Chapter 0006: Return to the Youth Class

"Hello, Zhiyuan." Feng Sizhe, upon seeing Xie Zhiyuan greet him, politely waved his hand and took a seat in the row behind him.

Xu Yuanyuan still lingers in Feng Sizhe's mind, though only faintly. He knows that she is also from a prominent family in the capital. At that time, Feng Zhe was not very willing to interact with his classmates, so he was not well-informed about certain individuals. He regarded Xu Yuanyuan merely as a classmate, a transient figure in his life, which is why even now, he does not know much about her or her future.

In the morning at the dining table, Feng Sizhe was having a meal with his grandparents and his uncle and two aunts.

Upon hearing this discourse on freedom of speech, Xu Yuanyuan also covered her mouth and chuckled. How should one put it? Xu Yuanyuan is quite a beautiful girl, seemingly only a year younger than Feng Zhe and Xie Zhiyuan. It is said that she also has some connections; after all, who in the Youth Class at that time did not have some background? It was just that everyone was not very clear about each other's circumstances.

Accompanied by Zhao Lizhu and Feng Sizhe, they exited the courtyard and boarded a military jeep, which then set off towards the Central Party School in the capital. Even while in the car, Feng Sizhe was still pondering that his aunt was a department head and the daughter of a lieutenant general. Moreover, given that the discipline within the national ministries was not very strict at the moment, could his aunt really enter the office in such attire? This point is indeed worth questioning. Even while in the car, Feng Sizhe was still pondering that his aunt was a department head and the daughter of a lieutenant general. Moreover, given that the discipline within the national ministries was not very strict at the moment, could his aunt really enter the office in such attire? This point is indeed worth questioning.

Feng Sizhe's smile, even somewhat playful, immediately warmed the atmosphere at the dining table. Everyone couldn't help but chuckle at his words. In particular, Major General Zhao Mingyuan felt that his grandson had noticeably changed, but he was uncertain whether this change was good or bad

Ah, if we are to speak of Auntie, she is indeed beautiful; when dressed up, she appears much younger than Auntie Er. This statement by Feng Sizhe is not without merit. Perhaps it is because she is the youngest in the family, Zhao Lizhu has always been quite playful and enjoys dressing herself up, unlike Auntie Zhao Lishu, who, despite being only thirty-six years old, insists on dressing as if she were in her mid-teens, as if she fears being perceived as too young.

Feng Sizhe waved goodbye to his aunt, then took out his identification to have it verified by the armed police at the entrance of the Party School, and then proceeded towards the Youth Class inside the campus

"Look, girls are ultimately timid. Don't be afraid; he is not here. Besides, we have our own freedom of speech." Upon hearing Xie Yuanyuan's reminder, Xie Zhiyuan chuckled, laughing at her timid agreement while also discussing freedom of speech.

Upon seeing the young man, Feng Sizhe couldn't help but smile. He recalled that this young man, who appeared to be slightly shorter than himself, was named Xie Zhiyuan. It seemed that his grandfather was an official in the National Grain Administration, and his rank was not low. Beyond that, Feng Sizhe had little impression of him, as it seemed he retired not long after. However, he was aware that he had a good relationship with Xie Zhiyuan. Even after Feng Sizhe no longer engaged in politics in a parallel world, he still maintained regular contact with Xie Zhiyuan. In Feng Sizhe's final memories, it seemed that in 2010, he became the mayor of a certain city, and at the age of forty-two, he was indeed quite young for a mayor.

The Central Youth Class is actually divided into many types. For instance, the central-level Central Youth Class primarily aims to cultivate leadership cadres at the provincial and municipal levels. In contrast, the Central Youth Class attended by Feng Zhe is designed for individuals who already possess high academic qualifications but lack work experience. This type of Central Youth Class is also referred to as a rapid re-education program, focusing on enabling participants to quickly gain a deeper understanding of the Party and its policies. Generally, without certain connections, one cannot enter this Central Youth Class. However, those who do gain entry have essentially taken a step into the cradle of politics. As long as they graduate successfully, even the least successful participants will typically receive a formal title at the department level. Do not underestimate this title, as it represents a pinnacle that many township cadres strive for throughout their lives.

Sitting in the front row, Wen Rujie seemed to sense a piercing gaze behind him. He couldn't help but turn around to look towards Feng Sizhe. However, Feng Sizhe reacted quickly, sitting up straight as if nothing had happened the moment Wen Rujie moved. Only Xie Zhiyuan remained with Xu Yuanyuan, gesturing towards Wen Rujie's back. When Wen Rujie turned around and saw Xie Zhiyuan, our comrade Zhiyuan stiffened for a moment before slowly sitting down. Wen Rujie also assumed that Xie Zhiyuan was discussing him, so after glancing over in that direction, he turned back around.

After finishing breakfast, the household staff naturally tidied up the table. Uncle and Aunt hurriedly cleaned up a bit before heading off to their work, attending a meeting at the department committee. Major General Zhao Mingyuan, under the attentive care of his wife He Jiayu, donned a crisp major general's uniform and took the special car to the military district in the capital. Only Feng Sizhe and his aunt Zhao Yuzhu remained.

Today, Feng Sizhe deviated from his usual demeanor of eating with his head down. He raised his head, sat up straight, and continuously offered his grandparents some of the small pickled vegetables they usually enjoyed, prompting his grandmother to repeatedly express her approval. His grandfather, unsure of what Feng Sizhe was truly thinking, remained mostly silent. However, his aunt, Zhao Lizhu, observing Feng Sizhe's attentive behavior, couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Flatterer"

The Youth and Middle-aged Cadre Training Class, abbreviated as the Youth and Middle-aged Class, is a training program for the study and development of reserve cadres within the Party

"Xie Zhiyuan, please keep your voice down, don't let others hear you." Another girl's voice rang in Feng Sizhe's ear. When Feng Sizhe turned his head, he noticed that the girl sitting next to him had long hair; she seemed to be named Xu Yuanyuan. The name flashed through his mind immediately.

While three people were chatting and laughing, a boy who appeared to be noticeably older than Feng Zhe and the others walked into the classroom from the door. He strode in with large steps, his gait steady, looking straight ahead at the blackboard, as if there were no one else in his world, exuding an air of great arrogance.

After the car stopped at the entrance of the Party School, Feng Lizhu hurriedly urged the driver to head towards the Central Propaganda Department. It was already time for her to start work, and she was worried that if she delayed any longer with Feng Sizhe, she would truly be late.

Feng Lizhu holds the position of Director of the Second Division of Cadres in the Personnel Department of the Central Propaganda Department. At her age, achieving a position at the deputy department level is evidently closely related to the support of Major General Zhao. Typically, it is this Director of the Second Division who personally escorts Feng Zhe to classes at the Party School's Young Cadres Training Program. As a result, Zhao Lizhu often jokes that Feng Zhe, as a student in this program, holds a rather high rank; despite being a junior student, he has a deputy department-level official acting as his secretary responsible for his transportation.

"Mother." Listening to her mother speak these words openly, Zhao Lizhu felt a wave of playful annoyance on her face. After all, she was over thirty years old; this was quite embarrassing.

"Hi, Feng Sizhe is sitting here," a young man of similar age called out as soon as he saw Feng Sizhe

Feng Sizhe smiled and said, "It is often said that women hold grudges, and it indeed seems to be true"

"I said, Aunt, please hurry up." Standing in the courtyard, Feng Zhe urged his aunt. It was already 7:15 in the morning, yet his aunt was still not ready, still dressing up in the room, which made Feng Zhe a bit anxious. In his memory, the middle youth class started at 8:00, and if they were any later, he was truly afraid they would be late.

Feng Sizhe walked into the Youth Class with a light yet somewhat guilty step, as this was something from over twenty years ago in his memory, and to be honest, it felt somewhat unfamiliar to him

"What’s the matter? Comrade Feng Sizhe, you don’t want to come, do you? Look, what time is it now? You are practically the last one to enter the class, aside from that young master from our class." Seeing Feng Sizhe sit down beside him, Xie Zhiyuan joked with him, knowing that Feng Sizhe was reluctant to attend this youth class. This person, who had returned from studying abroad, seemed rather indifferent to politics and power.

"I think what your mother said is right." Zhao Mingyuan suddenly interjected, causing Zhao Lili to pout and fall silent. Meanwhile, Feng Zhe chuckled, "Aunt is angry, so let me serve you some dishes, flatter you a bit, and admit my mistake to you."

As this person sat down in the front row, Xie Zhiyuan couldn't help but snort, "What a big deal, just because he comes from a better background. Look at him, his eyes are practically looking up to the sky." Of course, Xie Zhiyuan spoke these words in a very low voice, so that only Feng Sizhe and Xu Yuanyuan could hear.

What’s wrong with the sycophant? At least Zhe'er has done this. You, I have supported you for so many years, yet I have never seen you be this attentive. Besides, I also enjoy the dishes that Zhe'er serves me. Upon hearing her little daughter dare to mention her grandson, He Jiayu immediately felt somewhat displeased.

At that time, the freedom of speech in the country was not very apparent. People's perception of the outside world was primarily based on hearsay, apart from television and newspapers. Even the telephone had only a few channels, and the reports were quite conventional. It is indeed somewhat amusing to hear Xie Zhiyuan speak about freedom of expression now.

Looking at Xie Zhiyuan, who had become his scapegoat, Feng Zhe chuckled and shook his head. With his somewhat perverse psychological age, how could either Wen Rujie or Xie Zhiyuan possibly compete with him? Moreover, he possessed the ability to foresee more than twenty years into the future, which granted him an absolute advantage in foresight. In his heart, he felt a surge of ambition; he believed that with his current conditions, he could accomplish anything with far less effort than others. Yet, in the end, he still chose to pursue a career in government, not for any other reason, but because he did not want to see the disappointment in his grandfather's eyes, nor did he want to witness anyone riding roughshod over the Zhao family. He—Feng Sizhe—intended to use his unique rebirth to alter the history of the Zhao family and contribute to the development of his country.

"Alright, your words today seem a bit too much like a *picture* book." Although Zhao Lizhu felt quite pleased with the compliments, the memory of being scolded by her parents for saying that Feng Sizhe was flattering them during breakfast made her cast a disapproving glance at Feng Sizhe.

Hey, hey, hey, isn't the sun just coming out from the west today? Our little Zhe is anxious about going to class, isn't he? Aren't you the one who wishes to be late every day, hoping to get expelled? Oh, by the way, is there a beautiful girl in the youth class that you have a crush on, which is why you want to go to school? She is wearing a pair of white footed pants that just became popular in the 90s, paired with a light blue jacket, and underneath is a black V-neck shirt, perfectly accentuating her prominent features, making her look very youthful. Oh, by the way, is there a beautiful girl in the youth class that you have a crush on, which is why you want to go to school? She is wearing a pair of white footed pants that just became popular in the 90s, paired with a light blue jacket, and underneath is a black V-neck shirt, perfectly accentuating her prominent features, making her look very youthful. This also makes Zhao Lizhu, who is already thirty-two, look more like twenty-three or twenty-four.

Feng Sizhe indeed knew that this boy was the so-called princeling mentioned earlier by Xie Zhiyuan. However, Feng Sizhe was very clear that this young man named Wen Rujie was only one year older than him, and his political career did not progress smoothly. Perhaps it was due to his narrow-mindedness and limited vision. In any case, as he aged, his performance was not particularly outstanding, and he eventually turned to business. In contrast, his brother Wen Ruhao became a rising star in politics shortly thereafter, becoming the youngest member of the Central Committee, and it seemed likely that he would become one of the leaders of the next generation. Overall, as he aged, his performance was not particularly remarkable, and he ultimately transitioned into business, while his brother Wen Ruhao became a political sensation, the youngest Central Committee member, and likely a future national leader. However, in a previous parallel world, Feng Zhe, who worked as a social commentator, did not like Wen Ruhao because his achievements were largely based on sacrificing the interests of ordinary people. He had not genuinely done anything beneficial for the country or the nation. Most importantly, when the Zhao family struggled under the pressure of another major faction, the Lu faction, it was Wen Ruhao, one of the core figures of the Wen faction, who manipulated the situation, causing the Zhao family to completely lose their voice in the upper echelons, leading to Zhao Mingyuan, the elder, suffering a stroke and becoming partially paralyzed. Therefore, upon seeing Wen Rujie, Feng Sizhe subconsciously regarded him as a rival.