Chapter 1131: Do you need to be so blunt?

"Oh my, who is this, so pretty—"

"Giggle—"

After getting off the car, every time Li Shu saw someone, she had to show off her little head.

The red hair rope Mom bought, although her hair wasn't very long, could still be braided into little pigtails.

"So vain from such a young age—"

Chen Xiaoyan leaned close to her forehead and bumped heads with Li Shu, making her giggle.

Li Xuewu put his daughter on the ground and let her continue showing off.

"I'll help you—"

There was a pile of things in the back of the car, all spoils of war from shopping today.

It was noon and there was no one in the shop. Hearing the movement in the west courtyard, Wang Yamei came out to help.

"Why did you buy so many things?"

She took the box Li Xuewu handed over and asked curiously: "Are you planning to live here permanently?"

"Can't I prepare even if I'm not living here permanently?"

He handed the box to her and flicked her forehead as he did so.

"I saw you were about to fall asleep on the counter—"

"Liar—"

Wang Yamei pouted and hummed: "I don't believe you could see the counter from there."

While joking, everyone helped move the boxes that needed to be moved into the courtyard.

Li Xuewu had to go to the club in a while to go over the work for the week.

Of course, he would come back for dinner and go home early after dinner.

Both of them had to go to work on Monday, so they couldn't leave from here, and they couldn't take care of the children either.

Staying here one night a week was the maximum Li Xuewu could do to relieve his mother's worries.

The sun was poisonous at noon, so everyone didn't stay in the courtyard for long. Gu Ning was worried about the children and took Li Shu to the courtyard early.

"Why did you buy so many things?"

Seeing Li Xuewu and Chen Xiaoyan moving several boxes in, Liu Yin, who had just woken up, was surprised.

After eating lunch, Zhao Yafang and she coaxed the children to sleep and took a nap themselves.

Perhaps they heard the sound of the car in the back courtyard, so they woke up.

She got off the kang, washed her face, and then got busy putting away the boxes on the ground.

"Bought some cloth and shoe soles, for both adults and children."

Li Xuewu explained to his mother: "Xiao Ning saw that the wool in the shop was quite good, so she bought a lot. It's just time to knit sweaters."

He was afraid his mother would nag, so he said with a smile: "It gets cold early in the mountains, and Dad likes the shoes and sweaters you make, so consider it half a filial duty from me."

"You're the only one who can talk—"

Liu Yin knew her son's intentions. He said he bought shoe soles and wool for his father.

But looking at the shoe soles and wool in the box, even if his father were a centipede, these shoe soles would be enough to wear, and even if he were an elephant, this wool would be enough to knit sweaters.

Obviously, he had brought out the needs of the whole family, just using the excuse of fulfilling filial duty to his father.

However, harmony in the family brings prosperity. Her second son and his wife went out to play and could still think of the whole family, so she was naturally happy in her heart.

Especially when Gu Ning took out the hairpins from her bag and shared them with them, she was praised and complimented by Liu Yin again.

Grandmother, Liu Yin, Zhao Yafang, Ji Yuxiu, even Li Xue, who was on a business trip, weren't left out.

"Look at how happy Mom is. Xuewu bought so many things and didn't get a single word of praise—"

Zhao Yafang teased her mother-in-law and said: "Just got a hairpin from the second daughter-in-law and you're so happy?"

"That's right—"

Liu Yin said with a smile: "Can what a son gives compare to what a daughter-in-law gives!"

"Oh—Mom said this for us to hear, right?"

Zhao Yafang was really good at making trouble, turned around, patted Ji Yuxiu, and reminded her: "Look at you, you don't know how to be sensible at all. Learn from your second sister-in-law."

Ji Yuxiu pouted with amusement and said: "Sister-in-law, you're really afraid that our family won't fight—!"

"Hahaha—"

"Hehehe—"

Li Shu saw the adults laughing. She didn't know what was going on, but she just followed along and laughed.

Only when the laughter died down did she shake her little head, like a shaking lion, and lean toward her eldest aunt and third aunt.

Ji Yuxiu held her with amusement and teased her: "Okay, okay, I see it. Don't shake anymore. If you shake anymore, your brain will turn into paste—"

"Am I pretty?"

Li Shu asked with a giggle: "Little Aunt, tell me, am I pretty?"

"Of course you're pretty. Li Shu is the prettiest in our family; no one can compare."

Ji Yuxiu pointed at Li Shu's little nose and asked: "Then tell Little Aunt, compared to your Mom, is Eldest Aunt prettier, or is your Mom prettier?"

"I..."

Li Shu just wanted to answer, but realized this question was really hard to answer.

Mom is naturally pretty, but Eldest Aunt is also very good to her. How can she say that to their faces?

"Third, you're really something—"

Zhao Yafang said with amusement: "You said I was afraid the family wouldn't fight, but you're afraid the family won't be lively!"

"Hahaha—"

Ji Yuxiu held Li Shu on her lap and continued to ask her: "Tell me, tell me who is prettier."

She teased Li Shu, "Tell me one, and Auntie will take you to buy an ice cream."

"I... cream ice cream—"

Li Shu's eyes widened, and drool was really about to flow out.

She looked at the money and coupons Little Aunt took out, rolled her eyes, and shouted loudly: "Little Aunt is the prettiest—!"

"Hahaha—!"

Everyone in the room waiting for her answer burst into laughter.

Ji Yuxiu was angry and amused, tickled her, and asked: "Prettier than your Mom?"

"Giggle—"

Li Shu giggled as she was tickled, and the little pigtails tied with red hair ropes jumped around.

Li Shu got this ice cream by her own ability, and it really was cream ice cream.

Cold drinks aren't cheap at this time. You see Li Xuewu moving cases of soda into the house, but actually, they are produced by the Red Star Factory itself, so the cost is low.

But if you buy them on the street or in a shop, they are mostly from the Second Cold Drink Factory, which is Beibingyang, and that's expensive.

Small bean and red fruit popsicles are three cents each, cream popsicles are five cents, ice cream is ten cents; soda is fifteen cents a bottle; ice cream is twenty-five to thirty cents.

"Look—! Ice cream!"

As soon as Li Shu entered the courtyard, she started showing off, telling everyone she met about the ice cream and red hair rope she got.

There are three children in the Li family now, and she is the oldest, and it's exactly the time when she can talk and make trouble, so all the family's love is gained by her alone.

It can be said that she gets whatever she wants.

Never mind the ten-cent cream ice cream; even if it were thirty-cent ice cream, Ji Yuxiu would be willing to buy it for her, it's just that she's too young and can't eat much.

Even this ice cream, Ji Yuxiu ate a few bites more and only left her a small piece to eat slowly.

As for which family in the courtyard has the best living conditions, there's no need to compare, and no need to say; it's definitely the Li family.

Look at Li Shun, he's still dressed the same, look at Grandmother and Liu Yin, they are still so simple.

You can't see anything from the clothes.

Li Xuewen and Zhao Yafang are intellectuals and are always the same.

It's summer, Zhao Yafang just has a few more skirts, and Li Xuewen has a few more shirts.

Look at Li Xuewen, the extra big shorts are all modified from trousers.

The Li family has conditions, but having conditions doesn't mean squandering money and wasting money.

If they really got carried away, never mind the people in the courtyard having opinions, even Grandmother and Liu Yin would have to talk.

Li Xuewu is different. He doesn't live here on weekdays, so everyone doesn't see his food, clothing, housing, and transportation.

But those who know him, those who understand him, really haven't seen him be very extravagant.

White shirt, black trousers, black leather shoes, always like this. It's just that in winter, he doesn't wear the cotton-padded jacket made at home, but a leather jacket or an administrative jacket, or a woolen overcoat.

This can't be compared; he is a cadre, his salary is high, and he earns a lot, so he can afford this.

Gu Ning is the same. On weekdays, she wears the clothes issued by the hospital, and only when she is at home does she change into a skirt.

But it's not a floral skirt; it's a skirt from the military uniform, a uniform from previous years.

Looking at this couple going out, you can tell they are cadres, but you can't tell how rich they are.

It's nothing more than no patches on the clothes and no thread ends worn out on the sleeves.

How rich are they? Look at the food?

This can be seen a bit, but the Li family has never been in difficulty, especially in terms of food.

Li Shun's salary is not low, more than seventy yuan, and it's not difficult to support four children.

But where did the money go?

A part has to be saved for the three sons to get married.

Most of it is used for food.

Especially in the past few years, for well-known reasons, there was no special shortage of grain in the city, but in fact, there wasn't much grain, and the whole country had to tighten their belts.

When you are a parent, you can tighten your own belt, but can you bear to tighten the children's?

In those years, the Li family bought a lot of negotiated grain.

What is negotiated grain?

It was negotiated commodity grain specially provided when the price level was unstable and grain supply was insufficient in previous years.

No limit, no coupons needed, ten times higher than the normal grain price, buy as much as you want.

Not only grain, but also meat and other non-staple foods.

You say where the money went; three big guys, growing taller and taller.

Where is there a big guy over 1.8 meters in this courtyard? The Li family has three.

Generally, people say raising a daughter is a waste of money, but the Li family doesn't think so. Li Xue's height isn't short either.

Grandmother understands clearly: wearing well or poorly is external; being full and warm is real.

Yan Fugui, who lives across the door, used to say that Li Shun didn't know how to live, and this money all became dung.

Isn't it? Spending money to buy grain to eat, and after eating, it's all pulled out.

He doesn't think so. Save more money if you have it; if you have money in your pocket, you won't panic in your heart.

So look, the children of the Yan family can't compare to the children of the Li family in terms of growth.

The tallest is still Yan Jiecheng, but he's not as tall as Li Xuecai, and about the same height as Li Xue.

He's the eldest son, so he naturally ate better. When he was born, he was the only one, so he was fed more.

It's a pity, he grew tall, but died early.

It won't work later; the more children in the family, the worse the food situation.

Look at Yan Jiekun's growth, he's like a small potato that has become a spirit. Can he grow tall?

There are two families in this courtyard who are willing to feed their children.

One is the Seeing Sha Zhu family. Look at Seeing Sha Zhu's father running away with a woman, but Yushui was already big that year, so she didn't lack food when she was young.

Think about it, can a cook's family lack food?

So look at Seeing Sha Zhu, he's not short, and Yushui isn't short either.

Don't say Seeing Sha Zhu isn't tall; he counts as above average height in this courtyard.

There is another family, the Jia family.

Big-faced cat Banggeng, this kid didn't lack nutrition since he was young, and even had a bit of excess nutrition.

In this day and age, whoever raises a little fatty in the family has to say his father is a cadre.

Because children from non-cadre families can't get that fat, there's no oil and water to get fat.

But look, the big-faced cat is already twelve, and the meat on his cheeks hasn't been shaken off yet.

Of course, whether the food is good or bad is one aspect, and there are also genetic limitations.

Parents are both short; if they give birth to a big tall guy over 1.8 meters, that needs to be checked.

Unless the facial features are very obvious, otherwise it's very likely to be the neighbor's old Wang.

"Director Li, not going out?"

"Just got back not long ago."

Li Xuewu walked out of the house and bumped into Comrade Ge Shuqin holding her child into the courtyard.

If the other party didn't greet him, he would just pretend he didn't notice, and he wouldn't care even more.

It was Comrade Ge Shuqin who, having started work and with her child grown, understood many things.

In the past, if she saw Li Xuewu, she would either hide or walk past with her head down.

Now that she sees him, she must take the initiative to greet him.

"Did you take the child out?"

Li Xuewu looked at the little girl in her arms, calculated in his heart, and she should be nine months old.

It might be premature, plus Comrade Ge Shuqin had fire in her heart after birth, and nutrition couldn't keep up.

This child looks only five or six months old. If you really compare, Li Tang, that little fatty, is almost catching up to her.

Generally speaking, if the family gives enough nutrition, a nine-month-old child can crawl and stand by the wall, and even if held in the arms, it looks big.

Look at this little girl, although her spirit is quite good, she just doesn't look fat.

If you really want to talk about it, being able to live until now, and not worrying about food and drink, is all thanks to Comrade Ge Shuqin's strength.

If she had really died in her heart when Yan Jiecheng died, or had left this child and walked away.

Just with the Yan family's virtue, this child absolutely wouldn't have survived last winter.

Otherwise, why would people say that life is fate, it depends on whose family it falls into.

Li Shu's fate is even more bitter than this child's, but she happened to fall into the Li family, got Li Xuewu as a father, and Gu Ning as a mother.

Even biological parents are just like this; who else's child lives better than the big demon king?

Ji Yuxiu buying ice cream naturally couldn't just buy it for the children; everyone in the family brought some, and even those working in the west courtyard brought some.

Li Xuecai is still a student and doesn't earn a salary, but she earns a salary.

But the salary is spent on her own clothes, and she lives and eats at home, and her mother-in-law didn't ask her for a penny.

It was the grain book and non-staple food book that were placed at home, really like a hands-off shopkeeper.

Zhao Yafang manages the accounts of the west courtyard recycling station for Li Xuewu. Li Xuewu specifically asked Shen Guodong to make a salary for her, but she crossed it out and didn't want it.

This family, although they have separated, has Li Xuewu as a model, and they all have a harmonious look.

So today's big purchase, Gu Ning picked and chose, and it wasn't just the shoe soles and wool Li Xuewu mentioned.

It's hot, Gu Ning wanted to buy two sets of cool clothes for her mother-in-law and grandmother.

But she was worried that the two would dislike the clothes she bought as expensive, so she bought several kinds of cool cloth in one go.

She didn't say it was specifically to make clothes for Grandmother and Mother-in-law, just said she also wanted to make some, and the family was calculating together, how could the size of the cloth be so much.

Liu Yin knew her daughter-in-law's intentions, felt beautiful in her heart, but didn't say anything disappointing.

Li Shu chattered and made trouble, also wanting to make clothes, and there were two sewing machines in the family.

Looking at them like this, it's like they want to make a few pieces today.

Comrade Ge Shuqin stood at the entrance of the hanging flower gate, and while talking to Li Xuewu, she also heard the liveliness of the Li family.

However, she wasn't jealous. If she were jealous, she wouldn't have stayed in the Yan family and lived with Yan Jiefang.

"The neighborhood committee said they wanted to give the children a vaccination, so we're holding her and going."

She bounced the child in her arms and explained to Li Xuewu: "They said it's a flu vaccine. Did your family's child get it too?"

"Li Shu should have gotten it. Her mother took her to the hospital to get it."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Be careful, don't get it wet, don't eat stimulating things."

The little girl in Comrade Ge Shuqin's arms looked at him curiously, not afraid at all.

"The doctor exhorted to be careful for the next two days."

She thanked Li Xuewu for his reminder and asked with a smile: "Are you going out?"

"Going to see a friend," Li Xuewu looked at the little girl and nodded with a smile, then looked at Comrade Ge Shuqin and asked: "Is work going smoothly?"

"Thank you for your concern, it's quite good."

Comrade Ge Shuqin wanted to say this; she had already thanked Li Xuewu.

It's just that the more she works in the duty room, the more she can feel Li Xuewu's care for her at the beginning.

If she were still working in logistics, not to mention having no time to take care of the child, this work would be too hard.

It's not that she can't bear the hardship, picking and choosing, it's just that the root of the disease left over from giving birth to the child last spring, her body has never been very good.

It's just that this spring, Yan Jiefang took care of her carefully, nutrition was given enough, and then she had spirit.

So people in the courtyard didn't have opinions about Yan Jiefang, and even less looked down on Comrade Ge Shuqin.

What etiquette and morality, living a good life is better than anything.

If there really are long tongues, the life they live isn't as comfortable as the young couple.

"Jiefang's work is also quite good. He has always wanted to find an opportunity to thank you, but there was no opportunity."

"Hi—what are you thanking me for."

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said: "Heard from Guodong, forty-something people, he's the most capable."

"It's Manager Shen taking care of him."

Comrade Ge Shuqin knew what was good, and said politely: "Jiefang's legs and feet aren't good, Manager Shen specifically arranged a good area for him, and he told me when he came back."

She said gratefully: "If it weren't for your and Manager Shen's help, he and I wouldn't know how to live, especially this child."

"Isn't this quite good—"

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said: "Both of them have hands and feet, what are they afraid of not living a good life?"

"I've heard people say that Yan Jiefang has changed like a different person in the past six months, knows how to take care of the family and love people, takes good care of the child, and has the look of a man."

"Need to thank you more for your help."

Comrade Ge Shuqin, although she was also smiling gratefully, tears came down.

The little girl in her arms saw her mother crying, so she raised her hand to wipe

"I've heard people say that Yan Jiecheng has been like a different person these past six months. He knows how to cherish Gu Ning and takes good care of the child; he's finally acting like a real man."

"I really have to thank you for your help."

Although Comrade Ge Shuqin smiled gratefully, tears started to fall.

The little girl in her arms saw her mother crying and raised her hand to help wipe away the tears.

"Alright, the child is sensible, and Yan Jiecheng can be considered to have made something of himself," Li Xuewu encouraged her. "Look forward more; life will get better and better."

"Thank you, Li Chu."

Comrade Ge Shuqin saw the eldest of the Li family coming over from the backyard, so she didn't say anything more.

She wiped away her tears, thanked Li Xuewu, and then carried the child home.

When passing Li Xuewen, she even called out "Teacher Li" and greeted him.

Li Xuewen was naturally polite; he nodded courteously and came over to his brother's side.

"When did you get back?"

"I've been home for a while. There's ice cream in the room; Yuxiu bought it."

Li Xuewu looked his eldest brother over and asked with a smile, "Were you reading in the backyard?"

"No, I took a nap—"

Li Xuewen shook his shoulders; no matter how tired he was outside, he would never stretch lazily.

Although his position as a university teacher had been suspended, his reputation remained, and he had to be mindful of it.

"Are you going out?"

Seeing Li Xuewu's posture of getting ready to leave, he asked, "Didn't you just get back?"

"Going to the club to handle some work."

Li Xuewu gestured toward the Bai Bai Xiyuan and asked, "Are you coming? If so, I'll take you to get some exercise."

"No, my health is quite good."

Li Xuewen curled his lip, glanced into the room, and asked, "The school office called me the day before yesterday, saying they wanted me to return to school to organize the resumption of classes. Do you think this is reliable?"

"Looking for you? Resuming classes?"

Li Xuewu glanced at his eldest brother and asked, "Who called you? Vice Principal Li?"

"No—that's why I'm asking you."

Li Xuewen stood in the shade of the wall by the moon gate, raised his eyebrows, and said, "I always feel something is not quite right about this."

"It's not quite right. Why look for you?"

Li Xuewu crossed his arms and said, "If they really want to organize the resumption of classes, what use is your position as a deputy section chief?"

"And you're in the academic affairs group. If they really need people, wouldn't it be better to look for your wife? Everyone knows about you."

"Hiss—do you have to be so blunt?"

Li Xuewen's mouth twitched. Being called out by his younger brother for his poor social skills and lack of worldly wisdom—especially compared to his own wife—was still a bit embarrassing.

It wasn't that he lacked social skills; it was just that he had read too many books and saw people too clearly.

It wasn't that he lacked worldly wisdom; he just felt it wasn't worth wasting precious time on superficial things.

It was only the university education of this era that had cultivated him; otherwise, he might have arrogantly shouted something pretentious like "the human world is not worth it."

"Do you think the notice posted two days ago counts?"

Li Xuewen also saw there was no one else around, so he asked in a low voice, "If it's implemented thoroughly, are classes really going to resume?"

"Wait a bit longer; the situation isn't clear yet."

Li Xuewu glanced at his eldest brother and said, "Anything that is explicitly prohibited just shows that it is happening and hasn't fully developed yet."

"Just think, if there weren't some signs, would the higher-ups have issued this notice?"

"You mean... it's going to get chaotic again?"

Li Xuewen let out a long sigh and said, "It's not that I want to go back to teaching; I just feel that if things go on like this, what will happen to the students in school?"

"Is that something you should be considering?"

Li Xuewu looked at his eldest brother with amusement and asked, "Did you dream of something? Pointing out the country's destiny and showing off your spirit?"

"What kind of nonsense is that—"

Li Xuewen waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I'm going home to hold my child."

"Wait a bit longer; it'll take at least a year or so."

Seeing his eldest brother's lonely expression, he knew exactly what he was thinking.

In his twenties, in the prime of life, who would be willing to spend their days with prisoners, self-isolated in that detention center?

It wasn't that others were imprisoning him; he was imprisoning himself, along with his youth.

It's just that this safety was hard-won, and Li Xuewen understood the principle of trade-offs.

Why else would he only complain to his younger brother and even hide it from Zhao Yafang?

Both of them were teachers in the school; if they really started complaining, both of them would be upset.

In fact, Li Xuewen also wanted to probe for some information from his younger brother.

The situation he didn't know or couldn't see clearly was crystal clear in his younger brother's eyes.

Regarding the matter of university studies, the family had made arrangements early on; had any of them suffered?

He could make his own decisions on other things, but regarding the principle of going with the flow, he had to ask his younger brother.

"Brother Wu, I heard your factory is going to open a school?"

As soon as Zhou Xiaobai heard Li Xuewu had arrived, she came to the office.

She didn't care that Yu Li was in the room; she pulled up a chair, sat opposite the desk, and ground her teeth, saying, "Is it okay if I go to your school?"

"I'm afraid not; our school doesn't accept fools—"

Li Xuewu said without raising his head, "And it doesn't accept crazy girls either."

"I'm not a fool! And I'm definitely not a crazy girl!" Zhou Xiaobai pouted in dissatisfaction. "I'm just ambitious, I just want to learn—"

"Ambitious, is that so? Want to learn, is that so? Fine."

Li Xuewu raised his head, looked at her, and said, "There's conscription this autumn; I'll tell your dad to send you to the big melting pot to learn and train. That's truly ambitious."

"Do you hate me now—"

Zhou Xiaobai rested her arms on the desk, stacked her hands to cushion her chin, and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Are you trying to drive me away?"

"What do you think? Director Yu?"

Li Xuewu looked toward Yu Li and asked, "Eating and drinking for free here without doing any work, shouldn't she be kicked out sooner?"

"Hehe—I'm just afraid you can't bear to."

Yu Li smiled and glanced at him, poured a cup of warm water from the tea table for Zhou Xiaobai, and continued tidying up the documents on the table.

"Thank you, Yu Jie! Yu Jie is the best!"

Zhou Xiaobai had learned to climb up the pole; she didn't care about the meaning behind Yu Li's words and looked at Li Xuewu happily, showing off.

Li Xuewu curled his lip and said, "Of course I can't bear to. Such good labor, it would be a pity to throw it away."

"Eat more, get nice and chubby, so you can put in some effort when I need you."

"Are you raising a pig—getting nice and chubby!"

Zhou Xiaobai hummed twice, took a sip of warm water, and asked, "Are you going to Tianjin recently?"

"What for? I don't have time to play with you; I'm working."

Li Xuewu looked at the documents in his hand; these were all the accounts for the recycling station.

Placed on the other side were the business reports from all the recycling stations for the week.

They were collected every Saturday so Li Xuewu could understand the situation in various places.

For special business matters, he would also provide some guidance and criticism.

General business work was discussed by Yu Li and Shen Guodong, and at the same time, it would be handed over to the think tank for discussion and research.

Those old fossils on the mountain were very jealous of the underground company Li Xuewu had set up.

Of course, with their perspective, it was a bit small-time and not as grand as their glory days.

But since private companies and trading weren't allowed now, Li Xuewu's "small-time operation" had actually succeeded.

These old men also seemed to have regained their youth, holding meetings to research every day.

It wasn't just the Hong Kong business; there was also the recycling station business.

In fact, there wasn't much work that truly required Li Xuewu's guidance; sometimes he wouldn't encounter it twice a month.

On the mountain, it wasn't one person's opinion; it was twenty-something old businessmen with rich experience discussing and negotiating before coming up with a suggestion.

Even if it was one person's opinion, it had been approved by the others.

Li Xuewu's little business couldn't compare to the Hong Kong enterprise at all.

But this was the mainland, and relying on the big tree of the Red Star Factory, the little grass of the recycling station was growing well.

You might see it as a little grass, but this little grass was supporting all of them.

The bungalows on the hillside were almost becoming a village; besides not being able to go down the mountain, they lacked nothing.

Guarding the communication station, the broadcast signal was excellent.

Every household had a radio, and they could hear about everything happening in the world.

It's just that what they heard was what they didn't want to hear; conversely, life on the mountain was quite good.

There were primary and middle schools in the village, and the teachers were special-grade teachers from the city.

For any daily necessities, they just had to tell Shen Guodong. Now, the cargo truck carrying vegetables made at least one trip a day, and it could bring anything.

Why else would Lou Yu not come down even once a month? The old couple had gradually grown to like life in the mountain village.

The open space on the hillside had been reclaimed by these old men and women to plant vegetables; the former masters and mistresses were now living a rural life.

They stopped drinking exquisite coffee and switched to hot tea; they stopped smoking thick, cannon-like cigars and switched to Great China cigarettes. Without a vault at home, they felt relaxed, with children and grandchildren around their knees and the sounds of chickens and dogs.

Lou Yu's health hadn't been good before. Before Watching Lou Xiaoe went to Hong Kong, she specifically instructed Li Xuewu to take good care of her father.

Maintaining the family business for years and worrying about the family had left the wealthy man's health depleted.

Unexpectedly, after living on the mountain for just a year, his entire spirit was different.

Initially, because of the decline of the Lou family in Hong Kong, he still felt some self-reproach and anxiety.

Once his eldest grandson arrived by his side, he never mentioned the family affairs in Hong Kong again.

Watching Lou Xiaoe hadn't done anything wrong. Even today, he had to say a fair word: it was his daughter who had preserved the Lou family.

If someone else had gone, the Lou family would have been wiped out.

You say Watching Lou Xiaoe is irreplaceable to Li Xuewu?

Stop it; Lou Yu had experienced all the storms, what could he not see clearly?

No one is irreplaceable.

Regarding the operation in Hong Kong, Li Xuewu had never completely relied on the Lou family.

If not the Lou family, there would be another family; who doesn't have a daughter?

The Investigation Department and Ng Fung Hong's arrangements in Hong Kong were to support Li Xuewu's career, but also to keep Watching Lou Xiaoe in check.

The businesses Li Xuewu had in his hands now looked scattered, especially in Hong Kong, as if they had lost their connection.

But everyone on the mountain knew that the kite string in Li Xuewu's hand was perfectly fine and couldn't be broken.

Broken?

If it broke, everyone on the mountain would be finished.

Including Watching Lou Xiaoe in Hong Kong; she would be the first to break, and no one wanted to run.

Does Zhou Xiaobai want to run?

She wants to run even less; she wishes she could stick to him tightly.

Once she heard the Red Star Factory was opening a school, she thought about going to study—wouldn't that be perfect for mixing with Li Xuewu every day?

Only a fool would run. With several hundred yuan a month, she didn't even ask her parents for living expenses anymore.

As if by tacit agreement, Zhou Xiaobai didn't ask for living expenses, and her parents really didn't ask her.

Why don't you need living expenses? What are you doing outside? Who are you with? Where does the money come from?

They all acted as if they didn't know. Isn't that strange?

"Sister Wu's child is so much fun," Zhou Xiaobai said, raising her eyebrows. "She also said that when you go, we'll go to the swimming pool together."

"This is also the time to eat seafood. If you go, we can go fishing. I've been once, and it was so much fun."

"If I go, I'll throw you into the sea first!"

Li Xuewu said with feigned fierceness, "So annoying, was that mouth rented?"

"I'm being serious—"

Zhou Xiaobai pouted and said, "Sister Wu said that in Southeast Asia, they use machinery to process seafood into snacks that can be preserved for longer."

"She wants to discuss with you whether this can be done."

"Don't do it, no need—"

Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "Ng Fung Hong is already preparing for what she mentioned."

"It's not just Ng Fung Hong; China Resources is also working on it, and Tianjin has food processing plants."

He pointed at Zhou Xiaobai and explained, "Tell Wu Laoshi that we are firmly not producing and not opening shops; we only do channels and distribution, understand?"

"As for what she thought of, she can suggest it to me, or hand it over to the Red Star Factory for production, or hand it over to other enterprises in the supply chain for production."

"Actually, it's to avoid risk."

Seeing Zhou Xiaobai's confusion, Yu Li explained from the side, "We don't need to build factories to produce these, and we don't have the right or ability to control the means of production."

"As long as we manage the Red Star Factory's distribution channels well and serve the supply chain," she looked at Zhou Xiaobai and smiled, "Red Star Factory's products alone aren't enough for us to distribute, let alone the supply chain. By then, we'll only be able to pick and choose the suitable ones."

"Doesn't it mean..."

Zhou Xiaobai glanced at Yu Li and asked, "Is it convenient in Chadian? If seafood is processed there and then transferred, the shelf life will be longer, and it can be transported further."

"How much longer can it be?"

Li Xuewu put down the pencil in his hand and introduced, "The Red Star Factory's cannery is going to make all-seafood canned goods, not only for export but also for domestic sales."

"No matter how we do it, the shelf life can't exceed that of the cannery."

"You say transport to nearby cities, how to transport?" He looked at Zhou Xiaobai and said, "The channel you have in your hands can only do Beijing."

"Don't think too much; study hard with Wu Laoshi," Li Xuewu picked up the pencil again, lowered his head to continue looking at the documents, and instructed, "Just do a good job of making the Beijing line stable."

"It's indeed enough—"

Yu Li pulled Zhou Xiaobai up and went toward the sofa, not wanting her to disturb Li Xuewu while he looked at the documents.

She whispered, "This line doesn't need to make much money, and it must not exceed the scope of business."

"It's just seafood, just Tianjin to Beijing, just fixed-channel transport, fixed-channel distribution, understand?"

"Is it related to... both ends?"

Zhou Xiaobai seemed to understand something. This idea was proposed by her; she asked Wu Laoshi, and Wu Laoshi didn't deny it, just told her to come to Beijing to report and ask Li Xuewu.

She now seemed to understand why Wu Laoshi's attitude was vague at the time.

Now she also seemed to understand that the line she was responsible for wasn't just about making money.

Of course, doing projects is naturally profitable, but according to Yu Li's explanation, there were other purposes.

"You learn slowly; you'll know the situation inside sooner or later."

Yu Li understood Li Xuewu's intention in cultivating Zhou Xiaobai and putting her in that position.

Calling her general manager is actually for her to learn from Wu Laoshi; giving her the position of general manager is also to pay her a salary.

If Zhou Xiaobai is taught well, her parents will naturally want to protect their daughter's career.

So she also advised Zhou Xiaobai not to be overly ambitious, to be down-to-earth, to learn what she could learn first, and then think about walking and running.

"Damn—Brother Wu, something happened!"

Zuo Jie's figure flashed past the window. Seeing a man sitting next to Yu Jie's desk, he poked his head in from the doorway to take another look.

As a result, seeing it was Li Xuewu sitting there, he walked in and greeted, "The streets are in chaos."

"I think you're the one in chaos—"

Li Xuewu raised his eyes and glanced at him, continuing to look at the documents, and said, "I just praised you for being steady a few days ago; why are you like this again?"

"Something really happened this time. Some veterans were ambushed in Xidan this morning, and this afternoon, a 'wan-zhu' (street tough) had his head cracked open. This matter seems to have blown up."

He walked to Li Xuewu's desk, leaned on it, and reported, "They say the big brother among the veterans, Seeing Wei Guo, was ambushed, and his people retaliated."

"It happened this afternoon. Someone chased them to the other party's home, not only smashed the place but also beat the person's head into a bloody mess, unrecognizable."

"Zhang Jianguo or Nie Xiaoguang?"

Li Xuewu put down the documents in his hand and looked at Zuo Jie, asking, "Does this matter have anything to do with you?"

"Zhang Jianguo is leading people to catch the culprit; it definitely wasn't him. Do you know about this?"

Zuo Jie explained before realizing that Brother Wu had channels to know about this.

He didn't think much of it; after all, Shen Guodong was also a figure in the underworld.

He only explained, "A few people in the Youth Society got involved in this."

"The one who got beaten should be the Nie Xiaoguang you mentioned; Zhang Jianguo has vowed to take revenge."

Zuo Jie frowned and said, "Now Xidan Street is very quiet; all the veterans have disappeared. It must have been premeditated."

At first, Li Xuewu didn't take Zuo Jie's report seriously; he only felt that the notice on the 6th hadn't been fully implemented.

These young people didn't take the notice seriously either and continued to do as they pleased.

But in fact, the matter wasn't as simple as he thought.

On the surface, it was a conflict between Zhang Jianguo and the veterans, but in essence, it was a conflict between two types of thought and consciousness in society.

To put it bluntly, they were idle; there were too many idle people, especially young idle people.

Zuo Jie said the veterans didn't dare to confront Zhang Jianguo head-on and wanted to use underhanded tactics to kill them.

On Monday, as soon as Li Xuewu arrived at work, he received a report from Zhou Yao.

The branch bureau officially conveyed the news, requiring all factory and mine security departments and all police stations to be vigilant against the occurrence of such public security cases.

Especially to pay attention to this person named Zhang Jianguo; the message also reported what happened yesterday.

Li Xuewu frowned and thought for a moment, told Zhou Yao about it, and focused on the ideological dynamics of the factory employees, letting each workshop organize the study of the document requirements.

He felt that the branch bureau wouldn't make such a big fuss over Zhang Jianguo; he was afraid that...