Chapter 127: Even with Low Health, You Can't Take Me Down!

It is common for men and women to drink intertwined-arm toasts at a dinner table, but Tang Ye knew Xu Qiao had never experienced such things.

He smiled and intervened, "Director Zou, Xu Qiao usually doesn't touch a drop of alcohol. If she drank so much today, it was out of respect for you. Let's skip the intertwined-arm toast; I'll drink it for her!"

Zou Zhen had not expected Tang Ye to jump out and spoil the mood; he flared his nostrils.

Seeing the atmosphere turn sour, Gao Yang quickly said with a smile, "Town Mayor Tang, if you're drinking on her behalf, you have to drink three cups!"

Tang Ye smiled, filled the decanter, and prepared to down it in one go.

Xu Qiao placed her hand on Tang Ye's arm and took the initiative to say to Zou Zhen, "Director Zou, I will have an intertwined-arm toast with you. I hope you can support Pinghu and help promote it more."

Tang Ye was quite surprised and suddenly realized that he didn't seem to understand Xu Qiao at all...

Xu Qiao's mood at this moment was extremely complicated; as an unmarried woman, drinking an intertwined-arm toast with a man she had just met was by no means something she did willingly.

But when Xu Qiao saw that Tang Ye was willing to drink an entire pot of wine to protect her, she felt in her heart that she could not let that happen.

Zou Zhen looked at Xu Qiao with a beaming smile, full of anticipation for the upcoming intertwined-arm toast.

Tang Ye suddenly took out his phone, startling everyone present.

He covered the phone and walked out of the private room; after a moment, he turned back into the room and beckoned to Xu Qiao.

Everyone was quite surprised.

Tang Ye called Xu Qiao outside the restaurant.

Xu Qiao looked at Tang Ye with an uneasy expression, "Master, what happened?"

Tang Ye waved at Xu Qiao, "You should go back quickly. That old lecher Zou Zhen has evil intentions toward you. If you continue to let him act with such impunity, he will only become more unscrupulous in taking advantage of you."

Xu Qiao finally realized that Tang Ye had set up a diversion to call her out of the restaurant, and her nose suddenly felt sore.

"If I leave, then what about the promotion?"

Tang Ye smiled faintly, "If they have the heart to help Pinghu, they won't give up the idea just because you left. If they have no intention of helping Pinghu, even if you drank the intertwined-arm toast, it would be of no use."

Xu Qiao nodded slightly, "Then I'll listen to you. Drink less."

Tang Ye laughed heartily, "Don't you know my alcohol tolerance? That bunch of people combined are no match for me."

After Xu Qiao left, Tang Ye sighed inwardly; for a woman in the civil service, a beautiful appearance is a double-edged sword.

He also didn't know if Xu Qiao would break her bottom line one day.

But, at least today, in the area within Tang Ye's sight, he could not let such a thing happen.

Xu Qiao called him Master in private.

He could not tolerate his apprentice being taken advantage of by others.

However, judging from Xu Qiao's performance today, it seemed she would sooner or later overcome this psychological barrier.

Right now, he was just a television program director, and he had ways to maneuver.

If it were a higher-ranking leader in the future, could he still help Xu Qiao escape?

Xu Qiao walked toward the Government building, subconsciously wrapping her trench coat tighter.

Her mood at this moment was extremely complicated.

Just now, she had agreed to drink the intertwined-arm toast with Zou Zhen; in Tang Ye's eyes, would he think she was too casual?

She didn't want others to think she was just a vase placed beside Tang Ye.

Besides unease and annoyance, there was also a strong sense of being moved.

She had participated in similar business social events before and had been asked to toast leaders or even drink intertwined-arm toasts.

Everyone was used to it.

No one would ever stand up directly like Tang Ye to help her out of a predicament!

Tang Ye took a breath of the cool air of the early spring night, adjusted his state of mind, and walked back into the restaurant.

Returning to the private room, Tang Ye revealed a helpless, bitter smile, "I just received an important task. I have to report work to Secretary Du tomorrow morning, so I had Xiao Xu go back to prepare the relevant materials."

The intertwined-arm toast hadn't been drunk yet, and Xu Qiao had actually left?

Zou Zhen was greatly disappointed!

Seeing Zou Zhen's expression, Tang Ye sneered inwardly, but a smile appeared on his face as he continued to bluff!

"I told Xiao Xu that once she finishes processing the data, she should come over immediately.

Director Zou, why did you put your glass down?

How about this: I'll temporarily take Xiao Xu's place and have an intertwined-arm toast with you. When Xiao Xu arrives, you can have one with her then."

Gu Wenqin was amused by Tang Ye's proposal and took the opportunity to stir up the crowd, "Director Zou, I think Town Mayor Tang's proposal is quite good."

Before Zou Zhen could react, his arm was already hoisted up by Tang Ye.

Tang Ye drank the wine in his glass first; Zou Zhen's smile carried helplessness and bitterness, but forced by the situation, he could only finish the wine in his glass.

"Director Zou, I really felt like we were old friends at first sight. For this intertwined-arm toast, we must drink at least three cups to express my inner respect for you."

Tang Ye didn't wait for an answer, helped Zou Zhen fill his glass, linked his arm again, and downed it in one gulp.

Zou Zhen's alcohol tolerance was only average; the previous gulp of wine had made his throat smoke, and now that he had to finish another, he couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated, "Can you let me catch my breath?"

Tang Ye used his free hand to grab Zou Zhen's chopsticks, picked up a piece of meat, and handed it to Zou Zhen, "Director Zou, I'll feed you a bite to suppress the alcohol, and I'll wait for you."

Zou Zhen was stuffed with a bite of meat and swallowed it; forced by the expectant gazes of the crowd, he could only bite the bullet and down the wine in his glass.

Tang Ye gave Zou Zhen a thumbs up, fed him a piece of cold cucumber, and immediately drank the third cup.

Zou Zhen was now muddled by Tang Ye's drinking and began to feel the effects, so he downed the wine in his glass.

Amidst the applause of the crowd, Tang Ye returned to his seat with a smile, then covered his head as if he had drunk too much.

Zou Zhen secretly observed Tang Ye, thinking to himself, you brat were quite arrogant just now, but ended up drinking too much yourself, didn't you?

Zou Zhen rested for a while, took the initiative to pick up his glass, walked to Tang Ye's side, and put his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder, "Town Mayor Tang, now it's my turn to toast you! Thank you very much for hosting us today; it felt like a home away from home. Please rest assured, Pinghu has good water and even better people. We will definitely promote Pinghu more!"

Tang Ye feigned a struggle, picked up his glass, stood up, and hooked his arm around Zou Zhen's shoulder, "Director Zou, I've kept your words in mind. We are people who have shared an intertwined-arm toast; you can't deceive my feelings! Come, cheers!"

Zou Zhen clinked glasses with Tang Ye and downed his drink in one gulp, secretly thinking that this kid would probably be drunk under the table very soon.

He forcefully suppressed the spicy fumes of alcohol surging up from his stomach.

"We just had three glasses, now I will toast you with three more."

Tang Ye hurriedly took a bite of food and feigned a bleary-eyed, drunken look, "Director Zou, to tell you the truth, I've reached my limit today. But, to ensure you have a good time, I will risk my life to keep you company."

After Director Zou finished the wine in his glass, he saw Tang Ye drinking as if it were poison, "struggling" to finish the wine in two gulps, which gave him great satisfaction, and the unhappiness from Xu Qiao's departure earlier vanished into thin air.

Gao Yang observed Tang Ye sitting down, holding his head and appearing drunk.

He whispered to Gu Wenqin beside him, "How is Town Mayor Tang's tolerance for alcohol?"

Gu Wenqin knew full well that Tang Ye was intentionally showing weakness, so she helped him cover, "His alcohol tolerance isn't very good. Today can be considered an above-average performance."

A hint of emotion flickered in Gao Yang's eyes, "Then his alcohol tolerance still needs more practice. I know many officials who have a high tolerance; alcohol tolerance is directly proportional to administrative rank. If his tolerance is only average, that won't do!"

Afterwards, Gao Yang walked toward Zou Zhen.

Watching the two of them whispering to each other, Gu Wenqin secretly wondered if Gao Yang was going to tell Zou Zhen that Tang Ye's alcohol tolerance was poor.

That would really spell disaster for Zou Zhen.

Sure enough, after a brief adjustment, Zou Zhen walked toward Tang Ye again.

Tang Ye still had that look of someone who might collapse under the table at any moment.

Every time he drank, it was very reluctant, yet he seemed able to keep drinking.

Crucially, after being toasted, Tang Ye would sway unsteadily to return the toast to Zou Zhen.

After two or three rounds, Zou Zhen's speech became slurred, and his tongue started to tie itself in knots.

Looking at Tang Ye again, he was clearly at low health, but just wouldn't go down.

It was driving people crazy!