1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 118 County Head and Secretary Gao: I...I have something to say.

Inside the county committee compound at this time.

Inside the county government compound, rows of single-story houses exude an old-fashioned charm. Most of these houses were renovated from the old residences of former landlords—similar to the Qiao Family Compound in Shanxi, which served as the local county government office for decades after the founding of the People's Republic of China before being converted back into a scenic area open to the public.

At this moment, everyone's eyes in the courtyard fell on Zhou Mohai.

He was responsible for handling student records, managing the admission process, and announcing the results... If there had been any slight error in any part of this entire process, Zhou Xu would have noticed something was wrong long ago.

However, Zhou Xu discovered that the breakthrough point for the problem was not in these routine procedures, but rather when the military region was transferring student records.

So, who is the most suspicious? Everyone knew perfectly well, and their eyes all pointed to Zhou Mohai from the Education Bureau.

County official Gao Dashan tapped the table and asked, "Old Zhou, we've been working here for several years, and of course I'm not doubting you. I remember your son, Zhou Wei, was also a student at Wuhan University? I'd like to ask if your son knows anything about this?"

"..."

Zhou Mohai broke out in a cold sweat. Generally speaking, people who can reach the position of section chief wouldn't be this nervous unless it was something extremely important, but this matter was even more important than the sky.

For a military region-level unit to provide assistance, unless it has a provincial-level leader as a backer, otherwise...

"My son probably doesn't know this."

Gao Dashan tapped the table lightly, as if slowly applying pressure to Zhou Mohai, and began to speak with a series of thumps:
"Old Niu, come out here and say something! You're the head of the county archives! You handle so many documents all the time, you find out who tampered with the files of those who took the 78 college entrance exam! Who altered their files?!"

After saying this, he glanced at Zhang Mohai but did not ask any questions directly.

Director Niu of the archives immediately replied, "Secretary, I understand. Our archives will definitely handle this properly and investigate everyone thoroughly."

The county head coughed, and seeing the serious atmosphere, he slowly said:
“Among us… some comrades have made mistakes, which is understandable. We’ve all worked in our positions for so many years, and nobody wants to make a mistake. But this time is different. It concerns the future of someone’s child and has even alarmed the military region. This is no small matter, but it’s not ‘hopeless’ either.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, his tone deepening but without anger:

"The most urgent task now is not to find out 'whose fault it is,' but to find out the truth about the 78 college entrance examination files—who changed the information, which links had loopholes, all of this must be made public. If any comrades were confused and interfered back then, and now they voluntarily come forward to explain the situation and cooperate with the investigation, the county will consider the matter according to the severity of the circumstances. This will also be an explanation to yourself and to the organization."

At this point, he looked at Gao Dashan, then turned back to the crowd and added:

“We are here to serve the people. We can’t let one incident discourage people’s hearts, and we can’t let mistakes get bigger and bigger. Director Niu’s team needs to check the files quickly and thoroughly; if anyone else has any relevant clues, don’t hide them, speak up as soon as possible. This will help the county solve the problem as quickly as possible, and we shouldn’t keep victims like Comrade Zhou Xu waiting any longer. When we promote reform, we must solve all the problems in the county!”

The county magistrate's words were a way of giving him a way out. He and Gao Dashan had been partners for over a decade, one playing the bad cop and the other the good cop.

Sure enough, before everyone could process the county magistrate's words, Gao Dashan clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white, and his voice instantly rose eight octaves: "Now that things have come to this point, don't pretend you don't understand!"

His gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on Zhou Mohai, his tone filled with unyielding firmness:

"Three days! I'm only giving you three days! Director Niu, you and the Discipline Inspection Commission must produce preliminary investigation results in three days; as for the others, if you wait until the investigation is complete before speaking up, it won't just be a simple matter of being dismissed or removed from their posts—the military region has already taken notice of this matter, and once the leaders question us, no one will be able to protect themselves!"

He concluded by slamming his hand on the table, making the enamel mug on it rattle: "Now, who has anything to say?!"

The entire room fell silent; even breathing seemed to be gripped tightly by this oppressive force.

Zhou Mohai finally raised half a hand with trembling hands, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded: "County...County Chief...Secretary Gao...I...I have something to say."

As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes in the room immediately turned to him.

Zhou Mohai didn't dare to look up. His Adam's apple bobbed several times before he managed to utter the next sentence with difficulty: "My son... my son Zhou Wei, his college entrance examination scores back then... were fake."

With a "boom," these words were like a pebble thrown into calm water, and a few gasps of astonishment could be faintly heard from the crowd.

Gao Dashan's brows furrowed instantly, but he didn't interrupt him. He simply said in a deep voice, "Go on."

Zhou Mohai's voice trembled with tears: "Back in '78, Zhou Wei's mock exam scores were consistently poor. I... I was in charge of student records at the Education Bureau at the time, and I had some crooked ideas. Before the results were released and the files were sealed, I secretly returned Comrade Zhou Xu's score sheet to Zhou Wei, and then stuffed Zhou Wei's low score sheet into Zhou Xu's file... so that Zhou Wei could directly pass the exam with Zhou Xu's scores!"

“I know I was wrong! I was just thinking about getting my son into a good university, and I made a mistake... I haven’t been able to sleep well these past few years, always afraid of being found out, but I never expected... I never expected that Comrade Zhou Xu would check the student records through the military region, and that’s how the truth came out!”

As he spoke, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt down. Zhou Mohai, however, did not get up, but slumped in his chair, his voice growing softer and softer: "This has nothing to do with Zhou Wei, I did it all by myself... I'm willing to accept punishment, I just ask that I can give Comrade Zhou Xu an explanation, and not implicate the county..."

Is there only one problem with the education bureau chief?

Gao Dashan clearly didn't believe it: "Just you?"

One by one, three or four veteran comrades raised their hands: "Secretary Gao, I was confused for a moment. Zhou Mohai gave me a Japanese-made imported TV set back then, and I agreed to help him out."

"he is the one……"

"..." Looking at all the familiar faces in the room, Gao Dashan slammed his fist on the table. He was so angry today that he almost fainted.

It's human nature for some people to like taking advantage of others or craving a little power! But to do something so big behind his back?!

He immediately said, "Good, good, good! You're all great, Lao Wang, ten years! You've worked for me for ten years! In a few years I'll retire and the position will be yours. I don't understand... why would you make such a basic mistake!!!"

The deputy secretary paused, then said, "...I...I, Lao Gao, I was just confused for a moment. You don't know that my son needed three things as a bride price when he got married! I spent all my savings to buy him a house in the provincial capital..."

“You all have your reasons, you all have your grievances, you were all born into poverty. Why didn’t Comrade Zhou Xu complain? Have you considered those students from rural areas who worked so hard to get into university?” This time, Gao Dashan wasn’t just afraid; he felt a deep resentment towards the entire county.

He felt disheartened when he suddenly saw so many people appearing today, a group he had been working with for over a decade.

"I'm not saying anything more. Go home and accept the investigation by the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection. In a few days, the comrades from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection will also be coming down. You should cooperate with them!"

Gao Dashan was at his wits' end; he didn't even have the energy to curse anymore, and the meeting quickly ended.

Zhou Mohai composed himself and rode his old bicycle home.

Generally, the director of the education bureau will concurrently serve as the secretary and principal of the county's top high school and the party secretary of the education bureau.
Zhou Mohai felt he still had a chance to advance, but it seemed that opportunity was gone. Two or three decades of hard work had been wiped out by a single mistake. However, he still lost by a hair's breadth. If he had succeeded, his son, a Wuhan University graduate, would have returned to the county and city in the 1980s to become an official, achieving far more than his father.

That's how all officials are.

back home.

Zhou Wei ran over: "Dad! Dad! What happened? People from the Municipal Committee just called me, and the school counselor and secretary also called me..."

Upon seeing Zhou Mohai return from a meeting at the county committee, Zhou Wei rushed over anxiously and asked him what was wrong.

Zhou Mohai returned home and unbuttoned his executive jacket: "Our affair has been exposed... You can't go to university?"

"Why? I have a girlfriend at school!" Zhou Wei asked, looking surprised.

"...Your classmate Zhou Xu, after graduation he went straight into the army, I heard he got a first-class merit, came back from the Vietnam War, and the army wanted to promote him! They found a loophole in his student record..." Zhou Mohai repeated this story, he himself felt it was incredibly surreal!
Hey!
He just happened to encounter such a chance, which was less than one in a thousand.

“Zhou Xu…him? What makes him so special?” Zhou Wei slammed his fist on the table.

Zhou Xu and Zhou Wei were classmates at the county's No. 1 High School. Back then, Zhou Xu was consistently ranked first, while Zhou Wei was consistently ranked last. However, later on, thanks to his father's connections as a teacher at the county's No. 1 High School and the director of the Education Bureau, Zhou Xu's spot was taken by someone else.
Now that Zhou Wei heard that Zhou Xu had become a first-class combat hero, he was filled with disbelief!

Zhou Mohai's mind was in turmoil: "You...you shouldn't say things like that again!"

"Me? How could I..."

Zhou Mohai slapped Zhou Wei across the face: "Zhou Xu is now a deputy battalion commander! He's going to military academy next year! He'll graduate with a higher rank than your father! If someone hears you say that, what will they think?"

“…Dad…” Zhou Wei touched his face, not daring to speak.

But Zhou Wei was stunned for a long time when he heard Zhou Xu's rank.

Deputy battalion commander?
In a few years, he'll be promoted two ranks and become a regimental leader!

He simply couldn't understand how that country bumpkin from the county's top high school had become an outstanding officer in the army in just two years!
His father was just a volunteer soldier, right? Does he have some other connection to the army?
Zhou Mohai took a drag of his cigarette and continued, "I took full responsibility for this. I handled everything myself—changing student records… You should apologize to Zhou Xu properly!!"

"Admit your mistake?"

"Correct!"

“But…Deputy Secretary, my uncle…” Zhou Wei immediately remembered this lifeline! He looked at Zhou Mohai with pleading eyes.

Zhou Mohai's voice was much softer, but he had to appear mature in front of the child: "He...he also needs to be investigated."

"..."

Zhou Wei felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Where did this person come from?

His uncle was actually dismissed! And he was dismissed along with his uncle!
Isn't this a very simple thing?

"Why? Why is Uncle suffering too?"

Zhou Mohai decided to make his son give up: "Don't even mention your uncle, even the Party Secretary wouldn't be able to stop it! The leader personally called to demand a thorough investigation, and the leaders sent down are all at the level of a division chief! The director of the General Office will also personally handle the follow-up investigation!"
Why? Because it was an order personally issued by the military region. The meeting we just had was about this! This isn't just about a replacement; it concerns Comrade Zhou Xu's future..."

After the father and son talked it over, they basically gave up hope.

night.

A knock sounded on the door.

With a resolute look in his eyes, Zhou Mohai suddenly pulled open the door.

The entrance was instantly blocked by a crowd—more than a dozen men dressed in black Zhongshan suits, their postures as straight as pine trees. The leader stepped forward, flashed his identification, and spoke in a cold, hard voice:
"The county discipline inspection commission is handling a case. They have been ordered to detain Zhou Mohai, the former director of the education bureau, for investigation. In addition,"

He turned his gaze aside, his tone completely calm, "Comrade Zhou Xu, or rather, Comrade Zhou Wei, you also need to cooperate with the investigation."

-

Stepping out of the train station exit, the evening breeze carried a slight chill.

A military green jeep was parked on the side of the road, its body clean and tidy, without any unnecessary decorations.

Not long after Zhang Linsheng and Zhou Xugang stood still, a figure walked towards them from a distance.

The man, dressed in a dark gray executive jacket, stood ramrod straight with a composed smile on his face; he was none other than Gao Dashan, a county official. He strode forward and extended his hand to Zhang Linsheng first: "Director Zhang, you must be tired from your journey! I am Gao Dashan, a county official."

Zhang Linsheng grasped his hand with just the right amount of pressure: "Secretary Gao, you're too kind. The main purpose of this visit is to discuss issues related to the county and city education systems. We'll need your cooperation in the future."

"What's the trouble! There's a major problem with the county's education system, and it's something the entire county should work together to solve!" Gao Dashan said with a smile, his tone firm. He then turned to Zhou Xu beside him, extending his hand with a hint of apology in his eyes.

"Comrade Zhou Xu, on behalf of the county party committee and the education bureau, I would like to apologize to you regarding the matter of your university admission being stolen. There were oversights in our work before, which caused you to suffer injustice. No amount of 'apologies' can undo the past, but please rest assured that we will definitely investigate the matter thoroughly and give you an explanation. All corrupt officials will receive the punishment they deserve."

Zhou Xu smiled and nodded: "Thank you very much, Secretary."

Of course, regardless of what the secretary's involvement is with this matter, Zhou Xu can't afford to offend the local bullies right now, since his parents are still in the county town.

"Let's go, comrades. I'll take you to the guesthouse first. As for..." Gao Dashan hadn't finished speaking.

Zhang Linsheng waved his hand, "We can go to the guesthouse tonight. I need to go to the county committee to look at some documents first..."

(End of this chapter)