Chapter 580: A Wild Boar on the Throne Calls Itself King

Chapter 580: Chapter 442: A Wild Boar on the Throne Calls Itself King

As soon as Zhao Jun and Wang Meilan left, the two little girls, Zhao Hong and Zhao Na, went next door to the Li family’s home to play with Li Xiaoqiao.

Meanwhile, Li Dayong came over to the Zhao family’s home, carrying a basin that held two large blocks of tofu.

Once inside Zhao Jun’s home, Li Dayong placed the large basin of tofu on the kitchen stove. Worried it might attract flies, he made sure to cover the basin with a screen lid.

“Big Brother.” Li Dayong entered the east room and said to Zhao Youcai, “I picked up two big blocks of tofu this morning. We can whip up a couple of dishes for lunch and have a drink.”

“Sure!” Zhao Youcai was lounging against a cabinet on the kang, his feet resting on the heated brick bed. Looking thoroughly relaxed, he said to Li Dayong, “There’s tea in the outer room. I just boiled some water, so go ahead and make yourself a cup.”

“You got it.” Li Dayong didn’t stand on ceremony and immediately headed to the outer room to make tea for himself.

But just as he poured the hot water into a large mug, the dogs in both yards suddenly erupted into a frenzy of barking.

Immediately after, a car horn honked. Li Dayong quickly set down the kettle and called out to Zhao Youcai in the inner room.

But by the time the words left his mouth, Zhao Youcai had already appeared in the doorway of the east room.

Leaning on the doorframe, Zhao Youcai lifted his foot and slipped his heel into his shoe. Then he said to Li Dayong, “The Forest Farm must be hosting some guests. They’ve sent a car especially for me.”

With that, Zhao Youcai patted Li Dayong’s arm and said, “Brother, I’m leaving the two little ones in your hands, alright?”

“Of course!” Li Dayong agreed without a second thought. “Don’t worry, Brother.”

Zhao Youcai strode out of the house, shooing the dogs away. When he got to the gate, he saw that besides the driver, two other men were getting out of the car.

When he saw their faces clearly, Zhao Youcai was taken aback. The two men were Liu Jinyong, head of the security team, and Hong Yuntao, the deputy head.

Zhao Youcai frowned. ‘Something’s not right,’ he thought. ‘If the Forest Farm was hosting guests, the person coming to get me should be a secretary to one of the directors. It makes no sense for the security team to be here.’

“Master Zhao!” Liu Jinyong greeted him from outside the gate. “Watch your dogs, please.”

As he spoke, Liu Jinyong looked at Cyan Dragon, who was standing up on its hind legs like a man, with its front paws on the wicker fence. He felt that although the dog wasn’t large, its eyes held a fierce light.

“They’re fine. Come on in.”

Zhao Youcai stood aside at the gate, ushering Liu Jinyong and Hong Yuntao into the courtyard and toward the house.

Hong Yuntao seemed to know Zhao Youcai better than Liu Jinyong did. As they walked from the gate to the house, he looked at the seven hunting dogs of all sizes in the Zhao Family Courtyard and grinned at Zhao Youcai. “Elder Zhao, you already have this many dogs. Why do you still want to buy that one from me?”

A few days ago, Zhao Youcai had “borrowed” money from Zhao Jun, claiming he wanted to buy a dog belonging to Hong the Second of the security team. The “Hong the Second” he was referring to was none other than Hong Yuntao.

“Just for fun,” Zhao Youcai replied casually. He couldn’t exactly say he was planning on splitting his household from his son’s, so he simply ushered the two men into the house.

When the three of them were inside, Liu Jinyong and Hong Yuntao were not surprised to see Li Dayong there. Everyone at the Forest Farm knew that Zhao Youcai and Li Dayong were closer than actual brothers.

Zhao Youcai led the two men into the inner room to sit on the kang. Li Dayong followed with two mugs of hot tea, handing one to Liu Jinyong and the other to Hong Yuntao.

After Liu Jinyong and Hong Yuntao thanked Li Dayong, Liu Jinyong’s eyes swept around the room before quickly returning to Zhao Youcai. “Your wife isn’t home?” he asked.

“No.” Zhao Youcai pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. With his right hand, he expertly slid out two cigarettes at once, flicked them apart with his thumb, and handed one to Liu Jinyong and the other to Hong Yuntao.

After the two men accepted, Zhao Youcai took another cigarette for himself and put it to his lips. Then, he tossed the pack to Li Dayong, who sat across from him.

All four men were heavy smokers. After taking the cigarettes, Liu Jinyong and Hong Yuntao each pulled out a box of matches, struck one, and lit up. Then, Liu Jinyong cupped a hand around the flame and held the still-burning match out for Zhao Youcai.

Meanwhile, Hong Yuntao helped Li Dayong light his cigarette.

The four men all took a deep drag from their cigarettes, then exhaled clouds of smoke in unison.

Liu Jinyong pinched the cigarette in his right hand, bringing the filter to his lips. He took a drag, his brow creasing slightly as a corner of his mouth twitched. “Master Zhao,” he said, “where’s your son?”

Zhao Youcai exhaled a plume of smoke and answered, “He took his mother to Lingnan. Said they had to buy some things.”

“Ah…” Hearing this, Liu Jinyong exchanged a look with Hong Yuntao. Hong Yuntao then asked, “Elder Zhao, when did your son leave? And when will he be back?”

“Hm?” Zhao Youcai faltered. He rested the hand holding his cigarette on the low kang table and scanned the two men. “You have business with him?”

“Yeah.” Liu Jinyong flicked his ash into a half-cut can serving as an ashtray on the table. “The Forest Farm has some business with him.”

“What happened to my son?” Zhao Youcai’s eyes shot wide as he stared at Liu Jinyong. “Did he do something wrong?”

“No, no.” Seeing that Zhao Youcai had jumped to the wrong conclusion, Liu Jinyong quickly waved his hands. “It’s not like that, Master Zhao. Don’t get worked up. Let me explain.”

“Alright.” Hearing that Zhao Jun wasn’t in trouble, Zhao Youcai breathed a sigh of relief. He flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, “Go on, I’m listening.”

Liu Jinyong took a drag from his cigarette. “It was… on the 9th, right?” he said, looking over at Hong Yuntao.

“That’s right!” Hong Yuntao confirmed. “The 9th. It was a Wednesday.”

“Right.” Liu Jinyong nodded, then turned back to Zhao Youcai. “That day at the New Logging Camp, you remember that trapper who was gored to death by a Big Cannon Egg?”