Chapter 216: Project (Part 1)

Chapter 216 Project (Part 1)

It was late. After taking a shower, Hou Weidong slept in the guest room on the ground floor. The room matched the style of the main building, and the furnishings were similar.

Several copies of Ban Yue Tan from the first half of 1996 were tossed on the table. In one copy, someone had written several lines of poetry with a fountain pen: “Grape wine in luminous cups, urging the horse to draw the bow; at dawn, seeking the white-feathered arrow, it is buried deep in the stone ridge.”

It seemed written for fun out of boredom, but the calligraphy matched the poetry—sharp and incisive.

Looking at the verses and the handwriting, Hou Weidong thought to himself: “This person seems to favor frontier poetry, and the handwriting is quite distinctive. Perhaps it was the previous secretary. I wonder where he is now.”

He flipped through the pages casually and noticed two large characters at the back: Zhou Jing. He thought, “Who would write Zhou Jing’s name here? There is a Zhou Jing in Qinglin Town, but she shares the same name as this one. In terms of beauty, the Zhou Jing from the Zhu family is far superior.”

He wondered, “Why would he write Zhou Jing’s name in the book?”

He continued flipping through the pages, his thoughts wandering aimlessly, until he gradually drifted into sleep. His dreams were chaotic and disjointed. In the morning, he was awakened by the barking of dogs, but he could not recall any of the dreams clearly.

Zhu Yan had combed his hair neatly and changed into a white shirt. He stood in the courtyard talking to the old master. A large spotted dog ran back and forth at their feet. The old master kicked it lightly and said, “Go away, move aside.”

The dog ran委屈ly to the gate and squatted there, a long string of drool hanging from its mouth.

Seeing Hou Weidong come downstairs, Zhu Yan instructed directly, “Let’s go. We are heading to Lingxi this morning. County Magistrate Gao and Yang Dajin are already waiting for us at the Qingda Group.”

The cement plant project was currently the largest project in Yiyang. The County Party Committee and the County Government attached great importance to it. Party Secretary Zhu Yan personally served as the head of the Cement Plant Project Leading Group. Yesterday, he had arranged for Yang Dajin to meet with Huang Yishu, and the two sides had agreed to hold a symposium in Lingxi this morning. Therefore, after drinking in Shazhou the previous night, Zhu Yan had returned directly to Lingxi.

The headquarters of the Qingda Group was located in the southern suburbs of Lingxi, covering about a hundred mu. The gate was extremely imposing, with the four characters “Qingda Group” shining brightly in the sunlight. As Zhu Yan’s car approached the gate, a tall and handsome security guard stepped forward, saluted, and stopped the vehicle.

“Please show your pass.”

Old Liu, who drove for the Party Secretary, was used to passing through without obstruction. After being stopped by the guard, he looked impatient and honked the horn twice forcefully.

Hou Weidong rolled down the window and said, “We are looking for Mr. Zhang. We had an appointment yesterday.”

The chairman of the Qingda Group was Zhang Mushan. Under his leadership, there were many companies and branch factories, each with its own general manager. The guard asked, “Which Mr. Zhang are you looking for?”

Hou Weidong replied directly, “Zhang Mushan.”

Seeing the visitor’s confident tone, the guard showed respect and said, “May I ask who you are? I will call the general office immediately.”

“We are from the Yiyang County Party Committee.”

The guard had received prior instructions. Upon hearing that it was a car from the Yiyang County Party Committee, he immediately snapped a salute and made a gesture for them to proceed, like a traffic police officer. “Please proceed straight, leaders. Park at the square with the sculpture. The headquarters is right next to it.”

The sculpture was purely realistic, depicting an exaggerated, deformed excavator pointing skyward, exuding a sense of power.

Zhu Yan smiled and said, “Zhang Mushan is indeed a practical man. Putting a large excavator in the square suggests he started his career in earthwork.” He then turned to Hou Weidong and said, “In the future, when Yiyang introduces enterprises, we must introduce large, capable ones. Whether foreign-funded or private, as long as they have strength, we welcome them. The more foreign capital, the more reactionary it is. Deng Xiaoping has long made this conclusion. Those people’s heads must be malfunctioning.”

This was the second time Hou Weidong had heard this topic, but he had no research on it and thus no right to speak. He thought to himself: “Being a secretary to the Party Secretary is indeed at a different level. I need to read more newspapers and study editorials in the future to avoid lacking theoretical depth.”

As soon as they got out of the car, they saw Yang Dajin and several staff members walking out from the gate. Yang Dajin hurried to the car and said to Zhu Yan, “Mr. Zhang and Ms. Huang are waiting upstairs. When we came over yesterday, Ms. Huang treated me to dinner, and her tone was quite firm.”

Zhu Yan just listened without commenting.

Upstairs, Zhang Mushan, Huang Yishu, and Gao, the Vice County Magistrate in charge of industry in Yiyang, were waiting on the red carpet at the top of the stairs. Zhang Mushan and Huang Yishu were wearing dark blue thin suits and ties, looking very formal.

Zhu Yan, although wearing a white shirt, had no tie. Hou Weidong was wearing a black T-shirt. Only Yang Dajin was wearing a tie. In comparison, the Qingda Group appeared more modern.

Zhang Mushan extended his hand and said warmly, “Welcome, Secretary Zhu, to inspect the Qingda Group.”

After shaking hands with Zhu Yan, Zhang Mushan shook hands with Hou Weidong and smiled, “Brother Hou, our trip to Wangri Ridge in Qinglin left a lasting impression on me. This autumn, please guide us up Wangri Ridge again.”

After brief greetings, they entered the conference room. Gao, the County Magistrate, spoke first on behalf of the Yiyang County Government, focusing on inviting the Qingda Group to invest in Yiyang. Huang Yishu followed, raising requirements regarding land, transportation, and taxes. Yang Dajin from the Yiyang Planning Commission then explained and clarified Huang Yishu’s demands.

Zhu Yan and Zhang Mushan, as the highest officials of their respective sides, remained silent.

The two sides engaged in a tug-of-war over specific issues, but there was no substantial progress. At eleven o’clock, Zhu Yan turned on the microphone in front of him and said, “Let me say a few words.”

The conference room became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Zhu Yan spoke with great momentum: “Regarding the cooperation between Yiyang and the Qingda Group, I will only express one attitude and discuss some metaphysical matters. Specific issues will be handled by County Magistrate Gao.”

“I enjoy reading newspapers and am concerned about national affairs. Since June, there have been some debates in the theoretical circles. Many theorists have severely criticized the private economy, arguing that reform has led to capitalist liberalization and emphasizing the need to maintain public ownership as the mainstay. This argument has been gaining momentum.”

Everyone was puzzled by Zhu Yan’s sudden discussion of theoretical issues. Huang Yishu, a returnee from abroad, always believed that the market economy was a matter of course. Hearing Zhu Yan’s speech, she felt bewildered.

The Qingda Group controlled by Zhang Mushan was a famous private enterprise in Lingxi. Its development history was basically synchronized with the reform. He paid special attention to the direction of the Qingda Group, focusing on major directions and policies. The debate between public and private sectors in Beijing and Shanghai in June and July had made him uneasy.

Therefore, while Huang Yishu felt bewildered by Zhu Yan’s speech, Zhang Mushan was immediately attracted.

After speaking about theory for a while, Zhu Yan changed his tone and said, “For large private enterprises like the Qingda Group, land, taxes, etc., belong to the technical level. What private enterprises need most now is national treatment, enlightened policies, and a relaxed environment. This is Yiyang County’s true strength. I hope the Qingda Group will consider this factor when making decisions.”

Zhang Mushan listened very carefully. He wrote on a piece of paper with his fountain pen: “Policy, environment, environment, policy.” Although the four words were messy, the brushstrokes were extremely strong.

The symposium did not last long. As it was about to end, Zhang Mushan finally expressed his position: “The board of directors has agreed in principle to invest in building a 500,000-ton cement plant in Qinglin, Yiyang County. An intent contract can be signed in the near future. Specific details will be negotiated by Vice General Manager Huang Yishu and the Yiyang County Government.”

Hearing Zhang Mushan’s statement, applause erupted in the conference room. Hou Weidong had previously analyzed the situation with Zhu Yan, and now his analysis basically matched reality. He breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself: “This negotiation has finally been settled.”

At noon, the Qingda Group held a small welcome banquet, adopting a Western-style buffet. The dishes were exquisite, but there was only one bottle of Moutai liquor. Everyone had a cup, and they toasted each other, creating a lively atmosphere.

When Zhang Mushan clinked glasses with Hou Weidong, Hou Weidong whispered, “I am now Secretary Zhu’s secretary.” Zhang Mushan clinked his glass heavily and said, “Secretary Zhu is very capable. Following him is a good opportunity for you to learn and improve.”

Several waiters brought up some small bowls on trays, serving one to each person with a serious demeanor. Hou Weidong lifted the lid and saw something like vermicelli in the bowl. He guessed this must be the so-called shark fin. Glancing at others, he saw them eating the small bowls with relish. He also picked up his bowl and took small sips. The taste was not bad, nothing more.

A bowl of shark fin added some local color to the Western-style banquet.

After the banquet, Zhang Mushan and Zhu Yan sat in the lounge for a private conversation.

Hou Weidong sat in the large conference room waiting. Habitually, he took out his mobile phone and realized it was on silent mode. There were six or seven missed calls, four of which were from Li Jing.

“Weidong, why didn’t you answer my call?”

“I am in Lingxi, at Mr. Zhang’s place in the Qingda Group. I have been in meetings all morning. The matter is basically settled.”

“Congratulations, congratulations.” Li Jing’s crisp laughter came from a hundred miles away. “How have you forgotten me for a while? Come to Shazhou tonight. The accounts of the Jinggong Group need to be audited for you shareholders.”

Hou Weidong lowered his voice and said, “I have been transferred to the County Party Committee Office to serve as Secretary Zhu’s secretary. My movements are not as free as before.”

“Being Secretary Zhu’s secretary is a good thing. In the future, you can borrow his authority to open doors for the Jinggong Group.”

Hou Weidong said half-jokingly and half-seriously, “I have been educated these past few days and am thinking about life.”

“Pah, stop showing off. If you have time tonight, you must come. This is a major matter for the company.”

***

Chapter 216 Project (Part 2)

Hou Weidong had just returned to Shazhou with Zhu Yan and had not yet had time to drink a cup of hot tea when the section chief walked over and said, “Hou Weidong, the Wu Hai County Party and Government Delegation will arrive at four o’clock this afternoon. You need to prepare a speech for Secretary Zhu. Such speeches are usually not long. Mainly talk about Yiyang’s development situation and say a few polite words.”

This was the first article Hou Weidong wrote as a secretary. He did not show weakness in front of Liu Tao and agreed readily. After Liu Tao left, he remembered the local dialect from Shangqinglin and muttered to himself, “Once you become a loach, you don’t fear mud covering your eyes. What is difficult about writing a speech? Write it.”

He often heard leaders talking about Yiyang’s development achievements, but when he picked up the pen, he felt it weighed a thousand pounds. Just as he was构思ing, Ren Lindu returned, sweating profusely. He took a bottle of mineral water from a paper box behind his back and gulped down a large mouthful, finishing more than half the bottle.

Seeing Hou Weidong lying on the table, deep in thought, he said, “Secretary Hou, what masterpiece are you构思ing again?”

Hou Weidong made a “tsk” sound to express his dissatisfaction with the title “Secretary Hou” and said, “The Wu Hai County Party and Government Delegation is coming. I am构思ing a speech. My mind is empty, and I cannot write.”

Ren Lindu took out a stack of manuscripts from his drawer and flipped through them vigorously. He said, “We are both from the first batch of public recruitment exams. Now we are simultaneously secretaries to Secretary Zhu and Secretary Zhao. Some people in the County Party Committee Office have opinions about us and secretly want to see us make a fool of ourselves.”

Hou Weidong had only been Secretary Zhu’s secretary for two or three days, and he had been busy with Secretary Zhu outside all the time. He had not had the chance to interact with the comrades in the County Party Committee Office. He knew nothing about the situation Ren Lindu described and smiled dismissively, “This is human nature. I don’t care.” Since working in Qinglin Town, Hou Weidong had always been under suspicion and exclusion, so he did not attach much importance to such matters.

Ren Lindu attached great importance to various relationships. He said, “In the government organs, if you cannot achieve concrete results, the organizational assessment will just listen to opinions and settle matters. Public opinion is formidable. We both need to take this seriously.” He flipped through the papers for a while and took out a manuscript. He said, “Secretary Hou, this is a speech written by the previous secretary, Ping Fan, welcoming the Zhenzhou delegation. He was admitted to Peking University as a graduate student and is a great talent in Yiyang County. You can refer to his manuscript.”

Hou Weidong had always admired Ren Lindu’s social skills. Seeing that he had only been there for a few days and was already well-connected in the County Party Committee Office with a wide network, while he himself only knew Ji Haiyang, Liu Tao, and Ren Lindu, making him a loner in the office, he smiled and thanked him, “Secretary Ren, you really came to my rescue.” He thought to himself, “Ren Lindu is good at socializing. He is truly like a fish in water in the government organs.”

Taking the manuscript, he found the handwriting very familiar—vigorous and powerful. Hou Weidong flipped through it and was moved. “So the one who wrote poetry in Ban Yue Tan was Ping Fan.” He added, “Why did he write Zhou Jing’s name?”

With the previous secretary’s speech manuscript, Hou Weidong had a better idea. He also found a recent reception guide, which printed the basic situation of Yiyang County and the economic and social development in the first half of the year.

He quickly finished the draft and revised it once. Seeing that his handwriting was far inferior to Ping Fan’s, and having plenty of time, he went to the Comprehensive Cadre Section of the Organization Department.

“Guo Lan, can you help me? Please type my manuscript. Secretary Zhu needs it this afternoon.”

Guo Lan was happy to see Hou Weidong asking for help. She said, “The Party Committee Office has typists. Why are you pulling me into work?” When she and Hou Weidong were in the same office, she spoke and acted formally. Now that Hou Weidong had been transferred to the Party Committee Office, the distance made their conversation more relaxed.

Hou Weidong smiled and said, “I am not good at socializing. I don’t know most of the people in the Party Committee Office. I can only ask an old friend for help.”

Guo Lan took the manuscript and started typing rapidly. “The trend of government office work is paperless. Computers will be used more and more in the future. It is a basic skill. You should master it.”

“I can use a computer, but my typing speed is slow.”

Guo Lan looked at Hou Weidong’s manuscript and said, “Your handwriting is a bit ugly. I have seen Ping Fan’s manuscript. His handwriting is beautiful. You should take time to practice.”

Hou Weidong thought, “How do I have the leisure to practice handwriting?” He said, “Forget it. I will buy a laptop and carry it with me. This way, I can hide my ugliness. My handwriting can only reach this level.”

Guo Lan smiled and said, “Your handwriting is not bad. It’s just that the secretaries in the Party Committee Office have handwriting that is more and more beautiful. Your handwriting stands out here.”

Guo Lan’s short hair covered her ears, and her nose was straight. Her entire profile looked beautiful. Now, focused on typing, she had a different charm.

The manuscript was only two pages long and was typed neatly. Ji Haiyang read it once, changed a few words, and proposed a new viewpoint on Yiyang’s development. Then he said, “The manuscript is usable. This typed version looks much cleaner. In the future, we will make a rule that all manuscripts sent to me must be typed. Although the typed version looks a bit rigid, it wins in neatness.” As he said this, Ji Haiyang wrote on the manuscript: “Usable. Send to Secretary Zhu after revision.”

Seeing that the manuscript had no major problems, Hou Weidong was happy. He said, “Standing Committee Member Ji, the trend of government office work is paperless. Computers will be used more and more in the future. Our County Party Committee Office is a central agency and should be at the forefront of the times.”

Ji Haiyang put down his pen and smiled. “Secretary Hou wants computers. This matter has already been put on the agenda. The County Party Committee Office plans to equip each secretary with a computer. However, the money is temporarily unavailable. If we can find a company to sponsor, that would be best.”

Hou Weidong had a sudden idea. He thought to himself, “The Jinggong Group is newly established and not yet famous. Donating ten computers to the County Party Committee Office would be a good way to strengthen the relationship with the Yiyang County Party Committee.” He said, “Standing Committee Member Ji, I know Ms. Li from the Jinggong Group. Let me see if she can donate some computers. She participated in the last entrepreneur delegation to Yiyang.”

Ji Haiyang said, “Li Jing. Is she the very beautiful female boss? The one sitting next to Zhang Mushan?”

“That’s the one.”

“Good. You handle this matter. If you succeed, I will treat her to a meal on behalf of the County Party Committee Office.”

Leaving Ji Haiyang’s office, Hou Weidong took the revised manuscript back to the office. Ren Lindu was also lying on the table writing. Seeing Hou Weidong return, he asked, “Secretary Hou, did the manuscript pass?” Hou Weidong said, “It passed, but Standing Committee Member Ji’s evaluation was quite low.”

Ren Lindu took the manuscript and read it carefully. He said, “I heard from other secretaries that Standing Committee Member Ji is a great writer. Secretaries tremble when submitting manuscripts to him. It is common for manuscripts to be sent back for rewriting once or twice. Standing Committee Member Ji giving you a ‘usable’ comment is already good.”

He took the manuscript to the typing room in the Party Committee Office. The typist, Lin Yan, was a girl who had just turned twenty, looking like a high school student. She was the daughter of the Deputy Director of the County People’s Congress. After graduating from a secondary vocational school, she was assigned to the County Party Committee Office and had been a typist for over a year. She was full of dissatisfaction. When Hou Weidong entered, she was typing a manuscript for Deputy Director Zhao Changyou.

Hou Weidong politely said, “Hello. Can you type this manuscript?”

Hou Weidong had only been in the Party Committee Office for a few days, and most of the time he was not in the county office. Lin Yan did not know he was Secretary Zhu’s secretary. She rolled her eyes and said, “I am typing a manuscript for Director Zhao. I am busy.”

Hou Weidong explained, “I am Hou Weidong, Secretary Zhu’s secretary. The manuscript is needed this afternoon. Standing Committee Member Ji has revised it.”

Hearing that he was Secretary Zhu’s secretary, Lin Yan did not dare to neglect him. She stopped, looked up at Hou Weidong twice, and said, “So you are Hou Weidong.” She took the manuscript and complained while reading, “Secretary Hou, there is only one typist in the entire County Party Committee Office. Even a capitalist would not exploit surplus value like this.” Seeing that it was a typed manuscript, she added, “Where did you get this typed? There are only a few changes. Why bring it to me to type?”

Hou Weidong said, “This document was typed by the Organization Department. Forget it. I will take it down to type.”

Seeing that Hou Weidong remained polite, Lin Yan’s attitude softened. She said, “Here is an A disk. You copy the material over, and I will revise it.”

Just then, Ren Lindu also walked over with a manuscript. He entered and said, “Yanzi, hurry up and type my manuscript. I need it urgently this afternoon.”

Lin Yan spat and said, “Secretary Ren, you said you would treat me to a meal. It has been half a year, and I have not seen any action. Put your manuscript aside first. I need to finish typing for Director Zhao and Secretary Lin before I can type for you.” She said proudly, “I only have two hands. There must be a first come, first served order.”

Hou Weidong was inexplicably admiring of Ren Lindu. “Ren Lindu really has the ability. Wherever he goes, he has acquaintances.”

Ren Lindu joked with Lin Yan for a few more sentences and said, “Forget it. I will wait my turn. Secretary Hou’s manuscript is needed by Secretary Zhu this afternoon. Type it for him first. If we delay, we will be in trouble.”

At the afternoon work time, Hou Weidong delivered the manuscript to Zhu Yan. Zhu Yan asked, “Has Standing Committee Member Ji seen it?” Hearing that Standing Committee Member Ji had revised it, Zhu Yan took it and placed it beside his desk.

Returning to his office, Hou Weidong called Li Jing.

“Li Jing, this is Hou Weidong.”

“Hmph, the sun has risen from the west. Why did you think of calling me proactively? Do you not want to come over tonight?”

Li Jing’s tone was very intimate. Hou Weidong felt quite comfortable hearing it and smiled. “I really cannot come over tonight. The Wu Hai County Party and Government Delegation is arriving in Yiyang this afternoon. I need to accompany them. Also, I have something to tell you. The facilities in the Yiyang County Party Committee Office are poor, mainly lacking computers. Can the Jinggong Group sponsor ten computers?”

“How can you turn your elbow outward?”

Hou Weidong chuckled. “Standing Committee Member Ji mentioned this to me today. I think this is an opportunity to make the Jinggong Group’s name known. It is only a matter of tens of thousands of yuan. It buys the goodwill of the central agency of the County Party Committee. This is much better than advertising.” Li Jing laughed. “You have full authority to arrange this. I will just attend the donation ceremony.”