175: Chapter 175 Liu Hongbo and Yao Wanli

The thin, middle-aged man with graying temples on the side of the back seat slowly opened his eyes. After a moment of dullness, his gaze became sharp.

His gaze pierced through the windshield, landing on the complex of buildings shrouded in the night ahead. There were no glaring signs, no magnificent gates, only a stone archway covered in ivy. The three seal-script characters "Meng Tong Quan" on the lintel glowed with a warm luster under the illumination of the electronic lanterns on either side.

The gate was wide open at this moment. Inside, a bluestone path wound its way forward, flanked by well-arranged folk houses in the style of western Sichuan—blue tiles, white walls, carved wooden windows, and copper bells hanging from the upturned eaves, chiming crisply in the breeze. An antique atmosphere permeated the air.

The usher, dressed in a plain cotton-linen cheongsam, walked as lightly as a feather. Without saying much, she simply turned slightly at the corner and gestured to indicate the way. Passing through a courtyard planted with ginkgo and nanmu trees, the air was filled with the faint scent of night-blooming jasmine, mixed with the dampness of soil and the freshness of plants. In the distance, several lotus flowers in the pond swayed in the evening breeze, reflecting the lanterns on the bank; the shadows were mottled and had a unique charm.

They arrived in front of a gatehouse named "Green Bamboo Pavilion." It was a detached courtyard-style building surrounded by corridors on all four sides, with a cluster of slender bamboo planted in the middle. Pushing open the door, the interior was simple and elegant: dark solid wood tables and chairs, a plain tablecloth on the table, several antique ceramics and jade pieces on the curio shelf in the corner, and a landscape ink painting on the wall depicting the scenery of western Sichuan. On one side of the private room was a floor-to-ceiling window. Drawing back the curtains, one could see the bamboo forest and the pond outside. As the night deepened, the lights in the distance flickered like crushed diamonds scattered on black velvet.

Under the smiling gaze of the usher, the man strode inside. As he crossed the courtyard gate, the waitress extended her fair, delicate hands and slowly closed the courtyard gate.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a square, dignified face, looking to be about fifty years old, was already sitting in the seat of honor. He wore a black administrative jacket and sat with a straight posture.

Seeing the man, he revealed a warm smile, stood up to greet him, and said:

"Liu Hongbo, you've worked hard. Did everything go smoothly on this trip to the capital?"

As he spoke, he helped the man pull out his chair.

The man didn't sit down immediately. Instead, he looked around and said with a smile:

"Secretary Yao really knows how to find a place. This spot is excellent—quiet, elegant, and private."

Liu Hongbo was praising it verbally, but in reality, as the "Underground Organization Department Minister" of Sichuan Province, there was no place he hadn't seen. However, since the person who invited him today was the Vice Secretary of Sichuan Province, Secretary Yao Wanli, he offered a few pleasant words.

After speaking, Liu Hongbo sat in the secondary seat. Looking at Secretary Yao Wanli, who was watching him eagerly, he raised his hand to touch the celadon teacup on the table. The cup was warm, and he let out a long sigh.

Secretary Yao Wanli saw Liu Hongbo shake his head and felt his heart go cold. He stumbled back two steps, sat down in his chair, and muttered to himself:

"How can this be? I've been in a deputy position for almost ten years. Now that Zhang Chao is failing, I'm the top candidate, and Zhang Chao even promised to recommend me. Why does someone have to be parachuted in?"

As he spoke, Secretary Yao Wanli's expression darkened, and his voice, hoarse, revealed a trace of madness.

He said, word by word:

"These ten years of mine! Ten years! I've worked conscientiously, day and night—can't those above see that!!!"

"Bang!"

A fine, custom-made blue and white porcelain bowl smashed onto the floor, scattering fragments everywhere. At this moment, a strong gust of wind howled past, causing the bamboo forest outside to rustle, and the shadows outside the window seemed like demons dancing wildly.

Facing the fully unleashed, somewhat manic Secretary Yao Wanli, Liu Hongbo showed no fear at all. Instead, he picked up the gold-inlaid white porcelain chopsticks from the chopstick rest and picked up a piece of steaming cabbage from the "Boiled Cabbage" dish—where the soup was as clear as amber and the cabbage leaves were fresh and tender—and put it into his mouth to chew.

It melted in his mouth, and a fresh, sweet taste spread throughout his palate. A look of satisfaction flashed in Liu Hongbo's eyes as he commented:

"Not bad."

He could be said to have eaten everything edible from all over the world. What hadn't he tried? He had tasted dishes from all kinds of five-star chefs and successors of private kitchens. To earn a "Not bad" from him, this chef could be proud.

Afterward, Liu Hongbo picked up a clean, steaming towel to wipe the corners of his mouth and said pointedly:

"It is said that this dish is a signature of Sichuan cuisine. It seems this chef is a successor to an old master of Sichuan cuisine, using the old method to simmer the soup. The soup base alone takes eight hours to cook."

"Cooking is just like doing things; you can't rush it. You have to take it slow to produce a masterpiece."

Secretary Yao Wanli was, after all, a high-ranking official who had been floating in the officialdom for decades. After a brief loss of composure, he quickly adjusted his mood, smiled, and picked up a piece of deer tendon with his chopsticks to put in his mouth. A dark look flashed in his eyes:

"Indeed, it remains to be seen who will ultimately prevail."

Liu Hongbo looked up at Secretary Yao Wanli but said nothing.

Outside the window, the bamboo forest swayed in the wind, the bamboo shadows dancing and reflecting on the window paper like a flowing painting. Inside the private room, the two ate and chatted. The topics ranged from the customs of western Sichuan to the current economic situation, and then to a major project that Liu Hongbo was promoting. There was no one else to disturb them, no concerns about recordings or surveillance, only the crisp sound of clinking glasses and occasional laughter, which seemed exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

A long time later, Liu Hongbo stood up to take his leave. Secretary Yao Wanli walked him all the way to the car, then watched as the black Audi merged into the night.

A young man in his thirties wearing glasses slowly walked behind Secretary Yao Wanli. Watching the direction where the Audi disappeared, he asked suspiciously:

"Uncle, why do I see you treating this Liu Hongbo with such importance? Isn't he just a big boss worth tens of billions? He should be the one treating you to dinner."

Secretary Yao Wanli returned to the private room, poured himself a cup of clear tea, picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup, sniffed it under his nose, and said slowly:

"Xiao Xiang, you can't just look at the surface with this person. Do you know that this Liu Hongbo has a nickname, the Underground Organization Department Minister of Sichuan Province?"

Yao Xiang nodded, then curled his lips in disdain:

"Uncle, an Underground Organization Department Minister is still 'underground' after all. Even the official Organization Department Minister would have to show you respect, let alone here in Sichuan Province."

Secretary Yao Wanli looked at his nephew and shook his head slightly. Yao Xiang was good at everything, except that sometimes he was too arrogant when facing certain people. Of course, if it were an average person, Yao Xiang had the foundation to be arrogant. At thirty, he was already an outstanding entrepreneur worth over ten billion, and he had an uncle who was the second-in-command of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee. If he wasn't arrogant, who would be?

"Sit down, and I will tell you slowly about the origins of this Liu Hongbo."