Chapter 2223: Chapter 2065: Ascending the Path

"Mr. Song, you’re too kind. Actually, I don’t understand much about these dishes either. It was once that our leader was hosting other leaders for dinner, and several leaders were talking about the historical and cultural origins of these dishes so eloquently that neither the leader nor I could join in the conversation. Afterward, I specifically studied it." Secretary Zhang said.

"Hmm, being a secretary to the Deputy Minister isn’t easy, you even have to know the origins of the dishes you eat." Song Xiaodong sighed.

"Indeed." Secretary Zhang nodded.

"Actually, I noticed that Mr. Song, although he seems a bit... rough, still has a bit of knowledge inside." Secretary Zhang also complimented Song Xiaodong.

Song Xiaodong quickly waved his hand, "What I have doesn’t qualify as culture, it’s just content from middle school language arts textbooks." Song Xiaodong said.

"After dining together, I found Mr. Song really quite special, different from those who used to accompany the Deputy Minister." Secretary Zhang said.

"How am I different? I don’t flatter your Deputy Minister, do I?" Song Xiaodong asked.

"Hmm... that is one reason, but there’s another reason. Mr. Song sitting with the Deputy Minister, like with other leaders, is chatting happily, while others who aren’t leaders are very nervous when dining with the Deputy Minister." Secretary Zhang said.

"Hahaha." Song Xiaodong laughed.

"What’s the matter?" Secretary Zhang turned to ask Song Xiaodong.

"Secretary Zhang, you must have attended many dinners with the Deputy Minister where people were seeking favors from him, but this time is different. It’s your Deputy Minister inviting me for dinner, seeking a favor from me." Song Xiaodong said.

"Hmm... yes, but I still can’t figure out what our Deputy Minister would seek from a common citizen." Secretary Zhang asked.

Song Xiaodong smiled at Secretary Zhang and said, "Secretary Zhang, I trust you’re clever enough to know what not to ask."

Secretary Zhang turned to Song Xiaodong and said, "Mr. Song, I know you won’t say, but what’s the harm in asking?"

"Hahaha..."

The two laughed together.

"The Deputy Minister is indeed perceptive, having such smart and talented secretaries like Secretary Zhang. No wonder he rose to the position of Deputy Minister." Song Xiaodong sincerely complimented.

"Serving a lord is like serving a tiger, Mr. Song."

"Hahaha..."

Secretary Zhang then drove Song Xiaodong home.

"Would you like to come in for a bit?" Song Xiaodong said to Secretary Zhang.

"No, it’s quite late already. I should head home; my husband would be worried." Secretary Zhang said with a smile.

"Secretary Zhang is married?" Song Xiaodong asked in surprise.

"Yes, when I was young and naive, I just got married without knowing much. After marriage, I realized life is just like this and it’s been the same ever since." Secretary Zhang said.

"Ah, what a pity." Song Xiaodong shook his head.

"What is Mr. Song pitying about?" Secretary Zhang asked.

"It’s a pity I couldn’t meet Secretary Zhang earlier." Song Xiaodong said.

Secretary Zhang responded with a professional smile to Song Xiaodong, "Mr. Song, that’s it then. Goodbye."

"Be careful on the road."

Song Xiaodong watched as Secretary Zhang drove away.

"They’re back, they’re back, and it’s that woman who drove him back!" Miao Qingqing and Miao Xuanxuan saw this scene from the surveillance again.

"Can you two be more courteous? Just saying ’that woman’ — who is it, doesn’t she have a name?" Song Xiaoru joined in and said.

"We don’t know her name; Xiaodong didn’t say." Miao Qingqing said.

"Why did they come back so quickly?" Miao Xuanxuan asked with a mischievous smile.

"Sis, today the Deputy Minister invited our Xiaodong for dinner, and sent this female secretary to pick him up. I bet it’s the Deputy Minister’s Beauty Trap." Miao Qingqing said to Song Xiaoru.

"Alright, stop with the Beauty Trap. You all know what Xiaodong is like. If it really were a Beauty Trap, he wouldn’t be home tonight." Song Xiaoru said with a blush to Miao Qingqing.

"Well, not necessarily. Maybe they just had a brief exchange on key issues to save time and avoid raising our suspicions." Miao Qingqing said.

"Yes, and she deliberately drove him back just to put on a show for us." Miao Xuanxuan said.

Listening on the side, Sun Yiyi was amused and said to Song Xiaoru, "Sis, they’re just being silly, don’t learn from them."

"Who’s being silly? Our analysis is very thorough." Miao Qingqing retorted.

Song Xiaodong walked up and was greeted by the varied expressions of his wives looking at him.

"What’s up, say it if you have something on your mind, don’t just stare at me blankly." Song Xiaodong said to his wives.

"How’s that little secretary?" Miao Xuanxuan leaned in, grabbed Song Xiaodong’s arm, and asked.

"Why don’t you ask how the talk with the Deputy Minister went? Why ask about the secretary?" Song Xiaodong said helplessly to Miao Xuanxuan.

"Oh, we little women don’t understand big issues. We’re only concerned if there are any wild vixen spirits trying to tempt our man." Miao Qingqing said, with a yin and yang tone, from the side.

"Exactly, you told us before you left not to ask, didn’t you?" Miao Xuanxuan also said.

"You went to have dinner with the Deputy Minister, the one who came late at night yesterday, right?" Song Xiaoru asked Song Xiaodong.

"Yes."

"How was the meal?" Song Xiaoru asked.

"It was okay, we reached an agreement, at least he won’t be coming again." Song Xiaodong replied.

"He better not come again, I haven’t slept well the past two nights, and my circles are black." Sun Yiyi said to the mirror.

"What about the female secretary then?" Miao Qingqing asked.

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