Noon.
Branch Bureau's cafeteria.
The lunch in the cafeteria was stir fry garlic pork and Scrambledeggs with chives. The air was filled with the cooking smell and was slightlychoking. After getting a bowl of rice, Dong Xuebing sat down with Tan Limei andZhuang Zhi at a table near to the window. The most crucial Xu Yan's vote wassettled. But it was too early to be happy. If no one else other than DeputyChief Xu helps him, he will also not be able to compete with Guo Shunjie andGuo Panwei.
The first step was a success. Who should I target next?
There were 4 more days to the meeting. Dong Xuebing mustmake full use of the remaining time to gather enough votes.
After lunch, they got back to the office. Dong Xuebing analyzethe situation. He has two targets in mind. One of them was lowly educatedDeputy Bureau Chief Zhong. He was also one of the party committee members andwas newly transferred to this branch. It seems that he still has not joined anyfactions in the bureau and was considered a "neutral" person. Dong Xuebing hadheard Chief Yang Yizhong had been objective and never take sides during thepast committee meetings. The other was Deputy Bureau, Chief Liu Hua. Hisconnection was with the Ministry of State Security. He was only transferred tothis branch temporarily. There were rumors that he will be transferred back ina few months. He is slightly younger and low profile. He had also not raisedany objections to any decisions during the committee meetings. He was almostinvisible during the meetings.
Yes. It's the both of them!
Dong Xuebing acted immediately. He pulled out his keyboardand start typing. He was writing the speech for Deputy Chief Yang for his nextmeeting. 3.05 pm. A simple and straight forward draft was completed. DongXuebing checked if there were any difficult characters in the draft beforeprinting. He took the printout and went upstairs.
"Didn't I ask Xiao Wang to go? Why are you going to?"
"Chief Yang, I..."
"Get Xiao Wang here immediately! What the hell are you alldoing?"
Deputy Branch Bureau Chief Yang's scolding could be heardalong the corridor. Dong Xuebing was not surprised and waited from a distance.He waited until a sullen staff member leaves the office. Dong Xuebingstraightened his collar and knocked on the door. "Chief Yang, the draft foryour speech is ready."
"Oh, it's Xiao Dong." Yang Yizhong attitude towards DongXuebing was much better. "I need the script for my speech next month. There isno hurry."
Dong Xuebing pushed the draft forward lightly. "Errr... I amafraid that the draft is not good enough and wanted to let you vet through itfirst. If you spot any mistakes, I will be able to amend it."
"The previous speech you wrote was perfect. Fine. Let metake a look." Yang Yizhong took out the few copies of A4 paper and scannedthrough it. "Hmmm... hmmm... Not bad." After a while, he nodded and kept thedraft in his drawer. "This is good enough. There is no need to amend anything.I will use this as my speech."
Dong Xuebing immediately said: "Then is there any otherdocuments or information you need?"
Yang Yizhong thought for a while. "Organise and bring me themeeting minute for the no. 3 meeting room. I need all the minutes from thesecond half of the year."
"Yes, sir. I will bring it to you before the end of theday."
Yang Yizhong laughed. "There is no hurry. Take your time.Oh, your General Affairs Office has two guys with the surname Guo.... I can'tremember their names."
Dong Xuebing replied: "Are you referring to Guo Panwei andGuo Shunjie?"
"That's right. Those two guys." Yang Yizhong frowned. "Thismorning, I called your General Affairs Office to ask for some health promotiondata. One person is enough to send this data to me. But why after the firstperson left, another person delivered the same documents to me again? Both ofthem still tried to hang around in my office. What kind of efficiency is this?They are just wasting my time! You go back and tell them not to come over to myoffice again. You will be the one who will deliver documents or anything tome!"
Hahahaha! Serve them, right! Dong Xuebing almost burst outlaughing. "Yes, Sir."
Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie should not have told each otherthat they will bring the documents to Yang Yizhong. Both of them were eager toshow their faces to the leaders and caused this misunderstanding. There wereonly 3 candidates for the position of Deputy Chief. If Yang Yizhong was unhappywith the both of them, then he will surely support Dong Xuebing! After all,Yang Yizhong was pleased with his work performance after he accidentally foundout Yang Yizhong had low education levels. Dong Xuebing had used back that time,and Yang Yizhong did not even know Dong Xuebing knew his secret.
There should be no problem with Yang Yizhong's vote.
2 votes in hand!
The day ended.
Dong Xuebing packed up his things and prepared to go home.From his office window, he saw Deputy Chief Liu Hua. He was about 35 or 36years old and had a crewcut. He held his briefcase and walked slowly. He wasthe first person to finish work.
"Chief Liu, are you going back?" Yang Yizhong shouted. "Wantto have dinner together?"
Liu Hua turned and saw Yang Yizhong walking out of the greybuilding. He smiled: "Some other time. I have plans tonight."
Yang Yizhong was not surprised. They exchanged a few wordsand walked out of the compound.
In the office, after most people had left, Tan Limei laughedand said: "Chief Liu is still so low profile."
Zhuang Zhi asked: "How is he low profile?"
The two Guos had left, and Tan Limei spoke without hesitation."Are you stupid? Since the day Chief Liu was transferred to the branch 1 yearago, have you ever seen him having a meal with anyone? Have you seen Chief Liuhaving personal conversations with any other leaders? Every morning, afterChief Liu arrives at work, he will remain inside his office until it was timeto go home. He seldom leaves his office. He doesn't even take his lunch in thecafeteria."
Dong Xuebing was listening by the side.
"Also, Chief Liu had never said anything during the Branch BureauChiefs and Party Committee meetings. Whenever there was a redeployment ofmanpower and the Deputies needed to vote and express their views, he will justgive an abstention vote. Even when he was pointed out by Chief Yan, he wouldjust give some excuses. He was just here to pass his time and did not want toget involved in anything else." Tan Limei thought for a while and said: "He isalso not approachable like our Bureau Chief Yan. During festivals, he will notaccept any gifts. Not even a pen or a book."
Dong Xuebing was surprised. "Really?"
It was normal in government agencies for cigarettes andliquor to be given as gifts during festivals, and it was weird to see anyonerejecting gifts.
Tan Limei turned to Dong Xuebing angrily. "Yes! When I wasnew here, I brought a carton of cigarettes to Chief Liu's house as gifts duringChinese New Year. But Chief Liu doesn't even open his door for me to enter. Hejust told me to leave with my gifts and shut his door. I was so embarrassedthen. Sigh... Let's not talk about that."
Dong Xuebing nodded and pestered Tan Limei to tell him ChiefLiu's address. After he got the address, he returned home.
Dong Xuebing knew that Liu Hua was unapproachable, but hecannot afford to miss this opportunity.
No matter what, Dong Xuebing must pay a visit to Liu Hua this evening.