In an instant, the woman’s head seemed to buzz with a loud "hum."
Instinctively turning to look at Chen Bin’s bunk, she then realized she had come to the wrong place.
The man, seeing her silent, couldn’t help but ask, "What’s wrong with you?"
"N-nothing, I just went to the restroom earlier. You should go back first. I’m a bit tired and want to sleep for a while."
Hearing this, the man didn’t say much more.
He directly got up and climbed back into the bunk below Chen Bin’s.
During this moment, the light illuminated Chen Bin’s face.
As the man and woman’s eyes met, they both caught a clear view of each other’s faces.
The woman was not very tall, roughly around 1.6 meters.
Her looks, though not stunning, were comparable to those of Chu Jing.
Under the light, her small cherry lips glistened with an enticing sheen, appearing quite captivating.
When the woman realized that Chen Bin was an exceedingly handsome man, her face instantly flushed with redness.
However, out of shyness, she dared not say much else.
The next morning, the train finally arrived at the station.
Chen Bin grabbed a quick bite near the train station before taking a cab to report at the Dagu City Committee.
Over there, a car was promptly arranged, and a staff member from the Organization Department with the surname Jiang accompanied him to Beihuang County.
During the journey, Mr. Jiang was exceedingly warm towards Chen Bin.
"Chairman Chen, I’ve read about all your achievements. You might not believe it, but I’ve always regarded you as a role model."
Chen Bin smiled and nodded, "Thank you!"
"When I first heard you were coming to work in Dagu, I was overjoyed. I just didn’t expect..."
"Didn’t expect I’d come here to be the Political Consultative Conference Chairman, right?"
"Chairman Chen, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything by it, I just..."
"There’s no need to explain; I understand."
"I’m from Beihuang County myself, and the people there are extremely poor. I really can’t understand why someone as capable as you is placed in the Political Consultative Conference. You should be the secretary of the County Committee, leading everyone to prosperity!"
Chen Bin never expected the man to be so frank, saying whatever was on his mind.
So he quickly changed the topic, "Since you’re from Beihuang County, help me get acquainted with it."
After pondering for a moment, Mr. Jiang shook his head.
"I don’t even know where to start. In my eyes, that place is only poor, nothing but poor."
"What’s the cause of the poverty? Is it because the population is too large for the land?"
"Yes. Beihuang County and Dragon Mountain County face exactly the same issue—there’s simply too little arable land. In recent years, some people have left to work elsewhere, but the fundamental problem remains unsolved."
"Hasn’t the County Committee or County Government tried to solve it?"
"They developed animal husbandry over the years, but the returns remain unimpressive."
At this, Mr. Jiang looked at Chen Bin with hopeful eyes.
"Chairman Chen, I hope when you arrive in Beihuang County, you can advise the government and help the locals achieve a better life as soon as possible."
Chen Bin smiled and nodded without saying more.
Roughly an hour later, the two finally reached their destination.
Although Chen Bin had mentally prepared, he was still stunned seeing Beihuang County’s destitute condition.
Run-down buildings, coupled with uneven streets.
For a moment, it felt as if he had traveled back to the last century.
But upon arriving at the County Committee and County Government building, Chen Bin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The office building looked imposing, seemingly refurbished only in the past couple of years.
Faced with the stark contrast between the two scenes, Chen Bin couldn’t help but frown.
After getting out of the car and entering the office building, someone led Chen Bin and Mr. Jiang to the office of the secretary of the County Committee and chair of the County People’s Congress, Shi Baocong.
After pouring the two a cup of water each, they were asked to wait for a while.
They were told the County Standing Committee was in a meeting, which would soon end.
About ten minutes later, the office door was opened from the outside.
At the front was a man with graying temples—it was none other than Beihuang County’s secretary of the County Committee, Shi Baocong.
Following closely behind was a short, wiry man with a goatee.
His face was lined with wrinkles, the marks of years gone by.
But his jet-black hair was neatly combed, giving off an impression of sharpness.
This man’s name was Gu Konglian, the County Magistrate of Beihuang County.
As Chen Bin and Mr. Jiang stood up, Mr. Jiang immediately began greeting Shi Baocong and Gu Konglian.
"Secretary Shi, County Magistrate Gu, allow me to introduce..."
Before Mr. Jiang could finish, Shi Baocong waved his hand to interrupt.
"This must be the famed Chen Bin—there’s no need for introductions; I already know."
At this, he clasped Chen Bin’s hands with enthusiasm.
"Chairman Chen, I’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival! I’ve only ever seen you in the news before, and now meeting you in person—you’re truly young and accomplished. On behalf of the County Committee and County Government of Beihuang County, welcome!"
Chen Bin graciously returned the greeting.
"Secretary Shi, I’m new here, so I’ll be counting on your guidance in the days to come!"
"Guidance? I’ll certainly provide guidance! If Chairman Chen has any requests, just bring them to me—I’ll do my best to help."
At this moment, Gu Konglian, standing to the side, let out a cough.
Hearing this, Shi Baocong quickly introduced him.
"This is our County Magistrate, Comrade Gu Konglian!"
Chen Bin immediately greeted with a smile, "County Magistrate Gu, nice to meet you."
Gu Kong also shook Chen Bin’s hand and smiled, "I’ve heard plenty of stories about Chairman Chen’s accomplishments, and I also know you’re a top-notch expert in economics. I hope you’ll showcase your true talents here in Beihuang County."
"Rest assured, County Magistrate Gu, I won’t let you down!"
At this first meeting, their exchanges were cordial but not particularly engaging.
After the greetings, Chen Bin proceeded to his office.
He met with all the staff of the Political Consultative Conference, exchanged pleasantries, and let everyone return to their work.
Mr. Jiang, having completed his task, prepared to leave; Chen Bin personally saw him off at the office building.
Shortly after, with guidance from County Committee office staff, Chen Bin arrived at the dormitory.
However, the conditions there were quite basic. Aside from essential living supplies, there was shockingly no restroom.
For any personal needs, one had to use the public toilet outside.
Faced with such harsh conditions, Chen Bin felt some resistance in his heart.
After asking the County Committee staffer to leave, Chen Bin opened his suitcase and took out all his clothes.
Once unpacked, he went to the public bathhouse to take a shower.
Due to the austere environment, the showers resembled a communal bathhouse, offering little to no privacy.
After undressing completely, Chen Bin picked up a basin and began washing.
Midway through his wash, a voice tinged with both strangeness and familiarity suddenly reached his ears.