Chapter 205

Zhou Andong shook hands with Kang Kang Xingda: "Director Kang, thank you for your hard work these past few days."

Kang Kang Xingda said politely: "It's all for work, no trouble at all. Besides, I also want to thank Deputy Factory Director Jian from your factory; if it weren't for her coordination, our work wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

"Factory Director Zhou!" Zhao Zhao Meifeng walked over, "Hello, I am Zhao Zhao Meifeng, the deputy editor-in-chief of *Sprout*."

"Hello, hello!" Zhou Andong shook hands with Zhao Zhao Meifeng again, "Brother Jie has already told me everything. Regarding the last incident, I really want to thank you for speaking up for justice."

Zhao Zhao Meifeng smiled slightly: "Reporter Guan Shengjie and I have had a relationship for many years, so naturally, I am not an outsider to you either; there's no need to mention thanks. Besides, I am the type of person who most despises the sanctimony of certain people—clearly having a filthy heart and a belly full of sordidness, doing shameful things behind people's backs, yet always criticizing others from a high and mighty position, wanting to set up a memorial arch for their own chastity after being a prostitute."

Zhou Andong was stunned for a moment, then burst into loud laughter, and then Zhao Zhao Meifeng followed suit and laughed.

This woman looked quite ordinary at first glance, but the more you looked at her, the better she looked. Her figure was a bit plump, but not appearing bloated, and especially her smile was full of charm. The legendary "woman of a certain age who still retains her charm" might just be referring to her.

"Let me introduce you; this is the general director of this evening's gala, Kang Kang Xingda." Zhou Andong introduced Zhao Zhao Meifeng and Kang Kang Xingda to each other, "Let's go, let's head over."

As soon as Zhou Andong arrived, those who knew him greeted him one after another, but more were surprised by Zhou Andong's youth. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, who would have thought that the sudden rise of the Jiangzhou Winery was entirely due to the existence of this young man.

Zhao Zhao Meifeng introduced the members of the judging committee to Zhou Andong. Zhou Andong only shook hands with Jiang Jiang Hongbo. Although this old thing thought highly of himself, Guansheng Jie had said that he was very honest and upright. If it hadn't been for him holding things down at the time, the naming rights of the winery might really have been canceled.

As for the others, Zhou Andong just nodded slightly, which counted as a greeting. If it hadn't been for those words Zhao Zhao Meifeng just said, he would have been polite to these people, but now he didn't give them any face at all, not even bothering to pretend.

Zhou Andong's attitude immediately angered quite a few people. What was their status? Where were they not respected? You, Zhou Andong, are just the director of a tiny winery; how dare you be so arrogant toward us?

But after their anger subsided, they suddenly remembered that although this Zhou Andong was young, he was no pushover. To this day, those media outlets that originally smeared the Jiangzhou Winery, including those with great influence, were still publishing apologies in the newspapers every day.

And they, people who also held the pen and controlled the power of discourse, seemed unable to do anything. Because if they really dared to smear the Jiangzhou Winery, Zhou Andong would definitely sue them in court without hesitation.

If it were two months ago, they would have been disdainful: "Dare to sue us? Are you still dreaming?" But now they didn't have the guts, because the warning from the past was right before their eyes. Therefore, even if they had fire in their hearts, they could only swallow it and wait for an opportunity to retaliate.

While things were lively over at Zhou Andong's side, Cheng Zhanjun went to the provincial capital overnight. Some people with guilty consciences who were closely watching his movements suddenly had a feeling that a catastrophe was imminent and began to feel anxious and uneasy.

The next day, June 1st, at nine in the morning, the literary competition awards gala started on time at the Jiangzhou Winery Cultural Palace. The most excited ones were, of course, the winning writers of this competition. Especially the winners of the first, second, and third prizes—not only did they have trophies and honors, but there were also huge cash prizes waiting for them.

Zhou Andong was even more straightforward; he didn't use checks but gave cash directly, using a tray covered with a piece of red cloth, placing the money nakedly on top so that people could see it very intuitively.

As the gala was in full swing, Wu Cheng, Zhou Anbei, and Gao Yong appeared at the Jiangzhou Railway Station.

Although Gao Yong was only seventeen, he was very tall, nearly 1.8 meters, dark-skinned and sturdy.

"Brother Wu, it's almost time, shouldn't we go in?" Gao Yong hadn't slept well from excitement, but his energy remained very high.

Wu Cheng glanced at the big clock on the railway station tower: "No rush, let me smoke a cigarette first." As he spoke, he took a cigarette out of his pocket, lit it, and then handed one to Gao Yong, "Want one?"

Don't look at the fact that this kid isn't very old; he always smoked secretly when he was at school and was already an old smoker. He took out a lighter, lit the cigarette very skillfully, and took a deep drag.

Wu Cheng smiled and handed one to Zhou Anbei as well: "Xiaobei, you have one too."

"I don't smoke!" Zhou Anbei refused.

Wu Cheng said: "As a man, how can you not know how to smoke? Come on, take it."

Zhou Anbei hesitated for a moment and took the cigarette, then Wu Cheng lit it for him.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Zhou Anbei tried to take a drag; the scorching, spicy taste almost suffocated him, followed by a fit of violent coughing that even brought tears to his eyes.

Gao Yong laughed out loud and patted Zhou Anbei on the back to help him catch his breath: "It's okay, when I first started smoking, it was the same for me."

Wu Cheng also laughed: "It's your first time smoking, don't rush, take it slow."

Just then, a girl in her twenties, wearing a dress and dragging a suitcase, with an outstanding temperament and very beautiful, walked past them.

It immediately attracted the gaze of the three big boys. Gao Yong cursed: "Damn, this is too beautiful."

Zhou Anbei nodded in agreement: "Indeed very beautiful, but not as beautiful as my sister-in-law."

"Among the women I've seen, none are more beautiful than Deputy Factory Director Jian." Wu Cheng smoked his cigarette silently, took one last look at the girl's enchanting back, and his throat moved, "Therefore, only our greatest, most handsome factory director can be worthy of her. And ordinary people like us can only be worthy of women like this."

Zhou Anbei pondered for a moment and suddenly laughed: "Brother Wu, are you buttering up my brother?"

Wu Cheng nodded very seriously: "Yes, you can tell the factory director my words word for word, let him know I'm buttering him up, otherwise my efforts would be in vain."

After saying that, he threw the cigarette on the ground, "Let's go, time to go in."

At this time, Dai Dai Hongwei suddenly received a phone call, then left the office, called Xing Xing Wenbin, took two people, drove a car, and headed straight for Honghai City.

Honghai City is less than 100 kilometers away from Jiangzhou. Because the road was not easy to travel, it took more than two hours to arrive. When he pushed open the door of the municipal government guesthouse conference room, it was already full of people.

When Dai Dai Hongwei saw clearly the man sitting in the seat of honor, he was shocked. This person had actually come down in person; it seemed that a major earthquake was really about to happen in Jiangzhou.