Chapter Twenty-Three: The Tea Garden Behind the Mountain

  "Director Zhang, you're quite a drinker! So many people couldn't get you drunk!" Geng Shuang said with a smile as they walked out of the Wanguo Bookstore and onto the small streets of Liziwan.

  Zhang Qingyun was taken aback, and Ma Xiang seemed to have said something similar before. Taking advantage of the wine's effect, he couldn't help but feel a surge in his heart, and laughed: "It's okay, next time we'll try it out, you didn't have enough fun today either, why don't we go for another few cups?"

  Geng Shuang smiled a few times, gave Zhang Qingyun a charming look and said: "I can't drink anymore, if I drink again I'll definitely get drunk, how about that? Returning to Lizi Ping is quite sentimental!"

  Zhang Qingyun nodded, this time back to Lizi Ping and before was a completely different mentality. Before, he always complained about the harsh conditions here, and the days were hard to get through. Now that his identity had changed, returning here gave him an inexplicable sense of closeness. Humans are indeed complex creatures!

  "Geng sister, let's go to the tea garden behind the mountain tomorrow morning! There is a place where you can see the entire Li Zi Ping, and the scenery is simply breathtaking!"

  Geng Shuang's face was slightly unnatural, and she felt her heart beating suddenly faster. She had come to Lizi Ping under the pretext of inspecting the vegetable base, but now Zhang Qingyun wanted her to accompany him to see the tea garden. Had her lie been exposed?

  At the mention of this, Geng Shuang's face turned even redder. She had long since sold her vegetable base in Lizi Ping. The reason she came to Lizi Ping with Zhang Qingyun was partly because of the hitchhiking incident, which made it difficult for her to save face, so she just went along with the mistake.

  She was still curious about Zhang Qingyun, and of course, she also had some good feelings towards him. He was young and handsome, successful in his career, and many men pursued him, but those people valued only his looks and the background behind him, plus he had always had some shadows in his heart, so he didn't live a happy life.

  She is also a woman of twenty-seven or eight years old, when a woman reaches this age, no matter how strong and persistent she is, she can't hide the loneliness in her heart. However, due to her identity, it's hard for her to find someone she likes.

  Among all the men she had met, Zhang Qingyun was obviously an exception. He came from a humble background but was confident and mature, giving people a sense of stability and security. Unlike some young cadres who were either arrogant and domineering or vain and self-abased.

  Moreover, Zhang Qingyun somehow managed to make Li Gang trust him, which shows that his skills are absolutely top-notch. It can be said that Zhang Qingyun has all the necessary conditions to achieve great things, and such a person is definitely not a mediocre talent.

  "Director Zhang, don't you have a feeling of returning home in glory now?" Geng Shuang changed the subject and said.

  Zhang Qingyun smiled reservedly, to be honest, what Geng Shuang said was more or less true, but Zhang Qingyun had high aspirations and a county secretary was not enough to make him arrogant, let alone now when he was surrounded by enemies on all sides, his future uncertain, for the time being it was better to keep a low profile.

  "Ge sister, from now on, just call me by my name! Hearing 'Director Zhang' all the time sounds awkward, and it also makes us seem distant, doesn't it?" Zhang Qingyun said calmly after a moment of contemplation.

  Geng Shuang's face changed slightly, and he secretly glanced at Zhang Qingyun, his heart involuntarily fluttering. He softly murmured "en" and then lowered his head without speaking again.

  Zhang Qingyun also felt Geng Shuang's unnaturalness, but he didn't overthink it. When he was with Geng Shuang, he wasn't afraid of what others might say. He himself wasn't married, and Geng Shuang didn't have a husband either, so what could people say?

  Geng Shuang is much better than herself in all aspects, and she really has something to do with her, which can be considered as a high match. Her only flaw is that she was nominally married, at the time when he and Sun Changqing's son had not even set up their wine table, the man had already passed away, and it can be said that she was a woman with a bitter fate. For such a person, Zhang Qingyun also did not have any prejudice in her heart, but rather more sympathy.

  Geng Shuang didn't say a word, and Zhang Qingyun also fell silent for a moment. Before long, the two arrived at the reception house. The sky was already very late, plus the fatigue of the journey, both were a bit tired, so they didn't say much either. After washing up, they rested soon after.

  The next morning, Zhang Qingyun received a call from Liu Huan, saying that his luggage was all ready. Zhang Qingyun hastily washed up and called Geng Shuang to drive to the government compound to load the luggage.

  Zhang Qingyun was startled as soon as he entered the township government, Wan Guoshu, Hu Lie and others were all there.

  "Green Cloud, you're leaving today and we're all a bit reluctant to see you go! Comrades have come to bid you farewell." said Wan Guo Shu Dao.

  Zhang Qingyun hastily got off the car and shook hands with everyone one by one. Most of these people had seen him last night, although he had worked in Lizi Ping for two years, but actually wasn't very familiar with this group of people. Now that his identity had changed, he even found that everyone was a bit awkward in front of him.

  Younger officials, on the other hand, were a bit more pleasant, with only envy in their eyes. A group of old men who had mixed for over a decade had an unnatural expression, they deeply understood the hierarchy of officialdom, and Zhang Qingyun's current position could possibly decide their political career with just one sentence. Some of them almost regretted not acting sooner, if only they had known Zhang Qingyun would be where he is today, why didn't they take action earlier? They should have built a relationship with him, then there would have been hope for the future.

  After shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Qingyun gave a simple speech, the content of which was nothing more than expressing his gratitude to his comrades for their help and support during his two years of work here.

  After a ceremony was over, it was almost noon. Wan Guo Shu again asked Zhang Qingyun to stay for lunch before leaving, but he hastily declined. Now that the New Year's holiday is approaching, this eating and drinking would waste another day. Others also have family members, and constantly delaying their vacation isn't good either.

  Seeing Zhang Qingyun like this, Wan Guoshu and Hu Lie only need to personally send him onto the carriage, and everyone will bid farewell with a wave of their hands.

  "You're quite popular in Lizi Ping, aren't you? So many people are seeing you off." Geng Shuang said with a gentle smile as he drove the car.

  Zhang Qingyun nodded, this was not a good relationship with others, but his own identity had changed. Otherwise, the Wanguo Book would not be so enthusiastic. Of course, he also didn't think that the Wanguo Book's power was unusual. This was just the rule of officialdom. Even a hermit or a recluse wouldn't come to this circle of fame and fortune.

  "Let's turn right and go take a look at the tea garden behind Lizi Ping," said Zhang Qingyun.

  Zhang Qingyun used to be in charge of grassroots work, and he was very familiar with every blade of grass and tree in Lizi Ping. The tea gardens on the back mountain were also a place he often visited, and the tea farmers all knew him well.

  Zhang Qingyun took Geng Shuang with her, and the two of them strolled through a sea of tea plants. Although it was late winter, the tea garden was still lush and green, and with the distant blue mountains and white clouds, the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, making one feel an indescribable sense of comfort.

  "Hey, Uncle Liu, you're already fertilizing the tea trees so early!" Zhang Qingyun shouted loudly as she saw someone working in the tea garden from a distance.

  "Oh, it's Comrade Zhang! Haven't the villages gone on holiday yet? The weather has been great lately, we're applying winter fertilizer!" Old Liu put down his hoe and struck up a conversation, then he caught sight of Geng Shuang and smiled foolishly.

  "This must be your destination! I can tell you're a city person at a glance. Don't go any further, we just applied some strong fertilizer and it stinks!"

  Geng Shuang's face turned red, and he glanced at Zhang Qingyun without denying it. Zhang Qingyun smiled awkwardly, unable to explain the situation, so he just pretended to be stupid.