Chapter 203 Night (Part 2)
Shayi Road was a newly paved highway, its surface smooth and even. The Santana 2000 was a brand-new car, gliding effortlessly along the asphalt. Inside the cabin, aside from the harmonious vocals of the Black Crowes playing on the stereo, there was not a single jarring sound.
Li Jing had taken off her shoes, curling her bare legs up on the seat. She rested her head on Hou Weidong’s lap, looking thoroughly comfortable. “Hiking and hunting today was exhausting. I’m going to sleep for a bit. Wake me up when we reach the suburbs of Shazhou.”
She wore a low-cut long dress, her smooth shoulders resting against Hou Weidong’s thigh. It was impossible for her feminine charm to remain concealed. Hou Weidong stroked his chin, teasing with self-deprecation, “Li Jing, are you testing me? I’m not Liu Xiahui; sitting with a woman in my lap would surely stir up trouble.”
Li Jing shifted, lying flat on her back on the rear seat. She used his sturdy thigh as a pillow, a position that allowed her to face Hou Weidong directly. Her eyes held a mischievous glint as she said, “You are the father of my future children, so my body is always open to you, as long as you are willing.”
Sister Liu drove with intense concentration. The conversation between the young man and woman entered her left ear and exited her right, registering no impression.
Hou Weidong felt a stir of heat in his lower abdomen. Daring not to provoke Li Jing further, he surrendered. “Rest well. I’ll close my eyes for a bit too.” Seeing that Hou Weidong’s hands and feet had become well-behaved, a smile appeared on Li Jing’s face. “I’ll just sleep for a moment. Wake me when we get to Shazhou.”
A faint scent of perfume diffused through the car, mingling with the Black Crowes’ harmonies. Li Jing began to snore softly and evenly, one hand tightly gripping the corner of Hou Weidong’s shirt, as if clutching a source of comfort.
Hou Weidong envied Li Jing’s good fortune, able to sleep soundly in such an ambiguous atmosphere. He muttered to himself, “Li Jing really doesn’t see me as a bad person.”
With a soft, warm body resting against him, Hou Weidong couldn’t help but let his imagination wander. Yet, Li Jing was so open and natural that his desires dared not easily surface. To do so would betray the beauty’s trust. From Yiyang to Shazhou, Hou Weidong’s lower abdomen remained tense and swollen. When he finally shook Li Jing awake, he said, “Li Jing, if I end up with prostatitis in the future, you’ll be the one to blame.”
Li Jing had slept deeply and comfortably. She laughed, “My judgment is good. You are lustful but have restraint. You are trustworthy.”
Upon entering Shazhou City, Li Jing called Li Dazui. “Brother Li, it’s Li Jing. I’m waiting for you at the Urban Farm.” After hanging up, she turned on the rear lights and took out her makeup kit to quickly touch up her appearance.
The Urban Farm was also an asset of the Jinggong Group, similar to the Han Lake in Shadaosi. However, since Jinggong Group’s strength was not as formidable, this Urban Farm was merely a simplified version of Han Lake. Li Jing had been responsible for managing Han Lake during her time in Shadaosi, so setting up this Urban Farm was a piece of cake for her.
“Weidong, in front of Li Dazui, you are my flower-protecting envoy. Prevent him from getting any funny ideas.” When Li Jing first entered society, she had nothing; her youth and beauty were her greatest credentials. Now, as the general manager of Jinggong Group, she was gradually transitioning her role.
The Urban Farm was located in a corner of the southern part of the city. The south was Shazhou’s development zone, where large tracts of land had been leveled, promising an infinite future, though it currently lacked sufficient foot traffic.
Li Jing had a good relationship with Deng Xiaoming from the Development Zone. Hearing that the southern beverage factory had gone bankrupt, she bought it at a low price and transformed it into the Urban Farm.
The Urban Farm was divided into two sections. The front part was for receiving external guests, featuring a courtyard, a pond, a small garden, guest rooms, a karaoke hall, and a tea room. The chefs and some of the waitstaff were transferred from Han Lake. Although Li Jing was a woman, she was strict about the requirements for the garden workers. However, she did not stint on wages; she provided pension insurance for her employees, which was rare for ordinary enterprises. Consequently, after establishing her own business, she recruited many experienced staff from Shadaosi.
The rear section was separated by a wall and bore a sign reading “Staff Home.” In reality, it was a hidden gem, specifically designed to entertain important guests.
The rear hall had formerly been the factory director’s office building. It was not large, but the beverage factory, though small, was a decades-old establishment. The factory compound courtyard was home to more than a dozen tall trees, adding a sense of secluded elegance to the small yard.
The first floor of the office building had been converted into a rest room and a small conference room. As soon as Hou Weidong and Li Jing entered the rest room, a waitress in a light blue uniform approached. “Li Jing, what kind of tea would you like?”
“No need. Prepare the tea room on the second floor according to the second-tier standard. The guests will be arriving shortly.”
After waiting for about ten minutes, the waitress led a refined-looking man in. Li Jing whispered, “This is Li Dazui.”
The name belonged to a character from Gu Long’s novel The Legendary Siblings, famous for eating people with his big mouth. In Hou Weidong’s mind, Li Dazui from the Shazhou Transportation Bureau must have been a fierce figure. Seeing this Li Dazui’s scholarly air was quite unexpected. However, recalling Li Jing’s instruction for him to act as a flower-protecting envoy, he thought to himself, “It seems one cannot judge the depth of the sea by its surface, nor a wolf by his appearance.”
Li Jing affectionately linked her arm with Hou Weidong’s and approached Li Dazui. “Brother Li, let me introduce you. This is my friend, Hou Weidong.”
Li Dazui’s expression changed slightly, and he felt a sense of disappointment. He had originally hoped for a romantic encounter tonight, only to find Li Jing accompanied by a boyfriend. After a few mental calculations, he smiled. “Hou Weidong, nice to meet you for the first time. Pleasure to meet you.” His smile was superficial, lacking any genuine pleasure in the meeting.
Li Jing had anticipated this reaction. She smiled gently. “Brother Li, let’s go to the second floor. The Urban Farm has been renovated; it’s definitely different from before.” Li Dazui remained calm and followed them upstairs with grace.
Upon entering the tea room on the second floor, Hou Weidong was also struck by the sight. The tea room resembled a botanical garden. Beyond the small bridges and flowing water, there were pots of indoor plants everywhere. Having learned much about appreciating flowers and leaves from Old Xing at the Qinglin Town Grain Station, Hou Weidong recognized many varieties: aloe, spider plants, snake plants, cast-iron plants, and monstera. These were common varieties, but their placement was meticulous, and they were well-maintained, creating a unique artistic conception.
Li Dazui was also a serious graduate of a formal institution. Though he had a taste for women, his cultural literacy was not low. He also praised the arrangement with admiration.
“This tea room was just renovated, so I specifically placed these indoor plants. Aloe, spider plants, snake plants, cast-iron plants, and monstera are natural cleaners; they can remove harmful substances from the air. Snake plants and spider plants can absorb more than 80% of harmful gases indoors, and they are exceptionally good at absorbing formaldehyde. Aloe is also a master at absorbing formaldehyde; it can absorb 90% of the formaldehyde contained in one cubic meter of air.”
Li Jing kept her arm linked with Hou Weidong’s, acting like a bird relying on its mate. She had a good memory; after reading the materials sent by the landscaping company once, she had memorized these approximate figures.
“Those who come to the second-floor tea room to taste tea are all distinguished guests. Of course, we cannot let toxic gases harm their health. Don’t you agree, Brother Li?”
This tea room had been converted from the large conference room of the factory office. It covered an area of about two hundred square meters and was cleverly designed into a garden-style tea house. Soothing background music flowed softly through the tea house. The three of them wound through water, stones, and flowers for four or five turns before arriving at a quiet corner.
A beautiful woman sat at a table, holding a thin magazine. Hearing footsteps, she looked up. Hou Weidong recognized her as the pretty technician he had once bathed with at Han Lake. Now, sitting quietly by the table, her serene and gentle temperament complemented the tea house perfectly.
“This is Xiao Wang, Wang Yaping.”
Li Dazui’s eyes lit up upon seeing Wang Yaping. The previous trace of unpleasantness instantly vanished into the clouds.
The four of them sat down, and the waitress served authentic Longjing new tea. Li Jing leaned closely against Hou Weidong, enjoying his healthy masculine scent. Although she knew this was a performance, she derived great enjoyment from it. In the car, she had even been able to feel the heat between his legs. She thought to herself, “If Hou Weidong were to make a move, I would let him.”
Yet, throughout the entire car ride, Hou Weidong had been exceptionally well-behaved.
Since entering the workforce, Li Jing had come into contact with too many men who had power or money. Her understanding of these men perhaps exceeded their own self-knowledge. She knew Hou Weidong was also a lustful man, but his lust had boundaries. Unlike some men who could not think without their lower bodies, Hou Weidong showed restraint. During this trip from Yiyang to Shazhou, she had gained a new understanding of Hou Weidong, increasing her fondness for him.
After chatting for a few sentences, Li Jing said, “Weidong, let’s go dance next door.”
Next door was a small dance floor. There was no band, but the sound system was top-notch. Under the dim lights, a song played: “Midnight radio, broadcasting a familiar song.” This was an old song from their university days that they never tired of hearing. Now, dancing to the melody, they felt a different kind of connection.
Neither of them affected any pretense. They embraced directly. Li Jing had a great figure, and her body interlocked perfectly with Hou Weidong’s. When the song ended, they said nothing. Hou Weidong wanted to pull away, but Li Jing held him tightly, whispering, “Weidong, kiss me.”