Next day.
Morning. County Party Committee Compound.
Dong Xuebing walked to work and entered the County Government Office Building. He walked towards his office unhurriedly.
"Mayor Dong."
"Mayor Dong."
"Good morning."
Along the corridor, many people greeted Dong Xuebing politely.
Dong Xuebing smiled and nodded at them before walking up the stairs.
… …
Third floor.
Executive Deputy Mayor's office.
Dong Xuebing took out his keys to open the door and realized the door was not locked. He opened the door and saw Yao Cui in the office. She is holding onto the windowsill with one hand and is wiping the windows awkwardly. Dong Xuebing looked around the office. The books on the shelves had been arranged neatly, and there was no dust on the desk and floor. There were still water stains on some places. Someone had cleaned the floor.
Dong Xuebing smiled. "What are you doing?"
"You are here?" Yao Cui turned and smiled. "I'm cleaning up the office."
Dong Xuebing quickly walks over. "Come down now. I don't want you to fall."
Yao Cui did not listen. "It's okay. It's done. Cleaning is also my job."
Dong Xuebing replied helplessly. "You are the one who helped me clean my house yesterday. Don't do this again. The office is not dirty, and you don't need to clean it."
"Haha … I also need to do something."
"What are you doing?"
"I don't want people to gossip."
"They don't dare to do this. Come down now. I am scared."
Yao Cui heard Dong Xuebing and stopped wiping the windows. She took a deep breath and wiped the sweat on her forehead before pouring a cup of tea for Dong Xuebing. "Leader, please have some tea."
Dong Xuebing laughed. "What leader? There are no outsiders here."
Yao Cui laughed and passed a document to Dong Xuebing. "I had gone to the County Government office. There is a Mayor's office meeting at 10 am, and I want to inform you to attend."
Dong Xuebing nodded. "Let me take a look." He picked up the document and read it.
He looked at Yao Cui, who was standing by the side, and said, "Chief Ma gave me a spare key to your office. Our county is poor, and we don't have a luxurious office. So I went to the secretarial department, and Chief Ma arranged a small office for me. I've left my phone number on the table for you. If there's no water in the thermos, or if you need any documents, or if you need to go out for work, just give me a call."
Dong Xuebing laughed. "You are quite formal."
"Of course." Yao Cui smiled and said, "How is it? Am I a competent secretary?"
"Competent, competent."
"Why does it sound so perfunctory?"
"Hehe, I'm not being perfunctory."
"Anyway, I filled the thermos for you and cleaned the office for you. My morning task is basically done." Yao Cui stretched herself. "It's not easy being a secretary."
Dong Xuebing replied. "That's why I said you don't need to do this."
"No. Work is work, and you must be clear about this." Yao Cui insisted, "If I become arrogant because of your favor, not only will people gossip about me behind my back, but their impression of you will also be affected … Uh, arrogant because of your favor is a bit of a misnomer. Hmm, it should be changed to 'a villain intoxicated by success'. Haha, in general, no one in the system uses a secretary of the opposite sex. Since you promoted me under so much pressure, I can't be a burden to my old classmate. Don't worry, it's fine if we're alone, but I know how to speak and do things in front of outsiders. I've been working in the secretarial department for three years.
Dong Xuebing walked over and poured a cup of tea for Yao Cui. "Have some."
"I won't stand on ceremony with you." Yao Cui took the cup from Dong Xuebing. "Thank you."
Dong Xuebing and Yao Cui sat on the sofa and drank tea. "Actually, if we are not classmates, I will also not dare to use a female secretary. But it's still fine now. There might be restrictions in the cities and provinces, but in our County, it's fine to use a female secretary."
"I know you are trying to help me."
"I just want you to help me."
"I know what you are saying. Oh, my follower had found a job. A state-owned printing factory's staff came over to invite him. It's all because of you. Thank you."
"No need." Dong Xuebing looked at Yao Cui. "It was too late last night, and we didn't have the time to chat. I really want you to help me. You have been working here for so many years, and you are also a local. You should know more about the situation in Zhen Shui County than most people. I don't know anything, and I don't dare to approach other people. It's mainly because I don't trust them. That's why I can only ask you."
Yao Cui smiled and took a sip of tea. "Then you have found the right person. What do you want to ask?"
Dong Xuebing blinked. "Tell me about our County's situation first. Although I had seen everything, I am not very clear about it. "
Yao Cui nodded. "Zhen Shui County is poor. Other than being poor, there's nothing else. That's why it can't develop."
Dong Xuebing asked curiously. "A National Impoverished County. Shouldn't the higher-ups give a lot of subsidies and funds?"
Yao Cui replied. "I can tell you have never worked in a Impoverished County before. Some Counties might look poor on the surface, but they are actually very wealthy. Even if they can remove the label of poverty, they will not do so. But some Counties are really poor. For example, our Zhen Shui County. Once this County is poor, the shortage of funds will get worse. It's getting worse every year. For example, our government agencies' staff salaries. The County has to rely on taxes and revenue to barely pay off the salaries. As for other places, you should know that there is a shortage of funds everywhere. In the end, the County still owes tens of millions of RMB every year. The next year, the County will need funds from the higher-ups to pay off the debts. It's the same this year. When you were appointed, do you know what the County's Party Secretary did in the Province?"
"What did he do?"
"He went to ask for money. The funds had just been issued after the New Year, but he had already paid off the debts. He had also filled up some of the loopholes. That's why he does not have enough funds to start his work."
"Is it like this every year?"
"Yes. It's the same every year. Ask for money, borrow money, and repay money. This is our County's main task and also the biggest headache for the County's leaders. Secretary Meng's request for money in the Provincial Capital did not get any results, and I heard the Provincial Government will not give him any money. Maybe it's like this every year, and the Provincial Government is also frustrated. The City Government is also in the same situation as us. They are not rich and cannot give us any money. But if we don't get the funds, our County will not be able to survive this year. It's only a few months since the start of the year."
"We don't have our own businesses?"
"It's not like you didn't see it. This area is full of mountains and fields, and the weather is not good. The agriculture industry is often affected by natural disasters."
"What about animal husbandry?"
"It's slightly better. But we don't have money, and we can't develop it. Other than these, our County has nothing else." Dong Xuebing sighed.
Dong Xuebing sighed. He does not have anything he wants. No wonder he is poor.
Yao Cui looks at Dong Xuebing. "How are we going to develop the County? I think the leaders had given up, and there is nothing left to develop. Now, they are asking for money from everywhere. Their main task is to maintain the current environment. "
"This is not right."
"The County's leaders should also know this is not a long-term solution. But they have no choice. The previous leaders had tried everything, but it was still the same."
Dong Xuebing suddenly asked. "I can tell from Mayor Jiang's attitude, she doesn't seem to care about anything. She seems to be very calm. Is this the reason? "
Yao Cui paused for a second. "No."
Dong Xuebing asked. "Huh? Then what is the reason? "
Yao Cui looked at the door and saw that it was closed. "You have not met Secretary Meng of the County's Party Committee. He must have lost confidence in Zhen Shui County and gave up on the idea of developing the industry. Every year, he wants to make up for the lack of funds, and he will be thanking the heavens if there are no problems during his term. But for Mayor Jiang … … Ahem, there are some things that I won't say to others, but it's fine between us." Yao Cui lowered her voice and thought for a while before saying. "Mayor Jiang … … Yes. Mayor Jiang is a widow."
Dong Xuebing was stunned. "Widow?"
"Yes. She doesn't even have children."
"What about her husband?"
Jiang Fangfang was in her thirties, and Dong Xuebing thought her children would be old enough to attend primary school. But she doesn't have any children, and her family … …
Yao Cui said, "Mayor Jiang's husband was in poor health before they got married. It was probably a few years ago, I don't remember. At that time, Mayor Jiang wasn't the leader of the government yet, and his wife passed away. This was a huge blow to Mayor Jiang. I heard that Mayor Jiang was hospitalized for a month because of this incident, and she didn't even speak a word during that period. Then, by chance, Mayor Jiang became the leader of the government. But ever since her husband passed away, Mayor Jiang seemed to have changed into a different person. She no longer had the drive to improve herself, and her personality became flat. Of course, she didn't just ignore everything. She also interfered and asked questions, but she always gave people the feeling that she was just putting on a perfunctory face. At first, everyone thought that Mayor Jiang couldn't get over this hurdle and thought that she would get over it after a few days. But after three or four years, Mayor Jiang is still the same as before, and everyone is used to it."
Dong Xuebing sighed. "Every family has their own problems."
"That's right." Yao Cui continued. "That's why Party Secretary Meng has the final say in the County. First, Party Secretary Meng is the County's Party Committee Secretary and is the leader of the government. Secondly, Mayor Jiang is too indifferent, and many County's Party Committee members are not willing to follow a leader who is not motivated. That's why they chose to side with Party Secretary Meng. Of course, I don't know if Mayor Jiang is really not motivated or if she had overcome this hurdle."
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