Taking on all the blame

What happened in the meeting room was spread throughout thebranch.

Everyone was discussing this incident, and they knew theGeneral Affairs Office will be in deep trouble.

Dong Xuebing, who was playing Minesweeper in his office, wasstill unaware of this incident until Deputy Branch Bureau Chief Xu Yan calledhim. She had an unhappy tone, and Dong Xuebing could hear her tapping her deskwith her pen. "Are you the one who send the documents for Political CommissarZhou Guoan's meeting? I just don't understand! How can you make mistakes withphotocopying? Why is it that only Political Commissar Zhou's document hasmistakes? Why are there pictures of cakes and desserts in his document and notanyone else? Don't you know that Political Commissar Zhou has diabetes? XiaoDong, what happened?"

Dong Xuebing felt this was not possible. "Pictures ofdesserts? There are no pictures in the documents."

Xu Yan took a deep breath. "There will be an internalreorganization soon, and you still create problems... That's all I have to say.You take care of this problem yourself!"

Dong Xuebing put down the phone in a daze.

Ring, ring, ring. Li Qing called. "Political Commissar Zhoucalled me to his office for a scolding. Xiao Dong ah... You..... Why didn't youcheck through all the documents before you send to the meeting room? How can therebe pictures of desserts in the documents? You.... Sighed... You can't evencomplete such a simple task."

"Director, I don't know anything about this. I..."

"Don't need to explain it to me. You have to be responsiblefor this. Political Commissar Zhou asks you to bring all your staffs to see himin his office. You explain to him yourself!" Li Qing does not want to getinvolved.

After hanging up the phone, Dong Xuebing becomes pale. Inthe past, there were also instances when the pages of the documents were messedup or missing pages. But they always prepared a spare set. At most, they werereprimanded by the leaders for a while, and it was no big deal. But this timewas different. This was not an important meeting, but it was a crucial time forthe leaders because of the upcoming internal reorganization. Also, the dessertpictures were directed to Political Commissar Zhou.

This was life in the government service. Any minor thingscould blow up the next instant.

Dong Xuebing knew this would not end up well. He opened thedoor and entered the main office. "Who prepared the documents for PoliticalCommissar Zhou!?"

Tan Limei, Chang Juan, Zhuang Zhi, Guo Panwei, and the resthad been discussing this incident. They had also heard about what happenedduring the meeting.

Chang Juan immediately explained. "Chief Dong, it's not me.The documents were photocopied together. All 13 sets are the same, and it isimpossible for there to be dessert pictures mixed in it!"

Tan Limei added. "That's right. We still checked throughevery set!"

Dong Xuebing was reprimanded by Xu Yan and Li Qing. He wasfurious and raised his voice. "Then who can explain about the few pictures inthe documents? Ah? The pictures appeared in the document by themselves? Or didthe pictures dropped from the skies?" Dong Xuebing trust Tan Limei's workattitude. Chang Juan and Tan Limei should not make any mistakes when preparingthese documents. He also checked a random copy before bringing up thedocuments. How can there be mistakes?

Provoking Political Commissar Zhou? Dong Xuebing dare not totake on this responsibility!

After getting scolded, Tan Limei and Chang Juan feltwronged. "We really checked all the documents!"

"Enough. Follow me. Political Commissar Zhou wants to seeus!"

Political Commissar Zhou's office.

The furious Political Commissar Zhou was sitting behind hisdesk, looking at those pictures. He had already placed all responsibility onDong Xuebing. He was already unhappy with Dong Xuebing for his promotion to theDeputy Chief of the General Affairs Office. Guo Shunjie also kept talking badabout Dong Xuebing and told him how disrespectful Dong Xuebing was towards him.Zhou Guoan might not show it, but he was furious inside. He suspects someonewas behind this incident because he will be taking over as the position ofBranch Bureau Chief. Someone was trying to intimidate him? Who's themastermind? Xu Yan, who had been supporting Dong Xuebing? Song Shoujie? YangYizhong? Or... Liu Hua? Zhou Guoan was not sure, but he had to do something toprove he was not someone easily intimidated.

Not long later, Dong Xuebing entered Political CommissarZhou's office with the staffs from the General Affairs Office.

"Political Commissar Zhou, we..."

Zhou Guoan threw the pictures on his desk. "What's these?Tell me!"

Dong Xuebing felt wronged. But this was what had happened,and he could not explain for himself. "This might be our oversight..."

"Oversight?" Bang, bang, bang! Zhou Guoan banged on thetable. "Do you know what does State Security means? Do you know what thepurpose of the General Affairs Office is? Tell me! How did these pictures ofcakes appear in the General Affairs Office? Who is the one that printed these?Ah? Is this the way you all do things?! Not only you all print such pictures inthe office, you all still file it together with the documents? As the DeputyChief of the office, is this the way you supervise your staffs? Give me anexplanation!"

This was what Dong Xuebing did not want. Getting blamed forwhat happened. Zhou Guoan thought he had mixed those pictures among thedocuments on purposed. Dong Xuebing did not check through all the documents anddid not fulfill his responsibility as the supervisor. But Dong Xuebing did noteven know Zhou Guoan had diabetes before this incident. "Political CommissarZhou, these pictures should be mixed in accidentally when we are stacking thedocuments. I admit this is our oversight. But I can guarantee that this is nota provocation by anyone!"

"What provocation? Ah? I am talking about the working attitude of the General Affairs Office!" Zhou Guoan had assumed that this wasall Dong Xuebing's work. He will not listen to his explanation and startedscolding him!

Seeing Political Commissar Zhou's attitude, Dong Xuebingbecame more depressed. He had really offended Political Commissar Zhou. Goddamn it! Why did this have to happen? Damn unlucky!

Tan Limei, Guo Panwei and the rest lowered their heads.

Guo Shunjie looked at Dong Xuebing gloatingly before helowered his head.

Zhou Guoan then asked a question which all of them do notwant to hear. "Who is the one who delivered these documents?"

All of them knew that Political Commissar was findingsomeone to take the blame.

Dong Xuebing gritted his teeth and replied. "I am the one who sent it to the office."

Zhou Guoan looked at all of them in the eyes and asked: "Whoprinted all the documents?"

Guo Panwei and Old Yan looked at Chang Juan and Tan Limeisecretly. Tan Limei and Chang Juan turned pale immediately. Both of them do nothave any Deputy Branch Bureau backing them. If they offended PoliticalCommissar Zhou, god knows what sort of punishments they will have to face. Evenif Political Commissar Zhou let them off this time, what about the next time?If the leader wants to find trouble with you, they could use whatever reasons!Civil Servants were also not iron rice bowls now!

Tan Limei was at the stage where she was going to getmarried to Zhuang Zhi. If something happens in her work, then...

Chang Juan's son was still in school. This was the time whenshe needed money the most. Her salary played a big part in her family's monthlyexpenses. If she lost her job, then her family will...

"I'm the one who printed it."

"Ah?"

Not only Tan Limei and Chang Juan were shocked when theyheard this. Even Old Yan, Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie were shocked. All of themturned and looked at Dong Xuebing!

It was Dong Xuebing who said that. "I am the one who printedthe documents."

Zhou Guoan looked at him and asked: "Who is the one thatsorted the documents?"

Dong Xuebing replied: "It was me who sorted the documents."

"Good! Good!" Zhou Guoan just said this.

Zhuang Zhi, Guo Shunjie, Chang Juan, Tan Limei, Old Yan didnot expect Xiao Dong to take on all the blame by himself. He did not even tryto push the responsibility to others. Everyone, except for Zhuang Zhi, was moresenior than Dong Xuebing. They had experienced all sorts of storms and seen toomany incidents of people pushing the blame to others. Whenever shit happens,the leaders will try all means to shift the blame to his subordinates. This wasvery normal in the Government Service.

But, the was the first time, even for Old Yan, seeing leadertaking on full responsibility and blames for their staffs!

Tan Limei and Chang Juan's eyes were red. "Chief Dong..."

Dong Xuebing did not let both of them continue. "PoliticalCommissar Zhou, I will write a report and self-reflection letter before the endof the day."

At this moment, Tan Limei and Chang Juan's tears rolled downtheir cheeks!

Old Yan and Guo Panwei looked at each other speechless!

Such leaders exist in government service?

Chief Dong's sense of responsibility was too strong!