Chapter 14: No Respect Given

Zhang Jun stepped out of the restroom and glanced at the newspaper for a moment before heading to the villa to wait for Ma Hongqi to wake up.

Ma Hongqi had set an alarm to force himself to rest for only half an hour at noon.

When he came out, he saw Zhang Jun waiting at the door and said, “I have some matters this afternoon. You stay at the office and oversee things—handle the official business. You don’t need to follow me anymore.”

Zhang Jun nodded in agreement, seeming hesitant to speak further.

Ma Hongqi noticed he had something on his mind and asked, “Is there something you want to say?”

Zhang Jun looked around to confirm no one else was nearby, then lowered his voice and said, “Boss, please take care of yourself. Open attacks are easy to avoid, but hidden arrows are hard to defend against.”

Ma Hongqi expanded his chest and stretched his muscles, then asked, “Did you hear any rumors?”

Zhang Jun answered honestly, “I overheard some people in the restroom just now talking about anti-corruption efforts in the health system.”

“Oh!” Ma Hongqi’s eyes blazed as he looked at him. “Are you afraid?”

Zhang Jun shook his head, straightening his posture and replying firmly, “Not afraid! Good will always prevail over evil!”

Ma Hongqi patted his shoulder hard, said nothing more, and strode forward with determination.

Zhang Jun returned to the office.

Originally, Ma Hongqi had several appointments scheduled for the afternoon, but they were disrupted by the arrival of an inspection team from the ministry.

Those subordinates who arrived could only schedule another day to pay their respects to Ma Hongqi through Zhang Jun.

As the workday neared its end, a faint, elegant fragrance drifted in.

Zhang Jun looked up to see Shen Qingran from Section Four of the General Affairs Department approaching gracefully.

The beauty truly had an air of elegance—even her walk was especially graceful and pleasing to the eye.

“Secretary Zhang, are you about to finish work?” Shen Qingran smiled sweetly.

“Yes,” Zhang Jun replied, already tidying up his things.

Shen Qingran smiled charmingly and said, “Deputy Section Chief Pan asked me to invite you to a dinner after work—a welcome meal in your honor. Our section has already collected contributions—five hundred yuan in total. You can decide where we go to eat.”

Zhang Jun thought for a moment, knowing this was a common custom in government offices—whenever a leader assumes a new post, a meal is a must. He said, “Since you’re the hosts, you decide. I don’t mind. I rarely eat out, so I’m not familiar with good restaurants.”

As expected, Shen Qingran was well prepared. “Then how about Xinuange?”

Zhang Jun smiled, “Xinuange? If I’m not mistaken, that was the place where emperors held office during the Qing Dynasty.”

Shen Qingran replied, “A banquet or a meal is like a second office, isn’t it? That’s why the restaurant was named Xinuange.”

“There’s a certain charm to the name. Sounds quite special. Let’s give it a try, then.”

“Alright, let’s go together.”

Zhang Jun finished organizing his office, double-checked to ensure nothing was amiss, then left.

Pan Jun and the others were ready, waiting outside for him.

Including Zhang Jun, there were six people from Section Four. Sitting around one table felt quite spacious.

Xinuange was located near the provincial government offices, likely frequented by civil servants.

When officials from the city or county came to the provincial capital for business, it was customary to treat someone to a meal and drinks to smooth the way for favors.

The restaurant’s décor was quaint and elegant, with a hint of royal grandeur.

The waitresses wore cheongsams and styled their hair in buns, somewhat reminiscent of palace maids.

The manager was a bald, stout man whose shiny head resembled a glowing lightbulb. He stood in the lobby and greeted familiar customers.

It was Zhang Jun’s first visit. Pan Jun and the others were junior staff with few opportunities to dine out lavishly.

Naturally, the bald manager didn’t recognize them but gestured to invite them inside.

They reserved a private room, ordered a full table of dishes, and two bottles of white liquor.

During the meal, everyone toasted Zhang Jun.

He sat calmly, holding his cup, and said with poise, “I don’t drink much. I have to get up early tomorrow, so I won’t drink too much. Please, feel free.”

His position now carried more weight than before, so his words bore significance.

Pan Jun and the others chuckled and said, “Alright, then we’ll just toast Director Zhang once to congratulate you on your new position!”

Zhang Jun raised his glass, clinked with them, exchanged a few polite words, and downed the cup.

When others refilled his glass, he didn’t refuse but no longer toasted; he only sipped lightly now and then.

The dishes were quite tasty, though a bit oily.

Zhang Jun ate with refinement, unlike some who devoured food greedily, seeming utterly unworldly.

Shen Qingran sat beside him because, within the department, they were considered acquaintances.

She was sent to invite Zhang Jun precisely because she carried some weight—the others might not have succeeded in bringing him.

Being able to invite Zhang Jun made Shen Qingran feel quite proud. After having a bit of wine, her already lovely face flushed with a rosy glow.

In the private room, a waitress attended to opening wine bottles, pouring drinks, serving dishes, and offering water.

The waitress was slender and fair, with particularly white hands and a slim waist. She rarely spoke, focusing solely on her tasks.

When she poured wine for Zhang Jun, she leaned slightly forward, revealing her exquisite figure.

Zhang Jun, after all, was an ordinary man with the usual male weaknesses and couldn’t help but glance at her a few extra times.

Shen Qingran noticed and her gaze grew a little mysterious—an indescribable feeling.

Zhang Jun happened to turn and caught Shen Qingran’s look. Knowing she had seen through him, he felt a bit sheepish inside but maintained a calm expression, making his thoughts unreadable.

After the meal, Shen Qingran went to the front desk to settle the bill.

Zhang Jun and the others also rose and prepared to leave.

The waitress accompanied them downstairs, reminding them to watch their step on the stairs.

Just as they reached the lobby, they overheard Shen Qingran arguing with the cashier.

Zhang Jun approached and asked, “What’s going on?”

Shen Qingran pointed at the bill and said, “We clearly only spent 498 yuan, but they insist on charging us 548 yuan. The extra 50 yuan is labeled as a private room service fee. I’ve been here before and never paid such a fee! Isn’t this an unreasonable charge?”

The cashier, growing impatient after explaining at length, snapped, “You used our waitress service in the private room, so there’s a 10% service charge for the room. You could have refused at the start, but you didn’t.”

Fifty yuan wasn’t much, but an arbitrary extra charge was indeed infuriating.

Zhang Jun took out his wallet and said, “I’ll cover the extra 50 yuan.”

Shen Qingran quickly stopped his hand. “You shouldn’t pay this. I just think this fee is unreasonable.”

The cashier showed no respect and muttered, “If you can’t afford it, don’t come to eat here! Our prices are fixed. We are a high-end restaurant, and our charges are expensive! I’ve never met such stingy customers like you!”

That remark struck a nerve, igniting a fierce conflict.

Pan Jun and the others felt their dignity crushed—being belittled by a mere cashier was humiliating and enraging. Their faces flushed with anger as they scolded, “How dare you speak like that? Who can’t afford this? Do you think it’s right to overcharge? Apologize!”

Seeing the dispute escalate, several restaurant security guards quickly rushed over.