Chapter 6: Life is a Gamble

  After staying at Yang Daqing's house for about an hour, Qin Aimin finally came down with a worried face.

  Looking at Qin Aimin's somewhat dejected back, Yang Daqing's wife, who was standing at the door with Yang Daqing to see Qin Aimin off, suddenly turned to Yang Daqing and said: "This young man is quite good. Although it's a good thing for him to be deputy head of the township, will putting him in charge of family planning harm him? We mustn't let one good thing lead to trouble."

  Yang Daqing didn't even look at his wife, turned around and went back into the house. After sitting down on the sofa inside, he spoke up: "If it wasn't for me, I would have already quit. I would definitely arrange a more stable path for him. He is absolutely the most promising one in our Dashigou village over the past decade or so. He has culture, skills, and no pedantic or pretentious air about him. At the same time, he knows how to get along with people. What a rare find!"

  "I've noticed that too, but I'm worried that this time the deputy county head position will actually harm him. You've been a good person for so many years, helping so many people, don't let it end up causing you to make a big enemy just as you're about to retire." Yang Daqing's wife said with some concern.

  As for his wife's words, Yang Daqing was also uncertain in his heart and thought for a long time before responding: "I'm not doing this because I want to, am I? If he doesn't go up this time, then it can only wait until I step down. At that time, not only will he delay for one or two years, but this favor will also not be owed to me."

  "Wait a minute," Yang Daqing continued, "But if everything goes smoothly, he takes half a step forward this time, and when I retreat, I can completely help him take another half step forward, by then..."

  Qin Aimin walked out of Yang Daqing's house with his head down, unaware of the conversation that followed. From the moment he left Yang Daqing's house, he had been constantly calculating the gains and losses in his heart.

  He is now twenty-three years old, and after the New Year he will be twenty-four. According to his understanding of officialdom in the past six months, promotion sometimes really depends on a single step, and sometimes a good age limit is too important.

  And this time, the deputy head of the family planning office is an opportunity that is absolutely difficult for him, a newcomer who has been working for less than half a year. Otherwise, following the regular promotion path, he would have to stay in the position of deputy director of the county finance bureau for at least two or three years, and after two or three years, it depends on whether there is a suitable position available. If not, he would still have to sit in the deputy director's position for another period of time.

  Back at the hostel, lying on the still warm bed, Qin Aimin couldn't sleep no matter what. His mind kept replaying every word Yang Daqing had said, especially the part about the village head position after he stepped down.

  Wealth and power can move people's hearts, and official positions are even more so. If one becomes the head of a township before the age of 30, then becoming the secretary of the township party committee is just around the corner. And if one becomes the secretary of the township party committee at the age of 30, as long as luck is not too bad, in this official arena where seniority is valued, even with the effort of a wife who has become a mother, one can still work their way up to becoming a county standing committee member. This is precisely Qin Aimin's dream goal nowadays.

  The next morning, Qin Aimin, who had not slept all night, took the first bus from the county town to Dashixiang with two red eyes. Taking advantage of the cold weather and few people going out, Qin Aimin moved two cartons into his dormitory like an underground party member.

  Just as he had pushed two cartons into the room, the door suddenly creaked open, and the sound almost gave Qin Aimin a fright, who was taking himself for an underground party member.

  As he opened the door, it turned out to be Luo Tianlin, the deputy director of the county party committee office.

  "Xiao Qin, have you received the news? The village is planning to let you take over Li Xiangzhang's position."

  Looking at Luo Tianlin's expression as if the sky was about to fall, Qin Aimin, who hadn't slept and was a bit dispirited, and had just been startled by the knock on the door, couldn't help but respond with an unusual tone: "Luo Ge, who told you this?"

  Luo Tianlin, although he had been in Dashixiang for over a decade and was only a deputy director, was also very knowledgeable. As soon as he heard Qin Aimin's tone, he chimed in: "You know? Then why don't you quickly think of a way to get out of it? Are you eyeing that deputy township head position? Little Qin, let me tell you, since our township implemented family planning, not once has the deputy township head in charge of population control become the township head."

  Luo Tianlin is the best local cadre in Dashixiang who got along with Qin Aimin after he came to Dashixiang. Although they are about ten years apart in age, they get along exceptionally well. In the past six months, because Qin Aimin was single and alone in Dashixiang, Luo Tianlin would often invite him to his home for a few drinks every now and then. It can be said that Qin Aimin's understanding of many things on the official scene came from Luo Tianlin.

  "You don't think about it, if this position is good to sit in, how can you, a newcomer who has been here for less than half a year, get the chance? Don't think that just because of Jinshui Bridge's stupid idea, you, as the deputy director, can directly jump over the director and become the deputy head of the township. Those directors of various departments are all eyeing the positions of deputy head and deputy secretary, do you really think that your little achievements can surpass theirs?"

  Lu Tianlin spoke hastily, his tone seemingly a bit heavy, but after hearing this speech, Qin Aimin couldn't help but feel a few points of emotion. If it weren't for yesterday's conversation with Yang Daqing, he would have agreed without hesitation to Lu Tianlin's suggestion and thrown the deputy head of family planning far away.

  After some thought, Qin Aimin looked at the door outside and finally said in a low voice: "Luo Ge, if I don't take this deputy township position, when can I make further progress?"

  Luo Tianlin thought for a moment, "After next year, Secretary Yang will retire in a year. If nothing unexpected happens, Director Yu will definitely move up further, and the vacant position of director may also be selected from several deputy secretaries and deputy directors. At that time, you as a university student will definitely have the opportunity to take another step forward."

  "What position does Naruo think I will be promoted to?" ?? First published on Lu Suisuo 6

  Luo Tianlin has been working in Dashixiang for over a decade, and although he is still only the deputy director of the party and government office, he naturally understands the promotion of this small officialdom in the township very well.

  "By all accounts, as a university student, you wouldn't have offended anyone or made any big mistakes, so it's unlikely that you would end up in one of those powerless and idle positions. The most likely possibilities are that you would be the director of the party and government office or the head of the finance department, after all, you are a genuine deputy department level official."

  Qin Aimin is an undergraduate, according to the allocation policy of Kaihe City this time, all university students allocated to rural areas are deputy department-level cadres. This is also to enable university students to better settle in the grassroots and serve rural areas, benefiting the broad masses of peasants. However, even so, among the 12 university students who were assigned to Kaihe Village with Qin Aimin, it is said that seven people could not bear the working environment in rural areas and thought of ways to return to the city within half a year, including four who were originally from rural areas and were rural scholars.

  "Brother Luo, then you tell me, if this time I'm not willing to take on the deputy township head position, how many more years will it take for me to reach this step?"

  Facing Qin Aimin's question, Luo Tianlin was taken aback at first, then asked Qin Aimin with a deep thought: "Xiao Qin, have you considered it carefully? Although it takes five or six years to become the deputy head of the town following the normal route, it is stable after all. This opportunity is rare, but the risk is too high. What if you also fall down?"

  Qin Aimin smiled, after deep thought, Qin Aimin had actually made up his mind. In the official circle, sometimes a little adventurous spirit is needed. Opportunities are rare, and risks often come with opportunities. The higher the risk, the greater the opportunity. Otherwise, good things wouldn't fall into one's own hands.

  "Brother Luo, what if I become the director of the Party and Government Office in a year? Wouldn't that block your way?"

  Facing Qin Aimin's words, Luo Tianlin also knew that Qin Aimin had made up his mind and didn't say much more. He just smiled and cursed: "Even if you don't block my way, I won't get that position anyway!"