Philip Walker picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and chewed it hard twice before saying, “Pah! You old schemer, aren’t you just trying to take me for a ride? I can tell what you’re up to just by the way you stick your butt out. So, tell me, are you free this afternoon? If you are, lunch is on me!”

“Forget it. If Chief Director Walker is treating, I really don’t dare go. Who doesn’t know you haven’t treated anyone in ten lifetimes? On the rare occasion you do, you just drink like crazy, get so drunk you pass out, and not only do I have to take you home, I even have to pay the bill myself!” Thomas Thompson gave Philip Walker no face at all, and burst out laughing as soon as he finished.

There were still quite a few people eating in the cafeteria, and when they heard Thomas Thompson belittle Philip Walker like that, they all burst out laughing with delight.

Usually, Philip Walker had a classic saying: “Listen to your wife and follow the Party.” At work, he was famous for being stingy. There was once a rainy day when a few close colleagues managed to force him to treat them. After trying every excuse and failing to get out of it, Philip Walker simply went all out—he drank heavily at the table, and before the meal was even halfway through, he was puking everywhere. As for the bill, well, that was none of his business.

Thinking about these stories about Philip Walker, Henry Walker couldn’t help but smile too. Grinning, he walked into the cafeteria. The township government staffer Matthew Thompson, who was eating by the door, saw Henry Walker come in and quickly greeted him with a smile: “Secretary Walker, here for lunch?”

The others eating also turned their heads at the same time, nodding to Henry Walker in greeting. Even though, in everyone’s eyes, Henry Walker was just a puppet, he was still in the position, so basic courtesy had to be shown.

Thomas Thompson, who had just been bickering with Philip Walker, saw Henry Walker come in and rushed over at unprecedented speed. Not only did he bring Henry Walker’s meal to him, he even specially brought out a plate of golden, crispy fried eggs and respectfully placed it in front of Henry Walker.

Everyone was used to Thomas Thompson’s attitude toward Henry Walker, so no one was surprised. But seeing Thomas Thompson now, acting like a completely different person, so humble and eager to please, left everyone dumbfounded. The office director Philip Walker even subconsciously touched his slicked-back hair, looking utterly confused.

Every move was naturally noticed by Henry Walker, who pretended not to see and simply pushed the plate of fried eggs forward, cheerfully saying, “Everyone, come and try some. Thomas did a great job with these eggs!”

Hearing Henry Walker’s praise, Thomas Thompson’s anxious face immediately broke into a big smile. After all, this was a good sign—the awkward incident from yesterday was finally over!

Relying on memories from his previous life, Henry Walker chatted casually with the people around him while eating. By the time he finished, everyone felt as if they had swallowed a stone, heavy and uneasy. When he stood up, everyone instinctively stood up as well.

Standing up to see off a leader is a sign of respect. Generally, in Xihezi Township, even the deputy secretary wouldn’t get this treatment. The only one in the whole township who did was the township chief, Samuel Carter.

After Henry Walker left, Philip Walker quickly shoveled the rest of his rice into his mouth, then hurried off in big strides toward Samuel Carter’s office.

Although Xihezi Township Government wasn’t big, it still had seventy or eighty people. To ensure orderly work, every day at eight o’clock, all the cadres and staff would gather in the main conference room, where the deputy secretary in charge of political work, Richard Brooks, would call roll one by one, waiting for the secretary and township chief to make arrangements for the day’s work.

In the past, Henry Walker didn’t attend the daily roll call every day, but now, he thought differently. He didn’t want to miss any opportunity to establish his authority.

A shrill bell rang, and the township government cadres began to file into the large conference room on the third floor.

“Township Chief Carter!” “Township Chief Carter!”

...

The tall and burly Samuel Carter walked out of his office and ran into the cadres and staff coming for roll call. Greetings rang out one after another. Samuel Carter nodded nonchalantly, exuding the air of a national leader about to meet foreign dignitaries!

Compared to Samuel Carter, things were a bit bleak on Henry Walker’s side. Aside from Grace Dawson and David Grant, who greeted him specially, everyone else rushed past him as if they had rockets under their feet, completely ignoring his presence.

The Xihezi Township conference room was the size of five rooms, with a cement floor. On the podium were six slightly cracked tables covered with red velvet tablecloths. Below the podium, more than ten rows of connected chairs were where the township cadres sat.

Sitting in this familiar yet unfamiliar conference room, Henry Walker couldn’t help but think of the past. Back then, he felt that sitting here was like being a monkey in a park—every word and gesture was just for show, and it made him miserable. But now, he didn’t feel that way anymore!

“Hello, Secretary Walker!”