Chapter 1572: New Member

"Where's my mom? Out on the street?"

As soon as Li Xuewu entered the courtyard, he clearly felt that the compound was much colder than before, with almost no one in the yard.

When he entered the house in the front courtyard, only the old lady was playing on the kang with the children, but his mother, who was usually at home, was nowhere to be seen.

"Old Mrs. Sun from that courtyard passed away, your mom went over to take a look." Seeing her second grandson return, the old lady smiled, took his hand, and asked, "Why did you come alone? Are you cold?"

As if she had just reacted, she asked again, "When did you get back? Yesterday?"

"I came from the office, so of course I'm alone." Li Xuewu smiled, caught Li Tang who ran over, and replied to the old lady, "I just arrived in Beijing today."

"You came over before even getting home?"

The old lady knew her grandson was filial, but she still blamed him, patted his hand, and said, "Xiao Ning is at home alone taking care of the children, you should be more thoughtful."

"Yes, yes, I know." Li Xuewu explained to the old lady with a bitter smile, "Even if I go back now, she won't be home. I have to go on a long trip tomorrow, so we won't be coming over tonight."

"You just got back, and you're leaving again?" The old lady's reluctance to let him go wasn't hidden at all. She grabbed his hand again and asked, "Are you only staying for one night?"

"Yes, the unit has set up a branch in the south, and I have to go over for an on-site meeting." Li Xuewu explained briefly and comforted her, "I'll be back in two days."

"Can you stay a few more days when you get back?"

The old lady knew her grandson was busy and that he was busy with serious matters, but she still hoped he could stay at home for a few more days.

After people get old, they hope to have children and grandchildren around their knees, filling the house. That's why the traditional residential layout of the Sihe Academy exists.

What lives in the Sihe Academy isn't just rules, but family affection.

"It depends on the specific arrangements. It's not like the New Year anymore; spring has started." Li Xuewu teased his eldest nephew and said with a smile, "The construction sites are all starting work, and the projects have to be watched."

Li Yue could turn over now, her big eyes looking him up and down, incredibly cute.

Seeing Li Yue was so cute, the eldest nephew wasn't as interesting anymore, so he put him aside and picked up his eldest niece.

"Do you recognize me? Call me Second Uncle."

Although the old lady was reluctant, she didn't ask about her grandson's itinerary anymore. Men shouldn't be holed up at home all day; that would make them useless.

"Hee hee—" Li Yue didn't understand yet, but seeing him, she wasn't afraid and reached out to grab his chin.

"Second Uncle has stubble." Li Xuewu took his eldest niece's little hand and rubbed it against his chin. The stubble tickled Li Yue so much that she was drooling with laughter.

"Did my eldest sister-in-law go to that courtyard too?"

He glanced in the direction where the Yan family used to live. Separated by a wall was the courtyard where Old Mrs. Sun lived.

"No, Ya Fang went to the street."

The old lady pounded her calves and said, "They say the school will resume classes after spring starts? I don't know what's going on."

"Is that so? Did you get a letter, eldest sister-in-law?"

Li Xuewu stood up, holding his eldest niece, and walked around the room, seeing that she was sleepy and about to fall asleep.

"Even if they told me now, I wouldn't remember, and I'm not asking anymore." The old lady took out a pouch of tobacco, chattered, and said, "People, you have to admit you're getting old."

It seemed that she was affected by the sudden passing of Old Mrs. Sun, and her energy was lacking, her speech a bit listless.

Especially with the setting sun, and no lights on in the room, it was inevitable to have sad and sentimental emotions in the season of early spring.

Li Xuewu looked at Li Yue in his arms, who was already sucking her thumb and sleeping.

Children always represent hope, just like this spring. Looking at her rosy little face, it was so innocent and pure.

Li Tang seemed to feel the old lady's chatter and his second uncle's silence, so he slipped to the windowsill and looked out, as if waiting for his mother to come back.

"That old lady was so strong-willed, strong-willed her whole life." After a long silence, the old lady took a puff of her tobacco pipe. Not knowing what she thought of, she sighed and said this.

Li Xuewu discovered that the old lady was smacking her lips hard, but there was no tobacco in the pipe bowl. She had been so dazed just now that she had forgotten to light it.

"Her family had a good life." He pulled over the small quilt and small pillow on the kang, arranged them, and placed his sleeping niece on them, patting her until she was asleep peacefully.

The old lady first looked at the tobacco pipe in her hand, then looked at her grandson, her eyes full of gentleness and gratification.

"It wasn't just 'good'." She nodded, pressed the tobacco leaves in the bowl with her thumb, but didn't have the heart to light it, and said faintly, "With a whole family bustling about, she was the most strong-willed."

"It's fine, she's not young anymore."

Li Xuewu sat on the edge of the kang, his hand resting beside his niece, looking out the dim window, and said, "How old?"

"No, she was just sixty, a year younger than me." The old lady tilted her head and said, "She came to the courtyard to visit before the New Year, saying her body wasn't good anymore, complaining about back pain."

"Was it back pain?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn't you go to the hospital to check?"

"How could she bear to? She was afraid of going to the hospital her whole life." The old lady gazed at the remaining light outside the window and said, "She always said that once you enter the hospital, you'll never come out."

"Now it's even worse. She didn't go to the hospital, and the person is gone."

"Old-fashioned thinking, too many rules."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Guodong said their family earned quite a bit from the sewing cooperative these past two years. They even bought two sewing machines."

"Like they were earning their lives." The old lady raised her chin and said, "Three granddaughters, disciplined like little kittens, never stepping out the door."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Guodong said that in the last two years, their family has earned quite a bit from the sewing cooperative; they've even bought two sewing machines."

Living as neighbors, you can remember those around your age, but you really can't remember those further away.

He left home at sixteen, his living environment had changed several times, and his social circle had changed, so how could he remember distant neighbors?

Isn't there a poem that describes it:

Left home young, returned old, local accent unchanged, hair thinning.

Children see me but don't recognize me, laughing and asking, "Fatty, who are you?"

They all say that after becoming a cadre, people will detach from the masses and become arrogant, but there are also environmental factors.

Li Xuewu used to live here, greeting people every day. Could he stiffen his face and not respond?

That's why the neighbors used to say he was approachable.

Now he doesn't necessarily come back once a month, and when he does, he eats with his family. Where would he have so much time to joke with the neighbors?

This also inadvertently alienated his original circle. Even the people at the recycling station didn't find it easy to see him, and all sorts of things were being said.

There were even things being said about Gu Ning. Li Xuewu wasn't at home, and the second daughter-in-law of the Li family didn't come once a month, obviously not taking her mother-in-law seriously.

Liu Yin couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. It was rare for her to have three sons living in Beijing, and which family didn't have children sent down to the countryside?

The eldest son and youngest son lived in the same courtyard as them, and no one said anything, but only the second son, who didn't live here, became the protagonist of the gossip.

She came back from the courtyard next door and saw that the lights weren't on in the house. It was only after she entered that she heard her son talking.

"When did you get back? Why aren't the lights on—" As she spoke, she had already pulled the light cord in the kitchen, and the room suddenly lit up.

Because of the tungsten filament, the light from the incandescent bulb was yellow, especially with low-wattage bulbs.

Not to mention using lights in the kitchen, their family, who "wasn't short of money," wouldn't use 100-watt bulbs; 60-watt ones were already very bright.

After the electricity meter was changed to individual household entry, the lighting in the courtyard was much weaker, and every household had changed to low-wattage bulbs.

If any household turned on a 200-watt bulb, something must have happened.

The Sun family next door had a 200-watt bulb on, shining so brightly in the courtyard that it was like daylight, and the light could be seen from this courtyard.

It seems the lighting in this era was brighter than in later generations, and the sky was darker than in later generations.

Not every alley and street in the Four-Nine City had streetlights. Li Xuewu had walked on night roads, and it was truly dark; "you couldn't see your fingers" was definitely not an exaggeration.

Only one light was on in the kitchen, but the inner room looked very bright. Maybe people in this era had very good eyesight.

"Arrived in the morning, went straight to the unit, and came back early in the afternoon." Li Xuewu smiled and explained to his mother, "Li Yue wasn't asleep when I got here."

"You came here before even getting home." The old lady also said with a smile, "And you coaxed the little girl to sleep."

"With you?" Liu Yin took off her clothes in the kitchen, rubbed her hands, and then entered the inner room, but she only glanced at her granddaughter from a distance before going out.

"She's very obedient, just how you coax her."

Li Xuewu stood up and walked out of the inner room, looking at his mother and asking, "Are there many people in that courtyard?"

"They're all neighbors, and their family doesn't have any distant relatives." Liu Yin took off even her outer pants, threw her clothes into the laundry basin, and then looked at her son and asked, "Are you eating here tonight?"

"No, I have to go to Jin Ling tomorrow."

Li Xuewu helped his mother carry the water kettle on the stove, mixed hot water in the washbasin, and explained, "A new branch company is being established over there."

"Are you very busy now?" Liu Yin washed her hands and face, then took the towel her son handed her to wipe, and asked with concern, "Are you leaving tomorrow morning?"

"At noon, there are two more meetings in the morning."

Li Xuewu dug into his pocket and asked, "Do I need to spend money? Should I have Old Third bring a portion for me tomorrow?"

"We'll talk about it tomorrow, ask your dad when he gets back." Liu Yin said indifferently, "There's no interaction, and no relationship, so if you don't have to spend it, don't, don't cause that trouble."

"If you don't want to come back to eat, don't come over, it's messy here." She glanced at the inner room and said, "The children are young, be careful."

"Yes, I don't know." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Eldest sister-in-law isn't back yet, should I tell eldest brother where to pick her up?"

"No need, she went to find Yuxiu."

Liu Yin explained, "The two of them agreed to go shopping together, they should be back later."

She changed into outer clothes and started preparing dinner. Li Xuewu couldn't wait for his father to return, teased Li Tang, who wanted to go with him, and turned to go out the door.

It got dark early, and it was only a little past five. If he really waited for his father and the others to return, it wouldn't be easy to go home for dinner.

"Yo! When did you get back?"

Sha Zhu came in from outside carrying a lunch box. Seeing it was him, he was stunned for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Just saw your car parked at the alley entrance, are you leaving already?"

He had seen Liu Yin come out from behind to send her son off, which was why he asked.

"Where are you coming back from?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said with a smile, "Adding a meal for yourself again?"

"Do I need to add a meal?" He lifted the fat on his belly, smiled, and signaled the backyard, saying, "Your sister-in-law is pregnant again, have to get something good to eat."

"Oh, that's a happy event." Li Xuewu arched his hands with a smile and said, "Congratulations, may you have many children and many blessings."

"You're too polite, too polite." Sha Zhu also returned a bow with a serious look and said, "When the child is born, let him recognize you as a godfather."

"Alright, serve the people."

Li Xuewu was also happy for him. He started talking nonsense, making his mother, who was following behind, laugh out loud and pat them.

Sha Zhu also turned to send him to the main gate, stood at the door, waved, and said, "Let's drink tomorrow night, four dishes."

"I won't drink even with eight dishes, I can't get back." Li Xuewu saw the driver drive the car over, so he didn't walk out anymore. He stood at the door, pointed at his watch, and said, "Going to Jin Ling tomorrow."

"That's really a coincidence." Sha Zhu asked with regret, "When will you be back?"

"Depends on the plan, I'll make an appointment with you then."

Li Xuewu opened the car door, said something to his mother, and got into the car.

Some neighbors entering and leaving the courtyard next door heard the commotion and came out to look, only to see him return. Some wanted to come up to greet him, but saw the car drive away quickly.

This caused quite a stir. There were those who gloated, those who stood on tiptoe to watch the fun, and those who whispered and pointed, not knowing what they were saying.

Liu Yin couldn't be bothered to deal with them. She had heard it when she was in the courtyard next door, but she wasn't a showy person, and she wasn't willing to argue with people.

She knew whether her son was good or bad, and she couldn't force people to say her son was good. She couldn't do that.

Sha Zhu had sharp ears and heard it. He glanced at those people, turned around, and entered the compound.

"You really don't need to be the same as them." He was also afraid Liu Yin would be angry, so he advised, "Dealing with them has no end."

"Not angry, what's there to be angry about."

Liu Yin smiled, looked at him, and said, "The mouth is on them, can I go and teach them one by one how to speak?"

"Auntie, you see things clearly."

Sha Zhu accompanied her into the courtyard and agreed, "If they really have a day they need to ask Xuewu, what they say will definitely be better than singing."

"Hmm, I'm not willing to listen to them sing." Liu Yin really didn't care about this. After passing through the Chuihua Gate, she smiled and said, "Just ask them not to cause trouble for Xuewu."

"Don't worry, Auntie, they won't find it." Sha Zhu walked toward his house, teasing, "You didn't see, even making an appointment with him for a drink is difficult."

"Hahaha—"

"Going to Jin Ling, so suddenly?"

Gu Ning heard him say he was going to Jin Ling tomorrow as soon as she got back, and asked with surprise, "Are you leaving in the morning?"

"It'll be noon, there are two more meetings in the morning." Li Xuewu closed the newspaper in his hand, stood up, and said, "Do you have time? Do you want to go with me to see Mom and Dad?"

"Where would I have time." Gu Ning looked at him and said, "The department is short-handed, how could I be embarrassed to ask for leave."

"Busy for another year?" Li Xuewu pursed his lips helplessly and said, "Then we'll have to wait until the end of the year to go."

"Take Li Shu with you." Gu Ning glanced at her daughter, who was lying beside her thigh and looking at her pitifully, and said, "It'll save her from pestering people at home."

"I'm very obedient—" Li Shu wanted to laugh, but felt unwilling. She looked at her mother and emphasized, "I'll be obedient when I go to Grandma's house too."

"Yes, yes, you're obedient." Gu Ning reached out and touched her daughter's cheek, saying, "Dad hasn't promised to take you yet."

"Mom said I could go!" Li Shu quickly discovered the loophole in her mother's promise, turned to find her father, and kept emphasizing, "Dad, Dad..."

Li Xuewu was bothered by her noise, looked at Gu Ning with amusement, and asked, "Are you really at ease with me taking her so far away?"

"Let her grandma pick her up when she gets off the plane."

Gu Ning wasn't polite about her maiden home at all. She picked up the phone and asked, "Did you call Mom and Dad?"

"Can you get through at this time?"

Li Xuewu picked up his daughter and bounced her, asking, "You said you're going to Jin Ling with me, what about school?"

"You just started school, are you going to delay it like this?"

"It's okay, I study well, I'm not afraid of delays." Li Shu was the one who wasn't polite. She tossed her hair proudly and said, "Even if you give them a week, they won't catch up to me."

"Arrogance is not good—"

Li Xuewu tapped his daughter's nose to remind her, "Have you forgotten the Tortoise and the Hare I told you?"

"I'm not arrogant—" Li Shu played mischievously on her father, still unconvinced, and emphasized, "My grades are just good—"

Gu Ning had already given up on calling; it was really impossible to get through at this time, so she simply stood up and said, "Call them when you get to Jin Ling."

"Alright, don't worry, she won't get lost." Li Xuewu couldn't beat his daughter, so he could only agree to take her to Jin Ling to see her grandma and grandpa.

Li Ning had sharp ears and had been staring this way. Seeing his sister get her wish, he ran over and hugged his father's calf, looking up with eyes blinking and shining.

"You can't, you're too small."

Li Xuewu picked up his son with a bitter smile and advised, "Dad can manage taking sister alone, but I really can't take care of both of you."

"Dad—" Li Ning started to learn from his sister to act pitiful, his little mouth pouted and he was about to cry, tears already starting to swirl in his eye sockets.

"I miss Grandma and Grandpa..."

"Go, go, both go, both go."

Li Xuewu only came back a few times a month, how could he bear to see his daughter and son aggrieved? He only persisted for one round before surrendering, nodding to satisfy his son's request.

Gu Ning still wanted to help him persuade his son, but before she could speak, Li Xuewu had already surrendered, and she could only glance at him with hatred for not being successful.

"What can I do." Li Xuewu saw her look, spread his hands helplessly, and said, "My son said he misses Grandma and Grandpa."

"I miss Grandma and Grandpa."

Seeing his father help him explain, Li Ning hurriedly looked at his mother while crying, nervously repeating the reason he had just used and which had already worked.

What else could Gu Ning say? She looked at her son and instructed, "Don't be naughty when you get to Grandma's house, you know? Listen to Grandma."

"I know, listen to Grandma."

Li Ning now knew who had the final say in this house. Hearing his mother say this meant he was allowed to go out, and he couldn't wait to jump up with joy.

Even if his mother asked him to dance now, he wouldn't hesitate to do a segment, learning from his sister.

"I want to bring Grandma a gift!"

Li Shu was already so happy she forgot herself, running upstairs noisily, wanting to find something from her collection to give to Grandma.

Li Ning always followed his sister's lead. Seeing her run upstairs, he didn't care if he had a collection or not, he just followed her.

Seeing the two children go upstairs, Gu Ning turned her head, looked at Li Xuewu, and nodded, saying, "Don't look at me, you asked for this."

"He Yuzhu's wife is pregnant again."

Li Xuewu mentioned this for no reason, but his burning gaze scared Gu Ning quite a bit.

"You don't find two of them noisy enough."

Gu Ning didn't dare to look at him anymore. The living room was no longer a place to stay, so she hurriedly turned and went upstairs. If they kept talking, it would cost a life.

"Hee hee—" Er Ya came out to get a thermos, heard their conversation, and teased with a smile, "Have two more, it's lively with many children in the house."

"Didn't you hear your sister Ning say, two are already noisy enough." Li Xuewu looked at her with a smile and said, "If we have two more, you watch them."

"Aren't I watching the children now anyway."

Er Ya had a matter-of-fact look, tested the thermos in the living room, carried it to the dining room, and turned back to say to him, "Just have them, I'll watch as many as there are."

"Sister is still righteous!" Li Xuewu gave her a thumbs up and said, "Your sister and I will definitely work hard, and let you hold a big nephew this year."

"Hee hee—" Hearing him say something interesting, Er Ya still couldn't help but laugh.

At this time, Zhao Yaping came out of the bathroom. Seeing only her second brother in the living room, she asked, "Second brother, where are Li Shu and Li Ning?"

"They went upstairs, your sister-in-law is back."

Li Xuewu pointed upstairs and said, "Go help them pack their luggage, I'll give you two days off, they're going to Jin Ling with me."

"Ah!" Zhao Yaping was stunned for a moment, then reacted to what her second brother meant by "time off," covered her mouth, and said with a smile, "There's such a way to take time off."

"Just tell me if you're willing—" Li Xuewu was also teasing her on purpose, saying, "If you can't bear to part with them, I can leave Li Ning at home for you."

"Willing, willing, very willing!"

Zhao Yaping smiled, waved her hands, and guaranteed, "I'll go help them pack their luggage now. You take them to stay in Jin Ling for a few more days."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked at her fleeing figure with amusement, only sighing that Li Shu and Li Ning at this age were truly annoying.

"What are you doing—" Gu Ning looked at him in surprise and said in a panic, "You put it on—"

"Didn't I tell you." Li Xuewu subdued her without any effort, raised an eyebrow, and emphasized, "Not to mention eldest sister-in-law, even Diliya has one, we can't fall behind."

"No—" Gu Ning wanted to push him away, but her mouth reminded him, "I don't have time now."

"Don't worry, I've arranged everything." Li Xuewu laughed, leaned into her ear, and whispered, "Er Ya even said, she'll watch as many as we have."

"Why are you so bad—"

Gu Ning was so angry she slapped his arm, but she had no strength now, or rather, it was more like teasing, which made Li Xuewu even more fierce.

Regarding having children, it still has to be the man taking the initiative; you can't always leave it to the woman, because women are emotional, and sometimes they have too many concerns.

Now work is busy, Li Xuewu respects this reason, but hospital work is busy, and he hasn't heard of doctors becoming childless. If they should have children, they still have them.

As long as the body allows, and as long as the family conditions allow, having a few more children is lively.

"Have you been planning this for a long time?"

Li Xuewu propped himself up to look at her and asked softly, "Are you angry? I also envy people with many children, or else you..."

Before he could finish his words, Gu Ning had already raised her arms and hugged him. This was the most active and enthusiastic response she had given since they got married.

Li Xuewu was stunned for a second, then quickly reacted. Having children doesn't just depend on luck and effort, it also depends on diligence.

"Secretary-General, good morning."

"Good morning, Secretary-General."

From getting out of the car to the elevator, greetings were constant along the way. Li Xuewu responded with a smile to each one, and it only quieted down after getting into the elevator.

"Morning." Gu Gu Weijie saw him enter the elevator, nodded, and asked a greeting. Li Xuewu also responded with a smile, "Good morning, your complexion looks really good."

"Hehe, how can it compare to you."

There were only the two of them and their respective secretaries in the elevator, so they could joke without any scruples.

She glanced at Li Xuewu standing beside her and joked, "A short separation is better than a new marriage, the Secretary-General is radiant."

"While young, otherwise when you're old, you won't have the energy even if you want to work hard." Li Xuewu's words were quite damaging, and he didn't avoid this topic, smiling and counterattacking, "You should work hard too."

This remark made Gu Gu Weijie's face freeze. Is this guy doing it on purpose?

Back then, he was the first to know that her relationship had changed, and now he's telling her to work hard?

How to work hard?

Work hard yourself?

This jerk is annoying just to look at!

The secretaries standing behind the two suddenly felt the atmosphere in the elevator car solidify. After looking at each other, they lowered their heads to pretend to be quails.

The power of this one sentence from the Secretary-General was truly too great, completely killing the conversation.

After killing time, they finally reached the ninth floor. As soon as the elevator door opened, Gu Gu Weijie walked out first, and Li Xuewu walked behind her with a beaming smile.

What does walking first or later matter? Walking steadily is the hard truth.

"Deputy Director Gu, Secretary-General."

Ji Jiuzheng stood in the corridor holding a notebook. Seeing them come over, he greeted them.

Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "Here to find me?"

Seeing him nod, he pointed to his office and said, "Come in, let's talk inside."

Zhang Enyuan waited until Deputy Director Gu had passed before entering the office, quietly tidying up documents and cleaning.

"There are two meetings this morning, one is the cadre representative meeting, and the other is the new member meeting of the leadership team. Director Li requires your attendance."

"Hmm, I know." Li Xuewu stood behind the desk, tapped the calendar pressed under the glass with his finger, and asked, "What time is the flight to Jin Ling?"

"Flying at 1:30 PM, it'll be in time if we leave after lunch." Ji Jiuzheng reported, "Director Li specifically instructed that the leadership team members should have a meal together at noon."

"Who is coming to send the cadres?" Li Xuewu glanced out the window. The early spring sunshine was just right, but the group's organizational structure had changed again.

"It's Deputy Director Zhang from the First Ministry of Machine Building, and Deputy Director Liu from the city." Ji Jiuzheng looked at the notebook in his hand and reported, "The meeting starts at 9 o'clock, in the 10th-floor conference room."

"Hmm, I have nothing going on here."

Li Xuewu nodded, looked at him, and said, "Go get busy, there's a lot to do today."

"Okay, I'll go first." Ji Jiuzheng nodded, mentioned a few time points, and turned to go out.

Li Xuewu pressed his finger on a piece of paper that Ji Jiuzheng had just left on the magic desktop, twisted it lightly, and slid it in front of him. It was more detailed information about the new member of the leadership team.

Ji Jiuzheng had been transferred back to the agency for two years, and he was becoming more and more capable. His work was visibly much more meticulous.

Of course, he didn't doubt that everyone had this information, and he had never hoped that the group would be of one mind and all be his people.

Such a situation and outcome was a dream that even Old Li wouldn't dare to have if he were confused from dancing, let alone him.

The situation couldn't, and would never be, decided by one person, and those above wouldn't allow such a situation to happen.

The group had just been established, Old Su's heart was active and he wanted to muddy the waters, Old Li's heart was ruthless and he wanted to raise his butcher knife to kill in all directions, making people dizzy.

And the result?

Li Xuewu looked at the introduction on the material, and a cold smile couldn't help but pull at the corner of his mouth.

"I heard this new leader of the group was transferred from the city?" Zhang Enyuan leaned over to take a look, looked at him, and reported softly, "There were many rumors yesterday, all sorts of messy things."

"Hmm, Deputy Director of the Municipal Industry Bureau."

Li Xuewu pushed the material he was pointing at with his finger to the side, sat in his chair, and said faintly, "Dual management, after all."

"Then in the future..." Zhang Enyuan hesitated, but still asked, "Who should we listen to first?"

"You have two mothers-in-law." Li Xuewu turned his chair, looked at him, and said, "One mother-in-law is the mother of your original husband, and one mother-in-law is your widowed mother. Who should you listen to?"

"So our group is now in a situation where the grandmother isn't close and the uncle doesn't love?"

Zhang Enyuan also heard the meaning, asked with a bitter smile, "Will there be policy inclination and support in the future?"

"Red Steel Group didn't start with policy support and inclination anyway. Didn't we walk through even harder roads?" Li Xuewu pointed at that document and said, "Put it away, don't let people see it, what does it look like."

"Still Deputy Secretary-General Ji is meticulous."

Zhang Enyuan put away the information and smiled, saying, "If it were us, we wouldn't dare to put it on paper."

"Maybe it's not him who wants to do this."

Li Xuewu turned his chair and looked out the window. It had to be said, being on the ninth floor in this era gave a view of all the mountains, something you wouldn't even dare to think about thirty years later.

Zhang Enyuan looked at his back in surprise, looked down at the material in his hand again, pondered for a while, but didn't dare to say the result of his guess.

At 8:55, Li Xuewu walked up the stairs to the 10th-floor conference room with a notebook in one hand and a thermos in the other. There were already people in the corridor.

"Hello, Secretary-General."

"Good morning, Secretary-General."

It was the secretaries of the office and the secretaries of the group leaders. They were standing at the door of the conference room talking about something.

Seeing him walk over, they stepped aside one after another and greeted him with smiles.

If calculated according to organizational management, Li Xuewu was the supervisor of all secretaries in the group agency, and even the General Manager's Office was within his management scope. Who could stay out of it?

Of course, organization is organization, and situation is situation. He couldn't order Gu Cheng to do anything, could he? With other leaders in between, that would be too embarrassing.

Hmm, he has times when he's embarrassed?

"Secretary-General, going to Jin Ling today?"

In the temporary lounge, seeing Li Xuewu enter, Cheng Kaiyuan stood up and shook hands with him.

It wasn't that he was polite; Li Xuewu returned to Beijing few times, and they met few times. Meeting and shaking hands was just because they were good friends.

"It was set for today." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "This office keeps the time so tight, not delaying anything at all."

"Hehe, arrived yesterday morning." Xue Zhifu stood up and nodded at him too, saying, "Leaving after the meeting today, it's really hard work."

"It's not just me who's working hard, how would I dare to say hard work." Li Xuewu took the initiative to shake hands with him, leaned in, and asked softly, "Are you okay?"

Saying this, he pulled back a little bit, looked at him with concern, and asked, "I heard you were hospitalized? What's the situation?"

"A cold, didn't expect it to be serious."

Xue Zhifu nodded with a sigh and said, "Listening to the doctor, this pneumonia almost took my old life."

"Cold and heat alternating, it's no joke."

Li Xuewu squeezed his hand with a little force, emphasized with great concern, "You must pay attention to maintaining your health."

"You know how serious it is after having it once."

Xue Zhifu looked into Li Xuewu's eyes and nodded slightly, indicating he understood the deep meaning of his words, and said with some emotion, "Are you doing well in Liaodong too?"

He also squeezed Li Xuewu's hand and said, "After all, it's colder than Beijing. Although you're young, you must also pay attention to your health."

"Look, the Secretary-General really knows how to care about people." Gu Gu Weijie walked in, looked at the two with a smile, and said to Xue Zhifu, "General Manager Xue, the Secretary-General is younger than you."

"Hey, you have to admit you're getting old."

Xue Zhifu let go of Li Xuewu's hand, turned to look at her, and signaled, "Deputy Director Gu is also young, hehehe—"

Who wouldn't understand the meaning behind this sentence in the room? Li Xuewu smiled and walked toward Dong Wenxue and Zhang Jinsong, who were sitting together.

Seeing him come over, both stood up and shook hands with him one after another.

"The schedule is very tight this time, back-to-back?"

Zhang Jinsong shook his hand and signaled Dong Wenxue beside him, asking, "Is the project in East Germany also going to be implemented?"

"It'll be these few days." Li Xuewu nodded, glanced at Dong Wenxue, and said, "The flight schedules have all been confirmed."

"Hmm, one flight should arrive tomorrow."

Dong Wenxue introduced, "They are automotive engineers and technical personnel."

"Arriving in Beijing first or going directly to Steel City?" Zhang Jinsong let go of Li Xuewu's hand and asked, "Have to transfer through Beijing, right?"

"Definitely, have to file a record with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." Dong Wenxue continued to introduce, "I've been running this matter recently. Thanks to our connections in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it's convenient."

"Is it that Deputy General Manager at the International Hotel?"

Zhang Jinsong was in charge of logistics and naturally understood this situation. He also nodded and said, "That's good, the next set of procedures will also be convenient."

"Temporarily settle them in the International Hotel, and go to Steel City after the procedures are done." Dong Wenxue instructed Li Xuewu, "Must ensure life and work security, can't make mistakes."

"Hmm, Steel City has made several emergency plans." Li Xuewu saw he was serious, nodded, and emphasized, "I'll finish handling things here as soon as possible and return directly to Steel City."

"Landing is of vital importance." Zhang Jinsong leaned forward slightly and whispered, "How many pairs of eyes are watching us."

"Everyone is saying 'don't seek merit, just seek no mistakes'." He curled his lip, not knowing who he was glancing at, turned back to Li Xuewu, and reminded, "I'll watch in Beijing, you watch in Steel City, communicate diligently if there's a situation."

"Definitely." Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said, "With you here, I can breathe a sigh of relief first."

"Still have to look at Deputy Director Dong." Zhang Jinsong smiled and signaled Dong Wenxue beside him, saying, "Whether these projects can land smoothly depends on the leader in charge."

"Then if Deputy Director Zhang says it can land, it will definitely land." Dong Wenxue saw the two had a tacit understanding and joked, "I'll just focus on working hard."

"Hahaha—"

Just as they were talking, there was movement at the door. Li Huai De accompanied two leaders inside, and beside him followed a middle-aged cadre who looked very imposing. ===== CHAPTER 1573 =====

"Definitely, it has to be filed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Dong Wenxue continued to introduce. "I've been running around for this matter lately; it's a good thing we have connections at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"Is that the Deputy General Manager at the International Hotel?"

Zhang Jingsong is in charge of logistics, so he naturally understands this situation. He nodded at this moment and said, "That's good then; the subsequent set of procedures will be convenient."

"For now, they will be settled at the International Hotel. Once the procedures are completed, they will go to Steel City," Dong Wenxue instructed Li Xuewu. "You must ensure good living and working arrangements; there can be no mistakes."

"Understood, Steel City has already prepared several emergency contingency plans." Seeing that he was serious, Li Xuewu also nodded and emphasized, "I will finish handling things here as soon as possible and head straight back to Steel City."

"The landing is of vital importance," Zhang Jingsong leaned forward slightly and said in a low voice, "How many pairs of eyes are watching us?"

"Everyone is talking about not seeking merit, but only seeking to avoid mistakes." He curled his lips, his gaze not knowing who he was glancing at, then turned back to look at Li Xuewu and reminded him, "I'll keep watch in Beijing, and you keep watch in Steel City. If there's a situation, communicate frequently."

"Definitely," Li Xuewu smiled, nodded, and said, "With you here, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

"It still depends on Deputy Director Dong," Zhang Jingsong smiled and gestured toward Dong Wenxue beside him, saying, "Whether these projects can land smoothly depends on the supervising leader."

"If Deputy Director Zhang says it can land, then it definitely can land," Dong Wenxue saw the tacit understanding between the two and joked, "I'll just focus on working hard on my end."

"Hahaha—"

As they were talking, there was a commotion at the entrance. Li Huai De accompanied two leaders as they walked in, and following beside him was a middle-aged cadre who looked very imposing.