"Is it really necessary to make it so grand?"
Having lived all these years, this was her first time attending such a formal occasion, and her heart was a little uneasy.
Secretary Ma was brimming with pride, and Peng Clerk, as his right-hand man, also shared in the glory. This was the benefit of following the right leader—when one prospered, all prospered.
"Of course it should be grand! You have no idea how satisfied the higher-ups are with our county's disaster response measures. I’ve heard that the 'deputy' before County Magistrate Yu’s title will soon be removed!"
Secretary Ma and Yu Feng had once been locked in fierce competition. He never imagined that one day he’d be so happy about Yu Feng’s promotion—but then again, Ma Kui wasn’t doing too badly himself.
When Nan Sheng returned home, she told her son the news. "I might be gone for two or three days. Do you want your uncle Mingli to come over, or should we ask your grandparents?"
Both children unanimously chose Mingli. Their grandparents were too frugal, and the kids had grown accustomed to generous portions. With Fan Shuting’s cooking habits, they’d surely go hungry.
"Mom, take me with you! I promise I’ll behave and won’t run around!"
Siqi pleaded pitifully, as if she were about to be abandoned.
Since marrying into the family, Nan Sheng had never been apart from her children. Sizhe, being older, understood that his mother was leaving for work and didn’t want to hold her back. But Siqi was afraid her mother wouldn’t return and kept pestering her.
Nan Sheng leaned down and kissed her little cheeks, then pinched them playfully, making Siqi giggle—she was ticklish.
Nan Sheng teased her, "No more fussing, alright? Mom will come back as soon as possible. When I return, we’ll celebrate by cooking a chicken, okay?"
Siqi pouted and reluctantly agreed. She was still unhappy but didn’t want to risk making her mother angry—she was truly in a dilemma!
Before leaving, Nan Sheng packed a change of clothes. The weather was hot, and she didn’t want to embarrass herself if she sweated too much.
Once in town, she sent word to Mingli, asking him to go to Xiangyang Village to look after the kids.
When she arrived at the town government office, Secretary Ma and Peng Clerk were already there. Nan Sheng was the last to arrive. Curious, she asked,
"Are we taking a tractor to the county? Why hasn’t the vehicle arrived yet?"
Secretary Ma and Peng Clerk laughed, teasing her. "Comrade Nan Sheng, were you expecting a ride? Don’t even think about it—we’re biking there. The tractor was borrowed by Xiaoling Village."
There was no special transportation today, nor was there ever for routine county meetings.
Peng Clerk couldn’t hide his excitement—he’d soon see his wife and child. Today was truly a good day!
"Comrade Nan Sheng, biking isn’t so bad. It’ll only take about four hours. If you get too tired, I can even pull you with a rope."
The mental image made Nan Sheng cringe, but biking for four hours straight sounded just as dreadful. Fortunately, they only needed to reach the county government by 2 PM, so there was plenty of time.
With a female companion along, Secretary Ma and Peng Clerk slowed their pace. They took two breaks along the way and finally arrived at the government office just before 1 PM.
Nan Sheng trudged in after them, feeling utterly drained and drenched in sweat. All she wanted was a cold drink to cool down.
They first went to the deputy county magistrate’s office. Yu Feng was delighted to see them, especially Nan Sheng.
"Nan Sheng, you look terrible—did you get heatstroke?"
Nan Sheng didn’t stand on ceremony. "Sir, please give me some water. Biking all the way here from town was exhausting."
Du Tang quickly poured glasses of water for them. He felt a kinship with the town comrades—working at the county level was more challenging, and he missed the days when he and Nan Sheng worked seamlessly together.
He suggested, "Why don’t you wash your face at the water room? The meeting starts at two."
All three had brought spare clothes and changed in separate areas. Yu Feng even arranged for them to stay at a guesthouse near the county government.
The meeting was convened by County Party Secretary Luo Qi. Before it began, Yu Feng introduced Nan Sheng to him.
Secretary Luo was very courteous toward her. "Comrade Nan Sheng, you truly prove that women are no less capable than men. The county’s effective disaster response owes much to your contributions. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person!"
Nan Sheng knew how to play the part. "I only offered a small suggestion. It was the foresight of our leaders that made the difference—I don’t dare take credit."
Yu Feng sensed Nan Sheng’s nervousness and smoothly interjected, "Secretary Luo, it’s almost time. Let’s take our seats."
Huaishan Town wasn’t the wealthiest in the county, but over the past year, its neighboring villages had benefited greatly from its policies. Now, their delegation was seated in the front row.
The meeting focused on reports from town leaders about their annual achievements—a preliminary review before the city officials arrived the next day for formal evaluations.
The meeting lasted four hours. Afterward, Secretary Luo left first, while Yu Feng stayed to treat Secretary Ma, Nan Sheng, and the others to a meal.
Peng Clerk was eager to return home but didn’t dare refuse the magistrate’s invitation. Nan Sheng spoke up for him.
"Peng Clerk’s family is right here in the county. Let him go home—that way, I can eat more."
Du Tang chuckled. "Do you really think the magistrate would let you go hungry? If only you’d transferred here with us—I get to join the boss’s dinners all the time."
The group laughed, and the matter was dropped. Peng Clerk shot Nan Sheng a grateful smile before hurrying off on his bike.
Du Tang had already arranged their meal at the state-run restaurant. Many other meeting attendees were also dining there.
The four of them were seated in a private booth, chatting casually over the meal before turning to serious matters.
Yu Feng had his own struggles. As a newcomer, he faced plenty of obstacles in the county, but he was no pushover and handled them well.
After the meal, Du Tang brewed a pot of tea, and the conversation turned to business.
Yu Feng said, "You’ve probably heard the rumors. I’ve received verbal confirmation of my promotion—the 'deputy' title will soon be removed. Given your achievements, both of you will likely be transferred to the county.
But I’ve heard from higher-ups that you, Nan Sheng, are being reassigned elsewhere. What’s going on?"
Since Yu Feng already knew, it meant the military had finalized arrangements. Nan Sheng explained,
"That’s right, sir. Before the autumn harvest, I’ll be joining my husband at his military post. But I don’t know the details of my work transfer—the army said they need time to arrange it."
Yu Feng sighed deeply. He truly wanted Nan Sheng by his side—she was bold, resourceful, and her suggestions always proved invaluable.
Take the recent crackdown on the black market, for example. When Secretary Ma said it was Nan Sheng’s idea, Yu Feng immediately approved and even requested military support.
The results spoke for themselves—impoverished families got food, and countless lives were saved.
"Though we’re reluctant to lose such a dedicated comrade, we can’t stand in the way of your reunion.
In that case, I won’t assign you a position here. Instead, I’ll apply to have your rank raised to associate section officer, with Level 20 benefits!"
Nan Sheng had only been working at the Huaishan Town government for about a year when she skyrocketed from Grade 24 to Grade 20, reaching the rank of deputy section-level—a meteoric rise by any measure.
