I was reborn without dreams

Chapter 93 Capable People, Obedient People

"Brother Da'an, that Huang cadre from Qinjiang is here again."

"Let him wait another half day."

"it is good."

Busy training the dog, Zhang Da'an tossed a bag of snacks on the table and asked Liang Chunbo, "Pineapple Boy, do you think I went a bit too far with this propaganda officer from A Qiu's hometown?"

"No, no, no..."

Liang Chunbo shook his head. This young man has finally figured things out. How could he not understand who he's working for and how could he possibly feel sorry for a complete stranger like a propaganda officer?

Something that doesn't exist.

"I'm just curious why he hasn't given up after all this time."

"It doesn't matter. Letting him out for a few days is just to see his attitude. I never make things difficult for people without reason. This Huang Dingjun is what people used to call a 'pretty boy,' or rather, a 'pretty scholar.' He can write like a pro, but his eyes are always looking upwards."

"Good or bad?"

"It depends on how you use it."

Zhang Da'an stood up and said to Liang Chunbo, "Have A Qiu go and greet them. Just make them a cup of tea and put out a couple of newspapers. It doesn't need to be too formal."

"it is good."

After confining the dog in the enclosure, Zhang Da'an signed several funding applications that had been sent to him before leisurely strolling to the reception room.

This propaganda officer named Huang Dingjun has no other problems, except for one: without obtaining Zhang Da'an's permission, he went on and on praising Zhang Da'an, practically describing him as a born saint.

If you were to brag about it in the public media, Zhang Da'an would be quite happy, considering it a form of marketing and advertising, and a free one at that.

But you said this in a publication co-sponsored by the military region...

Dude, how far away is Lingxi Province? More than a dozen agricultural counties have already imagined that "Da'anzi" has a very good conscience. Now you are adding fuel to the fire without regard to the law, morality, or principles. Although it is all true, the way you write it makes people imagine that "Da'anzi" in Jiangkou Province is a good person.

Is this appropriate?

When did I, Zhang Da'an, ever say that I wanted to be a good person?

Huang Dingjun can't get any propaganda materials right now, which clearly means there's something wrong. When he goes back, will he start spouting nonsense again?
At the very least, I need a photo with Zhang Da'an.

With photos in hand, as long as the interview content is positive...

Just make it up.

This is just a job to get by.

However, it must be said that Huang Dingjun's ability to fabricate stories is much stronger than that of ordinary journalism graduates.

He could probably be considered a gifted individual.

Usually, young propaganda officers like this are either well-educated or have connections. Since Huang Dingjun has chosen to attract attention and has no contingency plan, he is most likely well-educated but lacks connections.

Zhang Da'an didn't have any reliable mouthpieces in the cultural or artistic circles of Lingxi Province, and the veterans resettled in the local counties and cities couldn't offer much help in this regard either.

But now that Huang Dingjun has inadvertently created an opportunity, there must be some explanation for it.

Huang Dingjun was extremely flustered at this situation, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, because the military region urgently needed the news reports about the people.

Even though they are thousands of miles away, hearing the story of "Da Anzai" brings peace of mind to the active-duty soldiers.

Actually, there's a military-themed magazine co-founded by a local organization in Qinjiang that wants to take this opportunity to further expand its influence by creating a supplement or something similar, specifically focusing on targeted profiles, which would also generate revenue.

If Huang Dingjun can become a familiar face in Shazhou City, he might be transferred to Qinjiang City, where he could work as an ordinary editor, which would be a very good job.

Huang Dingjun knew this, while Zhang Da'an had only made a rough guess.

There must be an ulterior motive, and a certain desire.

"You must be Officer Huang? Hello, hello, hello..."

When Zhang Da'an appeared in the reception room with a smile, Huang Dingjun sat on the sofa, frowning and contemplating life. He felt that the opportunity might have already passed.

Just when he thought Zhang Da'an would stand him up again, Zhang Da'an appeared, leaving him somewhat dazed upon seeing him.

There was no way around it; Zhang Da'an was still growing and had grown taller. He was burning a lot of calories every day, but he also ate a lot. So, after his growth spurt, he didn't lose any weight and ended up looking much bigger.

If it weren't for the fact that it was the same face, Huang Dingjun would have really thought that the guy in front of him was one of those guys who played "Big Fly," and that he was the top thug among them.

No... this top scorer in the college entrance exam shouldn't be the top scorer in martial arts, right?
"Hello, Mr. Zhang, hello, Mr. Zhang..."

Huang Dingjun seemed a little uneasy. Seeing his appearance, Zhang Da'an was even more certain that this man must want something from him.

For ordinary local officials, it wouldn't be so unusual to ask him to personally meet someone. There's no such thing. He's now a true billionaire, and if he were to pass through an agricultural county, the county head might lead a team to stop him at a national highway intersection and extend a warm invitation for a casual meal.

Meeting Huang Dingjun doesn't mean meeting Huang Dingjun in person, but rather meeting him as a propaganda officer under the military region.

A big difference.

However, once he realized that Huang Dingjun lacked confidence, he understood the situation.

"Officer Huang, please don't stand on ceremony. Please sit down. Ah Qiu, what's going on? You didn't even prepare a fruit platter?"

"I...I forgot, Brother Da'an."

Tang Jianqiu's acting skills are far superior to those of "Pineapple Boy".

“Be careful next time!”

"Understood, Brother Da'an."

Huang Dingjun keenly noticed the subtle difference in the way the address was made. Being a skilled writer, his mind worked quickly, so he decided to approach the issue from an emotional angle, appealing to the feelings of "Brother Da'an," this great philanthropist, by thanking him for his support of veterans and their families, and for his support of national defense...

However, just as he finished thinking through his words, Zhang Da'an, who was opposite him, looked at him with a smile and said, "Officer Huang, I've read your article, it's excellent. If you come here to train for a year, I guarantee you'll become the top liberal arts student in Qinjiang City. However, Officer Huang, although the article is good, there's one thing I'm not satisfied with."

All the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. Suddenly, Huang Dingjun's mind went blank, and he was completely stunned.

Zhang Da'an's image is so complex at this moment.

"No, I don't know what Mr. Zhang is dissatisfied with?"

"That's just writing too good a story about me, all my strengths and no weaknesses. How is that possible? Those who know me know I have a major flaw that I'll never be able to change. Officer Huang, do you know what that flaw is?" "..."

At this moment, Huang Dingjun's brain seemed to have lost its ability to process language; he simply shook his head subconsciously.

"My weakness is that I'm willing to risk my life for a small gain. What I mean is, I'd risk my life for a tiny profit. I'm greedy for small gains; if I don't find money on the street, I feel like I've lost out. So, Officer Huang, your article portraying me as so perfect has caused me significant harm. How are you going to make it up to me?"

"Ah... ah?"

Huang Dingjun, whose mind was completely blank, couldn't even think of anything. He planned to "appeal to Zhang Da'an's emotions," but Zhang Da'an only wanted to "lure him with benefits."

If there are no benefits, how can it work?
"No, no, Mr. Zhang, the report is correct..."

"Hey, Officer Huang, don't be in a hurry."

Zhang Da'an raised his hand to interrupt the other party, still smiling, and then wagged his finger, "Officer Huang, if you don't compensate me, I will expose the facts of your fabricated report to the military district, and of course, the relevant propaganda units in Qinjiang City will also be involved. That way, you won't be able to find a good place after you are demobilized."

"..."

This was the first time Huang Dingjun had ever faced such a blatant threat. He had never encountered any ruthless characters before, and his publicity work was always done methodically. Even when he had ideas, he didn't dare to be bold enough to do or try them out.

This time it's different. Zhang Da'an is thousands of miles away, so he can just brag all he wants.

With eloquent and flowing prose, that's how it used to be done.

Unfortunately, Zhang Da'an was well-known in the armed forces departments of several districts and counties in Lingxi Province. There was no real connection or interest involved; he was simply doing his best in his small tasks.

The reason why the military region could take notice was because it genuinely made the soldiers feel at ease.

As for the veterans, it would be a lie to say that they were all without regrets. Of course, they must have some grievances in their hearts. But no matter how grieved they are, like Liang Chunbo's father, now that the construction of his house in the countryside has begun and it has sprung up, he can grit his teeth and add one or two more floors to his three-story house. Ten or twenty years of resentment will eventually disappear.

Limited by the times and financial constraints, the local armed forces department could sometimes only worry helplessly, but now they have the confidence to do their job perfectly.

If something goes wrong with Huang Dingjun, causing discord and conflict between Zhang Da'an and the veterans from Lingxi Province, Huang Dingjun's hundred or so jin of meat won't be worth much.

"Mr. Zhang, I...I..."

"I heard you're planning to transfer to a magazine in Lingxi Province to work as an editor for a new supplement?"

"what?!"

Huang Dingjun was stunned. He was still busy with this matter, and it was not even close to being finalized. It was just a small part of his own activities.

The chances of success are slim, given that many people are eyeing the opportunity. The number of people going to these places this year is quite large, making the competition extremely fierce. Without connections, it's really impossible.

Given Huang Dingjun's background, he most likely has no chance.

However, given Zhang Da'an's influence and wealth, he could easily consider not only a supplement editor position but also a deputy editor-in-chief position.

The newly launched supplement of this military magazine is a transformation towards a culture and lifestyle category. As of March of this year, it was still in the consideration stage. Preparations have been ongoing, but there is a lack of funding. Even so, many people still want to fill the gap.

It's okay if you don't do editing; just doing layout and proofreading is fine too.

There are a total of seven people. Apart from the editor-in-chief who has already been confirmed, the rest will be assigned personnel after the Chinese New Year.

Zhang Da'an knew they lacked advertising sponsorships and channels, and the Armed Forces Department of Qinjiang City had also contacted him somewhat awkwardly, hoping to provide some assistance.

Zhang Da'an had previously planned to take 100,000 or 200,000 yuan and run a useless magazine ad for a year, and that would be it.

The situation has changed a bit now. Zhang Da'an's "Zhang An Media" needs a channel in Lingxi Province to communicate with his "cousins". Whether it can be profitable is another matter, but there is definitely room for cooperation.

Zhang An Media's main manpower in Jiangkou Province is currently focused on television program production. They do not have enough resources to cooperate with the Shazhou City Education Bureau on print media.

Furthermore, the city government is pessimistic about the effectiveness of print media and lacks motivation, so many ideas have been shelved.

But Zhang Da'an is different. Because he is in the education industry, whether it is television media or traditional print media, he needs to invest money.

When it comes to recruitment advertising, print media offers the best cost-effectiveness, as it preserves the written content such as recruitment brochures and details for a long time, providing long-term promotion.

It's like getting two birds with one stone. What difference does it make who you cooperate with? Cooperating with relevant units in Lingxi Province doesn't necessarily mean that the new magazine will only be sold in Lingxi Province.

Creating a national publication is not out of the question, provided that the volume is high enough.

Zhang Da'an also has ideas in this regard, which are closely related to the vocational skills training he has been preparing for.

It would be easy to manipulate Huang Dingjun.

In matters of cross-regional cooperation, it's better to hire an obedient person than someone with extraordinary abilities; it can save a lot of trouble.

"Mr. Zhang, what... what exactly do you want me to do? Just tell me!"

"Okay, with you saying that, things will be much easier."

Zhang Da'an smiled and looked at Huang Dingjun. "The Armed Forces Department of Qinjiang City actually came to me to solicit investment. My original idea was just to advertise and make friends. But now I have an idea. Huang, would you like to be the editor-in-chief?"

"Ah...ah?!"

Suddenly, his head started making a banging sound, and Huang Dingjun wondered if he was hallucinating.

However, Zhang Da'an continued with a smile, "The local military magazine you had your eye on wanted to publish a supplement in the culture and lifestyle category. I could easily put in two or three hundred thousand yuan for a few years of advertising to get you a junior editor position. But after thinking about it, it's better to cooperate directly. The magazine will provide the license, and I'll provide the funding to establish a separate supplement. You can start as the deputy editor-in-chief as a transition. We have a few propaganda officers from the armed forces department who can lend you a hand. Once you've accumulated enough content, you can become the editor-in-chief."

"..."

For a moment, Huang Dingjun didn't know whether to call himself lucky or unlucky.

Because from now on, he wouldn't just be a puppet under Zhang Da'an's control.
Can he say no?
If he were acting purely out of conscience, he would naturally refuse outright.

but……

The thought that he had accomplished nothing over the years, just going through the motions every day, and that even fighting for an editor position might not be successful no matter how hard he tried, made him hesitate again.

The opportunity was right in front of him. Instead of going back to think about it, he clenched his fist, steeled his resolve, and said to Zhang Da'an, "Mr. Zhang, in the future, as long as there's a need for me, I'll follow you wherever you ask! Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Zhang!"

"Prepare your resume; we'll need it later. We're a legitimate company, so we'll have to follow the proper procedures."

"Yes!"

Huang Dingjun answered decisively this time, without the slightest hesitation.

(End of this chapter)