The group sat down, but didn't mention the moving at all, getting straight to the point. Lu Yuan poured tea while listening to what they had to say. If they really had their eyes on his demolition compensation, then he couldn't agree to it no matter what.
I need to be careful with my parents, especially my dad. If someone says something nice, he immediately agrees. He's suffered a lot because of this, so Lu Yuan has to be on guard all the time. My mom is fine, though. In the village, they all believe in male chauvinism and that women shouldn't interrupt when men are talking.
"Brother Lu, look how lucky you are! The government said it would be demolished and the land was demolished. Only seven or eight households in our village are affected by this demolition. You've really turned your lives around. Congratulations!"
The others also cast envious glances and echoed their sentiments.
“Brother Lu, I just found out that your family received a lot of compensation for the demolition this time. It’s more than enough to buy a house for Xiao Yuan. Secretary Wang and I have been thinking about something and would like to ask for your opinion.”
A hint of confusion flashed in Lu's father's eyes. His mother, who had been busy tidying up the house, immediately stopped what she was doing and sat down in front of her father when she heard what the village chief said.
"Um... Village Chief, just say what you want to say."
Lu's mother looked at the village chief warily without saying a word.
“As you all know, the village has been trying to get more young people into the leadership team in recent years. You’ve always wanted Xiaoyuan to come back to the village, haven’t you? There are some positions available for college graduate cadres in the county. I’m thinking that Xiaoyuan is a top student, and it would be a waste for him to stay out there all this time! Wouldn’t it be a loss for our village if we nurtured such a good young man and he didn’t contribute anything to the village? So I’ve secured a few positions, and I’d like to give one to Xiaoyuan. What do you think?” Chen Changhe glanced subtly at Lu Yuan, who was pouring water not far away.
Lu Yuan sneered inwardly. The man who had been trying to get rid of him at the door was actually trying to settle things with his father in private. His father had always wanted him to become an official or something, but he had never had any connections. Lu Yuan was also unwilling to take the civil service exam again.
As soon as Chen Changhe finished speaking, a look of surprise appeared on Lu's father's face.
"Village chief, are you saying that Xiao Yuan has a chance to become a village official?" Dad was clearly a little overwhelmed with happiness and immediately asked an unrealistic question.
The village chief put down his teacup and said slowly, "This recruitment of college graduates to serve as village cadres is to lay the foundation for the village's future leadership. If Xiao Yuan does a good job, becoming a village secretary or village head will be a piece of cake, and he might even have the opportunity to work in the county. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Mr. Lu looked up at Lu Yuan and was about to agree when Mrs. Lu pulled him down and glared at him fiercely. Mr. Lu was so frightened that he immediately changed his mind and said, "Ahem, let me think about this carefully. It mainly depends on what Xiao Yuan thinks. He's doing quite well working in Qingshui City now."
A flash of anger crossed Chen Changhe's eyes, then he said in a disdainful voice, "Old Lu, I'm not trying to be mean, but can't you even make a decision on this little thing? If you don't want it, I can give it to someone else. By the way, if you miss this opportunity, who knows when the next one will come."
Somewhat reluctantly, Mr. Lu asked, "Are there any other requirements for becoming a village official?"
The village chief stood up and glanced at the people who had come with him. Then, the group made excuses and left the room, leaving only Lu Yuan's family of three and Chen Changhe inside.
“Old Lu, you know, anyone who can get a position in the village needs connections. For families like yours without connections, you have to pull some strings. I happen to be fairly familiar with the leaders in the county, so I can help you with the arrangements. Let me make this clear, I'm only doing this because of your son, Xiao Yuan. My brother-in-law’s son asked me several times, but I refused.” He patted Lu’s father on the shoulder after saying this.
"This...we've never dealt with the higher-ups before, how much money will this cost?" Mr. Lu said with some pain in his eyes.
"Hey! What are you saying! What do you take officials for? How can public servants accept money! My friend in the county doesn't have any hobbies, he just likes to collect calligraphy, paintings and antiques. You can get him one of those pieces when the time comes." Chen Changhe said softly with a hint of mockery after hearing this.
"If you don't mind, I recently acquired a famous painting from the Qing Dynasty. You can bring it with you when you go."
Lu Yuan understood what was going on. They had conspired to have his father ask the village chief for help to find county leaders, then take the village chief's calligraphy and paintings to give them away, and then come back to ask for money for the calligraphy and paintings.
As expected, the village chief paused for a moment and then said nonchalantly,
"Actually, I don't know much about calligraphy and painting. Even the best calligraphy and painting would be a waste if they were in my possession. Last year, I spent less than 200,000 yuan to acquire that piece of calligraphy and painting in the Qiantang River area. When my old leader came to my house to see the calligraphy and painting last time, his eyes lit up. I was so busy at the time that I forgot about it. It's good that you can help me deliver it this time, which can be considered as fulfilling one of my old leader's dreams."
Alright! Prices are clearly marked now.
Mr. Lu frowned, while his mother was also somewhat tempted. After all, getting her son a stable job in a government unit was much better than working in the city, and it would also make her look good in front of outsiders.
When his mother looked up at Lu Yuan, her eyes were clearly filled with tears. Seeing this, Lu Yuan sighed deeply and said directly, "Uncle Chen, let's just forget about this. I'm doing fine in the city. My girlfriend's family wants us to buy a house in the city, so I will definitely stay in Qingshui City in the future. Thank you for your concern, Uncle Chen."
Just as Chen Changhe was about to agree, Lu Yuan's words suddenly ruined his plans. He slammed his hand on the table and said in an elder's tone, "You brat, I'm doing this for your future. You're too young to understand the benefits of working within the system. Your parents are getting old and will have to rely on you to support them. How can you manage without a proper job? Besides, as the saying goes, a real man should establish his career before starting a family. Romantic entanglements will only affect your future! I went to great lengths to get this."
The old man couldn't bear to let such a good "opportunity" slip away, and was about to agree immediately. But Lu Yuan saw that this wouldn't do, as there was such a big shortfall in the new house, and he absolutely couldn't agree.
"Mom and Dad, I have some good news for you. In a while, Xiaoshan's parents are planning to invite you to the city to meet them, probably to discuss Xiaoshan and my marriage." There was no other way; the allure of a promising future made this a necessary surprise.
Mrs. Lu was immediately startled and stood up, saying, "You brat, why didn't you tell us about this sooner! It's great news!"
Then, somewhat awkwardly, Lu's father said to Chen Changhe, "Village Chief, um... I'm really sorry, we won't consider this matter anymore. Thank you for still thinking of our family! By the way, let's have lunch together here. I'll ask Yuan's mother to kill a chicken and get some wine!"
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