Stocking-clad beautiful teacher

Chapter 1 The Unexpected Interview
Zhong Yunfeng sat at his desk, his brow furrowed, unconsciously lighting his seventh cigarette of the afternoon. The office
was filled with smoke, like a legendary celestial realm of rising clouds and rosy hues.
His secretary tiptoed in to bring him a cup of tea, then coughed violently for five or six minutes after leaving.
What could have made the Director of the Huanghai County Personnel Bureau so troubled? It stemmed from two thin yet incredibly heavy pages on his desk:
one page was the interview list for the targeted recruitment of civil servants, totaling 22 people; the other page was
the final selection list approved by the Party Committee of the Personnel Bureau, totaling 10 people.
This time, Huanghai County was recruiting 10 civil servants to be assigned to remote, economically underdeveloped townships. Even so,
given the current economic downturn, bleak prospects for businesses, and difficulties for college graduates in finding employment, being a civil servant was the safest
option. For those with connections, working in a township was like a stepping stone; with some maneuvering, they could return to
the city later. Moreover, township work experience could boost their chances of promotion—a win-win situation.
The standard interview ratio should be 1:2, recruiting 10 people. Why are there 22 interviewees?
Because the nephew of a certain county party committee member ranked 21st in the written exam. Due to prior instructions from a superior, Zhong Yunfeng
had to adjust the interview ratio to 1:2, citing the elimination rate during the physical examination, barely securing his nephew's
place.
Once in the interview, the power lies with the personnel bureau—no, with Zhong Yunfeng.
The recruitment announcement clearly states: written exam scores do not carry over to the interview. This means all interviewees are on equal
footing; the top scorer in the written exam could be eliminated, and the last-place candidate still has a chance.
The power to decide who to hire or not hire rests with the interviewers, who in turn depend on Zhong Yunfeng's
whims.
In fact, even before the written exam, the 10 spots had been almost entirely filled. The secret
lay in Zhong Yunfeng's little notebook:
County Head Tong's phone number, 1 person;
Deputy Secretary Chen's phone number, 1 person;
Secretary Fan of the Discipline Inspection Commission's phone number, 1 person;
Chairman Xiao of the CPPCC's phone number, 1 person…
After careful planning, meticulous calculation, and comprehensive consideration of all aspects, the final list of selected candidates
had already taken shape in Zhong Yunfeng's mind. He was just waiting for the interview results to be released before submitting it to the Party Committee for review.
This so-called review simply meant showing the list to the Party Committee members, letting them know a few tens of minutes earlier than the outside world.
Given Zhong Yunfeng's years of prestige, would those Party Committee members dare utter a single word in front of him?
And indeed, when the carefully crafted list of selected candidates was distributed to the Party Committee members, seeing the
familiar names, they couldn't help but think of county leaders, department heads, township secretaries, and mayors.
They all smiled knowingly and cast their "solemn" votes of approval.
After completing the procedures, Zhong Yunfeng instructed the deputy director in charge to handle the follow-up
work, such as posting the results online and notifying the selected candidates to report for duty. Relieved, he returned to his office, only to receive a phone call shortly after sitting down. Hearing the first sentence, he jumped up in surprise!
"Are you Zhong Yunfeng from the Huanghai Personnel Bureau?" The tone was authoritative and steady, with a commanding presence. "I
am Xu Qing from the Personnel Department."
"Director Xu!" Zhong Yunfeng was utterly astonished that the executive deputy director of the provincial department would personally call him.
He was flattered and overwhelmed. "What are your instructions?"
"Has there been any result regarding the recent targeted allocation of civil servants?"
"Report to Director Xu that it was approved at the Party Committee meeting a few minutes ago. Which candidate is Director Xu interested in?" "
Is there a college graduate village official named Fang Sheng on the list of selected candidates?"
"Fang Sheng…" Zhong Yunfeng's first impression was no. To be cautious, he took out two lists and looked them over.
"No, he made it to the interview stage, but his score…"
Fang Sheng's interview score was terrible; he was last. Zhong Yunfeng knew that Xu Qing's sudden mention of this name must have
a deeper meaning, so he didn't dare to bring it up.
Xu Qing said, "A leader in Beijing has requested that Fang Sheng be selected. You handle the details." Without waiting for Zhong
Yunfeng's response, he hung up.
Zhong Yunfeng was stunned for a full ten seconds, then frantically picked up the phone and shouted urgently, "Take back that
list! Take it all back! I'll have you call a party committee meeting to reconsider!"
Less than two minutes later, he picked up the phone again and asked, "Did you take it back? Good, put it in the shredder!"
Next, he needed to clarify two things: First, who was Fang Sheng? Second, what to do?
The secretary brought over the application form, which showed:
Fang Sheng, from Xiaonan City, Shuangjiang Province, graduated from Xiaonan University of Science and Technology, and last year applied to be a college student village official in Huanghai County
, assigned to Fangtang Village, Santan Town. Fang Sheng's father, Fang Chizong, worked in the office of the Construction Bureau of Linxiu District in the provincial capital, holding no administrative position
but enjoying the待遇 of a section chief; his mother, Xiao Lan, worked at a street health service station in Linxiu District as a deputy chief physician;
his brother, Fang Hua, worked in the enforcement team of the Drug Administration Bureau of Yuejin District; and his sister-in-law, Ren Shuhong, worked in the Youth League Committee of Linxiu District—all as ordinary clerks.
Having worked in personnel work for many years, Zhong Yunfeng could tell from just a few lines of Fang Sheng's resume that although his hometown was in the provincial
capital, he came from an ordinary family, with no background or connections. Applying for the position of college graduate village official was a desperate measure due to the inability to find suitable work
, and being assigned to Fangtang Village… well, with a little help from someone, he wouldn't have ended up in that godforsaken
place!
Looking at the evaluations of Fang Sheng by the Fangtang Village and Santan Town organizations: He is diligent and hardworking, immersing himself in fieldwork to learn
farming techniques, and living and working alongside villagers during busy farming seasons; he actively assists the village committee in developing various forms of moderately scaled agricultural
operations, striving to explore fishpond-based aquaculture methods, and pursuing intensive farming and large-scale management…
He seems to be a young man with ideas, hard work, and practical skills. However, no matter how outstanding he is, he is just an ordinary
college graduate village official. Why did he attract the attention of the top leader in the political center of Beijing?
Zhong Yunfeng knew Xu Qing's character. As a provincial-level official, he said the leader was definitely the leader,
not just a secretary, driver, or nanny!
After pondering for a long time, he asked his secretary to call Zhu Zhengyang, the township personnel clerk who had conducted the interviews yesterday.
"Are you familiar with Fang Sheng?"
"That college graduate village official," Zhu Zhengyang said cautiously, "I only met him during the interview yesterday. He is sincere and
has a good manner."
"What happened to being last in the interview? He ranked fourth in the written test. Even the worst students from Xiaonan University of Technology are better than him in the interview."
"Are these third-tier college graduates strong?" Now he was starting to care about his interview results.
"It's a long story. Something unexpected happened during the interview..."
The interview was held yesterday at the Meiyuan Hotel. While waiting, Fang Sheng went to the restroom. As he walked to the door,
he was bumped into by a fugitive that Officer Bai was arresting on duty. Instantly, the fugitive stuffed a USB drive containing evidence of the crime into Fang Sheng's
pocket!
Officer Bai didn't catch the fugitive. When he returned to the scene, he found Fang Sheng making a phone call in the restroom. Recalling the
bump, he became suspicious. Without saying a word, he stepped forward, threw Fang Sheng to the ground, searched his pocket, took the USB drive,
handcuffed him, and put him in the police car.
After a tedious investigation and evidence collection, it was proven that Fang Sheng had no connection with the fugitive. However, after four
hours of this ordeal, Fang Sheng was in extremely poor condition. He had completely forgotten all the knowledge points and materials he had carefully prepared, and his mind was
blank. He didn't know what he said when faced with a few interview questions, and he hastily ended the interview...
After listening to the detailed account, Zhong Yunfeng waved Zhu Zhengyang away and was still staring at the list in a daze. At this moment, the phone
rang again. He picked up the receiver and jumped up after listening to only half a sentence, but accidentally knocked over the teacup next to him. While frantically
picking up his materials and phone, he said in a panic:
"Minister Li, it's me, Xiao Zhong from the Personnel Bureau..." It was
Li Hua, the deputy minister of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department!
He didn't know what was wrong with him today. All the callers were high-ranking officials from the provincial capital,
big shots who he could only meet by looking up to them normally.
"I heard that Huanghai is recruiting civil servants through a targeted allocation system. A high-ranking official is very interested in a young man named Fang Sheng. You should
keep an eye on him."
Zhong Yunfeng's mouth dropped open in surprise: "Ah... Minister Li, Minister Xu from the Provincial Department also called just now.
Is this... the same high-ranking official?"
Li Hua was also taken aback for a moment, then said, "Just remember the name Fang Sheng." He then
hung up the phone as decisively as Xu Qing.
At the level of a full-fledged department head, they only needed to express their intentions subtly. What Zhong Yunfeng did, whether it violated organizational principles,
was not within their scope of concern, and they wouldn't bear any responsibility for the consequences.
If Zhong Yunfeng had a slight doubt after the first call, the second call completely
solidified his confidence.
Having navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades, Zhong Yunfeng naturally understood that the high-ranking official Li Hua spoke of
was not the same person as the high-ranking official in Beijing that Xu Qing mentioned.
Two high-ranking officials simultaneously speaking on Fang Sheng's behalf through two full-fledged department-level cadres in the organization and personnel system—such influence
was enough to promote someone to a division-level position, let alone a lowly civil servant.
The next question was who to eliminate.
Zhong Yunfeng took out his small notebook and pondered repeatedly. Finally, he gritted his teeth and crossed out two lines on a certain name. He
then stubbed out his cigarette and loudly ordered his secretary,
"Notify all Party members to hold an immediate meeting!"
At that moment, Fang Sheng was waiting for the bus to Santan Town at the station entrance when suddenly a screeching
sound of brakes rang out beside him. A jeep screeched to a halt in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing a round-faced girl with large eyes, a delicate nose, and
jade lips—a girl with an imposing air.
Fang Sheng, as if seeing a female demon, took two steps back in shock and coldly said, "It's you again, Officer Bai?"
Officer Bai jumped out of the car, clapped her hands, and laughed, "Don't be nervous. I've come specifically to apologize to you! After
the supplementary investigation this morning, yesterday was indeed a misunderstanding. You are innocent."
"Ha, should I be all teary-eyed, tightly grip your hand, and say, 'Thank you, police, for your thorough investigation! Thank you to your
ancestors for eighteen generations!'"
"I understand your frustration. I made a rash and hasty mistake," Officer Bai said cheerfully. "It's all because
the situation was so unusual that I made a wrong judgment. And you, despite being wronged, never complained. I feel extremely
guilty! You can scold me a bit, I'll take it!"
Fang Sheng waved his hand and said, "It's nothing. This civil service recruitment exam wasn't even my thing. If
it weren't for the personnel bureau requiring college graduate village officials with a year of work experience to participate for performance indicators and publicity purposes,
I wouldn't have bothered to sign up... It's just that thanks to you, I messed up the interview and lost badly."
"Don't be discouraged, you'll eventually succeed if you have the ability," Officer Bai checked the time. "Has the list of selected candidates been announced?"
"I don't care, it was a game that was predetermined long ago," Fang Sheng didn't want to waste time arguing with her. "My car is almost here,
we can talk again another time."
Officer Bai made an inviting gesture: "I'll take you to Santan Town, as... an apology."
"Thank you."
Fang Sheng was fed up with the bumpy ride and constant stops and starts of the minibus, and wished he could have a private car to take him. He had been
through a lot yesterday, so this small compensation was nothing. He got on the bus without any further formalities.
After driving for a while, Bai Ling said casually, "When we arrested you yesterday, you were on
the phone with Zhao Yaoyao from the propaganda department. You two... are you close?"
"Didn't you call her and question her thoroughly?" Fang Sheng said, "The express parcels aren't delivered to Santan Town, so she receives them for
me. I pick them up in town regularly. We were supposed to meet after the interview yesterday, but it took too long, and I was in a
bad mood, so I didn't get them until she got off work at noon today."
"Who sends parcels frequently? Why does Zhao Yaoyao receive them? She's a notorious cold swan in the county government compound, always
speaking to everyone with an icy tone, very proud and aloof."
"Officer Bai..."
"This is a casual chat time, don't call me officer. My name is Bai Ling."
"A cliché love story, you won't be interested."
Bai Ling's eyes flickered with a strange light: "Officer Bai isn't interested, but Bai Ling is very gossipy."
"My college girlfriend works in another province and sends things from time to time. Zhao Yaoyao is her roommate, acting as a transit
point, it's that simple."
"Oh, I thought..."
"Thought I wanted to woo her?" Fang Sheng chuckled. "It takes an
hour and a half of bumpy travel by minibus from the county town to Santan Town, and then another forty minutes by motorcycle to Fangtang Village. One day, it was raining heavily on my way back from the county town.
The minibus took two hours, and my motorcycle broke down halfway back to the village. I pushed the bike, falling countless times along the way.
By the time I arrived at the village office, I was covered in mud, and my lips were purple from the cold... Do you think this kind of situation is suitable for romance?"
Bai Ling remained silent for a long time before saying, "So you're still willing to persevere?"
Fang Sheng smiled and said, "As you encouraged me, everyone has their own talents, and those with ability will eventually succeed.
From a certain perspective, college graduate village officials are down-to-earth, able to directly contact the grassroots level and truly experience
the people's sentiments that are not found in books, news, or the internet."
"Have you thought about changing the status quo?"
"When one's own abilities cannot influence the overall situation, one can only do one's best in the present moment."
Bai Ling was about to say something when her phone rang. She answered with an "Eh," then turned her head and looked at him questioningly
, saying, "Do you know the final list of selected candidates?"
"I don't care at all, what's wrong?"
Her tone was even stranger: "You and Zhao Yaoyao... really have nothing to do with each other?"
Fang Sheng frowned and said, "You really are a gossip. I already said she's my girlfriend's roommate, even if you torture me, I'll still
say that."
Bai Ling frowned slightly, then smiled after a while: "Girlfriend's girlfriend, the relationship is so complicated. Never
mind, which way do we turn ahead..."
Chapter 2 Personnel Unexpected
The next morning, when Fang Sheng received Zhu Zhengyang's call, he was accompanying agricultural technicians to guide farmers in
grafting seedlings in the greenhouse.
"This is Zhu Zhengyang. Report to the township personnel section of the personnel bureau this afternoon. Call this number to find me."
"Report? Report to what?"
"You really don't know? I thought..." Zhu Zhengyang seemed to think he was pretending, paused, and said,
"You've passed this civil service recruitment exam! Hurry up and come."
"Ah!" Fang Sheng was stunned.
On his way to the county seat, completely bewildered, a town official he was on good terms with quietly revealed a
detail: The bureau's party committee had approved a list of candidates yesterday afternoon, but it was suddenly withdrawn shortly afterward. An hour
later, another meeting was held and a new list was approved. According to rumors, the only change was the removal of the town mayor's nephew, who
was replaced by Fang Sheng.
What could have caused the personnel bureau's party committee's decision to be cancelled and him to be temporarily replaced? Fang Sheng didn't know,
nor did he understand, why such a windfall would fall from the sky. After much thought, he came up with two possibilities: First, there was the conflict between the two sides , with the third party
reaping the benefits. Perhaps too many people were trying to pull strings and pass notes, and assigning anyone would offend someone, so they simply rejected them all, allowing him, with no connections,
to reap the huge advantage. Second, Officer Bai might have helped him secretly out of guilt. However, Fang Sheng thought this was unlikely.
Civil service positions were not to be trifled with. Even the head of the Public Security Bureau might not be able to handle it, let alone a lowly officer. Besides, Bai Ling's mistaken arrest of him was purely for the needs of the case. If such a small flaw required such a huge favor, the police 　　would be better off not handling cases
in the future . 　　Recalling the past year spent in Fangtang Village, planting rice seedlings, weeding, spraying pesticides, and clearing silt from dams alongside the villagers; 　　remembering waking up in the middle of the night in a drafty farmhouse to find a snake coiled at the foot of the bed; remembering sitting with impoverished households 　　by the fields, meticulously calculating their income and dreaming of the future; and then thinking about finally obtaining the coveted civil servant position, 　　he felt as if he had lived through a dream. 　　After completing the necessary procedures at the township personnel department of the personnel bureau, he learned that he had been assigned to the Economic Development 　　Office of Santan Town. This assignment was based on Fang Sheng's familiarity with the area and suited 　　the principle of targeted recruitment to remote areas. 　　Fang Sheng was quite satisfied. Seeing that no one else was in the office, he invited Zhu Zhengyang to dinner. After being arrested by Bai Ling during the interview and taken to 　　the police car, Zhu Zhengyang, as the team leader, had intervened without success and resolutely accompanied him to the police station to testify. Fang Sheng had been looking for 　　an opportunity to express his gratitude. Zhu Zhengyang, wanting to gauge his background, readily agreed. 　　Leaving the Personnel Bureau, Fang Sheng finally had the leisure and time to stroll around the streets. The sun seemed exceptionally bright that day, and 　　even the billboards on both sides of the street looked better than usual. Seizing the opportunity, he called his father to share the good news. Fang Chizong was so excited 　　that he repeatedly asked questions until Fang Sheng read out the letter of introduction number, at which point he finally believed it was real. He beamed with joy, repeatedly saying it was something to 　　be happy about, and then proceeded to give a long, detailed explanation of the fundamental differences between the town government and the village committee, and what details to pay attention to 　　. 　　After strolling around until the end of the workday, Fang Sheng went to a Sichuan restaurant across from the county government compound to order food and drinks. Soon after, Zhu Zhengyang arrived with 　　several friends—most of whom worked in the same administrative compound. Young people easily bond, chatting and laughing, 　　enjoying themselves immensely. 　　After discussing current events, Zhu Zhengyang meticulously inquired about the situation in Santan Town, from the backgrounds of the Party Secretary and Mayor to 　　the relationships within the town leadership team, the staffing of various departments and centers, and 　　the development status of major town-run enterprises and important industries, verifying every single piece of data. Fang Sheng spent most of his time in Fangtang Village 　　and wasn't very familiar with the situation in the town. He was sweating profusely from Zhu Zhengyang's questioning. 　　His friends were puzzled, saying that Zhu Zhengyang was interrogating him more rigorously than the Party Secretary and the County Head. If everyone questioned him like this, all the town heads would have to 　　resign. Zhu Zhengyang smiled without saying anything, offering no further explanation. 　　Halfway through the drinks, Fang Sheng went to the restroom. When he returned to the private room, he 　　bumped into a tall, beautiful girl with snow-white skin. 　　"Zhao Yaoyao!" Fang Sheng exclaimed in surprise, "You're also at the dinner party?" " 　　I was working overtime tonight, and the boss arranged for me to have a casual meal here," she said in a cool and indifferent tone. "Did you report for duty this afternoon 　　?" 　　"I'm treating some friends in the county government compound to drinks..." Fang Sheng explained briefly, especially emphasizing that 　　Zhu Zhengyang had been by his side the whole time he was arrested. 　　The two were talking in the corridor when Zhu Zhengyang came out of the private room. Since Zhao Yaoyao had her back to him, he didn't see 　　who she was. Emboldened by the alcohol, he called out, 　　"Is she your girlfriend? Come have a drink!" 　　Zhao Yaoyao frowned and turned around, their eyes meeting. 　　"Uh…excuse me…" Zhu Zhengyang immediately recognized her as the most arrogant princess of the county government compound, someone who usually 　　wouldn't even look at him directly. He regretted it deeply; he shouldn't have provoked her. 　　Fang Sheng quickly introduced, "This is Officer Zhu from the Personnel Bureau, the one I mentioned earlier; this is…a classmate 　　, Zhao Yaoyao." 　　Zhao Yaoyao nodded slightly, then unexpectedly said, "I'll go in and toast your friend." 　　Seeing Fang Sheng accompany the graceful, aloof Zhao Yaoyao in, the young men at the table were utterly dumbfounded! 　　Who didn't know Zhao Yaoyao from the Propaganda Department's Theory Section, the most beautiful girl in the county government compound? More arrogant than a swan, usually…

Ignoring everyone, she accepted the proposal of ninety-nine roses from the son of Deputy Secretary Chen of the County Party Committee,
then casually tossed them into the nearby trash can!
She even stepped forward to toast Fang Sheng!
Before everyone could recover from their astonishment after gracefully finishing her rounds and leaving, all eyes
turned to Fang Sheng.
"She's my girlfriend's…roommate…" Fang Sheng explained laboriously, finding the relationship rather strange
, and still unsure why Zhao Yaoyao had decided to toast him at the last minute.
Girls' minds are truly hard to fathom, especially those as taciturn as Zhao Yaoyao.
The next morning, Fang Sheng took a minibus back to the Party and Government Office of Santan Town to report for duty. From a college graduate village official to a civil servant,
it was like a carp leaping over the dragon gate. Director Hu of the Party and Government Office was noticeably different from before, smiling broadly from the moment he entered
, as if trying to make up for his previous coldness. After completing the formalities, he kindly accompanied Fang Sheng to the Economic Development Office and
introduced him to Director Wang.
In the township-level organizational structure, the Party and Government Office is the most important department, reporting to both the Party Secretary and the Mayor. The second
most important is the Economic Development Office, directly led by the Mayor, with the Deputy Mayor in charge of the economy assisting in its management. Some townships don't even have a Director
; the position is held concurrently by the Deputy Mayor. In Santan Township, Deputy Mayor Huang, who was in charge of the economy, was also the Director of the Economic
Development Office. However, at the end of last year, during a competitive selection process for positions in the county's finance offices, he failed the first round of written exams and had to transfer to the Economic Development Office as Director.
Director Wang is already fifty-seven years old, nearing retirement, and his ambitions have long since faded .
He's content to just get by, so he's been quite kind to Fang Sheng, not only offering guidance in his work but also
subtly and overtly instructing him on the relationships between township leaders, reminding him not to get involved in complex factional struggles.
Santan Town is a coastal town whose main industries are fishing and aquaculture. Industrial enterprises are scarce, and
the workload of the Economic Development Office is relatively light, mainly consisting of compiling various industrial statistics,
reports on layoffs, re-employment, and retraining; writing quarterly work summaries and reports for leaders; and formulating the economic development budget
plan for the following year.
This means that if one wants to live a comfortable, unproductive life, working only three or four days a month is enough to complete the tasks, and the rest of
the time can be spent playing cards, chess, games, trading stocks, chatting on QQ, or, like many cadres in the town government,
using their power to do some small business—a decent life is achievable.
However, this is not the life Fang Sheng wants.
His previous year as a college graduate serving as a village official, on the one hand, extinguished his post-graduation ambitions like a bucket of cold water
, enabling him to think about life with a pragmatic and ordinary mindset; on the other hand, through daily interaction, Fang Sheng
developed a special affection for the impoverished villagers and a strong desire to help the grassroots, especially remote rural areas, escape poverty.
He felt that the most valuable and meaningful thing was to truly benefit the people through his own efforts, and
to realize this ideal, he needed to be down-to-earth and start from the details step by step.
That night, Zhu Zhengyang's relentless questioning deeply affected Fang Sheng. He had thought that being rooted in the countryside
gave him sufficient authority to speak on agricultural economy and development, but Zhu Zhengyang's probing left him speechless. What did this mean? It meant that he
couldn't be satisfied with simply sitting in front of a computer compiling reports and doing superficial work; he needed to understand the truth behind the data and truly
grasp the most original information.
Therefore, from his first day at work, Fang Sheng diligently studied past files, spending at least two days a week
conducting research in various enterprises in the town, chatting with financial personnel and frontline workers. Within three months,
he had visited almost every fishpond and aquaculture farm with an investment of over one million yuan.
One day in the fourth month, the mystery of Zhu Zhengyang's meticulous questioning about the situation in Santan Town was finally solved:
in the latest round of personnel adjustments, Director Hu was promoted to town organization committee member, and Zhu Zhengyang was parachuted into Santan Town as deputy director of the Party and Government Office
to oversee the work!
Without needing to ask further, Fang Sheng quickly understood Zhu Zhengyang's purpose in being parachuted in: he had been in the township personnel department for four years,
and due to a lack of connections and backing, he was still just a clerk. The government's staffing was extremely limited, with the head of the personnel department only in his
early forties and the deputy head thirty-six. How long could he possibly climb the ranks by accumulating seniority? The only solution was to proactively apply for rural support and poverty alleviation, and
be parachuted into a remote, underdeveloped township to resolve his compensation issues. Although the director of the Party and Government Office was only a section-level position, due to its
importance, he was generally given priority for local promotions. Optimistically, he might become a deputy
township head in four to five years. Considering that many cadres preferred demotion or transfer to less demanding departments, it could only be said that Zhu Zhengyang had taken
a desperate, drastic step. This indirectly proved a stark reality: in the county seat, without connections, no matter how well you perform,
it's useless.
Perhaps due to shared interests and a common goal, Fang Sheng and Zhu Zhengyang got along very well. They were inseparable, going in and
out together morning and evening. During the day, Zhu Zhengyang would accompany him to visit enterprises and visit farmers and individual business owners to gather
firsthand, detailed information. In the evenings, they would enthusiastically discuss how to attract foreign investment and tap into marine
and fishery resources to revitalize the economy of Santan Town.
One evening, the two were riding their bicycles back from the Zhenfeng Laver Factory. Just as they were about to enter the canteen,
a red Honda sped towards them and stopped right in front of them. The window rolled down, and there was Zhao Yaoyao.
Chapter 3 Sudden Illness in the Middle of the Night
"Why are you here?" Fang Sheng was very surprised.
Zhao Yaoyao nodded to Zhu Zhengyang, gestured for Fang Sheng to step aside, and handed him a package: "Here,
the seafood Xiao Rong sent. I was worried it would spoil if left too long."
Fang Sheng chuckled, "Is she joking? I work right by the sea, what kind of seafood can't I eat? Why
send it all the way here?"
"A gift from afar," she said, her bright eyes sweeping over his face, a slight hesitation in her voice, "Have you noticed
that Xiao Rong has only sent two packages in the last three months?"
"Yeah, is there a problem?" Fang Sheng pretended not to care, but he knew perfectly well what was going on. It wasn't just the packages;
their text messages and QQ interactions had noticeably decreased lately, and their phone calls always ended badly
.
Distance couldn't create beauty; it only created indifference.
Eventually, someone would initiate the breakup, and Fang Sheng hoped it wouldn't be him.
"No, that's fine then." Zhao Yaoyao decisively ended the conversation, hurrying away as she had come.
Watching the car drive away, Zhu Zhengyang said, "A beautiful woman taking the initiative to come to my door, that's a good omen."
Fang Sheng hurriedly waved his hand: "Don't misunderstand, I said last time it's just a regular friend, helping me and my girlfriend deliver
a package."
"Really that simple? She made a special trip to Santan Town and back; the gas cost must have been more expensive than the package itself."
"You're getting more and more ridiculous, let's go inside and eat!"
Fang Sheng couldn't explain further, so he dragged Zhu Zhengyang into the canteen.
A few days later, explosive news suddenly came from the county: the former county party secretary was placed under investigation, and
a new secretary surnamed Han was urgently appointed from the city, freezing all personnel adjustments.
"Thank goodness, I caught the last train," Zhu Zhengyang said, still shaken.
It was the weekend, and the town leaders were all too busy to work, taking buses to the county to gather information—the new leader's thinking
, style, and views on the previous round of personnel adjustments needed to be analyzed and understood immediately. Zhu Zhengyang
also took a bus home to reunite with his family.
Around 1 a.m., Fang Sheng was startled awake by his phone ringing. He sat up in shock after hearing just one sentence:
"Xiao Sheng, this is Fang Hua. Dad had a sudden heart attack last night and has been taken to the Provincial Central Hospital!"
"How is he now?" Fang Sheng asked quickly.
"It's terrible. He just came off the ventilator. The doctor said he needs heart bypass surgery as soon as possible, otherwise his
life is in danger..."
"Then do it!"
Fang Hua said with dissatisfaction, "You make it sound so easy. The Provincial Intermediate People's Hospital is short of beds. Dad is still lying in the corridor right now,
and the doctor said that heart bypass surgery requires an appointment, probably two months away..."
Fang Sheng exclaimed, "Ah!" Then he thought that this situation was normal at the Provincial Intermediate People's Hospital. Two years ago, his mother had
a minor gallstone surgery and had to wait three weeks. "But Mom works at the health service station. Does she have any say in the system
?"
"Does the Provincial Intermediate People's Hospital care about such a small unit? Last month, the wife of the deputy district head of Linxiu District was sick and
slept in the corridor for two days before she could get a bed," Fang Hua sighed deeply on the phone, "Mom wants you to come back and see Dad as soon as possible,
to prevent..."
"I understand, I'll set off right away!"
Fang Sheng's first reaction was to call Zhu Zhengyang to arrange a vehicle, but then he remembered that all the official vehicles had
gone to the county town with the town leaders. He couldn't possibly compete with the leaders for a car. He immediately called several unlicensed taxis in town,
but all the drivers refused to go to the provincial capital, fearing they would be caught operating illegally. Desperate, Fang Sheng asked if they could take him to the county seat first,
and then he could try to find a legitimate taxi there. The unlicensed taxi drivers said that the provincial capital was cracking
down hard on out-of-town taxis lately, with fines and suspensions being commonplace, so no one dared to risk it.
This might be his father's last moment, and he couldn't even get there in time! Fang Sheng hung up the phone, instantly
overwhelmed with sorrow.
He paced around the room a couple of times, then suddenly his eyes lit up: Zhao Yaoyao had a car! Although he wasn't close to her,
having exchanged fewer than twenty sentences in over a year, perhaps she could help him out of respect for Zhou Xiaorong. At
worst, he could wait for the earliest bus to the provincial capital tomorrow.
Fang Sheng immediately called an unlicensed taxi to head to the county seat. On the way, the driver contacted seven or eight night
taxi drivers in the county, but all of them refused to go to the provincial capital. Fang Sheng sighed and, steeling himself, dialed Zhao Yaoyao's phone. Thankfully,
it wasn't off, but she was clearly fast asleep; it rang more than ten times without answering.
Oh no, she had it on silent!
Just as he was about to hang up, the other party suddenly answered, followed by a sweet, slightly nasal voice:
"Hmm?"
Completely different from her usual cold and distant voice, Fang Sheng was stunned for a few seconds before reacting. He hurriedly said,
"I'm so sorry to bother you so late at night. The situation is like this..."
He explained that his father was seriously ill and hospitalized, then said, "Taxis in the county don't dare go to the provincial capital. Could
you lend me your car for a bit?"
After finishing in one breath, he nervously waited for her response. It seemed the phone had lost signal; after a long silence,
Fang Sheng was a little discouraged and was about to say, "If it's inconvenient, that's fine, I'll think of something else," when Zhao Yaoyao finally said,
"When did you learn to drive? You don't drive often, do you?"
"I learned in university, and occasionally... a few times."
"Night driving is more demanding, and you're not familiar with my car," Fang Sheng thought this was a polite refusal
, but to his surprise, she continued, "I'll drive you."
"Ah! How could I trouble you to drive such a long distance? I'll find a driver!"
Zhao Yaoyao said casually. "I've already decided, just come to my house to meet me." She then hung up. Fang
Sheng stared blankly at his phone screen. The driver casually remarked, "That young lady has taken a liking to you."
"Don't talk nonsense, I have a girlfriend."
"Even married people can get divorced, let alone just dating," the driver laughed, offering his analysis. "Director Fang
, think about it, if they were just ordinary friends, would she be willing to drive for over three hours at night to accompany you to the provincial capital?"
"She, she's my girlfriend's friend, we have some connection..." Fang Sheng himself felt his statement
lacked conviction.
When they were almost in the county town, Zhao Yaoyao called again, asking him to text
her his father's name, illness, which emergency department to go to, and current condition. Fang Sheng, though unsure why, complied. The driver,
with a dark expression, dropped him off at the entrance of her Wanghai residential complex, where Zhao Yaoyao was already waiting by the car. Under the moonlight, her
purple dress accentuated her curvaceous figure. Long hair cascaded over her shoulders, her features exquisite. The bright moonlight reflected off her face,
highlighting her ivory-white complexion. Delicate platinum chains adorned her delicate ankles. A gentle breeze stirred, causing her dress and hair
to flutter slightly, making her appear like a fairy dancing gracefully.
Fang Sheng's first thought was: How could she have time to dress up so quickly?
His second thought was: Why was she dressed up?
In fact, the second thought made him even more uneasy.
Zhao Yaoyao, seeing him approach, didn't speak, but got into the car, started the engine, and sped off with a roar. In an instant,
Fang Sheng's heart felt like it had been struck. He hurriedly fastened his seatbelt and forced a smile:
"I didn't expect you to drive so powerfully."
"Wasn't I in a hurry?" she said casually. They were supposed to talk about his father's illness
, but she remained silent, her eyes fixed straight ahead, focused solely on driving.
The warm, unique scent of a girl's car lingered in the air, and Fang Sheng felt a deep sense of guilt: he and...
Zhou Xiaorong started dating in her sophomore year of college. Over three years, she entered and exited her dorm room hundreds of times,
completely ignoring her three other roommates, including Zhao Yaoyao. She never gave them a second glance or inquired about their situations. After starting work in Huanghai
, based on Zhou Xiaorong's fragmented information, it seemed that Zhao Yaoyao's home might be in the provincial capital, but her mother might live in Huanghai. It also suggested that
Zhao Yaoyao might have given up looking for work in the provincial capital to be with her mother, and that her parents might have divorced long ago…
This series of possibilities indicated that Zhou Xiaorong was uncertain about this information.
Fang Sheng broke the silence, saying, "This trip has been exhausting. I'll find you a hotel to rest in the provincial capital.
Go back to Huanghai tomorrow or the day after; my schedule is uncertain. Take the bus back then."
After a while, she said casually, "I'll go home to visit. Let me know when you're ready."
Fang Sheng noticed that once she made a decision, it wasn't open to discussion, and not wanting to refuse her kindness, he smiled and asked, "Do your parents
both work in the provincial capital?"
Zhao Yaoyao pursed her lips and shook her head, unsure whether she meant her father wasn't in the provincial capital, her mother wasn't
in the provincial capital, or neither of them were.
The car sped along, exceeding the speed limit countless times. The journey, which normally took three hours, was completed in just two and a half hours
. When they arrived at the Provincial Central Hospital, Fang Sheng contacted Fang Hua to ask if his father was in the corridor outside the emergency room.
To his surprise, he heard Fang Hua's excited voice:
"Dad's already in the operating room!"
Wait, weren't they supposed to have a two-month waiting list for heart bypass surgery? Had his mother or brother
managed to pull some strings again?
Fang Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go first. You should go home and rest early. Thank you so much for tonight."
"It's almost dawn, how can I sleep? I'll go in and check too," Zhao Yaoyao said unexpectedly.
Fang Sheng was full of questions, but without thinking much, the two of them headed straight for the emergency operating room rest area. Once inside the lobby, he
realized that Zhao Yaoyao's position was carefully chosen. She kept a half-arm's distance from him, slightly behind him, appearing
to be with him without being too intimate.
Fang Hua was standing at the entrance of the rest area. As soon as Fang Sheng saw him, he asked,
"How long has the surgery been?"
"It started an hour ago. Chief Physician Ge of the Thoracic Surgery Department personally performed the surgery
. He's a top expert in coronary artery bypass surgery, the best surgeon in the province," Fang Hua said.
As he spoke, Xiao Lan and Ren Shuhong came out from inside, their eyes both falling on the girl beside him. Ren Shuhong, quick to speak,
asked first, "This is...
your girlfriend's friend? "
Fang Sheng felt that his words were a bit awkward, and just as he was hesitating, Zhao Yaoyao slowly said, "Hello everyone, I am Fang Sheng
's classmate."
Chapter 4 Special Case
"I couldn't find a taxi at the last minute, so I troubled Miss Zhao to drive me here," Fang Sheng explained, and then immediately changed the subject
, "It's quite rare to get Director Ge to come over at night to perform surgery, is it because your mother found a connection?"
Xiao Lan and Fang Hua exchanged glances, both looking completely bewildered.
Fang Hua said, "We're confused too. It's late at night, so we didn't want to disturb anyone. We planned
to find a way to get Dad admitted after we started work in the morning, and then deal with the surgery waiting list. But around four o'clock, Director Ge suddenly
found us and said that a bed had been freed up in the inpatient department, and we could go straight to the admission procedures after work. Then he directed
the doctors and nurses to take Dad into the operating room. That's when we realized he was the surgeon himself."
Xiao Lan interjected, "I tried to ask him what happened, but he just said it was a special case and then busied himself with pre-operative
preparations."
Fang Sheng's heart skipped a beat. He remembered Zhao Yaoyao asking him to send a text message when they were almost in the county town, and subconsciously glanced back at her
. Zhao Yaoyao looked calm, seemingly uninterested in their discussion.
His small gesture made Xiao Lan and the others' hearts light up. All the previous inconsistencies seemed to suddenly become clear: since Fang Sheng
suspected her, and given that no one in the family had contacted her, it was basically certain. Moreover, the fact that she drove Fang
Sheng proves she owns a car—even in the relatively prosperous provincial capital,
only a very small number of people own private cars these days. Combined with her haughty and aloof demeanor, she likely has an unfathomable background.
The rest area was empty. Because of several medical accidents a few years ago due to inadequate nighttime surgical equipment and medications,
even the Provincial Central Hospital now tries to avoid nighttime surgeries. Fang Sheng and Fang Lan sat to one side, pressing him for
details about his father's condition, such as whether there had been any abnormalities in the days leading up to his illness, whether it was due to excessive morning exercise or dietary habits. Zhao Yaoyao sat alone on the other
side, looking around listlessly, seemingly out of place with her surroundings, her expression exuding a
cold indifference that kept everyone at a distance.
Ren Shuhong, 　　shamelessly, approached Zhao Yaoyao to chat, asking
questions like which neighborhood she lived in, where her parents worked, and how old they were. Zhao Yaoyao shut her down with a curt "These things aren't important." After sitting there for a while without getting any information, she returned to her side, sulking, and said in a low voice, 　　"So cold." 　　Xiao Lan secretly glanced at her and whispered, "Xiao Sheng, be honest, have you broken up with Xiao Rong and 　　found a new girlfriend?" 　　The Fang family knew Zhou Xiaorong well; they had even eaten together a few times during university and vaguely knew about their two- 　　year promise. Zhou Xiaorong was outgoing and cheerful, approachable, and easily got along with people. Every time she visited the Fang family, 　　she made Xiao Lan beam with joy, and even the usually arrogant and picky Ren Shuhong respected her. Compared to 　　Zhou Xiaorong's enthusiasm, Zhao Yaoyao was like an iceberg. Even though she might have been a great help in tonight's events, 　　Xiao Lan was still worried. 　　"Mom—" Fang Sheng drawled, expressing his dissatisfaction, "She already said she's just an alumnus. Right, the main 　　reason is that she shares a dorm with Xiao Rong and happens to work in Huanghai. I usually get my packages delivered through her." " 　　Then… regarding Director Ge, Mom knows better than any of you. Let alone a family like ours having no connection whatsoever 　　, even the district party secretary and district head wouldn't dare call him in the middle of the night. This… it's a little scary to think about… 　　" 　　"Maybe it was Director Ge's turn to be on duty today, or maybe he was in a particularly good mood. 　　There are many possibilities. Why force it onto him?" Fang Sheng said. "To be honest, besides tonight, 　　the total time I've spent alone with her doesn't add up to more than ten minutes." 　　"Oh, that's good." Xiao Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think it's alright. Don't miss the opportunity if you get a chance." Despite having been humiliated by Zhao Yaoyao, Ren Shuhong
still admired the alluring power she seemed to possess.
Fang Sheng shook his head: "It's all speculation, don't talk nonsense."
The surgery didn't finish until after six in the morning. Fang Chizong was directly transferred to a bed in the rehabilitation ward of the inpatient department, which
greatly surprised the Fang family. The rehabilitation ward, also known as the retirement home for retired cadres,
was inaccessible without a certain level of authority and the ability to waving money around.
Director Ge didn't show up after the surgery; he went straight back to rest. His assistant explained that the surgery was quite successful, and
with a period of rest, he would recover to normal, just needing to avoid strenuous exercise. Zhao Yaoyao stayed in the ward for a while before
taking her leave. As Fang Sheng saw her to the door, he couldn't help but ask,
"Should I thank you for my father's matter?"
Zhao Yaoyao turned her head and stared at him for two or three seconds, still with a calm expression, and said, "
Call me half a day in advance before you return to Huanghai."
Then she left.
Fang Chizong didn't fully wake up until the afternoon. During this time, Fang Sheng stayed by his bedside, while Xiao Lan and the others went back to rest
. After thinking it over, he decided to call Zhou Xiaorong—he seemed reluctant to talk to her lately,
and it seemed that the distance between them was growing more and more obvious over time.
As usual, Zhou Xiaorong hung up first and called back a while later.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Can't I call you if there's nothing wrong?"
She hesitated, then forced a smile, "You've become so profound. There are only five months left until our two-year agreement."
"I know," he said, his heart aching at the mention of the two-year agreement. What was originally a sweet anticipation now seemed like a heavy
shackle. He decided to cut to the chase, "How much do you know about Zhao Yaoyao?"
"What, suddenly interested in her? I'm warning you, don't you dare make a move on her. She's our
liaison, not a third party." She said seriously, then laughed playfully.
Fang Sheng was helpless against her usual banter. He paused for a moment and said, "Don't get the wrong idea. It's just...
something happened recently, so I wanted to know about her family background."
Zhou Xiaorong pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, I don't know her very well either. Her family seems to be in the provincial capital, so she
doesn't live in the school dormitory much. She's usually alone and never participates in clubs or similar activities. Occasionally, when she
talks on the phone in the dormitory, it seems she only contacts her mother and never mentions her father. As for the relationship issue you're most concerned about..."
"Ugh, here we go again. Can't you just talk properly?"
"Haha, you take a joke so seriously?" she chuckled. "Several guys
relentlessly pursued her during college, but I heard she never gave them a chance. The department called her 'the cold beauty,' and there are even rumors that she's
frigid or a lesbian. You could try it out..."
Fang Sheng smiled wryly, "All this gossip."
Zhou Xiaorong's voice suddenly lowered, and she said softly, "Fang Sheng, what are your thoughts on the future?
If you feel that distant water can't quench immediate thirst, I don't object to you dating Zhao Yaoyao, really!"
Fang Sheng's heart sank, his voice hoarse with nervousness, "What do you mean?" "Thinking? You want me to initiate the breakup?
You said there were still five months left, are you not even willing to wait that long?"
Zhou Xiaorong sighed deeply, and after more than ten seconds, she said, "No, I just feel it's too tiring... It's been
over a year since we parted, I've forgotten your scent, forgotten how you looked when you were angry or happy, forgotten
the feeling of you holding my hand and hugging my waist, it's like... Fang Sheng is just a synonym for boyfriend, just two Chinese characters,
don't you think it's dangerous to continue like this?"
Fang Sheng remained silent for a long time, clenching his fists tightly, and uttered a sentence through gritted teeth: "There's still time, I believe in
miracles!"
"Okay, I believe you, kiss you—" Zhou Xiaorong regained her cheerful tone, gave him a sweet
kiss on the phone, and ended the call.
A synonym for boyfriend! This metaphor was like a mountain, weighing heavily on Fang Sheng's heart,
making it impossible for him to be happy for a long time.
After staying at the hospital until noon on Sunday, Fang Sheng sent a text message asking Zhao Yaoyao if she would be returning to Huanghai in the evening. He considered
resting for the night and going to work the next morning. Normally, Monday mornings were always filled with miscellaneous and tedious tasks, and as
a newcomer, not going to work would be inappropriate.
Zhao Yaoyao quickly replied: "I'll pick you up at the hospital entrance at 6 PM. "
This time, she wore a pale yellow dress, the vibrant color highlighting her youthful energy. A sky
-blue butterfly hair clip in her ponytail added to her liveliness.
After setting off, she put on a light music CD and said, "You must be very tired these past two days, take a nap."
Fang Sheng yawned deeply: "Yes... the bracelet is very pretty."
Zhao Yaoyao looked at her wrist in surprise, a rare moment of happiness on her face: "Thank you for the compliment."
This was the first time he had seen her smile.
On the return trip, Fang Sheng slept soundly. Zhao Yaoyao woke him when the car entered Huanghai County, then drove to
a taxi stand. As he got out, Fang Sheng said,
"I think I should thank you for my dad's matter."
Zhao Yaoyao frowned slightly: "Don't mention it again." Then she sped away.
It was past 10 p.m. when Fang Sheng returned to his dormitory in Santan Town by taxi. He went online for a while and then went to sleep, completely unaware that
a huge wave would be raging in Santan Town the next day!
Chapter 5 Unexpected Events Frequently
On Monday morning, just as he arrived at work, Chen Fuda, the director of the county party committee office, received a call from Han Zixue, the newly appointed county party secretary,
instructing him to arrange vehicles and relevant personnel to inspect the townships within ten minutes!
"Secretary Han, which town should we visit first?"
"We'll talk about it when we get in the car!"
After hanging up the phone, Chen Fuda scratched his head in confusion. He served as the director of the county party committee office for eleven years, during which four secretaries came and went.
The most difficult one to deal with was Secretary Han: First, he was capricious; one minute he would be all smiles, and the next he would be
furious, his mood changing faster than flipping through a book. Second, he was meticulous to the point of being harsh on details. Last Friday, upon seeing
an official document issued by the county party committee office, he thought the red color wasn't vibrant enough and immediately demanded that it be destroyed and reprinted with colored ink. Third,
he was constantly changing his mind, leading to frequent changes of heart, keeping everyone in the county party committee office extremely busy. Privately, people said that
Secretary Han had only been there for five days, but his workload was already more than in the previous five months.
Nine minutes and twenty seconds later, Han Zixue led Secretary Jiang out of the building. Chen Fuda had already made arrangements: fifteen official
vehicles, with members including Minister Mei of the Organization Department, Minister Jing of the Propaganda Department, and directors from relevant departments such as the Construction Bureau, Agriculture Bureau, and Ocean Bureau
.
As the cars drove out of the gate, Secretary Han slowly said, "To Xingzao Town."
Chen Fuda quickly called the Xingzao Town Party and Government Office, requesting that a meeting room be arranged, reports be prepared, and, if
possible, that a visit be arranged with one of the town's larger enterprises.
Huanghai County is crisscrossed by numerous rivers and waterways, with many bridges along the way. As they crossed a double-arched cement bridge
, Secretary Han abruptly asked, "Where's Director Zhang from the Construction Bureau? What's the name of this bridge?"
Director Zhang hesitated, "Probably... Zhenlong Bridge..."
Secretary Han ordered Secretary Jiang, "Check the map!"
After a while, Secretary Jiang glanced at Director Zhang and whispered, "Baima Bridge."
After driving for another ten minutes or so, Secretary Han asked again, "What's the name of this bridge?"
Director Zhang's forehead was covered in cold sweat, "It should be... Qiuwang Bridge... I don't know if that's right?"
Secretary Jiang said sympathetically, "No, it's Yugao Bridge."
The car continued on, and five minutes later, Secretary Han asked, "And this one?"
Director Zhang was on the verge of collapse, his head hanging low as if in repentance, "No, I don't know..."
"Stop the car!" Secretary Han roared, startling everyone in the car. He pointed at Director Zhang
and said, "Get out! Get out of the car right now! Stand by the bridge and tell me your name!"
Poor Director Zhang, who had been an official for over twenty years, had never encountered such an embarrassing situation. Under everyone's gaze,
he got out of the car step by step and stood dejectedly by the bridge.
Secretary Han waved his hand: "Drive!"
More than thirty minutes later, the car arrived at Xingzao Town. In the distance, several cars were seen parked
under a sign that read "The People of Xingzao Town Welcome You," and a group of people on the roadside were clearly a welcoming party led by town leaders.
Secretary Han's face instantly darkened, and he ordered, "Don't stop, go straight there!"
The official car sped past the intersection, leaving the welcoming crowd stunned, staring dumbfounded at the departing car.
"Which town is the next stop?" Secretary Han suddenly asked.
Chen Fuda already felt directly humiliated. Embarrassed, he forced a smile and said, "Further east is the sea,
and there's only one town called Santan Town, which ranks last in the county in both total economic output and growth rate..." "
Let's go to Santan Town!" Secretary Han thought for a moment and added, "Don't notify them, just go and see what they're
doing!"
Having already been humiliated once, Chen Fuda didn't dare make a phone call this time: "Yes, yes."
The leaders in the car all had a premonition that Secretary Han was going to go on a killing spree today, eliminating several officials to establish his authority.
Director Zhang was one, and who knew which unlucky fellow would be next.
Santan Town was secretly called the "Three Sighs Town" by the county leaders: town leaders sighed when receiving county leaders;
sighed when reporting on their work; and sighed when seeing them off. The reason was that Santan Town's economy was too poor. If it
were built according to the standards of townships in developed coastal areas, it should have been merged into Xingzao Town long ago.
Back in the early 1980s, Santan Town was incredibly prosperous, with large numbers of eel fry breeding in the shallow waters near the coast every spring
. Because eel larvae cannot be artificially cultivated, and the Japanese particularly enjoy eating them, the international market demand
is enormous. At its peak, each eel cost over 50 yuan, earning it the nickname "soft gold." Santan Town originally
developed from a small fishing village by the sea, with every household owning a boat and making a living at sea year-round.
After the eel larvae craze swept the market, most fishermen spent a fortune to upgrade to larger boats and add manpower to catch even more eel
larvae. In those years, the fishermen were indeed incredibly wealthy. Small villas and country houses sprang up one after another, and restaurants, dance
halls, and bathhouses were everywhere. The most popular saying was that before the introduction of 100-yuan banknotes, when people in Santan Town played mahjong, the winners and
losers weren't counted one by one, but measured with a ruler; cash wasn't stuffed into pockets, but carried in large bags to the mahjong parlor.
This vividly illustrates the wealth of Santan Town.
As the saying goes, prosperity inevitably leads to decline. On the one hand, overfishing has depleted eel fry resources, forcing fishermen in Santan Town to venture
into more distant waters, thus increasing fishing costs. On the other hand, the high sea temperatures in Hangzhou Bay
stimulate eel fry reproduction, resulting in several consecutive years of bumper harvests. This caused eel fry prices to plummet, reaching a low of only
4 or 5 yuan per eel, not even enough to cover the labor costs of going out to sea. The fishermen of Santan Town suffered a devastating blow.
Many were burdened with debt due to high investments, and at least half of the fishermen, unable to afford large-tonnage boats, simply towed them ashore and left them idle
behind their houses, creating the unique spectacle of "every house has a yard, and a boat in the yard" in Santan Town.
Fishing is the pillar industry of Santan Town. After the collapse of eel fry prices, the entire town's economy collapsed. In addition, the town is
more than 70 kilometers away from the county seat, with inconvenient transportation, deterring outside capital from investing. As a result, only a few
town-run enterprises remained on the verge of collapse, barely surviving thanks to policy support.
Town leaders repeatedly petitioned the county government for funding and policy support, but the relevant departments weren't fools. Given the same amount of money,
which would yield better results: investing in a town with a good investment environment and a complete industrial chain, or investing in Santan Town?
Throwing hundreds of thousands or millions into the water might at least create a splash, but investing in Santan Town is like throwing it into a bottomless pit.
Therefore, the leaders of Santan Town have always adopted a "live and let live" attitude, hoping to gain enough seniority to be transferred.
The official car pulled up in front of the Santan Town Party and Government Office. Zhu Zhengyang, who was holding a stack of documents and letters ready
to distribute to the various leaders, felt his legs go weak at the sight of the large entourage. His first instinct was to immediately make a phone call.
Secretary Han waved his hand: "Young comrade, don't make the call. Take me to see the various offices!"
Zhu Zhengyang inwardly groaned, forced to become the guide. For a moment, he felt like a traitor leading Japanese soldiers into a village
for a raid.
At this moment, Town Party Secretary Ding Ping was lounging in his office, legs crossed, reading the gossip section of the evening paper. Town Mayor Niu Haowen was meticulously
trimming the bonsai on the windowsill with scissors. Several other town leaders were either not yet at work or huddled together discussing yesterday
's card game. (Due to space limitations, follow the WeChat public account [Yu Xiao Novels] and reply with the number 17 to continue reading
the exciting developments!)
When Secretary Han walked into the office with a dark face, it was as if heavenly soldiers had descended from the sky; everyone was flustered and at a loss
, knocking over several teacups. Secretary Han patiently continued walking and soon arrived at the Economic Development Office.
Director Wang drank too much last night and didn't come to work this morning. Fang Sheng sat alone in front of the computer,
inputting last month's industrial data for comparison and analysis. He was engrossed in his work when suddenly someone appeared beside him,
asking in an authoritative tone,
"What are you doing?"
Fang Sheng had never seen Secretary Han before and gave him a strange look, only then realizing that the group behind him was full of leaders.
He understood that this person was someone of importance and was about to answer when Secretary Han waved his hand and said,
"Whatever you're doing, you're the only person I see who's actually getting things done. You, come with me."
Fang Sheng followed behind, completely bewildered. Zhu Zhengyang, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, gave him a thumbs-up.
The group arrived in the courtyard, and Secretary Han asked, "Are there any businesses nearby that are within walking distance?" Deputy Mayor Huang stepped forward and said, "Secretary Han, about 200 meters to the right is Zhenfeng Purple 　　Vegetable Factory,
a fairly large enterprise in the town ." 　　"Let's go take a look," Secretary Han said. 　　A large group of people arrived at the factory gate. Secretary Han asked, "How many workers are there in the factory?" 　　"A little over two hundred." 　　"What was the output value last month? What was the net profit? " 　　"This..." Deputy Mayor Huang hadn't even looked at last month's report. 　　"How many retired workers are there? How many will be retiring this year?" 　　"Hmm... about a hundred..." 　　Secretary Han's expression changed: "What do you mean 'about'? How many exactly?" 　　"I, I, I'm not quite sure..." " 　　The deputy mayor in charge of the economy dares to say 'I don't know' about this most basic data. No wonder the 　　economy of Santan Town can't be improved! Where is the director of the Economic Development Office?" 　　Fang Sheng had no choice but to lie for Director Wang: "Secretary Han, he's not feeling well. He called the office this morning 　　to ask for leave." 　　"He's conveniently ill! Can you answer the question from earlier?" Secretary Han stared at him and asked. 　　Fang Sheng replied without hesitation, "Reporting to Secretary Han, Zhenfeng Laver Factory has 216 workers, 142 retired workers 　　, and 22 workers who will be retiring this year. Last month's output value was 1.65 million yuan, and the net profit was -47,000 　　yuan." Secretary Han wasn't so easily fooled. He turned to Director He of the Development and Reform Commission and said, "Check the reports and 　　verify if the data is correct." (Due to space limitations, follow the WeChat public account [Yu Xiao Novels] and reply with the number 17 　　to continue reading the exciting story!) Director He made a phone call to his office in front of everyone, and after a while, smiled and said, "Young man, 　　you even got the decimal part right." Secretary Han's expression softened slightly, and he pointed to the factory in the distance, saying, "Such a large- 　　scale enterprise, so many workers, why are you losing money after a month of hard work? Mayor Huang, tell me." 　　Deputy Mayor Huang said nervously, "There are three main reasons: First, the domestic market is highly competitive, and product 　　sales are sluggish; second, the equipment hasn't been updated for many years, resulting in low productivity and efficiency..." 　　"Stop!" Secretary Han said unhappily, "Official jargon and platitudes that can be used in any loss-making enterprise. 　　Young man, you analyze it." 　　In that instant, Fang Sheng felt that his efforts over the past few months had not been in vain. As the saying goes, hard work pays off 　　! 　　He calmly said, "Actually, Mayor Huang is right. The direct cause of the loss is indeed poor sales, 　　but what is the root cause? The business acumen is not keeping up with the market pulse!"

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