Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1161 - Chapter 1161 Chapter 1117 Liu Xiaomins Thoughts

Chapter 1161: Chapter 1117: Liu Xiaomin’s Thoughts Chapter 1161: Chapter 1117: Liu Xiaomin’s Thoughts Seeing Liu Xiaomin, Nie Zhenbang was a bit startled, but he quickly regained his composure. Smiling, he said, “Secretary-General Liu is here. Please, come in.”

Having welcomed Liu Xiaomin into the living room, Nie Zhenbang waved toward the sofa and said with a smile, “I’ve just come in, and some luggage hasn’t been put away yet. I’ve made Secretary-General Liu laugh.”

On the floor of the living room, Nie Zhenbang’s two suitcases lay open on the ground, and on the coffee table, there was also a laptop. It indeed looked a bit messy.

At that moment, Liu Xiaomin, with a smile, stepped forward naturally, took some of Nie Zhenbang’s luggage, and began to help him organize. She also said, “Secretary Nie, let me help.”

These sort of tasks are generally better handled by women than men. Nie Zhenbang was quite self-sufficient, but over the years, he had also regressed a bit. With Liu Xiaomin’s help, the task was quickly finished.

After inviting Liu Xiaomin to sit down, Nie Zhenbang personally poured her a cup of hot tea and said with a smile, “Please have a seat, Secretary-General Liu. Have some tea. For a female comrade, it’s not good for your health to drink cold water. I took the liberty.”

“Secretary Nie, you are too polite. From now on, just call me Xiaomin. ‘Secretary-General Liu’ feels a bit distant. The way you address me, it’s as if you’re keeping someone at arm’s length,” Liu Xiaomin said with playful eyes and a slightly flushed face.

While female leaders might be at a disadvantage within the system, they also have advantages that men do not have, as exemplified by the current situation. If it were a male secretary-general, he probably wouldn’t be as bold in conversation as Liu Xiaomin.

But at this moment, considering Liu Xiaomin’s status as a woman, it seemed quite normal.

With an embarrassed smile, Nie Zhenbang took the time to size up Liu Xiaomin. At a height of 1.7 meters, phoenix eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, a delicate nose, and pretty lips, Liu Xiaomin must have been a top beauty in her youth, one of the exceptional kind.

Now approaching fifty, her complexion was fair, and she maintained a good figure without having become overweight or out of shape. On the contrary, her body was curvy. Smiling, the corners of her eyes bore traces of time, revealing a charm and maturity of a woman still in bloom in her later years.

However, Nie Zhenbang didn’t really care about her looks. Even in his youth, he hadn’t been very interested in beauty, let alone now. If Liu Xiaomin had been in the flower of her youth, that would have been a different story. After prolonged contact, there might have been some expectations, but her current age certainly didn’t provoke many thoughts in Nie Zhenbang.

The reason he was observing Liu Xiaomin so carefully was mostly due to the remarkable presence she exhibited. This woman was definitely not as simple as she appeared on the surface.

Her immediate visit indicated that Liu Xiaomin was a very decisive and determined person. She didn’t harbor any contempt for him just because he had just taken office. Instead, she had come at the first opportunity to show her loyalty. Such courage was rare in Longxi; even among other men, few would have her boldness.

At this time, who wasn’t adopting a wait-and-see attitude, wanting to see how he would make his moves after taking office?

Lost in thought, Liu Xiaomin said with a smile, “Secretary, your accommodation has already been arranged. The Longxi Provincial Committee Family District No. 1 compound has been vacated by Secretary Shangzhi…”

However, Nie Zhenbang raised his hand to interrupt Liu Xiaomin, smiling as he said, “Xiaomin, there’s no need for the family district. How about this? Let’s just settle for this suite here at the Provincial Committee Guesthouse. A two-bedroom flat, not too big, not too small, just right. My circumstances are somewhat unusual, as my family hasn’t come with me to Longxi; it’s just me here. I think there is no need for further trouble. Staying here, at least there are attendants to clean. Moreover, it would make it convenient for me to solve my dining problems. However, I do not know if it would be too much trouble for the comrades at the reception office.”

As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Liu Xiaomin immediately gestured with her hand and replied, “Secretary, what are you saying? It’s not troublesome, absolutely not troublesome. The Office of the Longxi Provincial Committee exists to serve the leadership, and the Reception Office is even more aimed at serving leaders. There are no small matters concerning the leader. Once your daily needs are well arranged, you will be able to work better. How could it be troublesome?”

Nie Zhenbang laughed heartily at Liu Xiaomin’s words, “Xiaomin, I’ve really experienced your glibness as a secretary-general.”

Hearing Nie Zhenbang’s remarks, Liu Xiaomin’s face turned even redder. Initially, when Nie Zhenbang offered her a cup of hot tea, saying that drinking ice water wasn’t good for a woman, the atmosphere was already a bit ambiguous. Now, Nie Zhenbang added, “I’ve experienced your glibness.”

No matter how one heard it, it carried a hint of flirtation. This kind of statement, had it been said between two men, would have posed no issue. But between a man and a woman, it could easily lead one to think along more romantic lines.

On this end, Liu Xiaomin smiled and shifted the topic, “Secretary, my main reason for coming here this time is to ask you to take a look at the office together, and see if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted. I can then arrange for staff to make the changes.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang also stood up, “That sounds good. I had the same idea. I think we don’t need to wait for the afternoon work hours. How about we go take a look right now?”

When Nie Zhenbang spoke, Liu Xiaomin naturally would not object. Leading Nie Zhenbang, they walked out of the Provincial Committee’s guesthouse. From here, there was an internal path connected to the Provincial Committee compound.

Under the guidance of Liu Xiaomin, they went straight into the office building of the Provincial Committee and Provincial Government. Liu Xiaomin also introduced, “Secretary, this is the office building of the Provincial Committee and Provincial Government. The main hall is the axis. On the left is the office of the Provincial Committee, and on the right is the office of the Provincial Government. On both sides, there are six dedicated elevators for staff. Your office is on the top floor, the tenth.”

At the far east end of the tenth floor, coming out from the elevator, turn left and walk straight down the corridor to the end. Close to the front square of the Provincial Committee, that’s where the office of the Secretary of the Longxi Provincial Committee is located.

Opening the door and stepping into the office, Nie Zhenbang looked around; over the years, he had seen quite a few secretaries’ offices. He himself had been the direct user while at Hongjiang River.

It was almost identical to the office in Hongjiang River. The size of the area was roughly the same. Beside it was a small office connected to the main office, which was where the secretary worked.

In the main office, near the window, there was a large desk and executive chair. The deep color tone of the black walnut wood gave the entire office a very solemn and serious atmosphere. On the desk, there was a desktop computer, placed to the side. To the right of the desk were four telephones, in red, white, black, and blue colors.

The red one of course needed no explanation; it was the secure hotline, directly connected to Jingcheng. The white one was the internal line of the Provincial Committee compound. The black one was the Provincial Committee’s external line, the number which was published on the government website. However, it was basically impossible to get through on this line.

Impossible to get through didn’t mean it really couldn’t connect; it simply meant that Nie Zhenbang would not personally answer it. As for the blue phone, it was Nie Zhenbang’s regular communication line with the outside, and this phone for the cities and bureaus below corresponded to the red phone on their desks.

To the right of the desk on the left was a row of bookshelves, bright and tidy, filled with numerous voluminous materials and books. On the right, a door led to a storage room with everyday small appliances such as an induction cooker, so if Nie Zhenbang had to work overtime, he could make something to eat at any time.

Entering the storage room was the bedroom, furnished with a large bed and an accompanying bathroom. Outside, opposite the desk in the front were two swivel chairs, and behind the chairs was a set of sofas that created an area, forming a meeting zone.

On the right wall, opposite the bookshelves, hung an ink painting, the Picture of Roc Spreading its Wings. Additionally, the four corners of the room were decorated with fresh green plants.

Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “Comrade Xiaomin, I heard that this painting was Secretary Shang’s favorite. I think this, it’s only right not to covet what others treasure. This painting should be taken down and specially arranged to be sent to Secretary Shang. Also, the green plants in the room can be removed. I’m the sort that gets easily distracted while working, which might result in neglect, only adding trouble.”

In a few concise and to-the-point sentences, Liu Xiaomin couldn’t afford to be negligent. This contact with Nie Zhenbang had erased the last bit of underestimation in Liu Xiaomin’s heart.

Secretary Nie was not simple at all. He appeared approachable, yet he had his own principles and standards. His speech seemed amiable, but it was laced with an aura that brooked no contradiction. This skill did not seem to belong to a forty-two-year-old.

Nodding, Liu Xiaomin smiled and said, “Secretary, please rest assured, I will immediately arrange for the changes to be made this afternoon, and I expect that it will be ready for normal use by tomorrow.”

As she spoke, Liu Xiaomin shifted the subject and looked at Nie Zhenbang, “Secretary, additionally, concerning the selection of your secretary, do you have any particular requirements?”

Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang’s mind became clear. Liu Xiaomin was meticulous indeed. She had a clear understanding of her own position, depending on whom. The position of the Provincial Committee Secretary-General was actually quite awkward. To say it had no real power was not entirely true. However, it depended on the trust level of the leadership. This was probably also the reason why Liu Xiaomin was eager to visit.

As for Liu Xiaomin, Nie Zhenbang didn’t actually plan to replace her immediately. After all, coming to Longxi and acting rashly might have the opposite effect. Instead of stirring the hearts of other standing committee members, it would be better to maintain the status quo, at least not to provoke others excessively.

After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “I won’t go into the general requirements. I believe the Secretary-General has enough experience, but as for gender, let’s consider male candidates primarily. It’s not an issue of gender discrimination. The main reason is that sometimes I work late, and it would be inconvenient with a female secretary. As for the rest, the Secretary-General can make a discretionary decision.”

(To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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