The supposedly returning on Monday Li Dingshan, only arrived at noon on Tuesday, rushing back from the capital with Jia He.
Seeing his exhausted face but a barely concealed sense of relief, Xia Xiang knew that things likely worked out.
Li Dingshan directly called Xia Xiang upstairs.
As soon as they sat down, he said, "The newspaper has agreed to release someone…"
Xia Xiang was overjoyed and was about to congratulate him but noticed Li Dingshan's face darkened as he pointed downstairs.
Understanding his meaning, Xia Xiang quickly assured, "There's no one in the company."
Yesterday was Monday, and only he had come to work.
Where everyone else was, Xia Xiang didn't care, but it was strange that Xiao Jia also hadn't come.
Recently, Xiao Jia had been a bit mysterious, as if planning something in secret.
Relieved, Li Dingshan continued, "But the newspaper has one condition: I must first appoint someone familiar with the company's operations to temporarily replace the general manager.
With the current situation in the company, there's no other choice, so I recommended Wen Yang."
It was fortunate that Wen Yang didn't join Li Dingshan in taking office.
Keeping him in the company was better than having him by Li Dingshan's side.
However, Xia Xiang wasn't sure how important Wen Yang was to Li Dingshan, so he cautiously said, "Letting Wen take over the co
Li Dingshan nodded.
"Yes,
What a sly old fox.
Xia Xi
Seeing the potential benefits of following Li Dingshan to the county, Wen Yang was willing to give up even the general manager's position.
Perhaps he also realized the company's future was bleak, and taking over would be like holding a hot potato.
"What if you insist on making Wen the general manager?" Xia Xiang probed.
"I'm afraid it won't work. Wen Yang might be reassigned to the provincial youth league committee.
My real concern is that if Wen Yang doesn't take over, the newspaper might hesitate about who to appoint.
If they ultimately decide to send someone from headquarters, there'll be more complications—handover processes, audits, and the new appointee's unfinished work.
All these could delay things for a month or two."
What a series of unending troubles.
If it really drags on for one or two months, not only would Song Chaodu lose the ability to manage Li Dingshan's situation, but the company's crisis would also fully erupt.
Li Dingshan would be mired in problems, unable to extricate himself.
Taking this step would be equivalent to walking into a deadlock, nullifying all his previous efforts.
"Do you have any countermeasures, Mr. Li?" Xia Xiang knew Li Dingshan wouldn't sit idly by.
"There's a way, but it's worth a try."
Li Dingshan leaned back into the large swivel chair, tapping his forehead lightly with two fingers.
"You work on persuading Wen Yang, try to convince him to take over the company.
I'll go directly to Song Chaodu and have him start arranging the related matters.
In any case, we must finalize everything before I leave.
Even if it results in some discord with the newspaper, it'll be out of our hands."
Xia Xiang was startled.
It seemed Li Dingshan was determined.
His urgency suggested that he might have been pressured by the newspaper.
He was willing to risk a fallout just to leave.
"I'll do my best to persuade Wen and hope the matter can be resolved smoothly.
The media has a considerable influence on achievements in governance, and being part of the media world is a protective shield that commands respect."
Xia Xiang couldn't explicitly mention the future dominance and tough policies of provincial party secretary Gao Chengsong.
He could only subtly remind Li Dingshan that his background in a national-level newspaper was a significant asset.
Li Dingshan laughed heartily, satisfied.
"Xia, your words give me more confidence.
When the time comes to follow me to a poor county, will you miss the prosperity of the provincial capital?"
It was the first time Li Dingshan directly hinted at taking Xia Xiang with him.
Although Xia Xiang had been anticipating this moment, hearing it directly brought a surprising sense of calm.
"What matters is not where one is but what one can achieve.
I believe that as long as I follow you, I'll witness your day of glory."
Li Dingshan, being a scholar at heart, appreciated this sentiment.
He laughed heartily.
Xia Xiang, too, was thrilled.
Though slightly disappointed that Li Dingshan didn't bring him along to meet Song Chaodu, he knew some things couldn't be rushed.
After all, Song Chaodu, even if weakened, was still a top figure in the provincial committee—not someone easily accessible.
Xia Xiang resolved to meet Song Chaodu someday and earn his recognition.
In the future, when Song Chaodu re-emerged as a force, rising from governor to provincial party secretary, and perhaps even advancing to the central leadership, he'd be an extraordinary figure.
As long as Xia Xiang stayed with Li Dingshan, he'd have the chance to catch Song Chaodu's attention.