DEFYING FATE

Chapter 48: Chief Zuo was retiring

The next day.

"Good morning everyone."

"Morning, Xiao Dong."

"Good morning firefighter! Hahaha!"

"Don't call me that."

After a short chat, it was time to work. Zhou Changchun didnot come to work today. No one had seen him since yesterday afternoon. Maybe hewas on sick leave again. After all, Zhou Changchun had cerebrovascular diseasesand other chronic illness. His health had been in bad shape. Without anyonesupervising in the office, everyone was not doing their work. Guo Panwei waslooking at the stock market. Guo Shunjie was surfing some forums on theinternet. Most of the work in the office was done by Tan Limei, Dong Xuebing,and Zhuang Zhi.

"Chief Zhou had taken dozens of days of medical leave thisyear." Tan Limei grumbled.

Dong Xuebing was shocked. "So many days?"

Tan Limei replied: "It is considered not a lot. Last yearwas also the same. When Chief Zhou was not around, my workload increases a lot.Luckily you and Zhuang Zhi are around this year. If not, I can't cope with allthe work." She looked at Guo Shunjie and the rest. "Clinging to a post withoutdoing any work!"

Dong Xuebing laughed. "I think Chief Zhou will be backtomorrow. Let me help you with the printing."

During lunchtime, they received news that Zhou Changchun washospitalized for his cerebrovascular illness.

This was not surprising by many of them. They were used toit.

Guo Panwei immediately goes and ask which hospital and wardZhou Changchun was in. "I will go and visit Chief Zhou."

"I will go too." Dong Xuebing does not want to be left behind.Although he was now much closer to Zhou Changchun but visiting him at thehospital will leave a good impression with the leader. The leader will notthink: I am in the hospital, and you do not even visit me? What are youthinking?

Guo Shunjie and Changjuan also wanted to do. In the end, allof them went to Youyi Hospital in two taxis.

Neurology ward

"Chief Zhou, how are you feeling?"

"Are you feeling better?"

Zhou Changchun was lying in bed. He looked several yearsolder since he last appeared in the office a few days earlier. He does not lookwell. His wife was beside him clearing his lunch box. She forced a smile asDong Xuebing, and the rest entered the ward. She put the fruits and flowers bythe window and let them sit beside the Zhou Changchun.

"All of you are here?" Zhou Changchun sighed. "I am fine.But I should not be able to return to work these few days."

Changjuan pretended to be sad: "Chief Zhou, we will be lostif you are not in the office leading us."

Guo Panwei also pretended to be nice. He turned to ZhouChangchun's wife: "Auntie, if you need any help, let me know. I can stay behindin the afternoon to help you take care of Chief Zhou."

Zhou Changchun's wife replied. "Thank you. But I can stillcope."

Zhou Changchun waved his hand. "No need to stay behind toaccompany me. Go back to work. There are lots of work waiting for you all inthe office." His condition was quite serious. He even had difficulties walkingto the bathroom. His wife had to help him walk. Seems like he could not returnto work soon.

After chatting for a while with Zhou Changchun, Dong Xuebingand the rest were about to return to the office.

But Zhou Changchun hesitated for a while and called out: "Panwei,Xiao Bing, I want to talk to you two."

Guo Shunjie glanced at Dong Xuebing and Guo Panwei beforewalking away. Tan Limei, Changjuan, and Zhuang Zhi also walked out of the ward.All of them knew that Guo Panwei and Dong Xuebing held a higher status in ChiefZhou's heart. Dong Xuebing had helped Zhou Changchun rescued the importantdocuments. Guo Panwei had been loyal to Zhou Changchun for years and had beenhis right-hand man.

In the ward, Guo Panwei and Dong Xuebing looked at eachother. They were standing there waiting for Zhou Changchun to speak.

But Zhou Changchun kept quiet for a while before he sighed."The both of you are my most trusted subordinates. In the future..." He pausedfor a while before continuing. "In the future.... Work hard." Dong Xuebing andGuo Panwei were wondering what Zhou Changchun was trying to say. Zhou Changchunwaved his hand. "Go back. My wife will send you out."

Zhou Changchun walked them out to the corridor.

Dong Xuebing turned to her and said: "Auntie, there's noneed to walk us out."

Zhou Changchun's wife seems like she had lots of things tosay to them. But in the end, she only said: "Please take care of the GeneralAffairs Office in the future."

Guo Panwei immediately replied: "Don't worry. We will do ourwork well."

Dong Xuebing felt something was off. It seems that thehusband and wife were implying something.

Back at the office, Dong Xuebing carried on with his work asusual.

At about 1pm, Guo Shunjie suddenly received a phone call andstarted to do his work seriously. He did his own photocopying and offered todeliver documents. After a while, Guo Panwei who returned from outside behavedthe same way as Guo Shunjie. They started to do their work eagerly with a smileon their faces.Guo Panwei even threwall his stock market graphs and charts away.

Dong Xuebing was confused. He asked Zhuang Zhi: "Whathappened?"

Zhuang Zhi looked at both of them: "I don't know. Maybe it'stime for our increments?"

Changjuan and Old Yan were also confused.

Just before they finished work, Tan Limei who returned fromthe Political Section Office told them a piece of shocking news. "Hey, hey,have you all heard the news?"

Dong Xuebing asked: "What news?"

Zhuang Zhi scratched his head: "Are we getting a raise?"

"You wish!" Tan Limei rolled her eyes at him. "It's aboutChief Zhou. Chief Zhou will be retiring due to his illness." Tan Limei' words attracted the attention of Dong Xuebing and Zhuang Zhi. "I heard this news fromthe Political Section, and they told me that the next Chief will be selected from one of us in the office."

Dong Xuebing was shocked: "Is this real?"

"Ah?" Changjuan exclaimed: "Chief Zhou has not reached theretirement age yet. Is his illness so serious?"

Tan Limei lowered her voice: "I heard two versions. One wasthe leaders were unhappy with Chief Zhou for taking so many days of medicalleave. The other rumor is about Chief Zhou's finances. I heard that there weresome issues with his finances and he was "offered" to retire. It was notvoluntary. If it were, Chief Zhou would have told us just now at the hospital."

Finance issues?

Corruption?

This was a piece of alarming news. Old Yan heard this andpaused for a while before continuing reading his papers.

The two Guos should have received this news earlier. Nowonder they suddenly became so hardworking.

No matter Chief Zhou was forced to retire or retired voluntary,the position of Deputy Chief was up for grabs.

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