26: Chapter 26 Is this what makes it special?

In October, Lvjiang City was deep in autumn.

As the car left the city center and headed southeast along the provincial highway, the scenery on both sides gradually became desolate.

The cornfields had been harvested, leaving only bare stubble.

Xu Weidong sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan leaned back in the rear seat, eyes closed, appearing as if he were asleep.

Changyuan County, the poorest county in Lvjiang City, was also the one with the worst public security, the highest number of petitions, and the lowest performance rankings.

Xu Weidong had reviewed the files; the county's total GDP was less than a quarter of the city's, the rural per capita disposable income was several tiers lower than the city average, and three townships still had no asphalt roads.

Hukuang Township was in Changyuan County, the place where that old fox named Chen had been kicked to by Minister Sun Ping.

The car jolted on the bumpy county road, and Secretary Wan Xiaohan opened his eyes.

"Are we almost there?"

"There are still fifteen kilometers to go."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan nodded without speaking.

He looked at the harvested fields outside the window, where stalks were piled at the edges, with a few crows occasionally landing on them.

"Comrade Weidong, how long have you been in Lvjiang City?"

"Over two months."

"Have you been to the county?"

"No, this is my first time."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan didn't ask again. The car drove for another twenty minutes, and the outline of the county town could be seen in the distance.

A few drab, multi-story buildings were crowded together, the tallest being the telecommunications company's signal tower.

"Changyuan County, I came here once eight years ago."

"Back then, I was a division chief at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, here to research poverty alleviation projects."

"Eight years later, and this road is still just as broken."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan paused, then said, "Some people can't get a single thing done in eight years."

The car drove into the county town and stopped at the entrance of the County Party Committee guest house.

Secretary Chen Tianci of the Changyuan County Party Committee and County Magistrate Lan Tianxing were already waiting at the entrance. Both were wearing dark jackets, smiling broadly, and reached out their hands from a distance.

"Secretary Wan Xiaohan, welcome, welcome!"

"Secretary Wan Xiaohan, you've had a hard journey!"

Secretary Wan Xiaohan got out of the car, shook hands, his expression indifferent.

"It's not hard; you all have it harder."

Xu Weidong followed behind. Secretary Chen Tianci's gaze swept over his face; his smile didn't change, but his eyes lingered for a moment.

"This must be Section Chief Xu?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing leaned over and said, "Long admired, long admired! You are young and promising!"

Xu Weidong nodded and said, "Hello, County Head Lan."

The group entered the guest house. The conference room was already prepared, with fruit, tea, and towels set on the table.

The banner on the wall had white characters on a red background: "Warmly Welcome Secretary Wan Xiaohan to Inspect and Guide."

The briefing lasted an hour and a half. Secretary Chen Tianci gave the main presentation, County Magistrate Lan Tianxing added comments, and the two deputy county heads took turns speaking.

Pages of materials were turned, filled with dense data and colorful charts.

The conclusion was unanimous: although Changyuan County had a poor foundation, it had great motivation, and all indicators had improved this year.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan hadn't spoken from beginning to end. When the briefing finished, he asked one question.

"How is the progress on the public security rectification in Hukuang Township?"

Secretary Chen Tianci and County Magistrate Lan Tianxing exchanged a look. Finally, Secretary Chen Tianci took the initiative and said, "Secretary Wan Xiaohan, the situation in Hukuang Township is quite complex..."

"I asked about the progress."

Secretary Chen Tianci paused, then said, "The special task force has already moved in, arrested a few people, and the public security situation has obviously improved."

"Obviously improved?"

"What percentage of the county's total petitions last year came from Hukuang Township?"

No one spoke. Secretary Wan Xiaohan looked at them.

"I reviewed the data; it was thirty-seven percent."

"In the first three quarters of this year, it reached as high as forty-one percent!"

"Let's go. Let's go take a look at Hukuang."

The expressions of Secretary Chen Tianci and County Magistrate Lan Tianxing changed. County Magistrate Lan Tianxing hurriedly added, "Secretary Wan Xiaohan, the road to Hukuang is difficult to travel, and it's getting late today. How about tomorrow..."

"We won't go just because the road is difficult?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing stopped talking; the road to Hukuang Township was indeed difficult.

You turn from the provincial highway onto the county road, and halfway through the county road, you turn onto the township road. The concrete surface had long since shattered into pieces, causing the car chassis to scrape and clatter loudly.

Xu Weidong sat in the passenger seat, gripping the handle; he had never traveled such a broken road in his life.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan was steady, leaning back in the rear seat, eyes closed, appearing as if he were asleep.

After forty minutes of jolting, they finally entered the Hukuang Township Government compound.

The Township Party Committee Secretary and the Township Head had been waiting for a long time, faces plastered with smiles, hands not knowing where to put themselves.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan did not enter the conference room, but instead said directly, "Let's go. Let's go take a look at the street."

The group walked along the only street in the township for twenty minutes. On the roadside were low, flat houses, a few small grocery stores, a few repair shops, and a barber stall.

People were sunning themselves at their doorways. Seeing the group approach, their eyes were blank; they didn't hide, nor did they greet them.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan stopped at the entrance of a small grocery store and asked the old man, "How is business?"

The old man glanced at him and said indifferently, "Not good."

"Why not good?"

The old man didn't answer. His wife came out from inside, tugged at his sleeve, and said with an apologetic smile, "Leaders, please don't mind him; his mind isn't right."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan didn't ask again; he continued walking forward.

Reaching the end of the street, Secretary Wan Xiaohan stopped, looking at the gray mining area in the distance and the bare mountains further beyond.

After a while, he turned around and walked back.

Dinner was set in the largest private room of the County Party Committee guest house, and the dishes were very sumptuous.

Steamed sea bass, braised pork knuckle, boiled shrimp, spiced beef, old hen soup, and several specialty dishes whose names Xu Weidong couldn't identify were laid out, filling the table.

The liquor was Moutai, and Secretary Chen Tianci personally poured wine for Secretary Wan Xiaohan.

"Secretary Wan Xiaohan, your visit to inspect Changyuan County amidst your busy schedule is the honor of all our county's people."

"This glass of wine, I offer to you on behalf of the four leadership teams of Changyuan County!"

Secretary Wan Xiaohan looked at the glass of wine and picked up the glass of plain water in front of him.

"I don't drink alcohol; I'll use water instead of wine."

Secretary Chen Tianci was stunned for a moment, but his smile didn't change.

"Secretary Wan Xiaohan, your health is paramount. Water is good; water is healthy!"

Secretary Chen Tianci downed the glass of Moutai in one gulp, and County Magistrate Lan Tianxing followed suit.

"Secretary Wan Xiaohan, I also offer you a glass."

"We have noted your instructions from earlier, and we will implement them as soon as we go back!"

Secretary Wan Xiaohan picked up his water glass and took a sip.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing finished his, and two members of the County Party Committee Standing Committee also came to offer a toast.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan still used that glass of water, touching his lips to the rim and putting it down.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Secretary Chen Tianci began to praise: "Secretary Wan Xiaohan, you have only been in Lvjiang City for a few months, and the whole city sees it. You truly have courage, capability, and a sense of responsibility!"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing added, "Especially your speech on the business environment; our county organized study sessions for it three times, and each time we had new gains!"

There was no expression on Secretary Wan Xiaohan's face, and he said indifferently, "Let's eat; the food is getting cold."

Everyone hurriedly picked up their chopsticks, and Xu Weidong lowered his head to eat.

He felt two gazes landing on him from time to time. He looked up and saw it was Secretary Chen Tianci and County Magistrate Lan Tianxing.

The gazes contained smiles, scrutiny, and a certain kind of eagerness he couldn't describe.

After the meal, Secretary Wan Xiaohan was invited by Secretary Chen Tianci for a private briefing.

Xu Weidong knew that was an excuse; Secretary Chen Tianci wanted to fight for project funds, wanted to complain and cry poverty, and wanted to ask for more policies while the leader was in a good mood.

This was something every county did and was not out of line.

Xu Weidong did not follow. He took a walk around the guest house courtyard to digest his food and get some air.

Autumn nights get dark early; at six-thirty, it was already completely dark.

Xu Weidong walked back to his room, opened the door, and turned on the light.

Then he froze; there was a person lying on the bed!

A woman!

She was wearing a thin, almost transparent red gauze dress, her hair spread out on the pillow, her face made up delicately, her eyes darting, a smile on her lips.

Beneath the gauze dress were faintly visible body curves, her two fair legs crossed, her toenails painted with bright red polish.

"Section Chief Xu..."

She spoke, her voice as soft as melted sugar.

"You've finally returned."

Xu Weidong stood at the doorway, gripping the doorknob, not moving.

The woman slowly sat up, the gauze dress sliding off her shoulder, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin.

She looked at Xu Weidong, her eyes watery, as if hiding hooks.

"I've been waiting for you for so long~ Why did you just come now?"

She stood up and walked toward him.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

The air was filled with a sweet, cloying perfume, mixed with a certain ambiguous warmth.

She walked up to him, lifted her face, red lips slightly parted.

"Section Chief Xu..."

The woman's hand rested on Xu Weidong's chest, and she said, "You must be tired, right? Shall I give you a massage?"

That hand gently drew circles on his chest, and Xu Weidong's breathing paused for a moment.

Xu Weidong could feel his heart rate accelerating, and blood rushing to a place it shouldn't go.

That body was right before his eyes, his reflection mirrored in those eyes, those red lips slightly pouting, as if waiting for something.

Twenty-three years old!

A hot-blooded twenty-three years old!

Xu Weidong removed that hand from his chest and said, "You should leave."

The woman was stunned for a moment, then said aggrievedly, "Section Chief Xu..."

"Leave!"

The woman looked at him, the smile on her face stiffened for a moment, and then she slowly backed away.

She picked up a jacket from the bed, put it on, walked to the door, and looked back at him.

The door closed. Xu Weidong stood at the doorway, hearing the footsteps in the hallway gradually fade away.

He let out a long breath, then opened the door and walked out.

He almost couldn't hold back; little Weidong was too disobedient!

If he hadn't pinched his thigh, I'm afraid this cadre's innocence would have been lost right here!

The courtyard was very quiet. Secretary Wan Xiaohan stood under that old locust tree with his back to him, not knowing what he was thinking.

Xu Weidong walked over to greet him, "Secretary Wan Xiaohan."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan turned around and glanced at Xu Weidong's face.

That face still had a flush that hadn't completely faded, and there were fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

"What's wrong, is it too hot in the room?"

Xu Weidong smiled helplessly and said, "The comrades in Changyuan County are too enthusiastic."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan laughed, "Young people have vigorous energy; if it's hot, just come out for a walk and get some fresh air."

"You haven't had a girlfriend until now, have you?"

Xu Weidong hurriedly shook his head, "Yes, I have a girlfriend."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan nodded, "That's good."

He looked at the deep night in the distance and was silent for a while.

"Comrade Weidong, you've been in Lvjiang City for over two months; how do you feel?"

Xu Weidong thought for a moment, then said, "It's okay."

"What does 'okay' mean?"

"I can learn things."

"I can learn every day."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan smiled, "It's good if you can learn things; some people study for a lifetime and never learn anything."

"And for some people, even if they learn, it's not necessarily a good thing."

Xu Weidong didn't speak. The night wind blew over, carrying the chill unique to late autumn, allowing Xu Weidong to calm down completely.

"I won't ask about what happened in the room just now."

"But you need to think clearly for yourself."

Secretary Wan Xiaohan sighed, "The times are developing very fast, fast enough that some people can't keep up."

"Some people who can't keep up try to find ways to take shortcuts."

"Treating to meals, giving gifts, sending money, sending women."

"As long as they can get things done, they dare to send anything."

Speaking of this, Secretary Wan Xiaohan said bitterly, "They call this kind of thing a specialty."

"But you must remember, that is not a specialty."

"That is a sickness."

After saying this, Secretary Wan Xiaohan didn't speak again.

Instead, he walked slowly toward his room with his hands behind his back.

After walking a few steps, he stopped.

"Comrade Weidong."

"Yes."

"Don't take today's incident to heart."

"The fact that they still dare to send [such things] shows that you are worth sending [them] to."

"Wait until the day they stop sending them; that's when you need to be careful."

Xu Weidong stood under the old locust tree, watching that door close.

He put his hands in his pants pockets and walked slowly back to his room.

The bed had already been cleaned up, with new sheets and quilt covers, and the sweet, cloying perfume in the air had mostly dissipated.

To be honest, if Xu Weidong had really wanted to let loose, no one could have done anything to him...

But... he still couldn't get past that hurdle in his heart.

He didn't know who he inherited it from, but he was born with a lecherous streak and had almost no resistance to beautiful women.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have fallen for the beautiful school flower senior on the first day of college...

But at that critical moment, Xu Weidong thought of his father's stern face!

Instantly, he felt a sense of clarity in his mind; it was more effective than splashing a bucket of cold water on him!