Chapter 528: Grouping

Provincial Chen Shengzhang finished speaking and left, leaving the group of people he brought at the Party School.

Vice Principal Peng personally sent Provincial Chen Shengzhang out of the school gate, then hurried back to announce a major decision.

The thirty of us were divided into thirteen small groups, sent to thirteen prefectures and cities across the province to conduct research. Each group was equipped with a cadre from the Agriculture Department, and the Forestry Department only assigned people to prefectures and cities with forest areas.

Thirty people divided into thirteen groups, each group had less than three people.

Mei Hua decisively handed this task to me. He and Duanmu were not among the researchers this time. They had only one duty, which was to evaluate the thirty of us as usual.

As for how to group, we discussed for an afternoon without results.

The main problem focused on whether each group should be based on the original affiliation, with cadres from prefectures and cities returning to their original prefectures and cities.

And the cadres from provincial-level organs heard they were to be assigned to thirteen prefectures and cities; Meng Xiaoyu first indicated that he would only stay in areas near the provincial capital. Because he had an elderly mother to take care of at home, and he wasn't married, there would be no one at home if he went out.

Meng Xiaoyu's reason was high-sounding, and no one could refuse. After all, he had an elderly person at home; having an elderly person at home wasn't necessarily a treasure sometimes.

Duanmu waited until everyone had finished speaking before saying slowly, "In principle, comrades from where they came from will return to their original regions with the research team this time. This has advantages; everyone is familiar with the place and the situation, so research will be twice as effective with half the effort."

Mei Hua also agreed with Duanmu's opinion, so the contradiction was first concentrated on the thirteen people including Wang Mei.

If we all agreed to return to the original regions, then nothing would happen, but Deng Hanyuan disagreed, saying that returning to the original regions was worse than not doing this research at all; everyone had an account in their hearts, so it would be better to sit together and piece the situation together.

Deng Hanyuan's words had hidden meanings, and everyone could hear it. Conducting research in the original regions was a waste of money and manpower. It should be cross-regional research to obtain the most authentic data and grasp the most authentic situation.

Deng Hanyuan directly contradicted Duanmu's opinion; I didn't know if he was taking revenge on Duanmu for denying his self-recommendation. I saw Duanmu's face turn red, then white, and finally black as a piece of charcoal.

Mei Hua smoothed things over, saying, "Why not draw lots? That way no one will have complaints; whatever region you draw, you go to that region. There is only one principle: you must produce authentic results. Because this is for the highest level of decision-making, it cannot be sloppy in any way."

Mei Hua's proposal stunned everyone. Party School cadre training, and it still needed to use drawing lots to decide things; what a shameful thing, not afraid of losing face if it got out!

Drawing lots to decide things was usually a method used by rural farmers; I didn't expect it to be used in the most dignified institution in Central Province.

But apart from this method, I couldn't think of any better way.

Party cadres should first obey organizational distribution. Even if it were a mountain of knives, one should climb it, and if it were a sea of fire, one should jump into it. These words spun three times on the tip of my tongue, but were finally swallowed back hard.

Central Province had thirteen prefectures and cities, and the situation in each region was too different.

Areas near the provincial capital had life changing with each passing day, while life in remote areas was still stuck in the era of slash-and-burn cultivation.

That is to say, going to a good region was like entering heaven. If one went to a remote area, it was equivalent to going to hell.

Although cadres could enjoy what they should enjoy no matter where they went. But in some places, the heart was willing but the strength was lacking.

No one came out to deny Mei Hua's suggestion. Thus his suggestion was unanimously passed.

Next was grouping; who paired with whom became another scene.

I was the class monitor, so naturally the provincial-level cadres were willing to pair with me. Huang Chu first indicated that he would be in a group with me; no matter which region, anyway, we were going to work, not to enjoy, so it didn't matter.

Huang Chu's words almost overturned everyone's little calculations, so everyone remained silent, each exchanging opinions with the provincial-level organ cadres, looking for suitable group members.

Gan Lu pulled me quietly; I turned to look at her, and her eyes were blinking, as if she were speaking, but unfortunately, I couldn't guess what she was saying at all.

She was clearly anxious and said in a low voice, "I'm in your group."

Her tone was almost unquestionable, as if there was no room for discussion, making me feel embarrassed for a moment.

Huang Chu had said he would be in a group with me, so he changed his seat to sit with me.

After he sat down, Gan Lu smiled and said, "Huang Chu, I think you should lead the team and be in charge of your own area; how can you follow the class monitor?"

Huang Chu was stunned, then laughed, "Isn't it the same with anyone? We are going to the countryside, and we aren't distinguishing between class monitor and classmates."

Gan Lu maintained her quiet smile and said unhurriedly, "Huang Chu, I think you being in a group with the class monitor is either wronging yourself or looking down on the class monitor's ability."

Huang Chu almost jumped up, staring at Gan Lu in surprise, "Division Chief Gan, what do you mean?"

Gan Lu shook her head and said, "No other meaning, just feel you shouldn't be in a group with the class monitor."

Huang Chu asked me, "Class monitor, you say, is it good for me to be in a group with you?"

I was speechless for a moment; how should I answer him?

If I said good, what would Gan Lu think? If I said not good, what would you, Huang Chu, think?

I laughed dryly for a long time and said, "I think Division Chief Gan's opinion makes sense. You, Huang Chu, are a dignified provincial capital cadre; going out represents the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government. Based on your ability and prestige, you are a general who can be in charge of his own area."

"Is that so?" Huang Chu hesitated and muttered to himself, thinking for a while before saying, "That makes sense too. I won't be in a group with you then."

Gan Lu immediately indicated, "I'll pair with the class monitor."

Huang Chu looked at me, then at Gan Lu, touching his head and saying, "Yes, you should take care of women and children more."

Gan Lu blushed and said, "Division Chief Huang, it's all work."

Huang Chu laughed, "It is work. I was just thinking, who will take care of our Division Chief Gan? No matter who it is, I wouldn't be happy in my heart."

"Nonsense." Gan Lu laughed and scolded, "Division Chief Huang, when you speak, there's never a gate at home. I'm not a three-year-old child; do I need taking care of?"

Huang Chu said seriously, "Of course you need taking care of! Must take care of! Although you are a cadre, you are a woman after all! Women are fine sitting in the office, but going out to face the wind and rain, who wouldn't feel heartache?"

"So, a woman like you must be taken care of by a man with a great sense of responsibility. In our class, apart from Chen Feng, who else can shoulder this heavy responsibility?"

Gan Lu was embarrassed by his words, and a blush appeared on her face, making her look incomparably charming and beautiful.

I wasn't in the mood to look at her; at this time, it was necessary for me to exert my function as class monitor. So I walked onto the podium and began to synthesize everyone's opinions, preparing to group.

Anything must have a leader. The so-called "a dragon without a head" was our performance just now. Now that I had come forward to speak, the classroom quieted down, waiting for me to start.

After three months of tempering, I had become a close friend with all twenty-nine training class cadres. When I made friends with them, I had only one thought: these people were resources, my lifelong resources. With them, I wouldn't worry about my future.

I cleared my throat and said, "Classmates, the province has given us a glorious task. Whether we can complete the task depends on whether our confidence is sufficient."

A roar came from below: "Sufficient!"

I laughed, and everyone followed suit. The atmosphere in the classroom instantly became relaxed and lively.

"The Party trusts us and has given us this great task, a task that will surely go down in history in the future; this is to test our perseverance and patience. This research is not sitting in an air-conditioned office, nor is it holding a few meetings in a bright and clean conference room. It is to go deep into the countryside, into the fields, in front of and behind the houses of the common people, and on their dining tables and doorsteps to complete it. It cannot be said that it is not a very arduous job."

"Therefore, this research, we must not only treat it seriously but also analyze it deeply. Because the results of our research will determine whether our peasant brothers will be happy in the future. Everyone knows that agriculture is the root and the foundation. Industry is development and the driving force. Without roots, one cannot live; without force, one cannot go far."

"The three rural issues placed before us, I believe everyone is clear; if the three rural issues are not solved, the social foundation will not be stable!"

As I spoke, I found I had gone off-topic. Saying these things at this time was a bit subjective. So I quickly braked and said, "My view is that we should center on the classmates from various prefectures and cities, and the classmates from provincial-level organs should pair freely. As for the cadres from the Forestry Department and Agriculture Department, wait until the grouping is done, and each group will be paired with one. For the remaining four provincial-level organ classmates, I suggest forming a comprehensive group. When everyone's research reports come out, they will form a comprehensive report and submit it to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government. Once the groups are paired, according to Section Chief Mei's proposal, everyone will draw lots to decide the research region."

Several provincial-level cadres wanted to pair with me, but were all blocked by Gan Lu. In the end, everyone was settled, and the remaining four cadres who hadn't paired were all older and more senior. So the list of thirteen prefectures and cities was written down, and thirteen representatives each drew one.

My group was drawn by Gan Lu; she came over with a face full of surprise, hiding her hand behind her back and saying to me, "Guess where we drew?" ===== CHAPTER 529 =====