Chapter 663

Before I had even taken office, my phone was almost blown up.

Those calling me were basically the leading figures in the city. They would start by laughing and calling me brother, then take a long detour before stuffing someone into my office. I calculated that, including the people recommended by Lilian and my mother-in-law Chen Yazhi, I now had at least fifteen new people from various sources on my hands.

These people could not be offended! I knew deeply that anyone who dared to call me, and was able to call me, had a deeper social status and social resources than I did. Any one of these people might not be able to help me, but ruining my affairs would be as easy as lifting a hand or a foot.

Since I couldn't offend them, I could only be evasive. Therefore, for all incoming calls, I avoided the point and talked about other things.

If I wanted to let these people in, I had to first resolve the original team.

When Guo Wei was there, most of the cadres and staff at the Industrial Park were temporarily transferred; there were still many people with connections among them. Who had what background, and how deep that background was, I was still completely in the dark. But I knew that if I kept Guo Wei's people, the work would surely be unable to move forward as it had in the past. If I didn't keep his people, I hadn't yet come up with a suitable reason or method to resolve it.

The Municipal Organization Department sent a Deputy Minister and the Cadre Division Chief to escort me to my post; such a high standard was rare in Hengyue City.

The Industrial Park office building was not inside the Industrial Park; they had rented a floor from the former Municipal Materials Bureau.

The Materials Bureau had gradually lost its function over the years, and its original structure had been dismantled and broken into pieces. Except for a portion that was supplemented to the Commerce Bureau, the rest of the people were idle at home. Even its sign had been taken down by Guo Wei and thrown into a corner of the courtyard.

When we arrived at the office building, as soon as we got out of the car, we saw two neat rows of people lined up in the courtyard, men and women, old and young. Seeing us get out of the car, they all applauded in welcome.

This scene surprised me somewhat. Before coming to take office, I had hardly had any contact with any of them. Therefore, when two rows of strangers applauded for us, my heart skipped a few beats.

As the applause died down, a middle-aged man at the head of the line walked out with a beaming smile and said loudly, "Welcome, Director Chen, welcome, Deputy Minister Qi."

He reached out to shake our hands enthusiastically and introduced himself, "My name is Xiao Yu, and I am the Office Director of the Industrial Park Management Committee. On behalf of all the cadres and staff of the Industrial Park, I warmly welcome Director Chen to lead our work."

Deputy Minister Qi was expressionless. I was still wondering if he minded that Xiao Yu had put my name before his during the welcome, when he muttered, "What kind of show are you putting on?"

Deputy Minister Qi seemed to dislike Xiao Yu's welcome ceremony, but his attitude was only expressed after that one question, with no further indication.

Xiao Yu led the way, and we followed behind him toward the conference room.

There was a ceremony here that required convening all the unit's leaders for a meeting to read the appointment letter regarding me. Once it was read, it would be considered my official assumption of office.

The meeting was presided over by Xiao Yu, who first spoke at length for several minutes, which was nothing more than affirming their past achievements and work, expressing support for my future work, and so on.

After Xiao Yu finished speaking, Deputy Minister Qi spoke for a few more minutes. The content mostly revolved around hoping the cadres present would unite closely around me and push the work of the Industrial Park to a new climax. At the same time, he implicitly revealed a piece of information: the Industrial Park was a key project of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, and I was someone personally appointed by the Mayor. The implication of this sentence was that, at certain times, I represented the Mayor.

After Deputy Minister Qi finished speaking, the Cadre Division Chief personally read my appointment document.

I was surrounded by people amidst a burst of warm applause, with a dozen hands reaching out to shake mine.

After the reading was finished, Deputy Minister Qi shook my hand, patted my arm, and said earnestly, "Work hard! Minister Huang thinks highly of you!"

After seeing Deputy Minister Qi and the others off, I returned to the conference room to continue the meeting.

Xiao Yu was busy running back and forth, personally refilling my teacup with fresh tea, and invited me to speak.

I scanned the conference room, and my heart immediately went cold.

Among the cadres present, not to mention the crooked melons and cracked dates, there were really not many who looked decent. They were either too old, treating the Management Committee as a nursing home, or too young, mere youths with no hair on their lips, or women who were like withered flowers and fallen leaves.

I began to deeply understand Guo Wei's difficulties. He had sat in the Deputy Director's seat for a year, and the Industrial Park hadn't even completed the demolition work, let alone the 'three connections and one leveling' or blueprint construction.

Could these people get things done?

I beckoned Xiao Yu over and whispered to him, "Please have everyone introduce themselves."

The first to introduce himself was Hu Zhenhua from the Demolition Office. Before coming, he was a Deputy Section Chief at the Municipal Urban Management Bureau. Because he had injured an old man who had come into the city to sell melons during an administrative enforcement process, he couldn't stay at the Urban Management Bureau and came to the Industrial Park. After Hu Zhenhua finished introducing himself, he looked at Xiao Yu. I was very puzzled, thinking he still had something to say. Hu Zhenhua, however, said nothing more; instead, Xiao Yu whispered in my ear, "Director Hu's father-in-law is the Director of the Municipal Party Committee Research Office."

I said 'oh,' and looked at Hu Zhenhua again, finding a look of smugness on his face.

Screw your mother! I cursed in my heart, and my first impression of him became negative.

The next to introduce himself was the person in charge of the Investment Promotion Department. This person was fat and big-eared, but there was almost no blood in his face, making him look hollow. The person in charge of the Investment Promotion Department was named Old Song, full name Song Ziyin. The people in the Management Committee all called him "Goddess of Mercy who sends children." When he proudly said this nickname, it caused a burst of laughter in the conference room.

I also had a smile on my face; meeting them for the first time, I couldn't be too sharp. After all, I hadn't fully grasped their situation yet, and without knowing the roots and the bottom, I wouldn't be sure of myself when fighting a battle.

I was the Director, the true head of the Management Committee. I also concurrently held the position of Industrial Park Party Committee Secretary. Looking at the room full of people, who could contend with me?

The person sitting in the head chair must know how to govern people; if one doesn't know how to govern people, the chair won't be stable.

Just after Song Ziyin finished introducing himself, Xiao Yu whispered in my ear again, "Minister Song's brother-in-law is the Director of the Municipal Family Planning Commission."

I said 'oh' again and listened quietly as they each introduced themselves.

After each person finished introducing themselves, Xiao Yu would add that person's background at the end. After everyone had finished introducing themselves, I asked Xiao Yu, "Director Xiao, why don't you introduce yourself too?"

Xiao Yu's face immediately turned red. It was hard for a middle-aged man like him to actually feel embarrassed.

He looked at me, blinked a few times, and finally said softly, "I'm the only one without a foundation; I don't have anyone above me."

"Is that so?" I said with a smile. "It's really hard on you."

I meant it sincerely. For someone with no foundation to be able to mix so well among this group of people with great backgrounds, it would be impossible without some exceptional qualities.

After the introductions were over, they began to introduce the work situation.

This time, Xiao Yu did the main reporting, writing five full pages of all the big and small affairs since the establishment of the Industrial Park.

He set up his stance, preparing for a long report. I waved my hand to stop him and said, "Director Xiao, just tell me a few statistics."

Xiao Yu became embarrassed again, swallowed his saliva, and closed his speech draft. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "The park covers 1,500 mu, and 380 mu of demolition has been completed. 54 households have been relocated, with a population of 301."

I stopped him and asked, "How were the relocated households settled?"

Xiao Yu was immediately dumbstruck, and after a long time, he said hesitantly, "They found their own way."

"Found their own way?" I asked. "Did the park provide relocation fees?"

Xiao Yu shook his head and said, "There is no money on the park's books."

"You didn't give them money, yet you tore down their houses?" My heart flared with anger, and my voice rose involuntarily.

"This was the instruction from above," Xiao Yu still wanted to argue.

"Nonsense!" I shouted, "Any level of government prioritizes people's livelihoods. By doing this, aren't you deliberately provoking social conflicts? What a mess!"

I flicked my sleeves and stood up, scanning the room, saying word by word, "Everyone, from now on, please prepare your work reports. In three days, I want to hear them. Those whose reports don't pass, this place won't keep you!"

There was a commotion in the conference room, and Xiao Yu's face turned iron-blue, saying nothing.

"This task will be the responsibility of Director Xiao. Form a group to strictly gatekeep the issue of individual reporting. The Management Committee needs a crack team; in other words, we need to beat new drums and open for business again."

After I finished speaking, I left the seat and went out.

Xiao Yu chased after me and whispered behind me, "Director Chen, we have arranged a welcoming banquet for you."

I stopped and looked at him with a half-smile, saying, "What if I don't eat it?"

Xiao Yu rubbed his hands and said, "It's everyone's intention; wouldn't it be bad not to go?"

"I just won't go," I threw down a sentence, "Whoever organizes it is responsible; the Management Committee will not list it as an expense."

Xiao Yu agreed submissively and followed me down the stairs step by step.

There were two cars parked in the courtyard, a pickup truck and a black Honda. The pickup truck didn't have a speck of dust on its body, while the black Honda had almost turned gray, with a thick layer of dust on it.

Seeing me looking at the cars, Xiao Yu hurriedly whispered, "This Honda was originally used by Guo Wei; it has been parked there since he went missing, and no one dared to touch it. The pickup is used by my office. Director Chen, please give an instruction on how to handle the cars?"

I didn't say anything; I wouldn't use the car Guo Wei had used again.

"How about we dispose of the cars and buy a new one for you?" Xiao Yu asked me tentatively.

"Isn't there no money on the books?" I said irritably, "If there is money, use it on the cutting edge; we have too many places where we need money."

Xiao Yu agreed repeatedly and trotted out of the courtyard with me.

The Municipal Materials Bureau was in a quiet little alley; it took a few minutes to walk from the alley to the street outside. Usually, the alley could only accommodate one car.

Standing on the side of the street waiting for a car, I pointed to a vacant lot by the road and said, "Erect a Management Committee sign here."

Xiao Yu indicated it would be done in two days.

I said again, "Director Xiao, I see that you are too busy to handle it alone, so I am preparing to assign someone to help you."

Xiao Yu was immediately stunned, and after a long time, he sighed and said, "Director Chen, if you feel I am not suitable for this position, I will change!"

I comforted him, "Don't think too much; assigning someone to you is because the work of your office will be operating under overload from now on."

Xiao Yu was happy then. Just as a taxi came by, he reached out to hail it, trotted to the side of the car, opened the door, and said, "Director, please get in."