Chapter 135: Drifting with the Wind (Part 5)
After finishing a bowl of mixed noodles, Li Jing drove her high-performance off-road vehicle toward Qinglin Town. She was in high spirits, humming a tune that Hou Weidong knew well: "The midnight radio is still repeating that song." Her voice was slightly hoarse from singing, giving it a distinct resemblance to the style of singer Tong Ange.
As they entered the jurisdiction of Qinglin Town, the road condition deteriorated significantly. The car bounced along the uneven surface.
"Weidong, aren't there any road maintenance workers?" She called him Weidong with every sentence, displaying a level of intimacy that left Hou Weidong amused yet slightly embarrassed.
"There is a road maintenance section, but the staff is short, and management isn't very effective."
Li Jing gripped the steering wheel firmly. "This road follows the mountain terrain, with many curves. Some sections lack proper drainage ditches. If heavy trucks increase in the future, problems are inevitable. As the deputy township head, you can propose establishing a dedicated maintenance team."
"I am currently in charge of transportation affairs. I will handle this matter."
Upon arriving in Qinglin Town, the vehicle kicked up a trail of dust like a gray dragon. Li Jing quickly rolled up the windows. "Weidong, the sanitation in your town needs serious improvement."
Hou Weidong replied, "Director Li, your criticism is valid. A sanitation improvement plan for the town has already been drafted and will be implemented soon. This falls directly under my responsibilities."
Hearing that this was also Hou Weidong's job, Li Jing laughed. "You're like a police officer of the Pacific Ocean—your jurisdiction is incredibly broad."
After parking in the courtyard, Hou Weidong led Li Jing to Xingping Village. Previously, Liu Wei had roughly indicated a route for the road, and the two followed this path toward the village.
It took over an hour to reach Dashipo. Li Jing, captivated by the clear river water, took off her shoes and stepped onto the rocks by the riverbank. As she balanced on the stones, she extended her hand to Hou Weidong. "Help me up."
Once on the rocks, she kicked at the water with her bare feet. In this moment, Li Jing shed her usual aura of sexiness and maturity, appearing instead innocent and carefree. After playing by the river for a while, she put her shoes back on and approached the stone slope.
"Is this the specific rock formation?" She circled the slope, her smile fading as she reached the top and looked around carefully.
"Weidong, your judgment is accurate. This is indeed a natural quarry." She pointed to the riverbank and continued, "Since we need to build bridges and roads, this quarry can be exempted from many taxes and fees. At the very least, the fees charged by the Land and Resources Bureau can be waived. Their charges are calculated based on scale; for a site of this size, they would demand at least 100,000 yuan."
Hou Weidong, having a background in law, was particularly attentive to legal procedures. Hearing Li Jing's suggestion, he was slightly startled. "You mean we don't pay any taxes or fees for this quarry?"
Li Jing nodded. "I am a businessman; I must consider maximizing profits. The village needs to build a road, and this quarry is essential. Using the road construction as a justification to waive fees is the best excuse. We will definitely use this approach. As for how to draft the reports, that is your responsibility."
"We will divide the labor. You handle local affairs—such as those involving the Land and Resources Bureau, Tax Bureau, Industry and Commerce Bureau, and Public Security Bureau. I won't interfere in those matters. I will take charge of sales. You don't need to worry about that side."
"This is the advantage of a strong alliance."
Hou Weidong thought to himself, Li Jing is a shrewd businessman. I am half-official, half-businessman, but I am certainly not as professional as she is.
Li Jing continued, "I’ve calculated that building the bridge will cost around 100,000 yuan. I cannot bear this cost alone. We can offset it with two other expenses: first, the management fee paid to the village. Normally, a quarry of this scale would pay the village at least 10,000 yuan annually in management fees. Second, the relevant taxes and fees, which would amount to at least 100,000 yuan."
"These two amounts roughly equal the cost of building the bridge. If we were to pay the taxes separately, our costs would increase significantly."
Hou Weidong nodded. "I agree with your viewpoint."
A mountain breeze blew along the river, gently brushing against their faces. It felt incredibly refreshing. The faint scent of Li Jing’s perfume drifted into Hou Weidong’s nose with the wind, causing him to instinctively sniff.
"Now that I’ve seen the site, I feel confident. Let’s return to the town and sign the agreement. We must urge the village to complete the road immediately. We need to start the quarry operations before the highway construction begins." She spoke with a sense of urgency, which was the internal reason for constantly seeking alternative paths.
By the time they returned to the town, it was nearly eleven o’clock. Li Jing had a slight sheen of sweat on her nose. She took some tissues and wiped off her light makeup completely. Walking a bit further, she spotted a well by the roadside and used the well water to wash her face thoroughly.
After cleaning up, Li Jing lifted her face and asked, "Weidong, do I look ugly without makeup?" She had slender, willow-leaf-shaped eyes with slightly upturned corners, giving her an exceptionally charming appearance. Hou Weidong glanced at her, then quickly averted his gaze, complimenting her, "As the saying goes, natural beauty surpasses makeup. Director Li, you look even more beautiful without makeup."
Li Jing had asked because she desired praise. Having received the answer she wanted from Hou Weidong, she smiled happily. Then she teased, "Weidong, stop calling me Director Li. I am older than you. You can call me Sister Li or Sister Jing."
Hou Weidong immediately objected. "You are clearly younger than me. I will just call you by your name, Li Jing."
Walking along the rural path, surrounded by the greenery of the mountains, Li Jing hummed the old song "Picking Betel Nuts." Her voice was melodious, drifting with the wind, possessing a unique charm distinct from ordinary pop songs.
Upon arriving at the township government office, Li Jing’s smile quickly vanished. During the discussion of the agreement, she was meticulous and rigorous, scrutinizing every word with excessive seriousness.
The Li Jing who sang softly by the river and the Li Jing who was stern at the desk shared the same face but displayed two different demeanors. Hou Weidong found himself slightly distracted as he watched Li Jing biting her pen while thinking.
After signing the agreement, Li Jing received a phone call. Her voice was extremely low, and her expression shifted unpredictably. After hanging up, she said, "Weidong, I won’t stay for lunch. I have urgent matters and need to return to Shazhou."
"You should urge the village to clear the road ahead. Once I return, I will bring a construction team. While things are not too busy now, we can complete the small bridge within a month at most." She emphasized, "We will collaborate. You handle the local issues, and I will secure the sales channels and payments. If we operate well, once the highway is built, we will each earn several hundred thousand yuan."
Li Jing hurried downstairs. Amidst the roar of the engine, she waved to Hou Weidong. The off-road vehicle kicked up a trail of dust and left the township government courtyard.
Hou Weidong had just sat down in his office when Yang Feng entered with a folder. She smiled and asked, "That woman was very beautiful. Is she Deputy Head Hou’s girlfriend?"
Yang Feng was the famous news spokesperson of Qinglin Town. If she started spreading rumors, the entire town would know within a day that he had brought a beautiful girlfriend to town. Hou Weidong quickly corrected her. "Xingping Village needs to build a road. She was introduced by the Transportation Bureau to build the bridge. She is Director Li from the Shazhou Road Engineering Company."
Yang Feng exaggerated, "Wow, Director Li is truly beautiful."
She chattered for a few more minutes. Seeing that Hou Weidong was no longer feeding her curiosity, she went downstairs. Less than two minutes after Yang Feng left, another woman entered the office.
"University Student Hou, I have something to discuss with you." It was Tian Xiuying, who had come from the Shangqinglin township government compound. Anger was evident on her plump face.
Yang Feng liked to spread gossip. Although her rumors were often baseless, they had some basis in fact. Tian Xiuying, also from the Party and Government Office, preferred to spread malicious rumors.
During his time in Shangqinglin, Hou Weidong had analyzed Tian Xiuying’s motives. She spread many rumors from which she derived no benefit. In other words, her behavior was typical of harming others without benefiting herself. All her malicious words came from a mouth and heart already overgrown with mold.
"What is the matter? Please, don’t stand on ceremony." Although he looked down upon or even disliked Tian Xiuying, Hou Weidong maintained basic politeness.
"The government must be fair. I worked in Qinglin Township for twenty years and in Qinglin Town for several more years. Even if I have no merit, I have suffered hardships. Treating me this way is unacceptable." Tian Xiuying rambled on without stating the specific issue, leaving Hou Weidong confused.
"What exactly is the matter?"
"I am a staff member of the Party and Government Office. Being assigned to the Shangqinglin working group, I accepted it without complaint. Who asked me to be old and lack the smooth skin of young girls?"
"Tian Xiuying, let’s stick to the point. Don’t digress."
"University Student Hou, you now live in Shangqinglin Township. You know the situation in the township government compound. There is a building in front and two rows of single-story houses in the back. The single-story houses are damp and leaky. After living there for so long, my arms ache, and I’m sure I have arthritis. The small building in the township government has at least ten empty rooms. I want to move into the building. If the third floor is not available, please find me a room on the fourth floor."
Only a few families lived in the Shangqinglin small building, with most rooms empty. Why didn’t Hou Weidong allow Chi Ming, Tian Xiuying, and others to move in? He had asked Director Gao about this while in Shangqinglin, but Gao had equivocated and failed to clarify.
Where there is a phenomenon, there must be a reason. Hou Weidong was unclear about the cause of this matter and had not drawn a conclusion. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Housing allocation is managed by the Party and Government Office. You are a staff member of the office. Have you asked Director Ouyang?"
"I previously asked Tang Shugang, but he no longer handles this. Ouyang Lin pushes the responsibility away completely. You are most familiar with the situation in Shangqinglin. Please say a fair word for me."
"The office is under the supervision of Secretary Liu. You can go directly to him. I can also explain the actual situation to him." Hou Weidong did not wish to interfere in matters supervised by Liu Kun, so he honestly declined to handle it.
Tian Xiuying pursed her lips several times, showing an expression of disdain. "I have already asked him, but he continues to delay and push back. If this is not resolved this time, I will petition the County Discipline Inspection Commission. University Student Hou, although you do not manage the office, you are now an official. Please say a fair word. Do not become snobbish just because you hold office."
Hou Weidong did not give a specific commitment, responding vaguely, "Reasonable requests will be considered by the Party Committee and Administrative Meeting."
Tian Xiuying’s plump face showed a rare expression of pleading. "Deputy Head Hou, you are currently the deputy leader of the working group. This position has not been removed; at least I have not seen any document stating otherwise. Coming to you about this is a normal procedure. Please speak up for me during the joint Party and Government meeting. We all come from the same Shangqinglin compound; there is still some affection between us."
Hou Weidong had great prestige in Shangqinglin, especially among village and community cadres, as well as people like Xi Zhaoyong and Tian Dadao, with whom he had deep relationships. Tian Xiuying, having lived in the mountains for a long time, knew this situation. She held a degree of fear for Hou Weidong, and her tone unconsciously became more polite.
Thinking of a person in her forties begging him for a change of housing, Hou Weidong felt a pang of pity. "Rest assured, I know how to handle it."
Tian Xiuying stood up. "I will go find Liu Kun. If he doesn’t give me a clear answer, I am not someone to be trifled with."
Having finally managed to send Tian Xiuying away, Hou Weidong watched her retreating figure and thought to himself, Pitiable people must have hateful traits. This summary is too precise.
Not long after Tian Xiuying left, Fu Jiang came over to discuss matters. Upon learning that the bridge for Xingping Village had been settled, he proactively said, "Deputy Head Hou, since you have handled this major issue, leave the minor matters to me. Previously, when dealing with Xingping Village, Yan Daoli always used the village as an excuse. This time, let’s see what reason he has."
Seeing that the usually lazy Fu Jiang was now enthusiastic about work, Hou Weidong instructed, "Go find Yan Daoli. The key is to urge him to build the road on the opposite bank of the river. Only then can the bridge construction team enter the site."
Retained funds,统筹 (comprehensive management fees), agricultural tax, forestry and specialty product tax, accumulation labor, obligatory labor, and various apportionments were a heavy burden on the villagers. Especially the first item, due to its large amount, many villagers had not paid. The collection of retained funds and comprehensive management fees in Xingping Village ranked last in the town.
Every time the town criticized this issue, Yan Daoli would bring up the road. After a round of unreasonable纠缠 (entanglement), he often shifted everyone’s attention from the fees to road construction. Fu Jiang, as a member of the secondary leadership team, had attended many such meetings. Now, hearing that the small bridge was settled and remembering Yan Daoli’s confident arguments, Fu Jiang was delighted inside: This time, let’s see how Yan Daoli makes his case.
Fu Jiang left happily. He planned to eat lunch, take a nap, wake up at three o’clock, and then go to Xingping Village to deliver the good news, urging Yan Daoli to start building the front section of the road. He could also take the opportunity to enjoy a small drink in Xingping Village.
"Why is the morning so short?"
After Fu Jiang left, Hou Weidong picked up his mobile phone to check the time. It was already twelve o’clock. Sighing, he stood up to prepare for lunch.
The food in the cafeteria tasted terrible and was hard to swallow. Remembering that Zhang’s Restaurant was decent, he casually called Fu Jiang.
"Director Fu, this is Hou Weidong. Do you have plans for lunch today? No? Good. I will treat you to a meal. Let’s make it clear: no drinking." Although Fu Jiang was lazy and sloppy, he had work ability. Moreover, he was interesting in speech and action, with no intention to harm others. In this regard, he suited Hou Weidong’s temperament.
Fu Jiang knew that Hou Weidong had money and would certainly not miss the opportunity to have a free meal. He happily agreed, "Fang Jin from the office is here too. I will ask him to join us."
Hou Weidong walked out of his room, preparing to go to Zhang’s Restaurant, when he heard a quarrel coming from Liu Kun’s office.
"Secretary Liu, tell me the truth. Can this matter be handled or not?" The voice was shrill.
Liu Kun’s voice was also loud. "Adjustments to housing must go through the joint Party and Government meeting. This is a rigid rule. No one can be an exception."
"Why can Hou Weidong, Xi Zhaoyong, and even Yang Xinchun live in the small building? What serious mistake have I, Tian Xiuying, committed that I cannot live in the small building? Liu Kun, you must give me a reason. I, Tian Xiuying, am not someone to be trifled with. You cannot fool me."
"You living in the single-story house was not arranged by me. As I said before, any adjustment must be decided by a meeting." Liu Kun had previously reported Tian Xiuying’s request to Zhao Yongsheng. Upon hearing it was about Tian Xiuying, Zhao Yongsheng had stated directly, "Tian Xiuying is not a good person. She constantly stirs up trouble. Let her live in the single-story house. Even if there are empty rooms, do not give them to her. Let her learn that some words should not be spoken lightly. It will be a lesson for her."
Since Zhao Yongsheng had set the tone, Liu Kun did not dare to arbitrarily adjust Tian Xiuying’s housing. The previous two times Tian Xiuying came, he had敷衍 (perfunctorily) dealt with her. This time, however, she was relentless.
Tian Xiuying was not afraid of Liu Kun and was very angry. "Stop using official jargon. I have worked for over twenty years and have seen all kinds of strange things. Secretary Liu, you are young. You should do some practical things. It was discussed last time. If you don’t give me an answer today, I will not leave."