Volume 1: Gathering Storm Chapter 12: The Writing Team (Part 2)

  "We must carefully digest and implement the Secretary-General's instructions."

  Zhu Yongsheng said: "Of course, we should look up to the people in the writing team and care for them more. They work the hardest and are the most tired, so we need to understand their difficulties and care about their practical problems. Even when working overtime and eating meals, don't be too stingy."

  Li Hua Zhang said: "That's it."

  "Come here, Hua Zhang. Look at these two drafts, the chapters are written very well, the style is simple and elegant, the content is vivid, and the logic is strong, with a grand tone of a leader's speech. Who wrote this? And these few short speeches, they're also written very well, full of passion. Who wrote these?"

  Li Hua walked up and took a closer look, saying: "These were written by Wu Tianran, these were written by Jia Dongdong."

  "I know both of these two people, Wu Tianran was my secretary when I was in Baihe County, his writing and character are trustworthy. This Jia Dongdong is Secretary Wang's secretary, he's a clever guy! These people will have to take on more responsibilities in the future, pressure creates motivation, pressure creates talent." Zhu Yongsheng's face showed a rare smile as he said this with a laugh.

  "The Secretary-General has a good eye for talent; both of their writing levels are very high, representing the highest level of our office." Li Huazhang also said with some pride.

  "By the way, Huazhang, I'll be going to the US with Secretary Wang in two days for an inspection that will take half a month. Let all comrades from the First Secretariat go to the county to conduct research, on the one hand to understand the actual situation at the grassroots level, and on the other hand to relax."

  "Alright, we will arrange this research work properly. After the research is completed, each comrade must submit a research report."

  "No need to be so tense, mainly just let them relax a bit."

  The secretary and the secretary-general are not at home, and everyone's mood is particularly comfortable. Li Huazhang arranged for them to go to the county to investigate, and the five and a half people in the department all showed some excitement. They were divided into three groups, with two people in each group, and each group ran several counties. However, when it came to dividing the groups, they encountered a problem - Bai Mingyuan would not be in the same group as Zhao HuaiZhong, and no one wanted to be in the same group as Jia Dongdong. Moreover, Li Bingxue was a female comrade, and going with her would be inconvenient, and many playful activities could not be carried out. Everyone tacitly understood, but did not say anything, and were all secretly making their own plans.

  Finally, Wu Tianran's proposal was unanimously approved by everyone. Zhao Huai and Meng Fanxun formed a group because Fanxun had a large capacity for alcohol and could drink on behalf of the department head. The main difficulty in visiting the county was drinking. Li Bingxue and Fan Xiaoxue from the Information Department formed a group, as it would be more convenient for two female comrades to go out together. Bai Mingyuan and Old Li from the Supervision Office formed a group because they were fellow villagers, and Old Li was currently helping Bai Mingyuan find a match. Tianran and Jia Dongdong formed a group because they were the youngest and had common language. Now what is needed is for Department Head Zhao to go meet with Secretary Li Huazhang and request that Fan Xiaoxue and Old Li jointly participate in this activity of the Secretarial Department.

  Zhao Huazhong then said to Li Huachang: "Secretary Li, thank you for letting us go down to conduct research. We will definitely produce several heavyweight research papers."

  "Alright, you're in charge of the department, so make sure this event is well-organized. Tell your comrades that it's okay to go out and have a drink, but they mustn't make fools of themselves and damage the image of the Municipal Party Committee Office."

  "We will definitely make this happen. In addition..."

  "Anything else?"

  Lao Li from the Supervision Office and Fan Xiaoxue from the Information Department also want to join us to take a look around and get a better understanding of the situation at the grassroots level.

  Because Lao Zhao and Fan Xiaoxue were both insignificant characters, one was about to retire and the other had just started working, Li Huazhang agreed in one breath.

  As for vehicle issues, each group will figure it out themselves. But this is not a problem at all, every unit in the city heard that the municipal party committee office wants cars and they are all actively cooperating.

  Jia Dongdong asked the municipal traffic police brigade for a police car and specifically requested that Deputy Commissioner Huang Miao personally drive. As the secretary of the municipal party committee, Jia Dongdong's request was naturally met with prompt compliance from the traffic police brigade. When Huang Miao arrived to pick them up, she indeed drove a police car. The moment Huang Miao got out of the car, Wu Tianran knew that her relationship with Jia Dongdong was not ordinary, as their eye contact was different. Huang Miao wore a police uniform, looking elegant and slender, with a faint smile on her face and a hint of charm. She was truly a blooming "police flower". To put it in popular slang, she was clearly "temptation in uniform".

  Shanyang City is a large city, with an area of 250,000 square kilometers and a population of nearly 10 million. It has jurisdiction over 12 counties and districts. They were divided into four groups, each group having to cover three counties and districts. Jia Dongdong and his team took a national highway eastward from the easternmost county of Dongyang, looking back as they went. Along the way, Jia Dongdong sat in the front passenger seat, exchanging bland jokes with Huang Miao. Sometimes, he would also touch Huang's hair or pat her shoulder. Huang would say: "Jia Dasecretary, someone is driving, don't move your hands and feet, or I'll report you for harassment."

  "Alas, the police are coming and it's all over. The biggest secret is most afraid of being leaked."

  "Dead kid, who is Xiao Mi? Who else is whose?"

  "Alright, I'm your little secret, isn't that enough?"

  "I'd rather die than you!"

  "Even in death under the pomegranate skirt, she remains elegant as a ghost."

  "Ghost! Colorful ghost!"

  "My surname is Jia, not Huang. We're going to sweep away the Huangs. If you show your head, I'll hit it." Jia Dongdong said with a light tap on Huang Miao's head.

  "Jia is a fake, and those who create fakes must be struck with a heavy fist." Huang Miao Miao then punched Jia Dongdong's head heavily.

  Jia Dongdong leaned his head against Huang Miao's body and said: "Two more times."

  Huang Miao said, "Go die!" The car suddenly turned sharply to the right, and Jia Dongdong's head hit the window glass with a thud. This brought out Huang Miao's loud laughter. The cars in front of and behind them saw the police car swerving wildly and didn't know what was happening, so they quickly slowed down, and there was a chorus of screeching brakes all around.

  Jia Dongdong raised his hands and said: "I surrender, Officer Huang. Drive safely first, second."

  Huang Miao Miao then came again on Jia Dong Dong's head.

  In the midst of the two people's banter, Tianran felt that the journey wasn't lonely at all, and the time passed quickly. Their conversation was also not easy to interrupt, so she could only narrow her eyes and pretend to be half asleep. The 3-hour journey had unknowingly slipped away.

  "It's natural, in Dongyang I'll invite you to drink flower wine," said Jia Dongdong.

  "Flower wine?" Tian Ran asked.

  "You don't know yet, Dongyang has a red light district, where you can drink flower wine."

  "What is Huajiu?"

  "You're such a literary giant, can't you understand? The flower wine must be related to Flower Girl. That flower is not a police flower, we can't afford the police flower."

  "Black mouth." Huang Miao Miao gave Jia Dong Dong a white eye and said.

  As they approached the border of Dongyang County, Huang Miao Miao slowed down the car.

  Two small cars were parked by the roadside ahead, and Mao Weimin, a standing committee member of Dongyang County and director of the county general office, as well as several leaders and comrades from the county general office had already been waiting there.