Chapter 617: Chapter 588: Recruiting Troops and Horses

Mo Han’s long black eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings quivering in the spring breeze: "Are you aware that Tong Guangsheng plans to build a hotel on his farm?"

Xu Chunliang said, "I’ve heard something about it, but it doesn’t seem to be a competition for you. He’s in the hotel business, and you’re in the healthy elderly care hospitals—two completely different fields."

Mo Han replied: "It’s best if everyone can coexist peacefully."

##

This national cultural and tourism market management meeting marks the first grand appearance of the Dongzhou Culture and Tourism Bureau. Fu Guomin attached great importance to the meeting and attended personally. In selecting accompanying personnel, he chose an unconventional route by bringing two external assistants along with driver Xiaomeng.

Fan Lidada arrived at the complex entrance early, waiting in the cold wind for twenty minutes until he saw the gray GL8 from the Tourism Bureau. After the merger of the three bureaus, all vehicles were transferred under the unified allocation of the Culture and Tourism Bureau.

After the vehicle stopped steadily, Xiaomeng got out to help with the luggage. Xiaomeng was originally the Tourism Bureau’s driver and is familiar with Fan Lidada, smiling and greeting him: "Hello, Director Fan."

Fan Lidada coughed twice before Xiaomeng realized he had made a mistake in addressing him and quickly corrected himself: "Director Fan, please get in the car, just leave the luggage to me."

Fan Lidada got into the car, where Fu Guomin was already sitting, and smiled: "Old Fan, have you been waiting long?"

Fan Lidada said: "I just left the house. Actually, you didn’t need to pick me up. I could have gone directly to the bureau to meet everyone."

Fu Guomin replied: "It’s more convenient to come to your door, and besides, it’s on our way."

After Fan Lidada sat down, he asked: "Has Xiaoxu arrived yet?"

Fu Guomin said: "I asked him to wait at home. We’ll call him when we get close to the place."

Fan Lidada inquired about Xu Chunliang’s residence and, upon hearing he lived at Hidden Lake Villa, couldn’t help but marvel—it’s one of the top luxury areas in Dongzhou. Little did he expect the young man had such a prosperous family background.

After the car started, Fan Lidada couldn’t help but ask: "Director Fu, is there anyone else joining us?"

Fu Guomin shook his head and said: "No, it’s just the four of us."

Fan Lidada had an inkling of what it meant; Fu Guomin was planning to develop him as one of his confidants.

Fu Guomin opened his briefcase, pulled out a document, and handed it over.

Fan Lidada unfolded it to find it was an appointment letter, naming him Deputy Director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, overseeing cultural industries, tourism market, project construction, investment promotion, and talent introduction. He would be responsible for the bureau’s financial work, women’s federation, cultural industry work, and in charge of tourism market safety production, overseeing tourism and industry sections.

The document was dated yesterday, meaning the city had only just decided on his return to the Culture and Tourism Bureau. Fan Lidada was so excited his face turned red and he didn’t know how best to express his gratitude. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Fu Guomin said: "I recommended you to the city. Old Li and Old Xiao previously handled culture and relics; there’s no tourism expert, which is not ideal. You’re a veteran in the Tourism Bureau and have been in leadership for many years. Xiaoxu mentioned your exceptional work capability."

Driver Xiaomeng couldn’t help but want to laugh upon hearing this. Fan Lidada’s drinking skills are definitely outstanding; whether his work abilities are exceptional isn’t clear. Everyone in the old Tourism Bureau was just getting by, as Dongzhou wasn’t really a tourist city.

Fan Lidada said: "Director Fu, rest assured, I certainly won’t fail you." At last, a heart that had been hanging finally settled. All thanks to Xu Chunliang’s recommendation, there wasn’t that deep a connection between him and Fu Guomin.

Fu Guomin said: "The city leadership has given me a heavy load. They want to transform Dongzhou into a comprehensive tourism city within five years. You understand Dongzhou’s tourism environment better than I do; we’re at the bottom of the tourism income in Pinghai, let alone nationwide. Apart from Han culture, there’s hardly anything appealing here."

Fan Lidada sighed and said: "Dongzhou isn’t a tourism city; famous mountains and rivers, historical sites, we scarcely have any. At most, there’s the subsidence area left from coal mining, and a few small-scale Han tombs."

Fu Guomin said: "Hence, I plan to start by breaking through with Weishan Island, leveraging the construction of a national-level tourism resort to gradually grow and strengthen our Dongzhou tourism."

Fan Lidada replied: "You can count on me. Wherever you point, I shall go; I won’t let you down."

Driver Xiaomeng in front was listening and found this statement familiar. It seemed like Fan Lidada had said the same thing to the former director, Qin Xinli, before. Flattering the boss isn’t shameful; what’s shameful is wanting to and not being able to.

Xiaomeng stopped the car near Hidden Lake Villa’s gate, and before he could stabilize, a security guard ran over, signaling him to park further away to not affect the access of vehicles.

Xiaomeng was a bit annoyed, thinking he hadn’t blocked their entrance, so how was he affecting traffic?

Fu Guomin told him to back the car up a bit; there’s no need to debate with the security guard. This indicates the strict management of upscale communities.

Xu Chunliang emerged from the community with an old man beside him. Fan Lidada recognized him as Xu Changshan, Elder Xu. He hurriedly got out from the car.

Xu Changshan had a habit of morning exercise and knew his grandson was heading out for a meeting, so he accompanied him out.

Xu Chunliang saw Fan Lidada and Fu Guomin both coming out, smiled at his grandfather, and said: "Grandpa, I told you before that it doesn’t look good if people see us—everyone will think I haven’t grown up yet."

Xu Changshan said: "What’s wrong with seeing my grandson off?"

Fu Guomin and Fan Lidada approached to greet him, and Xu Changshan asked them to get into the car quickly and drive safely on the road.

The car drove a distance away, and Xu Chunliang looked back to see his grandfather still standing in place.

Fu Guomin said, "You truly have a great relationship with your grandfather."

Xu Chunliang replied, "It’s because Grandpa raised me."

Fu Guomin shared the news about Fan Lidada returning to the Culture and Tourism Bureau, and Xu Chunliang quickly congratulated him.

Fan Lidada was all smiles, verbally thanking Director Fu for his help, though in his heart, he truly wanted to thank Xu Chunliang. However, this wasn’t the right occasion to say so, but they would be spending a week together in the meeting, offering plenty of opportunities.

Fu Guomin said, "Xiaoxu, are you interested in joining our Culture and Tourism Bureau?"

Xu Chunliang chuckled, "I just got to Hu Shan Town not long ago; my seat isn’t even warm yet."

Fan Lidada added, "Chunliang, I think Director Fu’s suggestion is worth considering. With your ability, Hu Shan Town is too small; Dongzhou Culture and Tourism needs you."

He also hoped Xu Chunliang would come and work alongside him. Although Xu Chunliang hadn’t been in Hu Shan Town long, he had already brought Equatorial Capital to Weishan Island, driving out the stagnant Huayuan Group. Fan Lidada was self-aware enough to know he couldn’t elevate Dongzhou Culture and Tourism alone, but he believed Xu Chunliang could.

Fu Guomin said, "Working in Hu Shan Town isn’t incompatible with coming to the Culture and Tourism Bureau. To have a lasting career within the system, foundational experience is indispensable. I can’t move you from Hu Shan Town right now, but your personnel file can be transferred from Changxing to the Culture and Tourism Bureau. Your official status will be with the bureau, and you can continue serving as deputy mayor of Hu Shan Town. It’s just a change of sponsoring unit; think about it."

Fan Lidada said, "What’s there to think about? Opportunities like this are hard to come by."

Xu Chunliang jokingly said, "Brother Fan, you’ve been won over by Director Fu so quickly, and now you’re helping him persuade me."

They all laughed together.

Fu Guomin said, "I’m not trying to manipulate you. The Culture and Tourism Bureau has just been established, and we lack a fearless and determined leader. The development of Weishan Island is a key focus for the bureau at this time. If you join, I’ll ensure utmost freedom for you, and Old Fan and I will have your back whenever needed."

Xu Chunliang replied, "You’ve shown such great sincerity; if I refuse, it would seem quite ungrateful of me." He had realized that Fu Guomin’s attendance at this meeting was premeditated, using the opportunity to establish his own inner circle, with Fan Lidada on the leadership side of things and wanting to use his sharp skills for specific tasks.

One must admit, Fu Guomin was perceptive in recognizing talent. As the head of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, even he needed a solid support system to effectively manage such a large institution.

Having successfully secured two helpers, Fu Guomin felt quite pleased. Just as he was celebrating, his wife called, sounding visibly emotional. A woman looking after a child alone is bound to have feelings, and even for Fu Guomin, it wasn’t easy to placate her with a smile over such a long-distance phone call.

Xu Chunliang and Fan Lidada pretended they didn’t hear. Fan Lidada closed his eyes to rest, and Xu Chunliang, taking out his phone, sent Mei Ru Xue a kissing emoji.

Soon, Mei Ru Xue replied with a flying kiss.

"Safe travels." Mei Ru Xue knew he was heading to Nanwan for a meeting early in the morning. Although she wanted to see him off, she feared being noticed, understanding the constraints of institutional life.

Xu Chunliang replied, "Already missing you."

"Me too..."

The best thing about text messaging over voice calls is the freedom to express even mushy words without restraint. Mei Ru Xue wouldn’t easily reveal such feelings face to face.

On the other end, Fu Guomin hadn’t yet completed his emotional counseling work and promised to return to the Capital City right after the meeting.

With eyes still closed, Fan Lidada heard every word from the loudspeaker on Fu Guomin’s phone. He realized that his superior was similar to him, seemingly under his wife’s strict oversight.

Xu Chunliang typed quickly: "What do you think about me going to the Culture and Tourism Bureau?"

Mei Ru Xue replied, "Fu Guomin is recruiting tough hands."

Xu Chunliang couldn’t help but laugh. The term "tough hands" was quite fitting for his profile: "How about I head to the High-Tech Zone under Secretary Mei’s leadership?"

"I don’t like disobedient subordinates like you."

"I don’t listen to others, but how could I not listen to you? Whatever Secretary Mei asks, I’ll comply."

"Good boy!"

Mei Ru Xue sent him a kissing emoji.

In a moment of excitement, Xu Chunliang accidentally sent a racy picture, hastily retracting it, unsure if Secretary Mei saw it.

"I should get up and prepare for work."

Judging by this statement, Secretary Mei likely saw it.

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