10: Chapter 10 Conversation (Part 1)

The door was half-open, and from inside came the sound of hushed chatter, mixed with the rustling of newspapers.

He knocked on the door three times, neither too hard nor too soft, with an even rhythm.

"Come in." A slightly husky male voice sounded.

The moment he pushed the door open, the conversation in the office came to an abrupt halt.

Four or five staff members looked up in unison, their gazes landing on Li Dakang with curiosity and inquiry.

Li Dakang even noticed the young female cadre by the window quietly putting down a small mirror; she had clearly been touching up her makeup just a moment ago.

"Hello everyone, my name is Li Dakang, and I'm here to report for duty."

Li Dakang's voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, and the office instantly fell silent.

The male staff member closest to the door was the first to react, standing up: "Are you Township Head Li?"

He looked Li Dakang up and down, a flash of disbelief crossing his eyes; he was so young, looking even a few years younger than himself.

"Please wait a moment, I will go inform Minister Huang."

During the wait, Li Dakang stood quietly by the window, his gaze resting on the old locust tree outside.

He could feel the gazes cast from behind him, and he also heard the hushed whispers.

"So young? Probably just graduated, right?"

"I heard he was sent by the higher-ups..."

"Can he really stay in a place like Guantian Township?"

The male staff member returned quickly, adjusting the glasses on the bridge of his nose: "Township Head Li, Minister Huang invites you to go over; you can just leave your things here."

"Alright." Li Dakang nodded and followed behind him as they walked out.

"May I ask your name?" Li Dakang asked casually.

"My surname is Shi, and I am Minister Huang's secretary." The male staff member replied.

(County-level leaders do not have full-time secretaries, only liaisons, but they perform secretarial duties; for ease of reading, they are uniformly referred to as secretaries in this book.)

"Hello, Secretary Shi." Li Dakang extended his hand.

Secretary Shi quickly shook it, his fingertips feeling somewhat cold.

The two walked forward; the corridor was long, and their footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.

Secretary Shi glanced at Li Dakang from time to time, his lips moving, but he ultimately said nothing.

Arriving in front of the door with the sign "Minister's Office," Secretary Shi knocked gently.

"Please come in." A steady male voice came from inside.

Secretary Shi pushed the door open, went in to say a few words, and then turned back to gesture for Li Dakang to enter.

Minister Huang Lixin of the County Party Committee Organization Department sat behind a large desk, his head lowered as he reviewed documents.

When he looked up, the lenses of his glasses reflected the sunlight from outside, making it impossible to see his expression clearly.

"Hello, Minister Huang." Li Dakang bowed slightly, his voice neither servile nor overbearing.

Minister Huang Lixin took off his glasses, revealing a pair of sharp eyes, and carefully sized up the young man before him: a straight back, clean and neat short hair, and a gaze so steady that it didn't seem to belong to someone of his age.

He nodded inwardly, but his face remained impassive.

"Comrade Dakang, sit."

Minister Huang pointed to the chair opposite, his tone softening a little: "Was the journey here smooth?"

"Thank you for your concern, Minister Huang, everything went smoothly."

Li Dakang sat down on the chair, occupying only the front half, his hands resting naturally on his knees, his posture upright.

Minister Huang Lixin took a document from the drawer and gently pushed it in front of him: "I have reviewed your file; the County Party Committee has studied the matter and decided to appoint you as Deputy Secretary of the Township Party Committee and Township Head of Guantian Township."

He paused and asked: "How much do you know about the situation in Guantian Township?"

Li Dakang's eyes flickered slightly, and he answered calmly: "I did some homework before coming. Guantian Township is one of the most remote townships in Anjiang County, mainly agricultural; last year, its per capita income was the lowest in the county, with inconvenient transportation and weak infrastructure..."

Minister Huang Lixin nodded, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes: "Not bad, it seems you came prepared."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more solemn: "Comrade Dakang, the organization has high hopes for you. Guantian Township's conditions are indeed difficult, but the more difficult the place, the better it can temper a person."

"I understand, Minister Huang."

Li Dakang's voice was calm and firm: "I will familiarize myself with the situation as soon as possible, step into my role, and not let the organization's trust go to waste."

Outside the window, a gust of wind swept by, causing the documents on the desk to flutter slightly.

Minister Huang Lixin looked at the young man before him and suddenly asked: "Why did you choose to come to Anjiang County?"

Li Dakang met his gaze, his tone sincere: "The grassroots are the best place to temper a person, and I want to do some real work."

The office fell into a brief silence.

Minister Huang Lixin leaned back in his chair slowly, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth: "Good, very good."

He put down the fountain pen in his hand, the metal cap clicking against the desktop with a crisp sound.

"Comrade Dakang, our conversation ends here."

Minister Huang Lixin picked up the landline on the desk, his fingertips skillfully dialing an extension number.

Li Dakang noticed that he did not hesitate at all while dialing, clearly having known this number by heart for a long time.

"Secretary Yuan, the new Township Head Li of Guantian Township, Comrade Dakang, has reported for duty, and I have finished my conversation with him."

Minister Huang Lixin's voice lowered unconsciously, and his back straightened even more: "Mm, alright, I will take him over now."