“Deputy?” Chu Qianze was taken aback when he heard this, glancing at Shen Zhuofeng. He saw Shen Zhuofeng facing the bookshelf, his eyes fixed on it as if trying to see through it.
He patted his thigh, understanding dawning on him. “I see, you keep having that kid help out because you want to groom him for a promotion.”
Shen Zhuofeng, listening to this, felt that continuing the conversation might not be convenient. He put the documents back in their original places, adjusted his position to cover the small seal, then turned to face Hu Jia and Chu Qianze.
“Reporting, Vice Commander, everything has been organized. I’ll head back now.”
Hu Jia stopped Shen Zhuofeng. “Hold on, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. I’m giving you an opportunity here. Come over and give it a shot. Don’t you want to be Chu Qianze’s deputy?”
This remark hit Shen Zhuofeng right in the heart. He halted his steps and approached the two, but remained silent for a moment.
“We’ve all seen Xiao Shen’s performance. His abilities and personality are both good. If you don’t have a candidate in mind, let him give it a try. After all, he’s someone familiar,” Hu Jia said, picking up a nearby cup and taking a big gulp.
Chu Qianze chuckled, shooting Shen Zhuofeng a glance. He saw Shen Zhuofeng standing straight in place, his expression serious and focused, not looking away.
“You’re recommending him so eagerly, but have you considered whether he’s willing or not?”
Hu Jia chuckled, “My Old Chu, since when did you become so considerate? You even care if someone is willing or not?”
“Xiao Shen, do you want the position?” Chu Qianze asked.
Shen Zhuofeng straightened his back, his already impeccable posture gaining a touch of determination. “Reporting, I do!”
Chu Qianze put his legs, previously propped on a small table, down and shifted into a more comfortable position before continuing, “Being my deputy comes with a lot of responsibilities. Handling documents on the same day, and there’s also…”
After mentioning one aspect, Chu Qianze hesitated for a moment. What else was there? It seemed to be about handling documents?
As he mentally reviewed the duties of a deputy, fragmented tasks filled his mind. For a moment, he wasn’t sure which one to mention first.
“Enough, I’ll discuss the handover details with Xiao Shen. You don’t need to worry about that,” Hu Jia said, utterly speechless. Besides killing non-humans, when did Chu Qianze ever bother with anything else?
Chu Qianze rolled his eyes and glanced at Shen Zhuofeng. He didn’t object, and indeed, Shen Zhuofeng seemed well-suited. Just as Hu Jia had said, rather than appointing someone unfamiliar as the deputy, it was better to choose someone he knew and could work with smoothly.
“Alright, handle this yourselves. Just don’t interfere with my affairs,” Chu Qianze said.
Shen Zhuofeng heard this and his eyes brightened. Did this mean… he could really become the deputy?
“Congratulations,” Hu Jia chuckled, genuinely happy for Shen Zhuofeng.
This young man was truly commendable—talented but not arrogant, with perseverance and determination. He had a solid character and meticulous thinking. As the observations deepened, Hu Jia found himself more and more satisfied.
Now that there was an opportunity, he was willing to give it to Shen Zhuofeng.
Shen Zhuofeng didn’t hold back; his expression, unlike his usual reserved demeanor, showed visible joy and excitement.
“Thanks, Vice Commander Hu.”
“Thanks, Commander Chu.”
Chu Qianze reminded, “I’ll be upfront with you. If you don’t perform well, I’ll directly transfer you out, no matter who recommended you.”
“Yes! I’ll do my best!” Shen Zhuofeng responded crisply, exuding confidence.
“Is that settled, then?” Hu Jia asked, wearing a questioning expression.
“That’s settled then. Handle the follow-up matters yourselves. I’ll take my leave.” Chu Qianze stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked out.
As he left, he overheard voices from inside, primarily Hu Jia congratulating and Shen Zhuofeng expressing his gratitude. There also seemed to be… “He’s not easy to deal with,” making Shen Zhuofeng mentally prepare himself?
This kid really dared to say anything.
Chu Qianze squinted his eyes but didn’t turn back.
On the night before Hu Jia left, the team organized a small gathering for him. It wasn’t grand, just a few people sitting around, sharing a meal, and chatting.
Because they each had commitments the next day, they used water instead of alcohol, just for the symbolism.
“Congratulations, finally, the clouds have cleared for you.”
“If you’re going to speak, say more!” Hu Jia laughed uncontrollably, or rather, his smile hadn’t stopped in the past few days.
“When are you planning to get married?”
“Well, at least when things over there stabilize. Then, I’ll take the new emblem and propose!” As he said this, Hu Jia scratched his head, surprisingly showing a hint of shyness.
“No wonder you’re our Brother Hu. While others give flowers and rings, you go for the military emblem directly,” the crowd teased.
“What do you know? This is a man’s romance!” Hu Jia retorted.
“When I come back this time, I’ll make sure to bring invitations for you all! When Labor and Capital get married, each and every one of you has to come, and you’ll have to be my groomsmen!” Hu Jia shouted loudly, getting a resounding response.
“Alright, alright, we’ll get the dowry ready.”
“I’ve not only got the dowry money, but also the betrothal gifts prepared for you all,” someone added.
“You’re even concerned about the groomsmen issue? Forget everything else, just with Brother Guan standing there, it’s already quite an impressive display,” someone remarked.
“I like the way you put it,” Chu Qianze raised an eyebrow. Rarely enough, he spoke something relatable.
“And our Xiao Shen, standing there, it’s like… what’s it called again… right, a fresh-faced youth! Xiao Shen, work hard, give us a good appearance!” Hu Jia continued.
Shen Zhuofeng had been quietly eating, not expecting to be suddenly brought into the conversation. He withdrew his gaze that had wandered to the side, showing a bit of embarrassment on his face. “I’ll do my best.”
“Remember what you’ve said. If anyone doesn’t show up, I’ll make a note of it in my little book!” Hu Jia slapped the table with both hands.
“Alright, alright, no problem!!”
The farewell banquet was quite subdued, yet somehow, even without drinking, it felt a bit intoxicating.
In the following days, Shen Zhuofeng officially began his career as a deputy.
“Commander Chu, the documents are organized and placed here. Please take a look,” Shen Zhuofeng knocked on the door and handed over a stack of files.
Chu Qianze was lounging on the sofa, lost in thought. Upon hearing this, he snapped out of it, and with drooping eyelids, he glanced at Shen Zhuofeng. “What kind of documents… They’re all trivial matters; you handle them.”
“These need your review, and your personal signature and seal are required,” Shen Zhuofeng reminded.
“Got it. Just leave them there,” Chu Qianze replied lazily, lying on the sofa without moving.
“Alright, I’ll come to pick them up at 5 o’clock,” Shen Zhuofeng placed the documents on the desk and left, returning to his own office with a lot of tasks to complete.
At 5 o’clock in the afternoon, Shen Zhuofeng knocked on Chu Qianze’s door. “Commander Chu, I’m here to pick up the documents.”
After knocking without receiving a response, Shen Zhuofeng hesitated for a moment before opening the door on his own. He approached the desk and glanced at the documents. It seemed like the same angle as when he arranged them earlier.
Feeling uneasy, Shen Zhuofeng reached out and flipped through a few pages… Empty?
He blinked rapidly.
Hastily flipping through a few more pages, the sections for signature and seal were still empty.
Chu Qianze hadn’t touched any of it.
His lips pressed together, Shen Zhuofeng raised his eyes and scanned the surroundings, but there was no one.
Did he leave?
A faint sound of a door opening caught Shen Zhuofeng’s attention. He turned to ask why Chu Qianze hadn’t dealt with the documents, but the words froze on his lips.
Chu Qianze emerged from the bathroom, a towel casually draped over his head, water droplets occasionally falling from his hair. His loose-fitting pants hung on his frame, his upper body bare, revealing firm and powerful muscles in perfect proportion.
It was a powerful and charismatic physique, a perfect body that countless people dreamt of.
However, at this moment, Shen Zhuofeng’s attention was elsewhere.
Scar tissues intricately marked Chu Qianze’s body, varying in depth and age. A wound stretched diagonally from the left shoulder to the right, still oozing blood.
It looked particularly striking.
“What’s the matter? Why are you here all of a sudden?” Chu Qianze casually wiped his head with the towel, circling Shen Zhuofeng to open a drawer. He pulled out a bandage and expertly wrapped it around his body, suggesting he dealt with such situations frequently.
Only when Shen Zhuofeng stood behind him did he realize that the same situation applied to Chu Qianze’s back, and it was even worse.
After waiting for a while without hearing any words, Chu Qianze looked towards Shen Zhuofeng, simultaneously putting on a shirt. “What brings you here?”
Gathering his thoughts, Shen Zhuofeng struggled to regain his voice. “Commander Chu, didn’t we agree you’d review and sign the documents before 5 o’clock? I came to pick them up at 5.”
“Did I say that?” Chu Qianze continued buttoning up his shirt, leaving every other button undone, and casually threaded it through.
“Yes, we agreed,” Shen Zhuofeng replied, suddenly remembering that he had been talking to himself, and Chu Qianze hadn’t responded.
“I just said I would look at them; I didn’t say when… It’s still early. Let’s talk about it when it’s close to the deadline.” Chu Qianze picked up his coat, ready to walk out.
“Wait!” Shen Zhuofeng stopped him, suddenly understanding the significance of Hu Jia’s emphasis on ensuring Chu Qianze reviewed the documents promptly and not delaying.
Chu Qianze halted, tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Move aside.”
“If you don’t review them now, the workload will only accumulate. You mentioned before that we should finish today’s tasks today,” Shen Zhuofeng advised.
“Didn’t I tell you that?” What does it have to do with me?
Chu Qianze attempted to bypass him, but he was stopped once again.
“I hope you can finish these tasks before moving on to others. Encouraging you to complete these tasks is also within my job scope,” Shen Zhuofeng said.
“You could help me review them. Just mimic my signature. It shouldn’t be too difficult, right?”
Shen Zhuofeng couldn’t believe these words came from Chu Qianze. It took him a while to respond, “That’s not in compliance with the rules.”
“Rules are for the living; the dead don’t need them. I’m delegating the authority to review these to you. Good luck, I’m counting on you.” Patting Shen Zhuofeng’s shoulder, Chu Qianze forced a smile and walked away.
Shen Zhuofeng recalled that Hu Jia had mentioned if Chu Qianze didn’t cooperate or faced difficulties, he should directly call him. Should he do that now?
“Earlier, Brother Hu said…”
Seeing Chu Qianze pause, Shen Zhuofeng continued, “Do you like sweets?”
“That kid really says everything.”
Chuckling, Chu Qianze turned his head back, “Not really, I’m past the age for that.”
“I have two boxes of chocolate in my luggage, S brand… It’s meant for you. Once you finish your current tasks, I’ll bring them over,” Shen Zhuofeng said. He wasn’t sure if it would work but hoped it would.
“S brand?” A rare brand.
“Yes.”
“You want to use this to appease me?” Chu Qianze’s expression turned indifferent, one hand tucked into his pocket, unable to discern the other’s intentions.
“I just happened to come across them and thought of bringing them for you,” Shen Zhuofeng said. Observing Chu Qianze’s expression, he finally gave up. There was nothing he could read.
“Reviewing these, right?” Chu Qianze, before leaving, flipped through the documents, pursing his lips. There were really a lot of them.
“Yes.”
Pulling out a chair and sitting down, Chu Qianze picked up a pen and casually spun it a couple of times before beginning to process the documents.
Seeing Shen Zhuofeng still standing in place, he casually said, “This doesn’t concern you. Go get the things quickly.”
Shen Zhuofeng acknowledged and, as he left, he heard a remark from behind.
“…Keep the movements discreet.”
A hint of a smile flashed in his eyes, and Shen Zhuofeng quickly walked away.
Chu Qianze propped his chin with one hand, the other hand swiftly writing. After a while, a curve formed at the corner of his mouth.
Unexpected delight.
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