Chapter 1165: You're here to cause trouble again

"Did Zheng Xicai ask you to handle something?"

As soon as Li Xuewu returned home, he heard his mother bring up this matter.

"Why? Did he call the house?"

He hated it most when people called home for such things, and he was even less willing to discuss official business at home.

Seeing his son frown, Liu Yin nodded slowly and said, "I don't know where he found out the number."

She asked with some concern, "What is it about?"

"Arranging for his nephew to join the army. I didn't agree to it."

Li Xuewu changed into his slippers, walked over to the sofa, sat down, and caught his daughter who came running over.

"Oh my, look at this..."

Liu Yin sat down looking troubled, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "You tell me, who isn't being cautious these days? For him to come to you at a time like this..."

"It must be a very difficult thing to handle, right?"

"I didn't consider it from that angle." Li Xuewu coaxed his daughter, heard the hesitation in his mother's words, and said bluntly, "I just don't like him, and I don't want to do it for him."

"Then... then..."

Liu Yin didn't know what else to say. As a housewife, she had spent half her life revolving around the kitchen stove.

If you asked her to make things difficult for her son, she couldn't do it, but she always had to think about Wang Shu and her husband.

"That godmother of yours... sigh..."

"You don't need to worry about this matter."

Seeing his daughter picking at her mouth with her finger, Li Xuewu picked her up to take a look; she was teething again.

"It has nothing to do with godmother. It's just that I don't think much of Zheng Xicai and Zheng Xiaoyan. Neither of the siblings is reliable."

"Yes, yes, I'm not saying you should practice favoritism." Liu Yin explained with some hesitation, "Your godmother treats you well; we can't just because of them... right?"

She urged her son, saying, "You don't have to do favors for Zheng Xicai, but don't avoid visiting your godmother and the others."

"If you do that, it'll seem like we did something wrong and are in the wrong, don't you think, son?"

This was true. Li Xuewu wasn't an unreasonable person; there was no need to doubt how godmother Wang Shu and godfather Zheng Shusen treated him.

If it weren't for the two Zheng siblings, he wouldn't have put the old couple in such a difficult position.

Ever since the unpleasant parting after Li Xuewu visited the Zheng family following the Jinmen Electronics Factory incident, he had rarely gone there.

However, Guodong often went to pay his respects on his behalf, and the seasonal holiday gifts were never missed.

But in the end, it wasn't him going personally. Godmother often came to the Sihe Academy, and twice she happened to be there when Gu Ning was with the children.

But Li Xuewu hadn't seen her; he was either at his unit or at the club.

Zheng Shusen had come to the factory for research and they had met once, and they had spoken on the phone a few times, but the scene where they could speak freely in private was gone.

It wasn't that he was petty, nor was he holding a grudge against the Zheng Shusen couple; he just didn't want to make things difficult for them.

On one side were their own children, on the other was their godson. Just because the son was "unappreciated" and full of pride, and the daughter was narrow-minded and viewed unit matters as more important than family affection.

In reality, whether it was Zheng Xicai or Zheng Xiaoyan, they had never looked up to Li Xuewu from the bottom of their hearts.

The root cause was simple: Li Xuewu's father was a physician, his mother was a housewife, and their parents were high-ranking officials.

What was Li Xuewu once?

Although he was a high school graduate, he was just a big hoodlum. The time he saved Zheng Xiaoyan was also a connection made from the hands of street thugs.

You say Li Xuewu saved Zheng Xiaoyan, you say Zheng Xiaoyan's child owes his recovery to Li Shun's medical treatment, but they don't remember this favor.

Li Xuewu saved her, and her mother took care of Li Xuewu. If you count the trouble Li Xuewu caused on the streets, he would have been sent to the labor camp long ago.

Li Shun treated her, and it wasn't like she didn't pay. Not accepting it was your business; they didn't agree to owe you that favor.

Even if Li Xuewu came back, turned over a new leaf, and made progress, wasn't it him who took the initiative to recognize this godmother and godfather?

When the kinship was recognized, Zheng Xicai and Zheng Xiaoyan didn't say they would come back to see their little brother, nor did they say they accepted this brother.

Until now, their impression remained the same: Li Xuewu came back and wanted his work to go smoothly, so he learned to cling to power and flatter people!

Look, we siblings aren't home, and you keep sending food and drink to our house, acting concerned about our parents, calling them mom and dad—if that's not ulterior motives, what is?

Didn't my mom take care of you when you set up the recycling station? Didn't my dad take care of you at the Red Star Factory?

Therefore, when Li Xuewu asked Zheng Xiaoyan for help to get parts approved from the Jinmen Electronics Factory for the prison, in her eyes, he was asking her for a favor.

Zheng Xicai calling Li Xuewu to arrange for his nephew to enter the Third Guard Regiment was giving him a chance to repay his family's kindness.

It was precisely because of this mindset and impression that Zheng Xicai's tone on the phone was slightly condescending, which sounded very unpleasant to Li Xuewu.

Since you think my filial piety to my godparents has ulterior motives, then I just won't visit, that's all.

I've seen people compete to be filial to their own parents, but never to godparents.

However, his mother's words were correct; he was still taking those two siblings too seriously and not taking himself seriously enough.

Let them think whatever they want; by avoiding suspicion on his own, he really did feel a bit guilty.

After dinner, just past seven o'clock, Han Jiankun packed the gifts he had found into a bag and put them in the trunk.

"Actually, there's nothing going on if I go back at this hour. Jingru is still worried that Aunt Liu can't watch the child alone."

He walked into the living room and said to Li Xuewu, who had changed his clothes, "I'll drive."

"I think so too—"

Qin Jingru came out of the dining room, holding a towel and wiping her arms, echoing, "It's not like we're in a rush; we'd just be sitting around if we went back."

She gestured upstairs and said, "Let Jiankun drive. I'll coax Li Shu to sleep in a bit, and then Aunt Liu can come down for a bath."

"You two hurry up and go. It's only this hour in the evening; they might rest early."

"Alright then, I'll follow the rules too."

Li Xuewu smiled, nodded readily, and signaled to Gu Ning, who was ready, to set off.

The couple was dressed quite ordinarily, with no appearance of being wealthy, even though Li Xuewu was already very rich.

Li Xuewu was still wearing the same outfit he wore to work during the day, just having taken a bath and changed into a freshly washed black-and-white suit.

Gu Ning was wearing a white shirt paired with a gray skirt that went past her knees, and leather sandals on her feet.

Except for a watch on her wrist that Li Xuewu had given her, there were no other adornments.

Even her hair was simply tied into a ponytail with a black rubber band; she was clean, elegant, dignified, and beautiful.

Li Xuewu never had to doubt that his wife lacked adornment or fashion sense, because whatever Gu Ning wore, and how she wore it, was a style in itself.

They say people rely on clothes and Buddhas rely on gold; the reverse is also true.

If you don't have a good figure or good temperament, even the biggest brands and the best clothes can be ruined by someone like Fatty Guo.

The clothes in Li Xuewu's house weren't bought from outside; they were either issued by the unit, given by friends and family, or custom-made by people they found.

Whenever the seasons changed, Li Xuewu didn't need to worry about it; Li Guangnian would be brought over by Shen Guodong in a car.

He would take measurements for every member of the family, big and small, for custom tailoring.

Even Qin Jingru and Han Jiankun could bask in the reflected glory; the old master's craftsmanship was absolutely trustworthy.

You tell me—whether you point it out or draw it, as long as it's a known style, something you can name, no matter how trendy, Master Li can tell you exactly where it originated.

In this day and age, no matter how trendy you are, can you really be more stylish than the thirties or forties?

Fashion is a circle; it goes round and round in a cycle. Who knows, maybe a style popular ten years ago is back in vogue now.

Li Guangnian, having gained Li Xuewu's protection and a job at the First Detention Center, had finally experienced a second spring in his career.

If you were to say he took pride in his craft when making clothes for emperors and empresses in the past, he had just as much enthusiasm now teaching those undergoing labor reform how to sew.

Even the most arrogant inmates called him "Master" or "Grandpa" in his presence; no one ever made things difficult for the old man.

What do you call this? This is called craftsmanship!

At the First Detention Center, the old man taught them clothing-making knowledge with all his heart and soul, guiding them patiently. What do you call this?

This is like being a second parent!

If anyone had a trade to earn a living, if anyone could live like a decent human being, who would want to come to the "Cannon Bureau" to suffer?

The parents who gave birth to and raised them didn't teach them the ability to survive. Now that they had learned a skill, you tell me—is there anyone who doesn't respect the old man?

Furthermore, this old man is no ordinary character; one look from those eyes of his is like being scraped by a blade.

Without a word, you can absolutely read the meaning in his gaze.

You say he's that formidable? He is just that formidable!

At his age, having weathered so many storms, what kind of person hasn't he seen?

What kind of person hasn't his hands touched? Being able to get close to measure clothing sizes, he would have seen right through you long ago.

When Li Xuewu first met him, he was listless and morose, having even prepared his own coffin.

He had no desire to live, no interest in life; he had no hope left in this world and was just waiting to die.

Later, after Li Xuewu stirred things up, his desire to die faded, his resolve to wait for death wavered, and he simply decided to live well.

Li Xuewu didn't need to worry about him, but he, on the other hand, was always thinking of Li Xuewu.

You look at the "White-Plus-Black" suit on Li Xuewu, and it seems no different from what the factory cadres wear—that's just the color.

In reality, whether it's the tailored fit, the precision of the cutting, or the tailoring technique, it far exceeds the clothes made by those apprentices.

It's just that there's no choice in fabric; it's the same on the market. The administrative suits produced by the First Detention Center are an internal connection, using good material obtained from the textile mill.

There's no help for it; at this time, our weaving technology isn't lagging, but the global R&D progress for new clothing materials is slow, with no major breakthroughs.

Otherwise, why did "Dacron" become so popular? That stuff isn't the best material for making clothes; it was just novel.

Look at later generations—who still wears Dacron clothes? Unless it's elderly people in remote areas.

A good tailor, good craftsmanship—the clothes made are just different; they just hold their shape.

It's the same "White-Plus-Black," and the factory cadres wear it too, but not one of them has his charisma.

Yes, he's a tall guy, over 1.8 meters, exercises regularly, and has a well-proportioned build; he's a natural clothes hanger.

But even those young people, the newly graduated university students with their thick scholarly air, can't compare to him.

Even a scar on his face can make female comrades yearn for him and harbor secret crushes. You tell me, why is that?

Of course, Gu Ning is naturally beautiful; no matter how well-made these clothes are, they are just an external addition to her grace.

The couple has distinct temperaments and different personalities, but standing together, they look like a rare, heaven-made match.

Both are tall; Li Xuewu's dominance is slightly exposed but overall restrained, while Gu Ning is gentle and refined, with a spiritual elegance slightly stronger than before.

Wang Shuhua saw the couple and praised them again and again.

"They say 'husband-and-wife face,' 'husband-and-wife face'—only when a couple stands together do you see the resemblance."

She held Gu Ning's hand, unable to look at her enough, and praised repeatedly: "Truly a good marriage, good fortune."

"Learn from each other, progress together."

Zheng Shusen waved his hand, signaling Li Xuewu to sit on the sofa, and offered a cigarette. Seeing Li Xuewu wave it off, he didn't smoke either.

He followed his wife's lead and commented: "That bandit air of yours has finally faded by more than half."

"Look at what you're saying! Is my son a bandit?"

Wang Shuhua chided her husband with dissatisfaction, smiled, patted Gu Ning's hand, and asked: "Your mother-in-law is quite well, right?"

After asking this, before Gu Ning could answer, she looked at her godson and chided: "You didn't bring the little one, why didn't you bring the big one either?"

"What? Are you afraid I'm a stingy grandmother or what?"

"Hahaha—" Li Xuewu laughed, waved his hand, and explained: "I wouldn't be formal with you; it's just that the big one is too naughty!"

"You can't even imagine how naughty she is! Naughty enough to make smoke come out of your ears!"

He looked at Zheng Shusen and said with a smile: "My dad's jars and cans are basically all gone; she smashed them all just to hear the sound, or else they're buried who knows where."

"Hahaha—"

Zheng Shusen heard about this naughty child and was also full of smiles. "This girl takes after you."

"I wasn't this naughty when I was little—"

Li Xuewu grinned, picked up his teacup, and said: "I only became naughty when I grew up."

"You weren't any less naughty when you were little!"

Wang Shuhua smiled at him, but since Gu Ning was there, she couldn't expose her godson's shortcomings.

She took a pear from the coffee table and handed it to Gu Ning: "Come again next time, come before dinner, call ahead, and Godmother will prepare food and make you something delicious."

It was clear that Zheng Shusen and Wang Shuhua were genuinely happy from the bottom of their hearts that Li Xuewu and his wife had come to visit.

Their care for Li Xuewu could be seen in the way their eyes lingered on him.

And as for Gu Ning, they didn't treat her like a mother who already had a child at all, but still like a new bride.

Even for her own daughter-in-law, Wang Shuhua had never shown such enthusiasm.

There was the reason of the god-parent relationship, and also the reason that she truly liked Gu Ning.

Not to mention her background—her profession, education, and character were all excellent, and even better was her appearance.

Gu Ning's face, which radiated peace and prosperity, was something every mother-in-law would find precious.

Round and full, with a dignified temperament, one couldn't see a hint of sharpness, bitterness, or trouble-making malice.

The face reflects the heart; physiognomy isn't entirely feudal superstition or crooked talk.

If Li Xuewu's face weren't scarred, he would have been gentle, refined, and handsome.

Even when he fought, he had that likable appearance; otherwise, why would he have so many girlfriends?

But that's not the case now; if you cover up the scarred half of his face, you can't see the "pretty boy" temperament anymore.

If he were a "pretty boy," the gunfire that lingered long over the western suburbs shooting range wouldn't agree.

Those hundreds of people only admit they were handled by "Li the Scarred," and would never admit they were handled by a "pretty boy."

Gu Ning didn't talk much, but compared to before, compared to when she came last time, she had made obvious progress and changes.

She called Wang Shuhua "Godmother," chatted about work and daily life, talked about the children and Li Xuewu, and they got along well.

Li Xuewu and his Godfather Zheng Shusen hadn't seen each other for a long time either; sitting on this side of the sofa, they inevitably had to talk about the situation and work.

However, talking about the situation was done in moderation; Zheng Shusen had progressed rapidly in the last two years and had become increasingly restrained.

Li Xuewu had become increasingly steady, the burden on his shoulders had grown, and he dealt more with the city authorities; both had developed a sense of boundaries.

Public is public, private is private; in private, how the two of them talked, how they discussed their feelings, and how he taught Li Xuewu was no problem at all.

But it just couldn't involve work; Li Xuewu had this mindset, and Zheng Shusen adhered to this principle even more.

So, listening to Li Xuewu talk about ideology, understanding, and the situation, Zheng Shusen nodded frequently, approving of his godson's words.

He was truly as satisfied as could be with Li Xuewu; with this sense of scale and proportion, how had this child been trained?

The city was full of talent, with young heroes like carp crossing a river, but none of the young ones had his insight and steadiness.

The older ones?

You'd have to look further down the line; those who could truly be on par with Li Xuewu were all over forty.

Comparing someone in their forties to Li Xuewu, who was just over twenty—was there any comparability?

The impression Li Xuewu gave him had always been that of a capable, restrained, and experienced veteran cadre.

That's right, "young cadre" wasn't enough to describe his work image.

But if you asked if this child had any flaws, or if someone was teaching him hand-in-hand, he didn't feel that at all.

He understood Li Shun's temper and personality all too well.

If he really had this kind of temperament and ability, wouldn't Li Shun have risen up long ago? Would he still need to use it on Li Xuewu?

The child in the Li family who truly had this ability was Li Xuewu; the eldest and the third were also smart, but not smart to this extent—this kid had become a monkey!

If you call him old-fashioned and conservative, listening to his wife, this kid still had that "jianghu" style, but he had a kind heart and a sense of chivalry, leading his brothers to learn to be good and do good, and he had done many good deeds for the neighborhood.

It was complicated, but it also attracted more attention and care from Zheng Shusen and his wife.

Li Xuewu took the initiative to report his work situation to his Godfather.

He spoke about the main projects the Red Star Factory was developing, including aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, ships, metallurgy, personnel reform, and the ecological industrial zone, etc.

At the same time, he also spoke about his other identity, that is, the Third Garrison Regiment.

He spoke about the development situation of the Garrison District, his own thoughts and attitudes, and the preparations he had made.

Hearing Li Xuewu mention the Third Garrison Regiment, Zheng Shusen and Wang Shuhua looked at each other and sighed in unison.

Only after Li Xuewu finished speaking did Zheng Shusen put down his teacup, nod, and say: "You are a good one; don't mind him."

"Did you come just for him?"

Wang Shuhua glared at Li Xuewu and chided: "I just said you were mature and steady."

"No, it's just that I heard my mom mention this at home," Li Xuewu explained with a calm smile: "I thought it had been a while since I came, and I didn't know what I'd be busy with on the weekend."

"Listen to your dad; don't mind him—"

Wang Shuhua said with some anger: "The older he gets, the more confused he becomes, doing nothing but brainless things!"

She held Gu Ning's hand and said: "Before you came, he had just left here; he was scolded away by his dad."

"Let's not mention him—"

Zheng Shusen also frowned and waved his hand, saying to Li Xuewu: "Don't lower yourself to his level."

"I didn't mean it like that; I was just afraid you'd be worried."

Li Xuewu explained embarrassedly: "My mom was also concerned and asked me to come over, so you wouldn't worry about me."

"Your dad and I don't have that many thoughts—"

Wang Shuhua's face regained its smile; she glanced at Gu Ning and explained helplessly to Li Xuewu: "They say family shame shouldn't be spread, but you are my godson and goddaughter-in-law, not outsiders."

"He's someone without malice; you can see that from his words and actions."

She sighed and said: "Since he was little, I wanted him to be honest and kind, to be a person who does things properly and works steadily; I didn't expect that being too honest isn't good either."

"Our daughter-in-law, that person... she doesn't have big flaws, but she's narrow-minded and always has some small calculations."

"Normal; I explained it to Brother Xicai too."

Li Xuewu smiled and didn't go into depth; in this room, except for Gu Ning who didn't want to understand, everyone else understood.

Can personnel relations be arranged casually?

He arranged for Pazile, he arranged for Zhao Yajun—what kind of relationship is this?

Pazile is a comrade-in-arms who once lived and died with him, and Zhao Yajun would risk his life for him. What kind of relationship do you, Zheng Xicai, have with me?

If it were truly Zheng Xicai begging him, or pleading for his children, that would be one thing.

Even the wife's nephew can beg him—who are you looking down on?

Coming here today wasn't just to appease his Godfather and Godmother; there was also a side of feeling wronged.

Otherwise, why would the couple have come together? This is talking about family matters.

I treat you like family, and your son treats me like a lackey!

He had countered Zheng Xicai with moderate force and made him lose face, but he couldn't be too humble or polite with his Godfather and Godmother.

It's better to speak directly than to hide things and be falsely polite.

If he really played that fake game, Zheng Shusen and his wife would be sad, and this relationship would end there.

On the contrary, Li Xuewu's openness and directness made the couple feel very comfortable, knowing that Li Xuewu hadn't grown to hate this relationship.

When seeing the young couple out, Wang Shuhua once again urged Gu Ning to bring the children next time.

As for Zheng Shusen, he smiled and looked at Li Xuewu without saying anything, his eyes full of appreciation and expectation.

Getting along well with a godson is also a kind of family relationship; he had spent his life in battle and worked hard for half his life, long ago seeing through fame and fortune.

Saying "peace and safety is a blessing" is a bit pretentious, but at his level, the development of his children is just what it is.

If the big account is ruined, just practice on a small one.

Of course, although the couple could still have children, they wouldn't make a joke of it.

Saying "practice on a small one" means cultivating the descendants.

You say a godson is useless?

When the descendants grow up, and their influence still counts for something, Li Xuewu wouldn't ignore family descendants who truly have talent and character.

This is life philosophy, family relationship.

"There's a lot of dust at the construction site; if you need masks, please let me know in advance."

Li Xuewu smiled and shook hands with Chantal, his first sentence not being fake politeness, but true friendship.

Chantal was somewhat surprised by Li Xuewu's reminder; she hadn't expected his greeting to be such a show of concern.

"Thank you; I must reiterate, you are one of the few cadres in the interior I have met with such an open personality."

"This is the best encouragement and praise I have heard today," Li Xuewu politely let go of her hand, nodded to Sha Qizhi, and then said: "I feel deeply honored."

Li Huai De and Xue Zhifu were conversing politely with the senior executives of the Santaya Group with the help of an interpreter.

Very politely, and very attentively; Li Huai De led the Red Star Factory group to welcome the other party in the guesthouse courtyard.

The two sides met and exchanged greetings under the guidance of the Foreign Affairs Office, which was the department Sha Qizhi was in charge of.

After a few words, both sides recalled the focus and goals of their cooperation, emphasizing the projects currently being executed.

Guided by Sha Qizhi and invited by Li Huai De, Santaya Group President Chantal and her party, accompanied by the foreign affairs departments of both sides, visited the Ecological Industrial Zone project design studio located in the guesthouse courtyard.

This was originally the guesthouse's large warehouse, later renovated into a two-story studio, providing a place for the engineering and technical teams supported by the Santaya Group to live and work.

When walking into this venue, Chantal's heart, which had been filled with worry, was finally put at ease.

The long conference table and office area in the first-floor lobby were slightly cluttered, with staff moving through them.

Seeing them enter, office staff were responsible for reception and project introduction, but they didn't see the heads of engineering and design.

According to the office director, the two supervisors were each leading teams at the project site, as it was now a critical period for project construction.

The design team had received all the design drawings for the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone and had re-examined and studied the underground building pipe network design.

After the design and engineering were connected, they proposed a new design plan, which was also a secondary design and supplement based on the original design thinking.

Because the construction period could not stop, and the school under construction, as well as the excavated foundations and underground infrastructure, left little time for the design team, their work schedule was very tight.

Li Xuewu had already seen the first change opinion draft given by the design department and felt very satisfied after hearing about it.

However, the foreign aid design and engineering team were not very satisfied, feeling it wasn't "tech" enough, not "ecological" enough, not "environmentally friendly" enough, and even less "stylish" enough for their taste.

Yes, you heard that right; they felt the current design concept for the Red Star Factory's Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone was advanced, but lacked "bling."

Li Xuewu really wanted to point at their noses and curse: Do you understand design?

Of course, he wouldn't do that, because he still had impressions of cars and airplanes and could handle conceptual design.

But he really didn't know anything about engineering construction, three-defense construction, or environmental pipe networks!

If you asked him to examine whether a design draft was good, he could feel what was good and what was bad by listening to the report.

He could also talk eloquently about specific functional requirements and future applications and development.

But if you asked him to participate in the specific design and point at the draft saying "five meters more here, five meters less there," he couldn't do it.

He wasn't a "transportation captain" and wouldn't play at micromanagement.

So, facing the foreign aid engineering and design team's pursuit of perfection and their "pretentious" behavior, he had no choice.

The design team leader, François, said: "Look at our team; everyone is a top-tier, most promising designer in Western Europe. If we were just designing sloppily, we wouldn't have come."

Yes, they said it: We have pursuits.

We don't care what you want, we don't care how much budget you have; we just want to realize our own design.

Damn it! Li Xuewu heard them whispering this privately and immediately arranged for the Finance Department to set up a special supervision group.

You came here to make a name for yourselves, treating us like suckers, like nouveau riche, like big spenders?

That won't do!

On the basis of pursuing perfection and the style of ultimate perfection, one must also fully consider applicability, practicality, cost-effectiveness, and financial allowance.

The funding for the Ecological Industrial Zone was limited, and the project progress and project funding had already been budgeted; if it exceeded too much, Jing Yunong would slam the table and curse.

Although the Red Star Factory earned a lot now, there were many places to spend money, and it really couldn't afford to let these foreigners squander it.

Both sides visited the work area and accommodation area in a friendly atmosphere and listened to the office director's report.

The office director was also a foreigner and spoke French, so Li Xuewu understood very clearly.

These foreign aid foreigners were elites and knew very well who the master was; when reporting to Chantal, the focus was not on the Red Star Factory.

That's right, the Ecological Industrial Zone belonged to the Red Star Factory, and they were here to support it, but their report focused on team building and the tempering of the team.

Everything they said was about their cooperation in this project and their outlook and understanding of the project.

Li Huai De and the others listened to the translation and didn't feel there was anything wrong with these words—wasn't this just a report?

But Li Xuewu heard the nuance; these two teams coming to the interior to support project construction was Chantal tempering her team.

In other words, their support wasn't without demands; they were using this project to temper their design and engineering team and also to open up the interior market.

Because of this, Li Xuewu heard it, whispered a reminder to Li Huai De, but didn't correct or stop the other party.

Li Huai De's meaning was also the same: Pie doesn't fall from the sky. Knowing the other party's demands and goals, only then could one dare to eat the pie, right?

Coming out of the foreign aid building, both sides had an interesting communication and exchange along the garden path.

Why say it like that? Because Chantal praised the Red Star Factory's professionalism and ability, as well as the care and support for the technical and engineering team.

Li Huai De had Li Xuewu's reminder and naturally understood the meaning of the other party's words; his answer had the implication of "I know everything," giving the conversation a bit of tacit understanding.

You know my length, I know your depth?

Except for other accompanying personnel taking ordinary buses, at Li Huai De's invitation, Santaya Group President Chantal, Vice President William Robin, Cultural Commissioner Maggie Roman, and Foreign Affairs Department head Zhou Gancheng boarded the "Hongtu No. 1" with the Red Star Factory leaders.

Twelve seats; on the Red Star Factory side, there were only Li Huai De, Xue Zhifu, and Li Xuewu, plus an accompanying interpreter.

The interpreters sat in the back; Xue Zhifu sat at the door, letting Li Xuewu sit next to William Robin.

That is, the four-seat main seating area set up opposite the marble conference table.

Very thoughtfully, the headrest part of the seats had already been marked with the passenger's name or position.

For example, the interpreter was just "interpreter," with no name.

Seating is very particular; Li Huai De and Chantal sat facing the direction of the vehicle's travel, while Li Xuewu and Vice President Robin sat facing them.

Li Huai De and Chantal's interpreters sat behind them, providing real-time translation throughout the journey.

As soon as Chantal got on, her eyes were looking around; this wasn't impolite.

A tycoon like her, in this environment, wouldn't care too much about the etiquette emphasized by the upper class; that was the demeanor maintained at balls.

Now she just wanted to see this unique bus; she was very interested.

Especially when the vehicle started, looking at the wide, bright glass, the relatively quiet interior space, and the hot tea served by the secretary on the table, it was very surprising.

"To be honest, even France doesn't have such functional vehicles—"

Chantal was like a little girl who had just entered kindergarten, asking Li Xuewu with curiosity in her eyes: "Is this a car designed and produced by your factory?"

Li Xuewu naturally wouldn't underestimate the other party; this was just the frank side shown after financial freedom.

If you really take her for a little girl, then you're a big fool!

"That's right; it's mainly for inspection, research, reception, and administrative work needs."

Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, continuing to explain under Li Huai De's encouraging gaze: "It has currently been finalized for production, but it's custom production, and the capacity is still very average."

"That's certainly easy to understand!"

Chantal smiled and spread her hands, saying: "European buses are actually also custom-produced, but they don't have this level of completeness."

She pointed to several special devices on the car, including the radio embedded in the carriage at one end of the office table.

It wasn't her first or second time in the interior; she knew the people here very well and wouldn't use shoddy goods to fool her.

It was just a radio; if she suspected the other party, she would probably become a laughingstock.

So, on the way from the guesthouse, onto the factory road, and straight to the construction site outside the factory area, the main topic of conversation between the two sides was actually this car.

"You can understand my mood for wanting such a car, right?"

Chantal smiled at Li Huai De and said very tactfully: "If possible, as long as the Red Star Factory has such products, I will definitely buy one."

"Hahaha! We certainly welcome it—"

Li Huai De laughed and said: "Once we have the capacity, we will definitely contact the Santaya Group; this is our honor."

Look at that—who says Old Li doesn't learn? He can even pull off European rhetoric.

The atmosphere of the conversation between the two sides remained friendly, especially after arriving at the construction site.

Looking at the school rising from the ground, Chantal asked with surprise: "We passed by here last time, and it wasn't this tall, right?"

She asked Vice President Robin, and also Li Xuewu opposite her.

Li Xuewu smiled without explaining, and Robin also had a look of having seen a ghost.

"This is truly... China speed!"

Hearing the translation, the pride on Li Huai De's face was even more overflowing.

He took the initiative to express his thanks, saying: "This is thanks to the concerted cooperation between the Red Star Factory and the Santaya Group; with the support of the technical and engineering team, as well as the assistance of construction machinery, the progress has been greatly improved."

"No, no, Director Li."

Chantal shook her head slightly and said: "I know very well the power that technical teams and construction machinery can represent."

"Even with world-advanced technology and equipment, it wouldn't be enough to so quickly..."

Li Xuewu had already felt the shock and doubt in her words; seeing Li Huai De smile without speaking, he was too lazy to explain.

When the "Hongtu No. 1" stopped at the construction site gate, under the guidance and introduction of the project team and the Foreign Affairs Office, everyone put on safety helmets and walked to the construction site to visit.

Especially when the Santaya Group party received the masks provided by the Foreign Affairs Office service personnel, they were very surprised and satisfied.

They were here to work, and it was normal to get mud on their bodies and shoes when going down to the front-line construction site.

But that didn't mean they were willing to smell the dust; with these masks, they said "thank you" and were also satisfied with the Red Star Factory's corporate culture.

Just as Chantal mentioned many times, the Red Star Factory was different from other enterprises in the interior.

Where exactly it was different, the people below could summarize, including work attitude, work attire, work thinking, etc.

If Chantal were to say it herself, she felt it was the details.

The deepest impression the Red Star Factory gave her was that it had both grandeur and refinement.

When she went to visit the studio just now, she noticed the fire extinguishers and paid even more attention to the green plants placed in the corner.

Looking at the bus she just rode, as well as the caution and attitude shown by the Red Star Factory leaders in communication.

It must be said that her choice of the Red Star Factory was accidental, but also inevitable.

Such an enterprise, no matter which partner came, would have to actively consider cooperation.

"How is the construction quality like this?"

Chantal's question was very tactful; she marveled at the construction speed of this project in the car, but also doubted the quality of these buildings.

Building fast doesn't mean building well; she had seen "tofu-dreg" projects with her own eyes, and she wouldn't say where.

"This is the school's teaching building."

Li Xuewu didn't emphasize quality right away, but spoke about its function and application here.

He often came here, so he knew this side very well; while telling everyone what the surrounding buildings were, he led them inside.

Passing by the construction site, he also picked up a hammer.

At first, everyone didn't quite understand what he was going to do, but once they entered the teaching building, they knew.

Clang—

Li Xuewu suddenly smashed a hammer against a load-bearing wall, making a "clang" sound, which startled everyone.

When they looked at the spot Li Xuewu had smashed, they only saw a white mark on the cement wall.

"Deputy Director Li, you're here to cause destruction again—"

The project supervision person in charge ran over, heard the wall-smashing sound, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

He pointed to his head and said: "I guarantee with my head that there is absolutely no problem with the quality!"

"A school built with real gold and silver, and you guarantee it with your head?"

Li Xuewu pointed at him as if joking and didn't pay any more attention to him, but introduced to Chantal: "I basically come to knock on all the buildings."

"If I knock out any quality issues, I'll just knock off their heads."