Me! A high-ranking official!

Back in his hometown, Zhao Jianguo finally relaxed a little after pushing open the door.

When the elderly couple saw their son suddenly riding his electric bike back in the middle of the night, they were first taken aback, then greeted him with joy. The mother held his hand and asked him how he was doing, brushing the dust off his clothes and inquiring about his work in the village and whether he was eating well.

He smiled and reassured his parents, "Dad, Mom, everything is going well here. The villagers are very supportive of my work. I've accomplished several important things in the village this week! I came back today for no other reason than to find a skilled village doctor for the village. I was just talking to Zhenhai from Uncle Yang Erxiu's family."

The old man listened intently, nodding repeatedly. He tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe, a proud look on his face: "My son is truly accomplished! Even as the Party Secretary, he hasn't forgotten the people's plight of having nowhere to see a doctor! A good thing, a truly virtuous deed!"

The mother immediately began preparing: "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Look how travel-worn you are! Sit down quickly, Mom will make you a bowl of noodles with two poached eggs!"

He waved his hand repeatedly, saying he had already eaten in the village. He then pulled out a neat stack of ten thousand yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into his mother's hand: "Mom, this is my two months' salary and allowance that I've saved. I have food and lodging provided in the village, so I don't need to spend any money. You can take this money and buy some good things from time to time. Don't be too frugal."

The elderly couple looked at the money in their hands, arguing with it for a long time without being able to get it back. Finally, the mother happily put it into her bosom, her eyes slightly red as she smiled and said, "Alright, we'll save this money for you first. When you buy a big house in the city and marry a beautiful wife, Mom will give it all to you!"

Just as he was enjoying the cozy moment, his cell phone suddenly rang urgently in his pocket.

He took out his phone and saw that the screen displayed the office phone number of the Culture and Tourism Bureau. His heart skipped a beat. Why would the bureau call him so late at night? He frowned, gestured for his parents to be quiet, and pressed the answer button.

Before he could even speak, Deputy Director Guo Nanguo's cheerful yet slightly urgent voice came through the receiver: "Jianguo, this is Guo Nanguo. You're still up, aren't you?"

He perked up and quickly said with a smile, "Director Guo, no, I just went back to my hometown. Why are you looking for me so late?"

Guo Nanguo started with a polite question: "Are you having any difficulties working in Luojia Village? The situation there is complicated. If there's anything you can't resolve, be sure to tell me, and I'll help you coordinate!"

He said modestly, "Things are going smoothly so far. If there's anything I can't handle, I'll definitely ask you for help first."

Guo Nanguo laughed heartily on the other end of the line, then his tone turned serious: "Jianguo, I really have something urgent to discuss with you, and it might take a while to get you back from your village work. It's about that Classic of Mountains and Seas themed zoo project you mentioned before; there's a big breakthrough!"

His heart skipped a beat, and he perked up his ears.

"Originally, the city had tentatively decided on Yong'an County for this project, and the official document had been issued." Guo Nanguo lowered his voice, a hint of barely suppressed excitement in his tone: "But then something went wrong in Yong'an County. A landslide occurred in the designated construction area, and the geological assessment said the risk was too high. The Party Secretary and the County Head, along with our bureau's senior leaders, have made many trips to the city these past few days, doing a lot of work. Now the city intends to relocate, choosing between our county and Yong'an County again!"

"Our former leader just called, specifically requesting that we refine the original plan in depth within the next two days, producing a truly feasible solution that can withstand expert scrutiny! We need to consider not only the landscape, but also factors such as transportation, environmental protection, science education, and cultural heritage. Time is tight, and the task is heavy!"

Guo Nanguo sighed and chuckled helplessly, "To be honest, you know the capabilities of the rest of the staff in the bureau. The Xiaozhai Village project is progressing at a snail's pace. It's already been criticized twice by the county party secretary at the conference. Director Zhang Baocheng has been so worried lately that he's developed mouth ulcers, and a couple of days ago, his blood pressure spiked and he was hospitalized. So, after much thought, I've come to the conclusion that this plan was originally yours to develop, and no one knows it better than you. This responsibility still has to fall on your shoulders!"

After listening, he frowned. Judging from Guo Nanguo's tone, if this plan were to be finalized, it would take at least three to five days of continuous work. However, he had just painted three grand plans for the next week for the villagers of Luojia Village in the live broadcast room. If he were to abandon his responsibilities now, he would be busy on two fronts, which would inevitably lead to chaos.

Before he could speak, Guo Nanguo offered another bait: "Jianguo, I've been thinking about it. If the Shan Hai Jing Zoo project is implemented in our county, it will bring immense wealth and be the county's top political achievement for the next few years. I plan to talk to Director Baocheng, who's in the hospital, tomorrow and also submit an application to the Organization Department to see if we can find an excuse to remove you from the village-based work list so you can focus on finalizing this project. What do you think?"

Zhao Jianguo was stunned.

Going back to the county seat? In the past, he might have been more than happy to do so, but now, just thinking about Zhang Baocheng's gloomy face, about the backstabbing and infighting he might face at the bureau, and then looking at the tiny spark of hope that had finally been ignited in Luo Family Village...

If we leave now, Luo Ming and Luo Shuishan's gang will definitely seize the opportunity to make a comeback, and the environmental protection bank, the lighting project, and the elderly care and health clinic that were just promised to the villagers will all be ruined!

After a moment's hesitation, he said firmly, "Director Guo, thank you for your trust, but since I've already pledged my commitment to come to Luojia Village, and things are just starting to look up and we've reached a critical juncture, I'm afraid that changing leadership at this crucial moment would erode the morale of the villagers who have just been united. So... I won't be going back for now. But don't worry, I'll work through the night these next few days to come up with a plan for you! You can send your requirements to my email anytime, and I'll do my best to assist the bureau!"

Guo Nanguo was silent for a moment on the other end, then let out a long sigh of relief: "Good for you, Zhao Jianguo, you have a lot of tenacity! Since you insist, I won't force you. Don't worry, if this project succeeds, you will definitely be the number one contributor, and no one can take you away from me. Okay, work hard these next few days. In a couple of days, the bureau will arrange for someone to conduct on-site research in the village where you are stationed. I will go there in person then, and we will discuss the details face to face!"

After hanging up the phone, he looked at his parents' concerned eyes and could only offer a wry smile: "Dad, Mom, I'm so sorry, the bureau suddenly assigned me an urgent task, I'm afraid I have to rush back to the village immediately."

Although his parents were reluctant to let him go, they knew that business was of utmost importance, and quickly urged him, "Then go quickly! Business is important, don't worry about anything at home!"

My father quickly ran to the small vegetable garden in the yard, pulled up a large bundle of fresh greens in the dark, and also grabbed a big bag of homemade pickled vegetables. He hung them all on the handlebars of the tram and instructed, "Take these with you. Remember to eat properly over there. No matter what, you can't do anything without good health!"

Feeling warm inside, he said goodbye to his parents and rode his electric bike for more than half an hour under the cover of night to hurry back to the Luo Family Village Committee.

However, as soon as he reached the door, he realized that something was wrong.