Saturday, morning.
It’s Lunar New Year’s Eve tomorrow, and people are letting off firecrackers along the streets.
This is the first time Dong Xuebing is spending New Year in Yan Tai County. He strolled along the streets, looking at the decorations and red lanterns with a smile on his face. Senior Xie had acknowledged him. He had gotten his promotion, discovered a new power, and managed to sleep with Sister Yu. All these had happened around the same time, and Dong Xuebing is in a good mood.
Dong Xuebing strolled and hummed the National Anthem.
A family member of a leader in the Public Security Bureau just happens to walk out of the quarters and heard Dong Xuebing. He is impressed by Chief Dong’s patriotism. Even when Chief Dong is humming a song, he hums the National Anthem.
Dong Xuebing walked into the County Government compound and went upstairs.
Dong Xuebing walks up to a Deputy Mayor’s office door and knocks on it twice.
In the government service, there is an unspoken rule on knocking doors. When a lower rank officer reports to someone superior in rank, he cannot knock on the door once. It is deemed as rude. He also cannot knock on the door four times, as it is considered disrespectful. Only the higher-ups are allowed to do this towards their subordinates. Subordinates are only allowed to knock twice on their leaders’ doors, and the knocking must still be light. If the knocking is too loud, he might offend the leader.
“Come in.” A middle-aged man said.
Dong Xuebing entered and closes the door behind him. “Mayor Zhao, I’m here to wish you a happy new year.”
“Xiao Dong?” Zhao Xinglong smiles and nods. “Happy New Year to you too. Have a seat.”
Dong Xuebing does not know why Zhao Xinglong is looking for him, and he went to the sofa.
Zhao Xinglong is in his early forties and looks like a farmer with his size. He is the Deputy Mayor of Yan Tai County and is in charge of overseeing the County’s Investment Promotion Agency. Since Dong Xuebing is taking over the department, he will have to report to him in the future. But because of Dong Xuebing’s previous role, he didn’t have the chance to speak to Zhao Xinglong.
“Old Meng, from the Investment Promotion Agency, was hospitalized this morning.” Zhao Xinglong did not beat around the bush. “Have you heard about it?”
Meng Xianglin? Dong Xuebing asked. “Didn’t Chief Meng was discharged not long ago? Is it the same condition?”
Zhao Xinglong nodded. “I heard his condition is unstable. No one is leading the Investment Promotion Agency, and I think you should not wait until after the New Year to take on your new role. I will speak to Mayor Xie, and you will take over the department with immediate effect. Haha… the County has high hopes for you. Do your best.”
Dong Xuebing quickly agreed.
“Although I said you will be starting today, you got to wait until after the New Year to work.” Zhao Xinglong took a sip of tea from his thermal teacup and say. “Tomorrow is Lunar New Year’s Eve, and the Investment Promotion Agency will be on leave starting today. I had asked you to bring forward your appointment is because I am afraid something might happen during the festive period and we can’t find the person in charge. Just be prepared and handover all your work in the Public Security today.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. It makes no difference to him anyway.
After leaving the Deputy Mayor’s office, Dong Xuebing returned to the Bureau to pack his things in his office. This is his last day with the Public Security, and he had been working here for almost one year. Time passes really fast.
Knock… knock… Deputy Team Leader Feng from the investigation department knocks and entered.
“Old Feng?” Dong Xuebing smiles. “Are you looking for me?”
Deputy Team Leader Feng sighed. “Yes… I heard you will be leaving today. Sigh…” He can’t bear to see Dong Xuebing leaves.
Dong Xuebing pointed at Deputy Team Leader Feng and laughed. “Hahaha… we are all grown-ups, and stop making that face. It’s not like we will not be meeting in the future. Also, the Investment Promotion Agency is within the County town, and we have met often.” During this one year with the County’s Public Security Bureau, the ones close with Dong Xuebing are Liang Chengpeng, Qin Yong, and Deputy Team Leader Feng. Of course, Liu Dahai, Chen Fa, and the other officers from the station are also very close to Dong Xuebing.
After Deputy Team Leader Feng, many people from the Bureau came to bid farewell with Dong Xuebing. Qin Yong, Gong Zhongwen, and many other leaders from various departments wished him well. Dong Xuebing was touched and invited them to lunch together.
After lunch, Dong Xuebing carried his stuff into his car. He is officially no longer the Deputy Bureau Chief with the County’s Public Security.
Since Dong Xuebing is leaving, he might as well move into his new quarters in the afternoon.
But when Dong Xuebing drove into the Bureau’s quarters, he saw a few police cars parked at his building, and seven to eight officers are waiting there. Deputy Team Leader Feng is also among them. Dong Xuebing was surprised, and he quickly parked his car and alighted.
“Chief Dong.”
“Chief Dong…”
The Officers walk over to Dong Xuebing.
“Old Feng, what are you up to again?” Dong Xuebing laughed.
Deputy Team Leader Feng sighed and said. “I heard you will be shifting today, and we are here to help.”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Go back… go back… I appreciate your thoughts, but you all are still at work. I can manage by myself.
Deputy Team Leader Feng did not say anything, and the other officers did not leave.
Dong Xuebing realized he knows these officers. Some of them had solved cases with him, and some of them had arrested the Japanese inspection team with him. He tried persuading them to leave, but they refused. In the end, Dong Xuebing can only pat the shoulders of two Officers closes to him helplessly. “Alright… let’s move… thanks.”
“It’s our pleasure.”
“That’s right. Chief Dong, it’s our pleasure to help you move.”
After going upstairs, Dong Xuebing asked. “Do you all don’t have any cases to investigate today? Will this affect your work?”
Deputy Team Leader Feng replied. “We had passed our cases to other teams, and my job is to rehearse with these few Officers for tonight’s County’s Lunar New Year celebration.” The County’s government Lunar New Year celebrations are an annual event. But it’s difficult to hold it on New Year’s Eve or the first day of Lunar New Year. That’s why it is normally held one or two days earlier.
Dong Xuebing replied. “I had heard about it, but must you all put aside your duties for this celebration?”
Deputy Team Leader Feng replied helplessly. “The higher-ups had ordered that every department must send someone to perform, and the performer must be someone from the department. The departments cannot hire someone to perform for them. This is like a team bonding event, and Mayor Xie and other leaders will be attending. I heard some departments had started rehearsing three months ago.”
Dong Xuebing will be attending this event at night, and he wonders what those government staff’s performances are.”
Sing the National Anthem?
Shout out slogans like ‘I love Beijing?’
Huh? If the performances are like these, Dong Xuebing felt he should feign sick to avoid attending this even.
Dong Xuebing does not have many items in his apartment. Other than some clothing, luggage, documents, books, etc. he doesn’t have anything heavy. Even his PC is a laptop, and the rest of the appliances do not belong to him. The fridge, washing machine, etc. are all there when he moved into the apartment. Deputy Team Leader Feng and the officers carried everything into Dong Xuebing’s Mercedes Benz within half an hour.
After everything is packed into the car, Dong Xuebing thanked the Officers again. “Thank you, everyone.
“Chief Dong, drive slowly.”
“Chief Dong, please visit us when you are free.”
The few officers stood there. All of them are unwilling to see Dong Xuebing leave.
Suddenly, a few police cars and vans entered the family quarters. Dong Xuebing recognized those cars. They are from Hui Tian Station. Station Chief Liu Dahai, Deputy Station Chief Chen Fa, Chu Feng, Da Leng, Er Leng, etc. alighted.
Dong Xuebing smiles. “Old Liu, Old Chen, why are you all here?”
Liu Dahai replied with a sad tone. “We heard you are leaving today… We… we are here to send you off.”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “We had a farewell dinner two weeks ago. What’s there to send me off? Furthermore, I am not going to another county. We will see each other in the future. Haha…”
Liu Dahai is in his late forties, and his eyes had turned red after meeting Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing quickly points at him. “Old Liu, we are all grown-ups. Don’t give me this look.”
Liu Dahai replied agitatedly. “Chief Dong, if you had not saved me during the landslide, I would have died. I owe you my life… I…” Even after so many days, Liu Dahai is still unwilling to accept Dong Xuebing is leaving. To many people, Dong Xuebing is an impulsive, immature, and rash government leader. But to the Officers from Hui Tian Village Station, he is the best leader they had ever worked with.
Dong Xuebing laughed and punched Liu Dahai’s shoulder lightly. “Stop being so mushy. How many times must you repeat this?”
Chu Feng, Da Leng, Er Leng, and other Officers are looking at Dong Xuebing. All of them have a lot to say to him.
But Dong Xuebing knows what they want to say.
In the end, Chen Fa walks over with a few cartons of cigarettes and a few bottles of alcohol. “Chief Dong, this is from all of us.”
“You all are making me break the law.” Dong Xuebing laughed but did not reject them. “Thank you, everyone. Hey! The few of you who are crying! Wipe your tears immediately! Hahaha… you all are only seeing me off, and not attending my funeral!” Dong Xuebing joked, but no one is laughing.
Dong Xuebing was also about to cry himself. “Old Liu, bring your men back to the village. How can you bring everyone here?”
Suddenly, there is a commotion outside of the quarters. About 30 to 40 civilians appeared, and many of them are holding bags of fruits and vegetables.
Dong Xuebing was shocked for a second, and he recognized some of them. They are the people he helped before.
Dong Xuebing does not know who brought them here, and all of them had come to send him off.
A middle-aged woman walked over to Dong Xuebing quickly and held his hand. Her tears started to flow. She is the mother of the abducted girl Dong Xuebing rescued in the neighboring Province more than six months ago. She is very emotional and could not even speak. Before letting go of Dong Xuebing’s hand, she passed a bag of eggs to him.
Dong Xuebing accepted her gift. “Thank you.”
A couple walks over. “Chief Dong, we heard that you will be transferring away. We… this is a drawing by our daughter. After you had rescued her, she had been talking about you every day.” These two are the parents of a student he rescued from the escaped convicts. It is a drawing of a man pointing a gun at another man.
Dong Xuebing held the drawing. “It’s a beautiful drawing. Help me thank your daughter.”
An old lady pushes her way through. “Chief Dong, you are a good man and a good official. You will be blessed. I am poor and cannot give you any expensive gifts. Please accept these fruits.” Dong Xuebing had rescued this old lady from the tour bus during the landslide.
Dong Xuebing held the old lady’s hand. “Thank you.”
Dong Xuebing could not recognize the rest of the people, and both his hands are full of gifts. Liu Dahai and the other Officers quickly went over to help Dong Xuebing carry some of the gifts.
It is a memorable day for Dong Xuebing. His eyes had turned red. “I, Dong Xuebing, thank all of you. Thank you.”
Many Public Security Bureau leaders and family members saw this and were impressed.
The civilians do not care whether you had hit the County’s Party Committee’s family members, or how immature you are in the government. They only know if you really care or help them before, you are a good official. Dong Xuebing had earned their respect by risking his life for them.
As Dong Xuebing drove out of the quarters, he saw everyone still standing there through his rearview mirror.
Dong Xuebing wiped the tear from the corner of his eye. He was touched and felt everything he had done in the past one year is worth it!
