Power and Wealth

Chapter 1816

Evening.

In the kitchen.

Both Su’s father and mother had gone into the kitchen. After glancing outside, they shut the door behind them.

When Su’s father stepped in, he scolded his wife in a low voice, “Look at you! Look what you’ve done!”

Feeling wronged and knowing she was at fault, Su’s mother didn’t dare argue back. “I didn’t know he was the county party secretary! Look at him—his appearance, his age—how does he look like one?”

Su’s father replied, “But that doesn’t justify treating him like that.”

Su’s mother explained, “I thought he was here to curry favor with our son. I didn’t want us to lose our dignity, so I acted with a bit of authority. Isn’t that how families of officials behave? Why are you blaming me? Besides, you didn’t realize who he was, either. Who could have guessed that a newly appointed county secretary would visit our home just a day after his promotion in the middle of his busy schedule? And who would’ve thought he got lost and just happened to pass by here?”

Su’s father pointed at her. “Behaving like an official’s family already, huh? The promotion isn’t even set in stone yet, and you’re already putting on airs. How do you think Secretary Dong will feel seeing that?”

Su’s mother, growing anxious, asked, “What should we do now?”

Su’s father shook his head, “How should I know?”

Su’s mother worriedly said, “Could this affect Secretary Dong’s attitude toward our son? Oh no, what should we do? Xiao Yan’s transfer hasn’t been finalized yet. If something changes... I even told people over the phone that our son would be the county secretary’s secretary. There’s no taking that back now.”

Su’s father thought momentarily and shook his head slightly, “It shouldn’t be that serious. From what I can tell, Secretary Dong might be young, but he seems quite kind. I don’t think he was angry. Think about it—he’s a county secretary, a high-ranking official. He must’ve seen all sorts of things by now. Why would he hold a grudge over something like this? He was polite when talking to you, wasn’t he? That means it probably won’t affect Xiao Yan. You shouldn’t overthink it. Let’s focus on cooking. If Secretary Dong is willing to eat a bit, everything is fine, and we’re just worrying about nothing. Hurry up and cook.”

Su’s mother, still uneasy, replied, “Alright, okay. My big mouth messed things up. Not only did I not help our son, but I made things harder for him.”

Su’s father chuckled, “You thought he was here to ask for favors! If this gets out, people will laugh for days.”

Su’s mother blushed in embarrassment and snapped, “Can you stop rubbing it in?”

...

Ten minutes later.

The kitchen door opened. Dinner was ready.

Su’s mother said, “Xiao Yan, bring the dishes to your boss.”

Su Yan responded and quickly went to bring the dishes to the table. These weren’t the simple vegetarian leftovers from earlier but meat dishes or a mix of meat and vegetables. There was also a pot of soup simmering on the stove, bubbling away, and it smelled delicious.

Su’s mother smiled as she approached, “The soup’s not ready yet, Secretary Dong. Please start with the dishes first.”

Hearing this, Su’s mother became excited, “You’re right! That’s exactly the kind of person Xiao Yan is. He has a warm heart and always cares about others. Some might say he meddles too much, but I’ve always believed my son is kind-hearted. You’ve described it perfectly!”

Su Yan, a bit embarrassed, muttered, “Mom...”

His mother pointed at him, “See, Secretary Dong understands you. I’m telling you, you better work hard from now on and never let him down!”

Su Yan immediately replied, “Of course!”

Dong Xuebing’s words were deeper and more personal, revealing his true thoughts. Su Yan and his parents now understood why Dong Xuebing had chosen Su Yan as his secretary.

Su’s father was in high spirits, listening to Secretary Dong’s words. “Secretary Dong, how about we have a drink?” He felt that Dong Xuebing's sentiments echoed his evaluation of his son. At home, Su’s father had always taught his son that people might live their whole lives without wealth, power, or status, but they should never lose their conscience. This philosophy shaped Su Yan’s character. Despite often criticizing his son for being incompetent or troublesome, Su’s father felt a deep pride. Encountering a leader like Dong Xuebing, who appreciated his son, made him feel like he had found a kindred spirit.

Dong Xuebing smiled, thinking it over. “Sure, let’s have a drink!”

Su’s father commanded, “Xiao Yan, bring me that bottle of Maotai.” This was his reserve liquor, not something he would easily share with outsiders.

Su Yan complied and quickly went to fetch it.

Su’s mother worriedly interjected, “Is that okay for your blood pressure?”

Su’s father replied confidently, “I’m happy today; I have to drink a little!”

Su’s mother pouted but didn’t insist further.

Dong Xuebing said, “Uncle, we’re not strangers anymore, so there’s no need to be polite. Let’s just drink enough to enjoy ourselves; it’s not about how much we drink.” Unless someone truly offended Dong Xuebing, he never forced drinks on others. He believed in enjoying the experience of drinking—relaxing, chatting, and eating—rather than focusing solely on getting drunk. For him, that was what drinking should be about; the rest was merely consuming alcohol.

The Maotai arrived.

Dong Xuebing recognized it immediately, noting that it looked like it had been aged for about twenty years. It was valuable, and while he had tasted it before, he hadn’t had the chance to enjoy it often.

Su Yan poured drinks for the others but didn’t pour any for himself.

Dong Xuebing glanced at him and asked, “Xiao Su, aren’t you going to have a drink?”

Su’s father explained, “Xiao Yan is allergic to alcohol. He’s been this way since he was little. If he drinks, he breaks out in red bumps all over—so many that it looks terrifying.”

“Oh, then let him skip it. Allergies are indeed troublesome,” Dong Xuebing said, raising his glass. “To you, Uncle! Here’s to you and Auntie, wishing you both a long and healthy life!”

Su’s father hurriedly replied, “No, we should be toasting you. Thank you for recognizing Xiao Yan!”