Chapter 166: The Foundation (Part 2)
The news that the foundation was to be abolished came as a shock to Hou Weidong. He sat face-to-face with Li Jing, their eyes locked in a long, silent stare. Li Jing’s expression was grave. “This is top-secret information. Among our four partners, you are the only one who knows. You must keep this strictly confidential.”
“Why tell only me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll leak it? I am an official of the Qinglin township government, and the Agricultural Economy Station is one of our subordinate departments.”
Li Jing smiled faintly. “With the establishment of Jinggong Group, you and I are like grasshoppers tied to the same string. We share common interests, so I have no fear of you leaking this.”
“Furthermore, from the government’s perspective, abolishing the foundation is a major event affecting the entire society. Without an official red-header document, they will not act lightly. As the deputy township head of Qinglin, you will naturally consider the stability of the whole town. You would never speak or act recklessly. If you lacked this judgment and self-confidence, how could I possibly cooperate with you?”
Hou Weidong pondered the potential difficulties that might arise after the foundation’s abolition. “The key issue is the three million yuan in loans from the foundation. If the government demands forced repayment, what will you do? My earlier suggestion to buy equipment was not the best strategy. I suggest that while the situation has not yet fully unfolded and bank lending is still normal, we should repay the foundation’s money first. The shortfall can then be covered by loans from commercial banks.”
Li Jing had rushed to Qinglin township for this very reason. “Great minds think alike. Tonight, I am treating President Zhu of the Shazhou Industrial and Commercial Bank to dinner to discuss loan matters. You will accompany me.”
She hesitated for a moment before continuing. “President Zhu is a ravenous beast when it comes to women; I simply cannot stand him. After dinner, you will accompany him to Hanhu. He enjoys playing cards and women.” She shot Hou Weidong a sidelong glance. “You men—righteous and dignified by day, but beasts in human clothing by night.”
Hou Weidong felt a flush of embarrassment. “I intend to remain a good man. It is better not to accompany this President Zhu.”
Sensing her tone had been too harsh, Li Jing explained, “Weidong, I am not criticizing you. You are a good man.”
Hou Weidong stroked his chin. “Actually, you are right. I am also a man with desires, and there is no essential difference between me and them. You know this, heh heh. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have asked me to accompany President Zhu.”
Li Jing said softly, “You are at least honest, not a hypocrite. In this world, one is often forced into situations beyond their control. I am not a pedant, nor do I blame you.”
As she spoke, her thoughts drifted to her own experiences. A minor figure with only a secondary vocational school diploma, lacking any background or capital, she had climbed step by step from Shadaosi. Her journey had cost her not just sweat and tears, but also her body, her emotions, and her youth.
In her childhood, seeing classmates from wealthy families wearing beautiful new dresses, drifting across the playground like clouds, she had made a resolve: “When I grow up, I must become an extraordinary person. I will wear the finest and newest clothes, making my classmates envious.” It was this simple dream that drove her to expend effort unimaginable to her peers. Naturally, with effort came reward, and she achieved a success that other women of her age could scarcely hope to reach.
The dormitory at the grain station had many design flaws: heavy humidity and poor air circulation. The room was filled with Li Jing’s faint perfume, which was of high quality and did not feel stifling.
When Li Jing appeared before others, she was always composed, confident, and radiant. This slightly melancholic demeanor was something Hou Weidong had never seen in her before. He thought to himself, I have only ever seen Li Jing’s success…
Unwilling to dwell too long on matters of men and women, Hou Weidong changed the subject. “Since the foundation is to be abolished, the banks may tighten credit. In that case, cash will be king. You should hurry back and urge the release of my loan funds.”
“The bluestone slabs for Xingping Village have nearly reached one hundred thousand units. Half of that money belongs to you. Please expedite it.”
Discussing business, Li Jing recovered from her momentary vulnerability. “I have already arranged this. You should find time tomorrow to visit Xingping Village, collect all the receipts, and strive to withdraw the funds within these few days.”
Hou Weidong added, “The second installment for the crushed stone at Goubewan is at least seven hundred thousand yuan. When we signed the contract, it was agreed that payments would be made according to progress. The second payment is due in ten days. Can you persuade Shadaosi to pay in advance? Better safe than sorry.” Although the Goubewan quarry had been operating for over two years, the scale of the entire stone mountain was vast, and the excavated area was merely the tip of the iceberg. Goubewan had become Hou Weidong’s largest source of profit. After the commencement of the Lingxi Expressway, he had already settled a loan payment of four hundred thousand yuan.
The first project for Jinggong Group was not scheduled to begin until October. According to the original plan, all expenses had been raised. However, plans rarely kept pace with changes. The abolition of the foundation added considerable uncertainty to the Xinhe Road project. According to Li Jing’s calculations, “If the working capital is indeed insufficient when the Xinhe Road project begins, these funds from Hou Weidong can be used for emergency relief.”
When discussing this, Li Jing did not explicitly state this intention.
“I have smoothed things over with the finance office. You can collect the money in the near future. My time working in Shadaosi will end by late September. After I leave, you will have to handle your loan matters on your own. You should cultivate a good relationship with the head of the finance office. You are an experienced hand, so I need not say more.”
Hou Weidong had had frequent contact with Yu Linlin, the section chief of the Shadaosi finance office. This woman, whose charm had long faded, was openly greedy. She had even suggested that he “count out” a portion for her, which gave Hou Weidong a headache.
Li Jing was powerless to change this, as Yu Linlin was the niece of the Shadaosi general manager. Thinking of Yu Linlin’s insincere smile, she sighed. “These rotten affairs are truly unique to China’s commodity economy. To get things done, one cannot remain purely aloof.”
After finalizing the arrangements for Jinggong Group, Li Jing reiterated her warning. “This matter involves too many parties and is particularly sensitive. You must keep it secret.”
Hou Weidong teased, “Chairman Li, once you get married, you will surely become a nagging mother-in-law.”
Li Jing shot him a look. “I have seen too many performances by rotten men in recent years and have lost faith in marriage. I have no intention of marrying and adding a shackle to myself out of thin air. However, the idea of having a child is not bad.” She cast a charming glance at him. “Your genes are quite good. Let us have a child together.”
Seeing Hou Weidong’s stunned expression, Li Jing smiled brightly. Leaning forward from her chair, she lightly kissed his forehead. “Weidong, rest assured. I am merely borrowing your seed. I am an independent woman and will not entangle you.”
Hou Weidong could only concede defeat. “Stop, stop. If you continue, I will lose my composure.”
Li Jing teased, “You are the father of my child; your health is important. I have a dehumidifier in my car. Hurry and carry it over to install it.”
Hou Weidong and Li Jing had been in contact for many days, and although Ma Gui had secretly followed them and taken photographs, their relationship had remained strictly pure. The light kiss on the forehead that day was the most intimate contact they had shared.
Calling Lao Xing, the two men carried the dehumidifier into the small room. Lao Xing, observant as ever, had begun smiling the moment he saw Hou Weidong appear. When they returned to the room, Hou Weidong could not help but ask, “Lao Xing, what are you smiling at?” Lao Xing pointed to his forehead. Hou Weidong touched it and, seeing the faint red mark on his fingers, realized that Li Jing’s lipstick remained on his forehead.
After eating a tofu pudding set meal at the Yao Family Restaurant in the Qinglin township market, Hou Weidong saw Li Jing off to her car. Sitting in the driver’s seat, she said, “Remember to come over tonight. Seven o’clock, at Building Two in Hanhu.” She added, “You are still learning to drive; keep your speed down and do not compete for the road with others.”
After seeing Li Jing off and returning to the township government compound, Yang Feng was standing in front of the Party and Government Office, cracking sunflower seeds. Having just had a relatively intimate encounter with a stunning beauty, Hou Weidong was still savoring the famous saying, “Women are made of water.” Suddenly seeing the plump and earthy Yang Feng, he thought to himself, They say women are made of water, but the difference is too great. Li Jing is clear mountain spring water, while Yang Feng is the fertile water of a rice paddy.
Yang Feng spat a sunflower seed shell onto the ground. “Deputy Head Hou, I was just about to call you. There is a joint Party and Government meeting at two o’clock this afternoon.”
“What is the agenda?”
“I do not know. Director Ouyang asked me to issue the notice.”
Hou Weidong returned to his office and pondered the foundation matter for a while. Standing by the office window, he could see the foundation’s storefront set up at the entrance of the compound. People were coming and going from the foundation in twos and threes. After a while, Bai Chuncheng also walked out of the foundation. His skin, originally fair, was now flushed red, clearly indicating he had been drinking. Having become the station master of the Agricultural Economy Station and holding the real power to approve loans, he walked with a swagger.
Hou Weidong and Bai Chuncheng had both served in Shangqinglin. They were familiar with each other but not close; there was no conflict, but also no intimacy. He thought to himself, If Bai Chuncheng knew the foundation was to be abolished, what would his expression be? I fear some people are like cats who cannot let go of a melon.
At two o’clock in the afternoon, the joint Party and Government meeting convened on time. The first few agenda items were trivial matters. The final item was raised by Tang Shugang. “Zhou Qiang of Huofu Coal Mine has submitted an application. He plans to conduct safety renovations this year, having invested over four hundred thousand yuan in the mine. With a shortage of working capital, he intends to apply for a one-million-yuan loan from the Agricultural Bank and requests the government to provide a guarantee.”
Su Ming immediately objected. “The government cannot provide this guarantee. The central government has proposed focusing on large enterprises and letting go of small ones. Most county-owned enterprises are to be restructured, let alone these township-owned enterprises. If they are restructured, these guarantees will become troublesome liabilities.”
Township-owned enterprises had played an important role in the early stages of reform and opening up. However, as the situation developed, their drawbacks became increasingly prominent, reaching a point where they had to be addressed. Relevant provincial and municipal newspapers had commented on this issue extensively. County Head Ma had discussed this problem multiple times at major conferences. Therefore, Su Ming dared not continue to provide guarantees for township-owned enterprises.