Chapter 212: As Wished (Part 3)
After dinner at the County Committee Guesthouse, the secretaries gathered in the reception room to watch television. Old Lin, holding the highest rank among them, naturally became the center of attention, with everyone clustering around him to chat.
By eleven o’clock, the VIPs in the adjacent room were still playing cards. The secretaries, growing tired of waiting, spoke less and focused on the screen. These men were usually swamped with work and lacked the habit of watching TV for long stretches. With conflicting tastes, Old Lin randomly selected a rather silly program, and the group stared blankly at the screen.
At midnight, the reception room door opened, and Ji Haiyang stepped out briskly. He whispered, “Bring the cars around.” Then he turned to Hou Weidong: “You’ll ride in Secretary Zhu’s car in a moment. Remember to sit in the front passenger seat and help carry his briefcase.”
After these brief instructions, Ji Haiyang left on his own, leaving Hou Weidong alone in the courtyard. Ji had omitted some details, but if Hou Weidong had the intuition, he would figure out these nuances himself. If he didn’t, his career as a secretary would not last long.
Watching Secretary Zhu Yan’s figure, Hou Weidong felt a moment of confusion, but he quickly snapped back to reality. He followed Ji Haiyang to the gate and stood by Secretary Zhu’s car.
Zhu Yan shook hands with Secretary Ji Daolin, saying, “Secretary Ji, get some rest early.” He turned around, smiling broadly for a few seconds, then walked toward the car, his smile gradually fading.
Hou Weidong had already opened the rear door and waited respectfully. Zhu Yan glanced at him, nodded slightly, and handed over his briefcase. He then looked back into the courtyard, put on a smile again, and waved to Ji Daolin before getting into the car.
The sedan slid out silently, accelerating quickly.
The news that Public Security Bureau Director You Hong had been placed under shuanggui (suspended from duty and confined for investigation) would surely cause an earthquake in the Yiyang political circle. Zhu Yan’s face was grim and pale. He remained silent after getting in the car. Hou Weidong sat upright, his back touching the seat only lightly, saying nothing.
When the car stopped at the back gate of the Party School, Zhu Yan ordered, “Please ask Secretary Zhao and Minister Liu to come to my office at nine tomorrow morning.” He then got out. Hou Weidong responded while carrying the briefcase. He was about to open the door for Zhu Yan, but the secretary had already exited, moving with efficient speed.
Since this was his first time serving Secretary Zhu, and Ji Haiyang’s instructions had been incomplete, Hou Weidong was extremely cautious throughout the ride. Unsure whether he should escort the secretary all the way to his door, he closely observed Zhu Yan’s every move.
Zhu Yan did not take the briefcase but walked straight into the back gate. Hou Weidong followed closely behind. At the building entrance, Zhu Yan paused and instructed, “Xiao Hou, I live on the third floor. You can come up with me today. In the future, just bring it to the doorway.”
On the third floor, Zhu Yan entered his apartment. Hou Weidong quickly handed over the briefcase and said, “Secretary Zhu, get some rest early.”
A gentle voice came from inside: “Back so late? You’re not a young man anymore; you can’t keep up with the kids.” A middle-aged woman wearing gold-rimmed glasses walked out, took the briefcase, and noticed the unfamiliar young man at the door. “Is this the new guy?”
Hou Weidong quickly replied, “Auntie, my name is Hou Weidong. I’ve just been transferred to the County Committee Office by the Organization Department.”
The middle-aged woman politely said, “Come in and sit for a while.”
“No, thank you. Goodbye, Secretary Zhu. Goodbye, Auntie.”
Back home, Hou Weidong immediately called Ren Lindu and Yang Na from the Organization Department to convey Secretary Zhu’s instructions.
After hanging up, Hou Weidong found his back soaked in sweat. While showering, he reflected on the events of the day. Secretary Zhu Yan is merely a seventh-rank county official, yet he gives one the feeling of serving a tiger. It seems that once you enter the officialdom, it’s like stepping into a deep sea. It would be freer to be a businessman. But then he thought again, Being a businessman has its difficulties too. Take the Qinglin Quarry as an example. In just a few years, Qin Dajiang died, and Zeng Xiangang’s family was ruined. Every snake bites.
Before going to bed, he set his alarm for seven o’clock.
He dreamed all night, seeing scenes of You Hong being forced into a car. In the dream, he suddenly realized that the person escorting You Hong looked familiar—it must be Luo Jinhao, his senior brother from the Shazhou Public Security Bureau. Waking up to the alarm, Hou Weidong got out of bed in a daze. He remembered the dream vividly and tried to recall the scene at the County Committee Guesthouse the previous night. He concluded that his dream had been correct; it was indeed Senior Brother Luo Jinhao who had escorted You Hong.
“Tch, to recognize someone in a dream. I’ve never encountered anything like that.”
Hou Weidong sighed, then quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth. He grabbed a carton of milk from the fridge and ran downstairs while drinking.
Getting into Old Liu’s car, Hou Weidong started building rapport. He offered Old Liu a pack of Jiaozi cigarettes, a new, high-end brand more expensive than Hongtashan, clearly aiming to make a good impression.
“Where does Secretary Zhu usually have breakfast?”
Old Liu, smoking the Jiaozi, lost some of his initial arrogance and explained to Hou Weidong, “Secretary Zhu wakes up early. He practices Tai Chi and then eats breakfast at home.” He checked his watch and added, “Secretary Zhu is very punctual. He’ll definitely be out by eight.”
Sure enough, Zhu Yan emerged at eight o’clock. Hou Weidong waited at the entrance, took the briefcase, and followed closely behind. When they reached the car, Hou Weidong stepped forward quickly to open the door.
Zhu Yan was somewhat satisfied with Hou Weidong’s efficiency. Once Hou Weidong got in, he asked, “Have the notifications been sent out?” He didn’t really need to ask, but since Hou Weidong was a novice, he wasn’t entirely at ease.
“Secretary Zhu, I notified them last night.”
“Hmm.” Zhu Yan said no more.
At nine o’clock, Secretary Zhao and Minister Liu arrived punctually at Zhu Yan’s office. Ji Haiyang sat nearby with a notebook. As the Director of the County Committee Office, it was his job to implement the decisions made by the leaders.
After Hou Weidong poured the tea and was about to leave, Zhu Yan spoke up: “Hou Weidong, you sit down and listen too.”
Zhu Yan got straight to the point: “Public Security Bureau Director You Hong has been placed under shuanggui. Judging by Secretary Ji’s tone, he is definitely not coming back. I’ve invited you two here today to select a new Public Security Bureau Director.”
“This candidate must be proficient in law and possess a certain ruthlessness. He needs to be able to control the situation and clean up the mess. Yiyang’s economy has developed rapidly in the past two years, but local thugs and ruffians have also become active. You Hong’s downfall is a wake-up call for the County Committee. We must take drastic measures to eliminate a batch of criminals harming the people. The role of Public Security Bureau Director is a heavy responsibility.”
“Secretary Zhao, Old Liu, do you have any suitable candidates in mind?”
Minister Liu, having worked in the Organization Department for many years, was very familiar with the cadres. He tentatively suggested, “Could we promote someone from within the Public Security Bureau?”
“You Hong has led the Public Security Bureau for so many years. These deputy directors never reported any issues to the organization. Even if they are clean, they cannot be trusted with major responsibilities.”
Secretary Zhao understood Zhu Yan’s intentions best. He said, “The Public Security Bureau Director should be selected from the political and legal system. Not only must he be familiar with the law, but he must also be tough in character. Otherwise, he won’t be able to clean up the mess left by You Hong.”
Minister Liu reviewed the leading cadres in the political and legal system in his mind and said, “There are two suitable candidates. One is Zhang Cheng, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission. He is professionally trained, has worked in the courts, and has both experience and qualifications. The other is Shang Guanghua, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Procuratorate. He is a military veteran, has served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor for many years, is resourceful, and capable.”
Zhu Yan’s eyebrows knitted together, then slowly relaxed. He said, “Shang Guanghua is more suitable for the position of Public Security Bureau Director.”
“Do you two have any other candidates?”
“No.” “No.”
Zhu Yan made the final decision. “Director Ji, notify Shang Guanghua to come over immediately. I want to give him instructions personally.”
He then turned to Minister Liu: “You will handle the procedures and formalities. This matter must be expedited.”
Hearing the name Shang Guanghua, Hou Weidong felt a surge of emotion. Two years ago, he had been brought to the Procuratorate and interrogated by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Shang Guanghua. He had endured not only exhausting interrogations but also several beatings. At that time, he had sworn revenge. Now that Shang Guanghua was becoming the Public Security Bureau Director, revenge seemed impossible.
At that moment, Shang Guanghua was listening to a case in the Prosecution Section when he suddenly received a call from the County Committee Office, summoning him to Secretary Zhu’s office. Not daring to delay, he immediately put down his work and headed straight to the County Committee.
Hou Weidong stood by the window, watching the courtyard. When Shang Guanghua got out of his car, Hou Weidong went to the entrance.
“Deputy Chief Prosecutor Shang, Secretary Zhu is waiting for you in his office.” Seeing Shang Guanghua heading upstairs, Hou Weidong proactively approached him. Since revenge was off the table, it was better to proactively let go of past grievances.
Shang Guanghua had a good memory. Seeing Hou Weidong, he was momentarily stunned. As they reached Secretary Zhu’s door, he couldn’t help but ask, “You’ve been transferred to the County Committee Office?” Seeing Hou Weidong nod, he immediately said, “That’s great news. We brothers should celebrate properly. When are you free? I’ll treat you to a drink.”
Entering Zhu Yan’s office, Shang Guanghua displayed his military demeanor fully. He stood straight, looking energetic, serious, and disciplined. Seeing Hou Weidong sitting nearby with a notebook, he thought to himself, When did he become Secretary Zhu’s secretary?