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Yu Jie pulled Lin Xiao aside, eager to seek advice, while Wang Lei tried to interject but was cut off repeatedly.
"Come on, my good brother, can’t you see I want to talk to Lin Xiao a bit longer? You’re not in our position; you don’t understand our struggles," he said.
Wang Lei felt a pang of jealousy as he watched Lin Xiao engage with Yu Jie, noting how she seemed more at ease with him than she was with Wang Lei himself. At that moment, he regretted organizing this gathering.
By nine o'clock that evening, Lin Xiao finally returned home from the city. The chill of late autumn enveloped her as she stepped inside.
She spotted Li Hao standing in the yard, the shadow of the persimmon tree casting a dim light on his face, making his expression hard to read.
"It’s so cold; why are you out here?" Lin Xiao approached him and wrapped her arms around him, reaching out to touch his hand.
"Have you been drinking?" Li Hao's voice was flat, devoid of emotion.
"Just a little. Yu Jie has been going through a rough patch lately and has been drinking more than usual. I came back late," Lin Xiao explained.
"And Wang Lei?" Li Hao asked, looking at her intently.
"Honey, I’m cold. Can we go inside and talk?" Lin Xiao pouted playfully, pulling him toward the house while wondering if he was feeling jealous again.
"I went to find Wang Lei about some work-related matters. When it was time for dinner, he mentioned he had plans with Yu Jie. I thought about how our colleagues who share positions have gathered two or three times already, but we’ve never had a meal together just the three of us."
"Yu Jie had asked me out twice before; I felt it would be rude to refuse," she continued. "I didn’t mean to arrange dinner with Wang Lei; I informed you ahead of time."
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" Li Hao asked, though he wasn’t particularly angry about her dinner with Wang Lei; it was more about feeling sidelined.
Lin Xiao pondered for a moment and realized she had nothing more to say.
"What’s going on with Yang Feng?" she finally asked.
"How do you know about Yang Feng? Did Meng Kai or Li Hongxin mention it?" Lin Xiao responded, knowing that if Li Hao was asking, someone must have told him—she just didn’t know how much he knew.
"You’re keeping something this big from me?"
Li Hao’s frustration stemmed from this very issue; when faced with problems, Lin Xiao’s first thought wasn’t of him but of Wang Lei.
He believed that Lin Xiao loved him and that there was nothing between her and Wang Lei, but what hurt most was the feeling that he was no longer her pillar of support.
I didn't mean to hide anything from you; I just don't understand how things with Yang Feng developed this way, which is why I sought out Wang Lei.
So, what did Wang Lei say? Li Hao wanted to know if Lin Xiao would tell him the truth.
In the afternoon, Li Hongxin came to Li Hao to report Lin Xiao's situation, hoping he could persuade her. Li Hongxin knew that since Li Hao cared for Lin Xiao, he wouldn't want her to take risks during such a tumultuous time.
Li Hao could see further than Li Hongxin; from the few words exchanged, he sensed that trouble was brewing. Yang Feng had been arrested for drug use and trafficking, and his cousin had been placed under investigation. Lin Xiao summarized the situation succinctly.
"Lin Xiao, are you reporting work to me or just chatting with your husband?" Li Hao said, unable to contain his frustration, his voice tinged with anger.
He knew Lin Xiao hadn't finished speaking; there was more to what he had learned, and he didn't believe that Wang Lei hadn't made the stakes clear to her. If it were about anything else, Lin Xiao would have shared it with him.
When Wang Lei spoke to her about organized crime, she thought about how to find a way for Li Hao to take Tian Tian and the others away from Yu Rao. If she said it outright, Li Hao would definitely refuse.
She herself had no grievances in Yurou County and should be safe. But Li Hao was different; he had served as county chief and Secretary there, and during his time in office, he had sent many people to jail for misconduct.
If he wasn't on stage, but others were lurking beneath their eyelids, the risks would always be greater.
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