Me! A high-ranking official!

When he opened his eyes again, the sun outside the window was already setting in the west. He glanced at his phone and saw that it was already past five in the afternoon.

The father's voice could be faintly heard from inside the main room, his tone brimming with barely suppressed pride: "Yes, that's an official document from the county's Organization Department! Going down there means becoming the top leader. This child has always been sensible and filial. Look, he just finished all the work in the fields for us..."

He felt a mix of amusement and sadness. His parents had toiled in the fields their whole lives, and their greatest pride was him, their son who had been admitted to the city government. Even though he was now just a village secretary, a position that was nominally a promotion but in reality a demotion, in their eyes, he was still a high-ranking official sent down by the county government to bring honor to their family.

He got out of bed, slipped on his shoes, and went out the door.

As soon as he entered the main room, he saw a slightly plump woman in her fifties sitting on the sofa. She was his aunt, Wang Shuzhen.

"Jianguo's awake!" His aunt stood up with a smile when she saw him.

The father quickly waved: "Come here, your aunt is visiting her parents' home. I told her about your trip to Luo Family Village."

He hurried over and greeted her politely, "Auntie, you've come."

Wang Shuzhen married into Luojia Village. Although they were not from the same village, the two families kept in touch because of their kinship.

The father pulled Zhao Jianguo down to sit, then turned to Wang Shuzhen and instructed, "Auntie, Jianguo will be going to your Luo Family Village in a couple of days to serve as the village secretary. Although he's well-educated and got a job in the county after only two years of graduation, he hasn't spent much time in a village and doesn't know the realities of grassroots life. You're his aunt, so when Jianguo gets to your village, you must have your brother-in-law and the rest of the family look after him and make sure he doesn't suffer any losses!"

It turned out that his father was praising his son so enthusiastically to help him build connections and find a backer in Luo Family Village. He felt a warmth in his heart and accepted his father's good intentions.

"Look at what you're saying! Jianguo is my own nephew. It's a blessing for Luojia Village that he can become the village secretary!" Wang Shuzhen held Zhao Jianguo's hand, looked him up and down, and smiled broadly. "Jianguo has really made something of himself now. Don't worry, once he's in Luojia Village, he'll feel right at home. If anyone dares to upset Jianguo, his aunt will be the first to tear their mouth apart!"

He seized the opportunity, smiling as he poured his aunt a cup of tea: "Auntie, I'm completely clueless here. Could you please give me a rundown of what's going on in Luo Family Village right now?"

Wang Shuzhen took a sip of tea, then opened up and recounted the entire story of Luo Family Village in a clear and detailed manner.

"Sigh, to be honest, our village is just an empty shell now." Wang Shuzhen sighed. "The household registration book says there are about two hundred households and more than eight hundred people, but if you go around the village now, you'll find less than five hundred people who can even breathe! All the young and strong people have gone to work in the city or the south. Those who remain in the village are all the old, weak, sick, and disabled, and a few bachelors who idle away their days."

He nodded silently; this was pretty much what he had expected—a typical hollowed-out village.

"You need to have a general idea of ​​the situation in the village. The current village chief is Luo Shuishan, who is fifty-three years old this year. He's considered a capable man in the village. He's fenced off a piece of land in the east of the village and set up a mud-brick factory, specializing in making cement pipes and precast slabs." Wang Shuzhen lowered her voice: "Although the factory isn't big, it can still earn two or three hundred thousand yuan a year. Luo Shuishan has a high reputation in the village because many old men and women do odd jobs at his factory to earn money for groceries. He has a bit of a bad temper and is considered a local bully in our village. You'll definitely have to deal with him when you start your work."

He had a plan in mind. Luo Shuishan was a local power in the village, controlling the village's core forces.

"Are there any particularly wealthy or influential people in the village?" he pressed.

"Yes! The richest family in the village is Luo Jun's family." Wang Shuzhen mentioned this name, her eyes revealing a hint of envy: "Luo Jun is a few years older than you. He went out to make a living many years ago, and now I heard he owns a fairly large GG company in the city, employing more than twenty people! It is said that he can earn a million or two a year. Although he doesn't live in the village often, his parents do. They drive back in their Mercedes-Benz during holidays, making quite a show of it. Even the village chief, Luo Shuishan, has to treat him with great respect."

Luo Shuishan, a local strongman, and Luo Jun, a wealthy man who moved out of the area.

He stroked his chin, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. It's good to have money and power. I'm not afraid of you having money; I'm afraid the whole village is full of stubborn, penniless bums.

As long as there are interests involved, he has a million ways to completely muddy up this stagnant pool!

After spending two comfortable days at home, Zhao Jianguo not only helped his parents with some farm work, but also, through his aunt Wang Shuzhen and other relatives in the village, learned a great deal about the Luo family village.

On the morning of the third day, according to regulations, the deadline for reporting for duty was tomorrow. He took out his phone, found the number given to him by the personnel department, and dialed Lao Wu, Wu Dayong, first.

"Hey, Brother Wu, this is Zhao Jianguo. We need to report to town tomorrow. Do you think we should go to town to meet up today?" Zhao Jianguo said politely.

A series of violent and affected coughs immediately came from the other end of the phone: "Cough cough cough... Jianguo... Oh dear, I'm so sorry, my blood pressure has been high these past few days, and my heart isn't feeling well either. I'm currently at the county hospital getting an IV drip, and the doctor said I need to be observed for a few days... Cough cough, I'll have to trouble you to handle the reporting for duty for now. Once I've caught my breath, I'll definitely come down to support you as soon as possible..."

"Okay, then take good care of yourself and get well soon. Your health is the most important thing." He hung up the phone expressionlessly and then dialed the number of Li Wen, the rich second-generation.

After ringing more than a dozen times, the other end finally answered. The background noise was filled with the sounds of waves and the roar of yacht engines. Li Wen's voice carried a confident laziness: "Hello, Deputy Section Chief Zhao? Oh right, Sister Xu told me about going to the countryside, but I'm currently traveling in Sanya. My plane ticket is already booked, and I won't be back until next week. Please tell the town that I'll go a few days later. Bye-bye."

Hearing the dial tone on his phone, he sneered and put the phone in his pocket.

These two are such troublemakers! One is faking illness to delay, and the other isn't even making excuses anymore. Do they really think he's a pushover they can easily manipulate?

However, Zhao Jianguo wasn't angry at the moment. As a newcomer, he didn't intend to make things too awkward with these two unruly people right away. Since they weren't coming, he could have some peace and quiet. It would be more convenient for him to act alone.

After picking up his luggage, he took a passing minibus at the village entrance and rode for more than an hour to reach the town government of Sancha Town, which has jurisdiction over Luojia Village.