Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1055 - Chapter 1055 Chapter 1011 Look to This Day

Chapter 1055: Chapter 1011: Look to This Day Chapter 1055: Chapter 1011: Look to This Day Chen Guoqing’s words left Wen Baogui staggered. Wen Baogui was the type of person who had risen step by step from humble beginnings. In Jingcheng, he had no powerful backing. He relied on his ability to assess situations and his decisive nature.

This kind of person was impressive, but also not. The impressive part was having rich experience in struggles, but the not-so-impressive part was that if he truly offended the prestigious families, Wen Baogui’s future could come to an abrupt halt.

As for Secretary Nie, Wen Baogui didn’t know much, only that he had connections with both the Nie and Yang factions–something he had seen in “Times Magazine”. As for what exactly was going on behind the scenes, Wen Baogui was unclear.

Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “Old Wen, this meal is my treat as I’ve said; you can’t steal my thunder. My wife’s elder brother, Yang Anbang, is the owner of the Wal-Mart Group.”

This statement surprised Wen Baogui once again. The Wal-Mart Group, a leading giant in the national chain supermarket industry and among the top ten superstores in the world, had even beaten Walmart in the domestic market. That this business titan was Secretary Nie’s uncle was truly unexpected.

Next, the group moved to the dining area, where the wine served was brewed in-house by the Chu Royal Palace. This was one of the unique features of the establishment.

Nie Zhenbang raised his glass and filled it for everyone, saying, “Friends, everyone here is Zhenbang’s classmate or colleague, we’re all family here, no need for formalities. Let’s drink this first glass to celebrate our gathering today.”

The people of Huaxia have a trait–relationships are easily tightened over the dining table. After a meal with plenty of wine, especially when everyone is of equal status, there’s nothing much to say.

In such situations, one simply can’t be pretentious about their rank. To cover one’s cup, for example–who would do that? Everyone here holds significant positions.

Naturally, this made everyone else no different from ordinary people because their statuses were equivalent, doing away with the empty flattery and sycophancy. Everything was dealt with in a straightforward manner.

After the meal, everyone settled back into the lounge. Under Li Laibao’s arrangement, top-quality tea was served. Now was the time for free unstructured conversation, much less formal than before the meal.

Nie Zhenbang, Chen Guoqing, and Jiang Yonghao gathered together. Among their classmates, the three were of similar age and the most promising.

Over a pot of green tea, the three men sat at their ease. Chen Guoqing took a sip and smiled, saying, “Zhenbang, you were too impulsive in Bashu before. A wise man does not stand under a collapsing wall. Venturing deep into the disaster area really gave me a fright.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yonghao nodded and added, “Guoqing is right. Comrade, you’re still too impulsive.”

Nie Zhenbang smiled at their sermon-like words. Clearly, they were joking, but he was still touched. Who said provincial-level officials were devoid of feelings? This sincere affection could not be erased.

After a moment of reflection, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, “Thank you for your concern, my elder brothers. I am clear about my own matters. Without doing so, I couldn’t express my feelings for the common people, nor could I express my passion for work. I’ve always taken the road less traveled in my life; it’s just a habit.”

Listening to him, the other two could only offer a wry smile. Nie Zhenbang was speaking the blunt truth. If it had not been for this approach, he wouldn’t have been able to accumulate such substantial achievements in such a short time or manage to govern a region at his age. Effort naturally brings its rewards.

Hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, Chen Guoqing and Jiang Yonghao could only smile bitterly. Chen Guoqing rolled his eyes at Nie Zhenbang, pretending to be angry as he said, “You kid, we can’t see through you anymore. In the future, it’s probably going to be you who is counted as the man of the hour.”

Chen Guoqing’s words weren’t without aim. As a talented individual meticulously groomed by the Chen family, Chen Guoqing, a member from a side branch, had managed to rise suddenly due to his own abilities, more reserved and mature compared to Chen Bo.

Chen Guoqing saw the current situation very clearly, and although Jiang Yonghao was young, there wasn’t much room for his advancement.

At this moment, Jiang Yonghao also felt somewhat disheartened. His career had been smooth, but he had hit a bottleneck upon reaching this level. Failing to make further progress this time had dampened his spirits.

Seeing Jiang Yonghao’s mood, Nie Zhenbang laughed and said, “Old Hao, there’s no need to be like this. A great man once said, ‘We shall ride the wave for three thousand miles, confident in a life spanning two hundred years.’ Compared to Guoqing, you’re the sun at eight or nine in the morning, with plenty of time and opportunities ahead. Don’t get disheartened. Qianzhou Province has clear advantages–its rich ethnic customs are a fantastic tourism resource. Seize the opportunity, and everything is possible. Impressive results often come from remote and impoverished areas.”

The reassurance from Nie Zhenbang improved Jiang Yonghao’s mood significantly, who, laughing and joking, replied, “If I’m the sun at eight or nine in the morning, what does that make you, Nie Zhenbang? The sun not yet risen?”

Chen Guoqing feigned a pitiable look and sighed, “Ah, the sunset is endlessly beautiful, but it’s nearing twilight.”

…

After dinner, Wen Baogui had managed to adjust his mindset. To be valued by Secretary Nie and to be brought along to attend a gathering of this level had already signified a lot. At the very least, he had secured the high trust of Secretary Nie. Didn’t you see that even Xu Hongzhuan didn’t have such an opportunity? Considering Secretary Nie’s connections and background, as well as the evaluations of Secretary Nie by his classmates, it was clear that Secretary Nie had never served a full term in one place.

Over the years, apart from a full term in WangHai, in all other places, he had spent at most just over two years. By that logic, Secretary Nie could be transferred away from Hongjiang at any time. When that happened, the vacant position was most likely within his own reach.

At that moment, Wen Baogui, Lin Mohan, and Tian Xujian were sitting together. Their relationships were very similar; all were individuals whom Nie Zhenbang had either promoted or recommended. Naturally, they also had a lot in common.

Such a gathering was more about accumulation, the accumulation of connections.

Therefore, everyone understood the saying that having one more friend meant having one more path, and even if not working together, there might be times when one could come in handy.

Just like now, Wen Baogui said to Lin Mohan, “If I have the chance, I will definitely visit you in Liaodong. Both my daughter and son-in-law work there.”

This statement naturally carried the implication of hoping Lin Mohan would take care of them.

At this moment, Tian Xujian had walked over to Nie Zhenbang’s side. The Tian Xujian of that moment had already lost the air he had during the times Nie Zhenbang was in Liangxi.

He greeted with a smile, “Secretary Nie. Long time no see. You seem to have become more spirited.”

Nie Zhenbang also had no real grievance against Tian Xujian and replied with a smile, “Old Tian, calling me by that title feels so distant. Back in WangHai, we worked together on the same team, and you were the team leader.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Tian Xujian said with a smile, “Zhenbang, this time, I have a favor to ask of you. My son is now also within the system, and I’ll be relying on you to guide him in the future.”

The implication of Tian Xujian’s words was clear to Nie Zhenbang. Tian Xujian’s age was such that he didn’t have much potential left. After this term, he would be stepping down, and now he was paving the way for his son. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang readily agreed.

He said with a smile, “Old Tian, I thought it was something serious. I will certainly help with this, and I believe in young Tian’s abilities, ‘like father, like son,’ after all.”

The evening’s networking continued until around twelve, a late hour, before breaking up. Everyone gained much from it. Even though it was not explicitly stated, everyone present was experienced enough to understand that this was, in nature, a circle; a small one centered around Nie Zhenbang.

This was simply corroborating what Liu Yi had said earlier, “To count the charismatic people, look to today.” This was not presumptuous but a fact. Given the status and positions of those present and Nie Zhenbang’s advantage, it was not a difficult feat.

As the top leader, Nie Zhenbang couldn’t possibly stay here for too long. The travel expo was mainly focused on Wen Baogui. After the gathering ended, the next morning, Nie Zhenbang had already booked his return flight to Hongjiang. Accompanying him were Xu Hongzhuan, Hong Feng, and Guard Dai Fei.

At Red River International Airport, at the domestic flight arrivals exit, Yang Anna waited anxiously at Exit 1, repeatedly checking the time on her wrist.

Following the announcement that the flight from Changxing City to Hongcheng had landed, Yang Anna felt somewhat relieved. Soon after, the figure of Nie Zhenbang appeared at the airport entrance. Yang Anna quickened her pace to greet him, “Zhenbang, over here.”

Upon hearing the call, Nie Zhenbang immediately turned his head, and seeing Anna’s figure, he responded with surprise, moving to meet her and asking with a frown, “Anna, what’s happened? Why do you look like this?”

Anna glanced at Xu Hongzhuan and Hong Feng beside her and said in a low voice, “Zhenbang, there’s news from Jingcheng. Dad had a stroke.”

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to go to Qidian (NovelFire.net) to cast your vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)