Chapter 293

Just as Zhao Desan was letting his imagination run wild, Zhang Ailing smiled all over her face at this beautiful Department Chief Su and instructed him: "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, hurry up and pour wine for Department Chief Su."

On such an occasion, there was no need for Zhang Ailing to instruct him; Zhao Desan was extremely good at observing people's expressions. He was very skilled at pouring tea and wine. He hurriedly accompanied her with a smile, went over, poured a full cup of white liquor, held it up with both hands, and with a beaming smile, carefully presented it to Department Chief Su.

This mature woman glanced at him sideways, took the wine with one hand, and said quite politely, "Thank you, Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao."

"Department Chief Su, you are too polite." Zhao Desan said with a smile and retreated to the side.

This stunningly beautiful and charming Department Chief Su held the glass in one hand and casually tossed her curly hair. Between her gestures, she exuded the charming and moving temperament of a mature woman. She smiled faintly and said, "Bureau Chief Zhang, this Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao is from your Bureau, right?"

"Yes." Zhang Ailing nodded with a smile and explained, "Our Bureau's driver had something urgent, so I had him come over to fill in."

Department Chief Su seemed quite interested in Zhao Desan and continued to ask Zhang Ailing: "Bureau Chief Zhang, Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao is someone close to you, right?"

In official circles, anyone who is an attendant to the number one person is basically the most trusted person around them. Everyone in official circles knows this.

"Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao is in the Quality and Safety Section and is Section Chief Song's person. I just think he drives steadily, so I had him come over to fill in for the driver temporarily." Zhang Ailing explained with a smile and glanced casually at Zhao Desan. The look in her eyes was something only Zhao Desan and she herself could understand. It seems I'll have to serve her well again tonight, Zhao Desan thought.

Department Chief Su nodded as if she understood, raised her glass, and said, "Come, today Department Chief Liu is down here to inspect the work, and I've also come along to look around. It has delayed your normal weekend rest. I'll toast the three leaders of your Coal Bureau, and I hope you will forgive me."

Zhang Ailing, Wang Anguo, and Song Jihong raised their glasses at the same time. Zhang Ailing said politely, "Department Chief Su, look at what you're saying. A leader as big as you, being able to come all the way to Yuyang City despite your busy schedule, is not only the honor of our Bureau but also the honor of the entire Yuyang City."

Wang Anguo and Song Jihong said, "Yes, yes," and continued to flatter her.

"Bureau Chief Zhang, you really know how to talk. It is truly the good fortune of Vice Department Chief Li to have a capable wife like you. Heh, come, let's all clink glasses." This female Department Chief raised her glass and took the initiative to meet them.

The others hurriedly brought their glasses over and clinked them gently, immediately emitting a crisp sound. Several people raised their glasses and finished the wine inside, all with flushed faces and full of smiles.

Zhao Desan felt like a waiter standing on the side watching others drink and eat meat, while he only stepped forward from time to time to pour wine.

Watching these people acting like a bunch of sycophants toward this Department Chief Su, he was very curious: what kind of Department Chief in the Provincial Committee was this charming and alluring mature woman, and why was she so imposing that even a dignified Resource Department Chief respected her?

Everyone had finished their wine. He basically already understood the rank of everyone at this table. He started pouring wine one by one from highest to lowest. After putting down the wine bottle, he prepared to stand on the side again. However, this Department Chief Su noticed the existence of Zhao Desan and took the initiative to turn around and say to him, "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, you sit down too. We are all sitting, and letting you stand alone is so embarrassing."

"Department Chief Su, it's fine, you don't need to worry about me." He responded with a bow and a beaming smile, knowing that such a big official was just saying a polite word.

Who knew that this Department Chief Su was quite approachable and said with a faint smile, "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, don't be so restrained, sit down."

Zhao Desan still didn't dare to sit down. He looked at Zhang Ailing with his eyes, only able to follow her arrangements.

"Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, since Department Chief Su asked you to sit, then sit down." Zhang Ailing said with a smile.

Zhao Desan then felt relieved and, with a beaming smile, pulled out a chair and sat down, pouring himself a glass of wine. There is often such a scene at a wine table: everyone is chatting happily, and after a burst of laughter, everyone suddenly stops talking, and the conversation goes cold.

Zhao Desan seized this opportunity of silence after the laughter, raised his glass with both hands at the right time, stood up, bent over, and held the glass in front of the mature woman, Department Chief Su, opposite him, and said with a smile, "Department Chief Su, I... I would like to toast you."

When Zhao Desan raised his glass, he still had some concerns that this big official from the province would not give face to a small character like him. What made him feel relieved was that this big figure opposite him was not as heartless as he had imagined. Instead, she showed a charming smile in a very approachable way, picked up her glass, clinked it gently with his, and joked easily, "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, you should toast Department Chief Liu next to you. He is the Resource Department Chief and is specifically in charge of managing your Bureau. I don't have much to do with your Bureau, oh, heh..."

Liu Caodong raised his eyebrows and glanced at Zhao Desan disdainfully. His expression looked very scornful, and he laughed lightly, "Department Chief Su, don't you know that young people nowadays are all thinking about flattering leaders to climb up? Toasting you first is what they should do."

Zhao Desan drank the wine, put down the empty glass, and listened to Department Chief Liu Caodong's words. Looking at his expression, he knew that he had only toasted based on official rank, which made him unhappy. He hurriedly poured another glass of wine, raised it, and said with a smile, "Department Chief Liu, let me toast you."

Liu Caodong glanced at him reluctantly. With Organization Department Chief Su Jing present, he couldn't appear too arrogant. He picked up his glass slowly, held it with one hand, extended it gently, and touched the glass, which counted as giving Zhao Desan face. He said, "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, young people should be able to drink and toast the leaders more, you know?"

Zhang Ailing saw that Department Chief Liu seemed a bit unhappy because Zhao Desan didn't toast him first, as if he were deliberately making things difficult for Zhao Desan. So she smiled and helped him out of the situation, saying, "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao still has to drive later, so he doesn't dare to drink too much. Department Chief Liu, you, Vice Bureau Chief Wang, and Section Chief Song, you three big men should drink well. Department Chief Liu, you haven't been down here to look around for a while, so drink more today."

Liu Caodong said, "Old Zhang, this year Yuyang City's coal industry has made quite a few contributions to promoting the economic development of our Hexi Province. Your Yuyang City Coal Bureau has made an indelible contribution. You must maintain this good state and strive to take coal work to a new level." Speaking of this, Liu Caodong lowered his voice, looking a bit mysterious, and said, "I'll reveal some news to you in advance. Now the national environmental protection policy is gradually changing, and a series of new measures for the coal industry have been introduced. After the New Year, they are preparing to pilot the implementation in Shanxi Province. What will they implement? Reforming coal mines. Coal enterprises that have safety hazards and do not meet environmental emission standards will be handled seriously, and they will be reorganized and reformed... Perhaps in the near future, our Hexi Province will also carry out coal mine reform. And, it will be a massive reform. If there are any problems with Yuyang City's current coal industry, it is highly likely that this kind of reform will be accelerated. By then, this will not only be a fatal blow to your local coal bosses, but the impact on your Bureau will also be significant."

Several people from the Coal Bureau in the private room listened very carefully, and their hearts were also a bit nervous. If reform is carried out, it means that many mines in Yuyang City will be closed as a result. For the economic development of Yuyang City and even the entire Hexi Province, this will be a major step backward. Then, when the reasons are investigated, as the leading unit managing the economic lifeline, the Coal Bureau naturally cannot escape the blame.

Liu Caodong was just whispering in their ears to scare them. He was the number one person in charge of managing mineral resources in Hexi Province. If Yuyang City's coal work was done well, it would also be a bright political achievement for himself.

Liu Caodong and Zhang Ailing were talking about coal work. As a member of the Provincial Standing Committee and the Organization Department Chief, Su Qing's usual work was to promote and appoint leading cadres, so she was not interested in their conversation and felt a bit bored for a moment.

All of this was seen by the sharp-eyed and quick-handed Zhao Desan. Taking advantage of everyone chatting happily, he moved his chair closer to the side of this mature woman who was a bit attractive to him and said with concern, "Department Chief Su, I see you've drunk a bit too much. Shall I pour you some tea?"

When Department Chief Su was bored, Zhao Desan's active greeting made her impression of this young man much better. She nodded with a smile. Zhao Desan then accompanied her with a smile, stood up, took the empty teapot to add water outside, came in, poured her a cup, carefully presented it with both hands, and reminded her with concern, "Department Chief Su, be careful, it's a bit hot."

Department Chief Su smiled and took the water cup, took a small sip, put down the cup, asked him to sit down, and asked him how old he was and whether he was married. She was quite concerned about him. Being so interested in a small character like him, a big figure like her made him feel a bit flattered.

After drinking two more rounds of wine, Department Chief Su's cheeks became flushed, and her eyes looked a bit unfocused. She said, "Old Liu, Old Zhang, you continue drinking. I'm a bit dizzy and want to rest." As she said this, she was about to stand up.

Zhao Desan hurriedly stepped forward to support her arm and urged, "Department Chief Su, take it slow."

Zhang Ailing saw that this Department Chief Su really didn't have much of a drinking capacity, even less than her own. After only four glasses of wine, her face was already flushed, and her eyes were unfocused. Since she was a big leader from the province, she didn't dare to make things difficult for her, so she said with a smile, "Alright, alright, Department Chief Su, I have already arranged a room for you. I will have Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao drive you there."

"Hmm, it's fine, just have Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao take me. You guys keep Department Chief Liu company."

Zhang Ailing nodded and instructed Zhao Desan: "Comrade Comrade Xiao Zhao, Guomao Hotel. When you get there, find the front desk. The room has already been arranged. You must send Department Chief Su into the room!"

Zhao Desan nodded, secretly happy. Such a charming mature woman, and also a big figure from the province—being able to unexpectedly have individual contact with her, perhaps this big figure would remember him. If there was something to ask for in the future, she might have some impression of him.