Chapter Ninety Age

  Zheng's nanny was a very efficient middle-aged woman, and in no time at all, she had prepared six exquisite small dishes. Zheng Danyan called out: "Director Han, let's have a drink until we're drunk!"

  "Teacher Zheng, you'd better still call me Little Han, I always feel uncomfortable with this 'Director Han' title!"

  "Alright, I won't be polite either. Just call me Little Han and you can call me Old Zheng." As he spoke, Zheng Danyan opened the cabinet and took out two bottles of Wuliangye.

  Zheng Danyan opened the bottle cap, poured a full glass for Han Qin, and then poured one for himself. He looked at Han Qin and smiled: "These two good bottles of wine were brought by Xiao Nian, I usually don't even drink them. As the saying goes, 'a thousand cups are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend', let's indulge in drinking today! I, old Zheng, have never had any friends throughout my life, and colleagues all say that I'm aloof and isolated, but I'm too lazy to socialize with them. Although we two differ by tens of years, we get along very well, this is also fate!"

  Han Qin smiled and said: "I also feel like I've known Teacher Zheng for a long time. Let's have a drink to our friendship that transcends age!"

  Two men clinked cups and exchanged toasts, and a bottle of wine was quickly emptied. The poet loved wine, but his capacity for it was not impressive. Before Han Qin had even realized what was happening, the poet had already started talking nonsense!

  From Zheng Danyan's intermittent narrative, Han Qin slowly clarified the situation. Zheng Danyan's father was an old revolutionary who also suffered during that special period, and wearing a tall hat, being criticized and struggling in public were common occurrences. The old revolutionary had a strong temperament and could not withstand such humiliation, so he poisoned himself to resist!

  After Zheng Danyan's father passed away, his mother soon followed in grief! A once happy and complete family was instantly shattered, leaving behind 16-year-old Zheng Danyan and 10-year-old Xiao Nian. In the difficult years that followed, the two brothers relied on each other for survival!

  Xiao Ye also made a great effort and was admitted to Peking University in the first year after the college entrance examination resumed. Zheng Danye also entered the factory as a worker, and Fan Wenjun, who had been in love for many years, also reached the point of discussing marriage. After suffering comes happiness, and good days seem to be coming!

  Heaven has unpredictable wind and cloud, when Fan Wenjun was on night shift, the workshop director who was in charge got drunk and lost his virtue, and raped Fan Wenjun! Zheng Danyan's rationality was burned by anger, he beat that workshop director to a lifelong disability, and he himself was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment!

  When Zheng Danyan came out of prison after ten years, Fan Wenjun couldn't bear the pointing and whispering of others, so she followed her parents to move away, and from then on, the two lost contact completely!

  Zheng Danyan, who had lost all his motivation, put all his energy into literary creation and finally made some achievements, but he was already disappointed with marriage and family.

  Listening to Zheng Da Nian's bumpy experience, Han Qin also felt a sense of wonder and could only say that the world is unpredictable and fate plays tricks on people!

  Han Qin tried to say some comforting words, avoiding these heavy topics. Zheng Danyan smiled and said: "Little Han, you don't need to persuade me, after all these years, I've become indifferent to everything! Being able to write poetry, drink wine, and having friends like you is also a pleasure! What makes me most happy is that Little Year has ambition and hasn't let his brother down!"

  The two were chatting happily when the doorbell rang. Han Qin got up to open the door, and a middle-aged man with an extraordinary demeanor was standing at the door, who turned out to be Zheng Tongxin, the secretary of the municipal party committee!

  It was Han Qin who opened the door. Zheng Tong's eyes widened in surprise and he asked, "Little Han, what are you doing here?"

  Han Qin was not surprised. As soon as he entered the door, he saw a photo of Zheng Danyan and Zheng Tongxin together. This municipal party secretary was indeed the "Little Year" in Zheng Danyan's mouth!

  Let Secretary Zheng come in, Han Qin smiled and said: "I'm now on loan to work at the Old Cadre University, Teacher Zheng is our contracted teacher, we should be considered colleagues! Today is Teacher Zheng's birthday, I came over to chat with Teacher Zheng!"

  Zheng Danyan said with surprise: "Xiaonian, didn't you say you weren't coming back?"

  Zheng said with emotion: "The meeting in the province ended very late, and I originally planned to come back tomorrow. But today is your birthday, and in previous years, I would always accompany you drinking, this year letting you be alone, my heart was in a mess, so I rushed back as soon as possible. Fortunately, I didn't encounter traffic jams, and it's not too late!"

  Look at Han Qin, Zheng Tongxin smiled and said: "I didn't expect the great poet to also make friends, it's not bad to have friends to drink and chat with!"

  Zheng Tong raised his wine glass and said, "Brother, happy birthday! Little Han, thank you. My brother is relatively introverted, basically has no friends, didn't expect the two of you to become old friends! Come on, let's have a drink, celebrate!"

  Three people drank and finished, Zheng Tongxin asked: "Little Han, how is it that you haven't made any progress working at the Old Cadre University? What position do you hold?" Han Qin was a typical example established by Zheng Tongxin himself, and he also knew that there would definitely be a promotion and reuse of Han Qin below. Specifically, how to use him, a small public servant with no rank or position, couldn't even stir up the majestic municipal party secretary!

  Han Qin went to the University for the Elderly Cadres as the director of the office, and it was just Mayor Yan who gave a heads up to Wei Jianmin, the head of the Bureau for the Elderly Cadres. Wei Jianmin took advantage of Han Qin's heroic reputation and easily borrowed him over. The appointment of a department-level cadre at the University for the Elderly Cadres doesn't even require the nod of the municipal party secretary, and Secretary Zheng only found out today that Han Qin's job had changed!

  Han Qin smiled and said: "I'm temporarily acting as the director of the office on that side, the work at the old university is relatively simple and it's going smoothly. Office work is quite a workout."

  Zheng Tongxin nodded, the director of the office of the old cadre university is a regular section-level official, which is already a breach of ranks for a civil servant who is still in the probationary period. Zheng Tongxin remembered that the head of the old cadre bureau was Wei Jianmin, this person seemed to be quite capable and knew that Han Qin was a typical example established by the secretary's own hands, so he boldly broke the rules and appointed him, knowing the elegance of the zither strings, and guessing the superior's intentions was quite accurate! This also gave the secretary some face.

  If Wei Jianmin knew that because of the appointment of Han Qin, Secretary Zheng would secretly praise him for being capable, he might be so excited tonight that he couldn't sleep!

  Since joining the workforce, Han Qin had met Zheng Tongxin a few times, but those were all in formal work settings, with officials of various ranks surrounding them and reporters waiting on either side. As the provincial party committee secretary and municipal party committee secretary, he naturally exuded an air of authority and didn't smile easily. Today, sitting at the same table as Secretary Zheng for dinner, the secretary was naturally more relaxed and didn't need to put on airs, making him seem kind and approachable!

  Taking this opportunity, Han Qin also carefully observed Secretary Zheng. Han Qin remembered that Secretary Zheng should be 53 years old this year, an age that is no longer advantageous among deputy provincial-level cadres, and can even be said to be at a disadvantage.

  Although Zheng Tongxin holds a high position and enjoys privileges, he may have inherited the gene from his brother Zheng Danyan, looking older than his actual age. This aging appearance will only accelerate! If Secretary Zheng wants to take another step in his official career, he is undoubtedly at a disadvantage in an era that emphasizes age and gradually pays attention to the image of officials.

  Han Qin had reviewed Zheng Tongxin's file, this person was a clean and honest official, with a good reputation. Since taking office in Dongfang City, he had done several practical things for the people, earning him great credibility among them. Zheng Tongxin had a high theoretical level and was an official who rose from the grassroots, with rich experience. His father's comrades-in-arms were numerous, and he also had many connections in the official circle! If he could climb one more step, there would still be ten years of time to dominate his career path, no one could not be tempted!

  He downed another cup, and Zheng Tongxin smiled: "I heard Mayor Yan say that Xiao Han's ancestors were imperial physicians of the Qing dynasty. Xiao Han has also inherited the true tradition, his medical skills are very high, even the experts in our First People's Hospital can't compare to him!"

  Han Qin humbly said: "Mayor Yan is overpraising me, I've only learned a little bit of the basics!"

  After a pause, Han Qin looked at Zheng Tongxin and said in a low voice: "Traditional Chinese medicine is indeed profound. Our ancestors left behind a medical note called 'Xuan Hu Zhong Yi', which contains many secret formulas for beauty and rejuvenation, with remarkable effects. It's said that Empress Dowager Cixi obtained a secret formula that could restore youth, making her look like a woman in her 30s at the age of 60 or 70! At first, everyone thought this was just a legend, but actually, combining modern medical techniques with ancient formulas can easily achieve this!"

  Zheng Tongxin's hand holding chopsticks paused in mid-air for a moment, and he said casually: "Is it really that amazing?"