After the divorce, he took care of his child and sold fried rice; his ex-wife was filled with regret

The dinner party has now reached its most crucial moment. President Wang of the provincial branch is in high spirits, holding an empty wine glass, waiting to drink this final "final toast".

If he went back empty-handed and told the boss there was no more wine, not only would he spoil the VIP's fun, but if the 3 billion loan were to encounter any complications, his job as assistant would be over.

Just as Assistant Wu was pacing around the back of the car like a cat on a hot tin roof, the driver's side door opened.

Driver Lao Li got off the bus wearing a thick coat.

He looked at Assistant Wu, who was sweating profusely in front of the trunk, and walked over with some puzzlement.

"Assistant Wu, what's wrong?"

Assistant Wu grabbed Old Li's arm, his voice trembling, "Old Li, the wine's gone!"

Old Li paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the empty cardboard box, then he slapped his thigh hard, and the half-smoked cigarette between his fingers fell to the ground.

"Oh no! Yesterday afternoon, Chairman Chen hosted that inspection team from out of town, and when they left, he told me to take the whole case of wine from the car as a return gift. Chairman Chen went to the company early this morning, and then had meetings all afternoon. I... I got distracted and forgot to go to the wine cellar to restock!"

Old Li's face turned deathly pale instantly. For a big boss's driver, ensuring the trunk is always stocked with cigarettes, alcohol, and hospitality supplies is the most basic rule.

To falter at such a critical juncture is a mistake that could cost us our livelihood.

"Are you out of your mind!" Assistant Wu exclaimed, scratching his head in frustration. Pointing to the empty box, "The provincial branch manager is sitting on top! He's waiting to drink some wine and sign off on his work. What am I supposed to bring up there?"

The two looked at each other, the cold wind blowing in the garage making them shiver.

"How about... I go out and buy two bottles right now?" Old Li suggested, his voice weak.

"Buy what?!" Assistant Wu growled in a low voice. "Look around, where are the stores? Even if you dare to buy it, I wouldn't dare take it upstairs! What if we buy counterfeit alcohol and the bank manager gets sick? Who can take the responsibility?!"

Old Li was so anxious that he kept rubbing his hands together. He then pointed towards the elevator entrance and said, "Then... then why don't we just go to this restaurant and get two bottles? Jiangjing Pavilion is such a big place, it must have vintage Moutai readily available."

"No, absolutely not." Assistant Wu rejected the suggestion without hesitation.

He had been working for Chairman Chen for almost five years and knew all too well the rules and taboos at the dinner table.

"You know Chairman Chen's rules. The liquor business in restaurants is very complex; no one can guarantee that the vintage wines they serve are genuine. To avoid suspicion, and just to be on the safe side, Chairman Chen never drinks the liquor provided by restaurants when he goes out for business dinners; he always brings his own!"

After hearing this, Old Li was completely at a loss and slumped against the carriage.

Just when the two were at their wits' end, Wu's assistant's cell phone suddenly vibrated violently.

Assistant Wu took out his phone and saw the words "Chairman Chen" displayed on the screen.

He took a deep breath, forced his trembling hands to steady, pressed the answer button, and held the phone to his ear.

"Chairman Chen... Chairman Chen."

On the other end of the phone, Chairman Chen's voice sounded relatively calm, but Assistant Wu, who had worked with him for many years, could clearly hear a hint of anxiety and urgency suppressed beneath that calmness.

"Xiao Wu, why did it take you so long to get a drink? Bank Manager Wang was having a great time chatting, and all his glasses are empty. Hurry up and bring it up."

After hanging up the phone, Assistant Wu glanced at Old Li.

"There's no time," Assistant Wu gritted his teeth. "Old Li, drive back to the villa right now. Go to Chairman Chen's underground wine cellar and get the wine."

"Back to the villa?" Old Li glanced at the navigation time on his phone. "Assistant Wu, the villa is in the western suburbs. Even if I run red lights and floor the gas pedal right now, it'll still take at least half an hour round trip!"

"I know!" Assistant Wu stamped his feet anxiously, "But Chairman Chen only dares to serve President Wang wine from the villa's wine cellar. Go there immediately, I'll try to stall for time up there."

"Forty minutes? How are you going to drag it out? People are just sitting there waiting for you for over forty minutes?" Old Li felt that this was simply unrealistic.

Assistant Wu's gaze swept back and forth in the trunk, and suddenly, his eyes stopped on a brown paper bag in the corner.

Inside the paper bag, a bare white porcelain wine pot sat quietly.

There was no trademark, not even a decent box; just a wooden stopper tightly plugging the spout.

"What is this?" Assistant Wu asked, pointing at the white porcelain pot as if grasping at a straw.

Old Li followed his finger and quickly explained, "This is a bottle of bulk liquor that Chairman Chen bought this morning when he had breakfast at Lin's shop. It cost him almost 1,300 yuan."

Assistant Wu was stunned.

A flask of unpackaged, bulk liquor? From Lin's shop?

Although he didn't go to Jin Street with Chairman Chen this morning, he had heard people in the company talking about it. The boss had recently become particularly interested in a noodle shop that didn't even have a signboard, and he would go there to queue up every morning without fail.

"Old Li, how does this wine taste?" Assistant Wu asked, staring intently at the white porcelain pot.

"I've never drunk it. How could I dare to drink something the boss bought?" Old Li shook his head.

"However, when I was packing it up this morning, I did smell a very strong aroma of wine in the shop. Mr. Li was there at the time and even praised the wine."

Assistant Wu bit his lip, his mind in turmoil.

Bringing a jug of unbranded liquor to the provincial bank manager's desk? Normally, he wouldn't dare do that even if he had ten lives.

But now, he's been pushed to the edge of a cliff.

He walked over and reached out to take out the white porcelain wine pot.

The wine jug felt quite heavy in my hand.

"Old Li," Assistant Wu's eyes hardened, "Get in the car right now, drive back to the villa and get the Moutai. Don't waste a second!"

Old Li looked at the white porcelain teapot in his hand: "Then what are you going to do?"

"I'll take this jug of wine and use it as a makeshift shield!"

Assistant Wu gritted his teeth.

"Since Chairman Chen himself paid a high price to bring this back, the quality of this wine must be quite high. I'll use this bottle of wine to buy us these forty minutes of life-saving time."

Old Li knew there was no other way out now, so he nodded heavily: "Okay! I'll go right now!"

After saying that, Lao Li immediately climbed into the driver's seat and started the car.

The vehicle roared to life, its tires screeching as they rubbed against the non-slip floor of the underground garage, speeding toward the garage exit.

Assistant Wu, carrying the unwrapped white porcelain wine pot, turned and headed towards the elevator.