Chapter 1218: Playing with Fire

Hepingli

In a large communal courtyard, Lu Lei, who had just been released from the detention center, shouted angrily: "Lei Ge, you must help me get back at them, otherwise I won't be able to show my face around here anymore."

Lei Ge, with his head shaved bald, puffed on a cigarette: "I've heard about your situation. The person who hit you is a section chief at the Rolling Mill; he's not someone to be trifled with."

Lu Lei said indignantly: "So what if he's a section chief! How many officials have been overthrown every day! I reckon he's only in his twenties. To become a section chief at such a young age, he's definitely not a good bird. I suspect his family..."

"... is either old-school bureaucrats or capitalists. Overthrowing him is also for the sake of defending the fruits of the revolution."

Lei Ge exhaled a puff of smoke: "Things aren't as simple as you think."

Lu Lei: "Lei Ge! I know the other party is tough, but I believe that with your skills, dealing with him is absolutely no problem. How about this: as long as you can help me get back at him, don't you like that snuff bottle of my grandfather's? I'll give it to you."

Lei Ge's eyes lit up: "You're really willing to give it to me?"

Lu Lei gritted his teeth: "Willing! As long as I can save face and vent this foul breath, I'm willing to give anything!"

Lei Ge: "Good! The other party is a section chief; I don't want to come forward and provoke him, but I can call Li Kuiyong over. That kid is a good hand at fighting."

Lu Lei said: "Find Li Kuiyong? Isn't that a bit beneath us?"

Lei Ge was displeased: "Lu Lei, I know you look down on Li Kuiyong, but when it comes to fighting, you're far behind. Li Kuiyong has practiced wrestling since he was a child, lifts stone locks, and his strikes are fast and ruthless. If we're talking about one-on-one, no one here is his match."

Lu Lei was quite unconvinced by Lei Ge's praise for Li Kuiyong: "What's the use of wrestling? I can even do military boxing. Call him over that day, and I'll spar with him one-on-one. I want to see what kind of skills he really has."

Lei Ge's face darkened: "What's this? Do you want to spar with me first?"

Lu Lei immediately fell silent. Lei Ge had learned martial arts from Shaolin monks and was a ruthless character who could take on ten people at once.

Spar with Lei Ge? That would be purely asking for a beating!

He wasn't a cheap bone who felt itchy all over if he didn't get beaten every three days.

Lei Ge kept a straight face: "I know you look down on Li Kuiyong, despising that his father pulls a tricycle, but I was a classmate of Li Kuiyong's and I know how formidable he is. This guy has..."

"... practiced wrestling since he was a child and fights like his life depends on it. No one in the whole school dared to provoke him. Moreover, this Li Kuiyong is a sworn brother of 'Little Bastard.' You should know how formidable 'Little Bastard' is. If Li Kuiyong fails..."

"... would 'Little Bastard' just sit by and watch?"

Lu Lei's eyes suddenly lit up: "Lei Ge! This move of yours is called 'diverting the disaster,' right! Using Li Kuiyong to draw out 'Little Bastard,' and letting 'Little Bastard' deal with that Cao Weiguo, right? Brilliant! Too brilliant!"

Lu Lei looked down on the poverty-stricken Li Kuiyong, but he feared the ruthless "Little Bastard" from the bottom of his heart.

This "Little Bastard" used to hang out with "Jin Qianbao." It is said that after "Jin Qianbao" disappeared, he switched to another boss with more power.

Nowadays, "Little Bastard" not only has many people and money, but his subordinates are all a bunch of hot-headed youths—desperadoes who have nothing to lose—making many "players" from the large courtyards afraid to provoke him.

Lei Ge tilted his head proudly: "You can't just rely on fighting and killing to survive in the underworld; you also have to use your brain. You, you should learn well."

Donglaishun

Zhao Meihong was wearing a floral shirt made of Dacron. The shirt was not exactly a perfect fit, and it was stretched high by her full breasts, which trembled as if they were about to burst out of the fabric; the charm of a beautiful, mature woman was something that simply could not be hidden.

Zhao Meihong stood up to pour wine for Cao Weiguo, the scent of her cold cream wafting everywhere: "Leader, thank you for speaking up for me today. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have been off to scrub toilets with Factory Director Yang."

Cao Weiguo said, unable to laugh or cry: "Let's hold off on the wine for now. When is your husband arriving?"

Zhao Meihong brushed the hair from her forehead and smiled with pursed lips: "Him? Something came up at the last minute, so he can't make it. He asked me to apologize to you on his behalf."

Cao Weiguo was half-doubting: "Oh, is that so? Well, Director Zhao, then let's not drink. I have some business to attend to in a little while."

"Leader, if my husband isn't coming, can't you have a few drinks with me? Are you looking down on me too?"

Zhao Meihong gave Cao Weiguo a charming glare and said in a voice full of resentment and coquetry.

Cao Weiguo laughed: "What are you saying? Director Zhao, you've misunderstood."

"Then have a drink!"

Zhao Meihong said charmingly: "We can be considered old friends, can't we have a few drinks and chat?"

Cao Weiguo laughed: "Fine, then sit down. I'll pour it myself. Let's not stand on ceremony between friends."

Zhao Meihong sat back down across from Cao Weiguo; what she called chatting was actually just venting her grievances.

Cup after cup, and as she talked, Zhao Meihong began to shed tears. She pitifully wiped her reddened eyes with her fingers: "Leader, I'm sorry, I've made a fool of myself in front of you."

Cao Weiguo sighed and shook his head: "Hey! I can understand how you feel right now, but since it has happened, you must face it bravely. I believe you are a strong woman, and everything will pass eventually."

"Leader!"

Zhao Meihong wiped the corners of her eyes and said: "You don't know, I really was wronged. I never had any relationship with Factory Director Yang; those are all rumors made up by some people. I can't understand why those people, even if they don't believe me, still force me to write self-criticisms and force me to report others... I wish I could rip my heart out and show it to everyone."

Seeing Zhao Meihong about to pull open her shirt, Cao Weiguo's eyes instinctively lit up. He coughed awkwardly: "Director Zhao, you've had too much to drink. I believe in your character, and I know you are a conscientious and responsible good comrade. You must face setbacks with strength. I believe the organization will investigate thoroughly; it will never let a bad person go, nor will it ever wrong a good person."

Zhao Meihong was famous for her beauty at the steel rolling mill, and rumors about her affairs were endless.

This was mainly because Zhao Meihong was beautiful and had been promoted rapidly...

When a woman, especially a beautiful one, rises through the ranks at work, it is inevitable that people will harbor suspicions and gossip; perhaps this is also a form of discrimination and prejudice.

But as for whether what Zhao Meihong said was true or false, and whether she really hadn't had a relationship with Factory Director Yang, Cao Weiguo would neither guess nor investigate.

Because whether or not Zhao Meihong had been messing around with Factory Director Yang, it had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Moreover, in this era, if certain people needed Zhao Meihong and Factory Director Yang to have had an improper relationship, then regardless of whether she had actually had one or not, she would have had one...

If he were to help Zhao Meihong prove her innocence at a time like this, it would be no different from playing with fire.

He wouldn't do such a stupid thing as looking for trouble, even if he had drunk fake liquor.

"Hehe, I haven't had too much. I'm very clear-headed right now. Leader, I'll toast you."

Zhao Meihong stood up, held her glass, and walked to Cao Weiguo's side. She tilted her head back and downed the wine in one gulp, a little bit of the liquid trickling down the corner of her mouth.

"Leader! I am truly grateful for your help!"

Zhao Meihong suddenly hugged Cao Weiguo's arm, two great mountains pressing tightly against it; the incomparable softness and elasticity made his heart race wildly.

"Director Zhao, you're drunk!"

"I'm not drunk! Let's keep drinking!"

Zhao Meihong's eyes were charming and hazy, her voice sweet as honey, and a rich scent of alcohol wafted out as she opened her red lips.

"Leader, what do you think of how I look? Am I pretty? Is it just because of this face? They wronged me! They splashed dirty water on me! My heart hurts so much!"

Zhao Meihong hugged Cao Weiguo's arm tightly, her phoenix eyes filled with sorrow and grievance: "Leader! I know you're a good person! I don't want to keep being educated! I don't want to go to the workshop for reform! I beg you to help me, I will definitely repay you, I will repay you well, you can make me do anything..."

"Director Zhao, you really are drunk. Let me take you home!"

"I'm not going home! I want to drink!"

"Then you keep drinking, I'm heading back."

Feeling the hot breath Zhao Meihong was exhaling onto his face, Cao Weiguo retreated sensitively and pushed the drunken woman away with force.

Zhao Meihong was very beautiful and charming, and her full figure, in particular, held a huge temptation for men.

Cao Weiguo was truly worried he wouldn't be able to hold out!

"I'm not drunk!"

"Leader! Don't go! Let's keep drinking!"

"Leader! Section Chief Cao! Cao Weiguo!"

Watching Cao Weiguo turn and walk out of the private room, anger ignited in Zhao Meihong's hazy, drunken phoenix eyes.

You unromantic blockhead!

I've already gone this far and you're still not moved?

Are you even a man!

You're worse than a beast!