Super Soldier in the City-Chapter 1950 - 2013: Strangers Across the Table
"It’s still not working, we’re all trembling with fear. Nowadays, the authorities are strict, there are some bribes you simply can’t take, some things you simply can’t do!" Meng Qingyou intentionally boasted, his words naturally carrying an air of superiority, something Wen Dagang was used to, or at least forced himself to get used to, while Li Yifei just slightly frowned.
"Usually, nothing happens; it’s only those without anyone higher up who get unlucky. I remember, Qingyou, you have a very good relationship with the District Committee Secretary." Wen Dagang spoke as if he understood everything.
Meng Qingyou laughed heartily, suddenly turned solemn, and said, "You shouldn’t say things like that so casually. Alright, Dagang, let’s not talk about this anymore."
After speaking, Meng Qingyou looked at Li Yifei and said, "Old Li, you have quite the name."
"Oh? In what way?" Li Yifei responded blandly.
Wen Dagang chimed in, "Your name is just like mine; it sounds ordinary."
"Not the same. Dagang, your name is just a name, but the three characters Li Yifei are not ordinary in our Mile City," Meng Qingyou said mysteriously. Wen Dagang looked puzzled, but Li Yifei already knew what he was about to say, so he just chuckled lightly.
"How is it not the same?" Wen Dagang continued to ask.
Meng Qingyou replied, "Do you know who the richest man in our province is?"
"The richest in the whole province?" Wen Dagang thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "I do know the richest man in our city."
Meng Qingyou tapped the table and said, "Old Meng, you’re a bit out of touch. The richest man in Mile City is also the richest in the province; they’re the same person."
"Wow, really? That’s amazing; our Mile City is just a second-tier city in the province, and yet we have the richest man in the whole province!" Wen Dagang exclaimed in admiration.
Meng Qingyou chuckled and said, "Of course. This richest man in the province is real, with no falsehood."
"Then... what does that have to do with Old Li, his name?" Wen Dagang asked again.
Meng Qingyou explained, "Our province’s richest man is also named Li Yifei. How’s that for a good name? A relative of mine just had a baby, and his dad named him Meng Yifei, hoping to ride on the richest man’s fame."
"Damn, that’s awesome!" Wen Dagang instinctively looked at Li Yifei, not able to connect the two, just thinking the name was impressive, so he said to Li Yifei, "Turns out I’m sitting next to the richest man in the province. Haha, Old Li, don’t forget to help a brother out when you rise to the top."
"Sure," Li Yifei nodded with a smile, while a mocking look appeared on Meng Qingyou’s face as he said, "Not everyone can be the richest. Old Li, there’s no hope for you in this lifetime!"
"Oh? Why is there no hope for me?" Li Yifei asked.
Meng Qingyou then said, "You’re not part of the system; you don’t understand. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Do you know how impressive that Li Yifei is? He’s someone who has access to the highest levels. Without that kind of identity, even if he had all that money, he couldn’t keep it. Not to mention if there’s no one backing him, even a district chief or vice mayor could take away half of what he has."
Li Yifei agreed; if he wasn’t impressive and capable, who knows what would be happening now. Capital may be king, but authority is the supreme ruler that controls everything. So he nodded, and Meng Qingyou said proudly, "So there’s no hope for you. Even if you could earn that much money... Of course, now that Li Yifei has so much money, he doesn’t know how to spend it. Someone calculated that even if he threw away ten thousand every second, he still wouldn’t spend it all in this lifetime!"
"Damn, really? What if he threw away a million every second?"
"That would be sixty million a minute, three hundred and sixty million an hour..." Meng Qingyou paused, knowing the Li family was already in the trillions, but if he kept throwing money away like that, he could lose it all. Li Yifei interjected, "Then it would be gone in a few days. But I really don’t know how he could keep throwing money away like that."
This person is a bit unpleasant, and his words aren’t very nice.
Meng Qingyou, unaware, continued speaking on his own, insinuating that if it weren’t for Li Yifei’s political background, all that money would be useless, and it wouldn’t be as practical as being a deputy director like himself. Unfortunately for him, the other Li Yifei not only had money but also power, and it was said that even the top leaders had to pay attention to him.
Anyway, the kind of words coming out of Meng Qingyou’s mouth gave Li Yifei another perspective, one from another official’s viewpoint. As for the lack of respect, Li Yifei ignored it; he never thought everyone had to respect him, nor was it necessary. Words were, after all, in other people’s mouths.
As Meng Qingyou finished his grand talk, he concluded with a sentence, "So, Old Li, there’s no hope for you in this lifetime."
"Haha, what if the richest man is sitting right next to you?" Wen Dagang patted Li Yifei on the back and laughed as he spoke.
"How is that possible? You think I haven’t seen Li Yifei?" Meng Qingyou looked at the two with disdain.
"What, you’ve seen Li Yifei?" Wen Dagang asked in surprise.
Li Yifei squinted his eyes and said, "You know Li Yifei?"
"I wouldn’t say I know him, but I have indeed seen him. He’s quite impressive, very young, and really something!" Meng Qingyou said proudly.
Oh, then your eyesight must be really bad, Li Yifei thought to himself. Wen Dagang was already giving a thumbs up, praising, "You’re impressive too, to even know the richest man!"
"I’m not that great, just a bit impressive. Compared to the real big shots, I’m far off." Meng Qingyou shook his head, then looked at Li Yifei and said, "You two look nothing alike. Richest man Li is young and handsome, with an aura of a king. You can feel there’s a halo over his head from afar!"
Li Yifei burst out laughing silently, thinking, so I’m a deity with a self-brought halo. He said, "Aren’t we all just people? How could there be a halo?"
"That’s just my way of describing it. That’s called aura; what you have is ordinary, can’t be compared."
"Alright, I get it. Meeting you today, I’ve really learned something." Li Yifei said.
Meng Qingyou took this as a compliment, so he nodded with a smile and said, "Well, we could say we’ve met now. If you need anything in the future, you can come to me at the District Committee office."
The dishes were served one by one. Wen Dagang ordered two bottles of good white spirit, the kind that cost over a hundred each. Clearly, for the sake of his daughter’s matter, he was willing to spend.
"Forget the alcohol; I drove here, so I won’t drink." Meng Qingyou refused.
Wen Dagang was a bit urgent, glaring and saying, "What do you mean... Qingyou, weren’t you just drinking? Why can’t you drink now?"
"I have plans later tonight. If I drink too much, I won’t be able to handle it!" Meng Qingyou said with a mischievous grin, not at all shy, and since Wen Dagang didn’t understand, he just said, "I’ve just secured a hot young model, and if I drink too much, I won’t be able to manage." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
If you don’t drink, how can I ask for my favor, Wen Dagang thought bitterly, still persuading, "Well, drink a little. If needed, I’ll drive you over later, a little drink doesn’t hurt."
Only then did Meng Qingyou agree, while when it came to Li Yifei he generously filled his own glass, and Wen Dagang did the same. With drinks and dishes ready, Wen Dagang raised his glass and said, "Thanks to Qingyou for coming, and also to Old Li, for being here. We haven’t seen each other since elementary school, over twenty years, meeting again is not easy. I’m the oldest here, let’s take a big drink together."
Li Yifei nodded, while Meng Qingyou curled his lips into a slight smile, a form of agreement.
Li Yifei and Wen Dagang each took a big gulp, whereas Meng Qingyou merely sipped. It’s not that he couldn’t drink; in that position, how could his tolerance be poor? He just didn’t feel it was worth drinking like Li Yifei and others, so he just had a taste. Besides, in his eyes, this alcohol wasn’t that good, the taste was way off.
Li Yifei downed half the glass in one go, and Wen Dagang had only drunk a third. After glancing at Li Yifei’s glass, Wen Dagang took a deep breath and took another big sip to catch up to Li Yifei’s pace, then patted Li Yifei, saying, "Old Li, you’re something."
As soon as he said that, Meng Qingyou felt a bit uneasy and said, "What, I drink less, so I’m not something?"
Wen Dagang realized he misspoke again, quickly trying to make up for it, "I didn’t mean that, hey, Qingyou, you know I’m not good with words, don’t take it seriously."
"Forget it, I won’t drink anymore tonight. I know you need something from me, just say it. We’ve been friends for so many years; if I can help, I certainly will." Meng Qingyou laid it out directly, making Wen Dagang a bit embarrassed to say it. Originally, he planned to get Meng Qingyou drunk and then bring it up, thinking it’d be more effective. Yet, with Meng Qingyou not drinking much, how could he bring it up?
Li Yifei chuckled to himself as he helped himself to the dishes, watching Meng Qingyou glancing at his watch and saying, "It’s getting late, if you don’t speak up, I’m leaving."
"Hey, wait, I’ll speak." Wen Dagang reached out to stop Meng Qingyou, holding his wine glass with slightly more strength, drained the remaining white spirit in one go, and then said, "I do have a favor to ask. My niece is about to reach school age, but my hukou is in Nongcun Village..."
Wen Dagang explained the situation. Meng Qingyou listened expressionlessly. When Wen Dagang finished, he didn’t immediately respond but kept his eyes down for a long time before saying, "Dagang, we’ve been friends for all these years, I won’t push you. I’ll help you inquire about it later. This matter falls under the Education Bureau, and below that is the District Education Bureau. I don’t really know anyone there!"
Saying he’d inquire later, essentially, the words ’I don’t know anyone’ amounted to a tacit refusal. Even as slow as Wen Dagang might be, he understood, feeling a bit anxious, he said, "Qingyou, you must help me out, otherwise it’s really tough for the kid to go to school every day, and the quality at that school is really poor!"
