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Chapter Eighty-Three: The Spring of He Jun
In March in the north, although it is still quite cold, everything is beginning to revive. The streets of the county town are bustling with pedestrians again; elderly people and children are helping each other as they stroll, while office workers have shed their heavy winter clothing. The roadside trees have sprouted tender buds, adding a splash of color to the somewhat grayish world. On the less crowded roadside, vendors with their hands tucked into their sleeves are energetically calling out to passersby, their eyes darting around to observe the people walking by.
Just as people are marveling at the vibrant signs of spring, He Jun's own spring arrives as well. After Wang Guodong was taken away by the Disciplinary Committee for investigation, there has been no news. He Jun has been eagerly awaiting the outcome while also hoping that a principled director would be appointed from above. That way, Beilan County would truly experience spring, and He Jun's years of acquired skills and experience would finally come into play.
However, things took an unexpected turn for He Jun. Last night, a friend from the city called him to reveal potential personnel changes. It was said that He Jun might be appointed as the director.
He Jun was incredulous and asked his friend over the phone, "How could it possibly be me? Isn't it traditional for directors to come from other places?"
His friend laughed and replied, "You’ve hit the jackpot this time. They originally wanted to transfer someone from the city, but there was a dispute over the candidate. Each side wanted to install their own person, and in the end, they reached a compromise that resulted in you being promoted from deputy director."
"Why me?" He knew that he wasn't the only deputy director. If it were due to his capabilities, that clearly wouldn’t suffice.
His friend chuckled, "Because you don’t belong to any faction." Although brief, this answer struck at the heart of the matter. He Jun immediately understood that his appointment as director was a result of upper-level maneuvering aimed at maintaining neutrality.
Sure enough, on the morning following his friend's call, an announcement was made regarding his appointment. He Jun was officially promoted to Director of the Beilan County Public Security Bureau—a legitimate leader.
As he took on the role of director, He Jun was overwhelmed with excitement; he never expected that in middle age he would finally realize his dream from graduation. After taking his oath of office, He Jun immediately launched sweeping reforms, starting with dismissing a group of temporary workers hired during Wang Guodong's tenure who had caused significant issues. Of course, to facilitate his work, He Jun appointed several comrades who had always assisted him to key positions. Wang Hailong and others were glowing with pride as their status within the bureau soared.
As for those followers of Wang Guodong during his directorship, He Jun did not take action against them; he merely issued a few warnings here and there. This surprised everyone and helped calm those who were anxious. For those who had past grievances with He Jun, he held discussions with each one individually. Ultimately, all comrades at the Beilan County Public Security Bureau—whether out of genuine goodwill or self-interest—were willing to unite closely around He Jun and contribute their efforts toward making Beilan County a Provincial Civilized City. Looking around, the Beilan County Public Security Bureau was full of vitality.
He Jun's promotion news reached Zhang Qiu two days later when she went to her grandmother's house for dinner. This meal was also a celebration for her uncle's promotion. Her grandfather, being a soldier, was very excited about his son becoming Police Chief Wang Guodong and declined an invitation to celebrate at a restaurant. Instead, he cooked personally and spent the entire morning preparing a lavish feast that left Zhang Qiu drooling.
At the dining table, the protagonist He Jun was particularly happy, his face blooming with smiles. Whenever someone asked about matters in the bureau, He Jun would patiently explain over and over again. His uncle, who usually rarely drank, had opened four bottles of beer that evening. Zhang Qiu looked at his uncle's joyful demeanor and felt a deep sense of satisfaction. It was truly a happy occasion that his uncle could realize his dreams. Zhang Qiu couldn't help but wonder when he would be able to achieve his own dreams.
His uncle's enthusiastic storytelling also opened up Grandfather's memories, and Grandfather began to share stories from his days during the Vietnam War against America. "Those American planes were dropping bombs one after another, it was ruthless. We used anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, many set up together, firing in unison, shells flying up like spiders. If those American planes came in close, there was no escape," Grandfather recounted, gesturing with his hands. "The shells were this long and this thick; no one could move them. When an American plane got hit, they would parachute down holding a white flag that had 'surrender' written in Chinese on it..."
As Grandfather became more animated in his storytelling, he seemed to overshadow everyone else at the table. Seeing his uncle get up, Zhang Qiu followed suit to express his sincere congratulations privately. He Jun smiled as he tightly grasped Zhang Qiu's hand for a while. Though no words were exchanged, both understood the meaning behind the gesture.
After the gathering concluded, He Jun reminded Zhang Qiu: "Study hard and don't cause trouble. Now that I am becoming Police Chief Wang Guodong, I aim to be a good chief who upholds the law and protects the people. Even if you make mistakes, I will still have to arrest you."
Zhang Qiu laughed and replied, "Of course! I wouldn't want my uncle to be another Wang Guodong. I support you; keep it up!" Zhang Qiu extended his palm.
He Jun chuckled like a child as he high-fived Zhang Qiu. Afterwards, He Jun patted Zhang Qiu's shoulder with satisfaction, secretly thinking that his nephew would surely become someone capable of achieving great things in the future.
"Uncle, how did Wang Guodong end up?" Zhang Qiu wanted to know the final outcome for Wang Guodong; this incident was one of the most significant events he had been involved in since birth and held great meaning for him. He even thought about telling this story to his children when he grew old.
He Jun replied, "He was transferred to the tax bureau."
"Ah?" Zhang Qiu exclaimed in surprise. "Was all that exposure just a transfer?"
He Jun smiled and patted Zhang Qiu's shoulder again, saying, "Remember, not everything needs a definitive outcome; as long as you get what you want, that's what matters."
Zhang Qiu couldn't quite grasp the meaning of this statement at that moment and simply nodded in confusion. Regarding Wang Guodong's handling of the situation, He Jun felt it was light; he had specifically asked a friend in the city who had congratulated him earlier. It turned out that some people in the city believed Wang Guodong still had considerable ability and shouldn't be held accountable for minor mistakes. Because of this perspective, Wang Guodong didn't face severe punishment but merely had to leave.
He Jun didn't care much about this; anyone with clear eyes could see that Wang Guodong's time had passed. In this territory moving forward, it would belong to He Jun. Previously without power, now with authority, He Jun was confident he would turn around all the negative influences from Wang Guodong's tenure.
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