That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1485 Going through the motions? Then why would I even need to contact you?
Li Ye was unsure about the tax situation in mainland China at the time, so he took the initiative to meet with Peng Rui after get off work.

"Senior Brother Peng, it's me, Li Ye. Have you been busy these past few days? I've got a little problem I can't figure out, how about we grab a drink?"

"Having a drink isn't a problem, but your sister-in-law really hates it when I go out drinking, so you have to come over for a drink."

Li Ye immediately retorted sarcastically, "Wow, you were laughing at me for being a henpecked husband during the Spring Festival this year! How come you've become henpecked so quickly?"

Peng Rui retorted, "You're right, it was you who infected me. You can't come today? I'm not free tomorrow!"

Li Ye said nonchalantly, "Of course I'll go! You should quickly ask your wife to cook eight dishes for me, four meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and a few fruit platters."

Peng Rui laughed and scolded, "Why don't you eat pig feed? You even brought your own alcohol and a four-meat-four-vegetable meal. Besides, I moved; I'm no longer in the Xicheng Tax Bureau dormitory."

Li Ye was taken aback: "You moved? When did that happen? Why didn't you invite me to your housewarming party?"

Peng Rui said, "Around the Lunar New Year, everyone was busy, and I wanted to keep things simple, so I didn't have a big celebration."

Li Ye pursed his lips: "You really made things easier for me. Okay, okay, tell me the address of your new home, I'll be there in a bit."

"."

After Li Ye received Peng Rui's new address, he hung up the phone.

Then he wondered whether he should ask Peng Rui to check Jin Hong's invoices again today.

If it were when Li Ye had just met Peng Rui, he wouldn't have even thought about it and would have directly asked Peng Rui, "Senior brother, can you help me with this?"

But now it's been eleven years. Peng Rui has been married for nine years, and Zhang Qiyan's family has stopped having weekend gatherings for five or six years. Can a group of fellow apprentices still be as close and casual as before?
Li Ye carried two bottles of good wine and two sets of children's clothes before heading to Peng Rui's new home.

When Li Ye was almost there, he found Peng Rui already waiting for him outside, smoking a cigarette.

Li Ye quickly got out of the car and said with a smile, "Hey senior brother, are you worried I won't be able to find my way home? You're still waiting for me outside?"

Peng Rui laughed and said, "Don't flatter yourself. I just came down for a smoke. Your sister-in-law doesn't allow smoking at home, she's afraid it will harm the kids."

Li Ye chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, I'm just benefiting from my nephew's kindness. I brought him two sets of clothes as a way of thanking the little guy."

Peng Rui nodded: "Hmm, you're smart, you know your sister-in-law's weakness."

Every mother loves her child. No matter what Li Ye brings, nothing is more to Yuan Hongmin's liking than bringing the child two sets of clothes.

When Li Ye arrived at Peng Rui's building, he could estimate from the building's exterior layout that each apartment was well over 100 square meters.

In 1993, Peng Rui was able to be allocated a house of over 100 square meters in Beijing. The extent to which he was highly valued within his work unit cannot be explained simply by being a division-level official.

When Li Ye entered the room, he found that there were already four or five dishes on the dining table, while Yuan Hongmin was still busy in the kitchen.

Hearing the door open, Yuan Hongmin poked her head out of the kitchen and said, "Li Ye, wait a moment! I have two more soups, they'll be ready soon."

Li Ye said embarrassedly, "Sister-in-law, I was just saying it casually, but you actually prepared eight dishes for me."

Yuan Hongmin said with a smile, "You said eight, so not one can be missing, but you have to finish them all! No waste allowed."

"That's no problem, my appetite hasn't decreased at all."

Li Ye immediately patted his chest and made a guarantee, after all, if guests from China left the dishes that the host had carefully prepared, it would be considered disrespectful to the host.

Then, while playing with the child, Li Ye chatted idly with Peng Rui. "Li Ye, I heard you recently went to D School for further studies? Then you should be able to take off that 'representative' hat soon, right?"

"Hey senior, are you a spy? I've only been studying at D school for a few days! How did you even hear about this?"

"I don't even need to hear it; I can guess it."

Peng Rui said mysteriously, "The day you took office as the deputy general manager of Jingnan Group while wearing a hat, I guessed that you would be promoted rapidly within a year or two. So, wouldn't you get a spot for further study at D University this year?"

Li Ye shook his head and said, "Senior brother, don't flatter me. What kind of rapid promotion is this? You and Senior Sister Yu are the ones who got promoted quickly! Like they were riding a rocket. I could never catch up to you even if I tried my best to catch up in my whole life."

"Li Ye, give me a break! You're still hiding things from me? Your Senior Sister Yu and I were the early birds who worked hard, you're the one who's naturally blessed."

Peng Rui and Yu Xiufen were both from Peking University's Class of '77. They graduated at the peak of their careers and have made it this far without any setbacks. At 35 or 36 years old, they are still only at the division level, the same level as Li Ye.

Li Ye's path ahead is basically clear; he just needs to accumulate seniority. Peng Rui, on the other hand, needs to wait for the right opportunity to advance to the department-level.

Therefore, Li Ye could detect a hint of envy, jealousy, and resentment in Peng Rui's words.

So Li Ye said to Peng Rui with comfort, "Senior brother, actually, the teacher said that you and Senior Sister Yu are both smarter than me, so it's only a matter of time before you both rise to great heights. You've laid a more solid foundation than me these past few years, so you'll definitely go higher and further than me in the future."

"Hahaha, Li Ye, you really know how to talk! Everyone knows the teacher likes you the most!"

After Peng Rui laughed heartily, he suddenly changed the subject and asked Li Ye seemingly casually, "By the way, did your teacher contact you after the New Year?"

"Ok?"

Li Ye suddenly understood something.

During the Spring Festival, Li Ye, Peng Rui, Yu Xiufen, and others went to pay their respects to their teacher. After the Spring Festival, Li Ye met Zhang Qiyan at D School.

Peng Rui just "guessed" that Li Ye went to D school for further studies. Is it related to Zhang Qiyan?
"I actually met the teacher. When I went to D school for a refresher course, the teacher happened to be there giving a lecture."

Peng Rui looked at Li Ye and asked with a faint smile, "Did the teacher just come to give you a lecture? Didn't he say anything else?"

Li Ye was surprised. Zhang Qiyan had indeed spoken privately with Li Ye at D School, but Li Ye couldn't tell Peng Rui those things, in case Peng Rui disagreed with Zhang Qiyan's views.

The concept of betrayal isn't just a stage performance; it originates from reality.

Li Ye asked in surprise, "Senior brother, besides lecturing, what else do you think the teacher would say to me?"

"Hehehe~, your teacher will definitely pay extra attention to you! Teachers these days aren't just instructors anymore. By the way, Li Ye, you said on the phone earlier that you had something on your mind that you couldn't figure out and wanted to ask me. What is it?"

Li Ye pursed his lips and explained his situation: "Our unit's purchasing staff bought a batch of building materials, and I found that the price was 30% higher than the market price, but the manufacturer issued an invoice. So I suspect that it's a fake invoice. How should I report this?"

Peng Rui rubbed his chin and said hesitantly, "These things need to go through procedures, one step at a time. There really won't be any results in a short time."

Li Ye fell silent, recalling a line from Liu Tianwang in the novel "Lychee of Chang'an".

"Since you've taken my position as Right Chancellor, why are you still going through the proper procedures? Aren't you just making me lose face?"

I, Li Ye, have already come to your door, Peng Rui, and you want me to go through the proper procedures?

What face do I have left?
(End of this chapter)