"Useless trash, go back and watch your TV; don't come here bothering me!" Yang Xuelan didn't even turn her head as she threw back her hand for a slap.
The slap was hard, causing Li Qing to grimace involuntarily.
"Xue Lan, you've got such a fiery temper." Knowing she had mistaken him for Gao Li, Li Qing said it on purpose.
Yang Xuelan turned sharply, and upon seeing it was Li Qing, didn't even care that she was being taken advantage of and quickly asked with concern, "Did it hurt? I thought you were my man."
"It's nothing; I can take a slap from you, Xue Lan," Li Qing said with a grin, his hands gently pinching the grapes in front of her chest.
Yang Xuelan quickly glanced into the room and scolded, "You're getting too bold now, daring to take advantage of me in my own house. Aren't you afraid Gao Li will suddenly come in?"
"Afraid? How could I not be!" Li Qing laughed, "But with you dressed like this, how could I resist?"
"I'm hot," Yang Xuelan said irritably, "Stop touching, will you? I've got two bottles of liquor ready. Have a good drink with that good-for-nothing later, get him drunk, and then I'll come over to your place. You can touch and do whatever you want then."
Getting Gao Li drunk really was a good idea.
But the cooperative's matters were more pressing.
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Hu Youyu talked to me about the cooperative's business, and it's almost time for profit sharing. I have to go, and who knows when I'll be back tonight," Li Qing said, a bit frustrated.
"If you come back early, find a chance to go to my place; I'll leave the door open for you."
"Ah?" Yang Xuelan was a bit disappointed but still said, "Then you should hurry. That's important."
"I've heard some disturbing rumors; this year, Hu Youyu might not be able to pay out. Be careful and don't let that old fox pull one over on you again."
Li Qing's heart skipped a beat.
If that were the case, he had all the more reason to go check it out.
"Got it. I'll try to get back early," Li Qing said.
"Go on then, good things come to those who wait. I can wait another night," Yang Xuelan urged.
Li Qing grabbed Yang Xuelan's fully revealed bust once more and muttered, "But I can't wait. You've already got my soul nearly flying out of me. I wish I could have my way with you right now."
"Don't be hasty, my little nemesis. Off you go," Yang Xuelan said with a suggestive look in her eyes, giving Li Qing a gentle push.
Li Qing nodded and left Yang Xuelan's house without even saying goodbye to Gao Li.
Hu Youyu's house was the most extravagant in the entire village.
Last year, not only did Hu Youyu change his wife, but he also built a new house.
A two-story standalone villa, complete with landscaping outside.
"Qingzi's here? Come in, quick, quick!" As soon as Li Qing reached the entrance, someone grabbed his arm.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Hu Youyu's son, Hu Wei.
They had grown up playing together as children and were previously quite close, though they had seen somewhat less of each other in the last two years.
"Hu the fatty, I heard you went to work out of town; when did you come back?" Li Qing asked.
Hu Wei had been chubby since childhood and had grown even more corpulent, his walk resembling a bouncing ball.
Hearing this, he grimaced and said, "Working my ass; I'm living off my parents. Jobs aren't so easy to find out there, and for a low-tier college graduate like me, I can't even get past the job market's doors, let alone find a job."
"You're not short on cash, so just take your time looking," Li Qing said.
Hu Wei shook his head, "No matter what, money is never enough. I'll take a break first and then look around slowly."
"Have a seat, I'll crack open a beer to cool you off."
"Oh, and Auntie Yulan, can you check the kitchen? With my dad's clumsy hands, who knows how it's going," said Hu Wei, pouring a beer for Li Qing and then addressing Yu Lan who followed behind.
Yu Lan didn't say a word, nodded slightly at Li Qing, and then turned to the kitchen.
Li Qing glanced fleetingly at Yu Lan's curvaceous figure.
Being younger, not only was Yu Lan's figure slim, but her peach-like behind was also perkily tight.
This beauty, to have ended up with that old fox Hu Youyu, really was a case of 'an old bull eating tender grass,' and Li Qing felt a pang of resentment.
As Li Qing was caught in his reverie, Hu Youyu entered with two large bowls held high, announcing, "Little Qing's here, right? Tonight we're having mutton and chugging beer."
"Uncle Youyu, you're being too polite," Li Qing said, feeling somewhat ill at ease as he got up.
In such a grand house, he couldn't help but feel a little inferior.
"Have a seat, have a seat," Hu Youyu said warmly, placing the mutton on the table and then bringing over several bottles of chilled beer.
"Auntie Yulan, hurry up, we have guests, why are you dilly-dallying!" Hu Youyu busied himself while shouting towards the kitchen.
"Just start eating, never mind her, Auntie Yu Lan is always dawdling," Hu Youyu invited again.
"…Oh, okay, Uncle Youyu."
The subtle atmosphere made Li Qing feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Soon, Yu Lan brought several side dishes to the table and sat down at the end.
She sat quietly, only picking food from the dishes in front of her.
Li Qing glanced at the mutton placed just before him, far out of Yu Lan's reach, and suddenly lost his appetite.
The situation was quite awkward.
Hu Youyu downed a glass of beer, contentedly patting the folds of fat on his neck, "In this sweltering heat, nothing beats a sip of this stuff. It's damn refreshing!"
"Come on, Qingzi, let's have one," Hu Wei chuckled, raising his glass.
Li Qing agreed, lifting his glass, his gaze flicking briefly to Yu Lan.
She quietly arranged her own small plates of food, maintaining an impassive face, but something seemed off.