Chapter 419: Year-End Sprint

At noon on January 1st, Lu Fan and Du Wenlong attended the wedding of Wang Hongwei and Wang Honghai. The venue was beautifully decorated, business tycoons gathered, and the scene was spectacular.

After the banquet, the two said goodbye to Honghai, expressing their blessings to the newlyweds.

Subsequently, the two embarked on their return journey to Yingjiang.

As the saying goes: self-knowledge is a virtue. This wedding made Lu Fan recognize his role and positioning in Yingjiang, realizing that some things are not transferred by human will, and if one forces them blindly, it will be counterproductive.

On the way back to Yingjiang, looking at the scenery outside the window, Lu Fan thought seriously about his future development. The position of Executive Vice Mayor was already his ceiling in Yingjiang. Even if he succeeded Si Daiqiang as Deputy Secretary in the future, it wouldn't mean much. He needed to jump out of the Yingjiang circle as soon as possible and look for a broader world.

Once he figured it out, he felt relieved. Lu Fan was no longer entangled or troubled in his heart, feeling that there was nothing left to fight for in Yingjiang. However, he still had to use leverage to push the people following him into more promising positions—a single spark can start a prairie fire!

Work should be treated with a normal heart—calm, positive, proactive, and doing one's best to do more practical and good things for the people of Yingjiang.

Then, study more, think more, recharge himself, and improve his ability to deal with complex affairs and comprehensive coordination.

On January 4th, the Municipal Government held a special meeting on economic operation, presided over by Executive Vice Mayor Lu Fan, attended by Vice Mayors Bian Jide, Gao Ke, and Zheng Kai, as well as main leaders of county and district governments and heads of relevant departments.

At the meeting, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, the Bureau of Commerce, and other departments reported on the city's economic operation, and each county and district reported on the completion of indicators.

Executive Vice Mayor Lu Fan stated: "Comrades, time waits for no one. There are only four days left until the deadline for reporting. The whole year's work has reached the critical stage of decisive battle and final sprint. Please, all counties and districts, follow the general requirement of unchanged annual goals and undiminished tasks, strengthen confidence to fight the final battle, strengthen coordination and docking with key oil and gas enterprises, and must ensure that all statistics are included and every grain is returned to the granary, striving to create excellence in the provincial annual target responsibility assessment.

Municipal departments must strengthen upward docking, do a good job in analysis and tackling, and strive to achieve top-tier rankings for 'good' indicators, generally strive for advancement for 'better' indicators, and catch up for 'general' and 'poor' indicators."

After the meeting, Lu Fan personally led the team to cover Ganshui County, Hongqi County, and Ningyang County. Vice Mayors Bian Jide, Gao Ke, and Zheng Kai each covered two counties, and the remaining counties and districts were each assigned a Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government.

Lu Fan's requirement was that each group should go deep into counties, enterprises, and projects, keep a close eye on the reporting of economic indicators, and hold their ground until the statistical gateway closes.

Returning to Ganshui, Lu Fan attended the economic scheduling meeting held by the County Party Committee and County Government, emphasizing several points of opinion.

After the meeting, all units moved upon hearing the news and went all out, making County Party Secretary Guo Xiaopeng re-recognize the formidable execution of Ganshui cadres.

On January 5th, Lu Fan came to Ningyang County. Accompanied by County Party Secretary Yang Chuanbei, he went to the booster station of the agricultural-photovoltaic complementary project, the cogeneration project, and the new energy supporting industry project for on-site visits and research. He listened carefully to the project leaders' introduction to the enterprise's production and operation, and learned in detail about the problems and demands encountered by the enterprise in the process of development.

In the afternoon, Lu Fan presided over a symposium. The Director of the County Economic Development Bureau reported in detail on the county's economic operation, and departments such as the County Culture and Sports Bureau, Statistics Bureau, Transport Bureau, Agriculture Bureau, Finance Bureau, and Commerce Bureau reported on the completion of economic indicators.

Lu Fan directly pointed out the gaps in various indicators of Ningyang County and required the county government and various departments to take immediate action and must complete the tasks assigned by the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.

After the meeting, Lu Fan followed County Party Secretary Yang Chuanbei to his office.

Coming to this office again, looking at the familiar yet strange environment, things had changed and people were different.

Lu Fan walked slowly to the window, looking at the scenery outside. A complex emotion welled up in his heart, and he sighed: "Time flies like a shuttle; ten years have passed in a flash! Back then, I carried a briefcase every day, either writing materials or arranging meetings, or accompanying Secretary Gao Yuanfei to the countryside. My energy was infinitely vigorous!"

Yang Chuanbei smiled and said: "Life has thousands of kinds, and encounters are different. I agree with one sentence very much now: everything is fate, and nothing is up to oneself! Many things seem to be one's own choices, but in fact, they are all destined. Looking back carefully, it seems that there is some irresistible force pushing us towards a specific direction."

Lu Fan laughed: "You've started to believe in metaphysics. Master Hong Yi said: Everything in the world is destined. What belongs to you will always be there; what is not yours cannot be fought for. Getting it is a blessing, losing it is fate."

Yang Chuanbei suddenly said: "Mayor, Secretary Ruifang talked to me yesterday!"

Lu Fan asked calmly: "Is it about work?"

Yang Chuanbei nodded and said: "It might be a good thing for me. Secretary Li said she wants to recommend me to work in other cities or provincial departments."

If he had heard this news a few days ago, Lu Fan might have felt lost, but now his state of mind had changed.

Lu Fan smiled and said: "Chuanbei, it's a good thing to have an opportunity for progress. Congratulations!"

"Actually, I was quite surprised too, but listening to the tone, I guess it's to make room for someone!"

Lu Fan said with a smile: "No matter the reason, as long as it allows you to take a big step forward, the result is good. You don't need to think too much about the rest."

On January 8th, Lu Fan returned to the city and immediately arranged for the Municipal Statistics Bureau to summarize the reporting of various economic indicators, form an economic operation analysis report, and dock with the Provincial Statistics Bureau to estimate the ranking of various indicators.

At the same time, Lu Fan "drove" all the heads of departments involved in economic indicators to the province, requiring them to strengthen emotional communication with higher-level departments and strive to obtain the best ranking for Yingjiang.

As the executive in charge of the economy, whether he likes it or not, Lu Fan has to take charge of this stall.

After the basic work is done, the rest is the business of Secretary Li Ruifang and Mayor Zhao Tao. They have to fight for the ranking with the main leaders of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government.

After going to work the next day, Statistics Bureau Director Wang Haoran efficiently sent the economic operation analysis report. After reading it, Lu Fan went directly to Mayor Zhao Tao's office to report.

After entering, Lu Fan said with a smile: "Mayor, according to the current data, various economic indicators have basically achieved full statistical coverage, and on the whole, there is steady progress. The situation is not bad. Please take a look."

Zhao Tao took the report, flipped through it carefully, and said: "Time is tight and the task is heavy. You've worked hard these past few days, and the work is very effective!"

Lu Fan replied: "It's my duty, Mayor. To get a good ranking, you still have to go out personally and fight for it with the province."

"Sigh, it's difficult! Every city is eyeing the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government like a tiger, and none of them are easy to deal with. Therefore, this basic work is very important."

Lu Fan said: "Things on paper cannot be changed, but more than 20 indicators are 'soft', and that is the key to the final victory."

Zhao Tao smiled bitterly: "How could I not understand? But it's not easy to open one's mouth to the leaders! No matter what, I have to make a trip. You 'watch the house' tomorrow, I'll go to the province. Oh, right, report these situations to Secretary Ruifang, I won't go over."

"Sure, Mayor, I wish you smooth sailing and success!"

Coming out of the Mayor's office, Lu Fan went directly to the Municipal Party Committee.

"Secretary Yao, is there anyone with the Secretary?"

Seeing the visitor, Yao Qian stood up and said: "Mayor Lu, Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Wu is reporting work. I'll go in and announce."

"Don't, I'm not in a hurry, I'll chat with them for a while."

Education Bureau Director Di Bin stood up and said: "Mayor, sit here!" Others also stood up one after another to give up their seats.

After Lu Fan sat down, he said with a smile: "It'll be the twelfth lunar month in a few days, and a year has passed just like that. Director Niu, I heard your son got into a ministry? How did you cultivate him? Share some experience with everyone!"

Forestry Bureau Director Niu Yasen smiled and said: "He got into the Ministry of Education, all by his own efforts. Relying on me to manage? The day lily would have been cold long ago!"

Except for being strict at work, Lu Fan basically had no airs in private and chatted enthusiastically with these directors.

After more than ten minutes, Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Wu Xiaohua came out. Seeing that Yao Qian's office was very lively, he took a look.

Seeing Lu Fan sitting inside, he said: "Mayor Lu, come to my place later, let's dock some work."

Lu Fan stood up and said: "Sure, you go up first, I'll go report work to the Secretary."

There are restrictions for Standing Committee members, but Lu Fan openly cut the line and entered the Secretary's office.

Li Ruifang raised her head and said: "Make your own tea!"

Lu Fan didn't stand on ceremony, made himself a cup of good tea, and filled Li Ruifang's cup with water again.

After signing the documents at hand, Li Ruifang put down her pen and asked: "Are the economic indicator estimates out?"

Lu Fan handed over the report and said: "The hard indicators can rank fourth in the province. It depends on the soft indicators. I 'sent' the directors of the Development and Reform, Statistics, Industry and Information, Commerce, and Investment Promotion bureaus to the province and gave them 'dead orders'."

Li Ruifang smiled and said: "You have to go out too. Governor Guishan is in charge of culture, education, and health, and there are several indicators there too. The opinion of the competent leader is very important. This task is handed to you!"

Lu Fan never pushed back on work and replied decisively: "Sure, then I'll go to the province tomorrow, but I can only guarantee to do my best."

"To fight for a ranking, you have to 'softly grind and hard-bubble'. I just gave Xiaohua a 'dead order' too. He is responsible for party conduct and clean government construction."

After discussing work, Li Ruifang changed the subject and said: "Lu Fan, the province will make minor adjustments in personnel at the end of the year. I recommended Yang Chuanbei to the Provincial Party Committee."

Lu Fan said calmly: "Secretary, this is a good thing. Chuanbei has no problems in terms of ability or seniority."

Li Ruifang nodded and said: "Regarding the candidate for Ningyang County Party Secretary, I plan to recommend Zhenbei District Chief Wu Xiaojun, and the vacated District Chief position will be filled by Zhenbei District Deputy Party Secretary Xue Yang."

Lu Fan remained calm as water and said: "Secretary, I firmly support the decision and deployment of the Municipal Party Committee." ===== CHAPTER 420 =====