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

The 24th day of the twelfth lunar month is the Little New Year.

Two trucks rolled over the dirt road in Qingping, their cargo beds neatly stacked with gift boxes of Qingping mountain delicacies.

Yang Fan sat in the passenger seat, holding a list in his hand—a list of the top leaders and their contact information for all departments in the county, from the County Party Committee Office to the Agriculture Bureau, from the Planning Commission to the Finance Bureau.

Wu Xiang stood in the courtyard seeing him off, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "Mayor Yang, come back soon."

Yang Fan leaned out of the car window. "Secretary Wu, aren't you going?"

"What would I go there for?" Wu Xiang flicked his cigarette ash. "Of all the departments you, Mayor Yang, have been running around to over the past year, how many do I know?"

He chuckled. "Hurry up and go, don't dawdle here."

The truck started, and Wu Xiang stood still, watching the two vehicles turn out of the yard, roll over the dirt road, and disappear at the end of the winding mountain road.

He stubbed out his cigarette and turned back to his office.

The county magistrate's office was on the second floor of the east building in the county party committee compound. When Yang Fan arrived, County Magistrate Li Jianmin was reviewing documents. The room was filled with smoke. Li Jianmin was a heavy smoker.

"Yang Fan?" Li Jianmin looked up. "Sit down."

Yang Fan sat down and handed over the cooperative's proposal with both hands. Li Jianmin took it, flipped through a couple of pages, and frowned slightly.

"cooperative?"

"With government guidance, each village will invest collectively, and unified standards, unified brand, and unified sales will be implemented," Yang Fan stated calmly.

"Apples, mountain delicacies, and tea—these three things are all grouped together. The township government takes a small, symbolic share, or none at all; the majority goes to the village collective and the farmers."

Li Jianmin didn't say anything, and continued flipping through the pages until he reached the articles of association, where he stopped.

"Guiding, not leading?"

"Yes, guidance! The government's role in this cooperative is to act as a coordinator."

Li Jianmin put down the proposal and tapped his fingers twice on the table. "Yang Fan, I had to listen to your idea twice before I understood it. The first time I thought it was good, but the second time I thought it was difficult."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"As the cooperative grows, all sorts of hands will reach in. Buyers will try to drive down prices, salespeople will want kickbacks, and even people in the city will want to take over the distribution channels." Li Jianmin turned around. "Can you withstand this pressure? Have you thought about it?"

Yang Fan said, "I've thought about it."

"You thought it through and still did it?"

"If we don't do it, the development of Qingping Township will forever remain at the initial stage. We can forget about being able to support ourselves and become rich."

Li Jianmin stared at him for a few seconds, lit a cigarette, and looked at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Okay, I'm fine with this." He paused, took a deep drag, and stubbed out his cigarette.

"Let's go, come with me to see Secretary Wu."

Wu Aiguo's office was on the third floor. Li Jianmin had his secretary make a phone call, and Xiao Liu on the other end said that Secretary Wu happened to be free.

The two went upstairs and knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

Wu Aiguo was sitting in a chair reading documents, with an enamel mug next to him and two cigarette butts stuck in the ashtray. When he saw Yang Fan, he smiled.

"Oh, it's Township Head Yang." Wu Aiguo closed the document. "Does your Qingping Township want to quit?"

Yang Fan was taken aback.

"Gifts are being given everywhere." Wu Aiguo flicked his cigarette ash. "Even the gatekeeper, Old Zhang, received a box of your mountain delicacies. He even bragged to Xiao Liu that the people of Qingping Township are so generous that they didn't even forget the gatekeeper."

Yang Fan's Adam's apple bobbed. "Secretary Wu, everyone has worked hard all year. This stuff isn't worth much; it's just for all the leaders and colleagues to try. If they find anything wrong with it, we'll fix it quickly so it'll sell better next year."

Wu Aiguo chuckled. "Alright, stop making things up, sit down and tell me."

Li Jianmin handed over the cooperative's proposal and briefly reported Yang Fan's ideas. Wu Aiguo listened without saying a word, then picked up the proposal and flipped through it from beginning to end.

I turned to the pages of the bylaws and stopped.

"Guidance, not dominance," he read aloud. "The township government may hold a symbolic share, or none at all."

He put down the proposal and leaned back in his chair.

"Yang Fan".

"Um."

"Your plan is quite bold."

Yang Fan did not respond.

Wu Aiguo picked up his enamel mug, blew away the tea leaves, and took a sip. "Government guidance, with the bulk of the profits going to the village collective and farmers—this approach is completely different from the old cooperatives that took on everything."

He paused, then said, "Let me ask you a question: if the cooperative grows too big, and someone tries to take advantage of it and leech off its profits, what will you do?"

Yang Fan said, "The articles of association are fixed, and the shares are locked to individuals. In the future, no matter who wants to sell their shares, they can only sell them to the village collective at the original price."

Wu Aiguo stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Alright, you've got ideas!"

He stood up and walked to the window. The sunlight in the December sun was dazzling in the county government compound outside the window.

"I, Wu Aiguo, have worked in Anyang for so many years, and I only believe in one principle—a good policy is one that makes people's pockets fuller." He turned around, "I fully support this plan."

Li Jianmin said, "Secretary Wu, I will convene a government executive meeting as soon as I get back to make arrangements in advance."

"No rush." ​​Wu Aiguo stubbed out his cigarette, picked up his bag from the table, and said, "I'll go to the city now and report to Secretary Zhao."

Li Jianmin was taken aback. "Today?"

"Today," Wu Aiguo said, putting the proposal into his briefcase, "this cooperative isn't just a matter for Qingping, or even just for Anyang. If it's done well, it can be promoted throughout the county, and even the city."

He looked at Yang Fan.

"Yang Fan".

"Um."

"Have you delivered all those two truckloads of mountain delicacies yet?"

Yang Fan said, "We're still missing a few departments."

"Go back as soon as you're done delivering." Wu Aiguo patted his briefcase. "I'll handle things in the city. You go back and polish the cooperative's articles of association again. Not a single word can be ambiguous. You need to list out all the potential problems that might arise later."

Yang Fan stood up. "Secretary Wu, thank you for your support."

"No need to thank me." Wu Aiguo waved his hand. "You got the job done, that's the biggest thanks you can give."

In the corridor, Yang Fan followed behind Li Jianmin. When they reached the stairwell, Li Jianmin paused for a moment.

"Yang Fan".

"Um."

"Secretary Wu may not say it, but he's very perceptive," Li Jianmin patted him on the shoulder. "He grasped the crux of your plan after just one glance—'guide,' not 'lead.' You need to put those four words in black and white in the regulations to prevent any future instances of…"

"clear."

Li Jianmin went downstairs. Yang Fan stood at the top of the stairs, looking out the window at the sun shining on the county government compound.

My palms were sweaty.

Downstairs, the two trucks were still parked. Old Geng poked his head out of the truck bed and waved to him. Yang Fan took a deep breath and went downstairs.

In the car, the driver, Old Li, offered me a cigarette. "Mayor Yang, how's it going?"

Yang Fan took the cigarette but didn't light it. "That's it! Both key leaders are truly dedicated and pragmatic people focused on development!"

Old Li paused for a moment, then grinned.

The truck started and rolled over the stone-paved road in the county government compound. Yang Fan sat in the passenger seat, watching the county government building gradually shrink in the rearview mirror.

Outside the window, the December sunlight was dazzling. The mountains of Qingping appeared as a silhouette in the distance.

The cooperative's articles of association still need to be revised. This one word may seem insignificant, but it could affect the government's image and people's wallets in the future!

Wu Aiguo went to handle the reports from the city. Next spring, the first batch of tea buds in the tea garden should be picked, Hengtong's factory should be put into production, and the cooperative should be officially established.

One by one, they're all waiting.

Yang Fan lit a cigarette and took a drag.

Time waits for no one!