Chapter 408 This is what I owe her
Hearing Zhou Mubin say that, President Hou really couldn't refuse.
Moreover, the Zhou family holds a high position in Hong Kong, especially the eldest son of the Zhou family, who has made the Zhou family thrive. So, we still have to give the Zhou family face. "Alright, I'll try to get there as quickly as possible."
Zhou Mubin: "Then thank you for your understanding, General Hou."
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Mubin beckoned to the waiter and ordered a familiar bottle of whiskey.
He didn't add ice; he just took a sip straight from the bottle opening.
The spicy liquor slid down my throat, burning a dull ache in my chest, but my chaotic thoughts cleared up a bit.
Time slipped away in silent solitude, one glass after another. The antique clock on the wall slowly ticked past ten and eleven. The bartenders gradually dispersed, leaving only the bartender behind the counter idly scrolling through his phone.
When President Hou pushed open the bar door, the whiskey bottle in front of Zhou Mubin was empty, the amber liquid shimmering in the glass, his cheeks flushed with intoxication, and even the corners of his eyes were tinged with a thin layer of red.
Hearing the noise, he immediately stood up, supporting himself on the table. His legs, which had been sitting for a long time, were a little numb, and he swayed, almost knocking over the two empty cups stacked beside him.
Zhou Mubin's voice was hoarse from drinking, but he couldn't hide his overwhelming joy, "President Hou, I've finally waited for you."
He took an empty glass from the table, then unscrewed another bottle of fine wine that the winery had specially delivered, and poured it for President Hou.
Mr. Hou smiled and waved his hand, taking off his dark gray suit jacket and draping it over the chair next to him, revealing a neatly pressed white shirt underneath. Two buttons on the collar were undone, and a faint smell of alcohol mixed with the smell of cigarette smoke wafted over him.
He reached out and gently pressed down on Zhou Mubin's hand as he poured the wine, teasingly saying, "Wait, wait, I just came from a drinking party, I can't take your heavy drinking."
As he spoke, President Hou sat down next to Zhou Mubin, his gaze sweeping over the bottles of liquor on the table. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Half a bottle of whiskey down, I'd like to hear what important matter could possibly make our lawyer Zhou, who is so eloquent and composed in court, resort to alcohol to embolden himself to talk to me?"
Zhou Mubin felt somewhat embarrassed by what was said, and the effects of the alcohol seemed to have worn off a bit.
He took a deep breath, his previously unfocused gaze suddenly cleared, his back straightened, and his eyes were full of earnestness. "President Hou, I'm here today because of Cui Xiao. As you know, she couldn't participate in the last vice president election due to unforeseen circumstances. I would like to ask you if you could give her another chance to compete?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Mubin stared intently into President Hou's eyes, even unconsciously softening his breathing.
President Hou picked up the glass of water on the table, took a sip, paused just as he touched his lips, and looked up to scrutinize Zhou Mubin.
The warm yellow light fell on Zhou Mubin's eyes, reflecting his eagerness and sincerity. Even his usually meticulously combed hair was disheveled, with a few strands falling down and covering his brow bone. There was no trace of the logical and sharp-tongued demeanor he displayed in court.
Mr. Hou put down his water glass, his fingertips lightly tapping the rim. Suddenly, he chuckled softly, his tone knowing, "Attorney Zhou, let me ask you something unrelated first."
Zhou Mubin was taken aback, not expecting President Hou to suddenly change the subject, but he immediately leaned forward, his hands unconsciously resting on his knees, adopting a posture of attentive listening, "Please go ahead."
President Hou's tone was clearly teasing, but his eyes were like a precise searchlight, instantly piercing Zhou Mubin's hidden thoughts: "Does Cui Xiao know that you've been waiting for me here in the middle of the night because of her?"
Zhou Mubin's face was a little pale. He subconsciously avoided President Hou's gaze, turned his head to look at the dark night outside the window, and his voice became weaker, "President Hou, to be honest, Cui Xiao was unable to participate in the self-nomination election that day because of me. I insisted on making her come downstairs and threatened her, so she had no choice but to give up the vice president election."
“So, the reason I came to see President Hou is unknown to Cui Xiao, and I didn’t intend to tell her.” Zhou Mubin’s expression was regretful, but he remained calm. “President Hou, I’m not asking you to pull strings for Cui Xiao or make any kind of exchange, but at least give her a chance. I’ve seen her hard work over the past eleven years, and she is more than qualified to be the vice president.”
Zhou Mubin raised his eyes, his gaze gradually hardening with determination. "President Hou, you know best that Cui Xiao's abilities are top-notch in the company. Last month, the old city renovation project in the western suburbs was considered a tough nut to crack by many. She led her team through a whole week, barely sleeping, and in the end, not only was the project completed ahead of schedule, but it also saved Dongya Group nearly ten million yuan in costs. It's such a pity that she missed the opportunity to run for vice president just because of something that came up at the last minute."
As he spoke, he reached into the black briefcase beside him and rummaged through it. In his haste, his fingertips brushed against the edge of the documents several times but he couldn't quite grasp them.
Finally, he pulled out a neatly bound document and handed it to President Hou.
"These are all clients that Cui Xiao has helped me acquire over the years. President Hou is a veteran in Hong Kong. You should know how difficult and demanding these bosses are. But she has the ability to take down these tough nuts without lifting a finger. If Cui Xiao can become the vice president, then these clients will be Cui Xiao's hidden resources, which are equivalent to the connections of Yadong Group."
As Zhou Mubin spoke, his tone was filled with undisguised pride: "Her abilities absolutely qualify her for the position of vice president; she just lacks the opportunity to compete for it."
President Hou picked up the document, pinching the corner of the paper between his fingers and slowly flipping through it, his gaze lingering on the dense text.
When he thinks about the old city renovation project in the eastern suburbs, he can still recall that he specifically praised the project at a board meeting.
He closed the file and gently placed it on the table. He picked up his water glass to moisten his throat, then sighed, his tone tinged with admiration, "Attorney Zhou, you're usually not this attentive to your own affairs, but you've really gone to great lengths for Secretary Cui."
A complex mix of emotions flickered in Zhou Mubin's eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "This is what I owe her."
President Hou put down his water glass, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice, "Actually, I understand everything you've said. I also highly recognize Cui Xiao's work ability; otherwise, I wouldn't have poached her from Attorney Zhou in the first place. However, Cui Xiao left during yesterday's election, which is tantamount to her automatically forfeiting. I essentially wanted to give her this opportunity, but that would be unfair to the others. I don't know if Attorney Zhou understands what I mean by saying this."
Zhou Mubin suddenly looked up, his breath catching in his throat for a second.
He subconsciously said, "I understand what President Hou means."
They were both intelligent people, so how could Zhou Mubin not understand the surprise implied in President Hou's words? He smiled, raised his glass, and said, "President Hou, I'd like to toast you."
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