The leadership conference for the Moon City was held in Conference Room No. 1 of the Municipal Government Meeting Center. Wen Lianggong, on behalf

    of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, provided detailed arrangements for several key municipal construction projects, including the Moon City Avenue renovation project. After setting strict requirements for the construction quality and progress of these key projects, Mayor Wen emphasized the significant political importance of successfully completing these projects. These municipal projects were prepared to welcome the return of the leading comrade who was working in Beijing. Therefore, the quality and progress of these projects would determine how the hometown’s people would welcome the leader back home. Mayor Wen spoke with heartfelt emotion, raising his right hand to gesture in the air, reminding everyone to remember that it had been decades since the leader last visited the hometown. Even though he had always been deeply concerned and attentive to the hometown, sending messages through various channels to express his satisfaction with the hometown’s achievements and his longing for its people, his physical presence hadn’t returned yet. Nonetheless, his heart had long been back. Comrades, the strong feelings for the hometown and the deep yearning of a wandering heart are truly precious and touching, my comrades!

    Mayor Wen rarely reveals his emotions like this. He continued to emphasize, “Whether we talk about politics or hometown sentiments, we have no reason not to go all out and complete these key projects excellently. This is currently the biggest political priority for our Moon City and the most important task for everyone in the city, a task that takes precedence over everything else. Now, with the leadership’s decision to return in the near future, isn’t that the most significant event for everyone in the city?”

    Mayor Wen concluded his speech with a rhetorical question, delivering it with strength,elevation, and depth, which earned him a prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the entire audience.

    Mayor Wen seemed satisfied with his speech. He leisurely picked up the cup of tea in front of him, took a sip, and gazed contentedly at the various officials and leaders in the audience. At this moment, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government and Director of the Municipal Legal Affairs Office, Wu Shimang, walked over from the side stage to Mayor Wen’s side and whispered something to him. When Wu Shimang appeared next to Mayor Wen, the entire audience took notice. His distinctive hairstyle drew a lot of attention, as there were iron wires around, leaving a clearing in the center, which resembled a threshing ground. While those in the audience couldn’t hear what Wu Shimang whispered to Mayor Wen, the department heads clearly noticed that Mayor Wen’s demeanor, which had been relaxed just moments ago, suddenly became serious. Mayor Wen gestured with his hand and then followed Wu Shimang as they left the podium.

    It’s common for leaders to leave the conference podium if they have other matters to attend to. The officials in the audience naturally wouldn’t know why Mayor Wen left at that moment. However, sitting in the audience, Qin Xiaoyue couldn’t help but wonder if there was some unforeseen issue arising, just like what happened during the Olympic welcoming concert. In recent times, Wu Shimang had been acting as the full representative of Mayor Wen to handle the aftermath of the few disgruntled citizens due to the false “Andy Lau” incident. To Qin Xiaoyue, it seemed that the “May 1st  Olympic Welcome Concert” jointly organized by the Moon City Evening News and the “New Force” had indeed been full of twists and turns.

    Although this concert was organized by the municipal government, jointly organized by the Moon City Evening News and the “New Force,” and had the authorization of the city government, if any issues arose during the event, as long as Qin Xiaoyue and the “Evening News” were not intentionally involved, there shouldn’t be significant problems for the newspaper itself. After all, their initial motive for planning “Let Beijing Hear the Blessings and Cheers of the People of Moon City!” - to welcome the 2008 Beijing Olympics - was good and righteous. There shouldn’t be even a hint of doubt, let alone any real suspicion. On this matter, at any time, Qin Xiaoyue could confidently vouch for it. Well, it seemed a bit indelicate for a woman to thump her chest, so let’s just say she could confidently vouch for it.

    However, the reality was far from what Qin Xiaoyue had anticipated. The  twists and turns she had experienced truly put immense pressure on her as a woman.  Even though, not long ago, she, along with Deputy Secretary-General Wu, Liu Yong,  and Qian Tao, had traveled to Beijing as per Mayor Wen’s instructions, visited the  legal affairs department responsible for the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee,  and exerted considerable effort in their “public relations” endeavor. With pivotal  contributions from Liu Yong and his son, they eventually gained the understanding,  empathy, and support of the leadership of the legal affairs department of the Beijing  Olympic Organizing Committee. As a result, the concert was held successfully as  scheduled on the evening of May 1, 2008, at the Moon City Sports Center Stadium,  achieving unprecedented success. However, what troubled Qin Xiaoyue was that not  long after the concert concluded, Liu Yong, the general manager of the “New Force” Performing Arts Company, one of the organizers, was taken away by the public  security authorities.

    Someone reported that the “Andy Lau” who waved and greeted the whole  audience during the concert was actually an impersonator, just a mimicry show. Prior  to this, the legal affairs department of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee  had written a letter to the municipal government, stating that the response letter  from the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee to the Moon City government  was fake, a forged document. This absurd revelation left Qin Xiaoyue dumbfounded  and incredulous. How could someone be so audacious as to impersonate the  Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee and send a fake response letter to the local  government? It took considerable effort to resolve this issue through their “public  relations” efforts. Then, to her surprise, the matter escalated further when Liu Yong  was accused of directly trafficking counterfeit items and presenting a fake “Andy  Lau” in front of her. She couldn’t help but feel a mix of anger, resentment, and worry  about the audacity of Liu Yong’s actions. Over the past two years of collaborating  on large-scale concerts, her relationship with the young and handsome Liu Yong  had become unique. Especially in the past few months, as they worked on the  Olympic concert, they had become closer and more intimate outside of their eight-  hour workdays. Qin Xiaoyue worried about the outcome of the false “Andy Lau” incident, which had yet to be resolved. Now, during such an important meeting, Wu  Shimang had pulled Mayor Wen away. Qin Xiaoyue wondered if there was a new  development related to the concert.

    Sometimes, a woman’s “sixth sense” can indeed be quite sensitive. Qin Xiaoyue’s concerns seemed to be aligned with the unfolding events.

    She quickly received a notification from Deputy Secretary-General Wu Shimang that a special investigation team from the Provincial Department of Culture was about to enter the Moon City Evening News to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation into the ticket sales and advertising sponsorship of the “May 1st  Olympic Welcome Concert.” They hoped that Qin Xiaoyue and the newspaper would actively cooperate, truthfully report the situation, and seriously participate in the investigation.

    Deputy Secretary-General Wu Shimang specifically emphasized to Editor-in- Chief Qin that although this provincial investigation team from the Department of Culture was led by Deputy Director Ma and seemed small in size, its significance was substantial. This team represented the national Ministry of Culture. It was rumored that the “May 1st  Olympic Welcome Concert” in Moon City had already been listed as the top of the “Top Ten Illegal Performances” nationwide to welcome the Olympics. The Ministry of Culture had sent an official letter to the province, and relevant leaders in the province had provided personal instructions. The members of the provincial investigation team from the Department of Culture had arrived with both the official letter from the Ministry of Culture and the instructions from the provincial committee leaders. The implication from Deputy Secretary-General Wu was clear: if Qin Xiaoyue didn’t take this matter seriously, it might not bode well.

    Accidentally ending up with the title of the top nationwide performer had left Qin Xiaoyue bothamused and exasperated. She couldn’t understand how her simple and straightforward wish had led to so many complications. How “deep” was the “water” within this large-scale performance, she wondered.

    Fortunately, when they were brainstorming the sponsorship plan for the “May 1st  Olympic Welcome Concert,” Liu Yong had come up with a clever strategy for Qin Xiaoyue – bundling sponsorship. He proposed linking ticket sales for the concert with a specific client’s year-round advertising campaign. Depending on the client’s advertising budget for the year, they would determine the number of tickets to be returned and the discounted advertising rates. Qin Xiaoyue had accepted Liu Yong’s idea at the time, primarily considering the overall effectiveness of the marketing campaign. And indeed, the results had proven the effectiveness of this approach. Otherwise,how else could they have achieved a total revenue of 36 million?

    Now, these 36 million yuan have caught someone’s attention, making others envious. However, these 36 million didn’t fall from the sky, nor were they some easy windfall. Qin Xiaoyue led the Evening News Advertising Center and Liu Yong’s “New Power” team through months of hard work to achieve this result. Was it easy? Definitely not. When has it been easy for someone to just hand over their hard- earned money to you? You can’t expect money to drop from the sky in marketing and business. There’s no free lunch in this world.

    Without putting in effort, how can you expect to see returns? Qin Xiaoyue doesn’t need to say that over these past few months, she and Liu Yong have been meeting clients, negotiating, socializing, going to hotels, bars, and clubs together. Some deals were likely signed because the clients saw Qin Xiaoyue enjoying herself so much! This is something that can be openly discussed, unrelated to personal privacy, and still has a “foundation.” Then there are those things that can’t bespoken about,involving personal privacy. If you’ve put in the effort, but the results fade away like a passing bird, whether it hurts or not, only you know the taste. There might not even be someone to confide in. But what can you do about it? The sun still rises every day, and life goes on as usual, day by day.

    As people often say, without experiencing it, one doesn’t truly understand the difficulty. That 36 million isn’t easily obtained, and anyone who thinks they can just take it away from Qin Xiaoyue’s hands will find it’s not that simple. A thought flashed through her mind, and she remembered the bundled sponsorship strategy they had used earlier. With this realization, Qin Xiaoyue felt more reassured.

    Tan Saihu, in several key municipal engineering bidding processes in the Moon City, won the largest project – the “Moon City Avenue” widening and renovation project, worth over ten billion. Undoubtedly, this is a lucrative opportunity that has garnered widespread attention.

    With the aid of the “Moon City Avenue” widening and renovation project, Tan Saihu cleverly executed his strategic shift, smoothly transferring his focus from the northeast to Moon City. “Saihu Road Administration” made a high- profile appearance in the city. On the day of the company’s establishment, the place was brimming with distinguished guests and visitors. The main leaders of Moon City’s four sets of leadership, key figures from city-level government departments, relevant leaders from provincial departments, as well as media representatives from Moon City and local media outlets all attended. The front of the company building was adorned with colorful flags, banners, balloons, and arches, creating a vibrant atmosphere. On the square in front of the building, performers presented a lively lion and dragon dance, showcasing their energy and enthusiasm. The spectacle was far from the traditional elderly waist drum performances or lotus dances commonly seen in Moon City. Above the square, four gliders emitted a buzzing roar, trailing thick colored smoke and carrying banners congratulating the establishment of “Saihu Road Administration.” The gliders gracefully circled and glided through the air, capturing the attention of onlookers. The lenses of media cameras and video recorders were all focused on the airborne gliders.

    Dressed in a navy blue suit, Tan Saihu had a fresh flower pinned to his chest and a colored sash,and he sported a military-style buzz cut that exuded tidiness, determination, and vitality. By his side was a charming young woman dressed in festive attire,also adorned with flowers and a colored sash, appearing like a docile little bird next to him. Those who were familiar with the situation knew that she was the executive assistant of “Saihu Road Administration.” However, for those unaware of the context, it might seem like today was a celebratory occasion for President Tan Saihu, and he was about to marry the sweet and petite young lady by his side.

    Speaking of it, Tan Saihu is truly someone who tackles significant endeavors.  The moment he stepped into Moon City, he set his sights on the recently closed  Moon City Grand Hotel. Through intermediaries, he invested a staggering 60 million  to acquire the property. Within a short span of time, the once-shuttered Moon City  Grand Hotel reopened its doors, magically transformed into a high-end establishment  with exquisite taste and class. Of course, to outsiders, all of this might appear almost  miraculous. Only Tan Saihu knew that it all boiled down to one word: money. With  money, he could hire top-notch designers; with money, he could assemble an elite  construction team; with money, he could use the finest materials; with money, he  could implement state-of-the-art facilities; with money, he could have people work  tirelessly day and night for him; with money, he could turn his dreams into reality.  What’s 60 million? What’s even a hundred million? For his strategic shift, Tan Saihu  was well aware that necessary costs had to be paid. There’s been a recent popular  advertisement on CCTV titled “A Wise Life, Worth the Taste.” Without “worth,” how can there be “gain”? Between this concept of “worth” and “gain,” it indeed tests  a person’s “wisdom.”

    The unveiling ceremony of “Saihu Road Construction” made quite a splash in Moon City. Not only did all the top leaders of Moon City attend, but he also managed to invite the Deputy Commander of a major military district from the Northeast, which was truly impressive. This move compelled generals and colonels from the Provincial Military District and the Moon City Military District to also attend, not daring to show any negligence. The unity within the military is widely recognized. However, neither did we see the old Taishan, who holds the position of Deputy Commander, nor did we see Shen Yan, the beloved daughter of Deputy Commander Shen, who is now Tan Saihu’s wife.

    It is said that the military is currently undergoing the “three production” divestiture, and Tan Saihu’s move aligns with the broader trend of the military  shifting its focus. He has transitioned from the military to the civilian sector, from  the north to the south, successfully executing his strategic shift. However, Deputy  Commander Shen and his daughter Shen Yan have chosen to avoid the issue of Tan  Saihu’s transition, which is why they didn’t attend the unveiling ceremony of “Saihu  Road Construction.” There are also rumors that Tan Saihu and the Shen family have  completed their financial separation, and Tan Saihu has severed ties with Shen Yan  as well. The true situation remains unclear even to Liu Yong, who is almost always  by his side. So, who could really fathom the depths of Tan Saihu? In Moon City,  there are certainly people who can.

    After Liu Yong was taken away by the public security authorities, Tan Saihu once mentioned in front of Deputy Secretary Liu Chengyin that he didn’t need Secretary Liu’s intervention. He, Tan Saihu, could handle the matter directly. The performance was a success, with a very positive effect. What’s the big negative impact of a fake “Andy Lau”? Some of the audience members were causing a disturbance, all for a few hundred yuan worth of tickets. Compensation could resolve that. Tan Saihu had an unspoken thought in his mind. Secretary Liu, you worked behind the scenes, and I ended up with the “Moon City Avenue” widening and renovation project. That took quite a bit of effort. Even dealing with Wen Lianggong wasn’t easy, after all,he was the top official of the municipal government. Don’t be fooled by his usual gentleness; when it comes to crucial matters, he can be decisive.   Tan Saihu naturally wasn’t aware that in this particular case, Deputy Mayor Wen Lianggong had allowed Deputy Secretary Liu Chengyin to intervene in several key municipal projects, which was a signal of goodwill towards Liu. Firstly, during the process of merging rural townships in the entire city, Wen Lianggong had been swayed by ill-intentioned individuals’ misleading words, leading to an excessive elevation of his views towards Liu, losing his sense of proportion and standard, and overstepping his bounds. Secondly, not long ago, he had facilitated communication with the department responsible for legal affairs at the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympics, ensuring the successful staging of the “May  1st Welcome Olympics Grand Concert,” even though Young Master Liu was involved. However, since it was a concert organized by the municipal government, it could be seen as Wen Lianggong’s way of saving Liu from danger. They say that it’s better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester. Once Wen Lianggong understood Deputy Secretary Liu’s intentions, he more or less agreed. Of course, there was an essential prerequisite for all of this: you, Tan Saihu, needed to have enough power. These key municipal projects were, after all, preparations for welcoming the leading comrades working in Beijing back to their hometown. There was no room for the slightest negligence.

    Just like the time when they cooperated with Liu Chengyin to carry out the first urban road expansion project in Chuxian County, this time with the “Moon City Avenue” widening and renovation project, although it couldn’t be said that Tan Saihu was directly cooperating with Liu Chengyin, the project involved massive investment and held significant importance in terms of its nature. He had no choice but to give it his all.

    “Saihu Road Administration” raised the construction requirements for the “Moon City Avenue” this time, transforming the original six-lane design into an elaborately planned eight-lane road. Where would the additional two lanes come from? Tan Saihu looked at the site and found a simple solution: they would be added from the road’s central green island. By eliminating the existing central green island and reducing the reserved green areas on both sides of the road, achieving an eight- lane configuration seemed quite straightforward. Of course, such a transformation would involve sacrificing some of the trees along the road.

    Although, it wasn’t easy to decide on the type of trees to be planted when these trees were originally introduced. This important external thoroughfare for Moon City posed questions about the choice of tree species: should it be the city’s emblematic Ginkgo tree, or the currently popular Camphor tree? Should they opt for tall, fully grown trees that would instantly create a lush canopy along the road with dense branches and leaves, or should they go for semi-mature trees, allowing them a period of adaptation and growth after planting? The latter option would likely lead to higher survival rates after a certain period of time. All of these decisions were made through discussions and resolutions at specialized meetings by the municipal party committee and government. While each decision had its pros and cons, determining whether the pros outweighed the cons or vice versa was something that needed to be thoroughly understood before making any decisions.

    What Tan Saihu saw on the road was a compromise. Camphor and Ginkgo  trees were planted in separate sections, with trees of varying sizes interspersed. Tan  Saihu, who had been involved in engineering projects for so many years, couldn’t  help but smile to himself. It seemed that the initial struggle between the Party  Secretary and the Mayor had reached a stalemate; neither side had fully convinced  the other. However, all of that seemed unimportant now. With a single command  from Tan Saihu, everything was uprooted. He wanted the “Moon City Avenue” to transform completely, adorned with the charming and soft willow trees that  embodied the characteristics of a water town. Of course, the trunks had to be tall,  and the willow branches long. When a gentle breeze blew, the willow tendrils would  sway gracefully, creating an atmosphere that would welcome visitors to Moon City  with a unique tenderness, making them want to stay. Only such a choice would truly  complement and integrate with the essence of the Moon City.

    Tan  Saihu’s  strategy proved to be  a  success,  gaining  approval  and  commendation from several leaders within the municipal party committee and  government. However, Tan Saihu wasn’t complacent. He not only introduced  innovative and remarkable aspects in the broader aspects of the project construction  but also pursued excellence in every detail, raising the bar for perfection. The curbs  on both sides of the “Moon City Avenue,” originally made of precast concrete, were  completely replaced with marble in this transformation. The construction workers  even commented that President Tan was being excessively meticulous. Was it really  necessary to use such high-end marble for curbs? Even if the “high-ranking leader” who worked in Beijing were to drive on this road upon returning, they would hardly  notice whether the curbs were made of concrete or marble as they swiftly passed by.  It seemed unnecessary.

    Tan Saihu didn’t see it that way. People leave their mark, and birds’ callslinger after they’ve passed. Money is earned by people, and once earned, it’s meant to be spent. While it’s true that money gets spent no matter where it’s used, not all expenditures are the same. In the case of Tan Saihu’s investment in the “Moon City Avenue” curbs, spending a few million or even tens of millions more was justified. He wanted to leave behind a landmark project for Moon City. He wanted his name to be associated with such a landmark project. Years later, when people drive along this road and mention the marble curbs, they would give a thumbs-up and naturally remember him, Tan Saihu. For this purpose, spending a few million or tens of millions, isn’t it worth it?