DEFYING FATE

Chapter 17: Staff members

Tuesday.

Western District Branch Bureau, General Affairs Department.

Today was Dong Xuebing's official first day of work. Hisdesk was by a window in a corner. Sun shone brightly on his desk through the window's panels. It was warmand bright. Pulling the curtains had helped a bit. Directly opposite of DongXuebing was Zhuang Zhi's desk. They were facing each other. In the middle,there were 2 17in monitors and a table calendar separating them.

In the office, other than Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi, the rest of the staffs were very busy.

A cheerful girl standing at the photocopier machine wasorganizing some documents. She said without raising her head: "Guo Shunfa, Ihave too many things to do. Help me photocopy some documents. The Bureau needsthem urgently."

Guo Shunfa, in his late 20s, was busily typing on hiskeyboard: "I am also very busy. Asksomeone else to help you."

The oldest staff in the office, Old Yan was sitting at hisdesk reading the newspapers. He does not have any intention to offer his help.

Guo Panwei, who looks like a monkey, was looking down,writing something. He shouted: "Let me finish writing this and I will bethere."

The woman, named Changjuan, was holding up a small mirrordrawing her eyebrows.

Dong Xuebing looked around and walked over. "Sister Tan, letme help."

"Ok." Tan Limei passed a stack of documents to Dong Xuebingand said: "You know how to photocopy? Place the documents here along this lineand press that big button. Remember its single side and I need 4 sets. Staplethem when it's ready. Oh, what did youcall me just now? Sister Tan? Haha... Don't call me that. I attended schoolearly and had only just graduated one year ago. I might even be younger thanyou and Zhuang Zhi."

"I will also help." Zhuang Zhi walked over.

Tan Limei casually said: "Fine. One of you photocopy and theother staple. Better be quick. The Leader is waiting."

While waiting for the copier to print the documents, ZhuangZhi clumsily stapled the stacks of papers.

When Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi finished with thedocuments, Guo Panwei, who had been looking down, and Changjuan who was drawingher eyebrows, stood up and said at the same time: "I will send the documentsover." Both looked at each other, andChangjuan smiled seductively: "I will send the documents to the PoliticalSection and the Confidential Department. You can send the documents to the Bureau Chief." They arranged the documents andGuo Panwei straighten his shirt, while Changjuan touched up her makeup. Afterthat, both of them walked out of the office with the papers at the same time.

Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi were puzzled.

Tan Limei was used to this and grumbled behind their back: "Lazingaround at work all the time and only rushed forward when there is a chance tomeet the leaders. Hmph!"

Dong Xuebing was new and does not know the characters of thepeople in the office. He smiled and did not say anything.

Suddenly Guo Shunjie waved: "Xiao Dong, Xiao Sun, come overhere."

Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi walked over: "Yes?"

"Create one more copy for these tables. Do you know Excel?Just use the same format and recreate a table. The data you can get from thisWord document. Copy and paste will do. Don't paste into the wrong table. I needthis file before noon. Once completed, print it out." Guo Shunjie spoke like aleader, and his instructions were clear.When Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi were creating the table, he was free and wasdrinking tea and surfing net. He was reading some aquarium fish forum.

Noon.

Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi completed their task. GuoShunjie looked at the printout and nodded. "Hmmm... Good."

Tan Limei joked: "Leader Guo, it is lunchtime now. Can we go for lunch?"

Guo Shunjie did not get angry and laughed: "I am not aleader yet. Stop poking fun at me."

Guo Panwei looked at his watch and took his clutch bag: "Iwill be going to the hospital to visit Chief Zhou." He left.

Changjuan also stood up: "I will not be eating at thecafeteria. Someone is treating me for lunch."

"Xiao Dong, Xiao Sun." Old Yan, who did not speak a singleword the whole morning, smiled to themboth: "You still have not bought the lunch tickets? Come, let's go. Both of youcan use my tickets first."

Dong Xuebing hurriedly waved his hand. "No need, no need.Thank you. Both of us can eat outside."

Zhuang Zhi also said: "Yes, yes. Thank you."

Tan Limei said: "There is nothing good to eat outside. Don'tthink our cafeteria here is small. The food is delicious. Come, let's go. OldYan, I will bring them to the cafeteria, andthey will use my lunch tickets."

Old Yan smiled at her:"Fine. You, youngsters, should get together more. These two young men seem quite hardworking."

Tan Limei had average looks, but she was very talkative. Shewas able to chat with anyone and dares to say everything. During lunch in thecafeteria, located on the northern sideof the compound, she told them all sorts of gossips.

But thanks to her, Dong Xuebing learned a lot about thisoffice.

In other agencies, the General Affairs Department and theadministrative office were the same things.But as the State Security was a particularunit, there were many confidential documents. This was why the General AffairsDepartment here had a separate office to handle meeting materials, writing andediting Leaders' speeches, transferring of files, and other miscellaneousstuff. The Chief of this office was Deputy Divisional Chief rank, and he does not really care about the workhere. He let his Deputy Chief Zhou, take charge of everything in the office.Zhou Changchun was in his 50s, and hishealth was not very good. He often needs to take sick leaves.

Under Deputy Chief Zhou, were the staff members like them.

Old Yan was the most senior in the office. But many yearsago, he had offended a leader from City's State Security Bureau and could notbe promoted. He was now in his 50s andwas still a staff member, despite almost reaching his retirement age. He hadalso got over it. He just comes to work and read the newspaper the whole day.He will not do any work and does not care about everything.

Guo Panwei was an ambitious person. He likes to hang aroundthe leaders bootlicking, and he knows most of the leaders.

Guo Shunjie had someone in the Bureau. Hearsay, the DistrictDirector / Political Commissar, was goodfriends with his father. This was why, other than Deputy Chief Zhou, GuoShunjie does not listen or care about anyone else. He thinks he was the"biggest" among the staff members.

Changjuan in her 30s. Althoughher looks were average, she likes to doll up and flirts with the leaders. Shelooks like she was hoping to be some leaders' mistress.

Tan Limei was the only person in the office that does actualwork. She handles almost all the documents in the office.

That's the situation in the office.

... Offices... We're complicated.....

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