Chapter 124: Divergence (Part 5)

Chapter 124: Divergence (5)

The sun shone brightly over Quan Lake in Shazhou. A gentle breeze rippled across the water, creating a shimmering surface. Although it was only early spring, the air already carried a faint hint of the season’s warmth.

The guests from Yiyang County were accommodated in Building 6. This building featured a spacious terrace adorned with rare flowers and plants, along with a pond containing over a dozen koi fish. From this vantage point, one could enjoy a picturesque view of the lake.

Zeng Zhaoqiang, feeling thoroughly relaxed after his soak in the hot springs, lounged lazily in a rattan chair, basking in the sunlight.

Nearby, Zhu Bing and Hou Weidong were engaged in a game of Go. The Sino-Japanese Go matches had cultivated a large following of enthusiasts, both genuine and casual, and both Zhu Bing and Hou Weidong counted themselves among them.

Li Jing changed into a light-colored skirt suit and restyled her hair. She personally brought out a basin containing a set of high-end Jingdezhen porcelain—a teapot and three cups.

"County Magistrate Zeng, this is the latest Yiyang Qinglin pre-Qingming tea. It has been specially processed and has a rich, mellow flavor. Please, taste it." As Li Jing spoke, her eyes still held a deep, lingering affection.

Zeng Zhaoqiang looked at Li Jing, whose figure was subtly visible through her sheer clothing. He privately reflected on their earlier intimate encounter, thinking with a touch of regret, "It seems that in middle age, one's stamina declines sharply."

Li Jing exchanged a few more pleasantries with Zhu Bing and Hou Weidong. Suddenly, the phone at her waist rang. She answered it and then turned to Zeng Zhaoqiang. "County Magistrate Zeng, I apologize, but some guests have arrived. I need to attend to them. Please enjoy your tea; I have already arranged for dinner."

Anyone who could visit Quan Lake was either wealthy or influential. Zeng Zhaoqiang waved his hand dismissively. "Go ahead and handle your business. Don't worry about us." He was a man who understood the rules of the game. He knew that with a woman like Li Jing, a fleeting encounter of gold and jade was possible, but any attempt at exclusive possession was absolutely out of the question.

Li Jing walked over to Hou Weidong and Zhu Bing. "Director Zhu, Town Mayor Hou, please continue your game. I need to attend to some social obligations." She drifted away, leaving behind a faint fragrance on the terrace of Building 6.

Although Li Jing did not reappear, the service quality at Quan Lake was indeed first-class. A supervisor in a work uniform arrived, obtained their permission, and set up dinner in a small private room to the left of Building 6.

The dishes were few, but each was exquisite.

There was only one bottle of wine: Moutai. Moutai sold in cities across the country was often counterfeit, but the Moutai at Quan Lake was rumored to be absolutely authentic. Hou Weidong poured a large cup of Moutai into a white porcelain cup, estimating it to be more than three liang (about 150ml). The liquor was viscous, clinging slightly to the sides of the cup, and emitted a distinctive aroma even before tasting.

The three men drank Moutai and ate wild fish brought from the Yangtze River.

After half a cup of wine, Zeng Zhaoqiang opened up. "I am a child of the countryside. Even now, I cannot forget the days of hunger. When I was in vocational school, my favorite thing was to go to the market. Watching different people buy pork and hearing the sound of the knife chopping on the cutting board gave me a special sense of satisfaction."

"Zhu Bing and Weidong are children of cadres. They have never known hunger, so they cannot relate to such feelings."

After Zeng Zhaoqiang finished his reminiscence about past hardships and present joys, the banquet was nearly over. Li Jing still had not appeared. All three understood clearly that she must have encountered more important guests, which is why she had not come to toast them.

Zeng Zhaoqiang finished the last drop of wine, ate two steamed dumplings, and stood up. "Li Jing definitely won't be coming. Let's head out."

Zhu Bing whispered to Hou Weidong, "Madman, you ride in my car. We can have a good chat."

Zeng Zhaoqiang was the Deputy County Magistrate. When they arrived, since there was only one car, Hou Weidong and Zeng Zhaoqiang had shared it, which was fine. Now that there were two cars, Hou Weidong should not sit in the same vehicle as Zeng Zhaoqiang. This was an unspoken rule of officialdom.

Hou Weidong was a smart man. He understood the implication immediately. He and Zhu Bing followed behind Zeng Zhaoqiang toward the parking lot.

The Quan Lake residential area was designed with great character. Upon entering the main gate, there was a large plaza. Ordinary guests parked their cars in the plaza and dined in the large restaurant nearby, enjoying the lake view. Important guests, however, were guided by separate lanes to different sections of the complex.

Hou Weidong had always enjoyed VIP treatment, so he had never encountered acquaintances within the complex. However, low probability did not mean impossibility. As the three men were walking toward the entrance of Building 6, a young man dressed quite casually emerged from Building 7. As they passed each other, the young man turned his head and stared at Hou Weidong. Hou Weidong also glanced at him.

The man was wearing a suit of excellent quality. He held his car keys, constantly twirling them in his hand. After walking a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and called out, "Hou Weidong."

Hou Weidong then realized who it was. It was the son of Mayor Bu, the owner of the Xinyue Building—Bu Gao. "President Bu, hello."

"Is your new apartment finished? Welcome to be among the first residents of Xinyue Building."

Bu Gao had learned from Xiaojia that Hou Weidong was a township cadre from Yiyang County. He had been somewhat surprised that Hou Weidong could afford to buy an apartment in Xinyue Building. However, surprise aside, Bu Gao had not really taken this township cadre seriously. Seeing Hou Weidong in Building 6 at Quan Lake immediately piqued his interest.

Hou Weidong replied politely, "Thank you, President Bu, for providing such high-quality housing."

These two sentences were empty of substance. Hou Weidong waved to Bu Gao. "President Bu, I must go now. Goodbye."

"A township cadre who has been out of university for only two years, yet he can come to Quan Lake and use Building 6. It seems this young man is not simple."

When Bu Gao reached the roof of Building 7, he could see the cement road leading away from Quan Lake. In the distance, two small cars slid one after another along the narrow cement path and quickly disappeared from sight. He stroked his chin with one hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Hou Weidong spent a day in Yiyang, handling the necessary business, and then returned to his apartment at Shazhou College. Under the desk lamp, with the faint sound of piano music drifting from the West District, he pondered his thoughts casually.

On the way back from Quan Lake to Yiyang, they passed through Donghong, a small town in Shazhou. In July 1993, when Hou Weidong had passed through Donghong, it was still a dilapidated and dirty town. But this time, as he passed through, he was suddenly struck by a bright change. Rows of small-leaf banyan trees had been planted along the edge of the town square. The streets were extremely clean, and a garden had been created in the center. It looked completely transformed.

Zhu Bing often passed through Donghong. Seeing Hou Weidong staring at it, he remarked casually, "Donghong has built a new town section to the north. Their slogan is to create the 'back garden' of Shazhou. I went to see it; it's quite nice."

Su Ming had previously asked Hou Weidong to think about the characteristic work of the Qinglin Government. Seeing the changes in Donghong Town, Hou Weidong began to form ideas.

At that moment, to the tune of the Moonlight Sonata, he closed his eyes and recalled the appearance of the Qinglin town square. His thoughts gradually became clear.

Early Thursday morning, Hou Weidong took a taxi to Qinglin Town. Upon reaching the town entrance, he deliberately got out and walked around the town square before heading toward the government compound along the street.

A small car drove out of the government compound, kicking up endless dust. It was like a sudden heavy snowstorm, enveloping Hou Weidong tightly.

Shops along the way had dumped garbage on the side of the road. White plastic waste and leftover soup and water were everywhere, a shocking sight. Yet the town residents seemed to ignore it. A girl who looked like a student was brushing her teeth right next to a pile of garbage.

Hou Weidong encountered Yang Feng coming out of a noodle shop and couldn't help but ask, "Why is the town square so dirty?" Yang Feng wiped the red oil from her mouth with a tissue and said, "The cleaning crew will come to collect the garbage in a moment. It will be fine after that." Hou Weidong shook his head. "It is much dirtier than Shangqinglin Town Square." Yang Feng explained, "Shangqinglin Town Square has only about seven hundred people. Qinglin Town Square has nearly three thousand. With more people, it is harder to manage."

Yesterday, he had been enjoying fine wine and the lake scenery at Quan Lake. Today, he was back in Qinglin Town Square, eating dust and looking at garbage. The contrast was too great.

Hou Weidong brushed the dust from his short hair. "The environment of the town square needs to be managed."

After arriving at his office and reviewing the new documents, Hou Weidong went to Su Ming's office. "Town Mayor Su, I have been thinking about the task you assigned me these past few days, and I have some ideas." Su Ming put down his pen. "Tell me."

Hou Weidong said, "The tasks facing all townships are the same. For the new government to create a distinctive feature is not easy. I haven't conducted a formal demonstration; this is just based on my feelings. My impression of Qinglin Town Square is poor. There are three problems: First, the construction of the town square is chaotic. The houses look as if they have been scratched by a rooster's claws—messy beyond belief. This feeling is particularly obvious when looking down from the mountain. Second, the town government office building is the former township government building. It has few rooms and is of low grade; it needs to be rebuilt. Third, the environmental hygiene of the town square is terrible. Walking from one end of the town to the other, your hair and nostrils will be full of dust."

Su Ming listened attentively. When Hou Weidong finished, he asked, "What is your main point?"

"I feel that if our current government can change the appearance of Qinglin Town Square, integrating the green mountains, clear water, and the town square to create a beautiful, livable small town, like those in Europe, and if we can really do this well, it will certainly cause a sensation in Yiyang and even Shazhou City."

Su Ming said, "Town Mayor Hou, your idea is good, but the scale of the project is too large. It involves a massive amount of demolition and relocation, leading to prominent conflicts. It is a hornet's nest. It definitely cannot be completed within three years." He paused. "After three years, whether you and I are still in Qinglin Town is uncertain."

"Town Mayor Su, actually, I have an idea. Every time I come down from Shangqinglin, I always stop for a while on that rock halfway down the slope. From there, I can see the entire panorama of Qinglin Town Square."

"There are many trees around Qinglin Town Square, but inside the square, it is all a mess of houses with no greenery visible. Behind the town square, over that small hill, there is a large flat area. We can broaden our thinking and build a new town behind that small hill."

"First, expropriate the land, and simultaneously halt construction in the old town square, guiding everyone to build houses in the new town square."

Su Ming leaned back in his high-backed chair, deep in thought.

Hou Weidong continued, "If we cannot build a new town for now, we can focus strictly on town square hygiene. First, consider hardening the road for several hundred meters at the town entrance. This will prevent mud from being brought into the town. The town should establish a more professional cleaning team. We can collect a small fee from each household and insist on daily cleaning."

Su Ming nodded. "This is doable. The town previously had a cleaning team, but there were not enough people, and the requirements were not high."

"I was inspired by Shangqinglin Primary School. The buildings in Shangqinglin Primary School are not great, but because they planted many osmanthus trees, it became a beautiful scenic spot. There are many wild osmanthus trees on Qinglin Mountain. We can select a few hundred and turn Qinglin Town into an Osmanthus Town. Of course, we don't have to use osmanthus; small-leaf banyans or French plane trees would also work."

After Hou Weidong left, Su Ming took out the map of Qinglin Town and used a ruler to measure and mark it repeatedly. Sometimes, a good idea is like a thin layer of paper; once pierced, people suddenly realize, "Oh, so this is how things can be done!"

Su Ming became interested in the idea of rebuilding a new Qinglin.

Zhao Yongsheng pushed the door open and saw Su Ming studying the map with intense concentration. He smiled. "Town Mayor Su, why are you looking at a map?"

Su Ming pulled Zhao Yongsheng to the table. "Secretary Zhao, I have been thinking about the work of the new government. Today, I have a bold idea, though it may not be fully mature yet."

Zhao Yongsheng placed one hand on his hip. "It doesn't matter if it's not mature. We can discuss it more, and it will naturally mature. Tell me, let's hear it."

After listening to Su Ming's idea, Zhao Yongsheng frowned. After a while, he said, "The scale of this project is too large. With Qinglin Town's financial resources, it might take ten years to complete. Furthermore, this area covers over a hundred mu of land. The land requirement is too large, and it is all fertile arable land. It won't be approved if we submit it."

Su Ming explained, "This is just a concept. Specific implementation will require demonstration. Currently, I feel this matter can be done."

Zhao Yongsheng fundamentally disagreed with building another Qinglin Town. He changed the subject. "Tomorrow is the mobilization meeting for the funeral reform propaganda campaign. I have always been somewhat uneasy. The difficulty of funeral reform will not be less than that of family planning. Especially in the early stages, fights are inevitable. Hou Weidong jumped from an ordinary clerk directly to the position of Deputy Town Mayor without going through the secondary leadership team. I worry that he lacks experience. If he messes it up, it will be hard to clean up the mess."

Su Ming had more contact with Hou Weidong in his work. He said, "Hou Weidong works steadily. His thinking is clear, and his work methods are good. I am relatively放心 (reassured) when he handles things. At the very least, on Qinglin Mountain, he can rally everyone with a single call."

Zhao Yongsheng thought to himself, "That is not false. If he didn't have this ability, how would he have been elected Deputy Town Mayor?" Out loud, he said, "I am still somewhat worried about him leading the funeral reform work."

"I think there is no need to worry. Let the young people do the work, and you can do the final review." Su Ming became more interested in the new plan as he looked at the map. He steered the topic back. "I think the plan to build a new town can be considered. Let's bring it up at the joint party and government meeting and see what everyone's opinions are. If everyone thinks it's feasible, we can invite colleagues from the Construction Committee to take a look."

Seeing that Su Ming was persistent on the topic of the new town, Zhao Yongsheng felt a slight displeasure. "This is a major matter concerning the whole town. It was not raised at this year's People's Congress. Let's not raise it again. If it is truly necessary and feasible, we can raise it at next year's People's Congress. Town Mayor Su, do you think that works?"

Seeing that Zhao Yongsheng fundamentally disagreed, Su Ming also calmed down. He placed his pencil on the blueprint. "Alright, let's put the new town matter aside for now."

A smile appeared on Zhao Yongsheng's face. He sat opposite Su Ming. "The day before yesterday, I went to the County Party Committee Organization Department. The department requires each town to report one backward village branch as the target for rectification this year. Which village do you think we should report?"

Su Ming ran through the list of villages in his mind. "If we talk about particularly poor ones, I can't name one immediately. But if we look at hard indicators like retained funds,统筹 (统筹 funds), and agricultural tax, it would probably be the villages on the opposite bank of the Xiaqinglin River."

Zhao Yongsheng rubbed his forehead. "Town Mayor Su's suggestion is good. Let's follow this line of thinking. I will have Liu Kun run around these villages. Next week, at the joint party and government meeting, we will finalize this matter."

Hou Weidong was sitting in his office, revising the speech materials for tomorrow, when Zhao Yongsheng called.

"Town Mayor Hou, how are the preparations for tomorrow going?"

Hou Weidong reported, "Currently, two important documents have been issued. One is the 'Notice on Conducting Funeral Reform in Qinglin Town,' which mainly contains the county's document with added content specific to Qinglin Town. The second is the document from the Funeral Reform Leading Group, which has been printed."

Zhao Yongsheng interrupted. "How do you plan to hold the meeting?"

"First