Chapter 823 Cold Yamen
Cheng Mengshan and his team arrived the day before National Day. We still have only one day off a day, and the short holidays in the future are not here yet. Except for holidays on weekdays, everyone has to work, so it is great to arrive a day in advance.
On the day of arrival, Song Yuanchao, Sun Yaoliang and Lu Jun went to the train station to pick people up in person. Since there were so many people, a small car would not be able to accommodate them all, so the attentive Zhu Weijie specially helped to arrange a Sea Lion van.
Speaking of this van, people born in the 1980s and 1990s may have rarely seen it, but if you mention the improved version of this van after the 1990s and its new name Jinbei, they will immediately remember it.
The Sea Lion that Zhu Weijie helped to arrange was a new car that the two offices had just purchased two years ago. The car was in very good condition, and they originally planned to let the driver come along, but Song Yuanchao declined.
After all, the people who went to pick them up were classmates, and Song Yuanchao and Sun Yaoliang could both drive, so there was no need to have a driver. Moreover, it would be inconvenient for classmates to talk and chat with each other if there was a driver.
Several old classmates arrived at about the same time. The first to arrive were Pan Xiangdong and Zhang Jian. They were both from Sichuan Province and returned to Sichuan after graduation.
Pan Xiangdong now works in a local government office, and his rank is the same as Lv Jun, both of them are section-level cadres. Zhang Jian went to work in a company, and now he is the leader of a state-owned enterprise of a decent size.
The two agreed to take the train together. Their train arrived at the station at 7:30 in the morning. Song Yuanchao bought platform tickets for them and went to the platform to pick them up. After the train slowly stopped, several people looked back and forth at the various carriages. Soon Sun Yaoliang, who had the sharpest eyes, saw Lao Pan and Zhang Jian getting off the train with their luggage.
"Old Pan! Old Zhang!" Sun Yaoliang called out hurriedly. Song Yuanchao and Lu Jun also saw them at this time, and the three of them hurried over to greet them.
The reunion of old classmates was particularly cordial. Everyone hugged each other warmly and patted each other on the back.
"Old Pan, it's only been two years since we last met. How come your belly has grown so big? Have you been eating and drinking all day in the office? This won't do, comrade. I find that your thinking is a little off track." Sun Yaoliang walked up to Pan Xiangdong and hugged him. After letting go, he looked at him who was obviously fatter, and asked jokingly with a smile.
"Go to hell, you're the one who's wrong." Pan Xiangdong scolded with a smile, "Sitting in the office every day means less exercise. How can a person not get fat if he doesn't do anything but write documents every day? As for food and drink, the department I work in is a cold government office. Even if I want to cheat for food and drink, I don't have the chance."
"Hahaha." Everyone burst into laughter. Zhang Jian was no different from before, except that he looked more mature.
"Where is the boss? He hasn't arrived yet?" After a few warm greetings from old classmates, Zhang Jian asked.
"It's almost time. The boss's car is later than yours, and it's almost time." Lu Jun said, looking at his watch.
Pan Xiangdong and Zhang Jian got married later than Song Yuanchao, and their children were old enough to help with cooking. Several old classmates chatted enthusiastically and continued to stay at the platform waiting for Cheng Mengshan's train. Cheng Mengshan's train was delayed for ten minutes. After nearly an hour, his train finally arrived at the station. When Cheng Mengshan got off the train with his luggage, he saw his old classmates who he had not seen for a long time. He smiled and quickened his pace.
"Hello, Teacher Cheng!"
Seeing Cheng Mengshan coming, Pan Xiangdong and Zhang Jian bowed to Cheng Mengshan together and called out to him on purpose, which made Cheng Mengshan stunned for a moment, and then he did not know whether to laugh or cry.
When they were in college, these two guys were the most popular people in the dormitory. They were always funny and did a lot of funny things. I didn't expect that they were still like this now. Cheng Mengshan laughed and scolded them for being so frivolous. They were leaders but they were still the same as they were in their student days. However, seeing the familiar faces and the friendly and joking greetings made Cheng Mengshan return to his college days.
Everyone gathered on the platform with laughter, and then Song Yuanchao invited everyone to go together. After leaving the station and coming to the parking lot, when Zhang Jian saw the van they drove, he was still licking his lips, saying that it was good to have a big boss as a classmate, and this car was really good, and he was lucky today.
Everyone got in the car and Sun Yaoliang drove directly to the hotel.
The night before yesterday, when I was having dinner with Zhu Weijie and others, I specifically asked whether arrangements had been made for Song Yuanchao's classmates to come. When I learned that Song Yuanchao was still unsure, Zhu Weijie took the initiative to take over the matter.
Anyway, the comrades from other provinces went back early this morning and all the hotel rooms were empty. It was a piece of cake for Zhu Weijie to just say hello and arrange a few rooms for him.
Just like that, Song Yuanchao agreed without any refusals. Today, he picked up Pan Xiangdong and Zhang Jian and learned that they had not made any arrangements yet. It was probably the same for Cheng Mengshan. He confirmed it when they got in the car earlier. So he took everyone directly to the hotel, completed the formalities and checked in.
Everyone was in high spirits as old classmates reunited. Since Lu Jun was getting married tomorrow, today was a good time for everyone to get together.
"Old Pan, you just said that you sit in the office every day writing documents? What exactly do you do now?" While drinking tea and chatting, Sun Yaoliang suddenly asked Pan Xiangdong beside him.
"Have you heard of the Social Science Federation?" Pan Xiangdong replied.
"Social Science Federation? Why did you go there?" Sun Yaoliang asked in surprise: "I remember you went to the Commission Office when you were assigned, right?"
Pan Xiangdong sighed and shook his head.
"What else can he do? Old Pan has been tricked by someone!" Zhang Jian suddenly said this, and everyone's eyes immediately turned to him.
"It's not a question of whether to fix it or not. It's my own problem and I can't blame anyone else." Pan Xiangdong gave Zhang Jian a look and said calmly.
"I say, Lao Pan, we are not outsiders, what can't we say?" Sun Yaoliang criticized him dissatisfiedly, and then asked Zhang Jian: "Lao Zhang, what's going on? Why did Lao Pan go to the Social Science Association?"
Zhang Jian hesitated for a moment, but finally told everyone the truth.
Pan Xiangdong did go to the Commission's Office at first, and because he was a graduate of Imperial University of Peking, he was given the position of deputy section chief after entering the Commission's Office, which meant he had a bright future.
But Pan Xiangdong is a rather straightforward person. In addition, his horizons were broadened when he was studying at the Imperial University of Peking. He has done some research and has some opinions on foreign economic issues. After he started working in the commission's office, his work ideas were often different from those of some veteran cadres and leaders. In other words, he had different views on some economic and reform issues.
Because of different ideas, Pan Xiangdong had different views and opinions on some policies. It was because of this that some leaders thought he was not "stable". Later, because he had a dispute with the leader over an issue, he was directly put on the wrong track. He was then given a hard time and transferred from the commission office to the Social Science Federation.
After joining the Social Science Federation, Pan Xiangdong was promoted from deputy section chief to section chief, which seemed to be a promotion on the surface. But in reality, how could such a cold government office as the Social Science Federation compare with the Commission Office? Everyone knew that Pan Xiangdong had no future after joining the Social Science Federation. The best outcome was to slowly persevere in the Social Science Federation for more than ten or twenty years, and at most get a bureau-level position before retirement.
After listening to Zhang Jian's story, everyone sighed and felt sorry for Pan Xiangdong.
For an outstanding young cadre to be assigned to a department like the Social Science Federation, his future prospects are bleak. However, Pan Xiangdong himself was not worried. He said with a smile that being in the Social Science Federation was also a job, and that it was OK to work anywhere, and that the work of the Social Science Federation was also very important.
"Old Pan, are you planning to stay there forever?" Lu Jun asked with a frown. As a cadre, he knew very well what kind of department the Federation of Social Sciences was. It was only slightly better than the Archives Bureau or the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau. What future could Pan Xiangdong have if he went to such a place?
"Let's stay for a while first. Sichuan Province is not like the coastal areas. The leaders in many places have outdated ideas and it is difficult to change them. But I think these ideas will change over time. It is like this now, but it may be different in the future. Besides, there is nothing wrong with the Social Science Association. We have all studied political economics. Isn't there a saying in political economics? Science is the primary productive force!"
"The main work of the Social Science Federation is to serve as a link between social scientists and the commission and government, to serve as a bridge between the two sides and to become a consultant and assistant for the development of science. From this point of view, the importance of the Social Science Federation is not as dispensable as some people imagine."
"That's true, but it's also not true!" Cheng Mengshan shook his head and said, "From the perspective of the functions of the Social Science Federation, what you said is correct, Old Pan, but if the local leaders' ideas and concepts do not change, the Social Science Federation will still not play any role. Don't forget that the Social Science Federation is not a decision-making department, it only provides references and suggestions. If such references and suggestions are not recognized by the higher authorities, what can you do?"
"Boss, you're right!" Sun Yaoliang nodded, turned to Pan Xiangdong and said, "Old Pan, I'm not trying to discourage you. You couldn't do it in the Commission Office, do you think you can do it in the Social Science Federation?"
Pan Xiangdong smiled bitterly, sighed lightly and said nothing more.
"Old Pan , I think you should stop working in the Social Science Federation." Song Yuanchao, who had been silent, suddenly said this.
"No? If not, am I going to work in a business with you? Forget about aiding Korea. I know myself well. I am not cut out for running a business. Otherwise, I would have worked in a business like Lao Zhang. I know this well."
"Why do you want to work in a company? If you want to continue working in a government department, just change your job. There's an old saying that goes, 'If you don't move, you'll die. If you don't stay here, you'll find another place. Why do you want to stay in the Social Science Association? Isn't this a waste?"
"Yuan Chao is right, Lao Pan, you can consider this matter. To be honest, you are underutilized in the Social Science Federation." Cheng Mengshan nodded.
"I also think what Third Brother said is right, Lao Pan. I advised you on the way here. Now everyone thinks so too. I think you should think about it carefully." Zhang Jian also advised.
Pan Xiangdong sighed, smiled bitterly and shook his head: "It's easier said than done. How can a job transfer be so simple? If this were possible, I would have left the Social Science Association a long time ago..."
