Chen Qi had already met several officials, from high-ranking leaders in the capital to the local Auntie Wang.
This county magistrate, however, carried himself with a humble demeanor, as friendly as the old man next door, shaking hands with each of the main crew members.
"Coach Yu Hai, I've heard so much about you!"
"Comrade Li Lianjie, the national champion, your reputation precedes you!"
"And this is Ji Chunhua!"
"Ah, what a unique and extraordinary appearance!"
After making the rounds, the county magistrate smiled and said, "It's truly an honor to have you all here in Ji County. As your host, I must seize this opportunity to treat you to a simple dinner tonight. Of course, I can't afford to host the entire crew, so just those present here."
"How could we impose on you like that?"
"No, no, it's settled then. I'll come back tonight."
The county magistrate didn't bring many people with him, just a secretary.
The secretary's clothes were neat but old, with the arms of his glasses taped up—clearly a sign of poverty.
This was a common sight in the early 1980s in inland areas.
The coastal regions, which had opened up earlier, were different.
There, you had businesses with foreign investments, donations from overseas Chinese, and even smuggling...