Chapter Fifty-Nine: Jealousy
East City Food Store.
“You’re looking for me?”
The man who emerged was about fifty years old, tall—easily six foot three—with a receding hairline.
“My name is Xu Fei.”
“Do we know each other?”
Xu Fei shook his head, then took out a note from his pocket, the one written by Zhang Mingyang’s father.
“Director, please take a look at this.”
He Jin took the note from Xu Fei’s hand.
Opening it, he paused in surprise, then quickly ushered Xu Fei inside. “Come in, let’s talk.”
He pulled Xu Fei into the office.
He Jin poured him a cup of tea.
“Here you go.”
Xu Fei smiled. “Director, you don’t have to be so formal.”
“How’s the old director these days?”
Xu Fei understood he meant Zhang Mingyang’s father. He nodded. “He’s at home, tending his garden, quite at leisure, and his health is good.”
“I’ve been so busy here, it’s been ages since I visited him,” He Jin said, glancing at Xu Fei. “Let me introduce myself, I’m He Jin.”
Xu Fei stood up quickly. “My name is Xu Fei.”
He shook He Jin’s hand.
“Sit, please,” He Jin said, sizing Xu Fei up. “So, what brings you here today? Is there something I can do for you?”
“Oh, not at all. I just have a truckload of millet, and I wanted to ask if the East City Food Store might be interested.”
“Millet? You—do you really have it?”
He Jin looked genuinely astonished.
Xu Fei nodded.
“How much?”
“Ten thousand jin.”
“What?!”
He Jin was stunned again.
That much?
“You want to sell it to the food store?”
“Exactly. That’s why I came to you. Director He, I actually did some research before this. There’s a high demand for millet and grains here in East City. I’ve been wanting to contact you for a while, but I didn’t know you. I was afraid you’d turn me down.”
He Jin waved a hand. “Why would you say that? The country is encouraging more open business these days. What you’re doing is good for us—as the food store makes a profit, it’s mutually beneficial. Why would I refuse?”
Xu Fei felt much relieved by his response.
“You’re Xu Fei, right?” He Jin asked again.
Xu Fei nodded.
“You have no idea—our supply of millet here comes only from what’s allocated from above. It’s never enough for demand. Watching the money slip through our fingers is maddening!”
That was exactly what Xu Fei had counted on about the East City Food Store.
That’s why he dared to bring the grain straight here.
“Director He, shall we go look at the millet?”
He Jin nodded.
The two of them went outside, over to An Laosan’s truck. He Jin climbed up to have a look—the quality of the grain was excellent.
“This is all from the mountains near Donghai City?”
Xu Fei nodded.
“Local grain is what sells. In fact, our local millet could easily meet the city’s needs.”
He Jin nodded approvingly. “Young man, you’ve got a good eye for this business!”
“It was really just by chance—I saw people queueing up outside the store for millet one day and that’s what gave me the idea.”
“Why didn’t anyone else pick up on it?” He Jin clapped Xu Fei on the shoulder.
“All right, drive the truck in—the store will take the whole load.”
Xu Fei, seeing this, tapped the cab roof. “Brother San, drive it in.”
The Liberation truck rumbled into the rear yard of the food store.
He Jin called for the storekeeper.
Ten thousand jin of millet was moved into storage.
The receipt was written.
“Go to the cashier, collect your payment.”
Xu Fei nodded. “Thank you, Director He.”
“No need for thanks. And remember—if you get more millet, bring it straight to me.”
...
“Chen Rong, are you still mad at Xu Fei?” Du Man set a cup of tea down beside Chen Rong, glancing at her somewhat sheepishly.
“Mad? Of course I’m mad at him. Can you even call him a man?” Chen Rong had come over today, in fact, to add a little fuel to Du Man’s fire.
“So, did you try what I mentioned last time?”
As soon as Du Man heard this, she blushed scarlet.
“Mm.”
Seeing her nod, Chen Rong leaned in. “Well? Does he have some problem in that area, after all?”
Du Man thought for a moment and shook her head.
Chen Rong looked disappointed.
She really hoped Xu Fei was completely useless in that regard.
If that were the case, Du Man could be persuaded—justifiably—to get a divorce.
“So—did you two...?”
Du Man shook her head, glanced at Chen Rong, and said, “He just ran off that night.”
“Ran off? You didn’t sleep together?”
Chen Rong was surprised.
Most men would hardly be able to resist, especially given how beautiful Du Man was, and considering the atmosphere that night, standing completely naked in front of Xu Fei.
“Is he even a man?”
Du Man shook her head, puzzled. “Chen Rong, are all men like this?”
“What a weirdo!” Chen Rong shook her head. “Men? Out of ten, no—even a hundred, you’d be lucky to find one like him.”
“Really?” But for some reason, Du Man felt Xu Fei was truly different. And the more she thought about it, the more she believed it.
“You’ve found yourself a real gem, but...” Chen Rong curled her lip, “Are you sure he’s... functional?”
She made a rather explicit gesture.
Du Man nodded emphatically.
“Yes, and quite a big one, too.”
“Big?” Chen Rong was stunned.
“You saw it?”
Du Man’s face flushed even redder.
“I, uh...”
“You what?”
“I touched it.”
“What?!”
Chen Rong blushed at the admission.
Then she burst out laughing, pointing at Du Man. “Well, well, who knew you were so bold, Du Man?”
“What are you talking about?” Du Man ducked her head, embarrassed.
“So... how big is it?”
Du Man thought for a moment, then gestured with her hands.
“Ah!” Chen Rong squealed in surprise, startling Du Man.
“What is it? Is it small?”
Small?
In fact, Chen Rong was already seeing Zhang Lei. She’d watched a few foreign movies, too. As far as she could tell, what Du Man just described was even bigger than those foreign men in the films.
“You’re sure?”
Du Man nodded firmly.
Chen Rong was genuinely envious.
How could a scoundrel like Xu Fei be so exceptionally gifted?
Why couldn’t her own man compare?
“Du Man, men like that are perverts. I really think you should leave him as soon as possible.”
“Why? A pervert?”
Du Man thought back; that night, Xu Fei hadn’t behaved perversely at all. Why did Chen Rong insist on saying that? Was not touching her a sign of being a pervert?
“Think about it—would a normal man not be interested in his own wife?”
Chen Rong’s words pierced right to the heart.
Yes—was she not attractive? Why didn’t he even want to touch her?
“I think Xu Fei must be one of those...”
“One of those?”
Du Man looked to Chen Rong—she knew so little about men, she could only listen to her friend’s analysis.
“You know, the kind who likes men.”
“What?!”
Du Man stared at Chen Rong in shock.
“He likes men?”