Chapter 646: I am waiting
The wind started. It is a gentle breeze.
Dong Xuebing drove to the City State Security Office. He was involved in this afternoon’s incident, and he needs to give his statement to the State Security.
A Third Division staff escorted Dong Xuebing into the building after he had identified himself at the guardhouse. He was brought into a small room to give his statement. This is a formality, and he knows what to say. His version of the account is in line with Xu Yan. They had met this afternoon, but he did not board her car. He claimed he was unaware Liu Gang had switched from following him to Xu Yan. This staff is doing his job and doesn’t know what is happening. But he knew Dong Xuebing was their Chief’s former subordinate, and he had worked in the State Security before.
The questioning ended after a few minutes.
Dong Xuebing asked. “Comrade, are Liu Gang and Pang Dabing locked up here?”
“Yes. They are being interrogated now.” The Third Division Staff nodded.
“Oh….” Dong Xuebing continues. “Can I meet them? I want to know they only want to follow me or do they have other motives.”
The staff hesitated. “Err…. I need to seek approval from the higher-ups.”
“Ok. Sorry to bother you.”
“Please wait here.”
“Can I smoke here?”
“Yes.” The Third Division staff walked out of the room.
Dong Xuebing took out a cigarette and lit it. His phone rang. It’s a landline number, and he answered. “h.e.l.lo, I’m Dong Xuebing.”
“Director Dong. I’m Nan Qi Morning Post’s Dong Haitao. We spoke over the phone earlier.”
“Oh, Chief Dong. What is it?”
“We had asked around, and the State Security confirmed Pang Dabing and Liu Gang’s following incident, and I had seen the evidence. I am sorry about this incident, and I represent Nan Qi Morning Post to apologize to you. We would have stopped them if we knew what they were doing. After a discussion, we had decided to dismiss Liu Gang and Pang Dabing with immediate effect. Liu Gang will also be dismissed as a party member. We had submitted this decision to the higher-ups.” Dong Haitao sincerely said.
One of them is double dismissed, and the other is dismissed from his position. The agency is quite fast.
Dong Xuebing nodded. “I agree with your agency’s decision. Such people should be dismissed earlier as they will tarnish journalists’ reputations. Oh, what are you all going to do with this morning’s article?”
Dong Haitao paused for a second. “The article had been published. We will form an investigation team to verify that article. If the article is proven to be false, we will implement necessary measures to rectify it and publish an apology.”
“Ok.”
Dong Xuebing is quite satisfied with Nan Qi Morning Post’s decision, and he knows Pang Dabing and Liu Gang are the culprits. He knows Dong Haitao and other higher management staff might be involved, as they are the ones approving this article. But they should not be involved in the tailing incident. He decided to let them off as they had learned a lesson.
The Third Division staff returns before Dong Xuebing can finish his cigarette.
Dong Xuebing snubbed the cigarette. “How is it?”
The staff nodded. “Our Chief asked me to bring you over. Do you want to meet Pang Dabing first or Liu Gang?”
Dong Xuebing thought for a while. “Liu Gang. Thank you.”
Interrogation room.
Liu Gang is waiting in the room with a gloomy expression.
The Third Division staff brought Dong Xuebing into the room and said. “Director Dong, we will be waiting outside. Call us if there’s an emergency.” The staff doesn’t know about Dong Xuebing’s capabilities and is afraid Liu Gang might do anything to harm him.
Dong Xuebing replied. “Alright. Thank you.”
The door closed, and only Dong Xuebing and Liu Gang were in the room.
Liu Gang can see Dong Xuebing’s close relations.h.i.+p with the City State Security Bureau. The State Security will not entertain such request even if it is a Bureau Director rank official, let alone a Section Chief. This department is very independent, and most Government rules don’t apply to them. He thought for a while and stared at Dong Xuebing. “When can I leave?”
Dong Xuebing replied emotionlessly. “This will depend on when you are going to spill everything.”
Liu Gang is furious. “I had answered everything I know! Dong Xuebing! Don’t be too much! You should know if I had purposely followed the State Security Chief!”
Dong Xuebing sneered. “You are the one who had crossed the line. Who was it that wanted to accuse me in my office this morning? Ah? I had not done anything to you, and you kept trying to frame me and makeup stories about me. I tried to ignore you, but you kept stepping all over me. Do you think I am a pushover? You are the one who wanted to follow me! Go on…. Continue to tarnish my reputation with your articles!” He had asked to meet Liu Gang is to mock him.
Liu Gang is furious, and the veins on his temples are popping.
“Oh, I had forgotten to tell you.” Dong Xuebing slowly continues. “Your Chief Dong had just called to tell me about your punishment. You are double dismissed. You are no longer a reporter with Nan Qi Morning Post from today onwards. If you are planning on continuing to tarnish my reputation, you have to do it with another newspaper agency.”
Liu Gang’s face changed. “Double Dismissal?!”
“Yes. You are right.”
“Why?!” Liu Gang shouted. “How can you do that to me?!”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “I wonder if you had forgotten the consequences of following a Government Leader and monitoring a State Security Chief because you are had been doing it all this while. What’s there to be surprised with this punishment?”
Liu Gang slumped into the chair, panting.
Liu Gang was brought away after a while, and Pang Dabing was escorted into the room.
Dong Xuebing looks at the man in front of him. “So, you are Pang Dabing.”
Pang Dabing sat down slowly and did not reply.
“This is our first meeting, but I had heard of you.”
“……” Pang Dabing kept quiet.
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Chief Pang, I am puzzled. You are a journalist, and you should stick to what you should do. Why are you keep trying to frame me? Oh, I shouldn’t be addressing you as Chief Editor Pang now. I heard you are dismissed from your news agency.”
Pang Dabing’s reaction is different from Liu Gang"s, and he seems to have expected it. He knows he had failed and had not thought of escaping without punishment.
“I want to know….” Dong Xuebing looks at Pang Dabing. “Who asked you to frame me?”
Pang Dabing looks at Dong Xuebing. “Where will we get articles to write about if we don’t conduct any investigations? How can you claim someone is trying to frame you? You think too highly of yourself.”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “That means you are the one who instigated Liu Gang?”
Pang Dabing let out a ‘hmph’ and looked away.
“Oh, you are trying to be n.o.ble by taking full responsibility for this incident.”
Pang Dabing is not being n.o.ble. He sees things clearer than Liu Gang and knows there’s no way to escape now. Liu Gang is stupid for spilling his name after being scared. But he cannot spill other names. This incident must end with him. If he gave other names, this incident would escalate, and the Provincial or the City Government might get involved. When this happens, he will be killing his final slim chance of making a comeback. That’s why he cannot reveal anything else.
Pang Dabing knows it’s almost impossible for him to return to any newspaper agency after being fired from Nan Qi Morning Post. Even if he is proven innocent, his records will be tarnished, and no newspaper agency will accept him.
Pang Dabing is in this plight because he was told to target Dong Xuebing. He thought about this and wondered if it was worth it.
Pang Dabing regretted targeting Dong Xuebing, but he hated the latter more. He worked in Nan Shan District for years, established connections, and was confident of bringing Dong Xuebing down. But Dong Xuebing defeated him with one move. This guy pretended to be a pushover and had never exposed his relations.h.i.+p with the City State Security Chief.
Pang Dabing had lost his job and had nothing to worry about. He stares at Dong Xuebing. “You might not know about this. The Nan Shan District Commission for Discipline Inspection started investigating the Yan Tai First Middle School incident. Dong Xuebing! Someone will deal with you.”
Dong Xuebing knew this would happen. The biggest culprit behind Pang Dabing should be the District Organization Department Chief, Xue Qingrong.
Dong Xuebing is amused. “You might not understand me. I have never been afraid of anyone. If anyone wants to deal with me, go ahead.” He stood up and patted Pang Dabing’s shoulder. “If you can get out of here, tell that person behind you that I am waiting.”