Chapter 1007: Let Me Handle It This Time!

Evening.

Zhou Minshan and Shi Yao arrived at the City Square.

They walked into a newly opened restaurant.

The restaurant belonged to the Zhao Group; because the private room had been reserved by the County Party Committee office, the restaurant manager attached great importance to it.

Not only was the most spacious private room in the establishment reserved, but the manager also provided service inside the room throughout the meal.

As soon as Zhou Minshan walked into the private room, he said in surprise, "I really didn't expect Dayu County to have such a high-class restaurant."

Shi Yao said with some pride, "This restaurant finished its renovations just last year. Over the past year, we have recruited merchants with the City Square as our theme, adding quite a few specialty restaurants."

Zhou Minshan nodded thoughtfully, "No wonder there is still the lingering smell of renovations!"

After saying this, he turned to the restaurant manager and instructed, "Open the windows to let some air in; I am quite sensitive to smells, and my rhinitis flares up easily."

The manager did not have a good impression of Zhou Minshan, but still wore a professional smile and opened the windows.

"If you need anything else, please feel free to ask."

After Zhou Minshan sat down, he said softly, "Bring the menu over for me to see."

The manager hurriedly handed the menu to Zhou Minshan's hand and took the opportunity to introduce, "Our restaurant just received a batch of fresh seafood this afternoon; would you be interested in trying some?"

Zhou Minshan flipped through the menu casually, skipped the seafood category, and said, "Dayu County is located in an inland mountainous area and is in a remote location. Even though the seafood is air-freighted here, I reckon it isn't very fresh! It would be better to eat some local specialty dishes!"

After finishing, he turned to Shi Yao and added an explanation, "The most critical thing about eating is the ingredients themselves. When you arrive at a place, you should taste the local specialty dishes; if you want to eat seafood, next time we can travel to a coastal city, buy fresh ingredients directly from fishermen at the harbor, and then find a restaurant to process them for us. Only then can you guarantee the original flavor of the ingredients."

Shi Yao thought to herself that Zhou Minshan's tone was truly somewhat unpleasant, so she turned to the restaurant manager and said softly, "Then we won't have the seafood. Please bring up a few local specialty dishes from Shaan Province first."

After the manager exited the private room, Zhou Minshan explained earnestly to Shi Yao, "I'm not being stingy. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, and seafood is considered a 'trigger food' that can easily worsen your condition."

Shi Yao nodded slightly, "You decide what we eat."

Not a few minutes later, the door to the private room was gently pushed open, and Jiang Anbang walked in with his wife.

Shi Yao hurriedly stood up to introduce him to Zhou Minshan, "This is Comrade Jiang Anbang."

Jiang Anbang stepped forward quickly to shake hands with Zhou Minshan and said enthusiastically, "Director Zhou, hello! Welcome to Dayu County to provide guidance on our work."

Zhou Minshan smiled politely and responded, "I have long admired your name; I am finally able to meet you today."

Just at this moment, Tang Ye also walked in from outside.

Shi Yao continued the introductions, "This is Comrade Tang Ye."

Zhou Minshan looked up at Tang Ye, who was a head taller than him, and extended his hand, "Hello, hello."

Tang Ye reached out to shake his hand and said with a smile, "I often hear Secretary Shi mention you. Today, I must toast you a few times."

Zhou Minshan had previously looked into Tang Ye's resume and knew that he had helped Shi Yao quite a bit.

However, in his eyes, Tang Ye was Shi Yao's subordinate, and he had organized this gathering to look after Shi Yao's face and facilitate her future work.

"Alright, we will definitely drink a few more cups later." Zhou Minshan was quite confident in his alcohol tolerance.

Soon, the food and drinks were served one after another.

Zhou Minshan picked up his wine glass, stood up to toast Jiang Anbang, and then turned to toast Tang Ye.

Although Zhou Minshan was not much to look at, his speech was refined, and he possessed a certain depth of character.

From his few words, it was not hard to hear that his paternal background was certainly not simple.

Jiang Anbang felt some rejection toward Zhou Minshan from the bottom of his heart.

Zhou Minshan exuded a sense of contempt for Dayu County in his bones, carrying an inherent sense of superiority.

Tang Ye did not pay too much attention to it; in his view, although Zhou Minshan spoke a bit directly, he had no malicious intent.

Although he was prone to offending people, at least his joys and angers were written on his face. Dealing with such a person was not difficult as long as one went along with his temper.

Zhou Minshan had organized this dinner with the original intention of supporting Shi Yao, but his methods were inevitably somewhat unrefined.

Those present were all "old hands" who had spent many years in officialdom and would not easily wear their likes or dislikes on their faces.

They chatted about the public opinion crisis previously triggered by the tourist-gouging incident in Dayu County.

Zhou Minshan suddenly felt he had to speak his mind, "You handled the public opinion crisis that Dayu County encountered this time quite well, but I think there were better solutions."

Jiang Anbang took the opportunity to smile, "Director Zhou, what high insights do you have? You might as well share them with us."

Zhou Minshan smiled easily, "Although internet regulation is difficult nowadays, it is not without ways to deal with it. You only need to find key figures with enough weight and say a word; the public opinion will naturally subside."

Jiang Anbang remained calm, "Director Zhou has extensive connections and abundant resources, so naturally, you have many more methods than us grassroots cadres. Next time there is a similar situation, we will have to ask for your help."

Zhou Minshan naturally heard the mockery in Jiang Anbang's words, but he couldn't be bothered to argue with him and smiled faintly, "If there is anything you need my help with in the future, I certainly won't sit idly by. However, your Secretary Shi is not very willing to discuss things with me."

Shi Yao was somewhat unhappy with Zhou Minshan's conceit and reminded him softly, "Minshan, have you had too much to drink? Say less, lest you be laughed at."

Zhou Minshan was stunned for a moment, and an expression of displeasure appeared on his face, "Laughed at? Everyone present is one of our own; who would laugh at me?"

Shi Yao took a deep breath and drank a mouthful of water, feeling depressed.

Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat awkward, Zhou Minshan feigned humor to smooth things over, "Shi Yao and I often bicker; this is just a way we get along."

Jiang Anbang's wife hurriedly chimed in with a smile, "Isn't it said that 'enemies are destined to meet'? Bickering between a couple is a common occurrence. We also bickered often when we were young; now that we treat each other with mutual respect, I occasionally feel that life is too boring."

Jiang Anbang thought to himself: Secretary Shi's fiancé has really poor emotional intelligence and is simply not worthy of Shi Yao—it is truly like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung.

Tang Ye did not take it to heart; he felt that although Zhou Minshan spoke directly, he had no hidden agenda.

Although he was prone to offending people, at least his emotions were written on his face.

Dealing with such a person was not difficult as long as one went along with his temper.

As the dinner neared its end, Zhou Minshan stood up to pay the bill.

Shi Yao hurriedly held him back and said, "Let me pay the bill."

Zhou Minshan was a bit drunk and did not insist further.

Shi Yao walked to the restaurant's front desk and took out her wallet to prepare for payment.

The staff member in charge of the register said hurriedly, "Hello, the expenses have already been settled."

Shi Yao frowned and asked, "Who settled it? I had already given instructions that today's consumption in our private room could neither be charged to the Government account nor allowed to be paid by anyone else."

The staff member looked troubled and said, "It was our boss who gave the order."

A flash of anger suddenly rose in Shi Yao's heart.

At this moment, Tang Ye walked out right behind her and explained with a smile, "Secretary Shi, don't make things difficult for the staff. I was the one who bought the bill; they didn't agree at first, and only consented after I called Zhao Hui to communicate. Please rest assured, I paid for this meal out of my own pocket. It's rare for Brother Zhou to visit Dayu County, so how could I let him spend his own money!"

If it had been anyone else, Shi Yao certainly would not have let it go, but she was clearly different toward Tang Ye.

Shi Yao sighed softly, a trace of a smile appearing on her face, and then her tone became quite serious.

"Don't let it happen again."

Tang Ye nodded vigorously and said sincerely, "Next time you treat, I will absolutely not fight for the bill again; just let me handle this one!"