Early in the morning, Liu Sandao arrived at the office.
Many faces seemed unfamiliar, as if he had just started working at a new company.
The moment he encountered Ji Wuming, he knew he hadn't joined the wrong company.
"Liu Sandao! You're back, how was your business trip?" Ji Wuming asked.
Liu Sandao held no official position, not even a manager. At his current level, Ji Wuming was still his superior.
"I was just about to report. I haven't had time to organize the materials yet," Liu Sandao replied.
"Hurry and organize them. If you're any later, there might not be any spots left for the 'Moving China Figures' selection!" Ji Wuming said, patting Liu Sandao's shoulder as if to comfort him.
"Oh." Liu Sandao calmly responded and walked towards his office.
The event had only just begun, and the spots were already full, indicating its considerable appeal.
After Bai Suxiang arrived at work, she immediately began organizing the materials, focusing on the stories of Li Langqing and Xue Guilan. One saved lives and healed the injured, while the other wholeheartedly helped impoverished children. If she had to say who was more moving, Bai Suxiang personally leaned towards Xue Guilan. She was quite certain that Xue Guilan had a strong chance of being selected for this year's "Moving China Figures."
Two days after Liu Sandao reported on his work, Zhang Kuixian convened a meeting. The agenda was the direction of the preliminary selection for the "Moving China Figures."
"Quiet, everyone. We will now begin the meeting," the host announced after Zhang Kuixian was the last to arrive. The hall, over a hundred square meters in size, fell silent.
"Now, let us invite Chairman Zhang to speak! Let's give him a warm welcome!" the host concluded, leading the applause.
A thunderous ovation filled the air, making it seem as though everyone had admired him for a long time. Zhang Kuixian did not interrupt the applause at first but strolled leisurely towards the main stage. Upon reaching the podium, he placed down his few pages of draft notes, then tapped the microphone with his hand, making a downward gesture to signal for quiet. The audience below then lowered their hands and listened attentively.
"Comrades, the purpose of convening this meeting today is to determine the direction for the preliminary selection of 'Moving China Figures.'" As soon as he finished speaking, a slight murmur of discussion arose from below.
"Moving Figures? Wasn't it a selection of the benevolent? Why has it changed? If you ask me, it shouldn't have been changed!"
"Moving China Figures? That's good, that's good. What era is this? Still calling them benevolent? It's not ancient times."
"Shush! Listen to the leaders. Listen to the leaders about everything."
...
"Quiet!" The host's stern command brought the hall back to silence.
"The reason it's called the 'Moving China Figures Selection' is based on our current era. 'Benevolent' was a term used long ago. If we continue to use it now, we'll be laughed at as old-fashioned, out of touch with the times. Especially for today's youth, they might not even understand the meaning of 'benevolent.' Therefore, I have decided to use the theme 'Moving China Figures.' Now, I invite the comrades who will come up to speak to share your thoughts and brief introductions of the figures you've gathered these past few days. You can elaborate on them here for everyone's reference."
...
Zhang Kuixian laid out some requirements, and the people below were eager to report their selected figures. According to the bonus rules, the more figures selected, the more bonus money they would receive. Especially for the top ten, each figure was worth five million. Therefore, Mr. Zhao, who was the first to rush to the stage, presented over thirty figures in one go. Mr. Zhang, who followed, reported over twenty, Mr. Yu over thirty, and Mr. Wan nearly forty... This left Liu Sandao feeling quite awkward, as Bai Suxiang had only organized two of the most likely candidates. However, their names were worlds apart from those others had presented. Many of the names submitted by others were widely known, including some celebrities. The eligibility of such unknown individuals as those proposed by Liu Sandao sparked heated debate. Some argued that their low profile was not conducive to promotion, while others countered that although ordinary, their moral character was first-class and worthy of selection. Ultimately, it was up to Zhang Kuixian to make the final decision. Accustomed to making decisions, Zhang Kuixian was familiar with the rules. Only by allowing issues to fully develop could more accurate and clear judgments be made. Only then would others be convinced. Therefore, the more intense the discussion at the meeting, the more beneficial it was for him.
Liu Sandao disliked arguments, and even more so, he disliked exchanging the good deeds of others for bonuses. This figure selection was initially a task he undertook incidentally, like catching rabbits while gathering grass. Based on the figures selected in this preliminary round, their chances of being selected seemed slim. However, Zhang Kuixian's final remark gave him hope to seek out another figure who possessed both integrity and influence.
"Comrades, what everyone has said makes sense. But I want to say that this meeting is not to dismiss anyone's candidate figures, but to remind everyone not to forget the direction of the selection and to search for more figures. Before everything is finalized, anyone with integrity and good deeds can be included!"
Another thunderous ovation erupted, interspersed with some discussions.
"If that's the case, doesn't that mean we have a chance to look for a few more candidates and ensure their selection?"
"Yes, this decision gives us more time to choose!"
Returning to the office from the meeting, Bai Suxiang immediately asked as soon as he entered, "How did it go? Any hope?"
Liu Sandao understood what Bai Suxiang was asking and shook his head. "We have to start all over again. This time, we might need to select some people with a certain reputation, otherwise..." Although he disagreed with some of the viewpoints, it was indeed the reality. Throughout history, great benevolent people were always wealthy; in contrast, even if ordinary people were kind-hearted, no one would call them great benevolent figures. And judging from the outcome of the meeting, the direction for the "Moving China Figures" had been largely determined: integrity, reputation, strength, contribution, and so on. Liu Sandao briefly explained the content of the meeting to Bai Suxiang.
"From celebrities, wouldn't that just mean looking for the wealthy, the well-known figures on television? But these people are probably already on someone else's list."
"Yes, that's possible. Are you thinking about the bonus money?" Liu Sandao asked, turning to her.
"Thinking about it? If I said I wasn't, considering the amount of bonus money, would you think I was a fool?" Bai Suxiang posed the question back to Liu Sandao. This wasn't difficult for him to answer, as money wasn't that important to him.
Liu Sandao didn't reply but looked down at the newspaper on his desk. A figure appeared in the newspaper. Relying on his memory, no one at the meeting had even mentioned this person's name. Yet, he was clearly a celebrity, the head of a major conglomerate, named Cai Rong.