Chapter 32: The Section Chief Appointment Irritates Ou Huasheng

The next day, after wrapping up the morning’s routine tasks, Wu Yunqiu asked He Shinian to come to her office. He felt a faint, inexplicable sense of excitement.

He had put in a great deal of work regarding the land transfer in Nanping Town and the investigation into Qian Dazhi. It was precisely because he had secured the evidence that Qian Dazhi was finally brought to justice. However, Wu Yunqiu hadn't mentioned the matter since. He wondered if her calling him in now had anything to do with it. With this thought, he calmed himself and entered her office.

Wu Yunqiu gestured for him to take a seat on the sofa. "Shinian, you’ve been my secretary for a month now, haven't you? How are you finding it? Are you settled in?" she asked with a smile.

He nodded and replied truthfully, "The month is up the day after tomorrow. To be honest, I wasn't very comfortable at first, but I’ve fully adjusted now."

"Good, I’m glad you’ve adapted," Wu said. "You handled the Nanping Town situation very well, and I intend to give you more responsibility."

He felt a surge of excitement and looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"The position of Chief of the First Comprehensive Division at the County Committee has been vacant for some time. I want you to take on this role. Do you have the confidence for it?"

He straightened his posture and said, "Thank you for your trust, Secretary Wu. I am confident."

"Very well. I will speak with Director Ou about this. Prepare yourself."

Shortly after, Wu Yunqiu met with Ou Huasheng. He didn't know the specifics of their conversation, but it clearly concerned the appointment. As he left, he caught a glimpse of Ou Huasheng through the door gap. Ou’s face was as gloomy as a storm, looking deeply displeased.

A while later, Ou called him to his office. It was undoubtedly about his appointment as Division Chief. As a member of the County Standing Committee and Director of the County Committee Office, Ou had the authority to appoint the division chief directly. However, in Ninghai County, the First Comprehensive Division served the County Party Secretary directly, making the Secretary’s approval essential. Previously, Ou had proposed his former secretary, Wang Dongge, for the post, but Wu had vetoed it, leading to a stalemate where Deputy Chief Meng Fan had been left in charge. This situation was irregular, making it difficult for Meng to exert authority or ensure effective execution.

When He arrived, Ou was smoking, the room thick with the pungent scent of nicotine. When Wu had first proposed He for the position, Ou had been surprised and then opposed it, arguing that He’s experience was too shallow for such a heavy burden. Wu had insisted that young people needed to be challenged to grow. Seeing her persistence, Ou couldn't openly refuse, but his dislike for He deepened.

"Director Ou, you called for me?"

Ou looked up, gave him a cold glance, and said, "I have just exchanged views with Secretary Wu. We have decided to appoint you as Chief of the First Comprehensive Division. I brought you here to hear your thoughts."

He acted appropriately shocked and surprised. "I submit to the organization's arrangements."

Ordinarily, a formal appointment would involve a routine internal talk regarding responsibilities, but Ou, dissatisfied with Wu’s arrangement and loathing He, couldn't be bothered. "Very well. The office will draft the appointment documents. Once the public notice period ends, you will officially be the Chief of the First Comprehensive Division. I hope you can handle the pressure."

After He left, Ou’s expression turned malevolent. *How did this kid manage to win Wu Yunqiu’s approval so quickly? It seems Wu is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with me.*

Back in his office, He could hardly contain his excitement. Moving from a junior clerk to a division chief was a small step in rank, but a monumental one in his career.

That afternoon, the notice of his appointment was posted, marking the start of a seven-day public notification period within the County Committee Office. To his surprise, Meng Fan came to his office to congratulate him immediately.

"Chief He, congratulations! Now that you’re the chief, I can finally set this burden down. When are you free so we can handle the handover?" Meng’s face showed little sadness, mostly relief and resignation.

He poured tea for Meng and offered him a cigarette. "Chief Meng, we are still in the notice period. Even after that, as you know, my primary duty is to support Secretary Wu. I hope you will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the division."

Meng waved his hand repeatedly. "No, no, that won't do. I am the deputy, you are the chief. You must be the one in charge; otherwise, it’s improper and ineffective."

When He first arrived, both Wang Dongge and Meng Fan had tried to push him out. But after a dinner together, Meng had gained a new perspective on him. Moreover, He realized that Meng and Wang were not allies; Wang was Ou’s man. To serve Wu effectively, He needed someone he could trust to manage the division. Meng was honest, steady, and lacked ulterior motives—an ideal ally.

"Brother Meng, you are a few years my senior, so I will call you brother. I will speak to Secretary Wu about this; I believe she will agree," He said. "I trust you to lead the division's work, which will allow me to focus on serving Secretary Wu."

He knew he would face friction and power struggles with Ou Huasheng, so he had to cultivate allies. He also knew his greatest strength was Secretary Wu. By securing that, he could withstand Ou's pressure.

Under He’s sincere persuasion, Meng finally agreed, adding, "Since you trust me, I am happy to share the burden. I will report all matters, big or small, to you."

He patted Meng on the shoulder. "We will discuss things together. As long as we work in harmony, we will succeed." He then lowered his voice. "Chief Meng, you were the one who put those petition materials on my desk, weren't you?"

Meng was startled.

"Don't worry, Brother Meng. You and I know, and if anyone asks, the responsibility rests with me alone." The message was clear: He would take the heat, but Meng had to prove his loyalty.

They then discussed the department's "extra-budgetary" income—the "small treasury." He realized that as chief, he couldn't avoid this issue.

"I will keep this in mind, give me some time," He promised. He knew the situation was dire. The previous attempt at an income-generation quota had left a 50,000-yuan shortfall. With the government’s increasingly strict management of non-tax revenue, this was a difficult problem.

When Meng left, he still seemed uneasy. He shook his hand and handed him two boxes of tea from his drawer. Meng tried to refuse, but He insisted, "Brother Meng, don't be a stranger. This is tea my grandmother picked herself this spring."

Meng finally accepted. To He’s surprise, when he arrived home that evening, an unexpected guest was waiting for him.