Chapter Five: Schemes Without Warning

"Deputy Director Zhang, I can't thank you enough!" Xu Fei was deeply moved.

"We're old friends, no need for the formalities! Tell you what, come by the factory tomorrow morning. Stop by my office and I'll give you the letter of introduction," Zhang Lichun instructed.

"Deputy Director Zhang, maybe let's not go to the factory. Since we're already home, you could just write one for me now. Tomorrow morning I'm reporting to the sugar factory anyway," Xu Fei fumbled at the edge of his pants pocket. "Besides, too many people at the factory, gossip gets around, and that's not good for you."

Zhang Lichun noticed the little gesture, catching on immediately. "Alright then, let's go to my house. I'll write you the letter there."

"I'll carry your bag for you, take it easy."

"Smart move!"

Zhang Lichun walked home with his hands behind his back.

Who doesn't like being flattered?

Especially those who are used to being leaders and appreciate people who know how to get things done!

Xu Fei, without revealing anything, followed Zhang Lichun home.

In those days, people's living standards were all more or less the same.

The food they ate, the houses they lived in—little difference.

Wooden windows, floral curtains, cement floors.

As soon as he stepped inside, Xu Fei poured Zhang Lichun some hot water and set up a stool.

Zhang Lichun didn't waste any time. He took out the factory's official letter paper from his briefcase and quickly wrote a letter of introduction.

"My, Deputy Director Zhang, your handwriting is truly exceptional!" Xu Fei held the letter up, praising him repeatedly.

"Of course! Even the higher-ups are impressed by my penmanship," Zhang Lichun said with satisfaction. "Alright, take it home and look it over later. I still need to sign it and stamp it."

"Deputy Director Zhang, let me hold it for you!"

"No need!"

"It must be done! To be your desk, that's an honor to boast about!" Xu Fei bent over, keeping the letter's content facing himself and covering most of it.

The empty portion was left in front of Zhang Lichun.

"Where did you learn all these tricks? Quite particular," Zhang Lichun didn't mind. He signed his name below and stamped it.

Xu Fei swiftly pulled the letter away and tucked it into his hand.

"Why the rush? Are you afraid it'll disappear?" Zhang Lichun glared at him.

"Heh, it's a treasure!" Xu Fei grinned. "Thank you, Deputy Director Zhang, for helping me get back to work!"

"Good. Once you're at the sugar factory, work hard and don't embarrass me," Zhang Lichun nodded.

"Absolutely!" Xu Fei turned and left.

"Ahem, Xu Fei, aren't you forgetting something?" Zhang Lichun coughed twice.

"No, the letter's right here with me!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Oh, look at my memory!" Xu Fei slapped his forehead and rummaged in his pocket. Suddenly his expression changed. "Damn, I just remembered—I left it under my bedside table at home!"

Zhang Lichun was immediately displeased. "How could you forget something so important? Xu Fei, don't play games with me. I can write you the letter, but I can also cancel it at any time!"

"Deputy Director Zhang, don't get upset! I'll go fetch it now, please wait!"

"Hurry up and come back!"

Leaving Zhang Lichun's house, Xu Fei looked at the letter of introduction in his hand and breathed a sigh of relief.

Luckily the old fool had had a few drinks; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to get!

He glanced back inside and sneered.

Let them wait! Wait for the disappointment!

"Hey, isn't that Xu Fei? What are you doing at our doorstep? What's your business here?" At that moment, a middle-aged woman approached, her face full of suspicion.

Xu Fei recognized her—it was Zhang Lichun's wife, Li Xiumei, a notorious shrew.

"Madam Deputy Director, what could I possibly be doing? Just came to check out the two pigs you keep!"

"Two pigs?" Li Xiumei was confused. "Xu Fei, are you out of your mind, rambling nonsense! I'm warning you, don't try anything funny, or you'll regret it!"

"How could I? With you and Deputy Director Zhang, two pigs, I couldn't handle you even if I wanted to!" Xu Fei said with a half-smile.

"What did you say? Who are you calling pigs?" Li Xiumei's eyes widened.

"Just as I thought, a pig can't understand anything. Forget it, I'm done talking to pigs. Goodbye!" Xu Fei slipped away at lightning speed.

Li Xiumei was so furious she stamped her feet and cursed, "Xu, if you have guts don't run! You're the pig, your whole family are pigs..."

"What's going on? Why all the yelling?" Zhang Lichun heard the commotion and saw his wife cursing in the street, clearly annoyed.

"That Xu Fei! He was just at our door, calling me and you pigs!" Li Xiumei was livid. "That guy's hanging around our house, definitely up to something. You better keep an eye out!"

"Can't be. I brought him home, wrote him a letter of introduction, and he was just about to head back to fetch something as a token of thanks," Zhang Lichun was puzzled. "He relies on my letter for a job, he wouldn't dare mess around. You must've misunderstood."

"Did I really mishear?" Li Xiumei was confused. "Right, didn't he lose everything? What token could he possibly have?"

Zhang Lichun glanced around, raised both thumbs, and whispered, "Two big ones!"

"Two..." Li Xiumei's eyes widened. "Is that true?"

"Of course! He's gone to get them right now," Zhang Lichun declared confidently.

"Oh, then I must've misheard earlier. Let's go home and wait properly..."

Xu Fei smoked a cigarette on the road, then headed home.

In the living room, only Du Man was there.

"Where's our little sister and brother?" Xu Fei asked.

"Asleep, of course. They have classes tomorrow!" Du Man frowned. "Why were you out so long? What were you doing?"

Xu Fei checked the time—it was already eight or nine at night.

In the twenty-first century, that would be the start of nightlife.

But back in the eighties, most people were already in bed.

"I ran into Zhang Lichun, chatted for a bit."

"You saw Zhang Lichun?" Du Man was startled. "You didn't do anything to him, did you?"

"No, he was nice. Even offered to help me earn money!" Xu Fei laughed.

"He offered you money?" Du Man thought she'd misheard.

"You'll know soon enough," Xu Fei replied.

Du Man felt she was getting more and more unfamiliar with her husband.

He was acting strange, and his words made little sense. "Alright, it's late. Time to sleep!"

"I'm going to take a shower," Xu Fei said, heading into the bathroom for a bucket of cold water to clean himself up, then walked into the bedroom.

When he saw the person lying on the bed, he was stunned for a moment.

Du Man had changed into her nightwear.

It was a pink camisole dress!

This dress had been brought over from Hong Kong for their wedding, arranged by Xu Fei through a friend.

Stylish and sexy, it would be fashionable even today.

But for someone from the mainland, such a dress was far too risqué, so Du Man simply wore it as sleepwear.