Lu Tao was not a person who liked to brag and show off, and he was even more disgusted by those who used the name of a powerful person. That was why he didn't want to tell Zhou Youliang and the others about his real relationship with Secretary Zhou. However, he found that Zhou Youliang looked down on him a little. Sometimes, Zhou Youliang would deliberately embarrass him in front of the three beautiful women, but he couldn't fall out with Zhou Youliang. Coincidentally, Secretary Zhou called at this time, so he decided to make an exception and show off a little. He wanted Zhou Youliang to stop putting on airs and save some face for himself at the same time.
Sure enough, when Zhou Youliang heard that Lu Tao's father was an old comrade of Secretary Zhou and that he had saved Secretary Zhou's life, he suddenly realized something and said, "Oh." The smile that was about to disappear on his face brightened up again. He suddenly stood up, picked up the glass of red wine on the table, and said in an unusually friendly tone, "Little Lu, I'd like to propose a toast to you. I wish you a smooth career, a bright future, and a promotion step by step!"
Lu Tao saw that he slightly bowed when he proposed a toast and put on a humble posture. The reserved and indifferent expression on his face was gone. He knew that his words just now had an effect. He secretly admired Lu Tao's ability to be flexible and stood up to propose a toast to him.
He Ying had been watching coldly from the side. When she saw that Zhou Youliang's attitude towards Lu Tao had changed from arrogance to respect, a trace of a disdainful smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, but she didn't say anything. But when Lu Tao and Zhou Youliang sat down after finishing their wine glasses, He Ying suddenly stretched out her slender fingers and pinched him hard on his right knee, indicating that she was dissatisfied with him showing off his relationship with Secretary Zhou in front of so many people.
Lu Tao had just sat back in his chair when he suddenly felt a pain in his right knee. He turned his head and saw He Ying staring at him with a pair of big, watery eyes. He immediately understood that she was warning him not to mention anything about Secretary Zhou again. He could only shake his head with a bitter smile and touch the part of his leg that was pinched. He thought to himself, Why does this beautiful political commissar who looks cold and arrogant sometimes behave like an unruly and willful little girl?
Fortunately, Su Lishu and Li Tao were busy toasting Zhou Youliang, so no one noticed He Ying and Lu Tao's little actions.
Today, Zhou Youliang had met Lu Tao, this "benefactor", and was in a very good mood. After enthusiastically drinking a few cups with Su Lishu and Li Taolian, he suddenly felt like smoking, so he once again took out the pack of "Yellow Crane Tower 1916" cigarettes from his handbag. Standing up, he took out a cigarette and handed it to Lu Tao, saying with a smile, "Little Lu, let's smoke. These three ladies are already used to smoking, so they won't mind. "
When Lu Tao took the cigarette from him, he seemed to have suddenly thought of something. He turned his head and asked He Ying with a smile, "Little Ying, Little Lu just gave me a cigarette. I put it on the coffee table. You didn't throw it into the trash can, right? To be honest, the Yellow Beak Hibiscus King has the most mellow flavor and the best texture. I usually like to smoke it too. It's just that sometimes when I meet with friends, everyone smokes more expensive cigarettes like 'Yellow Crane Tower 1916' and 'Peace Under the Heavens', so I'm not an exception. Little Lu, you won't blame me for not smoking the cigarette you gave me just now, right? Hahaha! "
Lu Tao knew that he was trying his best to get close to him, so he generously smiled and said, "Bureau Chief Zhou, I completely understand! Although Taolin County is a small place, the level of consumption is very high. Everyone's mentality is also very serious. As long as you have a little bit of money or status, you won't smoke the Yellow Beak Hibiscus King cigarettes that cost over twenty yuan at a gathering. The cheapest one would be Zhonghua cigarettes that cost over forty yuan. You're the Deputy Bureau Chief of the Public Security Bureau, so you naturally have to bring a pack of good cigarettes when you go out to a gathering. You don't want to be looked down upon by those snobbish people. This is understandable. "
Zhou Youliang repeatedly nodded and said, "Indeed, Little Lu's words hit the nail on the head. Thank you for your understanding!"
Then he turned his head and said to Li Tao, "Little Li, can I trouble you to go to the coffee table in the living room and take the cigarette that Little Lu just gave me? I still prefer smoking that cigarette!"
Li Tao hurriedly got up and took the Yellow Beak Hibiscus King cigarette that Zhou Youliang casually threw on the coffee table. Zhou Youliang lit the cigarette and enjoyed it.
When the banquet was coming to an end, He Ying suddenly glanced sideways at Lu Tao and asked with a smile that wasn't a smile, "Little Lu, be honest with me. When you were talking to Secretary Zhou on the phone, there was a girl who talked to you for a while. Is she your girlfriend?"
Lu Tao didn't expect her to suddenly ask this question and was a little caught off guard. He subconsciously shook his head and said, "No, she's just an ordinary university classmate of mine. She's currently working in the budget department of the provincial finance department."
He Ying looked at him with a little disbelief. Her face revealed a mocking expression as if she had seen through everything and asked again, "One morning ten days ago, when I was at work, I saw a girl carrying a travel bag coming out of your room. Was that girl the classmate you were talking to on the phone? Although that girl wasn't very beautiful, she looked very classy and intellectual. She stayed over at your house for a night. Don't tell me that you're just ordinary classmates or friends! "
Lu Tao saw that He Ying was relentless in her questioning and that she even brought up his encounter with Chen Pei ten days ago. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He wanted to deny it, but he didn't have the confidence. He could only explain with a red face, "Commissar He, the girl you met that morning was indeed the classmate I was talking to on the phone with, but we're really just ordinary classmates. That time, she came to the Twin Bear Mountain scenic area to play and dropped by to see me. We talked until very late that night, so she slept over at my house. "
Su Lishu saw that He Ying was trying to get to the bottom of the matter between Lu Tao and a girl and was very surprised. She couldn't help but stare at He Ying a few times. Seeing that He Ying kept staring at Lu Tao with a red face and a burning gaze, like a jealous girl interrogating her boyfriend who had cheated on her, Su Lishu suddenly realized something. The corners of her mouth couldn't help but reveal a mocking smile …
At this time, the people at the dining table had already put down their bowls and chopsticks. In order to prevent He Ying from asking about him and Chen Pei, Lu Tao took the initiative to stand up and clean up the tableware and leftovers on the table.
He Ying was about to stand up and clean up the table with Lu Tao when Zhou Youliang suddenly said to her with a smile, "Ying, come to the balcony with me for a moment. I have something to discuss with you."
He Ying immediately guessed what he wanted to "discuss" with her, so she took him to the balcony and closed the glass door between the balcony and the bedroom to prevent people outside from hearing her conversation with Zhou Youliang.
When the two of them stood face to face, Zhou Youliang looked at He Ying with a fervent gaze and said, "Ying, uncle wants to ask you for a favor."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
