Chapter 1424: That really beats everything!

"The United Savings Bank is planning to acquire 16 savings offices and merge 6 credit cooperatives in the Northeast region."

Bu Qingfang accompanied Li Xuewu as they exited the Project Management Office building and headed toward the main office building.

She smiled and teased Li Xuewu, "With one roar from you in Liaodong, the Savings Bank trembles three times."

"President Xie came to the group for a meeting and spent an entire afternoon arguing with Deputy Director Jing. Everyone in the agency is saying that President Xie has really gone all out this time."

"A rare, major move, isn't it?"

Li Xuewu also smiled and said, "The opportunity is truly rare. With the endorsement of Liaodong industry, they are taking the initiative to invite us for capital support."

"I don't quite understand. What kind of difficulties must they have encountered to allow corporate capital to invest and build across regions?"

Bu Qingfang, carrying a thermos cup, turned her head to look at Li Xuewu and smiled, "Was it you who negotiated this?"

"It was just a timely encounter." Li Xuewu saw a group of young people standing in front of the main office building and gestured with his chin, "What are they doing?"

"Oh, it's the annual collective training for newly assigned or recruited university graduates."

Bu Qingfang saw them too, but hadn't paid much attention. Hearing Li Xuewu's question, she replied.

There were indeed quite a few young people standing scattered in front of the building, which showed the scale of talent recruitment this year.

Li Xuewu was listening to Bu Qingfang's introduction while observing these young people when he suddenly heard someone call his name.

Not only was Li Xuewu stunned by the call, but Bu Qingfang, who was walking beside him, was also taken aback.

In the Red Star Steel Group, in the group's office area, someone actually dared to call Li Xuewu by his full name?

Let alone ordinary employees, even the group's leadership team didn't call him by his full name; they either called him Secretary-General or Comrade Li Xuewu. Who was this so bold and impolite to call him by his full name?

"Li Xuewu—" The person was still waving excitedly at them, even taking a few steps forward, shouting, "Are you here to report for duty too?"

Li Xuewu scrutinized the person, saw him being held back by others, and after hearing Bu Qingfang's soft explanation, he finally remembered who the person was.

"Principal Pei is truly generous." He smiled at the classmate he had met a few times before, then turned to Bu Qingfang and said, "Is he planning to send all the graduates from the Steel Institute over here?"

"He's not being generous; he's being too clever."

Bu Qingfang took a deep look at the agency cadre who was restraining the university student. The expression on her face remained a smile, but her gaze was terrifyingly sharp.

Li Xuewu didn't stop his pace and had no intention of greeting the person, so she naturally wouldn't stop either. The two continued talking as they stepped onto the stairs of the office building and headed inside the lobby.

The person in charge of this year's new university graduate training was Guo Hongmei, Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Management Department's General Office, who had only recently been transferred up.

Bu Qingfang was both the manager of the Comprehensive Management Department and the Deputy Secretary-General of the Group. A single sharp look from her completely shattered the mindset of the cadre who had hoped to leave a good impression on the leadership.

She had long seen the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General walking over and had intended to take advantage of the work situation to greet the two leaders, but now the plan had fallen through.

When Guo Hongmei was transferred over, Secretary-General Li Xuewu had already gone to Steel City. She naturally wanted to get to know this supervising leader, even if it was just to say hello.

"Zhou Zixin! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you!"

Like a bucket of cold water poured over her, Guo Hongmei's voice trembled as she looked at the graduate she had just seen, her eyes almost spitting fire.

The young man named Zhou Zixin was still dazed. He was certain he hadn't recognized the wrong person; the one who had just walked past was his classmate, Li Xuewu.

He had even smoked the cigarettes the other man had given him. Although they hadn't met many times, every time Li Xuewu came to school for exams, he would go over to say hello.

Other classmates in the class might not have known who this person really was, but he had some impressions.

That was back in the first semester. When this person came for exams, he would hand in his paper early and leave suddenly.

Director Han, who was proctoring the exam, never stopped him. He didn't even need to attend classes on weekdays; he could only be seen during final exams.

No one in the class had ever interacted with him, except for Zhou Zixin, even if the conversations were brief.

He guessed that this person might have some connections or a special background.

Having just seen Li Xuewu and recognized him, he was truly excited and called out his name directly.

Why was he excited? He was excited that they were so fated to be assigned to the same unit.

There were indeed many graduates from the Steel Institute coming to the Red Star Factory this year. The school-enterprise cooperation was close, and they weren't affected by assignment policies. The Red Star Factory was willing to accept students from the Steel Institute, and the higher-ups didn't actively intervene.

But no matter how many classmates were around, none made him as excited as meeting this mysterious classmate.

It wasn't until a Red Star Factory cadre grabbed his arm to stop him from going forward that he suddenly realized the other man seemed different.

Wearing a standard, exquisite black-and-white work uniform that was even better than that of ordinary Red Star Factory cadres, he looked particularly capable and mature. The female cadre accompanying him didn't look like a minor character either. This...

Zhou Zixin was truly confused, and it was Deputy Director Guo's suppressed roar that woke him up.

"Ah? What? Director Guo!"

His classmate quickly pulled him, as everyone could see that the person Zhou Zixin had offended didn't look like an ordinary cadre, let alone someone he should be trying to recognize.

One could tell from Deputy Director Guo's flustered expression that the female cadre's gaze just now had been very serious and powerful.

"I say, you are truly something!"

Guo Hongmei was so angry her face turned red. She stood in front of Zhou Zixin, glaring and scolding, "You dare to call a group leader by his name? Do you call your teachers and principal by their full names at your school too?"

Her words were already very serious and severe; she was one step away from asking if Zhou Zixin called his parents by their full names at home.

Zhou Zixin was stunned by her shouting; he hadn't fully digested this complex situation.

Seeing his dazed expression, Guo Hongmei was both angry and amused. She muttered to herself that young people didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, and their recklessness was truly frightening.

"Deputy Director Guo, Zixin didn't do it on purpose." A classmate defended him, "He might have recognized the wrong person, thinking it was our classmate."

"He *is* our classmate—"

Zhou Zixin suddenly said, "He even smiled at me when I called him just now."

"Although I don't know what you're talking about, I want to tell you that you can't be so impolite." Guo Hongmei naturally knew the Secretary-General's name; Zhou Zixin hadn't been wrong in calling it.

She glared at Zhou Zixin and emphasized, "You are no longer a student, and this is not a university campus. This is where you will work in the future."

"I won't demand that you be serious, but you must have the proper work attitude."

Guo Hongmei also looked at the other young people who had helped explain and said, "The two who just passed by are the Group's Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General. Is that how you should greet them?"

Her explanation stunned everyone. They hadn't expected the young cadres who had just passed by to be the Group's top leaders and members of the Group's leadership team.

They were fresh graduates, but they weren't completely ignorant. Today was their first day reporting for work, and they hadn't expected to encounter such big figures.

Seeing the other graduates quietly disperse, Guo Hongmei looked at the bewildered Zhou Zixin and said, "I don't know how you know Secretary-General Li, whether it's a friendship or a relative relationship, but you must pay attention to propriety and influence in a work setting."

"I'm sorry, Director Guo. I know I was wrong." Seeing Deputy Director Guo gently admonishing him, Zhou Zixin's attitude softened, and he quickly took the initiative to admit his mistake. After all, he had indeed been reckless.

He hadn't expected that a university classmate who had been lurking in his class for four years would turn out to be his leader!

"The First Ministry of Machine Building has issued a document preparing to build 8 new 10,000-ton shipways in six shipyards in Modu, Jinmen, and Bincheng. What do you think about this?"

Li Huai De popped a few small pills of unknown name into his mouth, swallowed them with plain water, and then fixed his gaze on Li Xuewu, who was sitting opposite him.

Beside Li Xuewu sat Deputy Director Dong Wenxue, who was in charge of the Group's technical development and the construction of the Liangma River Industrial Zone. The three were holding a small meeting.

Hearing Old Li ask about this, Li Xuewu first glanced at Dong Wenxue before asking in return, "Is there a share for us?"

"Hahaha—"

"Hahaha—"

Li Huai De and Dong Wenxue were almost doubled over with laughter at his sudden remark; the joke was too funny.

"If I had known it was so funny, I should have answered that way when Director Du asked me the other day."

The small pills in Old Li's mouth almost flew out. He tidied up the medicine bottle in front of him and said to Li Xuewu, "Don't even think about this, because I didn't even dare to think about it."

"Then what else is there to say?"

Li Xuewu spread his hands indifferently and said, "Do you think the higher-ups taking this step was influenced by us?"

"I'm not sure either." Li Huai De shook his head slightly and said, "But the locations of the three shipyards in Modu, Jinmen, and Bincheng are still very special."

"It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's the cluster effect." Li Xuewu said frankly, "I even think the United Engineering Construction General Company should take the initiative to bid and apply for some construction projects to do."

"Hehe, that's a good idea."

Dong Wenxue sat to the side, clasping his hands, and nodded with a light laugh, "We can't always just take the Group's projects. You can't raise a fleet in a bathtub; the construction company should go out and get some training."

"We'll talk about that later. Let's talk about the shipyards and the port first." Old Li didn't shift the topic; he was still concerned about the industry in Yingcheng.

"The cluster effect you just mentioned isn't visible yet, but the trend of developing the shipbuilding industry in the future has already formed."

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking as he spoke, "It seems the higher-ups are paying more and more attention to import and export trade."

"Can the Yingcheng shipbuilding construction project be completed this year?" Dong Wenxue looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "I asked Xu Sinian about it last time, but he didn't give a detailed answer. Is there any concern?"

"He has a cautious personality. There are concerns, but mostly he doesn't dare to guarantee it." Li Huai De said indifferently, "It shouldn't be finished this year, right?"

This last sentence was also directed at Li Xuewu. As a person in charge of the Group, he could often hear Li Xuewu's reports on work in Liaodong.

"Early next year, at least that's the plan."

Li Xuewu deliberated for a moment and gave a vague answer; that was exactly what Xu Sinian had said.

Dong Wenxue shook his head slightly and said, "The initial steps were quite large, so it's normal for the construction cycle to be extended now. Let's just wait slowly."

"What about the Yingcheng port area?" Li Huai De raised his head slightly and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Three years, this year is the critical year."

"It's still relying on the strength of Yingcheng Shipbuilding." Li Xuewu nodded and affirmed, "Comrade Xu Sinian has contributed greatly to this project and has done a lot of work, including communication and coordination with the local authorities."

"Once the Yingcheng port area is operational, even Bincheng Shipbuilding will benefit."

Li Huai De thought for a moment and said, "You should talk to Bincheng Shipbuilding and deepen the cooperation."

"Is it for the foundation, or for a project?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "Listening to you, Bincheng Shipbuilding is also going to prosper. Whether they will still recognize us is another matter."

"Hahaha—" Li Huai De was also amused by him. He raised his hand to tidy up his thinning hair and nodded, "You handle it. Try your best to integrate the shipping resources of Bohaiwan."

"Then the ports in Jinmen and Qinzhou..."

Li Xuewu looked at Old Li hesitantly and asked, "We need to do some work here too, right?"

"Qinzhou is mainly for coal and fishing piers. Do you think it's necessary to coordinate the port area?"

Li Huai De looked at him and said, "I've already talked to Deputy Director Gao about Jinmen Port. She will go and negotiate."

"After all, it's an important port in Bohaiwan. If we don't pay attention to it now, I'm afraid it will be too late later." Li Xuewu reminded him cautiously, "I believe Hebei Province will also welcome our cooperation."

"Hmm, let's investigate and take a look."

Li Huai De picked up his teacup and took a sip, then said, "The railway transport scheduling on the line from Yingcheng port area to Fengcheng needs to be further strengthened."

He emphasized seriously, "Try to establish a normal cooperative relationship; playing the emotional card isn't very effective."

"I understand your concerns. I'll touch base with the comrades in the Scheduling Office later." Li Xuewu nodded and looked at Old Li, asking, "Didn't you say the Group is going to establish a United Logistics Development General Company?"

He looked at Dong Wenxue again and asked, "How are the negotiations with the railway side going?"

"Beijing Railway is naturally willing." Dong Wenxue twisted his body, sat sideways, and looked at Old Li, saying, "I estimate the higher-ups still have concerns."

"Then let's do it bit by bit."

Li Xuewu smiled and said indifferently, "If Beijing Railway is willing to cooperate, then let's first establish the United Logistics Beijing Service Company."

He tapped the armrest of his chair and said, "Once the Beijing company is well-developed, other companies will be formed, and then we can merge them to form the general company."

"It's a bit troublesome, but it's better than stretching our necks waiting for them."

Dong Wenxue also agreed with his opinion and looked at Old Li, saying, "Why don't we just start doing it."

Old Li nodded, agreeing with this opinion, and looked at Dong Wenxue, saying, "Let's discuss it at the meeting later. If it's feasible, let's execute it first."

After finishing, he looked at Li Xuewu and said, "United Logistics is easy to handle, but you must be cautious about the United Savings Bank entering Liaodong."

He emphasized, "Even with the support of Liaodong industry and the connection with local capital, one must not have the intention to harm others, but one must have the heart to guard against them."

"I've been pondering this these past few days too." Dong Wenxue took over the conversation and said, "What is the idea behind Liaodong industry inviting the United Savings Bank to enter Liaodong?"

"Industrial reform has encountered resistance, right?" Li Xuewu picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, saying, "They want to eat a fat man in one bite."

"But capital doesn't operate like that." Dong Wenxue frowned slightly and said, "Once the capital operation of the United Savings Bank fails to meet their psychological expectations, have you thought about the consequences of future coordination?"

"Compliant mergers, compliant operations—are they deliberately looking for trouble?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and then looked at Old Li, saying, "With the Red Star Industrial Zone in Steel City, I don't think the person in charge of Liaodong industry will be so short-sighted. Besides, we aren't afraid of them looking for trouble."

"Selling 16 savings offices and actively providing 6 credit institutions for the United Savings Bank to merge—it's because they can't hold on anymore."

Old Li crossed his arms over his chest, frowned slightly, and said, "The opportunity is real. If the United Savings Bank can blossom and bear fruit in Liaodong, it's naturally a good thing."

"Capital operation has its laws and principles; it cannot be changed by human interference and will."

He said with a serious expression, "The United Savings Bank going to Liaodong will inevitably drive the transfer of other capital, and the pressure on development funds for related projects can also be eased. This is a win-win situation."

"Being cautious is never wrong." Dong Wenxue still held a conservative attitude. He looked at Li Huai De and Li Xuewu and said, "The current situation is still confusing. Whether it's industry or economic work, there are still variables in the future. There's no need to rush to place bets at this time."

"Then let's wait and see." Li Huai De's originally radical idea was also influenced by him and became hesitant.

Li Xuewu hadn't had any overly radical actions or arrangements either; it was Old Li who had been a bit anxious.

Coming out of Old Li's office, he happened to run into Xie Lan Zhi, President of the United Savings Bank, coming out of Deputy Director Jing's office. The two bumped into each other face-to-face.

"Hey, I was just looking for you." Xie Lan Zhi smiled and nodded, saying, "When did you get back?"

"Got home the night before last." Li Xuewu also smiled and asked, "Don't tell me you're here to hold me accountable for causing you trouble?"

"It's just a university student, and from the Central University of Finance and Economics at that. We are just lacking such professionals."

Xie Lan Zhi knew what he was talking about and waved her hand indifferently, saying to him, "If you have connections, introduce more to us."

"This one is a friend's relative, it was a coincidence." Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "I see the Group has recruited quite a few university students this year. Are there none from the Central University of Finance and Economics?"

"There are, but we don't mind having more."

Xie Lan Zhi smiled and said, "The Central University of Finance and Economics is quite cautious and didn't give us many quotas."

"If it weren't for the coordination of the propaganda work team, maybe only two or three would have come, and that would be considered a lot."

Hearing her mention this, Li Xuewu couldn't help but think of He Yu Shui, who was still working in the propaganda team.

Arranging for her to be in charge of this project was for the sake of today's harvest.

Public affairs were one aspect, and private affairs were another layer of thought, also unable to resist He Yuzhu's entrustment.

He Yu Shui's marriage had always been a heartache for He Yuzhu. Since Li Xuewu wasn't willing, He Yuzhu could only work on him from this side.

He wasn't stupid at all; it seemed like he was clinging to Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu was quite straightforward. There were so many young cadres in the propaganda work team, and they were stationed in universities to carry out work. What if they could spark something with the intellectuals?

"Wait until next year. Once the students from the Vocational and Technical College graduate, you won't be short of top talent."

Li Xuewu raised his hand, gestured toward the direction of the stairs, and said, "Are you going downstairs?"

"It's noon, let's have a meal together."

Xie Lan Zhi took the initiative to invite him, "It's convenient in the cafeteria. I want to talk to you about the work of the Liaodong branch."

Hu Ke of Liaodong Industry highly praised the Red Star model. He had seen the development of the Red Star Factory with his own eyes, so the shock in his heart was beyond measure.

After returning to Liaodong to be in charge of industrial work, he vigorously promoted various exchanges and cooperation with the Red Star Steel Group, and not just limited to the industrial field.

Last time, Li Xuewu, representing the Red Star Steel Group, visited Deputy Director Du and Hu Ke, who were in charge of industrial work in Liaodong. The two sides talked quite deeply.

Hu Ke took the lead and invited Red Star Capital, education, and other projects to visit Liaodong.

School-enterprise cooperation was a routine operation in this era, especially with the policies and instructions from above.

Even without enterprise cooperation, schools would establish their own enterprises for students to intern and work.

It could be considered a product of this era; almost all schools had their own enterprises.

Even elementary schools had them, although elementary school students didn't have to work. Most were enterprises producing teaching tools, stationery, paper, and printing.

When Li Xuewu was a child, he used test papers printed by the teachers themselves. Because the ink and craftsmanship were not up to standard, he had to be very careful every time, otherwise, his hands would be covered in black ink.

Regarding the initiative and connection of Liaodong Industry, Li Xuewu also thought very clearly: it was nothing more than pulling the Red Star Steel Group onto the car. They couldn't see the direction ahead, so they found a driver to drive forward and explore the way.

If the Red Star Steel Group developed well, then other enterprises in Liaodong industry could just follow suit.

The Red Star Steel Group had the ability and strength to open up foreign trade and investment, and Liaodong industry also wanted to take a free ride to develop industry and trade.

Similarly, the ten import and export trade companies also had branches in Liaodong. This multi-faceted cooperation could not be said to have no push from them.

Behind the Yangcheng Export Commodities Fair stood them, and they also knew that the Red Star Steel Group was going to hold a northern trade fair in Jinmen.

Perhaps because the Red Star Steel Group's situation was special and had foreign economic and trade cadres directing it, they hadn't come to contact them yet, but it didn't hinder the probing of both sides.

Li Xuewu didn't take the initiative to respond, but he didn't explicitly refuse either. Let's just wait and see.

On June 4th, Li Xuewu returned to Steel City. He didn't detour to Jinmen and chose the railway.

It was summer now. If he started from the riverside wharf of the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone by passenger ship, passed through the Jinmen United Trade Center, went out to sea into Bohaiwan, reached Yingcheng directly, and then took an inland passenger ship, he could reach Steel City directly, or take a train directly to Steel City.

Li Xuewu found it troublesome and was even lazier to get on a ship to take risks. Taking the train was still very safe.

Old Li cherished his life, and he didn't have a death-defying personality either. Zhou Wang Yamei knew this best.

Li Xuewu got home at 3:00 PM, and she had also come back early to help him tidy up.

"Didn't I tell you, you don't have to bring so many things every time you come back." Zhou Wang Yamei was moved in her heart, but said helplessly, "You don't find it tiring, and you're such a big leader now."

"The child likes to eat, how tiring can it be." Li Xuewu smiled and looked upstairs, asking, "Did Zhidong go to school?"

Zhou Wang Yamei glanced at him and said, "It's Wednesday today, what else would he do if not go to school."

"You don't have to be too demanding. He's already very good, and he studies very hard." Li Xuewu said while taking off his clothes, "Hoping for one's child to become a dragon is fine, but not like this."

"I have high requirements for him, but not super high." Zhou Wang Yamei answered seriously, "It's just that he's been lively since you came here for half a year, but he's also become lax."

"He even knows how to talk back to me now."

Not knowing what she thought of, Zhou Wang Yamei tidied up the Beijing specialties Li Xuewu brought back and said naggingly, "Just this morning..."

Li Xuewu didn't respond to her nagging. He went to the bathroom to draw warm water, preparing to take a bath.

In this era, no matter what carriage one took, whether it was hard seat or hard sleeper, even soft sleeper didn't have air conditioning if it didn't have it. If it was hot, one could open the window.

In later generations, high-speed trains and express trains don't allow windows to be opened because the wind is too strong and can blow people away.

It wasn't like that at this time. Passengers didn't have to get off the train at every station. As long as they opened the window, they could ask the service staff on the platform for boiling water to drink, as long as they had a cup.

In addition, there were station staff on the platform holding foam boxes selling popsicles, cold drinks, and snacks. Smoking wasn't prohibited in the carriage, and there were all kinds of smells.

The soft sleeper carriage would be better, and the quality of passengers would be much higher, so they wouldn't easily create strange odors.

But after half a day and a night, his body was full of sweat and smoke. His nose was very sensitive after he quit smoking.

"Don't you want to say something?"

Seeing Li Xuewu motionless, Zhou Wang Yamei turned her head to look at the bathroom. This person was already lying in the bathtub.

She scolded with a mix of amusement and anger, "I'm talking to you here, and you're actually enjoying yourself."

"True enjoyment is for two people together." Li Xuewu closed his eyes and beckoned, asking, "Do you want to come together?"

"You only know how to talk nonsense with a straight face—" Zhou Wang Yamei spat softly, busy tidying up the luggage he brought back, her mouth still not stopping.

With his nerves completely relaxed, Li Xuewu couldn't hear what she was saying anymore; it was the kind of automatic filtering.

And hearing no response from Li Xuewu, Zhou Wang Yamei's nagging stopped.

"Wu Shu? When did you get back?"

Not knowing how much time had passed, Banggeng suddenly appeared outside the bathroom window. This kid didn't take the main door; who knows where he had gone to the backyard.

Li Xuewu heard the voice coming from outside the window, opened his eyes, and saw it was him.

This little villa was built quite stylishly. The bathroom had a window, and it wasn't small. Lying in the bathtub soaking, one could also enjoy the scenery outside the window.

Of course, people outside the window could also enjoy the "scenery" of the bathroom, but unfortunately, Li Xuewu didn't have any scenery for Banggeng to admire.

What he had, Banggeng had himself.

"Where did you go? Your head is full of sweat." Li Xuewu asked lazily, looking at him, "Didn't you go to the wharf to help?"

"Aunt Zhou is at home, how could I go."

Banggeng lowered his head, took out a handful of sand apples from somewhere, handed them over, and said with a smile, "Try them, they're delicious."

Sand apples—one could tell they weren't very big by the fact that they could be described as a handful. They were smaller than plums and larger than hawthorns. They tasted like the sweet and sour of apples and were very delicious.

Li Xuewu looked at the fruit on the windowsill with some amusement, pointed his finger at the bathtub, and asked this unlucky child, "Are you asking me to wash the sand apples in this water to eat?"

"Original soup dissolves original food, you're still looking down on yourself—" Banggeng laughed, grabbed another sand apple from somewhere without washing it, and stuffed it into his mouth to gnaw on. The sourness made Li Xuewu's mouth water.

"Can you go eat somewhere else?" Li Xuewu closed his eyes and said, "Or come in and help me scrub my back."

"Better let Aunt Zhou scrub it for you. I'm afraid you'll be all prickly and hot, that's how it was last time."

Banggeng really had something to say. He lay on the windowsill, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "Wu Shu, did you see my mom when you went back this time?"

"No, why, do you want to go home?"

Li Xuewu opened one eye, glanced at Banggeng, and closed it again, saying, "If you want to go home, say it early. I'll buy a ticket and send you packing."

"I don't miss home, I just miss my mom a little." Banggeng's mouth wasn't hard anymore; he was still a child who hadn't grown up.

He might be able to be stubborn with others, but what was there to be shy about with his Wu Shu?

He said in a low voice, "She wrote to me last time asking me to go back. I don't want to go back now, I haven't made a name for myself yet."

"Then you have a long wait." Li Xuewu said indifferently, "Your Aunt Zhou said, don't even think about working within three years. She doesn't use child labor."

"I'm a big guy now, right?"

Banggeng gestured at his arm and asked seriously, "Can't I stand on my own two feet now?"

"Yo! Young Master, you even know idioms!"

Li Xuewu opened his eyes in feigned surprise and looked at him, saying, "Okay, progress. The books you read by candlelight weren't read in vain. Your Aunt Zhou has some methods."

"But it's still a bit early to go out and do things." He smiled, closed his eyes again, and said, "When you can use two idioms in three sentences, then you can stand on your own two feet."

"For now—continue reading."

"I've finished reading the Four Great Classical Novels!"

Banggeng seemed to have achieved something great. He emphasized, "Now I'm reading Zizhi Tongjian. Aunt Zhou said I'll be a talent once I finish this book."

"Firewood? Or matches?"

Li Xuewu said amusedly, "Your Aunt Zhou meant that you'll be a talent once you understand this book, not that you'll be a talent once you finish reading it. You're dreaming."

"I don't care, find me something to do—" Banggeng said somewhat unwillingly, "I've been in Steel City with you for almost half a year, reading books every day. I haven't done anything at the wharf, just eating for free."

"Find something to do?" Li Xuewu opened one eye again and said with a smile, "East Wind Shipping has two new ships. I'll give you one. You take the fleet to Jinmen, and when you come back, you'll be the captain."

"Ah! I don't know how to sail a ship!"

Banggeng said he wanted something to do, not something he didn't know how to do. He was dumbfounded now.

Does Wu Shu value him so much?

Did he not consider his true ability, or was he playing him for a fool?

"Oh—you don't know how to sail a ship."

Li Xuewu closed his eyes and continued, "The wharf fleet is short of drivers. Go to the driver's class. Drive a truck."

"I don't know how to drive either—"

Banggeng's voice suddenly dropped a lot. He was ashamed that he couldn't take the job his Wu Shu gave him.

Li Xuewu continued, "Don't know how to sail, don't know how to drive, then go to the office. The finance office is short of an accountant. Go do the financial accounts."

"I..." Banggeng couldn't go on. It seemed he had just discovered he was a waste.

Li Xuewu couldn't hear his answer, so he opened his eyes fully and asked, "If you can't do this either, how about I let you go to the wharf to carry big bags?"

"I can do that!" Banggeng suddenly regained his spirit and asked, "How heavy is a big bag?"

"Not heavy, very light." Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Only three of you heavy."

"Three of me heavy!" Banggeng was numb. He had never thought he would become a unit of weight.

"If you can lift yourself, then you can go carry small bags, that's also fine."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "It's just that you earn a little less, it's good to exercise slowly."

"Okay—" Banggeng finally got an opportunity and said very seriously, "I'll go tomorrow!"

"Young Master, listen carefully, what did I just say?" Li Xuewu tilted his head and reminded him, "You have to prove to me first that you can lift yourself."

"I can lift my... self?"

Banggeng lowered his head to look at his body, hugged himself with both hands, not knowing how to exert force.

He looked up foolishly at his Wu Shu in the window and asked, "How do I lift myself?"

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu couldn't help but laugh out loud, stood up from the bathtub, and said, "This question is really well asked, but unfortunately, this is what I asked you."

"I lift myself... I hug myself..." Just this one question, Banggeng muttered from the afternoon until dinner, even Fu Zhidong was confused.

Zhou Wang Yamei heard the conversation between the two in the kitchen. Looking at Li Xuewu now, her eyes were full of amusement. She didn't know what to say about Banggeng.

With this IQ, it seems he might not be able to graduate in three years. Maybe five years?

"This is too bullying!"

Yang Shuxing finally couldn't hold back his temper. Faced with organizational changes and work adjustments, he went straight to the Group Company with a fire in his belly. He was going to report Li Xuewu.

With Yin Zhongyao's precedent, he naturally couldn't repeat the same mistake. He had also thought it through carefully; he wasn't going to report just anything.

"Deputy Director Dong, I'm not wrong in what I said, right?"

It had to be said that Yang Shuxing had learned from Yin Zhongyao's lesson; he didn't go to Director Li to complain at the beginning.

He first came to find Deputy Director Dong Wenxue, his old leader, and wasn't afraid of the relationship between him and Li Xuewu, just frankly speaking his heart.

Yang Shuxing thought, if he didn't come to Dong Wenxue's office, maybe Director Dong would plot against him and report to Li Xuewu to retaliate.

He came to his office to recount his personal experience and contradictions, so what should he do?

Being impartial was impossible, but he wouldn't be too biased either; he had to give him some space.

When Dong Wenxue worked in Steel City, he was very cooperative and sensible. Now that his old subordinate was in trouble, should he, the leader, help or not?

He didn't dare to say things like "control your student," but he had to put some pressure on Li Xuewu.

Regarding Yang Shuxing reporting Li Xuewu, saying that Li Xuewu was arrogant and domineering in Steel City, couldn't listen to colleagues' opinions, and had issues with his personal life.

What could Dong Wenxue say?

His suggestion was that Yang Shuxing could go talk to Deputy Director Gu, who was in charge of supervision, or go directly to Director Li to report the situation.

Yang Shuxing's demand was very simple: he didn't agree with Li Xuewu's adjustment of his work division and demanded that Li Xuewu stop some of his vicious behaviors against him.

Since there was something to say, Dong Wenxue, caught in the middle, couldn't say anything, so he let him go report.

Seeing Dong Wenxue say this, Yang Shuxing felt relieved, knowing that his old leader wouldn't help Li Xuewu.

He wouldn't be so stupid as to take a detour to report to Gu Weijie; he went straight to Director Li.

It was the same old story, talking about Li Xuewu's various faults, the drawbacks and problems exposed during the organizational restructuring of the Metallurgical Plant, the contradictions fed back from the agency and below after Li Xuewu took charge of the Metallurgical Plant, and also Li Xuewu's extravagant life.

This pit was finally jumped into by someone. Although it wasn't a proper jump, it was a jump nonetheless.

Listening to Yang Shuxing's complaints and reports, Li Huai De's brain throbbed. His gaze toward Yang Shuxing gradually became indifferent, even with a bit of annoyance.

With just this much, he dared to come to the Group to reflect on problems. He thought Yang Shuxing had caught some big handle on Li Xuewu; it turned out he was just here to clear the relationship.

Ostensibly complaining, in reality, he couldn't go on, bluntly stating that he was being squeezed out and wanted to return to Beijing.

He had offended Li Xuewu, so the higher-ups had to consider it comprehensively. In the absence of confirmed major problems, they had to make a choice between him and Li Xuewu.

Yang Shuxing didn't think the Group would choose to support him; that would inevitably be Li Xuewu's victory.

However, doing this also disgusted Li Xuewu and removed himself from the Metallurgical Plant.

It was nothing more than a lateral transfer; that was still better than waiting to die in the Metallurgical Plant. He didn't think Li Xuewu would give him a chance to perform, so it was better to leave the fire pit early.

He just watched Director Li's face while speaking out the content he had prepared.

He only saw Director Li take a document out of the drawer, looking at it while listening to his report.

The deeper Director Li's brow furrowed, the more nervous he became. What was Director Li looking at? Could it be that the problems he reflected had already been reported by someone else?

If that were true, it would be great. With two sides confirming each other, Li Xuewu would inevitably fall.

"Finished?"

Li Huai De only asked this question after Yang Shuxing had stopped his incessant talking for half an hour.

Seeing Yang Shuxing nod embarrassedly, he threw the document in his hand onto the desk, watched it slide slowly to the other side, pointed at it, and signaled the other party, "You should take a look at this too."

"Ah? Me?" Yang Shuxing was secretly happy, but looked at Director Li in surprise. He picked up the document and took a look, his eyeballs almost falling out.

This wasn't a summary of problems regarding Secretary-General Li Xuewu, and the name on it was clearly written as Yang Shuxing of the Metallurgical Plant. That really beats everything! ===== CHAPTER 1425 =====