Chapter 92: Temptation (Part 4)

Chapter 92 Temptation (Part 4)

It was a joyous dinner.

Zeng Xiangang had shed his cheap suit and donned a Lacoste T-shirt. As the saying goes, a person’s appearance is defined by their attire. Being a stonemason by trade, he possessed exceptionally developed upper-body muscles, and the Lacoste shirt perfectly accentuated his physical advantages. Zhu Bing, Liu Wei, Liang Bifa, and Hou Weidong chatted and laughed together. Whenever Zeng Xiangang managed to insert a word into the conversation, he would clink glasses with the three men, drinking cup after cup.

With his wallet feeling heavy and substantial, Zeng Xiangang appeared much more composed than he had during his previous visit. While drinking and singing, he discreetly slipped three envelopes into the hands of the men.

Since accompanying Qin Feiyue to the Yiyang Hotel, Hou Weidong had visited this establishment numerous times. The routine was always the same: dinner first, then karaoke. It had become a standard procedure. As soon as he arrived that evening, the floor manager approached him. Recognizing the regular customer, the manager said respectfully, "Sir, we have introduced Thai massage tonight. The technicians are very skilled. Would you like to try it?"

Hou Weidong glanced at Zhu Bing and the others. Seeing no objection from them, he said, "Let’s go for the Thai massage."

He had only heard of Thai massage from others but knew little about what it actually entailed. He was led into a small private room containing only a bed and a bedside cabinet, on which sat a plate of fruit and a cup of tea. Shortly after, a young woman wearing a silk short-sleeved top and shorts entered. She held a pair of white shorts in her hand and said softly, "Sir, please change into these."

Hou Weidong did not wish to appear too unsophisticated, yet the prospect of stripping naked in front of this young woman made him hesitate slightly. The woman, however, remained calm and waited quietly. Hou Weidong thought to himself, "I’m still wearing underwear; I’m not completely naked. What is there to fear?" With that, he changed into the shorts in front of her.

Thai massage had a formidable reputation, and Hou Weidong had long admired it. He lay on the bed, adopting a stance of waiting to see how things would unfold. The woman climbed onto the bed and asked, "Sir, would you prefer light or heavy pressure?"

Having never experienced Thai massage before, Hou Weidong had no standard for comparison. During his time on the high school track team, the coach would often help him relax after training. The coach’s technique was exquisite, and his strength considerable; after such sessions, the exhaustion from heavy exertion would vanish completely. Drawing on this past experience and observing the woman’s petite frame, Hou Weidong said, "Make it heavy."

The woman began her work.

Hou Weidong felt like a sack of flour being manipulated by her hands. Her movements were gentle yet even, alternating between left and right hands. She pushed, pulled, pressed, kneaded, and grasped, working her way gradually from his feet toward his heart. Slowly, his entire body began to relax.

He lost track of time. Sweat began to bead on the woman’s forehead. The lighting in the room was soft. Although her skin was not particularly fair, it appeared smooth and delicate. She knelt by the side of the bed, took a brief rest, and asked gently, "Sir, we offer special services. Hand jobs are free. Ice-fire and Poison Dragon services require an additional fee. Would you like to try any of them?"

This was Hou Weidong’s first time in such an establishment, and he only had a vague understanding of these terms. He remembered Liu Kun talking about "hand jobs" in the dormitory years ago. Liu Kun had been eloquent in his descriptions, but he had never actually done it himself. Hou Weidong had listened with a confused mind, barely comprehending the details.

The woman said this with no particular expression on her face, much like a housewife asking for prices at a vegetable market. This mundane demeanor actually put Hou Weidong at ease. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he said, "I’ll try the Ice-fire."

The woman’s expression remained perfectly natural. She got off the bed, fetched two cups, filled them with water, and returned to the bed.

Although Hou Weidong stared at the ceiling, his peripheral vision tracked the woman’s movements.

The woman leaned down and naturally pulled down his shorts. Hou Weidong was now completely naked. Startled, he suddenly sat up.

The woman smiled lightly and said, "Lie down. I can’t work if you’re sitting up."

Her calmness and indifference made Hou Weidong realize he had overreacted. He thought to himself, "What exactly is this Ice-fire service?"

The woman touched his erect member with her hand and smiled, saying, "Sir, your physique is excellent." She then took a sip of water and directly took him into her mouth.

Hou Weidong felt an unusual warmth; the woman’s mouth contained hot water.

The other cup, naturally, contained cold water.

Alternating sips of hot and cold water guided Hou Weidong toward climax.

After leaving the small room, Hou Weidong continued to reflect on the woman’s behavior. Her actions and words were natural and calm, as if she were performing a simple task. Yet, the matter was indeed not simple.

He sat alone in the living room, reading a newspaper. After a while, Zhu Bing emerged. Shortly after, Liu Wei and Liang Bifa came out as well. After waiting another ten minutes, Zeng Xiangang finally appeared.

Having eaten and drunk their fill, and feeling physically refreshed, Zhu Bing and the others returned home, their enjoyment complete.

Hou Weidong booked a room at the hotel. Under Zeng Xiangang’s strong insistence, the two of them booked two separate rooms.

After watching television for a while in his room, Zeng Xiangang entered. His Lacoste T-shirt was untucked from his belt, giving him a casual look. His sturdy physique, combined with high-end clothing, gave Zeng Xiangang a mature charm. Although his manners still retained a rustic air, his confidence had clearly increased. He no longer displayed the拘束 (constraint) and nervousness he had felt during his first visit to the Yiyang Hotel.

Clothes are a person’s face; money is a person’s courage. This saying was truly accurate.

"I’ve wasted the first thirty-six years of my life," Zeng Xiangang said, sitting on the sofa. His gaze drifted past the television, piercing through the wall, seemingly flying to some distant place. After a long moment, his eyes returned to reality. He asked, "Dinner, massage, red envelopes… I suppose we spent over ten thousand yuan, didn’t we?"

Thinking back to the years he had saved every penny, living frugally to accumulate over twenty thousand yuan for building a house, he felt his teeth ache at the thought of spending over ten thousand yuan so lightly.

"This is money that must be spent. You can’t catch a wolf without sacrificing a child. If you’re not willing to bleed, you won’t get business," Hou Weidong said, lying comfortably on the bed. His muscles ached slightly, but it was a pleasant soreness. "This year is Yiyang’s transportation construction year. Director Zhu has already agreed that the Sha-Yi Road will require a large quantity of gravel from the Yingang Quarry. The volume will be significant."

Zeng Xiangang said excitedly, "After we return, we’ll work overtime and try to stockpile as much material as possible."

Hou Weidong’s enthusiasm was lower. "Director Zhu mentioned that Yiyang’s finances are tight. All suppliers must advance the full capital. After the road is completed, they will pay one-third, with the balance settled within a year. This means we will have to advance a considerable amount of money. I wonder if we can bear the burden."

Zeng Xiangang had been present when Zhu Bing made this statement, but he had not paid much attention at the time. Hearing Hou Weidong emphasize the severity of the situation, he took it seriously. To have him put out over a hundred thousand yuan of his own money felt like cutting flesh from his heart. He said, "Even if we have to advance funds, I will only advance seventy thousand. We cannot put all our capital at risk."

Hou Weidong said, "If we cut off the Transportation Bureau’s materials, future cooperation will be difficult. The Transportation Bureau is a government department; even if they owe money, they will not default."

Zeng Xiangang made up his mind secretly. Even if the sky fell, he would only contribute seventy thousand yuan. The remaining eighty thousand was his reserve fund, kept at the bottom of his chest. He said, "When we sign the contract, we should insist that the Transportation Bureau disburse funds according to progress. If the project drags on too long, small bosses like us simply cannot withstand the pressure."

After chatting for a while, Zeng Xiangang left Hou Weidong’s room. Just as Hou Weidong was drifting between sleep and wakefulness, a shrill telephone ring startled him awake. Fuming, he picked up the receiver. A female voice came through: "Sir, do you need special services?"

Still half-asleep, Hou Weidong said, "No, thank you."

After hanging up, the image of the massage woman’s calm face appeared in his mind. He thought to himself, "A year ago, these activities were categorized as hooliganism. Now, they are normal business operations. The world has truly changed."

The next morning, after waking up, Hou Weidong sent a pager message to Xiaojia. After a while, she called back.

"I’m coming to Shazhou today. Are you around?"

On the other end of the line, Xiaojia’s response was not very enthusiastic. She remained silent for a moment before saying, "This weekend, Director Xing from the Construction Commission is hosting Mayor Bu for dinner. As the Deputy Director of the Construction Commission Office, I am required to attend the banquet. I really can’t leave."

Hou Weidong’s warm face met a cold shoulder. He said seriously, "Xiaojia, I’ve made money. I opened a quarry in Shangqinglin. A single deal earned me over a hundred thousand yuan."

On the other end, the new Director of the Construction Commission had just entered the office. Xiaojia could not hear what Hou Weidong was saying, so she placed the receiver on the desk and hurried to greet Director Xing.

Director Xing of the Construction Commission, with his hands clasped behind his back, said, "Director Xiaojia, we are hosting Mayor Bu for dinner tonight. Tomorrow, the Construction Commission will invite Mayor Bu to inspect several new construction sites. You need to be proactive. Toast Mayor Bu a few times. He values you highly."

Director Xing had a large bald spot, which gave him an air of wisdom. He understood the principle that different keys open different locks. Having learned from unofficial channels that Mayor Bu’s precious son, a graduate of Fudan University, had taken a liking to Xiaojia and wanted to date her, Director Xing knew that inviting Mayor Bu to dinner required bringing Zhang Xiaojia along.

After Director Xing left the office, Xiaojia put the receiver to her ear. Fortunately, the line had not been disconnected. Xiaojia hurriedly apologized. Hou Weidong had heard the conversation on the other side and knew that Xiaojia indeed had matters to attend to. He mocked himself, "I am now an off-staff member of the Qinglin Town establishment. No one cares where I go."

Xiaojia then asked, "You said you made money earlier. What happened?"

"Xiaojia, I’ll tell you the truth. I offended Zhao Yongsheng, the Party Secretary of Qinglin Town. My political career is likely to be difficult. However, losses inside the wall can be compensated outside. I am now a township entrepreneur in Qinglin. I’ve opened a quarry and become a boss."

Xiaojia, working in the Shazhou Construction Commission office, usually interacted with wealthy developers. She did not look favorably upon small businesses like opening a quarry. She said, "Husband, do not give up. Tonight, the Construction Commission is hosting Mayor Bu for dinner. I will speak to him about transferring you to Shazhou."

The days in Qinglin