Chapter 209: This Matter (Part 2)

Chapter 209: This Matter (Part 2)

The Prefectural College remained as serene as ever. Streetlights flickered through the leaves, and insects chirped from the bushes. It was the height of summer, a season when many insects would bloom with vibrant life, only to complete their brief existence by autumn.

Life is short—a fate shared by many insects.

Hou Weidong had no mind to appreciate the beauty of nature. He was troubled by Duan Ying’s invitation. With his left hand on the steering wheel and his right holding the phone, he said, “Duan Ying, I drank too much tonight and have a splitting headache. I really can’t come out. Let’s have tea another day.”

Duan Ying had called on a whim, but hearing Hou Weidong’s polite refusal still made her heart ache. “Is it really that hard to meet? I feel suffocated inside; I just want someone to talk to.”

Hou Weidong hesitated, then finally said, “A new tea house called Rain on Banana Leaves has opened outside the Yiyang Hotel. The decor is quite nice. Shall we meet there?”

After hanging up, Duan Ying regretted her weakness. She scolded herself: “Hou Weidong clearly didn’t want to meet me. Why did I call him? It makes me look like I’m begging for a meeting.” Although her time at the Shazhou Daily was short, her professional competence had been recognized. Suitors had been lining up to introduce themselves. Life in Shazhou was a significant leap forward compared to Yiyang. She had thought she could face Hou Weidong with composure, but upon meeting him, she still felt flustered.

She never felt this kind of panic when she was with Liu Kun.

“It’s as if fate is playing tricks. He is Xiaojia’s husband. Husband, not boyfriend.” Duan Ying deliberately repeated the word “husband” in her mind.

When she arrived at the Rain on Banana Leaves tea house, a beam of car headlights swept toward her. Moments later, Hou Weidong’s pickup truck slid into place.

They walked side by side to the second floor, neither speaking during the ascent.

Hou Weidong specifically requested a private room with a window. Inside, two money trees stood lush and green, casting a dark green hue under the soft lighting.

The waitress placed a pot of Yiyang green tea on the table. Hou Weidong said, “Thank you. We’ll pour our own tea. I’ll call if we need anything.”

The waitress was relieved and left the room with a smile.

Duan Ying wore a red two-piece skirt suit. Under the lights, the red fabric made her skin appear exceptionally fair. Red clothing is particular about skin tone; if one’s skin is slightly dark, red makes it look darker. But for those with fair skin, red enhances their complexion, making it even brighter.

Hou Weidong’s gaze quickly swept past Duan Ying’s chest as he asked, “How is the work at the Shazhou Daily?”

Duan Ying held her delicate teacup, feeling a wave of warmth in her palm. “The Shazhou Daily is a prefecture-level newspaper. Its scope is vastly different from the Yiyang newspaper. In terms of working mechanisms, coverage, and requirements, there is a qualitative difference.”

Seeing a spark of enthusiasm in Duan Ying’s eyes as she spoke about the newspaper, Hou Weidong said, “It is a blessing to find work one loves. Congratulations.”

“Everyone’s experiences differ, so our perspectives vary. I was once a laid-off female worker, so I know how hard it is to find a job. Therefore, regardless of whether I like it or not, I will cherish this position. First, survive; then, talk about whether you like it.”

Seeing Duan Ying’s desire to confide, Hou Weidong sipped his tea and listened to her ramble.

“I owe this job to Liu Kun. If his family hadn’t arranged for me to enter the Yiyang newspaper, I would never have had the opportunity to join the Shazhou Daily. Perhaps I would still be working odd jobs everywhere. In that sense, I am grateful to Liu Kun.”

This history always weighed on Duan Ying’s heart. She could not confide in others, and Hou Weidong was the only one who knew all the details. So, after mentioning her recent situation, she couldn’t help but bring it up again.

“Gratitude is one thing; love is another. Living with someone you don’t truly love is painful. Liu Kun is a good man, but in terms of personality, he hasn’t fully matured. He lacks the independent spirit of a man. At home, he listens to everything his mother says. That is what I dislike most.”

“Liu Kun has worked in Qinglin Town for several years and has made significant progress. He is now the top administrative leader.”

Duan Ying shook her head. “I lived with Liu Kun for two years; I know him best. His rise to this position wasn’t entirely due to his own abilities. ‘It is easy to be an official if you have connections in the court.’ That is a universal rule.”

Hou Weidong thought of Liu Kun’s mother—Bai Sha—and her smiling face. “Given Liu Kun’s mother’s style, being her daughter-in-law must be difficult.”

This resonated deeply with Duan Ying. “Another reason I firmly decided to break up with Liu Kun was that I couldn’t get along with his mother. Even before I officially entered the family, I had argued and sulked with her many times. I respect the elderly, but she was too aggressive at home, which I couldn’t stand.”

As they chatted, Hou Weidong couldn’t help but recall the tender moments he had shared with Duan Ying. He swallowed hard, thinking to himself: “No wonder people say men are animals driven by their lower desires. Why am I always thinking about things in bed?”

The conversation was dominated by Duan Ying. Hou Weidong mostly listened quietly, occasionally interjecting. Time slipped away unnoticed, and the initial awkwardness between them had faded.

Under the dim lighting, Hou Weidong’s facial features were somewhat blurred, yet he exuded a stronger masculine aura. Duan Ying’s eyes gradually misted over, like dew.

“I often recall the scene of leaving Yiyang. It is my most beautiful memory.”

Duan Ying suddenly said something inexplicable. Hou Weidong understood the implication. When he looked up, his gaze locked with Duan Ying’s, sticking together as if unable to separate.

Hou Weidong struggled to look away, glanced at his watch, and said, “It’s twelve o’clock. Let’s go back.” A trace of resentment flashed in Duan Ying’s eyes. She lowered her head and stood up, wanting to speak but stopping herself. Just as Hou Weidong was about to open the door, she hugged him tightly from behind.

Hou Weidong’s resistance crumbled under this passionate embrace. He turned around and held Duan Ying in his arms. Their lips met, biting, sucking, and entangling with each other.

After their lips parted, Duan Ying said, “I know what you’re thinking. You’re afraid I’ll cling to you and destroy your happy family.” In a way, she had hit the nail on the head. Hou Weidong didn’t argue; he spoke honestly: “Once married, you have an added responsibility to your family. Besides, Xiaojia is your good friend. I feel a psychological burden.”

Duan Ying looked sorrowful. “I am an unfortunate person. The man I love is Xiaojia’s man.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. Hou Weidong was not a man given to indecision. Since things had come to this, he said directly, “It’s already twelve o’clock. Shall we go to your room?”

“I don’t want to stay at the hotel. It feels wrong. Let’s go to your place.”

At this moment, Hou Weidong actually felt relieved. “My home has Xiaojia’s shadow. Don’t you feel a burden?”

“I’ve already let Xiaojia down. What does it matter if we go to your place? This will be the last time between us. After returning to Shazhou, I plan to find a boyfriend and won’t bother you again.”

Words were no longer needed.

Back at Hou Weidong’s home at the Prefectural College, as soon as the door closed, they embraced tightly, like dry wood meeting fire.

Duan Ying freed one hand, unbuckled Hou Weidong’s belt, and unzipped his pants. She grasped his already erect member and said, “Tonight, I only want to go crazy. Make you and it never forget me.”

This night was even more frantic than the night Duan Ying left Yiyang. Hou Weidong was strong, and Duan Ying was voluptuous. They could endure it. They changed positions constantly, moving from the bathroom to the sofa, from the bed to the living room floor. When Hou Weidong released his essence for the fourth time, it was already four in the morning. He lay on the bed, too exhausted to move, one hand resting on Duan Ying’s chest. “I’m exhausted. Let’s rest a bit.” As soon as he finished speaking, loud snoring erupted.

Duan Ying was equally tired, but women naturally have more endurance than men. She lay flat on the bed, listening to Hou Weidong’s rhythmic snoring, feeling a mix of emotions.

After a while, Duan Ying moved the large hand pressing on her lower abdomen, got out of bed, and felt some pain in her lower body. She limped to the bathroom, washed herself, found a new towel in the closet, heated it with boiling water, and then used the hot towel to wipe Hou Weidong’s body.

After finishing all this, she got back into bed, rested her head on Hou Weidong’s arm, and soon fell asleep.

At ten o’clock the next morning, Hou Weidong finally woke up. Duan Ying was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. The room was filled with the fragrance of porridge.

Duan Ying looked happy, gentle as water. “You’re awake. I cooked porridge and salted eggs. Please make do with it.” Hou Weidong joked, “Your skin is really good.”

Duan Ying watched Hou Weidong finish his breakfast, washed the bowls, and when she came out of the kitchen, her expression turned somewhat lonely. “Weidong, I need to return to Shazhou. Don’t see me off. Let me leave alone.” Hou Weidong didn’t try to stop her. He hugged Duan Ying and simply said, “Take good care of yourself.”

When Hou Weidong arrived at the Comprehensive Cadre Section office of the Organization Department, it was already 2:30 PM. With Secretary Zhu’s instructions, he had become the most detached person in the Organization Department. As soon as he sat down, Old詹 (Zhan) walked over with a cup of tea and said, “I heard that the general manager and deputy general manager of Qingda Group have both left. Secretary Zhu and County Mayor Ma are very angry.”

Although Old Zhan spoke objectively and calmly, Hou Weidong detected a hint of schadenfreude in his words and expression. “The symposium has just begun. The results are still far off.”

Old Zhan chatted for a few more minutes and then slipped away. Guo Lan was focused on her computer, the keyboard clacking loudly.