Chapter 17: Running Oneself Ragged (Part 4)

*Chapter 17: Running Oneself Ragged (Part 4)*

In society, a numb, rigid, and arrogant expression is often referred to as a "bureaucrat’s face." Hou Weidong had heard this rumor many times before. Previously, he had dismissed it as an exaggeration. However, the scene in the office at that moment vividly demonstrated to him what it truly meant to face "doors that are hard to enter, faces that are hard to look at, words that are hard to hear, and matters that are hard to handle."

He thought to himself, "Enthusiasm, attentiveness, and integrity are the basic qualities of a grassroots civil servant. When I become an official in the future, I must change this situation."

But ideals remain ideals. The reality was that Hou Weidong had to complete his procedures at the Yiyang County Personnel Bureau.

He sat on a wooden stool, his back resting comfortably against the wall. A young man took off his glasses and carefully wiped them with a velvet cloth. Seeing that Chairman Jiang was not around, he made an oblique remark, "Some people do nothing but complain about待遇 (treatment), demand salary raises, and fight for housing. This 'big pot rice' system should have been smashed long ago." After venting his grievances, he stretched his neck to look out the door and asked Hou Weidong, "What do you need?"

"I am a graduate from Shazhou College this year. I passed the Yiyang Party and Government Cadre Selection Exam. I would like to know when I should report for duty."

Upon hearing this, the young man’s attitude improved slightly, like a sky finally showing signs of clearing after days of rain. "Oh, that matter. You need to go to the Comprehensive Cadre Section next door and find Section Chief Zhu."

It took nearly an hour for him to utter those few words. Hou Weidong felt his anger rising, but he had no outlet for it. Strictly speaking, the other party had made no obvious mistake. He tried to maintain his composure and replied politely, "Thank you."

He went to the Comprehensive Cadre Section, where it was even more crowded. Hou Weidong waited for nearly another hour before a desk became vacant. He stepped forward and said, "Hello, comrade. I am a graduate from Shazhou College. I passed the Yiyang Party and Government Cadre Selection Exam. May I ask when I should report for duty?"

He handed over the relevant certificates. The balding middle-aged man examined them carefully, then pulled a form from his drawer, glanced at it, and said, "Hou Weidong, you did well on the exam. It seems you are a top student." Seeing Section Chief Zhu’s amiable attitude, Hou Weidong felt a sense of goodwill. "A section chief is indeed a section chief; his level is higher than that of a clerk."

Section Chief Zhu spoke slowly and deliberately, "The assignment plan for the ten of you has not been finalized yet. Come back on July 15th."

"Thank you, Section Chief Zhu." Hou Weidong, pleased by the middle-aged man’s gentle tone and the satisfactory answer, forgot the earlier unpleasantness. He left the Yiyang County Personnel Bureau and took a bus back to his hometown, Wu Hai County.

Riding the swaying bus home, Hou Weidong’s mother, Liu Guangfen, was in the kitchen preparing lunch. She didn’t hear the brakes but heard the door open, so she knew it was her youngest son, Hou Weidong. She was overjoyed but deliberately hid in the kitchen, waiting for him to come in.

Because of the matter with Xiaojia, Hou Weidong’s heart had been heavy. However, he did not want his parents to know about the grievances he had suffered in Shazhou. He deliberately said cheerfully, "Mom, I’m back." Hearing no response, he walked straight into the kitchen and called out loudly, "Mom, I’m back."

"Where have you been running off to instead of coming home after graduation?" Liu Guangfen had a smile on her face, but she kept her back to Hou Weidong, not letting him see her expression. Hou Weidong thought his mother was truly angry, so he walked into the kitchen, placed his hand on her shoulder, and smiled, "I just came from the Yiyang County Personnel Bureau. The people in the Comprehensive Cadre Section told me to report for duty on July 15th."

Only then did Liu Guangfen turn around with a beaming smile. "I thought you had a wife and didn’t need your old mother anymore." She took a basin of fish from the refrigerator. The fish had been delivered by the eldest son that morning, freshly killed and still very fresh. She skillfully scaled it, cut it into large chunks, and seasoned it with salt. As she worked, she asked, "Where have you been assigned?"

Hou Weidong saw a basin of braised pork ribs in the kitchen. He took the one with the most meat and began to eat it with relish right there in the kitchen. Since July 1st, he had not eaten well for several meals, so his appetite was huge. With his mouth full of meat, he mumbled, "They say it hasn’t been decided yet. I’ll know when I report for duty."

Liu Guangfen was a primary school teacher. Her proudest achievement was raising three children who were physically healthy and mentally mature.

Her husband, Hou Yonggui, had served in the army for over ten years. Liu Guangfen had raised all three children single-handedly. Now, the eldest, Hou Weiguo, was a backbone member of the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Wu Hai County Public Security Bureau. The second child, Hou Xiaoying, was an accountant at the silk spinning factory. The third was about to start working. All three children were her heart and soul, but deep down, she loved Hou Weidong, who had been mischievous since childhood, the most.

During his adolescence, Hou Weidong was a rebellious youth who often got into fights. As the wife of a police officer, Liu Guangfen was constantly worried that her youngest son would learn bad habits from hooligans in society, often keeping her awake at night.

As her three children grew into adults, Liu Guangfen’s hair had turned white without her noticing. However, her efforts had not been in vain. Since entering university, her youngest son, Hou Weidong, seemed to mature instantly. The mischievous boy had even become a student cadre and joined the Party in his junior year.

When they heard the news of their son joining the Party, Hou Yonggui and Liu Guangfen specially bought a leg of mutton. They asked the eldest son, Hou Weiguo, to drive and pick up the youngest son from Shazhou College. They also asked their daughter and son-in-law to return. Hou Xiaoying hurried home and, upon hearing it was to celebrate her brother joining the Party, laughed and cried, saying, "Dad, you’re biased. You weren’t this happy when I got into university." Hou Weidong’s brother-in-law, a mid-level cadre at the Silk Company, understood well. "A prodigal son returning is worth more than gold. It’s no wonder Dad and Mom are so happy."

The whole family enjoyed a delicious meal, using the occasion of the youngest son joining the Party.

Liu Guangfen watched her son eating voraciously and said, "You’re back from Shazhou. What was the opinion of Xiaojia’s family?" Hou Weidong felt a pang in his heart but pretended to be indifferent, saying calmly, "Xiaojia’s parents do not agree."

Liu Guangfen had long anticipated this result. She looked at her son’s face and said angrily, "My son is in good condition. On what grounds do they disagree?"

Hou Weidong smiled bitterly in his heart but appeared very open-minded. "Shazhou is a prefecture-level city, while Yiyang and Wu Hai are just county towns. Water flows downhill, and people seek higher ground. It is only human nature for Xiaojia’s parents not to want their daughter to marry into a county town. It is understandable."

"Besides, Xiaojia is an only child. Her parents want to keep her by their side, which is perfectly reasonable."

Regarding the marriage between Hou Weidong and Xiaojia, Liu Guangfen, as the male side’s parent, had adopted an attitude of letting it be if her son liked her. However, this outcome was within her expectations. Seeing the faint melancholy hidden in her son’s eyes after he returned, she thought about how to comfort him. But when she heard her son say the very words she had prepared to say, she felt relieved. "A real man, as long as he has ability, need not worry about not finding a wife. Your brother is twenty-eight and hasn’t rushed to find a wife either. You don’t need to rush. The immediate task is to do your job well. You are a man; it’s not too late to consider marriage after three or five years."

As they were talking, the sound of a car came from outside. An ordinary yellow jeep stopped downstairs. A young man wearing a jacket jumped out of the car. He looked very much like Hou Weidong, only slightly heavier, with short, straight hair that looked very energetic.

This was the eldest son of the Hou family, Hou Weiguo. He walked very fast. Entering the house, he heard Hou Weidong call him "Brother" and said, "When did Little Third come back? Did you meet Xiaojia’s parents? Where have you been assigned?" He asked three questions and, without waiting for Hou Weidong to answer, walked to the refrigerator, took out a basin of cold water, and drank half of it in one go.

Every summer, Liu Guangfen would freeze rock sugar lemonade in the refrigerator to cool down her three children. This was also a necessary refreshing drink for the Hou family during the summer.

The Days in Qinglin