Chapter 874

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Town Mayor Zhong, why not let Zhang Zhiqiang serve as this Temporary Village Party Secretary? He is Zhang Zhongtian's son; as the saying goes, dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the son of a mouse will dig holes. Since Zhang Zhongtian is so adept at handling village affairs, his son Zhang Zhiqiang should also be a good hand at this."

Wang Erhai recommended Zhang Zhiqiang to serve as Temporary Village Party Secretary.

That was because he knew Zhang Zhongtian would certainly want his son to replace him.

If he himself lacked tact and snatched this position, would Zhang Zhongtian resent him in his heart?

He did not want Zhang Zhongtian to hold a grudge, and he had never thought of becoming a village cadre, so he went with the flow and recommended Zhang Zhiqiang.

However, Zhong Hongtao shook his head:

"Zhang Zhiqiang is no good; never mind his character, just his ability to handle matters — if Shanggou Village were handed over to him to manage, wouldn't he make a complete mess of it?"

Zhong Hongtao still had keen insight.

A simple symposium let him see clearly Zhang Zhiqiang's ability.

He had actually also considered letting Zhang Zhiqiang replace Zhang Zhongtian, and had even specially gone to ask Zhang Zhongtian's opinion beforehand; at the time Zhang Zhongtian said his son's ability was insufficient and he couldn't handle the post, but he thought Zhang Zhongtian was just being polite.

He never expected it was actually the honest truth.

Wang Erhai spoke again at this point:

"Then let Liang Xinghua do it; Liang Xinghua is very honest, has a strong sense of justice and responsibility, I believe he can certainly do well as this village cadre."

Zhong Hongtao, however, said:

"Village trivialities are many; handling these trivialities, a sense of justice and responsibility may not suffice — one needs to understand flexibility and adaptation, to understand human relations and worldly wisdom, and these Liang Xinghua clearly does not possess. He is a typical simple, honest rural man, introverted, not good with words; if he were made a village cadre, communication would become a major problem."

Wang Erhai felt depressed.

He had to admit Zhong Hongtao was right.

Liang Xinghua indeed was not good at communication, nor did he understand flexibility.

He always did things by the book, conscientious and responsible yet only knowing how to bury his head and work hard.

But being a village cadre is not like doing masonry.

Doing masonry, burying your head and working hard can build a building.

But being a village cadre, burying your head and working hard doesn't necessarily mean you can build the village well.

"Then why don't you look for another candidate? This temporary village cadre doesn't necessarily have to be chosen from among us three, right?"

Wang Erhai tactfully refused once more.

He truly did not want to be this temporary cadre.

The countryside is not a place to stay long; from the bottom of his heart he felt he would not remain in the countryside for long.

Zhong Hongtao, however, said:

"Wang Erhai, if not for yourself, then for your hometown, for this land that gave you birth and raised you. Right now the rural population is withering; finding a decent village cadre is truly not that easy."

Zhong Hongtao's tone carried sincerity, carried entreaty.

Just short of begging.

He truly hoped Wang Erhai could do this temporary village cadre post.

And he also believed Wang Erhai would certainly do this job well.

By then, when Zhang Zhongtian passes away, with this temporary village cadre experience on his resume as a foundation, Wang Erhai could naturally step up and become a formal Village Committee Secretary.

That way, the rejuvenation of township cadres would also count as a small step forward.

For the Town Government, that would also be a political achievement they could show off.

After all, in this day and age, in the countryside, especially remote mountainous area countryside, village cadres under 30 have basically already gone extinct.

Never mind under 30; village cadres under 40 are rarely seen.

Most are left-behind middle-aged and elderly people in their fifties and sixties in the village serving as village cadres, handling village affairs.

Under such circumstances, the countryside will only become increasingly lacking in vitality, increasingly desolate.

"Let me consider it; I'll give you an answer in two days, how about that?"

Wang Erhai said this line at this moment.

Zhong Hongtao sighed:

"Alright alright, then you go back and consider it well; no matter what, you must give me an answer in two days."

Zhong Hongtao knew that generally saying go back and consider it and then give an answer means refusal.

But he still wasn't resigned.

If in two days Wang Erhai doesn't give him an answer.

He will personally go to Shanggou Village to find Wang Erhai and talk face to face.

Wang Erhai came out of the Town Government.

Liang Xinghua was still waiting for him at the gate.

As for Zhang Zhiqiang, he had already returned to the village early on.

"Erhai, what did Town Mayor Zhong say to you?"

Liang Xinghua asked with a simple, honest laugh.

He was just purely curious, asking casually.

Wang Erhai said:

"He wants me to be the temporary village cadre, to take over Zhang Zhongtian's position."

Liang Xinghua was immediately startled:

"Was Zhang Zhongtian arrested for a crime?"

His first reaction was that Zhang Zhongtian had been arrested for corruption.

Zhang Zhongtian used his position as Village Committee Secretary to line his own pockets; this was already an open secret in the village. If Zhang Zhongtian hadn't lined his pockets, he couldn't have built such a beautiful villa.

So Liang Xinghua having this reaction was not surprising.

Wang Erhai, however, shook his head:

"What are you thinking? Zhang Zhongtian handles human relations so well, how could he possibly be arrested? He got cancer, his body can no longer handle the job, so the Town Government wants to keep his position but find a suitable person to take over his work."

Liang Xinghua was astonished:

"He actually got cancer? Impossible, right? He seemed perfectly fine? He even went to Guangzhou for a trip just a while ago!"

Wang Erhai gave a bitter laugh and sighed:

"Who knows. Can only say, life is unpredictable, cherish the present."

Liang Xinghua suddenly wore a look of realization:

"I know what's going on!"

"You know what's going on?" Wang Erhai looked full of curiosity.

Liang Xinghua then said:

"It must be that they caused Li Xiaohe's death, and Li Xiaohe's vengeful ghost returned to claim their lives. Otherwise, Zhang Zhongtian was perfectly fine, how could he suddenly get cancer!"

Although he had no evidence, he spoke with absolute certainty, as if it were a fact as hard as an iron plate.

Wang Erhai listened, and couldn't help but fall into a trance.

Although he didn't really believe in ghosts and gods, he also couldn't help but believe that in this world, some things seem to be predestined in the dark.

Zhang Zhongtian suddenly getting cancer — it's not certain it isn't actually related to Li Xiaohe's death.

Some things can't be explained; you just have to use cause and effect to explain them.

"Erhai, speaking of which, did you agree to become a Village Cadre?"

Liang Xinghua asked at this moment.

Wang Erhai smiled:

"I said I'd consider it for two days."

The two rode a motorcycle back to Shanggou Village together.

During dinner in the evening, Wang Zhanggen asked Wang Erhai about his trip to the Town today.

Wang Erhai didn't conceal anything, told everything truthfully, because there was nothing to hide about this matter.

Upon learning Zhang Zhongtian had cancer, Wang Zhanggen's first reaction was surprisingly exactly the same as Liang Xinghua's:

"This must be Li Xiaohe's vengeful ghost returning for revenge! Zhang Zhongtian getting cancer is just the beginning; later there's still his whole family suffering to come!"

Li Xiulan remarked with emotion:

"That's why, in this lifetime of ours, we can do anything, but absolutely cannot act against our conscience and do dishonest deeds!"

Wang Zhanggen then said to Wang Erhai:

"Speaking of which, Town Mayor Zhong wants you to be Village Committee Secretary, what's there to consider? Just agree directly!"

Li Xiulan also said:

"Being a Village Cadre, however you put it, is better than doing masonry!"