After some polite remarks, Zhang Junping was moved to the position of guest of honor.
After sitting down, Zhang Junping turned to look at Xiaoxia and Huazi in his hand.
Xiaoxia was quite clever, so she quickly opened Huazi and handed out a box to everyone.
"Brother Zhang, what does this mean?" Cao Zhiqiang's expression changed and he asked unhappily.
"Brother Cao, Brother Niu won't let me bring anything. When it comes to Hegang, just bring it with your mouth.
But I can't be empty-handed! Just try to get a piece of Huazi, my brothers happened to smoke it when they were drinking." Zhang Junping explained with a smile.
"Huh?" Chen Dawei waved his hand, interrupting Cao Zhiqiang and others who still wanted to speak.
"Brother Zhang, you are a real person and don't show your face! Most people can't see your Huazi." Chen Dawei took the Huazi and said with a smile to Zhang Junping.
Zhang Junping's face lit up, he finally met someone who understood, and he was not blind for nothing.
"Brother Chen was joking, it's just a piece of cake, nothing ordinary!" Zhang Junping said with a modest smile.
"Brother Chen, what do you think of this Huazi? It seems to be different from what we usually smoke." Cao Zhiqiang took the Huazi and looked through it for a while and said.
"This is exclusively for the army, let's put it that way! Neither your father nor my father is qualified to smoke cigarettes.
Would you say it’s average or not?”
When Chen Dawei said this, everyone's eyes immediately changed when they looked at Zhang Junping.
They are all descendants of officials, and they understand the hidden meaning better.
"Hahaha! Brother Chen, it's not as exaggerated as you said. This smoke is rare in this place and is quite rare.
When you get to BJ, you can buy it at any pigeon market." Zhang Junping laughed and explained casually.
Zhang Junping told the truth, but unfortunately no one believed it.
Just think of Zhang Junping as being humble and low-key.
"Brother Zhang, try our Hegang wine, Hegang Bai.
This Hegang aged red grain wine is also called Xiao Maotai, and it is quite famous in Hegang and even in the entire HLJ." Niu Qingkui picked up a bottle of wine in a black ceramic bottle and introduced it to Zhang Junping with a smile.
“I’ve heard about Hegang’s aged red grain wine for a long time, but I’ve never had the chance to taste it.
Thanks to Brother Niu, let’s have a good taste today." Zhang Junping said with a smile.
Xiaoxia was very discerning and reached for the wine bottle to pour wine for everyone.
"Sit down, sit down! Little brother, you are guests today, how can I ask you to pour wine?" Cao Zhiqiang stopped Xiaoxia.
"Brother Cao, Xiaoxia is an intern in our unit.
This wine table culture is a profound culture passed down from ancient times in our country, and you have to give young people a chance to learn." Zhang Junping said with a smile.
"I will learn the wine table culture slowly in the future. You are all guests today. If I ask you to pour the wine, isn't it a slap in the face?" Niu Qingkui insisted not to let Xiaoxia pour the wine.
Zhang Junping did not persist and motioned for Xiaoxia to take a seat.
Niu Qingkui poured wine for everyone.
Before Zhang Junping took his seat, the cold dishes were already served.
There are ten cold dishes in total.
In some more sophisticated wine shops, cold dishes are served before the guests take their seats.
In this way, after the guests are seated, the table will not be empty, and the wine can be poured and started.
However, later on, the fast pace of life changed this rule.
Only some very formal official wine bureaus will comply.
Generally, after guests are seated and order their dishes, cold dishes are served one after another.
"Brothers and sisters, let us raise a toast together to welcome our friends from the capital.
Welcome brothers Zhang, Xiao Li and Xiao Xia to visit us in Hegang.
Let’s do one!” Niu Qingkui raised his glass to drink.
This is a Northeastern person who drinks Maotai-flavor liquor with over 50 degrees of alcohol content when he opens his mouth.
Xiaoxia's face turned pale.
Fortunately it wasn't a ceramic jar, otherwise Xiaoxia could have just left the table.
"Thank you Brother Niu for your hospitality, and also thank you Brother Chen, Brother Tian, Brother Lu, Brother Cao, Sister Jin, and Sister Tan for your enthusiasm.
I feel your enthusiasm, I won’t say much anymore, it’s all in the wine!” Zhang Junping continued Niu Qingkui’s words, said some words of thanks, and then drank up the wine.
The first glass of wine is called the welcoming wine. Unless you don't drink alcohol at all, this glass of wine is a must.
It is respect for the master.
"Okay! Brother Zhang is so cool!" Niu Qingkui's eyes lit up and he praised with a big smile.
Then everyone else drank the wine in their glasses.
Xiaoxia was left alone, holding the wine glass and trembling in her heart.
"Xiao Xia, you can drink as much wine as you want. You must drink up the first glass of wine. You can drink the rest slowly." Zhang Junping saw Xiao Xia's concerns and said to him with a smile, and then explained to Niu Qingkui and others.
Said: "Brother Niu, Brother Chen, Xiaoxia can't drink well, brothers and sisters, please be patient."
"Brother Xiaoxia, there is a limit to how much alcohol you can drink. Although we Northeasterners drink generously, we will not force people who don't know how to drink to drink.
Just do whatever you want!"
"Brother Xiaoxia, I really envy you for following a good leader." Jin Yanhua said with a sweet smile.
With the comfort of several people, Xiaoxia finally gave up the encouragement and drank the wine in one breath.
He choked and his face turned red.
On the other hand, it was Xiao Li who made everyone look at her, a delicate and frail girl, who drank a glass of wine without changing her expression.
Everyone at the table drank all the wine. Niu Qingkui was very happy and wanted to pour wine for Zhang Junping again.
"Brother Niu, don't be so troublesome. Let's each take a bottle and sweep the snow in front of our door." Zhang Junping suggested with a smile.
"Okay! Let's sweep the snow away from home!" Niu Qingkui's eyes brightened even more.
Northeastern people like this kind of bold drink, which makes it interesting to drink.
Fill the second glass of wine.
"Brother Zhang, this is our first time drinking. We welcome you to Hegang as a guest again."
"Thank you Brother Niu for your warm hospitality!"
"We brothers will have a drink first and then we can talk."
"OK!"
Zhang Junping raised his glass and clinked it with Niu Qingkui, then drank it all in one gulp.
"Okay! Brother Zhang is a good drinker!"
Everyone praised him one after another.
Niu Qingkui greeted Zhang Junping and took a few bites of the food before asking: "Brother Zhang, are you coming to Hegang this time for the unplanned coal?"
"Brother Niu is wise, I came here just for the unplanned coal!"
"What's so hard to guess? I came to Hegang this season just for the unplanned coal.
Besides, besides coal, we have nothing else in Hegang."
"Who says we in Hegang don't have anything else? The fungus, mushrooms, Hericium, pine nuts, and deer antlers in Hegang are all good things.
And the Hegang red grain aged wine we drank, isn’t it all good stuff?” Zhang Junping said with a smile.
"Do you want these things?"
"Yes, why not?
I'm ready. I'll settle the coal issue later and let Xiao Li Xiaoxia stay here for a month.
I specially collected some local specialties such as fungus, mushrooms, and Hericium, and brought them back to BJ.
These things are definitely in demand in BJ.”
"We know these things are in high demand, but the question is how do you transport them back?" Tian Jianjun said.
He is from a supply and marketing cooperative and has a relatively strong say in agricultural and sideline products.
"This is very simple! Brother Niu will help you deal with an unplanned batch of coking coal later. Can I transport it back with the coking coal?" Zhang Junping said with a smile.