Chapter 651

The addition of two beautiful women added a lot of color to this meal.

Lu Fan found that they were very talkative, their every gesture showing good cultivation and manners. Most importantly, they were very beautiful, and almost every table of guests would glance over.

The girl named Tu Ya, with thick ink-like eyebrows, had a pair of bright big eyes that sparkled with lively light, a rare beauty of the grasslands. She was open-minded and bold, able to drink bottle after bottle with Lu Fan, giving people a direct sense of the line 'There is a beauty in the north, peerless and independent.'

By comparison, Li Xinrui's looks were even better; with almond eyes, peach cheeks, cloud-like hair, misty temples, a graceful neck and moth-like eyebrows, her soft, delicate features truly fit the description 'Graceful as a startled swan, elegant as a swimming dragon,' giving the feeling of 'eyes like autumn water cut, fingers like spring scallions.' However, she was somewhat shy; when everyone chatted, she listened with a smile, her focused expression giving a comfortable feeling.

"Hey handsome guy, why don't we get to know each other? I can tell you're a leader at a glance; after we graduate, we'll come rely on you!" Tu Ya said with a grin, still chewing on barbecued meat.

Lu Fan smiled and said: "First, tell me what your majors are and what work you plan to do after graduation."

Tu Ya replied: "We're both from the School of Economics and Management; after graduation we plan to first take the civil service exam. If we 'don't make it ashore,' we'll go for graduate school."

Lu Fan asked: "Why choose the civil service exam as your first option?"

Tu Ya said somewhat helplessly: "Now employment pressure is huge, the development of the real economy has suffered a major blow, making it very difficult to find a job that meets one's expectations. Moreover, as undergraduate degrees become increasingly common, the employment pressure at our Grassland University is also great.

Taking the staffing or civil service exams is more stable, and most importantly, parents approve. In companies, 996 is becoming ever more common, turning the unreasonable into the reasonable, and workers are oppressed to the point of breathlessness. Most of our classmates have given up on struggling in big cities; they all want to secure a local staffing position, stable and close to home."

Li Xinrui rarely spoke up, she added: "Work within the staffing quota may not pay high wages, but it is basically higher than the local average income, and the income is relatively stable. Although it cannot guarantee a wealthy life, one won't be unable to get by. The advantage lies in the invisible benefits like the five insurances and one fund, and the treatment after retirement is also better. Overall it's fairly respectable, especially in small places, staffing workers still manage to get by fine."

Lu Fan said with a smile: "In recent years, the craze for civil service and public institution exams has heated up, competition intensifying. Last year's national civil service exam planned to recruit 40,000 people, but total applicants exceeded 2.6 million, giving an average competition ratio of 65:1. No matter where you end up, the 'diversity' of choice is the imprint the era has left on your generation; most important is to have dreams in your heart, light in your eyes, strength under your feet, and direction for the future."

Tu Ya sighed and said: "The competition is too fierce; I even feel afraid. My dream is to do nothing, find someone who loves me, and let them feed me until I'm white and plump."

Li Xinrui quickly covered Tu Ya's mouth, laughing, and said: "Don't listen to her nonsense; Tu Ya is our major's top student, her thesis is 'On the Current Situation and Countermeasures of Economic Development in Grassland Areas,' and our advisor thinks it's substantive."

This sparked Lu Fan's interest, and he asked: "Could you let me read it?"

Tu Ya pouted and said: "I asked you several times just now, but you kept dodging. We're at least pretty girls, Xinrui is even the campus belle, yet making friends is this hard. Even if you're a big boss or big leader, can we still scam you?"

Lu Fan smiled, took out his phone, pulled up a QR code, handed it to the two, and said: "Two beauties, can we be friends and add each other on WeChat?"

Tu Ya casually picked up her phone, scanned it, and replied: "Added, just approve it—being friends with us two great beauties is your honor!"

Li Xinrui also scanned it and politely said: "Thank you!"

Lu Fan tapped to approve, saw Xiao Lu's message, and found that Tu Ya and Li Xinrui's information had been retrieved—they were indeed students of Grassland University—so he didn't think much of it.

After eating for nearly an hour and drinking a case of beer, Lu Fan saw that Tu Ya and Li Xinrui were getting tipsy, so he had Xiao Lu drive them back to school.

The next day, just as work began, Zhou Xiang came in to report, and Ma Qiang, head of the Provincial Natural Resources Department, came to report work.

Lu Fan was about to learn about the work on grassland territorial spatial planning, so he had his secretary bring him in.

After entering, Ma Qiang respectfully put down the tea in his hand and said: "Secretary Lu, this is my first time reporting work to you; I brought a box of ordinary tea, please don't disdain it."

Lu Fan solemnly said: "I welcome you to discuss work, but if you bring anything, then there's nothing to discuss. Those who bring gifts or money, this door is not for you!"

Ma Qiang immediately showed embarrassment and self-reproached: "Secretary Lu, I was rash; there will definitely be no next time!"

"All right, sit down and talk." Lu Fan pressed his hand down and said: "The central government has always emphasized protecting farmland, this 'lifeline'; how is the province's farmland situation?"

Ma Qiang, well prepared, immediately replied: "Secretary, the Natural Resources Department strictly fulfills the primary responsibility for farmland protection, firmly holding to the 180 million mu farmland protection red line and the 135 million mu permanent basic farmland protection task. This year we completed construction of supplementary farmland projects totaling 280,000 mu……"

Lu Fan then asked: "How is the situation with land use for industrial projects this year?"

"Secretary, the province has completed approval of 1,681 major projects with government investment over 50 million yuan and corporate investment over 100 million yuan, achieving a 96% completion rate. We have implemented 62 increase-decrease linkage projects, with a construction scale of 73,000 mu, promoted signing of trade agreements with Gradual Water Province for 15,000 mu worth 5 billion yuan, and with Southern Ridge Province for 7,400 mu worth 2.215 billion yuan; the cross-provincial indicators have been formally approved by the superior."

"How about law enforcement?"

"Investigated 4,681 illegal land use cases, illegal occupation ratio of farmland at 1.6%, achieving three-level 'zero accountability'. The number of illegal plots, illegal occupied area, and illegal occupied farmland area decreased year-on-year by 20%, 40%, and 61%; the number of illegal plots from mineral resource remote sensing decreased year-on-year by 75%."

After asking a dozen or so questions, Ma Qiang's forehead was beaded with fine sweat; he hadn't expected Lu Fan's questions to be so professional, even more professional than his own as the head of the department in charge of land; fortunately he had prepared thoroughly, otherwise he would have embarrassed himself today.

Lu Fan had risen from the grassroots, always focusing on projects; he knew land matters like the back of his hand, and was not very satisfied with Ma Qiang's performance today, because some of his answers were pure guesswork. However Lu Fan did not call him out directly, after all he is a department head, one should give him face, and besides Lu Fan doesn't oversee land, so there's no need to nitpick.

After finishing the work discussion, Ma Qiang stood to say goodbye, but as he was about to leave, Lu Fan called him back.

"Comrade Ma Qiang, you forgot your things!" Lu Fan pointed at the tea.

"Secretary Lu, I'm really sorry about my forgetfulness!" Ma Qiang hurried over, picked up the tea, and left the office.

After coming out, Ma Qiang wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurried to Yun Junjie's office to report the situation; he felt that seeing Lu Fan was more stressful than seeing Li Xingyuan, the secretary.

Not long after, Zhou Xiang came in again to report, requesting an audience with the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee's Youth League.

Lu Fan thought it over and agreed, because talking with cadres lets him understand all aspects of Grassland; if it were in Huayuan Province, a deputy department head would hardly get to see Lu Fan.

When Deputy Secretary Zhou Yulin of the Provincial Youth League Committee entered, Lu Fan was momentarily stunned; he hadn't expected a deputy department-level cadre to look like this!

Since ancient times, beauties are either graceful and lovely or charming and alluring; Zhou Yulin, however, is exceptionally beautiful, moreover possessing three parts heroic spirit, three parts dignified elegance, three parts ethereal grace, and one part solemn dignity.

"Comrade Yulin, please have a seat!" Lu Fan nodded in invitation; beautiful women receive preferential treatment wherever they go.

"Thank you, Secretary Lu!" Zhou Yulin's beautiful eyes glanced, her demeanor leisurely, she lightly took her seat opposite Lu Fan; upon contact she strongly sensed an indescribably gentle aura emanating from her.

Lu Fan collected himself, drove away his inner agitation, and asked: "What do you need from me?"

"Secretary Lu, you are the supervising leader of our Provincial Youth League Committee, but since you took office you haven't come to inspect and guide our work; I have been ordered to come and invite you to conduct research at the Youth League Committee." Zhou Yulin spoke with a smile on her peach cheeks, her aura like orchids, fully displaying her advantages.

Lu Fan smiled and said: "I've been too busy lately; when I free up time I will definitely go to the Youth League Committee for research."

"Secretary, why not set a date? Even a few days later would do; otherwise I'll have trouble reporting back when I return!" In the firelight, Zhou Yulin's complexion was crystal clear like jade, like a new moon with a halo, making Lu Fan involuntarily glance at her twice more.

"How about this: after the National Day holiday ends, I'll find some time and have the Provincial Party Committee General Office issue a notice."

Hearing this reply, Zhou Yulin was overjoyed and happily said: "Great! The Youth League Committee will surely prepare meticulously, fully showcasing the spirited vigor of young cadres; then I will certainly 'serve' you well!"

Lu Fan waved his hand and said: "Field research is meant to discover and solve problems; we must not put the cart before the horse."

Zhou Yulin quickly nodded and replied: "Okay, after returning I will surely convey your instructions fully! Then I won't disturb your work; if there's anything I can do for you, it would be my greatest honor—you may summon me anytime!" Having said that, she rose elegantly, bowed slightly, her posture graceful, her steps light as a willow in the breeze, her peach blossom eyes seeming to flash with deep feeling.

Upon first contact, Zhou Yulin handled the boundaries just right; she understands men's psychology better, knowing how to play hard to get and cast a long line to catch a big fish!

After the person left, Lu Fan sensed a hint of strangeness; last night's "chance encounter" with two vibrant college students, and today an intellectual beauty of a female leader—though it seems logical, it feels too coincidental, doesn't it?