I am not a literary giant

No one expected that Wang Zixu would actually ask Gou Yingbiao to bow and apologize to him, including Gou Yingbiao himself.

An apology is so cheap; just a light touch of the tongue to the palate and a kiss between the lips, and the words "I'm sorry" are uttered naturally and fluently. A slight bow is all it takes to make it an extremely solemn greeting.

Compared to tangible benefits like performance reviews and promotions, an apology is so insignificant; it's over and forgotten. Stars may turn, the landscape remains the same, mistakes will continue, and what's lost will never return.

Just as excellence alone cannot soothe Wang Zixu's past, an apology is insufficient to undo the wasted life he has lived. This apology carries such little weight for Wang Zixu, like a band-aid offered by someone after he has been shattered to pieces.

And this apology can carry a heavy weight. For Gou Yingbiao, this apology was an unbearable burden in the workplace.

It's common knowledge that leaders are incapable of being wrong. If a leader is wrong, it means the execution wasn't thorough enough. As long as the execution continues steadfastly and consistently, the leader will eventually be proven right. Questioning a leader's mistakes is itself an act of disrupting morale. Let alone expecting the leader to bow their head, apologize, and admit their errors.

If the leader admits his mistake today, someone will disobey orders tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow there will be a mass rebellion. The collapse of a snow-capped mountain often begins with a single rebellious snowflake.

However, Wang Zixu only wanted an apology. No more, no less. Just an apology.

Because it would make him feel good.

It's great that it feels good. He even felt that he had lived to this day just to see Director Gou's greasy, balding head bow his head, so that the past nine years of wasted time would not have been in vain.

Gou Yingbiao glared at Wang Zixu, his eyes saying, "Can't you find someone else?"

Prince Xu stood as straight as a flagpole, refusing to change.

Gou Yingbiao's eyes pleaded, "Please don't embarrass me, okay?"

Prince Xu averted his gaze, intending to embarrass you.

Mei Rucheng said, "Gou Yingbiao, whether or not you can keep Comrade Xiao Wang here will test your political wisdom and political resolve."

Gou Yingbiao sniffed, and after a long while, asked, "Can I close the door? It's a bit cold."

……

The door to Director Gou's office opened. All the colleagues were crammed into the corridor, in twos and threes, like toads lying on the bank during the dry season. The door opened, and Wang Zixu walked out, clutching the performance evaluation regulations, exuding an air of confidence.

When Director Gou apologized just now, Wang Zixu agreed to let him close the door; that was the last bit of dignity he was given.

However, to the colleagues who witnessed the whole thing, it didn't really matter whether the door was closed or not. Everyone knew what was happening inside; otherwise, there would have been no need to close the door at all.

Moreover, this opaque door only fueled the speculations of the onlookers. Gou Ju had simply bowed his head, but the people outside imagined him in every possible pose. That's the terrifying power of imagination.

The door, originally intended to cover his shame, ironically made Director Gou feel even more embarrassed, something he hadn't anticipated.

Everyone stared intently as Wang Zixu walked out the door with great confidence. For a moment, Zhang Cangnian felt as if time had reversed, returning to the year Wang Zixu first joined the company.

But then the scene shifts, returning to the present moment. Prince Xu is still that scruffy, thirty-year-old man, his eyes still shining, but he's lost some of his naivety and gained a touch of cunning.

He walked past his colleagues, passing Zhang Cangnian, Guo Ranran, Xiang Zhiqiang, Song Yinglian, and Diao Yiwen in turn, without uttering a word. His colleagues remained silent as well. Surrounded by a large crowd, their silence was deafening.

Tonight, Diao Yiwen's campaign team stayed up all night. They were still talking about Wang Zixu until 3 a.m.

They were still young and had no concept of a high-ranking leader, only a vague feeling that he was a huge and powerful figure. Originally, in their minds, Director Gou was already the most powerful person in the world, but in the end, just because of the attitude of the high-ranking leader, Director Gou had to humiliatingly bow his head to a clerk.

They were completely baffled: if Wang Zixu was truly talented, why couldn't he even have his work published in "Xihe Literature"? If Wang Zixu had connections, why did he stagnate at the clerk level for nine years?

If Wang Zixu had neither talent nor background, how did he manage to gain the approval of the top leader? How did he get Director Mei to openly say, "I'm here to support him"?

Overnight, Wang Zixu's identity and image became shrouded in mystery. This simple, honest man transformed into an old man in the mountains. Recalling their actions during the day, everyone felt a chill in their hearts, fearing that the old man in the mountains would come looking for them to settle scores later.

The only one who slept well was Diao Yiwen. After get off work, she returned to her two-story villa and cautiously recounted the day's events to her father, who was the deputy county head.

After a long moment of stunned silence, her father discussed the matter with her mother, who was a deputy director-general. The two discussed various possibilities, analyzed Wang Zixu's background and Shen Jianqiu's attitude, and finally came up with the safest solution.

"Then you should just give up on the 'Outstanding' award for now. Let him have it," Dad said. "It doesn't matter whether you get it or not, but creating an enemy for no reason isn't a good thing. Also, consider Director Gou's feelings and explain your thoughts to him."

Diao Yiwen nodded. Her father said, "Sometimes, the more insignificant a role seems, the more careful you need to be. Even if you don't want this outstanding role, there are a million ways to get promoted sooner, but a minor role can easily turn against you and cause a complete disaster. Always remember, better safe than sorry."

Diao Yiwen nodded.

The next day, she discovered that Xihe had once again been engulfed by the matter of Prince Xu. On the third day, it even spread overseas—to the neighboring county. Her father, from an outsider's perspective, heard the gossip about it again. This time, he was filled with sighs and new feelings, but he firmly believed that his way of handling things was correct.

Of course, that's all hindsight. At the time, Director Gou invited Director Mei to dinner, but Director Mei declined and instead asked Wang Zixu to come downstairs and see him off.

Wang Zixu escorted the two downstairs, and Section Chief Liu handed him the speech draft, saying, "Remember? Turn it into a press release and send it to me later."

Prince Xu said, "Okay."

Section Chief Liu drove over. Before getting into the car, Director Mei glanced back at Wang Zixu and said, "Your personality is indeed not suited for being an official. Since your ambitions lie elsewhere, then take each step steadily. Although you won't be coming to our office, I still wish you all the best. After all, you did us a great favor. As for the matter of 'Xihe Literature,' you should go and see their editorial department. Your level isn't too low to get in."

Prince Xu nodded.

Director Mei added, "You should go with Lin Feng. He's told me about your situation, and he'll definitely be willing to take you."

Prince Xu said, "Okay."

"Prince Xu, Prince Xu," Mei Rucheng said finally, "since you want to give yourself some solace for your past life, you should achieve a success in the worldly sense."