Chapter 370: You Have Underestimated These Two!

The banquet was arranged at Shuntian Jiulou, near the Municipal Finance Bureau.

Gao Ping usually kept a low profile and rarely participated in social engagements, but considering that Tang Ye was the one leading the initiative today, he agreed to this dinner.

Tang Ye waited personally at the entrance of the restaurant. Seeing Gao Ping get out of the car, he immediately stepped forward quickly to shake his hand: "Thank you for your hard work, Director Gao, sorry to have troubled you to make this trip. Secretary Cheng is already waiting upstairs."

The two chatted and laughed as they headed to the second floor.

Seeing Gao Ping appear, Cheng Lin stood up immediately to welcome him, her fingertips touching his in a light handshake: "It is truly a great honor that you could spare the time from your busy schedule to grace us with your presence, Director Gao."

Tang Ye handed over the menu: "Director Gao, would you like to order?"

Gao Ping pushed the menu back, his smile gentle: "The guest follows the host's lead; you arrange it as you see fit."

"Are there any dishes you avoid?"

"I'm not picky; anything is fine." Gao Ping's tone was casual, which actually surprised Xiao Zheng, who had come with him—usually, even when Gao Ping was handling banquets, he always maintained a certain air of aloofness, yet today he was exceptionally approachable.

Tang Ye gave Xu Qiao a wink, then turned to smile at Gao Ping: "Director Gao, shall we try the rice wine from Suiyuan today? This wine isn't expensive, but it tastes sweet and refreshing. Please set your mind at ease and drink your fill!"

Gao Ping laughed in spite of himself: "I wouldn't dare compete with your drinking capacity; I've long heard that you are 'a thousand cups without getting drunk.' However, Suiyuan rice wine is indeed famous. I've had it once before and have been thinking about it ever since, so I shall not decline."

Xu Qiao clicked her tongue in secret: Everyone says the newly appointed Municipal Finance Bureau Director is cold-faced and cold-hearted; it seems like he's not the same person!

Tang Ye personally poured wine for Gao Ping, and the waiter began serving the dishes simultaneously.

Cheng Lin raised her glass, her tone sincere: "Director Gao, this glass is to toast you, thanking you for your consistent support of Suiyuan's work."

Gao Ping smiled and drank it in one gulp.

At this moment, Tang Ye stood up, his palm pressing lightly against the tabletop: "Director Gao, that you were willing to grace us with your presence today is our honor. I would like to toast you three times—"

"The first cup is for your vision and perspective; your achievements in the financial field have always been the benchmark for us to learn from;"

"The second cup is in the hope that this modest wine can bring our friendship closer, and that you will offer more guidance in the future;"

"The third cup is to ask you to pay more attention to the difficulties in Suiyuan. You are our 'God of Wealth,' and Suiyuan's finances are currently tight, especially with the environmental governance of the Industrial Park being a matter of urgency. I hope you can spare the time to provide guidance and give us a hand."

Gao Ping raised an eyebrow and chuckled: "You actually know more about the city's capital movements than I, the Finance Bureau Director, do! Very well, send the report over, but as for Mayor Jiang..."

"I will report to Mayor Jiang personally."

"Did you bring the documents?"

"I did, but I won't disturb you with the signing today; I will make a special trip to deliver them when work starts tomorrow."

"Good, I will wait for you at the office tomorrow."

Xiao Zheng watched from the side, feeling deeply moved: He had never seen Gao Ping be this straightforward before; for normal people trying to get things done through him, even getting a meeting was difficult.

The dinner ended without any follow-up activities arranged, and Gao Ping walked with a swaying gait.

He walked out of the restaurant entrance with his arm around Tang Ye's shoulder.

Tang Ye held Xiao Zheng's hand, patted it lightly, and instructed: "I am entrusting Director Gao to you. Director Gao drank quite a bit today; you must ensure he gets home safely. Also, there are some local specialties from Suiyuan in the trunk of the car."

Xiao Zheng looked at Director Gao, just about to decline and say the local specialties weren't necessary, when he saw Director Gao suddenly open his eyes and say vaguely: "Little Tang, you are too polite! Thank you."

Tang Ye and Cheng Lin stood at the intersection, turning to leave only after the car had driven far away.

After passing a traffic light, Gao Ping suddenly opened his eyes, and Xiao Zheng was slightly startled to see this.

He knew Gao Ping's drinking capacity was not poor, yet he had become drunk exceptionally fast today; it turned out he had been feigning drunkenness.

"Director Gao, please rest; I will call you when we are almost home."

Gao Ping smiled faintly: "Xiao Zheng, you cooperated well today. I actually didn't drink much."

Xiao Zheng asked in surprise: "Was there a problem with the wine?"

He thought Gao Ping looked down on the grade of the wine.

After all, at a normal dinner table, even if there were Moutai, Gao Ping would not indulge.

Gao Ping shot him an annoyed glance: "Tang Ye is a notorious 'wine barrel.' If he were to drink openly, ten of me wouldn't be his match. He treated us with rice wine because he considers you a true friend."

Xiao Zheng suddenly realized: "You could have actually drunk less."

Gao Ping waved his hand and said meaningfully: "Some banquets can be drunk less or even skipped, but some banquets must be attended, and one must drink to achieve an 'effect.' Do you think that because Tang Ye and Cheng Lin are only at the Deputy Division Level, and I am at the Division Level, there is no need for me to take their dinner so seriously?"

You have underestimated these two. Tang Ye was once the personal secretary to Mayor Jiang Jing, his father-in-law is the Municipal Party Committee Secretary-General Du Chengfeng, and he is also the junior fellow apprentice of Secretary Zhou; as for Cheng Lin, she is even more remarkable. Barring any accidents, whether you can be promoted to Deputy Division Level in the future will depend on a single word from her."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zheng was shocked beyond measure.

It turned out that although these two appeared to have low ranks, they hid such profound backgrounds behind them.

They were clearly "future big shots wearing small-time masks"!

Xiao Zheng was filled with gratitude toward Gao Ping, because this dinner today might be of great help to his future.

The next morning, the morning light had just spilled into the office building.

Tang Ye hurried toward the Municipal Finance Bureau with documents tucked under his arm.

Xiao Zheng caught sight of Tang Ye's figure and immediately greeted him with a beaming smile: "Director Gao has been mentioning you for quite a while!"

As he spoke, he led him through the corridor and pushed open the door to the Director's office.

In the corner, the Deputy Bureau Chief of the City Transportation Bureau sat withered for a long time, clutching a funding report and waiting eagerly for Gao Ping to review it, but seeing Tang Ye cut in line, his expression instantly turned gloomy.

But in this officialdom of human relationships, the helplessness of begging for favors and the unspoken rules of double standards were common occurrences.

After Tang Ye entered the room, he gently pushed the report onto Gao Ping's desk.

Gao Ping browsed through it quickly and handed it to Xiao Zheng: "This still needs to be jointly reviewed and stamped by the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau and other departments; you go and make the trip."

After Xiao Zheng left with the documents, Gao Ping stood up and took a cake of Pu'er tea from a rosewood cabinet; the dense tea patterns on the tea cake glowed with the luster of time: "This is aged fine tea sent by an old friend. Since you've come, let's taste it properly. If you like it, I'll have him prepare another cake later."

Tang Ye sniffed the tea fragrance and praised it inwardly.

Gao Ping's seemingly casual actions actually hid a method—not only did he use his trusted aide to run errands to avoid the fatigue of running around himself, but he also used social etiquette to draw their relationship closer.

No wonder he could be deeply appreciated by Mayor Jiang Jing; such a sophisticated and tactful style was truly seasoned.

Within an hour, Xiao Zheng returned with the documents covered in red stamps.

Gao Ping handed the report back to Tang Ye: "It just needs Mayor Jiang's signature to wrap it up. Don't worry about the funds arriving; I will keep an eye on it the whole time, and it will definitely be settled by next Monday at the latest."

"Thank you, Director Gao. After this is done, I will certainly thank you again!"

Tang Ye thought to himself, if it were anyone else applying for these funds, there would be no hope at all without half a year, yet now with Gao Ping's assistance, the process had been pushed to the final step in a mere week!

Such efficiency!