Chapter 394: The Crisis (Part 2)

Back in Shazhou, Hou Weidong was swallowed by a whirlwind of administrative tasks. The sheer volume of work pushed Li Jing to the deepest recesses of his mind.

It wasn’t until five in the afternoon that the pressure eased. Seizing the moment when Zhou Changquan stepped away to use the restroom, Hou Weidong pulled a new mobile phone from his drawer. He dialed Li Jing’s number.

“White-boned demon,” he said, using their playful nickname. “This is my new number. Only you know it. I’ll keep this phone in the office. Call this number for general matters; save the old one for emergencies only.”

Li Jing was quick to catch on, her voice bubbling with delight. “So, this number is exclusively for me?”

Hou Weidong was mindful of her feelings. “I hope you understand.”

Li Jing laughed softly. “I’m very happy you’d do this. If I couldn’t understand even this, I wouldn’t deserve to be a chairman. Life always has its disappointments; one cannot expect perfection. Knowing you keep me in your heart is enough to make me happy.”

Before her pregnancy, Li Jing had never seriously considered marriage. But after becoming pregnant, her emotions grew complex. She longed to share the joy of raising a child with her lover. Several times, she had wanted to summon Hou Weidong to Lingxi to meet him, but reason always triumphed over emotion at the last moment, leaving her to silently abandon the urge.

Now that Hou Weidong knew the truth, and with his regular attendance at the provincial Party School for graduate studies, plus this dedicated phone number, he had far exceeded her expectations. After hanging up, she felt light-hearted, humming a tune:

“Come to Lingxi to see me in winter, don’t linger in Shazhou. Come to Lingxi to see me in winter, with dreams as your only luggage. Return gently, without waking the past. Pretend I never left.”

After the call, Hou Weidong locked the new phone in his drawer. After days of contemplation, he had reached a resolution. “Since the deed is done, heavy-heartedness changes nothing. The immediate priority is caution. Li Jing is smart. She will marry and have a child; her husband will be surnamed Hou, and the son will be surnamed Hou. There are no loopholes. Second, I must provide enough warmth for mother and son. Although I cannot give them a complete family, I must strive to give them sufficient love.”

As he took out his keys, a thought crossed his mind: “The deed is done. Hesitation is useless. If I die, my eggs face the sky; if I don’t, I live forever.”

Note: The phrase '人死卵朝天' is a rough local slang implying a fatalistic resilience ('if I die, so be it'). Per guidelines, it is rendered here as a calm, resilient monologue without vulgar language.

Just as he locked the new phone, his personal mobile rang. It was Xiaojia. Hou Weidong’s tone was gentle. “How are you feeling today? Be careful; the floors at your workplace are slippery.”

Xiaojia said, “My father just called. He wants to treat you to dinner.”

Hou Weidong was surprised. “That’s strange. I’ve been your father-in-law’s son-in-law for years, yet this is the first time he’s invited me out to eat.”

Xiaojia replied, “I don’t know what’s going on. He’s being mysterious and won’t tell me.”

Xiaojia was as clueless as Hou Weidong about why Zhang Yuanzheng wanted to dine out. Hou Weidong reasoned, “Dad picked a good day. Secretary Changquan is going home for dinner today. Otherwise, Dad might say I’m not giving him face.”

When Hou Weidong arrived at the New Lingxi Restaurant as agreed, five people were already seated in the private room. Besides Xiaojia, Zhang Yuanzheng, and Chen Qingrong, there were two middle-aged men wearing leather jackets.

“Factory Director Zhu, this is Hou Weidong, my son-in-law.” Zhang Yuanzheng introduced Hou Weidong proudly to a burly man.

The man, around fifty, had thick eyebrows and large eyes. He spoke with boldness. “I am Zhu Yanbing, from the Dongfang Factory. I’m a colleague of Master Zhang.” He spoke standard Mandarin, his tone resonant and commanding.

Hou Weidong greeted him politely. “Director Zhu’s Mandarin is authentic and flavorful. Compared to my Shazhou accent, yours is in the sky, and mine is on the ground.”

During the Third Front construction period, many factories were relocated to Shazhou from across the country. Shazhou’s industrial foundation began with this initiative. Thirty years later, Shazhou had become an industrial powerhouse in Lingxi. The Third Front factories not only brought industry but also people from all corners of the nation, significantly diversifying the local gene pool. Many people born in Shazhou in the 1970s and 1980s were handsome and dignified.

Zhu Yanbing replied courteously, “Director Hou, it is my honor to have you here.” Unsure of Zhu Yanbing’s true intentions, Hou Weidong said, “Director Zhu, my parents are veteran employees of the factory. Please don’t be so formal. It is my honor to meet you as well.”

Zhu Yanbing was the director of a large factory. By previous administrative standards, he was at least a divisional leader or higher. A decade ago, such a factory director held high status in Shazhou; colloquially, he would “walk with wind and strike with force.” But times had changed. The enterprise Zhu Yanbing led had struggled in market competition, stripping him of his former prestige.

When Zhang Yuanzheng worked in the factory, he would never have dared to sit at the same table as the factory director. Seeing the once-mighty Zhu Yanbing being polite to his son-in-law, Zhang Yuanzheng felt a surge of pride. “Hou Weidong, your mother and I worked in the factory our whole lives. The factory is our home. If you can help in any way, you must.”

Though he said this, Zhang Yuanzheng didn’t truly believe his son-in-law could help significantly. In his mind, Factory Director Zhu could speak with mayors. Hou Weidong, though a secretary to the Municipal Party Committee, was still just a secretary, far below the level of a mayor.

Chen Qingrong saw Zhang Yuanzheng making broad promises and worried he might cause trouble for his daughter and son-in-law. She glared at him sharply, signaling him to stop. Zhang Yuanzheng, oblivious, continued, “Director Zhu, if you have any business, just tell Hou Weidong directly.”

Zhu Yanbing had a good relationship with Deputy Secretary-General Zeng Yong. Following Zeng’s advice, he had come to cultivate Zhou Changquan’s confidant. “I heard the city plans to conduct research on Shazhou’s state-owned factories. Our factory was among the earliest state-owned enterprises in Shazhou. Could we be included as a key subject for this research?” He chuckled. “The state-owned factories in Shazhou are similar. We have all the common ailments of state-owned enterprises. We are a good specimen for research.”

The other vice-director, who had been silent, spoke up. “Our factory produces mechanical equipment. Our technical strength and equipment are far superior to the several mechanical plants under the Qingda Group. Many of their technicians came from us. The biggest problem we face now is a severe lack of funds.”

Zhu Yanbing interrupted. “Old Liu, let’s not talk about these things today. Another day, I’ll invite Director Hou to lead a team to our factory for a detailed report. Today, we only talk about friendship.” He raised his glass to Zhang Yuanzheng. “Old Zhang, Old Chen, I toast you. Thank you for your selfless dedication to the factory over the years.”

Zhang Yuanzheng had a low tolerance for alcohol. After a few drinks, his eyes turned red. He began recounting stories from his factory days, particularly about the former workshop director. He spoke with righteous indignation, his voice growing louder. Vice-Director Liu, who had once been a workshop director himself, looked displeased. Under the influence of alcohol, Zhang Yuanzheng paid no attention to Liu’s expression.

Chen Qingrong, unable to bear it, kicked Zhang Yuanzheng hard under the table. Seeing him look up innocently, she quickly picked up a chicken leg with her chopsticks. “Eat, eat.”

After the meal, everyone dispersed.

Back home, Chen Qingrong’s face darkened. “If you can’t handle liquor, drink less.”

Zhang Yuanzheng was still excited. “Everything I said was true.” He had worked in the factory his whole life, dealing daily with silent machines. His emotional intelligence was underdeveloped. Chen Qingrong, having been a salesperson, understood social nuances better. She felt helpless regarding his lack of tact. She handed him some fruit. “Eat the fruit, then go to sleep. No more drinking when you go out. When you drink, you lose control and speak without thinking.”

After Zhang Yuanzheng fell into a drowsy sleep, Chen Qingrong went to the living room and opened the two bags Zhu Yanbing had quietly handed her, claiming they were local specialties. She had lifted them earlier and felt they were heavy, but hadn’t thought much of it, assuming they were indeed local goods. Now, opening them in the living room, she was stunned.

Inside were two tan leather jackets. Chen Qingrong stared for a moment, then pulled them out. The jackets were light, and the leather felt exceptionally soft. Although Chen Qingrong was a laid-off worker, Xiaojia often gave her money, so she wasn’t short on funds. She frequently visited the Shazhou Department Store and had seen such jackets. Each cost around two or three thousand yuan.

Chen Qingrong had been a worker her whole life, her best role being a salesperson. No one had ever given her such a gift. At most, friends brought fruit or cigarettes. This was the first time she received such an expensive present, especially from the once-high-and-mighty Factory Director Zhu.

Feeling uneasy, she called Xiaojia.

Xiaojia, hearing it was just two leather jackets, said, “It’s just two jackets. Nothing wrong with that. You can keep them.”

Chen Qingrong was still worried. “Is it okay to accept something worth thousands of yuan? Does this count as bribery?”

Xiaojia laughed. “This is Director Zhu comforting laid-off workers. Why would a big factory director bribe a laid-off worker like you?”

Chen Qingrong finally felt at ease. The more she looked at the jackets, the happier she became. She tried one on, admiring herself in the mirror for a long time. She checked the brand carefully, planning to visit the Shazhou Department Store the next day to check the price.