Lu Yalong chuckled: "Didn't you want to settle down in the capital? If you have time these next few days, go check out the housing market in Beijing. If you find a suitable house, Dad will buy it for you. Then your descendants will be Beijingers and you'll be officially part of the capital."
Lu Chun Chun said, "I need to ask my classmate. She's really well-connected in Beijing. Buying a house would be a piece of cake for her."
Gong Shijie said sarcastically, "Chun Chun, is your classmate any good or not? We can never get in touch with him by phone. Is he afraid we'll come and freeload and doesn't want to see us?"
Lu Chun Chun stood with her hands on her hips, like a compass: "Gong Shijie, what are you saying? My classmate is definitely not that kind of person. Let me tell you, her family is absolutely upper class in Beijing. You'd better not have this attitude, or you'll regret it."
Seeing that Lu Chun Chun was truly angry, Gong Shijie dared not argue any further and decided to let the matter drop. At this moment, the elderly sanitation worker who had been standing by spoke up: "I said, are you treating me like I don't exist? Fine me, pay it now, and not only will you be fined, you also have to clean up the mess." The old woman was truly angry this time; not only did she have to pick up the trash, but she also had to pay a fine—this was a double punishment.
Lu Yalong frowned: "Which department are you from? Do you have a receipt for the fine?"
The elderly woman in charge of sanitation couldn't produce a receipt, and she stammered, unable to explain herself clearly. Lu Yalong seized the opportunity to say, "Are you charging arbitrarily? What are you going to do with your fees? Besides, you're falsely accusing us of vandalism. Do you have any evidence? Nowadays, traffic violations are recorded as evidence. How do you know we dumped this garbage? Old lady, this is a society governed by law. Don't speak recklessly without legal basis, or I can expose you at any time."
Beep, beep, a minivan honked its horn in the distance. Lu Yalong ignored the old woman in charge of sanitation and said to everyone, "Let's go, cars can't drive in here, let's go over there." Actually, honking the horn wasn't allowed, but people without manners wouldn't care.
Liu Fang held Zhao Weidong's hand: "Weidong, you must do me the honor of coming to Beijing for this meal. You must try the Beijing cuisine."
Zhao Weidong said awkwardly, "We can enjoy the same food as if we ate outside."
Liu Fang said, "How can this be the same? The food in this restaurant can't compare to that of a big restaurant. They're not even in the same league. I'm so grateful for your kindness back then. Can I repay you this time? Uncle Zhao, please say something."
Zhao Tiancheng had long disliked Lu Yalong's family, and was naturally prepared to refuse, but Zhao Qiang interrupted, "Aunt Fang, are you treating us to wine and meat? We never do things half-heartedly; if we're going to eat, we should eat to our hearts' content."
Liu Fang said, "Of course there will be wine and meat. The wine will definitely be top-quality, costing over a thousand yuan, and you'll eat until you're stuffed."
Lu Chun Chun muttered under her breath, "Country bumpkins, all they know is to eat big chunks of meat and drink big bowls of wine. They don't even know what's wrong with my mother that she insists on bringing them along." She thought that her voice was low enough for only Gong Shijie to hear her, but Zhao Qiang could hear it clearly.
Zhao Qiang said, "It's only a thousand yuan for wine? I heard that good wines cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan a bottle. I thought Aunt Fang, with her status, would have the chance to drink a bottle of famous wine that costs tens of thousands of yuan."
Seeing his son embarrass him, Zhao Weidong scolded, "Qiang, shut up! Didn't you say you'd take us to see the monument? Let's go, and let your Aunt Fang go back."
Lu Yalong said impatiently, "Hurry up and go. What are you dawdling for? If you want to eat and drink, don't try to save face."
Liu Huilan whispered to her husband, "Your friend's family isn't very welcoming to you."
Zhao Weidong was embarrassed: "How was I supposed to know it would turn out like this?"
At this moment, Lu Chun Chun and Gong Shi Jie completely ignored Zhao Qiang and the others. They had already boarded the car and occupied the best seats. Lu Chun Chun waved to her mother: "Mom, hurry up, I'm hungry. What's the point of talking to them?"
Liu Fang said to Zhao Weidong, "I've spoiled this child. Don't be angry, Weidong, let's go."
Zhao Qiang pulled his father up, saying, "Dad, come on, we don't need to spend our own money tonight."
Zhao Tiancheng glared at his grandson. Zhao Weidong also wanted to pull his son aside to analyze the current situation for him. Liu Fang's husband, Lu Yalong, did not welcome them at all, and it was best not to mention dinner. However, Zhao Qiang did not give them a chance to speak and led the way with Xu Xiaoya. Zhao Weidong and his son had no choice but to follow with their thick skin.
Lu Yalong got into the passenger seat. At this point, there were only three seats left in the car, while Zhao Qiang's group had five people. Liu Fang said, "Let's all squeeze in. There's plenty of space in the car, and we'll be at the hotel soon."
Lu Chun Chun said with utter disgust, "Mom, why did you bring so many people here? Don't squeeze into our row of seats." After saying that, Lu Chun Chun covered her nose and shrank closer to Gong Shijie, as if Zhao Weidong and the others had just crawled out of a beggar's den and smelled terrible. If she were facing someone of importance, Lu Chun Chun would definitely behave very elegantly, but when facing these lowly farmers, she never thought she should be approachable. This society claims that everyone is equal, but when has it ever been truly achieved?
Zhao Qiang and Xu Xiaoya were laughing and preparing to climb into the car when Gong Shijie stepped aside and said to Xu Xiaoya, "Come sit here."
Why was Gong Shijie so proactive? Because Xu Xiaoya was simply too beautiful. She was a girl who was completely out of place among those farmers. Standing among them, she stood out even more. Such a girl should not be buried in the 'mud,' and it was truly a tragedy that no powerful man cherished her.
Actually, Xu Xiaoya changed her outfit to a country girl look today. She was afraid that the urban style would be too obvious and make Liu Huilan think something. Otherwise, she would have shocked Gong Shijie at first glance. It's not that country girl outfits are not good-looking, but the problem is that Gong Shijie doesn't have any special preference for country girls. He still prefers urban beauties.
Lu Chun Chun glared at Xu Xiaoya with hostility, then pulled Gong Shijie into her arms: "What are you doing? There are only two seats in this row. Let them take a taxi themselves."
Liu Fang was also helpless. She said to Zhao Weidong, "Brother Weidong, I'll call you a taxi. Don't worry, I'll pay for the fare. You just need to come with me to eat."
Zhao Weidong hurriedly waved his hand: "No need, no need, we really won't go. We'll just go home and eat something. You guys go quickly, don't waste time."
Liu Fang insisted, "No, we have to go tonight. It's not like we're just inviting you all. We can just set up another table next to you. You don't have to worry about putting on a show. You can eat your own food and go home when you're full, okay?"
It turns out they had no intention of sitting at the same table as Zhao Weidong and his group. Zhao Qiang was even going along. Who was he inviting to Yalong? Could it be someone from the Wang family? If so, he should go and provoke Wang Shihui even more, but he needed to make sure his safety was ensured.
Liu Fang raised her hand to hail a taxi, but Xu Xiaoya said, "Aunt Fang, just tell us about the hotel, we can go by ourselves. It's inconvenient to take a taxi."
Liu Fang was somewhat surprised: "Oh, you have a car?"
Xu Xiaoya said shyly, "Walking is better, it helps digest lunch, otherwise I won't have room for dinner." Gong Shijie was sweating bullets when he heard this. Such a nice girl was actually concerned about a meal? If she were with him, he would make sure she ate well every day.
Lu Yalong was already impatient in the car. The driver honked the horn again. Liu Fang hurriedly gave Zhao Weidong a few instructions and then got into the car. Lu Yalong said to her, "What are you doing? You can run into a bunch of farmers on your way to Beijing."
Liu Fang said, "Ya Long, I know you don't like them, but they really did me a favor back then. Let me repay them this once, okay? Do you think I like being with them? But you have to let me save face, right?"
Lu Yalong fell silent. The driver started the car. Gong Shijie, who had been staring at the rearview mirror outside the window, exclaimed "Huh?" Lu Chun Chun asked, "What's wrong?"
Gong Shijie rubbed his eyes: "Oh, it's nothing. I must have been seeing things. I just saw that group of farmers get into a few Hongqi cars."
Lu Chun Chun snorted: "Are you dreaming? Have you been bewitched by that woman? Why are all farmers these days trying to be trendy? They don't have much money but they still travel to Beijing. What can they possibly enjoy here?"
At this point, Gong Shijie spoke up for them, saying, "Chun Chun, don't look down on farmers. There are farmers among the nouveau riche, aren't there?"
Lu Yalong supported his daughter, saying, "The reason why farmers who get rich first are called 'nouveau riche' is because they lack quality. Even if they have money, they will never be able to enter high society. That's the problem with our country. Why do we allow farmers to get rich? If it were in the past, farmers didn't have any spare money and were happy being poor every day, so they were easier to manage. But now, as soon as they have a little money, they don't know who they are and they all become troublemakers..."
Volume 2 [604] What bad luck!
[6o4] What bad luck!
Inside the Hongqi car, Zhao Weidong held his son's hand and said, "Qiang, why do you have to go? Let's go home."
Zhao Tiancheng said, "How could such a good girl like Liu Fang marry such a man and give birth to such a good-for-nothing daughter?"
Zhao Weidong said, "Dad, didn't Qiang just say that he's the mayor? His status and position are much higher than ours."
Zhao Tiancheng asked, "What happened to the mayor? Qiang, are you afraid of him?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Of course I'm not afraid."
Zhao Tiancheng said, "That's right. I don't think much of your dad, but you're just my type."
Zhao Weidong didn't mind his father's 'belittling' of him. "Dad, let's not talk about this. What will we do when we get to that fancy restaurant? We don't know anything about it. Wouldn't that be embarrassing for us?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Dad, don't worry about anything. We can just eat our own food."
In another car, Liu Huilan held Xu Xiaoya's hand: "Xiaoya, should we go? Or should we go back? We're too good to be true to others."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Auntie, don't worry. Mayor Zhao Qiang won't take us seriously. Besides, that hotel is like our own home. You don't need to be afraid of anything. Smash whatever you don't like."
“Oh, how can you say that? You really know how to amuse your aunt.” Liu Huilan said with some concern, “Besides, is Qiang really that immature now? He’s the mayor, and he’ll be a high-ranking official in Beijing. He must not say or do anything reckless.”
Xu Xiaoya said, "Auntie, if you don't go, are you comfortable letting Uncle Zhao attend the banquet? That Liu Fang looks younger and prettier than you."
Liu Huilan chimed in, "Yes, city people take such good care of themselves, they look like they're in their thirties."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Auntie, if you just follow my instructions, I guarantee you'll be even younger and prettier than Liu Fang in less than six months."
Liu Huilan was intrigued: "Really?"
Xu Xiaoya assured her, "Really."
Liu Huilan said, "Okay, I'll listen to you. We'll be family sooner or later, so I trust you to do things right."
The van stopped at the hotel entrance, and a greeter immediately opened the car door. Lu Yalong got out of the car with an air of superiority. He knew he had to be honest and upright on his own turf, but how many people in Beijing knew who he was? So he had to be arrogant when he needed to be; one can't live a life of repression.
Lu Chun Chun took out a hundred yuan and threw it to the greeter. It was a tip; she didn't care about the money, the important thing was saving face. Sure enough, the greeter who took the money immediately became respectful, bowing even lower, and Lu Chun Chun smiled.
Liu Fang stared at the passing taxis, a little anxious: "This Zhao Weidong, he wouldn't really be so reluctant to take a taxi and walk, would he? Does he even know the way around here?" She had already given Zhao Weidong the address. If he wanted to walk over and ask for directions, he probably could, but it would be a bit slower.
Lu Yalong ignored them and went straight into the hotel. He was hosting a banquet for several officials from various ministries that evening. He valued having connections with officials from central ministries highly; as the saying goes, having connections in high places makes it easier to get ahead. As for his wife Liu Fang's guests, he figured he could just set up a table and let them eat their fill—how much money would that cost?
Lu Chun Chun pulled her mother and said, "Mom, let's go inside."
Liu Fang said, "I'll wait at the entrance, in case they come and can't get in." Hotels also cater to different clientele; if someone's attire isn't up to par and they're acting suspiciously, the greeters and security guards will stop them. Moreover, this hotel is quite famous in Beijing; otherwise, Lu Yalong wouldn't have come. It's said that the hotel manager knows many high-ranking officials in the central government, and both the legitimate and underworld circles give him face.
Lu Chun Chun said, "I'm not going to wait with you, Shi Jie, let's go inside."
Liu Fang stood at the entrance. A convoy of cars, all in red flags, was approaching from afar. Before the convoy even reached the hotel, several Dongfeng Mengshi trucks sped past, causing other vehicles to swerve to avoid them. The heavily armed soldiers in the Dongfeng Mengshi were imposing; who would dare to block their way? Although Liu Fang was standing relatively far away, seeing the Dongfeng Mengshi heading straight for the hotel entrance, she quickly moved aside, thinking to herself, "When will I be able to make such a grand entrance?"
With a screech, the Dongfeng Mengshi stopped at the hotel entrance. The handsome men and beautiful women who were greeting guests were so frightened that they stepped back. The soldiers were carrying real guns and had serious expressions. They pushed the guests back without giving them a chance to say anything.
Liu Fang was deliberately shoved by a soldier. She almost lost her balance, stumbled, and cursed, "What are you doing? A bunch of soldiers and bandits!"
The soldier glanced at Liu Fang and asked, "Who are you talking about?"
Liu Fang shrank back. The soldier's eyes were too sharp. But thinking that she wasn't so easily bullied, Liu Fang said, "Hey, why did you push me?"
The soldier chuckled coldly, not arguing with Liu Fang, and turned on his wireless communicator to call: "O8, O8, this is O2. There is a troublemaking woman. Please send a female soldier to take her away."
Liu Fang was a little scared, but she didn't want to lose face, so she said to the soldier, "Take me away? What gives you the right?"
The soldier pressed his gun down: "What do you mean you have no grounds for this? If you obstruct our military operations, you will be temporarily restricted in your freedom until our operations are over."
Liu Fang was terrified. Just then, a female soldier got off another Dongfeng Mengshi truck and walked over with a heroic air. She looked at Liu Fang and gave her a strange smile. Liu Fang was completely flustered. Her first thought was to ask her husband for help, but because she was too nervous, she dropped her phone on the ground. Crack! The battery fell out. She frantically tried to pick it up, but she put the battery in backwards and the phone wouldn't turn on.
The female soldier quickly approached Liu Fang, grabbed Liu Fang's arm, but to outsiders it looked like she was holding Liu Fang's arm, and she even had a smile on her face, "Auntie, please come with me."
Liu Fang struggled desperately: "I won't go, I won't go." But the female soldier's hands were like iron clamps, and Liu Fang couldn't move at all.
The female soldier leaned close to Liu Fang's ear and whispered, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life in prison? If you don't obey, that's what will happen to you."
Liu Fang, being from a big city, knew that the military and local police were completely different systems. If she were arrested by the military, it would be difficult for her to find a place to reason with them. Was she really going to suffer like this just because she was pushed and felt resentful? It was not worth it at all.
Liu Fang softened her stance and said, "It was my fault. I apologize to you. Can I back off right away?"
The female soldier chuckled softly, "How about I slap you twice and then apologize?"
Liu Fang thought to herself, "Isn't this being unreasonable?" But she didn't dare say it out loud. She could only say, "Why don't you slap me a couple of times to vent your anger, and then you won't arrest me, okay? My husband is a civil servant, and he's the mayor of the local city. Let's all give each other some face. I'll be grateful to you later."
The female soldier said arrogantly, "Mayor? What does he have to do with me? We're not an ordinary army, and the province can't control us. Just come with me. As long as you behave, you'll be out soon."
Liu Fang was so frightened that her face turned pale. She rolled around and struggled, crying out, "No! Don't grab me! Help! Help me!"
Just then, someone nearby said, "Hey, Aunt Fang, what's wrong with you? Is the hotel putting on a Cultural Revolution play? You don't need to give my dad such a grand welcome. He's a very approachable man."
Hearing the noise, Liu Fang realized that Zhao Weidong and his gang had arrived sometime earlier. They were just standing leisurely at the hotel entrance, while the soldiers ignored them. Was it a crime to be pretty? She had clearly been standing to the side, not blocking the way at all, but the soldiers ignored Zhao Weidong and his gang who were blocking the door and were trying to arrest her. Where was justice? Liu Fang felt like she was back in the Cultural Revolution.
"Qiang, hurry into the hotel and find your Uncle Yalong. Tell him I'm in trouble and ask him to save me quickly!" Liu Fang still knew to send a message, otherwise, if she were really arrested, her husband and daughter might not even know where she was. Lu Yalong might be so happy that he could drink a couple of ounces of liquor, and then turn around and marry a younger and prettier woman.
Zhao Qiang waved to the female soldier who was dragging Liu Fang: "Pretty PLA sister, take a rest first, what's going on?"
The female soldier said, "I suspect this person has a tendency to endanger security, so I plan to detain her for two days before making any further decisions."
Zhao Qiang said, "That's right, she stayed at the door to greet my dad."
Seeing that the female soldier was willing to listen to advice, Liu Fang immediately said, "Yes, yes, I came out to greet people. Here they are, they are not here to obstruct safety."
The female soldier glared at Liu Fang: "You think you're in the way just because I said so? Don't you know what's good for you?"
Liu Fang was too scared to speak. Zhao Qiang said again, "Sister Bing, how about this? Give me some face. What ability could a woman like her have, let alone endanger society and national security? Let her go home and repent."
There were many soldiers around, all carrying guns. Even though Liu Fang was the mayor's wife, she couldn't help but be afraid. She humbly agreed, "Yes, yes, let me go home and repent."
Before the female soldier could express her opinion, Zhao Qiang pulled his father behind him and introduced him to her, saying, "Look, this is my father. He's so simple and honest. Do you think people like us would have bad intentions?"