Colorful years

Zhang Cong, who did not go to work at the newspaper, was rightfully allocated a small but well-designed two-bedroom apartment in the newly completed municipal party committee dormitory.

Although the apartment wasn't spacious, it was well-lit, and the layout of the living room and bedroom was just right. Outside the window, one could see lush greenery, creating a tranquil and comfortable atmosphere. From then on, he began a peaceful and stable life, going to get off work and coming home every day according to a set routine, reading and writing in his spare time—a simple yet fulfilling life.

However, as the saying goes, "the weather is unpredictable," and life's path is often full of unexpected variables. Just as Zhang Cong was gradually adapting to this peaceful life, the situation in the city quietly changed.

Time flew by, and in March 1991, the city's Discipline Inspection Commission was officially established. The establishment of this institution marked a major adjustment in the city's political landscape.

The highly regarded Minister Yan was reassigned to the position of Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission due to work requirements; the vacant position of Propaganda Minister was filled by the deputy county head of Cili County, who was already over fifty years old. Although the new minister was highly experienced, his style of doing things was completely different from his predecessor, bringing a new working atmosphere and personnel changes.

It should be noted that in this newly established prefecture-level city, which is jointly formed by the three counties of Dayong, Cili and Sangzhi, the officials of the three places all have their own calculations and ulterior motives.

Regionalism is particularly evident here, and localism is deeply ingrained and quite serious. Officials in each region tend to promote people they know, making it difficult for outsiders to integrate.

This complex network of interpersonal relationships makes any personnel change full of uncertainty and potential conflict.

With the change of leadership in the department, Zhang Cong's previous relaxed and carefree life came to an abrupt end.

After the new leader took office, three capable personnel were transferred from Cili County to work in the publicity department in a short period of time. As a result, the original personnel relationships within the department were instantly disrupted, becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable.

As an "outsider," Zhang Cong felt out of place in the new environment, and the obstacles he encountered at work increased day by day.

In this entirely new work environment, Zhang Cong can no longer act as freely and without restraint as he used to, whether in his daily words and actions or in the progress of his work. At the same time, the various tasks he is responsible for are also fraught with difficulties and far from the smooth sailing of the past.

He felt as if he were bound by an invisible force, unable to display his talents.

At this time, news that Deng Jiang, the editor-in-chief of Hunan Daily, would set up a reporter station here spread like a spring breeze through Dayong City.

Because of Director Jiang's promise, Zhang Cong naturally became the obvious choice for both the resident reporter and the station chief. This opportunity was undoubtedly a rare turning point for him.

In fact, this precious opportunity had already quietly arrived as early as 1989.

It was a sunny September day when Jiang Xianli, director of the Hunan Daily reporter department, personally led a team to Dayong to conduct in-depth interviews on the development and construction of the local tourism industry.

This interview was of extraordinary significance, a generous gift from Hunan Daily to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of our great motherland, and its importance is self-evident.

As a key member of the local news and publicity team, Zhang Cong was naturally entrusted with an important task: to receive and accompany Director Jiang and his entourage.

For five whole days, Zhang Cong meticulously planned every detail of the itinerary; with his thorough understanding of the local situation, he provided accurate and valuable reporting leads; and when it came time to pick up his pen and write, his thoughts flowed freely and his inspiration was endless.

Such outstanding performance caught Director Jiang's attention and left an indelible impression.

Finally, the time for parting arrived. Director Jiang held Zhang Cong's hand tightly and solemnly promised, "As long as the Dayong reporter station is established, I will definitely give you priority consideration to serve as the resident reporter and station chief!" These words were like a seed, deeply planted in Zhang Cong's heart, filling him with anticipation for the future.

For Zhang Cong, who has dreamed of becoming a journalist and a writer since childhood, being able to work for a well-known media outlet like Hunan Daily is undoubtedly a dream come true.

Therefore, Zhang Cong readily accepted this unexpected good news and expressed his gratitude. However, he also knew that such a promise could not necessarily be fulfilled immediately, given the complex and ever-changing political environment.

Therefore, Zhang Cong didn't dwell on the matter too much afterward. After all, in 1989, Teacher Bao had promised to transfer him to work at the China Nationalities Daily, but that promise fell through for reasons that were not easy to state openly.

Therefore, he always maintained a cautious attitude towards this commitment, being hopeful but not entirely dependent on it.

When Director Jiang kept his promise and personally led a team to inspect Zhang Cong's place in Dayong, Zhang Cong was overjoyed. He realized that this opportunity might really have arrived, and he might be able to get out of his current predicament and usher in a turning point in his career.

However, Zhang Cong still had a lingering worry in his heart, hoping that the new minister would not make things difficult for him.

After all, the new minister's attitude towards Zhang Cong was not friendly, and he was even somewhat hostile. Zhang Cong was worried that this opportunity might be lost due to the new minister's obstruction.

The timing of Hunan Daily's investigation of Zhang Cong was not a good one.

If Minister Yan had been there three months earlier, there wouldn't have been any resistance. But now that a new minister has been appointed, and Zhang Cong has no connection with him whatsoever, and doesn't know what he's thinking. Zhang Cong felt completely uncertain.

Sure enough, when Director Jiang met with the new minister to ask for his opinion, he firmly opposed Zhang Cong going to the press station and recommended a comrade from Cili County instead.

Although this comrade is not as qualified or capable as Zhang Cong, the new minister clearly prefers to promote someone he knows.

The supervisor's strong opposition put the leaders of Hunan Daily in a difficult position. In the end, they adopted a compromise third option: Zhang Cong could not be transferred, and the person recommended by the new minister was not accepted. Instead, they chose Guo Sen, Zhang Cong's good friend who had been transferred from Luxi County to work in the news department, as the resident reporter.

While this decision avoided direct conflict, it also caused Zhang Cong to completely lose this opportunity.

The minister, having lost face with Zhang Cong, harbored a deep resentment and sought an opportunity to vent his anger and exact revenge. Finally, in the spring of 1992, when everything was reviving, he seized a chance. Under the guise of giving Zhang Cong experience and growth, he secretly transferred Zhang Cong to work in Xixiping Township, Yongding District.

For Zhang Cong, this sudden decision was like a bolt from the blue, striking him hard in the heart. It was undoubtedly a heavy blow, instantly plunging him from his previous confidence and ambition into despair, making him feel that his future was shrouded in darkness and his prospects were extremely bleak.

Within a short year, Zhang Cong missed two precious opportunities to change his fate. Now, this latest misfortune, along with a series of setbacks and disappointments, has plunged him into despair.

In his despair, he couldn't help but blame all his misfortunes on his wife, Wang Li, believing that she had not brought him good luck and had even held him back at crucial moments.

Thus, his resentment towards Wang Li grew stronger and stronger in his heart.