Chapter 66: Complex Relations

When Li Hong was leaving, Liu Weidong gave her five hundred yuan.

Li Hong refused to take it, saying that Fu Hongqi had temporarily arranged for her to stay at the Xiguan Hotel and promised to transfer her back to the city as soon as possible. Since she already had a private-school teacher's establishment status, it would be easy to place her, and there was nowhere for her to spend money right now anyway.

However, Liu Weidong still stuffed the money into her bag.

"Remember, don't rely on Fu Hongqi for everything, and don't make him feel like you are a burden. Money doesn't matter; if it's not enough, come find me. I might need your help in the future, so just treat this as an early investment."

After Li Hong left, Liu Weidong pondered her words.

His current identity was that of Li Hong's cousin, which meant he would sooner or later have to meet Fu Hongqi. The awkward part was that the Municipal Committee and the Revolutionary Committee were like fire and water. He was on quite good terms with Zhao Lijun, yet getting close to Fu Hongqi at this juncture could easily lead to capsizing and pleasing neither side.

However, he could not simply share his thoughts with Zhao Lijun right now, so balancing these relationships was crucial.

Yu Miao and Bureau Chief Jin were also government-sequence bureau chiefs, meaning Fu Hongqi was, in principle, their ultimate superior. Yet these major bureau chiefs were all straddling two boats to avoid offending either side. Perhaps this was what political sensitivity was all about.

The ten-year movement ended in 1976, and the work of bringing order out of chaos had already begun. The Revolutionary Committee, a product of that era, would sooner or later be dissolved, but the Party's leadership over everything could never change. Therefore, this phase was extremely delicate for cadres, and picking the wrong side could be fatal.

If Liu Weidong did not know that Fu Hongqi would later become the mayor, he would never have pushed Li Hong toward him. He now urgently hoped his father-in-law would be released soon. With Lou Nan in the middle to balance things out, at least the relationships on the Municipal Committee side would not fall into chaos.

The Lou sisters returned around noon. Lou Yanru bought a few twisted dough crullers for lunch and was carrying a kraft paper bag in her hand. Both sisters looked quite happy.

"We re-filled our political background review forms, and they were approved right after submission. The teacher at the admissions office said that since the scores aren't out yet, I should go check the First High School frequently. I've decided to test for Jiangnan Normal Institute so I don't have to live in a dorm in another city."

Lou Yanhua also nodded. "I'm going for the Art Department at the Normal Institute too. The teachers at the song and dance troupe said that upon graduation, I can at least join the troupe for creative work. Entering a public institution already exceeds my mom's expectations."

"Yanru, how is the public response to your book? Has the newspaper office contacted you?"

Lou Yanru tossed the kraft paper bag onto the brick bed. "We just went to check the scores at the First High School. The scores aren't out yet, but we brought back quite a few readers' letters. I called the newspaper office, and the editor said the response was quite strong and told me not to stop serializing."

There were over a hundred letters in the kraft paper bag. Liu Weidong looked at Lou Yanhua.

"I'll leave replying to the readers to you. You have nothing to do after your exams; your sister has to write her book, and I have to busy myself with patent matters."

Lou Yanhua nodded and began sorting through the readers' letters, while Lou Yanru indeed sat at the desk and started writing.

Liu Weidong looked around the home and suddenly realized it really lacked quite a few things, such as a telephone.

He could buy a television set at any time, but it wasn't an absolute necessity, whereas not having a phone was terribly inconvenient.

Thinking of this, he took his passbook out of the brick cabinet, rode his bicycle to the Friendship Store, and bought several items of imported cosmetics.

He hadn't contacted Bureau Chief Wei since buying those stamps last time. Installing a telephone now would be a great occasion to thank her.

Upon hearing that Liu Weidong wanted to install a telephone, Bureau Chief Wei was stunned. "Why are you installing a private phone? Do you know how expensive it is to install one now?"

Liu Weidong smiled bitterly. "I have too many things going on. Without a phone, anyone looking for me has to come to my house. It's fine, Sister Wei, no matter how much the phone costs, I'll install it..."

Liu Weidong never expected that installing a landline in 1978 would cost even more than buying a single-story flat, and this was even with Bureau Chief Wei's special approval.

In Bureau Chief Wei's office, Liu Weidong called the Second Production Team and inquired about the castor beans and traditional Chinese medicine. Wang Jianguo said the castor beans were growing well, and the newly planted herbs were sprouting new buds, which finally set Liu Weidong's mind at ease.

Wang Jianguo mentioned that Li Baotian still hadn't returned to the Second Team. Not only was he missing, but Liu Xiufen also seemed to have vanished. Whenever asked, their children would mumble evasively and say nothing.

A cold smile crossed Liu Weidong's mind.

After receiving a heavy dose of ideological education at the detention center, Li Baotian's lower body was probably crippled. Given the standards of the commune's health clinic, their best treatment plan was likely to castrate him completely. Li Baotian was probably hospitalized in the county, only too humiliated by the illness to make a fuss about it.

Since the Second Team was fine and the patents were awaiting news, Liu Weidong focused his energy once again on housing. Passing by the stationery store, he purposely bought a writing brush and ink.

Upon returning home, he wrote several small advertisements for a housing exchange and left his phone number.

"Weidong, whose phone number did you leave? Why didn't you just leave our home address?"

Liu Weidong smiled. "Wife, I just had a telephone installed, and they'll come to hook it up this afternoon. We can't leave our address because Chen Hao is looking for a house in the East City every day, and I don't want him to know that the people exchanging houses are us."

Liu Weidong figured that once this housing exchange advertisement was posted out, Chen Hao would find it even harder to buy a house. A brand-new two-room apartment was currently the ideal housing for ordinary citizens in Binjiang, something you couldn't even buy with money. Liu Weidong refused to believe that Chen Hao could keep up with this trick of his.

Bureau Chief Wei's operational efficiency was truly remarkable. By two o'clock, the workers from the postal and telecommunications bureau had arrived. As soon as the phone was installed, Liu Weidong called Wang Li directly.

"Damn, you're truly awesome. I bet you're the first person in the entire city to install a private phone. Having a phone makes contacting you so much more convenient. Any news about your cousin?"

Liu Weidong smiled. "Are you still dwelling on that? My wife and sister-in-law passed their screening this morning, and Fu Hongqi even said he wanted to meet me, which leaves me wondering how to handle it."

Wang Li understood what Liu Weidong was thinking as soon as he heard it.

"Weidong, you're different from us. A cadre picking the wrong side affects their official career, but you don't need to worry about that. If you're afraid Secretary Zhao might have misgivings, you can give him a heads-up first, but don't mention Li Hong's matter."

After some thought, Liu Weidong decided to call Zhao Lijun.

Upon hearing that Fu Hongqi wanted to meet him, Zhao Lijun simply laughed. "You're calling me just for this? You've successively produced three patents and made outstanding contributions to Binjiang's economic development. It's completely normal for Bureau Chief Fu to want to meet you. Don't have any misgivings; the conflict between the Municipal Committee and the Revolutionary Committee is a struggle over the line, not some personal grudge between Bureau Chief Fu and me."

Only then did Liu Weidong heave a sigh of relief. He reported his recent situation and then hung up the phone.

"Was that Li Hong who came by earlier? Didn't you thank her?"

Hearing Liu Weidong on the phone, Lou Yanru immediately guessed that Li Hong had been there.

"I gave her five hundred yuan. She's currently staying at the Xiguan Hotel. Fu Hongqi said he would transfer her to the city as soon as possible and even mentioned divorcing his wife to marry Li Hong. Looking at it this way, this matter not only helped you and Yanhua but also secured a way out for Li Hong."

A very complex expression appeared on Lou Yanhua's face, and Liu Weidong knew very well what she was thinking.

She was feeling indignant on behalf of Fu Hongqi's wife.

Yet such things were commonplace in official and commercial circles. While it was true that a couple in poverty finds everything miserable, wrangling through hardships over plain tea and simple meals could often sustain a lifetime together.

Once people acquired money and power, things changed; otherwise, why would one of society's popular goals for men be promoted, getting rich, and having one's wife die?