Chapter 1

In early July, Ganping County, located in the Guangnan area, experienced continuous heavy rain and frequent flash floods, entering the flood season ahead of schedule. 520 Official Website

www.

On the morning of July 10th, a Koster minibus from the county committee, on its way to Shuiming Township, the most severely affected area, was suddenly hit by a mudslide. Due to the inability to avoid it, the vehicle, along with its passengers, flipped into the turbulent Quanjiang River.

Among the eight people, including the county party secretary, the county discipline inspection commission secretary, the county political and legal affairs commission secretary, the propaganda minister, and the full-time vice-county magistrate, none survived the disaster.

This incident, which claimed the lives of four county committee standing committee members and a vice-county magistrate who was not a standing committee member, shocked the entire Donghe Province and even drew attention from the high-level officials in Beijing. They issued three important instructions to the Donghe Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, strictly ordering that while disaster relief efforts were underway, the personal safety of leading cadres, especially those on the front lines, must be ensured.

It is not easy to cultivate a cadre, and the loss of five section-level and deputy section-level officials with real power is not only a loss for Donghe Province but also a loss for the country.

Every cloud has a silver lining. The sudden vacancy of four standing committee positions sparked the ambitions of many officials who had aspirations for advancement. For a time, more and more people were running to Guangnan City to seek promotions, which often led to the county government being unable to function normally, with principal leaders frequently absent from their posts.

To address this, the county party committee deputy secretary and county magistrate, Geng Yunfeng, who was temporarily in charge of the county, issued an order: anyone who caused work to be delayed due to seeking promotions would be severely punished. With the boss speaking, subordinates dared not disobey, and this corrupt trend was ostensibly curbed.

A week later, in the No. 1 hall of the county funeral parlor, a collective memorial service was held for the eight comrades who had died in the line of duty. The mayor of Guangnan City, Shen Zheng, represented the city party committee and municipal government, while County Magistrate Geng Yunfeng delivered the eulogy.

The eulogy, of course, was full of fine words, meant to be heard and seen by the living. Once a person is gone, the warmth of their presence fades, let alone when they are no longer alive.

The memorial service lasted for over two hours before it concluded. On his way to the parking lot, Deputy Director of the County Retired Cadres Bureau, Li Yuanlang, was lightly tapped on the back. Turning around, he saw his old classmate, Deputy Director of the County Government Office, Ji Tianhou.

They had been bunkmates and close friends since their university days, and their relationship had always been good. Even after working for over ten years, they had maintained frequent contact and were truly close confidants.

Ji Tianhou gave Li Yuanlang a meaningful look, and Li Yuanlang understood. He walked to the parking lot, got into his second-hand Jetta, and without starting the engine, casually picked up a Yuxi cigarette.

Just as he lit it, the passenger door was pulled open, and Ji Tianhou plopped down, unceremoniously snatching the Yuxi cigarette and taking a few deep puffs before saying, "I was suffocating. If the meeting had lasted another half hour, I would have smoked my fingers instead."

Li Yuanlang chuckled and lit another cigarette, saying, "I saw Old Geng always watching the venue. Not only did he have to suppress his nicotine craving, but he also had to hold his urine. Going to the bathroom at this time would be a loss of face for Old Geng, and he would definitely be marked down."

Then, Li Yuanlang turned to Ji Tianhou and said, "Old Geng used to be very approachable and had no airs. Now that he is displaying his authority, it seems that he is almost certain to become the county party secretary."

Li Yuanlang's statement carried a tone of inquiry, and how could Ji Tianhou not understand? Having worked in the government office for many years, he naturally had more access to information than Li Yuanlang. He nodded slightly and affirmed, "It's decided. However, what I want to talk to you about today is not who will succeed as the county party secretary, but who will be the new county magistrate."

"County magistrate?" Li Yuanlang was momentarily confused. Although he and Ji Tianhou were both deputy section-level officials, they were considered ordinary people in the eyes of higher officials. For two deputy section-level officials to worry about the appointment of a full section-level official was like worrying about the weather in a distant place—pointless!

"Let's drive. We'll find a place to talk in detail," Ji Tianhou said, flicking the half-smoked cigarette out the window and giving a command.

They went to their usual rural courtyard, a quiet place with few people, making it convenient for conversation. They ordered a pot of rice wine, four small dishes, and a hot pot. After each of them drank a four-ounce cup, Ji Tianhou got to the point.

He had received information from a special channel that the city was planning to promote the county magistrate from within. There were now two candidates: Deputy Secretary Lin Mu and Standing Committee Vice-County Magistrate Qian Yunwen.

However, neither of these two had any connection to Ji Tianhou or Li Yuanlang. But when Ji Tianhou mentioned a name, Li Yuanlang's eyes lit up.

Jin Sheng!

Jin Sheng was 37 years old, five years older than Li Yuanlang and Ji Tianhou. Most importantly, he was also a graduate of the Chinese Department of Donghe University, a true senior. Currently, he served as the vice-county magistrate of Ganping County, ranking quite low and responsible for culture, education, and health.

The Retired Cadres Bureau, where Li Yuanlang worked, was under the jurisdiction of the county party committee's organization department, so he had limited contact with Jin Sheng. On the other hand, Ji Tianhou, working in the government office, often saw Jin Sheng due to work and their shared alma mater, so they were closer.

However, what did this have to do with him, a small official? Li Yuanlang suddenly couldn't understand what Ji Tianhou was up to.

"Slurp" a mouthful, Ji Tianhou finished his cup, wiped his mouth, and changed the subject, asking, "Yuanlang, you've been divorced from Han Yin for half a year, right? Haven't you thought about finding someone else?"

Mentioning Han Yin, Li Yuanlang felt a pang in his chest. Han Yin was the star of the county TV station. Back when Li Yuanlang was the secretary of the county party committee, his career was flourishing, and Han Yin, rejecting numerous suitors, resolutely married him.

For the first two years of their marriage, Li Yuanlang's career advanced rapidly. He was promoted to deputy section-level within two years, officially entering the cadre ranks. In the third year, he became the deputy director of the county party committee office and was about to be promoted to full section-level and sent to a township as the top leader.

However, fate is unpredictable. The county party committee's old secretary, who greatly appreciated him, suddenly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died on the job. Once the person was gone, the warmth of his presence faded, and Li Yuanlang's career prospects turned cold.

Not only did the promotion to a township leader fall through, but he couldn't even stay in the county party committee office. He was reassigned to the Retired Cadres Bureau as the last-ranked deputy director.

The Retired Cadres Bureau was a low-profile department, and his position as deputy director was even more so, with no real power. His daily routine involved drinking tea and reading newspapers at work and going home on time to do housework. To outsiders, he seemed honest and responsible, a model husband. But in Han Yin's eyes, he was a failure, and she had wasted her youth on him, only to end up with a man with a bleak career.

They often quarreled, with minor arguments every three days and major ones every five. Her criticism of Li Yuanlang became increasingly harsh, and she eventually forced him to divorce her.

Since they had no children and their finances were independent, the property division was straightforward. They completed the divorce at the Civil Affairs Bureau in less than ten minutes, ending their five-year marriage.

Now, when Ji Tianhou mentioned Han Yin, Li Yuanlang felt a lump in his throat, and his interest in drinking was completely lost. He put down the wine glass he had picked up.

Seeing Li Yuanlang's poor expression, Ji Tianhou immediately apologized, saying, "I shouldn't have brought up that sore spot, causing you distress. Come, let's continue drinking."

Li Yuanlang did not raise his glass but said, "Tianhou, we've known each other for over ten years. Don't beat around the bush. Just say what you have to say."

"Alright." Only then did Ji Tianhou reveal his true intentions, explaining why he had sought out Li Yuanlang today.