Evening.
Dong Xuebing carried a big bag of cosmetics out of Grand Pacific Mall and took a bus to a housing estate in the Western District. Dong Xuebing knew that if he were to show up unexpectedly empty-handed, it would not look nice on him. This was why he needs to get some gifts along the way. Since Liu Hua does not accept cigarettes and alcohol, then he can only give Liu Hua’s wife some cosmetics. He hopes he will not be rejected.
The housing estate was not big and have approximately 7 to 8 buildings.
This was not the housing assigned to the families of the State Security agency, and there was no need to register before entering the estate. There was only a security guard standing outside, collecting parking fees.
Dong Xuebing used his hand to tidy his hair and was about to enter the estate. But as he was about to enter, he saw a familiar figure from the corner of his eyes. It was Guo Shunjie. He was walking out of the housing estate carrying a bag of apples, and he looks gloomy. Dong Xuebing knew that he should be here to visit Liu Hua.
Dong Xuebing quickly steps away from the entrance and hide behind a tree.
Guo Shunjie was in a bad mood. As an old-timer in the General Affairs Office, he knew that Liu Hua does not accept gifts. Liu Hua did not even take his apples and asked him to leave. Huh? Could it be that Liu Hua saw the envelope with 10,000 RMB under the apples?
Guo Shunjie was pissed, but he got over it after a while. If Liu Hua did not entertain him, then Liu Hua will also not side with Guo Panwei. This will do it. As long as Liu Hua continues to be the ‘abstention vote’ of the committee meetings, then Guo Panwei will not be able to win him. He will be the next Deputy Chief of the General Affairs Office!
Dong Xuebing walked out from behind the tree as Guo Shunjie disappeared from a distance. He hesitated for a moment, but still walk into the estate.
Unit 1, level 5.
Dong Xuebing took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell of unit 501.
Ding Dong, Ding Dong. The door opened, and Liu Hua asked: “Who are you looking for?”
Dong Xuebing was nervous and immediately say: “Chief Liu, you might not know who I am I am Dong Xuebing from the General Affairs Department. I had wanted to pay you a visit during the October holidays, but Director Li’s office caught fire and I was injured and hospitalized.” Dong Xuebing mentioned his credit for saving the precious documents from Li Qing’s office. He wanted to see if Liu Hua knows about him.
Liu Hua looked at Dong Xuebing blankly and nodded.
Seeing Liu Hua not saying a word, Dong Xuebing smiled embarrassedly and lifted the shopping bag he was carrying. “This is for aunty. It is not anything costly. Please accept it.” Dong Xuebing opened the shopping bag to show him. Although from Liu Hua’s age, his wife should be at least 10 years older than Dong Xuebing. But Liu Hua was a leader, and it was not wrong to address his wife as aunty.
Liu Hua frowned and replied. “Thanks for the gift, but please take it back.”
Dong Xuebing was not giving up so easily. “Chief Liu, I……”
“Take it away.” Liu Hua pushed Dong Xuebing’s hands away impatiently.
Dong Xuebing sighed in his heart. Seem like it will not be an easy task to pull Liu Hua over to his side. Sighed…… I am too naïve to think that giving some gifts to Liu Hua’s wife will let me get closer to him. It was not so simple to get his favors. He did not even let me into his house.
Sighed…… What should I do now?
Dong Xuebing knew that it was impossible for Liu Hua to not have any desires. Everyone will wish to have something they wanted. If only he knew what Liu Hua wants……
For example, Yang Yizhong wanted status and does not want others to know that he did not know a lot of Chinese characters. This was why Dong Xuebing was able to write his speech and let Yang Yizhong have a favorable impression of him.
For example, Zhou Changchun. He likes to play shares and wants to be respected. When Dong Xuebing helped him to play stocks and gave him respect after he retires, Dong Xuebing was nominated by him to take over his position. Li Qing needs to escape the responsibility of his office fire incident. This was why he had a favorable impression of Dong Xuebing when Dong Xuebing helped him to retrieve the important documents from the fire. Xu Yan wants to win over her rival. So, when Dong Xuebing helped her win the soccer match, she trusted him.
But…… What does Liu Hua want?
What should I do to know what he wants badly?
Ring, ring, ring. Liu Hua’s phone, in his pocket, rang.
Liu Hua looked at the caller display and answered: “Hello? Brother-in-law? Oh…… I am at home… Really? Is dad the one who says this or is it mom? Ok…… Which day? Fine… Ok… Yes…” He held his phone with one hand and took out a small notebook with the other from his pocket. He wrote something in his notebook and said: “Ok. I have jolted it down. I still have something to do now. Bye.”
Dong Xuebing stared at the notebook in a daze.
People will forget things when they were busy. Many leaders have the habit of taking notes to prevent forgetting their task. These notebooks were essential to them. It was like their personal diary and will typically not let others see its contents.
Will Liu Hua records what he really wanted in that notebook?
Possible! If Liu Hua likes to play shares, then he will definitely record the share prices and codes in that notebook. If Liu Hua has something that is troubling him, it might not be recorded in the notebook. But from the tone and things he recorded, one should be able to guess it. If Dong Xuebing was able to know what Liu Hua needed, then he will know what to do.
After hanging up the phone, Liu Hua looked at Dong Xuebing. “Is there anything else?”
It was almost impossible for others to look into their leaders’ privacy.
But for Dong Xuebing, this was not a problem.
Dong Xuebing immediately snatched the notebook from Liu Hua’s hand!
Liu Hua was shocked and shouted: “What are you doing?!”
Dong Xuebing ignored him and start to flip that notebook.
“How come the General Affairs Office have such people? Fine! I will remember you!” Liu Hua did not try to take back his notebook and start to make a phone call. “Hello, is this Chief Xu? Is there someone by the name of Dong Xuebing in your department? You should see what he is doing now! He snatched my notebook without my permission……”
Dong Xuebing closed the notebook and shouted: “BACK!”
……
The scenes changed!
“Ok. I have jolted it down. I still have something to do now. Bye.”
Liu Hua kept his phone and asked: “Is there anything else?”
Dong Xuebing replied politely: “Sorry to disturb you today.”
After leaving the estate, Dong Xuebing recalled what was written in the notebook.
There was nothing important written on the last page. Liu Hua only wrote dinner on the 15th at Wangfu Restaurant, needs to buy beansprout and spinach after work. Meeting at 2 pm, etc. Dong Xuebing remembered a critical word on the second last page of the notebook. Lion Head!
15 pages from the last page: These few years I had let Tian Tian suffered. I must treat her better in the future.
10 pages from the last page: Tian Tian had searched all over Beijing, and no one was willing to sell. She really wanted the Lion Head. 4 sixes Lion Head.
8 pages from the last page: Buy Lion Head for Tian Tian.
7 pages from the last page: Buy a Lion Head for next month’s wedding anniversary. 46.
5 pages from the last page: There are only 10 days left. Must get a 46 Lion Head!
The second line of the page, 3 pages from the last page: Today I must go there again! I don’t believe that I cannot find it!
The first line of the page, 2 pages from the last: There is no more time. First thing after work. Lion Head!
Tian Tian should be Liu Hua’s wife, and Liu Hua should be searching for a wedding anniversary gift for his wife. But Dong Xuebing was confused. Lion Head? What the hell was that? Wasn’t Lion Head a dish’s name? Aunt Xuan had just cooked this dish a few days ago. It was just minced meat made into a meatball and cooked with cabbage. What’s so difficult about making this Lion Head? Dong Xuebing also know how to cook this dish. What’s 46? 4 sixes? Damn! There was no way for a table full of people to finish 46 Lion Head. Also, who will give their partners food on their wedding anniversary?
It should not be that Lion Head dish!
Dong Xuebing was deep in thoughts, thinking what this Lion Head means.
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing stopped in the middle of the pavement and slapped his forehead!
Dong Xuebing ah, Dong Xuebing…… you had worked part-time at the antique market for so many years! Are you dumb? You don’t even know what a Lion Head is?
Dong Xuebing finally figure out what Liu Hua wanted!
Beijing people like to collect walnuts, and Lion Head was the most expensive category of walnut. The 4 sixes written in the notebook did not mean forty-six or 6666. It was a jargon in the walnut collectors’ community. It stands for 4.6 cm in length.
This means that Liu Hua wanted to find a pair of 4.6 cm Lion Head walnuts as a gift to his wife on his wedding anniversary!
Dong Xuebing should be happy to figure this out. But he was frowning and troubled.
Lion Head was the top tier collector’s item in the Walnut collection. It was in the same category as the Tiger Head and Scholar Hat, but it was more valuable. A pair of 40mm Lion Head was already scarce. 44mm and 45mm Lion Head were even harder to find, and it cost more than 10,000 RMB for a pair!
Liu Hua wanted 46mm Lion Head?!
46 and 45 were entirely different. You might not even find one 46 mm walnut in two walnut trees, let alone a pair. It was too difficult!
Even if someone owns a pair of this 46 Lion Head, they will also not sell it!
Damn! Where can I find a pair of 46mm Lion Head?
