Chapter 64: The Honey Trap

Lou Yanru acted as if she had completely turned over a new leaf. As soon as she got home, she grabbed some money, pulled Liu Weidong along, and headed straight for the Friendship Store.

A floral dress, high heels, imported cosmetics, and imported undergarments—her shopping spree left the salesclerks at the Friendship Store staring in absolute astonishment.

It was only after emerging with several brown kraft paper bags that Lou Yanru’s expression finally returned to normal.

Liu Weidong muttered inwardly that it was no wonder people said women went shopping when they were in a bad mood; women from decades in the future were really no different from the women of today. He guessed his wife suspected he had been up to something with Li Hong, but she was too embarrassed to interrogate him directly.

As the two walked back, Liu Weidong hurried to ingratiate himself with Lou Yanru.

"Wife, I swear, I didn't do a single thing with Li Hong last night! I am completely innocent. Think about it—if I really had something going on with her, would I have stood her up like that? You know how much I value our relationship."

"Li Hong has always had her eyes on you. You're telling me she didn't hit on you? She even showed you her body! I refuse to believe there is a cat that doesn't steal fish."

Liu Weidong hurriedly swore an oath to the heavens. "I swear to the great leader that the two of us truly have nothing going on! Besides, she's your best friend; she wouldn't hit on anyone else, let alone me. And besides, you're so pretty, and our relationship is so strong, she couldn't possibly steal me away."

Saying this, Liu Weidong glanced up at the sky, terrified of being struck by lightning.

"Is everything you're saying true? I'm telling you, I can tolerate you getting drunk and gambling, but if you ever dare to do anything to betray me, I will never forgive you."

"Oh, wife, how could I ever? Aside from you, my dear wife, every other woman in my eyes is nothing more than dirt."

"Oh? Brother-in-law, how dare you say such a thing! I am never speaking to you again!"

Liu Weidong turned around to find Lou Yanhua standing right behind them, one leg slung over the crossbar of her bicycle. She had apparently arrived just in time to hear the remark about dirt.

"Yanhua, don't misunderstand! I was talking about other women. You're my sister-in-law, so of course you're not dirt. You're a brilliant, delicate flower—a flower..."

Lou Yanhua still maintained a frosty expression, but Lou Yanru quickly stepped forward and took hold of the bicycle.

"Your brother-in-law was just trying to coax me into a good mood. Can't you even tell a joke? Your sister bought several outfits and some cosmetics. Come home with us and try them on; whichever one you like, I'll have your brother-in-law buy it for you."

Seeing that Liu Weidong was carrying a stack of Friendship Store paper bags, Lou Yanhua’s young face finally broke into a smile. She snatched the bags and walked home with Lou Yanru.

Liu Weidong winced and glanced up at the sky again, thinking to himself that he really needed to watch his tongue in the future. Fortunately, it was only his sister-in-law who had overheard; if it had been his mother-in-law or Li Hong, he would never have been able to talk his way out of it.

The two women tried on clothes inside the room while Liu Weidong chopped chicken feed out in the courtyard. Before he had even finished chopping, the two sisters emerged. Lou Yanru had changed into a white long dress; although not as alluring as Li Hong, she resembled a tranquil orchid in a deep valley—pure, elegant, and possessed of a unique charm.

"I'm taking my little sister to the Third Department Store. Who told you to run your mouth earlier? This time, you're paying for everything Yanhua buys."

Liu Weidong hurriedly smiled and nodded, thinking to himself, When is it ever *not* me who pays? Their elderly mother had never bought the sister-in-law any nice clothes, and her bicycle was still an old, battered model.

Just as he finished feeding the chickens, the sound of bicycle brakes echoed from outside. The gate swung open, and Wang Li walked in with a beaming smile.

"It's settled! I never expected Li Hong to be not only beautiful but also utterly flawless in handling matters. The moment Fu Hongqi mentioned buying ginseng to save his mother, Li Hong's eyes actually turned red. She said she admired filial men the most and insisted on giving away the ginseng for absolute free. Fu Hongqi was so moved on the spot that his eyes turned red too. Seeing that the timing was right, I made up an excuse that my unit needed me and slipped away. As I was leaving, I caught Fu Hongqi looking at Li Hong with a gaze that told me there was definitely something going on there. It's just such a waste of a girl as gorgeous as Li Hong, sigh..."

Wang Li smacked his lips as he spoke, wearing an expression of profound reluctance.

"Now look here, Brother Wang, a man must still prioritize his career. Once you become a top business tycoon in Binjiang, will you ever lack for women? Right now, we need to endure hardship and bide our time. I've already secured two apartment buildings from the Machinery Bureau; you can get some from the Commerce Bureau too. Trading a one-story bungalow for a multi-story apartment is a guaranteed success."

"You think getting an apartment is as easy as buying a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of wine? Never mind me—even Chen Changshan wouldn't have the clout. Which work unit doesn't have people fighting tooth and nail over housing assignments? Everything is based on seniority. If I don't live long enough to make this fortune, when the East Market starts its urban planning, you'll have to help me study it carefully. Running a shopping mall is second nature to me, brother."

Liu Weidong smiled. "Do you finally understand why I sent Li Hong out into the open? You never plant seeds without expecting a harvest. With Li Hong coordinating in the middle, do you think there's anything in Binjiang that can't be accomplished?"

Wang Li looked at him with sheer admiration. "Brother, not only do you have substance in your belly, but your mind is razor-sharp. This time, your older brother gladly concedes defeat."

Wang Li left shortly after the Lou sisters returned. Liu Weidong checked his pocket watch; it was already five o'clock, and a trace of anxiety stirred in his heart—he wondered if it was still too late for his wife and sister-in-law's political background checks.

His sister-in-law had bought a pair of high-heeled boots and several types of cosmetics. The two sisters sat cross-legged on the heated brick bed, taking turns drawing lipstick on each other and dabbing rouge on each other's cheeks until their faces resembled characters from a revolutionary model opera. Liu Weidong burst out laughing with a snort.

"What are you laughing at? Do we look bad? Aren't the stars in the movies all made up like this?"

Liu Weidong hurriedly snatched the lipstick from his wife's hand.

"The two of you go wash your faces. That's stage makeup! If you walked out looking like that, you'd scare people half to death. Wash up, and I'll do your makeup for you so you can see the difference."

Liu Weidong didn't know how to apply cosmetics professionally, but having seen plenty of women in his company during his past life, he had picked up enough just by observing.

Sharpening an eyebrow pencil and a lip liner, he inspected the cosmetics the two women had bought and quickly grasped the basics.

Once the sisters had washed their faces, Liu Weidong first applied a nourishing cream as a base, then defined their eyebrows with the pencil, outlined their lips, and applied a thin layer of lipstick. Finally, he used a brush for blush and eyeshadow. Before he even finished, Lou Yanhua let out a cry of delight.

"Wow... Brother-in-law, you're amazing! You made my sister look even prettier than the stars in the pictorial magazines! I want it too..."

When it was Lou Yanhua's turn, Liu Weidong explained the techniques and steps of makeup as he worked. Looking at the vibrant yet tasteful looks in the mirror, both sisters were thoroughly convinced.

"Brother-in-law, you really are a strange guy. You're a country person, and you couldn't even tell the difference between a lip liner and an eyebrow pencil at first, so how do you know how to do makeup?"

Liu Weidong coughed twice, truly at a loss for how to explain.

"It's true I'm from the countryside, but didn't I hang around the commune's art troupe? Watching the actors put on makeup all the time, I just picked it up."

Clearly unconvinced, the Lou sisters didn't press the matter further and quickly shifted their attention back to their new clothes.

After dinner, Lou Yanru looked at the steadily darkening sky outside the window and blinked at Liu Weidong, implying that Li Hong probably wouldn't be coming back tonight.

Liu Weidong nodded silently; certain matters were best kept from his sister-in-law.

After Lou Yanhua left, Lou Yanru let out a soft sigh.

"I keep having this sense of guilt—not just toward Li Hong, but also toward Fu Hongqi's wife. Just for the sake of my and my little sister's background checks, two women were sacrificed in one fell swoop."

Liu Weidong picked up a broom and mimicked the motion of playing a plucked instrument: "My dear girl, you are truly pure—pure as the snow lotus upon the Tianshan Mountains..."

It was the signature gesture of the character Kara from the movie *Visitors on the Icy Mountain*.

Lou Yanru was startled for a moment, but instantly grasped Liu Weidong's meaning. She leaped up, threw her arms around his sleeve, and bit down hard.

Meanwhile, inside a luxurious room at the Xiguan Hotel, a slightly tipsy Li Hong watched as Fu Hongqi stepped closer and closer to her, watching as he used trembling hands to lift the hem of her floral dress...