Joining the Party!

Jiangong Hospital.

Orthopedics Inpatient Ward.

When the ambulance delivered him to the hospital at noon, Zhuangzi, who had come along, followed the leaders' instructions and handled Dong Xuebin's admission procedures right away. After an afternoon of examinations and treatment, Dong Xuebin's injuries were finally brought under control. He had minor burns over small areas of his legs and hands, sprains in his ankle and shoulder, and the cuts from shattered fluorescent tube fragments had been medicated and bandaged. Overall, there was nothing too serious.

That evening, all the colleagues and leaders from the General Office came to the hospital to visit Dong Xuebin.

Dong Xuebin, in his hospital gown, had just had his temperature taken—37.3 degrees—and was about to have the nurse take the thermometer away when he saw Li Qing and Zhou Changchun enter through the door. He hurriedly tried to sit up, flattered beyond measure. "Director Li, Director Zhou." But a sharp ache shot through his shoulder, and he failed to sit upright.

Li Qing strode over and quickly pressed him back down. "Don't get up. Lie down, lie down."

Guo Panwei glanced at Dong Xuebin in his hospital gown but said nothing. Instead, he eagerly moved over two chairs for the leaders.

Zhou Changchun and Li Qing sat down beside the bed, both looking deeply concerned. "Little Dong, how are you feeling?"

Surrounded by so many people, Dong Xuebin felt a little awkward. He coughed. "Thank you for your concern, leaders. It's nothing serious. I think I can be discharged tomorrow or the day after."

Li Qing had already asked Zhuangzi about his condition and knew Dong Xuebin was putting on a brave face. He frowned and reproached him, "How can that be? You can barely walk. How could you leave the hospital? Little Dong, don't worry about work. Whether it's attendance or hospital expenses, Lao Zhou and I have already taken care of everything. You don't need to concern yourself with anything. Your only job now is to focus on recovering. Make sure you get fully well."

Zhou Changchun nodded. "That's right. Don't rush to leave the hospital."

Li Qing and Zhou Changchun had escaped disaster this time entirely because of Dong Xuebin's bravery. The gratitude in their hearts was beyond words, so they were especially warm toward him. Li Qing even personally poured him a cup of plain water and handed it to him. Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei had never seen Li Qing and Zhou Changchun treat a subordinate so politely before. They were terribly jealous, but they could not show it on their faces. After all, Dong Xuebin really had rendered great service this time.

Dong Xuebin had only said it casually. Seeing that the leaders had approved his leave, he stopped insisting. Naturally, he did not want to be discharged either. First, his physical condition would not allow it. Mom was not in the Capital City, so who would be there to wait on him hand and foot? Second, if he recovered and left the hospital too early, Li Qing and Zhou Changchun would surely feel less indebted to him. Even if he had to pretend, he needed to look like he was on his last legs so the leaders would remember how great a risk he had taken.

Dong Xuebin was not particularly quick-witted and lacked great wisdom, but he did have his share of little cleverness.

Then Li Qing and Zhou Changchun took turns offering a few heartwarming words. After a while, Li Qing's phone rang. He looked at the number, called Zhou Changchun along, and the two went outside the ward to answer it.

With the leaders gone, the colleagues no longer had to watch their words so carefully.

Tan Limei grinned and gave Dong Xuebin a thumbs-up. "Binzi, I'm completely convinced by you. You actually dared to rush into such a huge fire? I was totally stunned at the time."

Chang Juan gave a charming smile. "Not just you. The rest of us were dumbstruck too. Luckily, our Little Dong is blessed with good fortune."

Lao Yan said kindly, "Little Dong really brought honor to the General Office this time."

Dong Xuebin felt rather pleased with himself, but his words were extremely hypocritical. "Please, don't praise me. I didn't think that much at the time. I just knew that if those documents burned up, our General Office would definitely get criticized, so in a moment of impulse, I rushed in."

Guo Shunjie curled his lip, thinking, What bullshit.

Guo Panwei thought the same. If it had not been for earning merit, would you have rushed in there risking your life? Who the hell are you trying to fool?

But thoughts were one thing. Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei still had to admire Dong Xuebin's courage. In that situation, even if they had been given ten times the guts, neither of them would have dared go in and throw their lives away.

Creak. The door opened.

Li Qing and Zhou Changchun walked back in. Chang Juan and Tan Limei, who had been gathered around the bed, quickly moved aside to make room for the leaders.

Sitting by the bed, Li Qing gently patted the back of Dong Xuebin's hand and dropped a bombshell. "We just received word. The bureau has approved your request to join the Party."

Tan Limei and the others cried out in surprise. "Didn't Binzi only submit his Party Membership Application two weeks ago?"

Dong Xuebin looked stunned as well. "Me? Joining the Party?" He had not even submitted a single ideological report, much less studied the Party Constitution or anything like that. Under normal procedures, it would take Dong Xuebin at least a year to become an Active Party Member Applicant, and then another year at the earliest to become a Probationary Party Member. How could he join the Party only half a month after submitting his application? That was against the rules, wasn't it?

Zhou Changchun chuckled. "You're being admitted to the Party on the front lines."

Everyone suddenly understood.

Being admitted to the Party on the front lines was common at the forefront of earthquake relief efforts. It meant simplifying the Party admission process under special circumstances rather than following the normal procedure. Such special circumstances included war, disasters, and the like. Those who made major contributions or participated in such dangerous work could be admitted to the Party on the front lines.

Li Qing explained, "After dealing with the fire this afternoon, Lao Zhou and I discussed it. Then we took your Party Membership Application up the chain and requested a quota for you to be admitted to the Party on the front lines. Well, we just got the call saying it was approved. Once you recover and return to the office to take the oath, you'll be a Probationary Party Member." Strictly speaking, Dong Xuebin's performance at noon had still fallen a little short of qualifying for admission to the Party on the front lines. But to repay Dong Xuebin, Li Qing and Zhou Changchun had spent the entire afternoon going around to the leaders to handle the matter. On top of that, Director Yan had witnessed Dong Xuebin's heroic actions firsthand, so they had barely managed to secure the Party membership quota.

Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei were almost green with envy. An opportunity to be admitted to the Party on the front lines was far too rare.

Dong Xuebin was overjoyed inside. He had not expected such an unexpected gain. Joining the Party would add a substantial credential to his résumé. An excited expression appeared on his face. "Thank you, Director Li. Thank you, Director Zhou. I won't betray the trust you two and the bureau leaders have placed in me. From now on, I'll work diligently, strive for communism for the rest of my life, and always be ready to sacrifice everything for the Party and the people..."

Li Qing could not help laughing. "You're reciting the oath in the wrong place."

"Hehehehe..." Everyone laughed.

After everyone who had come to visit left, Dong Xuebin pulled the blanket over his head and silently laughed twice. These injuries had really not been for nothing. Not only had he earned Li Qing and Zhou Changchun's trust, he had also made the bureau leaders and colleagues see him in a new light. Most importantly, the chance to join the Party—which he had thought would take another three or four years—had come true in less than a month.

Haha, this guy was a Party member too.

Fourth update today. Please vote.

...!!!