Chapter 1412: I have no friends

"Currently, the Steel City Industrial Zone is still a massive construction site."

Li Xuewu, along with Gao Yaqin and their party, stood on the street in front of the Metallurgical Plant, gesturing to the surroundings as he gave an introduction.

He pointed to a plot of land in the southwest corner of the Metallurgical Plant that had already been leveled and said, "According to the established planning scheme, the Steel City Branch of the United Industrial Hospital will be located right there."

"So big?" Gao Yaqin looked at the large expanse of open space in the corner and asked in surprise, "Could this fit two hospitals?"

"Hehe, it is indeed enough to build two."

Li Xuewu smiled as he glanced at Gao Yaqin and explained, "Most of this open space is intended for the United Hospital's construction site, while the other part will be used to build the Steel City Industrial Zone Exhibition Hall."

"Another industrial exhibition hall, then."

The reason Gao Yaqin sighed with such emotion was that Li Xuewu had already advocated for the establishment of an industrial exhibition hall back in the capital.

This was no small project, nor was it something that could be done by just throwing up a temporary shed; it was a permanent structure.

"As long as there are sales activities in industrial development, there must be displays, especially for professional equipment and facilities."

Li Xuewu nodded and explained, "The more professional the exhibition and sales, the better it can reflect an enterprise's hard power."

"The Industrial Exhibition Hall in the capital is very useful; this is indeed as you said." Gao Yaqin nodded and said, "The one in Jinmen is older, but it's a bit small, though its functions are different."

"The exhibition hall at the Jinmen United Trade Management Center was also proposed and built by the Secretary-General." Li Haiyang stood to the side and explained, "At the time, the goal was to hold year-round trade fairs."

"They are still doing it now." Gao Yaqin glanced at him, nodded, and said, "It's mainly to coordinate with the Trade Management Center. Every quarter, every month, there are corresponding exhibition and sales activities. This point is indeed very effective in driving sales figures."

"A process of letting the stream flow long and accumulating bit by bit."

Li Xuewu raised his hand to indicate the direction where the exhibition hall was to be built and introduced, "This location will mainly display the primary production equipment and products of the Steel City Industrial Zone, serving a fixed display function."

"It can also be used for pre-job training, right?"

Gao Yaqin stood on the curb, gazed into the distance for a while, then turned back to Li Xuewu and said, "This location is excellent."

"To the left is the United Industrial Hospital branch area, to the right is the main gate of the Metallurgical Plant, and further to the right is..."

The group followed her hand to look toward the east, where there was also an open plot, though it was piled with some construction waste.

"That was originally the parking shed for the Metallurgical Plant. Now, after demolition and renovation, we plan to build an office building there."

Li Xuewu waved his hand and explained, "This area is right at the core of the Steel City Industrial Zone. In the future, it will be used for the group's industrial management in Liaodong and other office functions."

If he put it that way, Gao Yaqin could understand; otherwise, building a large tower in such a prime location would always invite speculation.

Although this was the final year of the Red Star Plant's first "Three-Year Plan," the group's management was already beginning to look ahead and formulate the second "Three-Year Plan."

To be more precise, the draft for the second "Three-Year Plan" had already gone through six versions and would be finalized soon.

Given Li Xuewu's position and goals in Steel City, he was certainly prepared when looking ahead and formulating the three-year plan and goals regarding the development of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong.

What everyone could see now was the group's Leading Group for Industrial Enterprises in Liaodong and its office, but whether this group and office structure would remain or be dissolved in the coming years depended entirely on Li Xuewu's planning and efforts.

One step back: each industrial enterprise would connect with the group's various management departments to achieve vertical management.

One step forward: the group and office would expand to become the Red Star Northeast Industrial Development Corporation, becoming the group's eighth deputy-bureau-level general corporation.

Everyone already knew the first seven: Red Star Steel Group Sales Corporation, Red Star United Savings Bank Headquarters, Red Star United Energy Development Corporation, Red Star United Construction Engineering Corporation, Education and Medical Administration Bureau, Red Star Institute of Science and Technology, and the recently prepared Red Star United Logistics Development Corporation.

With these eight deputy-bureau-level general corporations paired with the three division-level general corporations—Red Star Steel Group Food Corporation, Red Star Literature and Art Publishing House, and Labor and Safety Service Corporation—as well as the Red Star Property Management Corporation currently being discussed in meetings, the Red Star Steel Group would form a management structure of eight large and four small entities.

The grandeur was beginning to emerge; the power was already established.

Gao Yaqin looked at the large expanse of open land and nodded slightly; she could already imagine the magnificence and solemnity of the building.

There were still many of the group's branches and offices stationed in Liaodong, currently operating in the building complex near the thermal power plant. In fact, that area was not part of the Red Star Steel City Industrial Zone's designated region; it had been forced upon them by Steel City.

That area was originally the factory grounds of a certain joint-venture plant. Because it was a bit far from the city center and business operations were being adjusted, and because Steel City needed to designate a zone for the Red Star Steel City Industrial Zone, they included this piece as well; otherwise, there would have been a gap.

After temporary renovation, this factory area formed nine office buildings of various sizes. The Labor Corporation Steel City Branch, Literature and Art Publishing House Steel City Branch, Sales Corporation Steel City Branch, Automobile Sales Branch, United Logistics Steel City Branch, United Energy Steel City Branch, United Construction Steel City Branch, and the Institute of Science and Technology Steel City Branch all operated there.

There was also an office building for the Red Star Steel City Industrial Zone Construction General Headquarters. Since the Steel Plant area was not yet fully completed, this also served as the temporary office for the Steel Plant.

Li Xuewu accompanied Gao Yaqin on a tour of this area, pointing out the locations of the relevant units.

Gao Yaqin looked at those office locations, then turned back to look at the plot of land they had passed earlier that was slated for the office building.

She understood now: Li Xuewu intended to pack all these group branches into that one building in the future.

Integrated management and unified office space had already become the management model for the Steel City Industrial Zone.

Standing at the gas station on the side of the nearly completed Steel City Steel Plant, Gao Yaqin looked east and west and could confirm that the Steel City Industrial Zone was divided into two by the road in front of her.

Divided north and south into two, and east and west into four blocks by three roads, the industrial zone connected to the main thoroughfares of Steel City, effectively forming a complete industrial satellite city.

With ten modernized industrial enterprises gathered together, capable of achieving systematic and integrated unified deployment and management, one had to say that Li Xuewu's ambition was truly too large.

His ambition was so great that a single Steel City could not contain it.

Gao Yaqin's party stayed in Steel City for only two days. During those two days, Li Xuewu accompanied them on visits and research to several key industrial enterprises, especially those related to economic construction.

Two days later, Li Xuewu returned to the capital in the same car as Gao Yaqin. The first reason was to report to Li Huai De on the construction and development of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong; the second was to attend his brother-in-law's wedding.

The date set by his mother-in-law was March 23rd on the solar calendar, which happened to be a weekend, and his father-in-law had also rushed back from Jin Ling.

Along the way, Li Xuewu continued to talk with Gao Yaqin, discussing the group's industrial construction, economic construction, organizational construction, and cultural construction in Liaodong. This was also preparation for the conversation he would have with Old Li after returning to the capital.

He divided the group's current main work priorities in Liaodong into four areas: industry, economy, organization, and culture. These four important tasks were closely linked, mutually beneficial, and helpful.

"Industrial construction work is already enough to keep you busy. I can understand you wanting to consolidate the group's organizational construction work." Gao Yaqin looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Actively promoting economic construction work can be considered helping me, but what do you mean by cultural construction?"

"A nation without culture cannot last long; an enterprise without culture is empty."

Li Xuewu was not spouting clichés but said very earnestly, "To complete organizational construction work, there must be support from cultural construction. To achieve long-term development in industrial and economic construction, support from cultural construction is equally necessary."

"I'm wondering if you tell this to Director Li, whether he will be able to understand you, or rather, whether he will be able to comprehend it."

Gao Yaqin spoke very bluntly and hurtfully. Even though Director Li was not there, Li Xuewu could feel the intense malice from her. Had Old Li offended her?

That was it. Making Gao Yaqin take a wasted trip to Steel City, coming with high spirits only to return disappointed—how could she not blame Old Li?

Plus, Old Li's habit of not understanding business, let alone economics, must have made him look foolish in front of her.

Capable people are like this, and capable women even more so; they all look down on the weak.

"Director Li is still very far-sighted and understands the greater good." Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, smiled, and said, "The fact that he can listen to opinions is already very admirable."

"Oh—" Gao Yaqin looked at him meaningfully and said, "So your standard for evaluating Director Li is just whether he is obedient, right?"

"That's it, that's it. With your ability and communication level, it's still very easy to make Director Li trust you." She raised her eyebrows at Li Xuewu and said with a smile, "I have never doubted this point."

"What kind of talk is that? Can Director Li listen to me?"

Li Xuewu put down his teacup and said amusedly, "If you ask me, we call this being like-minded, but in your mouth, it has become something else."

"So, is it that I can't speak anything decent?" Gao Yaqin widened her eyes, curled her lips, and said, "If you listen to me, don't go beating around the bush with Director Li next time. Why not just say directly what you want to do? He might not necessarily understand."

"Furthermore, if he pretends to understand when he doesn't, the one who will be troubled later is you. Think about it."

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, looked up out the window, and said, "Once you pass the Shanhai Pass, it's a whole new world."

Li Xuewu followed her gaze to look outside. It was indeed so. One could clearly feel from the window that the vegetation after entering the pass was more vibrant than inside the pass.

Wild grass was already sprouting early by the railway, and tree branches were turning green. Spring had arrived.

It was already the third month of spring; how could spring not have arrived? After passing the pass, Li Xuewu could clearly feel the temperature in the carriage rising; it was warmer than in Steel City.

"I won't talk about cultural construction because I don't understand your line of thinking, and you are obviously more professional than I am." Gao Yaqin turned back to look at Li Xuewu and said, "I admit I'm not as good as you in this regard."

"I want to talk about economic construction work." She spread her hands and said, "I have already learned from others what you said at the Liaodong Industrial Management Group meeting."

"Hmm, and then?" Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked up at her.

Regarding his speech at the meeting, Li Xuewu had never requested confidentiality, nor was there anything he couldn't share with others.

Facing Li Xuewu's composure, Gao Yaqin paused, carefully observing his expression, before continuing, "Are you serious about wanting to develop the group's sales corporation's distribution network throughout the entire Northeast region?"

"What are you doubting?" Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked in return, "Are you doubting that I'm drunk and bragging, or that I'm disregarding the group's life or death to fish for achievements?"

"Can't I doubt both?"

Gao Yaqin tilted her neck and just looked at Li Xuewu. Obviously, she didn't think exactly that, but it wasn't far off.

Li Xuewu nodded knowingly, put down the teacup in his hand, and explained, "Actually, I think bragging is nothing. If one has the ability to realize the brag, that's a good thing."

"According to you, you can realize the brag?"

Gao Yaqin smiled, raised her hand to signal Li Xuewu, and said, "Please begin your performance. I want to see how you perform bragging."

"My performance requires a fee." Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Do you want to pay the money first before listening?"

"You haven't even started performing and you want money?" Gao Yaqin crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat, saying, "Why don't you brag a bit first and let me see?"

"I'll draw two lines for you and you'll understand everything."

Li Xuewu opened his notebook, first writing the names of several major cities on the page according to their geographical locations, then drawing upward starting from Ying City, all the way to Bing City.

Along the way, it would pass through two major cities: Feng City and Ji City.

That wasn't all; he then drew diagonally downward from Feng City, all the way to Jinmen. The two lines formed a tower shape.

Finally, Li Xuewu picked up his pen and drew a line eastward starting from Ji City. This stroke left Gao Yaqin dumbfounded.

After a long while, Gao Yaqin exhaled, pressed her finger on the position between Jinmen and Ying City—that is, the position of Bohai Bay—and asked, "Don't you need to connect this part?"

"I don't think it's necessary." Li Xuewu put away his fountain pen and said confidently, "Within three years, the Ying City port area will be put into operation. Within five years, it will be developed. Within ten years, Ying City Port will become a competitor to the Jingu Port."

"What about twenty years?" Gao Yaqin heard him bragging so mysteriously and asked amusedly, "How did you predict that?"

"Want to hear this part?" Li Xuewu smiled and said, "You have to pay; this belongs to paid content."

"Playing mystery—" Gao Yaqin pushed aside his notebook and didn't intend to continue asking. Even if she had many guesses in her heart, she didn't intend to ask anymore; it wasn't necessary.

Li Xuewu was calculating this because he could work at the Red Star Steel Group for another ten years. What use was it for her to calculate this? In ten years, she didn't know where she would be; eight years or five years was hard to say.

The train carried Gao Yaqin toward the capital, her mind filled with infinite speculation about that line starting from Ji City.

That night, the train arrived on time.

"Ah ya ya ya—"

Li Shu heard the sound of the car outside the courtyard and ran down wearing her pajamas, shouting chaotically.

Er Ya had just finished tidying up and was preparing to go back to her room to sleep when she discovered this little ancestor had run down again.

"This is already the third time today."

She looked at Li Shu and reminded her, "Your father won't be back until very late. He already said you don't need to wait for him."

"My father is back!" Li Shu also stubbornly emphasized for the third time, "I saw him from the window!"

"You said that the first two times too."

Er Ya was so helpless. Didn't this child know the story of the boy who cried wolf? The third time didn't work.

"Be good, go back to sleep. When you wake up tomorrow morning, your father will appear before your eyes."

"My father is not the ceiling; how can he appear before my eyes as soon as I wake up?"

Li Shu's stubbornness exceeded Er Ya's imagination. She insisted on standing in the foyer looking outside, waiting for her father to open the door and return.

"It must be a passing car, just like before." Er Ya helplessly squatted beside her and coaxed her, saying, "Didn't you see wrong just now?"

"That was just now—" Li Shu twisted her body, not wanting her second aunt to pull her, her gaze still fixed on the doorway.

"What's wrong with her?" Zhao Yaping came out of the room, looked at the two, and asked, "Is Li Shu not resting?"

"My father is back." Li Shu looked at the doorway without turning her head, as if she had some obsession.

At this moment, Li Ning's little head also appeared at the top of the stairs. He wasn't as stubborn as his sister, but he sat on the stairs, propped his chin, and looked down, incidentally letting out a yawn.

It was his sister who pulled him not to sleep, saying they had to wait for their father to come back to sleep together, which was why he had persisted until now.

He wasn't necessarily waiting for his father to come back, but he was afraid of his sister. This family was big, and his sister Li Shu was the biggest. Li Shu was the big sister; he couldn't afford to provoke her, really couldn't afford to provoke her.

"Look, your brother was woken up by you..."

Er Ya smiled bitterly and exchanged a look with Zhao Yaping, then continued to patiently persuade Li Shu, but she only said half a sentence before hearing movement at the main gate.

Both were startled, only Li Shu jumped and shouted happily, "My father is back! My father is back!"

At this moment, even if Er Ya wanted to sleep, she couldn't. She hurriedly went to the doorway, took a large coat, draped it over herself, and opened the room door.

There was indeed light flashing in from the iron gate; it must be the car headlights. This time, Li Shu was really right.

She didn't have time to instruct Zhao Yaping to watch Li Shu and Li Ning well; she hurried to the main gate alone.

There was no need to confirm; she had already heard that the person talking to the driver outside was indeed Li Xuewu.

"Brother Li, you're back—"

Er Ya opened the main gate and saw that the person standing in front of the headlights was indeed him, only the headlights were a bit dazzling.

"You haven't slept yet?" Li Xuewu greeted with a smile, "Just now I was saying I'd jump over the wall to get in, but Master Wang wouldn't let me."

He raised his hand to signal the driver beside him; this was the duty driver from the car pool who came to the station to pick him up today.

"Alright, Secretary-General, I'll help you move the things in first so you can rest early."

Driver Wang was very enthusiastic. Seeing that the nanny of the leader's family had already opened the main gate, he was spared from jumping over the wall to enter the courtyard.

"Thank you, you've worked hard."

Li Xuewu also wanted to help, but Er Ya snatched the lead. She was very strong and moved a box as big as Driver Wang's.

Watching the two move the boxes into the courtyard, Li Xuewu could only smile bitterly and carry the smallest box inside.

He didn't bring any luggage back; what luggage did he need to live at home? It wasn't like he had no clothes to wear.

Other than some seasonal specialties from Steel City, what he brought back were toys and snacks for the children.

He didn't just have one child; there were two at home, one big nephew, and one godson—more than four.

"Father—Father—"

Li Shu seemed as if she hadn't seen her father for a long time, trying to rush out from the door to hug him.

Only, this little clever one wasn't very sincere, or perhaps she was dazzled by the boxes in Driver Wang's and Er Ya's hands. The "Father" that followed seemed a bit absent-minded, and the tone dropped a bit.

It was indeed winter; even the best little cotton-padded jacket would leak wind. Don't blame the little cotton-padded jacket; blame the freezing cold wind.

"Not sleeping at this time? Didn't your mother scold you?" Li Xuewu walked into the foyer with a smile and said to Driver Wang, who had put down the box and was about to leave, "You've worked hard. The one left in the trunk is for you. Take it home for the children to taste."

"How can this be!" Driver Wang was surprised by the leader's arrangement and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "How can I take your things?"

He was arranged by the Comprehensive Management Office to go to the station to pick up the Secretary-General alone, following the leader's request for a simple trip.

It was the Secretary-General who called in advance to request that the Comprehensive Management Department not make a big fuss and that only one driver was needed.

Captain Han Jiankun gave him instructions, and from the moment he picked up the Secretary-General, he helped move the luggage.

Since it passed through his hands, he naturally knew what the Secretary-General brought back, including some candies and dried fruits.

After the Secretary-General got out of the car, he arranged for him to move the suitcases and stood by the trunk tidying up for a while. He thought something had spilled and didn't feel embarrassed to go up, but as a result...

Driver Wang was truly moved. The Secretary-General had always had a reputation for being generous in the agency, and today he encountered it.

He was the agency's duty driver; going on missions at night was normal work. Being remembered by the leader was naturally heartwarming.

Furthermore, those candies and dried fruits looked expensive; they were gifts the Secretary-General bought for his children at home.

He hadn't noticed before, but in the car, the Secretary-General sat in the passenger seat and chatted with him about children, and he also mentioned his own four-year-old daughter.

This was the Secretary-General's character.

"It's already this late, let's not be polite." Li Xuewu shook hands with him with a smile and said, "It's too late today. If there's a chance in the future, I'll invite you to be a guest at home."

"Thank you, thank you, Secretary-General. You are too polite."

Driver Wang let Er Ya send him out the door, occasionally turning back to express his gratitude to Li Xuewu.

The emotion in his heart wasn't just because of that bag of candy, but also the details of how the Secretary-General did things.

There were only the two of them in the car; the Secretary-General should have sat in the back, but he took the initiative to sit in the passenger seat.

Even though he had already expressed his gratitude, and his children at home were still begging for a hug, he still stood at the doorway to see him off.

To be honest, although the Secretary-General was young, in his view, this was the kind of person who should be a group leader!

"I want this—"

"Then I want this—"

"Leave this for Li Tang!"

The sister and brother knelt on the carpet in front of the sofa, occasionally rummaging through the boxes Li Xuewu brought back to find gifts.

Every time they found something, the sister and brother would divide it into two piles according to their own needs or preferences. Of course, they didn't forget Li Tang from their uncle's family; he was both a younger brother and an older brother.

The sister and brother had already been close enough to their father. Father went upstairs to take a bath, and they started being naughty downstairs.

Er Ya yawned, covered her mouth, sniffed, turned to Zhao Yaping, and said, "Go to sleep first. I'll stay with them; they should be going to sleep soon."

"With them like this right now?"

Zhao Yaping looked at the little sister and brother speechlessly, turned to Er Ya, and asked, "Where do you see that they are sleepy?"

"Then what to do? You stay with them? I'll go to sleep first?" Er Ya tightened her clothes amusedly and said, "If you aren't afraid of them shouting, try taking these things away."

"No—"

Li Ning had long learned to speak, but other than the two words "Father" and "Mother," the first words he learned were "No, no."

If things went his way, whatever you asked him, he would nod in agreement, but agreement was agreement; he wouldn't necessarily do it.

If things didn't go his way, he would say "No, no" very directly, and his pronunciation was very clear.

This point wasn't as good as his sister. After Li Shu learned the two terms "Father" and "Mother" when she was young, the first word she learned was "Hit," and sometimes she would add a "Ya" sound.

At this moment, hearing the second aunt and the little aunt "tsk tsk" at them, Li Ning turned his head and firmly denied their suggestion.

Zhao Yaping looked at the time on the wall, also let out a yawn, squinted her eyes, and asked the two, "Do you not intend to go upstairs to see Father? He finally came back once."

"It's fine, it's fine—" Li Shu was buried in the box picking things, waved her hand without raising her head, and said, "We can see Father when we wake up tomorrow morning. We don't need to go now."

"We don't need to go now." Li Ning was very obedient. Afraid they hadn't heard, he emphasized this sentence again, then went to pick toys with his sister.

Zhao Yaping looked at Er Ya's speechless expression and only found it funny. These two little fellows could make some fun every day.

"Then what to do? Who goes to sleep first?"

Er Ya looked at Zhao Yaping and asked, "At this rate, they might not sleep all night."

"Can you sleep?" Zhao Yaping glanced upstairs amusedly, blinked at Er Ya, and said, "If you can sleep, go to sleep first. I'll wait here for a while."

"You really are—" Er Ya curled her lips, looked at her, and teased softly, "Why do you understand everything."

"You don't understand—" Zhao Yaping glared at her amusedly and said, "Our family at least has many people and we sleep on separate kang screens. You all sleep on a big kang. You say you don't understand this?"

"Go—" Er Ya glared at her and said, "A big girl like you, why do you dare to say anything—aren't you ashamed—"

"Yeah! You know shame now!"

Zhao Yaping rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "Who told you to pretend to be serious with me just now? I said it, so you understand, right?"

"You are hopeless, really." Er Ya stood up to pour a glass of plain water and muttered, "Really—"

She didn't know if this last sentence was referring to Zhao Yaping or upstairs, but she couldn't help but glance upstairs again.

Upstairs...

"Who went to tidy up that side?"

Li Xuewu changed into pajamas and sat on the bed, turned back to look at Gu Ning, and asked, "Guodong took people to help?"

"Chen Xiaoyan took people there. Guodong said it wasn't convenient for him to go." Gu Ning got up and put on clothes, her body still soft. She turned back and glared at Li Xuewu, saying, "You are just being naughty."

"That's too much, Comrade Gu Ning." Li Xuewu stood up and emphasized righteously, "If you do this again, I will have to invoke family law."

"Too lazy to bother with you—" Gu Ning held the edge of the bed and stood up, but had to sit back down.

"Alright, I'll go down and coax them up."

Li Xuewu saw Gu Ning glaring at him again, so he could only smile and apologize, walked over to coax his wife to lie down again, and then left the room.

Walking to the top of the stairs, he could hear the sister and brother still chattering, not sleepy at all.

It was really because there were too many toys Father brought back this time, and many, many delicious things.

"Who is not sleeping in the middle of the night?"

Li Xuewu walked quietly behind his son, picked up this little glutton, and kissed him hard in his arms.

"Father—" The little guy straightened his body and wanted to get down, very afraid his sister would take all the good things away.

"Alright, let's divide them tomorrow." Li Xuewu persuaded his daughter and son, saying, "Don't you see the little aunt and second aunt are sleepy?"

"Then let the little aunt and second aunt go to sleep first. We don't need them to accompany us." Li Shu was still fiddling with those things and said this casually.

Li Xuewu looked at the two who were so sleepy they were about to fall over, waved his hand, and signaled them to go rest quickly.

The two were like being granted amnesty. After exchanging a look, they didn't care about being embarrassed, lowered their heads, and got up to go to their room.

Li Xuewu sat on the sofa, pointed to the toys and snacks on the ground, and said, "Sister, you make the decision. Divide these into five parts, and you each take one."

"Why five parts—"

Li Shu had already learned math in kindergarten. At this moment, she counted on her fingers, seeming to feel she had lost a lot.

Li Xuewu pointed at her little hand and said, "These are divided into five parts. You take one, brother takes one. How many are left?"

"Five parts in total. I take one, brother takes one..."

Li Shu stretched out five fingers, folded back two under her father's guidance, and after confirming, she looked up and said, "Three parts. There are three parts left, Father."

"Do you need to give Li Tang brother one?"

Li Xuewu pointed at the three fingers she had left and asked, "How many are left after taking away this one?"

"Two parts. There are two parts left!"

Li Shu looked at her fingers, looked up at her father, and asked, "After giving to Li Tang, who else do I give to?"

"You have to give one to Li Xin from Aunt Wu's family. Do you still remember Li Xin?" Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked his daughter, "Do you still remember Aunt Wu?"

"I remember. Before the New Year, you took me to her house."

Li Shu frowned slightly, very difficultly folded down another finger, and looked urgently at her father, asking, "Then what about this last part?"

"This part—" Li Xuewu looked at his daughter with a smile and said, "You have to share this part with your friends."

"Friends?" Li Shu first stared with her eyes thinking for a while, then nodded decisively, let out a sigh of relief, and said, "Father, I have no friends. Just give this part to me."

"Wait a minute—" Li Xuewu held his daughter's little hand amusedly and asked, "Don't you have friends in kindergarten? Who do you play well with? The little friends."

"Oh—" Li Shu seemed to wake up from a big dream, but emphasized very seriously, "They are little friends, not the friends you said, so I don't need to share these with them."

"Li Shu, sharing makes people happy."

Li Xuewu looked at his daughter helplessly and said, "When you share happiness with little friends, you can harvest two portions of happiness. The process of sharing is also happy."

"Who said that? I'm not happy."

Li Shu looked at the toys and candies in the box, looked up, and said, "I'm not happy if I share with them."

"You haven't even shared yet, how do you know you won't be happy?" Li Xuewu taught his daughter patiently, "Believe Father this once. If you are really not happy after sharing these, Father will bring you more delicious things next time."

"Then when you bring more delicious things next time, I'll share happiness with the little friends, okay?"

Li Shu stood there looking at her father, her eyes full of innocence, and said, "Father, just believe me this once, okay?"

"You'd better stop calling me Father. I'll call you Father, okay?"

Li Xuewu was almost calculated by his daughter. How was this little girl's reverse thinking practiced?

Thinking that he had always been honest and down-to-earth in work and life, why did his daughter have so many tricks?

"Li Shu, Li Ning, go upstairs to sleep."

Li Xuewu heard Gu Ning's greeting from the top of the stairs, suppressing her laughter. That was a kind of contempt and mockery of his authority as a father.

He knew now that Li Shu had so many tricks because she learned them from her mother. Look at how many tricks Gu Ning had!

"I wish you a hundred years of harmony."

The woman who should be called Aunt-in-law said a word of joy to Gu Yan, who was welcoming guests in the courtyard after entering.

Gu Yan changed his usual playfulness and ruffianism, responding respectfully and politely.

Li Xuewu, the brother-in-law, was also arranged by his mother-in-law to stand at the door as the head of the family.

According to old customs, the brother-in-law is indeed considered the head of the family.

Think about it: a brother-in-law is half a level lower at his sister's house, while a son-in-law is a pampered guest half a level higher at his mother-in-law's house. One high and one low, a difference of one level. Isn't this brother-in-law the head of the family for the brother-in-law?

Gu An, the eldest brother, had a mission and didn't come back. Originally, the three of them were supposed to take the train back to the capital together the day before yesterday, but as a result, only Mu Hongyan and the child arrived in the capital. This situation was really helpless. If Gu An wasn't in charge, it wouldn't matter, and he could just take leave, but as the main person in charge, he couldn't be absent no matter what.

The Gu family's courtyard was tidied up again. It was the key given by Gu Ning, and the arrangements were made by Shen Guodong and Chen Xiaoyan.

Actually, if the Gu family was holding a happy event, the Management Office would definitely send people and effort to make arrangements, but Ding Fengxia had a cautious personality.

Even Gu Haitao agreed with her decision. It was more appropriate to arrange this matter for the son-in-law to handle.

Chen Xiaoyan brought several women and was sent over by Shen Guodong. They tidied up for two full days before it was done.

How efficient Shen Guodong was: the hygiene upstairs and downstairs was cleaned, the stove was relit, and even the colorful flowers for the wedding were hung up, just waiting for the Gu family to come back to hold the happy event.

Ding Fengxia came back early. When she returned home, she found that everything at home had been prepared.

What were colorful wedding flowers? The in-laws even prepared enough wedding quilts and all the necessities for the wedding.

The in-laws mentioned here were not Zhou Yao's parents, but Li Xuewu's parents. After she returned, she lived at her daughter's house.

She lived at her daughter's house, but she stayed at the Li family's side for three or four days in a row—that is, the Sihe Academy. She thanked them very much.

In-laws don't talk about thanks, but how could such thoughtful in-laws not make her feel warm? Especially the enthusiasm of the Li family, which made her feel the warmth between relatives after returning to the capital and feeling the familiar coldness.

Auspicious time and day, auspicious joy and event. According to Gu Haitao's request, keep it low-key and don't be extravagant.

Even so, it couldn't be the same as the reception scene when the son-in-law got married, but what should be there had to be there.

Gu Yan stood beside Li Xuewu in clean and neat board-green clothes, having shed the impetuosity and ostentation of a young man, appearing very mature and responding politely to guests who came to offer congratulations.

Today was his big happy event.

"Sigh—it's not worth it to toss you around."

At this moment, there was no one else. Gu Yan turned back to look at his brother-in-law, who had been accompanying him standing at the door, and said, "I said let the family get together and have a meal. Why go through all this trouble."

"That's very distant talk." Li Xuewu looked at his brother-in-law and said, "Ah, I'm so busy that I can't even come back for my brother-in-law's wedding. What a big cadre."

"Hehe, in my mind, brother-in-law, you are the best."

Gu Yan laughed and flattered him, saying, "Among those I know, no one can compare to you, really—"

"Ai hai, trying to feed me a love potion again, right?"

Li Xuewu pointed at him with a smile and said, "Speak, what ghost idea do you have again? Is it that you are short of money?"

"Look, I'm just expressing my admiration for you, and you're thinking crookedly again." Gu Yan tilted his neck with a smile, and seeing his mother come out of the room, he whispered to his brother-in-law, "You must not tell my mother about me borrowing money from you."

"Rest assured." Li Xuewu gave his brother-in-law a "you trust me" look, then turned to his mother-in-law and said, "Mom, why are you here? Is it busy inside?"

"Don't mention it. The people are almost all here. What are you two standing here like fools for? Go inside and eat."

It was truly low-key, truly a family banquet. Gu Haitao had no intention of going to a restaurant or anywhere else to hold a wedding banquet for his son. It was just that even the chef wasn't troubled by the Management Office; it was the son-in-law who arranged for people to come and help. This wedding banquet reflected his intentions everywhere.

This wedding had to be held, but it couldn't be too low-key, otherwise, people would be thinking about it, but it couldn't be too extravagant, so it was held at home, setting up a few large tables for everyone to have fun.

The courtyard gate was wide open. The bride was picked up by Gu Yan on a bicycle from the Zhou family. There was no extravagance or waste. Anyone in the courtyard who wanted to inquire knew everything clearly; nothing was hidden.

Gu Haitao only planned to stay in the capital for three days. After three days, the son and daughter-in-law would return home, and he and Ding Fengxia would return to Jin Ling.

Li Xuewu couldn't stay for three days. He didn't need to help with anything here either. The children in the courtyard were having fun. Hearing that the food was good, they all crowded together toward the room.

There were no children older than Dong Mengyuan, and no children younger than Li Ning. In this era, people with some status who came to the banquet basically wouldn't bring small children. This wasn't a Sihe Academy.

"The auspicious time has arrived, let the banquet begin!" ===== CHAPTER 1413 =====