Chapter 110: High Profile and Low Profile

  Ding Yuan was still a bit worried, after all, the time to get familiar with Xu Shaojie was too short. Ding Yuan had worked in the provincial government office and had his own unique views on how to be a good secretary. As for Xu Shaojie's performance, Ding Yuan needed some more time to observe. Fortunately, the Spring Festival holiday was just around the corner.

  On the 27th of the twelfth lunar month in the morning, Ding Yuan brought Xu Shaojie to the city's cotton mill.

  The city's cotton mill is a veteran state-owned enterprise that has made great contributions to the development of Huaiyang City and has produced many model workers. However, in recent years, due to changes in the market, the cotton mill has been struggling to survive, and normal production can no longer be maintained. The enterprise has more than 5,000 employees who need to make a living, and for several consecutive years, it has relied on bank loans to survive, becoming a heavy burden on Huaiyang City. Ding Yuan's visit to the cotton mill to comfort model workers also has the intention of maintaining stability throughout the city.

  The situation of the cotton mill is special, so Ding Yuan's visit has a sense of adventurism, because life is difficult, the employees of the cotton mill have visited the municipal party committee and government many times, and it will be the Spring Festival soon. Ding Yuan went to visit the model workers of the cotton mill, also hoping that these model workers can play a leading role in ensuring the stability of Huaiyang City during the Spring Festival period.

  After the sedan entered the factory area, Xu Shaojie felt a sense of unease. It was his first day following Ding Yuan out, and he wouldn't be familiar with anything, let alone make any remarkable moves. Yesterday afternoon, after looking at Secretary Ding's schedule, Xu Shaojie secretly felt a headache: on the 27th of December, there would be a whole-day visit to offer condolences; on the 28th, they would visit public security officers and armed police soldiers; and only in the morning of the 29th, after visiting water and electricity workers and medical personnel who had stuck to their posts during the Spring Festival, would they return to the provincial city. Xu Shaojie secretly cursed his bad luck - if he could have taken office after the Spring Festival, how great that would be! A perfectly good Spring Festival was being ruined like this. Returning to the provincial city on the 29th, what could he do? Just wait for the New Year's Eve dinner.

  Xu Shaojie read the materials about the cotton mill, Ding Yuan didn't ask him to, but Xu Shaojie thought he should understand some situation. The situation of the cotton mill was very bad, many workshops had stopped production, workers received basic living expenses every month, and the difficulties led to contradictions, which was a very unstable factor in Huaiyang City. The Spring Festival was approaching, Ding Yuan represented the municipal party committee and government to visit the cotton mill for condolences, with some helplessness.

  After entering the conference room, Xu Shaojie felt even more that something was off. The atmosphere in the conference room was solemn, and the labor model workers sitting inside had no expression on their faces. It shouldn't be like this - the cotton textile factory's team members should have spring-like smiles on their faces, but the smiles of a few factory leaders were useless; what mattered was that the employees should smile.

  Ding Yuan and the model workers in the conference room shook hands one by one. After the meeting began, Xu Shaojie found a corner to sit down, he didn't listen to Ding Yuan's speech, but instead focused on the behavior of the cotton textile factory's model workers. Xu Shaojie discovered something unusual, several model workers were restless, their eyes constantly looking outside the conference room. Xu Shaojie's heart sank, the cotton textile factory had more than 5,000 employees, if something unexpected happened in the factory, how would he deal with it? Ding Yuan, in order to better stabilize the emotions of the cotton textile factory workers, did not bring anyone else and did not request public security personnel to provide necessary safety protection.

  About 10 minutes later, Xu Shaojie heard footsteps coming from outside the conference room. Soon, a big-faced female worker led about 30 people into the conference room. The factory leader's face turned green when he saw the big-faced woman. On the other hand, the model workers sitting below had a look of relief on their faces.

  The people who came in were making a lot of noise, saying they wanted to reflect on the problem. The atmosphere of the meeting was quickly disrupted. Xu Shaojie quickly stood up and went to Ding Yuan's side, paying attention to the movements of the people around him at all times, not allowing anyone to approach Ding Yuan. While the factory leaders were helping to maintain order, they suggested whether to invite public security police officers. Ding Yuan's face was serious and his tone was severe, and he decisively stopped them.

  The woman with a big face waved her hand, and everyone who came in sat down. Xu Shaojie took a look, most of them were women, no wonder, the cotton textile factory was originally dominated by female workers, and male workers were scarce. Next, these people began to raise various questions, all of which were about the existence of corruption in the cotton textile factory, the need to resume production, and the workers' livelihoods. Secretary Ding stood up and answered the workers' questions one by one, but there were too many people and too much noise. Later on, some model workers also raised questions, mostly with a heavy heart, wondering why the cotton textile factory had declined so rapidly in just a few years when it used to be so profitable. An elderly model worker even shed tears while speaking.

  Secretary Ding Yuan was already at a loss for words. In such a setting, the answer could only be principled. Half an hour later, Secretary Ding's smile had disappeared from his face, and his expression had become somewhat serious. He realized that these workers were well-prepared.

  Xu Shaojie is not qualified to speak, his identity is the secretary of Ding Yuan, today, Ding Yuan came to comfort the model workers of the cotton textile factory, the red envelope was still in his briefcase, ready to be given by Ding Yuan himself at the end of the meeting, 200 yuan per person, as a token of goodwill. However, Xu Shaojie discovered that something was not right, the model workers and employees were endless, mainly targeting the leaders of the cotton textile factory who accompanied Ding Yuan.

  It's pointless to say, Xu Shaojie whispered in Secretary Ding Yuan's ear, leaving the cotton mill, today's situation is impossible to explain clearly. Ding Yuan nodded, and this action was seen by the big-faced female worker.

  "Hey, that young pretty face, what's he saying? Secretary Ding is going to solve problems for the employees of our cotton textile factory today."

  Xu Shaojie was worried that he wouldn't have a chance to speak, and immediately responded.

  "How did you know I'm a freeloader? Am I relying on you for survival?"

  Everyone was stunned, and then burst out laughing. They didn't expect this young man to be so fierce. Many people joked with the big-faced female worker, asking when she would raise a little white face. Xu Shaojie wouldn't let go of such an opportunity, he had already thought of what to say.

  "I'm not a pretty face, I'm a staff member of the municipal party committee office, my name is Xu Shaojie. Just now, Secretary Ding said so much, I don't know why you all can't listen to it. Maybe you think I'm a national cadre, with a steady income and no worries about food or clothing, speaking loudly without any discomfort. That's right, I have a job now, but I also just graduated from university one year ago, and I come from an ordinary family. When I was admitted to university, my father passed away, and our family had no money. I came out to work in the provincial city, doing manual labor on construction sites for 5 yuan per day, earning my own tuition fees. At that time, it was when the textile mill was booming, you were taking high salaries, wasn't I also unhappy? Wanting to find leadership to reflect difficulties. After I started working, I worked in rural areas for a year, farmers' lives are particularly difficult..."

  "To find a leader, demanding to solve the difficulties of life. I'm not saying that everyone shouldn't reflect on the problems, but just now Secretary Ding has already said it, knowing that everyone's life is difficult, and will think of ways to solve it, repeatedly explaining, but I just don't understand why everyone can't listen."

  The meeting room fell silent, perhaps no one expected Xu Shaojie to say such a thing.

  "What day is today, December 27th, the Spring Festival is coming soon. Secretary Ding is still visiting and consoling model workers at the cotton mill. Tomorrow he will also visit and console armed police soldiers. On December 29th, he will go to the hospital and water and electricity company. As the saying goes, 'long work short rest', on December 24th everyone was busy, now look at the time, there are still a few people who haven't rested. Everyone asks Secretary Ding to solve the problem on the spot. How should Secretary Ding respond? How should he solve the problem? Secretary Ding's home is in the provincial capital, his family is also waiting for him to return home, but today he is here, understanding the situation, consoling model workers, what kind of problem must be solved today?"

  "I urge everyone to think carefully, calm down, and such questioning is of no use. Today is not the time to solve problems. Secretary Ding has many things to do and still needs to go to other places for condolences. The issues raised by everyone have already been known to Secretary Ding."

  After Xu Shaojie finished speaking, Ding Yuan also spoke up.

  "The cotton mill incident is of great concern to the municipal party committee and government, and we will not ignore it. Earlier, when I answered the questions raised by everyone, I have already shown our determination, and we will definitely attach great importance to it. Today, on behalf of the municipal party committee and government, I came to visit the labor models of the cotton mill, which is a manifestation of our attitude. But I also want to say that if someone wants to sabotage stability, they will reap the consequences."

  The scene slowly quieted down, actually, even if Ding Yuan wanted to leave, no one dared to stop him forcibly. However, Ding Yuan's consideration was different, so this scene appeared. With Ding Yuan's words and Xu Shaojie's supplement, no one spoke, no one left the conference room. Ding Yuan was calm and composed, Xu Shaojie took out an envelope, Secretary Ding gave it to each model worker, everyone silently watched this scene. The meeting ended, when Ding Yuan left the conference room with Xu Shaojie, a female worker with a round face shouted at Xu Shaojie.

  "Xu Shaojie, I've remembered your name. You said it yourself. In the future when I have no food to eat, I'll just rely on you, this little white face."

  Xu Shaojie hung his head and said nothing, following behind Secretary Ding Yuan, with snickers coming from behind him.

  Ma Ya Ping had been waiting for a long time, opened the car door for Secretary Ding Yuan. After shaking hands with the leaders of the cotton mill who came to see him off, Secretary Ding Yuan left the cotton mill.

  "Shao Jie, how did you think of saying those words?"

  "Secretary Ding, you won't blame me, will you? If I hadn't said those words, the cotton mill workers would have kept making a racket and wouldn't have known when to stop. What they meant was that they wanted to detain you."

  "Hehe, Xiao Jie is quite impressive! On your first day in office, someone already remembers you."

  "Director Ding, you decide for me, that big face looks too ordinary."

  Hahaha...

  Not just Ding Yuan, Ma Yaping couldn't help but laugh too.

  "Shao Jie, I know you must have some thoughts on this. Tell me, what do you think about today's events? Go ahead and speak your mind, don't worry about saying something wrong."

  "Director Ding, I'd like to know your schedule and who else knows about today's event. The cotton mill workers seem to be prepared, it's already the 27th of December, ordinary workers would have been on vacation long ago, how did they know you were going to the cotton mill? I feel something is not quite right."

  "Shao Jie, I'm glad you can think of this matter. It seems that you are fully capable of handling the secretary work. You haven't answered my question yet, how did you come up with these words?"

  "Secretary Ding, I think being a secretary has its high and low profiles. When it's necessary to be high-profile, you must be high-profile, like today when we're in trouble. At other times, you should keep a low profile."

  "Well said, understand your own identity, when to show up and when to hide, it's not nice to say, but that's the truth. Xiaojie, during this period of time, get familiar with work as soon as possible and think more about it. However, you also spoke out the truth, it's already December 27th, you still can't rest, things like this wouldn't have happened in the past."

  "There's no such thing, Secretary Ding. You didn't mention taking a break, how would I dare think of such a thing? I just happened to remember it and mentioned it to the cotton mill workers."

  Next, Xu Shaojie followed Ding Yuan to the Municipal Public Security Bureau. When Xin Pingfeng and Xu Shaojie shook hands, they used a lot of force, and Xu Shaojie endured it, turning his back on Ding Yuan and Xin Pingfeng, shaking hands for a long time. Whenever he came to these places, Xu Shaojie was very low-key, finding a corner to sit in, and after the meeting ended, following behind Secretary Ding Yuan to leave. On the 29th of December, when they went to the hospital to offer condolences, everywhere he looked were female colleagues, Ma Yaping was smiling slyly at Xu Shaojie from behind, Xu Shaojie lowered his head, not daring to say a word, during meetings, he simply hid outside the conference room.

  The meeting ended, and Ding Yuan deliberately put on a serious face to criticize Xu Shaojie for not attending the meeting in the conference room. Xu Shaojie hastily pointed at Ma Yaping and said that Master Ma was smiling slyly, and there were too many female colleagues in the hospital. He thought of his experience at the cotton mill and was afraid of causing trouble, so he avoided it. Ding Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

  Coming out of the hospital, it was still early. As usual, Ding Yuan would only leave after eating, but this time he didn't eat and instructed to leave Huaiyang City directly for Xilin City. The night before, Xu Shaojie had already packed his things and put them in the trunk of the car. Ding Yuan knew that Xu Shaojie's home was in the provincial capital.

  On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month at a little past one o'clock in the afternoon, Xu Shaojie finally returned home.

  Actually, Xu Shaojie had been thinking about Ding Yuan's experience in the cotton mill all along. He had already sensed that Huaiyang City was not simple, and only a few people knew Secretary Ding's schedule, mostly leaders, ordinary staff would not know, so it was very likely that the one who revealed Secretary Ding's whereabouts was a leader.

  Xu Shaojie felt a little scared, if this guess was true, it would be a bit frightening. Huaiyang City was complicated to such an extent, which was somewhat abnormal. The situation he faced was very severe. Of course, Xu Shaojie knew that his work responsibility was to serve Secretary Ding Yuan, and all the work was for the consideration of Secretary Ding Yuan, doing anything was also for the consideration of Secretary Ding Yuan.

  It was precisely because of this that Xu Shaojie felt the pressure, an extraordinary pressure, the game in the officialdom is ruthless, Xu Shaojie saw too many in the book, it's simply a matter of life and death.