In name only: The land of Handong, I shall rule its fate.

"No!"

Lin Zhiyuan neither wanted nor dared to accept this heavy responsibility, and immediately spoke up:

"Comrade Ruijin is a cadre who was carefully selected and parachuted in by the organization. I personally approve of this decision. Comrade Ruijin is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for the position of leader of the Handong team at present."

Secretary Shangguan smiled again, his expression ambiguous, and criticized, "Comrade Xiao Lin, you're not honest. You say one thing and do another. I think you should come to school for a lesson."

"Secretary Shangguan, I would love to attend your class."

Lin Zhiyuan continued speaking, seemingly unaffected, "But my assessment of Secretary Ruijin does not conflict with whether he is suitable for his current position."

"I believe that Secretary Ruijin will bring a different outlook and prospects to Handong, but it seems that Secretary Ruijin has now gone astray."

"so…"

Secretary Shangguan commented, "Are you lecturing your class monitor, Comrade Xiao Lin?"

"Yes!"

Lin Zhiyuan agreed this time and did not avoid the topic. "At least in Handong right now, I have a longer-term vision and can handle the big picture better than Comrade Ruijin."

"What a Lin Zhiyuan!"

Secretary Shangguan was silent for a moment before saying, "The tide of social development is mighty and turbulent, and the surface of the river is shrouded in mist. Even the experts in the think tank dare not say that they can only look two steps ahead and take one step at a time, but you dare to say that."

"The future is ever-changing, and to understand the future, we must look to the past. The past is like a thick history book, lying there for people to refer to."

"The wheat on this land has ripened thousands of times, but there's not much new to it."

Lin Zhiyuan replied solemnly.

"Ms. Kobayashi's classes are really good. I've even become your student."

Secretary Shangguan spoke in a somber tone.

"Secretary Shangguan, could you consider assigning me a position at the school?"

Lin Zhiyuan picked up the phone, got up, and walked to the window, looking at the desolate treetops in the provincial government compound.

"That's utter nonsense! Sending you to be a teacher isn't the way to corrupt the organization; it's no different from putting a giant rat in a granary!"

Secretary Shangguan cursed, "Just stay in Handong and be your executive deputy, develop the local economy."

"And what is this Luzhou you mentioned earlier?"

Secretary Shangguan changed the subject, "This is what Comrade Tu Daoxue asked me to convey."

"The first generation of intelligent robots!"

Lin Zhiyuan's answer was concise and to the point.

Secretary Shangguan's breathing became heavier; they all knew what this meant. "Really?"

"It's true, I've seen the core information."

Lin Zhiyuan confirmed, "However, this technology is currently in Zhao Ruilong's hands."

"Zhao Ruilong..."

Secretary Shangguan usually wouldn't know any good second-generation rich kids, but Zhao Ruilong was an exception.

"Last time, Xiao Hao let it slip in front of me, saying that you are a kind and honest person."

"I didn't believe it at first."

Secretary Shangguan laughed, "But now... hehe, the Zhao family's money was well spent."

"I understand what you mean."

"I'll handle everything else, but one thing is for sure: if the Zhao family isn't behaving themselves, I'll come directly to you."

"Yes, Secretary Shangguan."

Lin Zhiyuan made a solemn pledge.

The call was disconnected.

Lin Zhiyuan loosened his collar and wiped his neck with his palm, which was damp with sweat.

He said he liked Handong.

The phone dialed another number.

Lin Zhiyuan only said eight words: "From now on, take care of yourself."

Boom!Boom!Boom!

There was a knock on the office door.

"Enter!"

Lin Zhiyuan, who had returned to his work at his desk, didn't even look up, assuming it was Secretary Gao who had come in to report on his work.

"Have you finished the call?"

A familiar and mellow voice, tinged with a teasing laugh, rang out at the doorway.

"Governor!"

Lin Zhiyuan quickly got up.

"Just sit down."

Liu Changsheng expertly pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down. His sharp eyes immediately caught Lin Zhiyuan's damp shirt collar. "Your movements were too bold, and you got reprimanded?"

"Not really."

Lin Zhiyuan shook his head. "The class monitor should still be given the respect he deserves."

Liu Changsheng nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

Initially, he was not satisfied with Sha Ruijin's appointment, finding him to be stubborn, domineering, not very capable, and too goal-oriented. But to be honest, what kind of provincial party secretary would be suitable for Handong now?

An old ox? An eagle?

Do not!

Even they might not be as suitable as Sha Ruijin now, because Sha Ruijin has the Qin family, and the Qin family still has a considerable amount of resources.

"Zhiyuan, why don't you slow down a bit?"

Liu Changsheng sincerely suggested, which was also the reason he took the initiative to come to Lin Zhiyuan's office today: "You are the leader of Handong. If you are anxious, everyone else will be anxious too."

"Handong is too restless right now, which is not good."

Liu Changsheng seems out of place in the restless and impatient outside world. Although he occasionally shows his sharpness and criticizes others, he is generally calm and dignified. This is his masterly realm of "nurturing things silently," a tenacious quality forged under the guidance of Zhao Lichun and the Zhao faction.

Others cannot learn it or do it.

"Governor!"

Lin Zhiyuan nodded, then shook his head, and looked at this elder who was both a teacher and a friend, pleading, "I can't slow down. I have so many things I want to do, but I don't have time."

Liu Changsheng seemed to realize something, his whole body trembled, his lips moved but he didn't speak again.

"I see."

Liu Changsheng stood up. "As long as you are still the Lin Zhiyuan I know, I will support you, and so will the other comrades in Handong."

Lin Zhiyuan watched Liu Changsheng leave. The new year that was about to begin was truly a splendid and unprecedented era.

There was another knock on the door.

The one who peeked in this time was Wu Chunlin, a senior alumnus, whose face was full of schadenfreude.

Lin Zhiyuan glared at the innocent-looking, loud voice behind him. These Standing Committee members were truly unstoppable by Xiao Gao!

"Don't be upset."

Wu Chunlin sat down with a grin, "You're not the only one being criticized. I just got a lecture from your old man."

"Oh?"

A hint of amusement flickered in Lin Zhiyuan's eyes. This guy called him and then went to teach his senior a lesson.

"Hi!"

Wu Chunlin had already fallen in love with that feeling and didn't care about it at all. He sighed, "Before I left, I visited some enterprise cadres. They were very interested in the transfer, but some of them were very unhappy. I only returned safely because of the Chuzhou incident."

"Would they be willing to be transferred from the capital to Handong?"

Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"I made them a promise: first, come to Handong and reorganize the state-owned enterprises. If things go well, we'll transfer them to the system; if not... hehe, we'll get them good positions."

"This is still very attractive to them."

Lin Zhiyuan understood.

After all, it's difficult to move to a new position in Jingzhou, especially the positions they're after.

"I've come to say goodbye."

Wu Chunlin's excitement intensified. "I probably won't be back before the end of the lunar year. As for my itinerary, hehe, that's a secret."

"Call Xiao Ye if you need anything."

"The president of Han University also contacted me, but I don't have time to meet him. Could you please speak to him for me?"