Chapter 1149: Something Happened at the Factory

Cock-a-doodle-doo—

It was that hateful rooster again. As soon as the sky broke, it began to crow actively.

Banggeng was truly a genius at raising chickens; he even knew to leave a door for the rooster.

Before dawn, if he didn't open the door, the hens absolutely couldn't come out of the chicken coop.

But the rooster could drill out of the hole on the side to crow.

In later generations, it was rare to hear punctual crowing; even in the middle of the night, roosters would crow, their biological clocks having long been in a mess.

Why? Why could the rooster at this time accurately time the report?

It had nothing to do with the rooster; it was that light pollution in later generations was too serious, and even the rooster mistook the lights on the horizon for the morning glow.

There were no roosters in this courtyard originally, and the residents in the courtyard didn't need it to report the time.

But Banggeng said there had to be one, because his grandmother said that without a rooster, the eggs laid by the hens couldn't hatch into chicks.

Fortunately, everyone was used to it. Whether they were going to work or school, they all needed to get up early to brush their teeth, wash their faces, and tidy up.

Even those who didn't work or go to school had to get up to cook breakfast and serve the family.

The crowing was like a signal. Once it crowed, the clanging of pots and pans in the courtyard sounded.

Old residents of the capital didn't just pass by each other without a glance; they inevitably had to greet each other. Even if they met eight times a day, they had to nod or make a sound, which counted as politeness.

If there were children, they couldn't miss a single "uncle" or "grandfather." If they caught someone small-minded, they could lecture you until you got married and had children.

Just look at Seeing Sha Zhu's reputation in this courtyard; who helped spread it?

"Let's discuss something. I'll give you a yuan, and you chop it up for me."

Li Xuewu yawned and sat on the stool at the door, looking at Banggeng and saying, "Take this chicken back and eat it; I won't touch it at all."

The rooster walking proudly in the chicken coop seemed to feel an inexplicable murderous intent.

It turned its head and stared at Li Xuewu, its big claws scratching the ground twice.

"That won't do. I'm waiting for it to save eggs, and I'm waiting for the hen to brood."

Banggeng's kitchen knife was extremely agile. The amaranth and goosefoot he brought back early in the morning were chopped up, mixed with rice bran and crushed fish and shrimp—this was the high-level nutrition that supported these hens to grow happily and lay eggs.

Li Xuewu yawned again, looked at the little fatty working, and asked amusedly, "What time did you get up? This fish and shrimp wasn't caught yesterday afternoon, right?"

"Of course not—"

Banggeng raised his head, laughed, and said, "What I caught in the afternoon was all fed in the evening. This meal in the morning must be caught early."

He said indifferently, "Actually, it wasn't that early. I got up at 3:30 and walked to the edge of the lake, and I was back before 5:00."

"And that doesn't count as early?"

Li Xuewu sized him up. In a year or nearly two, the big-faced cat had grown quite a bit, almost catching up to his mother's height.

"It wasn't even bright at 3:30. You went to the edge of the lake alone, aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid of what?"

Banggeng was like a monkey, answering, "There are quite a few people who got up in the middle of the night like me to go to the lake for fish and shrimp."

He showed Li Xuewu the broken water bucket by his feet and explained, "See? Actually, I don't even need to go into the water. Just picking up the small fish they threw out on the edge is enough. As for the shrimp, I have to use a shrimp net myself, or a canned bottle works too."

"You can try a shrimp net," Li Xuewu heard that he was using primitive methods, so he gave him advice, "They are sold in the supply and marketing cooperative, not expensive. Put it down the night before, and pick it up early the next morning. With the amount in the lake, it's enough for you to feed the chickens."

"I wanted to, but my mom is reluctant—"

Banggeng was fascinated when he heard it, his eyes shining, but then that fire was extinguished.

He shook his head helplessly and said, "Since I bought water boots last time, my mom took my money away. When I use it, I have to ask her for it, and I have to give a proper reason."

"This doesn't count as a proper matter?"

Li Xuewu heard movement in the house; it seemed Gu Ning was up, but he didn't hear Li Shu and Li Ning's voices. They must still be sleeping.

As usual, the big demon king would inevitably make trouble until very late when she returned home. If she didn't consume all her remaining battery, she wouldn't sleep.

Especially since her third uncle teased her, she was laughing and playing until after 10:00.

This wasn't it; Li Xuewu was woken up by the rooster, but the two children were still sleeping.

"My mom said she'd rather buy me a net than let me go into the water."

Banggeng chopped the chicken feed one knife after another, sighed, and said, "Forget it. Actually, I know she's doing it for my own good, and I know that once I buy a shrimp net, I won't be able to help but go into the water."

"Hehe, alright. You've grown up and know how to understand your mother."

Li Xuewu praised him with a light laugh, sized up the big-faced cat, and asked, "You'll be in junior high after the new semester. What are your plans? I heard your mom say last night that you don't want to study?"

"Sigh—"

The big-faced cat sighed again, raised his head, and looked at him, replying, "I'm just not the material for reading. Even if I grind until I graduate from junior high, what can I do? I don't have the confidence to pass the exam into the factory."

He confirmed to Li Xuewu, "I heard that in the future, when your factory recruits workers, they all have to take exams from school, right?"

Seeing Li Xuewu nod, he had even more reasons. His big head shook like a rattle, saying, "My mom just won't listen to me."

"With the tuition for these three years of junior high, it's enough for me to raise how many chickens. What I earn is absolutely not less than her salary. Who looks down on whom?"

You don't even say, it's very rare to see a child with such clear thinking like the big-faced cat.

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "Your mom wants you to give it a try."

"You caught up this year. A year early or a year late, you wouldn't be able to get into junior high without taking an exam. She feels it's a pity for you."

"She just doesn't understand my strength—"

Banggeng chopped the chicken feed nimbly and curled his lips, saying, "This elm-wood brain of mine, even if Confucius came to teach me himself, it wouldn't work. I've already accepted my fate, but she refuses to give up and insists on wasting my youth and money."

The small wooden stick in his hand tapped the chicken feed bucket, attracting the rooster and hens in the chicken coop to squat at the door, waiting to be fed.

"Wu Shu, you are a reasonable person. Tell me, if I focus on raising chickens for these three years—"

He stood up, divided a small portion into a broken basin, and served it to the chicken coop on this side.

He held the rest in his hand, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "Can I get rich?"

"Hehe, no—"

Li Xuewu laughed, but said words that made Banggeng's heart go cold.

Don't look at him being in the rebellious period, not listening to a word his mother said, but when it came to Li Xuewu, he believed everything Wu Shu said.

Li Xuewu denied his plan, so this chicken-raising career must be a failure.

"Why?"

He still asked unwillingly, "What I earn now is clearly more than..."

When he said this, Banggeng turned his head left and right, and the rest of the words were taken back into his stomach.

His mother specifically told him not to tell others how much he earned. If people knew and became jealous, he wouldn't be able to raise chickens anymore.

Qin Huairu's schemes, just think about it, could she let her son suffer a loss?

Banggeng had finally grown up and was no longer that fat boy who didn't care about anything.

With his mother's teachings, his schemes gradually increased.

Li Xuewu sat on the small stool, looked at him, and said, "Haven't you calculated the accounts yourself?"

"From last year to now, how much money have you earned in total? Then according to the season, cost input, and labor costs, etc..."

Before he could finish speaking, the big-faced cat leaned over and whispered the profit to him.

Li Xuewu was very surprised and raised an eyebrow, asking, "So much?"

"Mm-hmm—"

The big-faced cat nodded very seriously and said, "I read little, but I have no problem with basic math."

"I sell these eggs to Yan Jiefang every day. If I sold them to the supply and marketing cooperative, I could get more, but my mom said so, and you know."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Even so, I still earned so much money."

"No wonder you are bent on raising chickens—"

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Alright, those who raise chickens earn more than those who build airplanes, and those who sell eggs earn more than those who sell bombs. That works!"

"So, can I do it?"

Banggeng saw Wu Shu praising him like this and asked excitedly, "Then I'll tell my mom..."

"Tell what? Who said you could do it?"

Li Xuewu reached out and flicked his forehead, pulled his collar toward him, and whispered, "You didn't lose money selling those eggs, otherwise this chicken coop would have been gone long ago."

"Why?"

Banggeng frowned and said, "Are you saying Yan Jiefang is jealous of me?"

"Who isn't jealous of you?" Li Xuewu pointed at him and whispered, "You didn't shout loudly, but how many eggs you picked up from this chicken coop, do you think no one knows? Maybe other people's account books are clearer than yours."

"It's just that your mom is here, plus your family takes the initiative to take care of the lonely and widowed."

Li Xuewu patted his big fat face and said, "Giving and taking, doing things is like this. If you don't maintain good neighborly relations, and people just go to the street office to report how many chickens you raised, can your small body handle it?"

Actually, there was one thing he didn't say, and that was the third reason why Banggeng could raise chickens in this courtyard with peace of mind, and that was himself.

Initially, it was a joke, and he and Banggeng raised two chickens, which were for Li Shu to eat eggs.

Those eggs were indeed eaten by Li Shu. Later, after Li Xuewu's family moved, Zhao Yafang ate them during her pregnancy and while taking care of the child.

Therefore, everyone in the courtyard tacitly assumed that the chickens Banggeng raised had a share for Li Xuewu.

As for whether the chickens raised in the middle courtyard were Li Xuewu's, who would go and investigate?

Qin Huairu was a cadre in the courtyard, and many people worked in the factory. They saw each other every day and all relied on each other for help in the future.

If they offended her at this time, who would have the face to come to the door and ask for help?

Besides, the Jia family was also benevolent, and they knew to sell eggs cheaply to Yan Jiefang to support the lonely and widowed mother and daughter, which could be considered a good deed.

Therefore, until now, no one had said that Banggeng raising chickens was wrong, or went to report him.

Banggeng seemed to understand this truth and frowned, asking, "Can't I raise more?"

"What do you think?"

Li Xuewu poked his small belly. There was a lot of fat, and he had the temperament of a small boss.

Only hoping this kid wouldn't do engineering in the future, otherwise, if he drove another domineering car, it would be too stupid.

"Think about it carefully. You can't expand the scale of raising chickens in these few years, but your ability to raise chickens can continue to be learned."

Li Xuewu taught him, "Do you know what it means to let you go to junior high?"

"Don't know—"

The big-faced cat shook his head, and the fat on his cheeks trembled.

This kid was really too fat. He was fat before, and now that the family conditions were better, he was even fatter.

"Do you know about the factory's Vocational Technical College?"

Li Xuewu pointed at him and introduced, "After you finish junior high, you will have the chance to take the exam for a technical secondary school. By then, you will learn agricultural and animal husbandry technology. Won't this chicken-raising matter become stronger and stronger?"

"Since you can't expand the breadth, expand the depth and lay the foundation for future development."

"Does the college teach chicken-raising technology?"

Banggeng looked at Wu Shu with disbelief and asked, "What's there to learn about raising chickens? I'm raising them very well now—"

"You're panting because I said you're fat?"

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "You only raised thirty chickens. How many died in a year?"

"If I give you thirty thousand chickens, do you know how to raise them? Five thousand, ten thousand chickens?"

A few words stunned Banggeng. His vision was only so much. Having just come into contact with money, he had never thought that one day he would have to raise so many chickens.

"Hey hey—what are you going to do?"

Li Xuewu finished his breakfast and had just come out of the side room when he saw the third younger brother walking out.

He signaled to the west courtyard and asked, "Aren't you returning to the mountain by car today?"

"My classmate is here, I'm going to see him."

Li Xuecai explained, "It's Zhao Xia. He's at the door and said he has something to find me for."

Saying this, he had already left the courtyard gate and went outside.

Li Xuewu frowned slightly. He didn't know how Zhao Xia told his father, but he didn't go to the mountain and spent all day wandering around the city.

Last time he even followed Nie Xiaoguang to his office, like a lackey.

Actually, at this time, young people were all like this, without boundaries, without discernment.

Don't say it was going to Li Xuewu's office; they would even dare to go to the sea.

These little cubs, they weren't newborn calves not afraid of tigers; they were tigers, stupid tigers.

Zhao Xia's father was Zhao Yufeng, the vice president of the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and also Li Shun's leader.

Initially, he arranged for Li Shun to go up the mountain and also partnered with Red Star Factory and the recycling station to engage in a Chinese herbal medicine planting area project, which he also handled.

He was capable and strategic, but for some reason, he didn't discipline his child strictly.

Perhaps he felt the wind had changed, perhaps Zhao Xia kept begging his father.

Anyway, Li Shun and Li Xuecai were still on the mountain, and doctors in the hospital had already returned.

Some students in the medical college also quietly went down the mountain. Some helped at home, and some were like Zhao Xia, fooling around with nothing to do.

Of course, it had to be said that Zhao Xia had the capital to fool around, while Li Xuecai couldn't even if he wanted to.

His eldest brother worked and had money, his second brother worked and had even more money, but he didn't work and had no money.

The money at home wasn't his; what his wife earned was his, and he was embarrassed to spend it.

Furthermore, on the mountain, his father managed him; at home, his second brother managed him. Where would he dare to fool around on the street?

It was just that Li Shun and Zhao Yufeng had a good relationship, so he had many dealings with Zhao Xia.

Zhao Xia came to the door, so could he hide and not see him? He also wanted to ask Zhao Xia when school would start. Actually, he had had enough of staying on the mountain.

"Zhao Xia, why do you have time to find me today?"

As soon as he went out, he saw three young men standing by the wall with their bikes.

Li Xuecai only knew Zhao Xia and didn't know the other two.

Zhao Xia didn't introduce him either, only greeted with a smile, "You're too stingy. You didn't even greet me when you came back. Are you afraid of treating me to a meal?"

"Go, go, I'll treat you—"

He waved his hand very boldly and signaled to the back seat of the bike, saying, "Let's go eat duck."

"That's really not what I meant—"

Li Xuecai waved his hand with a smile and said, "I came back yesterday afternoon. It was already night when I finished tidying up the house. I have to catch the commuter bus early this morning."

He pointed to the west courtyard and said, "My dad is still waiting for me on the mountain. We agreed I'd go back today. If he doesn't see me, he'll scold me."

"You're such a coward—"

Zhao Xia glanced at him with disdain and said, "What if you go back tomorrow? Li Uncle can't skin you. I also wanted to introduce you to the friends I made in the city."

"Forget it, you know what I'm like," Li Xuecai signaled toward the courtyard and whispered, "My second brother is at home. He watches me very strictly. If I go out to play, he'll definitely beat me hard, and my mom won't be able to stop him."

"Your second brother is at home!"

Zhao Xia, who was just being arrogant, was startled. He looked toward the courtyard, twitched the corner of his mouth, and asked incredulously, "Really? You aren't lying to me?"

"Why would I lie to you about this? My second brother now comes back to stay for one night every week."

Li Xuecai explained casually, "He's going out in a while, but he's leaving later than me. You know that commuter bus; it's his childhood friend."

"Sigh, I really wanted to introduce friends to you. They are all brothers on the road."

He sighed with regret, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Did you hear after you came back? Everyone is fighting for territory now."

"What? What fighting for territory?"

Li Xuecai knew clearly, but he also knew the necessity of playing dumb.

If he really took the other side's words, he wouldn't be able to refuse later.

Zhao Xia saw that he didn't understand at all, and whispered an explanation, "Fighting for territory! Fighting for territory means having a base, having a base means having prestige, and having prestige means having money and girls—"

Li Xuecai heard him getting more and more out of line, glanced at the courtyard, and thought, "Zhao Xia, Zhao Xia, we have no grudges in the past or today. Why do you have to harm me? If you really wanted me dead, why go to such trouble and take such a big circle?"

"Xuecai? What are you doing?"

Just as they were talking, Ji Yuxiu walked out of the courtyard in her uniform.

She looked at this side and asked, "Your classmate is here, why don't you invite him in to sit?"

"Oh, right, right, let's go inside and talk."

Although Li Xuecai wasn't as smart as his eldest brother or as cunning as his second brother, he wasn't a fool.

Knowing the other side wasn't here to talk about serious business, and reminded by his partner, he took the initiative to play dumb and invited the other side into the courtyard.

How could he not know that this Zhao Xia was most afraid of his second brother and knew who his second brother was.

Bullshit! Last time, because Li Xuecai was threatened, Li Erbala shot how many people? Everyone on the street knew who Li Xuecai was, and everyone knew Li Xuecai's second brother was Li Erbala.

They didn't come with good intentions either, just feeling that if they dragged Li Xuecai into the water, Li Xuewu wouldn't stand by and watch.

This muddy water, as long as you get stained, don't even think about getting out easily.

But he didn't expect that Li Erbala was at home, and Li Xuecai's partner in the branch bureau was also at home. This wasn't falling into a soldier's nest.

I'm only afraid of your second brother! I'm even afraid of your partner!

"That, nothing much, just looking for you to talk. I won't go in."

Zhao Xia saw Li Xuecai's partner standing at the door looking at this side, smiled awkwardly, greeted her, and took his people away on their bikes.

Li Xuecai knew how to talk, shouting, "I'll treat you next time—"

Get lost, you only know how to talk!

Zhao Xia didn't even look back, just waved his hand and rode out of the alley.

"Stay away from them, none of them are good people—"

Ji Yuxiu frowned and reminded him, "Just that Zhao Xia, he's already on our list. A stupid person who has no ability but acts big, acting as a shield for others. Do you want to learn from him?"

"They're just classmates, I didn't expect him to play so wildly."

Li Xuecai didn't have any ability either, and was completely tamed by Ji Yuxiu.

He explained, "You know his dad, how could I say I wouldn't meet him?"

"But don't worry, I know the situation in the city. Even if they drag me out, I won't go out. We aren't the same kind of people."

"Do you think you can hide just by staying at home?"

Ji Yuxiu glared at him, helped him tidy his shirt, and exhorted, "Hurry back to the mountain, learn skills from Dad properly, and send a letter home if there's anything. I'll go see you; you'd better not come down. Didn't you hear Second Brother say it's chaotic?"

"Understood, I'll listen to you—"

Li Xuecai stood there laughing, letting his partner serve him, truly Li Xuewen the Second.

He whispered, "You have to go see me on the mountain more often. You don't know, after a long time, I miss you so much..."

"Virtue—"

"Are you going out again?"

Seeing Sha Zhu finished tidying up the kitchen, looked at Li Xuewu who was coming out of the courtyard, and greeted him, "You're busy enough."

"Still awkward? Not necessarily, right?"

Li Xuewu looked at him amusedly and joked, "Don't tell me your mentality is more important than the eldest brother-in-law's happiness."

"Bullshit—"

Seeing Sha Zhu walked over with his hands in his pockets and whispered, "Hey, do you think these two can make it? I look at how..."

He frowned and explained, "I don't care about that. Jokes are jokes, I just feel they aren't a match."

"Where aren't they a match? Tell me."

Li Xuewu curled his lips and said, "The age difference is less than three years, the status is well-matched, and the family conditions are basically matched. What else do you want to say isn't right?"

"I just feel Wang Yamei is too jumpy, and you know Pazile's personality."

Seeing Sha Zhu chewed on it and whispered, "If they don't get along well, in the future..."

"Put your heart in your stomach," Li Xuewu patted his arm and said, "You're destined to call her sister-in-law."

"Hey, I forgot to ask you. I was busy talking about the small factory with Guodong last night and didn't ask about Yushui."

Li Xuewu sized up Seeing Sha Zhu and asked, "How are they? Are they together? Is it settled? When is the wedding?"

"You know Yushui, I don't have a chance to interrupt."

Seeing Sha Zhu nodded with a smile and said, "They are discussing it."

He was worried about the eldest brother-in-law's marriage, but he was genuinely satisfied with his sister's marriage.

This brother-in-law's family conditions weren't worse than the last one's, and the key was that he was educated and knew how to handle things, and was even closer to him than the last one.

"You saw them buying household goods at the mall last time," Li Xuewu asked in surprise, "It's been so long and it's still not settled?"

"You are the older brother, don't always rely on her and act like a hands-off manager."

Li Xuewu exhorted him, "Don't be vague about Pazile's matter, and don't be vague about Yushui's matter."

"It's not that I'm being vague—"

Seeing Sha Zhu smiled bitterly, "It's Yushui who is being vague. Every time I ask, she says she's busy with work at the factory."

"No matter how busy you are, you can't delay marriage."

Li Xuewu pointed at Seeing Sha Zhu seriously and exhorted, "Hurry and ask. I'll notify the Management Office later to adjust her time, give her a vacation, and let her prepare properly."

"That would be great—"

He felt anxious when talking about his brother-in-law's marriage, but he was satisfied from the bottom of his heart when talking about his younger sister's marriage.

This brother-in-law's family conditions were no worse than the previous one; the key was that he was educated, knew how to handle things, and was even closer to him than the last one.

"I saw them at the mall last time; the two of them were just buying household goods," Li Xuewu asked in surprise. "It hasn't been finalized yet?"

"You are the older brother; don't always indulge her and act like a hands-off manager."

Li Xuewu exhorted him, "Put some heart into Pazile's matter, and don't be vague about Yushui's matter either."

"It's not that I'm being vague—"

Seeing Sha Zhu smiled bitterly, "It's Yushui who is being vague; whenever I ask, she says she's busy with work at the factory."

"No matter how busy you are, you can't delay getting married."

Li Xuewu pointed seriously at Seeing Sha Zhu and exhorted, "You hurry up and ask. I'll let the management office know later to swap her shift, give her some time off, and let her prepare properly."

"That would be great—"

Seeing Sha Zhu said with a smile, "Otherwise, why would I say that it's good to have you..."

His words were only half-finished when he saw Yushui walk in with a gloomy face.

She didn't even greet them when she saw them, and like a gust of wind, she entered the courtyard as if she hadn't seen them.

Seeing Sha Zhu was stunned, and seeing Dai Xiang Yang following from behind, he asked, "What's wrong? Weren't you still... when you went out this morning?"

Dai Xiang Yang nodded awkwardly to his brother-in-law and then nodded to Li Xuewu.

He didn't explain either, just carried Yushui's bag and followed her into the courtyard.

"This—what's the situation—"

Seeing Sha Zhu looked blankly at the courtyard, and facing Li Xuewu, he was also anxious and scratching his head.

As luck would have it, just as Li Xuewu was also feeling surprised, the sound of a car came from the entrance.

Han Jiankun ran in and reported in a low voice, "Leader, something happened at the factory. The Security Section just called and said they want you to return to the factory."

"Mm-hmm, I know."

Li Xuewu frowned, patted Seeing Sha Zhu's arm, and gestured toward the courtyard, saying, "It's probably a lovers' spat; go and persuade her."

After saying this, he didn't pay any more attention to this matter and left the compound with Han Jiankun.

The Security Division's duty room was extremely discreet; on Sundays or after hours, if they could call the Section Chief, they wouldn't call the leader, and if they could resolve it with the Deputy Division Chief, they wouldn't call him.

Now that they had not only called but also asked him to return to the factory, something major must have happened.

Middle courtyard, main room.

Seeing Sha Zhu's new house was built extremely lavishly; at the time, he not only took out all his savings but even borrowed a lot of money from the First Uncle to make it work.

It was all new materials, and compared to the original, the house was not only taller but also much more spacious.

Together with Yushui's room and the corridor in front of the door, it could be said to be the best house in this courtyard, even better than Li Xuewu's and the east courtyard's.

It wasn't that Li Xuewu couldn't afford to build one; it was that he never intended to live in the back courtyard for long.

Besides, that back courtyard was too narrow, and it was an auxiliary room; there was no need to invest.

Seeing Sha Zhu's place was different; it was a proper main room of the courtyard, and it was also the master's room in the early days.

By merging his younger sister's house, he left a separate room for Yushui in the main house, which served as her residence before she got married; it was very bright.

The furniture he had made when he got married was still being used in his sister's room.

Ordinary people who entered this courtyard wouldn't dare compare themselves to Seeing Sha Zhu's family; even Dai Xiang Yang, whose family conditions were well-off, wouldn't dare say his own home was better or more comfortable than his brother-in-law's.

It's just that now, Dai Xiang Yang was in no mood to appreciate Yushui's boudoir.

They had agreed to go to the mall today to see what they needed and buy something.

Even if they couldn't buy anything suitable, it would count as the two of them spending time alone to improve their relationship.

Yushui's height and appearance were very much liked by his family, especially her work; his father even felt that He Yu Shui was more capable than him.

It's just that they had already met the parents, but He Yu Shui had been dragging her feet on finalizing the engagement.

Even when shopping, she looked more and bought less. Gradually, he understood: Yushui didn't seem to be hesitating about the style or quality of the goods, but about him as a person.

He picked her up this morning, and everything was fine along the way, but when he mentioned the family urging them to get engaged, it made Yushui unhappy.

She didn't say anything, just wasn't in a good mood and stopped responding to him.

He learned from his brother-in-law about the setbacks Yushui had encountered in her previous relationship; after telling his family, they were very understanding.

They just said that good things take time, but they had been seeing each other for so long—the woman could drag it out, but the man couldn't avoid urging, otherwise wouldn't it become a joke?

After walking around the mall, no matter how he tried to tease her, Yushui didn't speak. He also lost his patience and just said, "Let me take you home."

The two of them returned while still angry. They hadn't been doing much along the way, but just as they reached the entrance and heard what his brother-in-law and Division Chief Li said, Yushui's temper seemed to flare up suddenly.

Actually, it was nothing; Dai Xiang Yang felt it was quite normal. He even wanted to thank Division Chief Li for helping to arrange the time off.

It's just that looking at Yushui's appearance, his patience had also reached its limit, and he didn't coax her anymore.

After entering the inner room, there was no one else, so Dai Xiang Yang put the bag on the cabinet.

"Yushui, from the time we met until now, it's been dragging on for over three months."

He said in a very sincere tone, "I don't understand why you're angry; I don't think I've done anything wrong, if it's just about mentioning marriage."

"It's been three months. If I don't mention it again, people in your courtyard won't say I'm a hooligan, but your older brother will come to talk to me."

Dai Xiang Yang knew he was a bit agitated, so he took a long breath, calmed his emotions, and persuaded her again, "Don't be under pressure. Getting engaged doesn't mean getting married immediately. I understand that you have a shadow from your last relationship; we can just get engaged and then slowly get to know each other. There should at least be a title—"

Yushui sat in front of the desk, looking down silently at how brilliantly she was smiling in the photo frame; at this moment, her mood was just as chaotic.

She didn't know what was wrong with her; she had clearly decided to take the next step, and the person she met was also a good person in her mind.

But it would be fine if she didn't see that person; as soon as she saw him, and heard him worrying about her marriage, she felt a surge of anger.

Yushui just felt that she was crazy, neurotic, the kind that was beyond saving.

Using simple unwillingness or other reasons was no longer enough to explain it.

Dai Xiang Yang watched her for a while, and only then couldn't help but sigh.

"I genuinely like you; you should be able to feel it."

He looked at Yushui with regret and reluctance and said, "Although I don't know who that person in your heart is, I know you are still thinking of him and can't let him go."

"Since your heart is already occupied, I can't do things that force you."

Dai Xiang Yang felt a heartache at this moment and said in a sorrowful tone, "You, don't wrong yourself either. Since it's already like this, it's better to face it calmly and pursue him openly."

"Struggling is useless; go find him and talk it out clearly. Even if he doesn't like you, you won't have to regret not saying it."

He lowered his head and looked at his toes, saying, "I am also a man; I can accept your history, but I cannot accept your half-heartedness. I am looking for a woman to live a steady life with; you should be able to understand this."

"Either it's him, or it's me; you have to choose one, otherwise it's not good for anyone."

Dai Xiang Yang took a deep breath, stood up straight, and looked at Yushui, saying, "You're not happy, and I'm uncomfortable. It's gotten to the point where it seems like I'm a tyrant, forcing you to get married."

"I'll go back first; you consider it slowly, and tell me when you have a result."

He stepped out, but still felt a heartache at the door, and exhorted, "Even if you tell him and he doesn't want you, you can contact me again. I will still like you and accept you."

"If you feel I'm not good enough and want to look around some more, I wish you well, really, Yushui."

He left after saying this, but Yushui lay on the desk and began to cry loudly.

"The special situation was discovered just as it had a sprout. The two of them met three times in total, and all were in the lobby, talking a bit more."

He paused and continued, "If there really was any situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wouldn't say it, and the Confidentiality Department wouldn't allow it."

"As for feelings, I suspect the girl doesn't even know what feelings are yet."

Li Xuewu chuckled and shook his head slightly, saying, "It can be seen that the flowers raised in a greenhouse are weak and can't stand the wind."

"What do you think? I want to hear your opinion, Xuewu."

Zhao Yafang had already understood what Li Xuewu meant. She said earnestly, "You have seen that girl and understand the situation."

"We are one family. Yajun was brought out by you, and sister-in-law trusts you completely."

"You also feel this opportunity is very rare, right?"

Li Xuewu had already understood his sister-in-law's mentality. Marrying this girl belonged to the kind of picking up a bargain.

A pearl covered in dust; if you can see through the dust and know the pearl is still a pearl, then you've picked up a bargain.

Especially the girl's family conditions and such a personality.

If it really happens, saying Zhao Yajun will struggle thirty years less is an understatement.

With Li Xuewu as a matchmaker, Zhao Yafang's only worry was whether the two could make it.

"Let's not talk about this first. Let me talk about Yajun's work," Li Xuewu introduced softly to his sister-in-law, "He is going abroad to perform a security mission this time. If he can settle the marriage, and then get married after returning, the organization will also..."

He didn't finish his words, but Zhao Yafang already understood.

Not everyone can go abroad; this is a test and an honor.

If Zhao Yajun can successfully complete the task assigned by the organization, he will inevitably be promoted and appointed after returning.

If this opportunity falls on Zhao Yajun's head, and someone says it has nothing to do with Li Xuewu, who would believe it?

And looking back, having a partner before going out and getting married after returning, and not having a partner before going out, can the promotion situation be the same?

Having a partner before going out is for the organization, sacrificing oneself, undergoing the test, and getting married after successfully completing the task is blossoming and bearing fruit.

The organization must look at personal circumstances when appointing cadres. Having a partner also needs to be recorded, and getting married before promotion is another matter.

How many such opportunities can her younger brother encounter in his life? The higher the first promotion, the better, right? Subsequent progress all has an inevitable causal relationship with the first progress.

Conversely, Xia Zhongquan is also an old fox. If his niece can marry Zhao Yajun, who is about to go abroad to perform a security mission, who would dare to gossip? His reputation would be restored immediately.

Li Xuewu didn't say what he was thinking, only laying out the principles clearly for his sister-in-law. Zhao Yafang wasn't Wang Lu; what couldn't she understand? ===== CHAPTER 1149 =====

This moment is indeed not the time to pursue responsibility, and there is no way to pursue it either.

A Security Section has so few people, yet it has to manage tens of thousands of people, and they are high-density employees at that.

This is different from residential areas and urban housing; the tens of thousands of people here have highly concentrated thoughts and actions. Any slight disturbance is a major event; you can't compare a police station to a Security Section.

"Twelve people from the insulation workshop: one dead, one seriously injured, two slightly injured. The rest have been brought back and are in the detention room."

Zhou Yao's tone was very low; there was shame and self-reproach. Li Xuewu had long exhorted her to pay attention and be on guard.

Li Xuewu had already heard Han Jiankun mention it on the way; he was mentally prepared, but hearing Zhou Yao's report, he still couldn't help but want to curse.

Last time they fired more than ten people, and they didn't learn their lesson; this time they dared to go out and cause trouble again.

Under the circumstances where the Red Star Factory emphasized discipline so strictly, there were still young workers who couldn't help but participate; it shows how terrible the situation outside is.

They are all young people, all at an age where they ignite at the slightest spark, especially when fellow workers gather together.

Li Xuewu stood at the entrance of the Security Building, looking at the demoralized crowd, also furious.

How can you prevent this kind of thing? Who the hell can prevent it? The Red Star Factory only had one death; if it's a competition of who's worse, the Security Section should be wearing big red flowers.

"The matter has already happened; solve it however it should be solved. Don't just stand here like idiots; go do whatever you're supposed to do—"

Li Xuewu waved his hand, turned around, patted Zhou Yao's arm lightly, and asked in a low voice, "Is Nie Xiaoguang still causing trouble? Why not arrest him?"

"No, we haven't confirmed it yet; even the branch bureau hasn't confirmed it."

Zhou Yao frowned and explained softly, "Especially with this kind of thing, there's no way to define whether it's a public security issue or..."

"So you can only investigate and not arrest? Has he gone too far!"

Li Xuewu pointed at her and instructed, "In the name of the Red Star Factory, coordinate with the Jiaodaokou Station, check his household registration, and dig up the roots."