Chapter 651: Small Cleverness and Great Wisdom

Li Huaide and Zhou Hao chatted to their hearts' content, feeling as though they had met too late; even though the tea had gone cold, the two of them walked out of the private room side by side.

Li Huaide was walking in a hurry, just about to rush off to pay the bill, when he saw the door of the opposite private room also push open at the same time, and out came Liu Weidong, Duan Xiaojie, Xu Damao, and Xie Xiaolan.

Today's gathering had only been brought about because Xie Xiaolan had repeatedly invited Duan Xiaojie.

Liu Weidong glanced at Zhou Hao, his expression complex.

He had once been Zhou Hao's most capable subordinate, and in the end, he was also the one who had been abandoned most miserably.

Having known early on that Zhou Hao was back, he had not taken the initiative to contact him because he was angry.

Since they had bumped into each other, he couldn't just pretend he hadn't seen him, so he awkwardly bared his teeth: "Deputy Director Zhou, are you here to eat as well?"

Duan Xiaojie was now a Deputy District Head, his status not much lower than Zhou Hao's, so he curled his lip, his tone unkind: "Yo, Deputy Director Zhou, who are you planning to fix this time?"

Zhou Hao's face sank: "Duan, what do you mean by that? This is a good friend of mine!"

Xu Damao stood to one side, his eyeballs rolling around.

Because he had served time in prison due to Zhou Hao, he had been harboring a grudge in his heart and wanted to find Zhou Hao to settle the score.

But catching a glimpse of Li Huaide standing beside Zhou Hao, his thoughts raced; he wanted to put on a good show of being a lackey.

By borrowing Duan Xiaojie's influence, he wanted to both regain face in front of Zhou Hao and take the opportunity to let Li Huaide get to know him, thereby improving his own situation at the factory.

He took a step forward, mimicking Duan Xiaojie's tone: "Deputy Director Zhou, long time no see."

Seeing Xu Damao, Zhou Hao actually felt a bit of guilt in his heart.

The promises he had made to him back then had not been fulfilled, and he later heard that it was Liu Weidong who had cleaned up the mess for him.

He awkwardly tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Hey, so it's Damao. How come you're eating with Section Chief Liu's family today? You two are quite close."

Xu Damao smiled and didn't answer.

Duan Xiaojie, however, was relentless, sneering: "Deputy Director Zhou, I hope this time you don't use people up and then just walk away."

Xie Xiaolan acted unusually firm; she glared hard at Zhou Hao and cursed in a low voice: "Scoundrel."

Hearing his wife curse the very words in his own heart, the corners of Xu Damao's mouth were almost curling up.

Seeing Li Huaide standing awkwardly to one side not knowing what to do, he leaned over and squeezed out a smile: "Deputy Factory Director Li, I'm Xu Damao from our factory's Propaganda Department, I used to be a Projectionist. Do you still remember me?"

Li Huaide's smile was gentle as he nodded: "Ah, I know, I know."

After a few exchanges, the two groups of people dispersed.

Xie Xiaolan followed Xu Damao back to the small courtyard in Qianmen.

As soon as Xu Damao entered the room, he paced back and forth, his brows knitted into a knot.

Xie Xiaolan eyed him sideways and couldn't help but ask: "Damao, what bad idea are you cooking up again?"

Xu Damao muttered to himself: "How did Li Huaide end up together with Zhou Hao? What do they want to do?"

Xie Xiaolan said casually: "What else could they want, they want to fix He Yuzhu."

Xu Damao laughed: "You woman, sometimes you're muddled, but sometimes you're quite clear-headed. You saw today's situation more accurately than I did."

Xie Xiaolan was unimpressed: "Damao, it's not that I want to lecture you, but your current status isn't even as good as mine. Without me, could you have invited Deputy District Head Duan?"

Xu Damao asked: "The world has changed now, you tell me, in a few more years, will He Yuzhu be able to continue as Factory Director, or will Li Huaide be able to push him out?"

Xie Xiaolan said immediately: "If I were you, I wouldn't be guessing blindly; I'd tell He Yuzhu everything about today, and he'd definitely be able to get you back to being a Projectionist."

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao shook his head like a rattle-drum: "I still think it's more reliable to bet on Deputy Factory Director Li. I heard Li Huaide's father-in-law is very powerful."

Xie Xiaolan slapped the table with a "thwack": "Xu Damao, you're just clever with small things, but lack great wisdom!"

Xu Damao walked over, raised his hand and patted her bottom, grinning cheekily: "Stinking woman, you've gotten a bit bold, haven't you? You think you've learned some skills just because you've been going to the Small Tavern for a few days?"

Xie Xiaolan said seriously: "Damao, I advise you to go sit in the Small Tavern when you have nothing to do. There are many cultured people hiding in there; listening to them talk is just like going to school and gaining knowledge."

Xu Damao curled his lip: "You don't know a damn thing."

Xie Xiaolan sighed again and said: "Let's make a bet. Within two years, if He Yuzhu is still the Factory Director, you have to properly register our marriage with me; you can't keep fooling me with fake certificates."

Xu Damao was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Fine, I promise you."

Xie Xiaolan stood up and brushed off her clothes: "I'm taking Dabao to the Small Tavern to get something to eat, are you coming?"

Xu Damao waved his hand: "I saw you eat plenty at Hongbin Building, how are you still hungry?"

Xie Xiaolan walked to the door and said: "Dabao only ate a steamed bun."

In the Small Tavern, the stove fire was burning very brightly, making it warm and cozy.

Seeing Xie Xiaolan leading Dabao inside, Xu Huizhen greeted them with a smile: "Yo, how come you're here so late today?"

Xie Xiaolan wore a look of showing off, deliberately slowing her tone: "Huizhen, do you know where I went to eat today?"

Xu Huizhen was wiping a glass and didn't even lift her eyelids: "Where did you go?"

Xie Xiaolan leaned in closer, lowering her voice, but unable to suppress her pride: "Damao and I took the Deputy District Head out to eat, isn't that impressive?"

Xu Huizhen let out a "pfft" of laughter: "What's impressive about that? It would only be impressive if the Deputy District Head invited you to eat."

Xie Xiaolan curled her lip: "What a buzzkill!"

Xu Huizhen took a small piece of garlic sausage from the counter and handed it to Dabao.

Dabao took it with a grin: "I want to go find Xu Jingli to play."

Xu Huizhen patted his head: "Xu Jingli is at home taking care of her younger sister, she can't play with you today."

Dabao was a bit disappointed; he ran to the stove to warm his hands for a while, then ran back, looking on eagerly: "Auntie Xu, can you give me a sweet potato? I want to roast it to eat."

Xu Huizhen smiled and brought a sweet potato out from the Houyuan, instructing: "Be careful, don't get burned."

Xie Xiaolan sat down, stared at Xu Huizhen for a long time, and finally couldn't help but speak: "Huizhen, I know a secret, do you want to hear it?"

Xu Huizhen didn't even lift her head: "I don't."

Xie Xiaolan continued on her own: "This matter concerns the future of your big nephew."

Only then did Xu Huizhen lift her eyelids and give her an annoyed look: "Speak, what do you want this time?"

Xie Xiaolan leaned against the counter: "Just give me a pot of wine, a plate of garlic sausage, and a serving of peanuts. Seeing as you don't have it easy, I won't ask for the pork knuckle."

Xu Huizhen reached out to stop her: "Speak first, then take."

Xie Xiaolan blinked, leaned in closer, and lowered her voice: "That Zhou Hao who is messing with your nephew is eating at Hongbin Building today with Li Huaide, the Deputy Factory Director at your nephew's factory. Is this news worth the price of a meal?"

The smile on Xu Huizhen's face slowly faded. Chen Xueru had often talked to her about the grudge between Zhou Hao and He Yuzhu, so she was very clear about it.

What's more, her husband Cai Quanwu was still working under Tian Dan, so she was all too familiar with these matters.

She was silent for a moment, then smiled at Xie Xiaolan: "Fine, I'll give you a pork knuckle, a plate of garlic sausage, and throw in a plate of pastries. Go on and eat."

Xie Xiaolan beamed, took the items down from the counter one by one herself, and turned to shout: "Dabao, come here!"

Dabao ran over and said with a smile: "That's more like it. I was waiting for you to bring something back from the restaurant, but there was nothing."

"What are you saying? How could I bring things back when eating with a high-ranking leader?" Xie Xiaolan said crossly, "Fine, these few things are all yours."

She poured herself a glass of wine, took a sip, and picked up a piece of garlic sausage to toss into her mouth.

The door curtain was lifted, and Chen Xueru walked in, wrapped in the chill of the cold air.

She swept a glance across the shop, and Xu Huizhen beckoned to her, then pulled her into the Houyuan.

Xu Huizhen repeated everything she had just heard exactly as it was.

Chen Xueru's expression changed, and she stood up to leave: "Huizhen, I won't drink here today; I need to hurry home."

Xu Huizhen pressed down on her shoulder and laughed: "Chen Xueru, what are you panicking about? My nephew has great capabilities, no need to be afraid."