Rebirth: My college entrance exam score was stolen? I turned the tables and made a billion.

The old Party Secretary's confidant?

Upon hearing these words, Liu Guangming not only didn't show any fear, but instead raised his eyebrows subtly.

So that's where the root of this game lies.

The barely thriving Hongxing Grocery Store, Director Zhang of the Commerce Bureau clutching the official seal, promoted by the old Party Secretary...

Liu Guangming's mind works extremely fast.

Lin Weimin, whom I knew, was a newcomer who was eager to revitalize the county's economy and achieve political success.

But the old Party Secretary had been operating in the county for so many years, and his influence was deeply entrenched.

Now, if I want to take over this store, it's not just a simple public-to-private commercial acquisition; it's clearly a political power struggle between the new and old factions, the reformists and the conservatives in the county!

Having figured this out, Liu Guangming suddenly smiled.

He reached out and ripped off the old newspaper covering the money, deftly stuffing the two bundles of ten-yuan notes back into the canvas bag.

"Sizzle—"

The sound of the zipper being pulled up was particularly jarring in the quiet office.

When Wang Gui saw that the money had been taken away, his previously composed demeanor instantly crumbled.

"Young man, what...what do you mean by this?"

Liu Guangming picked up the canvas bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Whether Director Zhang nods or shakes his head at the Commerce Bureau, I'll handle it."

"There's only one thing you need to do now."

Liu Guangming pointed to the still noisy street outside the door.

"Go wash your face, go outside, stand up straight, and tell those troublemaking employees outside."

"Just say that the store has found a way, but it needs to go through the bureau's procedures."

"I'll get Director Zhang on board within three days."

Liu Guangming held up three fingers, his tone crisp and decisive.

"Three days later, we will make up for every penny of the hard-earned money we owe them."

Upon hearing this, Wang Gui's eyes widened and his mouth gaped open.

"Three days? You're going to handle Director Zhang?"

Wang Gui was so anxious that he kept slapping his thigh.

"How are you going to manage this?! Director Zhang hates self-employed individuals the most; you can't even get into his office!"

"If those people outside don't get their money in three days..."

Liu Guangming ignored him completely, turned around and gestured with his chin towards Liangzi.

"Brother Liang, open the door, let's go."

Liangzi deftly twisted the doorknob that was locked from the inside.

As soon as the door opened, the heatwave and shouts from outside rushed in again.

Liu Guangming strode out, and when he reached the door, he turned his head slightly and uttered a sentence.

"Manager Wang, I've paved the way for you. I said I'd take care of it, and I will."

"Whether you pay off the debt respectably and act like a good person, or are forced to climb onto an iron frame, or drink pesticide, you can definitely tell the difference."

After saying that, Liu Guangming, with Liangzi in tow, squeezed out of the crowd without looking back.

Wang Gui was left standing alone in the dilapidated manager's office, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

……

The two pushed their bicycles a long way away until they could no longer hear any noise from the grocery store, at which point Liangzi could no longer hold back.

"Brother Guangming, weren't we being a bit too ambitious with what we just said?"

Liangzi hopped on his bicycle, pedaling with a worried expression on his face.

"That's the director of the Commerce Bureau! We usually avoid anyone in uniform on the street, how are you going to get close to such a big shot?"

"If we really tried to bring a pig's head to the temple to burn incense, they wouldn't even open the gate for us!"

Liu Guangming sat in the back seat, feeling the hot wind blowing in his face, and chuckled softly.

"Who said I was going to beg him?"

Liangzi missed a step and almost fell into the ditch by the roadside along with his bike.

"Not ask him? How can we stamp the official seal then? Wang Gui already said that that stubborn old man has the old Party Secretary of the county behind him!"

Liu Guangming patted Liangzi on the back, signaling him to watch where he was going.

"Brother Liang, you still haven't figured it out."

"In this world, big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp."

"Director Zhang, this fish is really too tough for us to bite."

"But don't forget, we have a trump card in our hand that can crush him."

Liangzi froze, slowed down his pedaling, and thought about it carefully for a long time.

Suddenly, he slapped his thigh and realized what was going on.

"Holy crap! County Chief Lin!"

"That's right! We've been in the same cell and even got beaten up with the county magistrate's son!"

Liu Guangming nodded.

"In this game, it's too slow for us to play by ourselves."

"We need to ask County Magistrate Lin to come and help us make this crucial move."

That evening.

In front of a two-story red brick building with a courtyard in the county committee's residential compound.

Liu Guangming was carrying a net bag containing two pounds of apples and a bunch of bananas.

It was a very ordinary gift to return a visit to someone in the hospital, nothing flashy at all.

He was heading to County Magistrate Lin's house, of course.

The address... was naturally given to him by Lin Xiaofan.

Liu Guangming stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door.

"Who is it? Coming right away!"

A gentle female voice came from the courtyard.

The door hinges creaked as they turned, revealing Su Qin wearing an apron and holding a half-picked bunch of water spinach.

Upon seeing who was standing outside the door, Su Qin paused for a moment, then quickly opened the door wider.

"Hey, Xiao Liu? What are you doing here!"

Su Qin looked Liu Guangming up and down with a surprised expression.

"I went to see you at the hospital with Lao Lin the day before yesterday. Didn't the doctor say that your soft tissue contusion on your back was serious and that you would have to stay in bed for at least a few days? How come you were discharged today?"

Liu Guangming smiled generously and handed over the fruit in his hand.

"Aunt Su, I'm young and strong, so my injuries heal quickly."

"Hospital beds cost a lot of money a day; they are part of the country's medical resources. It's a waste for me to occupy one."

"I just finished the discharge procedures and bought some fruit to come and see you and Uncle Lin."

"I mainly want to thank Uncle Lin for stepping in yesterday, otherwise I would still be stuck inside right now."

These words were spoken flawlessly, both expressing her awareness of not wanting to take advantage of public resources and conveying her gratitude, which made Su Qin feel particularly comfortable.

She already had a great fondness for the young man who risked his life to protect his son in the detention center.

"You're such a thoughtful young man."

Su Qin took the net and quickly stepped aside to make way.

"Come in quickly, it's hot outside."

"By the way, Xiaofan has been kept in solitary confinement by his dad these past few days, studying hard upstairs."

"Old Lin is in his study, deep in thought."

"You're here just in time. Go in and talk to him."

Liu Guangming followed Su Qin through the courtyard and into the living room.

The door to the innermost room on the first floor was ajar.

Su Qin walked to the door, knocked twice gently, and pushed the door open.

"Old Lin, look who's here!"

In the study.

Lin Weimin was sitting behind the large writing desk, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.

The ashtray on the table was already full of cigarette butts.

He was in an extremely bad mood today.

At the county party committee standing committee meeting that afternoon, he had just presented a preliminary reform plan on "revitalizing idle state-owned assets in the county".

As a result, unsurprisingly, they were met with a crushing defeat.

The old Party Secretary sat in the main seat, slowly sipping his tea, and casually uttered a few words.

"Comrade Weimin, the pace of reform must be steady, so as not to create panic among the people."

"I'll be retiring in two months. In the county, stability is paramount."

"No matter how difficult state-owned enterprises are, they are still part of the country. Even if they rot, they should rot within the state. They absolutely cannot be used as a pretext for privatization!"

The old Party Secretary made the final decision, and the old-fashioned bureau chiefs and directors below all echoed his sentiments.

Lin Weimin was powerless to act alone; the proposal was suppressed before it even went through the voting process.

Two months!

Lin Weimin tightened his grip slightly on the cigarette between his fingers.

The economic tide outside is already surging, and the special economic zones in the south are changing every day.

He's been wasting his time here for two months. How many workers in the factories and grocery stores in the county, who haven't been able to pay their wages for a long time, will starve to death?

Hearing his wife's voice, Lin Weimin raised his head irritably.

Upon seeing Liu Guangming following behind Su Qin, Lin Weimin was taken aback for a moment, then quickly stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray.

He stood up, strode around the writing desk, and the gloom on his face mostly disappeared.

"Xiao Liu? What are you doing out here! Your injury hasn't fully healed yet, has it? This is ridiculous!"

Although Lin Weimin's tone was reproachful, his eyes revealed the concern of an elder.

Liu Guangming stood ramrod straight and gave a slight bow.

"County Magistrate Lin, I'm sorry to trouble you."

"I can't stay idle. I was just anxious even while lying in the hospital bed. I came out because I felt that my body was fine."

"I just got discharged from the hospital and came here to let you know I'm safe and sound."

Su Qin brought in two cups of iced tea, placed them on the coffee table, told the two to chat slowly, and then tactfully closed the door and left.

Lin Weimin pointed to the rattan chair opposite him, gesturing for Liu Guangming to sit down.

He picked up his teacup and took a big gulp to moisten his throat, which was dry from excessive smoking.

Last night in the hospital room, Liu Guangming's insights on "establishing role models for individual business owners and revitalizing idle labor" amazed him.

Having suffered a great deal of anger at the Standing Committee meeting today, Lin Weimin now finds himself more inclined to speak when he sees this quick-witted young man.

"You're working too hard."

Lin Weimin put down his teacup and leaned back in his chair.

"However, it's a good thing that young people are energetic."

"Yesterday at the hospital, you came up with an idea—setting up role models—that's excellent!"

"How's it going? Getting discharged today, all set to make a big splash?"