I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 177: Chapter 111: Return to the County, Congratulations from All

The main lobby of the Qianjiao County Branch Office building.

It was eleven in the morning in the height of summer, and the heat was intense. The cooling Array was running at full power. Over twenty people were waiting here, clearly divided into several small groups.

Zhang Qiming’s white uniform was ironed without a single crease. He stood in the center of the lobby with his hands behind his back, a faint, inscrutable smile playing on his lips. Deputy Director Zhou stood half a step behind him to his left, wearing his usual, perpetually gentle expression.

Wang Ren, the Head of the General Affairs Section, stood alone by a pillar, indifferent to the undercurrents swirling around him. Lei Dan, the Head of the Operations Section, stood with his deputy head, Li Yi. Lei Dan was tall and powerfully built, and he stood with his arms crossed, looking rather impatient. Li Yi, on the other hand, wore a smile and would occasionally whisper a few words to Qin Feng, the deputy head of the Archives Section, who stood beside him.

The Head of the Archives Section, Zhao Suqin, was a capable-looking woman of about fifty. She wasn’t talking to anyone, merely standing quietly to the side, calmly observing the expressions of everyone in the lobby.

The most surprising presence was Xiao Liang. He stood next to Wang Ren with a somewhat complicated expression on his face, his gaze frequently darting toward the main entrance.

Time passed unnoticed. Suddenly, a young secretary from the director’s office hurried in through a side door and went straight to Zhang Qiming. In a voice just loud enough for those nearby to hear, he said, "Director, Vice Director Gao and Yang Group—... Specialist Yang’s Flying Shuttle has just landed. The two of them are heading to the main building now."

Hearing this, the smile on Zhang Qiming’s face deepened. He announced loudly, "Everyone, let’s go to the entrance and welcome our branch office’s genius!"

With that, he took the lead and walked toward the two glass doors of the main entrance. Deputy Director Zhou naturally followed, and the others also began to move, clustering around the two directors to form a loose welcoming party under the eaves outside the entrance.

At the bottom of the steps to the main entrance.

Yang Wenqing was walking behind Vice Director Gao. When they both looked up, they were momentarily stunned by the grand welcoming party outside the main entrance.

The brilliant sunlight blazed down on the white uniforms and epaulets, reflecting a somewhat dazzling glare. It was like a freeze-frame before the start of a meticulously staged play.

Yang Wenqing’s heart involuntarily skipped a beat, and the fabric of his new uniform felt tighter across his back.

"This doesn’t bode well." Vice Director Gao’s lips barely moved, but a subtle yet clear telepathic message reached Yang Wenqing’s ears.

At the same time, an incredibly enthusiastic, almost flattered, smile bloomed on Vice Director Gao’s face. He quickened his pace, nearly jogging up the last few steps.

Three steps away from Zhang Qiming, Vice Director Gao stopped and gave a crisp, standard salute to the two directors. "Director. Deputy Director Zhou."

He was deliberately drawing their ’fire’ away from Yang Wenqing.

He then turned to the others, his gaze sweeping over the faces of Wang Ren, Lei Dan, Zhao Suqin, and the rest. An even warmer smile appeared on his face as he nodded. "My apologies for keeping all of you waiting, colleagues."

The smile on Zhang Qiming’s face didn’t change, but an imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes. He took a step forward, grasped Vice Director Gao’s hand firmly, and said with a booming laugh, "Vice Director Gao."

Then, his gaze shot past Vice Director Gao’s shoulder like a searchlight, locking onto Yang Wenqing behind him.

"Good. You look sharp."

Zhang Qiming released his hand and walked over to Yang Wenqing, praising him. "How long has it been since our Qianjiao County Branch Office has produced such a young Specialist? You’ve brought honor to our entire bureau and boosted our morale!"

He reached out and patted Yang Wenqing’s shoulder heavily, a gesture of profound appreciation unique to a leader.

He turned to face all their colleagues, his voice rising. "Director Shen is an extremely busy man, yet he took the time to personally meet with and encourage him. This isn’t just an affirmation of Wenqing as an individual. More importantly, it is recognition of our branch office’s overall performance—especially in cultivating talent—from the city bureau’s top leadership. This is a collective honor."

He was tying Yang Wenqing’s personal promotion to the group’s honor. It sounded like praise, but in reality, it placed Yang Wenqing even more directly in the spotlight, a subtle attempt to build him up only to tear him down.

Applause rang out at the perfect moment—first from Zhang Qiming’s secretary, then from Zhang Qiming himself, and then everyone was clapping.

As the applause died down, Zhang Qiming spoke again. "Wenqing, today is an important step for you personally, and it’s a happy occasion for our branch office. Why don’t you take this opportunity to say a few words? Share your thoughts on this moment, and let everyone hear what our young Specialist has planned for the future."

"Director, you praise me too highly. My achievements today are the result of the branch office’s cultivation. More than that, they are due to the trust and guidance from you, Director, as well as Deputy Director Zhou and Vice Director Gao, who gave me the platform to learn and grow through practical experience. It is also inseparable from the continuous support and help of all my colleagues present here."

"Director Shen took time out of his busy schedule to encourage me..."

Yang Wenqing paused, his tone becoming even more sincere. "What I felt was not personal honor or disgrace, but the expectations that our superiors have for us grassroots officers. It is the heavy responsibility they are entrusting to our Qianjiao County Branch Office for its future work."

"As for my new position and responsibilities, I am well aware that my experience is still shallow. I can only hold fast to one principle: power comes from the post, authority from public-spiritedness, and influence from actual achievements."

"From this day forward, I will surely look to our leaders as role models and our colleagues as a mirror for self-reflection. I will strive to become truly competent in this role as soon as possible, so as not to betray the trust of our leaders and the expectations of everyone here."

After listening, an inscrutable look flickered in Zhang Qiming’s eyes. His smile deepened as he led the applause. "Excellent! A clear understanding, an accurate self-assessment, and the right attitude. This is exactly the kind of young backbone our branch office needs. Keep up the good work. The future belongs to you!"