"Excuse me, everyone, we'll have to bother you for a moment," the restaurant manager said to the crowd.
Zhao Weimin asked, "Is there something wrong?"
The restaurant manager bowed slightly and said apologetically, "It's like this, we have a guest who has arrived and wants to book this private room."
"So I'm here to ask if you all could move to another private room to dine."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions stiffened slightly.
Zhao Weimin frowned, "What do you mean by that?"
"I booked this private room first, and we've already started eating. How can you ask me to move elsewhere?"
The restaurant manager apologized, "I'm truly sorry, everyone, but we can't help it."
"The other party is someone from higher up. He said he wants to eat here, so we have to listen, right?"
"Don't worry, everyone, I'll give you a fifty percent discount on this meal. I hope you can understand our situation."
Zhao Weimin was also a kind person. If it were any other time, he might have agreed to switch.
But the situation was different now. He was treating his family, and there were two younger ones present.
If he gave up the private room like this, how would he save face?
So, he said with a stern face, "No, thank you."
"We're not going anywhere today. We'll eat here."
Zhao Xiaoli's family were all from the countryside and had never dined at such a restaurant before, so they were all very nervous about this turn of events.
Zhao Jianguo advised, "Weimin, I think it's best to just let it go."
"It's just a meal, isn't it the same wherever we eat?"
"It's not good to offend someone over such a trivial matter. Let's just switch to another private room. Look, we can even get a fifty percent discount!"
Zhao Weimin's heart wavered slightly.
But he still insisted, "No, this is a matter of principle. I will absolutely not yield."
Seeing Zhao Weimin's firm stance, the restaurant manager also felt a bit troubled.
At this moment, mocking voices came from outside the private room.
"I was wondering who was putting on airs. Zhao Weimin, it's you!"
This laughter caused Zhao Weimin's expression to freeze.
Zhao Weimin's eyes widened as he looked towards the door. A man of similar age walked in.
The man had a somewhat shifty, monkey-like face, and looked like he wasn't a good person.
He squinted his eyes, and a cunning light shot from the slits of his eyes.
"Luo Yiping? How could it be you?" Zhao Weimin was very shocked to see the man.
Luo Yiping looked at Zhao Weimin with a smile and said, "That's right, it's me. Is there a problem?"
Seeing this, Zhao Jianguo immediately whispered to Zhao Weimin, "Weimin, do you know him? Who is he?"
Zhao Weimin gritted his teeth and said, "He, he's my colleague."
"Colleague?" Luo Yiping raised an eyebrow. "Zhao Weimin, how are you speaking?"
"I'm clearly your superior, how can I just be your colleague?"
"Superior?!" Zhao Jianguo's face changed instantly.
Seeing that Luo Yiping had said so, Zhao Weimin could only nod and say, "He's the section chief in our office."
Zhao Jianguo fell silent.
This person was actually Zhao Weimin's section chief. That meant today's situation was truly difficult to handle!
Zhao Weimin glared at Luo Yiping and said, "Luo Yiping, if you want to eat, then eat properly. Why are you trying to snatch our private room?"
"Can't you see we're eating here?"
Luo Yiping smiled and said, "I see it, but so what?"
"You're eating here, can't I eat here too?"
"Zhao Weimin, I advise you to be sensible."
"Otherwise, when Monday comes and you're back at the office, you'll know what it means to be in trouble."
These words carried a deep threat, and Zhao Weimin trembled with anger.
Zhao Weimin said grimly, "Luo Yiping, don't think you're so great just because you're one rank higher than me."
"It's the weekend now, you have no right to order me around!"
Luo Yiping grinned, "I am great because I'm your superior."
"I joined the office three years after you, but now I'm the section chief, and you're still nothing!"
"You also know that the bureau is going to elect a division chief soon. Let me tell you a secret: the division chief is very likely to be me!"
"You're being so presumptuous to me today. Once I become division chief, with my new authority, I'll be the first to fire you!"
"What did you say?" Zhao Weimin was very shocked. "How can you be the division chief? That's impossible!"
Luo Yiping laughed, "What's impossible about it? Do you think I'm as incompetent as you?"
"You're just a loser. Losers should do what losers are supposed to do, or you'll regret it!"
Zhao Weimin's body trembled slightly. He knew that with his seniority, Luo Yiping wouldn't be able to fire him.
But if Luo Yiping truly became the division chief, he would definitely not last three days in the bureau!
Although Zhao Jianguo didn't understand the intricacies of officialdom, seeing that Zhao Weimin had fallen silent, he naturally understood the seriousness of the situation.
He quickly said, "Weimin, he's your superior. Forget it, forget it. You can't ruin your career over a meal!"
"But..." Zhao Weimin felt very unwilling in his heart, and he clenched his fists tightly.
However, after struggling, his fists finally loosened.
He said, "Alright, we can switch."
Heaven knows how much courage it took him to say these words.
He felt like his heart was bleeding.
But what else could he do? The adult world was never simple.
Seeing Zhao Weimin compromise, Luo Yiping was extremely smug.
He laughed heartily, "Haha, Zhao Weimin, you're sensible today!"
"Don't worry, when I become division chief, I'll arrange for you to stay in the bureau."
"However... be prepared to clean the toilets, haha!"
Zhao Weimin was so angry his lungs felt like they would explode, and the Zhao family members all showed indignant expressions.
But Zhao Jianguo was the most forbearing. He pulled Zhao Weimin and said, "Don't think about it anymore. Let's go quickly!"
Everyone stood up, ready to leave.
But at that moment, a cold, indifferent voice echoed in the private room:
"Let's wait a moment. This isn't our problem, so why should we be the ones to leave?"
Everyone was startled, then turned their heads to look at Wu Tian.
Wu Tian's expression was very calm, with almost no fluctuation.
Hearing his words, Luo Yiping's brow immediately furrowed.