Walking with the Villain, Lou Xiao'e's Alternative Love

The weather was fine on November 11th.

Wuuwuwu... bang bang bang...

Lu Bin, head of the third purchasing department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, Liu Dalong, deputy head of the security department, and Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e, a group of four, boarded the green train to F City, L Province in Northeast China.

There were no direct trains at that time, so one had to transfer in the provincial capital. It took almost a whole day and a night to reach City F after a long and arduous journey.

Several people got off the train with large and small bags, and there were many people waiting to pick them up or see them off at the platform.

Chief Lu, as the leader of this mission, had already told several people on the train that Deputy Director Li had contacted local friends to pick them up.

A man in his thirties in the crowd held up a cardboard sign that read: "Welcome comrades from the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill to F."

"Over there." Lu Bin shouted and motioned everyone to walk towards the man together.

Xu Damao and Liu Dalong were tactful enough to take Lu Bin's bag respectively.

"Hello, we are comrades from the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill." Lu Bin said as he stretched out his hand to shake hands with the comrades who came to meet him at the station.

"Hello, leaders. I'm Li Cheng. Section Chief Hu sent me to pick you up."

After a brief greeting, Li Cheng led the way out of the train station.

Wow! Wow! Most of the vehicles parked in front of the station are donkey carts, ox carts, horse carts, and human-powered carts.

A small tractor was the only motor vehicle left.

"Leaders, I will take you to the guesthouse first. You can take a rest first. Our Chief Hu will welcome you later." Li Cheng said as he walked towards the tractor.

Several people got on the tractor and bumped all the way to the guesthouse. The guesthouse was clean and tidy. Lu Bin and his friends booked two rooms, one for Lu Bin and Liu Dalong, and one for Xu Damao and his wife. They took the keys and went back to their rooms.

In the evening, Section Chief Hu came to the guesthouse and invited several people to dinner. Everyone followed Section Chief Hu to a small restaurant and ordered eight dishes and two bottles of white wine.

During the meal, Section Chief Hu warmly invited everyone to eat and drink.

Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, Lu Bin directly explained the purpose of this trip to Section Chief Hu, hoping to purchase a batch of high-quality coal for the factory's production.

After listening to this, Section Chief Hu nodded and said, "Section Chief Lu, I have already told Deputy Director Li about this matter on the phone. Although I work in the Mining Bureau, you also know that materials are tight everywhere now, and those who steal holes through curved doors are looking for connections! If your demand is not large, I can still help to make up for it, but your demand is too large. Not to mention me, even our director dare not agree!"

"Chief Hu, we know that this is a difficult matter, but there is no other way. Please help me think of a solution. Before we came, our leader gave a death order. If it cannot be done, we will not have to go back." Lu Bin said with a wry smile.

"It's not that I don't want to help, I just can't do anything! You guys from the big factory are really brave. You came here in a hurry for such a shaky situation. Alas! Deputy Director Li didn't listen to my advice and insisted on sending you." When Lu Bin heard what Section Chief Hu said, his face became serious. He knew that this mission was indeed difficult, but he didn't want to return empty-handed.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to try again, "Chief Hu, how about this? Our factory can pay first, and as long as you can help us get connected, we will definitely reward you handsomely."

Section Chief Hu shook his head. "Section Chief Lu, this is not a matter of money. Coal is in short supply now, and people are scrambling for it everywhere. I really have no choice."

Lu Bin sighed helplessly, "Is there no other way? We can't just go back like this."

At this time, Xu Damao, who had been silent all the time, suddenly spoke up: "Chief Hu, I have an idea. Didn't you say that the director couldn't do anything? Then why don't we just go directly to the mine manager, maybe he can help."

Lu Bin's eyes lit up, thinking this was a feasible solution. "Xu Damao, your idea is good. But I'm afraid it's not easy to meet the mine manager."

Section Chief Hu thought for a moment and said, "I can try to help you contact the mine manager, but I can't guarantee success."

"Okay, okay. I'll leave it to you then." Lu Bin said gratefully.

Xu Damao took advantage of the time when the others were chatting to pay the bill.

Section Chief Hu sent the group back to the guesthouse and said, "I agreed to host a welcome party for you, but I ended up making you pay for it. I'm really sorry."

"Chief Hu, you are too polite. This is what I should do." Xu Damao replied with a smile.

"Then I'll leave first. I'll inform you when there's news." Section Chief Hu said and left.

Lu Bin and his companions returned to the room, feeling very heavy-hearted.

"Da Mao, do you think the mine manager will meet us?" Lu Bin asked.

"How do you know if you don't try? We have no other choice anyway," Xu Damao replied.

Several people returned to their rooms, each with their own thoughts.

"Wife, why did you have to come with me? Look at this place, it's not as comfortable as being at home!"

In fact, Lou Xiao'e also regretted it. She was indeed careless. Thinking that she had been here in her previous life, she followed here eagerly. But she ignored the fact that with the development of the times, there will be earth-shaking changes in every city.

But now that I'm here, I can't go back halfway.

"Oh my! It's a rare opportunity for me to go on a long journey. Besides, if you don't come, I won't come even if you kill me."

Xu Damao was a little excited when he heard his wife say this. "Wife, I've been taking this medicine for such a long time, I think it's almost all gone. How about tonight we..."

"Go away...what are you doing out here all day? You're thinking about useless things."

"This matter cannot be accomplished in a day or two, and it will take some time." Xu Damao hugged his wife while speaking.

"Then we can't let Chief Lu do it alone!" Lou Xiao'e pinched Xu Damao and said.

"Don't worry about it, my dear. We three grown men are here, so you can put your mind at ease."

The next day, after breakfast, they did not dare to go out, fearing that Chief Hu would not be able to find them if he got any news.

Waiting for people or for news is the most torturous. There is no entertainment, just waiting.

It was almost noon when they finally received a call from Section Chief Hu, asking them to go to Xishan Hotel to meet him. Section Chief Hu invited the deputy mine manager of Haizhou Mine to have lunch together.

When they heard this, they were very excited, thinking that this was possible.

By the time we found Section Chief Hu at Xishan Hotel, the deputy mine manager had not arrived yet.

After they sat down in the private room, Section Chief Hu said, "Section Chief Lu! The Deputy Mine Manager Wang I invited today is in charge of sales. He is a relative of mine, but let's make it clear that you guys should discuss this matter yourselves. I can't help you with anything else."

"Thank you, Chief Hu. You still have to say a few good words for us!"

The door of the private room was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in his forties came in, with a shiny slicked-back hair and a pair of small eyes that seemed like they couldn't open.

"Nephew, why are you calling me over in such a hurry? I still have a lot of things to do." said the man.

Everyone stood up, and Section Chief Hu said hurriedly, "Third uncle, please stop talking nonsense. What else can you do in the middle of the day except drinking? It doesn't matter where you drink. I have some important friends here, let me introduce them to you."

After some introductions, the waiter started serving the dishes.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Deputy Mine Manager Wang spoke up, "Are you guys looking to buy coal?"

Seeing that Deputy Mine Manager Wang had brought it up himself, Lu Bin naturally followed up, "Everyone knows that our open-pit mine is the largest in Asia, so I came here to ask for your help."

"Captain Lu, we've already eaten and drunk, so let's be frank. My nephew didn't explain it to me clearly on the phone, otherwise I wouldn't dare to come even if I had to drink cold water at home.

I'll tell you the truth! I have coal, but I can't help you. If you really need 10 or 20 tons, don't even think about selling it to me. As long as my nephew asks, I'll give it to you. But I don't have the right to approve the amount you need. Only the mine manager can do this.

Our leader is a stubborn person who insists on rules and regulations in everything, but everything depends on human effort. I can only wish you good luck. "After saying this, Deputy Mine Director Wang pushed the cigarettes, alcohol and an envelope that Xu Damao had bought during the dinner in front of Chief Lu.

"Please stay, I will leave first."

Several people stood up and wanted to see him off, but were stopped in the private room by Deputy Mine Director Wang.

Section Chief Hu apologized and briefly explained the mine manager's situation before leaving.

When they went to the front desk to pay the bill, they found out that Deputy Mine Manager Wang had already paid the bill. Several people couldn't help but sigh: "This guy really insists on not accepting rewards without merit!"