Chapter 1218: Zhao Lao Si must die!

"Another game?"

Li Li Xuewu shook the racket in his hand and invited Yang Jun with a smile.

Yang Jun, however, looked at him with amusement and anger and asked: "Do you hate me that much?"

"What are you saying—"

Li Li Xuewu handed the racket in his hand to Zhou Zhou Xiaobai, signaling her to take her little sisters to play.

A waiter from the guesthouse came over with a thermos to refill their hot tea and then left quietly.

"I might sound pretentious saying this," he picked up his teacup and said: "But the weekend rest time is really precious to me."

After drinking a sip of hot tea, basking in the sun, his body felt warm after sweating.

"Go home to see my parents, go out to see friends, or play with my children at home."

He turned to look at Yang Jun and said: "Do you know why I said I could only accompany you for the morning?"

"Because I'm going to visit my teacher in the afternoon to complete my coursework and assignments, and there's also my book."

"Oh? It seems I really misunderstood."

Yang Jun sized up Li Li Xuewu carefully and said: "Didn't expect you to be so busy during rest time, and not deliberately tiring me out because you hate me."

"Hmm, that's not it either, heh heh heh—"

Li Li Xuewu suddenly laughed and said: "I do mean to retaliate against you. I've been a bit annoyed by you following me for the past week; it's just a small trick."

"Hahaha—"

Facing Li Li Xuewu's sincerity, Yang Jun couldn't get angry at all; it was more funny and amusing.

He propped his elbows on the armrests and said with a smile: "Actually, I knew you were annoyed by me a long time ago."

"I was also deliberately following you, just wanting to see what reaction you'd have, hahaha—"

"If I had known, I would have invited you to play ball a long time ago," Li Li Xuewu smiled, leaned back in his chair, and shook his head slightly: "My clerk asked me if Team Leader Yang was doing it on purpose, following you every day!"

"Hahaha—"

As if he had succeeded, Yang Jun laughed very happily, waved his hand, and said: "He guessed wrong."

"I'm following you, not targeting you, but wanting to look up from your perspective."

He pointed to his head, then pointed to his feet and said: "And look down."

"You... what did you see?"

Li Li Xuewu understood the meaning in his words, pretended not to know, looked up, then looked down, and raised his eyebrows to ask: "Why didn't I see anything?"

"Hahaha—"

Yang Jun was laughed at by him again, and even the girls on the court looked over.

"You, you—"

Yang Jun counted and scolded Li Li Xuewu: "No wonder people call you the Tiger of the Security Office!"

"I think you should be called the Fox of the Red Star Factory now!"

"Fox borrowing the tiger's power?" Li Li Xuewu smiled and said without caring: "The idlers in our factory love giving people nicknames."

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai, who came over to pick up the ball, heard a few sentences of their conversation, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but twitch.

This sword light and shadow, back and forth, the sparks were about to set things on fire.

Her upbringing trained her to understand these words, but she wasn't willing to speak like this.

How to put it, it's more tiring than playing tennis!

Li Li Xuewu said who was an idler who loved giving nicknames; didn't someone just give him one?

Yang Jun, who was being pointed at by the mulberry and cursing the locust, didn't care. He asked with a smile: "I heard you also wrote a book?"

"Hmm? What kind of talk is this—"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him sideways and asked: "Do I look like someone who can write a book?"

"Zhou Xiaobai, do I look like a man of letters?"

"No—" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai swung the ball in her hand, caught it, sized up Li Li Xuewu carefully, and said: "Looking at your gentle and elegant, modest gentleman's demeanor, you don't look like a man of letters, you're a gentleman."

"See that," Li Li Xuewu pointed at Zhou Zhou Xiaobai and said to Yang Jun: "The eyes of the masses are sharp. Isn't it very normal for me to write a book?"

"Girl, find time to get a pair of glasses!"

Yang Jun sized her up with amusement and asked: "How did you see all this?"

"Still a modest gentleman, I think he looks more like a fierce bandit—"

"Hahaha—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai and the little sisters who stopped to look over laughed one after another.

Of course, they knew the leader was joking, so when Zhou Zhou Xiaobai said it, they started laughing.

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand, signaling them to continue playing, and emphasized: "Stereotypes, you are judging people by their appearance; it's not desirable—"

"I admit this," Yang Jun looked at him suspiciously and said: "But with your face, if you tell people you're a writer who writes books, who would believe it?"

"Sigh, no way," Li Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said: "For those of us who look ugly, our hearts are very sensitive, and we can better let our emotions flow from the tip of the pen."

"Hmm—" Yang Jun drank tea, his nose humming lightly: "These two sentences have a bit of flavor."

"I read the book you wrote, just these past few days," he explained: "I also heard people say you're a writer who can write books."

"Saying is saying, laughing is laughing. To be honest, I don't count as a writer."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the girls on the court overflowing with youthful breath, nodded slowly, and said: "At most, it counts as work summaries and thought reports."

"Don't be humble, I can understand it."

Yang Jun also looked at the court with the same posture and said: "Cadres who can write and fight like you are rare. I heard your articles are also very good."

"Just so-so. After all, the platform is small."

Li Li Xuewu said very humbly: "Our factory is only this big. There aren't many who can write articles, so it just shows off my three-tenths of ability as seven-tenths of momentum."

"I think otherwise—" Yang Jun smiled and said: "If these articles were frequently published in the factory newspaper, I would recognize your humility."

"Articles that can be published in major newspapers," he turned his head to look at Li Li Xuewu and asked: "You wouldn't be proudly humble, saying our industrial system has no one, right?"

"Hahaha—" Li Li Xuewu laughed and patted his thigh, saying: "Even this little pride of mine was seen through by you, hahaha—"

Whether sincerity is really sincere or fake, Yang Jun had followed Li Li Xuewu for several days and still hadn't understood this person; he was a bit too complex.

"Hey, university students are really different."

Yang Jun stood up with a smile, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and said: "Speaking in such a set of ways, if you don't admit you're old, it really won't do. The future is truly yours."

"If you want to say that, we have to play another game!" Li Li Xuewu stood up and gestured with a smile: "Listening to your words, you're very unconvinced!"

"It's yours now. We didn't say anything. What? Do you still want the future to be yours?"

"Ah? Hahahaha——"

"Who is that person?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai wasn't sitting still in the passenger seat either.

She twisted her body and sized up Li Li Xuewu; she couldn't look enough.

"Just the old man we played ball with; he's not a leader in your factory, right?"

"No, he came down from above to do research."

Li Li Xuewu glanced at her and explained casually: "What? You're even concerned about this?"

"I'm concerned about you—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai rested her arm on the control console, rested her face on her arm, and just looked at him like that.

"Is he here to investigate you? Or is he here to find fault in your factory, wanting to use you as a breakthrough?"

"Hmm, you're overthinking it; no."

Li Li Xuewu laughed lightly and asked: "Who taught you these messy things."

"Does this need someone else to teach?" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai curled her lip and said: "I heard a bit when you were talking; every sentence he said had thorns."

"Of course, you didn't spare him either."

She raised her eyebrows with a smile and said: "I just like watching you bully people and slap their faces."

"Nonsense, when did I bully anyone," Li Li Xuewu asked with amusement: "And, when did I slap anyone's face?"

"Hmph, you know what I mean."

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai pouted and whispered: "You can't indulge people like this; you have to be a bit more domineering."

"Hmm, you know again, right."

Li Li Xuewu asked without caring: "What do you want to eat at noon? Eat outside, or send you back to the club, or go back to the International Hotel to eat?"

"You're a bit inconsiderate—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai's smile disappeared, and she looked at him angrily: "Using people when facing forward, and not using them when facing backward, right?"

"Asked me to come and play tennis with you, but you spent the whole morning chatting nonsense with that annoying old man."

"Heh heh heh, he's only in his early forties."

Li Li Xuewu explained with a smile: "It's just that he looks a bit anxious, and his face looks old."

"Is that what I'm talking about?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai sat up straight, looked at Li Li Xuewu seriously, and said: "You don't respect me—"

"I can do anything for you, can't you accompany me a bit more for my sake?"

She looked like she was about to cry and said pitifully: "Are you in such a hurry to send me back?"

"Hmm? Then I was wrong?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said: "Thinking about it this way, I really shouldn't be, right?"

"Exactly—" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai pouted and complained: "You didn't think about taking care of my feelings."

"Oh, then I was wrong. Let's go eat; you must be very hungry."

Li Li Xuewu admitted his mistake very frankly and asked: "Do you want to eat barbecue, or hot pot? Or go eat stir-fry?"

"I... eat barbecue," Zhou Zhou Xiaobai still wanted to say a few more words to make him care about her more, but since the conversation turned to food, she shifted her attention: "Then where are we going to eat barbecue?"

"Kaorouji, Kaorouliu, Kaorouchen, Kaorouwan?"

Li Li Xuewu was very clear about it, naming several old brands in a row, not to mention the new barbecue shops.

"I've eaten at Kaorouji a few times; the taste is just so-so, the texture of the mutton has declined."

"Is that so? It seems it really has."

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai couldn't care about being angry anymore; listening to his analysis, she recalled that it really had.

"I really like Zizi barbecue, especially the sauce; that's a big deal."

Li Li Xuewu said while driving: "The soy sauce must be bulk, add a little vinegar, ginger, cooking wine, shrimp oil, plus shredded green onions and coriander leaves."

"Small bowl of white water, small dish of garlic cloves, white sugar garlic."

He described it like this: "When eating, wash the meat in white water first, then dip it in the seasoning."

"The meat is roasted on the Zizi, and eaten with garlic cloves, sugar garlic, or whole cucumber. Oh my—"

"Stop talking, my saliva is coming down!"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai knew he was deliberately teasing her when she heard this, and hammered him unwillingly.

"After talking for so long, where are we going to eat?"

"I do know a place; the taste is very authentic, but it's 'civilized eating'."

Li Li Xuewu introduced: "They roast it in the back kitchen and bring it to you. You don't mind, right?"

"Their mutton is definitely good mutton; I've taken friends there to eat a few times."

"Don't say anything more, let's go to this place you mentioned!"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai had played all morning and was already hungry, plus Li Li Xuewu said it like this.

She urged: "The distance won't be very far, right?"

"Not far, we're almost there—"

Li Li Xuewu turned the steering wheel, stepped on the gas, and accelerated, heading straight for Dongsi.

The closer they got to the target, the tighter Zhou Zhou Xiaobai's eyebrows frowned. Seeing the familiar building, she couldn't help but ask angrily: "Why did you send me here? Is it because you want to dump me!"

"Isn't that what you said—"

Li Li Xuewu parked the car at the club entrance, jumped out of the car with a smile, and said: "Let's go, let's go eat barbecue, the place I've been to."

"Not getting out of the car!" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai crossed her arms and said angrily: "You just want to send me back!"

"Haven't even eaten yet, why are you so arbitrary?"

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand, said to Zhao Lao Si who came out of the gate: "Park the car here. Not going in; will leave after eating."

Explaining this, he went around to the passenger side, opened the door, and carried the "little angry bag" out of the car.

"I'm angry—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai was really about to cry in anger; she thought they were going somewhere to eat, but didn't expect to be back at the club.

Before going out to play with you, I ate here; after going out to play with you, I'm still eating here!

Then didn't I go out for nothing!

"Alright, alright, go eat."

Li Li Xuewu winked at Zhao Lao Si, who was walking over, and pulled Zhou Zhou Xiaobai away with a smile.

Zhao Lao Si stood at the door and watched with amusement. Now this little girl is really easy to coax and deceive!

Otherwise, I'll deceive... pfft!

This isn't coaxing or deceiving; this is a lie of love!

"Who is it? Director Li's car?"

Zhao Lao Si entered the room, but Zhou Zhou Changli was propping his body on the windowsill and looking out.

He didn't see the license plate, just saw the iconic U-shaped antenna on the car roof.

In the capital, there's only this one car of Li Li Xuewu's with this kind of antenna; it's easy to recognize.

"Hmm, went to eat across the street with Zhou Zhou Xiaobai."

Zhao Lao Si took off his cotton coat and hung it on the wall, reaching out to warm himself by the stove.

"Just deal with this lunch simply. How about tonight? Listen to you or listen to me?"

"Stop talking nonsense, keep it simple."

Zhou Zhou Changli stretched out his cotton coat and lay sideways on the kang, saying impatiently: "I came back to handle business, not to pull gangs and cause trouble."

He had just finished his business in Fengcheng and hadn't stayed in Steel City for a few days before being sent back to the capital by Sister Zhou to recruit workers; the shipping side needed manpower.

Don't know what happened, this was already the third batch of people recruited this year, and it was still not enough.

It's just that compared to the previous times, there was a new requirement: must have a junior high school diploma or above.

Heard they were buying new ships on the shipping side and urgently needed to train a large number of crew members in advance.

Ever since the management of the 27 ships of Dongfeng Shipping was leased to Shunfeng Ocean Shipping, he hadn't been in contact with relevant personnel management business for a long time.

Even if he wanted to contact, he had to see people; the good brothers of the past were all on the ships.

Even if they were off duty, those bastards all went ashore at Tianjin Port and then returned directly to the capital.

Truth be told, his reputation in the capital had become increasingly loud in the past two years, especially in the circle, where he had become a big shot who couldn't be ignored.

Before, he had to beg and plead to trick one person after another, but now he didn't need to.

He didn't even dare to go home and had to hide out.

Because those who went out with him, the brothers who became crew members, all made money.

Crew members, in this era, without connections, without culture, without background, would they let you on a ship?

But you could go from Dongfeng Shipping; as long as you completed a certain amount of training in Steel City, you could get on a cargo ship and serve as a cargo crew member.

Actually, the work of a crew member isn't as fashionable as imagined, and even less as beautiful as the family expects.

Just looking at how much money they earn, the more it reflects their hardship and difficulty.

In this era, those people, being able to get a salary of 70 or 80 yuan, think about how they must be ordered around.

But "a thousand days of bitterness on the ship, showing off when returning home."

How much does a section chief earn? They earn the same. After expenses, every time they return to visit relatives, they have to take out a few hundred yuan; it's a proper counter-attack life.

As long as they followed Zhou Zhou Changli out, as long as they worked hard and earned money seriously, there wasn't a family that wouldn't rush to introduce partners.

Earning more than 800 yuan a year, this is the time when the city is full of people; if you can't find a job, hurry up and find a good family to marry into.

Think about it, where did Zhou Zhou Changli recruit these people from? Basically, they were children from the hutongs.

Families with many children, parents earning little, hungry after one meal—otherwise, could they have taken the initiative to go out?

Now it's good; one by one they returned home with great momentum. The good girls they didn't dare to look at before, now they can pick and choose.

The more impressive ones, who became third mates or boatswains on the ship, even dared to tell the matchmaker to change a batch.

Think about it, those crew members are living so comfortably; Zhou Zhou Changli must be very popular.

Of course, his salary isn't as high as those crew members who risk their lives, normally around 30 or 40 yuan.

It's just that he earns extra money on the side, plus business trip subsidies; he's busy, but he doesn't have to worry about food and drink.

Don't look at how little he earns; there are quite a few people rushing to curry favor with him.

There are crew members returning from vacation; gratitude is one aspect, but Zhou Zhou Changli is in charge of personnel.

There are also those who hear good things and want to arrange for their sons or relatives to get on the ship.

There are even more matchmakers staring at their house; as soon as they hear he's back, they must introduce girls to him.

"Annoying to death—"

Zhou Zhou Changli pulled the cotton coat over his face, full of depression and helplessness.

Zhao Lao Si, however, laughed and said: "I think Wang Ya is quite good; she really likes you."

"Get the hell out—"

Zhou Zhou Changli said in a muffled voice: "She's so good, why don't you marry her?"

"Hey! I don't have that good fortune!"

Zhao Lao Si laughed, saying: "I don't look as good as you, and I don't earn as much; why would she take a fancy to me—"

"Stop teasing me!"

Zhou Zhou Changli lifted the coat, narrowed his eyes, and said: "Wang Ya has three younger brothers. If she follows me, I'll basically be picking up three sons for free!"

"Why don't you say you have three brothers-in-law?" Zhao Lao Si teased him deliberately: "If you go out, who would dare to provoke you?"

"I'm damn well relying on my brothers-in-law to support me?" Zhou Zhou Changli turned his head and said: "Tell her to get lost; I don't need a father to support me."

"Hahaha—"

Zhao Lao Si didn't have a kind heart; he just knew he was depressed and was deliberately teasing him.

Wang Ya is the most beautiful girl in the Jinyu Hutong; she can wash, cook, and do housework. Whoever marries her home can just wait to be a master.

It's a pity, her fate is bad.

Her father said, she is worth three dowries.

That is to say, the marriage of her three younger brothers all depends on her marriage to solve.

Don't say there's no dowry in this era; for a young couple who are in free love and have jobs, parents and elders won't interfere, there's the organization.

However, these ordinary people in the Jinyu Hutong without proper jobs are just "parents' orders, matchmaker's words."

You want free love? Be free first.

It's not that Zhou Zhou Changli hasn't flirted with Wang Ya, but that was five years ago.

Wang Ya is three years older than him; he is nineteen this year, so how old is Wang Ya?

A 22-year-old old maid; who in the Jinyu Hutong dares to provoke her? Once you get involved, it's for a lifetime.

Not coincidentally, Zhou Zhou Changli doesn't dare to provoke her now, but she came to the door.

"Why, not seeing her?"

Zhao Lao Si stood by the window and looked out, lowered his head and said to Zhou Zhou Changli: "Director Li is eating across the street; if he comes back."

"Grass your grandfather!" Zhou Zhou Changli got up, pointed at Zhao Lao Si's nose, and questioned: "Did you invite her here—"

"I'm wronged to death!"

Zhao Lao Si saw him get up, laughed, and ran out, saying: "Treat me to wedding wine!"

"I'll drink your grandfather—"

Zhou Zhou Changli threw the shoe in his hand, and it hit the door of the security room.

He was really going to be angry to death; he couldn't go home, had been hiding here for two days, and hadn't done a damn thing.

"Ah—annoying to death

"Clatter—"

The door of the security room was opened again, and a tall figure walked in, even picking up the shoes on the floor.

"You're really hard to see; Zhao Lao Si has been asking for you for a long time, right?"

The security room had windows on all four sides, and it wasn't dark inside, so he saw the person clearly.

Taking the leather shoes handed over by the other party, Zhou Zhou Changli threw them on the floor and said: "Don't talk nonsense—"

"Didn't I tell you... Hey! What are you doing! Put them on!"

He was just saying this impatiently, when Wang Ya, who had entered, started taking off her clothes.

"Whether you want to do it here or go somewhere else, I'll accompany you, as long as you state your conditions!"

Wang Ya was truly a ruthless person; she stood there with her clothes twisted, looking at Zhou Zhou Changli and saying: "I don't want anything else from you, just get my three younger brothers on the ship, can you do that?"

"Get on your grandfather's bed..."

Zhou Zhou Changli had been in the underworld for so many years and had never been threatened like this.

Seeing her playing rough, he didn't even care about the shoes on the floor or the big cotton-padded jacket on the kang, and jumped up, wanting to dash out the door.

Unfortunately, Wang Ya had gone all out today; she spread her arms and blocked the doorway—if he dared to come over, she dared to act shamelessly; anyway, she had already arrived here today.

Zhou Zhou Changli had many tricks up his sleeve; knowing she was blocking the door, he deliberately feinted, teasing her to go to the door, then turned around to open the window and jump out.

But just as he turned to pull the window, he saw his good brother of a lifetime, Zhao Lao Si, holding the window sash tightly, refusing to let him out.

"I'll screw your grandfather, Zhao Lao Si—"

Zhou Zhou Changli jumped and cursed; this traitor actually dared to betray him—the person must have been invited by him, absolutely.

"Wang Ya, you're crazy!"

He hesitated for a moment, and the tigress behind him pounced, wanting to pull down his pants.

"I... Zhao Lao Si, wait until I get out, I'll screw you..."

Zhou Zhou Changli used all his strength; he had to escape the devil's claws today.

There was more than one window in the room, and he turned and aimed for another one.

But just as he grabbed his pants and moved over step by step, he saw Zhou Zhou Xiaobai grinning and using a stick to wedge the window shut... wedge it shut... wedge...

"Damn it—!"

He was going crazy; what kind of people were these he met today? What was Zhou Zhou Xiaobai doing here?

God sends a female lunatic to block your door, and will inevitably arrange two lunatics to block your windows?

"Ah! Fine! I surrender!"

Zhou Zhou Changli looked at the lunatic-like Wang Ya, his hands gripping his pants tightly.

Damn, he could already see his underwear; if she pulled any further, this would be a live broadcast.

Especially since it was lively in the room, and there were quite a few security guards and attendants watching the fun by the window.

Zhao Lao Si had really risked his life for his good brother's lifelong event; it had to be a success.

Otherwise... he had already packed his luggage, ready to go to the frontier to join his younger brother.

"Let go—"

Zhou Zhou Changli had no strength left and sat on the kang, looking helplessly at Wang Ya.

Wang Ya knelt on the kang, slowly loosening her hands, which were pale from overexertion.

She didn't lift her head, her shoulders heaving, already sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

A young girl, as long as she had a shred of shame, couldn't do this.

Rather than saying Zhao Lao Si had gone all out or Zhou Zhou Changli had surrendered, it was better to say she had died inside.

"Go, go, go, what are you looking at!"

Zhao Lao Si was acting like a person now, waving his hand to drive away the crowd watching by the window: "They're dating, what's there to see? If you want to watch, go date yourselves!"

"Zhao Lao Si, get your damn self in here!"

Zhou Zhou Changli was also confused now, looking at Wang Ya, who was scattered with clothes on the kang, and wanted to curse.

Zhao Lao Si knew it was enough, gave Li Li Xuewu an awkward grin, and ran into the room.

"Hey! Master Zhou, what are your orders—"

"Get your—" Zhou Zhou Changli didn't move his mouth, but his eyes signaled Wang Ya on the kang, telling him to come over and handle it.

Zhao Lao Si could handle anything, even help him put on shoes, but not the one on the kang.

"Ahem, are you hungry?"

He coughed, changing the subject: "I'll go get you something to eat."

"You damn... stop!"

Zhou Zhou Changli avoided Wang Ya, jumped off the kang, grabbed Zhao Lao Si by the collar, and said: "Just finished lunch, what kind of food do you want!"

"Hmm—"

Just as the two were deadlocked, Zhou Zhou Xiaobai lifted the door curtain and walked in, followed by Li Li Xuewu.

"It's fine, you guys continue!"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai knew how to talk: "We're just here to watch the fun; it's too cold outside."

Zhou Zhou Changli: "..."

(Listen, is that human talk?)

"Director Li, I..."

He was a bit wilted, let go of Zhao Lao Si, and turned to look at Wang Ya on the kang.

Perhaps hearing people come into the room, Wang Ya sat up with her back to them and tidied her clothes.

Li Li Xuewu avoided suspicion and didn't go into the inner room, but stood in the outer room and signaled: "Your partner?"

"No—"

Zhou Zhou Changli couldn't explain it even with eight hundred mouths, and glared at Zhao Lao Si while answering.

"She's a neighbor, wants to..."

"The childhood sweetheart kind," Zhao Lao Si interjected from the side: "They were so close when they were little."

"I'll screw your..." Zhou Zhou Changli raised his fist to hit him—I don't need you to help me explain!

But in front of Li Li Xuewu, and with Zhao Lao Si shrinking back like a quail, he didn't make a move.

"I've returned, and some neighbors are deliberately making trouble, saying they want to play matchmaker for us," Zhou Zhou Changli signaled to Wang Ya in the room: "She might have misunderstood; I really don't have that..."

"The childhood sweetheart kind," Zhao Lao Si added again: "He even flirted with Sister Wang, saying he wanted to... Hey! Hey!"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was grabbed by the collar by Zhou Zhou Changli and kicked out the door.

The partner can be acknowledged, but Zhao Lao Si must die!

"Neighbors, knowing each other well," Li Li Xuewu saw the room was tidied up, walked in, looked at the stubborn girl, and said: "Isn't this pretty good?"

She wasn't a beauty with tears like pear blossoms, but rather seemed like a heart turned to ash, full of unwilling ice.

Seeing a scarred man looking at her, Wang Ya wiped away her tears and stood up from the edge of the kang.

She didn't pay attention to Li Li Xuewu, just looked at Zhou Zhou Changli and said: "Let my younger brother on the ship!"

"You're a man; you must do what you say!"

"What? Why are you looking at me?"

Li Li Xuewu was observing the stubborn girl when he saw Zhou Zhou Changli secretly looking at him.

He laughed: "Just let him on the ship; aren't you back to recruit people? You don't take care of your brother-in-law? I didn't know you were so selfless."

Wang Ya glanced at him, thinking that this person was dressed neatly, but had a fierce face.

He spoke in a loose, rogue-like, and careless manner—at a glance, he wasn't a good person.

Her family was poor and didn't have good elders, but she had never complained, nor had she ever degenerated; otherwise, she would have gone bad long ago in these years.

The reason she was pitied by neighbors was because of her excellence, self-reliance, and self-love.

Instead, it made her father look like a piece of trash.

If she hadn't held a determination to die today, how could she have lowered her face to do this?

She had already lost face; if she didn't get a definite answer, how could she be willing?

"I'm asking him; why are you joining in the fun?"

Saying this, she turned and went towards Zhou Zhou Changli, looking like she would fight to the death if he didn't agree.

Zhou Zhou Changli was furious, grabbed her arm, and wanted to give her a slap.

But Wang Ya accepted her fate and stood there straight, closing her eyes and waiting for him to hit her.

And he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Are you a fool!"

Zhou Zhou Changli didn't hit her, but pinched her chin and signaled to Li Li Xuewu: "Your brother's matter... do you know who he is?"

"Alright, Old Si was right."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the two and said: "It really is childhood sweethearts."

After speaking, he walked out, pulling Zhou Zhou Xiaobai, who wanted to continue watching the fun, out the door.

Zhou Zhou Changli was crying without tears, chasing after them to explain: "That bastard Old Si is talking nonsense—"

"Who is he?" Wang Ya followed, grabbing his sleeve and asking: "My brother..."

"Come, come, everyone raise your glasses!"

Zhao Lao Si laughed and raised his enamel mug, saying to everyone in the restaurant: "No outsiders, all brothers, let's have a toast first!"

"The purpose of today is only one: to welcome Li Kezhang Zhou back!"

"Good—"

In these years, there were people in restaurants who couldn't be offended, and those were the reckless little brats.

These little brats were divided into several types, and the ones who acted without scruples were these "Wan Zhu" (tough guys).

Today, the former big brother of the tough guys, Zhou Zhou Changli, who had long since washed his hands of the underworld, returned to the capital, and Fourth Master of the underworld sent out invitations to treat everyone.

Those who had good relationships in the past all came, which counted as probing the wind and the path.

Everyone said that those who followed Zhou Zhou Changli made money, but these tough guy big brothers knew best.

Who wouldn't know how much those who sent their brothers on ships earned in wages?

So, coming to the gathering today, rather than saying it was to welcome Li Kezhang Zhou, it was more like opening a recruitment fair.

Zhou Zhou Changli was truly particular, and he knew who was willing to get on a ship and who could endure this hardship.

Getting on a ship required not only enduring hardship but also having the right mindset, courage, and principles.

He didn't know how to cultivate such people, but he knew that tough guys generally had these traits.

Every time he came back to recruit, his targets were these tough guys who weren't doing well and were frustrated.

Which big brother didn't have a few older subordinates who needed to support their families and were anxious to wash their hands of the underworld, just right to arrange a way out for?

Zhou Zhou Changli had already revealed before the banquet started: ten new ships, one large ship, a rare opportunity, first come, first served.

Those with qualified education could go to the navigation school in Yingcheng for training; those with a high school education who were willing to go to sea could even train to be a third mate.

The requirements were high this time, and the salary and benefits were also high.

During the banquet, the big brothers toasted each other, talking about making money while bragging.

Among the tough guys who came today, Zhang Wang Jianguo had the most face.

He had messed with Red Star Factory a while ago, but wasn't caught, luckily bypassing it, and was scared to death.

Recently, because he was involved in a few things, he made a small profit, and so he stood tall.

A brand new green cotton-padded jacket—this was the fashion that all young people dreamed of these days.

What he was wearing was even more majestic and dashing than the average young person.

"Military officer's, tower hat—these are things money can't buy."

Zhang Wang Jianguo curled his lips and introduced: "Only those in the small courtyards can wear them."

Tough guys, after all, had no channels to integrate into mainstream society, and had to compete with the old soldiers in momentum.

Therefore, stripping clothes and snatching hats became the most justified fuse for fights between the two sides.

Otherwise, where do you think Zhang Wang Jianguo's clothes came from?

Can you imagine that in these years, there are people snatching clothes to wear?

If you put it in later generations, you would be scolded for being too poor to live, but it happened now.

"The characteristic of those old soldiers is that after one is knocked down, the others all run away."

Zhang Wang Jianguo took a gulp of wine and talked eloquently about his recent glory.

Especially, he showed off his new girlfriend to Zhou Zhou Changli.

Zhou Zhou Changli had seen the girl sitting beside him long ago—an unexpected person, Tong Yan.

The reason he knew Tong Yan wasn't through Zuo Yan Jie, and even less through Li Li Xuewu, but through Seeing Wei Guo.

They were all playing on the streets, and he knew the situation of these people like the back of his hand, including the girls they picked up.

Just now, while listening to Zhang Wang Jianguo bragging, he was secretly observing this girl.

Having followed several big brothers, why did she like "little wolf dogs" so much?

The key was that the people she followed before were all from the old soldiers' circle; what kind of ghost was she playing this time?

Playing more and more wildly each time?

Jumping from that side to this side, did Zhang Wang Jianguo know her history?

Did that side know she jumped to this side?

I don't know if that side didn't want her anymore, despised her, and now she's playing pure.

It was rumored in the underworld that the day Seeing Wei Guo was caught, he was hiding in her house.

Seeing Wei Guo ate a peanut (was executed), but she was safe and sound, disappeared, and there was no news in the circle.

Oh, so she just stopped hanging out in that circle and changed tracks—

Tong Yan was wearing a 50-style yellow cotton-padded jacket, her face was fair, her eyes were big, and now sitting beside Zhang Wang Jianguo, she looked really pure.

Zhou Zhou Changli had also been a tough guy, and naturally knew the attraction of such a girl's identity to tough guys.

He had wanted to mention it several times, to lead the topic to getting on the ship and going to sea.

The undercurrents in the capital, he had already felt them in Steel City.

The spring of the tough guys had passed, and the bitter winter was coming.

This was the time to retreat while one could, throw away illusions, and throw away the skin they wore before.

Go out for a few years, save some family foundation, and when the wind passes and the environment improves, come back.

Set up a home, set up a business—what else could be happier?

But the words of recruitment didn't come out, and the words to remind the other party that they were already on the edge of a cliff and to turn back were even less likely to be said.

Maybe it was self-confidence, but Zhang Wang Jianguo kept using his glorious life to interrupt, not letting Zhou Zhou Changli say those words.

He had his pride and wasn't willing to eat this food delivered to his mouth.

Looking at Zhang Wang Jianguo's near-crazy smile, Zhou Zhou Changli only felt cold all over, terrified.

Was this person crazy, or was this era crazy?

On the way back, Zhou Zhou Changli thought for a long time, and then warned Zhao Lao Si that they couldn't have close contact with them anymore, so as not to bring trouble to the family.

He bluntly pointed out that the one named Tong Yan was a stirrer, a death talisman, and a red-faced disaster.

Any glory was empty; Tong Yan could be despised in the old soldiers' circle, but that side absolutely wouldn't tolerate her trampling on the reputation of this circle.

Therefore, her arrival itself was to sow discord, fan the flames, and the conflict between the two sides would inevitably explode one day, with her as the fuse.

Zhao Lao Si admitted that rumors already existed, saying Tong Yan was coerced by Zhang Wang Jianguo, with various versions.

There were also upgraded versions and colored versions.

Things like the Summer Palace cave, the stormy night, burning... and so on.

Listening to Zhao Lao Si say this, Zhou Zhou Changli completely gave up, and from this day on, he only did recruitment work, hiding in the club and not going out the rest of the time.

There wouldn't be any more trouble like Wang Ya.

He had learned a sentence from Li Li Xuewu:

This is an era that deliberately divides people into levels; the prejudices, discrimination, and hatred between levels are constantly incubating and manufacturing lies.