Chapter 494: Contacting Shi Jinhe

After eating, I brought Qiao Jie a fire‑baked bun back.

I returned to the inn and handed the fire‑baked bun to Qiao Jie.

Qiao Jie glanced at the fire‑baked bun,

said, "Thank you, still thinking that I haven't eaten."

I smiled,

"Of course, eating is more important than the sky. Tomorrow I'll contact the construction crew and start demolishing Qian Niang's house to rebuild it."

"Jianqiang, our house, I also want to rebuild it. Don't wait until the big army shows up; the property in Lanling, I plan to use for the big army's marriage."

"I'll live in this house myself," Qiao Jie said.

"Alright. This house is yours; you decide.

Ask the construction crew tomorrow. Can they handle two sites simultaneously?" I said.

"What, yours and mine, are we still separating from each other?" Qiao Jie asked.

"Of course they're separate; yours is always yours. Fine, Qiao Jie, stop discussing this, finish the fire‑baked bun and rest early." I finished speaking and left Qiao Jie's room.

I had just returned to my own room when the phone rang,

I saw it was Xiao Shitou's call,

"Dad, where are you, why aren't you at the hotel?"

"I'm at Niushiling. What's up, Xiao Shitou?"

"I came to the hotel looking for you and Ru Meng's sister, but neither was in the room. I bought Ru Meng's sister two outfits; want her to try them on?" Xiao Shitou said.

"You bought your sister clothes, Xiao Shitou, you're a good child. Let's keep them at your place; when I find time, I'll go back to Zaocheng to fetch them." I praised Xiao Shitou.

Xiao Shitou smiled,

"Dad, what are you doing at Niushiling?"

"I came to see that your grandmother's house has been built; she wants to return to Niushiling to live." I said.

"By the way, Dad, I gave the house keys to Uncle Li Ming. He doesn't want these two properties; he wants his own back. What should I do, Dad—hand the keys to Uncle Xiao Hua again?" Xiao Shitou asked.

Li Ming still clings to his own property. He's already not coming back.

I said irritably, "Give the keys to Brother Little Dragon and let him handle the renovation. Let Uncle Li Ming take them if he wants."

"Don't ask about that, and has Uncle Li Ming asked us anything?"

"Okay, Dad, I'll contact Brother Little Dragon and give him the keys so he can renovate the house.

Uncle Li Ming didn't ask about you and grandmother.

Dad, there's another thing: Uncle Jinhe misses you,

can you get in touch with him?" Xiao Shitou said.

It's been so long and still no contact with Shi Jinhe.

I hurried, "Xiao Shitou, send me Uncle Jinhe's number. I'll call Uncle Jinhe in a moment."

"Dad, I'll send it to your phone in a moment; if you're using a car, contact me directly. I'll go to Niushiling to help you."

"Alright, Xiao Shitou, find time to go to the hospital and see your mother." I said.

"I already checked today. Mother's health is good." Xiao Shitou said.

"Fine, I'll contact you when I need something; you get in touch with Brother Little Dragon." I hung up.

Soon after, Xiao Shitou sent the phone number,

I glanced at it and didn't dial right away.

I poured a glass of water, strolled around the ridge, and felt a bit thirsty.

After drinking the water,

I suddenly thought of Li Ming,

That Li Ming, Qian Niang and I no longer stay at the hotel, yet he doesn't ask where we went.

He really bears a grudge against Qian Niang; after all, she's Li Ming's biological mother.

I want to scold him harshly. Forget it, I'll berate him when I return to Zaocheng.

I then dialed the number Xiao Shitou gave me,

the call connected quickly,

and Shi Jinhe's rough voice came through,

"Hello, who are you looking for?"

"Jinhe, can you tell who I am?" I asked over the phone.

"Brother, I recognized you. I heard your breathing on the line and felt you're my brother. When did you return?"

"Where are you? I'll go find you now."

"Brother, say something." Shi Jinhe said, then began to cry.

When Shi Jinhe cried, I felt uneasy,

a good brother for years, not in contact for over a year.

Suddenly reconnecting, there's so much to say, but I don't know where to start.

My eyes also became moist,

"Jinhe, stop crying, what are you crying about? I'm alive and well."

"Jinhe, listen, don't cry. If you cry, I want to cry too." My voice was turning hoarse with tears.

"Brother, I know it's not easy for you. Have we turned things around? We've got Da Heng Group in our hands, right?"

Those bad guys have all been captured; I know all that.

"Brother, did you handle those people?"

Brother, let me say it—I'll listen to you on what we do next.

We've opened another construction site now; did Zhao Xiaohua tell you about it?

Our Da Heng Group will surely develop well.

Shi Jinhe was on the phone, shouting "brother, brother" and firing off a series of questions.

How should I talk to Shi Jinhe?

I could only say, "Jinghe, you're more or less right; let's discuss the details when we meet."

Just do your job well for now; later, listen to Xiaohua on everything.

"I only listen to you; I've been suffocating for over a year. You took Shi Yong with you—why didn't you take me?"

Shi Yong isn't afraid of death, and I, Shi Jinhe, am not afraid of death either.

Brother, you look down on me.

"Why have you made me work for bad people for over a year? Why should I listen to Zhao Xiaohua? I don't want to listen to him—he's not a good person." Shi Jinhe asked again.

"Jinghe, don't get agitated. Back then I thought, if you led the workers and then left, the Da Heng Group wouldn't fall apart."

"Shi Yong isn't important in the group—having him or not makes no difference. But you are different,

you are the most important person in the group.

Now the reason we can win is because you've been holding things down with the people in the group.

The past is past; we've also won. Let you listen to Zhao Xiaohua—so you do. Zhao Xiaohua is my younger brother; I deliberately arranged it.

Jinghe, don't misunderstand Zhao Xiaohua.

"Do you know where I am now?" I could only cover for Zhao Xiaohua.

Sigh. Zhao Xiaohua has done many things that hurt the brothers.

"Where are you? I want to see you today—tell me the place, and I'll come find you." Shi Jinhe said.

"I'm at Niushiling.

I've come back to the place where I used to work,

I want to see the dormitory they built for the iron mine on the ridge,

and the office building.

We young ones struggled here; those days were our happiest." I sighed on the phone.

Brother, you went to Niushiling—I'll come find you right away; wait for me,

I have a lot to say to you.

You're staying at that hotel. I must see you today,

if I can't see you, I'll go crazy." Shi Jinhe said excitedly.

That's genuine feeling—you can tell from his tone on the phone that he wants to see me right away.

If I don't see Shi Jinhe now, I'd be letting him down badly.

I told Shi Jinhe the hotel's name over the phone.

Shi Jinhe then hung up.

I waited for Shi Jinhe in the hotel.

Tonight I want to have a good chat with my close brother.

Taking the opportunity, I went downstairs and bought some cooked food and alcohol.

We won't stop until we're drunk.

I had just gone back upstairs when my phone rang again.