188: Chapter 188 The Attitudes of the Deputy County Heads

The Deputy County Magistrates looked at each other, seeing the same expression in each other's eyes: shock, bewilderment, and a trace of indescribable fear.

It was not fear of this division of labor plan, but fear of County Mayor Bai Weijun.

For a County Mayor to assign sixty percent of the County Government's core departments to the Executive Deputy County Magistrate was against both the rules and common sense.

But County Mayor Bai Weijun had done just that, and he did it with righteous confidence, without offering any explanation to anyone.

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde was the first to speak. Having served as a Deputy County Magistrate for many years, he knew when to speak and when to remain silent.

He set down his teacup and cleared his throat. His voice was not loud, but his attitude was clear: "I have no objections. Comrade Weidong is young and promising; it is only right that he takes on more work."

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming nodded along and said, "I have no objections either."

"Comrade Weidong's achievements in Hukuang Township are there for all to see. I am confident in him overseeing these departments."

His smile was somewhat forced, but his tone was very sincere—sincere enough that it sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but after glancing at County Mayor Bai Weijun's expression, he swallowed his words.

"I have no objections either."

County Mayor Bai Weijun nodded, closed the folder in front of him, and his tone returned to its usual businesslike manner.

"Good, then it is settled. The meeting is adjourned."

The sound of chairs scraping rang out as the Deputy County Magistrates stood up one after another and filed out.

Once outside the conference room door, the atmosphere in the hallway was completely different from when they had entered.

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde walked at the very front with quick steps, as if trying to escape something.

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming followed behind him, wanting to catch up and say a few words, but Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde did not give him the chance; he turned into his own office and closed the door.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang and Yang Jianping walked at the very back, whispering something to each other in voices so low that only the two of them could hear.

Xu Weidong sat in the conference room without moving. County Mayor Bai Weijun did not move either.

After everyone else had left, County Mayor Bai Weijun picked up his teacup, took a sip, and leaned back in his chair.

"How about it, brother? Are you satisfied with this division of labor?"

Xu Weidong looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

He had known County Mayor Bai Weijun for some time and had known from the beginning that this man treated him well, but he hadn't expected it to reach this extent.

He had assigned the county's most core departments all to him!

The Finance Bureau, Development and Reform Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Audit Bureau, Safety Supervision Bureau, and the Investment Promotion Service Center—any one of these departments, if taken alone, would be enough to make any Deputy County Magistrate green with envy.

Now he had piled all these departments together and placed them entirely on his shoulders.

This wasn't just valuing him; it was practically like handing the County Mayor position over to him.

"County Mayor Bai, you are going to work me to death."

Xu Weidong smiled; the smile was faint but very sincere.

County Mayor Bai Weijun laughed heartily, stood up, and patted his shoulder, saying, "It won't kill you."

"You are the Executive Deputy County Magistrate, not a clerk."

"For these departments, if you have the energy, handle them personally; if not, let your deputies handle them."

"What you need to do is set the direction, oversee the overall situation, and grasp the key points."

"Leave the specific tasks to the people below you."

"If you insist on doing everything yourself, you'll never finish, even if you work yourself to death."

Xu Weidong nodded, stood up, picked up the notebook on the table, and turned to leave.

County Mayor Bai Weijun called him back, his voice a bit lower than before, carrying a tone of seriousness.

"Comrade Weidong, there is something I need to tell you."

"The position of Executive Deputy County Magistrate is not one that just anyone can sit in."

"You worked in Hukuang Township for two years, and your achievements were visible to all, but work at the county level is completely different from that in a township."

"Townships are points; the county level is the surface."

"Doing well at a point does not necessarily mean you can do well on the surface; you need to be mentally prepared."

"Regarding the division of labor, I specifically sought instructions from Secretary Wei."

Of course, it might have just been a heads-up.

After all, he is a young master, you know what I mean.

"He agreed, which is why I dared to set it this way."

"Otherwise, do you think I, a County Mayor, would dare to assign so many departments to an Executive Deputy County Magistrate?"

"Secretary Wei nodded, which shows that the county has high expectations of you. Do not let him down, and do not let me down."

Xu Weidong looked at him, was silent for two seconds, and then said, "County Mayor Bai, rest assured. I will not let you down, nor will I let Secretary Wei down."

County Mayor Bai Weijun nodded and said nothing more.

Xu Weidong opened the door and walked out.

He narrowed his eyes and strode toward his new office.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang's office was at the far east end of the third-floor corridor. The window faced The Government Compound, and the view was quite good.

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde and Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming did not disperse after coming out of the conference room; they followed one after another into Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang's territory.

Once the door was closed, cigarettes were lit, and tea was brewed, the three of them gathered around the coffee table. As if by tacit understanding, no one was in a hurry to speak.

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde broke the silence first. He flicked his cigarette ash, leaned back against the sofa, and spoke in a voice that was not loud but carried the composure and condescension of an old comrade pointing out the way of the world.

"You have all seen the division of labor this time. The Finance Bureau, Development and Reform Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, and Human Resources and Social Security Bureau have all been assigned to him."

"A young man in his twenties, suddenly managing so many core departments—can he handle it?"

"I don't think so."

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said in a muffled voice, "Even if he can't handle it, he has to."

"County Mayor Bai Weijun assigned them to him; does he dare to refuse? If it were you, would you dare to refuse?"

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde waved his hand, a meaningful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he said, "I'm not saying he should refuse; I'm saying he can't hold onto them."

"Think about it, when he was secretary in Hukuang Township, he managed an area, a few villages, and dozens of cadres."

"And now? The Finance Bureau, Development and Reform Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Safety Supervision Bureau, and the Investment Promotion Service Center—which of these departments doesn't deal with every aspect of the entire county?"

"A young man in his twenties, only a few years out of school, who hasn't even figured out where the doors to these departments open—how can he manage them?"

"I'll just say one thing: have the people below him report to him more often."

"Report big things, report small things, even report trivial matters. Keep him busy, so busy that his feet don't touch the ground and his head doesn't touch the pillow."

"After a month of this, he will go to County Mayor Bai Weijun himself and say, 'County Mayor, don't you think my division of labor is too much? Can I offload some of it?'"

"Him opening his mouth himself is better than anything we could say."

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming's eyes brightened, but they quickly dimmed again. His tone carried an indescribable concern as he said, "Old Chen, your idea is not bad, but have you thought about this? He is the Executive Deputy County Magistrate. It is the duty of the people below to report work to him, but if he doesn't want to listen, he can just not listen."

"If he doesn't listen, who can force it on him?"

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde took a drag of his cigarette, his voice unhurried, carrying the cunning peculiar to an old fox: "He won't listen? If he doesn't listen, that's even better."

"If he doesn't listen, the people below will go directly to County Mayor Bai Weijun to report."

"When County Mayor Bai Weijun asks, the people below will say, 'We reported to County Magistrate Xu, but County Magistrate Xu wouldn't pay attention.'"

"What do you think County Mayor Bai Weijun will think?"

"It is Xu Weidong who isn't doing the work, not the people below who aren't reporting."

"By then, will County Mayor Bai Weijun still protect him like this? I don't believe it."

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang had not spoken the whole time. He sat on a single-seat sofa with his legs crossed, holding a cigarette in his hand, the ash accumulating into a long length without being flicked off.

He had been in charge of urban construction for several years and was on intimate terms with developers, earning him the nickname "Chen Half-the-City" in the county.

Now that the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau and the Planning Bureau had been taken away, half his life had been taken away.

"Old Liu, Old Zhao, what you are talking about is all for the future."

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang finally spoke; his voice was not loud, but it carried a long-suppressed anger.

"I'll just ask one thing: are we just going to accept this? What makes him, Xu Weidong, so special? Just because of his father? Just because he has a good relationship with County Mayor Bai Weijun?"

"We have worked in Changyuan County for so many years; if we haven't achieved anything, we have at least put in the effort. With one sentence, County Mayor Bai Weijun has taken away our rice bowls without even giving an explanation."

"You might be able to tolerate it, but I cannot."

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde flicked his cigarette ash and looked at him, his mouth tugging slightly. The smile carried the clarity and helplessness of someone who has been through it all: "Even if you can't tolerate it, you have to."

"Old Chen, think about it. What is County Mayor Bai Weijun's background? What is Xu Weidong's background?"

"With these two people together, in this one-acre-three-fen plot of land that is Changyuan County, they can cover the sky with one hand and turn it over with the other."

"Who are you going to go to for justice? Secretary Wei Kuan? Secretary Wei Kuan has long been on the same boat as them."

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang was silent. He knew what Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde said was the truth, but the truth is often the most hurtful.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, lit another one, and took a drag.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang suddenly changed the subject, his voice a bit lighter than before, as if deliberately trying to break up this stifling atmosphere.

"Speaking of which, that young master hasn't been married long, right? That Mu Ruxue is truly beautiful."

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming's hand holding the teacup paused; he glanced at Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang but did not speak.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang seemed not to see Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming's gaze and continued on his own, his tone becoming increasingly casual, carrying the lewdness and relaxation peculiar to middle-aged men chatting about women at a dinner table.

"That little figure, that skin—tsk, tsk, tsk."

"Before, at an event in the county, I caught a glimpse of her from afar. Even wearing professional attire couldn't hide those curves."

"Don't you think that a woman like that, marrying a workaholic like Xu Weidong, is a waste of a good thing?"

"Working overtime every day, having meetings every day, running to the townships every day—where would he find time to accompany his wife?"

"Newlyweds, the little delicate wife must surely need to be fed well."

"Xu Weidong is so busy every day; can he feed her well?"

"She might not say it out loud, but how could she not have thoughts in her heart?"

"Women, after all, all have needs."

"If she isn't satisfied in the long term, who knows, one day she might just put a green hat on him, and then there will be a good show to watch."

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming's expression finally changed. He slammed his teacup onto the coffee table, his voice low but carrying a sense of nervousness and warning: "Old Chen, don't talk nonsense."

"The walls have ears..."

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang glanced at him and interrupted him: "What are you afraid of? It's just us three grown men; can't we say a few joking words? Old Liu, don't you agree?"

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde laughed, that smile carrying a sense of evil intent bubbling up, perfectly in sync.

"Exactly, Old Zhao, you are too nervous. We are speaking behind closed doors, not going outside to talk, so what are you afraid of?"

"But having said that, Mu Ruxue is indeed beautiful."

"That face, that figure, that temperament—you couldn't find a second one in all of Changyuan County."

He paused, as if reminiscing about something; his gaze became somewhat unfocused, and his voice lowered.

"Before, only Director Ye Mingzhu could compare with Mu Ruxue in the county."

"She was also a top-notch beauty, with a great figure, great temperament, and skin so white it glowed."

"It's a pity, though; she offended someone and was demoted to Shangouzi Township."

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang took over the conversation, his tone carrying an indescribable pity, yet also seeming to imply something.

"Director Ye Mingzhu's figure—you all remember it, right? Before, when she was in the county, in the summer, she would wear a dress; those curves, tsk, tsk, tsk."

"It's a pity; in a ghost place like Shangouzi Township, I wonder what she has become now."

"If she were still in the county, it would be good; maybe we would have a chance..."

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming looked at him, his gaze carrying something indescribable, as if looking at someone who had gone astray.

"You aren't serious, are you?"

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang chuckled, a smile that carried a "men all understand" meaning, his eyes ambiguous and unrestrained, as if he had already seen something he shouldn't have seen.

"What if I am serious? A woman like Director Ye Mingzhu, who wouldn't want her? Her family background, that figure, that appearance—if it were you, wouldn't you want her?"

"But don't just talk about me; her background is something ordinary people really can't reach."

"Deputy County Magistrate Zhao, don't you want her?"

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming sneered, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his tone carrying the clarity and mockery of someone who had seen it all.

"Don't I want her? Do you know her background? I, a Deputy County Magistrate, what am I in her eyes?"

"Old Chen, you can dream, but don't get yourself into trouble."

"If this kind of talk gets out, reaches Director Ye Mingzhu's ears, County Mayor Bai Weijun's ears, or Xu Weidong's ears, do you think you will be able to stay in Changyuan County?"

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde waved his hand, laughing even more unrestrainedly.

"Old Zhao, you are just too serious."

"What about her background? No matter how big the background, she is still a person."

"As a person, she has weaknesses; as a person, she can be confused. Director Ye Mingzhu is also a person and has human desires."

"Now that she has been sent to a place like Shangouzi Township, where she is unfamiliar with the place and the people, her mood must be low."

"When a woman is at her lowest point, it is easiest to take advantage of the situation. Who knows, one day I might just succeed?"

Deputy County Magistrate Zhao Qiming looked at him, his gaze carrying something indescribable, as if shocked and also as if looking at a madman.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang looked at Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde, his gaze carrying the meaning of "great minds think alike," and chuckled.

The two men's laughter echoed in the office, each more unrestrained than the other, like two cats that had smelled something fishy.

"I'm leaving first; you two chat slowly."

He opened the door and walked out.

Deputy County Magistrate Chen Guoliang watched the closed door, his mouth tugging slightly. His voice was not loud but carried a sense of disdain: "Old Zhao, that man, he's just too timid. He doesn't dare say anything, doesn't dare do anything; he's destined to be a Deputy County Magistrate his whole life."