Chapter 75

Yang Dali was going to cook the dishes himself, which was a great honor for Xiao Yuanhang! Xiao Yuanhang might not fully understand, but the police chief, Wang Keqin, knew very well that Yang Dali was the only first-class chef in the Guhe Train Section's passenger service company, and he had earned this title through his genuine skills. In the past, when senior leaders came for inspections, the section leaders would always call him to cook, bringing a lot of face to the section. However, after becoming the dining car chief, he rarely cooked anymore!

Xiao Yuanhang's handling of the pregnant woman's sudden labor on the last trip was commendable, earning Yang Dali's approval. More importantly, he had heard about the subsequent events. Although the article in the *People's Daily* only mentioned Xiao Yuanhang's name and briefly mentioned the police, maintenance, and dining car staff without naming them, he still felt very proud. He believed that Xiao Yuanhang was a capable person who could handle big things, which was why he wanted to befriend him.

Of course, Xiao Yuanhang's arrangement of the meal in the dining car was to invite Minister Xu and his group, which was part of his plan. When local leaders ride the train, being offered coffee and invited to dine was a different experience from their inspections on the ground. Xiao Yuanhang's minimum goal was to make Minister Xu remember him. As for what would happen in the future, he hadn't thought it through yet.

Sitting by the window, watching the power poles rush backward, Xiao Yuanhang's thoughts were in turmoil. Although he wanted to achieve something in the railway, he knew that the ultimate fate of the Ministry of Railways was to be abolished and replaced by China Railway Corporation. Although it would take 28 years for the Ministry of Railways to be abolished, the outcome was already predetermined. He actively reached out to local leaders, partly to leave himself a backup plan. Even as a reborn person, in this era of reform and opening up, he couldn't truly control his own destiny, and the future still held many uncertainties!

Xiao Yuanhang had a very clear understanding of himself. As a grassroots person, even with the foresight of being reborn, it would be very difficult for him to reach a high position. Money and ability could still play a role at lower levels, but the higher he went, the more difficult it became. At the railway bureau level, background, connections, and lineage were crucial. Without special opportunities, he would stop here and wouldn't be able to advance to the ministry level!

The more Xiao Yuanhang thought, the more distant his ideals seemed. He felt the train suddenly slow down and immediately became alert. Sigh, why think so much? There will always be a way when you reach the mountain. Just take one step at a time, and worry about the final destination later.

Xiao Yuanhang stood up and inspected the hard-seat and sleeper compartments. When he passed the soft-sleeper compartment, he still didn't go to Room 3. Shan Xiaoling followed him to the junction and said, "Chief Xiao, the passengers in Room 3 have asked to see you several times."

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his watch, it was 4:30 PM, and said, "Not yet, I'll go to the dining car first and then come to see them."

At the dining car, Yang Dali saw Xiao Yuanhang and asked, "Brother Xiao, I've prepared all the ingredients for dinner. When should we start?"

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Brother Yang, prepare for 5:00 PM. I'll invite them over then."

"Alright!" Yang Dali loudly agreed and called the dining car attendants to set the table. Setting the table was a meticulous process, and the attendants were specially trained. They quickly set up a table, laid out four tablecloths, with a red one for the main seat and white ones for the others, and then placed the bowls, plates, chopsticks, and spoons.

Seeing that the table was set and Yang Dali had entered the kitchen to start cooking, Xiao Yuanhang headed to the soft-sleeper compartment. As soon as he entered, Shan Xiaoling greeted him, "Chief, the passengers in Room 3 asked me to find you again. I told them you were inspecting the compartments, but they didn't believe me. They want me to bring you to them quickly, or they will come out themselves!"

Xiao Yuanhang nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go over now." He walked toward Room 3, and Shan Xiaoling quickly walked ahead, knocked on the door, and said to Guo Xiaoquan, who opened it, "Hello, Chief Xiao is here!"

Guo Xiaoquan, upon hearing that Xiao Yuanhang had arrived, stood up and came out of the room. Xiao Yuanhang immediately recognized him as Minister Xu's secretary. He smiled and shook his hand, saying, "Hello, leader, welcome to our train!"

"Hello, hello! I'm not a leader, I'm here to serve the leaders. Our leader is inside, Chief Xiao, please come in!" Guo Xiaoquan, as a secretary, spoke and acted with great tact, always emphasizing the presence of the leader.

As soon as Xiao Yuanhang entered the room, Xu Wenbo, who was sitting on the lower berth facing the direction of travel, stood up and extended his hand to Xiao Yuanhang. Xiao Yuanhang quickly stepped forward and shook Xu Wenbo's hand, saying, "Welcome, leader from our hometown, to our train!"

The phrase "leader from our hometown" made Xu Wenbo feel very close, instantly bridging the gap between them. Initially, when Shan Xiaoling brought the coffee, he had some doubts, thinking that Chief Xiao might have something to ask of him because he knew his status. However, Chief Xiao didn't appear for a long time, and his son, Xu Xiaohu, found the coffee very tasty and asked for more. Shan Xiaoling was very热情, and she made him three cups. With these preliminaries, and seeing that Chief Xiao was a likable, sunny young man, Xu Wenbo naturally felt closer. Whether Chief Xiao wanted something from him or just wanted to befriend him because he knew his identity, it made him feel comfortable.

Xu Wenbo, who rarely smiled, now had a warm expression on his face. He held Xiao Yuanhang's hand and said, "I also thank Chief Xiao for your warm and thoughtful service throughout the journey. It's quite an achievement to become a chief at such a young age!"

Xu Wenbo's scholarly and refined appearance gave Xiao Yuanhang a sense of familiarity, but he couldn't recall where he had seen him before. However, he was sure he had never met this person before!

Xiao Yuanhang didn't dwell on it and smiled, saying, "Thank you, leader, for your praise. Serving you well is my duty. If you need anything, just let me know, and I will do my best to serve you!"

Xiao Yuanhang's words were very appropriate, and Xu Wenbo nodded in approval. He gestured to the opposite lower berth and said, "Chief Xiao, please sit down, have a rest, and a cigarette. You can continue your work later." He then picked up a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from the table, took one out, and handed it to Xiao Yuanhang. Secretary Guo Xiaoquan quickly lit it for him and then lit one for Xu Wenbo.

Xu Wenbo's wife, Qin Jie, and son, Xu Xiaohu, were resting on the upper berth. When Xiao Yuanhang entered, they both woke up. Qin Jie didn't want to see outsiders and pretended to be asleep, while Xu Xiaohu, who couldn't stay still, peered down from the upper berth, observing Xiao Yuanhang.

Xiao Yuanhang, of course, didn't want to miss this opportunity to get closer to the leader. He smoked and chatted with Xu Wenbo. Initially, Xu Wenbo thought there wasn't much to talk about with a young train chief, but Xiao Yuanhang discussed the changes in Guhe City since the reform and opening up, as well as economic development issues. This excited Xu Wenbo, who never expected a train chief to be so concerned about local development!

After finishing a cigarette, Xiao Yuanhang looked at his watch, stood up, and said, "Leader, it's time for dinner. I've prepared a simple meal for you in the dining car. Please join us for dinner."

"Chief Xiao, you're too kind. We brought our own food before boarding, so we don't want to trouble you!" Xu Wenbo was surprised to hear that Xiao Yuanhang had prepared dinner for them in the dining car. In the past, it was difficult to get a cup of tea on the train, but today, he was offered coffee and invited to dinner, which made him cautious.

Xiao Yuanhang smiled and said, "Leader, there's nothing special on the train, just some home-style dishes. Since you've worked hard for Guhe's development and construction, it's an honor for me to serve you today."

The door to the room was open, and the dining car was connected to the soft-sleeper compartment, so the aroma of the dishes wafted over. Xu Xiaohu, who was lying on the upper berth, suddenly said, "Dad, I don't want to eat cake, I want to eat stir-fried dishes!"

Qin Jie couldn't pretend to be asleep anymore and sat up, frowning, "Xiaohu, be good and listen to your father, don't bother him!"

******************************************************************

PS: Thank you to the readers "Tonji Tu Ye," "Long Shao LL1," and "Hanyouzi" for your support!