The banquet wasn't over yet, and the Du family members were leaving in a hurry. The man Jin Yan who had stopped Du Jue earlier must have wanted to ask where Du Yuan had gone. Unlike his earlier eloquent speech, he stammered for a long time, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, and still couldn't explain himself clearly. Yet, he refused to let them leave first.
Xu Keke found this overly honest man amusing. She wondered what their life was like after Du Yuan married him in her past life. One was cold, the other simple-minded. She just didn't know if Du Yuan ultimately married him because she loved him.
Du Jue didn't have time to waste any more time with him. He made an excuse that he had something to do at home and would invite him over another day, thus avoiding his pestering.
When Xu Keke followed Du Jue downstairs, the entire Du family had already gotten into their car. Unlike when they arrived, she was put in Du Bingtian's car.
The car was dimly lit, but the neon lights outside the hotel were dazzling. Xu Keke could see at a glance Du Bingtian's dark face and the hatred in his eyes when he looked at her.
She was put in the passenger seat, but before she could even start the car, she was stopped again.
Li Dakang stood outside the car, took off his top hat, placed it in front of his chest, and bowed to Du Bingtian inside the car. "Nephew Li Dakang, I just arrived from Nanjing a few days ago. I haven't seen you in the hall several times. I thought I would have a chance to talk with you in detail at today's banquet, but I didn't expect you to leave in such a hurry."
Du Bingtian, sitting in the middle, was flattered and urged Lin Meijuan to stand up. He wished he could get out of the car immediately.
"Uncle, please don't be so polite. My only wish in making your acquaintance is to seek your guidance in matters of politics that I may not understand in the future. I know you have matters to attend to at home today. I am good friends with your eldest daughter, Du Jin, and we have already made an appointment for me to visit your home another day."
Li Dakang looked at Xu Keke triumphantly, "Miss Du, I'll be visiting your residence tomorrow. Would that be a convenient time for you?"
"good!"
"no!"
Du Bingtian and Xu Keke's voices rang out simultaneously.
Xu Keke completely ignored Du Bingtian and said directly, "Tomorrow won't work. I have an appointment tomorrow. If you want to come, then the day after tomorrow."
Du Bingtian opened his mouth, but seeing Li Dakang readily agree, he quickly shut it. The look in his eyes as he looked at Xu Keke had changed from resentment to shock.
After Li Dakang stepped back a few steps and put on his hat, the car finally started.
The questions Du Bingtian had originally intended to ask were long forgotten. His biggest regret was not letting his eldest daughter sit in the back. Now, whether it was Lin Meijuan or his second concubine, it didn't matter who sat in the front. Then he wouldn't have to be so unladylike, hunched over in the front seat talking to his daughter.
"You and Commissioner Li are on good terms, aren't you?"
Xu Keke looked blank. "Who? What commissioner? Li Dakang?"
Du Bingtian then realized that his eldest daughter had no idea who Li Dakang was. "Li Dakang is an inspection commissioner sent by the Nanjing government this time."
"Really? That's impressive." Xu Keke asked casually, "But he's so young, it's impossible for him to have a higher official position than you, right?"
"Of course, I mean of course it's impressive." Du Bingtian smiled somewhat awkwardly, thinking to himself that it was much more than just having a higher official rank than him.
He and Li Dakang were not even in the same league. Li Dakang said he had never seen him in the department because he wasn't even qualified to attend meetings at the administrative office every time. He just couldn't say these things in front of his wife and daughter.
"Ah Jin, how did you meet him?"
This was the first time Xu Keke had heard Du Bingtian speak so politely to her. She hadn't expected it was still thanks to Li Dakang.
Xu Keke said truthfully, "I'm not familiar with him. He's the cousin of my younger brother's good friend, Fu Kai. Didn't my younger brother mention him to you?"
Du Bingtian smiled somewhat awkwardly, "I did mention it, of course I did. So why did he want to come to your house to visit you?"
"This guy is a bit strange, and I don't quite understand what he means. Who goes to visit a girl's house so abruptly? This guy has no manners. Maybe I should have my younger brother call him and tell him not to come."
"No, no, please don't!" Du Bingtian said "no" three times in his anxiety.
Xu Keke's honest words took on a completely different meaning in Du Bingtian's ears. He thought his daughter might have become somewhat old-fashioned due to her mother's upbringing in the countryside.
Du Bingtian stopped talking and sat back down. He pondered how to say it in a way that wasn't too blunt, yet still made his somewhat clueless eldest daughter understand that Li Dakang might be trying to woo her.
Ideally, she would readily agree. And before the marriage is finalized, she should get the Li family's consent to provide some small assistance in her career. For example, perhaps the position of Director of the Education Bureau, or better yet, a transfer back to Nanjing.
The two women sitting to Du Bingtian's left and right had long since changed their expressions. Their sudden departure today wasn't due to any family matter; the Sun family had kicked them out of the banquet.
Mayor Hu was only considering Du Bingtian's situation; after all, Du was still a government official. If people knew that he, as the mayor, had kicked out a businessman over a minor incident, it would be misunderstood as him being afraid of the Sun family.
Mayor Hu instructed Du Bingtian to lie and say that something had happened at home, thus temporarily concealing the truth from him.
Faced with Du Bingtian's overwhelming anger, Lin Meijuan and the second concubine said in unison that Xu Keke had tripped the first wife, causing the accident. They hadn't expected that their young lady would be able to hook up with the commissioner from Nanjing so quickly.
Lin Meijuan cursed inwardly, "Vixen. Just like her mother, she's a master at keeping men's minds wandering." She had originally planned to take things slowly, but it seemed some things couldn't be delayed any longer.
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