’s Lee Wei.However, her get-up was indeedtoo casual, she looked like she was going to the beach. If she worked at CountyS Tv Station, Manager Wei would have ordered her to go back and change.
“Lee Wei? What is she doinghere?”
Se Cai tried to catch ManagerWei’s eyes for an explanation but as Lee Wei walked in, Manager Wei lowered hishead and moved out of her way.
“You are… Superintendent Leefrom the province station’s information channel? I’m County S PR Department’sXiao Zhao, glad to make your acquaintance!”
Chairman Zhao got up in a hurry,bowed and offered his hand.
“It’s Vice Superintendent Lee, Idon’t want people to say I purposely misled them of my position. Plus, I preferothers to recognize me as a reporter not a pencil pusher.”
Lee Wei said meaningfully. Tostress her point, she let Chairman Zhao’s outstretched hand hanged awkwardly inmid-air.
“Lee Wei looks at most to be inher 28, and she’s already a Vice Superintendent?”
The thought drifted into Se Cai’smind. No wonder Manager Wei had to go meet her even though the County PRDepartment’s Chairman Zhao had announced his arrival.
Se Cai knew a thing or two aboutthe province station’s internal structure, other than its main channel, it hadmany sub channels, among them were the news channel, legal channel andinformation channel.
Province X Tv Station was one ofthose rare stations whose leaders had great executive power. The stationmanager held state level executive power, while his or her deputy would be theauxiliary. The superintendents of these sub channels held executive power ofvarying degree, ranging from deputy state to deputy county.
Lee Wei was only a deputy countycivil servant but that was already impressive enough.
There was probably not anotherunder 30 deputy county government worker like herself.
In the entire County S, thereweren’t many that held higher ranking than her.
Se Cai laughed speechlesslythinking back to the way he had treated her yesterday, a.s.suming she was just alowly reporter like himself.
“Nice to see you again, Se Cai.I did say I would come to gather the suicide news material from you, didn’t I?”
Lee Wei smiled at Se Cai andoffered her hand.
“Yes… Vice Superintendent Lee.”
Se Cai hurriedly shook her hand.
After her warm greeting with SeCai, Lee Wai sauntered to the conference table and flung her bag over a chair. Herdemeanor had hardened considerably.
“I overheard from outside thedoor, the suicide news from the commercial building can’t be broadcasted becauseit would cause public dismay, and reporter Se Cai here was to be suspendedbecause he’s the one responsible for it, am I right?”
Before anyone could answer, LeeWei smiled cryptically at Chairman Zhao, adding, “It just so happens that ourstation also reported on that news and I’m the main reporter, so does this meanI have to get suspended too, Chairman Zhao?”
The air in the room froze.
“Of… of course not. I’m sure theprovince station has better news sensitivity than our small department does.”
Chairman Zhao stuttered. He wasgiven a taste of his own medicine. Never would he have thought the criticism heleveled at Se Cai would be reflected at the province station as well.
“If that’s the case, thenReporter Se did nothing wrong right? Using one’s own personal favor to block anews that could get up to the central station just to spite the colleague workingunder the same station, I’ve not seen something as ludicrous as that in myentire life.”
Lee Wei drawled and the face ofManager Wei beside her darkened.
He held his composure butleveled a fiery stare at Xu Jing Song.
As the station manager, he wasfamiliar with his worker’s loyalty. He knew who would be willing to putpersonal grievances above the whole station’s wellbeing.
The station too suffered a lossfrom its news being blocked on its way to the central station.
“Our department has reacted rashlyin this particular instance, I will reflect this to our leader.”
Chairman Zhao added woefully.
He wondered why would Lee Wei bewilling to stand up for a small reporter like Se Cai. Then he remembered in thenews, a reporter was taken hostage. Could it be that the reporter was Lee Wei?
The new article was vague aboutthe reporter’s ident.i.ty but based on today’s development, it had to be her.
“d.a.m.n, why didn’t anyone tell methe reporter Se Cai saved was Lee Wei?”
Chairman Zhao grumbledinternally. If he had known Lee Wei owed Se Cai such a big favor, he wouldn’thave been dumb enough to take on this task.
Lee Wei ignored Chairman Zhao’sinner turmoil and stood up to stretch lazily.
“Alright, now that this case isclosed, Se Cai, I’m going to need those materials.”
She slapped Se Cai on hisshoulder before carrying her bag and walked out the door.
“O…okay.”
Se Cai said somewhat dumbly. Hepicked his reporter ID and made to follow.
Manager Wei caught him by hisarm and whispered, “Xiao Se, nicely done there. Why didn’t you tell me thereporter you saved yesterday was her?”
“I know she’s a reporter fromthe province station, but I really didn’t know she had such an impressivebackground! Who would have thought a young woman like her has a similar executiveranking as Commissioner Sai!”
Se Cai whispered in return,disbelief coursing through his voice.
“Never mind, because now youknow.”
Manager Wei pushed Se Cai towardsthe door but not before adding, “I believe she has a good impression of you.She’s here today just for you so I’ll give you a special day off but rememberto keep our guest of honor happy and satisfied!”
Se Cai was still digesting whatManager Wei meant by ‘happy and satisfied’ when he was forced out the door.
“Wait… don’t tell me Manager Weiwants me to surrender my body?”
“Alright, all the material’sinside here.”
Se Cai took out the USB andpa.s.sed it to Lee Wei.
“You’re done so fast?”
Lee Wei exclaimed as she lookedat her silver CK watch.
“All my material is already inmy hard-disk so I only needed to copy them.”
Se Cai smiled. His computer science background compelled himto keep his digital data in a structured order. His biggest pet peeve was anunused folder clogging his window.
“It’s still early. The specialon County S is almost done, we’re only lacking a few street shots.”
Lee Wei pulled her bag and addedas an afterthought, “Actually, I haven’t really walked around this place eventhough I’ve been here for almost a week.”
“A small place like County Spales in comparison to the province city but I understand the need to take thestreet shots… How about this, I’ll help you take some using our equipment sinceyou doesn’t seem to have yours.”
Se Cai offered. Manager Wei didorder him to keep Lee Wei happy and satisfied. Plus, that was the least hecould do because Lee Wei did practically save his entire career.
Using Lee Wei’s name, Se Caicommissioned a car, a Sony EX1R camera and a tripod stand.
“Superintendent Lee, I mustthank you again. It is because of you that the people at the station allow meto take this mobile that is usually reserved for Manager Wei!”
Se Cai joked. After a wholemorning together, Se Cai realized even though Lee Wei was a high rankingpersonnel, she didn’t act like one. She talked easily with him and everyoneelse.
“Stop calling me superintendent,use Sister Wei instead.”
Lee Wei feigned offense beforebreaking out in laughter, “To tell the truth, most of the times I don’t feel likea superintendent, I’m still that happy-go-lucky reporter.”
Se Cai wanted to enquire how didshe reach such a position at her young age but he felt that was an insensitivesubject to broach so he changed the topic.
“Thank you again for arriving atmy aid earlier today if not I’m sure my fate would end up worse than beingsuspended,” Se Cai said.
“Since no one is around, I’lllet you in on a secret.”
Lee Wei continued in a serioustone, “I was ready to leave yesterday but Sai Wu came to me before I managed todo so. He knew w.a.n.g Run Fa would mean you harm so he asked me to lend you myaid.”
“What? It was him who approachedyou?”
Se Cai stopped the car by theside of the road and exclaimed in shock.
But how could this be? Eventhough Sai Wu did owe him a favor but how could he have known w.a.n.g Run Fa wasout to get him that day?
[I should have done this earlier but here is glossary forthe Chinese government’s executive structure, it’ll help understand the storybetter. Nation > Province > State > County > Munic.i.p.al, and eachcomes with a main and a deputy, ie. Deputy State > Main County, so on and soforth. Media workers in China are part of the government so they fit into thisstructure as well. Here are the positions of the characters mentioned in thestory thus far: Lee Wei, Sai Wu = Deputy County; Chairman Zhao, Xu Jing Song,Manager Wei = Munic.i.p.al. It’s unfortunate that the place name and theseposition name overlaps but I’ll try to be as clear as I can be.]