Chen Qing hesitated for a while but didn't think too much about it, because she had to go back to work on the third day of the Lunar New Year.
It's already the second day of the Lunar New Year!
Chen Qing lay on the bed looking at the small clock on the bedside table. There were no lights in the room, only a pale yellow bedside lamp, its soft glow enveloping half of the bed.
After taking a shower, He Yuan came to her side, rolled up the sleeves of his pajamas to his forearms, and placed his hands on Chen Qing's lower back, gently massaging her waist.
Chen Qing's eyes flickered slightly, suspecting that he had ulterior motives.
Feeling completely relaxed from his massage, Chen Qing sighed contentedly. After a while, she turned around and looked up, meeting his smiling eyes: "Hey, what are you doing? Why are you being so attentive? You must have ulterior motives."
He Yuan looked at her smiling eyes, which were curved into a caramel color by the light, and her eyes sparkled. For a moment, it seemed as if peach blossoms were blooming from the corners of her eyes, making her look extremely beautiful. "Chen Qing, you look so beautiful."
Chen Qing: "..."
Sometimes she would doubt He Yuan's focus.
"I know."
"It's getting late, we should go to sleep."
"Okay, go to sleep."
The wind was still blowing outside the window, and the only sounds inside were the two people's soft breathing, lingering in the night of the second day of the Lunar New Year.
*
Early on the third day of the Lunar New Year, He Yuan wrapped Chen Qing up like a little rice dumpling before seeing her off: "Don't get cold. If you need anything in your office, call home and have Xiao Yu and He Yuxiang bring it to you."
"Mmm-hmm-hmm."
Chen Qing obediently agreed.
He Yuan tidied the stray hairs on her forehead and said, "Don't let yourself be bullied."
Chen Qing smiled and said, "I've been bullied. Will you stand up for me?"
"I don't have that kind of incredible ability." He Yuan rubbed her face: "I'll curse him with you tonight."
Chen Qing was overjoyed. "Alright, I'm going to work now. Don't worry, I got bullied terribly. When I come back crying, you can hand me a tissue."
He Yuan's eyes lit up with a smile: "Okay."
Watching the children at home chat about their carefree lives after being bullied, it all felt so unreal.
He Yuxiang urged, "It's almost time, stop dawdling and get to work."
If I don't go soon, my already meager salary will be deducted from my full attendance bonus.
The couple exchanged a glance, sighed helplessly, and went to work separately.
Secretary Zhang drove up to Chen Qing's house and saw He Yuan. He said, "Director Chen, your whole family is finally reunited."
"Yes, I feel very at ease." Chen Qing then asked him how he felt.
Secretary Zhang started the engine and replied, "I've followed you all over the country, so my body is resilient and I can adapt to anywhere. But my wife and kids feel very dry. When it snows outside, their skin feels like it's covered in snow too. Everyone in the family is like a water bucket."
"When you take me home this afternoon, I'll get you some body oil so you can apply it to your family."
"Okay, thank you, Director."
Secretary Zhang drove to the Consumer Goods Industry Department. The courtyard where they conducted business was in the Soviet style, with a tall main building, heavy pillars on the porch, and walls of that aged gray-yellow color, exuding an unspoken solemnity.
Chen Qing got out of the car and went to the reception room.
The old man lifted his eyelids from behind the glass window, looked at the job transfer letter she handed him and the ID card that read 'Director of the Consumer Goods Industry Department', and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Director Chen, your office is on the third floor, and your office is at the very back of the third floor."
Okay, thank you.
Chen Qing and Secretary Zhang walked upstairs. The hallway was a bit dark, but fortunately the cement floor was very clean.
On both sides of the corridor on the third floor, rows of dark-colored wooden doors were half-open, each with a white sign with black lettering next to it: Textile Department, Clothing and Footwear Department, Daily Necessities Department, Planning and Coordination Department, Technical and Quality Department...
The words on the sign are neat and weighty, silently delineating the territory under the jurisdiction of the consumer industry of this vast country.
Chen Qing walked to the director's office at the end of the corridor. Next door was the department's general office. The door was open, and a thicker wave of heat, along with the sounds of people, rushed out.
Inside was a large open room, more crowded than Chen Qing had imagined.
Seven or eight desks of varying sizes were pieced together, with piles of files on them like small mountains. Folders of various colors, brown paper bags, and labeled files were all piled up haphazardly.
Three or four middle-aged men were flipping through documents. A female clerk was speaking into a microphone in a low voice. In the corner, two gray-haired comrades were pointing at the huge "Distribution Map of Key Light Industry Enterprises in China" on the wall and talking in hushed tones.
As soon as Chen Qing appeared at the door, someone in the office coughed lightly to attract everyone's attention and then pointed to Chen Qing at the door.
All eyes turned to Chen Qing.
There was a moment of silence. A man near the door, around forty years old, with a thin face and wearing black-rimmed glasses, quickly stood up, a perfunctory smile plastered on his face: "Are you Director Chen Qing?"
Chen Qing nodded.
Zhou Zhengmin immediately walked around the corner of the table to greet him, extended his hand, and said with a smile, "I am Zhou Zhengmin, the head of the General Office of the Department. The General Office of the Ministry called this morning to say that you were coming today, and everyone has been waiting for you."
"Director Zhou, hello." Chen Qing shook hands with him, the pressure just right.
Chen Qing's gaze calmly swept over every face in the room.
Everyone quickly adopted a respectful or at least focused expression.
Although everyone has different opinions about the new director, they all know her very well.
It is very clear that Chen Qing is a capable but short-tempered leader.
Most people didn't intend to intimidate Chen Qing. They were all quite old and had reached their current level, so they had some sense of propriety. They knew very well that with Chen Qing's record, any unwarranted provocation would only make them look foolish.
but……
Nobody wants to be like Chen Qing and have to struggle.
"Good morning, Director."
The greetings were given out of courtesy.
"Hello everyone, sorry to disturb your work." Chen Qing's voice was not loud, but clear. "I'm new here, so I'd like to familiarize myself with the situation first. Director Zhou, could you please send me a list of the main work projects that the department is currently following up on, a roster of personnel and their division of responsibilities, as well as the latest industry briefing? Also, if the heads of each department are here today, I would like to have a brief meeting."
"Yes, yes," Zhou Zhengmin replied hastily, then turned to a slightly younger clerk near the door and said, "Xiao Wu, go quickly and ask a few section chiefs to come over. Tell them that Director Chen has arrived."
Xiao Wu agreed.
Zhou Zhengmin then said, "Director, your office is this way, please."
The director's office is in the inner room, with the door facing the general office.
The room was smaller than the outside and simply furnished, but the furnishings were substantial: a large, dark red wooden desk, behind which was a high-backed black faux leather armchair, and opposite were two slightly older wooden visitor chairs.
Against the wall was a floor-to-ceiling dark filing cabinet. Besides the essential maps of China and the world, there was also a faded annual production target completion schedule.
Chen Qing went inside and looked around. She had just sat down behind her desk when there was a noise at the door. (End of Chapter)
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