Chapter 1440: He said he was sick

"I told you to come long ago, but you kept hesitating. Can you really do it by clutching Buddha's feet at the last minute?"

Liu Guoyou looked at the two bottles of wine in his left hand and the box of pastries in his right.

This wasn't all the gifts they were bringing for their visit today; Qin Huairu also had two cartons of cigarettes and two bags of sugar in her hands.

Needless to say about the supply and marketing cooperatives in the city, what kind of advertising words were pasted on the windows of the supply and marketing points in the countryside?

That's right, it's "Cigarettes, Alcohol, Tea, and Sugar."

Just these four words can solve the choice anxiety of not knowing what gifts to give.

For ordinary friendships or asking for favors, bringing one or two cartons of cigarettes is enough.

For slightly difficult matters where you need to ask for help, a carton of cigarettes and a bottle of wine is also a good look.

If you really have a reason you have to ask for help, then you have to prepare four gift boxes; cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and sugar, none of them can be missing, or you can change the categories.

You say my matter is neither big nor small, is it okay to send three items?

Don't mess around; what you're sending is a gift, not an enemy, so there's no such thing as sending three items.

Early this morning, Qin Huairu went to the supply and marketing cooperative to prepare these four gifts under Liu Guoyou's urging.

She knew that Li Xuewu had quit drinking and smoking, but she couldn't stand Liu Guoyou saying it looked good.

You can change the tea, because leaders' families drink special tea, not the stuff from outside, but you can't change the cigarettes.

"Come early, come early, I didn't even know exactly where his house was—"

Qin Huairu said with some complaint, her eyes simultaneously searching for the street number.

She really didn't know exactly where Li Xuewu lived. Even though Qin Jingru had been a nanny here for almost two years, she hadn't carefully remembered it.

"You really are something. Having such a neighbor relationship and not contacting them, what kind of contact do you want?"

Liu Guoyou's mouth hadn't stopped, and his eyes were also searching for the street number.

Qin Huairu didn't want to talk. Who said she didn't contact him? She was contacting him when Liu Guoyou hadn't even been in line yet.

According to her, even if she knew Li Xuewu had returned, she wouldn't want to come.

Bang Geng had followed Li Xuewu, and there had long been letters back saying he was living with Li Xuewu, so his living conditions naturally didn't need to be worried about.

I heard Li Xuewu also found him a teacher and learned a lot of cultural knowledge.

But even so, you say Qin Huairu misses her son, is she worried?

Missing him is true; a mother worries when her child travels a thousand miles. Can she not be worried?

But there's no way to worry. She couldn't find Li Xuewu's house in the capital, and she couldn't find him in Steel City.

To be honest, she had only known Li Xuewu for a few years, so where could their feelings be that deep?

In the end, it was just that little thing.

If it weren't for her taking the initiative and being active, and it just happened that Li Xuewu had just started working and needed support, where would she have had the opportunity?

She was so smart and clever that she had long seen through the relationship between the two, so she never forced it.

Why didn't Yu Li get married, but she chose to reorganize her family? It was based on this point.

Even if her relationship with Li Xuewu was like this, what did Bang Geng have that was worth Li Xuewu's care and help?

She didn't believe Li Xuewu was looking at her face; she didn't have such a big face.

Qin Huairu didn't believe that there were any special advantages in her son that Li Xuewu hadn't discovered yet, and that he was being specially cared for.

If that were really the case, then the teachers who had taught Bang Geng should all go get their eyes checked.

She knew exactly what kind of person her son was; he wasn't an honest child.

Honest or not, Bang Geng didn't have any particularly smart brain, let alone any cleverness in dealing with people, not to mention anything else.

Then why did Li Xuewu take him to Steel City and hire a teacher to teach him?

This was the question Qin Huairu was worried about, but she didn't dare to ask, and even less dared to think wildly.

Bang Geng had been away for more than half a year without coming home. Qin Huairu didn't know how many times she had reflected on herself, and in the end, she still admitted that she had made a mistake.

This kind of mistake didn't need her to stand up and apologize, let alone write a self-criticism, so admitting it didn't require much courage; the key was the hurdle in her heart.

Even her own son didn't stand on her side; if she were to rashly go and question Li Xuewu, the result could be imagined.

Knowing her son was living well and studying well, she always felt her son had been taken away.

Countless nights of tossing and turning, Liu Guoyou didn't need to ask to know what was going on.

He was active, and several times he urged Qin Huairu to find a suitable opportunity to visit his house.

Li Xuewu was now the Secretary-General of the Group and had real power, holding all the industrial enterprise resources of the Group company in his hands.

If you say Liu Guoyou didn't have Bang Geng in his heart, Qin Huairu couldn't lose her conscience and say that, but if you say Liu Guoyou didn't have a little selfishness in his heart, she couldn't deceive her own heart either.

But half-way couples are difficult, and some things can't be said, only thought in the heart.

She didn't know the news that Li Xuewu had returned the day before yesterday; it wasn't until Li Xuewu brought the children to the Group for a meeting that she knew he had returned.

From this point, one could see that the distance between the two was indeed far away.

If you're talking about before?

Before, when Li Xuewu worked in the Group, if there was duty or meeting overtime, he wouldn't go home after 10 o'clock and would stay in the reception house.

As long as it was determined that Li Xuewu wouldn't go home, she wouldn't go home either. You tell me what she wanted to do?

Now? The situation had long changed.

The rooms for Group leaders in the reception house had been cancelled and changed to booking as needed.

Director Li often stayed here, but basically, he was alone.

Zhou Miaomiao and Han Lu, who often went to his room to "ask for advice" on work, didn't come anymore.

Director Li wasn't a lonely person, sad and lonely, but he couldn't handle it; the lonely man had a hidden illness, a hidden pain that was hard to speak of.

Others didn't know, but she was responsible for the reception house work, so how could she not be clear?

Director Li had been particularly Buddhist recently, cultivating his body and nature, and not getting close to female comrades.

Other leaders, unless they had special work, wouldn't rest in the reception house.

The Red Star Factory now was not the Red Star Factory before; it was a Group, the scale had expanded, and many things had changed.

Before, Director Li often called the girls from the dance troupe to dance here; now there was no such thing, it was very quiet.

Calm and peaceful, political and harmonious, her value here at Li Xuewu's was getting lower and lower.

Before, Li Xuewu didn't let her report those things that were nothing; now he didn't listen to her even more.

As for Li Xuewu, she no longer had the value of "cooperation." If she wanted to rely on the past "friendship" to make trouble, she would only bring disaster to herself.

Therefore, no matter how Liu Guoyou talked, she didn't want to come.

What finally moved her was the message Qin Jingru brought, which was Li Xuewu asking Qin Jingru to tell her that although Bang Geng had no problems in life in Steel City, the psychological problems of adolescence were also a focus that parents needed to care about.

What is called the psychological problem of adolescence? Qin Huairu didn't understand; she only knew that according to Li Xuewu's original meaning, she had to care about Bang Geng.

Is it that she doesn't care about her son?

But she has to be given this opportunity.

"Is it this western-style building?"

Liu Guoyou was anxious in his heart, walking in front, and was the first to find Li Xuewu's house.

This address was still something Qin Huairu had inquired about from her sister.

It's really funny to say that since getting married, it's not that Liu Guoyou hadn't heard gossip.

There were those who said Qin Huairu wasn't clean before, and could do anything for a bite to eat.

There were also those who said Qin Huairu hung onto He Yuzhu, and didn't know what benefits she gave Sha Zhu; Sha Zhu's lunch box was often taken home by her to feed the children.

There were even those who said Qin Huairu could have today because she relied on a towering tree. If there hadn't been a good neighbor to support her, where would Qin Huairu's today be?

Finally, such words were spoken vaguely and tactfully, but how could he not understand when they reached his ears?

Where did a towering tree come from to rely on? He had also seen the neighbors in the courtyard before Qin Huairu moved, and there were too many of them.

If it were really as the rumors said, good neighbors helping out, where would there be so many good neighbors?

If there were really good neighbors, Qin Huairu wouldn't have had gossip spread, let alone suffered and endured bitterness during the period after her late husband passed away.

But if you say good neighbor Li Xuewu had something with Qin Huairu, does Liu Guoyou believe it?

At the beginning, he believed it, because there were many romantic affairs about Li Xuewu that had spread before, and he had heard quite a few.

Think about it, in the same courtyard, and colleagues in the same unit, one young and vigorous, one long-lasting, Li Xuewu rose step by step, and Qin Huairu also rose with the tide.

If you say they had no relationship, how could you let Liu Guoyou believe it?

Believe it or not, what does it matter? When he met Qin Huairu, Li Xuewu had long been the Secretary-General of the Group.

That is to say, even if the two had a relationship, there was no relationship at that time.

As a latecomer, what did he have to say?

Besides, he knew Li Xuewu earlier than he knew Qin Huairu.

It was just that it was true that he felt uncomfortable in his heart, but of course he didn't say it with his mouth; after all, it was Qin Huairu.

Liu Guoyou's previous wife, let's not talk about how she looked; anyway, she couldn't compare to Qin Huairu, let alone that energy of Qin Huairu.

You ask what energy?

When a woman passes thirty, youth is lost, but a different temperament is left behind.

If the "skills" are excellent and the experience is rich, that is a "treasure land."

He was a second marriage, lingering in the treasure land, forgetting to return, so how could he dislike it?

Besides, Qin Huairu's work and position were more popular than his, and she was more capable than him.

What made him most satisfied was that Qin Huairu never talked about unit affairs at home.

His work was not as good as Qin Huairu's, and he felt he was a level lower than her at home, but Qin Huairu didn't think so; she just wanted life to go smoothly.

As time passed, looking at Qin Huairu's performance, the discomfort in his heart faded.

It was also with the passage of time, day by day, that he discovered Qin Huairu was not as close to Li Xuewu as he had heard and thought, and the relationship was even very ordinary.

How ordinary was it?

Look, she didn't even know where people lived, and they didn't see each other once a year. Can you say the two have any little stories?

He no longer believed it in his heart, so seeing Qin Huairu missing her son, he took the initiative to propose coming to visit, and by the way, to connect the relationship and feelings.

Listening to those rumors before, he didn't care about wearing Li Xuewu's shoes, let alone now that he had suddenly realized.

Liu Guoyou looked back at Qin Huairu, who was panting after carrying things for a distance, and he couldn't believe Li Xuewu would be willing to give up such a woman.

There is no shortage of gossip in this world, and there are many people who envy and hate him.

Why Qin Huairu was able to borrow the wind to turn her luck back then, perhaps there were other reasons.

Just looking at Qin Huairu standing firmly behind Li Xuewu and supporting him for so many years, I believe Li Xuewu's investment back then had also paid off.

Since Qin Huairu could borrow the wind to turn her luck, as Qin Huairu's husband, could he also borrow this east wind?

He was not an eager person, and he didn't think about relying on Li Xuewu to soar into the sky.

Liu Guoyou also had a friendship with Li Xuewu. He wanted to make private connections and get Li Xuewu's support at some critical point in the future.

Now he was working at the freight station, which was a small unit in Li Xuewu's eyes.

Before, Li Xuewu would go to the freight station for research, but now if Li Xuewu wanted to go, he would go to the logistics general company that had just been integrated and established for research.

The Beijing Railway Freight Station was just a subordinate enterprise of the Logistics Development General Company, and it would never welcome such a big leader again.

The Logistics Development General Company was a logistics enterprise with independent management rights jointly operated by the Red Star Steel Group and Beijing Railway. The company's cadres mostly came from the Beijing Railway system and the Red Star Steel Group.

Of course, Liu Guoyou had now been classified under the Logistics Development General Company, and Li Xuewu, who had absolute influence in the Red Star Steel Group, also spoke well for joint-stock enterprises.

The cooperation between Beijing Railway and Red Star Steel Group mainly had advantages in freight scheduling, while the establishment of local freight stations, contacting distribution units, automobile freight, etc., was more advantageous for Red Star Steel Group.

Comparing the two, the Red Star Steel Group, which had cash investment, occupied more equity.

He had days to rely on Li Xuewu in the future, so he had to be prepared at this time.

Just as he said to Qin Huairu, how could it work by clutching Buddha's feet at the last minute?

"Oh, I forgot!"

When determining Li Xuewu's gate, Liu Guoyou suddenly thought of something. If he hadn't been carrying things in his hands, he would have slapped his thigh.

Qin Huairu was startled by his sudden surprise and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I forgot, Li Xuewu has two children at home, right!"

Liu Guoyou looked at Qin Huairu and said, "If I had known, I would have bought two toys."

"Aren't there two kinds of sugar and pastries—" Qin Huairu saw that he cared so much, and her heart was both amused and jealous.

What was amusing was that Liu Guoyou was usually serious, but when it came to giving gifts, he was so anxious and blind, like a child.

Being jealous was thinking that they had been married for almost a year, and Liu Guoyou had never thought about buying toys for the children at home, let alone seeing him care so much about children.

Liu Guoyou had a common problem among men of this era, which was male chauvinism, and coming from the railway system, he expressed it particularly strongly.

That was to say, her position was higher than his; if it were the other way around, who knows how he would be the master of the house.

"You think other people's children are the same as ours, seeing steamed buns and sugar balls like something." Liu Guoyou curled his lips and said, "People's children are raised in honey pots; can they still look at our little things?"

"I've inquired about it; now the children of leaders' families all like to play with toys."

He said with regret, "I heard you say he likes children very much; if I had known, I should have catered to his preferences, so it would be more sincere."

Liu Guoyou sighed, helplessly, "It's just that we're already at the door; we can't go back and buy them, forget it, I have to remember it next time."

Qin Huairu couldn't listen anymore, and regardless of his nagging, she walked forward and rang the doorbell, which was a reminder that she hadn't prepared well.

It must be said that just hearing the description of this home from Qin Jingru's mouth, Qin Huairu had no concept at all.

But when she saw this western-style building with her own eyes, she really couldn't say what kind of taste it was in her heart.

If she were ten years younger, she would also want to fight for it; what if Li Xuewu liked those who were good at it?

"Hello, who are you looking for?"

Er Ya opened the observation port on the big gate, looked at the two people standing at the gate, and asked suspiciously.

It's no wonder she was so ignorant, having guests and asking greetings in such a way.

Er Ya came to the family at the end of the year, but from the time she arrived at this family until now, there hadn't been many guests in this family.

Teacher Han and her son counted as one, Aunt Xiao Ning's younger brother counted as one, and then that was it.

Xiaoxiao was Li Shu's tutor; this didn't count. She came for the first time when Brother Li brought her, and she didn't need her help to open the door when she came again.

Others, Zhao Yaping didn't count even more; except for her, there was no one else.

She rarely received guests, so she was accustomed to dealing with sudden visitors according to the method Qin Jingru taught her at the beginning.

Qin Jingru told her that Brother Li was a big leader in the unit, and it was inevitable that someone would touch the door to give gifts.

But Brother Li had long had rules; he never accepted gifts from unit colleagues, let alone did things for others to receive gifts.

Therefore, Qin Jingru didn't lie to her at all, saying that one could be very tough in this family.

But as long as it wasn't brought back by Brother Li and Sister Aunt Xiao Ning, and as long as it wasn't family or relatives, other sudden visitors could be treated like this.

It was just that Qin Jingru was already a high-ranking official when she was at home, so the rules she taught Er Ya could really be applied.

It was just that Er Ya didn't know, and Qin Huairu didn't know either. The reason they were blocked at the door was the "rules" set by Qin Jingru.

"Hello, is this the home of Secretary-General Li Xuewu?" Qin Huairu ignored Liu Guoyou, who was still complaining to her that she shouldn't have rung the doorbell so anxiously, and took the initiative to respond, "We are his neighbors..."

"I'm sorry, Brother Li is not at home, it's not convenient for me to let you in."

It was still Qin Jingru's "rules." As long as they saw someone carrying gifts, they would say Brother Li was not at home, and Sister Aunt Xiao Ning was not at home.

But the words had to be polite, easygoing, and the reason had to be justified.

Look, our host is not at home, and I, a nanny living here, really don't have the right to invite outsiders into the house. Please forgive me.

It was just that Er Ya's brain was a bit rigid; she memorized how Qin Jingru taught her to say it, and she didn't know how to be flexible.

Obviously, Li Xuewu was accompanying Li Shu and Li Ning to play with water in the east courtyard, but she insisted that he was not at home.

You tell me, Li Shu's giggling and calling for Dad came over; was it Er Ya who was embarrassed or the couple outside the courtyard gate who were embarrassed?

Anyway, now Qin Huairu couldn't see any embarrassed expression on this little nanny's face, so it was they who should be embarrassed.

She just carried the gifts, and could see the defense in the little nanny's eyes.

Before she could even finish her words, she used such a terrible reason to fob her off.

"Who's here?"

Fortunately, it didn't make her embarrassed to the extreme; Li Xuewu's voice came from the courtyard.

Er Ya was so rigid; hearing the voice behind her, she pulled the observation port shut and turned to respond, "Someone came to give gifts, it seems to be a couple."

Can't you walk two more steps and reply in a lower voice in the east courtyard?

You stand at the big gate and talk to Li Xuewu in the courtyard; who hears it first, the couple outside the courtyard gate or Li Xuewu?

"Why is there a 'seems to be'?"

Li Xuewu was also puzzled in his heart. Since he set the rules, there hadn't been anyone coming to give gifts to this family.

Of course, what is mentioned here are those who ask for favors, not private friends like Ji Weidong and Xu Sinian.

He exhorted Li Shu and Li Ning to play in the garden and not to pick Mom's flowers, and then walked toward the gate.

"You said you wouldn't receive those who give gifts, right?" Er Ya still had her own reasons and was righteous.

Li Xuewu looked at her amusedly and said, "I'll see who it is first."

He walked to the big gate, opened it, and seeing Qin Huairu and her husband standing at the gate in embarrassment, he laughed, "Why is it you two?"

"It was hard to find here, and I almost lost face at your place and couldn't go back."

After more than half a year, seeing Li Xuewu again, Qin Huairu felt relieved.

She was still a bit uneasy when she first came, but after the little nanny's interruption, she was calm.

Hearing her joke, Li Xuewu also laughed, turned back, and introduced Er Ya, "These are neighbors in the courtyard, and also colleagues in the unit, Director Qin and Station Master Liu."

"Hello, Director Qin, hello, Station Master Liu."

Er Ya didn't understand such a complex interpersonal relationship; she could see that the two were unusual.

What is mentioned here as unusual is not that the two people themselves had anything unusual, but that the relationship with Brother Li was unusual.

Why?

Because Brother Li could still receive them and let them enter the courtyard gate carrying gifts.

"The girl came from her old home in the Northeast to help me look after the children, and she's a bit shy."

Li Xuewu smiled and explained to Qin Huairu and her husband, but didn't mention Er Ya's identity.

Qin Huairu had long known through Qin Jingru that he had a new nanny at home, but she didn't know she was so rigid.

"It doesn't matter; we were prepared for a sudden visit."

Before Qin Huairu could speak, Liu Guoyou, who was standing on the side, took the conversation with a smile.

Li Xuewu turned to look at him and nodded slightly with a smile, "Are you both off today?"

He was on vacation and could not go to work on a workday, but this couple was on a normal schedule.

"She's on rotation, I'm on vacation."

Liu Guoyou carried the things in his hands and followed Li Xuewu into the courtyard gate.

"It's not that I heard you were back, and Bang Geng has been bothering you to take care of him, so we two came to see you."

"You're overthinking it, it's nothing."

Li Xuewu took the couple into the foyer, turned back, and asked Qin Huairu, who hadn't spoken, "I asked Jingru to bring you a message; did you receive it?"

Qin Huairu felt a bit uncomfortable in her heart because of Liu Guoyou's performance.

As soon as the gate opened, Liu Guoyou's body immediately lowered by half.

He was waiting to take the conversation, and his forehead was sweating. He also walked in front actively when entering the courtyard.

Those who know are stepfathers, those who don't know would think he's a father who is closer than a biological father.

"Received, isn't that why I came."

Qin Huairu suppressed the annoyance in her heart and tried to smile, "I want to learn from you, how exactly should I get along with the child."

Because she was annoyed, she changed her slippers and entered the house, without waiting for Liu Guoyou.

This person had no sense of proportion; even if he wanted to flatter, he shouldn't be like this.

She had no so-called debt with Li Xuewu, so naturally she didn't need to be humble.

Liu Guoyou's performance made her lose her status in front of Li Xuewu for no reason.

Besides, she was a neighbor living in the same courtyard as Li Xuewu, and she had come to Li Xuewu's house, so it should have been her who spoke first; where did Liu Guoyou get the right to be the host?

Li Xuewu didn't know the psychological contradiction between the couple, only thinking that they had come to inquire because of Bang Geng.

"Learn what? Play together?"

He smiled, pointed to the sister and brother playing with water outside the window, and said, "Like this."

"I can't do it—"

Qin Huairu glanced at it and said helplessly, "You really are something. Even if it's hot, you can't let the children play like this."

"If they catch a cold, you'll be the one suffering, and if their clothes get dirty, won't they have to be washed?"

"The sister and brother have been thinking about it for a long time."

Li Xuewu didn't care about the blame and care in her words, and explained with a smile, "Aunt Xiao Ning hasn't had time to play with them, and Er Ya has to take care of the family, so she's busy during the day."

"Isn't that it? It just happened that I came home, so they wanted to play with water."

"It's quite good, how lively."

Liu Guoyou followed in, sat on the sofa at Li Xuewu's signal, and hearing him say this, echoed with a smile, "Looking at it makes me happy, what good children."

Qin Huairu was choked and uncomfortable. She turned her head and asked, "What's Bang Geng's idea?"

"What idea, don't you, the mother, know?" Li Xuewu said with a faint smile, "I asked Jingru to give you a reminder because I asked him before I came out if he wanted to come back with me."

Qin Huairu's eyes widened slightly when she heard him say this, and she had some expectations.

Actually, one could know the result just by looking at the fact that Bang Geng didn't come back.

But she was a mother, and even if she only got a process, it was enough to be gratified.

"He hesitated for a good while before saying he wouldn't come back."

Li Xuewu looked at Qin Huairu and said, "He has indeed matured a lot in the past half year; perhaps the impulsiveness at the beginning has already been regretted."

"I don't know what kind of problem the feelings between you mother and son have."

He pointed at the sofa armrest very earnestly and said, "If you really care about him, then why not go to Steel City and see him."

"Also, don't talk about taking him home yet; he is now focused on making a name for himself."

Speaking of this, Li Xuewu picked up the teacup sent by Er Ya and said, "I asked him to come back this time, and he didn't come back for this reason too."

"Is it that he has to make a name for himself to be considered my son?"

Qin Huairu was a bit bitter and complained, "Why does he only know how to drill into a bull's horn?"

"Aren't you the same?"

Li Xuewu looked at her with a light smile, then looked at Liu Guoyou and said, "Parents in the world have one heart; besides their children, who else is there?"

"Let me say, actually there is no need to struggle with who is right and who is wrong, who bows their head first."

He put down the teacup and persuaded Qin Huairu, "You are a mother; taking the initiative to care about the child is not wrong at all, especially him now."

"Children's adolescence will have a rebellious stage, and the specific performance is that they listen to whoever they want, but just don't want to listen to their parents."

"You're absolutely right."

Seeing Li Xuewu speak with reason, Qin Huairu sighed after a long while.

Liu Guoyou didn't say much at this time. He had no right to speak on Bang Geng's problem. After all, Bang Geng decided to run away from home at the beginning, and in Jia Zhangshi's eyes, it was his fault.

In the half year that Bang Geng was in the Li family, Jia Zhangshi didn't let him enter the door.

He lived opposite, and when he got off work, he could only return to his own home and was not allowed to go opposite.

He had learned how overbearing Jia Zhangshi was, and didn't dare to be the slightest bit offensive.

Jia Zhangshi allowed Qin Huairu to go to the house, but there was no good face.

She only recognized that it was Qin Huairu and Liu Guoyou who forced Bang Geng to run away from home at the beginning.

So Bang Geng didn't come home, so he couldn't enter the opposite door.

The family hadn't sat down to eat a meal together for a long time, and he was also annoyed that Bang Geng was ignorant.

Where are there setbacks that a man doesn't suffer? Running away from home at every turn, who is used to it?

If it were his child, and he really dared to use running away from home to threaten, he would go up and give them two slaps, to see if they still dared to threaten their parents.

It's just that Bang Geng is not his child. Looking at Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu's appearance of protecting the calf, it's not bad that he didn't let him change his surname to Jia, let alone move his hand? Qin Huairu could tear him apart.

You see Qin Huairu hitting the child when she is anxious, but he, as a stepfather, must not move his hand.

"There is no good solution; either wait for him to grow up, or you take the initiative to communicate." Li Xuewu shrugged his shoulders and said, "If you think what I said is right, then go see him in person and see his changes."

"There must be one side that bows its head first."

"Bowing my head is nothing."

Qin Huairu sighed after a long while after hearing Li Xuewu's words, "But if I go to Steel City, can he listen to me?"

"That depends on how you think."

Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "If you want to hope for your son to become a dragon, then don't go."

"Young people always have to encounter a little setback to find the direction of their lives."

"That's what's said, but how long does he have to suffer setbacks?" Qin Huairu frowned and worried, "He's only fourteen; does he have to be muddled until he's twenty to be sober and sensible?"

"If he's really sensible, twenty is not too late." Li Xuewu said faintly, "What he needs now is care, not blame."

Seeing Qin Huairu frowning and not speaking, he talked about some things about Bang Geng in Steel City.

There were good and bad things, even mentioning Bang Geng showing off his cooking skills and making canned stir-fry for him, and gradually Qin Huairu was no longer annoyed.

Her own son, if she doesn't care, who else can she count on to help?

Li Xuewu only treated Bang Geng as a silly boy at the beginning, but he didn't know Bang Geng treated him as a biological father.

Once Li Xuewu jokingly called Bang Geng his godson, and Bang Geng agreed with a smile.

Qin Huairu felt that the only thing she owed her son was that she couldn't give him enough fatherly love, even if she had Liu Guoyou, she couldn't do it.

Liu Guoyou is not a bad person. If he were a bad person and treated the children at home badly, she wouldn't have married him.

People are complex; you can't expect people to pour their hearts out and treat Bang Geng as their own son.

If that were really the case, Qin Huairu would be worried.

Now she only worries about what Bang Geng's godfather, who takes care of his life and teaches him knowledge, wants to use him for.

Li Xuewu and his alliance brothers did those things, although she didn't participate, she was also clear.

Shen Guodong is a down-and-out person, without even a decent job, counting on the old to support each other to live, how did he get rich?

Wen San'er, Li Wenbiao, Yang Erhai, these are all famous down-and-out people in the street.

Now look at them again, all of them have stood up, living in big houses, driving cars, and not even showing their faces in the capital.

Even Yu Li, who has a deeper and deeper involvement with Li Xuewu, has her own identity.

When she lived in the courtyard at the beginning, she had a car to send her home at night.

It wasn't Li Xuewu, nor anyone else, but the club's driver.

With today's power, can these big ruffians in the alley be good people?

Good people can't get rich in this world, let alone go smoothly.

Bang Geng follows Li Xuewu, if he really follows them to do these things, you tell me if Qin Huairu is worried or not.

She wouldn't think Li Xuewu would arrange for Bang Geng to work in the Group; with her son's brain, unless it was in the name of a chef to enter the factory.

But looking at Li Xuewu's arrangement, where is he cultivating a chef? This is cultivating new forces.

Buzz—buzz—

The living room was chatting, and the doorbell at the door rang again.

Er Ya hurried out to check, and Li Xuewu also turned back to take a look.

It wasn't until he saw Zhao Yajun and Wang Lu come in that he didn't pay attention anymore.

"Sister Qin is here—"

Wang Lu was better at talking than Zhao Yajun. When she walked into the living room and saw Qin Huairu and her husband, she took the initiative to greet them with a smile.

Zhao Yajun only followed behind and called Director Qin and Station Master Liu.

"When did you come?"

"Just arrived not long ago."

Qin Huairu saw them come, and the nanny named Er Ya didn't have a trace of surprise; it seemed they had made an appointment long ago.

It was just that she had heard Li Xuewu talk about her son's situation and his suggestions, and she had a number in her heart.

At this moment, even if she wanted to say goodbye, she had to wait for Zhao Yajun and Wang Lu to sit for a while, otherwise it would be too impolite.

Two couples gathered together, all cadres related to the Red Star Steel Group, and they would definitely talk about work while chatting.

Li Xuewu mostly just listened. Wang Lu took Zhao Yajun to the house, besides thanking the second brother for taking care of her sister-in-law Zhao Yaping, she also wanted to report to the second brother about the things in the organization recently.

She was Li Xuewu's eyes and ears; things in the organization couldn't be hidden from her.

Zhao Yamin couldn't do it; he was too rigid and too conservative, and was still in the Security Corps.

With Li Xuewu's care, his progress could be considered smooth.

"I wanted to say it when you came to the Group yesterday, but at that time the situation hadn't developed to the current state."

Wang Lu explained, "It's the news published by the United Industrial News. These newspapers in the capital are like big sharks rushing over."

"So serious—"

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is the focus of their report still the hotel itself?"

"There are some that are crooked, discussing whether it is necessary to build this building in the newspaper."

Wang Lu shook her head slightly and said, "There are also those who say our Group is rich and imposing, and good steel is not used on the blade, just talking nonsense."

"Hahaha—"

Hearing these discussions she relayed, Li Xuewu couldn't help laughing out loud.

Wang Lu looked at him with some surprise and confusion and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

She straightened her body and reminded, "Now everyone is saying everything, messy, aren't you worried that the discussion will be out of control?"

"It hasn't reached the point of being so serious yet." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "You can let the discussion go on for a while."

"Only when there is a lot of discussion will there be topicality, so the influence will be more direct."

"You think more than I do."

Wang Lu shook her head slightly and said, "I just feel scared. Everyone is talking about our Group's affairs. I'm afraid that something else will appear..."

"Being careful is right." Li Xuewu smiled and greeted Er Ya to bring fruit to everyone, while emphasizing in his mouth, "But you can't give up eating because of choking; just pay attention to the scale and rhythm."

"Actually, I have to say that the feedback after the publicity department exerts force is not concentrated yet."

Wang Lu raised an eyebrow at him and said, "You don't know, the phone in Director Li's office hasn't stopped recently."

"His secretary Liu Bin sits in his office, specifically listening to the phone."

"That's a good thing—"

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "The publicity department and the general manager's office are much more relaxed."

"Director Li hid away."

Wang Lu covered her mouth and smiled, "I heard it from Liu Bin. The director specifically instructed him before leaving that when the phone stops, he will come back."

"How is he in your eyes?"

Li Xuewu looked at her unexpectedly and asked, "I'm not in the capital, why are there rumors that Director Li's health is not good?"

"There's no such thing; he's just hiding for peace." Wang Lu shook her head and said, "I heard it from Liu Bin. The director specifically instructed him before leaving that when the phone stops, he will come back."

"Who said his health is not good? He even plays badminton with us on the court of the reception house, his health is very good."

"This is true; it was on the court of the reception house." Qin Huairu echoed, "A few days ago, he suddenly said his health was not good and he needed to recuperate."

"If his health is really not good, he should go to the hospital. Isn't Director Xiong of the labor union recuperating in the hospital?"

"Director Xiong's recuperation is not voluntary; it's because he meddled in other people's business and angered Director Li."

Wang Lu was in the organization, so the news she heard was naturally more accurate than Qin Huairu's.

She explained, "I don't know who asked for help, wanting to handle a license for a distribution company at the Tianjin Trade Management Center. Old Xiong found Director Li, but was shut out."

"He wasn't reconciled, and found someone above, and the result—"

"The two of them were very unhappy."

Qin Huairu nodded in agreement, "He didn't even eat lunch and went to the hospital."

Liu Guoyou looked at Wang Lu with some envy; he could imagine how majestic it would be to work in the organization.

Look at his wife Qin Huairu again; she actually knew these things in the Group.

For him, who is enthusiastic about his career, knowing as much inside information as possible is convenient for him to perform, right?

Then why didn't Qin Huairu share these "inside information" with him?

Liu Guoyou looked at Qin Huairu beside him with some concern, of course he wouldn't break out here, but he was prepared to ask when he got home.

If he had news from the organization of the Red Star Steel Group, it would also be very convenient for his work.

"It seems that this Group will be in a troubled autumn for a period of time in the future."

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Then I have to hurry back to Liaodong, to avoid trouble."

"You should go quickly if you want to go."

Wang Lu explained with a smile, "I heard yesterday afternoon that Director Li was looking for you; it was because I heard you brought the children that I didn't care."

"If nothing unexpected happens, Director Li wants to talk to you; it must be about the upcoming public opinion publicity."

"And the capital forces that are about to arrive." Qin Huairu reminded with a smile, "Even our reception house is going to build a building, and someone contacted me. If you want to build the first high-rise, the threshold of your house can be kicked flat by connections."

"They want to, but they have to find our house first."

Li Xuewu looked at her with a smile, his words meaningful.

Saying Qin Huairu was one aspect, on the other hand, he was also prepared to run away. ===== CHAPTER 1441 =====