Nominal: Starting with an entrance exam for a PhD in Economics at Peking University

As long as Lee Da-hae doesn't realize that he has seen through her intentions, the other party will most likely continue to advance along the pre-set "tea project" trap, rather than starting from scratch and using more drastic and uncontrollable methods.

Half a month has passed since the secondment began, and Qi Tongwei's goal is to extend it for at least another month.

By then, nearly a quarter of his secondment period will have passed, and the pressure of time will increasingly fall on Li Duohai, who is eager to "complete his mission."

The advantage lies with me!

Thus, Qi Tongwei began his extremely "serious and responsible" "preliminary work".

He took Xiao Luo to the offices of the Agriculture Bureau and the Forestry Bureau frequently, repeatedly discussing with relevant cadres and technical experts: Was the soil sample analysis in Dianqian Township comprehensive enough? Did the pH value and trace element data show seasonal changes? How well did the selected tea seedling varieties perform in terms of cold resistance and disease and pest resistance in the local area? Did the introduced varieties from other places need to be adapted and domesticated?

He visited Dianqian Township several times to conduct on-site inspections of potential pilot sites, and held discussions with township officials and elderly farmers to inquire about local planting history, labor force conditions, irrigation conditions, and transportation. He took meticulous notes on every detail.

Of course, he cleverly mixed in his own materials and information collection for the county's economic survey within these "official business" tasks, killing two birds with one stone.

Most importantly, he must maintain an extremely high "reporting frequency" to dispel their suspicions.

Almost every one or two days, Qi Tongwei would take the initiative to "report progress" to Li Duohai. The reports were detailed, full of information, and he was very proactive, fully demonstrating the "enthusiasm" and "rigor" of a young cadre who was eager to get started after receiving an important task.

Li Duohai listened patiently each time, nodding occasionally with an encouraging smile on his face. He highly praised Qi Tongwei's "thorough and meticulous" approach and "scientific attitude," and repeatedly said, "Don't feel pressured, just go ahead and do your research. The county party committee is your strong support."

Every time they came out of the secretary's office, the two of them wore the same satisfied smile, even though their thoughts behind those smiles were completely different.

April 29th arrived in the blink of an eye.

In the afternoon, Qi Tongwei was organizing his research notes and collected data from the past few days in his office, preparing to give another progress report to Li Duohai the next day, and then he would wait patiently for the three-day May Day holiday to arrive.

(Note: In 1999, the "May Day" Golden Week was not yet implemented, and the statutory holiday was three days.)

The holiday is too short, so he doesn't plan to go back to Beijing. He plans to visit his hometown, Qijia Village, and then not go back before the Chinese New Year this year.

Just as I was pondering this, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter."

Xiao Luo pushed open the door and came in, a strange look on his face that was hard to detect: "County Chief Qi, someone is looking for you at the gatehouse."

"Who is it?" Qi Tongwei didn't even look up, continuing to look at the materials.

He said his name was Xu Li.

Qi Tongwei suddenly looked up, his eyes narrowing.

Xu Li? Han Shen's chief secretary? Why has he suddenly come to Daokou County? Could it be that Han Shen has something extremely important or urgent that requires Xu Li to personally deliver it?

He immediately closed his notebook, got up, and walked quickly outside.

From afar, you could see Xu Li standing at the gate of the county government's reception room, wearing a worn-out trench coat and with a rather large suitcase at his feet, looking travel-worn and talking to the gatekeeper.

Qi Tongwei quickened his pace, almost jogging, and called out when he was still more than ten meters away, "Brother Xu! What are you doing...?"

Before he finished speaking, a petite figure suddenly jumped out from behind Xu Li, by the wall of the guardhouse.

She seemed a little tired, her hair slightly disheveled by the wind, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, as if they were stars.

The moment she saw Qi Tongwei, a bright smile instantly bloomed on her face, like the warm spring sun piercing through the clouds, as if suddenly brightening the simple and gloomy guardhouse.

She held up a thick, pink envelope high in her hand, her clear voice filled with joy and pride:

"Postman He reporting for duty!"

"This is He Xuan's reply to you!"

Chapter 67 Variables

County Party Secretary's Office.

Smoke slowly swirled in the office.

Lee Da-hae held the phone receiver, his body unconsciously leaning slightly forward, a cautious smile plastered on his face, his voice low, yet carrying an almost obsequious deference:

"...Yes, yes, Director Liang, don't worry, I've made almost all the arrangements, and everything is going according to plan."

"Yes, it's that tea plantation project. I'll first adopt a humble approach to lower his guard, making him think it's just a small-scale pilot project. Once he obediently hands me the specific implementation plan and proposal, and signs it, I'll immediately convene a standing committee meeting or a special meeting to expand the scale from twenty mu to three hundred mu! At that time, he definitely won't be able to escape the responsibility for initiating it!"

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes: "Moreover, the variety will be that 'Yunwu Maojian' from his hometown. Didn't he make a name for himself and his hometown with this? Once our 300 mu of 'Yunwu Maojian' in Daokou has produced tea, I'll sell it at the lowest price, specifically targeting the tea market in his hometown! I'll make it impossible for his Qijia Village's tea to sell, and let those villagers who rely on tea for their livelihood point fingers at him and curse him! I'll curse him for ruining the livelihoods of his hometown people just to get an official position and achieve political success!"

The person on the other end of the phone seemed to ask something, and Li Duohai nodded repeatedly, his tone becoming even more certain: "Can't sell them? Or the output won't meet expectations? That's even better! Then I'll secretly arrange for a few 'tea farmers' who have no way to complain to petition the city or even the province, saying that this project is a 'spontaneous decision,' that the officials on temporary assignment are ambitious and have harmed the local area! I guarantee that I'll ruin their already fragile reputation!"

"The tea plantation will be a success? Director Liang, you can rest assured! It's incredibly difficult to make something happen, but it's easy to ruin it. From seed selection, seedling cultivation, field management to harvesting and processing, which link can't have some 'accident'? Qi Tongwei will just stay at the road entrance for a few months. Once the project starts, he'll leave. Whether the tea plantation is good or bad, how much yield it will have, what the quality will be like, and how it will be managed later will all be up to him. I'll make it fail, and it just won't succeed!"

He sensed the other person's concern and continued, "The impact on me? Thank you for your understanding, Director Liang! I, Li Duohai, have overseen so many projects at the road crossing. Economic work is so complex; it's perfectly normal for one or two projects to run into problems! At most, I'll bear 'leadership responsibility' and make a self-criticism—it's no big deal! The key is that Qi Tongwei is different! He's young, highly educated, has a ministerial background, and has a bright future! Once he's labeled as 'ambitious but incompetent,' 'out of touch with reality,' and 'harming the interests of the masses,' it will be an indelible stain on his political career, fatal to his future promotion!"

He licked his slightly dry lips, lowered his voice, and said with a shrewd, nonchalant air, "To put it bluntly, Director Liang, I'm just a clay pot nearing retirement. I'd be perfectly content with a vice mayor's post. He's a freshly fired porcelain piece, with a bright future ahead. The same bumps and knocks might leave a cracked clay pot usable, but a cracked porcelain piece is worthless! This deal is a bargain!"

Lee Da-hae emphasized the words "vice mayor" slightly.

Finally, he tentatively asked, "By the way, Director Liang, I wonder... if Secretary Liang has any free time lately? I was thinking... could I pay him a visit? To give him a briefing on my work?"

Just then, there was a knock on the office door. Before Li Duohai could respond, Zhang Guoqing, the director of the county party committee office, rushed in, opening his mouth to say, "Secretary Li, there's something..."

"Get out!" Li Duohai's expression changed drastically. He covered the microphone tightly with one hand, turned his head sharply, and shouted at Zhang Guoqing with a fierce look in his eyes.

Zhang Guoqing was so frightened that he trembled, the words stuck in his throat. Looking at Li Duohai's almost murderous expression, his lips moved twice, but in the end he didn't dare to say anything more. He hurriedly retreated and closed the door behind him.

Li Duohai took two deep breaths, quickly adjusted his expression, and switched to his obsequious tone into the microphone: "I'm sorry, Director Liang, it's just a small matter. The people below don't know the rules... Please continue."

"Okay, okay... Secretary Liang is so busy, it's perfectly normal that he can't find the time. I understand, I completely understand! So... how about the May Day holiday? I'll make time to visit you in the province?" he asked expectantly.

"Oh...you're going to visit retired cadres during the May Day holiday? You're working so hard, it's admirable! Well...I'll wait until Qi Tongwei signs off on the plan before I visit you? Okay, okay...I'll wait for your message. Please hang up now."

Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, Lee Da-hae slowly put down the phone. The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by deep concern and a hint of barely perceptible irritation.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and frowned, as if he was weighing something.

Outside the door, Zhang Guoqing listened intently to the sounds inside. When he heard that the phone call seemed to have ended, he quickly and cautiously knocked on the door again.

"Come in." Lee Da-hae's voice was clearly displeased.

Zhang Guoqing pushed the door open and hadn't even stood still when Li Duohai berated him: "What's wrong with you? You have no manners at all! I was on an important phone call with my superiors, and you dare to barge in like that?"

"Secretary, I'm so sorry, so sorry!" Zhang Guoqing quickly bowed and apologized. Taking advantage of the pause in Li Duohai's reprimand, he hurriedly interjected, "It's really an emergency! Secretary, Han Shen, the deputy director of the State Economic Commission, has sent his secretary, Comrade Xu Li! And... he's also brought Deputy Director Han's niece! They're waiting in the county committee's reception room right now!"

Lee Da-hae suddenly jumped up from her chair, her face instantly filled with astonishment and a complex expression that mixed with tension and speculation.

He strode out, muttering to himself, "Deputy Director Han's secretary? And she brought her niece? What are they doing at our intersection..."

He stopped abruptly, as if struck by something, his steps halting abruptly. He stood frozen in place, his expression shifting rapidly. He slowly turned his head, staring at Zhang Guoqing, his voice somewhat hoarse: "You've come to see Qi Tongwei?"

Zhang Guoqing followed closely behind him, almost bumping into him. Upon hearing this, he quickly nodded, "Yes, yes. Assistant Qi has already gone to greet him."

Lee Da-hae suddenly felt his steps were heavy, as if they were filled with lead.

He steadied himself and asked in a low voice, "What do you think... what is the relationship between Qi Tongwei and Deputy Director Han's niece?"

Zhang Guoqing was his absolute confidant and was vaguely aware of some of his plans. At this moment, he lowered his voice and answered cautiously, "Judging from the girl's demeanor and Assistant Qi's reaction... they seem to be a couple."

Lee Da-hae's heart sank again. Undeterred, he pressed on, "What did that girl look like?"

He didn't have any ulterior motives; rather, he wanted to use this to gauge Qi Tongwei's true standing with Han Shen.

If Han Shen's niece is of average or even unattractive appearance, then Qi Tongwei's marriage to her is more likely to be a "marriage alliance" with an element of exchanging benefits, or even a status similar to that of a "son-in-law who marries into the wife's family." Even if the child takes the surname Qi, the actual weight of the marriage may be diminished.

But Zhang Guoqing's answer completely shattered his faint hope: "That girl... looks like a fairy in a painting, very beautiful, and has a good temperament."

Lee Da-hae fell silent, feeling a chill slowly creeping up from the soles of his feet.

---

County Party Committee Reception Room.

The atmosphere was completely different from the gloomy atmosphere in the secretary's office.

County Magistrate Yi Xuexi was talking to Xu Li, his attitude polite yet tactful. Yi Xuexi didn't say much, but every word was sincere, asking if the journey had gone smoothly and what his impression of the crossing was.

On the other side, He Xuan was tugging at Qi Tongwei's sleeve, looking up at him with her little face, chattering away.

From interesting sights seen along the way to amusing incidents on the train, and then to "Senior Brother Qi, you seem to have lost a little weight, have you not been eating properly?", her speech was as fast as a cheerful brook.

These days, Qi Tongwei has been dealing with all sorts of people and dealing with Li Duohai's "favor." His fake smile is practically welded to his face, and his muscles are somewhat stiff.

But at this moment, looking at He Xuan's bright and cheerful face and listening to her clear and slightly coquettish voice, he felt the invisible hard shell in his heart melt away instantly, and a smile naturally flowed from the depths of his eyes, warm and genuine.

He didn't even quite hear what she was saying, but looking at her radiant appearance, he couldn't help but want to laugh.

At this moment, Li Duohai, accompanied by Zhang Guoqing, put on a warm and polite smile again and strode into the reception room.

"Director Xu! Welcome, welcome! I'm so sorry for not greeting you sooner!" Li Duohai quickly extended his hand and shook hands with Xu Li tightly.

Seeing this, Qi Tongwei also stood up and introduced the two: "Brother Xu, this is Comrade Li Duohai, the Party Secretary of Daokou County. Secretary Li, this is Director Xu Li, the secretary of Deputy Director Han Shen."

"Secretary Li, County Chief Yi, I apologize for disturbing you." Xu Li released her hand, his smile was standard, and his tone was calm with appropriate friendliness. "Miss He suddenly decided to come to Handong for a visit, and Director Han asked me to give her a ride on my way. I didn't expect to disturb the two leaders and cause trouble for the county."

"Director Xu, you're too kind! It's our honor that Miss He could come to Daokou! Although Daokou is a small place, it has some beautiful scenery and folk customs worth seeing. I'll have the office prepare a detailed travel guide and send it over for Miss He's reference later." Li Duohai smiled broadly and spoke quickly, but his gaze inadvertently swept over He Xuan's hand that was holding Qi Tongwei's sleeve before quickly looking away.

Xu Li nodded slightly and continued, "Comrade Qi Tongwei is a young cadre that our Director Han values ​​highly. Director Han has been concerned about his growth since he came to Daokou for temporary assignment. We also hope that Secretary Li and County Head Yi will provide more guidance in his work and take care of him in his life."

"Absolutely, absolutely!" Li Duohai and Yi Xuexi responded almost simultaneously. Li Duohai added, "Assistant Qi is young and promising, hardworking and down-to-earth. He quickly settled into his role after arriving and brought us many new ideas. He's an outstanding comrade! Director Han truly has a discerning eye!"

Yi Xuexi nodded in agreement.

After exchanging a few more polite words, Xu Li glanced at his watch and said, "I still have some matters to attend to at the department, so I won't bother you any longer. I need to get back to Beijing immediately. Assistant Qi, would you like to see me off?"

“Okay, Brother Xu.” Qi Tongwei understood and said to Li Duohai and Yi Xuexi, “Secretary Li, County Chief Yi, I’ll see Director Xu off first.”

"Alright, alright, Director Xu, you're very busy, so we won't keep you any longer. Have a safe trip!" Li Duohai said hurriedly, personally escorting Xu Li and Qi Tongwei to the door of the reception room and watching them leave.

The smile on his old face froze slightly as he turned around, and a complex shadow of gloom flashed across his eyes.

Chapter 68 It's too cold

Qi Tongwei hurriedly called Xiao Luo to his side, whispered a few words to him, and asked him to take He Xian to his office to sit for a while. He then quickly caught up with Xu Li, who was already walking out.

The two walked side by side on the tree-lined path in the county government compound, the afternoon sun casting dappled shadows through the leaves.

"Brother Xu, are you in such a hurry? You've had a long journey. Why don't you rest here for the night before you leave?" Qi Tongwei offered, his tone sincere.

Xu Li smiled and continued walking: "It's almost May Day. There are a lot of miscellaneous things to do in the General Office before the holiday, and the director can't be left alone. I have to rush back tonight."

Qi Tongwei nodded, then got to the point, his tone carrying appropriate concern and inquiry: "I haven't asked you yet, but did Director Han give you any special instructions for making this trip in person?"

He pondered to himself that if it were simply a matter of sending someone away, with Han Shen's connections and the resources of the Lin and He families, he could easily find a more suitable and less conspicuous way, without having to trouble his chief secretary to travel hundreds of kilometers in person.

As for those who came specifically to "support" him as an assistant on temporary assignment, Qi Tongwei wasn't that naive—Han Shen's attitude on the phone not long ago was very clear: he needed to resolve the power struggle at the county level himself.