Chapter Eighty-four: Liu Siyuan's Growth

  (Seeking collection)

  Liu Siyuan was somewhat surprised and asked back: "Run for office? What office is there to run for?"

  Ouyang Qian said with a slightly complacent expression: "Didn't you say you were nominated as a candidate for the county party committee? I'll help you canvass. The secretary of the Beishan County Party Committee, Peng Nanxia, is an old acquaintance of my father's. In those days, my father had helped him out, so I'll take you to make some connections and try to get his vote." As the secretary of the Beishan County Party Committee was a high-ranking official in the Ziwai City Party Committee, Peng Nanxia indeed held a decisive vote for the county party committee position.

  But Liu Siyuan shook his head and said: "Forget it, forget it. My so-called nomination is just a 'deficit' name, impossible."

  Ouyang Qian immediately became disgruntled and said, "Who says that? At the very least, Yan Chuting and Li Zhexuan will support you, right? They are the second and third most important people in the municipal party committee! Both of them are deputy secretaries of the municipal party committee! You should speak with some weight, and with the support of other standing committee members, there's a chance! Besides, for this kind of thing, as long as there's even a 1% chance, you have to put in 100% effort! Opportunities like this are hard to come by!"

  Liu Siyuan smiled and explained, "Actually, being promoted too quickly is not good. Everything should follow a gradual process. With your dad around, when can't you get a deputy position? What I need now is to do a good job as the town committee secretary, and my future career will look good."

  Ouyang Qian pouted, and Liu Siyuan smiled: "I know you're also doing this for my own good, so let's just do it your way. Let's go back to our hometown together tomorrow. After all, Secretary Peng is a city leader, and having the opportunity to burn incense is rare. Thanks to you, Qian."

  Ouyang Qian saw his attitude was proper, and she felt a bit more satisfied, her expression relaxed a lot. Liu Siyuan suddenly said: "Let's go back home together, you and me?"

  This time it was Ouyang Qian's turn to be shocked, and then she became a bit nervous, stuttering: "Isn't that not good? Our relationship hasn't been confirmed yet..."

  Liu Siyuan smiled and said: "Well, that's it then." It's really rare to see Ouyang Qian tense up like this.

  "Who knows, Ouyang Qian suddenly seemed to understand and said: 'Go then go, what's there to be afraid of? I'll just say I'm an ignorant young girl who was deceived by you.'"

  Liu Siyuan burst out laughing, but after a while, he suddenly thought of something and asked: "Did anyone see you come in just now?"

  Ouyang Qian stuck out her tongue and said, "Your subordinate is quite sneaky, bringing me in through the back door quietly. All along the way, he would scout ahead to confirm that no one was around before I could move forward, making it seem like we were infiltrating enemy territory. No, it's more like we're sneaking around for an illicit affair, how annoying!"

  Liu Siyuan also couldn't help but laugh and cry: "Little Zhao, this is also unavoidable. Letting people see you enter my room and not return all night will inevitably lead to gossip and rumors. You have to understand."

  Ouyang Qianen said with a smile: "I didn't say I don't understand, so how am I supposed to get back?"

  Liu Siyuan sank into thought for a moment before saying: "Let's head back tonight instead. I'll call over Little Zhao..."

  Ouyang Qian shook her head and said, "I don't want to go back in the middle of the night, besides my butt is still burning with pain." Liu Siyuan also had no choice but to think that it wasn't impossible, as long as he called Ma Feng the next morning and told him that his body was not feeling well, so the service staff wouldn't disturb them.

  As for the negotiations, it was originally a matter between Ouyang Hua and Yixisha, let them go through the trouble. Speaking of which, since he got to know Ouyang Qian, this is still the second time they spent the night together in Beijing after two nights, usually she would hurry back home after finishing that matter. Thinking about it, he somewhat understood, probably she, like all girls, also disliked that feeling from the bottom of her heart, so today she insisted on staying over.

  The next day, the two slept until noon. In fact, Liu Siyuan woke up early, and Ou Yangqian was sleeping in. According to Liu Siyuan's intention, he directly called the driver and drove to Beishan County. Unexpectedly, Ou Yangqian insisted on going back to the hotel, asking for half a day before realizing that she wanted to change her clothes. She kept asking what his parents liked, but Liu Siyuan didn't know either. He could only say that older elders generally like more dignified and virtuous girls.

  As a result, Ouyang Qian tried on clothes in the hotel room for half a day, taking more than an hour, and finally changed into a relatively conservative coat, wearing a long casual pants, with some youthful vitality but not too showy.

  Beishan County is not far from Beixi Town, and it takes less than an hour to drive there. Since Ouyang Qian had made an appointment in advance, the two of them entered the county committee building and met Peng Nanxia very smoothly.

  Secretary Peng Nanxia of the Beishan County Party Committee is 43 years old this year, with a handsome appearance. It can be confirmed that he was a handsome man in his youth. Even now that he has entered middle age, his looks have added a bit of vicissitudes, and with his high position, he is even more full of mature and steady charm.

  According to the tradition of Qianhu Province, a department-level cadre will not retire until he is 57 years old. Therefore, as a deputy department-level cadre, he still has a long time to strive and his future is still full of hope. If he is lucky enough to be promoted all the way to the ministerial level, he can retire at the age of 65. Of course, it is extremely difficult for him, who is currently only a deputy department-level cadre, to be promoted to the ministerial level.

  Secretary Peng warmly received Liu Siyuan and Ouyang Qian in his office, first chatting with Ouyang Qian about her recent life, asking repeatedly if the old leader's body was still good. Later, he encouraged Liu Siyuan, smiling and saying that he didn't expect that our Qianhu Province would have its youngest township party secretary in history from Beishan County, your hometown is proud of you.

  Ouyang Qian saw that he had been talking for half a day without getting to the point, so she could only bring it up herself: "Uncle Peng, this matter of Si Yu being nominated as a standing committee member of Cheng'en County Committee, you must give your full support."

  Without waiting for Peng Nansha to respond, Liu Siyuan hastily said: "Secretary Peng, don't listen to Xiaojing, the county committee's standing committee is really not reliable in many ways. From any perspective, Secretary Zhong of Chengguan Town is more suitable for the position."

  Peng Nanxia looked at the two young people, completely without some old bureaucrats' gloomy and cautious atmosphere. His words were humorous and sincere, and he laughed loudly: "Si Yuan, don't be too modest, you're young and energetic, with a high education background, and from the provincial capital, you've seen and experienced a lot. The central government has been advocating for younger and more knowledgeable cadres lately, and I'm very supportive of that." Liu Siyuan didn't expect him to be so easy-going, and he continued: "I heard that Siyuan also knows Mayor Yan?"

  "Oh, Chu Ting-ge, I saw him last time when Siyuan and I went to Yan Bo-bo's house in the capital together." answered Ouyang Qian.

  Peng Nanxia nodded, and Liu Siyuan understood the implicit meaning, saying: "If there's a chance next time to meet with Mayor Yan, I'll ask Secretary Peng if he has time to sit together."

  Peng Nanxia indeed smiled and said: "Siyuan has a heart, always wanting to report work to Mayor Yan."

  After leaving Peng Nanxia's office, Ouyang Qian said casually: "It seems that Secretary Peng is going to get close to Mayor Yan?"

  Liu Siyuan shook his head and said, "I don't think so." After being influenced by Fang Xinyi for a long time, he no longer looked at problems in a superficial way. "In the officialdom, it's like carrying a sedan chair with many people, everything is about leaving room for maneuvering, especially when it comes to municipal leaders. It's not as clear-cut as you said. Even if there are factions, they're special cases. In Ziwai City, whether it's Zhang Shuji or Yan Shizhang, even Li Shuji, they're all directly under Peng Shuji's leadership. It's normal for him to report his work frequently, and just because he reported his work to Yan Shizhang doesn't mean he's close to him."

  Ouyang Qian nodded slightly and said, "Secretary Peng and my dad are old friends, and my dad has always been following Uncle Yan's footsteps, so it's reasonable for him to get close to Chu Ting."

  Liu Siyuan did not confirm or deny, saying: "What you said is not wrong, indeed Secretary Peng and Mayor Yan have a good emotional foundation, but when it comes to being an official at the hall level, each leader has their own set of political ideas and will not follow the leader's footsteps without principle like those below."

  Ouyang Qian looked at him with some surprise, suddenly realizing that every time she saw this guy, he seemed to be more profound than before, and each time gave her a feeling of reevaluation.