Power and Wealth

Chapter 1833

The rain stopped.

A gust of wind blew, and the dark clouds gradually dispersed.

Dong Xuebing closed the umbrella and handed it to his secretary, Su Yan. He looked up at the gradually clearing sky and then glanced at the city rescue personnel who had just been scolded into silence. He took off his wet coat and twisted it hard, water pouring out. None of the people present, including those from the Jiaolin County rescue team working tirelessly on the front lines, were as drenched as Dong Xuebing. He was the most bedraggled one because he had given his rain gear to the rescuing children, leaving him completely soaked.

Su Yan started to take off his coat. “Secretary, you wear mine.”

Dong Xuebing shook his head. “No need, it’s cold; you keep yours.”@@@@

“It’s precisely because it’s cold that you should wear mine.” Su Yan was insistent. He was genuinely worried about Dong Xuebing. Under such heavy rain, even the rescue team members hadn’t worked as hard as Secretary Dong—he directed the rescue, searched for students, rescued people, and escorted students down the mountain. Dong Xuebing had done the work of six or seven people, and now he was drenched. How could this be acceptable?

Dong Xuebing pressed on Su Yan’s coat, not allowing him to take it off. “Come on, you know your body, and I know mine.”

Su Yan’s figure was indeed broader than Dong Xuebing’s, but when it came to physical condition, Su Yan knew he couldn't compare to Secretary Dong. Still, as the secretary to the county party secretary, Su Yan hurriedly said, “Then you should hurry back and change clothes; this isn’t good for you.”

Dong Xuebing had been stern-faced earlier, but after scolding the city officials, he felt much more relaxed. He smiled slightly and said, “I’m fine; what’s a little rain?” Dong Xuebing genuinely didn’t take it to heart. Even if a rain of bullets fell on him, he wouldn’t blink, let alone worry about this little rain. His physical condition was beyond what they could imagine.

Several officials nearby, eager to flatter him, started to take off their coats as well.

But Dong Xuebing refused each of them and thanked them for their kindness. He didn’t need it, and with cameras around, it wouldn’t look good if his subordinates took off their jackets and got cold while giving their coats to the county party secretary. Dong Xuebing tossed his wet coat to Su Yan and said to the people around him, “The mission is accomplished; thank you all for your hard work today.” He didn’t say anything extra, as the mission of the rescue team was to rescue, and the officials' mission was to protect the public's safety—that was expected. In a few days, there would be discussions about commendations, and those who participated in the rescue would be rewarded directly through meetings or bonuses to acknowledge their work. However, there were some exceptions, as some local community members and non-public servants who spontaneously organized rescue teams might find it hard to receive rewards in other forms. Dong Xuebing was very concerned and attentive to them; he hadn’t forgotten about them. “What about the rescue personnel organized by the community?”

Su Yan pointed to a spot not far away. “They’re over there; it seems they’re about to leave.”

Dong Xuebing immediately quickened his pace to catch up. As he moved, the media workers and officials from Jiaolin County followed suit.

“Everyone, please hold on!” Dong Xuebing called out loudly.

About ten people were taking off their raincoats, which were of various bright colors—clearly not the uniform rain gear of the rescue team. They had intended to leave, but they turned back upon hearing the voice behind them.

“Secretary Dong!”

“Secretary Dong!”

After their previous encounters, everyone recognized who Dong Xuebing was. They genuinely admired him from the bottom of their hearts. Just carrying two children down the mountain in the pouring rain, without regard for danger, was something ordinary people couldn’t do, let alone a high-ranking county leader.

This might be one of the most interesting aspects of human interaction.

A few minutes later.

Several tourist buses and rescue vehicles carrying nearly a hundred teachers and students began to leave. The students and teachers were mostly unharmed, and the vehicles headed directly to the city to drop off the students. Many parents followed in their private cars, but some stayed behind.

“Secretary Dong!”

“You are Secretary Dong, right?”

“We didn’t dare approach you earlier when you were busy.”

“Yes, now we might have a chance to speak with you.”

A few parents of students rushed over.

Dong Xuebing looked at them and nodded. “I’m Dong Xuebing.”

One of the women suddenly started crying. She reached out and shook Dong Xuebing’s hand vigorously. “Thank you, thank you! My child was saved thanks to your timely help getting them down the mountain. I just called the hospital; they said it’s acute pneumonia and some complications. Before the fever peaked, it was already around 40 degrees Celsius! The consequences would have been unimaginable if we had waited longer to get down the mountain.”

Dong Xuebing immediately understood; this was the family member of one of the two children he had carried down the mountain. “As long as they’ve been sent to the hospital, that’s good. They’re still running a fever?”

The woman replied, “It has gone down a bit.”

Dong Xuebing nodded. “As long as there’s improvement.”

The woman sobbed, “It’s all thanks to you.”

Another family member said, “Thank you, thank you!”

Nearby, someone else added, “Secretary Dong, I just heard my daughter say that she almost slipped and fell down the mountain. You saved her! I want to thank you.”

Dong Xuebing smiled and said, “There's no need to be polite; this is our job. It’s what we should do. Everyone should head back now. Let’s go.”