Power and Wealth

Next day. Tuesday.

Today was the most important day for Dong Xuebing. The moment he woke up, he was feeling very nervous. He climbed out of his bed and took a few deep breaths. He had done everything he could. There's no point being nervous now. Dong Xuebing stopped himself from thinking about the outcome of the Party Committee Meeting. He slapped himself lightly on his forehead to calm himself down before preparing himself for work.

At the entrance of the Western District Branch Bureau, Dong Xuebing saw Guo Shunjie and a woman.

"Didn't I tell you not to look for me at my workplace? What do you want?"

"You think I am willing to come here? You forgot your phone!"

"Ok, ok! Hurry up and leave!"

Guo Shunjie grabbed his phone from that woman impatiently and kept it in his pocket. He then waved the woman away. This woman was Guo Shunjie's wife. She was 30 years' old when she got Vitiligo. Her face and neck have patches of white skin. This was why Guo Shunjie had never mentioned his wife at work. He was also afraid of his wife coming to his workplace. He felt it was embarrassing. But when Guo Shunjie looks around to see if any of his co-workers had seen his wife, he spotted Dong Xuebing crossing the road and walk past him.

Guo Shunjie pulled a long face and said. "You are early today!"

"Not as early as you!" Dong Xuebing's hatred for him deepens after seeing how Guo Shunjie treated his wife.

"Do you know? The Party Committee Meeting today will be discussing who will be promoted to be the Deputy Chief of the General Affairs Department." Guo Shunjie stared at Dong Xuebing coldly. "Young man, I have told you before that I will be a leader within one year. I had offered to groom you as my trusted aide. But you are the one who rejected my kind offer. Are you regretting now? It's too late! Once the order is passed down, you will be dead! I will make sure you will regret it!"

Dong Xuebing glanced at him. "You are so sure that you will be promoted?"

Guo Shunjie arrogantly replied: "Haha, you think Guo Panwei will win me? Dream on!"

Dong Xuebing clenched his fist. He must not let Guo Shunjie be promoted. If not, he will not be able to carry on working here.

General Affairs Office. People start arriving at work.

Dong Xuebing could feel the mood in the office was different. He could feel the tension.

There seems to be something happening. Guo Panwei entered the office, and he was obviously in a bad mood. He did not argue with Guo Shunjie like the previous few days. He just dropped his briefcase at his desk and went upstairs, to the Political Section Chief Pang Bin's office. Guo Shunjie took a glance at him confidently and then left for Political Commissar Zhou Guoan's office.

Political Commissar office.

This office was dim. The thick curtains had blocked the sunlight from entering the room.

Guo Shunjie stood cautiously by the side: "Uncle Zhou, later during the meeting……"

The scheming looking Zhou Guoan narrowed his eyes and interrupted him. "Shunjie, I have promised your father I will try my best to help you. Don't worry. There will not be any problems. You should go back to work, and during this period, you should not be coming to my office. Do you understand?" Government officials seldom claim that things will surely be done. They will always keep a leeway for themselves. Since Political Commissar Zhou said there will not be any problems, then it means he was 100% confident of completing this task.

After hearing this, Guo Shunjie felt assured and thanked him excitedly. "Thank you. Uncle Zhou. I will give you a thank you gift after this matter is over."

Zhou Guoan did not like the way Guo Shunjie put his words. It was too direct. He frowned and wave him off.

After leaving the office, Guo Shunjie was feeling great. He walks back with his back straight and chests out.

The other side of the building.

Dong Xuebing had received a call from Xu Yan, asking him to go to her office.

There was another man in Deputy Branch Bureau Chief Xu Yan's office. That man was about Xu Yan's age and had big eyes. There were a few streaks of white hair by his sides, and he looks very alert.

Dong Xuebing had seen this man before. He was the Branch Bureau's Party Committee Member, Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary Song Shoujie. He was close to Xu Yan.

"Chief Xu, Secretary Song."

Xu Yan acknowledged and pass a document to Dong Xuebing. "Make a copy of this document and send the original copy to the filing room."

Song Shoujie was observing Dong Xuebing quietly.

Dong Xuebing took the document. "Yes. Is there anything else?"

"That's all. Go back to work."

After Dong Xuebing left the office, Song Shoujie laughed and shook his head. "That is the Xiao Dong you are talking about? You really want to push up him to take over the position of Deputy Chief of General Affairs Office? You should know that Political Commissar Zhou has a candidate in mind, and it is almost decided internally. It will be hard to change."

Xu Yan smoothed her hair: "I don't expect to win Political Commissar Zhou, but I just want to try."

Song Shoujie smiles. "Fine. What I can do is only to say a few good words. But I still must ask you. This person you pick seems to be a bit…… too ordinary. He is very young, inexperienced, and did not seem to be able to lead. I wonder what you are thinking?"

Xu Yan slowly took a sip of tea and smiled. "Old Song, you cannot judge Xiao Dong based on his appearance."

"Oh?" Song Shoujie said. "Tell me about it."

Xu Yan spoke slowly. "You should have heard what Xiao Dong did after he joined the General Affairs Office. Haha…… You are an athlete when you are young, and you are also someone with guts. But Old Song, both of us have seen the raging fire in Li Qing's office. If you are your younger self that day, do you dare to run into the office to retrieve the documents?"

Song Shoujie kept quiet.

Xu Yan continued: "But Xiao Dong dares, and he was able to retrieve the documents."

Song Shoujie nodded.

"You should have heard about the football matches a few days ago. Our goalkeeper is injured during the injury time, and our opponents have a penalty. In that situation, who dares to claim that he is confident of saving that penalty kick?" Xu Yan put down her teacup. "But Xiao Dong dares to claim that he will save the penalty kick and he really saves it." After pausing a while, Xu Yan continued. "The next game on the next day was a tough match. In the final 2 minutes, one of our players got injured, but there are no more substitutes. Our branch will be playing 8 games without a single win. At that moment, not even those English Premier League star players could do anything. But Xiao Dong went onto the pitch and scored the winning goal in the last second!"

Song Shoujie laughed. "From what you said…… This Xiao Dong is really capable."

"He is even more amazing than that." Xu Yan tapped the tabletop with her fingertips. "That day, I went to the City Bureau for a meeting, and I met an old friend. We had a short chat, and we talked about the football tournament. But when I mentioned Xiao Dong's name, my friend also knows him. She is one of the interviewers for Xiao Dong, and she told me what happened during the interview. It was an incredible story."

Song Shoujie asked curiously. "What happened?"

Xu Yan stopped for a while and then opened the door of the office. There were sounds of footsteps outside, and a staff member walked pass the office carrying some documents. After the staff member walked pass, Xu Yan closed the door and looked at the puzzled Song Shoujie. "Old Song, the person who walked pass just now. Can you remember what color his shirt is? What design is that shirt, and what is the design and color of his shoes?"

Song Shoujie was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I just want to see if you can remember those details."

"Yan Zhi, are you joking with me? You did not even tell me to take note of those details, and my attention just now is also not on that person."

Xu Yan returned to her seat. "This is why I say Xiao Dong is amazing. During his interview, the main interviewer tried to make things difficult for him, and purposely asked him the same questions I asked you. But guess what? 3 people walked pass on that day. Xiao Dong not only remembered the colors of their shirts and designs. He even remembered the pattern of the designs, necklace, whether if the shoes had dirt and even the color of the shoelaces."

Song Shoujie frowned. "How is this possible?"

Xu Yan smiled. "I also feel that it is impossible, but it was the truth. Xiao Dong really did it."

"……"

There was a period of silence in the room.

Xu Yan looked at Song Shoujie. "Now, do you still think Xiao Dong is ordinary? I think he is too amazing!"