PDLP Chapter 43 The Wrong Family
Chapter 43 The Wrong Family
The publicity plan for the World Expo was revised and a new framework was drafted under the leadership of Sun Zelong, the head of the Prime Minister's Secretariat.
The current South Korean government attaches great importance to the application for the 2030 Busan World Expo, regarding it as one of its core achievements, and has mobilized an unprecedented amount of resources and manpower for it.
Correspondingly, countless people are scrambling to get in and get a share of the pie.
Fang Zhixiu always felt very lucky that she had the opportunity to participate in such an important project in the second year after she was promoted to section chief. If she seized this opportunity, she might be able to make it to the fourth level of civil servant.
But it wasn't until she met Zheng Daoxun, a 25-year-old secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who had just returned from studying at the United Nations and was immediately placed in the core circle of the World Expo application committee, that Fang Zhixiu truly and deeply understood—
There are people outside people, and there are days outside the sky.
It was thanks to Zheng Daoxun that Fang Zhixiu had the opportunity to sit in this private room and have dinner at the same table with these pillars of various departments.
Knowing he was bound to get completely drunk tonight, Zheng Daoxun sent Huang Lizhi a text message beforehand, asking her to come to his house and help take care of Ya Xian for another night.
After raising their glasses and exchanging toasts several times, everyone became somewhat tipsy.
The atmosphere in the private room then warmed up, and the veterans stopped reminiscing about the past and gradually steered the conversation toward Zheng Daoxun.
Some of the more direct ones have even started inquiring about Zheng Daoxun's romantic life.
"Minister Pei, I'm only twenty-five years old this year, and I still want to focus on my career. I haven't thought about marriage yet," Zheng Daoxun said, bowing to his senior.
Minister Bae is the Permanent Vice Minister of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, and he is over fifty years old this year.
"Dohoon, how come you're more old-fashioned than us older folks? I'm asking if you have a girlfriend. Dating is one thing, but it's another when it comes to marriage."
When Minister Pei saw that Zheng Daoxun's glass was empty, he poured him another glass.
After hearing this, Vice Minister Lee of Busan City Hall chuckled and patted Jung Do-hoon on the shoulder:
"Dohoon, your senior Bae has a daughter in her early twenties at home. You need to understand his subtext!"
Jung Do-hoon smiled bitterly. How come the topic of the dinner party had unknowingly shifted to his relationship status?
With all this talk of dating and marriage, it's like a father-in-law is evaluating his son-in-law.
Minister Pei, seeing that Vice Minister Li had directly exposed his secrets, was not annoyed, but simply cheerfully admitted it:
"A young talent like Do-hoon should get married sooner rather than later. Once your career reaches a higher level, marriage will be more than just a matter of you liking the other person and the other person liking you."
"After all, marriage is all about matching social status!" Vice Minister Li chimed in.
Jung Do-hoon smiled and drank a few more glasses. The word "marriage" kept lingering in his ears. As the alcohol took effect, a name uncontrollably surfaced in his mind.
Minatozaki Saka.
If the so-called "marrying someone of equal social standing" is truly the reason preventing him from marrying Sana Minatozaki...
Does that mean that his background is not as simple as he thought?
In fact, Zheng Daoxun had vaguely sensed this problem in his previous life.
But how can someone standing at the forefront of the tide reflect on why they were able to stand at the forefront when they are in high spirits?
Fang Zhixiu was left out in the corner, watching Zheng Daoxun's wine glass go from empty to full again. By the time the dinner ended, she had lost count of how many glasses of wine he had drunk.
The dinner party gave the impression that these high-ranking ministers and vice-ministers were all tacitly trying to win over Jeong Do-hoon.
However, trying to deduce Zheng Daoxun's background from their few words left them completely confused and clueless.
Zheng Daoxun was completely drunk. As the only person who knew where he lived, Fang Zhixiu originally planned to take a taxi to send him home herself. However, she had only taken a few steps and had not yet helped Zheng Daoxun up when she was called away by her direct superior, Liu Rencun.
"Fang Zhixiu." Liu Rencun's expression was quite serious as he led Fang Zhixiu to a secluded spot in the corridor, lowering his voice, "Aren't you a little too eager to improve?"
"Huh?" Fang Zhixiu was taken aback, a sense of fear rising in her heart. "Minister, Do-hoon and I are friends, and I know where he lives, so I was planning to take him back."
"Friends?" Liu Rencun repeated, "What kind of friends? Didn't you see Minister Pei trying to introduce his daughter to him when you were eating? Don't try to climb high branches you can't reach, do you understand?"
Fang Zhixiu felt a little timid when Liu Rencun called her back because she sensed the subtle atmosphere at the dinner party.
Now that her direct supervisor has spoken, what can she do?
Fang Zhixiu had no choice but to go back to get her bag and leave alone.
However, Liu Rencun's reminder was indeed reasonable. As soon as Fang Zhixiu opened the door, she saw a middle-aged man dressed as a driver helping Zheng Daoxun walk out.
There wasn't even a chance to show goodwill. Fang Zhixiu smiled helplessly.
Jung Do-hoon was so drunk he couldn't see the road clearly. The driver who was helping him walk to the parking lot was someone sent by some leader. Maybe it was Minister Pei, or maybe it was Vice Minister Li.
He only remembered vaguely giving the other person a number and address before losing consciousness, and then he fell into a deep sleep.
He was starting to miss the hangover soup that Sana Minatozaki used to make, even though it didn't taste very good...
But that taste was truly unforgettable, even if I were to live another life.
About an hour later, in Jung Do-hoon's apartment.
Huang Lizhi sat on the sofa and glanced at his phone—
It's already 11 p.m., why isn't Zheng Daoxun back yet?
"Unnie, just ignore him. Let him have his social engagements."
Ya Xian rubbed her eyes; the girl was obviously also waiting for her oppa to come home.
"That won't do, your foot is injured again..."
Perhaps it was out of a desire to see a good deed through to the end, Huang Lizhi shook his head and continued:
"What will you do if your oppa gets completely drunk, all alone?"
Although Zheng Yaxian was unhappy that her oppa had abandoned her again to go out for social events, she was much more magnanimous in this matter compared to him bringing the Fang sisters home:
"Don't worry, Oppa's drinking manners are alright. Even if he drinks too much, he'll just talk more and be a little clingy, he won't go crazy..."
"I think I should give him a call." Huang Lizhi sighed, hesitated for a few seconds, and then dialed Zheng Daoxun's number.
only……
When the call was connected, a very familiar voice came through the receiver.
It seemed to be Sana, her tone sounding bewildered, tired, and helpless:
"Yeji, what brings you on the phone?"