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Saturday.
Feng Zhou City.
Dong Xuebing drove his Camry to the City early in the morning.
There are lots of cars and people. This city is bustling and is more prosperous than Yan Tai County.
The City’s Investment Promotion Agency had called for a meeting today. All County Investment Promotion Agencies’ Chief was notified about this meeting on Monday. The Investment Promotion Agency is not as powerful as other departments, but this is the first meeting of the year. All the County Chief must attend. Dong Xuebing is new and needed this opportunity to know the City leaders. By right, he should have visited the City’s leaders after he was appointed.
Dong Xuebing had come to the City several times, but he is not familiar with the roads. He had to drive a few rounds before he can find the City’s Investment Promotion Agency.
It’s still early, and Dong Xuebing only saw two cars with other counties’ registration plates at the car park. Many of the City Agency staff still have not arrived for work. He parked his car and went straight to the six-story building. He asked the staff and went up to the Chief’s office on the sixth floor.
“Come in.” A middle-aged man said from inside the office.
Dong Xuebing entered. “Are you Chief Zhen? I am Dong Xuebing from Yan Tai County. I’m here to report to you.”
Zhen Wei looked at Dong Xuebing and nodded. “Chief Dong? You are early. The meeting is at 9.30.”
Dong Xuebing knew Zhen Wei is being sarcastic and is implying that he had not reported to him since his appointment. He thought for a second and replied. “I should have reported to you earlier. But the agency was too busy after Chief Meng retired, and the County Government had set a target of 500 million RMB for us. After that, Xin Hua News Agency reporters came, and I didn’t have the chance to greet you.” Regardless if Zhen Wei is unhappy with him or not, he had to come up with some excuses.
Zhen Wei nodded. “Is it tough to attract investments for your county?”
“Yes. I only know about this after I become the Chief.”
Zhen Wei is in his early forties with thick eyebrows. He is those types of leaders with straight faces. Dong Xuebing wonders if he treats everyone the same or is only like this with him. During their conversation, Zhen Wei had never smiled once. After chatting for a while, Zhen Wei looks down at his watch, and Dong Xuebing knew this is the signal for him to leave. He bid goodbye to Chief Zeng and left the office. Although Dong Xuebing is famous in Yan Tai County, he is a nobody in the City. Maybe Zhen Wei had never even heard of him. This is like a City Mayor from a grassroots city going for a meeting in Beijing. The Mayor might be powerful in his own City but is a nobody in Beijing.
9.00 am.
Cars with different County registration plates entered the agency.
Outside of the grand meeting room of the City Agency’s second building.
Dong Xuebing straightened his shirt and followed the rest into the meeting room.
“Eh, wait a minute.” A staff member of the City Investment Promotion Agency stopped Dong Xuebing. He looked at Dong Xuebing and wondered which leader had brought his secretary to this meeting. “Which Chief had brought you here?”
Dong Xuebing looked at the staff. “Who had brought me here? Why can’t I come by myself?”
The staff frowned. “This is the Agency Chiefs meeting. You…”
Dong Xuebing can’t be bothered with the staff and did not show him his work pass. He ignored him and walked into the meeting room with big strides.
“Eh! Where do you think you are going?!” The staff shouted. “Stop right there!”
A senior City Agency’s staff walks over. “Lower your voice. What happened?”
The young man points to Dong Xuebing. “I don’t know which Chief had brought his secretary to this meeting, and he had barged in.”
The senior staff looked at Dong Xuebing’s back and gave that young man a stare. “Can’t you be smarter? That should be the newly appointed Yan Tai County’s Investment Promotion Agency Chief.”
The young man was stunned. “Chief? Such a young Chief?”
The senior staff shook his head. It is taboo in the government service to judge someone by their looks.
The young man was speechless, but he felt he is not at fault. Investment Promotion Agency Chiefs are Section Chief rank leaders, and he had met many of the Chiefs during meetings. They are mostly in their late thirties or forties, and he had never met a Chief in his twenties. Although he works with the City’s Agency, he is only a staff member. He hesitated for a while before going into the meeting room to look for Dong Xuebing. He apologized softly. “Chief, I’m sorry for not recognizing you earlier.”
Dong Xuebing can’t be bothered with him and waved him off.
Very soon, about a quarter of the participants had arrived.
Dong Xuebing does not know anyone at the meeting, and most of the people there do not know him. He did not speak or greet anyone and went to look for his seat. He finally found his name on a desk, and when he was about to sit, he saw a familiar name from the corner of his eyes. Pang Zhou. His seat is beside him, but this is not a surprise. After all, Yan Tai County and Da Feng County are next to each other.
Dong Xuebing sat down and closed his eyes to rest.
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing heard someone pulling out the chair beside him.
Dong Xuebing turned and saw a middle-aged man, around forty, skinny, and has small eyes and thin brows, sitting on Pang Zhou’s seat. Dong Xuebing immediately got an uncomfortable feeling from looking at him. “Ah, Chief Pang?”
Pang Zhou looked at Dong Xuebing and glanced at the name on the table. “Oh, Chief Dong.”
Dong Xuebing had an exaggerated smile. “Chief Pang, I had heard so much about you, and I have been looking forward to meeting you. We have finally met.”
“We did not have any interactions before. What’s there to look forward to meeting me?” Pang Zhou laughed.
Dong Xuebing extended his hand for a handshake. The moment Pang Zhou shook his hand, Dong Xuebing tightens his grip. “Chief Pang has been so supportive of our Yan Tai County’s Investment Promotion Agency and even got Xin Hua News Agency reporters to interview us. I must really thank you… Haha…”
Pang Zhou remained emotionless. “What Xin Hua News Agency? Did you make a mistake? If there is an opportunity for promotion, I will surely use it for our Da Feng County.”
“Hahaha… that’s why I must thank you!”
“But I ready did not do anything. Haha…”
Dong Xuebing let go of his hand and thought to himself. You can carry on pretending.
Pang Zhou did not seem to feel anything from Dong Xuebing’s grip and turned to chat with another County Agency Chief beside him. “Old Yuan, when did you arrive? You must give us a treat after the meeting. I heard your County had just gotten a 50 million RMB investment recently.”
That Chief Yuan replied. “Old Pang, stop pretending with me. Don’t think I don’t know that your County had also gotten a 50 million RMB investment, and I heard you had even gotten Liu Cheng to your side. Do you know how many people are the envy of you all? Have you all signed the contract?”
Pang Zhou laughed. “Not yet. We had only started the discussion on the contract terms.”
Chief Yuan replied. “It should be signed these few days. Liu Cheng is famous in China, and with him investing in our County, the media will surely report about this. This will be free promotion for Da Feng County, and investors will be flocking there.”
Dong Xuebing frowned. Liu Cheng? Why is this name so familiar?
Famous in China? Huh? Could it be that Snooker player, Liu Cheng?
Dong Xuebing frowned. He knows who Liu Cheng is, and his hometown is Feng Zhou City. He is a professional snooker player and is one of China’s top players. Is he going to invest his prize money in Da Feng County? Pang Zhou is really lucky to get Liu Cheng to invest in his County. With his fame, he will bring lots of investors to Da Feng County.
Dong Xuebing narrowed his eyes as he looks at Pang Zhou.
At this time, the City’s Investment Promotion Agency’s Chief Zeng Wei, and his deputies entered the meeting room.
The meeting started, and Zheng Wei announced this year’s investment direction and plans and praised the Chiefs with outstanding results last year.
One hour…
Two hours…
The meeting ended, and everyone starts to leave.
Dong Xuebing did not pay much attention to what was being discussed in the meeting. He was still thinking about Yan Tai County Party Committee’s target, and the City’s Agency has no control over him.
Chief Yuan asked. “Old Pang, who is this?”
Pang Wei laughed. “This is Dong Xuebing, from Yan Tai County.”
Chief Yuan thought for a while and laughed suddenly. He extended his hand for a handshake. “Chief Dong! I know you! I had watched the video of you fighting with a tiger at the Zoo on the news!”
Dong Xuebing smiled.
Pang Wei had not heard about this. “Fought a tiger? What news is that?”
“I had almost lost my life. Don’t bring that up.” Dong Xuebing laughed. “I still have something on and got to leave. Chief Pang, we will have lots of opportunities to interact in the future, right?”
Pang Zhou laughed and did not show anything on his face. “That’s right.”
Chief Yuan can sense the hostility between them and looks at them with a smile. “Chief Dong, since you are busy, I will not invite you for lunch today. Let’s have lunch another day.”
Dong Xuebing nodded and walked out of the meeting room.
Ring… ring… ring… Dong Xuebing’s phone rang suddenly.
