“I didn’t know there was such a rule.” Yue Wangbei pulled a cigarette from the pack, but upon patting his pocket, found he had no lighter. Just as he was feeling annoyed, Yang Xiaoshan promptly stepped in and lit Yue Wangbei’s cigarette with his own lighter.
This Provincial Capital is truly different! The local specialty actually doesn't mean "local specialty"—who would have thought?
“Secretary Wangbei, is it necessary to have the County Party Committee Office wire over more money?” Yang Xiaoshan asked.
Yang Xiaoshan’s question caused Yue Wangbei to fall silent for a moment. He considered himself relatively upright, and he truly couldn't bring himself to engage in gifting or bribery.
However, the renovation of the Yong'an Coal Mine was imminent, and the county desperately needed these funds. “I will personally go select them tomorrow. Donglai, does Mrs. Ming have any preferences for items?” Yue Wangbei looked troubled and asked Chen Donglai, “Or should we just slip them cash?”
He did not intend to use the County Party Committee Office’s money. If responsibility had to be taken, he would rather bear it alone than implicate so many comrades in the Committee Office.
“Secretary, you are taking this too seriously.” Chen Donglai lit a cigarette for himself as well. “You don’t need to rush to offer gifts; I will probe the Ming family’s attitude again tomorrow. In my opinion, what happened tonight is a blessing, not a curse.”
He knew that Ming Jinggao lived up to his name and often rejected money from questionable sources. Even after he fell from grace due to political struggles in his previous life, his charge was merely "dereliction of duty," not bribery or accepting bribes.
The one truly sentenced for bribery was Ming Jinggao’s wife, Liu Yan...
“Still being stubborn at a time like this.” Hearing Chen Donglai’s words, Yang Xiaoshan scoffed internally. The other party had already made things perfectly clear—they just looked down on Yong'an for being poor and felt the gifts offered were beneath them.
He felt both joy and worry. The joy was that Chen Donglai had been rebuffed in front of the Leader and failed to complete the task assigned by the Leader. Chen Donglai’s failure meant Yang Xiaoshan wouldn't appear incompetent before the Leader.
The worry was that if they failed to secure the money this time, the county’s financial situation would undoubtedly continue to deteriorate. This was bad news for Yue Wangbei. And Yue Wangbei’s bad news was his own bad news.
Having served as a Leader’s Secretary for so long, he was already deeply marked as belonging to the "Wangbei Faction." If Yue Wangbei got into trouble, he might be exiled to some obscure Township to serve as a Deputy Position.
The three fell silent again. Chen Donglai watched as the flashing Neon Lights of the Xijiang Hotel reflected on Yue Wangbei’s face, casting his expression in an unpredictable gloom.
After a long pause, Yue Wangbei finally spoke: “Let’s leave it at that for today.” He tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, stomped out the ember with his foot, and continued, “Inquire about the situation tomorrow, Donglai. If it absolutely doesn't work out, I will go deliver it personally.”
...
The next morning, in the Jiangnan District of Huichuan City, at the Provincial Direct Organs Family Residence Building.
“You’re only happy if you make me lose face!” Ming Jinggao, wearing his pajamas, his face ashen, leaned back on the sofa. The smell of alcohol still lingered on him as he cursed at his wife, “What if those people come to offer money today!”
After sobering up, he had forgotten most of what happened last night. If his daughter hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have even known such an incident occurred in the evening.
What a loss of face!
“That’s an overstatement; how much money could those Country bumpkins possibly have in their pockets?” Liu Yan also felt a bit guilty, not just because of her outburst last night, but also out of fear that her past actions might be discovered by her husband.
She had already accepted gifts from several Coal Mine owners. Although they were just small trinkets like jewelry and jade that weren't worth a fortune, she had accepted them nonetheless.
While those owners hadn't immediately asked her to do favors for them, who knew? A few days ago, they sent a small piece of jade; today they send her jewels, and tomorrow...
Liu Yan also had her own difficulties. Her daughter, Ming Yuezhao, had already graduated and didn't require her worry; her son, Ming Yuehuai, was a freshman in Hong Kong this year. The cost of living in Hong Kong was high, and university tuition wasn't cheap. With her husband’s meager fixed salary, how could he possibly afford to support their son’s education?
“Xiao Zhao, tell your classmate that I will definitely handle this matter; let his Secretary rest assured.” Ming Jinggao sat on the sofa and sighed deeply.
If his wife hadn't caused that scene yesterday, he could have found an excuse to decline the matter. After all, he wasn't in charge of the old Coal Mine renovation business. If he had simply told Yue Wangbei that the colleague in charge of the relevant business disagreed, the matter would have passed.
But his wife mentioning it last night... that made things troublesome.
If he didn't handle this matter well, it would prove he "doesn't work without money." Setting aside the huge impact this would have on his reputation, the Coal Mine owners who came to offer gifts later would likely become even more rampant. At that point, how could he continue his work?
He made up his mind: today he would call the Deputy Director in charge of the old Coal Mine renovation business and strive to resolve the matter as quickly as possible to shut Yue Wangbei up.
“Xiao Zhao, speaking of you.” Liu Yan, feeling flustered, quickly changed the subject. “You haven’t gotten involved with that Xiao Chen, have you?”
Ming Yuezhao knew the main topic was coming. Fortunately, she was prepared. Leaning back on the sofa, she crossed her jade arms behind her head and said unhurriedly, “He’s just a high school classmate. He begged for help, so I obliged.”
“Really? I recall this Xiao Chen attended Beijing Normal University, right?” Liu Yan’s tone was suspicious. “And that’s not too far from Beijing Foreign Studies University.”
“We didn’t interact much, just saw each other occasionally at hometown association gatherings during festivals, maybe once or twice a year.” This time, Ming Yuezhao felt guilty. The two of them met far more than once or twice a year. Ming Yuezhao had stayed in more than one of the dense cluster of small hotels near the entrance of Beijing Normal University.
“I hope nothing is going on between you two, hmph,” Liu Yan said unkindly. “After all, he’s a Country bumpkin from Yong'an. If you married him, I’m afraid the bride price would only be a few truckloads of Oranges.”
“Heh heh, since you dislike Oranges so much, are you hinting that people should just send you cash directly?” Ming Yuezhao retorted without restraint, meeting her challenge head-on.
“Enough, both of you!” Hearing Liu Yan still complaining about the Mandarin Oranges from last night, Ming Jinggao became furious. But upon carefully considering what Liu Yan had said to their daughter, he felt she had a point. He then said to Ming Yuezhao:
“Beijing Normal University is a good school, but his background is poor. Yong'an is indeed a small place.” Ming Jinggao thought about Yong'an’s location on the map, then touched his sparse remaining hair, and continued, “Department Director Yu Zhu’s son is a junior this year. Is she interested in meeting him?”
“Yu Zhu? What’s so good about him? He’s dirt poor.” Before Ming Yuezhao could refuse, Liu Yan immediately cut in.
She knew Yu Zhu—a relatively young Department Director in the Department of Coal Industry, who had reached Deputy Department Level at the age of forty. However, Yu Zhu came from a rural background and had a poor family, so she didn't think highly of him.
Both she and Ming Jinggao came from wealthy families. Her father was one of the top major landlords in Qiqiao City before the Liberation, owning vast tracts of land, and she had enjoyed a life of luxury since childhood.
In her eyes, Yu Zhu’s family background was too poor; even having become a Deputy Director in the Department of Coal Industry couldn't erase his humble origins.
“It still has to be Qi Jianguo’s nephew,” Liu Yan stated her position clearly. “I think that boy is quite good—a Huida University graduate, handsome, and steady and capable.”
“You have no idea how much of a playboy Qi Jianguo’s nephew is outside,” Ming Yuezhao shot back at her mother. “He’s probably dated enough girlfriends to form a reinforced platoon, right?”
She was a close friend of Qi Jianguo’s daughter, Qi Jiajia, and naturally had heard her best friend discuss the dissolute nature of this prodigal son. She couldn't understand why her mother kept recommending him to her when everyone knew this chaotic devil’s character was utterly depraved.
“Don’t think too far ahead,” Ming Jinggao stopped the pointless debate. “Get my clothes for me; I’m heading to the department now.”