As the New Year approached, the Criminal Investigation Team temporarily set aside several major cases, allowing officers to take a good rest and prepare for the holiday.

Liang Jiajia also freed up some time, and was finally able to enjoy a nine-to-five work schedule.

On Monday, the City Committee and Municipal Government, along with all bureaus and committees in the city, became frantically busy.

With New Year's Day the next day, the leaders instructed everyone to finish all pending work to not affect the holiday celebrations.

Song Guanchao was also very busy throughout the day, sorting through various documents, feeling overwhelmed.

Around ten o'clock, Wu Qiangwei called him over.

"Let's book a few tables nearby for lunch, and invite all the office colleagues to gather before the New Year."

"Invite everyone?"

"Yes."

"Alright."

Song Guanchao then went to a nearby restaurant and booked ten tables for lunch.

After booking, he returned to the City Committee and went to Xu Xin's office.

"Director Xu, please notify all departments that there will be a lunch gathering next door at Wei Xuan Pavilion, hosted by Secretary Wu, and everyone available should try to attend."

Having informed Xu Xin, Song Guanchao continued to busy himself with organizing the files.

At eleven in the morning, a group of people came down from the City Committee Building, wrapped in thick down jackets, chatting and laughing as they walked to the restaurant.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Song Guanchao noticed that Qu Xiangru was absent.

She found Jiang Yiren and asked, "Why hasn't Secretary Qu shown up?"

"Secretary Qu went to report at the Provincial Committee."

Jiang Yiren removed her coat, revealing a beige turtleneck sweater paired with dark, form-fitting jeans and knee-high boots, looking both stylish and gentle, attracting glances from many men.

"She went to the Provincial Committee?"

Song Guanchao asked, "When did she go?"

"She left in the morning."

Song Guanchao approached Wu Qiangwei: "Secretary, Secretary Qu went to report at the Provincial Committee."

Wu Qiangwei was momentarily stunned, as she was unaware.

Suddenly, she felt that the lunchtime arrangement was somewhat inappropriate.

"I'll give her a call."

She chatted with Qu Xiangru over the phone, discussing the lunch gathering.

After hanging up, she said, "Secretary Qu can't make it back, let's gather again after the New Year."

Song Guanchao suggested, "Secretary, how about I deliver a meal to her later?"

Wu Qiangwei looked at him with a strange expression.

Deliver a meal?

This is Lingjiang.

Qu Xiangru is in the Provincial City.

Two or three hundred kilometers, just to deliver a meal?

She couldn't quite understand what had gotten into Song Guanchao.

Song Guanchao maintained his composure and said, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and while we're gathering today, everyone from the City Committee is here, except for this key secretary."

"Secretary, we didn't handle this well."

Suppressing his voice, he analyzed for her, "Secretary Qu might not say anything openly, but she might wonder if we're deliberately neglecting her."

Wu Qiangwei replied, "Secretary Qu isn't that petty."

Song Guanchao said, "Maybe Secretary Qu won't overthink it, but what about others?"

His gaze swept the room and he said, "Everyone is here today, except for her, and she left for the Provincial Committee early in the morning. If word gets out, those with ulterior motives might stir the pot."

What he said made sense too.

Seeing her expression soften, Song Guanchao continued, "I'm your secretary, so I'll deliver the meal to Secretary Qu. Even if it's just a simple dish, it shows our sincerity. If people talk about it, they'll only say that you handle things perfectly, and can't use this against you."

"Additionally, you'd better announce before the meal that I'm going to the Provincial City to deliver the meal."

Listening to Song Guanchao consider her in every aspect, Wu Qiangwei felt a warmth in her heart, with a hint of guilt.

She hadn't even known Qu Xiangru had left for the Provincial Committee when she booked the meal.

If she had thought of all this in advance and changed the gathering time, there wouldn't have been a need for Song Guanchao to plan out a solution.

Not to mention making a special trip to the Provincial City.

Looking at this tall man, she felt somewhat moved.

As the food was served and everyone was seated, Wu Qiangwei stood up and said a few formal words, then shifted the topic, "Secretary Qu is at the Provincial Committee for a report and can't join us. But since this is her first gathering with the City Committee, even though she can't be here in person, we must ensure she feels the warmth."

"Secretary Song, could you please ask the kitchen to pack some dishes and deliver them to Secretary Qu in the Provincial City?"

Everyone was a bit surprised upon hearing this.

Delivering specifically to Qu Xiangru...

Song Guanchao nodded and left his seat.

Behind him, he heard the sounds of others standing and raising their glasses.

In the kitchen, after packing the food, he left, only to unexpectedly see Jiang Yiren standing there.

"You're going to the Provincial City?"

"Yes."

Without stopping, Song Guanchao continued walking outside.

Jiang Yiren followed, saying, "I'll go with you."

"Why are you coming?"

"To keep you company."

"Why do I need your company? Go back, go back."

"I just want to keep you company."

Jiang Yiren followed him out of the restaurant, and at the door, Song Guanchao said helplessly, "Secretary Wu is treating, and you haven't even had a bite. How does that look?"

Jiang Yiren said, "I'm Secretary Qu's secretary, so it's sensible for me to accompany you."

Song Guanchao rolled his eyes, not bothering with her, and opened the car door to leave.

"Wait a minute!"

Jiang Yiren walked to the car window, lowered her head, and searched through her bag.

"For you."

She pulled out a pair of pink knitted gloves from her bag.

Song Guanchao looked puzzled, "What for?"

"They're for you." Jiang Yiren blushed a little. "I knitted them myself."

"I'm a man, and you're giving me pink gloves?"

"Pink is nice," she said, tucking the gloves into Song Guanchao's arms. "Drive safely."

After saying this, she turned and left.

Holding the gloves, Song Guanchao felt somewhat speechless.

This girl, is she determined to pursue me?

At two-thirty in the afternoon, Song Guanchao arrived in the Provincial City.

He took out his phone and called Qu Xiangru.

"Secretary Qu, where are you?"

"What's the matter?"

"Secretary Wu asked me to bring you some food."

Qu Xiangru probably didn't quite understand what he meant.

Bring me food?

Where to deliver it?

"Secretary Qu, are you at the Provincial Committee?"

"You're in the Provincial City?"

"Yes, I just got off the highway."

"Call me when you get to the Provincial Committee."

Half an hour later, the car stopped at the Provincial Committee Parking Lot.

After calling her, Song Guanchao stood by the car and lit a cigarette.

The Provincial Committee Parking Lot was almost empty. Those not living in the city had taken leave early to go home.

Many departments were practically useless; the work of ten people could be done by one, and the office could still function with two-thirds of the people gone.

Looking at the Provincial Committee Building in front of him, Song Guanchao thought to himself, "I wonder when I'll have the chance to work here."

While lost in thought, a tall figure appeared on the building's steps.

Qu Xiangru wore a black wool coat over her outfit, with the slacks looking rather thin for this weather.

She must have been cold, as Song Guanchao saw her pulling the coat tightly around herself.

This action accentuated her figure.

The Provincial Committee's steps seemed like her runway.

A gust of wind lifted her hair and coat flaps.

She saw Song Guanchao from afar.

In the chilly parking lot, Song Guanchao stood by the car, his suit open, with one hand in his pocket and a cigarette in his left hand.

The smoke he exhaled was blown into a wisp by the wind.

When she reached the car, a snowflake suddenly landed on her hair.

Song Guanchao raised his hand and looked at the increasing snowflakes, "It's snowing."

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