27: Chapter 27 The Incredibly Shocking Hu Qibin

Traveling by train is very convenient.

If traveling by car, there is only a highway from the Provincial Capital to Dongzhou City; the dozens of kilometers from Sanjiang County to Dongzhou City are on ordinary roads, which takes a full hour or more.

In two or three hours, the train arrived at the Provincial Capital Railway Station.

Outside, it was evening; since it was late May, it wasn't dark yet.

Walking out of the exit, Qin Chuan looked around briefly and immediately saw his mother.

Luo Rong knew her son was returning to the Provincial Capital this afternoon and was extremely happy, perhaps more than she had ever been, as she personally went to the railway station to pick him up.

"Mom!"

"Son!"

Both mother and son were a bit emotional, and Qin Chuan even gave his mother a warm hug. "Mom, I haven't seen you for a few days, and you've become even younger and more beautiful."

"You have such a sweet mouth," Luo Rong said. "I'm in my fifties already; I'm getting old."

Her gaze fell upon Director Hu Qibin, and Luo Rong asked, "Son, is this your colleague?"

Qin Chuan introduced him, "Mom, this is Director Hu Qibin, the Director of our Dahe Township Party and Government Office."

Director Hu Qibin took a step forward of his own accord. "Auntie, you can just call me Xiao Hu. I'm following Secretary Qin to the Provincial Capital to lobby for projects, hoping to secure some funds to renovate our Dahe Township Central School."

Luo Rong nodded. "Come, let's go home. Xiao Hu, you come with us too. Since you're here, come to Auntie's house for a simple meal."

Thinking that he had nowhere to eat for the time being, Director Hu Qibin didn't think much of it and nodded in agreement, assuming Qin Chuan was likely just from an ordinary family in the Provincial Capital.

After walking a few steps, Director Hu Qibin changed that assumption.

He saw a car, and then, his gaze froze.

Although his rank was very low, being merely the Director of the Dahe Township Party and Government Office, he had spent enough years within the system to have some common sense.

Heavens, this car is carrying a Provincial Party Committee license plate!

Qin Chuan noticed the change in Director Hu Qibin's expression, smiled slightly, and waved his hand. "Don't just stand there dazed, get in the car. You take the front passenger seat."

Sitting in the front passenger seat as the car left the Provincial Capital Railway Station, Director Hu Qibin was still in a state of confusion, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

He had originally thought Secretary Qin was just from an ordinary family in the Provincial Capital, but who would have known that a car with a Provincial Party Committee license plate would actually come to pick him up?

And there was even a full-time driver; one look at the driver was enough to tell that he frequently drove for high-ranking leaders—his presence was entirely different.

It wasn't far from the Provincial Capital Railway Station to the Handong Provincial Party Committee, only about twenty minutes, and the car drove into the Provincial Committee Residential Area.

Director Hu Qibin was shocked once again.

Heavens, this is the Provincial Committee Residential Area. Could it be...

A guess surfaced in his mind: could Secretary Qin be the child of some Provincial Party Committee leader?

As soon as this thought appeared, he startled himself and immediately dismissed it. No, that shouldn't be possible; perhaps he's just the child of some ordinary cadre in the Provincial Party Committee.

As the saying goes, 'Even the gatekeeper of a prime minister is a third-rank official'; even if it were just the child of some Division-level leader of the Provincial Party Committee, in Director Hu Qibin's eyes, that would still be a very powerful background.

As the car entered the Provincial Committee Residential Area, it first passed several elevator buildings, where mostly ordinary leaders of the Provincial Party Committee lived, including both Division-level and Department-level leaders.

Continuing further back, the environment became much quieter and more secluded, with excellent landscaping—ancient pines as thick as a man's embrace, beautifully manicured flowers and plants, neat lawns, and so on.

Here, there were villas one after another, all of them detached villas. This...

Director Hu Qibin looked at all of this in disbelief, guessing in his heart: could Secretary Qin be the child of some high-ranking leader of the Provincial Party Committee?

When this thought emerged, he was incredibly shocked!

The car drove all the way until it arrived in front of Villa No. 1. Director Hu Qibin still hadn't come to his senses when Qin Chuan reminded him, "Director Hu, we're here. Get out!"

After getting out of the car, he saw the Villa No. 1 before him.

Director Hu Qibin was so shocked he could hardly speak. "Sec... Secretary Qin, you... you..."

Qin Chuan nodded slightly and said warmly, "Come, let's go inside. No need to be nervous, just relax. My parents don't bite."

Because he knew his son was coming back, Provincial Party Secretary Qin Zhendong had unprecedentedly returned early and was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper.

Normally, he wouldn't be able to get home until eight or nine in the evening, or sometimes even after ten.

"Dad, you're back."

Provincial Party Secretary Qin Zhendong was very happy, and the majesty on his face vanished, replaced only by the kindness a father should have. "Son, you've been on the train for several hours; you must be tired."

"It was fine, just two or three hours; it's very convenient," Qin Chuan replied.

Director Hu Qibin stood there, not knowing what to do.

It was actually Provincial Party Secretary Qin!

The massive impact in his heart could not be described with words!

After chatting with his father for a few moments, Qin Chuan said, "Director Hu, come in and sit, no need to be nervous."

This was the Provincial Party Secretary's home.

Let alone a lowly Township Party and Government Office Director like him, even the mayor of a Prefecture-level city would likely be very nervous; how could he possibly dare to enter?

His voice was almost trembling as Director Hu Qibin said, "I... I'd better not come in. I... I'll stay outside. You... you can contact me by phone."

Qin Chuan knew that forcing Director Hu Qibin to come inside would likely make him incredibly nervous and would be an ordeal for him. He smiled and said, "Then go stay at the Provincial Party Committee Guesthouse; I'll call you tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Director Hu Qibin felt as if he had been granted a great pardon. He immediately bid farewell to Secretary Qin and Qin Chuan, walking away swiftly. Only after he had walked a hundred meters or so and was far from the villa did he finally heave a long sigh of relief.

Even now, there was still a sense of unreality.

He pinched himself once more to confirm that he wasn't dreaming and that all of this was real; Secretary Qin was actually the son of the Provincial Party Secretary.

If word of this got out, the whole of Dahe Township would be shaken; no, the entire Sanjiang County would experience an earthquake.

But he knew he couldn't say a single word about this; he had to keep it to himself, even from his wife.

Qin Chuan had never mentioned his family background, which meant he didn't want the people of Dahe Township to know. Director Hu Qibin knew this matter had to be kept strictly confidential.

Their son was back.

The family had a sumptuous dinner.

After dinner, Provincial Party Secretary Qin Zhendong also asked about Qin Chuan's work situation with concern. In fact, he already knew the general situation, as he usually paid close attention to Qin Chuan's side.

"'Hm, not bad,' Provincial Party Secretary Qin Zhendong said. 'You didn't use my influence and relied solely on your own strength to take command of the Party Committee in such a short time. You are truly worthy of being a son of our Qin Family.'"

Receiving praise, Qin Chuan felt a sense of relief and then spoke about the situation of the Dahe Township Central School, as well as his purpose for coming to the Provincial Capital.

Provincial Party Secretary Qin Zhendong pondered for a moment and then said, "I could solve this matter for you with just one phone call, but I won't do that. You must rely on your own strength to secure the funds; it will be a form of tempering for you."

It was as expected.

Qin Chuan hadn't hoped for his father to step in and solve it for him; he would rely on himself, not believing he couldn't get the money.