Power and Wealth

The next day arrived.

It was a crisp autumn morning.

Beep, beep, beep, the alarm clock at hrang. Dong Xuebing had set it up last night. He turned off the alarm and checked the time. It was just past five o'clock. Since Teacher Jiang asked him to go to the school around six o'clock to help her, Dong Xuebing naturally couldn't afford to sleep in. He got out of bed, washed his face with cold water, instantly feeling more awake, and quickly freshened up. After showering, he began rummaging through his wardrobe for clothes. Ultimately, he didn't wear a suit and tie because his few sets of clothes were expensive, and he felt a bit reluctant to wear them for moving things around. He couldn't afford to waste it like this even if he had money. So, Dong Xuebing put on a more casual autumn outfit, a long-sleeved T-shirt and trousers, looking quite relaxed.

He left.

Dong Xuebing grabbed his bag and headed downstairs.

It was early in the morning, and no one had yet cout of the dormitory building of the eighth division of the Discipline Inspection Commission. Everyone was still sleeping except for a few old men and women walking their dogs in the neighborhood.

As soon as he stepped out of the corridor, someone looked at Dong Xuebing, an elderly man.

"Waking up so early."

"Yeah. Ah, you are walking the dog."

"My wife went to the neighborhood committee, so I have to walk the dog."

"Hehe, you're busy, sir. I'll be off to do something."

Not far away, another elderly woman was walking her dog who saw Dong Xuebing and nodded with a smile.

Dong Xuebing quickly greeted the elderly woman before entering his Xiali car and driving out of the neighborhood.

If someone saw this, they might think that Dong Xuebing knew these old folks, but in reality, Dong Xuebing had never seen them before. The old men and women probably didn't recognize Dong Xuebing either. He didn't even know whether the other party was a retired cadre or a family member of a cadre. However, there was a particular atmosphere in many places in Beijing where people were quite friendly. It could be considered a characteristic of Beijing. Everyone was relatively enthusiastic, and since they were neighbors living in the scommunity, whether they knew each other or not, saying hello and chatting for a few words was quite normal. Sometimes, even two people who met every morning might not know each other's surnames or occupations. Dong Xuebing had grown up in this environment since childhood, so he was used to it and even liked it. He could chat with anyone.

Ten minutes.

Twenty minutes.

Half an hour.

Around six o'clock, outside the campus of the United University.

Dong Xuebing droves there and saw other cars entering, so he followed suit. However, the Mercedes-Benz in front of him wasn't stopped and was allowed to enter directly. Dong Xuebing's Xiali, on the other hand, was stopped by the school security outside. Today was the school's anniversary, so there were many security guards. Swere directing traffic, while others were maintaining order at the entrance. However, it was just six o'clock, and the school leaders and participants probably hadn't arrived yet, so the scene was relatively quiet. Only the celebratory banners for the thirtieth anniversary of the University of Liaoning and the rows of flower baskets outside were lively. Dong Xuebing saw over thirty flower baskets, congratulating the university from various companies and alumni.

"Please show your student ID." Two security guards stopped the car.

Dong Xuebing wasn't angry and rolled down the window, saying, "I'm a graduate of our United University."

The security guard said, "Today is the school's anniversary, and there are more people than usual. The campus's capacity is limited. Do you have an invitation?"

Dong Xuebing nodded. "Teacher Jiang Min from the Department of Advanced Mathematics askedto cand help. I should have a pass to enter the auditorium and the campus."

"What's your name?"

"I'm Dong Xuebing."

"Alright, please wait a moment."

The security guard went into the guard room and seemed to be searching for something.

After a short while, he cout. He handed Dong Xuebing a work permit and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No problem." Dong Xuebing took the pass and saw his photo on it. He hung it around his neck and drove in.

The security guard behind him said, "Keep going straight to the parking lot in Zone Three."

Dong Xuebing gave a thumbs up to indicate that he understood, rolled down the window, and slowly drove in.

Since graduating, Dong Xuebing hasn't been back. It wasn't that he didn't want to return but that he hadn't had the chance. Initially, preparing for the civil service exam consumed all his energy, and later, he was transferred to Hebei Province. It had been about three years since he left. Looking at the familiar playground, the long-lost cafeteria, and the dormitory buildings in the distance, Dong Xuebing felt nostalgic and filled with memories.

My alma mater.

I'm back.

He arrived at the parking lot, where there weren't many cars, just a few scattered ones. When Dong Xuebing approached, he saw speople chatting happily, and they looked somewhat familiar. After the car stopped on the side, Dong Xuebing saw those people more clearly. He didn't recognize three groups of people, probably alumni from different years, but he hesitated momentarily before recognizing the ones closer to the north side.

"I wonder who else will ctoday."

"Hehe, probably not many."

"Teacher Jiang contacted many people, but scouldn't make it, and saren't in Beijing."

"What a pity. I wanted to wait until all our classmates cand have a reunion. I miss everyone."

"Yeah, it's been three years since we last saw each other. I remember when we were in school. You see, not far from the back wall of the girls' dormitory, near the wall there… I arrived early today and took a look. Your signatures are still there, although they're a bit blurry now. How could you forget?"

"How could we forget? I remember it clearly."

"Hehe, Hai Dong led that signing event."

As Dong Xuebing opened the car door, it made a clanging sound. Because the Xiali was so old, the sound of closing the door wasn't smooth; instead, it was noisy and clunky, instantly drawing the attention of those three who were chatting.

A chubby woman inside exclaimed, "Oh."

The two men also looked at Dong Xuebing, their faces showing a moment of hesitation, seeming familiar.

Dong Xuebing walked up with a smile. "Le Haidong, Zhao Meng, Sun Ruhua, long tno see."

The chubby woman, Sun Ruhua, pointed at him immediately. "I remember now, Dong Xuebing."

Le Hai Dong and Zhao Meng also realized, "It's been a while. Teacher Jiang also called you, huh? You don't seem to have changed much."

Dong Xuebing smiled. "I can say the sfor you guys."

Sun Ruhua giggled, "I have changed. I've lost weight compared to before."

Dong Xuebing replied, following her lead, "You've lost a lot of weight. How have you been lately? I heard you got married to a handsguy. I haven't congratulated you yet."

Sun Ruhua had a big smile on her face. "So-so. He, well, he's a bit handsome, but that's about it. He's not good at anything else. Oh, by the way, how did you know?" They were standing next to a Toyota car, most likely belonging to Sun Ruhua. Despite her appearance, during college, Sun Ruhua cfrom one of the better-off families in the class. Her parents were in business, not big, but not small either.

Dong Xuebing replied, "I heard it from Yao Cui."

Sun Ruhua chuckled. "Ah, Yao Cui. I see."

Le Hai Dong looked at him. "You two still keep in touch?"

Dong Xuebing nodded. "We met a few days ago."

"Yao Cui seems to have changed her phone number. I asked around, but no one knew." Le Hai Dong continued, "After the campus celebration at noon, giveher number."

Dong Xuebing knew that Le Haidong had pursued Yao Cui during college. But since Yao Cui hadn't shared her number with him, she probably didn't want to stay in touch. Dong Xuebing disagreed and changed the subject. "Haidong, I heard you're in an official position now, and Zhao Meng, you've joined a state-owned enterprise."

Zhao Meng, a tall and burly guy, chuckled. "I joined right after graduation. My dad arranged it. The job is okay, quite relaxed. I can do whatever I want without much hassle."

Sun Ruhua commented, "Steady job. I envy you."

Zhao Meng replied, "You shouldn't. My annual salary doesn't match half of what your dad earns monthly."

Sun Ruhua said, "But you earn more than me. Let's not mention my salary; it's enough to bring tears."

Le Haidong interjected, "Ruhua, it's because you didn't help your parents manage the company. If you had, you could have easily beca general manager."

Sun Ruhua shook her head. "I'd be annoyed if I had to always be under my parents' control. But, among our classmates, I've kept in touch with quite a few. The one who's doing the best is probably you, Haidong. You've been promoted at such a young age."

Le Hai Dong modestly said, "I was just promoted recently."

Sun Ruhua continued, "But still, it's better than us. We're just ordinary folks, but now you're a leader. The status is different."

Le Hai Dong smiled happily. "You're flattering me. I'm just a small cadre. What's so different about my status?" But it was evident that he was pleased. Indeed, being promoted at such a young age usually indicated a promising future far beyond that of his peers.

Zhao Meng looked at Dong Xuebing. "How much are you earning now?"

Dong Xuebing thought about his salary. "Without benefits, it should be over eight thousand."

His salary has increased significantly since moving from a poor county to the central government. However, he didn't even know exactly how much he earned. He had only been in the office for two days and wasn't paying attention to these details.

Zhao Meng nodded. "That's decent."

Considering the cost of living in Beijing, eight thousand was, at most, a moderate income.

Le Hai Dong said, "It's decent indeed, more than me."

Zhao Meng chuckled. "We can't compare like that. You're a leader, and your benefits are much better than ours. Plus, you have power, which is the key."

Sun Ruhua added, "Yeah, my dad's department head at his company earns thousands more each month, equivalent to a deputy Division Chief. Even a fool can tell who's more powerful. It's the swith you. You're already a deputy section chief. In the future, when my son needs to apply to a school or for a recommendation, I'll cto you."

Le Hai Dong confidently said, "No problem. If you need anything, just cto me. I'm currently working at the Beijing Education Bureau, so I know speople in the education system in Beijing."

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