Behind the scenes

Chapter 8

"No, that won't work. The souvenirs that others give me mean that others gave me. For Xiao Dong, I must buy something for him in person to express my heart. Actually, you don't know, among all the secretaries , Xiao Dong is the most disciplined, he is neither greedy nor appropriative, and lives a very tight life. Many people have told me that when they asked me to do something, they first passed the level of Xiao Dong, and then someone gave him property , he refused. Someone secretly put the money in his drawer, but he was able to return it on his own initiative. It is really rare to have such a secretary by the leader's side now! Xiao Dong's character, his ability and level, Among the secretaries of municipal leading cadres, he can be regarded as first-class. I admire him very much. I want to buy him a better suit so that he can go to work in the provincial investment company neatly, and my wish is confirmed. But you know, I never buy clothes, so I beg you to buy them, or should we go shopping together?" When Li Zimin said this, it was in a negotiating tone.

"Why do you still have the mind to think about so many small things now? Your top priority is not to buy some clothes for his little secretary, but to go to the Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee, the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and ask to arrange your job. A dignified mayor , I was so unexplainably selected, and I was ashamed of you for being a "consultant" so reluctantly. They are talking about me. Minors, let’s leave this ghostly place of Xianghan, I still say that, I will follow you wherever you go to the city or province.” Hu Min said, tears streaming down his face.

Li Zimin looked at his younger wife and didn't speak for a while.He has told her many times about his work arrangements, but she just disagrees, and none of them can convince the other if he is not allowed to be the "consultant".

The beautiful electronic clock on the wall played cheerful music softly.Li Zimin looked up, it was three o'clock in the afternoon. "Hu Min, it's already three o'clock, go to the store, pick a good one and buy a set. Xiao Dong is 1.6 meters tall, not too fat. I know, he likes dark gray."

Hu Min didn't move.

"How about, let's go together." Li Zimin stood up and stretched out his hand to pull Hu Min.Hu Min pushed his hand aside, "I won't go, I have work to do in the hospital this afternoon." Then he stood up and walked to the door, opened the door, and said as he walked out: "I have work to do at night, I can't Let's have dinner with you!" Afterwards, with a bang, he closed the door.

Li Zimin's mind was blank.He lay quietly on the sofa, closed his eyes, and wanted to calm down his already uncomfortable mood. For so many years, whether it was at work or at home, this was the first time that he did not act according to his will. back.

The electronic clock on the wall played cheerful music again, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon, if you don't go, I'm afraid it will be too late, Li Zimin stood up, took the money, and walked out of the house.

It's hard to imagine that as the mayor, no one has gone to the store alone to buy things all these years, but it is true.Li Zimin's home is not far from the commercial center. He walked into the New Century Shopping Center for a few minutes.As soon as he entered the hall, he was immediately spotted by the deputy hall manager on duty. She took the walkie-talkie and made a report to the general manager.Li Zimin was looking at the shopping guide in front of the hall, when several people including the general manager and the deputy general manager ran up to him out of breath.The general manager is a lesbian in her 40s, and Li Zimin knows her.

"Mayor Li, why didn't you say hello in advance when you came to our shopping mall to inspect the work? You didn't even bring the secretary with you. This is a private visit!"

"No, no. I'm not inspecting, but looking." Li Zimin explained.

"What are you looking at? We will accompany you."

"Don't accompany me, I'm not the mayor anymore, I just want to see."

"We know that you are no longer the mayor, but in our hearts, you are still the mayor and a qualified mayor. To be honest, our shopping center is still a key project when you were the mayor Well. Without you, this shopping mall would not have been built. Now that you are not the mayor, we respect you a little more than when we were mayor. If you come today, if you are here to inspect the work, we will report immediately. If you are shopping by yourself, We will accompany you as an advisor. For the products you buy, 3000% off for products worth less than 3000 yuan, and [-]% off for products worth more than [-] yuan. This is the preferential policy of our shopping center for those who have made outstanding contributions. Similarly, it is no exception for you, and this does not violate any discipline." The general manager's words made Li Zimin's heart warm.At the same time, he also knew that it was impossible to buy clothes here today.

He had no choice but to walk around the first and second floors accompanied by the general manager, deputy general manager and others. He didn't dare to go to the third floor where suits were sold.Looking at his watch, it was almost five o'clock, and Li Zimin shook hands with the general managers to say goodbye.

After leaving the shopping center, Li Zimin wiped the sweat off his brow, saw a specialty store selling suits not far away, and walked in.This is a newly opened high-end fashion store, with men's designer suits in all colors on the first floor.Li Zimin stood in front of the hanger. He didn't understand the brand or the fabric. All he knew was that the price was expensive.He saw that a dark gray suit worth [-] yuan was pretty good, so he took it off. At this moment, a service lady came over, "Sir, would you like to try this suit?"

"No, I won't try." Li Zimin shook his head.

"If you don't try it, what are you doing with it?" The service lady looked at the plainly dressed person in front of her, and said with a bad face.

The enthusiasm he met in the shopping center just now and the cold reception he met in the famous brand store made Li Zimin feel a big contrast. He glanced at the service lady: "Can I take it down and have a look if I don't try it?"

This service lady is definitely not from Xianghan City.Otherwise, he would not have known the mayor who appeared on TV almost every day.He glanced at Li Zimin, and said casually: "Others can take it down to read, but you can't take it down to read." This sentence angered Li Zimin, he raised his voice, and took out the mayor's criticism That posture, "Tell me, why can't I take it down and take a look. In Xianghan City, I have never seen a waiter like you. If you don't make it clear today, the matter will not be finished." Li Zimin's voice Very high, the smell of criticism is very strong.The customers next to him gathered around and followed to watch the excitement.An older waiter squeezed forward, "What's the matter?" She glanced at Li Zimin's face, and immediately called out, "Isn't this Mayor Li!"

The owner of the clothing store heard that the mayor had come to the store and was left out by the unknown waiter, so he ran over immediately. "Mayor Li, our waiter doesn't know you, so don't be offended."

The anger on Li Zimin's face did not disappear. "I'm not the mayor anymore, I'm just an ordinary citizen. I went to your store and wanted to buy a suit. I was interested in this set of [-] yuan. I brought it over, and the waiter asked me if I wanted to try it. , I said no. I bought it for someone else, and our bodies are very different. What's the use of trying? But the waiter actually said that if you don't try, don't move. He also said that others can move, but I can't move. Why? Business services should be treated equally, how can you look at what you wear? Isn’t this too snobbish? There are snobs in the officialdom, but why do snobbish people appear in the mall? Doing this is not in line with business ethics?!”

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, we were wrong, we were wrong." The boss kept nodding and kept admitting his mistake. "Mayor, you are a leader, don't be like a child. Have you taken a fancy to this set of clothes? This is a world famous brand from Dupont, France that just came in. To admit my mistake, we have a [-]% discount. Now there are all kinds of models. You want Which number is it?"

Li Zimin shook his head, "I don't want any size, I hope you can improve the service." He said, walked out of the clothing store, and the boss sent him away from behind.

The clothes were not bought, and I got angry.What to give?He suddenly remembered that a foreign business friend had given him a very expensive and beautiful gold pen, but he was never willing to use it, so he should give this pen to Xiao Dong.So he went home, found the beautifully packaged pen, and put it in his pocket.He called Xiao Dong at home, and Xiao Dong called back quickly. He told Xiao Dong that the dinner at six o'clock in the evening was not at a hotel or a big hotel, but at the "small place" on Badao Street. restaurant.

When Li Zimin arrived at the small restaurant by taxi, Dong Yingjie's family of three had already been waiting there.As soon as we met, Xiao Dong said: "Mayor, I'm really sorry to ask you to invite our family to dinner, and I'm really grateful."

Li Zimin said: "What is there to be grateful for? Even ordinary people can do this." After finishing speaking, he touched the face of the little boy in Xiao Dong's wife's arms, "How old is the little guy?"

"Fatty, hurry up and tell grandpa, how old are you?" Xiao Dong's wife, a middle school teacher, said to the child in her arms.

"Five years old! Grandpa." The child looked at Li Zimin and replied.

After sitting down, Li Zimin took out a bottle of Moutai from his pocket and put it on the table, "Xiao Dong, I know you drink a lot, and you never drink when you are on official business. Today, we both let go. "

The proprietress of the shop came in.She knew the mayor, but she kept it secret.The last time the mayor came here, he just sat and didn't eat. She knew in her heart that if the mayor came to this small shop, he must have his own private affairs. If he made a public announcement, he would not come next time.Sure enough, the mayor came again this time, and he brought Maotai wine with him.So she said with a smile: "Sir, what kind of food do you want?"

Li Zimin said, "Look at the arrangement, but it must be good and delicious."

"That's good." The proprietress replied happily.

In just a short while, six dishes were served, two cold and four hot.It seems that the proprietress really worked hard.The waiter had already poured the Moutai, and Li Zimin raised the glass, "Xiao Dong, Hu Min was going to invite your family to dinner with me today, but, but she has an operation tonight," Li Zimin could only say casually He lied, "She won't come, and on her behalf, I would like to express my gratitude to your family. Come, let's finish this drink," he said, pouring a glass of wine into his belly.Xiao Dong also did it in one gulp.Li Zimin said to his wife: "Mr. Sun, you have to drink the first glass too." Xiao Dong's wife said yes, and drank a glass of wine too.

This is a real bottle of Moutai that has been stored for more than five years. After opening the bottle, the aroma is already filling the room.The proprietress came in with a smile, "Such delicious wine has made me greedy too. I would like to respect this gentleman and the family of three." As she spoke, she filled Li Zimin, Xiao Dong, Teacher Sun and herself with a glass of wine. "It's not easy to smell such a fragrant Moutai in this nameless shop of ours! Just for you to come to my shop, we made this cup." After she finished speaking, she touched the three of them. She took a sip of the glass, raised her neck, poured the wine into her belly, tapped her mouth a few more times, "It's really good wine!" She watched Li Zimin and the other three drink up the wine, and then filled the three of them. But she didn't pour it herself, she said: "Although my toast is to borrow flowers to present Buddha, it can't be done in vain. The restaurant specially added two dishes for guests for free to respect the guests." Then with a wave of hands, two waiters served again. Two dishes: one is braised shrimp, the other is rejuvenation.Red and green match, very distinctive.

Li Zimin was very excited, he picked up the wine bottle, "Madam, thank you for the extra food, I would like to toast you." The lady proprietress was very happy, and the wine glass she held was shaking again and again, I don't know whether it was excitement or emotion.After finishing the drink, the proprietress reluctantly left the room, and said before going out, "To thank this gentleman for the two glasses of good wine, I will give you a [-]% discount on dinner tonight."

Li Zimin smiled.Strange this afternoon, everything I met was [-]% off.It's just that the hotel's [-]% discount makes him feel quite happy.He poured Xiao Dong a glass of wine and said, "Let's have a drink together! Don't talk about anything else." Xiao Dong picked up the wine glass, drank it in one gulp, and tears came out of his eyes. "Mayor, don't blame me for leaving you. I also hate you. I didn't want to leave you because you are not the mayor. I have wanted to leave the government for more than a year. If you don't believe me, just ask Xiao Sun."

Teacher Sun nodded repeatedly. "He wanted to leave a long time ago."

Xiao Dong said: "Mayor Li, I have been by your side for five years. I have learned a lot, learned about your character, and understood the whole society. I can't be a secretary forever. I still have my own way to go. I want to do something down-to-earth. I am interested in financial investment, and now I have such an opportunity, so I secretly made arrangements. Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you wherever I go. I will do my job well. of."

Li Zimin nodded in confidence, and took out the beautifully packaged pen case from his pocket, "You are leaving, I want to give you something, after going around, I still think it is better to give you this pen. This pen is very precious, It was given to me by a foreign businessman, and I am not willing to use it, so give it to you, and whenever you use it for office work, you will think of me.” After he finished speaking, he put the pen case in front of Xiao Dong.

Xiao Dong cried, crying out loud.His son Pangpang was taken aback by the crying, "Father, don't cry, don't cry."

Li Zimin picked up a prawn with his chopsticks and put it in his fat mouth. "Five years old, how fast. Looking at Chubby, I remembered one thing. I always feel sorry for you."

Xiao Dong stopped crying and wiped the tears from his eyes, "Mayor, what's the matter? We don't know!"

Li Zimin said: "You may not know it, but I have always kept it in my heart. I just became the mayor five years ago, and you have just been my secretary for a few months. That day, the provincial government called, and the next day the governor I want to come to Xianghan for an inspection. So I hurriedly prepared the report materials. The people in the general department worked until [-] o'clock in the evening, and they sent them up for a look. They were unqualified, and the economic situation and data analysis were wrong. I lost my temper and asked you to help me. You are studying economics, and you can use a pen, I don’t worry. It rained heavily that night, and you were writing report materials in the conference room. At ten o’clock, I was standing upstairs and saw Teacher Sun holding the baby who had just been born. Looking for you, I only found out later that the child was sick and asked you to go to the hospital. At that time, you glanced at the child at the door, said something, and then came back. Teacher Sun braved the heavy rain and carried the child away Yes. It rained heavily that night, and I could see the white smoke from the rain under the lights in the yard. I saw it at the time, and I didn't send a car to deliver it, let alone ask what was going on. That night You worked all night. The governor came the next day, and you worked for another day. I found out later that the child was hospitalized for pneumonia that night, and after staying for more than ten days, you neither said a word nor asked One day off. Tell me, am I too impersonal as the mayor?" Li Zimin said, holding up his glass and drank it.

"We have long forgotten about this matter. If you don't mention it, you really won't remember it." Xiao Dong said.

"Yeah, you guys forgot, but I can't forget. Even if I owe you, husband and wife, and fat fat today, I thought at the time that it was necessary to exercise you. You have to use a heavy hammer to beat the drum. In the ups and downs of the past few years, no matter what work you go out to do, I will be relieved!"

Li Zimin drank very excitedly about the wine that night.

(End of this chapter)