Chapter 3: The Provincial Government Compound

Provincial Government Compound.

It was Zhang Jun’s first time here.

The main gate was blocked by railings, and a guard was on duty at the side entrance.

Zhang Jun rode his bike to the side gate but was stopped by the impeccably stern guard.

“What’s your business?” the guard asked.

“Hello, comrade. Vice Governor Ma summoned me. I’m here to see Vice Governor Ma,” Zhang Jun replied.

“Register over there,” the guard said rigidly, pointing toward the guardhouse.

Zhang Jun wheeled his bike to the guardhouse and stood before a small window, saying inside, “Hello, comrade. Vice Governor Ma summoned me. I’m Zhang Jun from the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine.”

Someone inside tossed him a registration book.

Zhang Jun filled it out truthfully, handed it back, and asked, “Comrade, may I enter now?”

“Show your ID.”

“Here.”

“Work badge.”

“Got it.”

“Call Vice Governor Ma’s office. They must approve before I can let you in.”

“Comrade, I don’t know the phone number for Vice Governor Ma’s office.”

“Who told you to come, then?”

“Vice Governor Ma called our unit’s leader, who told me to come.”

“Then call your leader, get the number, and then call Vice Governor Ma’s office.”

“Do you have Vice Governor Ma’s number here?”

“This is protocol. We can’t disclose leaders’ numbers casually.”

The tedious procedures left Zhang Jun utterly frustrated.

He thought to himself: Vice Governor Ma wanted to see me, yet here I am, all annoyed!

He wanted to turn around and leave, ignoring that Ma person altogether, but after some thought, he swallowed his pride, determined to see what the matter was.

The guardhouse had a phone.

Zhang Jun recalled Director Wu Guoquan’s number and called him immediately.

Wu Guoquan was easy to talk to and gave him Vice Governor Ma’s office number.

Zhang Jun memorized it, wrote it down in his phone book, and then called Vice Governor Ma’s office.

“Hello, who’s this?” a young man’s voice answered—not Vice Governor Ma himself.

“Hello, I’m Zhang Jun from the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Director Wu told me Vice Governor Ma summoned me. I’m at the provincial government guardhouse now. Could you please inform the guard?”

“All right, please pass the phone to the guard.”

Zhang Jun handed the phone to the guard.

The guard’s face remained stern at first, but after hearing the voice on the line, he immediately broke into a broad smile and cheerfully said, “Okay, okay, got it.”

He hung up and told Zhang Jun, “You may enter.”

Zhang Jun wanted to ask for directions, but the guard raised a newspaper to cover his face and crossed his legs.

So Zhang Jun wheeled his bike inside.

What a beautiful place!

Tall walls enclosed the compound, built in a Soviet style reminiscent of the 1950s and ’60s, lush greenery everywhere, wide smooth roads, filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers—more picturesque than any park in the city.

If only he could work here, how wonderful that would be.

Zhang Jun sighed, gazing at the series of equally tall buildings before him, unsure of which way to go.

He locked his bike in a nearby parking shed and, relying on his guess, headed toward a large building on the left.

At the entrance, there was no sign.

Just then, a young woman in her early twenties came out. She was beautiful and graceful.

The staff in this compound were truly attractive!

Zhang Jun called out, “Comrade, hello, may I ask where Vice Governor Ma’s office is?”

The woman glanced at him and casually pointed upstairs. “Third floor, take the stairs on the left, third room.”

Zhang Jun felt confident he had guessed right, thanked her, and hurried upstairs, fearing he might be late and anger the vice governor.

At the third-floor office, the door was ajar. Zhang Jun knocked.

“Come in,” a voice inside said.

Zhang Jun pushed the door open and saw a man in his thirties sitting behind the desk—fair-skinned, clean-shaven, looking quite refined. He guessed this must be Vice Governor Ma’s secretary.

“Hello, I’m Zhang Jun from the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Is Vice Governor Ma available?”

“Comrade Zhang Jun, unfortunately, Vice Governor Ma just received a call and had to attend an urgent meeting on short notice. If you’re not in a hurry, please wait in the lounge next door, okay?”

“I have no other matters. The leader’s affairs are most important.”

The secretary led Zhang Jun to the lounge and brought him a cup of tea.

Zhang Jun noticed a stainless steel tea dispenser nearby, similar to the one at his workplace. Just turn the tap for tea—this was for ordinary guests. For esteemed visitors, of course, they would brew fresh tea leaves with boiling water.

It was now 2:48 p.m.

Waiting felt unbearably long.

Luckily, there were newspapers in the lounge, and reading made the time pass more easily.

Zhang Jun glanced at his watch from time to time. The weather was hot. Although there was air conditioning, he still felt thirsty and drank several cups of tea, gradually feeling the urge to use the restroom.

But he was afraid that if he left, Vice Governor Ma might return during his absence, so he dared not leave without permission.

Unconsciously, time slipped to 5:30 p.m.

The secretary was leaving for the day when he passed by the lounge and saw Zhang Jun still sitting there. He approached and said, “Sorry, Vice Governor Ma is still in the meeting. It’s already after work hours. Could you please come back tomorrow?”

Zhang Jun was bursting to use the restroom, so he agreed quickly and asked, “Where is the restroom?”

“Down the hall at the end,” the secretary pointed.

Zhang Jun thanked him, took a few steps, then turned back to ask, “What time should I come tomorrow?”

The secretary thought a moment. “Afternoon would be better. The leader’s schedule is full in the morning. Try to come early in the afternoon. I’ll make arrangements for you.”

“Thank you.”

Zhang Jun went to the restroom, flushed a long stream of water, shook himself off, and finally felt relieved.

Stepping out of the provincial compound, Zhang Jun suddenly realized he had nowhere to call home.

He no longer wanted to go back there.

Nor did he want to see that woman again.

He checked his wallet—still a few hundred yuan left—and went to the unit’s guesthouse to book a room.

Dinner was also had in the guesthouse restaurant.

While eating, his phone rang.

He saw it was a call from Liu Yujie and immediately cut it off, placing the phone on the table and continuing to eat.

The phone rang again.

Zhang Jun picked it up and angrily said, “What do you want? Stop bothering me! Divorce tomorrow morning.”

A timid female voice came through the line: “Master, it’s Xiaoya. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Xiaoya! I thought it was—”

“You thought it was my wife? Haha! You’re divorcing your wife? Did you quarrel?”

“Yes! What’s it to you, little brat?”

Xie Xiaoya was only 21, in the prime of youth. To the 30-year-old Zhang Jun, she was just a little kid.

“Master, I’m upset! Besides your wife, I care about you too! Where are you?”

“I’m at the unit’s guesthouse, eating alone. What’s up? Want to come keep me company?”

“Sure! I’m coming right now!”

Xie Xiaoya had just joined the unit and lived in the dormitory, just a stone’s throw from the guesthouse.

In less than five minutes, a slender, beautiful figure appeared before Zhang Jun.

Xie Xiaoya bought a bottle of white liquor at the counter, carried it over, sat opposite him, tossed her long hair, and smiled, “Master, let’s have a drink! Celebrate your promotion, wealth, and divorce—your life is about to take a glorious turn!”

Zhang Jun grabbed two cups from the plate on the table, opened the bottle, poured two drinks, and drained his cup with a bitter laugh. “The divorce is real. Promotion and wealth? Haha! I wouldn’t dare dream of that.”

Xie Xiaoya sipped lightly. A rosy blush bloomed on her cheeks as she said, “Master, didn’t Vice Governor Ma summon you? Didn’t he promise you some position? Rumor has it around the unit that you’ve met a benefactor, that Vice Governor Ma favors you and you’re about to rise to great heights!”