Chapter 1950: Chapter 2013: Strangers Across the Table
"It’s still not working, we’re all trembling with fear. Nowadays, the authorities are strict, there are so bribes you simply can’t take, so things you simply can’t do!" ng Qingyou intentionally boasted, his words naturally carrying an air of superiority, sothing Wen Dagang was used to, or at least forced himself to get used to, while Li Yifei just slightly frowned.
"Usually, nothing happens; it’s only those without anyone higher up who get unlucky. I rember, Qingyou, you have a very good relationship with the District Committee Secretary." Wen Dagang spoke as if he understood everything.
ng Qingyou laughed heartily, suddenly turned solemn, and said, "You shouldn’t say things like that so casually. Alright, Dagang, let’s not talk about this anymore."
After speaking, ng Qingyou looked at Li Yifei and said, "Old Li, you have quite the na."
"Oh? In what way?" Li Yifei responded blandly.
Wen Dagang chid in, "Your na is just like mine; it sounds ordinary."
"Not the sa. Dagang, your na is just a na, but the three characters Li Yifei are not ordinary in our Mile City," ng Qingyou said mysteriously. Wen Dagang looked puzzled, but Li Yifei already knew what he was about to say, so he just chuckled lightly.
"How is it not the sa?" Wen Dagang continued to ask.
ng Qingyou replied, "Do you know who the richest man in our province is?"
"The richest in the whole province?" Wen Dagang thought for a mont, shook his head, and said, "I do know the richest man in our city."
ng Qingyou tapped the table and said, "Old ng, you’re a bit out of touch. The richest man in Mile City is also the richest in the province; they’re the sa person."
"Wow, really? That’s amazing; our Mile City is just a second-tier city in the province, and yet we have the richest man in the whole province!" Wen Dagang exclaid in admiration.
ng Qingyou chuckled and said, "Of course. This richest man in the province is real, with no falsehood."
"Then... what does that have to do with Old Li, his na?" Wen Dagang asked again.
ng Qingyou explained, "Our province’s richest man is also nad Li Yifei. How’s that for a good na? A relative of mine just had a baby, and his dad nad him ng Yifei, hoping to ride on the richest man’s fa."
"Damn, that’s aweso!" Wen Dagang instinctively looked at Li Yifei, not able to connect the two, just thinking the na was impressive, so he said to Li Yifei, "Turns out I’m sitting next to the richest man in the province. Haha, Old Li, don’t forget to help a brother out when you rise to the top."
"Sure," Li Yifei nodded with a smile, while a mocking look appeared on ng Qingyou’s face as he said, "Not everyone can be the richest. Old Li, there’s no hope for you in this lifeti!"
"Oh? Why is there no hope for ?" Li Yifei asked.
ng Qingyou then said, "You’re not part of the system; you don’t understand. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Do you know how impressive that Li Yifei is? He’s soone who has access to the highest levels. Without that kind of identity, even if he had all that money, he couldn’t keep it. Not to ntion if there’s no one backing him, even a district chief or vice mayor could take away half of what he has."
Li Yifei agreed; if he wasn’t impressive and capable, who knows what would be happening now. Capital may be king, but authority is the supre ruler that controls everything. So he nodded, and ng Qingyou said proudly, "So there’s no hope for you. Even if you could earn that much money... Of course, now that Li Yifei has so much money, he doesn’t know how to spend it. Soone calculated that even if he threw away ten thousand every second, he still wouldn’t spend it all in this lifeti!"
"Damn, really? What if he threw away a million every second?"
"That would be sixty million a minute, three hundred and sixty million an hour..." ng Qingyou paused, knowing the Li family was already in the trillions, but if he kept throwing money away like that, he could lose it all. Li Yifei interjected, "Then it would be gone in a few days. But I really don’t know how he could keep throwing money away like that."
This person is a bit unpleasant, and his words aren’t very nice.
ng Qingyou, unaware, continued speaking on his own, insinuating that if it weren’t for Li Yifei’s political background, all that money would be useless, and it wouldn’t be as practical as being a deputy director like himself. Unfortunately for him, the other Li Yifei not only had money but also power, and it was said that even the top leaders had to pay attention to him.
Anyway, the kind of words coming out of ng Qingyou’s mouth gave Li Yifei another perspective, one from another official’s viewpoint. As for the lack of respect, Li Yifei ignored it; he never thought everyone had to respect him, nor was it necessary. Words were, after all, in other people’s mouths.
As ng Qingyou finished his grand talk, he concluded with a sentence, "So, Old Li, there’s no hope for you in this lifeti."
"Haha, what if the richest man is sitting right next to you?" Wen Dagang patted Li Yifei on the back and laughed as he spoke.
"How is that possible? You think I haven’t seen Li Yifei?" ng Qingyou looked at the two with disdain.
"What, you’ve seen Li Yifei?" Wen Dagang asked in surprise.
Li Yifei squinted his eyes and said, "You know Li Yifei?"
"I wouldn’t say I know him, but I have indeed seen him. He’s quite impressive, very young, and really sothing!" ng Qingyou said proudly.
Oh, then your eyesight must be really bad, Li Yifei thought to himself. Wen Dagang was already giving a thumbs up, praising, "You’re impressive too, to even know the richest man!"
"I’m not that great, just a bit impressive. Compared to the real big shots, I’m far off." ng Qingyou shook his head, then looked at Li Yifei and said, "You two look nothing alike. Richest man Li is young and handso, with an aura of a king. You can feel there’s a halo over his head from afar!"
Li Yifei burst out laughing silently, thinking, so I’m a deity with a self-brought halo. He said, "Aren’t we all just people? How could there be a halo?"
"That’s just my way of describing it. That’s called aura; what you have is ordinary, can’t be compared."
"Alright, I get it. eting you today, I’ve really learned sothing." Li Yifei said.
ng Qingyou took this as a complint, so he nodded with a smile and said, "Well, we could say we’ve t now. If you need anything in the future, you can co to
at the District Committee office."
The dishes were served one by one. Wen Dagang ordered two bottles of good white spirit, the kind that cost over a hundred each. Clearly, for the sake of his daughter’s matter, he was willing to spend.
"Forget the alcohol; I drove here, so I won’t drink." ng Qingyou refused.
Wen Dagang was a bit urgent, glaring and saying, "What do you an... Qingyou, weren’t you just drinking? Why can’t you drink now?"
"I have plans later tonight. If I drink too much, I won’t be able to handle it!" ng Qingyou said with a mischievous grin, not at all shy, and since Wen Dagang didn’t understand, he just said, "I’ve just secured a hot young model, and if I drink too much, I won’t be able to manage."
If you don’t drink, how can I ask for my favor, Wen Dagang thought bitterly, still persuading, "Well, drink a little. If needed, I’ll drive you over later, a little drink doesn’t hurt."
Only then did ng Qingyou agree, while when it ca to Li Yifei he generously filled his own glass, and Wen Dagang did the sa. With drinks and dishes ready, Wen Dagang raised his glass and said, "Thanks to Qingyou for coming, and also to Old Li, for being here. We haven’t seen each other since elentary school, over twenty years, eting again is not easy. I’m the oldest here, let’s take a big drink together."
Li Yifei nodded, while ng Qingyou curled his lips into a slight smile, a form of agreent.
Li Yifei and Wen Dagang each took a big gulp, whereas ng Qingyou rely sipped. It’s not that he couldn’t drink; in that position, how could his tolerance be poor? He just didn’t feel it was worth drinking like Li Yifei and others, so he just had a taste. Besides, in his eyes, this alcohol wasn’t that good, the taste was way off.
Li Yifei downed half the glass in one go, and Wen Dagang had only drunk a third. After glancing at Li Yifei’s glass, Wen Dagang took a deep breath and took another big sip to catch up to Li Yifei’s pace, then patted Li Yifei, saying, "Old Li, you’re sothing."
As soon as he said that, ng Qingyou felt a bit uneasy and said, "What, I drink less, so I’m not sothing?"
Wen Dagang realized he misspoke again, quickly trying to make up for it, "I didn’t an that, hey, Qingyou, you know I’m not good with words, don’t take it seriously."
"Forget it, I won’t drink anymore tonight. I know you need sothing from , just say it. We’ve been friends for so many years; if I can help, I certainly will." ng Qingyou laid it out directly, making Wen Dagang a bit embarrassed to say it. Originally, he planned to get ng Qingyou drunk and then bring it up, thinking it’d be more effective. Yet, with ng Qingyou not drinking much, how could he bring it up?
Li Yifei chuckled to himself as he helped himself to the dishes, watching ng Qingyou glancing at his watch and saying, "It’s getting late, if you don’t speak up, I’m leaving."
"Hey, wait, I’ll speak." Wen Dagang reached out to stop ng Qingyou, holding his wine glass with slightly more strength, drained the remaining white spirit in one go, and then said, "I do have a favor to ask. My niece is about to reach school age, but my hukou is in Nongcun Village..."
Wen Dagang explained the situation. ng Qingyou listened expressionlessly. When Wen Dagang finished, he didn’t imdiately respond but kept his eyes down for a long ti before saying, "Dagang, we’ve been friends for all these years, I won’t push you. I’ll help you inquire about it later. This matter falls under the Education Bureau, and below that is the District Education Bureau. I don’t really know anyone there!"
Saying he’d inquire later, essentially, the words ’I don’t know anyone’ amounted to a tacit refusal. Even as slow as Wen Dagang might be, he understood, feeling a bit anxious, he said, "Qingyou, you must help
out, otherwise it’s really tough for the kid to go to school every day, and the quality at that school is really poor!"
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