Town Mayor

This film (drama)Also known as镇长，is aMainland ChinaProducerbeauty live，At2007Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin Chinese，Current Douban rating8.7(For reference only)。

A red Hongqi sedan was driving on the rugged mountain road leading to Yanghe Gou Town. Dai Xing, deputy director of the Huangchuan County Committee Office, wanted to indulge in a driving thrill, but unexpectedly, it turned into a big problem. The "Hongqi" ended up stuck in a water pit by the roadside and couldn't get out. A group of children came from a distance, led by Yang Liren. Lao Huang called the children to help push the car, and one of the boys said they would help if they were paid. After a hard negotiation, they reached an agreement, but one girl twisted her ankle again. The boy insisted it was "work-related injury" and said they needed to be taken to town in the car, which Dai Xing agreed to. Lao Huang was furious: These people in Yanghe Gou are really crazy about money! The day after returning to the county seat, County Mayor Lv summoned him for a chat about his impressions of Yanghe Gou. Dai Xing focused on the lack of leadership since Town Mayor Qu was reassigned, and no one had been in charge of specific tasks. Mayor Lv listened patiently and remained silent after he finished speaking. Dai Xing felt uneasy under the Mayor's gaze, suddenly sensing an ominous premonition. Sure enough, after a pause, the Mayor spoke, suggesting Dai Xing go down to gain experience and act as the acting mayor of Yanghe Gou Town. Dai Xing, along with his good friend Zhou Yunming, the deputy director of the county finance bureau, went to the largest restaurant in Huangchuan County, "Red Mill." Dai Xing got drunk... The restaurant's female owner, Shan Rong, did indeed get Dai Xing home, but it was her home. When Dai Xing woke up in Shan Rong's large, soft bed, realizing he was completely naked, he was truly shocked. Lao Huang sent Dai Xing to Yanghe Gou for his new post, but there was no welcome scene as expected. The only ones there to greet him were Town Secretary Ma Xinchun and a few town officials. News of the new mayor arriving had spread throughout Yanghe Gou, and Ma Xinchun paid for a welcoming banquet with his own 150 yuan. The debt collector, a fat man named Tian Jiansan, showed up again. He was originally the owner of a resort near the reservoir, which was now left incomplete due to lack of funds from the town government, resulting in Yanghe Gou owing Tian Jiansan about 500,000. Tian Jiansan was quite ungracious, coming into the room, snacking while lamenting to the new mayor, suggesting that the previous town leadership had let him down, making Ma Xinchun's expression grow increasingly grim. Suddenly, the glass in the restaurant shattered with a loud bang, startling everyone. Tian Jiansan had a fishbone stuck in his throat and could no longer complain. Ma Xinchun, fueled by anger, darted out... Troubles started right after Dai Xing assumed his post as teachers at the school went on strike due to unpaid salaries. No matter how Ma Xinchun tried to persuade them, the teachers were unwilling to resume normal teaching. After holding back for a long time, Dai Xing finally said, "Then I will take a class." Dai Xing taking the class felt fresh to both students and teachers, and the classroom quickly filled with people, resembling a "public class" as he taught an ancient text, "Shangzhongyong." The class was successful, and the striking teachers felt embarrassed. Dai Xing seized the opportunity to promise: "I will solve the problem within a month." The storm finally calmed for now. During Dai Xing's first leadership meeting after taking office, it was held on a hillside at Liu Hucheng's house. The deputy town mayor in charge of education and health, Yang Yuehua, was a delicate and introverted woman, but she spoke coherently about work. Dai Xing was surprised to learn about the town's financial situation, discovering not only were teachers' salaries overdue, but town officials hadn't been paid in over six months, which had left everyone unmotivated to work. It seemed that Dai Xing, as acting town mayor, needed to prioritize finding funds. Everyone discussed countermeasures. It turned out that two years ago, the town had signed a chestnut consignment contract with a company in the provincial capital. The other party had received the goods but had delayed payment, leading the town to sue them. They had won the case, but when it came time to enforce the ruling, the other party was nowhere to be found. According to legal regulations, the town government was supposed to apply for enforcement within six months, and with the deadline approaching, Dai Xing decided to visit the provincial capital. Upon arriving, Dai Xing and his team found that the enforcement period had already passed. They had no choice but to seek help from Qiao Juan, a classmate of his brother Dai Yu, who worked at the provincial police department. When she heard Dai Xing was Dai Yu's brother, Qiao Juan was rather indifferent, saying they would have to wait, which turned into a half-day wait. Just as Dai Xing was growing anxious, Qiao Juan appeared in a white dress, gracefully walking out, leaving him a bit dazed. Qiao Juan came through in the end, managing to get the court's "enforcement" procedures processed. The work in town was relentless. An elderly lady from Liu Gezhuang, Liu Anshi, passed away. Her dutiful daughters insisted on giving their mother a grand burial. The "burial incident" grew increasingly tumultuous, with officials from the county civil affairs bureau coming in, and the entire town leadership and police force had to mobilize. The villagers of Liu Gezhuang were equally adamant, resulting in a standoff. As Dai Xing arrived on the scene, he saw the villagers directing their anger at Yang Yuehua. He stopped everyone, simply stating: "Withdraw." This statement left the police chief, Old Cui, very dissatisfied: "Mayor Dai, if we withdraw now, we’ll lose face for the town government." Dai Xing sighed: "Let’s withdraw and think of something else." Eventually, the group left in a defeated manner. Dai Xing told Ma Xinchun about the idea of inviting the Liu family for dinner, and Ma Xinchun didn't expect Dai Xing to adapt so quickly. Dai Xing added: "I heard that Liu Anshi's sons-in-law are heavy drinkers; can you help me ensure everything goes smoothly?" Ma Xinchun readily agreed. With Liu Hucheng's involvement, the dinner went relatively smoothly, and the Liu family agreed to cremate Liu Anshi. As Dai Xing looked at this impoverished, backward place, he wanted to develop the resort, but the town government was strapped for cash. Shan Rong, who had a long-standing crush on Dai Xing, secretly helped him "find" investors. The resort was about to open, and Dai Xing sent out numerous invitations, but aside from Zhou Yunming, hardly anyone showed up. Zhou Yunming remarked: "With your small business, what decent media would cover you?" Dai Xing remembered that they had dug up fragments of pottery during construction and had a brainstorm: "Let’s say that staying here offers not only a perfect pastoral life but also the chance to search for treasure!" Dai Xing's plan turned out to be effective, and business at the resort flourished. One day, a group of archaeologists from the provincial capital came seeking Dai Xing, having seen media reports about burial grounds near Yanghe Gou Reservoir. The archaeology team conducted drilling at the resort and surprisingly discovered a large and valuable Han Dynasty burial site beneath it. They had requested the provincial government establish a scientific research base, which meant the resort would be demolished, leaving Dai Xing completely stunned. On the day of the resort's demolition, Shan Rong sat alone in her room, refusing to come out, staring blankly out the window, feeling very uneasy. Yang Yuehua's son, Yang Liren, along with his girlfriend, went up the mountain in the evening to deliver food to Liu Hucheng. While crossing the riverbank on the way down, Yang Liren was swept away by a flood. Dai Xing's good friend Zhou Yunming, the deputy director of the county finance bureau, said that a batch of funds had been allocated to the finance bureau from the provincial government, and he planned to temporarily redirect some of it to Yanghe Gou. Dai Xing called a work meeting with all town officials. The agenda was straightforward: use the funds to build a bridge on the riverbank, and everyone passed it unanimously. The project was promptly set into motion. Coincidentally, while sorting through a pile of dusty old books, they discovered a torn page of survey data that seemed like a report on mineral resources. Because it mentioned Yanghe Gou, Teacher Guo hurriedly showed it to Dai Xing. They finally grasped a lifeline, proving that with enough effort, even iron can be ground into needles. Dai Xing called the retired old director and learned some encouraging news: Yanghe Gou indeed had iron ore, which had not been developed due to small reserves during the initial surveys. Dai Xing anxiously inquired about how to open the mine if it indeed existed. The old director replied that first, one needed to acquire a permit from the Land Bureau, and second, find a capable and qualified developer, Qiao Guangxi. Qiao Guangxi knew everything about the Huangchuan iron mine. He informed Dai Xing that after graduating from the geology department in the 1960s, he was assigned to the Huangchuan County Mineral Bureau. The information from the 1960s was drawn using remote sensing technology from China’s newly launched satellites. Yanghe Gou lay at the edge of the mineral vein, and due to small reserves, it had never been developed. Qiao Guangxi cheerfully summarized: "I’m a businessman; I calculate the ratio of costs to profits. A small mine requires an investment of several million, according to our industry standards, if the output isn't more than five times its investment, it’s not considered a business." Noting the disappointment on Dai Xing’s face, Qiao Guangxi changed the topic, saying that regardless, they were still fellow townsmen. Qiao Guangxi came to Yanghe Gou Town for an on-site inspection and fortuitously ran into his old friend Teacher Guo, feeling particularly excited. General Qiao expressed, “Opening a mine is beneficial for the country and the people, and I will surely support it to the end.” In the county town, feeling fatigued, Qiao Guangxi entered Shan Rong's hair salon for a wash and a rest before returning to the provincial capital. The salon resounded with authentic clapper opera, and upon hearing it, Qiao Guangxi became excited. He and Shan Rong chatted in the salon... After all the ups and downs in Yanghe Gou Town, the county party secretary formally spoke with Dai Xing, stating that he had gained valuable experience and could be reassigned back to the county. Dai Xing had developed a deep bond with the town officials and villagers through his work in Yanghe Gou and strongly requested to finish his tasks before leaving. Exhausted, Dai Xing faced the pressures of work and emotional turmoil, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Returning home, his kind-hearted mother, who understood him best, earnestly advised: "There are two types of officials; some, like your great-grandfather, rise to the top, worrying for the world before enjoying their own happiness; while others may not hold great positions but remain principled and dedicated to the well-being of the people..." Shan Rong was about to get married, and she and Dai Xing met again in the lush fields. Dai Xing gazed at Shan Rong, who looked at him with tears in her eyes: "I'm getting married... My feelings right now... it feels like the sky is falling." On a quiet evening, Ma Xinchun and Dai Xing talked at the town government. It truly was a sleepless night... Ma Xinchun, exhausted from work, finally collapsed on the job. Dai Xing could not hold back his tears and choked on his words: "Secretary Ma, the materials you helped me write aren't finished yet, and you’ve left..." The court's enforcement officer came to the town government to take Dai Xing away, but everyone forcefully blocked the way. Dai Xing implored the crowd to step aside, stating that what they were doing was illegal. Amidst the throng, Dai Xing walked away... After the efforts of Dai Xing and the town government officials, the bridge had been built, and the mine had been opened... Dai Xing completed his duties as acting town mayor and was reassigned back to the county, serving as a member of the county committee and deputy county mayor.