Chapter 20 twenty

According to the agreed time, Ding Jie drove her Opel slowly into the "workers' residential area" where Zhou Mi lived.At noon, although the absolute temperature was still around minus 67 degrees, the road and the potholes in the yard were already quite muddy due to the fact that the dirty snow easily melted.Perhaps because people often drive all kinds of high-end or not-so-high-end cars to visit Zhou Mi, the residents here don't show much curiosity about Ding Jie's green Opel car, but some children, especially some half-sized The boy still followed the car with great interest and ran straight in, still imitating the sound of a car horn, scrambling to shout: beep-beep-the car is driving downstairs, Ding Jie really pressed the button. Honk twice.

Zhou Mi opened the window and gestured to her, asking her to go upstairs. go upstairs?Still not going upstairs?This is a question of "principle".Ding Jie hesitated for a moment and decided to go. Walking to the door of the room, Zhou Mi has already opened the door and greeted her with a smile. "Change your shoes?" Ding Jie asked, blushing slightly. "What kind of shoes should I change? My place is a mess, just don't get your shoes dirty. What do you drink? Green tea? Flower tea? Or coffee? Hot Lulu?" Ding Jie said with a smile: "After all, it's the city leader's house. Just drinking is enough to open a bar."

Zhou Mi continued to ask quite seriously: "Do you want coffee?" Ding Jie said: "I never drink the instant one at home." Zhou Mi smiled slightly: "When I come here, can I still let you drink instant coffee?" As he spoke, he took out a whole set of utensils for grinding coffee and making coffee, all of which were very delicate and elegant European-style utensils gleaming silver.It was brought back from abroad. Ding Jie took a look at the environment and asked, "Why can't I see the photo of the hostess? Did you take her off the wall on purpose for the convenience of receiving female colleagues and girlfriends?"

Zhou Mi blushed slightly: "It's not that I want to take her down, it's because she doesn't want to hang on to me anymore, so she took them away... My wife and I have been separated for many years..." Ding Jie pretended not to know, and exclaimed deliberately: "Really? Can I have a look around?" As she spoke, she walked towards the inner room. "This is your bedroom?" Then he reached out and pushed the door of that room.Unexpectedly, Zhou Mi rushed over and locked the door of that room at once.His movements were very blunt, and his expression was a little flustered.

Ding Jie hurriedly apologized: "I'm sorry... Excuseme..." "Sorry... that room... is too messy..." "Sorry, Excuseme..." Both of them were a little embarrassed and sat there for a while.It was Zhou Mi who broke the deadlock first.He asked: "What did you ask just now? About my wife? You do not know?You should know. ""Why should I know? ""You are the director of the news department. ""Sorry, I'm the director of the news department, not the director of the privacy department...""Yes, yes, that's right. "Zhou Mi blushed again (this left a deep impression on Ding Jie. She couldn't imagine that such an executive deputy mayor who "has a lot of things to do every day" would blush at every turn)." I heard that some writers in the society in the past two years , earning a large amount of royalties by selling the privacy of himself and others.Oh, our writer..." "Do you think I'm the kind of shameless person?You, Vice Mayor Zhou, hope that the news department of our TV station will also move closer to that direction? ""Just kidding, why would I hope that the news department of the TV station under the leadership of our party will move closer to that direction?My wife separated from me before I entered politics.At that time, she and I were both teaching at the Provincial School of Economics, both young lecturers.Later, an associate professor in the teaching and research section mobilized her to go to the sea with him, and mobilized me to go with him.I didn't have the courage at that time, and I couldn't give up my career.She left, and then she went to Hong Kong with the associate professor.Two years later, the daughter was taken away again. "

"You are really willing!" "Who is willing? Her? Or my daughter?" "She, including my daughter." "She... has no other choice, my daughter is really reluctant to part with her. What a sweetheart!" Zhou Mi took out his wallet, which contained a photo of his daughter. Ding Jie looked at the photo carefully and said with a smile, "It's not like you." Zhou Mi blushed again: "Yes, she looks like her mother." "Your wife is beautiful!" Zhou Mi sighed softly and said, "You can say that." Ding Jie tentatively asked, "Is there a picture of her? Let me see."

Zhou Mi hurriedly said, "No need..." Ding Jie didn't insist anymore.After a while, she asked: "Do you think, as a deputy mayor, living in such a residential area is convenient for yourself and others? After you become the deputy mayor, do your old neighbors of ordinary people also Feel a little awkward and unnatural?" Zhou Mi told the truth: "Whether they are awkward or not, I don't think I can hold on for long..." "Why? The agency has been urging you to move?" Zhou Mi smiled wryly, "Not necessarily..." Ding Jie said solemnly: "I think so. Being a public servant of the people is not in this form. If you have a bad heart, you will become a wolf if you live in a dog's den."

Zhou Mi blushed: "That's true." At this time, Ding Jie stood up suddenly and said, "Should I go, Comrade Deputy Mayor? You said that you would let me come and see your home, just sit and chat casually like an ordinary friend. Now, I I came here by order. Home, I also watched, sat, chatted, and drank the high-end coffee you brewed by yourself... The only regret is that I didn't see all your rooms... There must be hidden treasures in that room. What's the secret..." Perhaps it was because the door of that room was locked, so Zhou Mi smiled calmly: "Don't use the aggressive method. If you provoke me, I won't let you see it. To tell you the truth, there is a There are some personal secrets of mine. Not really any big secrets, but I'm just not used to letting people into this territory. Maybe one day, I'll let you go; maybe..."

Ding Jie asked with interest: "Maybe what?" Zhou Mi's expression suddenly became very uncertain: "Maybe... maybe... Let's not talk about the future. " Ding Jie smiled: "Look at those of you who are leaders, you are always hesitating when you speak, three points are true, seven points are false. Let's go." "Don't worry, don't worry. I still want to show you something." He said and took out a thick diary.Ding Jie was stunned: "Let me read your diary? You don't even let me read your diary in such a large room?" "A room belongs to a room... a diary belongs to a diary... two different things... " Zhou Mi explained. "I have a quirk of keeping a diary every day. Of course, this is not all my diaries, but only a part of my diary during college and middle school. But I guarantee that I have not made any modifications and changes, and it is original. There are some circles between the lines, and it is also Totally original traces."

"Why did you let me read your diary?" Ding Jie couldn't understand. "I can't give any more reasons. I know that if I do this, it may make you feel very ridiculous..." "This is not a ridiculous question, but... it's a very different... very strange... how can I Just read your diary?" "I asked you to read it." "No, no, no... That's not okay." "...I said that today we are just friends... friends who are completely equal..." "No, I have no such right. This is your diary." Ding Jie put The word "diary" is particularly important. "I beg you to take a look! Here are the most primitive inner activities of my youth. Look at the mind of a boy who was born in a forest farm and grew up in a steel factory. He never wore a pair of complete cloth shoes before the age of 15. The world in his eyes. The future in his heart. If it is possible, if you are willing, wait for a certain day, and then I will show you the diary that I walked out of the university until today. On a certain day, I may open this room Let you go in and see a more real me." Ding Jie hurriedly said: "Please don't do this, I can't bear such a heavy request from you." "For many years, I feel that no one in this world understands me. They Asked me to bury my head in a book, and I did.

I was asked to put my head down and work, and I did.I was asked to abide by all social norms, and I did.But no one has ever really come into my heart and asked, Zhou Mi, what do you want?are you in painCan't you sleep?It's midnight, you don't go home, what are you doing in the office all by yourself?You go from one meeting room to another, from one Jiahua banquet table to another more luxurious banquet table, you draw this whole, and then sign that, and I come to you on Sunday to submit a report and ask for a report There are also people with inner conflicts one after another... The people around you will never say no to you, and they will answer every instruction you give with a catering smile. You really feel that the value of your life has been fully realized reflected?Excuse me, did I freak you out? " Although he said "no", Ding Jie, who had never seen Zhou Mi talk about his inner activities so eloquently, was really "scared".The scene between the two of them suddenly became silent. "I'm sorry..." Zhou Mi smiled sheepishly.Ding Jie hurriedly said: "It's nothing, I can understand. My dad also often gets angry for no reason. You leaders, you have lived in the top for a long time, and you always have to act like you are superior and calm. It’s unavoidable that my emotions cannot be expressed and vented for a long time..." Zhou Mi smiled and shook his head: "Please don't put me in the ranks of old comrades like your father, I don't have the qualifications..."" It's rare that you are so sober." Ding Jie said sincerely.Zhou Mi smiled wryly and muttered: "It's rare that someone in such a place so close to me can make such a cold evaluation of me with such a peaceful and equal attitude." Ding Jie smiled lightly: "Hey, my evaluation? What's the use!" Zhou Mi was silent for a while, his expression suddenly became cramped, and even his breathing seemed a little heavy, so he called out with difficulty: "Xiaojie..." Ding Jie, who often deals with men, naturally understands what she should do at this moment to keep the situation under proper control.Because she didn't want the situation to get out of hand.So she stood up with a smile and said, "I should go now. Thank you for the coffee! It's no exaggeration, your coffee making skills are as good as that of the Brazilian chef at the Hilton Restaurant." "Do you really want to Go?" Zhou Mi did not stand up for a long time.Ding Jie smiled generously: "It's time to go. However, I think I will come to see you..." Zhou Mi was overjoyed: "Really?" "Wait until you move to a new house. You must move to a new house." ?" "Okay, then I'll move to a new house as soon as possible." Then, he picked up the diary and handed it to Ding Jie. Ding Jie didn't answer, and said, "Deputy Mayor Zhou, this...I really can't bear this..." Zhou Mi looked at Ding Jie sincerely: "I just ask you to read it and understand the efforts and struggles of an extremely poor teenager in such innocent years..." Zhou Mi saw that Ding Jie was determined not to accept it. In his diary, he said mockingly: "Is this young man so scary to you?" Ding Jie could only say: "Okay...don't talk about it...I will take it away..." But the next morning , Zhou Mi went to work. As soon as he walked into the office, the secretary told him that a comrade from the news department of the TV station just sent a paper package and a letter from you.Zhou Mi picked up the "paper bag" and guessed what was wrapped here.He hurried into the inner room, closed the door, threw the paper package and letter on his desk with a snap, and sat down on the big sofa. The secretary knocked on the door, walked in and told him: "Mr. Feng from Jiutian Group called to ask if you have time today..." Zhou Mi asked him angrily: "Let him wait a while!" After the secretary left, he Immediately pry open the envelope with a fine paper knife.The letter was indeed written by Ding Jie. "...Dear Vice Mayor Zhou, I really want to ask you to forgive me a thousand times and ten thousand times. After I got home with your precious entrustment last night, I really planned to read it seriously. Don't say It is your diary, that is, the diary of any adult will have great attraction for any other. After all, this is another life and another soul. As the saying goes, what is unfolding under the light of any window is It is a wonderful novel. What about your diary?But I hesitated and hesitated, struggled and struggled, but I still didn't have the courage to open your diary.I don't think I have that qualification nor that obligation (please don't be angry).I think it is a kind of spiritual entrustment for an adult to ask another adult to read his diary.And to accept such entrustment is to be truly responsible to others.I really feel that I can't bear such a trust at all.Allow me to be honest, I'm not ready for this yet.There is no such thing... how can I tell you more accurately, let's put it this way, I don't have such emotional accumulation yet.Even so, I am still very grateful for your trust in me..." Zhou Mi dropped the letter and immediately called Ding Jie. When the phone rang, Ding Jie glanced at the oddly shaped little clock placed beside the phone as an ornament, and judging from the time, she could guess who made the call.After a little hesitation, he still picked up the phone. "Listen to me..." "Listen to me first..." Ding Jie hastily interrupted Zhou Mi's words. "Listen," Zhou Mi said resolutely, "I didn't ask you to make any promises, and I didn't expect you to take any kind of responsibility for it. No... I don't expect this..." "Teacher Zhou..." "No... ...I just hope that someone I hope will read it...knowing that there are such people in this world who have lived like this...that's all...""Mr. Zhou, listen to me..." But Zhou Mi had already put down the phone.Suddenly, he didn't want to talk any more, and he didn't want to hear any excuses from anyone.For a while, he really looked very depressed, just sitting there blankly.At this time, the secretary opened the door and walked in, telling him that Feng Xianglong had arrived.Zhou Mi stood up in great displeasure, complaining, "I told you to keep him waiting for a while!" while walking outside.When he came to Feng Xianglong, there was only a minute or two before and after, but his demeanor was calm as usual.This is also an ability he has honed over the years in politics, or it may be called a "skill".To live among the crowd, anyone should have a little self-control.But those who are in power as officials must have very strong abilities in this area. In one sense, when you are in power, you no longer belong to yourself alone.You have to put voters and taxpayers first.And under our system, you must also put the will of the officers who appointed you first.Otherwise, you definitely won't last long.In another sense.You also have to strictly control yourself, because an official must coordinate all aspects of the relationship and maintain the necessary balance.You must learn to compromise, be peaceful, and learn to "curve to save the country" and "curve to save yourself". You must be like a pebble, with no and no edges and corners, but you must be "hard" and able to heavy... Zhou Mi once warned himself—the night before he left the university campus to report to the Municipal Economic Commission, he stood in front of an unlit window and prayed silently for a long time—be sure to be a pebble that can maintain its edges and corners.Didn't he know that he made a low-level logical error and positioning error at that time: if it is to be a pebble, it must not have edges and corners; if it maintains edges and corners, it must not be a pebble.Hundreds of millions of years of vicissitudes have always been like this, what else do you want? ! But... this situation really cannot be changed? But in the evening, as soon as Ding Jie came home, her mother told her: "The deputy mayor of the city drove you a paper package." ?” Mom really hoped that she would unpack and have a look in front of her. Dan Ding Jie blushed slightly, didn't bother to answer, and hurried into his room with the paper bag.Opening the paper bag, there was also a letter inside, and a smaller paper bag, which was neatly tied with hemp rope.The knots of the hemp rope were sealed with wax in an antique way.The little paper bag must contain his diaries. The letter was simple, with only a few sentences: "Xiaojie: Please allow me to store it with you temporarily. If you don't want to read it, I don't ask you to read it right away. I have sealed it, so it It won't cause any psychological pressure on you..." After reading the letter two or three times over and over again, Ding Fa still locked the small packet of diaries in his drawer.