Chapter 2281

Chang Weihua, sitting to the side, gave a "heh" laugh: "Isn't that so? It's not just you who has this feeling; I have it too."

Song Mao said out of the blue: "Then in the future, can we only call him Uncle Dong, and not Brother Dong?"

Before his voice fell, everyone present cast a big eye-roll at him one after another.

"Small, when you see us, don't call us brother either, just call us uncle."

"Come, come, come!" Yang Ming raised the crystal-clear wine glass in his hand high with a face full of smiles and said loudly: "Brother Five, don't just bury your head in eating, raise your glass."

Gu Bing was skillfully peeling a large shrimp and quickly put it into his mouth. Hearing Yang Ming's words, he smiled, picked up a napkin to wipe his hands unhurriedly, and then slowly raised the wine glass in front of him.

"And there's this brother too." Yang Ming smiled, turned his gaze to Li Manbiao who was sitting to the side, raised the wine glass in his hand, and signaled to him slightly: "You look a bit unfamiliar, but since you can come with Brother Five and Brother Dong to attend Dalin's wedding, you must not be an outsider. Come, come, come, hurry up and raise your glass, let's have a drink together."

Li Manbiao tried hard to suppress the excitement in his heart, his hands holding the wine glass tightly with a slight tremor, slowly raising it to eye level, and said with a tone full of sincerity.

"Hello, brothers. My name is Li Manbiao. Today, I have the honor to toast everyone with the wedding wine of Sister Wen and Brother Tang. I am very excited and happy. I'll drink mine first as a sign of respect!"

As soon as his voice fell, this guy didn't hesitate at all, tilted his head back, and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. It was over 50-degree Yugong liquor, and a glass was almost three taels. Li Manbiao downed it in one gulp, which truly stunned this bunch of guys present.

"Not bad!" Xiao Liuzi gave a thumbs up and praised: "Your drinking capacity is really something. I reckon only Brother Five and Brother Dong can compete with you!"

Li Manbiao hurriedly waved his hand modestly and responded with a smile: "Actually, I only have a capacity of half a catty of white liquor. Compared to Brother Five and Chairman Zhou, I'm completely incomparable!"

As he said this, he pointed to his own face with his finger and continued: "I was just excited to see all you big brothers, so I downed it in one gulp. You all look at my face, isn't it already red?"

At this moment, Li Manbiao was trying hard to calm his excited mood. One must know that the table in front of him was the circle he had always been hovering on the edge of but could not enter.

Today, Gu Bing and Zhou Andong brought him along, giving him the opportunity to sit at this dining table symbolizing the top-tier circle. This meant recognition and acceptance of him. How could such a rare opportunity not make his heart surge and feel extremely excited?

At this time, Zhou Andong's side was also very lively. Tang Zhenqing was introducing Zhou Andong one by one: "Andong, this is Minister Qin Xianghuai of the Ministry of Labor."

Zhou Andong held his wine glass. As soon as he heard it was the boss of the Ministry of Labor, he immediately perked up. This person could not be offended. Because the responsibilities of the Ministry of Labor were closely related to enterprises. Among them, there were several powers that were like knives hanging over the heads of enterprises.

First, supervise all public enterprises, cooperative enterprises, private enterprises, and public-private joint enterprises to comply with laws and decrees related to labor issues.

Second, review the wage systems and grade standards stipulated by various industrial departments and supervise their specific implementation.

Third, inspect the operation status of safety and health equipment in various types of enterprises, factories, and mines.

Fourth, supervise public enterprises to lawfully and correctly use the labor of young workers and female workers to protect their special interests.

Fifth, collaborate with trade unions to formulate outlines for collective contracts for public and private enterprises, the content and form of labor contracts, stipulate their signing procedures, and review collective contracts formulated by enterprise organs of national significance.

Therefore, Zhou Andong had to perk up and said very respectfully: "Minister Qin, it's our first meeting, I toast you."

"You brat!" Qin Xianghuai pretended to be dissatisfied and said: "You call Old Tang 'Uncle', and call me 'Minister Qin'. This is looking down on me."

"Uncle Qin!" Zhou Andong changed his address to 'Uncle' without hesitation: "I toast you."

Qin Xianghuai laughed out loud, watched Zhou Andong down the wine in his glass, nodded slightly, and said: "Worthy of being a distillery director. However, I won't take advantage of you either."

Qin Xianghuai also downed the wine in his glass in one gulp: "This ordinary Yugong is indeed a bit lacking, the taste is a bit hard. I'm old, drinking this kind of hard-tasting wine, my stomach can't take it."

Zhou Andong immediately said: "Today, all the leaders and uncles present, ten cases of special Yugong each, I'll have someone send them over tonight."

Nie Wen's father, Nie Hongjun, pointed at Qin Xianghuai and scolded with a smile: "You old shameless one, opening your mouth to ask a child for wine."

"I didn't ask him for it!" Qin Xianghuai denied: "I just said I can't drink wine that tastes hard. It was Andong who insisted on giving it to me. Could it be that I shouldn't accept it?"

Tang Zhenqing smiled and pointed to the middle-aged man with great demeanor: "Andong, this is your clansman, Minister of Personnel Zhou Rong."

"Uncle Zhou!" Zhou Andong was climbing up the pole. Since he already called Uncle Qin, calling others Uncle definitely wouldn't be a problem.

Tang Zhenqing then introduced the leader in his fifties: "This is Director Shi Mingshan of the State Planning Commission."

"This one is the real big shot." Zhou Andong curled his lips secretly and called out sweetly: "Uncle Shi!"

Shi Mingshan smiled and said: "You should call me Granduncle. Your father definitely isn't as old as me."

"Ah?" Zhou Andong was stunned and said very surprisingly: "I see you look only in your early forties."

Everyone laughed out loud. Shi Mingshan shook his head: "I've finally experienced this mouth of yours, Zhou Andong."

Tang Zhenqing pointed to another middle-aged man: "This is Director Song Guowen of the Government Offices Administration."

"These four..."

Zhou Andong laughed secretly in his heart. These four departments were very awesome, but they were like brothers who were at odds, splitting and merging several times.

The earliest predecessor of the Ministry of Personnel was called the Personnel Bureau of the Government Administration Council. During the twenty years, it changed several times. By 1970, the central authorities decided to hand over part of the work of the Personnel Bureau to the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, and part to the Political Work Group of the State Council, while the Ministry of Labor was merged into the State Planning Commission. By 1975, the state decided to separate labor work from the State Planning Commission and establish the State General Administration of Labor.

In 1978, the Ministry of Civil Affairs established the Personnel Bureau for Organs. In 1980, the state decided to merge the Personnel Bureau for Organs of the Ministry of Civil Affairs with the Office of the Leading Group for the Placement of Demobilized Military Personnel, establishing the State Personnel Bureau.

In 1982, the Labor Bureau, Personnel Bureau, State Establishment Commission, and Scientific and Technical Cadre Bureau were merged to establish the Ministry of Labor and Personnel. Then, in the institutional reform of 1988, the Ministry of Labor and Personnel was abolished, and the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Labor were established. By 2008, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Labor, and the Ministry of Social Security were merged to establish the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

As for the Government Offices Administration, its full name is the National Government Offices Administration. It was only a vice-ministerial level unit. Its power now was not great. It was responsible for the management of state-owned assets and real estate, as well as the management of life services for state leaders and relevant service objects within a specified scope.

It couldn't compare with the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Personnel, let alone the State Planning Commission. But this was now. By 1998, the state institutional reform would transfer the functions of state organ funds, finance, capital construction investment for administrative housing, and purchase and renewal funds for official vehicles, which were originally the responsibility of the State Planning Commission, to the Government Offices Administration. And it added functions such as organizing and implementing government procurement for state organs and management of staff housing subsidy funds. In this way, the power became very great.

As for the State Planning Commission, needless to say, it was the big brother of these departments. At this time, it was called the State Planning Commission, and later it was called the National Development and Reform Commission, which was the famous NDRC, known as the first major ministry of the State Council.

These few people were very helpful to him. Not to mention the long term, just looking at the present, regarding the matter of retroactively auditing the finances of the Woolen Mill for twenty years, if those retired old guys dared to jump out and make trouble, these four departments could suppress them in minutes.

Not convinced? Perhaps this group of old guys could really do it, risking everything and fighting to the death. However, you all have children, right? Even your grandchildren and granddaughters have graduated and started working, right?

As long as they are Chinese, from the moment they step into society and start working, whether it is the application and evaluation of senior, intermediate, or junior professional and technical qualifications, or the appointment of professional and technical positions, and many other matters, they are all firmly controlled by these major departments.

Furthermore, important matters such as selecting young and middle-aged experts with outstanding contributions, evaluating experts enjoying special government allowances, and even handling the placement and job adjustment of overseas students after they return to China, along with the funding of relevant scientific research funds, are all the responsibility of these departments.

Not to mention the most critical point—the various assessments, appointments, removals, approvals, and filings of leading personnel are also firmly controlled by them.

Besides this, things like wage treatment, the issuance of various subsidies, housing allocation, and even the formulation of wage and welfare standards for staff in administrative organs and public institutions, as well as retirement approval processes, are all tightly grasped by them.

It is no exaggeration to say that these four departments are like four checkpoints on the journey of life, and they will accompany you throughout your life. No matter what kind of work environment you are in, whether you are an official in a high position with great power, or an ordinary grassroots worker, whether you are in high spirits during your tenure, or enjoying your old age after retirement, until the moment of death, you cannot escape the intricate connection with them. Because even seemingly insignificant things like funeral expenses ultimately need their approval.

Therefore, for the vast majority of people, even those who are still calling the wind and summoning the rain in their positions, if they want to arm-wrestle with these four, they have to see if their arms are thick enough. Of course, for someone at the level of the old immortal in the Yin family, these four are not enough to look at. Once they clash, they have to invite a few old gentlemen to take action.

Zhou Andong diligently toasted them one by one. After toasting a round of wine, he turned his gaze to Shi Mingshan, who was sitting to the side: "Uncle Shi, I am quite familiar with Deputy Director Chen Zhaoru of your State Planning Commission.

Just last year, when he came to Jiangzhou to inspect work, it was a coincidence that it happened to be the wedding of Yao Jun, the boss of Jin Dun Security and also the Minister of the Security Department of Yugong Group. Deputy Director Chen actually went to attend that wedding in person."

Zhou Andong paused slightly, drank some wine to moisten his throat, and continued: "That day, Deputy Director Chen and I talked happily. It was truly a feeling of meeting too late. It's just a pity..."

Speaking of this, Zhou Andong couldn't help shaking his head, his face showing deep regret: "Just when we were chatting enthusiastically, an accident happened. Deputy Director Chen might have been too tired or for other reasons, and suddenly fainted.

It wasn't just me, everyone was scared to death. At that time, I was so anxious in my heart, it was simply indescribable. As a result, because I was too nervous, my old illness also flared up, sigh..."

Zhou Andong sighed heavily and continued: "Just like that, both of us were sent to the hospital in an emergency. Although my body was fine, by the time I fully recovered and wanted to find Deputy Director Chen to drink and chat again, he had already returned to Beijing.

Since then, I have never seen Deputy Director Chen again. Every time I think of this, I feel particularly regretful in my heart. I really hope his body has fully recovered now and he can be healthy. When there is an opportunity, I will definitely go to see the old gentleman, not to drink wine, but drinking a cup of tea is also fine."

(Forget the character Chen Zhaoru, look back at 620/621/624/626/628/656/657)

Hearing Zhou Andong's words, Shi Mingshan's mouth twitched. The videotapes and letters from your Yugong Group reporting Chen Zhaoru are still in the drawer of my office. You don't know how he is?

The expressions on the faces of the others also became strange. After all, having reached their positions, there were no secrets they didn't know.

"Chen Zhaoru's body is indeed not very good." Shi Mingshan finally spoke: "In addition, he made some mistakes, has been removed from his post, and is undergoing organizational investigation."

Zhou Andong was shocked. He was truly shocked. It had been more than a year. What kind of big thing did he do that the investigation hadn't finished yet?

"It really shocked me." Zhou Andong shook his head, his face full of regret: "What a pity, what a pity. There will be no chance to drink and chat with Director Chen in the future."

"You can find us to drink." Qin Xianghuai picked up his wine glass: "Come, Andong, let us two drink one."

"Okay!" Zhou Andong raised his glass, lowered it slightly, and clinked it with Qin Xianghuai's glass.

Zhou Andong thought that with his drinking capacity, drinking with these old guys would definitely be no problem.

However, these old guys were all veterans of the drinking field. Zhou Andong didn't even wait for Tang Lin and Nie Wen to change their clothes and come to toast, and his head was already muddled. Finally, in his consciousness, he seemed to hear Tang Lin's unbridled mocking laughter.

When he woke up, he sat on the edge of the bed for a long time before he realized that this was a guest room in the Beijing Hotel, and it was a luxury suite. As for how he got here, he had no impression at all.

At this time, he felt dry-mouthed, then got out of bed, left the room, found mineral water, opened it, and drank more than half a bottle in one breath.

"Hoo!"

Zhou Andong let out a comfortable long breath, turned around, came to the window, reached out and pushed the window open. A breeze blew in, making him feel much more energetic.

At this time, the sky outside was completely dark, but there were still quite a few people coming and going on Chang'an Avenue. He fished a cigarette out of his pocket, lit it, and glanced at his watch. It was already past nine in the evening.

Just then, the door behind him made a "ka" sound, and then the door was pushed open. It was actually An Jing: "You're awake."

Zhou Andong didn't turn his head and knew who it was: "Why are you here?"

An Jing was carrying a large plastic bag in her hand, which contained several food containers: "Tang Lin is getting married, you say why am I here?"

Zhou Andong turned around slowly: "What are you holding in your hand?"

An Jing took out the food containers and placed them on the coffee table one by one: "You drank so much at noon and didn't eat at night. You'll definitely be hungry after waking up, so I bought you a late-night snack. Come and eat something."

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "A hero drinks under the river moon, the hardest thing to bear is a beauty's kindness."

"Less nonsense!" An Jing rolled her eyes at Zhou Andong and stuffed the chopsticks into his hand: "Hurry up and eat."

Zhou Andong sat down, looked at the food on the coffee table, and said somewhat dissatisfied: "You're giving me this stuff to eat?"

An Jing sat opposite: "You drank so much wine at noon, drink some porridge at night, and eat some small pickles to nourish your stomach."

"Okay!"

Zhou Andong picked up the lunch box. It was that kind of aluminum lunch box, and it was new. Inside was century egg and lean meat porridge. He lowered his head and took a sip.

"Who sent me to the room?"

An Jing picked up another pair of chopsticks, picked up a pickled radish strip, and put it into Zhou Andong's lunch box: "Gu Bing and Zhang Zuo and the others, who else could it be."

Zhou Andong picked up the pickled radish strip, put it in his mouth, and chewed it with a crunch: "Where were you sitting at noon? Why didn't I see you?"

An Jing put some other pickles into Zhou Andong's lunch box: "Jiang Yuyue, Ma Xiaotong, and Huang Jiamin also came. I sat at a table with them. Because you were drinking with the leaders, I didn't go over to find you."

It was not surprising that Jiang Yuyue, Ma Xiaotong, and Huang Jiamin came to attend Tang Lin's wedding. First, the two companies were next to each other. Second, the resident singers of the first bar all came from Future Culture.

Third, and most importantly, Ma Xiaotong and Huang Jiamin each bought a courtyard house from Tang Lin. This favor was not small. Therefore, it was reasonable for them to come when Tang Lin got married.

"Dong dong dong!"

The door was knocked from the outside. Zhou Andong raised his head and shouted: "Come in!"

As his voice fell, the door was pushed open. Jiang Yuyue also walked in carrying a bag. When she saw Zhou Andong eating and An Jing was also there, she was stunned for a moment, and then laughed.

"I didn't expect Sister An to come before me. It seems my late-night snack was bought in vain."

"Not in vain." Zhou Andong swallowed what was in his mouth: "What An Jing bought was only porridge and pickles. What did you buy? Hurry up and bring it over."

Jiang Yuyue walked over with a smile, then took out the lunch box, opened it, and placed it on the coffee table.

Zhou Andong was dumbfounded. What Jiang Yuyue bought was also porridge and pickles. The difference was that she bought millet porridge, and the pickles were almost the same.

"You bought them at the same shop, right."

An Jing and Jiang Yuyue looked at each other, and then laughed out loud.