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 todaywas different. The biggest difference was many colleagues from otherdepartments went up to him to greet him. Some of them were his teammates whohad played in the last two matches, and some were strangers. Everyone smiledand greeted him.
Dong Xuebing replied them politely. He felt he hadsuccessfully integrated with everyone in the bureau.
Dong Xuebing arrived at the General Affairs Office. "Goodmorning, 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?" TanLimei laughed and looked at Dong Xuebing. "Bing Zhi, I told my mother how youscored the goal in the last few seconds of the match. Guess what. My mum does notbelieve me. She insists I am telling lies. She even said that if you are sogood at football, why are you still a civil servant? You would be aprofessional player!"
Dong Xuebing laughed. His goal was to be a top official. Afootball player is nothing compared to a senior government official.
The other side of the office, Changjuan with her signatureseductive smile, showed a crayon painting to Dong Xuebing. It was a picture ofa man and a football. "My son drew this. He said he wanted to be a footballerwhen he grows up. Hehe... Xiao Dong, when my son is older, you must teach himhow to play football."
Dong Xuebing replied: "Sister Chang, I am an average playermyself. 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 andsaw Dong Xuebing and the rest chatting. He frowned and asked: "Where is GuoPanwei? 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 iscaught in a jam."
"He should leave for work earlier to avoid the traffic! Itis working hours now!"
When Guo Shunjie finished, there were footsteps outside, andGuo Panwei arrived at work. He glanced at Guo Shunjie and sneered. "Even if Iam late, you are in no position to reprimand me. Furthermore, you also justarrived yourself."
Guo Shunjie ignored his remarks. He thought to himself. Ishall see if you can continue to be so arrogant after next week's BranchBureau's Party Committee meeting! Fight with me for the position of DeputyChief? You are only overestimating yourself!
The remaining time in the office, both of them tried tooutdo each other!
It seems like no one knows that Dong Xuebing was nominatedfor the position of Deputy Chief yet.
Dong Xuebing thought to himself if Bureau Chief Yan hadforgotten about him. But after thinking for a while, he concluded. It should bethe higher-ups that knew about his nomination, and they should feel that it wasimpossible for a newcomer to be promoted. The nomination was only to make upthe numbers. That's why District Political Commissar Zhou and Director Pang didnot tell Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei about his nomination. He was someone whocannot even qualify as their rivals.
Dong Xuebing was feeling frustrated. The meeting was nextweek, and he cannot wait any longer. If not, Guo Shunjie will be promoted, andhe will be taking revenge on him! What should he do? Ask Xu Yan for help? Whatif Xu Yan refuses to help him? He also cannot tell Xu Yan what he wantsdirectly. 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 forXu 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 thesewere new to him. He still does not have the experience and doesn't know what todo. He wanted to ask someone for advice. But he cannot ask Tan Limei. She istoo junior. Changjuan and Old Yan were experienced, but they were not close. Hecan't ask them.
Dong Xuebing ponder at his desk for over an hour. He couldnot think of a solution.
Ring, ring, ring. The General Affairs Office phone rang.
Tan Limei answered the phone politely and hang up after awhile. She turned to Dong Xuebing: "Bing Zhi, Chief Xu wants to bring the keysfor 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 keysand opened a cabinet by the wall. She looked into the second drawer and tookout a brown envelope. She passed the envelope to Dong Xuebing. There were atleast two to three brunches of keys in it.
On the way upstairs, Dong Xuebing tried to organize hiswords. He wanted to make himself sounds better.
Knock, knock. Dong Xuebing knocked on Deputy Bureau ChiefXu's office.
"Enter!" Dong Xuebing entered the office and saw Xu Yan in ablack 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 DongXuebing to leave the envelope there. "You had run a lot yesterday. How are yourinjuries?"
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 thechance to ask again. "... Chief Xu, I..." Dong Xuebing saw Xu Yan looked at himand he immediately change his words. "Errr.... Chief Liu from the FinanceDepartment is still on leave. The gifts given out for the National Day holidaysare still in our office. Should we bring it over to the Finance Departmentfirst?"
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 Xuebingwas about to leave. "Oh, I heard from your Director Li Qing that other than GuoShunjie and Guo Panwei, you are also one of the nominees for the position ofDeputy Chief?"
Dong Xuebing was surprised.
But before he could answer, Xu Yan waved him off. "Go backto 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!