Officialdom: Reborn in the 90s, all I want to do is quit my job and make money.

cry.

I'm crying.

All you do is cry!

I quit my job and went into business, aiming to earn a small fortune: a big villa, a Mercedes, a mature woman on my left, an office lady secretary on my right, and a little girl who just turned eighteen lying in my arms.

Such a wonderful dream is about to vanish into thin air.

I didn't even cry.

Why are you crying!

Lin Yu's eyes twitched, and his temples throbbed.

Unfortunately, the person opposite him was a young girl who had just entered the workforce and was as thin-skinned as paper.

He was furious, but had nowhere to vent his anger.

At this critical juncture, when tensions were running high and one side was on the verge of collapse, the other was on the verge of collapse.

Director Wang couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he brought over his food tray.

"Secretary Kobayashi, what's going on? What's happening now?"

He lowered his voice, his words full of reproach.

"Take things back home and resolve them. Don't keep making the women cry in the cafeteria."

"This is happening in public, it's really bad for the image."

"Hey, hey, hey, Xiao Yao, don't cry. Tell the director what's wrong."

As Director Wang spoke, he reached out and patted Yao Tao's shoulder to comfort her.

Lin Yu: "..."

I fucking bastard.

Thank you, Director Wang.

With your talent for smoothing things over, it's a waste that you're not on UN peacekeeping missions.

silence.

Silence prevails in the municipal party committee's small canteen today.

Lin Yu was completely speechless; he felt a dull ache in his liver.

He hadn't even had a chance to speak to end this farce.

Yao Tao, who was on the other side, had already started speaking up for him.

"Director Wang! No! It's not Secretary Lin's fault!"

Her voice choked with emotion.

"We were just discussing the tone of the speech that Secretary Kobayashi set for the executive meeting!"

"We went back and studied it all night. That wasn't just a draft! It was clearly a template that could be used directly as a model for urban governance in any city!"

Director Wang was taken aback.

The cadres around them, who were listening intently, all had expressions that said, "Even though I don't understand, it sounds really impressive."

"Isn't this a good thing?" Director Wang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"But!" Yao Tao's tone shifted abruptly, her voice almost overflowing with grief and indignation.

"But Secretary Kobayashi said that the mayor and he are being summoned to the provincial capital!"

"Prepare a special report!"

"We were worried that... that something might have gone wrong!"

As Yao Tao spoke, she became more and more emotional, and tears began to well up in her eyes again.

"After all, Secretary Kobayashi's ideas were far too advanced!"

"Compared to our neighboring cities, Jiangcheng has already made rapid progress."

"What if the province is not satisfied with Secretary Lin's plan, thinks he is being reckless, and wants to hold him accountable and stop our Jiangcheng model? What then?"

Rumble—!

Yao Tao's words sounded like those of a little boy who had come to Hiroshima.

The entire cafeteria erupted in chaos.

The expressions on the faces of those officials who had just been watching with a detached, gossipy attitude instantly changed from curiosity to shock, and finally to deep concern.

All eyes turned to Lin Yu once again.

I……

Damn it.

Lin Yu looked at their faces, each one brimming with "drama".

I feel helpless, speechless, and... my liver aches.

My liver is killing me.

Who would have thought!

Who the hell could have imagined that things would turn out like this again!

What am I supposed to say?

What the hell can I say!

Just when Lin Yu was feeling hopeless and didn't know what to say...

Director Wang, a seasoned veteran in the government, is a real shrewd operator.

He slapped his thigh hard!

"I see!"

His face was solemn, and his eyes gleamed with a kind of "great wisdom".

"This isn't just Secretary Kobayashi's problem!"

"This concerns the entire city of Jiangcheng!"

He looked around, his voice not loud, but firm and resounding.

"It's normal for there to be differing opinions at the provincial level! Reforms always involve growing pains and controversies!"

"But! We cannot let our comrades who are at the forefront lose heart!"

"We can't let him face the pressure from the province alone!"

His words were passionate and righteous.

In the cafeteria, a chorus of suppressed agreement instantly erupted.

"Yes! Director Wang is right!"

"Secretary Kobayashi is doing this for the development of our Jiangcheng!"

"We must support him!"

The male colleague with glasses stood up excitedly and raised his arm in a shout.

"Our department is willing to jointly submit a petition to the provincial authorities!"

"Yes! We'll all sign!"

Count me in!

It’s over.

Lin Yu felt a sudden darkness engulf his vision.

This is fucking adding fuel to the fire.

This is like throwing a whole truckload of explosives directly into a fire!

"Nonsense!"

Director Wang glared at the bespectacled man and reprimanded him.

"What are you doing? You're making things worse! You're trying to sow discord between Secretary Kobayashi and others!"

A glimmer of hope had just ignited in Lin Yu's heart.

Yes! Director Wang is right! You bunch of idiots are just making things worse!

however.

Director Wang's next words completely drenched him.

"We need to be strategic about this!"

Director Wang slammed the lunchbox down on the table, pulled Lin Yu aside, lowered his voice, and said in a tone that implied "the organization has already made a decision."

"Kobayashi, don't be afraid!"

"You are not alone in this fight!"

"I've already thought it through! In a little while, I'll gather the heads of several key bureaus and commissions in our city for a short meeting!"

"Have them write a report supporting your plan right now, overnight!"

"Especially the plan to establish that 'Natural Resources Investment and Development Corporation,' and that 'pledge of allegiance' system!"

"Let's get started! Let's make it a fait accompli!"

"When you and the mayor go to the provincial capital to report tomorrow, we'll submit the documents here!"

"What do you call this? This is called coordinated efforts from top to bottom, and internal and external collaboration!"

"When the time comes, provincial leaders will see the unity and determination of the cadres and people of Jiangcheng to support the reform!"

"How dare they criticize you?!"

After Director Wang finished speaking, he patted Lin Yu on the shoulder with a smug look on his face.

That look seemed to say:

"How about it, kid? Learn something!"

Lin Yu stared at him blankly.

Mouth, slightly open.

He felt that his liver pain was no longer the cause of his pain.

It's a myocardial infarction.

He looked at Director Wang's face, which seemed to say, "I'm the smartest person in the world."

Looking at Yao Tao and her colleagues' fervent faces, each bearing the vow of "We will follow you to the death."

Looking at the cadres around him, he saw their firm gazes saying, "Secretary Lin, we support you."

A huge, absurd, suffocating wave completely overwhelmed him.

"Director Wang."

"Actually, I..."

He wanted to say, "Please, please stop messing with me."

However, Director Wang didn't give him a chance at all.

"Don't say anything!"

Director Wang waved his hand, interrupting him.

"Xiao Lin, don't worry, you can go to the provincial capital!"

"We're here for you at home!"

After saying that, he picked up his rice tray and walked confidently and proudly toward the dining table of the bureau chiefs.

That silhouette was brimming with heroic spirit.

Lin Yu stood frozen in place, still holding the chopsticks in his hand.

The noise of the cafeteria faded away from him.

All he could hear was the beating of his own heart, which was heading towards a sudden halt.

Sudden.

He felt his trouser leg being gently tugged.

He lowered his head blankly.

Yao Tao had somehow squatted down beside him, her face upturned, her eyes filled with tears, yet her expression was one of unwavering determination.

In her hands, she held a brand-new, unopened notebook and a fountain pen.

"Secretary Kobayashi..."

Her voice was choked with sobs, yet incredibly solemn.

"Don't be afraid, even if they really want to punish you."

"I'll go in your place!"

"Just say I wrote this plan!"