Chapter 1129: Father Will Buy You a Dog

"Second Brother, the subdistrict office has posted a notice."

After dinner, Li Li Xuewu's living room in the rear courtyard was packed with people.

Ji Ji Yuxiu brought out a large platter of watermelon from the kitchen and distributed it among everyone.

These had been brought back from the mountain by Shen Shen Guodong, grown by Hongxing Village itself in heated greenhouses.

"They say they're cracking down on unhealthy trends; no more causing disturbances is allowed."

He rose from the sofa to help Ji Ji Yuxiu serve the watermelon, while reporting to Li Li Xuewu: "Director Wang of the subdistrict also called some of us over for a meeting."

"What kind of meeting?"

Li Li Xuewu took the watermelon slice and bit into it; it was quite sweet.

Earlier that evening, Shen Shen Guodong had mentioned chilling the watermelon in cold water, perfect for relieving the summer heat right after dinner.

For some reason, even though watermelons in later generations were scientifically bred to definitely have higher sugar content,

and there were all sorts of refrigerators and cooling methods available,

neither the texture nor the atmosphere of eating them felt as comfortable as enjoying this watermelon now.

Even someone like Li Li Xuewu, who disliked sweet foods, could not resist taking a piece.

With summer arriving, life for the common people of Beijing was truly hard to endure; being able to enjoy a slice of watermelon after dinner counted as a top-tier luxury.

Shen Shen Guodong ate with equal relish; after one huge bite, regardless of whether his hands were dirty or not, he grabbed the rag on the table and wiped them.

He explained: "Director Wang said we need to do more groundwork, set up our operations, and make them bigger, so we can shove all these restless brats in there."

"Heh heh heh—where would we possibly fit them all?"

After saying this, he smiled and shook his head, adding: "Several small factories from the subdistrict also attended; their leaders all wore expressions of great difficulty."

"Why did Director Wang set his sights on you?"

Chen Chen Xiaoyan spat out a watermelon seed, shot Shen Shen Guodong a glance, and said: "You'd better be careful; don't take on every task that comes your way, or you'll end up causing trouble for Second Brother."

"Isn't that exactly why I'm reporting to Second Brother?"

Shen Shen Guodong nodded, looked at Li Li Xuewu, who had eaten only a small piece and then stopped, and asked: "Second Brother, what should I do about this?"

"Did Director Wang ask about your personal situation?"

Li Li Xuewu crossed his right leg, leaned back on the sofa, and asked Shen Shen Guodong: "Did he mention anything else?"

"Well... Director Liu asked me about the situation at our recycling station."

Shen Shen Guodong thought for a moment and explained: "He asked about the structure of the Economic Cooperation Group, then inquired about the group's members and the business I am currently responsible for."

"I didn't mention anything about Brother Biao and the others; I only spoke about the small portion I manage here in the capital."

"Even if you didn't say it, he probably already knows."

Li Li Xuewu slowly nodded, then turned to Ji Ji Yuxiu and asked: "You must have received the notice a few days earlier, right?"

"Yes, we received it on the sixth."

Ji Ji Yuxiu sat on the stool beside the sewing machine and, seeing Second Brother asking, replied: "We are the primary unit responsible."

"It's not just us; the Garrison Command should also be responsible for ideological and political education, correct?"

"Mm, I received the circular document today."

Li Li Xuewu looked at Shen Shen Guodong and explained: "This is a good thing; since the higher-ups want to stabilize the situation, the subdistrict will definitely take action."

"To maintain a stable situation, they will inevitably commend a batch, appease a batch, and deal with a batch."

"So I am... part of the batch being appeased?"

Shen Shen Guodong paused, seeming to understand yet also seeming not to.

Chen Chen Xiaoyan, however, understood immediately; she looked at him amusingly and said: "You haven't suffered any grievance at all; did anyone hit you or rob you? What is there to appease you for?"

She turned to Li Li Xuewu and asked: "Second Brother, does the subdistrict mean to commend and publicize Shen Guodong as a model of self-reliance and hard struggle?"

"Something like that; it's positive publicity—"

Li Li Xuewu nodded, smiled at Shen Shen Guodong, and said: "What you have constitutes a collective economy under the leadership of the subdistrict; it is advanced, it is dedicated, and moreover, it is glorious."

"Hehe—then I can rest easy."

Shen Shen Guodong only half-understood the details, but he grasped the general meaning, so he smiled and said: "At least the good deeds we've done over these past two years weren't in vain."

"Heh heh heh—is that enough to satisfy you?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled lightly, lifted his teacup, took a sip, and said: "I'm afraid you will soon have to do even more meaningful things."

"What do you mean? Second Brother, I don't understand."

Shen Shen Guodong lost his appetite for watermelon, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and said: "In these two years working at the subdistrict's recycling station, we truly haven't done few good deeds!"

"Shoveling snow and clearing ice in winter, helping lonely elderly people; repairing houses, earthquake relief, and firefighting in summer..."

"Second Brother hasn't told you this—"

Ji Ji Yuxiu smiled from behind, patted his shoulder, and reminded him: "The work you've done before is very meaningful, but the number of people you've cared for and helped is still too small."

"What Second Brother means is that the organization thinks very highly of you and is preparing to give you more opportunities to serve the people."

"What—?"

Shen Shen Guodong glanced back at Ji Ji Yuxiu, then turned to look at Li Li Xuewu and asked: "Second Brother, is the subdistrict planning to promote me to become a cadre?"

"It's not even bedtime yet; why are you already starting to dream? Hahaha—"

Ji Ji Yuxiu smiled and explained: "Selecting you as a Party member is possible, but becoming a cadre is something you shouldn't even think about."

"Then again, you never know; stranger things have happened."

Ye Ye Erye chuckled and said: "Our Shen Guodong is honest and kind, knows how to be grateful; isn't this proof that he has gained the organization's trust?"

"This isn't the organization trusting him; clearly, it's the organization trusting the recycling station—"

Seeing Second Brother speak this way, Chen Chen Xiaoyan knew Shen Shen Guodong had gained an advantage, so she couldn't help but smile as well.

Yet, laughter aside, one must remain modest where necessary, and the reminders for Shen Shen Guodong still needed to be made clear right here.

Shen Shen Guodong is a good person in every way, just a little petty.

Look at him with these brothers, with his family—he's not stingy at all; whatever he eats or uses, he's very generous.

But once he gets into a stubborn mood, ten horses couldn't drag him back—he'd treat even a fart as a treasure.

Sometimes when the two of them talk privately, Shen Shen Guodong easily starts overthinking and sulking.

If it's said in front of Li Li Xuewu, he can figure it out himself no matter what.

"The recycling station's work is exactly what Shen Guodong is in charge of, so that means the organization trusts him."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and encouraged the young brother, saying: "Don't be nervous, don't have any worries, just keep doing what you should be doing."

"The sub-district office is using you at this time because they want you to set a model and lead the way for everyone."

He put down the teacup in his hand and explained: "The Great Study Campaign has entered a new stage."

"You see, schools have rarely been organizing activities anymore, and the factories have basically all completed their established reform goals."

"The next key task of the Great Study Campaign is construction, is restoration—break before you build, after all."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Everyone is on the same starting line now; there has to be a model soldier, a leader, so young people know how to strive."

"I think Shen Guodong's example is very good—self-reliance, hard struggle. Although he doesn't have much education and didn't get the chance to work in a factory, he organized an economic cooperative and provided job opportunities for young comrades on other sub-districts. That's also very good."

"At this time, agriculture needs advanced models, industry needs models, construction needs model soldiers, and youth also need examples to learn from and strive toward."

"Second Brother, if you keep praising him, he's going to pass out."

Chen Chen Xiaoyan laughed and said: "You've praised him until he can't find his way north, south, east, or west."

"Don't talk nonsense—how could I lose my sense of direction?"

Shen Shen Guodong laughed and said: "Didn't you hear what Ye Ye Erye said? I'm an honest, simple, kind, and loving person."

"Ye Ye Erye thinks everything about his own people is fine—even an idiot can be treated like a treasure. You really believed that?"

Chen Chen Xiaoyan laughed and glanced at him, then turned to Li Li Xuewu and asked: "Second Brother, say something to him, don't let him make mistakes."

"If it were just his own business, it wouldn't matter, but after all, he represents our recycling station."

"Right, right—Second Brother, tell me, what should I do."

Shen Shen Guodong, with great solemnity, pulled out a notebook and pencil from under the coffee table, fully prepared to take notes.

"Hahahaha—"

Grandfather and Ye Ye Erye and the others were all amused by him.

Li Li Xuewu also laughed, looked at him, and said: "I told you not to panic—just do what you should be doing."

"Let me ask you, what Director Wang told you—setting up a few small workshops—is that going smoothly?"

"Fairly smoothly, I guess—"

Shen Shen Guodong hesitated for a moment, then reported: "I also can't think of what we could do."

"It's just things like waste paper and old newspapers being repulped to make packaging boxes, or setting up a matchbox factory."

"Mm—seems not quite right. The sub-district's intention is to have you help more people."

Li Li Xuewu picked up his teacup and took a sip, then asked: "Have you thought about work that involves a lot of people, where everyone gathers together and can bring out the collective effect?"

"Hehe—Second Brother, you know me."

Shen Shen Guodong smiled sheepishly and said: "If you tell me to do something, absolutely no problem. As for making decisions—that's not my forte."

"Mm, it's still a matter of mindset."

Li Li Xuewu pointed at the sewing machine Ji Ji Yuxiu was leaning against and said: "Lots of households have bought this thing—did you ever think about setting up a sewing cooperative or something?"

"A sewing cooperative? Don't those all need the state to put up money to buy the machines?"

Shen Shen Guodong really didn't understand this and asked blankly: "Besides, we can't even buy cloth—what could we do?"

"Of course you personally can't buy cloth—hasn't Director Wang handled the collective paperwork for you?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at him and said: "The small collective economy led by the sub-district owns the means of production and has autonomous management rights; it implements independent accounting and is responsible for its own profits and losses."

"Wh-what means? And we have to lose money?"

Shen Shen Guodong was having trouble keeping up with Li Li Xuewu's words; he hurriedly took notes in his hand, but what he wrote was a messy scrawl.

"It means, you apply to Director Wang to set up a sewing cooperative. Once you get the paperwork, find the housewives in the sub-district, or unemployed Miss and young wives, have them bring their home sewing machines out, put them in the workshop, and everyone together does bedding and clothing production."

Li Li Xuewu was afraid he wouldn't remember, so he broke it down, kneaded it smooth, and fed it to him piece by piece—speaking slowly and making sure it was easy to understand.

"Once you have the cooperative, you can use the cooperative's qualifications to obtain the cloth, cotton, and so on needed for production from the textile mill or from the supply and marketing cooperative, for use in bedding and clothing production."

Taking a sip of hot tea, he added: "You have resources in this area—whether cloth or cotton—you can talk to Yu Shui, or you can find Director Ma at the supply and marketing cooperative."

"As for what to produce, you can ask around—the channels are all already there. Whether to the supply and marketing cooperative or to Red Star Factory's joint trade platform, either works."

"Got it, got it, I've written it down. Anything else?"

Shen Shen Guodong kept his head down taking notes. Hearing Wu Ge explain the work process so thoroughly, what could he possibly not understand?

No need to worry about anything else—just do exactly what Wu Ge said, and it would definitely be right.

"You really think I'm here to scheme and plan for you!"

Li Li Xuewu amusingly scolded him, saying: "Use your brain—think about what this market needs, what you can find, and find ways to bring the resources together."

"And having the state put up money to buy sewing machines—what kind of cost would that be? Who could back that up?"

He waved his hand and said: "Tell those people—small collective economy, labor remuneration calculated by workload. While ensuring quality, the more you do, the better."

"Second Brother, if you put it that way, I'm afraid almost half the households on the sub-district would come."

Seeing Ji Ji Yuxiu had served as the sub-district office head, she was fairly familiar with Jiaodaokou.

"A sewing machine costs just over a hundred yuan. If they really could move it into the factory and be paid by the piece, they wouldn't rest even at midnight."

She explained seriously: "The employment situation is genuinely difficult right now; it's extremely common for a household to have two or three women."

"A mother with two daughters could pedal that sewing machine from this morning straight through to tomorrow morning."

"What's important is guaranteeing quality—both the quality of the means of production and the quality of the products."

Li Li Xuewu nodded, pointing at Shen Shen Guodong to remind him: "If your uniform products don't sell, the cooperative members won't earn money; if they don't earn money, this collective enterprise won't get off the ground."

"They don't lack the ability to make money; they just lack the channels. And what Director Wang values is precisely your channels and coordination capabilities."

"Second Brother, I understand now; I know what to do."

Shen Shen Guodong not only recorded Li Li Xuewu's words but also wrote down everything Ji Ji Yuxiu had said.

"Take a look; is there anything else I can do? The housewives and young Misses are taken care of, but what about the young men?"

"How many cooperative members has the recycling station recruited so far?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "You should already have an idea about this work; for a collective economy, character is paramount."

"I understand; we can't just take anyone."

Shen Shen Guodong said cautiously, "Currently, we've recruited over forty people; some brought their own vehicles, while others use ours."

"For those using our vehicles, I requested the sub-district office to issue usage permits, and the seals stamped are also from the sub-district office."

"Those who brought their own vehicles have bicycles and tricycles; they are all currently managing operations and receiving goods at the large warehouse."

"Hmm, you can recruit people gradually."

Sipping his tea, Li Li Xuewu said, "Jingcheng is so vast that even employing a hundred people wouldn't be enough, but as I said before, character is important, and management is even more critical."

"As the team grows, you can discover promising talents, nurture them slowly, and observe them over time; as the saying goes, 'A long journey tests a horse's strength.'"

After a moment's thought, he nodded and advised Shen Shen Guodong: "You know about the cargo distribution station our factory established in cooperation with the Jingcheng Railway Station, right?"

"Yes, I often go there to pick up goods."

Making notes in his notebook, Shen Shen Guodong replied quickly, "I'm very familiar with that place."

"Think about it; could we set up a transport team with a cargo station, especially since we now have a warehouse?"

Tilting his head slightly while thinking, Li Li Xuewu said, "A transport team also falls under the scope of the cooperative; the sub-district office can issue the necessary permits."

"Well... I had thought about that; back then, didn't we have tricycles?"

Shen Shen Guodong explained, "I even considered going to haul cargo, but when I got there, I realized it wouldn't work."

"Their cargo packages are so huge, bigger than our tricycles; we simply couldn't fit them."

Gesturing with his hands to emphasize, he said, "Those require large trucks to haul; our tricycles are too small."

"Then just build larger tricycles, like those cargo flatbed tricycles."

Li Li Xuewu pointed at him and said, "How much does a welding machine cost? Go to the Steel Rolling Factory to get some steel bars and pipes, buy some bicycle parts, and weld your own large cargo flatbed tricycles."

At this time in Jingcheng, cargo flatbed tricycles already existed; some were the 'donkey-riding-backwards' type, while others were standard forward-facing tricycles.

Speaking of hauling capacity, you certainly wouldn't load coal onto a cargo flatbed tricycle.

Hauling several hundred jin of goods is no problem; as long as the flatbed's structure is well-designed, human power can pedal it.

Actually, freight rates at this time are quite high, set according to the standards for gasoline consumption and vehicle wear-and-tear of large trucks.

Otherwise, how do you explain the transportation boom that surged domestically after the opening-up? Those who bought large trucks earliest back then all struck it rich.

"Don't say it's hard to get your hands on bicycle parts—"

Glaring at Shen Shen Guodong, who was about to ask a question, Li Li Xuewu said, "Apply to the sub-district office for a bicycle repair shop license, or procure parts under the guise of the recycling station's bicycle repair service; you need to use your brain."

"Ah—understood, Wu Ge."

Shen Shen Guodong smiled sheepishly; he hadn't expected Wu Ge to answer before he even asked, already knowing what he was going to inquire about.

Seeing his embarrassment, Chen Chen Xiaoyan chimed in voluntarily, asking, "Second Brother, I heard the Red Star Factory is going to produce large gasoline-powered tricycles; can those be used for cargo transport?"

"Of course they can; aren't they already running on the roads?"

Ji Ji Yuxiu explained, "If you want to buy them, you can come to me; I'll help you handle the licensing procedures."

"Are both passenger and freight transport allowed?"

At this moment, Shen Shen Guodong's mind was working well enough; he even knew that the passenger transport market was larger.

However, this put Ji Ji Yuxiu in a difficult spot; she explained, "We actually haven't received any management regulations regarding this type of business yet, but since current transport teams are doing it, you can too."

"Those transport teams are state-owned; the nature of this is still different."

Li Li Xuewu reminded Shen Shen Guodong, "If you want to start a transport team, begin with cargo flatbed tricycles, set an example for the sub-district office, and then consider passenger transport."

"As for the large tricycles, they will definitely be available; the cargo capacity standard can reach one and a half tons."

"Understood; I've noted it down. This counts as the second step of our development."

Smiling, Shen Shen Guodong said, "The sewing cooperative, matchbox production, packaging box production, the recycling station, and the transport team will absolutely satisfy Director Wang."

"I do have an idea you might consider."

Ji Ji Yuxiu suggested, "I remember reading in the newspaper early this year that in Jicheng, several women at the sub-district office started a small chemical factory producing sublimated sulfuric acid, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, and the like."

"They started with just four people, and now they have scaled up to dozens of employees."

Recalling the details, she introduced, "Initially, they only produced these chemical products, about a dozen varieties, but later they began manufacturing small pills, now producing over twenty types of medicine."

"What? A pharmaceutical factory can also be run collectively?"

Shen Shen Guodong paused for a moment, then said, "What if people get harmed by taking the medicine?"

"Do you think they're manufacturing fake drugs?"

Ji Ji Yuxiu smiled at him and said, "They have guidance from the medical station for production; if you want to pursue this, you can inquire at the medical station and ask Director Wang to handle the procedures for you."

"Don't underestimate chemical products or small pills; the profit margins on these items are extremely high."

"You see, I told you that you hadn't thoroughly sought everyone's opinions."

Smiling, Li Li Xuewu tapped Shen Shen Guodong and said, "If you had gathered everyone together earlier and humbly sought advice, wouldn't this matter have been settled long ago?"

"Hahaha—"

"It's not that easy—"

Smiling awkwardly, Shen Shen Guodong said, "One person can't split themselves in half to use; this matter must be handled one step at a time."

"While one person cannot split themselves in half to use, one person can manage two people to do the work."

Li Li Xuewu reminded him again, "Remember, character is important, but management is even more important."

He tilted his chin, smiled, and whispered to him, "Isn't Liu Liu Guangfu, whom you just brought under your command, the perfect candidate to help you manage the sewing cooperative?"

"He... hiss—seems so..."

Shen Shen Guodong's expression shifted several times before he raised an eyebrow and asked, "I don't know anything about his character."

"Take your time to ponder it; management is what matters most."

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "From what I've heard, this kid could pedal a sewing machine's large wheel in the First Detention Center fast enough to mimic an electric fan."

"There's no problem with his professional skills; the person is right here, it just depends on how you use him."

"Mm-hmm, I'll go back and think it over—"

Shen Shen Guodong was truly taking it to heart; he also knew the situation Wu Ge had described.

The work at the recycling station had nearly exhausted him; it was only when Yu Li, Luo Yun, Zhou Zhou Xiao Bai, and the young ones stepped up to share some of the workload that things finally got underway.

Now that Yang Erhai has returned, he has not only propped up the business in Tianjin but can also turn around and help him.

Jingcheng is the main base of the recycling station; the channels are all in his hands, and making quick use of these resources is his responsibility.

Picking at small loopholes is useless; it amounts to sacrificing the root for the branches.

"Discuss matters with your family more often, and when dealing with public affairs, seek advice from Director Wang."

Li Li Xuewu instructed, "Running a collective factory boils down to just two words: fame and profit."

"If you care about your reputation, sacrifice the profit; that makes it purer. If you don't care about reputation, then solidly manage the factory well and earn your fair share."

After he finished speaking, not only did Shen Shen Guodong fall silent, but Chen Xiaoyan remained speechless as well.

It was entirely up to Shen Shen Guodong to choose; she could not interfere.

Li Li Xuewu's meaning was very clear: the sub-district office wanted Shen Shen Guodong to serve as an advanced model, using his channels to set up small factories and small collectives.

They could give him an organizational identity and tangible benefits, but he had to understand how to choose between them.

If this matter concerned Li Li Xuewu, there would be nothing to discuss; only children make choices—he would naturally want both.

But Shen Shen Guodong was different; he lacked both the wit and the capability.

One cannot have both fish and bear's paw.

Just as Li Li Xuewu said, they would give him a formal organizational identity, commend him, evaluate him as an advanced model, and invite him to serve as this exemplary leader.

However, he must understand why the sub-district office invited him and what purpose these factories serve.

Does Shen Shen Guodong lack money?

Nonsense, who doesn't lack money, but does he lack the money from this small collective factory?

If he needs money, he should simply manage the recycling station well; a sufficiently good life awaits him in the future to enjoy.

The primary purpose of establishing small collectives and small factories is to fulfill the sub-district's tasks, unite the idle personnel and surplus labor force within the sub-district, and create advanced benefits and typical examples.

If Shen Shen Guodong starts out with the sole aim of making a profit, then this endeavor will be ruined.

If the endeavor is ruined, it is possible that he himself will be ruined.

Many people fail to see themselves clearly and fail to see the opportunities the organization gives them; they mistakenly and naively believe they can do anything, that they are models, that they are advanced.

In reality, whether model or advanced, these are titles established by the organization, promoted for the masses to see.

When your advanced nature no longer represents the organization's promotional direction and values, you are no longer advanced.

Therefore, Li Li Xuewu was reminding Shen Shen Guodong to see clearly what is advanced and what is backward.

Do not start as advanced and end up backward through your actions; that would be shameful.

Not only would the sub-district office not let you pass, but even the masses who earned money would not remember your kindness.

This is a typical case of exerting effort without gaining favor.

To handle this matter well and organize the masses for labor and production under the banner of a cooperative, one must not seek profit.

The channels are valuable; the channels in Shen Shen Guodong's hands could be turned into cash at any time.

Yet, no matter how valuable the channels are, they cannot buy the organization's recognition or the honor on your person.

Entering the organization's field of vision and becoming a promotional model is merely the first step; serving the people is the second step.

Once the second step is done well, you must give the organization the opportunity to discover highlights in your work so they can promote you again.

In this era, the phrase most often used to describe promotional models is: "This person seeks neither fame nor profit, but wholeheartedly serves the people."

Look, does this not make one noble? Does this not make one high-minded?

The profits of the collective factory are high, but a clear account must be calculated for the masses.

When looking at the ledger, they will only see themselves working day and night, tirelessly pedaling sewing machines to earn money, unable to see your hard work behind the scenes.

At that time, whether you take more or less, it will be inappropriate; someone will always gossip in their hearts.

This is not a management issue, nor are they bad; it is a matter of human nature and a systemic issue.

Why is it that after opening up, when Hong Kong merchants came to invest and build factories, no one struggled with why the boss earned so much? Because the workers knew the factory belonged to the boss.

But now is not then; you are establishing a cooperative, and the workers all know the factory is collective, belonging to everyone.

If you truly want to draw a salary, then hand over a portion of the profits to the sub-district office, and let the sub-district office distribute the wages.

In this way, the workers will have nothing more to say, but then, what are you doing this for?

For a monthly thirty or forty yuan?

Even if the wages from four or five factories were all given to you, working yourself to death would only earn you two hundred yuan.

If you earn those two hundred yuan, how many people will poke at your spine behind your back?

You might say these factories couldn't be built without me, but they will say this is the brilliance of the organization, the power of the collective.

In this day and age, individualism is not celebrated; even Li Li Xuewu would not dare to claim any credit.

Therefore, ever since Shen Shen Guodong returned and mentioned that Director Wang had sought him out, Li Li Xuewu had been considering this matter.

When working for the sub-district office, one must help for free; not only must one contribute channels, but one must also handle things diligently and well.

Don't talk about dedication; when Director Wang backed the recycling station, they never mentioned dedication.

Furthermore, with Shen Shen Guodong now holding an organizational identity, managing the recycling station's operations in the future will be safer and more convenient.

With five or six titles as factory director or head of small collectives and small factories on his resume, who would dare to cross him?

Taking not a single cent, serving only the street residents and solving their practical difficulties—you think you can bully him?

Director Wang would be the first to object, and the masses of Jiaodaokou would be the second.

Moreover, Shen Shen Guodong can forgo wages from these small factories and collectives without being barred from managing their operations and finances.

Not taking wages makes management even easier; future charitable acts for the subdistrict office and projects serving the people won't require his own money, creating a cycle of reputation.

So, how do you choose?

"Is there even a choice to be made?"

After only a moment of silence, Shen Shen Guodong looked seriously at Li Li Xuewu and replied, "Second Brother, rest assured, I will definitely handle this matter properly."

"Matters not driven by profit are easier to handle than those driven by profit!"

"Mm, just do good work; you must prove more promising than Lao Lao Biaozi."

Li Li Xuewu nodded with a smile, and the others in the room laughed as well.

Chen Chen Xiaoyan looked at her partner, finding him satisfactory in every way; though he lacked education and could be somewhat stubborn, he understood reason and had no issues with getting things done.

"The small collectives and small factories must be established, but the actions of serving the people cannot be abandoned."

As Shen Shen Guodong busied himself preparing to leave, Li Li Xuewu stood up to see them off, instructing, "Do not neglect doing good deeds and providing service for the subdistrict."

"Understood, please rest assured."

Shen Shen Guodong said with a smile, "When Brother Biao returns, I'll make him call me 'Leader'."

"Cut the act—"

Chen Chen Xiaoyan tugged his hand and said, "Let's go quickly; Second Brother still needs to rest!"

Li Li Xuewu escorted them to the front courtyard and watched them leave before heading back home.

While he and Shen Shen Guodong and the others discussed subdistrict matters, Gu Ning had the children eat and then came over to the front courtyard.

Li Shu finally got her chance to join the excitement; disregarding the fact that her two little brothers needed sleep, she chattered on incessantly.

It was only when Li Li Xuewu entered the room that she finally quieted down.

Perhaps her energy was exhausted, or perhaps it was because he had said he would take her shopping at the department store tomorrow.

In all her life, Li Shu had never visited a department store before; just hearing about it filled her with curiosity.

The Old Lady and Liu Yin looked at their eldest granddaughter with doting faces; even amidst the commotion, they carried Li Ning and Li Tang to the north room to coax them to sleep.

These two little brothers truly lacked their big sister's capabilities; unable even to crawl, they could only lie on the kang babbling.

At this moment, sleeping soundly, Gu Ning held Li Shu while Li Li Xuewu held Li Ning as the family of four walked toward the rear courtyard.

Liu Yin had intended to follow and see them off, but Li Li Xuewu did not trouble his mother.

It was past nine o'clock; except for the gate lamps, every household in the courtyard had extinguished their lights and gone to sleep.

That was simply how things were in those years: people slept early and woke early.

There was none of that later-generation habit of sleeping at two or three in the morning and waking at nine or ten.

If anyone did such a thing, others would mock them, saying that staying up late made you a 'Yan Biegu' and sleeping in made you a 'Lazy Calf'.

If you really slept until broad daylight, the entire courtyard would criticize you, and you could forget about finding a wife.

Who would be willing to marry a lazy man?

Fortunately, Li Li Xuewu was already married with children, and Gu Ning had no intention of divorcing him due to laziness.

Therefore, he slept straight through until broad daylight.

Gu Ning naturally understood him; over the course of a week, even when at home, he woke early on weekends.

Either he would come over to check on his mother-in-law or the Old Lady, or he would go to the club to handle the early shift.

In any case, with a full day of work on Sunday, it was more tiring than a regular workday.

Coming to the Sihe Academy side, he finally relaxed; perhaps because he had grown up here, he felt a sense of belonging to home.

During these past two weeks of returning, he had gotten up very late.

Gu Ning wanted to let him sleep a bit longer; even Gu Ning herself slept until Li Shu woke up, which in turn woke Li Ning.

Liu Yin was thinking of them; once it was light, she came to the rear courtyard to check twice.

On the second visit, hearing movement inside the room, she entered and carried Li Shu away; once this little demon woke up, she would absolutely never lie back down.

After Gu Ning breastfed Li Ning, she tidied up and headed to the front courtyard as well.

It was past seven-thirty, nearly eight o'clock, before Li Li Xuewu emerged from the rear courtyard.

Even after sleeping for more than ten hours, he still felt sleepy; Li Ning had woken three times during the night, and Li Shu once, getting up to play with toys.

Last night he had intended to leave his daughter with his mother, but this little girl was the best at currying favor.

Hearing that they were going to the department store today, she feared her father would leave her behind and wanted to follow him without taking a single step apart.

The first thing she did upon waking in the morning was to check whether her father was still there.

Seeing her father still sleeping soundly, she smiled and climbed up.

When she spotted her father coming from the rear courtyard, Li Shu stood on the windowsill and chirped loudly, "Papa—!"

"Hehe—"

Li Li Xuewu smiled and made a funny face at his daughter, just as he did before he was married, back when she had just learned to stand holding the windowsill; every time he passed by, he would tease her.

Li Shu laughed gleefully; seeing her father enter the room, she turned around and told the Old Lady she wanted to put on her shoes.

She was extremely enthusiastic; today she was definitely going to the department store, and no one could stop her!

"Your father hasn't eaten yet; we can only go after he has had his meal."

The Old Lady, possessing great patience, smiled as she put the little shoes on Li Shu's feet and teased her by asking, "Tell Grandma, what do you want to buy when we go to the department store?"

"Buy—buy lots and lots of delicious food!"

Li Shu clapped her little hands, thought for a moment, and then said, "Also buy toys; I don't have any toys to play with anymore."

"Daughter, don't say such things with a guilty conscience—!"

Li Li Xuewu sat at the dining table while his mother brought out steamed buns and rice porridge that had been kept warm in the pot, along with a small dish of pickles.

He smiled and looked at his daughter standing by the window ledge peering over, saying, "Our family's toys would need a truck to haul them all out; if you keep saying you have no toys to play with, Dad will have to move the entire department store here for you."

"I want new toys! The kind that go click-clack!"

Li Shu shouted loudly through the glass, "I want, I want the kind that makes noise—"

"Alright, no problem; later Dad will buy you a whip," Li Li Xuewu replied while drinking his rice porridge, "When you flick it, it goes click-clack; not only can it spin ice tops, but it can also whip disobedient children."

"Then—then I don't want it—"

Li Shu seemed to realize something, held onto the window ledge, and said, "I want the kind that can run by itself."

"Sure, Dad will buy you a dog for you to lead."

Li Li Xuewu ate quickly and spoke just as fast, firmly refusing to let his daughter's words drop to the floor, "Not only can the dog run by itself, but it can also drag you along as it runs."

"But... what if the dog bites me?"

With her grandmother's help, Li Shu climbed down from the kang, stepped in her little shoes with a slap-slap sound, walked to the dining table, and said, "I'm afraid of dogs."

Li Li Xuewu lowered his head to look at his daughter and said, "It's fine; have you forgotten, don't we still have the whip?"

"I, I don't want the whip!"

Li Shu seemed to have been tangled up by her father; she shouted forcefully, "I don't want the dog either!"

"Then do you still want toys or not?"

At this time, the largest department stores in the Four-Nine City numbered only a few.

Dongfeng Market (formerly Dong'an Market), Wang Fu Department Store, Xidan Market, and Dongsi People's Market.

Xidan Market was undoubtedly the largest and most comprehensive.

Unlike a department store which is merely a single building, Xidan had shops lining both sides of the entire street.

Referring specifically to the Xidan Market complex, there were Fude, Lai Yide, Huide, Houde, Fushou, and the Temporary Market, among several others.

Other markets and shops included the Xidan Vegetable Market, Guixiang Village Food Store, Shengxifu Hat and Shoe Store, Xidan No. 1 Barbershop, Hendry Watch Shop, Yu Guotai Photo Studio, Huiyi Halal Food Store, Jingyi Optical Company, Tongchunyuan Restaurant, and more...

In the morning, Li Li Xuewu drove that convertible Willys; the family of three left Bai Bai Xiyuan and arrived here at Xidan.

He had wanted to invite his mother and eldest sister-in-law to come along, but they all found it troublesome and did not want to go out shopping.

Perhaps Zhao Zhao Yafang wanted Li Li Xuewu and Gu Ning to enjoy some relaxed time together, so she kept only Li Ning at home to look after things.

After parking the car at the barbershop entrance, Li Li Xuewu held his daughter; truly like a mighty warrior, his left and right arms were spacious enough to run a horse between them.

He feared the crowds, and Gu Ning could not carry Li Shu; needless to say about shopping, even walking would be strenuous.

To say there were many people was true; heads surged along this main street, making it extraordinarily lively, yet it had not reached the point of shoulders rubbing against shoulders.

Li Li Xuewu had no intention of squeezing into the department store at this hour; their family had nothing urgent to attend to, so buying early or late made no difference.

Those goods sat displayed on the counters; only those with money and coupons could buy them; they certainly wouldn't be distributed for free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gu Ning wanted to get her hair cut but worried that Li Li Xuewu lacked the patience to accompany her.

Previously, her mother had accompanied her here, specifically to Xidan No. 1 Barbershop, where barbers said to be from Shanghai once styled fashionable haircuts.

Nowadays, it was actually all the same; after more than ten years, any real skill would have long been passed down.

"How about we come back after we finish shopping?"

Gu Ning glanced at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Or I can come by myself when I have time."

"Whenever you have time, I have time; do you get one more day of holiday than I do?"

Li Li Xuewu teased her with a smile, saying, "Don't you know that a man accompanying his wife to get her hair cut is at his most charming?"

"Hee-hee—"

Gu Ning felt somewhat embarrassed by his words and secretly pinched him, while Li Shu, who was watching the fun, seemed to discover something.

She hugged her father's neck, giggled, and said, "Shame-shame—"

"Dad isn't ashamed at all—"

Li Li Xuewu led Gu Ning toward the barbershop, saying as they walked, "There are fewer people in the shop at this hour; once those tired from shopping come out, the queue could last until tomorrow morning!"