Chapter 1248: A Farewell Drink

The next afternoon, Weng Guoying came to Pengjiawanzhen from Qingxi County. Su Xinghui received him warmly, but Weng Guoying said that Su Xinghui didn't need to accompany him and that he wanted to take a good look at Pengjiawanzhen himself. He had heard that Pengjiawanzhen was developing very well and really wanted to see it.

Su Xinghui let him go. Anyway, Pengjiawanzhen only had this one main road, so he wouldn't get lost no matter how he walked. He told Weng Guoying to come back by dinner time, and he would treat Weng Guoying to dinner.

By dinner time, Weng Guoying returned. Su Xinghui took him to the Chaochao Restaurant, ordered a private room, ordered a few dishes and a bottle of wine, poured a glass for Weng Guoying, and said, "Brother Weng can drink, right?"

Weng Guoying nodded, "I can drink a few cups, but I haven't drunk for almost two years."

Su Xinghui said, "Oh, why haven't you drunk?"

Weng Guoying laughed at himself, "These past two years, I've been hiding here and there every day, sleeping with one eye open. How could I dare to drink? If I drank, I would sleep like a log."

Su Xinghui said, "Brother Weng, then I'll toast you. You've suffered these past two years!"

Weng Guoying raised his glass and drank a cup with Su Xinghui. Suddenly, he said, "You are a good cadre!"

Su Xinghui smiled and said, "How can you tell?"

Weng Guoying said, "I looked around your town. You've only been in Pengjiawanzhen for a year and a half. To be able to build Pengjiawanzhen like this and make the common people so wealthy—if you weren't a good cadre who truly works for the common people, you couldn't have achieved this."

Su Xinghui didn't speak. He poured another cup of wine for Weng Guoying and drank with him.

Weng Guoying said, "It's a pity. You are not in our Qingxi. Such a good place as Qingxi, not worse than your Shangjun County, was all ruined by that group of prodigals!"

Su Xinghui smiled and said, "Now that group of prodigals has fallen from power, Qingxi will get better and better in the future."

Weng Guoying shook his head, "It's difficult. Who knows what kind of people will succeed them?"

Su Xinghui knew that Weng Guoying had lost some confidence in the officialdom. However, how many people have confidence in the officialdom? In his previous life, wasn't he about the same as Weng Guoying? He became a bit cynical.

However, Su Xinghui still had to make Weng Guoying cheer up. He still needed Weng Guoying to do big things. If he couldn't cheer up, even if he were transferred to the Provincial Water Conservancy Department, he wouldn't be able to play a big role.

Su Xinghui said, "Brother Weng, in fact, the officialdom is the same as society. There are bad people, and of course, there are good people. And there are more good people than bad people. You can't negate everyone just because your Qingxi County had a few bad people."

Weng Guoying was silent for a long time. He poured himself a cup of wine and drank it in one gulp.

Weng Guoying's greatest wish was to bring the corrupt elements of Qingxi County to justice. For this wish, he lost his father, let his mother lie in bed, and painfully divorced his wife, letting his son go back to his maiden home with his wife.

Even if this wish was fulfilled, he didn't have the courage to see his mother, his wife, or his son. He knew how much pain, grievance, and fright they had suffered for his wish.

His family had once tried to persuade him earnestly not to report or petition anymore, but he, relying on a spirit of righteousness in his chest, acted willfully and eventually ended up with a broken family and a torn-apart life.

Thinking about it now, does he have any regrets? He does have some regrets, but if all things could be done over again, what would he do? He knows he would definitely do it again because he cannot stand seeing those people remain at large.

Su Xinghui said, "Brother Weng, we talked last time. Within a few years, there is a high possibility that a super-big flood will occur in the Changjiang River Basin. With the existing embankments in the Changjiang River Basin, they definitely won't be able to withstand it. To withstand this super-big flood, we need to repair the embankments to the standard of a once-in-a-century flood. Repairing the embankments is imminent, but the upper-level leaders don't understand the seriousness of the matter. Therefore, we need Brother Weng to cheer up and convince the leaders."

Weng Guoying was silent. If his wish for these past few years was to bring corrupt elements like Duan Mantang to justice, then his lifelong dream was to become a water conservancy expert. When he took the college entrance exam, his score was actually enough to get into Jiangcheng University, but he applied for the Jiangcheng Water Conservancy College.

This was because his father was a water conservancy cadre. He had been influenced by what he saw and heard since childhood and was very interested in water conservancy. And after he grew up, he also knew how important water conservancy work was to the common people along the Changjiang River. It could be said that water conservancy work is related to the lives of tens of millions of common people.

He has studied the changes in the water volume and water level of the Changjiang River in recent years and found that the water level is rising while the water volume has not increased or even slightly decreased. He has also studied meteorological and hydrological data in recent years and found that the frequency of abnormal climates is getting higher and higher.

He therefore concluded that as long as a big rainstorm occurs in the entire Changjiang River Basin in recent years, the Changjiang River will have a high possibility of a super-big flood, and preparations must be made in advance.

But who would believe what a small person like him says?

Thinking that if a super-big flood really occurred, the Changjiang main embankment couldn't withstand it, breached, and the flood raged, causing thousands of families to be displaced, Weng Guoying's heart tightened.

Thinking of this, he nodded, "Don't worry, I will cheer up."

Su Xinghui toasted Weng Guoying again, "Brother Weng, eat some dishes."

Weng Guoying ate a few bites of food. Su Xinghui said, "Vice Governor Lu is a person who is very serious about his work. You should prepare what you want to say in your heart in advance. The more accurate your data and the firmer your tone, the greater the possibility of convincing him."

Weng Guoying nodded, "I know. This matter is of great importance, and I won't take it lightly. However, those data are all in my heart, and I can blurt them out at any time."

Su Xinghui nodded. He knew that Weng Guoying's words were not empty. Like these practical cadres, they keep the data of the work they are in charge of in mind and can blurt them out at any time. When he talked to Weng Guoying last time, Weng Guoying was indeed like a family treasure when talking about various data.

The only thing Su Xinghui worried about was that Weng Guoying would be nervous in front of Lu Zhenghong. However, he wasn't particularly worried about this problem either. Weng Guoying's psychological quality definitely had no problems; otherwise, he couldn't have dealt with Duan Mantang and the others for two years.

Thinking of this, Su Xinghui smiled, "Brother Weng, how did you deal with Duan Mantang and the others during this period? So many of them couldn't find you."

Weng Guoying smiled freely, "Nothing much. I relied on the vast ocean of the people's war. Duan Mantang and those people are always unpopular. During this period, many people who helped me I didn't even know. They were all friends of friends who were entrusted to take care of me and cover me, and they did so. If it weren't for them, I would have been caught long ago."

Su Xinghui said, "Brother Weng said it well. Relying on the common people, we achieved the final victory. Then, for the sake of the common people's lives, I ask Brother Weng to do your best!"

Weng Guoying understood Su Xinghui's meaning. He solemnly raised his glass, "Don't worry, I will set off for Jiangcheng tomorrow morning. I must do my best!"

Su Xinghui raised his glass, "Good, this cup is the farewell drink I offer Brother Weng!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, raised their heads together, and drank the wine in their cups in one gulp.

The next morning, Su Xinghui asked Hou Wenhai to send a driver to drive Weng Guoying to Jiangcheng.