East Cross, the Luo Family Old Residence.
“How is that possible?” After hearing Luo Qizhi’s account, Luo Qiyong expressed disbelief. He hastily pressed the newly lit Yellow Crane Tower cigarette into the ashtray. “The Big Four Banks, oh no, the Agricultural Bank and the Postal Savings Bank, I even called the credit unions. I didn't expect this kid managed to borrow money from outside the county.”
His gaze drifted, his mind racing, feeling like he had grasped the answer but couldn't articulate it.
“Is it really in the neighboring county?” Luo Qizhi asked. Cross-prefecture loans were too risky; Luo Qiyong shook his head. “The possibility of a neighboring county can't be ruled out, but perhaps it was in the Prefecture?”
Borrowing money from Shiliang? That was quite possible; Yong'an was under Shiliang’s jurisdiction, so lending money there would be reasonable. Luo Qiyong walked to the desk phone in the study and dialed his nephew, Luo Yaozong. His nephew worked at the Prefecture Administration Office, and his information was much more current than his own.
Luo Qizhi plopped down onto the sofa. Seeing Luo Yaozu push the door open, he felt a surge of anger, snorted coldly, and said, “Chen Donglai got the money.”
“What?!” Luo Qizhi’s words were like a bolt from the blue to Luo Yaozu. “Where did he borrow it from? Wasn't it said that arrangements had already been made?” Luo Yaozu’s voice was urgent and sharp, “What do we do now?”
“Don’t panic.” Luo Qizhi supported his son’s shoulders and pressed him onto the sofa. “It’s just twenty thousand in wages; it can cover the debt, but can it cover the future?”
Luo Yaozu knew that the plan to incite the guesthouse staff using wage arrears had fallen through. He slumped onto the sofa dejectedly, but suddenly recalling the kick Chen Donglai gave him on the boat, he couldn't help but burn with anger, asking his father, “What do we do now?”
“Wait.” Luo Qizhi’s voice carried fatigue. “If the attempt fails, we wait for the next opportunity. Like a lion hunting a rabbit, we can fail many times, but Chen Donglai can only fail once.”
While the father and son were talking, the study door opened. Luo Qiyong addressed the two of them: “Yaozong said he will go ask in the next couple of days, so don't worry.” His voice exuded confidence. “At worst, we demand supplementary collateral. Chen Donglai can’t possibly mortgage his own house, can he?”
……
“I only heard this morning that the County Middle School teachers’ salaries were paid, and this afternoon ours were paid too.” Yang Xiaojin’s face was flushed with joy, unable to contain the smile on her lips, her eyebrows curved into shallow crescents.
“It seems the money was borrowed from the Postal Savings Bank,” the Head Chef added. He was completely won over by this young Leader. The old Director had been the Top Leader for twenty years and had never managed to secure a single penny from the banks.
In his view, borrowing money was a heinous act; the more he borrowed, the less sleep he got at night.
The County Middle School salaries were paid out by the Postal Savings Bank. Chen Donglai felt a chill upon hearing the information in the Head Chef’s words. His initial speculation was confirmed: the major banks had more or less deposits, but they were unwilling to lend to the guesthouse. This indicated that the news about needing to borrow money had already been known by someone.
So where was the information leaked from? Wang Bingnan? Or Lu Guohua?
Perhaps the answer would come tomorrow. Chen Donglai thought. He had played a trick here; when the salaries were paid in the afternoon, he had mentioned the source of the funds to both Deputy Directors Wang Bingnan and Lu Guohua.
He told Lu Guohua the money was borrowed from a neighboring county; his explanation to Wang Bingnan was that the money was borrowed from the Huichuan Agricultural Bank.
This was because an employee in the credit department of the Huichuan Agricultural Bank was his classmate, and he also had connections at the banks in Han Huan, Shennü, and other nearby counties.
As long as he waited until tomorrow, when the acquaintance who was asked about issuing the loan was questioned, Chen Donglai would know who the mole was. As for the grassroots employees, Chen Donglai didn't rule out the possibility that they might have leaked information, but their rank was too low; they likely lacked the ability to cause him trouble, even if they intended to.
Since the money was secured, it was best to start work immediately. Chen Donglai knew time was pressing; the mortgaged property was State-owned Assets after all, and people would surely find fault with it. The only way forward was to act fast, turning the guesthouse's situation around before any trouble arose.
With this thought, he picked up the office phone and dialed the Lobby. “Xiao Jin, notify Head Chef Li Yi to go to Lintao to make purchases in a couple of days…”
……
No. 1 Xianzheng Road, Yong'an County, the County Party Committee Office Building.
County Party Secretary Yue Wangbei was marking a document. Without lifting his head, while his brush moved swiftly, he said to the Director of the Committee Office respectfully standing before his desk, “Comrade Qiyong, you are fifty-five this year, right?”
“Yes, Secretary. I was born in October of '35.” Luo Qiyong answered verbally, but sighed inwardly. He could already guess what Yue Wangbei would say next. That day had finally arrived; the position of Member of the County Party Standing Committee was slipping away from him.
Yue Wangbei closed his fountain pen and suddenly raised his head, which sported a Crew cut. “Do you want to go to the People's Congress or the Political Consultative Conference? There are positions in both places; I can recommend you to the Prefecture.”
“The People's Congress, thank you for your consideration, Secretary.” Luo Qiyong’s voice betrayed helplessness. He knew that some Division-level Cadres never stepped back to the second line but worked in a Frontline Position until retirement. However, he clearly did not have that privilege.
“Oh, right,” Yue Wangbei suddenly remembered something and said to Luo Qiyong, “What is your relationship with Secretary Qiyuan?”
“We are clan brothers. His grandfather and my grandfather were full brothers; they fled from Pingyuan Province to Yong'an.” Luo Qiyong explained to the County Party Secretary. This question had been asked by the Prefectural Party Committee Organization Department, the County Party Committee Organization Department; by the County Party Secretary, the County Mayor, and almost all his colleagues.
“What a pity. There was a chance.” Yue Wangbei paused, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes. “The Prefecture side won't approve it.”
“Sigh.” Luo Qiyong knew that the organization was extremely wary of kinship ties within the Leadership team. It was precisely because of their familial relationship that he had been stuck at the Section Chief Level for many years without promotion.
He had never given up hope, and his family had done everything possible to provide him with resources. After spending countless sums of money and paying respects at countless Wharfs, he finally managed to connect with Yong'an County Party Secretary Jiang Wenjie two years ago and was promoted to Director of the County Party Committee Office.
Generally, only a Director of the Committee Office with shallow seniority might fail to enter the Standing Committee, but for an old hand like himself, who had served as Section Chief Level for fifteen years, experienced four Townships, and three Commissions, Offices, and Bureaus, the position of Director of the County Party Committee Office was merely a stepping stone to Deputy Division Level. Becoming a Member of the County Party Standing Committee seemed like a sure thing.
However, however! Secretary Jiang Wenjie and County Mayor Xue Zhibin owed Eight Million all at once to build that County Government Building! With Jiang Wenjie gone, his promotion naturally became an illusion.
“In this lifetime, how much time has Qiyuan wasted for me?” Luo Qiyong thought inwardly, but his words were perfectly measured as he only asked Yue Wangbei, “Secretary, do you know who the new Director of the Committee Office will be? I need to coordinate the handover.”
“Peng Beihai from Shennü County. He arrives the day after tomorrow morning; remember to prepare.” Yue Wangbei lowered his head and pulled out a document from his desk. “Take a good rest these next couple of days.” Peng Beihai was the Director of the Prefecture Office when Yue Wangbei served as County Mayor in Shennü; he was finally going to see him again.