Chapter Nineteen: The Deal with the Municipal Party Secretary

  Zhou Yu had previously thought that Shen Huai was uneducated and untalented, but at this moment she walked in wearing the coat Shen Huai had given her, standing in the hall listening to him discussing the pros and cons of the city center lighting project with Wu Haifeng, only then did she truly realize: she had been blinded by her own disgust before, and had really underestimated this person.

  People at that time liked to discuss politics and economics, and would drag in a few fashionable terms. Those who were full of economic theories were also everywhere on the streets.

  These people seem to have a deep understanding, but in reality, they are empty inside. They only have a mouth that talks big. When it comes to governance, it's just reckless behavior.

  Although Shen Hua only mentioned the central city lighting project in front of Wu Haifeng, which is a very small point, and even just the commercial situation around the Tianheng Building, from the many accurate data he casually quoted, it can be known that he has really studied this.

  Zhou Yu wore Shen Hua's jacket, with the shirt inside still unbuttoned, and couldn't take off the jacket to return it to Shen Hua. He walked in and said: "Little Shen is an overseas talent introduced by the Provincial Economic Academy, so his vision and knowledge must be stronger than ours, these country bumpkins. In this day and age, people like Little Shen are the most sought after."

  Shen Huai looked at Zhou Yu, who was looking over, and restrained himself from glancing at Wu Haifeng's face. He thought to himself that even if there was something improper between Zhou Yu and Wu Haifeng, they wouldn't want others to see through it.

  Zhou Yu leaned forward, looking at the bandaged wound on Shen Huai's forehead and asked, "Is your head okay? Does it still hurt?" His face was very close to Shen Huai's, his chest even closer.

  Shen Huai knew that Zhou Yu's concern was somewhat insincere, but she couldn't help but admit that being looked at with such "concern" made her feel a little bit comforted deep down.

  Some women indeed have such a talent, with gentle eyes that can directly melt people's hearts, and their elegant appearance is so dazzling and charming, almost no man can resist her temptation.

  But it is also obvious that Zhou Yu was consciously using his own talent at this time.

  Shen Huai thought: Does Zhou Yu know what he's going to talk about with Wu Haifeng next? Why does Zhou Yu want to help Wu Haifeng soften himself up? If it weren't for Wu Haifeng being in front of him, he would take the opportunity to grope him a few times.

  Sometimes it feels strange, this should be Shen Hui's previous idea, is there a negative effect after merging his memory?

  Shen Huai simply shook his head lightly and smiled: "What's the big deal? It was just like walking at night and getting scratched by a fox's paw."

  Shen Hua's calmness made Zhou Yu feel uncomfortable, and he turned to Wu Haifeng and said: "Xinwu called me on the phone. At the lake, I bumped into Little Shen, and both of our 'big brothers' fell into the lake. We fished them out after half a day, but who knows if they still work? Our clothes are also torn, and we need to borrow an overcoat from Little Shen to wear..."

  "You'd better call Heart Wu back, he just called me directly." Wu Haifeng asked Zhou Yu to call her husband back, apparently also aware of the conflict between Zhou Yu and her husband.

  Listening to the conversation between Zhou Yu and Wu Haifeng, Shen Huai felt even more strange.

  Wu Haifeng seemed to notice Shen Hua's confusion, and when Zhou Yu got up to make a phone call, he proactively explained: "Little Shen probably doesn't know that Little Yu is my niece? I was poor since childhood, so I was sent to the Wu family for foster care. The Zhou family had produced Nationalist Party officials, and by the 1960s, when I wanted to join the army, there was no way out, so I stopped mentioning my relationship with the Zhou family. This break lasted for nearly twenty years, as if I really didn't have a relationship with the Zhou family..."

  Shen Huai couldn't help but sigh inwardly: What had he been eating before? He hadn't even figured out this level of relationship.

  No wonder Zhou's family is so deeply rooted in Donghua? This deep root, obviously can't be established just by letting Zhou Yu become the daughter-in-law of the former municipal party secretary.

  Sometimes revealing secrets is like making a deal.

  Shen Hua saw Wu Haifeng mention that Zhou Yu was his niece, and he treated it as a secret. He probably wanted to exchange some secrets with him, and knew what he wanted to hear. He rubbed his nose and said: "I really didn't know that Secretary Zhou was your niece, Secretary Wu. Oh, I just talked to Minister Tan and haven't reported back to you yet..."

  "Director Tan is representing the province to talk to you, no need to report anything to me." Wu Haifeng saw Shen Huai being so understanding and slightly relaxed, it's easier to talk to smart people, he touched his thinning hair, leaned back on the sofa, making himself look less concerned about this matter.

  "Director Tan is also considered a senior in our family, but I hadn't seen him much before, so it was a bit awkward when we met this time. Director Tan pulled me over mainly to catch up on old times."

  Shen Huai lowered his head and looked at the glass tea table, where he could see Wu Haifeng's face reflected on it.

  "What's going on at your house?" Wu Haifeng indeed took a deep breath, and sat up straight again.

  He guessed that Shen Hua and Tan Qiping had a tacit understanding, possibly because Shen Hua had previously contacted Chen Mingde's lover after Chen Mingde's death, and then connected with the province through Chen Mingde's lover. Unexpectedly, Shen Hua and Tan Qiping had a direct relationship.

  "My dad is an ordinary cadre under the personnel bureau of the agricultural machinery department, and he knows Mayor Chen and Minister Tan as old acquaintances." Shen Huai was also afraid of blowing things out of proportion, so he just mentioned it lightly.

  "Oh..." Wu Haifeng responded with a smile, "You should have said that earlier. In the past half year, Donghua has also had many things to run around for in various departments. If I had known about your connection, it would have saved me a lot of trouble."

  The Ministry of Agriculture and Machinery may be cut off in the next two years. A ordinary cadre from a department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Machinery, although his rank is likely to be equivalent to that of a county or deputy mayor at the local level, but his power is not too great; Wu Haifeng will not pay special attention to it either.

  But it can't be too small, going to the central government for business, familiar faces in various departments, much more convenient; and these ordinary cadres, as long as they have the opportunity to be placed locally, will immediately turn into real power holders.

  For example, Chen Mingde was also an ordinary cadre of the Central Planning Commission before. He was sent to Huaihai Province and served as Deputy Director of the Planning Commission, then he was sent to Donghua City and served as Vice Mayor and member of the Standing Committee. If it weren't for his sudden death this time, it's likely that he would have become the Vice Secretary and Mayor of Donghua next.

  Shen Hua didn't say much, and Wu Haifeng didn't ask in detail. He thought that Shen Hua had such a family background, knew Tan Qiping, and could be Chen Mingde's secretary, which made sense.

  Shen Hua knew that Er Bo and the others would definitely not like him to show off the Song family's signboard in Donghua at this time. He was also afraid that Tan Qiping had heard his old news, and from then on, he would ignore him, and it would be even more difficult to continue playing the play in front of Wu Haifeng.

  But in the future, if you want to stay at Donghua and develop, not borrowing from Song's family or even Tan Qiping's power, the situation will be very difficult; the key is to have a number, to have a degree.

  Without any reliance at all, even if Wu Haifeng concedes this time and makes a deal with him, what reason is there for Wu Haifeng to continue supporting him afterwards?

  The key is that Wu Haifeng will eventually realize what happened today, and if you want Wu Haifeng not to hate him, you have to let Wu Haifeng know that hating him is not beneficial to both parties.

  The most fundamental principle of officialdom is nothing but the exchange of interests.

  Wu Haifeng rubbed his forehead and said, "That's right, the Donghua Beijing Office has been shouting that it lacks a familiar deputy in Yanjing. I even mentioned it to Mayor Chen and asked him to recommend someone. He didn't want to let you go out for training..."

  Deputy Director of Donghua's Beijing Office, at least a deputy department level.

  Shen Hua is so young, and it was only after following Chen Mingde to Donghua that he was promoted to a formal position. Although he has the halo of "overseas talent" on his head, within just half a year, if he wants to be promoted to a deputy department-level position, he can only be thrown into the Beijing office, otherwise it will be too conspicuous.

  Wu Haifeng thought that Shen Huai's parents, who were from the prosperous Yanjing, would like this beautiful place. After all, with his father being an official in a central ministry, it was better than being left alone in Donghua.

  Shen Huai knew that Wu Haifeng's bait was something he wouldn't have refused if not for Xiao Li, but now he had to stay in Donghua.

  "My dad told me to follow Mayor Chen to the local area, mainly to let me accumulate more grassroots experience. He said that young people are too superficial and it's not good, even if Mayor Chen wants to recommend me back to Yanjing, I don't dare to go back. Even serving as a secretary for Mayor Chen, my old man wouldn't be happy, he'd rather have me go to the countryside to suffer a bit. Mayor Chen also said earlier that he wanted me to take up a post in Meixi Town for two years, but unexpectedly..." Shen Hua's words choked up at this point.

  "Mingde comrade just left like this, it's really heartbreaking," Wu Haifeng suddenly found that he couldn't see through the thoughts of the young man in front of him, and could only follow his tone to say, "Although Comrade Mingde has left, we old guys are still here, hoping to see you continue to grow. What do you plan to do next?"

  "Director Tan also asked me what to do next? I said I would stay in Donghua." Shen Huai concisely stated his requirements, knowing that Wu Haifeng would be puzzled by this, and then turned to the main topic. "Director Tan didn't say anything else, and then wanted to report Mayor Chen's posthumous affairs to the province, so I bid farewell and left Director Tan's room. According to Director Tan's meaning, it should be that he doesn't want things to get more complicated..."

  Having said this, Shen Hua bid farewell and went upstairs to visit Chen Mingde's loved one.