Chapter 1597: That is not love

"Listening to you, it sounds like you—"

Sha Zhu first leaned against the window to peek inside. Seeing that it really was Li Xuewu sitting at the edge of the kang, he smiled and greeted him.

"Why are you out wandering around instead of staying home to serve your wife?" Li Xuewu waved his hand, signaling for him to come in.

"I said I was going to dump the ash. As I was walking by, I heard it sounded like you, but I didn't dare be sure when I passed by."

Sha Zhu placed the ash bucket in his hand at the doorway, walked into the room with a grin, and nodded in greeting to Da Lao and Li Shun.

"When did you get back? Why haven't I seen you at all?" He waved his hand, refusing the cigarette Da Lao offered, "I've really quit. He Zhuang's mother won't let me smoke anymore."

"Hehe—" Da Lao couldn't help but laugh out loud, and the others in the room followed suit.

"I wouldn't call this being henpecked."

Sha Zhu naturally knew what they were laughing at and joined in the amusement, but he still defended himself, "She says I keep coughing at night."

"Quitting is good. If you don't smoke, you won't miss it."

Li Shun smiled as he looked at him and asked, "Is Diliya eating well now? She's not vomiting anymore, right?"

"No more vomiting. It really had to be you." Sha Zhu laughed, sat down by the edge of the kang, and said, "If it weren't for that method of yours, we wouldn't know how much longer we'd have been struggling."

"As long as it works." Li Shun didn't pay much mind to it, nodding slowly, "This method doesn't work for everyone, but it seems fine for now."

"Once the second one is born, I'm definitely going to give him a good thrashing for causing so much trouble for no reason—"

Sha Zhu was saying harsh words, but his face was full of pride, especially when he looked at Li Xuewu; he had already shown off once last month.

Li Xuewu couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked, "Does Pazile come by often?"

"He came by once at the beginning of the month. He's busy."

Sha Zhu took the tea Liu Yin handed him and explained, "Wang Yamei dragged him home from the army. Who knows what the couple talked about."

He slurped the hot tea and laughed, saying, "I didn't dare ask in detail, afraid he wouldn't be able to save face."

"Did the couple have a falling out?" Liu Yin glanced at him and asked, "I didn't notice. Yamei looked perfectly fine when she came to work."

"Her—" Sha Zhu said amusingly, "It's hard to say if she's thick-skinned or just broad-minded."

"She's a match for you." Li Xuewu also said with a smile, "She came to Steel City to pick up her sister. I said I'd treat her to a meal, and the sisters almost started fighting."

"When she got back, she even said it herself—"

Sha Zhu put down his teacup, nodded, and said, "She said you criticized her, and she needs to reflect deeply and learn to be mature."

"And then?" Li Xuewu leaned against the kang cabinet, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Did she reflect?"

"Hehe—" Sha Zhu didn't answer his question, just smiled meaningfully.

Li Xuewu heard that the laughter didn't sound quite right and asked, "What's wrong? Did it have the opposite effect?"

"Yamei just has the temperament of a child."

Liu Yin chimed in with a smile at this moment, "When she doesn't see any worries, she's happy all day long."

"That's quite good, after all, she's young."

She took the thermos to refill the teacups of the people on the kang and continued, "We wouldn't be able to be happy all day even if we wanted to."

"What worries could you possibly have now?"

Sha Zhu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and praised with a smile, "You can be considered the most worry-free person in our courtyard. Who else on this street can compare to you?"

"That's what they say." Liu Yin nodded with a smile, "But life is never smooth every single day."

"Don't be ungrateful." Sha Zhu looked at the people in the room amusingly. Seeing no signs of worry, he knew Liu Yin was just maintaining her usual low-key attitude.

"Where is Xuewen's family of four?" He turned his head to look at the south room; the lights were off, and he didn't hear any movement.

"They went to live in the front courtyard, saying the children are too noisy." Liu Yin explained with a smile, "The second one keeps waking up at night, and the couple is afraid of disturbing us."

"That's why the old lady is coaxing the eldest to sleep in that room."

She raised her hand to point at the south room and said, "I gave the eldest a bath after dinner. The old lady didn't have enough energy, so she lay down too."

"It's good to have many rooms." Sha Zhu lifted his chin and said, "If it were before, no matter how noisy it was, we'd have to squeeze into one room."

He took another slurp of his tea, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What about the third one and his wife? Did they go to live in the back courtyard? I didn't see them go over."

"They didn't live in the third one's place; they're living in Yu Li's room. It's empty, isn't it?" Liu Yin nodded and said, "They'll live there for a stage until the child is a bit older."

She glanced back at the time on the wall and said, "The two of them said they were going out to see a movie. They should be back by this time."

"It's still early." Li Xuewu glanced at the time on the wall and said, "It's not easy to get a break; they have to go out and have some fun."

"It's late at night, what's there to have fun with?"

Liu Yin habitually nagged, "These two have even more of a child's temperament."

"At least they're better than Wang Yamei." Sha Zhu laughed and said, "It's just that there's been no news? Are they not planning on having children so early?"

"Who knows what the two of them are thinking." Liu Yin lowered her head unnaturally and said, "Young people these days—"

Li Xuewu glanced at his mother and comforted her, "The third one hasn't been married long, and both of them are busy at work. Don't you go urging them."

"Why would I urge them?" Liu Yin took a sip of hot water and said, "If they want them, they'll have them. If they don't, it saves me the worry."

"Young people have their own ideas." Da Lao retracted her legs, braced herself on her knees, and said, "Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Don't restrain them too tightly."

"Let them see for themselves—"

Liu Yin sighed for no reason and said, "They aren't children anymore, but there's endless worrying to do."

"Li Xue hasn't returned from Liaodong yet?"

Seeing that the topic was a bit heavy, Sha Zhu changed direction, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "How many months has it been since she went?"

"She's been back a few times." Li Xuewu glanced at his mother before explaining to Sha Zhu, "She's in a working group, so there are unified arrangements for her movements."

"Still investigating United Energy?" Sha Zhu asked in surprise, "Didn't they say they already dealt with a lot of people? They're still continuing to investigate?"

"Yeah, they said they want to investigate to the very end." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "I'm not in charge of this project, so I only know what's in the briefings."

"Oh my—" Sha Zhu raised his eyebrows and said, "Who is the head of United Energy again? It's Bu Qingfang from the original Propaganda Department, right?"

Seeing Li Xuewu nod slightly, he widened his eyes and asked, "If she's being this ruthless, how is she going to lead the team in the future?"

"If she isn't this ruthless, she'd be even less able to lead them."

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said blandly, "If she can't hold them together, she'll be disliked by both sides. The Group has opinions about her, and United Enterprises doesn't think much of her either."

"She's really gone ruthless—" Sha Zhu sighed, "If everyone did this, one-fifth of the cadres in the organs would have to step down."

"Hehe—soon—" Li Xuewu took a sip of hot tea and said, "New officials burn three fires; they're burning those who don't have eyes."

"Second Brother? Second Brother?"

Li Xuewu was sleeping groggily when he heard someone calling him by his ear. He opened one eye and saw it was Xiao Yan reaching out to pull at him.

"Second Brother, the sun is shining on your butt, why aren't you up yet!"

"Yeah, I'm not going to work, let me sleep a bit longer."

Li Xuewu closed his eyes, turned over, and continued to sleep, mumbling, "Don't worry about my food, I'll eat whenever I wake up."

"Let him sleep, there's nothing going on anyway."

Da Lao came out of the kitchen, glanced at the west room, and said to Xiao Yan, "Keep his food warm in the pot."

"What did he do last night? Did he play cards?" Xiao Yan walked out of the room and asked curiously, "Brother Zhu? Who else was there?"

"They didn't play, but they chatted for half the night."

Da Lao said with a smile, "If I hadn't been so sleepy and chased him away, he'd still be yapping away in there."

"He really is something—" Xiaoyan said with a laugh: "He was holding it in so uncomfortably, he finally found someone to chat with."

There were only the three of them left at the Recycling Station retail department. Xiao Yan wasn't in a rush to have children yet, but Wang Yamei already had one. If they all came at once, Da Lao wouldn't be able to handle it.

Originally, Diliya could have helped, but her pregnancy symptoms were too severe, so Xiao Yan let her rest.

"Let me see what the big lazybones is doing!"

Hearing the commotion, Wang Yamei came over from the west courtyard gate like a rabbit, rolling up her sleeves and preparing to barge into the room, but she was pushed away by Xiao Yan with a smile.

"You're a mother now, why are you still so reckless—"

She smiled and tapped Wang Yamei on the forehead, lecturing her, "Even if you're close, he's still a male comrade. Can't you pay attention to the influence?"

"Hey, what's the big deal with Brother Wu—"

Xiao Yan didn't care at all and peeked into the room, greeting with a smile, "Brother! The sun is shining on your butt, my son is already dressed and playing in the courtyard, and you're still lazing in bed!"

"Go, go, go—so annoying—"

Li Xuewu couldn't bear to open his eyes, covered himself with the quilt, and cursed. After a burst of laughter outside the window, things quieted down.

Even though there were voices coming from the west courtyard retail department from time to time, and the sounds of neighbors coming and going in the courtyard near the moon gate, he could still sleep.

At the end of the hutong where the courtyard was located was a supply and marketing point. Today was the weekend, and it was bustling all morning.

Li Xuewu rarely indulged himself, sleeping until past ten o'clock before waking up. But even after waking up, he didn't get up, just lying on the kang in a daze.

How long had it been since he was this relaxed? Even at home, because of the children's noise and the pressure of work, he had never been this loose.

Yesterday wasn't entirely Sha Zhu's fault. He and Da Lao had left home after nine o'clock, and Sha Zhu had followed them here and sat for a while. As a result, when they looked at the time, it was already eleven-thirty.

He didn't even remember what they had been yapping about last night. Anyway, it was all a blur; Sha Zhu was the one who talked the most and had the most energy.

Once a man is married, he doesn't like to go home. Staying anywhere is better than going home.

"You're still sleeping? What time is it?"

He Yu Shui looked at him from outside the window. Seeing that he was awake, she walked into the room and asked, "What time did you go to sleep last night?"

"Go ask your big brother." Li Xuewu yawned, looked at her lazily, and asked, "Why are you here? Not going to work?"

"You're not going to work, why should I?" He Yu Shui picked up the bag in her hand and asked, "Bread, want some?"

"For me?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, turned over to look, and asked, "Brought back from the restaurant?"

"Could it be picked up on the side of the road—"

He Yu Shui rolled her eyes and said, "Just say if you want it or not. If you don't, I'm taking it away."

"Better leave it for your big nephew."

Li Xuewu turned over and lay back down, smiled, and said, "This stuff is sweet; the little kids all love it."

"Can't you spare a bite for yourself?"

He Yu Shui was true to her nature. She took the bread out of the paper bag and stuffed it to his mouth, saying, "He's already fat as a ball, and you're still feeding him."

"Mmph—" Li Xuewu swatted her hand away, took the bread, caught his breath, squinted at her, and asked, "Are you trying to suffocate me?"

"Suffocated to death by bread, that would be news."

Yushui sat down by the edge of the kang and signaled to him, "Eat quickly. Once you're done, get up quickly. What time is it, and you're still huddled in the quilt."

"Why are you so free? And you're managing me staying in the quilt?" Li Xuewu turned over and lay on the pillow, took a bite of the bread, and asked, "You didn't come here specifically for me, did you?"

"What if I said I did?" Yushui looked at him and said, "Are you playing dumb?"

"Fine, I just said I shouldn't eat other people's things randomly."

Li Xuewu reached out to stuff the bitten bread back into the bag, but his back was fiercely punched by Yushui.

*Cough*—he almost choked.

They say you shouldn't provoke an old maid; I didn't expect her to be this ruthless!

"You've already taken a bite, and you want to spit it out?" Yushui glared at him fiercely and said, "Now you have to eat it whether you want to or not. I'm holding you to it!"

"Are you a bandit?" Li Xuewu pulled the pillow further away from her, glanced at her with no good look, and said, "Forced buying and selling, right?"

"So what? You want to renege on the debt?" Yushui seemed to have caught him in the act, questioned him with horizontal eyes, "Are you still a man?"

*Damn it*—

Li Xuewu really wanted to jump up and let her see if he was a man, but then he thought better of it; this old maid's eyes looked like they could eat people.

"Don't try to trap me with words; bread is just bread." Li Xuewu couldn't afford to provoke her, so he hid, took a bite of the bread, and said, "I'll buy you ten later."

"You'd better buy me ten thousand, and just raise me—" Yushui rolled her eyes at him and curled her lips, "Thief's heart, no thief's courage."

"Rest assured, no thief's courage, and no thief's heart either." Li Xuewu said bluntly, "Your brother already said it last night; he wants to help you find a partner."

"Find one then. If he finds one, I'll go on a date."

Yushui said indifferently, "What if I find a good one? You'll be worry-free, right? You're always on pins and needles when you see me."

"I'm not a mouse, and you're not a cat." Li Xuewu finished the small piece of bread in two or three bites. He didn't want the rest, waved his hand, and said, "Alright, withdraw. The Emperor needs to wash up and change clothes."

"Virtue—" Yushui curled her lips and said, "Who's interested in looking at you?"

After saying that, she stood up and stomped out the door.

Li Xuewu peeked outside. Seeing no one there, he turned over and lay back down.

Since breakfast was already taken care of, what was the point of getting up?

Look at the time; it was time for a nap.

*Bang*—

The door above his head was suddenly kicked open. Before he could even look up to see who it was, he saw a dark shadow pounce over, hands holding his face, and a bite on his mouth.

"Damn—are you a dog?"

It must have been at least three minutes. Li Xuewu could guarantee that she was as clumsy as a silly dog; besides biting, she only knew how to lick.

"You owe me—"

He Yu Shui straightened up, looked down at him, and said, "If you don't give it to me, I'll grab it myself."

Perhaps it was the excitement of the first time, or perhaps it was the words finally spoken from the heart, but Li Xuewu saw that she was actually trembling.

"You've got some issues—"

Li Xuewu reached out to wipe his face, looked at the saliva on his hand. He hadn't brushed his teeth in the morning, and he was disgusted with himself. How could this girl bring herself to bite?

"That was also forced by you—"

Yushui widened her eyes, turned around, and stomped away again. It seemed like she had come back just to bite him and leave a harsh word.

"What a sin—"

Li Xuewu wiped his hand on the quilt with a curled lip. There was no point in taking a nap now; he had no mood left at all.

It wasn't easy to get a day off, and this good mood had been ruined by her.

"Second Uncle! Second Uncle—"

Li Tang's voice came from outside the door. Li Xuewu had just washed his face when he saw the little fatty stumbling in over the threshold.

"Where's your mother? Just you by yourself?"

"Mother is behind—" Li Tang looked up with his little face, his eyes full of joy when he saw him, and reached out to pull him out to play.

"Second Uncle, go to the courtyard, go find Little Sister to play—"

"Not going, Second Uncle hasn't eaten yet."

Li Xuewu had just looked at the pot; breakfast was already cold. He kicked a piece of firewood in to light it; it should be warm by now.

"Go, there's bread in the room, share it with Little Sister."

He couldn't be bothered to coax this fatty; he was already annoyed by the "ten thousand whys" at home, let alone "ten thousand and one whys."

Li Tang was a little glutton. Hearing there was bread, he couldn't care about his Second Uncle. He ran into the inner room, knowing the bread was in the paper bag without even asking.

"Who to give to first?" Just as he was about to tear open the bag, Li Xuewu pinched the bag and looked at Li Tang.

Li Tang looked up at his Second Uncle, blinked, and said, "Give to Grandma first."

"And then?" Li Xuewu gave him an encouraging look.

Li Tang understood, nodded, and said, "Then give to Little Sister, and Li Tang eats last."

"Good boy." Li Xuewu let go, took the opportunity to pat him on the back of the head, and said, "If you dare to swallow it halfway, I'll kick you onto the roof."

Li Tang didn't care if his Second Uncle's threat counted, and ran out carrying the bread.

After a while, the old lady's voice came from the front courtyard. The door opened, and seeing Li Xuewu standing by the stove eating, she asked, "Is this breakfast?"

"Should count as lunch." Li Xuewu looked at the sunlight outside the window and said with a smile, "Yapped for half the night, got up late."

"What's wrong with your mouth?" The old lady held Li Yue in her arms, glanced at her grandson, and asked, "Why is it swollen?"

"Ate too fast, bit it." Li Xuewu smiled and teased Li Yue, "Did Big Brother give you bread to eat?"

"Don't even mention it, where did the bread come from?"

The old lady smiled, pulled Li Yue's hand out of her mouth, touched her cheek, and said, "Li Tang was like he was offering a treasure, saying you gave it."

"Yushui gave it." Li Xuewu said bluntly, "If it weren't for her, I could have slept a bit longer."

"If you slept any longer, it would be evening—" The old lady bounced the child in her arms and looked at him, "You have nothing to do today?"

"Nothing much." Li Xuewu turned to look at the old lady and asked, "You have something?"

"What could I possibly have going on." The old lady smiled and said: "Your mother said Aunt Xiao Ning and the children went to Jin Ling, I was just asking."

"It's been over a year since we've seen them. Since there's a holiday, I let her go." Li Xuewu explained, "The children's grandmother and grandfather are also missing them."

"That's for sure—" The old lady clicked her tongue, "It would be great if everyone was together. Who would have thought they'd move to Jin Ling."

"Work needs, just like me now." Li Xuewu tore off a small piece of steamed bun and stuffed it into Li Yue's hand, teasing her, "Just like your brother, a little glutton."

Seeing Second Uncle eating so deliciously, Li Yue was drooling. At nearly eight months old, she could already eat simple complementary food. Seeing her gnawing on the bun now, she looked extremely cute.

"The bread you gave, he insisted on stuffing a piece into my mouth, gave Li Yue a piece, and ate the rest himself. He was so happy."

The old lady said with a smile, staying with him until he finished breakfast before handing the child to him.

Taking advantage of the old lady cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks, Li Xuewu walked out holding Li Yue, teasing her as he walked. Children at this age were the cutest, especially daughters.

"Second Uncle—" The naughty boy Li Tang ran back, shouting, "Second Uncle, my bread is gone."

"Gone is gone, what else do you want?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "I was just about to ask you, why didn't you leave a piece for me?"

"Huh?" Li Tang was dumbfounded, stammering, "You didn't ask for any."

"Stick your butt out." Li Xuewu raised his leg, signaling, "Come, I'll kick you onto the roof."

"No—help—"

Li Tang ran into the inner room like a monkey, clumsy and stumbling, to find Grandma to complain.

Seeing her brother's miserable state, Li Yue giggled while hugging the bun in her hands.

Seeing her laugh, Li Xuewu laughed too.

Daughters are still better. As long as there's no "Yellow Hair" looking for them, daughters are always better!

"Second Brother, you finally decided to get up."

Walking into the west courtyard, Wang Yamei, who was tidying up scrap, saw him, held her hand over her eyes to block the light, and sighed, "I thought you were going to sleep until tomorrow morning."

"Almost." Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Finally slept enough."

"You're really something—" Wang Yamei walked over and made a face, teasing Li Yue, "Walk on the ground, go run and play with your brother."

"Still need another week or so." Li Xuewu looked at her and asked, "Can your Ah Hong walk yet?"

"Just learned to stand." Wang Yamei smiled, dodged Li Yue's little hand, and said, "Don't touch Little Aunt, Little Aunt is working, hands are dirty."

Li Yue couldn't understand her words yet. Seeing she wouldn't let her touch, she just let it be, continuing to drool while gnawing on the half-shaped bun in her hand.

"Oh my, ours is the same, drool seems like it will never stop." Wang Yamei couldn't help but curl her lips when she saw her drooling, "When will it end."

"Soon, the drooling period means teeth are growing." Li Xuewu bounced Li Yue and asked, "How are you? I was saying I'd come back and treat you and Pazile to a get-together."

"Pretty good, nothing going on."

Wang Yamei smiled, looked at him, and said, "Sorry, Brother, you're so busy, and I'm still causing you trouble. It really shouldn't be."

"Is this the truth?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, looked her over carefully, and then said, "No wonder they all say you've matured a lot since you came back."

"Sha Zhu definitely didn't say anything good about me—" Wang Yamei smiled. She was Sha Zhu's sister-in-law. Don't look at her young age; calling Sha Zhu that, he really had to answer.

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked at her with a smile and said, "Alright, as long as you learn to live your life well. Among these people, who is as carefree as you?"

"I know, Brother—" Wang Yamei responded naively, then raised her eyebrows and looked at him, "Brother, you and my sister... the two of you..."

"Hmm?" Li Xuewu pretended not to understand and looked at her, "What's wrong?"

"I feel like you two have something going on—"

Wang Yamei smiled meaningfully, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I noticed it since the last time I went to pick her up; she's different from before."

"How is she different?" Li Xuewu asked amusingly, "Did she become ugly?"

"You said that! I didn't!" Wang Yamei pointed at him with a mischievous smile, "Are you two rekindling an old flame?"

"It doesn't matter. Even if I were, I'd keep it secret. Even if I weren't, I should still call you brother-in-law."

"Then what else do I need to say—" Li Xuewu glanced at her and said amusingly, "You can make something out of nothing even when there's nothing."

"Could that have been made up by me?"

Wang Yamei said unconvinced, "Hearing her say she wanted to be transferred back, I thought something had happened. I was afraid she'd be desperate, but I didn't expect—"

She let out a long breath and said, "Forget it, I won't ask anymore. As long as she's happy, you two can do whatever you want."

"It was never any of your business anyway—"

Li Xuewu glanced at her amusingly and said, "You're just meddling in other people's business."

"Fine, fine, fine, I'm meddling."

Wang Yamei nodded angrily and said, "If anything happens in the future, don't expect me to care."

She pointed her finger at Li Xuewu and scolded, "You've forgotten who kept watch for you back then. If it weren't for me, could you—"

"Second Uncle—" Li Tang appeared at the courtyard gate holding Grandma's hand, and the rest of Wang Yamei's words were stifled.

Li Xuewu looked at her amusingly; this angry look made her look like a toad.

"I'm not talking to you—humph—"

Wang Yamei stomped her feet, turned around, and went to the retail department. When she passed Li Tang who was running over, she gave him a flick on the forehead.

"Ouch—" Li Tang clutched his forehead, turned back to Grandma to complain, "Little Aunt hit me."

"What are you running over for again?" Li Xuewu looked at him sternly and said, "Stick your butt out, I'll kick you onto the roof."

"No—help—"

Li Tang found his support and wasn't afraid of his Second Uncle anymore, sticking his tongue out from behind Grandma, as naughty as could be.

"Give the child to me, go do your work."

The old lady took Li Yue from his hands and said, "Resting for a morning is enough. If a man doesn't work on his career, what's the difference between him and a useless person."

Perhaps this was the life and struggle philosophy passed down through generations in the family, which is why there wasn't a single idle person in the Li family.

"I'm not late, am I?" Shangguan Qi checked her watch carefully, confirmed she had arrived early, and breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked at Li Xuewu opposite her, smiled, and said, "A bit of a surprise."

"Surprise at what? Me asking you out?"

Li Xuewu looked at her amusingly and asked, "What do you do in your free time? No social life?"

"I do. I was planning to go shopping." Shangguan Qi smiled, picked up the coffee on the table, and took a sip. Her eyes lit up, "This coffee is really good."

"How does it compare to what you drank when you were in school?" Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing up the girl in front of him, "Which one tastes better?"

"I didn't drink this often when I was in school; I only started drinking it after I started working."

Shangguan Qi's face always carried a surprised smile, along with a trace of effort to be reserved, not wanting to lose face in front of him.

"My understanding is—" Li Xuewu flipped his palms, "Americans can't live without coffee in their daily home life, just like Chinese people can't live without tea."

"That's indeed the case." Shangguan Qi nodded and introduced, "But for Americans, coffee is like tea for us; not everyone can afford to drink it."

"The most economical and practical way is to buy a hand-cranked coffee machine and make it yourself using coffee beans, which is time-consuming and laborious." She introduced, "More common is canned coffee powder."

"Then freshly ground coffee must taste better." Li Xuewu picked up his teacup and took a sip of hot tea. He didn't like the taste of coffee, so he almost never touched the stuff.

He preferred the light bitterness of tea rather than the richness of coffee.

Just like his attitude toward life: living is already hard enough, why make yourself suffer? Isn't that just asking for trouble?

"Not necessarily. Some coffee powders taste better." Shangguan Qi introduced seriously, "Because they add some seasonings."

"Hmm, I understand that." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "The batch of coffee the Santa Ya Group borrowed our channels to send to East Germany has several flavors."

"I really admire you, you know."

Shangguan Qi was indeed an elite cultivated in that kind of foreign environment, with a relatively straightforward personality, clear about what she loved and hated. Although she had learned a lot after returning to the country, she still had that drive.

She looked into Li Xuewu's eyes and said bluntly, "Your strategies and methods for corporate management are not inferior to those I encountered abroad."

"If you said you had received higher education, I wouldn't be surprised, but you—" She gestured with both hands at Li Xuewu, looking at him with full admiration, "You are the smartest person I have ever met."

"Do you think Americans are smarter or Chinese are smarter?" Li Xuewu didn't pay attention to the admiration in her words; he didn't need it.

He really wanted women, and he had countless ways to attract and conquer them, but toward Shangguan Qi, he just held an attitude of appreciation and work.

"Sometimes I really suspect you've studied abroad too." Shangguan Qi sized him up carefully, nodded, and said, "I know what you mean; Americans are stupid, right."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu shook his head slightly, "I didn't say that."

"Actually, I think so too."

Shangguan Qi curled her lips and shrugged her shoulders, "Their education has problems. Even they know this; their education is a business."

"American children are never the future of the country, but the future of capital. They use a set of social mechanisms to coldly screen out non-compliant citizens."

She said seriously, "Only those who meet social needs or can provide certain value to the country are their citizens."

"And the young people screened out are treated as garbage and thrown on the side of the road."

"Or the battlefield, right." Li Xuewu added, smiled, nodded, and said, "Every financial crisis is a disaster for their young people."

"They're used to it." Shangguan Qi echoed, "Habitually using war to solve all problems, barbaric, overbearing, and completely unreasonable."

"Historical reasons." Li Xuewu said with great understanding, "Their country and land were snatched, so they carry banditry in their genes."

"I remember a sentence my father said." Shangguan Qi looked at him and said, "He said a scholar doesn't need to leave home to know everything under heaven."

"Hahaha—" Li Xuewu laughed out loud, waving his hands repeatedly in modesty, "I wouldn't dare. My level can't be called a scholar, not even an educated person."

"You're being a bit proud—"

Shangguan Qi covered her mouth and laughed, "If you, an associate professor, aren't an educated person, then who would dare say they are?"

"Heh—" Li Xuewu surrendered, raising both hands to indicate defeat, and joked, "I'd dare to pretend in front of others, but not in front of you, who comes from a scholarly family."

"You're just too modest—"

Shangguan Qi shook her head slightly and said, "My father said, apply what you learn. If what you learn can't be used, it's like not learning it at all, and it's a waste of time and energy."

"You are the standard answer to my father's words about applying what you learn. He thinks so too."

"Thank Mr. Shangguan for me."

Li Xuewu picked up his teacup and said with a smile, "I am infinitely honored to receive such high evaluation and affirmation from him."

"You deserve this evaluation." Shangguan Qi smiled, picked up her teacup, and took a small sip, her eyes never leaving him.

Her mother once warned her not to be confused by the temperament displayed by a man's status and position, and even more so not to find someone too confident or too individualistic; love and marriage would be very tiring.

But she was just addicted to it, unable to extricate herself.

He wasn't ugly; the scar on his face ruined his handsomeness, but in her eyes, even with that scar, he was handsome in her heart.

"Have you seen Peter Grewitt recently?"

Li Xuewu put down his teacup and changed the subject. This was also one of the purposes of asking the other party out today, which was to ask about this optoelectronics expert.

"I see him almost every day." Shangguan Qi put away her thoughts, nodded, and said, "The newly established Optoelectronics Research Institute is right next to our institute."

"Oh, I haven't been to see it, I don't know much about it." Li Xuewu lifted his chin and asked, "How is the environment? And the personnel configuration and work situation?"

"Didn't you hear General Manager Xia's report?" Shangguan Qi glanced at him, thought for a moment, and then introduced, "I don't know the specific situation very well; after all, I'm not from their institute."

"However, Peter Grewitt said it's quite good. He enjoys the work environment here, especially doing what he likes to do."

She shrugged her shoulders, "He's pursuing me. Do you know about this?"

"Is that so." Li Xuewu smiled, "How is it? Are you two dating?"

"Not at all." Shangguan Qi was inevitably a bit disappointed. Looking at his eyes, it seemed he hadn't noticed her admiration, and she said blandly, "I don't like him."

"Then he must be very sad."

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said, "Liking someone is a right everyone has, and refusing someone's liking is also a right everyone has."

He spread his hands and said with great understanding, "You are fully qualified and capable of pursuing your own happiness, and it doesn't hinder you from being friends, does it?"

"Thank you for your understanding." Shangguan Qi suddenly smiled, looked at him, and asked, "If I actively pursue you, is that okay?"

"Hehe—stop joking."

Li Xuewu waved his hand with a light laugh, "My son is already old enough to buy soy sauce. You should launch a romantic offensive toward younger, more excellent young men."

"But I just like your type."

Shangguan Qi raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Do you know any other male comrades who are as excellent as you and also single?"

"Hmm—I have to think about that carefully."

Li Xuewu pretended to think seriously, even cooperating by furrowing his brows. After a long while, he looked at her and said, "Sorry, it seems there aren't any in my social circle."

"Either you continue to work hard to expand your social circle and meet more excellent young people, or you have to change your taste."

"That's not necessarily true—" Shangguan Qi picked up her coffee cup and joked, "What if one day you like me too."

"Hmm, that's possible." Li Xuewu joked, "Isn't there a saying that men always like young and beautiful ones."

"Just don't like smart ones, right?"

Shangguan Qi understood the deep meaning behind his joke immediately, curled her lips, and said, "It's really a pity; I wish I had known you earlier."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu said amusingly, "If you weren't joking, or complimenting me in disguise, I really can't think of where I could attract you."

He spread his palms, "I'm incredibly lazy. If there's no one to take care of me in life, I don't know what I'd turn into."

"And I've long passed the age of talking about love. Now I'm busy with my career, busy with my family, and even the time to accompany my family is pitifully little, let alone a lover."

He raised an eyebrow, "Believe me, don't ever like someone like me. Boring and troublesome, it won't do you any good in life."

"Talking about yourself like that?" Shangguan Qi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you that unconfident in yourself?"

"No, I'm too confident in myself."

Li Xuewu let out a long breath, looked at her seriously, and said, "I have countless ways to get a girl as beautiful and smart as you."

"But I have no way to often accompany them by their side, take care of their feelings, cherish their lives, or understand their bad moods."

He nodded very sincerely and said, "Possessing love is like raising a flower. If you can't water, weed, fertilize, or even protect her, then what meaning does this flower have to him?"

"Conversely, why should this flower rely on him? An incompetent and non-compliant guardian is just wasting her own life."

"But love isn't all about companionship, is it?"

Shangguan Qi looked at him stubbornly and asked, "You said you no longer have the interest to talk about love, then do you still have the impulse to like and love?"

"Of course, I'm not seventy or eighty yet."

Li Xuewu smiled, looked at her, and said, "But I no longer have the responsibility and desire to cherish and protect. Can you accept love without a result?"