Chapter 1531: Returning to Steel City

"You really don't need me to send you?"

Li Xuewu wrapped his coat tighter and looked at Shangguan Qi, who was standing beside him, asking, "What did you say when you called home?"

"My second brother will come to pick me up."

Shangguan Qi smiled and looked at him curiously, asking, "You really didn't drink too much?"

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu walked down the steps lightly and said, "Twenty more wouldn't be able to drink me under the table."

"Scary!" Shangguan Qi curled her lips in surprise. Remembering how he had slaughtered everyone at the drinking table, she couldn't help but stick out her tongue.

It was just as the Secretary-General said; she had come to eat and drink for free, but she hadn't come in vain. Several leaders of the automotive industry had given her their contact information.

Of course, the other party also kept her contact information.

Business cards had existed for a long time, but they were reborn and carried forward under Li Huai De of the Red Steel Group.

Old Li's business card was very special; it was rolled from special steel by the rolling mill, ultra-thin, textured, neither soft nor hard, using dot-engraving technology.

This was Li Xuewu's suggestion.

But don't misunderstand; this wasn't flattery. The business cards of the Group's leaders with status and the main persons in charge of branches were all regulated in this way.

A tiny business card showed the technical foundation and excellent craftsmanship of the Red Steel Group. Could you produce this without some strength?

Ever since Li Huai De used this kind of business card for socializing within the Beijing industry and the industrial system, this trend had blown up again.

So the business cards Shangguan Qi received were truly a mixed bag: hard paper, hard leather, plastic, and even silk-pressed paper.

In fact, cadres in this era were more willing to write notes for things and exchanges, being able to write the content of things to be handled and entrusted on a memo for the office clerk to process.

But business cards played a role that notes couldn't replace; they couldn't write the content of things, but they carried personal information.

Sometimes when Liu Bin went out to handle things, it was more convenient to take Old Li's business card. This was the special aspect.

What could you do with a business card?

At the drinking table, the Secretary-General gave her the opportunity to speak, but any technical or scientific research questions were handed to her to answer.

It was precisely because of her professional attitude that she was recognized by the leaders, and seeing that she was a female comrade who had become a project leader at such a young age, everyone didn't look down on her.

Shangguan Qi knew very well that it was the Secretary-General who took care of her and cultivated her. Without this relationship, how could she have made connections with these people?

Previously, she only focused on scientific research and never took interpersonal relationships seriously, thinking that as long as she worked hard, she would be respected.

But the reality wasn't like that. The various encounters after returning to the country completely changed her outlook on life and values.

Seeing Peter again, in fact, it was the same at home and abroad. What unit didn't need interpersonal relationships? Even the crematorium had people asking for favors. You couldn't avoid it.

So when the Secretary-General asked her if she was coming today, she didn't even think about it before agreeing. More importantly, he was there too.

"If you have ample time, you can participate in the preparation of the Optoelectronics Research Institute. After all, you were the one who brought the people back."

Li Xuewu lowered the car window, looked at Shangguan Qi, and said, "I've already greeted General Manager Xia on that side. Whatever you need, go talk to him."

"Thank you, Secretary-General—"

Shangguan Qi smiled, showed the diamond watch on her wrist, and said, "And this."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked at her like a little girl, shook his head with a light smile, stepped on the accelerator, and drove away from the hotel.

Shangguan Qi watched his car disappear, and only then lowered her head to look at the watch on her wrist that she had been looking at all afternoon, unable to put it down.

"Housing allocation? That depends on your contribution!"

Sha Zhu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said vaguely, "Who doesn't know that living in a building is good? But with tens of thousands of people queuing for housing, there has to be a rule and fairness."

"Second brother, it seems my second brother is back."

Li Xuecai turned around, leaned against the window to look at the West Courtyard, and saw lights at the gate.

"I'll go open the main gate."

Da Lao was sitting by the edge of the kang. He got off, draped a coat over his shoulders, and went out. The children in the west room were still playing, chattering non-stop.

"Is there heavy snow tonight?"

Li Xuewu wasn't sure if he should stay a while longer, so he drove the car into the garage. When he came out, he saw Da Lao had closed the main gate and asked a question.

"Looking at the sky, it's overcast." Da Lao held a pipe in his hand, looked him over, and asked, "Did you drink?"

"It's fine, I don't feel drunk at all." Li Xuewu smiled, reached out to touch his coat, and said, "Is the east room cold? If you're cold, go live in the backyard."

"Cold? Xuecai burns coal hard. My throat is dry when I get up in the middle of the night." Da Lao knew his grandson cared about him and explained with a light smile.

"I was just afraid you'd be cold—"

Li Xuewu walked into the courtyard with Da Lao and said with concern, "It's snowing, the road is hard to walk, so don't go to the warehouse side. Let Guodong handle it."

"Alright, there's nothing to do at home anyway."

Da Lao nodded and asked him, "I heard from your wife that you're leaving again tomorrow?"

"Yes, I have to go to Steel City. I've been out for almost half a month, and I'm really worried about the work." Li Xuewu explained, "I'll be back in a few days."

"Can you spend the New Year at home this year?"

Da Lao let Li Xuewu open the room door, went in first, and was still thinking about whether he could come home for the New Year.

"That depends on when the time comes."

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Whatever happens, happens. I'll try my best to arrange it."

"Did you drink?" Liu Yin stood on the floor of the room, looked at her son, and chided, "Didn't you say you were just going to sit for a while? Why did you drink again."

"It was a drinking engagement, how could I not drink at all."

Li Xuewu pulled his mother's hand, looked at Sha Zhu, nodded, and asked, "You're not on duty today?"

"Off duty, I'm exhausted."

Sha Zhu complained with a "hehe," raised his eyebrows, and asked, "I heard you ate at Qinyuan Chun?"

"It was just Old Tang and the others from Sichuan Automotive, saying they wanted to engage in the parts manufacturing industry." Li Xuewu introduced it casually, looked at his father, and asked, "Didn't you say you were going up the mountain? Why was the plan canceled?"

"I saw it was snowing in the afternoon, so I didn't go."

Li Shun picked up his teacup, drank a cup of hot tea, glanced at his son, and said, "You drove after drinking?"

"It's really fine, I wouldn't joke about myself." Li Xuewu explained with a smile, "If it weren't for the snow, I could have come back a while earlier."

"What number snow is this for this year?"

Sha Zhu sat by the edge of the kang cabinet, counted with his fingers, and said, "It keeps snowing. It looks like next year will be another good year."

There had been bumper harvests for consecutive years, and combined with the restoration of economic construction work, the urban population had decreased sharply due to the "down to the countryside" movement, and the quality of life had improved to a certain extent.

How the quality of life was could be fully reflected on the dining tables of the common people.

Being full and not being full was a gap, and eating well and not eating well was another gap. At least now everyone could eat their fill.

In the past, it was hard to see eggs in the market, but now the supply and marketing cooperative had started supplying them in small quantities, it was just that not many families could afford them.

"You don't grow crops, yet you're calculating a good year." Diliya teased him, "You don't even know how to use a hoe, yet you're pretending to be an expert."

"This is called anticipating the situation, do you understand?"

Sha Zhu argued unconvincingly, turned to look at Li Xuewu sitting by the kang, and said, "Hey, we were just chatting about housing allocation."

"Housing allocation? What does that have to do with you?"

Li Xuewu took the tea water handed to him by Ji Yuxiu, looked at Sha Zhu with a smile, and asked, "What's wrong? Are you planning to move upstairs?"

"I don't plan to move in this lifetime. Whoever moves will regret it!"

Sha Zhu laughed "hehe," curled his big mouth, and said, "You didn't see Old Yi and the others come back and say it, but living in a building isn't convenient either."

"If you're still picky about living in a building, what kind of house would be considered good?" Liu Yin asked with a smile, "Does Old Yi want to live in a small Western-style house?"

"Hahaha—" Sha Zhu laughed heartlessly, waved his hand, and said, "If you ask me, living in this big courtyard is comfortable."

He waved his hand to emphasize, "I'm not saying sour grapes because I can't eat them, it's just that I can't stand running up and down the stairs."

"However, just because we don't look down on it doesn't mean there are no contradictions inside."

Sha Zhu looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Haven't you cared about the logistics housing allocation recently?"

"Where would I have the time?" Li Xuewu took a sip of hot tea and asked, "What happened?"

"What happened?" Sha Zhu widened his eyes and said, "They almost fought. If the Security Division hadn't arrived quickly, the tables in the logistics housing office would have been smashed by people."

"Everyone is looking forward to the completion of the workers' new village housing so they can move into their new homes. The mood is very urgent."

He described it to Li Xuewu, "But the conditions for housing allocation given by the housing office are precisely stuck on the point."

"All workers are based on whether they currently have housing, labor contribution, reward situation, seniority, technical grade, number of employees in the factory, number of family members..." Sha Zhu counted with his fingers and didn't finish counting, finally coming up with a sentence, "Anyway, the comprehensive score is very complicated."

"Those who understand it complain that their scores in certain small items are low, and those who don't understand it can only be blind and shout wildly."

Sha Zhu spread his hands and said, "Now I know that single unmarried employees can only live in dormitory buildings and definitely won't be ranked for housing allocation."

"Married single employees without children get a one-bedroom apartment, those with one child get a one-and-a-half-bedroom apartment, and those with two children and elderly parents get a two-bedroom apartment."

He pointed at his other palm and calculated, "Three generations living together, and you have to say you haven't been disciplined, and your comprehensive score must be enough to get a three-bedroom apartment. How many people's dreams of living in a building will this cut off?"

"There will never be anyone satisfied." Li Xuewu said lightly, "We came through when we lived in dormitories with twelve people."

"Does the allocated house have property rights?" Liu Yin asked curiously, "Do you cadres participate in housing allocation?"

"The allocated house only enjoys the right of use, not even the right of lease." Sha Zhu explained, "Whoever dares to rent it to relatives or friends, just wait for the factory to take the house back."

"However, these cadres don't need to consider this. They don't participate in the housing allocation of the workers' new village, and they aren't even allowed to buy."

He nodded with a smile and said, "After the Riverside Garden is built, it will be their turn to spend money to subscribe. The houses over there are big."

"Can you be allocated a Western-style house?" Li Xuecai asked curiously, "I heard there are several independent Western-style houses on the planning map, is it true or false?"

"Of course it's true—" Sha Zhu glanced at him and said, "However, the independent Western-style houses are for the Group's leaders to live in and cannot be bought or sold."

He raised his chin and gestured in Li Xuewu's direction, saying, "Your second brother is qualified to be allocated an independent Western-style house."

"Now there is the Group to guarantee housing allocation. In a few years, the Group won't care, and we can only wait for the factories below to solve it themselves."

Li Xuewu added a sentence following his words, "There is no absolute fairness; fairness is relative."

"If it can guarantee the housing needs of the majority of people, this policy is good. It's better than living in a dangerous house, right?"

"That depends on how you think about it."

Sha Zhu reasoned, "If it's said that now, as long as young employees get married, they have a chance to be allocated a one-bedroom apartment, that's naturally a good policy."

"I'm just afraid of those who give birth to children in nests, and their own conditions aren't enough to apply for more spacious housing. They are the ones who are really suffering."

"Now family planning is being advocated."

Li Xuecai interjected, "Those who can think it through know that if you give birth to fewer children, you don't have to run around on two feet. If you give birth to children well, one is worth three treasures."

"Our unit is different from the outside. The policy is a bit special." Sha Zhu was thirsty, picked up his teacup, took a gulp, and explained, "In other units, when the elderly retire, young people can take over, but we can't."

"Either they are retired soldiers, or they are cultivated by vocational technical colleges, and finally, there is only open recruitment left."

He pointed at the edge of the kang and said, "Like your second brother's situation, the factory has a certain quota, depending on how the local area allocates it."

"But every year there are only those quotas. Even if they come, they mostly go to the Security Division or the driver's class, and rarely can they enter the first-line production units."

"This is actually better." Li Xue chimed in, "It's better than recruiting some people who don't understand anything and are just mixing days."

"Otherwise, why would I say the policy is special now." Sha Zhu patted the kang mat and said, "These three years, a part of the opening was left for people with excellent professional skills to enter. From next year, there will really be no opening."

"Open recruitment, what is wanted is real skills, real technology, all prepared for the research institute, or else it's us."

He smiled and gestured to himself, saying, "I see the factory doesn't have the intention of cultivating its own cooks yet. When the vocational technical college opens a cooking class in the future, if you don't have real skills, you won't be able to enter our unit."

"Did Yushui buy a house herself?" Liu Yin asked curiously when he mentioned the house, "Where did she buy it?"

"It's the Riverside Garden, registered."

Sha Zhu smiled helplessly and said, "I gave her money, but she didn't want it, saying she saved enough herself."

"Is the house in Riverside Garden expensive?" Zhao Yafang asked curiously, "Close to the river, the environment is good, right?"

"She didn't tell me how much money she spent, it shouldn't be cheap."

Sha Zhu shook his head while holding his teacup and said, "Can't control her. I talk to her, but she doesn't listen to me."

"How old is she, and you're still controlling her." Liu Yin smiled and said to him, "She is also a cadre now, no less capable than you."

"Hehehe—" Sha Zhu nodded with a light smile. After drinking tea, he looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Is the propaganda team going to fail?"

"Who said that?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Yushui told you?"

"Just mentioned it, saying that the propaganda teams stationed in the colleges basically have no one left."

Sha Zhu raised his eyebrows and asked, "After this wave of wind and waves passes, is it going to blow again?"

"A cook, why do you always care about such things?" Li Xuewu glanced at him amusedly and said, "No matter how big the wind blows, can it affect your cooking?"

"Look, I can't even be positive and upward—" Sha Zhu laughed "hehe" and said, "Anyway, I can see it. The wind this year still has to blow."

"Why did He Yuzhu mention the worker propaganda team?"

On the way home, Gu Ning asked curiously.

Li Xuewu looked at her and asked, "Does your hospital still have work teams from above working?"

"Haven't paid attention." Gu Ning frowned and looked at him, asking, "Does this have anything to do with it?"

"There is a rising tide and a falling tide. Now is the time for the tide to fall." Li Xuewu explained with a smile while driving, "Those who are swimming naked are looking for places to cover their shame everywhere, waiting for the tide to rise again before dancing on the crest of the wave."

"So complicated—"

Gu Ning pursed her lips, looked at Li Ning in her arms, and said, "Just don't affect the children."

"Under the tide of the times, who can avoid it." Li Xuewu explained lightly, "Just be content with whatever happens, what else can we do."

He looked at the snow on the side of the road, thinking about whether it would delay tomorrow's itinerary. It had snowed in Beijing, and the weather in Steel City was even colder.

Gu Ning touched Li Shu's little head as she dozed off on her, and said, "If even reading books isn't allowed, do the children have a future?"

"If you have any questions in your heart, you can chat with me, but don't talk about this with others outside."

Li Xuewu reminded her cautiously, "There are quite a few people watching you now. Didn't you hear your director remind you?"

"I know, I won't talk to anyone."

Gu Ning held her pair of children, turned her head to look out the car window, and the white snow had whitewashed the whole world into a sparkling appearance.

From the Sihe Academy all the way to Haiyuncang, the two didn't talk about such heavy topics again, but talked about family life.

But this wasn't Gu Ning's area of expertise, she just responded to his words.

"Are both children asleep?"

Er Ya heard the car and came out to open the main gate. She had been waiting in the living room, and hadn't rested even after tidying up the house.

"Played until tired at their grandmother's house."

Li Xuewu picked up Li Shu and handed her to her, and helped Gu Ning out of the car, only then parking the car in the garage.

When he entered the house, the two had already settled the children.

"Finally had their fill of fun, playing until they were covered in sweat." Gu Ning said softly when she came downstairs, "Listen to them at night, they might wake up."

Children are all like this. They play too happily during the day, and they might still remember that excitement in the middle of the night.

"Are you still reading? Rest early."

Li Xuewu looked at the time on the wall; it was past ten, almost eleven.

If it weren't for Sha Zhu catching him and chattering, they would have been back long ago.

"Not reading anymore, there's a surgery tomorrow morning."

Gu Ning poured herself a cup of warm water, looked at him, and asked, "What other day can you come back?"

"Next Wednesday, there's a commendation meeting."

Li Xuewu tidied up his briefcase, carried it upstairs, and said, "I'll wash up first, wait for me in bed."

Gu Ning, hearing this, couldn't help but curl her lips. She saw that the door to Er Ya's room was closed, but she still blushed.

Although the two could be considered an old married couple, where could such words be said so openly? What if Er Ya and the others heard it?

In fact, the two had already heard it. Zhao Yaping had just finished tidying her schoolbag, and hearing the conversation outside, couldn't help but glance at Er Ya.

It would have been fine if they hadn't made eye contact, but once they did, both blushed.

"Secretary-General, welcome aboard this flight."

Zhou Xiaoling stood at the cabin door and greeted Li Xuewu, who was walking onto the plane, with a smile.

Li Xuewu saw it was her flying and nodded with a smile.

"You're not going to Fengcheng with me?" Gao Yaqin, who was on the same plane as Li Xuewu, said with a smile, "Actually, the person Wang Xin wants to see most is you."

"He wants to see me, so I have to see him?"

Li Xuewu found a seat at random, looked at her, and said, "You go meet him first and see what he really means."

"If Shenfei really wants the drone project?" Gao Yaqin sat opposite him, tilted her head, and raised her eyebrows, asking, "Are we giving it or not?"

"If there are parts that can be interconnected and cooperated on technically, why not." Li Xuewu spread his hands and said, "But you going this time, I estimate they won't mention the drone project anymore."

"How? Talk directly about jet engine technology?" Gao Yaqin asked amusedly, "Wouldn't that be too urgent?"

"That's not necessarily true." Li Xuewu flipped through the notebook he carried with him and said, "When I come back next week, I'll have to arrange for technical docking."

Finding the relevant itinerary arrangement, he raised his head and explained to Gao Yaqin, "At least a working group with a high degree of professionalism must be arranged to go over."

"Are you afraid they'll play some tricks?"

Gao Yaqin frowned slightly and said, "International cooperation still has official endorsement. Do they dare to mess around?"

"Have they messed around less?"

Li Xuewu glanced at her, shook his head slightly, and said, "Anyway, I can't trust them. Whether it's technology introduction or equipment dismantling and transport, we must have our own engineers and team there."

He made a new note in his notebook and said, "While you're in Jin Ling, help me keep an eye on the Hong Kong side and improve work efficiency."

"No matter how urgent it is, we won't see the equipment until after March." Gao Yaqin thought for a while and asked, "When are the East German engineers coming?"

"It depends on the docking effect." Li Xuewu tapped the small table and emphasized, "If it goes smoothly, all projects should land in the first half of the year."

"You also said, that's if it goes smoothly."

Gao Yaqin pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders, saying, "I don't know much about the German style of doing things. Do you think there will be problems?"

"I only went for 7 days. Excluding the time on the road, I stayed there for less than 5 days. What could I know?"

Li Xuewu said amusedly, "If there really are problems, we'll just be anxious at home. So it's better to have a team go over to dock work at any time."

"Don't count on me." Gao Yaqin glanced at him, turned her head to look out the cabin, and said lightly, "How could such important work be my turn to intervene."

"It seems you care about this?"

Li Xuewu smiled, beckoned, and signaled Zhou Xiaoling to bring him a cup of tea, saying, "If you're ready, we can take off."

"Okay, Secretary-General." Zhou Xiaoling was just asking for permission to take off. Knowing the two leaders had things to talk about, she agreed and went back.

"You don't care? Of course you don't care." Gao Yaqin looked back at him and said, "The projects were all negotiated by you. Even if you don't participate in the follow-up work, who could forget your credit?"

"I can't compare with you, I can't even drink a sip of soup."

"If I persuade you, you'll say I'm a full man who doesn't know the hunger of a hungry man." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "You might even mutter whether I'm being hypocritically noble."

"You are hypocritically noble, and you are a full man who doesn't know the hunger of a hungry man." Gao Yaqin stared at him and said, "Formal group-levelization is right in front of our eyes, and it's also the time of year for rewards and punishments."

"Tell me, how should I think?"

She tilted her head and said, "Everyone in the leadership team is aiming for this dragon gate."

"Do you think I want to jump the dragon gate?" Li Xuewu shook his head amusedly and said, "If I tell you I have nothing to do with it this year, do you believe me?"

"I don't—" Gao Yaqin stared at his eyes and said seriously, "I don't know what you did in Germany, but I can see the briefings sent back clearly, and I can see you're red-hot from the newspaper."

"Even Old Li has started paving the way for you, and you tell me you have nothing to do with it this year? Do you think I'll believe it?"

"Believe it or not, anyway, I've put the words here."

Li Xuewu pursed his lips and said, "The work in Liaodong hasn't been finished, hasn't been done well, so what qualification do I have to talk about rewards and punishments."

He patted the notebook in his hand and said, "No matter how much credit there is, it has to be saved. You're aggrieved, but I'm even more aggrieved than you."

"Did Director Li talk to you?" Hearing him say this, Gao Yaqin frowned, as if she had to believe it.

"Does this kind of thing need to be talked about?" Li Xuewu laughed lightly and said, "I have self-knowledge and know what should be done and what shouldn't. Even what I'm doing now is all in cooperation with Director Li."

"You are his right-hand man."

Gao Yaqin glanced at him. During the plane's takeoff, she didn't speak, but was thinking about the truth of Li Xuewu's words.

For the people of the Red Star Factory, there are three hurdles to changing the factory into a group. Every hurdle passed is a jump over the dragon gate, and if you succeed, you succeed.

Li Xuewu's journey looks lucky, but in fact, how much he has paid for the Group's construction is obvious to all.

Don't look at how sour Gao Yaqin is now, but if the higher-ups really promote Li Xuewu this year, she wouldn't be able to say anything.

"If I say the Jiangnan section company is also very important, you shouldn't think I'm coaxing you, right?"

After the plane was flying steadily, Li Xuewu took the initiative to break the silence, looked at her, and said, "Actually, you should be able to feel that Deputy Director Dong is also being roasted on the fire now, quite uncomfortable."

Gao Yaqin looked back at him without speaking, but frowned and thought about his words, as if she had listened.

"Round your own dreams. I still say the same thing: different paths, different roads."

Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "The case of Steel City's No. 4 furnace still has a great impact. Is it possible to say it has nothing to do with him?"

"Some people say I'm in Liaodong, in Steel City, and this case will never see the light of day. Do you think this is right?"

He raised his eyebrows and said, "It's hard to say, it's very difficult. I've never managed such a big stall before, and I never thought a case could involve so many people and have such complex influences."

"The case being cleared up is no longer something I can decide." Li Xuewu shook his head bitterly and said, "All I can do is grasp the clues as much as possible and handle them properly."

"No one in your position could handle it better." Gao Yaqin nodded in understanding and said, "Before you have complete control over the overall situation of Liaodong industry, this case will always be a thorn that won't let you pull yourself away to return to Beijing."

"And there's no guarantee whether such things will continue to happen in the future." Li Xuewu sighed and said, "It's an eventful autumn. If I could really pull myself away, perhaps it would be a good thing."

"Is this how you comfort me?" Gao Yaqin looked at him amusedly and said, "The Jiangnan section company will take at least three to five years to truly play a role. Whether I can work in the Group for three to five years is hard to say."

Speaking later, she also smiled helplessly, feeling that it was really meaningless to fight like this.

"Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared." Li Xuewu beckoned, signaling Zhou Xiaoling to bring him a cup of tea, "Who can guarantee what the situation will be in three to five years?"

"Don't even mention three to five years. Can you grasp the changes in the situation in a year or half a year?"

He tapped the table and said, "If you still have enthusiasm for the Group's work, then put down your so-called pursuits."

"Secretary-General, your tea." Zhou Xiaoling handed the teacup to Li Xuewu and another to Gao Yaqin, "Deputy Director Gao."

"Thank you—" Gao Yaqin nodded with a smile and said thank you.

"You're welcome, enjoy." Zhou Xiaoling signaled and went back with a smile.

Working on the plane, she could hear everything, including the leaders joking and talking about work.

Sometimes a leader's sentence could be worth ten thousand gold, but unfortunately, she didn't understand the value of that sentence at the time, and it was too late when she woke up.

"I have enthusiasm, I'm just afraid I don't have the time." Gao Yaqin put down the teacup, looked at the white sea of clouds outside the window, and said, "After the Group is established, the leadership team will definitely be adjusted within one or two years."

"To tell you the truth, can't you even celebrate the New Year after hearing the dragon roar?" Li Xuewu smiled without caring and said, "Just because the leadership team will be adjusted, you're discouraged?"

"Is that what I meant?" Gao Yaqin glared at him and said, "I'm saying the work being done now won't have continuity."

"You'll know after you do it." Li Xuewu looked at her and said lightly, "Doing it and not succeeding is two different things."

"After arriving in Steel City, you can look around. I don't know if others' cakes can be shared, but you're not an outsider to me."

He picked up the teacup, smiled, and said straightforwardly, "How about you take charge of the Yingcheng Shipping? The port over there is also allocated to you."

"Do you think the Group's work is playing house?" Gao Yaqin was also reduced of her worries by him. At this moment, she glanced at him and said amusedly, "Give it to me if you say so, give it to you if you say so?"

"It's quite meaningless, isn't it?"

Li Xuewu put down the teacup and said, "It's all for the organization, all for serving the people. Is it worth it to make things smoky and chaotic, full of disturbances, and even affect work for the sake of sesame and mung bean matters?"

"It would be great if you were the head of the Group."

Gao Yaqin smiled, looked at him, and said, "I don't know about others, but I know you have this potential."

"Thank you for thinking highly of me, I'll continue to work hard." Li Xuewu raised his teacup in a toast, and both laughed.

"Second brother, I'm going to your place tonight."

When getting off the plane, Zhou Xiaoling found a gap and asked Li Xuewu in a low voice, "My dormitory is full here."

Li Xuewu turned his head and glanced at her. Whether the dormitory was full or not was up to her. "Didn't Wang Yajuan make an appointment with you?"

"She went home, not in Steel City."

Zhou Xiaoling stuck out her tongue, smiling like a little mouse stealing oil.

Li Xuewu nodded, not caring about her little thoughts.

Zhang Enyuan and Yu Zhe came to pick up the plane, not just one car, because there was also Gao Yaqin and her secretary.

When getting off the plane, Gao Yaqin didn't get into his car, saying she was going straight to the guesthouse.

"Secretary-General, are you going home first or to the factory first?"

Zhang Enyuan put the luggage away and returned to the passenger seat, turning back to ask Li Xuewu in the back seat.

"Go to the unit first."

Li Xuewu rubbed his eyebrows. The recent work was a bit jumpy, and his work rhythm was disrupted.

"Factory Director Kong of Steel Aviation wants to communicate with you about the landing of the project. How do you see the time arrangement?"

Zhang Enyuan reported the upcoming work while the leader said he was going to the unit.

He mastered the leader's itinerary, and this kind of meeting arrangement was naturally his responsibility.

"When we get to the unit, you ask him. If it's convenient, let him come over to talk."

Li Xuewu opened his eyes and took the document handed over by Zhang Enyuan to read.

It wasn't that he was working from now on, this was just a work briefing for the recent period.

The content of the briefing was very concise, basically summarizing a piece of work in one or two sentences.

This was also Zhang Enyuan helping him sort out the recent work progress, so as not to lose the rhythm when returning to the unit.

"Secretary-General, I heard that quite a few good projects were negotiated this time." Zhang Enyuan asked while the leader was reading the briefing, "How many are landing in our Liaodong Industrial Zone?"

"Most of them, they are all heavy industries." Li Xuewu introduced indifferently, "The proportion of the automotive industry and aircraft industry is relatively large, with both technology and equipment."

He pointed to the briefing and asked, "Has this year's budget been made?"

"Yes, it was a report led by Deputy Factory Director Wang, just waiting for you to come back and verify it."

Zhang Enyuan could report it in detail without looking at the notebook, this was his work.

Li Xuewu frowned slightly and said, "I'm afraid it has to be redone. The Group has cut quite a bit in the financial budget to pave the way for the negotiated projects."

"How much was cut?" Zhang Enyuan widened his eyes in surprise and said, "Will it affect industrial construction and development?"

"It's just that the budget was reduced, not that the projects were cut." Li Xuewu raised his head and glanced at him, emphasizing, "It depends on the specific implementation plan."

"When making the budget this year, Deputy Factory Director Wang mentioned this topic."

Zhang Enyuan reported, "She was worried about any changes in the Group's financial budget and specifically asked the Group's leaders, who said there were none."

"Plans can't keep up with changes."

Li Xuewu also scratched his head and said helplessly, "The funds prepared by the Group early on were used up quite a bit in East Germany."

"Is it the funds saved in Hong Kong? Can it still be transferred back?"

Zhang Enyuan said softly, "Are all the projects in the first half of the year making concessions for the landing of new projects?"

"Temporary suspension of investment is certain. Let's see if the finance side has a way to coordinate."

Li Xuewu tapped the briefing in his hand, thinking about a solution.

Just after the car fell into a moment of silence, Yu Zhe, who was concentrating on driving, suddenly heard the leader behind him ask, "Yu Zhe, how are things with your partner? When are you getting married?"

"Ah? ——"

Yu Zhe was so surprised he almost drove the car into a ditch. Just now the leader was considering the financial budget, when did his marriage become important enough to be mentioned alongside such work?

"Ah what ah?" Li Xuewu glared at him in the rearview mirror and said, "Don't tell me there's no progress at all, are you using being busy with work as an excuse again?"

"That... no..." Yu Zhe explained guiltily, "I've been helping the small car class recently, no time to go home."

"Have time to help others, no time to handle your own marriage?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked, "Don't tell me you're still thinking about some crooked ways and don't want to get married?"

"No, really no time."

Yu Zhe was panicked by his questioning, really afraid of losing face in front of Secretary Zhang.

In fact, he could hide those things from others, but could he hide them from Zhang Enyuan?

To say that in Beijing, in the Group, Zhang Enyuan had no connections, but in Steel City, he knew exactly which uniform sister he went to, Zhang Enyuan knew clearly, just too lazy to talk about him.

"Don't talk nonsense with me, your sister gave you the final ultimatum." Li Xuewu looked ahead and said, "She told you to decide before the New Year and get married after the Spring Festival."

"That... leader... I'm not ready yet—" Yu Zhe said with a bitter face, "Why the rush to get married—"

"Ready for what? Did you lose your stuff and can't find it?"

Li Xuewu reminded him unpleasantly, "Just this month, you handle it yourself. Anyway, I've brought your sister's words."

"If you don't control me, she can't control me either. She can't chase me to Steel City."

Yu Zhe smiled and said, "Still depends on you."

"Depends on me?" Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "Just wait." ===== CHAPTER 1532 =====

Yu Zhe smiled and said, "It still depends on you."

"Depends on me?" Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "Just you wait."