Seeking Office

That night, at Sister Xie's home.

The television was replaying a news segment about the county's investment promotion work. Xie Huilan appeared on screen, smiling as she chatted with several investors.

"Hui Lan, you look pretty good on camera."

"Do I? I hadn't noticed."

"Whether on TV or off... you're beautiful."

"Hehe, you've been flattering me since earlier. Did you put honey on your lips?"

"I'm telling the truth."

Xie Huilan came out of the bathroom after blow-drying her hair. She had already taken off her bath towel and changed into a flesh-colored cotton thermal top and pants, dressed very casually. After walking over to glance at the television, she smiled and sat beside Dong Xuebin with her legs crossed. She casually picked up a white shirt from the armrest of the sofa and slipped it on, then leaned forward slightly, elegantly lifted a steaming cup of tea, blew on it, and took a sip.

Every movement she made was beautiful.

Dong Xuebin's lust flared up. He quietly reached behind her and touched the buttocks wrapped in her thermal pants, giving them a gentle squeeze. Soft.

Xie Huilan turned her head and looked at him. "Is there some tool on my butt? What are you squeezing?"

"Ahem. Yeah, there was a bug. I crushed it."

"Is that so?" Xie Huilan's eyes were smiling. "Then thank you?"

"Oh, don't mention it. No need to thank me." Dong Xuebin boldly took another feel of her butt. "Crushed another one."

Xie Huilan grabbed the hand on her butt and tossed it aside. "Give you an inch and you take a mile, huh? Hehe, it's past nine. You should head back early."

"Tomorrow's a day off. I'm not in a hurry to sleep. Let me stay a little longer."

"If you stay any longer, there'll be bugs in Sister Xie's clothes again, won't there?"

"Don't say that, there really are. Don't move, I'll pinch them out."

"You really don't stand on ceremony, do you? Hehe." Xie Huilan smiled and pushed his hand away. "We're not married yet. Stop messing around and leave Sister Xie a little dignity."

Well, there went another chance to take advantage.

Time always passed quickly when he was with Hui Lan. Before he knew it, it was already ten.

Dong Xuebin knew it was time to go home. Looking at Hui Lan's open bedroom door, then at Sister Xie's soft double bed, he could not help yearning for it. When will I get to sleep over there? Thinking of that, he began dwelling on marriage. Han Jing, Madam Han, and Sister Xie's father had all said that once he transferred out of a department directly under the county government, he could start planning to get a Marriage Certificate with Hui Lan.

So Dong Xuebin asked for an official post. "Hui Lan, can I transfer now?"

Xie Huilan smiled. "Could you think before you speak? Hmm?"

"I've already thought it through."

Dong Xuebin said righteously, "The county assigned a total Investment Task of five hundred million, and I completed it beautifully in only three months. Five hundred million—do you think that was just a matter of talking? In previous years, bringing in over one hundred million in an entire year would have been impressive enough. What more could anyone ask of my work results?"

Besides, the year's not even halfway over yet. By the end of the year, bringing in six or seven hundred million isn't impossible."

Xie Huilan set down her teacup. "I don't deny your work results, and everyone has seen them. But don't forget, you've only been Zhengke Level for three months."

"I know becoming a deputy department-level cadre isn't possible yet, but transferring to another department..."

"If it's a lateral transfer under the current circumstances, do you think there's any difference from a promotion?"

A lateral transfer was only lateral in terms of rank. For example, both were Zhengke Level, but transferring from Director of the Investment Bureau to Director of the Finance Department, or from Director of the Bureau of Culture to Town Head or Town Secretary, was already a promotion—and a considerable one at that. Dong Xuebin had brought five hundred million in investment to the county in one stroke, enough to alarm even the city authorities. If he transferred now, they could not possibly send him to some empty post; it could only be a promotion, a reward based on merit. But Dong Xuebin had only taken up his Zhengke Level post three months ago, not even halfway through his one-year probationary period. That made things very difficult.

Xie Huilan said, "At the very least, you'll have to wait until you've been in the post for a full year, right?"

"A year..." Dong Xuebin smiled bitterly.

"Don't be dissatisfied. Go over your own résumé, all right? When you first entered the system, how long did it take you to rise from an ordinary clerk to deputy director? A few months. For others, it would take at least two or three years! After that, how long did it take you to become Deputy Director of the County Public Security Bureau? Half a year!"

"What about other people? Taking two or three years would already be considered good! Then, after only one year as a deputy section-level cadre, you were exceptionally promoted to Zhengke Level. It's only been three months, and you're already thinking about another promotion? Even if I agreed, even if Secretary Xiang agreed, do you think the city would approve it?"

"That makes sense."

"A Zhengke Level cadre not even twenty-five years old already attracts attention. Moving up another rank is practically impossible in principle. At the very least, you need to wait another year."

Dong Xuebin understood that if it were anyone else, they would be secretly delighted to receive one promotion every three years. But his ambitions had already been stirred, and now he could not rein them in.

"Besides, have you decided which department you want to go to next?"

"Uh... Township First-in-charge? If that's too difficult, second-in-command would do."

"For other people, that might be a good choice. Build up experience as the Township First-in-charge, and advancing further afterward would be perfectly natural. But for you... I personally don't think it's that good."

"Huh? Why?"

Xie Huilan patted the back of his hand, held it in her palm, and rubbed it gently. "No one can sing triumphantly all the way down the political road. Drawing too much attention isn't necessarily a good thing. You stood out too much when you were at the Public Security Bureau. When you transferred to the Investment Bureau, part of my intention was to let you keep a lower profile. Who knew that after only a few months, you'd make the Investment Promotion Work so outstanding and draw so much attention again? Hehe, if your next post is Township First-in-charge, this may not sound pleasant, but being too capable will eventually restrict your development. And even if you do nothing at all, the moment you sit in a position like Township Secretary or Town Secretary, you'll stand out. You're only twenty-five. It's too high-profile."

"Being capable is a problem too?"

"You may not understand now. You'll know later."

Dong Xuebin helplessly thumped his forehead. "So what you mean is, even if I transfer, I have to go to a more middle-of-the-road department to tone things down and keep a low profile?"

"It's only a suggestion. Besides, it's still too early to talk about this. Hehe, I don't get to decide which department has a vacancy. Let's look again in a year or two."

Still a year, perhaps even two years?

Actually, which department he transferred to was not what concerned Dong Xuebin most. How much authority he had was not what he valued most either. Work was work wherever he went. Wasn't the Yantai County Investment Bureau once an overlooked agency? Hadn't he still made its work flourish? None of that mattered. What Dong Xuebin cared about now was time. Maybe he was too eager to marry Hui Lan, or maybe Xiang Daofa's repeated suppression had made him somewhat sick of this place. In any case, Dong Xuebin truly wanted to change environments as soon as possible. Of course, if they really transferred him to the Sports Bureau or the Bureau of Culture in the city district, he would not accept it. This time, he wanted to get promoted and marry a wife in one go. A disguised demotion was out of the question. If that happened, he might as well spend another three or four years building seniority at the Investment Bureau and then make a direct push for deputy department level.

He wanted to transfer quickly, wanted a decent department, and that department could not hold too much power. Ideally, it would even be in the city... Dong Xuebin broke out in a sweat and felt that he was being too greedy. He could not expect every good thing to come his way. The earth did not revolve around him alone.

But since he wanted to rise quickly, not making an effort was not Dong Xuebin's style.

So Dong Xuebin set himself a goal. He had to look around for an opportunity and see whether he could avoid waiting a year or two.

Ring, ring, ring. Sister Xie's phone rang.

Dong Xuebin stretched and stood up. "Take the call. I'm heading home to sleep."

Xie Huilan gave a soft "Mm." "Don't get so caught up in thinking about transferring that you forget your work. Keep a close eye on those investors one by one, and secure the initial startup funds from them as quickly as possible. That's the capital you need for a promotion."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Hehe, get some sleep early. Good night."

"Good night."

Only after Dong Xuebin opened the door did Xie Huilan answer the phone. "Hello..."

After returning home, Dong Xuebin brushed his teeth, washed up, and crawled into bed. Before the blankets had even warmed up, his phone began chirping. He checked the number. It was Xie Huilan.

Dong Xuebin grabbed the phone. "What's up?"

"I just heard something. In a few days, the city will be going to Tokyo, Japan, to hold an Investment Conference. The city leaders arranged it, and they may have started preparing for it last year. They should already have contacted the relevant companies and local government there and reached agreements. Mm, it was originally just for Fenzhou City's investment promotion, mainly focused on the city and its districts, but from a long-term perspective, the city has decided this time to involve the Investment Bureaus of every county as well. You should make preparations and warm up the publicity for project presentations. When the time comes, you'll assist the city in going to Japan to expand the conference."

"I'll be going too?"

"It's not mandatory, but the city places tremendous importance on this investment promotion effort. As the Top Leader, you should take the lead."

"How many of us should go?"

"Three or four should be enough. Don't take too many. The Municipal Investment Bureau should contact you tomorrow about the specifics. Just submit the list of names to them then."

"Alright, I'll make arrangements tomorrow."

"You've worked hard these past few days. This is a good chance to get out and relax, hehe."

At first, Dong Xuebin did not think much of it. After hanging up, he was ready to sleep, because the city had probably already discussed the relevant investments with the Tokyo side. The counties would only be there as supporting players; they could not possibly snatch any substantial investment through their county Investment Bureaus. This investment promotion effort would still be centered on the city. But after lying in bed for a while, Dong Xuebin suddenly opened his eyes. He felt this was an opportunity. If he could bring in some more foreign investment for Yantai County and continue exceeding targets on top of the five hundred million task, then his idea of getting promoted early might not be impossible.

Forget it. No use thinking so much.

If he could bring in investment, he would. He would let nature take its course. If not, he could treat it as an all-expenses-paid trip.

With that thought in mind, Dong Xuebin yawned, pulled up the blanket, and gradually drifted into sleep.