Chapter 883

Afterwards, everyone tacitly avoided talking about work and instead drank cup after cup. Lai Junchen was also in good spirits today and drank quite a bit.

The three of them only finished after drinking four catties of baijiu.

Originally Su Yang wanted to chat a bit more with Lai Junchen, but Lai Junchen's intention was for him to see Guo Haiyan off.

After finishing the meal and stepping out, Guo Haiyan had kept a smiling face, but it immediately tightened.

Everyone here is someone who mixes within the System; especially at his age, not only can one tell things from words and deeds, even a single expression can reveal something.

If there were still room for maneuver in his matter, Lai Junchen would not have spoken so euphemistically just now.

He sighed and said to Su Yang, "Su Yang, I have spent my life navigating the officialdom, and reaching the position of Municipal Party Committee Secretary is already the ceiling for most people. But being addicted to office is like drinking salt water to quench thirst—the more you drink, the thirstier you get, the thirstier you get, the more you drink, and the amount keeps growing until the very end of life."

"When I was young, I too was full of ideals and harbored political ambitions; even when I first started work, I thought about how to use existing resources to lead the villagers to prosperity and how to develop the local economy."

"But once I truly entered the System, I realized many things are not as I imagined, because your ideas often never even leave the office before being strangled. Not only that, people who see or hear you having such ideas will openly mock you, treating you as an outsider."

"Only those who go with the flow, follow the leader's pace, and have no stance of their own have a future."

"To be honest, I really envy you—there are many people with ideals and ambitions, but after repeatedly hitting walls, they just have to tuck their tails and behave."

"At the grassroots level, I have seen many recent college graduates; out of ten, at least two are absolutely capable and talented, yet nobody gives them a platform to showcase themselves. This is a place that ranks by seniority, where both ability and background matter; no matter how good your personal ideas are, they are useless."

"Lieshan Xian is fortunate to have met you; otherwise, Lieshan would remain as it was, and nobody could change the status quo. You think I don't know about all the things that have happened in Lieshan Xian? Of course I know."

"Do you think, as Municipal Party Committee Secretary, I would just watch helplessly as all the big and small officials of Lieshan Xian become Geng Miao's lackeys? I certainly wouldn't. But if you want to act against the County Standing Committee team, you must go through the standing committee."

"However, several people in the Municipal Party Committee are directly connected to them; those who could previously stand with me on other matters and uphold correct thinking and direction, once the issue of Geng Miao arises, become timid or even abstain."

"Why? Because Geng Miao has connections in the province, with a Provincial Standing Committee Member backing him; who among us would risk our political careers to eradicate this cancer? Nobody, of course—we just muddle along, since it doesn't harm us directly and isn't a big deal."

"This is actually indulgence, tantamount to condoning, which equals committing a crime, violating law and discipline. I also considered this before; I was fundamentally not wrong, but by this point, everyone in the province has connections, and everyone's behind-the-scenes relationships are Complex Relationships."

"This cancer has grown so large that its abscess cannot be squeezed, and the lid can only be pressed down, not dared to be lifted; all I can do is to be transferred from this position as soon as possible. Even before this, I had thought of keeping the lid sealed, because too many people would be affected and nobody would dare to touch it."

"I am foolish; if I had known earlier, I should have removed all obstacles, even at the cost of my official hat, to uproot this cancer."

"At this moment, are you thinking that I should summon this vigor, exert the dominance of a Municipal Party Committee Secretary, and resolve this matter thoroughly?"

"I tell you, it's not that simple at all; even if I were to lay everything on the line, I might not be able to truly settle this matter. By now, I feel the Cultivation Organization has already given me lenient treatment, and I should thank the provincial Party Committee leadership."

Having said that, Guo Haiyan simply walked over to the roadside bench, sat down, lit a cigarette, blew a smoke ring, raised her head, and said slowly, "I believe you already know where I am headed next; I have made sufficient mental preparations—tell me."

These words are all true, yet how ironic the truth is. Su Yang also tried to put himself in that position to consider how to respond; he also simulated it, and truly, without those behind-the-scenes connections, the best outcome would likely be a transfer elsewhere, or else mutual destruction.

At this point he also did not conceal it, saying, "Secretary Guo, I too have heard this rumor, which may not be accurate; you might be transferred to the provincial capital to serve as the Party secretary of the provincial Writers' Association. Actually, your work in Jingcheng City is still widely recognized; otherwise, this matter would not have remained undecided for so long."

Guo Haiyan gave a bitter smile: "Indeed, indeed. That's fine too—spending each day reading books, newspapers, writing a bit, drawing a bit, thus enjoying one's twilight years; how is that not a blessing?"

"Everyone says being an official is good, being an official is good—how many people rack their brains to get in? But once you truly start climbing, you'll find this path is all swords and shadows, all deceit and intrigue. Even if you remove all obstacles and climb step by step, you will discover that there is always someone ahead of you."

"Being in the officialdom, moving up step by step is hard, and landing safely in the end is even harder; actually, I too should be content."

"Moreover, even if you do the right thing, you also need to be with the right people; otherwise you'll spend your whole life like this. I and Comrade Huai Zhong have had dealings since our county days, and then we worked together in the city."

"Speaking frankly, everyone's abilities are roughly similar, and everyone wants to do practical things for the common people. In the matter of Geng Miao, he not only avoided involvement but actually went further, while I have to step down early. Do you think only he is willing to lend you a hand at the critical moment?"

"No, actually there are plenty of people who want to help you, but without strong backing, who dares to act? However, these are not the scariest part; the scariest is that you often find yourself willing but powerless to do many things—a feeling you cannot understand unless you have experienced it."

"How do local graft cases come about? It's because a corrupt element, by accident, grows large, pulls in enough people, weaves a net large enough that peers dare not supervise and superiors struggle to manage; by the time it erupts, it has already become a major case."

"You are very fortunate to have such a powerful network; no matter what you do, you can overcome all difficulties and achieve your goal. Take the Geng Miao affair as an example: if it weren't for your friend Liu Zixuan being targeted by that reckless gang, there would not have been such a major move in Jingcheng, and the Public Security Department would not have launched a thunderous operation."

"I am already past my prime, but you have just begun; I hope you can always keep your original aspiration, place the interests of the common people first, not be greedy, not occupy, not give others leverage—only with a strong backbone can you do more solid work."

"I don't know how long you can still serve in the county, but soon a county Party secretary with great background will arrive—I suppose you know that too. I can't help you much, but when necessary, someone on the standing committee will speak up for you. All right, I'm tired; take me to the nearest guesthouse."