Chapter 67: Believing in Miracles

Yang Pengyi glanced at the unfamiliar number displayed on his phone, then tossed it to the ground.
"I'm sorry, my wife, my children. I'm just too tired."
The exhaustion he'd endured for years, struggling to persist, finally erupted at this moment. Yang Pengyi felt his life had been a failure.
He looked down at the surging Wei River beneath his feet, closed his eyes, and with a splash, leapt in.
The rushing waters swallowed him instantly.
"Someone jumped into the river!"
No sooner had Yang Pengyi plunged in than a group of people cooling themselves by the riverbank noticed and shouted loudly.
In a flash, a crowd gathered at the riverside.
Everyone stared anxiously at the turbulent river, but not a single person dared to go in after him.
Just then, a robust man strode quickly to the riverbank. He saw Yang Pengyi bobbing on the surface, threw down his backpack, pulled off his T-shirt, revealing a muscular torso, and dove in headfirst.
The man was clearly a skilled swimmer. In a few swift strokes, he reached Yang Pengyi. With one hand supporting Yang Pengyi's waist, he kept his head above water and began swimming toward the shore.
Yang Pengyi was unconscious, having swallowed water, but before long, the strong man had brought him back to the riverbank.
Now the people on the shore rushed to help, their hands fumbling as they pulled Yang Pengyi onto dry land.
His face was pale, and he was no longer breathing. The crowd was helpless, silently lamenting his fate.
Then, the strong man propped Yang Pengyi up, sitting him upright, and struck him sharply on the back.
"Ah!"
Yang Pengyi suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of water and gradually came to.
Witnessing this, the onlookers exclaimed in amazement.
Yang Pengyi awoke, surveying his surroundings with confusion. Realizing he'd been rescued, remorse flooded him, and he buried his head in his hands, sobbing bitterly.
Seeing that he was safe, the crowd lingered for a while, then gradually dispersed, leaving only the strong man beside him.
After a moment, Yang Pengyi managed to collect himself. He looked at the drenched man and said, "Thank you."
"No need, just a small effort," the man replied heartily.
Yang Pengyi sighed, gazing at the rolling river, his face troubled.
The strong man clapped Yang Pengyi on the shoulder and said, "Brother, you're not young anymore—how could you think of such a thing?"
Yang Pengyi forced a smile. "Most troubles in life can't be spoken of, and those that can, are but a few."
The man laughed. "Brother, you’re a man of culture. My name’s Jin Shuo. And yours?"
"Yang Pengyi. I truly owe you my life."
Jin Shuo smiled. "Seems you just lost your way for a moment. I bet you won't think like this again."
"No, I won’t. I don’t know what came over me earlier. I still have a wife and children at home. I really was foolish," Yang Pengyi lamented.
Jin Shuo listened, his face brightening.
"Brother, don’t lose hope. Believe me, miracles exist in this world. Back then, a clansman bullied me—I always wanted to beat him, but no matter how hard I tried, he was always stronger. I couldn’t win, and it made me furious."
Jin Shuo paused, then continued,
"But one day I discovered something miraculous. I bought it, half doubting, and it turned out to be nothing short of a miracle. With it, I finally defeated that clansman who’d tormented me for years. It felt incredible, truly satisfying."
"What kind of thing is so magical?"
Jin Shuo’s enthusiastic praise piqued Yang Pengyi’s curiosity.
Jin Shuo pointed to the flame-like tattoo on his chest.
"This is it. Not only did it help me defeat my lifelong rival, it made me realize that miracles really do happen in this world."
Yang Pengyi gazed silently at Jin Shuo’s tattoo.
Noting his expression, Jin Shuo laughed.
"I know you don’t believe it. That’s fine—I know what’s true for me. That experience changed my outlook on life. Since then, I left home and began to travel. There’s so much wonder in this world waiting for me to discover, brother."
He clapped Yang Pengyi’s shoulder again.
"Don’t lose hope, and never despair. We may not dare to expect miracles, but we must believe they exist."
With that, Jin Shuo shouldered his backpack, bare-chested, and strode away.
Watching Jin Shuo’s confident figure recede, Yang Pengyi seemed to feel a renewed passion for life, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Just then, his phone rang again.
Yang Pengyi glanced over—it was the phone he’d tossed to the ground.
His phone was already battered, and after the fall, it was hardly recognizable. No one even bothered to pick it up.
Yang Pengyi chuckled wryly, picked it up, and saw it was the same unfamiliar number.
"Hello, this is Yang Pengyi."
"Hello, this is the Municipal Committee Organization Department. Do you have time? Our leader would like to speak with you."
Heh. Yang Pengyi smirked again. He was just a low-level reporter without any rank—how could he possibly warrant the attention of the Organization Department? Was firing him really such a big deal?
"I have time. I’ll come right over."
"Good. Our leader is waiting for you."
With that, the caller hung up.
Yang Pengyi smiled, shook his head. So it was just dismissal. If this place won’t keep me, another surely will.
He spat, then walked toward the Municipal Committee, still wearing his wet clothes.
Under the blazing sun, Yang Pengyi walked for over an hour before finally reaching the entrance, his clothes nearly dry.
He explained his purpose to the gate guard, who, after a phone call, soon sent out a young man to escort Yang Pengyi inside.
They arrived on the fifth floor. The young man led him to a room and said, "Go on in. Minister Yang is waiting for you."
Yang Pengyi entered to find a short, stout man in his fifties sitting at a desk, reading a document.
"Minister Yang, you wanted to see me?"
Yang Pengyi sat across from the desk.
Since he was about to be fired, he felt no need to be overly deferential.
Yang Xinhua looked up and smiled. "You must be Yang Pengyi, Comrade Yang, right?"
"Yes," Yang Pengyi replied.
Yang Xinhua observed Yang Pengyi’s relaxed demeanor and felt a sense of admiration.
He truly had a remarkable background.
Normally, a reporter with no rank would be flustered to meet him, if not outright nervous, at least a bit awed.
But Yang Pengyi was perfectly composed. Without powerful backing, where did this confidence come from?
Yang Xinhua had only recently received a call from the Provincial Committee Organization Department, directly ordering him to summon Yang Pengyi to the Municipal Committee office.
Such direct, unprecedented promotions were extremely rare—almost unheard of.
For this to happen, Yang Xinhua could only assume Yang Pengyi must have a very influential connection among the Provincial Committee’s standing members.
Faced with such a well-connected person, Yang Xinhua dared not be arrogant and greeted him with a smile.
"Comrade Yang, you've been at the Xijing Daily for many years. After thorough review, the organization wants to give you a new position. What do you think?"
Yang Pengyi was taken aback.
A new position?
With his status, where could he possibly be transferred?
Yang Pengyi replied lazily, "Whatever, I don't mind."
"Good. We're like bricks—moved wherever needed. Here's the arrangement: the organization has decided to send you to the Municipal Committee office as a deputy director, to gain some experience. How does that sound?"
"Deputy director of the Municipal Committee office?"
Yang Pengyi was stunned, thinking he'd misheard.
Yang Xinhua quickly explained, "It’s just temporary. The current director will soon be assigned elsewhere, and the organization will confirm your appointment then."
Even hearing this, Yang Pengyi could hardly believe his ears.
He sat in a daze for a long moment before saying, "Minister Yang, are you sure you’re not joking?"
"Is this the sort of thing to joke about, Comrade Yang? This is an organizational decision," Yang Xinhua replied.
After a while, Yang Pengyi grew uneasy. "So what should I do now?"
Yang Xinhua smiled. "Go back, prepare the necessary materials, and report directly to the office. Someone will handle the formalities for you."
Yang Pengyi left the Municipal Committee building in a daze. Even now, he could scarcely believe it was real.
How had a lowly reporter suddenly become deputy director of the Municipal Committee office?
He hailed a cab to the Xijing Daily, went to his desk, and quietly began packing his things.
His colleagues watched him, whispering and pointing.
Before he’d finished packing, Guo Zhenning walked over.
He looked at Yang Pengyi and said, "What’s this? Being so proactive? Knowing you’re about to be fired, you’re packing up early?"
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