The approaching footsteps grew louder, accompanied by urgent shouts that made Zhou Dana’s ears throb as if needles were being driven into them.
“Party Secretary! Is the Party Secretary home?”
Zhou Dana’s heart tightened. He quickly tucked the tobacco pipe at his waist and hurried to the gate.
When he looked up and saw who it was, most of the tension on his face immediately eased. Then he straightened up again, putting on the air of a village Party secretary.
The person entering the yard was none other than Village Chief Zhang Dongsheng, with an unfamiliar man following behind him.
Zhang Dongsheng was Zhou Dana’s trusted aide. He had only managed to secure the position of village chief because Zhou Dana had backed him from behind the scenes.
“Dongsheng, what’s got you in such a rush?” Zhou Dana asked, clasping his hands behind his back. His tone was indifferent, but his eyes kept flicking toward the unfamiliar man.
The man was in his early thirties, dark and thin, but full of energy. His clothes didn’t have so much as a single patch.
Zhang Dongsheng smiled and stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Party Secretary, I heard the village is going to lease out the river embankment?”
Zhou Dana raised an eyebrow and deliberately put on a stern expression. After a long pause, he said slowly, “News travels fast. It’s true.
“The village plans to lease out the unused river embankment. Whoever has the ability and offers the highest price will get it.”
Only then did Zhang Dongsheng turn around and introduce the man behind him. “This is Qian Wanyin from Qianzhuang. He’s my cousin. He came here today specifically to ask about leasing the embankment.”
“Party Secretary, I want to lease the embankment and raise fish!” Qian Wanyin hurried forward, his face covered in smiles.
Qianzhuang lay less than a mile west of Wangjia Village, and Zhou Dana knew almost everything that went on there.
Qian Wanyin had spent time in prison years ago. After getting out, he was often away doing business of some sort, and he appeared to have plenty of money.
He wanted to lease the river embankment? Zhou Dana was secretly delighted, though not a trace of it showed on his face.
After deliberately pondering for a moment, he put on a troubled expression. “You’d better think it through carefully. You must have heard about what happened to Old Zhang’s family when they leased the embankment the year before last.
“That embankment isn’t easy to manage. If something goes wrong and you lose money, don’t come looking to settle the score with us afterward.”
“I’m not afraid!” Qian Wanyin slapped his chest. “As long as you give me a chance, Party Secretary, I’ll do the job properly!”
That was exactly what Zhou Dana had been waiting to hear. He immediately followed the opening Qian Wanyin had given him. “All right. Since you’re serious about it, come and bid when the leasing date is set.
“But let me make one thing clear: the leasing fee cannot be reduced by even a cent. Whoever offers the highest price gets the embankment.”
After sending Qian Wanyin and Zhang Dongsheng away, Zhou Dana paced back and forth around the yard with his hands behind his back, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.
With Qian Wanyin competing, there was no need to worry about the leasing price failing to rise.
Even if Qian Wanyin ultimately decided not to take it, he could still drive up the price. Zhou Zhijun would have to pay dearly before he could get his hands on the embankment.
But Zhou Dana’s good mood didn’t last long. A squad leader came rushing in, his face deathly pale.
“Party Secretary! This is bad!”
Zhou Dana’s heart gave a jolt. “What happened? Why are you panicking?”
“I just came back from Qingshan Street. On the way, I saw Zhou Zhijun heading toward the township government!”
The squad leader gasped for breath. “I suspect he’s gone to report the embankment matter to the township leaders!”
“To the township leaders?” The smile on Zhou Dana’s face instantly froze. “Wasn’t he supposed to be going to Banqiao Reservoir?
“And besides, the embankment belongs to the village. What good would it do him to go to the township?”
After all, local authority mattered more than distant authority. Zhou Zhijun couldn’t possibly turn the world upside down, could he?
“The embankment may belong to the village, but if the township leaders give an order, how could the village refuse to listen?”
Those words exploded in Zhou Dana’s head like thunder, leaving it buzzing.
Could it be that Zhou Zhijun’s trip to the reservoir had only been a ruse, and that he had actually gone to the township to pull strings?
Zhou Zhijun already had connections in the township, and he was stubborn by nature. If he really managed to get the paperwork approved there, the embankment would fall securely into his hands, leaving Zhou Dana powerless to do anything.
“That Zhou Zhijun! He’s got rebellion in his blood!” Zhou Dana roared, kicking the stone block in the yard so hard that the tobacco pipe at his waist swung back and forth.
“How dare he go to the township behind my back? He’s gone completely out of his mind!”
Wang Jinzhi heard the commotion and ran out of the house. When she saw him in a fury, she hurried over in fright.
“What happened?”
When she learned that Zhou Zhijun had gone to the township, she panicked as well. “What are we going to do? If he really manages to pull this off, he’ll look down on you even more from now on!”
“What else can we do?” Zhou Dana ground his teeth, his eyes blazing with anxiety. “Go after him at once! We have to stop him and bring him back!”
As he spoke, he snatched the old jacket from the wall and pulled it on, then hurried toward the door.
But just as he reached the entrance, the sound of Zhou Pandi smashing things came from inside, followed by her sobbing screams.
“I’m not marrying him! I’d rather die than marry him! If you force me, I’ll kill myself and show you!”
Zhou Dana stopped in his tracks. The anger he had just managed to suppress surged up all over again.
On one side was the matter of Zhou Zhijun leasing the embankment, an emergency that could not wait. On the other was his daughter threatening suicide, leaving her marriage at a complete standstill.
The two sources of fury collided. His vision went black with rage, and he raised his hand and slammed it hard against the doorframe.
“What a disaster for this family! Every last one of you refuses to let me have a moment’s peace!”
He stood in the doorway, unable either to leave or stay. His face was flushed dark red, his brows knotted tightly, and his whole body looked as if he were being roasted over a fire.
Zhou Pandi’s sobs grew louder and louder, while Wang Jinzhi was completely unable to calm her down.
At last, Zhou Dana could take no more. He turned around, stormed to the inner room, and shouted through the doorway, “Cry, cry, cry! What are you doing, mourning someone? I’m not dead yet!
“You’re refusing to marry, are you? You want to stay home and become an old maid? I can’t afford to support you for the rest of your life!”
Wang Jinzhi hurried over and tugged at Zhou Dana’s sleeve, lowering her voice as she tried to persuade him. “Say a little less. Pandi just can’t think straight at the moment!”
“She’s been spoiled rotten by you. Marry or don’t marry—I don’t care!”
Zhou Dana flung off her hand, snorted angrily, and left.
As soon as he stepped outside the yard, he saw several women standing beneath the shade of a tree, craning their necks to peer into his home.
When they saw him emerge with a dark expression, they quickly looked away and pretended to huddle together in conversation.
Among them, Huang Meili clutched a shoe upper in her hand. A smile hung on her face, and inwardly she was positively delighted.
The more chaotic Zhou Dana’s household became, the better. If Wang Jinzhi found out that Zhou Dana had been sleeping with Shi Yanhua for more than a decade—and that they had even had an illegitimate child whom Wang Jinzhi had raised—wouldn’t she go mad on the spot?
If she went to the township and reported the adulterous pair, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The more Huang Meili thought about it, the more satisfied she felt. But she still hadn’t figured out exactly how to let Wang Jinzhi know, or when the best time would be to tell her.
At that moment, on the dirt road leading to Qingshan Street, Zhou Zhijun was striding forward in rubber boots, his feet splashing through the mud as he hurried toward town.
When he reached the crossroads in the middle of the street, Zhou Zhijun turned and headed straight for the township government compound.
“Brother Zhijun!”
Zhou Zhijun stopped and turned around. It was Zuo Jinhui.
She was dressed in an overly fashionable style, looking completely out of place on the dusty street.
“Jinhui,” Zhou Zhijun said politely.
Then he turned around and started walking away.
Zuo Jinhui called after him again. “Brother Zhijun, weren’t you working on the reservoir? When did you get back?”
“I’ve been back a few days. I’ve got something urgent to take care of, so I’ll be going!” Zhou Zhijun replied.
Zuo Jinhui didn’t press him further and merely answered softly, “Mm.”
Zhou Zhijun had just lifted his foot when Zhang Dongsheng and the squad leader who had brought the message came running after him, both gasping for breath.
“Zhijun, wait!”
