Chapter 1304: Gathering Together

It really is so embarrassing—

Hearing her second brother's words, Ji Yuxiu wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into; she had such a gentle and virtuous image at home.

If her father-in-law and mother-in-law really found out about the situation of her work at the bureau, wouldn't they be worried for Li Xuecai?

She swore, she really hadn't swung that many batons; by the third strike, those ruffians had all confessed, being quite cooperative.

"Hehe—"

Li Xuewu just chuckled softly. Looking at Ji Yuxiu's embarrassed expression, he didn't say anything, because he had no right to.

Who was it that had once used a rifle butt to smash the back of someone's hand in front of his younger brother and sister-in-law? That "Get down!" from back then had set quite the example for Ji Yuxiu.

To this day, legends of him still circulate in the Jiaodaokou Police Station; the reason that stretch of street became a restricted zone for ruffians and old soldiers also stemmed from that.

People from both circles had been dealt with by Li Xuewu, and it wasn't the kind of trivial, painless discipline like being brought into the station to write a self-criticism.

He remembered a pair of brothers named Weimin and Seeing Wei Guo who were stubborn; in the end, he pressed them onto the front hood of a Willys jeep and bumped their heads until they were covered in lumps.

Today, seeing his sister-in-law upholding his style of doing things, carrying her assertiveness through to the end, what else could he say?

"Wu Ge—"

Just as the two were speaking, Zhou Xiaobai walked in from the doorway.

After greeting him softly, her gaze fell upon Ji Yuxiu.

Ji Yuxiu was also sizing up Zhou Xiaobai. The two often met here; it was impossible to say they didn't know each other, but they had never really spoken much.

Although she was also a female comrade and had a relatively rich work history, she had yet to master the ability to distinguish between a woman and a girl.

However, out of trust in her second brother and observation of Zhou Xiaobai's personality, she still had confidence and judgment regarding the relationship between the two.

If her second brother wanted to find someone young, he wouldn't look for someone like Zhou Xiaobai.

This wasn't to say Zhou Xiaobai was ugly, but rather a matter of status.

Zhou Xiaobai wasn't ugly; her affluent life had given her sufficient nourishment, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a flower about to bloom.

Even if her face shape wasn't extremely striking, just by relying on her unique temperament, she could capture a man's gaze.

She knew her second brother's personality too well; who could outmaneuver him? This Zhou Xiaobai lingering by his side was more like a white shirt.

That's right, just a white shirt washed clean—worn during the day and hung in the closet at night.

"What's wrong? Nothing to do?"

Li Xuewu picked up a teacup to signal her, placed it on the side of the Eight Immortals table, and picked up the teapot to pour her tea.

"Why are you standing there like a fool? Come in and have some tea."

"It's nothing, I just came to see you."

Zhou Xiaobai hesitated for a moment, sized up Ji Yuxiu a few times, and only then cautiously sat down beside Li Xuewu.

Ji Yuxiu looked at her with amusement and interest, appearing somewhat unbridled, more like she was teasing her for fun.

Li Xuewu could see it; Zhou Xiaobai hadn't come to the flower hall to find him at all. Did he even need to ask who she was looking for?

"Ahem—" Zhou Xiaobai felt a bit unnerved by Ji Yuxiu's gaze. She picked up her teacup and took a sip, but her eyes secretly glanced at her. Seeing she was still peeking at her, she coughed lightly and said, "Um, the tea is a bit hot."

"Drink slowly, what's the rush?"

Li Xuewu looked at her childishness with amusement, his gaze shifting back to the window; the flowers in the courtyard were blooming beautifully right now.

The club didn't hire professional gardeners, nor did it have any arrangements in this regard. Dou Yaozu's people had already done the landscape layout, and every season he would eagerly arrange for people to come and tidy up.

Of course, normal cleaning and hygiene were done by others, and sometimes the security guards would take advantage of the morning to sweep the courtyard.

It was really because Yu Li was attentive; with so many people coming in and out of this large mansion every day, the maintenance and care were surprisingly excellent.

Li Xuewu had recently enjoyed sitting in the flower hall looking out the window; perhaps the original owner of this mansion had also loved this spot very much.

The three sat quietly like this for five minutes, neither of them speaking, as if they were in a contest to see who would break first.

Zhou Xiaobai was young and lacked sophistication; Li Xuewu maintained his silence, and Ji Yuxiu kept looking at her with that kind of gaze.

Therefore, once her cup of tea was finished, she took a deep breath, looked up at Ji Yuxiu, and said, "Do you work at the branch bureau?"

"Don't you know me?" Ji Yuxiu didn't answer her question, instead kicking it back. "This isn't our first time meeting, is it? And I don't believe you don't know where I work."

The courage Zhou Xiaobai had just mustered was crushed by her few words, shattering into eight pieces.

Looking at the dejected Zhou Xiaobai, the curve of Ji Yuxiu's mouth deepened. She glanced at Li Xuewu, feeling that this girl was quite interesting.

"That—I do know you."

Zhou Xiaobai hesitated, scratched her ear, and said, "I want—I want to ask you about something."

"Something about work, or a private matter?"

Ji Yuxiu picked up the teapot to refill her second brother's tea, then refilled her own, only then placing the teapot in front of Zhou Xiaobai.

This girl came from a good background but lacked experience. It seemed she was well-protected here by her second brother and hadn't encountered the harsh beatings of the workplace.

Did that even need to be said? Zhou Xiaobai was the general manager of Shunfeng Trading; who would dare give her a hard time?

"It's not really work, it's just..."

Zhou Xiaobai was still a bit awkward, reaching out to touch her neck, always feeling uncomfortable.

Ji Yuxiu had seen enough of her embarrassment and knew that if she teased her any more, her second brother would speak up.

Seeing Zhou Xiaobai pause, she said bluntly, "You are my second brother's friend. If you have anything to say here, just say it directly; there's no need to be troubled."

"Uh—" Seeing her say this, Zhou Xiaobai looked at Li Xuewu, then stammered, "A few days ago, a few days ago, did you arrest some people?" She didn't dare look into Ji Yuxiu's eyes, pinching her ear as she said, "I have a few friends who asked me to inquire..."

"We have cases every day, and almost every day people are brought in," Ji Yuxiu said, looking at her. "Tell me the names first."

"Um, it's—" Zhou Xiaobai peeked at Li Xuewu again, and somewhat foolishly said softly to Ji Yuxiu, "One is named Zhang Haiyang, one is named Zhong Yuemin. Did you arrest them?"

Li Xuewu was sitting right there, seemingly looking at the scenery outside the window, but he wasn't deaf.

Zhou Xiaobai's attempt to cover up almost made him laugh.

Ji Yuxiu wasn't surprised by the two names Zhou Xiaobai mentioned, nodding and saying, "That is indeed a case in my hands."

"Being able to find me here so accurately, someone must have told you to come, right?"

"No—" Zhou Xiaobai immediately shook her head, explaining, "I just heard them mention your name, so I..."

"Your friends?" Ji Yuxiu sized her up, and without waiting for her to explain further, she picked up her teacup to drink the tea inside. After putting the cup down, she said, "Not today. I'm on leave. Tomorrow."

"Ah? What? I mean—"

Zhou Xiaobai was a bit dazed. Just as she wanted to explain, she felt the other party's words were hard to understand, so her eyes were full of astonishment.

Ji Yuxiu had already stood up, looked at her, and said, "Tomorrow morning at nine, go to the branch bureau to pick up the people. Just mention my name."

"Second brother, I'm heading back first." She didn't wait for Zhou Xiaobai's reply, greeting Li Xuewu, "It's hard to get a day off. Xuecai said he wanted to go shopping and tidy up the house while he's at it."

"Tell him to drive carefully," Li Xuewu finally withdrew his gaze from the window, admonishing, "He's too reckless when he drives."

"Got it, second brother—"

Ji Yuxiu responded, but she had already left the flower hall, walking in the direction of the parking lot.

She had come riding her own motorcycle; the motorcycle Ji Weidong had left for Li Xuewu to settle a debt had now fallen into her hands.

Ever since she started working at the branch bureau, Ji Yuxiu's style had undergone some changes; this was unavoidable for a public security officer.

If you aren't a bit ruthless, no one will fear you.

This includes criminals and colleagues; this system still speaks of the survival of the fittest, especially regarding temperament.

From the window, Zhou Xiaobai watched the heroic Ji Yuxiu stride onto the large motorcycle, kick-start it, wave in this direction, and then drive away gracefully through the gate opened by the security guards.

"Wu Ge—" After a long while, in the flower hall, having peeked at Li Xuewu several times and seeing him just sitting there drinking tea and looking at the scenery, Zhou Xiaobai couldn't hold back anymore. Somewhat timidly, she explained, "I'm not doing this for those two..."

Li Xuewu turned his head and sized her up, not saying anything, just looking at her as if waiting for her explanation.

Zhou Xiaobai was scared, pouting her lips aggrievedly as she threw herself into Li Xuewu's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"They are, after all, people in the supply chain; it wouldn't be good for me not to ask. Besides, they all know I have a connection with you, so..."

Like a little kitten, she didn't dare lift her head to look at Li Xuewu, only hiding in his arms, murmuring her timidity.

Actually, Zhou Xiaobai hadn't expected her "face" to be so big, just by asking Ji Yuxiu one question.

Before she had even thought about how to inquire or tentatively plead for mercy, Ji Yuxiu had already agreed to release the people.

It was too fast, and too smooth, making her struggle and embarrassment seem worthless, like punching cotton.

But she wasn't stupid; having no friendship with Ji Yuxiu, where would she get such a big face? It wasn't for her own sake, but for Li Xuewu's.

The fact that Zhang Haiyang and Zhong Yuemin were pursuing her wasn't news; Li Xuewu had known for a long time.

Now that she had to use his connection to save these two idiots, how could Zhou Xiaobai not be worried?

Men are all narrow-minded—

This was something her good friend Luo Yun had told her; once, just because she had spoken a few more words to another boy, Zuo Jie had been unhappy for a long time.

Zhou Xiaobai didn't want to affect her relationship with Li Xuewu because of those two jerks, and even less did she want Li Xuewu to overthink it.

Of course, if she could provoke Li Xuewu's jealousy, that would be an unexpected joy, but she didn't want to become a fright.

So, like a quail, she chose to curl up in Li Xuewu's arms first, hugging him to explain all this; she had no other choice.

There were no personal feelings involved at all; it was all for work.

"Talk if you want to talk, don't use your hands—"

Li Xuewu grabbed the girl's little hand. Having known her for two years, her courage had grown; she actually dared to reach for his gun.

"Heehee—" Zhou Xiaobai could tell there was no seriousness or disgust in his tone. She smiled with pleasant surprise, lifted her head to look at him, and said, "You like me—"

"You call this liking?" Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at her and said, "Girl, this isn't called love, this is called passion."

"Do you think I still have a chance to gain your love?"

Zhou Xiaobai seemed to have truly matured. She lifted her finger from his large hand and poked his chest, saying, "Your heart here is made of stone."

"Even if I used my true heart, I couldn't melt you. In the end, I'd only be burned into lime, blinding my own eyes, leaving me tearful."

She tilted her head, looking at Li Xuewu earnestly, and said, "So, affection is enough. Only childish little girls would take love so seriously."

"Then what do you care about?" Li Xuewu lifted his hand to pat her cheek lightly, asking with a smile, "What do I have that's worth you caring about?"

"Um—hard to say, can't explain it clearly," Zhou Xiaobai thought about it earnestly and said, "After I re-examined my outlook on love and life, I don't even know why I'm with you."

"Maybe it's not love, and it's definitely not friendship, and even less is it childish impulse and confusion. I'm very clear-headed and calm right now."

"But it's just very comfortable," she nodded, confirming, "I can clearly feel physical and mental pleasure, just when I'm with you."

"I'm already 18, not a child anymore. I know what I want. Can you stop treating me like a child?"

"I never have," Li Xuewu said frankly. "I couldn't use a child to help me do things. I treat you as a grown young woman."

"Treat me as a normal young woman, a young woman who likes you."

Zhou Xiaobai boldly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down as she said, "Don't reject me anymore. I'm willing to follow you for a lifetime."

When an eighteen-year-old girl tells you "a lifetime," you have to be careful. One step is pleasure, one step is the abyss.

The "lifetime" in your understanding might be "a quilt," but a girl of this age is absolutely serious.

Unless you are prepared to accept her and have the ability to properly arrange her second half of life, you had better tidy up this relationship quickly.

Sigma males are never hurt.

With the stubborn Zhou Xiaobai hanging on his neck, Li Xuewu didn't lower his head, but she scrambled up, riding on Li Xuewu's lap.

A young girl always has a kind of resilience. She was still in the midst of confusion regarding her outlook on love, yet she threw herself into the sea of fire without regard for her own safety.

If you can't see what the future is, then walk over and look closely.

Even if there is injury and regret, that's a matter for later.

She was certain of her choice, and it wasn't childish or silly. A man only four years older than her, with a limitless future, young and wealthy.

Since she didn't care about that piece of paper, why waste her youth, waste her life, waste her passion?

She had truly grown up and matured.

Her courage was so great that even Li Xuewu was caught off guard, being pressed into the chair and having every advantage taken of him.

As someone who has been through it, Li Xuewu still wants to remind everyone: don't touch young girls; they are too easily impulsive. They even bit his lips until they were swollen.

Older sisters or "others" are better.

On the last day of May, the Red Star Factory officially completed the merger procedures for Chinese herbal medicine enterprises, with Baicaotang Pharmaceutical as the main focus.

Jingcheng was actually very willing to see the Red Star Factory step forward and use Beijing's local capital strength to integrate the paralyzed pharmaceutical enterprises.

Waves wash away the sand; every era's replacement and development will eliminate some enterprises and organizations. This is an objective fact and an objective law.

Regardless of whether these enterprises and organizations should exist, since they were eliminated, it shows they lacked the soil and ability to survive.

Saying the general environment is bad, saying the situation is changing too fast—does Beijing really have no Chinese herbal medicine enterprises?

Impossible. Survival of the fittest.

Baicaotang stopped operations; there must be some reasons it couldn't keep up with the pace of the era, or it lacked some kind of survival ability.

Rather than letting it rot there, not knowing when it could resume operations, it's better to scoop it from this pot into another.

Anyway, it's all the same stove; what difference does it make which pot it's simmering in?

With the support of Jingcheng, especially the green lights given by relevant departments for the sake of economic development and activating enterprises.

With the ability and influence of the Red Star Steel Group, a new industrial noble developed from Beijing, the merger work was smooth and orderly.

The diversion and placement of cadres, the assessment and screening of workers, the reorganization and consolidation of technology... everything proceeded according to the steps in the planning document.

After becoming a group, everything had to be operated according to the system of compliant management and compliant operation, including mergers and acquisitions.

Red Star Baicaotang United Pharmaceutical General Company, the group's third general company-level enterprise. The rank wasn't high, but though the sparrow is small, it has all the internal organs.

Under its banner, it integrated and reorganized business storefronts, Chinese herbal medicine processing, and Chinese herbal medicine operation channels, and supplemented resources such as Red Star Factory's own Chinese herbal medicine planting bases, modern Chinese medicine processing plants, etc.

Why did the city agree so readily when Red Star Factory proposed to reorganize and integrate Chinese medicine resources?

It wasn't just seeing Red Star Factory's own resources, including front-end enterprises such as the Chinese herbal medicine planting bases and research institutes located in the Miyun mountainous area, which were operated in cooperation with enterprises like the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as modern food processing plant-level Chinese medicine production plants, and even channel stations like Jicheng and Wucheng.

The core reason that made Beijing determined to approve Red Star Factory's intervention in Chinese medicine enterprises was still the economy.

Red Star Factory mastered a foreign export channel for cosmeceuticals, which was reaching a trade cooperation with Watsons, the largest cosmeceutical enterprise in Southeast Asia.

Red Star Factory would set up a cosmeceutical production line, complete a series of R&D and production work for Chinese medicine and cosmetics, and break through the trade barriers for this series of products to develop into Southeast Asia through Watsons.

The trade that originally took Chinese herbal medicine and semi-finished products as the main exports had to transform and directly export finished cosmeceuticals; only in this way could it achieve profit maximization and the optimal production plan for products.

Once this channel was opened, it wouldn't just revive enterprises like Baicaotang and make them glow with vitality; it would also bring opportunities for foreign trade development to other Chinese herbal medicine enterprises in Beijing.

Don't look at how changeable the situation is in this era; no matter how it changes, no one blocks foreign trade, and no one destroys economic development.

You can say their ideas for developing the economy are problematic, saying their methods are narrow-minded and only care about their own interests.

But it cannot be denied that a huge machine needs many people to maintain its operation; no one can be so selfish as to ignore the collective interest.

Therefore, finished product export trade, earning foreign exchange, and increasing profits—fundamentally speaking, there is no problem at all; everyone is willing to borrow the east wind.

Moreover, the east wind stirred up by Red Star Factory is both powerful and stable. Before, one could say Red Star Factory was not attending to its proper business by making cosmeceuticals; now, who dares say Red Star Steel Group developing other industries is not attending to its proper business?

Group enterprises, large and broad, strong and powerful. Otherwise, why does everyone want to follow Red Star Factory's old path and advance to become a group enterprise?

"I was actually thinking of retiring."

Zhao Yufeng, vice president of the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, looked at Li Xuewu opposite him with a wry smile and said, "You understand our family's situation; I've lost my spirit."

"What a pity," Li Xuewu nodded, looking at him and saying, "Whether from my personal perspective or from the collective perspective, you retiring to the second line so early is truly a loss."

"You are overestimating me—" Zhao Yufeng modestly scratched his graying hair and said, "Still willing to give me such an opportunity."

Just after Red Star Factory completed the merger work for the Chinese medicine brand and enterprise and announced the news of the official establishment of Red Star United Baicaotang Pharmaceutical General Company, the personnel appointment for the general company's person-in-charge was also announced at the same time.

According to the articles of association for the joint-stock operation of the joint enterprise, Li Huai De listened to the opinions and suggestions of many parties and specially met with the candidate introduced by Li Xuewu, which was Comrade Zhao Yufeng, vice president of the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The two talked for a long time under Li Xuewu's introduction. In the end, Li Huai De recognized the other party's ability and signed the personnel appointment decision.

Gu Weijie was very approving of Li Xuewu's work, believing that the two had results and influence after their last conversation.

She hoped the group could get on the right track as soon as possible, realize the normalization and institutionalization of personnel work, and eliminate the original pattern of Red Star Factory as soon as possible.

Selecting a general manager not from Red Star Factory was seen by her as a kind of progress, a milestone in opening up a new pattern for personnel development.

But Li Xuewu didn't have too much celebration, or rather, confidence.

Li Huai De listened to everyone's opinions this time, and there were objective reasons for selecting Zhao Yufeng as general manager.

A steel enterprise making Chinese medicine brands and businesses is itself a leap, requiring an experienced captain to steer the ship.

If you want to say making weapons, making hardware, making food, etc., Red Star Factory can find suitable management candidates from within the factory area.

Because enterprises at this time are just like this—large and complete.

But no matter how large and complete, a steel enterprise cannot find a suitable person-in-charge for a Chinese medicine enterprise; even the factory hospital doesn't have one.

Therefore, professional matters are handed to professional people. Only then did Li Huai De make the relevant decision; changing to another enterprise might not necessarily work.

Li Xuewu maintained the necessary vigilance and pessimism about future personnel work; this was not a case of worrying about the sky falling.

Regarding this divergence and contradiction, as time accumulates, Li Huai De will sooner or later have to face the demands and feedback of the team members.

He must make the necessary promises and reactions at the right time; otherwise, it will be the moment he is abandoned by his followers, and he will be finished too.

The nature of organizational work and business work is different, the forms are different, and they are mixed with too many scruples and compromises; it cannot be explained clearly in one or two sentences.

In the past, Li Xuewu couldn't touch this aspect of work and had no way to interject, but now he is the secretary-general; it's different.

After the establishment meeting of the Pharmaceutical General Company ended today, Li Xuewu invited Zhao Yufeng to have lunch at the International Hotel nearby.

The two chatted in the lounge after the meal; it was also his duty as secretary-general to pay attention to and coordinate all enterprises that Li Huai De paid attention to.

It wasn't that Li Xuewu was willing to give Zhao Yufeng this opportunity, but that Zhao Yufeng wanted to seize this opportunity.

Don't look at how indifferent he appeared on the surface; if he really wanted to retire, he wouldn't have accepted the olive branch thrown out by Red Star Factory.

Zhao Yufeng's son, Zhao Xia, the one who jumped to his death, was a university classmate of Li Xuewu's third brother, Li Xuecai.

Li Xuewu's father, Li Shun, was a doctor at the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine where Zhao Yufeng was. After Li Xuewu returned, he managed his interpersonal relationships and was well taken care of by the other party; the two families could be considered to have some friendship.

It's just that this friendship changed after Li Xuewu's step-by-step rise, and after a series of events such as Zhao Xia trying to frame Li Xuecai but dying himself; at least in terms of attitude.

Li Shun mastered almost all the prescriptions and secret recipes of the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine that had been destroyed, and fully mastered the research institutes and planting bases on the mountain.

Now, Li Xuewu's influence is very large. Although the relationship between the two families cannot be said to have reversed, it is not entirely equal either.

Of course, their family is not as flourishing as the Li family. Even his jump out of the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine to take a position in an enterprise was Li Xuewu's operation. How could they have an equal dialogue?

Therefore, in his words, Zhao Yufeng appeared very humble. Even if Li Xuewu didn't believe he would "obey," he had already done what he should do.

The two talked for a long time in the lounge. When Li Xuewu sent him out, the two stood in front of the car, shook hands, and looked at each other, both revealing confident smiles.

Zhao Yufeng was confident he could do this career well, and Li Xuewu was confident he could suppress the other party; the status of group leader would become higher and higher.

"Do you value him very much?" Zhang Songying, standing beside Li Xuewu, watched the car leave before taking half a step forward to stand level with Li Xuewu, making it convenient to speak. "Talked for so long?"

"Vice president of the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with many years of medical and management experience," Li Xuewu turned his head to look at Zhang Songying and asked, "Doesn't he deserve my respect and attention?"

"I really heard such words from your mouth for the first time," Zhang Songying raised her eyebrows and said, "I heard that there is a lot of discussion in the office, and the news of him going to the Pharmaceutical General Company to take office is flying everywhere."

"Let the news fly for a while—"

Li Xuewu looked at the direction of the gate again. Zhao Yufeng's car had long since left, and only the security guards were closing the gate.

"Um, by the way, I was just about to ask you."

He turned around, looked at Zhang Songying, and asked, "Have you ever thought about changing your position and taking a position in an enterprise?"

"Me? Change jobs?" Zhang Songying didn't expect Li Xuewu to swing this pole to her side again, asking in surprise, "Go where?"

"Just there, the Pharmaceutical General Company."

Li Xuewu smiled, pointed in the direction Zhao Yufeng had just left, and said, "You know, the Pharmaceutical General Company will establish a cosmeceutical department, which includes the cosmetics business. I see you quite like this."

He stretched out his finger to lightly flick Zhang Songying's face, then twisted his fingers in Zhang Songying's surprised and shy gaze.

"Um? Are you not wearing makeup?"

"You just wanted to see if I was wearing makeup?"

Zhang Songying glared at Li Xuewu, saying with amusement and annoyance, "I'm not sticking my head in a flour bag; where would I have such thick makeup? It's nothing more than a little moisturizing lotion."

"Then you are truly naturally beautiful."

Li Xuewu nodded, praised her with a smile, and then, seeing Nie Xiaoguang park the car beside them, said seriously, "Think about it, give me news as soon as possible."

"Like a gust of wind, I'm just wearing makeup, not liking makeup, and even less liking cosmetics—"

Zhang Songying was amused and moved. Her heart was sweet to death; this man made her too obsessed and moved.

What else is there to say? Just because he had seen her makeup bag, he felt she liked these things and wanted to transfer her to work at the Pharmaceutical General Company.

She wasn't stupid. From a worker's position to a cadre through work, she realized the transformation and leap of her identity.

From the reception house to the International Hotel, she realized the progress from stock level to deputy section level. This was a happy moment in her life she didn't even dare to think about.

Now, from the deputy general manager of the International Hotel to the Pharmaceutical General Company, isn't it another opportunity for leap and progress?

Progress from deputy section to section level—the lifelong wish of how many people. In just three years, she completed the leap from worker to section level.

You tell me how she could not give her whole heart to this man, willing to do anything for him.

"I want to say I like airplanes; will you arrange for me to fly airplanes too—" She teased Li Xuewu, her mouth overflowing with uncontrollable joy and pride. When sending him to the car, she whispered, "Haven't seen Huairu for a long time. How about the three of us gather together?"

Gather together? What's there to gather about?

If you want to say Li Xuewu meeting Qin Huairu less is understandable, Zhang Songying and Qin Huairu are in the same system. Even if they don't meet daily, they always meet when having meetings on weekdays.

She is just using this as an excuse, for the sake of "gathering together."

He still remembered, the last time the three of them "gathered together" was when they had just arrived at the reception house. It was too crazy; just thinking about it made him blush.

"Liking airplanes doesn't necessarily mean you have to fly airplanes," Li Xuewu walked to the car, looked at her, and said, "Stop joking about Qin Huairu. She is a serious person now and has a blind date object; it's not very appropriate."

"Um, she is a serious person, I am not."

Zhang Songying pouted, looked at him, and said, "Then when do you have time? I'll treat you to a meal."

"We'll see. You know I'm busy."

Li Xuewu quietly patted her butt, and with the car door opened by Nie Xiaoguang, he got into the car. "Go back, I'm leaving."

"Goodbye, Secretary-General. I'll call you once I've thought it through."

Zhang Songying waved, watched the car leave, and her heart followed the man away.

Going to the Pharmaceutical General Company, although she teased Li Xuewu about tossing her around again, her heart had already started thinking about how to do it after going there.

Not to mention that this suggestion was made by him; even if a further temptation was placed in front of her, there was no need to make much of a choice.

News has already come out in the office that the International Hotel is also within the scope of the group system's level promotion.

That is to say, even if she doesn't go to the Pharmaceutical General Company, staying at the International Hotel for a year or two will also allow her to complete progress logically.

But who would complain about early progress? She had already mastered the service industry and made many contributions.

Regarding the cosmetics industry, she must admit she is not professional. Just knowing how to wear makeup doesn't mean she understands cosmetics.

She also knows how to eat; does that mean she knows how to farm, grow vegetables, and cook?

Every industry is systematic and has a certain degree of closure. If she wants to change careers to do cosmeceutical management, she must re-learn relevant knowledge.

This is the first obstacle in front of her.

The second obstacle is the personnel problem. Stepping out of the service system, she has to re-establish interpersonal relationships in a new work environment.

The Pharmaceutical General Company is not entirely a branch of the group; part of the sales business is still within the management scope of the Sales General Company.

Moreover, unlike the group's wholly-owned subsidiaries and professional factories, and unlike existing joint-venture subsidiaries, this joint-venture system is more open.

One can see this from the fact that the hired general manager is not a group cadre. The joint-stock cooperation is more relaxed, which also represents the more complex personnel within the general company, an integration of employees from various enterprises.

How to walk out of the comfort zone is a challenge of mentality; how to survive in the competitive zone is another challenge of mentality.

She stood under the steps watching the direction the car left. Mentioning Qin Huairu just now wasn't to reward Li Xuewu for a "threesome," but to test him—had he considered using Qin Huairu?

After all, Qin Huairu's relationship with him was earlier and more solid. They were close neighbors, much truer than her simple feelings.

Even if it's first come, first served, she still had to ask; she couldn't ruin her emotional foundation with Qin Huairu because of this little thing.

Compared to progress in work and career, she valued Qin Huairu more; after all, she was the bridge to getting to know Li Xuewu, and the two were inseparable.

But from Li Xuewu's words, she heard some content: Qin Huairu was not in Li Xuewu's consideration.

Perhaps it was because her and Qin Huairu's attitudes toward work were different that Li Xuewu had differentiated arrangements and choices.

Qin Huairu had too many ties; her family took up too much of her mind. Moreover, after becoming the director of the reception house, she felt she had reached the peak of her life and lacked the drive to progress further.

It should be the fear of the unknown from within. Qin Huairu could do a good job in the management and service of the reception house, but lacked the confidence and determination to deal with new things, and also lacked the energy and ability to learn new knowledge.

Therefore, Li Xuewu chose her to serve as the general manager of the cosmeceutical branch of the Pharmaceutical General Company.

The combination of Chinese herbal medicine and cosmetics has existed since ancient times. The maintenance effect is better than chemical products and more in line with the core definition of beauty.

Zhang Songying, standing in front of the steps, was already considering how to combine the two from the perspective of a manager and dig them out.

She had heard that the International Business Department established by Red Star Factory was about to establish an office in Hong Kong. As a dispatched agency, it would regularly arrange commercial activities and send personnel over for training and learning.

Perhaps this time she made a choice, and Li Xuewu might arrange for her to be on the list of people going to Hong Kong for training and learning.

Thinking of this, she stopped struggling.

Could Li Xuewu sell her out? Do it!

June 1st, Children's Day. Children are on holiday, but parents are not. What's the point of this holiday?

Li Xuewu hasn't felt this longing for a Children's Day holiday yet; perhaps he will only be able to enjoy it after Li Shu and Li Ning grow up.

This afternoon, Li Xuewu had just returned from the conference room and saw someone waiting for him in the office.

"Hello, Secretary-General—" Seeing him enter the door, the woman in the room stood up from the sofa and greeted him with a smile.

"Comrade Wang Han Lu, sit, sit."

Li Xuewu's memory was still okay; he could basically recognize everyone in the whole office, including some impressive ones.

"Just finished the meeting, didn't have time to tidy up yet," he walked to the desk, put down his notebook and documents, and greeted Wang Han Lu, who was still standing, with a smile: "Been waiting for a while, right?"

"No, I was just passing by to handle some business in the office," Wang Han Lu waited for Li Xuewu to come to the sofa and sit down before cautiously sitting on the sofa with half her butt. "You came back just after I came over from the office."

"Hehe, Master Zhao is in good health."

Li Xuewu nodded, asked with a light smile: "I saw him at the club last time; he said he was enjoying his grandchildren and had completely retired."

"Yes, my grandfather-in-law is taking care of the children for us."

Wang Han Lu felt quite embarrassed when Li Xuewu mentioned her grandfather-in-law, but also felt much closer.

Feeling embarrassed was because she was sure Li Xuewu knew about her and Jing Rong's business; feeling closer was because of this private relationship.

The reason Jing Rong was willing to use her also had factors in this regard.

"Secretary-General, I didn't come to you for anything else, just heard that your Li Shu is about to reach school age, so I came to ask."

She said with concern: "You know about the preschool education in our school; the teaching staff and teaching quality are absolutely impeccable."

"So it's about Li Shu. Thank you—"

Li Xuewu didn't care about her flattery, thanked her with a smile, and then said frankly: "She'll be three this summer, right? Her mother and I are also thinking about this problem."

"I actually hope she can go to school earlier, contact children earlier, and systematically learn some basic knowledge."

"It's like this, school education and family education are equally important," Wang Han Lu explained: "Especially preschool education."

"Our United School has absorbed relatively advanced educational systems and ideas from abroad, hoping to combine the two and explore educational concepts and methods suitable for children in the new era..."

She introduced a lot of content about school and learning to Li Xuewu, and Li Xuewu listened carefully.

"It's not that I can't bear to part with her, it's her mother who can't bear to."

Li Xuewu listened to her finish, then said with a smile: "Talked to me last night, wanting to arrange Li Shu in the kindergarten of her unit."

"First, it's close to home, convenient for picking up and dropping off, and if something happens, it can be handled nearby; second, her mother wants to cultivate her circle of friends."

He nodded and explained: "We only have two children in our family; the younger one is too small to play together. My wife hopes she can know more children near the street, learn together, and grow up together."

There was another reason Li Xuewu didn't say, which was that Wang Han Lu came to ask about this matter personally, making him dare not put the children in the United School.

He knew very well how excellent the educational resources of the United School were; this was something he had built with his own hands.

However, he couldn't guarantee whether the teachers and management staff of the United School could treat Li Shu and Li Ning fairly and justly.

He wasn't worried about the two children being bullied, but afraid that once they entered the school, they would become the treasures of the teachers and the principal.

This is unfair to the two children, and unfair to other children.

The adult world can be complex, can be competitive, but don't make the children competitive, and don't make the children's world complex.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1305 =====