Chapter 360: Taking Office (Part 2)

Old Liu spoke with earnest gravity: "Hou Weidong graduated in the same year as you. He has no roots in Yiyang, yet he rose from an ordinary township cadre in Qinglin to a full bureau-level leadership position. He must possess exceptional strengths. You need to be humble, learn from him, and build a good relationship. This will be greatly beneficial for your future."

Liu Kun harbored a certain arrogance in his heart. Hearing this, he retorted, "I will never be able to learn Hou Weidong’s skill at sucking up to superiors."

Seeing his son’s reluctance, Old Liu said, "Sucking up is also a talent. Moreover, Hou Weidong is someone who gets things done. He possesses strengths in both areas. Now that he has become Secretary Changquan’s secretary, if nothing unexpected happens, he will reach a county-level leadership position within a few years. Uncle Liu and I are getting old. After this term ends, either Uncle Liu or I will move to the People’s Congress or the CPPCC. In the future, you will have to rely on yourself."

Liu Kun finally nodded. "Fine. I will invite Hou Weidong to dinner."

Minister Liu emphasized, "Hou Weidong’s transfer to the city is a promotion. There will surely be many people seeing him off. You should go to his office this afternoon and invite him personally. I have arranged for Uncle Liu to join us, and we will dine together in the evening."

After work began in the afternoon, Liu Kun climbed personally to the seventh floor. Although the County Government Office and the Science and Technology Commission were in the same building, Liu Kun, as the Director of the Government Office, had only visited the Science and Technology Commission once before—during the Spring Festival, when he accompanied County Mayor Yang Senlin to pay New Year calls to various departments.

Director Xiao Ning was holding a stack of documents, preparing to go downstairs, when he saw Liu Kun coming up. He greeted him with a broad smile. "Director Liu, hello."

Liu Kun smiled back. "Is Director Hou in his office?"

Director Xiao Ning replied enthusiastically, "Director Hou is in his office. I just delivered some files to him." He led the way, gesturing with his hand for Liu Kun to proceed.

Hou Weidong had not expected Liu Kun to visit. He had nothing urgent to do and was reading a copy of Ban Yue Tan (Semimonthly Talk). Director Xiao Ning walked to the door, knocked, and said, "Director Hou, Director Liu is looking for you."

Hou Weidong looked up and saw it was Liu Kun. He deliberately slowed his movements, placing the magazine aside on the desk before saying, "Director Liu, what a rare guest. Please come in."

In Director Xiao Ning’s eyes, the Director of the Government Office was already a formidable figure. Unaware of the underlying tensions between Liu Kun and Hou Weidong, he hurriedly fetched paper cups, brewed tea, and then left the office.

With no outsiders present, the two classmates faced each other, momentarily at a loss for words.

Hou Weidong habitually reached for his cigarettes and tossed one to Liu Kun. "Do you smoke now?"

During their university days, Liu Kun was the only person in the dormitory who did not smoke. He had maintained this good habit throughout his years of work. After a moment’s hesitation, he accepted the cigarette Hou Weidong threw to him, grabbed the lighter on the desk, and lit it with a click. He took a deep drag.

"This smoke tastes unpleasant. I really don’t understand why you people like it so much." Liu Kun had expressed this view years ago, and it remained unchanged.

Their relationship had been merely average during their student days. After entering the workforce, due to the broken promise incident during the Qinglin Town election, a rift had formed between them. Since then, aside from official business interactions, they had had no private friendship. Now, as Hou Weidong was about to leave Yiyang, he looked back on his relationship with Liu Kun and realized that there was no irreconcilable conflict between them—only a clash of personalities.

Liu Kun coughed twice, pressed the cigarette into the ashtray, and said, "I heard you are being transferred to the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee Office. Congratulations. Are you free tonight? I’d like to treat you to dinner."

Hou Weidong looked at Liu Kun with interest and replied readily, "Sure. Let’s have a drink tonight. Since leaving Qinglin Town, we haven’t had a proper meal together. We were classmates for four years, roommates for four years, and worked in the same town. It’s not easy."

Seeing that Hou Weidong had agreed, Liu Kun breathed a sigh of relief. "Six o’clock tonight at the Chongqing Jianghu Cuisine Restaurant. Don’t be late. My father and Minister Liu will also be attending."

When Liu Kun left, Director Xiao Ning rushed forward, attentively escorting him to the stairwell. He followed behind Hou Weidong, respectfully watching Liu Kun descend the stairs.

On the third floor, in Ma Youcai’s office, Yang Dajin entered. He ran his hand over the desk surface, then picked up the teacup to inspect it. Noticing a ring of pale yellow tea stains on the inside, he frowned slightly and walked to the Comprehensive Section office. Ren Xiaowei was talking with the section’s deputy director, Zhuang Weiguo. Yang Dajin held up the teacup and said, "Section Chief Ren, Secretary Ma will return to his office this afternoon. Look at this teacup. What is inside?"

Ren Xiaowei saw the tea stains and her face flushed slightly. "I’m sorry. I will immediately arrange for someone to clean the office thoroughly."

Yang Dajin instructed, "Office work is about serving leaders. You must be meticulous, otherwise, you cannot do this job well." Ma Youcai had always valued hygiene. Since being promoted from County Mayor to County Party Secretary, his attention to cleanliness had escalated into a fastidiousness. Once, he discovered dust on the high-back chair and reprimanded Yang Dajin without mercy. Since then, Yang Dajin had made cleaning a top priority.

Ma Youcai returned to his office at four o’clock. Upon entering, he casually ran his hand over the desk. Seeing that the surface was spotless, he nodded, which served as praise for Yang Dajin’s work.

"When is Hou Weidong leaving?" Ma Youcai asked suddenly, sipping what was said to be Longjing tea bought directly from the origin. He felt a sense of comfort spreading through his pores.

Yang Dajin replied, "Secretary-General Hong Ang came by, discussed the situation with Secretary Ji, and the official document has arrived at the County Party Committee Office. It requires him to report for duty within five days."

Ma Youcai put down his teacup. "Hou Weidong was formerly the Deputy Director of the County Party Committee Office, so he is considered one of our own. For this transfer, we will host a farewell dinner in the name of the County Party Committee Office. All comrades at the deputy division level and above will attend. I will also come to share a drink."

During the cleanup of the Yiyang Local Products Company, Hou Weidong had been Zhu Yan’s vanguard. From that incident onward, Ma Youcai had harbored a prejudice against Hou Weidong. When Zhu Yan was transferred to Maoyun Prefecture, Ma Youcai had quickly moved Hou Weidong to a different position, settling the score from that earlier conflict. Now, hearing that Hou Weidong had miraculously become Secretary Changquan’s secretary, Ma Youcai immediately discarded his prejudice and decided to personally host a farewell dinner for him.

There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests. This applies to nations, to the political arena, and to interpersonal relationships. Ma Youcai understood this principle deeply, which is why he was able to reach a tacit truce with Zhu Yan at a critical moment, achieving a win-win result. Since Hou Weidong had become Secretary Changquan’s secretary, Ma Youcai naturally wanted to cultivate a connection with him.

If they could not be friends, at least he must not let Hou Weidong become an enemy.

Just as Yang Dajin was about to step out the door, Ma Youcai added, "Hou Weidong’s dinner schedule is likely full these two days. Discuss it with him. If tonight doesn’t work, change it to tomorrow. Do not put Xiao Hou in a difficult position."

As Yang Dajin left, he thought to himself, "In Yiyang, does the County Party Secretary need to schedule a time for a dinner invitation? Hou Weidong is a smart man. Even if he has other arrangements, he will adjust them."

Yang Dajin dialed Hou Weidong’s number. Initially, he only mentioned that the County Party Committee Office was hosting a collective dinner. Hou Weidong hesitated, saying, "Director Yang, thank you so much, and thank all the comrades in the office. I have an arrangement for tonight. Can we change the time?"

Yang Dajin said, "This is arranged by Secretary Ma."

Hearing that it was Secretary Ma’s arrangement, Hou Weidong had no choice but to say, "Respect is better than obedience. I will follow Director Yang’s instructions tonight."

When Liu Kun heard that Secretary Ma wanted to treat Hou Weidong to dinner, he felt a twinge of jealousy. "Weidong, let’s move it to tomorrow night. This was booked in advance and cannot be changed. Uncle Liu is also a busy man, and it’s hard to get everyone together."

Hou Weidong apologized sincerely, "Liu Kun, I’m truly sorry."

Hou Weidong had originally intended to personally apologize to Minister Liu and Minister Liu. He picked up the receiver but then put it back down.

The dinner was arranged at the County Party Committee’s small guesthouse, a place in Yiyang specifically used to receive municipal-level leaders. Leaders from general departments in Shazhou City were rarely accommodated here. Accompanied by Ren Xiaowei, Hou Weidong entered Building No. 1, where Ma Youcai frequently went and came. Seeing the smiling faces of the County Party Committee Office staff, he genuinely felt a sense of being honored beyond expectation.

Ma Youcai arrived at seven o’clock, and the dinner officially began. During the meal, Ma Youcai was talkative and witty, shedding his usual seriousness and allowing the attending comrades to see another side of the County Party Secretary.

Hou Weidong had a strong tolerance for alcohol, but he could not withstand the sheer number of people drinking with him, and he returned home drunk.

Xiaojia had called Hou Weidong several times. Hearing the increasing intoxication in his voice and his rising tone, she grew anxious and called Hou Weiguo. Hou Weiguo drove his police car and soon brought Xiaojia to the Shazhou College campus in Yiyang.

Upon entering the room, Xiaojia was hit by the strong smell of alcohol. Hou Weidong was lying diagonally on the bed, sleeping deeply. The blanket covered only his chest, one leather shoe lay crooked by the bedside, and the other had been kicked somewhere unknown.

She bent down to undress him. Smelling the alcohol on his body, her anger inexplicably faded, and her nose began to tingle.

"Xiaojia." Hou Weidong was awakened by Xiaojia. Seeing her, he was momentarily disoriented, unsure of where he was. Looking around at the surroundings, he remembered he was at home in Shazhou College.

"It’s so late. How did you get here?" Hou Weidong’s voice was hoarse. After returning home, he had fallen asleep immediately, covered by only half a blanket. The winter in Yiyang was truly chilly. Despite having drunk alcohol, he still felt waves of cold. Xiaojia had removed his clothes and added two more layers of blankets, and he gradually warmed up.

"Big Brother drove me here and has already left. You cannot drink tomorrow, or I will really get angry." Xiaojia walked around the kitchen, took a carton of milk from the refrigerator, heated it in the microwave, and brought it to Hou Weidong. She had originally wanted to scold him, but seeing his disheveled state after drinking, her heart softened.

Hou Weidong had not finished half the carton of milk when his stomach churned violently. Knowing he was about to vomit, he sat up from the bed, covered his mouth, and rushed to the toilet. He vomited for a while, and his stomach finally felt somewhat better.

When Hou Weidong woke up again, Xiaojia was holding a bowl of hot mung bean soup. She said, "I went upstairs to ask for mung beans. The auntie upstairs is very kind; she even gave me several remedies for hangovers."

Hou Weidong’s head felt like it was splitting open. He smiled bitterly at Xiaojia. "There are two more tables of drinking tomorrow. I really don’t want to go, but I have no choice."