49: Chapter 49 Going Home

The 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Tianzhou City.

The Xishan Province Provincial Party Committee residential compound was located in the western suburbs of Tianzhou City. It did not cover a large area, but it was heavily guarded.

Armed police stood guard at the entrance, and passes were checked for entry and exit.

Building 1 was a small three-story structure with red bricks and grey tiles, nestled among several old locust trees. It looked unremarkable, but it was one of the centers of power in the entire province.

When Xu Weidong walked into the courtyard carrying his suitcase, Shen Ziwei was already waiting at the door.

"You've lost weight."

Shen Ziwei looked him up and down, her brows furrowing.

"Is the food not good over there?"

Xu Weidong smiled and said, "Mom, I'm doing just fine."

"Fine? What's fine about it? There's no meat left on your face."

Shen Ziwei took the suitcase from his hand and said with a look of affection, "Hurry inside, it's cold out here."

The heating in the house was running well, and it was warm as soon as one stepped inside.

The living room was not large, and the furnishings were simple: a set of fabric sofas, a coffee table, and a piece of calligraphy hanging on the wall.

Xu Tianhua was sitting on the sofa reading documents. Seeing his son enter, he put down what he was holding and stood up.

"You're back?"

"Dad."

The father and son shook hands without any superfluous pleasantries.

Shen Ziwei was busy in the kitchen, her voice calling out,

"Comrade Weidong, Mom stewed the pork ribs you love. Eat plenty tonight."

"Okay."

Xu Weidong replied and sat down on the sofa.

Xu Tianhua looked at him, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"What's the matter? Did you encounter any difficulties down there?"

Xu Weidong shook his head and said, "No, everything is fine."

Xu Tianhua didn't ask further and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

Dinner was very sumptuous, with four dishes and one soup, all prepared by Shen Ziwei herself.

At the dinner table, Shen Ziwei chattered away, asking about her son's situation in Lvjiang City.

For example, how was his living situation? Was he used to the food in the cafeteria? Were his colleagues easy to get along with?

Xu Weidong answered each question, but his spirits were low, and he spoke little.

Shen Ziwei noticed this; she looked at her son, then at her husband, and suddenly sighed, saying, "Being an official like this, we barely see each other all year round."

"You come back for the New Year, and you're still so weighed down by worries."

Xu Tianhua put down his chopsticks and said, "Comrade Weidong, come to the study after dinner."

Shen Ziwei frowned and said, "It's the New Year. What could be so important that it can't wait until after the holiday?"

Xu Tianhua didn't answer; he stood up and went to the study.

Shen Ziwei watched his back, then looked at her son, lowering her voice to say, "Your father is just like that, don't take it to heart."

"If you have any grievances, tell Mom."

Xu Weidong shook his head and said, "Mom, there really is nothing."

Shen Ziwei sighed, suddenly remembering something, her tone carrying a hint of complaint.

"Comrade Weidong, tell me, when will your father's work ever end?"

"From Dongjiang to Hanzhou, then from Hanzhou to Tianzhou, and now he might have to go to Yancheng."

"I've just gotten used to being a principal, and now I have to move again..."

Xu Weidong smiled and said, "Mom, aren't you already used to it?"

"Used to it or not, it shouldn't be this much of a hassle."

"Last time I told him, if he really goes to Yancheng, I won't go to the high school; going to the Education Bureau would be fine."

"Guess what he said?"

"What did he say?"

Shen Ziwei rolled her eyes and said, "He said it's fine not to go to the high school, and the education department can also make arrangements, as if he were going to the Organization Department."

Xu Weidong couldn't help but laugh, and Shen Ziwei laughed too. After laughing, she sighed again, saying, "Forget it, getting worked up over these things with him will just kill me."

"You go on up, don't keep him waiting."

The study was on the second floor; it was small, with a bookcase against one wall filled with various documents and books.

Xu Tianhua sat behind the desk holding a file. Seeing his son enter, he gestured for him to sit down.

"Close the door."

Xu Weidong closed the door and sat in the chair opposite the desk.

Xu Tianhua put down the file and looked at Xu Weidong for a long time before saying, "Speak up, what happened?"

"If the sky falls, your father is here to hold it up. You're in your own home, yet you're still looking so gloomy. Do you have any demeanor of a second-generation official?"

Xu Weidong was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

This father of his was a formidable Provincial Party Committee Secretary outside, but at home, he would occasionally show this side.

He used jokes to dissolve tension and a relaxed tone to put people at ease.

But he couldn't smile.

"Dad, I encountered some things in Lvjiang City."

Next, he recounted the events at Qili Village exactly as they happened.

The mad woman, the three girls in the pigsty, Committee Member Chen Qing's phone call, Secretary Xu Qing's order to stop, and that remark from the village chief about there being many pretty girls when he was leaving—he didn't leave out a single detail.

Xu Weidong spoke for nearly twenty minutes. Xu Tianhua listened the whole time without any expression on his face, but his brows gradually furrowed.

After his son finished, he remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, the night was deep, and sporadic sounds of firecrackers could be heard in the distance.

It was almost the New Year, and some families had already started setting off fireworks.

After a long while, Xu Tianhua spoke in a deep voice, "Do you know who is behind that Qili Village?"

Xu Weidong shook his head and said, "I investigated, but I couldn't find out."

"Secretary Xu Qing personally stepped in to call a halt; this indicates that the people involved are not of low standing."

Xu Tianhua nodded, not asking further, but instead said, "Let this matter go for now."

Xu Weidong was taken aback and said, "Dad?"

"It's not that we're not going to deal with it, it's that we can't deal with it right now."

Xu Tianhua looked at him, his gaze carrying a mix of complex emotions.

"The Two Sessions will be held soon, and the appointments on the government side will be coming down very soon."

"At a time like this, there cannot be any chaos on your end."

Xu Weidong fell silent; he knew what his father was referring to.

The internal Party positions had already been clarified last year, and now only the government side was left.

After March, his father would very likely leave Xishan Province for a more important position.

"Comrade Weidong, you must remember that in the officialdom, sometimes taking one step back is to advance three steps."

"If you rush in now and end up battered and bruised, those people will just keep doing what they're doing."

"Once you have established yourself and have power in your hands, then you can go back and deal with them, and you'll be able to sweep them all up at once."

Xu Tianhua paused, then emphasized his tone, "You must learn to be patient."

Xu Weidong kept his head down, not saying a word.

Xu Tianhua looked at him and suddenly smiled, saying, "Alright, I have an idea about this matter."

"Go back and work as usual, do what you need to do."

"We'll talk after the Two Sessions end."

Xu Weidong raised his head, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.

He knew his father was right; at this critical juncture, it was indeed not the time to make a big fuss.

But he could hear those wails whenever he closed his eyes.

"There is one more thing."

Xu Tianhua's tone suddenly became serious, and his gaze became sharp.

"Keep your distance from Bai Bing."

Xu Weidong was stunned and said, "Dad, what are you saying?"

"I said, keep your distance from Bai Bing."

Xu Weidong was dumbfounded, completely unable to understand.

"Why? Bai Bing, she... she is my girlfriend, we have been together for several years."

"I know."

"But there are some things you don't know."

Xu Weidong's breathing quickened as he said, "Is there a problem with her family's business?"

"What does that have to do with her?"

"Dad, you can't, just because of her family's affairs..."

Xu Weidong was very smart; he knew it was unlikely that Bai Bing herself had issues, so he immediately locked onto Bai Bing's family.

"Listen to me finish."

Xu Tianhua interrupted him, his voice not loud but carrying an unquestionable authority.

"The business of Bai Bing's family is not clean."

"I have definite information on this side, and the involvement is very deep."

"Moreover, it also involves some 'people from above'."

Xu Weidong's expression changed. People from above!

Everyone in this circle knew what this term meant; it was an extremely special handful of people.

"Dad, she..."

Xu Weidong's voice trembled as he said, "She doesn't have anything to do with this, right? She has always been at school, and after graduation she was also..."

"I know."

"But these things, it's not that just because you think it's unrelated, it is unrelated."

"The position I am going to next is very critical; the affairs of Bai Bing's family could very likely become a card in the hands of certain people."

Xu Weidong was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Are those people not afraid of offending the people from above?"

Xu Tianhua sneered, "For people who have reached our position, the struggle has already reached a life-or-death stage."

"Who still cares about offending people?"

"Some people are even hoping that those people will leave their current positions."

Xu Weidong's mind raced; he understood.

His father's appointment touched upon the interests of certain people.

Those people were looking everywhere for leverage, for a breakthrough.

The business of Bai Bing's family was a line they had targeted.

And he was his father's son.

If his relationship with Bai Bing were utilized, then...

"Dad, what should I do then?"

Xu Tianhua looked at him, a trace of heartache flashing in his eyes.

He knew how much his son liked that girl; this relationship was not that easy to let go of.

But he knew even better that in this position, letting emotions dictate actions was the most dangerous thing.

"Keep your distance for now."

"Not a breakup, just keep your distance."

"Wait until things stabilize on my end, and we'll talk about it then."

Xu Weidong kept his head down, silent for a long time.

After a while, he raised his head and said, "Dad, I understand."

Xu Tianhua nodded, not saying anything more.

He knew his son needed time to digest this, and he also knew that this hurdle was one his son had to overcome himself.

"Go on down, your mom is still waiting."

Xu Weidong stood up, walked to the door, and stopped.

"Dad, am I not a complete failure as a second-generation official?"

Xu Tianhua was silent for a few seconds, then said, "If you weren't my son, you would have already been eaten bones and all by those people in Lüjiang City."

"Alright, stop pretending. Don't I know your little schemes?"

"It's not the time yet, don't alert the enemy. Everything will be discussed after the meeting."

"Alright, I was just thinking of using your reputation to show off a little."

Xu Weidong pushed open the door and walked out.

Downstairs, Shen Ziwei was watching TV. Seeing him come down, she greeted him, "Comrade Weidong, come sit over here and watch some TV with Mom."

Xu Weidong walked over, sat down on the sofa, and accompanied his mother to watch TV.