Zhuang Rui was too lazy to associate with such self-important people, and kept raising his glass to Wu Zhao and Ren Chunqiang. Both of them were from the north and had a good capacity for alcohol. In no time, they had finished two bottles of Moutai.
"Bring two more bottles of Moutai, and um, the 1995 vintage too..."
Zhuang Rui was quite happy with his drink today. He majored in archaeology, mainly because he wanted to combine practice with theory and look at the development and inheritance of Chinese antiques from different perspectives.
During his conversation with Ren Chunqiang and others, Zhuang Rui learned a lot about the knowledge of using archaeological expertise to identify unearthed cultural relics, and some of the theories were ones he had never encountered before. This greatly interested Zhuang Rui, and after finishing two bottles of wine, he immediately asked the waiter to bring more.
"Xiao Zhuang, that's enough. If you drink any more, you won't be able to leave. This car won't be able to move..."
Dr. Ren offered Zhuang Rui some advice. Actually, he was fine with alcohol, but he was worried about the cost of the drinks for Zhuang Rui. If they had two more bottles of 1995 Moutai, the cost of the drinks alone would be close to 10,000 yuan, and the whole meal would cost more than 10,000 yuan.
"Hey, Brother Ren, even if we don't drink now, we can't drive. Let's take a taxi home today and come back to pick it up tomorrow..."
Zhuang Rui hadn't drunk with friends his age for more than half a year. Everyone else had a job, and he was the only one with nothing to do. It was rare to meet someone he could chat with today, so he naturally wanted to drink to his heart's content.
Hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Ren Chunqiang didn't try to persuade him any further, but asked curiously, "Little Zhuang, what kind of business are you doing out there? It seems like you're doing quite well..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this and replied, "Hehe, I'm just an antique dealer. I opened a shop in Panjiayuan, selling things like the Four Treasures of the Study. It's not much of a business. Well, I'm back in school now..."
Zhuang Rui didn't want to talk about the museum. In Beijing, besides relatives and employees, there weren't many people he could talk to like Ren Chunqiang and Wu Zhao. Zhuang Rui didn't want his status to become an obstacle to communication between them.
Jiang Yi, who had been flirting with Kan Yuhan ever since they started drinking, suddenly said after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, "Yes, Xiao Zhuang, your choice is right. Although there was a saying years ago that selling tea eggs was better than being a professor, you still can't get by without culture. If you want to stay at the forefront of society, you have to keep enriching yourself..."
Zhuang Rui could still understand what Dr. Jiang was saying, and he didn't find Dr. Jiang's address of "Little Zhuang" so offensive anymore. However, what Dr. Jiang said next made not only Zhuang Rui frown again, but also Dr. Ren and the others look at Jiang Yi with a different expression.
"Xiao Zhuang, take you for example. You're the owner of an antique shop now. I know a bit about this antique business; it's a very deep and murky place. If you don't keep improving yourself, you might make a mistake one time and lose everything..."
Everyone present was an adult, and they could naturally distinguish between well-intentioned advice and gloating. Everyone could see that when Jiang Yi said those words, he had an expression that said, "You'll be like this sooner or later."
"Heh, the person in this world who can fool me hasn't been born yet..."
Zhuang Rui's expression remained unchanged, but his words sounded arrogant to everyone. Without explaining, he raised his glass and said, "Come on, Xiao Wu, Brother Ren, let's have another drink. These days, there are just too many people who think too highly of themselves..."
Zhuang Rui is alright in other aspects, but when it comes to appreciating antiques, no one in the antique circle dares to say that their level is higher than Zhuang Rui's. Even those seniors in their sixties and seventies wouldn't dare to make such a boast.
"You...you..."
Dr. Jiang was so embarrassed by Zhuang Rui's veiled insult that her face turned red. She looked like she was about to get angry but was also worried about being laughed at in this situation. She looked like a wronged little wife, feeling very aggrieved.
"Ah? Come on, Xiao Jiang, have a drink, have a drink..."
Dr. Ren knew that Jiang Yi was a bit petty, so he immediately tried to smooth things over, saying, "Xiao Zhuang, what Xiao Jiang said makes sense. Better safe than sorry, haha..."
Zhuang Rui finished his drink and said with a smile, "Thank you, Brother Ren, I know..."
People talk differently. The same sentence can make someone feel comfortable or furious in a different way. Ren Chunqiang's years of experience in society are far beyond what Jiang Yi, a novice PhD, can compare to.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui and Jiang Yi didn't argue, Ren Chunqiang felt relieved. After drinking a glass of wine, he looked up and saw a familiar face. He quickly stood up and greeted him, "Director Xie, you're eating here too..."
Ren Chunqiang's actions drew the attention of Zhuang Rui and the others. The man was about forty years old, slightly overweight, and was unpacking a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes he had just taken from the counter. He was also scolding a waiter next to him, saying that there was no one left in the private room and that he had to come and get the cigarettes himself.
"You are... Oh, you must be Dr. Ren? Professor Meng's student, hello, hello..."
After a moment's hesitation, Director Xie recognized Ren Chunqiang, walked over and shook hands with Dr. Ren, his attitude somewhat lukewarm.
"Director Xie, hello, I'm Xiao Jiang. I met you before with my teacher..."
Not knowing who this Director Xie was, Jiang Yi, Wu Zhao, Kan Yuhan, and the others all stood up. Zhuang Rui didn't recognize the person and hadn't originally planned to get up, but seeing that everyone else had stood up to greet him, he stood up out of politeness as well.
"Oh, I remember, Dr. Jiang is here too. Please come and give us guidance more often in the future..."
Director Xie was spouting meaningless words when he glanced around at everyone at the table. When he saw Zhuang Rui, he suddenly paused.
Chapter 779 I'll do it, you can do as you please.
Director Xie is the director of the General Affairs Department of the Museum Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Culture. Although this is not a high-ranking official position, his responsibilities are significant. Whenever there is an application for a private museum or a transfer of personnel in a national museum, the initial report always ends up on his desk.
As the saying goes, "It's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings," which perfectly describes Director Xie. Although he is only a division-level cadre, he can still cause serious trouble in Beijing, but in the national museum system, Director Xie is a figure with extensive connections and influence.
Ren Chunqiang and others got to know Director Xie because last year, Professor Meng had a national-level scientific research project that required the cooperation of the Museum Department. That's how the two sides met. However, Director Xie only made an appearance at the celebration party after the project ended; the work was all done by his subordinates.
Ren Chunqiang and the others all knew that Director Xie was difficult to talk to. Jiang Yi had even privately asked him for help, but he was rebuffed and was not even allowed to enter the other's home.
"Yes, yes, I'm Xiao Jiang. Director Xie, you still remember me? I must offer you a toast..."
Dr. Ren's job placement was decided last year. Informing Director Xie was merely a matter of politeness. However, Jiang Yi and the others were different. They knew that with just a word from Director Xie, they could choose any job they wanted in museums across the country.
It's important to know that archaeology students usually return to work at archaeological institutes in their respective provinces. Although the conditions and benefits are good, it's nothing compared to staying in Beijing.
Therefore, when Jiang Yi saw Director Xie, his face was filled with surprise and joy, a stark contrast to the arrogant expression he had when speaking to Zhuang Rui earlier.
"Alright, since we've met several doctors, let's have a drink..."
Upon hearing Jiang Yi's words, Director Xie hesitated for a moment before turning his gaze away from Zhuang Rui and nodding in agreement.
Jiang Yi was overjoyed at the sight and quickly gave up his chair, ran to an empty table next to him, moved a chair, and sat down next to Director Xie.
"Director Xie, let me toast you. I'll drink it all, please feel free to drink as you like..."
Seeing that Director Xie, who is usually difficult to talk to, was giving him such face today, Dr. Jiang quickly poured him some wine, changed to a large glass for himself, filled it to the brim, and downed it in one gulp.
"Damn it, using my buddy's liquor to do a favor..."
Zhuang Rui was a little annoyed. Just now, when Ren Chunqiang asked this kid to drink, Jiang Yi was still holding back, saying he had to drive later. Now he's a completely different person. Judging from his attitude, even two more bottles of Moutai wouldn't be enough.
"Hmm, Little Jiang has a good alcohol tolerance..."
Director Xie nodded, touched the cup to his lips, and seemed a little absent-minded.
What others might not know, Director Xie was filled with doubt and uncertainty at that moment. Was that young man really the big boss of Dingguang Museum?
From the application to the approval of Dingguang Museum, Director Xie only acted as an assistant; the rest was handled by his superiors. However, this did not prevent him from obtaining certain information: Dingguang Museum was a private museum that the ministry was focusing on supporting.
The situation in Beijing was complex, and Director Xie didn't pay much attention to it at the time. No matter what, the Museum Administration Bureau was just a department-level unit, and there were plenty of people in Beijing who had the power to control them.
Director Xie, thinking he could avoid trouble if he couldn't afford to offend them, naturally gave the green light to all the procedures for the Dingguang Museum. He had no choice but to give the green light; if the documents were sent over a little late, he would be reprimanded by the bureau chief.
When the Dingguang Museum opened, Director Xie was invited to attend the opening ceremony. He was initially quite critical of the person who received him, who was only a deputy curator. However, when Minister Ouyang arrived at the opening ceremony, Director Xie realized that the museum was far more complex than he had imagined.
It's worth noting that even for the opening of a national-level museum, it's customary for the deputy head of the ministry to attend the opening ceremony. This is just a private museum, yet it has alarmed the head of the ministry, so you can imagine its background.
Later, Director Xie inquired and learned that Zhuang Rui was the nephew of a high-ranking minister. So after the museum opened, Director Xie made several trips to the Dingguang Museum, hoping to get to know Zhuang Rui, but unfortunately, he never met him.
On the opening day, Zhuang Rui was extremely busy and naturally had no time to deal with a minor bureaucrat. However, Director Xie had memorized Zhuang Rui's appearance. Just now, upon seeing him, he felt that he looked familiar. He only remembered him after sitting down, but Director Xie was still not sure.
It's not that Director Xie was blind; Zhuang Rui was wearing a suit and tie that day, and even styled his hair, while now he's just wearing a plain white shirt and trousers, and having spent some time in Tibet, he's gotten quite tanned—a stark contrast to his appearance at the museum's opening. ...
After Jiang Yijing finished his drink, Ren Chunqiang and the others also stood up to toast Director Xie. Even Kan Yuhan drank a small cup of baijiu. Being able to build a good relationship with this powerful director would be of great benefit to their future employment.
These days, even PhDs have a hard time finding jobs. It's not just domestic PhDs; overseas returnees are flocking back to China in droves. And frankly speaking, most people who get a PhD come from families without money or connections.
People from wealthy families can start their own businesses after completing a bachelor's degree. If their parents are insightful, they might go abroad to get a degree. If they have connections, they would have entered government agencies long ago. As for academic qualifications, there is adult education available now.
So people like Jiang Yi, Wu Zhao, and Kan Yuhan, who are considered the pride of heaven by others, are actually struggling to find jobs because of their low educational background. That's why they are working so hard to get a better future.
To be honest, whenever Director Xie is with these privileged individuals, he feels an indescribable sense of superiority. He's just a high school graduate who later obtained his associate's and bachelor's degrees. You masters and doctors, don't you still have to be subservient to him?
"Xiao Zhuang, aren't you going to offer Director Xie a toast?"
After the round of drinks was finished, only Zhuang Rui remained at the table, sitting there casually, eating shark fin soup that looked like vermicelli, showing no intention of toasting Director Xie.
Jiang Yi had just drunk about three ounces of baijiu, and now that he was feeling the effects, he couldn't help but say, "Xiao Zhuang, you're just a master's student now. Even we PhD graduates have to take orders from Director Xie. Don't be so disrespectful. Hurry up and toast Director Xie..."
Zhuang Rui frowned upon hearing this, looked up and glanced at Jiang Yi with some annoyance. "I'm older than you, and you're far less experienced. So what if you have a higher degree? How dare you lecture me?"
"Director Xie, right? Please sit down and have something to eat. Hmm, make yourself at home, no need to fuss..."
Zhuang Rui didn't want to embarrass Jiang Yi in front of outsiders, since Jiang Yi was Professor Meng's student after all. He raised his glass to Director Xie, then put it down and started eating again.
Zhuang Rui didn't like dealing with these petty bureaucrats. If it weren't for the fact that Ren Chunqiang and others respected Director Xie, he wouldn't have bothered to say a word.
"Xiao Zhuang, you..."
When Jiang Yi saw Zhuang Rui's attitude, he was furious. He had gone to great lengths to get Director Xie to sit down, and now he was just making things difficult for himself.
Although Ren Chunqiang and the others didn't say anything, they also felt that Zhuang Rui was being a bit presumptuous. After all, the other party was older and held a higher position than Zhuang Rui, so wasn't this extremely impolite?
Actually, this is also a matter of human psychology. If Director Xie had said that greeting to Zhuang Rui, it would have been perfectly natural. On the contrary, it would have been seen as disrespectful.
But those people present didn't seem to realize why Zhuang Rui should respect the other person. He wasn't Zhuang Rui's guest; they were only saying hello out of consideration for a few classmates.
"Excuse me, are you Zhuang Rui, Teacher Zhuang?"
Just as Jiang Yi was pointing at Zhuang Rui, about to teach him some principles of conduct, he suddenly heard Director Xie's voice.
"Zhuang...Zhuang, still...Teacher?"
Several big question marks popped into everyone's heads, and Jiang Yi even swallowed back the words that were already on the tip of his tongue.
The PhDs were all quite old and very knowledgeable. They knew that in society, "teacher" was a respectful title, generally referring to someone worthy of learning from in a certain field. Originally, it referred to elderly and senior scholars, but the use of "teacher" in schools came later.
However, after drinking with Zhuang Rui for a long time, none of them saw anything about him that was worth learning. The words "old and experienced" did not apply to Zhuang Rui at all. So when they heard what Director Xie said, they were all astonished and opened their mouths wide.
"I'm Zhuang Rui. I don't deserve to be called a teacher. Director Xie, just call me Xiao Zhuang..."
Zhuang Rui was a little puzzled. He only had a reputation in the antique circle and had no connection with the government official in front of him. How could the official know him?
"You deserve it, you deserve it. Professor Zhuang's scholarship and character in the field are widely recognized. I even went to your museum to learn a while ago, but I didn't get to meet you..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's admission, Director Xie's excitement was palpable. He immediately changed to a different glass, poured it a full three or four ounces of liquor, and said, "Professor Zhuang, if there's any opportunity in the future, please come to our department to guide our work. If there's anything we haven't done well enough, please point it out... This glass is my toast to you. I'll drink it all, please feel free to drink as you please..."
Director Xie's words left Jiang Yi and the others completely dumbfounded. The words Jiang Yi had just spoken to Director Xie were now being used verbatim on Zhuang Rui, with such a respectful attitude that it was as if Zhuang Rui was forty years old and Director Xie was just a kid.
Chapter 780 Director Xie (Part 2)
"Director Xie, you're too kind. I'll have it too..."
Zhuang Rui wasn't some naive kid. As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face. If he were arrogant when others were so respectful, that would be truly ignorant of the ways of the world. So he downed the wine in his glass in one gulp.
When Director Xie saw that Zhuang Rui was giving him face, he couldn't help but show his delight. After downing a glass of wine, he coughed a few times, then generously emptied the glass by turning it upside down to show that he had finished drinking.
Director Xie's action left the people around him even more confused. Someone like Director Xie would only do such a thing in front of his own superiors, right?
Seeing that Director Xie was drinking quite heartily, Zhuang Rui asked, "May I ask where Director Xie works?"
Actually, it was a bit impolite to ask such a question, but Zhuang Rui was also a little tipsy at the moment and spoke rather casually. Besides, there weren't that many rules at the dinner table.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Director Xie quickly took out his business card and handed it to Zhuang Rui with both hands, saying, "Professor Zhuang, this is my business card. Please come visit me sometime. I personally enjoy collecting antiques, and I hope you can appraise them for me in the future..."
Given Zhuang Rui's status, Director Xie should actually address him as General Manager Zhuang. However, since he considers himself part of the antique circle, calling him "teacher" would make their relationship seem closer.