Official title: Refused to stay at the university, started his career in a rural town.

Qi Tongwei stood at the entrance of the judicial office, looking at the mountain opposite.

The mountain was still the same mountain, the trees were still shedding their leaves, and the dirt road was still full of potholes. He squatted down, picked up a twig, and scratched it on the ground for a while before standing up and throwing the twig away.

He went back inside, found the letter, and unscrewed the pen cap.

"Senior: I received the letter and the apples too, they're very sweet."

He paused for a moment.

"Yantai Mountain is indeed tough, even tougher than I imagined. But you're right, the tougher the place, the more achievements you can make. I, Qi Tongwei, am from Handong University, I was the student union president, and an outstanding graduate. Now that I'm here, I won't leave in disgrace."

"Back in Qingping, you started with three pilot trees and transformed a poor township into a model village in just one year. I, Qi Tongwei, can find my own three trees in Yantaishan! Senior brother, you'll see!"

"Once I've made a name for myself and been transferred back to Beijing, I'll reunite with Chen Yang. I'll come to Qingping to see you then, and we'll have a good drink together."

He sealed the letter and wrote the address on it.

A mountain breeze blew in through the window, causing the plastic sheet to bulge and then deflate.

The old locust tree in the yard has started to shed its leaves, which fall one by one onto the threshold.

Qi Tongwei placed the letter on the table, stood up, and walked to the door. The mountains opposite were tinged with dark red by the setting sun, their ridgelines undulating...

It looks like...? A scar that's gradually cracking open!

The sputtering sound of a tractor drifted from afar, fading into the distance along the winding mountain road. He stood at the doorway, watching the tractor become a tiny black dot, disappearing into the folds of the mountain. A gust of wind swept in from the mountain pass, swirling fallen leaves around them. He reached into his pocket and found his senior's letter. The letter rustled between his fingers.

He turned and went back into the house.

The tea in the enamel mug on the table had gone cold. He didn't refill it, but just picked it up and took a sip.

The herbal tea tasted bitter. He put down the jar and looked out the window at the darkening sky. Night came early on Yantai Mountain; it got dark as soon as the sun set.

Old Sun next door was playing "Beating the Golden Branch" on his radio, the mournful singing punctuated by the mountain wind. Qi Tongwei sat on the wooden bed, took out his senior brother's letter from his pocket, and read it again. When he saw the last line, "Senior brother is waiting for you," he pressed his finger on the letter.

He folded the letter and put it under his pillow.

The chirping of insects outside the window continued in waves. He lay down, stared at the roof beams for a long time, and then closed his eyes.

Under the pillow, my senior brother's letter pressed down on the dispatch letter.

The words "Pending approval" on the dispatch letter were somewhat blurred by the creases.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the plastic sheet, illuminating the written reply on the table. The recipient on the envelope was listed as: Yang Fan, Qingping Township Government, Anyang County.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

When Yang Fan received Qi Tongwei's reply, he was in his office looking through the tea garden management records that Geng Yan had sent.

The letter was short; he opened it, scanned it once, and then read it from the beginning again.

When he saw the line, "Once I've made a name for myself, I'll be transferred back to the capital and reunite with Chen Yang," his finger paused on the letter for a moment, then he folded it and placed it on the table.

He stared at the letter for a while, then sighed heavily.

Qi Tongwei didn't understand!

His letter was so long, ranging from the apples of Qingping to Hengtong's 60 million yuan, from Wang Dashan's three pilot trees to Ma Liangchen's transfer to the county—it all boiled down to one thing: get down to earth, get things done, the organization will see it, and your alma mater will take care of you.

You, Qi Tongwei, are a student of Handong University, the president of the student union, and an outstanding graduate. Handong University stands behind you; it's a legitimate academic institution, not some shady sect!

You don't need to exchange your grades for anything; your grades are yours, and no one can take them away.

The organization will not let down someone who achieves results in a difficult place—provided that you truly immerse yourself in the work and do not use your achievements as bargaining chips.

Did Qi Tongwei understand? He only saw the "achievements," not the "organization." He only saw "transfer back to Beijing," not "Handong University."

"Once I've made a name for myself, I'll be transferred back to the capital and reunite with Chen Yang."

Yang Fan read the sentence again.

He made a name for himself and was transferred back to the capital.

These were two separate things, but Qi Tongwei made them one thing—if I achieve results, you have to transfer me back.

You're doing business; you're negotiating with the government!

No need to think twice, that old fox Liang Qunfeng is just looking for a reason to put you down.

Originally, the organization felt somewhat indebted to assign people to Yantaishan.

If Qi Tongwei can truly settle down and work for two or three years, his promotion to deputy section chief and then section chief will be a natural progression.

But if he uses his "achievements" as a "bargaining chip," Liang Qunfeng can crush him with just one sentence—"politically immature."

You're a recent graduate, and the organization puts you in a tough place for training, and you're already negotiating with the organization? Where's your Party spirit? Where's your sense of obedience? After Liang Qunfeng said this, no one could defend him.

The greater the achievement, the harsher the suppression.

Because his achievements themselves become evidence of "blackmailing the organization," Qi Tongwei will then find that everything he has done with all his might has not only failed to get him to leave Yantaishan, but has instead pinned him down even more firmly.

Yang Fan leaned back in his chair, thinking of Qi Tongwei from the original drama.

The provincial public security bureau chief holds a high position, but when things were so tense, instead of currying favor with Sha Ruijina or cleaning up his own stains, he intensified his money-making and factionalism.

When Hou Liangping arrived in Handong, his first reaction was not to try to resolve the situation or take control, but to hesitate.

In that extremely dangerous situation, if you neither turn left nor right, who else but you will die? Are you suggesting that we let Li Dakang, who was running all the way, die?

This person doesn't even need the word "simple"; he has very low emotional intelligence and is even more immature in terms of political acumen.

Yang Fan folded Qi Tongwei's reply and put it in the drawer.

He could no longer manage the affairs of Yantaishan.

The letter was written, the words were delivered, and the hints were given. Qi Tongwei didn't understand; it was his own fate!

They can't expect a mere deputy township head to honestly tell him, "Director Qi, hang in there! Liang Qunfeng can't keep suppressing you forever. Handong University isn't made of clay. Once you get through this current setback, your future will be like a rocket launch."

Yang Fan stood up and walked to the window.

In the distance, the mountains of Qingping gleamed green under the sun, and Hengtong's construction team was already driving piles at the foot of the mountains, the thumping sounds carrying far away.

Ma Liangchen's transfer order has been issued, and he will report to the county agricultural bureau next month. Li Chang'an went to the county for a meeting early this morning and said that people from the municipal transportation bureau have arrived and the road construction is progressing. The Qingping matter is being pushed forward one by one.

As for what happened at Yantai Mountain, let it be.