Living like a widow? My rough neighbor is coaxing me to have a baby every night.

Chapter 197 I Want to Give You Glycerin

After seeing Xu Yuecheng off, Qin Rushan resealed the box, carefully checking every nail to make sure there was no clue from the outside before locking the warehouse door.

He dusted himself off and strode towards the office at the front.

As soon as I entered the office, I saw a tall figure in an olive green uniform sitting on the peeling paint on the three-seater sofa.

The man was holding an enamel teacup, sitting with his legs crossed like an old man.

It is Wei Donghai.

"Captain Wei?"

Qin Rushan pushed open the door and entered, a smile on his face. "Did the wind blow you here? Aren't you busy catching thieves today? You have time to come to my little temple for tea?"

Hearing the commotion, Wei Donghai put down his teacup, glanced at Qin Rushan, and said with a hint of mockery on his dark red square face, "You little rascal, you made such a fuss, how could I not come? Three Liberation trucks parading through the city, the cargo beds packed so tightly, anyone who didn't know better would think you brought back a truckload of gold bars."

"No way, I'm just helping my fellow villagers sell some melons and picking up some local specialties along the way."

Qin Rushan chuckled, took out an unopened pack of "Chunghwa" cigarettes from the drawer, opened it, and handed one over, "Try it, it's a good cigarette from the provincial capital."

Wei Donghai took the cigarette, smelled it under his nose, but didn't light it: "Alright, don't try to fool me. As long as it's not illegal, I don't care what's in your car. I know the current policies. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. As long as you don't go too far, I can turn a blind eye."

That's what friendship is all about.

In this society where personal connections matter, having a brother in uniform can save you 80% of the trouble.

"That's right." Qin Rushan lit a cigarette for himself. "When have I, Qin Rushan, ever made things difficult for Captain Wei?"

"You haven't made things difficult for me, but there are plenty of people who don't want you to have an easy time."

Wei Donghai tucked the cigarette behind his ear, leaned forward, and said in a more serious tone, "I reckon you just got back today and there are some things you're still unaware of."

Qin Rushan's heart skipped a beat. He remembered what Xiao Lan had said last night, and his eyes narrowed. "What? Someone's trying to sabotage you?"

"It's not just putting eye drops on you, it's practically giving you an enema."

Wei Donghai snorted coldly, "Yesterday afternoon, your awful mother-in-law, what's her name again? Niu Guihua? She led her stupid son and stormed straight into the police station."

Despite being mentally prepared, hearing it from Wei Donghai's mouth still ignited Qin Rushan's anger like a rocket.

"What's she doing at the police station?" Qin Rushan's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out between clenched teeth. "Is she really going to report me for speculation and profiteering?"

"Of course."

Wei Donghai shrugged, looking speechless. "He was crying his eyes out, saying that you, Qin Rushan, were undermining socialism, that your truck was full of illicit goods, and your house was piled high with dubious banknotes. He even demanded that we, as family members, be arrested and paraded through the streets."

"Damn it!" Qin Rushan slammed his fist on the desk, making the teacups on it jump. "That old hag, she's really asking for it!"

He never imagined that Niu Guihua could be so vicious.

This is going to destroy him! Once the charge of "speculation and profiteering" is proven, not only will his property be confiscated, but he will also have to go to jail. What will happen to Li Xianglian then?

"Alright, alright, stop banging on the table. That table belongs to the government; you'll have to pay for it if you break it."

Wei Donghai waved his hand, signaling him to calm down, "I've already sent him away."

"The moment I saw it was her, I knew she was up to no good."

Wei Donghai revealed a sly look. "I recited the crime of false accusation in the Criminal Law to her. I told her that if it turns out that the case is not true, or if she, as a relative, knew about it but did not report it, she would be guilty of the same crime, and her whole family would have to go to the Northwest to plant trees."

"You didn't see the expressions on that mother and daughter's faces at the time."

Wei Donghai chuckled and shrank back like Niu Guihua, "He was so scared that his face turned green, and he ran away as fast as he could, saying that he would never dare to step into the gate of the police station again in his life."

After hearing this, Qin Rushan's anger subsided slightly, replaced by gratitude towards Wei Donghai.

"Thanks, Lao Wei."

Qin Rushan said in a deep voice, "I, Qin Rushan, will remember this favor. If you ever need my help in the future, just let me know."

Although he has nothing to hide and this batch of goods was also operating on the fringes of legality, he can still manage to evade investigation if it comes to a real investigation.

But if it weren't for Wei Donghai's connection, being stabbed in the back by such a relative would be a terrible blow, if not fatal. It's disgusting enough to make anyone sick.

Don't give me that.

Wei Donghai waved his hand, "I'm just enforcing the law impartially. Those troublemakers need to be scared with the big stick of the law. But Lao Qin, I have to remind you of something."

Wei Donghai's smile faded: "As your business grows bigger and bigger, more and more people will be envious. This Niu Guihua is an uncultured shrew; she's easy to deal with."

But if you encounter a ruthless competitor or someone knowledgeable about policies who talks behind your back, you'll have to clean up their mess.

"Although you can now get a business license for individual businesses, the nature of your business of transporting and selling goods is still unclear."

I'll try to get you a proper affiliation certificate, or you could just take advantage of this opportunity and get a "sole business owner" license from the Industry and Commerce Bureau, putting the business out in the open.

Qin Rushan nodded and took a deep drag on his cigarette: "I've been thinking about this too. This time when I came back, I planned to have Xianglian get the license. We don't steal or rob; we earn money through our own abilities, so we have to earn it with our own dignity and leave those envious people speechless."

"Should I have your wife handle it?"

Wei Donghai almost spat out the mouthful of tea he had just taken a sip of. He put down the chipped enamel mug and stared at Qin Rushan with wide eyes, as if he were looking at something rare.

"Old Qin, are you running a fever?"

Wei Donghai reached out to touch Qin Rushan's forehead. "This is no small matter. Although the business license has been liberalized now, it's a matter of putting your life and fortune on it. You're the breadwinner of the family and an expert in transportation. Why would you put your seemingly delicate wife's name on the 'household head' list instead of yours?"

In Wei Donghai's view, although Li Xianglian was beautiful, she was just a parasitic vine that depended on men.

She was as soft-hearted as dough, and was so intimidated by him in uniform that she dared not speak loudly.

Are you suggesting she deal with the people at the Industry and Commerce Bureau? Are you suggesting she show her face on the street as a "self-employed individual"?

Qin Rushan stubbed out his cigarette butt in the ashtray made from a discarded bearing, then ground it into the ashtray with a nonchalant expression on his face.

"What? You look down on women?"

Qin Rushan snorted, leaning back so his muscular physique made the chair creak. "The Chairman said that women hold up half the sky. My Xianglian used to be suppressed by those bloodsuckers from the Zhao family, with no room to show her abilities. You've seen it these past few days, though. To protect me, she dared to stand up to Niu Guihua. Her tenacity is second to none."

"Besides," Qin Rushan paused, his eyes becoming somewhat profound, "I'm constantly on the road driving, risking my life, and I could be delayed on the road any day. Having the license in her name and the shop in her hands gives her peace of mind."

Wei Donghai clicked his tongue in amazement.

These days, men are the pillars of the family.

This is like in feudal times when the seal of the household was directly handed over to the daughter-in-law, a kind of absolute power where there was no mother-in-law to keep things in check and the man didn't manage the accounts.

Aren't you afraid...?

Wei Donghai lowered his voice and tapped his fingers on the table. "Once you hand over this money bag, you won't have the same confidence at home anymore? A man without money in his hands will have a weak backbone."

"So be it."

Qin Rushan grinned, a silly grin, like the village idiot.

He pulled a match from his pocket, lit another cigarette, and said slowly, "Old Wei, tell me, what are we men doing out there, braving wind and rain, scheming against each other, all for?"

Wei Donghai was taken aback: "For what? To support my family, of course."

"Yes, to support the family."

Qin Rushan flicked his cigarette ash. "Isn't the point of making money to spend on your wife? With the money in her pocket, she can buy whatever she wants without having to worry about anyone or ask for money. She feels at ease, and that's when she can smile."

"As long as she's happy, what does it matter if I'm a little weak-willed?"

Qin Rushan recalled the way Li Xianglian's eyes lit up when she was counting money last night, and the look of emotion in her eyes when she put on the gold ring. The sense of satisfaction in his heart was even stronger than if he had drunk a lot of wine.

"Besides, if I, Qin Rushan, can't even trust my own daughter-in-law, then I might as well give up my life."

Qin Rushan stood up, straightened his collar, and said, "Once this license is issued, it's a legitimate business. If anyone dares to slap that 'speculation and profiteering' label on me again, I'll have Xianglian take the license and throw this bright red book in their face!"

Looking at the tough guy in front of him, who was once decisive on the battlefield and famous on the transportation line, Wei Donghai's eyes and brows were full of undisguised tenderness when he talked about his wife.

He shook his head helplessly, pointed at Qin Rushan, and laughed and cursed, "Fine, fine, I'm really impressed!"

"How come I never realized you, Qin Rushan, were such a top-tier romantic!"

"If this happened in ancient times, you'd be considered a foolish ruler who lit the beacon fires to amuse his concubine!"

Wei Donghai picked up his teacup, using it as a substitute for wine, and raised it to Qin Rushan. "Alright, since you've made up your mind, let's do it this way. I have connections at the Industry and Commerce Bureau. I'll put in a good word for you later. As long as the paperwork is complete, the license should be ready in two or three days."

"Thanks." Qin Rushan didn't stand on ceremony; this "thank you" carried great weight.

"but,"

Wei Donghai then changed the subject, "This license is easy to obtain. What do you plan to fill in for the business scope? You can't exactly write 'buying and selling,' can you?"

Qin Rushan had obviously thought about this matter long ago.

He walked to the window and looked out at the few Liberation trucks covered in yellow dust in the transport team's courtyard.

That was his old partner, and also his cash cow.

"Just fill in 'retail of daily necessities'."

Qin Rushan turned around. "Xianglian is making hair ties with Xiaolan now; those are handicrafts. The electronic watches and calculators I brought back are high-tech products for 'enriching the cultural life of the people.' If the policies become more lenient in the future, I'll set up a shop for her and bring this business from the underground to the open."