Listening to Hu Xueshan and Zhang Chunmei's words, Wu Dao felt even more restless, he really regretted that he shouldn't have come to Hu Xueshan's office, more precisely, he shouldn't have followed Zhang Chunmei into the Hecheng Town Government compound at all. Hu Xueshan put two cups of tea in front of Wu Dao and Zhang Chunmei, and said to Wu Dao:

"Mr. Wu, I said a long time ago, you are a talent, you are too talented in our town, and it is a good thing to go to graduate school. Your character is also suitable for being a teacher, and it is better to go to Fangzhou College to be a university teacher. Since you left, none of the later propaganda officers in our town have been able to write about you. ”

Zhang Chunmei said to Hu Xueshan: "Just now I told Teacher Wu about the new Xiao Wu. He said to Wu Dao again, "Xiao Wu has also been to two college students before, one was favored by the county, and the other was admitted to the province." In the past few years, there have been several changes in the publicity officer, but you are still the most capable, otherwise how can you be admitted to graduate school? ”

"It's not very difficult to get a graduate degree, it's hard to get a doctorate, I just didn't get a doctorate, so I signed a contract with Fangzhou College." Wu Dao said.

"It's good to be a university teacher at Fangzhou College, and you can take the doctoral exam later. Even if you can't get a doctorate, you will be a professor in Fangzhou College in the future, and the salary will be better than that of the county magistrate, and it is much better than being a cadre at the grassroots level! Hu Xueshan said.

"It's not that good." Wu Dao said.

"Teacher Wu is just too modest." Zhang Chunmei said.

"You are a talent who has gone out in our town, after you arrive at Fangzhou College, don't forget about us and Hecheng Town, and you can also help us do more publicity." As a university teacher, you have a lot of contact with people, and if you have any requests for anything in the future, you must help, and the town will not treat you badly. Hu Xueshan said to Wu Dao.

"If there's a need for me, I'll definitely help." Wu Dao said. He thought to himself that he was just going to go to a very poor university and become an ordinary teacher, and what could a dignified town government ask him for help?

"Mr. Wu, I forgot to ask you just now, are you married now? I know a lot of good girls. Zhang Chunmei said.

Hu Xueshan said to Zhang Chunmei: "Eh, Mr. Wu is now a university teacher, and he can't find a partner from Qicheng County anymore, and if he wants to find it, he has to go to Fangzhou City to find it." Besides, Mr. Wu's conditions are so good, he must already have a girlfriend. Then he said to Wu Dao, "Right, Mr. Wu?" ”

"I don't have a girlfriend yet, but I have someone I like." Wu Dao remembered Si Baifang in the distance, and said, "Mayor Hu, Director Zhang, I still have something to go to the city, so I won't sit anymore." ”

"I forgot that Mr. Wu doesn't have an internet cable at home, so he went to the city to surf the Internet this time. As I said earlier, you don't need to go to an Internet café in the city, you can just surf the Internet in our town, and it costs money to go to the Internet café to surf the Internet. Zhang Chunmei said.

"It turns out that it's the Internet, I have a computer here, just use mine." Hu Xueshan said.

"I'd better go to the electric classroom, I can't disturb your work." Wu Dao said.

"It's also more convenient to go to the electric classroom. When I run out of computers in a while, let's have a meal here at noon and then leave, Mayor Li is not at home, Secretary Zhao goes to a meeting, and he will come back after a while. Hu Xueshan said.

"Don't eat here, I don't know Secretary Zhao, and there is something at home, so let's do it next time." Wu Dao said.

Hu Xueshan said to Wu Dao: "Since Mr. Wu has something to do, he won't be forced to stay." Then he said to Zhang Chunmei, "Chunmei, you go to the warehouse and get something for Teacher Wu to bring." ”

"Okay, if you don't say it, I'll think of it too." Zhang Chunmei said.

"No need." Wu Dao said. He remembered that when he was working in the Hecheng Town Government, every time a higher department came to inspect, the town would send a few gifts for them to bring when he left, and the things that Hu Xueshan and Zhang Chunmei gave themselves must be such gifts.

"It's rare to come here, there are not many things, so don't shirk anymore, and rely on you more in the future." Hu Xueshan said.

Wu Dao didn't say anything more, so he agreed by default. Hu Xueshan said to Wu Dao again:

"What is the number of your mobile phone now, I'll save it for easy contact in the future."

"yes, I forgot to ask for your number." Zhang Chunmei also said.

"The number I use now is still in Jeju, and I will change the number after I arrive in Fangzhou, and I will send you a text message to tell you after the number is changed." Wu Dao said.

"My numbers and Mayor Hu's numbers have never changed, and they are still the same as when you worked here, do you still have them?" Zhang Chunmei said.

Wu Dao looked at the numbers stored in his mobile phone and found that the numbers of his colleagues in the Hecheng Town Government were still there, and none of them had been deleted. He said the numbers of Hu Xueshan and Zhang Chunmei, and both of them said that they were right. Hu Xueshan also said:

"Mr. Wu is still affectionate, and he has always kept the numbers of our old colleagues."

"When you get a new number, be sure to tell us. Otherwise, I'll go to your house to find you. Zhang Chunmei also said with a smile.

"I won't forget it." Wu Dao said.

"Okay, Chunmei, Teacher Wu is a real person, don't joke with him, you can take him to the electricity classroom." Hu Xueshan said.

Zhang Chunmei took Wu Dao to the electric classroom, and then she left. There was no one in the electric classroom, Wu Dao turned on a computer, logged in to the mailbox and QQ. There are a few emails in the mailbox, but they are all spam. In the past, Wu Dao and Zhao Wu and Jing Like often sent emails, but as time went by, their contact became less and less, almost no longer sending emails, and they rarely called or texted. Wu Dao didn't feel that the relationship between the three people had become estranged, he still regarded Zhao Wu and Jing Like as confidants, precisely because they were confidants, he felt that he could imagine what Zhao Wu and Jing Like were thinking and doing, and the other party must know what he was thinking now, the three of them were like one person, and they didn't need to communicate too much. There are two messages from Si Baifang on QQ:

"Wu Dao, I'm in Thailand. This is a completely strange country, but fortunately, with the jade bracelet you gave me, I will not feel lonely and afraid. ”

"I know you must be worried about me, you are the one who cares about me the most in this world. I live and work well here, don't worry. ”

After reading the two messages, Wu Dao missed Si Baifang more and more. He thought that Si Baifang must have said that so as not to worry about him, and she must have been very sad when she remembered that she hadn't sent her a message for so many days. He replied:

"Baifang, I am the person who cares about you in the world. These days, I am in my hometown in Qicheng County, and I don't have an Internet cable at home, so I can't access the Internet, so I can only go to the city to surf the Internet to send you messages. I'm glad to see your message. Without me by your side, you must be there to protect and take care of yourself. When you return to China, I will pick you up in Beijing. In a few days, I will report to Fangzhou College, and it will be much more convenient for us to contact each other at that time. ”

After sending the message, Wu Dao closed the computer. At this time, Zhang Chunmei walked into the electric classroom with two gift boxes and a bucket of peanut oil. Zhang Chunmei saw that Wu Dao had turned off the computer, so she said:

"Running out so quickly?"

"Running out." Wu Dao said.

"It just so happens that you have these two gift boxes and peanut oil with you. Can it be released on electric cars? If you can't let it go, I'll ask the driver to drive you to your house. ”

"You don't need a car, you can let go of the electric car."

Wu Dao wanted to take over the things in Zhang Chunmei's hand, but Zhang Chunmei didn't give it, and he had to carry Wu Dao to the gate before he was willing to let go. The two of them walked out of the electric classroom and happened to meet Li Ruolan who came out of the office building. As soon as Li Ruolan saw that it was Wu Dao, he said:

"Xiao Wu, why are you, you're back, why didn't you come to me? You've been gone for years, where are you now? ”

Zhang Chunmei saw Li Ruolan and said half-jokingly:

"Li Ruolan, what time is it, you will go home from work?"

"There's something going on at home, go back early." Li Ruolan said.

"You have a lot to do, and you have something to do every day."

"You're a leader now, I'm sorry to leave early, right? When I wasn't a leader before, I didn't see you come and go on time one day. ”

"Just your broken mouth, sooner or later I will sew it up for you."

Li Ruolan said to Wu Dao again:

"Xiao Wu, why are you back, where are you high?"

"I'm passing through here, I've just graduated from graduate school, and I haven't gone to work yet." Wu Dao said.

"You are still a little Wu Xiaowu, Wu Dao will be a university teacher at Fangzhou College now." Zhang Chunmei said.

"You're all university teachers, my sister really didn't see the wrong person, you are a talent. I still remember when you used to work here, writing articles was called fast, not only writing fast, but also high level. We don't find anyone like that in our town anymore. I used to say to my husband and children that there is a person named Wu Dao in our town, who is especially good at writing articles, and he will definitely be great in the future. Sure enough, I'm a university teacher now. When I go back, I will tell my son that he can learn from you. Li Ruolan said to Wu Dao.

Wu Dao saw that Li Ruolan was talking thoughtlessly, so he quickly interrupted her:

"Section Chief Li, Director Zhang, I still have something to do, so I'm not here."

"I'm still thinking about whether we want to have a meal together at noon, and you're going back?" Li Ruolan said.

"I'm going back." Wu Dao said. He thought to himself, this Li Ruolan has not changed at all, she knows that she will not eat her food, so she said so.

"Who bought these things?" Li Ruolan said to Zhang Chunmei again. She knew that what Zhang Chunmei took was something that the town government specially used to give away, but she deliberately said so.

"I also want to keep Mr. Wu here for dinner, he doesn't have time. It's rare to come here, so Mayor Hu asked him to bring this little thing. Zhang Chunmei said.

"I'm still a university teacher, and no one sends me anything!" Li Ruolan said.

"Who doesn't know, there are people sending things to your home every day, and the gift boxes in your house are piled up, and you still don't have this little thing?" Zhang Chunmei said.

"How do you know that someone brings something to my house every day?" Li Ruolan said.

"You report every day like a job, as soon as you go to work, you tell everything that happens at home every day, who in the town doesn't know about your family?" Zhang Chunmei said with a smile.

Li Ruolan couldn't speak for a while, and Wu Dao felt very funny when he looked at it. Zhang Chunmei said to Li Ruolan again:

"In the future, when you go to work, don't gossip, no one will sell you as a dumb person. Put all your time gossiping on work, and the work will be done long ago. ”

Li Ruolan said to Zhang Chunmei: "You are the leader, everything you say is right, okay?" I still have a lot of things to do at home, so I don't have time to talk to you here. He also said to Wu Dao, "I will often come to the town to have a look in the future, and when I come again, I will say in advance that I will definitely stay for a meal." ”

"Okay." Wu Dao said.

Li Ruolan walked out of the gate of the town government, Wu Dao put three things on the electric car, rode on, Zhang Chunmei said:

"When you go back to Qicheng in the future, remember to come to the town to have a look."

"Yes, goodbye." Wu Dao said.

Wu Dao rode an electric car and drove quickly towards Xiaohuangzhuang. Thinking back to what just happened, and then looking at the things in the car, I couldn't help but smile bitterly, and said in my heart: "It's really a tree that wants to be quiet and the wind doesn't stop, life is in the world, and it is so difficult to want the whole world to be turbid and clear!" ”

When he got home, the family saw that Wu Dao brought back two gift boxes and a bucket of peanut oil, and thought he bought it, Wu Yang said:

"What are you buying these things for? We don't need a gift box. Peanut oil, more than a hundred barrels, you have to buy oil, just buy soybean oil, how expensive is peanut oil! ”

"We don't have this kind of blessing." Li Mei said.

"I didn't buy it, I gave it to someone else." Wu Dao said.

"Who sent it?" Wu Yang said.

"I passed by the river town government, met my former colleagues, and they stopped me and went to the government, and when I left, they gave me these things." Wu Dao said.

"It turned out to be sent by the town, I said how to buy such an expensive thing for no reason. Two gift boxes, just keep them and give them away. Peanut oil, usually reluctant to buy, this time we also taste something. Wu Yang said.

"Stir-fried vegetables in peanut oil are definitely more fragrant than soybean oil." Li Mei said.

"Which colleague called you to the commune? When you went to the commune, did you see anyone, the secretary and the mayor? Wu He said.

"It was the former deputy director of the office who saw me and called me inside. Now she's the director. The former chief of staff is now the deputy mayor. The secretary and the mayor have changed, and they are not the people I used to work from, they are not in the unit, I haven't seen them. Wu Dao said.

"Why did they send you something?" Li Mei said to Wu Dao.

"Do you need to ask? Xiaodao is now a university teacher, and they must be trying to scold us before giving gifts. I said a long time ago, it is right to go to graduate school, otherwise, who can give us gifts now? Wu He said.

"Yes." Wu Yang said.

Listening to the words of the three elders, Wu Dao couldn't cry or laugh, and couldn't justify, in the eyes of his family, others don't want to give gifts, that's stupid to read, others give you gifts, it means that you have a chance, and the official gives you gifts, which is more glorious! couldn't tell the truth, didn't want to say the lie, Wu Dao had to walk away silently.

After Wu Dao returned to Xiaohuangzhuang after graduating from graduate school, Wu He re-spread the story of his grandson's appointment as a university teacher in the village, and called all his relatives to tell him. His excitement had not yet gone down, and when he saw the gift given to Wu Dao by the town government, he was even happier in his heart, and he spread the news of Wu Dao's receipt of the gift that afternoon. Wu Dao felt that he couldn't stay in this house anymore, he had the intention to go to Fangzhou College in advance, but there was still a long time before the day of registration, and he was worried that he would have no place to live after arriving in Fangzhou, so he had to continue to stay at home.