Chapter 43: Flattery

  Xu Fei spent a day and a half investigating in Xinleng County Bureau, and Ye Ming was almost inseparable from him: eating together, living together, traveling together, the two people were as close as a pair of sworn brothers.

  When Xu Fei left Xinleng, it immediately spread throughout the K City Local Taxation System: The new Director Xu has an iron brother in the Xinleng County Bureau. And this iron brother is likely to be the powerful backstage mastermind who helped him ascend to the throne of the K City Local Taxation Bureau. Moreover, the original Directors Qiu Shunming, Li Li and Chen Weiping were also overthrown by this mysterious young man...

  The day after Xu Fei left, in the afternoon, Ye Ming had just arrived at the office when Chen Yi asked with a smile: "Where are you planning to take us out tomorrow? Is it Xinleng Hotel or Chutian Hotel?"

  Ye Ming was taken aback and asked strangely: "Treat? What am I treating?"

  Chen Yi gave him a glance and scolded, "What are you pretending to be silly about? Tomorrow is October 19th, isn't it your birthday? You're turning twenty-four this year, which means it's your Ben Ming Nian (zodiac year), so we should celebrate properly. By the way, do you want me to buy a few red shorts for you?"

  After finishing the last sentence, her own face turned red first, covering her mouth and giggling.

  Ye Ming suddenly remembered: Tomorrow is indeed his birthday, he almost forgot, unexpectedly Chen Yi remembered it firmly in her mind...

  He looked at Chen Yi with gratitude and said sincerely, "Sister Chen, thank you! To be honest, since my mother passed away, I almost forgot my own birthday every year. Last year was also because of your reminder that I had a birthday dinner at your house. People like me, as Chen Weiping originally said, are typical 'eight no' cadres: no parents, no job, no power, no car, no house, no background, and no backstage. Therefore, the entire new cold land tax bureau, it's just you, this sister, who remembers my birthday. So, tomorrow night I want to invite you to dinner, first to celebrate myself, second to thank you for your care and concern over the years. Using a somewhat vulgar phrase: having a sister like you is really great!"

  Chen Yi glanced at him with a hint of shyness and asked in a low voice, "Tomorrow's dinner is just the two of us? Should we invite some colleagues from the bureau? If it's just the two of us, I'm afraid..."

  Ye Ming knew she was afraid of running into acquaintances and rumors, so after some thought, she said: "Then let's invite Ou Yangming and Li Can from the First Division Bureau! As for others, I guess they won't come even if I invite them."

  Chen Yi nodded, then pulled out a beautifully packaged small box from her bag on the office desk and handed it to Ye Ming, saying: "This is my birthday gift for you. Originally planned to give it to you tomorrow. Since you called someone else, I'll give it to you today."

  Ye Ming knew Chen Yi didn't like hypocritical politeness, so he took it over and said with a smile: "Can I open it now?"

  He asked for instructions with his mouth, but his hands quickly opened the gift box. Inside was an Omega Butterfly Fly watch inlaid with diamonds, estimated to be worth 700,000 to 800,000 yuan.

  "Sister Chen, why give me such an expensive gift?"

  Chen Yixiao smiled and said, "The best accessory for a man is a watch. You look so handsome, wearing a watch will make you even more charming. So, I bought this watch for you! Try it on!"

  Ye Ming put on the watch. Chen Yi stood up, raised his wrist to take a look, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face...

  The next afternoon, just before getting off work, Ye Ming and Chen Yi called Ou Yangming and Li Can. The four of them arrived at the Chu Tian Hotel, ordered a small private room, selected a few dishes, and sat down in the room to chat.

  Ouyang Ming is the deputy director of a branch, just over thirty years old, and has always had a good relationship with Ye Ming. Li Can is from the Inspection Bureau, and he took the civil service exam with Ye Ming to enter the Xinleng Taxation Bureau, and can also be considered one of Ye Ming's few iron-clad brothers in the Xinleng County Bureau.

  "Brother, there are rumors circulating within the system that you have great power, not only did you bring down two directors of the local tax bureau, but also helped another director to rise. I'm sure you're aware of my situation in the county bureau, I was promoted very early on, but it's been a struggle to stay alive, always lingering in mid-level deputy positions. After five or six years as a deputy, it's hard to take another step up. Can you use your connections to help me out?"

  Ouyang Ming asked Ye Ming half-jokingly and half-seriously during their casual conversation.

  Ye Ming narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment and said: "Ming Ge, I've also heard these rumors. Let me put it this way: whether it's Qiu Shunming or Li Li and Chen Weiping, they are all self-destructed. As the saying goes: things must rot before worms can grow! Their own hearts have already rotted, no need for me to bring them down, they will eventually collapse on their own! So, everyone says I brought down two bureau chiefs, that's really overestimating my abilities and connections!"

  He looked at Ouyang Ming again and said, "Now that we're all good friends in this private room, I'll be blunt: Brother Ming, the reason you've been stuck in deputy positions for years isn't because you lack ability or haven't put in effort. I think it's because of your personality flaws, such as poor self-control, liking to play cards, drink, and sing, liking to get too close to taxpayers without principle, and liking to pat yourself on the back while doing favors for this person and that person, and so on.

  Although these are minor matters, details, there is a saying that "details determine success or failure"! These small details of yours add up and give leaders and colleagues an impression: Ouyang Ming is immature, unreliable, and unscrupulous! In this way, when encountering key events such as selection and appointment, democratic evaluation, many people will give you poor reviews.

  When he said this, Ye Ming saw that Ouyang Ming's face didn't look too good, so he smiled and said: "Ming brother, this is also my own immature view, I hope you won't mind it. If there's anything to be changed, change it; if not, let's just encourage each other! We're brothers, that's why I'm speaking from the heart like this, saying things that might offend people. You can listen, or just treat it as a breeze in your ear."

  At this time, Ye Ming's mobile phone suddenly rang, and when he looked at the number, it was Zhang Dongfang's.

  "Xiao Ye, where are you now? I heard that today is your birthday! Can I invite myself over for a celebratory drink tonight?"

  Zhang Dongfang's voice on the phone was exceptionally gentle and exceptionally intimate.

  Ye Ming was taken aback and hastily replied, "Director Zhang, you're too kind! I'm currently at the Chu Tian Hotel, just about to have dinner. If you can do me the honor of coming over for a drink, I'd be deeply honored!"

  Here is the translation:

  According to local customs, if it's a birthday or a happy occasion, when others come to drink, you can't refuse. So, although Ye Ming didn't want Zhang Dongfang to ruin their fun, he could only reluctantly invite him.

  "Alright, I'll rush over right away!"

  Ouyang Ming heard that Zhang Dongfang was coming over to celebrate Ye Ming's birthday, and he was both surprised and envious. He said, "Brother, you really have a lot of face! To celebrate a small ordinary birthday, the boss himself is coming to congratulate you in person. It seems that your luck will change soon!"

  Ye Ming hadn't had time to respond when his phone rang again. He looked at the number and saw that it was Deputy Director Jin Chiling of the County Bureau.

  "Xiaoye, happy birthday! Where are you now? Can I have a drink with you tonight to celebrate?"