Ninety, Discontent

The wine was excellent, but it was a bit too upscale. Wouldn’t that be too extravagant for Section Chief Xiao? I am not particularly picky about liquor; ordinary Moutai would be fine.

The standard of this table of drinks was a little beyond Ji Guangrong’s expectations, so he naturally had to decline a bit.

“It is rare for General Manager Ji and his whole family to come. I should certainly show some sincerity,” Xue Zhenshan said.

He then turned to Ji Guangrong’s wife. “I have also prepared a few bottles of 1982 Lafite. If Director Yang and the ladies are not used to baijiu, red wine is fine too. Director Yang, would that suit you?”

“I heard a bottle of 1982 Lafite goes for more than eighty thousand on the market. Wouldn’t it be too much trouble for Section Chief Xiao to spend so much?” Ji Guangrong’s wife, Yang Xuemei, was the office director of a state-owned enterprise. She added lightly, “I also heard the total production of the 1982 Lafite was only about two hundred thousand bottles, and people say most of the 1982 Lafite in our country is fake. I don’t know the first thing about red wine, so I wouldn’t know how to tell.”

The Xue family were all displeased at this. Bai Yuzhen took up the thread and said, “Director Yang is too modest. One can tell at a glance that when it comes to red wine, you certainly know much more than I do. It is true that most of the so-called 1982 Lafite in our country is fake, but the bottles Lao Xue brought today were all obtained through proper channels. As for whether they are fake or not, once everyone tastes them later, it will certainly not escape the eyes of an expert like Director Yang.”

“Let me quietly tell everyone something else,” Bai Yuzhen said, her expression calm as she lifted her teacup and took a small sip, her manner elegant beyond comparison with the woman she had once been. “Old Xue still has a few bottles of Romanée-Conti tucked away somewhere. He treasures them so much I don’t even know where he keeps them.”

肖遥 was deeply impressed by what his mother had said. It seemed sending her to work at Huahui Bank had truly been the right move. In just a little over a month, her bearing had undergone a complete transformation.

Having been checked a couple of times, Yang Xuemei felt her face grow hot, and there was obvious dislike in the way she looked at Bai Yuzhen.

This Bai Yuzhen was nothing more than the wife of a minor section chief. It was one thing that she was prettier than her; that was natural and could not be helped. But the way she kept her expression indifferent, as if nothing mattered to her and nothing was worth taking seriously, was rather irritating.

She had only voiced a single skeptical remark, and the other woman had immediately mocked her. Who knew where she got the nerve? Was she not afraid that Old Ji would make life difficult for that Section Chief Xiao?

The atmosphere had become a little stiff, so Xin Chengyou hurriedly said, “Zhenshan, you’re really generous. You actually brought out 1982 Lafite. With wine this good, why should we drink Moutai? Though I do like Moutai, we certainly have to try this 1982 Lafite.”

“As long as you can hold your liquor, there will be plenty,” Xue Zhenshan said, neatly brushing off the earlier exchange.

He had already ordered some of the restaurant’s signature dishes in advance, and after asking everyone’s opinion, he added a few more.

The food arrived quickly, and before long half the table was covered.

The wine had already been decanted. After the waiter filled the men’s glasses with baijiu and the women’s with red wine, Xue Zhenshan said, “Since we moved, I’ve long promised everyone a good meal, but it kept being delayed until today. Still, a good meal need not fear a late hour…”

He had not finished when Ji Guangrong suddenly cut in. “Indeed, a good meal need not fear a late hour. Our family came to the restaurant today intending only to have a simple meal, but we didn’t expect matters to line up so perfectly. Being able to attend this gathering has made our whole family very happy…”

肖遥 had never much cared for Ji Guangrong. It was bad enough that the man had the nerve to come freeloading and drinking at someone else’s expense, but in such a private setting he still could not put aside his airs as a leader, even interrupting his father and trying to seize the opening remarks for himself. That was simply intolerable.

Today was a private banquet. As host, Xue Zhenshan was spending two or three hundred thousand yuan on drinks alone; his sincerity was beyond question. Having gone to such lengths, the opening toast should naturally be given by him. Even if Ji Guangrong was a superior at work, at a solemn private banquet like this he should not rush to deliver the opening remarks, especially when he had not even been invited by the host. Otherwise the meaning of the banquet would change entirely. It was the barest respect due to the host.

肖遥 gave Ji Guangrong a cool glance and cut in even faster, not giving him a chance to speak. “As long as General Manager Ji is happy, that is what matters. My father has put a great deal of thought into preparing for today’s banquet. Those two cases of Moutai are nothing; there is plenty more at home, and even if there weren’t, it could be bought at any time on the market. But these few bottles of 1982 Lafite were originally a gift from me to him, and I never expected my father to bring them here today. Just as Director Yang said a moment ago, most of the 1982 Lafite in the country is fake, and even if one has money and connections, it is still hard to buy in large quantities.”

Seeing that Ji Guangrong was about to speak again, Xiao Yao quickened his pace once more and did not let him interrupt. “Today’s gathering is not only to give everyone a chance to sit together, chat, and relax a little, but also to celebrate our family’s move into the new house. My father is also planning, once everything at home has been tidied inside and out, to choose a date and hold a grand banquet to entertain all of you at our home. At that time, please do honor us by coming.”

Xiao Yao waved toward Xue Zhenshan. “My father can hardly wait to speak. Now let us invite Mr. Xue Zhenshan to give the toast. Everyone, please welcome him.”

Aside from Ji Guangrong’s family, who seemed a little unwilling, the others all cooperated and applauded.

Xue Zhenshan knew all along that his son was not the sort to suffer quietly. Though his son’s forceful interruption had made Ji Guangrong lose face, the boy was still young, and the fact that he could speak with such skill was something he was very pleased with.

Ji Guangrong cared about appearances as well. Though quite displeased, he could not continue interrupting and seize the host’s right to give the toast. After Xue Zhenshan delivered the opening remarks, everyone began drinking the fine wine in their glasses, and with so many people present, the atmosphere quickly grew lively.

At Xue Zhenshan’s prompting, after the assembled guests raised their glasses together three times, he, as the host, was the first to offer a round of drinks.

When the host toasted the table, all the older guests, including Ji Guangrong, drank their glasses without delay.

When it came to Ji Guangrong’s son, however, the boy became particular and only took a small sip.

As the boy’s mother, Yang Xuemei was protective of her son and explained on his behalf, “Our Jijun doesn’t handle alcohol well. He usually drinks very little baijiu. Since today’s occasion is full of elders, he is embarrassed not to drink, but he also dares not drink too much. Jiajun has a light tolerance, so everyone please be understanding.”