The meeting was very short, lasting only a dozen minutes or so. Amidst the enthusiastic applause, Chen Bingnan thanked all his colleagues for their support of his work, and then Director Li Zhonghua summarized Chen Bingnan's work, giving it high praise.
In the following days, Chen Bingnan was very busy, and Cheng Jemin was also very busy. As Chen Bingnan's secretary, he had to pack up the things for his soon-to-depart leader. Amidst this busyness, Cheng Jemin still noticed that some people were treating him differently.
For example, those middle-level officials who used to be very friendly to him now had their heads held high, and when they passed by, they would just nod perfunctorily and move on.
Pang Xiaoguang, who used to always hang around Cheng Jemin, seemed not to see him at all when Cheng Jemin went to the office to find cardboard boxes to help Chen Bingnan pack things.
Cheng Jemin, who was already mentally prepared, did not take these changes to heart. He continued to carefully help Chen Bingnan pack his things. When he had some free time, he would call Gu Xixi and tease her quietly.
The rapid progress in his relationship with Gu Xixi made Cheng Jemin feel very happy. Although Gu Xixi seemed to be mindful of her colleagues and only smiled faintly, it did not affect Cheng Jemin's joy.
"Jemin, how do you feel today?" In the twilight, after Cheng Jemin had helped Chen Bingnan tie up the last stack of books, Chen Bingnan, holding a teacup, smiled and asked.
Cheng Jemin, who had rapidly matured in his understanding of human relations, smiled lightly and said, "Director, I have felt what I should feel."
Chen Bingnan had been observing Cheng Jemin's reaction. Hearing his answer, he smiled contentedly, "This is how society works. Feeling it will benefit you."
"Director, I will remember that. I will work hard."
"Good, I look forward to it." Chen Bingnan stood up from the sofa and said, "Let's go. A few old friends are sending me off, and I want you to come with me."
Hearing Chen Bingnan's arrangement, Cheng Jemin was moved. At this moment, those who would send Chen Bingnan off must be his closest friends. Bringing him along at this time carried a significant meaning. These people might not be able to help him much with big things, but they would certainly give Chen Bingnan face for small matters.
"Director, thank you! I will remember your kindness..." Cheng Jemin was so moved that he didn't know what to say. Chen Bingnan laughed heartily and said, "You are a promising young man. I believe you will do well whether I am here or not!"
Cheng Jemin looked at Chen Bingnan, who was smiling, and quickly picked up his handbag. As usual, he walked downstairs with Chen Bingnan. Watching Chen Bingnan's confident stride, Cheng Jemin reminded himself that this was a good opportunity. If he could seize it, it would be greatly beneficial for his future development.
On the fifth floor of the Golden Lion Hotel, when Cheng Jemin followed Chen Bingnan inside, several people were already seated. Seeing Chen Bingnan, they all stood up smiling, and the fattest man among them said first, "Mayor Chen, please sit here. You are the guest of honor today."
"Ha ha, brother, don't tease me. With you here, how dare I take the lead!" Chen Bingnan, who was now completely relaxed, spoke warmly.
Although Chen Bingnan was very humble, the few people who had arrived earlier, including Brother Wang, still pressed him into the main seat.
"Jemin, you can sit anywhere," Chen Bingnan said to Cheng Jemin after sitting down.
Cheng Jemin felt quite uncomfortable at this moment but maintained a calm appearance. Although he did not know any of these people, those who could be friends with Chen Bingnan were certainly not ordinary. Although they had not asked about him, Cheng Jemin could feel that they had already sized him up.
"Brothers, this is my secretary, Cheng Jemin. After I leave, Jemin will rely on all of you for support," Chen Bingnan pointed at Cheng Jemin and said with a smile.
Brother Wang laughed and said, "Brother, you are too polite. Among us brothers, there's no need to say such things." With his lead, the others also echoed in agreement.
Chen Bingnan's introduction deeply moved Cheng Jemin. Although Brother Wang said there was no need, Cheng Jemin knew it was very necessary. Without Chen Bingnan's introduction, even if these people knew he was Chen Bingnan's former secretary, they would not have given him much attention.
Human relationships are derived from people. First, there are people, and then there are relationships.
"Jemin, let me introduce you. This is Director Wang from the First Division of the Provincial Organization Department," Chen Bingnan said loudly, pointing at Brother Wang.
Cheng Jemin was startled. Although he had not been in the bureaucracy for long, he knew the importance of the Provincial Organization Department. He quickly stood up and said, "Director Wang, hello."
Director Wang nodded at Cheng Jemin and said, "Jemin, hello. Feel free to visit my office when you have time."
After introducing Director Wang, Chen Bingnan introduced the other three. Among them, the most outstanding was Sun Zhaobing, the director of the General Budget Bureau of the Provincial Finance Department. Although his position was at the department level, he controlled the provincial budget, making him more powerful than Chen Bingnan, the deputy director of the Water Resources Department.
The other two were a deputy director of the Provincial Forestry Department and a deputy secretary-general of the Tianyuan Municipal Government. After a brief introduction, Chen Bingnan smiled and said, "Where is Director Wu? Our bureau chief usually arrives early. Why is he so late today?"
As he spoke, the door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in a police uniform walked in with a gloomy face. However, when he saw the people in the room, he smiled and clasped his hands, saying, "Brother Chen, everyone, I had some business to attend to and came late. Have you started? If you have, I'll drink three cups as a penalty."
"Director Wu, please sit. Everyone has been waiting for you!" Chen Bingnan smiled and raised his glass, "Everyone, thank you all for your friendship today. I'll drink first."
Seeing the cheerful atmosphere at the table, Cheng Jemin drank along and quickly provided service, refilling water and offering hot towels at the right moments. He noticed that Director Chen glanced at him with a satisfied smile.
There are five stages of drinking, as people say: the virgin stage, where you must defend yourself; the maiden stage, where you half-resist and half-yield; the mature stage, where you accept everything; the widow stage, where you seek out others; and the old woman stage, where you pretend to be strong.
The virgin stage did not happen, but the maiden stage lasted for a while. When the bottle was almost empty, Cheng Jemin prepared to toast the leaders. In the bureaucracy, where hierarchy is strict, when a subordinate toasts a superior, the subordinate must drink while the superior can drink as they please. The amount is not important; what matters is that they drink. It's impossible to expect a leader to drink as much as a subordinate.
Although toasting might not significantly improve their impression of him, it would not hurt. Just as Cheng Jemin was about to pick up the bottle, Director Wang said, "Director Wu, are you facing some difficulties?"
"Ah, it's really a bad day. A murder case happened in the city, and somehow the media got wind of it. The higher-ups are pressuring us to solve it within three days. I stayed up all night last night!" Director Wu put down his glass and sighed.
"Are you talking about the murder in the rental house on Nan Street?" Director Wang asked with interest.
"Exactly! Damn it, we have no solid evidence, yet they want us to solve it in three days. You don't know how many times our bureau chief has asked me about it. I don't know how to answer him," Director Wu scratched his head and looked troubled.
Although everyone at the table was a bureaucratic elite, they were not experts in this field.
Cheng Jemin had not been paying much attention, but when Director Wang mentioned Nan Street, his heart skipped a beat. He remembered that in the diary, there was a passage about a murder on Nan Street a few years ago, where the perpetrator was the victim's own brother.
This thought flashed through Cheng Jemin's mind, giving him a new idea. At that moment, Sun Zhaobing said softly, "Director Wu, you are unlucky. This happened just as the new Provincial Secretary Liu took office. He is trying to create a good atmosphere. This case will not only be a headache for you but also for the two top officials in Tianyuan City."
Director Wu nodded and silently drank a glass of wine.
As Chen Bingnan and the others discussed the case, Director Wu stood up and said, "Everyone, I sneaked out. The special task force is still working overtime at the bureau. As the deputy in charge, I can't stay long, so I'll leave first."
"Director Wu, don't worry. There's always a way out," Chen Bingnan stood up and comforted him.
"I know." Director Wu picked up his glass and said, "Everyone, I'll drink first and take my leave."
From the conversation, Cheng Jemin understood Director Wu's position: the deputy director of the Tianyuan Municipal Public Security Bureau, in charge of criminal investigations. He was a powerful figure, and this was a great opportunity that he could not miss.
Seeing Director Wu about to leave, Cheng Jemin quickly said, "Director Wu, please wait a moment."
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