Rebirth of Minister Qi

Chapter 281 Visitors from the Capital

While Qi Tongwei was still busy working, an uninvited guest came unexpectedly.

"Hello, District Chief Qi."

Qi Tongwei looked at the man in front of him who was wearing a Zhongshan suit and looked like an old cadre, but spoke with a Beijing accent. After trying to remember his name for a long time, he still couldn't remember who he was.

"This is the first time we meet. I'm the editor of a certain publishing house. We've been working together for several years."

Well, the editor-in-chief of the publishing house actually came to his house, running all the way 1,800 kilometers from Beijing. Qi Tongwei was suddenly embarrassed. Didn’t he reply to a letter some time ago, saying that he was still preparing a new book? Why did he come to urge him to submit the manuscript?

But since visitors have come from far away, they are old friends of the capital, so it is only right that they should be entertained.

"Editor Qin, this is really the first time we meet, but this location really surprises me.

You actually traveled thousands of kilometers to come here, aren't you here to urge me to submit my manuscript?"

Editor Qin first observed Qi Tongwei's office. The building here is still the old town hall of Jiangbei Town. The new building in the High-tech Zone has not been completed yet. The construction of Building No. 3 has just been completed. As a result, it was diverted by Qi Tongwei to be used as an administrative approval center.

The main structures of Buildings 1 and 2 have been basically completed, and the internal water, electricity and decoration are still in full swing.

The layout of the deputy district mayor's office is still very old. The desk is also old-fashioned, with a large piece of glass on top and some personal photos of Qi Tongwei underneath.

Qi Tongwei still didn't like his true situation being exposed to the outside world. Who knows if there would be some weird readers? So he was unhappy when the editor came to his house without saying hello, and felt that his private life was disturbed.

"No, no, no, District Chief Qi is busy with work right now, and I understand that. This time, I didn't come here because of your matter.

But the publishing house had another task for me, so I came here on the way."

Qi Tongwei didn't quite believe what he said, but it should be close to the reality. Business trips are very rare these days. When coming all the way from Beijing, most companies won't reimburse the air tickets. For Editor Qin to come here, he usually has to take a train all the way to Jiangzhou, the Magic City, and then take a train south to Dong'ou, or take a ship from Jiangzhou or Mingzhou to Dong'ou Wharf.

All in all, it's not that simple. There is no high-speed rail, air tickets are expensive, and the road network is not as smooth and dense as it will be 20 years later. It takes a lot of effort to make a trip here.

"Then the work should be done now. It's good that you don't come to urge me to submit the manuscript. I'll entertain you.

Let's go, I'll take you to a seafood dinner."

Editor Qin looked thin and haggard, and his glasses were as thick as the bottom of a beer bottle. With his appearance, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone robbing him even if he took the train. His clothes were also old and torn.

However, Qi Tongwei knew that Editor Qin was also a top figure in the publishing house and enjoyed the treatment of a deputy director-level official. One should not judge a person by his appearance.

"Lu Qiang, go call the district chief and tell him that an old friend from Beijing is here, and ask him to come to Building No. 1 in Jiangbei."

"District Chief Qi, isn't this too expensive? My budget for business trips is limited.

Who are you calling? Do I know him?"

Qi Tongwei put his arm around Editor Qin's shoulder and walked downstairs. Although it was only eleven o'clock, he was the leader and naturally had privileges, and others did not dare to interfere.

Editor Qin held on to his old briefcase tightly. From his appearance, he looked like a middle-aged version of Ge You in the TV series Editorial Department, but with more hair.

When Jin Xinkai heard the news from Qi Tongwei that a friend from Beijing had come, he came out of the office and looked around, and saw Editor Qin at a glance.

"Lao Qin, hey, why are you here?

Old man, why didn’t you say hello to me before you came over?

Where is your Director Hou? Is he coming with us?"

It seems that Editor Qin and Jin Xinkai are old acquaintances. Jin Xinkai's friend should be Director Hou. However, he is a very social person and knows everyone in his friend's office and they have met each other.

When I saw an acquaintance from Beijing at first glance, although we were not particularly familiar friends, my inner excitement was beyond words, and the moment I opened my mouth I spoke in a continuous Beijing accent.

"Director Jin, why are you here?"

Jin Xinkai rushed forward and hugged Editor Qin just like Qi Tongwei did.

"We both work here. I was the one who introduced Tongwei to submit his novel. Have you forgotten?"

"Look at my memory, I really forgot.

I just remember that District Chief Qi worked here. The editorial department sent me on a business trip to Dong'ou, so I took a taxi over to take a look.

Nothing, I have to go back to buy a ticket for the evening train."

Qi Tongwei knew that their business trip seemed to be on a green train, which lasted for forty hours. They had to depart from Dongou Railway Station in the middle of the night and travel through the entire day before arriving in Beijing on the morning of the third day. Even if they were young men, they would be exhausted and become half-homeless after sitting on the train for such a long time.

"Okay, we're in our territory, why are you still talking about this? Show me your ticket."

Editor Qin took out the train ticket and showed it to Qi Tongwei. Qi Tongwei reached out to grab it. As expected, he had to endure forty hours of waiting and had to stand. It seemed that the train ticket was difficult to buy.

So he made eye contact with Jin Xinkai and tore up the ticket.

"Hey, District Chief Qi, what are you doing?

I’m going to take it back for reimbursement.”

"Don't give me that. I'll take care of the return trip for you. I'm not short of money, you know that."

When Editor Qin heard this, he immediately thought of Qi Tongwei's high royalties. These were paid out through his hands, so how could he not know about it?

"Okay, Lao Qin, come here, we two will treat you well, you have come all the way here.

If we go back in such a miserable state, how can we both face our shame?

Let's go and have lunch. Xu Ce, have you set the table?"

............

Jin Xinkai was unexpectedly happy to meet Editor Qin, and walked into Jiangbei No. 1 Hotel through the main entrance with confidence. The hotel owner had received Wu Xuce's reservation a long time ago, and knowing that the box was reserved by the district chief himself to entertain the guests, the owner personally arranged the best banquet.

"Old Qin, sit down. I'm going to give you a good meal today.

Is this your first time in Dong'ou? "

Jin Xinkai took the initiative to greet Lao Qin and took him to the box inside.

Maybe the noise made by several people disturbed the people in a box on both sides. As soon as they walked over, the door of the box was opened and a drunk middle-aged man came out.

"It's so noisy, who is it?"

Qi Tongwei's face froze. He had just boasted to his friends from out of town that this was his territory, and now he was about to be slapped in the face.

The hotel owner who was following behind him quickly stopped the drunk man and pulled him into the box. Qi Tongwei just looked back and didn't recognize him.