Chapter 524

After leaving Gan Lu's house, my head felt as muddled as if it were filled with paste. I hadn't even figured out the purpose of coming to her place, nor did I understand what role I was supposed to play.

Gan Lu had originally wanted to keep me for a late-night snack, but I had no appetite at all. I bid her farewell and left, walking unsteadily as if I were drunk, stumbling along the flower-lined path until I exited the residential quarter's gate.

I got into the car but didn't want to start it. I slumped over the steering wheel, watching a young man and woman standing under a streetlamp ahead. They were talking, and before long, they were wrapped in each other's arms, kissing mouth-to-mouth, not caring at all that there were eyes like mine peeking at them.

I observed them with interest. They were kissing passionately, and their hands and feet were becoming restless. I clearly saw the man's hand reach into the hem of the woman's clothes.

I started the car, turned on the headlights, and shone them directly on the two of them.

They were startled and separated like rabbits. The man glanced at my car, spat fiercely on the ground, and dragged the woman away.

The phone in my pocket rang; it was a call from Gan Lu. I hesitated whether to answer—I had just left her house, what could she possibly want with me now?

I waited until the phone had rung for a long time before pressing the answer button, saying listlessly, "Division Chief Gan, is there anything else?"

Gan Lu pondered for a moment on the phone and said, "Do not tell anyone about our meeting tonight."

I said seriously, "I understand."

"Tomorrow, when we elect the class monitor, two or three candidates will be chosen. I will recommend you as a candidate."

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'll tell you the rest later." She hung up. I thought about calling back, but after a moment's thought, I decided against it.

I returned to the Party School without incident. Deng Hanyuan had already returned and was humming a tune while doing fitness exercises.

Seeing me enter, he asked in surprise, "Why are you back so soon? Shouldn't you rest for a few days after your new marriage?"

I asked in astonishment, "Who said I got married?"

Deng Hanyuan smiled meaningfully, came over, and patted my shoulder, saying, "Brother, I still have people in Hengyue City, you know."

His words fell into my heart like a piece of ice. Damn it, am I living under someone's surveillance?

Although Linjin County borders Hengyue City, it is not under Hengyue City's administrative jurisdiction. It belongs to another region and had just been changed from a region to a city; it is an emerging city that produces snake wine. In ancient times, someone once wrote a rhapsody about it. That rhapsody is still a required text in middle school textbooks today.

Deng Hanyuan's words made a trace of unease rise in my heart. His name differed from Deng Hanyu's by only one character, and in some ways, their appearances looked almost as if they were cast from the same mold. I didn't want to make the connection because I believed that in this world, there couldn't be such a coincidence.

"Who do you know in Hengyue City?" I asked him with a smile, though I wasn't happy inside.

"You know Deng Hanyu, right?" He said straightforwardly, "My brother. He is currently a cadre in your Hengyue City Economic Leading Group."

Now it was my turn to give a meaningful "oh." Sure enough, as I had expected, he was Deng Hanyu's younger brother.

I suddenly remembered that when I first went to the County Party School for training, my roommate was his brother Deng Hanyu. Ten years later, when I went to the Provincial Party School for training, my roommate was his brother. I couldn't help but sigh at the arrangements of fate; it turned out that everything had been destined long ago, leaving no room for human resistance.

Since he was Deng Hanyu's brother, it was no surprise that he knew I had gotten married these past two days. I felt relieved, reached out, and patted his shoulder, saying, "Let's go for a drink another day."

Deng Hanyuan chuckled and said, "Why wait for another day? Let's drink together tonight."

I looked at my watch and said with difficulty, "It's almost midnight, isn't that bad?"

Deng Hanyuan winked at me and said, "It's not late! It's good that you're back. With such a good thing, how can I express my feelings without having a drink?"

He hurriedly put on his clothes, fished a few bills out of his bag, and said, "We won't go out to drink; we'll drink right here. Simple and convenient."

I had no choice but to agree, and suggested, "I'll buy the alcohol."

Deng Hanyuan didn't argue with me and laughed, "That's fine too. Just buy a few cases of beer, and bring some snacks to go with it. Like melon seeds or peanuts, or some ready-to-eat food, just to make do."

I asked suspiciously, "How many cases can the two of us drink?"

Deng Hanyuan laughed, "Who said it's just the two of us drinking? All thirteen of us brothers from the prefectures and cities will drink together."

My head buzzed. Deng Hanyuan and the others really had formed a small circle!

"Do you need cigarettes?" I asked deliberately.

"You decide. I'm going to notify the brothers." Deng Hanyuan pulled open the door to leave, but stopped at the door, looked back at me with a smile, and said with satisfaction, "This is great. Now that you're back, our chances of winning have increased by another ten percent."

By the time I returned with the items from the small shop at the entrance, our living room was already full of people.

The sofas were full, the chairs from my room had been moved out, and even people were leaning against the cabinets.

These people were not ordinary figures in their respective cities in the past, yet here in my small room, they seemed perfectly natural.

Seeing me enter, they all cupped their hands to congratulate me.

I tore open a pack of cigarettes and offered them one by one. Most of them didn't smoke, but seeing me offer, they took them—some tucked them behind their ears, others held them in their hands without lighting them.

They didn't smoke, but they didn't object to me smoking.

I took a few fierce puffs and shouted to them, "Leaders, please make yourselves at home."

They laughed and came over. Without cups, each person held a bottle. The bottles clinked together, and they all tilted their heads back and began to chug the beer.

People who are leaders generally don't drink beer. This damn stuff doesn't taste like alcohol, but it makes you bloated. Many people have big bellies, not because they are rich or cadres, but because they drank too much beer.

Therefore, cadres don't want to bloat their bellies, lest they be cursed by others as corrupt officials.

But tonight, conditions were limited; we couldn't have thirteen people each holding a bottle of hard liquor in the Party School dormitory late at night.

As the first bottle neared its end, the discussion became heated.

First, Deng Hanyuan proposed that we must not lose to the people from the provincial-level organs in tomorrow's class monitor election. If we lose, we will be looked down upon even more in the future.

Someone worried that in terms of votes, the others had the advantage. Seventeen against thirteen—they had four more votes.

Deng Hanyuan comforted him, "Among the provincial-level organs, six women came. Women generally aren't too enthusiastic about politics; what if they abstain? Even if they don't abstain, there will always be people who do."

I asked suspiciously, "What if they don't abstain?"

"If that happens, we will demand that Division Chief Duanmu participate in the voting," Deng Hanyuan said confidently.

"What if he doesn't vote?" I was still skeptical.

Seeing me throwing cold water on everything, Deng Hanyuan glared at me and said, "Old Chen, why are you so full of 'what ifs'?"

I faked a laugh and said, "I'm just saying. Don't take it seriously."

In truth, these thirteen were not a solid block. They had just arrived from the local areas, were idle, and everyone wanted to come out on top in this election. Although the class monitor of a training class has no specific rank, being a class monitor is viewed differently in the eyes of leaders.

These people had been rolling in the officialdom for many years; who couldn't weigh the pros and cons? Even I was secretly calculating my own small plans.

With thirteen people, not everyone could be a candidate. That would cause chaos, and once there was chaos, Duanmu would have an excuse, and Mei Hua would take the opportunity to cancel the election. If the election were canceled, an appointment system would emerge. If Mei Hua were to appoint someone, who would he appoint?

If Mei Hua appointed the class monitor, I certainly wouldn't be the one. For one, I wasn't close to him; for another, he himself was a cadre from the provincial-level organs and wouldn't offend that group for the sake of us local folks.

If Duanmu were to step in, it would surely be me. But for such a small matter, if he were to intervene, it would be quite unexpected. Duanmu wouldn't take the risk to appoint me.

As a result, I had almost no chance of winning. If it came to a vote, I would surely lose.

Deng Hanyuan called out to everyone, "Since everyone is here tonight, we must decide on a candidate first, so we don't end up in a scramble tomorrow, being looked down upon and called a 'grass-roots army'."

Among these thirteen people, there was one who was the oldest and also held the highest rank. Before coming, he was already a Vice Mayor in charge of economic development.

Although everyone was currently "without official duties," he was, after all, a big leader in the past. Among this group of Wang Mei's, he was the undisputed leader.

So someone suggested he be the candidate. The Vice Mayor firmly refused, saying he was old, lacked the energy, and was afraid he wouldn't serve everyone well. It would be better to choose someone younger.

I understood the Vice Mayor's meaning. Having come from the position of Vice Mayor, how could he not understand what was sensitive? Forming a small circle is a "die-on-sight" matter. The reason he joined the fun was to avoid being accused of clinging to the province's coattails or looking down on his former comrades-in-arms. Naturally, he wouldn't be the candidate. If the matter didn't blow up, a bit of lively activity would pass, but if there were the slightest disturbance, the candidate would surely be the first to bear the brunt.

The Vice Mayor declined, and no one else stepped forward to recommend anyone. The scene fell into silence.

Seeing the atmosphere cooling, Deng Hanyuan simply said, "Why don't I just recommend myself?"

Before his words had even faded, the room erupted in applause. Even I clapped particularly hard.

Seeing everyone encouraging him, Deng Hanyuan was so excited his face turned red. He cupped his hands in a salute to everyone and said, "Gentlemen, tomorrow depends on all of you."

The room burst into laughter. Deng Hanyuan's gestures had a bit of a "jianghu" flavor to them, and for cadres who faced mountains of paperwork and seas of meetings every day, such rare, natural joy was something to be enjoyed.

The Vice Mayor leaned over to me and said, "Little Chen, I heard from Little Deng that you came to training right after your late marriage. Not bad, not bad."

I smiled modestly and said, "Leader, I was afraid of delaying my studies and falling behind the team."

The Vice Mayor sighed and said, "I'm just here to join your fun."

We looked at each other and smiled as if we shared a secret, each reaching out to shake the other's hand. With a light squeeze, everything was understood in that handshake.

The drinking was done, and the matter was concluded. Looking at the time, it was already past midnight. Some began to bid farewell to return and rest; after all, this training gig had to be treated like student days—one had to get up early.

Deng Hanyuan had drunk no less than three bottles of beer and seemed a bit tipsy. As he saw everyone off to their rooms, he kept muttering, "Let's see who wins the deer tomorrow."