Chapter Thirty-Eight: As You Wish

  As expected, when Ye Ming and Xu Fei each carried two large bags to the residential building where Secretary Li lived, they met several colleagues from the provincial bureau in the courtyard. They all smiled and asked Xu Fei if he was going to deliver oranges to their leader, jokingly saying that he, as a deputy director, had become a porter. No one suspected that he was specifically going to Secretary Li's home to offer gifts.

  Before going to Secretary Li's house, Ye Ming had already called him. However, when he opened the door and saw Xu Fei and Ye Ming holding several bulging snake skin bags, Secretary Li still showed a displeased expression on his face, looked at Xu Fei twice, and asked: "Director Xu, what are these things? Didn't you say you only divided one bag of tangerines?"

  Li Jingya followed behind Secretary Li, seeing that his face didn't look good, and was afraid he would say something unpleasant, so she quickly passed by him, taking the bag from Ye Ming's hand while scolding: "Old Li, you're having an occupational disease again. Ye and Director Xu are just like family members to us, why are you making such a big fuss? Are they going to harm you?"

  As she spoke, she opened the snakeskin bag and took a look at the pine mushrooms inside. Suddenly, she let out a delighted cry: "Old Li, come quick and take a look! These are genuine pine mushrooms! Oh my, these pine mushrooms are too beautiful... Mom, your good fortune has arrived. There are so many pine mushrooms here, enough for you to eat for several months!"

  The old lady was delighted to hear this and stood up from the sofa, saying: "What? Is it really Song Rong mushroom? Where is it? Let me take a look!"

  Secretary Li also leaned in to the snakeskin bag, took a look inside, and a hint of surprise appeared on his face. He nodded at Xu Fei and said: "Director Xu, thank you! As it happens, I'm just like my mother, I love eating this kind of pine mushroom too. Tonight, you and Xiao Ye can come to my place for dinner, I'll personally cook for you, stir-fry a plate of red pepper garlic pine mushrooms, and simmer a pot of sliced meat pine mushroom soup. I guarantee that you'll remember the delicious taste for the rest of your life! Haha!"

  Xu Fei couldn't hide the excited expression on his face and quickly nodded, saying: "Okay, okay! Tonight I'll bother Secretary Li and Director Li."

  At this time, Li Jingya opened another snakeskin bag and exclaimed again: "Director Xu, what is this thing? Is it a sheep?"

  Secretary Li walked over and took a closer look, also startling, saying: "Isn't this a wild black muntjac? This is a nationally protected animal! Director Xu, where did you get it from?"

  "Secretary Li, it's like this: I have a neighbor back in my hometown who used to be a hunter and still often sets traps on the mountain to catch wild rabbits, badgers, and other small game. This time when I went back, he happened to catch a black muntjac deer. As you know, people in rural areas don't really have a concept of animal protection. After he caught the deer, because I had helped his family out with some financial assistance before, he sent it over to my house and told me to try some. When I saw that the deer's legs were already broken from the trap, I figured it wouldn't survive even if we released it, so I brought it back with me. The meat is quite tender and nourishing, and I thought Auntie would be the most suitable person to eat it, so I brought some over for her."

  Secretary Li's mother heard that there was another fawn, and she was even more delighted. She walked over, stroking the fawn's head with affection, and sighed: "Runji, I only had fawn meat a few times when I was in my teens and just married your father. The taste, I still remember it to this day."

  Li Runji saw his mother speaking with her mouth watering, obviously eager to keep the deer. So he said: "Director Xu, no matter what, I'm very grateful to you. How about this? Your provincial bureau's Director Xia also loves to eat game meat, but it's hard to get real mountain-grown stuff usually. Let me call him and have him come for dinner, then after eating, let him take a leg of deer meat back."

  Xu Fei heard Secretary Li say that he wanted to call Director Xia over for dinner, this was an unexpected surprise, and he suddenly became excited with a bright red face...

  In the afternoon, Xu Fei had nothing to do in the office, so he simply stayed at Secretary Li's home and chatted with him.

  Secretary Li had already asked Xu Fei about his work situation in detail last time, and also roughly knew that he was not very satisfied with his current situation from his wife Lei Jingya's mouth. Therefore, when talking about the work situation, he intentionally or unintentionally asked: "Director Xu, I heard that you were originally identified as the youngest and most promising reserve talent by your province's local tax bureau. Now serving as deputy director of the logistics center, do you feel like you're wasting your talents?"

  Xu Fei smiled humbly and replied carefully: "Secretary Li, thank you for your praise. As for being a talented person, I don't have that feeling. I think in any unit, every position is very important. As long as one works hard, every position can achieve results and make contributions. However, I've been at the Logistics Center for several years now, and I want to take advantage of my youth to go to a grassroots municipal or county bureau to gain some experience and exposure, which will be beneficial for my future growth."

  Li Runji nodded in satisfaction and said, "I understand this point. Young comrades should indeed be tempered in different positions, especially grassroots work experience, which is very important for a person's growth. Let's do it this way: when Director Xia comes over, I'll mention it to him and let him consider your problem of going to the grassroots level."

  Xu Fei saw Secretary Li proactively bring up his own affairs and became excited, with shining eyes, repeatedly saying: "Thank you, Secretary Li! Thank you, Secretary Li!"

  Ye Ming chimed in on the side, "Director Xu, if you're going to go down, why not just go all the way down to our K City Tax Bureau? That way, with a big brother like you at the helm of the municipal bureau, someone as unambitious as me might even find some motivation to make progress."

  Secretary Li looked at Ye Ming with a kind gaze and said, "Little Ye, you should really think about making progress. I heard your Aunt Li say that Director Xu was already a full-time deputy director at your age. You haven't even mixed into the ranks of a section chief yet, and in a few more years, there won't be any opportunities for promotion."

  Xu Fei hastily said with a smile: "Secretary Li, he and I are in different situations. As soon as I started working, I was at the provincial bureau, my starting point is much higher than Xiao Ye's. With just one promotion, I would be deputy department level, and in their county bureau, it would be deputy director. I think: Xiao Ye is a thousand-mile horse sleeping in the trough, only now there is no Bole to come and appreciate him, reuse him. If possible, I am willing to be this Bole!"

  Secretary Li heard this and immediately understood: he wanted to go to K City to be a big shot.

  However, Secretary Li indeed had this intention in his heart and wanted to suggest that Xia Bicheng let Xu Fei go to K City as the director. He saw that this young man was steady and capable, with careful thinking and clear thoughts, and was indeed a good material for being an official. Moreover, according to Li Jingya, the provincial bureau's cadres all had very good evaluations of him, and his character was probably also very good.

  What's more important is that I really want to help Ye Ming make progress in his career now. Xu Fei has a very close relationship with Ye Ming, and if he can go to K City as the second-in-command, Ye Ming's promotion will not require my own efforts at all.