Power and Wealth

Night.

8 pm.

Wang Fu Hotel. Dong Xuebing’s standard room. Chen Xuekai grabbed his shoulders and looked at him.

“Please…. For our country and Xiao Zhong.”

“Alright. I will consider it.”

“I will wait in the hotel lobby. Come when you have decided.”

“Please don’t. It’s late, Professor Chen. You should go back and rest.”

“I am worried for Xiao Zhong and cannot rest even if I am home. Please consider. I will wait for you.”

Chen Xuekai turned and walked towards the door. Dong Xuebing quickly helped him out the door and thought to himself. You said you are not forcing me…. How is this not forcing me?!

For our country…. This sentence pressured Dong Xuebing.

Nothing else is more important than the country.

Dong Xuebing returned to his room and opened the windows. He lit a cigarette and thought hard about it.

A cigarette….

Two cigarettes….

Three cigarettes….

He thought about Han Jing’s sobbing.

He thought about Zhong Lihen’s situation.

He thought about the old scientist bowing to him.

Dong Xuebing sighed and snubbed the cigarette. He hit his forehead and massaged his temples.

F**k it!

Dong Xuebing took a deep breath. He decided and went to the hotel lobby.

Ground floor.

Hotel Lobby.

It is late, and there are not many people in the lobby.

Dong Xuebing entered the lobby and saw Chen Xuekai and two middle-aged men waiting on the sofa. Those two men seemed to be with Chen Xuekai, and they looked like they were his students.

“Xuebing?” Chen Xuekai saw Dong Xuebing.

The two men turned towards Dong Xuebing and looked at him from head to toe. They were puzzled. Can this young man save Li Zhen?! He is too young.

“Professor Chen.” Dong Xuebing walked over.

Chen Xuekai stood up with the help of his two students. “Have you considered?”

“Yes.” Dong Xuebing calmly replied. “I’m sorry, Professor Chen. I am not going.”

Chen Xuekai’s face changed. “Have you considered this?! Xiao Zhong is your wife’s Aunt! How can you allow her to suffer in the US?!” This old man seemed to be close with the Xie family.

Dong Xuebing replied apologetically. “I’m sorry. This is beyond my abilities.”

The middle-aged man shouted. “This is for our country! Even if you are not concerned for Lizhen, you must do it for our country! Do you know what her research is about?!”

Dong Xuebing looked at that man and said. “I know my capabilities well, and it’s useless even if I go. That’s why I don’t want to get killed.”

That student shouted at Dong Xuebing. “Narrow-minded! That technology is….”

The other man pushed him lightly. “Stop!”

That student shut up and stared at Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing slowly replied. “Professor Chen, you all might have heard some rumors about me. Those rumors are exaggerated, and I am not as good as they claim. I know what I can do, and my wife is due soon. I cannot risk my life overseas. You can scold me selfishly, and I don’t care. I cannot help you all. Sorry.”

“You….” That man was about to say something when Chen Xuekai raised his hand to stop him.

Chen Xuekai said. “Never mind…. Let’s go.”

That middle-aged man should be close to Zhong Lizhen. He said. “But Lizhen….”

Chen Xuekai interrupted. “Xiao Dong might not save her even if he went. Let’s think of another solution.”

That man sighed and followed Chen Xuekai.

Outside of the hotel.

That man grumbled. “That Xiao Dong does not look like someone capable. He is timid and is not fit to be Chinese!”

Chen Xuekai frowned. “To each his own. We should not force him.”

The other man added. “Lizhen will not be saved even if he goes.”

Chen Xuekai nodded. “This is a life or death situation, and no one dares to say they can save Lizhen. I did not harbor any hopes when I looked for him.”

……

Chen Xuekai and his students left.

Dong Xuebing stood outside the hotel lobby, looking at them leave. He shook his head and walked back to his room.

Inside the elevator.

Ring… ring… ring…. Dong Xuebing’s phone rang.

Dong Xuebing saw it was Han Jing, and he quickly answered it. “Hello, Mum.”

Han Jing said. “Xuebing, where are you now?”

“I am at my hotel. Wang Fu hotel. Didn’t I tell you earlier?”

“I heard Chen Xuekai, Professor Chen, had looked for you.”

“Huh? Yes. He came with two students, and they just left.”

“Professor Chen is our family’s old friend, and Lizhen is his student. He worries for her and doesn’t want her research to fall into those foreigners’ hands.”

“Yes. I know. Professor Chen had told me about it.”

“They must have heard something and gone to ask you to save her. Right?”

“Err…. Yes.”

“What did you say?”

“What else can I say? I am not going, and Huilan….”

“Ok. I do not allow you to go as it is too dangerous. I don’t want you to take the risk.” Han Jing replied. “Huilan will turn our house upside down if you go.”

“But Professor Chen….”

“It’s fine. I will speak to him, and they will not look for you again.”

“Thanks, Mum.” Dong Xuebing paused for a second and said. “Oh, I forgot to bring my phone’s charger, which is dying. I might not be able to answer any calls these few days.”

“Do you want me to get a phone charger for you?”

“No need. I will borrow a charger from one of the telcos.”

Dong Xuebing ended the call when he reached his floor.

He called Xie Huilan on his way to his room. “Hello, Huilan. It’s me.”

Xie Huilan giggled. “Where are you? Are you at your hotel?”

“Yes. I am going to sleep.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I called to tell you that my Second Uncle is furious. Don’t talk to him like this. He did not force me to do anything.”

“I know. I am only warning them. Haha….”

“You…. It’s so tiring to pacify them.”

“Haha…. Is that it?”

“My phone is dying, and I did not bring my charger. I will find a place to charge my phone tomorrow, and I might be off my phone.”

“Ok. The hotel should have phone chargers.”

“Alright. My phone might die anytime. Bye.”

Dong Xuebing sat in the resting area and made a few calls. He called his mum, Aunt Xuan, and the rest to tell them his phone was dying and might be uncontactable for the next two days. He looked at his phone after all the calls. His phone is left with 50% battery life, and he sighed. He got up from the resting area along the corridor and walked toward his room.

The elevator door opened.

“Eh, Mayor Dong?” Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei were back.

Dong Xuebing turned. “Chief Yan, Chief Chen.”

Yan Yizhi smiled. “Did you just return?”

Dong Xuebing nodded. “Oh, I got something to tell you all. Come to my room for a while.”

“Alright.” Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei followed Dong Xuebing to his room.

……

Dong Xuebing’s room.

Dong Xuebing looked at them. “I might be going away tomorrow and will not stay here. I don’t know when I will return, and my phone battery is empty. I might be uncontactable.”

Yan Yizhi was puzzled. “You are….”

“I am just going away for a few days.” Dong Xuebing said. “Just say I am visiting a friend if anyone asked. You two don’t need to wait for me if I don't return for our flight. Just go back to Zhen Shui County, and I will return after I settle my things. I cannot confirm when I will return, and I am just informing you two.”

Yan Yizhi replied. “Ok. We understand.”

Dong Xuebing thought and gave them some instructions before letting them leave.

Dong Xuebing took out his phone and called Xu Yan. “Sister Xu, I need an air ticket to go overseas!”

That’s right. Dong Xuebing is going to the US to save Zhong Lizhen. Han Jing’s tears touched him, the old scientist pleads, and he is doing this for his country. He is also angry with those Americans for their actions. But he did not tell Chen Xuekai because he feared Huilan or her family might find out. He does not want Xue Huilan to leave with her family because of this incident. He prefers to do things alone and does not want anybody to worry about him. Anyway, he had memorized the location of the research center and decided to try if can rescue her.