Power and Wealth
Chapter 1927 – Secretary Dong fell into the water
“What the heck!”
“How is that even possible?”
“When did he even get over there?”
“Oh my god, isn’t this the same trick from last year’s Spring Festival Gala?”
“But the one on the Gala was done in a semi-closed environment with a lot of preparation time before the final reveal.”
“Exactly, the Gala had plenty of time, with curtains blocking the stage to delay for ages before the performer suddenly appeared in the audience below. But how did Secretary Dong pull it off as soon as he entered the table? And he’s behind everyone already? Wow, this magic trick is insane!”
“It’s incredible.”
“How on earth did he do it?”
“Isn’t he a leader? Since when has he had such amazing magic skills?”
For a brief moment, there was a stunned silence. Then, tens of thousands of spectators and guests erupted into thunderous applause, filling the air with deafening sound like rolling thunder.
Clap clap clap!
“Amazing!”
“That was brilliant!”
“Mommy, that uncle is incredible!”
Initially, everyone had braced themselves for yet another long-winded, dry, and boring leadership speech, expecting the usual formulaic rhetoric. Nobody was paying attention to Zhang Dongfang or Dong Xuebing’s addresses.
But no one expected the county leader of Jiaolin to break the mold completely. He brought the initially disinterested audience step by step into his rhythm—first with humor to spark curiosity and laughter and then by pretending no program was prepared. Many people genuinely believed it, eagerly waiting to see how the county secretary would embarrass himself. Viewers at home watching the broadcast shared the same anticipation.
Yet the scene flipped in an almost divine twist of fate. The stark contrast delivered an enormous visual and emotional impact, leaving the audience stunned.
Even Director Sun backstage was so impressed he slammed his hand on the table and shot up from his chair. Laughing heartily, he exclaimed, “Well done, Dong Xuebing! You really have a knack for this!”
Many stars and staff preparing backstage also stared in astonishment.
Chen Ying slapped her leg and cheered.
Li Mengmeng gasped in amazement.
The magic performance was truly outstanding. The people of Jiaolin County might not have much experience with large-scale galas or live performances, but these seasoned celebrities who regularly navigate such events were blown away. They’d seen plenty of magic tricks, but one as brilliant as Dong Xuebing’s was rare.
Magic is an art that requires both technical expertise and excellent pacing. The buildup beforehand and the unexpected twist afterward are equally important. A single misstep could significantly affect the outcome. Dong Xuebing’s performance excelled in both technical execution and the artful setup. Even these professional entertainers had to admit his stage presence was that of a natural-born performer. He was simply phenomenal.
Down below, the people of Jiaolin County collectively sighed in relief. They nervously held their breath, worried Secretary Dong might cause a live-broadcast disaster. But nobody saw the stunning turnaround coming. Secretary Dong had orchestrated everything—from the speech to the performance—as part of an intentional act. Only now did they understand why the secretary, as the top leader, chose to speak after Zhang Dongfang. It was all to kick off the show directly. Once the opening act was a hit, the rest of the program naturally followed.
Chang Lin laughed heartily, “I never knew Secretary Dong had such a flair for magic! Today has been an eye-opener. I bet the ratings are going to skyrocket.”
Even Wei Zhixuan, a veteran official from the Zhang faction, couldn’t help but admit in his heart: “Impressive.”
The one in the most awkward spot might be Zhang Dongfang, the county mayor. When he went up to give his speech earlier, he was so nervous that he stumbled over his words, making his performance relatively poor. But what could he do? This was a live broadcast, watched by countless leaders and spectators, and even recorded to be shared online or rebroadcast by TV stations in other provinces. The pressure on him was immense.
In his mind, he thought Dong Xuebing, a young cadre, lacked experience in this setting and would also freeze up. Yet, to his surprise, Dong Xuebing remained composed and flawlessly executed such an outstanding magic performance. This left Zhang Dongfang struggling to keep his face from betraying his embarrassment.
It wasn’t just that he performed poorly—it was the inevitable comparison. When people are compared, the differences are stark. But Zhang Dongfang couldn’t blame Dong Xuebing. Everyone had known in advance that Dong would be performing a magic act. If anything, he could only blame himself for being overly nervous.
Dong Xuebing. Dong Xuebing.
Zhang Dongfang silently repeated his name twice as he gazed deeply at Dong, smiling leisurely atop the fake mountain. He once thought Dong Xuebing had been lucky to become county party secretary and doubted his political experience and capabilities. But the more he interacted with Dong, the less he felt he could see through this young man. Dong’s work ability, political foresight, speaking skills, and interpersonal relationships could not be faulted.
The applause continued, a resounding affirmation of Dong Xuebing’s performance.
Dong Xuebing was quite satisfied. Initially, he had planned to end the performance here. But seeing the audience’s enthusiasm and high-spiritedness, he changed his mind. He wasn’t a conventional leader and didn’t always stick to rigid plans. Going with the flow, he decided to keep performing. After all, the applause shouldn’t go unappreciated—or so he’d say. In truth, Dong Xuebing wasn’t done having fun yet. Rarely did he get the chance to appear on television, and this program would likely be seen by people across the country in the coming days. Naturally, he wanted to seize the moment and show off more.
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing shouted, “Ah!”
Everyone was taken aback and stopped clapping, unsure what was happening.
The camera stayed fixed on Dong Xuebing, zooming in on him.
With an exaggerated expression, Secretary Dong cried out, “Wasn’t I just inside the table? How did I end up here? Oh no! I am scared of heights, okay?”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
The crowd burst into laughter again.
Realizing that Dong Xuebing was pretending, everyone relaxed. They were curious about what else the county secretary had in store and were excited.
Dong Xuebing sighed dramatically and said, “What’s so funny? Somebody come and save me!”
No one moved, and the laughter only grew louder. A local in the audience shouted, “Secretary Dong, that fake mountain is way too tall—we can’t climb up there!”
It was indeed quite high.
The fake mountain stood about five or six meters tall.
People didn’t know how Secretary Dong had climbed up there, but figuring it out would ruin the magic since it was a magic trick. So, they weren’t overly shocked—just curious about how it had been done. They accepted the mystery without much fuss.
Holding the microphone, Dong Xuebing chuckled helplessly and called out, “Host!”
The female host on the stage replied, “Secretary Dong, how did you get up there?”
“I’m wondering the same thing!” Dong Xuebing pretended to think deeply, then exclaimed, “Could the table we prepared have a time-space tunnel? It must be that! Haha! I bet all the major media outlets will have our Jiaolin County on their front pages tomorrow. As the county party secretary, I’m truly proud. Our Jiaolin County’s technology has finally reached beyond Earth! Hurry up; someone calls the authorities—we’re winning the Nobel Prize this year!”
“Boo!”
“Hahaha!”
“You’re overthinking it!”
The crowd roared with laughter.
Even many guest leaders couldn’t help but chuckle at Dong Xuebing’s humor.
A provincial official and his family burst out laughing. “This Secretary Dong, huh.”
“I can’t do this,” Dong Xuebing muttered while glancing around left and right. “I need to find a way down first—how else am I supposed to go accept my Nobel Prize?” His humor, steeped in the blend of self-deprecation and arrogance typical of Beijing natives, was fully displayed.
Everyone laughed again.
But soon, the laughter began to die down.
Dong Xuebing looked to the side and suddenly started walking. “This spot looks safer to climb down from.”
“What? That’s the lake!” someone cried out in shock.
This side of the area was sparsely populated. For one, the prominent fake mountain blocked the audience’s view of the stage from that angle. For another, just past the fake mountain lay a lake—the direction Dong Xuebing was heading toward from the mountain’s peak. The lake stretched out in a vast expanse, and it was deep. With the crowd pressing in on all sides, people were wary of getting too close and accidentally falling into the water. Besides, there were barriers set up around the lake.
But the barriers were just over a meter high—not enough to stop Dong Xuebing, who stood atop a mountain several meters tall.
“A lake? There’s a lake here? Let me see.” Dong Xuebing walked to the edge of the fake mountain and peered down. “Oh wow, there is a lake!”
“Be careful!” several onlookers called out.
Most people were still waiting for Dong Xuebing’s next trick. Knowing more magic to come, they chuckled and watched without much concern.
But then it happened—Dong Xuebing tripped.
“Ah!”
“Uh-oh!”
“He’s falling!”
The camera operator, who was filming everything live, froze in panic.
Dong Xuebing let out a terrified scream. “Help!” And before anyone could react, he plunged straight into the lake before their stunned eyes.
Splash!
Water sprayed everywhere.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
What just happened? Did he fall into the lake?
Many of the guest leaders shot up from their seats in alarm.
The Jiaolin County officials and staff were in chaos.
“Oh no!”
“Quick, someone save him!” Several people rushed toward the water.
But then, just as everyone’s eyes were locked in shock on the lake and the fake mountain, a voice suddenly rang out from the stage.
“Ah!”
“Secretary Dong!”
The two hosts gasped in surprise as the tablecloth on the stage lifted.
A grinning face poked out from under the table. It was Dong Xuebing again. He crawled out from under the table and waved. “Hello, everyone. I’m back!”
Whoosh.
Tens of thousands of eyes immediately shifted toward him.
Everyone who saw the scene was utterly dumbstruck.
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