Chapter 290: The Reporter (Part 2)

That evening, the sky was dotted with stars, exceptionally clear and bright.

After finishing dinner with Gao Wang from Xiuyun Pharmaceutical Factory, Hou Weidong checked the time—it was exactly seven o’clock. Instead of going for tea, he decided to drive around the city. As he passed the entrance to the highway, a sudden impulse struck him: he wanted to take a joyride on the expressway.

Traffic on the highway was light. The road was straight and wide, and under the glow of his headlights, the reflective markers on both sides stood in neat rows, resembling the disciplined formation of a National Day military parade. He turned on the radio, and an old song from his student days began to play: "The midnight radio, repeating that same song." The melody filled the car cabin, clear and pure.

Savoring the thrill of driving on the highway, the trivial matters of the New Management Committee were left behind, scattered among the weeds on the roadside. Before he knew it, he had reached Shazhou. Having grown accustomed to the darkness flanking the highway, the city lights of Shazhou appeared like a fairyland. He turned the steering wheel, and his Bluebird glided silently and nimbly like a small boat toward the toll station.

Xiaojia was far away in Shanghai, so arriving in Shazhou didn’t give Hou Weidong the feeling of coming home. He drove along the main streets, wandering aimlessly and admiring the night view. Shazhou was developing rapidly; a new phase of lighting projects had been completed, and the illuminated scenery was gradually extending toward Lingxi. Although it lacked the prosperity of Lingxi, it was complete in every essential way, like a sparrow—small but possessing all vital organs.

Amidst the dazzling lights, Hou Weidong suddenly felt an intense longing for Xiaojia. Desire surged through his body like water.

"Xiaojia, what are you doing?" he asked over the phone.

"Nothing much. I’m reading in my dorm," she replied.

Hou Weidong was familiar with the flight schedules to Shanghai. He checked his watch and said, "There’s a flight to Shanghai at ten tonight. I’m heading over right now. If I can get a ticket, I’ll fly to you."

Xiaojia was startled. "Did something happen?"

"I miss you," Hou Weidong said. A wave of warmth washed over Xiaojia. Then, Hou Weidong’s second sentence came through the phone. "I’m coming over to sleep with you."

Facing her husband’s blunt words, Xiaojia’s heart felt as if it had been struck by a volcano, burning hot. "If you get a ticket, let me know. I’ll come to the airport to pick you up."

Hou Weidong turned the car around and headed back to the highway entrance. This time, he had a clear destination, so he drove much faster. He reached the airport before nine o’clock. Luck was on his side; there was exactly one ticket left.

Upon receiving the call, Xiaojia climbed out of bed. She stood in front of the mirror to apply makeup and rummaged through her closet for clothes. Zhou Ping, her senior roommate, noticed her frantic activity. "Xiaojia, what are you up to? Did you find a lover in Shanghai?"

"What lover? My husband is coming to see me."

Zhou Ping was from another region in Lingxi. She let out a "Wow!" and exclaimed, "Hou Weidong is coming? Hurry up and tidy the room. I’ll stay next door tonight." A blush rose on Xiaojia’s cheeks. "No need. We’ll stay at a hotel."

Zhou Ping was nearing forty. Women of her age had seen much of the world and tended to speak directly and boldly. She laughed, "Xiaojia, you’re going to have a wonderful night. Take it easy. The couple needs to be up before noon tomorrow. I’m treating Hou Weidong to a drink."

At 11:30, the plane landed at the airport.

Xiaojia had already booked a room at a five-star hotel for 2,888 yuan. The hotel sent a car to the airport.

Hou Weidong’s trip to Shanghai was a spur-of-the-moment decision. He disembarked empty-handed, following the crowd into the terminal. He saw Xiaojia standing on her tiptoes, stretching her neck to look around. When she spotted Hou Weidong, she waved vigorously. As he approached, she threw her arms around him in a warm embrace.

Looking around, Hou Weidong noticed that although the hall was crowded, no one paid them any attention. People hurried past them without a second glance.

Hou Weidong was still not entirely comfortable with such public displays of affection. He hugged Xiaojia tightly and said, "Let’s go outside." Xiaojia clung to his arm, as if letting go would cause her husband to be blown away to the heavens.

After booking a return flight for 9:30 AM at the hotel front desk, Hou Weidong half-hugged Xiaojia as they went to the top floor—the 27th floor. Xiaojia猛地 pulled back the thick curtains, and the brilliant city lights flooded in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

After admiring the view, Hou Weidong suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm. Xiaojia had spread her five fingers and, like Mei Chaofeng, the Copper Corpse from the Black Wind Double Fiends, pinched his arm. Hou Weidong jumped around the room in pain. "Stop pinching! I surrender. I’m here, aren’t I?"

"You could have come anytime, yet you dragged it out for a whole semester," Xiaojia said, her eyes red. Her fingers, like the Nine Yin White Bone Claws, dug into his arm. The force was so strong it would surely leave dark bruises.

Chasing each other, Xiaojia and Hou Weidong tumbled onto the large sofa, breathing heavily, clinging tightly to one another.

Just as Hou Weidong’s hands began to move downward, Xiaojia stopped his advance. "Slow down. I want to prolong this beautiful moment." Hou Weidong urged, "If we keep delaying, I’ll have a premature release. I flew over a thousand kilometers; the foreplay has been long enough."

The fact that their first time ended in premature release had become a running joke between the couple. Xiaojia, tender and affectionate, her face flushed, said, "I’m implementing the 'Three Clears' policy tonight. I’m going to collect all the public grain."

The so-called "Three Clears" policy was a strategy summarized by middle-aged women to manage their husbands: first, clear out their money—without cash, a man’s back isn’t straight, and his little brother lacks confidence; second, occupy all their time—keeping a lover requires time, and without it, nothing gets done; third, drain all their sperm—middle-aged men produce sperm much slower than young men. Once drained, they are like soldiers without ammunition, unable to go to battle.

Having served as a township cadre in Shangqinglin, Hou Weidong understood these colloquialisms. Confident and boastful, he said, "The 'Three Clears' policy won’t work on me. My public grain is abundant; I can’t finish it in one go."

Xiaojia raised her slender fingers. "Three times. If you can’t deliver three loads of public grain, it means there’s a problem with you."

"Three times in twenty-four hours."

"No. Twelve hours."

The first round ended in bed. Perhaps because the foreplay had taken too long, Hou Weidong reached his climax within minutes.

Xiaojia ordered red wine, fruit, and some snacks. The two sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, eating, drinking, and chatting.

"Sister Zhou’s husband, Liang Tianyun, was originally the Deputy Secretary of Maoyun Prefecture. He was recently promoted to Prefect and came to Shanghai twice. Sister Zhou said that if I’m unhappy working in Shazhou, I could be transferred to Maoyun."

Hou Weidong said, "There isn’t much difference between regions in Lingxi. The leadership in Maoyun has changed several times in the past two years. We’re seeing flowers through fog. It’s better to stay in Shazhou."

"After Secretary Zhu graduates from the Provincial Party School, will he return to Yiyang?"

"Secretary Zhu is doing well. Secretary Changquan trusts him. From my observation, he will enter the Shazhou municipal leadership sooner or later. Right now, I don’t think about anything else. I’m focusing entirely on the work of the New Management Committee. Only by achieving results can I have the capital for promotion."

After talking about work for a while, Hou Weidong felt aroused again. He gently touched Xiaojia, who顺势 sat on his lap. They caressed each other for a while, and the mood returned. Hou Weidong said, "Let’s go inside." Xiaojia’s skin was hot. "Right here."

Sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, they could see the towering buildings nearby. Hou Weidong said, "If someone is peeping with binoculars, we’ll be embarrassed." "There aren’t that many peepers. Don’t move."

Xiaojia got off Hou Weidong’s lap. She squatted on the floor, pulled down her husband’s shorts, and kissed his little brother with deep affection. Below, the streets were filled with lights; above, countless stars shone. The room was warm and romantic. Hou Weidong said from the bottom of his heart, "It was worth the long journey."

Xiaojia wore a loose nightgown, with no underwear underneath. She lifted the nightgown and carefully faced Hou Weidong, sitting back on his lap.

After a moment of exploration, guided by Xiaojia, they joined together again. Hou Weidong bit Xiaojia’s earlobe, speaking indistinctly, "After you finish your studies, we’ll have a baby." Xiaojia didn’t answer. She twisted her waist, moving like grinding millstones. "Don’t move. Let me enjoy it slowly."

At 8:00 AM the next day, Xiaojia called Zhou Ping and brought Hou Weidong to the school. When Zhou Ping saw Hou Weidong, she smiled. "So young to be the head of the Development Zone. Director Hou is capable. Secretary Zhou Changquan of Shazhou is a good friend of my husband. If you need any connections in the future, just ask."

Hou Weidong said, "I often hear Xiaojia talk about Sister Zhou. Thank you for taking care of Xiaojia." Zhou Ping said generously, "Let’s go around the city first. I’m treating you to lunch." Xiaojia added, "Weidong snuck over. He has a 9:30 flight and needs to rush back to Yiyang."

Taking a moment aside, Zhou Ping pulled Xiaojia to the side and whispered, "Xiaojia, your man is truly handsome and holds a top position at work. You’d better keep a tight rein on him." Seeing the lingering blush on Xiaojia’s face, she added meaningfully, "Rest well today. You must be exhausted from last night."

At 11:00, the plane landed at Lingxi Airport. Hou Weidong got into his Bluebird, turned on his phone, and saw over ten missed calls. Duan Ying had called five times. He immediately called her back. "Sorry, I forgot to turn on my phone this morning. Is there any news?"

Duan Ying said, "The newspaper office sent a three-person team to Yiyang. They said they would depart at 10:00 and should arrive around noon. The team leader is senior reporter Wang Hui, around forty-seven or forty-eight years old, about 1.75 meters tall. Liu Ruixue, twenty-seven, 1.6 meters tall. Du Chenglong, twenty-four, 1.7 meters tall. Wang Hui is somewhat balding."

She added, "They are driving a black Volkswagen Santana, license plate XXXXXXX."

Having received the accurate information, Hou Weidong immediately called Zhang Xiangyu to carry out the comprehensive reception plan as scheduled.