Chapter 248

The car door closed, and the people under the car looked at each other for a moment, expressions of disdain appearing on their faces.

Zhang Xiaoyan sat next to Zhao De, keeping her head down and speechless after being talked to by him, her face flushed. Being with Zhao De, who held evidence of her illicit affair with Wang Anguo, she had no confidence at all.

"Hey, Zhang Xiaoyan, when are you and Deputy Director Wang going back to Yuyang?" Zhao De asked her. Seeing that Zhang Ailing and Wang Anguo were not leaving with Vice Mayor Yu, it looked like they were going to eat here before leaving. Zhao De asked while looking around for Ma Lan's shadow, but after looking twice, he still couldn't find her.

Zhang Xiaoyan raised her head slightly, looked at him with a flustered expression, shook her head gently, and said: "I... I don't know when we're going back. I'll listen to the leader's arrangements."

"You do whatever the leader arranges?" Zhao De smiled devilishly. That expression, which begged for a beating, truly made Zhang Xiaoyan angry, but she didn't dare scold him. She could only endure it and retort: "Don't you do whatever Director Zhang arranges for you?"

Zhao De was calm, smiling "Hehe" unhurriedly, and said: "Comrade Xiaoyan, I'm just filling in for Li Shanshan as secretary for Director Zhang, but it's different for you coming with Deputy Director Wang. Your relationship... heh heh... better not say it!"

"Zhao De! You!" Zhang Xiaoyan was so angry that she straightened her face and glared at him, saying half a sentence. She originally wanted to say "Shameless!" but held it back. With a handle in his hand, she could only try to go along with him as much as possible now, rather than going against him. She didn't want to end up with both sides suffering.

"What about me? Go ahead and say it." Zhao De asked her flirtatiously, deliberately provoking her. He loved seeing this usually quiet girl get angry.

"You... if I can't afford to offend you, can't I hide from you!" Zhang Xiaoyan really didn't want to get angry with him, so she turned her face away and pouted, ignoring him.

Just then, the host of the groundbreaking ceremony walked past Zhao De. Zhao De stopped him and asked in a low voice: "Why can't I see the boss of Xinmao Mining anymore?"

"Oh, President Ma? She left after attending the groundbreaking ceremony."

"Oh..." Zhao De nodded. So that was why he couldn't find Ma Lan. She had already left without even saying goodbye to him. Could it be that their relationship was really broken just like that? Zhao De felt a bit regretful, took a deep breath, and felt a sense of emptiness in his heart. He wasn't in the mood to tease Zhang Xiaoyan beside him anymore, so he lit a cigarette and smoked it melancholically, watching Director Zhang, Wang Anguo, and a large group of people chatting away on the side.

After Zhao De finished smoking a cigarette, Zhang Ailing waved at him from afar, signaling him to come over.

Zhao De threw away the cigarette butt and stood up. Zhang Xiaoyan asked: "Where are you going?"

"The leader is calling me." Zhao De walked straight and quickly toward Zhang Ailing. At this time, Zhang Xiaoyan's phone also received a message from Wang Anguo, telling her to come over.

So Zhang Xiaoyan waited until Zhao De had walked far away before getting up and walking toward Wang Anguo in a panic. She knew that if she stayed alone with Wang Anguo, she definitely wouldn't be able to escape his clutches.

Zhao De came to Zhang Ailing and asked with a smile: "Director Zhang, what instructions do you have?"

Zhang Ailing was chatting and laughing with Lin Dafa. Lin Dafa smiled: "Xiao Zhao is now a favorite by Old Zhang's side. Old Zhang takes you wherever she goes."

Zhang Ailing explained with a smile: "Xiao Li was sick today, so I let Xiao Zhao come with me."

"The young man is talented and promising. Old Zhang, you must cultivate your younger generation well."

"That's for sure. Old guys like Old Wang and me will retire sooner or later. The organization will examine them and prepare them," Zhang Ailing said nicely, showing a look of great care for her subordinates.

"Xiao Zhao, then you must follow Director Zhang well, perform well, and let Director Zhang promote you. The time is almost up. I've arranged a banquet. Old Zhang, give Old Wang and me some face and go have a meal."

"Then I won't be polite."

A group of people sat in seven or eight cars, led by Lin Dafa's Mercedes 600. After driving on the country dirt road for more than twenty minutes, they arrived at a villa in a tourist area. In order to entertain the leaders at the city, county, and township levels after today's groundbreaking ceremony, he had already booked the entire villa.

The convoy stopped at the square in front of the villa. A group of people got off the cars and followed him into the villa's banquet hall. The guests spontaneously sat at several tables according to their rank.

Lin Dafa and his son Lin Jianyang accompanied Zhang Ailing, Wang Anguo, Zhao De, and Zhang Xiaoyan—the four people who had come down from Yuyang City—to sit together. Zhao De had met Lin Jianyang when he accompanied Ma Lan to Shenfu County to discuss land acquisition and demolition work last time. Sitting at the table, the two looked at each other and greeted each other with a smile.

The people from the Shenfu County Party Committee, government, and People's Congress sat together spontaneously. Town Mayor Wang of Baishui Town naturally sat at a table with several town leaders and several invited small coal mine bosses.

Before the banquet started, Lin Dafa took a glass of wine, stood up, and said passionately: "Thank you to Director Zhang and Director Wang of the Yuyang City Coal Bureau, as well as County Magistrate Li and Town Mayor Wang of our Shenfu County, and the leaders at the city, county, and township levels and other peers for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of my Lin Dafa's Heihe Coal Mine. Thank you all. I, Lin Dafa, toast everyone a glass!" After speaking, he raised his glass, looked up, and drank it all in one gulp. "Everyone eat well, drink well, and have fun today."