Chapter 105: Liu Fei Gets Drunk

  Wine is good wine! Dishes are delicious dishes! Friends are four-year classmates like brothers!

  Dazzling lights, hazy eyes, raise the cup, pour full wine, let's indulge in youth, let's lavish generosity, bottom up!

  The drinking session was a blast, with Xu Zhe, Xiao Qiang, and Liu Peng all getting completely drunk. Liu Fei drank even more than they did, but fortunately, he had a high tolerance for alcohol and remained somewhat sober by the end of it. After struggling to pay the bill, he asked the waitress to help him get the three men upstairs to a suite room, where he left them after handing her a stack of cash to take care of them. Then, he stumbled out of the building and hailed a taxi back to his hotel. Liu Fei never forgot that he was Secretary Jiang's assistant and had to report back tonight, as they were scheduled to visit the chairman of Xinyuan Group, Xue Ren Gui, together tomorrow.

  After getting on the car, Liu Fei told the driver the name of the hotel again and then fell asleep in a daze, snoring away.

  The taxi driver furrowed his brow, but seeing the several hundred-yuan bills that Liu Fei handed over, he relaxed and sped off towards their destination. When they arrived at the hotel entrance, he finally woke up Liu Fei, who was still drowsy and disoriented from sleep. After hearing the driver say they had arrived, Liu Fei got out of the car and stumbled into the hotel. The overlapping shadows and strange lights made Liu Fei suddenly realize that this world in front of him was so unfamiliar.

  At this time, a waiter came over and asked: "Sir, which room are you staying in? I'll take you back."

  Liu Fei's tongue was already curled up when he spoke, but he still managed to say his room number: "1818!" After finishing speaking, Liu Fei leaned his head against the service staff's body and fell asleep again. The service staff had seen many customers like this before, although they were put off by the strong smell of smoke and alcohol on Liu Fei's body, they simply frowned and called over a colleague to help support Liu Fei as he rode the VIP elevator up to the 18th floor.

  This is a five-star hotel, and the 18th floor is even a VIP area in the hotel. Those who can stay on this floor are either rich or noble, so the service staff took good care of Liu Fei.

  The room 1818 was a suite with an inner and outer room. Liu Fei stayed in the outer room, while Vice Governor Jiang Zhengyuan stayed in the inner room.

  At this moment, Jiang Zhengyuan was quietly leaning on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the TV. The TV was replaying the classic TV series "Kangxi Dynasty", which was originally one of Jiang Zhengyuan's favorite shows to watch, and every time he watched it, he would gain new insights. However, today, his gaze wasn't focused on the TV, his eyes were somewhat scattered, and the ashtray in front of him was filled with cigarette butts. He still had a cigarette burning slowly in his hand, and wisps of smoke rose gently into the air. His face looked somewhat gloomy.

  Today I met with old classmate Bao Chunlai and learned from him that the situation of competing for provincial governor is more complicated than I imagined.

  A vice minister with real power supports Ma Ao-wen, while the executive vice minister Jia Zhongqi is inclined to parachute a provincial governor from the central government, and the Minister of the Organization Department Kong Zhisen has an ambiguous attitude, nobody knows what he is thinking. Jiang Zhengyuan also knows that the position of provincial governor is a must-contend position for several major factions, and the main decision-making power is still in the Politburo. However, the speaking right of the Organization Department on this position cannot be ignored either. Moreover, he also knows that although his own backing forces will definitely support him, many times, such support is also limited, and the key is still himself. Only when the top and bottom are united can there be a possibility to take down the position of provincial governor.

  However, the current severe situation has made this provincial party committee member and vice governor, who always smiled in the face of turmoil, furrow his brow tightly for a long time.

  At this time, the doorbell rang! Jiang Zhengyuan extinguished his cigarette and walked out of the room to open the door. He saw Liu Fei leaning on the shoulder of a waiter, being supported by two people as they were brought in. After thanking them, Jiang Zhengyuan had them help Liu Fei lie down on the bed.

  The waiter left and closed the door behind him.

  When Jiang Zhengyuan saw Liu Fei, his furrowed brow finally relaxed. This young secretary had always brought him too many surprises and unexpected events. In Jiang Zhengyuan's eyes, Liu Fei was absolutely a freak. After decades of navigating the officialdom, Jiang Zhengyuan had never seen a secretary like Liu Fei who could cause so much trouble yet still manage to turn things around. Moreover, Liu Fei, as a secretary, couldn't even write drafts, which was unbelievable for a full-time secretary of a vice-provincial governor and provincial committee member. However, Jiang Zhengyuan highly appreciated Liu Fei. From the recent events that had occurred around Liu Fei, he could see that although Liu Fei frequently caused trouble, he never truly suffered any losses. No matter how difficult the situation was at the time, Liu Fei always managed to come up with a brilliant solution, turning things around completely. Even Jiang Zhengyuan couldn't understand why Liu Fei had gained the favor of Vice Minister of Public Security Liu Jianqing and Vice Minister of Finance Xu Wei, not to mention that the chairman of Xinyuan Group, whom he was going to visit tomorrow, also admired Liu Fei so much. As a materialist, Jiang Zhengyuan didn't believe in supernatural things, but for Liu Fei, he could only categorize him as someone with incredibly strong luck, defying the heavens.

  Jiang Zhengyuan sat lightly on the edge of Liu Fei's bed, looking at Liu Fei who was sleeping soundly with a strong smell of alcohol. A hint of kindness appeared in his wise eyes. Liu Fei reminded him of his own son, Jiang Xiaoyi, who was two years younger than Liu Fei and studying in Shanghai. When he was at home, he would often come back drunk, and every time this happened, this powerful man standing at the pinnacle of power in Henan Province would take care of him like a nanny. Because outside, he had to maintain his authority, but at home, he was just a father, taking care of his son was his responsibility.

  Looking at Liu Fei, Jiang Zhengyuan's mouth corner inadvertently revealed a gentle warmth of paternal love. He found that the sleeping Liu Fei was almost completely different from when he was awake. The awake Liu Fei had a strong air of confidence and vitality, loved to be impulsive, and even liked to fight, but at this moment, Liu Fei's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, his face seemingly in great pain, with two glittering teardrops hanging from the corners of his eyes.

  For some reason, looking at Liu Fei's appearance, Jiang Zhengyuan felt a faint heartache in his heart. Behind Liu Fei's passionate and impulsive personality, what kind of story was hidden that made him feel sad? Why did he look so painful when he slept? Unconsciously, Jiang Zhengyuan gently patted Liu Fei's shoulder with his large hand, hoping to bring him some comfort.

  Suddenly, Liu Fei grasped Jiang Zhengyuan's hand and placed it on his face, tears streaming down as he choked out: "Dad, why did you and mom abandon me? Why didn't you want me from the start?! I'm so lonely and desolate all by myself! Dad, how could you be so heartless?! Was it because I wasn't cute enough when I was little?! Or did you know that I'd grow up to be a troublemaker?! You knew, right?! When I was little, my classmates would call me a bastard, curse at me, bully me, and beat me! Back then, I cried, felt despair, and even begged for mercy! But later on, I realized it was all useless! So I chose fists! I used my fists to conquer this world! From then on, no one dared to insult or humiliate me because my fists were harder than theirs! But I'm still lonely! Watching my classmates get picked up by their parents after school, my heart ached so much! But I never cried, because my tears had already dried up! Because I knew that even if I jumped off the building, you wouldn't show up in front of me! I hate you, I hate mom! I hate you for abandoning me! But dad, why did you suddenly send someone to find me?! Why did you say I have to become an official?! I don't like being an official, really! I like doing business, playing games, and being a hacker! But it was all because of your letter that I changed myself! I want to be an official, I want to reach the deputy department level, I want to see what you look like, you heartless father who abandoned me! I want to remember you clearly and hate you for the rest of my life! For the rest of my life!" As he spoke, Liu Fei's grip on Jiang Zhengyuan's hand grew tighter, making his hand feel like it was going to deform from the pain.