mesbooks Chapter 35 High-Risk Positions
Chapter 35 High-Risk Positions
On Monday morning, Lin Chen arrived at the bureau office right on time to report to Director Tang Xin.
He was used to working in the area below Balu and was always decisive in his work. He forgot to knock when he pushed the door open. The door creaked open, and the scene inside made the two of them freeze in place.
Tang Xin was taking off her sports vest, revealing half of her snow-white breasts to the public eye. The rounded curves and firm lines resembled an inverted jade plate, making one dizzy.
So moisturizing.
No wonder there's a saying circulating throughout Suicheng Company that young Tang Xin is a true heartthrob, the boss's sweetheart, and her colleagues' "milk candy."
Lin Chen clicked his tongue in amazement. He was thirty-seven or thirty-eight and still looked like this. An old Ferrari is still a Ferrari.
He reacted very quickly and withdrew, feeling somewhat amused and exasperated.
To stumble upon something like this on the very first day of reporting, things are probably going to get tough from here on out. I had planned to come here and continue living a carefree life writing novels, but I don't know if this will end well for me.
But he didn't feel any remorse. He'd seen it, so what? It was just two lumps of flesh. If Tang Xin felt cheated, he could just show her his eight-pack abs and they'd be even.
Tang Xin, who was inside the house, didn't panic for long.
She has always had the habit of jogging in the morning. After all, as the director of the bureau office, there is no private time at night. He is either entertaining Director Song or drinking with Director Tan. Only in the morning can he catch his breath.
After her run, she always went straight back to her workplace, changed into her uniform in the office, and usually locked the door carefully. But today, she forgot for some reason, which she supposes was fate.
A moment later, Tang Xin's calm and composed voice came from inside the room: "Come in."
Lin Chen forced open the door, standing there silently, already prepared for the worst. If she dared to get angry, he would take the opportunity to argue with her, preferably escalating the situation to the point where she would send him back to Balut.
To his surprise, Tang Xin looked up at him, gently brushed a stray hair from her temple with her fingertips, and asked confidently, "Did I look good just now?"
No, it's a bit provocative.
"Huh?" Lin Chen didn't expect her to be so direct. Tang Xin was able to get to her current position in Xinhai Company because she was beautiful and outgoing. Both of these qualities are indispensable.
Women, take a good look at the premise!
"It's quite pretty." Lin Chen wasn't some greenhorn; his tone was as calm as if he were commenting on a flower. But looking at a flower is never as good as arranging one.
A faint smile appeared on Tang Xin's lips, fleeting like an illusion. "Do you have some grievances against me?"
Lin Chen pursed his lips: "I wouldn't dare."
"I wouldn't dare, but I do have it." Tang Xin raised an eyebrow, her eyes sharp enough to see right through people.
"That's one way to put it." Lin Chen said neither humbly nor arrogantly. "You insist on me coming up, so how can I be grateful to you?"
"Actually, I've noticed you before," Tang Xin changed the subject. "You used to sit in the front row during meetings, with a serious and focused look in your eyes. But you were still too inexperienced back then, so I hoped you could gain more experience in the institute. Now you're really doing well."
Experience?
Lin Chen sneered inwardly, "You really know how to flatter yourself."
Ten years, a full ten years?
Do you know how I spent my time in Baru?
If you had wanted me earlier, I would have been at your beck and call. But now? Forget it, I'm not doing it for you.
However, he still had a faint smile on his face and didn't reply.
Seeing that he was unwilling to talk more, Tang Xin did not force him. She briefly explained the work and then pointed to the door: "Go find Deputy Director Liu Xingyu. He will arrange the specific matters for you."
Without saying a word, Lin Chen turned around and walked towards Liu Xingyu's office.
Liu Xingyu had been stuck in the position of deputy director for ten years, never able to shake off the title of "deputy". His sharpness had long since faded, leaving only a shrewdness that allowed him to read people's expressions.
Upon seeing Lin Chen, he was exceptionally polite, quickly standing up to offer him a seat and pouring him a cup of hot tea: "Sit down, don't be shy. Director Tang specifically mentioned you, saying you are very suitable for the work in the Bureau Office."
"Director Tang has probably misjudged him." Lin Chen took the tea, his tone flat.
Upon hearing this, Liu Xingyu's eyes flickered, and he tentatively asked, "Are you and Director Song... related in some way?" Director Song had mentioned Lin Chen's name at yesterday's meeting.
Lin Chen was unaware of all this. A thought struck him: there were actually many suspicious things about this specialist competition. Lin Chen figured that it must have been Director Song who spoke up, otherwise it wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
He calmly shook his head: "No, just an alumnus." Lin Chen wasn't lying; he really was an alumnus. Lin Chen had seen Song's file on the first day Song arrived. As for what others thought, let them think what they want.
Anyway, it won't do me any harm.
Liu Xingyu nodded thoughtfully, then took out an employee badge from the drawer and handed it to him: "This is your employee badge, number 007. Your office is across the street. Here are some materials for your position. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions."
007, Lin Chen found it inexplicably ridiculous, hoping his office life wouldn't be so ridiculous. Arriving at the large office, Lin Chen looked for his seat, and Zhang Junmin kindly pointed behind him: "Your seat is over there."
Lin Chen took a look and saw that it was the innermost seat, which was rather dark, but it suited Lin Chen's taste. He was afraid that if he was assigned a seat near the entrance, he would have to be on guard against surprise attacks from his superiors at all times, and he wouldn't be able to concentrate on writing his novel.
Actually, Zhang Junmin changed his seat. He was originally sitting in the corner, but he only moved out yesterday. However, Lin Chen didn't know this, otherwise he would definitely have confronted him.
Let me introduce the bureau's office. In addition to the two directors and deputy directors, there are as many as eight people.
Song Qiuyu, a training and management specialist, is 27 years old, unmarried, and has a simple and carefree personality. She watches all kinds of brainless idol dramas every day, and her eyes light up when she talks about handsome men. She even said that Lin Chen looks a lot like Qiu Ze, but to be honest, Lin Chen doesn't know who Qiu Ze is.
Lan Bingyan, a 32-year-old logistics and general management specialist, is divorced with two children. She has a strong personality and speaks with a strong Northeastern accent. Old Man Cheng often jokes that if a man marries her, it's like moving in with just his bags, and it's a one-bedroom, two-living-room apartment.
Chen Ya, a secretary and Lin Chen's ex-girlfriend, is mainly responsible for planning various events, handling receptions, and writing articles for the leaders. She is almost the busiest person in the entire office.
Director Tang liked her and always liked to take her along.
Zhang Junmin, Public Relations Management Specialist. Lin Chen didn't know why there was such a position in the office. Indeed, the name suited him perfectly. He was a male public relations officer who specialized in flattery and bootlicking. He was 30 years old and had some writing skills, so he could write articles.
Wu Yongshan, 42 years old, is a woman who still retains her charm. Her position is also a specialist, but she is not responsible for specific tasks. She arrives at work slowly at 9:30 every day and leaves in a hurry at around 4:00.
Like an outsider, Lin Chen initially wondered why this person was so bold, but later learned that she was Director Tan's wife.
There was also an old man named Cheng Xinsheng, who was about to retire in a year. He looked very healthy, but he said his health was failing. He had a stent implanted in his heart and the doctor gave him a certificate that he could not work.
So he comes to work every day, quite punctually, but does nothing. Nobody dares to ask him to do anything; nobody dares to take that risk. His only contribution is that he's a great tea brewer, and the office's tea room is kept running by him.
Finally, there was one man and one woman left, named Xie Dongjian and He Chunru. They were both newcomers this year, hanging in the office for training. No one knew where they would be assigned in the future. Strictly speaking, they didn't belong to the office and didn't even have a workstation.
Lin Chen carried his bag to his workstation in the corner. Just as he put down his computer, he heard a barely audible cough from his right.
It's Chen Ya.
When her gaze fell upon him, Lin Chen also looked at her.
Her eyes held a complex mix of joy, concern, and even a lingering ember of an old flame.
She opened her mouth quickly and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Welcome... to the office."
Lin Chen withdrew his gaze, feeling nothing. He had no interest in playing the old flame card; office romances rarely ended well, and besides, he just wanted to get by right now.
Whether they had overheard Chen Ya's words or not, Zhang Junmin, who was in front, said something sarcastic: "The threshold for our office is getting lower and lower these days; anyone can get in."
Lin Chen didn't even lift his eyelids, slowly tidying up the table as if he hadn't heard anything.
This dismissive attitude further enraged Zhang Junmin. He raised his voice, as if speaking to the entire office: "Some people, don't think that just because they've used connections to get promoted they're someone important. They're nothing but a fart."
Is the air in the office a bit stagnant? But everyone's just minding their own business.
Chen Ya stopped typing, her brows furrowed, and her gaze, filled with barely perceptible worry, turned to Lin Chen.
Lin Chen finally reacted. He put down the materials, leaned back slightly, and looked calmly at Zhang Junmin, his tone even carrying a hint of curiosity: "Zhang Junmin, who are you talking about?"
Zhang Junmin scoffed: "Who do you think doesn't know their own limitations?"
Lin Chen smiled, a lazy smile that carried a hint of sarcasm: "I'm indeed not as good as you. That earth-shattering kneeling you did back then was truly awe-inspiring and could be recorded in the company's history."
Zhang Junmin's face flushed instantly. He pointed at Lin Chen and stammered for a long time, unable to utter a word. That incident was a sore spot for him; after all, he had knelt down to greet his superior, which had always been a laughing stock.
"Alright, alright, that's enough." Old Cheng stepped in to smooth things over, swirling his teacup over. "Lin Chen, right? Welcome to our family. How about some of this freshly brewed Pu'er tea?"
Lin Chen took it and tasted it: "Eight-year-old aged Pu, right? Menghai material, properly fermented, and stored cleanly."
Cheng Xinsheng's eyes lit up as if he had discovered a treasure: "You know tea, kid?" He sat down in the empty seat opposite Lin Chen, poured himself a cup, and the aloofness in his eyes lessened considerably.
No one in the office knew anything about tea, so he didn't find drinking it particularly enjoyable by himself.
"I know a little bit." Lin Chen smiled modestly. "This tea is mellow and not bland, with a natural sweet aftertaste and refreshing sensation in the throat. Most importantly," he took another sip, "it has a faint medicinal aroma, which means it has been transformed very well."
Lin Chen's family used to grow tea, so he naturally knows a thing or two about it.
"Yes, yes, yes." Cheng Xinsheng exclaimed in admiration, his wrinkles crinkling into a smile. "So young and so knowledgeable, that's rare. I still have a few pieces of ten-year-old Icelandic tea in my cabinet. I'll brew some for you to try later, so you can taste what it means to be sweet and smooth."
The two had a very pleasant conversation, talking about everything from the mountains of Pu'er to the processing of black tea, from the initial processing of green tea to the withering of white tea. If they weren't at work, they almost would have gone out and gotten into a fight.
Zhang Junmin was left standing to the side, his face ashen. He had intended to give Lin Chen a hard time, but unexpectedly, Lin Chen used a cup of tea to become friends with the most senior man in the office, Old Man Cheng.
Lin Chen did all this intentionally. The water in this office was deeper than he had imagined. Now that he was here, he needed to find a breakthrough quickly so that he could truly live in peace.
As we were leaving get off work, Director Tang Xin suggested, "How about our department have a dinner party tonight to let Lin Chen know and welcome him back?" But Zhang Junmin said he had plans to play mahjong and was busy, and the others also said they were busy.
In the end, Director Tang had no choice but to say, "Then let's do it next time." Lin Chen knew that there wouldn't be a next time, and even if there were, it wouldn't be a welcome party. But it didn't matter; Lin Chen had to go back to writing to earn money.
When Lin Chen first arrived at the office, he wasn't quite used to it, because the offices of several leaders were right next to his, and they would come over to check on him from time to time, which made him a little nervous.
Lin Chen, who was new to the area, really had nothing to do and couldn't imitate the others by pretending to be very busy at all times.
Sometimes, when Lin Chen encountered several bureau chiefs in the restroom, he would immediately turn back and wait for them to finish before going in. There was no particular reason; he just didn't want to say "Hello, leader."
A week later, Lin Chen finally understood his job responsibilities: Safety and Dispute Management Specialist, in charge of safety accidents and conflicts throughout the county, monitoring key groups to prevent petitions, optimizing safety regulations, and regularly checking the petition box and handling feedback.
Today, Lin Chen was cleaning out his drawers when he saw the key to the petition box left by his predecessor, and he walked to the outer door of the company.
There was a large, rusty petition box, crammed full, with several letters spilled out and battered by the rain. Judging from the date, they were from about six months ago, indicating that the petition box had been neglected for a long time.
Because the petition box had been untouched for so long, the lock was rusty and the key couldn't be inserted. Lin Chen used saliva to lubricate it for a long time before he was able to pry it open. In the end, he retrieved a total of 108 letters.
Lin Chen opened each letter one by one and began to take notes.
There were ten letters complaining about Xinghui Chemical Plant's sewage discharge causing serious pollution to the river, followed by seven or eight letters about the unfinished pipeline renovation project in Shitou Village, and several complaints about the water quality of the Wushan Water Plant.
There were many other trivial issues, such as employees taking kickbacks and the director having a mistress. The key was that these were all described in a vague and ambiguous way, and none of them were signed, which gave Lin Chen a headache.
How could Lin Chen possibly begin?
Seeing him frowning as he opened the envelope, Old Man Cheng leaned over and asked, "Lin Chen, what are you looking at these things for? Are you stupid?"
"Isn't my job as a specialist to solve these problems?" Lin Chen looked up.
Old Cheng scoffed, "Are you stupid? How can we possibly handle all this stuff? When Zhang Junmin was in charge, he would just clear it out once a year, tear it up, and throw it in the trash."
Lin Chen: "You can do that?"
Old Man Cheng scoffed: "Otherwise?"
Lin Chen didn't understand: "Then what's the company doing with me in this position? Just as a mascot?"
Old Cheng moved closer to his workstation and lowered his voice: "There must be a position, and you have to make sure it looks proper. Otherwise, when someone comes to check, what will you say? If someone is there, at most they'll just say you're not doing your job properly."
Lin Chen was uncomfortable: "This is allowed? It seems I'm just a scapegoat?"
Old Man Cheng snorted coldly: "Let me tell you, this is indeed a high-risk position for you, but remember, it's better to do less than more. Just pretend you don't know anything, and if you get the chance in a few years, quickly switch to another position."
Lin Chen fell into deep thought.