Chapter 1216: Brother, you smell so good

"Did you sneak back?"

Li Xuewu looked Xu Sian over; he had received a call from him before getting off work.

It was like a damn underground rendezvous, all mysterious and secretive.

"What do you mean 'sneak'? I came back fair and square. Can't I visit my relatives?"

Xu Sian was wearing a thick, heavy cotton-padded coat. He nodded at Han Jiankun, who had turned his head around, and told him to drive.

He acted as if Han Jiankun were his own driver; he was an old buddy of Li Xuewu's, so he didn't stand on ceremony with Li Xuewu's driver either.

Han Jiankun knew that the relationship between Xu Sian and his leader was good, but he didn't start the car immediately. Only after Li Xuewu nodded did he turn back and start the engine.

"Let's go to the club where we ate last time," Xu Sian specifically instructed Han Jiankun, then turned back to emphasize to Li Xuewu: "I really like the environment of your club."

"Hmm—"

Li Xuewu glared at him and hummed, asking: "Going to the damn club to eat, are you treating, or am I treating?"

The club had rules; outsiders couldn't get in, and naturally, they had no ability to spend money there.

This was a rule to deal with market management and supply-and-marketing management.

Whether it was the internal supply and marketing service department or the restaurant, as long as they didn't operate externally, they weren't under the jurisdiction of the relevant outside departments, and naturally, there would be no trouble.

Members were also members of the organization, and in this era, the first thing to emphasize was the organization.

Didn't Xu Sian know this?

"Hey, between us brothers, isn't it the same whoever treats? Look, have I ever stood on ceremony with you?"

"You damn well haven't stood on ceremony with me!"

Li Xuewu curled his lip and said: "But you can't be *too* unceremonious, can you?"

"How about this, let's go eat at your place. Just have your wife whip up a few dishes, that'll do."

He was truly vicious; he knew Xu Sian's backyard was on fire, and this time he might have come back to put it out.

So, he deliberately stoked the fire with that remark, and he didn't forget to be "polite" either:

"I'm not picky about food. Home-cooked meals are the most comforting; I just want to taste your wife's cooking."

"Her cooking isn't good. Forget it."

Xu Sian was so cunning; he hadn't eaten much else at Li Xuewu's place, but he had suffered the most losses.

He had long since gained experience: no matter what Li Xuewu said, as long as he didn't agree, changing the subject was always the right move. He must never follow Li Xuewu's lead.

"I just like the club's cooking!"

He patted Li Xuewu's knee and said in a bitter voice: "Oh my, look at me. It wasn't easy to make this trip back, and I'm still troubling you to treat me to a meal. I'm so embarrassed."

"How about we forget it?"

Li Xuewu pulled his hand back forcefully and curled his lip: "I just remembered I have something to do. Let's get together another time, okay?"

"Hahahaha—"

Xu Sian laughed loudly, held down Li Xuewu's hand, and asked Han Jiankun, who was driving: "Did you see that? This is the true nature of Deputy Director Li!"

"We'll be there very soon—"

How could Han Jiankun participate in the banter between the leaders? He drove the car very steadily and reminded them with a smile.

Actually, there was still some way to go, but it was just a matter of asking and answering; he couldn't let the leaders feel awkward.

Truth be told, Xu Sian's character was actually quite good. He didn't have any particularly obvious enemies in the factory, and even fewer outstanding friends.

He wasn't sycophantic to the leaders above, and he didn't put on any airs with the comrades below.

If you asked him what he had done as the factory office director for so many years, he probably couldn't even say himself.

Just drifting along?

"Tell me, what kind of situation is this!"

Four dishes and one soup, the liquor was bulk-bought small-distillery spirits; it had a strong kick but didn't go to your head.

Xu Sian downed a mouthful of liquor, glanced at Li Xuewu, and said: "You know whether it's been easy for me or not."

"After grinding through all these years, through wind and rain, sending off four of them, finally making it to the top—isn't it just about landing safely? Why all this!"

"The four you sent off..."

Li Xuewu picked up the wine pot to fill his glass, looked at him, and asked in a low voice: "Is it the kind of 'sending off' I understand?"

"Pfft—"

The emotion Xu Sian had just built up leaked out instantly; he almost choked to death on his own saliva.

He rolled his eyes, glanced sideways at Li Xuewu, and retorted: "What do you think?"

"Do you think everyone is like you, specifically suppressing all forms of defiance—"

"You don't even need to ask around. I, Old Xu, have been in the bureaucracy for so many years; who doesn't say a good word when they see me?"

"Yes, yes, yes, Director Xu is—"

Li Xuewu curled his lip, showing disdain, and said with a rather strained tone: "Nothing to say, nothing to say—"

"What's with that look? Looking down on me?"

Xu Sian stiffened his neck, his face flushed, and he tapped the table: "I know, in the bureaucracy, they all say my sycophancy is carved into my bones, that I'm a born treacherous official who knows only how to flatter."

He said with a particularly tough attitude: "Even if I flatter, even if I suck up, it's for the sake of work! In life, have you ever seen me say soft words to anyone?"

"Who in the Yingcheng Shipyard doesn't know my temper? 'Upright and incorruptible' is carved right on my forehead!"

"Welcome, Director Xu, for gracing us with your presence—"

The two were drinking when the door to the outer room was knocked on softly, and then someone lifted the curtain and walked in.

It was Yu Li, followed by two waiters carrying serving trays.

"This is—"

Xu Sian didn't react for a moment; he was a bit stunned to see a beautiful woman walk in.

Just as he looked at Li Xuewu, Yu Li took the initiative to greet him: "We've met before. You even came to our restaurant to eat last time."

"I am the General Manager of the Dongfeng Club, my name is Yu Li."

"Ah, oh, oh—I remember now!"

Xu Sian slapped his forehead, grinned, pointed at Yu Li and asked: "You came to toast us last time, and you even saw us to the door when we left!"

"Thank you, Director Xu, for remembering me."

Yu Li smiled and helped the waiters set the dishes, introducing them: "I heard from the waiters that you and Director Li had arrived, so I specifically arranged for the kitchen to prepare two extra dishes. They've been stewing for a while, just right—"

"Good! Thank you, thank you, Manager Yu!"

Xu Sian took the initiative to shake hands with Yu Li, laughing and praising: "I've been here before. After tasting the food here, I truly couldn't eat or sleep; I've been thinking about it for a whole year!"

"I just couldn't understand it. They're all restaurants, why is the food here so exceptionally good? Why can't I forget it? Now I understand..."

He said to Li Xuewu: "So it's because the Dongfeng Restaurant has a talented person here!"

"Hahaha—"

Yu Li giggled and shook Xu Sian's large hand, saying: "You flatter us too much!"

"That you can come to our Dongfeng Restaurant is what makes us shine; it is our greatest honor."

She picked up a wine glass, filled it for herself, held it with both hands, and toasted Xu Sian: "Once again, I sincerely welcome you to dine at the Dongfeng Restaurant. I wish you a happy meal and a pleasant time today—"

Xu Sian, who was upright and incorruptible and had never said a soft word in his life except for work, had drunk a bit too much.

But fortunately, neither of them were drunks.

Stopping at the right point didn't need to be agreed upon in advance between friends, nor did it need to be explicitly stated.

Once you've had enough, that's enough.

"Between us brothers, let's be real. What exactly is the leader's intention?"

Xu Sian's breathing was a bit heavy now, his mouth full of the smell of liquor, his eyes bright.

He frowned and asked: "I don't care about the other leaders; I just want to know what Director Li is thinking."

"If he wants to move me, then I won't bother with a death struggle; I'll just surrender obediently sooner rather than later!"

"It hasn't reached that point yet, has it!"

Li Xuewu glanced at him, picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said: "It's an eventful autumn."

"Did you come back to Beijing early just for this matter? There's no need for that, is there?"

"No need?"

Xu Sian moved his rice bowl aside, his tongue a bit thick as he said: "Ding Zigui has already reached his hand into my crotch; what else am I supposed to wait for before reacting?"

"You know me; if I'm not pushed to a certain point, I won't complain."

"Hmm, I only just found out about his matter too."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "He told me once in private that he wanted to go to Steel City."

"Let him dream his spring and autumn dreams—" Xu Sian spat out indignantly: "Why doesn't he say he wants to replace Director Li and take the top spot himself?"

"Steel City! Does he have the qualifications!"

"Sigh, everything has piled up together."

Li Xuewu let out a long breath and introduced: "The leader originally intended to complete the mid-level cadre adjustment in advance, at least to get it done before the New Year."

"However, news of the working group coming down has arrived, and the mid-level cadre personnel adjustment has been frozen. The meaning from above is to slow down."

"Slow down? What does that mean?"

Xu Sian frowned and asked: "Is it to prepare space for the new leaders? Or are there other arrangements?"

"Oh, Red Star Factory has merged with so many enterprises; the mid-level cadre situation is dynamic adjustment. They say freeze, and it's frozen?"

"What's frozen are the original cadres of Red Star Factory; what's mainly being talked about are you branch factory heads and the supervisors of various departments."

Li Xuewu explained to him, then introduced: "You should know the purpose of the working group coming. The current management committee team in the factory must be adjusted and strengthened; I don't need to emphasize this."

"But you should also understand that with new leaders coming, there will inevitably be inclinations and actions from above."

He tapped the table and emphasized: "Before March next year, the factory must be upgraded in rank."

"After the upgrade, the group-based work will be put on the agenda, which means the establishment of various branch companies and specialized factories. Who decides the relevant heads?"

"What? Another major reshuffle?"

Xu Sian widened his eyes and said: "I know Director Dong; he will definitely enter the team and return to Beijing."

"You're in Steel City, so I don't care, but I've only been in Yingcheng for a little over a year!"

He asked indignantly: "I finally got this stall supported, and now I have to move? What is he thinking? What are the leaders thinking?"

"Whether you move or not doesn't depend on Director Li, and even less on Ding Zigui, you know?"

Li Xuewu grabbed his teacup, tapped the table lightly, looked at him, and reminded: "It depends on you!"

"The news is a bit chaotic now; some say four are coming, some say five. It's unclear, and it can't be sorted out exactly how many are coming."

He emphasized: "But no matter what, Red Star Factory has absorbed so many enterprises; can they only use their own people? Can they cast aside everyone else?"

"I'll tell you, you think about it yourself!"

Li Xuewu counted on his fingers: "Ten?"

"Don't you have any idea whether there are paratroopers coming down from the ministry this time?"

"Think again, the factory has engaged in such large-scale foreign trade; shouldn't people be coming from foreign trade?"

He put down his fingers, pointed at him, and said: "Right now, you shouldn't be appearing in Beijing at all; instead, you should be putting your mind on relevant business."

"It's the end of November now; before the end of December, this matter will definitely be settled."

Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, let out a long breath, and said gently: "Keep your eyes on the long term; think about the work direction after the team is reorganized."

"Also, under the condition that the existing work system and business scope are not significantly adjusted, how Yingcheng Shipping can open up the situation is the key."

He looked at Xu Sian and said: "What you should be thinking about isn't Ding Zigui, but entering the management committee within three years."

"Otherwise, you'll have spent these few years in Yingcheng in vain, and you'll have to move positions anyway."

"You mean—"

Xu Sian pondered Li Xuewu's words, paused, and said: "Build up Yingcheng Shipping, form a scale like Steel City, and follow Director Dong's path?"

"No, you can't follow his path."

Li Xuewu put down his teacup and said: "Yingcheng Shipping is a specialized factory; Steel City Industry is an integrated industrial zone, composed of various branch companies."

"Expanding influence is not expanding factory scale; specialized factories should follow a specialized technical route."

He pointed at Xu Sian and said: "When Yingcheng Shipping can build ten-thousand-ton giant ships as easily as making dumplings, you'll be the Deputy Director of the Management Committee Office."

"Damn—" Xu Sian complained bitterly: "Can I even wait for that day!"

"If you have that little ambition, then don't do it."

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said: "After the New Year, I'm taking over Director Dong's position. Come back; work with me. Do you want to be the Deputy Director of the Security Group?"

"Forget it. I have no strength to truss a chicken; I've never even held a gun. Work in the Security Group?"

Xu Sian knew he was provoking him. He took a deep breath, and the flush of liquor on his face faded quite a bit.

"Forget it. With you in Beijing, at least I won't end up on the streets, begging for a living."

"Don't gild your own face—"

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said: "You? Begging? Even if you sold yourself, nobody would want you!"

"Let me give you some honest advice: it's fine to have colorful flags fluttering outside, but the red flag at home must never fall!"

He looked at Xu Sian seriously and reminded him: "Especially at this critical time."

"The management committee team will be moved before the New Year, and the branch factory and department teams will be moved after the New Year. Prepare yourself mentally."

"Don't worry, I'm not a muddled person."

Xu Sian said seriously: "I won't play with fire and burn myself. We're already discussing the passenger ship you mentioned to me last time, and the first-class technology side..."

"Consider this matter yourself; I don't need to teach you how to handle it."

Li Xuewu tapped the table, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said: "Don't act on impulse, don't look for trouble, and even more so, don't give others the opportunity to escalate things."

"What were you talking about, so late?"

Watching the command vehicle leave, Yu Li turned to look at Li Xuewu and asked: "Does he have something to ask of you?"

"Hmm, he came to stabilize his heart."

Li Xuewu explained casually, turned to look at her, and asked: "You didn't go home?"

"You said you were coming over tonight; how could I go back?"

Yu Li rolled her eyes at him and said: "I knew you guys would drink too much. What were you thinking—"

"Who said I drank too much?"

Li Xuewu raised his hand to check the time; it was already past twelve midnight.

He had arranged for Han Jiankun to take Xu Sian back, while he himself stayed behind.

He had already called home before getting off work, knowing that Xu Sian had things to discuss.

It was agreed with Gu Ning that there was no need to wait after ten o'clock. If he didn't go back, Han Jiankun wouldn't go back either, and Qin Jingru wouldn't need to go back.

This situation was rare; it didn't happen a few times a year. Even if Gu Ning had an agreement with him, she wouldn't bind him or forbid him from having social engagements.

Her social circle was narrow, but she had heard from colleagues or patients that nobody in this day and age went home on time when working.

In the span of a year, excluding business trips, Li Xuewu went home immediately after work ninety percent of the time. The remaining ten percent was either because he had things to do at the compound or because he had social engagements like today.

Others might not know, but Yu Li felt it most clearly, because it was so long-lasting; she couldn't even taste meat a few times a year, so the memory was too profound.

Toasting them while they were eating was just to remind Li Xuewu that she didn't want him to leave.

It wasn't that she hadn't done such small things before, but the success rate wasn't very high.

Li Xuewu wasn't a guy who could be manipulated by women; he was both abominable and hateful.

"No, no—"

Yu Li had already said no, but the initiative wasn't in her hands.

That's right, it wasn't in her hands.

So, the sound of gunfire in the club's guesthouse rang for half the night, until the ammunition was exhausted.

"Starting to be willful again, aren't you?"

Yu Li pushed him and complained with dissatisfaction: "If you don't cherish your body like this, who's going to feel sorry for you?"

"I've never seen anyone like you—"

Li Xuewu tapped her nose and said with amusement: "Perfectly superimposing the two idioms 'insatiable' and 'stopping at the right point'."

"You think I don't... I'm doing it for your own good, just be willful—"

Yu Li climbed up, tidying up while muttering: "Greed for a moment of pleasure, suffering for half a lifetime. Do I still need to tell you these things?"

Li Xuewu was just like this; as long as it was someone who cared about him and was genuinely good to him, no matter how much they nagged, he had the patience to listen and understand.

Yu Li nagged on and on, but her hands were not ambiguous at all; she served him as if she were serving a master. What did he have to be arrogant about?

Seeing that Li Xuewu hadn't spoken for a long time, Yu Li talked for a long while, then looked up at him.

"Asleep?"

"No, thinking about things."

Li Xuewu was pillowing his head on his arms, looking at the painting on the wall by the bedside lamp, and answered.

Yu Li finished tidying up, then lay back down beside him and asked: "Thinking about what?"

"That Director Xu tonight is the head of Yingcheng Shipping, right? Is it related to him?"

"Hmm, something I've been busy with recently."

Li Xuewu explained casually: "Red Star Factory, in response to the compensation trade agreement, has reached a compensation method with the Santa Ya Group based on ten-thousand-ton cargo ships."

"That is to say, for a period of time in the future, Red Star Factory will continuously produce one, two, three ships... until the contract period ends."

He turned his head, looked at Yu Li, and introduced: "The Santa Ya Group is doing this to quickly recoup their capital, worried that their investment and cooperation in the mainland will go down the drain."

"But they don't have the qualifications or ability to operate shipping, so they are seeking partners."

"It's Dongfeng Shipping, right!"

Hearing this, Yu Li suddenly realized and answered.

She sat up, propped up by her arms, completely ignoring that the lamp was pointed at Li Xuewu's face.

"I was just saying that Biaozi has been writing back more often recently, and asking about the situation at Red Star Factory..."

"It's not Dongfeng Shipping?"

She said half of her sentence, but seeing Li Xuewu look at her without confirming, she knew she had guessed wrong just now.

However... Li Xuewu couldn't possibly be making wedding clothes for others. Providing cargo ships to the Santa Ya Group as a standard for the compensation agreement must have some ulterior motive...

"It's Hong Kong! It's Shunfeng Ocean!"

Yu Li sat there draped in a quilt; after her brain, which had just crashed, rebooted and was slightly sluggish, it became smooth again, and she thought of it immediately.

She patted Li Xuewu, widened her eyes, and asked: "Is it Shunfeng Ocean?"

"Hmm, I'm thinking," Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Whether it's better for Shunfeng Ocean to take over directly, or to take a detour from Dongfeng Shipping."

"That Director Xu came to find you today; are you planning to target him?"

As someone close to him, Yu Li naturally understood his way of doing things; he couldn't possibly shoot without a target.

Since he had started considering this matter after sending Xu Sian away, the two things must be connected.

Li Xuewu turned to look at her, raised his hand to wipe the "headlight," and asked: "Is it brighter now?"

"Go to hell—"

Yu Li slapped his large hand away and complained: "Can't you be a bit serious?"

"Serious... The Santa Ya Group has already agreed to contact Dongfeng Shipping."

Li Xuewu really started talking seriously, but his hand was a bit unserious while wiping the "headlight."

"Old Biaozi's side will find ways to recruit as many retired sailors or marines as possible to improve the overall quality of the crew and meet the conditions for ocean-going operations."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "We also need to recruit people here in Beijing; they need to have at least a junior high school education, be from ordinary family backgrounds, and be children of poor families who need to make a living."

"The personnel structure of the crew and management cannot be too simple, and even less so, too complex."

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but think of Zhou Ya Mei. Since she took charge of personnel work, he hadn't had to worry about this aspect anymore.

During those few days in Steel City, seeing the psychological counseling room completely changed, looking like an office.

With materials and personnel files visible everywhere, Li Xuewu even wanted to help her arrange a secretary.

The workload was truly heavy, especially without computer office work.

Even without the business of issuing wages, this place held the names and data of all the personnel in Li Xuewu's recycling station business, which was the foundation for financial wages.

Just thinking about it felt exhausting, and this exhaustion would last for at least three to five years.

Li Xuewu judged that after three to five years, at least until he went to Steel City, would the recycling station's massive organizational structure have time to be perfected.

When could he go to Steel City?

This question wasn't difficult, but to be able to go and come back, it depended on the next step, on how many people he could "send off" with this step.

"What are you looking at?"

Gu Cheng, like a street loafer, swayed and circled to the third floor of the Security Group.

The end of the corridor was the leader's office. He glanced at it without going in, but turned into the small office; this was the territory of the chief secretary, Peng Xiaoli.

Calling him "chief secretary" actually had a bit of teasing and joking meaning; Li Haiyang was the real chief secretary.

But there were people within the Security Group who teased Peng Xiaoli with this, and it passed with some banter.

Gu Cheng's relationship with Peng Xiaoli was naturally unusual, to the point that even Peng Xiaoli's father knew about it.

Seeing that his son had been working for three or four years without any intention of finding a partner to marry, his father was furious.

Not furious with anger, but anxious.

After all, with Peng Xiaoli's current position, his father didn't have anything to be picky about; he was very impressive.

Neighbors who worked in the factory all had to speak to their family politely.

But they had the face, what about the substance?

Hanging out with a kid named Gu Cheng all day, sometimes even getting off work together.

That would be fine, but what were they doing, whispering mysteriously while locked in a room?

If you say you're discussing work, doesn't the factory have a place?

If you say you're friends playing, why lock the door?

So, Peng Xiaoli's father had long since solemnly declared to him that he wouldn't care if he willfully found a widow, but he absolutely could not find someone with a "handle"!

Actually, Peng Xiaoli felt awkward in his heart too. His relationship with Gu Cheng used to be colleagues, now they were "damaging friends."

To be more precise, they were good friends based on mutual interests and the obligation of mutual support...

Sigh? Describing it this way seems even more ambiguous?

Can a husband and wife be described this way too?

"Are you this free?"

Peng Xiaoli glanced at him, thinking of his father's words, and felt ashamed on his face.

Don't even mention it, although Gu Cheng looked like a loafer, his face was actually handsome.

He didn't see him applying anything, but he rode his motorcycle around all day, yet his skin was very fair and tender.

If he had long hair reaching his waist, painted his eyebrows, and wore something seductive... wouldn't he be quite endurable?

Damn, what am I thinking!

"What are you doing? Why are you shaking your head?"

Gu Cheng, who had just sat on the sofa, wanted to answer, but saw Peng Xiaoli shaking his head like a lion.

He asked suspiciously: "Water in your brain?"

"Your damn brain has water!"

Peng Xiaoli retorted unhappily, but his gaze dodged, pretending to look at the document intently.

Gu Cheng didn't care; his good brother was a bit neurotic on weekdays, all from writing materials.

Of course, he wouldn't know that he took the other person as a good brother, while the other person took him as a good sister.

"What could I have? The biggest thing in this position is peace and safety!"

He lit a cigarette for himself, propped up his body, leaned over, and looked at Peng Xiaoli's document face-to-face.

This provoked Peng Xiaoli, who had a guilty conscience, and his face turned as red as a monkey's butt.

"What are you doing!"

"What are you doing?"

The two said the same sentence, but with different tones, and the meanings weren't exactly the same either.

Peng Xiaoli was asking why he had to lean over.

Gu Cheng was asking why he reacted so strongly.

"You're having a seizure!"

Snatching the document from Peng Xiaoli's hand, Gu Cheng pointed at Peng Xiaoli and said: "You've changed, you know. You didn't yell at me before when I did this—"

"Hiss—"

Gu Cheng's sentence left Peng Xiaoli unable to respond; he didn't know how to answer.

Such resentment is natural between "damaging friends," but what if one side is thinking about the other?

"I mean... you scared me!"

"What's there to be scared of when looking at a document!"

Gu Cheng sat back down, took a puff of his cigarette, and muttered: "Someone who didn't know would think you were reading erotica!"

"Go to hell—"

Peng Xiaoli grabbed his teacup, wanting to take a gulp to suppress his evil thoughts, but found it empty.

He wanted to stand up to pour hot water, but found he was "carrying a flag." If he stood up now, wouldn't he be discovered by his good brother that he was pointing a "gun" at him?

Damn! Someone save me!

He was now caught in a vicious cycle; he couldn't cool down without drinking water, but he couldn't drink water without cooling down. What to do?

"You're being so careful with an evaluation report on Chinese herbal medicine planting technology and experimental bases?"

Gu Cheng really thought Peng Xiaoli was secretly reading some banned book under the guise of writing a document.

He had done this plenty of times before, tearing off the novel he wanted to read and tucking it into the document...

Later, he forgot to take it out once, and Director Xu ended up reading the novel he was reading.

Fortunately, it was Director Xu, fortunately he had a sweet mouth, fortunately he had a tender face.

"What? Is your Security Group going to start a project again?"

"This is an old project from the group."

Peng Xiaoli rolled his eyes and explained: "The leader has already handed over the vehicle maintenance project; could he be short of this one?"

"It's a project that started with cooperation with several units like the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Red Star Village; it's mature now."

He took the report from Gu Cheng's hand and continued: "The leader's intention is to find a suitable opportunity to put the Chinese herbal medicine project into next year's development plan. Isn't he having me organize it?"

"No wonder everyone wants to be the leader's secretary—" Gu Cheng said enviously: "The work content you get to touch is just different."

"Unlike me, I'm like a damn errand boy all day, reminding this, requesting that."

"Don't be ungrateful—"

Peng Xiaoli glanced at him and asked: "What? You came suddenly, something up?"

"Can't I come if there's nothing up?"

Gu Cheng stood up, glanced outside the door, and seeing no one, leaned in front of the desk and whispered: "Director Li's anger hasn't been vented yet!"

"How many days has it been?"

Peng Xiaoli leaned back unnaturally, while nervously folding his right leg.

Gu Cheng was talking about business and didn't notice his nervousness, whispering: "It's the seventh day, a whole week, and I haven't seen the volcano erupt."

"The situation isn't quite right—"

He frowned and said: "If it was instigated by Director Li, then at least he should be putting on a show, right?"

"If it wasn't instigated by Director Li, then how could Director Li spare him?"

"The working group! Big brother!"

Peng Xiaoli reminded him: "Isn't he counting on the working group being in the factory, so the leader won't easily move him? Jumping around, trying to stand out?"

"I'm damn confused too—"

Gu Cheng leaned on the desk, his butt sticking out, making Peng Xiaoli's body tighten. Damn, this is killing me.

Of course, he wasn't... that, he considered himself... his orientation was normal; after all, he had a girl he liked, but why, when his father mentioned it, did he feel...

"What's wrong with you? Your complexion isn't right?"

Gu Cheng was talking about business, but seeing his good brother so nervous he was trembling, he asked: "Caught a cold?"

"No, a bit cold," Peng Xiaoli pulled his clothes from the back of the chair into his arms, signaling him to speak: "You say your piece, I'm fine."

Gu Cheng looked him over, and seeing he was really fine, continued: "That person has been acting a bit neurotic since returning from Yingcheng."

"Not to mention changing his previous arrogant style, he's polite to everyone now; it's a bit excessive!"

He curled his lip: "I believe dogs don't eat shit, but I don't believe he's changed his old habits!"

"If you bow to someone, you must have a request!"

"Request what? Is he crazy?"

Peng Xiaoli frowned: "He's just a Deputy Director of the Management Office; does he want to be crowned emperor?"

"No, I damn suspect he wants to lift the yellow robe and drape it over someone else's shoulders!"

Gu Cheng narrowed his eyes and reminded Peng Xiaoli: "Don't forget, Old Cheng has spoken for him several times, and Zhang Shicheng's relationship with him is also very close..."

"You're right to think that, but also wrong," Peng Xiaoli raised his eyebrows and said: "You've seen few things in the bureaucracy? Old Cheng might be a scapegoat."

"Fart! Old Cheng isn't a damn idiot!"

Gu Cheng widened his eyes and argued: "Who can control him? Who can restrict him?"

"If you want to say Zhang Shicheng, I don't believe it; if you want to say Shi Ruoweng, I damn well don't believe it even more!"

He said confidently: "It's only himself. Didn't you see? Old Cheng has inflated!"

"The working group is here; no matter the result, his work this year is remarkable. Even if lightning strikes, Old Li is there to bear it. He's a complete winner!"

Analyzing it like this, Gu Cheng emphasized in a low voice: "You say, if Old Li has an accident at this time, what will happen to the factory? Will the leadership consider letting him, the Deputy Director in charge of production, take over?"

"Let's just say, a ten percent chance, isn't that still a chance? The key is that he also has connections!"

"Unlikely, I still don't believe it."

Peng Xiaoli's mind was focused now, the heat had subsided, and he quickly stood up to pour hot water.

He turned his back to his good brother and explained: "Just like you said, Old Cheng isn't a damn idiot; he should be very clear that the more united and stable Red Star Factory is, the more he can get."

"How many pairs of eyes are staring at Red Star Factory? Who did what, we might not know, but the leaders above definitely know."

He turned back, holding his teacup, and continued: "Taking a step back, if he really did this, even if he took over the factory management committee, stabilizing the situation is a problem. Will the leadership give him that time?"

"Red Star Factory has today because of the right time, the right place, and the right people. An Old Cheng—"

"What if?"

Gu Cheng looked at Peng Xiaoli shaking his head slightly and frowned: "What if Old Cheng has other arrangements? What if the leadership above has other arrangements?"

"Furthermore, what if Old Cheng has truly mastered the evidence of Old Li's affairs?"

He raised his eyebrows: "I suspect Shi Ruoweng and Zhang Shicheng are up to something. I don't know if Old Cheng is involved, but he will definitely benefit."

"The hardest thing now is that the working group is in the factory; no one dares to act rashly. Beneath the surface calm, there are surging waves and undercurrents!"

"Find the mastermind—" Peng Xiaoli thought for a while and said seriously: "We've been watching Old Cheng for so long, it's time to get some results."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about!" Gu Cheng tapped the table and said: "If Old Cheng doesn't know about this, or only knows a part of it..."

"Then he's a damn idiot—"

Peng Xiaoli took a sip of hot water and said sarcastically: "He must have fallen into some trap; otherwise, Shi Ruoweng couldn't be so abnormal."

"I'm afraid that even if he falls into a trap, he doesn't know it himself," Gu Cheng sneered: "From his position, he can drag a group of people into the trap at any time."

"Forget him, Shi Ruoweng isn't quite right."

Peng Xiaoli narrowed his eyes and said: "Our energy is limited, our manpower is limited; we can't watch too many people. We just need to watch the main characters."

"I want to see what exactly is in his gourd."

He looked at Gu Cheng and asked with a curled lip: "Could it be that he met some expert in Yingcheng?"

"It's the end of the year; the leader wants progress."

Ding Zigui came down from upstairs, and seeing Li Xuewu walking from the opposite side, waited for a while in the lobby.

After meeting up, they walked together toward the backyard restaurant. He reminded him: "Engineering, technology, projects, reforms, personnel, finance... I'm going crazy."

"Hehe—isn't it like this every year."

Li Xuewu looked at him with a light smile and asked: "Why are you going crazy this year?"

"Comrade Xuewu, the volume of business this year is so much larger!"

Ding Zigui sighed and said: "Finance has already given the first draft, but there's no news at all from engineering."

"Their workload is a bit heavy; it's understandable. I'll communicate with them."

Li Xuewu nodded, understood what Ding Zigui meant, and took the initiative to take on this matter.

After all, his duty in the office was organization and coordination; it was only right for Old Ding to use him.

Besides, he was also the Deputy Group Leader of the Engineering Office, one of the three major offices. He was more familiar with projects like the Ecological Industrial Zone, so it was easier to communicate.

That was exactly what Ding Zigui meant. Seeing Li Xuewu take the initiative, he didn't look happy, but rather more melancholy.

"I didn't want to trouble you, but people say 'the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility,' heh—"

At the end, he laughed lightly, and said with apparent disdain: "Where did that bullshit rule come from."

"Whose work it is, is whose work. Can you do more work just because you're capable?"

Ding Zigui didn't know what was wrong, but he started complaining, and almost even swept Li Xuewu into it.

Li Xuewu listened silently, walked into the backyard restaurant with him, and lined up for food.

After entering the restaurant, Ding Zigui restrained himself and talked to Li Xuewu about the work in the office and the urgent schedule for the near future.

The focus was on Director Li's schedule; Li Xuewu was also responsible for planning the leader's schedule.

After talking for a while, when it was their turn to get food, Ding Zigui suddenly turned back and asked: "Is Old Xu back?"

"Who?" Li Xuewu was stunned for a moment, then reacted and asked: "Director Xu?"

"Hmm, I heard it from someone too."

Ding Zigui nodded, sighed, and said in a low voice: "I'm telling you, don't pass it on."

"His lifestyle in Yingcheng isn't very good; there are some rumors that have spread back... He should have come back this time to handle family affairs, sigh—"

As if he were very worried and regretful for Xu Sian, he said: "It's too inappropriate!"

Hmm, Xu Sian has a mole by his side! ===== CHAPTER 1217 =====