Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Familiar Visitor Arrives

  That night, Tang Yi came home from work and saw Bao'er pouting on the sofa in the living room with tears on her face. Lan Jie was standing in front of Bao'er, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her pale arms, and was about to slap Bao'er. Tang Yi said in a low voice: "Stop."

  Lan sister put down her arm, but somewhat reluctantly said: "Secretary Tang you don't know how naughty this kid is, on the first day of school he already fought with his classmates, and tomorrow the teacher wants to see the parents."

  Bao'er officially reported to the Experimental Primary School today, and Lan Jie also had an extra job, picking her up from school every day. For this reason, she even bought a bicycle. In fact, Tang Yi could have taken Bao'er with him to work, and going to the Experimental Primary School would only be a detour. However, in order to let Bao'er grow up healthily like ordinary children, not being spoiled by people at a young age, learning to be arrogant, Tang Yi asked Lan Jie to pick her up from school every day.

  When Tang Yi heard that Bao'er had a fight with his classmates on the first day, he smiled and walked over to sit beside Bao'er, asking: "Who bullied our Bao'er? Tell Uncle, Uncle will go beat him up."

  Bao'er pouted, sulkily ignoring Tang Yi. Tang Yi found it amusing and couldn't help but pinch her little face, laughing: "Little sulky bag." Bao'er got angry and turned her small head around, giving him a back of the head.

  Just as he was about to ask her again, the doorbell rang. This was the first time they had a guest since Lan Jie and the others arrived, so Lan Jie was a bit flustered. She reluctantly picked up Bao'er and stuffed her into the inner room. Tang Yi thought it was probably Li An, guessing he wanted to change his impression of him. He smiled at Lan Jie and said, "Don't be nervous, it's probably someone we know. Open the door."

  Lan Jie opened the door, and outside were a man and a woman. The man had a square face and looked very spirited, a middle-aged person. The woman wore glasses and was elegant and refined, probably in her thirties.

  Older man looked at Lan Jie in surprise for a moment, then asked: "Is this... Secretary Tang's home?"

  Lan's sister looked at the man's demeanor and knew he was a leader, so she hurriedly smiled and said: "Yes, yes, please come in, both of you."

  Tang Yi was stunned to see the man and woman who came in, both of whom he knew. The man was Li, the director of the Armed Forces Department, and the woman was even more unexpected - it was actually Lin, the instructor from the Electrical University.

  Tang Yixin wondered how they knew each other and even came to his doorstep together. With a suspicious heart and a smiling face, he walked over to shake hands with Director Li: "Director Li has arrived at my humble abode, it's an honor."

  He nodded and smiled at Lin Laoshi: "Hello."

  Ms. Lin was shocked to see Tang Yi at Secretary Tang's house, and it was even more astonishing to hear Director Lin repeatedly calling him Secretary Tang. How could he be the county party secretary? But seeing that Tang Yi didn't acknowledge her, she had no choice but to pretend not to know him.

  "Director Li introduced: 'Secretary Tang, this is Teacher Lin Dian, a graduate of the Economics Department of Qingdao University. He has accumulated rich experience in teaching and is a rare talent in our county.'"

  Tang Yi smiled and invited Director Li and Teacher Lin into the living room, where they sat on the sofa. Lan Jie was thoughtful and considerate, brewing a cup of strong tea for Director Li, while serving a glass of fruit juice to Teacher Lin, thinking that not many women liked drinking tea.

  When serving tea, Director Li and Teacher Lin both stood up in a hurry. Then, Director Li said more politely: "Thank you." But he didn't know how to address Lan's sister. Tang Yi smiled and said: "She is my girlfriend's sister, an orphaned widow temporarily living with me, taking care of my daily life by the way." So the word "dry" for "older sister" was also dropped.

  Minister Li was deeply moved and said, "Secretary Tang has been working tirelessly day and night to revitalize the mountainous areas. It's not an exaggeration to say that he has dedicated himself completely to his work. In my opinion, for first-level cadres like him, their family expenses should be taken care of as soon as possible. Especially for many grassroots cadres who have come to work in distant places alone, they are even busier than provincial and municipal leaders, but they don't have family members to take care of them. If you say that family members can follow them, work is still a problem, so I think grassroots cadres working in distant places should receive special care. We can't let our frontline grassroots leaders have worries about their families." He sincerely said to Lan, "Please take good care of Secretary Tang, it's troublesome, but who made many policies for us grassroots leaders not yet implemented? As public servants, how many family members of these public servants are not suffering? They all follow and work hard, just consider it a contribution to the country, and make more efforts for future generations."

  Lan's sister listened vaguely, didn't quite understand what he was saying, just knew that he said he was suffering. She felt puzzled in her heart, thinking that her own life was so comfortable, eating and sleeping, watching TV, strolling through the market, it was simply the kind of life she had dreamed of before, how could he say it was hard? What kind of hardship is this?

  "Lan sister, you watch your TV." To show respect to Lan sister and highlight her identity as his own sister, Tang Yi deliberately said this. Lan sister smiled: "Don't watch it, you guys talk about the important things." She turned off the TV, but she was also a nosy person, not leaving, peeling an orange, cutting an apple, and listening to their conversation with her ears perked up.

  Minister Li knew that Secretary Tang was a straightforward person, so after some polite conversation, he got to the point: "Secretary Tang, after the Spring Festival, the Party School is going to offer an economics course and I heard they will be recruiting several teachers. Teacher Lin has submitted two reports but both were rejected. She was one of the first batch of vocational school graduates in our county after the restoration of the college entrance examination system, and later she also self-studied undergraduate courses. It can be said that she is a pioneer in the field of education. I think we should cherish such talents. The disadvantages of brain drain are also repeatedly emphasized by Secretary Tang. I think the County Party School handled this matter somewhat improperly."

  Tang Yi smiled and waved his hand: "It can't be said that way, Secretary Yan is a man I know, he has always been strict with himself and lenient with others. If he puts aside Teacher Lin's work, he must have his reasons." Secretary Yan was in charge of the party school's youth league and other matters, and also served as the president of the party school. He had a good relationship with Old Yao. To say that Director Li finding him wasn't a big deal, according to reason, Director Li was also a member of the county committee, transferring a fully qualified teacher to the party school would just be a matter of making a phone call. Since he found himself, it must be Old Yan intentionally making things difficult for him.

  Minister Li hesitated, thinking to himself that Secretary Tang's previous awkwardness was just an act, and after the Standing Committee meeting, he indeed had a different air about him. So, with a forced smile, he said: "Secretary Tang, what do you think we should do about this? Can't have Comrade Lin, such a good comrade, stuck at the TV university forever, can we? Wouldn't that be wasting talent?"

  As soon as she entered the door, Teacher Lin had been secretly sizing up Tang Yi. Half a month ago, she had received news that the Party School was going to add an economics course, and she had submitted two job transfer reports, both of which were rejected. She didn't have much hope anyway, but when chatting with Li Pangzi that day, she casually mentioned it, and Li Pangzi, being a kind-hearted person, promised to help her out, even taking her to his uncle's house to pull strings. Teacher Lin was indeed surprised, as Li Pangzi wasn't just bragging, it turned out he had an uncle who was a county committee standing member.

  Director Li was already intimidating enough, and Teacher Lin felt even more constrained in front of him. What's more unexpected is that the usually quiet student suddenly became the county party secretary often mentioned by Li Baozi when bragging, and it turned out that Tang Yi was right next to them when several students were discussing the county party secrets. Teacher Lin was filled with regret, fortunately, he didn't say anything out of line, or as the ancient saying goes, "walls have ears", this phrase is really not to be taken lightly.

  When Minister Li spoke up for himself, Tang Yi quickly responded with "Secretary Yan will definitely have a reason to let it go." He couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable in his heart. After all, they were acquaintances, and he couldn't just bluntly refuse without giving any face. Even if he said he would consider it, he would still have an excuse.

  Maybe because of knowing Tang Yi, Lin teacher suddenly chimed in: "Secretary Tang, Minister Li, actually I'm doing quite well at the TV university, no need to feel sorry for me or not."

  Minister Li was stunned and thought to himself, "What gives you the right to speak?"

  Tang Yi smiled lightly and said, "Teacher Lin has some resentment, this is not the attitude of doing work. The teachers at the party school should have a higher awareness, a firm stance, and cannot complain about heaven and others just because they don't understand the organization's arrangements."

  Mr. Lin's face turned bright red after being criticized by Tang Yi, and he suddenly realized his own rashness. The young man in front of him was no longer a student at the university, and he couldn't afford to be presumptuous. He picked up the juice but didn't drink it, putting the cup on the tea table, then picking it up again, looking very embarrassed.

  Tang Yi took a few sips of tea, put the teacup on the table, and slowed down his tone: "Of course, Teacher Lin's teaching ability is obvious to everyone, I'm also one of Teacher Lin's students."

  Minister Li was taken aback, and Tang Yi smiled: "Please keep this matter confidential for me, Minister Li and Teacher Lin. I want to study the Open University of China's diploma quietly."

  "As for Teacher Lin's work, the Party School indeed needs talents like him, but after all, it is Secretary Yan who is in charge. I am just responsible for making a phone call, whether it will be successful or not depends on Secretary Yan's opinion."

  Minister Li smiled to himself, Secretary Tang was indeed giving him face. He had originally wanted to use this matter to get closer to Tang Yi and also test Tang Yi's attitude towards him, today's response was very satisfactory.

  Mr. Lin was a bit dazed, Secretary Tang had just spoken so eloquently, he thought he was being politely declined, but then the word "of course" at the end made him agree to it again, and even after leaving Tang's house, he was still in a daze, finally laughing at himself in his heart, probably as long as you're a leader, you like to show off your profundity, young Secretary Tang is no exception. Although I don't know if Tang Yi agreed because of Minister Li's face or because he knew him, he was still grateful to him in his heart.

  Minister Li asked about Teacher Lin, and after learning that Tang Yi and his nephew were classmates, he broke out in a cold sweat. He knew his nephew well, who had a loose tongue and dared to reveal anything, so he thought to himself that when he got back, he would have to teach him a lesson and make him behave at the university.

  After sending the two out, Lan Jie returned home with a proud smile. Director Li introduced himself at the door, Minister of Armed Forces Department, and told Lan Jie that if there were any difficulties or troubles that couldn't be solved by Secretary Tang, she could look for him. Lan Jie felt a little proud, thinking that the big shots in the county committee were being so polite to her. Humph, didn't those women from the Cow Family Store used to look down on her? Now they know this matter and are scared out of their wits.

  With a pleased smile, humming a little tune as she walked into the house, looking at Tang Yi made her feel especially good. She eagerly walked over and presented him with a charming smile: "Secretary Tang, shall I cook some midnight snacks for you?"

  Tang Yi smiled: "You'd better go and see Bao'er, ask her why she fought with her classmates, don't blame her all the time. I think Bao'er is not a naughty child."