The next day.
Chengxi State Security Bureau Branch.
Dong Xuebin, looking refreshed and energetic in his newly bought black suit, greeted the Receptionist Old Man and strode through the bureau's main entrance.
Only Tan Limei and Zhuangzi were in the General Office. The moment Tan Limei saw Dong Xuebin, she let out an amused cry. "Binzi, you look pretty mature dressed like that today. Not bad, not bad."
Dong Xuebin flattered her, "I just throw on whatever. I can't compare to you—you look beautiful every day."
Tan Limei giggled. "Binzi really knows how to talk." Seeing that there was no one else around, she openly patted Zhuangzi's big belly with the back of her hand. "Hey, why don't you learn from Binzi? Look at him—he's only been in the General Office for a few days, and Director Zhou already trusts him so much. At this rate, in a few more months, he might even replace Guo Panwei in Director Zhou's heart. And look at you—you're such a big guy, but you can't even say a few words. How are you supposed to leave an impression on the leaders?"
Zhuangzi scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I... I'm not very good at talking."
Dong Xuebin blinked. "Tanzi, you sure care a lot about our Zhuangzi, huh?"
Tan Limei blushed and spat hard. "Who says I care about him? Hmph, it's my turn to clean today."
Zhuangzi hurriedly got to his feet. "I'll help you."
"...That's more like it." Tan Limei did not stand on ceremony and tossed him the broom.
But when had Dong Xuebin ever been eloquent himself? Sucking up to leaders? That had been nearly impossible for him in the past. From middle school through college, he had always been a complete stick-in-the-mud, terrible with words. But ever since he had found a goal, even Dong Xuebin felt that he had changed a little. Even when it came to things that were especially difficult for him to say, he could force himself to say them—everything was for promotion and wealth.
Was this what they meant by, if you wanted to stand above others, you first had to humble yourself before them?
Ten minutes later, everyone in the General Office had arrived.
Just then, Dong Xuebin's phone vibrated in his pocket. He took out his iPhone 4 and saw that Qu Yunxuan had sent him a text. "The leader just informed us that Auntie has to work overtime tonight. She might not get home until after eight, so eat dinner by yourself." Dong Xuebin awkwardly tapped at the touchscreen and typed, "Okay. Be careful on your way home after work." He hit send and was about to put the phone away when a dark blur flashed beside him and someone suddenly snatched it away.
It was Tan Limei.
"Whoa!" Tan Limei exclaimed in utter surprise. "It's an iPhone 4? Binzi, you bought an iPhone 4?"
Guo Shunjie, who was sitting there looking at his computer, gave a soft snort but said nothing.
Guo Panwei, ever behind the latest trends, asked curiously, "What's an iPhone 4?"
Chang Juan explained, "It's a cellphone, the hottest model right now. I heard that with accessories and a screen protector, it costs five or six thousand yuan. Hehe, Little Dong really was willing to spend."
Guo Panwei stared. "How much? Five or six thousand? Five or six thousand for a cellphone?" Civil servants did not earn as much as employees at foreign-funded or private companies. In Guo Panwei's view, even spending five or six thousand on a computer would be too expensive, much less a cellphone.
Tan Limei held the phone and looked it over from every angle, full of envy. "It's so beautiful! No, no, when I get paid this month, I have to buy one too. Uh, no, even after paying my expenses, I probably won't have enough money. I'll have to wait until next month." After saying that, she blinked and cradled the phone in her hands as she swayed it back and forth pleadingly. "Binzi, we're such good friends. How about we switch phones for a few days? Let me enjoy it too."
Dong Xuebin shrugged. "I don't mind, but your SIM card probably doesn't fit the iPhone 4's slot, right?"
Tan Limei slapped her forehead. "Ah, I forgot about that. Sigh, sigh, sigh, here, take it back." After reluctantly returning it to Dong Xuebin, however, her fashion-chasing heart had not settled down. One moment she would glance at Dong Xuebin's desk, and the next she would borrow the iPhone 4 again and excitedly fiddle with it. It kept her plenty busy.
There was a meeting in the General Office that morning, held in the Small Conference Room upstairs. Director Li Qing did not attend; Zhou Changchun chaired the whole thing. Meetings within the system were mostly all the same—either department leaders summarized recent work, or everyone studied and discussed a document issued from above. In any case, Dong Xuebin found it rather meaningless. He forced himself to listen to Zhou Changchun droning on, while inwardly considering how he could get promoted.
Ten minutes...
Twenty minutes...
Dong Xuebin was getting sleepy and barely held back the urge to yawn.
The others in the General Office seemed long accustomed to it. Aside from Lao Yan being absent-minded, everyone else listened with rapt attention.
"...Mm, all right, that's it for today's meeting." Zhou Changchun took a gulp from his teacup, cleared his throat, and said, "I need two people to come out with me to handle something. The rest of you can go back to the office and get busy. There's plenty to do this morning, so get to it." His gaze searched the faces of the staff below, as though he were considering whom to take with him.
Dong Xuebin and Guo Panwei reacted the fastest, immediately straightening their backs.
Yet Zhou Changchun said, "Panwei, Shunjie, you two come with me."
"Yes." Guo Panwei answered at once, casting a glance at Dong Xuebin beside him. Don't think that one tiny merit means you're all that. See? The leader still trusts me more. Guo Panwei had been somewhat jealous of Dong Xuebin's recent favor, but now he felt much more balanced.
Guo Shunjie had not expected Zhou Changchun to call his name, and his spirits instantly rose. It meant the leader had not taken that day's matter to heart; the conflict had vanished like smoke. Seeing Dong Xuebin so eager to get close to Zhou Changchun yet not being called on, Guo Shunjie felt delighted. A newcomer was still just a newcomer.
"Oh, right." Just as everyone was filing out of the Small Conference Room, Zhou Changchun suddenly said, "Two very important documents will be delivered to Director Li Qing this morning. Send two people to receive them and take them to the Confidential Office. There absolutely cannot be any mistakes. Mm..."
Dong Xuebin puffed out his chest again, wearing an expression that said, Leave it to me.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Changchun's eyes swept over Dong Xuebin's face. But after only a slight pause, they moved away again. "Little Chang, Little Tan, you two should go. The Confidential Office may have a meeting this morning. If the person receiving the documents isn't there, don't take the documents back to the office—deliver them back to the director instead. These documents have no copies, so nothing can go wrong."
"Don't worry," Tan Limei and Chang Juan both said with a nod.
Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie looked at Dong Xuebin, both with amusement in their eyes.
Dong Xuebin felt quite helpless. After all, he had been in the General Office for too short a time. Zhou Changchun had only reached the point of thinking highly of him, not truly trusting him. Compared with him, Zhou Changchun still trusted the office veterans more, especially Guo Panwei, who was Zhou Changchun's confidant.
Sigh, there was still a long road ahead.
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