The dinner was plentiful but not exactly delicious; Xia Lei ate happily. Zhou Xiao-Hong’s parents were simple farmers and Xia Lei felt like he had returned to the times at the construction site with their talk about rice, oil and salt; it was a warm dinner table. 

Cherishing the past enabled one to cherish the present. He was not the sort who would think highly of himself now that he had gained some power. 

After dinner, Xia Lei and Zhou Xiao-Hong discussed what they would do tomorrow when going to the government office to talk about investing in the factory. The discussion stretched for two to three hours and Zhou Xiao-Hong left the room, citing the late hour. Xia Lei removed his clothing and lay on the bed but he could not get to sleep. 

‘What does Gu Ding-Shan stand to gain from personally killing off my small company? He’s already a billionaire - He wouldn’t care about the money even if I sell the company to the Gu clan. Was it because I ruined Gu Ke-Wu’s chances with Shentu Tian-Yin and humiliated his daughter? People of his calibre are not likely to seek revenge for the smallest grievances,...