Chapter 18: Xia Yue's Heartfelt Thoughts

hen Hong. 。Xiao Zheng suddenly thought of an important matter. Today was Chen Hong's mother's birthday. He had promised to go celebrate with his aunt, and he even ordered a cake in the county. However...This question made Xiao Zheng pause for a moment. When he first started working, Xiao Zheng had a very clear goal in mind: to do something for his hometown. 。> Later, he found that not only could he not do it, but his job might be in jeopardy. Only then did he realize that he had oversimplified things. In this town, you can't just do whatever you want. 。Therefore, he dared not think too much about it these years. 。Now Xiaoyue's question awakened ideas within Xiao Zheng's heart. He said, "I want to change the current situation in Fengqivillage where they open mines and sell stones, destroying the ecological environment." 。Xiao Yue took a sip of Pu'er tea, asking softly, "Why Is the mine so bad"Xiao Zheng said, "The place where your car was damaged by a landslide last time is related to stone mining. The destruction of plants on the mountain leads to soil erosion, which makes it very easy for landslides and collapses to occur again." 。Besides Fengqivillage, all other mining villages in the town also frequently experience safety accidents. Villagers often suffer broken arms and legs. In the future, there might even be fatal accidents. It will be too late to regret then. 。Moreover, due to mining, air and water pollution have occurred. All villages involved in mining are shrouded in dust, with lush green mountains turning into barren hills and clean water becoming polluted. Many locals have developed lung diseases, and the incidence of lung cancer in these villages has increased several times compared to before. 。“

Xiaoyue's dark eyes moved slightly. She said, "I only heard that mining is the pillar industry of the county. I haven't heard anyone say that mining has so many negative impacts." 。Over the past few days, Xiaoyue has met with leaders from the economic department. They all agree that counties like An County, besides bamboo and bamboo shoots, don't have many other marketable agricultural products. Some townships have been developing tourism for several years, but there haven't been any significant revenues, and some even experienced losses. 。Therefore, everyone believes that relying on the mountains means mining and selling stones so that people can make some money. 。However, today Xiao Zheng told her that mining posed so many problems, endangering the safety, health, and lives of the people. 。Xiao Yue was a little puzzled. Since there were so many problems, why had the previous county leaders turned a blind eye to them

Xiao Zheng replied, "Because you're here in An County to do business, the local officials will definitely only introduce the good things about An County to you, and they won't tell you about the problems in An County's economic development model." 。"By the way, Xiaoyue, what does your company do Wouldn't you also be interested in investing in mines"Xiao Zheng kept calling Xiaoyue a businesswoman, which made Xiaoyue feel very uncomfortable. 。What could she do She had told Xiao Zheng herself that she was the CEO of a branch company. Within An County's government system, it wouldn't take long for Xiao Zheng to find out that she was actually the Secretary of the county committee. What would he think then Would he say she had lied to him all this time

But by then, she probably wouldn't need to contact him anymore anyway, so it didn't really matter. 。Xiaoyue's family asked her to find Xiao Zheng today to figure out what else he needed. If there was, her family would try their best to meet his needs and return the favor to Xiao Zheng. 。From now on, Xiaoyue being the county party secretary and Xiao Zheng being a township cadre, they shouldn't have any more interactions. 。Both the organization and Xiaoyue's family have a clear plan for her future. Her future is arranged, as long as she takes each step, step by step, in that direction. 。This plan should not and cannot be disturbed by a small cadre from a rural town. 。For this reason, Xiao Yue kept a low profile after taking office. For the most part, she only participated in activities within the County Party Committee Office. 。Now that Xiao Zheng's promotion has been finalized, she will also follow the arrangements of the organization and her family to carry out normal activities in the next step. 。Therefore, today's meeting is actually a farewell. 。By now, everyone should have already dispersed. But Xiao Zheng mentioned the matter of the stone mine, so Xiaoyue asked one more question. 。If the stone mining in each town really has so many problems, it should indeed cause high attention. 。She now governs a province and is quite sensitive to important matters. 。Of course, Xiaoyue also knows that Xiao Zheng is just a rural cadre. Perhaps his perspective and overall view are limited. 。As county leaders and lower-ranking officials, they surely have different perspectives and horizons when viewing things. Therefore, it's definitely not enough to just listen to Xiao Zheng's one-sided words. Xiaoyue thought that a deeper investigation was needed before making any judgments. 。Xiaoyue said: "Our company, we don't do the stone mine business." 。“Xiao Zheng seemed quite interested and asked, “What does your company do” Xiaoyue thought for a moment and said: “Our company does business with the common people, bringing them a better and more convenient life. Our company also grows and develops along with it.” 。"Xiao Zheng frowned slightly, then smiled and said: "You're making me guess riddles Let me think... Your company, is it doing supermarket business Doing business with ordinary people, bringing better and more convenient lives to them. Isn't that a supermarket I heard that a large supermarket has recently opened in the county town. Is it your company"Xiao Yue couldn't help but chuckle and said: "We are not opening supermarkets..." 。So you go to that supermarket, I can't give you a discount. 。"Xiao Zheng also smiled: "I'm not doing this for the discount either" 。Okay, if you don't want to say, I won't ask. 。"Xiaoyue said: 'When you need to know, you'll know.'" 。。She couldn't help but think of Einstein's theory of relativity, saying that when you're with the person you love, time seems to fly. 。Xiaoyue glanced at Xiao Zheng, thinking to herself, she shouldn't possibly like him, right It was impossible. They belonged to different social classes; some lives were simply not meant to intersect. Her family would never agree 。Today, perhaps it is the last time the two of them will be alone together. 。

Xiaoyue stood up and said, "Okay, let's go." 。The two walked out, accompanied by the waiter. Xiaoyue said she wanted to pay, but the waiter said the boss had already taken care of it. 。Xiaoyue said, "Then thank you boss." 。Xiao Zheng thought, Xiaoyue's business must be very big. Even such a high-end teahouse doesn't charge her for tea. 。The two of them stepped outside to a small parking lot on the roadside. Xiaoyue said, "It's so late, where do you live Or, I can give you a ride back" 。Xiao Zheng inadvertently caught sight of an Audi car, it was the same one that had been smashed last time, but now it was brand new, looking just like a fresh one. 。"Is the car fixed" Xiao Zheng asked in surprise, touching the car body. He couldn't see any traces of where it had been hit. 。Xiaoyue nodded and said, "Well, I fixed it. It's very convenient now." 。Xiao Zheng said, "You didn't file a report, or tell the town and village" Xiao Yue said, "My car has insurance, I can handle it myself very conveniently, so I didn't bother the town and village." 。"Xiao Zheng smiled wryly: "So, no one in town or the village knows about the Audi car from the provincial city being damaged by a landslide. When I told them, they thought I was dreaming!"

Xiaoyue looked at Xiao Zheng and said, "Anyway, the matter is resolved, you might as well just treat it as a dream." 。Xiao Zheng suddenly had a strange feeling that Xiaoyue seemed to have something else to say, but he didn't think much of it and said, "I have my own motorcycle. I can go back by myself." 。Xiaoyue said, "It's getting late. Wouldn't it be difficult for you to go back to town Maybe you could stay in the county seat, like at the Anxian International Hotel. I can help you book a room." 。Xiao Zheng looked towards the Anxian International Hotel in the distance. It was the tallest building in An County, with its sign shimmering on the top floor. Xiao Zheng had never stayed in such a high-end hotel before. 。But he still shook his head and said, "Forget it, I'd rather go back to my dormitory in town. Home is where the heart is." 。Xiaoyue smiled, didn't say much, and didn't even say goodbye to him. She got into her car and drove out of the parking lot. 。Xiao Zheng watched the Audi drive away before he mounted his motorcycle and rode back to the dormitory in town. 。Over the weekend, Xiao Zheng went back to Lùshuǐ Natural Village. 。Xiao Zheng arrived in the evening. He knew his parents had been working in the mines all day. His father was a tractor driver, and his mother did chores like cooking and making tea. They didn't get off work until after five o'clock. 。Because the village is shrouded in omnipresent dust, we cannot open doors or windows at home. The stuffy rooms always carry a strange smell. 。Xiao Zheng, after spending so long outside, felt strangely out of place when he returned home. 。For dinner tonight, Xiao Zheng brought back some pork ribs, crucian carp, and tiger-skin green peppers from the market in town. He also brought back four bottles of Taijiu liquor and two packs of Huayan cigarettes. 。The Thai liquor was bought from the supermarket, and the Chinese cigarettes were given by villagers when following Jinhui to the village. Now they can be used to show respect to my father. 。When Dad and Mom got back, Xiao Zheng had already cooked half of the dinner. Lao Ma Fei Qingmei immediately grabbed the spatula and said, "Xiao Zheng, you go rest, you go rest" 。Xiao Zheng wanted to cook dinner, but Fei Qingmei refused to let him. So Xiao Zheng didn't insist any further. 。

Dad Xiao Rongrong also said, "Xiao Zheng, come here and have a smoke with your old man." 。Xiao Zheng gave Xiao Rongrong two packs of Huayan cigarettes. 。Xiao Rongrong took one look and smiled, saying, "Such good cigarettes!" 。"Xiao Zheng said: 'When I went down the village, people gave me..." 。Xiao Rongrong said, "Look, when you're an official, you're an official. Someone sends you cigarettes." 。Last week, I ran into the village head, Ma Fulai. I offered him a cigarette. 。This Ma Fulai, however, said to me, 'Your Xiao Zheng, if he were as good at getting along with people as you are, he would definitely do better.' 。Now your son is having a hard time in town. 。I guess Ma Fulai is jealous of me. His son isn't ambitious and can only hang around the village. 。Anyway, my son is a local official. He smokes, and people send him cigarettes too. 。When Xiao Rongrong said this, Fei Qingmei by the earthen stove also glanced at Xiao Zheng. 。Xiao Rongrong and Fei Qingmei are ordinary people. He thinks that his son being able to become a town official is already very good, as for whether he can climb higher, there is no clear expectation. 。But the villagers are snobbish, looking down on Xiao Zheng who has no prospects in town. They even say hurtful things to his father's face. 。Xiao Zheng didn't want his parents to feel wronged, so he said: "Mom and Dad, my son has been promoted. I am now a member of the Party Committee in town." 。 the air was thick with smoke, making it hard to breathe. 。Along the way, the villagers' house doors were all tightly shut because they were afraid of the smoke getting into their homes. 。Villagers in...