Chapter 671

But he hadn't expected to run into them here.

The awkward Wang Zhiguo also quickly returned to normal.

However, he still looked at Qin Hengzhi and Lu Qiao with pleading eyes.

Regardless, he had a favor to ask today, and he hadn't expected to encounter Qin Hengzhi.

Lu Qiao didn't care; she naturally wouldn't take a person like Zhou Shanshan to heart.

Qin Hengzhi wouldn't fail to give his comrade face on such an occasion either. He smiled at them.

Wang Zhiguo hurriedly said, "We brothers haven't gathered in a long time; let's combine our tables. Today is New Year's Day, let's have a few good drinks..."

Li Xiuying also felt a bit embarrassed.

Especially when facing Lu Qiao.

Everyone knew Zhou Shanshan's character, yet she and her husband had come to the Wangjiang Restaurant to eat with these two.

Dong Xiangqin wasn't even here, and Li Xiuying felt awkward herself.

Lu Qiao, however, gave her a kind smile.

It didn't take much thought to know that Li Xiuying and her husband must have something to ask of Zhou Shanshan; the document for the resumption of the college entrance examination had already been issued, everyone who needed to know knew, and the Education Bureau had become the hottest unit.

Li Xiuying was likely looking for Zhou Shanshan for the sake of her own younger siblings.

Liu Dahui's expression was also somewhat tense.

Although his career was going smoothly and his marriage was happy, he didn't want to lose Qin Hengzhi as a comrade.

If he could use today's opportunity to ease their relationship, that would be best.

Seeing Qin Hengzhi's gentle expression, Liu Dahui's heart settled down.

Very quickly, they were all sitting together.

Wang Zhiguo had only just sat down, and the dishes they ordered hadn't arrived yet; he was busy wanting to order more, but Qin Hengzhi held him back: "That's enough."

Wang Zhiguo didn't insist; meals were paid for with money and food coupons downstairs, and now they just had to wait for the waiter to serve the food.

Liu Dahui was actually a glib talker; despite the slight awkwardness, he quickly adjusted and started talking to Qin Hengzhi.

Qin Hengzhi naturally wouldn't give him the cold shoulder and acted just as he had before.

The men sat together, talking in low voices.

Li Xiuying sat next to Lu Qiao, with Zhou Shanshan on the other side; Li Xiuying wasn't worried about Lu Qiao, because Factory Director Xiao Lu was a decent person.

But Zhou Shanshan was a different story.

Sometimes Li Xiuying couldn't figure out what was going on these days.

Someone like Liu Dahui, who was ungrateful, was thriving in his career, and a woman like Zhou Shanshan, who had no moral bottom line and would do anything to live a good life, was also like a fish in water.

She used to be at the Industrial Bureau, but felt it was meaningless, so Liu Dahui had her transferred to the Education Bureau.

To tell the truth, two years ago, the Education Bureau really wasn't as good as the Industrial Bureau.

But who could have guessed that Zhou Shanshan would have such luck? Less than three months after she transferred in, the notice for the resumption of the college entrance examination was issued.

That is to say, from now on, education would be a top priority.

One didn't even need to think about how glorious and sought-after the Education Bureau would be.

Actually, she didn't have much contact with Zhou Shanshan.

Firstly, they were both busy, and secondly, she didn't think much of her. The most important point was that she wanted to be close to Lu Qiao and Qin Hengzhi; she and her husband knew who was worth associating with and who was not.

So she didn't want to bother with this couple.

But now that the college entrance examination had resumed, she had two younger sisters and a younger brother who, for various reasons, really needed Zhou Shanshan, who was in charge of admissions at the Education Bureau, to provide some inside information.

Her husband hadn't agreed at first, but her mother had brought her sisters to the house crying, so in desperation, she had arranged this meal today.

She hoped that Zhou Shanshan could hide her ugly face today.

She also hoped that Zhou Shanshan would know what should and shouldn't be said.

And she hoped even more that Liu Dahui could be sensible.

She sighed afterward, thinking that the world was just like this; the more sensible a person is, the more they are ignored, as if being sensible is only natural, while those who aren't sensible get extra attention.

So Li Xiuying turned to look at Lu Qiao, her eyes full of smiles: "Qiao, you are truly amazing. How did you ever think of opening a hygiene products factory? It's really wonderful. Do you know how much you've made things convenient for us women? You've truly done a great deed."

Lu Qiao smiled and said: "This is all the power of the collective. I only provided an idea; achieving what we have now is due to the proper leadership and the hard work of all the workers."

Li Xiuying: "You're just too modest." She then glanced around and lowered her voice: "By the way, and the down jackets—they are selling so well at our department store."

Actually, she had also benefited from Lu Qiao's influence.

Just last week, the manager promoted her to deputy leader of the clothing group.

Li Xiuying felt it must be because the manager knew about her relationship with Lu Qiao.

Perhaps it was to make getting stock easier in the future.

After all, down jackets were becoming more and more popular.

Li Xiuying had wanted to find an opportunity to have a meal with Lu Qiao.

But this opportunity was actually very hard to find.

How should she put it?

Lu Qiao was very busy now and held several positions; she was no longer the simple neighborhood committee mediator she used to be.

She hadn't expected to run into her here today.

But in truth, Li Xiuying really didn't want to meet her here.

Mainly because she and her husband were hosting Liu Dahui and Zhou Shanshan.

But Li Xiuying couldn't help but want to be close to Lu Qiao when she saw her; it was mainly because Lu Qiao had that kind of charm.

Unlike Zhou Shanshan next to her... good heavens, ever since she knew she had something to ask of her, she had put on such airs, it was as if she wanted her to call her Empress Dowager...

But Li Xiuying had to turn and say to Zhou Shanshan: "This down jacket you're wearing is the new style from our Jiangcheng Jin Yurong Jacket Factory; it looks quite good on you."

Zhou Shanshan glanced at the cold and handsome Qin Hengzhi.

He was sitting between Wang Zhiguo and Liu Dahui.

How to describe it?

Like the moon surrounded by stars, or a crane in a flock of chickens?

That seemed about right.

But Zhou Shanshan knew what was going on, because Liu Dahui, sitting opposite her, was staring at her intently, his eyes filled with pleading.

Why was he looking at her like that? She hadn't done or said anything yet.

But Zhou Shanshan still enjoyed Liu Dahui treating her this way.

So Zhou Shanshan gave her husband a gentle smile and said to Li Xiuying: "This is all thanks to you, Sister, being at the department store."

Liu Dahui, sitting opposite, breathed a sigh of relief; he was truly afraid his wife would be difficult and not give him face.

He knew many people looked down on Shanshan.

Especially his father and mother, who found her an eyesore; they hadn't given her a good look since they got married so long ago.

His parents often scolded him for being blind.

But there was no helping it; he just liked her.

Even if she did something wrong and made him angry, as long as she acted coquettishly toward him, his anger would vanish immediately.

Perhaps this was fate?

The dishes ordered by the two groups were served one after another.

Then Wang Zhiguo hurriedly opened a bottle of liquor, Liu Dahui quickly took it and poured it for Qin Hengzhi first, and Qin Hengzhi received it with both hands...

In short, the atmosphere was still quite good.