Chapter 247

The courtyard of the County Committee Guesthouse was bustling with people coming and going. I knew most of the people coming and going; they were either cadres from the county bureaus and committees or leaders from the townships below.

I avoided them, went around to Guo Wei's car, and looked inside. Sure enough, I saw Xue Bing shivering with cold, hugging her arms, looking blankly out the car window.

My heart suddenly ached. I opened the car door, reached out to hold her slender shoulders, and said in a hoarse voice: "Why are you so silly? Why didn't you get out of the car and sit in the lobby?"

Xue Bing pushed my hand away and said in a strained voice: "Why are you here?"

I pointed to Guo Wei, who was pacing back and forth on the steps, and said: "He just mentioned you were in the car. Damn him."

Xue Bing gave a sweet smile: "A big Town Mayor, full of foul language, not paying attention to your image."

I smiled bitterly: "I'm cursing him; do you expect me to use classical Chinese? Come down, let's go in together and eat something. It's cold outside."

Xue Bing said stubbornly: "I'm not going. You go back quickly too. Let me tell you, I didn't come to find you. Huang Weiwei called me here; we have things to talk about."

"What is she talking to you about?" I was baffled.

"Talking about things between us women. You're a big man, why do you care so much?" Xue Bing said coldly: "Go back quickly, don't let her overthink it later."

She pulled the car door shut, closed her eyes, and ignored me.

I had no choice but to return to the steps dejectedly and follow Guo Wei into the room.

The atmosphere in the room was much more lively. Professor Xu Siguan had broken his rule and picked up his wine glass. After drinking three cups in a row with County Magistrate Liu, he went to drink with Huang Weiwei, saying how steady Huang Weiwei's driving had been along the way, saving an old man like him from so much bumping.

County Magistrate Liu seemed very happy tonight, accepting all toasts and reciprocating. I understood his state of mind. Don't look at him sitting high on the throne of County Magistrate; in Chunshan County, he was surrounded by a pack of wolves, all watching him with wolf eyes, sharpening their claws, ready to pounce and bite him at any moment.

He was a very upright cadre. Trying to keep himself clean in a pool of muddy water was no different from drawing on rice paper with thick ink without leaving a trace. He had been looking for a piece of pure land. How many times had he wanted to hang up his seal and leave office, to peacefully become a leisurely fisherman? But his conscience told him he couldn't leave yet; he had to fulfill his responsibilities to the common people of Chunshan County.

Going to Hengyue City at night to ask Minister Huang Shan for people was his first counterattack after careful consideration, but Guo Wei coming to Suxi as Party Secretary shortly after was completely beyond his expectations. He knew Guo Wei must have been requested by Guan Peishan. Having been colleagues with Guan Peishan for a lifetime, each knew exactly what kind of "shit" the other was going to take the moment they lifted their buttocks.

Opponents! From the day Guan Peishan's appointment letter was announced, he knew his opponent truly existed. Originally, one was in charge of ideology and the other in charge of the economy; they had nothing to do with each other and only nodded when they met. But after Guan Peishan became County Party Secretary, his hands stretched longer and longer, so long that Liu Qimeng couldn't bear it.

Huang Weiwei, who had been drinking, had a beautiful, flushed face. Seeing me enter, she asked regardless: "Where did you go? So long?"

I smiled guiltily, picked up the wine glass in front of me, and said: "Come, come, I'll toast everyone."

Huang Qishan snatched the glass from my hand and cursed: "Kid, you haven't toasted the County Magistrate yet, nor Professor Xu. You have to do a full round; how can you try to get away with it?"

I shouted boldly: "Isn't it just a full round? I'll take it."

So I toasted them one by one, and even Huang Weiwei accompanied me by drinking half a cup.

As soon as I finished, Guo Wei started again, also doing a full round, making such a ruckus that he completely forgot County Magistrate Liu Qimeng was still sitting at the table.

When everyone was in a noisy state, I whispered in Huang Weiwei's ear: "You called Xue Bing here?"

Huang Weiwei tilted her head and looked at me: "Yes, why hasn't she arrived yet?"

I said: "She arrived long ago, came in Secretary Guo's car, and is in his car now."

"How do you know?" She looked at me strangely.

I smiled and didn't answer her, a wave of bitterness surging in my heart. A girl as proud as Xue Bing would never be summoned and dismissed by a rich young lady. Not to mention sitting alone in a cold car, waiting for an invisible dawn. She must have something going on; this was a matter between two women, and it was no small matter.

Huang Weiwei stood up, walked to Guo Wei's side, and whispered something. I saw Guo Wei smile awkwardly, turn around, and go out the door. Before long, he brought in the pale-faced Xue Bing.

Everyone in the room, except for me and Huang Weiwei, stared in astonishment.

Huang Weiwei walked affectionately to Xue Bing's side, put her arm around her shoulder, and said: "Teacher Xue, you've been here for so long, why didn't you come in?"

Xue Bing gave a slight smile and nodded to everyone at the table.

County Magistrate Liu looked at her suspiciously and hesitated for a long time before saying: "This teacher, isn't she from your Suxi Middle School?"

Guo Wei and I nodded together.

"Something the matter?" County Magistrate Liu looked at us, his face showing displeasure.

"Uncle Liu, Teacher Xue is my friend, I invited her." Seeing the atmosphere was wrong, Huang Weiwei quickly smoothed things over, grabbed Xue Bing, and sat her down beside her.

County Magistrate Liu said "Oh," and stood up to take his leave. Once County Magistrate Liu took his leave, Professor Xu also wanted to go. We couldn't keep them, so we saw County Magistrate Liu to the door. Huang Qishan had already called County Magistrate Liu's driver, who picked him up and drove off in a flash. We then saw Professor Xu to the elevator and instructed the waiter to take him to his room personally.

After seeing County Magistrate Liu off, we started to regroup. This time Huang Qishan didn't stand on ceremony; he rolled up his sleeves, put one foot on the chair, and shouted like a local tycoon: "Chen Feng, you kid are going to open a gold mine, you're a big boss now. Remember your brothers in the future."

"Bullshit!" I said: "If a gold mine is to be opened, it belongs to the state; how could it be my private property? However, if everyone wants to buy gold in the future, I'll give you a discount."

Actually, I understood that Huang Qishan was bluffing, and wasn't I doing the same?

There were five people in the room. Except for Xue Bing, everyone had been a cadre involved in social education. Although we weren't familiar with each other before, we were, after all, comrades who had crawled out of the same trench.

Only Xue Bing—everyone knew she used to be my girlfriend, and now my girlfriend was Huang Weiwei. It was impossible for me not to feel awkward with two women appearing in such a scene at the same time.

Guo Wei and Huang Qishan both thought Huang Weiwei was in the dark, while Huang Weiwei thought Guo Wei and Huang Qishan were in the dark.

Huang Qishan's bluffing didn't attract much response. Huang Weiwei affectionately held Xue Bing's hand and told the waiter to add two hot dishes.

The room quieted down. The three men drank wine with a tacit understanding, and no one started telling jokes anymore.

Xue Bing's face was as calm as a lake, and she said faintly: "Why did County Magistrate Liu leave as soon as he saw me?"

Huang Qishan quickly smoothed things over: "County Magistrate Liu has many things to do and is too busy. It's not because of you."

Xue Bing smiled faintly again: "No problem early, no problem late. There's a problem as soon as I arrive."

Everyone found it hard to respond. County Magistrate Liu did indeed leave after she came in; as for whether it was because of her, no one knew.

Huang Weiwei scooped a small bowl of hot soup for Xue Bing and urged her to drink it, saying it was cold and she should warm up first.

Xue Bing didn't decline, smiled slightly, and lowered her head to drink.

Only I could read Xue Bing's performance. She was suppressing her emotions. Facing three excellent men and a beautiful woman, although Xue Bing didn't feel inferior, there were two people here who had had intersections with her life.

Xue Bing once said she wanted to defend her love!

My heart felt like a mouse was running inside, scratching me with unbearable pain.

Guo Wei was the first to say he felt dizzy, saying that the strong liquor always had a delayed effect. Since he had been drinking, he didn't dare drive, so he would open a room in the guesthouse to rest tonight, and then he got up to leave. Huang Qishan followed, saying he had to discuss the remaining issues of the highway demolition tomorrow, so he had to leave first.

Watching the two of them slip away one after the other, only the three of us were left in the room.

After a moment of silence, Huang Weiwei broke the quiet: "Let's all go back to our rooms to rest. Teacher Xue will stay in the same room as me." She pointed at me and said: "You go to the front desk to get your room card; Qishan has already arranged the rooms."

Xue Bing hesitated and said: "I'd better open a room for myself."

Huang Weiwei smiled: "If we don't stay together, how can we chat?"

Xue Bing smiled embarrassedly and followed her out the door.

I got my room card from the front desk, found the room, and as soon as I opened the door and went in, I threw myself onto the bed. After lying there for a long time, I took out my phone and sent a text message to Huang Weiwei.

"What are you two talking about?"

"None of your business," she replied, her tone extremely cold.

"Can I listen?"

"Not now."

"When can I?"

"Midnight."

"?" I sent a question mark.

After a long time, she replied with two words: "Room number?"

Was she going to come to my room at midnight? I hesitated for a long time, finally gave up on the desire, turned off my phone, and fell into a deep sleep.