Chapter 1022: Being a Husband

The sudden incident was solved in time, and the personnel reform work was able to proceed smoothly.

And after the first batch of job adjustment lists came out, those who stayed, those who were transferred, those who retired, and those who left Beijing all had different states of mind.

After Deputy Director Gu emphasized the factory's determination for personnel reform in front of everyone, they gave up struggling.

Those who stayed were naturally full of joy, tidying up the workshop and cleaning up to welcome new colleagues.

Those who were transferred didn't have many complaints either; the workshop is the same everywhere—wherever you work, you work; they comforted themselves with the saying "trees moved die, people moved live."

Moreover, job position adjustments were not all determined according to assessment results; those with high scores might actually need to be adjusted.

The uneven development of various workshops and technical positions had long been limiting production efficiency, and this time, the focus was on solving this problem.

A's assessment score in Workshop A was not very high, but his skill level and technical ability belonged to the first echelon in the workshop.

In this first echelon, there might be twenty people like A; naturally, he didn't stand out.

But transferring A to Workshop B could improve the workshop's overall technical strength level with the identity of a post leader and technical leader.

B's score in Workshop B belonged to the upper-middle, but his skill level and technical ability were at the downstream level of the factory staff's overall level.

Assessing his age, performance, and cultivation, it was determined that he had the excellent quality of active progress and learning, so he would be transferred to Workshop A.

In the new workshop, although his score ranking would drop, over time, his skill level and technical ability would gradually improve, achieving the purpose and effect of personnel cultivation.

The score in the transfer list is not very important; age is an important reference standard.

For those with the same skill level and score, naturally, those who are younger and have cultivation value and space are prioritized.

Of course, don't old workers and old comrades need it?

That's not it; the ultimate goal of job adjustment is not to eliminate anyone, but to optimize the matching of jobs and staff, and to make the best use of people.

If you want to talk about elimination, that refers to retirement.

Those who retired were somewhat depressed and helpless; they also wanted to keep their posts, but the assessment scores were realistically placed there.

Everyone participated in the assessment in the same place, and the Personnel Division and Discipline and Inspection Division jointly supervised the exam; who dared to cheat?

They could neither find evidence of unfairness nor come up with a reason to stay; the most helpless thing in this world is being inferior in skill.

If you can cut a part with a one-millimeter error, and someone else cuts half a millimeter, that is being stronger than you.

Being screened down from the transfer list proves that they are lacking in skill level, technical ability, work age, learning ability, ideological awareness, etc.

According to the handling plan researched by Li Xuewu and personnel coordination, retired personnel have different diversion directions according to actual conditions.

Pick a group of people with professional cultivation as a condition to support the tertiary industry, support Steel City, and support Yingcheng, to exert residual heat and achieve self-redemption.

The Rolling Steel Factory will have greater industrial industry adjustments in the next three years and five years; at that time, it will be another major exam.

They also have the opportunity to compete for positions and compete for opportunities for progress.

Pick a group of people with ideological awareness as a condition and select them for service positions such as fire fighting, training, security, guarding, and confidentiality—for example, gatekeepers, material yard guards, confidential workshop guards, etc.

Re-verify the job skill wages for selected personnel and re-adjust the skill promotion channels.

While fully guaranteeing the basic rights of the staff, it is also necessary to complete the economic optimization goal in the factory's personnel reform work.

This batch of people will fill the urgent personnel recruitment indicators of the Security and Inspection Group, and the replaced young security guards will execute special security tasks with stronger strength.

In other words, the Security Group took out its own personnel recruitment indicators to solve a portion of the retired personnel.

It's not just the Security Group that is moving; departments such as the Logistics Group and Management Group are also taking action.

The Logistics Group first retired a batch of cleaning teams and service personnel based on age and technical ability, allowing young people to flow to production and labor positions.

Subsequently, they selected a batch of older staff with excellent quality and excellent character from the retired personnel to fill the cleaning teams and service teams.

The Management Group coordinated with the Trade Management Office to select a batch of technical personnel to participate in professional skill training, preparing for the subsequent logistics maintenance and support for automobile sales and motorcycle sales.

Departments such as baths, dormitories, maintenance, motorcades, warehousing, assembly, technology, publicity, etc., are all retiring unqualified candidates from their posts.

And from the new staff participating in on-the-job training this year, they are selecting people with high education, strong ability, and excellent quality to fill the positions.

Some staff complained that the Rolling Steel Factory is doing a big cleaning, rectifying and cleaning the whole factory from top to bottom, from inside to outside.

Those who stay are naturally valuable; those who are transferred are also placed in new positions; those who retire are the garbage in the house.

Now that the retirement list is out, this list is a big pile of garbage.

Some departments, based on the principle of using waste, are rummaging through the garbage pile for things that are suitable for themselves or still have residual value.

When all departments have plowed through and picked through, they really become garbage that no one wants.

How should garbage be handled?

Either strive to become stronger, struggle hard in the garbage pile, persist in learning, and transform from garbage into treasure.

Or obey the adjustment, unify and recycle to the construction engineering team, burn yourself, dedicate your life, and burn the last fire for the construction of the Rolling Steel Factory.

Finally, there is one more way, which is the third-party intervention solution proposed by the factory.

First, the factory will express its cherishing and care for their technical ability and years of dedication, attaching great importance to it on the spiritual level.

Then, the factory personnel will propose a personnel exchange activity participated in by multiple enterprises and factories, with joint production units as the basic cooperative space.

This project is already under discussion; after the assembly workshop incident occurred, Gu Weijie took the initiative to undertake the promotion and development work of this project.

Coordinate labor and personnel management departments to open the green light, and at the same time invite enterprises in joint units that are willing to conduct personnel exchanges for symposiums and negotiations.

Based on the opinions given by Li Xuewu, the scope of cooperation was deepened and broadened.

Not only joint development in areas such as employment for children of staff, skill training, and welfare benefits, but also added livelihood security services such as medical security, retirement recuperation, and housing adjustment.

The Rolling Steel Factory took the initiative to show high sincerity and high posture, which is to exchange time for future space.

Shared tertiary industry has reached maturity, and continuous operation and development will inevitably bring generous returns.

Now the Rolling Steel Factory is leading joint production units to open up new cooperation projects in areas such as life, education, scientific research, and investment.

Using mature technical workers combined with the sharing of technology and project results, supplemented by means such as children's placement and education, is to achieve the goal of iterating four-new workers in the new era, new times, new thoughts, and new skills.

According to the reform plan given by the Personnel Division, in five years, the average age of staff in special technical positions in the factory will be optimized by three years, the average age of factory staff will be optimized by five years, and the average age of front-line staff will be optimized by seven years.

This indicator can be said to be very scientific, but it is also a high-level, high-difficulty one.

The age of high-level professional technical staff is basically between forty-five and fifty.

According to the goal set by the Personnel Division, under the condition of ensuring that professional skills do not regress, the optimized age group should be between forty-two and forty-seven.

What kind of concept is this?

With senior workers as the standard, the number of seventh-grade and eighth-grade workers must achieve rapid growth, and maintain an age advantage.

Learning, training, and tempering inputs will inevitably have to pay more, but the decline of the average age indicator represents the extension and vitality of technical productivity.

The difference between an eighth-grade worker working for ten years and fifteen years is clear to everyone.

In this era, there is basically no such thing as re-employment, unless it is special personnel with special skills.

Eighth-grade workers won't go to the factory to work after retirement age; isn't enjoying their old age better than suffering?

The decline of the average age will also bring about the vigorous development of technological change; many technological advances appear in the workshop and production process.

The Rolling Steel Factory is unswerving on the road of pursuing younger cadres, younger front-line staff, and younger technical position staff.

Realizing the goal of groupization is one mountain, and maintaining stable growth in production and economy is another mountain.

If Li Huai De wants to make progress again, the first step is fate, and the second step is luck; if fate and luck are missing a word, it won't work.

Some staff reacted that personnel reform is a cruel weakening of labor rights, and a re-definition and re-distinction of labor status.

The word "cruel" is actually very accurate, but personnel work reveals its cold essence everywhere.

Development and burden are placed on the two ends of the balance; the Rolling Steel Factory will not crazily cut the burden for the sake of development improvement.

But when the burden continues to increase and has affected the balance of development, there will definitely be actions.

Personnel reform is just a big move for the Rolling Steel Factory to improve its development pace; subsequent industrial production innovation, production technology innovation, financial management innovation, economic development innovation, etc., will all follow.

The wave of reform has never stopped, but the size of the wave and the time are different.

Some people run along with the wave and fall into the sea; some people run against the wave and drown on the road.

Only by judging the situation, finding the right time, and making the decision most favorable to oneself is the most correct.

The Rolling Steel Factory will give retired staff different roads to choose from, fully embodying the seriousness of institutionalization while having the flexibility and individuality of people-orientedness.

In the personnel exchange project, invite other factories to conduct assessment and screening of the existing retired personnel list, and select the best.

The Rolling Steel Factory will actively coordinate labor and personnel management departments to open a convenient door for the three parties.

Selected staff children still retain the qualification to participate in the Rolling Steel Factory's employment recruitment and training.

Give policies of varying degrees in housing, medical care, etc., to guarantee the staff's interest needs to the greatest extent.

At the same time, according to Li Xuewu's suggestion, the Personnel Division specially opened a personal transfer application channel.

That is to say, those who are on the published retired personnel list, are not in the Rolling Steel Factory's secondary selection scope, are not in the cooperative factory's tertiary selection scope, or are dissatisfied with the adjustment to the construction team, and don't have their own favorite options among these, can find an accepting unit by themselves.

That is to say, the Rolling Steel Factory will provide a bottom for these people's work, and the condition is to go to the engineering team.

At the same time, retain the qualification for re-learning and re-assessment of technical positions, but it must be realized in labor construction.

Those who are afraid of bitterness, afraid of tiredness, afraid of not being able to learn, and are picky and unwilling to go to other units, can only find their own way out.

The Rolling Steel Factory guarantees these people the same, coordinating relationships from all sides and providing convenience for transfer.

Basically, the three handling methods will present a 7:2:1 ratio comparison.

At the factory personnel office meeting, Gu Weijie made a report on this situation and also made a summary of the assembly workshop accident.

Li Huai De didn't delve into the responsibilities of personnel and production management cadres, but made serious criticisms of the loopholes in their management.

The meaning is very clear: the middle level will not move, but the foundation must move greatly.

At the same time, he also gave a clear explanation and recognition of the problems generated by personnel reform, which is that any individual and interest need cannot override the Rolling Steel Factory's development plan.

Persist in completing personnel work reform, persist in promoting the production management concept of job skill competition priority and scientific and technological development priority.

Grasp the production work that is constantly changing in industrial reform, base on the fundamental outline of comprehensive development of light and heavy industry, and fully improve the overall productivity and combat effectiveness of the Rolling Steel Factory.

After the meeting, entrusted by Li Huai De and commissioned by Gu Weijie, Management Committee Office Deputy Director Li Xuewu wrote the article "Break Stubborn Thoughts, Give Up Unrealistic Fantasies, and Strive to Write a New Chapter in Personnel Talent Work in the New Era."

The article was published in the Steel Newspaper and Labor Newspaper, and subsequently reprinted and published by the People's Daily.

The whole factory's organization, personnel, publicity, and related management departments carried out learning, discussion, and research, summarizing experience and lessons...

On February 18th, Li Xuewu accompanied Jing Yunong to a meeting at the Beijing Industrial Competent Department, and subsequently officially completed the final work before the merger of the Beijing Motorcycle Sixteenth Factory and the Seventh Factory.

The merger funds were allocated by the Rolling Steel Factory to the public account of the Beijing Industrial Competent Department; strictly speaking, the land and factory buildings of the two factories belonged to the Rolling Steel Factory.

Of course, this required the Rolling Steel Factory and the Beijing Automobile Second Factory to form an asset handling group under the supervision and guidance of the Industrial Bureau.

According to the established division clauses, professional technical post workers started from today, and after being allocated by labor and personnel competent departments, they were moved under the name of the Rolling Steel Factory.

Other workers were allocated to Beijing Second Auto, including the mechanical equipment needed by the other party.

Jing Yunong took Li Xuewu to visit the two factory areas again, and happened to meet Gu Litong, and the three of them chatted again.

He still couldn't see what the Rolling Steel Factory wanted these two pieces of land for, even though Li Xuewu said it was resource integration to serve the creation of the Liangma River Industrial Zone.

Gu Litong believed it on the surface, but in his heart, he firmly didn't believe it.

Land in this era is not valuable; there is plenty of agricultural land in the suburbs that can be converted into industrial land.

Beijing actually encourages factories to apply for land to build factories; in an era where chimneys represent high technology and high value, land is not valuable at all.

Li Xuewu couldn't tell him the land plan; otherwise, if it were spread everywhere, how could the Rolling Steel Factory realize its land replacement purpose?

"What does he mean by always asking about our land project?"

Jing Yunong looked at the departing car and turned to ask Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu curled his lips, looked in the same direction, and said: "Just afraid he'll get less, afraid of suffering a loss."

"What was that sentence you said?"

Wearing a light gray wool coat, which made Jing Yunong's figure look even more slender and upright, she raised her finger and pointed at Li Xuewu, saying: "Right, you cannot earn benefits beyond your cognition, right?"

"Your memory is quite good."

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "It's been a few months, and you still remember the words from Yangcheng."

"My memory has always been excellent."

Jing Yunong emphasized coquettishly, and subsequently put her hands in her coat pockets, stood on the highway of the Seventeenth Factory area, looked at the suspended production area and office building, and asked somewhat melancholically: "Will the Rolling Steel Factory also encounter this kind of crisis one day?"

"That's hard to say."

Li Xuewu was also wearing a wool coat, only it was black, and the style was a bit more fashionable.

"A train runs fast, all relying on the head of the train."

He curled his lips and said: "If the leadership team you are in can't lead well, then the Rolling Steel Factory's progress speed will be slow, or even be thrown behind."

"Good, you always have words to say."

Jing Yunong pointed at Li Xuewu and smiled helplessly: "It's always someone else's responsibility; what about you?"

She looked at Li Xuewu half-seriously and asked: "Have you ever defined your position or responsibility in the historical ups and downs?"

"Me? Why ask such a serious question suddenly?"

Li Xuewu smiled and gestured to the motorcycle production area, saying: "And it's still outside."

"Otherwise?"

Jing Yunong looked at him with a smile and said: "Could it be in the office, or the meeting room?"

At this moment, there were only the two of them around; the secretary and driver were waiting by the car, and the accompanying personnel were surveying the scene.

Her tone was a bit casual, and also carried some personal subjectivity: "If I ask you back at the factory, will you tell me the truth?"

"Will I tell the truth if I'm here?"

Li Xuewu looked at her jokingly and said: "Do you think we have reached the state of being frank and honest, with no reservations for each other?"

"I never imagined it, and I never even dared to hope for it."

Jing Yunong kicked the broken ice on the side of the road with her high heels, lowered her head, and said: "You don't trust me."

"Don't say that."

Li Xuewu shared a cigarette with himself and subsequently said: "There aren't many people I can trust, at least you are one of them."

"This is fake; I'm certain."

Jing Yunong raised her head, squinted her eyes, pulled up her scarf to cover her mouth and nose, and said: "You are like a fox, not easily giving trust to others, right?"

"You understand me so well? Or do you just think it's like that?"

Li Xuewu shook his head amusedly and said: "I'll say one frank word: being honest in doing things and being honest in acting is my principle of work."

"Mm, this principle is not frank at all."

Jing Yunong curled her lips: "Give you a chance, answer my question directly."

"Mm, positioning in history, right?"

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "And responsibility and commitment under the situation."

"Really, this proposition is a bit too broad."

He thought for a while, raised his finger to scratch his nose, and said: "Let's talk about the positioning problem first; otherwise, it's hard to talk about responsibility and commitment."

Jing Yunong found a wooden bench by the road and sat down, really prepared to listen to his long-winded talk.

Li Xuewu looked at her amusedly and said: "If I say it, don't be afraid of being laughed at; actually, my ideal is especially small, so small that it can't get out of the Rolling Steel Factory."

"Of course I won't laugh at you; the Rolling Steel Factory is already not small, okay!"

Jing Yunong glanced at him, but was stimulated by the sunlight behind him and lowered her head again, saying: "Want to follow the established order and take over?"

"Mm, actually that's the ideal."

Li Xuewu threw away the cigarette butt in his hand, walked to her side and sat down, looked at the few people standing by the car smoking and chatting idly.

"You say, is it better for the position to be high, or better for the position to be low?"

"I'm asking you; why are you asking me back?"

Jing Yunong chose not to answer Li Xuewu's question and gestured for him to speak quickly.

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Compared to the life of being busy day and night, I prefer to enjoy the ordinary days of nine-to-five."

"Continue."

Jing Yunong leaned her body lightly on him, urging him in her mouth.

"You just mentioned a word, 'following the established order'; actually, it's very good."

Li Xuewu looked at the distance and said: "Do what you should do at what age, enjoy the established treatment, and endure the tests that should be there."

"If future economic development and social reform are stable and orderly, I would rather be a good security section chief at the age of twenty-one."

He turned to look at Jing Yunong and said: "Because at this age, I don't have to think about what I should do at forty, or endure the pressure I should endure at forty."

"You ask me about my positioning in historical ups and downs; my answer to you is: the water rises and the boat floats, follow the market."

Li Xuewu said candidly: "If economic reform and social reform cause me to endure too much pressure and responsibility in the process of evolution, then I must strive for the corresponding position and resources."

"That is to say, if the organization gives me the responsibility and need of a section chief, I will be a section chief; if the organization gives me the responsibility and need of a division chief, I will be a division chief."

"If I shoulder the responsibility of a division chief but am in the position of a section chief, my hands can't stretch and my legs can't move; wouldn't that suffocate me?"

Li Xuewu's attitude gradually became serious, saying: "It's not that I chose history, but history chose me."

"Mm, there's some depth to it."

Jing Yunong nodded and said: "I understand what you mean; do the work, eat the food, accept the old order and norms, and break this solidified cognition in one choice after another, right?"

"Mm, you really understand me."

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said: "Do you have mind-reading skills, or do you possess advanced psychology skills?"

"Ghost talk~"

Jing Yunong glanced at him and said: "I have mind-reading skills, but I can't read or see through your heart that is like dark clouds covering the moon."

"Also!"

She squinted her eyes and looked at Li Xuewu, saying: "Aren't you a psychology expert yourself?"

"Fake, you believe this too?"

Li Xuewu laughed amusedly: "Isn't it just to improve my competitiveness, find someone to help write a book, and show that I possess some special skills that others can't compare to?"

After speaking, he gestured to Jing Yunong and said: "Isn't your economic management expert title also..."

"What did you say?!"

Jing Yunong was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; she suddenly exploded, staring at Li Xuewu, ready to scratch him at any time.

"Say it again, how is my professional skill?"

"Oh oh, yours is not fake!"

Li Xuewu seemed to have just found out; he apologized repeatedly: "Forgive my clumsy eyes, I didn't see it, sorry, sorry."

"I really want to tear your mouth!"

Jing Yunong was anxious; this bad person could always dig a hole in front of you when you appreciated and admired him the most, kick you down, and sprinkle a handful of sand on your head.

"No need, you just need to know that my psychology expert title is fake."

Li Xuewu self-blackened amusedly: "Why don't you talk about me too, to balance it out."

"I won't! Annoying!"

Jing Yunong glared at him and said: "Why are you always like this? I think you are doing it on purpose!"

"On one hand, you reveal your outstanding management talent, and also possess a keen vision, letting people see your excellence at a glance."

"On the other hand, you highlight your age disadvantage, advancing by retreating, and going against the grain."

She looked at Li Xuewu and said: "You are positioning yourself as a representative of young cadres who has ability, ambition, revenge, and vision."

"You won't cause the jealousy and threat of existing resource controllers, and you won't overly bury your talent and flash points."

"You want to win at key points everywhere, and remind others at all times that you are in the future, not in the present; do you enjoy this process?"

Jing Yunong frowned and said: "Since you possess this heart and strength, and have the ambition to display your revenge, why not manage yourself well, jump out of your current comfort zone, and go out for a walk?"

She gestured to this dilapidated factory area and said: "You stand at the Rolling Steel Factory and see it like this; when you stand at a higher and farther place and look at the Rolling Steel Factory, it is also like this."

"A great man, born for a scene, a good man has ambitions in all four directions."

Jing Yunong said earnestly: "I am very optimistic about your ability and vision; you should go to a bigger platform to display your revenge."

"And!"

She looked at Li Xuewu and said seriously: "You also don't lack the ability and opportunity to jump out, and even going to the Guard Third Regiment to specialize, and then coming out, will definitely be a leader of one side."

"So, are you persuading me to transfer?"

Li Xuewu looked at her amusedly and said: "Personnel reform was suggested by me; the most dangerous and most forced self-transfer has to happen to me?"

"Then the transferred staff won't go crazy; what's the situation, is the Rolling Steel Factory going to close down?"

"Hahaha~"

Jing Yunong couldn't help but laugh when she heard his narration, but still emphasized: "One family's words, listen if you want, don'

"Of course, I have certainly thought about walking out."

Li Xuewu became more serious and nodded, saying: "Ever since I entered the deputy division-level position, I have been thinking about this problem, including during my time in the branch bureau."

"The branch bureau is not suitable."

Jing Yunong glanced at him and said: "The ceiling for powerful departments is too low. For someone like you, choosing a branch bureau is not as good as staying at the steel mill."

"I know, I know you want me to go to a local post. I have thought about it carefully."

Li Xuewu nodded in agreement, saying: "Including what you mentioned, my father-in-law or my own resources, they all have the ability to help me achieve this."

"But have you thought about the risks involved? Especially since I come from a background as an enterprise cadre, will I be unable to adapt to the local environment?"

"Of course, I am confident that I can adapt to anything."

He patted Jing Yunong's knee, acknowledging her suggestion, and said: "But sometimes the situation is beyond one's control. You might only see the limitations and drawbacks of an enterprise."

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "Have you ever thought that the problems I encounter in an enterprise will actually be encountered in a local post as well?"

"Moreover, in an enterprise, the scale of one's ambitions only affects economic benefits, and the authority is limited to the small scope of the factory, but a local post is different."

He pointed to himself and said: "At the deputy division level, once you reach a local post, you are a regional lord. A single decision can easily affect the lives of thousands or tens of thousands of people."

"I dare not guarantee that I will always walk on the correct path, and I dare not guarantee that the decisions I make will all be correct."

"I dare not even more to use the lives of millions to train my own management skills, even if you call me a coward."

Li Xuewu gave a wry smile and said: "Actually, we have already touched upon responsibility and accountability. I am brave enough to take on the responsibilities I believe I can shoulder, and to guard the duties and accountability I am supposed to fulfill."

"The prosperous life you speak of has no ceiling, but in my view, it is just indulging one's own desire for progress and selfishness, setting an infinitely high goal for oneself."

He pointed to the top of his head and said: "Right now, I can still see the goal for the position I am to succeed, but once I reach a local post, how high is considered high enough?"

"..."

Answering Li Xuewu was Jing Yunong's prolonged silence; she was thinking about Li Xuewu's answer, and also thinking about her own life.

Pursuing higher positions and striving for faster progress seems to have become the primary mindset of a cadre upon taking office.

Often, they forget the original intention of stepping into a management position, and even more so, they forget the height they set for themselves when they first entered the ranks of cadres.

Li Xuewu's last question struck right at the heart: how high is considered high enough?

Turning back to understand Li Xuewu's earlier positioning of himself within the ups and downs of history.

In fact, it is not hard to see that with the changes in the situation, personal development must inevitably experience ups and downs; one must have the determination to rise, but also the courage to fall.

A cadre who can only go up and cannot go down is an over-reliance on their own value, and even more, a kind of contempt for organizational work.

First, one must establish a belief, which is to do what one should do at a certain age.

At fourteen, one should study hard, not date.

At twenty-four, one should date properly, not play games.

You cannot wait until you are twenty-four to not date, be unable to study, and numb yourself with the joys of childhood.

Flowers that should bloom in spring, if rushed to bloom in late winter, will inevitably endure wind and snow, becoming damaged and incomplete.

Secondly, one must have a clear understanding of one's own abilities and responsibilities.

To assume a certain responsibility, one must have the corresponding authority. Either give it to me, and I will do the work, or take back the responsibility, and I will not assume it.

If you choose neither, then I can only act on my own and increase my authority to match my responsibilities.

Li Xuewu's progress is just like this. He was initially just a security officer; it was Dong Wenxue who gave him the responsibility of a security section chief, so he worked hard to fulfill that position.

Later, when Fu Bin needed him to take on further responsibilities, he had to move to the corresponding position.

Which step he takes is not something he chooses actively, but something he handles passively.

When does one stop being passive and gain the right to choose one's own actions?

When he entered the deputy division level, the official starting point of his political career, he gained the right to choose and the right to judge.

Li Xuewu is just as Jing Yunong said: he highlights his own strengths and also highlights his own weaknesses, choosing stability between doing things and making progress.

Simply put, he is restraining his own progress, and also suppressing his own progress.

He displays his abilities and achievements behind the leader, while placing the shortcomings of his age and seniority in front of the leader.

Then you tell me, while the leader is using him, isn't the leader also being used by him?

Jing Yunong is very certain of this point; Li Xuewu is like a slippery monster, weaving through all levels of management, visible, yet impossible to grasp or control.

She once thought about restraining or limiting him, but it was useless; in the end, she could only compromise.

Not only did she compromise, but she also became involved.

On one hand, Jing Yunong feels it is a pity for Li Xuewu, and on the other hand, she also wants to build her own sphere of influence.

If Li Xuewu goes to a local post, she will help Li Xuewu, and Li Xuewu will also help her in return.

This is called weaving a web, or forming a clique.

Li Xuewu does not feel dissatisfied or aggrieved by his own limitations and suppression; if he were truly placed in Li Huai De's position, he is confident he could do a good job.

But then what?

Use the age of twenty-one to bear the pressure imposed from above on a forty-five-year-old cadre?

Stop joking; he is already several steps ahead of others. Any faster, and it wouldn't just be attracting hatred, it would be attracting unwanted attention.

"Wenbiao and his wife came this afternoon."

As soon as he got home, Gu Ning told him about this, and also mentioned the gifts the other party brought.

Li Xuewu squatted on the ground to take a look, frowned, and asked: "What is this stuff?"

"It's a tonic. I'm a bit afraid to handle it."

Qin Jingru shrugged her shoulders with some fear and said: "Brother Biao said that Seeing Sha Zhu knows an imperial chef who specializes in health preservation, and he'll call him over to prepare it later."

"For me?"

Li Xuewu stood up and laughed: "My body is in great shape, I can eat anything..."

"It's to nourish Sister Aunt Xiao Ning's body."

Qin Jingru laughed: "They said a new mother loses vitality and needs some nourishment."

"Then we have to ask my father."

Li Xuewu scratched his face and asked Qin Jingru: "Where is Biaozi? Didn't you keep them for a meal?"

"I did, Sister Aunt Xiao Ning even spoke up."

Qin Jingru replied: "They said they'd go back to the Sihe Academy first and come back when you have time."

"They came over as soon as they got off the train this afternoon."

Gu Ning is not very familiar with Lao Biaozi, but she knows the bond of brotherhood between them and didn't treat him as an outsider.

"He brought his wife, who is also pregnant, three months along."

"This kid, isn't he afraid of tiring his wife out?"

Li Xuewu complained with a laugh: "If she's pregnant, shouldn't she be resting properly? How could she be comfortable on a train ride all the way here?"

"Homesick."

Gu Ning explained: "They said they came back to see her father-in-law, his wife kept nagging about it."

"I told him to pick her up, but he told me it's not convenient to live with his father-in-law."

Li Xuewu curled his lips and said: "Well, now it's me helping him support his father-in-law."

After saying this, he also found it funny, shook his head slightly, looked at Gu Ning, and said: "When will it be my turn to support my own father-in-law?"

Gu Ning glanced at him, only feeling that this person was saying it on purpose, deliberately teasing her.

"If you have time, you should go back once; it wasn't easy for them to come back."

She persuaded Li Xuewu: "Looking at his intent, he really wants to chat with you, and you must have a lot to say to each other."

"Next week, we'll see."

Li Xuewu walked to the sofa and sat down next to her, explaining: "You know what he's like, he talks endlessly, and he wants to drink; where would I find the time to keep him company?"

After finishing, he pressed his ear against his wife's belly to listen, and laughed: "No fussing today?"

"A bit tired."

Gu Ning pushed his head away, straightened her waist while supporting herself, and said: "I'm not tired, and I didn't strain myself, I'm just tired; I'm afraid it's time to give birth."

"Go to the hospital?"

Li Xuewu's attitude became serious: "This is no joke, you are a doctor, you know your condition."

"I know, no need to go."

Gu Ning shook her head somewhat stubbornly: "It'll be a few more days. Going now would be troublesome, and I'm not used to staying there, it's uncomfortable."

"Hmm, you decide for yourself."

Li Xuewu nodded, looked at Gu Ning, and said: "Don't try to be brave, and don't delay. I am not a professional doctor, but I am a professional husband."

"Got it~"

Gu Ning looked at his nervousness with amusement, raised her hand to push his face away, and said: "Go wash up quickly, we're eating soon."

"Give me a kiss."

Li Xuewu whispered and pointed to his face, asking his wife.

Gu Ning pinched his face instead and pointed to the sofa for him to look.

Li Xuewu turned his head and saw Li Shu staring at them with wide eyes.

"Oh my, daughter, you're here!"

Li Xuewu stood up with a smile, walked over, picked up his daughter, and started teasing her with a laugh.

Li Shu looked at her father, then at her mother, then gestured to Gu Ning's side, and imitating Li Xuewu, pointed to her own little face.

"Hahaha!"

Li Xuewu laughed and kissed her on his own initiative, which really upset her.

"Stinky!"

Li Shu raised her hand to wipe her face, smelled it herself, then pushed her hand away in disgust, turned her face away, and shouted: "It's stinky~ I don't want it~"

"Are you still Daddy's little darling!"

Li Xuewu tried to coax his daughter with a laugh, but nothing worked, so he could only carry her to the bathroom, and the two of them washed their faces together.

Li Shu is just over a year old, not yet two, and already knows how to love beauty; every day she reminds Qin Jingru to help her apply lotion, and she even knows how to do skincare.

It's just that she's used to Qin Jingru's gentleness, and she is both helpless and annoyed by her father's clumsy ways.

"Stinky!"

She stood on the sink, frowned, pointed at her father's mouth, and reminded him to brush his teeth.

Li Xuewu did it on purpose, breathing at her, which made Li Shu anxious and wanting to bite him.

"Alright, alright, my little ancestor!"

He brushed his teeth while holding his daughter and washed her little hands again.

She says she's stinky, but she ignores the dirt in the flowerpot and insists on getting her hands muddy.

After a chaotic wash, the two of them walked out, chatting back and forth.

Just as they reached the living room, they saw Gu Ning supporting herself on the sofa armrest with a nervous expression, looking at him and saying softly: "Li Xuewu, I... I think my water broke."

"Really?"

Li Xuewu quickly put his daughter on the ground, walked over quickly, supported her, and asked: "Is it not...?"

"It is, arrange the car."

Gu Ning looked down, knowing the time for birth had arrived, and calmly gave him instructions.

Li Xuewu, on the contrary, broke into a sweat, called Han Jiankun back from outside with a shout, gave a few quick instructions, and then said to Qin Jingru, who had come out with a spatula: "Go get the delivery bag, Aunt Xiao Ning is about to give birth."