The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Chen Shi stayed overnight in the municipal party committee compound. Wang Mingzhang did not return, and Chen Shi left early in the morning to return to Chunyang County.

Just as Chen Shi returned to the Education Bureau, his phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was his father, Chen Yanshi, calling.

"dad"

"Xiao Shi, when are you coming back? You're getting married, we should at least go visit Yi Qiu's family."

Chen Shi thought for a moment: "I'll be back in a couple of days."

"Today is the 27th of the twelfth lunar month. The New Year is just two days away. We should visit Yiqiu's family before the New Year. You've married his daughter. If we, as his parents, don't visit, they'll think we're looking down on them."

"Is this the 30th of the lunar year?" Chen Shi asked.

"This year there is no 30th; we celebrate the New Year on the 29th."

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, and I'll visit Yiqiu's house tomorrow night."

Back in his office, Chen Shi called Jiang Yiqiu.

Yi Qiu

"Honey, are you done with your work? My parents are asking when we're going back."

"I'm going back tomorrow morning, and my parents would like to come over for a visit tonight."

Jiang Yiqiu was secretly delighted. Earlier, her mother, Zhang Qingrong, had called to complain that Chen Shi's family didn't take them seriously at all, not even bothering to come and visit for such a big event as their wedding.

"Come over after get off work, I'll cook you something delicious."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Shi glanced at the official document, while Li Zhe, holding some documents, walked into the office.

Director Chen

Chen Shi put down the official documents in his hand, stood up to greet him, and said, "Director Li, please have a seat."

The two sat down in the reception room. Li Zhe handed the documents to Chen Shi with both hands: "Director Chen, after work tomorrow, we will be on holiday for the Spring Festival. The pilot project for basic education has been launched in Heyuan Town, Shangying Town, and Huangchang Town. A preliminary survey has been conducted. Heyuan Town has seventeen administrative villages and needs to build five primary schools to cover all seventeen administrative villages."

Shangying Town has 21 administrative villages and needs to build seven primary schools; Huangchang Town has 25 administrative villages and also needs to build seven primary schools.

Chen Shi took the documents from Li Zhe, glanced at them, and placed them on the table.

"Director Li, the pilot programs for basic education in Fushan Town and Laoyan Town are doing very well. Heyuan Town, Shangying Town, and Huangchang Town can learn from them. Regarding the funding for school construction, Laoyan Town is raising sponsorships and donations. Heyuan Town and Shangying Town are in similar situations to Laoyan Town, as they all have mining resources. They can ask the mine owners for sponsorships and donations. Dong Xuexi was able to do it, and I believe they can do it too."

Li Zhe was in a dilemma. This was not a good situation. Just because Dong Xuexi could do it did not mean that others could.

Dong Xuexi did it, and others couldn't. That means they have a problem with their abilities and are not qualified to be the principal of the central school. Others would hate Dong Xuexi to death.

To secure their position as principal, people will do everything in their power to achieve it, even if it's impossible; people are driven by necessity.

Chen Shi continued, "Huangchang Town has few mines, so the funding for building the school is divided into two parts. The Education Bureau will provide half of it, and the other half will be resolved by the students themselves."

I have only one requirement: building a primary school is a long-term project, so the quality must be guaranteed. At the very least, it must be able to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 5 or higher. Anyone who dares to tamper with the construction of the school will be severely punished without exception.

Li Zhe took out his notebook and wrote down Chen Shi's instructions.

Chen Shi thought for a moment: "There is another important point: the construction of the primary school must be completed in 2014, and the school must be able to open in March 2015."

In 2015, the county completed the centralized management of basic education schools and eliminated all substitute teachers.

Li Zhe felt immense pressure; the funding issue was particularly difficult to resolve. He felt he had to solve even the most difficult tasks assigned by his superiors; otherwise, it was a matter of competence.

After get off work, Chen Shi went to the No. 1 Middle School teachers' apartment. The school was already on holiday, and most of the teachers had gone home, making it quiet and deserted, unlike the usual bustling atmosphere.

The weather was overcast and it got dark early. It was only six o'clock, but it was already dark. A cold wind blew by, and Chen Shi couldn't help but shiver.

Chen Shi said to Yang Bin, "Tomorrow is your official holiday, so you don't need to drive to pick me up. I'm going back tomorrow morning. After the three-day New Year holiday, if I need the car, I'll call you in advance."

Yang Bin said, "Director Chen, I'll take you back."

"No need, I'll drive back. It's almost Chinese New Year, I want to go back and spend time with my wife and kids."

Yang Bin was deeply moved. What makes a good leader is someone who considers the needs of their subordinates.

"Thank you, Director Chen."

"Let's go back."

Shen Xiaorong stood by the window and saw Chen Shi, so she quickly came downstairs.

Just as Chen Shi was about to go upstairs, he saw Shen Xiaorong coming down and asked, "Xiaorong, where are you going?"

"School's out for break, so the cafeteria isn't cooking. I'm going to the supermarket to buy instant noodles."

"Yi Qiu cooked a meal. Come eat with me. Don't eat instant noodles every day. Buy some groceries and cook for yourself."

"If I don't want to cook, it's too much trouble; if I cook, I don't have an appetite."

"My name is Yi Qiu. I'll find you a place at your teacher's house where you'll be spending the New Year here. You can eat with them."

"It's not good to eat at other people's houses every day. I'd rather cook for myself and not bother Principal Jiang."

Chen Shi, accompanied by Shen Xiaorong, knocked on the door of Jiang Yiqiu's residence.

Jiang Yiqiu had prepared the dishes and was waiting when he heard a knock on the door. He hurriedly opened it and was about to rush into Chen Shi's arms when he saw Shen Xiaorong, which made him look stern.

Chen Shi went in: "Xiao Rong hasn't eaten, so I asked her to come and eat with us."

Jiang Yiqiu said "Oh," and asked, "Shen Xiaorong, school's out for the holidays, aren't you going home for the New Year?"

Shen Xiaorong smiled and said, "I live alone at home. Whether I go back or not, it's the same. I don't want to go back for the New Year this year. I'll just spend it at school."

"If any teachers didn't go home for the Lunar New Year, I can arrange for you to have dinner at another teacher's house."

"I'll buy some groceries and cook myself, so as not to bother the other teachers."

Smelling the aroma, Chen Shi called out, "It's cold, come and eat, don't stand there."

Jiang Yiqiu went to get a bowl to serve rice. Shen Xiaorong sat next to Chen Shi. Chen Shi saw that these dishes were all his favorites, so he picked up the bowl and started eating heartily. Seeing that Shen Xiaorong didn't pick up much food, he took the serving chopsticks and kept putting food on Shen Xiaorong's plate.

Shen Xiaorong whispered, "Brother, stop putting food on my plate, I can't finish it."

Jiang Yiqiu was a little jealous. Chen Shi hadn't served her any food yet. It was clear that Chen Shi genuinely cared about Shen Xiaorong. If Shen Xiaorong weren't a student, she would really worry that Shen Xiaorong would snatch Chen Shi away from her.

Chen Shi reminded him, "It's cold, eat more to keep warm."

After finishing his meal, Jiang Yiqiu looked at Shen Xiaorong and said, "You can't just eat and leave; you have to do some work."

Shen Xiaorong understood Jiang Yiqiu's meaning and smiled, saying, "Brother, have you finished eating? I'll go wash the dishes."

Chen Shi drank a bowl of soup and put the bowl down.

"I invited you to dinner, how can I let you wash the dishes? You chat with Principal Jiang, I'll do the dishes."

Shen Xiaorong stood up and started clearing the dishes: "Brother, you're the boss, how can you wash the dishes?"

"Leaders are human too, not gods. They have to do housework at home as well."

Shen Xiaorong looked at Jiang Yiqiu: "Principal Jiang is so lucky to be able to marry such an outstanding man as my brother."

Jiang Yiqiu felt that Shen Xiaorong was provoking him.

Chen Shi and Shen Xiaorong were washing dishes in the kitchen. Shen Xiaorong washed them the first time, and then Chen Shi washed them again. Jiang Yiqiu sat in the living room, scrolling through her phone, feeling very uncomfortable. If Shen Xiaorong weren't a top student, she would have found an excuse to expel her eight hundred times over.