Colorful years

The warm and festive atmosphere of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China still seemed to linger in the air when Zhang Cong was immediately faced with a crucial reception task.

Time has quietly flowed into October, the golden autumn season, a time when autumn is deepening and leaves are falling in abundance.

That afternoon, as the pale yellow, gentle autumn sun slowly sank below the horizon, Zhang Cong suddenly received a phone call from the Municipal Party Committee's General Affairs Management Office. The caller clearly instructed him to attend a reception banquet at 6:00 PM that evening in the Zhangjiajie Hall of the Ziwu Hotel.

Upon receiving the notification, Zhang Cong dared not delay in the slightest. He made thorough preparations in advance and arrived at the banquet venue, Ziwu Hotel, 5 minutes earlier than scheduled.

As he strode confidently into the spacious and bright banquet hall, the first thing that caught his eye was the neatly arranged, comfortable sofas beside the dining table. At that moment, three unidentified guests were already seated comfortably on the sofas, while two others stood beside them, bowing slightly and exchanging pleasantries with these distinguished guests with smiles on their faces.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that these two people were people Zhang Cong knew very well! One of them was Director Wang of the Administrative Affairs Management Office, and the other was Minister Zhu of the Yongding District Armed Forces Department.

It is worth mentioning that Dayong City, which had just been established at that time, had not yet set up an independent agency specifically responsible for reception work. All kinds of reception affairs of important departments such as the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government were handled by the Office of Government Affairs Management. At the same time, the Municipal Military Sub-district was still in the planning stage, so many military-related matters were usually entrusted to the armed forces departments of each district.

With a smile on his face, Zhang Cong walked briskly and steadily forward to greet the two people.

At this moment, Director Wang quickly stepped forward, his face beaming with a warm smile, and began to give a detailed introduction to the guests present:

"Old Wei, look over here. This is Section Chief Zhang from the Municipal Party Committee's Publicity Department. He has been dedicated to journalism for a long time and has a wealth of experience. He knows everything about the major and minor events in our city, as well as every aspect of this beautiful scenic area."

Therefore, during your wonderful time in Zhangjiajie, he and Minister Zhu will accompany you throughout, providing you with the most attentive and thoughtful service.

At this point, Director Wang paused briefly, seemingly wanting everyone to better digest this information. He then continued:

"Section Chief Zhang, come and greet Elder Wei. This highly respected gentleman is quite remarkable; he is none other than the renowned writer Wei Wei! Our generation grew up reading his wonderful articles! So, we'll have to trouble you to take good care of Elder Wei these next few days!"

Then, Director Wang pointed to the two ladies next to Mr. Wei and introduced them: "The elegant lady sitting next to Mr. Wei is his wife, Ms. Liu Qiuhua; the lady with outstanding temperament over there is Ms. Cheng Hua, a well-known anchor from China National Radio."

After listening to Director Wang's introduction, Zhang Cong quickly took a large step forward, bowed slightly, and respectfully gave a greeting. Then, he gracefully extended his right hand and gently shook hands with each of the three distinguished guests, saying politely:

"I have long admired your illustrious reputation, and it is a great honor for me to meet you and all of you today! I warmly welcome you all and I will do my utmost to provide you with the best service, so please rest assured!"

Hearing these sincere words, Old Wei couldn't help but smile and replied kindly, "Haha, then I'll have to trouble this promising young man."

Time flies, and Wei Wei has now entered his seventies. However, the advanced age of seventy has not stopped him from striving.

This highly respected elder held multiple positions, including the important post of Minister of Culture of the Beijing Military Region and editor-in-chief of the "Times Report." Despite his busy schedule, he continued to write diligently, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the creation of his novel "The East."

On this ordinary day, a lively banquet was being held. The banquet hall was brightly lit, and laughter and cheerful conversation filled the air.

As everyone chatted and laughed, Mayor Xiao strode into the banquet hall. The guests took their seats in an orderly fashion according to the pre-prepared place cards, and the entire banquet was immersed in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Over the next few days, Zhang Cong and Zhu Bu tirelessly accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Wei and Ms. Cheng Hua on their visit to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

Together they climbed the towering Huangshi Village, strolled along the picturesque Jinbian Stream, and ascended the magnificent Yuanjiajie. Along the way, the breathtaking scenery unfolded before their eyes like a series of colorful paintings, leaving Mr. Wei and the others in awe and full of praise.

It's worth mentioning that Zhang Cong's two mentors, Teacher Li and Teacher Man, both work at the Zhang Management Office. Teacher Li serves as the office director, while Teacher Man is the head of the reception section. For these two teachers, it was undoubtedly a great honor that their most prized student could accompany such a renowned writer on his visit.

Therefore, the two worked together to meticulously plan and implement a series of high-standard reception arrangements, striving to make the trip as perfect as possible.

The Wei couple stayed in the most luxurious suite in the VIP building, its interior exquisitely decorated and resplendent in gold, every detail exuding nobility and elegance. Ms. Cheng Hua, on the other hand, stayed in an equally luxurious single room, furnished warmly and comfortably, making her feel extremely at ease.

Originally, Teacher Man had specially arranged two deluxe single rooms for Minister Zhu and Zhang Cong respectively, but Zhang Cong felt that this was unnecessary, so he offered to share a standard business double room with Minister Zhu. This would not only save money, but also enhance their communication.

To ensure everyone could better appreciate the local customs and culture, a top-notch tour guide was specially arranged to accompany them throughout the trip. This tour guide was not only knowledgeable and eloquent, but also attentive, warm, and generous, making her very popular with everyone.

In addition, two banquets were held, each with a sumptuous feast prepared with meticulous care. Among them, the rock frog and roast suckling pig were exceptional, boasting perfect color, aroma, and taste, leaving a lasting impression.

As they spent more time together, they gradually became familiar with each other, and Mr. Wei finally opened up and began to talk freely with Zhang Cong and others about things from ancient times to the present. They discussed a wide range of topics, from historical anecdotes to current events, from literature and art to technological innovation.

When discussing the various ugly phenomena existing in society today, Mr. Wei and others couldn't help but feel deeply worried. These phenomena include corruption, moral decay, environmental pollution, and so on, which seriously affect the harmonious development of society and the quality of life of the people. Mr. Wei and others have always maintained a critical attitude towards these issues, calling on the whole society to work together to eliminate these unhealthy trends and create a fair, just, civilized, and harmonious social environment.