Chapter 111: Secretary He's Instructions

Secretary He Zhi lived in the municipal committee family compound, with armed police standing guard at the entrance.

My aunt firmly refused to let anyone accompany me, not even Xue Bing, which made Xue Bing sulk and refuse to say a word to me, puffing up her cheeks and returning to the room to pull the quilt over her head.

The armed police politely stopped me from continuing my advance and invited me to stand to the side. Looking at the deep family compound, I had no way. The family compound actually housed less than twenty families—leaders of the municipal committee, municipal government, people's congress, CPPCC, leaders of the garrison command, and retired veteran cadres—just these people, scattered in the compound shaded by green trees. Each family was an independent household, a three-story small villa. People at Minister Huang Shan's level were not yet qualified to move into the family compound.

After standing for a while, I begged the armed police on duty, "Brother, I'm here to pay New Year's greetings to Secretary He."

The armed police rolled his eyes at me and ignored me.

I continued, "I'm his nephew." I raised this banner, thinking the armed police brother would make an exception, but who knew he looked at me with contempt and said, "Many people have come claiming to be his grandson, who knows if it's true or false."

After pestering for a long time, the things in my hands made my hands red, and I fiercely wanted to break in directly. Just after taking two steps, I heard the sound of the armed police pulling the bolt of his gun behind me, shouting, "If you take another step, I'll shoot!"

F*** your mother! It's the New Year, moving knives and guns, how unlucky! I don't believe you little armed police would dare to shoot me! A municipal committee compound, made like Zhongnanhai, what shameful things are there!

My footsteps didn't stop, I continued to walk inside, and then I heard a burst of footsteps, two small armed police ran up from left and right, clamped me, and dragged me back.

Just as it was getting out of hand, a high-end sedan drove over, the window rolled down, revealing a white, delicate, and soft little face, shouting at the armed police, "Why don't you let go yet!"

The armed police obediently let go and looked at me angrily, saying, "If you break in again, we won't be polite."

I giggled and said, "Paying a New Year's greeting, and still like a prisoner, is it interesting?"

The armed police said with a dark face, "Not interesting."

I smiled and said, "If it's not interesting, why don't you let me in? I'm not a bad person."

The armed police said angrily, "Why are you talking so much? Who knows if you're a bad person."

The little face in the car window smiled, opened the door, and got out, staring at me, "You're not a bad person. You're a good person. Tell me, who are you here to pay New Year's greetings to?"

She was wearing a black long skirt, a pair of red high-top leather boots set off her legs to be slender and elastic, a leather jacket on her upper body, and a white round-neck sweater inside, her chest protruding high. Her hair was loose, tied with a white silk scarf. Her momentum was arrogant and cold, blending with the cold air around her, giving people a bone-chilling feeling.

I looked at her, then at the high-end sedan behind her. A woman like this must have a lot of background.

I said, "I'm here to pay New Year's greetings to Secretary He."

She smiled and said, "What is Secretary He to you?"

Her smile was completely different from the momentum she showed, so I had to answer honestly, "Secretary He is my cousin-in-law."

She said "Oh," raised her hand to tell the armed police to leave, and said, "You get in the car with me, I'll take you there."

I refused her kindness, saying, "Thank you, just tell me where he lives, I'll go myself."

She smiled slightly and said, "It's okay, come with me, I won't sell you."

Her joke didn't make me laugh. A big man, being teased by a little woman like this, is not a very pleasant thing.

"What? Still not getting in?" She got into the car herself and waved at me.

Once in the car, she handed me a business card and introduced herself, "Chen Meng, reporter for the Daily."

I didn't have a business card, so I had to introduce myself, "My name is Chen Feng."

She smiled lightly, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, reached out, and said, "I know you."

I was surprised. None of my friends were reporters, and in my impression, I hadn't dealt with reporters, so how did she know me? "You know me?"

"Of course." She folded her hands on her knees, her curvy body leaned forward slightly, and she said to the driver, "Take him to Secretary He's house first."

The car drove through the tree-lined path as if sliding on water and stopped in front of a small building shaded by green trees. She pointed to the door and said, "Here we are, Happy Spring Festival!"

Before I could thank her, her car had disappeared into the green trees.

Standing in front of the iron gate of the small building, I organized my breathing and reached out to ring the doorbell.

The door opened, and a young woman came out, wearing an apron, asking me with a smile, "Who are you looking for?"

I said, "I'm here to pay New Year's greetings to my cousin-in-law."

She hesitated for a moment, opened the door, and signaled me to follow her.

A young man was watching TV in the house. Seeing me, he hurriedly stood up, rubbing his hands, and greeted me to sit down. Before I could sit still, I heard footsteps coming from upstairs, followed by He Zhi's voice: "Xiao Mei, who's here?"

The young woman smiled and said, "Secretary He, he says he's your nephew."

Then there was a burst of rapid footsteps, and He Zhi's figure appeared at the top of the stairs. His full beard was piled with smiles, and he said, "I knew it would be you. Not bad, a child who can be taught."

Sitting in the living room, He Zhi asked me, "Where are your mother and father? Why didn't they come together?"

I hesitated and said, "They are both old and it's not convenient for them to go out."

He Zhi laughed heartily and said, "That's true, I should be the one to pay them New Year's greetings."

He turned to the young woman and said, "Xiao Mei, you've worked hard today, make a few more good dishes, the two of us will have a few drinks. Ask your husband Xiao Deng to come and drink too."

Xiao Mei hurriedly waved her hands to refuse, saying that she was already very grateful that the secretary could take in her husband during the New Year, how could she dare to accompany the secretary to drink. It turned out that the young man named Xiao Mei was He Zhi's nanny, and the man watching TV just now was her husband.

"I want to thank you two for accompanying this old man for the New Year." He Zhi said without allowing any argument, "Ask Xiao Deng to help you."

Xiao Mei served two cups of tea and smiled sweetly, "Secretary He, this big brother was sent by Reporter Chen from Secretary Chen's house."

He Zhi looked at me strangely and said, "You know Chen Meng?"

I said, "I don't know her." I told him about the armed police not letting me in at the gate, me wanting to break in, being seen by Chen Meng, and then being brought in. After hearing this, He Zhi laughed and said, "Chen Meng, this girl, her heart is higher than the sky. This time, taking the initiative to get out of the car and bring you in is an unprecedented thing."

Xiao Mei smiled from the side, "Isn't it because big brother looks handsome? Beauties all like handsome guys."

I was extremely embarrassed. Xiao Mei looked less than thirty, her appearance was very clean, and her round bottom was wrapped in tight pants, making her look even more charming. I secretly pinched my thigh, damn it, my eyes always betray me now. As long as I see a woman, it's always face, chest, and bottom. Is my whole bone filled with dirty thoughts?

He Zhi waved his hand and said, "Why aren't you busy yet? Talking nonsense."

Once Xiao Mei walked away, he patted the sofa and said, "Old Chen family's precious daughter, thirty years old, still doesn't have a boyfriend. My old He's nephew is a talent, matching her is more than enough." After finishing, he laughed first.

He Zhi's laughter carried vicissitudes, which I heard immediately. It's no wonder, a department-level high official, wife and children not by his side, spending the New Year alone, no matter who it is, the mood won't be good.

After chatting for a while, He Zhi asked about my aunt, saying he didn't expect to have such a cousin, and then asked about Xue Bing's situation, saying he had seen her in Suxi Township, knew she was a music teacher, and was afraid that placing her in the township middle school to teach music would bury her talent.

I took the opportunity to sigh, "She is in the education system, and there is no one above to take care of her, so she can only stay in Suxi Township and teach music for a lifetime."

He Zhi pondered for a while and said, "Don't worry about this. Since you're here, I have something for you to do, and it must be done well."

I expressed seriously, "You say it, Secretary."

He corrected my words, "Just call me Uncle at home. In Hengyue City, I'm afraid you're the only one who calls me Uncle."

My heart was moved. If it is understandable for a person to run around for a living and be away from family affection, for an official of his size, losing one family affection for another, the pain in his heart is not something everyone can understand.

I had to change my address to "Uncle."

He Zhi was beaming and wanted to give me a red envelope, saying that as a junior paying New Year's greetings to an elder, if the elder didn't give a red envelope, it wouldn't be right anywhere.

After receiving the red envelope, He Zhi said, "I know the situation of the Chunshan County Martyrs Cemetery. I want you to restore the cemetery and build a national-level education base."

I hesitated for a long time and said, "I'm afraid I don't have the right to intervene in the county's work."

He Zhi smiled and said, "Your consideration is correct. In one's position, one plans one's government. If the name is not correct, the words will not be smooth. This matter has been discussed at the municipal committee standing committee meeting and has been basically decided. As for who will be responsible, the municipal committee is still considering it. I'm telling you today to let you have a mental preparation. In case the organization needs you, you must get started at the first time."

I nodded, my heart bumping like a small deer. If I were responsible for the restoration and reconstruction of the Martyrs Cemetery, I would first have to leave Suxi Township. Leaving Suxi Township, I would be blind in Chunshan County. Besides Huang Qishan, who else could I talk to?

Not to mention, behind the Martyrs Cemetery stands Guan Peishan, a county party secretary who has served two terms in Chunshan County. He is a landmine; whoever steps on him might be smashed to pieces and perish together!

The food was ready, and Uncle He Zhi called Xiao Mei's husband Xiao Deng to take their seats, opening a bottle of Wuliangye, and the aroma of the wine instantly filled the room.

Xiao Deng was a construction worker whose home was in the countryside of the neighboring city. He and Xiao Mei had two children, both raised by his parents. Originally, Xiao Mei wanted to go home for the New Year, but seeing Secretary He spending the New Year alone, she was worried and firmly decided to stay to accompany Secretary He. He Zhi couldn't refuse her, so he let her call her children and husband over, but Xiao Mei refused to do so, and in the end, only called her husband Xiao Deng, which could be considered a pair of children accompanying Secretary He for the New Year.

Xiao Mei was personally selected by Secretary He. When the municipal committee's organ affairs administration was matching nannies for leaders' homes, Secretary He took a fancy to her at a glance in the information sent by the secretary. The reason was that Xiao Mei had a pair of eyes like his mother's.

In fact, Xiao Mei played the role of a daughter in Secretary He's home, acting spoiled and funny, everything was there. Even to the outside world, Xiao Mei participated in various activities as a family member. For example, when the organ held some activities, Xiao Mei represented Secretary He.

According to He Zhi, he treated her as if he had given birth to a daughter. Usually, he treated Xiao Mei with the attitude of a father, for example, forcing Xiao Mei to participate in TV university studies. If Xiao Mei didn't go, he wouldn't recognize this daughter, making Xiao Mei forget who she was many times, as if the owner of this house was her father. ===== CHAPTER 112 =====