"Sure, it's good to have the heart to do something solid. Nowadays, many people are enthusiastic about surface-level work, playing with empty forms. Once an institution is established, it becomes a place for daily tea and newspapers, a good spot to pass the time. Such an institution would be better off not being established at all. But there are some people who think this is natural and right." Shen Zile took a deep breath.
In fact, during the standing committee meeting, he had thought about many issues. Although the prefectural committee and the administrative office eventually issued a reply regarding the construction of the Nan Tan pilot industrial development zone, the document was too vague and rough. It only required Nan Tan to further deepen reform and opening up based on local conditions, to explore ways suitable for the region's development, such as building development zones, expanding the scope of attracting investment, and guiding the development of non-public ownership economies, with just a few vague sentences, without making specific approvals.
It was precisely after obtaining this approval from the region that Shen Zile proactively proposed to An Dejian the establishment of an industrial development zone in Nan Tan, aiming to vigorously attract investment and strive to give Nan Tan a solid industrial foundation within three to five years, shedding the label of an industrial blank county.
An Dejian's stance on this issue was ambiguous. He agreed with Shen Zile's proposal to set up a dedicated agency to handle investment attraction and the development zone's construction, but he also emphasized the need to be cautious before implementing new measures to avoid unnecessary risks, which left Shen Zile quite frustrated.
Fortunately, An Dejian did agree to the pilot plan, but during the standing committee meeting, Qin Haiji and Cao Gang's combined efforts significantly reduced the impact of Shen Zile's proposal to intensify investment attraction and the development zone's construction. They even deliberately suggested promoting Lu Weimin to deputy director of the two offices, which had a very intriguing undertone.
When Cao Gang proposed that Lu Weimin be assigned to the two offices, Shen Zile instinctively wanted to counter him, but he quickly calmed down and considered the other party's intentions. Lu Weimin's performance was too outstanding, causing jealousy and suspicion among many people. Only by letting him go could his true potential be seen. This was a casual remark by An Dejian later, which made Shen Zile feel much better.
Shen Zile even questioned whether he subconsciously envied his secretary.
Lu Weimin's performance was too outstanding, and his ideas were often innovative yet appropriate, sometimes even overshadowing Shen Zile. Letting him go might be a good thing from another perspective, at least allowing Shen Zile to act according to his own ideas, unlike now, where he always felt the desire to hear Lu Weimin's opinions on every task.
Of course, he knew this was just an illusion. A secretary, no matter how brilliant, could only shine in a limited area, but it always brought him some indescribable excitement.
"County Magistrate, since you've sent me, I have some ideas," Lu Weimin said, not realizing how complex Shen Zile's mood was, and how his perception of him was changing with frequent interactions.
However, he was certain that Shen Zile still had a high opinion of him, otherwise, he wouldn't have brought him home and introduced him to his father-in-law, Zhang Xiuquan. Moreover, although County Magistrate Shen was not very proficient in economic work and was not fully prepared to take on the role of a government leader before Wang Zirong left Huai Shan, Shen Zile was not content with a mundane and lonely life. He wanted to achieve something significant. Based on these two points, Lu Weimin believed he could leverage the situation to make a difference.
"Sure, go ahead," Shen Zile nodded calmly, but his heart was filled with anticipation. Every time Lu Weimin showed this expression, he brought a pleasant surprise. He wondered what this time would bring.
"I think, including Secretary An, they may not be too optimistic about your approach. After all, our foundation in Nan Tan is very weak, and the current political climate is unstable. But I feel that you genuinely want to do something, not for yourself, but for Nan Tan and its people."
Lu Weimin's slightly flattering words hit the mark, like someone scratching an itchy back in winter, the comfort was indescribable.
Shen Zile nodded silently, signaling Lu Weimin to continue with his eyes.
Although Lu Weimin couldn't see much change in Shen Zile's expression, the County Magistrate quickly entered his role. If he had been the vice-county magistrate, he would have been more ambitious and assertive, but as the acting county magistrate, he took a step back, willing to compromise in many areas. His cooperation with Qin Haiji and Cao Gang, though pushed by An Dejian, would not have been so calmly accepted three months ago.
Shen Zile could accept his departure, and perhaps there was a subtle thought in his heart, even one he himself might not fully understand, to distance himself, to avoid being seen as overly reliant on him by those around him, especially those close to him or those trying to get closer. However, he would not have wanted it to be through Qin Haiji and Cao Gang's sudden challenge. His compromise was a sign of maturity.
"Since we've decided to do it, I think we shouldn't care about what others think or say. We should follow our own path. Whether it's attracting investment or building the development zone, since the county has issued the document, regardless of how some people view it, with this document, we can openly and confidently carry out our work and achieve tangible results, not letting down the two initiatives you have pushed forward! This is my sincere belief." The last two sentences from Lu Weimin had a resolute and determined tone.
Shen Zile stopped, his eyes flashing, and he stared at Lu Weimin for a long time. "Do you think we can achieve something under the current situation?"
Lu Weimin could sense the underlying meaning in Shen Zile's question. Achieving something could mean two things: whether it could be done, and whether it was appropriate to do it now.
"County Magistrate, have you noticed that although the direction of the higher-ups has been somewhat unpredictable since last year's turmoil, the commitment to deepening reform and opening up has not changed. In some settings, some leaders have even emphasized this, but it can easily be drowned out by the overwhelming political rhetoric. A classmate of mine was assigned to the Central Propaganda Department, and he mentioned this to me a few days ago. I think it's very reasonable."
Shen Zile was taken aback. He hadn't expected that Lu Weimin had a classmate in the Central Propaganda Department, and this was the first time he heard about this connection. He knew people in the Central Propaganda Department, but being assigned there after graduation was not a simple matter. Of course, there were some exceptions and special cases, but the fact that the other party mentioned these things to Lu Weimin suggested that it wasn't just any Central Propaganda Department official who could know or confidently reveal such information.