Chapter 11

PS: During the new book period, I'm seeking collections! Recommendations! Clicks! Thank you to the support from old friends like 'Guzhu Yujian', 'Shaoshuo Feihua', 'Zhong Aiping'! Thank you!

"Mr. Li, you're joking. This isn't the old society where we can just eat at someone else's expense! As long as the tungsten mine machinery factory can prioritize our stone company for equipment purchases and offer us a favorable internal price, that would be considered support for our county's investment promotion work. I hope Mr. Li and Secretary Fang can help us out!" Zhou Dalong, with a smile, directly stated the purpose of his visit.

"No problem! Since Secretary Zhou has personally asked, how can we not support? Old Zeng, you take charge of this. If there are any issues, have Director Niu contact the machinery factory directly." Li Mingsheng and Fang Chaoming exchanged a smile, then Li Mingsheng replied to Zhou Dalong.

"Great, I really appreciate the tungsten mine's support for the county's investment promotion work!" Zhou Dalong, seeing the tungsten mine's willingness to help, immediately expressed his gratitude.

"Secretary Zhou, don't say that. After all, our Fuxin Tungsten Mine is in Wuhe County! Besides, if the tungsten mine needs any help from the county in the future, we hope Secretary Zhou and County Chief Zhang can provide strong support!" Li Mingsheng glanced at Jemy and the others behind Zhou Dalong, then asked, "Secretary Zhou, you came at noon, I suppose you haven't had lunch yet?"

Zhou Dalong and his group had come to Fuxin Tungsten Mine at noon, planning to have lunch there. Fuxin Town was economically prosperous, and with the tungsten mine workers coming from all over, one could find restaurants of all eight major Chinese cuisines in Fuxin Town, making the catering industry more developed than in the county town.

"Too busy showing the foreign businessmen around, we really didn't have time to eat." Zhou Dalong smiled slightly, not at all embarrassed, and said straightforwardly to the tungsten mine leaders in front of him.

"Since you're our guests, let's do as the host suggests! Director Niu, notify the mine guesthouse to prepare immediately. Clear out a large private room and treat Secretary Zhou and his group well." Li Mingsheng smiled and said to Zhou Dalong and the others.

Niu Jian smiled in response, then walked to the side, took out a mobile phone from his bag, and called the mine guesthouse, relaying Li Mingsheng's instructions.

"Yang Jie, tell the foreign businessmen that we'll have lunch at the tungsten mine guesthouse first, then visit the machinery factory in the afternoon, and return to the county in the evening. Ask if they have any objections to the schedule!" After Niu Jian finished his call, Zhou Dalong raised his voice and instructed Yang Jie, who was not far away.

"Yang Jie? Why is he here?" Zeng Honghua, who hadn't noticed Yang Jie behind Jemy and the others, only saw him when Zhou Dalong called him.

Chen Yuan, hearing Zeng Honghua's surprised question, smiled and asked curiously, "Mine Manager Zeng, you know Yang Jie?"

"I know. Seven years ago, Yang Jie, as a student of the tungsten mine middle school, scored the highest in the county and second in the region in the high school entrance exam. It was the best result since the tungsten mine primary school was established. At that time, I was the principal of the tungsten mine middle school." Zeng Honghua looked at Yang Jie, who was talking to the three foreigners, with a hint of pride in his eyes.

Lei Shuping and Chen Yuan, standing nearby, were surprised to learn that Yang Jie was a student of the tungsten mine school and had such excellent grades in middle school. No wonder he could get into Yanjing University, one of the top ten universities in China.

Yang Jie had already informed Jemy and the others about the schedule Secretary Zhou had told him. Jemy and the others had no objections. Accompanied by Mine Manager Li and other tungsten mine leaders, they crossed Construction Road and arrived at the tungsten mine guesthouse on Yingbin Road.

Liu Daxing and Wang Yue'e, along with several guesthouse staff, were already waiting at the entrance.

Wang Yue'e had officially contracted the tungsten mine guesthouse a year ago, paying an annual fee to the tungsten mine and operating on a自负盈亏basis. The tungsten mine's official dining was fixed at the guesthouse, with expenses settled quarterly. Fortunately, Liu Daxing and Mine Manager Li Mingsheng were good friends, and Liu Daxing had a share in the mine, so the mine always settled the guesthouse's accounts promptly, making it a very profitable business.

Warmly welcoming Mine Manager Li and Secretary Zhou and his group into the guesthouse restaurant, Liu Daxing and Wang Yue'e led everyone to a large private room. Then, they found an opportunity to stop Yang Jie, who was coming out of the room.

"Xiaojie, what's going on? Weren't you sleeping at home? Why are you with Secretary Zhou now?" Liu Daxing looked at Yang Jie curiously and asked in a low voice.

"After lunch, I was thinking of coming to the guesthouse, but I ran into Secretary Zhou and the others on the way, and they asked me to join them." Yang Jie explained casually, then added, "Uncle, Aunt, my job is arranged. I work in the county party office and am now responsible for accompanying the three foreign businessmen. I can't talk much with you, see you later!"

Yang Jie hurried to the front desk and asked the staff to bring a few bottles of Maotai. Seeing the Wuhe Liquor produced by the Wuhe Liquor Factory prominently displayed in the center of the counter, he felt a warm feeling in his heart. He asked the staff to bring the Wuhe Liquor as well, then hurried back to the private room.

Two tables were set up in the private room. Jemy, accompanied by Zhou Dalong, Zhang Daxian, Li Mingsheng, Fang Chaoming, and other leaders, sat at the main table. Loren and Jameson, accompanied by the county party office director Chen Yuan and the tungsten mine office director Niu Jian, sat at the other table.

The guesthouse's chef was very skilled and had prepared many famous Jiangnan pastries and snacks to cater to Jemy and the other foreign businessmen. Once the cold dishes were served, the alcohol-tolerant officials began toasting the foreign businessmen.

Jemy, with a smile, raised a small porcelain cup and, with Yang Jie's translation, stood up and began toasting the county and tungsten mine leaders. Jemy, with his impressive drinking capacity, was clearly not afraid of the officials.

Loren and Jameson, accompanied by translators Xiao Yuan and Xiao Xiaohui, also began toasting the leaders at their table. The three foreign businessmen all had impressive drinking capacities and understood Chinese official drinking culture well. After a round of toasts, each of the leaders had drunk four or five cups, and their faces were starting to turn red.

"Jie, let's have a drink. I'm very happy to meet you in Wuhe County." After toasting all the leaders, Jemy, still looking calm, raised his cup and looked at Yang Jie with a playful smile.

Yang Jie was slightly taken aback. According to the rules, as a translator, he was not supposed to drink at the table. Xiao Yuan and Xiao Xiaohui at the other table were also not drinking. As Yang Jie hesitated, Jemy, using broken Chinese, asked Zhou Dalong, "Sec...retary, can... I...?"

Zhou Dalong smiled, knowing that Yang Jie's father, Yang Xinhua, ran a liquor factory. Although he didn't know Yang Jie's drinking capacity, he was confident in Yang Jie, especially since the foreign businessman had raised a cup to him. He couldn't refuse Jemy in public.

"Yang Jie, since Mr. Jemy wants to have a drink with you, you should accompany him. Your task is to make him satisfied, understand?" Zhou Dalong said to Yang Jie, who immediately felt relieved.

Looking at Jemy's small cup, Yang Jie frowned slightly and said, "Jemy, we Chinese have an old saying: 'When friends come, we offer good wine; when enemies come, we offer guns.' Using such small cups for friends seems a bit stingy. Let's use large bowls instead!"

Jemy's eyes lit up with interest. He happily put down his small cup and looked at Yang Jie, saying, "As you wish, Jie! Are you sure you want to drink with me?"

"Of course! But let's not drink Maotai. Let's drink Wuhe Liquor instead. It's from our Wuhe County and produced by my father's factory. It's smooth and fragrant, not inferior to these famous brands. What do you think?" Yang Jie stood up, took a 500ml bottle of 56-degree Wuhe Liquor from the side, and said to Jemy.

"OK! Let's drink your family's liquor!" Jemy, surprised to learn that Wuhe Liquor was produced by Yang Jie's father's factory, became even more interested. He took the bottle from Yang Jie, opened it, smelled it, and immediately gave Yang Jie a thumbs up, saying, "Good liquor!"

Seeing Yang Jie bring out two large bowls and invite Jemy to drink Wuhe Liquor, Zhou Dalong and the others exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.

No one was foolish. They could all see the happy smile on Jemy's face. The better his relationship with Yang Jie, the more beneficial it would be for the county's investment promotion work. Besides, Secretary Zhou had already agreed to Jemy's request at the table. To object now would be to embarrass Zhou Dalong.

Zhang Daxian, though his face was dark and he was extremely dissatisfied with Yang Jie's initiative, didn't want to be the bad guy while Jemy was in high spirits. He could only let Yang Jie continue his antics.