Chapter 629: The Transaction in the KTV

Meng Xiaoyu asking for the project report was a pretext. From his words and actions, I already felt that this guy had no intention of allocating funds to me at all.

But without Meng Xiaoyu's signature, I couldn't get a single cent of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission's project funds.

The drinking came to an end. The Moutai I ordered wasn't served, as Meng Xiaoyu firmly stated that it should end there.

Meng Xiaoyu wouldn't drink anymore, and I couldn't go against his wishes.

Once the banquet broke up, someone suggested going to sing. They said a new KTV had recently opened in the East City, and the boss was a returnee from abroad, rumored to be a Ph. D.

I wanted to laugh. A Ph. D., instead of doing research, came to join the fun in the mundane world—it was dizzying. Immediately, I thought of a Peking University Ph. D. who, after graduation, went into the business of slaughtering pigs and selling meat, living quite freely and easily.

My heart was in a mess, thinking that everyone in this world has their own way of living and their own pursuits. What you studied doesn't mean you must do that. Those who truly live freely start from their inner feelings, doing what they like without caring what others outside say.

Meng Xiaoyu didn't seem interested in singing, saying he was exhausted and that instead of going to howl, it would be better to go take a bath together.

I hurriedly went to echo Meng Xiaoyu's suggestion. Now, as long as he liked it, even if it were something I hated to the bone, I would go against my conscience to praise him.

Gan Lu tugged at me quietly. I turned to look at her and found her eyes blinking hard, her pupils darting around.

So I changed my tune and said, "Why don't we all listen to the lady's opinion?"

This sentence made Meng Xiaoyu very unhappy. He looked at me and said coldly, "That's right, we rough men, how could we have the heart of Deputy Bureau Chief Chen Feng? How he knows how to cherish the fair sex!"

Gan Lu blushed, hit Meng Xiaoyu, and said, "Xiaoyu, you are still as sarcastic as ever!"

Meng Xiaoyu said seriously, "However, what he said is true. We only have one beauty here, so of course we must listen to the beauty's opinion."

Gan Lu said with a smile that wasn't a smile, "Really listen to me?"

Everyone nodded in unison and said, "You have the final say."

Gan Lu said thoughtfully, "In my opinion, everyone has had enough to drink. Why don't we go home and rest, and make other plans another day."

As soon as Gan Lu finished speaking, Lao Bi shouted, "Go home? So early? I'm not going back. It's a rare opportunity."

Meng Xiaoyu smiled, "Indeed, Lao Bi, when will your 'henpecked' problem be cured?"

Lao Bi touched his head, smiled awkwardly, and said, "No need to cure it. I think it's quite good."

Everyone laughed together. Speaking of Lao Bi, his wife calculated his time to work and home by the minute. As long as he exceeded the time she set for him by one minute, Lao Bi had to do the work of explaining and persuading when he got home. If his wife wasn't satisfied, at best he couldn't sleep in the bed, and at worst, he really had to kneel on a washboard. However, washboards were hard to find now, so his wife changed her methods, making Lao Bi squat in a horse stance with a chopstick in his mouth.

Poor Lao Bi drooled, and because of the horse stance, the muscles all over his legs were like they had been poured with reinforced concrete—it was worse than death.

After the laughter, there was still no conclusion, but they weren't willing to break up like this, so everyone looked eagerly at Meng Xiaoyu, meaning for him to make a decision.

Among the people at this table, Meng Xiaoyu had the highest rank, Gan Lu was second, and as for me, I wasn't in their circle at all.

Seeing everyone waiting for him, Meng Xiaoyu suddenly slapped his head and said, "Oh, how did I forget? Mayor Gan is a lark; how can we not let her sing a few songs for us?" He waved his hand decisively, "Let's go! To the KTV."

Gan Lu smiled helplessly. I said softly, "I won't go, right?"

She looked at me without a word, walked a few steps, stopped, and asked me, "Do you still want the money?"

I smiled bitterly, "Do I look like someone who can get the money?"

Gan Lu followed with a smile and whispered, "Even if you can't get the money, if you don't go, who will protect me?"

This sentence was like a small stone thrown into a calm water surface, stirring up ripples, making me sigh endlessly.

Logically speaking, Meng Xiaoyu had pursued Gan Lu in the past, so in any case, it could be considered a romantic connection; they weren't strangers. As for the other few people, in front of Gan Lu and Meng Xiaoyu, their status wasn't necessarily much higher than mine. Strictly speaking, Gan Lu was a leader of a region, while they were at most just staff members in the province.

What did she need me to protect her from? I asked myself in my heart.

But since Gan Lu had given this reason, I could no longer find the desire to refuse.

When we arrived at the KTV opened by the Ph. D. they mentioned, it was indeed different from other KTVs.

My singing level was average; although my tone wasn't good, I didn't go off-key.

For the first song, Lao Bi ordered "Husband and Wife Return Home Together," took two microphones, handed one to Meng Xiaoyu, and stuffed the other into Gan Lu's hand.

Gan Lu was extremely embarrassed, not knowing whether to take it or not. She looked at Meng Xiaoyu and found him looking at her eagerly. So she had to take it, coughed lightly, and said, "I don't sing well."

Lao Bi clapped and laughed, "Whether you sing well or not isn't important; the key is to sing with a flavor."

Meng Xiaoyu held the microphone and said, "What flavor or not? Lao Bi, I understand your little thoughts. Anyway, there are no outsiders, so do as you please."

Lao Bi understood, called the 'mammy' in, held up five fingers, and said, "The most beautiful ones!"

The mammy went out for a while and brought in five heavily made-up women with exposed chests and arms, sending them to our sides one by one.

Lao Bi was quick-eyed and fast-handed, first grabbing the most beautiful little girl, hugging her in his arms, and saying, "Come, call me 'Grandpa'."

The mammy finally sent a girl to me. I waved my hand and said, "Thank you, I don't need one."

The mammy looked at Meng Xiaoyu. Meng Xiaoyu was singing lingeringly with Gan Lu. Suddenly seeing the mammy's gaze, he said with the microphone still at his mouth, "Chen Feng, what do you mean?"

What could I mean? Idle flowers and wild grass weren't my love, and besides, in front of these people, I couldn't be too reckless.

"If you don't want a woman, don't even think about the money." Meng Xiaoyu said seriously, "We must remember that balancing work and entertainment is the highest realm."

I smiled and said, "Leader Meng, you don't have one yet."

Meng Xiaoyu hugged Gan Lu and said, "I have her."

The color on Gan Lu's face changed. I thought she would explode, but who knew she lowered her head and smiled shyly.

Meng Xiaoyu's meaning was that if I took a woman, he would allocate funds to me. With things like this, what reason could I have to refuse? Buddha said, if I don't go to hell, who will? Besides, this was a gentle village, among the flowers.

Seeing that I didn't object, the mammy smiled and walked to Meng Xiaoyu, pulling his hand and acting coquettishly, "Oh, leader, it's been a long time since you came to see me."

Meng Xiaoyu's face changed, and he shouted, "Get out!"

The mammy was startled. Seeing that Meng Xiaoyu didn't look like he was joking, she had to smile awkwardly and retreat. Gan Lu on the side laughed until she was trembling, pointing at Meng Xiaoyu and saying, "Xiaoyu, why haven't you come to see her for a long time!"

Meng Xiaoyu threw the microphone and cursed, "This woman, talking nonsense."

The girl accompanying me whispered to me, "Sir, shall we sing a song?"

I asked, "Sing what?"

She said, "How about 'Knowing Heart Lover'?"

Before I could speak, Meng Xiaoyu clapped his hands and said, "This is good! Knowing Heart Lover, let me see how knowing your heart is."

The girl went to order the song. After ordering, she sat beside me, her chest pressed against my arm, and I felt a piece of soft tenderness.

The girl sang first. I was still hesitating whether to sing, when Gan Lu leaned over and said, "Just act it out, be invested, it's good for us."

I had to start singing. After finishing, I looked at them again and found that Lao Bi and the others weren't listening to us sing at all. They were each hugging a girl, playing their own tricks in the dim light. Only Meng Xiaoyu sat alone, drinking tea in his cup, without saying a word.

No one continued to sing, and the screen started to randomize.

Gan Lu took the initiative to sit beside Meng Xiaoyu and whispered something to him.

I stood up, went out, called the waiter, and asked to settle the bill.

This settlement gave me a shock: five women, 1,500 each, plus room fees, drink fees, service fees, etc., almost 20,000 yuan.

I took out my card and cursed fiercely in my heart: "Damn it, if this is like a meat bun hitting a dog, I'll definitely kill the dog."

It was midnight, and someone suggested breaking up. The girl accompanying me asked, "Big brother, where are we going?"

I looked at her in surprise and said, "Where are we going?"

The girl said, "The bill big brother paid is our exit fee."

I looked up at Lao Bi and the others. Lao Bi gave me a thumbs up. He smiled slyly and walked out the door with his girl.

I followed him out. Lao Bi stopped and pulled me aside, saying, "Brother, you're sensible enough. I'll help you with your trouble."

I still wanted to talk about Meng Xiaoyu, but Lao Bi whispered, "You don't need to worry about that for now. Just bring the project report. I'll arrange for you to do it when the time comes."

Returning to the private room, the others had left in twos and threes. Only Meng Xiaoyu and Gan Lu were left.

Gan Lu said to me with a difficult face, "What should we do? Xiaoyu is drunk."

I looked at Meng Xiaoyu, and sure enough, he was lying on the sofa like a pile of mud. ===== CHAPTER 630 =====