Chapter 159: Lu Fan plays host

When Zhou Tianhui returned home, her parents' faces beamed with joy. Their family's high-achieving student was back, and they were eager to serve up every delicious dish they had.

During the meal, seeing his successful daughter and then looking at his good-for-nothing son, Zhou Zhengbang sighed and said, "Xiaojian, you've been studying for the civil service exam—how is your revision going?"

Zhou Jian said with a bitter face, "Dad, it's not that simple. I'm eighty percent sure I won't pass, so don't get your hopes up."

Zhou Zhengbang said angrily, "You dog-day son of a bitch, is the exam that hard? Your sister could get into the Communication University of China in Jingcheng, so why are you such a coward? Is the civil service exam really that difficult? I think it's just that you're a lazy dog who doesn't study hard. You at least went to junior college; even those hoodlums and half-wits in our village can land jobs, so why can't you?"

Zhou Tianhui spoke a fair word: "Dad, the civil service and career unit exams are truly difficult. It's a real case of thousands of troops crossing a single-plank bridge. You should know best whether your son is cut out for it. I think it's better to find a steady job."

"That shitty junior college—what kind of good job can you find with that?"

Every time this topic came up, Zhou Zhengbang would be filled with frustration, wishing he could transfer his daughter's capability directly to his son.

Suddenly, Zhou Zhengbang said, "Tianhui, you and Lu Fan have been close since you were kids. He's the Education Bureau Director now and has great connections. Why don't you go find him and ask him to arrange a job for your brother? At least let your brother get a government-funded meal!"

Zhou Tianhui said helplessly, "Dad, I don't have the face to ask him. Besides, nowadays everything requires an exam; Lu Fan doesn't have that much power."

"You silly girl, he's such a big Director, how could he have no way? When has the world ever been free of connections? Damn it, who can see the future? If I had known Lu Fan would have such great prospects, I definitely wouldn't have called off your engagement. This dog-day kid is truly strange—with no connections at all, how did he manage to become a Director?"

"Tianhui, Dad called off the engagement for your own good; I didn't want you to suffer with him. But the situation is different now. As the saying goes, a man chasing a woman is separated by a mountain, while a woman chasing a man is separated by a thin veil. I know you two have a good relationship, so don't worry about your pride. Be proactive, and maybe there's still a chance. I know Lu Fan—he's sentimental and values old ties!"

"Dad, I'm full!" Zhou Tianhui put down her bowl and chopsticks and returned to her room.

"This girl, isn't it all for your own good?"

"Father of the child, a person lives for their face, and a tree lives for its bark. Don't make things difficult for our daughter!"

"What do you know? If you dare to nag again, I'll hammer you to death!"

On New Year's Eve, Lu Fan and his younger sister prepared a table full of dishes, set out five pairs of bowls and chopsticks, and even opened a bottle of Moutai to celebrate the arrival of the Spring Festival.

"Yaoyao, Brother knows your heart. Leave all the family matters to me!"

"Brother, thank you for everything you've done for me. Your lovely sister has grown up and can share all your burdens!"

"Come, to the future Central Committee selectee, let's have a toast as a family. Happy New Year!"

Just as they picked up their chopsticks, a knock came at the door. When they opened it, they saw Du Wenlong, who didn't stand on ceremony and started looking for his own chopsticks.

Lu Fan laughed, "It's the New Year—you're not eating your reunion dinner at home?"

"I ate half at home, and now I'm here to eat the other half. It works out perfectly."

Lu Yao asked, "Brother Chou Chou, do you have a partner yet?"

Du Wenlong laughed, "What do I need that for? Worry about your brother first!"

"Hey, you're a Discipline Inspection leader, show some respect to women. I'm telling you, my goal is to get into the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. When that happens, watch out, or your little sister will make things difficult for you!"

"Good, that's ambition. You hurry up and pass, then I'll have someone on the inside!"

Not long after, Su Xiaoyi arrived, also grabbing chopsticks without hesitation to eat. While eating, he said, "Brother Fan, I was busy all through the twelfth lunar month; I only just got a break at noon."

Winter in Qinchuan is very cold, and many elderly people struggle to survive the cold. The twelfth lunar month is the month with the most funerals, so the coffin shop naturally has booming business.

After a while, Yang Minghao, Xia Li, and Liu Jin Zhu, who had finished their New Year's Eve dinners, also came to join the fun, and the drinking session officially began.

As the brothers were drinking, Ceng Ming, who worked at the Municipal Judicial Bureau, was the last to arrive. As soon as he entered, he said, "You guys are all here, I'll punish myself with three cups!"

Yang Minghao laughed and said, "It's not easy to see a municipal leader, but since Instructor Ceng went to the prison, he's become 'profane'—he doesn't know how to talk without cursing!"

Ceng Ming laughed, "Hey, I can't help it, it's an occupational disease. For that group of sons of bitches, three kind words aren't as good as one club. You have to make them feel pain for their souls to be purified."

It was rare for the brothers to be all together, and everyone was very happy. The atmosphere was quite lively, with Lu Yao serving tea and water, and occasionally offering toasts to her brothers.

By eight o'clock, the drinking session moved in front of the television, and everyone watched the Spring Festival Gala while drinking, making it much more casual.

Ceng Ming specifically pulled Lu Fan into the bedroom and whispered, "Brother Fan, that grandson Ji Luhui has a very tough mouth and is determined to hold out. He'll be released in another year, and it will probably be even harder to deal with him once he's out."

"Ceng Ming, thank you, you've worked hard!"

"Brother Fan, saying that makes us strangers. The main thing is that I have no way to deal with it, and I'm just watching the days go by."

"He has something to look forward to in his heart, so he'll definitely keep his mouth shut. Is there any way to keep him inside longer?"

Ceng Ming thought for a moment and said, "How about I find a few inmates to get into a fight with him? Make it more serious!"

"You are an instructor; how is your relationship with your prison warden?"

"We have no conflict of interest. I respect him very much, and we get along like brothers."

"Be cautious and careful in everything. Never leave behind any leverage, never knowingly do what shouldn't be done, and protecting yourself is the most important thing!"

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Fan went to Li Qiong's home to have a meal with the elderly couple, repeatedly telling them to call him whenever they needed anything.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Fan returned to Langcha Village to visit his second uncle and also visited Grandpa Yang on behalf of Uncle Yang Ye. The old man seemed very senile and didn't even recognize Lu Fan; the pain of a parent burying their child is something ordinary people find hard to comprehend.

By the third day, Lu Fan went to Yingjiang to visit Han Xuyang. Director Han Guishan's whole family had returned because the old man lived with Han Xuyang.

Through these years of getting along, Lu Fan had basically integrated into the Han family, and Director Han Guishan basically looked at Lu Fan as a nephew.

Drinking with his elders, Lu Fan didn't dare to hold back, and since the two Han brothers were both heavy drinkers, Lu Fan naturally got dead drunk and squeezed into a room with Han Xinpu for the night.

In Ningyang, before returning to work on the seventh day of the first lunar month, basically every family drank and everyone drank; if you didn't drink, it only meant your social skills were poor and no one invited you.

He returned home on the fourth day to rest for a day.

At around six in the evening, Lu Fan had the Education Bureau clerk Lu Xingzhou notify the High School principal and all the middle school principals that he would be treating them to drinks at the Ningyang Hotel at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.

This sudden invitation shocked the principals. They couldn't help but secretly speculate: why would the Bureau Director invite everyone to drink during the middle of the New Year?

At the same time, another question troubled the principals. They didn't know if they should go to the banquet empty-handed, and if they brought gifts, what kind of gifts would be appropriate?

Besides, who else had the Director invited?

These questions shrouded the principals' hearts like a fog, and all sorts of guesses flooded their minds, but going was a one-hundred-percent certainty.

Soon, the news of the Director treating everyone to a meal spread throughout the education system.

First were the several Deputy Directors, puzzled as to why they didn't know about such a big event? Why was there no place for them on such an important occasion? Thus, they began to be suspicious and restless.

Next were the elementary school principals and kindergarten directors: on what grounds were only middle and high school principals invited? We are principals too! Just because we manage little children, we can't sit at the table?

At eleven o'clock on the fifth day, Lu Fan took Lu Xingzhou to the largest private room at the Ningyang Hotel ahead of time, and also brought two cases of "Wuliangye"—taking "Moutai" was too eye-catching.

Lu Fan personally ordered the dishes, picking "substantial dishes" to order.

At eleven-thirty, the principals arrived one after another, and Lu Fan greeted every principal warmly.

After everyone had arrived, Lu Xingzhou used large glasses to fill every principal's cup with liquor.

Lu Fan picked up his glass, slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and then he said: "Everyone, I gathered you all here mainly to toast three glasses! The first glass: I haven't had dealings with you all before, and I don't really know some of you, but from now on we will be working under the same roof and eating from the same pot—this is fate!

From a work perspective, I hope everyone can support each other and work together to promote the vigorous development of education in the Ningyang area. Here, I will toast you all first! But I'll say this in advance: if the sentiment is deep, drain it in one gulp; no one is allowed to 'keep fish'!"

After speaking, Lu Fan raised his glass and drained it in one go! Seeing this, how could the other principals be willing to fall behind? They scrambled to finish their drinks, showing their heroic spirit!

After the glasses were refilled, Lu Fan smiled and continued: "As for this second glass, it's because it's the New Year, and I want to have some fun and exchange ideas with everyone. In work, we are superiors and subordinates, but in private, we are friends! Here, I sincerely wish everyone present happiness, health, smooth careers, family harmony, and that all your wishes come true in the new year!"

After two glasses, they had already downed four taels of liquor, but everyone's expression remained unchanged; they were clearly cadres tested by "alcohol."

"For this third glass, I have a favor to ask of you all! Work resumes on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month. You all know that this winter break we cracked down heavily on paid tutoring; the intensity was high, and we effectively governed this stubborn disease, with high public satisfaction.

Things often have two sides. Our children aren't getting tutoring, but other counties still are. By comparison, our students are at a disadvantage, and their middle and high school entrance exam scores won't be guaranteed. I called you all together mainly to solve this problem."

The multi-book-title test begins, lasting for one week, starting today; it is quite important!

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