Chapter 625: Dinner at the Minister's House

My uncle's words were indeed fulfilled.

My public announcement and the notice that Wan Xiao was being investigated were hung on the bulletin board of the Municipal Government together.

Minister Huang Shan, my father-in-law, called me personally, asking me to take my wife and children back to her mother's house.

My father-in-law's words, how dare I neglect? Before I went home, I called back first, let my wife Huang Weiwei prepare, and we would go back to her mother's house for dinner together in the evening.

Huang Weiwei was naturally very happy, she generally didn't go back to her mother's house after marrying me. She knew my thoughts, and didn't want her to run to her mother's house for no reason.

Actually, it wasn't that I didn't want her to go back, it was that I didn't want to go myself. Minister Huang Shan's house, although it was my father-in-law's house, I always felt that there was a layer of invisible things between me and him. Every time I went, I felt suppressed, and didn't have half the comfort and freedom of being at home. My mother-in-law, Director Chen Yazhi, was a woman with very high taste, in her eyes, I couldn't be considered an independent person. She always intentionally or unintentionally reminded me that I was a small citizen attached to their Huang family.

Director Chen Yazhi, my mother-in-law, changed her attitude toward me after my son Niannian was born. Now even when she called me, she changed her tone, no longer calling me "Xiao Chen" or "Chen Feng", but changed to "Niannian's Dad".

Of course I understood the meaning of Director Chen Yazhi's change of address, in the past I was not an independent person, now I am even less, apart from being attached to her Huang family, I also have to be attached to my son.

Coming back from work in the afternoon, I didn't go upstairs, but called home directly, letting Huang Weiwei take my son downstairs.

While waiting for my wife and children in the car, I tried to call Qian Youyu to explore what he had been busy with during this period.

Qian Youyu expressed that his mood was quite good on the phone, saying that he found a boss willing to take over his hands, and he would not only not lose money, but also make a profit.

I was thinking about which fool took over his mess when Qian Youyu told me straightforwardly: "Boss, it's your uncle's company."

Qian Youyu also changed his address now, no longer calling me "Old Brother", but calling me "Boss". He said that for a person like me, he was convinced to be my little brother, and I could be his boss.

I once refused this title of his, calling it like this made me look like a underworld society. Rather than calling me boss, it's better to call me boss.

Qian Youyu's straightforward telling made my heart skip a beat, and I remembered that when I went to find my uncle last time, he said he had something to discuss with me, could it be this matter?

Hanging up Qian Youyu's phone, I was still savoring the feeling of him calling me boss. I thought to myself that I must not allow him to call me like this next time, if he must change his address, just call me "Boss" according to the tone of Zhu Huayu and Yu Wei calling me back then.

Just thinking, my eyes saw my wife Huang Weiwei holding my son and coming

I hurriedly got out of the car to help her, scolding her for bringing so much stuff just for a visit to her parents' home.

Huang Weiwei smiled gently and said, "Honey, we're visiting my parents. What kind of daughter goes back to her parents' house without buying them a few gifts?"

Teased by her, I recalled that in the years I'd been coming and going from Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi's home, the number of times I'd brought gifts could be counted on one hand.

So I apologized, "Wife, I'm sorry. I'm just a person who could never learn the ways of the world."

She handed our son to me, opened the back door of the car herself to put the items inside, then looked up at me and said, "Is that so? You don't understand? If you don't understand, then why did you bring tea oil to my house during the social education campaign?"

I kissed our son and said, "Because I knew my son's mother was at your house!"

"Get lost!" she scolded with a laugh, climbed into the car, and reached out to me to take the child.

I helped her buckle her seatbelt and was about to start the car when she stopped me, saying, "Wait a minute, Aunt is coming with us."

"Aunt?" I was startled. The last time I went to see Uncle, he stayed at my house for an entire night, and it wasn't until the next day that he picked up Aunt. After Aunt left, she didn't go home, but instead ate and lived with Uncle at their Luqiao Group company.

"How did Aunt know we were going to your parents' house tonight?" I asked, pressing the horn on the steering wheel. The sound of the horn was particularly jarring in the empty residential quarter, which earned me a glare from my wife, Huang Weiwei.

"I told her," Huang Weiwei laughed triumphantly.

"What is Aunt going to your house for?" I asked suspiciously. Ever since Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi withdrew her shares from Aunt's company, Aunt hadn't set foot in her house again.

"I don't know." Huang Weiwei had sharp eyes; she saw a small red car parked at the entrance of the residential quarter and said, "Aunt is here. Let's go."

I drove the car out of the gate and saw that Uncle was also sitting in Aunt's car.

I didn't know what they were up to, and I didn't want to ask, so I honked the horn to signal Aunt to follow me.

When we arrived at Minister Huang Shan's house, we happened to see him returning home. I hurriedly got out of the car to help him, but to my surprise, he shook my hand off and said, "Am I that old?"

I gave a sheepish laugh, though inside, ten thousand grass-mud horses were stampeding past.

I had the best of intentions, trying to butter him up, but I'd slapped the horse's hoof instead!

Uncle came over, his face wreathed in smiles as he greeted Minister Huang Shan. Minister Huang Shan nodded and smiled, saying, "Everyone, come inside!"

Everything had been prepared at home; a table full of sumptuous dishes was waiting for us to feast on.

Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi brought out two bottles of liquor, one white and one red. She said the men should drink the white and the women the red. She added that since she and Aunt were the elders, and Huang Weiwei, our son Niannian, and I were the younger generation, this table—representing three generations—was a microcosm of history.

I dutifully poured the drinks for everyone and waited for Minister Huang Shan to speak.

In Minister Huang Shan's home, there were rules to dining; if he didn't pick up his chopsticks, no one dared to move. Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi didn't dare, Huang Weiwei didn't dare, and I certainly didn't dare.

Minister Huang Shan scanned the table, lifted the glass in front of him, and said, "This drink today is to congratulate Chen Feng on his new position. I have a few words to say now, which is why I invited your Aunt and Uncle here."

Only then did I realize that Aunt hadn't been invited by Huang Weiwei, but by Minister Huang Shan.

Minister Huang Shan clinked his glass with Aunt's and said, "Xiao Jiang, you are Chen Feng's aunt, so you are his elder. You watched him grow into a man, so inviting you here is also to let Chen Feng know that we elders all hope for your happiness. Don't you agree?"

Aunt nodded and smiled along, saying, "Minister Huang puts it so well. Our Chen Feng is just a child; he really needs Minister Huang and Bureau Chief Chen to guide him more."

Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi smiled faintly and said, "Xiao Chen is doing quite well now. With this promotion, he's a division-level cadre, which counts as someone of note in Hengyue City."

Minister Huang Shan frowned and said, "Someone of note? Are you getting arrogant?"

I hurriedly said modestly, "Dad, that's not what Mom meant. She was telling me to conduct myself well and do my work well."

Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi smiled with satisfaction, pursed her lips, and said, "Look at that, the child understands me so well."

Everyone at the table laughed. Huang Weiwei pinched me under the table; I glanced at her and saw that her eyes and brows were full of happy smiles.

Halfway through the meal, Minister Huang Shan turned to Uncle and said, "Xiao Zhang, I heard you were looking for me? Since it's just our family here today and no outsiders, just say it directly."

Uncle was taken aback by this sudden remark, but immediately raised his glass and said, "Minister Huang, I'm grateful that you've kept my little matter in mind!"

Minister Huang Shan laughed, "You are now a well-known corporate legal representative in our Hengyue City; others can't even get an appointment with you. The fact that you could come to my home today is giving me, old Huang, face. Besides, we are in-laws; anything you have to say or any matter you have, we can talk about it."

I stole a glance at Aunt and the others and noticed her and Uncle exchanging a look.

I wondered, what could Aunt and Uncle possibly have to say to Minister Huang Shan?

Just then, my son started crying, so I hurriedly left the table to take him to the restroom.

Huang Weiwei followed me, and as I held our son, I asked her, "Wife, what act is your dad putting on?"

Huang Weiwei was just as confused as I was. According to Minister Huang Shan's consistent style, he rarely dealt with businessmen. Even when he initially invested in Aunt's Luqiao company, Minister Huang Shan had always maintained a hands-off approach.

Now that he had suddenly invited Aunt and her husband to dinner and said those things at the table, there had to be a hidden meaning!

Huang Weiwei saw my anxious expression and burst into a laugh, "Honey, what are you worried about?"

I said softly, "I suspect that Aunt and Uncle coming to see Dad has something to do with the new unit I'm going to."

"Is that so?" Huang Weiwei widened her eyes. "Your promotion this time is already unconventional; if something unexpected happens, it won't be a good thing."

I nodded and said, "Wife, you're right."

"No. I can't let them reach some kind of tacit understanding." She left me, picked up the child, and headed straight for the living room.

I didn't follow. I closed the restroom door, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

I needed Huang Weiwei to step in for me now; facing Minister Huang Shan and Aunt, there was no one I could refuse! And no one I could refuse!