Two months later, Xie Wan officially took over Pang Ming's position and became the county magistrate of An County.
A few days after the news was announced, some enthusiastic citizens organized a gong and drum team and ran to the gate of the county government to beat gongs and drums.
This made Xie Wan, who was hosting a farewell banquet for Pang Ming in the county government cafeteria, very embarrassed.
The meal tonight is very good. Although it still consists of four dishes and one soup, the participants are no longer just a few members of the leadership team, but all the cadres who usually work in this county government office building.
A notice was posted in the cafeteria that the cost of this meal was paid out of the private pockets of several county governors and deputy county governors, and no public funds were used.
There were banners in the cafeteria. Before dinner started, Xie Wanxian went on stage and spoke a few words, emphasizing the contributions of County Magistrate Pang in serving the people over the years.
The audience burst into applause.
Whether it was true or false, Pang Ming was infected by the enthusiasm of his colleagues.
Pang Ming felt deeply moved when he looked at the young and high-spirited Xie Wan.
Once, like Xie Wan, he hoped to do more practical things for the people of An County, to help them have enough food and clothing, and to get rid of poverty and become rich.
I don't know when his original intention changed.
He learned to flatter, learned to read his superiors' faces, learned to form cliques, and he cared more about his own career. When his career was about to come to an end, he learned to protect himself and live from day to day.
In recent years, he knew that people were calling him "gluttonous dog" behind his back.
He used to live a hard life and was hungry every day. When he gained power, many people invited him to dinner.
The more he ate, the tastier it became, and he numbed himself through the eating and drinking.
Today, he finally retired from his job.
He achieved his intended goal and landed safely.
But his heart suddenly felt empty.
Pang Ming walked up to the podium and said to the young faces in the audience:
"Comrades, you must follow County Magistrate Xie and work hard in the future.
Do more practical things, keep your feet on the ground and never forget your original intention.
When you retire one day, you will be proud of yourself.”
After saying this, Pang Ming's eyes became moist.
It’s too late. Everything is too late.
He has retired and will never have the chance to do things that would make him proud for the rest of his life.
He could only exit the stage in dismay and leave the stage to the young people to perform.
After another round of thunderous applause, Xie went to support Pang Ming and whispered, "County Magistrate Pang, I asked the chef to prepare a table upstairs.
Now that we are off work, we will have a drink with you tonight."
Pang Ming looked at Xie Wan with mixed feelings, and said with rare emotion: "Xiao Xie, thank you."
Xie Wan called other colleagues to start eating.
Now that the work day is over, colleagues who want to drink can still get some liquor in the cafeteria.
Xie Wan treated the farewell to Pang Ming as a team-building activity.
In this era, when it comes to team building, eating and drinking is indeed more popular than being pulled out for training.
Surrounded by several team members, Pang Ming and Xie Wan went to the private room on the second floor together.
Just as Xie Wan said, there was a table full of dishes and four bottles of Wuliangye in the private room.
Pang Ming looked at it and turned to criticize Xie Wan: "Xiao Xie, you used to be the most opposed to this kind of unhealthy trend, but you can't forget your original intention just after taking office."
This is the second time Pang Ming mentioned his original intention today.
Xie Wan explained with a smile: "County Magistrate Pang, this table is a personal treat for everyone.
These four bottles of Wuliangye were stolen from my father by me.
I also bought these ingredients and sent them to the canteen, asking the chef to prepare them.
I even paid the processing fee.
Please don't wrong me."
Pang Ming was really moved when he saw the roasted lamb cake in the middle of the table, several plates of beef cooked in various ways, as well as fish and chicken.
"Xiao Xie...how can I say hello to you?
I used to be the top boss and you were the second in command, but you never flattered me.
Now I'm a retired old man, what's the point of your flattery?
With your ability, why do you need to flatter an old man like me?"
Xie Wan smiled and asked everyone to take a seat, raised his glass and said, "County Magistrate Pang, I'll take the lead and toast you first.
I still remember that when I first came to An County to report, you were very tolerant of me..."
As soon as she mentioned her first day reporting in An County, Liu Jiang next to her became very embarrassed.
That day, Liu Jiang thought Xie Wan was a retired art soldier, so he asked Xie Wan to sing after drinking too much.
As a result, Xie Wan dragged him under the faucet to wake him up.
Now that Xie Wan has become the boss, he will be the most embarrassed person in the future.
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Jiang.
Even Pang Ming couldn't help laughing when he recalled the scene of that day, and pointed at Liu Jiang with his finger.
Xie Wan quickly turned around and said to Liu Jiang, "Old Liu, let's drink later. I'll toast to County Magistrate Pang first and then to you."
Xie Wan continued to say to Pang Ming: "County Magistrate Pang, if it weren't for your tolerance this year, I would have had a hard time.
I know that most of the time, you support me silently from behind and try your best not to let others trip me up.
I keep all this in mind..."
Xie Wan said some words of gratitude, which were actually her true thoughts.
Although Pang Ming himself did not do any practical work, he did not put any obstacles in her way over the past year or so, and even delegated maximum power to her.
This is something that other top leaders would never be able to do.
She was grateful from the bottom of her heart.
Pang Ming felt that he had deserved it.
Only he himself knew that the reason he did this was, on the one hand, because he was about to retire and wanted to land safely and not make enemies.
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