Chapter 173: Revenge (Part 2)

The next morning, Xiaojia woke up early. She grabbed a thermal food container and headed to a breakfast stall in front of the Xinyue Building to buy congee and steamed buns. This particular stall had a quirky name: "Buy It If You Want, Don't If You Don't." It carried the same bold, unapologetic flair as the famous Tianjin Goubuli buns. Despite the unappealing name, the service was excellent, and the taste was even better. Whenever Hou Weidong returned, he always insisted on eating breakfast here.

With the breakfast purchased, Xiaojia was in high spirits. She and Hou Weidong had agreed to have lunch at her parents' house today, where they would formally discuss their marriage plans. As she approached the gate, a thought crossed her mind: "Last time there was a car accident. I hope nothing goes wrong this time."

Just as she was thinking this, a man wearing wide-rimmed glasses walked toward her. "Director Zhang," he said, handing her an envelope. "This is some material for you. It’s very important. Please check it immediately."

Xiaojia was startled. "What material? Who are you?"

The man with the wide-rimmed glasses smiled mysteriously. "Director Zhang, you’ll know once you look." He waved his hand. "Have a pleasant weekend." After walking about ten meters, he turned back and shouted, "Men can’t be restrained. Director Zhang, you’d better be careful."

Xiaojia’s heart tightened. Clutching the breakfast and the envelope, she returned home in silence. From the stranger’s last words, she had already guessed what was inside the envelope.

Hou Weidong was lying naked in bed. Hearing Xiaojia enter, he said, "Wife, you got up so early to buy breakfast. You’re truly virtuous."

Xiaojia replied with a cold tone, "That’s just my fate. Some people are born into happiness but don’t know it." She tore open the envelope. Inside was a stack of photos. Although she had been prepared, her heart still skipped a beat. She placed the envelope on the table, her mind unsettled, staring at the corner of the photos peeking out.

Hou Weidong, wearing loose shorts, walked into the dining room. Seeing Xiaojia’s expression, he smiled. "Xiaojia, why are you spacing out here?"

Xiaojia kept her eyes on the table. "Someone sent me photos. Come look for yourself."

Hearing the unusual tone in Xiaojia’s voice, Hou Weidong quickly reviewed his recent behavior. Aside from that one night of indulgence with Duan Ying, he couldn’t think of anything problematic. He remained calm. "What photos? Why are you making such a fuss?"

Xiaojia slowly opened the envelope and took out the photos. Sure enough, they were surveillance shots of Hou Weidong.

The first photo showed Hou Weidong and Li Jing getting out of a car together. Xiaojia’s tears fell like broken pearls, dropping evenly onto the wooden floor, one by one, like snowflakes.

There were about twenty photos in total, all featuring Hou Weidong and Li Jing. Although the two weren’t physically intimate in the pictures, their smiling, chatting demeanor was clearly visible.

Seeing no photos of Duan Ying, Hou Weidong breathed a sigh of relief. "What does this prove?"

Xiaojia’s face was pale, her lips bitten, staring at the photos without speaking.

A surge of nameless anger rose in Hou Weidong’s chest. "Need I say more? This is Bu Gao doing his usual tricks. He’s a boss with status, yet he engages in such low-class behavior. It’s truly insulting."

He said angrily, "I’m going to confront him." With that, he left the grieving Xiaojia in the room, rushed downstairs, and started his car. Bu Gao’s construction company wasn’t inside the Xinyue Building, but it wasn’t far away. Hou Weidong and Xiaojia had passed by its entrance many times while taking walks.

Seeing Hou Weidong rush down, Xiaojia was startled. By the time she reacted, he was already gone. She grabbed the mobile phone from the table and chased after him, shouting, "Hou Weidong, what are you doing? Come back! We can talk at home." Hou Weidong had developed the habit of always carrying his phone due to his work, which included receiving leaders and other duties.

By the time Xiaojia ran downstairs, she only saw the rear of the car disappearing. Anxious and angry, she waited for a taxi in front of the Xinyue Building. Usually, taxis were plentiful, but when she needed one, none appeared.

When Hou Weidong arrived at the building where Bu Gao’s company was located, he parked the car, gripped the steering wheel, and watched the pedestrians coming and going. Gradually, he calmed down. "Stay calm in times of crisis," he thought. "What good would it do to rush in like this?"

After standing in front of Bu Gao’s company for about ten minutes, Hou Weidong completely cooled down. Unintentionally, he saw Xiaojia, tears streaming down her face, standing right next to his car in the rearview mirror.

Their eyes met in the reflection.

Xiaojia said coldly, "If you’re upright, you don’t fear a crooked shadow. Going to confront Bu Gao like this will only make a mess of things. What can you possibly achieve?" Seeing Hou Weidong remain silent, Xiaojia feared he might do something drastic. "There’s no proof that Bu Gao sent the photos. Let’s go home and talk."

Bu Gao’s office was on the twelfth floor. After seeing off several suppliers, he held a cup of Longjing tea and habitually walked to the window. From this vantage point, he could look down on the masses on the street below. Whenever he looked down on the crowd, he felt a strong sense of superiority—a psychological pleasure enjoyed only by successful people, representing the top tier of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Upon reaching the window, Bu Gao’s first sight was the pickup truck and Xiaojia standing beside it. He loosened his tie and watched the scene below with interest.

The photos he had sent that day weren’t devastating, but they were enough to cause a rift between Hou Weidong and Xiaojia. Misunderstandings arise from constant bickering. As someone who had been through it, he understood this principle well.

"Xiaojia, you’re too naive to play games with me." His feelings for Xiaojia were complex, mixing a desire to conquer, possessiveness, and genuine affection.

Hou Weidong rolled down the window, still fuming. "What are you doing standing down there? Get in." Seeing that Hou Weidong was angrier than she was, Xiaojia retorted, "After seeing those photos, shouldn’t I be the one angry? Why are you so furious?"

Hou Weidong showed no sign of backing down. "How would you feel being watched all the time? Only someone as naive as you would believe Bu Gao’s provocation. Haven’t you heard that marital discord is often caused by third-party instigation?"

He glared at her. "Get in. Don’t let others laugh at us." Seeing Hou Weidong’s aggressive demeanor, Xiaojia hesitated for a moment before getting into the car. "You’re really… I’ve known you for so long, and only now do I realize you’re a fierce, unreasonable brute."

Seeing Xiaojia get into the car, Bu Gao made a phone call.

Xiaojia saw it was Bu Gao’s number. She took a deep breath and spoke in a gentle but firm tone. "Mr. Bu, you are a successful entrepreneur with social influence. Why use such despicable methods to disrupt our lives? Hou Weidong and I are about to get married. Thank you for your 'kindness.' You will surely find a woman ten or a hundred times better than me. I wish you eternal happiness here."

Bu Gao laughed. "Xiaojia, society is complex. I’m trying to protect you from harm." With that, the line went dead with a series of busy signals.

Hou Weidong’s face turned iron-gray. "Give me the phone." Xiaojia held the mobile phone tightly, shook her head, and said decisively to Hou Weidong, "Get out of the car."

Once Hou Weidong got out, Xiaojia threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly and initiating a long kiss.

Bu Gao’s company was located in a busy downtown area with many pedestrians. Since this building was the second tallest in Shazhou, there was a lot of foot traffic. Hou Weidong and Xiaojia’s long kiss immediately drew the attention of passersby, who stopped to watch. A few fashionable young people even clapped from the side. Hou Weidong understood what Xiaojia was doing, but the public display of affection made him feel somewhat embarrassed. He thought, "Fortunately, I lost my temper earlier, or this would have been hard to explain."

Bu Gao was extremely smart. Seeing Hou Weidong and Xiaojia kissing in the street, he realized Xiaojia was making a statement to him. After a moment of stunned silence, he cursed, "Zhang Xiaojia, you’re really a 'sky-facing chili' (a type of extremely spicy small pepper)." Then he laughed, "Hehe, but I like it."

Bu Gao had grown up without worries, always getting his way. Yet, he repeatedly failed to win Xiaojia over. This only intensified his strong desire to possess her. However, Xiaojia was soft on the outside but tough on the inside, and he couldn’t find a suitable method to break her down. He left the window with a sense of frustration.

He sat at his desk for a while, then suddenly thought of Li Jing in the photos. "Hou Weidong is just a country bumpkin, yet he’s involved with Li Jing from Shadao Si. This guy is someone to watch." He was a regular at Hanhu and knew Li Jing well, understanding her character clearly.

He pulled out a business card and made a call. "Hello, President Li. It’s Bu Gao. Haha, it’s been a long time since I visited Hanhu. I’ve missed you. Are you free tonight? I’m coming to Hanhu. I heard you have a bottle of 1856 Mediterranean wine."

On the other end of the line, Li Jing laughed warmly. "It’s rare for Mr. Bu to think of me. I’ll be waiting for you at Hanhu tonight. Don’t be late." Bu Gao said directly, "Tonight is for moon viewing. I only want to be with a beauty. Don’t bring anyone else."

After hanging up, Li Jing felt a bit suspicious. Although she knew Bu Gao, they weren’t close, nor had they developed a deep relationship. As the saying goes, unsolicited kindness is either deceitful or malicious. After thinking for a while, she called the head manager of Building No. 2.

"Mr. Bu has visited Building No. 2 several times. What do you think of him?"

The head manager, wearing a small-lapel suit, stood respectfully in front of Li Jing. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Mr. Bu isn’t particularly special. He’s normal." She smiled slightly. "He likes fancy tricks, but he can’t last more than a few minutes."

After the head manager left, Li Jing rested her chin on her hand and thought for a while. "People who come to Hanhu are either rich or noble, mostly in their forties. In terms of physique and stamina, none compare to Hou Weidong." She had once half-jokingly, half-seriously said she wanted to borrow Hou Weidong’s "seed," which was based on practical observation.

When Hou Weidong and Xiaojia returned home, Xiaojia picked up the photos from the table and tore them into pieces one by one. She continued to press for answers. "I’ve also looked into this Vice President of Shadao Si. She’s famous for being a heartbreaker. You’ve had long-term contact with her. Did anything actually happen between you two?"

"We had physical contact," Hou Weidong said, still irritated. He raised his hand. "I don’t know if shaking hands counts as physical contact. If it does, I admit we had an illicit relationship."

Xiaojia was speechless, torn between laughter and tears. "You’re making this sound like you’re in the right."

Hou Weidong said resentfully, "Bu Gao is powerful and influential in Shazhou. He treats me as if I don’t exist. I swear, if I don’t make something of myself, I’ll write my surname backwards."

He clearly realized that Bu Gao dared to toy with him like a cat playing with a mouse because of his power. In terms of authority, his father was the Vice Mayor of Shazhou. In terms of wealth, Bu Gao had made a fortune just from the Xinyue Building project alone.

Just then, Hou Weidong’s mobile phone rang. Xi Zhaoyong said, "Madman, Li Jianyong has brought people to the mountain again. They’re looking for Zeng Xiangang to investigate." Hou Weidong’s expression became serious, and he grew exceptionally calm. "What’s the matter this time?"

"I heard Li Jianyong’s men say that the main suspect who escaped last time was killed last night. He was shot twice in the head and looked like a rotten watermelon. They suspect Zeng Xiangang did it and have already gone to his house."

"There are two people in Zeng Xiangang’s house: Zeng Xiangyong and Zeng Xiangang. Both have been taken to the Yiyang County Public Security Bureau."

The Zeng family usually had over a dozen people living there. Hou Weidong asked, "Weren’t the others taken away?" Xi Zhaoyong replied, "Tian Dadao’s quarry has resumed operations. All the young men from the Zeng family were sent to work at Tian Dadao’s quarry and stayed there at night. Only Zeng Xiangyong and Zeng Xiangang were at the Zeng house. They drank last night, and Zeng Xiangang got drunk. Many people can testify to this."

Hou Weidong breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as someone can prove Zeng Xiangang was at home, he’s safe." Because his older brother, Hou Weiguo, had vaguely mentioned some things, Hou Weidong had begun to suspect Zeng Xiangang, especially given today’s events. He judged that it was highly likely Zeng Xiangang was responsible.

Seeing Hou Weidong’s gloomy expression, Xiaojia asked concernedly, "Husband, what happened?"

"Nothing. It’s about the quarry. I’ve handled it."

Xiaojia relaxed. "After transferring to Shazhou, you are not allowed to contact Li Jing anymore. Just seeing her makes me angry."

Hou Weidong thought, "I am a shareholder in the Jinggong Group. How can I not meet with the chairman?" Out loud, he said, "There is no trouble in the world; it is the mediocre who create it."

Xiaojia wasn’t satisfied. "You must promise." Hou Weidong敷衍ly agreed, "Okay, okay. I promise not to contact her."