Monday.
Early that morning, Jiaolin County was shrouded in mist.
Dong Xuebin emerged from the Family Compound looking refreshed. A thin layer of water covered the ground outside after last night's light rain, and the air was cool and crisp.
"Secretary." Su Yan had been waiting downstairs.
Dong Xuebin said, "Did you notify everyone about this morning's Standing Committee meeting?"
Su Yan replied, "As instructed, I notified them last night."
Dong Xuebin nodded. "Good. Let's grab something to eat first, then head to the office."
He got into Xiao Wang's car. Once it pulled away, they drove out of the County Party Committee Family Compound.
Eight thirty.
Dong Xuebin arrived at the temporary County Party Committee Compound.
But as soon as the car entered, several groups of reporters surrounded it. Some were from newspapers, others from television stations. Cameras were hoisted on shoulders, their cables swinging everywhere, making Dong Xuebin dizzy just looking at them. What kind of lineup is this? Why are there reporters here? There were not many of them, only eight or nine, but Jiaolin County had never seen anything like this before. And judging by the logos on their microphones, there were provincial media outlets among them, even newspapers from the Capital City.
"Are you Secretary Dong Xuebin?"
"Secretary Dong, I'm from the Northern Shaanxi Daily."
"Could you give us an interview?"
"I heard an emergency County Party Committee Standing Committee meeting is being held today. Could you reveal the specific agenda?"
Back then, Jiaolin County's Standing Committee meetings had been utterly quiet. At most, they would notify a few county media outlets afterward and put out a news report. That was about it. When had they ever seen a scene like this? It was only a County Party Committee Standing Committee meeting, yet even