Officialdom: The beautiful leader took me to the top

Dong Shouan also chimed in, "Yes, Team Leader Li, sit down and give us a run for our money."

"Director Wang is getting old and can't sit still."

"Besides, with Director Wang backing you up, what's there to be afraid of?"

"Right now, it's a three-way win at the card table, while Director Wang's family is losing."

"You're Director Wang's trusted confidant; you have to turn this around for the police station!"

Hu Shengli stood up and said, "Team Leader Li, please don't refuse. Everyone at the table is an outsider."

"I won't introduce Director Dong. This person is also from our mine office. Let me introduce him to you."

"Chen Jingming is the deputy director of the general office of the mining group and also the safety technology consultant for our mine."

“Unlike us roughnecks, Director Chen is a professionally trained engineer with a master’s degree in mining engineering.”

"Besides, he's studied abroad and came back from overseas, which is quite different from us rough guys who have been working on the front lines for years."

"The review of safety regulations and the drafting of technical solutions at our Guodong Mine are all handled by Director Chen."

"We also frequently interact with our police station."

Upon hearing Hu Shengli's introduction, Chen Jingming also stood up, saying, "Director Hu, please don't flatter me in front of the real dragon."

"Compared to Officer Li, my achievements are insignificant and not worth mentioning at all."

Before Li Dong could reply, Chen Jingming offered his hand, saying, "Hello, Officer Li, I've heard so much about you."

"Guodong Mining, Chen Jingming".

"It is truly an honor to meet Officer Li in person today."

Li Dong also reached out his hand. Chen Jingming's hands were long and slender, without the rough marks of years of hard work, clearly indicating that he was in a technical management position.

Amidst the swirling smoke, the mahjong table, brimming with the atmosphere of a bustling marketplace, seemed utterly out of place.

Especially his gold-rimmed glasses, the lenses of which reflected the dim yellow light from the roof, made it impossible to see the true emotions in his eyes.

"Director Chen is young and promising. He became the director of Guodong Mining at such a young age. He is a role model for us all!"

Hu Shengli tried to smooth things over, saying, "Alright, Director Chen, Team Leader Li, you two are both outstanding individuals, so stop with the commercial flattery."

"Hurry up and take a seat, dinner will be served soon, and we won't have time to play many rounds."

Chen Jingming also extended an invitation, "Officer Li, please have a seat. This seat was specially reserved for you."

"I'm a tech guy, and I don't usually like getting involved in these kinds of things."

"I really couldn't refuse Director Dong and Director Hu's kind invitation, and I also had the opportunity to meet Team Leader Li, so I reluctantly came to keep them company."

"It wasn't just Director Wang who lost just now; I lost too."

"You joining in will give me some peace of mind." Wang Qinghai had already stood up and given up his seat, so Li Dong could only sit down as well.

Actually, Li Dong knows how to play cards, but he just rarely does.

Especially after graduation, I have never sat at a card table.

Moreover, Li Dongxue plays cards not out of hobby, but simply because of work.

I learned to play mahjong while I was at police academy.

After all, police work may involve undercover work or interrogating criminal suspects.

If you don't understand the intricacies of playing cards, it can easily put you in a passive position at work.

As the saying goes, having more skills is never a bad thing. Learning to play mahjong might not be a bad thing for a police officer.

But Li Dong's personality is like that; if he doesn't want to learn, fine, but if he does learn, he must master it.

Therefore, his card skills are not as bad as he modestly claims; in fact, he is one of the top players in the police academy circle.

One year, the police academy held a mahjong competition, and Li Dong won the runner-up prize.

The champion at the time was a teacher at the police academy, a seasoned mahjong master. Li Dong learned his mahjong skills from him.

With Li Dong's skills, he should be more than capable of handling this kind of card game.

The reason I was humble just now was because I was afraid of scaring these people away.

For example, isn't this the perfect opportunity to gather information?

Chen Jingming, who was sitting at the card table, was the big fish that Li Dong most wanted to meet today!

If you really don't know how to play mahjong, wouldn't you be missing out on an opportunity? As soon as he sat down, Hu Shengli pushed a deck of chips in front of Li Dong.

Hu Shengli tapped his cigarette into the ashtray. "Team Leader Li, the rules are simple. It's just our local 'pushing down the wall' game. We don't do any complicated rounds. We just want to have some fun."

"Anyway, Director Wang is backing you up, so you can fight as hard as you want." Li Dong smiled.

Li Dong smiled and said, "Alright, I'll make a fool of myself then. Please be kind to me."

"If I really lose all of Director Wang's chips, I won't be able to explain it when I get back."

As they were talking, Li Dong had already picked up the dice, his fingertips tracing the cold surface of the dice, his gaze sweeping over Chen Jingming opposite him without making a sound.

Chen Jingming had just finished arranging the cards when his gold-rimmed glasses slipped down to the tip of his nose.

He raised his head slightly and met Li Dong's gaze through his glasses.

Seeing Li Dong looking over, Chen Jingming nodded slightly, a perfectly measured, humble smile on his lips.

Dong Shouan poured himself another cup of tea. "The dice have been rolled to determine the dealer. Xiao Li, don't just stand there. Let us see how capable the young people in your police station are."

Li Dong flicked his wrist, and the two dice spun around on the table a few times before finally settling on a 5.

Dong Shouan laughed, "It's just my turn to go next. Team Leader Li has good luck!"

The card game officially began, and a "clattering" sound filled the room.

While playing cards, Li Dong kept an eye on the movements of the other three people.

Although Wang Qinghai stepped aside, he didn't stop talking. He would give pointers every now and then, and then complain that he had lost unjustly.

It's clear that Wang Qinghai really enjoys playing cards, and he probably spends a lot of time playing with these people from the mines.

After all, he's getting old and nearing retirement, so having a hobby like playing cards is perfectly harmless.

Dong Shouan, on the other hand, appeared much more composed, playing his cards methodically and occasionally exchanging a few words with Hu Shengli, while his eyes would frequently glance towards Li Dong.

Chen Jingming remained remarkably quiet throughout, focusing solely on his own cards.

Although the playing speed was not fast, each card seemed to have been carefully considered.

But he could still feel Chen Jingming's gaze falling on him from time to time.

It appears gentle, yet carries a hint of scrutiny.

Li Dong played the first card, "Three of a kind!"

Chen Jingming spoke almost immediately, "Bang!"

He picked up the 30,000 tile with his fingertips, arranged it skillfully, and then played a 9 of Bamboo.

Chen Jingming's voice was gentle, with the slow, deliberate manner typical of an office worker, "Officer Li, how are you settling in at the mine?"

"The conditions here at Guodong Mine are not as good as in the city; the environment is probably a bit worse."

"Officer Li has such a great reputation in the Tianzhou police force, yet he is willing to stay at the grassroots level and even come to work at the Guodong Mine. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!"