"My name is Eleanor Smith, welcome." This beautiful woman immediately reached out her hand.
Peter Brown quickly shook her hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Mayor Wei."
Having heard about her from Alexander Lee’s introduction in the car, Peter knew that she was the female mayor of Old Timber Township.
When she smiled, there was even a dimple on her face.
Seeing the dimple, Peter thought to himself, according to face reading, people with dimples tend to marry officials; this woman’s husband might be a very important official too.
At that moment, Alexander Lee smiled and asked, "Is everyone here?"
"Yes, we’re just waiting for your arrival."
As Peter followed the two of them into an office, he immediately noticed the smoky atmosphere inside.
As they entered, Peter saw a man quickly stand up, his face full of smiles, saying to Alexander Lee, "Mr. Hill, you’ve had a long trip."
He then shook hands with Alexander Lee.
Another plump man also loudly chatted and joked with Alexander Lee.
"Peter, let me introduce everyone to you."
Alexander Lee suddenly changed the way he addressed Peter.
Upon hearing this address, Peter felt a shift in his heart. Alexander Lee had always addressed him as Comrade_Wang_Xiaofei, showing respect, but in front of so
many Township leaders, he deliberately used the address "Peter," which was very intriguing!
Peter came here for the experience, naturally, he immersed himself in it at all times.
Now, after hearing this address and watching Alexander Lee’s interactions with everyone, Peter gained some insight.
Indeed, this was a great place for cultivation!
Peter already understood Alexander Lee’s intentions.
Using this address first and foremost was to downplay his status as Deputy Town Chief, making everyone see him as just a young inexperienced person.
Alexander Lee’s intention was clear: he wanted to make it clear to everyone that this newcomer, Peter, was just a young man and not to be regarded as too
important, since their authority still rested with Alexander Lee himself.
Understanding this, Peter didn’t feel upset, but rather in a good mood, as he learned something about the art of conversation.
"Comrade_Wang_Xiaofei has been sent by the organization to serve as our Deputy Town Chief in charge of public security. He has a special forces background, so I believe that after his arrival, our public safety situation will improve." As Peter was reflecting on Alexander Lee’s words, Eleanor Smith chimed in.
While speaking, she smiled and gestured for Peter to sit next to her.
Just having had this realization, Peter naturally went along with it.
He gained new insights from Wei’s statement, recognizing the difference in how she addressed him compared to Alexander Lee, showing enough respect and highlighting his background. It meant that she wanted everyone to know that his background was not to be underestimated. Furthermore, Eleanor Smith took the initiative to have Peter sit next to her. By doing this, even though Peter was a member of the Township Party Committee and a member of the leading group, his ranking was never really established, and so now his place in the Township was fixed.
Glancing at those present, Peter noted that the Deputy Mayor, who had initially greeted Alexander Lee, showed a subtle change in expression.
As Peter pondered, Alexander Lee smiled and said, "Peter just arrived, so just find any seat to sit down for now. Everyone, please have a seat."
Having said that, Alexander Lee took his seat at the main position.
Looking at the Deputy Mayor with a changed expression, Peter saw him walking over and sitting down next to Eleanor Smith.
As Peter’s gaze swept the room, it seemed as if everyone’s seating was arranged according to certain rules, with no one out of line.
Observing the seemingly round conference room, Peter noticed an empty chair at the bottom.
Ha ha, Peter understood that he naturally had been placed last, according to the Township’s hierarchy.
The more Peter looked, the more he felt that this place was fascinating, completely unlike the life he had known before.
Alexander Lee casually said to Peter.
"Hehe, the weather is really hot today, I’ll just sit by the window to cool off a bit," Peter jokingly moved the chair placed at the very bottom to a spot near a window.
From any angle, it appeared that he was sitting above Eleanor Smith and the man whose expression had changed, but it was only behind them.
After sitting down, Peter smiled and said, "Alright, let’s begin the meeting."
At that moment, everyone’s eyes were on Peter, no one had ever thought such a thing would happen in their Township. Just then, Alexander Lee, who was about to take a sip of tea, looked at Peter with the teacup still in his hand.
"Township_Head_Wang, our local environment is , it’s really hot on hot days. No problem, you can sit in front of the window, it’s good there. Anyway, today’s meeting is mainly about your taking office, so it’s just a matter of announcing it. The superiors have already assigned the division of labor. As for the ranking in the Township, you can just follow the original ranking for now. The previous Deputy Mayor in charge of public security is under the Deputy Secretary, and I think it’s okay to maintain that arrangement." Eleanor Smith said while looking at Alexander Lee.
Now, Peter could see that there was no harmony between Alexander Lee and Eleanor Smith, the two of them probably had disagreements on work philosophies. Today, seizing this opportunity to provoke a confrontation, they wanted to establish her authority, and of course, most likely, to test him as well.
At this point, Alexander Lee smiled and said, "Peter used to be in the Army and has a bit of a rough manner, hehe, he’s unfamiliar with the local situation. Now that the higher-ups have arranged for him to take charge of public security, Old Cao, please guide him along."
The middle-aged man, whose facial expression was not very pleasant, hurriedly nodded and said, "Mr. Hill, rest assured, I will share all I know." Having said that, he turned his head and looked back at Peter, saying, "Peter, let’s get closer in the future."
Hehe, how interesting! It was a thrilling battlefield here, but far more fun than fighting and killing.
Peter smiled and said, "I believe that as long as we all follow the rules, working anywhere will be pretty much the same."
Peter didn’t respond to Mr. Cao’s statement but instead made a seemingly unrelated remark.
When Peter made that comment, he felt that he had matured a lot and couldn’t help but feel a little triumphant in his heart.
Peter’s purpose in saying this was clear: as long as everyone abided by the rules, he wouldn’t cause any trouble, but if they didn’t, they shouldn’t blame him for reacting accordingly.
At this time, Wei’s face was already full of smiles, saying, "Well said!"