Director Wang waved his hand, his tone perfectly measured: “Hey, don’t thank me so soon. Some matters must follow procedure. I’ll help you make some inquiries first.”
“Yes, yes! Understood, understood! Procedure must be followed, of course!”
He Yuan nodded and bowed, then pulled a small envelope from the leather bag he carried with him.
Seizing the opportunity while pouring wine, he naturally and swiftly slipped it under the table to Director Wang’s side.
“Director, just a little something for tea. It’s nothing respectful. I can’t have you spending your connections and travel expenses while helping me make inquiries.”
Director Wang’s fingers touched the thickness of the envelope and roughly gauged its contents—it was certainly no less than the last time, if not more.
His face remained unreadable as his fingers curled, and the envelope slid into his trouser pocket.
“You’re quite the savvy one,” Director Wang said, finally offering his first somewhat genuine smile of the evening, though it was faint.
“It’s the least I should do, the least I should do.”
He Yuan smiled obsequiously, but inwardly, he felt a chill.
The fish had bitten the hook even deeper.
The atmosphere during the rest of the meal became even more harmonious.
Director Wang became noticeably more talkative, even beginning to advise He Yuan on how to conduct himself and handle affairs, adopting a senior’s tone.
He Yuan played the part of a respectful and grateful businessman throughout—toasting, serving food, and offering flattering remarks—all without a single misstep.
Zhao Dezhu watched the two chatting amiably and felt he had accomplished a great deed.
When he slipped out to use the restroom, he even hummed a little tune triumphantly, as if already seeing generous tokens of gratitude beckoning to him.
He failed to notice, however, the fleeting, icy glint in He Yuan’s eyes when his brother-in-law patted He Yuan’s shoulder and spoke in bureaucratic tones.
As the dinner drew to a close, Director Wang was slightly tipsy. Burping, he said to He Yuan, “Xiao He… you… are good. Wait for news. Dezhu…”
Zhao Dezhu hurried over: “Brother-in-law, what is it?”
“Later… bring Xiao He to the house for a visit…”
After saying this, Director Wang stood up, ready to leave.
“Yes! Sure thing, brother-in-law!” Zhao Dezhu was overjoyed. An invitation to the house meant his brother-in-law truly regarded this He Jianshe as one of their own!
He Yuan put on an expression of being overwhelmed by the honor and gratitude, nodding and bowing all the way as he escorted Director Wang to the restaurant entrance.
He watched until Zhao Dezhu, supporting Director Wang, disappeared into the distance.
Returning to the empty private room, all expression vanished from He Yuan’s face in an instant.
He picked up the nearly finished bottle of Maotai on the table, poured himself a glass, and drank it slowly, his eyes as sharp as an eagle’s.
The first step had finally been taken.
This Director Wang was even more greedy and easier to hook than he had imagined.
He took out money to settle the bill, left the restaurant, and his figure soon disappeared into the county town’s night.
On the other side, Zhao Dezhu, supporting his brother-in-law, chattered excitedly: “Brother-in-law, see? I told you this He Jianshe is reliable! He’s generous and understands how things work!”
Director Wang, squinting, grunted in acknowledgment.
His hand in his trouser pocket, clutching the thick envelope, he mentally calculated how many cartons of good cigarettes it could exchange for and what he could buy for his mistress…
Only Zhao Xiaocui, sitting at home restless and anxious, watched the clock on the wall as it grew later and later.
Her husband and younger brother still hadn’t returned, and her heart sank bit by bit.
That sense of foreboding grew stronger and stronger.
Director Wang was half-carried, half-dragged home by Zhao Dezhu, reeking of alcohol and muttering incoherently about “good wine… Xiao He… understands how things work…”
Seeing her husband dead drunk like this and smelling the pungent alcohol on him, Zhao Xiaocui felt her anger surge straight to the top of her head.
Suppressing her disgust, she helped Zhao Dezhu dump Director Wang onto the bed.
Zhao Dezhu, panting heavily from the effort, still tried to claim credit: “Second Sister, see? Brother-in-law was happy today! He and Brother He really hit it off! From now on, there’ll be no shortage of benefits!”
Zhao Xiaocui shot him a fierce glare and hissed in a low, angry voice: “Get out! Go home, now! Just seeing you makes me mad!”
Zhao Dezhu curled his lip, muttered something about unappreciative people, and staggered away.
Zhao Xiaocui closed the door, returned to the bedroom, and looked at her husband, whose snores were beginning to rumble. She felt nothing but heartache and helplessness.
What was there to say in this situation? Talking to a limp rag was a waste of breath.
Silently, she fetched hot water, wrung out a towel, and roughly wiped Director Wang’s face and hands.
Director Wang grunted uncomfortably, swatted her hand away, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Zhao Xiaocui stood there, the towel in her hand gradually growing cold, just as her heart slowly sank and turned to ice.
She knew this man was utterly bewitched by power, wine, women, and wealth; he wouldn’t listen to a single word she said anymore.
“Fine… Fine… You’re something else, you’re capable, you’re inviting disaster into this home…”
Zhao Xiaocui murmured to herself, her eyes reddening, but she stubbornly held back her tears.
“I can’t sink with you…”
The thought had never been clearer: she had to find a way out for herself.
From that day on, Zhao Xiaocui carried this worry in her heart and became much quieter.
She no longer tried to admonish Director Wang like before. Instead, when he went out for yet another social engagement, she began quietly gathering some of the family’s portable valuables.
She secretly moved the little private savings she’d accumulated over time and some of the slightly more valuable small items into an old biscuit tin, hiding it in a place only she knew.
She even started paying attention to the snippets of conversation when Director Wang answered the phone, secretly noting down names and details that might prove useful later.
She thought to herself that if disaster struck someday, these things might come in handy.
She had no choice. She couldn’t go down with Director Wang. When disaster struck, they’d each have to flee for themselves.
One afternoon, the weather was stiflingly hot, and Zhao Xiaocui felt suffocated. She thought about going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some fabric to make herself a new dress, hoping to distract herself a little.
Right at the entrance of the cooperative, she nearly collided with a woman.
Taking a closer look, it was a young woman she didn’t recognize, with a noticeably swollen belly—probably five or six months along.
She had gentle features and fair skin, making her quite pleasant to look at.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” the woman apologized immediately, her voice soft and gentle.
“It’s alright, I wasn’t paying attention either,” Zhao Xiaocui waved her hand, her gaze falling on the other woman’s belly. “In your condition, you need to be careful.”
The woman smiled gently. “Thank you, elder sister. It’s alright, the baby is quite well-behaved.”
They started chatting naturally.
Zhao Xiaocui learned that her name was Ji Shuyu, that she had come from another place with her husband, and they were temporarily staying at a guesthouse.
Ji Shuyu spoke softly and carried herself with a calm, dignified manner that was very comfortable to be around.
It had been a long time since Zhao Xiaocui had such a relaxed conversation with anyone, especially with a pregnant woman who seemed so clean and gentle. Without her noticing, some of her inner restlessness eased.
“It’s not easy for you to come out alone in your condition, is it? Where is your husband?” Zhao Xiaocui couldn’t help but ask.
Ji Shuyu gently stroked her belly, her eyes tender but mixed with complexity. “He… is busy with some matters. I just came out for a walk to get some air.”
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