Chapter 324

Seeing the Secretary had made up his mind, Guo Tongyu said: "Secretary, after all, this way of appointing people is unprecedented in our Ganshui; I suggest we first leak some news, see how the cadres and masses react, and leave some room."

Lu Fan nodded and smiled, saying: "Okay, then you few leak the news a bit, let it ferment for a week before we study it."

Personnel adjustments and cadre promotions always stir up an undercurrent, with various rumors and speculations emerging one after another. Where does the "leaked news" come from? Actually, behind it often lies the organization's specific logic and considerations.

Advance "leaking" can serve as a "weather vane" of social reaction. If the news of a promotion target triggers a large amount of negative feedback or controversy, the organization may re‑examine the candidate—this is the strategy of "feeling out the bottom cards".

There is also a kind of "unspoken rule"—namely, to see whether the candidate possesses sufficient wisdom. At this critical moment he needs to show respect for the organization, while also demonstrating his loyalty to work and the organization.

So "leaking" is neither rash nor aimless; it is the result of careful consideration by the organization.

Who is the organization? In Ganshui it is naturally Lu Fan!

The next day, Deputy Director of the Education Bureau Cao Chunlei went to the office of Deputy County Chief Li Junxia to report work.

The two had previously been on bad terms; there was a school repair project where the labor was hired by Li Junxia, but the project manager was Cao Chunlei. When inspecting the project, Cao Chunlei refused to sign because of quality issues, at which point Li Junxia flew into a rage, and in the end the bureau chief himself had to sign.

But today Li Junxia's attitude was good; after discussing work, he smiled and said: "Chunlei, when the Organization Department asked for my opinion, I recommended you—I think the organization will give you serious consideration!"

Actually, Cao Chunlei had already heard the "leaked news", thinking, "You mean well? Are you treating me like a three‑year‑old?" But he politely said: "Thank you, County Chief Li, for your strong support!"

After chatting aimlessly for a while, Cao Chunlei got up to say goodbye and went straight to the county committee, where he queued in Lu Fan's secretary's office.

Not long after, Organization Department Head Guo Tongyu pushed open the door of Deputy County Chief Li Junxia's office and smiled: "Junxia, busy?"

Li Junxia hurriedly rose and said: "It's rare you come here—please sit!" Then he personally went to make tea.

After they sat down, Guo Tongyu said: "We're both busy, with no time even to drop by. I came to ask for your opinion: the director position of the Education Bureau is vacant, and as the government leader in charge, do you have any suitable candidates to recommend?"

Li Junxia had already prepared, saying: "I think the deputy director of the Government Office, Yang Lin, is quite good—he is the first deputy director in charge of administration, with excellent seniority and ability, and the county chief is also quite satisfied with him."

Guo Tongyu nodded, noted "going through the motions" in his notebook, and then asked: "What do you think of the deputy director of the Education Bureau, Cao Chunlei?"

"He? No, no—our Ganshui has no precedent of a deputy being promoted directly to a top post, and besides, how should I put it? This comrade is rather rigid in thinking, weak in overall perspective, stiff in dealing with people, and his prestige in the Education Bureau is only average; I feel he cannot handle the situation, and the Education Bureau is a big deal!"

Guo Tongyu finished noting and said: "All right, I will truthfully report your opinion to the county committee. Then I won't disturb you any further—my unit still has a lot of matters to attend to!"

In the county committee office, Cao Chunlei waited for over an hour before finally reaching Lu Fan's office.

After entering, he said respectfully: "Secretary, I come to report my work!"

Lu Fan raised his head and said: "Sit down and speak!"

Cao Chunlei sat upright in his chair and reported: "Secretary, I have drafted a plan for the merger of township schools; please review it!"

Lu Fan took the document, read it carefully, asking a question now and then; Cao Chunlei answered fluently, explaining in detail.

Lu Fan then asked: "Although after the merger of township schools the principals must be openly appointed, at the very least there should be some consideration of candidates, so that certain people cannot 'fish in troubled waters'; nowadays people are good at finding loopholes and exploiting gaps—do you know these principals well?"

Cao Chunlei immediately began reporting, knowing the situation of over twenty principals like the back of his hand, and his report was fair and objective.

Lu Fan felt that this was indeed a person who gets work done; he basically had made up his mind, so he asked: "Do you have any concrete plans for education in the whole county?"

Hearing this, Cao Chunlei suppressed his inner excitement, strove to stay calm, steadied his thoughts, and reported: "Secretary, your series of measures in Ningyang have been very successful; Ganshui can completely learn from and follow them, taking the creation of a provincial key high school as a breakthrough to drive the vigorous development of the county's education cause……"

For over ten minutes straight, Cao Chunlei spoke fluently and at length, his language smooth and his thoughts well organized.

Lu Fan felt it was exactly to his taste; many of Cao Chunlei's ideas coincided with his own, and he couldn't help but smile. He said: "Hmm, not bad—it's clear you have given deep thought to Ganshui's education! Chunlei, I intend to recommend you as director of the Ganshui Education Bureau, entrusting you with the county's educational burden!"

Happiness arrived so suddenly—had his long‑cherished wish just been fulfilled like that?

Lu Fan's words made Cao Chunlei feel as if he were in a dream—wonderful yet unreal. At this moment a strong sense of gratitude welled up from deep within him! As the saying goes, "A scholar dies for one who knows him"; he is willing to give everything for the person who appreciates him and gives him this opportunity!

"Secretary, as long as you trust me, I will devote myself completely to the cause of education in Ganshui, giving my all until death! In work and life I will resolutely implement all decisions and deployments of you and the county committee, do my utmost to push Ganshui County's education cause onto a new level, and will never let you down!" Cao Chunlei spoke earnestly, his eyes flashing with determined light.

Lu Fan said: "You are here to serve the people of Ganshui and to strive for the cause of its education! During this period you must choose your words carefully, act with prudence, devote yourself fully to work, and avoid unnecessary complications!"

Leaving the secretary's office, Cao Chunlei was overwhelmed with excitement; his steps felt light, as if he were walking on clouds. He really wanted to find a secluded corner and shout at the top of his lungs to release his joy and excitement.

He took a deep breath, struggled to calm himself, and smiled from the heart as he greeted acquaintances before leaving the county committee office.

Cao Chunlei silently told himself that he must take Lu Fan's secretary as his guide, that his work must achieve outstanding results so as not to betray the leadership's trust and expectations, and that in the future he might have the chance to go higher and farther!

These days, Guo Tongyu, Zhang Qianyuan, and the director of the County Committee Office, Li Xinbo, have been continuously giving Lu Fan feedback on how the cadres and masses react to Cao Chunlei's appointment as director of the Education Bureau; basically there are no major issues, only a few people think it's unprecedented for Ganshui to promote a cadre this way and consider it rash. However, such voices are minor and do not affect the overall situation.

On Friday morning, Lu Fan convened a five‑person group meeting to specially study minor personnel adjustments; besides Cao Chunlei, there were also small‑scale adjustments involving the County Committee Office, the Government Office, the People's Congress Office, and the CPPCC Office.

Now, County Chief Wang Baoguo feels a bit like he's lying flat, and whatever Lu Fan says goes.

After finishing the personnel work, Lu Fan said to County Chief Wang Baoguo: "Chief Wang, have the procedures for the over thirty million not been completed yet, or has the repayment plan not been finalized?"

"Secretary, I'm really sorry, but this month's payroll distribution is a bit tight, so I temporarily diverted some funds. Once next month's transfer payments and tax revenues arrive, I will clear the debt immediately." In fact, that money had been partially diverted by Wang Baoguo, who gave himself an advance on his project.

Lu Fan furrowed his brows and said: "What has been agreed upon must be carried out resolutely, with no exceptions!"

In the afternoon, Guo Tongyu took the personnel adjustment plan to the Municipal Organization Department for filing, while Lu Fan rode in his car to the municipal committee.

After work, Li Mingzhou felt an itch in his hands and wanted to "play a couple of rounds"; Lu Fan summoned the head of the Municipal Organization Department, Zhang Rongqiu, the secretary of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee, Wu Xiaohua, and the chief of the Public Security Bureau, Ye Chen, and served them himself, though he felt it was odd to be playing cards with his father‑in‑law.

On Saturday, Lu Fan accompanied Li Mingzhou to the Baishu Bay fishing base in Ningyang County to fish; the Ningyang County Committee Secretary Bian Jide and County Chief Yang Chuanbei awaited them in full readiness.

While chatting idly, Bian Jide quietly asked Lu Fan whether Ningyang's recent personnel adjustments involved any "old connections" that needed to be looked after.

Lu Fan thought for a moment; most of his classmates and friends had gone to the city, and no one had proactively come to him for help. He was about to refuse when a name suddenly came to mind, and he smiled and said: "Senior leader, there really is a candidate—Yao Qian. I had wanted to place her as deputy director of the Education Bureau before; would that be convenient?"

Bian Jide said: "What's inconvenient about that? This time we'll adjust it into place! I say, Lu Fan, you won't have an unclear relationship with her, will you?"

Lu Fan hastily replied: "Senior leader, I certainly wouldn't dare to talk nonsense! Besides, do I look like that kind of person?"

"Haha, lust and appetite are natural, but you can know a person's face and not his heart!"

Upon this, Lu Fan became anxious and said: "Senior leader, you can joke about other things, but this one I really dare not! Let's drop it—I won't dare mention it again in the future!"

"Okay, okay, look how you've been scared!"

After fishing, of course they had to eat the Baishu Bay local pepper mutton; no matter where Lu Fan went, he felt the mutton here was the most delicious!

Lu Fan consciously used Li Mingzhou to cultivate his own "network of connections".

Li Mingzhou not only had no objections, but was quite cooperative.

On Monday, the County Committee Organization Department went to the County Education Bureau to conduct an organizational inspection of Deputy Director Cao Chunlei.

The news quickly spread throughout the entire education system, arousing widespread attention and discussion; it was welcomed and supported by the vast majority, and many sighed that finally an expert had come to lead education work.

As the saying goes, "Different trades are like different mountains"; when an outsider leads an insider, it often makes the insider feel tremendous pain and helplessness. Some administrative leaders who become directors of the Education Bureau simply do not understand teachers' workload and difficulties, hardly ever speak up for teachers, overlook their rights, and only have eyes for those petty gains.

If this continues, teachers' efforts will not receive the recognition and support they deserve, and their work enthusiasm will also suffer.

On Tuesday, with the County Committee's approval, Cao Chunlei led a team to Ningyang to study the advanced management experience and ideas of Ningyang High School, and to form an assistance partnership with Ningyang High.