At noon, Zhou Yi went to the Municipal Party Committee Canteen for lunch, accompanied by Deputy Secretary Guo Mingjin, Qiu Jinpeng, Cai Hongxia, and the others.
"Secretary Zhou..." "Hello, Secretary Zhou..." "Please sit here, Secretary Zhou..."
The staff greeted him politely, and one particularly attentive employee even pulled out a chair for him.
The canteen had only two private rooms, reserved for entertaining higher-ranking officials and receiving guests. On ordinary days, all Municipal Party Standing Committee members, including Municipal Party Secretary Fu Xueqian, ate in the main dining hall.
Fu Xueqian had established this rule after taking office. He kept a tight grip on matters large and small and forbade Party members and officials from claiming special privileges.
Whether it was sincere or merely for show, no one could fault him on that point.
Municipal Party Committee Organization Department Head Song Guowen approached with his tray. Guo Mingjin, deputy secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, smiled and called out, "Department Head Song, sit here." He then stood up and offered him his seat.
Why give up his seat? Naturally, he could tell that Song Guowen had come to speak with Secretary Zhou, and his seat happened to be directly opposite him.
"Department Head Song." Zhou Yi smiled in greeting at the handsome, approachable-looking organization department head.
At the meeting that morning to mark his arrival, Song Guowen had personally read out his appointment. They had exchanged a few words, and his first impression had been fairly good. Whether they became friends or enemies in the future, they still had to observe the formalities for now.
"Secretary Zhou, I heard Shang Xinfeng jumped out of a building this morning?" Song Guowen had not come without a purpose, and he went straight to the point.
"Yes, but his condition isn't too bad.