For Jia Yunliao, at the Department of Water Resources, he always felt as if he were living in mid-air, high above, and always catering to others. However, this smart young man was not intoxicated by it. He knew that none of these people truly liked him. Deep in his heart, he always remembered a saying: when you are so popular that people drool over you, the more people will talk about you.
The department leaders below him seemed to treat him well on the surface, flattering him as a talented man, drinking, eating, and gambling together, all in a harmonious atmosphere. But it was all superficial. Fortunately, Director Li treated him quite well, entrusting him with many tasks. In Jia Yunliao's heart, this was a rare oasis. But today, something was off. Director Li was so anxious to find Cheng Jemin, and a sense of great frustration gripped him.
Cheng Jemin was no stranger to riding in an Audi, but most of the time, he sat in the front passenger seat as a secretary. This time, sitting in the back, watching the scenery rush by, he suddenly felt a sense of grandeur.
"Brother Cheng, half an hour ago, Director Li asked me to find you, but Dong Huacheng actually said you weren't at work. Just now, Director Li went there himself, and he still pretended to have someone look for you. This little trick made Director Li furious. He even dared to fool Director Li, he deserves it!" Jia Yunliao turned to Cheng Jemin and said.
Because they were once the secretaries of the first and second in command, the relationship between Cheng Jemin and Jia Yunliao was quite delicate, neither particularly good nor bad. But they were always very polite to each other. Hearing Jia Yunliao's overture, Cheng Jemin quickly responded, "Brother Jia, although Director Li has keen eyes, some matters are inevitably influenced by small-minded people. This time, I wasn't hurt by a hidden arrow, all thanks to your good fortune, Brother."
This really has nothing to do with me, Jia Yunliao thought first. But then, considering how Director Li had looked at Cheng Jemin differently today, the idea of getting closer to Cheng Jemin quickly took hold.
So he laughed and said, "Why be so formal with our own brothers?"
"Brother Jia is right, I shouldn't have said that." As Cheng Jemin spoke, he turned to the driver, Xiao Bai, and said, "Brother Bai, when do you two have time to have a drink together?"
The driver and secretary of a leader, though not high-ranking, held very important positions. In the entire Department of Water Resources, many people wanted to invite them to dinner, but it was rare for both to attend at the same time.
However, for Cheng Jemin, both men's attitudes were surprisingly consistent. Xiao Bai chuckled and said, "Director Cheng, we're all brothers. I have a friend who runs a dog meat restaurant. Though it's not high-class, the flavor is unique. Let's find a time to try it out."
Because all three had the intention to get along, the journey was quite harmonious. Cheng Jemin chatted with the two while thinking about the words in the diary, spreading good words liberally. Even if he made a mistake, it would still spread widely.
Five minutes later, Cheng Jemin arrived at Li Zhonghua's office. Standing opposite Li Zhonghua, Cheng Jemin did not sit down. Although he didn't know why Li Zhonghua had called him, he was determined to show a good attitude.
Li Zhonghua was an extremely smart person, able to grasp everyone's psychology to maximize his authority. From the moment Cheng Jemin entered, he wiped the smile off his face, becoming stern, and deliberately ignored him. He wanted to see how the young man would react.
In his heart, Li Zhonghua was very angry about Cheng Jemin's false report, even though it unexpectedly earned him the recognition and approval of the provincial party secretary, Liu. He still felt uncomfortable.
On the way back, he had already planned out his strategy, including his facial expressions, which would shift from cold to warm. Li Zhonghua believed that a straightforward approach would not be effective; it had to have ups and downs to achieve the desired effect. Like music, a sudden change in a calm and steady melody could create a storm, leaving a lasting impact. Li Zhonghua, with decades of experience, knew this well. He had to make this young man remember the lesson.
Li Zhonghua was not without talent. He had even broken down the entire process into several steps, but still felt that something was missing. If it were just a regular report, he wouldn't care, but this was something that had earned the approval of Secretary Liu. He had to understand Secretary Liu's intentions.
After returning from the provincial party, he carefully improved the content related to flood control, spending a few hours and writing a lot, but it still didn't feel right.
This thought made Li Zhonghua decide to call Cheng Jemin. Cheng Jemin's attitude was somewhat satisfactory.
Five minutes later, Li Zhonghua softly asked, "Xiao Cheng, how's the apple unloading going?"
"Almost done, a bit sore in the back and legs, I guess I need more exercise," Cheng Jemin glanced at Li Zhonghua and answered cautiously.
"Hmm. Knowing you're sore is good. Did you tell Dong Huacheng that you made a mistake, or are you trying to fool me with the same excuse?"
Cheng Jemin's mind was racing. He knew this was a critical moment. He had thought about this issue many times but couldn't come up with a better reason. At this moment, a passage from the black diary came to mind.
This passage was casually copied, but Cheng Jemin felt it was perfect for the situation. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Director Li, in my hometown, there's a river we have to cross to go to school. In winter, it's not bad, but in summer, especially during heavy rain, the river can flood all the roads."
"I remember one year, my father and I went to pick mushrooms in the mountains. A flood came, and in just a few minutes, it submerged half of the nearby village. Although the villagers were evacuated, the livestock was swept away, causing significant losses!"
Cheng Jemin's eyes became more serious as he continued, "That scene was like a knife stabbing into my heart. I felt the cruelty of the flood. When you asked me to convey the document, I felt I should do something about it! Moreover, I believe that every task you assign at the Department of Water Resources is not for your personal glory but for the benefit of the people. I think, even though you haven't said it, you are always putting people first."
"Putting people first, Xiao Cheng, you're absolutely right!" After a moment's thought, Li Zhonghua stood up from the sofa, patted Cheng Jemin's shoulder, and said loudly, "It's great that you have this mindset!"
Li Zhonghua's excitement was partly because Cheng Jemin's words touched his heart, and partly because Cheng Jemin's summary made him realize something. Li Zhonghua was a very sharp person. He was satisfied with his secretary, Jia, but felt that the materials Jia drafted lacked unique insights and were somewhat mediocre. They failed to highlight his meticulous planning and innovative thinking, which obscured the highlights of his work.
But Cheng Jemin's perspective won the approval of Secretary Liu, making him realize the importance of a different angle.
Li Zhonghua instantly felt that his plan was lacking a soul, like a marching army without a leader, or an orchestra without a conductor!
Hearing Li Zhonghua's praise, Cheng Jemin felt a sense of relief. He knew he had passed this test, and from Li Zhonghua's reaction, his favor had increased.
"Jemin, your intentions are good, but sometimes you can't be too rash or decisive. It's also necessary to communicate with your superiors in a timely manner. Not all leaders are narrow-minded and can't tolerate different opinions."
Cheng Jemin quickly responded, "Director Li, I was just carried away. I won't do it again."
"Hmm." Li Zhonghua nodded. Although he appeared stern, he was inwardly delighted, thinking, "You being carried away this time was good, it's like a stepping stone for me to open the door to Secretary Liu!"
With a gentle knock, the office director, Feng Changhai, entered. Feng Changhai had already heard about what happened and looked at Cheng Jemin with a peculiar gaze. It seemed that Director Li still highly appreciated Cheng Jemin, otherwise, why would he call him in for a chat?
"Director, this is a document from the provincial party office, please review it."
Li Zhonghua glanced at it and then looked at Cheng Jemin. Cheng Jemin understood it was time to leave and said, "Director, if there's nothing else, I'll go back."
"Sure, go ahead." Li Zhonghua waved his hand and then said casually, "Director Feng, part of the report was based on my oral instructions. Cheng Jemin didn't make a mistake, I misunderstood you."
Feng Changhai, who couldn't bear the apology from the director, quickly responded, "Director, you have so much work to do every day, I should have reminded you more."
Li Zhonghua nodded and said, "Cheng Jemin will be going to the countryside in a couple of days. Let him handle his affairs."
At this point, he seemed to remember something and added, "When is the rural support conference?"
PS: Brothers, please click, collect, and recommend more enthusiastically!