Chapter 254: Journey to Lingxi (Part 1)

Chapter 254: Journey to Lingxi (Part 1)

Yang County was the economic powerhouse of Shazhou Prefecture. Over several terms, the Party Secretaries of Yiyang County had enjoyed strong development momentum and high public approval. Consequently, by year-end, the entire county prioritized stability, believing that development within a stable environment was the perfect embodiment of a Party Secretary’s governing capability.

December 25th was a Christian holiday. Yiyang, being a relatively conservative inland region, did not celebrate with great fervor, despite the gradual influence of Western culture. The festive atmosphere was faint, limited mostly to the pedestrian street where a few merchants, eager to attract attention, had exaggeratedly set up Santa Claus figures and Christmas trees outside their shops, adding a touch of holiday spirit.

The 25th happened to be a Friday. Knowing that Zhang Xiaojia was far away in Shanghai and appreciating Hou Weidong’s usual hard work, Secretary Zhu Yan instructed Hou Weidong to forget all his duties for the next two days and rest properly.

There was, however, another layer to this decision. After New Year’s Day, rural families typically enjoyed the fruits of their year’s labor. For Zhu Yan, however, it was the busiest time of the year. This busyness was not merely about work; it involved managing various relationships during the holiday season. Just visiting important figures at the provincial and municipal levels would keep him occupied for days. As the Deputy Director of the Committee Office, Hou Weidong naturally could not afford to slack off.

Hou Weidong happily called Xiaojia, planning to fly directly to Shanghai. However, Xiaojia’s class had received an urgent notice to travel to Singapore on December 26th for a study tour on garden construction. It was a rare and important opportunity, and Xiaojia was unwilling to give it up. Thus, Hou Weidong’s trip to Shanghai was officially canceled.

Having not returned to Wu Hai County in over half a year, and unable to go to Shanghai, he called his mother, saying he would come back for the weekend.

Liu Guangfen answered the phone, scolding him affectionately: “You ungrateful little third son, you haven’t been home in six months, and you don’t even call. Are you really that busy?” Before Hou Weidong could reply, she continued chattering, “Your second sister’s belly is already huge. You’ll be an uncle tomorrow. What’s going on with Jiang Chu and your eldest brother? They’ve been married for so long, yet there’s no news of a baby. I think both of them should go to the hospital for a check-up to see who has the problem.”

Hearing his mother’s rambling domestic chatter, Hou Weidong felt a wave of warmth. Usually, he was busy running errands for Zhu Yan, and whenever he had a moment of free time, he was either rushing to Shazhou or visiting the quarry in Qinglin. He had indeed neglected his parents.

“Braise some pork intestines for me tomorrow. Ideally, a whole pound. My cravings are already crawling up my throat.”

Liu Guangfen agreed enthusiastically.

After hanging up, Hou Weidong drove his car to the repair shop affiliated with the Committee Office, asking a few familiar mechanics to check the vehicle’s condition. Since the incident in Qinglin where his car had been squeezed between two trees, he had become particularly attentive to driving safety. Whenever the car left the city, he insisted on a check-up.

The repair shop was the designated service center for the Committee Office. As the Deputy Director, Hou Weidong oversaw the maintenance of the county party committee’s vehicles. Therefore, his car received special treatment, with all parts sourced from legitimate manufacturers.

With Hou Weidong’s current status, he did not mind the repair costs. However, repairing the car elsewhere made it difficult to avoid counterfeit or substandard parts, which would need replacing soon, causing endless trouble. Now that he was the Deputy Director and oversaw the repair shop, these problems were easily resolved.

Men have a natural affinity for cars. Hou Weidong crouched beside the vehicle, watching the mechanics skillfully remove parts. He chatted casually with them, continuously handing out cigarettes.

A mechanic with a small mustache, covered in grease, said, “Director Hou, you are truly approachable.”

Hou Weidong smiled. “‘Approachable’ is a term reserved for high-ranking officials. I am just a small frog official; I have no qualification to be called approachable.”

The mechanic, speaking boldly, said, “Anyone who becomes the Director of the Committee Office is bound to get promoted. Director Hou, you are so young; you will definitely become a high-ranking official.”

Hou Weidong handed him another cigarette and said, “Who can say for sure? It doesn’t depend on human will.”

When the mechanics finished inspecting the entire car, they cheerfully reported, “Director Hou, your car is well-maintained. You can drive with confidence. I’ve already fixed a minor issue.”

Hou Weidong got into the car and was about to start the engine when his mobile phone rang. He sighed helplessly, “This damn phone, it’s found me again.”

Years ago, for convenience, Hou Weidong had bought an extremely expensive mobile phone. Since then, he could no longer hide from the world. Unexpected calls would always come, dictating his movements and affecting his life. He often thought, “If I didn’t have a mobile phone, although it would sometimes be inconvenient, it would bring greater freedom to life.”

He checked the number and saw it was a landline from Lingxi, belonging to Li Jing. He breathed a sigh of relief. “General Manager Li, long time no see.”

Li Jing, far away in Lingxi, sighed. “Weidong, can you please not call me General Manager Li? Call me Xiao Jing, or Jingjing.”

Hou Weidong laughed. “Calling you Jingjing always reminds me of the White Bone Demon.”

After a few jokes, Li Jing said, “The Jinggong Group is holding a board meeting in Lingxi tomorrow morning. I need to discuss our rights and obligations with you. Jinggong Group’s performance this year is significant, Weidong. You must arrive in Lingxi tonight.”

After hanging up, Li Jing lay on her soft large bed, stretching out comfortably in a star shape. She muttered to herself, “Such a wonderful bed, I wonder who the other half will be.” She recalled the men she had met, some wealthy, some powerful, reviewing them in her mind like a movie. But thinking of these men made her skin crawl. Looking up at the soft light of the ceiling lamp, Li Jing thought of Hou Weidong’s joke and murmured, “Hou Weidong, you bad guy, actually calling me the White Bone Demon.”

“This is an important meeting marking the first anniversary of Jinggong Group’s establishment. As one of the major shareholders, you should attend,” Hou Weidong reasoned, sitting in his car and smoking a cigarette to convince himself. He then called his home in Wu Hai to ask for leave before driving toward Lingxi.

Just as he left Yiyang, Li Jing called again. “Weidong, have you set off?”

“The board meeting is tomorrow morning, so I have to rush over tonight,” he replied.

Li Jing asked with concern, “Are you driving yourself? It takes five or six hours. Didn’t you hire a driver before? His skills were good; let him drive.”

“Thanks for your concern. My driving skills are decent now. I’ve just never driven this far, so I’m afraid it will be tiring.”

Li Jing was still lying in bed, holding the phone in one hand while the other gently stroked her flat abdomen. She smiled. “Tiredness is not a problem. A hot bath will make you feel relaxed.” Since becoming the Chairman of Jinggong Group, she had maintained her dignity and had not been intimate with any man for over half a year. Thinking of the previous tender moments with Hou Weidong, she felt a surge of heat in her heart. “Hou Weidong, I really miss you a bit.”

Departing at 5:30 PM, he drove for five full hours before entering Lingxi. The Christmas atmosphere grew stronger. The streets were dazzling with colored lights, and groups of young men and women, dressed festively, walked happily along the roads.

“I wonder why others make such a fuss about other people’s festivals. Perhaps it’s just an excuse to vent,” Hou Weidong thought.

Driving through the streets and alleys, unfamiliar with Lingxi’s roads, he headed toward the most brilliant area. After circling the city center, he finally found a tall, imposing hotel with a particularly striking and straight outline.

After parking, Hou Weidong picked up his briefcase and got out of the car. Looking up carefully at the building, he noticed five stars at the top. “No wonder the building is so grand; it’s a five-star hotel.” With several thousand yuan in his wallet and a credit card, he was not intimidated by the five-star hotel. He walked in with a calm demeanor.

The lobby was exceptionally magnificent. The attendants were well-dressed and polite. Under this atmosphere, people spoke softly and walked lightly. As Hou Weidong took the elevator upstairs, Li Jing called again. Hearing that he had checked into the Jinxing Hotel, she said, “Rest for a while first. I’ll be right over.”

Hou Weidong had just washed his face when there was a knock at the door.

Li Jing entered, wearing a pale blue shawl, looking elegant and dignified. She smiled and said, “You said you were unfamiliar with Lingxi, yet you found the newest and best five-star hotel.”

“I had never heard of the Jinxing Hotel. I just walked toward the brightest lights. It was like a blind cat catching a dead mouse that I ended up staying at the Jinxing Hotel.”

Li Jing walked around the room, her eyes avoiding Hou Weidong’s. “You haven’t eaten, have you? Let me treat you to the best dinner.”

“General Manager Li is truly understanding. I’ve been driving for five hours; my stomach is eating my back.”

“Then let’s go.”

They left the room one after another. At the elevator, Li Jing naturally and casually linked her arm with Hou Weidong’s. Hou Weidong, acting like a gentleman, elegantly led Li Jing downstairs.

“You’ve been driving for over five hours and must be tired. Sit in my car.”

Li Jing’s car had a faint, delicate fragrance of perfume. The car audio system was excellent, playing a soft old song.

“In winter, come to Taipei to see the rain, don’t cry in a foreign land… No one understands you better than I do.”

It was Meng Tingwei’s voice. In the early 1990s, her songs accompanied the青涩 (green/innocent) years of countless young girls. Hou Weidong was also familiar with this song. Leaning back, he listened to the old song that had bombarded his ears every day during his student days.

The car flowed like water through the streets shimmering with light. The noise outside was isolated by the car windows, leaving only the clean and warm singing voice.

Li Jing said calmly, “This was my favorite song back then, along with ‘Valentine’s Day Without a Lover.’ I wonder if you’ve heard that one.”