Wei Wei looked around with a helpless expression. Having a lower position meant having no say, even if what you said was the truth.
This was a practical lesson for him. He used to be the agreeable type, but one time he stood his ground and, with the support of most colleagues, he still lost in the end. Local officials often have to defer to those in power; this is an eternal truth.
At this moment, staff member Xiao Li suddenly froze after hearing the words of Director Yang, the top boss.
Damn it, it seems I'm too late. What bad timing. The top boss, Director Yang, is such an idiot. I was so clear, yet he misunderstood me, and so ridiculously so.
He even came up with the opposite concept. This is simply outrageous.
Staff member Xiao Li anxiously signaled with his eyes and waved the newspaper in his hand. Wei Wei grabbed it and glanced at it, then chuckled.
Wei Wei read aloud, "Reporting to the Director, China People's Daily is heavily promoting Zhang Ji's Crayfish, calling on all regions to develop paths suitable for themselves based on local conditions. What is innovation? Developing new dishes and opening new industries are all innovation. Zhang Ji's Crayfish is specifically praised."
Guangtou Wei, true to his soldier background, roared out this sentence, and the conference room fell silent. No one expected this outcome.
Indeed, everyone hadn't read today's newspaper. Director Yang snatched the newspaper and started reading.
He never imagined that Zhang Ji's Crayfish could achieve such advertising, getting China People's Daily to promote it.
Times create heroes, and it is precisely so.
Damn it, before I even finished speaking, how do I smooth this over now? Director Yang's face instantly turned ashen.
This Xiao Li is truly muddled. He didn't mention such a big matter in advance. Someone is trying to frame me.
Upon entering, he didn't give me the newspaper immediately but instead gave it to Wei Wei, a subordinate official. This is an unforgivable mistake.
The key issue is what to do now. I don't have the courage to go against China People's Daily.
Director Yang's face stiffened, and he said, "We cannot dismiss everything outright. Since Deputy Director Wei and everyone else agrees to let Zhang Ji's Crayfish participate in the selection, then I announce that Zhang Ji's Crayfish will be the seventh exhibited food from Yangcheng."
Holy cow, that's a divine move. This Director Yang is also shameless; how can he say that so smoothly?
Everyone is observant and can see where the advantage lies. The crayfish has obvious advantages, but its disadvantages are equally prominent.
However, with China People's Daily, this should no longer be a problem. In this world, there is no perfect solution, and one cannot have everything.
Staff member Xiao Li sighed. He had tried to guard against everything, but in the end, he became the only victim on the scene.
The director will surely put me on his blacklist and find an opportunity to humiliate me. However, I don't need to worry too much. I still have Deputy Director Wei above me to take the hit.
"This Boss Zhang is not simple. He reacted so quickly. This is incredible influence. China People's Daily, it's generally very difficult to get featured in this newspaper, let alone reprinted. This is a once-in-a-millennium situation."
"Or maybe he's the one who discovered that crayfish can be used as food. You know, before, crayfish were only used as animal feed."
"You're right. I looked it up in the library. This crayfish is an invasive species. The Japanese brought it to China from abroad during World War II. At that time, it was a ornamental animal. Who knew it would reproduce so quickly and become the king of the fields and ditches, with virtually no natural predators, plus the sheer number of crayfish."
"Xiao Li, is that Boss Zhang still here? If so, please ask him to come up. Just ask casually if the materials and procedures he submitted for the report are complete."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Xiao Li immediately rushed back. Damn it, it seems that staff like me have the least status.
It can be said that I earn less than a dog and work harder than an ox.
I can't do anything about this foolish director. Moreover, I specifically came up to remind him, but instead, he directly dug himself into a hole, and I couldn't stop him.
What's wrong with me casually handing the China People's Daily to Deputy Director Wei? He is my direct superior.
When Xiao Li saw Zhang Tianxing, he couldn't help but give Zhang Tianxing a thumbs-up. "Boss Zhang, you're amazing. I won't say anything else, but at your age, there are very few people who can get featured in China People's Daily. You will surely achieve great things in the future."
"Then, can our Zhang Ji's Crayfish register for the selection?" Wen Qing asked the crucial question.
"You have no problems at all. During the vote, it was almost unanimously approved."
Hearing the words of staff member Xiao Li, Wen Qing jumped for joy. This way, she wouldn't have to find her father. She didn't want Zhang Tianxing to know her family background so early.
The purer their relationship, the better. That way, they can get along more naturally.
Gao Tianming undoubtedly knows my identity and always treats me with great respect. Unfortunately, he's not my type.
Wen Qing hates the ways of officialdom the most. She believes in discussing matters face-to-face and clearly.
In life, apart from life and death, everything else is a trivial matter.
Seeing Wen Qing so happy, Zhang Tianxing couldn't help but stare blankly. Words like "beauty like jade" felt inadequate to him.
Wen Qing at this moment was like a flower blooming on a cliff, proudly blooming alone on the mountaintop.
She attracted the gaze of the secular world, suitable for admiration from afar but not for close contact.
Having a period of life spent with a campus belle like her would always be a beautiful thing, no matter when.
However, Zhang Tianxing felt too young now. There are many beautiful women in this world. He should take things as they come and not get hung up on one person too early.
Director Yang let out a sigh of relief and muttered, "What kind of people are these? Submitting the crayfish is just to make up the numbers. First-year participants in the selection are basically just going through the motions, serving as a denominator."
What he said was not wrong, but that was an unwritten rule. There was no document stating that first-time participants couldn't win.
That would be too unfair to newcomers. The market emphasizes the accumulation of reputation and the establishment of a good reputation.
Only when people recognize a brand can its reputation be established and a solid foundation built.
Deputy Director Wei glanced at Director Yang and said firmly, "I don't care whether Zhang Ji's Crayfish becomes a denominator or not. I only care about one thing: I will do anything that is beneficial to the people, even if it ruins my future."
Wei Wei's righteous words almost made Director Yang choke. Good heavens, I suspect you're mocking me, but I have no evidence.
You are doing things that benefit the people, implying that I haven't done anything beneficial at all? What kind of attitude is this?
I am doing this for the overall honor of our Yangcheng County and to support the decisions of the county party committee and the county government. What does it matter if I suffer a little grievance? The key is not to make the leaders doubt my ability. I am quite capable, and I still want to share the worries of the organization, yet you mock me...