Mr. Xue said: "He has good abilities. If his son hadn't leaked his son, he would still be his provincial party secretary in Pinghai."

Xue Shilun said: "It is a blessing to have a loss of his horse. After the last setback, he is actually closer to the central government this time."

Mr. Xue smiled and said, "Are you very envious?"

Xue Shilun smiled and shook his head and said, "What's there to be envious? He may not be walking on Yangguan Road, and I am not walking on a single-plank bridge. When doing official business, everyone has their own freedom. In my opinion, Qiao Zhenliang is far inferior to me."

Mr. Xue's expression was skeptical: "Take it serious?"

Xue Shilun smiled and said, "Of course it's true. When did I lied to you?"

Old Xue laughed and said, "You didn't dare in the past, but now I'm old and so old that I'm confused. You might have the courage to lie to me."

Xue Shilun said: "Dad, you will always be the person I respect the most."

Mr. Xue said: "Don't take medicine to me. This time you have to help me hold this birthday party. What's the purpose?"

"There is no purpose, I just want to use this to express my filial piety."

Mr. Xue said, "Filial piety does not need to be expressed." After saying this, he patted his hand on the stack of arrows and said, "Shilun, are you worried that you will not have the chance to help me celebrate my birthday in the future?"

Xue Shilun said: "Dad, where do you want to go? I just want to call my relatives and friends over and get together so that you can always meet the old friends from the past. You don't often tell me that you miss those friends and subordinates from the past."

Mr. Xue said: "Old friend? There are actually not many real friends in this world. Time can test a lot of things." He looked into the distance, his eyes full of confusion: "Shilun, I regret it a little."

Xue Shilun said: "What do you regret?"

Mr. Xue said: "I shouldn't have invited you Uncle Qiao and Uncle Zhou."

Xue Shilun said: "You have known each other for so many years and have gone through so many things together. There is nothing wrong with asking them to come."

Mr. Xue said: "Qiao Zhenliang went to Jinhai to be the secretary. It should be your Uncle Zhou who nodded."

Xue Shilun said: "I heard a rumor that Xie Kuncheng, who was originally very promising to serve as the secretary of the Jinhai Municipal Party Committee, offended Uncle Qiao."

Mr. Xue said: "How could your Uncle Qiao be so narrow-minded? Because of a small matter, you have to hate Xie Kuncheng?" He shook his head and said: "It's impossible!"

Xue Shilun said: "Dad. From your perspective, is this a plan set up in advance? Xie Kuncheng was just unfortunately a victim in this game, and the beneficiary is undoubtedly Qiao Zhenliang. To accomplish this, it is not enough to rely on one person's influence alone, so a tacit understanding must be reached."

Old Xue's face no longer had a smile and he whispered: "When did you start to be interested in politics?"

Xue Shilun said: "I have no interest, I just suddenly realized something."

"What did you realize?"

Xue Shilun did not directly answer his father's question, but asked back: "Dad. Are there real friends in the officialdom?"

Mr. Xue said: "Everyone has his own different answers." After saying this, he seemed a little unhappy and turned around and embarked on the journey back.

Zhou Xingguoben agreed to come over to help in advance. But he suddenly received news that something had happened at the mine and had to rush back immediately. When he informed Xue Weitong, he was already on the way west.

Xue Weitong heard that even the sworn brother could not attend her grandfather's birthday party, so she hung up the phone without saying a word.

Grandpa and father happened to be back home at this time. Xue Weitong went out to greet him. After greeting him, Mr. Xue said, "You two are chatting, I'll go upstairs to rest for a while."

After Mr. Xue left, Xue Weitong stepped forward and grabbed his father's arm and whispered: "Dad!"

Xue Shilun patted the back of her hand and smiled, "Good daughter, what's wrong? You seem to be a little unhappy."

Xue Weitong said: "Many people have something to do and don't come."

Xue Shilun smiled and said, "So what?"

Xue Weitong said: "If my grandfather hadn't stepped down in the past, I saw that any of them dared not come. Now I feel that my grandfather has stepped down and has no power in his hands, so I don't have to give us the Xue family face at all." Even Xue Weitong couldn't help but feel this kind of cold world.

Xue Shilun smiled and said, "Silly girl, everyone has their own affairs. Maybe they really have something to do, they really can't attend. You can't say such words."

Xue Weitong said: "Dad, you think I'm still young, but I'm already an adult. I understand, I understand everything."

Xue Shilun pinched her face and smiled and said, "Girl, I know you have grown up. But because you have grown up, you can't mind too much about many things. Everyone should have a scale in their hearts, and they can weigh which one is more important and how to measure the value and pros and cons of each thing. Although the purpose of our Xue family inviting everyone to attend the birthday party is very simple, many people will inevitably cast this incident with a certain political color. No matter what others think, daughter, I want to ask you, what is the purpose of organizing this birthday party so hard and hard?"

"Of course it's to make grandpa happy!"

Xue Shilun nodded and said, "That's all."

"But, grandpa would definitely be unhappy when he saw so many people not coming. He would feel that the tea would be cold as soon as he left, and he would be sad. If we had known this, we might as well not hold this birthday party."

Xue Shilun smiled and shook his head and said, "Grandpa doesn't know. He will see the filial piety of his children. He will be happy to see his true friends. As for those who don't come for some reason, Grandpa will understand. Grandpa won't care about these things. As long as he is happy and he doesn't care about them, why bother us?"

Xue Weitong bit her lip: "Really?"

Xue Shilun nodded and said, "Really! Silly girl, hurry up and prepare!"

Xue Weitong stood up. At this time, Xiao Guocheng came. Xue Weitong stepped forward and gave him a warm hug: "Uncle Xiao!"

Xiao Guocheng smiled and said, "Wei Tong is getting more and more beautiful."

Xue Weitong immediately protested: "Hyit, Uncle Xiao is becoming more and more hypocritical. No one praises me for being beautiful, even if I praise me, I will praise me for being handsome."

Xiao Guocheng and Xue Shilun were both amused by her words, and Xue Weitong waved his hand and said, "I still have to hold a birthday party, let's talk with you guys!"

After Xue Weitong left, Xue Shilun and Xiao Guocheng came to the study together. Xue Shilun handed Xiao Guocheng a cigar and said, "I just accompanied the old man to climb the Great Wall and he went to rest." While speaking, he helped Xiao Guocheng light the cigar.

Xiao Guocheng took a sip and coughed.

Xue Shilun said: "Also cough?"

Xiao Guocheng said: "I've been much better recently, and the smoking addiction is coming again."

Xue Shilun smiled and said, "After healing, the scar has forgotten the pain, he is talking about people like you."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Secretary Gu lives in my courtyard for the time being."

Xue Shilun nodded and said, "The old man is old and very nostalgic. This time I called his old subordinates over here just to have fun together."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Shilun, there is something I have always wanted to tell you. In fact, this birthday party was a bit too high-profile."

Xue Shilun smiled and said, "I understand what you mean."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Are you not worried about doing bad things with kindness?"

Xue Shilun said: "The old man hasn't passed by any storm. His psychological ability is much stronger than you and me."

Xiao Guocheng spit out a thick cloud of smoke, and his face faintly appeared in the smoke: "Shilun, we already have so much wealth, what else is there to be dissatisfied with you?"

Xue Shilun said: "You have always known me and should know what I think in my heart."

Xiao Guocheng said: "I know that your favorite book is "The Earl of Monte Cristo". Your greatest ideal is to one day be like a godfather, or even surpass him."

Xue Shilun laughed and said, "It happened when I was young and frivolous. I am a businessman now. In fact, even if time goes back, I will not go into politics."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Truthful words?"

Xue Shilun said: "When did I lied to you?"

Xiao Guocheng smiled and said, "I can't guarantee it."

Xue Shilun said: "Brother for decades, you don't believe me. Guocheng, Guocheng, you disappointed me so much."

Xiao Guocheng smiled and said, "I always thought I knew you very much, but since you insisted on holding a birthday party this time, I found that I didn't know you."

Xue Shilun said: "That's because you think too complicatedly. In fact, my starting point is very simple."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Have you heard of something that Qiao Zhenliang is going to be the secretary of the Jinhai Municipal Party Committee?"

Xue Shilun nodded and said, "I didn't expect that the Qiao family and the Zhou family were finally together."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Political things are always breaking and reunion."

Xue Shilun said: "Long-term unity will lead to separation, long-term unity will lead to unity. There is no eternal opponent, only eternal interests. Zhou Xingmin served as governor of Pinghai and Qiao Zhenliang served as secretary of the Jinhai Municipal Party Committee. There must be articles behind these things."

Xiao Guocheng said: "I'm not wrong, you are still paying attention to these political matters."

Xue Shilun said disdainfully: "Politics..."

Xiao Guocheng said: "Are you a little depressed? You originally had a share of the political cake, but now you are ruthlessly abandoned."

Xue Shilun said: "Guocheng, do you really think I value these things so much?"

Xiao Guocheng did not answer his question directly, but said: "I always thought you lived much easier than me, but now it seems that you are as tired as me."

Xue Shilun smiled and said, "I don't feel tired, you think I'm tired."

Xiao Guocheng said: "No one can always be glorious. Great men with far-sighted vision often understand the principle of retreating bravely."
Chapter completed!