Chapter 333: Chapter 330: 330 Disdain

Chao Ying also felt a bit surprised, she had just started to have a good impression of Feng Jun, so why did he return so suddenly?

Upon seeing Feng Jun and the person in work clothes next to him, she raised her hand and beckoned someone over, “That one… is he from your Forestry Guesthouse?”

The one she had summoned wasn’t anyone else but the head of the Forestry Bureau, Director Ji.

Director Ji, upon seeing her, hurriedly nodded, “Yes, that’s Xiao Ma from logistics, Feng Wencheng. Do you want me to call him over?”

You should know that Chaoyang’s economy was primarily based on agriculture and forestry. The Director of the Forestry Bureau held immense power, greasy with fat, and Director Ji’s obliging demeanor was solely because he was facing Mayor Chao’s sister.

Upon hearing the surname Feng, Chao Ying shook her head, “Forget it, I was just asking. The young man next to him is quite handsome.”

Director Ji cautiously glanced at President Chao, somewhat puzzled inside, thinking, don’t tell me, after all these years of acquaintance, I hadn’t noticed that you had such a taste.

Feng Jun was really dragged in by his uncle, Feng Wencheng. If anyone was to blame, it was because today’s wedding banquet was happening at the Forestry Guesthouse.

In Chaoyang County, the Forestry Bureau was one of the top departments, and the guesthouse used for receptions was of high standard. Since Chao Ying herself worked in wood processing, her connection with the Forestry Bureau went without saying, so she chose to hold her daughter’s wedding there.

Just as Feng Jun was about to leave, his uncle arrived. Seeing Zhengyang’s car plate and that the driver was him, after asking a couple of questions, he pulled Feng Jun to join them for the meal without a second word.

Feng Jun wanted to refuse as well, but Feng Wencheng said, “Your second uncle is still working under someone else, you helping the Chao family with the transportation gives him some face too. How can you just leave like that?”

Feng Jun couldn’t argue against him. Despite Master Feng’s flashy appearance outside, he had to obediently follow his elders’ instructions when it came to his own family, without a choice. It was also the ethically right thing to do.

As per the arrangement of the hosts, there were two separate tables for the drivers, and Feng Jun chose one to sit down, quietly listening to the others chatting.

Sitting here were drivers of fancy cars, all with bosses above them. They started chatting, and various secrets and gossip came naturally to them; it was quite interesting to just listen.

However, he hadn’t been seated for ten minutes, and the dishes had not yet arrived, when Feng Wencheng came over again, “Xiao Jun, come with me. I’ve arranged for you to join us; sit at a table with our bureau’s people.”

If his nephew was impressive, of course, he wanted to show him off.

This time, Feng Jun really did not want to agree. While he should listen to what an elder said, he also had to stand by his own views on suggestions that weren’t quite appropriate. He replied softly, “They’re all from your unit, why should I join them?”

“Tsk, you kid,” Feng Wencheng was keen to show off his nephew and replied in a low, displeased voice, “They are influential figures. I want to introduce you to them so you can have some mutual support if something comes up in the future.”

Do I need their support? Feng Jun was both amused and annoyed, but he couldn’t say that in front of his uncle.

So all he could do was respond with a bitter smile, “I’m not used to dealing with people within the system. Their stale and sycophantic air truly makes me uncomfortable. If I was begging them for a favor, I’d understand, but for a meal, does it matter where I sit?”

This was not just a polite refusal, but a genuine reflection of his feelings. A few years ago, when he worked in the south, he did indeed put on a brave front in order to achieve his goal of earning money to get married soon, often dealing with those in the system.

Deep down, he always felt that he just didn’t mesh with bureaucratic types.

For instance, let’s say a minor official promised to help you with something, said all the right things over dinner, and then it just fell through.

If it were a person in society, they’d typically give you an explanation, saying something has changed, and they are really sorry.

Those in the system often don’t. Rarely do they explain, and if they just say “there’s been a change,” that’s considered conscientious.

Many will outright ignore past promises, and if you press them, they might even berate you. Did I ever promise you?

The reason for this is that they fear their superiors. Without the leader’s approval, the promised task can’t proceed, but how could they admit to diminishing their own prestige to an outsider?

This is just one example. In reality, the mentality of bureaucratic types is different from that of ordinary people.

Feng Jun couldn’t exactly say that bureaucrats aren’t principled, just that their principles are different from his.

A few years ago, he had no choice but to try and accommodate others. Now to ask him to humble himself again, how could he?

Feng Wencheng was both frustrated and amused. Have you really become so skillful, you kid?

He wanted to show off his nephew, and of course, he also had his motives. In fact, if he had just said outright, “Go eat with them, it might help improve your second uncle’s situation,” Feng Jun would have felt obligated to agree.

But he was still holding on to the posture of an elder, too embarrassed to be blunt with his junior, just waiting for the other party to take the initiative, an outcome that was predictable.

In fact, Feng Wencheng’s way of thinking carried some of the logic typical of people inside the system—Even if I don’t say it, can’t you figure it out?

Feng Jun wasn’t unable to figure it out; he just never even considered it. Feng, the man, now associates with even ministerial level leaders; they don’t clench their fists and make me guess.

After Feng Wencheng attempted to persuade his nephew a couple of times and saw no reaction, he could not manage to humble himself to reveal his true intentions, leaving dejectedly.

He had hardly walked a few steps when a young man quickly approached and spoke in a low voice, “Mr. Feng, Director Ji is calling you over.”

The boss of the Forestry Guesthouse was a deputy director in the forestry bureau, and thus Director Ji was even the superior of Feng Wencheng’s superior.

Director Ji knew Feng Wencheng, so as soon as they met, he asked directly, “That young man named Feng Jun, what is he to you?”

Without hesitation, Feng Wencheng praised his nephew to the skies, taking the opportunity to boast about his nephew in front of the director, why wouldn’t he be crystal clear?

After he had finished, a young man by Director Ji’s side spoke up, “I just saw you, going over to their table to talk?”

Feng Wencheng replied with a smile, “I was trying to invite him over to the bureau’s table for dinner, but he said that table was full of elders and he felt it would be too restrictive. You know how young people are these days… I didn’t want to force him.”

Of course, his words glossed over the truth about Feng Jun, yet Chao Bo understood and nodded with a smile, “Let him be, then.”

As soon as Feng Wencheng had left, Director Ji glanced at Chao Bo and chuckled, “The young man has high standards, looks down on the local yokels from the county, huh?”

By then, he had a rough understanding of Feng Jun’s situation and at least wouldn’t wildly conjecture about Feng Jun’s relationship with Chao Ying, so it was natural for him to deduce why Feng Wencheng’s nephew would rather eat with the drivers than sit with people from the bureau.

Chao Bo also realized, Feng Jun must have come back after leaving to save his uncle some face.

Of course, he saw right through Feng Wencheng’s ulterior motives, and in this respect, he was even sharper than Feng Jun—being born into such a family, figuring out these simple matters barely required thought.

However, he was still pleased that the person he fancied hadn’t let him down, and so he smiled slightly, “Heh, quite proud indeed.”

Director Ji looked at him, and asked cautiously, “Young Master Bo, who’s backing him?”

“Heh,” Chao Bo chuckled dryly, offering no answer.

Seeing his reaction, Director Ji nodded and laughed, “Hmm, my apologies, I shouldn’t have asked that.”

He believed he had indeed been presumptuous; this was possibly a resource of Mayor Chao, even potentially one belonging to the mayor himself. Casually inquiring about a leader’s resources was akin to undercutting him, wasn’t it?

However, after waiting a moment, he couldn’t resist testing the waters, “Young Master Bo, Feng Wencheng’s job allocation hasn’t been resolved yet… What do you think?”

“That’s something for you to consider, not me,” Chao Bo wouldn’t make a statement about this matter, but after a pause, he added, “Either way, it’s always good to offer more prayers, don’t you think?”

“You’re right, Young Master Bo,” Director Ji agreed with a cheery nod, while internally he made up his mind. You wouldn’t think I’m so naive as to only care about Feng Wencheng, would you?

After all, I’ve already asked you, and it’s you who suggested that I should pray more.

One would expect that with Chao Bo, Chao Ying, and Director Ji all favoring Feng Jun, the news would have leaked out after the wedding, turning the former Top Scholar of the county town into Chaoyang County’s new legend.

But in reality, that wasn’t the case at all. Those involved were well aware that once such resources became public knowledge and more people began to capitalize on them, their own opportunities would diminish.

So, everyone tacitly kept mum, not making any public declarations—just look at that young man from the Feng Family, he’s keeping such a low profile himself.

Meanwhile, Liu Jiagui was called over by Chao Ying and severely scolded.

If you can’t afford the gas money, you could have told me. Xiao Feng rushed all the way back from Zhengyang, look at the mess you’ve made!

People in the know will say you’re stingy, and those who don’t would think I, Chao Ying, am bullying my townsfolk!n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

After the meal, Director Ji also called Feng Wencheng over, telling him to write another report as soon as possible. Regarding the job allocation issue, he would try to fight for him, but Wencheng would need to make his own moves as well.

Feng Wencheng was actually sharp-witted and eagerly agreed, then tentatively asked, “Director, besides that, is there anything else I should do?”

Director Ji appreciated his understanding and said with a smile, “Ask your nephew if he often goes to Beijing. But remember, keep it quiet.”

Mentioning Beijing was a bluff; what he truly wanted was to signal to Feng Jun through Feng Wencheng’s questions: I’m helping your uncle with his job, and it’s all on account of your face.

That very night, Feng Wencheng went to find his brother as he felt there was a need for a serious conversation about the day’s events.

Unfortunately, Feng Jun was again not there; near dinnertime, he had been dragged away by several childhood friends from the street.

They had all grown up together, and now that everyone was moving in different directions, they could only meet during the holidays, which was quite rare.

Among these friends was a guy nicknamed Snot, who had gone to work in the south and was rumored to be doing quite well. Not to mention anything else, just the Jaeger-LeCoultre Watch on his wrist was worth over a hundred thousand.

He looked at Feng Jun and said, “Fatty, come develop your career in the south with me. As long as we brothers work together, with your kind of car… you could buy two a year.”