Chapter 34: Three Hundred Thousand

Qin Feng arrived at the Bishan Hotel, where the driver escorted him upstairs. Bishan Hotel was the most upscale establishment in Bishan, though, in truth, there were only two hotels in the entire township.

When Qin Feng entered the private room, Wang Yunfei, Chang Yong, and a portly middle-aged man were already seated. The portly man stood up with great enthusiasm to shake Qin Feng’s hand. "Director Qin, you really are young and promising! I have heard so much about you."

Qin Feng did not recognize the man, and his over-eager demeanor made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. While shaking hands, he offered a polite and awkward response, "You are too kind, too kind."

"Come, come, Director Qin, please take a seat. Have a cigarette..." The middle-aged man hurried to pull out a chair for Qin Feng and then offered him a pack of Da Zhong Jiu cigarettes.

Qin Feng looked at the cigarettes with a trace of suspicion. He neither accepted nor refused, simply placing them naturally on the table before greeting the others: "Mayor Wang, Mayor Chang."

"Hmm... sit down. Don't be formal; we are all our own people here," Wang Yunfei nodded, adopting the air of a superior. "This is Boss Xu. He handles many of the construction projects here in Bishan," Wang added by way of introduction.

"Director Qin, have a smoke," Boss Xu said, quickly rising again to offer him a cigarette.

"Boss Xu, bring out the food!" Wang Yunfei commanded, his face stern and his manner authoritative.

"Yes, yes, of course," Boss Xu replied, taking two bottles of Wuliangye from a side cabinet, unsealing them, and beginning to pour.

"No need to drink too much; just a little to mark the occasion," Wang Yunfei said.

"Understood, understood," Boss Xu replied with a nod, yet his hand did not hesitate for a second as he filled every glass to the brim.

Qin Feng remained silent; he understood the principle that one who speaks too much is bound to err. Once the dishes were served, Wang Yunfei tapped his glass on the table twice and said, "Let's all have a drink together. No one needs to get drunk; just a little taste is fine."

Boss Xu carried his glass around to toast everyone, starting with Wang Yunfei and ending with Qin Feng. Wang Yunfei looked at Qin Feng and said, "Little Qin, come, I’ll toast this one to you."

Qin Feng stood up quickly, glass in hand, and walked over to Wang Yunfei. "Mayor Wang, how could I let you toast me? I should be toasting you, and thanking you for your guidance."

Wang Yunfei took only a perfunctory sip, while Qin Feng drained his glass before returning to his seat.

"Little Qin," Wang Yunfei began, "when the proposal came up for you to take over as Director of the Civil Affairs Office, I expressed my opposition. However, I was looking at the situation, not the person. Being in this position, I have to be responsible for the work and for the office."

"Yes, yes, I understand. I was far too young then," Qin Feng nodded quickly.

"But the facts have proven that I misjudged the situation. We have all seen your performance in the Civil Affairs Office during this period. You are a capable comrade."

Qin Feng sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he maintained a look of gratitude, quickly raising his glass. "Thank you for the affirmation, Leader. I will certainly work hard and never betray the trust of Mayor Wang and Deputy Mayor Chang."

Qin Feng poured another round of drinks. Although he was drinking glass after glass, his mind remained sharp. There is no such thing as an unmotivated favor; Wang Yunfei would never have invited him to dinner for no reason.

After three rounds of drinks and the meal was well underway, Wang Yunfei judged the timing to be right. "Little Qin, I hear that a sum of three hundred thousand has just arrived in the Civil Affairs Office account, is that right?"

Hearing Wang Yunfei bring up the funds, Qin Feng felt a tightening in his chest. He realized that Wang Yunfei’s goal today was the money in the Civil Affairs account.

"Yes, that is the poverty alleviation fund we applied for recently. It was just disbursed; it is a special fund for the minimum living guarantee for impoverished households from the last quarter," Qin Feng replied, nodding. He intentionally emphasized the purpose of the money, the subtext being that Wang Yunfei should not set his sights on these funds.

"I know that," Wang Yunfei said. "Just put off the payments to the impoverished households for a bit and pay this money to Boss Xu instead."