Chapter 371: In the County Government, I Call the Shots!

Chapter 371: In the County Government, I Call the Shots!

Fucheng County.

Walking out of the restaurant, Deng Yunheng said, "Aunt Chen, it's rare for you to come here, so you should stay a few more days. Tomorrow, I'll take some time off to accompany you to the beach. The scenery there is quite nice."

Gu Mother asked, "Yunheng, would that delay your work?"

After the cards were laid on the table, their relationship had progressed further, and calling him "County Chief Deng" now seemed too formal, so Gu Mother directly addressed him by his name.

Deng Yunheng laughed, "Aunt Chen, it won't affect my work. Right now, in the county government, I call the shots."

Gu Mother, being the daughter of an official and married to a man of high rank, immediately understood the implications of Deng Yunheng's words. She asked with delight, "Yunheng, are you the county chief now?"

Deng Yunheng smiled, "Currently, I'm the acting county chief."

Gu Mother beamed, "That's wonderful, Aunt Chen didn't misjudge you. You truly are a standout among men." Although Deng Yunheng was only the acting county chief, not yet officially appointed, she knew very well that the difference between an acting and a full county chief was minimal.

If marriage were used as an analogy, a full county chief would be like a legally married couple, while an acting county chief would be like a couple who have already held their wedding banquet but haven't yet registered their marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau. However, once the banquet is held, as long as there are no unexpected issues, the marriage registration is just a matter of time.

Hearing this, Gu Caiwei's heart was also filled with joy. The man she had chosen was indeed outstanding, about to become a full-level official at such a young age, far surpassing her grandfather and her father. His prospects were truly limitless.

Deng Yunheng modestly replied, "Aunt Chen, you're too kind. I just had a bit of good luck."

Gu Mother smiled warmly, "Yunheng, you don't need to be modest. This isn't something that can be achieved just by luck."

Knowing that Deng Yunheng was now the leader of the county government, Gu Mother no longer mentioned his work. They agreed on a time to meet the next day, and after sending the Gu family mother and daughter to the guesthouse, Deng Yunheng returned to his office to call his father.

When the call connected and they exchanged greetings, Deng Yunheng reported directly, "Dad, I just had dinner with Aunt Chen and Weiwei. I've already laid everything out with Weiwei, and her mother and daughter didn't object. The meaning is very clear."

Deng Shirong was delighted, "Very good. Then you should accompany them for a few days in Fucheng County. When they're ready to leave, set a date to propose formally."

Deng Yunheng laughed, "Alright. I've arranged to take them to the beach tomorrow to see the scenery. I'll take good care of them. Oh, by the way, I have some good news. I'm now the acting county chief."

Deng Shirong, who had read web novels for years in his previous life, naturally understood what an acting county chief meant. He exclaimed with joy, "That's wonderful! When did this happen?"

Deng Yunheng replied, "Just these past few days."

Deng Shirong advised, "Very good, but don't get too complacent. You haven't yet achieved your ultimate goal of working in Fujian, so you still need to keep working hard."

Deng Yunheng said, "I understand. I've never relaxed my efforts."

"Alright, no problem. When you've set the date for the proposal, give me a call."

"Alright."

...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

One evening, during dinner, Gu Mother said, "Yunheng, Weiwei and I plan to return to Wuhan tomorrow."

Hearing this, Deng Yunheng looked at Gu Caiwei with a hint of reluctance.

The three days they spent together had allowed him to taste the sweetness of love. The gentle exchange of glances was truly irresistible, and knowing she was about to leave, a sense of loss was inevitable.

Gu Caiwei understood his gaze and felt similarly reluctant. After laying everything on the table, their relationship had progressed rapidly, and the short three days had made them feel inseparable.

Deng Yunheng asked, "Aunt Chen, why not stay a few more days?"

Gu Mother laughed, "Aunt Chen still has work to do. We've been out for so many days, it's time to return."

Deng Yunheng nodded and then got straight to the point, "Aunt Chen, since Weiwei and I are a match largely due to your efforts, I'll be straightforward. When would be a good time for me to come and propose formally?"

Although the past few days had made Gu Caiwei less prone to blushing, she still couldn't handle such a direct statement. A formal proposal meant they were truly discussing marriage.

Hearing this, Gu Mother was very pleased and replied with a smile, "If you want to come and propose, any time except the seventh month of the lunar calendar is fine."

Deng Yunheng replied without hesitation, "Then I'll come with my father next month to propose."

Gu Mother nodded with a smile, "That's fine. I'll give you our home phone number. When you and your father are ready to come, give me a call a few days in advance, alright?"

"Alright."

Next, they discussed some taboos related to the proposal.

After all, customs and traditions vary from place to place, so it's necessary to understand them in advance.

Gu Mother, being very straightforward, now truly regarded Deng Yunheng as her future son-in-law.

...

In the Ye Deng residential complex.

Knowing that the renovation was complete, Deng Shirong specially came back to see the results.

First, Deng Shirong entered the floor prepared for his eldest son. The renovation style here was Qin-Han style, characterized by its grandeur, elegance, and simplicity. The calligraphy hanging in the living room was particularly striking—a famous Han dynasty poem called "Chang Ge Xing" (The Long Song), written in beautiful small seal script. Deng Shirong, guessing and piecing together, recognized the line "If one does not work hard when young, one will only grieve in old age."

Indeed, the small seal script was beautiful. The architectural design institute had put a lot of thought into choosing this calligraphy and poem, which harmonized well with the overall renovation style, making it impossible not to admire it.

After touring this floor, Deng Shirong, highly satisfied, headed to the third floor.

This floor was prepared for his second son, Deng Yunheng. The renovation style was Wei-Jin style, characterized by its graceful, soft, and elegant appearance. The highlight here was also a poem framed in the living room—Cao Cao's "Duan Ge Xing" (The Short Song).

Good grief, after "Chang Ge Xing," here comes "Duan Ge Xing." It was quite something.

Moreover, this "Duan Ge Xing" was written in Cao Cao's most skilled cursive script, harmonizing beautifully with the interior decoration, making it look incredibly exquisite.

After admiring everything inside and out, Deng Shirong, with a full smile, headed to the fourth floor.

This floor was prepared for his youngest daughter, with a renovation style that combined Chinese and Western elements. It was undoubtedly very beautiful, but it lacked a bit of charm. However, for people of this era, such a new-style renovation might seem even more beautiful.

In short, people's aesthetics are hard to unify. Some prefer one style, while others prefer another.

Soon, Deng Shirong came to the fifth floor, prepared for his third son. The renovation style was Sui-Tang style, characterized by its grandeur, elegance, and openness. The highlight here was also a framed poem in the living room—Li Bai's most heroic poem, "Jiang Jin Jiu" (Let Us Drink).

The calligraphy was also very bold. If not for Deng Shirong's familiarity with this poem, he might have had trouble recognizing many of the characters. However, knowing the poem, he could guess and piece together most of the characters.

After a thorough inspection of this floor, Deng Shirong, satisfied, headed to the sixth floor.

This floor was prepared for his fourth son, with a renovation style of Song-Yuan style, emphasizing intricate details in painting and carving. Overall, it looked delicate and graceful, and the most eye-catching feature was the framed calligraphy in the living room.

This calligraphy was from Su Shi's classic poem "Shui Diao Ge Tou · Ming Yue Ji Shi You" (Tune: Song of Water Melody—When Did the Moon Become So Bright?). The brilliance of this poem is well-known; since Su Shi's "Shui Diao Ge Tou," all other mid-autumn poems have been overshadowed. This is no exaggeration.

Paired with the delightful calligraphy, it truly made one feel refreshed and content.

After the tour, Deng Shirong headed to the last floor.

This floor was prepared for his youngest son, with a Ming-Qing style renovation. It looked simple and elegant, graceful and dignified, rich in flavor, and balanced in strength and softness. While it leaned more towards the Ming style, some details also referenced Qing dynasty renovations, showcasing opulence, luxury, and intricacy.

The framed calligraphy in the living room was Tang Bohu's famous "Tao Hua An Ge" (The Song of the Peach Blossom Temple).

It must be said that the designer knew how to use calligraphy to enhance the decor. Each piece of calligraphy matched the era's characteristics, blending seamlessly with the renovation and serving as the finishing touch.

After inspecting all the floors, Deng Shirong was very satisfied. It was worth the long wait.

After touring the house, Deng Shirong went to the newly constructed mooncake factory.

Since the equipment for making mooncakes was not complex, the food company had ordered a batch of mooncake-making equipment from the county machinery factory during the construction of the factory.

Mooncakes come in various types, including Cantonese, Suzhou, Beijing, Shanxi, Chaozhou, Hong Kong, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Hainan, Taiwanese, Anhui, Quzhou, Shandong, Zhejiang, Ningbo, local, Japanese, and French styles.

Among these many types, Cantonese mooncakes are undoubtedly the most widely spread and influential. In the entire mooncake industry, the combined sales of all other styles cannot match the sales of Cantonese mooncakes.

Therefore, Cantonese mooncakes are the undisputed leader in the mooncake industry, and no other style can shake its status.

The mooncake factory opened by the food company naturally focused on Cantonese mooncakes.

The master bakers, all from Guangdong, each had over ten to twenty years of experience in making mooncakes.

When Deng Shirong arrived, the master bakers had just trial-produced several flavors of mooncakes.

The factory manager, Deng Changpei, said, "Old Ninth, you came just in time. Try these mooncakes and see if there's anything that needs improvement."

Deng Shirong asked, "What flavors are there?"

Deng Changpei replied, "We have five-nut, lotus paste, red bean, and winter melon."

Deng Shirong nodded; these were all common mooncake flavors for this era. He asked, "Have you all tasted them?"

Deng Changyu said, "We have, and they taste quite good. Ninth Uncle, why don't you try them and see?"

Deng Shirong said, "Alright, I'll give them a try."

Among these flavors, Deng Shirong first chose the lotus paste and egg yolk mooncake. This type of mooncake is the most widely consumed and highest-selling flavor, having been famous across the country since the Qing Dynasty.

Deng Shirong cut a small piece, containing both lotus paste and egg yolk, and slowly chewed it.

Deng Changyu, Deng Changpei, and the master bakers from Guangdong all watched Deng Shirong intently, waiting for his comments.

Deng Shirong swallowed the mooncake and said, "The skin of the mooncake is thin enough, and the taste is good. The lotus paste filling is well-made, sweet but not greasy. However, the egg yolk is a bit dry and lacks flavor."

The master baker responsible for the lotus paste and egg yolk mooncake immediately responded, "I will work on improving it."

Deng Shirong took a sip of tea and continued tasting the other flavors, accurately pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each. The master bakers, who had not initially taken him too seriously, now looked at him with newfound respect; this was someone who truly knew his stuff!

Actually, providing these comments was not difficult for Deng Shirong. After all, in his previous life, he had eaten mooncakes every year and tried all kinds. He could easily tell the good from the bad with a simple comparison.

After he finished his comments, the master bakers all expressed their determination to improve and strive for the perfect mooncake.

After the master bakers left the office, Deng Changpei said, "Ninth Uncle, it's already the end of May. There are only two months until the Mid-Autumn Festival. If the mooncakes are not ready by then, we might miss this year's sales."

Deng Shirong said, "If we miss this year, we can sell them next year. The most important thing is to ensure the mooncakes taste the best. We need to build a strong brand, so that every customer who tries our mooncakes will remember our name."

Deng Changyu nodded and said, "As the saying goes, 'sharpening the axe doesn't delay the cutting of wood.' We are in this for the long term, so we must focus on the best quality."

Deng Shirong said, "Let's see when these master bakers can produce the best-tasting mooncakes. If they can finish by the Mid-Autumn Festival, we can produce a small batch. This way, our clan members can enjoy mooncakes from our own factory. We can also give some as gifts or host a grand Mid-Autumn Festival party, inviting guests to taste the mooncakes. This will serve as early advertising for next year's festival."

Deng Changyu and Deng Changpei both lit up at this idea.

Deng Changpei quickly said, "Ninth Uncle, rest assured. I will supervise the master bakers to ensure they produce the best mooncakes as soon as possible."

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Let them conduct multiple trials. Don't worry about wasting materials. As long as they succeed, everything will be worth it." He did not rush the master bakers to create new flavors; first, they needed to perfect the existing ones before innovating.

"Understood, Ninth Uncle."

...

In the afternoon.

At the Ye Deng residential complex.

In the eldest daughter's home, Deng Shirong was cooking seafood in the kitchen.

In the living room, Deng Yunzhen was arranging a beautiful bamboo basket with lychees, watermelons, yellow plums, and jackfruits.

As for Zhu Shiba, he was taken back to the old hometown by his grandparents to play for a while.

The old house was no longer the dilapidated one it used to be. After Deng Yunzhen married into the Zhu family, she had the old house demolished and built a two-story villa, greatly improving the living conditions.

So, Grandpa and Grandma Zhu often took their grandson back to the old hometown to stay for a while.

After arranging the fruits, Deng Yunzhen slipped into the kitchen and sighed, "Dad, your cooking is the best. The smell alone is making me hungry."

Deng Shirong put the spicy crab he had just cooked onto a plate and laughed, "Any dish, if eaten too often, becomes mundane. It's important to change the menu regularly to keep it fresh."

Deng Yunzhen said, "No wonder ancient emperors would have dozens or even hundreds of dishes for one meal. Since they only taste each dish a little, they never get tired of them. That's what you mean by changing the menu regularly."

Deng Shirong washed the pan and said, "Our family can't compare to emperors, but as long as we don't mind the trouble, we can change the menu daily without any issues."

Deng Yunzhen placed the plate of spicy crab on the dining table and said, "That would be too much trouble. Having about ten dishes to rotate is already quite good."

Deng Shirong laughed, "Now, many families in the countryside can't even afford meat. They eat the same few vegetables and pickles every day, living very frugally. The difference between people is so stark; some suffer from drought while others from floods."

Deng Yunzhen nodded in agreement, "That's true. Even closer to home, in Brother Jie's village, many families still hesitate to eat meat. If it weren't for Dad leading everyone to prosperity, our village wouldn't be much better off either."

Deng Shirong chuckled and then poured oil into the already heated pan, preparing to fry some large shrimp.

Although Deng Yunzhen had mastered many dishes and could cook them quite well, she still had a gap compared to her father. Therefore, she always liked to stand by and watch whenever he cooked.

Once the oil was hot, Deng Shirong added the large shrimp, which had been prepped and dried, into the oil to fry. The shrimp had been slit open along the back, and when fried, they blossomed like flowers, not only improving in color but also in appearance.

After frying for about one to two minutes, Deng Shirong scooped out the shrimp and let the oil heat up again before adding them back for a second fry.

Once the shrimp were cooked to the right degree, he scooped them out again, poured the oil into another container, and left a bit of oil in the pan. He then added minced ginger, garlic, and scallions, along with a suitable amount of oyster sauce and soy sauce, a small amount of sugar to enhance the flavor, and a splash of white wine along the edge of the pan. Finally, he added the fried shrimp and stir-fried them over high heat until evenly coated, then served them.

The shrimp, thus prepared, were fragrant and absolutely delicious.

After plating, Deng Yunzhen, holding the beautifully presented shrimp, sighed, "Dad, your skills are really top-notch. Even though I follow the same steps, I can never quite get the timing right to achieve the same smooth and effortless result."

Deng Shirong smiled, "Practice more and think it through. With more experience, you'll naturally get better."

Next, Deng Shirong continued to prepare other seafood dishes. By the time the last dish, steamed mud crabs, was ready, Zhu Junjie returned with his guests.

The guests Deng Shirong had invited were none other than Song Yu's father, the current county chief of Bobai County.

His eldest son-in-law was currently a relatively low-ranking vice-county chief, and it was rare for the county chief's daughter to have such a good relationship with his son. It would be foolish not to take advantage of this connection.

After exchanging greetings, they washed their hands and took their seats to start the meal.

Seeing the table full of beautifully presented seafood, Song's father politely said, "Uncle Ninth, you've gone to a lot of trouble to prepare all these dishes."

Deng Shirong laughed, "It's just a few dishes, no trouble at all."

Zhu Junjie quickly poured wine for the guests and his father-in-law, while Deng Yunzhen helped serve the soup.

As they started eating, Song's father praised, "Uncle Ninth, your skills are really excellent. I've eaten many meals prepared by chefs, but none have made the seafood as delicious as you do."

Zhu Junjie smiled and agreed, "My dad's cooking is truly top-notch."

"Enjoy as much as you like. Seafood is best when freshly cooked; it doesn't taste as good the next day."

"Such a delicious meal, I won't hold back."

As they spoke, everyone dug in, savoring the food with great enjoyment.

Given the close relationship between their children, it was inevitable that they would talk about their kids.

Song's father sighed, "My daughter, Xiaoyu, is great in every way, but she's not very proactive about her marriage. She's almost thirty, and there's no sign of a relationship. It's really worrying us."

Deng Shirong said, "She should indeed be more proactive. With her busy work schedule, she may not have much time to look for a partner. Plus, as a leader, finding a suitable match isn't as easy as it is for ordinary people. As parents, you can help her look!"

Song's father shook his head, "It's difficult. Two years ago, I personally went to Nanning to visit an old leader and asked his wife to help find a match. She did find two candidates, but after some time, nothing came of it. Who knows what kind of person she's looking for?"

Deng Shirong pondered, "Xiaoyu is highly educated and a section-level official. Finding someone who matches her perfectly is indeed challenging. But no matter how difficult, you must help her. Otherwise, time will pass, and it will only get harder."

Song's father said, "I understand that, but it's hard to find a suitable match here in the county. Uncle Ninth, if you know of anyone suitable, please introduce them."

Deng Shirong looked at his eldest son-in-law, "Jie, do you know any suitable comrades?"

Zhu Junjie shook his head, "I have a good friend who hasn't married yet, but he's only a company-level officer and not very well-educated. He doesn't match up to Song District Chief, who graduated from Peking University."

Song's father sighed, "That's what worries me. Her admission to Peking University was a good thing, but now it's a hurdle in her marriage."

Deng Shirong responded, "I'll keep an eye out. If I find someone suitable, I'll introduce them."

"Thank you, Uncle Ninth. This girl's marriage has become a real headache for us."

"Don't be too formal. Whether we can find the right person, we'll have to see."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end