When Xu Baoshan stepped out of the room, he saw Zhao Jun and Zhang Xuefeng huddled in a corner, whispering to each other.
Hearing the door open, the two looked over. Xu Baoshan beckoned, and they hurried toward him.
When Zhao Jun got closer, Xu Baoshan held up a finger and said, "It’s settled!"
Zhao Jun smiled, but Xu Baoshan pushed back Zhang Xuefeng, who was trying to lean in. "You wait here!"
Zhang Xuefeng: "..."
Xu Baoshan led Zhao Jun into the office. Zhao Jun pulled a long face, his features impassive. He held his head slightly high, affecting an air of defiant indignation that he was clearly trying to suppress.
"Farm Director Dou, this is Zhao Jun!" When Xu Baoshan introduced him to Dou Baoguo, he gestured back at Zhao Jun, but seeing the young man’s expression, he was taken aback. ’This Xiaogudong can really act,’ he thought.
"Ah, so you’re Zhao Jun." Dou Baoguo sized up Zhao Jun and said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, "So young. How nice."
HMPH! Zhao Jun made a noncommittal sound. Standing before the desk, he craned his neck to stare at the wall behind Dou Baoguo.
Seeing this attitude, Dou Baoguo felt not anger but delight. He said to Zhao Jun, "Your inspection team’s performance hasn’t been up to snuff lately. I’ve discussed it with your team leader, and we’re planning to send you over to the New Logging Camp."
The moment Dou Baoguo finished speaking, Zhao Jun retorted defiantly, "It’s not our team’s fault! Those crooks are running wild! They even dared to attack an inspector..."
"Hey! Hey!" Dou Baoguo interrupted, pointing a finger at Zhao Jun. "Watch your mouth, kid! What’s with the attitude? What’s so great about you inspectors? You think you’re hot stuff? You’re the ones who mismeasure the timber, shorting the loggers on their hard-earned money. Of course they’re going to get mad!"
"I..."
Zhao Jun was about to retort when Xu Baoshan slapped him on the arm and hissed, "What do you think you’re doing? Are you throwing a tantrum at Farm Director Dou? Have you lost your mind?"
"Hmph!" Zhao Jun shot his eyes to the side, turned his face away, and looked at neither Dou Baoguo nor Xu Baoshan.
"Outrageous!" Xu Baoshan snapped at the back of Zhao Jun’s head, then turned to the furious-looking Dou Baoguo with an apologetic smile. "Farm Director Dou, he’s young and doesn’t know any better. You’re a bigger man than that, please don’t lower yourself to his level."
Dou Baoguo was inwardly delighted, but he had to maintain a furious facade. He reprimanded Xu Baoshan, "What kind of temper do all you inspectors have? With an attitude like this, how is he supposed to manage down at the logging camp?"
Xu Baoshan immediately took the cue. "In that case, I won’t send him. I’ll pick a couple of other guys."
"Huh?" Dou Baoguo hadn’t expected Xu Baoshan to say that. He immediately wondered if he’d overplayed his hand. If Zhao Jun didn’t go, it would be a real problem.
So, Dou Baoguo’s expression softened. "No need to switch him out. He’s the one who’s going. Young people need to be tempered. This constant defiance and indignation... it’s just not acceptable."
As he spoke, Dou Baoguo jabbed a finger forcefully at Zhao Jun. "He’s the one going! No one else will do!"
"Well... alright then." Xu Baoshan feigned reluctance and agreed. Then he said to Dou Baoguo, "Farm Director Dou, please calm down. I’ll take him away for now. I’ll personally escort him to the New Logging Camp first thing tomorrow morning."
"Hmph! Fine," Dou Baoguo grunted curtly, then waved his hand, dismissing them.
Xu Baoshan nodded at Dou Baoguo, then turned and gave Zhao Jun’s arm a light push. In a low but harsh voice, he said, "Let’s go! You do nothing but cause trouble for me!"
Zhao Jun jerked his head around, strode to the door, yanked it open, and left. Xu Baoshan gave Dou Baoguo another quick nod before hurrying after Zhao Jun.
As the two were leaving, Dou Baoguo gestured to Li Chaoyun. Li Chaoyun followed Xu Baoshan out the door, not to see them off, but to watch as Xu Baoshan led Zhao Jun and Zhang Xuefeng down the corridor toward the stairs.
Only when he heard their footsteps descending the stairs did Li Chaoyun return to the office and nod at Dou Baoguo.
A cold sneer appeared on Dou Baoguo’s face. He picked up the cigarette pack he had tossed on the table, pulled one out, and placed it between his lips.
Seeing this, Li Chaoyun quickly fumbled in his pocket, walked over, and struck a match to light Dou Baoguo’s cigarette.
Dou Baoguo took a drag from his cigarette and looked at Li Chaoyun. "Xiaoli," he asked, "what do you think of this Zhao Jun?"
"A total blockhead!" Li Chaoyun laughed. "With a brother-in-law like him, let’s see if Zhou Jianjun can avoid getting dragged into this."
"Heh heh." Dou Baoguo leaned back in his chair, taking a satisfied drag from his cigarette. Suddenly, he sat up straight and said to Li Chaoyun, "Hurry up and make a trip to the New Logging Camp. Tell my brother that Zhao Jun is coming tomorrow, and have him get things ready."
"Right!" Li Chaoyun agreed, then made a request. "Director, could you have the driver take me? The New Logging Camp is pretty far, and it’s all mountain roads..."
"What are you thinking?" Dou Baoguo said irritably. "That’s the car the Farm assigned to *me*. What would it look like if you’re just taking it to run all over the place? We’re outsiders here. With these locals, we have to be careful about appearances. Otherwise, how are we supposed to get a handle on them?"
"I understand, Director." Hearing this, Li Chaoyun hunched over slightly and asked, "So... I should walk?"
Li Chaoyun had grown up in the countryside, but his hometown wasn’t near any mountain forests, so he had never set foot in the mountains in his life. Later, he moved to the city with his parents and stopped farming altogether.
After graduating from middle school, Li Chaoyun had been working In the Town. At the beginning of this year, he used his family connections to get transferred to Dou Baoguo’s side. He then accompanied Dou Baoguo to his new post at the Yong’an Forest Farm.
Before this, Li Chaoyun had never been in the mountains.
After arriving at the Yong’an Forest Farm, Li Chaoyun spent most of his time with Dou Baoguo, usually hitching a ride in his car to and from work.
But ever since the New Logging Camp started operations, Dou Baoguo had repeatedly sent Li Chaoyun to deliver messages there for him.
Delivering messages was one thing, but the problem was that every time, Dou Baoguo made Li Chaoyun go on foot.
Everyone knew that walking on mountain paths was much more tiring than walking on flat ground.
Whenever Li Chaoyun walked the mountain paths, he found them rugged, difficult, and utterly exhausting. On top of that, there were wild beasts in the mountains, which was what he feared most.
...
Outside the Forest Farm’s office building, Zhao Jun and Zhang Xuefeng walked side-by-side. Zhao Jun asked, "We’re going to the New Logging Camp tomorrow. Are you scared?"
"Scared my ass!" Zhang Xuefeng said, rolling up his sleeves. "I’ve been wanting to beat the crap out of them for ages!"
"You two, wait for me a second!" Xu Baoshan, walking behind them, called out. He looked at Zhang Xuefeng and said, "Once you get to the New Logging Camp, you listen to Zhao Jun, no matter what happens!"
Facing Xu Baoshan, Zhang Xuefeng wasn’t nearly as reckless. He grinned and said, "Yeah, Brother Xu, I got it!"
Xu Baoshan nodded, then said to the two of them, "Don’t bother going back to the team office. Just go home and pack your things. Come back tomorrow morning to get your tools, and I’ll take you there."
"Alright!" Zhang Xuefeng agreed. But seeing that neither Zhao Jun nor Xu Baoshan was moving, he added, "Brother Xu, Zhao Jun, I’m not heading your way, so I’ll head off first."
"Go on," Xu Baoshan waved him off, then pulled Zhao Jun under a large willow tree nearby. "You need to be careful tomorrow," he said.
Zhao Jun asked, "Why? What’s up?"
Xu Baoshan glanced left and right before saying, "When I went in earlier, that guy Dou was the one who brought you up first."
As he spoke, Xu Baoshan raised a hand and tapped Zhao Jun on the chest with his index finger. "From the look of it, even if we hadn’t come looking for him today, he would’ve picked you by name to go."
"Oh!" Zhao Jun understood immediately. He grinned. "So they’re trying to set a trap for me!"
"Exactly." Xu Baoshan nodded twice. "He’s setting a trap for you, and you’re setting one for him. Who knows if you’re walking into his line of fire, or if he’s walking into yours."
"Heh heh." Zhao Jun laughed dismissively. "Doesn’t matter who runs into whom. After all, my Spear Technique is good!"
At this, Zhao Jun added, "Besides, when it comes to setting traps, I’m way better at it than he is!"