Chapter 745: When Will You Get Married?

By this point, Su Xinghui finally understood how hard it was to be a town mayor.

Earlier, when he was deputy township head in Meng Hu Ling, although he managed many tasks, it was still only focused on economic affairs—far different from now, where he fully oversaw every aspect of the town.

Don't be fooled by the town mayor's low rank; even a sparrow has all its vital organs. Normally it's manageable, but during flood season, the workload is no less than that of a county magistrate. And frankly, the cadre quality in Pengjiawanzhen isn't high—many tasks require Su Xinghui to handle them personally, making his workload even heavier.

Cadres like Peng Taiping, Yang Huakai, and Tong Yuejin are fine if they don't drag you down—how could they possibly offer much real help?

Fortunately, the newly transferred Li Yong played a significant role in flood prevention, and the other deputy mayor, Jiang Chunfang, also performed her duties well, leaving Su Xinghui no need to worry on that front—otherwise, even if he were made of iron, he couldn't drive in more than a few nails.

Though exhausted, these past three months as town mayor had greatly strengthened Su Xinghui's abilities.

Though reborn, in his previous life he'd never had the chance to stand alone in charge—so his capacity to manage the whole picture was still lacking. Now, serving as town mayor was precisely what honed that skill.

Therefore, when the Communist Party promotes cadres, considering their work experience is quite reasonable—certain key positions demand diverse experience because they require multifaceted capabilities.

Su Xinghui also needs more varied postings to enrich his work record, so he might one day be promoted to more important roles.

On a day in late July, Su Xinghui was at the distillery inspecting the bamboo wine vats delivered by Ye Zhugou Bamboo Weaving Factory—vats that Xia Zhu had ordered workers to weave and personally delivered. Chen Xiangui called Su Xinghui, who rushed to the distillery.

Xia Zhu wore a green dress, standing gracefully, elegant and delicate—like a fresh green bamboo. She now radiated more poise than two years ago, a quality born of confidence; she could truly be called a successful woman.

Xia Zhu had been speaking with Chen Xiangui, but when she saw Su Xinghui arrive, she called out: "Brother Xinghui."

This girlish demeanor of Xia Zhu's only surfaced before Su Xinghui—in front of others, she was now composed and poised.

Su Xinghui saw the large wine vat placed in the center of the distillery's drying yard and said to Xia Zhu: "Xia Zhu, the wine vat is finished?"

Xia Zhu nodded: "Yes, woven two days ago. I only had time to deliver it today. Luckily, our factory is shipping goods to Jiangcheng today—we can just send it along."

Ye Zhugou Bamboo Weaving Factory now owned its own truck and could deliver directly to customers—no longer needing Jiangcheng's Jiangnan District Crafts Store to come pick up goods at Ye Zhugou.

Su Xinghui asked Chen Xiangui: "Comrade Chen, how's the weaving on this wine vat?"

Chen Xiangui nodded: "Excellent—dense, tough. Factory Director Xia even brought some bamboo strips for the vat—we tested their strength, and they're no worse than the old rattan. Wine stored in these vats carries a fresh bamboo aroma; in a few years, they'll become another signature product."

Su Xinghui nodded: "Good. Then you can sign the contract now?"

Chen Xiangui said: "Yes, Factory Director Xia, come to my office and sign it right away."

The group went to the office, signed the contract, and Chen Xiangui said: "Factory Director Xia, have lunch with us in our canteen today."

Xia Zhu looked at Su Xinghui. Su Xinghui said: "Xia Zhu, have lunch here."

A faint hint of disappointment flickered in Xia Zhu's eyes, but she still nodded: "Alright."

Su Xinghui noticed that flicker of disappointment—he understood her heart. She clearly wanted to have lunch alone with him. But Su Xinghui now had a girlfriend—he couldn't do that. He hoped Xia Zhu would find her own happiness soon.

Though he couldn't have lunch alone with Xia Zhu, Su Xinghui still said: "Then I'll have lunch here too, Comrade Chen—mind if I join?"

Chen Xiangui laughed: "It's our honor to have the town mayor eat here—how could we not welcome you?"

The distillery's canteen was among the best in Pengjiawanzhen. Years ago, when the distillery thrived, previous factory heads invested heavily in it—the cooks were highly skilled, the decor upscale. Not just in the whole town, but even countywide, it ranked among the top.

Because of this, when important guests visited the town government, they were sometimes hosted here—always at the distillery's expense, charged to its hospitality budget, not to non-operating costs. This was one major reason for the distillery's losses.

Since Su Xinghui took office, the town government no longer hosted guests at the distillery—good news for the factory, as hospitality expenses dropped sharply. Still, many guests ate there—mostly sales reps and clients coming to purchase goods.

Previously, hospitality expenses were pure losses. Now, they bring in revenue—totally different.

Moreover, Su Xinghui now enforced strict standards for enterprise hospitality: each meal had a capped per-person allowance. As a result, hospitality spending across town enterprises dropped significantly.

Su Xinghui rarely ate at any enterprise—it was his example. If he didn't go, Comrade Qi Jian wouldn't either. With both of them avoiding enterprise meals, no one else dared to freeloading.

But today was different—Xia Zhu was eating here. If Su Xinghui didn't join her, she'd likely feel even worse.

Though Su Xinghui ate at the distillery, he insisted Chen Xiangui follow hospitality rules strictly: three dishes and one soup for three people, no alcohol. They finished quickly.

After lunch, Su Xinghui asked Xia Zhu: "Xia Zhu, when will your truck return?"

Xia Zhu was returning to Meng Hu Ling on the factory's delivery truck—it hadn't arrived yet. She replied: "They should be back around two or three in the afternoon."

Su Xinghui said: "Then rest in a guest room at the Zhenzheng Prefecture reception room this afternoon."

Xia Zhu nodded: "Alright."

Su Xinghui said to Chen Xiangui: "Comrade Chen, thank you for the meal."

Chen Xiangui laughed: "Town mayor, what are you talking about? Just a simple work meal—nothing special to host."

Su Xinghui and Xia Zhu walked toward the town government. Along the way, Su Xinghui felt uneasy—as if he owed her something—and said nothing. Xia Zhu remained silent too.

Halfway there, Xia Zhu said: "Brother Xinghui, when are you marrying Little Ya?"

Su Xinghui stammered: "Not that soon, I think."

Xia Zhu turned her head. Su Xinghui turned too—and saw her bright smile. She said: "Brother Xinghui, when you marry Little Ya, tell me ahead of time—I'll give you both a great gift."