Ouyang Ming didn't expect Fang Yang to be in such a hurry. "July, there are less than five months left. Isn't this timeframe too rushed?"

"It's definitely urgent, but it's not unsolvable. As long as we pay attention to the materials and spend more money on environmentally friendly materials, we can still solve the problem. Besides, from a long-term safety perspective, using environmentally friendly materials is the best choice."

Ouyang Ming nodded. "If we use environmentally friendly materials, five months is more than enough time. To be honest, I'm actually hoping you can get things done sooner. The population dividend brought by the arrival of a large enterprise is indescribable by mere numbers. Even from a personal perspective, I hope you can come sooner. That way, I'll have someone to drink with on weekends. And frankly, I'd like to see what your hillside villa will look like."

Fang Yang smiled and said, "It's nothing. You're welcome to visit me anytime."

Ouyang Ming checked the time. "It's almost lunchtime. I'll call Zhou Hongguang and see if he's free to have lunch together. But we can't drink alcohol during work hours. There's a document from above that strictly prohibits drinking during work hours. We still have to follow the rules."

"I think it's fine to just eat in your canteen. I've never eaten in a government canteen before, so I'll try it out today."

Ouyang Ming nodded at Fang Yang, "Are you worried that I can't afford to treat you to a meal? We'll eat out, but we shouldn't drink alcohol. Actually, the cost of eating in the cafeteria and eating out is about the same, but I can treat you to a meal in the cafeteria by myself. It's not convenient for Mayor Zhou to sit at the same table."

Although Fang Yang was puzzled, Ouyang Ming did not explain why. After hearing that the call had connected, he said a few words to Zhou Hongguang and then hung up. "Mayor Zhou is still busy. We'll go over first."

Since it was a private dinner, Ouyang Ming didn't make a reservation at a grand hotel. Instead, he drove Fang Yang to a private restaurant in the suburbs. It was very private, which showed that Ouyang Ming was a regular customer and knew the place well.

Sitting in the private room, Ouyang Ming introduced to Fang Yang: "The owner here makes authentic local dishes, and the taste is absolutely amazing. He used to be the head chef at a high-end hotel, but now that he's getting old, he's returned to his hometown and opened a private kitchen here with a few apprentices. It's like he's finally returning to his roots."

Fang Yang wasn't surprised that Ouyang Ming could always find such private chefs. In his position, he would always receive various invitations to eat. As long as the food was good, even the most remote places would be discovered by these foodies. Besides, this wasn't some place detached from worldly affairs. Whenever a shop opened, it was inevitable that invitations would be sent to some people at the beginning to spread the word.

While Tian Xiaoyun arranged the dishes outside, she also left a private space for the two of them to talk. "Actually, I think the dishes made by a private chef like this are definitely better than those cooked in big hotels. Not only is the environment elegant, but the ingredients are also fresher."

Ouyang Ming laughed and said, "You're right. Relatively speaking, apart from work reasons, we prefer to eat at private kitchens like this. You know, no matter how careful you are in a big hotel, you're still under the spotlight, and there will always be people looking at you with a magnifying glass."

Fang Yang looked at Ouyang Ming's sentimental expression and laughed, "Looks like even you, the top leader of the municipal party committee, are having a tough time?"

"Mr. Fang, you know what, I can sum it up in one sentence—walking on thin ice! Every day I face all sorts of temptations, and I have to think twice before I take each step, afraid that if I make a mistake, I'll be doomed. To make matters worse, this is the provincial capital, and there are all sorts of people from the province and Beijing trying to get my way, which is hard to refuse. I'm doing a little better, but Lao Zhou is having a much harder time. It involves economic issues, and the slightest mistake could lead to big problems. Trying to navigate between not violating fundamental principles and protecting the interests of all parties is like dancing on a knife's edge. It looks glamorous, but there are always swords flashing around us."

"It seems that politics is a risky profession."

Fang Yang chuckled, not forgetting to tease Ouyang Ming a couple of times.

"Let's not talk about that. You came to West Lake right after the New Year. Is there something you need? I don't believe you would come all this way just to wish me a Happy New Year."

"Heh, nothing can be hidden from Secretary Ouyang. I did come here on business. The movie project has already been approved, and I was thinking of finding a few suitable people from the company's security team to play special forces soldiers in the movie. It should be a natural performance for them, so there shouldn't be any major problems."

Ouyang Ming listened with considerable interest, "You can act like this? So, if I ever get laid off, can I play a government official or something? That should be enough to support my family, right?"

"Who would dare to dismiss Secretary Ouyang? Do they have a death wish?"

As the voice spoke, Zhou Hongguang pushed open the door and came in, his face still showing signs of fatigue.

Ouyang Ming smiled and said, "Mayor Hongguang is here. Are you done with your business?"

Zhou Hongguang came up and shook hands with Fang Yang. "Secretary, you're very kind. Actually, it's the writers in the offices below who are busy. I just coordinated things. But things are going well. The first draft is finished. I took a look, and it's not bad."

Zhou Hongguang pulled a stack of A4 papers from his bag and handed them to Ouyang Ming. Seeing Fang Yang's bewildered look, he explained, "Isn't the government work report about to be presented? In government departments, this is a major event every year. A government work report must summarize the achievements of the past year and also look forward to the key points of economic development this year. Therefore, this report is particularly important. It has gone through several drafts, and it can't be finalized without seven or eight revisions. After that, it will be discussed by the Standing Committee until there are no problems. So we have been working overtime all this time. The 9-to-5 and 996 work schedules are nothing to us. The real description is that we treat women like men, and if men don't die from being used, we'll use them as hard as we can!"

Fang Yang opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end he only said one sentence: "So it turns out that you all have a glamorous exterior, but your inner lives are quite difficult."

Zhou Hongguang patted Fang Yang on the shoulder, "Didn't a great man say that fighting with heaven is endlessly joyful, fighting with earth is endlessly joyful, and fighting with man is even more joyful? Fight forever, and the life you live through fighting is endlessly joyful."

Fang Yang shook his head, his head aching at the mere mention of those words. He disliked competing with others and delegated most tasks to Yang Huajin. Fortunately, Yang Huajin was adept at navigating social situations, handling all sides smoothly and avoiding major problems. Then came the Yuehai Media incident, where Yang Huajin was ultimately powerless to intervene. Although he managed to resolve the situation with Fang Yang's influence, Yang Huajin's efforts couldn't be ignored. However, some things can't be resolved simply through effort alone; this involved a different level of struggle. As Zhou Hongguang said, "A struggle is a perpetual struggle, and the joy of a life forged through struggle is boundless!" Human history is, in essence, a history of unadulterated struggle!