Intentional and Unintentional Fusion
"Our company's general manager is Li Dingshan. Do you know him, Uncle Cao?" Cao Yongguo only now realized that Xia Xiang had left the Third Construction Company. Having spent his career in the construction industry, his social circle was limited. He looked at Xia Xiang with a complex expression and said, "I've heard of him. We've met a few times, but we don't have much interaction." Xia Xiang smiled and said with admiration, "I really admire General Manager Li. He works very hard and relies solely on his own abilities, not on connections. In fact, he has a close friend in the Provincial Party Committee, named Song Zhaodu, but he never asks for help..." "Song Zhaodu?" Cao Yongguo was surprised, "The Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee, Song Zhaodu?" Although the head of a provincial department is also a department-level official, there is a significant difference between them and the members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, who interact daily with the provincial party secretary and governor. Hearing Song Zhaodu's name, Cao Yongguo was shocked, and his previously calm expression showed a slight change. As a government official, Cao Yongguo knew his biggest weakness was his unstable foundation, lacking a powerful supporter. Since the new provincial party secretary, Gao Chengsong, took office, Cao Yongguo felt the pressure. He was well aware that his position was crucial and important, but he was being marginalized by Gao Chengsong, making life difficult. In fact, the City Construction Bureau was under the jurisdiction of the Urban Development Commission, which had not yet been established as the Department of Urban Development. Normally, the bureau chief should be a deputy department-level official, but Cao Yongguo had been promoted to full department level two years ago. Thus, his position as the City Construction Bureau chief was a high-level appointment. With his experience, if he had connections in the Provincial Party Committee, he could easily be appointed as the head of the Urban Development Commission or another more prominent department. If he could really get to know Song Zhaodu, it would be great, as it would mean having someone in the Standing Committee to speak for him. In the political world, it's all about mutual support. Of course, Cao Yongguo knew that Song Zhaodu was losing influence, but in his view, Song Zhaodu was still young. Given that he had reached the Standing Committee at such a young age, it was only a matter of time before he regained his position. Gao Chengsong was too arrogant; could he really control all the officials in Yan Province? Even if he wanted to, the higher-ups wouldn't allow it, would they? The middle ranks follow the middle path, and the top ranks rely on balance. In a province, without a balancing force, allowing the party secretary to dominate would not be a situation the central government would wish to see. If Xia Xiang knew Cao Yongguo's thoughts, he would definitely advise him not to underestimate the situation, as he was being overly optimistic. Gao Chengsong wreaked havoc in Yan Province for over two years, causing chaos. Xia Xiang was speculating and betting that Cao Yongguo would be interested. He understood that to become the head of a provincial department, one must have supporters in the Provincial Party Standing Committee. The appointment of a department head must be discussed in the Standing Committee. However, each member of the Standing Committee has their own network and circle, which is not easy to penetrate. But now, with Song Zhaodu losing power, those who previously didn't want to connect with him might find it easier to approach him than when he was in power. Helping in times of need is always more memorable than adding to success. "I think so, but I haven't asked. I've just received calls from him, and he introduced himself as someone from the Provincial Party Committee." Xia Xiang wasn't intentionally deceiving Cao Yongguo; he wanted to give him a sense of unexpected gain. Also, he wasn't sure if Cao Yongguo would seize this opportunity, or if the person behind Cao Yongguo would be willing to lower themselves to connect with Song Zhaodu. "Song Zhaodu... I know him," Cao Yongguo said, then fell silent. Cao Shuli brought in the tea, and Xia Xiang stood up to set the cups, pouring tea for Cao Yongguo. Cao Yongguo took a sip and then gestured for Xia Xiang to try it, "It's not the best tea, but it's decent. It's Tieguanyin." The tea was golden, clear, and fragrant. Xia Xiang took a sip and found it rich, fresh, and sweet. Taking another sip, he let the tea swirl in his mouth, savoring the unique aroma of Tieguanyin. In his past life, he was a tea lover and had tasted many good teas, but he had never tasted such a rich Tieguanyin. This tea must be a premium Tieguanyin, worth between 2,000 to 5,000 yuan. Xia Xiang couldn't help but praise, "Whether in color, aroma, or taste, this is a premium Tieguanyin. Good tea is rare and hard to come by. Today, I am fortunate to enjoy this fine tea, which is better than ten cups of strong liquor." Cao Yongguo nodded repeatedly, "I didn't expect Xia Xiang to be not only mature and knowledgeable but also well-versed in tea. At your young age, having such a refined taste is impressive. Compared to my daughter Shuli and son Xiaojun, you are far superior." Cao Yongguo liked Xia Xiang more and more. This young man was neither hasty nor slow, knew his place, and had a sense of humor. Most importantly, they got along well, and their connection through his brother's colleague added to the feeling of closeness. Cao Yongguo cared about his family's opinion, so when he first heard that Xia Xiang was his brother's colleague's son, he agreed to help without hesitation. After helping Xia Xiang find a job, Xia Xiang had visited twice, but he was quiet, shy, and somewhat naive, so Cao Yongguo didn't have a strong impression. Helping Xia Xiang find a job was a small favor, and it was enough to show kindness to his brother. But Xia Xiang's third visit, with a bit more interaction, revealed his intelligence and wit. His conversation was appropriate, neither too formal nor disrespectful, which greatly increased Cao Yongguo's liking for him. They talked more, and unexpectedly, Xia Xiang provided an important piece of information and might even act as a mediator to introduce him to Song Zhaodu. Cao Yongguo couldn't help but feel secretly pleased. Could this young man bring him good luck? "Dad, you can praise others, but you can't put me down!" A lazy voice came from the room. A boy in his late teens, wearing shorts and bare-chested, walked out, yawning and squinting, looking at Xia Xiang with disdain and arrogance. Cao Yongguo frowned, "Xiaojun, how do you talk? There's a guest, and you don't even say hello. Look at yourself! This is Xia Xiang, from our hometown." Cao Xiaojun looked at Xia Xiang sideways and said contemptuously, "What's so special about someone from the hometown? People from the hometown keep coming, can't they give us a break? It's annoying. You guys treat Dad like he's omnipotent, asking for this and that, hoping he'll arrange everything for you." Cao Yongguo was furious, "Get out of here! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll teach you a lesson." Cao Xiaojun shut his mouth but walked past Xia Xiang with an arrogant look, his eyes full of contempt, not hiding his haughty attitude. Xia Xiang smiled; he wouldn't engage in a pointless argument with Cao Xiaojun. It would only lower his standing and make Cao Xiaojun even more conceited. To him, Cao Xiaojun was just a spoiled kid, relying on his parents' status to feel superior. High-ranking officials often struggle to discipline their children, no wonder there are so many spoiled brats in society, Xia Xiang thought, shaking his head. But then he thought, compared to Cao Xiaojun, Cao Shuli, despite being the daughter of a director, had no airs. People are different and can't be generalized. Cao Shuli, who was helping in the kitchen, came out upon hearing the commotion. She grabbed Cao Xiaojun's ear without hesitation and said fiercely, "I'll count to three. Apologize to Xia Xiang, or you'll regret it!" Cao Xiaojun, like a mouse caught by a cat, lost his arrogance and begged, "Sister, please, let me go. I'll do anything for you." Cao Shuli refused, "Apologize, no negotiations." Xia Xiang didn't want to escalate the situation and decided to defuse it, "It's okay, no need for an apology. Disagreements between men are normal. I was younger once, and I used to say worse things. Let's forget it, Shuli. Release Xiaojun. Young people can be impulsive." Cao Shuli let go, turned, and smiled, "Xia Xiang, you're so good at speaking. How do you do it?" Cao Xiaojun, however, was ungrateful, grumbling, "I don't owe you anything. Don't think a few words will win me over."