Power and Wealth

First day of Lunar New Year…

The second day of Lunar New Year…

The third day of Lunar New Year…

After a few days of celebration, the Government service returned to work.

Today is Dong Xuebing's first day of work.

Dong Xuebing woke up early in the morning and stood in front of the mirror to check his dressing. He adjusted his collar several times and decided not to wear a tie. He will look too serious if he wears a tie. On his way out of the bathroom, he saw two cockroaches in a corner. He immediately stepped on them, picked up the dead roaches with toilet paper, and flushed them away.

Dong Xuebing is particular with roaches and went out to call the County Party Committee Quarters' guardroom. He wants to get them to arrange pest control personnel to get rid of these pests. If these cockroaches are not killed, they might crawl all over him at night.

After hanging up, Dong Xuebing's phone rang.

Dong Xuebing looked at the caller display and answered. "Sister Xie."

Xie Huilan laughed. "Yes. I just finished washing up. What about you? Are you ready for your new role?"

"Yes. I am prepared to go all out!" Dong Xuebing replied energetically.

"Haha… it's good to be motivated. But I still need to remind you. You can choose whether if you want to listen. It's up to you." Xie Huilan is sharing her experiences. "I know you had not done anything related to investment promotions, and you do not know anything about the work there. But you are the Head of that department, and you don't need to do everything yourself. You don't need to go out to find investors. It should be the opposite. Your task is the settle the internal affairs, control your people, set a direction, and let your staff do what they are supposed to do. This way, you can attract investments. If your staff does not even follow your orders, how are you going to get investments?"

Dong Xuebing listened attentively. "I will take note of this."

"Haha… you better remember this. You had always been ignoring my advice."

"No… I am serious." Dong Xuebing replied. "I know I am inexperienced in the government service, and this is the first time I am the head of a department. With your advice, I know what I should do. Sister Xie, please guide me along if you see me doing something wrong."

Xie Huilan laughed. "Don't be too modest. Your violent way of doing things is not that bad too. You had joined the government service for a year and a half and can achieve good results. No one can say you are not capable. How many people are politically mature at your age? Even my father did not reach your level at your age."

"Huh? How can you compare me with your father?"

"Just look for me if you face any problems. I might not be able to teach you, but we can discuss it."

"Sure. I have something to discuss with you now."

"… What is it?"

"My apartment is infested with cockroaches. I had gotten a pest control company to spray insecticide, and the smell should remain at night. I don't think I can sleep at home tonight."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Err… can I sleepover at your place tonight?"

"Haha… ok."

"… really?"

"Of course. Haha… if you are promoted to Deputy Director now, not only I will let you stay at my place. I will even sleep with you."

Dong Xuebing felt his heart racing. "Don't worry. I will do a good job in Investment Promotion Agency!"

Xie Huilan smiled and replied. "Work hard. I am waiting for you on my bed."

Dong Xuebing is afraid if he listens to Xie Huilan's seductive words any longer, he will have no mood to go to work. He quickly says goodbye and hangs up. After confirming their wedding, their relationship improved a lot. During the past few days, they chatted on the phone once or twice a day. Of course, Dong Xuebing did not forget about Qu Yunxuan. He also calls and speaks to her every day. Dong Xuebing is going all out to get married to Xie Huilan and Qu Yunxuan. He must do a good job in the Investment Promotion Agency and get promoted!

Deputy Director!

……

Morning. 9 am.

The sun is up, and everywhere on the streets are firecracker wrappers. The Lunar New Year's celebration is not over, and some children are still letting off firecrackers by the roads. Red banners and lanterns are hung up everywhere along the streets.

Investment Promotion Agency.

The Investment Promotion Agency is located near the County People's Square. The commercial street is only a few streets away.

In the past, when Dong Xuebing drove past, he will shake his head. The Investment Promotion Agency's building is too rundown. Behind the gates, the compound can only park seven to eight cars. This place is too small. The building is four stories built during the early 1980s. Dong Xuebing's first impression of this place is poverty.

This is Dong Xuebing's department. It's too pathetic.

Dong Xuebing turned into the building on the uneven road.

The guardroom's Old Wang saw Dong Xuebing's Mercedes Benz and immediately stood up. He knows the owner of this car is the newly appointed Chief.

Inside the compound.

Dong Xuebing parked his car under a tree and alighted. He looked around and did not walk towards the office building. He strolled around the front porch to familiarize himself with the surroundings. It's almost time for work, and many bicycles are parked at the bicycle shack. An old Santana and a few other cars are parked in front of the building. Most of the staff members and leaders had arrived.

A few minutes later, Dong Xuebing entered the office building.

The inside of the building is also shabby.

At the reception area, two staff members, a man and a woman were chatting happily.

Dong Xuebing did not want to reprimand them as it's still Lunar New Year, and the staff needs some time to adjust their mindset.

Suddenly, the woman saw Dong Xuebing walking in. She was about to ask him for his purpose for coming, but she recognized him. "Chief Dong!" The staff member, besides the woman, was stunned. They had seen Dong Xuebing's photograph on their noticeboard and quickly greet him. after that, they pretended to be organizing their documents and working hard.

Dong Xuebing nodded to them and walks up the stairs.

There is only one office building in the Investment Promotion Agency.

The first floor is the reception area and consulting area. The second floor is the Business Section One and Business Section Two offices. Their job is to get investors to invest in the County. The internal offices doing the back office works and internal affairs, including the finance department, are located on the third floor. The promotional materials, data collection, filing, etc. are also on the third floor. The top floor is Dong Xuebing, the Chief of the Agency, office, and two meeting rooms.

The Investment Promotion Agency here cannot be compared to other government agencies. The government in other Counties is more comprehensive. They have the General Affairs Section, Inspection Section, Finance department separated from the Investment Promotion Agency. In Yan Tai County, the various departments have to take care of these duties themselves. The Investment Promotion Agency from other Counties have dozens of offices all over China. Still, Yan Tai County's Investment Promotion Agency has less than ten offices. This shows that the Investment Promotion Agency has not been performing well in the past, and the County Government had lost confidence in them. Compared to some other counties, which had attracted a hundred million and billions of investments annually, Yan Tai County is performing too badly. They could not even get 200 million of investment.

First floor…

Second floor…

Third floor…

Dong Xuebing walks around every floor to observe the working environment and staff attitude. He walked softly and did not attract any attention.

In the end, Dong Xuebing is unsatisfied with his staff's attitude.

Dong Xuebing thought it was only a one-off incident at the reception area. But he realized the whole Investment Promotion Agency, including the Business Section One and Business Section Two teams, are all slacking. Everyone seems to have nothing to do, and some were chatting, reading newspapers…

Dong Xuebing frowned.

Dong Xuebing is frowning is not because the staff is not working. He is pissed because of their attitude!

All the Investment Promotion Agency staff should know today is Dong Xuebing's first day, and they should be putting up their best performance. Instead, they are chatting and lazing around. They are not working seriously and disrespecting the leaders! They are not respecting me!

If the staff have not to respect me, how am I going to work properly?

If I cannot work properly, how will I improve the Investment Promotion Agency's result?

If I don't have any result, how am I going to get promoted to Deputy Director?

If I cannot get promoted to Deputy Director, how will I get married to Xie Huilan and Qu Yunxuan?

Damn! You all are trying to ruin my marriage! Dong Xuebing is furious. He had been thinking about his marriage, and his first thought after seeing his staff's attitude is he will never get married in his life!