Life in siheyuan era

Qiu Jianye enjoyed extremely high prestige in the Xingyi Subdistrict Office, and the district leaders also trusted him. Over the years, no one dared to say "no" to his arrangements.

But Zhou Zhiyuan said it just like that, and after speaking, he still had a calm expression, as if it were a matter of course.

Zhang Yong looked at him worriedly, but there was nothing he could do at this moment.

Section Chief You was also worried; it would be troublesome if Qiu Jianye refused to accept Zhou Zhiyuan.

However, Zou Hong, Nie Yucheng, and Li Huaiyi were focused on Qiu Jianye's attitude.

Han Xue, however, was pondering a question: "What is Zhou Zhiyuan's purpose?"

Her thinking differed from Zhou Zhiyuan's. In her view, if a superior assigned a task that a subordinate knew they couldn't complete, they shouldn't say it to their face; communicating behind the scenes was the best approach.

This was Han Xue's learned experience, but she didn't know that this method was suitable for leaders she was familiar with and not applicable to leaders she was meeting for the first time.

On the first day of reporting for duty, the higher-level leader immediately assigned a task, which carried a subjective attitude and was also a test to verify their own thoughts.

For the person being tested, no matter what their thoughts were, the best response at this time was to tell the truth.

Zhou Zhiyuan was the person being tested, and he had his own way of dealing with the verification. As a newcomer, it was normal to not understand the situation or be familiar with the work, and telling the truth would not diminish his image.

He had undergone training in the dreamscape and knew how to respond. He looked straight at Qiu Jianye's nose and listened as he coldly asked, "Tell me about your experiences in the army."

"Yes..." Zhou Zhiyuan replied loudly, "Zhou Zhiyuan, enlisted in September 1958. In March 1959, served as the squad leader of the third squad, third platoon, second battalion of a certain detachment. In June 1959, served as the squad leader of the first squad, first platoon, first battalion of a certain detachment. In October 1962, participated in the self-defense counterattack on the plateau. In November, was promoted to a company-deputy-level officer. Transferred to civilian work on February 26, 1963."

In his report, the 'certain detachment' was not meant to conceal anything, but it was necessary to say it that way, as unit designations above the regimental level were classified.

His resume was simple. The only thing that wasn't simple was that he was transferred to civilian work only three months after being promoted.

The crowd didn't understand this experience, but Qiu Jianye's face revealed a solemn expression as he seriously asked, "Deputy company-level or platoon-leader-level?"

This question was a bit strange. Deputy company commander was a non-substantive position in the army. Only platoon-leader-level was recognized when transferring to civilian work, so Zhou Zhiyuan said platoon-leader-level.

"Reporting to Director Qiu..." Zhou Zhiyuan continued loudly, "Due to a disability in my right hand, I was unable to perform the duties of a commander."

"Let me see your right hand." Qiu Jianye actually made this request.

Zhou Zhiyuan raised his right hand, palm up. Qiu Jianye clearly saw a scar at the second joint of four fingers.

After careful observation, a satisfied smile appeared on Qiu Jianye's face, and he said gently, "Put it down."

His tone surprised everyone, and then they heard him ask gently, "What needs to be done to meet the standard of official documents you mentioned?"

Zhou Zhiyuan solemnly replied, "It requires the year-end summary reports of the city's main leaders and the Subdistrict Office, relevant work materials from various departments of the Subdistrict Office, and in-depth communication and exchange with the masses at the grassroots level."

After Zhou Zhiyuan finished answering, Qiu Jianye laughed loudly and said cheerfully, "I'll grant you that. Produce a 'Comprehensive Urban Environmental Governance Plan' by early April."

"Yes," Zhou Zhiyuan replied decisively.

Qiu Jianye laughed again and turned to Section Chief You, saying loudly, "Old You, you've assigned me a good soldier."

Seeing his attitude, Section Chief You breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "Director Qiu has high standards; I wouldn't dare assign just anyone to you. Comrade Zhou Zhiyuan not only has good writing skills but also won a first-class collective military merit on the battlefield."

Section Chief You took the opportunity to say good things, but Qiu Jianye smiled and said, "He's not a cultural soldier; we'll see how his writing is in that governance plan. But he's definitely a good soldier; I'll take a soldier like that."

Qiu Jianye's attitude was puzzling. He kept saying 'good soldier,' as if he had seen something.

But Zhou Zhiyuan knew that Qiu Jianye was an old soldier. He had passed the interview, and the newcomer acceptance procedure was complete.

After seeing Section Chief You off, Qiu Jianye discussed with Zou Hong, Nie Yucheng, and Li Huaiyi, and arranged for Han Xue to be in charge of the Urban Management and Sanitation Section, and Zhou Zhiyuan to be a staff member of the Urban Management and Sanitation Section.

The position of staff member was very versatile, existing from the highest administrative organs of the country to the grassroots departments of the government.

Zhou Zhiyuan was satisfied with this arrangement. Together with Han Xue, he followed Li Huaiyi, the deputy director in charge, into the office in the west wing.

This room, nearly twenty square meters in size, contained four sets of office desks and chairs and two wooden filing cabinets.

This was the office of the Urban Management and Sanitation Section, a component of the "one office, three sections" structure of the Subdistrict Office.

The Subdistrict Office had four departments: the General Office, the Economic Section, the Civil Affairs Section, and the Urban Management and Sanitation Section. Among these four departments, the General Office had the most miscellaneous work, with Party affairs, publicity, finance, and logistics all falling on their shoulders.

But the work of the Urban Management and Sanitation Section was the most difficult. Urban environmental management included stopping illegal construction, eliminating littering and illegal occupation, solving problems of dirtiness, disorder, and poor sanitation, and even managing public security to some extent.

Compared to other departments, the Urban Management and Sanitation Section was a purely external management department, but this section only had two people.

Wan Chunfang was in her thirties, nearly 1.7 meters tall, and had a full figure, making her appear tall and large.

Wang Dagang was less than thirty years old, about the same height as Wan Chunfang, with a burly build, dark skin, and a large face, making him appear somewhat silent.

Li Huaiyi introduced them to each other, assigned the two empty desks opposite them to Han Xue and Zhou Zhiyuan, and sat in a chair to hold a meeting with them.

He was in charge of the Urban Management and Sanitation Section and understood the situation of this department. He said in a deep voice, "The Urban Management and Sanitation Section originally had four people. Last autumn, two comrades were transferred one after another, leaving only Chunfang and Dagang. The addition of comrades Han Xue and Zhou Zhiyuan is like sending charcoal in snowy weather..."

After speaking for a while, Li Huaiyi asked Wan Chunfang and Wang Dagang to go separately and find the heads of the Sanitation Station and the Housing Management Station to come to a meeting.

Before long, three men followed Wan Chunfang and Wang Dagang into the room. Li Huaiyi introduced them: Sun Qiang, Director of the Sanitation Station; Hu Biao, Deputy Director; and Zhang Fugui, Director of the Housing Management Station.

After the introductions were completed, the meeting continued, and the small meeting of the Urban Management and Sanitation Section became a joint meeting.

Li Huaiyi was busy holding a meeting with them, while Zou Hong, after finishing some tasks, left the secretary's office and walked into Qiu Jianye's director's office.

Zou Hong was puzzled and came to ask Qiu Jianye for advice.

Qiu Jianye smiled and said, "You don't understand the situation in the army. Zhou Zhiyuan was promoted to squad leader after only half a year in the army, which shows that his professional ability is extremely strong. And being transferred to the first squad, first platoon, first battalion of the first battalion three months later is not just a matter of strong professional ability."

At this point, Qiu Jianye stopped talking, looked at Zou Hong's expression, and said solemnly, "There is also favoritism in the army, but favoritism will not be used on squad leaders. Squad leaders are all solid good soldiers to be able to serve, especially the first squad leader of the first platoon..."

At this point, Qiu Jianye paused for a moment, then continued, "The basic combat sequence of our army is based on regiments. Detachments are equal to or larger than regiments, and below them are still battalion-level combat sequences. The first battalion is the main battalion."

"And the first company of each battalion is composed of the elite soldiers of that battalion, and the same is true for the first platoon. The first squad is the elite among the elite."

"Zhou Zhiyuan is the first squad leader of the first platoon of the first company of the first battalion, and he served for more than three years, which shows that his professional ability is very strong. Such people are called soldier kings."

Qiu Jianye's statement surprised Zou Hong, and she asked in doubt, "Soldier king?"

"That's right..." Qiu Jianye explained, "Soldier kings refer to these powerful squad leaders. They are the heads of soldiers, so they are also called soldier kings."

"Powerful?" Zou Hong asked again in surprise, unable to categorize Zhou Zhiyuan as powerful. His image was more like a secretary to the chief.

Regarding this question, Qiu Jianye explained, "Little Zou, do you know why I asked him three questions and made one request? It was to determine his identity."

"He came back from the plateau and received a first-class collective military merit, and was also promoted to a deputy company-level officer, which shows that his military merit was extremely great."

"You don't understand the rules of the army. Receiving military merit does not necessarily mean promotion, and immediate promotion only occurs in one situation, which is when they are prepared to be given an important task."

"But being directly promoted to deputy company-level is very rare, and being transferred to civilian work three months after promotion is even rarer. Little Zou, can you see anything from this?"

Qiu Jianye asked Zou Hong a question. Zou Hong thought carefully and shook her head gently. She didn't know.

Qiu Jianye smiled and was about to speak when he suddenly thought of a possibility. After considering it, he said lightly, "This is the compensation the army leaders gave him, so that he can enjoy certain benefits after returning to the local area."

After speaking to Zou Hong, Qiu Jianye felt regret in his heart. He had said too much just now, and he pondered in his heart, looking at Zou Hong's back. "I wonder if Little Zou can keep it a secret?"

He was an old soldier and familiar with the rules of the army. It was very abnormal for the army to transfer Zhou Zhiyuan to civilian work. Even if Zhou Zhiyuan had a disability in his right hand, the army would not let him go. The promotion across levels was the proof.

Qiu Jianye knew that immediate promotion was a signal of being given an important task, and being directly promoted to deputy company-level meant that they were preparing to train him to take on an important position.

But under this premise, he was actually transferred to civilian work. There was something to be learned here?

Qiu Jianye was familiar with the rules of the army. The iron army camp was not something to be blown.

Thinking of this, a cautious expression appeared on Qiu Jianye's face. How to use Zhou Zhiyuan needed to be carefully considered so as not to delay his main task.