Chapter 70: Pan Xiaoqin Returns to the Township

The County Committee established the Suxi Township Electricity and Road Construction Command, and the Suxi Township work group was declared over.

The County Committee Command was headed by Secretary Guan Peishan as the leader, with the bureau chiefs of the Finance Bureau, Highway Bureau, Electric Power Bureau, and Work Safety Bureau as deputy leaders. The Government Office, Development and Reform Bureau, Public Security Bureau, and other departments were member units.

Once the command was established, all construction work resumed overnight. First, the utility poles from Chengguan Town were delivered, and then the Electric Power Bureau dispatched an expert to station in Suxi Township to guide the construction of the substation. All heavy machinery from the Highway Bureau was moved in, and construction was carried out in sections. For a time, on the more than sixty-mile mountain road from Chunshan County seat to Suxi Township, machines roared and people cheered.

Zhu Shizhen was so busy during this period that his heels hit the back of his head, having to receive construction personnel and arrange for the acceptance of donations. Countless kind-hearted people poured in from all parts of Hengyue City, sending everything. Some even thought that the people in Suxi Township were so poor they didn't even have clothes to wear and sent several large bags of old clothes.

Looking at the donated materials piled up like a small mountain, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Zhu Shizhen arranged for me to be responsible for receiving donations. From the moment I received a cash donation of 100,000 yuan from a city enterprise, every day I was receiving all kinds of strange materials. In a pile of materials, I even found that some people had sent tea oil.

Secretary Liu Quan returned to Suxi Township on the second day of the resumption of work. He had a full beard, gloomy eyes, and didn't greet anyone he saw. He locked himself in his office alone. He didn't even see Liu Hongyan and Hao Qiang.

When the sky darkened, I went to knock on his door. He asked from inside, "Is that Secretary Chen?"

I said, "Yes."

He opened the door. A candle was lit in the room, and a stack of white paper was spread out on the desk with a few lines written on it.

I said, "Secretary Liu, I've come to see you."

He smiled bitterly and said, "I'm not the secretary anymore. A new secretary will come in a few days."

I was shocked and deliberately said easily, "Secretary Liu, besides you, who else can be the master in Suxi Township?"

Liu Quan looked at me seriously and said with infinite sorrow, "There is a saying in ancient times: 'The ambition is not fulfilled, but the heart dies first.' That's how I am, but it may not be a bad thing. I have worked in Suxi Township for nearly thirty years. These thirty years of mine can be considered wasted. I haven't done a single good thing for the common people, nor have I changed the face of Suxi Township at all."

I comforted him, "If every cadre were like Secretary Liu, Suxi Township would have turned over long ago."

Liu Quan sighed, "Actually, it's still because of you. If you hadn't come, I would have just lived like this. Secretary Chen, you are a good young man, bold and visionary. It was only after you started the company that I suddenly realized that a person only has a few dozen springs and autumns in a lifetime. If you don't leave something in the world while you are alive, what is the difference between you and a dog when you die?"

His words moved me. Since I came to Suxi Township, he was my first leader. Whether in work or life, he taught me a lot. Now hearing these words from him, my nose felt sour.

Liu Quan patted my shoulder, took out a cigarette, lit it, took a long drag, and said, "This time, others played tricks behind my back, and I don't blame them. After all, it was my own failure to grasp things well. I'm leaving, going to the County Agriculture Bureau to be a deputy bureau chief. From now on, all my ambitions are gone." He smiled pretentiously, patted his leg, and said, "I'm old and useless."

I said, "Secretary Liu, are you really leaving?"

Liu Quan said helplessly, "If I stay, how can others be promoted?"

I shook my head regretfully. Liu Quan is leaving, when can I leave?

Liu Quan said, "Xiao Chen, work hard, you will have a day of success. County Magistrate Liu invited me to dinner the night before I came back, and he talked about you at the dinner table."

I asked curiously, "What did he say about me?"

Liu Quan said, "He didn't say much. Everyone thinks you are a talent, and changing the face of Suxi Township requires someone like you."

I said with a grin, "I can't do anything well, and I'm always causing trouble for the leaders."

"It's the people who don't cause trouble that I fear. People who can cause trouble for leaders are people with ideas. Tell me, what other ideas do you have?"

"Me? If I could build a market in Suxi Township, and in a few years, turn Suxi Township into a tourist and leisure paradise, I would be satisfied," I said. "But these things are not things I can do; they are just fantasies."

Liu Quan's eyes lit up. He looked at me carefully and said in a low voice, "Who else have you told about these ideas?"

I shook my head and said, "I haven't told anyone. They are just my personal ideas."

Liu Quan told me sincerely, "A person must have reservations. Your ideas are more precious than gold. Now is not the time for you to say these things. Remember, at any time, don't easily expose your thoughts."

I nodded, chatted for a few words, and said goodbye.

The substation had already been built on the foundation, and the Electric Power Bureau technicians were guiding them to lay underground cables. I walked over, and when they saw me, they all stood up to greet me.

Having been in Suxi Township for several years, the surrounding villagers all knew me.

After chatting for a few words, I saw a woman walking over quickly. When she got closer, I realized it was Pan Xiaoqin.

Seeing me, Xiaoqin waved her hands happily. A villager who knew her said, "Isn't this Pan, the girl from Secretary Chen's company?"

I took Xiaoqin back to the dormitory and asked, "Why are you back?"

After she drank a full glass of water, she looked at me mischievously and said, "My home is in Suxi, can't I come back?"

I said, "Is there only Meizhu in the shop?"

She answered me, "Yes. And two people from the township government."

I said in surprise, "They haven't left yet?"

Xiaoqin told me with a grin, "Whether they leave or not is none of our business. You have time to go and see, hahaha," she laughed loudly and said, "Actually, they are really pitiful. They come to the company every day like they are going to work. Meizhu and I don't care about them, we don't give them food, we don't give them water. We don't even let them use the toilet, suffocating them."

Xiaoqin's words made me feel heavy. Zhu Shizhen's move was to drag me down.

"Why did you come back?" I said, "Meizhu is alone, I'm afraid something will happen."

"What could happen?" Xiaoqin pouted and said, "You think she is still the Xi Meizhu from two years ago? She is very smart now."

I didn't speak, and handed her a towel.

Xiaoqin took it, put the towel into her clothes in front of me, wiped her body, threw it aside, and said, "I want to open a shop in Suxi Township."

"Open a shop?" I opened my mouth in surprise.

"Yes, look, the supply and marketing cooperative now, besides selling chemical fertilizers and pesticides, only sells a little candy and biscuits, and it has long been dying. We have been watching TV during this period and know that the road in Suxi Township will be repaired soon. Once the road in Suxi Township is repaired, what do you think the consequences will be?" Xiaoqin said happily, "Opening a shop in Suxi Township, I can also bring my mother over to take care of her. In the future, I will not only open a grocery store, but also open a restaurant and hotel."

She was ambitious, planning her future blueprint.

"Opening a shop requires capital, a lot of capital, do you have it?" I said worriedly.

"Don't I have you?" She smiled and said, "I've been thinking for a long time, you lend me money first, and when I make money in the future, I will pay you back, plus interest."

I was speechless.

"Not willing?" She stared at me.

"It's not that I'm not willing. My money is all in the company," I said, spreading my hands.

"You think the company can last much longer?" Xiaoqin said, "Don't look at the township cadres sitting in the shop every day with nothing to do, I already know their thoughts. I heard them say that if you don't hand over the company, the township government will check your accounts. According to them, township enterprises should be managed by the Enterprise Office, and anyone else managing them is breaking the law."

My heart sank again. I underestimated Zhu Shizhen! ===== CHAPTER 71 =====