Chapter 92

Looking at the four dishes on the table, Yan Butgui was drooling, there was a braised pork head, a roast duck, and a plate of scrambled eggs; the only vegetable dish was stir-fried cabbage.

"Old Liu, then I won't stand on ceremony," Yan Butgui said, swallowing his saliva.

"It's Team Leader Liu," Liu Haizhong reminded him with a displeased expression.

"Right, it's Team Leader Liu, sorry, I got used to calling him that," Yan Butgui, knowing the saying that a full mouth makes one short-spoken, immediately corrected himself.

"Come on, Old Yan, don't just eat, let's have a drink together," Liu Haizhong watched Yan Butgui burying himself in eating; in no time half a plate of pork head was gone, and his chopsticks were moving so fast they seemed to spark.

"Then I'll have a taste of your good liquor," Yan Butgui, who never refuses a drink, thought compared to his own watered-down booze, Liu Haizhong's liquor was truly good; even ordinary bulk liquor was stronger than his own.

"By the way, head of the household, why didn't you call Li Qiang? He's the deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee; from now on you're both leaders, shouldn't leaders often get together to discuss work?" Second Aunt suddenly reminded.

"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten; we've already eaten half, it wouldn't be proper to call him now. Buy some vegetables early tomorrow, and I'll treat him alone tomorrow night," Liu Haizhong said with a hint of regret.

"Team Leader Liu, tomorrow night you're treating Xiao Qiang, I'll come over to keep you company with drinks," Yan Butgui, hearing that Liu Haizhong planned to treat Li Qiang tomorrow, perked up at the prospect of another meal.

"Tomorrow night we leaders are having a meal together; your status isn't equal, it wouldn't be appropriate for you to join." Liu Haizhong, having invited Yan Butgui to dinner tonight, already felt a bit regretful; this shameless fellow still hoped to mooch another meal tomorrow night.

"Team Leader Liu, that's your mistake; although you're leaders, you can't cut yourself off from the masses," Yan Butgui, in order to keep mooching a meal tomorrow night, had fully exercised his talent for persuasion.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow night," Liu Haizhong, truly taken in by Yan Butgui's talk, but not wanting to invite him, could only give a perfunctory reply.

"All right, let's leave it at that. Come, let's have another drink," Yan Butgui said, raising his glass to Liu Haizhong.

Yan Butgui had eaten and drunk to his heart's content, but Liu Haizhong felt as if he had swallowed a fly, with an indescribable feeling.

Most of the dishes on the table went into Yan Butgui's stomach, and he drank almost all the alcohol; by the time Liu Guangtian and his brother came out, the plates held only a bit of cabbage left, nothing else.

Yan Butgui staggered out of Liu Haizhong's house; a gust of wind hit him and the alcohol hit him hard. I don't know how long it took him to get home.

"How did you drink so much?" Third Aunt asked, looking at Yan Butgui's state with a hint of anger.

"Liu Haizhong really went all out tonight with the dishes—three meat dishes, pork head, roast duck, and scrambled eggs," Yan Butgui said, smacking his lips, still unsatisfied.

"Old Liu really spared no expense tonight," Third Aunt also exclaimed, shocked by Liu Haizhong's generosity.

"Tonight Old Liu is going to treat Li Qiang, I still have to go along to keep him company," Yan Butgui said, his words slurred.

"The dishes are so good, why aren't you eating more? What's the point of drinking so much liquor?" Third Aunt said, feeling a bit regretful.

"I didn't drink that much, it's about the same as what I usually drink at home; who knew his liquor would go to your head so easily?" Yan Butgui said, bewildered. He didn't even consider that the liquor he drank at home was unknown how many times watered down—how could it compare to Liu Haizhong's?

"If you feel awful, just go throw up," Third Aunt said, patting Yan Butgui on the back.

"I can't throw up; such good food would be wasted if I did," Yan Butgui said firmly.

Under Third Aunt's care, Yan Butgui lay dazed on the bed and fell asleep.

The next day, as soon as he started work, Liu Haizhong began to stroll around the Yagangchang.

"Old Yang, you can't even sweep the floor properly; you're no longer the factory director, you need to straighten your attitude and properly accept reform," Liu Haizhong said to Factory Director Yang's face, chin high and chest out.

Factory Director Yang merely glanced up at Liu Haizhong and ignored him; nowadays there are too many people like him. Back when he was factory director, these folks wouldn't even nod or bow to him; now it's all right, all sorts of demons and monsters have come out, each pretending to be a big-tailed wolf.

"Old Yang, what's this attitude? Believe it or not, I'll punish you to clean the toilets right now," Liu Haizhong said upon seeing Factory Director Yang ignore him, feeling his authority challenged.

"Second Grandfather, do you really have to act like this?" He Yuzhu walked over and said.

"Silly Zhu, this is none of your business; get lost," Liu Haizhong, seething with anger, saw He Yuzhu actually dare to speak up for Factory Director Yang and immediately turned his fury on him.

"You bastard, have the guts to say that again?" He Yuzhu lunged at Liu Haizhong, grabbed his collar, and snarled.

"Silly Zhu, what are you trying to do? I'm currently the deputy squad leader of the Workers' Inspection Team. Believe it or not, I can have people lock you up," Liu Haizhong said, genuinely startled by He Yuzhu's action.

"I don't believe you." As soon as the words left his mouth, He Yuzhu punched Liu Haizhong in the face; Liu Haizhong staggered back two steps and fell flat on his butt.

"Zhuzi, calm down," Factory Director Yang rushed over and grabbed He Yuzhu.

"Silly Zhu, wait and see how I'll deal with you," Liu Haizhong, seeing He Yuzhu restrained, scrambled to his feet and ran back.

"Zhuzi, you're too hot-headed," Factory Director Yang rebuked, knowing He Yuzhu had struck Liu Haizhong to defend him, but now it's a special period and he didn't want He Yuzhu implicated because of him.

"It's fine, Director; Liu the fat guy wouldn't dare do anything to me. Rest easy—I've got my older brother backing me, he can't overturn the heavens," He Yuzhu said nonchalantly.

"You'd better go find Li Qiang quickly, or else I'm afraid you'll get into trouble later," Factory Director Yang told He Yuzhu.

"Okay," He Yuzhu also knew he'd just been a bit rash.

"Older brother, I've caused trouble," He Yuzhu said upon arriving at Li Qiang's office.

"What's wrong?" Li Qiang asked, frowning.

"I beat up Liu Haizhong?"

"Why?"

"He was swaggering in front of Factory Director Yang; I couldn't stand it, so I said something, and he called me 'Silly Zhu.' I couldn't hold back and punched him," He Yuzhu said, head down.

"I thought it was a big deal, but it's nothing," Li Qiang said after hearing He Yuzhu's description, giving a light smile.

"Liu Haizhong said he'd have me locked up," He Yuzhu asked anxiously.

"With me around, what do you have to fear?" Li Qiang said, smiling.

"Saying that puts my mind at ease," He Yuzhu said, smiling.

"All right, go get back to work; I'll go talk to Liu Haizhong."

"Okay, thanks, older brother, for causing you trouble," He Yuzhu said, scratching his head.

"Don't do useless things; from now on don't be so impulsive."

"Got it," He Yuzhu walked off, relieved.