Just then, the door to the private room was hurriedly pushed open again. It turned out to be Manager Huang from the hotel. He said, "Mayor Lu, Young Master Zhang has arrived. Hurry up and come out to greet him. What are you still doing sitting there?"
Lu Yalong jumped up. Zhang Lingfeng was a more important person than his own father.
(Thanks to Baicai灬Shuchong for the 588 coins reward, thanks to book friends o8112314572829o and Id问天 for the coin reward, and thanks to Zhongnan, book friends 513195352, boyingnei1, and Fengzhisai for the monthly ticket support)
Volume 2 [608] Toasting
【6o8】Toasting
Zhang Lingfeng whistled as he walked down the hotel corridor with his hands in his pockets. Female waitresses in uniforms passed by him from time to time. At most, Zhang Lingfeng would pretend to touch their butts, which would earn him a few playful curses in return. He didn't mind, though. He wouldn't dare to act recklessly in this place, otherwise Xu Xiaoya would kick his butt. Although it wasn't a direct property under Xu Xiaoya's name, the ownership still belonged to Jiayuan Investment Company.
Manager Huang was standing at the service desk on the floor. He saw Zhang Lingfeng from afar and ran over. "Young Master Zhang, it's been a long time."
Zhang Lingfeng cursed, "Damn it, what's with the official talk? Didn't we have drinks here the day before yesterday?"
Manager Huang chuckled awkwardly, "A day apart feels like three autumns, you know."
Zhang Lingfeng stepped back, "I don't like doing this with men."
Manager Huang laughed heartily: "Young Master Zhang is indeed a wonderful person, his words are so funny. Come, come, let me introduce you to someone this time. He is also a generous person, Young Master Zhang will definitely like him."
Zhang Lingfeng asked, "How's your alcohol tolerance?"
Manager Huang said, "I'd definitely risk my life to accompany you."
Zhang Lingfeng said, "Alright, I was just worried about not having anyone to drink with. I've been busy with meetings these past few days and haven't been able to find anyone to drink with."
Lu Yalong and his family of three stood outside the private room to greet them. As for Gong Shijie, Lu Yalong had already sent him to eat with the old farmers in the next room. It wasn't that Gong Shijie was low-class; Lu Yalong was just afraid that he might do something that would offend Zhang Lingfeng.
Manager Huang introduced, "This is Mayor Lu Yalong." Manager Huang whispered in Zhang Lingfeng's ear about the province and city where Lu Yalong was located. Zhang Lingfeng nodded. It was a pretty good economic city. It was worth getting to know such a mayor.
Lu Yalong stepped forward and grasped Zhang Lingfeng's hand, saying, "Young Master Zhang, I have long admired your name. Meeting you today, I can see you are indeed a dragon among men. This is my wife, Liu Fang, and this is my daughter, Lu Chun Chun. Chun Chun, quickly call him Brother Feng."
Lu Chun Chun stepped forward shyly: "Brother Feng." Her voice was very sweet and coquettish. In the end, Lu Chun Chun was not a pure person. Although she was a little uncomfortable doing this, she did not resist.
Zhang Lingfeng narrowed his lustful eyes. This Lu Chun Chun was dressed very innocently, truly living up to her name, "pure"—at least in Zhang Lingfeng's opinion. Stroking his chin, Zhang Lingfeng asked, "Sixth Sister has a boyfriend?"
Lu Chun Chun glanced at her father, and Lu Ya Long said, "Of course not. Let's just pretend the neighbor doesn't exist."
Zhang Lingfeng chuckled, "Come on, let's go inside and talk. The key is to drink. Mayor Lu, this is your treat since you're new to Beijing." Lu Yalong pretty much understood what Zhang Lingfeng was up to; he was clearly very pleased with his daughter.
Lu Yalong said, "How can that be? This meal must be on me."
Zhang Lingfeng said, "Mayor Lu, don't be so polite. I'm not short of money right now." This was the absolute truth; Zhang Lingfeng's daily worry was how to spend his money.
Manager Huang tried to smooth things over: "Please don't argue, gentlemen. This meal at the hotel is on the house. Please drink to your heart's content. Young Master Zhang is a regular here, and Mayor Lu is new to the capital. How about I do something for you?"
Zhang Lingfeng pointed at Manager Huang and said, "You bastard, are you trying to embezzle public funds again?"
Manager Huang didn't blush at all and said, "How could that be? I paid for it myself and I would never take advantage of the company."
There was no need to argue over a meal, so everyone went inside and sat down. Zhang Lingfeng naturally took the seat of honor, while Lu Chun Chun was seated next to him. Liu Fang and her husband sat opposite each other. The dishes were served quickly, and Lu Chun Chun poured wine for Zhang Lingfeng. Zhang Lingfeng grinned and stared at her. This kind of woman might not be his ideal type, but he wouldn't refuse if he could have her, because Zhang Lingfeng was originally an arrogant and domineering playboy.
Next door, Gong Shijie sat at the farmer's table feeling very uncomfortable. It wasn't that he was shy, but he felt his status and position had been insulted. Unfortunately, the person who insulted him was Lu Yalong, so Gong Shijie could only endure it. Fortunately, a more beautiful and elegant woman was sitting opposite him, so Gong Shijie brazenly looked at her, thinking to himself, "Lu Chun Chun, you shameless slut, you actually agreed to your father's request to be with another man. Fine, I'll make you a cuckold."
Gong Shijie raised his glass and gestured towards Xu Xiaoya across the table: "Sister Xu, I'd like to toast you. It's fate that we met, and it's even more fortunate to have the opportunity to dine with you at the same table. I hope you won't refuse my toast."
Xu Xiaoya stood up and said, "We are very grateful that Young Master Gong could take time out of his busy schedule to have dinner with us on behalf of your girlfriend's family. I'll drink this one down." With that, Xu Xiaoya downed the drink in one gulp; this amount of alcohol was nothing to her.
Gong Shijie was delighted to see that Xu Xiaoya had agreed to drink. He thought to himself, "Great, I'll get you drunk. Anyway, your boyfriend isn't here. Once you're drunk, I'll have a way to take advantage of you."
Gong Shijie downed his drink in one gulp: "That was great! Sister Xu is truly a heroine. Here, let me refill your glass." With that, Gong Shijie carried the bottle and glass to Xu Xiaoya's side and sat down. He didn't leave after refilling her glass. If he continued to drink with Xu Xiaoya across the table, what advantage could he possibly gain?
Zhao Tiancheng and Zhao Weidong drank their own wine, while Gong Shijie ignored them. They didn't dare to drink with Gong Shijie either. However, seeing that Xu Xiaoya had drunk five cups of baijiu in no time, Zhao Weidong secretly worried. He thought to himself that he must have his son talk to his wife when he had the chance. It's not a good thing for a woman to drink so much.
Gong Shijie's tongue was a little slurred. He thought that if he drank one more glass, Xu Xiaoya would pass out. But as he drank glass after glass, she didn't pass out, while he himself was almost done. "Sister Xu, you really have a good capacity for alcohol," Gong Shijie said with a silly grin, giving her a thumbs up.
Xu Xiaoya said, "Young Master Gong, you're too kind. It's no fun just the two of us drinking. Why don't you go and call your girlfriend and her parents over, and we can all have a drink together?"
Mentioning his girlfriend, Gong Shijie's expression changed. He'd temporarily forgotten his worries while drinking, but now he was thinking about Zhang Lingfeng again. Was Zhang Lingfeng already in Lu Chun Chun's arms? The thought made his heart ache. He jumped up and said, "Okay, I'll go call them." He was just looking for an excuse to go in and check. Fueled by alcohol, Gong Shijie dared to challenge even the emperor.
With a bang, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open. Lu Yalong frowned. Who was so bold and impolite as to push the door open without permission? Zhang Lingfeng was also a little surprised. Logically speaking, the hotel staff would not dare to do such a thing.
Gong Shijie staggered in, and only when he saw Lu Chun sitting there properly did he feel relieved. As soon as he felt relieved, Gong Shijie regretted his impulsive arrival. Sure enough, he saw extreme displeasure in Lu Yalong's eyes. Gong Shijie quickly said, "Mayor Lu, the guests over there have invited you to come over. I have already declined for you several times, but I really can't refuse anymore. Why don't you go over and offer them a toast?"
Liu Fang had also been thinking about this matter, so she took the opportunity to say, "Yes, Ya Long, go and offer a toast before you come back. Let Chun Chun stay here to keep Young Master Zhang company."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yalong immediately stood up and said, "Alright, let's go over and offer a toast. Young Master Zhang, please sit for a moment. There are still a few guests over there. I'll be right back."
Zhang Lingfeng pointed at Gong Shijie and said, "Your secretary is really rude, barging in without knocking."
Lu Yalong looked embarrassed and glared at Gong Shijie, saying, "Did you hear that? Go back and reflect on your actions!"
Seeing that Lu Yalong was really angry, Gong Shijie sobered up a bit and said repeatedly, "I understand, Mayor Lu."
Lu Yalong winked at Lu Chun Chun: "Chun Chun, keep Zhang Shao company." Then Lu Yalong pulled Gong Shijie up and pushed him to the door, afraid that Gong Shijie might do something inappropriate.
Lu Chun Chun was extremely anxious. She understood why her father had suddenly gone out to toast; wasn't it to create an opportunity for her to be alone with Zhang Lingfeng? Now that there was no one else in the private room, what should she do? Should she actively seduce Zhang Lingfeng? But would that be appropriate? Would he think she was promiscuous? If she didn't seduce him, what if he made advances towards her? Should she go along with him or reject him? She was truly in a dilemma.
Liu Fang led the way, with Lu Yalong following behind. Gong Shijie kept his head down, not daring to speak, because his sudden entry into the private room was too impulsive. If Mayor Lu got angry, he feared he would suffer the consequences.
Fortunately, Lu Yalong didn't get angry on the spot, and Gong Shijie breathed a sigh of relief. Little did he know that Lu Yalong was actually grateful to him at this moment, because his sudden intrusion had created an opportunity for Zhang Lingfeng and Lu Chun Chun to be alone together. Moreover, Zhang Lingfeng had just been drinking, and now, under the influence of alcohol, he might make a move on his daughter. As long as Zhang Lingfeng was interested in his daughter, then his plan would be almost done.
Liu Fang was the first to enter Zhao Weidong's private room. She said, "Brother Weidong, Uncle Zhao, Yalong and I have come to toast you. We are grateful for your help back then, and this drink is to thank you."
Lu Yalong walked in and sat in the most conspicuous spot. Gong Shijie hurriedly poured him more wine. He glanced at it and said, "Tell the waiter to change it to Wuliangye. Moutai would be even better. Can I drink this kind of wine? How come you still don't understand my temperament?"
Gong Shijie hurriedly opened the door and called in a waiter: "Change our liquor to Moutai."
The waiter, of course, wouldn't refuse; why not generate more revenue for the hotel? Xu Xiaoya said, "Mayor Lu has a special fondness for Moutai, unlike us, who are content with just having some to drink."
Lu Yalong had no liking for this group, so he said somewhat sarcastically, "Different social classes naturally have different pursuits. If I were like you, who would use all the luxury goods that China produces every year?"
At this moment, the waiter came in with the wine. Gong Shijie, trying to curry favor, snatched the wine and poured it for Lu Yalong. He only poured Lu Yalong a glass of Moutai, while the others' glasses remained the same.
Lu Yalong picked up his glass and said, "Have a drink, everyone. I have important business to attend to and can't stay any longer." With that, Lu Yalong expressionlessly drank the wine in his glass, as if everyone present owed him tens of thousands of dollars. He put down his glass, stood up, and left without even saying goodbye, showing his contempt for the people in the room.
Bang! Lu Yalong was walking too fast. He rushed out as soon as he opened the door and bumped into someone coming from the opposite direction. Both of them were walking in a hurry, and the collision made them both cry out in pain. Lu Yalong immediately started cursing: "Are you blind?" At this moment, he thought it was a waiter, so it was only right to curse him.
Unexpectedly, the other party was also quite aggressive, and immediately retorted, "Are you blind? Where do you think you are?"
Volume 2 [609] Bless Us
Please wish us well.
Lu Yalong touched his forehead, which looked like it had a bump. He was furious: "Where do I belong? Are you some kind of gangster?"
"You insulted my mother?" Yang Shiqi was furious. If this man hadn't come from Zhao Qiang's parents' private room, she would have pulled out a gun and shot him dead. She had been in such a rush changing clothes today that she hadn't brought her armor; otherwise, this collision would have given him a real beating.
Lu Yalong said, "So what if I cursed your mother..." Suddenly Lu Yalong stopped talking because he realized that the other party was actually a soldier, a very beautiful female soldier. Women who can be soldiers are not simple. Lu Yalong did not dare to be too arrogant. After all, this was not his territory, so he swallowed back what he was about to say. He was no fool to become mayor. He just spoke without thinking because he was in so much pain from being hit.
Although Lu Yalong swallowed his words, Yang Shiqi was still offended. Her chest heaved with anger, and she turned around and opened the door to the private room. She saw Xu Xiaoya sitting intimately with Liu Huilan. Yang Shiqi shouted, "Hey, who is this person surnamed Xu?"
Xu Xiaoya looked up and saw that although Yang Shiqi had a bad temper, they had gotten along well over the years. Why did she seem so angry today? Had Lu Yalong offended her?
Xu Xiaoya said, "Him? He's just a mayor. He's just the husband of Uncle Zhao's friend."
Yang Shiqi glanced at Zhao Qiang's father, and immediately wilted. She could only swallow her anger and obediently entered, then slammed the door shut, blocking Lu Yalong outside. Although Lu Yalong was angry, he had insulted a female soldier, so he had gained the upper hand rather than suffered a loss. Considering she was a soldier, he didn't intend to continue the argument. He turned and took his wife to the bathroom to cool off, wanting to give his daughter and Zhang Lingfeng more time.
Yang Shiqi respectfully stepped forward to greet Zhao Weidong, Zhao Tiancheng, and Liu Huilan. Since she was the one who went to greet these three people, everyone was familiar with them. Liu Huilan even said, "Girl, come and sit here with me."
Yang Shiqi was naturally very happy and plopped down on the other side of Liu Huilan. Xu Xiaoya smiled at her, and Yang Shiqi glared at her. Xu Xiaoya said, "Shiqi, your temper has become gentler lately."
Yang Shiqi said, "You mean I used to have a bad temper?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "I remember you used to never let others take advantage of you."
Yang Shiqi glanced at Zhao Weidong and the others, then said to Xu Xiaoya, "I was just worried that someone might take advantage of the situation, so I can't hold it against them. By the way, where's Zhao Qiang?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "He went out on some business, but he should be back soon."
Yang Shiqi picked up the serving chopsticks and put some food on Liu Huilan's plate: "Auntie, you should eat more. Zhao Qiang and I have something to discuss with you later."
Liu Huilan asked, "Oh, what is it?"
Yang Shiqi said somewhat awkwardly, "Zhao Qiang hasn't told you yet, right? Here's the thing: we've been dating for a while now, and we're planning to get engaged while you and Uncle Zhao are in Beijing."
Xu Xiaoya was dumbfounded. How could she have imagined that Yang Shiqi would pull such a stunt? Before, everyone had a great understanding and never mentioned marriage. They got along better than sisters. But suddenly, everyone started using their own methods. Were they all falling in love? Or did they all start making plans because of the appearance of Zhao Qiang's parents?
Liu Huilan was even more surprised than Xu Xiaoya. She looked at Yang Shiqi, thinking how handsome the female officer was. She thought it would be great if her son could marry a wife like her. But then she looked at Xu Xiaoya, whose noble and elegant demeanor was even more pleasing. She thought it would be even better if her son married her.
Liu Huilan said to Xu Xiaoya, "What... what was she talking about? Wasn't it you and Zhao Qiang who were talking?"
Before Xu Xiaoya could explain, Yang Shiqi interjected, "Auntie, it's like this, we all like Zhao Qiang, and we're competing fairly, Xiaoya, don't you agree?"
What else could Xu Xiaoya say? Because Yang Shiqi and the others hadn't made things difficult for her before, she had never seriously considered them as rivals in love. Little did she expect that she had raised a tiger that would turn on her; now someone was going to attack her.
Liu Huilan pointed at Xu Xiaoya and Yang Shiqi and said, "My son likes you two? And you like him too? When did he become so capable? If that's the case, I'll be holding my grandson by now."
Yang Shiqi said, "Auntie, don't worry, I promise to give you a big, fat grandson."
Xu Xiaoya secretly made a shy gesture to Yang Shiqi and muttered, "Have you no shame? You even talk about having children with such arrogance."
Yang Shiqi said, "For love, I don't care about being shameless. Auntie, what do you think of me?"
Liu Huilan said, "The girl is quite lively and energetic, but it's not good for a mother to interfere in matters of the heart, so you two should talk to my son if you have any issues." Liu Huilan was clever and knew how to stall for time.
Yang Shiqi said, "Zhao Qiang said he would marry me, Auntie. My parents are in Beijing. Why don't you two meet?"
Liu Huilan hesitated, "This isn't right. I've already promised Xiaoya. If I promise you too, wouldn't I be ungrateful? Girl, you should leave. I'm already very content with Xiaoya as my daughter-in-law." Suddenly, Liu Huilan changed her stance, and Yang Shiqi's face darkened, while Xu Xiaoya became happy. It seemed that her efforts to persuade Liu Huilan hadn't been in vain.
"Where's Zhao Qiang? I need to find Zhao Qiang," Yang Shiqi said absentmindedly, realizing that she could only turn to Zhao Qiang for justice.
Xu Xiaoya felt sorry for Yang Shiqi, but she knew she couldn't be soft-hearted now, or she would give her husband away to someone else. So she hardened her heart and said, "Shiqi, I know you love Zhao Qiang, but you should know that Zhao Qiang and I are the rightful spouses. I beg you, please bless us, okay?"
Yang Shiqi slammed the chair back and staggered out. Zhao Weidong stared blankly, unsure what to do. As a man, he couldn't offer any advice, but seeing his good daughter heartbroken over her son's situation, he couldn't bear it. Zhao Tiancheng shook his head repeatedly, muttering, "The old society was better. My grandfather had two wives and a concubine back then."
Yang Shiqi left the private room, her mind in turmoil. What should she do? Zhao Qiang's mother had clearly rejected her. Zhao Qiang was so filial; if he had known the outcome, he would have followed his mother's wishes. Moreover, Xu Xiaoya was interfering. Did that mean there was really no hope between her and Zhao Qiang?
Yang Shiqi casually leaned against the wall and started sobbing. She was originally a straightforward girl who could never hide her thoughts, so how could she possibly control herself when it came to such a serious matter as her feelings?
With a creak, Yang Shiqi shifted her body. It turned out that she wasn't lying on the wall, but on the door of the next private room. The door had been slightly ajar, and Yang Shiqi's movement had pushed it open, revealing the situation inside. Facing the door, the main guest was a man, and next to him sat a girl. The man was touching the girl's thigh, while the girl looked down, seemingly at a loss. It appeared that the two were getting quite carried away.
The creaking of the door startled the couple inside. The man quickly withdrew his hand, and the woman sat up straight. The man didn't see who came in, and given his temper, he blurted out, "Damn it, who is it? Can't you see I'm having a good time drinking?"
Yang Shiqi looked up and was secretly amused. Zhang Lingfeng, what was this guy doing next to Zhao Qiang? And he even dared to curse her! She was just looking for a place to vent her anger. Without saying a word, Yang Shiqi rushed up and pushed Zhang Lingfeng. Zhang Lingfeng was caught off guard and fell backward, the chair shattering with a crash.
Although Yang Shiqi was a woman, she had received rigorous military training. After shoving Zhang Lingfeng to the ground, she kicked him with her high heels, yelling, "I'll kick you to death! I'll kick you to death!"
Lu Chun Chun was stunned. Someone actually dared to beat Zhang Lingfeng like that! Although she didn't fully understand Zhang Lingfeng's strength, she could tell from her father's attitude that Zhang Lingfeng was a heavyweight, yet he had been beaten. Lu Chun Chun jumped up and ran outside, shouting, "Help! Help!"