Chapter 209: Taking Up a New Post

Ning Weidong left home, got on his bicycle, and headed straight for the Ministry.

He was not unfamiliar with this place; both Wang Fu and Zhao Fu worked inside.

After parking his bicycle, he went to the reception room first.

"Comrade, hello, I am looking for Department Head Wang of the Cadre Division." Ning Weidong said with a smile as he arrived at the reception room.

The person inside the reception room took a look at him, immediately picked up the phone to dial, and then asked: "Comrade, what is your name?"

Ning Weidong stated his name, and after a short while, a middle-aged man came down from upstairs, extending his hand from several meters away: "Comrade Ning Weidong!"

Ning Weidong immediately went up to meet him and shook his hand, saying: "Hello, Leader~"

Department Head Wang shook Ning Weidong's hand and gave it a light tug: "No need for such formalities, just call me Old Wang."

Ning Weidong smiled, but he would not take it seriously; they were meeting for the first time, and they were far from being that familiar.

Department Head Wang, however, asked: "Comrade Weidong, have you set a date for your wedding with Ruyi?"

Ning Weidong was slightly stunned, then understood the other party's meaning; this person was one of Zhao Fu's men, or at least in the same faction, so he should be one of his own.

But one could never be sure if the other party was feigning closeness or intimacy.

Ning Weidong responded cautiously and followed the other party upstairs.

Arriving at the office upstairs, Department Head Wang had already prepared the relevant materials, just waiting for Ning Weidong to come, sign, stamp, and complete the procedures.

After about ten minutes, Ning Weidong's personnel file was officially transferred from the Red Star Factory to the Ministry, and his administrative rank was officially changed to Section Level.

Once finished, Ning Weidong thanked Department Head Wang again.

Leaving the Cadre Division, he went upstairs again.

He went to the Secretariat first and knocked on the door.

"Comrade, who are you looking for?" a young woman sitting at the door looked up and asked.

Seeing Ning Weidong, she couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

Tall, handsome, with a smile on his face and a sincere tone, it was hard not to notice him.

Ning Weidong said politely: "Hello, Comrade, I am looking for Section Chief Sun."

The other party looked Ning Weidong over, glanced back into the large office, and said: "Wait a moment~ Section Chief Sun just went out."

Ning Weidong nodded and said thank you: "Then I will wait in the hallway." He then retreated outside the door.

After a few minutes, a man in his thirties, wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and black-rimmed glasses, returned from outside.

Seeing Ning Weidong, he looked him over slightly and immediately broke into a smile: "Ning Weidong~"

Ning Weidong realized: "You must be Brother Sun!" He immediately went up to shake his hand.

This Section Chief Sun was Wang Fu's secretary; Ning Weidong had never met him, but Section Chief Sun must have seen Ning Weidong's photo, and combined with Ning Weidong's physique and appearance, he recognized him at a glance.

Secretary Sun smiled and said: "I have heard Weiguo and Yuzhen mention you quite often; seeing you today, you are indeed handsome and extraordinary."

Ning Weidong knew that as Wang Fu's head secretary, Secretary Sun was practically like a son, so he humbly replied: "Brother Sun, you are making me blush. But you..."

After a round of professional pleasantries, Ning Weidong entered the office with Secretary Sun.

He poured a cup of tea for Ning Weidong and glanced at his watch: "The leader is meeting guests; please wait a few minutes."

Ning Weidong had no objections; he had met Wang Fu once before, but they hadn't really spoken.

Coming here today was mainly to elaborate on his ideas for opening up channels with the Soviet Union.

Previously, Ning Weidong had only spoken to Zhao Fu about it in person and had not yet officially reported it here.

Currently, the Wang Family and the Zhao Family were of one mind; at the latest, by the first half of next year, Wang Fu would step down, likely to the Consultative Committee.

Zhao Fu would then take over.

By then, Secretary Sun would likely be transferred out.

Ning Weidong chatted with Secretary Sun for a while when the phone on the desk rang.

Secretary Sun answered it, then took Ning Weidong out and arrived at Wang Fu's office.

This was Ning Weidong's first time here, but he didn't feel nervous; this trip today was really just a formality.

Wang Fu was the same as ever, his graying hair combed back, his complexion poor due to a weak stomach.

Strictly speaking, Wang Fu was not that old, but his health had collapsed a few years ago, and he could no longer handle high-intensity work.

"Little Ning~" Wang Fu looked Ning Weidong up and down with a smile.

Ning Weidong stood at attention and said: "Leader, Ning Weidong reporting to you."

Wang Fu walked over and patted his shoulder: "No need to be so stiff, sit down~"

Ning Weidong acknowledged, but since this wasn't home, he remained formal and only sat on half of the sofa.

Wang Fu went straight to the point: "I heard your ideas from Old Zhao; the ideas are very good..."

Ning Weidong listened attentively and could tell that the other party was not opposed to them.

Afterward, he asked some detailed questions, and after talking for about half an hour, he let Ning Weidong leave.

Coming out of Wang Fu's office and seeing Secretary Sun again, Ning Weidong could feel that the other party was clearly more enthusiastic than before.

Although Secretary Sun had been warm earlier, that was because of his relationship with Ning Weiguo and Wang Yuzhen.

But the fact that Ning Weidong could stay in Wang Fu's office for half an hour spoke volumes.

Ning Weidong was not relying solely on nepotism, but actually had substance; otherwise, someone at Wang Fu's level would never waste so much time on him.

Subsequently, Ning Weidong went to see a Department Head Zhang.

Dongyi Company was being transferred from the Mechanical Bureau to the Ministry, becoming a directly managed unit.

It was currently placed under this Department Head Zhang.

Department Head Zhang was in his forties, of medium build, with a thin appearance, giving the impression of someone who rarely smiled.

He was not overly enthusiastic when he saw Ning Weidong, but he was not cold either.

In fact, just a moment ago, Department Head Zhang had already learned that Ning Weidong had spent half an hour in Wang Fu's office.

Anyone who can sit in such a position within an agency is a shrewd operator.

Finally emerging from Division Chief Zhang's office, Ning Weidong felt a slight sense of relief; he raised his hand to check his watch, and it was already eleven o'clock.

Before he knew it, the whole morning had passed.

Ning Weidong retrieved his bicycle and headed straight back to the Siheyuan of Dongyi Company.

At the entrance to the front courtyard, Old Man Zheng saw Ning Weidong and called out, "Manager Ning."

Although Zhao Ruyi had left, Old Man Zheng still remained here, and could be considered one of their own.

Ning Weidong responded politely.

Walking further inside, just as he reached the Chuihua Gate, he saw Qin Huairu come out of the kitchen and call out to Ning Weidong with some trepidation: "Manager Ning, you see, now that Manager Zhao has been transferred, our canteen here..."

Ning Weidong knew what she was worried about and said with a smile, "Aunt Qin, you don't need to worry. The canteen will continue as usual for now; I'll come find you later if there are any arrangements."

Qin Huairu breathed a sigh of relief; judging by Ning Weidong's tone, he likely wouldn't be shutting down the canteen.

For the past two days, she had been feeling unsettled; no one had expected that Zhao Ruyi would just leave like that.

Although Ning Weidong replacing him could be considered an acquaintance, it was hard to say what kind of rules Ning Weidong would bring with him.

Currently, Qin Huairu was responsible for the cooking here, earning a salary of over twenty yuan a month, and in addition to buying groceries and grain, while she couldn't get her hands on much cash, she could at least bring some food and drink home.

Furthermore, regarding her job at the factory, it had already been decided that her second daughter would take over her position.

If Ning Weidong came and directly cancelled the small canteen, or replaced her with someone else, she would be in a real bind.

The only good news now was that the relationship between her youngest daughter and Ning Wei was basically settled; she secretly calculated that when she went back tonight, she would have Huaihua go ask Ning Wei about it.

Ning Weidong didn't have those thoughts; he was definitely going to keep this small canteen. His next step was to recruit talent, and since there would be dozens of people working here in the future, they needed a place to eat, and he might even need to hire two more people, as Qin Huairu alone wasn't enough.

Arriving in the courtyard, Ning Weidong went through the Chuihua Gate and stood there for a few seconds.

He had been here plenty of times before, but today was different from the past.

At this moment, Ning Wei came out of the side room, took a few quick steps to Ning Weidong's side, and called out, "Third Brother."

He had been watching from inside the room just now and came out immediately upon seeing Ning Weidong appear.

Knowing that Ning Weidong was going to take over for Zhao Ruyi, Ning Wei was very happy.

Although Zhao Ruyi treated him well, it was ultimately not as smooth as being by Ning Weidong's side, where he had to be careful about everything.

Especially since others didn't know, but Ning Wei himself was clear that Ning Weidong had bought a house for Shi Xiaonan outside.

If Zhao Ruyi were to find out about this, it was hard to say what Ning Weidong would do, but he, the one who handled it, would definitely be in deep trouble.

Now that Zhao Ruyi was gone and Ning Weidong had arrived, all problems were easily solved.

Behind Ning Wei, Wang Xuewen and Zhao Chunming also came out, and Liu Dong was there as well.

After Ning Weidong greeted them, Wang Kaixuan also came out from the opposite side room and laughed, "Manager Ning, my Brother Ning..."

Ning Weidong's arrival was also good news for Wang Kaixuan.

Although gender equality was emphasized now, in Wang Kaixuan's heart, he had never felt quite comfortable working under Zhao Ruyi.

It felt much more comfortable with someone like Ning Weidong; in truth, there were just too many ways in which Ning Weidong was better than him.

Taller than him, more handsome than him, better looking than him, and stronger in both strength and fighting—Wang Kaixuan really couldn't bring himself to be jealous of such a person.

And following behind Wang Kaixuan was another person.

This man had a dignified appearance, was about 1.8 meters tall, had bronze-colored skin, sharp eyes, and an imposing aura; at a glance, he was clearly a battle-hardened man from the military.

After exchanging greetings, Wang Kaixuan introduced him: "Brother Ning, it's a coincidence today; let me introduce someone to you. This is my good buddy, Hu Bayi..."

Ning Weidong had already guessed the identity of the person in front of him and reached out his hand with a smile: "Hu... I've heard plenty from Wang Pangzi about your exploits back in the day."

Hu Bayi was stunned for a moment, then reached out both hands to shake Ning Weidong's, and said with a wry smile, "Manager Ning, you flatter me; that was just being ignorant in our youth."

Ning Weidong said, "What manager, don't mention it..."

After the two sides exchanged pleasantries, Ning Wei took the group of people with him and went back.

Unlike Wang Kaixuan and Hu Bayi, these people with Ning Wei were considered Ning Weidong's subordinates.

Wang Kaixuan, on the other hand, was more of a "listen to orders but not to summons" type; after all, his background was different, and since returning to Min Province last time, Wang Kaixuan had reconnected with some contacts, meaning he brought his own resources.

Ning Weidong was not surprised by Hu Bayi's appearance here.

Compared to Wang Kaixuan, Hu Bayi's situation was actually better; after all, his father was still alive. One could tell from their respective experiences: both went to the Northeast to work in the countryside, but Hu Bayi joined the army very early, while Wang Kaixuan had struggled for several years.

The only downside was Hu Bayi's personality—too loyal and too impulsive; otherwise, with his qualifications, he would have surely earned a star in the future.

Ning Weidong brought the two of them to the Upper Room, personally brewed a pot of tea, and poured it for them: "Old Hu, I heard from Pangzi that you were in the military, how did you end up being discharged?"

Hu Bayi sighed and said, "Sigh... don't mention it..."

He rambled on, explaining how he had lost his temper on the battlefield and shot the prisoners.

Ning Weidong frowned and said, "No, that shouldn't be such a big deal, right? It shouldn't have been hard to cover up; why did they make such a big issue out of it?"

Hu Bayi's expression turned ugly; he lowered his head to drink his tea and didn't respond.

Ning Weidong understood in an instant that this likely involved the grievances of the generation of Hu Bayi's father.

But then again, regardless, Hu Bayi's actions were a hard fact; once someone caught him in a mistake, he could only swallow it and accept the consequences.

As for returning to his hometown and then coming to Beijing to find Wang Kaixuan,

that actually had something to do with Ning Weidong.

After Hu Bayi joined the army and left, he had lost contact with Wang Kaixuan.

If Wang Kaixuan hadn't gone back last time and reconnected with Ren Jiefang, Hu Bayi wouldn't have come directly to Beijing this time.

After explaining the basic situation, Wang Kaixuan said, "Brother Ning, you understand Old Hu's situation now; look, why don't you let him come to our company too..."

Ning Weidong had been waiting for these words and laughed, "That's great! Actually, I wanted to say it earlier, but I was afraid my temple was too small and didn't have the nerve to open my mouth."

Ning Weidong wasn't just being polite; in reality, Hu Bayi's value was far higher than Wang Kaixuan's.

It went back to what he said before: Hu Bayi's father was still around, which was something Wang Kaixuan couldn't compare to.

With Hu Bayi, he could definitely leverage more resources.

Ning Weidong said immediately: "Old Hu, since we've said this much, why don't you come work for me as a Deputy Manager first? All your benefits will be the same as Fatty's."

Hu Bayi breathed a slight sigh of relief; he actually hadn't been sure of himself when he came this time.

One reason was Wang Kaixuan; after all, they hadn't been in touch for several years, and no matter how close they were when they were young, it was hard to say how things were now.

The second was what kind of attitude Zhao Ruyi would have toward him, since he belonged to the category of those dismissed with a stain on their record.

He hadn't expected that coming yesterday to see Wang Kaixuan, and today seeing Ning Weidong, the matter would be settled so smoothly it was beyond his imagination.

Moreover, during their contact and conversation, he had a feeling that Ning Weidong seemed to have an inexplicable sense of familiarity with him, even though the two of them had clearly never met before.

At this moment, Ning Weidong asked again: "Right, Old Hu, where are your personnel files currently located?"

Bringing this up, Hu Bayi said bitterly: "They are temporarily left in my hometown."

Ning Weidong said: "Contact them later and have your personnel files transferred over. Our company is now under the direct management of the Ministry and is temporarily classified as a Section Level unit..."

Wang Kaixuan's eyes lit up: "Damn, when did this happen? How come I didn't know?"

Ning Weidong glanced at him: "If you spent less time at the street-corner supply and marketing cooperative flirting with the salesclerks, you wouldn't be so out of the loop."

Wang Kaixuan didn't even blush, chuckling: "I was just cultivating revolutionary friendship~ Hey, a Section Level unit, and I'm a Deputy Manager, so that makes me a deputy section chief! Brother Ning, you really are my own brother."

(End of this chapter)