Chapter 32: Misunderstandings and Miscommunications

  It's clear that this newcomer isn't a thick-skinned fellow. Ma Zi patted Peng Yuanzheng's shoulder somewhat speechlessly, thinking to himself: Brother, you'd better take care of yourself!

  Peng Yuanzheng smiled faintly.

  One afternoon, people in Kori each had their own thoughts.

  Department Head Gong Hanlin anxiously awaited Director Zhu's criticism, while Sun Ping secretly felt pleased, thinking that she had finally vented her anger. A newcomer, actually daring to be disrespectful to her and even turning against him!

  Ma Zi was even more arrogant when he first came, but what happened in the end? Wasn't she still cleaned up by her!

  Ma Zi worried about Peng Yuanzheng, while Wang Na was looking forward to the excitement. She didn't like Sun Ping, but she also didn't have much good feeling towards Peng Yuanzheng, who had just arrived and was of the same age as her.

  But there was no news from Minister Zhu's side. Just before the end of work, the General Editor's Office of Xin'an Daily called and said that Minister Zhu had signed an article titled "Prospering the Tertiary Industry around 'Four Strong and Four Superior'", and asked to verify the author's name.

  Gong Hanlin and Sun Ping left ahead of time, and the one who stayed until the end was Peng Yuanzheng. Because he wrote the manuscript himself, Peng Yuanzheng openly said his own name.

  The draft was signed by Director Zhu and directly handed over to the newspaper office. It can be said that it was a misunderstanding.

  Sun Ping sent Peng Yuanzheng's manuscript to Zhu Chengrong, but Zhu Chengrong didn't mind her complaints. After opening the manuscript and reviewing it, Zhu Chengrong immediately applauded and praised it. The article was well-written, logical, and most importantly, it summarized and refined the concept of "four strengths and four advantages", which fully conformed to the municipal party committee's recent guiding ideology on the tertiary industry.

  How could such a high-quality draft be produced by a newcomer who has been on the job for less than a week? Zhu Chengrong subconsciously thought it was written by Gong Hanlin, and directly signed off with a red pen.

  For this type of manuscript, the propaganda part is signed by the leader and published in its entirety by the newspaper, with only a few typos corrected.

  The newspaper's manuscript, the propaganda department needs to review and revise, even can be directly shot; but the manuscript sent by the propaganda department, the newspaper cannot modify in principle. This is a rule, also a convention.

  The article published in the newspaper on the second day was exactly the same as Peng Yuanzhen's original manuscript, without a single word different.

  The next afternoon, Zhu Chengrong entered the office and flipped through today's Xin'an Daily. On the front page, he found the article he had signed off on, but the author's name was listed as "Peng Yuanzheng". He was taken aback, just about to call Gong Hanlin or Sun Ping, when a call came in from Xiao Jun, the municipal party committee member and propaganda department head.

  "Old Zhu, today's draft on the tertiary industry is not bad, very good! Secretary Xue is extremely satisfied - by the way, this Peng Yuanzheng, which department does he belong to?" came the calm voice of Xiao Jun.

  Zhu Chengrong smiled and said, "Director Xiao, Peng Yuanzheng should be a university student who has just joined the news department for less than a week. However, I was thinking of asking if it's a mistake in signing, such a sophisticated article, a newcomer shouldn't be able to write it!"

  Xiao Jun hummed in agreement, but instead laughed and said, "Old Zhu, it's not necessarily so. Don't underestimate today's university students, some of them still have a good understanding and level. How about this? You first get familiar with the situation, my intention is to follow the thinking and framework of this draft, and then come up with two more articles, making it a series of reports, to help promote the development of the tertiary industry for the municipal party committee, and stir up public opinion!"

  "Alright, Director Xiao, I understand." Zhu Chengrong hastily replied.

  Hung up on Xiao Jun's phone, Zhu Chengrong furrowed his brow, got up and left the office, heading straight to the news department, holding that newspaper in his hand.

  Peng Yuanzheng was the first to see Zhu Chengrong walking in, although he didn't know Zhu Chengrong, but from his demeanor and expression, he immediately guessed that he was a leader of the Propaganda Department, probably the head of the News Division, Director Zhu.

  He immediately stood up and politely smiled at Zhu Chengrong, "Hello, leader!"

  Zhu Chengrong nodded and took a deep look at Peng Yuanzheng.

  At this time, Gong Hanlin and others had already stood up and came forward to greet him.

  "Director Zhu!"

  "Good morning, Director Zhu!"

  Zhu Chengrong smiled and nodded, waving the newspaper in his hand, saying lightly, "The article 'Prospering the Tertiary Industry Around the Four Strengths and Four Superiorities' published in today's Daily News was written by which comrade?"

  Peng Yuanzheng, standing on one side, had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth and immediately said softly, "It's me, Director Zhu!"

  Zhu Chengrong turned his head and looked at Peng Yuanzheng, then turned his head again and gazed at Sun Ping.

  Sun Ping hesitated for a moment, somewhat unclear about the situation.

  "Xiao Sun, was the draft you gave me yesterday independently completed by Comrade Xiao Peng?" Zhu Chengrong asked again in a condensed voice.

  Sun Ping thought it was the leader coming to question her, so she immediately rolled her eyes and said loudly, "Yes, Director Zhu, this was written by Comrade Xiao Peng. It's just that you were pressing for a report, so I submitted it to you. Leader, after all, Comrade Xiao Peng is a new comrade who has just come from school and is not familiar with the situation, and his writing skills are also poor. If there's anything improper, please give him another chance!"

  Sun Ping's voice was somewhat sarcastic and self-satisfied as she spoke about helping colleagues and newcomers, but everyone could hear the opposite meaning.

  Zhu Cheng's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he shot Sun Ping a dissatisfied glance before turning to Peng Yuanzheng, handing over the newspaper in his hand. "Young man, your article is well-written, it seems you have a solid foundation. From now on, work hard and strive to become the top performer in our department."

  "Thank you for the encouragement, I will definitely work hard." Peng Yuanzheng's face showed a moderate and respectful smile. Zhu Chengrong nodded in satisfaction and turned to Gong Hanlin, "Old Gong, this time the manuscript was organized very well, I'm very satisfied, Director Xiao is also very satisfied. According to Director Xiao's instructions, let's write two more articles following the style and thinking of this manuscript, forming a series of reports, creating a good atmosphere for the city to promote the implementation of the third industry strategy."

  "Since the draft was written by Comrade Xiao Peng himself, let him do it."

  Zhu Cheng walked slowly towards the door.

  Zhu Chengrong left the news department office, and Gong Hanlin immediately snatched today's Xin'an Daily from Peng Yuanzheng's hand with excitement. He opened it to find Peng Yuanzheng's manuscript, read it carefully, and couldn't help but slap his thigh in admiration. "Little Peng, Little Peng, I didn't expect you to be a master of words! You have a great talent for materials! This article is of high standard, the grasp of proportion, size, and height is wonderful! - Ma Zi, Xiao Wang, take it away and study it well, look at how quickly Little Peng picked up his work after just a few days!"

  Gong Hanlin's attitude towards Peng Yuanzheng changed immediately. As the head of the news department, he was very tired at work. The reason for his exhaustion was that although there were many people in this department, only he could produce high-quality materials. Therefore, he often had to push himself to work hard, and it was unbearable.

  Now we have Peng Yuzhen!

  Gong Hanlin was overjoyed in his heart, but Sun Ping's face beside him was getting uglier and uglier, as if she had eaten feces, feeling nauseous and uncomfortable.

  She had the heart to go and take a look at what Peng Yuanzheng had written, which actually got the affirmation and praise of the department leaders, and even made Gong Hanlin, the famous material expert in the department, praise her endlessly, but she couldn't bring herself to move.

  Ting Ma and Wang Na were reading the newspaper while praising Peng Yuanzheng, but Sun Ping found it increasingly annoying. She finally couldn't control herself, got up in a huff, pushed open the door and stormed out, slamming it shut behind her.

  Peng Yuanzheng gazed at the slightly plump back of this woman, a faint smile floating at the corner of his mouth. However, he concealed it very well, and when he realized Wang Na was looking over, the smile had already flashed by.