Li Yao’s eyes widened slightly. His gaze slowly traveled down from her cautious expression to the piece of bread she was holding, which she’d squeezed completely out of shape.
He stared at it for two seconds before breaking into a faint smile.
“Forget it. You eat it yourself.”
Qiao Yimian quickly withdrew her hand and stuffed the bread into her mouth.
*She only pretended to offer it because she knew he wouldn’t eat it…*
Li Yao watched the smug little look in her eyes, and the smile at the corners of his lips deepened.
No matter how mature and composed she seemed on the surface, deep down she was still a child.
Like a tiny kitten hiding inside a cardboard box, cautiously observing humans from the shadows, yet unable to resist its curiosity. Every so often, it would poke a little paw through one of the holes and tentatively bat at whatever was nearby.
The car left the highway and followed the navigation toward Xichu Town.
At first, the road was relatively smooth, with only a slight bump here and there. But after they had driven for a while, potholes became increasingly common. Whenever they hit a puddle, muddy water splashed as high as half a meter.
Li Yao lowered the window and looked outside.
The road was narrow, barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other. If they encountered a somewhat larger vehicle, getting through would probably be difficult.
“Have you been here before?” Li Yao turned and asked.
“I’ve come here twice with colleagues for interviews,” Qiao Yimian answered honestly.
Another bump jolted the car.
Qiao Yimian smiled awkwardly. “This rural road hasn’t been maintained in years, so the conditions really aren’t great. But it’s the only road here that cars can use.”
It was already past noon, and the sun was high in the sky. A trace of warmth from the sunlight mingled with the cool breeze.
Wildflowers had begun to emerge along the roadside, dotting the lush greenery and filling the air with their delicate fragrance.
It was March now, and the weather was gradually warming up. Rainfall had also increased.
Judging from the number of puddles, it had probably rained within the past couple of days, leaving the road rather muddy.
Li Yao left the window open and simply told the driver to slow down as he continued talking with Qiao Yimian.
Most of his questions concerned Xichu Town. Qiao Yimian answered calmly, though she only gave him the general picture. She still hadn’t figured out what this high-ranking official was thinking.
“This used to be a pilot area for late-orange cultivation, but the project was eventually shelved for various reasons. Now only a few orchards remain. Their output isn’t very high and can only supply the local market in Chucheng.”
The girl kept her explanation simple, but Li Yao could tell there was more behind her words.
“Various reasons… such as?”
Qiao Yimian hesitated for two seconds before answering in a clear voice.
“Manpower and funding, publicity and planning, sales channels, investment in technology, and… government support.”
Li Yao’s eyelid twitched.
“Isn’t the last one the real issue?”
Qiao Yimian tactfully avoided answering directly.
“For an industry to establish a foundation that can last for generations, it needs to have sufficient advantages of its own, but its success is also closely connected to many other factors.”
They looked at each other for several seconds.
The corners of Li Yao’s lips lifted slightly as he understood what she meant.
“That’s true.”
Wu Song, sitting in the front passenger seat, had listened to their entire conversation. He couldn’t help secretly giving the girl a thumbs-up.
*This little girl has some guts. She really dares to say anything…*
And even then, what he’d heard was already a toned-down version. Qiao Yimian hadn’t gone into the deeper reasons.
Even so, Li Yao understood.
He didn’t press her further on the subject and instead brought up other matters.
Qiao Yimian naturally followed his lead and told him what she’d learned about the area over the past two years.
Her voice, clear and flowing like pearls falling onto jade, filled his ears and touched the heart more easily than the faint breeze outside the car window.
Li Yao watched the girl speaking animatedly, one eyebrow lifting slightly.
She’d pretended to sleep the moment she got into the car because she didn’t want to talk to him, yet the instant the subject turned to work, she became endlessly talkative.
*She really knows how to keep work and personal matters separate…*
The car entered the center of the town, where the road became wider. More and more small buildings with red roofs and white walls appeared on either side, varying in height and scattered without much order.
Most of the shops on the ground floors were open for business, but the streets were noticeably quiet.
Noticing that Li Yao had been looking outside the entire time, Qiao Yimian said softly, “Most of the young people in town have gone to the cities for work. Those who remain are mostly the elderly and children, along with people who have relatively stable jobs.”
Li Yao nodded.
It was a common phenomenon. It wasn’t limited to the Beijiang region; it was the same all across the country.
Income levels were simply too low in small towns. If young people wanted to make money, they had to go to the big cities to seek opportunities. Naturally, that left behind mostly the elderly and children.
Then, when a new generation of children grew up, they would pack their bags and leave their hometowns too.
Generation after generation, the cycle continued.
It might not be fair to call it a “vicious cycle,” but it certainly made development difficult for many places.
It also confirmed what Qiao Yimian had said earlier about the shortage of manpower.
But this wasn’t something that could be changed overnight.
Their car passed through the town and stopped in a spacious area at the northernmost end.
Another car had already arrived.
A towering building that rivaled a five-star hotel stood before them. A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way down the steps, flanked on both sides by clusters of enormous flower baskets, each nearly a meter tall.
Most outrageous of all was the giant inflatable arch erected at the foot of the steps.
A line of huge characters was plastered across it:
**A Warm Welcome to the Leaders of the Governor’s Office for Their Inspection and Guidance!**
Li Yao frowned slightly.
Wu Song was surprised as well. He turned around and reported, “As you instructed, we’d already told the town to keep everything simple…”
Li Yao said nothing. He simply opened the door and got out.
Town Mayor Sun Yuanshan and several local officials had been waiting eagerly at the entrance of the hotel.
The moment they saw the vehicles arrive, they hurried down the steps with beaming smiles.
“Governor! Welcome to Xichu Town! We’re honored to have you here to inspect and guide our work! Everyone in the town has been looking forward to your visit!”
It was a polite but exaggerated opening.
The junior officials behind him also began greeting Li Yao one after another, their smiling faces practically blooming.
Li Yao nodded and exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries before Sun Yuanshan ushered him into the hotel.
“We know the leaders have had a long journey! Please, come inside. The food has already been prepared. We hope it will suit your taste!”
The others also greeted Qiao Yimian and the rest of the group as everyone filed into the hotel.
Li Yao glanced back at Qiao Yimian.
Seeing the faint smile on her face as she chatted with one of the junior officials beside her, he relaxed slightly.
A large round table capable of seating twenty had been arranged according to rank.
Li Yao naturally took the seat at the head of the table.
Qiao Yimian repeatedly tried to decline, but in the end she was firmly seated two places to his right, beside Wu Song.
Most of the people present were seasoned political operators. The moment they saw Qiao Yimian get out of Li Yao’s car, they had already guessed that she wasn’t someone to be treated as an insignificant figure.
But without any indication from Li Yao, none of them dared seat her beside him.
Qiao Yimian had attended similar official banquets several times since joining the station, but never had she felt as much pressure as she did now.
She secretly glanced at Li Yao and found him looking at her with a gentle expression, signaling for her to sit down.
Only then did she settle into her seat.
Once everyone was seated, Town Mayor Sun Yuanshan and several other local officials launched into another familiar round of polite speeches, essentially singing the praises of their newly appointed governor.
“We’ve long heard about the Governor’s remarkable achievements over the years. When we heard you were coming to Beijiang, everyone was absolutely thrilled!”
“Exactly! We never expected your first inspection stop to be right here. It’s truly an honor for all of Xichu Town!”
“The Governor is young, capable, and successful. You’re truly a role model for all of us!”
“With you leading us in the future, Beijiang’s economy is sure to flourish!”
The food hadn’t even arrived yet, but the flattery had already made a full round.
Li Yao, however, seemed to have completely tuned out the praise around him.
He remained silent amid their endless compliments and lifted his teacup for a small sip.
The tea leaves drifted gently in the water, their rich fragrance accompanied by a faint sweetness on the tongue.
*Good tea.*
*And expensive, too.*
He set the teacup down with measured force, producing a faint clink against the marble tabletop.
The flattery around him immediately stopped.
Li Yao raised his eyes and looked around at the people whose expressions had all changed in different ways.
“The reason this is my first stop isn’t because you’ve done such a good job. It’s because there are too many problems here.”
Sun Yuanshan’s face went pale.
He was speechless for several seconds before lowering his head in shame.
“You’re right. It’s because I’ve failed to lead properly…”
“Whether you have the ability to lead remains to be seen. But if you put half as much thought into building Xichu Town as you’ve put into preparing for my visit, things certainly wouldn’t be like this.”
Li Yao’s voice was cold as he cut Sun Yuanshan off.
He was clearly much younger than the town mayor, yet his presence completely overwhelmed the older man.
Everyone at the table fell silent, holding their breath as they waited for the governor’s anger to descend.
Qiao Yimian instantly regretted coming inside.
She should have stayed downstairs and eaten a simple meal with the driver…
This was the first time she’d ever seen Li Yao speak to someone in such a stern, icy tone.
It was also the first time she’d fully experienced the overwhelming authority of someone in a position of power.
Her heart couldn’t stop pounding.
For no particular reason, she suddenly remembered how gently Li Yao had spoken to her before and the warm smiles he’d given her.
*He really is like a completely different person.*
She regretted her earlier boldness and lack of restraint. She had gotten carried away and forgotten who she was dealing with.
Even when a tiger appeared gentle, it still had claws.
One day, if it happened to be in a bad mood, it might tear apart the prey beneath those claws.
Clearly, she needed to watch her words and actions from now on.
While she was silently regretting everything, Li Yao’s tone shifted.
“I know there are difficulties when it comes to developing a town. Most of you are native to Beijiang. Who wouldn’t love their own hometown? Sometimes there’s simply nothing you can do… Before coming here, I also looked into the policies and their implementation over the past few years. Some things can’t really be blamed on you…”
Sun Yuanshan nodded repeatedly and said shamefully, “You’re right. I’m only a small-town mayor. My voice carries little weight, and there isn’t much I can do…”
Li Yao offered several words of reassurance in a gentler tone.
Sun Yuanshan looked both embarrassed and grateful, repeatedly promising that under the governor’s leadership, he would work steadily and do everything he could to make Xichu Town better and better.
That combination of firmness and kindness immediately changed the atmosphere in the room.
The deliberate, insincere flattery from earlier quickly transformed into genuine, open conversation between superiors and subordinates.
Listening as they calmly discussed plans for Xichu Town’s future, Qiao Yimian couldn’t help marveling at the governor’s ability to manage people.
The way she looked at him changed subtly as well, carrying a hint of unconscious admiration.
Suddenly remembering something, she took out her phone and sent a message.
Wu Song glanced over at her, and the two exchanged a look.
The atmosphere gradually improved. The officials were now chatting and laughing freely, and the tension from earlier had completely disappeared.
Just then, a waiter knocked and entered, carrying dish after dish.
Sun Yuanshan’s nerves tightened all over again.
*Oh no. I forgot about the food!*
To curry favor with the governor, he had specifically instructed the hotel to pull out all the stops and prepare a table laden with delicacies.
They might not exactly qualify as rare delicacies from land and sea, but they were certainly extravagant enough to reach the point where the governor might find them excessive.
After finally getting the situation under control, he was afraid he’d ruined everything again!
However, when he nervously watched the dishes being placed on the table one after another, he was completely stunned.