Chapter 146: Unexpected Encounters

“Is it really 36 North Street, Wudi City?”

Xu Chen was completely stunned—so much so that Xu Hao paused mid-sentence, deep in thought. Only when Xu Hao’s voice rang out again did he hurriedly reply, “Your colleague is supposed to bring us over. We didn’t arrange it.”

“Alright, Third Bro. You go into the compound first; I’ll be there shortly. We’ll talk when we meet.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up the phone, Xu Chen, wearing a strange expression, approached Wang He.

“Mr. Xu, could there be a mistake? Where’s the new address?”

Seeing the situation, Wang He quickly asked.

“It’s here. The address is correct!”

Xu Chen took a deep breath.

“The address is right? Is your brother really a small-time host at Mingsha Tourism?”

Wang He’s voice suddenly rose noticeably as he couldn’t help but fire a soul-searching question at Xu Chen.

Anyone with half a brain would know this isn’t the kind of place a small-time host should be staying!

“Well… it should be…”

Xu Chen was at a loss for words; even he was beginning to doubt.

Just as Xu Chen was about to say something more, a voice suddenly rang out from behind.

“You must be Mr. Xu Chen. Apologies for keeping you waiting!”

“Hm?”

At the sound of the voice, Xu Chen and Wang He quickly turned around.

Turns out that while they were talking, several people had arrived at the courtyard gate.

“I am… and you are…?”

Collecting his thoughts, Xu Chen hastily replied.

However, what Xu Chen failed to notice was that Wang He, upon seeing the arrival, had already gone completely dumb, muttering quietly, “Zhu Zhu… General.”

He genuinely hadn’t expected Zhu Qiang, the elusive president of Mingsha Tourism—whom they had struggled so hard to secure—to suddenly appear here.

How could this be?

Earlier, when trying to book an appointment with Mingsha Tourism’s Office Director, the other party had made it clear that Zhu Qiang had no time, his schedule extremely tight.

Yet here he was, and not only that, he said, “Mr. Xu Chen, sorry for the wait.” It almost felt as if he was apologizing to Xu Chen.

Had they known each other before?

They surely didn’t know each other. If they did, why would Zhu Qiang need to go through all the trouble of arranging a meeting? And if they didn’t, then why say it like that?

So…

Wang He was utterly amazed.

“Hello, Mr. Xu. I really apologize. I am Zhu Qiang of Mingsha Tourism.”

After confirming Xu Chen’s identity, Zhu Qiang quickly introduced himself.

“General Zhu, you’re speaking in the third person.”

Xu Chen was also dumbfounded.

“No, just call me Zhu Qiang. And Mr. Xu, this is Secretary Wang from Mingsha County. This is Leader Qin, also from Mingsha County—both have come specifically to see you.”

Zhu Qiang smiled and continued his introductions.

“Oh, hello. I’m Xu Chen!”

Xu Chen quickly stepped forward to shake hands.

To be honest, his mind was nearly shutting down. Who was Zhu Qiang? And who were these two county leaders? Not only had they suddenly appeared, but they also claimed to have come specially to see him.

What could he possibly have done to deserve this? If he truly had the ability, he wouldn’t have been left stranded outside after traveling all the way to Mingsha County for a costume production order from Mingsha Tourism.

His reaction was just the reflex he had developed during all those business banquets at the Xu Family festivities.

“Mr. Xu, this is…”

After the introductions, Zhu Qiang finally looked over at Wang He.

“General Zhu, perhaps you’ve forgotten that my name is Wang He—we once had the honor of sharing a meal together.”

Coming to his senses,

Wang He quickly stepped forward to shake hands, a mix of excitement and slight embarrassment evident in his demeanor.

From Zhu Qiang’s introductions, it was clear that these high-ranking figures had come for Xu Chen. It was laughable, given that earlier, Wang He had boasted about his close connections at Mingsha Tourism. But one thing still didn’t add up.

Xu Chen’s baffled reaction indicated he too was unclear about the whole situation. So why the fuss? “Oh, since you’re a friend of Mr. Xu’s, we should all get together more often.”

“Absolutely!”

After a bit of pleasantry, Zhu Qiang looked back at Xu Chen.

“Mr. Xu, shall we go inside to talk? Brother Hao will be joining us shortly.”

“Brother Hao?”

Xu Chen and Wang He were stunned again.

Especially Wang He. If he remembered correctly, the little host Xu Chen mentioned was named Xu Hao. Could it be that Brother Hao is none other than Xu Hao? If so, it would mean Xu Hao’s status at Mingsha Tourism was far greater than they’d imagined.

More importantly, it would explain all the oddities that had happened earlier.

Including that so-called “in-house guesthouse.”

But the more Wang He pondered, the less sense it made. If Xu Hao was indeed so influential, why was his own brother Xu Chen unaware of his standing here? Their phone conversation had seemed pretty close too.

They should have known exactly what was at stake.

“I apologize—it was my habitual address. It should be Xu County!”

Noticing their shocked expressions, Zhu Qiang thought it best to correct himself, believing he had misspoken earlier—especially since there were outsiders around, like Wang Xun and Qin Xuan.

“Xu County?”

Xu Chen and Wang He were, once again, completely dumbfounded.

Before they knew it, time had flown by and it was already 8 p.m.

Inside the courtyard, the banquet in the reception hall continued. Everyone was now inebriated, clustering into small groups chatting away.

Wang Xun, Qin Xuan, and Luo Peng had gathered together, while Zhu Qiang, Wang He, and Fang Hou formed another group.

Drunken revelry was pretty much like this! At one point, Xu Hao and Xu Chen, wanting more talk, staggered out to join the conversation under the scenic tree in the center of the yard.

Of course, Wang Xun and the others had arranged it that way—they knew the brothers had plenty to discuss.

And it was clear that everyone was relaxed and happy.

After all, this wasn’t a formal business banquet. Besides Wang He, everyone in the room was a close acquaintance, making any inhibitions melt away. If they got drunk, they’d just crash in the guest rooms of the Ancient Building Courtyard.

In short, this banquet satisfied all the conditions for a proper drunken get-together.

“Leader, I’ll report the specific procedures to the county immediately!”

Luo Peng, already maximally inebriated, grabbed Qin Xuan’s hand.

“The county won’t have any issues—it’s just that we’re a bit worried about criticism from those environmentalists. After all, no other place nearby allows fireworks at will.”

Qin Xuan patted Luo Peng on the shoulder.

After months of collaboration, relationships between Zhu Qiang, Luo Peng, and Mingsha County had reached a new height; behind the scenes, these banquets were simply gatherings among friends.

By now, Qin Xuan was slurring his words slightly.

“Environmentalists complaining? I’ve got to wonder about these so-called experts. Fireworks are a tradition inherited from our ancestors—why shouldn’t we set them off?

Besides, every night fireworks are set off in Haishi by Dino. Why should we be any different? Qin County—I just have to ask, does Dino even meet the carbon emission standards? Mingsha Tourism has planted so many trees and has always been a carbon reduction pioneer. What’s wrong with letting tourists set off fireworks? It’s like all we do is Ancient Buildings—I mean, have you seen how exhausted Xu County has been? Working until three or four in the morning drafting plans for the Protectorate of West Liang.”

Qin Xuan’s words caused Luo Peng to get increasingly animated.

It turned out that to counter the drop in desert tourism during winter, Luo Peng and Zhu Qiang had jointly decided to designate an area in the desert for a fireworks show.

Mingsha Tourism would set off large-scale fireworks, and tourists could also buy their own and set them off in designated areas.

They had used the banquet as an opportunity to pitch the idea to Qin Xuan.

“General Zhu, don’t get too worked up. I’m just saying, let’s give it a shot. As long as there are no Ancient Buildings around the fireworks zone, let people set off fireworks however they like. I refuse to believe it would cause a fire!”

Qin Xuan immediately raised his cup.

In truth, Qin Xuan supported Mingsha Tourism’s new initiative wholeheartedly—just as Luo Peng had said, if Dino in Haishi can do it, why not Mingsha? How many trees has Mingsha Tourism planted this year? Does Dino have any? On Luo Peng and Qin Xuan’s side, Zhu Qiang and Wang He were clinking cups non-stop as conversation flowed.

“General Zhu, I never expected Mr. Xu’s brother to be this impressive—a Special Researcher at the Ancient Architecture Research Institute. No one outside had any clue.”

Looking out the door, Wang He’s face flushed with both emotion and awe.

He recalled that when Zhu Qiang mentioned Xu County earlier, both he and Xu Chen had completely lost it, soon after being ushered into the Ancient Building Courtyard to meet the man himself—Xu Hao. And that’s when the banquet truly began.

Xu Chen hadn’t mentioned a word about coming to Mingsha Tourism to secure a costume production order—what a joke!

With such connections, would they give Xu Chen the orders instead of someone else?

Moreover, besides the president of Mingsha Tourism and the president of Mingsha Labor, there was also the president of Haofang Culture at the banquet. Especially the president of Haofang Culture—what a prized guest! That was enough to have him brag for months!

“Heh, Brother Hao is far more impressive than you all imagine. I mean, Haofang Culture was only founded recently, yet it already holds its own in the entertainment scene! I’ve heard that many well-known actors’ studios are inquiring about the third project with Haofang Culture.

Right, Mr. Fang?”

Zhu Qiang smiled as he glanced at Fang Hou.

The two were even more tipsy. Luo Peng, his face flushed red, managed to stretch a sentence that could have taken seconds into nearly a minute.

“Well, today Haofang Culture signed a band! Honestly, if it weren’t for Haozi’s resolute attitude, it would never have happened!”

Fang Hou threw his hands up with a look of resignation.

“They signed a band?”

“Yes, the Tiger Leopard Band has agreed. They’ll come over in a couple of days to sign the contract. For a period afterwards, they’re expected to be stationed in Mingsha. If Mingsha Tourism needs to attract visitors, we can even hold a few concerts!”

“So the Tiger Leopard Band has become part of Haofang Culture?”

Both Zhu Qiang and Wang He were taken aback.

Especially Wang He—it really felt like he was a frog jumping out of a well. Everyone knew what the Tiger Leopard Band meant for people their age!

“So, Qiangzi, don’t you worry about fewer tourists in winter.”

Fang Hou laughed again.

Inside, the conversation was lively while outside under the tree, Xu Hao and Xu Chen continued their animated chat.

“Old Six, I never imagined you’d become so accomplished! When I saw that the company that bought your desert land was deregistered, I thought you’d sold the plot to Mingsha Tourism. But look! Mingsha Tourism is still yours.

Besides, not only that, you’re also a Special Researcher at the Ancient Architecture Research Institute. Third Bro, I salute you—truly impressive! If the old man knew how far you’ve come, he’d be over the moon.”

Placing his hand on Xu Hao’s shoulder, Xu Chen said,

“It was you all who left without a word back when you exited the Long Kingdom. Even the phone numbers have been canceled now—blame me for not calling you.”

After a brief complaint,

Xu Hao looked at Xu Chen earnestly and said,

“Third Bro, why not come back? I really need people by my side right now!”