Chapter 1366: Where to go

"What was I like when I was thirteen?"

Li Xuewu raised his wine glass to clink with Liu Guoyou, not letting him drink alone. Shen Guodong also raised his wine glass to accompany them.

Regardless of the previous relationship, this was coming to his home, so they were guests, and being a bit more polite was no problem.

"They said I was using a slingshot to hit birds, but I didn't have that strength, I was just aiming at the hens in the neighbors' houses."

He smiled self-deprecatingly, drank the wine in his cup, looked at the few people at the table and said, "Later I got a beating, and that's when I grew a brain."

"I remember this." Shen Guodong poured wine for the few, laughed and took the conversation, "We actually ate chicken meat."

"So you have to get a beating to grow a brain?" Li Xuewu lowered his head and patted the big-faced cat's face, smiling and saying, "Actually, that's not it."

Under Banggeng's surprised expression, he explained with a bad smile, "When my grandfather beat me, he said one sentence, 'A rabbit doesn't eat the grass around its nest'."

"Hehehe—" as if remembering something, Shen Guodong was already laughing. The others looked at him in confusion, and he explained, "The neighbor's chickens were saved, but the chickens of the households living further away suffered."

"Hahahaha—"

Talking about childhood fun, Li Xuewu didn't feel ashamed, facing everyone's teasing and playful laughter calmly.

"You can't raise obedient children in the alley, they're all naughty boys, bad boys."

He patted Banggeng's shoulder and said meaningfully, "Righteousness is often found among the butcher dogs, and the heartless are often the scholars."

"You can say you're capable, but you can't say you're capable enough to not recognize your parents. Just this one point, nowhere in the world will tolerate you."

Banggeng seemed to know what he was going to say, and his head drooped again.

After all, he was a thirteen-year-old boy, and if you counted three or four decades back, he could have gotten married and lived a life.

"I'm keeping you here for dinner today, and I called your mom to come over, but I didn't plan to take you in or settle you."

Li Xuewu made his words clear, "It's hard for an honest official to judge family affairs, and I'm not someone who likes to meddle in other people's business."

"Your Uncle Zhuzi is sitting here, I dare not say I watched you grow up. But the relationship between us two in the past few years is considered okay?"

"Wu Shu—" Banggeng grabbed his pants and wouldn't let go, looking up full of stubbornness and plea.

"I understand, I understand your grievances and sadness, and I also understand your thoughts and requests." Li Xuewu nodded, raised his wine glass to signal the few people at the table, "Today isn't a meal just for Banggeng, but a man is grown, and it's the age to sit at the table to drink and reason, so let's talk about the grievances today."

"How could I give him grievances." Qin Huairu wiped her tears, looked at Banggeng and said, "At home, he's the master."

"Qin Jie, that's not right." Shen Guodong clinked a glass with her and advised seriously, "Boys and girls are two different things, the more you say that, the less he'll listen to you. You're mother and son after all, it's better to speak your minds."

Qin Huairu also knew that if it weren't for the situation, Li Xuewu would absolutely not manage their family's affairs. After all, there was Liu Guoyou, this stepfather, here.

It was Seeing Sha Zhu who brought the child back, and he also had the intention to mediate for the mother and son. It was just that Seeing Sha Zhu was clumsy with words, so he asked Li Xuewu, who had more status, to speak.

In this room, if you want to say who has the qualification to intervene in their family affairs, especially to manage Banggeng, Seeing Sha Zhu really has this qualification.

Banggeng's apprenticeship wasn't vague, it was a master-disciple inheritance with kowtowing according to old rituals. Master and disciple are like father and son, of course, he has the right to manage Banggeng.

However, speaking of the matter, rather than saying Banggeng was convinced by Seeing Sha Zhu, it was better to say this child was more convinced by Li Xuewu.

So Li Xuewu pushing and pulling the mother and son to sit at a dinner table to present facts and reason, she had to accept this favor and recognize this reason.

Qin Huairu only had the part of listening to Li Xuewu, and in her heart, she was also wishing Li Xuewu could manage Banggeng more, preferably manage everything, she would be more at ease.

But she also knew that Li Xuewu was neither a biological father nor a godfather, that kind of... father couldn't manage a son for a lifetime.

However, Li Xuewu's words were also realistic, without a hint of "fatherly" tone.

If she really listened to Li Xuewu's words with disdain, saying it was "fatherly," that wouldn't be having a conscience.

By now, Liu Guoyou also understood the flavor, seeing Qin Huairu not speaking but just listening, and then looking at Banggeng's gaze, it carried a bit of caution.

Thirteen years old, isn't it the age to sit at the table to drink and reason. If he treated Banggeng as a child, he deserved to not be a good stepfather.

"Banggeng told me he wanted to go up the mountain to raise chickens." Seeing Sha Zhu nodded and introduced, "Even the destination was thought out, his grandfather's house."

"Talking nonsense with your eyes open." Qin Huairu couldn't help but glare at her son and said, "How many times have you been to your grandfather's house since you were small?"

"Not talking about poverty or wealth, think about it, how many times have you eaten at your grandfather's house or uncle's house since you grew up?"

She couldn't help complaining, "You've only seen me take money and grain to your grandfather's house, have you ever seen your grandfather's house buy you a piece of candy?"

"Still borrowing land and grain from your grandfather's house, if you don't starve to death, your aunt's white eyes will disgust you to death, aren't you talking nonsense?"

Banggeng at this age is at the stage of understanding words but not listening to them. The old saying is that he can't tell good from bad, and can't recognize good people.

It was just that at this dinner table today, Wu Shu gave him the opportunity for equal dialogue with his mother, and he truly listened to his mother's words.

"I don't need theirs, I'll dig a dugout on the mountain." Banggeng ultimately spoke, but still said angry words, carrying a bit of stubbornness.

Shen Guodong smiled and replied to him, "Don't think about it, even if you prepare grain, pots, pans, and bowls, it won't work now."

Seeing Banggeng look up at him blankly, he explained seriously, "Along the hillside of the Red Star Commune, counting upwards is the Wei San Tuan reclamation area, counting downwards is the commune fruit forest planting area, where are you going to dig a dugout?"

"The idea of raising chickens is no problem."

Li Xuewu ate a bite of food, looked at Banggeng and said, "But you have to satisfy these main conditions first, blindly running away from home can't solve the problem."

"Think carefully, are you truly wanting to raise chickens, or are you just saying angry words because of family conflicts. I'm treating you as a big guy."

"Wu Shu, I..." Banggeng hesitated, not daring to raise his head.

"Alright, I support this idea, but because there's no plan, no budget, and even less capital. Denied."

Li Xuewu decisively concluded his stubbornness, but didn't mention his inner entanglement, this still had to be resolved between the stepfather and stepson.

"Qin Jie, the words have already reached this point. We are all parents, there are times when we are anxious, but the boy is so big, he can't be hit anymore."

"It is indeed like this, Huairu also has a hot temper, shouldn't have, really shouldn't have." Liu Guoyou actively eased the atmosphere, "I have to admit that we still have many contradictions that haven't been resolved well after forming a new family, giving everyone trouble."

"Hitting you is my fault, I admit the mistake." Qin Huairu looked at her son and said, "I also guarantee to you that I will seriously reflect on myself, learn lessons, communicate more, and understand your thoughts more."

"Banggeng—" Seeing Sha Zhu called his apprentice, "Your mom has already expressed her stance to you, what about you?"

Banggeng was truly seeing his mother soften for the first time, although this tone carried grievances and complaints, she ultimately made a guarantee in front of so many people.

He raised his head, first looked at his mother, then looked at Wu Shu and his master, and then nodded.

"What about your guarantee?" Seeing Sha Zhu frowned and asked, "Can you take the initiative to talk to your mom properly next time you have a problem?"

"I can tell you Banggeng, this time I was able to find you, next time we two won't have fate, you might freeze to death outside."

"Hmm, I know."

What kind of mother, what kind of son, Banggeng's stubbornness was exactly the same as Qin Huairu's, neither wanted to bow their heads unless someone persuaded or forced them.

Everyone didn't speak, looking at Banggeng, he himself also felt the pressure. After holding it in for a long time, he finally promised with difficulty, "I will talk properly, and won't run out like this."

"Man, shall we two have a drink?"

Liu Guoyou seriously raised his wine glass to signal Banggeng, saying, "Although I'm not your biological father, I can guarantee that when we close the door, we are a family."

Banggeng glanced at him, curled his lips and wanted to speak, but thinking of Wu Shu and Master's exhortations, he held it back.

What did he want to say?

Close the door? Close the door across the hall, right?

Close the door across the hall, aren't you a family.

Liu Guoyou seemed to have thought of this problem long ago, and didn't care about Banggeng's attitude, turned to look at Qin Huairu and said, "Huairu, I've wanted to tell you this for a long time, just didn't have the opportunity."

"Whether you and the old lady treat me as an outsider, I don't know, but I treat you as relatives. There's no reason for girls and boys not to be raised in the same circle."

He said in a solemn but negotiable tone, "After going back, let's re-divide the family. Xinxiu, Yuxiu, Xiaodang, and Huaihua, these girls are just right to live with the old lady. Sisters should have more contact."

In Qin Huairu's surprised and astonished gaze, Liu Guoyou continued, "Banggeng and I are men, we should be closer, it's appropriate for us to live together, what do you say?"

Not only Qin Huairu was surprised, but Banggeng was also somewhat surprised; the door in his heart closed and opened, opened and closed, as if he was there, as if he wasn't.

Li Xuewu looked at Seeing Sha Zhu and Shen Guodong, smiled, and toasted Liu Guoyou; this old brother was someone who could handle things.

Qin Huairu was slick, and by now she also discovered the change in her son's expression, so she nodded. Being able to live with her son, how could it not work.

In her heart, she was also grateful to Liu Guoyou for the first time. This was letting her be a stepmother less, and Liu Guoyou be a stepfather more.

Sometimes solving contradictions is just that simple, a contradiction isn't a breakdown, it can't be repaired by pulling and dragging, what's repaired is the human heart.

"Yo! Rare guest—"

Li Xuewu drank too much last night, the car was driven back by Shen Guodong, and he was still muddled this morning.

If he didn't want to be drunk, who could make him drunk, even the gratitude and enthusiasm of Qin Huairu and Liu Guoyou couldn't.

It was just that the pressure had been relatively high recently, and it was rare to relax, so he followed his heart.

Last night definitely didn't count as meddling, not to mention the pure friendship between him and Qin Huairu, just Banggeng, this kid, he would also have to use him in the future.

No matter how capable a lackey is, they can't compare to a disciple brought up by one's own hands.

Can a well-adjusted Banggeng block a knife for him, can the Thirteen Taibao? Can Zhou Changli? Can Zhao Lao Si?

The recycling station needs to develop, it's no longer a small workshop, but there must be one's own people in key positions.

Just like Zhao Lao Wu, he can't do anything in the frontier, but can you say he has no effect at all?

At least Ding Wanqiu doesn't dare to explode.

That matter last night had to be managed, that meal of wine had to be drunk. After drinking that meal, not only Banggeng had to be used, Qin Huairu had to be used, but Liu Guoyou also had to be used.

Don't forget, their family still had four girls.

One meal, one net, worth it.

He wanted to sleep a little longer this morning, but Er Ya came to call him, saying there was a guest downstairs, and Gu Ning asked him to go down to entertain.

Who was so blind to disturb him early in the morning.

Never imagined, it was truly a rare guest.

"Grandpa Zhang, you truly know how to pick the time." Li Xuewu looked at Old Man Zhang sitting in the living room drinking tea with amusement, "Another harvest this morning?"

"Heard you drank too much last night?"

Old Zhang had a sincere face, but the words that came out were very annoying: "Then I truly came at the right time, don't delay going to work."

"Then I have to thank you?"

Li Xuewu waved his hand at Er Ya, who was handing over the teacup, signaling her to do whatever she needed to do, and entertained this old man himself.

"Usually I invite you and you don't come, is the sun coming out from the west today?"

"Hey, no business, no visit to the Three Treasures Hall." Old Zhang raised his neck, looked at him and said, "Leave some space tonight, I'll invite you to dinner."

"Yo, strange things happen every year, especially today!"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, pretending to be nervous, looked out the window, and said nonsense, "Then I truly have to look carefully, this sun won't really come out from the west, right?"

"Look, I'm also curious from the bottom of my heart."

Old Zhang was calm, picked up the teacup and took a sip, "Lived more than half a lifetime, it's still the first time I've taken the initiative to invite someone to dinner."

"Then you're not at a loss, I'm not happy to go even if ordinary people invite me."

Li Xuewu's reply was consistently stabbing people in the lungs. "Of course, if the food isn't to my heart, I might just turn around and leave."

"That's of course, 'the guest buys wine, the monk doesn't order tea'. I'm a vulgar person, used to looking at people to serve dishes."

Old Zhang stood up and arched his hands, saying, "Thank you, Leader Li, for giving me face, then I'll wait for the guest's good news at my humble abode."

"Too polite, I might not bring a gift, you shouldn't have too high expectations."

Old Zhang didn't care, nodded, and let him send him out the door.

This formality of his met Li Xuewu's teasing, and he was also prepared in his heart.

Gu Ning saw him come back, and then took the initiative to ask, "He came to invite you to dinner?"

"Where can't you eat, why must you eat at home." Li Xuewu sighed and said, "I'm afraid there's something he needs from me, and he can't let go of his face."

"No wonder, I said you were drunk last night and needed to rest, but he still insisted on waiting for you to wake up."

Gu Ning paused, and then said, "If it's not troublesome..."

"Hmm, I know." Li Xuewu nodded, smiled lightly and said, "If I had known, I wouldn't have accepted those two fish of his, now thinking about it, it's a bit of a loss."

It wasn't just two fish, ever since Gu Ning gave birth, the crucian carp soup at home hadn't stopped. Pure fresh small crucian carp, caught from the lake and sent directly to the house, this intention ultimately had to be felt.

Li Xuewu truly didn't think about exploring the other party's identity and past when interacting with Old Man Zhang, and even less thought about making a friend or anything.

Old Man Zhang was so old, if he suddenly died, as a friend, would you say he went or didn't go?

Casual acquaintance. Just chatting about nonsense, meeting and saying a word, he never thought about showing off in front of the other party.

However, Old Man Zhang was so formal, hindered by status and friendship, this meal was probably going to bleed, otherwise he wouldn't have eaten it at his house.

Either put effort into the food, or put effort into the dinner table.

Gu Ning had no heart, and no interest in dealing with these social engagements. Even if they were neighbors, she just respected and felt the other party's help.

Seeing Li Xuewu had an idea, she didn't talk about this topic, but asked about the itinerary of her father-in-law and mother-in-law.

"Took the train yesterday afternoon, it would be great if they could arrive tonight."

Li Xuewu lay on the sofa, hammered his forehead and said, "Train delays on this line are common, but anyway, there's no urgent matter."

"Then—did Mom and Dad say what day they're coming back?" Gu Ning reminded him with hesitation, "It's all agreed on the Jin Ling side, if it's delayed..."

"Rest assured, it won't be delayed."

Li Xuewu also felt a headache lying down, so he propped up his body and sat up, looked at her and explained, "I've already talked to Mom and Dad."

"Another thing, there's still a project to do on the mountain before the New Year, Dad didn't ask for a long leave, probably about a week and he'll be back."

"Oh, I was just asking." Gu Ning was afraid Li Xuewu would misunderstand, and couldn't explain it clearly herself, so she sat on the sofa side, signaling she wanted to help him rub his head.

Even at home, when had the wife ever been this proactive and gentle, Li Xuewu was truly both relieved and moved.

He took the initiative to lie on her lap, feeling the strength of her fingers, and closed his eyes to enjoy this comfort.

"Wife, let's add a younger brother or sister for Li Ning."

"Alright, you're better."

Gu Ning didn't wait for him to raise his head, let go of her hand, stood up, and went upstairs, completely ignoring Li Xuewu who was crooked on the sofa.

"Yes yes yes, you say I'm better then I'm better—"

Li Xuewu propped up his body from the sofa, looked at the fleeing back, and shouted with a bad smile on his face, "Starting tonight, I'll work hard!"

"Dad, let me help you."

"Go go, go do your work."

Old Zhang waved his hand impatiently in the kitchen, not even looking at his son, and said, "Without you, I wouldn't eat?"

"Then there's no need to arrange so many dishes, who are you inviting?"

"Who I invite is none of your business, there's no share for you in this meal tonight, go do whatever you need to do." Old Zhang didn't care about his son's awkward expression at all, his tone was somewhat stiff, "If you're idle and have nothing to do, go home and read a book, I don't need your help here."

"Go, go, go tend to your own business."

Old Zhang's courtyard was tidied up more meticulously than Li Xuewu's, and it had more style, even if he lived alone, it didn't look sloppy.

Of course, if it were about furniture, layout, and electrical equipment, it definitely couldn't compare to Li Xuewu's, but the quality of life here wasn't bad either.

Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, an old bachelor didn't lack that bit of fireworks.

Li Xuewu visited and happened to see a Shanghai-brand car driving away from here, but it was dark and far away, so he couldn't see the license plate.

Actually, even if he could see it, he might not recognize it; he didn't recognize all the neighbors nearby, let alone the cars nearby.

He raised his eyes to look at the door lintel of Old Zhang's house, but it had a bit of wealth. Although the small foreign-style buildings nearby were basically of the same regulation, after decades, how could there be any that were exactly the same. Even the style of this big door was different.

Recalling Old Zhang's conversation in the past, those complaints and grumbles, and then looking at his home environment, as well as the car that had just left.

Hmm, there wouldn't be any ordinary common people on this street.

Pressed the doorbell, and within a minute, footsteps came from the courtyard, and the one who opened the door was the Old Man Zhang he saw this morning.

Wearing home-style padded clothes, with a blue apron tied around his waist, he didn't look like a fisherman, but rather like a cook.

"You came alone?"

Old Zhang glanced behind him, moved aside, and raised his hand to invite him in.

Li Xuewu turned his body halfway to be half-polite, and teased, "This place of yours isn't a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, do I have to bring two bodyguards?"

"That's not it." A bit of a smile appeared on Old Zhang's face, "I was thinking about your status, even if you don't bring a secretary, you have to bring a driver."

"Originally I thought so." Li Xuewu followed him into the courtyard gate and chatted nonsense, "Unfortunately, it's not a coincidence, my secretary is my eldest brother's sister-in-law, I wouldn't dare to bring her out late at night."

"The driver doesn't even need to be mentioned, this bastard kid told me, he'd rather accompany his wife at night than accompany me to eat a grinding-teeth meal with an old man."

"Sigh, they all say it's hard to be a leader, it's truly like this." Old Zhang sighed and invited him into the room, sighing, "If the people around you can't be managed, it's not just a lack of strict management, it's more likely to cause a big disaster."

Seeing Old Zhang speak solemnly, Li Xuewu also became serious, raised his eyebrows and praised, "You truly have insight, I think so too."

"Sit first, the food will be ready soon." Old Zhang signaled to the sofa, went to the kitchen himself, and left Li Xuewu there.

There was brewed tea on the coffee table, the living room was very bright, it was just that the furniture was old, and there were no miscellaneous decorations, except for books that couldn't be put away.

Li Xuewu put the gift box he brought from home to one side, and didn't go to the sofa to sit, but walked to look at the decorations in this living room.

What there was most of in this living room was books; except for the cabinets used for daily use, other walls were bookshelves, piled full of old books.

There were other books that couldn't be put away stacked on the ground, arranged in a row against the bookshelf.

If it weren't for someone who liked to show off, putting a bookshelf in the living room must mean the study upstairs couldn't hold them. He wasn't surprised by these books of Old Zhang; from a few interactions, he could tell Old Man Zhang was a learned person.

He didn't have itchy hands to flip through other people's collections, just picked the ones that looked good to look at, saw that most were ancient books, and added a bit of caution and solemnity.

Those who can truly read ancient books are mostly those who have practiced. Just the writing format from left to right, top to bottom, without punctuation, can drive people crazy.

Li Xuewu also heard about it, saying that in the early days of taking the Xiucai or Jinshi exams, there were particularly damaging examiners who loved to test reading comprehension.

What does it mean?

It's not that there are no punctuation marks, a long string of text is laid out, and you are asked to write an eight-legged essay according to the core idea.

Readers who have participated in the college entrance examination know that the college entrance examination essay has a bit of eight-legged breaking-the-topic meaning.

Give you a story, or a few sentences, but if you can't understand it, then this essay is written in vain. Off-topic, you've gone off-topic.

The questions for the Xiucai exam had some sentences connected together, and where this comma is placed also has a saying, if you put it in the wrong place, it's all wrong.

Li Xuewu could understand ancient novels, he read the Four Great Classical Novels in classical Chinese when he was young, and had accumulation in this area.

But understanding is just rough understanding, after all, many ancient books need to be read with annotations to be understood, such as the Four Books and Five Classics, all have annotations.

He found a copy

The exam questions for the imperial scholar examinations have sentences strung together, and where you place the comma matters; if you put it in the wrong place, the whole thing is wrong.

Li Xuewu can actually understand classical novels; he read the classical Chinese versions of the Four Great Classical Novels when he was a child, so he has some accumulation in this area.

However, his understanding is only superficial. After all, many ancient texts require annotations to be read and understood, such as the Four Books and Five Classics, which all have commentaries.

He found a copy of "Dream Pool Essays" from the bookshelf, didn't even check which edition it was, and went back to the sofa to read it with great interest.

This is a book by the Song Dynasty polymath Shen Kuo, which records his life's observations and insights; it is very readable.

And the volume he found is "Personnel," which is not a biographical history but more like a record of personnel in the ups and downs of officialdom; it's quite interesting to read.

Shen Kuo lived to be sixty-five, which was during the Northern Song Dynasty, so he was considered long-lived. He reached the rank of Prefect of Yanzhou and concurrently Commissioner for Pacification of the Fuyan Circuit, and was awarded the title of Academician of the Longtu Pavilion; he was essentially a frontier commander with military authority, which was quite formidable.

He reads without restraint and has no rules; he reads what he likes and tosses aside what he doesn't have time for, unless it's a textbook from school that he forces himself to flip through and finish.

To be honest, he has to thank Shangguan Qi for being able to catch up on the past two years of university courses this year.

Even though the professors at the Iron and Steel Institute were entrusted by Pei Dayu to give him special tutoring, the professors had time, but he didn't.

Li Xuewu felt embarrassed to trouble these old professors; attending classes was inconvenient, so he could only study on his own, which was extremely inefficient.

It wasn't until Shangguan Qi became his tutor that they both worked at the same unit and squeezed out time to meet; that's how he mastered the knowledge.

He used to feel a bit guilty, not knowing whether he should accept his diploma next year, but now he has a bit more confidence.

He doesn't worry about professional courses; he had long since memorized those theories by heart, and he had even applied them to perfection in his work.

It's just the basic courses—mathematics or foreign languages—that he isn't very good at.

He has some foundation in foreign languages; after all, he can speak them, and having a language environment makes learning them twice as effective with half the effort.

This mathematics is truly damn difficult; if you don't know it, you don't know it. Even if you stripped naked to tempt him to study, he still wouldn't be able to learn it. This stuff really separates people.

However, Shangguan Qi is patient. Seeing that Li Xuewu is good at physics, especially in architecture and mechanics, she also found roundabout ways to coax and teach him.

Of course, what he studied was ideological theory; physics and architecture were self-taught. With the foundation from his eldest brother, he could be said to have drawn inferences about other cases.

Thinking about it, it's actually quite worth it. When he gets his diploma next year, his file will be updated, and the education level column will be changed to university.

Never mind the sixties, even thirty years later, this university degree is still valuable, not to mention that he has already reached this position.

This academic qualification will eventually be used in the future, and he can be considered part of the academic circle.

But even if he gets his university diploma, he would only dare to display it on a bookshelf in his study. Like Old Man Zhang, he doesn't have the face for that.

It would be embarrassing to let people see it.

Those big bosses in later generations like to have a bookshelf behind them in their offices, filled with books that haven't even had their plastic wrap removed. They also hang calligraphy and paintings like "The Sea Accepts All Rivers" or "Heaven Rewards Diligence" to decorate their facade. But in reality?

Shabby, too shabby—

"You like this set of books? I'll give them to you."

Old Man Zhang appeared at his side, not knowing when, as if he had been watching him for quite a while.

Perhaps he was afraid the food would get cold, so he spoke up to remind him.

Li Xuewu read the last sentence, put down the book, and looked up with a smile, saying, "A gentleman does not take what others love, so let's forget it."

"I've already read them, and they're just gathering dust if I keep them," Old Man Zhang said quite generously. "If you like them, it's fate."

"There are so many things I like; I can't say it's fate for all of them, right?"

Li Xuewu really didn't covet this courtesy at all. He put the book away, picked up the gift box he had brought, and handed it to Old Man Zhang.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't bring a gift?"

Old Man Zhang didn't act coy either. He took the gift, looked at it, and saw it was a small radio with an exquisite appearance, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you, but it's a bit too valuable."

"I can't eat a meal of yours for nothing," Li Xuewu said meaningfully as he strolled toward the dining room. "What if this is a Hongmen Banquet?"

Old Man Zhang looked at the radio in his hand and suddenly felt that this kid was really warm-hearted, far better than his own son.

"Four dishes, one soup." He walked back to the dining room, took a bottle of wine from the cabinet, helped Li Xuewu pour it, and introduced it, saying, "Taste my cooking."

"I really didn't expect you to have this skill."

Because there were only the two of them at the table, Li Xuewu didn't stand on ceremony and had already picked up his chopsticks to take a bite.

You really can't say that Old Man Zhang's situation at home wasn't overconfident; it really had a bit of something to it.

Old Man Zhang didn't pay much attention to his praise. He put down the wine bottle, picked up his wine glass, and toasted him, saying, "Let's have a drink first. Welcome to my home as a guest."

"I should be the one thanking you for your hospitality." Li Xuewu raised his glass to return the toast and then downed it in one gulp.

Old Man Zhang frowned after drinking the wine in his glass. When he opened his eyes again and wanted to pour more wine, the bottle was already in Li Xuewu's hands.

"I won't stand on ceremony, and you shouldn't either."

Li Xuewu helped him pour the wine, looked at him, and said with a smile, "Instead of waiting until we're drunk to speak the truth, it's better to make things clear before we get drunk."

Old Man Zhang looked at him, hesitated for a few seconds, and then sighed, saying, "I have failed to teach my son, I am ashamed and find it hard to speak."

"Could this Fen wine be a filial gift from Deputy Director Zhang to you?"

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, placed the Fen wine in his hand on the table, nodded slightly, and said, "I suppose it is. You wouldn't drink this kind of bitter wine."

"Sometimes work is personnel, and personnel is work. Understanding the ways of the world is learning, and being adept at human relationships is literature." He picked up his glass and downed it, saying, "Shen Kuo wrote these truths in his book a thousand years ago, and yet there are still people who are confused today. Why do you think that is?"

Li Xuewu doesn't like drinking, especially after drinking Fen wine, he feels that drinking is bad and easily leads to trouble.

Huang Gan returned from Jinmen and rushed to the club like a gust of wind to see him, shouting that everything was ready, only the east wind was lacking.

"Where is the east wind? Do you want the East Wind construction?" Li Xuewu looked up at him and picked up the teapot to pour him a cup. "Drink some tea."

"Drinking tea is drinking tea, but things must be done."

Huang Gan pursed his big mouth and babbled about the big plan, but Li Xuewu didn't want to hear a word of it. His head hurt.

"Brother, you're here." Zhou Xiaobai poked her head through the window of the flower hall, then pushed open the door and ran in.

A gust of cool wind blew in, which actually helped Li Xuewu recover a bit of his energy, especially when he looked at the string of people following her in.

Zuo Jie, Luo Yun, Ou Xin, and Pei Pei.

"Yo, why are you all so complete?"

Huang Gan wasn't annoyed at being interrupted. He looked at the group and greeted them with a smile, "Are you all here to find your Li Ge?"

"Just like you, here to ask Li Ge for guidance."

Zuo Jie smiled, took the teapot from the tea table, helped them pour hot tea, and then went to the door to refill the hot water and brought it back.

Huang Gan winked at Li Xuewu in a very informal way, gesturing toward Zhou Xiaobai sitting beside him, as if he were envious to death.

Li Xuewu didn't pay him any mind. He pushed the teacup aside, looked at the group, and said, "If you have time, chat slowly. I haven't rested well these past few days, so I'm going to the gatehouse to lean back for a while."

"Wait, Li Ge, there really is something."

Zuo Jie became serious, looked at him, and requested, "It's no lie that I said I wanted to ask for your guidance."

"Yo, it really looks like it."

Huang Gan pulled Li Xuewu back down, smiled, and gestured to Zuo Jie, saying, "Please begin your performance."

"I'm not joking, Brother Huang, I'm feeling uneasy." Zuo Jie responded to his joke and then glanced at Zhou Xiaobai.

"I also heard it from Xiaobai today; it seems the distribution policy has come down."

"What distribution policy?" Huang Gan was confused, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "How many years have you been working?"

"But our relations are still at the school." Zuo Jie's eyes showed a bit of hesitation. "Today is the twenty-first."

Li Xuewu's expression tightened when he heard this, then he narrowed his eyes and watched him continue.

"Why are you being mysterious? If there's something to say, just say it. Why mention the date?" Huang Gan glared at him.

Luo Yun whispered from the side, "Today is December 21st."

"The latest instructions will be released tomorrow," Zuo Jie said solemnly. "Xiaobai said she got reliable news."

Everyone looked at Zhou Xiaobai, who nodded cautiously.

"December 22nd? What kind of instructions? Xiaobai, did you see the internal reference?" Huang Gan pressed.

"Yes, I heard it from my mother too." Zhou Xiaobai nodded, lowered her voice, and introduced, "The People's Daily is going to publish an important editorial called something like 'We Also Have Two Hands, We Won't Eat Idle Rice in the City!' There's an editor's note in front that quotes special instructions: 'It is very necessary for educated youth to go to the countryside to receive re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants. Cadres and other people in the city should be persuaded to send their children who have graduated from junior high, high school, and university to the countryside to mobilize them. Comrades in the countryside should welcome them.'"

"Ah? Are we all going to the countryside?" Ou Xin and Pei Pei were stunned.

Li Xuewu's expression didn't fluctuate, as if he had known about this long ago.

Only Zuo Jie and the others were panicked, their faces full of conflict, not knowing what to do.

"Didn't Ou Xin and Pei Pei already handle their work procedures?" Huang Gan suddenly remembered something and looked at the two of them, asking, "Didn't I find someone to help you handle this?"

"But the club isn't... we're afraid..."

Ou Xin looked at Li Xuewu worriedly. She was afraid that the club's work wouldn't be valid and they would still have to follow the distribution policy.

Li Xuewu was also considering this policy. He had been a bit busy lately and had neglected this issue.

However, he had been prepared for a long time, as it involved his younger brother Li Xuecai and the children of several relatives.

At this moment, the group in the flower hall was discussing this news in a state of confusion, and suddenly they realized he was the only one who hadn't spoken.

Zhou Xiaobai grabbed his arm and asked, "Brother, did you know about this news long ago?"

"How could that be? Where would I have such convenient news channels as you?" Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and explained, "I was just thinking about what to do if this news is true."

"Yes, what should we do?"

Ou Xin wrung her fingers and said, "We're doing well here. If the school suddenly comes looking for us and tells us to obey the distribution..."

"It's not that easy for them to find you."

Huang Gan also thought for a while, shook his head slightly, and said, "The relations have already been transferred here, and the procedures are complete. Even if they come looking, the club can push back."

Ou Xin and Pei Pei's expressions softened a bit after hearing this, and their eyes fell on Zuo Jie and Luo Yun.

These two didn't handle the club's work procedures at the beginning; they were just working for Shen Guodong and Li Xuewu and collecting a salary.

Especially Luo Yun, who was full of conflict. On one side was the distribution news he had finally waited for, and on the other was the career he had already started.

Don't say that people in this era are all stupid; even if they were told to go to the countryside, they would still go happily.

Policies often guide the vast majority of people.

"It's not just a problem for the few of them. Most of the young people used in the club are those who graduated and weren't distributed."

Huang Gan cautiously reminded, "If it's not handled well, the hearts will scatter, and the framework will collapse."

"Hmm, I know." Li Xuewu nodded, stood up, and said, "I'll find you again after the news comes out tomorrow."

"I have a social engagement tonight; we'll talk after I'm done with this."

Note 1: "Er Da Ye" (Grandfather/Elder). The pronunciation is different, and the meaning is different. "Yi-da-ye" (First Elder) means a generation older. "Da-ye" and "Er-ye" (First and Second Elder) mean two generations older.