Finally, Tong Wei sat at Yang Ming's table with one other female cla.s.smate. It was almost 5:30 pm. Yang Ming looked around and all the cla.s.smates that he invited were here. As one of the organizers of the party, he stood up and said something enthusiastically. Although he did not study well as a student, he was a good speaker. With the experience of his job, he had greatly improved. He spoke a set of words with the character of a leader.
w.a.n.g Yao sighed. He did despise the affluent 2nd generation who built up the business with the help of his father, but he had to admit that there was something unique about them, which was their advantage.
Dishes of food were put on the table soon. They all looked so good and special since it was a big hotel. After that, Yang Ming raised the first cup of wine. The wine was good and most of them drank it all, but w.a.n.g Yao just drank water.
After that, everybody started to eat and they talked with each other. The atmosphere had been activated with just one cup of wine.
"Why don't you drink wine?" Li Shugang next to w.a.n.g Yao asked him.
"I drove here and also I don't like wine," He said with a smile. He had painful memories of wine and he knew the torture of when he was drunk. He improved his body quality by drinking ancient spring and exercising his Qi from Natural Cla.s.sics, but he still hated drinking wine.
"Why don't you drink a little bit in the gathering?" Another cla.s.smate, Wu Maosen, suggested.
"No. I will have an upset stomach if I drink wine," w.a.n.g Yao said.
"Oh, forget it."
After Yang Ming, He Hai also raised his cup. With the help of two cups of wine, they became relaxed and the conversation became more lively.
"How about your company?"
"Still the same thing. The profits of the company are good, but I still only earn a basic salary."
"I heard that you have a good business, Yonggang?"
"Hey, nonsense!"
"You are a manager!"
Yang Ming also talked with He Hai.
"Dude, when will you have a further promotion?"
"It would be impossible in these two years since I have to lay a foundation in the basis. Hey, Baojun will come back two days from now."
"Yeah? I heard that he was admitted by the taxing system of Lu Island."
"Yes. He pa.s.sed the exam."
A cla.s.smate gathering was just this, asking about the businesses of cla.s.smates and talking about their own business as well as leaving contact information. Those who could work with each other would have further talks and drank much more. w.a.n.g Yao talked with the nearby cla.s.smates. Twenty minutes later, they left their seats to talk to some other friends.
"What do you do for a living?" He Hai came to w.a.n.g Yao and patted his shoulder.
"I'm a farmer at home," w.a.n.g Yao said with a smile.
"A farmer? It can't be!"
"Yes. I contracted a hill."
"Yeah, so you are going to be a money bag then!" He joked. "How about leaving your number? I don't think I have it!"
"Okay."
They left the contacts to each other.
"How about drinking a cup of wine?" He Hai poured out a cup.
"I cannot drink." w.a.n.g Yao pointed at his abdomen.
"Okay then, maybe another time. I will come back at the end of the year!" He Hai said with a smile.
"Okay. I'll keep in touch."
The people in their cla.s.s could be judged by the success they gained within the three years after graduation. Someone entered the system and got a secure job, like Yang Ming. Someone had an official position, such as He Hai. However, most of them entered enterprises. They really did it for housing, vehicles and money. The market and economy were going down, so enterprises would be faced with risks or even bankruptcy.
At the other table, Yang Ming raised his cup and talked with his cla.s.smates with a smile. He seemed to be very happy.
"Tong Wei, how about the dishes tonight?"
He came to Tong Wei with a cup and asked. The room was very hot, so the beauty was as red as the clouds at sunrise and sunset. She was much more beautiful at this moment.
Such a beauty like her should marry him, so he could experience her beauty all the time, w.a.n.g Ming thought when he looked at Tong Wei. The thought didn't last long, however.
"They are tasty," Tong Wei said with a smile.
"So, you should eat more. Come on, let's have a drink. I wish you a wonderful life, and—"
"Find a good husband!" One cla.s.smate joked.
"Yes!" The people at the table chimed in.
"Who would be a perfect match for our beautiful Tong Wei...how about me?!" Yang Ming said with a smile.
"Oh! Yeah!" Others started to cheer.
w.a.n.g Yao raised his head and looked at Yang Ming and Tong Wei next to him. One was handsome and the other was beautiful—they were a perfect match indeed, but...
Tong Wei smiled without agreement or rejection. Instead, she sipped at the wine in her hand.
The cheering gradually grew louder.
Having been in the room for a long time, there was a lot of smoke. The mixed smell of smoke, food, and wine was too much for w.a.n.g Yao so he stood up and went out to take a breather.
The air in the corridor was better.
"w.a.n.g Yao." He heard his name after he stood there for a while. He turned around and met an acquaintance.
"Hey, it's you!" The one who called his name was Tian Yuantu. "Why are you here?"
"Cla.s.smate gathering, you?" w.a.n.g Yao pointed at the room.
"Having dinner with friends," Tian Yuantu responded.
When they were talking, a middle-aged man came out from a nearby room. He was short and slim with a suit.
"I was wondering why you were out for so long?" that man came to him and said with a smile.
"Oh. There was a friend here so I was talking with him for a while," Tian Yuantu said.
"Who's this?" the man asked.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce to you. This is w.a.n.g Yao, my good friend." Tian Yuantu pointed at w.a.n.g Yao. "This is the local magistrate of Lianshan, Deputy Magistrate Dai."
Deputy Magistrate?! w.a.n.g Yao was shocked. It was so surprising that the common middle-aged man was a rare figure with real power in Lianshan County.