Chapter 50

Doesn’t She Care About Her Face?

The assistant to the director got straight to the point: “This is the Provincial Public Security Bureau. Please have your deputy chief take the call.”

The young officer straightened up when he heard the words “Provincial Public Security Bureau,” and loudly responded, “Yes!”

He placed the receiver aside and ran while shouting, “Deputy chief, deputy chief, phone!”

Hearing someone call, the deputy chief came out of his office: “This is a workplace, why are you shouting so loudly?”

The young officer realized his mistake and apologized, his face turning red, “Sorry, deputy chief, my mistake.”

The deputy chief waved his hand: “Since it’s your first mistake, I’ll let it go. What’s the matter?”

The young officer, still a bit flustered, almost forgot the main point, “Deputy chief, the Provincial Public Security Bureau wants you to take the call.”

The deputy chief shot him a look: “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

With that, he quickly walked away.

The young officer: “…”

The deputy chief picked up the receiver: “Hello, this is Yang Tao, who’s calling?”

“I’m the assistant to the provincial bureau director. The materials you reported have been reviewed by the director. He said that Comrade Xu Jiajia has made two contributions, and the rewards are too weak. He suggests offering her a job.”

“What?” A job worth hundreds, and it’s not something you can buy with money.

The assistant continued, “Comrade Xu Jiajia is very sharp and well-suited for police work. You should arrange for her to start a job as a new recruit. The director is very interested in seeing how far she can grow!”

The deputy chief thought he had heard wrong and took some time to process: “Our unit doesn’t have any extra positions.”

The assistant replied, “You don’t need to worry about that; the director will make arrangements. Just tell Comrade Xu Jiajia about it.”

The deputy chief secretly marveled at Xu Jiajia’s good fortune: “Got it.”

After hanging up, the deputy chief went to find Liu Kui: “Do you know anything about Xu Jiajia?”

Liu Kui, quick to sense something was wrong, immediately asked, “Did something happen?”

The deputy chief relayed the conversation he had just had with the assistant.

Liu Kui grinned: “I knew it! Two contributions, there’s definitely going to be a big reward. It’s good to report it!”

The deputy chief shot him a glance: “Do you think this is normal? The Public Security Bureau job is something many people can only dream of. And now, the provincial director is directly giving her a job.”

Liu Kui retorted, “Why isn’t it normal? The director said Comrade Xu Jiajia is sharp, a natural talent for this line of work. Are you questioning the provincial director’s decision?”

The deputy chief nearly choked: “This task is assigned to you!”

Liu Kui saluted: “Yes, sir!”

Just as he was about to leave, Liu Kui remembered something: “Xu Shushu also made a contribution. Why hasn’t he been rewarded? Did they forget about it? Deputy chief, you should call and check.”

The deputy chief laughed bitterly: “I’m just the deputy chief in this town, not important enough for the leadership to listen to me.”

Liu Kui nodded seriously: “True.”

The deputy chief: “…”

Time flew by, and soon it was the end of the workday.

Liu Kui rode his old bike to Xu’s house.

When Xu Laotai saw him, she was surprised: “Come in and sit.”

Liu Kui locked his bike in the yard before entering.

“Grandma Xu, Comrade Xu Jiajia has made two contributions. The higher-ups are rewarding her with a job.”

Xu Laotai was so shocked that she nearly knocked over a cup: “What kind of job?”

Liu Kui answered directly: “A job at the police department. It pays thirty-two a month, with quick promotions and salary increases.”

Hearing this, Xu Laotai almost had a heart attack. She stammered in excitement: “The… police department?”

Oh my!

Her family’s ancestors must be really lucky!

This job offer was coming one after another.

Liu Kui nodded: “This is the decision of the provincial police bureau’s director. He says Comrade Xu Jiajia is very sharp and well-suited for this line of work.”

Xu Laotai calmed down a bit and hesitated before saying, “Jiajia doesn’t seem to like working.”

This time, Liu Kui was surprised: “Why? There are so many people who want jobs but can’t get one.”

Xu Laotai understood this logic but couldn’t force her granddaughter to work if she didn’t want to: “She went to Hehua’s house. When she comes back, I’ll talk to her.”

Liu Kui stood up: “Grandma Xu, take me to her. I’ll have a talk with her.”

Xu Laotai nodded: “Alright.”

She closed the door and led Liu Kui to Hehua’s house.

“Jiajia, Xiao Liu is looking for you.”

Xu Jiajia walked out of the house, her gaze falling on Liu Kui: “What’s up?”

Liu Kui didn’t waste time, getting straight to the point: “You’ve made two contributions, and the provincial police bureau’s director is rewarding you with a job. It pays thirty-two a month, plus various benefits.”

Xu Jiajia’s mind immediately started working, thinking about who to arrange for the job. While she was thinking, Liu Kui continued: “The job at the police department is not something you can sell or let someone else take.”

His words completely shut down any escape routes for Xu Jiajia. She immediately became upset: “I don’t want it! Being a cop is exhausting. Besides, I’m supposed to follow my husband. It’s unfair to take a job away from someone else.”

Liu Kui was almost tempted to open her head to see what was inside: “You can talk to the provincial police bureau’s director about it. I’m just an ordinary cop. I don’t dare to speak to someone so important.”

Xu Jiajia: “…”

She just wanted to give up!

What should she do now?

Xu Jiajia became worried.

But Xu Laotai thought it was worth trying. She pulled Xu Jiajia aside: “Jiajia, you’re just sitting around at home anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, you can always come back.”

Xu Jiajia’s gaze turned to Liu Kui, who was not far from her. Her eyes shifted as she came up with an idea. She walked up to Liu Kui and stated her conditions.

“Going to work is fine, but I want to be your partner, and no overtime.”

“I also want two days off a week, and I can’t miss any legal holidays.”

Liu Kui laughed in disbelief: “How much do you not want to work that you’re making all these demands?”

Xu Jiajia smiled: “…”

The civil servant standards of the future, this was it.

Xu Jiajia reminded him: “I’m supposed to follow my husband, so I won’t be doing this job for long. You should tell your leaders about that.”

Liu Kui was speechless: “I think you’re the real leader here.”

Xu Jiajia: “…”

Being a leader comes with a lot of pressure, and she wasn’t about to do thankless work.

The next day.

Liu Kui passed Xu Jiajia’s demands word for word to the deputy chief.

After hearing them, the deputy chief was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped: “She… she’s the first person to dare make demands!”

Liu Kui was in despair, not knowing how to explain this to the provincial leaders: “Deputy chief, this has to be reported to the higher-ups.”

The deputy chief felt a headache coming on. How could there be someone who didn’t play by the rules?

“Work is so precious these days, and she doesn’t seem to appreciate it at all!” he muttered. “You go out, let me think for a moment.”

Just as the deputy chief thought the provincial leaders wouldn’t agree, a hearty laugh came through the phone: “As expected of the talent I picked, so full of personality. It’s a deal.”

Even after hanging up, the deputy chief was still in shock: “Oh my, unbelievable, it actually worked!”

At the Xu family home.

Xu Laotai, upon hearing the news from Liu Kui, was so stunned that she couldn’t speak. It took her a long time to regain her voice: “What are these leaders thinking? How can they indulge Jiajia like this?”

Liu Kui glanced at the unusually calm Xu Jiajia and said with a twitch of his lips: “Our deputy chief wondered if Comrade Xu Jiajia could be the lost daughter of someone.”

When Xu Jianguo, who had just returned from work, heard this, his face turned dark with anger: “Nonsense! My daughter was carried by my wife for ten months and went through so much pain to be born. How could she be someone else’s lost daughter?”

Xu Laotai also felt this was a bit ridiculous: “Tell your deputy chief to stop making wild guesses. Jiajia is our Xu family’s flesh and blood.”

Liu Kui had only repeated what the deputy chief had casually said and didn’t expect it to upset Xu Jianguo. He quickly apologized: “Uncle Xu, I’m sorry, I spoke without thinking.”

Xu Jianguo, not yet knowing that Xu Jiajia was about to get a job, waved it off and asked, “What’s going on here?”

Xu Jiajia explained the two contributions and the job reward, then also mentioned the conditions she had set.

Xu Jianguo’s eyelids twitched after hearing the conditions; if it were him, he would have doubts too.

However, was his daughter just incredibly lucky to be noticed by the director of the provincial police department? “Daughter, working at the police department is much more glamorous than working at the factory.”

Just as Liu Kui left, Xu Jianguo was also about to leave.

Xu Laotai, realizing what he was up to, quickly chased after him and grabbed him: “Stay at home, I’ll go.”

Xu Jianguo mischievously asked: “Mother, do you also want to show off?”

Xu Laotai slapped his shoulder: “If you don’t shut up, no one will treat you like a mute.”

Wasn’t she going to show off too?

Xu Jianguo grinned foolishly: “What’s wrong with showing off? My daughter’s doing great. We have to show off, let those who mocked us be envious.”

Liu Laotai, who had just come in from the next door, overheard and asked quickly: “Is something good happening at home?”

“My granddaughter is going to work at the police department.”

“My daughter will soon be a police officer.”

Xu Laotai and Xu Jianguo spoke in unison.

Liu Laotai was shocked: “Police? That’s a good job! Was she recruited through exams?”

This time, Xu Laotai gave the speaking rights to Xu Jianguo: “You tell her.”

Xu Jianguo cleared his throat and said loudly: “My daughter made two contributions, and the provincial police department rewarded her with a job. It’s only five days a week, no overtime.”

Liu Laotai envied Xu Jiajia’s luck: “That’s a good job! The pay is decent, and it’s quite prestigious.”

Xu Jianguo nodded: “Yeah, I heard that once her rank goes up, her salary will rise too.”

Liu Laotai, having said all the envious words, added: “Old sister, you’ve got two workers at home now. You don’t need to work anymore. Stay home and make shoes, cook some of your famous bean paste. It’ll be fulfilling and fun.”

Xu Laotai agreed: “Mm.”

Xu Jianguo went to the threshing ground and caught a simple man to ask: “Do you know what the police came to my house for today?”

Before the man could answer, Xu Jianguo continued talking to himself: “They asked my daughter to go work at the police department.”

This statement sparked a wave of discussions.

“What? Go work at the police department?”

“Couldn’t be! I heard the police department only hires veterans or graduates from police academies. How can your daughter, who’s only a high school graduate, work there?”

“Yeah, sounds too fake!”

“Hahaha… Xu Jianguo, if you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. This lie is so ridiculous that even an idiot wouldn’t believe it!”