Chapter 1444: If you want a son, there are plenty!

"Dad, aren't you coming back with us?" Li Shu hugged her father's neck and acted like a spoiled child: "What should I do if I miss you?"

"Dad will also miss you——"

"Hey, hey, I know, good son."

Li Xuewu smiled bitterly and teased his son, who was following his sister's lead, before looking at his daughter and saying: "Dad will be back in a few days; you go home and wait for Dad first, alright?"

"That's all we can do for now."

Li Shu didn't know who she learned this from; this helpless and spoiled look definitely didn't look like Gu Ning, and it was even more impossible for her to learn it from him.

"Good, Dad needs to work hard and will come home to see you on time."

Li Xuewu kissed his daughter and son and said: "Listen to Mom when you get home."

"Got it——" X2

Li Shu and her younger brother replied obediently; whether they could do it or not was another matter.

"Yu Zhe is going home to visit relatives; with him taking care of you on the road, I can be at ease."

Li Xuewu gently patted Gu Ning's arm and instructed: "The matter of Old San and Yuxiu is basically settled; after you go back, find a time to bring the children to their home for a meal."

"Hmm, ask, right?"

Gu Ning nodded, understanding the meaning in his words; it's just human relationships.

Asking doesn't mean not knowing, but caring and greeting; after all, she is the sister-in-law.

"If Gu Yan comes back, let him visit relatives; don't always run to his father-in-law's house."

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "I'm not in the Capital, and the relatives' side can't be visited; people will be critical."

"Got it, I'll remind him."

Gu Ning felt impatient when she heard these trivial matters, not towards Li Xuewu, but towards these human relationships; she always felt they were wordy and annoying.

Seven aunts and eight aunts, when they get together, they have nothing else to do but gossip.

The Gu family is a local household in the Capital; after liberation, they were connected, and then there was a relative relationship.

Quite a few people came when Gu Ning got married; Li Xuewu also recognized them all by following his father-in-law, and since then, he has taken the initiative to contact Gu's direct relatives during festivals.

The father-in-law and mother-in-law went to Jin Ling, the brother-in-law is in Xijing, and the younger brother-in-law is in Zhongyuan.

Only Gu Ning is alone in the Capital; if you count on her to care about these relatives, the sun will rise from the west.

Gu Ning's personality is like this; even if these relatives are critical, they won't say it to the Gu family.

But as Gu Ning's husband, if he doesn't have this initiative, it's really a loss of etiquette.

Li Xuewu never counted on getting any support from these in-law relationships; he just visits because his father-in-law cares.

"Then that's it; otherwise you'll think I'm annoying again." Li Xuewu smiled, looked at Gu Ning and said: "Take good care of the children on the road, take good care of yourself, and wait for me to go back."

"You also take care of your health; don't stay up late, and don't be too hard on yourself."

Gu Ning rarely said such intimate words in such an environment on the platform.

Li Xuewu nodded with great satisfaction and promised seriously.

There were quite a few people on this train today, many of whom were commuting workers, making it look a bit crowded.

Gu Ning relied on Li Xuewu's work ID to buy a soft sleeper, and Yu Zhe also borrowed the light.

Yu Zhe, of course, wasn't just going home to visit relatives; it was because the leader's wife was returning to the Capital and needed his help to take care of them.

With his status as a driver, how could he just ask for leave to go home? It depends on the leader's vacation.

Besides, Yu Zhe didn't want to go home to listen to his parents nagging and his eldest sister nagging; where could he be as free and easy as in Steel City?

Li Xuewu arranged for Yu Zhe to send Gu Ning and the children back to the Capital, and he really had the intention of letting Yu Zhe go home to visit relatives; this kid is also not young anymore and can't keep living so muddled.

He called Yu Li and mentioned Yu Zhe's recent performance, specifically emphasizing his abnormal dealings with some female comrades.

Yu Li was also very angry when she heard this; she had such a younger brother in her family, and her parents pinned all their hopes on Yu Zhe.

Li Xuewu's words were very implicit, but Yu Li was no stranger to him, and the scale was grasped very accurately: Yu Zhe was just not behaving properly.

Liking women is a good thing; her father Yu Bao Dong saw that his son hadn't brought a partner home for a long time and thought his son didn't like women.

If he doesn't like women, what does he like?

This question was thought of very well by the old man, as long as he doesn't like small animals.

Yu Bao Dong could also be considered well-informed; in the early years of the Qing Dynasty, many scholars from Min and Zhe had the habit of "broken sleeves" and "dragon-yang" hobbies.

How many high-ranking officials didn't keep some handsome little servants in their homes? Even opera troupes like family troupes and government troupes were carefully selected.

On stage are the delicate and handsome Qingyi, and off stage are the gentle and lovely personal servants.

Don't always say modern people play fancy; the things played now are all things the ancients played with; the water here is deep.

To talk about understanding Yu Zhe, Yu Li is stronger than her father, at least she never doubted her brother's orientation.

Yu Zhe also made her feel at ease; he didn't have close male colleagues or little partners.

Because most of his brother's time was spent socializing with female colleagues.

Li Xuewu's call revealed the helplessness Yu Li had felt for a long time; she had also long discovered that her brother didn't like girls of the same age.

Su Qing, three years older than her brother, was the girl of the age closest to her brother that he liked.

Li Xuewu told her this time that Yu Zhe was dealing with a female comrade over thirty, often going out to eat together.

It wasn't Zhang Meili; Zhang Meili is 24, only four years older than Yu Zhe, not considered old.

This big sister didn't know where Yu Zhe dragged her from; looking at it, she understood the little man better than Zhang Meili and knew how to dress better.

Whatever Yu Zhe liked, she wore, almost making Yu Zhe's mouth crooked.

Yu Li asked Li Xuewu helplessly how many years older the other party was than her brother.

How could Li Xuewu say it? He could only say she's a bit older than you; he couldn't say she's a bit younger than your mother, right?

Yu Li is 25 this year; she was a bit panicked when she heard this; how much older is "a bit older than you"?

Yu Zhe is only 20 this year; is this finding a wife, or finding an old aunt?

Women in their thirties, not yet forty, this age group is really a treasure.

Yu Zhe being able to think it through can also be considered advanced cognition; the key is that the big sister knows how to be warm and hot and knows how to coax people; now little girls don't know how to coax people at all, and even acting like a spoiled child comes with fists, which is not fun at all.

Li Xuewu teased in his heart, but didn't dare to add fuel to the fire for Yu Li; Yu Zhe might face a three-hall trial and big punishment when he goes home.

After all, he has been driving for him for half a year; he can't be ruthless to himself.

It's also because he cares about him that he made this arrangement, hoping Yu Zhe won't take a detour and regret it.

Old A8 is also A8, but once bought, it's smashed in the hand; the performance only lasts for a few years, and maintenance and upkeep are problems later.

It's okay to drive someone else's car, experience the driving feeling, no problem; if you really want to buy it for home collection, you're a bit unable to think it through.

"Secretary-General Comrade, why are you always hiding from us?"

Wang Yajuan, the person in charge of the Red Star United Radio Liaodong Station, is leading people to assemble.

Li Xuewu came back from watching the site in the factory area and took a detour around the office area.

As a result, the girls were dissatisfied, and the boys laughed, giggling.

Office Director Sun Jia glared at the person who made the joke, afraid they would provoke the leader.

Li Xuewu wasn't that serious, and certainly wouldn't be angry or annoyed because of a joke.

He looked at these young men and women with a smile and asked: "What is this for? I haven't figured it out yet."

"Training for the newly recruited art performance team members; didn't we report it to you?"

Wang Yajuan was wearing a white shirt and black pants, looking very capable.

Her tone carried a bit of reproach: "You are just like what Comrade Huiying said; you don't care about us at all and hide from us."

"I don't have any; don't talk nonsense."

Li Xuewu wasn't annoyed either; he chuckled and explained, "I was just afraid of disturbing you all."

"Not disturbing, not disturbing at all." Some young new members laughed and started to boo: "Please say a few words to us, leader."

"Please say a few words to us, leader!"

There were those who booed and those who echoed; the scene was very noisy, and people on the office building even opened the windows to look down.

Wang Yajuan didn't think about disturbing his time at first, just afraid Sun Jia would blame the newcomers.

Seeing Li Xuewu standing there looking at these newcomers without any blame, she felt relieved and let the young people mess around.

"There really is a vigorous spirit——"

Li Xuewu said to Sun Jia with a smile after listening to their booing.

Sun Jia looked at these young people and thought of himself; he was also this innocent and romantic at the beginning, almost sold by others as a fool.

"They caught up with good times."

Sun Jia said to Li Xuewu with a light smile: "As far as I know, very few art school graduates this year can directly enter factories and mines; most have to be assigned to the frontier and outside areas to support."

"Reverse thinking, isn't this also us catching up with good times?"

Li Xuewu looked at him and then at these young people: "Being able to strive for excellence and select the most outstanding students to join the Group's propaganda system is also an opportunity."

"You are right, it is indeed so."

Sun Jia nodded and said relatively approvingly: "You have always cared about the Group's propaganda and art organization construction work, which has also allowed our Group's art and propaganda work to be at the forefront of the system; this is your merit."

"Hey, when talking about merit, think more about comrades and the collective."

Li Xuewu corrected him: "When talking about criticism, you should think more about yourself."

"Yes, you are right."

Sun Jia responded with a smile; he still admired Li Xuewu's conduct; one could see what kind of person he was from the leader's words, deeds, and style.

Excellent character and ability can cast pioneering achievements.

The achievements he just mentioned were indeed achieved under Li Xuewu's care.

Sun Jia has experienced so many things and is not a simple sycophant.

Speaking truthfully, Li Xuewu is really not bad as a leader; at least that's what he thinks.

"I won't give a speech; if I talk too much, you won't be willing, and if I talk too little, I won't be willing."

Li Xuewu laughed, waved to the new members, and looked at Wang Yajuan, emphasizing: "Care more about their life and study; if there are any difficulties, come find me."

"Yes, thank you Secretary-General for your care."

Wang Yajuan saw him say this and smiled at everyone: "Still not thanking the leader?"

"Thank you Secretary-General——"

They are all university and junior college graduates who just graduated from art schools; there are fresh graduates and previous graduates, all selected by Wang Yajuan herself.

Is the treatment of the Metallurgical Plant good or not?

Not to mention the Group's treatment, just comparing it in parallel in this era, anyone who understands will tell you to go to the factory.

In this era, entering a factory is stronger than going to a departmental organ, and the welfare treatment is higher.

If you compare factories with factories, this gap is even more stark.

Who doesn't know that the treatment of the branches and plants under the Red Star Steel Group is solid!

Not to mention anything else, just the work clothes uniformly distributed by the Group are of better quality, more humanized design, and have better aesthetics than other enterprises.

The old set of all-blue cotton or canvas work clothes was eliminated in the Red Star Plant long ago.

The Third Industry Industrial Textile Factory had long ago obtained various composite textile materials from the Beijing Textile Second Plant, which are durable, wear-resistant, anti-static, breathable, warm, and fashionable.

The Red Star Plant's work clothes design plan was made by the tailor team organized by Shen Guodong.

The jacket and pants are not the same color, and the gloves are not the same color as the clothes.

The colors are different, and the work clothes design plans for different types of work are also different.

It must consider the basic demands of special occupations and also take into account the needs of ordinary workers.

Work clothes for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, four styles for a single type of work, and various patterns.

The organ has administrative suits, and the workshop also has work suit sets, which are quite fashionable.

In this era, where can you just make clothes to wear at home? Everyone wears work clothes.

If you go out wearing dirty clothes, it's not decent; the work clothes now are worn on the body, and it's also decent to go out.

Everyone knows you are from the Red Star Steel Group because there is a logo on the chest.

Wang Yajuan led the team to the school to recruit people, and basically, whoever she chose could be taken away; this was still because she went late, and many schools had already completed the assignment of graduates.

But even so, the quota Li Xuewu gave her was all recruited, and there was even an overflow.

This move was taught to her by Li Xuewu: if you give 10 indicators, recruit 12.

Of course, this is determined by the special nature of the art performance team; the recruitment work for ordinary employees in the factory must be strictly executed according to the established standards.

However, this clause doesn't need to be considered later, because the recruitment work for all employees of the Group will be centralized to the Group's Personnel Department.

In other words, from the beginning of next year when the enterprise formally completes groupization, the factory and branches will no longer possess the ability and right to recruit employees.

What if you need workers or office clerks?

Very simple; the Group's Personnel Department will collect the personnel demands of all units every month; those that can be allocated will be allocated, and those that can't will wait for new recruitment next year.

Only special talents will open temporary channels, which requires special approval from the leader.

For example, cooks; as long as the craft is good, the Group's current shortage of cooks is very large.

Don't say cooks can bring apprentices like fitters; fitters can bring apprentices in batches, but cooks may not necessarily be able to bring out many apprentices.

This is not the same nature.

For so many years, Li Xuewu hasn't seen Seeing Sha Zhu bring out many apprentices; someone like Ma Hua wouldn't necessarily be able to work in the small kitchen in another ten years.

The art performance team is the same; these young people belong to special talents, and branches and plants have even less qualifications to recruit them.

Even the qualification to report the need is not there; it's the art performance team reporting to the Art Troupe, and the Art Troupe reporting to the Art Publishing House; this is a system.

So Wang Yajuan is directly managed by Li Xuewu because she is also the person in charge of the propaganda section, and he also approves her funds.

If she purely served as the person in charge of the United Radio Liaodong Branch, then Li Xuewu, as a branch leader, would not be able to manage her in principle, except for the Secretary-General.

The management of vertical systems has independence and balance; it cannot be said too absolutely.

Li Xuewu supports setting up an art performance team in Liaodong and setting up a Liaodong branch.

The scale doesn't need to be very large, but it must have local characteristics; recruiting actors from the locality can better reflect the unity between the Group and the locality.

Previously, the art performances needed by the Group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong were all reported to the Group's Propaganda Department, and then the Propaganda Department instructed the Art Publishing House, and the Art Publishing House coordinated the Art Troupe.

After the Art Troupe received the task, it organized small teams to rehearse programs according to the requirements and arranged for the small teams to go to the local area for comfort performances on the corresponding dates.

With the Group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong developing larger and larger, the need for art here is also getting larger and larger; frequent reporting and coordination are too troublesome and delay time.

Li Xuewu, as Secretary-General, directly coordinated the Publishing House to set up an art performance team in Liaodong, greatly saving management costs and time costs.

Furthermore, the Group's propaganda policy for Liaodong's industrial enterprises is general and needs the leadership group to fully understand and carry out the work.

If they borrow people from the Group every time, then the Liaodong Industrial Leadership Group's work doesn't need to be done.

So it can be seen that Li Xuewu built a temporary management institution with the Liaodong Industrial Leadership Group Office as the main body in Liaodong, and also set up a propaganda institution like the Liaodong Art Performance Team.

Next is to actively promote the United Savings Bank to land in Liaodong and take root.

With the United Savings Bank as the foundation, leverage the Group's economic cooperation and construction work in Liaodong to lay the foundation for industrial construction.

Management, propaganda, and economy must all be grasped, and must be grasped steadily, and finally, we can gather strength to grasp organizational construction; this has a sequence.

Some people grasp organizational construction as soon as they come up, emphasizing it again and again, but the result is empty; they haven't done any real work, and the things they've created are all empty frames, like castles in the air.

Counting from the time Li Xuewu arrived in Liaodong, it's only been half a year until August; look, are there any different voices?

All industrial enterprises are formulating development strategies and plans according to his ideas.

Li Xuewu examines them with the development plans they submitted and supervises their execution.

If they can't finish, they must discuss together, think of ways, and solve problems.

Crossing from a project person in charge to a leader in charge, ordinary people will fall.

If they can't adapt to the work rhythm and changes, and have a stubborn mindset, they will definitely fail.

"Sigh——what should I eat tonight?"

Bang Geng sighed, looking at the menu in his hand and falling into choice anxiety.

This menu was sent over by the hotel; he can order whatever he wants to eat, and it will be delivered directly to the house.

Except for dishes that Bang Geng is afraid to eat, or dishes Li Xuewu doesn't eat, he has basically eaten everything on the menu, and even got tired of them.

Bang Geng is worried about this; his legs are hooked on the sofa armrest, his calves are swinging, and his wrists are supporting his chin as he sits there muttering.

Li Xuewu came back from work, and as soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Bang Geng's bicycle parked in the storage room, so he knew he had already returned.

The bicycle wasn't bought by Li Xuewu; it was Bang Geng saving the pocket money he gave him, and saving the salary Zhou Wang Yamei paid him for the past six months; it counts as his first big consumption in life.

A total of 96 yuan and 8 mao, with odd and even, an 80% new second-hand curved-beam bicycle.

Don't ask why he didn't buy a 28-inch big bar; Bang Geng isn't afraid, but Li Xuewu is afraid of Qin Huairu asking him for a grandson; how many bear children still remember the fear of being dominated by the big bar?

Some people say the 24-inch curved-beam bicycle is for women to ride, and men don't look cool riding it.

Damn cool; Bang Geng is 14, riding the bike on the road is no problem; when braking, he has to consider which side to fall on so it doesn't hurt.

Sitting on the seat, he can't reach the pedals; not sitting on the seat and forcing it makes the eggs hurt.

The 24-inch curved-beam bicycle is just right; Bang Geng pedals fast, and doesn't even slow down when turning, crashing around on this street.

The residents on this street all know that a cadre often comes to live here at Zhou Wang Yamei's house.

They don't dare to ask or manage what the relationship is; in this era, everyone lives their own lives.

However, after having Bang Geng, these neighbors started paying attention to her house.

If this kid accidentally hits them, who should they go to for medical expenses?

"Come in, this is the courtyard."

Li Xuewu greeted Qin Huairu, who was getting out of the car: "Your son might have just returned."

"Does he ride his bike to work by himself every day?" Qin Huairu asked in surprise: "Aren't you afraid he'll be in danger?"

"I'm afraid—I'm afraid others will be in danger."

Li Xuewu shook his chin, signaling her to enter the courtyard, and said: "Since you're here, you should manage your son; he treats his bicycle like a plane; if he had wings, he could fly."

The sound of talking in the courtyard naturally attracted the attention of Bang Geng, who was looking at the menu in the living room; he raised his neck, seemingly doubting if he had auditory hallucinations; why was it his mother's voice outside?

"If I could manage him, I wouldn't have sent him to you."

Qin Huairu was really good at shifting blame; at this moment, she said bluntly: "Anyway, he's with you now, and he listens to you more; if he doesn't listen, just beat him."

"You're really carefree as a mother; you want us outsiders to be the bad guys?"

Li Xuewu opened the door and shouted inside: "Big-faced cat, come out and help."

"Hey! Coming——"

Bang Geng was still doubting his ears, but at this moment, hearing Wu Shu's voice, he responded without hesitation and ran out.

He had just noticed his mother's voice, but he couldn't believe it, and didn't want to believe it; he didn't know how to face his mother.

It's just that all these hesitations and embarrassments dissipated the moment he saw his mother.

He didn't need to think about how to greet his mother, and didn't need to think about how to speak.

Just like that, the moment he saw his mother, he couldn't help but cry and throw himself into his mother's arms, looking exactly like a child.

Li Xuewu watched the fun for a while, then carried Qin Huairu's luggage into the house.

Bang Geng was still crying, with snot and tears, looking a bit disgusting.

Qin Huairu also wiped her tears; no matter how much resentment she had for her son, it dissipated at this moment; after all, mother and son are connected.

The son is a piece of meat that fell off her own body; if she doesn't love him, who will?

Mother and son cried at the door for a while, said a few words, and then entered the house.

Li Xuewu had already boiled the hot water, and seeing them enter, he pointed to the room upstairs and said: "Just right, take your mother to put the luggage."

"Is there anything to do? Let me do it."

Qin Huairu was a hardworking person, and she wouldn't pretend to be a guest here.

Her eyes were still red, but she had already rolled up her sleeves to work.

"Don't worry, there's plenty of work."

Li Xuewu smiled, pointed upstairs and said: "Go put the luggage first; I'll take a bath first, and then I'll let you wash in a while."

"The weather is too hot, and I'm sticky; I can't stand it."

He picked up his underwear and went to the bathroom; when he closed the door, he even reminded Bang Geng to call the hotel to order dinner.

"Why order dinner from the hotel?"

Qin Huairu heard Li Xuewu's words clearly, and also heard them confusedly.

Seeing Bang Geng carrying her luggage and wanting to go upstairs, she followed him up.

There are three rooms upstairs, one big and two small; Bang Geng chose the guest room

This really is a guest room, because the master bedroom is occupied by Aunt Zhou, the second bedroom by Fu Zhidong, and this remaining one is the guest room.

If you want to ask him where Uncle Wu lives? He wouldn't easily reveal such confidential information.

Aunt Zhou reminded him not to come up without being called, but Aunt Zhou has already left, and he has also snuck up a few times, so he was already familiar with it.

Li Xuewu also tacitly accepted this point; otherwise, what would happen to the cleaning upstairs?

Should he be the one to clean up?

It's better to let Banggeng come up; he doesn't have any privacy that he needs to guard against Banggeng.

"Where do you usually live?"

From the moment she entered the courtyard gate, Qin Huairu had been sizing up this courtyard and the villa, and the same went for when she entered the house.

She had already deeply felt the gap between herself and Li Xuewu.

She and Liu Guoyou had only managed to buy the two apartments across the hall by pooling their money, and even that felt difficult.

Looking at Li Xuewu again, he never shortchanges himself wherever he goes, living in Western-style houses.

Li Xuewu's home in the capital is like this, and his residence in Steel City is surprisingly the same.

"Downstairs, the one directly facing the living room is my room."

Banggeng was very proactive in helping his mother tidy up her luggage; he was just short of making the bed and folding the quilts.

After sizing up the furniture and layout in the room, Qin Huairu sat on the bed, took her son's hand, and asked, "How could you be so heartless, not wanting to write even a single letter to Mom?"

Did Banggeng write letters home?

He did; Li Xuewu forced him to write them. But this kid is stubborn; he wrote to his grandmother, to his two younger sisters, and even to his master Seeing Sha Zhu, but he just wouldn't write to his mother.

Qin Huairu sent Banggeng a letter every week, and she didn't even get a single hair back in return; how could she not feel aggrieved?

Banggeng lowered his head, speechless; he really didn't know how to reconcile with his mother.

Before seeing his mother, he had even imagined countless possibilities, but the only one he hadn't imagined was this simple scene of mother and son reuniting.

"If I hadn't come to see you, would you really never go home or see me again for the rest of your life?"

Qin Huairu's tears fell again as she looked at her son and asked, "Do you hate me that much?"

Banggeng pursed his lips and lowered his head, looking as if he also had many grievances to pour out.

But the current him is different from when he first left home; he understands many things now and also understands many principles.

So he learned to use silence to answer questions; this is also a kind of attitude.

Qin Huairu had already read his attitude, and her heart felt even more aggrieved and sad.

The son she raised herself is drifting further and further away from her; how could she not feel aggrieved?

There is no one in this world who wants the best for her son more than she does, but her son just doesn't understand her.

"Do you genuinely dislike your Uncle Liu, or do you dislike his children?"

Qin Huairu remembered what Li Xuewu had said to her and chose to face her son frankly, to talk it out calmly.

Seeing his mother's direct question, Banggeng raised his head and glanced at her.

After a long while, knowing his mother was waiting for his answer and wouldn't give up otherwise, he said softly, "I don't like him, and I don't like his two children. They look at me like an outsider, like a fool, and even more like an enemy."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

Qin Huairu held her son's hand and said, "Mom can choose the second half of her life, but I cannot choose to leave you, do you understand?"

"Would you have listened to me back then?"

Banggeng followed her pull and sat on the bed, lowering his head as he said, "I didn't feel like our family needed to add another man."

"So that's why you had to come to Steel City to prove yourself?" Qin Huairu understood what he meant and stroked the back of his head, asking, "To prove that you can support this family?"

Banggeng nodded silently; this was his goal.

Only now did Qin Huairu understand what Li Xuewu meant by the words he said to her.

She couldn't help but hug her son's shoulders, resting her forehead against his.

The little man is finally growing up, and he has his own thoughts and perceptions.

Just as Li Xuewu said, she couldn't use an adult's mindset and logic to regulate a child's thinking pattern; the more she emphasized it, the more twisted and stubborn it became, eventually turning into a knot in his heart.

She used to only blame her son for being heartless, but she never thought that her son leaving her and coming thousands of miles to Liaodong was precisely because of her choices.

At this moment, what should she say?

Every cause has an effect, every effect must have a cause; the cycle of karma?

"What are you two doing?"

Li Xuewu came up in his pajamas and, seeing the mother and son in the guest room silent, greeted them.

He knew what this mother and son were talking about, but the atmosphere had already stiffened, and someone had to help resolve it.

"Son, did you order the food like I told you?" Li Xuewu lifted his chin and asked Banggeng.

"Ah, I'll go order it now."

Banggeng stood up, turned back to look at his mother, and asked, "Mom, what do you want to eat?"

"Why are you ordering food? I'll just make it; we'll eat whatever is in the house."

Qin Huairu wiped the tears from her face, stood up, and was about to go down to cook.

Li Xuewu looked at her with amusement and said, "There are plates, rice bowls, an iron pot, and an iron spatula; you can cook whichever one you think is edible."

"Let's just order food; there's nothing left in the house, and the vegetable garden is gone too."

Banggeng advised his mother, then stomped downstairs.

It wasn't that the vegetables in the garden were gone, but that they had been consumed by the weeds that grew wildly after the start of autumn.

There were two people in the house, one big lazybones and one little lazybones, and neither of them went to pull the weeds.

If they were counting on Zhou Wang Yamei, who came back once every two weeks, to clean up the weeds in the courtyard, those weeds could grow taller than Zhou Wang Yamei.

Zhou Wang Yamei had the heart to clean it up the first few times she came back, but the last few times she was so exhausted that she couldn't do it anymore; she scolded Li Xuewu and Banggeng, but it had no effect, so she gave up herself.

Every time she came back, she had to spend the whole morning cleaning, only for it to return to its original state by the next time she came back.

The vegetable garden originally had all kinds of vegetables, but these two got used to eating at restaurants, and washing the dishes became a major project in the kitchen.

Unless it was raining heavily, Banggeng wouldn't use his signature skill to make a dish of canned food stir-fried with canned food for Li Xuewu to survive the weather crisis.

If the vegetables in this garden weren't picked, they would either get old or fall off; even if they cleared the weeds, there was no point.

Zhou Wang Yamei was so angry that she swore in a fit of pique that whoever organized planting a vegetable garden next year was a dog!

Qin Huairu truly couldn't imagine what kind of life Li Xuewu and her son were living.

She glared at Li Xuewu and emphasized, "That's my son!"

This was in response to Li Xuewu just calling Banggeng "son"; she was a bit jealous.

Li Xuewu, however, shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and said, "That's fine."

"What do you mean 'that's fine'? Either it is or it isn't; what does 'that's fine' mean?"

Qin Huairu frowned, looked at him, and said, "I want to take Banggeng back to the capital."

"That's fine." Li Xuewu said the same thing, saying indifferently, "Have you thought about how to untie the knot in his heart? If you are prepared, I fully support you."

He pointed downstairs and said, "To raise your son, I still have to save money at the restaurant; I'm really afraid of starving him, and then he'll get desperate and eat me."

"It's not like I didn't give you living expenses; it was you who were falsely polite and didn't take them."

Qin Huairu chided, "And just because you spent money doesn't mean he's your son."

"Stop being unreasonable and making a scene; who's interested in snatching your son anyway?"

Li Xuewu curled his lips with amusement and said, "If I wanted a son, I could have plenty."

"I believe that. If you're really that open-minded, I'll go congratulate Yu Li when I get back."

Qin Huairu looked at him provocatively and said, "I'm just afraid you can't let go and are reluctant."

"Sigh—of course I'm reluctant."

Li Xuewu sighed and said, "A single-parent family like yours is destined to make a child lack a sense of security; how could I bear to let the child's mother suffer, and then let the child suffer again?"

"So you chose not to give and not to ask?"

Qin Huairu nodded in sudden realization and said, "You always have great wisdom and great principles, seeing through life clearly and thoroughly."

"Are you lecturing me again?"

Li Xuewu turned around with amusement and walked toward the master bedroom, saying, "You'd better figure out your own affairs and leave me alone."

Qin Huairu had specifically asked for leave to come to Steel City just to see her son.

It was also inspired by the words she heard Li Xuewu say when they visited his home last time.

A son is ultimately one's own; struggling against one's son is struggling against oneself.

So Qin Huairu took the initiative to come.

Because Liu Guoyou was busy with work, and also out of consideration for Banggeng's feelings, and even more so to give the mother and son some space and time, he didn't come.

Li Xuewu didn't pay much attention when he received her call; he just checked the time and arranged for a driver to pick her up at the train station.

Yu Zhe has not returned to the capital since he left, and there is no news of him; not knowing if he can escape the disaster, Li Xuewu was already prepared to mourn for him.

The taste of a three-way interrogation is not pleasant, especially in this era where he had long ago seen through the truth that "in youth one doesn't know the goodness of an aunt, and mistakenly treats a young girl as a treasure"; he was definitely going to be subjected to severe punishment.

Qin Huairu's arrival was a bit sudden, but it was also within Li Xuewu's expectations.

He had been sincere when he spoke that time he went home; every word was the truth, and he wasn't afraid that Qin Huairu wouldn't think about it.

Furthermore, Qin Huairu had long been accustomed to listening to his opinions, and this time was no exception.

As for arranging for Qin Huairu to stay at his home, Li Xuewu didn't think much of it either.

Those who can gossip are definitely targeting him; you can't stop people's mouths, but those who can understand will naturally see through it and won't wag their tongues.

Banggeng is already a young man; with him in the house, what does Li Xuewu have to fear?

The food order arrived quickly; it was Niu Xianglan who delivered it herself, and it was still hot.

"You don't have anything going on today?"

Hearing her voice, Li Xuewu came down from upstairs and greeted her.

Niu Xianglan looked slightly surprised at the beautiful woman who came downstairs with him, and then replied, "It's alright this evening."

She had been to the house several times and knew the place well, but she had never seen Qin Huairu.

"This is Banggeng's mother, a neighbor from our courtyard, and also a colleague."

Li Xuewu gave a brief introduction and also introduced Niu Xianglan to Qin Huairu.

"This is Comrade Niu Xianglan, the manager of the restaurant where we order our meals; if your son hasn't starved to death, it's thanks to her help and care."

"You're joking, you're making me so embarrassed." Niu Xianglan smiled at Qin Huairu, responding to Li Xuewu's joke.

"Hello, thank you for taking care of our Banggeng; I've caused you trouble."

Qin Huairu was very polite; anyone Li Xuewu thought worth introducing to her had to be taken seriously.

"Her husband works at the recycling station."

Li Xuewu only added this one sentence for Qin Huairu, and both Qin Huairu and Niu Xianglan understood that the other party was one of their own.

Although Niu Xianglan's sense of belonging as "one of their own" was still relatively recent, she genuinely felt that Nie Liansheng had a future working with Li Xuewu, at least he wouldn't take risks like he did before.

The two looked at each other, and the smiles on their faces became even more genuine and natural.

"Have you eaten? Would you like to join us?"

Qin Huairu politely offered, but Niu Xianglan refused on the grounds that the children were still at the shop; she said a word to Li Xuewu and left.

"Is this another capable person you've recruited since coming to Steel City?"

Qin Huairu walked to the dining room and looked at the food her son had placed on the table.

She said to Li Xuewu, "Are you always this extravagant every day?"

"It's only because you're here; otherwise, we'd be eating chaff and vegetables, almost starving to death."

Li Xuewu feigned pity and replied, looking at Banggeng with a meaningful nod.

Banggeng smiled knowingly and didn't pay attention to his mother's chiding and embarrassment.

Qin Huairu was truly jealous; at this table, she seemed to have become the outsider, while the two of them were exchanging glances full of tacit understanding.

Four dishes; Banggeng had learned and mastered the art of ordering, and even knew how to balance meat and vegetables.

"Conditions are difficult, and the hospitality is lacking; please forgive me."

Li Xuewu smiled, raised his teacup to signal Qin Huairu, and said, "If there's any neglect, you can just beat Banggeng."

"Hehehe—" Banggeng laughed and clinked his teacup with his, just like an adult.

Qin Huairu looked at the two with amusement and asked, "If these conditions are still considered simple, no wonder Banggeng doesn't want to go home; it turns out he's been living a life of luxury here."

"You only see us eating meat; you haven't seen us suffering."

Li Xuewu picked up a piece of food to taste, nodded, and said, "Sometimes when we're full, we still have to go out for a walk to digest."

As he spoke, he shook his head, indicating how hard and miserable it was at the time.

Banggeng knew he was deliberately teasing his mother, so he also laughed "hehehe."

Qin Huairu looked at her son; the more she looked, the more he resembled Li Xuewu's bad habits back then.

It seems her son can't be taken back.

PS: Two extra chapters will be updated simultaneously on September 1st. Please use monthly tickets to unlock the extra chapters. Votes from other channels cannot respond to the "Monthly Ticket Extra" chapters; please take note.