Cao Jinbo laughed loudly, and I finally got to experience Ye Zhi's speaking ability. The reason she could speak like that probably stemmed from a kind of confidence, which was given to her by her social status.
Cao Jinbo said, "President Ye, I didn't expect you to be such a good joker... Let's put aside the matter of talent for now. If you have time, please do me the honor of having a good meal with me, and we can become friends... To be honest, Dali is still a small place. We farmers who rely on the mountains and rivers for our livelihood really need to learn from you. Now that the economic structure is changing, we also need to adapt and transform in line with the times. I hope President Ye will give us a chance to learn."
Ye Zhi smiled and replied, "You're too modest! We outsiders who come to Dali to develop our careers can't do without the support of the local government and successful entrepreneurs. If we're talking about a meal, it should be my treat."
"Shall we set a time?"
"After the New Year, I'll host a gathering for my friends in Dali so we can all get together and catch up."
Cao Jinbo nodded, then said to me, "Michael, if President Ye is your friend, you've been a bit inadequate in your hospitality. How could you let her go shopping alone... Finish your drink and quickly accompany President Ye for a walk around."
I responded and then tilted my head back to finish the remaining half glass of baijiu. The alcohol was very strong, and coupled with the fact that I had already drunk quite a bit, it made me feel dizzy.
...
After leaving the hotel where I had dinner, the first thing I did was go to the restroom and throw up violently. I felt so awful. I finally understood Sun Jiwei's frustration about always having to drink so much. When you're drinking with people whose social status is significantly higher than yours, and if you want to build connections with them, there are some drinks you just can't avoid or escape.
I walked out of the bathroom with red eyes. Ye Zhi had been waiting for me. She had bought bottled water and tissues sometime earlier and kindly handed them to me so I could clean myself up.
I let out a heavy sigh, then sat down weakly on a bench by the roadside, feeling even more dizzy. Coupled with lack of sleep, my consciousness was completely blurred. I only felt Ye Zhi sitting down next to me, so I subconsciously leaned on her and fell asleep amidst the passing crowds.
When I woke up again, I didn't know how much time had passed, and I had gone from leaning against her to lying on Ye Zhi's lap... This overly intimate position made me half sober up. I felt that on this noisy old street, Ye Zhi had given me another world, which was very warm and full of her presence. So I closed my eyes again, but pretended to fall asleep.
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