Chapter 48: Are You Here to Propose a Toast?
Cheng Yuan’s words greatly boosted the relatives’ spirits. Xiaoyuan was right—why should their family have to put up with this kind of bullying?
But no one dared to speak. After all, Wu Renqing’s career was on the line.
Liu Yongxiang was absolutely furious. At the Construction Bureau, he was used to walking all over everyone. This was the first time he’d ever been so humiliated!
"Chief Wu, let go of me! This private room of yours—I guess our Director Gao isn’t worthy of using it!"
Wu Renqing was about to lose his mind. ’This Cheng Yuan is going to be the death of me!’
"Secretary Liu, please don’t be angry! Xiaoyuan is drunk and talking nonsense. We’ll leave! We’ll leave right now!"
Cheng Yuan retorted mercilessly, "Uncle, the dishes haven’t all been served, and the wine hasn’t even been poured. I’m not drunk. You there—Secretary Liu, is it? Don’t look at me like that. I’m not a three-year-old, and I don’t scare easily. I’m putting my foot down: I don’t care who your boss is or who he’s hosting. Today, my grandfather is the most important person here! If you want to commandeer our room, fine. You can quietly wait until we’ve finished eating and celebrating my grandfather’s birthday. Stop trying to throw your weight around with me!"
Cheng Yuan’s words were so full of backbone, so unyielding. Everyone, except for Wu Renqing’s immediate family, was so moved their faces flushed red, and they subconsciously clenched their fists!
Now that’s a real man!
’So it turns out the one with the most backbone in their family is Cheng Yuan!’
Wu Renqing, trembling with anger, bellowed, "Xiaoyuan, how dare you speak to Secretary Liu like that? Apologize! Apologize to Secretary Liu right now!"
Cheng Yuan laughed. "Someone should definitely apologize, but it’s not me. It’s him, Secretary Liu! We booked this room in advance to celebrate my grandfather’s birthday. What right does he have to make us leave?"
Just then, several stern-faced, middle-aged men walked into the private room. The man in the lead was none other than Gao Qiming. He frowned at Liu Yongxiang.
"I could hear you all arguing from a distance! You can’t even handle a small matter like this? Xiaoliu, I’m very disappointed in you!"
In front of his master, Liu Yongxiang put on a deeply aggrieved expression. "Director, I came over and tried everything, reasoning and pleading, but Chief Wu’s family just refuses to leave. They even said that they wouldn’t leave even if the emperor himself showed up!"
Gao Qiming looked coldly at Wu Renqing. "Chief Wu, is that so?"
Wu Renqing’s expression changed instantly. He bowed and scraped repeatedly. "A misunderstanding, it’s all a misunderstanding. It’s just a kid with a difficult personality. I’ve already talked him around, I’ve talked him around."
"If you’ve talked him around, why aren’t you leaving? Are you waiting for me to buy you dinner?"
"We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare!"
Gao Qiming’s expression softened slightly. He patted Wu Renqing’s shoulder and said, "It’s a special situation today. The guest arriving shortly is the City Lord’s secretary. I’m afraid we have to impose on you."
’The City Lord’s secretary? He represents the will of the City Lord himself!’
If he offended Gao Qiming, the worst that could happen was a transfer to another department. But if he offended the City Lord’s secretary, his career in all of Luocheng would be over.
Wu Renqing broke out in a cold sweat!
"Director, we’re leaving right now!"
Having made his position clear, Wu Renqing hurried over to Cheng Yuan and reached out to pull him away.
Unfortunately, Cheng Yuan had already opened his Ren and Du Meridians. He was now a Grandmaster. Forget Wu Renqing; not even an ox could move him.
Cheng Yuan remained motionless, looking at Gao Qiming with a deadpan expression. "The beam at the top is crooked, so the one at the bottom is warped. No wonder his secretary came in here acting like a thug. Now I get it."
This was the first time Gao Qiming had ever been described in such a way. He trembled with rage, pointing a finger at Cheng Yuan, unable to utter a single word for a long moment.
Gao Qiming swore to himself that even if he had to pull every string he had, he would make this insufferably arrogant brat pay!
At that very moment, Wu Fei finally arrived.
Liu Yongxiang, with his sharp eyes, was the first to greet him. "Secretary Wu, you’ve arrived?"
Wu Fei just gave a slight nod.
Gao Qiming quickly suppressed his anger and, along with his subordinates, eagerly hurried forward. "Secretary Wu, we’ve been so looking forward to your arrival!"
Wu Renqing’s face paled. ’Secretary Wu is here! If Director Gao complains to him, I’m completely finished!’
The surrounding relatives were even more terrified, not daring to speak. The City Lord’s secretary was really here. ’This has gotten serious!’
Only Cheng Yuan’s expression remained calm.
Wu Fei paused for a second. "Director Gao, Director Qian, what are you all doing here? Are you also here to propose a toast?"
Propose a toast?
Gao Qiming and his subordinates were stunned. For a moment, they couldn’t figure out why Wu Fei would say such a thing.
With that, Wu Fei walked smilingly toward Cheng Yuan and proactively extended a hand. "Brother Cheng, I’m not late, am I?"
Cheng Yuan stood up, shook Wu Fei’s hand, and smiled. "Of course not."
Stunned!
Everyone was utterly stunned!!
They stared blankly at Cheng Yuan and Wu Fei, their minds unable to process what was happening.
Secretary Wu was the City Lord’s secretary. He represented the will of the City Lord himself and was one of the most powerful figures in Luocheng! How could a man of his stature know a former convict?
This was just too illogical, wasn’t it?
"Xiaoyuan, Secretary Wu, this..."
Wu Renqing felt like his brain was short-circuiting; his words were becoming incoherent.
Cheng Yuan looked smilingly at Wu Renqing. "Uncle, didn’t I tell you earlier? I had a friend coming to propose a toast to Grandfather. Are you going to welcome him or not?"
Huh?
’Xiaoyuan’s friend is Secretary Wu?’
This...
Wu Renqing’s face flushed beet red. Just moments ago, he had been condescendingly lecturing Cheng Yuan not to associate with any and all riffraff.
Only a few minutes had passed, and now he was getting slapped in the face, hard!
’If Secretary Wu is considered riffraff, then what does that make a person like me?’
"Welcome, of course, you’re welcome! For Secretary Wu to come and propose a toast to the old man is an honor for our family!"
After speaking, Wu Renqing personally poured a glass of wine for Wu Fei and handed it to him with the utmost respect.
Wu Fei smilingly accepted the glass, strode over to the old man, and said in a clear voice, "Old Sir, this junior, Wu Fei, would like to offer you a toast! I wish you good health and a long life!"
With that, Wu Fei tilted his head back and downed the glass of wine in one go.
Only then did Cheng Yuan’s relatives finally accept reality!
’Secretary Wu really is Xiaoyuan’s friend! He really did come to propose a toast!’
What an incredible display of face!
The relatives were incredibly excited. All the pent-up frustration and gloom from before vanished, and they began to cheer in unison.
"Secretary Wu can really hold his liquor!"
Ever since Liu Yongxiang appeared, the old man had worn a grim expression and hadn’t said a word. Only now did a smile finally appear on his face.
"Good lad! This old man will drink this toast!"
The old man raised his glass and drained it in one gulp!
Wu Fei gave a thumbs-up. "The old man is as vigorous as ever! What capacity!"
Cheng Yuan’s relatives felt completely vindicated, but Gao Qiming and Liu Yongxiang were now on pins and needles. They never could have imagined that the distinguished guest they had worked so hard to invite would have such a good relationship with the other party.
If that guy surnamed Cheng were to lodge a complaint, and Secretary Wu casually put in a bad word with the City Lord, they would be finished!
Wu Fei turned his head and looked at Gao Qiming and the others with mild curiosity. "Director Gao, weren’t you here to propose a toast? What are you just standing there for?"