BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 85 The Banquet (Part 5)

One exquisite dish after another was brought to the table.

There were shark fins as thick as chopsticks, abalone larger than Sun Desheng’s fist, and countless other delicacies.

Zhao Qing, who had come with Shen La, was amazed. It was her first time visiting the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, and looking at the lavish spread and expensive wines, she estimated that the bill had to be at least ten or twenty thousand yuan.

This made her increasingly curious about Shen La’s work.

He claimed to be a civil servant, but was this the kind of place ordinary civil servants frequented?

Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked Sun Desheng,

“I have a small question. Where exactly do you all work? Shen La said something about a bureau related to religion and folk customs, but it was such a long name that I couldn’t remember it.”

Sun Desheng grinned.

“La Zi, what’s wrong with you? You didn’t even explain where you work?”

“Xiao Zhao, my brother here, the Third Brother over there, and I all work at the Bureau of Folk Affairs Investigation and Research.”

“Don’t let La Zi’s quiet personality fool you. He’s a bona fide department-level cadre.”

“If you ever have trouble, just find him.”

“As for things that La Zi can’t handle…”

“There aren’t many.”

“The Bureau of Folk Affairs Investigation and Research…”

Zhao Qing repeated the name in her mind.

After thinking it over, she realized she had never heard of such an agency.

Sun Desheng noticed her confusion and chuckled.

“Our bureau is rather obscure, and some matters are classified, so it’s not very famous.”

“You know Wei Laosan from your Judicial Division? Back in the day, we handled cases together. Ask him and you’ll understand everything.”

The Wei Laosan he mentioned, Wei Jianzhong, had once been the head of the Judicial Division and was now the second-in-command of the Municipal Bureau.

Naturally, Zhao Qing had no doubts.

Still, she couldn’t resist asking, “You and Shen La are friends and work in the same place. He’s already department level, so what about you? Probably around the same, right?”

Sun Desheng hadn’t expected such a straightforward question during their first meeting.

But his composure ran deep as the sea.

Smiling, he said, “If I hadn’t stepped down, I’d technically have a vice-ministerial rank on my résumé.”

“Now I’ve started over from scratch, so I’m only treated as deputy section level.”

“Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

“The more I talk, the more tears there are…”

The man before her was only in his thirties, yet he claimed to have once held vice-ministerial status.

No matter what, Zhao Qing couldn’t believe it and assumed he was joking.

She simply smiled and let the matter drop.

After another round of food and drinks, Zhao Qing’s phone rang.

She stepped outside the private room to answer it.

The moment she left, Sun Desheng turned to Shen La.

“La Zi, you’ve really struck gold this time.”

“The girl is nice. She even knows to answer phone calls outside. She’s considerate.”

“Honestly, hurry up and get married this year.”

“The Third Brother will be your best man.”

“Next year, hurry up and have a son, and our two families can become in-laws.”

“Great Sage, you’re getting way ahead of yourself.”

Shen La laughed bitterly.

“The relationship hasn’t even begun yet.”

“And don’t scare her away. If things don’t work out, it’ll be awkward.”

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Qing returned.

Her face was full of apology.

“I’m really sorry, but I have to go on an assignment.”

“The colleague on duty in our division was in a car accident, so I have to take his place.”

“Shen La, could you walk me out?”

“There aren’t any taxis here.”

“Everyone, I’m sorry.”

“Work comes first.”

Shen La immediately put on his coat.

“I’ll take you.”

The two left together.

Sun Desheng and Che Qianzi escorted them to the elevator.

Watching them leave, Sun Desheng let out a long breath.

“Zhao Qing…”

“She seems pretty good.”

“La Zi, hurry up.”

Che Qianzi glanced at him.

“Is someone else’s relationship really your business?”

“Anyone who didn’t know better would think you and Shen La were the couple.”

“Fatty, take it easy.”

“You don’t understand, brother.”

Sun Desheng sighed.

“I owe La Zi…”

He didn’t elaborate.

Instead, he led Che Qianzi back into the private room and cheerfully announced,

“If things really work out between La Zi and Xiao Zhao, everyone better prepare red envelopes.”

“Old Huang, the three of us go way back.”

“Besides your share, you’ll be paying for the old monk’s gift too.”

Before Huang Ran could answer, the old monk—who had been pretending to be an eminent monk for half the evening—looked at Che Qianzi and Meng Qiqi and interrupted:

“If Shen La and Xiao Zhao really make it, then the two of you should hurry up and settle your own affairs.”

“If you have a son next year, Buddha Master will make an exception and accept him as a disciple.”

Meng Qiqi finally exploded.

“Monk, shut up!”

“You want me to marry him?”

“Even if every man in the world died, I wouldn’t spare this little brat another glance!”

“What are you looking at?”

“Go home and drink milk, little kid!”

Che Qianzi immediately shot back.

“Remember what you just said!”

“Swear it later.”

“I’ll set an example.”

He raised his hand dramatically.

“Heaven above, bear witness!”

“If I, Che Qianzi, ever feel even the slightest affection for this woman, may lightning strike me with five thunderbolts and smash me to pieces!”

“And if this woman ever develops feelings for me, remember to strike her with lightning and reduce her to ashes!”

“Who needs you to swear on my behalf?”

Meng Qiqi was so angry she charged forward again.

Though Huang Ran restrained her, she continued shouting.

“Fine! I’ll swear too!”

“Heavens above, just send this little bastard to Thailand and have him—”

“Meng Qiqi, that’s too much!”

Che Qianzi was enraged.

“I’m not the one after you!”

“Why should I be the one castrated?”

“If anyone should lose it, it should be that little stutterer!”

“He’ll get there sooner or later!”

Now Che Qianzi also tried to rush forward, only to be held back by Sun Desheng.

Seeing the two becoming increasingly vicious, Huang Ran had no choice but to drag Meng Qiqi and Zhang Zhiyan away first.

Thus, only the old monk, Sun Desheng, and Che Qianzi remained to continue eating and drinking.

After some time, Yang Xiao finally arrived.

Huang Ran had invited him earlier, but Yang Xiao had been helping his wife with her homework.

Only after everything was finished and his wife had gone to sleep did he finally make it over.

When he heard that Shen La had brought his girlfriend earlier, he repeatedly expressed his regret at having missed the scene.

It was nearly midnight when a waitress came in and asked them to settle the bill.

Sun Desheng froze.

“Pay the bill?”

“Didn’t that fatty who just left pay already?”

“Wait a second…”

“We’re the guests!”

“How can the guests pay?”

“Look again.”

“Honestly—he really didn’t pay?”

Upon learning that Huang Ran had forgotten to pay before leaving, Sun Desheng’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head.

The bill was so enormous it made his flesh ache.

He tried calling Huang Ran, only to hear:

The number you have dialed cannot be reached.

Left with no choice, Sun Desheng nervously asked about the total.

Then the waitress recited a string of numbers:

“Sir, the total is one hundred and thirty-eight thousand yuan.”

“Mr. Huang provided two adult sharks.”

“He also purchased eleven juvenile sharks from us.”

“Including shark fins, dried abalone, premium ingredients, aged Romanée-Conti wine, and the fifteen percent service charge…”

The moment he heard the total exceeded 130,000 yuan, the old monk immediately vanished under the pretense of going to the restroom.

Yang Xiao also tried to escape, but Sun Desheng blocked his path.

Just as Fatty Sun was preparing to give him a lesson in responsibility, his phone rang.

It was Shen La.

“Great Sage, something’s happened on Xiao Zhao’s side.”

“There isn’t enough time to report it to the Bureau and wait for approval.”

“Think of something and bring Old Yang with you.”

“Hurry over.”

“It’s the Heshan Road Police Station.”

“Get here quickly.”

“This thing is too bizarre…”

Hearing the urgency in Shen La’s voice, Sun Desheng didn’t hesitate.

He immediately pulled out his bank card and paid the bill.

Then the three men drove to the Heshan Road Police Station.

To their surprise, the station itself had already been surrounded with police tape.

As soon as they got out of the car, they saw Old Mo arriving as well, accompanied by Xiao Yifeng, the deputy director of Division Five.