Chapter 5713

"Why would you go to my house?"

"I just wanted to see you, didn't I?" Zhao Desan said with a smile.

"Forget it. If you want to see me, why go to my house? Can't we meet outside?" Jin Lulu certainly did not believe that Zhao Desan was going to her house just to see her.

"I also have some things to discuss with Secretary Jin," Zhao Desan added awkwardly.

"I knew you weren't going there to see me!" Jin Lulu's tone turned cold once again.

"I'm not going back tonight!" With that, she angrily hung up the phone with a snap. Hey! This girl!

Zhao Desan rubbed his head in frustration. He looked at his phone, thinking that he would have to find a time to meet her alone in the next couple of days, otherwise, it would be difficult to explain things to Secretary Jin later on.

After work, Zhao Desan put on his coat, grabbed his briefcase, and hurried downstairs, driving straight to Secretary Jin's house.

After buying some things at a fruit supermarket, he arrived at Secretary Jin's front door. Just as Zhao Desan was about to reach out and ring the doorbell, a sudden series of car horn blasts—'beep, beep, beep'—sounded from behind him, giving him a start. He turned around and saw that Secretary Jin's official car was parked in front of the villa. He watched as the driver hurriedly opened the door and trotted over to assist Secretary Jin. After Secretary Jin stepped out of the car, he looked up and saw Zhao Desan standing at the door, and said to him with a chuckle, "Desan, you're here. Why aren't you going inside?"

"I just arrived. Secretary Jin, you've just returned as well," Zhao Desan said, hurrying forward to greet him with a smile.

"Just got back." Secretary Jin chuckled, then said politely to the driver, "Xiao Li, want to come in and sit for a while?"

"No, thank you, Secretary Jin. You're busy. If there's nothing else, I'll be off. Just call me if you need anything." Xiao Li declined with a smile and drove away.

Zhao Desan followed Secretary Jin to the front door. As Secretary Jin pressed the doorbell, he asked with a smile, "How is that matter coming along? Have you considered it?"

"I came over today partly to visit you and Auntie Jin, and also to share my thoughts with you." Zhao Desan was good with words, framing the business matter as an afterthought.

The door opened. As soon as Auntie Jin saw Secretary Jin and her future son-in-law standing at the door together, she said with a face full of joy, "Desan is here! Come in, come in quickly. You're here, why buy anything? We have everything we need at home. You child, you're too much of a stranger." Auntie Jin took the items from Zhao Desan's hands with a smile and set them aside.

After Zhao Desan followed Secretary Jin inside and sat on the sofa, Mother Jin brought them tea. She sat on a single-seat sofa nearby, looking at this future son-in-law she was very fond of, and said with a smile, "Desan, why haven't you been here for such a long time? Is work too busy?" Zhao Desan quickly climbed up the ladder, nodding and saying, "Yes, work has been a bit busy lately. I've been meaning to find time to visit Uncle Jin and Auntie Jin, but I've been so busy I haven't been able to spare the time."

"It's fine, I understand. Work comes first. You're young and already in charge of a major area; work must be very busy." Mother Jin smiled, indicating her understanding. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she stood up and said with a smile, "Desan, keep your Uncle Jin company while I call Lulu and tell that girl to come home early." Hearing Auntie Jin's words, Zhao Desan felt uneasy, fearing that the girl would complain about him to her mother over the phone. He glanced timidly at Mother Jin, who was swaying her hips as she walked toward the landline, then smiled at Secretary Jin and casually took out two cigarettes, handing one to him.

Secretary Jin quickly gave him a look. Zhao Desan immediately understood, chuckled, and sheepishly tucked the cigarette back into the box and into his pocket.

"Your aunt is always nagging me not to smoke or drink, saying it's bad for my health. At my age, one really needs to pay attention to these things." Secretary Jin found an excuse for himself.

"Auntie is just concerned about you. Smoking and drinking less is good for your health." Zhao Desan flattered her with a smile. He then saw Auntie Jin standing by the landline, whispering something into the receiver. Zhao Desan felt anxious, guessing that the girl must be bad-mouthing him on the phone and that Auntie Jin was now debating with her.

Secretary Jin chuckled, then picked up the remote and turned on the TV. It happened to be the Hexi Provincial News channel, which was reporting on the new High-Tech Zone being built to develop the province into a strong industrial base in the Northwest. Secretary Jin picked up his teacup, took a cautious sip, and looked at Zhao Desan, saying, "Desan, how have you considered the matter of going to the High-Tech Zone? Tell me your thoughts; I'd like to hear them." Zhao Desan had intended to wait a while longer before bringing it up, but he hadn't expected Secretary Jin to ask now. He chuckled and told Secretary Jin his thoughts in full detail.

After listening to Zhao Desan's thoughts, Secretary Jin's expression clearly became more solemn. Seeing this, Zhao Desan quickly added, "Secretary Jin, I know I have failed to live up to your earnest expectations, but I am truly too young right now. I am afraid I am not up to such a major responsibility. After all, the Chanba District is different from the High-Tech Zone. I worked my way up from the very grassroots in Chanba, and Vice Mayor Wu was always there to guide and help me when he was in the district, which is why I didn't run into any major trouble. If I were to go to the High-Tech Zone now and serve as the top leader, I'm afraid… I'm afraid I don't have the ability. Besides, the province places such great importance on the High-Tech Zone; if I don't do a good job, I will lose face for you, Secretary Jin. So I think… I think it would be better for me to stay in the Chanba District. I believe there are others more suitable than me." Secretary Jin took a sip of tea, smacked his lips, sighed deeply, and said, "Since that is what you think, I cannot force you. I can understand your perspective. My original intention was for you to go there for a year or two, achieve some results, and then arrange for you to move into the city. However, what you say also makes sense. Given your age and seniority, if you were to go there directly as the top leader, many people would certainly have opinions. And since you have doubts about your own abilities, I cannot force you into a position you aren't ready for."

"Secretary Jin, didn't you say there were two candidates? Then let the other candidate go. I have no objections," Zhao Desan said tentatively.

"There is indeed another candidate. The province also considered the importance of the High-Tech Zone and kept a backup candidate. Since you don't want to go, then we will just let the other person go." Secretary Jin said with a chuckle, then urged Zhao Desan, "Since you are staying, then work hard in the Chanba District. I still believe in your abilities. Gold will shine wherever it is." Through this exchange with Secretary Jin, Zhao Desan finally realized that the other backup candidate was none other than Liang Shaobo, the director of the Cadre Personnel Division of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department—the very person Fan Jianghai had been trying to get him to bridge a connection with. Isn't this perfect?

Doesn't Fan Jianghai want to go to the High-Tech Zone? If Liang Shaobo goes to the High-Tech Zone as the top leader, arranging a position for him shouldn't be a problem. In this way, he would also be repaying the favor to Fan Jianghai. It really is a win-win solution.

"That girl Lulu is really something. She says a classmate of hers returned from out of town tonight and invited her to dinner, so she can't come back now." Mother Jin walked over after finishing her call, looked at Zhao Desan with regret, and sat on the sofa with a clearly unhappy expression.

Because his insistence on staying in the Chanba District hadn't gone as Secretary Jin wished, and because Jin Lulu was sulking and hadn't returned, the atmosphere felt a bit cold. After Zhao Desan accompanied Secretary Jin and his wife for over half an hour, he saw that it was dark outside. Using the excuse that the roads were icy and slippery at night and he needed to return to the district early, he stood up to leave.

Mother Jin wanted to keep her future son-in-law for dinner, but hearing him say that, and fearing it wouldn't be safe for him to drive at night, she didn't insist. She personally saw him to the door, and only after watching Zhao Desan get in his car and leave did she close the living room door.

Zhao Desan drove out of the residential complex, pulled over on the side of the road, and lit a cigarette to satisfy his craving. He clearly felt that Secretary Jin was unhappy after hearing that he didn't want to go to the High-Tech Zone, though he hadn't said anything. It made him feel a bit guilty toward Secretary Jin; here was a dignified Provincial Party Secretary who thought so highly of him, yet he was being ungrateful and not accepting the man's favor.

However, Zhao Desan knew that Secretary Jin wouldn't hate him or do anything to him just because he didn't accept the favor.

After sitting in the car and thinking for a while, he figured that since he had made his decision, Liang Shaobo would undoubtedly be the top leader of the High-Tech Zone soon. So, he took this opportunity to call Liang Shaobo and Fan Jianghai separately, inviting them to dinner that night.

Although Zhao Desan's decision not to go to the High-Tech Zone disappointed Secretary Jin, it was a good thing for Governor Zhu Yongsheng. Zhu Yongsheng knew that Secretary Jin's arrangement for Zhao Desan to go to the High-Tech Zone was actually an attempt to use the zone to keep him in check. As the focus of the Provincial Party Committee and Government's work, whoever controlled the High-Tech Zone would win this game of chess. If Zhao Desan didn't go, the threat to Zhu Yongsheng would be much smaller.

(Chapter 3114: I Just Wanted to See You)

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