Evelyn Owen straightened her chest, blushing as she spoke softly. She had completely misunderstood Andrew Brooks's intentions.

　　……

　　……

　　Andrew Brooks was a bit surprised. He had never really paid much attention to Evelyn Owen before, but it turned out she was also the child of a department-level official. He sighed—no wonder people say Yanda is the cradle of officials' children in China; it really lives up to its reputation. Just in his own class, if you counted Evelyn Owen and Emily Summers, there were probably seven or eight students whose parents were county-level or above leaders.

　　Following Evelyn Owen into the The Owen Family's three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment, and after having a cup of coffee, Andrew Brooks couldn't wait any longer and said, "Evelyn Owen, sorry to trouble you, but could you help me think of a way to meet Chris Brooks? If it really doesn't work, just tell me which building he lives in, and I'll go myself."

　　Evelyn Owen sat cross-legged on her family's soft leather sofa and sighed softly, "Andrew Brooks, Deputy Minister Brooks's home isn't far, it's just behind my building. But... if my dad were here, it would be easier to talk about. Now it's so late, I'm afraid Deputy Minister Brooks has already gone to bed. If we go and disturb him..."

　　"Would tomorrow morning work?" Seeing the deep anxiety on Andrew Brooks's face, Evelyn Owen frowned slightly.

　　……

　　……

　　Evelyn Owen helplessly changed into a milky white, waist-fitted dress, left her house, and walked along the quiet path, turning the corner to the three-story building behind. That building housed several leaders from the Organization Department, each occupying a floor, and Chris Brooks's family lived on the second floor.

　　Although her father Kyle Owen was at the same rank as Chris Brooks, their power was worlds apart. The executive vice president of the provincial party school, though a department-level position, was a nominal post, while the executive deputy minister of the provincial Organization Department held real power over the management of all provincial officials—there was no comparison.

　　Evelyn Owen timidly pressed the doorbell at Chris Brooks's home. After quite a while, Chris Brooks, wearing pajamas and gold-rimmed glasses, looking gentle and refined, finally opened the door. Seeing it was the little girl from Kyle Owen's family, he couldn't help but be a bit surprised and said in a deep voice, "You're the little Evelyn from the The Owen Family, right? Do you need something from me?"

　　"Uncle Brooks, I have a classmate who wants to meet you." Evelyn Owen's voice was very low as she handed over a note that Andrew Brooks had just written.

　　Evelyn Owen had no idea what Andrew Brooks was up to, and she certainly didn't believe that Chris Brooks would agree to meet him just because of a note from an ordinary college graduate. But she really couldn't bear to see the anxious look in Andrew Brooks's eyes, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and come.

　　But Evelyn Owen clearly saw Chris Brooks's expression change dramatically after glancing at the note. His shoulders trembled slightly, and he waved his hand, "You can go back now, I understand."

　　With that, Chris Brooks closed the security door tightly.

　　……

　　Evelyn Owen had just returned home when the phone rang shrilly.

　　On the line, Chris Brooks said coldly, "Half an hour later, Room 203, Xuelan Café," and then hung up.

　　Andrew Brooks jumped to his feet. "Evelyn Owen, thank you so much. I'm going right now, thank you!"

　　Evelyn Owen was taken aback, then stood up as well. "Andrew Brooks, I'll go with you. Do you know where Xuelan Café is? I'll take you!"

　　Without giving Andrew Brooks a chance to refuse, Evelyn Owen took the lead and walked out the door.

　　The two of them took a taxi to an unremarkable café on a bustling commercial street less than a kilometer from the provincial government compound. Although the café looked inconspicuous, the interior was luxuriously and elegantly decorated, with all kinds of high-end cars parked at the entrance. Inside, the lighting was dim, and men and women in fashionable clothes huddled in semi-private booths, whispering, chatting quietly, clinking glasses, or even kissing passionately, their voices full of ambiguous undertones.

　　Evelyn Owen waited outside the door.

　　Led by a waiter, Andrew Brooks steadied himself and gently pushed open the thick, brown-red leather-padded door of Room 203, which creaked softly.

　　The private room was simply furnished: two long sofas, a TV, an air conditioner, and a delicate iron tea table. Under the soft yellow glow of the wall lamp, Chris Brooks wore a white shirt, dark blue trousers, and shiny crocodile leather shoes—the typical attire of a high-ranking official.

　　His expression was rather flat, even a bit stiff. Only his eyes were extremely sharp, yet he refused to look directly at Andrew Brooks; after a brief glance, he looked away.

　　Andrew Brooks's palm tightened slightly. This meeting was not what he wanted. Deep down, if it weren't for trying to change his fate and save his mother, he wouldn't want to see this man at all, no matter how much power he had that others envied. In Andrew Brooks's eyes, that meant nothing. In his previous life, he had never had any dealings with this man, and by relying on his own efforts and abilities, he had become a deputy division-level official at the age of 33. If it hadn't been for that unexpected fire during his temporary assignment, his career would have had limitless prospects.

Chapter 015 Outbreak