In the courtyard, everyone is afraid of the little boy who is so smart!

There were only a few dim street lights in front of the supply and marketing cooperative, emitting faint light, illuminating the figures of pedestrians hurriedly leaving.

"Look, it's already dark outside, and most people in the supply and marketing cooperative have left. It's about to close, and you're still hanging around here talking."

As He Yushui spoke, he stamped his feet lightly, as if to emphasize the urgency of time.

Na Cuiping was marking the key points on the cargo list with her head down. When she heard He Yushui's words, she suddenly raised her head, her eyes wide open, full of shock.

The pen in her hand fell on the table with a "click". She subconsciously raised her hand to cover her mouth and exclaimed:

"Ah, really?"

Then she quickly looked around. The lights in the office seemed particularly dazzling at the moment, forming a sharp contrast with the darkness outside the window.

Her eyes swept across the slightly tired but still focused faces of Wang Jianguo and Cheng Hai, and then fell on the clock hanging on the wall. The hour hand had quietly pointed to the time for dinner. Only then did she slap her forehead belatedly:

"Oh, I was so busy working that I didn't notice how fast time went by. Have you guys eaten yet?"

Annoyance and self-blame instantly appeared on Cuiping's face. She stood up, walked quickly to the three people, waved her hands repeatedly, and her tone was full of apology:

"How rude! How can we do this? Come on, let's put our work aside and go eat. It's New Year's Day, we can't work on an empty stomach."

As she spoke, she had already walked towards the door, looking back from time to time to urge others, her steps hurried, obviously trying to make up for the negligence.

When Wang Jianguo heard Cuiping's suggestion, a relieved smile appeared on his face. He knew in his heart that everyone was indeed hungry at the moment and urgently needed to replenish energy, so he did not refuse at all.

He neatly organized the documents in his hands and flattened them with the paperweight on the table to prevent them from being blown around by the wind.

Then he patted Cheng Hai's shoulder gently, and their eyes conveyed the message "It's time to eat".

Cheng Hai understood what he meant and immediately put down the pen and stood up with Wang Jianguo.

The two of them moved in unison, like a well-trained pair. They shook off the wrinkled corners of their clothes and followed Cuiping's footsteps towards the door.

He Yushui stood aside, watching the busy crowd, with anticipation glittering in her eyes.

She had been looking forward to this meal for a long time. After all, she had been walking around for the whole afternoon and was exhausted. Her stomach was also rumbling.

Seeing that everyone was about to leave, she hurriedly reorganized the bags she had purchased to make sure nothing was left behind.

Then he excitedly joined the team, skipping and jumping, and from time to time shared some interesting stories about his afternoon shopping with Wang Jianguo next to him, making the solemn working atmosphere instantly become relaxed and pleasant.

Na Cuiping walked steadily in front, like a navigator.

She walked through the corridor of the supply and marketing cooperative with familiarity, passing by closed and locked offices, her steps light but with an unquestionable certainty.

Every time she reached a corner, she would slow down, turn slightly, and stretch out her hand to signal the people behind her to pay attention to their steps, showing her meticulousness and thoughtfulness.

As she walked out of the supply and marketing cooperative, the cold wind blew in her face. She subconsciously wrapped her cotton coat tightly and quickened her pace.

The group followed her and strode towards the brightly lit state-owned hotel, their laughter and joy drifting into the night.

When the group finally arrived at the entrance of the state-owned hotel, Cheng Hai paused involuntarily.

He looked up at the magnificent building in front of him, his eyes passing over the tall, bright glass door of the hotel. The exquisite metal frame on the door was shining brightly under the light.

Looking at the receptionist standing at the door in a neat uniform, his every move exuded professionalism and solemnity. Cheng Hai's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

After hesitating for a long time, he reached out his hand, gently tugged at the corner of Wang Jianguo's clothes who was walking next to him, and slightly turned sideways.

He leaned close to Wang Jianguo's ear and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear:

"Jianguo, are we really going to eat here today?"

As he spoke, he glanced towards the interior of the hotel again, and saw that the spacious hall was brightly lit. Gorgeous chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

The shiny marble floor is bright and reflects the figures of people walking around; the dining table is covered with a white tablecloth and decorated with exquisite tableware. Everything seems so high-end and yet so out of reach.

Cheng Hai swallowed his saliva and continued with a worried look on his face:

"Look at this place. It doesn't look cheap. This meal is going to cost a lot, right?"

As he spoke, he unconsciously touched his pocket, as if he could feel the dryness of his wallet through the fabric.

"How about we go to a smaller place to eat? It's more affordable and we can eat comfortably."

Cheng Hai's voice was full of simplicity and uneasiness. He really felt that spending money in such a high-end place was a bit of a luxury.

He was afraid of adding financial burden to Wang Jianguo, and he was also worried that he was short of money and could not afford the meal.

In his eyes, the important thing about eating is to fill the stomach and maintain relationships; there is no need to pay attention to the pomp and ceremony.

Wang Jianguo noticed Cheng Hai's embarrassment, and raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a comforting smile. He slowly raised his hand, patted Cheng Hai's shoulder heavily, and said cheerfully:

"Brother Cheng Hai, I see that this is your first time in a state-owned restaurant, right?"

As he spoke, he looked at Cheng Hai gently, his eyes full of understanding and tolerance, as if he had already seen through Cheng Hai's concerns.

"Don't panic, eating here is not as scary as you think."

Wang Jianguo leaned slightly towards Cheng Hai, his voice low and reassuring.

"Just put your mind at ease and relax. You'll know what's going on when you get in."

After listening to Wang Jianguo's caring words, Cheng Hai's frown relaxed a little, but there was still a look of doubt on his face.

He thought to himself, this state-owned restaurant looks so luxurious and high-end, how can the consumption not be worrying? But seeing Wang Jianguo's determination, he was embarrassed to object.

After hesitating for a long time, he pursed his lips, nodded silently, and decided to follow the arrangements.

Therefore, Cheng Hai could only suppress his uneasiness and follow the team quietly.

Along the way, he kept looking around, watching the people coming in and out of the hotel. Those people were well-dressed and calm, which made him look even more restrained.

But at this moment, the arrow was on the string, and he couldn't say anything more. He could only bite the bullet and walk into the door of the state-owned hotel with everyone else, feeling a little nervous about the unknown.