Outside of the Investment Promotion Agency.
It was getting tense.
More and more staff from the Investment Promotion Agency had come out to watch the commotion. They are standing along the corridors and out through the windows. The group of passersby, Cao Xupeng, Zhao Xinglong, and the Agency leaders, looked at Dong Xuebing, who was on the phone. All of them do not know who Dong Xuebing is calling.
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing walked towards the reporters and held his phone out.
Li Shengbing, Wang Na, and Wang Ting looked at him, “… what do you want?!”
“Answer it!” Dong Xuebing looked at Li Shengbing. “It’s your leader!”
Cao Xupeng and Zhao Xinglong exchanged looks. They were shocked. Xiao Dong has connections with the leaders in Xin Hua News Agency?!
Li Shengbing frowned and did not take the phone.
Wang Na and Wang Ting were suspicious and wonder which leader is Dong Xuebing talking about.
Dong Xuebing let out a sneer. “You don’t want to answer it? Fine.”
“Wait!” Li Shengbing saw Dong Xuebing was about to say something over the phone, and he quickly stopped him. He took the phone from Dong Xuebing and wonders who Dong Xuebing has contacted. Dong Xuebing is a leader from Yan Tai County, and how can someone from such a backward place know the higher-ups of Xin Hua News Agency? Xin Hua News Agency Head office is an independent department and does not have many dealings with the grassroots level. Furthermore, Li Shengbing is a deputy team leader and has some connections within the agency.
Li Shengbing answered the phone. “Hello?”
“You are Li Shengbing from the domestic news-editorial department?” A woman asked coldly.
A woman? She sounded young. Li Shengbing frowned and asked. “Yes. You are?”
Xie Jing did not reply to him. Her tone is totally different now. “Your direct supervisor is Li Xudong, right?! Hmph! I didn’t know Old Li’s staff is so capable to teach Yan Tai County how to work! You still dare to threaten the leader of their Investment Promotion Agency?! Good job! Li Shengbing, how was your inspection there? How many black sheep have you discover?”
Li Shengbing’s face changed after hearing the woman’s sarcastic words!
Li Xudong? Director Li? He is not Li Shengbing’s direct supervisor. He is his supervisor’s leader!
The woman had called him Old Li and sounded close to Director Li!
Li Shengbing’s heart is racing, and his tone changed. “Sorry. May I know who I am speaking to?” He asked and suddenly remembered a person’s name.
Xie Jing replied emotionlessly. “I am Xie Jing from HR!”
Oh my god! It’s really her! Li Shengbing’s hand shook, and he nearly dropped the phone. “Sec… Section Chief Xie!”
Xie Jing, the youngest higher executive of Xin Hua News Agency, is working in the HR department. She has high authority and influence with her position, but that’s not all. Everyone within the agency knows Xie Jing is close with their Chief Editor’s family. They are close, not only at work. When the Chief Editor’s wife visits the agency, she will drop by Section Chief Xie’s office for a chat, and it’s an open secret.
How come it’s her?!
Li Shengbing knew he had picked a fight with the wrong person this time!
Xie Jing saw Li Shengbing not saying anything, and she continued. “Li Shengbing… you are too daring. Is it fun to use your status as Xin Hua News Agency reporter to bully others? I think the HR department must reassess you. Alright. Come and see me at the HR department when you are back!”
Li Shengbing turned pale. “No… Section Chief Xie… No… I…”
Luo Haiting and Lin Pingping were standing near Li Shengbing, and they were shocked to see the changes on his face.
Xie Jing continued. “Even I have to address that ‘black sheep’ Brother! You really dare to offend anyone!”
“No… Section Chief Xie! Section Chief!” The line was cut.
Everyone saw Li Shengbing’s panicking expression and immediately understood what happened. He must have been reprimanded by his leaders. Lots of people look at Dong Xuebing and wonder what sort of background does he have.
Wang Na asked anxiously. “Shengbing, what happened?”
Li Shengbing did not explain anything and quickly walks over to Dong Xuebing. “Chief Dong, I’m sorry for my bad attitude earlier and had jumped to conclusions before finding out what happened. My leader had reprimanded me.”
Dong Xuebing asked. “If your leader had not reprimanded you, we will be at fault for this incident?”
Li Shengbing gritted his teeth. “No… no… I have realized my mistake.”
Dong Xuebing looked at Li Shengbing and turned to Wang Na and Wang Ting. “Look at you all! Do you all still look like reporters?! Ah?! Do you all think that you all can do whatever you want because you all are reporters? Journalists?! I admit that the Investment Promotion Agency has some shortcomings, but it is the same everywhere. As long as we do our work, there will be issues which cannot be prevented. I also welcome you all to point out our shortcomings, so we can improve. But what did you all do?! Making a mountain out of a molehill?! Did you all take our Yan Tai County’s situation into consideration?! Do you all care about the people here?! What are you all trying to do?!”
Li Shengbing replied. “We had not done our job well. You… please forgive us.”
Dong Xuebing continued. “What’s the use of me forgiving you?! Your actions had already damaged our County’s reputation! Those investors we painstakingly invited are all panicking! Do you know the extend of the damage you brought by saying and asking all those things?! Ah?! You all can just leave after causing these damages! What about us?! What about the investors and the people here?!”
Li Shengbing quickly turned to Cao Xupeng and Zhao Xinglong. “Secretary Cao, Mayor Zhao. We apologized for what happened earlier…” He apologized again and again. In the end, he didn’t know what to say, and he took out his camera and formatted the memory card. He is scare now. Xie Jing had made it clear that he will be punished when he is back. The best scenario is getting some form of punishment and not get fired.
Cao Xupeng felt better after hearing Li Shengbing’s apologies. He finally understood why Dong Xuebing dares to scold the reporters. He knew someone within Xin Hua News Agency. All this while Cao Xupeng thought Dong Xuebing’s only has Mayor Xie as his backing and didn’t know he has other backings. Now, he knows Xiao Dong is not a pushover. He has connections in such a far department as Xin Hua News Agency.
Zhao Xinglong also took this opportunity to vent his frustrations. He reprimanded Li Shengbing for a while. After all, what Li Shengbing did was too much.
Li Shengbing could only apologize again and again.
In the end, Li Shengbing told them his leader had ordered him to return to Beijing immediately and left. Wang Na and Wang Ting could tell that they had offended someone they cannot afford to offend. They also quickly left with Li Shengbing and gave up their interview.
Everyone within the Investment Promotion Agency cheered.
The bystanders are still around, and Cao Xupeng gave Dong Xuebing a stare. “You… don’t ever do this again in the future. Go back and wait for your punishment! I also want a self-reflection letter from you!” Cao Xupeng is actually quite satisfied with this ending. Even if Dong Xuebing had not scolded those reporters, they would also nitpick on the County. But after what happened, these reporters will not dare to write anything bad about Yan Tai County after they go back.
Dong Xuebing did not say anything, and he had written lots of self-reflection letters.
Zhao Xinglong did not criticize Dong Xuebing as he had also lost his temper with those reporters earlier.
After the reporters left, Cao Xupeng and Zhao Xinglong did not remain at the Investment Promotion Agency. They returned to the County Government to report what happened. Cao Xupeng knew Xiang Daofa is unhappy with Xiao Dong and did not mention much about Dong Xuebing scolding those reporters.
After the leaders left, Luo Haiting went up to Dong Xuebing. “Chief, don’t be angry with those reporters anymore.” She was the first to react, and no one had expected Chief Dong to have connections in Beijing.
Dong Xuebing had scolded and vented all his anger. He waved his hand and turned to Wang Shaoyan. Wang Shaoyan tried to run, but Dong Xuebing ordered. “Bring him to the security guard post and wait for the Police to bring him away! You think you can do whatever you want here?! Do you think this is your house?! Go and do whatever you want in the detention cells!”
Wang Shaoyan started running but was quickly caught by the two security guards.
Dong Xuebing shouted. “Alright! Dismiss! Go back to work!”
Lin Pingping, Sun Shuli, and the rest looked at Dong Xuebing before going back to work. Xin Hua News Agency holds a special status and is influential within the country. But Chief Dong had chased their reporters away, and everyone is more impressed with him.
……
Afternoon.
Dong Xuebing calmed down after writing his self-reflection letter. He knew he had been rash again and quickly called Zhao Xinglong. “Hello, Mayor Zhao. Err… do you know what punishment I will be receiving from the higher-ups?”
Zhao Xinglong laughed. “What’s wrong? Are you looking forward to be punished?”
“I am worried.”
“Haha… Don’t worry. Everything should be fine.”
Dong Xuebing was relieved. If he got punished, he might be barred from promotion.
