Chapter 6: A Father's Silhouette
Qin Jianshe felt that Li Tang had changed quite a bit. After a moment of thought, he nodded and said, "Alright, let's go."
Back in those days, imported Prado vehicles weren't anywhere near the level of quality that modern domestic cars worth just a few tens of thousands could offer twenty years later. The engine coughed and sputtered noisily.
"This way."
"No, wait—I think it's to the right."
"Turn around. We're getting farther and farther away."
Li Tang sat in the passenger seat, serving as a living GPS. Despite the short distance, they got lost multiple times.
Luckily, the city wasn't big. After a few circles, they finally found the dormitory compound of Geological Team 101, located on the edge of the First Ring Road.
Surrounding them were vast green rice fields. If someone had claimed that towering buildings would someday rise here, no one in the present would have believed it.
Qin Jianshe barely spoke the entire way. He didn't complain even once about Li Tang's repeated wrong directions—he merely thought: how long had it been since this kid came home, that he couldn't even remember the way?
After parking the car, Qin grabbed a box of baijiu from the trunk and followed Li Tang into the house.
As soon as they stepped inside, clanging sounds came from the kitchen.
"Dad, Mom, I'm home!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Li Tang felt as though he were living in another lifetime. Inside the two-bedroom, one-living room apartment, nothing had changed in terms of decor.
Hearing the voice, Li Zaiqiang and Tang Chuqiu came out of the kitchen beaming, aprons on.
"Our son's home!"
"Jianshe, now don't be so formal—passing through and still bringing something? Come in, sit! The food's all ready—just waiting to be served!"
Li Zaiqiang was visibly delighted, completely unaware of the unease on Qin Jianshe's face.
The dishes were quickly brought out—spicy chicken, cured meats, lamb, beef—a table full of hearty fare, a clear display of warm hospitality.
"Director Qin, please have a seat."
Li Tang took the box of baijiu from Qin's hands, opened a bottle, and poured it generously into glass cups.
The cups, adorned with two bright red peonies, held about 100ml of alcohol each when full.
"Sister-in-law, old classmate, Li Tang—let me offer you a toast first."
Qin Jianshe downed half a glass in one go. Li Zaiqiang and Li Tang followed suit without hesitation.
After a few rounds of drinks, Li Tang was already dizzy.
"Eat something," Tang Chuqiu said with concern. Seeing them drink nonstop, she quickly reminded them to eat.
Li Zaiqiang poured another round for Qin Jianshe, then finally noticed something was off about his friend's expression. "You've got something on your mind, don't you?"
"No, no." Qin waved it off and raised his glass again. "It's been years—let's just drink."
"Director Qin thinks you set him up with the Qianshan coal project," Li Tang slurred, both hands on the table, his tongue heavy from the alcohol.
"Sigh…"
Li Zaiqiang let out a long sigh, setting down his glass. He looked straight into Qin Jianshe's eyes—righteous and forthright, without a hint of evasion.
"I deeply regret recommending that project to you—truly. I didn't know anything about it. I nearly made a terrible mistake."
Qin didn't respond, simply lowered his eyes and stared at the dishes on the table in silence.
"I'll punish myself with three shots."
Li Zaiqiang filled his glass three times and downed each one in a single gulp. In no time, he'd drunk half a jin of high-proof baijiu, not even blinking.
Tang Chuqiu looked on, visibly worried, frowning but saying nothing.
The alcohol took quick effect. Even sitting, Li Zaiqiang swayed like a toy top, unsteady and flushed. "Honestly, if Li Tang hadn't discovered the problem, I'd have regretted it for the rest of my life. I would've lived in guilt forever."
Qin Jianshe spun his glass slowly with his fingers and said in a low voice, "Tell me the truth—did you have any financial ties to the Qianshan project?"
"None. Absolutely none!"
"Really?"
"If I'm lying, I'm a dog!" Li Zaiqiang shouted, the alcohol clearly hitting hard—his voice cracked with intensity.
"I'll drink three with you!"
Qin opened another bottle, pouring heavily into their glasses.
"Don't drink so much—eat more," Tang Chuqiu said with concern.
Qin drank half a bottle in one go. A seasoned drinker, he was soon flushed red but finally picked up his chopsticks to eat.
Once the alcohol started working, the two middle-aged men—shirts off, arms around each other—started belting out songs together, howling with laughter.
"The sun is out, I climb the hill, I reach the top, I want to sing—my voice carried to my girl..."
With the old men's off-tune singing echoing through the house, Li Tang drifted into sleep, not knowing how this old friends' reunion would end.
The next morning, he woke early, took a shower, and surprisingly didn't feel the usual hangover fog.
After breakfast, Li Zaiqiang grabbed the car keys and headed out with Li Tang.
Tang Chuqiu watched her husband and son get into the Prado with a bit of reluctance. "You finally came home. Can't you stay a few more days?"
"I need to check in with the company and see what the next steps are. If I'm staying around, I'll come back home tonight."
Li Tang waved at his mom and got into the passenger seat.
The car was Qin Jianshe's, but since he'd drunk heavily the night before, Li Zaiqiang had cycled him back to the guesthouse.
At breakfast, his mom had mentioned that when his father got home last night, he was covered in mud, with a few field snails in his pockets—who knows how many times he'd rolled through the rice paddies.
"When you're out there alone, safety comes first!"
Driving, Li Zaiqiang glanced sideways at his son. "At work, be observant, work hard. Don't argue with your leaders or colleagues."
Technically, their psychological age difference wasn't all that big.
Li Tang understood what his father meant and nodded obediently. "I get it. You and Mom take care of yourselves too—eat well, enjoy life. Don't worry about saving money for me."
"Your mom and I are doing just fine. Don't worry."
The drive was short, and after a few casual words, they arrived at the guesthouse next to the Geological Bureau.
Hearing the car horn, Qin Jianshe came out in a hurry, smiling brightly. "You two look great! After all that alcohol, it didn't even faze you."
"Must've been good liquor," Li Tang joked.
Li Zaiqiang handed the keys back to Qin, then said with a sigh, "I really didn't expect the Qianshan project to turn out like that. I almost caused a disaster."
"It's behind us now."
After a night of drunken release, Qin Jianshe had come to terms with everything. He now fully believed that a man like Li Zaiqiang wouldn't be involved in something fraudulent. "Honestly, I owe you an apology—I never should've doubted you."
"What are you planning to do with the project?"
"They tried to scam us—we're not letting it slide. I've reported it to the higher-ups. The group headquarters will follow up with the local Land Bureau. There'll be an outcome. It's out of my hands now."
"Are you heading back to Yanjing or staying here a while longer?" Li Zaiqiang asked.
"We'll be here for a while. But we're not staying in Zhucheng—we're heading to North P County. You know we have a gold mine project there, and it's hit a snag. We're not too busy right now, and it's not far, so we'll check it out and see if we can help."
Qin said apologetically, "The Guanling Gold Mine project isn't under my management. If it were, I would've thought of you first—I really trust your prospecting skills. They brought in a private exploration firm from Yanjing, so I can't intervene. Personally, I still think using local geological teams is the best way."
"No worries," Li Zaiqiang said indifferently.
Then Qin glanced at Li Tang, realizing something. "We'll only be in North P for a few days. We'll fly back to Yanjing from Zhucheng afterward. You don't have to come with us. You finally came home—spend a few more days with your parents. This line of work is rough. Once you're out there, you rarely get to return."
Li Zaiqiang was happy to hear that.
Naturally, he wanted his son to stay home a bit longer. Since college, he hadn't gotten much time with him.
"What do you think? Want to go with Director Qin or stay home for a bit?" he asked, respecting Li Tang's choice.
"I just joined the company. I shouldn't act special. I'll go with Director Qin to the gold mine—might learn something."
Li Tang was clear and firm, showing a diligent and eager attitude.
"Good."
Li Zaiqiang supported his son's career focus. Young people needed to keep their heads down and work hard. "Alright, I'm off to work. See you later."
His father, in his ever-present work uniform and Liberation-brand shoes, walked fast and with purpose, a man who'd spent his life diligently working.
Li Tang watched his father's silhouette as it faded into the distance.
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