Chapter 1228: Rumors

The work team returned quickly and left just as fast.

No, that's not quite right.

If they had arrived and departed on the same day, one could call that fast.

Team Leader Yang Jun had planned exactly that: to cut through the complexity with a swift stroke and avoid further trouble.

Having arrived at Red Star Factory in the morning, as long as Li Li Huai De's stance was clear, sorting everything out wouldn't have taken even half a day.

But after the work concluded, they greedily indulged in just one reconciliation banquet hosted by Li Li Xuewu, and then...

No one could ever walk away from a drinking table hosted by Li Li Xuewu.

This was a truth Yang Jun had summarized at the cost of sleeping dead for an entire night.

Waking up in the morning and seeing the familiar surroundings, realizing he was still at the Red Star Factory guesthouse, he wanted to slap himself twice.

One shouldn't fall into the same pit twice in a row, yet he had managed it.

This great pit called Li Li Xuewu; he had just climbed out of one hole only to tumble straight into another.

"How did I even get upstairs?"

Yang Jun came down from the upper floor and asked his colleagues from the work team, "Who took my clothes off?"

"I heard it was the comrades from the General Office of the Management Committee."

Zhou Zechuan, wearing an equally bewildered expression, smiled bitterly and said, "If you don't know, then I certainly know even less."

"I passed out even before you did."

"Damn it—"

Yang Jun gritted his back teeth and said hatefully, "Hurry up and pack; we're leaving. This Red Star Factory is too damn eerie!"

"Good morning, Leader—"

Seeing them come downstairs, Qin Qin Huairu walked over proactively to greet them, saying, "Breakfast is ready; please..."

"No need for the trouble; we're not hungry."

Yang Jun waved his hand, politely declining Qin Qin Huairu's kindness, and signaled his entourage to pack up and leave immediately.

Looking at the awkward guesthouse director, he hesitated a moment before asking, "Yesterday... did your Deputy Director Li also drink too much?"

"Ah? Oh, you mean yesterday."

Qin Qin Huairu paused for a second, then smiled and explained, "It wasn't my shift yesterday, so I'm not very clear on the situation."

Just as Yang Jun breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking both sides had fought to a standstill with mutual damage, he heard Director Qin say, "However, when Deputy Director Li left yesterday, he reminded my colleague that once you woke up, we must notify him immediately."

"Wait a minute!"

Yang Jun raised his hand to stop Qin Qin Huairu, arched an eyebrow, and asked, "Your Deputy Director Li left last night? He didn't stay here? He wasn't drunk?"

He glanced suspiciously upstairs, then continued asking, "Did he walk out on his own?"

"It seems so—"

Qin Qin Huairu maintained her smile, though it unavoidably carried a hint of deeper meaning.

She nodded politely and said, "Deputy Director Li wasn't sure if you had rested well, so he said he would host another banquet for you at noon to 'air things out'."

"Excuse me—"

Seeing the strange expressions on the work team leaders' faces, she added an explanation, "That last sentence was Deputy Director Li's exact wording; that is precisely how he said it."

"What are you still standing there for—"

Seeing the driver who had come with them enter from the doorway and stare blankly at him, Yang Jun quickly waved his hand and said, "Prepare the car; we leave immediately."

He pointed at Qin Qin Huairu and asked, "Don't tell me you've already notified Li Li Xuewu."

"My apologies, Leader," Qin Qin Huairu smiled apologetically and said, "If this has caused you any inconvenience..."

"Hurry up!"

Without waiting for Qin Qin Huairu to finish her pleasantries, Yang Jun waved to his colleagues coming down the stairs and strode quickly out of the lobby.

The cadre following behind asked in surprise, "Team Leader Yang, aren't we eating breakfast?"

"Eat? Are you still thinking about eating?" Yang Jun pulled open the car door and warned, "If we eat more, we won't be able to leave even today!"

Air things out? Air my ass!

At this rate, will the drinking ever end?

"Team Leader Yang, Team Leader Yang—"

Qin Qin Huairu followed them out and called out, "Our Deputy Director Li will be here shortly; would you like to wait a moment?"

"Did you all hear that?"

Yang Jun called out to his colleagues, "Li Li Xuewu is coming soon; shouldn't we get out of here immediately?!"

"Oh my, why is it like this—"

Feng Juan came out from the lobby, and seeing the motorcade already departing, she said with some surprise, "Didn't we say Deputy Director Li was coming to see them off?"

"It seems it's unnecessary," Qin Qin Huairu said with amusement, "The leaders seem very close and very polite; no seeing-off is needed."

It really seemed that way; they appeared so afraid of troubling Red Star Factory that they slipped away secretly, unwilling to cause trouble for the factory leadership.

She turned back to ask Feng Juan, who had been on duty last night, "What time did they drink until?"

"Just until a normal time; before eight o'clock, I suppose."

Feng Juan shook her head slightly and said, "That Team Leader Yang seemed quite capable of holding his liquor; I heard him asking for more wine repeatedly."

"Capable of drinking... huh?"

Qin Qin Huairu turned her head to look at the guesthouse entrance and the direction where the motorcade had departed.

Seeing how urgently Team Leader Yang of the work team had left, appearing so afraid of meeting Li Li Xuewu, it seemed... his ability to drink was only average.

"Where are the people? Did they leave?"

Li Li Xuewu got out of the car and saw only Qin Qin Huairu standing at the entrance basking in the sun, as if waiting for him.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he glanced toward the garage; seeing the working group's vehicle already gone, he knew they had left.

Qin Qin Huairu walked down the steps and replied with amusement, "Like refugees fleeing disaster, they packed their things in frantic haste, not wanting to waste a single moment, terribly afraid of running into you seeing them off."

"What a fuss this has caused—"

Li Li Xuewu also broke into a smile, glancing back toward the main gate; chasing after them now would be pointless.

The words he had spoken to Feng Juan, who was on night duty, were merely intended to tease Yang Jun and the others; after all, one could not let drinking interfere with work.

"I was even urging Feng Juan to call you again," Qin Qin Huairu said with a laugh, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she teased, "Who would have thought your eagerness to do mischief would scare them off?"

"When I called again, Secretary Peng answered, saying you had already come out, so I had no choice but to wait for you here."

"The moment I got the call, I rushed out."

Li Li Xuewu curled the corner of his mouth and said, "One must see guests off, after all; everyone who comes is a guest."

"Who would have expected them to become so reserved?"

"How could they not be reserved when you drank them all under the table—"

Qin Qin Huairu looked at him with amusement and said, "Is this how you treat guests? Everyone knows you can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk."

"They didn't know that—"

Li Li Xuewu said with a chuckle, "These days, it's rare to find someone willing to drink with me; last night was truly quite interesting."

"So wicked—" Qin Qin Huairu chided him softly, leaving unsaid the latter half of her thought, 'I like it,' since this was during working hours.

"Very well, since they declined any courtesy, I need not extend further hospitality as the host."

Li Li Xuewu turned back to pull open the car door and said with a smile, "Go about your business; I'm heading back to work."

"Wait a moment—"

Qin Qin Huairu walked to the car door, blocked his way with her body, and asked while looking at him, "Let me ask you about those rumors."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu looking at her with an amused yet helpless expression, she knew he was not angry, so she spoke somewhat boldly, "What I hear from you must be the truth."

"What do you want to know?"

Li Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "It has nothing to do with you anyway."

"Precisely because it has nothing to do with me that I want to hear it."

Qin Qin Huairu said with a smile, "Don't you know that we women love hearing about such things?"

"Just tell me, did that person really do such a thing?"

She arched her eyebrows and said, "The day Hu Yanqiu from the Committee Office came here holding her child, I already knew something was wrong."

"I just didn't expect... that she really ended up with Zhang Zhang Shicheng, and then with... that other person?"

"Mm, it's pretty much exactly as you've heard."

Li Li Xuewu had no interest in gossip; looking at her, he said, "This is not material for idle chatter after tea or meals, nor is it anything interesting or glorious; it is better not to discuss it."

"It is not good for anyone."

He gestured toward the car door with a nod of his head and said, "Wouldn't it be better to devote more of your mind to your work?"

"Fine, fine, then just one last question."

Qin Qin Huairu truly wanted to indulge in this gossip; shifting her position slightly, she asked, "What about that person, Deputy Director Cheng?"

Her eyes filled with curiosity as she asked, "How was he dealt with? The working group returned specifically for him, didn't they?"

"I think you are wasted at the guesthouse—"

Li Li Xuewu opened the car door, climbed into the vehicle, and teased her with amusement, "You should become a reporter for the factory newspaper; you have such a knack for digging up news."

"You only know how to mock me—"

Seeing him close the car door, Qin Qin Huairu pouted and muttered, "Even if you don't tell me, I can still find out..."

"The results of the disciplinary action won't be announced so quickly."

Just as the car was about to start, Li Li Xuewu suddenly rolled down the window, looked at her, and said, "That is a matter for those above."

Without waiting for Qin Qin Huairu to react, he rolled the window back up; Han Han Jiankun, understanding the signal, started the car and drove out of the courtyard.

Qin Qin Huairu stood in place pondering for a while before finally understanding the meaning behind Li Li Xuewu's words.

Very soon, within the span of that morning, new news began circulating within the administrative offices.

Regarding this case, further disciplinary results had been issued:

Wang Zijian, a clerk in the External Services Office of the Management Committee, is under investigation by the Security Group for fabricating reimbursement vouchers to embezzle operational expenses, participating in supply procurement fraud, and leaking work-related information.

Hu Yanqiu, a clerk in the External Services Office of the Management Committee, is under investigation by the Security Group for fabricating procurement vouchers, leaking work-related information, and causing significant impact due to improper conduct in her personal life.

Zhang Zhang Shicheng, Director of the External Services Office of the Management Committee, is under organizational review for instigating the fabrication of reimbursement vouchers and business applications to embezzle operational expenses, instigating supply procurement fraud, leaking work-related information, committing fraud, and seriously violating disciplinary rules regarding personal conduct.

Shi Shi Ruoweng, Deputy Director of the Management Committee, is under organizational review for participating in the fabrication of reimbursement vouchers and business applications to embezzle operational expenses, and for participating in supply procurement fraud and deception.

Ding Yan Zigui, Director of the Management Committee, is under organizational review for illegally accepting valuable gifts and items, and for exploiting his position to seek benefits for others.

Except for Hu Yanqiu, who is under residential surveillance due to her nursing period, all other individuals involved in the case have been formally investigated.

From the details disclosed in the factory's bulletin, it is evident that the handling of clerks differs from that of those in charge.

Moreover, the bulletin states that the outcome for all is merely 'under investigation' or 'under review,' with no final conclusions yet reached.

But this in itself is already the conclusion.

What can be made public represents only what has currently been verified; as for how they will be punished and with what severity, one needs no great insight to guess.

Looking beyond the surface to the essence, the issues concerning Deputy Director Cheng, which everyone knows about, were not mentioned in the bulletin.

Furthermore, people in the administrative offices are all saying that Deputy Director Cheng has not been in his office since yesterday.

Those here at the guesthouse know that Deputy Director Cheng has not come here either, nor has there been any matter of isolated investigation.

Before the working group arrived, the factory's investigation team had already concluded their interrogations, and all relevant personnel had been transferred to the detention cells of the Security Section.

Of course, it must be noted that Hu Yanqiu was never at any point in a state of detention; this was a requirement made by Li Li Xuewu.

If there are problems or mistakes, they must be dealt with, but this cannot interfere with taking care of the child.

Even now, both Gu Gu Weijie and Li Li Xuewu have given Hu Yanqiu reassurance: as long as she clarifies everything, she will receive the best possible outcome.

However, this comes with a precondition: she must treat the child well and fulfill her responsibilities as a mother.

This is not discipline; this is human nature.

Like Hu Yanqiu, Ding Yan Zigui was also not under detention; after his conversation with Deputy Director Gu concluded, he was relieved from his post.

But according to organizational procedures, his position had not been suspended.

A final determination could only be made after the factory conducted further audits and investigations into his issues and issued a disciplinary decision.

Until then, Ding Yan Zigui's situation closely resembled Cheng Kaiyuan's, though slightly more severe.

The difference was that Ding Yan Zigui had to wait for the Factory Management Committee to finish its deliberations before learning the outcome, whereas Cheng Kaiyuan had to wait for news from above, as his case was highly unusual.

Just how unusual was it?

Let's put it this way: no one had relieved him of his duties; he could have reported to work normally, yet he had requested leave.

On one hand, the working group had spoken with him and asked for his cooperation in the investigation; on the other, having learned the specific details from the factory's investigation team, he felt too ashamed to face anyone and had gone home to reflect.

During this period, he also had to actively resolve his relationship with Hu Yanqiu, as this would affect how the authorities above handled his case going forward.

Time was extremely tight; after arranging for his secretary, Xiao He, to turn over all the gifts sent by Zhang Zhang Shicheng, Deputy Director Cheng went to deal with the crisis brewing in his own backyard.

He had to pacify the "red flag" in his backyard while also handling the "colorful flags" outside.

Internally, he endured the pain of being deceived by his former secretary, having signed off on numerous business applications without even reading them, and silently shouldering many false accusations on Zhang Zhang Shicheng's behalf.

Of course, the biggest false accusation loomed right before his eyes: that child, whose origins were unclear and inexplicable.

Initially, he had even believed the child was his own, going so far as to allocate part of his wages to buy Hu Yanqiu nutritious supplements.

Never did he expect that before, unaware the child wasn't his, he treated him as his own; now, knowing the child wasn't his, he still had to treat him as his own.

Life is unpredictable; the large intestine wraps the small intestine.

Issues regarding lifestyle conduct were generally not included in investigation bulletins, but Li Li Xuewu had specifically emphasized this point during the meeting.

In other words, starting from this instance, Red Star Factory would begin rectifying such issues; at the very least, matters had already become serious.

Cheng Kaiyuan could also feel this pressure and understood that the factory held grievances against him.

Especially since his actions had damaged Red Star Factory's reputation, he felt too ashamed to come to work, forcing himself to go see Hu Yanqiu.

What the two of them discussed, or how they discussed it, no one knew; everyone within the factory administration was speculating.

Some said Deputy Director Cheng would carry his goodness to the end, seeing things through to the final step, divorcing and marrying Hu Yanqiu to eliminate future troubles.

Others claimed that having gained a brief respite, Deputy Director Cheng would inevitably strike hard, even if it meant ruining his family financially, just to settle matters with Hu Yanqiu.

Still others argued that Zhang Zhang Shicheng was completely unable to get out of his predicament, and since it wouldn't be easy for Hu Yanqiu to find another father for that child, she certainly wouldn't let Deputy Director Cheng off the hook.

Opinions varied widely, and discussions were rampant.

But as the case investigation entered the evidence-supplementation phase, and disciplinary inspection personnel became available, their figures once again appeared in the corridors of the administration building.

This fervor could not be extinguished by a single basin of cold water; with lingering smoke rising ceaselessly, it was bound to cause a stir for some time longer.

As the year-end approached and the last day of the solar calendar drew near, everyone's thoughts shifted from gossiping to preparing for the New Year.

One by one, they waited for the notice in the newspaper to see if celebrating the Lunar New Year would be permitted this year.

Li Li Xuewu, however, knew that their waiting was in vain; the Lunar New Year would still have to be celebrated secretly.

The factory would not grant holidays for the Solar New Year, but there would be special benefits.

"Let's just say, selling electric fans in the dead of winter—whose idea was that?"

Li Li Xuewu picked up the factory newspaper with an amused smile, pointed at the "advertisement" above, and said to Yu Yu Decai, "Truly a bizarre notion."

"Hmm, I heard sales are quite good."

Yu Yu Decai, also holding a newspaper, said with a chuckle, "Who could have anticipated this timing? Even I'm thinking of buying one."

"Come to think of it, the electric fans produced by our factory are indeed superior to those imported from the Russians."

He sat up straight, lifted his teacup, and said, "My family bought a Russian one; come summer, you can just listen to it."

"Whirrr—"

After taking a sip of hot tea, Yu Yu Decai curled his lips and said, "It sounds just like a helicopter rotor, buzzing away like that."

"Ours from the factory is much better; it doesn't make such a loud noise, yet the airflow is still very strong."

"The number of blades is different," Li Li Xuewu replied while looking at the newspaper, "and the motor and body materials differ as well."

"This demonstrates the advantages of technological integration, doesn't it?"

Only after finishing that section did he lift his head, smiling at Yu Yu Decai as he said, "Production capacity is limited this year; next year will see continuous explosive growth, so you can perfectly well wait until summer to buy one."

"Is that the plan you discussed with the Sales Department?"

Yu Yu Decai said with a smile, "It sounds somewhat similar to the old tactic of restricting sales to create scarcity; that's what I heard, anyway."

"It sounds the same, but the purpose is different."

Li Li Xuewu put down the newspaper, lifted his teacup, and said, "In the past, restricting sales was done to inflate prices."

After taking another sip of hot tea, he continued, "What our factory is doing is hunger marketing, aimed at product promotion."

"Hehehe, I don't understand that."

Yu Yu Decai raised his hand to gesture toward the window outside, saying with a light laugh, "I only know that the scene over at Dashitang is huge; it's packed with people."

"They specifically chose that location."

Hearing his words, Li Li Xuewu stood up, walked to the window, and looked out; seeing the crowd surging near the cafeteria, he couldn't help but laugh aloud.

For year-end benefits, Red Star Factory had gathered some of its flagship products to hold an internal exhibition and sale.

Daily hardware, cotton and silk fabrics, snacks and non-staple foods, home appliances, and so on.

Among the appliances were radios, washing machines, televisions, electric fans, and flashlights.

Special items also included motorcycles and three-wheeled motorcycles.

Any factory employee with purchase eligibility and financial means had these goods displayed at the Dashitang for selection.

For today and tomorrow only, there were no purchase limits or ticket requirements; any factory employee could buy goods from the factory by presenting their organizational affiliation.

Of course, the Security Section had arranged for people to keep watch, and any instance of profiteering through resale would be dealt with severely.

Specifically, the factory did not restrict purchases for relatives, but quantities could not exceed normal limits; internal reporting channels existed, and anyone caught violating this would essentially be fired.

Yu Yu Decai had come to Li Li Xuewu's office to discuss precisely this matter; currently responsible for the routine work of the Security Group, he was somewhat busy.

"Goods shouldn't be displayed in excessive quantities," Li Li Xuewu said as he turned and walked back to his seat, "otherwise people will always hesitate."

"Employees will feel that there's no harm in not buying today and can just come back to look when they have free time."

He smiled and said, "First, get the exhibition underway, open the gate slightly to test the depth, and then close the gate again."

"This allows those with purchasing power to buy first, creating an advertising effect and gathering brand awareness."

"The scarcer it is, the more tense people become, right?"

Yu Yu Decai shook his head with a smile and said, "I lack this kind of marketing awareness and cannot conceive of such methods."

Blowing the tea leaves from his cup, he said, "It seems I am better suited for logistical work and cannot handle frontline business operations."

"Heh, you're being modest—"

Li Li Xuewu smiled, glanced at him, sat down in his chair, and said, "Putting you in logistics would be a waste of your talent."

Saying this, he lifted his teacup and added, "Just stay in the Security Department; after I leave, there must be a pillar holding things up."

"What kind of pillar am I?"

Having heard definite news from Li Li Xuewu, Yu Yu Decai finally felt at ease.

However, his relationship with Li Li Xuewu within the Security Department was very harmonious, and the two shared a certain tacit understanding.

Speaking of which, when he originally came from Steel City to the capital, he had sought connections through Dong Wenxue, never expecting to work under Li Li Xuewu for nearly two years.

Over these two years, he had watched Li Li Xuewu advance step by step and rise higher and higher.

Steady and sure, securing every position before advancing.

It was just that at this current stage, the situation had changed, and the factory was welcoming new opportunities.

Everyone knew that there would be an adjustment of cadres at the factory by the end of the year.

First, the factory faced a situation of upgrading, requiring a re-adjustment of cadre levels.

Second, many factories had been merged this year, causing administrative personnel to expand particularly rapidly, necessitating reasonable placement.

Finally, preparations were being made for corporatization, which was also part of the annual organizational procedure of "rewarding merit."

Some cadres were to be transferred downward, while others were to be promoted, creating a circulation pattern conducive to the organization cultivating young cadres.

In fact, throughout this entire year, the factory had been implementing reforms in personnel and the administrative system; the personnel reforms also included changes within the administration itself, resulting in particularly large adjustments among grassroots cadres.

Li Li Huai De was the main driver of this reform, and basically all frontline cadres and department heads at the factory had undergone adjustment and processing.

Loosening the soil and changing the air helped the organization maintain purity and absorb sufficient nutrients, preventing soil compaction (organizational rigidity).

Changes within the Security Group were also significant, as Li Li Xuewu had made adjustments to the main responsible persons of all five offices.

Relevant office personnel had also undergone rotational adjustments.

As the primary executor, Yu Yu Decai felt this deeply; now that it was his turn, he inevitably felt concerned.

He was very clear that Li Li Xuewu would definitely leave.

Within the Security Group, Li Li Xuewu could no longer absorb nutrients; in terms of both seniority and capability, he had completed his training and accumulation.

Regarding future planning, Yu Yu Decai was even clearer, but he was still waiting for Li Li Xuewu's arrangement on how to adjust during this intermediate step.

Whenever Li Li Xuewu left, from what position he left, and where he went, Yu Yu Decai would have to respond accordingly.

Hadn't Li Li Xuewu just said that he needed to be the pillar?

"Leader, you wanted to see me—"

Fan Hua appeared at the doorway holding a notebook, glanced into the office, and greeted them with a smile.

Li Li Xuewu raised his head and beckoned, saying, "Come, come in."

"Peng Peng Xiaoli called me."

Fan Hua walked into the office smiling and said, "He said you wanted to talk to me, which gave me quite a scare."

"If you haven't done anything guilty, what is there to fear?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled as he sized her up, then nodded toward the door and said, "Help yourself to whatever tea you want; Peng Xiaoli is busy with matters."

"No need, I'm not thirsty—"

At his gesture, Fan Hua sat opposite the desk and habitually opened her notebook, preparing to take notes while listening.

Li Li Xuewu observed her for a few moments before smiling and asking, "How is your work in the Third Office?"

"Have you adapted to the work at the General Office?"

"It's going quite well; my colleagues have been helpful."

Hearing the leader start with a tone of concern, Fan Hua's heart suddenly began to race.

This was a routine tactic; showing concern wasn't truly about asking whether your current work was good or bad, but rather about assessing your state of mind.

Of course, your answer had little impact on what the leader would say next, unless your response was utterly terrible.

There was only one reason for asking like this: they intended to use you.

But she had only been transferred from the Security Group to serve as Deputy Section Chief of the Third Office at the General Office a few months ago; was an adjustment coming already?

"You possess professional skills and work ability, so I am quite reassured."

Li Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "I assume you have heard about the events of the past few days."

"Tell me, do you have any thoughts?"

"Me? What thoughts could I possibly have?"

Fan Hua smiled helplessly and said, "I'll just treat this as entertainment; it doesn't seem to have anything to do with me, does it?"

"Heh heh heh, that won't do."

Li Li Xuewu tapped his own head and told her, "Keep your mind clear and maintain your combat readiness at all times."

After teasing her, he continued, "The position of Director of the Foreign Affairs Office is vacant; you should go and try for it."

"Me? You want me to go?"

Fan Hua was suddenly stunned, even questioning Li Li Xuewu in return, which was a lapse from her usual calm and composed image.

"My apologies, Leader; that's not what I meant."

Before Li Li Xuewu could speak, she voluntarily offered her apology.

Li Li Xuewu, however, waved his hand, replaced his expression with a serious one, and said, "I won't go into the specific details; for now, let me state my opinion and the leader's requirements."

"I have confidence in your abilities; leaving you in the office would be a waste. Get more exercise while you're young; it will benefit you."

He paused, then continued, "The leadership places considerable emphasis on foreign trade, and reception work is also a key priority."

"After this incident, the leadership is somewhat dissatisfied and hopes I will select a suitable person to take charge."

"Leader, I have no experience with this kind of work."

Fan Hua also spoke seriously, "Moreover, I heard that a commercial tour group will be visiting soon."

"If I take over at this time, won't my unfamiliarity with reception work affect the broader situation of foreign trade?"

"It's already been affected; could your going there possibly lead to a worse outcome?"

Li Li Xuewu nodded helplessly and said, "The reason for choosing you is also based on considerations regarding this type of work."

"In that case—Leader, I obey the organization's arrangement."

Fan Hua was very straightforward; as soon as Li Li Xuewu finished explaining, she stood up, stood at attention, saluted, and accepted the assignment.

Ever since Li Li Xuewu mentioned transferring her to the Foreign Affairs Office, she had been pondering the matter in her heart.

In terms of rank, the Foreign Affairs Office is a deputy section-level position, and she is currently also at the deputy section level, so a lateral transfer offers no obvious advantage.

But anyone familiar with the specifics of the work knows that one is the head of a chicken, the other the tail of a phoenix.

Furthermore, Deputy Director Li just emphasized that the leadership attaches great importance to foreign trade work, and foreign reception work is even more critical.

The first person in charge of the Foreign Affairs Office, Comrade Sha Sha Qizhi, was transferred from this very position to become Deputy Director of the Trade Management Center.

To put it more bluntly, jumping from deputy section level to section level without a good springboard could take five or eight years, or even longer.

But in the Foreign Affairs Office, there is not only greater operational autonomy but also the opportunity to collaborate directly with the leadership, which is exceedingly rare.

By comparison, she was not the first choice for this position; Li Li Xuewu had many other people he could assign.

Why he chose her must involve some other considerations.

After the incident, being married became an advantage for her, especially coming from a dual-income household, which added points to her profile.

Then there was her relationship with Li Li Xuewu.

In the future, Deputy Director Li would certainly be transferred to work in the Management Committee Office.

Continuing to work under him, with their existing rapport, would be a tremendous blessing for her.

Finally, there were her capabilities and seniority; Deputy Director Li must have considered her ability to quickly adapt to the work in the Committee Office.

Actually, speaking of which, her ability to deal with those sarcastic and passive-aggressive people was largely thanks to Li Li Xuewu's protection.

Former subordinates always carry a halo.

A little after four in the afternoon, Li Li Xuewu left the unit.

He needed to go to the Third Guard Regiment to have a discussion there.

At the same time, today was the wedding day of his good brother Shen Shen Guodong, so he needed to hurry back.

"Li Xuewu? Wait for me a moment—"

Wei Zaike was truly elusive; Li Li Xuewu hadn't even seen him when he suddenly emerged from the auxiliary building.

"I have field duties; what's up?"

He spoke very plainly; he had matters to attend to and no time for idle chatter.

Wei Zaike, who was responsible for organizational work, was a seasoned old hand.

An evergreen in the agency, an ageless pine before the grave.

His relationship with Li Li Xuewu was quite good, marked by mutual respect.

These past few days, heavy snow had fallen over the Four-Nine City; although the agency's office area had been cleared promptly, there were still ice shards on the ground.

Wei Zaike walked very carefully; upon reaching Li Li Xuewu, he let out a long breath and asked, "Where are you off to?"

"Going to the Third Guard Regiment; anything on your mind?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Why not come with me? We can talk along the way."

"Stop joking; what would I do at the Third Guard Regiment?"

Wei Zaike smiled, gently nudged Li Li Xuewu to stand closer to the car, and then whispered, "Rumor has it that the higher-ups have already decided on a candidate."

"Shouldn't that have been decided long ago?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at him suspiciously and said, "Confirming it only now, isn't that a bit late?"

"Not late at all; it's not like marrying a wife that requires betrothal gifts and formal proposals; it's just a matter of a single sheet of paper."

Wei Zaike twitched the corner of his mouth and asked softly, "Do you remember the situation when you went to the First Ministry of Machinery to pick up Deputy Director Cheng this year?"

"Oh! Oh! —"

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, looked at him, and said, "Don't tell me it's someone we met on that occasion?"

"You guessed correctly, so I won't congratulate you."

Wei Zaike nodded and said, "Director Su, who has always been in charge of the Second Division of Discipline Inspection and Supervision in the ministry, is coming to our factory."

"Su—Su Weide, right?"

Li Li Xuewu's eyes narrowed slightly, thinking this was the upper echelon's resentment toward Old Li taking concrete form.

They're watching Old Li stir up internal politics, so they've deliberately sent down a major blow.

You wanted to build your own voice, your own team? Then let's make things harder for you.

Su Weide nearly got Cheng Kaiyuan's evidence and turned the case into an ironclad one, but thanks to Old Li and Li Li Xuewu's persistence, he barely escaped.

It was Li Li Huai De who single-handedly ruined their scheme and made Cheng Kaiyuan—a duck already in hand—fly away.

Tell me, how could he not harbor resentment toward Li Li Huai De?

Li Li Xuewu fears him for another important reason: he clearly carries a different ideological outlook.

The internal situation at Red Star Factory had stabilized; no one dared stir trouble anymore—but his arrival would change everything.

"That's right, it's him," Wei Zaike affirmed: "He used to oversee discipline and supervision."

"Clearly, this is aimed at you."

He raised an eyebrow and said: "If you move, Deputy Director Dong will move too—he's perfectly suited to step down."

"If I say this, you understand what I mean, right?"

"Mm-hmm, it's been planned all along—"

Li Li Xuewu nodded and asked him: "Is this information reliable?"

"How reliable? I already said it's gossip."

Wei Zaike glanced at him and said: "Why not wait a few more days? Once he's officially appointed, I'll answer you."

"Hehehe—"

Li Li Xuewu chuckled softly: "Alright, since it's gossip, it must be true."

He patted Wei Zaike's arm and said: "If you hear more gossip like this, be sure to warn me."

"Hey—" Wei Zaike laughed: "You really aren't worried at all?"

"What good would worrying do? Action is what matters."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and pointed at the car: "Let me ask you again—will you come with me to Unit Three?"

"No. He's not my direct superior."

Wei Zaike smirked: "Go ahead. Get things arranged properly, so you don't end up flustered."

"Thank you for the advice," Li Li Xuewu said, raising an eyebrow. "I'll treat you to drinks tonight."

"I appreciate it—but no need!"

Wei Zaike rolled his eyes and laughed: "You knocked down Yang Jun and the others, and now you're not letting me off either?"

On his way to Unit Three, Li Li Xuewu turned Wei Zaike's gossip over and over in his mind.

Whether true or false, if wind is blowing down, there must be cause and effect.

He'd been thinking about this for a while—that's why he came to Unit Three today.

The plan he'd discussed with Wang Wang Xiaoqin could now proceed.

Back in May, Li Li Xuewu had told Qi Qi Yaowu and others in Unit Three that Wang Wang Xiaoqin could concurrently serve as Director of Security.

On one hand, it continued his tradition of holding dual roles; on the other, it leveraged the current situation of Branch Three.

Wang Wang Xiaoqin currently serves as Deputy Principal of the Red Star Factory's Education and Management Division and is the overall head of moral education.

Li Li Xuewu takes one step forward, then shifts another, creating a seamless transition for Wang Wang Xiaoqin.

Most importantly, Wang Wang Xiaoqin needs this experience to advance within Unit Three.

Both Li Li Xuewu and Dong Dong Wenhua also need someone in that position to support them.

Li Li Huai De's proactive maneuver disrupted Li Li Xuewu and Dong Dong Wenhua's plans.

Originally, they'd planned for Dong Dong Wenhua to return to Beijing, while Li Li Xuewu moved directly to Steel City.

But now that's impossible—Old Li intends to weaken their influence within the Security Group.

The cost is high: Li Li Xuewu avoids five years of detours.

Every sip and bite has its destined measure.

During his two years in the Security Department, Li Li Xuewu cultivated many young cadres, but in personnel deployment, he was stretched thin—they've long since scattered.

Only Yu Yu Decai can shoulder the burden of the Security Group.

But Yu Yu Decai's capabilities are slightly insufficient—he lacks frontline management experience and risks cognitive gaps.

So now, someone must be placed to support him, helping him through the Mo He Qi.

Next year's promotion cycle is imminent; if Li Li Xuewu takes one step, Yu Yu Decai can take another.

But he can at most become First Deputy Group Leader—unless, after a year, the group restructuring is complete and the large-department-small-office structure is finalized, will he have a chance to become Director of the Security Department.

For the past year, Li Li Xuewu has been absent from the Security Group, Dong Dong Wenhua has been powerless, and now Su Weide has arrived. Without Wang Wang Xiaoqin's intervention, Li Li Xuewu fears Yu Yu Decai won't hold up.

Even if he's reached an agreement with Old Li to leave the Security Group, it doesn't mean he'll abandon this power base.

Even Old Li never expected him to sever ties with the Security Group voluntarily—that's impossible.

So with Yu Yu Decai in place, the young cadres Li Li Xuewu cultivated will have time and opportunity to grow.

Of course, placing Wang Wang Xiaoqin at Red Star Factory as head of security is a temporary arrangement; the long-term strategy requires gradual adjustments in future power struggles.

Today Su Weide arrives and makes a big show; tomorrow another Su Weide shows up—he'll have no chance to survive.

So, as Wei Zaike said, while the factory's management committee hasn't yet been restructured, lay the bricks now.

He managed to manipulate Kuang Kuang Yusheng to sideline Cheng Kaiyuan—on ground he's cultivated for two years, will he let an outsider steal his home?

He's survived two years—just hold on one more year, wait for Dong Dong Wenhua's return to Beijing, and that's when they'll harvest.

Before then, he must stabilize the situation, giving Dong Dong Wenhua time to arrange Steel City and build his foundation in Beijing.

But then again—with Old Li as a card in hand, they're already in the final round; Su Weide is merely the challenger.