Chapter 210: As Wished (Part 1)
Hou Weidong had channeled all his hormonal energy into physical exertion the previous night, leaving him in an unusually calm state of mind. After Yang Na left, he casually asked, "Section Chief Guo, when does the competitive selection for posts begin?"
Guo Lan continued typing furiously, pretending not to hear Hou Weidong’s question. The presence of a woman in the office had added a splash of color to the otherwise drab environment, but with Guo Lan’s cold expression, that color had turned into a chilly, muted tone.
The night before, the Civil Affairs Bureau had hosted a dinner for Minister Xiao and the department staff. Under the enthusiastic persuasion of the bureau’s colleagues, Guo Lan had made an exception and drank a few beers. At 1:00 AM, she got up to use the restroom. As she approached the bathroom door near the balcony, unmistakable moans drifted from the neighboring room.
The sound was distinct and piercing, causing Guo Lan’s face to flush with embarrassment. After finishing in the bathroom, she closed the glass door between the living room and the balcony and returned to her room. She couldn’t help but mutter angrily, "Hou Weidong is so indiscreet. How could he not close the door properly while being intimate with Xiaojia?"
Guo Lan had attended the wedding of Zhang Xiaojia and Hou Weidong. At that moment, she assumed Xiaojia had simply arrived in Yiyang, never suspecting there was someone else in the room.
The sound haunted her like a ghost, echoing in her ears and keeping her awake. After tossing and turning for a while, she turned on the bedside lamp and picked up a copy of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. Her reading tastes differed from most women of her age; she had little interest in the popular romance novels by Qiong Yao, Sanmao, or岑凯伦 (Cen Kailun). Instead, she was deeply fascinated by Jin Yong’s wuxia novels.
While some readers saw wisdom in Jin Yong’s works and others saw benevolence, Guo Lan found herself drawn to the themes of friendship and love within them.
It wasn’t until 2:00 AM that sleep finally claimed her. She put the book down and went to the restroom again. This time, the neighboring room was quiet, with no unusual sounds. However, as she stepped out of the bathroom, waves of noise erupted from Hou Weidong’s room once more.
"Damn it, why are they still at it?"
Guo Lan’s heart raced. She hurried back to her room and bolted the door. It took a long time before she could drift into a fitful sleep.
Her dreams were shameful. In them, she and Hou Weidong were embracing tightly in the office. Eventually, he pinned her onto the desk. Despite her struggles, his hold tightened. Just as he tore her skirt, she woke up with a start.
The next day, Guo Lan arrived at work on time. Seeing that Hou Weidong was absent, she breathed a sigh of relief. He still hadn’t appeared by the afternoon shift.
Just as Guo Lan’s nerves began to settle, Hou Weidong walked into the office.
Seeing him, Guo Lan’s heart pounded like a startled deer. She stared fixedly at her computer screen, her fingers mechanically striking the keys. Thanks to her piano training, her fingers were exceptionally agile, and her typing flowed smoothly like clouds and water.
Hou Weidong was baffled by Guo Lan’s strange behavior. He checked himself for any obvious mistakes, found none, and decided to keep quiet, reading the newspaper instead of making small talk.
A short while later, Old詹 (Old Zhan) wandered back in and immediately broke the news. "I heard Ren Lindu has been transferred to the County Party Committee Office. He’s going to be Secretary Zhao’s secretary."
Ren Lindu’s pursuit of Guo Lan was an open secret in the Organization Department. As the most beautiful woman in the department, Guo Lan was the center of attention, and Ren Lindu’s movements were closely monitored by Old Zhan. Upon learning this significant news, Old Zhan had rushed back to announce it.
With Old Zhan’s return, the atmosphere in the office became lively.
Hou Weidong smiled and said, "Ren Lindu always asks me to treat him to meals. This time, we should really make him pay."
Old Zhan chimed in, egging him on, "Ren Lindu visits our office often. He should foot the bill for a reception. He can’t just talk the talk without walking the walk."
Meanwhile, Ren Lindu had accompanied Secretary Zhao upstairs and returned to the Secretariat Section of the County Party Committee Office. After sitting down, he dialed the number for the Comprehensive Cadre Section. He had called this number countless times and knew it by heart.
"Hello, this is Ren Lindu. Guo Lan, I’ve been transferred to the County Party Committee Office."
Guo Lan laughed, "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Old Zhan just announced the news. He’s already planning to make you treat us to a meal."
At that moment, Ji Haiyang, a member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Committee Office, walked into the Secretariat Section. He told Ren Lindu, "Remember to call Hou Weidong from the Organization Department’s Comprehensive Cadre Section. He needs to attend the reception this afternoon."
Ren Lindu quickly covered the microphone and whispered, "Standing Committee Member Ji, I’m drafting the notice right now."
Ji Haiyang nodded and said, "Secretary Zhu personally selected him. Make sure he arrives on time."
After Ji Haiyang paced out of the office, Ren Lindu lowered his voice and said, "Sorry, Standing Committee Member Ji was in the office. Is Hou Weidong there? I have something to tell him."
Guo Lan placed the receiver on the desk and called out, "Hou Weijiang, Ren Lindu is looking for you."
Hou Weidong picked up the phone and asked with confusion, "Is Zhang Mushan from Qingda Group attending the meeting?"
Ren Lindu replied, "No. At 3:30 PM, Ji Daolin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, will be inspecting Yiyang from Wu Hai County. Secretary Zhu personally requested that you participate in the reception work."
"When should I come up?"
"Come up to find me in a bit. We’ll set up the venue together," Ren Lindu said. Then, he added mysteriously, "If my guess is correct, Secretary Zhu has his eye on you. He intends to transfer you to be his secretary. This is a great opportunity."
This was the second time Hou Weidong had heard this rumor. He thought to himself, "Where there is smoke, there is fire. It seems I really will be transferred to Secretary Zhu’s side."
After hanging up, he told Guo Lan, "Section Chief Guo, I’m going to the Committee Office to help set up the venue."
Old Zhan joked from the side, "Hou Weidong eats at home but does his work elsewhere. In this year’s democratic evaluation, you’ll definitely fail."
Hou Weidong replied, "Old Zhan, you have to be reasonable. It’s all revolutionary work; we shouldn’t draw lines between departments." As he spoke, he neatly stacked the newspapers on the desk. He then turned to Guo Lan and said, "Section Chief Guo, today Secretary Ji Daolin is inspecting Yiyang County."
Ji Daolin’s residence at Shazhou University was located directly above the apartments of both Hou Weidong and Guo Lan. Hou Weidong had little contact with Ji Daolin, but Guo’s family often socialized with him.
Guo Lan’s expression remained normal. "So Secretary Ji is coming for an inspection." After saying this, she refocused on her keyboard. The dream from the night before had left her with a psychological burden whenever she faced Hou Weidong.
Hou Weidong still felt that Guo Lan’s demeanor was odd. As he was leaving, he heard Old Zhan say to Guo Lan, "Xiao Guo, where do you want to eat? Don’t let Ren Lindu off the hook this time. Make him pay."
Hearing the words drift from behind him, Hou Weidong’s back went numb. He realized, "Last night, after returning home with Duan Ying, we were passionate. The glass door between the living room and the balcony might not have been closed. That means Guo Lan likely heard the moans."
Thinking of this, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He thought to himself, "You can’t walk by the river without getting your feet wet. I must never do something like this again."
The staff of the County Party Committee Office had already finished setting up the venue. Hou Weidong couldn’t help much, so he stood by for a while until he heard Secretary Zhu’s voice, followed by a series of footsteps.
Ji Daolin walked into the Standing Committee meeting room at a leisurely pace. To his left was Zhu Yan, and to his right was Zhao Lin. Behind them were other members of the Standing Committee, including the Organization Minister and the Propaganda Minister.
Ji Daolin wore a white short-sleeved shirt and dark blue trousers. His attire was simple yet elegant.
"Welcome, Secretary Ji, to inspect Yiyang County. All the Standing Committee members currently in the county are present. Comrade You Cai is attending a meeting in the city and will return tonight."
Ji Daolin took the central seat in the conference room, a position usually reserved for Zhu Yan. Today, Zhu Yan had to sit in Ma Youcai’s usual spot.
Amidst warm applause, Ji Daolin said, "I have been entrusted by Comrade Changquan to visit four counties: Yiyang, Wu Hai, Linjiang, and Chengjin. First, I will listen to the reports on the first half of the year’s work in each county. Second, regarding the corruption issues that have emerged in some municipal departments, I will represent the Municipal Party Committee in delivering a talk on integrity and anti-corruption."
Ji Daolin was known for his concise and direct speech, never dragging his feet. Even after becoming a member of the Municipal Standing Committee, he maintained this style.
"I won’t offer encouraging words for now. Let’s first hear the report on Yiyang County’s work for the first half of the year."
Zhu Yan was also familiar with Ji Daolin. When Zhu Yan arrived in Yiyang to serve as Party Secretary, Ji Daolin was still the Vice President of Shazhou University. However, within just three or four years, Ji Daolin had miraculously risen to become a member of the Municipal Standing Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, dramatically becoming Zhu Yan’s superior.
Who could truly predict the twists of fate?
Zhu Yan knew that Ji Daolin enjoyed the deep trust of Wang Changquan, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, and was likely to be appointed Deputy Secretary of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee soon. Therefore, he took this briefing session very seriously. He cleared his throat, set aside the draft prepared personally by Ji Haiyang, and said, "The overall situation in Yiyang County this year is very good. We have completed half of our tasks by the halfway point of the year. Several key indicators, including local fiscal revenue and enterprises above designated size, have seen significant increases."
Zhu Yan had memorized the data thoroughly, reciting even the figures after the decimal point with precision. He appeared confident and well-prepared.
Hou Weidong sat with the other service staff. Anticipating that he might become Zhu Yan’s secretary, he was exceptionally focused. With the same intensity he had used to take notes in college, he slid his pen rapidly across the paper, recording every word Zhu Yan said.
Zhu Yan’s report on the first half of the year was not long; it concluded in half an hour. Ji Daolin asked a few questions calmly, and Zhu Yan answered them one by one.
"When we set off, Comrade Changquan told me that Yiyang has always been the first stop for our mid-year inspections. Today, we are making a change. We will start with Chengjin County and end with Yiyang."
He paused and continued, "Yiyang County’s achievements in the first half of the year are outstanding. Local fiscal revenue has increased by 120% year-on-year. The Municipal Party Committee is satisfied with the County Party Committee’s performance. There are many reasons for this success, but from my personal perspective, a crucial factor is the Yiyang County Party Committee’s unwavering commitment to developing transportation infrastructure."
Zhu Yan had not expected Ji Daolin, known for his strictness, to give such high praise to the Yiyang County Party Committee. Although his expression remained serious, he was genuinely pleased inside.