Chapter 3030

The man with triangular eyes reacted quite quickly. Upon seeing Ma Laosi's wink, his usual arrogant and domineering demeanor immediately changed. He understood and chuckled, nodding to Zhao Desan and Shuanzhu to show his acknowledgment, and said: "Then it really is 'one doesn't get to know each other without a fight', haha." As he spoke, he walked forward and extended his hand, saying: "Director Liu, hello, hello."

A real man knows when to bend and when to stretch. Zhao Desan appreciated such people, so he also extended his hand, shook it, and said: "Hello, brother."

The man with triangular eyes shook hands with Zhao Desan and then extended his hand toward Shuanzhu. Shuanzhu didn't dare to be negligent, quickly grasped the hand of the man with triangular eyes with both hands, and apologized with a fawning smile: "Brother, I'm really sorry about today. I was blind, and I hope you, brother, will be the bigger person and not take it to heart. I apologize."

"Not at all, not at all. It was my fault today. I didn't know you were a friend of Director Liu. I apologize to you, brother." The man with triangular eyes was quite good with words and said with an apologetic smile.

Seeing that the few of them had exchanged pleasantries, Ma Laosi said: "Alright, Triangular Eyes, brother Shuanzhu wants to invite us to a meal this noon, and with Director Liu accompanying us, this is a rare opportunity. You arrange it at a decent hotel nearby, and Director Liu and the others and I will follow shortly."

"Alright, Fourth Brother, I'll go handle it right away." The man with triangular eyes nodded and left the private room.

"Let's focus on our business first, we'll talk about the mahjong parlor later." Zhao Desan answered Zheng Jie's question while moving his hands all over Zheng Jie.

Zhao Desan nodded, and the three of them came out of the teahouse and took two separate cars to a very luxurious restaurant nearby. The man with triangular eyes and two other brothers were already waiting at the restaurant entrance. As soon as the cars arrived, they trotted over and respectfully opened the car doors, welcoming Zhao Desan and Ma Laosi out of the cars.

Shuanzhu got out of the car and saw the restaurant, which looked magnificent from the outside. He couldn't help but widen his eyes. This country bumpkin had never been to such a high-end restaurant to eat; this was his first time. After following Zhao Desan into the restaurant, he kept looking around, examining the decoration. The magnificent interior made Shuanzhu feel as if he had walked into a palace. He had only seen such places on television. After coming to such a place in person for the first time, he was almost stunned, especially after staring at the crystal chandelier on the dome of the lobby for a long time. He actually caught up two steps to Zhao Desan's side and said with a naive smile: "Big Brother, look, this place is like a palace. It's too high-end."

Hearing this remark from Shuanzhu, the man with triangular eyes and Ma Laosi, who were accompanying Zhao Desan, couldn't help but giggle secretly. Although the two didn't laugh out loud, Zhao Desan could tell from their expressions that they were sneering at Shuanzhu. This made Zhao Desan feel very embarrassed. He smiled slightly awkwardly and said to Ma Laosi: "Fourth Brother, don't laugh. This brother of mine is from the countryside and hasn't seen the world."

Hearing Zhao Desan say this, Shuanzhu realized he had embarrassed Zhao Desan, so he quickly smiled awkwardly and said: "Yes, yes, I've never been to such a place before. This is my first time."

Zhao Desan was almost driven to laughter and tears by this guy. He gave him a fierce sidelong glance and then smiled awkwardly at Ma Laosi.

Fortunately, Ma Laosi was a smart guy and wouldn't easily make these officials unhappy. He was extremely eloquent and said: "Haha, I, Ma Laosi, was the same the first time I came to a place of this grade. Everything has a first time."

Zhao Desan nodded with a smile and, surrounded by a group of people, arrived at a magnificent VIP private room. The cold dishes were already set, and the drinks were already in place.

Originally, Zhao Desan had brought Shuanzhu to apologize to Ma Laosi today, and according to the rules, this meal should have been arranged by him. This made him feel a bit embarrassed for a moment.

"Director Liu, please sit down, sit down." Ma Laosi greeted Zhao Desan politely. "Brother Shuanzhu, sit down too."

Zhao Desan nodded with a smile and said politely: "Fourth Brother, Brother Triangular Eyes, everyone sit down. We're all our own people, why be so polite."

Hearing Zhao Desan say they were all their own people, Ma Laosi was stunned for a moment, then chuckled and said: "Yes, yes, brothers, sit down. Why be so polite? We're all our own people."

After the group sat down, Zhao Desan looked at the sumptuous lunch on the table and said to Ma Laosi with some embarrassment: "Fourth Brother, look, this meal at noon should have been arranged by me, Xiao Zhao. Now that you've arranged it, Fourth Brother, I really feel a bit bad."

Ma Laosi smiled politely and said: "Director Liu, look at how polite you are. We're all brothers; isn't a meal just a meal? Whoever arranges it is the same. Besides, Director Liu is not familiar with the New District, and I, Ma Laosi, am familiar with this place, so it's more convenient for me to arrange it." As he spoke, Ma Laosi instructed the man with triangular eyes: "Triangular Eyes, hurry up and pour the wine for Director Liu and all the brothers."

The man with triangular eyes nodded, obediently picked up the bottle of Wuliangye on the table, opened the cap, got up, and walked around to Zhao Desan's side. According to the rules, he started from the person with the highest status among those present and poured wine for everyone at the table before returning to his seat.

Ma Laosi looked and saw that everyone's glass was filled with wine. He picked up his glass and said with a smile: "Today, Director Liu being able to come here in person to eat with us makes me, Ma Laosi, feel very flattered. For this glass of wine, I think we should all toast Director Liu together, don't you think?"

At Ma Laosi's suggestion, the others also raised their glasses in unison toward Zhao Desan.

Helplessly, Zhao Desan raised his glass and chuckled: "Fourth Brother, for this first glass, let's drink a reunion toast. Don't all toast me; we're all brothers, why be so polite?" The greatest specialty of this guy Zhao Desan was that he was very good with words. Moreover, after several years of experience in the officialdom, he was already at ease in different situations, saying what people wanted to hear when meeting people and what ghosts wanted to hear when meeting ghosts. Just like this, sitting and drinking with these people from the underground world, he began to call them brothers.

"Yes, yes, Director Liu is right. Then brothers, let's drink a reunion toast with Director Liu together. Come, cheers." Ma Laosi nodded, agreeing with Zhao Desan's words. As he spoke, he pushed his glass forward and clinked it with Zhao Desan's glass.

For a time, glasses clinked against each other, and amidst the clinking, crisp sounds were made. Everyone raised their necks, and a glass of wine was downed in one gulp.

Just after putting down the glass, the man with triangular eyes got up with great awareness and took the wine bottle to pour wine for Zhao Desan. Seeing that Ma Laosi's subordinate was so aware, Zhao Desan glanced at Shuanzhu, who was sitting beside him like a wooden man, and felt quite helpless. He couldn't help but mutter in his heart: Hey! You idiot, when will your brain ever become flexible! Although he was complaining about Shuanzhu in his heart, Zhao Desan admired the honesty and simplicity that Shuanzhu still retained as a country person. In fact, the more honest and kind such a person was, the more worth it they were to be friends with.

While the man with triangular eyes was pouring the wine, Ma Laosi took a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes from his body, opened it, bowed, and handed one to Zhao Desan, saying with a smile: "Director Liu, have a cigarette first."

Zhao Desan quickly took the cigarette. As soon as he put it in his mouth, the lighter of the man with triangular eyes was brought to his mouth, and he said with a fawning smile: "Director Liu, come, light it up."

Zhao Desan nodded with a smile, lit the cigarette, took a puff, and said with a smile: "This is the first time I've eaten with you, Fourth Brother. It's really a coincidence. If it weren't for the conflict between Brother Shuanzhu and Brother Triangular Eyes today, Fourth Brother, I'm afraid we wouldn't have had this opportunity to eat together."

Ma Laosi nodded with a smile and said: "That's true, that's true. Director Liu, you are usually so busy with work, how could you have such leisure? But it really lives up to that saying, 'one doesn't get to know each other without a fight'. This shows that I, Ma Laosi, and Director Liu really have a fate, haha..."

Zhao Desan exhaled a puff of smoke, nodded with a smile, and then greeted everyone: "Fourth Brother, everyone, let's eat. Let's chat while we eat."

Ma Laosi said: "Yes, yes, everyone eat. Pick up your chopsticks." As he spoke, he picked up his chopsticks and greeted Zhao Desan to eat quickly.

After Ma Laosi and Zhao Desan picked up their chopsticks, the others picked up their chopsticks and started eating. While eating and chatting, the atmosphere was extremely relaxed and pleasant, without any of the gunpowder smell from when Ma Laosi took people to the mahjong parlor to find Shuanzhu in the morning.

After eating a few bites, Zhao Desan glanced sidelong at Shuanzhu, who was sitting beside him. This guy was coming to such a high-end place for the first time and seeing a table full of delicacies for the first time. His eyes were already shining, and he was using his chopsticks like a starving ghost, shoveling meat into his mouth in large mouthfuls. Zhao Desan knew that with this guy's honest and simple style, if he didn't remind him, he definitely wouldn't take the initiative to toast Ma Laosi and the man with triangular eyes to apologize. Therefore, Zhao Desan kicked the calf of Shuanzhu, who was lowering his head and gorging himself.

Shuanzhu felt someone kick his leg. He looked down, saw it was Zhao Desan's foot, raised his head, looked at Zhao Desan with confusion, and said: "Brother, why are you kicking me?"

Zhao Desan was almost speechless with anger at this guy. He looked at him with a mix of laughter and tears, then glared at him fiercely, scanned his glass with the corner of his eye, and then scanned Ma Laosi, signaling him to toast Ma Laosi quickly.

Seeing this, Shuanzhu was stunned for a moment, then understood Zhao Desan's meaning. He smiled awkwardly at him, picked up his glass, and said to Ma Laosi with a fawning smile: "Fourth Brother, I toast you."

1651 Chapter 1634: Downed in One Gulp ===== CHAPTER 3031 =====