Chapter 46: Forging Wanqiu

Hong Zhiyou returned to the station.

He took a shower, put on a suit, and headed straight for the home of Mu Liancheng.

Upon arriving at the Mu residence, quite a few workers were busy moving crates.

"Boss Mu, what are you doing?" Hong Zhiyou asked with a cold smile, his hands tucked into his pockets.

"I hoarded a bit of flour before, and it was about to get moldy from sitting there.

"I'm donating it.

"Making a contribution to the country, you know."

Mu Liancheng chuckled dryly.

Let them move it.

It's all mine once it's dug up anyway.

"Is Lady Keiko not here? I was hoping to taste the sushi she made last time." Hong Zhiyou walked into the living room and looked around.

"She couldn't sit still, so she went to the club to dance," Mu Liancheng replied.

"Boss Mu, you're fast this year.

"Lady Keiko looks like she's quite a handful; can you keep up?

"Give me some of those pills from last time."

Hong Zhiyou feigned intimacy.

"Easy, easy." Mu Liancheng had Steward Pang fetch the items.

Hong Zhiyou set them aside for the moment:

"You've been running around so much lately, you aren't planning on running away, are you?"

"In the Party-State's world, where, where could I possibly run?" Mu Liancheng laughed awkwardly.

"That man surnamed Zhuang is likely already in the interrogation room by now," Hong Zhiyou said, his smile fading as he dropped the hint.

Mu Liancheng's face changed drastically.

He hadn't expected the Jinhai Station to have been watching him for so long.

"I'm a bit tight on cash lately, so I hope Boss Mu can be generous," Hong Zhiyou said, openly extorting him.

"Secretary Hong.

"You and Wanqiu are almost betrothed; we're all family, so please go easy on me," Mu Liancheng said, hurriedly cupping his hands in a bow.

"It's precisely because we're almost betrothed that I'll have another mouth to feed, which is why I'm coming to you.

"Since we're family, you surely wouldn't want to watch Wanqiu suffer with me."

When it came to being thick-skinned, could Hong Zhiyou ever lose?

"Yes, yes, I must show some sincerity."

Mu Liancheng knew these bastards were tigers and wolves; playing the emotional card was useless.

He immediately ordered Steward Pang to bring over five thousand US dollars.

Hong Zhiyou accepted it gladly.

"Zhiyou."

Just as they were chatting, Wanqiu stood by the railing on the second floor and called to him.

"You keep moving your things.

"I'm going to go keep Wanqiu company."

Hong Zhiyou stood up and went upstairs.

"You're so bad, extorting my uncle again," Wanqiu pouted and huffed the moment they met.

"You're a young lady of status, you never have to worry about food or clothing.

"I'm different; I live on a fixed salary.

"Any random cheongsam you wear costs over a dozen silver dollars.

"If I don't squeeze your uncle a bit, what will I use to support you?"

Hong Zhiyou kissed her red lips and winked with a grand, roguish smile.

"If you have no money, I'll just eat chaff and vegetables with you," Wanqiu said tenderly.

"So obedient?" Hong Zhiyou raised an eyebrow.

"Mm, who told you to be my man," Wanqiu said, her eyes filled with deep, amorous longing.

"Don't, let me take a break today; I just spent my rations at noon, I'm a bit drained."

You really are a girl who gets into the mood the moment you're teased... Hong Zhiyou supported her shapely buttocks and begged for mercy.

"No way.

"If you don't give it to me, you'll give it to someone else.

"Why should I let those vixens benefit!"

Wanqiu huffed coquettishly, looking like a little fighting cock, puffed up with indignation.

"Forget it.

"You're just... addicted!

"Hateful, you're the one who's addicted."

The two of them laughed and rolled into a ball.

After endless tossing and turning until past ten, Hong Zhiyou decisively begged for mercy.

He spent his days worrying and laboring.

Wanqiu ate delicacies, her vitality was like a flood, and she had abundant energy and stamina.

Plus, she had developed a taste for it.

If Hong Zhiyou didn't cherish himself, he really could be drained dry by her.

"Wanqiu, have you thought about how you want to walk your path in the future?" Hong Zhiyou asked lovingly as he held her.

"I haven't thought about it.

"I'll just follow you, living happily one day at a time; when the day comes that you leave, I'll just say goodbye to this world."

Wanqiu said with a touch of sorrow.

"Damn it, why are you doing this again.

"You are not allowed to say such ominous things when you're with me.

"Aren't you a talented woman?

"Write some poetry, become a poet or a writer, you can do it all.

"Yes, just write poetry.

"Lin Huiyin can be famous, and you can be famous too!

"No!

"I can give you piano music; with your playing technique, as a poet and pianist, you will absolutely crush the likes of Lin Huiyin."

Hong Zhiyou slapped her shapely buttocks and suggested excitedly.

"If I am Lin Huiyin, are you Liang Sicheng?" Wanqiu stared at him, unable to get enough of looking at him.

"No comparison there.

"He was into architecture, I'm into women.

"Either way, I have to make you more famous than his wife.

"Stop holding me, get up, I have serious business."

Hong Zhiyou brushed her little hands away and sat down by the table, naked.

Swish, swish!

He wrote down three piano pieces in one breath.

Two pop songs, "A Curtain of Dreamy Sorrow" and "Story of a Small Town."

Then, he wrote a poem.

Wanqiu picked up a nightgown and draped it gently over him.

She watched quietly as those elf-like notes and characters danced on the paper.

Fearing he hadn't written it precisely enough.

Hong Zhiyou went to the piano himself and played it through once.

Wanqiu was mesmerized.

She was certain that the music Hong Zhiyou had composed was a heavenly sound she had never heard before.

"Ring-a-ling."

The room's telephone rang.

Wanqiu answered it and immediately handed it to Hong Zhiyou:

"It's for Station Chief Wu."

Hong Zhiyou hurriedly got up to answer: "Station Chief, it's me."

"Yes, I'll be back immediately."

He hung up the phone.

Hong Zhiyou kissed Wanqiu and said a hurried goodbye:

"Something happened at the station, I have to rush back."

"These pieces must be practiced until you are proficient, and recite the poems more often."

"In a few days, the Generalissimo is going to the Northeast, and the Lady might stay in Jinmen for a few days; there will be a reception for the literary circles then."

"This is an excellent opportunity for you to remove the label of traitor and establish your reputation."

After speaking, he put on his clothes and walked quickly downstairs.

"Zhiyou." Wanqiu chased after him.

"What is it?" Hong Zhiyou asked.

"You forgot to wear..." Wanqiu reminded him, her face blushing.

"Forget it, I'll be back tomorrow anyway, let it stay and keep you company for the night." Hong Zhiyou gave a wicked smile and walked away quickly.

"So wicked."

Wanqiu muttered, and returned to the room.

She picked up the poem. She recited it softly.

"I Love This Land"

"If I were a bird,

"I would also sing with a hoarse throat:

"—Then I would die,

"And even my feathers would rot in the soil.

"Why are my eyes often filled with tears?

"Because I love this land so deeply..."

After finishing the recitation, Wanqiu covered her small mouth in disbelief.

A surge of excitement she had never felt before echoed in her heart.

"Why... why?

"Zhiyou, such a worldly and shrewd person, how could he write such profound poetry?

"Zhiyou didn't lie to me.

"I might not become Lin Huiyin, but he is certainly no less than Liang Sicheng.

"Heavens.

"What kind of virtue did I accumulate in my past life, that Heaven would favor me so much, letting me meet him!"

Wanqiu suddenly felt a brightness in her heart and possessed infinite strength.

No longer lost.

No longer afraid.

She held the poem, and tears flowed down her cheeks like jade beads.

Wu Jingzhong was not a person who liked to work overtime.

He should have been in his mansion counting greenbacks or appraising antiques, yet the phone calls had chased him all the way to Mu Liancheng's house.

Not good.

Something is going to happen!

Hong Zhiyou drove back to the station at top speed.

He arrived at the office.

Yu Zecheng was standing in punishment.

Wu Jingzhong's face was ashen and terrifyingly gloomy.

"Station Chief, what happened?" Hong Zhiyou let his gaze sweep across both their faces and asked in a deep voice.

"What happened? You ask him." Wu Jingzhong pointed at Yu Zecheng and flared up.

(End of chapter)