494: Departure and Farewell

Just as Chen Yuxi drove the car out of the Residential Community gate, Lin Zifeng felt the car jerk.

Not knowing why Chen Yuxi had braked for no reason, he instinctively looked in the direction of the headlights and saw many people standing on the road outside the Residential Community.

As the slowing car approached the crowd, Lin Zifeng saw many familiar faces.

Xu Minghao stood at the front, with every single Member of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee of Yushu City lined up in order.

Behind them were the deputy division level cadres and some section-level Cadres of Yushu City.

There were nearly a hundred people in total, standing quietly by the roadside, stretching out for over a hundred meters.

It turned out that it wasn't just Wang Zhongyu and Li Qiang who were concerned about when Lin Zifeng would leave Yushu City; Xu Minghao and the others had also been keeping track.

Therefore, on the way back last night, Xu Minghao had called Wang Zhongyu.

Hearing that Lin Zifeng didn't want Wang Zhongyu and Li Qiang to see him off, and that Lin Zifeng hadn't revealed when he would leave Yushu City, Xu Minghao guessed that Lin Zifeng intended to leave quietly.

That was how this scene came about.

Seeing the scene before him, Lin Zifeng felt as if an invisible hand had tightly gripped his heart.

He felt as though he had been struck by a freezing spell, and he sat stunned in the passenger seat.

"Husband." Chen Yuxi called out, but didn't know what else to say, so she stopped the car a few meters away from Xu Minghao.

Lin Zifeng finally snapped out of it. He looked at Chen Yuxi and said, "Wife, just follow me in the car; don't get out."

He then opened the door and got out.

After getting out of the car, Lin Zifeng walked a few steps to reach Xu Minghao.

Shaking hands with him, he said, "Secretary Minghao, you've gone too far. It's such a cold day, and it's so early. To trouble so many Comrades—it's too much of a spectacle."

"If the masses found out, they would surely criticize us for formalism!"

"Secretary, Yushu City has made such great contributions because of you. If Yushu City hadn't had you as our leader, how could we have developed into a place that other Districts and Counties envy?"

"Now that you are leaving your post to work elsewhere, how could I and the Comrades live with ourselves if we didn't see you off?"

"Besides, this is a spontaneous, personal act by me and the Comrades; it wasn't specifically organized."

Xu Minghao said with genuine emotion.

Lin Zifeng nodded, touched.

Wei Ting reached out her hand, and while shaking hands with him, she said, "Secretary, Secretary Minghao is right."

"We guessed you would leave early, so we came spontaneously. This was even with us intentionally keeping it a secret; otherwise, who knows how many Cadres and masses would have come to see you off!"

Lin Zifeng patted the back of Wei Ting's hand with his other hand, everything understood without words.

Cao Shuang held Lin Zifeng's hand with both of his and said with deep emotion, "Secretary, I wish you a safe journey."

Just like that, Lin Zifeng shook hands and said goodbye to everyone one by one, while Chen Yuxi followed behind him in the car, using her phone with one hand to record the scene.

Ten minutes later, Lin Zifeng reached the end of the line.

The two people standing at the end were Wang Zhongyu and Li Qiang.

Lin Zifeng shook hands with both of them, and simultaneously patted their shoulders with his other hand.

Only then did he turn to look at the crowd behind him and wave vigorously.

Seeing everyone silently waving goodbye to him at the same time, Lin Zifeng, his eyes slightly red, took one last deep look at them before opening the car door.

Chen Yuxi hurriedly wiped away her tears and put away her phone.

Once Lin Zifeng got into the car, Chen Yuxi honked the horn and slowly accelerated away.

This special farewell took place in the darkness of night, without disturbing the nearby residents.

Through the rearview mirror, Lin Zifeng watched the crowd behind him grow distant until they became a blur.

Only then did he withdraw his gaze and stare silently at the familiar scenery outside the car window.

Not until the car Lin Zifeng was in disappeared at the intersection did Xu Minghao and the others leave silently, one by one.

In the blink of an eye, only the morning breeze welcoming the dawn remained at the Residential Community gate, as if nothing had ever happened.

Chen Yuxi did not break the silence inside the car and just kept driving quietly.

Not until Chen Yuxi drove the car out of the city area did Lin Zifeng withdraw his gaze.

"I never expected that these people would wait at the Residential Community gate so early to see me off! I had originally intended to leave quietly, without disturbing anyone. Otherwise, there would have been no need for us to set off so early."

"Husband, your position in Yushu City completely ended with the conclusion of yesterday's citywide Cadre meeting. In terms of organizational relations, you no longer have any connection to Yushu City."

"Under these circumstances, for your colleagues to still come spontaneously so early to see you off is the best recognition of your work during your time in Yushu City—more precious than any award."

"They sincerely respect you as their former Secretary! This is the value and honor of holding office. As your wife, I feel happy and proud of you."

Chen Yuxi said, sharing in the honor.

"Wife, do you know? I still have some regrets in Yushu City. The high-speed rail isn't open yet, the Film and Television City hasn't been completed, and the renovation of the new city is still one stage away from being finished."

"I had originally planned to stay in Yushu City for another two to three years to complete all this work before transferring."

"I didn't expect this unexpected appointment from the Provincial Party Committee. I feel reluctant and regretful about Yushu City, yet I am full of anticipation about working in Fengnan City. So, my mood right now is very complicated."

Lin Zifeng spoke his true feelings to his Spouse.

"Husband, nothing in this world is perfect. Regrets are common in life; that's just how it is."

"If you waited until you had accomplished everything you just mentioned, that would be two or three years from now."

"By then, what if there wasn't a suitable position, and you couldn't transfer even if you wanted to?"

"You can think about it from the other perspective: you are going to Fengnan City to serve as mayor now, and in two or three years, you will have already been in that position for two or three years."

"For officials like you, two or three years is a very important and critical amount of time."

"Other Cadres would find it incredibly difficult to get a promotion opportunity like yours!"

"If you think about it that way, don't you feel that this current situation is actually a very good outcome?"

Chen Yuxi said thoughtfully.

Hearing what Chen Yuxi said, Lin Zifeng smiled and said, "To have my own wife do ideological work on me—how shameful!"

"But I have to say, my wife is quite good at counseling people."

"Don't worry, Wife. I'm fine; I was just feeling a bit sentimental."

"I am on an official career path. To be able to hold office, bring benefits to the people, and also get promoted—I am very happy about that."

"Only by constantly challenging oneself and realizing one's ideals does life become more meaningful."

Chen Yuxi nodded with a smile, drove into the toll station, took the toll card, and drove the car onto the Expressway.

Chen Yuxi drove steadily, and the couple chatted idly from time to time as the sky outside the window gradually brightened.