From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

Xu Chunliang went straight for the jugular, slashing Jiang Zhiming’s HP bar to zero. The hell are you acting tough with me for? Borrowing the tiger’s might? Trying to use Wang Jianming’s aura to press me down? Throwing attitude at me, you’re clearly treating me like some imaginary rival. I’m not the least bit interested in your position. If I were, wouldn’t it already be in my pocket?

Jiang Zhiming got even more embarrassed, nodded and said, "It’s Secretary Wang." He could feel his heart beating faster; in front of Xu Chunliang he no longer had any advantage to speak of.

Xu Chunliang said, "Go on, what did you come to me for?"

Jiang Zhiming steadied his emotions and told him the reason he’d come.

Xu Chunliang laughed and said, "Just this little thing? You could’ve just called me. No need to make a special trip."

Jiang Zhiming said, "Secretary Wang’s request."

Xu Chunliang said, "Now that you mention it, I kind of remember. When I was eating at Brother Jianming’s place the other day, he brought it up with me."

Jiang Zhiming felt completely undone. Xu Chunliang was obviously saying that on purpose for him to hear. Could be bragging, sure, but what if it’s true? Secretary Wang inviting him over to eat at home—that kind of relationship isn’t ordinary. If he’s competing with me, I definitely don’t stand a chance.

Xu Chunliang looked at the now totally deflated Jiang Zhiming, thinking to himself that this guy was a textbook case of mistaking platform for ability. You want to act like a big shot, at least wait until you’ve secured the seat. I originally didn’t want to fight you for that secretary job, but seeing you looking like this, keeping you at Secretary Wang’s side won’t be any help. Sooner or later you’re going to pull some stunt of deceiving your superiors and fooling everyone’s eyes. For Dongzhou’s sake, I can’t let someone like you stay by Wang Jianming’s side.

Xu Chunliang mulled it over. Going to Weishan Island? Sure. Arrange for Qin Zhengyang to give a good performance, and I’ll help fan the flames from the side. This opportunity should go to Qin Zhengyang.

If Qin Zhengyang becomes Secretary Wang’s secretary, it’ll be a huge boost for my work going forward.

Right now Jiang Zhiming already regretted making this trip. If he’d known that Xu Chunliang had zero interest in the secretary position to begin with, but because of this meeting had sprouted the thought of taking him down, he’d never have come in person no matter what.

Xu Chunliang didn’t even pour him a glass of water. He glanced at Jiang Zhiming and said, "Anything else?"

Jiang Zhiming shook his head.

Xu Chunliang lifted his wrist and looked at his Rolex Daytona. "I’ve still got a meeting later, so I won’t see you out."

Jiang Zhiming got absolutely no face from today’s visit. He stood up with his tail between his legs and slipped away just as miserably.

As soon as Jiang Zhiming left, Yan Huaiyi came into the reception room, a bit nervous. "Secretary Jiang... left?"

Xu Chunliang nodded. "If he didn’t leave, was I supposed to keep him for dinner?"

Yan Huaiyi said, "What... what did he want with you?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Tomorrow he wants me to accompany Secretary Wang on a trip to Weishan Island and give an intro on the situation back then."

Yan Huaiyi said, "Could... could it be... he wants to promote you?" He really was a bit nervous. It hadn’t been easy to recruit this capable general, and he was reluctant to let him go.

Xu Chunliang chuckled. "I’m not going anywhere."

Xu Chunliang called Qin Zhengyang and informed him that Secretary Wang would be going to Weishan Island for an inspection tomorrow. Qin Zhengyang hadn’t received any notice yet; as soon as he heard, he got nervous.

Xu Chunliang told him not to be nervous, just do things as usual, and absolutely don’t put on any deliberately staged welcome activities. Although Xu Chunliang had only met Wang Jianming once, he could tell this man was fairly pragmatic. He probably doesn’t like formalities. If Qin Zhengyang fusses over surface work, it might actually backfire.

Qin Zhengyang also found it strange that Xu Chunliang had managed to build a connection with Secretary Wang this fast.

Xu Chunliang didn’t beat around the bush with him, and said in a low voice, "Secretary Wang is still short of a suitable secretary by his side. Interested?"

Qin Zhengyang’s heart was pounding. "Doesn’t Secretary Wang already have a secretary, that Jiang Zhiming? His writing’s pretty good."

Xu Chunliang said, "That guy’s no good. Secretary Wang definitely doesn’t think much of him. If you’re up for it, I can see what I can do for you."

Qin Zhengyang felt all sorts of emotions welling up. Xu Chunliang really was solid—something this good and he thought of him first. But he was still rational. Xu Chunliang might be capable, but who knows what his relationship with this Secretary Wang really is. In the past, Xu Chunliang could leverage Mei Ru Xue to help make things happen, but now they’ve broken up. Through whom can he still influence the new secretary’s choice?

Qin Zhengyang said, "Bro, I appreciate the gesture, but with stuff like this, better to let things take their own course."

Xu Chunliang laughed and said, "You think I don’t have that kind of ability?"

"No, I just don’t want you to go asking favors for my sake."

Xu Chunliang said, "It’s no trouble at all. Just wait for the good news."

The main reason Xu Chunliang wanted to help Qin Zhengyang was that Qin really did have the ability. In his view, if someone like Jiang Zhiming stayed by Secretary Wang’s side, he definitely wouldn’t do a good job, and might even cause trouble for Secretary Wang.

Qin Zhengyang understood the bigger picture, knew when to advance and when to retreat, and was someone who worked steadily and honestly, with grassroots experience. He should be able to win Wang Jianming’s appreciation.

Xu Chunliang called Ye Qingya and told her his idea. After she returned to Capital City she had already called him, asking whether he’d thought it through and was ready to let her recommend him to Wang Jianming as secretary. Xu Chunliang had already politely refused. He was someone who liked his freedom and didn’t like bowing and scraping. No matter how wise the leader, there’s still the superficial politeness to be done. Letting him do this kind of serving-people job, he definitely wouldn’t be happy.

Ye Qingya had met Qin Zhengyang. Although she didn’t know him well, she felt that anyone recommended by Xu Chunliang couldn’t be wrong. Xu Chunliang asked her to wait until after Wang Jianming went to Weishan Island for an inspection before making that call, so Wang Jianming could at least have an impression of Qin Zhengyang first.

Ye Qingya told Xu Chunliang not to hang up yet, then handed the phone to her grandfather.

On the other end came Elder Ye’s voice: "Chunliang, you little rascal, how come you haven’t come to see me for so long?"

Xu Chunliang hurriedly called him Grandpa and explained that he had just taken over a new job and had indeed been quite busy lately, but he would be going to Capital City at the end of the month and would definitely come pay his respects then.

Elder Ye said, "I have a friend here who wants to say a couple of words to you."

Xu Chunliang thought to himself, could Elder Ye’s friend be Elder Qiao? He and Elder Qiao really didn’t have much to talk about now.

"Chunliang!" Hearing the voice on the phone, Xu Chunliang realized that Elder Ye’s friend was actually his own grandfather.

Although Xu Chunliang knew his grandfather was also in Capital City, he was very curious how his grandfather ended up being with Elder Ye.

Xu Changshan told his grandson that Elder Ye had specially sent someone to pick him up and invited him over as a guest, saying they were all Xu Chunliang’s grandfathers, all one family, so this time they had to meet.

Xu Chunliang guessed this was all arranged by Ye Qingya. When she came to Dongzhou, he had casually mentioned his grandfather being in Capital City visiting friends. He had thought Qingya didn’t pay attention to such outside matters, but it turned out her mind worked in such a delicate way.

On the phone, Xu Changshan didn’t say much. In fact, he hadn’t wanted to bother the Ye Family, because his previous meeting with Elder Qiao hadn’t been pleasant. Elder Qiao had been very warm in his manner, but Xu Changshan could still feel that Elder Qiao was rather indifferent when it came to the children’s relationship issues. In Xu Changshan’s view, the real reason the two kids broke up was still the difference in social class.

The Ye Family was in the same class as the Qiao Family. If Elder Ye hadn’t warmly invited him over and sent Ye Qingya to pick him up personally, Xu Changshan wouldn’t have made this trip.

But he hadn’t expected that once he came, the Ye Family would treat him so warmly, and that Elder Ye would be so approachable.

On the phone, Xu Changshan only told his grandson that he was very happy in Capital City and had gained Elder Ye as a new chess partner. The two of them even practiced the Five-Animal Exercises together.

Xu Chunliang felt a warm glow in his heart. The Ye Family was doing the right thing in this matter: respecting his family was the greatest respect they could give him. Just for Elder Ye’s approach, he didn’t feel wronged recognizing this grandfather.

Early the next morning, Xu Chunliang went to Weishan Island. He had already told Jiang Zhiming that he’d go directly to Weishan Island and wait, and didn’t want to follow the city’s inspection team, since he was now with the Infectious Disease Hospital.

When he arrived at the Weishan Island pier, Zhang Haitao was already waiting in Xianhong Farm’s Q7. Although Xu Chunliang had left the Culture and Tourism Bureau, the national-level resort construction command center hadn’t been disbanded. Considering Zhang Haitao’s local connections, the bureau had kept him on. Zhang Haitao hadn’t let Xu Chunliang down; he was doing the work very earnestly.

When he heard that Xu Chunliang was coming today, Wang Jinwu had originally planned to pick him up, but something suddenly came up at the farm, so he just informed Zhang Haitao, and Zhang hurried over in the farm’s car.

When he saw Xu Chunliang, Zhang Haitao’s nose actually stung a little; he was a bit emotional. "Director Xu, I’ve always wanted to come see you, but I was afraid you wouldn’t be willing to see me."

Xu Chunliang laughed. "Why wouldn’t I be willing to see you? It’s not like I did anything shameful."

Zhang Haitao quickly went to open the car door.

Xu Chunliang got in and told him to take him to the town government first. Although he hadn’t been away from Weishan Island that long, the island had changed a lot. For one thing, the roads were mostly finished and cleaner, and all the construction sites had put up fences.

Xu Chunliang told Zhang Haitao that the new Party Secretary was coming today. Luckily he’d arrived early; otherwise, driving this car over to pick him up would’ve been way too flashy. And also, don’t call him Town Mayor Xu anymore. His position had changed; he was no longer the deputy mayor of Hu Shan Town. It was fine to use that title in private, but saying it in public wasn’t appropriate.

Zhang Haitao changed his address to Director Xu and briefly summarized the recent big events in Hu Shan Town. Not only was the Healthy Elderly Care Hospital going up at an astonishing pace, but the Da Heng Hot Spring Town had also resumed construction. That side was a bustling scene of building as well. After Mingde Group’s funds were put in place, Da Heng’s theme park also sped up construction. Some of the water projects had already been installed and were undergoing safety testing. According to the plan, they were striving to open to the public by the end of July. The construction of the national-level resort had finally gotten back on track.