Chapter 1212: Save Twenty Years of Struggle

"What are you doing? Performance tickets?"

Li Xuewu took the tickets from Zhou Xiaobai's hand, looked at them, smiled, and handed them back to her, saying: "No time."

"Pfft—"

Zhou Xiaobai was very unhappy and stuck out her tongue, complaining: "It would be strange if you had time!"

She shook the tickets in her hand and said: "These are front-row tickets that I had such a hard time queuing up to buy."

"You? Queuing? Who are you lying to—"

Li Xuewu smiled and flicked her forehead, saying: "You might as well say you picked them up on the side of the road; that would be easier for me to believe."

"Where is the most basic trust between people?"

Zhou Xiaobai insisted: "Why can't it be that I specially queued up to buy performance tickets for our two-person world?"

"Because I'm not stupid, I read the newspaper."

Li Xuewu curled his lips and said: "Our factory's newspaper has already taken photos and interviewed the masses at the scene. The headline is 'Tickets are hard to find'."

He took the two tickets from Zhou Xiaobai's hand and pointed to the front-row seats on them, saying: "Unless you went to queue in the middle of the night with a quilt."

"Even if you really went to queue, you wouldn't be able to buy front-row seats."

"Annoying—" Zhou Xiaobai pulled the performance tickets back from his hand and muttered: "If you don't go, forget it. Who cares about going with you—"

"Heh, don't fight with me."

Li Xuewu rubbed her head and said: "This is our factory's literary propaganda theater. The programs performed have to be reviewed by us."

"If you insist on taking me to watch it again, what's the point of this?"

He looked at the girl who had just rushed back from Jinmen and said: "Go, call Luo Yun to go with you. She will definitely be especially grateful to you."

"She already has tickets. Zuo Jie bought them."

Zhou Xiaobai said disappointedly: "If you refused me because you had already watched it, I would feel more comfortable, but... I'm not happy."

"Even if I hadn't watched it, I wouldn't go to this performance."

Li Xuewu pointed at her forehead and reminded: "I told you, this is our factory's literary propaganda team, and it's also our factory's literary propaganda theater."

"If I go, you all won't be able to watch it. It will disturb everyone's interest."

"Oh, I forgot you are a leader of the Red Star Factory—"

Zhou Xiaobai pouted and said: "Will watching a program with me have a bad influence?"

"You're starting to let your imagination run wild again!"

Li Xuewu patted her arm and said: "It's because if I go, the theater management and the actors will overthink, thinking I don't trust them."

"You should understand that sometimes work is work, and life is life," he sighed and said: "There are always many helpless situations."

"I understand. My dad is like this too."

Zhou Xiaobai raised her head, pursed her lips, and said: "He wouldn't easily go to the units below, let alone watch programs, always saying it's inconvenient."

"Take care of me, can you stop comparing me to your dad?" Li Xuewu curled his lips helplessly and said: "There is no comparability at all."

"Hehe—"

Zhou Xiaobai wasn't stupid, of course, she knew Li Xuewu was teasing her on purpose, and she laughed foolishly.

"My dad and mom also asked me about your situation. I only said good things."

"What are they asking about me?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, his vigilance rose, and he tried hard to recall whether he had been too close to Zhou Xiaobai recently, or if he had let people misunderstand?

No, impossible, absolutely not!

He dared to guarantee with the heads of nineteen alliance readers that he absolutely hadn't done anything!

The two of them had at most slept in the same quilt, which is very normal between good brothers, right?

Since they are good brothers, then kissing, touching, shouldn't be too much, right?

Right? Who doesn't have a few good brothers.

Li Xuewu wanted to say that he was just measuring the size, grasping the magnitude, and tasting the flavor. Everyone shouldn't have thought crookedly, right?

Since everyone didn't think crookedly, then Zhou Xiaobai's parents definitely wouldn't think crookedly.

Thinking of this, Li Xuewu completely let go of his tension and raised his hand to wipe a cold sweat.

Scared the hell out of me. Fortunately, I have a few alliance readers. If I really lost their heads...

It doesn't matter, next time I bet, I'll use the heads of the readers who follow the update as a guarantee.

Rest assured, everyone, Li Xuewu is not a gambler.

Zhou Xiaobai didn't see the caution and worry that flashed in Li Xuewu's eyes, and said innocently: "I don't know, it should just be asking casually."

"Asking casually?"

Li Xuewu looked at her and thought: Asking casually, why don't your parents ask Zuo Jie?

"It's just asking casually—" Zhou Xiaobai moved to the inside of the kang, stuck to his eyes, and asked with a smile: "Why, are you scared?"

"If you don't do anything wrong, you won't be afraid..."

Li Xuewu didn't finish the second half of the sentence. If you say you aren't afraid, who the hell can be unafraid.

He is just an ordinary office worker; who can afford to provoke those who carry shining red stars on their shoulders.

"Don't harm me. I don't have anything worth you praising in front of your parents."

He pointed at the little girl's nose, curled his lips, and said: "Confidentiality work must be grasped at all times, grasped at all times, and absolutely cannot relax vigilance."

"Yeah—you're teaching me to recite quotations?"

Zhou Xiaobai rolled her eyes and curled her lips: "It really is just asking casually. Maybe it's because I haven't been home for a long time."

"But they haven't been home for a long time either," she said somewhat unconvinced: "I want to go home, but they have to be there too."

Beep beep—

The sound of a car horn came from outside the security room window, and Li Xuewu sat up from the kang.

"You're right, I have to go home."

Before Zhou Xiaobai could react, he had already jumped off the fire kang and stepped out of the room.

"What is this! When did I say I was going home—"

Zhou Xiaobai chased out annoyedly, muttering: "Coward, humph!"

"Doo—who are you angry at?"

Luo Yun jumped off the back seat of the Comet motorcycle and ran to Zhou Xiaobai with a smile.

"Yo! Why do you look like a little pig?"

"Go away—" Zhou Xiaobai pushed her jokingly, signaled to Zuo Jie who was parking, and asked: "Are you two the only ones who came?"

"Otherwise? I still want to ask you!"

Luo Yun looked at the crowd around and asked in a low voice with curled lips: "Didn't get him out, right?"

"I told you you were wasting your effort, but you didn't believe me—"

She hugged Zhou Xiaobai's arm and teased: "He is a leader now, he has to pay attention to his image."

"Taking a little girl out to watch a program, and it's their factory's theater, what are you thinking?"

After speaking, she pinched Zhou Xiaobai's pouting cheek and teased her: "Don't worry, I'll accompany you today. For you, I can even give up Zuo Jie. Don't be too moved; sister is just loyal."

"Pfft—I believe you!"

Zhou Xiaobai curled her lips and said: "I don't need you to accompany me, go play your own game."

"Yo-ho—there's a situation!"

Luo Yun looked at her and asked with a smile: "Zhang Haiyang gave you two tickets, you didn't get a good brother, did you get a stinky younger brother?"

"Got a mom—"

Zhou Xiaobai gave her a big white look and waved to the intersection from her pocket.

In plain sight, a big Red Flag stopped there, and a woman wearing a thick green cotton-padded jacket was getting off the car.

The other party saw Zhou Xiaobai and nodded with a smile.

And Luo Yun naturally knew Zhou Xiaobai's mother. At this moment, she was surprised: "You really asked your mom to come? To watch the performance?"

"Otherwise? Watch you guys kissing?"

Zhou Xiaobai looked at the young men and women waiting to enter around the theater, especially the good sisters showing off in front of her with their partners.

And her? She didn't have a two-person world, but mixed into a deep mother-daughter relationship.

Her mouth was poisonous now, wishing she could step on the steps and shout loudly, wishing all lovers in the world would eventually become siblings, and wishing all the good people met today were mothers!

"Hey! Hey! Don't take it out on me!"

Luo Yun stiffened her neck and said in a low voice: "If you ask me, this is called 'one report for another'—"

"Zhang Haiyang had such a hard time grabbing two tickets, and he ran over excitedly to ask if you wanted to watch, but you?"

She glanced at her good sister and pouted: "You said you wanted to watch and took them all. You didn't see his eyes at that time, right?"

"He was willing to give them to me, I didn't force him. Why are you worrying?"

Zhou Xiaobai glanced at her and reminded: "My mom is coming over, cover for me. Don't say anything that shouldn't be said. I said the tickets were given by you."

"You are really my good sister!"

Luo Yun was speechless: "You can think of me for any good thing. Remember you owe me a favor."

"Auntie, hello! Haven't seen you for a long time!"

Her reaction was quite fast. Turning her face, she greeted enthusiastically.

It was even more enthusiastic than Zhou Xiaobai seeing her mother, greeting kindly: "Just now I was telling Xiaobai, I missed you—"

"You little mouth—"

Zhou Xiaobai's mother smiled and pointed at Luo Yun's forehead: "All your cleverness is used here!"

"Auntie, I didn't lie."

Luo Yun hugged Zhou Mama's arm and cleverly signaled to Zhou Xiaobai: "If you don't believe me, ask Xiaobai. If I didn't miss you, would Xiaobai ask you to come out to watch the performance?"

"Thank you—" Zhou Mama smiled and glanced at her own daughter, pretending to be dissatisfied: "If it weren't for you, my daughter wouldn't have thought of me."

"Oh, what are you saying, Mom—"

Zhou Xiaobai hugged her mother's arm from the other side and explained: "She's just selling cuteness."

"I think Luo Yun is just more obedient than you!"

Zhou Mama smiled, looked at her daughter, and asked: "Tell me, did you think of me last?"

"Look at you, what kind of person do you think I am!"

Zhou Xiaobai curled her lips in dissatisfaction and signaled to the steps: "Hurry up, the performance is about to start."

"Auntie Fang, hello—"

"Auntie Fang, hello—"

One after another, as Zhou Xiaobai pulled her mother up the steps, the children from the courtyard standing by the low wall of the steps greeted her.

"Are you... Old Zhang's Haiyang?"

Zhou Mama knew a few children in the courtyard. Hearing them greet her, she smiled and replied.

Zhang Haiyang was very excited now, no longer the depression and sadness of yesterday morning.

At that time, he was taken away two tickets by Zhou Xiaobai in one sentence, and he almost hit his head against the wall.

All he thought about was Zhou Xiaobai taking these two tickets to invite other boys to watch the performance.

His heart was cold, cold, cold.

Especially when he thought of Zhou Xiaobai being intimate with other boys, and he was the one who took the initiative to help, he wanted to die.

But never expected that when he brought his brothers to recognize people, preparing to secretly retaliate against that mysterious boy, he saw Zhou Xiaobai bringing her mother to watch the performance.

While awkwardly greeting Zhou Xiaobai's mother along with Zuo Jie, he secretly rejoiced in his heart.

At the same time, he wanted to give himself a hard slap. He was really damned.

Clearly, Zhou Xiaobai wanted to bring her mother to watch, but he misunderstood it as...

He really shouldn't have. How could Zhou Xiaobai be that kind of person!

What a pure girl!

After going back, he must deeply reflect on himself. He can't think wildly like this next time.

Hearing Zhou Mama call his name, Zhang Haiyang felt even more that his whole body was full of strength.

At this time, if he were put on a plow, he would wish he could plow all the land in the capital.

Being remembered by Zhou Mama, did it mean he had entered the other party's list of candidates?

Did that mean there was hope for his and Zhou Xiaobai's matter?

Did that mean... where would it be convenient for their children to go to school?

Zhang Haiyang thought they should have two children, one boy and one girl would be most suitable.

"Auntie, this is my partner Zuo Jie."

Just when Zhang Haiyang's face was flushed and his head was full of wild thoughts, Luo Yun cleverly took over the conversation under Zhou Xiaobai's eye signal.

She pointed to Zuo Jie standing beside Zhang Haiyang and introduced: "His father is also from the Second Field Army, now in the Diannan engineering troops."

"Is that so? Let me see—" Zhou Mama looked at Zuo Jie's appearance and said with a smile: "Looks like Zuo Mantang's son, right?"

She wasn't good at physiognomy, nor could she calculate. She couldn't know who the other party was just by looking at their face.

It's not excluded that there are people with this ability, but she definitely didn't have the confidence to say the words so fully.

Luo Yun had already introduced the detailed information, plus what could be said in front of her, it must be what she could think of. There were only a few people left and right.

Combined with Zuo Jie's appearance, it was easy to guess, so she said it so definitely.

She was thorough in everything, and she had a smiling face and was amiable to these young people.

"Auntie Fang, hello. Zuo Mantang is my father. Luo Yun and I often hear Xiaobai mention you."

Zuo Jie introduced himself with a smile, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, looking very capable.

This demeanor made Zhou Mama look a few more times, nodding repeatedly, her eyes full of appreciation.

A good young man doesn't need to be inquired about in detail; one look is enough to know.

Zhou Xiaobai couldn't stand her mother's attitude of picking a partner for her here, so she just said to everyone that the performance was about to start, and pulled her mother inside.

Luo Yun stayed behind on an excuse. She and Zhou Xiaobai were not sitting next to each other, so there was no need to join in the fun.

"What are you looking at?"

She poked Zhang Haiyang and asked with raised eyebrows: "Were you stupid just now?"

"No way—"

Zhang Haiyang awkwardly withdrew his gaze from the hall and said with some panic: "That... let's go, the performance is about to start."

"Pfft—" Luo Yun curled her lips and whispered to Zuo Jie: "He deserves it..."

"Shh—" Zuo Jie made a silent gesture to her, then pulled her over and whispered in her ear: "This is nothing. Zhong Yuemin over there is preparing to sell the antiques in Yuan Jun's house to raise money to buy a motorcycle for Xiaobai."

"What—are they all crazy?"

Luo Yun really didn't understand. What's wrong with these boys one by one?

Is Zhou Xiaobai a national beauty?

Is she Zhou Daji?

She didn't understand, but Zuo Jie understood.

"Didn't you see the eyes of those boys when her mother came?"

Zuo Jie explained in a low voice: "Zhong Yuemin and Zhang Haiyang are competing with each other, fighting."

"They gave their behavior a code name, called 'Save Twenty Years of Struggle', hehe."

"I think they are all crazy!"

Luo Yun said indignantly: "Can Zhou Xiaobai look up to them?"

"Especially now, let Wu Ge..."

She wanted to say that Zhou Xiaobai had already been raised by Wu Ge, and it was blown up by money.

Just listening to the news about Zhou Xiaobai's current life, how many boys can handle it?

Can she not know what Zhou Xiaobai means by deliberately hanging Zhang Haiyang and Zhong Yuemin?

It's just that when it comes to Li Xuewu now, her mouth is tight enough, and she didn't speak wildly again.

Luo Yun looked at Zuo Jie and asked: "Haven't you thought about saving twenty years of struggle?"

"I have thought about it. Everyone will think about it."

Zuo Jie said it very directly, and just when Luo Yun frowned and got angry, he said again: "But I am luckier than them, I have already realized it."

"Zuo Jie, what do you mean?"

Luo Yun didn't understand even more, grabbed his collar, frowned, and asked: "Who did you realize it with?"

Definitely not with her. Her father didn't have the qualification to let Zuo Jie save twenty years of struggle.

Zuo Jie didn't care about Luo Yun's annoyance and said frankly: "Li Ge, what's wrong?"

"Following Li Ge, I definitely saved twenty years of struggle. What's wrong?"

"Go away, you did it on purpose!"

Luo Yun glared at him and pushed him away, feeling sweet in her heart.

"Tell me the truth, Yuan Jun doesn't like Zhou Xiaobai too, right?"

She suddenly reacted, widened her eyes, and asked: "Is it true?"

"What's true or false?"

Li Xuewu rummaged through the documents piled on the table, pulled one out, and looked at it while saying to Li Xue: "Go work, don't bother me here."

"I'm doing this for your own good, humph!"

Li Xue gave a cold snort and said with dissatisfaction, "What if you get taken away by the investigation team?"

"Go, go, go—"

Li Xuewu was almost annoyed to death, waved his hand to drive her away, and said: "Can you think of something good for me?"

"I'm reminding you because I want you to be good!"

Li Xue pouted and muttered: "... biting Lu Dongbin, not recognizing a good heart."

"Hiss—"

Li Xuewu was annoyed, raised his head, frowned, and asked impatiently: "Are you idle? Do you need me to find something for you to do?"

"Humph—humph humph humph—!"

Li Xue hummed again, deliberately stomped her feet, and made this hum sound hard.

Then she turned and walked out, saying as she walked: "It would be good if you were taken away by the investigation team!"

"Yo! Li Xue is here."

Just at this moment, Comprehensive Office Director Sun Jian walked in with documents.

He saw Li Xue coming out and greeted with a smile: "Why not stay a while longer?"

"Who cares about staying here—"

Li Xue was also angry. This second brother was too worrying, and the problem was that he wouldn't listen to advice.

Really smart for a lifetime, confused for a moment.

"This... what's wrong?"

Sun Jian was also stunned, looking at Li Xue who was walking away, amused and puzzled, looking at Li Xuewu in the office.

Who doesn't know that Deputy Director Jing's secretary is Deputy Director Li's own sister.

With this relationship, who in the security group doesn't treat Li Xue as their own sister.

This little girl is also easy to get along with, not to mention having no airs or arrogance, and is very polite and courteous to people. Everyone who has contact with her has to praise her as good.

Don't look at her being only seventeen, but from the day she entered the factory, this little girl has been learning from her second brother everywhere.

It's not that she is pretending to be old, it's just that her words and actions always have a look of an adult and an organ.

I don't know if it's Li Xuewu's family education, or if he taught her himself.

Or perhaps it's because she was promoted by Deputy Director Jing after just starting work, and then learned from the leader's side.

Seeing her on weekdays, Sun Jian always teases her, and doesn't call her Secretary Li, nor Little Li, but directly calls her by the more intimate Li Xue.

Today was the only time Li Xue acted like a child in front of him.

It's not that he dislikes or cares, it's just that it's quite interesting and very rare.

Li Xuewu didn't even raise his head at this moment and said: "Don't bother with her, she gets cocky with a little achievement."

"I don't believe you when you say that—"

Sun Jian walked into the office with a smile and teased: "Li Xue is not that kind of person."

When a leader talks about his own family, naturally there won't be any praise. It's just habitual modesty.

You wouldn't take such words seriously, would you?

Even if it wasn't said by a leader, humble words like "my son," "not talented," have been used by ancestors for thousands of years. Who would take them seriously?

He has been mixing in the organ for so many years, what words can't he hear?

At this moment, he arrived at the side of Li Xuewu's desk and handed the document over.

When asking a leader to handle things, those with a relatively close daily work relationship will generally stand in this position.

And this position is also one that the leader defaults to or can accept, because one can see privacy here.

Don't think wildly, there is no hidden "chicken" under Li Xuewu's desk.

People with relevant experience know that standing here allows you to lean close to the leader and speak in a low voice.

Does the leader let ordinary people stand in this position when they come in? Especially if the other party is a female comrade.

If you really sit in his lap, and then a few reporters with cameras come in and click, click, click, then it's not like yellow mud falling into your crotch; you can't explain it clearly.

When you enter the office, you must know which position to stand in; don't be annoying.

Sun Jian can grasp this scale very well. When he takes the initiative to come to Li Xuewu to report work, he stands on the side. When Li Xuewu calls him to talk, he stands opposite. The attitude must be upright; this is the key.

"The inspection and research work of the organ office management regulations still needs to be pushed forward."

Li Xuewu scratched his forehead, looked at the document in his hand, and instructed: "Discipline Inspection takes the lead, and communicate with Personnel, Organization, and Propaganda."

He raised his head and glanced at Sun Jian, urging: "Special period, special treatment. You keep an eye on this work and take a few typical cases to handle."

"Will it cause a backlash?"

Sun Jian suggested softly: "Should we do it in the name of the Committee Office?"

He reminded somewhat hesitantly: "The Ministry of Industry's investigation team is in the factory, some things..."

"The leader wants an attitude—"

Li Xuewu glanced at him, continued to look at the document in his hand, and said as if casually: "The organ management plan has been pushed and implemented for a year."

"The Red Star Factory hasn't done little practical work this year, but there isn't much empty work."

He flipped the document page and muttered: "It won't do if there's nothing to show."

"Understood, I'll go handle it later."

Sun Jian really understood. The attitude Li Xuewu spoke of was not what it seemed on the surface.

Of course, Discipline Inspection taking the lead to organize and rectify office order and investigate and research the implementation of office systems is within the scope of duties, which is beyond reproach.

It is true that the leader wants to see if there is any effect after a year of busy work, and it is also true that Li Xuewu wants the leader to see the superiority of the advanced work system.

It's just that it will be hard for those "typical cases" that execute the inspection and are caught.

There is nothing to say about this. Positive incentives and side spurs, the excellence of the office system is obvious to all.

In this year or so, the responsible persons and office staff of various departments and units can feel the convenience and standardization from it.

It's just that human nature naturally carries the word "laziness." Some systems and policies have to be taken out and shaken off after a long time, otherwise, they will fall into dust.

People like Li Xuewu are not easy to work with. You have to listen to his words with an extra mind.

Sometimes, if you don't pay attention, you don't understand the meaning of his words.

Sun Jian had gradually come to understand his temper, and if there were things he didn't understand, he would ask a few more questions.

Li Xuewu was extremely patient in his work and possessed an even more tolerant heart toward his subordinates.

"Over in Tianjin..." He paused, then asked, "Director Zhuang from the Trade Management Center called."

As Sun Jian spoke, he observed Li Xuewu's expression and reported softly, "He is asking when you might have time to go over there."

Seeing that the leader had no particular change in expression, he added, "He is unsure about the situation regarding the Electronic Industry Components Supply Chain Conference."

"Wasn't Deputy Director Shi arranged to be in charge of this matter? Did he not go to Tianjin?"

Li Xuewu's eyebrows twitched; his gaze remained on the documents, but he said, "Tell Tianjin to consult Deputy Director Shi about this matter first; I don't have the time."

"Deputy Director Shi accompanied Deputy Director Cheng to Tianjin a few days ago, but as for the specific situation..."

Sun Jian hesitated for a moment before reporting softly, "The meaning in Director Zhuang's phone call was somewhat vague; I'm afraid he might be unsure about things."

He suggested, "How about I ask Director Zhuang to call you directly to report in detail?"

"Have you contacted Tianjin Aquatic Products?"

Li Xuewu did not answer his suggestion directly but instead asked an unrelated question.

Sun Jian cleverly grasped the key to his words and answered without hesitation, "According to the itinerary report provided by the committee office, neither Deputy Director Cheng nor Deputy Director Shi had any private visits or contacts."

"I suspect they may not have had any contact over there, or perhaps the business relationship wasn't aligned..."

Although he had never been to Tianjin and had never managed the business of the Trade Management Center, the Security Section of the Trade Management Center was managed by the Security Group.

Sun Jian was the chief steward of the Security Group and had previous work experience in the factory office and as a leader's secretary, so his sensitivity to related work was very high.

He didn't know what relationship Li Xuewu had with Tianjin Aquatic Products, but he knew there were many business collaborations between Tianjin Aquatic Products and the Red Star Factory.

And most of them were negotiated by Director Li and Li Xuewu together; this was no secret within the factory's administrative organs.

Since Li Xuewu asked about Tianjin Aquatic Products, it meant he had made the most fundamental analysis and judgment regarding Cheng Kaiyuan and Shi Ruoweng's trip to Tianjin.

At the very least, this piece of information could determine whether Director Li had given any "special" instructions.

Of course, these were all Sun Jian's personal speculations, judged based on years of work experience.

If the relationship between Li Xuewu and Cheng Kaiyuan could be described as mysterious, then the relationship between Li Xuewu and Shi Ruoweng could only be judged as "well water not interfering with river water."

This was a situation known to everyone in the office; there was nothing ambiguous about it.

Zhuang Cangshu asking Li Xuewu for instructions indicated that the Tianjin Trade Management Center was under Li Xuewu's influence.

Cheng Kaiyuan's trip was to attend the fishing boat delivery event jointly organized by Tianjin Aquatic Products and the Trade Management Center, yet there was no private interaction.

What did that indicate?

And it was under the accompaniment of Director Li's confidant—Shi Ruoweng; this situation was very strange.

Could one then try to speculate that Director Li had ulterior motives regarding Deputy Director Cheng?

Or rather, including Shi Ruoweng.

These were all possibilities; on the chessboard of the administrative organs, everyone was a chess piece.

Specifically, on the third day after Deputy Director Cheng and his party returned from Tianjin, which was Monday the 17th of this month, the ministry's working group suddenly arrived.

Perhaps out of habit, or perhaps wanting to see a big spectacle, the working group was privately referred to by the office as an investigation team, as if they were afraid the matter wouldn't be big enough.

On Monday morning, the working group leader, Yang Jun, convened a symposium for the members of the Management Committee.

By Tuesday afternoon, the heads of various branch factories and departments had rushed back to Beijing, preparing to accept organizational talks.

Today is Wednesday, and the relevant interview work is still continuing; the heads of the branch factories and departments who have completed their interviews have also left in a hurry, leaving not a single word, as if there were some secret.

According to the research procedure announced by the working group, it started with organizational talks, beginning with the factory leaders, then moving to middle management and representatives of grassroots cadres and workers.

However, according to the grapevine, the working group was not just this one group on the surface; there was also a group conducting secret visits.

The scene was very serious and tense; the leaders of the factory Management Committee looked like nothing was wrong on the surface, but who could know how much they were worrying in their hearts?

"Is the construction ceremony for the Santa Yaya Group's cargo ship scheduled for this week?"

Li Xuewu moved the documents in his hand aside, took a look at the monthly work plan report pressed under the glass plate on the desk, and asked while smoothing it with his fingers.

Sun Jian remembered it very clearly; he narrowed his eyes slightly and confirmed, "It's set for this Friday."

"Then let's do it this way," Li Xuewu also saw the relevant content, tapped the glass plate with his finger, and said, "I will take a boat from Tianjin to Yingcheng."

"If it's Friday, the working group..." Sun Jian reminded, "Will they arrange your organizational talk?"

"Ignore them; work is more important," Li Xuewu said indifferently. "If they arrange a talk, tell them to talk next Tuesday; there's no time here."

Was that tough?

Average; Sun Jian had long been accustomed to Li Xuewu's style of doing things.

He didn't know which Red Star Factory leader wasn't afraid of being investigated, but he knew Li Xuewu definitely wasn't.

This person was truly upright and not afraid of a crooked shadow; he even dared to hammer the working group that came down from the ministry back then.

Now it was just research aimed at the work and performance of the Management Committee members; what the hell was he worried about? Let him worry after he enters the committee.

A deputy division-level official, busy all day until his feet hit the back of his head, and he still has the mood to care about the leaders?

It's like someone in the future earning two cents a month, unable to even feed themselves; who has the energy to care about whether a celebrity is living well or is happy?

Still "See You Again, Lover"—it's so pretentious that even my heels are itching; might as well call it "Let's Go Die Together."

"Hey? What are you standing here for?"

Peng Xiaoli rarely had time; he was strolling out of the office building and happened to see Li Xue.

The leader was on a business trip, and he didn't have to follow; it really felt like he had regained his own life.

To be more specific, looking at Li Xue standing in the snow, he wished the leader would never come back.

Love, there is always a villain coming to torment you.

Li Xue looked back at him, curled her lips, and said, "What are you wandering around for? Why didn't you follow Deputy Director Li on his business trip? Can't you have a little ambition?"

"I..."

Peng Xiaoli had just sent the leader off and had finally just relaxed; it was hard to be in a good mood.

Toot—never expected it, it's gone!

"The leader doesn't need me, so I don't follow, that's all," he tried hard to calm his mindset and explained. "Besides, what does this have to do with ambition?"

"Just wait for it," Li Xue vented the anger in her heart on Peng Xiaoli, snorting, "You're not needed today, you're not needed tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and from now on, you won't be needed at all!"

After saying this, regardless of whether Peng Xiaoli understood or not, she turned and walked back.

Peng Xiaoli stood there, stunned for a long while.

Who did I offend? What the hell is this "not needed anymore"?

Could it be that Li Xue heard something her second brother said? Or did she start caring about me on her own?

Li Xue stomped hard on the snow, muttering to herself, "Still saying I'm meddlesome, still being stubborn with me, isn't it just because he's guilty and hid away—"

She had just seen her second brother get into the car from upstairs, and upon asking, she found out he was going on a business trip to Tianjin.

Well, she had been holding in her anger for two days; she went to her second brother's office the day before yesterday to remind him, and he was still putting on an act with her, looking innocent and impatient.

Now it's great, the working group has started interviews, and he has slipped away; can he be let off lightly for this?

Li Xue chased out from upstairs, suppressing her steps as much as possible, but when she got downstairs, her second brother's car had already driven away, and she still hadn't vented her anger.

It could be considered Peng Xiaoli's bad luck to have bumped into the muzzle of the gun; all the resentment was vented on him.

But no matter how angry Li Xue was, she wouldn't throw a tantrum at people indiscriminately, nor would she be noisy.

It was just because she was relatively familiar with Peng Xiaoli that she became even angrier when she saw his "slacker" appearance.

"Nothing good comes from learning from my second brother!"

In her daily life, she always felt that there were always people in the factory whispering behind her back.

Later, after asking around, she found out they were talking about the romantic affairs of the factory leaders.

This one with that one, that one slept with someone else, who was caught in bed by their husband, who got into the leader's car—it was very lively.

She listened secretly; she didn't care about others, but there were quite a few about her second brother.

The ex-girlfriend from the art troupe, the female neighbor at the guesthouse, the female subordinate in the Security Section...

Wow! She hadn't noticed before, but after asking around, it turned out her second brother had so many scandalous news stories.

It was usually nothing, but what time is this? The ministry has sent people to investigate; what will this become? Won't they take her second brother away?

The key is that these scandalous stories were told with such vivid detail; many people saw the Security Section Chief, Zhou Yao, get into her second brother's car a few days ago. After work, they didn't go home—what were they doing?

She couldn't sit still anymore; her second brother already had some suspicion with her leader, and now he was involved with a subordinate—didn't she have to remind him?

Who knew that her kindness would be treated as a donkey's liver and lungs; her second brother turned a deaf ear to her reminders and treated them with disdain.

What is he doing now? Isn't it because he's guilty and scared? If it weren't for me, Li Xue, you, oh you, can't you let me worry less—

"Leader, leaving Beijing at this time," Zhou Miaomiao looked at him and asked, "isn't it a bit too deliberate?"

"What are you daydreaming about?"

Li Xuewu raised his head, glanced at her, and said, "Can't you put your mind on your work?"

While the train was in motion, there weren't many people in the soft-seat section, so there weren't that many scruples for the two of them to talk.

He lowered his head to look at the materials in his hand and instructed, "When we arrive in Tianjin, you don't need to follow me to Yingcheng; just stay at the Trade Management Center."

"Why? Are you afraid I'll influence you?"

Zhou Miaomiao examined his expression and asked, "Is there some special arrangement?"

"Want to know?"

Li Xuewu closed the materials in his hand, looked at her, and said, "Wait until you become my leader before talking."

"Pfft—"

Zhou Miaomiao curled her lips, glanced at a few colleagues in the seats not far away, leaned on the small table, and asked in a low voice, "Are you that confident?"

Li Xuewu did not respond to her but narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her, as if he hadn't understood her question, or as if he had understood it but was unwilling to answer.

"Fine, fine, fine—" Zhou Miaomiao waved her hand and said with resignation, "I won't say it, I won't ask!"

"What do you want to ask? What's there to ask? Am I some kind of conspirator?"

Li Xuewu glanced at her and said indifferently, "I came out because I have work; it has nothing to do with anything else, that's all."

"Also, don't always treat those rumors and sayings in the office as the golden rule; you believe that too?"

He said with sincerity in his tone, "Usually, listening to a bit of fun is just a joke and relaxation."

"Sometimes, don't ever take it seriously."

"Hmm, but you can't not take it seriously either, right?"

Zhou Miaomiao was clear-headed; she looked at him and said, "The rumors about Deputy Director Li being upright, shrewd, capable, and having extraordinary ability must be taken seriously."

Li Xuewu raised his hand to signal her and said, "Touch your own forehead and see if you have a fever."