Chapter 345: Deng Yunheng Takes on the Deputy County Magistrate Position

Chapter 345: Deng Yunheng Takes on the Deputy County Magistrate Position

Beijing.

A certain department of a certain committee of the Planning Commission.

In the office, Zhao Jing looked at her very capable subordinate and asked, "Deng Yunheng, are you really serious about being assigned to work at the local level?"

"Yes, Director, I am serious about being assigned to work at the local level."

Deng Yunheng nodded and then asked hopefully, "Director, does this mean there's an opening in the place you've been keeping an eye on for me?"

Three months ago, he had been promoted to deputy division chief, and at that time, he had expressed his desire to be assigned to work at the local level, specifically in XX Province. Now, after three months, his director suddenly called him into the office to discuss this matter, which likely meant that his job transfer was close to being finalized.

Sure enough, Zhao Jing nodded and said, "There is indeed a suitable opening. In Fucheng County of the province you want to go to, a deputy county magistrate is retiring. If you are serious about being assigned to the local level, I can help you with the process to take over his position."

Deng Yunheng was delighted and said, "That's great, thank you, Director. I'll trouble you for that."

Seeing his delighted expression, Zhao Jing spoke candidly, "Deng Yunheng, personally, I think you should stay here for another two years. You are familiar with everything here, and the higher-ups also hold you in high regard. I believe that in another two years, you could be promoted to an even higher level, maybe even head a department.

However, once you are assigned to the local level, everything will start anew. You won't have a leader who appreciates you, and as a parachuted official, you won't have any roots. You might even face resentment from others who feel you are blocking their path. Your promotion speed might not be as fast as it is here.

You have been in the system for two years now, and you should understand the age advantage within the system. The earlier you advance in rank, the more opportunities you will have to see higher levels. If you spend too much time at a certain level, your potential for advancement will diminish.

So, think carefully!"

These heartfelt words deeply moved Deng Yunheng. It was indeed very lucky to encounter a leader who appreciated him and genuinely cared about his future.

If it weren't for his father's guidance to try to become a core member of a certain bigwig, Deng Yunheng wouldn't be in such a hurry to be assigned to the local level. He could wait a couple more years to be promoted to a full division chief.

However, such an opportunity was rare and hard to come by. If he missed it, he might not find another suitable position for a long time.

Therefore, although moved, Deng Yunheng's resolve remained firm. He said gratefully, "Thank you, Director, for your trust and concern. I understand that you are doing this for my own good, but I have my own plans for the future. I am willing to go to the grassroots and work hard."

Seeing his determination, Zhao Jing did not try to persuade him further and said, "Alright, since you have made your decision, I will help you with the process."

"Thank you, Director!"

After Deng Yunheng left, Zhao Jing sighed regretfully. She had always seen potential in Deng Yunheng and her young cousin. She knew her mother-in-law preferred a match of equal status, so she hadn't taken the initiative to introduce them.

During the Spring Festival this year, Deng Yunheng and her young cousin had unexpectedly met. She had hoped they might spark some romantic interest, but since they worked in different ministries, they hadn't had the chance to meet again in the past six months.

Now, with Deng Yunheng applying to work at the local level, the distance between them would make it even more difficult for them to see each other.

This connection, it seemed, would not be continued.

...

In the afternoon.

After work, he returned to the two-bedroom apartment.

"Second Brother!" Deng Yunshou, who was reading a book, greeted him.

After his summer vacation started, he chose not to return to his hometown but to stay with his second brother for a while to get a feel for the work environment.

Deng Yunheng said directly, "Xiao Shou, I am preparing to leave Beijing."

Deng Yunshou was surprised and asked, "Second Brother, are you going on a business trip?"

Deng Yunheng said, "Not a business trip, but to be assigned to work at the local level."

Recalling the conversation his father had with his second brother, Deng Yunshou understood and said, "Second Brother, there's a suitable position for you in XX Province?"

Deng Yunheng nodded and said, "Deputy County Magistrate of Fucheng County."

Deng Yunshou was pleased and asked, "That's great news! When will you take up the position?"

Deng Yunheng said, "I don't know yet, but the director is already helping me with the process. It should be finalized soon."

Deng Yunshou felt as if he were dreaming and said, "I can't believe it. In just two short years, Second Brother, you've become a deputy county magistrate."

Deng Yunheng laughed and said, "For someone with my educational background, the early promotions are indeed fast, but once you reach the department level, you start to hit a bottleneck. Whether you can advance further depends on fate."

Deng Yunshou said, "Father did say to seek out that bigwig if you have the chance. Now that you have the opportunity to go there, work hard and achieve some results. If you catch the eye of the bigwig Father mentioned and become one of his core members, I believe the bottleneck at the department level won't be an issue."

"Let's hope so. I'll do my best."

After saying this, Deng Yunheng asked, "Do you plan to go home or back to school?"

Deng Yunshou replied, "I might as well go back to school. I’m too lazy to make the trip back home, and there are quite a few of our fellow Guangxi natives who are staying in the capital."

Deng Yunheng said, "You haven’t really explored the capital yet. Take advantage of the summer break to go sightseeing and have fun with your fellow students. It would be even better if you can connect with some local classmates; they’ll know the best and worst places to visit."

Deng Yunshou nodded and then sighed, "Second Brother, after you leave, I’ll be all alone in the capital."

Deng Yunheng chuckled and said, "When I first came to the capital for my studies, I was alone too. You’ll get used to it. Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m hungry, let’s go eat!"

"Okay!"

...

A week later.

At a restaurant near the Planning Commission.

Numerous colleagues had gathered to see Deng Yunheng off. It wasn’t just those from his department; colleagues from other departments who had a good relationship with him also came. Director Zhao Jing, his department leader, naturally didn’t miss the occasion, and even a certain director who had a high opinion of Deng Yunheng made an appearance.

As the "farewell banquet" neared its end, everyone offered their final blessings:

"County Magistrate Deng, may you have a bright future and continuous promotions."

"County Magistrate Deng, may you have smooth sailing and continuous promotions."

"County Magistrate Deng, may you have good fortune in your career and continuous promotions."

"County Magistrate Deng, may you..."

Deng Yunheng thanked everyone one by one. Although he had only worked at the Planning Commission for two years, it was his first job after entering the workforce. Due to his strong work ability and high emotional intelligence, he had maintained a harmonious relationship with his colleagues.

After the farewell dinner with his colleagues, Deng Yunheng returned the two-bedroom apartment he had lived in for two years to the unit. Having completed the handover of his work, he didn’t waste any time and boarded a flight to XX Province the next day.

...

Three days later.

Fucheng County.

Deng Yunheng officially took up his new position as Deputy County Magistrate of Fucheng County. Moreover, he wasn’t just any ordinary deputy; he held the significant title of "Standing Deputy County Magistrate."

The addition of "standing" to his title made a significant difference, elevating him to the second-in-command of the county government.

This position came with considerable power, as evidenced by the departments he was responsible for: the Finance Committee, Construction Committee, Land Bureau, Industry and Commerce Bureau, Grain Bureau, Foreign Trade Bureau, Medicine Bureau, Civil Affairs Bureau, County Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Multiple Operations Office, People's Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank, Agricultural Bank, Construction Bank, and Insurance Company. All of these were crucial departments.

Moreover, he had the responsibility to guide, coordinate, and supervise the other deputy county magistrates, giving him real authority.

However, with great power came great responsibility. Almost all government documents involving personnel, finances, and materials required his review and approval, and he would bear the leadership responsibility for these decisions.

For someone lacking in ability, this could be a daunting task. The biggest frustration of being a standing deputy was the imbalance between career advancement and the responsibilities one had to shoulder.

But for someone as capable as Deng Yunheng, this was not a challenge he feared. If he performed well and stood out, there were many examples of standing deputies being promoted to county magistrates. This was his goal for the next one or two years.

He aimed to achieve significant results within one or two years and then take the seat of county magistrate.

As Deng Yunheng began to throw himself into his work, he had no idea that he had fortuitously come to the right place!

In his previous life, XX County was designated as a provincial-level county city in 1990, under the administration of the provincial capital.

If Deng Yunheng could successfully advance to county magistrate within one or two years and then become the top leader before 1990, he would be able to seize this great opportunity to advance further.

The top leader of a provincial-level county city was usually a high-ranking secretary, with the qualifications to become one of the dozen or so key figures in the provincial capital.

As long as he became the top leader before the county was designated as a city, he would automatically advance a level without having to do anything else.

Of course, this benefit was exclusive to the top leader; the second-in-command and others did not enjoy this advantage.

Therefore, whether Deng Yunheng’s career could truly take off depended on whether he could become the top leader of XX County before 1990.

If he managed to do so, he could not only leverage this rare opportunity to advance further but also truly work alongside a certain bigwig.

In a sense, he had the timing, location, and people on his side.

However, the challenge of advancing to the position of secretary within such a short time was significant.

...

Shabu Township is located in the southern part of Yulin Baise County, bordering Lianjiang Changan Town and Qingping Town in Guangdong to the east, Daba Township to the south, Longtan Town and Shuangwang Township to the west, and Nabo Township to the north, a distance of 100 kilometers from the county seat.

From the perspective of the county, Shabu Township was indeed a very remote area. However, because it bordered Guangdong Province, its location was still advantageous. Additionally, the only large reservoir in the county, Laotou Reservoir, was located in Shabu Township, which contributed to its faster development compared to Shuangwang Township.

Of course, that was in her previous life. In this life, with Deng Shirong in Shuangwang Township, the development speed had significantly changed.

Zhang Qi's maternal home was in Rongpiao Village, Shabu Township.

At this moment, Zhang Qi returned to her maternal home with several pieces of pork, a few packs of candy, cookies, and rice cakes.

In modern times, no one lacked meat, so when visiting relatives, people generally brought fruits and sweets. Even in the countryside, few people would bring pork.

However, in this era, bringing pork when visiting relatives was still the norm.

"Uncle!"

"Seventh Sister!"

Upon returning to her maternal home, Zhang Qi felt the warmth and enthusiasm of her family.

While greeting her parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews, Zhang Qi couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. She had been married to Naye Village for over a decade, and in the past, her parents and siblings had not shown much enthusiasm when she visited.

Especially when she had given birth to four or five daughters and faced excessive treatment from her mother-in-law, no one in her maternal home was willing to stand up for her when she came to complain.

It wasn't until her family started growing lychees and watermelons with Elder Nine, then invested in a passenger transport company, and later pooled funds to build a residential area in the county, that they not only made money but also established a good reputation for the Deng family of Naye Village.

Now, throughout Bobai County, no one was unaware of the Deng family of Naye Village, regardless of which township they were in.

As a member of the Deng family of Naye Village, Zhang Qi's status had significantly improved, and she had clearly felt the change in her maternal family's attitude towards her over the past few years.

Of course, this was also partly due to Zhang Qi's early encouragement for her maternal brothers to grow watermelons, which had earned them a considerable amount of money over the years.

After exchanging greetings, Zhang Qi distributed the pork, candy, cookies, and rice cakes to her three sisters-in-law.

Her maternal brothers had already divided the family property over a decade ago, so she had prepared the gifts in advance, giving each one a portion.

The three sisters-in-law took the gifts back to their homes and then each brought a chicken or a duck to help their mother-in-law prepare the meal.

After some casual conversation, when it was time for lunch, Zhang Qi said while eating, "Elder Brother, Elder Sister, Second Brother, Second Sister, Third Brother, Third Sister, I came back this time mainly to borrow some money from you all."

Zhang's Elder Brother was surprised and said, "Seventh Sister, your family's passenger transport company just distributed dividends this year, and the lychees and watermelons can also bring in a lot of money. Why would you need money?"

Zhang's Second Brother also chimed in, "Yes, Seventh Sister, at this time, you shouldn't be short of money. Did you have a quarrel with your husband?"

Zhang's mother also looked at her daughter and asked, "Seventh Sister, what's going on? Did you really have a quarrel?"

"It's not what you think."

Zhang Qi shook her head and explained, "We weren't short of money originally, but our clan head is planning to establish a food company, and our family wants to buy more shares. That's why we came to borrow some money from you all. In the future, when the company distributes dividends, we can also get more money."

Zhang's Elder Brother suddenly understood and said, "I see, that makes sense. Of course, there's no problem. How much do you need?"

Zhang's Elder Sister didn't say anything, indicating her agreement.

Of course, this was only now. A few years ago, if her husband had agreed without her consent, she would have definitely flipped out. But now, their young sister-in-law was different, and Zhang's Elder Sister had no objections to lending her money.

The others also had the same thoughts and one by one expressed their willingness to lend money, asking Zhang Qi how much she needed.

Zhang Qi said, "Elder Brother, Elder Sister, Second Brother, Second Sister, Third Brother, Third Sister, lend me whatever loose money you have. How much is fine. Last time with the passenger transport company, our family only got two shares. Now, the company's dividends are getting higher every year, and those with fewer shares are regretting it.

Now, we finally have another opportunity. This time, our family must seize the chance and buy more shares."

Zhang's Third Brother nodded and said, "That's true. If your family had bought more shares in the passenger transport company, you would have an annual income of tens of thousands without doing anything. Since our clan head is establishing a new company, it's worth investing more money.

I just built a new house last year, so I don't have as much money as Elder Brother and Second Brother, but I can give you 2000 yuan."

Zhang's Second Brother said, "Seventh Sister, I can give you 3500 yuan."

Zhang's Elder Brother said, "Seventh Sister, I can give you 4000 yuan."

Zhang's mother added, "I can also contribute 500 yuan, making it a total of 10,000 yuan."

Zhang Qi thanked each of them and promised, "Once the food company starts making money and distributing dividends, I will give you all a big gift."

”

  Zhang Qi said this very seriously. If the food company's dividends are as high as the passenger transport company's in the future, these 10 shares could bring in a substantial amount of money each year. It would be fitting to prepare a big gift for her maternal brothers and sisters when the time comes.

  ...

  While the Naye Deng Clan was busy selling lychees and watermelons, Deng Shirong didn't idle either. He made a trip to the XinGuang Farm in LingShan and spent 1.4 million yuan to purchase 1,000 tons of Guiwei lychees, doubling his acquisition from the previous year.

  Then, he visited the four cities of Shanghai, Wuxi, Nanjing, and Hefei, which are relatively close to each other, and sold the lychees to fruit wholesalers at an average price of 2.2 yuan per pound.

  Last year, due to Deng Shirong's strategic timing, the Guiwei lychees were sold to fruit wholesalers at an average price of 2.5 yuan per pound.

  This year, he didn't play the timing game but sold the lychees according to their harvest season, which resulted in a price drop of 0.3 yuan per pound compared to last year.

  However, because the quantity this year was double that of last year, his earnings were significantly higher.

  Last year, 500 tons of lychees sold for a total of 2.5 million yuan, with a purchase cost of 700,000 yuan, netting a profit of 1.8 million yuan.

  This year, 1,000 tons of lychees sold for a total of 4 million yuan, with a purchase cost of 1.4 million yuan, netting a profit of 2.6 million yuan.

  After returning, he immediately began acquiring jackfruits and pineapples. Once the longans were harvested in July, he would make another trip, bringing in another significant income.

  Another noteworthy event was the construction of Naye Primary School, which started in full swing with the beginning of the summer vacation.

  To avoid disrupting the students' classes, the school building was planned to be completed during the summer break. Therefore, all the idle laborers from Bangjie Village volunteered to help, and the construction progress was rapid.

  The new desks for the school had been ordered months ago, and the carpenters were working around the clock to complete them. Once the school building was finished, the new desks would be installed.

  Additionally, the construction of the new ancestral hall of the Naye Deng Clan was ongoing.

  The construction of the ancestral hall, which started over a year ago, was already halfway complete and was expected to be finished by August of the following year.

  The main reason it would take more than two years to complete was the extensive time required for various carvings. These tasks could not be handled by ordinary workers and required the meticulous work of master carvers, which was the primary cause of the slow construction.

  ...

  Naye Village.

  Deng Shirong's home.

  The college entrance exam results were out, and his youngest daughter, Deng Yunzhu, had, as expected, not passed the exam, just as predicted.

  Seeing her daughter's dejected look, Deng Shirong said, "There's no need to be upset. This result was expected. Compared to dropping out after elementary school, you are now a high school graduate, which is considered a high level of education for women in this era."

  Deng Yunzhu replied, somewhat sarcastically, "Dad, you sure know how to comfort people."

  Deng Shirong laughed and said, "It's the truth. What university did your desk mate get into?"

  Mentioning this, Deng Yunzhu said enviously, "She got into Beijing Normal University."

  Deng Shirong praised, "A key university, that's really impressive."

  Deng Yunzhu said, "Fortunately, her family's situation didn't affect her. If her parents had been unwilling to spend the money and forced her to get married, her life would have been ruined."

  Deng Shirong, who had heard about her desk mate's situation from his daughter, said, "Her parents did a decent job by not pushing her into a difficult situation because of their son's mistakes. You should help her more. In this era, anyone who can get into a key university has a bright future. It's beneficial to have such friends."

  Deng Yunzhu nodded and said, "I understand. If it weren't for my help over the past few months, she might not have had the right mindset to face the college entrance exam and might not have achieved such good scores."

  Deng Shirong nodded and said, "You have now graduated from high school. The hotpot restaurant in Nanning is under renovation and will be ready in one or two months. After the clan's scholarship meeting tomorrow, you should go to Shufeng Restaurant to learn restaurant management from your sister."

  Deng Yunzhu blinked and asked, "Dad, are you really letting me go to Nanning alone to run a business?"

  Deng Shirong said, "You won't be going alone. Your older brother and his wife will also be going."

  Deng Yunzhu, who was quick to react despite her poor academic performance, asked, "Dad, are they going to open a branch of Yongjia Supermarket in Nanning?"

  Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Yes, your older brother and his wife will run the supermarket on the first floor, and your hotpot restaurant will be on the second floor. The living quarters are on the fifth floor, but they are still under renovation and won't be ready soon. So, we'll rent a place for you to stay until the fifth floor is ready."

  As Deng Yunzhu listened, she felt something was off and asked in shock, "Dad, the building in Nanning, you didn't buy the land and build it yourself, did you?"

  Deng Shirong smiled and nodded.

  Deng Yunzhu: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end