Chapter 228: New Job (Part 2)

Chapter 228: New Job (Part 2)

Hou Weidong returned to the Science and Technology Commission from Deputy County Mayor Gao’s office. His workspace was the innermost room, requiring him to pass through every other office to reach it. As he walked by, he took the opportunity to observe his colleagues’ conduct. Zhou Yongtai was dead drunk and had been sent home, leaving his office door firmly shut. Director Xiao Ning was slumped over his desk, seemingly asleep. The director of the Information Institute, Wang, was chatting intimately with a female colleague. Two older staff members were bent over their desks, copying documents by hand.

This state of affairs at the Commission stemmed from deep-rooted causes and long-standing habits; it was not something that could be rectified overnight. Hou Weidong had spoken with Zhou Yongtai and reviewed some files, gaining a partial understanding of the situation. He knew that without resolving fundamental institutional and material issues, the current stagnation was impossible to fix. Shaking his head in resignation, he retreated to his own office.

He spent some time drinking tea, then picked up the newspapers subscribed to by the Commission, flipping through them idly. He finished reading the People’s Daily and the Lingxi Daily Worker from the past month. Glancing at his watch, he was startled to find it was already three in the afternoon. Time had slipped away unnoticed.

Hou Weidong was reminded of Zhu Ziqing’s essay on time. He thought to himself, “If a person lives to be one hundred, that amounts to roughly thirty-six thousand days. Yet we squander this finite time so casually. Time slips away in the blink of an eye, never to be recovered. It is said that if an object reaches the speed of light, time slows down. But with current technology, reaching such speeds is impossible within a human lifetime. Therefore, the time that belongs to us is lost forever.”

The thought that such precious hours were being wasted on newspapers and trivial, meaningless tasks stirred a nameless irritation in Hou Weidong’s heart.

At half past three, Hou Weidong walked back into the main office area. Director Xiao Ning was still slumped over his desk. Hou Weidong bent his fingers and tapped the desk lightly. Xiao Ning remained as immovable as a mountain. Hou Weidong increased the force of his tapping, making a louder noise, which finally startled Xiao Ning awake.

Xiao Ning’s eyes were hazy. This was not the dreamy look of someone seeing a lover, but the glazed confusion of excessive drinking. For a moment, he was disoriented and did not recognize the person standing before him. When he finally focused and saw it was Hou Weidong, he hurriedly stood up.

Seeing his condition, Hou Weidong knew Xiao Ning had definitely been drinking at lunch. If this were the New Management Committee, such behavior in a window-facing department would be strictly prohibited. However, the circumstances here were different, so he relaxed his standards and arranged matters calmly. “Draft a request to the government to purchase a computer. The leadership has already agreed.”

Having served as the office director for many years, Xiao Ning found this minor task a piece of cake. After Hou Weidong left, he took a sheet of paper, skipped the draft stage, and wrote it out in one go.

“What beautiful handwriting,” Hou Weidong remarked sincerely upon seeing Xiao Ning’s draft. “I took a calligraphy course in college, but I lacked the talent. My writing is now quite poor. I was criticized by Secretary Ji many times when I worked in the General Office.”

Xiao Ning was a member of the Shazhou Calligraphers Association and was quite proud of his script. Hearing Hou Weidong’s praise, he replied with self-deprecation, “Nowadays, all materials are required to be typed. Leaders hardly look at handwritten documents anymore. Good handwriting is useless. The idea that calligraphy is a stepping stone for career advancement is outdated. It’s just for personal enjoyment now.”

The document was flawless in both format and content, and the beautiful handwriting made it a pleasure to read. Hou Weidong picked up his pen and signed “Approved.” After writing, he examined his signature closely. His handwriting was decent, standard and neat, but it still fell short when compared to Xiao Ning’s calligraphy.

Xiao Ning took the signed document and wobbled out of the room. Watching his retreating back, Hou Weidong secretly compared Xiao Ning with Yi Zhongcheng. “Xiao Ning and Yi Zhongcheng are fundamentally different. Yi Zhongcheng has the backing of Yi Zhongling and must be transferred out. Xiao Ning’s flaws are minor and tolerable.” Although both the Science and Technology Commission and the New Management Committee were units at the principal section level, they were worlds apart. The New Management Committee had dozens of staff, so replacing Yi Zhongcheng was not a shortage of candidates. The Commission, however, had only a few people. Counting them carefully, Xiao Ning was still the most suitable candidate for the office director position.

At five o’clock, Hou Weidong left the office early. As the top leader, he did not need to ask for leave; he simply closed the door and left, enjoying a sense of freedom. He drove his Bluebird car from Liang Bifa’s courtyard, circling the city. Unconsciously, he found himself in the southern suburbs, passing through the territory of the New Management Committee, then driving past the Bugao residential complex to the Lingxi Expressway entrance. At the exit, he got out of the car and stared blankly at the New Management Committee, where he had once poured his sweat and effort.

The Bugao residential complex had reached its roofline. The exterior walls, tiled in alternating red and white, were almost completely finished. It looked like a girl of sixteen or seventeen, having shed some of her青涩 (greenness) and gained a touch of brightness. Li Jing’s residential complex, meanwhile, was still growing upward like bamboo shoots. The two complexes were separated by a wide road, giving the area a distinct Lingxi real estate flavor.

The entire planning of the New Management Committee embodied Hou Weidong’s hard work, and the layout of the new residential buildings was inextricably linked to him. Just as the project was about to bear fruit, a single transfer order moved him from the bustling New Management Committee to the Science and Technology Commission. Hou Weidong deeply felt the helplessness of life.

After waiting for a while, a Santana also arrived at the expressway exit. Out stepped Zhou Qiang, an old acquaintance from Qinglin Town and the Huofo Coal Mine. He was extremely enthusiastic. “It’s been a long time since we last met! I had dinner with Secretary Qin yesterday and specifically mentioned you. We are both from Qinglin Town, so Mayor Hou, please take care of me.”

Zhou Qiang was a somewhat famous figure in Yiyang, well-informed and quick with news. He knew Hou Weidong had been transferred from the New Management Committee to the Science and Technology Commission, but he still used the title he had in Qinglin Town, showing his familiarity and kindness.

A few minutes later, a minibus from the Transportation Bureau arrived. Minibuses were rare in Yiyang; the Transportation Bureau was the first unit to adopt one. Deputy County Mayor Zeng Zhaoqiang did not drive himself but rode in Zhu Bing’s minibus. Zhu Bing sat in the front passenger seat. He did not get out but waved to Hou Weidong and Zhou Qiang from the car, saying, “Hanhu.”

Zhou Qiang then realized that Hou Weidong was going to Hanhu with Zeng Zhaoqiang. He assumed Hou Weidong was discussing business and did not want too many people to know. He thought to himself, “Hou Weidong is the Director of the Science and Technology Commission. What is he doing joining in on this?”

The Yiyang to Shazhou section of the expressway originally had two exits: the Yiyang exit and the Shazhou exit. This layout made transportation inconvenient for Shuangjiang Town, a large suburban town of Shazhou. Shuangjiang Town had always been known as Shazhou’s “little garden,” famous for its industry. Hanhu was located about ten miles from Shuangjiang Town. After the expressway opened, the inconvenience of transportation severely restricted various industries in Shuangjiang Town. Under the strong demands of all sectors in Shuangjiang Town, the Highway Management Office finally agreed to open an exit for the town. Today, the Shuangjiang Town exit finally opened to traffic.

Since the Shuangjiang Town exit opened, Hou Weidong had never gotten off; he always sped past. Today was the first time he came to Shuangjiang Town from the expressway exit.

Shuangjiang Town lived up to its reputation as a large town. As soon as they arrived at the exit, they saw a well-decorated beauty salon. Several girls with red lips, dressed revealingly, stood outside the yard, looking at the three cars with seductive eyes, clothing, and body language. One middle-aged man waved from the roadside. Seeing that the three cars showed no intention of stopping, the man did not get angry but returned to sit at the entrance.

Along this route, Hou Weidong roughly estimated there were at least a dozen hair salons and so-called beauty salons. Many cars were parked outside these shops, indicating good business. At the end of the exit area, a two-story building was constructed, with a police badge hanging above it. Two police cars were parked in the small courtyard. The first floor was completely dark, while bright lights shone from several large windows on the left side of the second floor.

Hou Weidong found the appearance of the police station strange. He thought, “Why is the police station holding a night meeting?” However, he did not think too deeply about it and drove past the police station in a flash.

After driving for nearly ten more minutes, they reached the old highway from Yiyang to Shazhou. Previously, the route from Yiyang to Shazhou did not pass through Shuangjiang Town; at this intersection, one would turn directly into the main road without going to Sanjiang Town. The three cars entered Hanhu without stopping, merely slowing down, and drove directly into Building No. 2.

Hanhu was still the same Hanhu, but without the graceful Li Jing, it suddenly lost its color and charm in Hou Weidong’s heart. Zeng Zhaoqiang, Zhu Bing, and Hou Weidong sat on the sofa, drinking tea and chatting. Zhou Qiang called the female manager aside and gave instructions with hand gestures.

“Zhou Qiang is in the coal business. It is reasonable for him to treat Deputy County Mayor Zeng Zhaoqiang, who is in charge of industry. But why is he treating Transportation Bureau Director Zhu Bing? Does he want to change careers?” Hou Weidong spoke while pondering this in his mind.

Just as he was thinking, Zeng Zhaoqiang asked Zhu Bing, “Old Zhu, how is the quality of Zhou Qiang’s engineering team?” Zhu Bing replied, “This time they repaired seven and a half miles of county road. After inspection, the quality was quite good. Now he wants to bid for a section of the Yichen Road.”

Zeng Zhaoqiang asked skeptically, “He has always been in the coal business. Does he have the ability to build roads?” Zhu Bing explained, “Zhou Qiang is very familiar with market operations. He recruited many technical personnel from the Shatou Company. Technically, they are okay. It’s a pity for the Shatou Company. It was such a booming enterprise three years ago, yet it collapsed like this.”

They discussed engineering matters without avoiding Hou Weidong. Hearing about the Yichen Road, Hou Weidong knew his guess was largely correct.

The Yichen Road referred to the highway from Yiyang County to Chenqiao County. Chenqiao County was a populous county in the Maoyun Region, bordering Yiyang. Opening the Yichen Road would allow Shazhou and Maoyun to connect via this route, saving at least three hours. For this reason, when Deputy Party Secretary Yang Senlin proposed the Yichen Road project, both Shazhou and Maoyun sides supported it strongly.

After the relevant procedures were completed, Deputy Party Secretary Yang Senlin had become County Mayor Yang Senlin and served as the Commander of the Yichen Highway Construction Command. Zeng Zhaoqiang was the Deputy Commander, and Zhu Bing was the Director of the Command Office.

After discussing engineering matters for a while, Zeng Zhaoqiang turned to Hou Weidong. “The County Party Committee is playing nonsense. How could they bear to put a capable talent like you in a department like the Science and Technology Commission? Brother, you need to think of a way. I suggest you transfer to Maoyun. With Secretary Zhu’s support, you could become a county leader in a few years.”

Hou Weidong replied vaguely, “I am also looking for a way. Such matters cannot be rushed.”

Zeng Zhaoqiang added, “I know you are unhappy. I have wanted to invite you out to relax for a long time, but I have been busy with the Yichen Road project. Today, I finally have some free time, and coincidentally met you. Let us brothers have a good drink. ‘One drink solves a thousand worries; wake up and you are a hero again.’”

Hou Weidong said, “Brother Zeng speaks well. Let us get drunk tonight.”

Zhou Qiang, having arranged everything, came in smiling. “I contacted Hanhu this morning. They specially air-freished carp and knife-jaw fish. These are two of the Four Famous Fish of the Yangtze River. The others are pufferfish and catfish. Pufferfish is too poisonous, so I dare not eat it. I could not get the catfish.”

Zeng Zhaoqiang laughed, “Since we have famous Yangtze fish, let us have a good meal today. Director Zhu, do not mention work matters. Accompany Brother Hou and get drunk.”

Dish after dish of delicacies was placed on the table. They were indeed authentic Yangtze river fresh, with tender meat and fresh soup. Zeng Zhaoqiang, holding the highest position, said, “Eat the fish first. We will drink later. After a few cups of wine, the sense of taste is destroyed, which would be a waste of heaven’s gifts.”

This statement aligned perfectly with Hou Weidong’s thoughts. He found the river fish truly delicious and did not hesitate, focusing on savoring the delicacies. Soon, the bowls of carp and knife-jaw fish were empty. As for other river fresh, the taste was inferior to these two, and he ate them often anyway, so he barely touched them.

When the fish bowls were empty, Zeng Zhaoqiang laughed, “Hey, everyone stop eating. Mr. Zhou, pour the wine.” After the wine was poured, Zeng Zhaoqiang said, “Brother Hou has suffered grievances recently. The first cup is to wish Brother Hou an early escape from this predicament.”

Zeng Zhaoqiang was a large man, usually serious and imposing on stage. Today, speaking such words in his capacity as Deputy County Mayor, it moved Hou Weidong greatly. He raised his glass and clinked it vigorously.

Although Zeng Zhaoqiang had said not to discuss official business, Zhou Qiang had been keeping it in mind. Taking advantage of Zeng and Zhu’s good mood, he brought up the Yichen Road project.

For Zeng and Zhu, as long as there was qualification and capital, it did not matter who did the project. Zhou Qiang had recruited many technical personnel from the Shatou Company and mixed in qualifications, a point Zeng Zhaoqiang believed. However, he still had some doubts about Zhou Qiang’s financial strength. He said, “Mr. Zhou, I will speak directly. Building roads requires capital. Coal is not selling well now. Do you have the funds to cover the initial costs?” Zhou Qiang’s Huofo Coal Mine was originally a mine in Qinglin Town. Later, during enterprise restructuring, he spent about 1.7 million yuan to buy it. Who knew that coal prices would drop continuously? Now, the coal pile in the Huofo Coal Mine’s yard was as high as a small mountain, and he had already lost a considerable amount of money.

Hearing Zeng Zhaoqiang mention funds, Zhou Qiang said, “I still have some money on hand. Also, I am preparing to sell the Huofo Coal Mine. The mine is rich in resources and has good equipment. Several bosses want to buy my mine, but the price has not been agreed upon yet.” This was just putting up a brave face. The coal industry was currently in a severe downturn. Who would want to buy coal? Now, Zhou Qiang was begging people everywhere to take over his Huofo Coal Mine in order to raise funds for the engineering project.

Zeng Zhaoqiang, in charge of industry, knew the困境 (predicament) of the coal industry very well. He said, “If you can sell it, you should be grateful. How can you talk about the price?”

Zhou Qiang knew he could not hide it from Zeng Zhaoqiang. He said, “Huofo Coal Mine is different. The resources are thick. When the market improves, it will definitely make money sooner or later. If this project did not urgently need money, I would not think of selling the mine.” Building a road earned immediate cash, while Zhou Qiang had no idea when the coal market would recover. Therefore, he was eager to extricate himself from the coal industry, seize the time to build more roads, and earn immediate cash.

Hou Weidong had dug his first pot of gold from a quarry and had always had a fondness for resource-based enterprises. Hearing this conversation, his mind began to move. He thought, “Huofo Coal Mine is indeed a good mine. If bought, it will definitely have potential in the future.” He tentatively said, “I know many big bosses from my time at the New Management Committee. I can help you ask around.”

Zhou Qiang’s eyes lit up. “That would be great. I trouble you, Director Hou. Do you know my phone number? Contact me immediately if there is any news.” Seeing his expression, Hou Weidong thought, “Zhou Qiang is so eager. It seems I can bargain hard.”

Zhu Bing said from the side, “Since Director Hou is willing to help contact, why doesn’t Mr. Zhou offer two more toasts?” Zhou Qiang raised his glass and said, “I entrust this matter to Director Hou. Contact me if there is any news.”

After drinking and eating to satisfaction, Zhou Qiang said, “Hanhu has several new masseuses. Their skills are very good. Leaders are usually too tired. Let us relax today.”

Zhou Qiang had connected with Zeng Zhaoqiang through Qin Feiyue. Last month, when Zeng Zhaoqiang went to the South, Zhou Qiang had followed him closely. After returning, their relationship had drawn closer. Therefore, Zhou Qiang dared to bid for the Yichen Road section.

Zeng Zhaoqiang said, “Regular massage is fine. Do not play other tricks.”

Hou Weidong had played at Hanhu with Zeng Zhaoqiang before. Seeing Zeng Zhaoqiang agree, he did not object. However, remembering the lights at the police station, he felt a vague unease. As he followed the younger sister outside, he inexplicably thought of Qin Feiyue’s incident. Back then, Qin Feiyue had been blocked by the police station in a very safe place. Fortunately, he had not been caught on the spot; otherwise, he would not have been able to make a comeback.