Power and Wealth

Midday.

New Office.

Too many people were in the cafeteria, so Dong Xuebing didn’t eat there. Instead, he returned his meal to his empty office area to eat alone, enjoying the quiet. Today's stir-fry from the second cafeteria was particularly good, with a generous amount of meat. Feeling fully satisfied, he belched twice, poured himself a cup of green tea, and drank it with a contented sigh. Leisurely, he pulled out a few documents to familiarize himself with his new job. In reality, there wasn’t much new to learn; the work of the second section of the ninth division was nearly identical to that of the second section of the eighth division, with the only difference being the regions they monitored.

Ring, ring, ring.

The phone on the desk rang.

Dong Xuebing casually picked it up. "Hello, Ninth Division, Second Section."

At this point, Dong Xuebing was a one-man team; none of his subordinates had reported in yet, and some positions were undecided. Therefore, he had to handle everything himself.

“Is this Xiao Dong?” The voice on the other end was male.

Dong Xuebing found it familiar. “Yes, it’s me. And you are?”

“This is Zhu Weiye.” It was Zhu Weiye, the director of the eighth division.

Dong Xuebing realized who it was. “Director Zhu, hello. What can I do for you?”

Zhu Weiye said, “You’re now with the ninth division, so I can’t give you orders anymore. I just wanted to ask about something. I saw the personnel transfer nominations from the ninth division earlier. Why is Han Fei’s name on the list? Is she someone Director Fang wants, or did you request her?”

Dong Xuebing paused, then replied, “I requested her.”

Zhu Weiye said, “Let’s leave Xiao Han out of this. She’s still young and should continue gaining experience in the eighth division. We’ll arrange a good position for her in the future.” Usually, a division director wouldn’t need to call Dong Xuebing to say they weren’t releasing someone. A single directive would suffice. However, Zhu Weiye knew Dong Xuebing’s background and that Han Fei’s father was a significant figure. Thus, he made this call to convey that he didn’t want Han Fei to leave and would arrange something suitable for her when the time was right.

Sensing that Zhu Weiye was reluctant to let Han Fei go, Dong Xuebing wasn’t pleased. “Director Zhu, what I value about Xiao Han is her youth, energy, and drive. Our department is newly established, and I’m the only person here. We urgently need someone like Xiao Han to come here and make a difference. Your eighth division is well-established, with all aspects and various tasks running smoothly. Losing Xiao Han won’t hurt you much, but it’s a different story for us. I finally got to request someone; you can’t refuse me now.”

Zhu Weiye replied, “He Zhou from the second section is also excellent—competent and well-qualified.”

“He Zhou is indeed good,” Dong Xuebing said. “But we don’t have a position for him here. We can’t just transfer him laterally; he’s still a deputy Division Chief level inspector. I doubt Xiao He would be willing to come. Director Zhu, let’s respect Han Fei’s preference. She can stay if she doesn’t want to leave, and I won’t say a word. But if she wants to come, you must let her go.”

Zhu Weiye said, “You are something, huh? Just transferred, and you’re already poaching people.”

Dong Xuebing responded righteously, “It’s all for work, Director Zhu. I truly need Xiao Han here; we can’t manage without her.”

“I’ll talk to Xiao Han first.” With that, the call ended.

Dong Xuebing knew Zhu Weiye was unhappy. His promotion was partly due to the help of his mother-in-law and other family members, but Zhu Weiye was probably glad to see him go. Dong Xuebing was aware of his tendency to cause trouble, not just minor issues but big problems. Now that Zhu Weiye understood Dong Xuebing's rebellious nature, he didn't want to keep him around. There was always a risk that Dong Xuebing might cause a significant incident, potentially implicating Zhu Weiye. However, Han Fei was different. Although she had a bit of a fiery personality, she was generally well-behaved, popular, and didn't cause big issues. Her father was also a significant figure in the Organization Department, making her an asset any leader would want. Dong Xuebing’s forceful demand for Han Fei was understandably frustrating for Zhu Weiye.

However, this situation was unique to Dong Xuebing. If any other department head had made such a request, Zhu Weiye would have refused outright without further discussion. However, because Dong Xuebing insisted that only Han Fei would do it, the situation became more complicated. Additionally, Fang Wenping was potentially involved, who wasn't easy to deal with either.

Afternoon.

Eighth Division.

Han Fei had just returned to her office area after lunch with her colleagues when Yin Cheng'an walked out of his office and called, "Xiao Han, Director Zhu wants to see you."

Han Fei was surprised. "Which Director Zhu?"

Yin Cheng'an, seemingly in the know, said, "Which other Director Zhu in the Eighth Division? Go quickly. It's probably good news." Then he went back inside.

Outside.

He Zhou exclaimed, "Xiao Fei is getting promoted?"

Han Fei, surprised, replied, "Really? I haven't heard anything about it."

"Why else would the director want to see you? To chat?" Sun Zhaobang laughed. "It must be good news. We’ll miss you if you go."

He Zhou sighed, "Yeah, the office will be dull without our cheerful one."

Han Fei, smiling, playfully scolded, "So you all just use me for amusement? Fine, fine, I'm going. Wait for my news." Though she appeared cheerful, she was pretty nervous inside. She had been eyeing a deputy section chief position for a long time. She knew there weren’t immediate opportunities for her in the Eighth Division due to her lack of seniority. This adjustment was her only hope, so she couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Upstairs.

Director's Office.

Han Fei knocked and entered. "Director."

Zhu Weiye looked at her, smiling warmly. "Have a seat."

"Okay." Han Fei nervously sat opposite him. "You wanted to see me?"

Zhu Weiye thought momentarily, then said, "I'll be direct. The Ninth Division wants you to transfer over. What do you think?"

Han Fei blinked, "I'll follow whatever the arrangement is."

Zhu Weiye said, "There’s no arrangement yet. I wanted to hear your thoughts first."

"I..." Han Fei hesitated, then said, "I’d like to go."

Zhu Weiye sighed, knowing there was nothing more he could do. He shook his head slightly. "You’re aware that your current experience isn’t enough. I had hoped to keep you in the Eighth Division to further develop your skills and experience before assigning you to a significant position in the future."

Han Fei quickly said, "Director Zhu, you’ve always looked after me since I joined the Eighth Division. I appreciate it."

Zhu Weiye laughed, "Sure, I can see how happy you are about this."

Han Fei quickly denied, "Not at all, Director Zhu. It’s just that the Ninth and Tenth Divisions are newly established and need people. If I can contribute to them, that would be great. So..."

Zhu Weiye pointed at her, smiling, "You always know what to say. Alright, since you feel that way, you can go. Your exact position hasn't been decided yet, but it should be in the Ninth Division, Second Section. You might get a promotion, too. Someone from the relevant department will talk to you in the next couple of days. Be prepared."

Han Fei was stunned, "The Second Section of the Ninth Division? Director Dong's department?"

Dong Xuebing had never mentioned anything to Han Fei about this, nor had he given her any hints. She thought he didn't want her, ignoring her signals that she wanted to work with him. To her surprise, Dong Xuebing's section indeed wanted her.

Zhu Weiye, realizing there was no keeping Han Fei now that the decision had been made, figured he might as well show some goodwill toward Dong Xuebing. "Yes, it was Director Dong who requested you. He said he specifically wanted you and no one else. He values you highly."

Han Fei was visibly taken aback, clearly not expecting this.

"Alright, go back and prepare," Zhu Weiye said.

In truth, Zhu Weiye had known since seeing the Ninth Division's list that it would be tough to keep Han Fei. Aside from other considerations, dealing with her father could become problematic. It could create issues if someone else wanted Han Fei and offered her a promotion, but Zhu Weiye refused to let her go. Han Fei’s father might take offense, and since Dong Xuebing specifically requested her and Han Fei wanted to leave, Zhu Weiye didn't have much choice. He wanted to convey to Han Fei that he wasn't neglecting her. If she stayed, he would have arranged a good position for her; it was just a matter of timing.

Han Fei thanked Zhu Weiye again before leaving.

Once outside, she called Dong Xuebing. "Hello, Director Dong. Thank you!"

Dong Xuebing immediately understood that Director Zhu had agreed. "No need to thank me. Come and report as soon as possible. There's a lot of work waiting for you here."

Han Fei replied, "Okay."

About half an hour later, Dong Xuebing received an unexpected call from Han Fei’s father, Han Zhenghe. "Is this Dong Xuebing? This is Han Zhenghe."

Dong Xuebing was taken aback. "Hello, Director Han."

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Han Zhenghe spoke slowly, " Xiao Fei will work in your department. I spoiled her as a child. Please don't feel obliged to give her any special treatment. Criticize her if needed, and don't hesitate to be strict." Despite his words, he wanted Dong Xuebing to look after Han Fei.

Dong Xuebing got the hint and replied, smiling, "There's no need for that. Xiao Fei is competent and well-behaved. I'm looking forward to her assistance."

Han Zhenghe said, " Come by our house for a meal sometime. My wife will cook for you."

"Sure," Dong Xuebing said, "I'll visit when I can."