Chapter 1641

Chapter 1641

Nightfall.

The sky darkened.

Dinner was eaten until after eight o'clock.

The lights were on in the quadrangle, and everyone sat around the stone table, eating and drinking, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere among colleagues.

"Here, have a drink."

"There's still a little left."

"Then let's all finish it."

"Alright, cheers!"

"Director Dong's alcohol tolerance is excellent."

"Come on, I can't compete. Director Yin's tolerance is better."

"Hehe, I didn't drink much. You guys didn't dare to make me drink."

"Since Director Yin said so, why be polite? I suggest another round."

"But it's already past eight. Director Dong should rest. Let's go back early after enjoying ourselves."

"Director Yin is obviously at his limit."

"Hey, don't expose me, hehe."

After dinner, Dong Xuebing and Yin Cheng'an started drinking tea to sober up. Zhang Dongliang and Han Fei helped clean up the dishes and utensils. Dong Xuebing suggested they leave the dishes in the kitchen for him to wash later, but they insisted on helping, knowing they were at a leader's house and the leader had personally cooked. It wouldn't be appropriate to let Dong Xuebing wash the dishes. Fortunately, no one drank excessively, and no one passed out.

After finishing their work, Dong Xuebing invited everyone to have tea.

"Okay." Han Fei sat down and picked up a teacup, taking a sip. "It's delicious."

Sun Zhaobang and Zhang Dongliang also came over, tasted the tea, and praised it. Although they didn't understand much about tea, they felt it enjoyable. It seemed different from the tea they had drunk before; it had a delicate fragrance.

Only Yin Cheng'an, who had been quietly tasting the tea, knew what it was. He gently put down the teacup and looked at them with a smile. "It's Dahongpao. Not the kind sold in supermarkets or tea shops, but tea leaves from old trees that haven't been sold to the public for a long time."

Han Fei blinked. "Dahongpao?"

He Zhou was surprised. "You're right. I've never tasted this kind of flavor before."

Yin Cheng'an laughed. "I had the chance to drink it once while traveling with a leader. I've always remembered this taste. How could I forget? This is a tea that becomes scarcer with each sip. I didn't expect that I would have the chance to drink it again after so many years, and Dong Xuebing has it here."

"Director Dong, is there a convenience store nearby?" He Zhou asked. "I'll buy some cigarettes."

Dong Xuebing glanced at his cigarette case, which was also empty. He thought about how the Chinese cigarettes at home were finished, and a few packs were still in the family compound. He hadn't had time to get them since moving. Suddenly, he said, "The convenience store is a bit far. Well, there are no cigarettes at home, but there are cigars."

He Zhou's eyes lit up. "Cigars?"

Dong Xuebing smiled. "I haven't opened them yet. Let's try them."

Yin Cheng'an didn't hesitate. "Let's try it. These cigars pack a punch."

Dong Xuebing went back to fetch them. Zhang Longjuan had brought them from abroad. Since Aunt Zhang liked smoking cigars, Dong Xuebing didn't have much interest in them, so he hadn't opened them yet. After rummaging around, he found the wooden box and placed it on the stone table.

Yin Cheng'an looked puzzled. "What kind of cigars are these?"

Sun Zhaobang said, "Hmm, I've never seen this kind of box before."

"I don't know either. They should be good," Dong Xuebing said as he struggled to open the box. Inside were only a few cigars, probably less than ten. He distributed them to everyone, took one for himself, and lit it. It was decent, but he didn't feel anything extraordinary. The taste was about the same. He grew up in an ordinary family, so he didn't have much concept or taste for luxury goods.

But there were words on the box.

He Zhou took a drag from his cigarette, and his face froze. He then carefully examined the wooden box and sucked in a breath. "These are Cohibas."

Han Fei asked, "What are Cohibas?"

"Cohiba wooden box, imported from Cuba," He Zhou explained. "This should be one of the most expensive cigars sold worldwide. I've only heard about it. These few cigars should cost around twenty to thirty thousand RMB, or even more."

Zhang Dongliang, who had just taken a puff, almost choked. He coughed violently. "Twenty to thirty thousand?"

A pack of Zhonghua cigarettes costs only a few hundred RMB, considered good, nationwide. How could these few cigars cost tens of thousands?

Dong Xuebing laughed. "I don't know. Let's try something new. Rarity makes things valuable. This cigar may not be that good. I still think Zhongnanhai is better."

Yin Cheng'an also chuckled. "How can Zhongnanhai compare? Although I haven't smoked Cohibas before, I've heard of them. The Cohiba wooden box is probably one of the most expensive cigars sold worldwide. Even China's most expensive Huanghelou from the 1990s isn't close to this price."

Naturally, Dong Xuebing knew this cigar wouldn't be cheap. Aunt Zhang was a billionaire. Could the things she gave be inferior? Not only were they expensive, but they were also probably not easy to buy. Otherwise, why would Aunt Zhang bring them from Africa for him?

Drinking tea.

Smoking cigars.

Everyone felt a bit unsettled.

This new Director Dong from the Second Office was too much. Even the ordinary consumables he casually took out from his home cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. His small life was too enviable. Moreover, all this money came from legitimate sources. After a rough estimate, everyone felt that Dong Xuebing might be the wealthiest official in the country. Even corrupt officials probably couldn't match Dong Xuebing's assets.