Chapter 57

Chapter 13: Deep Reluctance to Part

Li Yi had excellent eyesight. He could see the anxious look on Wen Yuxi's face in the helicopter, even the faint traces of tears at the corners of his eyes. He felt a surge of emotion, thinking that Secretary Wen truly cared for the people and was a good leader who cherished the people! He immediately shouted, "Secretary Wen, you've come just in time! We've already marked the secondary flood discharge channel. Tell the plane to drop the bombs quickly!"

Wen Yuxi felt a sense of relief upon hearing Li Yi's voice.

The pilot of the military aircraft was an experienced veteran who had once carried out a dam-blasting mission. He flew the plane in circles above the dam, searching for the best moment to launch the bombs.

Wen Yuxi and Ding Jinjin's helicopter landed on an open space nearby.

A group of city leaders, led by Meng Di and Xiong Xilai, hurried over, jostling to get close to Wen Yuxi and Ding Jinjin. However, Wen Yuxi and Ding Jinjin extended their hands to Li Yi...

"Li Yi!" Wen Yuxi, who rarely smiled, showed a hint of a smile and shook Li Yi's hand firmly.

Everyone saw and heard this, and for a moment, they all held their breath.

After all, this was a member of the Central Committee, a provincial leader! To these city-level leaders, he was an existence so powerful it bordered on the absurd.

Consequently, the way they looked at Li Yi was filled with more respect and even awe.

The Consultative Office had always been a mysterious and special department, not only because it was filled with old revolutionaries, but also because it included many democrats and non-partisan individuals. More importantly, they could speak frankly about national affairs and have their words reach the highest levels. Even Li Yi, a young man, could summon a military aircraft with a single phone call! He had even alarmed the provincial party secretary and the military commander!

This ability and influence were what every official revered and aspired to.

Li Yi's tall and slender figure suddenly seemed more imposing.

Meng Di's attitude toward him underwent a 180-degree change. Xiong Xilai, on the other hand, was filled with deep regret. He never expected that Li Yi would have such great power.

Curious villagers gathered at a distance to watch. In this remote village, it was a rare sight to see an airplane!

With two loud explosions, the military aircraft completed its mission and circled in the air before flying back.

The secondary flood discharge channel was blown open, and the floodwaters, like wild horses, rushed out, surging along the channel.

Seeing this spectacular scene, Li Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Even with the flood discharge, it would take dozens of hours to lower the reservoir water level below the warning line. During this period, the safety of the dam had to be monitored constantly. Of course, the subsequent matters would be handled by the Sanjiang Reservoir Administration and the Water Resources Bureau, and he didn't need to worry about them.

After shaking hands with Li Yi, Wen Yuxi then shook hands with the city leaders, including Meng Di.

Meng Di, with a face full of shame, said, "Secretary Wen, today's situation was too sudden, causing trouble for the province and the military district! I am at fault!"

Wen Yuxi maintained a stern expression and said nothing. When it was Xiong Xilai's turn, Wen Yuxi said, "Comrade Xiong Xilai, you've been working in Sanjiang for twenty-six years, right?"

Xiong Xilai's heart skipped a beat, and his head felt dizzy. He couldn't even remember how he responded, only that Wen Yuxi's gaze was sharp, as if it could see through his thoughts.

Li Yi thought to himself, "Xiong Xilai won't last in Sanjiang!" Suddenly, he felt someone tugging at his clothes. Turning around, he saw Su Su pulling his clothes and whispering, "Big Brother Li, quickly go inside and change your clothes, and have some hot soup."

Li Yi felt a wave of relief and shivered involuntarily. He hurriedly followed Su Su inside. Su Su found a set of men's clothes and had Li Yi change into them. Just as he finished changing, Su Su brought in a bowl of soup and handed it to Li Yi, "Drink it quickly!"

Li Yi didn't hesitate, took the bowl, and drank it in one go. Wiping his mouth, he said, "What kind of soup is this? It's so delicious!"

Su Su smiled, "Snake soup! My grandfather caught it on the mountain!"

"Ah!" Li Yi, who was terrified of snakes, immediately made a face as if he were about to vomit.

"I knew you'd react like this! Snake soup is the most nourishing! The one you ate was the best five-step snake! The more venomous the snake, the better it is for your health!" Su Su chuckled.

"Stop it! Why didn't you cook wild rabbit for me?" Li Yi tried to adapt and joked.

"Um, wild rabbit meat is best stir-fried with red peppers! If you stay for dinner, I can cook it for you," Su Su said shyly, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

Li Yi laughed, "Sure!"

"Really?" Su Su was delighted, turned around, and her long hair brushed against Li Yi's face as she skipped away.

The next day, reporters from the provincial and Sanjiang city TV stations arrived for interviews.

Li Yi then learned that he had been hailed as a savior, a great hero who saved Sanjiang City!

He declined all interviews, saying, "In this matter, I didn't do much. We were fortunate to escape this crisis thanks to the wise leadership of the provincial party committee, the full cooperation of the military district, and the joint efforts of the people and officials of Sanjiang City. If you want to conduct interviews, go to them."

The torrential rain finally stopped, and Sanjiang City returned to its usual sunny and bustling state. The streets were filled with people and vehicles, presenting a scene of prosperity and vitality.

This crisis was timely controlled, and no one was harmed during the flood. The economic losses were also kept to a minimum.

However, this event had a significant impact on the political landscape of Sanjiang City, causing a small earthquake in the local government.

After learning the details of the incident, the relevant leaders of the provincial party committee and government made corresponding adjustments to the leadership of Sanjiang City. Xiong Xilai was transferred to Anan region as a commissioner.

Deputy Mayor Luo Zhenghao unexpectedly rose to the position of acting mayor.

Wang Haisan, the chief clerk of the Water Resources Bureau, was appointed as the deputy director of the city government office, with the rank of deputy department level.

Qin Fan, the deputy director of the Malin Reservoir Dam Management Office, was transferred to work in the Water Resources Bureau.

Other personnel appointments are not detailed here.

On the day the research team left Sanjiang City, Wang Haisan was the first to come to bid farewell to Li Yi.

After this incident, Wang Haisan had a deep understanding of Li Yi's character and capabilities and genuinely admired him. He patted his chest and said, "Consultative Officer Li, whenever you come to Sanjiang, whether you have something or not, just come to me, Wang Haisan. I will treat you as my best friend!"

Li Yi smiled and patted his shoulder, "Sure! Director Wang, when I trouble you, don't pretend you don't know me!"

Wang Haisan shook his head repeatedly, gave Li Yi his phone number, and sincerely wanted to be friends with him.

As the car slowly drove away, Li Yi saw a slender figure standing not far away, accompanied by a large white dog.

Li Yi asked the driver to stop, ran to Su Su, and took off his watch to give it to her, "Thank you for the snake soup. After drinking it, I didn't even catch a cold! Look, I'm in great shape now!"

"I don't want it!" Su Su blushed, her hands behind her back.

Li Yi grabbed her small hand and placed the watch in her palm, "Take it! Goodbye! Hehe! Goodbye, Little White!"

Watching Li Yi's tall and strong figure gradually disappear, Su Su's eyes became moist. The little girl didn't know why she felt this way, but she knew that in her heart, she had a deep reluctance to part with that passionate and dedicated big brother...

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