Power and Wealth

One day.

Another day.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

This morning, inside a simple guesthouse in Qing Shui Township, Dong Xuebing lifted the somewhat yellowed thin blanket off the bed, fetched a pot of hot water, and then returned to quickly brush his teeth and tidy up. After that, he grabbed his bag and headed downstairs, ready to leave.

Downstairs, a female attendant from the guesthouse approached him.

"Oh, Mayor Dong."

"Ah, Xiao Huang, you're up early."

"How come you're up, and I haven't brought you water yet?"

"Hehe, I just stayed overnight yesterday and didn't want to trouble you."

"No trouble at all. Chief Yao specifically instructed us. Let me get you some breakfast. It's all ready. I was worried you hadn't woken up, so I didn't dare to call you just now."

"Thank you, but I won't be eating."

"You can't refuse. Otherwise, the leaders might criticize me."

"If they do, just give me a call, and I'll criticize them instead, hehe."

"You work so hard. Skipping breakfast is not an option. I'll get it, and I'll be back in two minutes. Just two minutes."

"Alright, thank you."

"Don't mention it. It's my duty."

Xiao Huang hurried off to fetch breakfast. Soon, Dong Xuebing picked up the breakfast and quickly walked out, hailing a taxi. After closing the car door, he stuffed a hot steamed bun into his mouth, chewed while stepping on the gas, and headed straight for the Experimental Base of the Chinese Academy of Sciences site selection.

At nine o'clock.

At the foot of Qing Shui Mountain.

This area had already been fenced off, and construction materials and trucks filled the site, indicating that construction had been underway for many days.

On-site, Yao Cui, other township leaders, and comrades from the Chinese Academy of Sciences were present.

Dong Xuebing got out of the car and greeted them. "Everyone's here."

The township secretary hurriedly greeted him with a smile. "Mayor Dong, we're waiting for you to assign tasks."

Dong Xuebing smiled and waved his hand. "What tasks do I need to assign? Let's listen to the opinions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences comrades."

One of the heads of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Experimental Base said, "Mayor Dong, you're too polite. We only handle technical issues, while other command work is up to the local government. Before we came here, Academician Zhong instructed us to respect the opinions of the local government when there are differences. The plan has been roughly finalized, and now we're here to cooperate."Googlᴇ search No(ᴠ)ᴇlFire.nᴇt

Dong Xuebing smiled. "You're being too courteous. We local officials are not familiar with sophisticated technology. It would be chaotic if we were to take the lead. The main responsibility lies with you. If there are any specific needs, such as soundproofing layers or special materials for the outer walls of the experiment, inform the specialized team, and they will handle the communication and implementation. Every detail of this important project must be meticulous. If any issues arise in the execution, you can hold me accountable."

Both sides exchanged pleasantries.

This cooperation between the local government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences was harmonious.

After the discussion, a military truck carrying unique materials slowly approached, escorted by soldiers. Although they weren't armed, their military uniforms still exerted some pressure on those present. Seeing this, the person in charge of the Chinese Academy of Sciences quickly bid farewell to Dong Xuebing and went up to sign for the materials. After confirming everything was in order, the soldiers began unloading the truck.

Most of the materials were likely classified. Even though Dong Xuebing was the head of the specialized team, he couldn't access them. He wasn't particularly curious either, so he walked to another area and inspected the construction progress. He noticed many aspects of the construction progress differed from ordinary building procedures. For example, the foundation was much deeper than that of the dormitory project nearby, and there seemed to be several layers of unnamed fillers inside, some white and some pink, possibly radiation-resistant materials.

"Dong Mayor."

"Chief Yao."

"Hehe, come over for a moment."

Dong Xuebing called Yao Cui over alone and said, "I've been supervising this area for a month now, and the planning has been finalized. There shouldn't be any issues moving forward. However, I still have a lot of work to do in our county, so I can't be here every day. Therefore, you will be the main person in charge of this project. You're closer and can dedicate more time to it. If there are any problems, report them to the specialized team or the county. Also, let the Chinese Academy of Sciences comrades handle the materials and construction methods on their own. We don't need to ask or know about them. As for security, you need to ensure it's done properly. The area has already been fenced off to prevent unauthorized access. This is crucial and must be taken seriously."

As a secretary, Yao Cui took out a small notebook and diligently wrote down Dong Xuebing's instructions. "Alright, I understand."

She was dressed formally today, wearing a dark-colored women's suit, giving off a stable and mature vibe. She was starting to look more and more like a deputy mayor.

Dong Xuebing was pleased for her.

Ring, ring, ring, the phone rang.

Checking the caller ID, Dong Xuebing's expression changed slightly, showing a hint of nervousness. Before answering the call, he walked away from the crowd to a more secluded area.

"Hello, Dad," Dong Xuebing said, swallowing nervously.

His father-in-law's voice was as stern as ever. "Is it convenient to talk?"

Dong Xuebing glanced around. "Yes, it is. Go ahead."

Xie Guobang hummed. "How's the work going?"

"It's all going well. The investment projects have been finalized, and the dormitory and experimental base projects are underway without any issues. Everything is on track."

Xie Guobang said, "Good. Start preparing for the handover of your work and pack your bags."

"Um, are you saying…"

"You've been on grassroots training for five months now. It's time to come back."

Although Dong Xuebing had already received assurance from Han Jing, he couldn't help but feel excited when he heard Xie Guobang say this. "Thank you, Dad."

"No need to thank me. It's what you deserve. A cadre who has only been in office for a few months has single-handedly turned around the situation in the entire county, almost removing the county's national-level poverty designation. What kind of cadre should be promoted if not someone like you?" Xie Guobang praised Dong Xuebing's capability, then chuckled, "And if we don't bring you back soon, my eardrums will be burst by Huilan's nagging." He paused for a moment. "Get ready to come back. Your family misses you."

“Ah.”

Dong Xuebing felt a warm glow in his heart. His in-laws were genuinely good to him, making him feel the warmth of family again. Who said that marriages across social classes would inevitably lead to conflicts within the family? Often, such families would be more tolerant and understanding in their dealings with others, especially those of higher social status.

After hanging up the phone, Dong Xuebing didn't continue inspecting the site. Instead, he bid farewell to the township cadres and the Chinese Academy of Sciences comrades before heading towards his car.

Yao Cui followed him to see him off.

Dong Xuebing glanced at her and whispered, "In the future, take care of yourself. If there's anything you need, you can talk to Mayor Jiang. And if that doesn't work, call me."

Yao Cui was taken aback. "Xuebing, what do you mean?" Then, she realized, "Are you suddenly getting promoted? Where are you going?"

"To Beijing," Dong Xuebing replied.

Yao Cui smiled. "Returning in triumph. Congratulations."

"Oh, come on. I'm still reluctant to leave this place, especially you, my old classmate. I'll miss you a lot," Dong Xuebing joked.

Yao Cui chuckled. "Stop teasing me. You're probably overjoyed to leave. I don't know when you plan to have a farewell dinner."

"Why does it sound so gloomy?"

"If you want it to sound better, call it a ‘success and retirement dinner."

"Hehe, it should be in the next few days. I'll contact everyone then."

"Okay, I'll be waiting. Oh, I'm happy for you."

Morning.

At the office.

Dong Xuebing returned to the county party committee compound.

As soon as he got out of the car, many cadres and staff members came up to greet him.

"Mayor Dong."

"Congratulations."

"I heard you're getting promoted. Congratulations."

It seemed that news had spread after receiving notification from higher-ups. Such matters couldn't be kept secret for long. The news would inevitably leak out after the procedures with the City organization department. Dong Xuebing's promotion surprised everyone, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. With such significant achievements during his tenure in Zhen Shui County, his promotion as mayor was well-deserved.

Dong Xuebing responded calmly, "It's not confirmed yet. I'm unsure about the details, but thank you all."

Upstairs.

Dong Xuebing went to the county mayor's office, where Jiang Fangfang made tea for herself. The aroma of the tea reminded Dong Xuebing of the Da Hong Pao he had given her before.

"Sister Jiang," Dong Xuebing sat down.

Jiang Fangfang smiled and pushed a teacup towards him. "You're leaving?"

Dong Xuebing took the cup, drank it in one gulp, and then nodded. "Possibly going back to Beijing."

"Has your unit been decided?" Jiang Fangfang asked.

Dong Xuebing shook his head. "Not yet. It should be a nominal position."

Jiang Fangfang sighed softly, then took a sip of tea and looked at him. "I thought you would stay for at least a year or two. I didn't expect you to leave before even six months."

"Sorry."

"What's there to be sorry about?"

"I might not be able to come by your mother's place as often."

"It's okay. Just come back when you can." Jiang Fangfang said earnestly, "Zhen Shui County will always be your home, and the people here will always remember your kindness."

"You're being too kind. I'm just reluctant to leave you," Dong Xuebing said emotionally. "If it weren't for my wife about to give birth and need me to go back to watch over her, I'd want to stay and do more for the people here. Anyway, let's not talk about these empty words. If you ever need me in the future, call me. Although Beijing is far away, I don't want to lose contact with you. Besides, it's only a few hours' flight away. Whenever I have time, I'll come back."

Jiang Fangfang smiled and nodded, "Alright."