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At three in the morning, the oil lamp in the Su family's new house was still lit, which showed how much Li Shuihua cared about this home.

Li Shuihua rubbed her sore eyes and checked the numbers on the abacus again.

The ledger spread out on the table was filled with densely packed numbers, and next to it was a hand-drawn map of the land reclamation area by Suning...

Neatly arranged residential plots, crisscrossing irrigation canals, reserved land for a school, and even a location for a small market.

"Still not asleep?" Su Ning pushed open the door and came in, her body damp with the night dew.

He had just returned from the brick kiln, his face still covered in coal dust.

Shuihua got up and poured him a cup of hot water: "I just finished calculating it for the third time."

According to your plan, the initial construction will require 2,300 man-days, calculated at two yuan per man-day…

“Four thousand six hundred yuan,” Su Ning blurted out, his fingers icy cold as he took the cup. “Adding the cost of materials, the start-up capital will be at least eight thousand.”

Shuihua bit her lip: "Our family doesn't have more than three thousand in cash at our disposal. Even if we mortgage the brick kiln to the credit union..."

“Not enough.” Su Ning shook his head and suddenly coughed violently.

He has been traveling between the resettlement sites and various villages these past few days, and his voice has become hoarse.

Shuihua quickly patted his back and said with concern, "I'll go to the county tomorrow and cancel the training course. That will save me some money."

"No!" Su Ning grabbed her hand. "Studying can't stop. I'll figure out the money."

Shuihua wanted to say something, but Su Ning pulled her to the table: "Look, this is my revised plan. First, we'll build the public facilities, and each household will contribute labor to the construction. The work points will be converted into future residential land area and farmland..."

His fingers moved across the drawing, and his eyes sparkled with a light that Shuihua had never seen before.

At this moment, Suning didn't seem like a brick kiln owner, but rather like a general strategizing in the wings.

"Brother Ning," Shuihua asked softly, "Do you really think this can work?"

Su Ning stopped gesturing and looked at her seriously: "What the dealer lacks is not people, but confidence. As long as everyone sees hope, they will rush to participate without being urged."

Shuihua nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, Li Dayou came to see you today and said that seven families of his are going to the county tomorrow to file a complaint, saying that Director Zhang tricked them into returning to Diaozhuang."

Su Ning sneered, "As expected, they've come."

He opened his notebook and quickly wrote a few lines: "Give this to Ma Defu first thing tomorrow morning."

Shuihua took the slip of paper, which contained several bank names and contact persons: "What's this?"

“I’m the one who runs the loan business in the county.” Su Ning rubbed his temples wearily. “Ma Defu is a formal cadre, so it’s easier for him to apply for the loan than for us.”

Shuihua hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

She was aware of the delicate relationship between her husband and Ma Defu, but now was clearly not the time to dwell on it.

"Go to sleep, it's almost dawn." Su Ning blew out the oil lamp.

In the darkness, Shuihua heard him whisper, "Once the relocation site is built, we'll move to Yinchuan, and I'll open an accounting firm for you then."

Shuihua smiled quietly on the pillow.

The next morning, Shuihua arrived at the village office with the note in her hand and ran into Ma Defu, who was about to leave.

I hadn't seen him for three months, and he had lost a lot of weight. His once round face had become more angular, and his brows showed more composure.

"Brother Defu," Shuihua called softly.

Ma Defu was visibly taken aback for a moment, then nodded businesslike: "Comrade Shuihua, is there something you need?"

The unfamiliar form of address stung Shuihua, but she quickly composed herself and pulled out a note: "Brother Ning asked me to give this to you, saying it will help with the loan application."

Ma Defu took the note, glanced at it, and his brows gradually relaxed: "He certainly has a lot of connections."

His tone contained both admiration and a subtle hint of bitterness.

“Brother Ning said… the relocation is everyone’s business, we need to work together.” Shuihua carefully chose her words, “Brother Defu, you are all doing this for the good of the villagers…”

Ma Defu suddenly interrupted her: "Shuihua, do you think Suning's plan is feasible? Making immigrants work first and then allocate land is against the policy."

Shuihua raised her head, her eyes resolute: "Policies are rigid, but people are flexible. Brother Ning has calculated it; as long as the initial construction goes smoothly, it won't take more than three months..."

“You two are quite of one mind.” Ma Defu smiled wryly and stuffed the note into his briefcase. “Tell Su Ning that I will give it a try, but I can’t guarantee success.”

As Shuihua watched his retreating figure, she suddenly called out, "Brother Defu!"

Ma Defu stopped in his tracks without turning around.

"Thank you." Shuihua's voice was soft, but every word was clear, "For the sake of Diaozhuang, for everyone."

Ma Defu's shoulders trembled slightly before he continued walking forward.

……

Meanwhile, a heated debate was taking place in the conference room of the county rural credit cooperative.

"This is utterly absurd!" Wang Zhiqiang, director of the county rural credit cooperative, slammed his fist on the table. "Making migrants work first and then get paid? Isn't this just like landlords hiring laborers in the old society?"

Zhang Shucheng was sweating profusely with anxiety: "Director Wang, you've misunderstood. This is a new model of 'work-for-relief'..."

"Just a different name!" Wang Zhiqiang turned to Su Ning, who had been silent all along. "Comrade Su, I heard your family owns a brick kiln? You're not trying to exploit our laborers, are you?"

The air in the conference room froze instantly.

Zhang Shucheng's expression changed drastically. Just as he was about to explain, Su Ning slowly stood up.

"Director Wang," his voice was hoarse with exhaustion, yet unusually clear, "do you know why the farmers of Xihai Gu would rather starve to death than relocate?"

Before Wang Zhiqiang could answer, Su Ning answered his own question: "Because they don't believe it. They don't believe in the promises the government makes, they don't believe in those unseen benefits. My solution is simple—let them watch their new homes being built brick by brick, and participate in it with their own hands. This isn't exploitation, it's empowerment."

This unfamiliar term naturally stunned everyone present.

In 1991, no one in Xihai Gu had ever heard of such a fashionable term.

Su Ning pulled a stack of documents from his briefcase: "This is a detailed plan for the use of funds and a calculation of the sources of repayment. I'm using the brick kiln as collateral, and Director Zhang is acting as guarantor on behalf of the government. The loan will be specifically used to purchase building materials and pay part of the cash wages, ensuring that each household can receive five yuan per week to make a living."

Wang Zhiqiang took the document with skepticism, and the more he looked at it, the more his brows furrowed: "Are your numbers accurate?"

“Every single transaction was checked by my wife,” Su Ning said with pride. “She came in third in the county’s accounting training program.”

Zhang Shucheng, who was standing nearby, quickly chimed in, "Director Wang, County Head Yang has already agreed in principle to Comrade Su Ning's plan. What do you think..."

Wang Zhiqiang turned to the last page and suddenly his eyes widened: "Wait, this repayment plan... uses future government subsidies and brick kiln profits to pay it off?"

“Exactly.” Su Ning nodded. “After the relocation is successful, the immigrants will have a harvest, and the government subsidies will be in place; my brick kiln branch will go into production, and the profits will be used to repay the loan. This is called ‘using future money to do things now.’”

The meeting room was completely silent.

"In addition, your credit union has always been under great loan pressure, and perhaps there are no better government clients in the entire Northwest."

As expected, Suning's words completely moved everyone present; in the early 1990s, not many people accepted loans.

Wang Zhiqiang stared at Su Ning for a full minute, then suddenly turned to the loan officer beside him and said, "Xiao Zhao, find that document from last year's head office on 'Supporting Rural Reform Pilot Projects'!"

……

Two hours later, when Ma Defu rushed to the rural credit cooperative, the loan intention agreement had already been signed.

"You're late." Zhang Shucheng smiled and handed the documents to Ma Defu. "Eight thousand yuan, interest-free, three-year term!"

Ma Defu looked at Su Ning in disbelief: "How did you do that?"

Suning shrugged: "It's just a matter of reasoning."

"Amazing! I'm impressed."

"The most urgent thing now is to stop Li Dayou and his gang. I heard they went to the county government to file a complaint?"

Ma Defu's expression changed: "I'll go right now!"

“Let’s go together.” Su Ning stood up, but suddenly swayed. Fortunately, Zhang Shucheng caught him quickly.

When the three arrived at the county government, Li Dayou was leading a dozen or so people, shouting at the entrance of the compound.

Upon seeing Su Ning, Li Dayou immediately rushed over: "Young Master Su, you've come at the right time! Please be the judge. Director Zhang tricked us into returning to Diaozhuang. What about the wages he promised?"

The crowd of onlookers became agitated.

Just as Ma Defu was about to explain, Su Ning stepped forward and said, "Uncle Dayou, the wages will not be reduced by a penny, but it has to be done according to our agreement—work points will be recorded first, and the final settlement will be made after the project is completed."

"Pah!" Li Dayou spat. "Who believes empty words? We want cash!"

“Uncle Dayou, these houses will all belong to you once they are built. You will still have to pay an equivalent amount of money to buy them. Wouldn’t it be better to use your free labor to offset part of the cost now?”

"We don't want a house!"

"That's simple! Once the scaffolding is built, you won't be shortchanged a single penny of your wages."

"No! We want cash."

Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, the county government building doors suddenly opened, and County Head Yang walked out with a stern face: "What's all the noise about? Do you think this is a vegetable market?"

The crowd fell silent instantly.

Li Dayou naturally shrank his neck, but still looked unconvinced.

County Chief Yang looked around at everyone, his gaze finally settling on Su Ning: "You're the 'economic coordinator'? You proposed the plan?"

Having seen many storms, Su Ning nodded neither humbly nor arrogantly: "It is I, County Chief Yang."

"You have the courage." County Chief Yang suddenly smiled. "But courage alone is not enough; you also need the ability to execute."

He turned to Li Dayou and the others, “Fellow villagers, the government understands your concerns. Here’s a guarantee—if you don’t receive your due wages and land by the end of the year, come directly to me, Mr. Yang!”

Upon hearing this, Li Dayou and the others exchanged glances, their momentum immediately weakening by three points.

County Chief Yang pressed his advantage: "The county will send vehicles to take you back to Diaozhuang tomorrow, and the first batch of building materials will arrive at the same time. Those who want to participate in the construction can stay, those who don't..."

He paused deliberately, "You can go back to Yongquan Village and starve! But don't regret it when the relocation villages come up later."

The last sentence hit the nail on the head.

The farmers of Xihai Gu are not afraid of hardship, but they are afraid of not seeing any hope.

Now that the county head is personally guaranteeing it, and there are real building materials on the table, even the most stubborn person has wavered.

"Well... alright then," Li Dayou said reluctantly, "but we only do light work; heavy work will cost extra!"

Su Ning smiled: "Uncle Li, don't worry, there are machines for heavy work. I rented a bulldozer from the county agricultural machinery station, and it will arrive tomorrow."

"Hmph! That's more like it." Su Ning's explanation gave Li Dayou a way out.

As expected, he wasn't in a bad mood and left with the troublemaking villagers.

On the way back to Diaozhuang, Ma Defu couldn't help but ask Su Ning, "Su Ning, when did you contact the bulldozer?"

“Yesterday,” Su Ning coughed twice, “I prepaid half a month’s rent.”

"Where did you get so much money?" Ma Defu asked in shock.

Suning smiled but did not answer.

It wasn't until much later that Ma Defu learned that Su Ning had taken out his family's savings.

……

Three days later, the Yuquanying stilt house was bustling with activity.

Bulldozers roared as they leveled the land, men built walls and beams, women boiled water and cooked, and children played and frolicked nearby.

On a desolate Gobi Desert, the outline of a village is taking shape.

Standing on high ground, Zhang Shucheng watched this scene, his eyes welling up with tears: "Xiao Ma, do you see this? This is hope."

Ma Defu nodded, his gaze unconsciously searching for Su Ning's figure.

He and Li Dayou were squatting on the ground, drawing something with twigs, and the two of them laughed from time to time.

The rival he once envied is now changing this land in ways he never imagined.

When they finished work in the evening, Suning called a meeting with everyone.

Shuihua took the ledger and announced the work points and material usage for the day in detail.

The transparent management approach gradually eased the initial suspicions of immigrants.

"We'll start laying the foundations for the residential area tomorrow," Suning said, pointing to the planning map. "Based on each household's contribution, we'll prioritize assigning locations to families who are most proactive in their work."

This sentence is like a stone thrown into a calm lake.

The immigrants immediately started discussing it, and many said on the spot that they would bring their relatives to help the next day...

After all, the location of a homestead is related to one's life for the next few decades.

Of course, many more villagers who heard the news joined in, not only getting money but also being eligible for a house, making it a cost-effective and beneficial arrangement.

Gradually, the relocation and resettlement project got on track, and Suning proved its capabilities with concrete actions.

……

Late at night, Ma Defu was organizing materials in his temporary office when he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

When I opened the door, I saw Shuihua holding a thick stack of account books.

"Brother Defu, here are today's details." Shuihua handed over the ledger. "Brother Ning said you should take a look as well."

Ma Defu took the ledger and couldn't help but ask, "Shuihua, did you really invest all the money?"

Shuihua nodded, without a trace of regret in her eyes: "Brother Ning said that you can't do great things by only thinking about yourself." Ma Defu flipped through the accounts, which were accurate to the cent, and suddenly understood the secret to Su Ning's success...

He wasn't giving alms, but leading everyone to create together; he wasn't using money to buy people's hearts, but using visible hope to unite their strength.

“Shuihua,” Ma Defu said softly, “tell Su Ning for me… I truly admire him.”

Shuihua smiled, her eyes shining like stars in the moonlight: "You have to tell him this yourself."

In the distance, the outline of the bulldozer was faintly visible in the moonlight, like a sleeping giant.

Further away, villages of the future are taking shape.

On this night in 1991, the wind in Xihai Gu finally blew in a new direction.

……

The meeting room of the Standing Committee of Xihai Gu County was filled with smoke, as the twelve members of the Standing Committee had been debating for the entire morning.

"I object!" Organization Minister Zhao Zhiguo slammed his fist on the table again. "Who is Su Ning? The son of a brick kiln owner! He's not even a Party member! To directly promote him to deputy section chief level is against organizational principles!"

County Chief Yang slowly flicked his cigarette ash: "Old Zhao, as the leaders said, it doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat. This 'cat' Su Ning has caught quite a few 'mice' for us."

A few soft laughs rang out in the conference room.

Zhao Zhiguo's face turned ashen: "County Chief, this is a serious personnel issue, not a game! He didn't even follow the most basic cadre selection procedures..."

“Procedures are made by people.” Zhang Shucheng couldn’t help but interject. “Minister Zhao, go and see Yuquanying. Three months ago it was just a barren desert. And now? Fifty new houses, two wells, and a supporting drainage system! All of this was done by Su Ning and his team!”

"Furthermore, Ningxia has been a barren land since ancient times, so when we encounter good talents, we should recruit them without being bound by convention."

"Hmph! That's because he's rich!" Zhao Zhiguo sneered. "Anyone can use money to pave the way."

"Money?" Zhang Shucheng also got angry. "The more than 7,000 yuan in wages he paid on behalf of the immigrants hasn't been reimbursed yet! Don't you know what the county's finances are like?"

Seeing that the debate was about to escalate again, County Chief Yang tapped the table: "Alright, let's vote by raising hands! Those who agree to make an exception and appoint Comrade Su Ning as the deputy director of the County Poverty Alleviation Office (deputy section chief level), please raise your hands."

Of the eleven Standing Committee members, six hands were slowly raised, just over half.

With a gloomy face, Zhao Zhiguo wrote down the words "reserved opinion" heavily on the meeting minutes.

After the meeting, County Chief Yang called Zhang Shucheng to his office: "Shucheng! You have to keep a close eye on this Su Ning. We'll see what he's really made of."

Zhang Shucheng nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, County Chief!"

"Don't rush to vouch for us," County Chief Yang said meaningfully. "The first batch of cadres from Fujian to provide counterpart support to Ningxia will arrive next week, including Deputy Director Lin, who is in charge of economic cooperation. I want to let Deputy Director Lin test the waters of Suning."

Zhang Shucheng's eyes widened: "What? Isn't this too hasty?"

County Magistrate Yang smiled but did not answer, instead handing over a transfer order: "Go and inform Su Ning! Tell him to report to the county in three days. Your statement about recruiting talent without being bound by convention is very true."

"..."

When Zhang Shucheng's bicycle stopped in front of the Su family's brick kiln, Su Ning was carrying bricks with the workers.

The July sun was scorching, and his shirt was already soaked through, clinging to his back.

"Suning! Great news! Fantastic news!" Zhang Shucheng shouted from afar.

Su Ning put down the bricks and wiped his sweat: "Director Zhang, what brings you here?"

Zhang Shucheng strode over and grabbed Su Ning's hand: "Approved! The county has decided to make an exception and appoint you as the deputy director of the poverty alleviation office, at the deputy section chief level!"

The surrounding workers immediately erupted in chaos.

Deputy section chief level! In Xihai Gu in 1991, this was equivalent to the deputy director of a bureau in the county!

Many people spend their entire lives trying to reach this position.

Su Ning froze, the smile on her face gradually fading: "Director Zhang, this matter... I need to think about it."

Zhang Shucheng never expected this reaction: "What are you considering? This is a fantastic opportunity!"

"What about the brick kiln? The relocation site project is only halfway done..." Su Ning's voice trailed off, his tone deliberately low. In this particular industry, one must learn to feign composure.

Zhang Shucheng stamped his feet anxiously: "Oh dear! Director Su! You're a government official now, why are you still concerned about brick kilns! The government will naturally take over the immigration work!"

Su Ning didn't say anything more, just nodded: "I understand. Thank you for your trust, I will report on time."

After seeing Zhang Shucheng off, Su Ning sat alone by the brick kiln until dark.

The workers had all gone home, leaving only a few people working the night shift firing the kiln in the distance.

In the firelight, his expression shifted between light and shadow.

"Brother Ning." Shuihua appeared behind him without him noticing, holding a rice bowl in her hand. "Time to eat."

Suning took the bowl and mechanically shoveled noodles into his mouth, eating without tasting anything.

"I've heard about it," Shuihua said softly. "Don't you want to go?"

Su Ning put down her bowl and sighed deeply: "This brick kiln is the culmination of my father's life's work... and there's still the promise he made to Li Dayou at the immigration site..."

Shuihua sat down beside him and took his hand: "I'll talk to Dad. As for the immigration point... Brother Defu will take over."

“Defu?” Su Ning smiled bitterly. “He probably can’t wait for me to get out of here.”

Shuihua shook her head: "You underestimate Brother Fu. These past few months, he has genuinely admired you."

Su Ning turned to look at his wife.

Under the moonlight, Shuihua's eyes were crystal clear, without a trace of pretense.

He suddenly remembered something: "What about you? I'm going to work in the county, what will you do? The accounting class hasn't even finished yet..."

“I’ll go with you,” Shuihua said without hesitation. “There are night schools in the county, I can continue my studies. Besides…”

She winked playfully, "I'm the balance beam and you're the weight; the balance can't be separated from the weight."

Su Ning felt a surge of heat in his heart and pulled Shui Hua into his arms, feeling a burning desire within him as he felt her voluptuous figure.

The firelight from the brick kiln flickered in the distance, casting long, long shadows of the two men.

Meanwhile, Suning and Shuihua were doing what they loved most...

……

The next morning, the Su family held a family meeting.

Surprisingly, Su Daqiang did not object to his son joining the system.

"It's great to have a government job!" Su Daqiang exclaimed, slapping his thigh. "We're guaranteed a stable income, no worries about wind or sun. The brick kiln won't collapse with me here!"

Su's mother, however, was worried: "I've heard that being an official is risky, and things might not go well..."

"Hmph! What do women know!" Su Daqiang interrupted his wife, "Ningwa is bringing honor to the family!"

Seeing her father's excited expression, Su Ning felt a mix of emotions.

He knew that his father had also had the opportunity to work in the supply and marketing cooperative when he was young, but he was replaced by someone else because he had no connections.

Now that his son has become a county-level official, it can be said that his lifelong dream has come true.

"Dad, the accounts for the brick kiln have all been sorted out, and the customer list is here..." Su Ning handed over a thick notebook.

Su Daqiang casually put it aside: "Go ahead and don't worry! When your dad was running the brick kiln, you were still wearing open-crotch pants!"

As the family was talking, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open, and Ma Hanshui barged in with several village officials.

"Su Daqiang! I heard your son is going to become an official?" Ma Hanshui cut to the chase, his tone unfriendly.

Su Daqiang immediately straightened his back: "What? Director Ma, do you have a problem with that?"

Ma Hanshui sneered: "The son of a small business owner has infiltrated the revolutionary ranks, how can I not have an opinion? Folks, don't you agree?"

The village officials who followed echoed his sentiments, but their eyes darted around nervously...

They dared not offend Ma Hanshui, nor did they want to offend Su Ning, who was about to become a county leader.

The scene was at a stalemate for a while.

Just then, Ma Defu rushed over: "Dad! What are you doing?"

Ma Hanshui turned around and glared at his son: "You've come at the perfect time! You, a genuine college graduate, have been working for a year and you're still just a lowly clerk. What makes Su Ning so special..."

"Based on ability!" Ma Defu suddenly raised his voice, "Dad, do you know how much money Su Ning has advanced for the resettlement site? Do you know that he hasn't slept a full night for three months in a row? The county uses him because of his ability! Besides, I'm not a college student, but a vocational school graduate from an agricultural machinery school."

“You…” Ma Hanshui was stunned by his son’s sudden outburst.

The villagers who had been watching also began to whisper among themselves...

The Ma family father and son actually argued in public over Suning, which is quite a novelty.

"You...you..." Ma Hanshui pointed at his son, his finger trembling, "I think you've been bewitched by that girl! Taking the side of outsiders!"

Ma Defu's face turned bright red: "I'm trying to reason with them! The leader said..."

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Ma shouted angrily, then turned and left.

The village officials looked at each other in bewilderment and then left as well.

The courtyard was eerily quiet for a moment.

Ma Defu stood still, his chest heaving violently.

After a long while, he turned to Su Ning and said, "Congratulations."

Those two simple words carried immense weight. Su Ning nodded solemnly: "Thank you! As for the immigration point..."

“Leave it to me, don’t worry!” Ma Defu interrupted him. “I won’t let you down.”

The two men's eyes met in mid-air, and they both saw the respect in each other's eyes.

At this moment, they were no longer rivals in love, but comrades fighting for a common goal.

With the emergence of Suning, Xihai Gu has taken a different turn, and its development and wealth creation are definitely on a steady upward trajectory.

……

Three days later, Su Ning, wearing a newly made Zhongshan suit, walked into the county government compound.

Shuihua followed behind him, carrying a cloth bag full of account books...

She was temporarily assigned to help out at the poverty alleviation office as a "family member," and will be officially hired once the formal employment status is approved.

"Director Su is here!" Zhang Shucheng greeted him from afar. "Come on, come on, I'll take you to meet your colleagues."

The poverty alleviation office is located in an old red brick building, with more than a dozen people crammed into three connected rooms.

Upon seeing Zhang Shucheng bring Su Ning in, the previously noisy office immediately fell silent.

"Comrades, this is our new Deputy Director Su Ning, let's welcome him!"

"Clap clap clap..." Sparse applause rang out, and most people's eyes were filled with scrutiny and suspicion.

A young cadre wearing glasses even deliberately said loudly, "Hey! The small business owner has become a leader?"

Zhang Shucheng's expression changed, and he was about to reprimand him when Su Ning stepped forward with a smile: "This comrade is right. I was indeed a 'small business owner' before."

He magically produced a bag of fruit candies from his briefcase. "Here! Please enjoy these wedding candies to celebrate my 'turning from darkness to light'!"

A humorous self-deprecating remark immediately defused the awkward situation.

Several young cadres couldn't help but laugh out loud, and even the bespectacled man accepted the candy with embarrassment.

"Director Su, this is a report on the recent use of poverty alleviation funds in various townships. Please take a look." A female staff member brought over a stack of reports.

Suning took the report, flipped through a few pages at random, and suddenly pointed to a piece of data and asked, "Why is there such a big difference between the budget and the actual expenditure for this sheep farming project in Majiabao Township?"

The female staff member was taken aback: "This...it might be due to different statistical methods..."

“That’s not right.” Su Ning shook his head. “The market price for a lamb is around thirty yuan, but they quoted forty-five. Either they’re overcharging, or…”

He looked up at Zhang Shucheng and said, "Someone is taking kickbacks."

The office was silent.

Zhang Shucheng's face turned extremely grim: "Investigate! Investigate to the end!"

The news quickly spread throughout the county government compound.

That afternoon, the head of Majiabao Township was summoned to the Discipline Inspection Commission for a talk.

Suning, with his keen business acumen, earned the first respect.

As he was leaving get off work in the evening, Zhang Shucheng mysteriously called Su Ning into his office: "Do you know Deputy Director Lin from Fujian? County Chief Yang has arranged for you to be in charge of receiving him."

“Deputy Director Lin?” Su Ning was completely confused. “I don’t know him.”

Zhang Shucheng lowered his voice: "This is a test that County Chief Yang has given you."

"Okay! I understand."

As the sun sets, it bathes the old county government building in a golden hue.

In the distance, a flock of pigeons flew across the sky, flapping their wings and heading south.

That direction leads to Fujian, to the sea, to the place the Loess Plateau yearns for most.

Now, two different regions are about to intrude into the lives of their respective people in the most unexpected way.

...(End of chapter)