Official Career Storm-Chapter 1358

Zhang Yan held an exceptionally high status in Jiangzhou City before she encountered trouble.

Being her secretary, Zhao Jian's status shouldn't be any less.

Moreover, the brain of a secretary isn't something ordinary people can compare with.

Spring water warms first for the ducks.

Zhang Yan's current predicament, he must have perceived it earlier than others.

So, Song Guanchao feels that the attitude he is showing doesn't seem to be Zhang Yan's instructions, but rather he is trying to carve out his own retreat.

He probably has already determined that Zhang Yan has no chance of making a comeback.

But after all, he was Zhang Yan's secretary. When Zhang Yan was riding high, he also enjoyed a degree of prominence.

Now that Zhang Yan has fallen from grace, he equally has to bear the corresponding pressure, and it's impossible to completely dissociate himself at times like this.

However, within his capabilities, he can still prepare a fallback plan for himself.

For example, he could build some goodwill in front of Song Guanchao.

If one day Zhang Yan really gets purged, the goodwill he's building now could be useful then.

Song Guanchao has no opinion on his behavior; people are inherently self-serving, outsiders have no right to judge right or wrong.

As long as he doesn't affect me, when that day comes, Song Guanchao wouldn't mind giving him a way out.

Knock, knock.

Zhao Jian had just left for two minutes when someone else knocked at the door.

It was Deputy Director Zhou Xingjian.

Seeing him so busy, Chen Yirou stood up and said, "You go ahead and attend to your work."

She nodded to Zhou Xingjian, and then left.

Only then did Zhou Xingjian sit down: "Director Song, congratulations."

"Congratulations?" Song Guanchao's eyes showed indifference: "I heard from Mayor Wu that it was you, Director Zhou, who recommended me?"

Zhou Xingjian smiled: "It wasn't intentional. Mayor Wu asked me, and I just quickly mentioned you off the top of my head."

Song Guanchao chuckled: "Speaking strictly of rank, a district chief of a prefecture-level city indeed does not compare to the director of the city government office in a provincial capital city. But rank is rank, and position is position. A district chief, however, is still a district chief."

"If someone else brought this up, I wouldn't care. But Mayor Wu is my former leader, she called, and if I didn't come, I'd be disrespecting her. If word got out, how would I survive in the political arena?"

The implication was, if Wu Qiangwei hadn't called, he wouldn't even consider this director position.

Zhou Xingjian sweated inwardly: "Yes, Director Song is right. I really didn't think it through at the time, it wasn't intentional."

Click.

Song Guanchao lit a cigarette and smoked half: "There's no point in discussing this further now. Just work well in the future."

"Yes, I will definitely cooperate with Director Song's work."

Zhou Xingjian breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, he somewhat regretted recommending Song Guanchao after he did.

But spoken words are like spilled water, irreversible.

Fortunately, Song Guanchao didn't hold a grudge.

If he had, my days would likely be tough.

He kept smiling, "Director Song, do you have time tonight? Should I organize something with the colleagues in the department for a gathering?"

"No need." Song Guanchao shook his head: "We have plenty of time in the future, let's get to know each other slowly."

"Alright, I'll follow Director Song's lead."

Normally, when a new leader assumes position, they would organize a meal gathering to get to know everyone.

But some leaders don't like such superficial things.

Song Guanchao was clearly the latter.

After Zhou Xingjian left, Song Guanchao opened the office door.

Since he just assumed office today, there would surely be many visitors.

As expected, in just one morning, four groups of people visited, all department heads.

By the afternoon when it was nearly time to leave work, about a third had visited him.

Knock, knock.

A mature, voluptuously figured beauty in her thirties lightly knocked on the door.

She had a charming smile, full of alluring charm, like a ripe peach.

Her pencil skirt tightly stretched against her full hips.

Her wine-red wavy hair fluttered slightly in the air as she walked.

She walked over to the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Her eyes, elongated by eyeliner, swept over Song Guanchao like they were electrified.

As she looked at Song Guanchao, he looked at her too.

He thought to himself, which department is she from?

With such a voluptuous figure, and impressive looks, she must be some leader's plaything.

"Shi Qin." The woman smiled and introduced herself: "Director of the Secretarial Division."

"So it's Director Shi." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The Secretarial Division is one of the more important departments of the city government office, primarily serving two mayors.

Furthermore, this division frequently interacts with the mayors and is one of the fastest-promoting divisions.

Shi Qin, like others, exchanged a few formal words and then said: "Director Song just arrived, how about we all have a simple meal tonight? There's a very nice Tan Family Cuisine on Jiangzhou West Road, I'll send you the address later."

Song Guanchao smiled and said: "No need to trouble yourself, we'll gather when we have time in the future."

Shi Qin took it as a polite refusal and didn't mind.

After she left, she soon sent the restaurant's address.

Song Guanchao frowned slightly, knowing she might have misunderstood.

He wanted to make things clearer, but the place was set, and people were invited.

Not going would be inappropriate.

He wasn't afraid of offending someone; he simply felt that refusing when someone has extended goodwill would seem a bit inhumane.

So after work, he packed his things and headed to the restaurant.

...

In the private room.

The other invited department heads had arrived early, sitting on the sofa smoking.

"Later, we have to properly accompany this Director Song."

"I heard this Director Song is quite capable; he jumped three levels in one year, and in two years, he landed here."

"That's nonsense ability; it's all thanks to having a good leader."

"Haha, being able to cozy up to a good leader is also an ability."

"I just wonder how he cozied up."

"How else to cozy up? What's that saying? If the secretary is busy, there's nothing to do but the secretary. Both young, in two years, if you believe they didn't have something going on, do you believe it? I certainly don't."

"Damn, I'm envious."

"Why? You want to cozy up too?"

"That's quite the statement; wouldn't you want to? Mayor Wu is so beautiful, even if it was cozying up at the back, I'd be willing."

This group chatted brazenly, without any boundaries, but no one found it inappropriate.

Instead, as they chatted, they went more and more beyond bounds, with all sorts of wild words spoken.

Until the private room door was pushed open, did they stop speaking.

Song Guanchao entered and surveyed them, just about to say a few words when Shi Qin said: "Everyone's here, Director Song, please take the head seat."

Everyone is here?

Song Guanchao was a bit surprised.

Including him, there were only six people; how come everyone's here?

Even Zhou Xingjian the Deputy Director wasn't there.

It seems tonight's gathering is a small circle led by Shi Qin.

And in her circle, there's neither Zhao Jian nor Zhou Xingjian.

This indicates she doesn't back Zhang Yan.

If it's not Zhang Yan, then it can only be one possibility—Zhou Zheng!

Before becoming City Secretary, Zhou Zheng was the mayor.

It's quite normal for him to have his own team in the City Government.

However, what he was curious about was, was tonight's dinner an invitation from Shi Qin personally, or was Zhou Zheng behind it?

These thoughts flashed through his mind, but Song Guanchao didn't hesitate in his actions, confidently taking the main seat.

The others noticed his lack of modesty, exchanged glances, and in the depths of their eyes, some discontent or other unusual expressions flashed.