Chapter 7: I Have Returned!

Generally speaking, the Party Secretary controls appointments, while the Township Mayor controls the purse strings—this is the unspoken understanding shared by everyone. However, Wang Yunfei transferring someone without even offering a courtesy notice to Xu Guoli crossed the line.

In response to Wang Yunfei’s maneuver, Xu Guoli immediately transferred the person back, and to add insult to injury, he forcibly appointed Qin Feng as a deputy director—a title with no real authority. Xu did this simply to spite Wang.

Xu Guoli did not care whether a new college graduate was assigned to guard a reservoir or work in the Civil Affairs Office; he only wanted to use this incident to slap the Township Mayor on the wrist, reminding Wang Yunfei who was truly in charge and warning him not to overreach. As for the position of Deputy Director of the Civil Affairs Office, it was a redundant role created by the township itself, so Xu could decide its fate with a single word.

Hu Jiayun had already guessed how Xu Guoli would handle the situation—otherwise, she would not have deliberately gone to him to "make trouble"—but she had not expected Xu to make Qin Feng a deputy director.

Shortly after Qin Feng began walking toward the reservoir, a car pulled up behind him. It stopped beside him, and Xiao Liu from the Party and Government Office shouted, "Qin Feng, get in!"

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the township. You’ve been transferred back to the Civil Affairs Office. Get in now and come back with me." Xiao Liu’s attitude toward Qin was significantly more respectful than before.

"Transferred back again? Are you treating me like a monkey?" Qin Feng muttered, stunned. Over the past two days, his life had felt like a revolving lantern, constantly shifting and turning. He felt like a circus monkey being played with by others. What he did not know was that because of his minor affair, the top three leaders of Bishan Township had already clashed multiple times.

Xiao Liu drove Qin back to the township government building and led him into the Civil Affairs Office. The office was full. Yang Delin still had his feet propped up on his desk, a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he chatted idly. Everyone was surprised to see Xiao Liu walk in with Qin Feng, none more so than Yang Delin.

Yang put his feet down and demanded, "Why are you back? Get out!"

Qin Feng smiled and remained silent.

Xiao Liu spoke up, "Qin Feng has been transferred back to the Civil Affairs Office."

"What? Transferred back? Who the hell transferred him? What right do you have to bring him back? The Township Mayor personally ordered his transfer," Yang challenged.

"I certainly don't have that authority, but Secretary Xu personally ordered his return. What, do you have a problem with that? If you do, go tell the Secretary yourself!" Xiao Liu retorted. Upon hearing it was Xu Guoli’s doing, Yang Delin dared not say another word, his face flushing crimson.

"Furthermore, starting today, Qin Feng is now a Deputy Director of the Civil Affairs Office, just like you," Xiao Liu continued.

When those words were spoken, everyone in the office widened their eyes, including Qin Feng himself. Yang Delin was the most incredulous.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Him? A deputy director?" Yang felt as if he had heard the greatest joke on earth.

"Whether I'm kidding, you'll see when you read the official documents later," Xiao Liu said before walking out.

Yang Delin’s face turned from pale to red, a sight to behold.

"Deputy Director Yang, apologies, but I’m back. What was it you said before? That you'd take my surname? How should I address you from now on? Deputy Director Yang or Deputy Director Qin?" Qin Feng asked with a smile.

"You... you..." Yang’s face turned purple. Qin Feng’s return, coupled with his promotion to a position equal to his own, was the equivalent of being slapped twice in front of the entire office.

"You just wait!" Yang Delin said through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry, I’ve worked so hard to get back that I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here waiting for you every single day. Feel free to use whatever tricks you have left."

Yang Delin looked as if he might break his teeth from grinding them so hard, then strode out of the office.

"He’s definitely going to find the Township Mayor..."
"Of course. Which child doesn't run back to their mother after getting hit?"

The people in the office laughed and joked, the atmosphere suddenly quite lively. Yang Delin was a hooligan and a local bully whom no one dared to offend; he had forced his way into a village cadre position through intimidation. Eventually, due to the unique environment at the time, he leveraged his relationship with the then-Deputy Mayor—now Mayor—Wang Yunfei to become a government employee in the Civil Affairs Office.

Everyone in the government feared him, first because of his close ties to Wang Yunfei, and second because he was a thug—what sane person picks a fight with a thug? However, that fear was merely superficial; beneath the surface, everyone loathed him.

At that moment, Xiao Bo walked into the office. Seeing Qin Feng, he immediately wore a smile and asked with feigned concern, "Little Qin, you're back?"

When Yang Delin had transferred Qin to the nursing home the day before, Xiao Bo had just laughed it off. Qin Feng had seen through him then.

"Hello, Director!" Although Qin felt a deep disgust for Xiao Bo, he wasn't naive enough to show it.

"Good, good, good. It’s great you’re back. You’re a deputy director now; the Civil Affairs Office can’t function without you. Keep up the good work!" Xiao Bo patted Qin Feng’s shoulder intimately and then walked out with a chuckle.

Qin Feng sneered at Xiao Bo’s back. He didn't believe a single word the man said; in Qin’s heart, a hypocrite was far more detestable than a true villain. Xiao Bo’s attitude had done a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn simply because he had just received notice of Qin’s appointment, signed personally by Secretary Xu Guoli.

Just as Wang Yunfei finished a meeting and walked into his office, Yang Delin rushed in.

"Mayor, Xu Guoli has transferred that kid back again, and he even made him a deputy director."

"What?" Wang Yunfei exclaimed in utter shock.