Chapter 175

Minister Gao walked to the podium, looked around at everyone, and said, "Comrades, I am here today with an organizational mission. Entrusted by the organization, I have specifically brought you a young and promising Executive Deputy Town Mayor, personally selected by the city leaders."

"He is Comrade Ma Zhengyang from the United Front Work Department of the Lancheng Municipal Party Committee."

"From today on, he will serve as the Executive Deputy Town Mayor of Huatian Town, carrying out work under the leadership of Secretary Qin and with the support of the Town Party Committee team. I hope all comrades will provide your support."

"Now, please invite Comrade Ma Zhengyang to deliver a speech."

After speaking, he took the lead in applauding, and the crowd followed with warm applause.

Of course, some people appeared listless and indifferent. This person was the Party Committee Office Director, Xu Jin, who had been full of hope to advance further but ultimately failed to get his wish.

After Ma Zhengyang went on stage, he first adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, smoothed his hair, and then cleared his throat, striking a pose before beginning to speak, "Respected Minister Gao, Secretary Qin, and comrades. I am Ma Zhengyang, from our Lancheng City United Front Work Department."

"I was born into a special family. My grandfather crossed the Yalu River, and my grandmother was a doctor in a field hospital. They formed..."

Good heavens, Ma Zhengyang started almost from his grandparents, talked all the way to his father's birth and the difficult years he experienced, and then to his own birth and the arduous struggles and efforts he went through to achieve today's success.

Along the way, he thanked the Party and the country for their cultivation, thanked the people for their nurturing, and thanked the organization for its discerning eye.

The people below were almost falling asleep. Back then, Li Tian was already ridiculous enough. A single inauguration speech had rambled on for more than an hour.

Seeing Ma Zhengyang's spittle flying, they realized that Li Tian was nothing at all. This man had actually spoken for a full two hours with no sign of ending.

And when he started his speech, he only mentioned Minister Gao and Secretary Qin, not mentioning Su Yang at all.

Within the system, before a newly appointed leader speaks on stage, they would certainly greet leaders of higher rank than themselves, but he had deliberately ignored Su Yang.

This kind of behavior rarely happens. It can either be interpreted as a sign of political immaturity, or it is a provocation and a show of force toward Su Yang.

But Su Yang kept a faint smile on his face; he didn't take such petty tricks to heart at all. There would be plenty of opportunities later to make Ma Zhengyang regret today's behavior.

Li Tian was much crazier than Ma Zhengyang back then, and in the end, didn't he still end up going inside for free meals?

Seeing that it was already evening and time to get off work, some town staff members were already drowsy, almost slumped on the tables snoring. But Ma Zhengyang was still talking eloquently.

They had seen people with a strong desire for attention, but damn it, they had never seen one this strong.

If they had known you could talk this much, you should have come in the morning and just held a special lecture on taking office, letting you talk for three days and three nights.

Gao Fengming had no choice but to cough to remind him and raise his hand to check his watch. Only then did Ma Zhengyang finish his long, smelly, foot-binding-cloth-like speech with a sense of lingering desire.

"Minister Gao, it's already dinner time. I have specially booked a meal at the Shangri-La Hotel. Although the conditions are simple, they are all rural delicacies. I hope Minister Gao can grace us with your presence."

"At the same time, this is also a welcome banquet we have prepared for Mayor Ma."

Gao Fengming thought for a moment and said, "That's fine. Since I've come to your Huatian Town, it's good to have a chat with you all."

Ma Zhengyang said from the side, "Minister Gao, you must stay for this meal. You have to let me thank you for sending me to take office. At the same time, our comrades in the town must also thank the organization for its care for us."

Gao Fengming frowned slightly, "Sending you to take office is my duty; there's no need for thanks. The organization's concern for the town is also normal. In other words, we have all done the work we should do. If we had to thank each other for this, then I think we shouldn't do any other work. We'd just be welcoming and seeing people off all year round."

Everyone present could clearly hear that this was Minister Gao expressing his dissatisfaction.

Just now, Ma Zhengyang's speech should have belonged to Su Yang; after all, Su Yang was the mayor and the true second-in-command of Huatian Town.

Ma Zhengyang had overstepped his bounds as soon as he arrived, which was truly going a bit too far.

"Minister Gao is right. We will definitely keep Minister Gao's teachings in mind and do the work in Huatian Town well."

Ma Zhengyang said this immediately. Gao Fengming didn't speak again but took the lead in walking out.

Qin Chuan naturally followed behind, but before Su Yang could catch up, Ma Zhengyang darted out again.

He was competing with Su Yang in everything, even in meaningless things.

Li Hu, who had always been unhappy with Ma Zhengyang, couldn't help but snort coldly. He took two steps forward, intending to have a verbal confrontation with Ma Zhengyang.

Dai Yaxuan was also so angry that she gritted her teeth. She had never seen such a person who disregarded the rules.

But Su Yang waved his hand at them, indicating it didn't matter. These were just small things, and there was absolutely no need for him to create a farce in front of Minister Gao over such matters of face.

After everyone went downstairs, Qin Chuan and Ma Zhengyang followed closely behind Gao Fengming to the outside.

This scene left the other staff members in the town government feeling stunned.

Among these people, even though some had already joined Qin Chuan's camp and were, to some extent, at odds with Su Yang, they were still quite angry at such a person who didn't follow the rules.

Although Li Tian sounded like a scoundrel, he didn't act like this all the time and occasionally still had some brains.

At this moment, Mo Xiaobei's voice sounded from behind, "Mayor Su."

Su Yang turned his head and saw that it was the host of "Today Zero Distance" from just now. He smiled and said, "Hello. I was just thinking of asking you to go eat together, and we happened to run into each other. Could you do me the favor?"

Mo Xiaobei laughed, "That doesn't sound sincere. You know, our program team ran all the way to Huatian Town specifically because of you."

Su Yang chuckled and said, "Not at all. I am definitely full of sincerity; otherwise, I'll open a separate table just for you. But this has to wait until Minister Gao leaves. I believe you can understand."

Mo Xiaobei said, "That's not necessary, as long as you have the sincerity." Then she leaned close to Su Yang and said, "It seems your new Executive Deputy Town Mayor has quite an opinion of you. You made him lose some face in front of so many people today; I'm afraid he will hold you back everywhere in future work."

"If things go wrong, you'll end up doing all the work, but in front of the leaders, the credit will all become his."

Su Yang lit a cigarette and said leisurely, "The eyes of the leaders will not be blinded, and the eyes of the masses are even sharper."

"Of course, whether there is credit or political achievements is not very important to me. As long as I can live up to the organization and the common people, I have a clear conscience."

"It sounds like I'm bragging now, but in fact, I will persist in doing so. You can also supervise as a media person when the time comes."

Mo Xiaobei said, "Mayor Su, I heard you say that the road construction project will be completed in three months. Can this be made public?"