177: Chapter 175: Meeting Qian Feng 177: Chapter 175: Meeting Qian Feng “Carefully stowing away the book of Little Five Thunder Skill, Chen Hai straightened out his clothes before getting out of bed and walking toward the door of the room.
It was already around seven or eight in the morning, and both Chen Zhonghua and Jiang Meixian had long since gotten up.
Perhaps it was because of the things Chen Hai said yesterday that had some effect.
Although they had been up for a while today, neither of them had run off to the mountains or the fields!
Inside the kitchen, Jiang Meixian was busy preparing breakfast, while Chen Zhonghua sat at the entrance, ‘click-clacking’ while smoking his dry pipe.
“Hai, you’re up?” When he saw Chen Hai come out, Chen Zhonghua pointed to a chair next to him and called out to him.
“Dad, the thing I talked to you and mom about yesterday, how have you considered it?” Chen Hai asked with a smile as he sat down beside Chen Zhonghua.
“Hai, of course your mother and I would be overjoyed to be able to move to the city and live there.”
“But for us country folk, without the land, we lose our foundation.”
“Your mom and I, we’re both a bit worried that once we get to Liuyuan County, we won’t be able to find work, and we won’t be able to make money to support ourselves.”
With a sigh, Chen Zhonghua gave a wry smile and spoke.
His generation harbored ideas that were somewhat different from Chen Hai’s.
In Chen Zhonghua’s view, living in the countryside, as long as one had land, even if the collective welfare funds and retained earnings were a bit high.
At least, life would be hard and tiring, but one shouldn’t starve to death.
But if they really sold their home and moved to the county town, he and Jiang Meixian would have no unit nor jobs.
In the county town, workers with units were being laid off en masse, if they moved to the county, how could they make a living?
In their eyes, their son bringing back over two hundred thousand was due to good luck, from selling antiques—a one-time deal!
They certainly couldn’t move to the county and still rely on their son to bail them out, could they?
Thinking about these things made both Chen Zhonghua and Jiang Meixian restless, feeling rather uneasy.
“Dad, I already told mom last time, after moving to the county, we could buy a few storefronts and run a small business.”
“Opening a tobacco and liquor store and incidentally selling some everyday goods—without being overly ambitious, supporting you and mom shouldn’t be a big problem.”
“And besides, with me, your son here, are you still worried about not having food to eat?”
“If you and mom really aren’t at ease, I can leave a bit more of the money I brought with you!”
…
Listening to his father’s worries, Chen Hai was a bit speechless.
After thinking for a while, he opened his mouth gently to persuade.
His face still showed hesitation, Chen Zhonghua remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he clenched his teeth as if he had made up his mind, “Alright, Hai, since you’ve said so much, your mom and I will listen to you!”
“After breakfast, both of us will go straight to the county to see if there’s a suitable house for sale, alright?”
These few words seemed to require a great deal of effort to speak.
The arm holding the pipe, perhaps from the strenuous effort, had veins bulging noticeably.
After saying these words, Chen Zhonghua got up and headed toward the kitchen.
It looked like he was going to inform Jiang Meixian about the decision he had just made.
Seeing this result, Chen Hai finally felt relieved.
“At home, I can only stay for two or three days at most!”
“I’ve already received payment from Limp Zhang, I naturally should take care of the task he entrusted to me, right?”
“But just running to the town and blabbing to the police that Chen Erleng killed a man, would that be of any use?”
As his thoughts shifted to this matter, Chen Hai pondered silently in his mind.
Compared to the old Liu Family, Chen Erleng, merely a village secretary, was naturally not worth mentioning.
However, the guy had some connections in the town and county, nonetheless.
If Chen Hai rashly went to the town’s police station to file a report against him?
Whether they would take it seriously was questionable.
Worse still, before Chen Hai could step out of the police station, Chen Erleng might have already received a tip-off!
It wasn’t that he was afraid of Chen Erleng; after all, he would return to the Capital City in no more than two days!
But after he left, his parents would still be there.
Chen Erleng, not known for his restraint, who knew how he’d react upon learning that Chen Hai had gone to the police, accusing Chen Erleng of killing Limp Zhang?
“Resolving Limp Zhang’s request for help seems simple, but in reality, to ensure foolproof success, I still need to devise a perfect plan!” Chen Hai furrowed his brow, thoughts racing in his head as he mused silently.
Inside the kitchen, the breakfast that Jiang Meixian was preparing was soon ready!
In the countryside, unlike the city, at that time their breakfast was generally leftovers from the day before, warmed up, it was a matter of making do and having a meal.”
Chen Hai’s home was much the same.
He had a simple breakfast with leftover food from yesterday and a few types of pickles.
After only a slight delay at home, Chen Zhonghua and Jiang Meixian were already on their way to the county.
They had actually wanted to take Chen Hai with them, so he could give some advice.
However, after contemplating, Chen Hai found an excuse to decline the matter.
Once his parents had left, in less than half an hour, he locked the front door and headed straight for the town.
…
In the central area of Wuyang Town, at the entrance of a secluded villa.
With most of his hair gone, Uncle Qian, who was determined to help the people of Wuyang Town prosper and had readied himself to work tirelessly until death, lay on the genuine leather sofa in the living room, his face flushed, reeking of alcohol.
“You never come home, but when you do, you’re drunk as a skunk!”
“After Liu Dagui died, his position has remained vacant.
How could you not think to go to the county more often to strive for it?”
“What’s the point of hobnobbing with those small business owners in town?
Do they have the ability to help you advance further?”
Uncle Qian’s wife, Xiaocui, who was quite plump, complained as she gently applied a hot towel to his forehead.
“You’re just a woman, aside from playing mahjong every day, what do you know about the intricacies of officialdom?”
“The position left by Liu Dagui is hotly contested, and many eyes are on it.”
“As a deputy town chief ranking at the end, with no influential backers, trying to aim for that position is simply overestimating oneself.”
“And what’s wrong with mixing with those small business owners?
Without them, would our Wuyang Town’s economy be able to develop?”
“Do you have any idea how much of the food, clothing, and goods in our house are gifts from those small business owners?”
…
Whether it was the alcohol or something else.
Xiaocui, who felt wronged by his few words and hung her head, suddenly seemed very alluring to Uncle Qian.
He pulled Xiaocui into his arms, and his foul-smelling mouth moved straight for hers.
“Don’t do that, Qian Feng, it’s still broad daylight…
and the door is open…”
“What’s there to fear?
You’re my wife.
It’s natural for us to be intimate with each other.”
“The kid Xiaobing isn’t home, he’s at a tutorial class, so what’s wrong with a bit of daytime intimacy?
Even if someone does see.
they dare not gossip!”
In the midst of sly laughter, Uncle Qian forcefully pushed Xiaocui down onto the sofa.
The buttons on his white shirt were only half undone.
“Excuse me, does Uncle Qian live here?” At this moment, an untimely voice suddenly rang out, entering Uncle Qian’s ears.
Soon after, a young man casually walked into the living room.
His clothing, both in style and material, was clearly of great value and certainly not cheap.
As someone who traveled outside for investigations, Uncle Qian had seen the world.
Originally intending to angrily rebuke the moment’s interruption, Uncle Qian swallowed his words after sizing up the young man.
“May I ask who you are…” he could only ask uncertainly.
The young man, was of course Chen Hai without a doubt.
His clothes had been carefully selected by Ye Qingqing, matching perfectly and not at all cheap.
Clothes make the man, as they say.
His attire, accompanied by a hairstyle crafted by a professional stylist, really brought out his presence!
If Chen Hai were still in his old, washed-out and tattered clothes, paired with a pair of yellow rubber shoes.
At this moment, Uncle Qian might have already started to shoo him away with a broom.
“Uncle Qian, it seems I’ve come at an inconvenient time.
Please continue, I’ll just step outside for a smoke,” Chen Hai said with a faint smile, taking in the sight of Uncle Qian and Xiaocui.
“Young man, don’t get the wrong idea, the buttons on my shirt have been off for days and, with my busy duties, I haven’t had time to mend it!”
“Here I am, stealing a moment from my busy schedule to come home so my wife could sew on a button for me!”
“Patching things up can make them last a few more years; life in Wuyang Town is hard.
More than ninety percent of the population is still living in hardship, so as an official, it’s only natural for me to lead by example and put the world first!”
…
He spoke with grand righteousness, heaving several sighs as if deeply concerned for humanity.
Those who could become officials were all talents indeed.
To tell such barefaced lies with such pleasant words, that level of skill is not something the average person could achieve.
Of course, the reason Uncle Qian spoke this way was mainly that he saw Chen Hai as rather distinguished and extraordinary.
But since he wasn’t sure of Chen Hai’s background, he harbored some caution, which is why he acted as he did.