Chapter 320: Buffet

After the meeting was over for the day, my head felt dizzy and filled with paste. The meeting was to last for three days, and the first day was almost entirely Secretary Chen's report, read from morning until afternoon. By the time he finished reading, I could only mechanically watch him on the stage, his mouth opening and closing, as if watching an old monk chanting scriptures, and not a single word entered my ears.

As soon as the Secretary-General announced the adjournment, I jumped up from my chair as if granted amnesty and squeezed past Deng Hanyu to leave. Before I could take a step, I heard a burst of applause. Looking closely, everyone in the venue had stood up, applauding to see Secretary Chen and the others off first.

I had no choice but to stand still, watching Deng Hanyu applauding seriously, and wanted to laugh in my heart. Mao Ping behind me pulled me, and only then did I see Secretary Liu Qimeng applauding while looking back.

I was startled; my standing position was really a bit indecent, and one could tell at a glance that I was someone who wanted to be the first to run out the door.

Before Secretary Liu's eyes could see me, I had already stood like a pine, applauding seriously to see them off.

Once outside, looking out, there was a sea of heads outside the auditorium. Everyone was finding their own way and scattering.

Holding a meeting is the easiest job to make people hungry, and my stomach was already growling. According to the meeting arrangements, we were to have all three meals at the Xinlinyin Hotel.

After going down the steps, I wanted to hurry away, but Mao Ping grabbed me and whispered, "Wait, Secretary Liu hasn't come out yet."

I looked at him inexplicably and said, "Does it have anything to do with us whether Secretary Liu comes out or not? He's not going the same way as us."

"He is going the same way as us." Mao Ping smiled mysteriously, his eyes searching for Secretary Liu everywhere.

I had no choice but to stop and take out a cigarette to light it in boredom. After a few puffs, I discovered a new situation: the cadres attending the meeting were not all going to Xinlinyin, but had split into several streams of people, scattering in all directions.

"Are they not staying with us?" I asked Mao Ping suspiciously.

"What do you think!" Mao Ping praised, "We in Chunshan County can stay at Xinlinyin, we have to thank you. What kind of place is Xinlinyin? A five-star establishment in Hengyue City. We in Chunshan County are a remote county; I heard that usually when County Committee leaders come to the city for meetings, they stay in three-star hotels."

"Isn't it just that the Municipal Committee leaders feel we are a bit harder-working than our brothers in other counties and are specifically rewarding us?" I said very positively.

"Bullshit! The Municipal Committee leaders are too lazy to care about these trivial matters. Arranging accommodation still requires them to rack their brains?" Mao Ping ground his shoe soles in disdain.

"Then what do you mean by that?" I asked, confused.

"Didn't I say we have to thank you?" Mao Ping smiled ambiguously, "I only heard from Old Deng today, isn't your girlfriend transferred to the Reception Office? It's her credit."

I suddenly realized and said "Oh," a sense of pride rising in my heart. Damn, you guys also know you've benefited from me! Without Huang Weiwei, you guys would have obediently followed others to stay in a place where you could hear mice training all night!

Mao Ping suddenly left me and darted out from my side. I followed his gaze and saw Secretary Liu coming over surrounded by a group of people. Deng Hanyu followed closely behind Secretary Liu's butt. Of the twenty-four township cadres, except for my Suxi Town, the heads and seconds of the other towns were all there.

I was just about to go up to Secretary Liu when I saw Guo Wei walking on Secretary Liu's right, and the County Magistrate walking on his left, forming a posture of "left and right arms." A sense of displeasure surged in my heart; Guo Wei, you are still someone without an official appointment document, yet your posture is even bigger than Secretary Liu's!

Secretary Liu saw me at a glance, raised his hand to beckon me over.

I ran a few steps and stood obediently in front of him, waiting for his instructions.

"Let's go together!" He ordered me, and said to the township cadres surrounding him with a laugh, "Everyone is here today. This conference can be considered an eye-opener for you. From now on, how to implement the spirit of this meeting depends on everyone working together."

The cadres applauded in unison, almost in unison expressing, "We'll just follow Secretary Liu."

Liu Qimeng smiled with satisfaction and said to Guo Wei, "Little Guo, are you going back to the hotel together tonight?"

Guo Wei nodded repeatedly and said, "Secretary, I'm definitely going back to the hotel with you. Look, all the county cadres are here, can I slack off?"

Mao Ping couldn't get a word in, tugged at my sleeve, and winked at me.

I deliberately lagged behind by a few steps, falling to the back of the team, and asked him, "Something up? Why are you tugging me?"

Mao Ping smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Look at this posture, Guo Wei's Deputy County Magistrate position should be a sure thing. Once he leaves, your town will have to have someone move up."

I understood his thoughts immediately and cursed in my heart: "Mao Ping, you are a bastard. In this situation, you are still thinking about being an official. Even if Suxi Town is short of people, it won't be your turn, Mao Ping."

But another sentence came out of my mouth: "Brother Mao, the position of Suxi Town Secretary is just waiting for you to sit in."

Mao Ping looked flattered, rubbed his hands and said, "This... this... you still need to say a few good words for me in front of the County Magistrate, Town Mayor Chen."

I laughed, "No problem! If you, Old Mao, come to Suxi Town, our town will definitely have a earth-shaking change. Everyone is waiting for you to lead us to do big things."

Mao Ping didn't hear the sarcasm in my words, but instead grabbed my hand and said, "Brother, good brother! It wasn't in vain that I, Old Mao, had an eye for you. If it weren't for your words, I, Old Mao, would have already sent up the recommendation letter."

He was hinting at me, beating me. My heart was as bright as a mirror.

"Must!" I said, looking at the team walking in front, reminding him, "Walk fast, lest others say we are dragging our feet."

The Xinlinyin Hotel prepared a buffet for us cadres attending the meeting. As soon as we entered the circular restaurant on the top floor, everyone stopped.

Countless foods were placed around the restaurant, floating with enticing aromas. Dozens of tables were covered with snow-white tablecloths, but not a single dish was found, and not even a cup of water could be seen.

We were all cadres from the countryside and had never eaten a buffet. Suddenly frightened by such a magnificent scene, we almost couldn't find north.

Eating is a small matter, the key is how to eat. Not a single bowl could be seen on the table, not even a plate, and hundreds of dishes were placed around the circular restaurant. Should one eat every dish, or only eat one? Everyone looked at each other, not knowing where to start.

The waiters wearing white aprons bowed in unison and shouted, "Welcome."

The sound was loud, scaring several cadres into taking a few steps back. Usually, everyone was used to drinking from big bowls and eating meat in big chunks in the countryside. Suddenly entering such an elegant environment, they felt as if they were dirty. Several people even stole a glance at their leather shoes and hid back shyly.

Guo Wei was a person who had seen the world. When everyone was looking at each other, he saw the clues. He took Secretary Liu to the table without changing his expression, and other cadres followed behind their butts, walking on tiptoe, not daring to breathe, for fear of making any sound.

Secretary Liu sat down at the table, raised his eyes and found a row of cadres still standing behind, his facial muscles twitched, and he waved his hand and said, "Everyone find a place to sit."

Our big group of people suddenly poured into the restaurant, and it suddenly seemed a bit full.

Deng Hanyu didn't wait for Guo Wei to move, first took a plate and asked Secretary Liu, "Secretary, what would you like to eat?"

Secretary Liu stood up and said, "I'll do it myself. This buffet, you have to do it yourself. If others do it for you, there's no fun in the buffet, right?"

After finishing, he laughed loudly, and the restaurant suddenly felt much more relaxed.

Other cadres followed suit, each holding a plate, following behind Secretary Liu, seeing what Secretary Liu picked, they also followed, not daring to move what Secretary Liu hadn't touched.

Mao Ping followed behind me and asked me quietly, "Town Mayor Chen, so many things, can't finish, can we pack it?"

I smiled and said, "What are you packing for?"

"Eat as a midnight snack." He looked at me seriously, "So many delicious things, what a waste!"

I couldn't help but laugh, almost laughing out loud: "Brother Mao, don't be a country bumpkin, okay? This is a buffet. You can only eat, not take, and even less waste."

Mao Ping also grinned and said, "Old brother, I am a country bumpkin. I'll tell you the truth, this is the first time I've eaten like this. I don't know the rules, are you laughing at me?"

I patted his shoulder and said softly, "In the future, come to these places more. Look at Guo Wei and Deng Hanyu, they are familiar with the road because they come often."

Mao Ping curled his lips and said, "Don't laugh at me, if I had as much money as them in my pocket, what occasion wouldn't I want to see."

Bypassing the few people in front, Mao Ping and I picked up a full plate of food. Mao Ping also carried a big cake. Seeing that Secretary Liu had already sat down and was eating, he walked straight toward Secretary Liu.

Mao Ping followed me for a few steps, found the direction was wrong, stopped and didn't walk.

I looked back at him and said, "Why don't you walk?"

Mao Ping smiled embarrassedly and said, "I'm not going over. I'm afraid the leader will see my eating posture, it's not good."

I laughed loudly. Mao Ping is a cute person, and he is cute because he has self-knowledge.

My laughter attracted everyone to look over here, Mao Ping blushed, and his legs almost went soft.

Secretary Liu saw the reason at a glance, beckoned to the two of us and said, "Come over and sit together."

Mao Ping had no choice but to follow me helplessly, lowering his head, not daring to look at the surroundings for half an eye, following step by step to sit down at the table, smiling awkwardly at Secretary Liu, and lowering his head to concentrate on dealing with the dishes in front of him.

Secretary Liu smiled, picked up a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth elegantly, and said to Guo Wei, "Little Guo, do you want a drink?"

Guo Wei was startled, stopped his chopsticks, and looked at me. Then he shook his head.

Before Secretary Liu could ask me, I immediately said refreshingly, "Secretary, I'll accompany you for a drink!" ===== CHAPTER 321 =====