Power and Wealth

"Don't say that. Keep it for yourself to enjoy. If I get addicted to it and have nothing to drink later, it would be a shame," Yin Cheng'an joked.

Seeing him decline, Dong Xuebing didn't say anything more. Even half an ounce of this tea was worth more than a thousand RMB. Everyone was from the Discipline Inspection Commission, and even more so, from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. They had to be more cautious than other officials in their daily lives. Dong Xuebing understood this, so he didn't insist.

Knowing how precious the tea was, everyone drank it more carefully. Each person tasted it with a severe expression and nodded in approval.

Dong Xuebing didn't mind drinking it. Firstly, he didn't take this tea seriously. It was harder for others to obtain but easier for him. He could always visit Senior Xie's house to get more if he ran out. Secondly, Dong Xuebing didn't understand tea. He couldn't tell the difference between Longjing and Maofeng. They all tasted the same to him. He didn't understand the value of Dahongpao. To him, this Dahongpao cost thousands of RMB per ounce and was no different from Coca-Cola. It was just for quenching thirst. He usually didn't drink it at home except to entertain guests.

A pot of tea was quickly finished. They could have continued drinking. Dong Xuebing usually drank tea like this at home. He didn't care about the rule that a teapot could only be brewed three times. Sometimes, he was too lazy to move or wait, so he brewed a cup of black tea and drank it all day. If guests came, he would take care to follow proper etiquette and replace the tea leaves, but he wouldn't mind pouring it out. He would add some more Dahongpao and wait.

Han Fei, having drunk a little alcohol, became more talkative. She exclaimed, "Director Dong, I calculated it. I estimate I've consumed tens of thousands in just a few hours at your house. I've never eaten such a luxurious meal before. We only spent a few thousand when we went to the Front Gate Restaurant. The four of us spent a few thousand together. If we count the six or seven of us today, we've easily spent hundreds of thousands."

Everyone was speechless when they heard this.

Indeed, it was true. Not to mention the Dahongpao, which had several bottles of wine and several decades-old Maotai worth over a hundred thousand RMB. When you added it all up, it was indeed hundreds of thousands.

Dong Xuebing interjected, "It's okay. It's not my money anyway. It's all from relatives and friends. I can't drink or eat it all by myself. Come often in the future."

Yin Cheng'an chuckled and said, "Once is enough. Just a sip of this tea costs thousands, and a cup of this wine costs thousands. I also drank nervously. But as they say, you get what you pay for. The taste is different. It's too enjoyable."

At this point, He Zhou felt for his cigarette case, but it was empty.

Both Dong Xuebing and Zhang Dongliang's cigarette cases were also empty. They had smoked quite a bit while drinking and chatting.

"Director Dong, is there a convenience store nearby?" He Zhou asked. "I'll buy some cigarettes."

Dong Xuebing glanced at his cigarette case, which was also empty. He thought about how the Chinese cigarettes at home were finished, and a few packs were still in the family compound. He hadn't had time to get them since moving. Suddenly, he said, "The convenience store is a bit far. Well, there are no cigarettes at home, but there are cigars."

He Zhou's eyes lit up. "Cigars?"

Dong Xuebing smiled. "I haven't opened them yet. Let's try them."

Yin Cheng'an didn't hesitate. "Let's try it. These cigars pack a punch."

Dong Xuebing went back to fetch them. Zhang Longjuan had brought them from abroad. Since Aunt Zhang liked smoking cigars, Dong Xuebing didn't have much interest in them, so he hadn't opened them yet. After rummaging around, he found the wooden box and placed it on the stone table.

Yin Cheng'an looked puzzled. "What kind of cigars are these?"

Sun Zhaobang said, "Hmm, I've never seen this kind of box before."

"I don't know either. They should be good," Dong Xuebing said as he struggled to open the box. Inside were only a few cigars, probably less than ten. He distributed them to everyone, took one for himself, and lit it. It was decent, but he didn't feel anything extraordinary. The taste was about the same. He grew up in an ordinary family, so he didn't have much concept or taste for luxury goods.

But there were words on the box.

He Zhou took a drag from his cigarette, and his face froze. He then carefully examined the wooden box and sucked in a breath. "These are Cohibas."

Han Fei asked, "What are Cohibas?"

"Cohiba wooden box, imported from Cuba," He Zhou explained. "This should be one of the most expensive cigars sold worldwide. I've only heard about it. These few cigars should cost around twenty to thirty thousand RMB, or even more."

Zhang Dongliang, who had just taken a puff, almost choked. He coughed violently. "Twenty to thirty thousand?"

A pack of Zhonghua cigarettes costs only a few hundred RMB, considered good, nationwide. How could these few cigars cost tens of thousands?

Dong Xuebing laughed. "I don't know. Let's try something new. Rarity makes things valuable. This cigar may not be that good. I still think Zhongnanhai is better."

Yin Cheng'an also chuckled. "How can Zhongnanhai compare? Although I haven't smoked Cohibas before, I've heard of them. The Cohiba wooden box is probably one of the most expensive cigars sold worldwide. Even China's most expensive Huanghelou from the 1990s isn't close to this price."