One person said: The essence of Wuhou Qimen lies not in Qimen, but in Wuhou.

He laughed until he was breathless, patted his chest to catch his breath, then stood up and looked at Dou Le, his eyes still brimming with laughter, but his tone now carrying a serious reminder: "Can't you use your brain? Your ideological awareness needs improvement! Do you even know what a pillar of the nation is? Haha—Zhuge Ming, entered Tsinghua University at twelve, became a postdoctoral fellow at seventeen, won the National Science and Technology Progress Award (Special Prize), was a model soldier in the military's science and technology development program, and after being discharged due to injury, rose from the grassroots to the rank of director-general—you're giving gifts to someone like that? What are you giving him? Two cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes? Two bottles of Moutai? Do you think he's never smoked Zhonghua or drunk Moutai? Or do you think he'd accept them? Do you even know what 'leading by example' means? Didn't you hear what he said at the meeting?"

He cleared his throat and, mimicking Zhuge Ming's tone, read out each word carefully: "'No one, including myself—must harm the interests of the people.'—Didn't you hear that, or did you not take it to heart? Giving him a gift is like pushing yourself into a fire pit, while also pulling him along. Do you think he'll thank you? He'll probably tell you in a very gentle tone—'Comrade Dou Le, come with me.' And then you'll be going to suffer the consequences. Your 'Request Report on Coordinating Affairs with People from Other Regions in Taiwan' will also be approved—let you go to Taiwan and reflect on your actions."

Dou Le's face flushed bright red in an instant.

It wasn't Xu Si who laughed at her, but rather she herself who cried because of how stupid she had just said.

He went over his words in his mind again—"give some gifts" and "smooth things over"—and then he froze.

Every word he just said was an insult to Zhuge Ming.

He wanted to slap himself a few times.

In the past, such people—those who tried to bribe the pillars of the nation—would not have been spared being shot.

And he had to be shot for five minutes.

Otherwise, it will be difficult to appease the people's anger.

He looked at Xu Si, who was laughing so hard he couldn't stand up straight, his lips trembling for a long time before he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Stop laughing! My mind just went blank for a moment, and I actually said something so brainless!"

Xu Si tried hard to suppress the smile on his face, but his lips were still twitching and his shoulders were still shaking.

He wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes and managed to straighten up. Just as he was about to say, "Okay, okay, stop laughing," Dou Le cut him off with a single sentence.

"Have you laughed enough? You think your temporary worker, Feng Baobao, is someone to be trifled with? We're not exactly the best of the bunch, and you're no better than her!"

Xu Si's laughter stopped abruptly.

He coughed twice, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and his expression changed from schadenfreude to an awkward helplessness.

He cleared his throat, straightened up, and said in a rare serious tone, though still somewhat strained, "So, Lao Dou, we two have to stick together. How about this—the report for the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony has been approved, right? This month, let's go over it, work together, and properly train the temporary workers' mindset and work processes. Besides, they're all familiar with each other—your Lao Xiao and my Bao'er, haven't they partnered up before? They have a good understanding, which will make things easier."

Dou Le thought for a moment, frowned, and pondered for a few seconds before speaking. His tone was hesitant and apprehensive, but much better than his previous despair: "Your suggestion is good, but what about the work? Didn't you hear what the higher-ups said? A proper work attitude is essential. I can't just abandon my own region's affairs and run off to yours, can I? The East China region covers seven provinces and one municipality; there's a mountain of work waiting for me every day. If I train temporary workers with you, who will manage the daily operations of the East China region? If I, as the person in charge, neglect my post and Director Zhuge finds out—what do you think he'll think?"

Xu Si put the cigarette back in his mouth and lit it with a lighter while talking, his movements casual yet practiced.

He took a drag, then blew a smoke ring at Dou Le, his tone carrying an air of "this is easy": "There are always more solutions than problems. I'm going to Jiangxi to work in the public sector soon, right? I'll come find you, my old brother. You can just wait for me in Jiangxi, that's all."

He flicked his cigarette ash, speaking at a measured pace but with clear logic: "Besides, didn't the top leader say that Jiangxi is a key breakthrough point, a crucial area to focus on next? Brother, you have a heavier burden than I do. The Luotian Grand Ceremony is in your jurisdiction, and Director Zhuge is also a first-level inspector of Jiangxi, meaning the focus of work for both leaders is in Jiangxi—everything is piling up right on your doorstep. This isn't me helping you; helping you is helping myself. We're in the same boat; neither of us can escape."

Dou Le remained silent for a moment.

He went through Xu Si's words carefully in his mind—Zhuge Ming did indeed say that Jiangxi was the breakthrough point, Zhuge Ming did indeed concurrently serve as a first-level inspector of Jiangxi, the Luotian Grand Ceremony was indeed in his jurisdiction, and all the work focus was indeed on Dou Le alone.

He couldn't handle it alone; with Xu Si helping him, at least he wasn't fighting alone.

He looked up at Xu Si, his face no longer bearing the usual playful grin, but instead showing a rare sincerity.

Dou Le took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, his tone carrying a resigned calm: "Sigh, let's just deal with whatever comes our way. Let's get back to work. Xu Si—give me a cigarette."

He stretched out his hand, palm facing Xu Si, fingers slightly spread.

The movement was very natural, like asking an old comrade for ammunition supplies.

Xu Si took a cigarette out of the pack and handed it to him, then handed him a lighter.

Dou Le put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it with a snap, and then the two of them took a drag at the same time, tilted their heads back, and exhaled a white plume of smoke simultaneously.

Two wisps of white smoke rose slowly in the afterglow of the setting sun, intertwined, and were dispersed into the air by the evening breeze.

The two unfortunate brothers exchanged a glance.

Xu Si still had half a cigarette sticking out of his mouth, and the ash had piled up quite a bit and he hadn't flicked it off.

The last orange-red light of the sky reflected in Dou Le's glasses, obscuring the expression in his eyes.

They stared at each other for about two or three seconds without saying a word, but their complex emotions were written all over their faces—it was hard to tell whether it was bitterness or relief, helplessness or warmth, probably a combination of both.

Two seasoned veterans, terrified by the same boss, stood on the steps at the company entrance, each with a cigarette dangling from their lips, exhaling white smoke in the evening breeze, like two students who had just finished a final exam from which they would never know whether they had passed or failed.

……

Meanwhile, in the chairman's office.

Zhao Fangxu sat behind his desk, the office curtains half-drawn, the twilight outside casting a dim yellow strip of light across the desk through the gaps in the curtains.

He took off his glasses and placed them next to the documents. He held the landline phone receiver in his right hand and rubbed his temples with his left. His voice was as steady as ever, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a deep sense of fatigue.