Chapter 85 2/2

“She often exclaimed, asking me to look at the clouds in the sky, the circling birds, the vast fields, and the rows of poplar trees. Things that others were tired of seeing or ignored, were all beautiful things to her.”

“The line where the earth meets the sky is called the horizon. The sunlight slanted through the gaps in the poplar trees, creating distinct lines on the road, showing the Tyndall effect. She taught me all of this.”

“I experienced that special era, but I never felt any gloom. Just thinking about it, maybe it’s because I had a mom who loved life, she brought me so much laughter and sunshine. So much so that when I later talked to others about that era, I often wondered if we really experienced the same time period.”

The bicycles in the county town were obviously more numerous than in the town.

When they arrived at the county committee, Qiao Wei presented the secondment letter and introduction letter from the town committee to the message room, parked and locked the bicycle, and took Yan Xiang to find Secretary Huang.

They had seen each other before but had never spoken.

Secretary Huang said, “Is this your child?”

Yan Xiang didn’t need reminding from adults; he said, “Hello, Uncle,” himself.

He looked like a well-mannered child. Secretary Huang praised him, “Good boy.”

“Let’s settle the child first,” he said.

He called someone to take Qiao Wei to the kindergarten first.

The accompanying person gave the note written by the kindergarten secretary to the kindergarten, saying, “This is a comrade seconded here. During the secondment period, her child will also be placed here.”

Although the county town wasn’t a city, it was considered urban. Especially this was the government compound’s kindergarten, and the personal hygiene of the kindergarten teachers seemed much better than that of the military spouse kindergartens in the family compound.

But hearing that Qiao Wei was seconded from the town, the kindergarten teacher seemed a bit snobbish, muttering, “How come anyone who’s seconded can be sent here.”

Territorial discrimination was quite severe in this era. Before the popularization of television, the prevalence of Mandarin was also very low. Basically, everyone spoke with accents. You could tell whether they were locals or outsiders, urban or rural people, as soon as they spoke.

It was very convenient for discrimination.

City people looked down on rural people, and people from big cities looked down on those from small towns.

Just… because it was only a county, but because it was a government compound kindergarten, even the kindergarten teachers felt superior.

Qiao Wei smiled faintly.

“Teacher Wang, right? I’ll trouble you with Yan Xiang. But…” she spoke in standard Mandarin, “Although our child’s father is a regimental-level cadre, on par with Secretary Meng, Teacher Wang, please don’t spoil him. Our family does not allow our child to bully other children just because his father is in a higher position. If he behaves like that, please be sure to let me know, and I will discipline him properly.”

Yan Xiang looked up at his mother with a puzzled expression.

When did he bully other kids from other families? Did his mom get it wrong?

He wanted to speak, but his mom’s hand gently patted his head. There’s always some tacit understanding between mother and son, so Yan Xiang closed his mouth.

Teacher Wang was stunned by the phrase “on par with Secretary Meng.”

Secretary Meng, the county party secretary, the top leader of a county. This woman’s spouse was on par with Secretary Meng.

The more someone relied on their power to oppress others, the easier they were to be oppressed.

The more powerful someone was, the more they respected power.

Not to mention, Qiao Wei spoke in standard Mandarin, sounding as if she was from Beijing.

In an instant, she stood at the top of the disdain hierarchy.

“Is…is it a cadre’s family?” Teacher Wang hurriedly said, “You can rest assured, the child will definitely be well taken care of here. You can focus on your work.”

Qiao Wei nodded slightly. “I trust your work. Thank you, teacher.”

She wore the classic, never-wrong combination of a white shirt and green military pants. Nowadays, in the county town, this was the most fashionable.

At this moment, Teacher Wang’s sense of superiority disappeared completely. Only when she looked at the other person properly did she notice that their military messenger bag and canteen were obviously authentic and very new and clean. Unlike some people who had obtained old ones through connections.

Teacher Wang said, “No trouble, no trouble. Come on, little friend, your name is Yan Xiang, right? Come with the teacher.”

This conversation actually lasted only thirty seconds.

But the accompanying person standing beside them clearly felt the change in atmosphere.

He glanced at Qiao Wei, his mouth smiling, finding it very interesting.

After the child was settled, they went back to Secretary Huang’s office.

Secretary Huang said, “The secretary just finished a meeting. Go and see him.”

The meeting with Qiao Wei was arranged by Secretary Meng yesterday, not arranged by Secretary Huang himself.

Qiao Wei knocked on the door and entered.

The clerk who had accompanied her to the kindergarten approached Secretary Huang and told him about what had happened at the kindergarten gate.

“She’s quite something,” he chuckled. “She put little Wang in her place.”

People at that time were not familiar with the term “aura.” If they were, he would know that what he called “quite something” was actually a strong aura.

Secretary Huang frowned slightly. “Oh?”

Secretary Meng was very kind to Qiao Wei.

One reason was that this girl was talented, and the other reason was that she was a military spouse. Secretary Meng also came from the military, so he had a natural affinity for military families.

Her husband was also a war hero, Yan Lei, the youngest regimental commander in the military region. Not only was he a celebrity, but his future prospects were also very promising.

Secretary Meng said, “There’s a lot of work to do for the merger of the town and the county, and it’s also an opportunity for young people to shine. During this time, just focus on your work here.”

He said some encouraging words to Qiao Wei, and the meeting ended there.

“Your work, Secretary Huang, was arranged.”

Qiao Wei came out of the secretary’s office and went to find Secretary Huang. “…He said it’s up to you to arrange.”

Secretary Huang said, “Yes, then, Xiao Pan, you take Qiao Wei to the Propaganda Department.”

Qiao Wei was a broadcaster, originally under the Town Committee’s Propaganda Department. She herself thought it was only natural to be arranged in the Propaganda Department since she was loaned here. So, she didn’t feel anything unusual.

Xiao Pan was the clerk who had accompanied her to the kindergarten earlier.

He was slightly surprised but didn’t show it.

He belonged to the office.

In government agencies, there were many departments, and besides, there was a special department called the “Office,” which was an auxiliary department for leaders, playing a coordinating and organizing role between leaders and various departments.

Anyone who could survive in this department was no fool.

Qiao Wei was specifically named by Secretary Meng for this loan. It was different from the usual practice of randomly selecting people from subordinate units to be loaned for labor because they were too busy.

Originally, Xiao Pan thought Qiao Wei would be arranged in the office. Unexpectedly, Secretary Huang arranged for her to go to the Propaganda Department.

But naturally, Xiao Pan wouldn’t show anything in front of Qiao Wei. He smiled pleasantly and said, “Let’s go, we’re going to the Propaganda Department.”

After dropping off Qiao Wei and arranging things there, he came back and reported to Secretary Huang, “It’s been handed over to Section Chief Zhou.”

Secretary Huang nodded.

Secretary Meng only realized at noon that Qiao Wei hadn’t been arranged in the office.

He felt slightly puzzled.

Secretary Huang self-criticized, “I thought she was a pen pusher, so it’s more appropriate to put her in the Propaganda Department. Should I call her back?”

Secretary Huang was not wrong in what he said. Whether it was in the office or in the Propaganda Department, it wasn’t considered wrong.

But leaders avoided changing their decisions suddenly. The work done by the office represented the leader’s intentions.

Secretary Meng waved his hand, “No need, just leave her in the Propaganda Department.”

Young comrades were energetic, and doing a little more work was fine.