Daqi: "When are you getting married? I'd love to come and have a drink at your wedding!"
Ding Jian laughed and said, "You'll definitely get yours. I sent Wen my invitation, and your name is on it. I don't know when it will be; it'll be whenever my dad says so."
Daqi: "So, Jian Ge, you're busy too? I feel bad that you're teaching me how to drive!"
Ding Jian: "What am I busy with? My mom and my new bride are the ones doing all the work. I'm a man, and I can't be bothered with all that. My dad just talks the talk. Women should be the ones doing all this. Come on, let's not talk anymore. We're going to the Rongzhou Traffic Police Brigade now."
Daqi: "Are we going to the traffic police station to learn to drive?"
Ding Jian smiled and said, "That captain and I are best buddies, and the driving school there is the best in the city. Let's go, let's go, let's go right now!"
The two walked out of the company with smiles. As Daqi left the company, he told Suqin and Pingjia to call him if anything happened, and both women said they understood.
Ding Jian arrived in a Mitsubishi Jeep. Da Qi sat in the front seat. After starting the car, Da Qi asked him, "Brother Jian, is this your company's car?" He noticed the license plate belonged to the Public Security Bureau. Ding Jian nodded and smiled, "If I were buying a car myself, I wouldn't buy this kind. There's nothing I can do; the higher-ups dictate that you drive a car according to your rank. What can I do? I'm a public official." Da Qi smiled slightly and said, "Having a car is good enough, and yours is quite nice!" Ding Jian laughed, "I'll just make do with it!"
Soon, the car arrived at the Rongzhou Traffic Police Brigade. After Ding Jian parked the car, someone was already waiting for them there. A traffic police officer, who looked to be around forty years old, was waiting for them.
As soon as Ding Jian got out of the car, he shook hands with the man and greeted him. Da Qi also greeted the man.
Ding Jian said to Da Qi, "This is Li Zhigang, the captain of the Rongzhou Traffic Police Brigade."
Daqi smiled and said, "Hello, Captain Li!"
Li Zhigang laughed heartily: "Just call me Brother Li, we're all family, don't be so polite! Brother Ding, is this the Brother Tong you mentioned who's learning to drive?"
Ding Jian: "Exactly, he started a company at such a young age."
Li Zhigang: "The younger generation is truly formidable! Come, come, let's sit in my office first."
The three of them then went together to Li Zhigang's captain's office.
Li Zhigang: "Brother Ding, how's your father, Director Ding, doing lately?"
Ding Jian: "He lives the same way every day, just like always."
Li Zhigang: "Please give my regards to him on behalf of my brother!"
Ding Jian: "No problem, no problem. You really haven't come to visit my house in so long, you're my dad's student!"
Li Zhigang: "Hey, Brother Ding, you don't understand. There have been so many traffic accidents lately, I'm completely overwhelmed. As soon as I finish what I'm doing, I'll come to your house to report to Teacher Ding and Director Ding!"
Ding Jian: "Why are there so many traffic accidents lately?"
Li Zhigang: "Hey, isn't it all caused by private cars? These private car drivers don't learn to drive properly. They just spend a little money to buy a driver's license and drive off. How can they not have accidents?"
Ding Jian nodded and said, "As the team leader, you just need to be stricter in your oversight!"
Li Zhigang: "Brother Ding, do you know how many driving schools there are in Rongzhou?"
Ding Jian shook his head and said, "Quite a lot!"
Li Zhigang: "It's not just a lot, it's everywhere! Not to mention the driving schools directly under our traffic police brigade, there are driving schools recruiting everywhere on the streets now. Let me tell you, driving school training has become an industry. As the brigade leader, I simply can't manage it all. If you try to manage it, people will get upset. They'll definitely say, 'Only your traffic police brigade can train drivers, why can't we?' Ugh, it's so annoying. To be honest, many driving schools are just in it for the money. They only care about issuing licenses and collecting money; they don't care whether you actually learn anything!"
Daqi: "Doesn't this create countless road hazards?"
Li Zhigang: "Brother Tong, you're absolutely right. There are so many traffic accidents these days, and nine times out of ten they involve private cars."
Ding Jian: "Brother Tong, I'll personally teach you how to drive. You'd better study hard, or Wen will be a widow! Haha!"
All three of them laughed. Daqi laughed and said, "I will definitely study hard. I can't risk my life, can I?"
Li Zhigang: "That's right. Driving is a matter of life and death, so it's something you should learn seriously. Don't worry, Brother Tong, you'll definitely graduate from learning to drive here."
Daqi thought to himself: With Ding Jian's help, I'll definitely graduate. Li Zhigang will surely give me that much face. Even if I can't learn to drive, I'll still get my license. Of course, I should study seriously. Otherwise, it would be better if I lost my life, but I'm afraid I'd end up with a lifelong disability. If that happened, what would happen to all the beautiful women I have? Learning to drive is no joke; I have to take it seriously!
Chapter 170 Traffic Police Captain
After chatting and laughing for a while, Li Zhigang led Ding Jian and Tong Daqi to the driving range. Once there, Li Zhigang went off to attend to official business, so Ding Jian began teaching Daqi how to drive. The two of them got into the training car.
Daqi: "Brother Jian, what about the theory class?"
Ding Jian: "Let the traffic police officers go down and explain the theory to you. They have people coming here to learn to drive all year round, so you can listen to the lecture with them. The theory class is very simple, it's fine."
Daqi started learning to drive from Ding Jian, and he found it quite interesting. Ding Jian explained things very carefully. While explaining how to operate the steering wheel, how to brake, and so on, Ding Jian also praised Tong Daqi, saying, "You're a smart kid, you can learn it right away."
Daqi smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Jian Ge's excellent teaching!" The two chatted and laughed as they drove the training car.
It was almost noon when Li Zhigang interrupted Ding Jian and Da Qi, telling them to go eat.
Li Zhigang: "Hey guys, let's go eat!"
Ding Jian said to Da Qi, "Let's go eat."
Daqi said to Ding Jian and Li Zhigang, "Brother Jian, Brother Li, I'd like to invite you two to dinner today. I hope you'll do me the honor!"
Li Zhigang: "What kind of logic is this? Of course I'll treat you two to a meal on my turf. Come on, enough talk. Just follow me!"
Ding Jian laughed at Da Qi, "Why not take advantage of Brother Li's hospitality? Come on, don't worry about it, Brother Li is one of us. You can treat him another day!"
Da Qi thought about it and realized it made sense. Ding Jian was the son of the Director of the Public Security Bureau, and Li Zhigang was his father's student. Logically speaking, it was normal for Li Zhigang to invite Ding Jian and himself to dinner.
The first wife, Qiwen, really has a lot of influence. Ding Jian is the son of the Director of the Public Security Bureau, and with just one sentence from her, that young master personally taught him how to drive. Daqi thought to himself, "Actually, Ding Jian is quite easygoing, a good person, and definitely a man I could be friends with!"
The three of them went to a hotel opposite the city traffic police brigade and sat down in a private room. The hotel owner personally greeted them.
Boss: "Oh, Captain Li, Brother Jian, you two are here. And this is—" The boss didn't know who Da Qi was.
Ding Jian said, "Boss Zhu, this is my buddy, the general manager of a company. The three of us came over for lunch!" As they were talking, a hotel waiter brought them tea.
The boss said to Daqi, "Nice to meet you!" Daqi nodded and greeted him in return.
Boss: "It's our honor that you gentlemen would like to dine at my humble abode! Would you like to follow the usual menu, or perhaps try something new?"
Ding Jian looked at Da Qi and said, "Brother Tong, what would you like to eat? Let Boss Zhu bring you the menu, and you can order whatever you like!"
Boss: "Yes, yes, yes! Brother Jian is right! Feng'er, bring the menu to the guests!" The boss told the waiter to hand the menu to Daqi.
Li Zhigang: "Let's follow the old rules first, and then we'll order a few new things!"
Boss: "Alright! I'll tell the kitchen first, you can order whatever you want!"
The waitress named Feng'er handed the menu to Daqi, who then asked Ding Jian and Li Zhigang, "What are your usual rules?"
Ding Jian said, "It's only about ten dishes. Just order whatever you like!"
Li Zhigang: "Brother Tong, we're all on the same side, no need to be so polite!"
Daqi smiled and looked at the menu, then ordered a plate of "braised pork knuckles." Since they already had more than a dozen dishes, ordering more would be a waste. The man thought to himself, "This is enough."
The dishes were served quickly, and the waiter brought the three of them a bottle of "Shaoxing Jiafan Wine". The three ate, drank, and chatted.
Li Zhigang: "Brother Tong, please don't take offense! I have official business this afternoon and can't drink too much strong liquor, so I'll treat you to some Jiafan wine instead. I'll treat you to some good wine another day!"
Daqi: "Brother Li, you're too kind! I'm not a heavy drinker, a little wine with rice is fine. I have to drive this afternoon, so I'll just have a little. If you have time, come to my company sometime, and I'll definitely treat you to a good drink!"
Li Zhigang: "Haha, no problem, no problem. Definitely, definitely!"
Ding Jian: "How is your company's business going?" Ding Jian asked about the business situation of Daqi Company.
Daqi briefly explained Cheng Renji's villa renovation project.
Ding Jian immediately said, "This is incredible! This is incredible! I know Lao Cheng. He's a seasoned businessman. If he can cooperate with you, you have a bright future! Come on, let me toast you!" Da Qi clinked glasses with Ding Jian and downed his drink in one gulp.
Li Zhigang clinked glasses with Daqi, and then with Ding Jian! Lunch was quickly finished.
Li Zhigang: "Boss Zhu, the bill!" The boss walked into the private room and said with a smile: "Captain Li, you're too kind! It's our honor that Captain Li can come to this humble restaurant for a meal. It's also rare for Brother Jian to come. This meal is on me. Why are you asking for the bill?"
Li Zhigang: "Boss Zhu, please don't do this. If you keep doing this, I'm never eating here again. So, how much?"
Boss Zhu: "This meal is on me, I'll pay next time. Captain Li, please give me, a businessman, face, this meal is on me!"
Li Zhigang smiled and said, "Old Zhu, you're treating us public officials to a free meal and drinks. We're going to be in trouble!"
Boss Zhu: "Look at what Captain Li is saying. Captain Li and Brother Jian are both my friends. What law did I break by treating you to dinner? Your organization has rules against eating and drinking for free, but there's no rule against accepting meals from friends. All three of you are my friends, my own people. It's not illegal or against discipline for me to treat my own people to dinner. And you haven't done anything wrong by eating my meal. It's just a meal, nothing. Captain Li, stop being so wishy-washy. It's settled then, no need to pay the bill!"
Ding Jian: "Brother Li, it's so kind of Old Zhu to buy from me again next time!"
Boss Zhu: "Brother Jian is right, Captain Li, let's do as Brother Jian says!"
Li Zhigang could only shake his head and exchange a few more jokes with Boss Zhu. Afterwards, the three of them returned to the traffic police brigade.
Hey, Tong Daqi knew perfectly well that people like Li Zhigang and Ding Jian often didn't have to pay the bill when they ate at restaurants. This was the reality in China, due to the rather "harmonious" relationship between the police and the public. For the next month or so, Li Zhigang took Ding Jian and Tong Daqi out to eat, visiting one of the twenty-odd hotels every day, and they never paid the bill. Every hotel owner greeted the three of them with smiles, especially Li Zhigang—after all, he was a high-ranking traffic police captain, with a lot of influence! So many people wanted to treat him to a meal but couldn't!
The details of what to eat over the next month are a story for another time; I'm just giving a brief overview here.
For three consecutive days, Ding Jian picked Daqi up from his company in the morning and took him to the city traffic police brigade, where he taught him how to drive.
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Section Reading 140
In the afternoon, Daqi first attended a theory lesson, and then Ding Jian taught him to drive. In short, the training car was exclusively for the two of them. Other students were learning to drive, but they shared one car and one instructor among many. Daqi knew in his heart that this was all due to Ding Jian's influence and Li Zhigang's connections. Li Zhigang was the boss here; with a single word from him, everyone below would be scrambling to curry favor. What was one training car to him? If needed, all three cars could be used by him and Ding Jian, but there was no need for that!
Tong Daqi didn't like being treated to food and drinks for free. He told Qiwen about Li Zhigang inviting him and Ding Jian to dinner.
Qiwen said, "I've met this Li Zhigang before. My dad is quite familiar with him. He's a nice guy. How about this, you invite him and Brother Jian to dinner this weekend, you can go to Cousin Jia Ran's place."
Daqi thought it was a good idea. On Saturday, Daqi invited Ding Jian and Li Zhigang to dinner at Jia Ran's "Three Sheep Bring Prosperity" Hotel. On Friday night, he called Jia Ran to tell her about it, and Jia Ran was naturally very happy. She was happy that Daqi called her, but of course, she also complained to him for a long time.
Jia Ran said on the phone, "You rascal, didn't you say you were coming to see me? Where have you been all this time?"
Daqi: "Cousin, I've been really busy lately, I'm not lying to you. I'll come to your hotel tomorrow, firstly to treat the two police officers to dinner, and secondly to see you! Don't worry, I've got you in my heart, how could I forget you, cousin?"
Jia Ran laughed and said, "You have a conscience after all. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow! Good night... wait... give me a kiss... hurry up!" Da Qi had no choice but to hide in the bathroom so that his four wives wouldn't see him. He gave his phone a loud kiss.
Jia Ran laughed on the phone, "That's more like it! Bye, go to sleep early! Say hello to Qi Wen and Mu Ping for me!"
Daqi smiled and said, "Thank you, goodnight! Bye-bye!"
Just as he hung up Jia Ran's call, the man's phone rang again; it was a text message from Chun Xiao.
Chunxiao: "Little brother, your sister Qianru and I miss you!"
Daqi: "Sister, I'll come see you the day after tomorrow. Don't worry, your little brother misses you too! The project has started recently, so I'm a bit busy!"
Chunxiao: "No matter how busy you are, you must come and see your two poor older sisters!"
Daqi: "Definitely, definitely! You two are both my beloved older sisters, I will definitely come to see you!"
Chunxiao: "The project has started. Is everything going smoothly?"