Zhang Hongyang's heart was bleeding, but he could only smile at his sister and say, "We got stuck in traffic on the way here, for quite a while. Sister, please have someone serve the dishes!"
Zhang Qixiang nodded, her demeanor professional and aloof, "Alright, you two go take a seat in the dining room. The dishes will be served shortly!"
Liu Zhizhong was inwardly gleeful, "Idiot, you really know how to make excuses! Let's see, you didn't dare to say it outright because you saw me driving, did you? Just for that fact alone, I've got you beat."
Maybe one day, right in front of you, I'll do that thing to Zhao Han, heh heh....
On the surface, however, Liu Zhizhong praised, "County Head Zhang, you've been doing splendid work in Shadong. It's rare for you to have time to invite your brother-in-law to dinner! Sister Qixiang, put tonight's bill on my tab!"
Zhang Qixiang didn't even respond when Zhang Hongyang coldly said, "Liu Zhizhong, spare me your antics. I already said I'd treat you to dinner, so I'm paying the bill! Sister, tonight the waiters will only serve the dishes, do not come over to serve us, we'll dine alone!"
With that, he went straight to the dining room.
Liu Zhizhong shrugged at Zhang Qixiang with a smug, almost sinister smile.
Zhang Qixiang seemed to understand what he meant, and glaring at him, she hurriedly left.
That woman obviously thought Liu Zhizhong was saying, "Look, I slept with his sister, and he's still inviting me to dinner to nourish my body, even paying personally, haha!"
Of course, Zhang Qixiang knew that Zhang Hongyang had already stated that tonight's cost of the dinner and drinks would still be charged to the account of Shadong County's Modern Agriculture Group, no more, no less.
Liu Zhizhong looked at Zhang Qixiang's attractive departing figure and felt it was truly worth it!
After so many days apart, she was very thirsty, and so was he—it really was a meeting of equals, each enjoying what the other offered.
Turning back to glance at Zhang Hongyang's retreating figure, Liu Zhizhong's sense of superiority and triumph surged.
Soon, Liu Zhizhong entered the dining room and sat opposite Zhang Hongyang.
Liu Zhizhong smoked as he approached, but Zhang Hongyang couldn't be bothered to interact and smoked his own.
Liu Zhizhong said with a light smile, "Look at you, why be mad at me? Is it because I was just upstairs with Sister Qixiang, did you know?"
"You... you..." Zhang Hongyang was so angry his eyes bulged like a bull's, nearly driven to madness, "Did you fucking know I was downstairs?"
Liu Zhizhong remained calm, "Of course I knew you were downstairs, but your sister was there too. I had to take care of her first, couldn't I?"
"You motherfucker... You bastard!" Zhang Hongyang pointed at Liu Zhizhong's nose, at a loss for words.
"You could have told Zhao Yan about this, right? Let her give me a hard time? Heh... Now that I think about it, my wife is really quite forgiving! Not like yours, dead set on divorcing—if it weren't for your father, your uncle, and your aunt holding her back, she probably would have filed for divorce already, right?"
Zhang Hongyang held back his frustrations, yet clenched his teeth and slammed the table, "Liu Zhizhong, you better stop using that to argue with me! Do you think I don't know your thoughts? Heh, you can't stand to see my success in Shadong, can't bear to look at it, yet you still have to back me up. Deliberately provoking me, right? Heh..."
Liu Zhizhong spread his hands, "You're overthinking it. I really don't care. The County Mayor is doing impressive work over there, very innovative, must be under someone's guidance! Who is this expert?"
"You don't deserve to know! Anyway, you think I, Zhang Hongyang, was exiled to Shadong. Everyone thinks so, but I am very clear. My qualifications and achievements are sufficient, my future brighter than yours, and one day I will make sure you'll never be able to turn the tables!"
Liu Zhizhong nodded, "Interesting thoughts, quite intriguing! But why the dinner invitation tonight, just for me, back in the city?"