Volume 1 Chapter 35 The Eve of Departure for Office

  Where is the red ticket?

  Before officially taking office in Meixi Town, Shen Hua accompanied Xiong Wenbin to visit Tan Qiping in the provincial capital.

  Dong Hua's situation is too complicated, with many pitfalls. Chen Mingde almost got a bad reputation after the incident, which serves as a warning to others.

  Shen Hua insisted on going to the countryside, and Tan Qiping went to Donghua as the municipal party secretary. He needed an assistant who understood the situation in Donghua and could be trusted. Shen Hua recommended Xiong Wenbin.

  Xiong Wenbin was originally an ordinary cadre of the Municipal Planning Commission. In the early 1980s, he was transferred to the municipal steel plant as deputy director and later as director. In 1989, he was transferred back to the city government as vice secretary-general. An official with management ability and great achievements should have been reused, but Xiong Wenbin only held the position of vice secretary-general for one year before being transferred to the position of deputy director of the Municipal Party Committee and Government Policy Research Office, where he has been idle until now.

  Judging from Guan Wenbin's resume, there is no problem at all: he has the ability and is familiar with Donghua's situation. After sitting on the cold bench for two or three years, he should not have too deep a connection with Donghua's current ruling clique, and his mentality should be more calm. Once promoted to an important position, he should be able to use him for himself.

  Tan Qiping was also cautious in character. Although Shen Hua showed extraordinary ability, he was still young and not quite trusted to use the people he recommended.

  Thinking that after arriving at Donghua, he would further contact Xiong Wenbin, and there would be some movement. Tan Qiping asked Shen Hua to bring Xiong Wenbin to the provincial capital for a visit before his official appointment.

  Can this Xiong Wenbin be used? Tan Qiping needs to determine before taking office.

  Xiong Wenbin had also been preparing for a long time, and this meeting was a joyous occasion for both host and guest.

  It was originally just an arrangement to meet in the afternoon at Tan Qiping's office, and Shen Hua had also prepared a ticket for the night train back to Donghua with Xiong Wenbin. However, as they hit it off while chatting, Tan Qiping pushed away an unimportant dinner engagement that night and instead set up a banquet at the hotel to entertain Xiong Wenbin and Shen Hua, and only after dinner did he have his driver send Shen Hua and Xiong Wenbin back to Donghua.

  Rushed back to Donghua, it was already midnight at 12 o'clock. After arranging Tang Qiping's driver to stay in Nanyuan, Shen Huai and Xiong Wenbin returned to Tongzi Building.

  Zhao Dong and Yang Haipeng were still guarding his house, all the big things had been moved to Meixi Town, and only a large bed and some spare clothes were left in this house.

  Shen Huai pushed open the door and saw them sitting cross-legged on his large bed, playing chess at night. He smiled and asked, "It's already this late, what are you guys still doing here?"

  Yang Haipeng rubbed his head and said: "You're going to Meixi Town tomorrow, Zhao Dong said he had to celebrate with you no matter what. I didn't expect you and Lao Xiong to go to the provincial city today. I was dozing off to death, just went to soak my feet with Zhao Dong, thinking you might not be able to come back, so I thought of going back to sleep. But Zhao Dong was being stubborn, saying he wanted to wait a bit longer, and indeed he waited. By the way, it's so late, how did you guys get a ride back?"

  Yang Haipeng knew that Lao Xiong was currently unable to arrange for a car from the city, and there were no buses arriving at Donghua around 12 o'clock in the provincial capital.

  "There's a car from the province that will take us back, tomorrow we'll go to Mei Creek Town with the county and formally report for duty. Can't play hooky on the first day of work in Mei Creek Town." Shen Hua said with a smile, throwing his backpack onto the ground.

  Zhao Dong knew they went to the provincial city to see Tan Qiping, he was restless until now, guarding his mouth and not revealing the details to Yang Haipeng. Seeing Shen Huai and Xiong Wenbin rushing back overnight, he had some doubts about the outcome being good or bad, and asked: "How is it? Is there a result?"

  "If there was no result, I wouldn't have come back so late," Shen Huai laughed and said, "Old Bear will definitely get the position of deputy secretary-general of the municipal party committee."

  "What, Old Bear wants to be the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee?" Yang Haipeng only knew that Shen Hua had taken Zhao Dong to Meixi Town, but he had no idea that there was a good thing about Xiong Wenbin behind this. Hearing Shen Hua say so, he was shocked and stood up on the bed, hitting his head against the hanging lampshade, making him cry out in pain.

  On his way back from the provincial capital, Xiong Wenbin was also trapped in excitement and couldn't extricate himself.

  Although he had some guesses from the beginning, it was still exciting to confirm that good things would happen to himself. Although it was already late at night, there was no sleepiness at all. He pretended to be calm and said: "It's still an uncertain thing..." The furniture in the room had been moved away, and he walked over to sit down beside the bed, telling Yang Haipeng not to be too anxious.

  "Hmm, being the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee is not enough, one step to promote you to the secretary of the municipal party committee, this move is quite big." Shen Huai jokingly teased Xiong Wenbin.

  "What's going on, why does it seem like I'm the only one in the dark?" Yang Haipeng was completely baffled, and Old Bear's excited expression almost explicitly indicated that he was about to get a promotion.

  He knew that Shen Hua's mention of the municipal party committee secretary-general was a joke, unless the background was the provincial party committee secretary or deputy secretary, otherwise Xiong Wenbin would not have been able to become the municipal party committee secretary-general in one step. However, even if it was the deputy secretary-general of the municipal party committee, for Xiong Wenbin who had sat on a cold bench for three years, it was not a trivial matter.

  Bai Su Mei listened to the noise, wearing pajamas and pushing the door to take a look, saying with sleepy eyes: "Didn't you say you'd be back by 8 or 9 o'clock? Why are you so late? Dai Ling called back this afternoon, knowing that you went to the provincial city today. She waited until 10 o'clock when the dormitory lights were out and didn't see you call her. Then she called again to complain...

  Shen Huai could imagine the appearance of Xiong Dailing's spoiled and resentful look, he knew that he was notorious in the Provincial Economic College, and wouldn't go to the college for no reason. Besides, today's schedule was tight, and he really didn't have time to accompany Xiong Wenbin to find his daughter. However, Xiong Wenbin was too excited, completely forgetting about his little daughter, otherwise, on the way back, he could still use his mobile phone to make a call.

  "Alright, alright, I've made an appointment with Director Chen from the county organization department to meet up early in Meixi Town. If we don't get some rest now, we'll be too sluggish tomorrow and it will affect our image." Shen Huai stood up and ushered out Xiong Wenbin, Zhao Dong, Yang Haipeng and the others.

  Yang Haipeng was puzzled, Lao Xiong this time really met a noble person, and became the deputy secretary-general of the municipal party committee. Wouldn't that be better for supporting Shen Hua's work in Meixi Town? Why didn't Shen Hua pull Lao Xiong to communicate more and instead pushed them away?

  However, Lao Xiong didn't seem to have any opinion on the matter and happily sent him away. Yang Haipeng knew that there were some things he was still in the dark about, but he could only suppress his curiosity and send him away.

  Zhao Dong still knows the rules of officialdom.

  Tan Qiping came to Donghua to serve as the municipal party secretary, and he would form his own circle. Shen Hua and Xiong Wenbin would be among those in this circle. In this circle, Tan Qipping was undoubtedly the absolute core, but the status of others depended on their relationship with Tan Qipping, rather than their individual level.

  Xiong Wenbin will indeed become the deputy secretary-general of the municipal party committee, and his rank will soon be adjusted to a full department level, becoming a real power figure in Donghua City. However, after all, he was recommended by Shen Hua to Tan Qiping, and in this circle, at least for the time being, he is under Shen Hua.

  Furthermore, Shen Hua being so young and yet gaining Tan Qiping's trust, serving as Tan's pioneer in Donghua, aside from his own abilities, there must be a solid background that Tan Qiping values highly, which they are unaware of.

  Zhao Dong walked to the door and turned back to ask Shen Huai: "Tomorrow you're going to Mei Xi, do you want Hai Peng to arrange a car to take you there?"

  "No need, I'm not so pampered, I'll ride my bike over," Shen Hui shook his head and said, "Tomorrow is also the time for Meixi Town to hold this month's party-government joint meeting. The personnel changes at Meixi Steel Factory should be settled by then. You come find me in Meixi Town tomorrow afternoon, we can't delay any further. If we delay another month, Meixi Steel Factory will lose tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of funds..."

  Yang Haipeng was certain that for more than a month, although he had been very close to Shen Hua, in fact, many things had not been involved. Mei Haipeng didn't dare to ask Shen Hua directly and was anxious to go out and grab Zhao Dong to ask for details.

  Shen Huai has been able to calmly cope with his current life, drove out Xiong Wenbin and others, washed up, and soon fell asleep. He didn't sleep for a few hours, and when the sky was bright, he got up and followed his usual routine, running to the city swimming pool. However, today he swam for half an hour and then returned.

  Following the previous convention, Shen Huai still had breakfast at Xiong Wenbin's house. Looking at Bai Suimei helping to bring over the porridge, he picked up the fried dough stick on the table and stuffed it into his mouth, with a smile on his face: "This month I've been freeloading at Teacher Bai's house, so from now on you don't have to ask me to leave..."

  "Aren't you afraid that I'll eat your family into bankruptcy?" Bai Su Mei couldn't help but laugh, these days she had also been softened by Shen Huai's stubborn personality, except for worrying about him having ideas about her little daughter, she didn't have any other dislikes, and he wasn't a freeloader either.

  Especially after knowing that her husband took Shen Hua to meet the new municipal party secretary who was about to take office in Donghua, Bai Su Mei became even more affectionate towards Shen Hua.

  Even the so-called "Vice Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee" didn't say anything true, but before the new municipal party secretary took office, he could see the above privately, and Bai Su Mei also knew that this was not a trivial matter.

  Xiong Wenbin had just gotten up at this time, and there were bloodshot eyes, it seemed that after Zhao Dong and Yang Haipeng left, he didn't sleep well all night.

  Shen Hua had to rush to Meixi Town to report, and since Tan Qiping's driver lived in Nanyuan, he couldn't take care of everything. He ate a quick breakfast of fried dough sticks and boiled eggs, drank a bowl of plain congee, and then rode his bicycle to Meixi Town.

  Xiong Wenbin also didn't take advantage of his identity and took on the task of sending Tan Qiping's driver. He knew that yesterday was just the first step, and to win Tan Qiping's deeper trust, no one around Tan Qiping could be slow; now is not the time for him to take advantage of his identity either.

  But thinking about it is also bittersweet: Tan Qiping is 50 years old this year and has become the top leader of a prefecture-level city, while he is two years younger than Tan Qiping and is overjoyed to have just taken up a real powerful position.

  But this idea flashed through Xiong Wenbin's mind, and reality had made him more pragmatic than simply resenting those injustices. Compared to him, there were many officials in Donghua City who could never get ahead, weren't they all less capable than others?