91: Chapter 91 Du Qing, the Ox and Horse

Over the next week, Secretary Du Qing made four trips to the Education Bureau.

The first trip was to deliver documents. The Youth League Committee and the Education Bureau were jointly organizing a "Youth Lecturer Group" activity, which required an official stamp.

This was something an office staff member could have easily handled, but Secretary Du Qing came in person.

The second trip was to report on work. The Youth League Committee was planning a "May Fourth" commendation and wanted the Education Bureau to recommend outstanding young teachers. This could have been explained clearly over the phone, but Secretary Du Qing came anyway.

The third trip was just passing by. Secretary Du Qing said he happened to be having a meeting nearby and dropped in to see if Director Ye needed any cooperation from the Youth League Committee.

Director Ye Mingzhu smiled and poured him a cup of tea, saying that Secretary Du was indeed very thoughtful.

The fourth trip was a "coincidence"—a "chance encounter" at the entrance of the Education Bureau. Since it was just off-work hours, Secretary Du Qing suggested they grab a casual bite together.

Director Ye Mingzhu said she had plans that day and suggested another time.

As for which day "another time" would be, Secretary Du Qing didn't manage to ask.

But the smile in Director Ye Mingzhu's eyes when she spoke made him feel there was hope.

Friday afternoon, Director Ye Mingzhu's office.

"Secretary Du, there's something... I don't know if I should trouble you with it."

Director Ye Mingzhu held her teacup, her brow slightly furrowed, looking quite troubled.

Secretary Du Qing immediately sat up straight and said, "Please speak, Director Ye. As long as it's within my power, I won't hesitate for a moment."

Director Ye Mingzhu sighed and said, "To tell you the truth, a few retired comrades from our bureau want to transfer their grandsons' teaching posts to the County No. 1 High School."

"According to the regulations, this isn't allowed. The official post is tied to the individual; how could it just be transferred directly?"

"I've explained it to them several times, but they won't listen. They say I'm too young to understand the grassroots situation, and that things have always been done this way in the past..."

Secretary Du Qing frowned and said, "That is simply too unreasonable."

"Exactly."

Director Ye Mingzhu rubbed her temples and said, "As a result, this morning, they organized a group of people to go to the Letters and Calls Bureau, claiming that the County Education Bureau is derelict in its duty and showing favoritism to well-connected people."

"The Letters and Calls Bureau called me and asked me to go clarify the situation. I'm not afraid of explaining things, but I'm worried these people will keep making trouble endlessly, which would create a bad impression."

Secretary Du Qing's mind raced.

Retired old comrades, veterans of the county, with many disciples and old associates, possessed considerable influence.

This was indeed a thorny issue. If handled poorly, it would offend people; if handled well... it would be a major opportunity to show off in front of Director Ye Mingzhu.

"Director Ye, let me handle this."

Director Ye Mingzhu was taken aback and said, "Secretary Du, how could I trouble you? This is the Education Bureau's business..."

"Whether it's the Education Bureau or the Youth League Committee, it's all for the sake of work."

Secretary Du Qing stood up and said with a righteous air, "These people are pulling rank on their age and bullying young comrades. I despise this the most. Don't worry, I will go talk to them."

Director Ye Mingzhu hesitated for a moment, then stood up, a trace of gratitude in her eyes. "Secretary Du, then... thank you so much."

"I'll treat you to a meal later."

Secretary Du Qing felt a surge of warmth in his heart and said, "You're too polite, Director Ye. It's only right."

Watching Secretary Du Qing's figure disappear out the door, Director Ye Mingzhu sat back in her chair, took a gentle sip of her tea, and a faint, subtle smile appeared on her lips.

At three in the afternoon, in the reception room of the Letters and Calls Bureau.

Five white-haired old comrades sat on a long bench, teacups set before them, each looking displeased.

Leading them was the retired former deputy director of the County Education Bureau, surnamed Zhou, who had worked in the county for thirty years and had disciples all over the county's primary and secondary schools.

Secretary Du Qing pushed the door open and entered, a smile on his face. "Hello, veteran leaders. I am Secretary Du Qing from the Youth League Committee."

Elder Zhou didn't even lift his eyelids as he said, "From the Youth League Committee? Where are the people from the Education Bureau? Tell Director Ye Mingzhu to come herself."

"Director Ye is busy, so she entrusted me to come and communicate with you all."

Secretary Du Qing sat down opposite them, his tone still polite.

"I've looked into the issues you've raised."

"Regarding the official posts, they indeed cannot be transferred according to the regulations."

"Regulations?"

An old man next to him snorted coldly and said, "Young man, how many years have you worked in this county? Do you even know what human relations and favors mean?"

Secretary Du Qing's smile remained unchanged. "Veteran leader, human relations are human relations, but regulations are regulations."

"Things are different now than in the past. Management of official posts is getting stricter and stricter. If we really transfer them, any audit will immediately flag it as a problem."

"An audit?"

Elder Zhou finally raised his head and looked at Secretary Du Qing, his eyes filled with scrutiny.

"Young man, are you trying to scare us with audits?"

"It's not to scare you, it's just seeking truth from facts."

"Seeking truth from facts?"

Elder Zhou smiled, a hint of sarcasm in his expression.

"Then let me ask you, last year the County Education Bureau transferred an official post for the nephew of a section chief in the County Party Committee Organization Department. How do you explain that?"

"Was that also done according to the regulations?"

Secretary Du Qing was taken aback; he didn't know about this.

Another old man chimed in, "Young man, we understand why you're sticking your neck out for Director Ye Mingzhu."

"You're young, after all, and want to show off in front of a woman."

"But you must think carefully. Some showing off is just taking a bullet for someone else."

Elder Zhou slowly took a sip of tea and said, "That girl, Director Ye Mingzhu, is incredibly clever."

"Why didn't she come herself and sent you instead?"

"Because whoever gets involved in this will offend people."

"You do the dirty work of offending people for her, while she takes the credit in the background."

"Young man, you are certainly eager to be used as a weapon."

Secretary Du Qing's expression shifted.

"And another thing."

Elder Zhou set down his teacup and looked at Secretary Du Qing, his gaze suddenly becoming meaningful.

"Your father holds office in Heishui Province, doesn't he? It wasn't easy for your father to keep his position during last year's storm."

"But when you're out here sticking your neck out for others, have you ever considered whether you might drag your father down if something goes wrong?"

The smile on Secretary Du Qing's face froze completely.

"Young man, we old fogies have been around this county for decades. What haven't we seen?"

Elder Zhou stood up and patted Secretary Du Qing on the shoulder.

"Go back and tell Director Ye Mingzhu that we won't bother her about the official posts anymore. Let her enjoy being her director."

With that, the five old men stood up and swaggered off.

Secretary Du Qing sat alone in the reception room, his face turning pale and red in turn.

That evening, Director Ye Mingzhu called.

"Secretary Du, how did it go? I heard from the people at the Letters and Calls Bureau that those retired comrades have left and stopped making a fuss."

"Thank you so much!"

Secretary Du Qing gripped his phone and forced a smile, saying, "It's nothing, it's already resolved."

"Really? What did you say to them? They're so difficult; I was worried you might get the short end of the stick."

Director Ye Mingzhu's voice was filled with concern. "You weren't bullied by them, were you?"

A surge of warmth filled Secretary Du Qing's heart. "No, I just presented the facts and reasoned with them. They aren't entirely unreasonable people; once we talked it through, it was fine."

"Secretary Du, you are truly amazing!"

Director Ye Mingzhu's tone carried obvious pleasant surprise. "I've had a headache over this for days, and you solved it the moment you stepped in."

"I must treat you to dinner another day to properly thank you!"

The slight gloom in Secretary Du Qing's heart vanished instantly. "You're too polite, Director Ye. It was just a minor effort."

"Then it's a deal. I'll treat you next week."

Director Ye Mingzhu paused, her voice dropping a bit lower.

"Secretary Du, in the future... if I run into trouble, can I still ask you for help?"

Secretary Du Qing's heart skipped a beat. "Of course you can."

"Anytime."

Hanging up the phone, Secretary Du Qing leaned back on the sofa and exhaled a long breath.

It wasn't that he hadn't taken the words of those old fogies to heart.

But on second thought, Director Ye Mingzhu had specifically called to show concern afterward, and her attitude was so sincere—how could she possibly be using him?

Besides, Director Ye Mingzhu's attitude toward him was getting better and better. As long as he persisted, sooner or later...

He recalled Director Ye Mingzhu's exquisite face and the smile in her eyes when she spoke, and his heart warmed.

As for those old fogies saying he was "used as a weapon"... What a joke, they were just trying to sow discord.

What was Director Ye Mingzhu's status? Why would she need to use him as a weapon?

At the same time, at Director Ye Mingzhu's home.

Director Ye Mingzhu sat by the window, her phone set aside, flipping through a document.

The phone rang again. She glanced at the caller ID and picked up.

"Dad."

"How is it? Is that Secretary Du Qing useful?"

Director Ye Mingzhu smiled and said, "I just had him take the fall for something today. A few retired comrades were making a fuss about official posts, and he ran over to argue with them."

On the other end of the line, Ye Yuanshan laughed. "Du Jianguo's son is that brainless?"

"It's not that he's brainless; he's just too eager to show off."

Director Ye Mingzhu said indifferently, "I give him just a bit of a warm look, and he's ready to tear his heart out for me."

"Then when do you plan to reel in the net?"

Director Ye Mingzhu thought for a moment and then said, "No rush. Let him make a few more trips and handle a few more things."

"There are a few tough nuts to crack here at the Education Bureau, so we might as well let him gnaw on them. If he succeeds, I get some peace and quiet. If he fails, he'll be the one offending people."

"What about Little Xu's side?"

"I have other arrangements for Xu Weidong."

"Dad, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Hanging up the phone, Director Ye Mingzhu gazed out the window, lost in thought.

Secretary Du Qing was indeed handy to use.

But he was too impatient—so impatient that anyone could see right through him.

Someone like him is fine to use as a weapon, but for anything else... he's not qualified.

As for Xu Weidong...

Three days later, something else happened at the Education Bureau, this time regarding the payment for school building repairs.

A contractor blocked the entrance of the Education Bureau, clamoring that the Bureau owed him eight hundred thousand yuan and hadn't paid him for three years.

When the security guards tried to chase him away, he lay down at the entrance and played dead, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

Director Ye Mingzhu stood by her office window, watching the noisy crowd below. She picked up her phone and dialed a number.

"Secretary Du, I've run into some trouble again..."

Twenty minutes later, Secretary Du Qing appeared at the entrance of the Education Bureau.