After the troop review, foreigners were increasingly in control of eastern Shandong, and there was a lot of friction. Although the negotiations between China and foreign countries were relatively peaceful, when the delegation arrived, the foreign governor sent troops to welcome them with high standards. Therefore, after taking office, they had the translator write a letter to the governor to arrange a visit after the review.
On that day, after finishing breakfast, the delegation, accompanied by aide Liang Shichang (from Guangdong, Tongzhi) and translator Mr. Lin (from Fujian, Zhixian), went to visit the governor. Once they'd presented their cards at the governor's mansion, the governor personally came out to greet them, being very polite. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the governor brought out drinks and sweets to entertain them. After bidding farewell, the governor visited them in return, and both sides were very enthusiastic.
After the governor left, the local magistrate instructed the officials to prepare a banquet to entertain the foreigners the next day. The officials thought that entertaining their superiors was easy, but they had no experience in hosting foreigners for a meal. They knew foreigners ate Western food, and although they had been to Shanghai's grand restaurants a few times and knew the dishes were not a problem, they did not understand Western dining etiquette and were afraid of embarrassing themselves. So, they consulted with Mr. Ding. Mr. Ding suggested asking Mr. Lin, the translator who came with the delegation.
The officials found Mr. Lin and explained their intentions, but to their surprise, he was unhelpful, saying it was easy but not providing specific instructions on what to do, and he hemmed and hawed, finally saying, "I will take care of it temporarily." So, having no other option, the officials went to find Mr. Ding. Mr. Ding had a wide network and found a Guangdong friend who worked as a translator in a foreign government office. He learned about Western dining etiquette, including seating arrangements, the order of serving dishes, and so on.
Ding Shiyé filled San Hebao in on the situation. San Hebao was thrilled and immediately got the translator in to discuss things. The translator was asked to write a menu, which included: Clear Beef Soup, Grilled Shad Fish, Ice Silkworm (a dish made from silkworm larvae), Dingwan Lamb, Hanbad (a specific dish), Beef Steak, Frozen Pig's Feet, Orange Ice Cream, Australian Cui Wujī (a type of chicken), Turtle Asparagus, Lettuce Ham, Cali Egg Rice, White Wave Pudding, Bingé (a drink), Spicy Pig Ice Cream, Raisins, Bananas, and Coffee; Drinks included: Brandy, Whiskey, Red Wine, Bud (a specific drink), Champagne, as well as plain water and mineral water.
San Hebao praised the menu repeatedly but was worried that Fuyuan Daren might avoid beef. He suggested changing the Clear Beef Soup to Swallow's Nest and Pigeon Egg Soup – fancy and just what Fuyuan Daren would like. The translator also suggested changing the beef steak to pork steak. San Hebao said, "Foreigners eat beef, so we must have some prepared. Let's have more pork steak ready, so those who don't eat beef can have pork steak instead, how about that?" The translator agreed. San Hebao got Ding Shiyé to knock up a dozen or so menus.
Early the next morning, San Hebao, dressed in new clothes, personally oversaw the banquet setup, making sure everything was just right. A total of three foreign officials, four foreign businessmen, two foreign translators, Fuyuan, Hong Daren (Military Affairs Department), Liang Laoye (Foreign Office liaison), Lin Laoye (Translator), and San Hebao were invited, totaling fourteen people. San Hebao had Ding Shiyé write seat signs and asked the translator to help confirm the seating arrangement, with English names also written for the foreign guests. Everything was in place – decorations, flowers, the works – and the kitchen was ready to roll.
San Hebao asked again if the drinks had arrived, and the butler said yes. San Hebao asked to open the wine bottle and even opened a few bottles of soda water as backup to prevent any last-minute scrambling. The translator said that once opened, the drinks will lose their fizz, so it's best to open them just before serving. San Hebao declared, "I'm half the host today, so let's do this properly!" The translator pointed out that Western hosts often serve the dishes themselves. So, San Hebao took the hint, got the kitchen to prepare extra dishes, served them himself, and had the butlers put on their best clothes to act as waiters.
All preparations are ready, and it's already noon. Foreigners are always punctual, no need to rush. At around eleven o'clock, Mr. Hong, Mr. Liang, and Mr. Lin, brought by the host, were all dressed neatly and came to help. San Hebao had Ding Shiyé accompany the translator to eat in the dining room to coordinate various matters. After another half an hour, the foreigners arrived one after another. The host personally welcomed them, shook hands, took off their hats, and arranged for the guests to be seated. After making small talk, the translator relayed the messages. When all the guests arrived, the host invited everyone to take their seats. Everyone found their seats according to the place cards without any refusal. A soup was served first, and everyone drank it. The host raised a toast, saying a few words about the friendly cooperation between the two countries, which the translator interpreted to the foreigners. The chief foreign official on the other side also replied a few words, which the translator conveyed back to the host, who expressed his thanks. Everyone raised their glasses and drank together. They chatted while eating and unconsciously had seven or eight dishes. Later, as more dishes were served, San Hebao helped host by distributing the dishes to everyone. Somehow, he couldn't hold a spoon and a knife steady, dropping a piece of food on himself and staining his new pale blue coat. He was so anxious that he accidentally knocked over a glass of champagne. Fortunately, the table was covered with a white tablecloth, which absorbed the wine and didn't spill elsewhere. Even more fortunately, the table was long and large, with the host sitting at one end and San Hebao sitting at the other end, far apart, so the host didn't see it, which was truly fortunate. But he was already so anxious that his face turned red. Probably over half an hour later, all the dishes were served. The stewards brought mouthwash in glass bowls. Mr. Hong, from the military affairs office, was from a military camp and didn't understand the rules of eating large dishes. He thought it was some kind of foreign liqueur and took a sip, saying, "I just drank some foreign liqueur, one sweet, one salty; this bowl seems plain, but it's not as good as the other two." No one paid attention to him when he drank; only the foreigners laughed at him. Later, when they heard him say this, they realized he had drunk mouthwash. The translator, Mr. Lin, quietly pulled his sleeve and said, "This is mouthwash; you can't drink it." Mr. Hong was still not convinced, saying, "If it's not drinking water, why use such a nice bowl?" Everyone knew he was a bit confused and didn't argue with him. Later, when the fruits were served, everyone peeled their own, so he had to do it himself. Halfway through, he accidentally cut off a large piece of his finger skin, causing blood to spill everywhere. He hurriedly washed his hand in the water bowl, turning half of the water red. Everyone was surprised and asked what happened, but he was too embarrassed to admit it and quietly cursed the staff for not properly preparing the fruit. The stewards didn't dare to speak up. San Hebao also looked very embarrassed. After finishing the coffee, guests started to leave one by one. The host saw them off, and everyone left the table. Ding Shiyé supervised the cleaning up.
There was a big shot who said, "Those who can hold the position of the governor are important figures, whether they are Chinese or foreigners, and they follow the rules to the letter. Only those with this ability can take on the role of governor. Look at Lord Hong—one minute he’s gargling, the next he’s slicing his finger—typical. You get what you pay for. Our master practiced all morning and dirtied his clothes. If he hadn’t practiced, who knows what trouble would have arisen!" The big shot was speaking enthusiastically when a third-class servant brought by the governor, who handled official documents, interjected, "Hold on a second, you think Lord Fu doesn’t practice? You probably haven’t even seen it!" The big shot replied, "If you’ve seen it, then tell us." The servant said, "I can’t see the old master practicing; I heard it from Old Bao. Old Bao said: 'Last night, the master asked Mr. Lin to come up and talked for a long time. Mr. Lin demonstrated for the master, and the master practiced until midnight.' Old Bao was also there helping out with the serving, and they were busy until past four in the morning before resting. There’s nothing in the world you can learn without practicing." The big shot wanted to say more but was urged by Teacher Ding to pack up and couldn’t continue. Later, those foreign dignitaries invited the governor to banquets, and they ate for three consecutive days before it ended.
During these days, the governor became acquainted with several foreigners. Discussing the prosperity of the country, the foreigners advised him to get into business. The governor thought it made sense and earnestly sought advice from them. After returning to the provincial capital, several aspiring officials submitted memorials discussing the ways of doing business, and the governor accepted them all. One of the candidates for the position of Tong Pan was the nephew of the head of the modernization office, named Tao, with the courtesy name Tao Hua and the style name Zi Yao. His uncle got him a job as a clerk at the modernization office.
Tao Ziyao saw his brother-in-law returning from the governor's yamen, always saying that the Governor has been paying special attention to commerce recently. He personally reviews all the memorials submitted, and several junior officials have benefited from this. He thought to himself, "I work as a clerk in the Westernization Bureau, earning only twenty-four taels of silver a month. I can never expect to be promoted in my lifetime. Now that the opportunity has come, I will try submitting a memorial like them; maybe I can benefit from it. Even if I write poorly, as a candidate, there’s no loss." With his decision made, he opened his bookcase and found the books "A Treatise on Commerce" and "Current Affairs Commentary" that he bought when he took the imperial examination last year. He first flipped through the table of contents for a while to see if there were any suitable passages to copy, so he wouldn't have to write them himself.
He actually found a piece that was copied from the schoolwork, titled "Rectifying Commercial Strategy." He took a look, wow, over five thousand words, clear and organized, directly containing the content of twelve memorials. He was so happy he couldn't close his mouth. He roughly browsed through it, understanding some parts and not others. There were also several foreign names on it, and he didn't know which country they were from. He mused, "If I copy directly, and the Governor asks about these foreigners, I won't be able to explain their origins clearly, and I'll be exposed." He considered removing the names of those foreigners, thinking it might make him look like he doesn't have deep knowledge. After pondering for a while, he concluded, "Anyway, the Governor doesn't understand either. I can just wing it. If asked, I'll say they are from England or France; it’s not like they can verify it." With his decision made, he was quite clever, knowing the rules of officialdom. He made slight changes to the beginning and end and added two lines. He first wrote a draft, claiming it was his own work. Then he went to find his brother-in-law to give it a once-over.
Although my brother-in-law works at the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, he doesn't know much about writing. When he heard his nephew say he wanted to submit a petition, he solemnly put on his reading glasses, sized up his nephew, and said, "I didn't expect you to have this skill! However, that high-ranking official is a sharp guy, and when the petition is submitted, it will have to be reviewed by several old-timers. If there are any mistakes, they'll just shoot it down. So, submitting a petition is a tough nut to crack; without real skills, you're asking for trouble. If you make a mistake, it's better to keep it under wraps." It was clear he looked down on his nephew. Tao Ziyao said, "I don't know if it's written well, so I brought it to show you, my BIL." His brother-in-law ignored him and read it line by line. When he encountered characters he didn't recognize, he just glossed over them. After reading the petition, he barely understood half of it. Seeing his nephew still sitting across from him, he felt obliged to offer some criticism. After a pause, he said, "Bro, you are indeed knowledgeable. But a petition must be truthful. Although your writing is good, there’s too much hot air in it, which may not satisfy them when they read it. Although I'm not as talented as you, I have more experience in the officialdom." Tao Ziyao hurriedly explained, "The examples cited in this petition are all from foreign countries; they're not just fluff." His brother-in-law said, "Yes, foreigners have never been to China; how do they know about the situation here?" Tao Ziyao replied, "I'm not saying that foreigners understand China; I'm saying that what they do is indeed effective, and we should learn from them." His brother-in-law said, "I don't have time to argue with you. In any case, submitting a petition is not child's play. If you really want to go through with it, you have to think carefully. I know several veterans in the court. If you write it well, I'll show it to them first. If they say it's okay, then submit it to avoid running into trouble, right?" Tao Ziyao felt very uncomfortable after hearing this. He took the draft, exchanged a few polite words, and left, returning to his study. He thought to himself, "If I discuss this with him and ask him to submit it on my behalf, it definitely won't work. I'd better write it myself and submit it early tomorrow morning. 'It's all or nothing,' anyway, it has nothing to do with him."
I decided to draft a formal proposal carefully that same evening. The next morning, while my brother-in-law had not yet finished his shift, I dressed neatly, took the proposal, did not take a sedan chair or bring anyone, and went straight to the yamen. I heard that the new rule set by the provincial governor was that anyone submitting a proposal had to first register with the constable there. A constable was specifically assigned to handle this, and if deemed appropriate, they'd be summoned immediately. Therefore, all those submitting proposals were received by this constable. When I arrived, the constable asked about my intentions (because the provincial governor had ordered not to be negligent), and immediately let me in, offered me tea and a smoke, then took my proposal and submitted it. At that time, the provincial governor was talking to the head of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, and when he saw my proposal, he was very satisfied. Seeing that the proposal was written by a member of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, he said to my brother-in-law, "This Mr. Tao is a member of your bureau. His proposal is well-reasoned, unlike those full of empty words. I think your brother has also seen it." When my brother-in-law heard that it was his nephew's proposal, he was visibly agitated, and even complained that he did not listen to him and did things behind his back. Later, hearing the provincial governor's praise, he immediately smiled and quickly changed his attitude, saying, "Mr. Tao is a relative of the yamen. He was promoted by the provincial governor and has been working in the bureau since February this year. His writing skills are competent." The provincial governor said, "Not just competent, but very good. In his proposals, there are several points that address the key issues and are very feasible." Saying that, he asked the constable, "Has this person arrived?" The constable replied, "He's waiting outside." The provincial governor had him brought in. In no time, I went in. I bowed to the provincial governor and greeted him. The provincial governor asked me to sit down. I saw my brother-in-law there, his face red and quite embarrassed. And because my brother-in-law was a leader in the bureau, I didn't want to take his seat, so I insisted on letting him sit at the head. My brother-in-law said, "The provincial governor told you to sit, so sit." Then I sat down. Tea was brought in. At this point, the provincial governor was very impressed with me and said, "Most of your proposals can be implemented. For example, oil extraction and paper production have low costs but yield good profits. However, these machines have to be bought from abroad. The machines you mentioned in your proposals, in my opinion, buy one of each and bring them back to test." I quickly replied, "To buy machines, you have to go to Ruiji & Co. and Xinyi & Co. in Shanghai. I have friends there, and I have good relationships with them. As long as I ask them to have contracts with foreigners signed and sealed, go abroad, it won't take three to five months to come back." The provincial governor said, "Very good." With that, after chatting casually for a few more minutes, he and my brother-in-law left together and returned to the Bureau of Foreign Affairs.
His brother-in-law saw that the magistrate's office praised me so much, so he didn't blame me for hiding it from him. He even invited me to dinner at his house. When I arrived at his house, his brother-in-law told his sister about the whole thing. His sister was thrilled and said to her husband, "As his brother-in-law, you should help him out with the magistrate. Give him the job of buying the machines; he'll do a great job. If he benefits, he won't forget his brother-in-law." His brother-in-law said, "We're family, no need for formalities, it's the least I can do." After dinner, I returned to the office.
The next day, his brother-in-law went to the yamen, and the magistrate's office told him about sending me to Shanghai. He once again praised me. Back at the office, the order for me to buy the machines had arrived: "First, get 20,000 taels from the Relief Bureau. If you need more, wire me after you've worked out the price." When my brother-in-law and I received this document, we were naturally happy. That day, his brother-in-law asked me to move my luggage to his house and said, "We can catch up before you head off." The office work was taken care of.
The next day, I went to the government office to express my gratitude and was summoned by the provincial governor again. I drank a lot and was feeling great. I returned to my brother-in-law's house to pack my things, then went around to say goodbye to my colleagues at various offices. There were farewell banquets everywhere, and I couldn't keep track of them all. Meanwhile, several old colleagues from the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, knowing I had been appointed this time and would likely hit the jackpot, set up a table at Baotu Spring to see me off, scheduled for noon. However, we waited and waited until sunset—probably around five o'clock—everyone was getting anxious, and finally saw me arriving in a sedan chair from my brother-in-law's house, completely plastered. Everyone hurried to greet me and offer tea. I spoke first, saying, "Sorry I'm late, guys. My brother-in-law had a big lunch with some important officials, and I had to join them. We only wrapped up just now, so thanks for waiting!" Everyone chimed in, "It's still early." Once the food was served, I naturally took the head of the table, with others accompanying. After we'd eaten half the food and had a few drinks, everyone came to toast, saying, "With a brother-in-law like that, you'll be set once that machinery arrives. You're gonna go places!" I listened, feeling pleased. I proudly said, "Need I say more! I'm not bragging, in Shandong, outside of the governor, nobody knows this stuff like I do." A colleague across from me said, "Our boss is also knowledgeable in this area." I snorted and replied, "It's not that simple. My brother-in-law has been running the Bureau of Foreign Affairs for so many years, and he only knows the word 'foreigners.' Ask him which countries these foreigners are from and see if he can answer! Although I haven't done much negotiating, I can at least name a few countries." Everyone said, "When you come back from Shanghai, the boss's spot in the Bureau of Foreign Affairs will probably be handed over to you." I said, "It's hard to say." After the party, I headed home.
Early the next morning, Tao Ziyao's brother-in-law was particularly enthusiastic towards him, bustling about here and there. You see, Tao Ziyao was a frugal man who never concerned himself with household matters, so his brother-in-law's actions were totally out of character. He even sent his steward, Zhang Sheng, to accompany Tao Ziyao. After bidding farewell to his brother-in-law and sister, Tao Ziyao, along with steward Zhang Sheng, traveled through Dong Sanfu to Weixian to catch a train to Qingdao. Luckily, a ship was just leaving, so he bought a ticket and boarded. After the ship set sail, a strong wind suddenly blew, the seas were rough, and the ship rocked violently. Tao Ziyao always got seasick, so as soon as he got on the ship, he was stuck in his bunk, too sick to move. His steward Zhang Sheng, being from the north, had never been on a boat and felt awful. The wind blew for two days and nights without stopping, and they were both too exhausted to move for two days and nights. When Tao Ziyao boarded the ship, someone helped him write a letter and gave it to a ship's clerk named Liu Zhanguang. After boarding, the two men got to know each other, and Tao Ziyao acted all high and mighty. Liu Zhanguang figured he must be a big shot from Shandong, so he tried to please him, calling him "Mr. Tao" repeatedly. Tao Ziyao was extremely pleased. At first, he wanted a room, but there were no vacant rooms on the ship, so Liu Zhanguang gave up his own room for him to stay in. He also had meals served separately for him, and even shared his best food with him. When his steward fainted during the storm, Liu Zhanguang had someone bring tea for him and would look in on him from time to time. Tao Ziyao was very grateful to him. When they arrived in Shanghai and the wind stopped, the ship stabilized, and both he and his steward no longer felt seasick. Being an official and wanting good luck, Tao Ziyao checked into the Gaosheng Inn on Chessboard Street. The inn staff called a yellow cab to take away their luggage, and he and his steward hired another pulled rickshaw to follow. Upon arriving at the inn, they had tea, washed their faces, and ate. After two days of rough seas, he was beat, so he crashed for a while.
When Tao Ziyao woke up, it was already dark outside. He saw an invitation delivered by the tea house. Tao Ziyao opened it and read: "Mr. Tao Ziyao of the Gao Sheng Inn on Qipan Street is cordially invited to The Number One Fragrance Restaurant, across from the old patrol house on Si Ma Road, for a drink. Hope you can make it! This is a safe invitation." It was signed by "Zhan Guangyue," and next to it were the words: "Arrived today from Yantai, Shandong, to respectfully request your presence." Tao Ziyao knew immediately that it was Liu Zhan Guangyue, the accountant on the ship, who had invited him. While reading the invitation, he asked the steward to wipe his hands with a towel and change into a light blue, long-sleeved jacket. Even though it was August and still hot, he brought a fan with him. He instructed the steward to bring his smoking pipe and passport and followed behind him. Not knowing the way, he hired two rickshaws to go to The Number One Fragrance Restaurant. The Gao Sheng Inn wasn't far from the restaurant, but the rickshaw drivers, hoping for a bigger fare, took a circuitous route.
They got out of the car, paid up, and checked into their room. Liu Zhanguang immediately got up to greet them, bowed, and sat down. Seven or eight guys were already there. Some had crew cuts, others sported flowers in their lapels, and some smelled like a perfume factory exploded. They were all decked out in silk and satin – a couple looked a little rumpled, but even they were dressed up more than Tao Ziyao. Tao Ziyao was new to Shanghai, and before leaving, his brother-in-law had advised him, "Shanghai's no picnic, and this is your first rodeo. Don't get into trouble! Money's one thing, but your reputation's everything!" Determined to do well as an official, Tao Ziyao kept these words in mind and decided not to attend any gatherings or hire call girls in Shanghai to avoid trouble. When they arrived at Yipinxiang, after meeting the host, he bowed to the others. Some people stood up to return the gesture, while others remained seated. Liu Zhanguang introduced their identities one by one; all of them were compradors and translators. Later, another person arrived and sat down next to Tao Ziyao. This person had a small mustache and was around forty years old. "What's your name?" the person said, "My surname is Wei, given name Pianren." He stayed at the Gaosheng Inn. Liu Zhanguang introduced him to everyone, saying, "This is Mr. Tao, sent from the Shandong Provincial Office to handle the machinery. He's a big shot back in Shandong, and I've always looked up to him." Upon hearing this, everyone respected him greatly. There was a comprador named Qiu Wuke who made military machinery and was eager to do business, so he buttered Tao Ziyao up. Wei Pianren chatted with Tao Ziyao. Later, when the host asked him to order dishes, he said he didn't know how, so Wei Pianren helped him order six dishes. Everyone wanted to order some girls, and Liu Zhanguang asked Wei Pianren to help, but Tao Ziyao firmly refused, saying, "Hey, guys, I don't do that kinda thing, so let's skip it." Everyone insisted that he call, but he refused. When his face went red, they backed off. Afterwards, the hostesses arrived one by one; some could sing, some couldn't. But Wei Pianren's girl was a knockout; she was all over him, whispering sweet nothings. People at the table said, "Looks like Lao San and Old Wei are thick as thieves!" Lao San glanced at them, ignored them, and continued talking. Tao Ziyao sat on the side, pretending not to see. Pretty soon, things got wild – lots of booze, beautiful women, the whole nine yards.
Qiu Wuke tried hard to invite Tao Ziyao to join us. Taking advantage of the chaos, he quietly instructed his friend to quickly go back and prepare a private room for two. His friend agreed, quickly grabbed two packs of cigarettes, and headed downstairs with Qiu Wuke. Qiu Wuke walked up to Liu Zhanguang and asked him to help invite Mr. Tao to drink. Liu Zhanguang immediately went to speak to him. Tao Ziyao declined several times. Liu Zhanguang said, "Mr. Tao, you don't like to join in the fun, and we don't want to pressure you. Just sit for a while, taste some snacks, and do us a favor." Wei Pianren also helped out, "My buddy Wuke really values his friends. We specially invited you today, the banquet is all arranged, you must come!" He then said to Qiu Wuke, "Brother Wuke, you go ahead and tell them to get the banquet started. We'll keep Mr. Tao company for a bit and then come over." Qiu Wuke said, "Thanks," put on his horse coat, bid farewell to everyone, and left. Dinner was served. After coffee, the bill arrived. The host paid, and then everyone headed to Qiu Wuke's friend's place for drinks. Tao Ziyao was initially unwilling, but was eventually persuaded by Liu Zhanguang and Wei Pianren. They left the Yipinxiang restaurant and headed west. Wei Pianren introduced the sights, saying, "This street is called Simalu, the liveliest place in Shanghai." Then he pointed to one place after another on the roadside, introducing, "This is the theater, that is the teahouse..." and so on. Tao Ziyao had been in the outside world for so many years and had heard of the liveliness of Simalu. Today, seeing it with his own eyes, it was indeed a continuous stream of singing and dancing, with lights on all night. He was completely blown away by the experience.
Wei Pianren is very clever and can see through Tao Ziyao's thoughts at a glance. Moreover, they had just hit it off at the banquet earlier, so Wei advised him along the way, saying, "Mr. Tao, as the ancients said, 'High-minded people can be selective, but you need to play the game.' You don't like to join in the fun and don't drink, which is commendable. But if you want to get ahead in this town, that won't do—it's easy to get taken advantage of." Tao Ziyao was very surprised and had to ask for clarification. Wei Pianren said, "Brother, I'm not necessarily trying to drag you down. But in Shanghai's business, pretty much all of it is related to those social occasions. Look at those officials; which one doesn't drink and socialize?" Tao Ziyao said, "You're talking about business; why are you bringing up officialdom?" Wei Pianren said, "Don't find it strange. Take you, Mr. Tao; who doesn't know that you were sent by the Shandong Governor's Office? You clearly are an official, but in reality, you are doing machinery business. Please tell me, all kinds of machinery—aren't they all business? To do machinery business, you have to deal with foreign firms. Among these foreign firms, which foreigner doesn't drink? When they invite you, half of it is out of friendship, and half is to do business; when you invite them, it's to grease the wheels, negotiate prices, and set deadlines in front of foreigners. As long as the relationship is right, everything will go smoothly, saving money and time—it's a win-win." Tao Ziyao said, "So, you're saying I need to schmooze?" Wei Pianren said, "Of course. If you don't socialize, how can you invite friends to dinner?"
