Chapter 38: County Magistrate's Project Approval

Chunshan County Magistrate Liu Qimeng, in his fifties, bald, with a big belly. This person studied in a private school in his early years, was a college student in the late fifties, and was full of poetry and books.

County Magistrate Liu Qimeng was ushered in, and seeing us, he shook hands and greeted us with restraint.

Sitting around the table, Liu Qimeng scanned us, specifically lingering on my face for a few seconds, and then turned to Guo Wei with a questioning look.

Guo Wei leaned forward and whispered: "Chen Feng, Secretary of Suxi Township, also a social education cadre from this batch."

Liu Qimeng reached out to me again, shook my hand, and said: "Little Secretary Chen, you've been in Suxi Township for two years, and I haven't seen you come to the county to walk around."

I didn't know if this was a reproach or a pity, anyway, I didn't dare to answer.

"That old guy Liu Quan, what kind of ghost is he playing? Hiding a talent at home, can he hide it?" Liu Qimeng laughed, his laughter infecting everyone around with a happy mood.

I was terrified and stood up respectfully: "County Magistrate Liu, you are too kind."

"Little Secretary Chen, I heard about you a year ago. Bureau Chief Mao of the County Economic and Trade Bureau said that a new secretary came to Suxi Township, and the first thing he did was turn all the mushrooms on the mountains of Suxi into money, and now he has opened a company in Hengyue City, amazing." Liu Qimeng took the teacup from his secretary and took a sip.

I suddenly felt as if I had been stripped naked, feeling ashamed. In my two years as Suxi Secretary, in the isolated and information-primitive Suxi, I thought I was doing things without anyone knowing, but I didn't expect the county to know everything.

"Young people should have this kind of drive." County Magistrate Liu Qimeng encouraged me: "Although Suxi Township is remote, there is still a lot to be done."

The waiter brought up a table of sumptuous dishes one after another, and the wine was Hengyue City's Yuntou Daqu.

After pouring the wine, Liu Qimeng raised his glass and said: "You four young people are all social education cadres sent down by the Municipal Party Committee. First, on behalf of the 450,000 people of Chunshan County, I thank you for your hard work." After finishing, he took the lead and drank it dry.

Besides the four of us, there was only him at the table. His secretary sat on a chair to the side, holding a briefcase in his arms.

The County Magistrate drank, so we had to drink.

Guo Wei drank first, followed by Huang Qishan, me, and finally Huang Weiwei; she hesitated, but still closed her eyes, pinched her nose, and drank it, her face full of pain.

"This second cup, on behalf of the Chunshan County Party Committee and County Government, I express my gratitude for your contributions to Chunshan County." Liu Qimeng drank the second cup. We had to follow suit; Huang Weiwei's face began to flush after two cups.

"The third cup is to ask you to support Chunshan County more in the future; no matter where you work, you must remember the two years you spent in Chunshan."

After three cups, without eating a single bite of food, even I felt a bit lightheaded.

Looking at Guo Wei and the others from the corner of my eye, their alcohol tolerance was clearly not as good as mine; although Guo Wei was still sitting upright, his body seemed to be trembling slightly. Huang Qishan simply closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Huang Weiwei looked like a flower beaten by rain, falling all over the ground.

After three cups, Liu Qimeng raised his chopsticks to invite everyone to eat, but he only tasted a little. Because I had something on my mind, the report was still in my pocket, and whether Suxi Township could get electricity before the New Year depended on the County Magistrate's approval, so I had no appetite.

"Secretary Chen, this trip to study at the Municipal Party Committee Party School is an opportunity." Liu Qimeng turned his face to look at me and said.

I stammered: "County Magistrate Liu, I didn't go to study this time."

"What's going on?" Liu Qimeng looked at me strangely.

I said: "My name wasn't on it."

"Little Xiao, come here, what's going on?" Secretary Xiao Ping walked over with small, urgent steps and whispered a few words into County Magistrate Liu's ear. While listening, he nodded, his fingers tapping on the table, drawing irregular geometric patterns.

After hearing the secretary's report, County Magistrate Liu Qimeng didn't mention my matter anymore, but turned to ask Guo Wei: "Little Guo, are you used to staying here?"

Guo Wei's tongue was thick, and his speech was already unclear, but he was drunk and clear-minded; for County Magistrate Liu's question, he still answered appropriately: "With the care of the leaders, it's good."

After Guo Wei finished speaking, as if he suddenly remembered something, he looked at me and signaled me.

I understood he wanted me to take out the report, but in the current situation, how could I take it out?

"After you go to study this time, a batch of cadres will be rotated when you come back." Liu Qimeng sighed: "The cadre team still needs more young people, with vitality and drive. Now the policy is changing, we are at least thirty years behind coastal cities. The road is long and the burden is heavy."

I accompanied him with a smile; County Magistrate Liu Qimeng's farewell banquet was about to end, and except for him, no other officials were present.

I secretly adjusted my breath and said with lowered eyebrows: "County Magistrate, I have something to trouble you with."

Liu Qimeng looked at me and said straightforwardly: "What is it?"

I quickly handed over the report and said: "Secretary Liu arranged for me to ask for your instructions?"

Liu Han didn't know who I was looking for, and I didn't have a bottom in my heart before I came. Guo Wei asked me to send the report on the phone because he knew there was a farewell banquet in the county, and he was going back to report on his work, so it would be easy to hand the report to the relevant departments in the Municipal Party Committee.

Liu Qimeng took the report, read it briefly, waved his hand to call Secretary Xiao Ping over, and said: "Call Bureau Chief An of the Development and Reform Bureau and Bureau Chief Mao of the Economic and Trade Bureau, and ask them to come to the reception house."

In less than ten minutes, the two bureau chiefs arrived. When Bureau Chief Mao heard that I was the secretary of Suxi Township, he shook my hand with both hands and said: "A talent, so young, I didn't expect it."

I smiled humbly; meeting so many leaders at once, I hadn't come out of my relaxed state yet. I became cautious, and my hands and feet began to feel like they had nowhere to put them.

After they read my report, they each reported their opinions to County Magistrate Liu Qimeng.

Liu Qimeng pondered for a moment and said to me: "Secretary Chen, the county attaches great importance to your report. However, this is not a small project. The former County Magistrate Ma worried until his hair turned white to promote electricity in Suxi Township. He stepped down without getting it done, which was a heart disease for Old Man Ma." He spoke to me from the heart, his tone heavy.

"This year's Standing Committee also discussed it, and we must find a way to promote it. Of the twenty-four townships in Chunshan County, except for Suxi Township, all other townships have roads and electricity. Leaving one place alone is our government's dereliction of duty." County Magistrate Liu Qimeng continued: "Your report has rich and detailed data, and it is very operable. Let's do this, the county will approve the project first, and strive to approve it in the city as well."

Project approval means money; once approved, it means half the success. I was happy in my heart, bowed excitedly and said: "Thank you, County Magistrate Liu, Bureau Chief An, Bureau Chief Mao."

All three leaders looked at me and smiled, their expressions kind and lovely.

A great start! I wanted to pass the news back to Suxi Township immediately.

County Magistrate Liu drank the wine in his glass and said to Guo Wei and the others: "You should rest well tonight and return to the city tomorrow. If you have time in the future, come to Chunshan to see more."

Guo Wei and the others stood up; Huang Weiwei was still swaying her body, and I wanted to laugh looking at her appearance like fallen leaves. Guo Wei was clearly dissatisfied with my performance; he didn't even clink glasses with me and drank it himself.

After sending off the County Magistrate, Huang Weiwei also hurried away; Huang Qishan originally wanted to talk to me, but seeing Guo Wei's frosty face, he had to follow him away sensibly. I was the only one left in the restaurant, the table full of dishes was almost untouched, but I had no appetite at all. I took out my phone and called Hao Qiang; as soon as it connected, he said he was in the cafeteria of the Public Security Bureau, drinking with a few brothers.

It was rare for him to come to the county town, not to mention we had all been drinking, and now riding a sidecar motorcycle back, we might fall into a mountain ditch and die, so I gave up the plan to return to the township overnight and opened a room at the government reception house, preparing to rest.

Just as I lay down, I heard a knock on the door. ===== CHAPTER 39 =====