Chapter 45: Classmate Reunion

  They agreed to meet in the county town, and Ye Pingyu happened to know about the relationship between Chang Fang and Xiao Jianzhong, so he asked if he wanted to bring Chang Fang along, but Xiao Jianzhong flatly refused, saying it was a classmate gathering and didn't want others to participate.

  As soon as he heard him say this, Ye Pingyu naturally didn't dare to mention it again. However, after thinking about it later, if Chang Fang really talked about romance with him, would that still be considered an outsider?

  He didn't think much of it, and Ye Pingyu was about to go to the county town to meet with his classmates. At this time, a notice suddenly came from the county government, and Xiao Zhao, the typist in the machine room, received the faxed notice and ran over to hand it to him. Ye Pingyu took a glance at Xiao Zhao, who had a similar figure to Chang Fang, and then took a look at the notice. As soon as he saw it, he realized there was a problem. It turned out that this was an urgent notice from the county government requiring all townships to strengthen their efforts to crack down on private toll booths set up on roads. The notice required each township to conduct self-inspections first, and if any problems were found, they would be dealt with uniformly. Those who refused to comply with the crackdown would be severely punished as bandits, and this kind of behavior that violated national regulations and harmed the interests of the people would be resolutely eliminated.

  As soon as Ye Pingyu finished reading the notice, he understood what was going on. It must have been that day when Yu Zhibing encountered those people extorting money on the road and reported it to Pingyuan Chao, who immediately made arrangements to deal with this behavior. If such extortion is tolerated for a long time, something big will definitely happen.

  It's a good thing to rectify this matter. Ye Pingyu rushed upstairs to report to Cao Dafu, who immediately instructed after reading it. Zhang Wei, the deputy head of the township in charge of transportation work, took the lead and was responsible for it. The party and government office, police station, traffic management station and other departments conducted self-inspection. The party and government office was specifically responsible for comprehensive coordination work.

  After receiving Cao Dafu's instructions, Ye Pingyu handed the documents over to Deputy Township Mayor Zhang Wei again. Zhang Wei smiled after receiving the notice and didn't say anything. Ye Pingyu also didn't say much, anyway he was in charge overall, and as for the party and government office being responsible for coordination, that was also under his leadership.

  After arranging this matter, Ye Pingyu went to ask Cao Dafu for leave in the afternoon and took a bus to the county town alone.

  In fact, the county town, which is relatively larger than the countryside, he has not been there many times. It was only after becoming the director of the party and government office that he came more often to attend meetings in the county town. So after arriving at the county town, it took him a while to find the restaurant where they were invited to dinner.

  When he arrived at the private room, there were only a few people inside. After entering, he saw that Xiao Jianzhong had already arrived early and was sitting in the central position. The others were all familiar classmates, but there was a young girl with a very sweet appearance whom he had never seen before, sitting right next to Xiao Jianzhong.

  "Ping Yu, you've become quite impressive now that you're the director of the Party and Government Office. Next time I have a chance, I'll come to your hometown to enjoy the autumn breeze!" A colleague who worked at the county party school said with a smile after Ye Pingyu arrived.

  Ye Pingyu smiled and said, "What's so great about my poor and remote hometown? If you want to talk about greatness, it's actually you guys who are great, staying in the county town is so comfortable, even if you were asked to go down and be the village head or secretary, not everyone would be willing to go!"

  "Who says we don't want to go? If I were made a village head or secretary, I'd be willing to go. What's the point of staying in the county town all day?" That classmate said directly after hearing it.

  Ye Pingyu smiled and looked at him, he was still quite familiar with this classmate from the party school, in his high school days he was very enthusiastic about politics lessons, after graduating from university he was assigned to work at the county party committee school, but there wasn't much to do at the county party committee school, so he must have been bored out of his mind, that's why he had such thoughts.

  Xiao Jianzhong sat there and laughed, saying: "Lao Bao, if I have the chance, I'll recommend you to the leader and send you to Caolingzi Township!"

  "Lao Xiao, if you can arrange for me to be sent to Cao Lingzi Township, I'll really have to thank you. I don't want to stay at the County Party School for my whole life!" The classmate from the County Party School was called Bao Ge Lie, and Xiao Jianzhong would call him Lao Bao.

  "Haha!" Everyone else laughed, but in fact, it was just a joke. Xiao Jianzhong didn't have that kind of ability, but it could also show Bao Gelei's eagerness to jump out of the county party school. Originally, Ye Pingyu envied those classmates who were assigned to the county town, but now it seemed that they weren't necessarily living more fulfilling and comfortable lives than himself.

  Everyone was chatting and laughing, then several classmates came from outside the door. Ye Pingyu stood up to greet them, shook hands with them, and sat down again.

  Just when everyone started chatting and laughing, two more classmates suddenly came from outside the door, a boy and a girl, holding hands with each other. At first glance, it was obvious that they were a couple. After their arrival, all personnel were present.

  Ye Pingyu was sitting there, hearing someone coming, and turned his head to look. It was Wen Kaibo and Wu Manli, the two of them. As soon as he saw these two people, his eyes were stunned. He didn't expect Xiao Jianzhong to call them too. One of them was his love rival, and the other was someone he had admired before. Now they also came.

  They also saw him soon, they didn't know it was a special celebration for Ye Pingyu before they came, but just heard that classmates were gathering, so they came. Wen Kaibo is now working in the county finance bureau, and had some minor conflicts with Ye Pingyu in high school, mainly because of Wu Manli. Wu Manli is now working in the county cultural bureau, she had a crush on Ye Pingyu at first, but it ended after Wen Kaibo intervened. Wen Kaibo's family was good, he looked okay too, and they were assigned to the same city after graduation, so naturally they got together. While Ye Pingyu's family was rural, and he was assigned to a town, so there was no possibility of any further contact.

  Although there was this matter at first, it has been a long time ago. Xiao Jianzhong didn't know about the matter inside, so he immediately invited them to sit down. Ye Pingyu also stood up to welcome them as if nothing had happened. However, the two of them found Ye Pingyu's behavior very strange.

  Similarly, after shaking hands, Wen Kai Bo and Wu Man Li sat down together. After sitting down, Wen Kai Bo showed great respect to the young woman sitting next to Xiao Jian Zhong. Through introduction, Ye Ping Yu learned that her name was Zhao Bing Xue, Xiao Jian Zhong's girlfriend. It wasn't until then that he understood why Xiao Jian Zhong didn't let him tell Chang Fang to bring Chang Fang along - it turned out Xiao Jian Zhong already had a girlfriend! Then what was the relationship between him and Chang Fang?

  Although he knew the girl was his girlfriend, he didn't know her name. He only knew that she worked at the county public security bureau and sat there with a very reserved expression, very cold and arrogant, with an air of looking down on them. When Wen Kai Bo smiled and greeted her proactively, she just gave him a faint smile without showing much enthusiasm. She was indeed as aloof as her name suggested.

  After everyone sat down, the dishes started to come up. Xiao Jianzhong, as the leader of the county party committee office and the convener, presided over today's gathering. With a smile, he said: "We haven't gathered for a long time, today is mainly to take advantage of Ping Yu's promotion opportunity, gather everyone together, and express our congratulations to Ping Yu. Among us, he is the first one to be promoted. At that time, he was very envious of us who were assigned to the county seat, but now it's because of good fortune, and he has achieved his goal. Come on, let's raise our glasses together and congratulate him!"

  Xiao Jianzhong said with great enthusiasm, raising his cup. Ye Pingyu quickly stood up to express his gratitude: "Jianzhong is too polite, we are mainly classmates gathering today, and I don't have much to celebrate. Earlier, Lao Bao wanted to go downstairs, to be honest, I really want to switch with him, in the party school it's more comfortable, we are not only treated poorly in the countryside, but also have a lot of things to do, in all aspects can't compare with the county town, you haven't experienced it, so you don't know the bitterness inside, I've been silently crying downstairs!"

  "Haha!" Hearing Ye Pingyu's last words, they all burst out laughing. Bao Gelie laughed and said: "Pingyu, if you want to switch with me, I'll switch with you. I don't believe that the countryside is so bitter!"

  Ye Pingyu smiled and replied: "Alright, let Jianzhong handle this matter then?"

  Xiao Jianzhong laughed and said, "Alright, today is a day of celebration, how can you still be crying? Ping Yu, this is where you're wrong. Being promoted is a happy thing, don't make it seem like being sent to the border for punishment!"

  Ye Pingyu laughed and said, "Jianzhong, whenever the county officials hear that they are going to be transferred to our town, not one of them doesn't shed tears. If you don't believe me, just let the leader transfer you to our town for a try!"

  Xiao Jianzhong burst out laughing, and Ye Pingyu's words were actually true. If he really let him go to Cao Lingzi Township as a minor official now, he would have to think carefully about whether to go or not!

  "I didn't have that chance!" Xiao Jianzhong hastily said with a smile.

  Everyone was chatting and laughing, except for Wen Kai Bo and Wu Man Li, who didn't say a word. They hadn't expected Ye Ping Yu to be promoted so quickly. It turned out that today's protagonist was him. Although Ye Ping Yu was from the countryside, it wasn't like he could be promoted just because someone wanted to promote him. Being promoted anywhere is always a happy thing. Just now, everyone was just chatting and laughing.

  At first, when they were assigned to the county, no one looked down on Ye Pingyu, who was assigned to the countryside. Especially since he was assigned to the county finance bureau, which is a good unit in the county, and even more so, they didn't think much of Ye Pingyu, but unexpectedly this kid was promoted to deputy department level so quickly, it's really unexpected.

  Wen Kaibo thought so, and Wu Manli was also very surprised, but she didn't have much feeling. After all, Ye Pingyu's promotion was just in the township, not as good as those who were in the county seat. Now she is in the Cultural Bureau, Wen Kaibo is in the Finance Bureau, both are in the same county seat. As long as they combine together, their life will be much better than in the countryside. Why should she envy Ye Pingyu's promotion now? This kid might just have good luck, suddenly came into good fortune, and became a deputy department-level cadre all at once, nothing special about it.