Chapter 1186: Zhou Andong Feels Wronged

Seeing Zhou Andong frown, Jian Qiu asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

Zhou Andong handed her the bottle: "You take a sip and see."

Jian Qiu picked up the bottle, took a sip, felt it, and took another: "The taste is a bit off, there's a faint bitterness that shouldn't be there, and the barley aroma is a bit weak. The ratio of specialty malt added must be wrong."

"The taste is off; that should be a craft issue." Zhou Andong tapped the table with his finger: "As for the lack of barley aroma, I suspect it's because of cost control."

"Although most people wouldn't notice these issues unless they were old drunks, how can you cut corners when running a business and making products? If you fool the consumer today, the consumer will abandon you tomorrow."

Jian Qiu said, "When we go back to Jiangzhou in a few days, we need to hold a meeting with the leaders of the beer factory. It's right to cut costs, but you absolutely cannot cut corners on the product."

Zhou Andong said with a dark face, "Especially Gu Bing; he needs to be reprimanded. As a business leader, does he not understand that a business lives by its products?"

Jian Qiu reached out, opened another bottle, poured it into a beer mug, and observed it.

"The foam is quite rich, white and delicate, and it lingers without dissipating. The color is also golden and clear. Overall, it's not bad."

As they were talking about the beer, Guan Shengjie entered the bar. Because there were so many people, he didn't see them at first and had to call over a waiter.

"Has Zhou Andong come?"

"Chairman Zhou is here," the waiter hurriedly said. "I just saw him go in; he's over there."

"Thanks!"

Guan Shengjie thanked him, walked in the direction the waiter pointed, and saw Zhou Andong and Jian Qiu in a booth near the southeast corner.

"You two are really funny, staring at the beer but not drinking it."

Hearing the voice, Zhou Andong and Jian Qiu looked up, saw it was Guan Shengjie, and laughed at the same time.

"Come, come, come. This beer is a collaboration between me, Hongxing, and Qin Chi. Drink a bottle and see how it tastes."

Guan Shengjie sat down, picked up a bottle to look at it, then used a bottle opener to open one, tilted his head back, and took a sip.

"It tastes pretty good, no off-flavors."

Zhou Andong looked at Jian Qiu and laughed: "See? This is one of the majority."

Guan Shengjie asked, confused: "What's wrong? Is there a problem with this beer?"

Zhou Andong said, "Take another sip and feel it."

Guan Shengjie looked at the bottle in his hand, took a suspicious sip, and smacked his lips.

"Is it a bit... bitter?" Guan Shengjie asked tentatively.

Zhou Andong shook his head: "How could the liquor be bitter? It's another issue. Taste it again."

"I was just guessing."

Guan Shengjie laughed loudly and said proudly.

"I've been stealing liquor from home since I was sixteen. Whether it's white, red, or beer, I can tell good from bad in one sip. This 'Yongchuang Tianya' of yours is not bad; not only is it not bitter, but it also has a mellow sweetness. I really didn't taste any other problems."

Jian Qiu snorted with laughter, Zhou Andong's mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes at the bragging Guan Shengjie.

"Stealing liquor from home since sixteen, and after all these years, has all that liquor gone to the dogs?"

"Damn, are you scolding me?" Guan Shengjie glared, still a bit unconvinced: "Then tell me, what's wrong with this beer?"

"Old Guan!" Jian Qiu said with a smile: "Actually, you were right. This beer does have a slight bitterness, but it's not obvious. Only professionals and some drunks can taste it."

"Look, look," Guan Shengjie raised the bottle: "I said I could tell good from bad in one sip. Isn't this beer a bit bitter?"

"Damn." Zhou Andong also widened his eyes and gave a thumbs up: "Brother Jie, congratulations. Your 'Diamond Face-Shielding Divine Art' has reached the pinnacle of perfection. You are absolutely invincible under Heaven; even a W90-type 203mm howitzer couldn't blast through it."

Guan Shengjie cupped his hands: "The reason my 'Diamond Face-Shielding Divine Art' could reach such a level is all thanks to Brother Zhou's guidance."

Jian Qiu couldn't help but laugh again, then immediately changed the subject, otherwise she would have died laughing at these two thick-skinned guys.

"Old Guan, didn't Du Youwei come back?"

Guan Shengjie shook his head: "I handed the matter over to my assistant. How could she come back with me?"

Zhou Andong smiled and said, "You two are a great couple, going everywhere together and sharing news with each other."

"You think we want to run around?" Guan Shengjie began to pour out his grievances, talking about how hard it was for them as reporters.

Zhou Andong listened while curling his lip. Guan Shengjie saw this and really couldn't help it: "Are you having a stroke? Why do you keep twisting your mouth?"

Zhou Andong smiled and said, "I admit, you reporters work very hard. But I'm a farmer's child, raised in the countryside. When it comes to farming and harvesting, you go and work for ten days or half a month, and then see if it's harder to be a reporter or a farmer."

"You think I haven't farmed?" Guan Shengjie rolled his eyes: "But farming is indeed harder, facing the yellow earth and backing the sky, with sweat dripping onto the ground and breaking into eight pieces."

"Exactly," Zhou Andong said. "So, in every industry, no matter what you do, it's not that easy."

"Every industry is hard, but that doesn't include big bosses like you," Guan Shengjie said. "Driving luxury cars, living in villas, working in luxury offices with air conditioning, where the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine."

"I don't like hearing you say that," Zhou Andong picked up a banana, took a bite, and said with great grievance: "I do drive luxury cars, live in villas, and work in an office where the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine."

"But when I'm being scolded, can you replace me? Look at a while ago, how many people besieged me, attacking me with words, wishing they could swallow me alive."

"In Xiangjiang, someone even put out a ten-thousand-dollar bounty for my head. You guys have it hard, but there's no great danger. As for me? I live in fear every day as a boss; I don't even know when I'll be dumped in the river. Is it easy?"

Guan Shengjie blinked: "That's all your own doing, who can you blame? In all of China, how many entrepreneurs are like you, spraying whoever they catch?"

Zhou Andong snorted: "Let me tell you, Old Guan, as long as I get the chance, I will still spray. Because I have a faith in my heart, and that is patriotism."

"I take back what I just said." Looking at the serious-faced Zhou Andong, Guan Shengjie also straightened his expression and raised his glass: "Actually, I admire you very much in my heart. You dare to speak, dare to act, and even forced all those scoundrels out."

"Letting the whole country know them and be vigilant against them is absolutely a merit for the present generation. You, Zhou Andong, are absolutely the leader of the younger generation."