Chapter 355: Yue Bai

The business in Suxi Town was concluded, and I felt quite pleased with myself. Guo Wei had yet to hand over the work to me, but that was no longer important. I had already announced my own assumption of office. In my capacity as a Deputy County Magistrate, I had overstepped my bounds and taken over the duties of the County Party Committee Organization Department. Regarding the selection of the Town Mayor and the appointment of the Town Youth League Committee Secretary, I had not sought the opinion of the County Party Committee, let alone followed the organizational procedures.

In any other place, this would be a major taboo. Here, however, it had become effortless.

In truth, I held the "Shangfang Sword" 【imperial authority】 granted by Secretary Liu Qimeng. Before I came to Suxi Town, Secretary Liu had instructed me that the County Party Committee would absolutely support any candidate I deemed suitable.

Having the Shangfang Sword was not enough; the Organization Department Minister was a member of the County Party Standing Committee and held the power of veto. I had to lower my stance and reach an understanding with them. I certainly didn't want any trouble to arise!

Therefore, after returning to my office, I closed the door and began to call Peng Dingjun, the Minister of the County Party Committee Organization Department.

Minister Peng was quite surprised to receive my call and chuckled, saying, "Old brother, you finally have time to call me."

I said, "Minister Peng, I have a matter I must trouble you with."

Peng Dingjun said without hesitation, "Why be so polite, old brother? We are all family. Speak, what matter do you need this old brother for?"

I let out a drunken hiccup and said exaggeratedly, "This matter really requires you, old man, to step in. And if you don't help me with this, I'll be left with no place to be buried."

Peng Dingjun hesitated for a moment, softened his tone, and asked, "What matter is so serious?"

I then explained the personnel arrangements for Suxi Town. After finishing, I waited for Peng Dingjun to speak.

Township cadres were all managed at the county level; promotions, transfers, and dismissals were all decided by the Organization Department. Although a township cadre didn't hold much rank, the gate of organizational procedure could not be skipped; after all, it was an organization with administrative levels.

Peng Dingjun hesitated for a long time before slowly saying, "Old brother, this matter might be a bit troublesome. Especially this person for the Township Youth League Committee Secretary—what was her name again? How come I've never heard of her?"

I said, "Her name is Xuelai, a girl from the north. She has great capabilities."

He let out an "Oh" and said in a measured tone, "Cadre appointments and removals are all conducted in the sunlight. Regardless of the rank, there must be a file, they must undergo organizational inspection, and there must be public notice to solicit opinions."

Peng Dingjun's words clearly contained dissatisfaction, so I had to bring out the Shangfang Sword: "Secretary Liu approved it."

He let out another "Oh" and immediately took over the conversation, saying, "Since the Secretary approved it, why are you still coming to me, old brother? That's redundant."

I said, "Minister, Secretary Liu is doing this for my own good, and I'm sure you are too. I'm just a young man, and I still need you, Minister, to help me mount the horse and see me off for a stretch. So, old brother, you must help me with this favor."

I was taking precautions so that I wouldn't have to tear my face off with Peng Dingjun at the Standing Committee meeting. Moreover, I needed the County Party Committee Organization Department's documents—a formal document of appointment and removal.

"Can this matter be clearly explained over the phone?" Peng Dingjun seemed a bit impatient.

"Understood. I'll hang up now and come to your office tomorrow to report." I smiled and hung up the phone.

Peng Dingjun was clearly very dissatisfied with my overstepping, but I understood his background. He was a cadre personally promoted by Minister Huang Shan and belonged to Minister Huang Shan's faction. Who was Minister Huang Shan? He was my future father-in-law! Offending me meant offending Minister Huang.

As a County Party Committee Organization Department Minister, it was impossible for Peng Dingjun not to know my background. His show of impatience was just him trying to save face for himself.

In the organization, being one rank higher crushes people! Not to mention that I was carrying the Secretary's order and wearing the mantle of the son-in-law of his superior.

After hanging up the phone, I walked into the inner room of the office, lay back on the small bed, and stared at the fluorescent light overhead. The tube made a squeaking sound, like a mouse gnawing on a wooden board.

The phone made a "ding-dong" sound. I picked it up and saw a text message from Yue Bai: "Are you okay?"

I replied with one word: "Good!"

"I want to come over and chat," she replied quickly.

"Someone will see," I replied back.

"No one can see. I want to talk about work," she replied again.

I hesitated for a moment and replied with one sentence: "I'm asleep. Let's talk tomorrow."

As soon as the message was sent, I turned off the phone.

It wasn't that I didn't want Yue Bai to come over; when a person drinks, their courage becomes particularly large. Because of alcohol, I had had intimate contact with Jin Ling, and then a Zhao Yu'er had popped up, keeping me on edge for years.

With Zhao Yu'er's blood transfusion this time, it could almost be concluded that I was not her biological father. It was as if a giant rock that had been pressing on my chest had been suddenly moved away, and I felt an unprecedented sense of relief. After the relief came a sense of loss—so much loss that I wanted to slap myself hard.

It was like a dream; yesterday I was just a small errand boy, and today I had entered the hall and become a Deputy County Magistrate. Could it really be a "Yellow Millet Dream"? I pinched my thigh hard, and the pain made me gasp. Everything was real!

The door was knocked, followed by Xuelai's voice: "Open the door, I'm coming in."

I held my breath and played dead, ignoring her.

The door was knocked even harder, and Xuelai's voice grew much louder: "I know you're inside, don't play dead."

I had no choice but to get up and open the door.

Xuelai stood at the door, smiling, carrying a thermos. Seeing me open the door, she raised the thermos and laughed, "You didn't open the door for so long, are you hiding a beauty in your golden house?"

She slipped past me, took a few steps to the door of the inner room, and peeked inside.

I didn't care about her actions; if one's heart is pure, one doesn't fear walking at night.

Seeing that there was no one in the inner room, Xuelai turned back and laughed sheepishly, "There really is no one."

"Who did you think was here?" I said irritably.

"I didn't think anyone was," she smiled faintly, shoved the thermos into my hands, and said, "The weather is cold, soak your feet, it's good for your health."

I thanked her repeatedly and respectfully saw her out the door.

Xuelai didn't leave, however; her eyes darted around, and she asked me suspiciously, "There's no bucket, what are you going to soak them in?"

"I'm fine, you go rest, I have a way," I said, my eyes fixed on the door.

Xuelai caught my behavior and said mischievously, "You want me to leave, right? I'm not leaving."

I almost begged her: "There are many people with many mouths, it has a bad influence."

Xuelai paused, stared at me for a long time, and said coldly, "I'm a girl and I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of?"

I had no words to answer.

"Don't worry! I don't have any ideas, I just wanted to come and thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"You let me become an official."

I smiled and said nothing.

"Isn't that right?" Xuelai sat down instead, bulging her slippery eyes at me.

"Yes, yes," I said. "You are now our Suxi Town Youth League Committee Secretary. You are a person with an organization!"

Xuelai laughed, got up, and said, "I won't bother you anymore. But let me tell you, I don't know anything, so if I cause trouble, you have to take responsibility."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I had long premeditated Xuelai becoming the Youth League Committee Secretary in Suxi Town. When she first proposed to me that she wanted to be an official, I knew she wouldn't stop until she achieved her goal. My cousin-in-law He Zhi wouldn't personally come forward to arrange someone like her who had no background, and my cousin He Jiaxiao had run away after a night of passion.

A girl like this, with no roof over her head and no land under her feet, what couldn't she do? The only way was to satisfy her demands.

And I had arranged her in Suxi Town without even telling my cousin-in-law!

After Xuelai left, I tried to call my cousin-in-law.

It was Sister Xiao Mei who answered, saying that Secretary He hadn't returned yet, and my cousin-in-law Wanru wasn't home either. She was the only one in the house.

Since my cousin-in-law wasn't there, I wanted to hang up.

Sister Xiao Mei shouted on the phone: "Chen Feng, I heard you became a Deputy County Magistrate?"

I smiled and didn't answer.

Sister Xiao Mei said with infinite melancholy, "That's great! A talent like you should be an official much bigger than a County Magistrate."

I teased her, "How big of an official would that be?"

Sister Xiao Mei giggled and said, "In my opinion, at the very least, you should be the Provincial Party Secretary."

I laughed out loud, but inside I felt extremely satisfied. Although I was a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the position of Provincial Party Secretary—a distant, unreachable dream—it was better to be able to dream than to not want to dream at all.

"Chen Feng, I'm leaving too," Sister Xiao Mei said lazily.

"Where to?" I was startled. She was doing well working for my cousin-in-law, where could she be going?

Sister Xiao Mei giggled and said, "Look at how nervous you are. I passed the exam for the Municipal Committee Affairs Bureau. You should congratulate me too."

My hanging heart dropped, and I let out a breath of turbid air. I said, "I must congratulate you. When I get back, I'll treat you to a meal."

"Who cares about your treat? If you want to treat me, you have to agree to my request."

"Alright, no problem," I said readily.

"I want to go drink coffee," Sister Xiao Mei pressed, "Is that okay?"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry; the women I met tonight were all such eccentric people.

"Okay!" I said and hung up the phone. Just because Sister Xiao Mei had achieved her goal, I had to treat her to coffee!

Just after hanging up, a text message came in—it was Yue Bai again.

"Are you afraid?" she asked. As soon as I saw that question mark, it felt like my chest was blocked. Yue Bai wasn't like this before; she was very abnormal tonight.

Before I could reply, a second one came: "You really won't see me? I just saw Xuelai go in."

I was startled, suddenly feeling as if there were a pair of eyes in the darkness, staring fixedly at my every move, and I felt as if I were sitting on pins and needles.

I typed a sentence: "The New Year is coming. The year-end bonuses for town cadres will be doubled according to last year's standard."

After sending the message, I called Yu Wei and told him we were returning to the county seat overnight.

Yu Wei agreed happily on the phone. This kid had been stuck with me in Suxi Town for the past few days, and his mouth had long since gone bland.

I packed up in a hurry, turned off the lights, and went downstairs. From afar, I heard Yu Wei's footsteps, and then immediately heard Yue Bai's voice: "Xiao Yu, it's so late, where are you going?"

I heard Yu Wei say loudly, "County Magistrate Chen has urgent business and needs to rush back to the county."

In the darkness, I heard a faint, resentful sigh. ===== CHAPTER 356 =====

In the darkness, I heard a faint, sorrowful sigh.