Chapter 1197: Guard against fire, theft, and best friends

"Why sell cars yourself?"

Zhou Miaomiao looked at Li Xuewu beside her and asked, "It can't form a scale, and it increases costs."

"And, replacing the planned system with an indicator system is itself a regressive behavior of the market, right?"

"Not bad, the night school these days wasn't in vain!"

Li Xuewu glanced at her, a little surprise in his gaze.

This surprise made Zhou Miaomiao very happy.

The affirmation from the business leader was the best reward for her efforts.

"Thank you, leader; I've just started learning," Zhou Miaomiao tidied her hair by her ear and said modestly, "I really didn't figure out this principle; please teach me—"

"If you don't understand, ask; there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Li Xuewu smiled, signaled to Peng Xiaoli sitting in the passenger seat, and asked, "Xiaoli, you tell me, why sell cars yourself?"

"It's to set an example for distribution units, leader," Peng Xiaoli turned and replied, "I didn't quite understand either; I just understood it literally from the name of the store."

"You understood correctly; it is the demonstration effect."

Li Xuewu nodded, looked out the window, and asked, "Then why do we need to do demonstration stores?"

"Because currently, the Red Star Factory doesn't have the ability to spread the sales network across the country," he raised his eyebrows and emphasized, "Of course, I'm talking about selling Red Star products to all parts of the country as a sales goal."

"When you don't have a sound and extensive sales network, you can only rely on the existing distribution foundation."

"Is it the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, right?"

Zhou Miaomiao leaned forward slightly, looked at Li Xuewu's profile, and asked, "We can only cooperate with the Supply and Marketing Cooperative."

"Yes, that's right, it's the Supply and Marketing Cooperative."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "You have all dealt with the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and you also have some understanding of their work situation."

"I won't evaluate their work level, but we want to establish our own brand image and express our attitude toward sales and customers."

He turned back, looked at Peng Xiaoli and Zhou Miaomiao, and said, "I don't know if you have heard a sentence from Mr. Lu Xun."

"He said, people in the country like moderation and compromise; when you want to tear down a door, they won't let you, so you say you want to tear down the house, and the door can be torn down."

"Of course, I'm not going to tear down anyone's door."

Li Xuewu smiled and said, "What I mean is this: when you want to achieve a certain goal, you must raise its psychological expectation and standard."

"I can understand, leader," Zhou Miaomiao nodded and said, "When we cannot intervene and influence the distribution units to pay attention to service and sales attitude."

"We build brand service demonstration stores to raise the customer's purchase psychological expectation, and then influence and force the supply units to improve service quality; is that it?"

"That's what it means; you understand it very thoroughly."

Li Xuewu is an old driver, best at driving cattle and horses.

This kind of emotional value that is beneficial without cost can be given in place at will, making Zhou Miaomiao, who just entered the business unit, very excited and willing to be driven.

"This is the first reason," he nodded and continued, "The second reason for doing demonstration stores is to contact the market and grasp the right to speak."

"Doing products, doing business, you can't imagine out of thin air, you can't act arbitrarily."

He pointed to his head and said, "A person's thinking is always confined to one body."

"You must actively collect the attitude and emotional feedback of customers purchasing products so that you can do products better."

"Leader, what does 'right to speak' mean?"

Zhou Miaomiao leaned to the side, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "I mean, who do we want to emphasize this right to?"

"Everyone, everyone related to the product."

Li Xuewu patted her knee and explained, "If you want to give opinions to distribution units, you must do better than them in sales business."

"If you want to introduce products to customers and explain functions, you must know the product parameters better than the customers."

He pointed at Zhou Miaomiao and said, "You are in sales; if you want to give opinions to the factory, design department, and engineers, you must know the market better than them."

"All sales behaviors take the product as the core and people as the core."

"Your goal is to make others buy your products better, right?"

"Is it sales that grasp the right to speak?"

Zhou Miaomiao seemed to understand, but didn't dare to understand; what she hesitated about was that Li Xuewu put sales in the core position, which was different from the situation generally existing in industry at present.

In the planned economy market, all products are very scarce; design and production are in the hands of the factory; if they take it out and it can be used, you can only buy this one.

Now Li Xuewu is telling her that sales drive production and sales grasp the market; this viewpoint is very rare.

"Meeting needs is the principle of trade existence," Li Xuewu said, "The current market pattern is just a last resort because materials are not abundant."

"Do you believe it?"

He turned to look at Zhou Miaomiao and said, "In less than twenty years, the market will prosper."

"Who do you think should have the final say by then?"

"I... I don't know—"

Zhou Miaomiao was shocked by Li Xuewu's words; she had never thought about what the next twenty years would be like.

"You'll know by then—"

Li Xuewu patted her knee; this was much smoother than Old Li's.

"To do brand service demonstration stores, besides demonstrating service, we must also build the brand and promote the brand."

He continued to explain, "Besides this, we must also do other products well while establishing brand credibility."

"When multiple excellent commodities support the brand effect, this advantage will feed back."

"What you mean is..."

Zhou Miaomiao was touched by him and felt a bit itchy; she knelt red last time; is this comforting her?

"When you drive a Red Star car, use a Red Star TV, and wash clothes with a Red Star washing machine, what brand will you choose when you want to buy a refrigerator next time?"

Next time... next time...

Can I use a pillow next time?

The automobile sales network in Jingcheng gradually spread out, also marking that with the Jinmen Trade Management Center as the core, offices in major cities across the country as the skeleton, and major united units as supplements, the distribution network was initially formed.

Compared to the endless and elusive distribution means of later generations, what the Red Star Factory can do now is only this.

Of course, we must also see that in the era of planned economy, the Red Star Factory has made a fundamental breakthrough in the act of "dancing with shackles" in sales.

Just by setting up two sales modes, online and offline, it has already left other units several streets behind.

While strengthening the quality of its own products, it can also actively try to communicate and interact with consumers.

It has to be said that Li Xuewu's move really stunned the market.

Even the professors at the Vocational Technical College, when giving lectures on economy and market-related courses, will mention the sales plan that the Red Star Factory is currently doing.

However, they are from the perspective of combining theory with practice, further analyzing this economic and marketing principle.

For the night school Zhou Miaomiao is reading, the content that can be taught in class is really limited.

The listed and stacked economic vocabulary cannot explain the work she is currently doing at all.

But by analogy, if you learn economics well, you can possess your own thinking to understand this market behavior.

If she can continue to follow Teacher Li to learn, her achievements in sales management will definitely be promising in the future.

Standing from Zhou Miaomiao's perspective to look at Li Xuewu's management and guidance in market marketing is one-sided.

Because even if she heard Li Xuewu emphasize and explain the goals and reasons, she couldn't master this marketing skill.

Standing under a high building looking at someone wiping glass upstairs, you can see two steamed buns, which is considered good eyesight; at most, it's just blurry flesh hidden and revealed.

Like looking at flowers in the fog, learning and mastering are two realms.

The investigation ended, and Zhou Miaomiao handed the material she wrote to Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu really read it seriously and made comments on some content and writing techniques in the material with a red pen.

When she received the material sent back by Peng Xiaoli, Zhou Miaomiao admitted that she was a bit dumbfounded.

Looking at the many red circles on the material, those who knew it knew it was Deputy Director Li's painstaking cultivation of her; those who didn't know it thought she had committed a capital crime.

With so many red circles, is the next step to be taken out and beheaded?

During the investigation, she heard that Deputy Director Li told Gou Zirong, the person in charge of the Sales Office, that the investigation material must arrive at the leader's place earlier than their application.

So, it's already the third day, and the time left for her is really not much.

Without Peng Xiaoli's reminder, and even less without others urging, she worked overtime on her own, stayed up until midnight, and rewrote the material.

Submitted it to Li Xuewu again, waited anxiously for a whole morning, and watched dumbfoundedly as Peng Xiaoli sent that material back again.

This time, there were still many red circles on the material, and even some places were written with modification opinions in red pen.

What to do? It's going to kill people with anxiety!

The material was sent back twice, and she didn't know when the Sales Office submitted the application report at all.

So her investigation report still had to be modified, and it had to be modified urgently and seriously.

As long as it couldn't pass Li Xuewu's place, she had to continue to modify and continue to write.

Then...

Once there was a first time, there was a second time, then a third, fourth, fifth time...

Until Zhou Miaomiao was numb from modifying documents; she didn't know how long she had been modifying, and didn't know how many times she had modified.

She came to the canteen to eat in a trance, but heard people around her say that the Red Star Automobile (Jingcheng) Sales Branch of the Sales Office had been established.

Hmm? Established... hmm?

Zhou Miaomiao was completely confused; my investigation report hasn't been submitted for review and passed yet; how did your Sales Office's application for establishing a branch pass the leader's review?

"Secretary Peng, Secretary Peng—"

Coming out of the restaurant, she happened to see Peng Xiaoli carrying his lunch box and walking back.

Zhou Miaomiao chased after him for two steps before calling out to the other party.

"Deputy Director Zhou, are you calling me?"

"Don't call me that anymore—"

Zhou Miaomiao saw him address her like that and said with a smile, "Call me Zhou Miaomiao, or comrade is fine."

"Just don't call me any deputy director."

"Hehe, everyone calls you that."

Peng Xiaoli explained with a smile, "You are now a deputy director staff member; it is appropriate to address you like this."

"That's rank, not position."

Zhou Miaomiao pulled his arm lightly, signaling to walk back together.

She said while walking, "I am just an ordinary office clerk now; you call me that, it's too embarrassing."

"We are about the same age; it's not too much to be friends, right? Just call me by name."

"Then I won't be polite—"

Peng Xiaoli was originally a sharp person; having followed Li Xuewu for so long, his tongue and brain were the sharpest.

This time, he seemed to follow the trend and responded to the other party's request, but who knew what he was thinking in his heart.

"Do you have anything to do with me?"

"There really is something, about the investigation report."

Zhou Miaomiao looked at him and asked, "The Sales Office is already handling the approval procedures for the branch; do you know about this?"

"Know, what's wrong?"

Peng Xiaoli raised his eyebrows and said, "The factory newspaper has already published this news; didn't you see it?"

"I don't have time to see it!"

Zhou Miaomiao complained, then asked suspiciously, "My investigation report hasn't been modified yet; how did their application pass?"

"No, I mean..."

She was also confused for a moment, frowned, and asked, "When was the Sales Office's application submitted?"

"Don't know, maybe last week, maybe the week before last."

Peng Xiaoli pursed his lips, raised his eyebrows, and said, "I didn't follow up on this project; the leader said no need to worry about it."

"I..."

Zhou Miaomiao was completely confused; last week? The week before last?

"What day is it today?"

"Saturday, confused?"

Peng Xiaoli pointed at his watch with a smile and said, "September 20th, Saturday; tomorrow is a rest day."

"Wait! My investigation report!"

Zhou Miaomiao seemed to have just come back to her senses, pinched Peng Xiaoli's arm, and said in surprise, "I modified it for three weeks?"

"Seems like... is it?"

Peng Xiaoli looked at her suspiciously, then smiled knowingly, "Don't worry, the leader already handed in that investigation report long ago."

"What? Already handed in?"

Zhou Miaomiao was stunned, asking blankly, "Whose report? My report?"

"No, it's the one the leader wrote himself."

Peng Xiaoli looked at her with a smile and explained, "Follow the leader to do things; you will get used to it slowly."

"So... these days..."

Zhou Miaomiao stood there blankly, as if something had been drawn out of her body.

Why was there a feeling of emptiness?

"Don't be discouraged; I went through this too."

Peng Xiaoli comforted her understandingly, "When I first came to work by his side, many drafts were written by the leader himself."

"I also wrote it over and over, modified it over and over, modified it and then wrote it, wrote it and then modified it, tempered a hundred times."

He spread his hands and said, "Deputy Director Li is a very good leader and also a very good teacher."

"He is very patient and very capable; he won't blame us, but will help and motivate us to grow."

"Then... do I still need to write?"

Zhou Miaomiao seemed to have suddenly lost confidence; hearing Peng Xiaoli's words, she let out a long breath and said, "After all, that investigation report has lost its meaning."

"For the leader and the business, it is like this," Peng Xiaoli looked at her and said, "But for you, your work hasn't been completed yet."

"So—"

He twitched the corner of his mouth and said seriously, "If you still want to learn from him, if you still want to make progress..."

"Continue to write, until he is satisfied."

Mid-September, the weather was getting better.

The autumn sky was high and the air was crisp; this was the best season of the year.

As long as you weren't facing the sun directly, the temperature, humidity, air quality, etc., were all very suitable.

In September, you would feel lazy.

"Unknowingly, it's already the fourth session?"

Li Xuewu looked at the document in his hand and signed "Agree" on it with a light smile.

Yu De Cai, sitting opposite the office desk, introduced with a smile, "The dual-plan professional technical talents cultivated in the first three sessions have received praise and appreciation from the leaders of the industrial sector."

He pointed to the part of the document introducing the achievements and results obtained by the trainees of the current training class.

"Currently, among the dual-plan training classes being held nationwide, our training system is the most systematic, the training force is the most professional, and the training equipment is the most abundant."

He nodded confidently and said, "The longer the time, the more real the inspection of the training class results."

"I believe that in the future, more units will send safety management cadres to us for study and training."

The dual-plan training class started at the beginning of 1966, when Li Xuewu was the deputy director of the Security Office.

Because he was responsible for safety production supervision work, he brought out the safety production standardization and dual-plan safety management plan.

In the earthquake disaster in April of that year, the Red Star Factory's safety production management mode, as well as the prevention and emergency means for dealing with natural disasters, were affirmed by the higher-ups.

The relevant systems and plans were promoted nationwide, and Li Xuewu himself also won the Labor Model Medal that year.

The Red Star Training Base located in Red Star Village also hung the signs of several system education bases.

Precisely because of this sign, the national key units, as well as the advanced units of various systems learning dual-plans and emergency management, were the must-choose places.

Every year, several training classes are organized, with trainees mainly coming from Red Star Factory united units, brother units within the system, and units recommended by other departments.

These trainees will receive three months of full-time study at the Red Star Training Ground; after graduation, holding the training class certificate, they will return to their original units as business backbones and department leaders.

Regarding safety production standardization and dual-plan construction, as well as emergency management system construction, no unit in the country has done better than the Red Star Factory.

Especially regarding investment in safety production, the Red Star Factory truly took this work seriously.

Although Li Xuewu's work focus is no longer on this, the security group is also continuously promoting relevant work.

Security group deputy leader Yu De Cai is now responsible for daily business work, one of the focuses of which is safety production.

From time to time, persons in charge of various units are also taken to the security group for interviews and warnings.

Fire inspection not up to standard, safety production unqualified, plan drill execution not in place, etc.

Currently, the Red Star Factory has two training classes regarding safety production: one is dual-plans, and the other is emergency management.

Dual-plans correspond to cultivating safety production management talents, while emergency management corresponds to cultivating fire and comprehensive safety management talents.

Two training classes can bring tens of thousands of yuan in income to the Security Office every year; you say, is Li Xuewu happy or not?

"Deputy Director Li, Deputy Director Yu."

Gou Zirong came in from outside the door, saw the two talking about things, and greeted them.

Yu De Cai stood up, greeted with a smile, "Deputy Director Gou, just right, I finished reporting."

He gave up the seat to the other party and explained, "The leader just said you were coming to talk about work."

"I'm not in a hurry here—"

Gou Zirong had no intersection with Yu De Cai in work and was slightly polite when they met.

The two shook hands and were polite for two sentences; seeing Yu De Cai leave, he sat opposite Li Xuewu.

"Deputy Director Li, report to you on the recent automobile sales situation."

"Reporting to me?"

Li Xuewu interrupted with a smile, "This work should be reported to Deputy Director Jing, right?"

"I'm not intentionally disturbing you."

Gou Zirong explained with a smile, "This was arranged by Deputy Director Jing, and I also feel it is very necessary."

"You are not responsible for sales business now, but you are a leader of the Economic and Trade Office; we are also willing to listen to your opinions and guidance."

"Goodness, your reason is very powerful."

Li Xuewu picked up the teacup with a bitter smile and took a sip, "I finally handed over the sales work, and you sent it back to me."

"This can't blame me—"

Gou Zirong smiled; seeing that he didn't mean to refuse anymore, he spread out his notebook and began to report.

There were several items, all information about automobile production and sales.

First is the official mass production of the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang, restoring regular production capacity after trial mass production.

Facts have proven that the 9,000-yuan small Jeep doesn't sell as well as the 500-yuan motorcycle.

The motorcycle manufacturing factory still maintains a three-shift production mode, but there is still not a single motorcycle in the warehouse.

The production capacity of nearly 600 units per day still cannot satisfy the market's needs; as much as is produced, it is pulled away.

Conversely, the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang car, the market feedback is also very hot, but the sales results are relative.

Two shifts, the standard of 350 units per day still exceeded the sales expectation set at that time.

So now the market for the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang Jeep is saturated?

Not yet; market needs, production efficiency, production costs, etc. —these factors must be considered comprehensively.

You can't blindly increase production capacity just because the market needs it; everyone understands the truth that "too much is as bad as too little."

The automobile manufacturing factory's production capacity is now maintained at about 200 units per day, basically able to satisfy the market needs of domestic and foreign trade.

Individuals can buy motorcycles, but buying cars is still a bit off; basically, it can't be done.

99% of the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang's customer base is still units.

As long as the current production capacity is maintained, it can be kept within a scientific and reasonable range with market needs, customer purchase enthusiasm, and the speed of replacement.

Sales must never be a one-off deal.

200 units per day, 70,000 units per year—this is already a very exaggerated data, enough to beat all car companies in the country.

Just as the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang achieved mass production and pushed the whole vehicle to the country for sale, the lights in the conference room of the Jingcheng Automobile Factory were on all night.

Recently, enterprises that participated in the automobile parts supply chain conference have been restless.

Until the moment the Red Star Factory announced its production capacity, they were completely convinced.

The reports in major newspapers and the word-of-mouth of people inside and outside the industry thoroughly made the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang hot and hyped up.

Without comparison, there is no sales.

Precisely because of the foil of the Jingcheng Automobile Factory's main product, the 212, the Red Star Factory's Hongxing Lingyang leaped up.

Actually, Li Xuewu is still calm; look at Old Li, he is about to take the microphone on stage and shout that his friends are fools.

The you of the past looked down on me; the me of now makes you cry—

Gou Zirong mentioned in his report that in the first half year of the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang's listing, the Jingcheng Automobile Factory's 212 had already shown a decline in orders.

Planned production—you must have a plan to produce!

If the enthusiasm of various units to report plans fades, and they want to wait for the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang, you say, can the order volume not decline?

And when the quality of the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang was proven in one press conference after another, the market's feedback on it became more obvious.

Correspondingly, the production plan of the 212 showed a clear regressive phenomenon, mainly reflected in unit procurement.

In the military procurement plan, the 212 still maintained a stable trend, which is related to product positioning.

The Red Star Factory never thought about selling the Hongxing Lingyang to the military, and didn't even consider military use when designing it.

So, there was no action of communicating with the military or sending it for inspection, completely abandoning the rhythm of the military market.

Then, was the military really turning a blind eye to the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang?

Not really; the military also hoped to use less money to do more things.

The Red Star Hongxing Lingyang has several advantages that the 212 cannot compare with, and every punch hit the 212's soft rib.

Price, comfort, appearance, lightweight—these don't need to be mentioned; the key is the sales mode.

The 212 is planned production; the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang is produced and sold on the spot, and it is on the basis of explosive production capacity.

The military wants to procure 200 traffic vehicles; the plan is reported half a year in advance, layer-by-layer approval to production, and then to delivery, which is already two years later.

What if the military places an order directly to the Red Star Factory?

Place an order today, receive the goods tomorrow.

Even if you say it in advance, the order arrives at the factory, the money is in place, and the military can directly arrange for people to pick up the car.

You say, is it fast?

Setting aside the car body size and quality, you just say, is it fast!

You say our car quality can't compare to the 212, because what we build is a civilian car!

The Red Star Hongxing Lingyang is the best civilian Jeep!

No rebuttal accepted—

So, very strangely, Gou Zirong reported to Li Xuewu that the Sales Office received many military orders.

He was confused, thinking that Li Xuewu helped the factory promote it.

Li Xuewu thought that the factory's Sales Office was doing well, daring to take the initiative to pry the 212's market.

So today, when they checked the accounts, the two looked at each other with big eyes and couldn't help but laugh.

It was really accidental injury; Jingcheng Automobile Factory, don't cry!

Gou Zirong is the person in charge of the Sales Office; could he not know the sales plan?

He dared to guarantee that the Red Star Factory absolutely didn't send a car to the military, and didn't look for any connections.

However, how to count the more than 400 orders received?

We didn't dig the corner of the wall; the corner of the wall fell over by itself!

Do you think the military only placed procurement orders for the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang?

Motorcycles, from the smallest Comet to the largest Taishan,

Just like that, silently and sneakily, the order arrived on the Red Star Factory's desk.

When these vehicles were designed and produced, no one had ever considered using them for military purposes.

Therefore, a great deal of plastic was used in the body's decorative structures.

Listening to Gou Zirong's introduction, Li Xuewu truly dared not imagine what these cars would be turned into in the hands of those motor transport soldiers.

Too brutal—

Jeeps, motorcycles, and special vehicles began to sell hotly across the country.

Gou Zirong reported that these product types were selling very well locally in Beijing, which had a direct connection to the brand service demonstration stores.

I don't know which bastard taught the sales staff this recommendation slogan: It's not that you can't afford a 212, but that the Red Star Hongxing Lingyang has better value for money.

"Are you busy tonight?"

Coming out of the conference room, Li Huai De raised his eyebrows and asked Li Xuewu with a smile: "Want to play a few rounds?"

"Still playing? I've won so much I'm embarrassed."

Li Xuewu's ears couldn't take it anymore; Old Li truly omitted every damn word when he spoke.

But truth be told, the saying "bad at the game but addicted to it" was perfectly embodied in Old Li.

The more Li Xuewu won against him, the more excited he became.

When you play Honor of Kings, do you enjoy bullying elementary school students?

"I'd love to go win some money, but I really have things to do today."

In private, he and Li Huai De acted without any sense of hierarchy, and the two of them got along very relaxedly.

This morning, the Vehicle Research Institute sent over a Comet II for the leaders to see, and Li Xuewu even rode the motorcycle to take Old Li for a spin.

Just imagine it: Li Xuewu, tall and long-legged, straddling the motorcycle, with Old Li behind him, hugging his waist tightly.

That image, oh my—

Li Xuewu swore that he would never ride a motorcycle again; he felt tainted.

If you say Li Xuewu is afraid of death, he admits it, but if you say he is the most cowardly person in the Red Star Factory, he would never admit it even if you beat him to death.

Because Old Li is even more afraid of death than he is!

This was just Li Xuewu being wicked to the core, egging him on to experience the quality of the new product.

If it were anyone else, Li Huai De would absolutely refuse to get on their motorcycle!

As the saying goes, driving a car is iron wrapping the person, while riding a motorcycle is the person wrapping the iron.

The two of them rode the little motorcycle around the office area, and the people watching from upstairs were laughing their heads off.

They never expected that their leader would have such a hilarious side.

Of course, the two men's behavior was not mocked or belittled by the staff.

On the contrary, everyone felt that such a leader was more vivid and more of a living person.

Rather than a machine sitting on a stage or standing in the middle of a crowd giving speeches.

Why does Old Li appreciate Li Xuewu?

Because apart from Li Xuewu, there isn't another bastard in the Red Star Factory who would dare to suggest taking him for a motorcycle ride.

He didn't treat Li Xuewu like a young subordinate, and Li Xuewu didn't treat him like a leader; there was truly a sense of ease and freedom.

So now, when dancing or playing cards, the first person he thinks of is Li Xuewu.

What does Old Li love?

Three major hobbies: drinking, dancing, and playing mahjong.

Originally, he had to call Li Xuewu every time he drank; without Li Xuewu, he wouldn't drink at all.

But later, those other people said that if Li Xuewu was at the table, they wouldn't play with him.

There was no help for it; Old Li, forced by circumstances and unable to cheat, chose to shelve his favorite confidant.

As for dancing, Li Xuewu didn't like it much, but playing mahjong was perfectly fine.

Because playing mahjong with Old Li was equivalent to going to the United Bank to withdraw money.

What made Li Xuewu give up the chance to pick up money wasn't the need to take his family back to the Sihe Academy, but that the First Granduncle had come over at noon to say that the Deaf Old Lady was nearing the end.

"Deputy Director Li, are you getting off work?"

Zhou Miaomiao walked in with documents and asked with some surprise when she saw Li Xuewu changing his shoes.

"What a rarity—"

Li Xuewu tied his shoelaces, straightened up, pointed outside the window, and asked: "Didn't you hear the bell for the end of the workday?"

"I heard it, but..."

She placed the documents in her hand on the desk and explained with a smile: "I just finished writing these; I'd like to ask for your criticism and corrections."

"Let's save the criticism for next week—"

Li Xuewu smiled, looked her over, and asked: "Is it very tiring working for me?"

"It's not tiring; I've learned a lot."

Zhou Miaomiao, in her pretty work uniform, stood with her legs crossed, making her figure look even more upright.

"I know you are cultivating me; I'm too busy thanking you to even think about it being tiring."

"If that's your sincere opinion," Li Xuewu looked at her and smiled, "then I am quite gratified."

He straightened his shirt and picked up the coat hanging on the chair, intending to put it on.

Zhou Miaomiao took it naturally and held it up to help him put on his coat.

"What I asked you just now wasn't what I meant."

She smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes with her hand and explained with a smile: "I heard Director Li is holding a meeting tonight, and I thought you would be attending too."

Look at that; Li Xuewu told you she had potential!

People who know how to speak will always command more resources in an organization than those who don't.

"I have something to do at home, why?"

Li Xuewu explained casually, then looked at Zhou Miaomiao and asked: "Didn't Director Li call you to the meeting?"

"What qualifications do I have now—"

Zhou Miaomiao rolled her eyes; it wasn't directed at Li Xuewu, but she seemed a bit resentful.

"Have you forgotten what I told you on the train?" She curled her lips and said in a 'tea-like' manner: "Director Li is going to have a heart-to-heart talk with the head of the dance troupe after dinner."

"I'm such an eyesore right now; I'd better just work hard."

"I forgot to ask you," Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, picked up the handbag on the table, and asked: "Who is the captain of the dance troupe now?"

"You would never guess—"

Zhou Miaomiao curled her lips and said: "You know Han Lu, right?"

"Mm-hmm, I know her, I know her."

Li Xuewu said as he walked out: "The one you're very close with, the one you spend every day with?"

"Leader, you're rubbing salt in my wounds, aren't you?"

How could Zhou Miaomiao not see that he was deliberately teasing her?

If you said he didn't dislike her, she wouldn't have that confidence.

Last time in Yingcheng, it was purely a coincidence; Li Xuewu had drunk too much, giving her an opportunity.

If it came down to the real deal, Li Xuewu really wasn't lacking just her.

So in front of Li Xuewu, no matter how 'tea-like' she was, she would always show a sincere side.

That way, Li Xuewu wouldn't be on guard against her or dislike her.

She wasn't asking to rely on Li Xuewu as a backer; as long as she could learn some skills from him and exert some ability in his plan, that would be enough.

Being so sincere and investing so much, she believed Li Xuewu wouldn't treat her unfairly.

So she was serious and hardworking at work, polite and courteous in social interactions; a little gossip and small jokes were just lubricants.

"You're back, Xuewu—"

As soon as Li Xuewu entered the courtyard, he saw Seeing Sha Zhu already wearing mourning cloth, knowing that the Deaf Old Lady had passed away.

Acknowledging Seeing Sha Zhu's greeting, he nodded and walked further into the courtyard, where he saw the First Granduncle also wearing mourning cloth.

The outer courtyard, front courtyard, and middle courtyard were not decorated; a simple mourning shed had only been set up in the back courtyard.

That's how this large, crowded courtyard is; so many families live here, and if something happens, you can't even turn around.

Fortunately, the Deaf Old Lady was not someone who invited dislike or resentment, and since she was a lonely elderly woman and people from the neighborhood office were present, no residents said they wouldn't allow the wake to be held.

The early autumn weather was still a bit chilly after the sun slanted to the west, and Li Xuewu had already put on a thin coat.

The door and windows of the Old Lady's room in the back courtyard were wide open, and the memorial tablet and coffin were placed in the center of the main room.

No need to think about it; the Deaf Old Lady had no inheritance, and she had long since stopped worrying about her funeral arrangements.

Whether it was Hate Yi Zhonghai or He Yuzhu, they had long since notarized everything with the neighborhood office.

In this courtyard, the Deaf Old Lady was considered the oldest, and she had sent off quite a few elderly people over the years.

She had long since made up her mind about her funeral, and fearing that something improper might happen, there was a black-and-white will at the neighborhood office.

When Li Xuewu entered the courtyard, he saw the First Grand-aunt, Diliya, and He Yu Shui kneeling on both sides of the coffin in the main room.

Faint crying could still be heard from the room; he didn't know who it was.

A straw mat was spread outside the door, and a door curtain was placed on top of it; the First Granduncle was kneeling in a corner.

Li Xuewu walked over, knelt down respectfully, and kowtowed once to the Deaf Old Lady.

They were not related, but she was an elder in the courtyard.

As long as he acknowledged that he was a person in this courtyard, he had to acknowledge these neighborhood relationships.

"Please accept my condolences—"

After Li Xuewu stood up, he reached out to help up the First Granduncle, who was kowtowing in return, and offered a soft tribute.

He helped up the First Granduncle, and then helped up Seeing Sha Zhu, who had subsequently kowtowed in return.

"It's fine; there are people wearing mourning clothes and people crying for the deceased; the Old Lady's life has been fulfilled."

"She hadn't been doing well for a while; your First Grand-aunt took care of her for two days and two nights."

Hate Yi Zhonghai's voice was a bit hoarse; he had heard the news at noon and notified Li Xuewu before rushing back.

It wasn't that it had anything to do with Li Xuewu, but only because he didn't live here and had to come back every week.

By telling Li Xuewu, he could come back, but the old and young in his family didn't need to.

"She looked okay this morning; she drank half a bowl of egg custard and said she wanted to eat dumplings."

Hate Yi Zhonghai wiped his tears with a choked voice and explained: "At noon, your First Grand-aunt made celery-filled dumplings; after eating, she even sat up and talked for a while."

"After noon, she took a turn for the worse, so Zhuzi and I rushed back; she passed away at 2:40 in the afternoon."

"It's fine, she lived a full life; please accept my condolences."

Li Xuewu patted his back, gestured toward the room, and said to Seeing Sha Zhu: "Call the First Grand-aunt and the others out to rest for a while; they are all people from our courtyard, there's no need for this."

In this day and age, there are many customs and taboos; one must be cautious about both happy and sad events.

Having filial descendants kneeling in the mourning shed and crying for the deceased is considered a grand send-off.

But the Deaf Old Lady didn't care about this while she was alive, so there was no need to do it now that she was gone.

Li Xuewu spoke up mainly because the First Grand-aunt's health was already poor, and Diliya had to take care of the child; the commotion of incense and paper ash would inevitably make them ill.

The First Grand-aunt was helped out by Seeing Sha Zhu and Diliya; the crying was genuine, after all, she had taken care of her for many years.

Yushui, wearing a white flower and mourning clothes, was still kneeling inside, sending the Old Lady on her final journey.

Seeing her crying like rain, Li Xuewu had no impression of how the Old Lady had taken care of her.

How can one be willing to reach the clear autumn day, already carrying the setting sun and the cicadas.