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

Instead of personally addressing those sensitive issues, he meticulously categorized all the questions that needed to be understood and compiled them into detailed tables.

These forms, through Xiao Luo's hands, were quietly brought back to his cousin Luo Xiangdong.

Luo Xiangdong's hands were shaking when he received the form.

Each blank space is like a Pandora's box waiting to be filled, containing the intricate secrets of Daokou County over the decades.

He could only fill out the form carefully, stroke by stroke, in the dim light of his desk lamp, in his study late at night, with the door locked and relying on his memory and the "knowledge" he had accumulated over decades in this position.

When some data needed to be verified, he would use his still-functioning network of connections to subtly inquire about it, striving for accuracy while daring not to leave any trace of his inquiry.

At irregular intervals, Qi Tongwei would meet with Xiao Luo in the "unfinished wedding room".

Without any pleasantries, they went straight to the point. Qi Tongwei would ask deeper follow-up questions based on what Luo Xiangdong had submitted last time.

Luo Xiangdong often needs to recall and supplement his memory, and sometimes even needs to verify it a second time.

During the day, Qi Tongwei is a completely different person.

He would still occasionally appear at the entrances of various bureaus and commissions, smiling and politely requesting to review a certain file or retrieve a certain data.

Then, without exception, they received all sorts of formulaic apologies and delays.

He never got angry; he would simply nod to show his understanding, turn around, and leave. His departing figure, in the eyes of some with ulterior motives, became the best illustration of "helplessness."

Lee Da-hae has indeed been paying attention.

There's a saying that puts it perfectly: within the system, if you don't want to get promoted, you're practically "invincible."

Although Qi Tongwei was not without ambition, his status as an assistant on temporary assignment, his clear line of command, and his strategy of "not taking initiative" made Li Duohai feel powerless within the rules. He couldn't change Qi Tongwei's official position, nor could he stop him from leaving when his temporary assignment ended. The usual tactics of making things difficult for him and blocking resources were much less effective against someone who had no intention of making significant achievements locally.

Moreover, he knew that Qi Tongwei was not someone to be trifled with, and he was afraid that Qi Tongwei would stir up trouble again.

Lee Da-hae is now truly regretting it.

He was blinded by greed and wanted to use the Liang family's ladder for one last gamble, but he never expected that the ladder would be unstable and he would be left hanging in mid-air, unable to go up or down.

He no longer expects any promises from the Liang family as the vice mayor; he only hopes that neither side will hold a grudge against him and that he can land safely.

Therefore, he always carefully maintained a delicate balance in his "suppression" of Qi Tongwei.

He needed to give Liang Jin an explanation: "Look, I gave the order, and the people below really didn't do him any favors. His temporary assignment is definitely not going smoothly." This level of influence was enough for Liang Jin's circle to boast about—"So what if that Qi guy climbed the social ladder? In Handong, with just a word from me, he can't even scrape together decent paperwork!"

As for Qi Tongwei, he harbored a sliver of hope: this guy had powerful connections and was mainly there to build up his resume. As long as the report was passable and he had connections, this minor setback wouldn't affect the overall situation. Although he had tripped him up, he hadn't gone all out, hadn't touched his core interests or personal safety. No matter how powerful Qi Tongwei's connections were, surely he wouldn't go to such lengths to target a soon-to-retire county party secretary like him over such a "work setback"?

Based on this assessment, Lee Da-hae chose to "maintain the status quo".

They neither overly provoked Qi Tongwei, lest he actually use his connections to retaliate; nor did they relax their "hints" to their subordinates, lest they be unable to explain themselves to Liang Jin.

He was like a tightrope walker, cautiously maintaining a fragile balance, hoping that time would pass quickly so that Qi Tongwei could leave and this chapter could be turned over.

Three months passed quietly amidst this seemingly calm surface and the undercurrents of everyone's thoughts and intentions.

Qi Tongwei's temporary assignment has less than a month left.

The thick first draft of the book, titled "Cadres at the Crossroads," had already quietly taken shape in his dormitory drawer. It covered his comprehensive analysis, from macro data to micro cases, from explicit rules to implicit networks.

Without any delay, he sent the carefully prepared and encrypted first draft to Han Shen through reliable channels, along with a sincere letter, asking Director Han to review it and to facilitate the forwarding to Teacher Li Yiqing for guidance.

As for Gao Yuliang, before the final draft of the report was completed, Qi Tongwei had already gone to Luzhou to report and consult with him in person on the core judgments and the handling of some sensitive content, and received his approval and guidance.

Now, he is just waiting for a response from Beijing.

After receiving the teacher's approval, he prepared to leave immediately.

In any case, Daokou is Li Duohai's territory that he has cultivated for many years. As an outsider, no matter how cautious he is, the longer he stays, the greater the unpredictable risks will be.

The longer you stay, the more likely things will go wrong; it's best to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible.

The following day, a formal secondment letter from the Provincial Economic Commission was placed on Li Duohai's desk.

The letter was issued in the name of Li Dakang, Executive Deputy Director of the Provincial Economic Commission, stating that due to an urgent need to coordinate with the State Economic Commission for a large steel project, Qi Tongwei, who is familiar with the situation and has the relevant expertise, was temporarily transferred to the Provincial Economic Commission to assist in the work. Time was of the essence, and his support was requested.

The reasons are sufficient, the procedures are compliant, and the issuing unit is of a higher level.

Even though doubts arose in Lee Da-hae's heart, he could not find any legitimate reason to refuse, let alone have the courage to detain him.

He could only suppress the growing unease in his heart and wrote with a flourish: Agreed.

Perhaps... it's good that Qi Tongwei is gone. His agonizing days of being caught in the middle are finally coming to an end? He comforted himself with this thought.

Qi Tongwei left quietly. He quickly packed his simple luggage—a few clothes, some necessary books and personal belongings, and several rather heavy rolls of film.

There was no farewell party, no leaders to see him off, only Luo Xuejun who rushed over after receiving the news, helped him carry a bag and took him to the van that was about to take him to the provincial capital at the entrance of the county committee compound.

“County Chief Qi…” Xiao Luo’s voice was choked with emotion.

Over the past few months, he has witnessed firsthand the wisdom, resilience, and unfathomable depth of this young leader, and his heart is already filled with admiration.

Qi Tongwei patted him on the shoulder, his gaze calm yet firm: "Remember my words, stay calm, and study hard. You must do everything you can to get into the graduate program of the Department of Political Science and Law at Han University."

After saying that, he turned and got into the car.

The van drove out of Daokou County, leaving the small town that had trapped him for months and given him a glimpse into the true workings of grassroots politics far behind.

Chapter 78 Taking Action

Returning to the provincial capital of Handong, even the air seemed different.

Qi Tongwei went straight to the impressive office building of the Provincial Economic Commission and met Li Dakang in the deputy director's office.

Compared to their last meeting, Li Dakang appeared more capable, with sharp eyes and decisive movements. His eagerness for quick success and swift action remained unchanged, perhaps even stronger.

He stood up, shook hands firmly with Qi Tongwei, and said with a smile, "Comrade Tongwei, welcome back to lend a hand!"

After the two sat down, Li Dakang quickly got to the point.

The so-called coordination of the steel project did indeed take place, but the difficulty and complexity were far less urgent than he suggested. It involved more procedural coordination and document exchange.

Qi Tongwei understood perfectly. This was both a way to give him a dignified way out of the intersection and an opportunity for him to make a brief "appearance" at the Provincial Economic Commission and deepen his connection with Li Dakang.

He composed himself and, based on policy and past experience, communicated with Li Dakang in a clear and logical manner, quickly clarifying the key points.

In the midst of their conversation, there was a knock on the office door, and a young man in a stylish leather jacket with slicked-back hair entered uninvited, greeting them warmly, "Brother Li, busy, huh?"

Qi Tongwei looked up and felt a slight chill run down his spine.

Zhao Ruilong.

Nearly four years after his rebirth, this was the first time he had ever met this other top playboy in Handong in real life.

His expression remained calm as he steadily paused his speech, waiting for Li Dakang to introduce himself.

Li Dakang frowned almost imperceptibly for a moment, then relaxed his brow and stood up with a smile: "Ruilong is here, perfect timing. Let me introduce you. This is Comrade Qi Tongwei, who is on temporary assignment from the State Economic Commission. He has a doctorate in economics and is young and promising. Tongwei, this is Zhao Ruilong, the son of Secretary Zhao Lichun."

Upon hearing the name "Qi Tongwei," Zhao Ruilong's eyes lit up. He looked Qi Tongwei up and down, a slight smile playing on his lips, clearly recognizing the name immediately.

He extended his hand, his attitude casual yet scrutinizing: "Oh—Director Qi, I've heard so much about you."

Qi Tongwei stood up and shook hands with him neither humbly nor arrogantly, with just the right amount of force, and then separated them after a brief touch.

"Mr. Zhao, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Sensing Qi Tongwei's composure and aloofness, Zhao Ruilong didn't mind and turned to Li Dakang.

Qi Tongwei tactfully offered to go out and organize his materials first, leaving the space to them.

As soon as the door closed, Zhao Ruilong leaned closer to Li Dakang, gesturing with his chin towards the doorway, his tone a mix of gossip and probing: "Brother Li, is this the one... who embarrassed the Liang family? He seems pretty reliable, not like what Liang Jin said... heh."

Li Dakang sat back down, picked up his teacup, and spoke in a calm yet weighty tone:

"That's him. This guy is no ordinary person; he's a promising talent being groomed by the State Economic Commission, and Professor Li Yiqing's prized student. I've heard he's also very close to Vice Director Han Shen's niece. Director Han is a very influential figure in Beijing."

He looked at Zhao Ruilong, with a hint of reminder: "Ruilong, you don't have any grudges against him, do you?"

Zhao Ruilong laughed and waved his hand: "How could that be? I don't even know him. It's that kid Liang Jin who's been bragging everywhere these days, saying he's dealt a severe blow to this 'Beijing official,' making him look bad; I've heard all that, and he seems quite pleased with himself."

Li Dakang hummed in agreement and said no more, only saying, "It's good that you know. Don't meddle in their affairs."

Zhao Ruilong's eyes darted around, and he smiled in agreement, but his mind was racing.

That evening, Zhao Ruilong made a special inquiry about the place where Liang Jin usually worked and went straight there.

In the noisy corridor outside the private room, he "coincidentally" blocked Liang Jin, who was surrounded by her followers.

"Hey, Deputy Director Liang, what a coincidence!" Zhao Ruilong smiled broadly, but his tone carried his usual provocation. "I went to the Provincial Economic Commission today, and guess who I ran into?"

Liang Jin was annoyed the moment she saw him, and snorted coldly, "Who is it?"

"Qi Tongwei!" Zhao Ruilong clapped his hands, feigning surprise. "He's right here in the Provincial Economic Commission office building, chatting and laughing. He looks radiant and full of energy. His temporary assignment must be almost over, right? Looks like everything went smoothly and he's having a successful conclusion!"

Liang Jin's face darkened, but she forced a sneer and said, "Him? I dealt with him a long time ago! In the past few months, he's been conducting research at the crossroads, and I've made arrangements, but I haven't seen a single piece of material! I doubt he can even write a decent report!"

"That's it?" Zhao Ruilong had already heard about it, and upon hearing this, he widened his eyes exaggeratedly, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Deputy Director Liang, my dear Liang, who doesn't know that a temporary post is just for gilding your resume and going through the motions? Research report? Who actually reads that stuff! Only you treat it like a treasure."

Liang Jin was momentarily speechless, and was about to retort, saying that Qi Tongwei now had powerful backers...

Zhao Ruilong, however, spoke first, leaning closer and speaking in a low but clear voice that his followers could hear, each word like a knife: "I know, Qi Tongwei has found a good backer, and Secretary Liang... is about to retire?"

He paused deliberately, enjoying Liang Jin's instantly unpleasant expression, and continued slowly, "People change once they back down. Now, even if he slapped you once, or even if he wanted to slap your left cheek, wouldn't you have to think about whether you should offer your right cheek so that it's easier for him to slap you?"

"Zhao Ruilong! Stop spouting nonsense!" Liang Jin roared in anger, veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhao Ruilong laughed even harder, pointing at Liang Jin and saying to his followers who were watching the commotion, "Look, look, he's getting anxious!"

He turned to Liang Jin, shaking his head and mimicking a certain tone, "They've already slapped you in the face, and you're still thinking, 'My face must have hurt their hand, right?' Then you casually brush against them, feeling no pain or discomfort, and comfort yourself with 'I retaliated.' Tsk tsk, Deputy Director Liang, your level of understanding is quite reminiscent of Ah Q! From now on, I won't call you Deputy Director Liang anymore, I'll just call you 'Liang Ah Q'! Don't you all agree?"

Zhao Ruilong's henchmen joined in with loud laughter.

After saying that, before Liang Jin could rush forward in a fit of rage, Zhao Ruilong, with a loud, unrestrained laugh, led his men away, leaving Liang Jin standing there, trembling with anger, her face turning from red to green, and then from green to white.

Back in the private room, Liang Jin could no longer contain her anger and swept everything in front of her—bottles, glasses, fruit plates—to the ground, making a clattering sound and scattering shards everywhere.

The lackeys fell silent, huddled in a corner.

Zhao Ruilong's words pierced his heart like a poisonous thorn, puncturing the festering sore he had been unwilling to face and desperately trying to cover up with false achievements.

The old man is retiring; this is an undeniable fact and his deepest fear.

During this period, not only Liang Qunfeng was sensitive, but Liang Jin was also sensitive and suspicious. He always felt that other people's eyes had changed when they looked at him, with a kind of pity or mockery as if they were looking at a "grasshopper in autumn".

If Qi Tongwei doesn't do something substantial and ruthless that will be visible in the industry, then the shameful nickname "Liang A-Q" will probably stick.

What follows will be the loss of prestige, the alienation of followers, and the collapse of existing extravagant lifestyles and "status" like a sandcastle.

If you lose face, you'll lose substance too.