Saturday.
Morning. Qu Yunxuan’s apartment.
Ring… ring… ring… Dong Xuebing’s phone rang.
Dong Xuebing opens his eyes, and the sun shines through the windows, making him feel uncomfortable. He reached over for his iPhone4s by the bedside table.
It’s Shen Fei, Nan Shan District Executive Deputy Mayor, who called.
“Good morning, Mayor Shen.”
“Director Dong, how is the progress with the Role Model Unit award?”
“Oh, I am in Beijing to settle it currently.”
“Ok. Inform the District if you have any progress. We must get this award.”
“I know.”
Dong Xuebing threw his phone on the bed and yawned. Qu Yunxuan is not sleeping beside him, and he thinks she might have returned home to prevent her parents from finding out she had sneaked out. He slowly gets dressed and walks out of the room. Eh? Why is the bathroom light on? He walked over and saw Qu Yunxuan standing by the basin, washing his socks. The whole bathroom smells of washing detergent.
“You are up.” Qu Yunxuan looked at Dong Xuebing through the mirror and laughed. “Who called you just now? Is it your Leader?”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “It’s our District Executive Deputy Mayor who called to check on the progress of my work.”
“Then wait a while. I will prepare breakfast for you after I finish washing your socks. Go and wash your face first.”
“Stop washing. You are almost seven months and should not be tired.” Dong Xuebing walked over and snatched the socks. “Let me do it.”
“No need. I will not be tired from washing a pair of smelly socks.”
“Let me wash it.”
“I told you no need. Get aside and brush your teeth.”
Dong Xuebing could not stop Qu Yunxuan and wash up before changing to a pair of new socks. When he comes out of the bathroom, a sumptuous breakfast is set on the dining table. He looks at her and pulls her to the table to have breakfast together.
“Eat slowly.” Qu Yunxuan smiles and wipes his mouth with a paper napkin. “Are you going out later?”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “I need to go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.”
“Are you coming back tonight?”
“Yes. I am going back the day after tomorrow. This trip is to spend time with you.”
“Haha… I will prepare dinner and wait for you tonight. Hey, slow down. No one is fighting with you over the food.”
“It’s been a while since I ate your food. It’s delicious.”
Qu Yunxuan knocked Dong Xuebing’s head lightly. “Stop your flattery.”
Dong Xuebing left Qu Yunxuan’s apartment before 9 am. He drove her Mercedes to Qian Meng Jian Guo Hotel to meet Zhou Yanru and Wang Yuling.
A standard room upstairs.
Dong Xuebing knocked on the door. Zhou Yanru is already up, and Wang Yuling is in her room.
“Director. Please come in.”
“Have you taken your breakfast?”
“Yes. We had breakfast in the hotel.”
“Eh? Where’s Chen Chen?”
“I sent her to her Aunt’s place last night.”
“Ok. Get ready, and we will leave now. Mayor Shen had called this morning. The District Government is very concerned about the Model Unit Award and wants us to win it.”
After Dong Xuebing left last evening, Zhou Yanru and Wang Yuling drove around Beijing and visited malls and attractions. They had a good supper and had fun. It’s rare to meet such a considerate supervisor. Now, their attitudes changed. They are serious and know they will embarrass the Subdistrict Office and Nan Shan District if they are eliminated. They must try their best to get this award.
Civil Affairs Ministry.
The Cayenne’s registration plate is restricted today, and they had to use the Mercedes Benz.
The guards at the gates stopped Dong Xuebing’s car. “Who are you all looking for?”
Wang Yuling rolls down the windows. “We are here to submit the National Respect and Care for the elderly’s model unit award materials and application.”
“Wait here.” The guard returned to the guardhouse to make a call before coming back. “Which unit are you all from?”
“Fen Zhou City, Nan Shan District, Guang Ming Subdistrict Office.” Wang Yuling replied.
The guard nodded and pointed to a grey building. “Second floor of that building. Chief Lin is in charge of this.”
“Thank you.” Wang Yuling thanked the guard politely.
“Don’t mention it. Come down and register first.”
Wang Yuling alighted and registered their car at the guardhouse.
Since they came to Beijing, Wang Yuling had tone down on her spoilt brat attitude. She is wary of her actions as she knows many hidden dragons and crouching tigers here. She dares to do anything she wants in Nan Shan District because her Uncle is the District Party Secretary. But in Beijing, her Uncle is a nobody. That’s why she toned down a lot, and Dong Xuebing nodded with satisfaction.
The Office Building at the west.
This is the General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Zhou Yanru asked the staff about Chief Lin and told them her purpose of visit.
The staff looked at them and said. “Wait here.” After that, he went upstairs.
After a while, another staff came down from the stairs. “Chief Lin is busy now. You all can wait here.” The staff walked away with a stack of documents and ignored them.
Dong Xuebing looked at the staff. They have no choice but to wait.
The three of them wait at the rest area. Zhou Yanru found a water dispenser and poured water for them.
Half an hour….
One hour….
Two hours….
Zhou Yanru looks at her watch. It’s almost noon.
Dong Xuebing is getting impatient. “Xiao Wang, go and ask them again.”
“Ok.” Wang Yuling nodded and went to the staff they spoke with earlier. “Is Chief Lin available now? We have been waiting for two hours.”
That staff frowned and made a call. After that, he told her. “Go to the second floor in ten minutes.”
Wang Yuling quickly thanked him. “Thank you.”
After a while, the three of them went to an office upstairs with a staff. A man, around thirty-five or thirty-six, is sitting behind the desk. He is writing something on a document and did not look at them.
“Chief Lin, they are here.” The staff said.
Chief Lin waved his hand. “I know.”
The staff left the office and closed the door behind him.
After the staff leave, Zhou Yanru quickly takes out a set of application forms and materials. They are still standing. “Chief Lin, we are from Fen Zhou City Guang Ming Subdistrict Office. This is the materials and application for the National Respect and Care for the elderly’s model unit award. Please take a look.”
Chief Lin did not look at her and continued to read his document. “Isn’t the application close?”
“The Inspection Team had added us last minute, and we had passed the first selection.”
“The application is handled by the National Respect and Care for the elderly’s model unit award office.” Chief Lin continues to write on his document. “This is not under my department. Submit the application and materials to them.”
Wang Yuling interrupted. “But the National Respect and Care for the elderly’s model unit office said….”
“Give them the materials. You all can leave now.” Chief Lin said.
Dong Xuebing frowned. Damn! You made us wait for two hours and tell us it is not under your department? What’s the meaning of this? Are you trying to waste our time?!
Zhou Yanru is pissed, but she doesn’t dare to show her displeasure as Chief Lin is Ministry Leader. “Sorry to bother you.”
After leaving the office, Wang Yuling grumbled. “What’s wrong with his attitude?!”
Zhou Yanru stopped her. “Lower your voice.”
“We wasted the whole morning just to be told he does not handle this. His time is precious, and our time can be wasted?!”
“It’s hard to do things in other areas. Furthermore, this is the Central Government.” Zhou Yanru is not surprised. “Stop grumbling. Let’s go.”
“Director, we….” Wang Yuling looks at Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing suppressed his anger. “Go to the National Respect and Care for the elderly’s model unit award office first.”
Dong Xuebing might be mad, but he needs to settle the application first.
Noon.
Dong Xuebing, Zhou Yanru, and Wang Yuling had a quick lunch and drove to the National Respect and Care for the elderly’s model unit award office at Hai Ding District. It’s a distance from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and they reached around 1.30 pm because of the heavy traffic. They told the staff, and the staff brought them to Director Liu’s office.
“Good afternoon, Director Liu.” Dong Xuebing greeted with a smile.
Director Liu paused for a second. “Your voice…. Are you Director Dong from Guang Ming District?”
Dong Xuebing also finds his voice familiar. “Oh, we had spoken on the phone yesterday.”
“That’s right.” Director Liu smiles. “Have you submitted the materials? The judging has started, and you all must hurry up. Any later, you will miss the selection.”
Dong Xuebing smiled wearily. “We are here to submit the materials. We went to the Ministry of Civil Affairs this morning, but Chief Lin says we should submit it to your office. He does not handle this.”
Director Liu frowned. “They do not handle it?! All the nominees’ materials had been given to the Ministry of Civil Affairs this Wednesday. Our office is only in charge of recommending selected units for this award. They are the ones who are in charge of collecting the applications and materials. Director Dong, I am not trying to push you around, but it’s useless for us to collect your materials. The Ministry of Civil Affairs needs to enter it into their database.”
Director Liu had not shown any airs and is very sincere. Dong Xuebing knows he should be telling the truth, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs handles this matter.
Zhou Yanru and Wang Yuling exchanged looks. They have to return to the Ministry of Civil Affairs again.
Dong Xuebing is frustrated. He has not encountered such ‘practices’ after entering the Government Service.
Translator’s notes: Beijing has a restriction on cars based on the last digit of the license plate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_space_rationing_in_Beijing
