Volume Four: Awakening of Insects - Chapter 142: The Banquet

The next day, Le'er went into town to inquire about solar water heaters. After consulting three different vendors, he finally settled on a price of 4,200 yuan, which included home delivery, installation, and testing by the merchant, provided there was a running water supply.

The running water posed a minor issue. While Shepan Mountain had a municipal water supply, this specific area did not yet have it connected. However, after understanding the situation, the vendor offered a practical solution: Le'er could install a water tower and use a pump to draw water up into it, effectively creating his own running water system. Le'er considered this and realized it was entirely feasible. The water well in the courtyard held an abundant supply, and installing a submersible pump would easily resolve the problem.

He left his contact number and instructed the vendor to deliver the solar water heater to Xiasha Village in ten days. Afterward, he strolled down the street. Passing by a shopping mall, it suddenly occurred to him that he had never bought anything for Luo Yinxiang. Spotting a lovely dress on display, he decided to purchase it.

By the time he returned home, dusk was already falling. He walked around the courtyard for a while, roughly mapping out where to place the water tower and the solar water heater.

Right outside the courtyard's bathroom, he planned to build a sturdy elevated platform, mount the water tower and the solar water heater upon it, and then run a pipe directly into the bathroom.

He intended to hire someone to build the water tower the very next day.

Soon after, Luo Yinxiang returned.

"Le'er, you're back." Luo Yinxiang was radiant. Nourished by love, the glow on her face was even more pronounced, and she looked exceptionally joyful, humming a tune as she arrived. "I'll start cooking right away."

Le'er walked over to inspect the fishpond again. The pond had been filled with water since his previous visit, and tilapia had already been introduced. Li Ying had remarked that they wouldn't rely on these fish for snake feed; raising a few just for their own consumption would suffice. Because they lacked the time to gather grass, they hadn't stocked grass carp or other varieties. There were also two vegetable plots in the courtyard. Previously, they had grown Chinese cabbage, scallions, and garlic. They kept the scallions and garlic, while the rest of one plot was planted with green beans, and the other with luffa, bitter melon, and chili peppers.

The vegetable seedlings were lush and thriving, showing promising growth.

"Le'er, the bathwater is ready. You should go wash up first."

"Alright."

Le'er left the courtyard and went to take a bath, just as he had the day before. By the time he finished and came out, dinner was almost ready, though today's dishes were somewhat more substantial. A cured pork belly had been steamed. When the New Year's pig was slaughtered, most of it had been handed over to the eldest aunt to be smoked into cured meat. At noon, Luo Yinxiang had made a special trip back, singed the skin of the cured pork, scraped and washed it clean, and placed it straight into the steamer to cook.

The rich aroma of the cured meat drifted out, making Le'er's mouth water.

There were only three dishes: a plate of stir-fried tender rapeseed greens, some pickled vegetables, and the cured pork. Le'er drank his liquor while eating. Luo Yinxiang did not drink; holding her rice bowl, she ate while gazing affectionately at Le'er as he relished the meat, occasionally picking up a piece of the cured pork and placing it into his bowl.

"You should eat too."

Le'er casually picked up a piece of lean meat and put it in her bowl. She finished her meal quickly and went off to take a bath. By the time she emerged, Le'er was already washing the dishes.

"Le'er, let me do that. How can I let you wash them?"

"Didn't I wash them yesterday?"

"Yesterday was yesterday, today is today." Luo Yinxiang crouched down. In her unbuttoned pajamas, two fair, round breasts were exposed directly to Le'er's view. The aura of amorousness and seductive charm radiating from her whole body made one's bones feel weak. "You go rest."

"Er... The way you're dressed..."

"Does it make me look a bit like a slut?" she giggled, looking even more bewitching. "I'm not putting on a show for anyone else. What's wrong with doing it in front of you?"

"I think your backside hasn't been spanked in a long time," Le'er said, frowning slightly. "I bought a dress for you. I don't know if it will fit, but go try it on."

"Really?" Luo Yinxiang's face lit up with delight. "Where is it?"

"In the main room."

Luo Yinxiang scampered toward the main room like a young girl. Soon after, a shriek of surprise echoed from inside, followed by her reappearance dressed in the new skirt.

"Le'er, does it look good?"

She twirled around in front of Le'er, the hem of the dress kicking up a breeze.

"Looks like a piece of crap, way too flashy," Le'er said as he finished washing the dishes and placed them into the cabinet. "Look at that flirtatious look of yours, acting like you've struck gold."

"It is gold! Anything you buy is even more precious than gold."

With that, she threw her arms around Le'er and covered his face with kisses, leaving it covered in saliva. Exasperated, Le'er gave her backside a sharp smack. In front of Li Ying, he did not dare to act presumptuously, but in front of Luo Yinxiang, he did whatever he pleased. Far from being angry at the slap, Luo Yinxiang beamed with overwhelming happiness.

Le'er went upstairs to read, while she changed out of the dress and put her pajamas back on. Without disturbing his reading, she watched television in the living room and periodically brought him a cup of tea. It was past eleven o'clock when they finally went to bed. After a bout of frantic passion, Le'er let out a sigh.

"Le'er, are you worried that Sister Ying will discover what's between us?"

"Being worried is useless now."

"You're just too honest. Such a big man, and you don't even know how to lie," Luo Yinxiang pouted. "You're going to be a big boss in the future; you can't possibly tell the truth in everything you say to others. When you need to tell a lie, you still have to tell it."

"Er..."

"Naturally." Luo Yinxiang crawled up onto Le'er's chest, pressing her full, upright breasts against him until they flattened into two soft mounds, and gently stroked him with both hands. "I've heard that people who run businesses speak with thirty percent truth and seventy percent lies. If you don't even know how to lie, how can you be a boss?"

"You act like you know everything."

He gave her soft backside another light pat.

"If you had told the truth this time, I'd like to see how you would handle it," Luo Yinxiang said with a seductive smile. "Sister Ying wouldn't leave you, would she? If she left you, that would be disastrous. How would the company keep running?"

Le'er was indeed somewhat troubled. What was done with Luo Yinxiang was already done, and it seemed he would have to learn how to tell falsehoods. He also knew that businessmen could not afford to tell the truth all the time; in the commercial world, telling thirty percent truth was already quite remarkable. He wondered whether he could truly become a genuine businessman and handle the role of a boss successfully.

The next day, he stayed in the snake farm. In the afternoon, Feng Shuya came looking for him.

"Le'er, Secretary Huang is inviting you to dinner."

"Secretary Huang is inviting me to dinner?" Le'er looked at Feng Shuya. It wasn't the first time Secretary Huang had invited him to dinner, but having Feng Shuya personally deliver the invitation felt rather extraordinary. "What's this about?"

"It's not about anything specific. Besides, he represents the town's party committee, and I represent the town government."

Secretary Huang had sent his driver to pick him up in a car. How could Le'er disregard Secretary Huang's face? Naturally, he went along. In the car, Feng Shuya only spoke to him about aquaculture matters and inquired about the date of Li Ying's return.

The car drove into Green Bamboo Fish Restaurant, a place where Secretary Huang frequently dined. Secretary Huang was already waiting for him, with the smiling figure of Huaxiang Po standing nearby.

Le'er was well aware of the relationship between Secretary Huang and Huaxiang Po; their interactions always carried an unmistakable ambiguity. Le'er had accompanied Secretary Huang here several times before, and it was always the same. Secretary Huang didn't bother to avoid him, the two of them openly flirting with each other.

Le'er knew that such affairs were hardly uncommon among government officials. As long as Huaxiang Po's husband raised no objections, who else would dare to interfere? Huaxiang Po was under thirty, not only pretty but fair, tender, and plump all over. Her voluptuous physique felt like a ball of mutton-fat jade, yet she lacked any trace of superfluous fat.

Compared to Secretary Huang's legal wife, she was simply leagues apart.

"Secretary Huang, how could I have the nerve to let you treat me to dinner? This meal should be on me," Le'er said, having spent enough time in such social circles to feel completely at home. "Huaxiang Po, you're not allowed to take Secretary Huang's money later."

"Alright," Huaxiang Po chuckled. "Boss Le is a big shot now; paying for a meal is a mere trifle. Since we're old acquaintances, I'll give you a twenty percent discount."

"No way," Secretary Huang refused with a smile. "This dinner is hosted by the party committee and the government on your behalf; you are absolutely not allowed to pay."

Le'er sensed acutely that this was not merely a simple dinner invitation; there had to be an ulterior motive, so he kept his inquiries to a minimum. Today, Secretary Huang had neither brought Secretary Chen nor summoned Xie Dapao. The three of them sat alone in the private dining room.

A table of excellent dishes was served, accompanied by a bottle of fine liquor.

The liquor was high-proof, while Feng Shuya asked for a can of soft drink.

"Come, let's drink until we're thoroughly drunk today."

Secretary Huang personally poured a glass for Le'er. Le'er did not refuse. Secretary Huang held his liquor well, and Le'er was no slouch either; a single bottle of alcohol wouldn't knock them down. After a few rounds, Le'er spoke up.

"Secretary Huang, Sister Feng, you two aren't just inviting me out for a casual drink, are you? There must be something on your minds. Let's talk business first; once we get too drunk later, we won't be able to talk business at all."

"You rascal, Le'er, you're getting more mature by the day," Feng Shuya smiled. "Let Secretary Huang tell you."

In truth, most of the power within the town government had now fallen into Feng Shuya's hands. As long as she made a proposal, the newly appointed acting town mayor, Ma Longlong, would unconditionally support her.

The other deputy mayors naturally didn't dare to offend her either. Furthermore, Ma Longlong was getting on in years, and the only reason he had secured the primary position this time was because of Feng Shuya. He was a seasoned bureaucrat himself; regardless of how long he managed to hold onto this seat, he considered himself ahead of the game.

"Le'er, do you still remember the Shuangqiao Brick Factory?"

"Of course I remember it."

"It has now completely gone bankrupt," Secretary Huang said, clinking glasses with Le'er once more. "The Yang brothers are done for. The brick factory owed bank loans, and the facility has been temporarily sealed by the bank."

"Operating the way they did, it would have been a miracle if they hadn't gone bankrupt," Le'er remarked. "They still owe loans? How much do they owe?"

"Fifty thousand yuan in loans, categorized as poverty-relief funds. There are still eleven years left before the maturity date."

"Damn it, a brick factory like that took out fifty thousand yuan? How many years would it take to earn that fifty thousand back?" Le'er said with a trace of indignation. "A bunch of prodigons. But what does this brick factory have to do with us?"

Secretary Huang didn't answer immediately, first drinking another cup with him.

"We want you to take over this brick factory."

"Let me take it over?" Le'er's hand paused mid-air, a chopstickful of food forgotten before it reached his mouth. "How much will it cost?"

"It won't cost anything," Secretary Huang said casually. "However, the fifty thousand yuan loan comes attached to it."

"Fifty thousand in loans? You mean if I take over the factory, I have to pay off this fifty thousand?" Le'er looked at Secretary Huang. "This... this is too disadvantageous for me, isn't it? For a brick factory like that, how many years would it take just to make back fifty thousand?"

Secretary Huang and Feng Shuya exchanged bitter smiles as they looked at Sha Le'er. Fifty thousand yuan was indeed a rather heavy burden for a brick factory of that scale, but they desperately needed to pass this hot potato off to Sha Le'er.