Chapter 5409

"Sit, sit. There are no outsiders today, no need for such formalities." Zhang Dewang said with a chuckle, waving his hand to signal Zhao Desan to sit down while raising his glass to clink it symbolically with him.

"Xiao Zhao, how is the work in the district going lately?" Zhang Dewang took a light sip of his wine, then began to chat about business with Zhao Desan with a smile.

Zhao Desan was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly said with a smile: "Everything is normal."

"Hehe, but Comrade Zeng Xian has really tarnished our government's image because of that television interview." Zhang Dewang steered the topic to this matter without a change in expression.

Zhao Changtian put down his chopsticks and picked up the thread of the conversation: "Comrade Zeng Xian is also a veteran comrade; logically speaking, he shouldn't have made such a low-level mistake."

"When it comes down to it, it's just a lack of political sensitivity." Zhang Dewang sighed, then turned his gaze to Zhao Desan and said: "This young man Xiao Zhao is actually quite good. Although he lacks work experience, he has been in the district for so many years and has never made any mistakes. That is very rare."

Zhao Changtian gave Zhao Desan an appreciative look and said with a smile: "That's true. This young comrade Xiao Zhao is indeed very good. Our government is currently lacking such young people."

Zhao Desan was naturally very pleased to be showered with praise by the two leaders, but he still said modestly with a smile: "Mayor Zhang and Minister Zhao are too kind. It's all thanks to the good guidance Mayor Wu gave me when she was in the district." As he spoke, he glanced at Wu Min out of the corner of his eye.

Hearing Zhao Desan say this, Wu Min couldn't help but think to herself, *You kid still have a conscience*, and immediately said with a beaming smile: "This young man Xiao Zhao has drive. Our Chanba District is currently in a golden period of rapid development, and we need young people with ideas like this."

"Changtian, what did I say just now before Xiao Zhao came over? I said that Comrade Zeng Xian caused trouble this time, and Secretary Jin and Secretary Yang both feel that Comrade Zeng Xian is no longer suitable to continue serving as the Party Secretary of Chanba District. For this position, I was thinking of letting Xiao Zhao fill in temporarily. What do you think?" Mayor Zhang finally got to the main point, casually pulling a cigarette from the pack on the table and putting it in his mouth. Seeing this, Zhao Desan hurriedly stood up and handed over his lighter, clicking it on with a 'snap'.

Zhao Changtian nodded and said: "I think Xiao Zhao has the ability. The development in the district over the past few years is something the leaders of our Municipal Committee and Municipal Government have all witnessed. Xiao Zhao's work is indeed very outstanding."

"Yes, that's what I think too. This young man Xiao Zhao is indeed very good." Zhang Dewang took a puff of his cigarette and nodded, then squinted his eyes and said: "But there is one point: he is too young. If he is pushed to the position of District Party Secretary all at once, I'm afraid other veteran comrades in the district will have thoughts, and that would make Xiao Zhao's work relatively difficult."

Wu Min followed up on Zhang Dewang's topic and said with a smile: "It's also fine to start as an acting secretary and have a transition period."

"That is true. With a slight transition, there shouldn't be any big problems. I still appreciate Xiao Zhao very much." Zhao Changtian nodded, quite in agreement with Wu Min's idea, and then turned his head to wink at Zhao Desan. Zhao Changtian being able to successfully become the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department was inseparable from Zhao Desan's help. Now that it was time to return the favor, Zhao Changtian naturally would not let this opportunity slip by.

Mayor Zhang nodded in agreement, then raised his glass and said: "Come, let's stop talking about work and just drink."

The few of them hurriedly raised their glasses and drank a reunion toast with Mayor Zhang. After putting down their glasses, Wu Min said: "I heard the roast whole lamb at this hotel is very good. Mayor Zhang, Minister Zhao, shall we order one?"

"The Vice Mayor can just arrange it as she sees fit. Among us, you are the lady, the lady decides." Mayor Zhang nodded with a smile, effectively agreeing to Wu Min's proposal.

So Wu Min asked the waiter to bring a plate of the hotel's signature roast whole lamb. The few of them chatted while drinking. Although Zhao Desan felt a bit jealous seeing Sister Wu occasionally picking up food for Zhang Dewang's plate, he could only pretend he didn't see anything, occasionally drinking with Zhao Changtian and Mayor Zhang.

Before long, the waiter brought the roast whole lamb to the table. The entire little lamb was roasted to a golden, oily sheen; it looked charred and crispy on the outside, and soft and tender on the inside. The smell of the lamb filled the entire private room, making one drool just looking at it.

What was interesting was the posture in which the roast lamb was presented: the lamb was kneeling on a wooden square tray about a meter long, its head severed, and a piece of red cloth draped over its remaining neck, just like a woman who had been snatched away and forced to become a bandit's wife, her dignity trampled in front of the bandits. It made Zhao Desan feel vaguely that humans are truly a cruel species. But this world is just that realistic; just like the officialdom, it is a law that never changes: the strong survive and the weak perish.

The waiter was quite sharp, placing the head-end directly facing Mayor Zhang Dewang, symbolizing that Zhang Dewang was the top leader at this dinner. At this moment, Zhang Dewang was holding half a cigarette in his left hand, looking at the roast lamb with a smile, a trace of greed revealing itself in his eyes, as if a woman had surrendered before him and was waiting for him to dispose of her. Zhao Changtian sat on Zhang Dewang's left; this was the rule at the dinner table.

At this moment, Zhao Desan suddenly thought of a joke: two people who had received advanced awards were eating with a leader. One of the sharper ones went to toast the leader, and the leader was very happy. The other, seeing this, also crowded over to toast, thinking to himself: *Leader, drink as you please, I'll finish mine. * But the words came out as: "Leader, you finish yours, I'll drink as I please." It caused a scene, offended the leader, and the sharp one went on to have a smooth career, while the one who caused the scene was given the cold shoulder by the leader.

Thinking of this joke, Zhao Desan couldn't help but feel that there is truly a lot of knowledge in the drinking scene. However, after so many years of tempering, he had also mastered these ins and outs clearly. He would firmly refuse to drink when he shouldn't steal the limelight, and would immediately stand up when he needed to block drinks for the leader.

Thinking of this joke, Zhao Desan smiled. When he looked up, he saw Mayor Zhang smoking, squinting those lecherous eyes of his, and staring at Sister Wu, who was using a knife to carve the roast lamb!

Wu Min finished carving the lamb, cut off a large leg of the roast lamb and sent it to Mayor Zhang's plate, and also carved a leg for Zhao Changtian. After all, it was only a very small lamb, so all that was left for Zhao Desan was a very thin piece of meat from the front leg. This made Zhao Desan feel very depressed.

The few of them grabbed the roast lamb and gnawed until their mouths were oily. After a while, Mayor Zhang wiped his mouth and said to Zhao Changtian: "Changtian, my stomach hasn't been very good lately. Xiao Zhao, you accompany Minister Zhao for a couple of drinks. Mayor Wu, don't just sit there either, accompany Minister Zhao for a few more drinks."

Zhao Desan hurriedly smiled apologetically and raised a glass to toast Zhao Changtian. After putting down the glass, Zhang Dewang said to Wu Min again: "Mayor Wu, you should also exchange glasses with Minister Zhao. In the future, if you have any difficulties in the city, perhaps Comrade Changtian will be able to help."

Wu Min was a Vice Mayor, and Zhao Changtian was the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department. The Minister of the Municipal Organization Department is a Standing Committee member, so in terms of rank, he was naturally half a level higher than Wu Min. Being matched up like this by Zhang Dewang, she said with a smile: "Minister Zhao, I don't really know how to drink, let's just drink as we please…" Wu Min's alcohol tolerance was actually okay, but because Zhao Desan was present, she was afraid that if she drank too much, Mayor Zhang would start touching her, so she took preventative measures with everyone in advance.

"Mayor Wu is too modest. You don't know how to drink? When several leaders of our municipal government eat together, you can finish a bottle of white liquor without even blushing. I know your alcohol tolerance." Zhang Dewang took a sip of tea and said with a chuckle.

Being told this by Mayor Zhang, Wu Min bit the bullet, picked up a glass, and raised it to Zhao Changtian with a smile, saying: "Minister Zhao, let's have a drink together."

Zhao Changtian picked up his glass, the two clinked them, and both tilted their heads back and finished the drink in one gulp. Putting down the glass, Zhao Changtian said with a smile: "Just seeing how straightforward Mayor Wu is with her drinking, I know you must be able to drink."

"I can't drink much, certainly not as much as you men." Wu Min smiled modestly and pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth.

Seeing Zhao Desan sitting there alone as if pondering something, Zhang Dewang smiled and suggested: "There are few of us today, and the atmosphere doesn't seem very lively. How about this: Comrade Changtian and I will play finger-guessing games, and whoever loses drinks. If we really can't drink anymore, we'll each find a helper. I know Xiao Zhao's alcohol tolerance is very good, so I'll let Xiao Zhao be your helper, and let Mayor Wu help me. Changtian, what do you think?"

(Chapter 2942: First Serve as Acting Secretary)!