Chapter 400: Deng Yunsong's Beautiful Colleague

Chapter 400: Deng Yunsong's Beautiful Colleague

Around three in the afternoon,

Zhou Haidong, at the Guangzhou Customs, received a call from his father, who asked, "Dad, what's up?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "Haidong, when you get off work, come directly to the restaurant where I have my morning tea every day for dinner."

Zhou Haidong, puzzled, asked, "Dad, what's going on? Who are we having dinner with?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "With Uncle Huang and a newly acquainted Uncle Deng. This Uncle Deng has a daughter with very good conditions. You need to perform well today. If you can impress Uncle Deng, I'll introduce his daughter to you."

Zhou Haidong, covering his face, said helplessly, "Dad, I told you I would find my own partner,. Why are you still introducing me to someone?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "I didn't originally plan to introduce you. But since Uncle Deng mentioned it, I thought I should tell you. Haidong, this Uncle Deng is no ordinary person. His daughter is one year younger than you and is already the boss of two hot pot restaurants.

Moreover, he is preparing the third hot pot restaurant, which should be operational around National Day.

If you know how much money a hot pot restaurant can make, you should understand that if this Uncle Deng's daughter can open so many hot pot restaurants, it proves that her business is definitely doing well, making at least a hundred thousand a year without any problem.

So, you must seize this opportunity. Once this village passes, there won't be another such store."

Zhou Haidong, surprised, said, "Dad, are you sure these two or three hot pot stores are not Uncle Deng's business, but rather her daughter's business?"

The old man, Zhou, naturally understood his son's meaning. If this business is Uncle Deng's, then it can only prove that her family's circumstances are good. But if this business is hers, then it has a different significance,. It not only represents good circumstances but also indicates a high business acumen.

The old man, Zhou, said, "Uncle Deng told us himself that the hot pot store is his daughter's business. This should be no mistake."

Zhou Haidong said, "If it's her business, then it's indeed impressive. What's her educational background?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "High school."

Zhou Haidong nodded and said, "High school is still acceptable. Which district does she live in?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "She is not from Guangzhou but from Guangxi."

Zhou Haidong, surprised, said, "Ah, from Guangxi? How did you meet this Uncle Deng then, Dad?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "Your Uncle Deng's youngest son got into Zhongshan Medical University. He came to send his son to school and then met us during morning tea. We talked so much that we haven't dispersed all morning until now!"

Zhou Haidong, shocked, said, "Not really, you talked all morning until now?"

The old man, Zhou, said, "Yes, it's been years since we last talked so much. Your Uncle Deng is very knowledgeable. Talking with him for half a day, both me and Uncle Huang gained a lot of insights! That's enough, come over after work and show your best."

Zhou Haidong said, "I understand, Dad."

"Then it's settled."

"Alright!"

...

While the old man, Zhou, was out calling his son, the old friend, Huang, was helping him with good words, "Uncle Huang, the Zhou family's circumstances are quite good. He used to work at the city procuratorate as a section-level cadre, and just retired a couple of years ago!

His son works at the finance bureau and has also retired.

His eldest daughter works at the finance bureau, and his son-in-law is a section-level cadre at the police bureau, who has also retired.

His second son works at the health bureau, and his second daughter-in-law works at the tax bureau.

His third daughter has already been mentioned, and his fourth son, named Zhou Haidong, works at the customs.

His youngest daughter works at the power bureau, and it can be said that each of his children has a very decent job.

Moreover, the Zhou family's several brothers and sisters are doing well, and this area is quite influential."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "The circumstances of this family are indeed good."

Huang said, "His daughter, Haidong, is indeed outstanding, a high-achieving graduate from a key university, and also very good-looking. It's a pity that she is a few years younger than my daughter, or I would have considered marrying into the Zhou family."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Even Uncle Huang praises so much, it seems this son of Zhou is indeed good."

Huang nodded repeatedly and said, "Haidong is indeed good. When you meet her, you'll know I'm not exaggerating."

Deng Shirong, upon hearing this, was quite looking forward to it, hoping that Zhou Haidong was as excellent as Uncle Huang described. He then changed the topic and chatted for about half an hour before Old Zhou returned.

Then, the three of them started chatting about various things again.

When people chat so well, there's so much to talk about. Even if it's just for half a day, it could be three days and three nights without running out of topics.

After all, they have several decades of life experiences, picking any one of them to chat about could easily last for half a day.

...

"My goodness, I've worked at the restaurant for almost a year, and I've never seen such a chatty customer. From morning tea to lunch and then dinner, this mouth hasn't stopped moving, either eating or talking. It's truly unbelievable."

"Goodness, I've been working here for almost two years, and I've never seen such chatty customers. Usually, it's the customers drinking alcohol who can last the longest, but I've never heard of anyone drinking tea for so long."

"Really envy these three uncles, living such a carefree and leisurely life."

"Yes, it's truly enviable. If we could live like this when we reach their age, it would be great!"

"We don't have such good fortune. These three uncles obviously aren't ordinary people; they probably have retirement wages. Unlike us, we're just ordinary workers. Unless our children become successful in the future, we'll have to keep working as long as we can. Wanting to come to the restaurant in the morning and drink tea until the evening, that's just not possible!"

"Sigh, truly different lives for different people!"

"..."

In the evening, as Deng Shirong and the others ordered several signature dishes, the restaurant staff couldn't help but gather and whisper among themselves.

Deng Shirong and his two companions were indeed extraordinary. From morning to evening, such customers were unheard of.

The longest any customer had stayed for morning tea before was until lunchtime. Compared to Deng Shirong and his companions, they fell far short.

While the restaurant staff were whispering in the background, Zhou Haidong finally arrived.

The old man, Zhou, quickly introduced both sides, "Uncle Nine, this is my son Zhou Haidong. Haidong, this is the Uncle Deng I told you about."

Zhou Haidong greeted first, "Uncle Deng, hello!"

Deng Shirong nodded at him and replied, "Haidong, hello!"

While greeting, Deng Shirong also observed this young man praised by Old Huang. He found that Old Huang hadn't exaggerated; Zhou Haidong indeed looked quite good. He was about 1.77 meters tall, which was considered quite tall in Guangdong.

After all, the average height in the two Guang provinces was among the lowest in the country. Even in the future, having a height of 1.77 meters was considered decent, let alone in this era, where it would place him among the tallest in his village.

His appearance was also quite good. Since he had rushed over straight from work, he was still wearing his customs uniform. The uniform accentuated his upright demeanor, making him look as dignified as Old Huang had described.

Moreover, he was a graduate of a key university, and his family members all held government positions. These conditions were indeed quite impressive.

Of course, the family background meant little to Deng Shirong; what he valued was Zhou Haidong's personal qualities.

After the introductions and some polite conversation, they began to eat.

After a few bites, Deng Shirong took the initiative to ask, "Haidong, which department do you work in at the customs?"

Zhou Haidong swallowed his food and replied, "Uncle Deng, I work in the Import and Export Food Safety Department. Our department's responsibilities include formulating safety and inspection quarantine regulations for imported and exported food and cosmetics, legally handling the registration and inspection quarantine of imported food enterprises, and supervising the import and export of food and cosmetics. We also implement risk analysis and emergency prevention measures as required."

Deng Shirong nodded and continued, "What is your current rank?"

Zhou Haidong answered earnestly, "I am the head of the processed food section."

Deng Shirong asked, "At the department level?"

Zhou Haidong nodded, "At the department level."

Old Huang, surprised, said, "Haidong, when did you get promoted? Why didn't your father tell me?"

Zhou Haidong smiled, "Uncle Huang, it's just a department-level position, not some high-ranking official. There's no need to make a big deal out of it."

Old Huang looked at the old man, Zhou, enviously and sighed, "Old Zhou, you have a successor. No, I should say, he's even better than you."

The old man, Zhou, smiled broadly and said, "Indeed, he's better than I was. I was 36 when I became a department head."

Deng Shirong also praised, "A department head at 25, that's really impressive."

Of course, compared to ordinary people, it was impressive. However, compared to his own second son, who was already a deputy provincial at 26, the gap was significant, like a chasm.

However, Deng Shirong had observed carefully, and Zhou Haidong was indeed quite good. He didn't become arrogant because of his young age and high position, and his character was commendable.

The dinner was quite pleasant. Deng Shirong asked all the questions he needed to, and Zhou Haidong answered each one.

Based on Deng Shirong's observations, Zhou Haidong's answers were all honest.

As the dinner neared its end, Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Haidong, you are indeed a fine young man. I'm sure you understand why your father brought you here for this dinner. If you have any questions about my youngest daughter, feel free to ask. I will answer everything you want to know."

Zhou Haidong said, "Uncle Deng, I do have a question. I work at the Guangzhou Customs, and your youngest daughter does business in Guangxi. We are thousands of miles apart. Even if we like each other, there's no way for us to be together!"

Huang Lao Tou interjected, "That is indeed a big problem. If the two of you want to be together, you at least need to live in the same city."

Zhou Lao Tou furrowed his brow slightly. He had only thought about the good conditions of the other party and hadn't considered this issue.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "That's not a problem. If you two really like each other, my youngest daughter can come to Guangzhou to open a hot pot restaurant. It's all negotiable."

This sincerity was indeed impressive. Zhou Haidong's face lit up as he said, "Uncle Deng, then I have no more questions!"

Zhou Lao Tou, unable to contain his joy, said, "Uncle Nine, it's a pleasure to meet you. If we can become in-laws, that would be wonderful. When would be a convenient time to arrange for them to meet?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "I'm available anytime. It's up to Haidong's schedule!"

In such long-distance matchmaking, it's generally the man who has to accommodate the woman by traveling to her city.

Zhou Lao Tou naturally understood this rule. He looked at his son and asked, "Haidong, can you take a few days off? It will take at least two or three days to travel to and from Guangxi."

Zhou Haidong thought for a moment and said, "Taking two or three days off shouldn't be a problem. I'll bring it up with my boss tomorrow."

With that, the dinner concluded. Zhou Haidong insisted on paying the bill.

As they were leaving, they exchanged contact information. Deng Shirong then smiled and said, "Old Huang, Old Zhou, I live upstairs. Let's have morning tea together tomorrow, and then I'll head back to Guangxi."

"Sure, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

...

In the afternoon.

Beijing.

A department of the Ministry of Finance.

Deng Yunsong was fully focused on his work.

They say that a man who is dedicated to his work is the most handsome, and there is indeed some truth to this.

Women generally prefer men who are ambitious and hardworking. Lazy and unmotivated men, even if they come from good backgrounds, can only attract shallow women, not truly excellent women.

At this moment, Deng Yunsong was completely engrossed in his work, unaware that it was already time to go home. He also didn't notice that a very attractive young woman was quietly observing him at the door of his office.

After about ten minutes, Deng Yunsong finally finished his work and smiled in satisfaction, stretching his arms.

Then, he noticed the beautiful woman standing at the door, smiling at him. Deng Yunsong greeted her, "Head of Department Pei."

Pei Qinghua smiled and said, "Head of Department Deng, you are really dedicated to your work. I'm sure you didn't even notice it was already time to go home."

Deng Yunsong looked at the time and laughed, "You're right, I didn't notice. Head of Department Pei, is there something you need?"

Pei Qinghua said, "Nothing much. Seeing you work so diligently made me realize that I need to be more diligent in my work too."

Deng Yunsong said, "We are both new to the workforce, so we should indeed work hard and quickly adapt to the environment."

Pei Qinghua nodded and said, "Head of Department Deng is right. I should learn from you."

Deng Yunsong laughed and said, "We can learn from each other. It's getting late. Head of Department Pei, would you like to have dinner together if you're free?"

Pei Qinghua blinked and replied, "Sure!"

...

Half an hour later.

Deng Yunsong and Pei Qinghua arrived at a nearby restaurant.

After ordering three dishes and a soup, the two colleagues, who had been working together for two months, started to chat while sipping tea.

Both of them had just graduated from university and started working this year. They were both top students of their time. Deng Yunsong graduated from Tsinghua University, and Pei Qinghua was from Renmin University, both prestigious institutions.

Pei Qinghua smiled and said, "Head of Department Deng, we've been working together for about two months now, but this is the first time we've had dinner together!"

Deng Yunsong laughed and said, "That's my fault. I've actually wanted to treat you to dinner for a while, but I was afraid it would be too presumptuous, so I didn't dare to ask."

Pei Qinghua smiled and said, "What's presumptuous about it? We are both new to the workforce and should help each other. It's normal to have a good relationship and have dinner together. There's no need to be so cautious!"

Deng Yunsong laughed and said, "I was overthinking it!"

As they were talking, the server started bringing the dishes.

So, the two of them began to eat and chat.

Pei Qinghua asked, "Head of Department Deng, I know you're from Guangxi, but which city in Guangxi are you from?"

Deng Yunsong replied, "I come from Yulin, a small city you probably haven't heard of."

Pei Qinghua said somewhat apologetically, "I admit I'm a bit ignorant. When it comes to Guangxi, I only know of Guilin, Nanning, Liuzhou, and Baise. I'm not very familiar with the other cities."

Deng Yunsong sighed, "Guangxi is relatively poor, and many of its cities are obscure. Yulin is one of them."

Pei Qinghua comforted him, "Now that the country is reforming and opening up, the changes in major cities are happening rapidly. Especially in Guangdong, which is at the forefront of reform, the changes are even more significant. The fact that Guangxi is poor now doesn't mean it will always be poor. Who knows, maybe one day it will catch up and even surpass others!"

Deng Yunsong laughed, "Thank you for your encouragement, but the probability of that happening is quite low. The reform and opening up just started, and we had that incident on our border. While the rest of the country was busy developing, we were busy preparing for war, missing the best opportunity for development.

As the saying goes, a slow start leads to a slow finish. It's not easy for us to catch up after missing the initial opportunities."

Pei Qinghua said, "That's true. Guangxi's geographical importance in national defense, coupled with that incident during the early stages of reform and opening up, has indeed held it back. Hopefully, with the country's support, it can develop in the future!"

Deng Yunsong sighed, "Let's hope so!"

Pei Qinghua said, "Let's not talk about that. Tell me about Yulin. What are its unique features?"

Deng Yunsong asked, "Unique features? What kind of features are you referring to, the scenery, the food, or other local customs?"

Pei Qinghua smiled, "Any of those."

Deng Yunsong said, "Let's not talk about the scenery. Although Yulin and Guilin differ by only one character, Yulin doesn't have any notable scenic spots. However, we do have some unique culinary specialties, such as white-cut pig's trotters, niuba (dried beef), dog meat, and various other local snacks."

Pei Qinghua said, "I know about white-cut and dog meat, but what is niuba?"

Deng Yunsong explained with a smile, "Niuba is a delicacy made primarily from beef, preferably from the hind legs of a yellow cow, with the front legs being the second choice. It has been made since the Southern Song Dynasty, and it has a history of over 800 years.

The production process is quite complex, and the finished product is translucent, with a coffee-like color, shiny, and has a rich, savory, and sweet taste. It is tender but not tough, and it is known for its 'sweet and fragrant' flavor. It is the most famous traditional local delicacy in Yulin."

Pei Qinghua's mouth watered, and she quickly picked up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she said, "I didn't expect Yulin to have such delicious food. Just hearing your description makes me hungry. If I get the chance, I'll have to visit Yulin to try these specialties."

Deng Yunsong smiled, "There will definitely be a chance. If you really like it, I'll have some niuba canned and brought to you the next time I go home."

Pei Qinghua's eyes lit up. To put it in modern terms, she was a true foodie. Hearing about such a specialty, she couldn't resist, but she still had to be polite, "That's too much trouble, Deng Kezhang."

Deng Yunsong said, "It's no trouble at all. It's just a word. However, I just started working, so I won't be going home anytime soon. You'll have to wait a while."

Pei Qinghua smiled, "No problem, thank you, Deng Kezhang!"

Deng Yunsong smiled, "You're welcome. We're colleagues."

The two continued to chat and eat. Both were top graduates from prestigious universities and were of the same age, working in the same department. They had plenty to talk about.

However, both tactfully avoided asking about each other's family backgrounds. After all, this was their first time having dinner together, and they weren't yet close enough to delve into such personal matters.

The meal lasted over an hour before they finally finished. Deng Yunsong paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant with Pei Qinghua, heading toward the residential area.

Pei Qinghua thanked him, "Deng Kezhang, thank you for the dinner."

Deng Yunsong bowed, "Pei Kezhang, it's my honor to have dinner with such a beautiful lady. I should be the one thanking you."

Pei Qinghua glanced at him with a smile, "Deng Kezhang, you seem like a serious person, but now you're starting to talk like a smooth talker."

Deng Yunsong smiled, "Pei Kezhang, I'm just being honest. How can that be smooth talking?"

"Smooth talker!"

Pei Qinghua laughed like a flower, "Deng Kezhang, we should help each other and make progress together in our work."

Deng Yunsong nodded, "Agreed, let's help each other and make progress together, contributing to the country's development."

...

PS: Thank you to everyone for the support and monthly votes.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end