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

The days passed quietly during the seven-day cycle of grassroots research.

It seems that all parties in Handong have reached a peculiar tacit understanding: not to provoke trouble, to coexist peacefully, and to maintain an orderly appearance even during the busy season approaching the end of the year.

"Governor, Deng Gao, thank you for your hard work these past five days."

Lin Zhiyuan had a big smile on his face.

It's holiday time! It's holiday time!

It's so rare that he can come back to work on the third day of the Lunar New Year after a five-day holiday.

God have mercy!

He hasn't spent Lunar New Year's Eve with his family for almost twenty years. Every year he's either on duty or on his way to be on duty.

This time they've really shown great mercy.

"Laugh more. You won't be able to laugh anymore once you go back to the capital."

Fang Denggao showed no resentment at being on extra shifts, but instead gloated.

Lunar New Year's Eve is two days away.

As a result, Lin Zhiyuan was called back today, and it's obvious to anyone that he won't have a good ending.

"If something comes up, you can take a few more days off."

Liu Changsheng also looked at Lin Zhiyuan with sympathy. Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder Secretary Xiang hasn't called to hold him accountable recently. It turns out he's found the real culprit.

"It's alright, I'm tough."

Lin Zhiyuan waved his hand dismissively and said, "Nothing is more important than a holiday."

"I'm leaving now. Call me if you need anything."

Lin Zhiyuan picked up his packed suitcase and ran away. He was returning to Beijing ahead of time, and the provincial propaganda department had also coordinated Yan Yan's work. The two of them traveled together and returned together.

Minister Pan Lin is such a kind person!

Yan Yan was still sighing after boarding the plane, but the happy time was destined not to last long.

Just landed.

Two capable-looking officials came up from the arrival gate and helped take the luggage.

"Executive Director Lin, General Manager Wang requests your presence for a work report."

The person who came was gentle, but their words were chilling: "Comrade Yan Yan, my colleague is taking you home. Wishing you a happy holiday in advance."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Yan Yan gave him a helpless look and went home to take care of her child.

Lin Zhiyuan's face twitched.

He was still thinking of going home first to get some information from Old Yan, so as not to fight an unprepared battle.

He said he liked Handong.

"Hey! Isn't this our all-powerful Comrade Lin, who can go anywhere? Don't be shy! Be lively, just like you were back in Handong."

As soon as I walked into the office, I was greeted with a sarcastic remark.

I still prefer your mischievous side.

Mr. Wang, carrying a freshly brewed cup of tea, slowly walked past Lin Zhiyuan and patted him heavily on the shoulder.

"I'm a little thirsty, Mr. Wang, could I have a drink too?"

Lin Zhiyuan's eyes lit up. He was playing the "snake in the molehill" game. It has to be said that the tea from the Eighteen Dragon Wells is indeed very potent.

He's so greedy!

I haven't tried it yet.

"Xiao Cheng, didn't you hear our Executive Director Lin say he's thirsty? Get him a large glass of water."

Mr. Wang scoffed.

He's causing trouble outside, and he still wants to drink tea.

Secretary Cheng, who was the full-time secretary, glanced at him with pity. Comrade Zhiyuan's treatment here was getting worse and worse each time he came. At first, he was given good tea, then tea, and now it was just plain water.

"Lin Zhiyuan, you've been in Handong for less than five months. Do you even realize how much trouble you've caused?"

General Manager Wang gave him a stern lecture, saying, "You've gotten yourself into all the mess that other cadres in their entire careers never encounter."

"Handong is a chaotic place, full of fires. Wherever you go, trouble follows. The nickname 'walking destroyer' is not an exaggeration."

"Comrades Zhao Lichun and Liao Zhiping governed Handong for twenty years. How come nothing happened when they were there? But as soon as you arrived, everything became a problem."

"Can Handong still improve? Can it set a good example and lead other provinces to develop in a positive direction? If you can't do that, just submit your resignation and I'll approve it personally."

Mr. Wang became increasingly angry as he spoke, and slammed his thermos heavily on the table.

"Handong's economy grew by 13.37% more last year than the year before, with comparable price growth exceeding 10% in the fourth quarter, reversing the decline in the third quarter compared to the second quarter."

Lin Zhiyuan ran his fingers along the inside of the oversized porcelain jar, then cautiously glanced up at the change in President Wang's expression.

"How dare you say that!"

As expected, President Wang roared, "How did you come up with the growth in the fourth quarter? You still have the nerve to mention it? What's the difference between what you did and confiscating property?"

"That's still an increase."

"Never mind how it went up."

Lin Zhiyuan muttered to himself.

"Lin Zhiyuan, you're incredibly audacious!"

Mr. Wang's anger flared up. "I've tolerated your reckless behavior and repeated breaking of rules for quite some time now."

"Ever since you went to Handong, from the very beginning, you disregarded the impact by sending veteran cadres into the organization, accepting Li Dakang, Qi Tongwei, and even the entire Zhao family faction. You still did not restrain yourself, leading Wu Chunlin to jump around and creating a corrupt atmosphere in Luzhou, which led to the Chuzhou case and the Luzhou case. The two major systems of the procuratorate and the judiciary almost collapsed. You even formed factions at all levels to attack the secretary and deputy secretary several times, disregarding the word 'stability'."

"You have been deceiving your superiors and subordinates in every single thing, and I have repeatedly indulged your actions, hoping that you would stop in time. But you still dare to threaten Han University, saying that if Han University does not obey, I will tear it down."

"Where do you get the right to do this?! Where do you get the guts?!"

"You dare to say that to a university president who is at the same level as you? Even Liu Changsheng, Sha Ruijin, and your father-in-law wouldn't have the right to do so."

"This is truly a case of 'a gentleman can tolerate this, but what cannot?'"

Mr. Wang's roar, accompanied by the sound of slamming his fist on the table, echoed throughout the office.

Lin Zhiyuan looked up at President Wang, then lowered his head and remained silent.

"Say something!"

Mr. Wang slammed the lid of the thermos over, saying, "Aren't there a lot of witty remarks in Handong?"

"Forehead!"

Lin Zhiyuan reached out and steadily caught the lid, and said solemnly, "I've only been in Handong for a few days. These are all historical issues, and I'm just solving them."

"The word 'stability' should mean 'cutting when it's soft and bending when it's hard,' but the situation in Handong is complicated. Some people are ignorant and rely on their seniority to give orders or are deeply entrenched in their own interests. There are also cases of collusion between insiders and outsiders, which are corrupt and cannot be cured by ordinary means."

"Therefore, I can only rise to the challenge and turn adversity into advantage, sweeping away all the deep-seated problems of history into the dustbin of time and at the lowest cost, so as to race against time for the future development of Handong."

"Let me also defend myself. That wasn't an attack on the class monitor and the branch secretary; it was just a reminder that I, as a member of the leadership team, should give."

"Warning Hans Christian University, I admit it."

"I'm warning those behind Li Dakang; I'll admit it."

Lin Zhiyuan explained what needed to be explained, defended himself where needed, and admitted what needed to be admitted, looking as if he was ready to face a storm, but he showed no sign of admitting his mistakes.

Mingming's attitude seemed very good.

But for some reason...

Mr. Wang was even angrier.