Chapter 419: A Gentleman's Word

Zhang Shenghui was concentrating on his Tai Chi when the shout from behind him startled him so much that he shuddered violently.

Then, he turned sideways, raised his arm, and slammed his elbow fiercely toward Zhou Andong behind him.

Zhou Andong quickly stepped sideways, dodging Zhang Shenghui's elbow.

"Damn!" Zhou Andong cursed. "Zhang Shenghui, if you can't play fair, you play dirty. Now you're starting to use force? Don't think I'm afraid of you."

Zhang Shenghui had been a soldier. Although he had retired, for so many years, his military habits had never changed.

Zhou Andong suddenly shouted behind him, and his quick reaction was a conditioned reflex.

Zhang Shenghui realized what he had done as soon as he struck, but it was too late. However, he never expected that the person behind him would be able to dodge it, which surprised him greatly.

He turned around to look, then was stunned, pointing his finger at Zhou Andong: "You... you you..."

"You what you!" Zhou Andong snorted: "I am Zhou Andong."

Zhang Shenghui suddenly became very awkward. How could it be such a coincidence? Jingcheng was so big, yet he had to run into Zhou Andong.

Moreover, he had already received the report that the advertisement had gone out last night. Looking at Zhou Andong's livid face, it was clear he already knew.

Zhou Andong suddenly laughed out loud and reached out his hand: "Factory Director Zhang, I've long admired your name. To meet here today, we must have a drink."

Zhang Shenghui was only awkward for a moment before returning to normal, shaking hands with Zhou Andong with a smile.

"Factory Director Zhou, nice to meet you. Having a drink is no problem, but I don't know if it's Qin Chi or Jiang Xiaobai."

Zhou Andong said, "Your advertisement already said it: only drink Qin Chi, not Jiang Xiaobai. Today, we'll drink Qin Chi."

Zhang Shenghui was awkward again: "Factory Director Zhou, how I hear those words, it sounds like you're slapping my face."

"No!" Zhou Andong said very seriously: "Commercial competition, as long as it is within the law, as long as I can defeat my opponent, I will also stop at nothing."

Zhang Shenghui was stunned. He really didn't expect Zhou Andong to say such things, but hearing it, he felt quite comfortable.

Zhang Shenghui said with a smile: "Today we won't drink Qin Chi or Jiang Xiaobai, we'll just drink Erguotou."

Zhou Andong nodded: "I think if Hongxing's Wu Hongkang knew that the two of us were drinking Erguotou, he would be so excited he wouldn't be able to sleep at night."

Zhang Shenghui said: "We are giving him so much face, he should send us a truckload of Erguotou."

Zhou Andong said: "Do you have his contact information? Even if we don't make him send us a truckload of Erguotou, we have to make him come over and pay the bill."

Zhang Shenghui shook his head: "No!"

Zhou Andong shrugged: "Then why the hell are we talking about it!"

"Brother Dong, I can contact Wu Hongkang!" Tang Lin suddenly said, turning toward the car, "I'll go call him."

Zhou Andong and Zhang Shenghui looked at each other. They were just joking, and they didn't expect Tang Lin to take it seriously, but they didn't stop him.

As the saying goes, more friends mean more paths. Since he could find the person, it wouldn't be bad to get to know him.

Tang Lin opened the car door, took out his mobile phone, and pressed a string of numbers. Soon, the other party answered.

"I am Wu Hongkang."

"Old Wu, I am Tang Lin. Two people are drinking and want you to come and pay the bill."

Wu Hongkang was stunned: "Who is drinking and wants me to pay the bill?"

Tang Lin laughed: "One is the Factory Director of Jiangzhou Distillery, Zhou Andong, and the other is the Factory Director of Qin Chi Distillery, Zhang Shenghui."

"Holy shit!"

Wu Hongkang cursed. Zhou Andong's name was like thunder to his ears. Moreover, Jiang Xiaobai was the biggest competitor to Subian Erguotou, and the two companies were locked in a fierce battle around Jingcheng.

As for Zhang Shenghui's name, he had heard it so much in the past few months that his ears were calloused. Although Qin Chi was still in the North, he believed that it wouldn't be long before Qin Chi would be listed nationwide.

With Zhang Shenghui's marketing methods, he realized that Qin Chi would also become the biggest competitor to Erguotou. He just couldn't understand how Zhou Andong and Zhang Shenghui could be drinking together, and even ask him to pay the bill.

But these thoughts only flashed through his mind; he didn't hesitate at all in his speech.

"Where are they? I'll be there right away."

Tang Lin said: "We'll wait for you here at Yinding Bridge in Houhai."

"Good!" Wu Hongkang hung up the phone.

"Brother Dong!" Tang Lin walked back and said with a grin: "Wu Hongkang is coming right over."

"Factory Director Zhang, let me introduce you." Zhou Andong pointed to Gu Bing: "This is our factory's Party Secretary, Comrade Gu Bing. This kid is my buddy, Tang Lin."

"Party Secretary Gu, nice to meet you!" Zhang Shenghui shook hands with Gu Bing, then shook hands with Tang Lin.

Zhou Andong asked Tang Lin: "How long will it take for Wu Hongkang to get here?"

Tang Lin said: "It'll take at least an hour."

Zhou Andong said: "I haven't been to Houhai yet, let's go for a stroll first."

Zhang Shenghui said: "I've been here for a few days, but I haven't had time to see the surrounding scenery. It's just right to walk together."

Zhou Andong and Zhang Shenghui strolled along the riverbank like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years; no one could tell that these two were competitors.

The two wandered aimlessly until they reached Yandai Xie Street. In his previous life, Zhou Andong had been here more than once, but the hutong hadn't been renovated yet.

The old Beijingers living here looked very leisurely; getting up early, going to the toilet, buying breakfast, morning exercises, walking birds, fishing, flying pigeons.

They all lived real lives, not to let guests come to take pictures, not to show off traditional culture to outsiders, and not to discuss how to be "grounded." Getting up in the morning to squat in the latrine, coming out, and meeting each other, it was always, "Have you eaten yet?"

Zhou Andong actually saw a very fashionable billiards hall for this era. Although it was still morning, there were many young people inside playing billiards.

Zhou Andong looked at Zhang Shenghui: "Do you know how to play?"

Zhang Shenghui said: "It's alright!"

Zhou Andong smiled: "I just learned, want to play a couple of rounds?"

Zhang Shenghui said quite readily: "No problem!"

The two entered the billiards hall, found an empty table, and picked up the billiard cues beside it.

Zhou Andong said: "Playing like this is boring, let's add a wager."

Zhang Shenghui asked: "What wager?"

Zhou Andong said: "If I lose, from now on in all public occasions, I will only drink Qin Chi. If you lose, it's the same: in all public occasions, you will only drink Jiang Xiaobai."

Zhang Shenghui was stunned, then laughed: "Factory Director Zhou, it seems you are very confident that you can win against me."

Zhou Andong shrugged: "I just learned this stuff, I can't really talk about confidence, I'm just playing for the thrill. How about it, dare you?"

"What's there not to dare?" Zhang Shenghui said: "If you lose, you can't go back on your word."

Zhou Andong said: "A gentleman's word is as good as gold." ===== CHAPTER 420 =====