Chapter 245: Welcoming the Mayor

After finishing the call, Zhang Ailing said to herself: "Vice Mayor Yu is also going to attend Old Lin's Heihe Coal Mine groundbreaking ceremony today. It seems Old Lin really has quite a lot of face to have invited Vice Mayor Yu over."

"Director Zhang, it seems Lin Dafa is making quite a big deal out of this groundbreaking ceremony today."

"Old Lin has always had that style. He's been running coal mines for over twenty years; his reputation in Yuyang City is no small matter. This guy, at the end of the year, even though Vice Mayor Yu is so busy, he actually managed to find time to go... Sigh, but Vice Mayor Yu is in charge of Yuyang's coal industry; it's only right for him to attend the Heihe Coal Mine groundbreaking ceremony. Once the Heihe Coal Mine and the Xiaogou Coal Mine go into production, Yuyang City's economic growth will reach a new level. This is also one of Vice Mayor Yu's political achievements."

"Director Zhang, do you think Vice Mayor Yu counts as a good official?" Zhao De asked, pretending to be foolish.

This somewhat foolish question actually made Zhang Ailing feel that this young man was a bit simple. She turned her head and looked at him with a smile, saying: "Xiao Zhao, you've met Vice Mayor Yu a few times and dealt with him once or twice. What do you think of Vice Mayor Yu as a person?"

Zhao De rolled his eyes, raised his lids, thought for a moment, and said: "I think Vice Mayor Yu must be an honest and good official, the kind who is incorruptible, just like you, Director Zhang—upright and resolute in handling matters."

Zhao De's words made Zhang Ailing feel warm inside, and she said with a smile: "You guy, you're really glib-tongued. Any leader would like you."

"Director Zhang, are we going straight to the Heihe Coal Mine or somewhere else?"

"First to Shenfu County. The county government leaders there want to accompany Vice Mayor Yu to the countryside."

"Oh... by the way, why is Li Shanshan sick again? She seems to have a very poor constitution?" Zhao De was actually quite concerned about her. He had spent a wild afternoon with her at his place just the day before yesterday. Only a day later, and she was sick.

"Xiao Li's physical fitness isn't good, I suppose. Why, Xiao Zhao, are you interested in Xiao Li?" Director Zhang turned her head and looked at him with a devilish smile.

Zhao De shook his head like a rattle-drum, denying it flatly: "Where, nothing of the sort." He maintained an improper relationship with the head of the bureau in front of him. Although she was nearly fifty and had a husband who was a deputy minister in the provincial party committee's organization department, he had deeply experienced a woman's possessiveness and jealousy. He must never let Director Zhang know he had relationships with so many women.

"Xiao Zhao, how old are you this year?"

"Twenty-four after the New Year. Still young, no rush to talk about those things. I'm just thinking about working hard and following your arrangements, Leader." When he said this, his expression was very strange, with a smile on his face that only Zhang Ailing could understand.

Zhang Ailing glanced sideways, her lips moved a few times, she gave a ghostly smile, turned her face, and said: "Xiao Zhao, you are still very sensible. Now, while you're young, work hard in the bureau; you'll definitely have a bright future. Old Wang's and my positions will sooner or later be handed over to you young people. There are many young people in the bureau now, and the competition is fierce. You must seize the opportunity."

"That's true, that's true. I still need you to look after me more, Director Zhang. If there's anything I'm not doing well, you must give me more guidance."

"No, you're performing very well right now. You've joined the Party, right? You also performed very well at the New Year's party, leaving a very good impression on the old comrades and leaders in the bureau. Keep it up, and the opportunity will definitely be yours."

"I will definitely keep your teachings in mind, Leader."

"Alright, don't be so formal in front of me!" Zhang Ailing glanced at him alluringly, turned her face away, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes. "It's still nearly two hours until we reach Shenfu. Rest a bit in the car."

Zhao De understood that Director Zhang wanted to close her eyes and rest for a while, so he stopped talking to disturb her and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to sleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he felt the car stop. Lively sounds came from outside, and he felt they had entered a city. He opened his eyes and looked outside, discovering they had arrived at a county seat. The streets after the New Year were bustling and noisy, with small stalls selling lanterns and couplets lined up along the street.

Zhang Ailing also opened her eyes, looked across, and asked the driver: "We've reached Shenfu County, right?"

"Director Zhang, we have."

"Go to the county government first," Director Zhang instructed.

"Alright." The driver turned the steering wheel and drove straight toward the county government.

Before long, they arrived outside the county party committee and county government compound of Shenfu County. Four cars were parked side-by-side in the courtyard, two from the People's Congress and two from the Party Committee, preparing to accompany Vice Mayor Yu to the countryside to Heihe Village.

The car stopped at the entrance of the county party committee and county government. The weather outside was too cold, so Zhang Ailing said: "Keep the heating on. We won't get out; we'll just wait in the car for Vice Mayor Yu to come over. Once we meet up, we'll go straight to Heihe Village in Baishui Town."

The Yuyang City Coal Bureau was a public institution under the Yuyang City State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Zhang Ailing, by position, belonged to the bureau-level cadre. The county party secretary only belonged to the department-level cadre, at most on par with Zhang Ailing. But Zhang Ailing was, after all, a leader of a functional department in the city, so by the rules, she was slightly higher.

Therefore, when the Shenfu County magistrate and his party came out of the office building preparing to welcome Vice Mayor Yu and saw an Audi parked at the entrance, they knew a superior leader had arrived. The group marched over respectfully to welcome them.

Zhang Ailing immediately rolled down the window. The magistrate came up, saw it was Director Zhang of the Coal Bureau, and still smiled, saying: "Director Zhang, why didn't you come in and sit for a while after arriving? Why are you sitting in the car? Hurry down and come in to sit."

"No, Vice Mayor Yu will be here soon, right? We'll wait in the car. Once he arrives, we'll go straight to Heihe Village."

"Director Zhang, come down and sit for a while, go in and drink some water to warm up. Who knows when Vice Mayor Yu will be able to come over."

Just as they were speaking, a dark yellow Coaster was seen slowly driving over from the street. Seeing the situation, they knew a big shot had arrived. The group looked in unison at the Coaster driving toward them.

Zhang Ailing saw the Coaster in the rearview mirror and said to the magistrate with a smile: "Look, isn't Vice Mayor Yu here?" Saying this, she opened the car door, and the group went up to welcome him respectfully.

The Coaster slowly drove to the entrance of the county party committee and county government and stopped steadily. The glass windows were black, so one couldn't see inside from the outside. The group stood in two rows by the car door according to their rank to welcome Vice Mayor Yu.

The car door opened, and Vice Mayor Yu walked off the car with an easygoing face, saying: "Sorry to have kept everyone waiting."

"Vice Mayor Yu, you've worked hard. Hurry in and sit." The magistrate came up to shake Yu Yinliang's hand, his face full of smiles, inviting him into the county government to sit.