That night, everyone couldn't sleep.
Lu Yiwei tossed and turned on his bed. Guo Jinzhu's words echoed in his ears. "You can be the secretary of the County party committee just like him!" This sentence deeply shocked him. Being the secretary of the County party committee was such a distant dream that he didn't even dare to think about. However, Guo Jinzhu's words stimulated his once wavering heart. If Zhang Zhiyuan could be the secretary of the County party committee, why couldn't he?
Zhang Zhiyuan, who lived next door, also couldn't sleep. If it wasn't for Guo Jinzhu's guidance, his biggest wish was to make Nanyang County more beautiful. But now, the situation was obviously at a disadvantage. If he wanted to do something big, there were endless obstacles in front of him. Where should he go? He had no idea for a while.
The next morning, Lu Yiwei was woken up by the need to urinate. He moved his body. His whole body was sore, and he instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. The scenes that happened last night appeared in his mind, and he trembled with fear.
Lu Yiwei gritted his teeth and got out of bed. He ran to the bathroom to relieve his physiological needs. He touched his swollen chin in front of the mirror and suddenly had a strange thought. If he was really beaten to death yesterday, how would Zhang Zhiyuan explain it? Would he die in the line of duty like Hou Yongzhi? Then his death would be too worthless.
Lu Yiwei walked out of the bathroom and came to the window. He opened the curtains and stood at the commanding height of the city. He could see the whole city at a glance.
The whole city was shrouded in thick fog. In the distance, there were a few big chimneys emitting black smoke. There were only a few tall buildings scattered in every corner. Some rusty tower cranes looked like giants with their heads down, watching the changes in the city. Looking down, dilapidated and low bungalows could be seen everywhere. Complicated electric wires were like a mess. A few sparrows landed on them and chattered non-stop. On the narrow streets, there were a few cars driving lazily, and in the shabby alleys, bicycles clanked as they passed by. From time to time, the sound of hawking could be heard coming from the end of the street …
In the current era where GDP was the only thing that mattered, the level of urban construction and consumption was the window that reflected the overall economic strength of a region. Putting aside first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou for comparison, the development of Xizhou and Beizhou was definitely lagging behind, let alone Dongzhou and Nanzhou. If one didn't know better, one would think that this was a county town. Lu Yiwei could not help but sigh. Western Region was at least ten years behind other regions. With such a mess, it would be a headache for anyone to be the mayor. The burden on Guo Jinzhu's shoulders was not light.
After washing up, Lu Yiwei sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette. Cui Xiaofei knocked on the door and entered. He said, "Brother Lu, are you done? Let's go down for breakfast. "
The food habits of the Western City were similar to that of the Northern City, but the breakfast prepared was exceptionally rich. Milk, soy milk, porridge, fried dough sticks, steamed buns, and all kinds of side dishes. The dazzling lineup greatly increased one's appetite.
During the meal, Guo Jinzhu said, "I have a meeting this morning, and I have to accompany a guest at noon. I'll probably only be able to come over at night. When I'm not around, I'll let Xiaofei accompany you around. It's not easy to come here, so stay for two more days. "
Zhang Zhiyuan quickly said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Mayor Guo. We're just here to see you. We still have some matters to attend to in the county, so we're planning to go back after breakfast. The next time we come, we'll definitely stay for a few more days. "
"Oh." Guo Jinzhu did not try to persuade them to stay. "Since you all have matters to attend to, I won't keep you any longer. We'll meet again next month when I return to Beizhou. "After saying that, he asked Cui Xiaofei," Is everything ready? "
Cui Xiaofei hurriedly said, "Everything is ready."
"Didn't the Finance Department purchase a batch of new cars two days ago? Get someone to drive one over. "
Seeing that Cui Xiaofei was about to make a phone call, Zhang Zhiyuan immediately stopped him. "Mayor Guo, I can't do that. Just get someone to send us back. There's no need for a new car."
Guo Jinzhu ignored him and said, "Although Beizhou is a little poor, we can still afford a car. Your car is completely scrapped. Consider it a gift from me."
Cui Xiaofei also echoed, "Secretary Zhang, please accept it. This is a token of Mayor Guo's sincerity …" As he said that, Guo Jinzhu gave Cui Xiaofei a look. Cui Xiaofei got up and went to make the phone call.
After breakfast, Guo Jinzhu personally sent Zhang Zhiyuan and the others downstairs. A brand new Buick was parked in the courtyard of the hotel. Guo Jinzhu did not forget to remind Cui Xiaofei, "After that, drive the car to Nanyang County."
Parting was always sad. As the car slowly moved, Lu Yiwei saw through the rearview mirror that Guo Jinzhu was still standing at the entrance of the hotel, waving his hand. Like a train leaving the station, he did not know when they would meet again. Their former allies were now all in different directions, divided into many parts, quietly working in their own world.
On the way back, they took the provincial highway of Nanzhou, and the journey was safe. After driving into Beizhou City, Lu Yiwei took a detour to send Bai Yuxin back to Guchuan County. He declined his kind invitation and rushed straight to Nanyang County.
Along the way, the group of people chose to remain silent with their own thoughts. Bai Yuxin slept the whole way, while Zhang Zhiyuan tilted his head and looked at the scenery outside the window, deep in thought. Guo Jinzhu's words forced him to re-examine his career.
That's right. I'm a master's student in economics from a prestigious university. How can I be content in a corner and fight with a group of uncultured, uneducated people all day long? Putting aside the fact that I'm lowering my own status, the problem is, is there any meaning in these fearless "fights"? My stage is not in a small county, but a broader platform!
"Stop the car!" Zhang Zhiyuan suddenly said.
Lu Yiwei slowly pulled over, and Zhang Zhiyuan opened the rear door and got into the passenger seat.
When alone with Lu Yiwei, Zhang Zhiyuan preferred to sit in the passenger seat. Not only did it broaden his horizons, but it was also convenient to communicate and chat. On one hand, sitting in the back seat was for safety reasons, and on the other hand, it showed his identity as a leader. However, the space in the back seat was constrained, and the line of sight was not good. Unless it was a luxury car, not only was it spacious, but it also had all kinds of entertainment facilities. However, in a national-level poor county, the secretary of the County party committee was sitting in a car that cost more than 300,000 yuan.
After Zhang Zhiyuan got in the car, Lu Yiwei opened the ashtray and unscrewed the water glass. After everything was ready, they continued to move forward.
"Yiwei, I've been busy these days, and I didn't have time to care about your personal problems. There are some things I don't want to say. I believe you can handle it well, but remember, a man has to put his career first. He can't defeat himself in his emotional life, and he can't lose his mind after a setback. In my eyes, you're not that kind of person, but a chivalrous man of flesh and blood, right? "Zhang Zhiyuan didn't mention Xia Jinhe at all, but tried to enlighten Lu Yiwei on a spiritual level.
Lu Yiwei nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, Secretary Zhang. I will handle it well."
"Okay." Zhang Zhiyuan nodded and said, "If you are a man of society, no one will interfere with your private life, but in the officialdom, there are countless eyes staring at you. The taboo between a man and a woman is definitely a high-tension line. I don't want you to stumble on it. Do you understand what I mean?"
Lu Yiwei was confused, and he turned back and said, "Secretary Zhang, did someone say something to you?"
"No, I just reminded you," Zhang Zhiyuan said vaguely.
Zhang Zhiyuan obviously had something to say, but he only said half of it. Was someone making a fuss about me? Before Lu Yiwei could recall, Zhang Zhiyuan said again, "Yiwei, last night, Mayor Guo said that Liu Kecheng is back, and he may be the secretary general of the General Office of the Municipal Government."
"Ah?" Lu Yiwei was distracted, and the wheel suddenly ran into a big pit, and the two people were shaking.
"Slow down!" Zhang Zhiyuan patted the cigarette ash that fell on his body and said, "Although the position of the General Office of the Municipal Government is not much of a threat to us, it is relatively close to Mayor Lin Haifeng. If Liu Kecheng is playing tricks behind us, we may not be able to handle it."
Zhang Zhiyuan's worry was not without reason. Lu Yiwei had experienced Liu Kecheng's power, and he was narrow-minded and would seek revenge for the smallest grievance. Zhang Zhiyuan had pushed him out of the Nanyang officialdom. How could he swallow this? He would never let it go.
Lu Yiwei said, "Secretary Zhang, don't worry. I still have Liu Kecheng's weakness in my hands. If he dares to go against you, I will not let him go easily."
Zhang Zhiyuan shook his head and said, "We must not fall out with him unless it is absolutely necessary. In fact, it's nothing. As long as I am upright, why should I be afraid of him? As for you, there's even less to worry about. You're not a threat to him, so you can rest assured. " Zhang Zhiyuan's words were tough, but he did not have much confidence. Lin Haifeng was already biased against him, and now Liu Kecheng and Yang Derong were fanning the flames. It was not easy for him to be the Secretary of the County party committee!
Lu Yiwei did not say anything. The two were silent for a while, and Zhang Zhiyuan suddenly said, "Oh, right. Yiwei, you said that Elder Cai likes antiques, calligraphy and paintings, right?"
"Yes." Lu Yiwei nodded suspiciously. "Professor Cai is a cultured person, and he has done a lot of research on Chinese history. He is especially interested in the literature of the Three Kingdoms, Jin Dynasty, and Northern and Southern Dynasties."
"Oh." Zhang Zhiyuan said thoughtfully, "Elder Cai is an elegant person, which makes us seem tacky. Haha, aren't you his student? What do you think of him? "
Lu Yiwei thought for a moment and said, "I think he used to be a good person. He didn't care about his appearance, didn't care about worldly affairs, focused on learning, and published many books. But now, he has the air of a bureaucrat. I don't even dare to recognize him. "
Zhang Zhiyuan smiled. "Isn't it said that the bureaucracy is a big dye vat, not to mention the people around Secretary Huang of the Provincial Party Committee. It's not surprising that he has the air of a bureaucrat." Zhang Zhiyuan changed the topic. "Oh, right. What's the name of the classmate you had dinner with in the provincial capital?"
"He Quan. We call him Hei Quan. His father is the director of Jiangdong's Landscaping Bureau."
"Oh, he's very knowledgeable about antiques?"
"Yes. He opened his own antique shop, and business is booming." Lu Yiwei knew what Zhang Zhiyuan wanted to do. "Should I call him over another day?"
"There's no need for that!" Zhang Zhiyuan shook his head. "How about this? Ask him to get me a calligraphy and painting. Money is not a problem, but he must make sure it's authentic."
"Okay. Don't worry. Hei Quan is my best friend. He won't cheat me. How good are you at using him?"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
