The next day, Yangmei got up early and left. Before leaving, she also deliberately said to Chu Tianqi: "Please invite the eldest brother to visit the house." ”

Chu Tianqi also replied casually: "Okay." ”

After Chu Lirui sent the bayberry to the village entrance and got on the bus, he returned home, and the family was busy with the New Year.

Today is the twenty-ninth day of the Lunar New Year, Liu Lianzhu and Chu Lirui pasted Spring Festival couplets, hung red lanterns, and prepared some more firewood to make a prosperous fire. You Chunmei and Chu Lijuan are preparing to eat tomorrow's Chinese New Year's Eve.

The family didn't let Chu Tianqi work, so he chatted casually with his father, while Niuniu leaned on her uncle and didn't go anywhere. At first, I was able to say some words, but then the phone calls were one after another, all New Year's greetings, and just after the call, the text messages stopped one after another.

Seeing this situation, Chu Yuliang stopped being an audience member and simply went out to find someone to chat.

Only Niuniu has never left Chu Tianqi, and when her uncle called, she listened quietly. When her uncle sent a message, she watched from the sidelines, and sometimes she also spoke a word or two to give her uncle some pointers.

From the twenty-ninth of the new year to the thirtieth of the Chinese New Year's Eve, the mobile phone has been ringing non-stop. Fortunately, I can send a short message, otherwise I am afraid that I will only receive New Year's calls a day, and I will be able to make my voice hoarse.

In the past two days, Chu Tianqi also took the initiative to make a few phone calls to send New Year's greetings to the other party, such as to his mentor Professor Jiang, classmates Yun Xiangyu, Yu Tao, Lei Peng, etc. He also sent New Year's greeting text messages to some leaders, including Li Weimin, secretary of the Woyuan Municipal Party Committee, and in addition to Li Weimin, other leaders also gave text messages in reply.

At the dinner party of the Chinese New Year's Eve, the family sat around, and his father Chu Yuliang gave a toast, and his father still said "I wish our great motherland prosperity." Although Chu Yuliang has said this sentence for many years, he is still so affectionate, which can't help but make Chu Tianqi moved by his father's persistence.

After the dinner, the whole family still sat on the kang and watched TV. But Chu Lirui was not at home, but went out to play cards, and asked his brother to go with him. Chu Tianqi felt that as long as he played cards, he would have to pay more or less, and the size was also considered gambling, so it was not appropriate to go by himself, so he did not go together. Besides, Niuniu has never left her side, so he can't take a child with him.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Chu Tianqi still went with his younger brother to pay New Year's greetings to the elders in the village. Last year, there were still a few people who accepted Chu Tianqi's respect with sincere fear, but this year, no one accepted. In the face of Chu Tianqi's actions, many people kept making moves at him, and even Liu Sanye kept saying "don't dare to be" and dodged again and again. It can be seen that everyone is very uncomfortable, but in fact, Chu Tianqi is also uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Back home, the brothers told about the New Year's greetings. After hearing this, Chu Yuliang pondered a little, and then said, "From next year, don't go to pay New Year's greetings." ”

In the next two days, Chu Tianqi mainly stayed at home, and still received calls and text messages from time to time to pay homage to his old age. Always answering the phone, there is a lot of inconvenience, he rarely goes out. It's just that I go out twice once in a while, and when I see my fellow villagers and teenage playmates, we no longer have a common language.

It's not that Chu Tianqi forgot his roots, in fact, he felt that there were a lot of common topics, and he was not a layman in these things in the countryside, mainly because the other party didn't talk to him. Of course, this can't be blamed on the villagers, the main thing is that everyone regards him as a "big official", not only his own villagers, but in fact, the people in many places are like this, and they all respect the officials.

Not only did the villagers stay away when they met, but there were also very few people who came to visit the house, only Liu Danian and Liu Wenli came once. When Liu Danian saw Chu Tianqi, he was still so respectful, but there was a lot less sycophancy, and obviously the other party also thought that the difference in identity was too great. Last year, there were villagers vying for dinner, and this year only Liu Danian was invited.

Chu Tianqi thinks that he has no official position, his father also continues to treat everyone, and he does not charge for many times, the family is also very kind to the villagers, and the Chu family is very popular in the village. He knew that this was mainly due to the alienation of the people from the officials, which not only had the deep-rooted influence of the feudal hierarchy, but also some official practices hurt the people, which greatly reduced the people's trust in the officials.

Chu Tianqi couldn't help but feel a little sad, sad for this unfamiliar relationship between the government and the people, and at the same time secretly determined that he must do his part for the harmonious relationship between the government and the people. What is gratifying is that the state is now also doing this work and is thinking of ways to reduce the burden on the people, that is, the "imperial grain and national tax" that the people have paid for 1,000 years will also be completely abolished in the next few years.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Yong, the head of Qingniuyu Township, came, nominally to greet his uncle and brought a lot of New Year's gifts. Compared with last year, Lu Yong has more respect for Chu Tianqi, and treats Chu Tianqi completely as a direct subordinate. Not only that, Lu Yong also asked when Chu Tianqi would return to Woyuan and whether he would return to Yuchi County.

Of course, Chu Tianqi understood the other party's thoughts, so he answered ambiguously. When the other party is leaving, give the other party some of the things you brought back, which is not only a courtesy, but also does not want to leave a debt on the other party.

……

This year, Chu Tianqi did not go to visit Liu Wentao, and in the phone contact a year ago, he knew that the other party's family had gone to other places for the New Year. The other party has to go to his sister's and brother-in-law's house to visit relatives, and it is estimated that he will have to pass the Lantern Festival before he can come back.

So, on the fourth day of everyone's junior high school, Chu Tianqi went to the county seat. He first visited Zheng Yiping, Wu Jinzhong, and Zou Yingtao, and then met with Lei Peng, Yao Wenwu, and Ergouzi at the hotel, and of course Li Jian was also present.

In the years ago, everyone had contacted, especially Wenwu and Ergouzi also said that they would go to Liulinbao to visit Chu Tianqi and pay New Year's greetings to their uncles and aunts. Chu Tianqi knew that everyone was usually busy with work, and they finally had a holiday, and there were still a lot of things to do at home, so he rejected them and said that they would meet in the county after the year.

Seeing Chu Tianqi, these people all followed the sword and called "Mayor Chu". Chu Tianqi felt awkward, so he asked everyone to call them whatever they wanted to call them as before.

Lei Peng smiled after hearing this: "Oh, I really didn't expect that such a big leader as Mayor Chu would be so approachable, and I am really grateful." As he spoke, he made a "grateful" gesture.

"you. Chu Tianqi punched the opponent's chest as usual.

Lei Peng grinned: "It's still so hard." ”

After the two of them answered each other, the atmosphere was much more relaxed, everyone was seated, the wine should be poured, and the food should be urged. After some pushing, Chu Tianqi also complied with everyone's wishes and sat down at the main seat of the table.

The wine was full, and the dishes were served several times, and Wen Wu said: "Please Mayor Chu preside over the opening ceremony." ”

Chu Tianqi hurriedly said: "How can it be me? ”

Yao Wenwu hurriedly nodded: "Okay, Mayor Chu." ”

It seems that he can't change his mouth if he wants civil and military, so Chu Tianqi didn't force it anymore, and then he said to Lei Peng: "Dude, why don't you come to the banquet." ”

Lei Peng shook his head like a wave drum: "No, no, how can that work? After a pause, he added, "If you want to start early, preside over the wine party, or everyone will consume it." ”

If Wenwu and Lei Peng both try their best to refuse, Ergouzi and Lijian are even more inappropriate, so they can only carry the cup by themselves. So, Chu Tianqi stopped being hypocritical, picked up the wine glass, and the others hurriedly followed suit.

Looking at everyone, Chu Tianqi said: "Now that we are far away, we usually see each other less, but today I finally saw everyone, I am very happy." Thank you all for your interest and a toast to our friendship. ”

"Dry. The crowd responded, and the glasses touched each other, and they all drank it all.

After mentioning the first cup, and in response to everyone's unanimous request, Chu Tianqi reluctantly lifted two more cups in a row, so that everyone began to drink.

Today, Chu Tianqi is the protagonist, so naturally drinking is indispensable. In the face of everyone's toast, he did not refuse to come, anyway, he also had a lot of alcohol, especially when he saw these people, he also felt very cordial, and the amount of wine was better when he was in a good mood.

At the beginning, except for Chu Tianqi, everyone was somewhat restrained. With the glass of liquor in the stomach, people's sense of restraint gradually subsided, and the sound of clinking glasses and laughter rang out from time to time in the meal bag.

Although they thought that the location of the room was very private, someone still spotted Chu Tianqi's figure and came over from other meal packs to toast. This group of people who came included Feng Zhitang, Wang Wenxiang, Fang Yu and others from the former development zone, as well as some colleagues from the former county science and technology bureau. Among these people, some have a good relationship with Chu Tianqi, some have a mediocre relationship with him, and some people have had friction to some extent.

These people who came to toast, without exception, entered the officialdom earlier than Chu Tianqi, and some of them were veteran county magistrates. But now they are all lower than Chu Tianqi's positions, and some people have taken a back seat, or simply retired, only two of them have enjoyed the treatment of the deputy department, and they still have no real power. Everyone was very enthusiastic when they met today, and they were all respectful to Chu Tianqi, and at the same time, they were not without envy.

A group of toasters retreated, and the noise in the room stopped.

Lei Peng shook his head lightly and "complained": "People have to die more than people, and goods have to be thrown away." Do you see? This guy has to get better. However, sometimes I don't think about it, I have been immersed in officialdom for so many years, and I am only a small deputy department, while someone has become a deputy mayor of the Standing Committee at the deputy department level in just a few years. ”

"Don't make fun of me, drink. Chu Tianqi raised his wine glass at Lei Peng at the right time.

Lei Peng smiled "hehe" and raised his glass: "Thank you, mayor!"

"You can't stop drinking alcohol. Chu Tianqi drank the wine in the cup first.

Lei Peng also drank it all.

I sat in the restaurant at five o'clock in the afternoon, and it was not until nine o'clock that the wine party ended. Refused to be retained by everyone, and drove by Li Jian, who did not drink, and sent Chu Tianqi back to Liulinbao Village. Everyone put the gifts of filial piety to their uncle and aunt in the car, and the trunk was not put down, and so were the piles in the car. Chu Tianqi took the cigarettes he brought in advance as a gift.

Sitting in the car, Chu Tianqi was full of emotion. In the past few days since returning home, almost all the villagers, playmates, friends, former colleagues, and former colleagues I have met have been very different from before when they get along with me. This must be the way that the other party thinks is more correct, but Chu Tianqi is very uncomfortable. In his heart, he regarded these people as old leaders, old friends, and old colleagues, but obviously the other party regarded himself as the deputy mayor of the Standing Committee at the deputy department level. Although some people may not know what their position is, such as those in the village, they think of themselves as bigger officials.

Among these people, Lei Peng is the least angry with himself, and he regards himself more as a good buddy, but he doesn't talk as casually as before, at least he didn't say "you kid" or "you guy" again today. When the two met, he deliberately gave Lei Peng a punch, but Lei Peng did not "return a tooth for a tooth" like in the past, but just muttered "still so hard".

Chu Tianqi understood that a lot of things had changed, and his body had changed involuntarily. But he secretly warned himself in his heart that there are some things that he must not help himself, and he must abide by the bottom line.