Chapter 190 Gratitude
nicotine craving hit.The man tossed him a cigarette but it fell on the ground due to his trembling hands. Su Can smiled, picked up the cigarette, brushed off some dust, took a whiff, and stood there....Chapter 190: Gratitude
In everyone's memory, there might be a woman in a white dress who leaves a deep impression.
You may spot her early in the morning through the fog as you ride the bus to school. Or perhaps she is that pretty figure opposite your dormitory building, diligently filling hot water bottles under a large banyan tree downstairs. Maybe you see her on stage during some literary evening event with dazzling lights. Perhaps it's every day when riding the subway to work and noticing her shadow getting off two stations ahead. It might also be during frustrating moments spent at your desk handling mundane tasks, seeing her figure clutching her bag, walking away in heels that likely don't fit well.
The same bus ride with a young man's nervous excitement while secretly watching the girl's beauty. The moment when the graceful figure at the dormitory building bends down to insert a cork into a steaming hot water bottle. All these moments are like sculptures etched in everyone’s memory, vivid and distinct.
Even years later, after growing up, getting married, or having children who can buy pickles (idiomatic for being independent), reminiscing about them might still bring some small stirrings of emotion.
But this is only imagination because reality could be harsh and vastly different from fantasies.
The girl whom he had secretly observed on the bus無數次地窺視的女孩最終變得麵目全非。大學宿舍樓下的白衣女子多年後已是拖家帶口的少婦。那個在公司裡有漂亮身段的女孩，下班後的她或許會駕駛自己的mini cooper離開，或者坐進樓下停放已久的奔馳車前往酒吧或市區有名的酒店。
This hardly shatters all the most beautiful fantasies about a woman in a white dress.
Because many stories might have such an ending, just like in April of 2003 when Su Zhan was reborn, Leslie Cheung jumped from the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, taking with him the character Ning Caichen from "A Chinese Ghost Story" and Cheng Dieyi from "Farewell My Concubine," as well as Ouyang Feng from "The East Is Red, The West Is Blue."
For Su Zhan, Li Ying was such a girl in his memory, clad in white like snow. He dreaded knowing the outcome of every real story just as he knew hers.
But seeing her arm-in-arm with Zhu Junfeng walking away gave him some relief. He eagerly anticipated attending her wedding two years later. Seeing the majority of people not get to see the end result, where she exchanged her white dress for a long-sleeved white bridal gown, Su Zhan felt that this was a matter much favored by fate.
The expanded meeting of the Provincial Committee of Xichuan Province was held at the Golden Ox Hotel, and the conference had reached its final stages. Wang Bao finally got some free time to play tennis with the Minister of Organization, Zhao Guangchuan, at the hotel's tennis court.
While they were practicing, staff members around them, including those who handed him towels and mineral water, were always on standby.
After several games, both Wang Bao and Zhao Guangchuan sat down to drink water and wipe their sweat.
"Comrade Secretary Wang not only looks young but also has great stamina. I can't keep up anymore; old age is catching up with me. In a few years, I probably won’t be able to play like this."
"That doesn't matter. We could have our sons compete then." Wang Bao chuckled.
Zhao Guangchuan was invigorated by the idea that privately playing tennis and discussing family matters with Wang Bao would help foster a closer relationship between them, regardless of the outcome.
Zhao Guangchuan was in his fifties and had been transferred from Jiangnan Province. His transfer involved significant political dynamics within Jiangnan Province's political arena. Previously, he was the vice-governor of Jiangnan, but it seemed that he distanced himself from that circle during a political reshuffle. The most beneficiary of this reshuffle was the rise of the new governor, Gaolangtiao, who stepped down from his position in a central ministry and took up the post as governor of Jiangnan Province.
In recent years, the Wang family's differences with the Gao family had become increasingly irreconcilable. Wang Bao used to know that the second son of the Gao family, Gaolangtiao, was generally seen as a mild and gentle person, quite unlike his brother, Gaocanghai, who was known for his domineering attitude. However, through years of interaction, Wang Bao realized that Gaolangtiao was someone who appeared non-confrontational but harbored an intense inner fire. His internal world might even be more powerful than the head of a major state-owned enterprise like Gaocanghai. Such a person hiding all this under his peaceful demeanor must possess qualities and capabilities akin to those of a seasoned politician.
Historically, there were tensions between the Wang family and the Gao family, which had been amplified multiple times during high-level political dynamics, both consciously and unconsciously. As Wang Bao grew and ascended into the ranks of provincial officials, more people began comparing him to Gaolangtiao of the Gao family; they were nearly evenly matched rivals who might become each other's greatest political adversaries in the future.
Perhaps due to Wang Bao increasingly standing out on his side and becoming a potential successor for the Wang faction, the Gao family had started to feel restless. Gaolangtiao recently jumped from being a minister in a central ministry to taking up the position of governor in Jiangnan Province. He usually employed soft tactics but seemed more urgent this time, showing he was keen to establish himself on par with Wang Bao. Zhao Guangchuan might be one of those affected by these moves.
However, Gaolangtiao may not have anticipated that his actions would actually provide Wang Bao an opponent who understands him well enough to challenge and compete with him.
"I heard about the case in Shanghai involving Senkan Corporation. It's quite shocking, with the former Deputy Director Zhang of the Real Estate Administration Bureau committing suicide. The party responsible for stealing confidential information from Senkan Corporation was also sentenced to prison. This incident should be a significant blow to Vice Director Ma, whose father is the former State Council deputy premier. I hope it doesn't upset the high commissioner's health... It would be best if his three sons are not disturbed."
Wang Bo responded with an "Oh" and asked, "I heard that the CEO of Senkan Group has some connections with Minister Yan Luwei"
"Yes, Song Shihao's sister from Senkan Group is married into the Yan family. Old Yan calls Song Shihao his brother-in-law, and the Yan family has put in a lot of effort for matters concerning Senkan."
Zhao Guangchuan then refrained from going further.
The suicide of Deputy Director Zhang from the Real Estate Administration Bureau over protecting the mastermind behind the scenes was widely seen as an act to atone, and the implication pointed towards the Gao family. Now it seems that the Gao family is being pushed into the spotlight.
What Zhao Guangchuan did not mention was that recently, since the influence of the former deputy premier has been gradually waning, the Gao family has become increasingly anxious and impatient. Even the second son of the Gao family, known for his subtle and cautious nature, is becoming reckless in his pursuit of power within Jiangnan Province. The eldest son, Gao Canghai, openly declared their intention to monopolize certain areas despite societal opposition. Among the three sons of the Gao family, the third might be the only one not involved directly in politics or state-owned enterprises, but he frequently engages in large-scale financial maneuvers that lead to economic issues. Due to the Gao family's influence, however, those who appear in these financial securities never seem to leave any trace.
Wang Bo nodded. When Su Can upheld Senkan Corporation's reputation in Shanghai, it inevitably sparked a conflict between the Yan and Gao families. Wang Bo felt that the Gao family's attempts to regain influence while antagonizing powerful enemies was not wise.
The Gao family has always been known for their long-term strategic planning, with each successor possessing extraordinary ability and ambition far beyond ordinary people; however, sometimes they do make mistakes as well. Even Wang Bo makes errors from time to time.
Wang Bo then recalled the second son of the Gao family, Gao Langtao. Both families are prominent but their paths were very different. When Wang Bo was in his prime, he was sent down by his grandfather to local posts and had to rely on his own luck to succeed or fail. In contrast, under the protection of the deputy premier, Gao Langtao started at the State Council's Policy Research Center before moving into a state-owned enterprise as vice general manager. After accumulating enough experience, he was quickly promoted back to a ministry-level position and then to minister.
Comparatively speaking, Wang Bo felt like he was on opposite ends of the spectrum from Gao Langtao at that time. Knowing how to navigate politics through subtlety and persistence while supported by strong family connections, Gao Langtao appeared as a rising star.
There is one incident that Wang Bo remembers vividly. When he served as the Secretary of Xiahai City, he once attended a provincial committee meeting in Chengdu where he shook hands with Gao Langtao who had come down from Beijing to attend.
The people around him felt honored just to shake hands with Gao Langtao. But when he shook hands with Wang Bo, he merely asked, "Is Old Man Wang well"
This was the first formal meeting between Wang Bo from the Wang family and Gao Lan'tao from the Gao family, who are now considered future competitors in high-level politics. No one could have imagined that their encounter would be limited to just a single sentence and a brief handshake, despite the significant disparity in status.
Back then, Wang Bo had also harbored resentment towards Old Man Wang's arrangement. If he couldn't rise from grassroots positions, there wouldn’t have been any factional support for him either, and he might still be just a city party secretary at best. Even as he approached retirement, he may not have achieved his dream of reaching the rank of full department head. To the Gao family in distant Beijing, Wang Bo was merely an insignificant figure who could easily be crushed.
Nowadays, however, he had just addressed a provincial expanded meeting for the provincial People's Congress, Provincial Government, and CPPCC leaders as well as heads from various departments in front of hundreds of people. He called on them to implement the spirit of the Sixteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, unify thoughts, clarify tasks, and earnestly promote the important thought of 'Three Represents'. He also made arrangements for economic work and policies going forward.
This crucial step in his political career meant that he had evolved from being a politician or an ambitious climber to someone whose every move could leave a significant mark on the history of the Chinese Communist Party.
Before assuming his position as provincial party secretary this year, he spent a considerable amount of time in Beijing. There, he saw Old Man Wang, who had retired like Deputy Premier Gao, tending to flowers and plants; he would lend a hand when needed. When Old Man Wang put down the flower pot, he asked a question that made everyone around him hold their breath: "Do you hate me anymore"
Wang Bo took the spade from his hand, helped plant a Gladiolus and smiled, saying, "I’m only grateful now. How could I possibly harbor hatred"
The sky in Beijing was then a deep blue, with the clear skies and tranquil mountains evoking a heart-stirring sense of peace.
Among those he is grateful to are not just the elder who allowed him to struggle at the grassroots level and see him bloom like a Gladiolus. There's also the man whose career trajectory has been closely linked with his own, often joining him for meals and barbecues in that city back then, now rising meteorically.ry detail.As one of the key figures involved, Su Chan noticed that the heated discussions about the incident were becoming increasingly intense both in his class and grade.The school appeared calm dur...