latelenovela Chapter 1063 Bridge
Chapter 1063 Bridge
When the conversation turned to Pei Yihong's mention of the Duan Feng case and his intention to spearhead a special campaign to rectify Party discipline and conduct, Yu Huabei's expression immediately darkened.
"It's time for some serious reform!"
Some of our leading cadres, having just grasped a tiny bit of power, have already forgotten who they are!
What they were focused on was never the livelihoods of ordinary people, nor the overall development of the region.
Instead, he was thinking about how to make money and keep several women as mistresses.
"If you don't use your power, it will expire and become worthless." This is the mindset of some of our party members and cadres today.
Party discipline and national laws are nothing but empty words in their eyes! How can the officialdom be clean and upright if these parasites are not eliminated?
I think we not only need to rectify this, but we need to take strong measures and investigate thoroughly! We need to really wipe out these flies and parasites.
Just as Qi Tongwei was about to chime in with a few words, Madam Yu tapped the table and spoke first.
"Stop swearing and cursing! It's the New Year, can't you say something auspicious? Ever since Tongwei came in this afternoon, you haven't stopped cursing. I'm telling you, Lao Yu, are you ever going to stop? Can't we just not talk about work today and have a proper family reunion dinner?"
The two were taken aback by the sudden interruption, then exchanged a smile.
Yu Huabei waved his hand and repeatedly apologized: "Yes, yes, it's my fault, it's my fault. I was so focused on work that I didn't consider the comrades' simple wish for a peaceful New Year."
With a wave of his hand, he said cheerfully, "That concludes today's 'meeting.' The meeting is now adjourned!"
From now on, no one is allowed to mention work-related matters. Anyone who dares to violate this rule will be severely reprimanded!
Madam Yu glanced at him, her tone tinged with skepticism: "I only believe half of what you're saying."
In my opinion, within two sentences, you'll inevitably steer the conversation back to things like team building and livelihood projects.
Everyone laughed.
Yu Huabei laughed heartily, "I've served as the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission for several years, after all. I still have principles. Can't you trust me this time? Huh?"
“Alright, I’ll believe you for a while. But if you bring it up again, don’t blame me for criticizing you on behalf of the ‘organization’,” Mrs. Yu said.
"I promise, I promise." Yu Huabei was both amused and exasperated. After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about we play some bridge after dinner? It'll be a good way to relax after a year of hard work."
“I think it’s a good idea,” Mrs. Yu agreed.
Qi Tongwei hesitated for a moment, rubbing his hands together, and said, "Bridge... I... don't know how."
Bridge is not widely played among ordinary people, but it is very popular in official circles.
Firstly, it is favored by many elderly people, and secondly, it aligns with the principle of "forming a team and emphasizing cooperation," making it a common excuse for many cadres to build relationships.
However, this method of playing has a somewhat "insider" feel to it, and ordinary people rarely come into contact with it. Qi Tongwei comes from a farming family and has worked hard all the way up, so naturally he has never touched this kind of thing.
"Hey, what's so difficult about that?" Mrs. Yu waved her hand with a smile. "To put it simply, it's all about having a partner and working together. You're young and quick-witted, so you'll get the hang of it after a couple of rounds."
Yu Huabei chimed in, pointing at Yu Xiaoxiao with his chopsticks: "How about this, your aunt is a notorious troublemaker, you'll be paired with Xiaoxiao, and I'll be paired with your aunt two against two, that'll be fair."
Yu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow: "Mayor, are you up to the task?"
Qi Tongwei lacked confidence, saying, "I'll try my best not to lose too badly."
That's how we decided on our after-dinner entertainment.
The mahogany eight-immortal table in the living room was kept spotless, and the nanny set out bridge playing cards and score sheets.
Yu Xiaoxiao seemed to really enjoy playing bridge. After dinner, while Yu Huabei and his wife were resting with tea, she pulled Qi Tongwei aside and began an emergency training session: "When bidding, look at the points; when playing, look at your partner. If you don't know how to play, try to follow my lead."
This was the first time Qi Tongwei had seen Yu Xiaoxiao so serious, so he didn't dare to be careless and made the most of his time to study.
Yu Huabei smiled and said, "Bridge is about bidding strategy and teamwork, and it's much more complex than poker. You won't learn much just by listening. Come on, let's start practicing."
Yu Xiaoxiao and Qi Tongwei exchanged a glance, both guessing that Yu Huabei didn't want to give them a chance to breathe.
The game officially began.
As expected, Qi Tongwei, being new to the game, couldn't even grasp the basic bidding rules. He either bid recklessly, putting his team in a desperate situation, or he played his cards haphazardly, wasting Yu Xiaoxiao's trump cards several times.
After only two rounds, their scoresheet was completely red, a crushing defeat.
Yu Xiaoxiao frowned slightly, no longer addressing him as "Comrade Mayor," and with the air of a gambler who had lost badly, she began to criticize: "Junior Brother Qi, what kind of strategy is this? I just called out three spades, which was to imply that I had a strong hand, so why did you break up the Joker?"
Yu Huabei, watching from the other side, burst into laughter and teased, "Xiaoxiao, what's the rush? You, 'Junior Brother Qi,' are newbies; you need time to adapt."
Mrs. Yu chimed in, "That's right, Xiaoxiao, don't scare Tongwei."
Yu Xiaoxiao glared at Qi Tongwei, who looked completely innocent, then threw down her cards and said, "Again!"
Qi Tongwei was not discouraged and continued to learn, memorizing the strategies of each game.
He was quick-witted and adept at reading people and drawing inferences. After a few rounds, he gradually figured out the trick.
In the end, bridge is no different from the power struggles in officialdom. You have to be able to read the situation, cooperate effectively, know when to hide your weaknesses, and know when to exert your strength.
Soon, Qi Tongwei's playing style became more and more stable, and the pressure on Yu Huabei and his wife increased dramatically. They gradually went from dominating the game to narrowly winning.
Now it was the two veterans' turn to be unsettled.
"Not bad, Tongwei's skill level is getting higher and higher. Honey, you'd better work harder, or we'll lose to the two younger ones again." Yu Huabei forced a smile.
Madam Yu also started hitting him, and said impatiently, "I know, I know, mind your own business."
Another round of cards began. Qi Tongwei no longer blindly followed the cards, but listened to Yu Xiaoxiao's bidding signals first, and then judged the situation based on the cards in his hand.
When Yu Xiaoxiao called for "no general," he immediately understood and accurately delivered "ammunition"; when Yu Huabei played a diversionary card, he blocked it at just the right moment, helping Yu Xiaoxiao resolve crises several times.
The situation changed drastically, and Qi Tongwei and Yu Xiaoxiao began to gain the upper hand.
He has an exceptional memory, is very accurate at calculating cards, and plays cards decisively. He can often predict Yu Huabei and Madam Yu's card moves, and can even play unexpected cards by using Yu Xiaoxiao's gestures.
"Junior Qi, you're amazing! That was a brilliant card throw! We've got my dad, that old fox, figured out!"
Yu Xiaoxiao became more and more excited as the game progressed, her eyes sparkling, completely unlike her usual refined and elegant demeanor. She slapped the table and cheered every time she won a game.
Gambling is truly harmful; look what it's done to a beautiful, aloof woman.
Qi Tongwei sighed.
In the final game, Qi Tongwei secured the victory with a brilliant checkmate.
Yu Xiaoxiao was so excited she almost jumped out of her chair: "We won! We won! Haha!"
Yu Huabei looked at the cards on the table, shook his head with a smile, and pointed at Qi Tongwei, saying, "You kid, you're really good material. You pick things up right away. It's a real pity you're not going into strategy with that kind of comprehension."
Qi Tongwei wiped the sweat from his forehead as if he had won a hard-fought victory, saying, "It's all thanks to 'Senior Sister Yu's' excellent command that we achieved this victory."