394: The hardships of ordinary people

Lin Zifeng spent the entire morning listening to the reports of the three individuals. Only after he saw Executive Vice Mayor Li Deyou, the Party Secretary of Xiangyang Town, walk out of the Office did Lin Zifeng stand up and stretch his weary body.

A few minutes later, Wang Zhongyu knocked and entered again, saying, "Secretary, it's lunchtime. You should go eat."

Lin Zifeng nodded and walked outside.

Meanwhile, inside the Director's Office at the Municipal Public Security Bureau, besides Zhu Yushan Yushan, there was a middle-aged Auxiliary Police Officer in uniform. He was standing opposite Zhu Yushan, looking cautious and somewhat nervous.

This middle-aged man was none other than Li Zhisheng, an auxiliary officer from the Traffic Police Detachment.

At this moment, Li Zhisheng was completely bewildered. He had just finished his duty at a school entrance and returned to the Traffic Police Detachment when his squadron leader called him out, and they drove together to the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Only upon arriving at the Municipal Public Security Bureau did he learn that Zhu Yushan, the Vice Mayor and Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, wanted to see him.

He had no idea why the top leader of the Municipal Public Security Bureau would want to see an auxiliary officer like him. So, after entering, he simply said, "Hello, Director," and stood there.

Zhu Yushan stood up and said with a smile, "Comrade Li Zhisheng, please sit down and talk!"

"Thank you, Director." After thanking him, Li Zhisheng sat cautiously on the chair.

"Don't be so nervous, just relax. Comrade Li Zhisheng, do you know Secretary Lin of our Municipal Party Committee?"

To verify a sliver of doubt in his mind, Zhu Yushan asked casually.

"Director, you must be joking. Who in Yushu City doesn't know Secretary Lin? I know Secretary Lin from the television news, but while I know him, Secretary Lin certainly doesn't know me!"

Li Zhisheng said with a smile.

Confirming that Lin Zifeng had no personal ulterior motives in this matter, Zhu Yushan's admiration for Lin Zifeng grew even stronger. He smiled and said, "Comrade Li Zhisheng, you're wrong about that. The Secretary knows you as well, also from the news.

At the beginning of this year, you bravely saved a primary school student and were injured in the process. Didn't you receive an interview from the Municipal Television Station afterward?

The Secretary got to know you through that news report."

"I only did what I was supposed to do. I never expected the Secretary would pay attention to such a small matter."

Hearing Zhu Yushan say that Lin Zifeng knew him, an auxiliary officer, Li Zhisheng spoke with excitement and joy.

"In the Secretary's heart, this is no small matter! The Secretary highly praised your deeds in front of me, saying you are a role model among the Auxiliary Police Officers of our Public Security Bureau, and that you have brought honor to us.

Isn't our Public Security Bureau about to recruit one hundred and twenty more police officers? The Secretary specifically gave instructions to ensure that you are converted to permanent status during this expansion, becoming a formal officer.

You are exempted from the exams for this recruitment. However, you need to obtain a junior college diploma through a correspondence course. The Bureau will handle your registration and cover the costs.

You just need to study hard in your spare time."

Hearing Zhu Yushan's words, Li Zhisheng's head buzzed. He only remembered the parts about the Secretary's special approval, the exemption from exams for permanent status, and the correspondence junior college.

After a few seconds, Li Zhisheng stood up and said with a face full of disbelief, "Director, is everything you said true?"

"How could I joke about such a thing? Comrade Li Zhisheng, this is all well-deserved. Go back and continue to work hard!"

Having received a definitive answer, Li Zhisheng stepped forward and tightly grasped Zhu Yushan's hand with both of his, repeatedly saying, "Thank you, Secretary," and "Thank you, Director."

Walking out of the Director's Office, Li Zhisheng recalled what had just happened, his heart so excited he felt like jumping for joy.

He had joined the Traffic Police Detachment in his twenties. In the first few years, he had fantasized that one day he might become a formal officer.

But as time passed and his age increased, he had given up all hope in recent years.

After all, he knew he only had a junior high school diploma, and combined with his age, it was impossible for him to become a formal officer.

He never expected that Lin Zifeng, the Municipal Party Secretary, would actually notice the news about him saving someone and personally approve his permanent status.

His wish of over a decade had been fulfilled just like that; it was truly a case of finding light at the end of the tunnel.

His heart was filled with gratitude toward Lin Zifeng, and he wished he could kowtow to him in person.

But he knew that even if he became a formal officer, it would be difficult to encounter Lin Zifeng in the future, so he could only keep this gratitude in his heart.

An excited and happy Li Zhisheng walked out of the hall, and the squadron leader hurried over to meet him, asking urgently, "Brother Li, what did the Director want with you?

I haven't even had the chance to meet the Director alone, yet you did. Tell me, do you have some kind of relationship with the Director?"

squadron leader Zhang Heng had been working with Li Zhisheng since his internship after graduating from the police academy; back then, Li Zhisheng was the one who mentored him.

The two had worked together for seven or eight years, so even though Zhang Heng had become a squadron leader, he still highly respected Li Zhisheng.

"Let's get in the car first! This isn't the place to talk."

Hearing Li Zhisheng say this, Zhang Heng nodded, and the two got into the car together. After driving out of the Municipal Public Security Bureau compound and hearing Zhang Heng ask again, Li Zhisheng recounted the general course of events.

Finally, he added, "I really don't know how I can ever repay Secretary Lin's mountain-like kindness!"

"Brother Li, I am truly happy for you! As the saying goes, good people get rewarded, and that has been proven true with you.

Our Secretary Lin is famous for being fair and upright. Working hard in the future will be the best reward for the Secretary.

I'll take you to the market to buy some food and wine. Go home and share this huge news with your wife, and have a good celebration! You and your wife haven't had it easy all these years!

I'll treat you another day, and we brothers can celebrate properly then."

As Zhang Heng spoke, he drove toward the market.

"Heng-zi, is this appropriate? I still have to work this afternoon!"

"It's perfectly fine. I'll give you the afternoon off. Don't worry about the school; I'll personally take some people to cover your shift."

Without taking no for an answer, Zhang Heng drove to the market.

After they finished shopping, Zhang Heng drove Li Zhisheng home before leaving on his own.

Li Zhisheng returned home carrying the food and wine. His wife, Zhang Yan, saw the items in his hands, put down her handicraft work, stood up, and said, "Zhisheng, are we having guests today?"

She asked this because she suffered from ankylosing spondylitis and had to take medicine year-round. She couldn't do heavy labor and could only earn money by doing handicrafts at home, making only about a thousand yuan a month.

Li Zhisheng's salary wasn't high either, and their only son had just started high school and chosen to board there.

The couple lived a very tight life, so unless it was a holiday or they were having guests, they wouldn't buy such food and wine.

Hearing his wife's question, Li Zhisheng couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in his heart.

He placed the prepared food on the dining table, arranged them one by one, took out the bowls, chopsticks, and two wine cups, and finally said, "Honey, there are no guests today. Come and eat!"