As he stepped out of Wei Jianghe’s office, Qin Weidong was greeted by glaring daylight—so bright it was almost blinding.
Days of careful planning and preparation had earned him exactly what he wanted. But it still wasn’t enough. He was thinking about what Wei Jianghe had asked of him at the very end of their meeting. In his hands was a heavy folder, stuffed with detailed information on the Fengxin mining area.
He had just stepped outside the main government complex when Wei Jianghe’s secretary came hurrying after him, calling out.
“Mr. Qin! Please wait!”
Qin Weidong’s thoughts were interrupted. Secretary Li pulled an envelope from inside his coat and gestured toward the street corner.
Parked at the curb was a sleek black Toyota sedan—one of the more upscale models commonly used for official business. It was easily worth a good 170,000 to 180,000 yuan. Even the factory director at Jinjian only rated a 150,000 yuan car.
Secretary Li said, “Mr. Qin, this vehicle is provided by Chaojiang Exploration as your company car. The key is inside.”
He handed Qin Weidong the envelope. Inside, along with the car key, was a bank card.
Qin Weidong accepted it without hesitation. “Thank you, Secretary Li.”
Seeing him take it without hesitation or false modesty, Secretary Li smiled. “No trouble at all, Manager Qin. The HR department at Chaojiang has already prepared your paperwork. You can go over anytime. Just one thing…”
His eyes shifted to the folder Qin Weidong still held.
Qin Weidong wasn’t slow on the uptake. “I understand, Secretary Li. I’ll take care of it soon.”
With that assurance, Secretary Li felt at ease. After all, this task was handed down by Director Wei, and it was best left unspoken. Fortunately, the young man in front of him clearly understood that unspoken rule.
There’s something refreshing about dealing with someone smart. Secretary Li smiled. “Then, Manager Qin, I’ll see you in Jinyang.”
Qin Weidong thanked him again, then got into the black sedan and drove off without looking back.
As he drove, the documents from the Fengxin mine lay on the passenger seat. Among them were files on several auction companies. He had only skimmed through them earlier, but that had been enough to grasp Wei Jianghe’s intentions.
When he arrived at the hotel, he ran right into Xu Jianchuan, who had clearly been looking for him.
Xu Jianchuan was waiting in the lobby and spotted the car immediately. Damn, it was a lot nicer than his old Santana.
As soon as Qin Weidong walked in, Xu Jianchuan came over with a grin, half-cursing, half-laughing. “Damn it, kid—you’ve climbed high this time. Looks like I just dressed you up for another man’s wedding!”
Qin Weidong gave a small smile. “Thanks, Boss Xu, for pulling me up when I needed it.”
“Ai ya, don’t call me Boss Xu anymore—just call me Brother Xu!” Xu Jianchuan said cheerfully. “Once you’re in Jinyang, your path will be much broader than mine. I might end up needing you to treat me to a meal! Come over to the house sometime—I’ll get your sister-in-law to cook up a few good dishes, and the two of us can share a few drinks!”
Now that his most capable man was leaving, even if Xu Jianchuan didn’t want to let him go, he wouldn’t dare go against his brother-in-law’s wishes.
Still, he wasn’t all that upset. After all, if Wei Jianghe was taking someone from his team, he’d be sure to compensate him fairly. And if Qin Weidong performed well down the line, that would reflect well on Xu Jianchuan in front of Wei Jianghe too.
More importantly, he was the one who had given Qin Weidong a helping hand when the young man was at his lowest—that connection had to count for something, didn’t it?
In business, what matters most is whether there’s profit to be made.
Xu Jianchuan added, “I’ve heard Chaojiang Exploration is actually controlled by Kunshan Group. If they get any big projects in the future, you better keep your Brother Xu in mind, yeah?”
“Of course,” Qin Weidong said.
Whether he meant it or not, Xu Jianchuan was pleased just to hear it. He sighed, “Kid, you really are something. I admire you. When did we first meet again? Back when you were still working the mine in Xiahe. Just a laborer. Everyone else clammed up during the blasting, but you? You were the only one who dared to speak out.”
Xu Jianchuan shook his head at the memory. “And look at you now. Not even a year later—car, money, status—you’ve got it all.”
He was genuinely impressed with this young man. Every step Qin Weidong took seemed deliberate, calculated. When he’d first shown up, he was just a poor country kid without even a registered ID. Now, he was already starting at a level higher than what Xu Jianchuan had spent over a decade striving for.
Honestly, when he himself had been twenty, he hadn’t known a damn thing. He was just chasing girls all day. Compared to Qin Weidong’s sharp mind and sense of strategy, he didn’t even come close.
“With the mess at Nanpan Mine, there’s nothing left to do here. I’m heading back to Jinyang tomorrow. You coming with me?”
There was no point staying. Xu Jianchuan had been away from home for months, and his wife had been nagging him about it.
Qin Weidong said he still had some things to take care of.
Xu Jianchuan nodded. “Alright. I booked a private room for tonight—make sure you come. Don’t flake.”
“I’ll be there,” Qin said.
……
Down by the dorms, Fang Li was overjoyed when he heard Qin Weidong was coming back.
“You’re really coming back?!”
His happiness was so obvious, it practically came through the phone line.
“Mhm, I’m coming back,” Qin Weidong said, his expression softening unconsciously. Just hearing Fang Li’s voice seemed to sweep away all his exhaustion and worries about the road ahead.
“You missed me a lot, didn’t you?” Fang Li asked in a soft, sweet whisper, cupping the receiver with his hand.
“I did,” Qin Weidong replied. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course I did..! We’ve never been apart this long before—I’m not used to it at all… I can’t even sleep at night.”
His voice carried a trace of grievance, which made Qin Weidong’s heart ache. He said gently, “Be good. We won’t be apart again.”
Fang Li went on, “I thought maybe you made a fortune in Yicheng… and didn’t want me anymore!”
Qin Weidong’s brow furrowed instantly, and he said his name in a low voice, serious: “Fang Li.”
But Fang Li was teasing. His laughter bubbled through the phone, delighted: “Alright, alright… I take it back! Look at you—still as petty as ever! So, are you coming back today?”
“I’ll try,” Qin Weidong said. “Want me to meet you at the school gate?”
“Sure! But… are we staying at a hotel again? That’s so expensive…”
“I don’t mind. I just want to hold you while I sleep.”
It had been a while since Fang Li had shared a bed with him too. Lately, he’d been tossing and turning, sleepless at night. The thought of snuggling up to Qin Weidong again—his warm, human pillow—filled him with happiness.
“Okay… I’ll wait for you.”
Outside the dorm, Ding Haoyang had come along to help Fang Li pick up his things. He stood by the window watching him chatter on and on, still hugging the payphone. He tapped the glass impatiently and motioned for him to hurry up—it was nearly six; they were going to be late!
But Fang Li turned and glared at him through the glass, gesturing for him to be quiet.
Ding Haoyang was speechless. He really didn’t get it. Who was this person on the other end of the line that had Fang Li so glued to the phone? Every single time, he acted like he couldn’t bear to hang up. He even came back to school in the middle of the day just to wait for this call.
Outside, Ding Haoyang mouthed another warning through the window: “They’ll dock our pay if we’re late!”
Fang Li, still floating in bliss, was suddenly jolted back to reality by Ding Haoyang’s grimacing face. It was like waking from a sweet dream. He gave a small gasp of surprise.
“What’s wrong?” Qin Weidong asked.
Fang Li quickly snapped back to reality. “Nothing… the dorm supervisor just came in and startled me. I can’t really talk right now. Oh, right…”
He asked tentatively, “So when are you coming back?”
It was getting late. Qin Weidong set down the new phone he’d bought for Fang Li and grabbed his jacket, getting ready to meet Xu Jianchuan. “I have dinner tonight with Boss Xu and a few Yicheng business owners. If I end up drinking, I’ll head back tomorrow morning. I’ll come back as soon as I can. Wait for me in the dorm.”
Hearing that he’d be back tomorrow, Fang Li felt a bit relieved.
“The weather’s getting colder—are you wearing a jacket?” Qin Weidong asked.
Fang Li glanced down at himself. It was already October, and he was still only wearing a thin long-sleeved shirt. No wonder he’d been sneezing the past couple of days…
Qin Weidong could guess he wasn’t wearing one. He said, “Hang up and go put one on now.”
“Got it…” Fang Li could already sense another lecture coming. “Where’d you even put it? I can’t find it…”
“Did you even look? It’s hanging in your wardrobe. On the right.”
Fang Li pouted. Unbelievable. How did Qin Weidong know he hadn’t even looked? He muttered, “Well, if you don’t tell me, how would I remember?”
Honestly. Qin Weidong could only sigh. He thought to himself, I really need to get back to Fang Li soon. So long as he’s on his own, I can never quite relax.
After they hung up, Ding Haoyang was already waiting at the dormitory entrance, guitar slung over his back. “Fang Li, were you calling your girlfriend or what? You were dragging it out like crazy!”
Fang Li elbowed him. “Get lost…”
But Ding Haoyang just gave him this knowing look, like he’d been through it before. “Oh, come on, don’t be shy. It’s definitely a girlfriend! I saw how you were grinning just now—you looked like your smile was about to split your face!”
Fang Li nodded dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, girlfriend.”
“For real? You’ve actually got a girlfriend?”
That got Ding Haoyang’s full attention. All the way there, he bombarded Fang Li with questions—where she was from, whether she was in school or already working—and even started bragging about his own love life. Fang Li replied vaguely at first, but quickly got annoyed by all the noise. He ended up curling up by the bus window to grab a nap.
That night’s dinner included a few businessmen from Jinyang. Xu Jianchuan had also invited several young women to join them. Qin Weidong had a few drinks, and by the time the gathering wrapped up, it was already past eleven.
Xu Jianchuan was thoroughly drunk, swaying as he slung an arm around Qin Weidong’s shoulders. “Weidong, if there’s ever a good money-making opportunity, you better remember your big brother here!”
He was so far gone that one of his friends came over to help him up, finally giving Qin Weidong a chance to slip away.
The night breeze hit him. He hadn’t drunk too much, and with the wind blowing, he sobered up quickly.
He stood there for a while, letting the cool air dispel the scent of alcohol from his clothes. Glancing at his watch—11:30—he checked out of the hotel, grabbed his documents, and drove back to Changding.
After driving for more than two hours, Qin Weidong arrived at the vocational school gates. He parked outside and walked toward Fang Li’s dorm. The dorm supervisor had just finished his rounds, and when Qin Weidong handed him two packs of good cigarettes, he asked if he could help call up someone from Room 603.
The old man accepted the smokes and readily agreed. Qin Weidong waited downstairs. Before long, the supervisor returned and said, “Kid, no one’s in 603. Those boys haven’t been around at night.”
Qin Weidong frowned. “Not around?”
“Yeah,” the old man said. “It’s been quite a while now—must be over a month. No one’s living there. The beds are covered in dust.”
Qin Weidong’s expression darkened immediately. He thanked the man, stepped down from the entrance, thought for a moment, then called Feng Hui.
On Feng Hui’s end, he had just gotten lucky and was lying in bed with Qi Jian in his arms. Seeing the unfamiliar caller ID, he hesitated.
“Hello?”
“Feng Hui. It’s me.”
As soon as he heard the voice, Feng Hui realized—it was Qin Weidong. “Qin Weidong? Weren’t you in Yicheng with my uncle?”
Qin Weidong got straight to the point. “Is Qi Jian with you right now?”
Feng Hui froze. His first thought was: How the hell did Qin Weidong know that?! He didn’t tell his uncle, did he?
“Why would I be with Qi Jian…” he tried to dodge the question, but Qin Weidong cut him off, not in the mood to play games. “I need to speak to him. It’s urgent. Give him the phone.”
Qi Jian lifted his head and asked softly, “Feng Hui… what’s going on?”
The two of them were tangled up together, and since the phone wasn’t soundproof, the person on the other end could definitely hear what was going on. Feng Hui had no choice but to switch to speakerphone. “Go ahead, Qi Jian’s here.”
“Qi Jian, do you know where Fang Li went tonight?”
As soon as Qi Jian realized the question was about Fang Li, he hesitated, clearly nervous. He gestured frantically to Feng Hui, unsure what to say. Qin Weidong lost patience. “Where did he go?!”
Feng Hui snatched the phone and shouted, “Damn it, lower your voice! He’s skittish enough as it is—do you want to scare him to death?”
Holding Qi Jian by the waist, Feng Hui kissed him on the forehead and said gently, “It’s okay, just take your time.”
But Qi Jian knew Feng Hui had misunderstood him completely. Anxious, he leaned close and whispered into Feng Hui’s ear.
“What? Fang Li went to sing at a nightclub?!”
Feng Hui was stunned. Qi Jian was desperate—he slapped Feng Hui lightly in frustration. Only then did Feng Hui realize and grab his hand. But by then, Qin Weidong had clearly heard everything. His eyes narrowed dangerously. “A nightclub?”
Feng Hui was confused. “Aren’t you two close enough to wear the same pair of pants? Qi Jian says he’s been going with some classmates to sing at the Jinkai Entertainment Club on Ximao Road. Every night. Been doing it for over two months now. And you didn’t know?”
……
It wasn’t the weekend, so the nightclub wasn’t particularly crowded. After finishing their last song, the assistant manager handed them their wages.
Including last month’s withheld pay, each of them received a fat stack of hundred-yuan bills. Ding Haoyang beamed as he flipped through the crisp red notes over and over, then slapped the stack into his palm and gave it a big kiss.
Yang San’er was just as happy. He handed his pay over to his girlfriend, Huang Min, and gave her a kiss too. The group packed up their instruments and stepped out of the club.
It was already past 1 a.m. The night wind hit them, making them hunch their shoulders against the cold. Ding Haoyang spun around and threw up his hand. “Comrades!! I say we throw ourselves a celebration! We just made our first big money as the Southeast Northwest Band!”
Yang San chimed in, “Yes, yes! I’ve been craving barbecue forever! Let’s crack open a case of beer! No—one case won’t be enough!”
Qin Weidong was coming back tomorrow, and Fang Li wanted to get home early. “I’ll pass. I’ve got something to take care of.”
“Come on, we made all this money thanks to you. You not coming wouldn’t feel right!”
They were all around the same age and had grown pretty close over the past couple of months. Ding Haoyang, knowing Fang Li had been on the phone for a long time that afternoon, threw an arm around his shoulders and teased, “Fang Li, you were totally distracted while singing tonight. Tell us, were you waiting for someone? Huh? Was your girlfriend coming? Bring her out and let us all have a look! We’re making good money now—tonight’s on us!”
“Haha!” Yang San’er whistled and cheered. “Exactly! We’ll treat her! Treat our sister-in-law to a nice meal, right, Captain?!”
Wu Ke didn’t join in the banter. He said seriously, “Fang Li, come have a late-night snack with us. We all owe this job to you.”
Unable to refuse, Fang Li relented. “Alright… but first help me take out these hairpins. They’re killing my scalp.”
The night air was freezing, and Fang Li couldn’t stop sneezing. His nose was getting stuffy. Chen Xin, who usually kept quiet, noticed and took off his jacket. Standing a couple of steps above, he tossed it to Fang Li. “Want it?”
Ding Haoyang caught it and, without thinking much, draped it over Fang Li’s shoulders.
They descended the nightclub steps together. Yang San’er was shouting about a barbecue place behind his house that had the most authentic flavor. Fang Li took off his wig and was just pulling his hat over his head when suddenly, he froze.
It was like he had been struck by a hammer—his feet were nailed to the ground, completely unable to move.
“What’s wrong?”
Ding Haoyang was walking next to him and hadn’t even finished asking when he saw it too: a black sedan screeched to a stop across the street, the harsh sound of its brakes tearing through the night air. A man got out.
The man looked up and spotted Fang Li at once.
The October night wind was even colder now. The neon lights from the nightclub sign reflected off Qin Weidong’s jacket with a chilling glow. His eyes locked onto Fang Li—taking in the heavy makeup, the short skirt revealing pale thighs, the strange jacket draped over his shoulders.
Qin Weidong’s gaze was like a blade—sharp, furious, and terrifying, as if he might tear Fang Li apart at any second.
Fang Li’s throat closed up. He couldn’t make a sound. His legs gave way beneath him.
Axolotl Translations 
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