Chapter 161: Showing your face, are you?

Su Yang said, "Yes, may I ask who you are? Is there something you need?"

The person on the other end of the phone said in a resonant voice, "Hello, Town Mayor Su, I am Ma Zhengyang. I am about to report for duty at the town, and I specifically wanted to report to you first. If it's convenient for you, let's have a face-to-face chat."

Good grief, he hadn't even arrived yet, the organizational procedures hadn't even been completed, and at the very least, the county-level organization department hadn't officially sent him to his post, yet he was already making phone calls. On the surface, this sounded like a display of high awareness and correct political positioning.

But in reality, this was a form of provocation.

What did "have a face-to-face chat" mean? It was nothing more than saying that he and Su Yang were of equal status, and there were some things he wanted to tell Su Yang before taking office. It gave off the distinct impression that he was the one going to take office, and the other person was the one who needed to be briefed on the work.

Su Yang chuckled, "Ma what-yang? What Zheng-yang? Zheng what-yang?"

"What are you coming to the town to do? Has the Organization Department issued the document? Or have you already reported to the town?"

"If you are a grassroots staff member arranged by the county, just go directly to the Party and Government Office to report. I am out handling matters, and there are designated people responsible for these tasks."

You want to give me a show of force? You're really overthinking it. Trying to throw your weight around before you've even arrived—go back to wherever you came from and cool off.

Upon hearing these words from Su Yang, Ma Zhengyang's expression instantly turned gloomy. Originally, he had heard that Su Yang was a 25-year-old young man who should have no political acumen, and other than being reckless, he had no advantages to speak of.

And one of his main tasks for this appointment to Huatian Town was to squeeze Su Yang out of the Town Mayor's seat so that he could take over.

Of course, squeezing Su Yang out wasn't the goal; destroying Su Yang and, ideally, getting him locked up was his fundamental objective.

Therefore, before he had even taken office, he was prepared to let Su Yang know who he was.

As a result, after he had been posturing for a long time and had just set the stage, he was slapped right in the face by Su Yang's direct questioning.

In fact, he hadn't reported for duty yet, and his weak spot had been seized by the other party. So, while he was angry, he said, "I think Town Mayor Su might have misunderstood. I am the Executive Vice Town Mayor sent to our town by the Municipal Organization Department."

"Although I haven't reported to the County Party Committee Organization Department yet, the municipal level has already finalized it, and the County Party Committee Organization Department has already been notified. I will report tomorrow morning and arrive at the town in the afternoon."

"So, I can be considered to have gone through the organizational procedures and have already become a cadre of our Huatian Town."

"At that time, I hope Town Mayor Su will be able to fully support my work to fulfill the entrustment of the leaders and the expectations of the common people."

"This time, the relevant leaders at the municipal level have placed high hopes on Huatian Town and have repeatedly urged me to achieve some results here, which is why I am reporting to Town Mayor Su."

"I wanted to meet and discuss with Town Mayor Su the development strategy for our Huatian Town... Oh, right, I just remembered, I heard that Town Mayor Su also came down from the municipal level, so I think we should have a common language..."

He was very clear this time, answering Su Yang's previous question while also explaining his own background.

He emphasized the earnest expectations and attention from the leaders, and didn't forget to mock Su Yang for being "exiled" down here.

Su Yang chuckled, "Zhao Ruilong, oh Zhao Ruilong, what kind of people have you chosen? Don't you know that being too sharp-edged leads to a quick death?"

He said, "Oh, it's Town Mayor Ma, excuse me, excuse me. Since we are all on the same side, I won't stand on ceremony. I presume you also know the situation in our Huatian Town. Recently, in order to lift the town out of poverty and develop the town's economy, we have already applied to the county for road repairs."

"Currently, the project has been approved, but the entire project requires 20 million in funds. At the moment, Secretary Qin and I have already raised a few million. Since Town Mayor Ma is also a member of our town's leadership team and comes from the municipal level, I think it shouldn't be difficult for Town Mayor Ma to get a few million from the municipal level, right?"

"After we end this call, I will announce this good news to the town, letting all the cadres know that a very capable Executive Vice Town Mayor has come to our town, who has already applied for huge funds for our town before even arriving."

"At that time, I will personally organize people to welcome Executive Vice Town Mayor Ma at the entrance of the Town Government."

Ma Zhengyang felt a wave of profanity in his heart. *I was just trying to give you a show of force so you'd know my background and be polite to me in the future. But you, on the other hand, are telling me to go ask for money? Is this how you do things and act as a person? I haven't even officially reported for duty yet! *

But he couldn't say these words; it was he himself who had just said he had already gone through the organizational procedures and was already a cadre of the town. Now, wanting to swallow those words back was clearly too late.

Just a moment ago, he was bragging about having connections, relationships, and a background. If he said he didn't have the ability to get the money now, wouldn't that be slapping his own face?

Moreover, Su Yang clearly didn't give him any chance to retreat. He had already spread his reputation before he even arrived. If he went to take office empty-handed, he might become a laughingstock. How would he be able to carry out work in the town in the future?

At this moment, he already felt some regret for posturing in front of Su Yang!

But wasn't he coming to Huatian Town to suppress, squeeze out, and destroy Su Yang? This time he wanted to test the waters, but he didn't expect the knife to actually stab himself.

He laughed dryly and said, "Uh, this... this should be no problem. I will go and apply to the relevant departments at the municipal level immediately. But you also know that municipal funds are relatively tight, especially in the middle of the year when many quotas have already been allocated. I hope Town Mayor Su won't be too critical at that time."

Su Yang said, "Not at all, not at all. With Town Mayor Ma's ability, seven or eight million should be easy. At that time, I will not only have all the cadres in the town come out to welcome you, but I will also have all the villagers in the town come to beat drums and gongs to welcome you."

"At the same time, we must thank the organization for sending us a good leader and a good cadre who can do practical things."

"To show my personal welcome to Town Mayor Ma, I will apply to the County TV Station and the Municipal TV Station to do a special welcome report for Town Mayor Ma, and it will be broadcast live, oh."

Su Yang really had lifted Ma Zhengyang to a height that didn't belong to him and had blocked all his paths of retreat.

*Little guy, you want to fight me? I'll let you know why the flowers are so red. It's fine if you can get the money this time, but if you can't, let's see where you'll put this face of yours. *

Ma Zhengyang felt like he was about to fall apart. If it were just having the cadres and common people welcome him, he could just enjoy the highlight moment and then pull a "shrug it off" or "intermittent amnesia" at the end. Would Su Yang really chase after his tail like a debt collector?

But now, this god-damned Su Yang was purely trying to destroy him. Getting the County TV Station to come was understandable, but suddenly adding the Municipal TV Station—wasn't this just showing off?

At this very moment, he really wished he could slap his own mouth. Why did he have to posture for someone for no reason! Now, instead of posturing, he had screwed himself... ===== CHAPTER 162 =====