We asked you to make an anti-corruption film, but you made one in the name of the people!

On the first Monday of July, Lin Mo ate his last lunch at the Ministry of Public Security's canteen.

Sun Jianguo sat opposite him, picking at the braised pork on the plate with his chopsticks, but didn't put it in his mouth for a long time.

"Have you finished packing?" Sun Jianguo asked.

"All packed up, there wasn't much stuff to begin with."

Sun Jianguo nodded and remained silent for a moment: "A year has gone by so fast."

Lin Mo didn't reply.

Sun Jianguo put down his chopsticks, took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it over: "It's something a few colleagues from the Propaganda Bureau put together—nothing valuable—just a greeting card. Xiao Zhang insisted that everyone write a sentence, and in the end, he wrote more than two hundred words himself, filling the card completely."

Lin Mo took it, opened it, and glanced at it.

Xiao Zhang's handwriting was crooked and took up most of the page. The last sentence was, "Director Lin, who's going to spoil the plot for me now that you're gone?"

He closed the greeting card and put it in his bag: "Director Sun, thank you for this year."

"What are you thanking me for?" Sun Jianguo stood up. "It's not like we'll never see each other again. Our two families will still need to cooperate on publicity matters in the future."

In the afternoon, Lin Mo went to Director Wang's office to say goodbye.

Director Wang didn't say much, but shook his hand twice: "I've already discussed the temporary transfer with your Prosecutor Zhao. If needed, come and help out, no questions asked."

Lin Mo nodded and closed the door.

As he came downstairs, the security guard saw him carrying some things and paused for a moment, then asked, "Director Lin, what's this...?"

"I've returned to my original workplace."

The security guard stood up, took out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer, then thought it inappropriate and put it back. Finally, he said, "Come back and visit when you have time."

Lin Mo smiled and said okay.

The next morning, Lin Mo stood at the main gate of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The courtyard hasn't changed much.

There are still those two rows of ginkgo trees in front of the door, their leaves shining green.

The publicity department's office is on the third floor.

When Lin Mo pushed open the door, several colleagues were drinking water and chatting inside. The moment they saw him, everyone fell silent.

Then Xiao Chen was the first to stand up: "Director Lin, what brings you back?!"

"My secondment is up." Lin Mo put his bag on the table.

"You didn't even tell me it was due!" Xiao Chen strode over, looked him up and down, and said, "You've changed. You look better than last year. Is the food at the Ministry of Public Security better than here?"

"Actually, they're all pretty much the same."

Old Li, who was standing next to him, pushed up his glasses and said slowly, "Xiao Lin, you didn't even say you were coming back in the group chat. You're the only one in our office who received a joint commendation. We're all so proud of you."

Lin Mo smiled and said, "Brother Li, don't embarrass me."

"Who made fun of you?"

The office erupted in laughter.

Lin Mo had just sat down when his phone rang. The caller ID showed Han Zhengming.

"Director Han."

"You're back?" Old Han's voice was as indifferent as ever.

"Just arrived at the office."

"Come to my office." Old Han paused for a moment, then added, "It's good news."

Lin Mo hung up the phone, straightened his shirt collar, and walked out.

Old Han's office is still the same.

A banner promoting fairness and integrity hangs on the wall, and the two potted green plants on the windowsill are much more lush than last year.

When Lin Mo pushed the door open, Old Han was standing at the window looking out with a teacup in his hand.

"Director Han, you wanted to see me?"

Old Han turned around, glanced at him, and said out of the blue, "You watered the pothos a few times before, and it survived. It was almost withered when you left last year."

Lin Mo was stunned for a moment. Before he could reply, Lao Han walked behind his desk, picked up a brown paper envelope, put it in his briefcase, and then picked up the lid of the teacup on the table, tightened it, and put it away.

"Walk."

"Where to?"

"Go to Prosecutor Zhao's place. Don't ask any questions. Just come with me."

The two people in the elevator didn't speak.

Once on the top floor, the corridor was much quieter than downstairs. The floor was carpeted, so walking on it made almost no noise.

The door to Prosecutor Zhao's office was ajar, and Old Han knocked twice.

"Come in."

Pushing open the door, they found Prosecutor Zhao sitting behind his desk reading a document. Seeing the two enter, he took off his glasses and gestured to the sofa: "Sit."

Old Han and Lin Mo sat down on the sofa. Prosecutor Zhao stood up from behind his desk, walked over to the sofa, sat down in the armchair, looked at Old Han first, and then at Lin Mo.

"Kobayashi, your temporary assignment is over."

"Yes, I just got back to the hospital."

"The Ministry of Public Security speaks very highly of you. Director Wang called me specifically to say that you are the most reliable young person he has ever met." Prosecutor Zhao's tone was unhurried. "The Ministry originally wanted to keep you, but they also know that your position is already filled here."

He paused, picked up a document from the coffee table, and opened it.

"Comrade Lin Mo, according to the decision of the Party Group of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, you are appointed as the Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, at the deputy division level, effective immediately."

Lin Mo's mind went blank for a moment.

Deputy Director, at the deputy division level.

A 28-year-old deputy division-level official...

Prosecutor Zhao continued, "You were personally trained by Lao Han, and you're the most familiar with the propaganda department's work. From now on, you'll be his deputy, which will lighten Lao Han's burden."

Old Han spoke up from the side: "Prosecutor Zhao, when have I ever had such a heavy burden?"

Zhao Jian glanced at him and chuckled, "You're being stubborn. I won't argue with you. Anyway, Xiao Lin will be yours from now on, so it's not up to you to decide what to do with her."

He closed the file and looked at Lin Mo: "But Lin, there's something I need to make clear to you."

Lin Mo sat up straight.

"This deputy director position isn't just about making films. You also have to manage the daily administrative work of the publicity department—briefings, meetings, documents, coordination—all of these are things you need to handle. Making good films is your forte, but you also need to learn something else—managing and mentoring people. Making films and managing departments are two different things."

Old Han, holding a teacup, slowly added, "From now on, you'll be in charge of reviewing the department's reports."

Lin Mo glanced at Lao Han.

Old Han's face was expressionless, but his fingers tapped the rim of the teacup twice, a rare moment of relaxation for him.

"Prosecutor Zhao, Director Han, I will do my best."

"It's not just about doing your best." Zhao Jian looked at him, his tone flat, but every word was heavy. "It's a must. In this position, you not only have to make good films, but also lead the team well. The publicity department can't just have one Lin Mo. You have to give the people below you the opportunity to grow."

Lin Mo stood up: "Prosecutor Zhao, I've got it."

Zhao Jian also stood up and patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, go back. The appointment will be sent out via OA this afternoon and publicized throughout the system."

After leaving Prosecutor Zhao's office, Lao Han did not take the elevator.

He walked to the stairwell, pushed open the door, and stood in the stairwell.

Lin Mo followed.

Old Han took the brown paper envelope out of his briefcase and stuffed it into Lin Mo's hand: "Take your appointment document first."

Lin Mo took it but didn't open it.

"Deputy director, deputy director level." Old Han looked at him. "I worked in the system for more than 20 years to get to this position, and you got it in three years. It's not because you're lucky—it's because you did the work that others couldn't do in ten years."

He paused, then lowered his voice slightly: "But remember this: doing the work is your job, getting recognition is for those above you. Don't focus on getting promoted; focus on the work at hand. Becoming an official isn't the goal; doing your job well is."

"Director Han, I understand."

Old Han looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then reached out and patted Lin Mo on the shoulder.

It's not the kind of patting a leader's subordinates on the shoulder.

It was an elder taking a picture of a younger person.

"Let's go back to work. There are still three briefings waiting for you to review."

Lin Mo laughed: "Director Han, this is only my first day in office."

"What's wrong with the first day?" Old Han turned around, pushed open the door to the stairwell, and tossed out a sentence, "You still have to work on the first day."

Back in the publicity department office, Lin Mo pushed open the door.

Xiao Chen was the first to look up: "Director Lin! What does Director Han want with you—"

She was halfway through her sentence when she saw the brown paper envelope in Lin Mo's hand.

Old Li saw it too.

The office fell silent for a moment.

Lin Mo hadn't even had a chance to speak.

A pop-up window appeared simultaneously in the lower right corner of each computer in the OA system—"Notification Regarding Comrade Lin Mo's Appointment."

Xiao Chen was the first to click on it and glance at it. Then she looked up, her mouth forming an "O".

"Deputy Director? Director Lin, you've become a deputy director?!"

Old Li pushed up his glasses and leaned over to look. After reading it, he took off his glasses, wiped them, put them back on, and looked at them again.

Xiao Chen exclaimed, "A 28-year-old deputy director-level official? My God!"

"Alright, now we have two section chiefs bossing us around."

"Brother Li, don't be shy about me. If you need any work in the future, just ask Director Han. I'm just helping out."