Chapter 1182: Wife?

"Oh my, I've finally waited for you, Deputy Director Li—"

Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu led the team standing at the office building entrance to welcome him.

Only after the Volga M24 stopped steadily and the car door was opened by secretary Peng Xiaoli did he see clearly that it was Li Xuewu getting off.

Only then did he trot a few steps and hold Li Xuewu's extended hand with both hands.

"Was the journey smooth?"

"Hehe, no need to be so polite, comrades have worked hard—"

Li Xuewu shook his hand with a smile and greeted the Management Center team members standing at the entrance to welcome him.

Everyone stepped forward in turn to shake hands and greet him, asking if his journey was smooth.

"I didn't bring people or money this time," he walked up the steps with a smile and joked, "You might be disappointed—"

"Your ability to come to Jinmen is the greatest support for us."

Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu turned sideways and walked half a step behind Li Xuewu, accompanying him into the lobby.

At the same time, he smilingly introduced the work situation of the Trade Management Center during this period.

Inspection work reporting has a sequence, first joy then worry; you must never report only joy and not worry, otherwise it's too fake.

Of course, they didn't dare to play tricks on Li Xuewu.

This person had eyes like torches, was a master of psychology, and his methods were known for being ruthless; if they fooled him...

"During this period, there are mainly the following key tasks..."

First, they must report the follow-up negotiation progress of the Automotive Supply Chain Conference.

"Some enterprise leaders finished their inspection and research in Steel City and came directly to Jinmen with the group."

He reported, "These are definitely enterprises interested in the supply chain system; we are actively negotiating..."

Subsequently, he reported on supply chain enterprises opening accounts at the United Savings Bank and docking with the Trade Management Platform safeguard accounts.

That is the so-called transaction account, a necessary means used to safeguard the equal interests of both cooperative parties and not cause losses to either side.

This part of finance is handed over to the bank, effectively ensuring relative fairness and insurance.

Once a problem occurs, it is naturally compensated and safeguarded by the United Savings Bank.

Compared to previous cash transactions, or other bank transfer remittances, internal allocations, etc., it is more convenient and direct.

Finally, he reported on the organizational management work of the Trade Management Center.

Including administrative personnel reform, reserve talent cultivation, young cadre training, office organizational structure construction, etc.

The group talked while walking; when involving the work content of each deputy director, there would also be corresponding deputy directors stepping forward to report.

During the inspection of each office, Li Xuewu also listened to the business reports of the persons in charge of each unit.

He also asked questions and consulted on corresponding business; it was very targeted, not the kind that pretended to understand and made people laugh.

"Still need to strengthen team construction, strengthen the cadres and foundation, and build a professional service team."

Coming down from upstairs, Li Xuewu said to Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu and the accompanying personnel, "The Trade Management Center is Red Star Factory's window to the outside world, a top priority."

"You must adhere to principles while doing a good job in service; it is very hard work, and the factory Management Committee leaders also understand you very well."

Li Xuewu stood in the lobby, looking at the Management Center team members standing in a semicircle with him as the center.

He said very sincerely, "But the era has endowed Red Star Factory with the mission of pioneering and innovating; you are the vanguard of Red Star Factory walking at the forefront of the era..."

"Leader, tonight..."

Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu held the car door and was still being polite after Li Xuewu got in the car, wanting to keep him for the night.

"Going to Yingcheng, there is still some work there."

Li Xuewu nodded at Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu and said, "I have read your work report; it has already been submitted to Deputy Director Jing and Director Li."

"Thank you for the leader's recognition," Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu said with a smile, "It is the factory's trust and tolerance for me."

"No need to be polite, good is good."

Li Xuewu smiled slightly, his hand resting on the door handle, looking at him and exhorting, "The leaders are also paying attention to those you reported."

"Doing one hundred things is not as good as doing one thing well; doing one thing well is not as good as leading the team to do one hundred things well."

"Understand, thank you leader—"

Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu nodded in understanding and used appropriate force to help Li Xuewu close the car door.

He bowed slightly, looked at Li Xuewu in the car window, and said, "I will report to you in detail when you come back."

"Good, worked hard—"

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and waved lightly to the Management Center team members who came to see him off.

Under the smiling expressions of everyone, the driver very understandingly started the car and slowly accelerated out of the Trade Management Center courtyard.

And Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu followed the sedan for a few steps to see them off before standing still and watching the car leave.

Li Xuewu came from Beijing; there weren't many accompanying personnel, but there weren't few either.

Fan Hua, deputy section chief of the third section of the Management Committee Office, was in the second car, and accompanying her was dance team leader Zhou Miaomiao of the Literature and Art Team.

Zhou Miaomiao saw Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu's respect for Li Xuewu, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl slightly.

She was with Li Huai De, but she had never felt such close-range reception and seeing-off in the workplace.

Similarly, she had never personally felt the respect others had for her.

Of course, in her heart, she changed this respect to another term, which was flattery.

This wasn't because she felt Li Xuewu was hypocritical, and she didn't feel there was anything wrong with Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu doing this.

It could only be said that looking at the essence through the phenomenon, her identity allowed her perspective to jump horizontally inside and outside the circle, and what she saw was relatively straightforward.

Standing inside the circle, she was also one of those receiving and seeing off; if leaders came to the Literature and Art Team or dance team for inspection, she would also have to do this.

But with her identity and rank not high, she could also stand outside the circle and look with a wanton perspective; what she thought in her heart was not necessarily the case.

However, Li Xuewu's performance and his speeches during the research process taught Zhou Miaomiao a lot.

Unlike Old Li, who liked to talk empty words and big words, the problems discussed could land on the ground, and the requirements put forward could also hit the current ills.

Zhou Miaomiao hadn't been working for just one day, so naturally, she could tell whether Li Xuewu was powerful or not.

Research and speeches were very testing of a cadre's skill because they were all working in the administrative office and had some foundation.

A leader came, and as soon as he opened his mouth, the people below knew whether this person could be fooled, could be deceived, or could play empty tricks.

You ask precisely, point out cleverly, and in the speech and work emphasis, you can both propagate the superior's instructions and fit the actual business work; this is too powerful.

People below see and hear it and know that although you don't necessarily understand the specific business in their hands, as long as you can see it, they have to be careful.

What are leaders for?

These two words actually explain their work function very well.

It's not to let you do everything yourself, but to grasp the outline and lead the team to do work.

Just like the words Li Xuewu said to Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu before leaving, straightforward, thorough.

Doing one hundred things is not as good as doing one thing well.

People who shout about doing one hundred things but can't do anything well cannot be used.

Down-to-earth, doing every job well and in place, such people can be used for small things, but not for big things.

Serving as a section-level cadre, deputy section-level cadre, or project manager, etc., he can do the tasks in his hands well.

What kind of people can be used for big things?

It's people who can lead a team to do one hundred things well, even if ten or eight of those one hundred things weren't done well or were wrong, it doesn't matter.

Learning on the job, exercising on the job, having a leader come to tell him how those ten or eight things weren't done well, and then encouraging him to summarize the things done well into experience and form work habits.

Therefore, it is very easy to see that Li Xuewu has already grasped the essence of how to manage a team and knows even better how to manage and encourage team leaders.

In the past, one could often hear evaluations of Li Xuewu from Li Huai De's mouth.

Solid, excellent, reassuring, etc., never any negative words, which made her very confused.

Where was Li Xuewu's excellence reflected?

Today she knew; just following behind Li Xuewu, listening to what he said, and looking at the performance and feedback of others.

Zhou Miaomiao's gaze toward the car in front became more firm and eager.

The motorcade drove to the pier; Zhou Miaomiao looked back, as if she could still see Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu's slightly bowed body and smiling face.

Of course, even if Zhuang Zhuang Cangshu were crazy, he wouldn't behave so excessively.

This was just the impression in her mind, deep and concrete.

"What are you looking at?"

Fan Hua knew Zhou Miaomiao; fire safety inspection, she was basically familiar with all the cadres in the factory.

Sitting in the same car now, it could be considered having shared a boat.

Regarding the rumors about Zhou Miaomiao, she of course had heard them.

Right, heard them, not heard about them; she knew who Zhou Miaomiao was with early on.

But this didn't affect her taking the initiative to talk and interact with Zhou Miaomiao.

Since the other party could appear here following Li Xuewu, and even participated in publicity research work, it actually explained the problem very well.

Standing behind Li Huai De, and also being able to follow Li Xuewu, it could be seen that Zhou Miaomiao was not a simple character.

Even if the other party was just a simple character, a puppet, it didn't matter; she only cared about the fundamental factors behind this matter.

Therefore, Zhou Miaomiao didn't speak; after getting off the car, before boarding the ship, she took the initiative to speak.

Both were female comrades, so the communication between the two didn't have much awkwardness or avoidance.

Zhou Miaomiao also knew Fan Hua's background, Li Xuewu's old subordinate, a ruthless character who could be protected even after causing trouble and then promoted and reused.

It could be said that the two standing together didn't lose to each other, just not on the same track.

And precisely because they weren't on the same track, the conversation was more direct.

"Looking at whether Director Zhuang is still there."

Zhou Miaomiao first replied seriously, and even made a looking gesture, but after Fan Hua laughed, she also laughed along.

"Haha—sorry—"

She covered her mouth, nodded apologetically, and said, "Just a joke, don't mind."

"Why would I mind—"

Fan Hua smiled, took the luggage from the driver, and walked toward the pier with Zhou Miaomiao, who had also taken her luggage.

She said, "I don't know Director Zhuang, and I didn't have any dealings with him when I was in the Security Section."

See, smart women gathered together.

Fan Hua knew very well that Zhou Miaomiao knew who she was, so she didn't avoid her own past mistakes, and even spoke about them lightly.

This sincerity could move people's hearts and make the other party feel good and trust.

Zhou Miaomiao also felt the initiative from Fan Hua, her eyebrows moved, and she said with a smile, "We will have frequent dealings in the future; haven't congratulated you yet."

See, this is called knowing how to speak!

Why did Li Xuewu say she had the potential to do sales? Because she knew how to give and take, and knew even better how to observe words and expressions.

"Should I act a bit more humble?"

Fan Hua looked at Zhou Miaomiao playfully, blinked, and said with a friendly smile, "Actually, being able to walk to this step again, I am really happy."

"You might laugh at me, saying I'm too explicit," she lowered her head to tidy the hair by her ear, and said again, "Just like how you look at Director Zhuang."

Zhou Miaomiao didn't speak, just faced the cool breeze blowing from the Hai River and looked at the luxury yacht docked at the pier.

"Don't laugh at me, and don't laugh at him."

Fan Hua said very frankly, "We just want to make progress too much."

"I also want to make progress very much—"

Zhou Miaomiao turned her head and smiled, looked at Fan Hua, blinked, and said, "But this is the first time I've heard someone say such words so straightforwardly."

"And, this is also the first time I've spoken such words so frankly."

She sized up Fan Hua, her gaze full of confusion, and said, "I don't know why, talking to you is just very relaxed."

Do you believe that a woman who wanders between two men, responds easily, takes advantage of opportunities, and has everything in her grasp would trust someone so easily?

Hehe, Fan Hua doesn't believe it.

Because Zhou Miaomiao isn't that kind of person either!

So she was very sure that the other party understood her probing and received it.

Now it was the other party's performance time, and also a reverse probe; the confusion in her eyes and the frankness in her mouth were all specially faked.

These were just two women with many heart-eyes probing each other's IQ values.

What if the other party's IQ was lower than hers?

(Zhou Miaomiao: Pit her to death!)

(Fan Hua: Pit her to death!)

"Maybe we have a tacit understanding?"

Fan Hua said with a smile, "After experiencing that storm, I will put away my contempt for flattery, actively understand them, and even become them."

"You are so smart—"

Zhou Miaomiao looked at her, was stunned for a moment, and said with feeling, "I have never considered it so deeply."

Pretend! Pretend with me!

Fan Hua looked at the other party with a smile, thinking in her heart, who could be deeper than you!

"Not smart; if I were smart enough," she showed a regretful expression on her face at the right time and said, "there wouldn't be so many things."

"I seem to have heard some things about you."

Zhou Miaomiao tilted her head and said, "At that time, we had just transferred here; actually, we didn't understand much, it was later that they said it."

Uh-huh, they were all chewing their tongues; it had nothing to do with me; I just heard it passively.

Tea, very tea, green tea's tea.

"It's all in the past," Fan Hua thought in her heart, but said very easily, "Time will heal everything."

"I really hope so," Zhou Miaomiao let out a long breath, her expression lonely, and said, "I hope time passes faster."

When boarding the ship, she turned back and asked Fan Hua, "You heard it, right? About those things about me."

Before Fan Hua could answer, she continued, "I only feel that my whole life is dim now."

"Where is your life dim—"

Li Xuewu, who boarded the ship first, stood in the cabin living room, looked back at her, and said, "Is it because the lights aren't on?"

He even deliberately pointed to the overhead lighting, metaphorically very much.

This was sunset; when they came out of the Trade Management Center, it was actually almost time to get off work.

The yacht was docked on the river, the cabin was dim, and everyone stood in it, their faces covered in red sunset, really fitting the scene.

Padah—

The waiter on the ship turned on the lights and said apologetically, "Sorry, I was busy and confused."

"Look—"

Standing under the light, Li Xuewu blinked at Zhou Miaomiao with a smile and said, "Is your life still dim now?"

"Hahaha—"

"We don't need to be polite—"

Li Xuewu waved his hand, refused Andrew's enthusiastic hug, and said with a smile, "I haven't heard that Italians have this custom and tradition."

"This is friendship; Italians also have friends."

Andrew laughed and shook hands with Li Xuewu, pulled him, and insisted on hugging him.

Everyone watched their interaction with a smile; it was very interesting, especially this foreigner who spoke a mouthful of Chinese.

If he spoke Mandarin, or if his Mandarin wasn't so standard, everyone wouldn't laugh at him.

But his accent was clearly Northeast dialect, and the "dacha" flavor was very strong, so everyone had to laugh.

Just think about it, a foreigner who keeps saying "us" and "don't have" in broken Chinese—what would you think?

"Do we need to hug?"

Ai Jia Qing looked at Li Xuewu with a smile and asked, "Or rather, do we have friendship?"

"Then we have to hug—"

Li Xuewu laughed and took the initiative to hug Ai Jia Qing, the person in charge of Five Harvest Bank who boarded the ship in advance.

He hugged the other party and joked, "Even if there's no friendship, for the sake of a big beauty, I have to take advantage."

"Hahaha—"

"Didn't expect you to be this kind of person!"

Ai Jia Qing replied to him with a joke at the right time, stood up straight, and gave the position to Smith Parker, who came with her.

"Welcome to the mainland again, my friend."

Li Xuewu shook hands with the other party very sincerely, and the other party also opened his arms implicitly and gave him a hug.

"Don't be like this; we actually only haven't seen each other for a few months."

He patted the other party's arm with a smile, stood up straight, sized him up, and said, "I don't think the British like hugging more than the Italians."

"Hahaha—"

The group gathered together, including several foreigners speaking Chinese, which was very joyful.

Under Andrew's arrangement, everyone sat on the sofa, tea and drinks were served by waiters, and at the same time, they could feel the yacht had started.

Zhou Miaomiao stood by the window curiously looking at the scenery outside, and Fan Hua sat on the chair behind Li Xuewu with a notebook spread on her lap.

Accompanying means having the appearance of accompanying; she was different from Zhou Miaomiao.

The other party was here to hide from the storm, and she was here to work.

This was the first time she had participated in field work after being transferred, an opportunity deliberately given to her by Li Xuewu.

The Management Committee Office is a small society, people watching people, people stepping on people.

She is a woman, just arrived at a new unit, naturally facing the difficult situation of how to open up the work pattern.

Still have to say there is leader care; isn't this pattern opened up all at once?

Summarize and refine Li Xuewu's research and inspection work representing the Red Star Factory Management Committee into text and reports.

The text will be published in newspapers and on the radio in the form of reports.

The report will be presented on the factory leader's desk; when the leader reads it well and sees it well, and his gaze falls on the name of the article writer, her pattern will be opened.

Therefore, for those of you who have just started working, or just arrived at a department or a position, if your career has just started, you might as well try this method.

Of course, you might not have the opportunity to follow the leader out, let alone the opportunity to walk to the leader's side to listen to his narration.

But he has public speeches, just like Li Xuewu, who wasn't just Management Center team members in the lobby.

You are a newcomer, so you must have a newcomer's awareness and attitude.

Don't be afraid of losing face, and don't be afraid of people saying sarcastic things.

You take the leader's public speeches, today's research work, and the core ideas and business work implementation and instruction spirit, and form communication articles or theoretical articles, and submit them to newspapers in the shortest time.

You might be rejected, but if it passes, you succeed.

Yes, you successfully published a communication article or theoretical article.

Leaders read newspapers, whether it's big newspapers or small newspapers in your unit.

You must know that current newspaper articles are basically written by whoever reads them, read by whoever writes them, and whoever reads them writes them.

Therefore, you must believe that those young people who joined at the same time as you don't have this heart or ability.

When your name appears in front of the leader, you have already succeeded.

Of course, he won't ask you, let alone call you to the office to praise you; this is impossible.

But as long as you persist in writing and continue writing, the editor managing the newspaper will remember you and trust your writing more.

When your articles and name appear frequently in front of the leader, when such a secretary or text work opportunity appears, who will he think of?

Or rather, when your name is already familiar to the editor, will he inadvertently perform or praise you in daily work?

Writing and text ability is key in many units; the appearance of computers and mobile phones actually weakens the writing ability of university students.

How many of those who graduated can write and dare to write? Those who can really write won't compete with you for this opportunity, right?

Therefore, when you have no background and no strength to be "submerged," you must create opportunities for yourself and build your own persona.

Writing and text work, ordinary people can't handle it, have no patience, belong to a unique track; writing more, grinding more, and practicing more is the only secret to winning.

Fan Hua is not a young person, nor is she a deputy section-level cadre for the first time; she is naturally familiar with this method.

When Li Xuewu was talking to foreign businessmen, her expression was very focused; every word and every sentence would pass by her ears.

Bringing her out was to let her know these things, record these things, so she could show them to factory leaders and the organization.

Otherwise, Li Xuewu taking a boat out to sea, with two foreigners on the boat, he wouldn't be able to wash himself clean even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

This is Fan Hua's role, and she also knows her role.

Li Xuewu and the others might be chatting nonsense, or they might be talking about work while chatting nonsense; she needs to smooth out the nonsense, and express it in straightforward and capable text.

At the same time, she needs to highlight Li Xuewu's actions and role in this trip from the side, emphasizing the actual work goals promoted in this conversation.

If you can't understand what she did, go listen to the news broadcast; the words of those people in the lens are absolutely different from the broadcast script.

"Don't even think about it—"

Li Xuewu smiled on his face, but his tone was very firm in rejecting Ai Jia Qing's probe.

He picked up the teacup and "drank" a mouthful, and under the other party's slightly annoyed gaze, said, "You can't do all the business in the world."

"Saying it like this, it's as if I'm a bandit or a bully," Ai Jia Qing suddenly smiled and said, "I don't have any intention of forced buying or selling here."

"I of course know—"

Li Xuewu also laughed freely, glanced at her meaningfully, then looked at Smith Parker and said, "If you wanted to force buying or selling, you wouldn't need to be so polite to me, right?"

The first sentence was of course said to Ai Jia Qing, but the second sentence was asked to Parker.

This person is a manager of a retail enterprise giant in Hong Kong, and also an internal thief who betrayed his old boss.

Of course, he is helping the Oriental Era Bank to seek Watsons; Li Xuewu doesn't care whether he is an internal thief or not.

Otherwise, he would have thrown him into the sea early, letting him swim back to Hong Kong.

"Although I don't know how your system is required and operated."

Seeing Li Xuewu look at him, Smith Parker also knew it was his turn to speak, so he pursed his lips, spread his hands, and said, "But I don't want to give up the share of interest that belongs to me."

"Hehe—"

Ai Jia Qing chuckled, her gaze scanning him with contempt.

She has worked in Hong Kong for many years, naturally understands these foreign devils, and knows even better what state they are in when working in Hong Kong.

You might not believe it if I say it, but Britain doesn't treat British people born or settled in the colony as their own.

Is it very bizarre?

But the fact is exactly so.

You might have seen that movie, the one the dance king acted in; his identity is a third-class citizen.

Then do you know who the second-class citizens are?

They are these British people born or grown up, working, and settled in Hong Kong.

They hold local passports, but it is very difficult to have the opportunity to return to the mainland; the mainland only hopes they will work hard to plunder the wealth in the colony.

Of course, the mainland hopes wealth can return to Britain, but these people doing things shouldn't come back, to avoid causing trouble.

It's just that bizarre!

Even more bizarre is that these second-class citizens, such as Smith Parker, have a sense of belonging to the mainland that is also approximately an unknown number.

Just like that passport, only when he needs it will Parker remember he is British.

When he needs to do business with Hong Kong locals, and make friends with Li Xuewu, he will discard this identity like shit.

So you can see, he has no psychological burden at all in betraying his old boss.

Even when Li Xuewu asked for his opinion, he also frankly stated his attitude.

That is, how you divide, how you fight, has

However, you cannot touch my share.

Parker just looked at Li Xuewu and Ai Jiaqing like this, embodying stinginess and scheming to the fullest.

Ai Jiaqing pursed her lips, unable to hold back a smile, just looking into Li Xuewu's eyes.

On the side, Andrew looked at the few of them with great surprise, the red wine glass in his hand swaying slightly, just like his inner thoughts.

"Ha—hahaha—"

Li Xuewu first gave a light laugh, and then laughed loudly and wantonly.

Seeing him like this, Ai Jiaqing also licked her lips and followed suit with a laugh.

Zhou Miaomiao turned her head to look at the two people laughing loudly for no apparent reason, as well as the inscrutable Italian and the British man rolling his eyes.

She really couldn't understand how Li Xuewu had grasped this way of communicating and interacting.

She had asked Li Huai De about it and learned from the few words he revealed, but those were just the basics.

She didn't dare to speak recklessly on such an occasion; even listening was strenuous, let alone speaking.

"Can you understand what they said?"

Zhou Miaomiao leaned behind Fan Hua and asked softly in her ear.

Fan Hua looked back at her, the corners of her mouth curling up, and said with a smile: "It's okay, I understand Chinese."

"Hee hee—"

Zhou Miaomiao naturally knew she was joking; she pulled a chair over and sat beside her, looking like she was learning from her.

Fan Hua didn't mind her leaning in and put her attention back on the leaders' conversation.

"Li, I am very certain," Parker said, looking into Li Xuewu's eyes: "Her goal is definitely not just these things."

Just when Ai Jiaqing called Andrew to the bar to talk, Parker leaned over to Li Xuewu's side.

The two sat on the sofa, their line of sight just right to see the bar area.

"Miss Lou from the Eastern Era Bank told me that Ng Fung Hong will intervene in the acquisition case."

Parker took a sip of red wine and said with a deep frown: "I don't think this is a good thing."

"You should know who is coveting this cake," he said very directly: "Ng Fung Hong's entry will bring more uncertainty to this project."

"The cake is only enough for one person to eat, but when his friend brings a large group of friends or a giant shark..."

Parker only said half of his words before spreading his left hand and not continuing, because Li Xuewu already understood what he was going to say.

"Have you ever heard a saying," Li Xuewu turned his head and said to Smith Parker: "Unity is strength."

"Oh—"

Parker was a real foreigner, but he knew Chinese and naturally understood the meaning of Li Xuewu's words.

Li Xuewu smiled, patted his shoulder again, and said: "Let me teach you another one: to resist foreign aggression, one must first pacify the interior."

"Oh! I know this one!"

Parker suddenly sat up straight, repeated the phrase "to resist foreign aggression, one must first pacify the interior" while putting down the wine glass in his hand, and looked at Li Xuewu confidently: "This is what your Mr. Chang said, right!"

"Hey! Don't curse—"

Li Xuewu emphasized with a bitter smile: "What do you mean 'our Mr. Chang'! He is not ours!"

"Also, he did say this sentence, but he wasn't the first to say it; the principle is just that principle."

He patted Parker's knee and said earnestly: "No matter when, she and I are family."

"I like hearing that—"

Ai Jiaqing walked back gracefully with a wine glass, sat diagonally opposite Li Xuewu, and said with a smile: "A toast to family."

Li Xuewu held his teacup and said with a bitter smile: "Do we have to be like this even as family?"

"Oh—I understand—"

Parker thought with a frown for a long while before his eyes lit up and he said with a smile: "To resist foreign aggression, one must first pacify the interior!"

He pointed at Ai Jiaqing and said to Li Xuewu: "She is your 'inner person' 【wife】, right?"

"Hahaha—"

Li Xuewu was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly. Amidst Ai Jiaqing's angry glare, his laughter was so wanton.

And Ai Jiaqing was also embarrassed and angry; she slapped Li Xuewu's thigh hard and scolded: "You taught him this, right?"

"No, no, no, I thought of this myself!"

Smith Parker was still unsatisfied and emphasized seriously: "I know Chinese very well; you can't fool me."

"Indeed, you really know it very well—"

Li Xuewu gave him a thumbs up and said with a smile: "Even I have to bow down to you, hahaha!"

"You're still laughing—"

Ai Jiaqing glared at him and explained to Smith: "'Inner person' cannot be used casually; it means wife!"

"Ah? Ah? Is—is it true?"

Smith Parker looked at Ai Jiaqing with feigned surprise, spreading his hands with an expression of disbelief.

But Ai Jiaqing rolled her eyes at him; foreigners aren't all simple-minded, they are cunning too.

Having lived and worked in Hong Kong for so many years, how can you have the nerve to pretend you don't know what "inner person" means?

"Did you hear what he said?"

Ai Jiaqing ignored the posturing Smith and looked at Li Xuewu, saying seriously: "About the Watson's acquisition case."

"Of course, it seems not very good."

Li Xuewu sat up straight, placed the teacup in his hand on the small table, crossed his right leg, and said: "I don't think it's our problem."

"I didn't say it was your problem either."

Ai Jiaqing said with a very bad complexion: "But without us, your problems are even more serious."

"So?"

Li Xuewu spread his hands and asked her: "You haven't even solved the Watson's problem clearly, and you're already thinking about the car and ship problems?"

"These are two different things; I'm talking to you seriously."

Ai Jiaqing frowned slightly and said: "You might be targeted; our entry only stimulated this contradiction, a contradiction that would have appeared sooner or later."

"I don't understand any of this," Li Xuewu said, looking into her eyes: "Wine must be drunk one sip at a time, rice must be eaten one mouthful at a time, and things must be handled one by one."

"You'd better tell me whether the Watson's matter can be handled or not."

He said to Ai Jiaqing very seriously: "If it can't be done, withdraw early; we are still partners, don't affect other cooperative relationships."

"Don't worry, I will give you a satisfactory answer regarding this matter."

Ai Jiaqing drank the red wine in her glass in one gulp and said to Smith Parker: "I guarantee it with the reputation of Ng Fung Hong."

After speaking, she looked at Li Xuewu and asked: "Can we talk about other problems now?"

"Welcome, welcome—"

Xu Sinian stood on the pier with a smile, shaking hands with Li Xuewu very enthusiastically.

At the same time, his eyes also glanced at the ship, at the figure that flashed by for an instant.

"Don't look around, be careful of getting a sty—"

Li Xuewu smiled and poked his stomach, joking: "It's so late, you wouldn't be waiting just for me, would you?"

"Does that even need to be said?"

Xu Sinian withdrew his gaze from the ship and smiled as he shook hands with the other accompanying personnel from the Red Star Factory.

"Let's go, there was a call from Tianjin saying you haven't eaten yet, right?"

He greeted with a smile: "The food is already prepared, just waiting for you."

"Hehe—"

Li Xuewu chuckled and walked beside him, asking: "So attentive?"

He raised his hand to check the time and gestured to Xu Sinian, asking: "It's almost ten o'clock, and you still prepared food for us?"

"Look, what words aren't words when they come out of your mouth."

Xu Sinian smiled and patted his arm, saying: "You've come, could I let you go hungry?"

As he said this, he blinked at the others, his little gestures were quite numerous.

"Hahaha—"

Li Xuewu was truly happy today; his laughter was constant and hearty.

He turned back to Fan Hua and the others and said: "Since Director Xu has kindly invited us, we cannot refuse this favor."

"Be careful with your discretion during tomorrow's talks; don't embarrass our Director Xu, otherwise he will be heartbroken over this meal."

"Look at that, the way you say things—"

Xu Sinian smiled and waved his hand at everyone, saying: "Don't listen to Deputy Director Li; I don't have that intention at all, he's just misinterpreting me."

"I am sincere; since you have come, you are my family, right!"

He greeted them, causing everyone to laugh along; the atmosphere at the scene was quite good.

Li Xuewu made his intentions clear, so the accompanying cadres and clerks didn't have to guess, and they wouldn't have any taboos.

And Xu Sinian brought the words back around, both indicating his attitude and position, and expressing his intention to show goodwill to everyone in a more tactful way.

Several cars left the pier, and the yacht that had just docked also left again, taking away Parker, Ai Jiaqing, and others who hadn't disembarked.

The things that needed to be discussed were discussed; why disembark?

They all had reasons to "not touch the ground," and there was no need to make things difficult for Li Xuewu or embarrassing for Xu Sinian.

The small motorcade headed straight for the Yingcheng Shipyard guesthouse, with Li Xuewu and Xu Sinian in the first car.

"It's too sudden, what are you thinking?"

Xu Sinian looked at Li Xuewu and asked: "Has the situation become serious to this extent? Even you need to..."

"Don't guess wildly, creating something out of nothing."

Li Xuewu glanced at him, took a deep breath, and said: "You know the recent movements in the factory, right?"

"Hmm, hmm?" Xu Sinian just agreed, but immediately felt something was wrong and looked at Li Xuewu, asking: "You mean..."

"Playing dumb with me?"

Li Xuewu chuckled and looked at the night view outside the window; the Yingcheng Shipyard was working day and night, just like the Beijing Ecological Industrial Zone, racing against the construction schedule.

He paused and said: "Deputy Director Shi returned from your place, yet you remained silent?"

"You mean this..."

He was just about to explain when he saw Li Xuewu turn his head and stare straight at him, which gave him a fright.

The words he was about to explain were interrupted and swallowed back into his stomach.

This was a warning to him: don't try to fool him, think clearly before answering.

"If I say I don't know, would you believe me?"

Xu Sinian said with a bitter smile: "He was here with me; I had to guard against him, and I had to ask clearly who he was in contact with."

"However—"

He looked at Li Xuewu seriously and said: "I just don't know how he got back; isn't that scary?"

"What's scary isn't him, nor how he got back."

Li Xuewu's voice was faint: "It's that the leadership still remembers him—"