Chapter 21: The Crisis Arrives

  "Comrade Xiao Chen, I just discussed with Director Mao outside and considering your performance in this disaster relief, we have decided to assign you an additional post, Deputy Town Mayor. Do you have any opinions?" Huang Zhengyin suddenly shifted the topic to Chen Gong.

  "This isn't right, I'm just a small deputy director, Secretary Huang..." Chen Gong seemed to really feel that he didn't have such great merit.

  Mao Quzhang cut off Chen Gong's words, "This town deputy head is not a big official, it's not a level, just a position. It will be very helpful for you to skip the director and directly serve as vice mayor in the future. Moreover, we have already understood your situation earlier, you don't need to go back to the Land Bureau, Director Feng, isn't that right?"

  A fat man sitting next to Chen Gong said, "Right, right, Comrade Chen Gong is indeed not bad, should continue to polish and refine, there will be reuse in the future, I have no problem, Xiao Chen chooses to develop in the town, I am very supportive."

  "Yes, Chen Gong, just accept it. This is Secretary Huang's kindness to you. You should thank Secretary Huang quickly." Guo Kesheng's eyes were wide with surprise. Now there are young people who don't want to advance, and he doesn't know what they're taking risks for.

  "Alright, I accept. Thank you Secretary Huang, Mayor Mao and Town Head Guo for your concern." Chen Gong saw that the leaders had made up their minds and no longer declined.

  "Alright, Chen Gong, now as the deputy mayor, tell us about your good solutions for the relocation of villagers. Say whatever comes to mind." Huang Secretary put Chen Gong on the spot right away, and Chen Gong was not prepared at all, but he knew that this was Huang Secretary's way of testing him, giving him a second chance. The first time as deputy mayor was already a "commendation" for Chen Gong's disaster relief efforts, and grasping this second chance would truly put him in the leader's line of sight.

  "Everyone, I have an idea and I hope you can criticize and correct me. For the current problem, since there are many relatives in the same village group, why not let them stay with their relatives for a few days? If they really can't find a place to live, we can use the activity centers of nearby villages to accommodate as many people as possible. The town's resources can also be used. In this way, the funding for the plank houses can be resolved, and the monthly food expenses are not much, which can be handled by the town government. Moreover, when we build new houses for the villagers, we won't charge them any money, so they shouldn't ask for relocation fees."

  "Assistant Chen, your suggestion is good, but the villagers are not as simple as you think. Their demands are endless." Wang Guoqiang interrupted.

  Huang Zhengming slapped the table in front of Wang Guoqiang, "What are you talking about? What qualifications do you have to speak at my meeting without permission? You're just a deputy town head, and here you think you're higher than several others! Ah! You can't even do your job as a village official well, Comrade Xiao Chen can, he's now the hero of Liangxi Village, how can you compare with him, ah! Get out immediately, go wherever you should go!" Huang Zhengming's personality is well-known to all leaders in this area, his temper is notoriously explosive.

  Wang Qiang listened and his face, which had already regained its color, turned red again. He bowed his head and walked out of the conference room.

  "What do you think of Assistant Chen's opinion? Let's discuss it and gather more ideas." Huang Zhengming's voice returned to normal.

  The leaders of the district, including Mao Ren Guang, did not dare to express different opinions. This Xin Qiao District can be said to be Huang Zhengming's territory. One by one, they nodded in agreement.

  "Yes, I think Comrade Chen Gong's opinion is very good. It's reasonable and can solve practical problems."

  "Yes, I agree too."

  ……

  "It's settled then. Director Mao, after you go back, coordinate with the district committee's propaganda department and the city newspaper to see if they can report on this matter, focusing on the suddenness and destructiveness of this accident, and mention the resettlement work for the villagers. The meeting is adjourned, dismissed." Huang Zhengming was very good at avoiding the main issue, and after finishing speaking, he stood up and left the conference room.

  The car can't move anymore, Chen Gong and Li Fenghua both took Guo Kesheng's private car back to town.

  "Chen Gong, this is your chance. Huang Shuji is a figure of the authoritarian faction, he wants someone to go up, that person can go up, he wants someone to come down, who has to come down. You must perform well and do a good job in resettling the villagers." Guo Kesheng said with emphasis and sincerity to Chen Gong.

  "I know, Uncle Guo, this matter still can't be accomplished without your great help." Chen Gong didn't dare to say that he could solve the problem by himself.

  "It's nothing, it's a good thing you can get up, we're on the same road anyway. By the way, now that you're an assistant to the town mayor, you should at least be a director, so by default, you'll be the director of social affairs office. I'll have someone submit your volunteer application form for serving at the grassroots level to the personnel bureau next Monday when you start work."

  Night, Fuhai City, Fuhai Daily News Agency.

  "Chief Wei, I've got a draft for you. It'll be published tomorrow morning." A male reporter walked up to Wei Shuqin's desk.

  "What's the point of giving it to me? Just take it away." Wei Shuqin was working overtime and writing something, so she was very impatient.

  "Don't just drop it, I was telling you about the new bridge over Qing River the other day, don't just drop it." The person said and then wanted to leave.

  "Halt! Give it to me!" Wei Shuqin put down what she was holding and stretched out her hand.

  Wei Shuqin looked at the text and some materials, pictures. Xin Qiao Qinghe Town was hit by strong winds, many villagers were left homeless. The leadership of Xin Qiao District has made arrangements to uniformly solve the housing and placement problems for the villagers...

  It was Chen Gong, and Wei Shuqin found Chen Gong in a photo. She immediately took out her phone and muttered to herself, "Answer quickly, answer quickly."

  "Hello, Shuqin, we just spoke on the phone last night. You're thinking of me again so soon?"

  Wei Shuqin listened to Chen Gong's voice and put down the stone in her heart, "I thought you were dead, you're so stubborn, you saved a few villagers? You, you...you scared me to death."

  Chen Gong felt warm in his heart, "No big deal, okay? Don't be sad anymore. I'm fine, aren't I? How did you know?"

  "There's news about Xin Bridge tomorrow and I saw a picture of you. I was worried to death."

  "I'm fine, are you working overtime? Workaholic."

  "Yes, there have been too many things lately. Do you need to bring your photo tomorrow? And write your name under the picture? I'll arrange an interview for you another day?" Wei Shuqin's idea was good, this way Chen Gong could become popular in Fuhai City, which would be very helpful for his future career.

  Chen Gong didn't want to show off like this. "Forget it, forget it. People fear fame and pigs fear strength. Good intentions have been received, don't bother."

  "The interview can be waived, but this picture and your name must be used, I will tell our editor-in-chief, it's 100% no problem." Wei Shuqin seems to have made up her mind.

  "Whatever, whatever." The two of them "exchanged sweet nothings" for a bit before hanging up the phone.

  The next day, as expected, Chen Gong's appearance and name spread throughout Xin Qiao District, especially in Qing He Town. After all, other districts and counties may not pay attention to the news of Xin Qiao District.

  The staff of Xinqiao District Propaganda Department were also puzzled. Although we provided the pictures, which ones did the leaders recommend to report? The picture on Fuhai Daily was just a reference picture.

  The entire Xinbei District government saw this matter, this picture and this name published in Fuhai Daily.

  People's hearts are selfish and jealous, most of the leaders in the Xin Qiao government office extremely dislike the name Chen Gong. This kid has gotten too much attention, but the media must not know about his daring rescue of the child, or it could have led to another extreme, others would definitely think that Chen Gong is playing with other people's lives and using them as a gamble for his own political career.

  There is no wall that doesn't let wind through, Chen Gong's act of driving to rescue the trapped child by crashing into the stone slab has slowly spread, and the district committee, district government, and Qinghe Town leaders have all maintained a wait-and-see attitude. It's unclear whether the city knows about this situation, and it's hard to gauge how they evaluate this matter for now. For the time being, it's not suitable to praise or criticize.

  After calmness comes turmoil; there are always a few people who want to stir up trouble.

  Fu Hai City Deputy Mayor Qian Guangming directly called District Chief Yuan Weihua, severely criticizing him. He pointed out that Comrade Chen Gong disregarded the lives of the people, and with a playful or showy attitude, went to rescue the disaster-stricken villagers. He ordered Xinqiao District to immediately criticize Chen Gong's behavior this time, and to announce it throughout the district, relieving him of all his current duties.

  Director Yuan sat in his office, pondering. Chen Gong had just been praised by Secretary Huang, so why didn't Mayor Qian speak to Secretary Huang directly? He spoke to me instead, and now I have to deal with this matter. Mayor Qian's attitude was clear: if it wasn't someone from above giving instructions, then it must be someone from below who had approached him.

  Yuan Weihua didn't have a good impression of Chen Gong, and their first meeting was quite unpleasant, but the boss of Haitian Real Estate was familiar with him, so he had to consider carefully before making a move. At least, he should discuss it with Secretary Huang first, who was a tough character.

  Yuan Weihua dialed Huang Zhengming's phone, "Secretary Huang, I have something to report to you. Just now, Mayor Qian called and wanted to make a circular criticism of Chen Gong's radical actions in this disaster relief, and also wanted to remove him from his post. What do you think about this?"

  Damn it, no one cares, I'm always stuck in the middle, making it harder than a mother-in-law relationship. Originally, Huang Zhengming said on the phone that this matter is for Director Yuan to consider and handle himself. Anyway, it's Mayor Qian's order, so I'll just follow it.

  Yuan Weihua called Director Guo of the government office, "Old Shang, make arrangements, convene a district head's office meeting this afternoon, everyone must attend, no one can be absent."

  As he thought about it, a smile appeared on Yuan Weihua's face. This gathering was indeed a good thing. Taking responsibility was different when done by a group of people versus one person.

  In Qinghe Town, the one who is most disheartened is undoubtedly Wang Guo. Secretary Huang publicly embarrassed him in front of everyone, and now Chen Gong is rising to power like a shooting star. He doesn't even give Wang an inch, truly not knowing the height of heaven or the thickness of earth.

  "Hey, brother-in-law, how's it going? What does that mean?" Wang Guoqiang was on the phone with his brother-in-law Liu Yadong.

  "I told Mayor Qian of the municipal government about this, and Mayor Qian was very angry. He has already found Director Yuan, and the district will hold a director's office meeting this afternoon, I think it's to discuss this matter."

  "Alright then, I'll trouble you, brother-in-law. This time, let's make Chen Gong understand how deep this water is." Wang Guoqiang became pleased with himself.

  "Hmm, Chen Gong loves to show off, doesn't understand the rules, what's the difference with the original traitor? Forgetting kindness and betraying righteousness, indeed deserves to be punished. I know how to handle this matter, you put more thought into your work, visit the district more often, wait for Secretary Huang's anger to dissipate, I'll whisper in his ear again, as soon as the township adjustment begins, strive for Secretary Huang not to speak out against you and you'll be fine."

  Wang Guoqiang nodded enthusiastically on the other end of the phone.

  Just as Chen Gong was inspecting family planning work in various villages, an invisible net had already encircled him.