Chapter 1 The Mayor Hanged Himself

You are not as clear about this as I am; a relative of Mayor Wu lives next door to me. Last night, Mayor Wu called his sister, saying he was in a bad mood and felt restless. He asked her to help him obtain a talisman to ward off evil. However, his sister said she was busy yesterday with many family matters. She mentioned that she would get it today and send it over. Little did they know that before the talisman could be delivered, he ended up like this. Alas! Only in his thirties, what a pity! This ghost is truly terrifying.

"Ghosts? Who still believes in that these days?" Huagezi shook his head in disbelief

Su Jiazhen respectfully bowed and said

After all, he is only 19 years old this year, feeling young, and it doesn't matter where he goes. Moreover, Yuyang County is not far from his home in Guchuan County; it takes only 2 hours to get there. Therefore, he first went to Yuyang County to report, and after obtaining a letter of introduction and changing vehicles, he finally arrived at Linquan Town at 10 o'clock in the morning

Ah! The town mayor! Ye Fan nearly dropped his jaw in shock, exclaiming involuntarily. However, at that moment, everyone's attention was focused on the hanging town mayor, and no one noticed him.

Take Ye Fan's classmate Zhang Jin as an example; he was directly assigned to work in the Mo Xiang District Government Office because he has powerful connections behind him

After multiple discussions and repeated deliberations by the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee, the reasons were finally summarized. It was found that the lack of capable talents was the primary issue. Therefore, we earnestly request the city leaders to allocate some of the university students assigned to Moxiang City to assist them in urgent need, as there are indeed university graduates from Yuyang, but very few return.

"Buddy, who is he?" Ye Fan asked softly to a young man beside him wearing a floral short-sleeve shirt

Looking up, I noticed a semi-arched bus station building nearby, which had three floors and a central hall that seemed to be a waiting area, so I walked inside

How strange! How does this aunt know that a crowd has gathered at the entrance of the town government? Could it be that someone is attacking the government?

Ye Fan listened with great interest for a while and discovered that there were various versions of hanging available on mhetushu.com. Some claimed it was a crime of passion, while others said it was...

Then the plump aunt pointed with her finger

Oh! Just keep going straight, and after you turn the S-shaped bend, you will see the Linquan Bridge. If you stand on the bridge and look down, you will definitely see a crowd gathered at the place where the town government is located.

Su Jiazhen kindly reminded Ye Fan, which deeply moved him as he followed her straight to the fifth floor. The mayor's office of Linquan Town is on the fourth floor, while the secretary's office is on the fifth floor, representing the supreme leadership of the Party

Fortunately, Secretary Qin also smoked, and although he cast a sidelong glance at Ye Fan, he said nothing and accepted the cigarette. Ye Fan respectfully stepped forward to light it for him, and after taking a few puffs, his emotions stabilized immediately.

Qin Zhiming, amidst the swirling smoke of cigarettes, managed to squeeze out a faint smile as he spoke

"Xiao Su, are you bringing your boyfriend out to play?" A teasing voice suddenly echoed from the guesthouse.

Ah! Quite a number, it seems like over a thousand people are gathered together, staring at the rooftop as if they are at a gala performance.

Ye Fan leaned closer and looked up, momentarily forgetting the matter he was reporting. Following the direction indicated by a friend’s finger, he finally discovered the remarkable aspect.

Secretary Qin huffed in displeasure, and Su Jiazhen glanced at Ye Fan, whose expression was somewhat grim. Indeed, she had provoked the number one figure in Linquan Town, and she truly regretted bringing Ye Fan to report anything. Knowing that the mayor had encountered trouble today, Secretary Qin Zhiming, as the secretary of Linquan Town, was certainly not in a good mood. Yet, she still felt too soft-hearted.

After exiting, Ye Fan, under the guidance of Su Jiazhen, arrived at the guesthouse in the town

He gently walked in and discovered a young woman in her twenties, dressed in a short apricot-red shirt, with a chest as round as a large steamed bun, bending over to sort through some documents. At that moment, the young woman was facing Ye Fan, and through the deep cleavage, Ye Fan's gaze almost wandered downwards, causing him to swallow involuntarily. Seeing that the young woman was about to look up, he quickly turned his eyes away.

Glancing around, I noticed that there was a middle-aged woman sitting at the counter under the station map of Xiangmo City. I assumed that this was the service desk of the station. However, the counter was filled with cigarettes and some snacks for children. It seemed that this so-called ticket seller at the station was also making some extra money by casually dealing in cigarettes, alcohol, and snacks.

Who? Come in! A slightly hoarse voice came from inside

Thank you

Although I had seen larger figures such as mayors and department heads during my time at school, there was not much at stake back then. This time, although I am only meeting a small secretary from a town, he is my direct superior.

Well! Not bad, young man. "Haijiang University" is indeed a prestigious institution in our Huaxia nation, and it is quite rare for our town to have someone like you. How about this: today there are many matters to attend to in the town, so let Xiao Su take you to the guesthouse to rest for the night. Come back tomorrow morning, and we will discuss the specific work then.

A narrow gravel road, merely 6 meters wide, winds like an old snake coiled up towards the sky, and at this moment, Ye Fan is situated on the snake's waist. The dilapidated minibus sputters and screams, raising a cloud of dust that dances like a serpent, occasionally emitting terrifying sounds reminiscent of impending disintegration, leaving all the passengers in the vehicle on edge, fearing that the rickety bus might fall apart at any moment

Ye Fan, having spent the summer vacation wandering around, was also out of touch with the news. Additionally, his parents were merely ordinary civil servants. As a result, when he returned, he received a notification to report to Linquan Town in Yuyang County.

After taking a deep breath to calm his slightly trembling heart, Ye Fan first took out his Zhonghua cigarette and handed one to the secretary

Report! I am busy today; ask him to come back tomorrow. Isn't this just creating more trouble?

"Ye Fan, you should find a place to rest for the night and come back tomorrow morning," Su Jiazhen said softly and淡淡地.

"No! I heard it was because of a disagreement over a romantic rival that he hanged himself." At this moment, a guy next to him refuted the remarks of the plaid-shirted youth

Su Jiazhen gently knocked on the door of Secretary Qin's office

There were not many people in the office; people were whispering among themselves, appearing quite surprised, though it was hard to hear clearly. Ye Fan took a few minutes to find the sign that read "Party and Government Office".

Casually pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, I asked, "Auntie, how do I get to the town government?"

After about ten minutes, the minibus finally came to a steady stop at a triangular square, which could tentatively be called a bus station, in Linquan Town amidst the earnest prayers of around 30 people. This triangular square branched into four roads. Ye Fan, visiting Linquan Town for the first time, stood dazedly at the crossroads, holding a travel bag, feeling a sense of absurdity in choosing the path of life, and thus was temporarily unaware of the direction to the town government.

Yes, my name is Ye Fan, and this is my letter of introduction. Ye Fan handed over a letter of introduction stamped with the official seal of the county government

Ye Fan quickly walked to the bridge's edge and looked down. Indeed, there was a crowd gathered in front of a building that was about seventy to eighty meters long and six stories high, entirely covered in red tiles. Each person was gazing up at the roof, seemingly observing something. Ye Fan's interest was piqued as well; he stood at the bridge's edge, looking towards the roof, but nothing unusual was happening.

Ye Fan, displaying a cleverness from a young age, accompanied his mother, who was teaching at an elementary school, to class when he was 5 years old. While playing there, he unexpectedly enrolled in school. He graduated from elementary school at the age of 9 and, at 15, was admitted to Haijiang University, which ranks among the top 10 in the country. Today, having just turned 19, he has graduated and, after some twists and turns, has successfully passed the civil service examination in Moxiang City

At that time, there were quite a few university students assigned to Moxiang City, and those with connections had already heard the news early on. They brought gifts and visited door to door, each showcasing their own talents. In the end, the divine intervention occurred, and of course, they remained in Moxiang City

Ye Fan curiously thought as he strode forward with his travel bag on his back. There were only a few shops scattered along the street, and after making a serpentine turn, he truly saw a stone arch bridge that stretched over a hundred meters.

It was nearly 10:30 when Ye Fan remembered that he was supposed to report in, and in a panic, he hurried through the main entrance. After asking the elderly guard at the door, he went straight up to the fourth floor, where he saw that the corridor was also filled with people, likely from various departments of the government.

Ye Fan was originally from the Chengguan area of Guchuan County in Moxiang City, Nanfushi Province, and both of his parents were ordinary state employees who received government salaries

A chill ran down my spine as I discovered that in a room on the fourth floor, by the window, there seemed to be a person hanging against the window. I could faintly see what appeared to be a patterned ribbon wrapped around this person's neck.

"Who said that? Don't you know this is a ghost encounter?" said a middle-aged man beside him, speaking in a knowledgeable manner

After the fiery girl glanced around, she exclaimed with envy, "My name is Su Jiazhen, and I am a staff member at the Party and Government Office of Linquan Town. As you can see, a significant event has occurred in the town today. Our director has gone to the county, but Secretary Qin is here. I can take you there, but you must be careful with your words; otherwise..."

The middle-aged man sighed repeatedly while muttering to himself

Secretary Qin, my name is Ye Fan, and I am from Moxiang City... Ye Fan reported his resume and other relevant information to Secretary Qin. Naturally, there were some minor embellishments, particularly regarding his strengths, which he aimed to present in greater detail.

Qin Zhiming is estimated to be around 40 years old, and it is said that he is a retired officer... Before his arrival, Ye Fan had also inquired about his situation through various channels.

Ye Fan expressed his gratitude softly and gently pushed the door open to enter the secretary's office. Upon seeing the number one figure of Linquan Town for the first time, Ye Fan felt a surge of excitement in his heart. He felt as if his footsteps were somewhat light and unsteady.

"Report, report what?" The girl was taken aback for a moment before recalling, "Oh! You are the college student assigned to our town, right?"

Today marks the first day that Ye Fan reports to Linquan Town in Yuyang County, and he does not wish to leave a poor impression on the town leaders

"Um! Then I trouble you." Ye Fan said apologetically, just as he was about to turn and leave when Secretary Qin's voice called out: "Xiao Su, ask him to come in."

Thus, he descended a row of stone steps at the end of the building and soon arrived in front of the crowd.

Secretary Qin, I am Xiao Su from the Party and Government Office. Today, a university student named Ye Fan has come to report, so I brought him here

Ye Fan said. When he set off in the morning, his father had somehow managed to get a few packs of Zhonghua cigarettes, asking him to distribute them to the leaders and colleagues he had just met. Usually, Ye Fan smoked the 5 yuan per pack Sansha.

Aunt! Bring a pack of San Sha.

"Wait for the police to investigate the case; it might be a murder," said the man in the checkered shirt, laughing with a hint of schadenfreude.

The previous notification stated that the allocation would be in Moxiang City, but later it was reported that Moxiang City was facing significant difficulties, specifically that Yuyang County, the poorest county in the city, was highlighted in the report. It was mentioned that their economy is too underdeveloped, hindering the overall construction of the 'Moxiang Economic Zone'.

"Miss, may I ask if the report is here?" Ye Fan asked with a smile

Why hasn't the person been let down yet? What are they still hanging up there for?" Ye Fan casually asked

Incredible, still a graduate of "Haijiang University"

The town mayor hanged himself with his own tie. Damn it! He must have been afraid of being caught for embezzlement, so he just hanged himself. The young man in the checkered shirt spat out his cigarette butt and cursed casually.

Oh! Alright, Secretary Qin. Su Jiazhen's brow instantly relaxed, and she smiled gently at Ye Fan, like a vibrant wildflower swaying in the breeze. "You may go in; Secretary Qin wishes to see you"