Chapter 34: He Is a Bad Man

Liu Yujie brought out an extra serving of rice and said, "Zhang Jun, since you have the connections, why not help Yuda out? If you two collaborate, you can start making money first. Whatever happens, we’re family, so we can settle the finances later. Yuda, you have to give your brother-in-law the lion's share! In this day and age, it’s not machines that are hard to find when you want to make money; it’s the connections to sell them!"

She poured Zhang Jun a glass of liquor and added, "Someone gave us this Wuliangye. Usually, we wouldn't be able to afford it, so you should have a taste."

Zhang Jun took a sip, nodded, and said, "It’s authentic."

Liu Yuda, who always listened to his sister, slapped his thigh and said, "My sister is right. Machines are everywhere, but selling them is the hard part. Brother-in-law, how about this: for every deal you help me secure, for every hundred thousand I make, I’ll give you seventy thousand and keep only thirty thousand for myself. After all, you’re my brother-in-law, right? What do you think?"

Zhang Jun remained silent.

Liu Yuda grew anxious, constantly signaling his sister with his eyes.

"Let’s eat first," Liu Yujie said, realizing Zhang Jun wasn't giving in, so she thought it best not to push further for now.

After the meal, Liu Yujie told her brother to head home. Despite his desire to say more, he was nudged out the door by his sister.

Zhang Jun sat on the sofa, replying to a message from Shen Xue.

Shen Xue: "Brother Zhang, I hope you don't mind me calling you that? Always calling you Secretary Zhang feels a bit too formal."

Zhang Jun: "It doesn't matter, it's just a title. Is something up?"

Shen Xue: "Will you be watching the news tonight?"

Zhang Jun replied with a brief "Mhm."

Liu Yujie closed the door and sat down beside him. "When should we go back to your hometown for a visit?"

Zhang Jun was taken aback.

Ever since she married into the Zhang family, Liu Yujie had rarely visited the countryside. She always complained that she couldn't get used to the beds or the outdoor toilets.

Zhang Jun’s family home was in a rural area in the south, a brick-and-tile house built in the nineties. It was decent by village standards, but it lacked a modern mattress, and the latrine was still outside. In the countryside, manure was valuable for fertilizing crops, so it couldn't be wasted by flushing it into a sewer like in the city. Liu Yujie, a city girl, found this hard to adjust to, which was understandable.

But for her to suggest a visit on her own accord? It felt strange to Zhang Jun.

"Why do you want to go back?" Zhang Jun asked.

"The Ghost Festival is coming up soon. I want to pay respects to the ancestors and pray for their blessing so we can have a big, healthy baby boy."

"Aren't you afraid that if we end up divorced, the child will suffer?"

"I will never divorce you! I am a member of the Zhang family in life and will be in death!"

"..."

Zhang Jun’s phone buzzed several times. With Liu Yujie watching, he couldn't check the messages properly, so he said, "Yuda’s business isn't easy to manage. Every department in the hospital has its own procurement channels; it’s very difficult for outsiders to break in."

Liu Yujie chuckled. "Are you really an outsider? It’s just a word from you—would they dare disobey?"

Zhang Jun pondered in silence.

Liu Yujie wrapped her arm around his, saying softly, "Zhang Jun, I’m not a greedy person. We have this apartment, and it’s enough for now. But what about when we have children? We’ll need a bigger place, won't we? And your house in the countryside is old—it needs to be renovated. Building a small villa would cost at least three hundred thousand, right? Your siblings aren't exactly high achievers; if you don't seize this opportunity to make some real money now, this family will never get ahead. Let me tell you, power unused is power wasted. You won't be a leader's secretary forever; once this opportunity passes, it won't come back."

Zhang Jun knew these grand principles well enough. But having been an honest man his whole life, he found he couldn't bring himself to reach for the money.

Seeing his hesitation, Liu Yujie said, "You just need to act as the middleman; let Yuda handle the actual work. It’s just one word from you—why not do it? Is your reputation really that important?"

Seeing that he wouldn't answer, she rose to take a shower with a sigh.

Zhang Jun picked up his phone to check his messages. The city channel's evening news featured a report on Ma Hongqi’s visit to the Third Hospital to observe the people's living conditions. There were a few shots of Zhang Jun, and he looked quite sharp. He went to bed only after the news concluded.

Just as he got into bed, his phone chimed. He looked and saw a "goodnight" from Shen Xue.

The next morning, Zhang Jun arrived at the guesthouse. When the door to Ma Hongqi’s room opened, Zhang Jun froze. Shen Xue was walking out.

Why was she here so early in the morning? Had she stayed the night? Zhang Jun didn't dare dwell on it.

Shen Xue saw him and smiled brightly. "Good morning, Secretary Zhang."

Just last night she had called him "Brother Zhang," and now it was "Secretary Zhang" again. Zhang Jun gave a cold, dismissive nod. "Good morning, Ms. Shen."

Ma Hongqi walked out shortly after. Zhang Jun stepped forward to take his boss's briefcase. He noticed that Ma Hongqi’s complexion looked more radiant and glowing than usual, especially around his forehead, which seemed to shimmer with a jubilant air.

Did the boss really have happy news? Or was he simply nourished by Shen Xue’s company?

Zhang Jun’s mind was a mess. He had known several beautiful women—Liu Yujie, Xie Xiaoya, Shen Qingran—all of them lovely. Yet, none had entered his heart as quickly as Shen Xue, leaving him with an indescribable feeling. When they were apart, he missed her; when they were together, he wanted to stay longer. Sometimes, he even dreamt of her. Was this destiny? Was she his true celestial maiden?

All day, Zhang Jun dwelled on the relationship between Shen Xue and Ma Hongqi. Fortunately, there were no major issues, so he didn't make any mistakes.

As the workday neared its end, Pan Jun came over, excited. "Secretary Zhang, it’s done! The Third Hospital has handed their internal newsletter to us. Two thousand per issue! Everyone is thrilled and wants to treat you to dinner."

Zhang Jun couldn't summon any interest. "Maybe another day," he said indifferently. "I have something on tonight." Pan Jun agreed to reschedule and left happily.

His phone buzzed. It wasn't a message from Shen Xue, but from Liu Zhengjie: "Buddy, off work yet? Free tonight? Let's grab a drink."

Zhang Jun replied, "Not sure yet, wait for my word."

Just then, another message popped up. It was from Shen Xue: "Brother Zhang, are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together?"

Zhang Jun hesitated for a long time but did not reply. He put the phone down, feeling a sudden emptiness, as if something had been hollowed out from within him. It wasn't exactly painful—he wasn't a young man anymore, and they hadn't even held hands, so it wasn't a proper relationship. If she truly belonged to his boss, what use was there in pining? Compared to the boss, what was he, a mere secretary?

Zhang Jun gave a self-deprecating smile: "The life of the world is like a willow catkin in the wind; in a strange land, the heart lingers by the lamp at night. It is not easy to find true affection in all things, so do not blame the flowers for holding onto people for too long."

Still, he felt it couldn't be true. Ma Hongqi wasn't the type to be driven by greed or lust. But then, how to explain this morning?

Shen Xue sent another message: "Brother Zhang, are you ignoring me? I’m going to be angry! I know you’re free tonight because Mayor Ma has an important banquet!"

Zhang Jun was stunned. Did the boss have a banquet? Why didn't he know? Did this confirm the connection between Shen Xue and Ma Hongqi? Strange—how did they even meet?

Zhang Jun replied: "I’m drinking with a friend tonight."

Shen Xue replied: "Is it Liu Zhengjie? He’s not a good person. He’s truly wicked! Be careful with him. He almost ruined me!"