A perfect life begins with changing the timeline.

Returning to this familiar place, and seeing the dried goods tied with red strings displayed at the restaurant's entrance... this time, Li Mu's feelings were truly different.

When Wang Jinghua invited him to dinner, he didn't mind; he was relaxed and treated it as just a social obligation.

But today's banquet is clearly different.

Even though everything is just speculation now... I'm still afraid the feast might turn out badly.

As he pondered this, he was led by the waiter to a private room.

After the waiter politely knocked and opened the door, Li Mu saw the situation inside the private room.

When his gaze shifted from Zhou Long to the man beside him—a man with strikingly large eyes, who at first glance appeared to be of mixed race, and even bore a slight resemblance to Zhao Wei…

Now, my suspicions were completely confirmed.

Of course, since they haven't met yet, theoretically speaking, there's still a slight possibility that this person just looks somewhat like Zhao Wei and isn't necessarily her brother, the Zhao Jian who said "Haha, Reporter Li, I just arrived in Guangzhou, let's have dinner together" around 4 PM.

But...for some reason, Li Mu had already formed a conclusion about the situation tonight.

I pulled myself back from my business trip, a journey of 300 kilometers and several hours...

Just for Zhao Jian... or rather, Zhao Wei?

For some reason, a very uncomfortable feeling welled up inside him.

It's fair to say that his mood had already started to sour from the very beginning.

"Hey, Xiao Li, come in quickly."

There were only these two people in the private room.

And before the food was even served, Zhou Long, who was sitting at the head of the table, saw Li Mu and waved with a smile.

Li Mu quickly regained his senses, a slight smile appearing on his face, and walked into the private room.

At that moment, he saw the man next to him who looked very much like Zhao Wei stand up from his chair enthusiastically:

"Haha, Reporter Li, hello there! I've been waiting for you!"

When that familiar laughter rang in my ears, that last bit of uncertainty became reality.

That laughter... it was exactly the same as the laughter Zhao Jian had heard on the phone back then.

"Hello, who are you...?"

Li Mu glanced at Zhou Long, but the other man just smiled and remained silent.

Then I heard Zhao Jian introduce himself:

"I'm Zhao Wei's brother, Zhao Jian. Reporter Li, we spoke on the phone last time."

alright.\

This confirms it completely.

"Oh, Manager Zhao, hello. I'm Li Mu."

"Ha ha ha ha……"\

"Director, I'm sorry I was delayed on the way; I'm late."

"It's alright, Xiao Li, please sit down. Waiter, bring the food."

They met, exchanged pleasantries, served dishes, and took their seats.

After finishing his meal, Li Mu sat down.

To be honest, he looked somewhat travel-worn, and at this moment, Zhou Long said:

"How many hours did it take to drive from Longchuan to here?"

"It's been almost four hours. I only contacted you, Director, after I got to the office, and then rushed over. I didn't even have time to unpack my luggage; I just left it at the reception desk."

"Ha ha."\

Zhou Long seemed quite pleased with Li Mu's "urgency," and said with a smile:

"That was quite a hassle. I'll have a couple more drinks later to help me relax."

"Uh... Director, I'm not a very good drinker. But I'm trying my best to keep up with you two, just in case I fall behind."

Li Mu smiled and agreed, then made a "live button" for himself.

On the way here, he had actually considered whether he should get himself drunk quickly.

It's like the way Fatty Sui drinks.

In Inner Mongolia, people drink a special "waiting wine" before the main dishes are served.

According to Fatty Sui, this kind of food and wine is enough for three cups.

After finishing the three cups, the dishes were served, and he simply carried a tray:

"Director, this is our first time drinking together. I don't know how to express my gratitude, so I'll offer my deepest respects."

Zhou Long might not be a big drinker... but Zhao Jian probably won't refuse.

And drinking twelve cups of wine on an empty stomach... he'll get drunk incredibly quickly. Then find some excuse to finish the last pound, demonstrating the highest level of entertaining guests—getting himself completely drunk.

If the brain only needs a brief period of blankness, then everything becomes much easier to handle.

Anyway, it was all drunken talk; he can just deny it tomorrow.

That's all drunken talk, do you really believe it? Then why are you even involved in this underworld?

But after thinking about it, I felt that this method was inappropriate.

Therefore, he gave the two of them a heads-up beforehand.

But the tone of his words was quite humble.

But one has to admit, Zhou Long found those words quite flattering.

"It's alright, just do what you can."

leave!\

Li Mu's heart skipped a beat again.

Zhou Long's meaning was clearly simple: tonight's event was not a "drunken gathering."

At this moment, Zhao Jian spoke:

"Haha, yes, Reporter Li, we're not strangers. Today's just a casual meal and a chat. Drink as much as you can, or as little as you can. Don't feel pressured. Haha~"

Li Mu looked at Zhao Jian, who was all smiles, and a smile also appeared on his face:

"Haha, I'm relieved to hear that from Manager Zhao. I'm actually quite hungry anyway."

"Haha, then you should eat more!"

"Hahaha……"\

It was actually quite awkward.

But this so-called Bureau of Commerce is nothing more than this.

They flattered and complimented each other.

As the organizer of today's gathering, Zhou Long remained calm and composed, with a Buddha-like demeanor.

Then, there was another knock on the door, and the waiter came in carrying in beautifully designed plates and dishes.

It's time to serve the food.

……\

If there's one dish at this restaurant that really impressed Li Mu, it's definitely the signature Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

It has a rich aroma and a mellow, golden flavor.

Judging from Fatty's discerning eye for food, it's clear that this Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish took considerable effort to prepare.

"Li Ji, let me toast you."

"Oh, Manager Zhao, no, no, no, you're too kind..."

"Haha, we missed out on dinner last time, so we definitely have to have a good drink this time..."

"Hahaha……"\

After downing a glass of wine, Li Mu's face had already flushed slightly.

I quickly scooped out a few spoonfuls of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

Before long, his bowl was empty.

Then Zhao Jian said again:

"Would you like another one from Li's?"

"Oh? No need, this is enough..."

"Don't be shy, come on over, waiter, bring the menu."

Hearing the call, the waiter came in and, following Zhao Jian's direction, handed the menu to Li Mu.

Li Mu initially said it wasn't necessary, but after seeing the waiter pick up the menu, he didn't refuse anymore.

In fact, the so-called "customer ordering" is itself a demonstration of strength.

If the host arranges for a meal at a restaurant, it means that the restaurant must be one they have visited and eaten at, found to be delicious, and that meets the standards for a banquet.

If the guests haven't eaten here before, at first glance, it might seem more appropriate for the host to order the dishes.

But that's precisely the essence of Chinese-style drinking parties.

When inviting someone to dinner, the first thing to do is let the guest order.

The guest declined: "No, no, thank you."

The master lifts him up: Come on, come on.

But were they really ordering dishes?

Of course not.

Putting aside other things, some people, when hosting a dinner party, don't just order directly; instead, they contact the manager of a restaurant they know and tell them:

"Tonight, X guests, with a meal budget of 10,000."

And this kind of hospitality involved the head waiter providing the side dishes.

How many guests, how many dishes, how many meat and how many vegetable dishes, what dietary restrictions the guests may have—everything is geared towards ensuring the guests' satisfaction.

Finally, please ask the guests to settle the bill directly.

Guest Zhou Huan.

Even with this lazy way of ordering, the first thing everyone does when they get together is always to ask the guests to hand over the menus.

Why?

It's very simple, just let them see the food.

Look at the dishes, their quality, and their prices.

A serving of twice-cooked pork that costs 28 yuan might not be bad, but a serving that costs 288 yuan is definitely not going to be bad.

Because what it's consuming isn't the taste, but rather a fabricated identity.

When others treat you, they might offer you a 28-yuan twice-cooked pork dish, but when I treat you, it costs over 200 yuan.

This demonstrates my capabilities and also elevates your importance to me.

This is the core reason why customers order food.

It's polite for the host to let the guests order, and it's equally polite for the guests to say "I'll go with whatever the host wants." But even just flipping through a few pages of the menu and seeing the prices of the signature dishes gives you a general idea of ​​what's available.

Zhao Jian shared the same sentiment.

According to Zhou Long, Li Mu is a reporter with both ability and potential.

My hometown is in a rural area of ​​Henan Province; I don't come from a particularly prominent family.

Here, a single serving of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall costs 1,280 yuan.

How much does a reporter earn in a month?

In fact, the reason why Li Mu drank Buddha Jumps Over the Wall so quickly, according to Zhao Jian, was because "this person had never drunk it before."

Instead of considering how Li Mu could use the umami flavor of this soup to overpower the taste of Moutai liquor.

So, when she saw Li Mu looking at the menu over and over again and then ordering an extra serving of sea cucumber in golden broth, she was even happier.

Sure.

Eat more and drink more.

Even... take more.

As long as... we can get through this hurdle.

He thought to himself.

At the same time, he didn't forget to glance at Zhou Long.

His eyes held a hint of inquiry:

"When will you tell me?"

Zhou Long, on the other hand, remained calm and composed.

He pretended not to see it and picked up the Yuxi Platinum bottle beside him.

This was also a gift from Zhao Jian; a single pack retails for a little over a hundred yuan.

Seeing that Zhou Long remained silent, Zhao Jian wasn't in a hurry. Anyway, the matters that needed to be discussed and the benefits promised had already been settled before this reporter, Li, arrived.

In Zhao Jian's mind, although the price was somewhat high... even the director of the Southern Metropolis Daily's Culture and Sports Department had given his approval, so a lowly official reporter under his command naturally had no right to refuse.

Or rather, they dared not refuse.

And so, the banquet proceeded little by little in this atmosphere that was neither too hot nor too cold.

Soon, the first pitcher of wine in Li Mu's dispensing vessel was empty.

The waiter brought over the second pot.

Inside the distiller, the slightly yellow liquor of Moutai gleamed under the light.

Having just finished his drink and lit another cigarette, Zhou Long glanced at Li Mu's cheekbones, which were now flushed and prominent... and thought to himself, "That's about enough."

So he began to speak:

"Xiao Li, have you been watching the news these past few days?"

Li Mu was taken aback.

Use a slightly damp

She glanced at Zhou Long, seemingly a little dazed and slow to react.

He shook his head subconsciously.

"No, Director, these past few days I've been busy with the ancestral roots project, working on interview reports. Besides reading our newspaper every day..."

"Um."\

Zhou Long must have had a cold or rhinitis; as he responded, a puff of white smoke came out of one of his nostrils.

"It was indeed an oversight. As a journalist, staying informed about the latest developments in various industries is a fundamental professional responsibility. Being busy is not an excuse, understand? How can I entrust you with more tasks in the future if you continue like this?"

"Well……"\

Li Mu paused for a moment, then quickly nodded:

"Yes, yes, Director, you are right. It was indeed my oversight. I will definitely remember your teachings and never forget them!"

As he spoke, he stood up again:

"Thank you for the reminder, Director. This glass is for you."

"Alright, alright, no rush, you drink slowly too."

Zhou Long stopped him from getting up, but hesitated slightly. To show his sincerity, Li Mu took the decanter and drank half a pot in one gulp.

He didn't even have time to stop them.

However... the slap has already been delivered.

It's time to give them sweet dates.

"I have high hopes for you, otherwise I wouldn't have called you here today. But it's not your fault, you've been really busy these past few days... Anyway, you chose the 'Four Little Actresses,' so you're naturally closer to Manager Zhao and Zhao Wei's side. Zhao Wei has run into a little trouble these past few days, have Manager Zhao talk to you about the situation, and see what you should do."

Li Mu was taken aback, then looked at Zhao Jian with a look of confusion in his eyes.

But inwardly, he let out a cold laugh.

Okay, okay.

A minor incident, is it?

Old fox, Lei.