Chapter 2708

At this time, there was still more than half an hour before the meeting started. When Zhou Andong and Ye Zhen entered, there were twenty or thirty people sitting sparsely inside.

They did not expect Zhou Andong to come so early. Previously, there had been no opportunity. Now, everyone stood up and walked over.

"Zhou Dong..."

"Zhou Dong..."

"Zhou Factory Manager..."

"Zhou Dong..."

"..."

Zhou Andong took the business cards handed over by everyone, politely shaking hands and greeting them. Just as they were chatting lively, Lian Xiangzhi arrived, followed by more than a dozen people.

"Lian Zong has arrived!" someone said, not knowing who.

Zhou Andong looked up and smiled, saying: "Seniors, don't block the aisle. We have time to chat later."

"Okay!" a middle-aged man with a receding hairline laughed heartily: "Zhou Dong, do you have time tonight? I'll treat everyone to drinks."

"Not tonight." Zhou Andong smiled: "How about tomorrow night? I'll treat, and we can find a place to sit and chat."

"Zhou Dong, how could we let you treat?" the receding-hairline man said: "I have a friend who opened a seafood restaurant in Jingcheng. I haven't been there either. He called me to say the chef was hired from Xiangjiang. I'll go check tomorrow night to see if he's bragging."

Another young man in his thirties said: "Zhou Dong, since the five bosses all said that, how could we not fulfill his wish? Let him treat for this meal."

The receding-hairline man's surname is Di, a very rare compound surname. Zhou Andong had never heard of it before. So, he memorized the name of the man surrounded by a group of people: Di Chengsheng.

Ye Zhen sat in the last row, watching Zhou Andong surrounded by people, his eloquent and graceful demeanor stirring a palpitation in her heart. Outstanding people are always like stars holding the moon, and the light they emit is equally dazzling.

"Lian Zong!" Zhou Andong greeted the approaching Lian Xiangzhi: "Your dark circles are quite heavy. Didn't you rest well last night?"

Lian Xiangzhi gave a false smile and said: "Last night I went out drinking with a few friends and slept relatively late."

"Oh!" Zhou Andong nodded understandingly: "Lian Zong, you're not young anymore. You should still pay attention to your health. Moreover, I see your complexion is pale and your lips are purple. I think you should go to the hospital for a check-up."

Lian Xiangzhi's face sank immediately, followed by a false smile appearing once again: "Thank you, Zhou Dong, for your concern. I will pay attention."

"Good!" Zhou Andong said with a squinting smile: "If Lian Zong encounters anything, it would be a loss to our tech industry, and even the entire business world."

Lian Xiangzhi nearly choked with anger, wishing he would die right then. Zhou Andong's mouth truly was as if he had eaten excrement—forever so foul.

"Rest assured, your body may not be as good as mine, Zhou Dong."

"Lian Zong's body is indeed better than mine." Zhou Andong sized up Lian Xiangzhi from head to toe, let out a long sigh, then shook his head and turned to stride forward.

Lian Xiangzhi was so angry he nearly vomited blood: "My body is fine, so why are you sighing and shaking your head?"

But while cursing Zhou Andong in his heart, he also felt a bit unsettled: "Could it be that my body really has a problem?"

"Big Brother!" an old man who looked older than Lian Xiangzhi said softly: "Better to believe it exists than not. I think you should go to the hospital for a check-up. If there's nothing, all the better. If there is..."

Lian Xiangzhi's face darkened slightly. Without saying anything, he strode forward. Although he was displeased with the old man's meddling, he still decided to go to the hospital after the symposium ended, otherwise he would feel like a thorn was stuck in his heart.

Damn it, Lian Xiangzhi cursed Zhou Andong again in his heart. If it weren't for that damned dog-spouting nonsense disgusting himself, planting a thorn in his heart, how could he possibly feel so vexed?

"Today is a good day, everything I think of can come true..."

Zhou Andong was in a good mood. He came to his seat and sat down, humming a tune. Only then did he notice that the tables and chairs on stage had changed. Previously arranged in an arc in the center, they were now placed on both sides of the stage, leaving the center empty.

"Old Zhou!" Liu Xiangchun arrived. After drinking together last night, their relationship had progressed further, and his address changed from Zhou Dong to Old Zhou: "You seem to be in a very good mood today."

"That's quite good!" Zhou Andong gave a hey laugh, then puckered his lips toward the stage: "Look at the changes on stage."

Liu Xiangchun glanced over and asked doubtfully: "Is there a problem?"

"Of course there is!" Zhou Andong leaned lazily against the chair back: "The center of the stage is empty. Today, we are the protagonists."

Liu Xiangchun also had to give a speech today. Hearing Zhou Andong's words, he nodded in agreement: "Indeed, today we are the protagonients. Just thinking about speaking on stage, with leaders and experts sitting beside us and industry peers in front, makes me nervous."

"Nervous my ass!" Zhou Andong took out a cigarette, lit it, and threw one to Liu Xiangchun: "Just treat it like a company meeting, regard them as staff members. If that still doesn't work, just treat him as a cabbage."

"Okay!" Liu Xiangchun laughed: "When I go on stage, I'll do as you said and treat everyone as cabbages."

Zhou Andong took a deep drag of his cigarette, sighing at how good this era is—such important occasions don't even ban smoking.

"Old Zhou!" Liu Xiangchun asked: "How are your preparations? You're the first to give a speech."

"What's there to prepare?" Zhou Andong said indifferently: "Just give a speech. Go up and say a few casual sentences."

Liu Xiangchun smacked his lips resentfully: "Old Zhou, I know you're glib-tongued and I admire your talent, but do you know that sometimes your words are offensive?"

Zhou Andong shrugged, saying in a death-inducing tone: "No way, brother—I just have talent. You can't envy it."

"Pah!" Liu Xiangchun spat: "I curse you to have no sound on the microphone when you go on stage, and to forget your words during the speech."

"Useless!" Zhou Andong said, shaking his head and swaying his body: "Brother, I am the illegitimate son of God. No curse works on me."

Liu Xiangchun gave a hey laugh, took out a draft paper from his pocket, and lightly placed it before Zhou Andong: "Old Zhou, help me look at my speech draft. See if there's any room for improvement."

Zhou Andong picked up Liu Xiangchun's speech draft, but he didn't look at it immediately. Instead, he turned his head to look at Lian Xiangzhi sitting in the back: "Lian Zong, are you also giving a speech today? Is your draft ready?"

Lian Xiangzhi didn't want to deal with Zhou Andong, but people were sitting all around him. If he pretended not to hear, it would seem he lacked quality, which didn't match his image.

"Thank you, Zhou Dong, for your concern. My draft is ready."

Zhou Andong asked solicitously: "Do you want me to take a look? There are still a few minutes. Helping you polish it wouldn't be a problem."