Chapter Nineteen Sudden Event

  At the dinner table, Qi Xiaonan pointed to Chen Gong with his hand and said, "Director Zhang, this is Comrade Chen Gong. The Land Bureau has sent us a good comrade who has helped our town do many things."

  Zhang Zhonghua had an empty seat next to him except for Qi Xiaonan. "Come on, Comrade Chen Gong, come sit next to me."

  Chen Gong was taken aback by the favor, and his heart was still hesitant. Qi Xiao Nan became displeased, "Chen Gong, Director Zhang asked you to come over, so just come over. What's there to be embarrassed about? Hurry up."

  Chen Gong listened and immediately changed his position to stand beside Director Zhang, thinking in his heart that Director Zhang and Song Jie must be very familiar with each other.

  As expected, Director Zhang patted Chen Gong's back and said, "Director Song has mentioned you to me before, a very good young man. I'll let you in on a secret: this time, as the district land bureau sent you to serve at the grassroots level, the time is almost up. You and your batch can choose to stay in the township or return to your original unit. You should think carefully about it."

  Chen Gong was very humble, "Director Zhang, I'm not confident, can you give me some advice?"

  Director Zhang was very pleased to hear that. Leaders, after all, like the feeling of being high up. "Mmm, good, you go back to the bureau, at least they should give you a deputy department head position or something. In the town, being a director is no problem, and the work in the town is quite comprehensive. If you were to return to the district at the level of Mayor Guo or Secretary Qi, that would definitely be a role where you could hold your own. The competition in the district is much fiercer than here in the town. Of course, Director Song thinks highly of you. Right now, Director Song is the deputy head of the Organization Department and also the head of the Personnel Bureau, and he's about to be promoted to member of the District Committee and head of the Organization Department. If you follow Director Song's footsteps, your progress will be very rapid."

  Chen Gonggang wanted to thank Zhang Zhonghua, and Zhang Zhonghua continued, "Chen Gong, I heard from Director Song that you are his nephew? In the future, when there is an opportunity, can you please speak well of me in front of my future leader? After Director Song's promotion, the competition for the personnel bureau chief position was very fierce, but she has the most say."

  Chen Gong has already figured out that Zhang Zhonghua wants him to mention it to Song Huiyun, he wants to sit in this position.

  "No problem, Director Zhang. I'll mention it to Sister Song when I have a chance, but I don't dare guarantee the outcome." Although the two had a romantic relationship, Song Huiyun was a career-oriented woman, and he couldn't guarantee that she would listen to Chen Gong's arrangement.

  Director Zhang was also very pleased with Chen Gong's words, and smiled at Qi Xiaonan, saying, "Secretary Qi, you have to take good care of Little Chen for a day in Qinghe Town, don't bully him."

  Zi Xiao Nan also accompanied with a smile, "No problem, Little Chen is the pillar of our Qinghe Town, a key training object."

  A fierce stare from a table next to him was fixed on Chen Gong, and Chen Gong's peripheral vision could detect that someone was staring at him. He could feel that the gaze was not kind.

  After that person shifted his gaze, Chen Gong turned his head slightly and looked at his back. It was him. It seems that their relationship won't be good from now on.

  Fu Hai City, Wei Shu's home.

  "Dad, can you help me out and transfer Chen Gong to work in Fuhai City? He might be able to do it, I've seen his success with the village school reform." Wei Shuqin stood behind her father, patting his back.

  His father's calm voice, "Work matters are one's own affairs, it's okay to help a little at critical moments, others have done well, just started from the bottom, you moved him to another place, will affect his future, let's talk about it later."

  Wei Shuqin stuck out her tongue behind her father's back.

  "Shuqin, your mother has been gone for so many years, you've been crazy long enough, it's time to find a good man to settle down with. What about the son of the provincial government secretary I told you about last time? Do you think there's any possibility of development between you two? I heard you were high school classmates." Her father asked again.

  "Don't mention that person again. He's been like that since school days, you don't want to bring him up with me or I won't give you a back massage anymore." Wei Shuqin stopped her hands from moving.

  "You're not taken in by that Chen Gong, are you? Is he worthy of you?" Wei Shuqin's father worried.

  "It's still what era now, whether it's suitable or not, who knows, maybe after Chen Gong is done, he'll be stronger than you!" Wei Shuqin was unconvinced.

  "Do you think it's possible? The national situation is like this, my daughter. I'm not opposed to it, from childhood to adulthood, you see how I've spoiled you. If he can become the head of their Xinqiao District or town in a few years, I'll help him out. He really has potential, that's why I'd agree to your matter."

  Wei Shuqin thought in her heart: Chen Gong, cheer up, we will be together, I believe you.

  Chen Gong has now truly become Li Fenghua's superior, and the two are now brothers, colleagues, and superiors. Li Fenghua is naturally very happy, and Chen Gong also arrives at Li Fenghua's home early in the weekend.

  That day, many dust and garbage on the streets of Xin Qiao district were blown up by the wind, trees on both sides of the street also bent with the wind, accompanied by low temperature weather, Chen Gong let out a sneeze on the road.

  "Chen Gong, this young man has a pioneering spirit, our style is far inferior." Li Jiangtao was still the same as before, sitting on the sofa reading newspapers, watching TV and tasting tea.

  "I'm just lucky, Uncle Li. I'll drink a bit more today. I've brought you a bottle of Maotai." Chen Gong held up the bag in his hand.

  "Alright, drinking is one of life's greatest pleasures. Fenghua, don't let our leaders sit down yet, bring over the tea." Li Jiangtao instructed Li Fenghua, whose status was now declining by the day.

  "If I become the director, I will definitely recommend you as deputy director. With Uncle Guo's help, it's a sure thing." Although Chen Gong has just started, he still wants to pull his brother up.

  "I asked Chen Gong, aren't you going back to the National Land Bureau?" Li Fenghua still didn't know about the final arrangement for this grassroots service.

  "I've heard from the leader that this time it's a dual choice, I can stay in the town or go back to the bureau. I'm just getting familiar with the town, how can I bear to leave? It's better to stay and develop here." Chen Gong told Li Fenghua about the situation.

  Li Jiangtao also analyzed, "Staying in the town for development is a bit better than in the district, but you have to get close to the town mayor as soon as possible, otherwise you'll be dedicating your whole life to the town."

  Just as they had touched their cups together, Chen Gong's mobile phone rang. It was a call from the town's duty room. The voice on the other end of the line was urgent and rapid, "Director Chen, something's gone wrong! A strong wind has hit Qinghe Town, and Liuxi Village is experiencing the strongest gusts. Some houses have already collapsed. Secretary Qi and Mayor Guo have been notified and are rushing to Liuxi Village."

  "I'll head to Daxing Village immediately to meet up with the leader." Hanging up the phone, "Uncle Li, it seems we'll have to put off drinking for another day. I'm taking Fenghua with me. Our Qinghe Town has been hit by strong winds and there may be casualties. I'll take Fenghua on the way to Daxing Village, which is the most severely affected area."

  Li Jiangtao guessed that Chen Gong took his son to go, one is to rescue people, and the other is to show off. Although the disaster suffered by the people is a big thing in the local area, not only are the masses affected, but also responsible officials must be held accountable. However, in officialdom, risks and opportunities coexist, and the more critical the moment, the easier it is to achieve results.

  Li Jiangtao or didn't think of it, Chen Gong brought Li Fenghua together to go, purely in order to add one more force for disaster relief. Of course, some things are accidental successes.

  Chen Gong and Li Fenghua drove his Hafei car at racing speed, arriving in Daxing Village, the most severely affected area, in about two hours.

  "Director Chen is here", "Director Chen has arrived"... Many villagers shouted Chen Gong's name, because of the village school reform and demolition event, many people in this village know Chen Gong.

  "Director Guo, Feng Hua and I rushed over as soon as we received the news. We await your instructions." Chen Gong shook hands with Guo Kesheng.

  Now before Chen Gong's eyes were dozens of collapsed farmhouses, like ruins, the wind was still blowing, and the light rain continued to fall.

  "Hey, is that Little Zhang? I'm Chen Gong. Get back to the office right away and notify the sanitation workers to clean up Qinghe Town's main street. Also, contact the district TV and radio stations to call on the masses to voluntarily participate in the cleanup efforts. Yeah, okay. Gather all our colleagues from the office to the town center, leave one person to watch the phone and maintain contact with various places. The others will go to each village to take a look, if there's nothing major, they'll gather at Liangxi Village after finishing their checks. If anything important comes up, be sure to call me back. Yeah, okay." Chen Gong arranged for the colleagues from the Social Affairs Office over the phone.

  A villager stepped forward, "Leaders, I am Tian Gu, the village chief of Liangxi Village. I would like to report that there are possibly six villagers still trapped under the houses, while others are outside. The families involved are very anxious and request immediate rescue." Tian Gu reported to Guo Kesheng and his team.

  Guo Kesheng grasped Tian Gu's hand, "Comrade Tian Gu, you've worked hard. This time, including our Qinghe Town, a total of four towns in the district were affected by the disaster, and one town is even worse off than here. The armed police, public security police, and firefighters have all been deployed. I just spoke with the district leaders over the phone, and it's estimated that they will arrive soon with a team. You should first do some work on the people outside, we can't accomplish much with just over ten people, none of us have experience in disaster relief. What if someone dies under the rubble due to our rescue efforts? Who would take responsibility?"

  Tian Gu nodded his head, "Yes, yes, I'll immediately hold a temporary meeting with the villagers and let them wait a bit longer, don't go digging or lifting casually."

  Chen Gong looked around and asked Guo Kesheng, "Leader, didn't you say that Secretary Qi had arrived?"

  "He? He's about to leave and yet he says he wants to stay in the government to welcome the district leaders together, who cares about him, he always drops the ball at critical moments" Guo Kesong was not impressed with Qi Xiaonan, after all, Qi Xiaonan had been suppressing him since his arrival.