Chapter 1627: He must get ahead in life!

The matter concerning the eldest sister and her husband ultimately ended without a clear resolution, and Li Li Xuewu had neither the preparation nor the time to linger in Jicheng.

Even that very afternoon, he still had to squeeze out time to talk with Ding Ding Wanqiu, the person in charge of the recycling station in Jicheng.

And on the morning of the second day, he, representing the group, formally met and held talks with the person in charge of forestry to consolidate the foundation for cooperation.

Although the second uncle tried his best to appear indifferent, Li Li Xuewu could still discern the sadness in his expression when he saw them off at the station.

When the eldest sister and her husband were making a scene, it wasn't just Li Shun and his wife who were present; even the old lady was there.

After dinner that evening, the second uncle and second aunt even came to the old lady's room to apologize, and they talked for quite a while.

Li Li Xuewu could understand the second uncle and second aunt's difficulties, and his father, Li Shun, and mother, Liu Yin, could understand them as well.

Precisely because they had come to Jicheng for the wedding with the hope that everyone would be well, they did not take any anger away with them when they left.

"Actually, your eldest sister should think about it. We gave so much for Li Xueli's wedding; was there any less when she got married back then?"

Only on the way back did Liu Yin mention this with some frustration, but she was stopped by Li Shun with a slight shake of his head.

It would be tough for any family to have one such troublesome person, let alone two; neither of the couple was sensible.

The old lady remained silent about this matter throughout the journey, either looking out the window or resting on her berth.

Perhaps it was the homesickness for the family in Jingcheng that grew as the distance shortened, or perhaps it was the realization that children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Li Li Xuewu sat by her side the entire time, taking care of her, until they got off the train in Gangcheng, when the old lady patted his hand as they were leaving the station and said he was very good.

Li Li Xuewu was left between laughter and tears hearing this; they, the brothers, along with Li Xue, were all raised by the old lady—was such a small matter really worth the old lady using words of praise to comfort him?

"Old lady—" As soon as they entered the courtyard, Yu Li came out to greet them. She immediately took the old lady's arm and asked with concern, "Was the journey smooth? Are you tired?"

"Not tired, why would I be tired—"

The old lady smiled and looked Yu Li over, patted the hand that was holding her arm, and asked with equal concern, "Are you doing well in Gangcheng?"

"I'm doing great, I was just waiting for you to arrive!"

Yu Li knew how to coax people into being happy; at this moment, she was not only taking care of the old lady but also chatting and laughing with Liu Yin.

"Auntie, I thought you would stay for a few more days. I was just preparing to have someone send clothes over; the weather has turned cold."

"How could we leave home for so long? We didn't even know how we managed to come out," Liu Yin said with a smile, gesturing toward the old lady. "Besides, the old lady missed home and missed the children."

"You too—" Yu Li teased the old lady, "Li Shu and the others are so naughty, aren't you annoyed by the noise?"

"Hahaha—" Upon hearing Yu Li mention the children, the old lady's face lit up with more smiles. She waved her hand and said, "It's better to be lively. When I don't see them making a fuss in front of me, I miss it."

"You just wait—"

Yu Li had long prepared slippers. She didn't even let the old lady change them at the entryway but invited her to the sofa in the living room and changed them for her personally. This initiative won the old lady's favor even more.

"Counting the days, Li Ai Yue at the eldest brother's house should be able to walk by now." After serving the old lady, she went to make tea and teased, "By then, you'll be holding one in your arms, carrying two on your back, and leading one by the hand. Let's see if you'll still complain about the noise—"

"Don't busy yourself anymore." Seeing that she hadn't stopped moving since welcoming them into the house—nimbly serving tea and then fruit—the old lady felt like she was spinning like a top.

"I'm not busy with anything." Yu Li smiled and looked at Liu Yin, asking, "Auntie, would you like to wash up first or have dinner? I've already prepared the meal, and the ingredients are all ready; I'm just waiting to stir-fry them. It can be ready at any time."

"Let's wash up first; there's no rush for dinner."

Li Li Xuewu nodded at Yu Li and explained, "I was afraid they would be hungry, so I bought two portions of noodles on the train."

"That works too, the hot water is already boiled."

Yu Li brought out clean towels from the cabinet and placed them on the cabinet by the bathroom door.

Li Shun had just taken a sip of hot tea when he was shooed away by Liu Yin to take a bath, and laughter filled the living room again.

It was mainly Yu Li asking about the old lady's life in Jicheng—whether she was used to it, whether she had gone out for walks, and so on.

Before, she and Li Li Xuewu were just a young couple staying at home doing needlework; it was only after being with Li Li Xuewu that she came out to venture into the world—at the recycling station, at the club, and now here in Gangcheng.

Having not returned for several months, the neighbors around the courtyard couldn't help but inquire about her and discuss her news.

It's just that no one knew where she had gone. The people at the recycling station knew, but who would tell outsiders?

However, although she hadn't returned, no one dared to covet the house because the old grandmother had been helping to look after it.

Who didn't know that Yu Li had been working at the recycling station and later followed Li Li Wenbiao and Shen Shen Guodong through thick and thin? They also knew the old grandmother's background behind these people.

The old lady had always known where Yu Li was, because every holiday, Yu Li would mail clothes and shoes to her and Li Shu.

In this day and age, one could buy all kinds of shoes in the department store—leather shoes, cloth shoes, sandals, all styles, everything one could want.

But the old lady was used to wearing cloth shoes with hand-stitched soles because the soles were soft, the uppers were loose, and her feet felt comfortable when walking.

Usually, Liu Yin would also make shoes at home, and Li Shun loved wearing them too. But since the grandchildren reached a mischievous age, especially after Li Shun began to attach importance to the education of the younger generation, there were more children in the family.

Liu Yin had to be busy with the whole family's affairs and always had times when she couldn't attend to everything. Yu Li's filial piety really helped a lot.

Over the years, the old lady had also gotten used to her thoughtfulness; the sizes of the clothes and shoes she wore were all in her mind.

Even for Li Shu, who was growing fast, she would make the clothes a bit larger to leave some room.

"If you have time to make shoes, help your uncle make a few pairs too. I'll mail you the patterns."

Liu Yin said this just as Li Shun came out of the bathroom. He heard it, but felt a bit awkward.

The day they arrived, Li Shun was still dissatisfied with Yu Li being here. Seeing Liu Yin being so unreserved, he could only cough dryly a few times.

"No problem, I'll take care of Uncle's shoes from now on."

Yu Li glanced at Li Shun, smiled, and agreed, saying readily, "If you don't have time, I'll make them all."

"Don't bother. In this family, only your uncle and the old lady still like wearing cloth shoes. I find them too fragile."

Liu Yin smiled and gestured for Li Li Xuewu to go wash up, deliberately pretending not to see Li Shun's awkwardness, just to reduce his complaints.

The old lady often muttered that children and grandchildren have their own fortunes, but he didn't have this mindset; he managed things too broadly.

If he wanted to manage, it wasn't as if he hadn't tried. Did this second boy listen? He beat him from the age of thirteen or fourteen until he went south.

When he came back this time, there was a scar on his face. He was nineteen; could he still beat him? It was true that he couldn't manage him anymore.

After dinner, the fatigue of the trip was ultimately hard to hide. Seeing that the old lady lacked energy, Yu Li arranged for her to rest in Banggeng's room early.

That boy was like a bird that had learned to fly; once he learned to stay out all night for the first time, he had no intention of flying back.

Yu Li had already written a letter to inform Qin Qin Huairu about Banggeng's situation, and Qin Qin Huairu's reply was full of helplessness between the lines.

Just like Li Shun looking at Li Li Xuewu, Qin Qin Huairu couldn't manage the growing Banggeng either.

She only requested Yu Li to help look after him a bit more, as long as he didn't learn bad habits. Being with Yu Li was better than going to the countryside to labor.

This year, educated youth began to return to the city to visit relatives, crying their hearts out, and their families cried along with them.

Ultimately, they were city children; how could they endure the hardships of the countryside? But in a macro sense, the success rate of this batch of young people was really high, supporting the foundation for the development of the next thirty years.

Since Banggeng didn't come home to live and even packed up his luggage, Yu Li tidied up the guest room again.

The old lady's legs and feet were inconvenient, and going up and down stairs was not suitable, so it was just right for her to live on the first floor, which was more convenient for getting up at night.

Yu Li didn't let Liu Yin and Li Shun insist on anything else. After tidying up and saying a few words, she sent them back upstairs.

Actually, Li Shun was still a bit awkward. When he came a few days ago, he saw his son go to the master bedroom at night and glared.

Today, he was blocked by Liu Yin and didn't dare to say anything more. He could only choose not to see it to avoid annoyance and went to rest early.

In the living room, Li Li Xuewu was energetic, reading the newspaper and drinking black tea—the best kind Yu Li had bought from the department store.

Actually, he wasn't short of tea to drink. In this day and age, gift-giving was still very subtle; a tin of canned tea was a top-tier gift.

If you were talking about giving money or coupons, that would require someone with guts to dare to accept it. Anyway, Li Li Xuewu didn't dare to ask for it.

Yu Li walked over, looked at his teacup, and added some hot water before gathering her hair and sitting on the sofa.

"Did you see Ding Ding Wanqiu?"

Even when resting, her hands weren't idle. She patted Li Li Xuewu's leg, signaling him to lie over, and massaged his legs for him.

Li Li Xuewu was like a landlord, lying diagonally on the sofa, letting Yu Li knead and rub, humming and hawing.

"How is it over in Jicheng? Did you ask?"

"Didn't ask, I don't manage things."

Li Li Xuewu said indifferently, "He said it himself, babbling on and on. The more I told him not to talk, the more he talked."

"Heh—" Yu Li chuckled lightly, "What exactly did you do to him? Why is he so afraid of you?"

She pinched the inside of Li Li Xuewu's thigh lightly, looked into his eyes, and asked playfully, "Did you beat him?"

Seeing Li Li Xuewu not speaking, she pursed her lips and said, "Judging from the replies from Zhao Lao Wu and Lao Liu, he can be considered a ruthless person. How did you manage to make him so obedient?"

"Also—" She stopped her hand movements and looked at him again, asking, "Among these people, there are more or less some who have 'dirty hands,' but he is the only one who never misses a single cent."

Having said this, she resumed her hand movements and shook her head slightly with emotion, "He really is under your spell."

"I don't have any spell—" Li Li Xuewu looked at the newspaper, curled his lips, and said, "He doesn't take money from the accounts, but he spends money from the accounts openly."

Li Li Xuewu was right about this point. Some young people, like little pine trees, always like to play little tricks.

Actually, Li Li Xuewu understood all of this. In a big forest, there are all kinds of birds. Taking a little more or a little less didn't matter. They all came from poor families and had been poor all their lives and were afraid of being poor.

They were very afraid that the business wouldn't be able to operate tomorrow, so they always thought about their own little schemes, saving some money just in case.

If it were really Li Li Wenbiao and Shen Shen Guodong and the others, even if Li Li Xuewu told them to take it, they wouldn't.

Why?

Because it was their names written on that business license. Could a friendship forged in life and death not overcome mountains of gold and silver?

Besides, Li Li Xuewu never took money seriously; he even took on considerable risks when starting these businesses.

If he really only cared about himself, he wouldn't have done these things. Relying only on his salary and benefits would have been enough for a good life.

With Li Li Xuewu's promotion in rank, Li Li Wenbiao and the others could see this fact more and more clearly. It wasn't Li Li Xuewu exploiting them; rather, it was they who were clinging to Li Li Xuewu.

Looking at the next level of managers, it was different. From the inside, they recognized this kindness of rebuilding, and from the outside, they obeyed management. It's just that people are selfish, which is understandable.

Li Li Xuewu had long ago told them when holding meetings that they shouldn't quibble over a little bit of daily necessities. In such a big scene, caring about that little bit was ultimately petty.

Of course, if they really went too far and crossed the line, then they should be straightforward—whether it's going to the frontier to eat sand or being buried on the mountain. The state has state laws, and the family has family rules; this cannot be indulged.

Happily, the people in charge he selected were all quite smart and would never touch that invisible red line.

But just as Yu Li said, Ding Ding Wanqiu was an exception. That guy relied on his age and was even more shrewd than an ape.

It wasn't that he didn't covet money, but that he had lost interest and meaning in the pursuit of money in this life.

Anyway, he was going to spend the rest of his life in the mainland. He had no wife and no children; what was the use of saving money?

If you really want to talk about it, he was even happier than a eunuch, because his money still had a place to be spent.

Anyway, he didn't think about giving his true heart, and those women wouldn't give him their true feelings either. Wherever they went, it was a match made in heaven.

What to do if the money isn't enough?

This was also what Li Li Xuewu was curling his lips and cursing about. The old bastard was openly making "flower" accounts. The "flower" accounts here didn't mean fake accounts, but accounts recording the money he "spent" outside.

When the old accountants in the detention center first saw this thing, they were all stunned.

It had been many years, and they hadn't seen this kind of account.

If you want to talk about it, it has to be traced back to when they were apprentices. At that time, which young master or nobleman would keep such accounts when withdrawing silver from the accounting room to go out and seek pleasure?

Li Li Xuewu scolded him, not because he felt sorry for the money, but because he felt that the old lecher had polluted the innocence of his brothers.

Every cent they earned was clean, but because of him, the money they spent now might not be so clean.

"He's still thinking about your promise." Li Li Xuewu put both legs up under Yu Li's signal and explained indifferently, "He's still thinking about going to Hong Kong to take revenge."

"I've never understood, what for?"

Yu Li had only heard a few sentences simply; she didn't know the detailed reasons. After all, it wasn't a glorious matter.

Li Li Xuewu, who handled this matter at the beginning, didn't want to mention it, and Ding Ding Wanqiu, who suffered a dumb loss himself, wouldn't mention this matter even more.

But the less it was mentioned, the deeper the hatred became.

"Does it have anything to do with Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao?" Yu Li said, "When I came back to Jingcheng at that time, I saw him looking for that pair of sisters at the club to ask about something."

"Sigh—just some bullshit in the underworld." Li Li Xuewu explained without caring, "The house I bought from him at the beginning was paid for with gold bars, but he was set up by someone, and he rolled back empty-handed. You say, for a person who cares so much about face, can he swallow this evil breath?"

"I just said so—" Yu Li nodded knowingly and said, "Those opera singers don't have any good things."

"Hehehehe—" Li Li Xuewu put down the newspaper in his hand, looked at her, and asked, "What else do you know?"

"I know everything—"

Yu Li rolled her eyes at him, deliberately added some weight to her hand, curled her lips, and said, "You're not a good thing either."

"Hmm, you're right." Li Li Xuewu even affirmed her evaluation, picked up the newspaper, and said, "But you just like bad things."

"Go to hell—" Yu Li scolded him, then asked, "He didn't go to Hong Kong, did Seeing Gelin come back?"

"Probably not, still in Hong Kong."

Li Li Xuewu curled his lips. Yu Li was being ruthless, pressing hard on the soles of his feet, always testing whether his kidneys were good or not.

Actually, evaluating the health of organs based on acupoint reflection is completely a fallacy. Are the kidneys of an eighteen or nineteen-year-old who hasn't experienced human affairs necessarily good? If you press this hard, they will also hurt like hell.

But Yu Li didn't care about this. As long as he dared to curl his lips, she would definitely prepare a ginseng chicken soup to nourish him. It seemed that doing that kind of thing between the two of them made her very afraid of letting him down.

"Lao Lao Biaozi won't let him go." Li Li Xuewu explained, "Xilin isn't pushing for him to come back either."

"How old is Seeing Gelin this year?" Yu Li knew Seeing Gelin wasn't old when he came to the house, and she was still curious about it now.

Li Li Xuewu laughed and curled his lips, saying, "Xilin is blessed; she has both a lover and a son."

"Can you be serious—"

Yu Li was also amused by him, but she still glared at him and scolded, "If Xilin heard this, she would come to Gangcheng to beat you up."

"She won't come." Li Li Xuewu put down the newspaper, sat up, picked up the teacup, took a big gulp, put on his slippers, stood up, and said, "Her life in Jinmen is more comfortable than in the Northeast."

"Alright, let's rest early too."

Li Li Xuewu reached out to pull her and reminded her, "You send the old lady and the others to the train tomorrow morning; I won't go."

"You are not allowed to do that tonight!"

Yu Li got up, blushed, and whispered a reminder to him, "The bedroom door isn't soundproof; you just know how to lie to me."

"Ai hai ai hai you—"

Sun Ming was wearing a well-fitting white shirt and black trousers, and on his feet were newly bought black leather shoes, which matched the black belt on his waist particularly well.

Going to Jingcheng wasn't in vain, not in vain!

Only after going to Jingcheng and seeing that "Cry You Seven Babies" did he understand that there was such beauty in this world.

He could make money and enjoy life; he was bursting with joy.

The person Yu Zhe introduced—he was a bit worried when he first saw him, but just seeing Yu Zhe being infinitely glorious, how could he hold back?

After returning from Jingcheng, he went to Yingcheng and squatted for more than a week. Just over a week, and he was blooming with joy.

"Brother Sun—"

"Big Brother—"

Now, the people coming to pick him up weren't all his former little brothers; a few close ones had already been arranged by him in Yingcheng.

Whether on the ship or on the shore, he liked to use his own people rather than hiring those temporary workers.

"Brother Sun—"

"Big Brother—"

The people coming to pick him up at the station now weren't all his old lackeys; he had already arranged for a few of the ones he was close to in Yingcheng.

Whether on the ships or on the shore, he preferred using his own people rather than hiring those temporary workers.

The port area of Yingcheng was very special now, because many of the guys who looked like fishermen weren't fishermen at all.

They didn't have the capital to start a business, so they just risked their lives working on ships or captaining them; as long as they made a few runs, they could save enough money to buy their own boat, and then bet their lives on a cargo load.

Sun Ming was very cautious, or rather, very stingy; he would rather use these little brothers of his than use outsiders.

Because those other people had set prices, while these little brothers of his were just cheap lives—if they were gone, he could just find more.

And look at him now, he was no longer the man he used to be; he had transformed from a small-time punk hanging around the train station into Brother Sun.

"Don't be polite, we're all brothers, damn it."

He waved his hand with great swagger, slightly lifting his chin to signal to the lackeys who had come to pick him up: "Clear the way, Tuanjie Hotel!"

Sun Ming understood the character of these little brothers too well; them crowding around him was nothing more than to mooch food, drink, and cigarettes.

If you want to talk about underworld loyalty, this land valued the underworld the most, but damn it, it was also the least loyal, especially in their circle.

So even he himself wouldn't hesitate to sell out his brothers, because he was the least loyal of them all, damn it.

Isn't there an old saying in the underworld? There are three treasures for those who hang out in it: eating inside and out, betraying brothers, and seducing the boss's wife.

Sun Ming set up quite a feast at the hotel, watching these young guys who were eating and drinking his fill and just laughing; he didn't feel the slightest bit of heartache over the money, because in his eyes, these little brothers were money.

"Are you sure it's him?"

In the same hotel, a group of people who had arrived later sat at a dining table not far away and ordered a few dishes, but their minds weren't on the food at all; instead, they were secretly keeping an eye on that group of young people.

If Sun Ming could have been a bit more attentive and cared more about what was happening in the industrial park recently, he would have known that the situation wasn't right.

Because sitting at the head of this table was the main person in charge of the investigation team, who had already been in the park for quite some time.

Meng Niansheng had been working in the discipline inspection system all along and had once been a colleague of Yang Yang Zongfang, the current executive deputy director of the Metallurgical Plant.

He was the section chief of the first division, and Yang Yang Zongfang was the section chief of the second division; the two were not only colleagues but also secretly had a competitive relationship.

However, following Yang Yang Zongfang's transfer to Steel City to take up his post, this competitive relationship had disappeared.

Of course, their relationship as colleagues hadn't been that close either, and after coming to Steel City, their meetings were mostly strictly professional.

Because to this day, no one could say who was higher or lower between the two; there was absolutely no standard basis for comparison.

Meng Niansheng was currently the person in charge of the first division of the inspection team, reporting directly to Deputy Director Zhou Wanquan, a member of the core group; in the eyes of many people in the agency, he was now the group's "brocade-clad guard."

Looking at Yang Yang Zongfang again, he was also the executive deputy director of the Metallurgical Plant, a heavy industry subsidiary of the group, and last time he had almost secured the position of director of Steel Auto.

Although he hadn't succeeded, it also indirectly proved that Yang Yang Zongfang had the ability and the foundation.

If you asked them to say it themselves, they wouldn't want to; it was just that their relationship was secretly a bit tense.

However, Meng Niansheng had come here on official business and had no reason to aim his spear at Yang Yang Zongfang, even though the other party was already the person in charge of the Metallurgical Plant and needed to be responsible for the safety production accident of Furnace No. 4.

But in reality, everyone understood that when Furnace No. 4 was originally approved, Yang Yang Zongfang wasn't the one in charge, and its construction and later operation were not within the scope of his supervisory work.

Even if he was the main person in charge now, he had only been promoted after the incident with Furnace No. 4.

By comparison, Meng Niansheng still had to rely on this relationship to learn more about the actual situation from the Metallurgical Plant.

Before he came, he couldn't have imagined why this case had dragged on for so long without an answer; he had really thought, as the rumors said, that the Secretary-General had interfered with the investigation of the case.

It was only after he led the team here that he discovered the situation inside wasn't complicated; rather, how to cut in and how to lift the lid was the most troublesome part.

He was, of course, upright; if he didn't have this belief, he wouldn't have stayed working in the system all along.

However, at his position, doing things ultimately required attention to methods and approaches; it was impossible to just smash and chisel blindly.

He had already endured pressure from Deputy Director Su of the group, who was urging him to get results as soon as possible.

Actually, Meng Niansheng was also waiting for an opportunity, and coincidentally, he inadvertently discovered this young man named Sun Ming.

He frequently entered and exited the Metallurgical Plant and had quite a bit of influence in the industrial park; investigation revealed he was also the nephew-in-law of Jia Yun, of the Metallurgical Plant's production section.

These things were nothing; checking his past was nothing more than trivial matters, but digging further was different.

And who knew what the situation was, but the former driver of Secretary-General Li Li Xuewu had suddenly appeared in Steel City.

Regarding Li Li Xuewu, Meng Niansheng had long been prepared; he didn't intend to touch this minefield—he wasn't an idiot.

As the old saying goes, when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer.

He had worked at the Red Star Plant for so many years and had seen all kinds of storms; Li Li Xuewu was the only leader he couldn't understand.

Since he couldn't touch him, he would go around him, because he had been here for such a long time, and Li Li Xuewu hadn't talked to him even once.

Regarding this point, he was still very grateful, and naturally, he had made a decision in his heart.

It was just that Yu Zhe was too high-profile and had gotten mixed up with Sun Ming, whom they had just finished investigating.

He naturally wasn't very willing to pay attention to those gossip stories, but the actual situation seen after stripping away the gossip forced them to choose to continue keeping an eye on Yu Zhe and Sun Ming.

The reaction from Beijing was very strange; Yu Zhe's situation was very clear, with no unspeakable past.

Moreover, comparing it to the feedback they received, they couldn't find out how Yu Zhe had "made his fortune"—it seemed to have happened suddenly.

This matter was reported by him to Deputy Director Su, who was quite excited and demanded that he must keep a close eye on this line and dig deep; whatever he dug up, he would cover for him.

Meng Niansheng knew what he meant; although he had concerns, he didn't believe the Secretary-General would do such a thing.

Actually, to put it bluntly, he didn't believe Li Li Xuewu would be so stupid; having broken through such a complicated environment, could he leave behind such an obvious handle?

But since there was a lead, and he could account for it to Deputy Director Su and Deputy Director Zhou, and he had received the leader's requirements and instructions, he could only continue to handle it.

The Yu Zhe whom the inspection team in Beijing was keeping a close eye on seemed to have suddenly lowered his flag and stopped drumming, with no movement; this flash of vanity in Steel City was like a sudden resurrection in a life that had just returned to calm, and he had returned to a peaceful life trajectory.

The investigator said Yu Zhe went to work on time every day, got off work on time, and stayed with his wife when he got home, going nowhere.

Is this still the dashing playboy in Steel City, damn it? What kind of innocent, big-tailed wolf are you pretending to be with us, damn it!

According to Su Weide, they must keep a close eye on Yu Zhe; there must be some unspeakable secret.

His exact words were that the more one puts on such an act, the more one is covering up filth that one is ashamed to expose.

The leader's words were indeed high-level; Yu Zhe had to be watched, and Sun Ming had to be watched too, but no one knew what Sun Ming had done in Beijing.

When the investigator followed him, Sun Ming had already bought a pile of things and was preparing to set off back to Liaodong; they were too late.

As a result, the pressure was passed on to Meng Niansheng.

Of course, their people followed Sun Ming to Yingcheng, and there were people watching him in Yingcheng too; they knew Sun Ming was doing "legitimate smuggling business" and were certain they had caught a big fish.

Because it was different from the group's distribution channels, the things Sun Ming obtained were shipped out from his uncle-in-law's place, and the things he brought back didn't go through the group's distribution channels.

This showed that what they were doing hadn't been certified by the group's channels and didn't conform to procedures.

Now seeing Yu Zhe "suddenly become rich," he roughly knew the situation; it seemed Yu Zhe was "repaying kindness with gratitude" and had given his good brother Sun Ming a clear path to wealth.

It was just that there was one point he couldn't figure out: is this Yu Zhe an idiot? With such a channel to make money, why didn't he keep it for himself?

He couldn't figure it out; anyway, it was very strange.

The current situation was that Sun Ming had made his fortune and was preparing for a big move; coming back was for the purpose of recruiting troops and buying horses.

Meng Niansheng wasn't in a hurry to close the net; he was prepared to cast a long line to catch a big fish; a Jia Yun definitely couldn't satisfy Deputy Director Su's appetite, nor could it make the newly arrived Deputy Director Zhou feel satisfied.

He had no intention of targeting Yang Yang Zongfang, and he dared not aim at Li Li Xuewu even more, but work was work; this was his responsibility.

"Let's go, let's go back first."

He put down his chopsticks and at the same time instructed his subordinates: "Keep a close eye on him, see who he goes to meet."

As he spoke, he stood up and left, not looking at Sun Ming's group again; he still had important matters to attend to.

"How are you so sure Jia Yun has something to do with this matter?" Meng Niansheng returned to the work site and summoned Zhang Mingyuan, the team leader sent by the technical department, to ask: "Tell me more."

"It's not just Jia Yun, it's many of them."

Zhang Mingyuan introduced very seriously: "When we were executing our work, we discovered that whether it was the Metallurgical Plant or other factories originally in the Metallurgical Plant system, the grassroots cadres were all these people; much of the discourse power was held by them."

"We arranged for technicians to follow the team for training, but they insisted on following their own rules and temporarily stuffed a few people in."

He frowned and explained: "I can tell that these people are just here to be gilded, just to mooch this opportunity."

"Oh—" Meng Niansheng frowned slightly and thought as he said: "But this isn't enough to prove it has something to do with Jia Yun, right?"

"But Jia Yun has been the person in charge of the production section since the steel plant period." Zhang Mingyuan reminded him: "Deputy Director Dong trusts him, and the Secretary-General also trusts him very much."

"Hmm? Is that so—" Seeing Zhang Mingyuan specifically mention these two people, Meng Niansheng gave him a meaningful look.

Perhaps discovering his probing gaze, Zhang Mingyuan lowered his head and explained reluctantly: "I mean that's what I meant."

"It doesn't matter, you can say whatever you know."

Meng Niansheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said: "Regarding Jia Yun's situation, do you have any other news?"

"He's been very active lately..."

Zhang Mingyuan hesitated for a moment, raised his head, and explained: "Because I have to deal with him every day, I just see people visiting his office frequently, and he's also making phone calls frequently; he seems very busy."

"He is the person in charge; isn't it normal for him to be busy?"

Meng Niansheng said indifferently: "You have to provide me with actual evidence or proof."

"Then I can only say you have to go to the workshop to keep an eye on it." Zhang Mingyuan shook his head slightly, but said with certainty: "I don't know what they are doing, but it will definitely come out of the workshop; it will never come out of the warehouse, because the warehouse is managed with the participation of the Security Division, and there are very detailed accounts."

"I know this now." Meng Niansheng nodded, looked at him, and said: "Alright, that's it for now; if you have any more news, come find me."

"Then I'll go back first." Zhang Mingyuan nodded, and before leaving, he mentioned one more thing: "Oh, by the way, Deputy Director Su gave me a call and told me to cooperate with you seriously."

"Hmm, I know, thank you."

Meng Niansheng rarely gave a smile, watching the other party go out the door, but the moment the other party left, the smile on his face disappeared.

This Zhang Mingyuan was indeed introduced to him by Deputy Director Su; he knew there was such a person before he came.

He didn't want to care about what Deputy Director Su meant or what his purpose was; he only did things according to the rules.

As for the Deputy Director Dong and the Secretary-General mentioned by the other party just now, he had long been aware that this kid had come with a purpose.

Now that Jia Yun had a problem, he would only investigate Jia Yun and would never cross the line; he knew very well what the result of crossing the line was.

As for whether this Zhang Mingyuan had a direct communication channel with Deputy Director Su or any other connection, he didn't care, nor would he take the other party's reminder just now to heart.

A kid whose hair hadn't even grown out yet, did he still want to teach him how to do things?

"So much money?" Jia Yun looked at the "pile of money" on the coffee table in disbelief and looked at the opposite side.

On the sofa opposite, his closest nephew was sitting there, acting like an idiot, proudly posing and waiting for him to praise him.

Of course, he had to say one thing: this nephew was worth cultivating; after all these years, there was finally a return, and it wasn't in vain that he had cared for and helped him and his mother for so many years.

"Did you leave a share for Yu Zhe?"

After the surprise, Jia Yun faced an important question, which was how to distribute the money.

Although it was very painful, he knew this wasn't a one-off deal and had to distribute "dividends" to everyone involved.

"No, what does it have to do with him—"

Sun Ming said with great disdain: "It wasn't until I went to Beijing that I found out that actually, that Mr. Gucang was only able to find him because he had no other choice."

"You must never overestimate him; Yu Zhe has no ability, he only knows how to be obsessed with that Zhang Meili, and he hasn't accomplished anything."

"What do you mean?" Jia Yun frowned and said: "Isn't this a business deal between Yu Zhe and... that person?"

"I estimate it's that person's, but it's definitely not Yu Zhe's." Sun Ming explained very seriously: "That person is perhaps helping him out of consideration for the fact that he once served as his driver."

"But anyone can see that Yu Zhe is just an A Dou who can't be lifted up, damn it; that Mr. Gucang in Beijing has long had complaints, because Yu Zhe often makes mistakes, and not only has he not made money, he's even lost capital; he's just looking for someone to replace him, he just hasn't found the right opportunity."

"And you know this?" Jia Yun frowned and scolded: "Is it that you are closer to that Gucang, or is Yu Zhe closer to that person?"

"According to what you said, that Gucang is also cooperating with him; you doing this, isn't that slapping his face?"

"It won't be, Uncle." Sun Ming frowned and explained: "It was that Gucang who said that he would take that share and give it directly to that person; we don't need to worry about it here, and we don't need to worry about Yu Zhe either."

"Is that really so?" Jia Yun looked at his nephew deeply, very suspicious that he was narrow-minded and didn't want to share the money.

"Of course it's like that." Sun Ming pointed to the money on the table and said: "I brought all the money; you decide what to do."

"Sigh—" It wasn't until this moment that Jia Yun let out a long sigh and said: "Xiao Ming, you have to have a life to earn money and a life to spend it; being cautious is never too much."

"I know, Uncle." Sun Ming nodded and said: "You didn't see that I don't even use outsiders, I only use my own people."

"Hmm, don't be stingy anymore." Jia Yun grabbed a bundle from the pile of money and threw it over, saying: "Distribute it to them."

Sun Ming didn't pay attention and threw it to the side; his eyes were looking at the big pile.

Jia Yun naturally knew he was waiting for his distribution; whether they could be united as one or be divided, it all depended on how he manipulated his hands.

"Don't have any complaints about me doing this."

He divided it into more than a dozen stacks according to the names, left the smallest stack, unwrapped it, and handed the big portion to Sun Ming.

"Uncle, this is—" Sun Ming was stunned.

"What use is money to me?" Jia Yun threw his share into the bag and said indifferently: "It's not easy for me to send this money; you follow the list I gave you and send it to their homes one by one; be very careful on the way, don't let anyone see."

"Uncle." Sun Ming looked at his share, which was more than double his uncle's, while the money sent out accounted for a large portion, meaning they had worked for half a day and only eaten the small portion.

"Remember, people who know how to share will live long." Jia Yun pointed his finger at him and taught him: "Without these people, your things can't be done, and you are going to do big things in the future; you must never be petty about such things."

"I know, Uncle, I don't feel heartache over the money."

Although he said so, he still moved his eyes away from the big pile with difficulty, unwrapped a large portion of his share, and handed it back, saying: "You have to take the big portion."

"Go, spend it sparingly." Jia Yun waved his hand and said: "You are no different from my own son; let's not be petty about more or less between us two; remember to give some to your mother, let her save it for you to use to marry a wife."

"Thank you, Uncle—" Sun Ming was so moved; his uncle was closer than his own father; his own father only beat him and didn't let him learn to be bad, but had never been generous with money.

Anyway, he firmly believed one thing: money can make the devil push the mill, and without money, he is the devil pushing the mill; he must stand out!