Chapter 97: Big Cadres Must Come for the Ribbon-Cutting

Seeing that the New Year was coming, the atmosphere of the New Year permeated everywhere in the countryside.

Country folk all raise New Year pigs. Families raising New Year pigs began to line up to ask the butcher to slaughter the pigs, and families with fish ponds began to drain water to catch fish. The mortar house rang all day long, and the villagers pounded the soaked glutinous rice into rice flour in the mortar house, preparing the rice cakes to send off the Kitchen God on the eve of the Little New Year.

The rice cakes were wrapped in tung tree leaves and steamed in a steamer. The freshly steamed rice cakes were soft and glutinous, sweet and fragrant in the mouth. When they cooled, they became hard lumps, buried in the firewood pile to be roasted, crispy and delicious.

The farmers who were idle in winter had already cleaned the front and back of the house, emptied the manure pits that had been fermented for months, and sprinkled a layer of lime, signaling a new beginning.

The large capon raised for months was slaughtered and hung under the eaves, swaying with the cold winter wind.

After the Little New Year, it officially entered the Big New Year. Country folk are particular about the New Year. From the 24th of the twelfth lunar month to the 15th of the first lunar month of the coming year, the countryside is celebrating the New Year. No work is done during the New Year, just idling at home. Visiting relatives and friends is the only entertainment activity. After the tenth day of the first lunar month, the countryside begins to dance the dragon lantern. This is the liveliest time in the countryside. Many young girls and boys also fall in love at this time, and unknowingly, a thousand-year marriage will be achieved.

During the New Year in the countryside, every family must paste spring couplets. Even if an elder in the family passed away in the previous year, spring couplets cannot be avoided, but the color changes. The first year is green, the second year is yellow, and only after three years can it return to bright red. Therefore, during the New Year, passing by a family's door, you can know the situation of their family from the color of the spring couplets. This is a culture, an ancient culture passed down for thousands of years. When I knew what this culture was, I had to be ashamed that I read too few books.

Guo Wei called on the people of the whole township to mobilize. On the eve of the Little New Year, light will shine on Suxi Township, ending the dark era from now on and entering a bright period.

Guo Wei's call was actively responded to. First was the township middle school. The principal arranged it in person, requiring the school's music, physical education, and art teachers to recall students with specialties to prepare to organize a huge celebration team. The primary school was not to be outdone, striving to do the work of presenting flowers to the leaders.

Township government cadres performed their duties, set up stages, invited drum bands, and wrote propaganda slogans. Liu Hongyan was responsible for purchasing guest corsages, Hao Qiang was responsible for on-site security, and Sister-in-law Yue Bai also closed the shop to help canteen Lao Wang formulate menus and prepare delicacies to entertain guests.

Xue Bing had been busy for several days, her heels touching the back of her head. When she came back at night and lay on the bed, she didn't want to move. No matter how I teased her, she didn't respond, so I felt bored. After going to her dormitory a few times, I didn't want to go again. Every night I went to Xiaoqin's shop to eat something and went back to my dormitory to sleep.

Such a formation in Suxi Township only appeared when learning from Dazhai in those years. Guo Wei called me to his office and instructed me to do several things.

The first thing is to invite reporters from provincial and municipal television stations. This is not difficult; I have classmates mixing in these two departments, and a phone call can handle it. The second thing is to draft a news release to be broadcast to reporters afterward. This is also not difficult; I can handle it myself. The third thing has a certain degree of difficulty: writing a speech for the leaders who come to participate in the ribbon-cutting.

What kind of leaders are coming? I have no bottom in my heart. I don't know the leaders' tastes. The things written will not be looked at by others, and if it's not good, it will be counterproductive. Therefore, I hesitated for a long time and did not express my position.

Guo Wei comforted me and said, "You just write boldly, it's fine. Leaders are battle-tested, and they only use any draft as a reference."

I said, "County Party Committee leaders or Municipal Party Committee leaders?"

Guo Wei said proudly, "Originally I wanted to invite Secretary Guan of the County Party Committee and County Magistrate Liu, but yesterday I received a call from Minister Huang of the Municipal Party Committee, and Deputy Secretary He of the Municipal Party Committee will come to congratulate in person."

Deputy Secretary He? In my mind, Director Chen Yazhi's probing immediately jumped out. Could it be that the cousin I have never met is coming?

"Deputy Secretary He is in charge of urban and rural construction, and the highway system is also under his responsibility. Our ribbon-cutting this time is two major events: one is light, and the other is a smooth road. Deputy Secretary He's presence is a concern and care for our Suxi Township. We must welcome the inspection of higher-level leaders with the best attitude." Guo Wei entrusted me again, "These two days, you just close the door and write. Remember, when writing the speech, write more about achievements and less about lessons."

I nodded, exited his office, and stood on the corridor at the door. I looked at the stage already set up in the big square in front of the township government, looked at the red flags fluttering around the stage, and looked at the students busy rehearsing on the stage. My eyes searched for Xue Bing. She was leaning exhaustedly on the pillar by the stage, directing the colorful students to dance.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, it was Suxi Township's report performance. The performance program had been finalized. In addition to the dance and chorus of the township middle school, there were also programs sent by various villages, including flower drum opera and fishing drum performances.

The freezing Suxi let the leaders sit under the stage to watch the performance. Who is responsible if they freeze and get sick? At first, I opposed this arrangement, but Guo Wei couldn't listen at all and was determined to carry out this procedure.

Back in the room, I lay horizontally on the bed and pulled the quilt to cover myself. The cold wind was biting outside. Every year at the end of the year, Suxi Township would have a snowfall. This snow would not be too big, but it would not melt, and it would always accompany the Suxi people until the New Year was over before it slowly melted. It hadn't snowed this year, but the weather these days implied that a heavy snow was about to come.

I decided to call my aunt. The phone was connected, and my aunt asked me in surprise, "You haven't gone home for the New Year yet?"

I said, "The township wants to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony, so I'm afraid I won't go home until after the Little New Year."

Aunt said, "Work is of course important. Anyway, you can't help your mother at home." She paused and told me happily, "Your uncle is also going home for the New Year this year. Listening to his tone, it seems that after the New Year, he is ready to transfer to civilian work."

I laughed "hehe" and said, "Aunt, you are not willing to follow the army, how can my uncle rest assured to leave such a beautiful wife at home?"

Aunt scolded, "Chen Feng, you kid, are you getting too big for your boots?"

I hurriedly begged for mercy, changed the subject, and asked, "Aunt, do I have a cousin who is a deputy secretary in the municipal party committee?"

Aunt pondered for a while and said, "Yes, surname He, what's wrong?"

I said, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Aunt shouted with infinite grievance and scolded, "You kid, are you getting too big for your boots now that you're an official? Last time you came back, Wu Qian mentioned it. It's you who didn't take it to heart, and instead blamed me. Are you asking for a beating?"

I laughed and said, "Come and beat me."

Aunt asked me, "Why did you suddenly think of this?"

I said, "I heard he is coming to our Suxi Township to participate in the ribbon-cutting this time."

"That's a good thing, you can just recognize your relative," Aunt giggled, "I've only seen this cousin of yours once, not familiar."

After chatting for a few words, Aunt told me that Meizhu's shop is now very big, and she often goes to my house to see my mother. Aunt said worriedly, "How are you doing with that Teacher Xue? Don't step on two boats."

I patted my chest and said, "Absolutely not."

After hanging up the phone, my brain became confused like paste again. Xi Meizhu often goes to my house? Little girl, could it be that your cousin Xue Bing never mentioned me to you?

I decided to stay in Xue Bing's dormitory tonight. I want to test Xue Bing's tone. If she really hasn't mentioned our affairs, I should find a way to stop Xi Meizhu's behavior. I can't capsize in their small ditch!

After thinking for a while, I didn't come up with a clue, so I sat up, took out paper and pen, and started writing the speech.

Just after writing a few words, the door was knocked. Opening the door, I saw Sister-in-law Yue Bai standing by the door with a smile, holding a thermos, asking if I wanted hot water.

I said, "Thank you, Sister-in-law Yue Bai." I took the thermos from her hand.

She poked her head to look at my room and said, "Don't invite me in to sit for a while?"

I said, "I'm writing a speech."

"You write yours, I can't even sit for a while?"

I had no choice but to invite her in. As soon as she entered the room, she closed the door tightly and said, "It's windy outside, it's cold."

I smiled, found a cup, and poured her a glass of water.

Since Sister-in-law Yue Bai went to Hengyue City, I have rarely seen her. Now that she has lived in the city for a few months, the atmosphere of city people began to flow everywhere on her. Sister-in-law Yue Bai shouldn't have been a country person. Although she was born badly, after fate turned a circle, it played a big joke on her, and she finally achieved her dream of eating national grain.

She was wearing a thick down jacket with a white silk scarf around her neck, looking full of charm.

After all, we once had passion in the back mountain pond, so I was a little embarrassed and greeted her, "Sister-in-law Yue Bai, drink water."

She smiled at me tenderly and said, "Don't call me sister-in-law in the future. I'm single now, you just call me Yue Bai."

I scratched the back of my head and said, "That's not good."

"What's not good? Or, you just call me sister. Anyway, I don't mind." She said with a giggle, reached into her pocket, took out an exquisite lighter, handed it to me, and said, "American goods, very expensive."

I didn't take it and asked her, "Where did it come from?"

Sister-in-law Yue Bai stubbornly stretched out her hand and said, "Don't worry, not stolen or robbed, picked up."

I had no choice but to take it and put it on the table.

"Heard you were promoted?" Sister-in-law Yue Bai asked me, taking a sip of water.

I shook my head and denied it. I said, "Just adjusted the work position, where is the promotion? Besides, the official of the township government, no matter how big, is just a section-level cadre. Can I still be promoted to the county?"

"I see you, the county cadre is not necessarily what you want." She giggled and said, "Men, as long as they are bold, there is nothing they can't do."

I naturally understood the meaning of her words, and I could only pretend to be ignorant and laugh foolishly. I could only do this. On the stage of the government square in the distance, Xue Bing was still rehearsing with students, but a charming young woman was sitting in my room. Even if I had the guts of a lecher, I wouldn't dare to flirt with a widow in broad daylight.

There are many rights and wrongs in front of a widow's door! Thinking of this sentence, my heart tightened, and I began to sit uneasily.

Sister-in-law Yue Bai giggled and said, "Look at your guilty look, afraid I'll eat you."

I smiled bitterly in embarrassment. She rolled her eyes at me and said, "Don't worry, I'll leave immediately." She stood up and said with infinite longing, "That Secretary Chen of Laoyingzui is gone. If time could go back, I really want to go back to those days."

Sister-in-law Yue Bai patted her clothes, stretched out her hands to exhale a breath of hot air, rubbed her hands, and said, "Thank you for the bed you left me."

I didn't understand. She reminded me, "The bed you left in the company, I didn't move it, I still live in it as it was."

After sending away Sister-in-law Yue Bai, I decided to calm down and write the speech. Before I wrote it, the mobile phone rang again. It was Huang Qishan calling, asking me to rush to the County Party Committee Reception House by noon the day after tomorrow. Before I could ask him what was the matter, he had already hung up the phone. Listening to the buzzing sound from the receiver, I cursed bitterly, "Fuck." ===== CHAPTER 98 =====