Chapter 787

Seeing Zhang Jiayin walking over with a smile on his face, Zhao De immediately stood up, smiled, and called out, "Mr. Zhang." "Comrade Xiao Zhao, sit, sit." Zhang Jiayin had been galloping in the business world for many years and understood the way of hospitality. He walked up very enthusiastically, gave him a cigarette, lit it for him, sat down on a single sofa on the side, and said with a chuckle, "It's truly an honor to have Comrade Xiao Zhao come to my house today."

"Mr. Zhang, you are too polite," Zhao De said with a chuckle. He thought to himself that these business people are truly different. Although they have tens of billions in assets, when meeting someone like him who works at the bottom level of a government unit, they still have no airs at all and appear so enthusiastic. They truly have a way of dealing with people in the political circle.

"Comrade Xiao Zhao, you should be resting today, right? It's Saturday," Zhang Jiayin said with a chuckle.

"Yes, resting," Zhao De replied with a chuckle.

"Today, I heard from Yingying that you two have known each other for a long time, and you can even be considered one of her benefactors. So, I asked her to call you to the house for a meal. Firstly, her mother and I want to thank you in person. Secondly, my relationship with your Director Zheng is very good, and you can be considered a capable general under Director Zheng. So, for the sake of reason and emotion, I should get to know you, which will also facilitate my company's business dealings with you in the future." As a businessman, Zhang Jiayin said these words quite nicely.

Zhao De thought he was flattered. Being invited to the home of this influential figure in the Xijing business world for a meal was quite a glorious thing. He smiled and said, "I feel very honored to be invited by Mr. Zhang to be a guest at your residence today. Thank you first, Mr. Zhang."

Zhang Jiayin said, "Eh, Comrade Xiao Zhao, you are too polite. We can also be considered to have fate. Not only did you and our Yingying know each other early on, but I have also seen you when I was with your Director Zheng. No matter what, we must get to know each other well."

Yingying's mother went to the dining room to take a look and found that the food had already been set. She came over and said with a chuckle, "Shall we eat and talk?"

"Yes, eat and talk," Zhang Jiayin said in high spirits. "Comrade Xiao Zhao, let's go, eat first, and talk while we eat."

So, Zhao De followed him to the dining room on the side. The domestic help had already pulled out the chairs and was waiting for them to be seated. Zhang Jiayin said, "Comrade Xiao Zhao, don't be polite, sit, sit wherever you like." After greeting him to sit down, he instructed the domestic help to pour a glass of red wine and a glass of white wine for everyone.

Seeing that Zhao De was clearly a bit constrained as it was his first time at their house, Yingying sat next to him and whispered, "Brother De, don't be nervous, just be casual."

Zhao De smiled and glanced at her sideways. He thought, "That's right, what kind of scene haven't I seen? It's just coming to the house of the richest man in Xijing. His beautiful daughter has already been **** by me, is there any need to be nervous?" So, he took a breath and gradually adapted to the dining culture of this wealthy family that he had only seen on television.

"Come, Comrade Xiao Zhao, let's have a drink first," Zhang Jiayin said, raising his glass.

Zhao De hurriedly picked up his goblet as well. Yingying liked to join in the fun, so she also picked up a glass of orange juice and said with a grin, "I want to clink too." Yingying's cute action caused everyone to laugh in unison, which made her beautiful face turn red in a flash. She lowered her eyebrows and eyes, shyly whispering, "What are you laughing at? What's so funny?"

Zhang Jiayin took a sip of wine, put down his glass, and greeted Zhao De to eat and chat. "Comrade Xiao Zhao, is the unit busy recently? Is Old Zheng doing well?" Zhang Jiayin asked him after taking a bite of food and putting down his chopsticks.

"Not very busy, it's okay. Director Zheng is doing quite well," Zhao De said with a chuckle.

"Oh, what work is Comrade Xiao Zhao mainly responsible for at the unit?" Zhang Jiayin gradually led the topic toward work, wanting to see if this guy's usual work could intersect with the company's land approval and planning aspects. If so, this meal was even more worth inviting him to.

"Brother De is in the Planning Division," Yingying answered preemptively. "When I went to get the signature yesterday, it was Brother De who took me to find their division chief to sign it."

Zhang Jiayin said "Oh" with slight surprise, "Why didn't you go find your Uncle Zheng? Why bother Brother De with such trouble?"

"I wanted to familiarize myself with the work process first," Yingying said with a grin.

"In that case, I have to thank you even more, Comrade Xiao Zhao," Zhang Jiayin was extremely eloquent.

"It's no trouble, it's my job responsibility," Zhao De said with a chuckle.

"If Comrade Xiao Zhao is in the Planning Division, there will be quite a lot of time to deal with my company in the future. I plan to gradually hand over the company's affairs to Yingying bit by bit, let her familiarize herself with it, and see if it's not easy for her old man to earn some money," Zhang Jiayin said half-jokingly.

"That's fine. If there's anything you need me for in the future, just let Yingying come find me," Zhao De said politely. After all, he had worked in a government unit for a few years and knew that these businessmen were all profit-oriented; otherwise, it would be impossible to invite him to their house for this meal. So, he went along with his meaning.

Zhao De being so sensible made Zhang Jiayin very happy. He picked up his wine glass and had another drink with him, chatting enthusiastically while eating. The atmosphere of the meal was very relaxed and pleasant. In this human-relationship society in China, generally speaking, whether asking for help or something else, it's inevitable that everything has to be digested at the dining table. Zhang Jiayin was well-versed in this, so he easily made the atmosphere of the meal very relaxed and active, and the relationship was drawn much closer unknowingly. After the meal, Zhang Jiayin took the initiative to invite Zhao De to visit his study and take out his calligraphy and paintings for Zhao De to evaluate. When these rich people's money reaches a certain level, they have almost no pursuit for material life, so they turn to affectation, pursuing things on a spiritual level, disguising themselves as intellectuals and pretending to be learned upper-class people, so as to be able to deal with the real intellectuals who have great power in the officialdom. Zhao De took a look, and although it wasn't written very well, it could be considered to have a little foundation. So, he praised it endlessly, "I didn't expect Mr. Zhang to have such elegant interests. The brushwork is very deep and has a lot of foundation."

Zhang Jiayin was flattered and overjoyed. Looking at his own calligraphy and paintings, he also felt for a moment that they were written really well, and a satisfied smile of self-feeling good hung on his face. After talking about these digressions, Zhang Jiayin took out a bag prepared in advance from under the table in the study, which was wrapped with stacks of bright red "Chairman Mao" notes, a full 300,000 more than the 200,000 Zhao De needed. "Comrade Xiao Zhao, this is your first time at my house today. Take this, consider it a small token for our first meeting." Zhang Jiayin handed this sugar-coated bullet bag to Zhao De and said.

"This... Mr. Zhang, what are you doing? This... I can't take this. You are so kind to invite me to your house as a guest, and I didn't even bring anything. How... how can I be embarrassed to take something away?" Zhao De declined tactfully, refusing to take it.

"Take it. Didn't Yingying say you were in a bit of an urgent need recently? Just consider it as helping you out temporarily. Take it," Zhang Jiayin insisted.

"I... I do indeed need money urgently, but... but this is too much. I... I can't take it. Mr. Zhang, you... you should put it away." It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted seeing so much money, but Su Qing had just instructed him today to pay attention to his behavior recently. The province had started a strict crackdown on bribery and corruption by these national public officials, and he didn't want to be at the forefront of the storm and commit a crime against the wind.

"Comrade Xiao Zhao, why be so polite? We will have many business dealings in the future, and there will be many times when I need to trouble you. This is just a small token, take it quickly," Zhang Jiayin still insisted on making him take the money.

"Mr. Zhang, you don't know, the province has been cracking down on clean government very strictly recently. It's really not convenient for me. How about... how about this, I'll take 200,000, consider it as borrowing from you, and I'll write an IOU. I'll pay you back later. What do you think?" Facing Zhang Jiayin's insistence, Zhao De was afraid of offending him if he continued to decline. Thus, he proposed a mutually compromising plan. On one hand, it wouldn't make Zhang Jiayin feel that he wasn't giving him face, and on the other hand, it could solve his urgent need. It could be considered a compromise that was the best of both worlds.

As soon as Zhao De said the province was cracking down on clean government very strictly recently, Zhang Jiayin felt that if he were to send gifts against the wind at this time, it would truly be unreasonable and very likely to bring fire upon himself. After all, in China, no matter how rich a person is, they can never fight against the country. How many once-famous tycoons have turned into ordinary people or become prisoners overnight because of one or two political events? For example, the former richest man in Shanghai, Zhou Zhengyi, for example, the boss of Gome Electrical Appliances, Huang Guangyu, which one of them wasn't richer than him, Zhang Jiayin, and didn't have richer interpersonal relationships in society than him? In the end, didn't they all end up in jail because of some shady matters?

So, Zhang Jiayin stopped insisting. He leaned back for a moment, nodded with a chuckle, and agreed with Zhao De's idea, saying, "Since the province is cracking down on these things, and Comrade Xiao Zhao is so upright and clean, I won't cause you trouble." As he spoke, he opened the paper bag on the desk, took out the extra 30 stacks of "Chairman Mao" notes, wrapped up the remaining 20 stacks, and handed them to him, saying, "I'll take back the extra ones. The remaining 200,000 is what you urgently need. Just consider it as me lending it to you to solve your urgent need. This way, you don't have to worry about being investigated by the organization. Come, take it."

Only then did Zhao De take the bag of "Chairman Mao" notes while saying with a chuckle, "Mr. Zhang, this money is borrowed from you to solve my urgent need. Let me write you an IOU?"

Zhang Jiayin waved his hand while saying with a chuckle, "No need, no need. It's just 200,000. You take it and use it first. If it's not enough, come find me again. We will still need to trouble you for our business dealings in the future. Why write an IOU? You are being too much of a stranger. My relationship with your Director Zheng is not an ordinary one."

"Even close brothers settle accounts clearly. Besides, Director Zheng is my leader. How can I compare myself to Director Zheng? Better to write an IOU, I'll feel more at ease," Zhao De said with a smile, being eloquent while holding the money.

"Comrade Xiao Zhao, look at you, why are you being so much of a stranger? Aren't you treating me, Zhang Jiayin, as a friend?" Zhang Jiayin insisted on not letting him write an IOU.

Zhao De thought that anyway, he would pay him back when he got the money later. Whether to write it or not didn't matter. Anyway, this guy didn't seem to intend to let him pay it back. So, he said with a chuckle, "Then... then I'll keep it in my heart, but..." Speaking of this, Zhao De became a bit hesitant.