Su Su panicked. "Yes, it would be terrible if they found out you stayed in my room last night. Come on, I'll treat you to breakfast, but it's a deal. You can only have ten catties of fried dough sticks and fifty steamed buns this morning. I can't afford any more than that."
Zhao Qiang smiled as he left Su Su's bedroom: "Okay, I'll tighten my belt and eat less this morning."
Thank you to all the brothers and sisters who voted for me with monthly tickets! I am deeply grateful! Thank you to San Shi You San Ren Shang for the coin reward! Thank you to Wen Qing Zuo Shou Bian, Shu You Xin Nai Yan Zhou Jiu Jiu, and Shan Hou Nai Shu You. Thank you to Tian Yin Miao for the reward! I didn't sleep well last night and my head is throbbing today. I'll stop here for today and continue tomorrow morning. I hope you will all support me then!
Volume 2 [153] Guarding the Gate
When Wei returned to the hospital, only a dozen or so villagers had come to visit his father, Youzhi. The two elders' injuries were not unrelated to the villagers. Although villagers are sometimes timid, the fact that the Zhao family was injured because of the demolition and that the old man Zhao disregarded his broken leg and followed everyone to town was naturally appreciated by the villagers. Some brought eggs and others brought cash.
The ward was noisy. Second Sister-in-law found Zhao Qiang and said, "Qiang, your brother Second Brother is organizing people. This time, we're going to make a scene at the district government again and get our way! We can't let your family suffer again!"
Zhao Qiang was startled; this wasn't over yet. He said, "Sister-in-law Erben, quickly contact my brother Erben and tell him to stop immediately. This matter has been resolved; don't cause any more trouble."
Second Sister-in-law Erben didn't believe it: "Resolved? We just silently suffered such a huge loss? We should at least get some compensation from the officials. Did your father and grandfather suffer for nothing?"
The inside story of this matter is quite complicated and cannot be explained in a short time. Even if it could be explained, would Zhao Qiang tell the truth to his wife? With her big mouth, the whole district would know by the afternoon.
"Since you're from a poor family, just listen to me. The district will announce this soon, and I think the demolition will be halted, and the chemical plant probably won't be built. We'll just live a peaceful life from now on. We're a poor family, we can't afford any more trouble, can we?"
The women who came with Er Tiao's wife pointed at Zhao Weidong and Zhao Tiancheng's hospital beds and said, "Keqiang, look at your father and grandfather, they've been beaten like this, have those officials done anything about it?"
The ward was noisy when the door creaked open. A low cough alerted those inside, and everyone looked up. The newcomers were all dressed in high-end suits, clearly civilized officials. Zhao Qiang recognized the leader as Zhang Zhiqiao, the Party Secretary of Hedian District. He probably hadn't expected Zhao Qiang to be in the ward either; their eyes met in surprise. However, Zhang Zhiqiao, being shrewd, immediately extended a warm hand to Zhao Qiang.
"Comrade Zhao Qiang, you've worked hard." It's unclear whether Secretary Zhang meant Zhao Qiang's hard work in killing people or his hard work in hiding.
Although he was facing the top official of Hedian District, Zhao Qiang felt no pressure. He had just dealt with Zhang Zhiqiao the night before last; in fact, eliminating him back then would have been a piece of cake. With that thought in mind, Zhao Qiang was quite at ease in front of Zhang Zhiqiao. "Secretary Zhang, hello."
Zhang Zhiqiao proactively explained the situation. "Comrade Zhao Qiang, it's like this: the land acquisition and demolition of this chemical plant have had an extremely negative impact on Shantou Village and the surrounding villagers. According to the research and decision of the district government and the district party committee, it is deemed imperative to shut down the Zaolin Town Chemical Plant! Moreover, it is necessary to provide a series of compensations to the villagers affected by the construction of the chemical plant. I am here on behalf of the district party committee to express my condolences to the two elderly people, Zhao Weidong and Zhao Tiancheng, who were injured in this incident. The relevant compensation measures will be introduced soon, and I will need your approval then."
The district party secretary asked a villager to review the compensation measures, which left the villagers in the ward completely bewildered. Some people peeked out the window in disbelief, wondering if the sun had risen in the west or if the officials had taken the wrong medicine that morning.
After speaking, Zhang Zhiqiao bowed deeply to Zhao Tiancheng and Zhao Weidong, then took out a red envelope and insisted on handing it to Liu Huilan, saying, "Sister-in-law, this is a small token of my appreciation. I'm buying some nutritional supplements for my elder brother and uncle. We've failed in our work, causing them all to suffer. Today, I promise you all in front of everyone that whoever is responsible for the construction of the Zaolin Town chemical plant will be severely punished without exception. Even my nephew will not escape legal accountability!"
The villagers were in an uproar, cheering, "Secretary Zhang, you're a good man!" That's the simplicity of farmers; they're often satisfied with just a small reward and don't bother to investigate what mistakes a person has made before. As long as they treat everyone well in the future, they're considered good officials.
Zhao Qiang patted Zhang Zhiqiao's arm and laughed, "Secretary Zhang, you have a bright future. Keep up the good work. I think Hedian District has finally seen the light of day. Don't let everyone down."
Zhang Zhiqiao was relieved to hear Zhao Qiang's words. It seemed that Zhao Qiang would no longer pursue his responsibility and appreciated what he had done in the past two days. Even if he wouldn't be promoted because of this, at least he would keep his original position and his life.
The most excited people present were undoubtedly Zhao Tiancheng and his son Zhao Weidong. The district party secretary had personally come to visit them and even bowed in respect. He had even given them red envelopes, something that had never happened in the Zhao family before. Zhao Tiancheng almost jumped out of bed. He waved his hand and said, "Let's go, I'm not going to stay in the hospital anymore. I'm cured. Let's go home, slaughter a pig, and have a feast. I'll treat everyone to dinner!"
Zhao Weidong got out of bed by himself and insisted on pushing Liu Huilan to pack her things. No matter how Zhao Qiang tried to persuade him, he couldn't stop them. Actually, the two elders' injuries weren't serious, and they could go home to recuperate. So Zhang Zhiqiao settled the bill and discharged them in the name of the district government. He even sent his own driver to take the Zhao family back to Shantou Village. Shantou Village was bustling all day long. Zhao Tiancheng really did throw a banquet to invite the villagers to eat, and the festivities went on until late at night, leaving Zhao Qiang exhausted.
Around noon, a commotion arose. It started when Yu Wanyang, the mayor of Zaolin Town, and Qiu Haifeng, the town's party secretary, visited Zhao Tiancheng and Zhao Weidong. Besides bringing a 1,000 yuan subsidy from the town government, they personally toasted them four times, leaving the Zhao father and son speechless with excitement, praising Zhao for his good fortune in Sizhou. Zhao Qiang couldn't openly tell his father and grandfather. Yu Wanyang and Qiu Haifeng were terrified by Zhao Qiang's killing of Song Shiguo on the spot, and the fact that Zhao Qiang had gotten away with it was understandable; how could they not come to curry favor? However, Zhao Qiang couldn't tell his parents what was going on behind the scenes, so he let them imagine it themselves.
On New Year's Day, Zhao Qiang stayed home and spent the whole day talking with his parents. He was going back to Donghai City the next day. He no longer needed to worry about things at home; he could focus on what was truly important. Without Wei by his side, Zhao Qiang couldn't feel at ease for even a day. Yang Shiqi had said she was looking for the universal enhancer from the Ancient Sect, but he didn't know how things were going.
*Knock, knock* Someone was knocking on the door outside the yard. Liu Huilan was taking pickled vegetables from the pickle jar in the corner of the yard for Zhao Qiang, intending for him to take some back to Donghai City to enjoy. She put down what she was doing and went to open the door. It was a young man.
"Auntie, is Zhao Qiang home? I'm his classmate, Sun Gang."
Liu Huilan hurriedly ushered him in. "He's here. He's inside chatting with his dad and grandpa. Come in and warm up."
Sun Gang said, "No, Auntie, I'll call Zhao Qiang. We had a class reunion tonight. He's not in a hurry at all."
Hearing the noise, Zhao Qiang rushed out and saw Sun Gang. He then remembered the party he'd arranged for New Year's Eve, but the organizer, Su Su, was already overwhelmed. Was it really necessary to bring this up again? They could just cancel it.
Sun Gang stamped his foot when he saw Zhao Qiang: "You rascal, why aren't you in a hurry at all? It's almost dark! Come on, I'll drive you into town right away. I thought you'd already left!"
Zhao Qiang asked doubtfully, "The gathering wasn't canceled?" Sun Gang was taken aback: "Who said it was canceled? We contacted twenty-six people, it's a huge event, how could it be canceled? Hurry up, we're running late, it starts at 5:30, it's almost 5 o'clock now, the location is the banquet hall of Wanhe Restaurant in the city."
Helpless, Zhao Qiang had no choice but to go back to his room, grab his laptop bag (he couldn't be separated from Wei), say goodbye to his mother, and then get on Sun Gang's light truck that sold seafood. The two of them rushed all the way and finally arrived at Wanhe Restaurant in Hedian District at 5:30.
Although Sun Gang had changed into a gray suit and even wore a red tie, he still smelled strongly of seafood. Zhao Qiang chuckled at him, "What, dressed up so handsomely, did you bring your girlfriend?"
Sun Gang blushed: "I'd like to bring one, but I haven't found anyone I like yet. Tonight, I'll observe our classmates and see if any of them have turned into swans. Maybe I can get one. By the way, didn't you bring your girlfriend?"
Zhao Qiang patted his butt: "What do you think?"
Sun Gang said, "You don't know many people in the city, huh? You must be a bachelor like me. Come on, let's go inside."
The banquet hall of Wanhe Restaurant was bustling with noise. More than ten people were divided into six tables. Men and women of all kinds of attire filled the air with the smells of perfume and cigarettes, making it somewhat stale.
There was a sign-in book near the entrance. Sun Gang wrote his name in a flamboyant style, while Zhao Qiang wrote with meticulous care, glancing at the other students who had already signed in. Su Su arrived early and signed in second place, followed by Liu Wei's name. Most other students signed in pairs, presumably female students with their boyfriends and male students with their girlfriends. There were only three or four single students like Zhao Qiang and Sun Gang.
"Hey Qiang." Someone punched Zhao Qiang on the back. Zhao Qiang looked up and saw Chen Yang, his high school deskmate. Zhao Qiang put down his pen and shook hands with Chen Yang: "Old deskmate, you've grown taller."
Chen Yang laughed and said, "Who's like you? You haven't changed at all over the years. What are you doing carrying such a big bag? Are you doing sales now?"
Zhao Qiang shifted his laptop bag behind him. "What kind of business are you running? You're still studying at university in Donghai City. What about you?"
Chen Yang said, "I just graduated from junior college and have only been working for a few days. I'm currently working as a temporary worker at ICBC."
Zhao Qiang said with no small amount of envy, "Wow, temporary worker positions at banks aren't easy to get. I heard the salary and benefits are the same as regular employees. Your family must have connections."
Chen Yang shook his head: "What nonsense! Actually, I wanted to take the civil service exam, but I don't have any connections. Even if I passed the written exam, it wouldn't matter. I'll just stay at the bank for now. If you need deposits in the future, come to me. There are deposit targets to meet. If you don't meet them, your bonus will be deducted. It's a headache."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, but I'll probably be working in Donghai City, and I won't be able to manage things here in Dongyang for the time being. So attracting deposits will be a bit difficult."
Chen Yang laughed heartily: "Once your business expands to Dongyang City, I'll provide you with specialized financial management."
After greeting Zhao Qiang, Chen Yang contacted other classmates, mostly about soliciting deposits. Zhao Qiang quietly sat down in a corner. It wasn't that he wanted to act aloof, but rather that he was now at peace with himself and had no desires for anyone. Sitting in the corner, observing everyone and reminiscing about the past was a good idea; there was no need to try to get information or build relationships.
It's the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve. I'm kowtowing to everyone to wish you a Happy New Year! Forget the red envelopes, please give me a monthly pass instead. I beg you all, kowtow, kowtow, and kowtow again.
Volume 2 [154] Good People Don't Get Labels
Zhao Qiang, why are you hiding in the corner without making a sound? Come out and join us. It's been more than three years since we last met. I missed you all! Zhao Hai brought over a tall but average-looking girl. The two were holding hands affectionately; she must be Zhao Hai's girlfriend.
Zhao Qiang stood up and nodded to the girl, "It's nice to talk to everyone like this. Hehe, you know I don't like crowds."
Zhao Hai introduced his girlfriend to Zhao Qiang: "Meng Yu, this is my girlfriend. She works in a knitting factory. I'll have her find you a pretty girl in the workshop to be your girlfriend. The knitting factory may not have much else, but it has plenty of women."
Meng Yu generously replied, "No problem, as long as you're willing to treat them to a meal, they can spend a whole day with you."
Sweat! Zhao Qiang blushed. Were the girls at the knitting factory really that thirsty? This Meng Yu was anything but a delicate beauty.
Seeing Zhao Qiang's embarrassment, Zhao Hai became even more teasing and said to Meng Yu, "You don't understand. Zhao Qiang doesn't like other girls. He's always had a crush on our class beauty, Su Su, and he won't marry anyone but her, so he hasn't had a girlfriend yet."
Meng Yu, being the gossipy type, covered her mouth and said, "Su Su? Is she the dazzling girl at the very front? Her boyfriend is the one from the Finance Bureau?"
Zhao Qiang had actually seen it already. Su Su was in a prominent position at the front, talking with several classmates, while Liu Zei next to her looked completely serious, hardly like a suspect being investigated for embezzling public funds. Zhao Hai said, "Yes, Zhao Qiang, you need to work harder to get Su Su back! We can't let this opportunity go to outsiders."
Zhao Qiang rolled his eyes at Zhao Hai: "Boss, stop playing the piano, okay? Go do your own thing, I'll just enjoy myself."
Su Su chattered away, mingling with several classmates from well-off families. She was filled with mixed emotions. She was happy that her younger sister had managed to borrow money for her, though she didn't know where it came from, but at least it had gotten her out of trouble. She wondered where that girl got her connections. However, she was worried. Although Liu Wei had covered up the shortfall in the bureau, the matter had been exposed. If the higher-ups pursued him relentlessly, he would face punishment and might lose his job. She had been trying to find someone to pull strings since yesterday, but the crackdown on organized crime in Hedian District had been quite intense these past few days. Everyone was on edge, and no one dared to recklessly stand up for Liu Wei.
There was fruit and cold dishes on the table, and Zhao Qiang started eating without hesitation. He couldn't afford to relax and replenish his energy; he knew he'd need it someday. Soon after, the waiter started serving the hot dishes, and everyone took their seats. The corner seats were less crowded, especially Zhao Qiang's table, which consisted mostly of classmates he hadn't interacted with in class. They exchanged greetings and then ate separately; there was no need for a group meal this time. Zhao Qiang forgot to ask Sun Gang how the expenses would be calculated.
Once the food and drinks were mostly served, Chen Yang, who was sitting in the front row, stood up, raised a glass, and said, "Classmates, it's not easy for everyone to get together again. I propose that the first glass be to our organizer, Su Su, to thank her for covering all the expenses for this event. Let's all toast her and her boyfriend! Wishing them a lifetime of happiness and love!"
Zhao Qiang sighed, watching Su Su stand up with a smug smile, accepting everyone's toasts alongside Liu Wei as if it were a great honor. Zhao Qiang had completely given up on Su Su, so he couldn't be bothered to say anything more to her. She was already struggling to make ends meet, yet she had the mind to show off in front of her classmates. Was face really that important?
"Susu, your boyfriend works for the Finance Bureau, he must be very rich," someone asked from below.
Su Su smiled and said, "It's alright. Besides, the money in the Finance Bureau doesn't belong to our family; it belongs to the country. We can't just take it as we please. It just means the benefits are better and the salary is a bit higher, so we can make ends meet."
One classmate said, "What do you mean by 'just getting by'? You guys have already bought two houses and have cars. We're so envious!"
Yeah, your company is pretty good too. It's a government-affiliated position, but we're in a terrible situation. We're working in the factory, have to work overtime every day, and don't even get a holiday for Chinese New Year. Why don't you help us find better jobs? Hehe, we'll give you a little gift.
Su Su had some self-awareness; if she agreed, she probably wouldn't even know how she died. "Stop arguing. Let's talk about this when Liu Wei becomes the bureau chief. He doesn't have that kind of ability now, does he? But if there's a chance, let Liu Wei talk to your leaders and ask for an easier job. Liu Wei has connections with many leaders in the district because of his work. It'll be fine if we just mention it over a drink."
Many office workers cheered excitedly. Everyone had personally witnessed Su Su driving a car and wearing an expensive watch, so they naturally believed her words without a doubt. However, only Zhao Qiang probably knew the true situation between Su Su and Li Wei. After listening for a while, Zhao Qiang really lost his appetite. He quietly left the banquet hall, found a well-ventilated spot, and lit a cigarette. Humans are truly strange creatures; can being noticed and flattered really produce such intense pleasure?
"Zhao Qiang?" A voice called out softly and timidly. Zhao Qiang looked up and saw a girl coming down the stairs. She was wearing simple sportswear and had a ponytail. He guessed that she had left her winter coat in the private room upstairs, otherwise she would have caught a cold if she went out like this.
"Su? What are you doing here?" Zhao Qiang was surprised. Although he didn't like the older sister in the banquet hall, he still had a good impression of this younger sister.
Su Su said:
Let's get together for a bit. If we don't have enough to eat, I'll go to the kitchen and order a few more. Are you from Yamaguchi?
Zhao Qiang pointed to the grand banquet hall and said, "Our high school classmates are inside."
Su Su was a little scared: "My sister is here too?"
Zhao Qiang nodded, and Su Su immediately shrank back onto the stairs. "Then I'd better hurry back to my room. It would be terrible if she found out. She doesn't allow me to go out to eat with my classmates."
Just as she feared, Su Su was spotted by another Su Su who happened to be walking out of the banquet hall before she could escape. "Su? What are you doing here? You stop right there!"
Su Su backed down the stairs, her voice trembling, and said, "Sister, my classmates are here for dinner, there are both boys and girls. Please don't misunderstand."
Su Su glanced at Zhao Qiang, and she said to Su Su, "You talked to my classmate?"
Su Su said, "Yes, didn't I tell you he went to our pharmacy to buy medicine? He even picked up the goods for me at the station." Su Su stepped forward and touched Su Su's ear, saying, "You silly girl! How many times have I told you not to talk to or associate with men casually? Why don't you listen? You're too naive; you'll fall for any trick!"
Zhao Qiang was sweating profusely. Su Su was having an episode. When had he ever lied to Su Su? Uh… “The matter of borrowing money to trick her into eating and sleeping with him doesn’t count. In fact, Zhao Qiang was the one who suffered a loss.”
Su Su retorted, "Sister, Zhao Qiang is your classmate. He's a good person! Don't generalize, okay?"
Su Su said sternly, "Even being a good person won't work! There's no label attached to whether someone is a good person or not."
Just then, someone called out as they came downstairs, "Susu, have you ordered yet? Hurry back and drink!" A boy with dyed yellow hair appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Susu's face changed when she saw his trendy hairstyle. He grabbed Susu's arm and said, "Come with me! You're not allowed to leave my side tonight! I'll deal with you when we get home."
When the boy saw that Su Su had been discovered by her family, he ran back upstairs and didn't dare come down. Zhao Qiang was embarrassed; what a mess this was. Wanting to leave but worried about Su Su, Zhao Qiang returned to the lobby.
"Su Su, come up here and sing for us with Liu Wei." Everyone had had a few drinks and was quite excited, so Su Su and Liu Wei, the most eye-catching people on stage, were roused into the fray.
Watching her sister and Liu Wei singing sweet nothings upstairs, Su Su said to Zhao Qiang standing next to her, "My sister is so mean. She can do whatever she wants, but she has to control me."
Zhao Qiang nodded: "It's good to keep an eye on you, so you don't get scammed. That classmate of yours was obviously no good. You're always hanging around entertainment venues with them; I think you're bound to get into trouble sooner or later."
Su Su was furious: "You,"
Zhao Hai, who had somehow gotten close to Zhao Qiang again, exclaimed as if he had discovered a new continent, "Wow, who is this? How come she looks just like Su Su from three years ago? My God, no way, are there really two people in this world who look so alike?"
Su Su smiled at Zhao Hai and said, "I'm Su Su's younger sister, my name is Su Su."
Zhao Hai grabbed Zhao Qiang: "So that's why you've been so quiet tonight! So this is your target! You like the original Su Su, who is now Su Su's younger sister, Su Su! Extra! Extra! Classmates, come and see! A spitting image of Su Su from three years ago! Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental."
Zhao Hai wasn't interested in anything else, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was like a cat smelling fish, instantly spilling the beans to the whole world. His shout drew everyone's attention. The pure and innocent Su Su already attracted men's attention, and since she was exactly the same as Su Su from three years ago, even her demeanor was identical, it immediately caused a sensation! It left Su Su and Liu Wei on stage speechless.
Feeling embarrassed by everyone's stares, Su Su instinctively hid behind Zhao Qiang, saying, "Why are you all looking at me? I don't even know you guys. My sister is so annoying, leaving me here to be made a fool of!"
Actually, Su Su is different from the Su Su of three years ago. The Su Su of three years ago was taciturn and introverted, and didn't like to talk. She rarely interacted with people and spent most of her time sitting alone, unlike the Su Su of today who is so lively. This is probably related to the external social environment. Su Su lives in the fast-paced city of Qin now, and it is difficult for her to be as silent as her sister. However, Zhao Qiang doesn't care about this. On the contrary, he feels more comfortable with the livelyness that Su Su has.
Zhao Qiang's crush on Su Su back then was publicized by Zhao Hai to be known all over the world. Now, seeing the replica of Su Su, and seeing that she seemed to have a certain trust and closeness to Zhao Qiang (otherwise Su Su wouldn't have hidden behind Zhao Qiang), the mischievous classmates started to cheer, "Zhao Qiang, sing a song with Su Su's sister!"
Some people even specifically emphasized: "It has to be a love duet, preferably 'The Boatmen's Love'."