5.30 pm.
Ministry of Civil Affairs, East Office building.
Knock… knock…. A woman replied. “Come in.”
“First, Aunt.” Dong Xuebing greeted Xia Yanzhen with a smile.
Xia Yanzhen smiles and points to the chair in front of her.” Have a seat. What tea would you like?”
“It’s alright. Plain water will do. I will get it myself.”
“Haha…. Is your application processed?”
“Thanks to you, it’s all completed. This might not even be settled tomorrow without your help.”
Dong Xuebing sat opposite Xia Yanzhen with a disposable paper cup. She is looking at him and says. “I had heard from Xiao Jing that your working style is quite special. You are indeed special after seeing what you did today. From a certain perspective, you and Huilan are compatible. She is also impulsive like you when she is young and dares to talk back to everyone, including Senior Xie. You have the same character as her. Haha….”
Dong Xuebing felt embarrassed and explained. “First Aunt, this is an accident. I am normally not like this. It is because that Chief Lin is too much.”
“Really?”
“It’s true. I seldom lose my temper at work and try to be as amicable as possible.”
“Good to know you understand this. It is important to settle things amicably in the Government service.”
“I understand.” Dong Xuebing lied.
Xia Yanzhen doesn’t believe Dong Xuebing. This is a Ministry, and it’s part of the Central Government. He dares to scold a Department Chief in the lobby in front of everyone despite not knowing she was transferred here. This means he is not afraid of anyone, and she wonders why did Huilan choose him? She looks at Dong Xuebing from head to toes and finds him interesting.
Dong Xuebing felt the hair on his back stands from the way Xia Yanzhen looked at him.
Xia Huizhen continues. “Tell me about the Role Model Unit award. Why are you submitting the application and materials now? Why didn’t you submit it before the inspection?”
Dong Xuebing straighten his back. “I took over the Subdistrict two weeks ago, and the submission was before my transfer. When the Inspection Team for Hebei Province came to our District, they noticed our Subdistrict and gave us a floating quota as they felt we had done well.”
Xia Yanzhen nodded. “Oh, I see…. This means you all had done well. Every inspection team only has a floating quota, and the Role Model award office controls it. Even our Ministry cannot get it.”
Dong Xuebing blinked and asked. “I heard the Ministry of Civil Affairs is in charge of the final selection.”
“Yes.” Xia Yanzhen laughed. “You had done your homework.”
Dong Xuebing smiles. “The District Government had given us a task, and we must get this award. First Aunt….”
Xia Yanzhen thought for a while. “This selection is not under me. I think it is under Minister Liu. Ok… I will try to talk to him. Fen Zhou City, Nan Shan District, Guang Ming Subdistrict Office, right? Go back and wait for the call.”
Dong Xuebing is overjoyed. “Thank you, First Aunt.”
“Don’t thank me first as I don’t know how it will turn out. Wait until you get it before you thank me. Haha….”
Dong Xuebing is excited as this is equivalent to his unit getting the award. “Are you free this evening? Can I treat you to dinner?”
Xia Yanzhen looks at her watch. “Another day. I still have some work later.”
“Oh, it’s almost after office hours. I shall not bother you anymore.”
“Ok. Let’s have dinner another time.”
As they were chatting, the phone on the desk rang.
Xia Yanzhen answered. “Hello, what is it? Lin Feng is outside?! Tell him he doesn’t need to see me anymore.”
Lin Feng is Chief Lin. Dong Xuebing sees Xia Yanzhen is not rushing to send him out, and he remains there.
After hanging up, Xia Yanzhen made another call. “Hello, Bureau Chief Sun? I am Xia Yanzhen…. Yes…. There was an incident in the General Office lobby earlier. The staff is Lin Feng, a subordinate under Old Xu. He is not serious with his work, and it might be due to a heavy workload. Go and arrange for a meeting with him next week. We should lower his workload since he is stressed out. Settle this for me…. Yes…. Alight. That’s all.”
Chief Lin is in trouble.
Dong Xuebing is laughing in his heart. Xia Yanzhen had made this call in front of him is to show him her respect for him. After stealing the stolen artifact from Tokyo National Museum previous, he had gained the respect of all Xie Family’s members.
Dong Xuebing saw Zhou Yanru waiting for him outside the building.
“Let’s go, Sister Zhou.” Dong Xuebing is in a good mood.
“Director, the role model unit award….”
Dong Xuebing felt there was no need to keep it from her. “We should get it.”
Zhou Yanru is overjoyed. Their clash with Chief Lin is not as important as the award. Everyone in the Subdistrict will benefit if they get this award. “Director, I knew you would find a way. If we get this award, our Subdistrict Office will…….” She started talking excitedly.
Dong Xuebing knows Zhou Yanru is talkative and reminds her. “Don’t tell others what happened earlier.”
Zhou Yanru smiles. “Don’t worry. I know what to do.” Getting the award through connections is not something to be proud of. Furthermore, it is not confirmed.
Dong Xuebing nodded, and they walked to the parked Mercedes.
Wang Yuling asked nervously. “Director, Sister Yanru, I saw many security guards running into the office building earlier. Did something happen?” She had wanted to go to the building to see what had happened.
Zhou Yanru secretly glanced at Dong Xuebing. Those guards were going to arrest us, but she did not tell Wang Yuling. “Nothing… nothing happened.” Director Dong had asked her not to say anything, and she will keep it a secret from everyone, including her good friend Yuling.
“Ok. What are we going to do now?” Wang Yuling asked.
Dong Xuebing laughed. “We had almost finished our task. Let’s just enjoy ourselves here. Take tomorrow off, and we will go back on Monday.”
Wang Yuling was excited when she heard this. “But Director, aren’t we supposed to build a relationship with the related Leaders?”
“We don’t need to do that anymore. Let’s go.”
