Just now, the once high-spirited Michael Thompson immediately pulled a long face when he heard this, looking at Ryan Carter and saying, “Come on, is this how you treat a brother? I was standing up for you, and now you’re using this against me. Please, it’s not like you just met my mom today. If she finds out I caused you trouble, she’ll nag me to death!”

Michael Thompson’s mother is named Sophie Reed, an elementary school teacher in Yanjiang Village. Since childhood, Ryan Carter was her star pupil. Plus, he and Michael Thompson were classmates in middle school, so all along, Teacher Reed treated the outstanding Ryan Carter as a role model for her son, constantly urging Michael Thompson to learn from Ryan Carter. If the Li family hadn’t moved away back then, she probably would have made Ryan Carter her godson. Michael Thompson could easily imagine that if his mom found out he caused trouble for Ryan Carter on his very first day at work, he’d be nagged to death for sure.

After hesitating for a moment, Michael Thompson glanced at the door, and seeing no one coming in, he lowered his voice and said, “Woodenhead, tell me the truth—why did you give up a job in the big city to come here as a temp?”

Ryan Carter chuckled and replied in a low voice, “I want to pursue a political career.”

Michael Thompson raised his eyebrows, smacked his lips, and nodded, “Makes sense. No matter how rich a businessman is, he can’t compare to an official. You really see things clearly, no wonder my mom always praises you.”

As he spoke, he grinned and added, “My old man only realized this after suffering some setbacks. He worked his tail off negotiating with my uncle-in-law to get me in here.”

Now it was Ryan Carter’s turn to be stunned. He looked at Michael Thompson in confusion and asked in a low voice, “Your uncle-in-law?”

Blinking, Michael Thompson said, “My third uncle-in-law. Last year, he was transferred from Jiangkou to become our township’s Party Secretary! I’ll introduce you sometime. With your abilities, you’ll definitely land a good position!”

Ryan Carter suddenly stood up, sizing up Michael Thompson from head to toe. He never expected this guy to have such a connection. Staring at Michael Thompson, Ryan Carter said, “You sly dog, no wonder you’re so cocky with such a powerful backer!”

Michael Thompson scratched his head a bit sheepishly and laughed.

At that moment, a young man wearing glasses walked into the office, glanced at Michael Thompson, snorted coldly, and turned to leave. Watching the man’s back, Michael Thompson spat and said, “Bullshit! That punk’s just riding on someone else’s coattails!”

Ryan Carter calmly glanced at the man’s back, feeling a bit surprised. To dare show attitude to the Party Secretary’s nephew in the township government, this guy must be something special.

Sure enough, Michael Thompson cursed, “What a piece of work—just because he’s latched onto the township chief, he struts around like he owns the place. If he pisses me off, I’ll teach him a lesson!”

A thought struck Ryan Carter. It seemed the relationship between the township’s Party Secretary and the township chief wasn’t so great. If he guessed right, things might have already reached the point of open hostility, and Michael Thompson’s uncle-in-law was probably at a disadvantage. Otherwise, as the term was about to end, there’s no way a so-called secretary to the township chief would dare give the Party Secretary’s nephew the cold shoulder.

Thinking of this, Ryan Carter checked the time—it was almost ten o’clock, yet there were only four people in the office. He couldn’t help but ask, “Why are there only four of us? Weren’t there supposed to be four more?”

Michael Thompson smiled, “The others are out with the leaders. My uncle-in-law went to Company Three to inspect the summer drought prevention. Township Head Howard supposedly had a stomachache and went to the city for treatment. Deputy Secretary Bolton went to Xinhua Village to research the village-run factory, and Deputy Township Chief Brooks seems to have gone to Heitong Village to collect the retention funds. So it’s just us left here.”

Ryan Carter was stunned, and suddenly remembered something. In his previous life, in his memory, Michael Thompson’s uncle-in-law wasn’t the Party Secretary of Yanjiang Township. In fact, when he returned to Muyang from the south, he’d heard that Michael Thompson had already gone to Jiangkou City in the south to do business, and the Party Secretary of Yanjiang Township seemed to have the surname He. So why had things changed in this life?

Could something have happened?

Just then, he heard Michael Thompson mutter, “The term is about to end, so everyone’s busy looking out for their own future. Who knows how long we’ll be able to stay here?”

A sudden flash of insight struck Ryan Carter. Could it be that in this term’s election, something happened to Michael Thompson’s uncle-in-law, causing him to step down in disgrace, and that Township Head Howard seized the opportunity to rise to the top?

Thinking of this, his eyes lit up. Maybe, for him, this was an opportunity—a chance to step onto the political stage!

Chapter 009: A Living Bodhisattva

From Michael Thompson’s account, Ryan Carter learned that the Yanjiang Township Party Committee had a total of seven members. His uncle-in-law, Party Secretary Olivia Green, was in charge of the Party Committee and the overall work of the People’s Congress.

Township Chief Robert Howard was responsible for the overall work of the government and oversaw financial affairs.

Deputy Secretary Steven Bolton was in charge of discipline inspection and oversaw education, political and legal affairs, comprehensive management, petition stability, militia affairs, and united front work.

Deputy Township Chief Andrew Foster was responsible for publicity and united front work, and oversaw the Party and government office, labor union, Communist Youth League, Women’s Federation, elderly affairs, and ethnic and religious affairs.