Director Zhou Was About to Retire Due to Illness!

The next day.

"Morning, everyone."

"Morning, Little Dong."

"Good morning, Comrade Firefighter. Hehe."

"Come on, I told you not to call me that. What Firefighter?"

Amid laughter and chatter, work hours began. Zhou Changchun had not come in today. In fact, they had not seen him since yesterday noon. He had probably taken another sick leave. After all, Zhou Changchun had Cerebral Thrombosis and other chronic illnesses, and his health had never been very good. With no one in the office keeping watch, the others barely worked either. Guo Panwei kept his head down, analyzing stock trends; Guo Shunjie only browsed forums online. Most of the work fell to Tan Limei, Dong Xuebin, and Zhuangzi.

"Director Zhou must have taken dozens of sick days this year, right?" Tan Limei complained quietly.

Dong Xuebin was taken aback. "That many?"

"I'm being conservative," Tan Limei said. "It seemed to be like this last year too. Sigh, whenever Director Zhou isn't around, my workload shoots up. Luckily, you and Zhuangzi joined this year, or I wouldn't be able to keep up." She glanced at Guo Shunjie and the others sitting nearby, then snorted under her breath. "They're just taking up space and doing nothing."

Dong Xuebin smiled. "Director Zhou will probably be back tomorrow. Here, I'll help you print those."

It was not until the lunch break that everyone learned the news: Zhou Changchun had been hospitalized with Cerebral Thrombosis.

No one was surprised in the slightest. Or rather, they had already grown used to it.

Guo Panwei hurriedly asked which hospital and ward Director Zhou was in, then said, "I'm going to visit Director Zhou."

"I'll go too." Of course Dong Xuebin could not fall behind. Although his relationship with Zhou Changchun had already grown close, visiting him would not necessarily improve it any further. But if everyone else went and he did not, what impression would that leave on his leader? His leader might think, What, I'm hospitalized and you don't even come visit? Do you have a problem with me?

Guo Shunjie and Chang Juan said they wanted to go too. In the end, the entire General Office group simply took two taxis to Friendship Hospital together.

Department of Neurology ward.

"Director Zhou, how are you feeling?"

"Do you feel any better?"

Zhou Changchun lay quietly in bed in a hospital gown. After only a few days apart, he seemed to have aged several years at once, and he looked terribly unwell. His wife was beside him tidying up the lunch boxes from his meal. When she saw Dong Xuebin and the others filing in, she forced a smile and came over to thank them. She accepted the fruit baskets and flowers they had bought, set them on the windowsill, and invited them to sit on the empty bed beside his.

"You all came?" Zhou Changchun sighed. "I'm all right, but I probably won't be able to work for the next couple of days."

Putting on a sorrowful expression, Chang Juan said, "Director Zhou, whenever you're not in the office, we have no one to rely on."

Guo Panwei eagerly said to Director Zhou's wife, "Auntie, if there's anything you need help with, just say so. If you can't manage on your own, why don't I stay here this afternoon?"

Director Zhou's wife said, "No need. Thank you for thinking of us."

Zhou Changchun waved his hand. "No, there's no need for anyone to stay. You all have your work to do. The General Office has plenty of business too." His Cerebral Thrombosis seemed to be quite serious. During the visit, Director Zhou went to the restroom, but walking was extremely difficult for him. He needed his wife to support him as he slowly shuffled forward. It seemed he would not be able to return to work anytime soon.

After exchanging a few pleasantries and expressions of concern, Dong Xuebin and the others, not wanting to disturb their leader's rest, prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Changchun hesitated, then beckoned to them. "Pan Wei, Little Dong, you two stay behind."

Guo Shunjie's brow twitched. He glanced at Dong Xuebin and the other man, then turned and left. Tan Limei, Chang Juan, and Zhuangzi followed right after. Everyone understood that Guo Panwei and Dong Xuebin held positions in Zhou Changchun's heart far above theirs. There was no need to mention Dong Xuebin, who had just helped Zhou Changchun Save the Documents and get out of a bind. As for Guo Panwei, he had spent years following Director Zhou's principle of "wherever he points, I strike," making him Zhou Changchun's most capable subordinate.

Inside the ward, Dong Xuebin and Guo Panwei exchanged looks, then stood there suspiciously, waiting for Director Zhou to speak.

Yet Zhou Changchun remained silent for a long time. He sighed quietly, and only at last said wistfully, "You two are the subordinates I trust most. From now on..." His voice hesitated. "From now on... work hard." Seeing Dong Xuebin and Guo Panwei looking baffled and about to ask something, Zhou Changchun waved his hand. "Go back. Let my wife see you downstairs."

Dong Xuebin and Guo Panwei did not feel it was appropriate to ask further. "Then please take care of yourself. We'll come see you another day."

Director Zhou's wife escorted them to the corner of the corridor.

Dong Xuebin turned back. "Auntie, please go back. Don't see us off."

Director Zhou's wife seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she merely nodded. "Please take extra care of things at the General Office."

Guo Panwei immediately said, "Don't worry. We'll definitely handle the work properly."

Dong Xuebin felt that something was off. Both husband and wife seemed to be speaking with hidden meaning.

After returning to the office, Dong Xuebin worked as usual.

A little after one in the afternoon, Guo Shunjie suddenly received a phone call. Then, for some reason, he became completely energized and actually started working seriously. He printed documents and helped deliver files. Not long after that, Guo Panwei returned from going out and wore the exact same expression, working actively with a broad smile on his face. He crumpled the stock analysis charts on his desk into a ball and threw them into the trash.

Dong Xuebin was utterly puzzled. He quietly asked Zhuangzi, "What's going on?"

Zhuangzi looked at the "two Guos" in confusion. "No idea. Are we getting a raise or something?"

Chang Juan and Lao Yan also looked suspicious.

Near quitting time, Tan Limei returned to the General Office after going to the Political Department to help carry some things. She brought back major news. "Hey, hey, have you all heard?"

Dong Xuebin blinked. "Heard what?"

Zhuangzi scratched his head. "Are we really getting a raise?"

"In your dreams." Tan Limei rolled her eyes at him, then quickly said, "It's Director Zhou. Director Zhou is about to retire due to illness!" Her words instantly drew Dong Xuebin, Zhuangzi, and everyone else's attention. "I heard it from the Political Department, and the new director will very likely be selected from among us in the General Office!"

Dong Xuebin exclaimed, "Really?"

"Huh?" Chang Juan said in surprise. "Isn't Director Zhou still under the retirement age? Is he really that seriously ill?"

Tan Limei lowered her voice. "I heard two explanations. One is that some leaders are dissatisfied with Director Zhou constantly taking leave. The other is that Director Zhou has financial problems, so he's being 'retired due to illness,' not doing it voluntarily. Otherwise, he would have told us while we were at the hospital."

Financial problems?

Embezzlement?

After hearing the shocking news, Lao Yan was briefly stunned, then showed no further reaction and continued reading his newspaper.

The two Guos did not even look surprised. They clearly already knew.

Damn, Dong Xuebin suddenly understood. No wonder those two lazybones, Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie, had suddenly become like entirely different people. So that was what was going on.

If Director Zhou retired due to illness or was dismissed, the deputy director position would be vacant!!!