Colorful years

Zhang Cong clutched the three documents that concerned his identity and fate tightly, walking briskly toward the county finance office. Each step seemed to carry his expectations and anxieties about the future.

Pushing open the door to the finance office, the first thing that catches the eye is Li Zhen, a female cashier who looks to be in her early twenties and is sitting at her desk.

She had a beautiful face and was quite attractive, with long, glossy black hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. Even more remarkable was her gentle and warm demeanor, which made people feel like they were basking in a spring breeze.

When Zhang Cong walked up to Li Zhen, she smiled, looked up at him with her bright and kind eyes, and gestured for Zhang Cong to hand over his pay slip.

Zhang Cong nervously handed over the form, which Li Zhen carefully took. After examining it closely, she gently placed the form under the glass on the table.

After doing all this, Li Zhen looked at Zhang Cong again, still with a warm smile on her face, and said softly, "Little brother, you are really amazing! This year, you are the only college student assigned to our entire county party committee and county government."

Hearing this, Zhang Cong's tense nerves relaxed a little. He scratched his head and replied shyly, "Sister, you flatter me!"

Immediately afterward, as if remembering something, Zhang Cong hurriedly asked, "Sister, is there anything else I need to do or any special instructions?"

Li Zhen pondered for a moment, then smiled and replied, "Little brother, there is something I need to tell you. Look, today is the 9th, and according to the rules, you'll be able to receive your full month's salary. I'll start preparing the payroll in a bit, and you can come back here on the 12th to collect your pay."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cong was overjoyed and quickly thanked Li Zhen, saying, "Okay, thank you so much, Sister Li!" After saying that, he left the finance office with a happy heart.

I've finally become a government official, and I can receive a fixed salary every month.

According to the policy at the time, all recruited cadres had a one-year probationary period. During the probationary period, university graduates received a monthly salary of 42 yuan, which increased to 52 yuan after being formally appointed and graded, at administrative level 22.

He was in an exceptionally good mood, and his steps became lighter. Leaving the finance office, Zhang Cong didn't linger and headed straight for the staff canteen.

Old Tang, the canteen manager, is over forty and has entered middle age. He only has an elementary school education, but this does not affect his conscientious work in the government office.

What's particularly special is that Lao Tang always showed extra affection for college and vocational school graduates who were assigned to work in government agencies.

Here comes Xiao Zhang, a newly hired employee, who is facing a small financial problem – he hasn't received his first paycheck yet.

At this moment, the understanding Old Tang offered a helping hand to Xiao Zhang: "Xiao Zhang, I reckon you haven't received your salary yet, right? Don't worry, how about this, you write me an IOU first, and I'll give you a ten-yuan meal ticket in advance. You can pay me back the ten yuan after you receive your salary."

Hearing this, Xiao Zhang felt a surge of warmth in his heart and quickly said gratefully, "Thank you so much, Uncle Tang! You've really helped me a lot!" After saying that, he quickly picked up a pen, carefully wrote an IOU, and respectfully handed it to Old Tang.

Old Tang smiled as he accepted the IOU, and at the same time handed the thick stack of meal tickets to Xiao Zhang.

Looking at the meal tickets in his hand, Xiao Zhang could almost smell the aroma of the cafeteria food. He was overjoyed at the thought of being able to enjoy a delicious dinner with these tickets that evening.

At this moment, Xiao Zhang only had one last thing to do: to go to the Propaganda Department with his cadre assignment slip.

Next, let's go back and introduce this county government compound. It stands quietly in the center of the county town, like a solemn and dignified castle.

The county government compound is located on the wide and straight Jiefang Road, in a prominent location with convenient transportation. The compound has a rectangular layout and is surrounded by lush trees, resembling a tranquil and peaceful little castle.

The main building of the compound—a three-story Soviet-style brick and wood structure—stands firmly in the center, giving people a sense of solemnity and grandeur.

Its exterior design is simple and elegant, with smooth lines. The beige walls paired with the dark gray roof give it a dignified yet refined appearance. From a distance, the building resembles a majestic elder, quietly guarding this land.

A high wall surrounds the area, within which lush trees and abundant flowers add vitality to the entire courtyard. Before the gate, two majestic stone lions sit with their heads held high, guarding this peaceful land.

Upon entering the compound, rows of office buildings stand neatly arranged, their windows bright and clean, showcasing a rigorous and orderly working atmosphere. In the spacious courtyard, people busily move between the various buildings, discussing work matters or exchanging snippets of life, creating a busy yet harmonious scene.

This place is not only the venue for the daily operations of the county party committee and county government, but also the place where countless public officials strive and dedicate their youth.

The County Party Committee Propaganda Department is located on the first floor of the East Building, which has a total of seven offices. Each one is spacious and bright, and arranged in an orderly manner. Upon entering the corridor, the first thing that catches the eye is the prominent door sign at the office entrance.

Following these signs, Zhang Cong quickly found the room where the news reporting team was located.

He gently raised his hand and politely knocked on the door with his knuckles. Accompanied by a crisp "Come in!", Zhang Cong slowly pushed open the door and stepped into the long-awaited office.

As soon as he entered, he saw that familiar figure—Teacher Guoliang. Teacher Guoliang stood up from his desk with a smile and waved warmly to Zhang Cong.

"Teacher Guoliang, I'm here to report for duty!" Zhang Cong walked quickly to the teacher, his face beaming with excitement and joy.

"Zhang Cong, I've been waiting for you! I expect you'll be reporting to the Publicity Department in the next few days. I've been waiting for you!" Teacher Guoliang said, patting Zhang Cong's shoulder affectionately.