Chapter 32

After everyone was seated, they naturally formed two groups.

The people from the Secretarial Department were seated to Qi Daguang's right, in the order of Zhao Pingyuan, Zhang Guoping, Wan Peng, and Huang Li.

The people from the Comprehensive Department were seated to Chu Tianshu's left, in the order of Qian Meihua, Fan Yibing, Liu Chunna, and Zheng Xiaomin.

In the middle were the driver, Old Miao, and Xiao Zhu.

The dishes and drinks were served.

Seeing that everyone's glasses were filled with alcohol or beverages, Chu Tianshu said, "Qi Ke, you give the instructions."

"Hehe, Chu Ke, it's your turn to speak, it's your turn to speak." This time, Qi Daguang did not pass the buck. He was sitting in the main seat, and if he were to give the opening remarks, according to the custom at the dining table, the person in the main seat would be responsible for paying the bill.

Chu Tianshu understood Qi Daguang's meaning and stood up with his glass in hand.

Chu Tianshu said, "Today, at the request of Qi Ke, I have gathered everyone for a get-together. First of all, thank you all for coming. I'll toast to all of you first." After saying this, he immediately raised his glass to the sky.

Everyone stood up in a flurry and drank a toast together.

After refilling their glasses, Chu Tianshu said to Qi Daguang, "Come, Qi Ke, I'll toast to you. In the future, we will need your help with the office staff."

"There's no problem with that. However, Chu Ke, you are the dark horse of our office, and your connections are certainly extensive. The colleagues in the Secretarial Department also hope for your support, hehe." Qi Daguang immediately said in a sarcastic tone, glancing at Zhao Pingyuan and the others.

"Qi Ke, all the colleagues in our office are looking forward to your promotion. The brothers and sisters below can also benefit, hehe." Chu Tianshu glanced at Zhao Pingyuan and Fan Yibing, then said with a grin.

Qi Daguang forced a smile and drank a toast with Chu Tianshu.

"Chu Ke, with Qi Ke's promotion, only you, the dark horse, can benefit. As for us old hands, we can't count on it. We can only ask the leadership to take care of us. Come, I'll toast to Chu Ke." Zhao Pingyuan immediately picked up on Chu Tianshu's words.

It was clear that Zhao Pingyuan was not happy, but Chu Tianshu still smiled and drank a toast with him.

As soon as Zhao Pingyuan sat down, Zhang Guoping stood up and shouted, "Chu Ke, I'm also an old hand, and I'll toast to you. You won't refuse, will you?"

Chu Tianshu understood from these words that the people in the Secretarial Department were still upset about his promotion and were planning to gang up on him at the dinner table.

However, since they were smiling and toasting, he couldn't refuse them in public, so Chu Tianshu gritted his teeth and clinked glasses with them.

As soon as Zhang Guoping sat down, Wan Peng stood up with his glass.

With Chu Tianshu's drinking capacity, he was more than capable of handling the first round of toasts, but he was most worried that the Secretarial Department would not let it go and would launch round after round of attacks, forcing him to lose face in public.

Sure enough, after the people from the Secretarial Department had toasted, Qi Daguang began to incite Fan Yibing, "Old Fan, do you have any objections to Xiao Chu becoming your leader?"

This put Fan Yibing in an awkward position, but he couldn't show it on his face. He had to say, "Qi Ke, I'm delighted that someone from our Comprehensive Department has become the head of the department. How could I have any objections? No objections, no objections."

Qi Daguang laughed heartily, "Haha, no objections, why haven't I seen you toast your department head?"

Damn! Seeing that the people from the Secretarial Department had finished their act, Qi Daguang began to mobilize the people from the Comprehensive Department.

Fan Yibing had no choice but to pick up his glass.

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "Brother Fan, don't make a mistake. Qi Ke is the highest leader in our office. If you want to toast, you should start with Qi Ke."

"Right, right, Chu Ke is absolutely right." Fan Yibing stood in front of Qi Daguang with his glass.

Qi Daguang refused to stand up and said, "I am the head of the Secretarial Department, and Chu Ke is your leader. You should toast your leader first."

Dealing with the four main figures in the Secretarial Department was already a challenge for Chu Tianshu. If Qi Daguang also mobilized the people from the Comprehensive Department, he would surely lose face in public. Seeing this, Chu Tianshu quickly changed the direction of the conflict and said loudly, "Qi Ke, you're being too formal. Both the Secretarial Department and the Comprehensive Department work under your leadership. Everyone, is that right?"

Who would dare to say no?

Everyone echoed in agreement.

Qi Daguang was very pleased and stood up with his glass, smiling, "Haha, thank you all for your support. Since Xiao Chu has put it this way, I'll follow your lead and toast everyone first. From now on, we are one big family in the office."

Zhao Pingyuan immediately said, "Right, we are all Qi Ke's people."

After finishing the toast, Qi Daguang sat down and turned to Zhao Pingyuan, "Xiao Zhao, what did you just say? We are all my people?"

Seeing that Chu Tianshu was yielding in every situation, Zhao Pingyuan felt very pleased and said, "Yes, the office works under your leadership. Who else's people could we be?"

Qi Daguang laughed and asked, "Haha, is Huang Li my person?"

Zhao Pingyuan was taken aback. He and Zhang Guoping both had feelings for Huang Li, and he had recently gained the upper hand in the competition. Huang Li had just agreed to be his girlfriend, and Qi Daguang knew this. Why would he suddenly ask such an embarrassing question?

Zhang Guoping joined in, "Xiao Zhao, say it, is Huang Li Qi Ke's person?"

Qi Daguang winked, and although Zhao Pingyuan was not very happy, he remembered that Qi Daguang had instructed him to follow his lead at the dinner table. Seeing Qi Daguang's sinister smile, he knew he had a bad intention and gritted his teeth to agree, "Yes, Huang Li is Qi Ke's person, and everyone here is Qi Ke's person."

Huang Li blushed and kicked Zhao Pingyuan under the table.

Qi Daguang laughed and turned to Chu Tianshu, "Xiao Chu, I really admire what you said."

Chu Tianshu deflected, "Hehe, Qi Ke, I usually don't pay much attention to details and sometimes speak without thinking. Please criticize me more in the future. Come, I'll toast to you again."

Qi Daguang pushed away Chu Tianshu's glass and continued, "Xiao Chu, I'm not drunk. I really admire what you said. My people, even the emperor can't touch. It's a great statement. The committee leaders chose you to head the Comprehensive Department, and they made the right choice." He then glanced at Liu Chunna.

Zhao Pingyuan finally understood and clapped, "Yes, Qi Ke is such a leader. He always stands up for us in the Secretarial Department. He's very considerate."

Zhang Guoping also said, "Yes, following Qi Ke will be a safe bet."

The driver, Old Miao, and Xiao Zhu, who hadn't caught on, also stood up with a smile and echoed, "Yes, we are Qi Ke's people. If we make any mistakes at work, please bear with us, Qi Ke."

Qi Daguang put on a haughty air and raised his glass, smiling, "No problem, no problem. As long as you all respect me, Qi Daguang, your affairs are my affairs. Come, let's drink to that."

Everyone drank another toast.

Zhao Pingyuan sat down and stared at Liu Chunna with a grin, "Hey, Xiao Liu, why haven't you toasted Qi Ke? Are you unwilling to be Qi Ke's person?"

This joke was a bit too obvious, clearly aimed at making Chu Tianshu lose face.

Qi Daguang looked at Chu Tianshu with a hint of drunkenness.

Hehe, didn't you say that Liu Chunna is your person, and even the emperor can't touch her? Now, Zhao Pingyuan says she's my person. What will you say? Agree, and you lose face. Disagree, and you embarrass me in public.

Chu Tianshu could only pretend not to hear.

Liu Chunna, sitting in her chair, saw Chu Tianshu's dilemma. She blushed, stood up with her glass, and walked to Qi Daguang, saying confidently, "Qi Ke, I'll also toast to you. Please guide me in the future." She then raised her glass, and her rosy, tender lips opened as the glass was drained.

"Xiao Liu, you have a good drinking capacity. Haha." Qi Daguang laughed triumphantly and drank a toast with Liu Chunna.

Liu Chunna refilled her glass and said to Chu Tianshu, "Chu Ke, you are also a leader, so I'll toast to you too."

Chu Tianshu didn't hesitate and clinked glasses with Liu Chunna.

After drinking, Liu Chunna didn't return to her seat but pointed at Huang Li, "Hey, Xiao Huang, do you have any objections to the leaders? Why haven't I seen you toast the leaders?"

Chu Tianshu secretly nodded. Although Liu Chunna usually lacked courage, she was decisive in critical moments. She not only defused Zhao Pingyuan's provocation without showing any signs but also put Huang Li, his girlfriend, in a difficult position.

"Xiao Liu, sorry, Huang Li really can't drink," Zhao Pingyuan quickly intervened to protect Huang Li.

Qian Meihua couldn't stand it and said, "Xiao Zhao, what is Huang Li to you that you're protecting her so much? Our beauty from the Comprehensive Department can toast the leaders, why can't the beauty from the Secretarial Department?"

Fan Yibing also joined in, raising his glass, "Yes, Qi Ke, I'll toast to you again and ask you to speak. We are one big family in the office, so we can't favor one over the other."

After Chu Tianshu shifted the focus, Qi Daguang, in a good mood, was toasted several times. By now, he was slightly tipsy. After drinking with Fan Yibing, he sat down and criticized Zhao Pingyuan, "Xiao Zhao, that's not right. If Xiao Liu can drink, why can't Huang Li?"

Zhao Pingyuan suddenly had a new idea and pointed at Zheng Xiaomin, "There's another beauty in the Comprehensive Department. Why hasn't she shown any signs?"

Qian Meihua said, "Xiao Min is still a child."

"Hehe, just now, Xiao Fan said we are all one big family in the office, so we can't favor one over the other." Zhao Pingyuan, like a man grasping at a lifeline, put his arm around Huang Li's shoulder and looked at Zheng Xiaomin triumphantly, "Zheng Xiaomin drinks, and our Huang Li also drinks."

Zheng Xiaomin was a temporary employee and not part of the official staff. It was her first time attending such a gathering, and she had never seen such a drinking scene. She had been watching from the sidelines, feeling like an outsider, but when Zhao Pingyuan tried to save face for Huang Li by shifting the focus to her, she felt nervous and flustered.

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