Monday.
Qu Yunxuan’s mother needs to visit the hospital once a year for her Cerebrovascular disease treatment. Qu Yunxuan was worried about her and went back with her mother. She will only return back to North Heping Street next week. Dong Xuebing had also used up his BACK on Sunday and today, he will start to accumulate again. He could not go back to gamble stones. So, Dong Xuebing focuses on his work and try not to make any mistakes. This way, he needs to save his power for emergencies.
The General Affairs Office. Tan Limei, Chang Juan, and the rest were chatting.
“Have you heard the news? The Chief is going to be transferred.” Tan Limei said softly.
Chang Juan nodded: “It seems that Chief Yan will be promoted and transferred to another province’s State Security Bureau.”
Guo Panwei interrupted. “He is going to be promoted to Provincial Deputy Director for a Southern Province.”
“Oh, really?” Chang Juan kept her eyebrow pencil in her drawer. “I thought he will be transferred to a northern province.”
Dong Xuebing, who had just entered the office, heard what they were saying. Chief Yan will be transferred away? He had heard of this rumor last week, but he ignored this. But there were so many people discussing this now. This should be true. Who will be the new Chief of this branch bureau? Will he be transferred from other branches or Political Commissar Zhou Guoan taking over this position?
“Eh, Chief Dong.” Chang Juan was the first to notice Dong Xuebing entering the office, and she immediately smiles.
“Good morning, Chief Dong.”
“Chief Dong.”
Dong Xuebing likes the mood in the office, and he smiles to everyone and acknowledges their greetings. He glanced at Guo Shunjie before going into his office. Dong Xuebing still remembers how he was bullied by Guo Shunjie and how he went to Director Li Qing to snitch on him. This Guo Shunjie was too much. Dong Xuebing was already promoted to Deputy Chief of the General Affairs Office, and this Guo Shunjie was still trying to backstab him. If Dong Xuebing did not have BACK, he would be in trouble with Li Qing.
After pouring himself a cup of tea, Dong Xuebing thought about how he should deal with Guo Shunjie.
Knock, knock, knock. Tan Limei and Zhuang Zhi knocked on his office and entered.
Dong Xuebing saw them: “Oh, Tan Zhi, Zhuang Zhi, why are you two looking so serious?”
Zhuang Zhi blushed. “Bing Zhi, it like this….. Errrrrr…… Errrr……”
“You are so stupid!” Tan Limei chided Zhuang Zhi and then smiles sweetly at Dong Xuebing. “I will do the talking. Chief Bing Zhi, you should also know that State Security has more rules than other government agencies. For instance, if we are dating, we must report to our direct supervisor. This morning, Zhuang Zhi and I met Director Li Qing on our way to work. The first thing he said when he saw us was whether if we are dating. We know that we could not hide it anymore and we admit. He told us to report to you. I think we will be transferred to different units in a few days.” Both of them could not work in the same office if they were dating.
Dong Xuebing was happy for his friends. “Hahaha, congratulations. When is your wedding?”
Zhuang Zhi embarrassedly replied. “We had met each other’s parents a few days ago. Wedding….. it should be soon.”
“Who says I will marry you?!” Tan Limei pinched him, but she was smiling sweetly. “I still need to consider.”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Our Zhuang Zhi is an honest chap. Tan Zhi, you should not bully him like this. Even if he has thick skin, he will still feel the pain from your pinches.”
“Hehe, ok. I will listen to the Chief.” After chatting for a while, Tan Limei suddenly remembers something. “Oh, I heard something from the Political Section earlier. This year’s Western District Party School Young Cadres training course will be starting soon. This time, there will be two classes. One will be for Section Chief level, and the other is for Divisional Chief level. The course duration is 2 weeks.”
Dong Xuebing blinked. “ Party school training course?”
Tan Limei knew Dong Xuebing had only entered the bureau for less than 3 months and does not know about all these. She patiently explained to Dong Xuebing. “You should also know that our agency is different from other government agencies. They are allocated with some spots regardless of whether if it is District level or City level party school. But our agency is different. We seldom get even one place. If it wasn’t for the District’s Industry and Commerce Branch having some internal issues and gave up one place, our branch will not even get to participate. Even the Eastern and Northern branches do not have any spots. This is a rare opportunity, and many leaders are eyeing it.”
Dong Xuebing have also heard of the Party School. If someone is going to be promoted, they will usually be arranged to join the training course organized by the Party School. This was to prepare someone to take on a higher position. Participating in this course is a sign of someone getting a promotion soon.
Zhuang Zhi added: “Bing Zhi, you should try to get this spot.”
Dong Xuebing also wanted to participate. If he participated in this course, it should not be a problem for him to be promoted to Deputy Section Chief. But he was just promoted to Deputy Chief of the General Affairs Office. Although his rank was not Deputy Section Chief, he is getting the benefits of Deputy Section Chief ranks. There was no way for him to get this spot.
Tan Limei could tell what Dong Xuebing was thinking and smiles. “Getting the Deputy Section Chief’s benefits and entering the party school has happened before. There have been instances when staff members who were going to be promoted, joining this course. So, Chief Bing Zhi, I think you should really fight for this spot. If you can get this spot, your rank might be promoted to Deputy Section Chief when you return.”
Dong Xuebing smiled and waved his hand. “It will be too early for me to get this rank.” Dong Xuebing was tempted.
He had been thinking of getting the rank of Deputy Section Chief!
Ring, ring, ring……
The phone on Dong Xuebing rang. It was Li Qing who called. After hanging up the phone, Dong Xuebing said to Tan Limei and Zhuang Zhi. “Let’s talk about our work now. There will be a meeting in the afternoon in meeting room 2. I will give you the list of documents required later. Tan Zhi, I will let you and Chang Juan handle this. Girls are more careful, and there will be lesser mistakes with the documents. Hmmmm…… Let Guo Shunjie go and set up the meeting room.” Other than Branch Party Committee meetings, the General Affairs Office was in charge of preparing meeting materials for ordinary meetings.
“Yes, Sir!”
Tan Limei left and passed Dong Xuebing’s instructions to others.
When Guo Shunjie heard that he needs to set up the meeting venue, he stood up angrily and stormed out of the office. Setting up the meeting room was easier than preparing the documents. But this was considered a lowly task and Guo Shunjie was upset. He was cursing Dong Xuebing in his heart as he walked to Political Commissar Zhou Guoan’s office. He wants to complain to Political Commissar Zhou.
Zhou Guoan was in a good mood these few days and did not interrupt Guo Shunjie. He continued with his work while listening to Guo Shunjie’s complains.
In the end, Guo Shunjie still said: “Uncle Zhou, the way Dong Xuebing picks on me, clearly does not show any respect for you. He……”
“Enough.” Zhou Guoan was getting frustrated from his whinings. He knocked on his desk and said: “I told to that there is no hurry. I will settle everything for you. Can you have some patience?”
Guo Shunjie was furious. When I gave you money, you just accept it. Now, you are asking me to be patient? If this carries on, I will be ordered around by Dong Xuebing until the day I die! How can I be patient? After leaving Political Commissar Zhou’s office, Guo Shunjie clenched his fist and have an evil look in his eyes!
Before noon, Tan Limei and Chang Juan organized the documents and prepared 13 sets. Only 12 people were attending the meeting, but they prepared one more set as spare. Dong Xuebing took one random set and took a look. All the required information were in, and he placed the documents on the desk before leaving for lunch.
At 1pm, Dong Xuebing brought the 13 sets of documents to meeting room 2 and placed all the documents neatly on the table according to the names. Actually, Dong Xuebing can ask Guo Panwei or anyone else to do this. But he had won Zhou Guoan’s nomination for his current position during the last Party Committee meeting, and Chief Yan Liang will be transferring out soon. Political Commissar Zhou might be taking over his position. Dong Xuebing needs to make sure he performs well in from of Political Commissar Zhou.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a few leaders entered the meeting room. Zhou Guoan was the last to arrive.
“Political Commissar Zhou, everything is ready.” Dong Xuebing said.
Zhou Guoan nodded and walked over to his seat.
Dong Xuebing looked at Political Commissar Zhou and left the meeting room.
This was only an ordinary meeting for passing the instructions from the central government. Zhou Guoan cleared his throat and opened the documents in front of him to start the meeting.
5 minutes……
10 minutes……
20 minutes…….
Zhou Guoan suddenly stopped speaking when they reached page 7 of the documents!
Everyone could not understand what happened and looked over.
They saw Zhou Guoan flipping the documents with a long face. Bang! He threw his documents on the table!
Huh? What’s this?
Everyone was shocked and doesn’t know why Zhou Guoan suddenly got angry. They looked at the document on the table……
Everyone was speechless.
The documents were wrong. A few pages among the documents were not even words. It was pictures of cakes and desserts! The seniors at the meeting knew Zhou Guoan had diabetes and could not eat sweet food! Everyone was looking at each other. Was this a genuine mistake or was someone trying to provoke Zhou Guoan?
Who was so daring?!
