Chapter 381: The Year-End Crisis (Part 2)

Chapter 381: The Year-End Crisis (Part 2)

It was the seventeenth of the month. I had already posted sixteen chapters, which wasn’t far off the mark. If I skipped the alcohol at dinner, I might manage to post another chapter tonight. The year-end rush, oh the year-end rush—this wine is truly a curse.

From another perspective, one’s character is revealed through their drinking habits. By that measure, Xiao Qiao’s character is still quite decent.

Hou Weidong had not expected to encounter Mayor Liu Bing in such a private setting. Since fate had brought them together, there was no way out. Being the lowest in rank and the youngest in age, he sat silently on the sidelines, listening to the leaders chat about political anecdotes. Since there were no women present, there was little interest in making risqué jokes. Such humor only works when the opposite sex is around, especially when one can see young girls blushing with embarrassment; that is when the joke-teller feels a sense of accomplishment.

After a hearty meal and plenty of wine, Secretary-General Zheng Yulou received a phone call. It seemed he had another engagement, so the group dispersed.

Driver Wang Bing had once been an instructor at the Yiyang Driving School. After following Zhu Yan, he had navigated a few bureaucratic twists and turns and now held the status of a grassroots civil servant. Seeing Hou Weidong approach, he leaned over to open the car door.

“Brother Hou, it’s been a long time since we last met,” Wang Bing said.

Hou Weidong nodded. “It’s been more than half a year since we saw each other.”

Once the car started, Hou Weidong asked, “Secretary Zhu, where are we heading?”

“I’ve been drinking too much these past few days. I’m not going anywhere else. You come home with me; I have something to discuss with you,” Zhu Yan replied.

Throughout the ride, Hou Weidong pondered what Zhu Yan might want to say. Could he be asking me to transfer to Maodong? He had served as Zhou Changquan’s secretary for over half a year, and their relationship was strictly professional, a formal superior-subordinate dynamic. His relationship with Zhu Yan was more like that of a half-mentor and friend. He had made no deliberate attempt to alter his standing with Zhou Changquan. Such things needed to happen naturally; forcing them rarely yielded results.

Upon arriving in the suburbs, Hou Weidong exchanged greetings with Old Master Zhu and the others, then followed Zhu Yan upstairs.

“I need you to handle a matter for me,” Zhu Yan said, his tone quite serious. “Zhumei might be dating someone. I’ve checked the text messages on her phone and even had someone look at her online chat logs. Zhumei uses the screen name ‘Fast-Talking Little Mei’ online. She chats for hours every day with someone called ‘Son of the Wind.’ Their language is quite intimate.”

“Zhumei’s situation is special. I’m worried she might be deceived. Things on the internet are illusory; how can one feel at ease? Zhumei is only sixteen this year. She is too young. Even if we consider marriage, it should wait until she is over twenty.” Zhu Yan spoke with sincerity, his paternal concern evident in every word.

“After you return to Shazhou, find out who this ‘Son of the Wind’ is. Get the details. They’ve been talking passionately these past few days, and I have a bad feeling about it.”

Zhu Yan looked somewhat anxious. “If this is indeed the case, I will take Zhumei to Maoyun. She will stay by my side. As a father, I have been negligent in recent years. I should have spent more time caring for her.”

Hou Weidong had to pick up Zhou Changquan early the next morning, so he did not stay overnight at Old Master Zhu’s house. Wang Bing drove him to the Jinxing Hotel. He had originally planned to drive home that night, but Xiaojia had called him repeatedly, forbidding him from driving after drinking. Reluctantly, he gave up and stayed at the Jinxing Hotel. He woke up at five the next morning, had breakfast in the dining hall, and then set off for Shazhou.

By the time he arrived in Shazhou, the sky was not yet bright. There were few pedestrians on the streets. The sanitation workers had already finished their early morning sweep, and the lights of the breakfast stalls were on, steam rising warmly.

Back at Xinyue Building, he entered the room quietly. The air conditioner was running, making the room warm as spring. Xiaojia was still fast asleep. Hou Weidong leaned down and kissed her rosy cheek.

Xiaojia felt a coolness in her sleep and opened her eyes. She glanced at the alarm clock beside her, reached out from under the covers, and hugged Hou Weidong tightly. The stubble on his face was sharp and cold, which made Xiaojia’s heart ache.

“You’re too tired from running back and forth,” she said. “You can visit Secretary Zhu’s house after the Spring Festival.”

“I have to follow Secretary Changquan for New Year greetings. I’m worried I won’t have time then. Secretary Zhu is an old leader; this ceremonial procedure cannot be skipped. Secretary Changquan is the current leader, and as his full-time secretary, I must be on standby at all times.”

Xiaojia pulled her arms back into the warmth of the covers. “You have a good relationship with Secretary Zhu. You shouldn’t need to worry about such formalities.”

Hou Weidong slipped his hands into the covers. Afraid of chilling her, he didn’t touch her body directly, using only the warmth of the bedding to warm his hands.

“Content must be conveyed through form. Formalities are etiquette, an essential procedure in official circles. Although Secretary Zhu and I are close, he is still a leader and an elder. I dare not fail to show proper respect.”

Xiaojia sighed. “When I was little, I looked forward to the New Year the most. Now I understand what is meant by the ‘year-end crisis.’ How one spends the New Year is indeed a hurdle for small figures in the officialdom. It’s the same every year, with no end in sight. Being an official is truly exhausting.”

After a moment of intimacy, Hou Weidong got out of bed. He turned on the computer and carefully reviewed Zhumei’s messages. In the beginning, Zhumei had posted a message almost every day, but recently, the frequency had dropped significantly. This observation aligned with what Zhu Yan had said.

As he left a message, he told Xiaojia about the situation. Xiaojia was unconvinced. “Zhumei is sixteen. It’s normal for her to date. Why make such a fuss?”

“It’s different,” Hou Weidong explained. “Zhumei is deaf and mute. Secretary Zhu is naturally more concerned, fearing she might be hurt.”

After starting work, Hou Weidong entrusted Hou Weiguo with the investigation.

Hou Weiguo asked, “Is Zhumei still at the school for the deaf and mute?”

“Since Secretary Zhu was transferred to Maoyun, it’s inconvenient for him to visit. Zhumei is now studying in the provincial capital, at the Provincial School for the Deaf and Mute. She is also auditing classes at the Provincial Academy of Fine Arts.”

“Is ‘Son of the Wind’ from Shazhou?”

“In their chat logs, ‘Son of the Wind’ claims to be from Shazhou and runs a computer shop.”

Hou Weiguo’s view was similar to Xiaojia’s. Having never met Zhumei, he spoke objectively: “With an IP address and some general information, it should be easy to track him down quickly. Although Zhumei is Zhu Yan’s daughter, she is deaf and mute. It won’t be easy for her to find a boyfriend in the future. If this guy’s conditions are acceptable, there’s no need to forcibly obstruct them.”

Hou Weidong felt a deep pity for Zhumei. “Zhumei is too young. Having grown up in a closed environment, she has no concept of the dangers in the world.”

“Zhumei is deaf and mute. What kind of good partner could she find? If someone is willing to marry her, that’s enough. I think this young man seems okay.”

“Zhumei is considering marriage too early. Just because she has a disability doesn’t mean we should lower our standards for her partner,” Hou Weidong emphasized. “Although Zhumei is deaf and mute, she is smart and has no barriers to communication. Her family background is also good. She will definitely find a suitable partner.”

After assigning the task, over an hour later, Hou Weidong called Hou Weiguo again. “Brother, have you found out anything?”

Hou Weiguo laughed. “Third Brother, it doesn’t happen that fast. I was just in a meeting. I’ll help you with this matter in a bit. It’s a simple case, don’t worry…”

Another hour passed, and Hou Weiguo called back. “I’ve found ‘Son of the Wind.’ He’s at a computer specialty store next to the Industry and Commerce Building in the East District. The owner is named Wang Xiyu. After graduating from a technical school, he opened this shop. The young man has some skill; being able to become his own boss right after graduation is impressive. The business is doing well.”

Just as Hou Weidong was about to call Zhu Yan with the accurate information, his mobile phone rang. It was Zhu Yan, sounding urgent.

“Zhumei left a note at home saying she went to meet a friend and would return before the Spring Festival. Her phone is now turned off. I estimate she has gone to meet that online friend. Have you found that person?”

Upon hearing Hou Weidong’s report, Zhu Yan breathed a sigh of relief. “Xiao Hou, you handled this promptly. Go to the shop immediately and see if Zhumei is still there.”

At that moment, Zhou Changquan was holding a meeting in the small conference room. Hou Weidong estimated the meeting would last a while longer. He called Xiaojia and Weiguo while rushing downstairs as fast as he could.

When he arrived at the small shop in the East District, the door was closed. A note was posted on it: “The owner is away on business. Closed for one day. We apologize for any inconvenience to our old and new customers.”

The Landscape Bureau was close to this shop. Xiaojia received the call and rushed over shortly after. Hou Weidong remembered having repaired Zhumei’s computer at this shop. In his memory, the owner was a short young man who had graduated from a technical school. He cursed angrily, “Damn it. ‘Son of the Wind’? He’s just a short, unimpressive fellow.”

Hou Weiguo arrived in a Shazhou police unmarked car, with several strong, young police officers jumping out. Hou Weiguo held a few sheets of paper—photos retrieved from household registration files. “This is Wang Xiyu.”

Hou Weidong looked at the photo. “That’s him. I had my computer repaired at his shop.”

Hou Weiguo instructed his subordinates, “We will split into three groups. One group will check hotels to see if Zhumei registered. One group will wait at the bus station. The third group will search entertainment venues and parks to see if we can find her.”

Hou Weidong added, “You don’t know Zhumei. Xiaojia, go to the school for the deaf and mute. Quietly find Principal Yang and ask him to send a few reliable teachers to join Brother Weiguo’s search.”

With arrangements made, Hou Weidong hurried back to the Municipal Party Committee. Secretary Changquan was still in the meeting. He let out a long breath and sat at his desk, waiting for a phone call.