Village Doctor's Women-Chapter 18: I still want

Li Shuang’s mind was in a fog. He had always planned to use his proximity to power to his advantage, but now someone had beaten him to the punch. It was outrageous. Besides, judging by his dad’s expression, it didn’t seem like he was bluffing.

"Who was it?" Li Shuang asked anxiously. He finally had a chance to prove himself to his dad, to show he wasn’t just about playing around, and now that chance had been snatched away. How could he tolerate this? "I’ve always used that building, so how can you just give it away? It’s not like it was vacant. Tell me who took it. I’ll go kill him."

"What do you mean by ’not vacant’?" Li Dayu put down his drink. Li Shuang’s words were completely thoughtless. How could I have such a son? At that moment, even the most fragrant liquor lost its aroma. Li Dayu frowned and said, "Do you think playing cards with a few hoodlums makes the Village Committee building yours? Do you think the Village Committee is your personal property? Your dad might be the village chief, but our family doesn’t run the Village Committee. Have you lost your mind?"

Li Dayu considered his connection with the Cai Family extremely important. He’d even be willing to gift a beautiful socialite to them just to curry favor. And now Li Shuang was trying to stir up trouble, acting like a brainless fool. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the more he thought about it, the more irritating it became.

"What ’serious business’ could you possibly have? Let’s hear what brilliant ideas you’ve come up with."

Li Shuang’s face darkened at the scolding. Although Li Dayu was often disdainful toward him, he had never been this angry or this serious, so Li Shuang reined himself in a bit.

He explained gloomily, "Yesterday at noon, you weren’t at the committee office. Wang Jian came looking for me. He wants to open a clinic. None of the nearby villages have one, so every time someone needs a doctor, they have to go to town."

As he talked about this, Li Shuang grew more excited. He was sure that when it came to money, his dad would agree. His father would never turn his back on money. Li Shuang said hurriedly, "If we open a clinic in the village, people from all the surrounding villages will come to us for medical care. If we get a cut, we’ll be making money without lifting a finger."

Li Shuang was brimming with confidence. He believed that as long as Li Dayu wasn’t senile, he would definitely help him secure the building.

But reality struck swiftly.

"Dad?"

"If you had come to me last night, I would have agreed," Li Dayu said, shaking his head. If Li Shuang hadn’t gone out to have fun yesterday and had come straight to him, he wouldn’t have known about Wang Jian’s connection to the Cai Family. In that case, even if Zhang Quan had made a proposal, it wouldn’t have been as good as Li Shuang’s idea.

But now, the deed was done. Wang Jian had managed to cling to the Cai Family’s coattails; he was no longer someone they could take advantage of.

The world was just that simple. Moreover, he had already signed the paperwork for Wang Jian.

If he could establish a good relationship, he might even get some face time with Mr. Cai. That meant that even if he left the Village Committee to go into business, he would have a good life ahead of him. To be greedy for a small share at a time like this would be true senility.

So, Li Dayu patiently explained, "I’ve already signed the paperwork with Wang Jian. It’s too late now. Besides, Wang Jian has connections with the Cai Family. Don’t go messing things up, or it could cost me my position as village chief. You should know what kind of presence the Cai Family has in our city."

"The Cai Family?"

Li Shuang’s expression went blank. He had just gone out for some karaoke and a bit of fun, and when he returned, everything had changed.

Struck by a double blow of incomprehension and disbelief, Li Shuang was at a loss for words. His dad had no reason to lie to him.

After all, only a fool would pass up a chance to make money. His dad would only sound so "righteous" when there was no money to be made.

Seething with frustration, Li Shuang lost his appetite. He stormed out, hopped on his motorcycle, and sped out of the village. This meal was too infuriating. What was the point of even eating?

That night, Paigou Village gained one more heartbroken person.

***

Unlike the heartbroken Li Shuang, Wang Jian was still laughing and joking at the dinner table. Before he knew it, he had drunk a lot.

Wang Jian had never been a heavy drinker. Growing up, he was the model child every parent compared their own to; all he did was study. He had barely touched alcohol and hadn’t drunk much even in university.

In Wang’s courtyard, the dining table had been wiped clean, and a crate of empty beer bottles sat on the ground. Only two people remained at the table: Zhang Quan and Wang Jian, still drinking and chatting. Xu Qian stood in the doorway, fanning herself and occasionally swatting at mosquitoes. Li Liping had already helped Zhang Li home to rest; he had been the first of the three men to tap out.

But the two who remained weren’t faring much better.

"Xiao Jian, stop drinking. You’ve had too much," his sister-in-law, Xu Qian, advised from the side. She could see clearly that Wang Jian’s face was flushed and he was starting to slur his words. "You can always drink again next time."

Drunk? No, he wasn’t drunk.

Wang Jian squinted, glancing at Xu Qian.

Drink again next time?

"I... I’m perfectly clear-headed right now. How could I be drunk?"

"You... nonsense!"

The moment Wang Jian spoke, Zhang Quan and Xu Qian burst out laughing. He was definitely drunk.

Seeing this, Zhang Quan drained the last of his baijiu and set down his glass. "Alright! Xiao Jian, your uncle can’t drink anymore. Let’s continue next time."

"No, no, let’s keep going."

Zhang Quan simply waved off Wang Jian’s protest. "Next time, next time." With that, he called out to Xu Qian, "I’m full and I’ve had plenty to drink. I’ll be off now."

"Okay, Uncle Zhang, take care. Come for drinks again soon."

Xu Qian nodded and started to walk Zhang Quan out of the courtyard, but he stopped her. "No need to see me out, it’s just a few steps. Go wash Xiao Jian’s face for him. The boy’s really had too much. HAHAHAHA, these young folks can’t hold their liquor like they used to. Our generation is much more reliable..."

As his voice faded into the distance, Xu Qian locked the courtyard gate.

When she turned back to the dining table, Wang Jian was still there, tapping an empty bottle against a glass and muttering, "I’m not drunk... Let’s have another."

You could tap all day with an empty bottle and not get a single drop out.

Wang Jian turned the bottle over with a puzzled look, staring at it. "Hey... where’d my drink go?"

You had to admit, this version of Wang Jian was quite adorable.

Xu Qian shook her head, set down her fan, and began to tidy up the courtyard. She had just put a few things away and was coming out of the kitchen when she saw Wang Jian had slumped forward, his head resting on the dining table.

"Xiao Jian?"

Xu Qian quickly wiped her hands on her clothes and rushed over. She gave his shoulder a push. "Xiao Jian, can you move? You can’t sleep here."

"Mmm... huh..." Wang Jian waved a hand, fumbling for Xu Qian’s arm, and mumbled, "I know, I know."

Then, he went still again.

With a wry smile, Xu Qian had no choice but to drape Wang Jian’s arm over her shoulder and prop his entire body up with hers. In his drunken slumber, his full weight pressed down on her. There was a significant height difference between them, and for a moment, Xu Qian nearly lost her balance.

Fortunately, she steadied herself and began dragging him inside.

Getting Wang Jian to his room completely exhausted her. Drunk and uncooperative, his hands grabbed at her restlessly. Xu Qian nearly collapsed at his doorstep.

She could hear Wang Jian still murmuring, lost in some dream.

"Hey, Sister-in-law, don’t go. I want more."

Yeesh.

Xu Qian’s face instantly flushed. The nerve of him, whispering something like that right in her ear. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Damn it. Xu Qian felt a rush of heat, and her legs went weak. She bit her lip and managed to heave Wang Jian onto the bed.

But even though he was asleep, his grip was incredibly tight. He didn’t let go, pulling Xu Qian down with him.

Xu Qian’s face was buried in Wang Jian’s chest, his heartbeat thudding right in her ear.

Her knees were already weak, and now she didn’t have the strength to pull away.

"Xiao Jian?" she whispered. "Please don’t."

Her voice was so faint that Wang Jian probably couldn’t have heard her even if he were awake.

Xu Qian shifted slightly, looking up at his chin. The rough texture of his stubble felt peculiar against her fingers, almost addicting. Her hand traced the contour of his jaw, moving along the line of his face.

His hand had actually loosened its grip, but Xu Qian remained lying on top of him, intently studying his face. The profound quiet of the moment allowed a rare sense of peace to wash over her.

"Geez, you reek of alcohol," she chided gently. Yet, despite her words, a part of her wanted to taste the alcohol on his breath. Giving in to the impulse, she leaned in and kissed him.

The strong taste of liquor filled her senses.

Xu Qian felt drunk, profoundly so. She didn’t want to move. She just wanted to fall asleep.

But for some reason, sleep just wouldn’t come.