A man in Handong: living off Zhong Xiaoai

After Lü Jingmin left, Wu Xiaoyu, the director of the Handong Provincial Tax Bureau, came to Ma Haitao in a formal suit.

"Director Ma, today is your big day. I was supposed to go to a meeting in the provincial capital today, but I feel that nothing is more important than your wedding. I must come to deliver my blessings, and everything else can wait!"

Upon hearing Wu Xiaoyu's words, Ma Haitao smiled broadly.

"Thank you, Director Wu. Your presence has made my wedding even more grand!"

Wu Xiaoyu smiled and looked around the scene. There were quite a few people present today, with many important figures from Handong in attendance.

At this moment, Wu Xiaoyu also caught a glimpse of the two empty tables in front of him that were reserved for Secretary Qi Tongwei and his family.

Wu Xiaoyu came here today specifically for 2 PM.

First, Ma Haitao is Qi Tongwei's absolute confidant, and befriending Ma Haitao would be of great benefit to him.

Secondly, Qi Tongwei will be present in person today, which is why the cadres of Handong must attend.

Looking around, Wu Xiaoyu saw that everyone present was a top official or a second-in-command from various departments and bureaus of Handong Province. He felt that his presence here today made him seem less important.

After Wu Xiaoyu, a figure quickly walked in with a smile.

Ma Haitao looked up and saw that it was none other than Zhang Yongxian, the vice governor in charge of education in the entire Handong Province.

Although Ma Haitao was a member of the Qi family gang, he still had to be polite to Zhang Yongxian, after all, Zhang Yongxian was the vice governor of Handong Province.

Upon seeing Zhang Yongxian walk in, Ma Haitao smiled and went to shake hands with him.

Zhang Yongxian smiled broadly when he saw Ma Haitao.

"Groom! Congratulations! Congratulations!"

Upon seeing this, Ma Haitao quickly responded.

"Governor Zhang, thank you so much for your presence today!"

Zhang Yongxian smiled and waved his hand, then looked around.

"Haitao, hasn't Secretary Qi arrived yet?"

Ma Haitao saw Zhang Yongxian looking around expectantly.

He immediately realized that Zhang Yongxian had come here to curry favor with his behind-the-scenes boss, Qi Tongwei.

"Governor Zhang, Secretary Qi will be here shortly. Why don't you find a place to sit down?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yongxian immediately nodded repeatedly.

"Haitao, you're the groom, go ahead and get busy! I'll just find a place to sit down!"

After most people sat down, those waiting in the crowd began to discuss the matter.

Yang Qingsheng, deputy director of the Handong Provincial Safety Supervision Bureau, said to Zhan Baowei, deputy mayor of Dongshan City, who was standing next to him.

"Mayor Zhan, have you heard? Director Ma's wife used to be incredibly beautiful!"

Zhan Baowei smiled.

"What 'beautiful woman'? You're making it sound so polite. She's just a foreign language teacher."

Hearing Zhan Baowei's loud voice, Yang Qingsheng quickly made a shushing gesture.

"Mayor Zhan, please keep your voice down. If someone hears us and starts complaining, that would be terrible!"

Zhan Baowei smiled and waved his hand.

"Don't worry, everyone here knows that Director Ma married a foreign language teacher and even arranged for her to work at the Provincial Department of Education."

Yang Qingsheng smiled when he heard the news.

"This Director Ma is truly acting impulsively for the sake of a woman! He's really willing to do anything! He actually dared to get a foreign language teacher working at the provincial education department, that's amazing!"

Chapter 348 Why hasn't Secretary Qi arrived yet?

Zhan Baowei smiled and looked at the crowd around him, then leaned close to Yang Qingsheng's ear.

"That's because Director Ma is a member of the Qi family gang. Look at all the people who came here, every single one of them is at least a director or a bureau chief. Look, there are even several vice governors. The two of us, who are only at the prefectural or departmental level, seem to have very little status!"

Yang Qingsheng nodded, then looked at Ma Haitao with envy.

"Don't even mention getting his foreign language teacher a job at the Provincial Department of Education. If he wanted to contact me, our Provincial Safety Supervision Bureau would be fighting over him!"

Zhan Baowei smiled and nodded.

"That's right! The Qi family gang is now the most powerful force in the entire Handong. As long as you're a member of the Qi family gang, not to mention your wife, even the dog you fancy can become a police dog and eat public food!"

Hearing this, Yang Qingsheng looked on with envy.

"That's right. Last year, my son Yang Xiaoman graduated from the UK and couldn't find a job. It took me a lot of effort to get him a job in the office of our provincial safety supervision bureau."

Zhan Baowei smiled as he watched the changes unfold.

"But if you, Director Yang, were Secretary Qi's man, your son, even if he hadn't graduated from elementary school, could easily choose any department in Handong, let alone come back from studying in the UK!"

On the other side of the wedding venue, Zhang Yongxian, the vice governor of Handong Province in charge of education, looked at Wang Shenhao, the vice governor of Handong Province in charge of economy.

"Governor Wang, wasn't there a provincial leadership meeting today? You didn't attend?"

Wang Shenhao smiled and then pointed to the side beside him.

"Look at how many vice governors are here today. Everyone except He Dongfeng and Zheng Jindong is here. Who's going to hold a leadership meeting?"

After hearing Wang Shenhao's words, Zhang Yongxian looked around and, sure enough, everyone had come.

Looking at the scene, apart from Provincial Party Secretary Zhao Lichun and Governor Liu Linzong, almost all the officials at the deputy department level and above from Handong Province were present.

"Governor Wang, this scene is even more complete than when the province holds a major meeting!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shenhao looked around at the people and nodded with a smile.

When the province holds a major conference, it is usually attended by the heads of each department.

To put it bluntly, only those at the level of director-general or above are required to attend; deputy directors-general generally don't go.

It's so lively now! This wedding could be held right in the grand hall of Handong Province without any sense of incongruity.

"Governor Zhang, I heard that you helped Director Ma arrange for his wife, a well-known foreign language teacher in Handong Province, to work in your provincial education department?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yongxian quickly waved his hand.

"This wasn't arranged by me; it was arranged by the provincial department itself. But if Ma Haitao comes to me, I can arrange it for him too. A renowned teacher like him should work for the provincial education department; I think that's the most suitable option!"

After hearing Zhang Yongxian's words, Wang Shenhao patted Zhang Yongxian's arm.

"You can't say that. My department of commerce also needs foreign language talent. Many foreign affairs activities require this bride's abilities!"

Zhang Yongxian frowned upon hearing Wang Shenhao's words.

"Governor Wang, do you know what kind of foreign language Director Ma's wife teaches?"

Wang Shenhao laughed after hearing Zhang Yongxian's words.

"Of course I know. She's become a famous teacher; how could I not know which foreign language she teaches?"

Zhang Yongxian looked puzzled.

"Since you know this, what kind of foreign affairs activities can she do at your Department of Commerce? She's married now. You wouldn't want a foreign language teacher to go back to her old profession, would you?"

Wang Shenhao waved his hand and smiled brightly.

"Oh dear! Governor Zhang, what are you saying! How could I have such thoughts? I meant, isn't Director Ma's wife from Russia? She should at least know a few words of Russian, right? I meant she could go to our provincial Department of Commerce and help us as a Russian translator or something!"

After hearing Wang Shenhao's words, Zhang Yongxian nodded.

"I understand now! It's a pity that our provincial education department discovered it first and used it before we could!"

At this point, Wang Shenhao's face showed a hint of regret.

But of course, it's not a pity to lose a talent who can speak goose language, but rather the loss of an opportunity to befriend the Qi family gang.

After a long time, the wedding ceremony still hadn't started, and Ma Haitao kept checking his watch.

Xiu Shaoming, the director of the Finance Department of Handong Province, looked at Jiang Qinghua, the director of the Audit Department of Handong Province, who was standing next to him.

"Director Jiang, why hasn't Secretary Qi arrived yet?"

Jiang Qinghua took a sip of the tea on the table and then shook his head.

"I don't know, it should be arriving soon."

Xiu Shaoming looked around at the people around him, who were all whispering to each other.

"Director Jiang, have you heard? It seems that Director Ma's bride is a foreign language teacher?"

Jiang Qinghua nodded.

"To be honest, I had a few drinks a few months ago and even consulted his wife."

Xiu Shaoming's eyes lit up when he heard this.

"You're pretty! What do you think? Are you pretty?"

Jiang Qinghua smiled.

"They're not just pretty, the people from Taiwan are also incredibly fluent in foreign languages!"

Xiu Shaoming couldn't help but laugh.

"I really envy you. Your relationship with Director Ma is actually quite close!"

Jiang Qinghua pretended to be angry and patted Xiu Shaoming on the shoulder.

"Don't talk nonsense. It's their wedding day. It wouldn't be appropriate to hear that."

Xiu Shaoming listened to Jiang Qinghua's words, his face showing deep thought.

"Director Jiang, do you think it's possible that Secretary Qi felt Director Ma's bride (Li Li Zhao) wasn't respectable enough, and therefore didn't want to come?"

Jiang Qinghua's face turned somewhat unpleasant upon hearing Xiu Shaoming's words.

"No way, Director Ma is a member of the Qi family clique, and a confidant of Secretary Qi."

Xiu Shaoming suddenly pursed his lips.

"Then tell me, why hasn't Secretary Qi arrived yet at this hour?"

Jiang Qinghua frowned immediately.

"You're right, it can't be for real, can it?"