The workday has ended.
Recently, Dong Xuebing has been working nonstop. When Old Zhang went to Beijing for business, he had to handle all the county affairs. After Old Zhang returned, Dong Xuebing helped a few old friends with personnel transfers. He had been saying he would rest, but Dong Xuebing never found time to take a single day off. He is the top leader of the county, and many essential and minor matters require his attention. However, today Guo Panwei and Chang Juan have also started their duties, and many tasks are now coming to a close, so Dong Xuebing finally has a day off and can leave the office on time.
He packed up his things and left.
Dong Xuebing left the office carrying his bag.
This was the renovated old county committee compound, with both the county committee and the county government located in the same building. As he was going downstairs, Dong Xuebing ran into Zhang Dongfang, who was also leaving work.
“Xuebing, you’re leaving too?”
“How about coming over for dinner tonight? Let your sister-in-law cook something nice.”
“Hehe, another day, I’ve got a social gathering tonight.”
They chatted as they walked downstairs, their relationship now friendly and smooth. Although their positions as the top two leaders of the county still carried a bit of distance, they were no longer in conflict. The harmony between the county’s number one and number two leaders is relatively rare in the domestic system. It was primarily due to the special circumstances in which they found themselves.
Once outside the building, Dong Xuebing suddenly said, “By the way, Old Zhang, in about ten days, the week after next, I plan to take a break for a while, maybe three to five days, or six to seven days at most. There’s something at home; my brother-in-law is getting married, so I need to go back and help with the preparations.”
Zhang Dongfang smiled, “No problem, don’t worry about things here. You need a break. You’ve been so busy recently.”
Dong Xuebing said, “Yeah, if I could manage it, I wouldn’t take a break.”
“Don’t push yourself. Nothing is more important than health. If you’re tired, take a rest. There’s not much going on in the county for now.” Zhang Dongfang said with a smile. They were waiting for the approval to change the county into a city. That would be the next big task.
Dong Xuebing got into the car with Driver Xiao Wang and headed home.
On the way, his phone rang. It was Guo Panwei calling, his voice filled with a sense of caution and respect, “Leader, it’s Xiao Guo. I wanted to ask if you’re free tonight. Chang Juan and I were hoping to invite you to dinner.”
Dong Xuebing laughed, “Where are you guys?”
“We’re in the staff dorms,” Guo Panwei replied. “We just visited the office this morning, met some colleagues and leaders, and in the afternoon, we weren’t at the office. Director Meng had us brought here to the dorm. We just finished unpacking and thought you’d be done soon, so we wanted to invite you out for a meal to thank you.”
Dong Xuebing said, “There aren’t many good restaurants here. I’ll be at the dorm in about ten minutes. Go to Building 1. Come to my place for dinner instead.”
“Uh, is that okay?” Guo Panwei hesitated.
“You’re not outsiders, what’s wrong with it?” Dong Xuebing said casually. It was true, they were all old friends. Even his secretary, Su Yan, wasn’t as close to him as Guo Panwei and Chang Juan. After all, they had known each other for years. “Just come, we’ve got vegetables and meat at home. We’ll cook a few dishes.”
“Alright, we’ll get cooking,” Guo Panwei said.
A while later, Dong Xuebing’s car entered the staff dorm area. Through the car window, he saw that Guo Panwei and Chang Juan were already waiting at the entrance of Building 1, carrying large bags and small bundles. Dong Xuebing asked Xiao Wang to stop the car and waved for him to go home and eat.
Guo Panwei and Chang Juan greeted him.
Dong Xuebing smiled, “Come on, let’s go upstairs and talk.”
Back at his place, Dong Xuebing let the two of them in. “Make yourselves at home. By the way, take everything back with you later. You know I don’t accept gifts.”
Guo Panwei put the things down and said, “Leader, these aren’t gifts, just some fruit and local specialties. Who doesn’t know you don’t accept gifts? We wouldn’t dare. Take a look.” He opened the bag, revealing some local specialties from Fenzhou, including dried goods. “Since you worked in Fenzhou for two years, I thought you might miss these specialties, so I brought them over for you.”
Dong Xuebing laughed, “You’re right, I have been missing the food from Fenzhou.” Two years wasn’t a short time, and Dong Xuebing had developed some affection for the place.
Guo Panwei smiled, “Perfect, I’ll cook those dishes later.”
Chang Juan also smiled charmingly, “These are just some local specialties from Zhenshui County. Nothing expensive, I’ll steam the pickled meat first.”
They didn’t stop; they went straight into the kitchen to cook.
Dong Xuebing didn’t say much, poured them some tea, and went upstairs to change clothes and take a shower.
When he came down again, the dishes were almost ready.
“Leader, the dishes are ready. Please come to the table,” Chang Juan smiled.
Guo Panwei brought up the final dish, “All set.”
Dong Xuebing smiled and sat down. “Let’s eat together. By the way…” With his old subordinates here, Dong Xuebing was quite happy. He stood up and walked over to a cupboard, pulling out a bottle of Maotai. “I’ve got some good wine, let’s try it. I don’t have any cups, though.”
“I’ll go get them,” Chang Juan said, going to fetch the cups.
Soon, the three of them were seated at the table, and the meal began.
Dong Xuebing raised his glass, “Let’s make a toast. The three of us, the first one. You’ve both worked hard, coming all the way here and immediately starting dinner without even catching your breath.”
Guo Panwei immediately replied, “It’s no trouble, it’s our pleasure.”
Chang Juan’s eyes turned into narrow slits as she smiled, “Yes, you always think of us first when something good happens, how could we say it’s hard work? Xuebing, this glass is for you.”
The three of them clinked glasses. Dong Xuebing then asked, “Have you heard the news?”
Chang Juan smiled broadly, “I’ve heard, I’ve heard! This is a big deal; I need to thank you. This is amazing. I never thought we’d be looking at county-level withdrawal and city establishment. If it happens, we’ll all benefit too. I’ve just been promoted to a regular section head, and now we might even be considered for a promotion to deputy division head. It’s unimaginable. No, Xuebing, I need to toast you again. Let’s have a good drink tonight!”
Guo Panwei also thanked him, “Thank you, Secretary Dong.”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand, “No need for formalities. Do you remember when I first became a civil servant? We were all in the same office in the General Office. How many years has it been now?”
Guo Panwei didn’t even have to think, “Five years.”
Dong Xuebing sighed, “Yes, it’s been five years. Five years ago, we met, and today we’re sitting together, working as a team. What a big destiny.”
Chang Juan agreed, “That’s right, it hasn’t been easy.”
Guo Panwei lamented, “We owe everything to you; without your guidance, Chang Juan and I would still be stuck in the General Office. We would never have been promoted, let alone to division head or deputy division head. Five years ago, I never would have even dared to dream of this.”
Chang Juan nodded, “Who would’ve thought this would happen? It feels like a dream.”
Guo Panwei and Chang Juan were excited about their future promotions to deputy division heads. They couldn’t help but feel thrilled as they recalled the past.
Dong Xuebing also missed those early days and smiled as he looked at Guo Panwei, “I still remember how you used to give me the cold shoulder, right?”
Guo Panwei turned green with embarrassment, “Please don’t mention that, don’t mention it.” Dong Xuebing said it lightly, so Guo Panwei understood that he wasn’t taking it seriously.
Dong Xuebing laughed heartily.
Chang Juan teased, “I remember too. Guo Panwei couldn’t make up his mind at all. But me? I was determined. When I first saw Xuebing, I knew he was someone special. He had that aura, someone with a great destiny. I knew then that following Xuebing would lead to a great future. And our Xuebing is different from other leaders; he’s kind-hearted and cares for his subordinates. Where else could we find such a good leader?”
Guo Panwei laughed and teased, “Don’t talk about me. What do you mean by ‘determined’? All you ever did was play games and fix your makeup, from the start of the day to the end. You never did any actual work.”
Chang Juan hurriedly retorted, “I didn’t play games!”
Dong Xuebing also said, “Sister Chang wasn’t playing games, she was chatting online.”
“Xuebing,” Chang Juan said with a wry smile.
“It’s still now,” Dong Xuebing continued, exposing her old habits. “When I was in Zhenshui County, didn’t I transfer Sister Chang to the Investment Promotion Bureau? Guess what, Panwei, you were at least a deputy bureau chief by then, and on Sister Chang’s first day on the job, she secretly opened QQ to chat, and I caught her red-handed. I was speechless.”
Chang Juan blushed and said, “I don’t chat online anymore. Now I focus all my energy on work.”
After chatting for a while about the past, they all felt how unpredictable life was and how much it had changed.
Of course, from Chang Juan and Guo Panwei’s perspective, the most significant change was still Dong Xuebing. Both of them had worked for many years as low-level officials, and now, in their thirties, they had just risen through the ranks. However, Dong Xuebing had started as a young rookie just entering the system. Step by step, Guo Panwei and Chang Juan had practically watched him soar to new heights—from a clerk to deputy director, from deputy director of the public security bureau to director of the investment promotion bureau, from a regular section chief to deputy division chief, and finally to division chief. Now, he was about to become the mayor of the city. Dong Xuebing was only 27 years old, having been in the system for only five years. Such a meteoric rise could genuinely be called a miracle.
How could Guo Panwei and Chang Juan not feel a sense of awe and wonder?