Chapter 123 Difficult to Handle

"Hey, Minmin, who's this? Your boyfriend?"

The plump woman sidled up to Li Jianguo, her eyes fixed on him, grinning from ear to ear. She stopped fanning herself and just held onto her fan.

Jiang Min usually speaks softly at work. But this time her voice was a bit louder.

"Auntie, you have a really sharp eye."

"You look quite energetic!"

"Of course." Jiang Min glanced at Li Jianguo with a smile in her eyes. "Don't praise him too much, or he'll get arrogant."

The plump woman laughed heartily, slapping her palm-leaf fan loudly, the wind from which tousled her hair.

Li Jianguo stood to the side, his lips pursed, a slight upturn at the corners. He didn't interrupt, just watched Jiang Min and the older woman banter. When she spoke, her hands would unconsciously gesture a couple of times, her fingernails reflecting the light under the streetlamp.

He only spoke after everyone had left.

"I didn't realize you were so quick-witted, Comrade Jiang Min."

Jiang Min's face flushed slightly as she raised her hand to tidy her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind. Her ears were also red.

"Kids who grow up in hutongs are never truly gentle. They're all just pretending."

After she finished speaking, she laughed.

The wind blew her laughter away at the entrance of the alley.

Li Jianguo glanced at the sky.

"Let's go back, it's getting late."

"Um."

Jiang Min responded, but did not move.

Li Jianguo didn't move either.

The two stood there for a few seconds without saying a word. Under the streetlight, flying insects circled the light, their wings fluttering, occasionally bumping into the lampshade and making a soft sound.

In the end, Jiang Min turned around first.

Drive slowly on the road.

She walked a few steps, then looked back once more.

Li Jianguo remained standing in the same spot.

"What are you looking at?"

"It's up to you."

Jiang Min glared at him, turned and walked away, her steps quickening. After taking a dozen steps, she looked back again; this time, Li Jianguo was already walking towards the car.

She smiled slightly and turned into the courtyard.

Li Jianguo watched her disappear into the doorway before getting into his car.

The car door slammed shut with a bang.

There is no air conditioning in the car.

He helped design this car. The power is fine, and it runs smoothly, but comfort is something he didn't prioritize. The seats are hard and uncomfortable after sitting for a long time. It's hot in summer and cold in winter; the windows are stuffy when closed, but letting in drafts when left slightly open.

He turned the key, and the engine roared twice.

With the steering wheel in his hands, he thought: all of this needs to be changed.

It's not something to be changed now.

With current technology, just being able to build a car that can actually move is already a blessing. Soft furnishings? Those are luxuries. The whole country is tightening its belt; who has the time or inclination for such things?

But he was thinking that he could pull some strings when he got back.

We need to figure out how to get an air conditioner for the car. I'll ask some of the experienced workers at the factory to figure it out, or if that doesn't work, I'll draw a diagram myself and have the workshop staff solder it. It's not a difficult task, it just takes some time.

With these jumbled thoughts swirling in my mind, the car had already entered the alley.

Then he saw a person.

She wore an apricot-yellow dress and stood in the middle of the road.

Li Jianguo slammed on the brakes and killed him.

The tires screeched on the ground, and the front of the car was less than half a meter away from the person.

His heart pounded twice, but before he could even curse, the man collapsed.

I poured it myself.

Yu Li.

She had been squatting there for a while. She had been wandering around the neighborhood all afternoon, waiting for Li Jianguo to return. As soon as she heard the car, she jumped out and stood in the middle of the road.

The car didn't hit her.

But she gritted her teeth and simply sat down on the ground.

Touch porcelain?

This word popped into Li Jianguo's mind.

He never imagined that people would still do this kind of thing these days. He'd only driven this car a few times before? And he'd already run into someone like this?

He pushed open the car door and got out.

His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Whether I hit you or not, we both know the answer.

His voice was as cold as if it had been chilled to the bone.

"If you don't get up, we'll see you at the police station."

Yu Li was stunned for a moment.

She had imagined many possibilities. The other person might panic, get out of the car to ask if she was hurt, or try to bargain with her. But she never expected it to be like this—his eyes were frighteningly cold, and his words were as hard as stone.

She panicked a little, but still reached out to grab the hem of his clothes.

"Get out of here."

Li Jianguo flung her hand away, turned around, and got into the car.

The engine roared to life.

Yu Li stared at the car; its headlights were blindingly bright. She suddenly realized that this person really dared to ram her.

She quickly got up and moved to the side.

The car brushed past her, stirring up a gust of wind and kicking up dust from the ground.

Yu Li stood in the alley, watching the car's taillights disappear around the corner.

"How could this person be like this!"

She stomped her foot in anger, causing her skirt to whip around.

Not far away, a figure emerged from behind the corner of the wall.

He Yushui.

She had just gone to Sha Zhu's place to get something, but before she even entered, she smelled a musty odor. Too lazy to go in, she turned and walked away. At the alley entrance, she witnessed this scene.

"Sister Yu Li."

She called out.

Yu Li turned around, her face still showing anger, and forced a smile.

"Rain, what are you doing here?"

"I just came from that direction." He Yushui glanced in the direction the car disappeared. "Was that Director Li?"

Yu Li nodded, her eyes flickering.

Are you familiar with him?

"It's alright, we live close by, we see each other all the time."

Once He Yushui started talking, she began to chatter on and on.

"This guy is amazing. He's the director of the steel rolling mill. He can drive and even build cars. I heard he's the one who designed the new car for the factory. He's the only one in this area who owns a car."

As Yu Li listened, her eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He Yushui said a few more words and glanced at the sky.

"I have to go back now, Sister Yu Li. Let's chat sometime."

she left.

Yu Li stood there, her mind replaying He Yushui's words.

Steel rolling mill director. Knows how to build cars. Owns a car.

The corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

If I could win over a man like that…

She thought about it and turned to walk back.

He Yushui walked a few steps, glanced back at Yu Li's back, and then looked in the direction of Sha Zhu's house.

The door was ajar, and an indescribable smell wafted from the crack.

She frowned in disgust and quickened her pace.

She doesn't want this guy anymore.

She'd known since she was little that her brother wasn't very bright, but she never expected him to cause so much trouble as an adult. Having a brother like that was truly her bad luck.

I'll avoid coming to this yard as much as possible in the future.

In the courtyard house.

As soon as Li Jianguo parked his car, he saw a large group of people standing in the yard.

Liu Haizhong stood in the middle, holding an enamel mug, talking about something. Next to him, the old man with his arms crossed watched with amusement. Xu Damao, huddled at the back of the crowd, saw Li Jianguo, his eyes lit up, and he scurried over.

"Director Li, you're finally back!"

"What's wrong?"

"A general meeting for the entire college," Xu Damao said in a low voice, "about Jia Dongxu."

Li Jianguo glanced at the crowd.

Liu Haizhong was speaking with great enthusiasm, spitting out words.

"...Jia Dongxu is in the hospital. He's been saved, but the doctor said his lower body will have to be amputated, and his left arm can't be saved either. Life from now on will be tough. As his neighbors, we can't just stand by and do nothing..."

As he spoke, his eyes glanced in Li Jianguo's direction.