Chapter 16: A Bunch of Goddamn Bastards
Qin Feng stopped in his tracks, turned around once again, and said to Li Jing, “Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you. Don’t play the saint in front of me. Since you’ve chosen this path, don’t pretend to wear a badge of virtue. How are you any different from those women who sell themselves?”
He added, “One more thing—please don’t show up in front of me again. It’s truly disgusting!”
With that, Qin Feng strode briskly toward the exit.
On his way to the school dormitory, halfway there, he encountered Li Dejun passing by on his motorcycle.
Li Dejun stopped and asked Qin Feng, “College student, where are you headed?”
“Village Chief Li...” Qin Feng halted respectfully and replied, “Back to the dormitory.”
Even now, he remained deeply respectful toward Li Dejun. Though he had only been in Bishan a few days, Li Dejun was the only person here he genuinely admired and respected.
“You’re going back alone so early? Come on, hop on. Let’s go to my place for a drink,” Li Dejun invited.
Qin Feng hesitated briefly, then nodded. “Alright!”
Without further ado, he climbed onto the back of Li Dejun’s motorcycle.
...
“Zhang Jie went back to her mother’s today, so there’s no one home to cook. We’ll have to make do with this little bit of marinated meat. Come on, have a seat,” Li Dejun said as he brought out a jar of liquor as soon as they entered his home.
Li Dejun disliked drinking from cups; he took out two bowls and clinked them with Qin Feng’s, drinking directly from the bowls.
Li Dejun’s fondness for drink was well known throughout Bishan—his nickname was simply “The Drunkard.”
“Come on, little brother, let’s not talk about anything else first—let’s have a drink.”
“Alright, Village Chief Li, I toast you.”
After taking a large gulp, Li Dejun set down his bowl and sighed slowly. “You know everything now, right?”
“Yes. I’ve seen the documents and already handed over my duties. I’m planning to go to the party and government office tomorrow to finish the paperwork and leave,” Qin Feng understood what Li Dejun meant and pulled out a cigarette, offering one to him.
Li Dejun took two drags and said, “Sorry, little brother. I wasn’t able to help you this time... sigh.”
“It’s alright. You can’t be blamed for this. I know who’s really behind this,” Qin Feng said, lifting his bowl for a big drink.
“Whether it’s Xu Guoli or Wang Yunfei, they both want to downplay this matter, keep the damage minimal, so making you the scapegoat is the best choice.”
“Besides, Xiao Bo is shrewd. Didn’t you see him rush to Xu Guoli’s office as soon as the inspection team left yesterday?”
“And Yang Delin? Hmph. He’s just Wang Yunfei’s lackey. So these two worked in perfect concert, using you as their scapegoat.”
“Damn it, they’re a bunch of scoundrels... Come, drink up.” Li Dejun grew angrier as he spoke, drinking deeply from his bowl.
Words like these were inappropriate for someone of his position to say to Qin Feng, but his anger and sympathy for the young man overcame his discretion. That’s why he had invited Qin Feng over for a drink—to comfort him and, in a way, comfort himself as well.
“Village Chief Li, let’s not dwell on it. It’s all in the past now. Let’s drink—I toast you,” Qin Feng forced a smile.
“These bastards have no shame. I’m ashamed to be associated with them. Come on, drink...” Li Dejun guzzled the liquor.
The two men vented their frustrations through curses and drinks. Eventually, Li Dejun was completely drunk and sprawled out, while Qin Feng was half-staggering.
Qin Feng helped Li Dejun to bed, then, somewhat unsteady, made his way back to the school.
Li Dejun’s tolerance for alcohol was truly impressive—he had drunk Qin Feng, who was naturally a lightweight, into a daze.
...
Meanwhile, as Qin Feng and Li Dejun were drinking, Wang Yunfei was “elated,” reporting his achievements and the results of his actions to Li Ji, the deputy county magistrate’s son and the man who had an affair with Li Jing and was severely beaten by Qin Feng.
For Wang Yunfei, this was a twofold victory: he completed the task assigned by Li Ji and quelled the uproar, minimizing the fallout and preventing the scandal from reaching himself.
Li Ji was thrilled. After hanging up, he gathered a group of his cronies and went to the largest KTV in Shannan County, immediately booking four girls.
Qin Feng staggered to the foot of the dormitory building and from a distance saw a woman standing there, waiting for him.