The next day.
“Xuebing, you are here?”
“Xiao Dong, you did well yesterday.”
“Oh, it’s the firefighter. Hahaha.”
Dong Xuebing arrived at his workplace as usual. But today was different. The biggest difference was many colleagues from other departments went up to him to greet him. Some of them were his teammates who had played in the last two matches, and some were strangers. Everyone smiled and greeted him.
Dong Xuebing replied them politely. He felt he had successfully integrated with everyone in the bureau.
Dong Xuebing arrived at the General Affairs Office. “Good morning, everyone. Zhuang Zhi, how’s your leg?”
Zhuang Zhi nodded. “I feel better this morning.”
“His body is so big. How can his injury be serious?” Tan Limei laughed and looked at Dong Xuebing. “Bing Zhi, I told my mother how you scored the goal in the last few seconds of the match. Guess what. My mum does not believe me. She insists I am telling lies. She even said that if you are so good at football, why are you still a civil servant? You would be a professional player!”
Dong Xuebing laughed. His goal was to be a top official. A football player is nothing compared to a senior government official.
The other side of the office, Changjuan with her signature seductive smile, showed a crayon painting to Dong Xuebing. It was a picture of a man and a football. “My son drew this. He said he wanted to be a footballer when he grows up. Hehe…… Xiao Dong, when my son is older, you must teach him how to play football.”
Dong Xuebing replied: “Sister Chang, I am an average player myself. If you don’t mind me teaching, I’m fine with it.”
Changjuan laughed: “Look, he is modest.”
The office door opened. Guo Shunjie entered the office and saw Dong Xuebing and the rest chatting. He frowned and asked: “Where is Guo Panwei? Why is he not in the office?”
Dong Xuebing cursed in his heart. You are not our leader, and what has it got to do with you when one of us is late?
Changjuan looked at her watch. “I don’t know. Maybe he is caught in a jam.”
“He should leave for work earlier to avoid the traffic! It is working hours now!”
When Guo Shunjie finished, there were footsteps outside, and Guo Panwei arrived at work. He glanced at Guo Shunjie and sneered. “Even if I am late, you are in no position to reprimand me. Furthermore, you also just arrived yourself.”
Guo Shunjie ignored his remarks. He thought to himself. I shall see if you can continue to be so arrogant after next week’s Branch Bureau’s Party Committee meeting! Fight with me for the position of Deputy Chief? You are only overestimating yourself!
The remaining time in the office, both of them tried to outdo each other!
It seems like no one knows that Dong Xuebing was nominated for the position of Deputy Chief yet.
Dong Xuebing thought to himself if Bureau Chief Yan had forgotten about him. But after thinking for a while, he concluded. It should be the higher-ups that knew about his nomination, and they should feel that it was impossible for a newcomer to be promoted. The nomination was only to make up the numbers. That’s why District Political Commissar Zhou and Director Pang did not tell Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei about his nomination. He was someone who cannot even qualify as their rivals.
Dong Xuebing was feeling frustrated. The meeting was next week, and he cannot wait any longer. If not, Guo Shunjie will be promoted, and he will be taking revenge on him! What should he do? Ask Xu Yan for help? What if Xu Yan refuses to help him? He also cannot tell Xu Yan what he wants directly. Furthermore, he had just gotten closer to Xu Yan, and the next day, he goes and asks her for favors? What will she think? But if he did not ask for Xu Yan for help, how would she know that he wants to be the Deputy Chief?
Dilemma. This was a dilemma!
Dong Xuebing was just a newbie civil servant, and all these were new to him. He still does not have the experience and doesn’t know what to do. He wanted to ask someone for advice. But he cannot ask Tan Limei. She is too junior. Changjuan and Old Yan were experienced, but they were not close. He can’t ask them.
Dong Xuebing ponder at his desk for over an hour. He could not think of a solution.
Ring, ring, ring. The General Affairs Office phone rang.
Tan Limei answered the phone politely and hang up after a while. She turned to Dong Xuebing: “Bing Zhi, Chief Xu wants to bring the keys for Political Section Old Shen’s room to her.”
Dong Xuebing’s heart skipped a beat: “Where are the keys?”
“Wait a minute. I will look for it.” Tan Limei took her keys and opened a cabinet by the wall. She looked into the second drawer and took out a brown envelope. She passed the envelope to Dong Xuebing. There were at least two to three brunches of keys in it.
On the way upstairs, Dong Xuebing tried to organize his words. He wanted to make himself sounds better.
Knock, knock. Dong Xuebing knocked on Deputy Bureau Chief Xu’s office.
“Enter!” Dong Xuebing entered the office and saw Xu Yan in a black suit sipping on a cup of tea. She was sitting in front of her monitor, looking at some reports.
Dong Xuebing handed over the envelope with both hands. “Chief Xu, this are the keys you wanted.”
Xu Yan nodded and pointed to her desk, signaling to Dong Xuebing to leave the envelope there. “You had run a lot yesterday. How are your injuries?”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Thank you for asking. I am fine.” Should I ask her? Tomorrow is Saturday. If I don’t ask now, I will not have the chance to ask again. “…… Chief Xu, I……” Dong Xuebing saw Xu Yan looked at him and he immediately change his words. “Errr…. Chief Liu from the Finance Department is still on leave. The gifts given out for the National Day holidays are still in our office. Should we bring it over to the Finance Department first?”
Damn! What was I saying? Stupid!
“No need. Just leave it in your office first.”
“Yes.” Dong Xuebing sighed in his heart. “I will leave now.”
“Ok.” Xu Yan suddenly remembered something as Dong Xuebing was about to leave. “Oh, I heard from your Director Li Qing that other than Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei, you are also one of the nominees for the position of Deputy Chief?”
Dong Xuebing was surprised.
But before he could answer, Xu Yan waved him off. “Go back to work. I will try to help you. But no promises.”
Ah?
Dong Xuebing had been waiting for Xu Yan to say this!
He immediately thanked her!
Hahaha!
Dong Xuebing had gotten Xu Yan’s crucial vote!
