Behind the scenes

Chapter 53

"It's fine if there is no problem. How can we forget about Zhou Changxue? It was he who protected the factory with his life and saved the lives of many people. It would be great if he was still alive!" Li Zimin's words aroused Xu Wenli again. Sad, she shed tears.Zheng Gang hurriedly said: "Mayor, we will take good care of Xu Wenli. If there is a chance, I can introduce another Zhou Changxue to her. Believe it or not?"

In a word, Xu Wenli was amused again, even Li Zimin and Bai Zhi were also amused.

Zheng Gang wanted to keep Li Zimin for lunch, but Li Zimin shook his head and said, "It's not easy for me to come out once, so I can't stay with your family, I have to hurry up and visit other places!" Although Zheng Gang wanted to stay in every possible way. , Li Zimin got into the car anyway.He said to the driver, "Go to the machine shop."

In fact, there is no machinery factory.The entire machinery factory is already a large construction site, and a five-star hotel has already been erected, covering more than ten floors. The management personnel of ATC company said that the main body of the first eighteen floors before the frost will be completed, and interior decoration can be done in winter.Several other projects are also in full swing.Li Zimin was very happy to see the project. He suddenly proposed to meet Tian Zaisheng, a veteran worker of the machinery factory, and Jiang Siping, the old factory director.But the people at the construction site said they didn't know these two people, but Bai Zhi knew it carefully. The management staff said that the relocated households had all moved into new buildings, and no one could tell where the new buildings were.Li Zimin's wish did not come true.

It was almost noon after leaving the construction site. Bai Zhi said that he should have some lunch, and Li Zimin said that he was not too hungry. Let's go one more time and go to the construction site of Liuhe New Village.The car drove out of the urban area again, onto the suburban highway, and went straight to the construction site of Liuhe New Village.

After the project of Liuhe New Village was taken back from Jiang Dashan, the municipal party committee decided to invite public bids. As a result, the engineering department of an engineering bureau of the Ministry of Railways won the project.This is a construction team specializing in national key projects. The funds, equipment, and technical strength are all first-class in the country. Due to the lack of work and the guaranteed funds for this project, they also want to set a benchmark in village construction. Therefore, special efforts are made, and the progress and quality of the project are first-class.As soon as Li Zimin's car arrived at the construction site, Liu Tiehan and others surrounded him. Li Zimin asked, "What are you villagers doing here?"

Liu Tiehan said: "The comrades from the Engineering Department invited us here. Now the house and each household have been registered. Let us supervise the work and reflect the style of each household on the basis of unified planning. Now We also eat and live on the construction site.”

The person in charge of the construction site led Li Zimin around, and Li Zimin understood that this is a group of more than a dozen people, covering one house, and the ashes are mixed by several large wringers on the construction site, and then used a special ash delivery truck Delivered to various small construction sites, the bricks and prefabricated panels that have already been shipped are supplied in a unified manner, according to the unified design, and the speed is very fast.One part has finished the main body, and the other part is grasping the main body.The person in charge of the construction site said: "Before the freezing, the main body must be completed. Those who are urgently needed at home can be renovated in winter. Users who are not in a hurry will be decorated next spring and will be completed in August."

Seeing such a good and fast project, Li Zimin was very happy.Liu Tiehan asked, "Has the mayor eaten?"

Bai Zhi immediately replied, "I haven't eaten yet!"

Liu Tiehan said: "We didn't eat it either, let's eat it together."

Li Zimin nodded, "Okay. Just eat together, but before eating, I have to visit someone."

"Who are you looking at? I'll take you there." Liu Tiehan asked.

"Look at Jin Ping." Upon hearing Li Zimin's words, everyone fell silent.

"I heard that her family buried her ashes on Liuhe Mountain? Lead me to have a look." Li Zimin said.

Liu Tiehan got into Li Zimin's car, and the car left the construction site, then drove on the highway, drove towards Liuhe Reservoir for more than ten minutes, and then drove on a dirt road to Liuhe Mountain.

Liuhe Mountain is not big, but it is very beautiful, with lush trees and colorful forests.Although it is late autumn, the autumn wind blows, and the woods make a rustling sound, as if playing a beautiful song.

The car drove to the foot of the mountain, and there was no road ahead, so the car stopped.Liu Tiehan got out of the car first, and Li Zimin, Bai Zhi and the guard also got out of the car together.Liu Tiehan led the way, Li Zimin followed the second, Bai Zhi followed the third, and the guard was the last. A group of four walked up the mountain along the mountain path.The mountain is not high. After walking for more than ten minutes, an open flat land appeared in front of us.There was a tomb on the ground, and a large stone tablet stood in front of the tomb. Li Zimin knew that this was Jin Ping's cemetery.There is a stone table in front of the stele, on which some offerings and a few flowers are placed. It is known that someone has been here recently.There are a few large characters engraved on the stone tablet: benefactor of Liuhe Village.

Li Zimin stood in front of the tombstone, bowed deeply three times, and said silently: "Jin Ping, I'm here to see you."

He mourned for a while, then raised his head and looked into the distance. Through the layers of trees in front of him, he saw the rippling Liuhe Reservoir.The water is blue, and the sky is also blue. Looking from a distance, the water and the sky are the same color.With the autumn wind blowing in my ears, this is really a rare and good place. The people of Liuhe Village buried Jin Ping here, and they really did their best.

Coming down from the mountainside, Li Zimin was sweating all over, and felt hungry.They got into the car, went back the same way, and drove into the newly built construction site of Liuhe Village.Several villagers have prepared meals, and they are in a shed, with a round table, some chairs, six dishes, and a bottle of liquor.

Li Zimin washed his hands and greeted everyone to sit down.Liu Tiehan opened the baijiu and was about to pour it for Li Zimin, but Bai Zhi stopped him. "Secretary Liu, Mayor Li's illness has not fully recovered, he cannot drink."

Li Zimin waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, I'm happy today, I really want to drink two glasses."

The driver and the armed police did not drink. Liu Tiehan, Bai Zhi, and Li Zimin each poured a third of a bottle of wine.Bai Zhi thought for a while, then poured part of Li Zimin's glass of wine into another glass, and held it in front of him, "I'll drink more for Mayor Li, and make up for it when he recovers."

Liu Tiehan held up his glass and said, "Mayor Li, I really didn't expect you to come today, and I really didn't expect you to eat such a meal with us here. On behalf of the people of Liuhe Village, I really thank you. Without you , our house, we can’t say what it will be like..."

Li Zimin said: "Don't thank me, if you want to thank, thank the deputy county magistrate Jinping. She gave her life for the people of Liuhe Village. Compared with her, what am I? Come, for Liuhe Village Cheers to a better tomorrow." He raised his glass, raised his neck, and drank most of the white wine in one gulp. He hadn't touched a drop of wine in more than a month, and he drank so fast that he choked and coughed several times.Bai Zhi hurriedly said, "Mayor, eat your vegetables quickly, eat your vegetables quickly."

Either he was hungry, or the big pot meals at the construction site were delicious. Anyway, Li Zimin ate two bowls of rice and a lot of vegetables.He put down the bowl, belched and said, "It's been a long time since I had such delicious food."

After dinner, Li Zimin looked at his watch. It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon. He said anxiously, "I still have something to do. I have to go. I'll come back when I'm free in a few days." They got into the car, Say goodbye to Liu Tiehan and drive back.After driving for a while, Li Zimin stopped the car beside a bus station. He said to Bai Zhi and the guard, "I'm sorry, I have a personal matter. I have to go right from here to the airport. You two are right here." Get off the bus, there will be a passenger car in a while, you can take the passenger car and go back to the city."

Bai Zhi said: "What are you doing! We came out together and dumped us halfway, no, I'll go with you."

Li Zimin said: "It's a personal matter for me. It's inconvenient for you to go. Get out of the car as soon as I ask you to."

Bai Zhi had no choice but to jump out of the car.But the guard quit. He said: "Chief, I can't get out of the car. I have to stay with you until today to complete the task. Otherwise, if something happens, I will be responsible. Besides, I won't affect you. I don't know anyone, and I'm at a certain distance from you, so it won't affect you."

Li Zimin had no choice but to agree with the guards to follow.The car turned around and got on the highway to the airport.

Hu Min went to the hospital last night to say goodbye to Li Zimin.All her formalities have been completed, and the ticket has been bought.The two sat in silence for 10 minutes in the hospital.None of them said that this was the last breakup, but they all knew that this was their last breakup.

Li Zimin didn't say he was going to see her off, but he remembered clearly when the plane took off.As soon as the car got on the highway, he told the driver to go faster, and faster.The car has gone 140 miles, and he still thinks it is too slow.

At a little after four o'clock, the car arrived at the airport, Li Zimin jumped out of the car in a hurry, went straight to the waiting hall, and saw Hu Min at the exit.Hu Min has already checked in his luggage, only carrying a handbag, holding an air ticket and passport in his hand, and is about to walk inside.Li Zimin shouted loudly from behind: "Xiao Min, Xiao Min."

Hu Min turned around and saw that Li Zimin was running towards him with sweat all over his head, and hurriedly greeted him.The two held hands tightly almost at the same time.

"You, why are you here?" Hu Min's eyes glistened with tears.

"Why don't I come? I should come and see you off for a couple of days. When Li Zimin said this, there were tears in his eyes.

"Your illness is not cured, you have to pay attention!" Hu Min said with concern.

"I will. When you arrive in Australia and everything is settled, just call and let me know." Li Zimin took out a wad of dollars from his pocket as he spoke, "This is the [-] dollars left over when I went abroad as mayor. It’s not too much, so take it with you.”

"No. I don't want it." Hu Min shied away.

"Take it, it's more or less what I mean." Li Zimin forced the money into the purse that Hu Min was carrying.

The radio said over and over that the flight to Australia had started boarding.The security lady also came over and said to Hu Min: "The plane is about to take off, please board the plane quickly."

With tears in her eyes, Hu Min finally kissed Li Zimin's forehead and walked into the security checkpoint.

Li Zimin quickly went up to the third floor, and spent 20 yuan to enter the lounge, where he could see the parking bridge and the airport runway through the large glass windows.At the No. 4 hangar bridge, the huge Boeing 747-200 passenger plane of China International Airlines has slowly left the hanger bridge, and it is slowly taxiing towards the end of the east runway. When the nose of the plane was aligned with the takeoff runway, it suddenly accelerated, and then accelerated again. The huge plane roared and passed through Li Zimin's eyes. With its head held high, it rushed into the sky and quickly disappeared from sight.

When Li Zimin walked out of the airport, the sky was already cloudy and snowflakes were falling.The cold snowflakes fell on Li Zimin's face, which made him feel much more awake.He braved the falling snow and walked into the parking lot. The guard who followed him stepped forward and opened the car door for him. He got into the car, and the guard sat next to the driver.The driver started the car and asked, "Mayor, are you going back to the hospital?"

"No. Go back to the government." Li Zimin said firmly.

The car started against the wind and snow.

The snow fell harder and harder.Outside the car window, it soon became a white world.

51 Postscript
In a blink of an eye, he has been in the officialdom for 20 years.

When I graduated from the Chinese Department of Teachers College, my first dream was to be a reporter, but accidentally, I went astray and got into the officialdom.In the first few years, I still wanted to write something. People familiar with the officialdom told me that if I wanted to write, I should write official articles and not create anything.So I calmed down and wrote official articles.The cadres who look decent have actually served a few, not only learned a lot of knowledge, but also got a little "seventh grade". Because they are not born to be officials, and they read too much in the officialdom. But I can't learn how to do it. I often go straight and say what I have, which violates the way of being an official. At the beginning of 42, I heard that the country would first try to allow in-service personnel to study for a master's degree in education, so I had a whim. The review and subsequent exams made me enter Liaoning Normal University at the age of [-] to study for a master's degree in education management.

I temporarily bid farewell to the complicated officialdom, sat in the classroom of the university, and listened to the young doctoral teachers explaining new knowledge. My mind was purified a lot, and a new creative impulse emerged spontaneously.That year, with the help of my college classmate and friend, Liaoning writer and poet Ning Zhenwang, I published a collection of novels and reportages that I had published in the past, called "Mountain Love".While working, while studying for a master's degree in education on the job, I still want to write something in my mind.In ancient and modern China and abroad, people with a bit of literary talent are unlikely to be officials, so they often encounter inexplicable things, and some things have no place to reason. Decided to pick up a pen and write a novel reflecting official life.

When I opened the dozens of diaries I wrote every day for the past 20 years, many people and events came to me, which made me very excited.At the dawn of the new millennium, I was taking classes, writing my master's thesis, and conceiving this novel at the same time, forgetting to eat and sleep, day and night.On a high and clear night, I finally picked up the pen and started writing this novel.I finished the first draft of 35 words in three months entirely in my spare time. When I put down the pen, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, as if I had an explanation for my 20 years of official life.

It is the first time to write a novel, and it is the first time to try to reflect the officialdom comprehensively and profoundly. This is not an easy task for me.I have tried my best, and I can only ask readers to comment on how this novel is.

Officialdom is like a battlefield.It seems reasonable that officialdom novels should be written by people in officialdom.A novel is a novel, and people in the officialdom will not "check their seats" with the characters in the novel.This is exactly what the author wanted.

(End of this chapter)