Chapter 1204: Is my daughter working hard?

"Zhou Ziqiang went back?"

Li Xuewu handed the bag in his hand to Peng Xiaoli and glanced at the big-chested brother who had followed them up from the lobby.

"He left last night," Li Wenbiao raised his hand to wipe his nose and said, "He said he was going back to prepare for the wedding banquet."

"Damn it, what a beast—"

After explaining to Li Xuewu, he muttered another sentence: "Damn it, how could he bring himself to do it!"

"What's wrong?" Li Xuewu looked back and asked, "Are you envious, or are you jealous?"

"Hey—what kind of person do you take me for!"

The big-chested brother looked aggrieved and defended himself: "I just feel it's not worth it for that girl he's never even met."

"You don't know, Da Qiangzi is wickedly rotten; he pretends to be honest in front of you and..."

"Oh, so he's wickedly rotten—"

Li Xuewu sized him up, nodded, and asked, "Since you've never met her, does that make you a good person?"

"That's right—"

The big-chested brother emphasized earnestly: "If my character wasn't good, would Mai Qinglan have taken a fancy to me?"

He really had something to say; he tilted his chin and retorted: "You don't think Qinglan took a fancy to my appearance, do you?"

"Hmm, it's possible," Li Xuewu walked down the steps, stood in front of the car, and patted the big-chested brother's fat face: "What if she likes pigs?"

"Heh—"

Peng Xiaoli couldn't hold it in; the laughter got stuck in his throat, making him feel quite uncomfortable.

Lao Biaozi glanced at him sideways, smiled, and didn't mind. The two were acquaintances, just hadn't dealt with each other much.

"Afraid that brothers will suffer, yet afraid that brothers will be too happy—"

Li Xuewu jumped into the car, tilted his head, and said: "I don't think your character is that great either!"

"Even Da Qiangzi knows not to spend money on the blade."

"Don't listen to his bullshit!" Lao Biaozi got into the car from the other side and argued: "I haven't gone to see the blade... that person in several days."

Before Li Xuewu could say anything more, he took the initiative to "expose" him: "You just take him for a good person?"

"He didn't spend the money on the blade, he spent it all on the handle!"

"He's even keeping a little widow in the Jicheng Youth Market. You didn't know that, did you? It's said she's Zhang Wanhe's mistress..."

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Peng Xiaoli, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly heard such gossip and really couldn't handle it.

He was willing to listen, of course, but with four grown men in the car, talking about this kind of thing was always a bit... awkward.

Brother, let's talk about this in private!

Willing to listen—!

Alone, the secluded grass grows by the stream,

The voice like an oriole singing deep in the pestle.

The spring tide brings rain, rushing in the evening,

At night, no one is in the belly, Zhou hums and hums.

Lao Biaozi got into Li Xuewu's car, while Zhou Wang Yamei sat in the Hongxing Lingyang jeep driven by Lao Si.

The two Antelopes, one after the other, headed straight for the entrance of the Steel Mill office area.

After waiting at the entrance for less than two minutes, they joined four other Antelopes and headed straight out of the factory area.

A small motorcade composed of six Antelopes was already quite spectacular; ordinary factories didn't have this kind of pomp.

Being close to the water, one gets the moon first; the Steel Mill, guarding the automobile manufacturing plant, was bound to be the first to receive a batch of official vehicles.

The reputation of this car's quality was still fermenting, but judging from the feedback in the market, the popularity was very high.

Eighteen major city offices were performing their functions, promoting the Red Star Factory's flagship products.

At the same time, they were also researching the economic viability of local specialties to see if they met operational standards.

The Trade Management Center acted as a trade platform.

Although its core was the Red Star Factory, in terms of business and management, it still operated as a platform.

The Red Star Factory also purchased and sold through the Trade Management Center, existing as the primary purchaser and supplier.

If one had to compare it to later generations, the Trade Management Center wasn't like Taobao, but rather like JD, with self-operated characteristics.

But the difference from JD was that the Red Star Factory also had some characteristics of Xiaomi and the core technology of Gree.

R&D, management, production, marketing—for the past two years, the Red Star Factory had been filling in its shortcomings and focusing on production.

It had achieved both sailing against the current and following the trend of the times.

As the old saying goes, everyone has their glorious moments; don't take one moment as permanent.

It wasn't that the Red Star Factory didn't get carried away, but there was no one who didn't fear the blade.

In the eyes of ordinary employees, the Red Star Factory had no shortcomings and had developed quite impressively.

This year, so many projects had been initiated and constructed, so many factories merged, and so many workers received.

While maintaining high-speed development, it could still keep welfare benefits growing positively—wasn't that impressive?

But in Li Xuewu's eyes, the Red Star Factory had no strengths; conversely, that meant everything was a shortcoming!

In Old Li's eyes, if Li Xuewu said it was a shortcoming, then it must be a shortcoming.

How did Li Xuewu view problems?

From planning the upgrading, to deciding on group-based policies, then the three-year plan and five-year plan.

In the development plan he participated in designing, he redefined the Red Star Factory from multiple angles.

Creating an ecological industrial zone, the Red Star Steel City production base, the Jinmen Trade Management Center, etc.

Expanding and building domestic trade channels, and opening up the final gateway for foreign trade.

Using other people's money to build the Red Star Factory, and using empty-handed tactics to let the Red Star Factory establish tertiary industries and joint industries.

He viewed problems from a super-long-distance perspective; everything had to look forward.

Therefore, a strong contrast formed within the Red Star Factory, which was particularly bizarre.

The employees were satisfied with the status quo, the cadres were complacent, and only the management was working like horses and oxen.

Not satisfied, everyone was not satisfied!

So what if we have our own automobile manufacturing plant?

So what if we have our own shipbuilding plant?

So what if we have our own aircraft manufacturing plant?

It's very ordinary, right?

What's there to be proud of?

What are we?

We are just an ordinary factory!

So many people to feed, so many planned tasks to complete, so many industrial indicators to build...

The employees were satisfied, the cadres were proud, but when the factory leaders wanted to be proud for a moment, there was a bastard who was particularly good at seizing the opportunity to pour cold water.

I've fought battles my whole life, can't I relax for a bit?

No!

This bastard not only poured cold water, but also wielded a whip and painted big cakes.

If he wasn't satisfied, then it had to be re-demonstrated, discussed, researched...

And then done according to his wishes.

You say you're not convinced? It doesn't matter, as long as you have the ability, you can completely convince him.

But as you talk, you might end up being convinced by him.

He really had something to say; he could always pull you to his cognitive level from a scientific perspective and give you a good beating.

Then he would support you and ask what positions we learned this time.

As for positions, it's better to follow one after another.

"I don't quite understand," Robin, Vice President of the Santa Ya Group, stood on the land about to freeze, facing the sun, squinting slightly and asking Li Xuewu: "Clearly there isn't that much capital, why do you insist on..."

"Why do you insist on being so stubborn, right?"

Li Xuewu pinched his leather gloves, smiled, nodded, and said: "Clearly there's no money, yet you insist on pretending, right?"

"That's not what I meant—"

Robin was a bit embarrassed by his straightforwardness and said apologetically: "It's just that..."

"I understand," Li Xuewu interrupted him and said: "Why set such high production standards when there isn't sufficient economic strength and our country doesn't have many restrictions on the industrial production environment, right?"

His explanation was tacitly accepted by Robin, who looked at him expectantly, wanting an answer.

"You think we're just putting on a show."

Li Xuewu smiled, his eyes bright as he asked: "The ecological construction project of the Beijing Liangma River Industrial Zone, you think this is done for you to see, for foreign friends to see, right?"

"Yes, but not entirely, at least in my opinion, not entirely—"

He said very frankly: "The Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone is built for us to use; this is a prerequisite."

"Secondly, it's for you to see; this is a relatively secondary face," Li Xuewu patted his own face lightly, then patted his chest and said: "What is the relatively primary purpose?"

"It is to provide our managers with a management idea of harmonious coexistence between man and nature."

He looked at Robin and said: "It is also to provide a demonstration for our brother units and other factories."

"Ecological industry can be profitable, can recover costs, and has a longer-term future."

"We invested mountains of gold and silver to build an ecological industrial zone in Beijing and a production base here."

He pointed to the river ditch that was about to freeze in front and said: "But for us, to develop industry, we must develop, but we must also protect the excellent environment."

"This mountain, this river, green mountains and clear water are gold and silver mountains, do you understand now?"

I understand, I understand you are really good at pretending to be cool.

What did I understand? I just understood?

Robin listened blankly, and some cadres and relevant engineers behind Li Xuewu also looked thoughtful.

Li Xuewu shook his gloves and looked at Robin confidently, saying: "Let's make a bet, shall we?"

"Let's bet that our enterprise will become a group company with more development potential and vitality than Santa Ya."

He pointed his finger, his eyes full of seriousness and expectation, his tone even more determined: "10 years, we only need ten years to surpass you, believe it or not?"

After speaking, he didn't wait for Robin to react, patted the other's arm, and walked forward while saying: "What you can see is only the industry and interests within ten years."

"Then what about you?"

Robin couldn't stand people pretending to be cool, and at this moment, he actively pursued the question: "How many years can you see?"

"How many years? Heh—"

The day after the power station project discussion was called off by Li Xuewu, he took a group of people and ran around for a day.

In the eyes of the motorcade drivers, these leaders and foreigners were all idle and had nothing to do, specifically running into the wilderness.

But after returning, the people in the car had nothing to say, not knowing if it was because of the cold or exhaustion.

One by one, they were thoughtful, and some were even flipping through notebooks, which were temporarily recorded during the investigation trip.

On the way to the investigation, Li Xuewu told these people about the industrialization he envisioned.

First, he emphasized the three elements: people, industry, and environment.

The three elements are mutually necessary, and none can be missing.

Talking about the concept of sustainable development is too highly elevated, but it is the core content of the scientific outlook on development.

The Red Star Factory first mentioned the term scientific development in the three-year plan and five-year plan documents proposed last year.

It is very fateful that the determination of the Red Star Factory's development plan was marked by the speech Li Xuewu delivered while accompanying Li Huai De on an investigation in Steel City.

After Li Xuewu took over as the head of the Management Committee Office, the policy research group began to study and establish the definition and significance of the scientific outlook on development.

This is an important outline for guiding and managing how the Red Star Factory carries out work in the next stage.

Today, when Li Xuewu came to Steel City and talked about the scientific outlook on development and sustainable development again, everyone was no longer as confused and ignorant as last year.

Those who understood, understood after listening to his speech; those who didn't understand were preparing to study hard to understand.

On the way to the investigation, Li Xuewu talked about the ecological engineering project being built in the Liangma River Industrial Zone.

Regarding the power part, he described it as follows:

On the basis of effectively supporting the development of the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone, provide more durable, excellent, and environmentally friendly security energy that matches the work and living environment for the employees and their families living in the industrial zone.

Specifically regarding the arrangement of engineering projects, Li Xuewu talked about the power generation system needing water, light industry needing water, and life needing water—where does the water resource come from?

The water resources currently used by the Red Star Factory mainly come from underground, and the main water storage pool is Tuanjie Lake.

However, in the new planning scheme for the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone, groundwater collection has been used as a backup means.

That is to say, the Red Star Factory has become the first industrial unit in Beijing to take the initiative to give up collecting groundwater as industrial water in order to alleviate water shortages.

Not using groundwater, then how does industrial water come?

First, technical improvements must be completed, including the small power station in Beijing that is about to be built; in the use of water resources, full savings and energy conservation must be achieved.

As already mentioned, thermal resources are converted into heating needs; besides guaranteeing the Liangma River Industrial Zone, wastewater reuse projects must also be vigorously developed.

After water resources are put into the first program, they will be used along the program chain until they return to the storage pool, Tuanjie Lake.

Power stations, light industry, machining, heating, ecological landscapes, etc.

While improving the utilization rate of water resources, change the source of water use.

The Liangma River channel, which is being widened and reinforced, will become the widest and most complete river channel in the Liangma River basin in the future.

This will also become the main source of water for the ecological industrial zone.

Water comes from the river and finally returns to the river; the fish raised, the employees of the Red Star Factory must dare to eat and be able to eat.

The capital invested in this is several times that before technical improvements; Old Li even filed a special application to the higher authorities for this.

To do what?

To ask for money, to ask for next year's fiscal indicators.

The Red Star Factory giving up the use of groundwater resources is equivalent to making room for urban residents and other units.

This extra money needs support from above.

Of course, Old Li also knew that the higher authorities were not very optimistic about environmental protection and it was unlikely they would give more budget.

However, one still has to cry if one has to cry.

Since he couldn't change Li Xuewu's requirements, he could only risk it.

Crying wasn't in vain; if you couldn't get money, couldn't you get a name?

The first enterprise to propose ecological industry, the first to propose environmental protection, the first to propose letting water to the people.

Li Xuewu was frantically throwing money, and Old Li was frantically using the money he threw to ask for a name and establish a persona for himself.

The number one person in Beijing industrial environmental protection!

Is it useful?

The ecological industrial zone has not been completed, the effect has not yet appeared, and the steel mill has not moved away.

But! In the minds of the leaders above, Old Li has already left an impression of being resourceful, having a long-term vision, and having management ability.

This impression is worth a thousand gold and is still a universal impression.

Is this project useful? Li Xuewu said to wait at least three years, or even five years.

Beijing is short of water, otherwise there wouldn't be the South-to-North Water Diversion Project of later generations.

Beijing needs to develop, otherwise it wouldn't have moved all the industries away.

You know, it was very late when it moved away, but what you don't know is that the time of moving away was the deadline.

What does that mean?

It means it was time when it had to go!

So, when was the problem discovered and the contradiction between urban and industrial development realized?

Earlier, earlier than the time of moving away heavy industry and polluting industry, beyond your imagination.

Therefore, when Li Xuewu persuaded Old Li to do this, he didn't first talk about how good the ecological industrial zone was, but talked about what direct impact this would have on Old Li.

When environmental problems were discovered and the higher authorities realized the problem of environment and industry, that was the time for Old Li to harvest.

The sharper the environmental problem, the more it could set off Old Li's wise and decisive change in the Red Star Factory's development direction.

Moving away heavy industry, developing light industry, supporting scientific research, education, and humanities, etc.

Future urban planning will all refer to the Red Star Factory's development ideas, so how could Old Li refuse this honor?

Therefore, from top to bottom, the Red Star Factory has studied the scientific outlook on development, but it hasn't reached specific matters, and there hasn't been such a profound experience.

This time, Li Xuewu gave them a lesson and opened their eyes.

When talking about ecological engineering, he emphasized that the Red Star Factory must not only meet current production needs but also not seek development at the cost of damaging the living environment of future generations.

Is building a small thermal power station isolated?

Of course not; Dong Wenxue had asked Li Xuewu for his opinion on the overall plan and discussed it at the Red Star Factory Management Committee.

There is no big river around the industrial zone centered on the Steel City Steel Mill; there is only a small river ditch they looked at.

But Steel City is not short of water resources, and river resources are also very rich; a small river ditch can also raise a big dragon.

Steelmaking, rolling, heavy industry groups, power generation, etc., consume electricity and water; the water resource reuse system here is not as refined as the industrial zone in Beijing.

However, regarding wastewater power generation, irrigation management, landscaping, etc., it was also written in the production base planning scheme.

The power station project is the wings Li Xuewu inserted for the Red Star Factory in the industrial zones of Beijing and Steel City.

The roc spreads its wings and rises with the wind; the little swallow borrows strength under the roc's body and can also fly.

"Can you really hold back?"

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at Li Xuewu amusedly and teased him deliberately: "It's so fragrant, don't you want to taste it?"

"Not tasting it, don't have that good fortune."

Li Xuewu smiled and handed the small dish of mashed fish to Fu Zhidong, signaling him to pick it up and eat.

"Tell me, did you miss me?"

"I did—"

Fu Zhidong smiled, nodded, and said very earnestly: "I wanted to go find Uncle two days ago."

Speaking of this, he turned his head to look at his mother, smiling shyly with his pursed lips.

Li Xuewu understood; he wanted to go, but his mother wouldn't take him.

"The first time I ate fish with you, you were this meticulous; I thought you were going to eat it."

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at the small dish in front of her son; the fish bones in the fish meat had been picked clean, and soup had been sprinkled on it.

It must be said that in terms of eating, Li Xuewu was indeed more particular than anyone she had ever seen.

When he said he was going to the Steel Mill in the morning, Lao Biaozi and Quan Yongcheng came over and brought her two fish.

She hadn't prepared to cook these fish for Li Xuewu because she wasn't sure if Li Xuewu was coming home.

The investigation itinerary was over, and it was impossible for the Red Star Factory's leaders and him to stay in Steel City for long.

Unexpectedly, on the last day, Li Xuewu finished his work and came home.

"Can I ask you, what exactly are your plans?"

Zhou Wang Yamei put a pair of chopsticks of eggs into his bowl, looked at him half-seriously, and added: "About today's work."

"You want to ask me why I let Biaozi bring you along, right?"

Li Xuewu mashed half of the eggs in the bowl, left half, and put the other half into Fu Zhidong's bowl.

"Thank you, Uncle—"

Fu Zhidong smiled and thanked him; he wasn't polite with his godfather.

"Eat well, eat more eggs."

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "Eggs have nutrition that makes you grow tall and smart."

"Okay—"

Children like to lengthen their words; too long sounds annoying, but it was just right for Fu Zhidong.

He hadn't enjoyed much fatherly love and hadn't been in contact with the outside world much.

His mother was his everything, so he was very much like Zhou Wang Yamei in speech and life.

Disciplined, gentle, and polite.

Li Xuewu nodded, signaling him to eat slowly, and then turned to Zhou Wang Yamei to explain: "I didn't let him bring you; Biaozi proposed it himself."

"Why? Do you care about this?"

"No, I didn't ask you about this."

Zhou Wang Yamei lowered her head and ate a mouthful of rice, explaining: "I just didn't understand, today is Steel Mill work, why bring..."

She wanted to say why bring her, but Li Xuewu had just said that Lao Biaozi requested it.

Of course, it wasn't a private reason; Li Wenbiao would absolutely not interfere in the matter between her and Li Xuewu.

This was a work matter, and Li Wenbiao didn't ask for her opinion, just said to let her see more.

"He probably wanted to give you a chance to exercise."

Li Xuewu said indifferently: "In the future, his work and business will become more and more, and there will always be times when he is too busy."

"I..."

Zhou Wang Yamei raised her head, hesitated for a moment looking at Li Xuewu, and said: "I'm not very suitable for managing things."

"Hmm, I understand your concerns."

Li Xuewu had gradually developed the habit of slowing down while eating, just right for chatting while eating.

Zhou Wang Yamei didn't want to participate too much in management, not because she didn't have the ability, nor because she wasn't enterprising.

It was because she was worried that if she worked too much, she would have less time to take care of the child.

After all, it was a single-parent family, and the child was her everything; she couldn't put the cart before the horse and end up delaying the child's education.

"Let me tell you about today's matters first."

Li Xuewu ate the last mouthful of rice in the bowl and waved his hand to refuse Zhou Wang Yamei's signal to add more for him.

"What I'm watching is not the power station, but the impact on the surrounding area after the power station is built."

He moved his rice bowl and explained to her earnestly: "Heavy industry, light industry mixed cluster industrial base, do you know what this means?"

Seeing Zhou Wang Yamei shake her head, he raised an eyebrow and said: "In the future, this place is very likely to become the core of Liaodong industry."

"And industrial clusters cannot all be the Red Star Factory's own industries; they include upstream and downstream sectors, supporting services, and so on," he said, opening his hands and then bringing them together to describe it to her: "This is an emerging, large collective that urgently needs to be gathered and united."

"Whoever participates in the construction of the large collective at this time will be able to get the first return."

Li Xuewu tapped the table lightly with his finger, looked at her, and emphasized: "And the earlier you intervene, the more say you will have in the large collective in the future."

"The construction of the Steel City Industrial Zone will definitely take electric energy as the core in the future and start a new industrial revolution."

He touched the little head of his godson who was listening intently, smiled, and reminded him to eat.

"You ask me about the plans for the industrial zone; what I can tell you, you won't understand."

It seemed to be said to his godson, but Zhou Wang Yamei tilted her head, knowing it was said to her.

Li Xuewu turned his head back, happened to see her lips purse, and said with a smile: "But I can tell you, the impact of standardized construction of the industrial zone and expanding power potential on our recycling station."

"What? Recycling station?"

Zhou Wang Yamei asked blankly: "Where do we have a recycling station in Steel City?"

Indeed, there was no recycling station in Steel City; the main body that Lao Biaozi and others relied on in Steel City was the wharf.

That's right, what he held in his hand was the freight wharf procedure he pried from Guandong's hands back then.

All personnel and relationships fell on the wharf, which led to the Dongfeng Shipping.

Of course, now Dongfeng Shipping was gone; the management subject of the 27 cargo ships was "leased" to the Shunfeng Ocean Company in Hong Kong.

Li Xuewu pursed his lips and smiled, saying: "There wasn't one before, but there will be soon."

"You mean..." Zhou Wang Yamei hesitated, looking at him in disbelief and asking: "Today Biaozi took us, was it to see..."

"Yes, it was to see the land," Li Xuewu nodded and said: "The Red Star Factory has opened up the situation here, and in the future, it will form an industrial gathering vortex."

"At that time, Liaodong industry will arrange for Steel City industry to open a gap for the enterprises gathered here."

He looked at Zhou Wang Yamei and said casually: "At that time, we will be able to build a factory in the industrial zone."

"Build a factory? Didn't you say build a recycling station?"

Zhou Wang Yamei was confused again; how could this person change his words every moment? She couldn't keep up with the rhythm.

Can't keep up with the rhythm now?

Then what will she do when she goes upstairs later?

"A big station, isn't that a factory?"

Li Xuewu asked with a smile: "Have you ever thought that resource recycling and reuse is also a big business?"

"Then this electricity is related to... the recycling station, the factory?"

Zhou Wang Yamei asked hesitantly: "A very big factory?"

"Very big, very big—"

Li Xuewu learned from his godson, opened his hands, gestured exaggeratedly, described it, and made Fu Zhidong laugh.

Zhou Wang Yamei stared at him and said: "Forget it if you don't want to say—"

"It's not that I don't want to say, it's that I can't explain it clearly anymore," Li Xuewu explained with a smile: "This area will be a production base in the future, wastewater, scrap steel, precious metals, etc."

He moved his rice bowl and signaled: "The profit expectation of this piece is enough for us to sit at the dinner table and eat with everyone."

Zhou Wang Yamei didn't know how Li Xuewu held back; she herself didn't hold back.

She coaxed the child to sleep early and wanted Li Xuewu to hold her.

Maybe it was because he had been here for four days, and Li Xuewu only came today.

Maybe it was the last day, and he was going back to Beijing tomorrow.

Sweet dew after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a strange land, creak, creak...

When sending Li Xuewu away in the morning, despite all the reluctance, she still covered her eyes and hid away.

Li Xuewu had come several times this year; she should be content.

Compared to the one who waited for him all night at the Steel Mill guesthouse, Zhou Wang Yamei should certainly be content.

However, this made Li Xuewu suffer.

From getting on the train, Deputy Director Jing didn't give him a good look until Beijing; the two really looked like they had fallen out.

But this situation was no longer news; who in the Red Star Factory didn't know that Deputy Director Li and Deputy Director Jing had conflicts.

It was Saturday afternoon when they arrived in Beijing, close to off-work time.

Li Xuewu returned to the factory with the two leaders to check in, then took his luggage and took a car home.

Just as he arrived at the gate, he saw the recycling station's truck parked in the courtyard.

"Brother Wu, you're back—"

Shen Guodong, who was unloading the truck, saw him first and greeted him with a smile.

The few people busy under the truck turned their heads and also greeted him.

"When did Uncle come?"

Li Xuewu handed the bag to Han Jiankun, walked up with a smile, and shook hands with Yin Mancang.

Yin Mancang was a bit embarrassed at first, signaling the coal ash on his hands to avoid it.

"Arrived at the courtyard side in the afternoon," he explained: "Guodong said to send this truck to you first."

"Is that so? Then you don't need to do the work yourself."

Li Xuewu greeted with a smile: "Come into the room and drink water; I just came back from outside too."

"Let's not be polite between us—"

Yin Mancang waved his hand with a smile and said: "I knew you were on a business trip, and I didn't have anything to do, just came to see."

"This was just on the way; otherwise, I wouldn't have had the time or opportunity to come."

"What on the way, just come if you want to."

Li Xuewu signaled to the room and said: "Let them busy themselves here, let's go into the room and rest."

"Go ahead and busy yourself, it'll be done soon."

Yin Mancang turned back and signaled the things on the truck, saying: "You just came back, hurry up and tidy up; when we finish busy here, we'll chat later."

"That's settled, I'll arrange the food," Li Xuewu said with a smile: "Since you're here, let's drink a little."

Saying this, he bypassed the side of the truck and entered the foyer, instructing Qin Jingru who came out to greet him: "Prepare dinner, make the food hard, more meat, more oil, more salt."

Yin Mancang was not Li Xuewu's real uncle, but his eldest brother's uncle-in-law, Zhao Yafang's real uncle.

But because of his closeness with his eldest brother, he had also gotten along very well with Yin Mancang for the past two years.

He hadn't been this polite when meeting in the Red Star Factory or Red Star Village, because this was in his own home.

Since he came here, regardless of whether the things on the truck were sent by him, since he was helping in your courtyard, you had to thank him well no matter how hard he worked, and be more close and polite.

The way of hospitality is in the details, in the etiquette.

The reason for requesting hard dishes is just that.

In the north, saying hard dishes represents good food, generally referring to big dishes, meat dishes, such as pork knuckle or braised fish.

Emphasizing heavy oil and heavy salt is because Gu Ning eats light salt at home, plus there are children, so the taste of the dishes is light.

Guests are here, and they are guests used to physical labor in the countryside, so the taste of the dishes cannot be light.

This is the detail; otherwise, if people aren't used to eating it and don't eat well, it means you didn't take them seriously.

Li Xuewu really didn't have to care about people's attitudes when entertaining guests at home, but he was a person who cared about face.

If the guests aren't satisfied, it means he's impolite.

In the foyer, after instructing Qin Jingru, he walked inside to change his shoes, but saw his son crawling over.

Since Li Ning learned to crawl, there were no small bits and pieces below half a meter on the ground in this room.

He was very afraid that he would be ignorant and stuff whatever he picked up into his mouth.

Raising children is extremely difficult, especially children with small age differences; many of Li Shu's toys are dangerous for the ignorant Li Ning.

Li Shu's toys when she was small were mostly palm-sized, the kind that clanged when dropped.

Now there are little people, little dolls, parts flying everywhere, very easy for Li Ning to pick up and put in his mouth.

Mother Liu Yin's eyes grew on the child all day, and she couldn't leave for a moment.

If she leaves a little bit, he either bumps or hits; this room is big, and there are many ornaments, so bringing up children is also a physical job.

At this moment, seeing him enter the room, Li Ning crawled over with a thud, grabbed his trouser leg with a smile.

Then, like climbing a tree, he reluctantly grabbed his pants and stood up little by little.

The little guy can't talk yet, but he's already smart enough.

Looking up, he signaled in his throat, wanting him to hold him.

From a child's perspective, everything is low, only when held in the parent's arms can he see most things.

"Call Dad—"

Li Xuewu changed his slippers, picked up his son, teased him, and kissed him hard.

The little guy pushed him with his chubby little hands, wanting him to hold him but not wanting him to kiss him.

"It's already October, crawling around the room with a big bare butt," he patted his son's butt and said: "Is it cold?"

Li Ning looked curiously outside the foyer, where many people were busy, his finger in his mouth, looking so cute.

At this moment, Han Jiankun had already sent the luggage into the room, along with some local specialties brought back from Steel City.

After he parked the car, he took the initiative to help unload the truck by the side.

Liu Yin took her grandson and signaled her son to go upstairs to take a bath and change into a set of clothes to relax.

"Is Biaozi's family doing well?"

"Didn't go home, the child is too small."

Li Xuewu explained while going upstairs: "It was dark when I finished, afraid it wouldn't be good to go home."

Liu Yin nodded understandingly and said: "Okay, his parents aren't by his side, you go over and see more."

"His mother-in-law is over there."

Li Xuewu stood on the stairs and introduced: "His father-in-law came back in the same car as us, didn't want to stay anymore."

The mother and son chatted about family affairs for a while, and Li Xuewu went upstairs to take a bath and change clothes.

The heating was already on in the room; although Beijing is not colder than Steel City, it was mid-October.

The temperature at the beginning of winter is different every year; sometimes it's cold early, sometimes it's cold late.

This year it was quite early, and a thin snow had fallen, which was a sign of winter cooling.

Li Ning is eight months old, almost nine months old; after a summer of growth, he doesn't have such high requirements for temperature.

Liu Yin brings up children with the old set, bare hands, bare feet, bare butt, as long as the stomach isn't cold, it's fine.

That room on the first floor completely became Li Shu's room, all toys were restrained, and the big devil lost the qualification to throw toys at will outdoors.

Didn't see the daughter when I just got home, because the little donkey was harnessed.

The two-and-a-half-year-old little girl started learning basic culture under Gu Ning's guidance.

Pinyin, drawing, writing, recognizing characters, numbers, and even teaching her to play the piano.

You say what can such a small child know?

People who have raised children know that a child's learning ability is precisely the most powerful at this time.

Their speech logic ability might not be rigorous, but their learning ability is absolutely qualified.

Furthermore, Gu Ning teaching her these is not strictly forcing her to learn, but taking her to play while learning, learning while playing.

Recognizing the world through picture books, learning life outlook through stories, children's education can completely start at two and a half years old.

"Dad—"

Li Shu had heard the movement downstairs long ago, and at this moment, she intercepted him with her little bare feet as soon as Dad went upstairs.

"Hey—is my daughter working hard?"

Li Xuewu had just put down his son, and at this moment picked up his daughter again; how to take this bath, it's really a happy trouble.

Li Shu signaled Dad to the study, then took a piece of draft paper and handed it to him, signaling Dad to comment a few words.

Actually, it was just to let Dad look quickly and praise quickly.

"Oh my, my daughter's writing is really beautiful!"

Li Xuewu looked at it earnestly and asked: "Tell Dad, what is this written?"

"It's Li, Li Shu's Li—"

Li Shu said proudly: "This is my name, Mom taught me."

"Really great, even better than Dad!"

Li Xuewu nodded earnestly, cleverly found out what his daughter wrote, and then praised her hard after finishing.

"When Dad was your age, I still couldn't write my own name; Li Shu is really great."

"Hee hee—"

Children are the most innocent laughter; what is revealed in the face of praise is inner joy.

Li Shu likes people praising her very much, and Dad is precisely her fan, praising her for everything she does.

At this moment, her little hand clumsily covered her mouth, giggling and asking: "Then you couldn't write your name when you were small?"

"Couldn't, Dad isn't as smart as Li Shu."

Li Xuewu shook his head, coaxing his daughter: "Then Li Shu wants to be smarter than Dad, write more words, read more books, okay?"

"Okay—"

Li Shu nodded, agreed earnestly, and introduced again: "I, I can also count!"

"Is that so! Can also count! Dad didn't even think of it!"

Li Xuewu put down his daughter, tapped her forehead, and said: "Then wait for Dad to take a bath, change out of the smelly clothes on my body, you count for Dad, okay?"

"Okay—"

Li Shu nodded excitedly, urging: "Then, Dad, hurry up—"

"No problem, you get ready."

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "Wait a while, Dad will hold you downstairs, you count for Uncle and Aunt, okay?"

"Li Shu is the smartest, likes learning the most."

"I can also recite ancient poems—"

The day of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, is the time of most gratitude.

When reading to this point, the bell of the New Year has already rung, and we have officially arrived in 2025.

Here, Old Wu wishes good brothers and good sisters, everything goes smoothly in the New Year, good health, and everything goes as you wish! ===== CHAPTER 1205 =====