Yanjiang County’s Qin Mountain Town is a poverty-stricken town in Jinzhong, enpassing twenty-one natural villages with a total population of over four thousand three hundred, where villagers have an average annual ine of one hundred twenty-six yuan and seventy-five cents.
This was the actual situation of Qin Mountain Town when Luo Feng came to take office. He originally planned to first familiarize himself with the situation, build a network, and then take big steps to acplish things.
After having deep conversations with Luo Ye and Ye Xuan, he finally realized he was still too naive. The Secretary and Mayor of Qin Mountain Town are nothing but seasoned bureaucrats. If they truly had the determination to transform the local situation, how could they be constantly obstructing him?
To get the cooperation of these two people, unless he showcased his powerful background to intimidate them, or even if the background is revealed, they might still pretend to obey while acting otherwise.
Intimidating them with background was something he disdained to do. If he had that idea, he would have done it from the beginning; why wait until being met with repeated obstacles to reveal it?
Moreover, if he actually did that, not only his father and grandpa would be disappointed in him, but even his sister and fiancée would look down on him.
Thus, since returning, he decided not to try to win over those two seasoned officials, but to take bigger steps within the scope of his own authority.
After submitting the proposal for introducing greenhouse farming to the Secretary and Mayor, they all said they needed to consider it. Since they needed time to think, he went ahead to each village for on-site inspections and preparation.
He firmly believed the project wouldn’t be delayed too long. Those two seasoned officials should clearly understand that after introducing the project, the economy of Qin Mountain Town would only benefit them without any downsides. Their stalling tactic was just to dampen his enthusiasm.
On the village’s path, Luo Feng pedaled a bicycle against the wind. Despite wearing thick padded trousers and a down jacket, wrapped in a scarf and wearing camel wool gloves, he still lost feeling in his numb hands and feet. Winter in Qin Mountain Town is truly not a place for people to stay.
Following closely behind him on a bicycle, his assistant Li Zejun pedaled hard to keep up: "Mayor Luo, ahead is my house, let’s go have some hot water to warm up before heading back, okay?"
"Your house is here? Alright, since I’m here, let’s go over and sit for a while." If it weren’t for the other’s help, the work wouldn’t be progressing like it is now, so Luo Feng readily agreed.
After Li Zejun graduated from a junior college, he was assigned to the town to work as an ordinary clerk. His straightforward personality and lack of background kept him in the clerk position for four years.
Watching his classmates thrive, he wanted to resign and try his luck elsewhere. However, after discussing it with his parents at home, his father immediately scolded him for being unfilial, eyes red with anger.
The family had been frugal just to support him getting this position, having the benefit of government salary, which many people envied, and yet he was thinking of stepping back! No matter how well he does outside, he would still be just a worker!
With no other choice, Li Zejun had to continue muddling through as a clerk.
Originally thinking he’d spend his life in mediocrity, the newly transferred university graduate Vice Mayor in the town suddenly found him, asking if he’d be willing to do something meaningful together.
Having spent these years in the town, he understood very well that it would be extremely difficult for the Vice Mayor to acplish anything. The Secretary and Mayor didn’t really get along, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t unite to deal with a new university graduate Vice Mayor that threatened them.
He didn’t want his efforts to turn into bubbles and jokes or to lose his father. If he lost this job, his father, who cherished his reputation as life, would definitely do something that would leave him regretting for a lifetime.
Therefore, he refused the offer and explained the reasoning to Vice Mayor Luo, who pondered for a moment, patted him on the shoulder, and said no more.
He initially thought the matter would end there, but unexpectedly, after Vice Mayor Luo took a few days off and returned, he tossed a proposal at him and left.
He was only twenty-six, in the age of passion, definitely not wanting to muddle through life’s mediocrity, seeing clearly what old age would be like. Therefore, after reading the proposal, he couldn’t contain his excitement and immediately agreed to be Vice Mayor Luo’s assistant.
Of course, he didn’t forget to go home and inform his father about this.
His father was silent for a while, and after puffing his tobacco pipe, he told him that since it was for the benefit of the villagers, losing the job would be worthwhile.
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