Chapter 58: What a Great Honor!

Tang Ye returned to the Government to attend the coordination meeting for demolition work.

The demolition work for the Aiou Electrical Factory site encountered obstacles.

Guo Liang had a dispute with villagers while working, was beaten up, and is now lying in the hospital for treatment.

Chen Zhihua was in a terrible mood, "The demolition work has already been delayed. If we continue to drag this out, we will be in breach of contract."

Tang Ye knew that the breach of contract was secondary; the key was that if the Aiou Electric factory was not built on time, it would affect Aiou Electric's production plan, and since Aiou Electric was a listed company, it would subsequently affect the stock price and shareholder equity.

Dou Fanggang chose to invest in Pinghu because of Tang Ye, so Tang Ye must not drop the ball!

Tang Ye rubbed his chin and pondered, "Hand the list to me. I will handle the work myself."

If it were in the past, Wang Kaicheng and Cao Debiao might have felt that Tang Ye was being boastful.

But now, Tang Ye's ability to chew on hard bones had already gained recognition.

Tang Ye looked at the list and their information, and he smelled the scent of a Hidden Plot.

……

Off work.

Sun Hai came to pick up Tang Ye for a meal.

After Tang Ye learned the reason for Sun Hai organizing the gathering, he felt that this meal was invited under extremely unjust circumstances!

However, that is how romantic feelings between men and women are; one is willing to hit, and the other is willing to take the beating.

Sun Hai bought a second-hand Santana.

Tang Ye was actually quite supportive of this.

Firstly, it is convenient for travel;

Secondly, doing business requires a sense of prestige; others cannot see the balance in your bank card, but when they see you have a car, they will feel you have strength.

On the road.

Sun Hai received a call from Liu Fang.

Liu Fang asked, "Is it convenient to bring one more friend along?"

Sun Hai did not even ask who the other person was, whether they were male or female, and said with a smile, "Of course it's convenient."

The location was set at a seafood restaurant in Jinshui Town.

In 2005, cold chain logistics had not yet developed to maturity, and Hanzhou was not near the sea, so seafood restaurants were extremely rare; the new shop had just opened, and it was very popular.

Although Jinshui and Pinghu were separated only by a lake, the shortest straight-line distance was only two kilometers; taking the waterway required a boat, and taking the land route required a detour, both taking about forty to fifty minutes.

Sun Hai and Tang Ye walked into the private room.

Not long after, Liu Fang and Du Xi arrived, leading a man.

Liu Fang introduced him to Sun Hai and Tang Ye, "This is my senior, named Hu Zhongping. He was previously the Deputy Director of the Police Affairs Support Division at the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and now he is holding the post of Deputy Town Mayor and concurrently serving as the Police Station Chief in Jinshui Town. We are all graduates of the Huai Provincial Police Academy, and he is three years our senior."

Hu Zhongping shook hands with Tang Ye and Sun Hai respectively, "I happened to be in a meeting at the City Bureau this afternoon. They said they were coming to Jinshui Town for a meal, and isn't this just happening to be on my turf? I drove and gave them a lift over. Sorry for being a bit presumptuous."

Sun Hai laughed boisterously and said, "It's livelier to eat with more people."

After entering the room, Hu Zhongping kept casting his gaze onto Tang Ye from time to time.

Tang Ye's sixth sense was sharp, and he secretly thought, this guy wouldn't be treating him as a rival, would he?

Hu Zhongping's facial features were rugged, he was about one meter seventy-five tall, thirty years old this year, and had dated two girlfriends, one of whom had reached the point of discussing marriage, but they broke up due to an outbreak of conflict.

Hu Zhongping had had contact with Du Xi during their school days, but at that time Du Xi's changes were not so great, so his impression was not deep.

He did not expect to see Du Xi again recently; compared to back then, she had practically turned into a different person, and consequently, he developed the idea of pursuing her.

Liu Fang saw through Hu Zhongping's intentions and initially regretted bringing him to the appointment.

Upon second thought, it was a good opportunity to apply pressure to Tang Ye.

Let him know that Du Xi was also very outstanding, that there were many people pursuing her, and that he had to take the initiative to compete.

Sun Hai handed the menu to Liu Fang, "Order the most expensive items, don't save money for me."

Liu Fang gave Sun Hai a look of annoyance, "Don't worry, I will order until your heart aches."

Liu Fang spoke fiercely, but she only ordered very simple dishes.

Then she handed it to Du Xi.

Du Xi had taken off her coat; inside was a plain white shirt, below were crisp dress trousers, and on her feet she wore round-toed leather shoes, with white socks visible on her insteps.

She was a natural clothes hanger; the simpler the clothes, the more she could wear them with a sense of high-class style.

Du Xi flipped through it casually for two pages, discovered that the prices of the dishes were very expensive, and pushed it away, saying she didn't know how to order.

The menu fell into Hu Zhongping's hands.

He asked the waiter nonchalantly, "Do you have Australian lobster?"

The waiter's hand holding the pen stiffened, and he shook his head, "No."

Hu Zhongping frowned, "I came to eat last time, I remember there was Australian lobster?"

The waiter was stunned for a moment, "Sometimes there is, but today there really isn't. The ingredients in our shop are very fresh, and the ingredients are different every day; today we are mainly promoting prawns."

Hu Zhongping sighed in disappointment, "Then let's have the prawns. The prawns at your place also taste quite good." He turned his face and issued an invitation to Du Xi, "Next time when I confirm with the boss that there is Australian lobster, I will invite you over to taste it. Their lobster is made very deliciously."

Sun Hai secretly leaned into Tang Ye's ear and whispered, "This guy really knows how to put on an act..."

Tang Ye smiled, "If we get angry, then we've lost."

During the process of waiting for the dishes, Hu Zhongping spoke eloquently and incessantly.

Tang Ye discovered that this guy liked to act profound; he insisted on elevating very simple life problems to quantum mechanics to explain them.

Out of consideration for Liu Fang and Du Xi's face, Tang Ye found it difficult to lash out; if it were anyone else's friend, he would have flipped the table long ago.

Sun Hai went to the restroom, and upon returning, told Tang Ye, "Cai Meifen is also eating here, and she said she would come over to toast us later."

No sooner had the words fallen than the exquisite and pretty Cai Meifen pushed the door open and entered, saying with a smile, "Town Mayor Tang, what a coincidence, I happen to be eating here with my best friend. I'll come over to toast everyone."

Tang Ye stood up, raised his glass, and said, "Thank you, President Cai."

The others raised their glasses one after another.

Cai Meifen did not leave immediately; her gaze fell on Du Xi's face. "Deputy Town Mayor Tang, is this your girlfriend? She is so beautiful!"

Hu Zhongping's expression changed slightly as he looked toward Tang Ye, a touch of gloom appearing in his eyes.

Du Xi's cheeks turned bright red, and she hurriedly shook her head to deny it, "I am not!"

Hu Zhongping's expression immediately returned to calm.

Cai Meifen said with a smile, "Then I can rest easy. I was just planning to introduce my best friend to Deputy Town Mayor Tang. If he has a girlfriend as pretty as you, I certainly couldn't introduce her."

Tang Ye gave Cai Meifen a look of annoyance. "Thank you for your concern. Also, you should worry more about yourself and don't drink too much."

Cai Meifen smiled charmingly, "Fine, I will control myself." After saying this, she swayed her graceful figure and left.

Liu Fang observed Du Xi; her best friend's expression was somewhat unnatural.

It was clearly meant to be bringing a third wheel along to stimulate Deputy Town Mayor Tang's competitive spirit.

Unexpectedly, Cai Meifen's appearance had given Du Xi a sense of crisis.

The meal and drinks were finished.

Hu Zhongping took the initiative to call the waiter to pay the bill. He smiled and said to Sun Hai, "If we were in Pinghu, I absolutely wouldn't fight to pay, but here in Jinshui Town, please give me some face."

In normal times, if someone fought to pay the bill, it wouldn't really matter, but today Sun Hai had organized the gathering to apologize to Liu Fang.

Hu Zhongping fighting to pay was clearly not giving Sun Hai face; he was determined to steal the spotlight.

Sun Hai was determined to have it out with Hu Zhongping.

At this moment, the door to the private room was pushed open.

Tang Ye looked closely and saw that it was actually Song Jin bringing people over to toast.

Song Jin walked straight toward Tang Ye. "Let me introduce you; this is Director Gao from the Chongjiang County Committee Office. Director Gao, this is my good brother Tang Ye, the Deputy Town Mayor of Pinghu Town."

Director Gao walked toward Tang Ye and took the initiative to shake his hand. "Deputy Town Mayor Tang, I have long admired your name! Let me toast you."

After the toast, Song Jin smiled and said to the waiter standing nearby, "Put the bill for this private room on our tab!"

The waiter had already been to the front desk to ask and hurriedly reported, "Leader, this private room has already been paid for."

Tang Ye realized that after Cai Meifen finished her toast, she had immediately settled the bill.

Song Jin was stunned for a moment, then laughed heartily. "Next time there's an opportunity, I'll organize a gathering specifically."

After Song Jin left, Hu Zhongping felt extremely depressed.

He knew Director Gao, but just now, Director Gao had only nodded at him.

Before he could even digest his emotions... the door to the private room was pushed open again, and Wan Ming walked in with a tall man.

The man caught sight of Hu Zhongping, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes. "Oh, Zhongping, what a coincidence, you're here too."

Hu Zhongping's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly said, "Director Zhu, hello!"

Director Zhu nodded and walked side-by-side with Wan Ming toward Tang Ye.

Wan Ming smiled and introduced, "This is the Tang Ye I often mention to you."

Director Zhu was a Deputy Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau in charge of criminal investigation, one of Gu Laotou's capable students.

Director Zhu held Tang Ye's hand and shook it vigorously. "I've heard of your name for a long time; you truly are a man of talent."

Tang Ye picked up his glass and said proactively, "Director Zhu, you flatter me. Let me toast you."

"Refreshing!"

After Director Zhu finished his drink, he hooked his arm around Tang Ye's shoulder and spoke intimately in a low voice.

Hu Zhongping's mindset completely collapsed at this moment!

He hadn't expected Tang Ye to have such prestige!

After the toast, preparing to leave, Wan Ming beckoned to the waiter and whispered, "I'll pay for this room's consumption later!"

The waiter explained expressionlessly again, "Leader, it has already been paid for!"

Wan Ming was stunned for a moment, rubbed his nose, and said regretfully, "Is that so? You aren't giving me a chance!"

Hu Zhongping felt as if his throat were stuck with a fish bone; he could no longer speak.

His plan to fight for the bill seemed particularly pretentious, because from the very beginning, he never had the chance to pay.

The meal ended, and Sun Hai drove Du Xi and Liu Fang home.

After starting the car and driving only a few meters, Sun Hai felt the rear end bumping severely. He hurriedly got out to check and then frowned, "The tire has been punctured."

Tang Ye said, "Not far from here, there should be an auto repair shop."

Sun Hai got back into the car and bit the bullet to drive it over.

After getting out of the car, Tang Ye discovered an Audi parked inside the repair shop, the license plate number extremely familiar.

However, in front of the Audi, the "smell of gunpowder" was thick...