At the township committee office, Tian Jialiang and Kou Daibang sat facing each other, both silently puffing on cigarettes. Neither wanted to be the first to speak. The awkward tension stemmed from yesterday’s county meeting.
As usual, after the county-wide review, Linshan Township once again placed dead last. The bottom of the barrel. The eternal underachiever.
“What now?”
“Kou, I’ve thought it through. We can’t let Linshan stay like this forever. At this rate, we’ll die of old age in this godforsaken place.”
“I’ve got nothing left,” Kou sighed. “We’re stuck. What can we even develop? No resources, no energy, nothing. I really don’t know what else to do.”
“But we have to change something! You’re the township chairman, in charge of our economic affairs. Sure, I’m partly responsible too, but you’re the one holding the reins.”
Tian Jialiang was clearly irritated, and his words didn’t bother with politeness.
“What’s that supposed to mean? You think I don’t want development?” Kou’s voice spiked. “Tian Jialiang, if you’re so damn good, why are you stuck here too? You’re the top dog of Linshan, what have you done, huh? And now you’re pointing fingers at me?”
The two of them exploded into a full-blown shouting match right in the office. Neither would back down, so eventually they stormed off in opposite directions, fuming.
Back in his office, Kou Daibang yanked off his tie and flung it onto the sofa. He huffed like an angry rooster fresh out of a fight.
“Uncle Kou! Who ticked you off? Tell me, and I’ll take care of them for you!”
“Get lost! What the hell are you doing here? Go find somewhere cool and quiet to play!”
Seeing Ding Chuansheng poking his head in only made Kou more annoyed.
“Uncle, calm down, getting mad’s bad for your liver! I actually came to deliver some good news. That thing? It’s taken care of!”
“What thing?” Kou asked gruffly.
Ding Chuansheng glanced around, then closed the door and approached.
“Uncle Kou, come on, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already? That matter with Dian Eru!”
“Huh? It’s handled?”
“Yep, nothing to worry about anymore. And guess what? I’ve got even better news—something I know you’ll love.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about Secretary Tian. Want to hear it?”
Everyone has ambitions.
Before, Ding Chuansheng was just looking for a steady gig, a place to park his butt and earn a meal. But ever since he got that million yuan from Uncle Long, his whole mentality shifted. He couldn’t forget that morning he left Bangyu Village, standing atop the mountain and shouting to the sky that he would live an extraordinary life.
He didn’t care who Yang Jintao really was anymore. Didn’t care if she was pure, or if she had a kid. Sure, she was still a goddess in his heart, but now he understood—some people were simply beyond his reach. He thought of Uncle Long’s cold, steely eyes and shivered.
Money doesn’t equal status—that’s been true in China for thousands of years. Back then, no matter how rich a merchant was, he still couldn’t hold a candle to a dirt farmer in terms of social rank. Nowadays, there are plenty of rich people, but one slip in front of power, and poof—they’re wiped clean.
So no, wealth doesn’t mean power.
“This money is my ladder. I’ll use it to build a bridge to the top,” Ding Chuansheng thought to himself. But he wasn’t investing in businesses—he was investing in relationships.
“What did you say? Which Secretary Tian?” Kou Daibang asked, confused.
“Who else?” Ding Chuansheng pointed upstairs.
“Kid, don’t stir up trouble. That guy’s out of your league,” Kou snapped. He was still salty from getting chewed out by Tian Jialiang.
“Uncle Kou, I’m serious! Just listen to me…” Ding Chuansheng leaned in and recounted everything he’d seen that night in Luojialing Village.
“You sure?” Kou squinted at him. The sharpness in his gaze made Ding Chuansheng’s heart skip a beat. Maybe he’d gone too far. Sure, he meant well, but… he forgot something: Kou Daibang had a little extracurricular fun of his own—and Ding had caught that too. Why did he always seem to stumble on leaders doing shady things? Was it just coincidence, or had he been watching them?
“Uncle, I’m 100% loyal to you! I haven’t told a soul.”
“You swear?”
“On my life.”
“…Alright then. But seriously—how come you’re always the one catching dirt on the higher-ups? You following them around or something?”
“Uncle Kou, that’s so unfair!” Ding Chuansheng whined. “I’m doing this for you! If you become Secretary of the Linshan Township Committee, I’ll be basking in your glory! I’ll be your loyal dog—whoever you say to bite, I’ll bite without blinking.”
Kou burst out laughing. “You little bastard, you’ve got guts! You might just go far. Keep it up—I won’t forget you.”
“Hehe, I’ll do whatever you say, Uncle!”
“Oh, and what about that Dian girl?”
“Uncle Kou, I might say something you won’t like—but hear me out.”
Kou nodded silently.
“Uncle, you’re on the rise right now. If you can get the secretary position, your future’s set. I don’t know what’s going on between you and her, but if she’s not coming to you anymore, maybe just… let it go. A little patience now will save you a lot of trouble later. Once you’re in power, you think there won’t be women lining up for you? Don’t be mad—I just want the best for you.”
Kou Daibang froze for a moment, then looked up at Ding Chuansheng, totally absorbed—so much so that he didn’t even notice his cigarette burning down. It wasn’t until the flame singed his fingers that he snapped out of it.
“You little punk… you actually make sense! There’s no sweeter ending than a peaceful breakup! Hahaha! Ding Chuansheng, you’re something else. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone to talk like this with. Hey, how about coming over for a few drinks tonight?”
“Whoa, really? That’d be awesome! I’ve never even met your wife! I’ll swing by after work, okay?”
Ding Chuansheng grinned and bowed before leaving.
Kou Daibang stared at the ceiling, muttering to himself, “Tian Jialiang… don’t blame me. Blame your dumb luck. Sneaking around like that and getting caught by this brat. Talk about bad timing.”
He let out a small laugh.
Ding Chuansheng—if used right—could be a real asset. On the path to power, you sometimes need a guy who knows how to play dirty. The more Kou thought about it, the more he felt this kid was worth grooming.