Governor Zhou Weimin lifted a porcelain cup of green tea at the head pavilion of the Taichu Cloud-Crown Marina, looking out over one thousand round wooden banquet tables glowing beneath a river of red lanterns.
The gentle evening breeze carried the scent of roasted duck, steamed sea bass, and sweet ginger broth across the marina boardwalk.
Ten thousand honest people sat shoulder to shoulder.
There were dockworkers in crisp clean shirts, dock engineers, primary school teachers, martial arts masters, hospital nurses, and river barge captains. Every single person in the plaza had passed the Taichu Goodness verification with a score above eighty.
Governor Zhou’s eyes shone with genuine warmth. “Young Master Lin, I have governed Jiangnan Province for twelve years. I have never seen a banquet like this.”
“It’s just dinner, Governor Zhou,” Lin Mo said, sitting at the head of the long table.
“It is not just dinner,” Old General Qin said gruffly. The old war hero leaned on his cane and pointed across the crowded plaza. “Look at those faces. No sycophants. No corrupt contractors fighting over kickbacks. Just ten thousand honest people eating together without fear.”
Beside him, Academician Fang cleaned his spectacles and nodded. “Our new semiconductor cleanrooms are running at ninety-nine percent efficiency. Why? Because every technician knows Lin Mo treats them like family.”
