Chapter 4: Five-Star Hotels

  Arriving at Zhu Ya-jun's office, Zhu Ya-jun didn't go to the back of the desk to sit down, but instead sat side by side with Fei Chai on the sofa, chatting idly with him for a while, from old anecdotes to recent news about their former classmates. They attended a geological school where female students were rare, so gossip about romantic affairs was also a big deal back then. The conversation went on for over an hour, during which some people came in to report work and Zhu Ya-jun would dismiss them with a few words because he was having too much fun chatting.

  Fei Chai felt a bit embarrassed and said to Zhu Ya Jun: "I think I'll go report to the political department first, you have a lot on your plate here."

  Zhu Yajun said, "No need to be so formal, it's been years since we last met. Reporting for duty is a simple matter, I'll just call Old Liu over." He took out his phone and dialed a number, saying: "Old Liu, Fei Chai has already reported for duty and is in my office right now. Come on over and bring the necessary documents, it's all internal transfers, no need to make it so complicated." Then he hung up the phone and smiled at Fei Chai, saying: "Alright, let's continue our chat... So, that year, did Zhang Hansheng and Cui Xia really have an affair?" It seems men can be even more gossipy than women.

  Not long after, a slightly balding middle-aged man with a smile knocked on the door and walked in. He should be Old Liu from the Political Department. After coming in, he first shouted "Director" and then warmly shook hands with Fei Chai, saying: "Ah, I've been waiting for you." The following words seemed to be directed at Fei Chai, but his face turned towards Zhu Ya-Jun and said: "With Comrade Fei's arrival, our bureau's technical strength has increased by a big margin."

  So, Old Liu called two more people over and they completed the registration procedures for Fei Chai in Zhu Ya Jun's office. During this time, Zhu Ya Jun kept chatting with Fei Chai as if Old Liu and the others were invisible. In fact, Old Liu was the director of the political department, but he was being ordered around by Zhu Ya Jun like a personnel section chief, yet he didn't seem to be angry at all.

  At noon, Zhu Yajun insisted on taking Fei Chai out for lunch. Fei Chai couldn't decline and had to agree, but then saw Zhu Yajun call the office director, and knew that this meal was going to be a "public" one. Then, all the members of the leadership team who could go also went. Zhu Yajun took the opportunity to formally introduce Fei Chai at the dinner table, as well as Fei Chai's relationship with his classmates. Everyone naturally welcomed him with smiles and polite conversation. Fei Chai understood that Zhu Yajun was doing this to let everyone know, including Fei Chai himself, that he was now one of Zhu Yajun's people. Although Fei Chai was an excellent technical talent who disliked the practice of forming cliques in the organization, he still remembered what Old Yue had said last night and could tolerate it because Zhu Yajun was after all a former classmate.

  At noon, when everyone was drinking wine, Fei Chai took the opportunity to ask about his work arrangement. Zhu Ya Jun smiled and said: "Don't worry, you just came back, there must be many things to arrange at home, and with your talent, our bureau can't fully utilize it? So I think we should discuss Comrade Fei Chai's specific work in a meeting." Although the tone was suggestive, no one present objected, and Fei Chai naturally couldn't speak up. Just then, a deputy director, whose surname was Wei, suddenly said: "Right, Director Zhu, I think Fei Gong won't be able to idle around either."

  Zhu Yajun turned to Deputy Director Wei and said slowly: "Old Wei, your meaning is..."

  Director Wei smiled and said: "That's right, it is."

  Fei Chai listened to a head of fog, Old Liu laughed and said: "Zhu Ju, Wei Ju, what are you two playing dumb riddles for? Hurry up and say it, look at how anxious you're making us."

  Zhu Yajun smiled and said to Fei Chai: "Old Fei, it's like this. Recently, we held a geological lecture with the city, and those who came to listen were all heads and deputy heads of various units, as well as directors of administrative offices. We've already had three days of classes, and we've all taken turns giving lectures. Now that you're here, it's just right for you to give these administrative personnel a lecture too. If the lecture goes well, it will be very beneficial for our bureau's future work."

  Fei Chai nodded, but he didn't understand why he was teaching geology to a group of administrative bureaucrats, and as a science, it wasn't something that could be learned in just a few months.

  When I was at a loss, Deputy Director Wei explained: "It's hard work, our Nanquan City has always been a resource-poor area. For an area to develop its economy, it can't rely solely on importing resources from other areas. After all, economic development is the general trend, and this new leadership team supports our bureau's work very much, so we can seize this opportunity for development."

  He seems to have understood, in short, the economy is not working out, and he wants to make a big leap forward in mining exploration. In fact, Fei Chai is very opposed to this kind of local exploration and mining, to put it bluntly, this is a way to cut off one's descendants. However, he also knows that he is in a low position and has just arrived, so this is not something he can control, so he says to the people at the table: "I've been assigned to our bureau now, as long as it's assigned work, where is the reason to pick and choose?"

  Zhu Yajun patted him on the back and said, "I told you, my old classmate, every one of them is capable! It's settled then, I'll personally send you to the venue this afternoon."

  At this time, Director Shen Xing reminded: "Director Zhu, there is another meeting in the city this afternoon, and it is specified that the head of the bureau must go, and the nameplate must be placed."

  Zhu Yajun was taken aback, slapping his forehead and saying: "Oh no, how could I have forgotten this... What can be done now?"

  "I'm such a big person now, I don't need anyone to send me there, just tell me the venue address and I'll go myself."

  Zhu Yajun's face turned difficult, as if he would be neglecting Fei Chai if he didn't see him off. Shen Xing saw this and immediately said: "Director Zhu, don't worry, I'll send Fei Gong over in the afternoon and also need to discuss with the conference team about arrangements for food and lodging, which can all be settled at once."

  "Old classmate, it's all right." Zhu Yajun said to Fei Chai again: "Old Fei, I originally wanted to introduce you properly in front of everyone, but look..."

  "Come on, it's all for work," Fei Chai said.

  Zhu Yajun then said to Shen Xing: "Little Shen, I'm entrusting my old classmate to you, make sure to take good care of him."

  "Don't worry, it's all right."

  Zhu Yajun turned to Deputy Director Wei and said, "Old Wei, I think you should also go with them this afternoon, make some introductions, Old Fei has just arrived, he doesn't know anyone yet."

  Director Wei also readily agreed.

  Through these few hours of observation, Fei Chai discovered that this old classmate of his, although young, appeared very powerful. Whether speaking with Old Liu or Old Wei, his tone was not like a bureau chief's, but rather like a small emperor's. However, this was someone else's business, and Fei Chai had always been uninterested in such things. Now that he had been assigned work, he was only interested in the task at hand, so he said: "If I'm going to teach class this afternoon, I'll still need to go home for a bit, to organize some materials and whatnot."

  Zhu Yajun smiled and said, "Don't worry about this for now, go to the meeting first and report your arrival. The afternoon's schedule should have been arranged long ago. If you need anything, just tell Little Shen directly. Cars, accommodations, we're all familiar with each other, no need to be polite."

  Fei Chai smiled and nodded towards Shen Xing and others, and everyone else also echoed Zhu Ya Jun's words.

  After dinner, Fei Chai wanted to go home and tidy up some documents. Shen Xing heard about it and immediately called Xiao Zhang, the driver of the small car team, to drive the car directly to the foot of the building. Zhu Ya Jun said to Fei Chai: "Old Fei, this car will be your dedicated vehicle for the next few days, and Xiao Zhang will be your dedicated driver. You just need to give orders." After saying that, he instructed Xiao Zhang a few more sentences, then went with some people to find a place to rest, leaving Shen Xing and Xiao Zhang to serve Fei Chai.

  Fei Chai had never been treated so warmly in his life, and for a moment he was still a bit unaccustomed to it. So he was extremely polite to both Shen Xing and Xiao Zhang. As a result, everyone became overly polite, even to the point of yielding to each other for half a day over who should get on the car first. On the way, Shen Xing chatted with him like an old friend, seemingly trying to figure out how close his relationship was with Zhu Ya Jun. Since Zhu Ya Jun arrived at the bureau, he had never been so enthusiastic and polite to anyone before.

  The taxi was much faster than the bus and it only took half the time to get home. Fei Chai got out of the car, turned around and said to Shen Xing and Xiao Zhang: "You guys go up and have a cup of tea too."

  Shen Xing smiled and said: "I was just thinking of going up to take a look at the door, Little Zhang, let's go bother them."

  Three people chatted and laughed as they went upstairs, Fei Chai took out the key to open the door, only to see You Qian wearing a bathrobe, lying on the sofa watching TV. Her husband brought someone back, she jumped up in a hurry, quickly let them sit down, then rushed into the bedroom, changed her clothes and came out after a while, inviting Shen Xing and others to have tea, and whispered to Fei Chai: "You, bringing people back without notice, look at this messy home, you're afraid others don't know you have a lazy wife. Honestly..."

  He smiled and said: "What's the big deal? We're all colleagues."

  "You're quite familiar with yourself."

  Fei Chai smiled and let Yu Qian greet Shen Xing and others, while he himself went to the bedroom to get some geological books. When he came out, he saw Yu Qian and Shen Xing chatting with Xiao Zhang, looking very happy. He only heard Shen Xing say: "Your house is not bad, it's a three-bedroom apartment."

  Yu Qian said: "Don't mention it, if he hadn't received the manuscript fee, the mortgage would have been unknown for how long..." As she saw Fei Chai coming out, she scolded and said: "You, good easy to come back, and want to go to class again. Just now Director Shen said that including food and lodging, I'll be alone at night again."

  Fei Chai hadn't even had a chance to speak, when Shen Xing hurriedly said: "Oh dear, little sister, blame me for not making it clear earlier. Actually, you can come along too, after all one person is one room, two people are also one room, and eating is even less of an issue, just more chopsticks."

  "You're right, I was just kidding, work comes first after all."

  "Little sister, just say something, I'm being serious. Looking at it this way, we're not in a hurry anyway. Little sister, you just pack up and bring some spare clothes and stuff, we'll set off later."

  You Qian was delighted to hear that, and just as she was about to get up, Fei Chai smiled and said: "Qianqian, I think it's settled then. I'll come back every day anyway, we're all in the city, so let's not trouble Director Shen."

  You Qian was a bit unhappy, Shen Xing saw it and said: "Fei Gong, don't be polite, we are all brothers, besides, what is the office for? It's to serve the brothers of the whole bureau, can't say it's troublesome, right, Xiao Zhang?"

  Xiao Zhang nodded hastily and said, "Fei Gong, don't be polite, with a beautiful sister-in-law like this, how can you bear to leave her alone at home?"

  Fei Chai couldn't push it off, so he had to agree. You Qian happily went to pack her bags. Fei Chai and Shen Xing called out to each other and followed You Qian into the bedroom. Before they could say anything, You Qian said: "Shut up, I've never stayed in a five-star hotel in my life, don't ruin this for me."

  Fei Chai could only say: "I didn't mean it that way, if we both leave, what about Xiao Mi?"

  You Yeqian said: "It seems that you still have a conscience and are thinking of your son. Don't worry, I'll let my parents take care of him for a few days. Originally, I wanted to bring my son along too, but after all, we're new here and no matter how hospitable the hosts are, we can't be too presumptuous. How about it? Is your wife sensible?"

  To be honest, Fei Chai really had nothing to say at this point. Turning his head and thinking about it, Yu Qian had been with him for so many years, but she hadn't enjoyed much good fortune. She used to be a fashionable girl who loved dressing up, but over the years, he hadn't even bought her a few decent pieces of jewelry or clothes. Now that he wanted to stay in a five-star hotel with him for a few days, it really wasn't an excessive request.