Chapter 244: Flaws (Middle)
They stopped the car at Shawanzi. Zhu Yan gave Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhu Bing a few more careful instructions. Seeing that the Shayi Road was being managed quite well, his expression softened. He said, "County Magistrate Zeng, transportation construction is a key focus of Secretary Changquan’s inspection. I’ve looked around today, and the overall situation is good. I feel much more reassured. I won’t be inspecting the roads anymore, so I’m counting on you to put in some extra effort."
Zeng Zhaoqiang had risen from the position of Transportation Bureau Director to a county-level leader with Zhu Yan’s approval. Therefore, he held Zhu Yan in high regard. He patted his chest and said confidently, "Secretary Zhu, rest assured. In the next two days, I will arrange for someone to repaint all the road markings and carry out minor repairs on the highway. All work will be completed before October 9th. I guarantee the entire route will look brand new."
"Good. County Magistrate Zeng, you must personally inspect it to ensure everything is flawless."
The car turned around and headed back toward Mengdong Town.
Hou Weidong’s mobile phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number.
"Hello, Secretary Hou. This is Zhang Youfa from Mengdong Town. What does Secretary Zhu need from me?"
Mengdong Town was a large town on the outskirts of the city with a strong economic base. The Party Secretary of Mengdong Town held significant weight, with a status in the county similar to that of the Party Secretary of Chengguan Town.
Hou Weidong sat in the back seat and whispered, "Secretary Zhu is leading a team to inspect the Shayi Road. There are piles of garbage near the farmhouses along the way. That’s the matter."
Zhang Youfa finally breathed a sigh of relief. He said, "Secretary Hou, I was drinking with Director Qin from the Development Zone last night. We talked about you, brother. Director Qin praised you endlessly. He’d like to treat you to a drink another day."
The return trip was slightly faster. They soon entered the jurisdiction of Mengdong Town. Hou Weidong had sharp eyes and spotted a Santana parked by the roadside from a distance. Several people were standing next to the car, one of whom was Zhang Youfa, the Party Secretary of Mengdong Town. He was similar in build to Zeng Zhaoqiang—tall and burly, with a distinct air of leadership.
Hou Weidong walked over to Zhu Yan and whispered, "Party Secretary Zhang Youfa of Mengdong Town is waiting by the road."
"Let Zhang Youfa get in the car. Let’s check the environmental sanitation along the way."
As soon as Zhang Youfa got in, Zhu Yan patted the seat beside him and said, "Secretary Zhang, come sit next to me."
The Iveco slowed down. The vehicle was tall, with clean windows and excellent visibility. Zhu Yan pointed to the piles of garbage near the farmhouses along the route and spoke gently, "Secretary Zhang, you are the Party Secretary governing this area. It is your undeniable responsibility to create a beautiful and tidy environment for the people. Look at these piles of garbage. They’ve probably been there for two or three years. Well, the shape is nice, almost like a small hill with aesthetic appeal."
Zhang Youfa was caught off guard by Zhu Yan’s dry humor and looked embarrassed. He said, "Secretary Zhu, I will arrange for people to clear the garbage immediately."
Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhang Youfa had a good relationship. He said, "Secretary Zhang, organize some people tomorrow. I’ll have the road maintenance section send engineering vehicles to help you haul the garbage away. These piles will probably require several large truckloads."
Zhu Yan continued in a gentle tone, "I won’t preach big principles. Let’s just talk about common sense.
'Is it not a joy to have friends coming from afar?' Secretary Changquan is a city leader and also our guest in Yiyang. When guests arrive, cleaning up the front and back of the house is a tradition of Yiyang people.
"Furthermore, rural hygiene habits need to change. It’s unsightly and prone to disease if it stays this dirty. This issue seems simple, but solving it is not easy. It will test your governing ability, Secretary Zhang."
Zhang Youfa nodded frequently, naturally making several assurances. As the car was about to leave Mengdong Town’s territory, he said, "Secretary Zhu, since we’re in Mengdong Town today, could you spare some time to meet with the Mengdong Town leadership team? Please give us some guidance on the highway development strategy. Mengdong Town is right next to the highway exit. I’ve been thinking about adjusting some land reserves, which might be useful in the future."
Zhu Yan was pleased to hear this and praised him, saying, "Secretary Zhang, this idea is very forward-looking. The County Party Committee is preparing to study this issue specifically. The state controls land strictly. We need to find ways to reserve a batch of land resources, which will be greatly beneficial for future development."
Having received praise, Zhang Youfa felt delighted inside. He then extended an invitation to Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan waved his hand and said, "I won’t go today. Since you have this idea, put in some effort when you get back. Draft a development plan for Mengdong Town that aligns with the highway strategy. Be bold and move quickly. Once you’ve achieved something notable, I’ll bring the County Party Committee team to learn from you."
The Iveco quickly passed the boundary of Mengdong Town. In the distance, they could see the broadcasting and television building under construction in Yiyang.
After the car stopped, Zhang Youfa shook hands and bid farewell to the leaders one by one. He then specifically walked over to Hou Weidong and said, "Secretary Hou, you are a great writer. Please take some time to guide us in completing our tasks." He shook Hou Weidong’s hand firmly, acting very familiar.
The car soon entered the urban area. Hou Weidong and Transportation Bureau Director Zhu Bing sat in the back. Zhu Bing turned his head and said, "Brother Hou, it’s been a long time since we got together. If you have nothing else tonight, I’ll arrange it. Let’s invite County Magistrate Zeng as well."
Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhu Bing owned a quarry in Shangqinglin. This quarry was actually a gift from Hou Weidong. Over the past two years, the quarry had brought each of them hundreds of thousands in income. Because of this, the relationship between Zeng, Zhu, and Hou was extraordinary. Hou Weidong didn’t hesitate and said, "If Secretary Zhu has no arrangements, let’s get together. It’s been two or three months since we last had a drink."
When they returned to the office, it was already five o’clock. Zhu Yan had just returned to his office, and two bureau directors were waiting to report on their work. Hou Weidong sat in the office waiting for Zhu Yan to finish work. After reading the newspaper for a while, he suddenly thought of Li Jing and called her.
"Li Jing, didn’t you say you were coming to Yiyang? Why haven’t you come over yet?"
Li Jing said happily, "How rare. Usually, I’m the one calling you. Today, the sun must have risen from the west. You actually remembered me."
"I’ve arranged dinner with County Magistrate Zeng and Director Zhu tonight. Where are you? Shazhou or Lingxi? If you’re in Shazhou, come over and join us for a drink."
Li Jing was an old acquaintance of both Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhu Bing. Jinggong Group still relied on Zeng and Zhu in many areas. Li Jing was a shrewd person and naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity. She said, "There’s nothing exciting in Yiyang. I just happened to call County Magistrate Zeng. I’ll arrange a wonderful program in Shazhou."
Hou Weidong laughed and said, "What kind of wonderful program? Nothing but good wine and women. I’m a good man. I never succumb to corruption."
Perhaps because Li Jing had extensive life experience, chatting with her was always relaxed for Hou Weidong. There was no need to hide anything hypocritically.
Li Jing giggled and said, "Never succumb? Don’t be silly. I know what County Magistrate Zeng likes. You’re a bit different from him, but essentially, men are all the same."
Hou Weidong laughed along and said, "Let’s leave it at that for now. I’m just a little secretary right now, bound by duty. I need to see if Secretary Zhu has any evening arrangements. If he goes home to rest, I’ll come to Shazhou."
After work, he waited until six o’clock. Zhu Yan was still unmoving in his office. Zhu Bing had already called several times. At six-thirty, Zhu Yan finally left the office.
Hou Weidong drove Zhu Yan to his doorstep and handed him his briefcase. Only then did he say, "Secretary Zhu, I’d like to take leave. I have something to do tonight and want to return to Shazhou. I’ll be back early tomorrow morning." Zhu Yan was magnanimous and said, "Go ahead. I’ve been running around all day. I’m shutting the door to guests tonight and going to sleep early."
After leaving Zhu Yan, Hou Weidong said to Old Liu, "Old Liu, drop me off at the Pedestrian Street. No need to wait for me." Old Liu joked, "Brother, are you setting up another home in Yiyang all by yourself?" Without Zhu Yan in the car, Hou Weidong felt much more relaxed. He said, "Old Liu, don’t make jokes like that. If my wife hears it, she’ll definitely fight with me when I get home."
The black Audi arrived at the Pedestrian Street. A traffic police officer saw the vehicle and immediately straightened his previously relaxed posture. Seeing Hou Weidong get out of the car, he looked confused for a moment. After the car drove away, he relaxed again.
At the entrance of the Pedestrian Street, Hou Weidong called Zhu Bing. A few minutes later, an off-road vehicle from the Transportation Bureau drove over. As soon as Hou Weidong got in, Zeng Zhaoqiang said, "President Li is treating us today. Let’s go to Shazhou."
The off-road vehicle performed excellently. Before eight o’clock, they entered Shazhou City. After turning left and right, they arrived at Jinggong Group’s office location. Hou Weidong was one of the secret shareholders of Jinggong Group. He entered through the back door, feeling quite different. He noticed the backyard had become increasingly serene and elegant. He thought to himself, "This girl Li Jing really has some ability. She single-handedly built Jinggong Group and made it so high-class."
In the front hall, Li Jing was wearing a dress similar to an evening gown with bare shoulders, draped with a thin gauze scarf. It accentuated her already exquisite figure, making it even more captivating. When Zeng Zhaoqiang entered the front hall, Li Jing casually reached out and affectionately patted the dandruff on his shoulder, saying, "You must be hungry. Let’s eat first, then watch the performance."
Hou Weidong asked curiously, "What performance?" Li Jing smiled and said, "I won’t say now. You’ll know naturally in a while."
Zeng Zhaoqiang’s gaze lingered on Li Jing for a moment. He said, "President Li, stop keeping us in suspense. Confess honestly."
Li Jing led the way ahead, her waist swaying with charm. She glanced back with a flirtatious look and said, "Impatience won’t let you eat hot tofu."
On the second floor, taking advantage of the gap when Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhu Bing went to the restroom, Li Jing stood beside Hou Weidong and whispered, "Director Zhu has assigned another seven-kilometer road section to Jinggong Group. We’ll sign the contract the day after tomorrow, and the advance payment will follow shortly."
They exchanged a few words. Zeng Zhaoqiang and Zhu Bing came out one after the other. Zeng Zhaoqiang said, "Let’s eat quickly. I’m really hungry."
Hou Weidong thought to himself, "Old Zeng is probably not just hungry in his stomach. He’s eager in other ways too."
(End of Chapter 244)