Chapter 138: Four Big Red Envelopes

Aunt had prepared four big red envelopes for me, each with a designated owner. The four envelopes lay in a row on her coffee table, like a line of neatly arranged soldiers, looking arrogant.

I stared at the envelopes, then turned my head to look at Aunt in confusion.

Aunt gave a sweet smile and said, "What are you looking at? You think your position as Township Head came easily? Was it really the result of public opinion? Without the tacit approval of the leadership, even if the whole country voted for you, you wouldn't be able to hold the post."

I felt a wave of discomfort and said, "Is there really something fishy about the People's Congress election?"

Aunt poked my forehead and said with contempt, "Xiao Feng, are you really stupid or just pretending to be confused? Don't worry about what's inside; just listen to me, send these out, and you won't just be a Township Head in the future."

I was still hesitating, saying with a guilty conscience, "Isn't this bribery?"

"Bribe your head," Aunt scolded. "A ten-thousand-yuan red envelope is barely enough to fool the ghosts; can a real god be dismissed with ten thousand yuan? Look at any official who gets promoted—who doesn't bring out hundreds of thousands?"

I said, "I really didn't know."

She got annoyed and scolded even more angrily, "You must have been made stupid by reading books! Are you sending them or not?"

"Not sending!" I was angry too. The four envelopes corresponded to Guan Peishan, Liu Qimeng, Zhang Chaosheng of the People's Congress, and there was even one with Guo Wei's name written on it.

I didn't know how Aunt found out about these people; it was as if she were a deity of Chunshan County, knowing everything about me like the back of her hand.

"Why is there Guo Wei?" I was ten thousand times unwilling. Guo Wei and I should be on equal footing; what would it count for if I went to give him a red envelope? If things went wrong, others could just use this as an excuse, and it would be like mud falling into one's pants—you wouldn't be able to explain it clearly.

"You are the newly elected Township Head; it is only right and proper to visit the leadership. This money is considered the leadership's training fee for you. Don't make a scene when you go; just put the envelope in a conspicuous place and leave, understand?" Aunt patiently taught me the procedure I should follow. My heart was pounding like a deer; what if they refused to my face or gave me a stern lecture? Where would I put my face?

"Don't worry, people don't hit a smiling face. Leaders are all people of quality; you are going to visit and thank them, not to bribe them." Aunt concluded, gathered the red envelopes from the coffee table, and stuffed them all into my handbag.

"The money is the dividend from our joint-stock company; we will deduct your share at the year-end settlement. In other words, this money is considered a temporary loan from the company. Wu Qian and Meizhu both agreed." Aunt smoothed the hair drooping in front of my forehead and pushed me out the door with infinite affection.

Not long after I left, Boss Qian Youyu called, asking where I was.

I told him I was preparing to return to Chunshan County and was on my way to the long-distance bus station, asking what was up.

Boss Qian laughed on the phone and said, "It's rare to come back once; why not play for a few more days?"

I said helplessly, "I'm not like you, Boss Qian, with a free body."

Boss Qian sighed and said, "It's all the same, people in the Jianghu. You are in the official Jianghu, and I am in the social Jianghu. We are all people in the Jianghu."

I smiled and said, "I couldn't tell Boss Qian was a philosophy expert."

He laughed out loud and said, "Philosophy is something old men think about when they are full and have nothing to do; it has nothing to do with a farmer like me. How about this, Brother Chen, I'll come pick you up. You just came back and haven't even sat down, and now you're leaving; I feel like this investment is hanging in the air."

Hearing about the investment, my spirits rose instantly, so I told Boss Qian my specific location and said I would wait for him.

In less than ten minutes, Boss Qian pulled the car over in front of me with a smile, pressed the window glass, and gave me a silly grin.

"Get in, brother." He gestured toward the back seat with his chin.

Once in the car, I realized there was a gaudily dressed woman sitting in the passenger seat, pursing her red lips, which looked like a monkey's butt, and smiling reservedly.

"My brother, Township Head of Suxi Township." Boss Qian introduced me to the woman proudly. "Why don't you greet our Township Head?"

The woman said timidly, "Hello, Boss."

"Boss your mother's ass, call him Leader." Boss Qian scolded, "You call every man you see Boss; you really are a cheap woman."

I found it funny. Boss Qian's words revealed that this woman's background was unknown. People who are bosses like to show off their women in front of others, but Boss Qian scolded the woman in front of me, an outsider, which showed this woman wasn't worth much.

Scolded by him, the woman lowered her head, too timid to look at him.

Boss Qian pulled a stack of money from his bag and threw it at the woman. "Get out and go play. The boss and the Township Head have big things to do. I'll call you when I'm free."

The woman grabbed the money, didn't even say goodbye, opened the car door, and ran away in a flash.

Watching the woman's back, Boss Qian smiled bitterly and said, "Brother, I have no choice; being alone is too lonely. This woman is a piece of goods I picked up last night; she's not bad."

I scolded, "It's you nouveau riche, shameless people, who have ruined the social atmosphere. You don't even look; she's probably a few years younger than your son."

"Who cares!" Boss Qian started the car and said, "Turn off the lights, and they are all the same. She provides the goods, I provide the money; neither of us loses out."

I smiled and said, "You bad person, aren't you afraid of getting stuck and not being able to shake her off?"

Boss Qian said with disdain, "Get the hell out of here, dew-drop couples, you still want to spend the summer?" He turned and said with a smile, "Brother, let's go find a coffee shop and sit for a while."

I said, "Boss Qian, you're looking for me just to drink a cup of coffee?"

Boss Qian said with a smile, "Little brother, regarding the mineral water factory you mentioned to me last time, I've had people ask around. There isn't one in Hengyue City yet, nor is there one in Central Province. It's a new industry."

I smiled and said, "That's why I'm asking you, Boss Qian, to come and make a fortune."

He parked the car in front of the Mingdian Coffee Shop, the same place Chen Meng and I went yesterday, and went in to find a booth. As soon as he sat down, he threw a paper package at me.

I opened it and saw several stacks of money inside. I looked at him in confusion and said, "What does this mean?"

"Nothing else, brother." Boss Qian said, "Building a factory takes effort and energy; this is a little bit of labor fee."

I hurriedly declined, saying, "This won't do. I can't accept it."

Boss Qian said slowly, "Brother, if you don't take it, I'll suspect whether you are sincere about cooperating with me. If you take it, I'll be relieved to work with you. You decide."

The money in my hand felt like a hot potato. I hurriedly threw it on the table and said, "Brother Qian, if you really believe in your brother, don't give money to me personally. You're not helping me; you're harming me."

"Harm my ass. Officials also need to wear clothes and eat. Don't tell me you've become an immortal, brother?"

I smiled awkwardly and said, "Boss Qian, you think too highly of me. You're coming to invest, not just to make money for yourself; you're bringing benefits to the common people. People who bring benefits to the common people are examples worth learning from; if I take your money, I'm a corrupt official. How could I be worthy of your investment?"

Boss Qian listened to me quietly, picked up the money without a word, and muttered to himself, "With an attitude like this, I think the investment should be slowed down. I'd better go discuss the cement products factory with Town Mayor Deng first."

I smiled and said, "If Boss Qian thinks the future of the cement products factory is greater than our mineral water plant, I have no objection."

Boss Qian said bitterly, "They are all state cadres, but the difference is really big. Town Mayor Deng wishes I would hand over all my family assets to him, and you, you look down on a farmer like me."

I thought about it. Farmer entrepreneurs like Lao Qian only recognize one dead principle: money is a spiritual object, and with money, things can be done. If I don't take his money, he won't be at ease. As long as I take his money, it's like I'm tied to the same boat as him; if it sinks, we die together.

Thinking of this, I had to take the money from his hand and said, "Lao Qian, when running an enterprise, you can't act on impulse. Your investment is not just responsible to yourself, but also to all the elders and fellow villagers of Yuetang Village. How about this, I'll accept the money to put your mind at ease. Please make preparations as soon as possible. Once the provincial water test results come out, we will start immediately. Is that okay?"

Boss Qian slapped his thigh and said, "That's more like it. Don't worry, brother, we can start at any time."

Holding a bag of money in my hand, with four red envelopes for others lying in my handbag, it was like five bombs, making me anxious and restless. ===== CHAPTER 139 =====