In officialdom: After she left, I rose rapidly through the ranks!

However, while I am excited, I can't show it so obviously.

"Director Gao, I'm still young, it's alright. Waiting a little longer as a deputy section chief won't hurt. Otherwise, people might gossip about me."

Hearing Chen Jingcheng's words and seeing the undisguised excitement in Chen Jingcheng's eyes, Director Gao smiled and shook his head.

"Jingcheng, having ambition is a good thing, not a bad thing, so there's nothing to be ashamed of."

"So many people go around asking for favors and asking for help just to get promoted or get a position. Aren't they ashamed of it?"

"As for gossip, there will naturally be some. I'm just asking you, are you afraid?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Jingcheng shook his head without hesitation, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"I'm not afraid. I, Chen Jingcheng, have never been afraid of gossip. Besides, since I've chosen this path, I've already thought things through."

"As long as the organization trusts me, I'm not afraid of anyone trying to smear me."

At this point, Chen Jingcheng hesitated for a moment, looked at Director Gao, and said with some concern, "I'm not afraid of these gossips, nor am I afraid of people saying that I got in through connections or anything like that. I'm just worried that this will have a bad impact on you and the county head."

"After all, I work in the government office and am also the county magistrate's secretary. I'm afraid people will say that you and the county magistrate are practicing nepotism."

Director Gao was very satisfied with Chen Jingcheng's answer.

It's a good thing to be ambitious, grateful, and considerate of others.

It's better than some people who turn their backs on you and become ruthless after being promoted.

Such people won't go far within the system.

"Jingcheng, you don't need to worry about these things. You just need to do your job well and make the most of my and the county magistrate's reputation."

"As long as you do your job well and achieve some results, I think no one will say anything."

"After all, there are only so many opportunities, and not everyone can have them. Perhaps they would have had the same opportunity in the same situation, but unfortunately, they didn't."

"In officialdom, luck and opportunity are sometimes more important than ability, or even personal connections."

"Seizing opportunities and good fortune is also a skill."

Director Gao stood up, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Chen Jingcheng.

"Besides, this isn't even that fast."

"You know Li Biao, the Party Secretary of Hongkou Town, right?"

Chen Jingcheng paused for a moment, then nodded.

He naturally knew who the Party Secretary of Hongkou Town was. His previous township was a neighboring township to Hongkou Town, but it had to be said that its economic scale was far inferior to that of Hongkou Town.

Hongkou Town is considered one of the economically strong towns in the entire Linchuan County.

Li Biao, the Party Secretary of Hongkou Town, is considered a minor miracle in Linchuan's officialdom.

The reason he is called a minor miracle in Linchuan's officialdom is not because Li Biao improved the economy of Hongkou Town to a certain extent or how well it was built, but because of the speed of his promotion.

"Director Gao, I've heard of Secretary Li Biao. I've heard that he's only 29 years old this year. I don't know much about his resume, but to be able to become the secretary of a major economic town before he's even 30 is unprecedented in Linchuan County."

Upon hearing this, Director Gao gave a cold smile, seemingly looking down on Li Biao and even harboring some resentment towards him.

"Jingcheng, you'd be even more surprised if I told you that Li Biao was already twenty-five when he entered the system."

"But that's the truth."

"After Li Biao entered the system, he went directly to work in the government office. The current Secretary Zhao was then County Head Zhao. Li Biao did not become Secretary Zhao's secretary; he only worked in the information department."

"However, three months later, Li Biao was suddenly promoted to deputy section chief."

"Six months later, Secretary Zhao became the county party secretary, and Li Biao went directly to the county party committee office as deputy director."

"In just six months, you went from being nobody to becoming the deputy director of the county party committee office. I think you understand the significance of that."

Chen Jingcheng nodded; he understood the significance of it, of course.

The deputy director of the county party committee office can be either a deputy section chief or a section chief, but even the deputy section chief is comparable to a regular deputy section chief.

There are so many deputy section-level positions in the county, and just as many in the townships. In some townships, a deputy section-level position can last for several years before rotating to the next position. Even after three or four rotations, one might not be able to become a deputy secretary at the deputy section-level. And in that time, more than ten years would have passed.

There are many units in the county, including deputy section chiefs, deputy section chiefs who are not deputy section chiefs, powerful departments, and departments that are idle, powerless, and poor, including enterprises and public institutions. There are too many to count.

However, even if the deputy director of the county party committee office or the government office is only at the deputy section chief level, they are definitely in the top tier of the county.

They are no less powerful than the top leader of any organization, and may even have more prestige than the top leader of a weaker organization.

After all, this directly serves the main leaders of the county party committee and county government.

Unless the deputy directors of the two offices are too old, unwilling to take the position, or have made mistakes and offended their superiors, it is inevitable that they will be promoted to the position of full section chief. After all, this is related to the face of the county leaders, and that is the real value of the deputy section chief position in the two offices.

This is far beyond what can be compared to a typical minor subject.

Director Gao continued, "In less than a year while he was in the county party committee office, Li Biao once again rewrote the speed of promotion in Linchuan County's officialdom, and was directly appointed as the party secretary of Hongkou Town."

"Haha, in less than two years, he went from an ordinary staff member to the Party Secretary of a major economic town at the deputy-section-level. Can you imagine that speed?"

"But that's exactly what happened. Li Biao has been the secretary for almost a year now, and it's said that Secretary Zhao has already recommended Li Biao to the higher authorities as a reserve cadre for deputy division level. If nothing unexpected happens and everything goes smoothly, Li Biao will soon be promoted to deputy division level."

"A deputy director-level official under thirty, with experience as the Party Secretary of a strong economic town—do you think there wouldn't be a lot of gossip? But tell me, is it Li Biao who's afraid, or Secretary Zhao?"

Chen Jingcheng knew Li Biao, but he didn't expect Li Biao's resume to be even more exaggerated than he thought.

Yes, if other people aren't afraid, why should he be?

If Secretary Zhao dares to use people in this way, Li Feitu, who is younger and more decisive than Secretary Zhao, will be even less afraid. Especially under these circumstances, Li Feitu will prove his influence through actions, and promoting people is one way to do so.

This might be the opportune moment, and I am standing at the very forefront of it. I will either be smashed to pieces or ride the wind and soar to places I never dared to dream of before.

Looking at Director Gao, Chen Jingcheng thought for a moment and said, "Director Gao, is there some kind of relationship between Li Biao and Secretary Zhao?"

"There are rumors that he is a relative of Secretary Zhao, and some even say more exaggerated things."

Upon hearing this, Director Gao narrowed his eyes slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Has anyone said that Li Biao is Secretary Zhao's illegitimate son?"

"After all, considering their ages, it's indeed possible. Li Biao is twenty-nine years old this year, while Secretary Zhao is fifty-three. Could it be that she had Li Biao when she was twenty-four?"

"This rumor has been circulating among quite a few people, hasn't it?"