down as well.
"Alright, now tell me about the interrogation results concerning Duan Shen."
"Yes, Mr. President!"
"Knock, knock," Qu Yu gently tapped on the VIP lounge door.
"Mr. President, Mayor Lin of Xilin City wishes to see you. Will you meet with him?"
"Let him wait a while."
Qu Yu left, and the door closed again.
Shen Xinhui had approximately shared the investigation results related to Duan Shen with Wen Nian.
Lu Ziqing listened on the side, learning some of the newest information for the first time. He had thought that capturing Duan Shen marked the end, but Duan Shen was only the beginning.
"Duan Shen is a Xilin person; he has committed crimes in Xilin for a long time. I’ll give you five more days. Try to get him to reveal as much as he knows. After five days, Commander Lu will personally escort the criminal to Anlin. Can you do it?"
"I can, Mr. President!"
"I heard you injured a leg. Will it affect your ability to work?"
"Good. You may leave now."
Commander Lu saluted and exited the room. Inside, Shen Xinhui continued to be very cautious, not daring to speak rashly,
"Commander Shen, we must have not seen each other for nearly ten years, right?"
"It seems to be the case, Mr. President..."
Wen Nian smiled and unexpectedly did not continue.
Shen Xinhui was a bit confused for a moment and hesitated for quite a while before asking, "Mr. President, did you come to Xilin specifically for Duan Shen’s matter?"
"The issue with Duan Shen is no small matter. A slight interrogation reveals the huge and dark power lurking behind him."
Wen Nian stood up. He walked to the window, drew back the curtains, and stood with his back to Shen Xinhui,
"I am young and ascended to power smoothly through the election. As a result, some party leaders resent me, especially the older ones. I wonder if Commander Shen is one of them."
"Mr. President, your rise to power at such a young age is due to your ability. You are the President elected by the people; it’s not up to some old officials who flaunt their qualifications to accept or reject. I’m just a small commander of the Xilin Military Region, and doing my job well is already exhausting enough for me."
"The Commander of the Xilin Military Region is no small commander, Commander Shen, you’re being too modest."
"If we move quickly, in three months, or slowly, in six months, from the Cabinet to each political party’s officials, there will be a major reshuffle."
Wen Nian’s gaze was steady as he looked ahead, unbeknownst to him that his words caused Shen Xinhui’s heart to skip a beat.
"I’m telling you this because I see you as one of us. After all, once a teacher, always a teacher—right, Instructor Shen?"
"...What do you need me to do, Mr. President?"
Shen Xinhui walked out of the VIP room and was out of sorts the entire way, his mind like a tape stuck on repeat, fixated on Wen Nian’s words, "Hold Xilin firm".
Hold Xilin firm, hold Xilin firm...
He felt there was a hidden meaning in those words, but he couldn’t fathom it.
Qu Yu led Mayor Lin Han past Shen Xinhui, who didn’t even raise his head.
Mayor Lin felt displeased: This Shen, showing his airs in front of him again!
"Mayor Lin, actually, the President has not been feeling well lately. If you meet with the President, please be brief."
Mayor Lin was startled before he hurriedly nodded his head, "Yes, yes, thank you for the reminder, Secretary Qu."
Qu Yu opened the door for Mayor Lin...
Wen Nian left Xilin the next day.
On the same day, the most prestigious surgeon in Xilin City visited the military hospital to examine Song Lili.
Lu Ziqing brought her the good news of her exemption from the entrance examination.
In mid-June, when the results were released, out of four thousand five hundred candidates, after three rounds of selection, only eight hundred twelve were accepted.
The trial of Duan Shen proceeded swiftly, and his death sentence was a foregone conclusion.
During her recovery, Song Lili spent some money to solve Tang Xiaocao’s household registration issue and bought a cost-effective jeep, spending nearly all her savings.
In mid-July, the new students underwent military training, which coincided with the hottest weather in Xilin.
At the same time, under the President’s feet, the sky over Anlin was undergoing a vast change.