As Huang Qiuyun spoke, her words resonated with the others in the group. They found themselves subconsciously agreeing with her perspective, realizing that voicing theirints to Jacob would likely be futile. This collective understanding extinguished any remaining hope they had.


    With a shared consensus reached, the mood within the group quickly intensified. Laughter and joy filled the air as everyone raised their sses in toasts and drank heartily.<fn463b> ?????? ???? FιndＮovel</fn463b>


    President Pei, known for his impressive alcohol tolerance, chose to exercise restraint that evening. He intentionally moderated his drinking. Later on, he pretended to reach his limit,ying his head on the table for a moment before rubbing his temples as if a headache had struck. His wife fell for the ruse, pouring him warm water and gently patting his back with evident concern.


    Noticing President Pei’s apparent inebriation, the group paused their toasts to him. Instead, they decided to wrap up the drinking party early, citing his unwellness as the reason.


    Everyone helped escort the seemingly drunk President Pei outside, settling him into the passenger seat of the car. They watched as his wife drove away before returning to their own homes.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Once the car had traveled a few hundred meters, President Pei, previously slumped in his seat, straightened up and instructed Huang Qiuyun, “Wife, turn right up ahead.”


    Huang Qiuyun was taken aback by his suddenmand, responding with surprise, “Old Pei, didn’t you drink too much?”


    “Not really,” President Pei replied. “That’s not my limit. If I’m going to drink more, I’d need at least half a catty of Moutai.”


    Huang Qiuyun shook her head in resignation. “Everyone at the table is your subordinate. Is there really a need to hide your capacity? If you don’t want to drink, just say so. Who could force you?”


    President Pei replied, “Oh, you don’t quite understand. I need to show that I can get along well with them. I can’t act too much like a leader. If they’re drinking, I should join them; otherwise, they won’t see me as approachable, and they won’t truly consider me a big brother.”


    As they neared the intersection, he added, “Quick, turn right and head to Tomson Yipin. I need to speak with Jacob.”


    Huang Qiuyun suddenly understood. As she turned right, she inquired, “You’re keeping this to yourself; you really n to see Jacob?”


    “Yes,” President Pei sighed, feeling downcast. “I can only imagine how much he resents me right now. Since we’ll be seeing each other daily in the future, I need to ease our rtionship. Now that he’s no longer director, I want to speak to him directly to show my sincerity.”


    Huang Qiuyun quickly asked, “Are we going to visit him at home? It wouldn’t be right to go empty-handed, especially since he hasn’t prepared anything.”


    President Pei responded, “It’s toote to prepare anything at this hour. Plus, it wouldn’t be appropriate to show up at someone’s home right after drinking. When we get to Tomson Yipin, I’ll call Jacob and invite him out to talk, apologize, and discuss today’s developments. I’ll also ask him to report back to the association first thing tomorrow.”


    Huang Qiuyun probed once more, “Do you think he’ll be able to forgive you?”


    President Pei waved his hand dismissively. “Forgiveness isn’t likely in situations like this. All I can do is make an effort to make amends, which should offer some small relief. He may still harbor resentment, but I believe that my sincerity will help improve things over time.”


    At this point, President Pei sighed deeply, expressing his concern, “If I can’t win Jacob over, I might end up stuck at the Calligraphy and Painting Association until retirement. With daily encounters ahead, I must find a way to mend this rtionship.”