Next day.
Noon. County’s Party guest house.
The Japanese team from the Japanese MNC had arrived. The team consists of five to six people in two black Toyota Reiz. The County’s Party Secretary Xiang Daofa had gone to receive the delegation outside with his men, like Deputy Party Secretary Cao Xupeng, Investment Promotion Agency Chief Meng Xianglin, Investment Promotion Agency Deputy Chief Lui Dafa, etc. Everyone can tell how important these Japanese delegations are to Xiang Daofa from the number of leaders there to receive them. It’s almost as if the City Government’s leaders are there for inspection. Dong Xuebing stood at a distance and shook his head. Some reporters were there to cover this story, and Dong Xuebing felt Xiang Daofa is putting on a show. Since Dong Xuebing knew what Xiang Daofa is up to yesterday, he was disgusted by this task!
“I represent Yan Tai County to welcome all of you.” Xiang Daofa said.
The translator replied in two languages. “This is Party Secretary Xiang, and this is Mr. Sakamoto.”
“Nice to meet you, Secretary Xiang.”
Sakamoto smiles as he shook hands with Xiang Daofa. Click… click… the reporters took pictures of them, and it should be this evening County’s newspaper headlines.
Dong Xuebing was not in the mood to listen to them and turned to a staff from the County Committee office. “Where is Mayor Xie?”
That young man replied softly. “The Mayor is attending a meeting, and she is not here.”
Dong Xuebing smacked his lips. Getting investments for the County should be the job of the County Government and has got nothing to do with the Party Committee. Did you all purposely don’t invite Sister Xie because you all are scared she will get the credit? All of you are too much and had overstepped your boundaries! Instead, Sister Xie had still reminded Dong Xuebing to protect the delegation’s safety as this is for the good of the County. Sister Xie had not even thought of creating problems despite Xiang Daofa’s pettiness. This is the difference between someone who had worked as a leader with the Central Government. The way they do things is too different!
After a while, everyone started to walk towards the building for lunch.
“Chief Dong.” Someone called.
Dong Xuebing turns around and saw a middle-aged man in his fifties. “Are you Chief Meng?”
Meng Xianglin nodded and said. “The Japanese team’s first stop will be Wu Tian Village, and the possibility of them investing there is high. You must make sure everything is in order and send two officers to accompany them to prevent any accidents. You must leave a good impression with the delegations.”
Dong Xuebing replied nonchalantly. “I know.”
Meng Xianglin frowned from Dong Xuebing’s response. “Chief Dong, you must pay attention to this matter.”
Hmph! Are you done? Dong Xuebing replied. “I know even without you telling me this.” You want me to pay attention to this?! Even if everything goes smoothly, Xie Huilan will not get any credit, and Xiang Daofa, who will be getting all the credit, will not remember me. He will still be finding fault with me. If Dong Xuebing messes up the Japanese site visits, he will have to bear full responsibility. How can Dong Xuebing treat this task with importance?
Meng Xianglin suppressed his anger and said. “I will not remind you anymore. If anything happens, don’t blame me for not telling you this. This responsibility is too big for you to bear!” He turned and walked away. Meng Xianglin is one rank higher than Dong Xuebing and is the person-in-charge of this investment site visit. He had already treated Dong Xuebing as his subordinate.
Dong Xuebing was furious. You are from the Investment Promotion Agency! Who are you to tell me off?!
This site visit is very important to Meng Xianglin. This visit is more important than any other site visits as the invested amount is significant, and it is a Japanese MNC. It will change the economic outlook of Yan Tai County. If he successfully gets this MNC to set up their electronic plant there, he might get promoted.
After lunch, Xiang Daofa and the rest of the County leaders left the guest house. Only Meng Xianglin and Lui Dafa remained to entertain the guests.
The leader of the Japanese team, Mr. Sakamoto, is the decision-maker, and he will be deciding if their company will invest in Yan Tai County. That’s why Meng Xianglin and his men treated him differently. Mr. Sakamoto also knew the County’s leaders needed him, and he can afford to be arrogant. He did not say much, and most of the time, he only nods his head. It was his men who do most of the talking with Meng Xianglin.
After a while, Mr. Sakamoto spoke to his translator in Japanese.
The translator turned and said. “Mr. Sakamoto says it’s time to visit the village.”
“No problem.” Meng Xianglin quickly replied. “We will lead the way.”
Lui Dafa quickly went out to arrange for the cars. After a few minutes, the leaders and staff from the Investment Promotion Agency boarded a car and drove towards Wu Tian Village. The Japanese team’s two Toyota Reiz followed behind. Although Dong Xuebing is not happy with this assignment, he still did his job. He called the Bureau to send two plainclothes officers to follow the convoy. He called up Hui Tian Police Station to make arrangements.
Ring… ring… ring… Dong Xuebing’s phone rang.
Dong Xuebing answered. “Mum? What is it?”
“Have you taken your lunch?” Luan Xiaoping asked.
“Yes. I had just eaten.”
“Ok. If you are free this evening, come over to my place.”
“You need me for something?” Dong Xuebing thought for a while and said. “I can go over now since I do not have any work this afternoon. Are you at your school’s quarters?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Wait for me.”
“It’s not important, and you don’t need to rush over.”
Dong Xuebing did not return to the Bureau. He went to a supermarket to buy some health supplements before driving over to the County First Middle School’s staff quarters.
“Mum, I’m here.”
Luan Xiaoping opened the door and saw her son carrying a shopping bag. She grumbled. “Why are you buying all these things for me?”
“Just take it. It’s good for your body.” Dong Xuebing entered the apartment.
“I can’t finish all these even if I drink it every day. You are wasting your money.” Luan Xiaoping took the bag from Dong Xuebing and points to the coffee table. “I had just made tea.” Although Luan Xiaoping scolded her son, she is feeling happy in her heart. Every time Dong Xuebing visits her, he will buy health supplements for her.
Dong Xuebing took a sip of tea. “Mum, what is it?”
“Wait a while.” Luan Xiaoping returned to her room and came out with a sweater.
Dong Xuebing smiled. “You bought this for me?”
Luan Xiaoping gave him a stare. “I knitted this for you. Try it on.”
“Ah… why did you waste so much effort on it? You can just buy one outside. You are tiring yourself.” In the past, they are poor, and Dong Xuebing’s mother knitted all his winter clothes. Sometimes, she started knitting since summer whenever she has time, and it took months before she completed it. Now, they have money, and they don’t need to knit sweaters themselves. “You have high blood pressure… you…”
Luan Xiaoping ignored Dong Xuebing and raised the sweater. “Go and try it to see if it fits. I will amend it if it doesn’t fit.”
Dong Xuebing felt warmed and took off his coat to wear the sweater. “How is it?”
“It’s quite fitting, but the sleeves are a bit long.”
Dong Xuebing replied. “It’s fine. I can just pull it up.”
Luan Xiaoping touched the sweater and nodded. “Ok. It’s cold now and just leave it on. This should be warmer than your leather jacket.”
The sweater is grey in color, and despite not having any complicated patterns, it was still fitting. Dong Xuebing likes it a lot as he looks at himself in the mirror. “Thank you, Mum.”
Luan Xiaoping smiled. “If you like it, I will knit a scarf for you tomorrow.”
“No… don’t.” Dong Xuebing quickly said. “It’s too tiring.”
Luan Xiaoping grumbled. “If you care about me, stop doing all those dangerous missions. I still have not scolded you for disappearing for so many days.” She was scared out of her wits and cried numerous times when Dong Xuebing went undercover.
“Mum, let’s not talk about that again. I’m sorry.” Dong Xuebing laughed and massaged his mother’s shoulders.
Luan Xiaoping patted her son’s hand. “Alright. I know you are busy. Go back to work.”
“Do you have lessons this afternoon? I can send you to school.”
“The school is within walking distance. What’s there to send?”
In the end, Dong Xuebing still sent his mother to her school and left after seeing his mother entered the school’s compound.
Evening.
Dong Xuebing returned to the Bureau’s Family Quarters and called the two officers. The site visit in the afternoon had proceeded smoothly, and there were no accidents.
That’s right. This is China and not the Middle East. What can go wrong?
After putting down his phone, Dong Xuebing went to take a shower. He thought about how he is going to get nominated for promotion when his phone rang. Dong Xuebing frowned and got out of the bathroom to answer.
“Hello, who’s that?”
“Chief Dong, I’m from the traffic department. The higher-ups told me to call you for matters regarding the site visit team.”
Dong Xuebing frowned. “What happened to the delegations?”
The other party said. “I am at an accident scene now. One of their Toyota Reiz had gotten into an accident.”
“Is anyone hurt?” Dong Xuebing tensed up.
“The site visit team is fine, and their car only has some scratches on their headlight. The other car had a dent on the back. But the Citroën’s driver had a scuffle with the people from the site visit team. We had just separated them. How should we settle this?”
“Where is the location? I will go over now!”
“We are near the petrol station near the west exit…”
After that, Traffic Police told Dong Xuebing the location, Dong Xuebing quickly dried himself and to go out.
At this time, Dong Xuebing’s phone rang again. It’s Meng Xianglin. “Chief Dong, do you know that the delegates had gotten into a traffic accident? Go and settle it now!”
Damn! Since when you had become my superior?
Dong Xuebing did not even say a word and hung up.
Meng Xianglin was stunned and furious by Dong Xuebing’s action.
Dong Xuebing quickly got dressed and drove to the accident scene. It’s not far from his home, and he reached within ten minutes. From a distance, he saw a Toyota Reiz and a Citroën parked by the roadside. A few Traffic Police were directing traffic, and two police cars had their police lights on. There was a fight between the drivers after all, and the Traffic Police had to handover this case to the Police officers.
“What happened?” Dong Xuebing walks over.
A Police officer was speaking to someone and quickly run over. “Chief Dong.
A young man was sitting on the ground beside the Citroën, and his mouth was bleeding. He also has a bruise on his eye, and a woman, who might be his wife, is beside him, and she has a handprint on her face. Mr. Sakamoto was sitting in the Toyota Reiz with his eyes closed. He did not even get out of the vehicle. Two members of the Japanese team are standing outside with their arms folded. Other than some dirt on their clothes, they do not have any visible injuries.
Dong Xuebing frowned. “Who is at fault?”
The Police Officer looked over at the Japanese team and replied softly. “It’s those Japanese faults. Witnesses are saying that Toyota had gone against the traffic when they made a turn and collided with that Citroën. You should know that Japan’s traffic regulations are different from us, and they are right-hand drive. Maybe they are still not used to our traffic.” It’s hard to change habits.
“That driver does not have our driving license?”
“I had seen his driving license, but it had expired many years ago.”
“Chinese?”
“I think so.”
“What about the fight?” Dong Xuebing asked. “Who started the fight?”
The Police officer hesitated for a second and replied. “The Japanese claimed it was the other party who started the fight, but passersby and the Citroën driver and his wife said it was the Japanese who hit them first.”
Dong Xuebing frowned. He knew it was not the young couple who started the fight. There are four men in the Toyota, and the Citroën driver is only with his wife. Why would he start the fight? But it’s not easy to settle this issue. It would not be good for Yan Tai County’s image if he brought the Japanese back into custody. But if he doesn’t do anything to them, how are they going to answer to the residents?
A man in a suit walks over impatiently. “Why is this issue not settled yet?”
The Officer told Dong Xuebing softly. “This is the driver, and he had participated in the fight.”
Dong Xuebing glanced at that driver.
“Our boss is asking if we can leave now.” The driver looks at Dong Xuebing and the officers. “We still have lots of things to do! Can you all let us go?!” The driver’s Chinese is quite good and should not be Japanese.
The Officer knew this group of men are VIPs of the County, and he immediately replied. “Please wait for a while. We are trying to settle this.”
The driver smacked his lips and looked at his watch. “It’s been more than ten minutes. Is this your County’s efficiency? If you don’t know how to settle this, you all can call Party Secretary Xiang. I am saying this again. It’s the other party who cut in front of us, and after we collided, that man pushed us and hit us first. We were acting in self-defense and did nothing wrong!”
Dong Xuebing looks at the driver coldly. “This is not up to you to say! You understand?!”
The Officer was also frustrated. “Hey, your driving license had expired, and you are driving without a valid license.”
The driver’s face changed and walked away.
The Officer grumbled softly, “An ass in a lion skin!”
Dong Xuebing does not like that driver. How can he still be so arrogant after hitting others?
The driver returned to the Toyota and spoke to Mr. Sakamoto in Japanese. “Boss, the Chinese Police are trying to find trouble and is refusing to let us leave.” The driver also knew Yan Tai County leaders couldn’t wait to kiss their asses, and even if he hit others, nothing will happen to him. That’s why he is not worried at all. Although the driver is Chinese, he saved Mr. Sakamoto’s wife when he was studying in Japan. Because of that incident, Mr. Sakamoto hired him to be his driver.
Sakamoto frowned when he heard from his driver. To him, this is a minor incident, and the Police should let them go.
Dong Xuebing does not understand what the driver and Sakamoto said, and he walks over to the young couple. “I am from the Public Security Bureau. How are your injuries?”
The young man replied. “Officer, this group of Japanese are too unreasonable. We are traveling in our lane, and they collided into us from the back. When I got out of my car to reason with them, they started hitting us. Look, they also slapped my wife.”
Dong Xuebing thought for a second and said. “It’s late now, and it’s better to settle this privately. How about this? The other party will compensate you some money for your medical fees and damages to your car? Do you think 30,000 RMB is enough?”
The young couple was unwilling to accept it as they were still angry.
Dong Xuebing persuaded them patiently, and the young man replied. “Officer, I will accept this compensation because of you. 30,000 RMB, and I want that driver to apologize to us!”
Dong Xuebing felt this is a reasonable demand and nodded.
