Monday morning.
Spring. Flowers are blossoming, and this is the most beautiful season of the year.
The flower scent and fresh air entered the room from the half-opened windows.
Dong Xuebing slept on Xie Huilan’s sweet-smelling pillow and covered himself with her cozy blanket. He slowly opened his eyes and looks around the room. It took a few seconds before he remembered where he was. He yawned and smelled the pillow again and got up to wash his face.
Dong Xuebing had a good rest, and all his fatigue was gone.
Dong Xuebing was satisfied after his trip to Tokyo, and bringing forward his wedding with Sister Xie is the greatest reward.
After a quick shower, Dong Xuebing called Xie Huilan. “Hello, Huilan. Are you awake? I knew you were driving last night, so I did not call you. Err… Your mother said our marriage doesn’t need to be delayed until I get promoted.”
Xie Huilan laughed. “I know. My Mum called me last night. Ok. You just need to work hard to complete the Investment Promotion Agency’s target this year. I will be waiting for you to join me in my bed.”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Why do you keep mentioning this? Are you trying to seduce me?”
“I am motivating you. Haha…”
Dong Xuebing knows Xie Huilan is busy and hangs up quickly. He lit a cigarette and called his office and Deputy Mayor Zhao Xinglong to apply for leave for the week. Japan’s break-in case had caused an uproar, and Dong Xuebing followed Sister Xie and Madam Han’s advice to stay low in Beijing. The Investment Promotion Agency work is going smoothly, and everything should be fine when he is not around.
Knock… knock… knock… someone knocks on the door.
“Xiao Bing. Can I enter?” It’s Han Jing.
“Yes.” Dong Xuebing quickly snubbed his cigarette. “Please come in.”
The door opened, and Madam Han, who is wearing a long dress, entered the room. “Why did you snub the cigarette? Just carry on.”
Dong Xuebing opened the window to air the room. “No need. The cigarette smell is too strong. Oh, how are you feeling today? Have you check your blood pressure?”
Han Jing smiled and sat on the bed. She patted Dong Xuebing’s hand like his mother. “Thanks to you for getting back the statue. I feel much better.”
Han Jing’s blood pressure had gone up because of the Buddha statue. Now it’s recovered, she felt better.
After chatting for a while, Madam Han said. “Your Uncle had gone to work. Let’s go and have breakfast.”
The breakfast was prepared by the helpers, and it was sumptuous.
After breakfast, Dong Xuebing took the medicine box from the coffee table. He helped Madam Han get high blood pressure medicine. Dong Xuebing’s mother also has high blood pressure, and he is familiar with such medications. The dosages are either half or one tablet. After that, he poured a glass of warm water and gave it to her. Madam Han smiled and nodded before taking her medicine.
At around 9.30 am, Madam Han has to attend a charity event. The wife of the City’s Party Secretary is very busy and must attend these functions.
The car had arrived to pick Madam Han, and she left.
Only Dong Xuebing and the helpers are in the house, and he felt awkward to remain there and went out. Last night, many people had come for Madam Han’s birthday dinner. Dong Xuebing had to park his Mercedes MPV beside the trees in the Party Committee Family Quarters.
Dong Xuebing pressed the remote, and his car beeped.
Just when Dong Xuebing was walking out of Mansion No. 1, a middle-aged man walks out of another mansion diagonally opposite, to a parked Audi, with the City’s Party Committee registration plate. The driver got down and opened the rear passenger door.
Eh? Isn’t that the City’s Public Security Bureau Chief, Feng Xueliang?
Beijing City Party Committee Members are all high-level officials with at least Deputy Minister rank.
Dong Xuebing had met Feng Xueliang before when he was working in State Security. They met in Wangfu restaurant when Xie Huilan brought him there for lunch. She also introduced Dong Xuebing to him. But Feng Xueliang is a high-ranking official and should not remember him. Furthermore, he heard that Feng Xueliang is with the City Mayor’s faction and is different from Xie Guobang’s faction.
Feng Xueliang, in his police uniform, saw Dong Xuebing.
Although Dong Xuebing felt Feng Xueliang will not remember him, he still greeted him. “Chief Feng.”
Feng Xueliang smiled and nodded. “Xiao Dong ah… did you come to celebrate Madam Han’s birthday?”
Huh? Xiao Dong?
Dong Xuebing is surprised to know the other party remembered him and even knows his surname. He quickly acknowledged.
Feng Xueliang took a glance at the No. 1 Mansion behind Dong Xuebing and looks at his wet hair. He looked surprised and nodded before getting into his car. After that, he rolled down the window and smiled at Dong Xuebing. “Haha… drop by my place for dinner with Huilan when you two are free.”
The driver heard that and looked at Dong Xuebing to remember his face.
After Feng Xueliang left, Dong Xuebing was still wondering what he means.
Dong Xuebing is only a Section Chief at the grassroots level. He has no experience dealing with people from a higher level. Although he had spoken to Xie Guobang, Xie Guoliang, and the rest at home, it was different from interactions at work. That’s why Dong Xuebing can be considered to have not interacted with high-ranking officials. They are out of reach for Dong Xuebing, and he doesn’t understand the underlying meaning.
Dong Xuebing remembered Xie Huilan mentioned that competitions are more subtle at the Provincial level because there are too many complications. The leaders can no longer be identified by factions like the grassroots level. Feng Xueliang might be the Mayor’s man and is from a different faction from Xie Guobang. But Feng Xueliang is close to Xie Huilan and Madam Han and continued interacting with the Xie family. Is it because of Senior Xie?
I should stop thinking about this as this is too far from me.
Dong Xuebing boarded his car and drove out of the Party Committee family quarters. He is only staying in Beijing for about a week and has many things to do.
Dong Xuebing thought for a while and called Aunt Xian.
But Aunt Xuan is not in Beijing. She had handed the Auction company to her deputy and left for a holiday in Zhejiang with her mother yesterday morning. She said relaxing herself is good for her baby and should not return this week. Dong Xuebing is speechless and reminded her to take care of herself.
After hanging up, Dong Xuebing called Mu Zhengzhong. He is quite concerned about the Museum exhibiting Japan’s National Treasure.
Ring… ring… ring… the line got through. “Hello, Teacher Mu?”
The background is very noisy, and there seem to have many people around Mu Zhengzhong. “Who are you?”
“Who do you think?” Dong Xuebing laughed. “How is it going with the scroll?”
Mu Zhengzhong paused and said to the people around him. “Please wait for a minute. Let me answer this call… No comment… Please wait…” After a while, Dong Xuebing heard the sound of a door closing, and the background becomes quiet. He smiled wearily. “Young man… that thing is on display now. I had not wanted to exhibit it so early, but news of it had leaked. I had no choice but to exhibit it.”
Dong Xuebing asked. “How is the response?”
“Did you not watch the news? You will know when you come over to the Museum. Sigh… If I know this will be an uproar, I will not get involve… haha…”
“But how come you sound very excited?”
“Really? I am having a headache now!”
After hanging up, Dong Xuebing switched on the radio while driving to Mu Zhengzhong’s Museum. He did not expect the will be exhibited so soon and had not followed the news this morning. The Museum is located near to the outskirts and is not far from where Dong Xuebing was.
When Dong Xuebing reaches the Museum, he got shocked.
Damn! The traffic is blocked by cars and TV stations trucks. Many cameramen, armed with video cameras, and reporters with microphones, are reporting live. From the logos and signs on the vehicles, there are at least a dozen TV stations here!
Dong Xuebing had found out about this much later, and the chaos had started more than one hour earlier.
The , which the Japan Officials claimed will not leave their borders, is on display in Beijing!
This is a piece of earthshaking news!
