Chapter 132: Going with the Wind (Part 2)
The driving school was a subordinate unit of the Transportation Bureau. Since Bureau Director Zhu Bing had given the order, the principal executed it with strict diligence. The cars were the newest models, and the instructors were the best available.
Wang Bing had short hair and tanned skin. He wore a string of Buddhist prayer beads, giving him a rugged, masculine air. Although he was not old, he had several years of driving experience. The moment his hands gripped the steering wheel, confidence radiated from him. His driving maneuvers were skilled and crisp, possessing a certain rhythmic grace. As he drove, he explained the basic principles to Hou Weidong.
“Driving is actually quite simple. It’s just repeating these few mechanical actions over and over.”
Hou Weidong listened attentively. He grasped the concepts quickly. After half an hour, he seemed to have formed a basic understanding. He lit a cigarette for Wang Bing. Wang Bing held the cigarette in his right hand while keeping his left on the steering wheel, driving with a casual, dashing ease.
Hou Weidong felt a strong affinity for Wang Bing. “I heard you’ve driven to Tibet?”
“I was a military driver in Chengdu. I made the run to Tibet at least thirty times. After I was discharged, I was assigned to this driving school under the Transportation Bureau.”
“The roads in Tibet are treacherous. Having made that trip thirty times, your skills must be top-notch, Coach Wang. Please teach me a few tricks.”
“There’s no real secret to driving. It’s like the old story of the oil seller—it’s all about familiarity. Of course, you need to seriously summarize the basics of handling emergencies and memorize them firmly.”
Wang Bing drove fast but with extreme stability. He quickly left Liu Wei behind. Once they were outside Yiyang City, the car glided like flowing clouds onto a small side road. After a short distance, they arrived at an abandoned sports field.
“Practice figure-eights here to get familiar with the steering wheel.”
Wang Bing reviewed the key points again. “Get in and try it out to build some intuitive feel. Pay attention to the coordination between the accelerator and the clutch.” Drawing on his rich experience as an instructor, he added, “Keep your foot light on the gas.”
Hou Weidong had never touched a steering wheel before. Hearing Wang Bing describe it so simply, he felt confident and took the driver’s seat. Following Wang Bing’s instructions, he pressed the accelerator. He had no idea what “light” meant. He stomped on the pedal, and the car lurched forward violently.
“Ease off the gas!” Wang Bing’s foot was already on the passenger-side brake. He didn’t press hard, but he shouted the warning.
Seeing the car shoot forward, Hou Weidong panicked. It was his first time driving. He was confused and lacked any intuitive sense. Instead of easing off, he pressed the accelerator harder. The car became like a wild horse breaking its reins, charging straight toward the other side of the field.
“Release the gas! Turn the wheel!” Wang Bing roared.
Hou Weidong finally remembered to lift his foot from the accelerator and yanked the steering wheel. The car turned sharply just as it approached the edge of the field.
After stopping, Hou Weidong gripped the steering wheel with both hands. For a long time, he remained shaken. Wang Bing didn’t say much. He lit a cigarette and offered one. “Here, have a smoke.”
After a few puffs, Hou Weidong regained his composure. Though he felt a bit resentful, he began to ask for advice humbly. “Coach Wang, could you explain the key points to me in more detail?”
“This car’s accelerator is very sensitive. When you add power, just tap it lightly. You don’t need to use all your strength. Try again. You’ll get the hang of it after a few more runs.”
This time, Hou Weidong was much more cautious. Under Wang Bing’s guidance, he began driving circles around the field.
After about twenty laps, Hou Weidong gradually got the feel of it. Just then, his mobile phone rang. Wang Bing tapped the brake from the passenger seat. “Township Head Hou, take a break. Answer your phone.”
Hou Weidong stopped the car and answered.
“Madman, where are you? Why are you moving so fast? I’ve already entered Yiyang County. Boss Bao and I are waiting at the Yiyang Hotel, in the Huangshan Pine private room. Can you contact Li Jing and try to persuade her to come over?”
Hou Weidong then dialed Li Jing’s number. “Manager Li, this is Hou Weidong. Do you have a moment?”
Li Jing’s laughter was crisp and clear. “Township Head Hou, what a rare treat. You’re actually calling me proactively. The sun must be rising from the west.”
“I’ve been thinking about the matter you mentioned last time for a long while. The Shangqinglin Gravel Association has established its rules. The few best quarries control the stone resources on the mountain, making it very difficult to break in. To put it bluntly, this is a battle of interests, and it’s hard for me to persuade the others.” Hou Weidong himself was the founder of the Gravel Association. They had integrated all village cadres into the association, paying them monthly salaries. Consequently, it was difficult for outsiders to reach agreements with the villages.
Furthermore, the county Land and Resources Bureau had strengthened its management of quarries. The startup fees had risen repeatedly, doubling every two years, and recently reached 100,000 yuan. This significantly increased the cost of opening a quarry. A while ago, a small quarry attempted forced mining. The Gravel Association secretly reported this to the Land and Resources Bureau. The law enforcement department received the tip and quickly sent personnel to impose penalties. The Bureau’s enforcement objectively strengthened the monopoly of the Gravel Association.
Given this situation, Hou Weidong was indeed in a dilemma regarding Li Jing’s request. What he said was the truth.
On the other end of the line, Li Jing was silent for a moment. She fully utilized her feminine charm, saying softly, “Township Head Hou, can you think of other ways? County Head Zeng has told me many times that you are a trustworthy person. That’s why I specifically sought you out. Don’t disappoint me. You must have a way.”
Hearing the faint disappointment in Li Jing’s voice, Hou Weidong further confirmed his judgment: Li Jing genuinely wanted to cooperate. He then brought up Xingping Village. “I have an idea. I’m not sure if it’s mature, but you are an expert in roads and bridges. Help me analyze it.”
“What idea? Township Head Hou, don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me.”
“The highway needs gravel, but it also needs dimension stone. I discovered a high-quality stone mine in Xingping Village. It’s an excellent location for mining dimension stone. Are you interested in cooperating with me to develop this mine?”
Li Jing had been with Shagong Company for several years and was very familiar with the market. She knew the demand for dimension stone was huge. Her eyes lit up. “Dimension stone is also essential. However, the stone quality in Shangqinglin is not suitable for mining dimension stone.”
Hou Weidong explained, “Xingping Village is in Xiaqinglin. The stone quality is completely different from Shangqinglin. I’ve already had samples sent for testing. There shouldn’t be any major issues.”
Li Jing was pleased, and her tone took on a slightly coquettish, girlish quality. “Hmph, you scared me just now. You must have been teasing me on purpose. Weidong, you’re so annoying.” Previously, Li Jing had always addressed Hou Weidong as “Township Head Hou.” This time, she switched to “Weidong,” instantly bringing their relationship much closer.
Such an intimate form of address had previously been the exclusive privilege of Xiaojia. Hou Weidong’s heart fluttered slightly.
“The conditions for the Xingping Village mine are good, but there is one special problem: there is no road access. I have already negotiated with the village. They agreed to build a temporary road first. The village put forward a condition: if I want to mine this stone, I must also voluntarily build a small bridge for them, with a span of about ten meters. I asked Liu Wei to survey it. The cost of building the bridge will be around 100,000 yuan. If we deduct the cost of stone materials, the net cost for the bridge will be seven or eighty thousand.”
Li Jing hadn’t expected the situation to be so complex. “I’ll come to see the site tomorrow. We can discuss the specific details then. Since we are partners, we should settle matters clearly beforehand to avoid confusion later. Let’s sign the agreement tomorrow.”
This was exactly what Hou Weidong wanted to say. Hearing Li Jing bring it up proactively, he silently praised her: “Li Jing really has a business mind.”
“Xian Zheng is coming to Yiyang tomorrow. Why not come over tonight? Does Liu Wei need you for something?”
Li Jing asked curiously, “What is it?”
“A Boss Bao from a highway equipment company. He probably wants to do business supplying equipment for the highway and would like to meet you. Are you interested in coming over?”
According to convention, merchants who came through such channels would provide a kickback after the deal was closed. The amount of the kickback depended on the volume of business.
Li Jing was a senior executive at the company and was familiar with business practices. After calculating in her mind for a moment, she said, “Alright. I’ll drive over now. Where are you?”
“The Huangshan Pine private room at Yiyang Hotel.”
Li Jing had a good relationship with Zeng Zhaoqiang, the former director of the Transportation Bureau, and had eaten there many times. Hearing “Huangshan Pine,” she laughed. “Huangshan Pine has almost become the dining hall for the Transportation Bureau.”
When Hou Weidong hung up, his mobile phone battery was nearly dead. Since both he and Xiaojia had phones, they talked every day no matter how busy they were. He used the last bit of battery to call Xiaojia. There was no answer. When he dialed a second time, the phone emitted a dull du sound and died completely.
After leaving the practice field, Coach Wang Bing declined to join the dinner. He dropped Hou Weidong off at Yiyang Hotel and left on his own.
Walking into the Huangshan Pine private room, Hou Weidong found Liu Wei and a stout man already waiting. The stout man was short and fat. At first glance, Hou Weidong thought Boss Bao looked like a giant abalone. After Liu Wei introduced them, Boss Bao warmly shook Hou Weidong’s hand. His hand was broad and warm, reminding Hou Weidong once again of a giant abalone.
The “Giant Abalone” was a natural networker. “Township Head Hou, why are you so late? I heard you’re learning to drive. My company has an imported Bluebird. Whenever you want to drive, just give me a call, and I’ll have the driver bring it over.” He then took out a cigarette. “This is Russian tobacco. It’s strong. Have one.”
After a few rounds of small talk, the Giant Abalone got straight to the point. “Township Head Hou, have you contacted Manager Li?”
Hou Weidong took a puff of the Russian cigarette and was choked by it. The Giant Abalone began to chuckle.
“This smoke is really strong. I can’t handle it,” Hou Weidong joked. “Manager Li is still in Shazhou. It will take at least an hour and a half for her to drive over. Let’s wait patiently.”
The Giant Abalone gave a subtle glance. His assistant understood the signal and left the room under a pretext. After checking to see that Hou Weidong hadn’t followed, he went to the front desk. “Add two more signature dishes from Yiyang Hotel. Yes, the eel and the Yangtze River fish. Make sure the taste is good. If it’s not delicious, I won’t pay.”
Seeing that the guest had ordered the most expensive dishes, the front desk attendant’s attitude was exceptionally polite. “Sir, rest assured. Our chef is a head chef from the Lingxi Province Hotel. His skills are excellent.”
The hour of waiting was extremely boring. The Giant Abalone constantly boasted about his social connections, claiming that everyone from the Party Secretary of Lingxi Province down to the Township Head of Chengguan Town was his buddy. When Li Jing appeared at the door of Huangshan Pine, dressed in elegant simplicity, Hou Weidong smiled genuinely. His smile was heartfelt because, before Li Jing arrived, he had learned about the private lives of most important cadres in Shazhou and had grown quite tired of it.
“Manager Li, here is my business card. Please take care of me in the future.” The Giant Abalone stared at Li Jing’s face, swallowed hard, and then quickly shifted his focus. “I’ve long heard of your reputation, Manager Li. I didn’t expect you to be so young and beautiful.”
The Giant Abalone was a seasoned veteran of social scenes. He soon engaged Li Jing in lively conversation. Hou Weidong was merely the matchmaker, so he spoke little and focused on enjoying the feast.
By the end of the banquet, the group had only consumed one bottle of Wuliangye. Although Li Jing had only drunk a small cup, her face was flushed, making her look radiant, charming, and sexy.
“The karaoke hall above Yiyang Hotel has good sound equipment. I’d like to invite Manager Li to sing. Would you do us the honor?”
Li Jing apologized, “I drove all the way from Shazhou and I’m tired. I appreciate your kindness, Boss Bao, but I must decline.”
The Giant Abalone tried to persuade her for a while, but Li Jing remained unmoved. He finally gave up. As they left, Hou Weidong deliberately walked quickly, leaving Li Jing and the Giant Abalone behind.
After a while, the two caught up. Li Jing said to Hou Weidong, “I’m staying in Room 817 at the hotel. Accompany me up. I have something to discuss with you.”
As the saying goes, natural beauty is best in simple attire. Li Jing usually liked to wear gold and silver jewelry, but today, aside from a necklace, she looked pure like a fresh college graduate. As they rode the elevator up, in the enclosed space, a faint, elusive scent of perfume drifted into Hou Weidong’s nose. He made small talk. “Boss Bao is really humorous.” Li Jing smiled but did not answer.
Once inside the room, Li Jing retrieved a partnership agreement. “This is the draft partnership agreement I prepared. Please see if you have any objections.”
While Hou Weidong read the agreement, Li Jing poured him a glass of water and sat opposite him. “I work for the Shazhou Road Engineering Company. It’s not easy to earn money. People call me Manager Li, which looks glamorous, but in terms of actual strength, I’m not even as powerful as the bosses of the Shangqinglin quarries. This investment is very important to me. Please, Weidong, help me with all your might.”
“Manager Li, we are helping each other. You should also look out for me.”
After a few polite exchanges, they went straight to the point.
“I am currently the Vice General Manager. At the very least, I can ensure that the quarry’s engineering payments are not delayed. I have that much influence. This relationship should be converted into shares, accounting for at least thirty percent.”
“This quarry is in Xingping Village. I will coordinate the village relations. That should also be converted into shares.”
When discussing the agreement, they became meticulous. They discussed business matters for over an hour and basically reached a consensus: Li Jing would invest 50,000 yuan, and Hou Weidong would invest 80,000 yuan. Profits from the quarry would be split equally. If additional investment was needed, it would follow this same ratio.
After finalizing the agreement, Li Jing was in a good mood. “I’m really tired today. I’ll treat you to karaoke another day.”
They chatted casually for a few more minutes. It was already ten o’clock, so Hou Weidong stood up to take his leave. Li Jing did not detain him excessively and walked him to the elevator.
One, two, three. The elevator continued to rise. When it stopped on the eighth floor, Li Jing proactively extended her hand. “Then we’ll meet tomorrow.” Seeing Li Jing’s poised and graceful attitude, Hou Weidong also extended his hand.
Just as their hands touched, the elevator doors opened.