Chapter 270 Buddy

While Old Man Zhang and Chu Dapeng were drawing the prizes, Zhang Yunqi and Ji Ling had already set out on their way to Lizhen, the capital of Xiangnan Province.

The road is very difficult to walk on.

In later times, it would take one hour to get from Jiangchuan City to Lijin City by high-speed rail, or four hours by car on the highway. In the 1990s, the experience was simply unimaginable. The road was full of dilapidated provincial roads and rural mud roads, which were extremely difficult to drive on. On the road, one had to be on guard against villagers collecting tolls. It was already past eight o'clock in the evening when one arrived in Lijin City.

Zhang Yunqi asked Ma Shi to drive the car to Huangling Road, found a high-end hotel to stay in, and then called Lin Shiyu, an old acquaintance he hadn't seen for a long time.

In less than half an hour, Lin Shiyu arrived.

Zhang Yunqi and Ji Ling were waiting for her in the lobby. When she saw Ji Ling, she looked her up and down for a long time before turning to look at Zhang Yunqi and saying, "Girlfriend?"

Zhang Yunqi was choked and speechless.

Ji Ling's face was red, and he put his hands behind his back and said, "It's my friend."

Lin Shiyu laughed so hard that her forehead wrinkles appeared: "Little sister, girls should never claim to be friends with boys."

"why?"

"You will understand later."

"What do you mean you'll understand later?" Zhang Yunqi couldn't stand seeing Lin Shiyu pretending to be an experienced person and constantly instilling bad ideas into Ji Ling, and he said, "Sister, it's rare for us to meet, why don't we pretend to be lovers? You're already in your twenties, and you're still a bachelor, aren't you?"

Lin Shiyu was so angry that she wanted to vomit blood: "You are talking nonsense! There are so many people chasing me, but you don't even see how serious the family planning situation is in our country. I am single, which is an active response to the country's call for late marriage and late childbearing."

Zhang Yunqi looked Lin Shiyu up and down and said, "You have noble sentiments, Mr. Lin, reporter. How about you wear less clothes and save some fabric for the country's modernization drive?"

Lin Shiyu almost fainted on the spot.

After a while of making a fuss, it was getting late. Zhang Yunqi and Ji Ling hadn't had dinner yet, so the three of them went out for a midnight snack. Zhang Yunqi drove the Mercedes-Benz across Huangling Road, crossed the Monkey Stone Bridge, and soon arrived at the university town at the foot of Yunlu Mountain. Lin Shiyu watched the car go farther and farther away, a little puzzled: "There are many places for a midnight snack, why did you come here?"

"I want to come here for a stroll." Zhang Yunqi looked out the window at the bustling flow of students, the rows of bungalows, and the small stalls filled with oil smoke and dim lights. For a moment, it felt particularly unreal, like a dream, just like in his previous life, when he was a poor country boy who came here to study with his luggage and looked at the brightly lit Xiangjiang River full of ambition.

The Mercedes-Benz finally stopped in the back street of Xiangnan Technical Secondary School. Zhang Yunqi was familiar with the route and went straight to a barbecue restaurant called "Sanmao BBQ". There were several tables of college students in the restaurant who were having a meal and drinking. They were shouting and having a great time. Some of them even looked at Ji Ling from time to time. Zhang Yunqi asked the boss to serve spicy crayfish, Sandatou snails, grilled leeks and a bunch of other grilled skewers.

"I've been talking nonsense with you for so long, now tell me, what do you want me to do?" As soon as Lin Shiyu's round buttocks touched the chair, she went straight to the point. This girl looks weak, but she is very energetic when doing things.

Zhang Yunqi poured a glass of beer and said, "It's not easy to come to the provincial capital, let's catch up first."

Lin Shiyu waved her hands: "Don't try to make friends with me. I've known you for two years. Every time we meet, you just make me angry. You're the great reporter, Zou Jielun."

Ji Ling held her delicate chin with both hands: "Sister Lin, what is Zou Jielun?"

Lin Shiyu teased: "Ask your good friend."

Zhang Yunqi took a sip of beer: "It's been so long since that happened. Don't hold a grudge. To be honest, I rarely come to the provincial capital this time. It's because of work, but also because I want to meet you, an old friend. As for what it is, it's very simple. I acquired a canning factory and plan to..."

"What?" Lin Shiyi thought he had misheard: "You acquired a canning factory?"

Zhang Yunqi nodded: "What happened to the cannery I acquired? It used to be a state-owned enterprise in the city. For various reasons, the current business environment and management of state-owned enterprises across the country, a reporter like you who often travels abroad should also understand, the employees' salaries could not be paid, it was heavily in debt, and it was about to close down. Then the city leaders, after consultation and consideration, decided to let me acquire the business."

Lin Shiyu was a little surprised: "Is it true? Why does it sound so mysterious? Aren't you a high school student? How could you start a business and acquire a state-owned enterprise?" Zhang Yunqi said happily: "No one stipulates that high school students can't start a business."

After hearing what Zhang Yunqi said, Lin Shiyu thought of the Mercedes he drove, and she understood a little, although it was still a little hard to believe for a while: "After acquiring a canning factory, what next?"

Zhang Yunqi said: "The way my cannery was restructured is a bit radical, but it is not without merits and advantages. After all, the country is now vigorously advocating reforms to build a modern enterprise system. The property rights structure reform of our cannery is the first in our southern Hunan Province. Some places are still worth learning from and promoting. Of course, there are many ways and forms of enterprise restructuring. There is no universal method. Everything must be done according to local conditions. But I came to you today to find out if you are interested in doing a special report on the restructuring of our cannery?"

After hearing all this, Lin Shiyu finally understood what Zhang Yunqi meant. She said, "It's not guaranteed. The newspaper has its own rules. I can only choose the topic first. As for whether it can be published, a bunch of leaders are waiting for review. It's not something a small reporter like me can decide."

Zhang Yunqi said happily: "The reporter from Linda University is too modest. I won't embarrass you. You can learn more about it yourself first to see if there are any news points worth digging up and promoting. If you think it's meaningless to publish it in the provincial newspaper, forget it. Just ignore what I said."

Lin Shiyu was finally satisfied: "It's rare for you to speak human language."

At this time, the barbecues ordered were served one after another. Zhang Yunqi peeled a crayfish and stuffed it into his mouth. He remembered that when he was studying here, he couldn't afford to eat this stuff, but he was craving it. He said to Lin Shiyu: "There is another thing. I have contacted an advertising company and filmed an advertisement for my cannery's products. I plan to broadcast it on Xiangnan Satellite TV. Mr. Lin, you are in the media, do you have any acquaintances at Xiangnan Satellite TV? Just introduce me and show me the way. It will cost you the right amount."

Lin Shiyu peeled shrimps and said: "This midnight snack you treated me to is really made of gold."

Zhang Yunqi laughed and said, "Your words are so vulgar! Although this is just an ordinary meal of shrimp, it is full of our revolutionary friendship over the years, which cannot be measured by money."

"I'm sorry, I still prefer the cash."

"It's true that I like money, but I can't give it to you. If I give it to you, wouldn't that be bribery? I can't do such a thing as corrupting the purity of a provincial newspaper reporter. Mr. Lin, you'd better eat two more shrimps."

Zhang Yunqi smiled and picked up two big, bright red shrimps for Lin Shiyu, then put on gloves and peeled two shrimps for Ji Ling, who was holding her cheeks with her hands and watching them talk with a smile. Lin Shiyu felt like vomiting blood and drank a glass of beer directly.

After having supper, it was already past eleven o'clock in the evening.

Zhang Yunqi drove Lin Shiyu home first, but when they arrived at Liugongling area near the East Bus Station, Lin Shiyu asked Zhang Yunqi to let her go, saying that her home was not far away and she would go back by herself.

After Lin Shiyu left, Ji Ling asked Zhang Yunqi to go to Baizhupo.

Zhang Yunqi was a little surprised: "Not staying at the hotel tonight?"

Ji Ling shook his head: "I have a place to live."

Zhang Yunqi roughly understood what Ji Ling meant, nodded, and drove through the brightly lit Lijin City in the middle of the night, came to Baizhupo, and finally, under the guidance of Ji Ling, entered an upscale residential area and stopped in front of a duplex building hidden in a bamboo forest.

When Ji Ling got off the car, Zhang Yunqi smiled and said, "Remember to call Deputy Mayor Ji at your home later. I will pick you up tomorrow after I finish my business."

"Okay, Comrade Xiao Zhang, you should go to bed early too." Ji Ling leaned on the car window, reached out and grabbed Zhang Yunqi's hair, then jumped back a step, squinted his eyes, smiled and waved his hand.

After Zhang Yunqi started the car and left, Ji Ling turned around and rang the doorbell. After a while, a woman wearing loose white cotton home clothes and with thick black hair piled high came out. She had a graceful temperament and her age could not be seen. When she saw the girl in front of the door, she was startled for a moment: "Ling'er, why are you here?"

"I missed you." Ji Ling held the black Nike backpack in both hands and smiled with her head tilted.

The woman in home clothes reached out to take the schoolbag, and then touched Ji Ling's little head, her eyes full of maternal love: "It's so late, who brought you up here?"

"Dude, uh... no! We're good friends."

"What do you mean buddy, good friend?" The woman subconsciously looked at the black car that had gone far away, leaving only its back under the street light. Her voluptuous face became particularly alert and capable: "He drives a Mercedes? The Zhang Yunqi from the village? He came all the way from Jiangchuan to the provincial capital so late at night just to give you a ride?"

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(End of this chapter)