Assistant to the President

"Why do you want to see President Zhang?"

"I told President Zhang that the idea of the fidelity bond was yours, as well as the crucial role you played in solving the missing deposit case at Tenglong Industries. President Zhang is very interested in you and wants to meet you."

"Senior, why did you tell him the fidelity bond was my idea? Wouldn't it be better to say you thought of it yourself?" Fang Qingye asked back.

"That won't do. Credit belongs to whoever earned it. I'm not the type of person to take credit from my subordinates and paste it on my own face."

"You have a good heart. Which leader nowadays doesn't take all the glory for themselves while leaving subordinates to take the blame?" Fang Qingye joked.

"You can't generalize like that. I'm not that kind of person, at least not toward you," Xia He said softly.

"Is that the only reason for meeting the municipal branch leaders?" Fang Qingye recalled what Cao Ting had told him yesterday morning and pressed further.

"Well... of course there's something else, but I can't talk about it for now. Let's wait until we meet President Zhang and get past this hurdle first!" Xia He replied.

Hearing this, Fang Qingye stopped asking.

It was only a one-hour drive from Nanxin to downtown Jinghai. After exiting the Shenzhen-Sea Expressway into the urban area, they drove along New Century Avenue, turned left onto Galaxy Road, and finally arrived at East Tower.

Fang Qingye drove the car directly into the underground parking lot, and the two took the elevator upstairs.

Xia He glanced at the wristwatch on her wrist and said, "It's nine-twenty now. It's about time for our appointment, just right to go up."

Fang Qingye followed Xia He to the sixth floor and knocked on the door bearing the president's office sign. In the middle of the spacious office sat a very large executive desk, behind which a man in his early fifties with a slightly bald head was reading documents.

It was President Zhang of the municipal branch.

When he looked up and saw Xia He, a smile appeared on his face.

"President Xia, you're here? Sit, sit, I'll pour you some tea." With that, he put down his documents and stood up.

"President Zhang, I'll get it myself." Xia He quickly stepped forward a couple of steps, reaching for the thermos on the nearby tea table.

"President Zhang, let me pour it," Fang Qingye said immediately. Xia He stepped aside, and Fang Qingye first put tea leaves into an empty teacup, then picked up the thermos to pour a cup for each of them.

Noticing that the water in the insulated cup on President Zhang's executive desk was only half full, he walked over and topped it up as well.

"You must be Xiao Fang?" President Zhang noticed him.

"Yes, President Zhang, I am Fang Qingye," Fang Qingye replied.

"Sit down, let's talk sitting down," President Zhang said, sitting on the nearby sofa. "Xiao Fang, President Xia tells me you have high character and strong abilities—a rare talent indeed."

"It's mostly thanks to President Xia's cultivation and training."

"Heh heh... Relying solely on leadership training isn't enough, though; one's own personal effort is also crucial."

"President Zhang is right," Fang Qingye immediately chimed in.

"Xiao Fang, President Xia mentioned you're alumni?" President Zhang asked again.

"Yes, I also graduated from Shencai."

"Where is your hometown?"

"Right here in Nanxin. I am a native Nanxiner through and through."

Following that, President Zhang asked about the work he was responsible for, and Fang Qingye answered truthfully.

In fact, he understood in his heart.

Xia He had likely reported all these details to President Zhang long ago. Given Xia He's temperament, she might have even embellished things and said many nice words on his behalf.

President Zhang was asking now just to see how he would respond.

Be honest, state things as they are, be even more humble, and mention the leadership's guidance more...

Fang Qingye had long since mastered these tactics for conversing with higher-ups.

They couldn't trip him up at all.

Sure enough, after a round of conversation, President Zhang said, "You are very modest, unlike some young people today who get a tiny bit of achievement and stick their tails up in the sky, afraid others won't know... President Xia, this young man Xiao Fang is good!"

"If he weren't an outstanding young man, why would I recommend him to you?" Xia He said with a smile.

Matters were basically concluded at this point. Xia He said to Fang Qingye, "Xiao Fang, wait outside for me. President Zhang and I need to discuss some other work matters."

This was clearly a way to dismiss him, making sure he couldn't hear the subsequent conversation.

Naturally, Fang Qingye wouldn't raise any objections. He greeted President Zhang and left the office.

Xia He didn't make Fang Qingye wait long; in less than ten minutes, she came out looking relaxed.

"Let's go, I'll take you to meet the other vice presidents."

Fang Qingye followed her to pay respects to several vice presidents, and Xia He naturally showered Fang Qingye with praise once again.

However, in front of Liu Baosheng, who was in charge of discipline inspection, Xia He spoke with much greater caution.

Liu Baosheng wore a stern expression, bringing up the recent incident where Song Jiaming from the Nanxin branch illegally misappropriated depositors' funds to trade stocks and ultimately committed suicide by jumping from a building. He criticized Xia He a few words, emphasizing that they must take it as a warning for the future and resolutely prevent such incidents from happening again.

Leaders in charge of discipline inspection were always like that—never straying three sentences away from their profession, taking every opportunity to give you a warning. Xia He was used to it; she just needed to accept the criticism with an open mind.

After criticizing Xia He, Liu Baosheng's expression softened considerably as he looked at Fang Qingye.

Toward subordinate leaders, Liu Baosheng's attitude was stern, but toward ordinary cadres, he was quite affable. He asked Fang Qingye some questions, which he naturally answered truthfully.

They didn't stay long in Liu Baosheng's office before leaving. Once outside, Xia He let out a long breath and whispered to Fang Qingye,

"Sigh... Every time I see President Liu, I'm more nervous than when I see President Zhang."

"Yet you still have to see him," Fang Qingye joked.

Xia He gave him a sideways glance. "This was all for your sake!"

Fine, for my sake.

After paying respects to the various leaders of the municipal branch, Xia He didn't linger long at the branch office, and the two walked out of the administrative building together.

"Senior, back to Nanxin?" Fang Qingye asked.

Xia He looked at her wristwatch. "It's almost lunchtime. Let's eat before heading back."

Fang Qingye naturally had no objections. He drove and found a restaurant along the way that looked relatively clean. After finishing their meal, the two drove back to Nanxin, with Xia He sitting in the front passenger seat this time.

Once the Passat left the urban area and got onto the expressway, Xia He finally spoke to Fang Qingye, "Xiao Fang, didn't you ask me on the way here if there was another reason for meeting President Zhang? I'll tell you now: the provincial branch is preparing to establish the position of branch president assistant as a pilot program in Jinghai."

Seeing that Fang Qingye didn't look surprised upon hearing this, Xia He asked, "You knew about this news already?"

"Mm."

"Who told you? Oh... it must have been Cao Ting, right? Her uncle is the vice president of our municipal branch."

Fang Qingye nodded.

"Since you already know, I won't repeat it," Xia He continued.

"After I learned the news, I found President Zhang and recommended you. President Zhang wanted to see you, which is why I brought you along today. When I made you step outside just now, I brought up the matter with President Zhang again. He is quite satisfied with you, and the matter is basically settled."

"Senior, you're acting first and reporting later, aren't you?" Fang Qingye said.

"Look at what you're saying..." Xia He chided playfully. "You have no idea. Several people at the municipal branch called me to recommend this person or that one, and I turned them all down because I believe in you!"

Seeing Fang Qingye remain silent, Xia He added, "Xiao Fang, to be honest, I won't be staying in Nanxin for very long. I will definitely leave within three to five years, and I hope you'll take over my position after I go."

"Senior, thank you for your kind intentions. As you know, I'm not that interested in being a leader; I'm a lazy person who likes things relaxed," Fang Qingye smiled.

"You, oh you... Alright, let's not talk about things so far in the future. Just look at the position of branch president assistant right now. It doesn't belong to the leadership core yet; it has no specific operational duties and doesn't manage a specific department. You'd simply act as the president's assistant, offering strategies and advice... Besides, you're already doing that kind of work anyway."

"Oh my... Senior, according to you, my role as an unofficial military strategist has now officially been regularized?" Fang Qingye joked.

"Mm-hmm, exactly! And you'll even be free from a lot of miscellaneous office chores!"

"With conditions this good, it seems I have no choice but to take the job?"

"Mm-hmm, absolutely no choice!"