Chapter 126: Deep Love (Part 2)
The lake water was crystal clear, and lush green trees cast shade along both banks. Hou Weidong ate his breakfast slowly. Across the small round table, Li Jing rested her chin on her hand with elegant grace, watching him eat with the keen interest of a young girl.
While eating, Hou Weidong was mentally weighing Li Jing’s request. After putting down his chopsticks, he said, “President Li, I will give your proposal serious consideration. However, I cannot commit to anything right now. The Crushed Stone Association is, after all, an association. I need to go back and consult with the other members regarding your requirements.”
Li Jing placed a flattering hat on him, saying, “Township Head Hou, I know you are a man of responsibility and integrity. You will help me get this done.” She then used a small ladle to serve him a bowl of translucent congee. “This congee is good for the stomach. Since you’ve been drinking, you should eat more of it.”
Hou Weidong had already formed a rough estimate of the situation in his mind. After setting down his bowl, he said, “I will give you an answer soon, President Li. Do you have a car? I need to return to Shazhou.”
Li Jing was in a good mood. She took out her walkie-talkie and said, “Xiao An, prepare the car. Escort our guest back to Shazhou.”
With the implicit agreement of cooperation in place, Hou Weidong accepted the ride in the Crown sedan. Sitting in the back seat, he felt like a high-ranking leader, watching the trees on either side of the road slide past him.
As they approached Shazhou, Xiaojia called. She sounded apologetic. “Husband, I’m so sorry. The Construction Commission has invited several of the largest development companies from Lingxi Province to brief them on Shazhou’s development plans. I have to arrange the lunch reception. You should go home and wait for me. There are cooked dishes in the refrigerator; just heat them up and eat.”
She added a reminder, “You must wait for me to come back.”
Although he felt a slight regret, the feeling of returning to his new home was pleasant. Entering the main gate of Xinyue Tower, he walked through the spacious central courtyard with a sense of pride.
This was currently the best residential complex in Shazhou. It featured a large central courtyard planted with flowers and grass, adorned with artificial rockeries, two pavilions, and some fitness equipment. A group of children were playing in the courtyard.
Passing through the courtyard, he saw a group of red koi fish swimming happily in an artificial stream. A girl of about fourteen or fifteen was squatting by the stream, holding a small bag and feeding the fish. Hou Weidong stopped to watch, attracted by the beauty of the fish. The girl looked up at him unconsciously, then continued feeding the fish. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she looked at him several more times.
Hou Weidong touched his face, finding nothing unusual.
“Uncle, it’s you.” The girl’s face broke into a smile. She stood up and said, “You’ve forgotten me. I’m Su Tang, Su Tang-er. That night, you took me to the Comprehensive Wholesale Market.”
Hou Weidong suddenly realized who she was. It had been more than two years, and he had long forgotten the appearance of the little girl from that day. Seeing the sunny young girl before him, he could not reconcile her image with the runaway girl from the past. He smiled and said, “Su Tang, if you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have recognized you.”
“Uncle, do you live here too? My home is over there.” Su Tang pointed toward Building 4. “You must come to my house to play.”
“Sure, I’ll come when I have time,” Hou Weidong said perfunctorily.
Su Tang asked again, “Uncle, where is your home?” Hou Weidong pointed randomly in a direction.
At that moment, a slightly overweight middle-aged man walked back from outside. Seeing his daughter talking to a young man, he approached them. “Su Tang, have you finished your homework? Why are you out again?”
Su Tang happily said to the middle-aged man, “I’ve finished my tasks for this morning. Dad, this is the uncle who helped me that night.”
The middle-aged man didn’t react immediately. “That night?”
Su Tang said shyly, “The night I ran away from home.”
The man finally understood. He extended his hand and shook Hou Weidong’s hand. “My name is Su Mingjun. Thank you so much for your help that night.”
At the time, at the Shazhou Comprehensive Wholesale Market, Su Mingjun had not known that Hou Weidong was the one who had saved his daughter, so he had not expressed excessive gratitude. After returning home, Su Tang had recounted the entire incident in detail. This had caused Su Mingjun and his wife to break out in a cold sweat. They were well aware that without the intervention of that young man, the events of that night would have been unbearable to recall, and Su Tang-er would have suffered greatly.
“My name is Su Mingjun, Su Tang’s father. May I ask your surname? Do you also live here?”
“My name is Hou Weidong. I live in Building 2,” Hou Weidong replied.
Su Mingjun said, “Do you have time for lunch today? I’d like to treat you to a meal. Please don’t decline. For you, that night’s incident might have been a small matter, but for our whole family, it was a huge deal. I must express my gratitude.”
Hou Weidong said somewhat embarrassedly, “No need to be so polite.”
Su Mingjun insisted firmly, “I still have some things to handle. At twelve o’clock, my whole family and I will meet you at the Xinyue Restaurant outside Xinyue Tower. Don’t be late.”
Seeing Su Mingjun’s sincerity, Hou Weidong did not hesitate. He agreed readily, “Alright, I’ll come down then.”
Back home, he immediately sensed Xiaojia’s strong presence. The room was decorated with small ornaments, including some tapestries—items favored by women with a bourgeois sentimentality. On the inner balcony, Xiaojia’s clothes were hanging, including coats and a pair of black, semi-transparent panties. Looking at the panties, Hou Weidong’s imagination ran wild, and he swallowed hard. Standing on the balcony, he called Xiaojia. “Wife, I’m home. When will you be back?”
On the other end of the line, Xiaojia checked to ensure no one was around, then sent a few air kisses through the phone. “Husband, people from the Lingxi Province Construction Commission are here, along with a group of big bosses. I really can’t get away. Don’t you always say, ‘Once you’re in the Jianghu, you can’t control your own body’? That’s how I feel right now.” She added, “Let’s come home for dinner tonight.”
Although Chen Qingrong and Zhang Yuanzheng had reluctantly accepted Hou Weidong, the previous incidents had left a mark. Whenever the four of them met, there was always some awkwardness, and they could never be completely relaxed and harmonious. But they were Xiaojia’s parents, and despite the discomfort, he had to face them. Sitting on the sofa, Hou Weidong thought about what gifts to buy for the evening.
Before he knew it, it was 11:50.
The lunch was arranged at the Xinyue Restaurant outside Xinyue Tower. Su Tang was waiting outside. Seeing Hou Weidong, she waved vigorously. “Uncle Hou, over here! We’re in the Huangshan Pine private room.”
The door to the Huangshan Pine room was open because the dishes were being served.
Su Mingjun and his wife were already waiting by the table. Seeing Hou Weidong enter, Su Mingjun habitually raised his hand to check the time and praised, “Exactly twelve o’clock. Very punctual.”
After Hou Weidong sat down, Su Mingjun introduced, “This is Su Tang-er’s mother. You can call her Sister Li.”
Sister Li warmly said, “This restaurant is famous for its home-style cooking. I’ve ordered a few signature dishes. Please enjoy, Mr. Hou.”
Throughout his life, Hou Weidong had only been called “Mr.” in the service industry. Hearing the word in daily life felt somewhat uncomfortable. He smiled and said, “Please just call me Xiao Hou. ‘Mr.’ is a title for successful people. I don’t dare to accept it.”
Su Mingjun said, “I also find the word ‘Mr.’ a bit awkward. Don’t be so modest. Since we are neighbors in the same community, I’ll call you Xiao Hou. Xiao Hou, you can call her Sister Li, and call me Old Su.”
Su Mingjun agreed, “That’s a good way to address each other.”
A plump waiter walked over and asked, “Sir, what would you like to drink?”
Su Mingjun said, “I have a meeting this afternoon, so let’s have a bottle of Wuliangye.”
When the wine arrived, Su Mingjun raised a small beer glass and said, “I have arrangements this afternoon, so I’ll only have one drink today. We can continue drinking tonight.”
Hou Weidong did not object. “I’m going to visit my parents-in-law tonight. I’ll treat you, Old Su, another day.”
Sister Li asked, “You’re married. Why didn’t you bring your wife?”
Su Mingjun poured a glass of wine and handed it to Hou Weidong. “Xiao Hou, where do you work?”
“At the Qinglin Township Government in Yiyang County.”
Su Mingjun said in surprise, “You work in Qinglin Township, Yiyang? I know that place. The year before last, during the Party member poverty alleviation campaign, I went there. I remember the Party Secretary’s surname was Zhao.”
Su Mingjun hinted subtly, “I work at the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee.”
Hou Weidong joked, “Then you’re family on my mother’s side. If I have any issues, I’ll have to rely on the Organization.”
Su Mingjun held his wine glass and said, “We all work for the Communist Party. No need for polite words. If you have any matters, feel free to come to me.” Although he said this, his expression and tone unconsciously carried a bureaucratic flavor. He asked again, “What position do you hold in the government?”
“Deputy Township Head.”
“Looking at Xiao Hou’s appearance, you can’t be more than twenty-five or twenty-six. Becoming a Deputy Township Head at such a young age is no small feat. You must have been assigned to Qinglin Government after graduating from university.”
“I was recruited through the public examination in Yiyang in ’93.”
Su Mingjun smiled. “So you’re part of Secretary Zhao Lin’s team. There was some controversy when Yiyang prepared for the public recruitment. It seems that direction was correct.”
Hou Weidong could only smile bitterly in his heart. What kind of ‘correct’ is this? I was selected in violation of organizational principles. Outwardly, he said, “Public recruitment of cadres is the inevitable path forward.”
Sister Li interjected, “Su Tang-er, quickly offer a toast to Uncle Hou.” Su Tang raised her glass to toast.
After a few drinks, a plump man walked over holding a glass. “Minister Su, it’s been a long time since you summoned me.”
Su Mingjun tapped the table. “Secretary Deng, why do you look even fatter?”
Secretary Deng sat down heavily, sticking out his big belly. “Can’t help it. Even if I drink only cold water every day, I still gain weight. Minister Su, when will you come to inspect the Economic Development Zone?”
After chatting for a few sentences, Secretary Deng raised his glass. “Let’s have a drink with this brother. I’m Deng Xiaoming, from the Economic Development Zone.”
Before Hou Weidong could speak, Su Mingjun introduced him proactively. “This is Township Head Hou from Qinglin Township, Yiyang County.”
Secretary Deng said enthusiastically, “Township Head Hou is truly young and promising, handsome and elegant, with a bright future. Come, let’s clink a big glass. When you come to the Economic Development Zone in the future, you must find me.”
Hou Weidong now knew Su Mingjun’s actual identity. The head of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee Organization Department was Wen Yan, so Su Mingjun must be a Deputy Minister. This status was significant for a low-level cadre like Hou Weidong. However, on the surface, Hou Weidong remained as calm and smiling as before.
Shortly after Secretary Deng left, Hou Weidong’s mobile phone rang.
Xiaojia was in the lobby of the Shazhou Hotel, feeling rather bored. “Those big bosses are still on site. I estimate they’ll return to the hotel in half an hour. I’m waiting for them in the lobby. Have you eaten? There are dumplings in the refrigerator. Just heat them up.”
“I’m at the Xinyue Restaurant outside Xinyue Tower, having lunch with Minister Su.”
Xiaojia asked, “Which Minister Su?” Hou Weidong found it difficult to explain and changed the subject. “When will you be back?”
Xiaojia was extremely sensitive. “Is it Minister Su from the Organization Department? He also lives in Xinyue Tower. I’ve seen him before.”
Hou Weidong did not want to say more. “Come back early.”
Xiaojia guessed that it was inconvenient for him to talk. “Alright, I’ll come back after I finish eating.”
While Hou Weidong was on the phone, Su Mingjun showed a hint of surprise. Even in the Shazhou municipal organs, only a few people used mobile phones. For a small Deputy Township Head to use a mobile phone worth over ten thousand yuan was quite impressive.
After Hou Weidong put down the phone, Su Mingjun asked casually, “Xiao Hou, where does your wife work?”
“At the Shazhou Construction Commission.”
Sister Li laughed. “The Construction Commission has money. Xiao Hou is truly lucky.”
Secretary Deng returned to the adjacent room and suddenly remembered something. He thought, From Qinglin Township, surname Hou. Could he be Director Zhang’s boyfriend? He took out his mobile phone and called Zhang Xiaojia. “Director Zhang, this is Deng Xiaoming.”
“It’s nothing. I suddenly remembered the thing you told me last time. Is your boyfriend from Qinglin Township, Yiyang County, surname Hou, and is he a Deputy Township Head?”
Xiaojia said in surprise, “How do you know?”
The Economic Development Zone and the Construction Commission had close ties. Xiaojia had once had dinner with Deng Xiaoming and mentioned Hou Weidong, trying to gauge his attitude to see if there was hope for a transfer. At the time, Deng Xiaoming had laughed and joked but had not given a clear commitment.
Secretary Deng laughed. “I was having lunch at Xinyue Tower and met him. We even had a drink together. The matter you mentioned last time should not be a big problem. When can you bring his materials to me?”
This was truly an unexpected gain. Xiaojia said happily, “Wow, Secretary Deng, thank you so much. Another day, Wei Dong and I will treat you to a drink.”
Secretary Deng added, “Township Head Hou is at the deputy section level in Qinglin Township, but if he transfers to the Economic Development Zone, he might not be able to keep his position temporarily.”
Xiaojia said cheerfully, “It doesn’t matter. Let’s get him transferred in first.”
Thinking of the friendly interaction between Hou Weidong and Su Mingjun, Secretary Deng expressed understanding. “Right. Township Head Hou is young and promising. He will be welcome anywhere. Welcome to the Shazhou Economic Development Zone.”
After hanging up, Deng Xiaoming said to the people at his table, “You guys keep drinking. I’ll be delayed for a moment.” He walked out and returned to the Huangshan Pine room. “Township Head Hou, I’d like to have another drink with you.”