136: Chapter 136: Seeing Hou Donggui Again 136: Chapter 136: Seeing Hou Donggui Again In the private room, Liu Chang was having a conversation with Ye Qingqing, of which Chen Hai was completely unaware.
At this moment, he was walking back to Capital Political and Legal University.
Fortunately, the Old Xichuan Hot Pot Restaurant was near University City, a short distance from Capital Political and Legal University.
The journey there had only taken a few minutes, as Ye Qingqing had driven.
Going back, although Chen Hai relied only on the No.
11 bus, it took just ten to twenty minutes for him to reach the school gate.
“Didi…
Didi…”
Just as he entered the campus, before he had taken many steps, the pager in his pocket suddenly went off.
He stopped, took out the pager, and looked at the displayed phone number.
“A local call from Capital City?
Who could it be?”
“In Capital City, I think I’ve only given my pager number to Liu Chang and Ye Qingqing.”
“When we were eating, things got a bit unpleasant.
I just separated from them at Old Xichuan Hot Pot Restaurant.
Would they page me now?
It seems unlikely.”
Frowning, Chen Hai was a bit confused, muttering to himself.
His pager hardly ever went off throughout the year.
Regardless of who was paging him, he had received it, so a call back was definitely in order.
Those small shops with shared phones were nowhere to be found around the school gate.
However, Chen Hai glanced around and immediately spotted two public phone booths where IC cards could be used.
Such public phone booths were already quite common in big cities.
But in small counties like Liuyuan County, this facility had not yet been introduced.
Chen Hai had bought an IC card earlier in the day when he was shopping for various daily necessities.
After all, having this card made making calls much more convenient.
He walked into an available phone booth, inserted his IC card, and began dialing the number from his pager.
“Hello, may I ask who paged me just now?”
“Younger Brother Chen, it’s me, Hou Donggui.
You should already be in Capital City by now, right?
I happen to be here too.
Do you have time to meet up?”
“It’s Brother Hou, hello, hello.
I just arrived in Capital City today.
Your call is timely.
Where are you?
I will come to meet you.”
“You lad, you’ve just arrived in Capital City, unfamiliar with everything.
Even if I tell you the place, you won’t be able to find it.
Just wait at the school gate.
I’ll send someone to pick you up!”
“I am right at the school gate now.
Just send someone here!”
…
The caller was Hou Donggui.
Chen Hai owed him a huge favor because of the admission notice.
He was invited by Hou to go out and meet, and naturally, Chen Hai had no reason to refuse.
After hanging up the call, Chen Hai returned to the vicinity of the school gate.
“Hello, may I ask if you are Mr.
Chen Hai?”
Over half an hour later, a robust man, around thirty years old, walking with military precision and exuding a clear military aura, appeared before Chen Hai.
The man, after exiting a boxy Santana, glanced around and quickly locked on to Chen Hai.
Approaching with a brisk stride, the man tentatively spoke, inquiring.
Over the phone, Chen Hai had told Hou Donggui about his current outfit.
This sturdy man’s quick identification of Chen Hai was certainly due to that.
“I am Chen Hai, and you are…” Pulling out a pack of cigarettes and handing one over to the man, Chen Hai responded with a smile.
“Mr.
Chen, hello, I am Mr.
Hou’s driver, just call me Zhao!”
After a moment’s hesitation, accepting the cigarette Chen Hai offered, the man paused, then added, “Mr.
Hou is waiting for you at White Lake Tea House.
Do you need to prepare anything, or shall we go straight there?”
“Hmm!” Chen Hai hesitated briefly, then nodded.
Going to meet Hou Donggui, it seemed there was no need for gifts.
After all, with Hou Donggui’s status, ordinary items were of no interest to him; perhaps the best gift was Chen Hai’s favor.
“Alright then, Mr.
Chen, just follow me!” Zhao, very politely, gestured Chen Hai to come along.
The car Zhao drove had a W logo; Chen Hai couldn’t tell the brand.
However, its exterior and interior were undoubtedly a notch below the car driven by Ye Qingqing.
Half an hour later, Zhao’s car stopped in front of a building with an antique charm.
“Brother Zhao, why is there no sign for this place?
Is Brother Hou waiting inside for me?” Getting out of the car, Chen Hai looked around and asked Zhao.
“White Lake Tea House is a private clubhouse.
Mr.
Hou is inside.
Come with me!”
Zhao nodded, leading Chen Hai to the building’s entrance.
As they approached, two tall women in cheongsams, with slits up to their thighs revealing hints of the scenery beneath, greeted them warmly.
“Room 308, we have an appointment!” Before the two cheongsam-clad women could speak, Zhao, expressionless, pulled out a golden card and flashed it before their eyes.
“Welcome, honored guests…” Seeing the golden card in Zhao’s hand, the women, overflowing with enthusiasm, even performed a kneeling bow to the men.
“Such extravagance, Brother Hou and his people sure know how to enjoy life.
They live so lavishly every day!”
Though he kept his composure outwardly, Chen Hai couldn’t stop the complaints in his mind.
This kind of scenario seemed all too familiar to Zhao.
Ignoring the kneeling women, he led Chen Hai straight inside.
Inside the tea house, the first floor was the lobby; Chen Hai didn’t know what the second floor was like.
All he knew was that on the third floor he was on now, a long corridor ran east to west, flanked by elegant private rooms.
“Boss, Mr.
Chen has arrived!” Arriving at a room, Zhao lightly knocked on the door.
“Elder Chen, please come in!” Soon, the door opened and Hou Donggui, a squarely built man with large ears and a face of good fortune, welcomed them with a beaming smile.
Zhao left first, while Chen Hai followed Hou Donggui into the room.
Inside, in addition to two scantily clad, attractive tea mistresses responsible for pouring tea, there was a plump middle-aged man in traditional Chinese garb seated among them.
“Mr.
Chen, hello, hello.
I am Dong Dahai, and here’s my business card.
I look forward to your guidance!”
Upon seeing Chen Hai, the middle-aged man promptly stood up and respectfully handed him a business card.
[Treasure House, Dong Dahai, contact number…]
Chen Hai, facing this kind of pomp for the first time, was momentarily taken aback.
He quickly recovered, took the business card with both hands, glanced over it briefly, then carefully pocketed it.