sinovels Chapter 36 The Simp Ends Up with Nothing
Chapter 36 The Simp Ends Up with Nothing
Lin Chen locked all the more than one hundred letters of complaint in a drawer, preferring to ignore them. He couldn't agree with Old Man Cheng's philosophy of "it's better to do less than more," but he simply didn't have the energy to take them all seriously.
Having spent so many years in Balu, Lin Chen had long since figured out what the people at the grassroots level were thinking: regardless of right or wrong, as long as there was some benefit involved, they would fight for what they should fight for, and they would also make a fuss about what they shouldn't fight for.
Most of these petitions are old grievances, without any beginning or end or evidence. They are all just venting their grievances or personal grievances, and they don't even bother to leave a signature, making it impossible to track them down.
He set a rule for himself: if someone really came to his door and blocked him, he would see it through to the end; but if it was just a random letter, he was sorry, he couldn't help.
Currently, Lin Chen is managing such a large operation in the office all by himself, and he really can't keep up with it all.
Tang Xin always says, "The office belongs to everyone, let's work together," but when it comes down to it, isn't everyone just minding their own business?
Unless your boss gives the final approval, or you have a solid reason, your job is your job, and others will avoid it like the plague. Who would dare to lend a hand? After all, there's no credit for helping, but if something goes wrong, who will be held responsible?
At Xinhai Company, everyone understands the survival rule: "The more you do, the more mistakes you make; the less you do, the fewer mistakes you make; if you do nothing, you make no mistakes." This rule is more effective than rules and regulations.
Of course, there is another very important reason: Lin Chen really needs some time to write his novel during this period. Last month's royalties have reached a staggering 10 yuan, so it's not unreasonable for him to slack off a bit.
After another week, he finally understood the monsters and freaks in the office.
Chen Ya is really busy. She is capable, willing to take on responsibilities, and hardworking. Most importantly, she is also good-looking. Whenever Tang Xin has a problem, she is always the first person she thinks of.
Zhang Junmin was truly "busy," spending all his time either fawning over Director Tan in his office or following Director Song around, so busy that he neglected his own duties.
The rest of the people are just pretending to be busy.
Old Cheng brewed new teas every day, changing the varieties, and would invite Lin Chen to taste them. The two could be considered "friends who share tea, a thousand cups are not enough." However, because they drank so much tea, Lin Chen had to go to the toilet frequently.
Song Qiuyu was wearing headphones, watching a drama and eating snacks, with laughter occasionally drifting out. When Tang Xin caught her doing this, she blamed everyone for not reminding her.
Lan Bingyan was focused on knitting a woolen scarf, which she said was a gift for her new boyfriend. It seems she's still love-struck; this is just her way of making herself feel good.
This Sister Shan always had her string of jade prayer beads on her wrist, her fingers rubbing them until they shone. With that detached and otherworldly demeanor, Lin Chen even wanted to advise her to just become a nun. According to Old Man Cheng, her relationship with Director Tan was not good, and she didn't care at all about Director Tan's philandering.
That morning, Tang Xin walked into the office, and the group of people who were just slacking off a second ago instantly switched to "working hard" mode. Song Qiuyu quickly stuffed snacks into the drawer, Lan Bingyan hid the yarn ball under the table, Sister Shan picked up the documents with both hands, and Old Man Cheng also pretended to look through the reports.
Tang Xin looked around and said, "Director Song is going to give a speech and offer his regards to Yangguang Elementary School in the mountains later, and he needs two people to go with him. Who wants to go?"
Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Junmin straightened up abruptly, raised his hand higher than anyone else, and put on a stiff, obsequious smile: "Director, I'll go, I'll go. I'm a graduate of Sunshine Elementary School myself, so it's a good opportunity to go back and visit my alma mater."
Tang Xin nodded: "Okay, you're the only one. Who else is there?" She had originally planned to find a boy.
The office was completely silent, everyone was busy with their heads down. Tang Xin's gaze swept around and finally landed on Lin Chen in the corner: "Lin Chen, are you alright? Let's go together."
Lin Chen cursed inwardly. He was also pretending to be busy, but not as convincingly as the other six brothers. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Director, my job is to handle safety disputes. Going to a primary school to offer condolences... doesn't seem quite right?"
It's not that he dislikes going to the countryside, but he dislikes going out with his superiors, having to listen to others in everything, and not knowing when he'll be back, which affects his writing.
Tang Xin raised an eyebrow, her tone leaving no room for argument: "The first priority for everyone in the office is to serve the boss well, and only then comes your job, understand?"
"Oh." Lin Chen rolled his eyes inwardly, but couldn't refute it out loud. What she said was indeed true. However, the first priority of a water company was not to serve customers, but to serve its leaders. It was ridiculous to think about.
"I'm going to the city today and won't be able to come with you. You two must make sure to serve Director Song well and that nothing goes wrong," Tang Xin continued to instruct, her style always quite straightforward.
"I guarantee I'll complete the mission." Zhang Junmin's voice was loud and clear, and his eagerness to show his loyalty made him look like a brainless idiot.
Tang Xin looked at Lin Chen, who hadn't spoken, and added, "Lin Chen, this is your first time going out with your superiors. Be careful. If you don't understand anything, you can ask Junmin."
Zhang Junmin immediately chimed in, thumping his chest loudly, "Don't worry, Director Tang, I'll keep an eye on him and teach him."
Seriously? You think you can show off like that? You're even looking at me now? Do I need you to teach me? To kneel down and act like a dog like you?
At 9:30 a.m., seven official vehicles pulled up in front of the office on time, with a lot of gifts in the trunk, seemingly for some impoverished students.
Zhang Junmin, carrying a bulging little backpack, rushed forward like he was grabbing a train ticket during the Spring Festival travel rush and firmly secured the seat on the left side of the middle. Lin Chen originally wanted to sit on the right, but the driver, Lao Liu, kindly reminded him, "Little Lin, that's Director Song's reserved seat."
Lin Chen suddenly realized that Zhang Junmin's eagerness earlier was because he was afraid Lin Chen would steal the opportunity to sit with the leader. Lin Chen didn't care and happily sat at the back. He might have liked to be close to the leader before, but now, the further away from the leader, the more comfortable he felt.
Not long after, Director Song leisurely walked down and sat down next to Zhang Junmin. Zhang Junmin immediately leaned forward, a perfectly timed smile on his face: "Director Song, Director Tang specially arranged for me to bring Lin Chen to serve you throughout the trip."
In short, they twisted "traveling together" into "he led the team while Lin Chen did the odd jobs," making it seem perfectly natural to criticize Lin Chen. Lin Chen, who was in the back row, saw this clearly and found it utterly ridiculous.
Upon hearing Lin Chen's name, Director Song turned around and gave a formal greeting: "Lin Chen, how are you doing? You seem to be settling in well in the office."
"Habit." There's only one correct answer to this question, and Lin Chen doesn't want to cause any more trouble right now.
Director Song nodded: "Alright, I see your writing is quite good. You should take on more responsibilities in the future, such as writing articles. Don't limit yourself to your own job duties; it will benefit you."
"Okay." Lin Chen replied casually, feeling a bit speechless. "You just said something so casual, but now I still have to write articles. Life is really tough."
Hearing this, Zhang Junmin felt a sense of crisis. He had written many articles since he came to the office, but his superiors had never praised his writing skills. At most, they would say that his writing was very standard.
The car arrived, and Director Song began to adjust the seat and the headrest, presumably planning to lie down and rest for a while. The journey from the county company to Sunshine Primary School takes about 45 minutes, which is not very friendly to an elderly person like him.
Zhang Junmin immediately took out a headrest from the bulging little bag and respectfully handed it over: "Director Song, this is a memory foam headrest. I just bought it and haven't used it yet. It's very clean. You should be more comfortable sleeping in it."
There's even a nameplate on the headrest, and it really does look brand new.
Director Song waved his hand and said, "No need for this. I'm used to this car. It's actually harder to sleep in this one." After saying that, he adjusted his seat and lay down to sleep.
Lin Chen chuckled to himself in the back row; his attempt at flattery had backfired spectacularly.
But Zhang Junmin showed no embarrassment. He quickly put away the pillow, then took out a black eye mask and said in a low voice, "Director Song, this is a disposable aromatherapy heated eye mask with a slight massage function. You must not have been resting well lately. Why don't you try it? It might help you sleep better."
Good heavens! Hearing this, Lin Chen was truly impressed. When he came out, Lin Chen saw that he was carrying a bulging little bag and thought he was taking his computer to the countryside for work.
So this is what it's all about – this sycophantic fellow. He really is a lackey. Lin Chen used to not believe it when he heard about his rise to power; he thought it was a bit exaggerated. How could someone kneel down to their leader? Now he understands a bit.
He's the kind of person who's capable of doing such things.
This time, Director Song became interested: "It really works. I haven't been sleeping well these past few days, I'll give it a try." After saying that, he actually put it on and then lay down to sleep.
A victorious smile instantly spread across Zhang Junmin's face. He secretly made a "V" sign in the air, as if he had won a tough battle. However, he immediately began to worry that if his leader couldn't sleep, all his preparations would be in vain.
So he held his breath the whole time, his eyes fixed on Director Song's face.
A few minutes later, Director Song's breathing gradually stabilized, and he was about to fall asleep. However, after the car entered the mountainous area, a section of the road became particularly rugged. Old Liu had already reduced the speed to 20 miles per hour and was carefully moving left and right, but the car was still inevitably bumpy.
Director Song was also affected; he turned his face, adjusted his posture, and his breathing was relatively smooth.
Zhang Junmin immediately leaned forward and whispered reproachfully to Lao Liu, "Lao Liu, slow down a bit. Director Song is asleep; it's not good for him to be jolted like that."
Old Liu had been driving for high-ranking officials for over a decade, always known for his steady and reliable driving. Today was the first time he'd been bossed around by a mere ordinary staff member. His face darkened, but he didn't argue back, only cursing under his breath.
All I can say is that Zhang Junmin is too naive. The leader's driver is with the leader every day and is much closer to him than you, his grandson. If you're so great, why don't you go drive?
After finally waiting for Director Song to fall into a deep sleep, even snoring softly, Zhang Junmin still didn't stop. He carefully reached out and adjusted the air conditioner vent upwards to prevent the cold air from blowing directly on Director Song.
Then he took out a small aromatherapy spray from his backpack and sprayed it lightly twice in the corner of the carriage. A faint lavender scent filled the air, making Lin Chen feel a little sleepy.
My god, what other props do you have? Just bring them all out at once! Whip? Candle? I'm starting to suspect he might be the perpetrator.
The vehicle continued forward, entering higher ground, where the sun became even brighter.
Zhang Junmin remained highly vigilant, occasionally getting up to pull the curtains on the left, which were already tightly blocked out, to ensure that no sunlight fell on Director Song. He would also occasionally turn the air conditioner down or up again, repeating this process.
Sitting in the back row, Lin Chen was dumbfounded and shocked by Zhang Junmin's behavior. He couldn't calm down for a long time. His professionalism and service awareness were so meticulous.
If all employees of Xinhai Company had this kind of service attitude and awareness towards the public and customers, how could the company not prosper and flourish? It's truly a pity.
Lin Chen had seen many sycophants in the company, such as Wang Yang.
Compared to him, he's just a little brother.
Upon arrival, a banner welcoming Director Song was hung at the school gate. Principal Chen led the children in a line at the school gate, waving plastic flowers and shouting slogans such as "Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome!"
Director Song stepped forward and shook hands warmly with Principal Chen.
Principal Chen: "Thank you for your hard work, Director Song. We appreciate it."
Director Song: "Principal Chen, you're being too polite. To be honest, this is what we should do. Your attitude makes me feel really uneasy."
At this moment, Zhang Junmin stood to the side, taking pictures continuously with his camera. Principal Chen and Director Song seemed to understand that it was necessary to take pictures at this time, so their hands were tightly clasped together as if they were handcuffed, and they refused to let go.
Both of them had such friendly expressions, and continued their awkward small talk.
Zhang Junmin took a few pictures of the dog coin, but felt they weren't good enough, so he started shouting to the children behind him: "Kids, stand up straighter, smile brighter, and wave your flowers!"
Damn, Lin Chen really felt that this was a bit too much. The children's faces were sunburned and their hands were almost sore from shaking the water.
After taking the photos, Director Song began his speech, which took place on the basketball court.
The principal gave a brief opening speech, praising Director Song at length. Only then did Director Song begin his speech, which was quite shy. The content of the speech was very simple, including common knowledge about water, the dangers of water, and finally, he called on the children to save water.
This script has been used in every school. Director Song estimates that he has already used it fifty times this year. He speaks entirely off-script, fluently and eloquently, with great emotion and captivating presence.
Two hours, without a break at all.
Lin Chen was hearing it for the first time, so he was very impressed. A leader is a leader, his level is really high. This is not sarcasm, it comes from the bottom of his heart. A leader has to speak and sing well, and he has to impress himself first, otherwise how can his subordinates be convinced?
Of course, Zhang Junmin was not idle during this process either. While Director Song was giving a speech, he also contributed a wonderful and even explosive performance, including adjusting the microphone once, bringing water to Director Song twice, leading the commotion three times, applauding ruthlessly four times, and taking photos from different angles five times. He set an example for the primary school students and left an indelible mark.
Moreover, as long as Zhang Junmin led the applause and the principal clapped, the children, unaware of what was going on, would simply follow suit and clap along, creating a lively atmosphere that eventually reached its climax.
After the speech came the condolence and donation segment. During this segment, it seems that word got out, and several official media outlets showed up.
First, Director Song, representing the company, donated a batch of books and sports equipment to the school. Finally, he also brought some gifts to distribute to the children, including sausages, mushrooms, and other similar items.
A total of 20 gifts were prepared. Zhang Junmin counted them himself and verified them with the principal. Twenty people will go up to receive the gifts in a little while.
However, it's unclear whether the principal didn't count the number of students correctly, Zhang Junmin didn't supervise properly, or the children were just being mischievous, but suddenly 21 students appeared.
The students were so excited that they lined up in a neat row. Director Song took the gift from Zhang Junmin and then handed it to the child with a beaming smile.
When it came to gifts, the children were all very well-behaved, bowing and saying, "Thank you, Uncle Song."
When it came to the last one, there were no more gifts.
The child was initially very excited about Chengqing, but then seemed to realize that the gift was gone and became innocent, and a little disappointment slowly emerged. Then, his eyes instantly reddened and tears welled up in them.
Director Song, his face grim, turned to look at Zhang Junmin, his brows furrowed, as if questioning: How was this arranged? How come there's an extra person?
Zhang Junmin noticed his leader's embarrassment and anger. Terrified, he immediately started yelling at the child, "Whose wild child is this? Who let you up here? Get down here right now!" His hatred was undisguised.
The child, as if greatly wronged by Zhang Junmin's shout, pouted and burst into tears. The clear cry was particularly jarring on the playground, drawing everyone's attention.
Director Song's face instantly turned terribly gloomy, even though the media personnel were still there.
Zhang Junmin panicked and reached out to grab the child, saying, "Get down here, don't cause trouble."
The child suddenly lay down on the ground, kicking his legs wildly; everyone else had gifts, but he didn't.
Director Song's face turned almost green.
The situation was about to get out of control.
"Wait." Lin Chen stepped forward, blocking Zhang Junmin's hand. He squatted down, looked the child in the eye, and asked gently, "Little friend, what's your name?"
"I...I'm called Li Xiaojun..." the child answered, sobbing.
Lin Chen stood up, turned to face the crowd, and spoke clearly and firmly, with just the right amount of volume so that everyone present could hear him clearly: "Distinguished leaders, teachers, and friends from the media, there's been a misunderstanding. This wasn't an accident, but a special segment arranged by our Xinhai Company."
His gaze swept over the astonished Director Song and Zhang Junmin, and he continued, "Li Xiaojun comes from a very poor family. His parents work away from home year-round, and he lives with his elderly grandparents. However, he is an excellent student and has received numerous awards from the school. He is a role model for our Sunshine Elementary School. Today, Director Song specifically instructed us to present him with a special gift to encourage more children like him who work hard."
These words caused an uproar. Director Song was taken aback at first, but then he realized what was happening. The gloom on his face instantly disappeared, replaced by a kind and gratified smile.
After saying that, he quickly walked to the donated sports equipment box, took out a brand new badminton racket, which was originally intended to be left as spare equipment for the school, and at the same time took out one hundred yuan from his pocket.
He handed the racket and cash to Director Song and whispered, "Director Song, this is a gift you specially prepared for Xiao Jun."
Director Song understood immediately. He took the racket and cash, walked solemnly to Li Xiaojun, squatted down, and affectionately patted his head, his face displaying just the right amount of kindness.
"Xiao Jun, study hard and make progress every day. In the future, may you be like this badminton shuttlecock, spreading your wings and soaring high, flying out of the mountains!"
Applause! The principal, being very understanding, led everyone in applause.
What was just a slightly awkward situation has suddenly become excellent material to showcase the warmth and kindness of Xinhai Group.
Xiao Jun accepted the gift, and for some reason, he cried even louder. But this time, Director Song wasn't afraid of his crying; the louder he cried, the more imposing he became.
Zhang Junmin stood aside, watching Lin Chen standing next to Director Song, and thought about his rough behavior just now.
His face was deathly pale, and he was sweating profusely.
At the same time, my heart is bleeding.
On the way back, Zhang Junmin tried to use the same trick again, insisting on sitting next to Director Song. However, Director Song said directly, "Lin Chen, come sit here. I want to chat with you for a bit."
Zhang Junmin's face twitched at that moment.
Lin Chen sat down, and Director Song patted his arm: "Lin Chen, thanks to your quick thinking today, otherwise there would have been a mess." The warmth in his tone was something Lin Chen had never felt since he joined the company.
"Director Song, you flatter me. It's just routine procedure. Unexpected situations in rural towns are much more serious than this." Lin Chen remained calm. After ten years of living in rural towns, what kind of situation hadn't he seen?
Director Song: "Hmm, Lin Chen, you do have a talent for solving difficult problems. You are calm and clear-headed, so it was the right thing to do to put you in the position of security dispute specialist against all opposition."
Damn it~
"Director Song, um... let me explain." Before Lin Chen could speak, Zhang Junmin, eager to salvage the situation, stepped forward to interject, "I checked later, and it turns out that brat came up here on his own..."
"That's enough." Director Song coldly interrupted him: "Junmin, you really didn't think things through today. How could you be so hasty with a child? No matter what, he's just a child, and the media is here too."
The key is having media coverage; we need to focus on the important points.
"Yes, yes, I acted impulsively. I was out of my mind back then." Zhang Junmin's face turned red and white, and he kept muttering to himself. He looked like he was about to kneel down again, but unfortunately there wasn't much room for him to do so in the car.
On the way back, the atmosphere was completely different from when we arrived.
Instead of lying down to rest, Director Song took the initiative to chat with Lin Chen, asking about his work, Tang Yuwei from the Baru Institute, and even inquiring about his love life.
Zhang Junmin was completely ignored, his face deathly pale.
He worked tirelessly all day, taking countless photos and serving tea and water, only to be criticized in the end, while Lin Chen, who merely improvised, became the hero.
He was on the verge of collapse; he clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his arms were clearly visible.
Driver Lao Liu saw everything in the rearview mirror, and the corners of his mouth slowly turned up. "You're the one who dares to criticize me for driving erratically?"