Although being with Noah Johnson wasn’t like being a driver for other leaders—constantly getting good cigarettes, fine liquor, or receiving gifts and souvenirs from subordinates every few days—both Noah Johnson and his wife, as well as the three-person family of Nathaniel Johnson, were all very gentle and down-to-earth people who treated him with genuine sincerity. Liam Carter still liked them very much.

After all, Liam Carter was also an honest and simple person. With Noah Johnson’s character, he definitely wouldn’t employ a slick or cunning driver.

“Heh.” Nathaniel Johnson smiled, saying nothing more, but his thoughts were racing.

Around noon, the two of them ate a little at a small restaurant by the national highway—Liam Carter treated. A bit after one in the afternoon, they got on the Jingning Expressway. Once on the highway, the car sped up noticeably. By a little after 4 p.m., they had crossed from Northern Province into Binhai Province, got on the newly completed Ninghai Expressway from Ningyu, the provincial capital of Binhai, and finally returned to Haidu at 7:30 in the evening.

Haidu is a coastal city, one of the more economically developed prefecture-level cities among Binhai Province’s coastal cities. The black Santana drove into the neon-lit city nightscape and soon entered the government compound’s residential area.

Though it was the height of summer, in this coastal city, the sea breeze was refreshing, the stars shone brightly, and the night was as cool as water. After getting out of the car, Nathaniel Johnson stood quietly in front of it, gazing at the ordinary beige residential building before him, his dreamy eyes looking up at the warm, bright light shining from the window of the east apartment on the second floor.

Home is a warm word, and for the reborn Nathaniel Johnson at this very moment, the warmth and sense of belonging of home felt especially precious.

Liam Carter parked the car, helped Nathaniel Johnson retrieve his suitcase from the trunk, and seeing Nathaniel Johnson still lost in thought, smiled and said, “Come on, Nathaniel Johnson, we’re home. What’s wrong, feeling nervous now that you’re back in your hometown, afraid to go upstairs?”

“Heh, alright, Mr. Carter, let’s go upstairs.” Nathaniel Johnson snapped out of it, smiling as he followed along.

The two of them walked lightly up the stairs, and at the stairwell on the first floor, they ran into a short, stout middle-aged man coming down. The man was dressed in a sports T-shirt and shorts, holding a badminton racket in his hand. His expression was arrogant, his steps steady, and he was coming downstairs. When he saw Nathaniel Johnson, the man was clearly taken aback, but then immediately put on a seemingly gentle but actually rather affected smile.

Liam Carter quickly greeted him respectfully, “Secretary General Lewis!”

The man’s name was Quinn Lewis. He had previously been the Party Secretary and Director of the Haidu Public Security Bureau, then served as the District Party Secretary of Haidu District, and in October 1995 was promoted to Standing Committee Member and Secretary-General of the Haidu Municipal Party Committee—one of the core leaders in Haidu, with high rank and great power, once very prominent. Although Quinn Lewis had left the Public Security Bureau for a city post and become a Standing Committee Member, the The Lewis Family had never moved and still lived across the hall from the The Johnson Family. Nathaniel Johnson’s family lived in the east apartment on the second floor, while the The Lewis Family lived in the west apartment on the same floor.

Quinn Lewis gave a faint “Mm” in response to Liam Carter, his imposing eyes, however, falling on Nathaniel Johnson behind Liam Carter.

A chill ran through Nathaniel Johnson’s heart. He gazed deeply at the man before him, quickly composed himself, and stepped forward with a smile to greet him, “Hello, Uncle Lewis.”

Quinn Lewis was very imposing, full of official authority, and his stern demeanor made him seem lofty and unapproachable. Not to mention drivers like Liam Carter at the bottom, even ordinary government staff rarely received a kind word from him.

When Quinn Lewis saw Nathaniel Johnson, his face showed that kind of feigned, outwardly gentle and kind but inwardly condescending smile, and he nodded slightly, “Nathaniel Johnson is back, hmm, very good, very good. So you’ve graduated? Good! Hmm, my Lillian Grant has also graduated, heh… In the blink of an eye, you kids have all grown up, heh!”

Quinn Lewis smiled meaninglessly, speaking in officialese, but the arrogance and cold indifference of someone in power still seeped out from his eyes, making Nathaniel Johnson feel quite uncomfortable. Still, for the sake of appearances, he had to stand there with a seemingly respectful smile, listening to Quinn Lewis speak.

“Yes, I’ve graduated, Uncle Lewis. I just left school today. Are you heading out for a walk, Uncle Lewis?” Nathaniel Johnson smiled and stepped aside to let Quinn Lewis pass.

“Mm, getting older, need to move around a bit after dinner. Alright, you go home.” Quinn Lewis nodded, unwilling to waste any more time with Nathaniel Johnson, and went on his way.

Liam Carter turned to watch Quinn Lewis’s back, smacked his lips, and sighed softly, “Nathaniel Johnson, Secretary General Lewis is the most imposing leader among the city officials… But I heard you and his daughter Lillian Lewis are classmates, and your families live across from each other. I wonder if Director Johnson has arranged a job for you yet. If not, maybe you could try asking Quinn Lewis for a favor—who knows, it might work…”

Liam Carter made a money-rubbing gesture and glanced sideways at Nathaniel Johnson.

“Heh, Mr. Carter, he’s a top city leader—how could he help me find a job? I’m not going to embarrass myself.” Nathaniel Johnson smiled faintly, though the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Chapter 004 Secretary General Lewis

Under the dim corridor lights, Quinn Lewis strode away.