A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)
Chapter 319 Are You Good Enough?

Qiu Mu-Cheng almost went insane.

A bureau chief?

Make do with a chief role?

"Mum, are you crazy? Do you know what you're saying? You even want a chief role? Do you know how big that role is? So many people never make it to chief their entire lives but you make it sound so easy! You make it sound like this position is too lowly for my dad. Do you think we're the government and we can be anything we want? How could you ask for such a high position? How do you expect Ye Fan to ask Mayor Han something like this?!"

Qiu Mu-Cheng didn't expect her mother to make such an unreasonable request and was so shocked. Fortunately, Han Dong-Min wasn't around to hear this, otherwise, her mother would probably have completely disgraced her family.

But Han Li was displeased with Qiu Mu-Cheng's reaction.

"Mu-Cheng, how could you say that?

What's wrong with getting Fan to replace your dad a job? Fan hasn't said anything and you're the one complaining instead. Han Dong-Min is one of the highest ranking men in the city, so he can get this settled with one word. You're our daughter, while Fan is our son-in-law. Don't you think you have an obligation to help with such a small favor? I didn't ask for much and Fan didn't say anything. Instead, you are the one reacting so violently. Daughters who are married are the worst! You've only lived with Fan for three years but your father and I raised you for more than 20 years!"

Qiu Mu-Cheng only said a few things but Han Li retorted with ten times as much.

But of course, Han Li was just using her seniority to get her way.

Han Li felt that since she raised Qiu Mu-Cheng, she was considered an elder in the family and all her children had to go along with her. If they didn't, they would be considered unfilial and disrespectful. She felt that it was right for children to repay their parents unconditionally!

"You...Mum, you're really ridiculous," said Qiu Mu-Cheng exasperatedly. But she knew that her mother would never listen to her.

So she decided to ignore her as she scoffed and turned to leave angrily.

Ye Fan pulled Qiu Mu-Cheng back and smiled and comforted her, "Mu-Cheng, don't be angry. Let's have dinner first."

After pacifying Qiu Mu-Cheng, Ye Fan turned to Han Li and said, "Mum, what you're asking is quite difficult to achieve. I can only say I'll do my best."

Since his mother-in-law asked, Ye Fan wouldn't defy her wishes openly.

There was an art to conversation. Qiu Mu-Cheng was their daughter and could speak her mind without worrying about anything. But Ye Fan was only the son-in-law and it was inappropriate for him to speak like Qiu Mu-Cheng, because it would only create more hostility within the family.

A harmonious family bred prosperity.

At times like this, it was necessary to be more tactful.

Ye Fan planned to promise them first and pretend to ask. Then he would get back to them a few days later to tell them there were no openings.

It was best not to publicly oppose them when it came to dealing with Han Li and Qiu Lei.

"Just look at the difference! Mu-Cheng, you're our daughter but you aren't even half as good as our son-in-law. Those who didn't know would think Fan is our son, and you were our daughter-in-law." When they heard Ye Fan agree to help, Han Li and her husband were immediately delighted.

"Fan, if it's too difficult, then a deputy chief works too. For the sake of my son-in-law's dignity, I don't mind putting up with the injustice of being second in command," Qiu Lei added.

But Han Li instantly glared at him and said angrily, "You stupid old fool, what are you saying? Fan knows Mayor Han! Big shots like Mayor Han can get you that little job as chief in a matter of minutes. How can there be any difficulty? You're looking down on our son-in-law and Mayor Han here!"

Qiu Lei smiled and nodded immediately. "You're right. I shouldn't have said that."

Qiu Mu-Cheng was speechless from listening to her own parents chime and echo each other.

Fortunately, there were no outsiders at the table. Or else it would be a huge embarrassment for anyone else to see these wonderful parents of Qiu Mu-Cheng's.

Qiu Mu-Cheng and Ye Fan thought that dinner was over, but just as they were about to clear the cutlery, Han Li eagerly poured Ye Fan a cup of tea instead.

"Fan, this is the finest Maojian and costs more than $1,000 for just 500 grams. I know you like tea, so I especially got a friend to help buy it from the south. Want to give it a try?" said Han Li warmly. His mother-in-law had spoken, so of course Ye Fan had to drink it.

He picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"Is it good?" asked Han Li.

Ye Fan nodded and said, "Yup, it's great. Thanks, Mum."

"You're welcome. Since the tea tastes good, then I have one other tiny thing I need your help with."

When he heard Han Li's words, the smile on Ye Fan's face instantly stiffened.

So his mother-in-law had laid a trap for him!

First, she plied him with good food and wine, and now she had taken out fine tea. So she was clearly trying to make it hard for him to refuse her requests.

Ye Fan had no choice but to go along with it. "What is it?"

"Haha, since you're so open to it, then I won't be shy either. As you know, I'm a couple of years older than your dad and I'm already 50. But I saw on the TV that it's considered young to be a politician even at 50 years of age. Politicians are serving the country at the frontline even when they are 70 to 80 years old."

"So I can't idle around either and I've had enough of idling around anyway. Since you're helping your dad, why don't you get Mayor Han to give me a job too then? I know my abilities well, so I can forget about being a chief. But I should be good enough to be a director."

"This is a small matter, right? It's so tiny that it'll only take a matter of minutes for you to tell Mayor Han. Once your dad and I become government officials, you and Mu-Cheng can get to show off too. Even your snobbish grandfather will stop looking down on us," said Han Li continuously as she looked at Ye Fan and didn't seem the least bit embarrassed.

But Qiu Mu-Cheng could no longer go on listening to her. She felt as though she was sitting on hot coals.

She didn't know how her mother managed to say such things.

Even if Ye Fan was that important to Han Dong-Min, such a request was as good as forcing Han Dong-Min to compromise.

If her parents got him implicated in some trouble, how could Ye Fan face Han Dong-Min in the future?

"Mum, this request is too unreasonable. Firstly, you're making things difficult for Ye Fan. Secondly, neither of you is good enough for the job. Don't you know yourselves well enough yet? If you had a bureau to yourselves, can you seriously run it? Can you manage it well? Are you two good enough for the position?"