Chapter 26: Officially Taking Office

  After the meeting, Xie Liangshan had a meal in Cao Lingzi Township and then returned to the county seat. The officials who accompanied him for dinner were all members of the township leadership team, including Ye Pingyu, who also went and was arranged by Ye Pingyu himself as he was the director of the Party and Government Office.

  The location for dinner was set at Dongsheng Restaurant, which was Cao Dafu's intention. Because the dishes at Dongsheng Restaurant were of a higher grade, although Ye Pingyu didn't really want to go to Dongsheng Restaurant, he had to follow Cao Dafu's lead.

  This time he and Chang Fang went to the Jiulou restaurant to arrange for meals, Zhao Yanan had other things in the office, so she didn't let her go. Chang Fang was more familiar with this aspect than her, so she let her follow him to Dongsheng Restaurant to arrange a good meal, and after arranging it, notify Cao Dafu to bring people over.

  Wang Fangyun was alone at the front desk with nothing to do, and it wasn't time for dinner yet, so there weren't many customers. Her mind was also bored and idle, thinking about all sorts of things. Ever since that time with Old Zheng together, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Although Old Zheng was a bit taciturn, he had a masculine air about him, and his physique was tall and powerful, far surpassing her deadbeat husband. Moreover, he was the leader of their village and a national cadre, not someone that a village woman like herself could compare to.

  What's more important is that Lao Zheng gave her a kind of physical pleasure that she had never experienced before. Although she appeared to be very flirtatious, it was all just an act, and she had to put on this show in front of men and also keep the business of the wine shop going. If she didn't appear to be flirtatious and charming, it wouldn't work, so she let others think that she was easy and slept with many men, but these were all rumors. In reality, she wasn't that kind of person at all.

  Yan Bengli that lecher, always thinking of her, whenever he sees her, he gets all handsy and feety, but she's never spent time with him before. Yan Bengli looks like that, not even as good as her dead husband, how can she possibly fall for him?

  As she thought about it, a hint of resentment appeared in her eyes. If her family hadn't been poor back then, she would never have married that ugly husband. Alas, it's all too late now, life can't be relived. If she could do it again, with her looks, she'd definitely find someone way more handsome than her husband, even if he was a bit poorer.

  As she thought of this, she glanced at her own skin, although not much makeup was used, but that skin was incredibly white. When she was with Old Zheng, he would often praise her for having such fair skin, saying it could cover up a hundred flaws and make many men infatuated. Old Zheng was an emotional man, in the past when he came over, even though they didn't talk much, he would always stare at her, actually she had already noticed but just pretended not to see him, besides back then Old Zheng was nothing special so naturally she wouldn't take it seriously. Now that she has power and he still has those intentions, it's only natural for them to end up together like this, the drunkenness that day was merely an opportunity.

  Just then, Ye Pingyu and Chang Fang walked in from outside. As soon as Wang Fangyun saw them, her face furrowed into a frown. What are these two doing here again to eat? Without money, what's the point of coming to a restaurant? It was embarrassing enough when they had to scrape together money to pay the bill last time, and now they're back at her place again. This has got to be pre-arranged, no paying without prior agreement.

  Watching Ye Pingyu walk over, Wang Fangyun opened her mouth and said: "Little Ye, you're coming to eat again?"

  Ye Pingyu looked at her and said: "Not bad, are you coming to eat? You have to prepare well."

  When Ye Pingyu told her to prepare well, Wang Fangyun couldn't help but sneer: "Little Ye, I'd better tell you in advance, if you don't have money, don't blame me for not agreeing to your loan!"

  Ye Pingyu smiled and said, "Can't eat if there's no money? This wine shop is supported by the village, right? Without the village's patronage, how long can this wine shop last? You may not give me credit, but you won't refuse to give credit to the village, will you?"

  Wang Fangyun curled her lip and said disdainfully: "Xiaoye, can you represent our village?"

  Ye Pingyu smiled and said, "I can't represent the village. Can Secretary Cao and Village Head Zhao represent the village? Now I'm here on their behalf to arrange food and drink for you. Will you receive us or not? Can we put it on account?"

  As soon as Ye Pingyu said this, Wang Fangyun was stunned and felt a bit confused. What's going on? Has the leadership in the countryside changed?

  Chang Fang stood by, listening to Ye Pingyu speaking over there. She felt that Ye Pingyu was more arrogant today than yesterday, and didn't interrupt him as he negotiated with Wang Fangyun. Now seeing Wang Fangyun stunned, she stepped forward coldly and said: "Boss lady, I'm telling you, don't underestimate people. Little Ye is now the director of our town's party and government office, Cao Town Head has become Cao Secretary, and Zhao Secretary has become Zhao Town Head. The county leaders are currently in our town, and they'll be coming over to eat soon. Let us two come over to arrange things. What are you still messing around here for? Don't you want your wine shop to open?"

  Chang Fang's loud shout completely woke up Wang Fangyun, the village had changed, and she, the owner of this wine shop, didn't know yet. What surprised her even more was that the cadre in front of her, whom she had always looked down on, had become the director of the Party and Government Office, and from now on, all receptions in the village would be under his management, not Old Zheng's anymore. And her attitude last night and just now must have made him unhappy, so what about their business from now on?

  "I'll go arrange it right away!" Wang Fangyun hastily regained her composure, a smile spreading across her face as she playfully batted her eyelashes at Ye Pingyu, hoping to dispel the misunderstanding between them.

  Seeing her like this, Ye Pingyu shook his head. For a woman as flirtatious as her, as a village cadre, he couldn't afford to argue with her too much, or else it would lower his own status. Although she didn't give him face last night and looked down on him, as long as she arranged the food well now and let him save face, he wouldn't bother arguing with her about these things.

  Wang Fangyun finished speaking and went to arrange the room. Looking at her running away, Chang Fang couldn't help but say: "This woman is really selfish, she needs to be taught a lesson, Ping Yu, from now on we won't come to her place for hospitality in our village!"

  Ye Pingyu furrowed his brow and said, "Let's just say that apart from this wine house which is slightly better than the others in our hometown, there aren't any other good ones. If the leaders want to come here, we can't do anything about it!"

  Ye Pingyu was also telling the truth, Chang Fang looked at him and didn't say anything else, but earlier she saw Wang Fangyun throwing flirtatious glances at Ye Pingyu, which really made her feel disgusted.

  Xie Liangshan finished his meal and drinks at the Dongsheng Wine House, then Cao Dafu got him two bags of rice from their hometown and two boxes of fruit, and he left after getting into a jeep and patting his butt.

  After Xie Liangshan left, on the second day of work, Cao Dafu convened a meeting with the two committees in the town. The members of the two committees in Caolingzi Town are mainly members of the Party Committee and the Government, that is, members of the Party Committee and deputy heads of the township. In addition, every time a meeting is held, the director of the People's Congress and the director of the CPPCC must participate. Now that the township team is complete, it is necessary to hold a meeting to unify everyone's thinking and lay a good foundation for the next step of work.

  Cao Dafu, of course, also wanted to show off his authority as the newly appointed township party secretary, and holding a meeting was a way to display his authority. He had Ye Pingyu notify all members of the two committees in the town to arrive on time at the small conference room for the meeting.

  Now in the party and government office, Old Zheng has moved out and moved to his deputy head of the township office. Liang Jun didn't come either, and he didn't speak after seeing Ye Pingyu. In the current situation, he can't move Liang Jun, so now there are only four people left.

  Yao Weiguo, after talking with Chang Fang, was finally willing to obey Ye Pingyu's leadership and return to the party and government office to work hard. However, there were still a few people short, so Ye Pingyu thought about transferring someone over, otherwise the workload of the party and government office would be too heavy.

  Since we want to transfer someone, of course, we should transfer someone he is familiar with. Wang Qiang has always been on good terms with him, and staying at the water conservancy station is also a waste of his talent. Why not just transfer him over to help us out? However, this matter needs to be reported to Cao Da Fu, and it will only work if Cao Da Fu agrees, otherwise, it won't be possible to transfer him.

  Cao Dafu asked him to inform the two committees of the township to hold a meeting. After listening to Cao Dafu's words, he personally went to notify several deputy secretaries, but let Chang Fang and others notify other deputy town mayors and ordinary party committee members. As the director of the Party and Government Office, it is impossible for him to do everything himself, sometimes arranging personnel below to do it is also possible.

  In the countryside, apart from a few deputy secretaries, there are also township organization committee member Chi Jun, disciplinary secretary Liu Guodong, people's armed department director Xie Qiang, propaganda commissioner Gao Kesin. Additionally, it should be noted that Gao Kesin is the daughter of the county's executive vice-county magistrate and was specially arranged to come here with a golden aura. These are the people on one side of the township party committee. On the other side, in the township government, apart from Zhao Yuangong and Old Zheng, two deputy townships that belong to the party committee members, there are also two non-party committee member deputy townships. Furthermore, there are two science and technology deputy townships. In reality, science and technology deputy townships are not truly deputy townships because they do not meet the national formal cadre regulations. However, they have been working in the township for a long time and have a certain status. To solve their job ranking problems, they were assigned this position. But the more it is like this, the greater their influence in the countryside. Because they have stayed in the countryside for a long time, they belong to the local faction. Yan Bingli is far inferior to them.

  These people all need to attend the township's two committees meeting, in addition, the director of the People's Congress and the Political Consultative Conference also need to attend. They are older and usually don't ask about anything, letting them attend the meeting is a kind of political treatment. In fact, they don't have any specific work to take charge of, the township's People's Congress and Political Consultative Conference basically don't have any affairs. Although they have ranks, apart from political and economic treatment, they are just like ordinary cadres with no power.