Power and Wealth

Chapter 1326: Ask them to look for me if they have any problems

Afternoon.

Zheng Shui County.

It was a sunny day.

The Land Rover entered the County Party Committee building main gate.

It was lunchtime, and many leaders and staff members just finished lunch at the cafeteria. They saw the Land Rover entering and started talking.

Inside the car.

Dong Xuebing remembered something. “Cui Er, did you come to work this morning?”

“No.” Yao Cui replied. “I drove to the airport from home. Why do you ask?”

“Nothing. Haha… let’s go.” Dong Xuebing unfastened his seatbelt.

Yao Cui exited the car to help Dong Xuebing with his luggage. They were alone at the airport, and being casual was OK. But at work, their status changed. He is the leader, and she is his secretary. She must carry his luggage. Dong Xuebing knew these and did not help. He asked if she had come to work this morning because people might gossip when they noticed she had changed her heels and sunglasses. He was more wary of these things nowadays.

They got out of the car.

“Mayor Dong!”

“Ah, Mayor Dong is back!”

“How are you feeling? Let me help you.”

Many people came over to greet Dong Xuebing. They were surprised as multiple fractures should take at least three months to heal.

It’s only been one month.

Why did he come back?

How did he recover so fast?

Dong Xuebing smiled and returned their greetings. “Thank you for your concerns. I feel much better now. Although I am not fully recovered, I am fine now.”

Everybody congratulated him for his recovery but were speechless in their heart. Is he made of steel?

He can walk!

He is fine!

They saw Dong Xuebing walk into the building and exchanged looks.

Upstairs.

Along the corridor.

Dong Xuebing saw County Government Office Director Ma Bin and a few staff members.

Ma Bin was shocked when he saw Dong Xuebing. He did not know Mayor Dong was coming back. “You had recovered, Mayor Dong?”

Dong Xuebing smiled. “Yes, Old Ma. How is the Office Department? Is everything fine?”

Ma Bin replied. “Yes… Everything is fine. Only you are not around, and we feel something is missing.”

“Haha… you are joking.” Dong Xuebing asked. “Are Secretary Meng and Mayor Jiang around?”

Ma Bin said. “Secretary Meng might be going out for a lunch appointment. I saw his car leaving, and he should not be around. Mayor Jiang is having lunch at the cafeteria. I think she will be back soon.”

Dong Xuebing nodded. “OK.” He left.

A few County Government Office Department staff members looked at Yao Cui.

“Secretary Yao, you are beautiful today.”

“That’s right. Your heels are pretty, and it suits you.”

A few praised Yao Cui. They were telling the truth. She looked different today.

Yao Cui smiled. “Thanks. I got to go.” She carried Dong Xuebing’s luggage and followed him.

Executive Deputy County Mayor office.

Dong Xuebing took his luggage from Yao Cui and asked her to return to work. He sat in his chair after she left and lit a cigarette. He looked at his office and felt at peace. He was not around for a month, and it was time to settle down. This is his battleground.

The leaders were not around, and Dong Xuebing does not need to visit them now. He started reading documents first.

Dong Xuebing took out the documents prepared by Yao Cui from the drawer and started working. He signed on some and read the rest.

The first few documents were acceptable, but the rest became more ridiculous.

The County’s hospital requests surgery devices… the Education Department is asking for funds to renovate the schools… the Industry Bureau is requesting vehicles…, and the village towns are seeking financial assistance. It’s OK if it’s one or two documents. But there were over fifty documents like these. Dong Xuebing’s second drawer was packed with such documents. Most of the requests were from the villages, and many submitted more than one request. They were asking for hundreds of thousands to a few million RMB. The few hundred million RMB is not enough to fulfill all the requests. The County’s 40 million RMB were still under the Finance Department. The Finance Department can decide on small amounts, and more significant amounts will be sent to Dong Xuebing for approval. Yan Yizhi’s Finance Department should have more requests. They should have received a few hundred requests.

Headache…

This is too messy.

Dong Xuebing rubbed his temples and threw the documents on the table. The Party Committee meeting is tomorrow. He will decide after the meeting.

Amount over one million RMB will be decided in the Party Committee Meeting. He has a say in the decision but cannot decide by himself. He is authorized to approve requests of less than a million RMB but does not intend to approve them. The whole County is like a pack of hungry wolves.

All these must be discussed.

Or there will be trouble.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

Dong Xuebing looked up. “Come in.”

It was the Finance Department’s Chen Xiaomei. She wore a long dress, black stockings and flats. Although she’s not young, she still looks sexy.

“Mayor Dong.

“Haha… Chief Chen.”

“I heard you are back and came over to see you.”

“Aren’t you at the Finance Department? You are fast.”

“No. I came to the County Government for work and had lunch here.”

“Come, have a seat.” Dong Xuebing felt awkward when he saw Chen Xiaomei. He had mistaken her for Geng Yuehua and kissed and touched her at the Beijing Hotel. He even reached under her clothes. Thinking about it, her breasts were full and soft. “Let me brew a cup of tea for you. I brought some tea leaves from Beijing.”

Chen Xiaomei quickly replied. “I will do it myself. Let me do it.”

“No need. Just sit there. How is the Finance Department?” Dong Xuebing took out his tea from his luggage and asked.

Chen Xiaomei did not sit. She went over to help him. “It’s fine. We repaid our debts and gave out our staff’s salaries. However, it’s a bit messy. We did not have a peaceful day in the past month. Many leaders from various departments came every day to ask for money. Chief Yan had a hard time dealing with them.”

“Did you all give in to their requests?”

“Of course not. We only gave out for some emergencies. It’s only a few hundred thousand.”

Dong Xuebing nodded. “You all did well. Let’s talk about the Party Committee meeting. Let them wait.”

Chen Xiaomei smiled tiredly. “We cannot handle the pressure now. It’s hard to reject many leaders and those close to us. The Organization Department Chief, Liao Haiwei, and the Publicity Department Chief, Cheng Fuguang, called the Finance Department. Deputy Party Secretary and the Secretary of Political and Legal Affairs Committee also sent people over.”

Dong Xuebing blinked. “Is this Secretary Meng’s idea?”

Chen Xiaomei shook her head. “Secretary Meng and Mayor Jiang did not say anything.”

“Not saying anything is a sign.” Dong Xuebing understood. “Stall them. We are not entertaining anyone.”

Chen Xiaomei thought for a while and said. “But what if…”

Dong Xuebing interrupted her. “Tell them to look for me if they have problems.”

Chen Xiaomei replied. “But… You did not see their eyes… Sigh… I have nothing to say. You just got better, and you got to…”

Dong Xuebing smiled. “I am fine, or I will not come back to work. The Finance Department had faced the pressure after I left. I should help you all after I come back. You all must be tired. It’s time to take a break. Thank you.”

Chen Xiaomei replied. “You understand our situation. Sigh… when the Finance Department was poor, we wished for money. We got money now, and it turned out like this. Sigh…”

It seems like there are factions within Secretary Meng’s men. All of them wanted a share of the fund. It should not be easy to face them, so he said nothing. The Meng Faction might seem united, but people are selfish. There can be no peace within a faction. They gathered for their benefit. Now, the benefit is laid before them. They started to have conflicts.

What would the Organization Department think if the Publicity Department got a more significant fund?

How would the Political and Legal Affairs Committee think if the Organization Department got a significant amount?

The only solution was to give every department. But the County only has 40 million RMB and not 400 million RMB. It is insufficient to give everybody.

Meng Rui should be having a headache.

Cracks might form within the Meng Fraction if he did not handle it well.

Jiang Fangfang’s side was the same. Although she has fewer supporters than Meng Rui, she has worked in Zhen Shui County for many years. She must be having a difficult time handling her connections.

Dong Xuebing shook his head. Zhen Shui County was too poor. Everyone got excited when the County got a large sum of money, and they showed their true nature. This would not happen if it were another county. Even the Party Secretary and Mayor could not handle the pressure.