Chapter 426: The Wus Have a Big Shot
The family group chat instantly fell silent.
Liu Zhengyun, Lian Shiqiang, and Wu Renguang were all somewhat disappointed.
If Big Brother didn't become the director of the Construction Bureau, what would happen to the construction company they had just founded?
They had poured their entire net worth into it!
Only Cheng Hongbing, who had no business dealings with Wu Renqing, remained calm. Cheng Hongbing typed out a line, breaking the family group chat's silence.
"Big Brother didn't get the Construction Bureau Director position, but he's still throwing a celebratory banquet. His rank must have been settled! If I'm not mistaken, Big Brother should be a Level 1 Principal Staff Member now."
Everyone quickly offered their congratulations, but their enthusiasm was clearly not what it had been just moments before.
Wu Renguang: "Congrats, Big Brother, on securing Level 1 Principal Staff Member. During the next round of job adjustments, you should be able to get promoted to Director."
Liu Zhengyun: "A Level 1 Principal Staff Member is considered a senior position. The Director should give you some face. As long as the Director lets a few small jobs slip through his fingers to you, Big Brother, it'll be enough for us to get by."
Lian Shiqiang: "Big Brother, you have to build a good relationship with the Director! Don't worry, our families will all chip in for the entertainment expenses! You've got to spend money to make money! As long as the Director approves a few more jobs for us, spending a little extra is fine."
Watching his relatives scheme and strategize, the corners of Wu Renqing's mouth curled up slightly as he slowly typed out a line.
"It seems I don't need to suck up to the Director. It should be the Director who's trying to figure out how to suck up to me."
Huh?
The group fell silent again. Everyone was a little dumbfounded.
'Did Big Brother get so upset about not getting the promotion that he's started talking nonsense?'
'How could a director possibly suck up to a staff member?'
'Even if you're a Level 1 Principal Staff Member, it's impossible!'
Liu Zhengyun and Lian Shiqiang didn't dare say anything. After all, they were the Wu Family's sons-in-law, which made them outsiders.
Wu Renguang, however, didn't have such reservations.
Wu Renguang quickly tried to reason with him: "Big Brother, it's fine to talk a little wildly in our own family group chat, but you absolutely cannot say things like this at work! What if the Director hears and decides to make things difficult for you?"
Wu Xiuli also chimed in: "Big Brother, you can't get arrogant just because you attended the City Lord's welcome banquet. As the saying goes, it's easier to deal with King Yama than the minor demons. The Director is your direct superior; you can't afford to offend him!"
This feeling of hiding in the shadows and controlling everything was incredible. Wu Renqing felt like he could fly.
Wu Renqing: "Xiuli, you're mistaken. The Director isn't my direct superior; he's my subordinate. So, it's the Director who needs to worry about someone making things difficult for him, not me."
'The Director isn't Big Brother's superior? He's Big Brother's subordinate?'
The family group chat fell silent again. A full minute passed before Wu Renguang cautiously typed out a line.
"Big Brother, you can't just joke around like that. My little heart can't take this kind of shock."
Wu Renqing took a picture of his promotion notice and sent it to the group, then triumphantly typed out a line.
"You all guessed wrong. I wasn't promoted to Director, but to Deputy Director of the Construction Bureau! Renguang, Zhengyun, Shi Qiang, you three had better roll up your sleeves and get to work! There'll be more jobs than you can handle!!"
Everyone in the Wu Family was doing the exact same thing: zooming in on the picture of the promotion notice and examining it character by character.
After confirming that Wu Renqing had really been promoted to Deputy Director, everyone's face flushed red with excitement!
Even Wu Xiuli and Cheng Hongbing cheered out loud in excitement!
The ancestral graves of the Wus must be spewing green smoke! To think they had produced such a powerhouse!
They went wild!
Everyone in the family group chat went wild!
The messages started flying!
Wu Renguang: "Holy crap! Am I seeing things? Big Brother was promoted straight to Deputy Director? Doesn't that skip a few steps?"
Liu Zhengyun: "What do you mean it skips a few steps? Big Brother has worked at the Construction Bureau for nearly twenty years. There's no part of the business he doesn't understand! With his work ability, he should have been promoted to Director long ago! It's perfectly normal for him to get an exceptional promotion straight to Deputy Director!"
Lian Shiqiang: "Actually, there were signs of Big Brother's promotion to Deputy Director all along! There are so many people at the Construction Bureau, but Director Niu only took Big Brother to the City Lord's welcome banquet. What does that tell you? Even the City Lord is very satisfied with Big Brother's work ability!"
Wu Kun: "Dad! Congratulations! Does this mean I'm now the son of a high-ranking official?"
Wu Feifei: "Uncle, I've decided! I'm going to take the civil service exam after I graduate college. When the time comes, you have to help me pull some strings!"
Wu Renqing: "Hahahaha! Don't worry, family. As long as it's within my power, I will do everything I can to help you all!"
Lian Shishi: "Uncle, the City Lord showed you so much respect at the welcome banquet. For the celebration tonight, do you think you could invite the City Lord?"
The family group chat instantly lit up with excitement!
Wu Renguang: "Big Brother, Shishi is right. I suggest you invite the City Lord. There's no harm if he doesn't come, but if he does, your career will take off like a rocket!"
Wu Kun: "If I could eat at the same table as the City Lord, I'd have bragging rights for a whole year!!"
Wu Renqing knew his own limits. He knew the City Lord would never deign to attend his celebration banquet. But his family had already put him on a pedestal, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and type out a line.
"I'll see what I can do, but I can't give a 100% guarantee that the City Lord will come! After all, he's a very busy man!"
Only Wu Xiuli remained relatively calm, reminding him, "Big Brother, forget about the City Lord for now. Director Niu helped you so much; you must not forget the favor he did you! The number one priority right now is to cultivate a good relationship with Director Niu!"
Wu Xiuli's words were a wake-up call.
'That's right. If Director Niu hadn't thrown his full support behind him and recommended him so strongly, how could he possibly have become the Deputy Director?'
'The City Lord might not do it for my sake, but what if it's for Director Niu's sake?'
'It just might work!'
"Gotta go. See you all tonight at eight, Qingyun Ascending Hall. I'm going to go report on my work to Director Niu."
Wu Renqing pulled open a drawer and took out a pair of walnuts.
This pair of walnuts was huge, over 50mm in diameter, with excellent features. They were the most precious variety: Coarse-Vein Lion's Head!
Wu Renqing had been polishing them in his hands for a full twenty years. They were glossy and lustrous—unquestionably a top-tier pair of collectible walnuts in the antique world today.
Someone had previously offered two million yuan for them, but Wu Renqing had flatly refused.
And now, Wu Renqing decided to give them to Niu Jishui to thank him for recognizing his talent and promoting him.
KNOCK, KNOCK.
Wu Renqing knocked gently on the door.
"Come in."
Wu Renqing pushed the door open and entered. He didn't get a big head just because he had become Deputy Director; his attitude toward Niu Jishui was still as respectful as ever.
Wu Renqing walked up to the desk and said respectfully, "Director, I've come to report on my work."
Niu Jishui smiled. "Old Wu, have a seat. There's no need for such formalities between us brothers. Just tell me what's on your mind."
Wu Renqing didn't sit. He took out the collectible walnuts, placed them on the desk, and pushed them toward Niu Jishui. "Director, I know you enjoy these collectible walnuts. I hope you'll accept this pair."