9: Chapter 9 Anjiang Reports for Duty

Li Dakang set down his teacup, looked at Cao Yong's eager expression, and a meaningful smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"No need. I came here this time specifically to work at the grassroots level."

Li Dakang waved his hand, his gaze falling on Cao Yong's face: "That son of the Xinying City Deputy Secretary you mentioned—next time there's an opportunity, bring him over so I can meet him and get to know him."

He paused, then added: "You know many business owners in Jiang Province. Once I arrive at my post, if I discover any suitable investment projects, I'll have to trouble you to bring some people over to show support."

Cao Yong immediately patted his chest in assurance: "Third Young Master, rest assured! Leave this to me! As long as you say the word, I can immediately pull a group of capable business owners over there."

A satisfied smile appeared on Li Dakang's face, and he nodded slightly: "By the way, tomorrow afternoon, arrange a car to take me to Anjiang County."

"Right! Understood!" Cao Yong hurriedly agreed.

"Third Young Master, is there anything else you need me to do? Just give the order!"

"Not for the moment."

Li Dakang picked up his teacup and took a sip: "After I take office, I'll contact you if I have any needs."

Cao Yong's eyes rolled, and he suggested again: "Third Young Master, shall I take you around to see the night view of Mingzhou tonight? I guarantee you'll get to experience the liveliness of our place, and I promise you'll have a great time!"

Li Dakang waved his hand: "I'm a bit tired today, maybe next time."

"Alright then!"

Seeing that he really wasn't interested, Cao Yong didn't force it: "Then I'll take you back to the Mingzhou Hotel to rest in a moment."

Li Dakang nodded slightly.

After finishing their tea, the two walked out of Qingfeng Teahouse.

Cao Yong accompanied Li Dakang all the way to the entrance of the Mingzhou Hotel, and after repeatedly confirming the time for taking him to Anjiang County tomorrow, he left reluctantly.

...

The next day at two in the afternoon, the driver arranged by Cao Yong appeared at the hotel entrance on time.

The car was a black Santana; although not as impressive as a Crown, it had the advantage of being low-key.

Li Dakang picked up his simple luggage and got into the car, which then drove steadily out of the Mingzhou urban area, heading in the direction of Anjiang County.

Anjiang County was only about 120 or 130 kilometers from Mingzhou, but because there was no expressway, they had to take the winding national highway.

The road surface was riddled with potholes, and the car swayed and bumped along; what should have been a three-hour journey ended up taking nearly four hours.

By the time they arrived at the Anjiang County seat, the setting sun had already painted the horizon red.

The Anjiang County seat was not large; walking from one end of the main street to the other took only ten minutes or so, and its scale was comparable to the developed towns Li Dakang had seen in his previous life.

The car drove straight to the entrance of the Anjiang Guesthouse, and Li Dakang said to the driver: "Little Zeng, this will do. Thank you for your hard work; drive slowly on the way back."

As he spoke, he took a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from his bag and handed them over: "Take these to smoke, it'll help you stay alert on the road."

Before coming, Li Dakang had specifically bought several cartons of cigarettes in Mingzhou; working at the grassroots level, cigarettes were an indispensable social tool.

The driver, Little Zeng, hurriedly took the cigarettes and tucked them into his pocket, his face beaming with a smile: "Thank you, Mr. Li! You are too kind! I'll be going now, please take care!"

Li Dakang nodded, watched the Santana drive away, and then carried his luggage into the guesthouse.

While checking in, he surveyed the room before him; the walls were mottled, the pasted-up newspaper had curled edges, the bedsheets were washed to a grayish color, and half a bag of coal briquettes was piled in the corner.

These conditions were more than a notch below the Mingzhou Hotel; at best, it could only be considered a small inn.

But Li Dakang knew clearly in his heart that this was already the best accommodation in Anjiang County—after all, Anjiang County was the poorest county in the Xinying area.

Dinner was prepared by the guesthouse canteen: a plate of stir-fried greens, a bowl of tomato and egg soup, accompanied by two steamed white flour buns.

Li Dakang ate quickly and returned to his room to rest after finishing.

The main reason was that there was really nothing to see in the county town, so it was better to rest and recharge in preparation for reporting for duty tomorrow.

...

The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting mottled light and shadows on the floor.

Li Dakang was already dressed neatly, his dark blue suit pressed crisp and straight, his hair combed meticulously.

He stood by the window, looking out at this small county town that had just awakened: pedestrians were sparse on the streets, occasionally a bicycle would ride by, the crisp sound of its bell piercing the silence; in the distance came the cries of vendors, the "Deep-fried dough sticks—soy milk—" calls carrying a thick local accent.

Breakfast at the guesthouse was very simple: a bowl of white porridge, a plate of pickled vegetables, and two steamed buns.

Li Dakang ate everything clean, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and pushed the chair back to its original position as he stood up.

The receptionist at the front desk was yawning while combing her hair; seeing him come down, she hurriedly stood up.

"Comrade, may I ask how to get to the County Government?" Li Dakang's voice was gentle and polite.

The receptionist was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting such a well-dressed young man to be so polite, and stammered: "Go, go out and turn right, pass two intersections and turn left, and you'll be there; it's not far."

"Thank you." Li Dakang nodded, picked up his luggage, and walked out of the guesthouse.

The Anjiang County Government building was even more dilapidated than Li Dakang had imagined.

The off-white exterior walls had long since turned yellow, with patches of plaster peeling off to reveal the brick-red walls underneath; the windows were still old-fashioned wooden frames with glass, some of which even had patches on them.

After registering his name and purpose at the guard room, Li Dakang arrived at the door of the County Party Committee Organization Department office on the second floor.