Monday morning.
Dong Xuebing woke up on his living room sofa and saw his mother preparing breakfast with Little Qianqian in her arms. They must have woken up around 6 am. Xie Huilan and Qu Yunxuan had slept in the other bedroom last night, and their bedroom door was opened. He could hear Aunt Xuan and Sister Xie chatting in the bathroom. They seemed to be talking about the things to note when pregnant. He was glad they were getting along. What’s most important is for everyone in the family to get along.
Dong Xuebing got up. “Mum, what are we eating for breakfast?”
“Congee. Go and wash up. It will be ready soon.” Luan Xiaoping answered from the kitchen.
Dong Xuebing shouted towards the bathroom. “Huillan, Yunxuan, you two are early today. Are you all done?”
Xie Huilan smiled. “You woke up late. Go and brush your teeth. Hehe….”
“Xiao Bing, come here.” Qu Yunxuan stuck her head out of the bathroom. “We are done with our makeup. You can wash your face.”
Dong Xuebing nodded and entered the bathroom.
Breakfast.
Luan Xiaoping stroked her granddaughter’s head. “Yunxuan, let’s go to your TV station’s lodging later. I will stay at your place to help you look after Qianqian these few days. Once she gets used to me, I will bring her to the neighboring city. I am afraid she might not get used to milk powder.”
Qu Yunxuan smiled. “No problem. Your house is not far from here. I can go over to store my milk every night if she is not used to it.”
“It will be too tiring for you.”
“This is for my daughter, and it is not tired.”
“Sigh…. I would be glad if Xiao Bing is half as responsible as you.”
Dong Xuebing argued. “Mum, stop talking bad about me. I treat my daughter well.”
Qu Yunxuan laughed. “You brat…. Your top responsibility is to take care of Huilan. You will soon be a father of two kids, and you will be busy.”
Luan Xiaoping agreed. “That’s right. You don’t need to worry about Little Qianqian. Yunxuan and I will take care of her. You just look after Huilan and treat her well. If I know you neglected her, I would disown you. Do you hear me?!”
Everyone laughed when they heard Luan Xiaoping’s threat.
Dong Xuebing replied. “Don’t worry. I will treat her like a queen for the next ten months.”
Xie Huilan glanced at Dong Xuebing and smiled. “Stop boasting. We shall see who will be taking care of who. Haha….”
Luan Xiaoping said. “Huilan, call me if he did not take care of you. I will teach him a lesson.”
Xie Huilan giggled. “Yes.” She noticed Dong Xuebing looked unhappy and smiled at him. “But I must admit that Xiao Bing is good at taking care of others. He had been cooking since we married and treated me well.”
Dong Xuebing pushed out his chest proudly. “That’s right.”
Before 9 am.
Feng Zhou City Party Committee Building.
Dong Xuebing did not drive to work and took a lift in Xie Huilan’s Land Rover. He did not want to be separated from her. He kept stroking her tummy in the car and refused to let her go.
“Alright.” Xie Huilan replied. “I need to go.”
Dong Xuebing pushed his face forward. “Give me a kiss first.”
Xie Huilan pointed in front. “Your Commission for Discipline Inspection colleagues are watching. Let’s talk about this when we get home, ok?”
“Kiss me before you go.”
“Stop fooling around and get to work.”
Dong Xuebing knew it was wrong to show affection to Xie Huilan at their workplace. After all, she is the Deputy City Mayor, and he is a Deputy Division Chief Leader. They got to take care of their image in front of other staff members. He rubbed her tummy one last time before getting out of the car. He waved goodbye as she left for the City Government Building’s parking lots.
The City Commission for Discipline Inspection building.
“Director.”
“Director Dong.”
“Good morning, Director Dong.”
Many things have happened since Dong Xuebing started work at the City Commission for Discipline Inspection. He had crashed his car into his deputy’s, his wife turned out to be the City Deputy Mayor, and he gave 2000 ml of blood to Nan Shan District Party Secretary to save her life. That’s why everyone is looking at him weirdly. He had only been transferred to this department for a few days and was involved in many things. This was rare in a particular department like the Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Inspection First Office.
Director’s Office.
Dong Xuebing had mixed feelings after returning to his office. He looked around and felt he had been away for too long. He lit a cigarette and started puffing. He could not smoke at home because a pregnant woman and a baby lived with him.
Knock… knock….
Dong Xuebing looked up. “Come in.”
The door opened, and Luo Haiting entered. She was wearing a long sleeves top and long pants. It was nearing the end of the year, and it was too cold for her to wear dresses.
“Director.” Luo Haiting smiled. “I’m here to update you about the work.”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Sit, Sister Luo. How is everyone doing?”
Luo Haiting laughed. “You are handling Zhang Huo’s case, and all rest are minor cases. There’s nothing much to worry about. These were the work files when you were not around. Please take a look.”
“Alright. I will look at them.” Dong Xuebing briefly glanced through the documents.
“These few documents need your signature.” Luo Haiting passed a few more documents to Dong Xuebing.
It took Dong Xuebing an hour to settle this administrative work, and his hand was aching from signing. All government agencies, including the Commission for Discipline Inspection, were very busy at the end of the year. Of course, it is not the peak yet. The peak is during the few days before Lunar New Year. After two years in the government service, he had become afraid of Lunar New Year. He would be working without breaks during that period.
After all the work was completed, Luo Haiting said. “Director, you were away for many days, and I had made some decisions without consulting you. Should I tell you the details?”
Dong Xuebing smiled and waved his hand. “I don’t need to worry with you around. You can decide about those minor issues. When I am not around in the future, you will take charge of the Inspection First Office. Tell those who are unhappy with this decision to talk to me.”
Luo Haiting was touched. “Thank you, Director.”
Dong Xuebing pointed at the door. “The door is closed. You don’t need to be so polite in front of me.”
Luo Haiting poured a glass of hot water for Dong Xuebing and placed it on his desk. “Xuebing, Liu Hanqing had returned to work four days ago.”
“Oh, has he finished his sick leave?”
“Yes.”
“How is he doing now?”
Luo Haiting laughed. “After you taught him a lesson, he stayed in his office every day and had not interfered with the Inspection First Office’s work.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. This Liu Hanqing finally knows his place. “Is there anything else in the unit?”
Luo Haiting thought for a while and said. “The biggest case recently is Nan Shan District’s Deputy District Mayor Zhang Huo and District Party Secretary Geng Yuehua corruption case. You had completed the investigation and found out Zhang Huo’s son framed Secretary Geng. Zhang Huo was charged with bribery and corruption, and Secretary Geng’s case fell under the legal system. It was transferred to the Public Security Bureau and Prosecution Office.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. His first mission in the City Commission for Discipline Inspection was completed when he needed results to command respect.
“Anything else?” Dong Xuebing took out a cigarette.
Luo Haiting quickly picked up the lighter on the desk to light it.
Dong Xuebing quickly stopped her. “I will do it myself.” He stopped seeing Luo Haiting as his subordinate and treated her like his friend. He trusts others easily, especially pretty women.
Luo Haiting smiled and helped to light his cigarette. “Nothing much had happened these few days, except the Inspection Bureau had charged a few Deputy Section Chiefs for minor offenses. Oh, our City Commission for Discipline Inspection’s No. 3, Deputy Secretary Zhan Guiping, still had not reported for work.”
Dong Xuebing was surprised. “Deputy Secretary Zhan?”
Dong Xuebing had met the City Commission for Discipline Inspection’s No. 1, He Shuien, and No. 2, Xiao Bin. He still had not met the other Deputy Secretary. He had started work for a few days, but he was often away for investigation. He had not thought much about it. “What happened to Secretary Zhan?”
Luo Haiting paused for a few seconds and said. “I heard he had taken a long leave. I had only met Secretary Zhan once when I was transferred here, and he was on leave the next day. I heard his daughter was injured during the earthquake, and he brought her to other hospitals for treatment.”
Dong Xuebing was new, and his only connection to the City Government was Xie Huilan. Fen Zhou City ICBC branch President, City Power Company’s General Manager Liu Chenlong, and Xu Yan are in departments outside the City Government. They could not assist him much. He is in the Commission for Discipline Inspection, and even Xie Huilan could not do anything to help him. The City Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary is the City’s Party Committee Member and holds more power than Xie Huilan. He got to rely on himself, and he had been looking around for connections. He Shuien and Xiao Bin had treated him coldly and showed no signs of trying to pull him into their factions. He can only look for another path. Zhan Guiping might be a good choice.
Earthquake….
His daughter was injured….
Zhan Guiping….
Dong Xuebing suddenly remembered. “Is Zhan Rourou Secretary Zhan’s daughter?”
Translator’s notes: Zhan Rourou was the nurse who pushed Dong Xuebing around the hospital before it collapsed.
