27: Chapter 27 The Night at Changyuan is Very Dark

The next evening, in the east of Changyuan County, there was a private club with no sign hanging outside.

The club was hidden in the backyard of an abandoned textile factory. It looked dilapidated on the outside, but inside was a completely different world.

Rosewood furniture, crystal chandeliers, imported leather sofas, and paintings of unknown authenticity hung on the walls. In the corner, a blue-and-white porcelain vase taller than a person stood.

Secretary Chen Tianci leaned against the sofa, with one woman in his left arm and another in his right.

Both girls were eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed in thin, transparent clothing—the fabric combined wouldn't be enough to make a handkerchief.

One had dyed chestnut-colored long hair, curved eyebrows, and held a peeled lychee in her mouth, passing it to his lips.

Secretary Chen Tianci opened his mouth to take it, chewed, and then took the opportunity to kiss her on the face.

The girl asked in a soft, sweet voice: "Boss, is it sweet?"

"Sweet!"

Secretary Chen Tianci smiled and pinched her cheek, saying: "But not as sweet as you."

The other girl, wearing a pink camisole that exposed her shoulders, was massaging his legs.

As she massaged, her head slowly...

Secretary Chen Tianci squinted, looking thoroughly satisfied.

A bald man in his early forties sat on the opposite sofa. His head was shiny, and he wore a black mink coat wide open, revealing a gaudy shirt underneath.

He was holding a woman in his arms—the same one in the red gauze dress who had appeared on Xu Weidong's bed last night.

"President Cheng Xin, did your sister-in-law not try hard enough?"

President Cheng Xin tightened his grip on the woman and said: "Secretary, she is indeed my sister-in-law, but surely she wouldn't disobey her brother-in-law?"

He looked down at the woman in his arms and said: "What happened last night? Tell me."

The woman lowered her eyes, her voice as thin as a mosquito's.

"I... I stripped and lay on the bed waiting for him. He came in, took one look at me, and told me to leave."

"He just told you to leave?"

President Cheng Xin pinched her chin and lifted it: "Didn't you go up and seduce him?"

"I did~"

The woman's eyes turned red: "I hugged him, touched his chest, and he was already hard—I could feel it."

"But he just pushed me away."

President Cheng Xin let go and muttered: "He pushed you away even when he was hard?"

"Is that kid sick or something?"

Secretary Chen Tianci laughed loudly, then released the girl on his left and beckoned to the woman.

"Come here, come to me."

The woman looked at President Cheng Xin, and he nodded.

She stood up and walked to Secretary Chen Tianci's side.

Secretary Chen Tianci pulled her into his arms, kissed her face, and his hand moved down along her waist.

"Poor thing, you've been wronged."

The woman twisted in his arms and whispered: "Secretary..."

The two girls glanced at each other and tactfully moved aside.

Secretary Chen Tianci's hand didn't stop.

"With your looks, even I can't hold back. Could he?"

The woman blushed and said nothing.

President Cheng Xin watched from across the room, wearing a smile, but internally cursing: "You old bastard! Sooner or later, you'll touch all the women in your family!"

"What a piece of trash!"

Although he wasn't much better himself—having pushed his sister-in-law into this—at least he had paid the price...

This old bastard just opened his mouth, and he had to hand her over...

Last time, this old thing even wanted to see his wife. Did President Cheng Xin not know what kind of evil this old bastard was plotting?

So he decisively spent money to find someone to impersonate his wife, almost getting cuckolded by this old bastard!

But right now, he said nothing. He picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

"Secretary, does that kid not like women?"

Secretary Chen Tianci paused, then said: "That can't be. If he liked men, would I have let you stay yesterday?"

Secretary Chen Tianci pinched the woman's cheek: "He didn't keep you yesterday, so that means you didn't complete your mission, you know that?"

The woman shook her head in his arms: "Will there be a punishment?"

"You know what happens."

Secretary Chen Tianci then lay back on the sofa, looking at the sparkling crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

"Interesting."

After a while, he pushed the woman aside.

"Alright, you all go out first."

The three girls stood up and walked out properly.

When they reached the door, Secretary Chen Tianci called the one in the red gauze dress back.

"You, come to my office tomorrow."

"You haven't finished your punishment yet. Remember to bring the clothes I bought for you."

The woman lowered her head, agreed, and pushed the door open to leave.

The door closed, leaving only Secretary Chen Tianci and President Cheng Xin in the room.

Secretary Chen Tianci picked up his glass and took a sip.

"President Cheng Xin, is that stake ready?"

President Cheng Xin was stunned, then said: "Secretary, are you referring to... Sihai Mining?"

"Obviously."

Secretary Chen Tianci put down the glass and said: "If sending women doesn't work, you have to send something substantial."

President Cheng Xin rubbed his hands: "Secretary, that stake is quite a lot..."

"I know it's a lot."

Secretary Chen Tianci looked at him, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly: "But if you're reluctant, how much longer will your mine be able to operate once the new Secretary clears his schedule?"

President Cheng Xin stopped talking. Secretary Chen Tianci stood up and walked to the window.

The window glass was covered with a layer of condensation. He wiped a small patch away with his hand and looked at the pitch-black night outside.

"This Secretary Wan Xiaohan is more troublesome than the previous two."

Secretary Chen Tianci paused, then said: "He came to Changyuan County for a tour, didn't ask for anything, didn't accept anything, and didn't even drink a glass of wine."

"That kind of person is the most terrifying."

President Cheng Xin leaned in: "Secretary, does that mean..."

"I don't mean anything."

Secretary Chen Tianci turned around and said with a smile: "I'm just reminding you that if you want to keep your family business, you have to be willing to invest."

"That young secretary is the person closest to him."

"Since your sister-in-law didn't take him down, try something else."

"What else?"

"Shares."

Secretary Chen Tianci said indifferently: "Five percent of the dry shares in Sihai Mining, written in his name."

The corner of President Cheng Xin's mouth twitched: "Secretary, that is..."

Secretary Chen Tianci chuckled: "My share shouldn't be reduced, so you'll have to add another five yourself."

Secretary Chen Tianci patted President Cheng Xin's shoulder: "You can't catch a wolf without offering some bait."

"President Cheng Xin, you understand this principle better than I do."

President Cheng Xin gritted his teeth and nodded.

"The Secretary is right."

At the same time, on the other side of the county, in a private room at a teahouse.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing sat in the main seat, a pot of Tieguanyin tea in front of him, and three cigarette butts had already been stubbed out in the ashtray.

Executive Deputy County Head Le Qingwen sat on his right, and Secretary Hu Qiu, head of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission and director of the Public Security Bureau, sat on his left.

"Old Chen went to that club again tonight."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing didn't speak.

Le Qingwen continued: "His old tricks—sending women, sending shares."

"It used to work every time."

"The past is the past."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing stubbed out his cigarette and said indifferently: "Now is now."

After finishing, he looked at Secretary Hu Qiu: "What about that female student you mentioned yesterday?"

Secretary Hu Qiu chuckled twice: "County Head Lan, I kept her specifically for this."

"A sophomore at Lvjiang City Art College, she looks so pure, like a flower that hasn't bloomed yet."

"But once she's in bed, she knows every trick in the book, she's so open!"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked at him but didn't respond.

Secretary Hu Qiu continued: "Her parents are both laid-off workers, and they owe a mountain of debt."

"I sent a few brothers to their house to hang around; they didn't say much, just sat there."

"The next day, the girl came to find me herself."

He triumphantly crossed his legs: "This type is better than President Cheng Xin's sister-in-law."

"County Head Lan, I think, why don't we send her to give it a try?"

"Don't young people like this kind of thing? Looking pure, but actually..."

"Secretary Hu Qiu!"

Secretary Hu Qiu was stunned.

"County Head Lan?"

"Sooner or later, you're going to be ruined by what's between your legs."

The smile on Secretary Hu Qiu's face froze, and Le Qingwen coughed lightly on the side.

"Old Hu, County Head Lan is right. This isn't the time for that."

Secretary Hu Qiu sat up straight sheepishly, then said: "I was just making a suggestion, not saying we absolutely have to use her."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing ignored him and looked at the dark night outside the window.

"Did Old Chen succeed in sending the woman?"

Le Qingwen shook his head: "No, that young secretary kicked her out."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked up: "She was kicked out!"

He lit a new cigarette and took a deep drag.

"This Secretary Wan Xiaohan is not easy to deal with."

"And the secretary he brought is not easy to deal with either."

Le Qingwen said: "County Head Lan, I think Old Chen might have guessed wrong this time."

"That young secretary is only twenty-three, at the age of hot-blooded youth. Could he really resist that kind of temptation?"

Le Qingwen paused, then said: "Maybe it's just that President Cheng Xin's sister-in-law was too... too much, and he doesn't like that style."

Secretary Hu Qiu quickly added: "Yes, yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"What kind of women do young people like now? They like pure ones! They like the 'first love' look!"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing glanced at him, and Secretary Hu Qiu shut up.

Le Qingwen said: "Why don't we try someone else?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing didn't speak, and Le Qingwen continued: "The one from the Art College—Old Hu has tested her, she is definitely open."

"If we can connect with that young secretary, we'll have a thread to pull on his side, and it'll be easier to talk about things later."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing stubbed out his cigarette: "Do you think someone who is twenty-three and can resist that kind of temptation will fall for your tricks?"

Le Qingwen was stunned, and Secretary Hu Qiu was also stunned.

"What do you mean?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing stood up and walked to the window.

"What kind of person is Secretary Wan Xiaohan?"

"When the previous two fell, he was the mayor in Hanshan."

"That place, Hanshan, is even more sinister than our Lvjiang City."

"He stayed there for five years and came out unscathed."

"Would the secretary he chose be the type who can't move his feet the moment he sees a woman?"

Le Qingwen and Secretary Hu Qiu looked at each other, then said: "Then... County Head Lan, what is your intention?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing was silent for a while, then said: "If Secretary Chen Tianci wants to send shares, let him send them."

"If it works, we'll benefit too."

"If it doesn't, it's Secretary Chen Tianci's problem."

"As for us, let's not move for now."

Secretary Hu Qiu was a bit anxious: "County Head Lan, what if Old Chen succeeds and he gets ahead of us with the Secretary..."

"Get ahead of us in what?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked at him coldly: "Do you think the Secretary is here for him, Secretary Chen Tianci? The Secretary is here for Changyuan County."

"Who shows their face to the Secretary is not important."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing sat back in his chair and said slowly: "What's important is how much longer the Secretary can stay here."

Le Qingwen said thoughtfully: "County Head Lan means..."

"I didn't say anything."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down.

"The Secretary has been here for nine months, and there has been no movement from the city."

"The previous two fell because they were investigated within the first year."

"This one, it's almost been a year, and there's still nothing."

"Tell me, is it really nothing, or is it just not time yet?"

The private room went quiet. Secretary Hu Qiu wanted to say something, opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

Le Qingwen looked down at the teacup in front of him; the tea had already gone cold.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing stood up: "Alright, let's stop here for today."

He walked to the door and stopped again.

"Old Hu, have that female student disappear."

Secretary Hu Qiu was stunned: "County Head Lan, that girl is quite nice... I still wanted to..."

"I said make her disappear!"

Secretary Hu Qiu didn't speak. County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's words were authority!

Le Qingwen stood up and patted Secretary Hu Qiu's shoulder: "Old Hu, County Head Lan is doing this for your own good."

Secretary Hu Qiu said nothing. He looked at the cold tea in front of him, motionless.

His happiness was gone...

At 1:00 AM, the drinking party at the club broke up.

Secretary Chen Tianci was helped into the car by the two girls, slumping in the back seat, still muttering.

"That young secretary... unappreciative... when I get around to it..."

The driver didn't speak and started the car.

In the rearview mirror, President Cheng Xin stood at the club entrance, followed by his sister-in-law.

He glanced at the car, then turned and got into his own.

The door closed, and the woman sat in the passenger seat.

"Brother-in-law, the Secretary today..."

"Stop talking."

President Cheng Xin drove the car out of the abandoned textile factory, turned onto the county road, and headed toward the county seat.

"Brother-in-law, does that guy named Xu look down on me?"

President Cheng Xin didn't speak.

"I stripped like that, and he didn't even look at me."

President Cheng Xin parked the car on the side of the road, turned his head, and looked at the woman.

"Whether he looks at you or not, is it important?"

The woman was stunned; this question was surprisingly sharp!

President Cheng Xin started the car again: "Tomorrow, you go to the Secretary's place."

The woman lowered her head, her tone somewhat low: "I know."

The car continued to drive forward; the night was very deep.

For the woman, tomorrow was another round of torment...

No one knew how many things happened this night, and no one cared.

After all, these things happened every day. The darkness in Changyuan County was sometimes truly appalling (fictional world, not reflective of reality).

The debauchery of the powerful and wealthy—how much blood and tears of the common people lie behind it?

People often say that poverty leads to change, but if the locomotive only cares about greed for diesel, how can this word 'poverty' ever be removed?