County’s Party School.
Grand Hall’s stage.
The background music is still playing, and it’s mainly the sound of drums. This music is specially selected for this performance. After Dong Xuebing made his opening statement, he got the attention of all the audience. Many people still did not know what was going on, and they were looking forward to Dong Xuebing’s performance. Those that knew what was going on were eagerly waiting for Dong Xuebing to make a fool out of himself. Huang Li, Geng Yuchao, and the rest of the top leaders looked at Dong Xuebing with a frown. They are wondering how Dong Xuebing is going to get out of this awkward situation.
If Dong Xuebing handled this situation well, he would be embarrassing himself.
However, suppose Dong Xuebing did not handle this situation well. In that case, he will be embarrassing Xie Huilan, who had put him up for promotion, too.
The five bricks are stacked on top of one another, and the height is almost at Dong Xuebing’s knee. Dong Xuebing had taken a few minutes to get up on stage, and background music ended. A piece of new music started, and Dong Xuebing felt the rhythm is quite suitable. He placed the mic back on the stand and rolled up his sleeves with a smile.
From Dong Xuebing’s pose, he seems to be preparing to break the bricks.
Deputy Mayor Geng Yuchao shook his head in his heart. You are the Chief of the Investment Promotion Agency now. How can you do such a performance? He felt Xiao Dong’s political wisdom is too poor.
Many people also have the same thinking as Geng Yuchao, but what Dong Xuebing said next shocked everyone.
Dong Xuebing smiled and said. “Before the start of the performance, let me show you all a magic trick.”
Magic? Isn’t this performance breaking bricks? The audience started mumbling among themselves.
Changing the performance last minute? Qin Yong, Hu Silian, and the others were deep in thoughts as they look at Dong Xuebing.
Geng Yuchao, Huang Li, Liang Chengpeng, etc. nodded slightly. Changing the performance to a magic show at the last minute. Xiao Dong is not stupid, after all, and knows how to minimize the damage. In his current situation, changing the performance from breaking bricks to a magic show is more suitable for the Investment Promotion Agency’s image. But the problem is if this magic show performance can capture the audience.
Dong Xuebing turns to the backstage confidently. “Can you all give me a pack of poker cards?”
A few moments later, a backstage staff brought a new pack of poker cards onto the stage.
“Thank you.” Dong Xuebing took off the plastic wrapping of the cards and raise it for the audience to see. “Everyone, this is a new pack of poker cards. It’s the most common poker cards you can buy on the streets and look at the back of the cards. There are no markings on it, and this is not those magician’s props.” The camera zoomed in onto the cards, and it was shown on the big screen at the back of the stage. All the audience can see clearly.
Many people nodded. Dong Xuebing is holding on to a pack of ordinary poker cards.
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Alright. Since you all can confirm this is a pack of ordinary cards, I will give out the cards to everyone. Can all the leaders and colleagues help me with it? Draw a card each and don’t let me or anyone else see it. I will guess the cards you all are holding on later.”
Many people in the audience do not believe Dong Xuebing can do that.
Most magicians will arrange their own people among the crowd for their performances. Many people knew Dong Xuebing had gone up the stage at the last minute and was not prepared. Can he really pull this off?
Dong Xuebing passed the pack of cards to Su Jia. “Ms. Su, can you help me?”
“My pleasure.” The host, Su Jia, took the cards and walks down the stage. She held the cards with both hands, and not only Dong Xuebing, but even the audience also cannot see the back of the cards.
Su Jia walks to the front row, where all the top leaders of the County are sitting.
Huang Li said. “I will draw a card.” He took a random card from the pack and covered it with his hands.
Geng Yuchao also drew a card.
Xiang Daofa did not participate, but Xie Huilan and Chen Tongbing drew a card each. After the first row, Su Jia walks slowly to the back of the hall. Along the way, many people reached out to draw a card. Qin Yong and Hu Silian also took one card each from Su Jia.
Su Jia had given out almost half the pack of the cards and looks like she will still give out the remaining. Dong Xuebing wiped the sweat off his forehead and grabbed the microphone. “Ms. Su… err…. Can you come back, please? You are putting me on the spot by giving out so many cards. Are you trying to kill me?”
Dong Xuebing said humorously, and the audience laughed.
Su Jia covered her mouth and laughed. She stopped giving out the cards and asked. “Can I also draw a card?”
Dong Xuebing pretended to be troubled and nodded. “Alright…”
Huang Li laughed and thought to himself. This rascal still knows how to liven up the mood.
Su Jia picks a card and held it in her hand.
“Alright!” Dong Xuebing rubbed his palms together. “Now, I will read out the cards everyone is holding. I am channeling my energy now, and it’s time for all of you to witness this miracle!”
The audience laughed.
Dong Xuebing took a deep breath and held it. He clenched his fist tightly for ten seconds, until his face turns red, before exhaling. “I remembered Political and Legal Committee Secretary Huang had drawn the first card. I will read out Secretary Huang’s card first. Secretary Huang, is your card 8 of Diamond?”
Huang Li smiled and lifted his card to show Dong Xuebing. He is holding on to 5 of Hearts.
Dong Xuebing knew he would guess wrongly, and quickly shouted BACK 3 seconds in his heart!
…….
Time returned to 3 seconds earlier.
“I remembered Political, and Legal Committee Secretary Huang had drawn the first card. I will read out Secretary Huang’s card first. Secretary Huang, is your card 5 of Hearts?”
Everyone turns to Huang Li.
Huang Li was stunned for a second and lifted his card. The camera zoomed in on the card he is holding. 5 of Hearts! Dong Xuebing had guessed it correctly!
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Next is Mayor Geng. 3 of spades!”
Geng Yuchao did not look at his card earlier and turns it over. Hah! It’s really 3 of spades! He raised it up towards the camera, and the audience cheered!
Someone among the audience shouted. “Don’t follow by order!”
“That’s right! Can you go by random order? What card am I holding?!” Someone else in the crowd shouted and lifted his card.
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Sure. Your card is… Ah… It’s a big card. Is it a King?”
That person was stunned and showed everyone his card. It’s really King.
Everyone in the audience can tell that it is not a coincidence for Dong Xuebing to guess three cards correctly in a row. Of course, Dong Xuebing channeling energy is all bullshit. There must be some techniques for him to remember the cards, or else, why is it called a magic trick? But no one knows how Dong Xuebing did it.
Xie Huilan smiled and said. “What about my card?”
“Mayor Xie’s card…” Dong Xuebing paused for a second and used BACK secretly. “It’s an advertisement card.”
Advertisement card is the extra card within a pack of the poker card, and advertisements are printed on it. Xie Huilan raised her card gracefully to show the camera. It is really an advertisement card!
Clap… clap… clap… the audience cheered. This magic trick is very interesting!
Xie Huilan smiled and looked at Dong Xuebing.
After that, Dong Xuebing used BACK to continue to guess everyone’s card.
Huang Li nodded. This Xiao Dong is very capable. Even without any preparations, he still can make such an outstanding performance. Now, Dong Xuebing only needs to finish his magic trick, and people might forget about performance. Of course, changing the performance last minute will still have some negative impact. The leaders will not care whether if Dong Xuebing has been setup. They are more concerned about how Dong Xuebing handles interpersonal relationships with other departments. The audience will push the blame to the organizers for messing up the performances.
But Dong Xuebing has no choice but only to minimize the severity of this incident.
Suppose Dong Xuebing can break the bricks gracefully and not tarnish his reputation as the Investment Promotion Agency’s head. In that case, it will be the best solution. But… this is not possible. Breaking bricks is only demonstrating brute strength, and the head of the Investment Promotion Agency should not be doing this in the first place.
After a while, the poker cards trick ended, and Dong Xuebing bowed.
Someone in the audience shouted. “Oh, when are you going to break the bricks with one hand?”
“That’s right. When are the bricks breaking performance starting? I am looking forward to it.”
“Oh, I almost forgot about it. Why is this performance changed to a magic show? What are the organizers doing? How can they make such a simple mistake?”
“Are you trying to trick people?”
The audience started to voice their displeasure. Those that were waiting for Dong Xuebing to make a fool of himself were insisting Dong Xuebing to perform the bricks breaking. Lui Dafa even started to clap. If Dong Xuebing really breaks bricks, he will be the laughing stock of the whole County.
Xie Huilan and Huang Li frowned.
Qin Yong started winking and making eyes at Dong Xuebing to signal him to leave the stage. At least he had performed something now.
Dong Xuebing did not leave the stage. He smiled at the audience and said something that shocked the audience. “Hahaha… sorry to keep you all waiting. Since the program is breaking bricks with one hand, how can I not perform it?! Alright. The warm-up is over. Please enjoy the magic show…… Breaking the bricks with one hand!”
