Chapter 466

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"You really aren't holding a banquet?"

Zhang Zhongtian's face was full of surprise.

"Really not holding one."

Wang Zhanggen's face was calm.

"No joking?"

Zhang Zhongtian still found this fact difficult to accept.

Who in the whole Shanggou Village didn't know that Wang Zhanggen was a man who cared most about face?

Now his son got into Tsinghua University, such a face-gaining thing, yet he actually wasn't holding a banquet?

This was simply the sun rising from the west!

"No joking, no money!"

Wang Zhanggen's tone was very firm.

"Didn't the county leadership give you three hundred thousand recently?"

Zhang Zhongtian couldn't help muttering a sentence.

But Wang Zhanggen said:

"This building isn't just half-built? Building a house costs quite a lot. Additionally, I need to take medicine every day now; a month's medicine costs several hundred. Save where we can. Compared to face and such, life is more important."

Zhang Zhongtian looked at Wang Zhanggen in disbelief, looking for a long time, unable to understand how Wang Zhanggen could become like this now, as if he had completely become a different person.

He, Zhang Zhongtian, came to find Wang Zhanggen tonight precisely to discuss the banquet matter!

He also wanted to take the opportunity to reap a wave of benefits.

At that time, inviting town leaders to attend would not only let him build good relations with them, but also give himself some face.

"Why not consider it again? Such a big happy event, what reason is there not to hold a banquet?"

Zhang Zhongtian continued to persuade.

But Wang Zhanggen waved his hand:

"Really can't hold one, my health isn't good either, can't fuss anymore."

Zhang Zhongtian said at this time:

"How about this, I'll handle this matter, we'll hold the banquet at my New Era Restaurant in town, you don't need to pay, at that time you just collect the red envelopes, I don't want the collected red envelopes either, you keep them yourself, how about that?"

Wang Zhanggen immediately froze, face full of surprise:

"How can that work? Isn't that making you, Secretary Zhang, pay out of your own pocket?"

But Zhang Zhongtian laughed heartily:

"Happy to pay out of pocket. Xiao Hua is our Shanggou Village's, and as the village head of Shanggou Village, if he got into Tsinghua and I don't celebrate for him, would I still be a qualified village chief?"

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly said politely:

"This won't do, this banquet is for my family's Xiao Hua, how can we let you pay?"

But Zhang Zhongtian said:

"No matter, I'm not short of that bit of money. Even if a table costs four hundred, 20 tables is only eight thousand total, I can still afford this bit of money. Don't be polite with me, we've been friends for how many years? Back when Dashan joined the army, didn't I also help you arrange things? If you're polite again I'll get angry!"

Zhang Zhongtian had put it this far, Wang Zhanggen could only hurriedly say:

"Then really thank you, Secretary Zhang! Since you've put it like this, this matter you decide. I'm incapable. Last time I held a banquet for Xiao Hua, I sent invitations to many people, but they didn't come, so this time I won't take the initiative to invite them. As for who to invite, Secretary Zhang, you decide."

Zhang Zhongtian laughed heartily and said:

"No problem, I'll help you arrange this. You tell me who you invited last time, who was invited but didn't come, this time we also won't invite them, let them only be able to stretch their necks and envy us!"

But Wang Zhanggen said:

"We don't play that set. Others are petty, are we supposed to learn to be petty like them? Those who didn't come before, even more must be invited. I want to see if this time they still won't come. If they don't come this time either, I'll admire them as a real man. If they come, I must make them drink three penalty cups first!"

Zhang Zhongtian said with a laugh:

"Changgen, you're truly magnanimous. If it were me, I wouldn't have your breadth of mind. No wonder you could raise such an outstanding son as Xiao Hua!"

Zhang Zhongtian's flattery made Wang Zhanggen a bit embarrassed.

You should know, previously Wang Zhanggen was famous for being petty. If others didn't give him face, he'd kick up a fuss and get angry with you. It was only after his three sons successively became promising that he gradually changed his nature.

"Secretary Zhang, you're so warm-hearted, such a good person, who knows, maybe your grandson will also get into Tsinghua or Peking University in the future!"

Wang Zhanggen politely returned this sentence.

Zhang Zhongtian laughed heartily:

"Hope so. If my grandson gets into Tsinghua or Peking University, I'd laugh awake in my sleep!"

Zhang Zhongtian said again:

"The banquet matter is settled then. Tomorrow, let's find another time, sit down and flip through the almanac, carefully discuss, pick a good day, confirm who to invite, what dishes to serve, then I'll hurry off to handle things."

Wang Zhanggen said at this time:

"Tomorrow probably no time. The county leadership invited me and my wife, tomorrow we go attend a meeting."

Zhang Zhongtian froze:

"Like that, then the day after tomorrow, how about it?"

"Good good, then the day after tomorrow."

"Speaking of which, tomorrow I happen to need to go to the county town to handle some business. How about I give you a ride? What time do you set off?"

Zhang Zhongtian had long since bought a small sedan.

It was unclear whether he had to go to the County Town on business tomorrow, but it was certain that he very much wanted to give Wang Changgen and Li Xiulan a ride.

"How could we let you? We were still planning to take the first bus to the County Town tomorrow morning!"

Wang Changgen answered with a laugh.

Zhang Zhongtian then said:

"Then how about departing at seven o'clock tomorrow morning?"

Wang Changgen grinned from ear to ear:

"This is truly embarrassing, why don't we just take the bus instead? How could we let Party Secretary Zhang make a special trip to drive us?"

Zhang Zhongtian, however, said quite forcefully:

"No trouble, no trouble, don't stand on ceremony with me, it's settled then. I'll wait for you at the Village Entrance at seven tomorrow morning. It's on the way anyway, we're from the same village, giving you a ride is only right!"

"Then many thanks to you, Party Secretary Zhang!"

The matter was settled just like that.

Zhang Zhongtian chatted a few more sentences with Wang Changgen, and only then said goodbye and left.

After Zhang Zhongtian left, Wang Changgen couldn't help but sigh:

"Now I finally understand what 'one person attains the Arrive, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven' means! Before, Zhang Zhongtian was never this enthusiastic toward us!"

Li Xiulan, on the other hand, didn't think much of it, only saying:

"Zhang Zhongtian was originally a good person. Before, when I had a conflict with Yang Xiaocai, Yang Xiaocai wouldn't let me transport materials past his door, and it was Zhang Zhongtian who helped settle it. Later, when Dashan joined the army, he also helped quite a bit."

Wang Changgen sighed:

"Zhang Zhongtian is indeed a good Village Cadre, very capable at handling affairs. If only he didn't use his position as a Village Cadre to line his pockets, that would be even better. Look at these years he's been a Village Cadre — not only did his family build a grand villa, he also bought a house Outside."

Li Xiulan said coldly:

"Him being able to line his pockets is his own ability, why do you care so much? Him lining his pockets doesn't hinder our daily life."

Wang Changgen stopped speaking.

The principle is indeed this principle.

But watching him line so much money, to say one isn't envious is impossible.

But that was before.

Now that one's own son got into Tsinghua University, one isn't that envious of others anymore.

Li Xiulan asked at this time:

"Are you sure you really want to wear this piece of clothing tomorrow?"

Compared to the banquet matter later, Li Xiulan was now even more concerned about what clothing to wear for that meeting tomorrow.

Wang Changgen said in a determined tone:

"Just wear this, it's decided."