Chapter 9 chapter eight

Almost everyone had a premonition that Mayor Li Lilin was about to step down, and even Li Lilin himself felt that his days were numbered.The institutions became a mess, rumors spread everywhere in the society, and fluctuations appeared in the market. From Li Lilin's point of view, he is unwilling to show his face. The reason is very simple. The mayor with strong self-esteem can't stand people's strange eyes, and can't bear the mocking eyes of some political opponents. Even so, years of experience in the provincial government have made Li Lilin understand that the more this transitional period, the more likely there will be a management vacuum and unexpected vicious incidents will occur.In order to ensure a smooth transition, he bites the bullet and shuttles back and forth in important departments such as public security, coal, safety supervision, and education every day, and spends difficult days day after day under the complicated eyes of people.

What made him most uncomfortable was that he had to report to the investigation team jointly established by the central government and the province every morning to accept their interrogation and investigation. Although he is the mayor of a city, he is like a prisoner in front of these people. He answers every question he asks;Such scenes last for one or two hours every day, or even longer.In such an environment, even those who have no problems will feel that they still have something to hide and have not explained clearly to the organization. On this day, as soon as he left the gate of the investigation team, Li Lilin suddenly received a strange text message on his mobile phone: I haven't seen him for many years, and I miss him very much.If you have time, we will have an in-depth talk at noon, which will definitely make you happy.

The meeting place is the western restaurant of Longtian Hotel.The signature of the message is: Shi Jiamin. Shi Jiamin?Shi Jiamin!No problem, it must be her! Before it was time to meet, Li Lilin dropped everything and hurried to the meeting place. Shi Jiamin, to Li Lilin, is a very familiar name, but also a very strange name.Very familiar, because the name is like a candle, warming his four years in college; very strange, because after graduating from college, Shi Jiamin went to the United States and went to Harvard University as a graduate student in sociology. audio. During the period, Li Lilin once participated in a government delegation to the United States, but asked many acquaintances there, but none of them knew about Shi Jiamin.

Just at this time, when he was most frustrated, Shi Jiamin appeared.It was a 20-minute drive from the hotel to Longtian Hotel. In the car, Li Lilin inadvertently had such an absurd thought: Fate often played tricks on him. Take Shi Jiamin as an example, it is like a rose, a rose with thorns, as long as you reach out to pick it, you will always have to pay a high price.In the past, I wanted to take it, but I was almost expelled from school. Today, I am going to see her soon, but I am facing the crisis of being dismissed again.No matter in the past or now, no matter how much danger he faces, he wants to see this rose, the rose in his heart.

"Rose" sat alone in the western restaurant, quietly watching the busy world outside the window. When Li Lilin walked over, she turned around just in time, and the moment their eyes met, time stopped beating.Dressed in black, with long hair, a dusty body, and a look of surprise... In Li Lilin's opinion, "Rose", whom he hadn't seen for twenty years, was thinner and more tired than expected. A suit, a piece of sincerity, a burst of fire, and a burst of arrogance... In Shi Jiamin's view, an old friend who hasn't seen him for twenty years is more vicissitudes and experience than expected.

The surprise of "Rose" is reflected in the tears she shed: "When I left, you were a college student who had just graduated from school, and now you are the mayor of a city." "Why are you here? Haven't you been in the United States all the time?" This question has been lingering in his mind since the moment he received the text message. Shi Jiamin greeted his old classmate to sit down: "It's not surprising that China is now the economic center of the world. Our charity foundation has also set its sights on emerging economies and opened a branch in China. I Being Chinese is naturally the first choice. A few days ago, I saw a mine accident in my hometown in a Beijing newspaper, and I was very worried about you, so I came back."

Li Lilin said with a pun: "It's really time to come back." Shi Jiamin immediately responded: "Of course it's time. If there is no mine accident, I don't worry about you as the mayor." "We haven't seen each other for twenty years. How about not talking about the mine disaster?" Li Lilin tried his best to get rid of those troubles. Shi Jiamin agrees very much: "Since you were young, haven't you always held the right to speak? It's up to you." "How is the family? How old are the children?" Li Lilin suddenly remembered the old song "As long as you live better than me".

Shi Jiamin lowered her head: "After going out, she married a Taiwanese. The two couldn't get along. They separated a few years ago and have no children. What about you? I heard that you have a happy marriage." Li Lilin did not deny: "I did find a good wife. In terms of appearance, she has a body like yours, facial features like yours, eyes like yours, demeanor like yours, and a smile like yours... In short, everything is like you. They are very similar. The only regret is that between me and her, we lack the unforgettable four years of pure love between us." Although Li Lilin didn't exaggerate on purpose, Shi Jiamin's eye circles were still a little red.

When the former lovers meet, they are most taboo to talk about the past, but the reality is more painful than the past, and the two can only forget the reality while chasing the memories of the past. "What do you remember most about me in the past twenty years?" Li Lilin sipped the bitter coffee. "It's the story you told about beating wolves." Shi Jiamin looked at the other party, "This is the first time you saw me tell the story. At that time, you were in the countryside, going up the mountain to collect firewood, and you met a pack of wolves. We have to run around, only if you yell loudly, don't run, only if we are together, the wolf will not dare to attack us. If we run in the same direction, the wolf will eat us separately. Everyone listened to you , they were reunited together, and finally the wolf was scared away."

Li Lilin laughed loudly: "That's because you children in the city have never seen a wolf, so I tell such a story." "I knew at that time that you had bad intentions and deliberately packaged yourself as a 'wolf-fighting hero'." Shi Jiamin took a sip of bitter coffee, and soon felt the sweet taste, "Tell me the truth, your first time Is this the same story you told when you met your wife?" "The first time I met her, I told your story." Li Lilin didn't lie. Shi Jiamin sighed: "If this is the case, it is really worth it. I have been wandering overseas for 20 years, and I often think of this story, and I often think of the 'heroes' in this story."

It was almost noon, and the number of people in the western restaurant gradually increased. Not far away, there was a clear and melodious piano sound, and a pair of former lovers who had been reunited for a long time were immersed in the good times of the past. "What impresses you the most about me?" Shi Jiamin didn't see any curious eyes cast by others. "It's your speech." Li Lilin was so devoted that he didn't have time to care about other people's expressions, "Every time you make a speech, your voice is crisp and magnificent. Every time you reach a wonderful point, thousands of pairs of eyes applaud you, and thousands of burning hearts Everyone is boiling for you, thousands of hands are clapping for you... It was really a passionate era." Shi Jiamin became as shy as before: "Are you praising me, or praising yourself? You know, those speeches are all written by you, a genius." "The two of us came together because of the speech. I wrote the manuscript and you gave the speech. We are the peerless twins." Li Lilin obviously got rid of the shadow of the morning, and became as energetic as before. There are many romances in life, and many unexpected things happen. "You are so outstanding and so eye-catching that you have attracted a bunch of corrupt teachers and students to pester you all day long. Some want to make friends with you, some want to watch movies with you, and some want to be with you Dance. If I remember correctly, the bad boy in the lead is named Iron Dan." Twenty years have passed, and the mayor still hasn't forgotten the accident that happened at the school gate. Shi Jiamin couldn't hold back her tears again: "I was blocked by bad boys at the school gate. You couldn't be more angry. You fought with more than a dozen of them alone. Because they were so many, you were beaten to a bloody mess, even blood Many of them were dyed red. In the end, you beat them crazy, and they scared a few of them away, and the rest were seriously injured by you..." Li Lilin laughed so hard: "If you say I'm a 'hero who fights wolves', that time I deserved the name." Shi Jiamin burst into tears with guilt: "Because they are the children of teachers and workers, the school finally dealt with this matter very unfairly. The police station locked you up for several days, and finally gave you a punishment of detention in school. I understand, that's all for me……" "Don't talk, don't talk." Li Lilin saw that she was still crying like she was back then, and quickly comforted her, "Guess what is the first thing I do when the province announces that I will become the mayor of this city? " "What is it?" Shi Jiamin asked curiously. "Returning home." Li Lilin was very proud, "I went back to school after being cheered by everyone. Seeing that the school team was still the same as before, that guy named Tie Dan became the director of the security department. The first One major event was to use the power of the mayor to make a drastic reorganization of the school team, especially the iron egg, the head of the security department, who was frightened into a softie on the spot and was later cleared out." "You don't look like a mayor, you are clearly a bad guy who avenges his own private revenge." Shi Jiamin felt that he was a little too much. Li Lilin plausibly said: "Bad guys? Who are the bad guys? They are the ones! Allowing your own children to bully men and women, using their power to attack innocent students, can such a team allow him to continue to exist?" "I think that when you become the mayor, you should have the mind of a mayor, be generous, and don't haggle over others, after all, it is our alma mater." Shi Jiamin said what was in her heart. Li Lilin insisted on his own opinion: "Many people have persuaded me this way, including my teacher. To be honest, I didn't listen to anyone. I grew up in the countryside and understand the simplest truth: good will be rewarded with good, and evil will be evil." I will not be so hypocritical, and I will not pretend to be kind to those who have bullied me." Shi Jiamin sighed with emotion: "Character determines destiny. At the beginning, my dad went to work in the United States. Although he disagreed with the matter between the two of us, he had acquiesced in his heart to stay in China. You have to haggle with him and let him make it clear. Supporting our marriage, he was so angry that he insisted on forcing me to go abroad together. You! Our affairs have developed to the point where we can't handle it, has nothing to do with your character?" "Look at you, you still put the responsibility on me." Li Lilin refused to give an inch when talking about the issue of principle, "We broke up because of your weak character and blind obedience to your father." "I'm just such a relative, how can I bear to watch him leave home angrily." Shi Jiamin was helpless. "It is my fate that I am always a victim of major choices, whether in love or work." If he hadn't met her, Li Lilin would have no place to confide in the pain in his heart. things are arguing." "Okay." The helpless Shi Jiamin obeyed him. "What does your foundation do?" Li Lilin deliberately said something familiar to the other party. Shi Jiamin wiped away tears and replied: "Like your volunteer association here, unite everyone to do some charity work." Li Lilin drank a cup of tea: "What kind of charity work?" "The main purpose is to build schools for homeless children and disabled children. For example, in Shanxi, many children are physically disabled due to environmental pollution and water pollution. The families are very poor, and some street children cannot afford to go to school. We are here Beijing built a blue sky school for them to study and go to school." Shi Jiamin introduced in detail. Li Lilin has a question: "Will the cost be borne by the United States?" Shi Jiamin replied: "There is a part of it, mainly relying on domestic volunteer donations." Li Lilin said with emotion: "You should come to me sooner. I can approve some of your financial support. Unfortunately, it's too late now, and it won't work if I approve it." Shi Jiamin's answer was unexpected: "I already knew you were the mayor, but I would never look for you!" "why?" "For our foundation, raising money is secondary. The main thing is to educate successful people in China to be caring, including you, through fundraising." Shi Jiamin looked up at him. "You say I'm not loving?" Li Lilin asked back. "Have it?" "Of course!" Li Lilin was confident, "I have done many good deeds as mayor, such as..." "Don't be like, people who sincerely do good deeds don't need to publicize. Once publicized, the starting point will be wrong." Shi Jiamin advised. "Didn't you come back to engage in religious infiltration?" Li Lilin was a little puzzled. "If I believe in the religion of love, shouldn't it permeate everyone?!" Shi Jiamin hasn't seen her for many years, and her innocence remains unchanged. In the afternoon, the two agreed to go back to their alma mater, not for anything else, but for the innocent memory of the past. Shi Jiamin didn't change, but Li Lilin wore a pair of black glasses. Shi Jiamin felt that he couldn't help himself, after all, he was a man of the city.The school has undergone great changes. All the spiers and Soviet-style buildings in the past have been demolished and replaced by Western-style buildings with glass curtain walls.However, there is only one place that has not changed much, and that is the school garden. Of course, the flowers in the garden have all become precious flowers and trees, but the place has not changed, and the nature of this place has not changed. The two walked among the flowers, and Shi Jiamin was curious: "If you were asked to choose your life again, would you still choose me as your first love like in the past?" "No." Li Lilin didn't think about it at all. Shi Jiamin was surprised: "Why?" "At that time, I didn't understand that marriage was also a kind of exchange. If you choose the right one, you can immediately get wealth, get an official position, and immediately realize your ideals. If you continue to choose you, you will have nothing but romance." Li Lilin said deliberately. Shi Jiamin couldn't bear it right away: "The most snobbish animal in the world is a man. Once he becomes mature, he can abandon everything." In the flowers, there are some couples indistinctly enjoying each other, and a pair of lovers walk past them. "What a wonderful time, it's gone forever for us." Shi Jia said sensitively. "A momentary mistake is a lifetime mistake." Li Lilin replied. "You, the mayor, have achieved success and fame, and you still care about these things with me?" "of course." "The chest is too small." "I haven't been to as many places as you, and I haven't seen any big world." "After seeing the big world, big changes have taken place." "What's the meaning?" "In the past, it was easy to follow blindly, but now we are independent." "What are you going to do?" "My own master." "If there is still a possibility between us, how would you choose?" "If you are still the mayor, we will maintain the status quo and will always be sincere friends." "why?" "I have been traveling abroad for decades, and I have a problem with my travels: I regard myself as noble and pretentious, and I am most afraid of others laughing at me for clinging to the powerful." "Then what if I'm fired?" "If that's the case, if there is a chance, I can't rule out reliving old dreams. Of course, that's just a luxurious fantasy..."