Chapter 335: Can't Say Why, Must Have a Guilty Conscience

The County Party Committee office building was brightly lit, with light spilling out from almost every office. The first day of the meeting had just ended, and not a single cadre had gone home, which made me feel it was very different from the Guan Peishan era.

Cadres have one major characteristic: they are good at guessing the leader's mind. A cadre who cannot guess the leader's mind is not a qualified cadre! This has become the golden rule of officialdom. Cadres who are good at guessing the leader's mind have one important trait: they can observe expressions and follow the leader's pace closely.

For example, if a leader likes to wear a suit, the cadres below will absolutely follow suit. If a leader likes to drink, those who can't drink will force themselves to learn. If a leader likes to sing, the cadres will absolutely sing a song on any occasion.

Secretary Liu Qimeng likes to get off work late. Since he took charge of Chunshan County, very few people have gone home on time after work. Even though most people have nothing to do in the office, they will gather together, drink tea, chat, and wait for the light in Secretary Liu Qimeng's office to go out before going home in twos and threes.

Because of this, many people in Chunshan County, when passing by the County Party Committee building, will sincerely praise the lights of the entire building. With such good cadres, why worry that society won't develop!

Secretary Liu still works in the office he used when he was County Magistrate. The office Guan Peishan vacated has now become the County Magistrate's office. As a result, the layout of the entire building's organs has been adjusted. The County Party Committee has become the government, and the government floor has become the County Party Committee organ. Even the People's Congress and the CPPCC have made small adjustments, merging the document printing rooms that each originally had into one.

Zhu Hua Yu is the only temporary worker after the merger of the document printing rooms.

Zhu Hua Yu's job was a position vacated by an old sister from the original People's Congress document printing room who had gone through the early retirement procedure.

As for why Secretary Liu doesn't change offices, there is a saying circulating in the County Party Committee.

Everyone holds an unlucky view of Secretary Guan's office, saying that such a leader was suddenly investigated by the organization, which must mean the *feng shui* is bad. Therefore, when the County Magistrate wanted to change offices, he waited eagerly for Secretary Liu to vacate his office. Who knew Secretary Liu would firmly refuse to move, saying he was used to his current office and didn't want to move again.

Secretary Liu refused to move, and the County Magistrate didn't want to go, so at that time, when people came to the County Party Committee and County Government to handle matters, they had to look for the door for half a day.

When I arrived at Secretary Liu's office, he was just brewing a pot of tea. Seeing me come in, he beckoned me over and shouted, "Chen Feng, come over and sit, taste my tea, how is it?"

I declined very politely, picked up the teacup, and before drinking, my nose caught a faint, wispy scent of tea. This fragrance was different from the fresh scent of other teas; it had a kind of fragrance that could enter the marrow, as if a small hand, a hand with fingers as white as scallions and as delicate as jade, was hooking at one's chaotic heart, making it quiet.

"Good tea!" I praised, looking into the teacup, seeing the emerald green tea leaves, each one like an inverted thin knife.

"Of course!" Secretary Liu said proudly. "Maojian tea, special grade Maojian. I only have an ounce here. It's precious."

"No wonder!" I said with great envy. "Such a good thing, one can rarely taste it in a lifetime."

"Actually, it's not hard to drink. I have a classmate who is now an official in this tea-producing area, and he gives me a little every year. This tea, the special grade is rare, but the general varieties are not hard to find," Secretary Liu said, squinting his eyes and tasting it carefully.

To tell the truth, I don't have much research on tea leaves. When I was in Suxi Township, we all drank coarse tea that cost three yuan for a large bag. Even so, it wasn't available in every office.

"I invited you here because there are some questions I want to understand from you," Secretary Liu suddenly shifted the topic to business, getting straight to the point without any concealment.

"What do you want to understand, Secretary?" I asked, feeling anxious.

"The city's three-level cadre conference is over, and now we are holding the county, township, and village three-level cadre conference. Opening and opening, it's all one theme: how to develop the economy, how to reform and open up. Little Chen, you are a cadre from the city, a college student, and there is an even more important thing: when you first came to Suxi, you did a few things. Therefore, I invited you here to ask you to talk about your own views."

Secretary Liu stared at me, leaving me no chance to make any small moves.

I hesitated for a moment and said, "Secretary Liu, you are an expert in economic work. I'm just a green youth; where do I understand these things? But I know one thing: following you closely is never wrong!"

Secretary Liu's face showed displeasure, and he said unhappily, "I called you here not to have you blow trumpets and lift sedan chairs, but to have you tell the truth."

My face felt hot, and I hurriedly picked up the water pot to add water to his cup, wanting to cover myself up.

"Speak," he said slowly, his voice not high but filled with unavoidable majesty.

I had no choice but to adjust my thoughts, cleared my throat, and said, "Secretary, it's not that I don't want to speak; I'm afraid I won't speak well."

Secretary Liu waved his hand and said, "Say what you think. Speak without reservation! Remember one thing: don't hide anything; I can tell."

I said, "For Chunshan County's economy, I think we still need to make an article on the word 'agriculture.' Chunshan County is a traditional agricultural county with a weak industrial foundation. If we take the road of industrial strengthening, we don't have much competitive advantage compared to counties with good industrial foundations. Commerce is also not very suitable; Chunshan County is a marginal county with inconvenient transportation, poor logistics, which directly affects the development of commerce. More importantly, commerce needs purchasing power, and what Chunshan lacks now is precisely purchasing power."

Secretary Liu nodded approvingly. Seeing me stop, he looked up at me and said, "Continue, let's see which direction we should go."

Secretary Liu's approval made my courage grow much larger. This old man who didn't smile easily hated flowery language most in his life. Regarding his stories in Chunshan County, anyone could talk for a whole day.

"Chunshan County's agricultural foundation is actually not good either!" I said, stealing a glance at Secretary Liu, and sure enough, I found he was stunned for a moment. Before he could speak, I continued, "Chunshan County's overall situation is six mountains, three waters, and one field. There is little high-quality arable land, and most of it is high ground. If there is a drought, we can only wait to die. If we encounter flood disasters, it's still death. In the entire Chunshan County, as long as it rains continuously for three days, there will definitely be a mountain flood. As the saying goes: fire burns without hair, water passes and there is a catch. But our Chunshan County has broken this rule; as long as there is a mountain flood, let alone a catch, you can't even see it. Once the mountain flood comes, not a blade of grass grows."

"Makes sense, the analysis is not bad!" Secretary Liu continued to approve of me calmly.

"However, our Chunshan County has resources that others can't think of. This is also the only, non-replicable resource." I said, taking another sip of tea, and an idea popped into my mind. Anyway, you, Secretary Liu, asked me to speak; whether I speak well or badly, you can't be angry with me.

Secretary Liu paused and looked at me with interest, asking, "What resources?"

"Scenery, folk customs, folk traditions." I exhaled, wanting to focus on introducing them.

Unexpectedly, Secretary Liu waved his hand and said, "Hmm, I have an idea. Have you thought about how to do what you said?"

I nodded and said very seriously, "I have thought about it, but it's just wishful thinking."

Secretary Liu asked strangely, "Why would it be wishful thinking?"

I smiled bitterly and said, "I'm just a Town Mayor. No matter how great my ability is, can it be greater than the sky? Besides, these all require money."

Secretary Liu laughed loudly and said, "Are you asking me for an official position?"

My face turned red, and I hurriedly waved my hands, saying, "Secretary, don't misunderstand, I don't have that thought."

Secretary Liu smiled generously and said, "Little Chen, you, your courage is not big enough. You speak with reason, but when it comes to doing it, you still don't have the courage. It seems you only know how to talk on paper."

I was rushed by him and blurted out, "Secretary, I am not a person who talks on paper. As long as you give me a stage, I can perform a play that you need."

"Is that so? Not bragging?" Secretary Liu stared at me like looking at a chimpanzee, which made me feel uncomfortable all over. My words just now were too full, and once they were out, I started to regret them.

I hesitated and didn't dare to answer him.

"I just said it. Who doesn't know how to brag?" Secretary Liu continued his provocation slowly.

I am not a person who likes to fight, so the provocation didn't have much effect on me.

But now I am facing the highest administrative leader of Chunshan County, and every word and action of mine will affect my future.

"Secretary Liu, don't provoke me!" I mumbled, my voice as low as a mosquito's.

"I just want to provoke you to see if you are a piece of good iron or a piece of rotten wood," Secretary Liu's tone became severe, and his face was terrifyingly gloomy.

I didn't dare to answer and lowered my head, waiting for him to deal with me.

Secretary Liu sighed, stood up, walked to the desk, picked up a letter, threw it in front of me, and said, "Take a look yourself."

The letter was printed, but I recognized the handwriting on the envelope as my Aunt's at a glance.

I was secretly shocked. What kind of trick was my Aunt playing?

In front of Secretary Liu, I carefully opened the envelope, and a list of names rushed at me, which startled me.

This was a list of cadres from various townships in Chunshan County, densely packed with two pages.

The content of the letter was a report on Deng Hanyu and Guo Wei sending money, detailing the figures of the money sent. I paid special attention and noticed that there was no name of Secretary Liu, nor my name.

"Do you know about this?" Secretary Liu asked me, seemingly absent-minded. But I could hear a fire in his heart, a fire strong enough to burn everything.

"I know a little bit," I said, my attitude very sincere.

"Why didn't you send any? Is it because you have no money, or do you have other thoughts?" Secretary Liu asked me directly.

"I have money, but I won't do such a thing," I said, not avoiding his gaze, looking straight at him.

"Give me a reason." Secretary Liu said faintly, as if he were joking about my statement.

"No reason!" I answered him stiffly.

Secretary Liu looked at me like a stubborn donkey with its neck stuck out, then smiled first and said, "Can't say why, must have a guilty conscience?"

"No!" I still answered him stiffly.

"What kind of thing is this? It's simply playing the piano indiscriminately!" Secretary Liu slapped the glass coffee table with his palm, startling the cup.

I lowered my head, looking at the tea leaves like thin knives in the cup, and remained silent.

"If these people are allowed to come up, it means I, Liu Qimeng, am irresponsible!" He stood up again, pacing in circles in the room.

"Even if it means this official hat of mine falls, I must resist once," he stopped, turned his back to me, and said word by word.

Secretary Liu's attitude moved me. How many people in the world can treat their official hat as nothing?

"You go back and rest first. There is still a meeting tomorrow." He waved his hand, signaling me to leave.

I hurriedly stood up and ran out of his office as if fleeing. Serving a leader is like serving a tiger; although Secretary Liu is not an emperor, in Chunshan County, he is considered a feudal lord. He wants to crush me like crushing an ant.

Passing by the County Youth League Committee, I saw the lights were still on inside. I walked in without knocking. Stepping in, the scene before my eyes made it difficult for me to retreat. ===== CHAPTER 336 =====