Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 527 Citizen Representatives

Liu Sui picked up the cigarette butt and threw it into the ashtray. She sat down and said, "You guys were scared, weren't you? With this kind of strength, you'd be ranked within the top 1,000 in the country, right? Impressive, you're really capable."

Xiao Wei said, "How is that possible? It wouldn't even rank in the whole country, let alone the whole province."

Liu Sui said, "I'm talking about individual, private transactions. You're definitely going to be a provincial representative now. From now on, whenever we see you, we'll have to call you Representative Zhang. Don't underestimate this representative status; it's still very useful."

Xiao Wei shook his head. Liu Sui said, "I just asked. That building doesn't belong to the Armed Forces Department. It turns out it's just being used. I'll inquire again this afternoon. Is your satchel still at the shop? The truck will come and pick it up later, and I'll deliver it to you tomorrow."

Xiao Wei asked, "The Armed Forces Department didn't say whose it was borrowed from, did it?"

Liu Sui said, "That happened so long ago, the leadership has changed, and we can't even find anyone to ask around. I'll go to the Housing Administration Bureau this afternoon to ask for you; they have records no matter which unit it is."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, then I'll trouble you. By the way, Brother Liu, have you been in contact with Director Qin lately? How's it going on his end?"

Liu Sui nodded and said, "We're in touch. I'm helping him with his household registration. The deputy captain is doing alright; he's finally getting ahead. Didn't he say he'd come to Fengtian to find you? You two don't usually keep in touch?"

Xiao Wei said, "We had a meal together the day he arrived, and then he got busy after he reported for duty, while I was running around everywhere, so we haven't been in touch since."

Liu Sui said, "Old Qin is alright, we can get along. Since you'll all be in Fengtian, you should keep in touch with him from time to time."

Xiao Wei said, "Of course, I also think Director Qin is a good person. Besides, Brother Liu, what more can be said about your friend?"

Liu Sui asked, "He said you promised to help him find a place to live, right? Has it been arranged yet?"

Xiao Wei said, "I've already told him, let's wait until October, the end of October, then his whole family will move there."

Liu Sui said, "He said he was allocated a two-bedroom apartment in an old building, which isn't enough for the whole family, and the apartment is a bit old. Besides, it wouldn't be a quick transfer for his sister-in-law's job, so he's currently living in his work dormitory. I guess he's just waiting for you to settle down. Is everything alright?"

Xiao Wei said, "Don't worry, I bought some subsidized housing at the Construction Bureau. When you're transferred there, you can just move in. They said it would be finished by the end of October? It's hard to say. My own house will be finished by the end of October. If it's not finished by then, I'll have Director Qin stay in this apartment I'm in now. It's a three-bedroom apartment, over 120 square meters. That should be enough for him, right? How many people are in his family?"

Liu Sui said, "His family has six members: two children and elderly people. Old Qin's family only has one brother and two sisters."

Xiao Wei said, "Well, he can squeeze into a three-bedroom apartment. Once the subsidized housing comes out, I'll get him a five-bedroom one."

Liu Sui said, "That's great! It's a new house, he'll be thrilled. How much does it cost? Can Lao Qin afford it?"

Xiao Wei said, "My father-in-law doesn't work there, so he paid over 130 yuan per square meter, which is more than 20,000 yuan per apartment."

Liu Sui stared wide-eyed at Xiao Wei: "Holy crap, this is such a good deal? Do you have any extras? I want to get one too."

Xiao Wei smiled and said, "Yes, definitely. You can just go and get it when the time comes."

Liu Sui gave a thumbs up: "Great job, brother, you're a true friend. I'll take this advantage."

Xiao Wei said, "Their unit's fundraising didn't go smoothly, so my father-in-law stepped in and leased three buildings, forty-two units. You, Director Qin, I'll give you my father-in-law's two old comrades-in-arms at the original price. I plan to leave the rest for a few years first."

Liu Sui asked, "What does your father-in-law do over there?"

Xiao Wei said, "I just met the bureau chief at the provincial capital construction site."

Liu Sui said, "The leaders of the Construction Department are quite bold. They're giving you three buildings right away. Aren't they afraid of causing trouble below?"

Xiao Wei said, "Director Wang is indeed magnanimous. The main issue here is fundraising. Nobody wants to contribute money. We finally managed to get this land and construction has already started, but most of the officials are just watching and waiting, thinking that we'll just have to build it anyway and eventually get a share. If the department can't pay the fundraising amount by the end of this month, the land might be taken back and used for something else. Director Wang was quite angry, so he made the decision directly."

Liu Sui said, "They hide when there's trouble, and grab when there's profit. That's how it is everywhere these days. Alright, I have other things to do, so I won't keep you any longer. I've found out about the house and will page you. Go back to the shop and wait. The car should be here soon."

……

"Hello." Xiao Wei pushed open the door to the office of the director of Jixian Police Station and went inside.

After returning from Andong, Xiaowei spent several days in a row reporting and attending meetings, and only then did he truly realize how busy these civil servants and important figures were.

The Individual Business Association and the Federation of Industry and Commerce were indeed just going through the motions. The main issue was assets. If it were an ordinary individual business, they wouldn't even notify anyone to come over; they would just come to collect membership fees and donations periodically. Xiao Wei attended the meeting organized by the Individual Business Association and the Federation of Industry and Commerce, listened to the documents and applauded, and declined the invitation to join the management team, using the excuse that he was usually not in Fengtian.

Donations are definitely necessary, whether you're in Fengtian or not, but they're not much, just a few hundred yuan per item. As for donations for education, afforestation, river management, and tree planting, Xiaowei really wants to ask, aren't afforestation and tree planting the same thing?

There weren't any meetings or activities scheduled at the CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference), so Xiaowei wasn't required to attend any. He was simply asked to go and familiarize himself with the place and submit some documents. Xiaowei was nominated as an alternate representative at the municipal level. Since this year's meeting had just concluded, he would have to wait until the fifth meeting early next year to become a formal representative, at which point he would have to attend several meetings and activities.

The People's Congress was more formal, holding a tea party-style symposium to discuss issues of rights and obligations, as well as ideological progress. It's likely that all those present will become representatives in the next term, so this was a preliminary exchange of ideas. Xiaowei attended the symposium organized by the district People's Congress.

Then, Xiaowei was nominated as a citizen representative. All those who attended the forum became citizen representatives this year.

Citizen representatives will report to public security, procuratorial, and judicial organs to fulfill their representative responsibilities for a year. Ordinary people call these people's representatives.

Because Xiaowei was unfamiliar with government agencies, he thought for a long time before applying to work at Jixian Police Station. After all, he could barely be considered an acquaintance of Chief Lu, and he even had to borrow things from him for his home.

Citizen representatives are generally chosen from the procuratorate and the courts. While some do go to the public security bureau, they are less common.

Regardless of their original work unit, once they become people's representatives, they must report to the unit they have been elected or designated to work there for one year.

(End of this chapter)