Chapter 430: Chapter 408: Your Classmate is the Mayor?_2
However, at this moment, Huang Xuyang’s usual cautiousness had greatly satisfied Nie Zhenbang. Currently, Huang Xuyang could shoulder great responsibilities.

Nie Zhenbang then added gently, “Xuyang, being the secretary for an old classmate can be a considerable burden for you. Suddenly, a classmate whom you once interacted with as an equal has become your superior. Such a shift in roles requires time to adjust to. Nevertheless, I believe that you are capable. Regarding your literary abilities, I have complete confidence in you. No one who graduated from our Chinese Class Two is incompetent. With regards to secretarial work, you should learn more from Secretary Yi Jun; he is very experienced and can help you avoid many pitfalls. Later, get the keys from Secretary Yi. This evening, do you mind if I come over to your place for dinner?”

Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, Huang Xuyang nodded and replied, “Mayor, I understand. You carry on with your work, I will head out now.”

Watching Huang Xuyang leave with respect, Nie Zhenbang couldn’t help but admire him again. Huang Xuyang was indeed a material for greatness. Despite knowing they were old classmates, the bond of friendship was something that couldn’t be erased. In politics, connections could arise from common origins or schools, let alone being classmates and dormitory mates. Yet, Huang Xuyang adhered strictly to the hierarchical norms, that alone was noteworthy. Meanwhile, a feeling welled up within Nie Zhenbang.

Outside the office, after Huang Xuyang exited, Yi Jun proactively picked a bunch of keys from the drawer and handed them to Huang Xuyang, explaining, “Xuyang, this is the key to the office, and this one is for the rest room, and this is for the storeroom. The office needs to be cleaned every day. Mayor Nie tends to work late into the night. There’s a small kitchen in the storeroom where you can prepare some eggs and noodles. Also, here is the contact number for our driver, Yang Qingshan, and the directory of the municipal committee, which contains the contact details of leaders of the standing committee, and the heads of each district and municipal government authority. And here is the mayor’s mobile phone number that is publicly available, take it…”

Listening to Yi Jun’s briefing, Huang Xuyang truly understood that being a secretary was not just about drafting some articles.

Immediately after, Huang Xuyang took out his notebook from his bag and noted all the details that he needed to pay attention to. This act pleased Yi Jun who then said, “It’s a good idea to jot things down, better a bad pen than a good memory.”

Having said that, Yi Jun looked at Huang Xuyang and said, “Xuyang, as far as I know, you haven’t been assigned a house yet. In that case, now that you’re working with the Mayor, there are a few two-bedroom houses available near the government compound. You can temporarily move into one of them, and we will arrange for an official house for you later. I will leave this matter to you. There are still a lot of duties waiting for me at the government office. If you have any questions, feel free to seek me out anytime. As secretaries, we are as close as brothers.”

Huang Xuyang was delighted to hear these words. Though he has not officially become the secretary yet, recalling his family situation, Huang Xuyang hesitated for a moment before he accepted without refusing. He then sincerely responded, “Thank you, Secretary Yi.”

Yi Jun was taken aback for a moment, then he smiled and patted Huang Xuyang on his shoulder, “Why the thanks? We’re all on the same team. You’ll soon figure our boss out. His character is actually not that hard to grasp. In a nutshell, don’t take what you shouldn’t, and you’ll be fine.”

Looking at Yi Jun’s departing figure, Huang Xuyang couldn’t help but sigh. If not for Yi Jun’s last comment, he probably wouldn’t have been able to disclose Mayor Nie’s personality. Indeed, one must approach work with caution and humility.

Deep in thought, Huang Xuyang sat at the secretary’s desk. Suddenly, the white telephone on the table rang. It was a call from the Mayor’s office. Without any delay, Huang Xuyang picked up the phone and answered respectfully, “Mayor, you called for me?”

Nie Zhenbang’s voice came through the phone, “Xuyang, Secretary Yi has already arranged tomorrow’s schedule. We will be attending the foundation-laying ceremony at the Guicheng District Textile Group. The materials for the ceremony are on the desk. Take a look at them and prepare a speech for me to deliver this afternoon when work is over.”

Listening to the busy tone from the phone, Huang Xuyang felt a stir of emotions running through him. This was kind of his first test. After contemplating for a while, Huang Xuyang picked up the phone and called home. His wife, Li Fen, quickly answered. Huang Xuyang then briefly said, “Fen, you should go and buy groceries now. A classmate from Jingcheng University, who also recently transferred to Liangxi City, is coming to our house for dinner tonight. Please prepare a good meal without caring about the cost.”

From this, it can be seen that Huang Xuyang clearly prioritized his tasks. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to finish the draft in a short time. If he had called up after completing it at five o’clock, it would have been too hurried to purchase the groceries and prepare the meal. Hence, it made more sense to call now.

Moreover, Huang Xuyang did not disclose Nie Zhenbang’s position, only mentioning that he was an old classmate. This showed Huang Xuyang’s maturity and restraint.

The two offices were separated by a wall, and the door was ajar. This conversation was clearly heard by Nie Zhenbang, and he silently nodded in approval. He was quite pleased with his classmate-turned-secretary. In actuality, Huang Xuyang did not realize that Nie Zhenbang had already recognized his potential, otherwise, Yi Jun would not have arranged for his housing so swiftly.