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

The meeting room of the Ningzhou Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee was filled with smoke.

Party Secretary Zhao Guangping sat at one end of the long table, tapping his finger on the rim of the ashtray, sending ash falling in a soft rustling sound. All eleven members of the Standing Committee were present; a row of enamel mugs stood, tea leaves floating on the surface.

Zhao Guangping stubbed out his cigarette.

"Let's add an agenda item today." He glanced around, "Everyone should have heard about the Municipal Agricultural Commission halting the review of that cooperative in Qingping Township, Anyang County. There are differing opinions from the provincial level, and the city has also received numerous complaints."

No one responded.

Zhao Guangping wasn't in a hurry. He picked up the mug, blew on the tea leaves, and looked at Gu Changhe, the secretary of the municipal discipline inspection commission.

"Secretary Gu, please tell me first. Have the results of the verification regarding Comrade Wu Xiang, the Party Secretary of Qingping Township, come out?"

Gu Changhe was in his early fifties, with a square face and thick eyebrows that looked like two brushes. He cleared his throat and pulled a document from his briefcase.

"We have the results."

He opened the document and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Wu Xiang is currently the Party Secretary of Qingping Township, Anyang County, and formerly served as the Deputy Section Chief of the Comprehensive Section of the Municipal Planning Commission. Regarding the anonymous report alleging his irregular promotion, the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection has repeatedly verified the matter—"

The meeting room was so quiet that you could hear the ticking of the wall clock.

The allegations are untrue!

"Comrade Wu Xiang's transfer to the position of Party Secretary of Qingping Township is in accordance with the procedures, the materials are complete, and it meets the requirements of the cadre management regulations. He is currently resting in the reception room of the Discipline Inspection Commission."

The document was on the table. Gu Changhe picked up the jar but didn't drink it.

Organization Minister Sun Zhenbang spoke first.

He was in his fifties, with gray hair, and spoke slowly and deliberately, but pronounced each word very clearly.

"Secretary Gu, let me say a few words."

Gu Changhe glanced at him.

"When the Organization Department assigns cadres, the appointment of each cadre is carefully considered and decided collectively. Wu Xiang was transferred from the Municipal Planning Commission to Qingping Township. His personnel file and procedures were all in place, and at that time, the Discipline Inspection Commission was consulted for his integrity advice as required."

Sun Zhenbang paused, then tapped his finger on the table.

"It's the Discipline Inspection Commission's duty to investigate cadres, and the Organization Department will fully cooperate. But couldn't they have given us some advance notice? The person was taken away without a word, leaving the Anyang County Party Committee completely baffled, and the Organization Department only found out afterward. Isn't this inappropriate?"

In the meeting room, some people were drinking water with their heads down, some were staring at the documents on the table, and no one responded.

Gu Changhe put down the jar.

"Minister Sun, this verification involves issues related to cadre promotion procedures, which need to be kept confidential. It's not targeting the Organization Department, but is necessary for the handling of the case, and also for the sake of Comrade Wu Xiang's reputation."

"reputation?"

Vice Mayor Wu Chunlin spoke up.

He was sitting by the window. He didn't usually talk much, but today he directly interrupted Gu Changhe.

In this conference room, everyone knows that Wu Xiang is his nephew. If he doesn't step up, he'll be considered a clay figure!

"Secretary Gu, the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection is handling a case outside its jurisdiction, taking someone away based solely on an anonymous tip. I want to ask—was this procedure compliant?"

Gu Changhe frowned slightly.

Wu Chunlin didn't wait for his reply and continued speaking.

"Wu Xiang was taken away for three days without any news. The Anyang County Party Committee and County Government didn't know, nor did the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. We finally heard from Qingping Township that the Party Secretary had been taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was spoken firmly.

"Now that the investigation is complete and there are no problems, let him return to his original position. But Secretary Gu, he was taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission for three days. What will people outside say? 'Wu Xiang is under investigation by the Discipline Inspection Commission'—once that gets out, his innocence will be tarnished. How much damage does that do to a cadre's reputation?"

Gu Changhe picked up the jar and took a sip.

"Mayor Wu, the Discipline Inspection Commission has disciplinary requirements for handling cases—"

"Discipline?" Wu Chunlin interrupted him. "Is the Discipline Inspection Commission's discipline simply about reporting on every rumor? In their work, shouldn't they also have an obligation to protect the reputation of officials? An anonymous letter, three days of investigation, and after the investigation, they say there's nothing wrong and release the person. But during those three days, who was in charge of the work in Qingping Township? Who was handling the investigation of the cooperative? What do the people think of the township party committee?"

Zhao Guangping lit a cigarette and took a puff.

Wu Chunlin glanced at him and swallowed back what he was about to say.

Zhao Guangping flicked his cigarette ash.

"Secretary Gu."

"Um."

"Now that the matter concerning Comrade Wu Xiang has been thoroughly investigated, the comrades from the Discipline Inspection Commission should personally escort him back. The procedure must be followed flawlessly to avoid giving anyone cause for criticism."

Gu Changhe nodded.

Zhao Guangping took another drag of his cigarette, the smoke obscuring half his face.

"The comrades in the Discipline Inspection Commission work very hard, and maintaining confidentiality is to be expected. However, when it involves cadres under the management of the city, it is advisable to communicate with the relevant leaders and the Organization Department before making any verifications. Mutual understanding and cooperation are essential."

Sun Zhenbang lowered his head, his lips twitching slightly; Wu Chunlin leaned back in his chair and remained silent.

Gu Changhe picked up the mug, took a sip, and wiped the tea leaves off his lips with the back of his hand.

Zhao Guangping stubbed out his cigarette.

"That's enough for this matter. Let's move on to the cooperative."

He looked at Mayor Zhou Zhengyuan.

"Mayor Zhou, the province attaches great importance to this cooperative pilot program. I have reviewed the materials from Qingping Township, and the approach is correct. The city should provide support where it can."

Zhou Zhengyuan was in his early fifties, with a thin, long face. He habitually pushed up his glasses before speaking and opened the notebook in front of him.

"It was discussed at the mayor's office meeting that the Qingping Township Cooperative is a pilot project for the whole county and has also been registered in the city. The municipal finance has a sum of agricultural and rural development funds that can be allocated two million yuan for the supporting construction of the cooperative."

Zhao Guangping added, "Two million won't quench our thirst, but it'll make us show our support."

"Then it's settled! The Finance Bureau will process the paperwork and allocate the funds as soon as possible. As for the cooperative's review, Secretary Gu from the Municipal Agricultural Commission will also put in a good word. If the materials are solid, it will pass; don't hold it up."

Gu Changhe responded.

Zhao Guangping looked around.

"Any other comments?"

No one spoke.

Meeting adjourned.

The chair legs creaked and groaned as they scraped against the floor, and the Standing Committee members walked out one after another.

Wu Chunlin, carrying a notebook, paused at the door and glanced back at Gu Changhe.

Gu Changhe was collecting documents when their eyes met for a moment.

Wu Chunlin withdrew his gaze, pushed open the door, and went out.

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.

A Cherokee rolled down the dirt road in Qingping Township and stopped in the courtyard of the township government.

The car door opened, and Wu Xiang got out of the back seat. He hadn't shaved for three days and nights, and his chin was covered in bruises. There was a crack in the lens of his gold-rimmed glasses—it was unclear when he had bumped into something.

In the courtyard, Yang Fan stood at the front, followed by Sun Xiaohong, Zhou Dequan, Zhao Dayong, Han Zheng, and several village officials who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

Wu Xiang straightened his collar and walked over.

Yang Fan reached out his hand, and Wu Xiang grasped it, shaking it vigorously twice.

"I'm back."

"I'm back."

Yang Fan loosened his grip, glanced at the cracks in Wu Xiang's glasses, and waved his hand, "It's nothing, I just tripped and fell."

He turned and looked at the people in the courtyard.

"What are you all standing there for? I just went to cooperate with the disciplinary committee to verify a few issues. It's nothing serious, it's not like I'm being placed under investigation, haha!"

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.

3 PM, Township Government Meeting Room.

Wu Xiang sat at one end of the table, with Yang Fan to his left. Sun Xiaohong, Zhou Dequan, Zhao Dayong, Han Zheng, as well as Armed Forces Minister Lao Liu, Deputy Township Head Zhao Dayong, and Party and Government Office Director Xiao Liu were all present.

Wu Xiang picked up the jar, took a sip, and put it down.

"Thank you all for your hard work these past few days."

He scanned the area.

"Even though I was away for three days, the cooperative's work didn't stop, the tea garden's management didn't stop, and the coordination with Hengtong didn't stop. Committee Member Sun led a team to the village to explain the policies, Township Head Zhao made three trips to the tea garden, and Secretary Han kept a close eye on the township's work style and discipline."

He paused.

"To be honest, in that room at the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, what I thought about most was Qingping. I wondered if everyone was panicking, if someone in the cooperative was backing out again, and if the villagers were starting to gossip again."

Wu Xiang picked up the jar and took another sip.

"When I came back today, I found that I hadn't missed a single chore."

He put the jar down.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone!"

"By the way, I have something to tell you all."

He pushed up his glasses, and the cracks on the lenses flashed under the light.

"My trip to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection was worthwhile!"

Everyone leaned in to listen.

Wu Xiang said in a serious tone: "The city has allocated another batch of matching funds."

Zhao Dayong blurted out, "You've got money again?"

"That's right." Wu Xiang nodded. "Think about it, if I were to submit a report directly, those old men in the Municipal Finance Bureau would drag it out for ages. So I changed my approach—first, I cooperated with the Discipline Inspection Commission to verify the issue. Once it was cleared up, the comrades from the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission would see it and say, 'Oh, this junior cadre has worked hard; take some money home with him.'"

"From now on, whenever I'm short of money, I'll just go to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection!"

There was a two-second silence in the conference room.

Zhao Dayong couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing, and then everyone else couldn't stop laughing.

Wu Xiang couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright! Let's get down to business. This money has come in; it's the city's support for our cooperative. The next step is to intensify our efforts. We need to keep a close eye on Hengtong's factory construction, raise the standards for tea garden management, revise the cooperative's articles of association again, and make sure every household signs and seals the profit-sharing plan."

He stood up.

"Our Qingping doesn't rely on heaven or earth, it relies on everyone's own efforts. I, Wu Xiang, was called away for three days, and when I came back, Qingping was still Qingping, and all the work had been done. With you all here, what do I have to fear? Similarly, with everyone here, what is there to be afraid of!"

After the meeting, Wu Xiang returned to his office.

A thin layer of dust had accumulated on the table. He wiped it with a rag, sat down in the chair, took off his glasses, and ran his fingers over the crack.

the phone is ringing.

He answered the phone and whispered something.

"Uncle."

On the other end of the phone, Wu Chunlin's voice was calm and unhurried.

"Is the meeting over?"

"Um."

"The disciplinary committee can't find any major procedural problems. Just accept this loss and don't keep asking questions. Besides, they already allocated 200 million to you."

Wu Xiang gripped the microphone, his knuckles turning white.

Wu Chunlin paused for a moment.

"But you must understand that this two million is not compensation for you, but support for the development of Qingping. You must use it well and spend every penny wisely."

"clear."

"There's one more thing."

Wu Xiang held his breath.

"You need to change this willful habit of yours. It's good to have guts, but the officialdom isn't a place to show off your individual heroism. From now on, no matter what happens, report to the organization immediately, understand?"