After sending off Ding Hainian in the heavy snow of winter, the New Year of the Fifth Lunar New Year arrived with great difficulty. This Spring Festival seemed to be different from the previous years. Snowstorms came one after another, and there were many travelers who were eager to return home. They missed their homeland, but they could not reach it.
The snow disaster in the south was still ongoing, but the red alert was temporarily lifted in the morning of Long An. In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve. As for Lu Yiwei, he was still rushing along the small path in the fields. A pair of deformed leather shoes covered in mud and a military coat that he had worn for the whole winter were his standard attire. The ashtray in the office was often filled with cigarette butts. On the bedside table in the bedroom, there were all kinds of pills. The phone that never left his hand had lost its luster, and the paint around it had fallen off. In his pocket, besides a lighter and cigarettes, there was another phone battery …
Every year before the New Year, the leaders of all levels were especially busy. Their daily schedules were almost full. From the CPPCC tea party, group visit, condolences to the old party members, old cadres, stationed officers and soldiers, and families in need … they were all lined up until the end of the year. While others were having a happy reunion, sitting around and watching the Spring Festival Gala, he had to continue running around.
His wife, Fan Chunfang, had called him countless times, asking when he would be coming home for the New Year. Every time he called, he would only say a few words, and most of the time, he would use "en" and "ah" instead. He would hang up and continue working. From the moment he set foot on the road to Long An, he no longer belonged to a family, but to the 800,000 people of Long An.
It was his duty to sacrifice.
How busy was he? He was so busy that he didn't have time to go home, visit his old leader, or laze around in bed. There were so many trivial things that he had to do that he had no choice but to move forward.
The Spring Festival in the north had always been very festive. As soon as the twelfth lunar month entered, people would start to get busy, tidying up the courtyard, cleaning the house, buying New Year's goods, dressing up, and cooking all kinds of delicious food. In the following month, eating, drinking, and playing became the theme to reward the hard work of the year.
Today was New Year's Eve, and the sky finally cleared up. The sun was warm, but it was not enough to melt the thick ice and snow. Long An County was shrouded in a strong festive atmosphere. Every family hung up big red lanterns and pasted Spring Festival couplets. Some children had already put on new clothes … The New Year was right under their feet.
Lu Yiwei came to the office as usual. Jiang Zhentao sat across the desk, smoking a cigarette and said, "Secretary Lu, all the units are on holiday today. The agenda has been completed. Why don't you go home for the New Year? I'll keep an eye on things here."
Lu Yiwei didn't reply. He raised his head and asked, "Have the safety notices been sent out?"
"Yes, I sent them all."
"That's good. What about the other leaders?"
"Other than the leaders of Long'an County, the rest have gone home. Oh yes, Secretary Qiu hasn't left yet. "
Lu Yiwei asked in surprise, "Why hasn't she left yet?"
"This … I'm not sure. Maybe he'll come back today."
"Oh, take care of him later. Who doesn't come home for the New Year? Where are the comrades from the County party committee office? "
"Everyone is holding their posts."
The work of the County party committee office was different from other units. To put it bluntly, it revolved around one leader. As long as the leader was still there, no one dared to relax. Lu Yiwei let out a long sigh and said, "Inform them to rest. Just take turns to be on duty. Have the year-end subsidies been sent out? "
"Yes, they have been sent out."
Lu Yiwei got up and opened the cabinet. He took out a big black bag and put it in front of him. "These are the cigarettes Wang Zhiquan gave me. I'll get Changyuan to distribute them to everyone later. Thank you for your hard work."
"You can't do that. I've already settled everything down."
"You are yours, and I am mine. Do you want me to send them out personally?"
Jiang Zhentao quickly waved his hand and said, "No need. I thank you on behalf of everyone."
Lu Yiwei looked at him and said with a faint smile, "I've settled Hu Peng down and sent something to your house. It's my friend's 50-year-old Xijiang Red from the Xijiang Liquor Factory. There are also two bottles of Maotai. It's just a token of my appreciation. "
Jiang Zhentao was moved to tears. "Thank you, Secretary Lu. I have been in politics for so many years, and I have never seen a leader give gifts to his subordinates. You are the first. On the other hand, you refused to accept the gifts that we offered you. "
"Let me correct you. It's not gifts. It's condolences. You have been working hard for me for so long. Even if you don't have any credit, you have worked hard. Furthermore, it's not easy for you to serve me at such an old age. Also, you might have heard that I never accept gifts from anyone, let alone money. Tell them not to go to my house. It's useless even if they go. Also, don't go to my dormitory. Don't give me a driver without my permission. It's not that I am noble, but it's my principle and duty. I don't lack money, and I have no reason to accept gifts from them. It's not easy. "
"Also, tell them that it's not that people will look at them differently if they give them something, and it's not that they'll have a bad opinion of them if they don't give them anything. Let the facts speak for themselves. As long as they do a good job, they will still be promoted. If you're always sloppy, you won't be promoted even if you walk the crooked path. "
Lu Yiwei's way of doing things had widened Jiang Zhentao's horizons. He had never seen a leader who does not love money. Lu Yiwei's words, "I don't lack money", had explained it well. Jiang Zhentao nodded. "Secretary Lu, I will be honest with you. Visiting leaders before the New Year is not only in Long An County, but the whole of China. It's New Year, and it's reasonable for a subordinate to express his true feelings. No one will say anything. But if you don't accept gifts, you … "
Lu Yiwei said solemnly, "Of course I can accept it. It's acceptable to give some local specialties. However, some people brought a bag of money to my house. Is this expressing their true feelings? It's bribery in a different way. Tell them to behave themselves. If they send more gifts, I will hand them over to the Commission for Discipline Inspection. Some of them are especially large. I want to investigate where he got the money from. "
"I understand. You are so young, yet you can set an example for yourself. I admire you, and I am ashamed."
Lu Yiwei did not want to linger on this issue and changed the topic. "Due to the snowstorm, the Three Cadres Meeting has to be postponed. It will be held on the 8th of January. All preparations will start immediately after the New Year. You will write my speech. "
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