Chapter 595: Director Qi Has Arrived

Hearing me say that, Yang Tao pouted.

Who doesn't know you, you've got people spinning around being deceived.

I didn't want to argue with Yang Tao, I just smiled and didn't say anything else.

We went to Qiao Jie's house again; her house was having its beams poured.

Nowadays, even rural house construction uses mechanization.

Thinking about Niushiling,

Usable machinery is scarce; most houses are still built by traditional manpower.

In the past, building this villa required dozens of workers.

Now it only needs a dozen or so people.

In the future, hoping to earn money through hard work is getting harder and harder.

The times really are different now.

After we walked around the house and came back, it was already noon.

I brought Qian Niang and Qiao Jie to the room and we had a simple meal.

Yang Tao needs to return to the Zaocheng Grand Hotel this afternoon.

She actually complained that the guesthouse here is dirty.

After all, is she a foreign noble?

I really didn't want to bring her; there are just too many things. I'm getting annoyed with her.

I originally planned to stay in Niushiling for two days to keep Qian Niang company.

Qian Niang figured out what I meant,

She pulled me aside and whispered, "Jianqiang, hurry up and send Yang Tao away. You've been bringing different women back every few days—what's the point? What will the villagers think of you."

"What does Qiao Jie think? You're just showing off on purpose."

Listening to Qian Niang's criticism,

I felt I had done wrong; yeah, although I don't have anything with them, but how will others see it?

"You, Zhao Jianqiang, are really capable—yesterday you brought one woman, today you swapped her for another,

and you still have a wife at home.

It's your own one-man show.

I really regret bringing Yang Tao here.

Then hurry up and send Yang Tao away, and I'll go back to stay in Niushiling.

I want to stay just to show Yang Tao; I really plan to return to Niushiling to spend my old age.

As for those 400 million, you can go ask whoever you want; I won't be able to ask about it.

That's what I mean.

So I said to Yang Tao, "Since you want the Zaocheng Grand Hotel, I happen to be heading back to the hospital to check on Shi Yong."

"How is Shi Yong?" Yang Tao asked.

"He's been drinking." I said that and then started the car.

Yang Tao was about to ask me something when her phone rang,

Yang Tao looked at her phone and immediately answered,

I heard Yang Tao say, "Lao Qi, you're in Niushiling with Jianqiang, right? We're just about to head back to the Zaocheng Grand Hotel.

"When you get to Zaocheng, that's great; we'll head back right away."

After Yang Tao hung up,

she said to me, "Jianqiang, we can't go to the hospital yet; Lao Qi has arrived and wants to see you."

I didn't expect Director Qi to come to Zaocheng so quickly.

I don't know what he found out in Sijiucheng.

In any case, after Director Qi arrived, I felt things got more troublesome.

But I can't avoid facing it.

I quickly said, "Okay, let's hurry back to the Zaocheng Grand Hotel.

Why did Director Qi come in such a hurry?"

"Lao Qi said on the phone that he has an urgent matter to discuss with you. He originally wanted to call, but couldn't make it clear over the phone, so he had to come in person." Yang Tao said.

"Is it about the 400 million?" I asked.

Yang Tao just said, "I'm not sure either; you'll know after you meet and talk with him."

"Actually, just tell him what you need to; I've already said what should be said, and that's the fact. I can't do anything else." I said.

Yang Tao remained silent.

It seems Yang Tao hopes I can personally tell Director Qi,

Then let's say it.

Anyway, that's how it is.

Besides, Director Qi is retired, not doing well abroad, and even in his old age he's still thinking about taking money from us.

I look down on him a bit.

But we still have to keep up appearances.

Our car quickly drove back to the Zaocheng Grand Hotel.

Upon reaching the hotel room, Yang Tao opened the door.

Sure enough, Director Qi was sitting in the room.

Director Qi's white hair is even more striking than mine.

His eye bags are huge.

That shows he doesn't sleep well.

I quickly reached out my hand.

"Director Qi, welcome back.

It's been several years since I last saw you. I've missed you so much."

Director Qi stood up, laughing cheerfully, "Jianqiang, I never expected we'd meet again.

Jianqiang, I feel you've become much more mature than before."

I held Director Qi's hand and said, "Director Qi, I'm getting old. This past year, I've clearly felt I'm aging too quickly.

I feel you haven't changed; you're still the same as before."

When I held Director Qi's hand, I could clearly feel his hand trembling.

It seems that over the years, Yang Tao has completely drained Director Qi's body.

"Jianqiang, what? I'm still the same. I really am old.

I'm even afraid to look in the mirror,

afraid to see myself. Sit down quickly," Director Qi yielded to me at that moment.

I took Director Qi's hand and sat down beside him.

Director Qi said to Yang Tao, "Yang Tao, step out for a moment; I have something to tell Jianqiang."

Yang Tao hesitated briefly, then left the room.

Only Director Qi and I remained in the room.

I then took out a cigarette and handed it to Director Qi,

Director Qi looked at it, hesitated a moment, but took it.

"Still smoking this."

"Yes, I can never forget this flavor," I said with a smile.

"Jianqiang, you're a nostalgic person. Then I'll have a puff with you; I never smoked when I was abroad," Director Qi lifted the cigarette to his nose and inhaled.

"Director Qi, why did you come back?" I asked deliberately.

"Jianqiang, how should I tell you? I trust Yang Tao has said everything that needed to be said.

We didn't fare well outside; they bullied us.

They were so abusive; once we were out, we finally understood how good home is.

Thinking of the position I once held,

how many people flattered me, how many tried to get close to me,

I truly regret having gone out,

Living outside like a damn fugitive.

And you wouldn't believe me either.

Sigh, everyone tries every way to skim money off us,

They all know our money comes from illegitimate sources, they extort us, and we dare not speak up.

"Damn it, what friends? They're all wolf cubs," Director Qi muttered to himself.

I took out a lighter and lit Director Qi's cigarette,

"Director Qi, I heard a bit from Yang Tao, but it wasn't detailed. I didn't know you all were having a hard time outside.

I thought you were out there enjoying fine wine, sunshine, and beaches."

Director Qi took a drag,

"Alas, Jianqiang, you don't know, your complexion has already determined your social status. That cannot be changed. It's not something you can buy with money."

In these years living outside,

the more I learned, the more I felt I had many regrets.

But I've already left; there's no way to go back.

You just asked me why I came back again.

I'll speak honestly to you,

We really can't survive out there.

Yang Tao's expenses are also huge; we have no other income. The money we took out was almost all swindled away.

We had no choice but to return.

They not only rob, but do so openly, legally, and rationally.

I have no way to cope.

All our money has gone down the drain, and we also incurred foreign debt.

You should know these foreign debts all bear interest. Even the best friends charge interest.

There's basically no sense of humanity.

Everything is judged by money; everything is measured with money.

The whole society is tightly controlled by capital.

Ordinary people have no voice, no choice,

All that talk of democracy and freedom is just bullshit.

I consider myself to have seen through it,

Their system is the law of the jungle; it certainly doesn't protect the weak.

It's still the old jungle law, the bandit theory. Ordinary common folk can only let them exploit them." Director Qi sighed while smoking.