"Okay, okay, I'll be right there. Where is it? Okay, okay, I'll get there as soon as possible!" Li Yang was sweating profusely. Damn it, making the famous underworld boss Master Song and the mayor of a city with nearly ten million people wait for him to have dinner was something Li Yang felt he had put on too much airs.
"What's going on? My dad's looking for you?" Song Tian'er was also very surprised. What did her father want with Li Yang at this time? It was almost dark.
"Hehe...you're treating me to dinner. And Mayor Ye too!" Li Yang said with a chuckle.
"What?"
Song Tian'er and Cao Xin were both stunned, staring at Li Yang in disbelief.
"Are they all waiting for you?" They had also heard the phone call and guessed some of the content.
"Ugh, I thought Master Song was joking at noon, but it turns out he was serious. He and Mayor Ye are waiting for me at the restaurant, and I'm sweating buckets myself! Sister Xin, let's go to the local restaurant in the suburbs." Li Yang said somewhat guiltily.
Cao Xin didn't dare to be negligent either. As for asking for leave from school, damn it, with her there, Wang Ting wouldn't say anything, and who else would dare to utter a sound?
Song Tian'er was also a little nervous. Mayor Ye was a very important figure in Jiangdong City; damn, she couldn't afford to offend him. Making someone like that wait for dinner—Li Yang had really gone too far this time.
"Will Mayor Ye be angry?" Song Tian'er asked in a low, worried voice.
"How would I know?" Li Yang was also speechless. How would he know?
The suburban earthen pot rice restaurant is quite famous in the city. It is very large, almost occupying half of the small hill. The facilities are high-end, comparable to a five-star hotel. The service is naturally first-class. It makes authentic earthen pot firewood rice dishes and has famous chefs in charge. Many dignitaries and celebrities like to go there to taste the special flavor of earthen pot rice.
This is also a major feature of Jiangdong City.
The car quickly drove into the spacious parking lot, where a waiter who had been eagerly waiting came up to help with parking.
"You go up yourself, we'd better go back." Cao Xin didn't get out of the car or ask the waiter to stop, but turned around and said to Li Yang.
“Yes. It’s not appropriate for us to attend such an event without an invitation.” Song Tian’er was also very tactful and didn’t argue, nodding in agreement with Cao Xin’s words.
"Alright. You guys go back first. Be careful on the road!" Li Yang thought about it and realized that it made sense. Master Song and Mayor Ye were no ordinary people, and having a meal with them was no ordinary gathering. It wouldn't be good to go without an invitation.
Li Yang was about to get out of the car when he suddenly sat down, turned around, and chuckled, "Isn't something missing?"
"What?" The two women looked at Li Yang with confusion.
"A goodbye kiss!" Li Yang said matter-of-factly, raising his eyebrows and glaring at him.
"Go to hell!" Song Tian'er blushed and scolded coquettishly.
Cao Xin gave him a cold, watery look, then slammed on the gas, and the car sped off in reverse. Song Tian'er drove her Mazda 6 with remarkable ease and skill.
Li Yang inhaled a mouthful of exhaust fumes, rubbed his nose, and turned to walk into the restaurant. He stood in front of the restaurant's floor plan for a few minutes before turning and going inside. As if he had been there before and knew the place intimately, he easily found his way into the private room that Master Song had mentioned.
The owner of such a restaurant must have connections and powerful backing. It's no wonder he knows Mayor Ye and Master Song. The fact that they're dining here in a private room tonight makes them the most important guests at Qiuye Diguo Restaurant. The owner will definitely come to greet them personally and might even offer them a free meal.
That private room would definitely be the focus of attention in secret, so he didn't intend to attract attention. After all, he had already attracted the attention of many people with ulterior motives, so he had to keep a low profile.
If I were to be targeted by those special agents or other special departments and subjected to thorough research, my superpowers would likely be exposed. At that point, I would be like a giant panda, a national treasure, and would definitely be placed under control, losing all freedom and possibly even being used as a guinea pig for research.
Damn it, so in order to avoid such a tragic outcome, Li Yang decided to be even more low-key, low-key, and low-key in the future.
"I'm so sorry to have kept you two waiting!" Li Yang said, bowing and clasping his hands in apology as soon as he entered the private room, his face filled with panic.
Mayor Ye's tense and composed expression as he sipped his tea instantly relaxed, becoming more relaxed. He had just been wondering if Li Yang would become arrogant and rebellious, like Lu Bu with a treacherous heart. Now it seemed there was no need to worry about that.
But Master Song, with a stern face, snapped, "You brat, how can you joke about Mayor Ye? If you say it's dinner, then it's dinner! Be careful next time!"
Li Yang bowed respectfully, appearing utterly submissive, but secretly he thought to himself, "Damn it, how was I supposed to know this was real? Could this be a trap? You guys invited me to dinner so abruptly, damn it, it might just be a bad meal. It's no big deal if I delay a bit!"
"Sit down. This is a one-time exception! Besides, it's not like I can't wait. Hehe, a public servant is supposed to put the people's interests first." Mayor Ye put down his teacup, smiled calmly, and said with a deep sense of pretentiousness.
Li Yang secretly gave a thumbs up. Damn, no wonder he's the mayor, what a show-off!
"Mayor Ye is truly the benefactor of Jiangdong City, our provider! I will first punish myself with three cups, and then drink one cup with you!" Li Yang immediately stood up, took the unopened bottle of premium Moutai, opened it, filled three glasses with about two ounces of liquor, and downed all three cups in one go.
The aroma of alcohol rose, and her face flushed slightly, adding to her extraordinary charm.
"Mayor Ye, I'd like to propose a toast to you. I'll drink this first as a sign of respect, please stop here!" Li Yang knew the etiquette at the dinner table, so he stood up and drank it all in one gulp.
Mayor Ye's lingering frustration vanished completely at this moment. He picked up his glass and took a big gulp, which was quite a show of respect.
Master Song nodded secretly. Li Yang was a good kid; he knew how to handle things and was capable of great things. Hmm, no, he had already accomplished several astonishing feats, and he was still so young. Sigh, what a prodigy!
After finishing their drinks, Mayor Ye started eating first, followed by Li Yang and Master Song, who ate a little bit as a formality. The food was indeed very authentic and delicious, truly a delicacy.
"Li Yang, I called you here this time for nothing serious, so don't be nervous! Don't overthink it. Actually, Lao Song has already told me about your situation. He said that all those things about the Mei family, whether it's the rumors circulating online or in newspapers and magazines, or the collaboration with me, were all orchestrated by you... Don't hold a grudge against Lao Song. He had no choice; after all, he couldn't hide anything from me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sitting here eating and drinking with him and you."
Today, Mei Fu and Director Cao's incident happened again, and you made another great contribution, which surprised me even more. I didn't quite believe Lao Song's words before, but now I completely believe them. At noon, I did intend to just go through the motions and play along, but after what happened in the afternoon, I realized that you are a rare talent. It's fate that we met, and I can't let this opportunity pass. So I called Lao Song and arranged a meal and drinks for tonight. I didn't mean anything by it.
Chapter 98: A Fleeting Spring Dream
So, although it was out of necessity, Mayor Ye was still a little unhappy that they were leading him by the nose to deal with the Mei family. If he didn't betray Li Yang to show his loyalty, Song Qin's life would be completely over. He wouldn't get any benefits from Ye Qing, and he would be doomed if he went to Cai Lan!
Li Yang immediately stood up in a fluster, raised his glass and said, "It is my honor to be appreciated by Mayor Ye. I am grateful beyond words. If there is anything I can do for you in the future, Mayor Ye, just say the word!" After saying that, Li Yang drank it all in one gulp, looking as generous as a scholar who would die for a friend!
Damn, you've already said all that, you've even brought up the whole "fate" thing, what else can I say? This pirate ship of yours was one I planned to board in the first place, and now you're offering me a ticket with both hands? Only an idiot would refuse!
Ye Qing was in high spirits, and this time he drank much more sincerely, downing nearly an ounce of baijiu in large gulps. He also ate the food with much more gusto. Clearly, he liked Li Yang's words very much, thinking that Li Yang was a good guy—not only capable and talented, but also good at interpersonal relationships, perceptive, knowing when to advance and retreat, and pragmatic—a real talent! This would be very beneficial to his future development in Jiangdong City!
Master Song was also in a great mood because Li Yang hadn't shown any dissatisfaction with him. However, he felt a little guilty. He poured himself a full glass of wine, raised it high, and said, "Li Yang, I won't say anything more. It's all in the wine. I'll drink it!"
Li Yang naturally understood his mentality. To be honest, Li Yang had long expected this outcome. If Master Song didn't do this, it would mean that he was truly incompetent and not cut out to be a powerful figure.
Therefore, he wasn't averse to it. At this moment, Li Yang still felt some respect for him; the fact that he could feel remorse showed that he was a good person among bad people. He still had a conscience. Besides, hehe, he might very well become his future father-in-law in the future, so he couldn't afford to be negligent.
Li Yang hurriedly poured himself a full glass, stood up, and presented it with both hands, saying, "Master Song, what are you saying? You are a powerful and respected figure whom I have always admired! I'll drink with you!"