“What chance to show my face?”
Chen Feng probed.
“You haven't seen the news?” Kai Shu Ge
“I have.”
“Since you've seen the news, you should know that China has a nationwide tour of appreciation sessions…”
Qin Yan said with a serious expression.
“You mean the Wu Weina deeds appreciation session?”
Chen Feng immediately reacted.
“Yes, the Wu Weina deeds appreciation session. This tour group will be giving a report in Yongming County tomorrow. Although I'm not working in the propaganda department of Yongming County anymore, I still have connections there. Helping them is helping myself. So, I hope you can write a touching speech for the Wu Weina deeds appreciation group, the kind that makes people cry.”
Qin Yan explained earnestly.
“Town Chief Qin, I'm afraid I can't do this.”
Chen Feng said in a low voice.
“Why can’t you?”
Qin Yan was taken aback.
“Town Chief Qin, you're not an outsider, so I won't hide anything from you. I know a little about Wu Weina. In fact, her deeds aren’t as great and selfless as they're portrayed. It's just an exaggeration to set her up as an example.”
Chen Feng explained truthfully.
“And then?”
Qin Yan wasn't annoyed but asked back with a smile.
“I don’t really want to do this kind of empty and superficial work.”
Chen Feng said, biting his lip.
“Chen Feng, you still haven't fully integrated into the political arena. You still hold onto some of your youthful idealism. After being in the political arena for so long, don't you know that few things in politics are genuine? Take yourself, for instance. Why are you in politics? Don't tell me it's the same as what's said on TV, that you want to dedicate your life selflessly to the public interest.”
Qin Yan advised Chen Feng.
“Town Chief Qin, I’m indeed not that great and selfless, but I’ve never claimed to be a good official or that my actions are noble.”
Chen Feng explained.
“Is there a difference? You and Wu Weina are, to put it bluntly, like fifty steps and a hundred steps. You're just a little better than her, but fundamentally the same. Besides, you have to consider one more thing. The reason the higher-ups are promoting Wu Weina and setting her up as an example is well-intentioned. They hope people below will learn from her. Isn't that good? Even if it's empty and superficial, doesn't it have some meaning? Instead of promoting exemplary figures, should we promote everyone openly grabbing money?”
Chen Feng couldn't refute Qin Yan's words.
“Town Chief Qin, I’m still too naive.”
Chen Feng sighed deeply.
“That’s normal. You're still young. It’s normal to have occasional bouts of political naivety. However, you need to change. If you remain so naive, the old foxes in the political arena will chew you up and leave no bones.”
Qin Yan warned him sternly.
“Yes, I will write this presentation speech well.”
Chen Feng replied with a serious expression.
“You must write it well! Let me tell you, this time, it's not just us who want to flatter Wu Weina. Mingshan Town, Yongming County, Jiangcheng… all these places want to flatter her. Wu Weina's appreciation session will be broadcast nationwide. This is a great opportunity to make a name for ourselves.”
Qin Yan explained earnestly.
“Town Chief Qin, listening to your explanation, the competition this time is quite intense.”
Chen Feng responded smoothly.
“More intense than you imagine! I heard that the secretary specializing in writing reports for the top leader of Jiangcheng is also involved.”
“Town Chief Qin, are you referring to Secretary Ma?”
Chen Feng probed.
“Yes, that Secretary Ma. I heard he used to write for a big shot in the capital and has some skills. Honestly, I’m not afraid of others, but I fear this Secretary Ma. With him participating, I really don’t know if you have a chance,”
Qin Yan replied with a disheartened tone.
“Town Chief Qin, don't worry, I'm confident that I will win the top spot for this Wu Weina appreciation session!”
Chen Feng declared confidently.
“Chen Feng, this matter is of great importance. You can’t make wild promises.”
Qin Yan said softly.
“Town Chief Qin, I’m not making wild promises. To be honest, during this period, I've been studying the 'Comprehensive Collection of Chinese Political Documents.' It includes sample speeches from Secretary Ma. Honestly, they're written very well, but they also have significant flaws. As long as I overcome the shortcomings in Secretary Ma's sample speeches, I can easily defeat him.”
Chen Feng said with confidence.
“Chen Feng, confidence is good, but blind confidence is not. Secretary Ma not only has rich practical experience but also an astonishing educational background. He's a Doctor of Chinese Language and Literature from Capital University. Think about it, who can compete with such strength?”
Qin Yan’s heart grew colder as she spoke.
“Town Chief Qin, honestly, in terms of linguistic theory, I’m indeed inferior to Secretary Ma. However, I have advantages that Secretary Ma lacks.”
“What advantages?”
Qin Yan probed.
“Being down-to-earth.”
“Down-to-earth?”
Qin Yan was stunned.
“Yes, being down-to-earth. Secretary Ma’s writing is very evocative, but it always has a sense of being detached from the mundane world, not reaching the pinnacle of political writing. But for me, being down-to-earth is my greatest strength. You know, I’ve been a driver, a village head, a deputy town chief, and I even worked my way through university. These are all things Secretary Ma can't compare to.”
“It sounds plausible, but we still can't let our guard down. Alright, I won't disturb you further. You should stay up all night and figure out how to write the speech. I'll show it to the higher-ups tomorrow. If it's approved, both of us will have really made a splash.”
With that, Qin Yan asked Chen Feng to stay in her office and write the speech.
Chen Feng didn't hesitate. He immediately turned on his computer, browsed through various materials, and began writing the speech.
By the latter half of the night, Chen Feng tore up the speech he had written.
Because, reading the entire speech, it felt like reading a piece of prose.
After graduating from university, he had continuously self-studied, and his writing skills had improved significantly. But no matter how much he improved, he was still no match for Secretary Ma.
He was a Doctor of Chinese Language and Literature from Capital University. When it came to writing with emotional impact, he, a deputy town chief, was definitely not his opponent.
With only a few hours left before dawn, time was pressing. If he couldn't write a tear-jerking speech, it didn't matter if he didn't gain recognition. He was now the deputy town chief in charge of education in Mingshan Town, so gaining recognition or not made little difference. The problem was, Qin Yan was now the town chief of Mingshan Town, and this chance to shine couldn't be missed.
If Qin Yan gained recognition and solidified her position in the political arena, it would be greatly beneficial to him.
Therefore, with only a few hours left, he absolutely had to finish the speech.
In his haste, Chen Feng thought of a good idea.
After working all night, he had only been looking at serious, formal appreciation speeches, naturally falling into a mode of superficial thinking.
To make the speech down-to-earth, he had to read more down-to-earth appreciation speeches.
Thinking of this, Chen Feng suddenly remembered.
This year, among the 'Moving China' figures, there was a woman named Zhang Guimei, who dedicated her life to mountainous areas, helping girls there fulfill their dreams of going to university.
Zhang Guimei's speech was written by himself. He had overheard a bit of it before and felt it was quite genuine.
With that in mind, Chen Feng called Qin Yan immediately.
“Town Chief Qin, did you go to the remote mountainous areas before to listen to the 'Moving China' figure Zhang Guimei’s speech?”
Chen Feng asked directly.