Rebirth of Corrupt Officials

Chapter 39.2

When returning home, he found Jiang Encheng still perusing old photos. Their photo albums were slim, mostly filled with later pictures. Father and son typically took one photo per year in the countryside, during festivals when someone with a horse and a camera would come to capture images of the locals. Over more than a decade in the countryside, Jiang Xiaochuan and Jiang Encheng were the only subjects in those photos.

As Jiang Xiaochuan secured a job and passed the civil service exam, the number of photos gradually increased when they moved to the provincial capital.

Yet, even with additional pictures, their family album remained sparse.

Observing Jiang Encheng engrossed in reading, Jiang Xiaochuan refrained from disturbing him and headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal. His cooking skills might not be exceptional, but his efforts were driven by genuine care.

During the meal, Jiang Encheng suddenly inquired about whether Jiang Xiaochuan had someone he liked. Jiang Xiaochuan was momentarily taken aback, shook his head, and felt a mix of complex emotions.

Considering he was at the age to be married, almost reaching the number thirty made someone feel a sense of urgency. Yet, he hadn’t found someone he truly liked. It was a matter that required more contemplation when he had the time.

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Remaining busy, Jiang Xiaochuan set off for the municipal government early the next morning. Arriving at the bus stop, he found it deserted since it was the first bus of the day. The bus driver, rubbing his eyes and yawning, seemed equally fatigued.

Upon reaching the municipal gate, several guards who had pulled an all-nighter dozed off in the duty room. Only Wei Bin, still yawning, retrieved the day’s newspaper from the box.

“Mayor Jiang, it’s so early!”

Jiang Xiaochuan patted his shoulder, stood in front of the window, holding Wei Lai’s cup of tea in his hand, and conveyed to Wei Lai what he needed to focus on recently. “You know my work has changed a lot recently. This is a challenge for both of us. Many things may go awry if not handled well. If you can prevent those troublesome individuals, just block them. If you truly can’t or encounter difficulties, report them to me. I’ll handle it.”

Wei Lai was stunned; Jiang Xiaochuan was...

Jiang Xiaochuan was intentionally cultivating him.

How could Wei Lai not see such an obvious move? According to Jiang Xiaochuan’s implication, even with the establishment of the secretariat, there would be no changes to his role as a confidential secretary. He was highly likely to become the secretary-general of the secretariat.

This presented both a tremendous opportunity and a significant challenge.

Wei Lai sensed his determination soaring, yet he also felt the weight on his shoulders.

After Jiang Xiaochuan uttered these words, he naturally anticipated Wei Lai’s thoughts. He wasn’t inclined to elaborate further; Wei Lai wasn’t present in the previous life, and Jiang Xiaochuan needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of him now.

“The investment promotion project that Qian Qiming and Zhou Qian worked on last time ended in bankruptcy. Despite the chaos in Chengzhou, economic construction must persist. If the economic growth rate continues to decline, it could lead to an irrevocable abyss. Shortly, Dai Xu, the Rongyuan Heavy Industry boss, and Qiao Sen, China representative of Lisson Group, will visit. Arrange a hotel as a welcome venue. Other domestic and foreign companies will attend the meeting, so you’ll have additional responsibilities in this area. Pay attention.”

The reformed of state-owned, foreign, and domestic enterprises, coupled with the sudden financial crisis in Chengzhou City, presented real challenges for Jiang Xiaochuan.

As Lian Cheng stated, it was about turning the tide — but whether it could be achieved remained to be seen. He could only observe for now.