Chapter 357: Deputy Station Chief Li

"Secretary Hong, are you planning to slip away?" Kong Lingkan asked, draped in his coat, tilting his head with a cold sneer.

"What advice does Young Master Kong have?" Hong Zhiyou asked indifferently.

"Jianfeng apologized to me personally last night. You have no idea what he looked like at the time... tsk tsk." Kong Lingkan's face was full of smugness.

"I only know you lost several hundred thousand US dollars," Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"Hey."

"You lot are nothing but trash, always wanting to pick a fight with me day in and day out. I gave you the chance, but you're useless," Kong Lingkan sneered contemptuously.

"You lost several hundred thousand US dollars," Hong Zhiyou remained as calm as water.

"Aren't you all arrogant? Stay here and see if I block you or not."

"You lost several hundred thousand US dollars."

"You bumpkin, can't you come up with a new line?"

Kong Lingkan had originally intended to mock him to regain some face, but who would have thought this guy would just repeat the same thing over and over.

"You lost several hundred thousand US dollars," Hong Zhiyou still offered the same line.

"You—!"

Kong Lingkan's defenses were completely shattered; he nearly vomited blood.

"Isn't it just that you have a Foreign Legion? Once you leave, I'll buy them off immediately and take your dog life," he pointed at Hong Zhiyou, fuming.

"Suit yourself, as long as you're happy."

"I have already left a will. If I die, I won't ask for anyone else, only you, Kong Lingkan."

"Whoever can avenge me will be given my entire fortune of millions."

"By then, there will naturally be millions in this world to take revenge for me."

Hong Zhiyou shrugged, saying it didn't matter.

"Are you sick in the head?" Kong Lingkan felt like he was punching cotton, so angry he wanted to kill.

"Young Master Kong."

"Don't be too full of yourself. I dared to touch you in Shangcheng."

"Do you dare to go to Jinhai and walk with me?"

Hong Zhiyou tapped his chest and mocked him with a smile.

"I'm afraid of you? Who do you think you are!" Kong Lingkan said.

"Please."

Hong Zhiyou raised his hand and pointed at the plane.

Kong Lingkan's mouth twitched; he didn't dare to take him up on it.

"You lost several hundred thousand US dollars."

"Goodbye."

Hong Zhiyou winked at Kong Lingkan, turned, and stepped into the cabin.

"Why waste words with such a spineless wretch? Just go up and give him a kick, and he'll be obedient," Cuiping sat by the window, having witnessed everything.

"Senior Sister, the world of martial arts isn't just about killing."

"If we really killed him, a whole bunch of us would have to die. It's not worth it."

Hong Zhiyou smiled and changed the subject:

"You must be happy to finally see Old Yu."

"What's there to be happy about? Small eyes, dull, no sense at all," Cuiping curled her lip in disdain.

"Haha, not happy?"

"You made several long-distance calls a day, back and forth just asking what he ate. The hotel owner even chased me to the office to ask for money," Hong Zhiyou said.

"People from Shangcheng are really stingy. What's wrong with making two phone calls?"

"I'm in Jinhai, and I didn't see anyone asking for money when I made calls."

Cuiping muttered with dissatisfaction.

"Sister-in-law, that's different. Your Old Yu is in charge of the telephone bureau; naturally, calls don't cost money," Zhou Gendi, sitting to the side, covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed.

"Little sister, once Sister Mei returns from Xiangdao, we can call Lady Lu and make up a mahjong table again," Cuiping blushed and quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, who did Guifen remarry last time?" Zhou Gendi asked.

"A professor at Nankai University."

"He's very refined and treats Guifen very well."

"Zhiyou introduced them."

Cuiping said.

"This Lu Qiaoshan really doesn't do human things. He had a good life with a wife and children, but he spent all day framing and killing people. He deserves the retribution he got," Zhou Gendi said.

"Indeed."

Jinhai Station.

Li Ya was giving a speech to a newly developed group of students.

Just as he was speaking.

Gao Yuan walked in: "Deputy Station Chief Li, Secretary Hong's plane has arrived. I just saw Director Yu go to pick them up."

"Finally back."

"I've waited a long time for this day. Let's go, let's join the fun and go to the airport to pick them up too."

A cold sneer appeared on the corner of Li Ya's mouth.

Jinhai Airport.

Yu Zecheng paced back and forth, his heart in a mess, clenching his fists.

A lot had happened at the station while Cuiping and Hong Zhiyou were away.

"Director Yu."

Just as he was pondering, Li Ya walked over.

"Deputy Station Chief Li, why are you here?" Yu Zecheng asked.

"I heard that Sister-in-law and Zhiyou are back."

"Fighting tigers in Shangcheng, serving the country with loyalty."

"As the Deputy Station Chief, I should come to pick them up and welcome the heroes' triumphant return."

Li Ya stood with his hands behind his back, smiling faintly.

"Then thank you for your trouble, Deputy Station Chief," Yu Zecheng said.

"It's only right," Li Ya said.

Soon.

The plane door opened, and Hong Zhiyou, Cuiping, and Zhou Gendi walked down.

"Cuiping."

Yu Zecheng stepped forward quickly. After a long separation, a thousand words were reduced to a reserved smile.

"Old Yu." Cuiping just grinned as well.

The reunion they had imagined—a tight embrace and sharing the pain of separation—ultimately ended in calm and polite greetings.

"Sister-in-law, it's been a few months. They say a short separation is better than a new marriage. Aren't you two going to hug and say some warm words?"

Li Ya stood to the side, smiling mockingly.

"We're an old married couple, what's there to hug about?"

"Unlike you, Team Leader Li, who tricks schoolgirls every day with your flashy ways."

Cuiping reacted quickly and retorted with a smile.

"Cuiping, how are you talking?"

"Li Ya is my immediate superior now, promoted to Deputy Station Chief!" Yu Zecheng blinked to correct her.

"Oh, little brother has been promoted? Congratulations, congratulations," Cuiping feigned surprise.

"Thanks to the kindness of Director Mao and the Station Chief."

"I heard Sister-in-law shot and killed quite a few people in Shangcheng?"

Li Ya raised an eyebrow and asked, looking at her sideways.

Yu Zecheng's heart hung in the air when he heard this.

He looked at Hong Zhiyou.

The latter was helping Zhou Gendi load luggage into the car; there were several trunks alone.

"There, there's such a thing?"

"Zhiyou, did your sister-in-law fire a gun in Shangcheng?"

Yu Zecheng feigned surprise and quickly shouted to Hong Zhiyou, fearing Cuiping would say the wrong thing.

"Yeah, she fired."

"Killed a few small-time thugs," Hong Zhiyou brushed the dust off his body and walked over, beaming.

"Fired a gun?"

"I remember sister-in-law came from Weitou in Yixian. That place is a home of martial arts. It's understandable that women there practice martial arts and farm because the hometown lacks men, but did she learn to shoot a gun too?"

Li Ya's gaze turned sharp as he stared straight at Cui Ping and asked.

It was called casual chatting, but in reality, it was an interrogation, and a blatant one at that.

This was the authority of a Deputy Station Chief.

"No, Deputy Station Chief Li, does this have anything to do with you?" Cui Ping frowned and said.

"Nothing, just asking casually."

"As far as I know, sister-in-law uses an American submachine gun; we don't have that kind of thing in the countryside."

"When did you learn?"

Li Ya was relentless, smiling grimly.

"No, what do you mean?"

"I just got back, and you're acting like you're interrogating a criminal. What's the meaning of this?"

Cui Ping was displeased.

"Deputy Station Chief, Cui Ping just got back. Why don't we ask another day?" Yu Zecheng smiled to smooth things over.

"No."

"I have an impatient temperament. If there's something I want to know, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to sleep if I kept it bottled up inside."

"Sister-in-law had better give me an explanation."

Li Ya said as he walked.

"Deputy Station Chief, my senior sister learned it in Shanghai."

"At the time, there was friction between the Management Committee and the Green Gang. For safety's sake, as my bodyguard, Cui Ping practiced target shooting at the camp of the 57th Army, 6th Brigade under Tang Enbo."

"This matter has the approval of Comrade Jiang Jianfeng and the corroboration of the 6th Mobile Corps Commander, Liu Guangzheng."

"If you don't believe me, you can telegraph the No. 2 Official Residence or the Quzhou Office."

Hong Zhiyou was always watertight and had made preparations in advance.

At the mention of these two, Li Ya was instantly silenced and gave a slightly awkward laugh:

"Brother, there's no need for that."

"I was just asking casually."

"It's good that you were just asking casually. Deputy Station Chief, your official authority is so imposing, you almost gave me a fright." Cui Ping grinned and said.

Li Ya smiled and turned to instruct his attendant:

"Gao Yuan, you drive my car back. I'll ride in the same car as Secretary Hong."

They got into the car.

Li Ya sat in the passenger seat and turned to look at Zhou Gendi: "Mrs. Ma, weren't you filming in Shanghai? Why are you back?"

"Look at how you ask that."

"Of course it's for certain people." Zhou Gendi said coquettishly from the back seat.

"Understood."

"Brother, you're looking to have both the domestic flower and the wild flower bloom at once." Li Ya gave a dry laugh and did not pursue the questioning further.

"Hehe, that's just my only hobby. I hope you'll speak cautiously to the Station Chief, brother," Hong Zhiyou said.

"By the way."

"When did you get promoted to Deputy Station Chief, brother?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"It's a coincidence."

"Just this morning, Bureau Chief Mao sent a special envoy to the station to personally present the appointment letter."

"Sigh, these are troubled times. Jinzhou is lost, and the red tide is surging in the Pingjin area. I can consider this a mission taken in a time of crisis."

Li Ya said with a fair amount of pride.

This morning?

Last night, Jiang Jianfeng met with the Leader and just had the Management Committee dissolved.

Early this morning, Mao Renfeng couldn't wait to personally send someone to the station to push Li Ya up.

Clearly, this was aimed at the Station Chief.

"Congratulations."

"Lu Qiaoshan obsessed over it, but died without ever becoming Deputy Station Chief."

"Captain Li still had the last laugh."

Hong Zhiyou smiled.

"Just luck."

"By the way, you haven't seen this morning's newspaper, have you?" Li Ya said, pulling a folded newspaper from his pocket and unfolding it.

Hong Zhiyou glanced at it.

It was the Shanghai Central Daily News.

The headline was extremely conspicuous: "Jiang Jianfeng's Tiger-Hunting in Shanghai Fails; Management Committee Dissolved Overnight, People Gone and Offices Empty."

"Sigh."

"I'm afraid Comrade Jiang Jianfeng's prestige within the party is swept away now."

"Secretary Hong, your errand was all for nothing."

"I heard that Kong Lingkan took people to the airport to block you. The situation must have been very dangerous at the time."

Li Ya put away the newspaper and asked with a gloating smile.

"It was alright."

"However, Comrade Jiang Jianfeng did cut off quite a few heads in Shanghai, Captain Li, you know that, right?" Hong Zhiyou said.

"There is no Kong Lingkan in Jinhai."

"There are quite a few remaining traitors and turncoats here."

"In case Jiang Jianfeng takes a fancy to it one day and comes to Jinhai to kill a few, it's entirely possible."

"Kong Lingkan has a stiff neck."

"But that doesn't mean everyone does."

"After all, even Sun Ke's people were cut; subordinates like those of Bureau Chief Mao or Vice Minister Zheng can still be cut."

Hong Zhiyou looked at him and said with a cold smile.

"Cough, cough."

Li Ya found himself snubbed and turned to look out the window.

They arrived outside the Mu residence.

Hong Zhiyou got out of the car, "Captain Li, I have other matters, so I won't see you off."

"Brother, it's Deputy Station Chief Li."

Seeing him say Captain Li over and over, Li Ya was somewhat annoyed.

"Alright, Captain Li."

"Goodbye."

Hong Zhiyou handed his luggage to the housekeeper and servants, took Wanqiu and Zhou Gendi by the hand, one in each, and walked straight into the courtyard.

"Hmph."

Li Ya sneered and turned to leave.

"Sister-in-law, from now on this is your home, please don't be a stranger," Wanqiu said, pulling the long-lost Zhou Gendi with a smile in her eyes.

"Sister-in-law... this." This address left Zhou Gendi speechless.

Wanqiu was treating her as an outsider.

"Cough, cough."

"How are you addressing her?"

"You call her sister-in-law, she's family with Ma Kui; call her sister, she's family with us."

Hong Zhiyou smiled and rolled his eyes at Wanqiu.

"Of course we are one family."

"Look at my mouth, I'm used to calling her that."

"Sister."

"I'm sorry." Wanqiu apologized quickly.

"It's fine."

"I'll be troubling you from now on," Zhou Gendi said in a low voice.

"Not at all."

"Last time you left Jinhai, I couldn't bear it."

"Besides, I'm guarding such a big house all by myself, it's truly lonely. Having you here, sister, means there are many things we can discuss."

"Sister, you're getting more and more beautiful."

Wanqiu looked up and down at the increasingly plump and beautiful Zhou Gendi, praising her.

"You too."

"You used to be a little girl, but now you're becoming more and more womanly. I'm the one who envies you."

Zhou Gendi held her hand, and the two began to talk intimately.

"Wanqiu, where is the bathroom? I want to go take a shower first."

Along the way, Hong Zhiyou deliberately pulled her to the last row of the plane; he didn't even have a moment of rest while flying.

"The first room on the left upstairs is your bedroom, sister.

"I have already prepared fresh clothes for you, both inside and out.

"Mother Wu, take sister upstairs."

Wanqiu instructed with a smile.

"Very well, Miss." Mother Wu led Zhou Gendi upstairs.

"I'm going to wash my hands first."

Hong Zhiyou watched Zhou Gendi's swaying hips and gave Wanqiu a mischievous smile.

He scrubbed his hands thoroughly.

He returned to the living room and wrapped his arms around Wanqiu's slender waist: "Baby, did you miss me?"

"How could I not?

"You were gone for two or three months without even calling back.

"You were having a grand time with Adi, while I was waiting until my eyes grew weary."

Wanqiu's eyes turned red, and she said with a sense of grievance.

"Then let's have one first."

Hong Zhiyou scooped her up by the waist and headed upstairs.

"You're annoying, Sister Adi is here; people will laugh at us," Wanqiu said, blushing.

"She's going to be living here from now on; you don't expect me to change professions and become a monk, do you?" Hong Zhiyou scolded.

"You're annoying.

"Don't use foul language," Wanqiu said, acting coy.

The two went upstairs, took a quick shower, and rolled into a ball.

A long-awaited longing.

The two were very passionate and absorbed.

At first, Wanqiu still suppressed her voice.

But when the feeling arrived later on, she stopped caring about anything.

Two hours later.

Hong Zhiyou leaned weakly against the bed, while Wanqiu lay on his chest with her hair disheveled.

"Zhiyou, you said Captain Li used to be like a brother to you.

"Why did it sound so hostile when you two were talking earlier?

"He is very powerful in Jinhai now; he won't do anything to harm you, will he?"

Wanqiu asked with concern.

"People, once they gain power, naturally can't help but show off a bit.

"Li Ya is now clinging to Mao Renfeng's thigh.

"And as for me, I failed in the 'tiger-beating' mission in Shanghai following Jiang Jianfeng, so of course he has to mock me a few times.

"Mostly, he's probably just venting his resentment that Jiang Jianfeng doesn't use him."

Hong Zhiyou smiled and said.

"You were always polite when you spoke before; logically, you shouldn't have clashed with him," Wanqiu said.

"Because the times are different now.

"How much wealth is left at home? Take an inventory; next month, you and Adi will fly to Xiangdao," Hong Zhiyou said.

Jinhai was liberated in January of '49.

It is now the end of October; counting it all up, there aren't many months left.

It is time to consider the matter of relocating.

"So soon?" Wanqiu wasn't mentally prepared for a moment.

"Yes.

"This matter cannot be delayed at all; remember, after clearing out the assets, sell the house quickly."

Hong Zhiyou instructed.

The house will be taken over sooner or later; while there are still plenty of foolish, wealthy people who believe the Party-State will surely win, he should recoup some capital quickly, or it will be stuck in his hands later.

"Alright, I'll start packing in a while," Wanqiu said, feeling some reluctance and panic.

However, she did not have the habit of digging for the root of the matter.

Whatever Hong Zhiyou said, she would do; it would never be wrong.

"By the way, Wu Rui has returned," Wanqiu said.

"How did you know?" Hong Zhiyou was slightly surprised; his first reaction was that Rui would use tactics against Wanqiu.

After all, that was Wu Jingzhong's daughter.

"You're worried about me, aren't you?"

Wanqiu saw it in his eyes and was overjoyed; after kissing him, she continued:

"We are friends now."

"Friends?" Hong Zhiyou was very surprised.

"Yes, whenever she is free, she comes over to keep me company, talk about things abroad, literature, economics, and the current situation; sometimes we go out to play tennis together.

"Oh, and I also learned how to ride horses and play bowling from her."

Wanqiu said.

"Phew!"

Hong Zhiyou breathed a secret sigh of relief.

It seems Rui has accepted Wanqiu and is preparing to let her go to the island.

"Not just me, but those two sisters from Renji as well; we often hang out together," Wanqiu said.

"They are... also there?" Hong Zhiyou was so shocked his jaw almost dropped.

"Yes.

"The four of us occasionally play mahjong and go out to have fun together.

"Everyone gets along very tacitly and harmoniously."

Wanqiu said with a slightly flushed face.

"That's good, harmony is good," Hong Zhiyou said, hands on his hips, nodding repeatedly.

According to his plan, he certainly couldn't abandon his lovers.

It's just that Wu Jingzhong and Rui are not easy to deal with.

Hong Zhiyou didn't want to burn bridges; he was thinking of settling Ji Qing, Fang Min, and the others elsewhere in Xiangdao.

He didn't expect Rui to have quietly returned to Jinhai and already paved the way for him.

This 'first wife' has high emotional intelligence.

"It's almost mealtime; you two eat, I have to go back to the station."

The two put on their clothes and went downstairs to the living room.

Hong Zhiyou said a few words and drove straight to the station.

Just as he parked the car.

He saw Rui carrying a food container as she stepped out of another car.

"Rui.

"I was just planning to ask the teacher for leave to go back and see you, the child, and the teacher's wife," Hong Zhiyou quickly approached with a smile and took the food container.

"No rush.

"Whether you go back early or late, you have to go back anyway; it doesn't make a difference for a moment or two," Wu Rui blinked and smiled.

"You've become more beautiful."

Hong Zhiyou pinched her waist lightly.

Rui's hair had grown longer, styled in the fashionable wavy curls from Xiangdao, wearing large round earrings and a beige, belted short trench coat, with a hint of snow-white skin showing at the neckline.

Intellectual yet spicy.

Paired with black high heels and long, beautiful legs, her independent and capable temperament made her look exceptionally charming.

For a moment, it gave Hong Zhiyou the illusion that he could barely keep up with her.

"That's what they call 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'," Wu Rui gave him a charming roll of her eyes and whispered with a smile.

"Isn't it?

"I can't even believe this is the mother of my child.

"By the way, why did you come back?"

Hong Zhiyou said as they walked.

(End of chapter)