Chapter 511

What the hell does Xu Mengda falling in love with Xue Bing have to do with me? Hearing this sentence, that was my first reaction.

"But she said that she only has you in her heart." Xu Mengda looked full of disappointment, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.

"Nonsense!" I said, but my heart was pounding. Xue Bing saying this to Xu Mengda, was it a rejection or did it mean something else?

"I think so too." Xu Mengda leaned up from the chair and said with great interest, "Your partner seems to be the daughter of Department Minister Huang of the Organization Department, right? I was thinking, a person like you whose career is booming wouldn't be playing both sides, would you?"

"I already said, it's nonsense." I smiled hypocritically and said, "Brother Xu, I know this Teacher Xue; she used to be the music teacher at our township middle school."

"So, it's unrequited love on her part?" Xu Mengda stared at me, leaving me no time to even try to brush it off.

"In short, there's no such thing." I said seriously, "Brother Xu, I really have good taste."

Xu Mengda smiled reservedly and said, "Little brother, I'm almost forty years old this year. I'll tell you the truth, the only woman who can move my heart is Teacher Xue!"

Just as I was about to speak, Duanmu on the side said, "This Teacher Xue should know how to appreciate kindness. Without Mengda, could she have come to the province? Without Mengda, even if she were a pearl, she would never shine in her whole life! Mengda falling in love with her is a blessing she cultivated in her previous life!"

Xu Mengda stopped him, "Jiu Ming, you're talking nonsense. Love is something that doesn't distinguish between high and low. If someone doesn't love you, even if you were an emperor, what could you do?"

Duanmu laughed loudly, "If you, Mengda, were an emperor, would you still need to put in so much effort? I'm afraid people would be breaking their heads to get in."

I sat silently on the side, my heart churning with discomfort. After all, Xue Bing was a woman who belonged to me in the past. Not having the ability to protect my own woman and letting her drift to where she is today had already caused me countless condemnations of conscience. Now, having her claimed by someone I knew was something very hard to accept.

Xu Mengda probably saw my meaning and probed, "Chen Feng, help me come up with an idea, what should I do?"

I smiled falsely, "Brother Xu, love needs to be pursued. As long as you pursue it, you should be able to get what you want."

Xu Mengda laughed, "Little brother, although that's what you say, there are still some knots that need you to untie."

I was extremely angry inside. If Xue Bing wasn't my past love, I could say anything. After all, she was a woman I once loved deeply; how could I push her into another man's arms?

"Are you willing or not?" The smile on Xu Mengda's face almost froze.

"Of course I'm willing." I almost had to pat my chest to say it.

"Good!" Xu Mengda said excitedly, "Jiu Ming, you tell me, what is the purpose of this Provincial Young and Middle-aged Cadre Training Class?"

Duanmu Jiuming took a sip of tea and said, "Good tea!"

My heart was already in my throat. Duanmu Jiuming knew the direction of this training. He was not only the Division Chief of the First Cadre Division of the Provincial Organization Department, but he was also the main person in charge of our training class. Moreover, the class teacher of our training class was appointed by the Provincial Organization Department, with Section Chief Mei Hua serving in the role. This had never happened in the history of Central Province.

"Good my ass! Stop being so wishy-washy. If you like it, take it back and drink it." Xu Mengda scolded, "Jiu Ming, you tell him."

Duanmu Jiuming seemed to be in a difficult position. He thought for a long time and said, "Originally, this is all confidential, but Mengda said it, and if I don't say it, I'm letting Mengda down. I can let everyone else down, but I absolutely cannot let Mengda down."

Xu Mengda smiled and remained silent. I dared not make a sound, obediently waiting for Duanmu to continue.

Duanmu Jiuming coughed and said, "Speaking of this training, it was something decided by the Provincial Committee at the beginning of the year. Cadres are to be selected from the grassroots level, and a group of young and middle-aged cadres with both integrity and ability are to be selected to enrich the leadership of the Provincial Committee. For this matter, our First Cadre Division has been working on it since the beginning of the year."

"Selecting cadres is not something that can be decided in one word or one thing; it needs to be considered from many aspects. Every Provincial Committee leader has a recommendation quota, and we follow the recommendation quota to investigate. If they are suitable, we report it, and once it's decided, we arrange the training."

I said in surprise, "So that's how it is. I was just wondering, Division Chief Duanmu, who recommended me?"

"You don't know?" Duanmu Jiuming asked suspiciously, "Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know?"

I shook my head and said solemnly, "I really don't know."

Duanmu Jiuming sighed and said, "I can't blame you! Regarding you as a person, you weren't originally in our scope of investigation. It was just one thing that gave Provincial Chen Shengzhang some thoughts."

"What thing?" I asked impatiently.

Duanmu Jiuming stared at me, a smile that couldn't be deciphered rising on his face.

"Did you relocate a township government?" Duanmu Jiuming asked me.

"Yes!" I answered seriously, "This was also a decision of the County Committee. Even if I had heaven-defying abilities, I couldn't do this alone."

"When you relocated, you didn't have a single cent?" Duanmu Jiuming looked at me with great interest.

I scratched my scalp and said, "The county had no money, and the township had even less."

"So you sold the agricultural-to-non-agricultural registration quotas?"

"Yes!"

Duanmu Jiuming gave a thumbs up and said, "You've got guts! You have to know that the agricultural-to-non-agricultural registration policy was originally a policy given by the province to various counties to increase their income. Every county took this policy and collected quite a bit of money. The province didn't take a single cent from the counties; one reason was to solve the counties' financial difficulties, and another was to cooperate with the higher-ups' policies. Let me tell you, you are the only person in the whole province who did it this way. So how could Provincial Chen Shengzhang not pay attention to you?"

My heart was pounding like a little deer. This matter could be big or small. If it were big, I violated the policy and would have to face a lawsuit. If it were small, I infringed upon the county's fiscal policy, causing the Chunshan County government to lose a significant amount of income.

"There's another thing, your Chunshan County cracked a case of manufacturing counterfeit money. This case is even registered at the Ministry of Public Security; it's the largest counterfeit money case since the founding of the country. You tell me, with so many things happening, how could the leaders not pay attention to you? The key point is, you actually brought in foreign investment, which in Provincial Chen Shengzhang's eyes, is a treasure!"

I was timid and terrified. My actions in the distant Suxi were seen clearly by the province; if I had other things, couldn't they see them just as clearly?

"Don't talk about things so far away, just tell him what the way out is for them after this training ends." Xu Mengda interrupted Duanmu Jiuming, "Don't you see Chen Feng is impatient?"

I smiled falsely, "Brother Xu, I'm not impatient."

Xu Mengda smiled and said, "Whether you're impatient or not is your own business. I called you here today to give you a bottom line."

I hurriedly cupped my hands and said, "Thank you, two leaders."

Duanmu Jiuming smiled reservedly, "I'm not a leader, and neither is Mengda. Chen Feng, let me be direct. This training not only includes cadres selected from your prefecture-level cities, but also cadres from provincial-level organs. Who will be placed in what position is still unclear. But I can tell you first that there are Provincial Committee leaders, and there are also leaders sent down to various prefecture-level cities to take on responsibilities."

The more I listened, the more excited I became. Duanmu Jiuming's words had already told me that as soon as the training ended, I would be a leader. Being in the Provincial Committee is of course good, and even if I were sent down to various prefecture-level cities, I would count as a local feudal lord, which is not to be mentioned in the same breath as the past!

"Is that all?" Xu Mengda asked.

"That's all." Duanmu sighed, "Mengda, you also know what kind of person I am. It's not easy for me to know this much at my level."

Xu Mengda laughed, "Indeed! Jiu Ming, thank you for your hard work."

As he said this, he beckoned a young girl over, leaned into her ear, and whispered a few words. The girl nodded and entered a room. Before long, she came out and handed a paper bag to Duanmu Jiuming.

Duanmu looked at Xu Mengda in confusion. Xu Mengda laughed, "Take it first. I heard your son is going abroad to study. This little token is just my small gesture."

Duanmu Jiuming was in a dilemma, after all, it was in front of me. He wasn't as familiar with me as I imagined, and it hadn't reached the point of accepting gifts in front of me.

Xu Mengda clearly saw Duanmu's embarrassment and pointed at me, "Don't worry, Chen Feng is our own brother. There will be many things for everyone to cooperate on in the future."

Duanmu Jiuming had no choice but to accept it, thanking him repeatedly, though his face showed a sheepish expression.

I pretended to understand nothing and looked at a piece of calligraphy hanging on the wall.

The calligraphy was Zheng Banqiao's "Hard to be Confused." Whether it was authentic or not, I couldn't tell at all.

"Chen Feng's future matters will still need your extra care. He is my brother now, and my brother's business is my business."

"I understand!" Duanmu Jiuming said repeatedly, "Mengda, don't you trust me?"

Xu Mengda laughed, "If I didn't trust you, would we be sitting here chatting around the stove tonight?"

The three of us looked at each other and burst into laughter.

After laughing, Xu Mengda leaned toward me and said, "Little brother, Teacher Xue's matter will still need you to take action personally!"