Chapter 184 The leader rides a bicycle, I ride in a car
Even after having a partner, life hasn't changed much.
Song Lubai runs errands every day, and when she has nothing else to do, she sits at her seat and reads the documents submitted by the departments below.
She looked at the messy pile of materials and receipts compiled by the supply department, drew a table on a piece of paper, wrote down the data, and made it easy to understand.
Dai Shuhua and the others went out with the leaders, while Song Lubai sat in the office, feeling relaxed and happy.
As long as no one opens the door, she can stay warmer by sitting near the door.
It's not a good year to stand out; just focus on doing your job well.
The office door was pushed open, and Deputy Minister Lou's face appeared in the doorway.
He looked around the office and, seeing only Song Lubai, a female colleague, frowned and asked, "Where are the others?"
Song Lubai stood up and said, "They've all gone out on business."
Lou Yuchun asked, "You were newly assigned here this year, right? Who are you working with now?"
Before Song Lubai could speak, Lou Yuchun said, "Hurry up and pack your things, come with me to the division headquarters for a meeting."
After the Commercial Department and the Material Supply Department were integrated, Deputy Minister Lou also had an office in the building. Yuan Lin was often by his side. Song Lubai saw Yuan Lin come here yesterday, and she didn't know why Yuan Lin wasn't with his leader today.
Song Lubai slung her cloth bag over her shoulder, packed her notebook, fountain pen, and ink inside, wrapped a scarf and gloves around her neck, and went downstairs where she saw Vice Minister Lou standing there pushing his bicycle.
Song Lubai finally understood why Vice Minister Lou had frowned when he saw her earlier.
A bicycle, a man and a woman. He's the leader; he can't very well ride with her on the back.
Song Lubai took the initiative to speak up: "Boss, I can ride a bike, let me ride it."
Lou Yuchun shook his head and said, "You women don't ride this old-fashioned bicycle well. The ground is too slippery. Xiao Yuan broke her leg in a bicycle accident yesterday. Let me take you instead."
When she went out with her boss, Song Lubai felt embarrassed sitting on the back of his bicycle.
Lou Yuchun didn't want to bring any female colleagues out, but since there was no one else in the office today, he had no choice but to bring this newcomer along.
"What's your name? Where are you from? Are you new here? Are there any male colleagues among the new recruits assigned to the secretariat?"
Song Lubai honestly replied, "My name is Song Lubai, and I'm from Yangcheng, Henan Province. I'm the only new person in the secretariat."
Lou Yuchun said, "When we get to the meeting room, sit behind me. Take notes as much as you can of what the leader is saying. Come to my office at the Materials Supply Department tomorrow. Xiao Yuan, you'll stay with me until he recovers. Tell the minister when you get back today."
Lou Yuchun's face was frozen stiff as he rode his bicycle, and his face was numb when he greeted people at the entrance of the division.
When acquaintances saw Song Lubai, a complete stranger, and recognized the bicycle ridden by Lou Yuchun, they couldn't help but ask her a few questions.
Song Lubai, with her keen senses, took the cart and pushed it behind another person pushing a cart.
"Where's Comrade Yuan who used to follow you?"
Lou Yuchun put his hands in his pockets and said, "She broke her leg in a bicycle accident yesterday. She's a new employee this year. It's hard for women to ride those old-fashioned bicycles. If she falls again, it'll be another problem."
The two leaders in front discussed the recent road conditions and weather, while Song Lubai in the back chatted with her companions.
The other person gave a thumbs-up and whispered, "Comrade, that's impressive, the leader is giving you a ride on his bike." What's his background?
Song Lubai said, "The bicycle isn't very friendly to female comrades. Our leaders are considerate of their subordinates. Comrade Yuan Lin just fell off his bicycle yesterday. Hello, comrade, I'm from the supply and marketing department, my name is Song Lubai. Which unit are you from?"
The man said, “My name is Ma Song. I work at the cotton mill. That’s our Secretary Gao. I remember that Yuan Lin used to come with Director Lou. I heard that the Materials Supply Department and the Commerce Department have merged and are now called the Supply and Marketing Department.”
As they walked in, they encountered many more people.
This was Song Lubai's first time visiting the division headquarters. It was really big. From the main gate to the flagpole, it was only a little over 300 meters. The building in front was only three stories high, but judging from its condition, it was much better than the supply and marketing department. There were also two-story buildings on the left, right and back.
The division headquarters should be considered the most impressive place in Shicheng.
The conference room was as big as a classroom, and all the attendees were leaders from units at the division level or above under the division headquarters.
It wasn't time for the meeting yet, so the leaders were exchanging ideas in the conference room, while their entourage members were chatting in small groups outside.
Cotton mills, wool mills, knitting mills, plant protection machinery factories, processing plants, repair shops, fertilizer plants, power supply bureaus…
Song Lubai and Ma Song joined the conversation. While listening to others asking people at the knitting factory if they had any rubber shoes, she suddenly realized the benefits of accompanying the leaders to meetings.
With so many people from various organizations here, if there's anything lacking, these people are the channels.
While Song Lubai was listening to others' conversation, Ma Song approached and asked, "Comrade Song, how many bicycle vouchers did you issue after the New Year? Which units did you distribute them to?"
Of all rare items, bicycles are undoubtedly among the hardest to buy. Having a ticket isn't enough; you also need to have the bicycle in stock to purchase one.
Song Lubai said vaguely, "Four tickets were issued after the New Year. I remember the hospital had one. I've been very busy lately and I don't plan to buy a bicycle, so I didn't really pay attention to which units the tickets were issued to."
Ma Song leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "I'll go to the hospital and ask. If I can't buy any this time, I'll have to trouble you, Comrade Song, to keep an eye out for me in the future. If you need fabric, I can help you find a way. Good fabric needs to be sold, but I can still get some defective fabric with problems with the patterns. My wife works at a wool mill; they also have substandard blankets there..."
Song Lubai's eyebrows twitched.
Since leaving home, she hasn't bought a single piece of clothing, except for the small items inside.
With only a few cloth coupons, I couldn't buy anything.
Spring is coming soon, and she wants to buy a new dress.
Fabric and blankets are rare and precious items that are hard to find.
Song Lubai pretended to be deep in thought, then, as if she had just thought of something, said, "Besides the hospital, it seems there's another one that was sent to the health school. Go and ask them about it."
Bicycle tickets weren't something the supply and marketing department could issue to whichever unit it wanted. Many small units didn't even have a bicycle, and leaders of these units had to pull strings from the former commercial department if they wanted to buy one.
These were things Song Lubai overheard Dai Shuhua and the other two saying while she was sorting through the receipts.
Although they worked under the leadership, they had no say in where the bicycle tickets went.
She felt that Ma Song's question was pointless; all four tickets were issued in the name of the company, which needed bicycles and would never resell the bicycle tickets.
Upon hearing this, Ma Song's smile widened further. "Comrade Song, do you know Comrade Dai Shuhua?"
Song Lubai nodded.
Ma Song snorted, "I've tried to contact her many times before, but she never gave me any information. You have no idea how difficult it is to find a bicycle ticket."
Hearing Ma Song say this, Song Lubai's heart began to pound.
Dai Shuhua has been doing this job longer than her, so she definitely knows better than her what to say and what not to say.
After Ma Song said that, she even wondered if she had said something wrong.
But the whereabouts of the bicycle ticket shouldn't be a secret, right?
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