Chapter 39: You Drank Six Cups

Yang Kaifeng originally intended to mock Zhu Daodong a few times, but he didn't expect that as soon as the other party spoke, he was left speechless. His face turned red, and hearing others laugh, he felt deeply humiliated, wishing he could run away. However, if he didn't say something, he feared he would never be able to hold his head up again at the township government.

Suddenly, he shouted angrily at Zhu Daodong, "I just can't stand you, damn it! What right do you have to tell me not to drink!"

"I indeed have no right to tell you not to drink, as long as you don't ask me to drink."

"I'm drinking the public's wine, what's it got to do with you!"

"The problem is that the public's wine is now under my management. Are you still not clear-headed, or are you still drunk from lunch?"

"You... you..."

"Comrade Yang, let it go. Secretary Zhu is indeed in a difficult position. If he manages it strictly, you all get upset; if he manages it loosely, Secretary Chen will blame him. Let's all try to understand each other," Wan Jianhua said, not expecting Zhu Daodong's words to be so sharp, leaving Yang Kaifeng speechless.

"Understand my ass! I just had two cups of wine. Even if Secretary Chen saw it, it wouldn't be a big deal. He's just a little secretary, newly promoted, and he's already acting like he's above everyone else. He really doesn't know his place!" Yang Kaifeng shouted, and Wan Jianhua's attempt to calm him down only made him more agitated.

"Why don't we go to Secretary Chen and have a talk? If Secretary Chen says I'm wrong, I'll humbly apologize to you." Zhu Daodong didn't want to argue with him anymore.

"Go, then! I don't believe that offering two cups of wine to the leaders of the judicial bureau is a crime!" Yang Kaifeng, seeing Zhu Daodong's indifferent attitude, was furious and blurted out without thinking.

"You didn't just have two cups. Besides the two cups you offered to the leaders of the judicial bureau, you also had four cups with the people at your table, making it six cups in total. Of course, the last five cups of Laobai Gan were on me, so they don't count," Zhu Daodong said calmly, putting down his chopsticks.

Yang Kaifeng was truly stunned. If he insisted he only had two cups for the leaders of the judicial bureau, he wouldn't be afraid even if they went to Secretary Chen. But now, Zhu Daodong knew he had six cups and even knew who he drank with, which left him without his previous bravado.

"I'm done eating. Secretary Chen is in his office. Shall we go now?" Zhu Daodong stood up and said calmly.

"Secretary Zhu, let it go. Comrade Yang was just speaking without thinking. How can we go to Secretary Chen over such a small matter? It's not like we're children fighting and need to complain to an adult," Wan Jianhua said, admiring Zhu Daodong's move. You said you only had two cups, but I know exactly who you drank with. Let's see what you say to Secretary Chen.

"This can't just be let go. A cup in the canteen can hold two ounces of wine. He had six cups, which is twelve ounces. We should deduct the cost from his salary! Otherwise, I'll report this directly to Secretary Chen." Zhu Daodong knew he couldn't be soft now. Since Yang Kaifeng wanted to be the one to speak up, he would make an example of him.

Until Zhu Daodong left, Yang Kaifeng didn't dare say another word. He was also stunned by Zhu Daodong. He wasn't sure how many cups he had, but it was definitely more than two. Zhu Daodong confidently said he had six cups, which left him without any confidence. He only came to the canteen once at noon. Who would tell him how many cups he had?

"Old Wan, you didn't report to him, did you? I don't even know how many cups I had. How did he know?" Yang Kaifeng looked at Wan Jianhua, increasingly convinced that he had reported him.

"Comrade Yang, don't accuse me unjustly. Do you think I have nothing better to do than count how many cups you had? I've been in charge of the canteen for over ten years. How much you drink is none of my business!" Wan Jianhua quickly said.

"That's right, Old Yang. This definitely wasn't Old Wan. He didn't stay in the canteen the whole time. He even went to get more wine once. How could he know how many cups you had?" someone else added.

"Then who the hell reported it? Damn it, if I find out, I won't let them off!" Yang Kaifeng cursed.

"You should be more worried about whether Secretary Zhu will let you off. He means what he says. Wuliangye costs twelve yuan per bottle. Six ounces is seven yuan and two jiao, enough to buy nine bottles of Laobai Gan," Wan Jianhua said, deliberately calculating the cost after being provoked by Yang Kaifeng.

"He dares! If he deducts my salary, I... I'll slap him!" Yang Kaifeng said fiercely.

"Yang Kaifeng, who are you going to slap?" a stern voice came from the door. Chen Shuli had come to the canteen for lunch.

"Secretary Chen, I was talking about my wife," Yang Kaifeng quickly smiled and said softly.

"With your cowardly nature, it would be a miracle if your wife didn't scratch your face. How could you dare to slap her? Old Wan, what else do you have? Just give me something random," Chen Shuli said. His wife was in the county, and if there were no guests, he usually ate in the canteen.

"I have some, I'll prepare it right away," Wan Jianhua quickly said, not wanting the secretary to eat leftovers.

The other cadres, seeing Chen Shuli, quickly dispersed. Even those who hadn't finished eating hurriedly took their meals outside, and Yang Kaifeng, like he had oil on his feet, vanished in a flash. Soon, the canteen was left with only Chen Shuli eating.

"Hey, Old Wan, why is there still half a bottle of wine?" Chen Shuli, while Wan Jianhua was serving the dishes, suddenly noticed a half bottle of Wuliangye in the cabinet and asked curiously. The canteen never had leftover wine. This was the first time he saw it.

"Secretary Chen, that's not real wine," Wan Jianhua followed Chen Shuli's gaze and saw the half bottle of Laobai Gan in a Wuliangye bottle.

"Not real wine? Is there fake Wuliangye now?" Chen Shuli's face darkened.

"Secretary Chen, it's not fake wine. It's Laobai Gan, just in a Wuliangye bottle," Wan Jianhua quickly explained, startled.

"Who has nothing better to do than to put Laobai Gan in a Wuliangye bottle? Even if it's in a Maotai bottle, it's still Laobai Gan," Chen Shuli's face relaxed. If it were fake wine, it would be a big deal.

"This..."

"Hmm?"

"It was Secretary Zhu. Two leaders from the judicial bureau came at noon..." Wan Jianhua hesitated, wishing he could slap himself. It was just half a bottle of Laobai Gan. Why didn't he just pour it out? Now he was really going to offend someone.

"Go on. Secretary Zhu wouldn't serve Laobai Gan as Wuliangye to the leaders of the judicial bureau, would he?" Chen Shuli stood up, took the half bottle, and took a sip. It was indeed Laobai Gan.

"At noon, there were two tables. Secretary Zhu first took three bottles, then saw it wasn't enough and took five more. In the canteen, he saw two tables and used three empty bottles to fill three bottles of Laobai Gan for the other table," Wan Jianhua, gritting his teeth, told the whole story. Since he was going to offend someone, it was better to offend others than the secretary.

"Ah." Chen Shuli listened and said nothing more, clearly guessing the truth.

Wan Jianhua, seeing Chen Shuli focused on eating, quickly slipped away. He didn't want to slip up and say something else.

Chen Shuli usually didn't drink much if there were no guests, but tonight, he drank the half bottle of Laobai Gan in the Wuliangye bottle in the canteen. When he left, his face was flushed, and the smell of alcohol could be detected from a distance.

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