Chapter 22: Running Oneself Ragged (Part 9)
As the saying goes, familiarity makes things easier. With the help of Xiao Li from the Comprehensive Cadre Section, Hou Weidong completed all the necessary procedures in less than half an hour, visiting four different departments.
In the hallway, Hou Weidong handed Xiao Li a cigarette, lit it, and said sincerely, "Section Chief Li, I truly appreciate your help." Xiao Li had blackened teeth, a result of years of smoking and drinking tea. He accepted the Hongtashan cigarette, took a drag, and replied, "I’m just a clerk, not a section chief. Now that your paperwork is in order, you can report to Qinglin Town." Lowering his voice, he adopted the demeanor of an old friend and added, "If Secretary Zhao sends you down personally, or if the Organization Department dispatches a deputy minister to escort you, your days in Qinglin Town will be much easier."
Hou Weidong expressed his gratitude earnestly. "Thank you, Section Chief Li." However, he did not take Xiao Li’s final advice to heart.
After leaving the Personnel Bureau, Hou Weidong went to the grain station to handle the grain and oil procedures. It was not yet three o’clock, yet he found himself in a dilemma. The paperwork stated that reporting was valid within five days, but the journey to Qinglin Town reportedly took three hours. If he rushed there today, he would arrive after six o’clock, making it impossible to register. Yet, taking a bus back to Wu Hai County would be an exhausting round trip.
The name "Duan Ying" suddenly popped into his mind. Hou Weidong quickly shoved the thought away, as if discarding it into a gutter. He went to the post office, sat at the large desk, and leisurely wrote a letter to Xiaojia. He recounted his recent experiences and described the pain of longing. He dropped the letter into the mailbox, and it was still not four o’clock. The wall clock at the post office displayed the calendar, showing it was Wednesday. At Shazhou College, Wednesdays and Fridays featured dance parties, making Wednesday a special day. Hou Weidong held a particular nostalgia for this day. Seeing it was Wednesday, a spark of inspiration struck him: "The college has a guesthouse. It’s cheap and clean. Why not stay there for the night and report to Qinglin Town early tomorrow morning?"
Arriving at the familiar Shazhou College, Hou Weidong headed straight for the guesthouse and registered for a room. A standard double room in Yiyang County cost twenty yuan per night, while the college guesthouse charged only ten yuan. After booking the room, Hou Weidong drank some boiled water, turned on the television, and lay in bed for a while. When night fell, he left the guesthouse to have dinner at one of the small eateries on campus.
The college was on holiday, but a few students remained. They usually ate at the faculty cafeteria. Hou Weidong walked alone through the empty campus, feeling a stark contrast to the days when he was a student. Crossing the large sports field, the scenery remained the same, but the people had changed. Under the night sky, he felt particularly lonely.
At a familiar small eatery, Hou Weidong ordered twice-cooked pork, a cabbage soup, and two bowls of white rice. He ate without much taste. Inside, a few students were drinking. As they became excited, one said, "A small dance hall has opened at the back gate. The environment is nice. Let’s go dancing." The other students responded enthusiastically.
After leaving the eatery, Hou Weidong took a stroll along the lake embankment on campus. He didn’t encounter a single person. Feeling dispirited, he returned to the guesthouse. The television programs were also unwatchable. Suddenly remembering the students’ words at the eatery, he left the guesthouse again. As he reached the door, the attendant said, "We close at twelve. Remember to come back."
Indeed, there was a dance hall behind the gate. The entrance fee was three yuan, and the facilities were far superior to the college dance hall. The dance floor was not large, with several rotating lights hanging from the ceiling. Some instruments were placed on the stage, and six musicians were playing energetically. The music from the live band and the recorded music were worlds apart; the live presence and penetration were incomparable.
At least half of the people in the dance hall were students who had stayed at the college. Most had fixed partners. Hou Weidong was not in a hurry. He lit the remaining Hongtashan cigarette and smoked slowly in his seat. As the music played, the cigarette tip glowed dimly and brightly.
After a few songs, Hou Weidong noticed a young woman with long hair sitting in the corner. She looked very young, but her demeanor clearly indicated she was not a student. When the next song began, Hou Weidong walked over to her and gracefully extended his hand. The woman looked up at him and stood up.
They danced together to the music, matching each other seamlessly.
Hou Weidong had practiced track and field for several years in high school, giving him excellent physical coordination. He was quite good at ballroom dancing and had been recommended by his department to receive training from the music department’s dance teacher. He had represented the Political Science and Law Department in the school’s ballroom dance competition. After the competition, Hou Weidong no longer liked dancing with ordinary girls. Dancing was a pleasure; if done poorly, it was pure torture.
Seeing that the woman danced well, Hou Weidong increased the difficulty, changing his steps and moving flexibly across the floor. They navigated through the crowd, spinning around the entire hall.
When the song ended, Hou Weidong complimented her, "You dance beautifully." The woman had some sweat on her forehead. She smiled and said, "You led well." Neither of them returned to their seats,默契ly waiting for the next song to begin.
When the next song started, Hou Weidong saw several men approaching the long-haired woman. He acted quickly, leading her into the dance floor. This song was also fast-paced, and they matched perfectly, spinning as if they had been partners for a long time. After the song, they naturally stood together.
Hou Weidong sincerely praised her, "You are the best partner I’ve danced with. It flows like clouds and water, a true enjoyment." The long-haired woman was about 1.65 meters tall, exactly ten centimeters shorter than Hou Weidong. In the dim light, he finally saw her face clearly. She was in her early twenties, with delicate features and a slightly upturned nose. She was a beautiful woman with an elegant temperament, and her flowing long hair made her resemble Li Ruotong by seventy percent.
The third song was a slow dance. The stage played the melancholic lyrics: "The midnight radio gently plays a song, a melody we both know well… All love can only have one result, I deeply know that it is absolutely not me."
Hou Weidong and the long-haired woman gently glided into the dance floor. Just as they reached the center, the lights suddenly dimmed. A deep male voice announced, "Now begins the Ten Minutes of Tenderness. Please, ladies and gentlemen, immerse yourselves in the music and dance." As soon as he finished speaking, most of the lights went out, leaving only a dim ceiling light at the entrance.
It was too dark to see, so dancing was impossible. Hou Weidong led the long-haired woman, swaying gently to the melancholic song.
Qinglin Days