Chereads / Gu Qiu and Chen Yan / Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Conspiracy

Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Conspiracy

 

Early the next morning, Gu Qiu wanted to accompany Chen Yan to the hospital, but Chen Yan firmly refused.

 

Not long after Gu Qiu entered the office, the phone rang.

 

It was Xie Bisheng asking Chen Yan to come over.

 

"She's not here!"

 

Gu Qiu cursed in his heart, Whoever dares to have ideas about her again, I'll chop him up.

 

Xie Bisheng said, "When she comes back, tell her to come over immediately."

 

It was not until half past nine that Chen Yan arrived at the office.

 

She had fallen quite hard last night. Although there were no fractures, she was limping when she walked. Gu Qiu saw this and was about to go and help her, but Chen Yan quickly gave him a look.

 

This wouldn't do. If someone else saw them, their little secret would be exposed.

 

Even now when there was nothing going on, there were already rumors outside, as if Chen Yan was born to be an adulteress.

 

After talking about Xie Bisheng's matter, Chen Yan went upstairs to the director's office.

 

"Director Xie, what's the matter?"

 

Xie Bisheng saw Chen Yan limping and got a bit worried. "What happened to you?"

 

Yesterday evening, Xie Bisheng was still a bit angry that Chen Yan had slipped away from the wine table. But now, seeing her like this, he didn't scold her anymore. Chen Yan said, "I fell down."

 

Xie Bisheng asked, "Is it serious?"

 

Chen Yan said, "I won't die. Look, I've come to work, haven't I?"

 

Xie Bisheng laughed and said, "It's good that you won't die. I've got good news for you. Boss Gong has agreed to come to Anping for an inspection. Go and make preparations. I estimate they'll arrive this afternoon. Here's the itinerary. Tonight, you call two people who can drink and go together. Try to get as many of them drunk as possible. Tomorrow, depending on the situation, if we get up early, we'll go to Daqiu Township together."

 

Chen Yan said, "Okay, I'll make arrangements. But I'm afraid I can't participate."

 

Xie Bisheng's gaze fell on Chen Yan. "That won't do. You're the beauty of our investment promotion office. If you don't go, Boss Gong will be unhappy." Then he sighed again.

 

It would be nice if others could be of help, but they all looked so plain.

 

What he said seemed to be praising Chen Yan.

 

Chen Yan returned to the office and said to Gu Qiu, "You come with us tonight too. And ask Xiao Liu to come along. There's probably going to be a tough battle. Get ready well."

 

Gu Qiu understood that in the system, most people were cadres who had withstood the test of alcohol. Since there were guests coming, they would inevitably have a fierce drinking battle on the wine table. Drinking competitions seemed to have become an unwritten rule. Sometimes, victory or defeat was decided on the wine table.

 

In the evening, apart from Xie Bisheng, Chen Yan, and Gu Qiu, there were also two deputy directors and Xiao Liu, a group of six people going to accompany the guests.

 

The other side also had six people. A fierce drinking battle unfolded at the Haitian Hotel in Anping County.

 

It was the first time Gu Qiu had met this coal boss from Ganjiang. Chen Yan had told him that the boss was surnamed Gong. Boss Gong was not tall and had dark, swarthy skin, just like the coal he dug out.

 

Among the five people he brought with him, there were two women, both around thirty years old.

 

It was said that one was an accountant and the other was a clerk. His assistant was a man nearly forty years old. This man looked very shrewd, and there was an air of slyness about him.

 

Seeing Chen Yan, several of them smiled knowingly at each other.

 

Chen Yan deliberately walked in an awkward way.

 

The assistant joked, "Miss Chen Yan, is your husband that fierce? You've changed your walking posture overnight."

 

Chen Yan said seriously, "I drank too much last night and fell down. You're not allowed to pour alcohol on me tonight."

 

The assistant said, "Director Xie can testify. What did you say yesterday? As long as our Boss Gong comes to Anping, you said you'd drink until you passed out. Everyone here tonight must drink freely. It's better to harm our health than to hurt our feelings. Everyone has to drink. Whoever doesn't drink will be the one who undermines unity."

 

The assistant really knew what he was talking about. Throwing out such a big statement, he took the initiative from the start.

 

Xie Bisheng also said, "Yes, it's better to harm our health than to hurt our feelings. Comrades from the investment promotion office, today we are fighting gloriously for Anping County's first investment attraction. We'd rather die on the wine table than be deserters."

 

The assistant said, "Did you all hear that? Tonight, the six of you and the six of us, one-on-one. If we lose, we'll go for an inspection tomorrow. If you lose, hehe—don't blame me for not making it clear in advance. On the wine table, there's no such thing as face, only winning or losing."

 

Chen Yan looked back at Gu Qiu. It seemed that the fierce drinking battle tonight couldn't be avoided.

 

Gu Qiu, however, remained calm and nodded at Chen Yan.

 

The two exchanged a look and then walked towards the washroom.

 

Chen Yan said, "Excuse me. I need to use the toilet."

 

A man in his thirties from the other side said, "Miss Chen, you haven't started drinking yet. Where's the water from?"

 

Chen Yan glared at him and said, "Can't it be from last night?"

 

The assistant added, "There's still some left from last night. It seems your husband is really something!"

 

Chen Yan ignored him and rushed out.

 

Boss Gong didn't say much. His gaze always lingered on Chen Yan. His gaze seemed to be able to penetrate people's clothes and see what was inside.

 

When Chen Yan came to the washbasin, Gu Qiu handed her a small pill. "Take this later. It's for sobering up."

 

"Where did you get it?" Chen Yan took it in her hand and asked curiously.

 

Gu Qiu said, "Don't ask so many questions. Take this pill and drink them under the table!"

 

When someone came, the two pretended to wash their hands and then went back to the private room one after the other.

 

Director Xie and Boss Gong's assistant also took the opportunity to leave. The two were whispering in a small private room. "Director Xie, are you confident? Boss Gong doesn't have much patience."

 

Xie Bisheng said, "Don't worry. As long as you can get her drunk, leave the rest to me."

 

The other said, "Drinking is no problem. The four people we brought here today are all experts at drinking. Each of them can drink two bottles of Wuliangye without a problem."

 

"Then that's it. Chen Yan's alcohol tolerance is at most eight taels. I know this better than you. No matter how much the others can drink, it's just about one and a half catties at most."

 

"That's good!" The assistant patted Xie Bisheng on the shoulder. "There's nothing we can do. Boss Gong just loves this kind of thing. Especially newly married young women. When he saw that Chen Yan the other day, you know what his look was like. As his subordinates, we should be more understanding of our boss, right?"

 

Xie Bisheng said, "Of course, of course. But after things are done, the investment..."

 

"Don't worry about this. Leave it to me." The assistant patted his chest, and the two of them burst out laughing.