Chapter 245: Flaws (Part 2)
Chapter 245: Flaws (Part 2)
The dinner seemed quite romantic, with two thick candles standing on either side. The candlelight flickered in the breeze.
In Hou Weidong’s eyes, lighting candles for dinner was a bit pretentious. However, given Li Jing’s insistence, the men silently acquiesced to her bourgeois little indulgence. Zeng Zhaogang, whose eyesight was poor, even requested two additional candles so he wouldn’t struggle to see his bowl and chopsticks.
Under the candlelight, Li Jing rested her chin on her hand, watching everyone eat with a charming grace. Hou Weidong couldn’t help but glance at her a few extra times.
Hou Weidong, Zeng Zhaogang, and Zhu Bing were all accustomed to fine dining. Their interest lay not in the wine, nor in the meal itself. As they ate and chatted, they finished their food in less than half an hour.
Once Zeng Zhaogang put down his chopsticks, Li Jing whispered softly to the nearby waitress, “Have them get ready. The guests will be arriving shortly.”
They went up to the sixth floor and entered through a heavy wooden door. Hou Weidong was surprised to find that the conference room had been converted into a small stage. Rotating lights and spotlights were already on, with beams of light sweeping over them, distorting their normal features into strange, shifting shadows.
Near the entrance to the main hall, there was a baffling T-shaped runway. About ten sofas were placed near the runway, with fruit platters arranged in front of them.
Hou Weidong thought to himself, “What is Li Jing up to now? Did she really put together a model team?”
Just as he was wondering, soft music began to play, accompanied by a sultry voice: “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight the Flower Ocean Model Team will unveil its new home series of clothing. The collection is divided into four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. First up is the ‘Soul of Spring’ series.”
The room lights dimmed completely. Two silhouettes appeared behind the T-shaped runway, enveloped by two crossing spotlights. The models were tall and graceful, moving across the stage like flowing water with a gentle smile.
Hou Weidong thought, “Damn, Li Jing really did assemble a model team.” Li Jing had mentioned this before, but he had dismissed it as a joke. He never expected that within six months, she would turn a dream into reality.
The young models radiated youthful energy, their bodies elastic and their lines elegant. Like magnets, they held the gaze of every man in the room. Li Jing sat to the side, watching Hou Weidong and the others with a half-smile.
When the Spring series ended, the passionate and uninhibited “Love of Summer” followed. Eight groups, totaling sixteen young women, wore skimpy three-piece outfits, changing poses cheerfully on stage. Their youthful bodies teased the eyes of the men below in turn.
Hou Weidong felt as if he were sitting atop a volcano, heat surging up from his lower abdomen. He thought, “What is that damn Li Jing trying to do? Is she really letting these beautiful young girls entertain us? That’s too extravagant.”
At that moment, two girls turned around. The lights highlighted their flawless figures. Their short triangular panties barely covered their perky buttocks, which bounced rhythmically with each step.
“Love of Summer” was the climax of the entire performance. The subsequent Autumn and Winter shows felt like chicken ribs—tasteless yet a pity to discard—to the men. When all the performers exited and the lights came back on, Hou Weidong turned to look at Zeng and Zhu. They seemed just as dazed and spellbound by the beauties as he was.
A waitress brought several glasses of red wine. Li Jing raised her glass first and said, “Gentlemen, this is the model team established by Jinggong Group. All these members are graduates from modeling training institutions. What do you think?”
The men pretended to be composed, raising their glasses and sipping their wine, though their minds were still lingering on the performance. Li Jing, with a woman’s unique sensitivity, scanned the faces of the men one by one. Seeing that everything was going as planned, she smiled and said, “That was just the first act. Now for the second, more exciting program. This part is free-form, so I won’t be joining you.”
The lights gradually dimmed. From some unknown corner, several women in qipaos emerged and led Zeng Zhaogang and Zhu Bing away.
After Li Jing’s carefully orchestrated series of temptations, Hou Weidong was also overcome with desire. However, Li Jing had already clearly stated the purpose of this gathering in just a few words. As a shareholder of Jinggong Group, he felt a sense of responsibility. He turned to the women in qipaos and said, “Thank you, but I’ll stay downstairs for a while.”
The women in qipaos didn’t press the matter. They smiled and withdrew.
Li Jing and Hou Weidong sat in the darkness. The dark atmosphere弥漫ed and flowed around them. They sat close, yet seemed far apart. Faint music drifted in the dim breeze, sometimes clear, sometimes ambiguous.
A faint smile appeared on Li Jing’s lips. She sat beside Hou Weidong, casually peeling a grape and offering it to him. “Try it. It tastes good.” She asked, “Why didn’t you go up?”
Hou Weidong chewed the grape, which was slightly sour and sweet. “Li Jing, you always do things that catch people off guard.”
Thinking of the young girls on stage and then of Zeng Zhaogang’s tall, strong figure, a sudden lump formed in his chest.
“I don’t know your purpose in forming this model team. These girls are just fresh out of school. If this is to satisfy certain people’s desires and drag them into the mud, I may be a lustful man myself, but I do not approve of this approach.”
Li Jing hadn’t expected Hou Weidong to say such things. She looked at him with a somewhat unfamiliar gaze. After a long pause, she said, “Weidong, where did your mind go? These girls are legitimate models. Jinggong Group is diversifying its business. The clothing industry has extremely high profits, and I intend to enter the high-end market. If one hundred million people nationwide wear our clothes every year, the profits would be enormous.”
Hou Weidong pointed upstairs, puzzled. “What’s going on up there?”
Li Jing sank into the sofa. “Looking at these girls, I’m always reminded of myself when I first graduated. Facing a society dominated by men, I felt so terrified and helpless inside. Even now, I often dream about those days.”
“To survive, and to live better, I paid too high a price. These beautiful girls in the model team are my past. By establishing this team, I can help them get a foothold in society. However, how they walk their path in the future depends on themselves.”
This was Li Jing’s inner dream. Hou Weidong couldn’t help but sigh at the complexity of human nature. Li Jing could create a “gentle trap” in Hanhu, yet she also wanted to protect these beautiful girls who were just entering society.
Li Jing continued, “Upstairs is a small, high-end massage center. The girls there come from Hanhu voluntarily. In today’s society, people laugh at poverty but not at prostitution. Those who enter this industry and catch my eye usually have their own tears of bitterness. Under my care, they won’t be taken advantage of, which is why they’ve stayed with me for so long.”
Hou Weidong looked at Li Jing silently. After a while, he said, “I think joining Jinggong Group was the right decision. The group will definitely reach new heights. However, as the business expands, even if you had the ability to split yourself into multiple bodies, you couldn’t handle everything alone. I suggest considering building a management team for Jinggong Group.”
After this conversation, they felt their distance had narrowed considerably.
Li Jing took a sip of wine. “Let’s not just sit here chatting. When they come down later, if they see you didn’t go up, they might feel uneasy. There’s a small dance hall downstairs with decent sound equipment. Let’s go sing and dance.”
They arrived at the small dance hall and pushed open the heavy soundproof door. Inside, two tall girls were singing. They were deeply immersed in their performance and displayed a professional level of skill.
“My beloved sits beside me, secretly watching me in silence. I want to speak, but I don’t know how. So many words remain in my heart… The long night is passing, the sky is turning pale. Sincere blessings to you, good girl. May we never forget each other from now on. Moscow Nights.”
Just hearing the title of Moscow Nights evoked a sense of poetic romance. One girl’s voice was quite low and magnetic, giving the Soviet song a unique flavor.
After finishing the song, the two girls turned around. Seeing it was President Li, they seemed surprised. Then, noticing the young, handsome, and charismatic Hou Weidong standing beside her, they exchanged a glance, smiled knowingly, greeted Li Jing, and prepared to leave.
Li Jing asked with a smile, “Xiao Lin, are you leaving?”
The singing girl, Xiao Lin, said, “Here are the keys to the management room. I borrowed them from Sister Li. She told us to turn off the power when we leave.” She glanced at President Li, a smile playing on her lips. “President Li, do you know how to use this equipment?”
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Xiao Lin happily waved to President Li. “President Li, you two can sing quietly. We won’t be the third wheel. Bye-bye.”
Watching the two girls run out of the small hall, Li Jing said to Hou Weidong, “The clothing industry in Shazhou still holds some status in Lingxi. Tomorrow, several clothing factories have invited them to perform at the Shazhou Sports Center. After the performance, the model team will return to Lingxi. In terms of cultural atmosphere, Shazhou still has a considerable gap compared to Lingxi.”
At that moment, the melody of The Little Road echoed in the small hall.
“Do you like Soviet songs?”
Hou Weidong said, “They’re okay.” Seeing Li Jing dressed in her finest attire, blooming like a dazzling flower, he extended his hand. “Let me invite you to dance.”
Li Jing was unexpectedly gentle, lightly taking Hou Weidong’s hand.
“A little road, winding and long,
Leads straight into the misty distance.
I want to follow this slender path,
Following my lover to the battlefield.
Falling snow covers his footprints,
No footsteps, no songs.
On that vast, silver plain,
Only a lonely little road remains.
In this morning of swirling snow,
The battle continues cruelly.
I will bravely bandage his wounds,
Rescue him from the gunfire.
A little road, winding and long,
My little road stretches into the distance.
Please lead me, my little road,
Following my lover to the distant frontier.”
The unique breadth, depth, and melancholy of Soviet songs made Hou Weidong feel as if he were transported to an era of war, a time that stirred the blood.
Slowly, Li Jing sank into Hou Weidong’s embrace. Their faces were close, immersed in the distant song and the gentle steps of the dance.
When the song ended, Li Jing let out an inexplicable sigh. “Weidong, if only life had no flaws.”