Chapter 31: Lu Zhenghong

Su Xinghui couldn't help but sweat profusely. How could this Shoushan stone, which others regarded as a treasure, be like Chinese cabbage here at Professor Qin's?

But it was also easy to understand. Professor Qin was a master of Sinology and had deep attainments in calligraphy, seal carving, and Chinese painting, and he was also very good at collecting. It was perfectly normal for him to collect these stones.

Seeing Professor Qin's sincerity, Su Xinghui had no choice but to accept the Tianhuang frozen stone and put it into his backpack with care.

Only then did Professor Qin nod happily. Seeing that it was getting late, Su Xinghui said goodbye to Professor Qin. Professor Qin said, "Stay for lunch, your teacher's wife is cooking."

Su Xinghui said, "No, I have an appointment with Lu Xiaoya to eat at her house at noon. Her mother is the manager of the handicraft store and can help our township sell bamboo weaving handicrafts."

Only then did Professor Qin nod. "Alright, then go do your business, come again when you have time."

Su Xinghui agreed, said goodbye to the teacher's wife, and left the Qin family.

After leaving the back gate of Jiangcheng University and walking a little over a kilometer, he arrived at the Provincial Party Committee dormitory. Su Xinghui bought some fruit at the fruit shop outside the gate and found her house according to the address provided by Lu Xiaoya.

Pressing the doorbell, Lu Xiaoya opened the door. Seeing Su Xinghui come, she happily let Su Xinghui in, let him sit on the sofa, and said to him, "Su Xinghui, sit for a while, my parents haven't finished work yet, I still have two dishes to stir-fry."

Su Xinghui was a bit surprised. "You can cook too?"

Lu Xiaoya said proudly, "Of course. My parents have to work and are busy. My grandmother is in poor health and can only rest. Now that I'm on vacation at home, if I don't cook, who will? Even the vegetables were bought by me."

While Lu Xiaoya was talking, she poured a glass of cold boiled water for Su Xinghui and went into the kitchen. Su Xinghui had originally planned to go into the kitchen to help her, but then he thought that his relationship with Lu Xiaoya hadn't reached that point yet, so he sat on the sofa and looked at the Lu family's living room.

Although Lu Zhenghong was a department-level cadre, his house was also in a very ordinary dormitory. This house had three bedrooms and one living room, one kitchen and one bathroom, but the area wasn't large. The area of this living room was about twenty square meters, and the total area wouldn't exceed one hundred square meters.

The furnishings in the living room were also very simple. There was a refrigerator, a twenty-one-inch color TV, a set of sofas, and the sofas were made of artificial leather. There was a curio shelf with some handicrafts on it, which matched the identity of Lu Xiaoya's mother.

Su Xinghui sat on the row of sofas facing the door. On the wall opposite him hung a piece of calligraphy: "Indifference to fame and wealth to clarify ambition, tranquility to reach far." The signature below was Qu Ziqing. Su Xinghui had heard this name; he was a famous calligrapher in the province.

This calligraphy was in running script, written very elegantly and beautifully, with a feeling of being aloof from the world. And the content of this calligraphy was also very thought-provoking.

Lu Zhenghong was a scholar-type cadre. In addition to his outstanding knowledge, he had also worked at the grassroots level for many years and had work ability and experience. When one of his old leaders was still working in Hudong Province, he was once regarded as a rising star in the officialdom with a bright future. However, after the old leader was transferred, he was put into the cold palace.

Lu Zhenghong had been a teacher. After entering the officialdom, he served as town mayor, deputy county magistrate, county magistrate, county party secretary, deputy mayor, minister of the municipal party committee organization department, deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, mayor, and other positions. It could be said that he took one step at a time. However, after the old leader left, he was transferred to the Provincial Party History Office. This gap was too big.

Although they were all department-level cadres, could the Director of the Party History Office compare with the Mayor? Generally, this kind of gap was because of making mistakes, but Lu Zhenghong didn't make mistakes; it was just that the leader who appreciated him left.

Actually, this could also be considered Lu Zhenghong's political immaturity—only knowing how to bury his head in pulling the cart and not knowing how to look up at the road. Except for that old leader, when he was demoted, not a single leader was willing to speak for him. In this case, no matter how outstanding your political achievements were, it wouldn't work.

This is the Chinese characteristic of saying you are okay, you are okay, even if you are not okay, and saying you are not okay, you are not okay, even if you are okay.

Nowadays, Lu Zhenghong had been at the Party History Office for almost three years. Su Xinghui noticed the time of the calligraphy on the wall was two years ago. This calligraphy should well reflect Lu Zhenghong's state of mind.

In such a place, without this kind of indifferent and tranquil state of mind, it was really hard to endure.

This three-year experience of sitting on the cold bench was also a good tempering for Lu Zhenghong. After all, he was not yet fifty years old and was still young. In fact, after the new Provincial Party Secretary arrived, he promoted him, and he also seized this opportunity to let himself climb to the peak of the political arena with more mature political means.

Thinking of this, Su Xinghui couldn't help but feel emotional. In fact, Lu Zhenghong's official career path was also a good reference for Su Xinghui. The personalities of the two were somewhat similar. Lu Zhenghong's luck was that he met leaders who appreciated him twice, while Su Xinghui didn't. ===== CHAPTER 33 =====