Chapter 429: Mysterious Visitor

With the support of Guan Peishan, the work of cleaning up and reorganizing the re-employed personnel in the entire county was able to proceed smoothly.

Xie Tian ran to my office in high spirits to report, saying that for several consecutive days, the Personnel Bureau had received lists of personnel to be cleared sent by various bureaus and committees, and after cross-referencing, they basically matched the data held by the Personnel Bureau.

Among these people, those who voluntarily resigned were all in professional and technical fields. There were few re-employed cadres occupying administrative positions who resigned voluntarily; they were all targets for mandatory dismissal by the bureaus and committees.

Xie Tian smacked his lips, his face full of smiles; cleaning up and reorganizing these people was equivalent to opening up a new world for his work.

If some leave, others must enter. How many people and how many families are affected by this back-and-forth? Chunshan County is about to be turned upside down; this is a stage where some are happy and some are sad.

With the lists submitted by the various bureaus and committees, regardless of who was involved, once the Personnel Bureau issued a document, everyone returned to their respective places.

Xie Tian was hesitant at the end, wanting to speak but not saying it. This feeling of having something stuck in one's throat is something that all subordinates must have experienced.

So I smiled and said, "Old Xie, is there anything else you haven't said?"

Xie Tian rubbed his bald head and said as if he had made up his mind, "There are a few more people I'm not sure about. I still have to ask County Magistrate Chen for instructions."

I asked, "Who?"

"A few cadres from Suxi Town."

My mind went boom; why hadn't I thought that Xuelai and the others were also contract cadres?

"They..." I hesitated for a moment and said, "The situation is different, right?"

Xie Tian naturally knew that I still held the position of Party Secretary of Suxi Town. The reason Suxi Town did not submit a list this time was because I had said the same thing when Yuebai asked me for instructions.

The situation is indeed different! Re-employed cadres are all cadres who are overage and should have retired. Contract cadres are all young, strong, and talented people with professional knowledge.

Xie Tian caught the drift from my words, smiled understandingly, and said, "Actually, I also think that if there are no better talents to replace these professional and technical talents, it is better to let them lead for a while. As for the contract cadres, as long as they take the prescribed exams, they can fully enter the administrative establishment."

I asked with interest, "What brilliant plan does Bureau Chief Xie have?"

Xie Tian said inscrutably, "Other counties have situations like ours too. However, they have adopted a method of recruitment through examination. That is, everyone comes to take the exam; those who pass are hired and given official establishment status. Those who don't pass, well, there's nothing that can be done."

"Is there such a policy?"

"The policy hasn't been issued yet. But the wind has been blowing for a few years."

"Is there a precedent?"

Xie Tian shook his head and sighed, "Everyone is waiting for the policy; no one dares to test the waters first. If this matter is handled well, it is reform. If it is handled poorly, it is dereliction of duty."

"It's like a crab; someone has to eat it first. Otherwise, who would know this delicacy of the world?" I encouraged him, saying, "Since everyone else is watching the fire from the shore, why don't we start this fire first?"

Xie Tian was startled and asked nervously, "Does County Magistrate Chen mean that we should conduct open recruitment?"

"Is there a problem?"

"There are problems, such as how to solve the establishment issue? How to proceed with the recruitment process?" Xie Tian asked me, but I could tell from his expression that this old guy was just waiting for a word from me.

"These are not problems. First, recruit according to the existing establishment. For the excess part, the County Party Committee will discuss it. As long as it meets the development needs of Chunshan County, increasing the establishment is not impossible."

"Then I will prepare first?"

"Good," I said, letting Xie Tian leave in high spirits.

Once Xie Tian left, I called in Zhu Hua Yu and told her seriously, "Little Zhu, I'm giving you some time off during this period."

Zhu Hua Yu was taken aback, stared at me fixedly, a string of crystals rolling in her eye sockets, and said in a soft, delicate voice, "You don't want me anymore?"

I looked at her, baffled. She stood opposite me, crystal tears rolling down her face.

"What did I do wrong?" She was still asking, seemingly about to cry out loud.

I couldn't help but laugh, got up and walked to her side, took her hand, and patted it gently, saying, "What are you thinking about?"

"You don't want me anymore." She did not pull her hand back.

I had once had an ambiguous relationship with her; if it hadn't been for a sudden prick of conscience back then, this pitiful, delicate, and beautiful girl before me might have been the woman in my arms.

It wasn't that I wasn't moved by her! I have a philosophy of loving without regret for all beautiful women. Zhu Hua Yu is the most beautiful mountain girl I have ever seen besides Xue Bing. But she always exudes the simplicity of mountain people, always making one feel as comfortable as a spring breeze.

But since she became my secretary, this was the first time I had held her hand.

"Silly girl." I used my hand to wipe away her tears directly: "Where did your thoughts wander?"

I comforted her softly, pulled her to the sofa, and pressed her shoulders to make her sit down.

Zhu Hua Yu refused to sit and said coquettishly, "You don't want me anymore, so I have to be silly."

I smelled the fragrance of her hair, looked at her incomparably delicate demeanor, my heart stirred, and I reached out to wrap my arm around her waist.

She clearly trembled, but did not push me away; instead, she leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed faintly, "It's a pity you are not mine."

I smiled faintly, applied some force with my fingers, and pinched her smooth waist.

It is said that a man's head and a woman's waist should not be touched lightly. Sure enough, under my pinch, her body went limp, almost collapsing into my arms.

I hurriedly helped her to sit properly on the sofa. I stood behind her, not daring to look into her eyes.

She turned her head, looked at me with bright, sparkling eyes, and smiled sweetly, "Am I your person?"

I nodded and said, "Of course. You are my, Chen Feng's, secretary; if you aren't my person, whose person are you!"

She chuckled and said, "That's not what I meant?"

"Then what do you mean?" I teased her, asking despite knowing the answer.

"You understand."

"I don't understand." I let go of the hands supporting her and walked straight to the desk to sit down. She is Huang Qishan's woman! I reminded myself.

Huang Qishan is my brother! One must not covet a friend's wife! I warned myself, silently reciting this sentence in my heart to let myself relax completely.

Zhu Hua Yu paused, stood up in shame and annoyance, walked to my desk, and said, "Why do you want to give me time off?"

I said earnestly, "You have to take the exam; don't you need time to study?"

"Exam?" Zhu Hua Yu was stunned and muttered to herself, "Take what? What kind of exam?"

I then explained Xie Tian's idea, and at the end, I emphasized, "Hua Yu, if you don't do well on the exam, others will say that the people around me are all good-for-nothings."

Zhu Hua Yu thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid I really won't do well."

"Have confidence," I said, encouraging her: "As long as you put your heart into it, you won't be afraid of not doing well."

"But..." She stopped mid-sentence, twisted her hands for a long time, and then said hesitantly, "I haven't read many books."

I smiled and said, "You can even handle my secretarial work so well, are you still afraid of an exam?"

A flush of red flew across Zhu Hua Yu's face; she lowered her head, staring intently at her toes, and only after a long while did she say, "When is the exam?"

"Waiting for the notice from the Personnel Bureau."

"What is the content of the exam?"

"Right now, I'm just like you; I don't know anything," I said, and let her call Yu Wei in. I wanted to have Yu Wei participate in the exam as well.

As soon as Zhu Hua Yu left, my phone rang; it was Lin Xiaoxi calling to ask if I was free in the evening.

I already knew Lin Xiaoxi's identity; that she, the daughter of a Vice Provincial Governor, was holed up in our isolated Chunshan County was, in itself, a strange tale.

Aside from Guan Peishan, I was the only other person who knew her identity.

I said politely, "Is there something you need, Reporter Lin?"

Over the phone, Lin Xiaoxi said indifferently, "Nothing major, it's just that someone has come to the house and wants to see you."

"Who is it?"

"You'll know when you get here." She hung up the phone, and I clutched the receiver, my heart thumping wildly.

Someone came to Lin Xiaoxi's house, so why call me to go over?

Moreover, as far as I knew, apart from her father, Lin Xiaoxi had no other relatives. Her relationship with her stepmother had always been poor, which was the main reason she had come to Chunshan County alone.

Could it be that Vice Provincial Governor Lin had arrived?

I gave myself a fright. If Vice Provincial Governor Lin had come to Chunshan, it would be impossible for me not to know.

When a Vice Provincial Governor visits the grassroots, they would certainly have notified us long in advance. Since we hadn't received any news, it meant the possibility of him coming was slim.

But apart from her father, who else could be her family? And why must they see me?

I couldn't figure it out no matter how hard I tried, and it wouldn't be appropriate to call her back to ask clearly. Regarding this sudden invitation, my heart felt like a pot of boiling oil, leaving me completely unsettled.

Perhaps it's Vice Provincial Governor Lin on an incognito visit! I comforted myself.

If it really were the Vice Provincial Governor, I would go to pay my respects even if it killed me. One must know that a Vice County Magistrate like me might never see a Vice Provincial-level leader during my entire tenure.

Vice County Magistrates are like ants, found everywhere. Vice Provincial Governors, however, are like the morning stars, few and far between.

Such a good opportunity, how could I give it up?

Therefore, I did not refuse Lin Xiaoxi's invitation, and a glimmer of hope surfaced in my heart.

But Lin Xiaoxi's tone on the phone just now hadn't been excited or surprised. It was as bland as plain water, as if she weren't talking about a major event, but just a date between friends, something not worth making a fuss about at all.

Maybe I'm overthinking it! I laughed at myself.

A Vice Provincial Governor visiting the grassroots is no child's play. Not to mention our county, even the city would be on high alert. Now that everything is calm and there isn't the slightest sign of movement, it couldn't be Vice Provincial Governor Lin.

Thinking of this, I let out a sigh of relief.

The door was knocked, and then I saw Yu Wei enter on tiptoe.

Although Yu Wei is my driver, he rarely enters my office.

The organization has regulations that full-time drivers like them cannot enter or exit leaders' offices at will. Apart from driving, they spend their time in the government office's motor pool, drinking tea, chatting, and bragging.

"Boss, you looking for me?" Yu Wei asked with a grin.

This kid is always cheeky, giving people an impression of extreme lack of decorum. He transferred to the local area from the military, yet he has none of a soldier's temperament. Instead, he has a bit of a rogue's air, making one feel his cynical mindset.

"Did Little Zhu tell you?" I asked, without even raising my head. I was preparing to sign the documents Zhu Hua Yu had brought in.

"No," Yu Wei said loudly, "What are your instructions, Boss?"

"Nothing much. You and Little Zhu should spend more energy studying during this period to prepare for the Personnel Bureau's recruitment exam," I said, grabbing a pack of cigarettes from the desk and tossing it to him.

Yu Wei caught the cigarettes, flattered, and asked, "Boss, I have to drive."

"Go tell Wei Yan that until your exam is over, your driving duties are canceled. Just have the government office arrange for someone else to drive for me."

Yu Wei was stunned for a moment, then said dejectedly, "Boss, having me take an exam, isn't that like forcing a duck onto a perch? With my level, I'm afraid I can't even recognize all the characters on the test paper."

His words made me burst into laughter, and I pretended to be angry and scolded, "Yu Wei, if you kid can't even recognize the characters on the test paper, how can you drive? Enough nonsense! Study hard for me, you must do well. Don't come see me if you don't pass."

Yu Wei said with a shameless grin, "Boss, driving is a manual skill; as long as I can handle the steering wheel, that's enough. Studying is brain work; a person like me isn't cut out for it."

I laughed and scolded, "Get out! If you don't pass, bring your head to see me."

Yu Wei left, overjoyed. Everyone knows that when I personally arrange for them to take an exam, I must have my own reasons.

With the two people around me both having to take the Personnel Bureau's recruitment exam, I suddenly discovered a problem: this Executive Vice County Magistrate, me, is actually worth nothing!

My own secretary and driver are both people without official establishment status; as their master, I'm not much better off myself!

So I've been played by them all along! I suddenly thought, feeling indignant.