Chapter 317

The news that He Jiaxiao was returning to the country was not necessarily good news for Secretary He.

As soon as I stepped into Secretary He's study, I saw his sorrowful face. He was a Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee and had a military background; being stern and unsmiling was his nature. I was accustomed to Secretary He's solemnity, but this time, the sorrow revealed in his solemnity made my heart heavy as well.

"Xiao Feng, everything is handled, right?" Secretary He asked me, sitting down in a leather swivel chair and pointing to the chair opposite, signaling me to sit.

I stammered. Of course, I understood what Secretary He was referring to. He was asking me how I had handled the matter of Xuelai!

My cousin-in-law! If I told you that the matter of Xuelai wasn't just a matter, but that the daughter of Secretary Chen's family was pregnant with your grandson, how would you break down?

I also wanted to say that this girl carrying your grandson was about to become someone else's daughter-in-law, and your unborn grandson would call someone else "Grandpa," while you remained completely unaware—what would your thoughts be then?

Reason told me I couldn't say any of this! I had to bury these words in the bottom of my heart, let them rot slowly, let them turn into dust and fly away with the wind.

"Speak!" Seeing me stammer, Secretary He was clearly unhappy, and he pointed out to me with unforced authority, "What is it is what it is; speak directly, don't have any psychological burden."

I had no choice but to say, "Cousin-in-law, the matter is handled. But there is one thing; I don't know if I should say it or not."

"What is it?" Hearing that it was handled, it was as if a stone had been lifted from his chest. He felt relieved and let out a quiet breath, but after hearing my words, his brows knitted together again.

"That girl, she has a request, the only request," I said, holding up a finger to emphasize.

"What request? Can it be granted? Is the money not enough?" Secretary He asked, opening the book in front of him without even lifting his head.

"She wants to enter the cadre ranks!" I made a great determination to spit out this sentence. After saying it, I felt relieved, and Xuelai's shadow suddenly jumped into my mind; I was actually a bit excited.

"Nonsense!" Secretary He scolded, closing the book and saying, "You agreed?"

I shook my head and said helplessly, "What do I have to agree to her with?"

He grunted, didn't look at me, and asked, "Wouldn't giving her more money work?"

"No! She doesn't want a single cent," I said, taking the bankbook out of my bag, placing it squarely in front of him, and letting my hands hang by my sides, waiting for his instructions.

Secretary He glanced at the bankbook, swept it to the floor without even looking at it, and said in a stern tone, "Xiao Feng, you just said it was handled! Does this count as handled?"

I didn't even dare to breathe, feeling a cold sweat break out on my back. Secretary He trusted me, which is why he let me handle this mess, but what I brought him was an even thornier problem.

"Give me a cigarette," Secretary He reached out to me.

He didn't even smoke!

I handed him a cigarette. He took it, smelled it under his nose, and refused my offer to light it. He placed the cigarette in the palm of his hand, snapped it, rubbed it into a ball, opened his hand, and the tobacco shreds drifted down from his palm one by one, falling onto the book in front of him, scattering into a tangled mess, just like his mood.

"You know Jiaxiao is coming back. When he's not here, anything can be said, but when he's home, if it's not handled well, the social impact will be too great," Secretary He said slowly, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

"Actually, I think, Xuelai said that as long as it's a cadre position, she doesn't care about the place or the post. I thought about it; she just wants an identity," I said, as if offering an idea to Secretary He: "With current township cadres, there's still a chance to get someone in."

Secretary He shook his head, indicating this idea wouldn't work.

"How about letting her go to Aunt's company? As a cadre entrusted by the city, she could find some job at the Highway Headquarters, and then slowly get regularized later; that's not impossible." I offered another bad idea, but to my surprise, Secretary He's eyes lit up. He slapped the desk and stood up, just about to speak, but then sat down dejectedly, murmuring, "The work at the Highway Headquarters isn't under my jurisdiction."

"It's Minister Huang Shan's wife, Deputy Director Chen of the Highway Bureau, who is serving as the Commander," I reminded him, almost blurting out that she was Huang Weiwei's mother. And Huang Weiwei was now my official girlfriend.

"Old Huang, I don't know how to bring this up!" Secretary He sighed heavily.

"How about I go say it?" I said, smiling feignedly, and handed him another cigarette, letting him crush it and scatter it about.

"That might work!" Secretary He thought for a moment, stood up, walked to my side, patted my shoulder affectionately, and instructed me, "Before Jiaxiao comes back, you must pacify her."

I nodded seriously and gave him a reassuring smile in return.

"Xiao Feng, this three-level cadre meeting is the largest meeting held in Hengyue City since the Reform and Opening-up. The theme of the meeting is to deepen reform and opening-up and liberate productive forces. It's a great ideological revolution; are you prepared?" After getting my smile, Secretary He gave me his full trust again.

"Cousin-in-law, I'm just a small Town Mayor; among the hundred or so Town Mayors in the city, I'm not even visible," I said with a bitter smile. In my heart, I was actually still resenting him: Minister Huang Shan had made efforts for my Deputy County Magistrate position, and you are my cousin-in-law—how come I haven't seen any movement from you?

"Xiao Feng, don't be overly ambitious!" Secretary He looked at me with a half-smile and said, "What is your relationship with the girl from Old Huang's family?"

My heart skipped a beat. Not daring to hide it from him, I had to answer obediently, "I'm dating Huang Weiwei."

Secretary He said "Oh" and asked me, "What about the female teacher who used to come to the house?"

I hesitated and said, "We're not dating anymore."

"Why aren't you dating anymore?" Secretary He clearly wanted to get to the bottom of it. I didn't understand why he was suddenly interested in my love life and what his purpose was.

"Cousin-in-law, this matter of men and women dating always has many things that can't be explained clearly," I said, beating around the bush.

"Is that so?" Secretary He looked at me with a cold smile and said, "It's not because Old Huang is the Organization Department Minister, is it?"

"How could that be?" I pretended to be indignant and said, "Don't I have a cousin-in-law with an even higher official position? Cousin-in-law, you have to believe me, it's absolutely not like that."

Secretary He smiled faintly and said, "I believe you, Xiao Feng. But I want to remind you that for a cadre, the two areas where problems are most likely to occur are economics and conduct."

I nodded seriously, patted my chest, and said, "Don't worry, Cousin-in-law. Even if I have to beg for food, I won't take a single cent in bribes. Even if I become a monk, I won't be moved by lust or lack integrity."

As soon as I finished speaking, I felt my face flush. People always say one thing and do another, and I was no exception.

"Hmm," Secretary He responded lightly and said, "I hope you can do well."

This was a double-entendre, and I naturally understood the implication.

"As for your aunt asking you to be her secretary, my view and suggestion is, don't move for the time being, understand?" Secretary He's conversation was all over the place, from He Jiaxiao's personal affairs to my personal love life, and in the blink of an eye, to my future, leaving me almost unable to keep up, my thinking barely able to follow his ideas.

"I don't quite understand," I said bluntly. Aunt Wanru asked me to be her secretary, and I would instantly become a full Division-level cadre. Moreover, my work would finally be able to leave the dust-filled countryside, and I would be able to return to being a city dweller—what a glorious thing! Besides, Aunt Wanru was peerlessly beautiful and graceful, and there was also the beautiful Sister Xiao Mei by her side. Working beside two such fairy-like women, even if I had to eat chaff and swallow vegetables, it would be incomparably happy!

Secretary He said earnestly, "Xiao Feng, you must listen to me this time. You should know by now that the secretary of your town, what's his name, Guo something, will assume the position of Deputy County Magistrate of Chunshan County after this three-level cadre meeting ends. Once he leaves, the secretary's position will be yours. Being a cadre is like eating; you must walk step by step. Even if it takes longer than others, there's no possibility of choking to death, right?"

He stared at me, waiting for my answer.

I nodded in agreement, but I was still unconvinced in my heart. No wonder he's just a cousin-in-law; you didn't help me fight for the Deputy County Magistrate position, and now that there's finally a good position, you're pushing me away. A cousin-in-law is just a cousin-in-law; it's not as real as a blood relationship.

He seemed to see through my thoughts and said, "Don't think too much. I'm your cousin-in-law; I won't ignore you. But I want to remind you that everything must be fought for through your own efforts; pies won't fall from the sky."

"But..." I said, "I promised Aunt."

"Don't worry about that. Your aunt is an old cadre; she knows organizational discipline." Secretary He ended the conversation with me and waved for me to leave.

Coming out of his study, I was like a wilted rooster, walking downstairs in low spirits.

Sister Xiao Mei greeted me first and asked, "Are you done talking?"

I nodded, walked to the sofa opposite Aunt Wanru, sat down, and said with infinite sorrow, "Aunt, I can't help you."

"Why? Your cousin-in-law didn't agree?" Aunt Wanru asked me in astonishment.

"Maybe Cousin-in-law has other considerations," I said absent-mindedly.

"What does Old He mean?" After Aunt Wanru finished this sentence, she stood up and asked me, "Are you sleeping at home tonight or going to the hotel?"

I lifted my head and saw Sister Xiao Mei's eager eyes looking at me. My heart stirred, and I remembered her infinitely charming body on that small bed in Suxi Township, and I almost couldn't hold myself back.

After thinking for a moment, I said, "The three-level cadre meeting is tomorrow; it's more appropriate for me to go back to the hotel."

After saying this, I stood up to leave. Aunt Wanru didn't ask me to stay and told Sister Xiao Mei to see me off.

Walking to the door, I heard Sister Xiao Mei murmur behind me, "Another good dream shattered!"