Chapter 1647: Loyalty

Li Xuewu had already passed one o'clock when he came out of the Light Arms Institute. On the way upstairs, he met Feng Xingke, the general manager of the Labor Service General Company, and chatted for a few words. It was exactly two o'clock when he reached the office.

In just the morning, when the car came out of the academy, snow could no longer be seen on the road. The Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone was even more so, and the cleaning effect was better than in the city.

When he mentioned this on the way upstairs, Feng Xingke smiled and introduced the work results of the Labor Service Company this year.

There is a reason why the sanitation and landscaping work in the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone is done well.

How many snow removal vehicles can be seen in the city? The Labor Service Company prepared 20 of them, and they started road operations as soon as the snow came down last night, without delaying a bit of time.

You say the Red Steel Group has many employees, so this little snow doesn't count for much in front of manpower, but the account isn't calculated like that.

Delaying three hours of production time or affecting three hours of employee rest time, the cost is far higher than mechanical operations.

Another thing, the smooth roads in the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone have also brought convenience and guarantees to economic work.

Any employee or cadre being late will indirectly affect the operation and development of the entire Group.

Rather than consuming the employees' enthusiasm and labor efficiency, it is better to spend some money to purchase mechanical equipment.

Machines are stronger than manpower. Small snowflakes can't see the power of snow removal vehicles, but this snowy day, which can be counted as a disaster, finally highlighted the advancement of the Group leaders' decision-making.

Upon entering the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone road section, the workers stepped on their bicycles. The road surface had a bit of frost, but it didn't delay riding at all.

Red Star Broadcasting reported this news in the morning broadcast, reminding the vast number of employees to pay attention to commuting safety, but didn't mention the news of calling on them to participate in voluntary snow removal labor.

According to Feng Xingke, the Labor Service Company's existing labor force can fully support the Group's labor service work.

In the past few years, personnel system changes have transferred many employees to the Labor Service Company, especially those who exceeded the age limit and lacked competitiveness in the adjustment pool.

These people performed excellently in the past ten or even decades of work and have a certain sense of collective belonging.

The Red Steel Group couldn't "sweep out the door" all employees, and those who couldn't be settled couldn't be driven out to starve.

Without the competitiveness of a unique skill, nor the physical strength to fight in the construction company, they could only do basic labor work.

The process of personnel system change lasted for three whole years. In the three-year plan formulated last year, the Group's organizational personnel system change was still focused on as key work.

In the process of the Group's establishment and growth, organizational personnel are an important component that cannot be ignored.

The Labor Service Company, the Third Industry Company, the Construction Company, and other positions biased toward physical labor were opened to transferred employees.

Not everyone in this era has consciousness; they are a brick of socialism, moved wherever the leader says to move, and there are those who are unwilling.

Unwillingness is useless. The system and policy don't target any individual; from top to bottom, everyone is assessed, including leadership assessment.

Li Huai De even formulated a work assessment procedure for himself, reporting at the general meeting of all employee representatives every year, and it needs to be recognized by the employee representatives to be accepted.

The general manager can be impartial and set an example. When the assessment reaches the individual, one has to fight with strength.

The capable go up, the weak step aside; there are no conditions to talk about.

Today's snow removal activity is the best example. A colleague who used to be in the workshop, if they performed excellently and had superb craftsmanship, they could continue to stay in the workshop without having to work outdoors in the wind and snow.

One who falls behind in the assessment has to accept adjustment and come to the sanitation team, having to endure and be tired no matter how big the snow is.

The one in the workshop rides a bicycle past, and the one transferred to the sanitation team stands by the road leaning on an iron shovel; the contrast is sharp.

There is a saying that goes well: the Red Steel Group doesn't raise useless people or idle people.

"Secretary-General, didn't you eat lunch?"

Li Xuewu had just returned to the office, and before he even took off his overcoat, the useless person in Su Weide's eyes, the idle person in others' eyes, came.

Gu Cheng stood at the door and looked into the office. Seeing that he had truly returned, he walked in with a smile and greeted him.

Li Xuewu turned his head and saw it was him, nodded, and explained casually, "Went to the Light Arms Institute and ate there."

"I said so, how come I didn't see you in the cafeteria." He said with a chuckle, "If it were usual, you would definitely eat lunch in the cafeteria after coming back from class."

"Looking for me? Something up?"

Li Xuewu saw him say this, walked to sit behind the office desk, sorted out the documents, and asked casually.

"Hehe—there is a little something."

Gu Cheng smiled embarrassedly, stood on the side of his office desk, blinked his eyes, and explained, "By the end of the year, it will be three years since I worked under Deputy Director Su."

"Mm, what about three years?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyelids and glanced at him, saying, "Issuing you a three-year secretarial work commemorative medal or something?"

"Hey—what virtue and ability do I have!"

Gu Cheng could truly pull it off, laughing and saying, "I can't say I'm squatting in the latrine without shitting in this position, but I count as occupying a position without doing the work. How can I deserve a medal."

"Alright, you have a bit of self-knowledge."

Li Xuewu looked him over, then looked at the documents, and asked feignedly and faintly, "Speak, what do you want."

"Nothing in particular, I'm not in a rush, it's our Deputy Director Su who is in a rush."

He winked and explained, "He already talked to me, praised me, and asked if I had any ideals and ambitions."

"Hehe, ideals." Li Xuewu said with a chuckle, "You aren't quite idealistic, tell him."

"Yes, I said it, he wasn't happy."

Gu Cheng pretended to explain, "I told him, my ideal and ambition is to be his secretary for a lifetime."

"Heh—" Li Xuewu couldn't hold back and laughed out loud.

"I think," Gu Cheng said softly with a bad smile, "Deputy Director Su thinks this isn't an ideal, but a revenge, a malicious revenge."

"Then you must have misunderstood Deputy Director Su. He is also very reluctant to part with you." Li Xuewu teased, "How can he live without you."

"Hahahaha—it's not as serious as you said."

Gu Cheng said with a bad smile, "Anyway, he told me a lot about young people needing to step out of their comfort zone, go out and venture, and that the vast world outside has great potential."

"My answer anyway was two words—" He stood at attention and saluted, "Loyalty!"

"Go, go, go—get lost!"

Li Xuewu watched him play treasure, his cheeks hurt from holding back, and he scolded without good air, "If you have nothing to do, go sweep the snow outside."

"Hey, there's no snow for me to sweep."

Seeing that he was in a good mood, Gu Cheng leaned into the office desk and asked softly, "Leader, what do you think I should do."

"You ask me?" Li Xuewu glanced at him sideways and said, "Who do I ask?"

"Don't—" Gu Cheng winked and said, "I don't believe anyone else, I only believe you can give me pointers."

"Listen to me?" Li Xuewu looked at him and said, "I say you should listen to Deputy Director Su's arrangement."

"..." Gu Cheng was somewhat speechless, looked at him, and asked, "Do you doubt my loyalty?"

"Don't pull nonsense—" Li Xuewu glared at him and asked, "Don't you have any place you want to go yourself?"

"How could I not? If this place doesn't keep the master, there is naturally a place that keeps the master." Gu Cheng curled his lips and said, "If he can't tolerate me, I'll follow you to Liaodong."

He looked at Li Xuewu expectantly and asked, "Leader, I heard you are going to establish a Northeast General Company in Steel City?"

"That's not a place that keeps the master either."

Li Xuewu twitched his mouth and reminded him, "Don't always think about the industrial sector. What era is this? It's still old thinking."

He said while flipping through documents, "You are young cadres, representing the Group's future, so you should learn new thinking and strive to be good young people."

"Combine your own struggle with the development of the enterprise, and bloom brilliance in the most ordinary positions."

These words completely stunned Gu Cheng. He didn't expect the Secretary-General to be so eloquent, treating him like a report.

"Peng Xiaoli went to the industrial sector."

He said somewhat unconvinced, "Even he said the industrial sector is the easiest to achieve results, and it is also the only way for cadres to grow."

"You listen to him, then go ask him, why ask me?" Li Xuewu said faintly, "Go, go do what you should do, don't affect my work."

"Tell me more, where does the Group's development need me." Gu Cheng begged shamelessly, "You also know this step is crucial for my career."

He asked with a pitiful expression, "You won't watch me waste my youth and become mediocre, right?"

"Are you that special?"

Li Xuewu raised his head and looked at him, saying, "You are just a new recruit who hasn't experienced the beating of grassroots work. I don't know how high your ideals are, but don't say them out, because I will laugh if I hear them."

He pointed at the office desk and said, "With your work experience and qualifications, if I let you be a section chief in a factory production section, can you handle it?"

"That position is the easiest to achieve results, but the responsibility is also the greatest. Haven't you heard that the higher you stand, the heavier you fall?"

"Your meaning is—" Gu Cheng thought seriously and asked, "Let me start from a simple position?"

"I have already emphasized at the Group office meeting that the most taboo thing is to use a secretary for a long time."

Li Xuewu frowned slightly and looked at him, saying, "This will not only affect your career development but also make your rank as falsely high as your ideals."

"You say it yourself, if I let you go down now, what are you most confident in doing?" He looked Gu Cheng over and said, "Section chief level, think for yourself how to arrange it, is it awkward or not?"

Awkward. If it weren't awkward, Gu Cheng wouldn't have come to ask him for advice.

If he listened to Deputy Director Su's arrangement, Gu Cheng wouldn't dare to bet on whether this old guy would pit him. Looking at his father-in-law's face alone wasn't enough.

He wasn't that he didn't think about being a production section chief for a term, just like Peng Xiaoli, and even more glorious than the other party.

When Peng Xiaoli went down, he served as deputy section chief of the production section, and he is still a deputy section chief to this day.

Moreover, the factory Peng Xiaoli went to wasn't a core factory, but a food factory converted from the third industry, which couldn't count as regular troops.

It's just that after listening to the Secretary-General's words, he finally understood a bit. If he took this step too fast, it would be easy to pull his eggs.

Deputy Director Su wouldn't mind helping him operate to this position. It was his own willingness, and if he couldn't do it well, it was his own incompetence.

When a Group leader's secretary is sent down, the Organization Department and Personnel Office generally won't block it. If the leader wants a position, they will give it.

If Deputy Director Su truly arranged for him to go to Liaodong, he would die without knowing how he died, and in the end, he wouldn't know where to complain or appeal.

"Then where can I go?"

Gu Cheng looked bitter, having long lost his earlier playfulness.

Li Xuewu looked at him for a few seconds and said faintly, "Either go to the Education and Medical Administration Bureau, or go to the sales sector."

Of course, he wouldn't treat Gu Cheng poorly. This kid joked about loyalty, but what he actually did was truly in place.

The mine is about to explode. At this time, there is no need for him to follow Deputy Director Su to be buried together; jumping out early is also good.

"Sales sector?" Gu Cheng frowned upon hearing this, looked bitter, and explained, "Wouldn't that mean running all over the country?"

He hesitated and explained, "My spouse's due date is this month, and she's about to give birth. If I go to the sales sector..."

"Then resign, don't work."

Li Xuewu lowered his eyelids and said, "Stay at home and coax the children every day, you'll have plenty of time."

Seeing his tone change, Gu Cheng didn't dare to speak anymore, just stood there without moving, obviously scared.

"Who doesn't have a family? Except for you, is everyone in the Group a bachelor?" Li Xuewu scolded him without good air, "Don't I have a family? Don't I have children?"

"If I follow your logic, don't go to Steel City, just stay in the capital, and the Group shouldn't develop either. Everyone guards their own door, no one goes out, can this work?!"

He patted the table lightly and said, "You want to work hard to make progress, but you also want to be picky. Is the Group your family's?"

"What does the Group rely on to have today? It's sales."

Li Xuewu pointed at him and said, "You can enjoy high welfare because the comrades in the sales sector are working hard."

"Only by selling products can the Group obtain benefits, develop, and issue and improve welfare benefits."

"You also work in the organ, it's not like you don't see data reports. Don't you know what the leaders look at every day?"

Li Xuewu curled his lips and looked at him, saying, "You aren't working for the first day either. Don't you have a complete plan for your career and profession?"

He glanced at Gu Cheng and said, "Go back and think about it carefully. Only after you think it through, go report to Deputy Director Su."

"Thank you, Leader." Gu Cheng looked at him with a wilted expression, thanked him, and turned to retreat.

"Wait—"

Li Xuewu still didn't have a good tone, took a red envelope from the drawer, and patted it on the table.

"Congratulations on becoming a father soon."

"Thank you, Leader!" Gu Cheng instantly came alive and thanked him with a smile, "Didn't expect you to prepare a red envelope."

However, he didn't go to take it, but explained embarrassedly, "The child hasn't been born yet."

"Take it. I might not be able to make it to the capital by then." Li Xuewu pushed it over and glanced at him sideways, saying, "You are about to be a father, you have to mature."

He said with feigned dissatisfaction, "Don't tell me you also want your child to learn to be as useless as you?"

"Then I'll accept it—"

Gu Cheng pursed his lips and took the red envelope, nodded seriously, and said, "I will definitely think about it carefully and will never live up to your cultivation and expectations."

"It's cultivation—" Li Xuewu twitched his mouth, waved his hand, and said, "Get lost, don't let me see you again, annoying—"

"Alright, you get busy—"

Gu Cheng walked out like a dog-leg, holding the red envelope. He didn't look at the thickness of the red envelope; he didn't care about this.

His father-in-law's family only had one daughter, and their family life wasn't too difficult. Money was a good thing in his eyes, but the red envelope given by the Secretary-General had already exceeded the original meaning of money.

Is this money?

This is a reward for his loyalty!

"Heard you went to the Light Arms Institute?"

On the way back from the toilet, Gao Yaqing saw him in the office and turned in, rubbing her hands and asking, "What did you do?"

"Said there is a new project, about rifles."

Li Xuewu raised his head when he saw it was her, didn't care, and didn't even stand up, letting his vision fall on the materials again.

The organizational work meeting is to be held in the middle of the month, as well as the year-end summary meeting, and then the employee representative meeting.

The end of the year is just like this, many meetings and many farts.

Gao Yaqing pulled the chair and sat down on her own, folded her legs, looked at him, and asked, "How is it, is it a good project?"

"Hm?" Li Xuewu raised his head and looked at her amusingly, asking, "What standard counts as a good project."

"I don't know what a good project is in your eyes, but in mine," Gao Yaqing said with a smile, "a project that can make money is a good project."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu said with a chuckle, "It's a pity, in my eyes, and in yours, it doesn't count as a good project."

"Then it's meaningless—"

Those who do economics are so realistic, and women who do economics are even more realistic. She had already lost interest in the Light Arms Institute's new project.

"Didn't you guide them?"

She said amusingly, "So they can take fewer detours, that little pitiful funding must be used in the right place."

"Where is there a detour in scientific research." Li Xuewu didn't care about her joke, but said casually, "All detours are preparations made to meet the correct choice unexpectedly."

"If you take too many detours, you know how to take the right path. R&D is such a process."

Li Xuewu put the finished materials aside, rubbed his eyes, and asked, "Is your meeting material ready?"

"No—" Gao Yaqing leaned on the chair somewhat tiredly, sighed lightly, and said, "Most annoyed by the end of the year, why are there so many things."

"It's okay, just this month, it will pass if you hold on." Li Xuewu picked up the materials and looked at them again, saying, "If you were in a local unit, you would definitely feel more tired than now."

"Can see it, your energy is much fuller than mine."

Gao Yaqing looked him over a few times, then asked, "Hey, Deputy Director Gu proposed at the core group meeting that this year's employee representative meeting should be divided into small group discussions."

"Haven't you heard? Which group are you responsible for?"

"Haven't heard of it?" Li Xuewu looked at her suspiciously and asked, "Who is presiding? Deputy Director Gu?"

"Mm, Director Li arranged it this way."

Gao Yaqing pursed her lips, "Perhaps because you are in Liaodong, so you were divided into the industrial group."

"Industrial, cultural, technical, safety, organizational, logistics, financial, economic, eight groups."

She raised her eyebrows, "Financial and economic are actually discussed separately. Do you think there is any doorway in this?"

"Ahem—" Li Xuewu coughed lightly, "Didn't see it, isn't it quite normal? Why are you overthinking it?"

"Did I overthink it?" Gao Yaqing frowned, "Did I overthink it?"

"Hehe." Li Xuewu put down the fountain pen in his hand, placed his fingers crosswise on the table in front of his chest, looked at her, and said, "If you didn't overthink it, why come ask me this?"

"I just—asked casually."

Gao Yaqing looked him over and said, "Could it be that you overthought it?"

"If you didn't overthink it, then I didn't overthink it." Li Xuewu said amusingly, "I haven't thought about why finance has to be discussed separately from economics, nor have I thought about why it can't be discussed separately."

He pointed his finger at the material he was looking at and said, "I am involved in these eight items. Even if I overthought it, shouldn't I?"

Seeing him say this, Gao Yaqing narrowed her eyes and looked at him for a long time before saying, "You are truly cunning."

"Hey! Why are you scolding people!"

Li Xuewu pointed at her amusingly and said, "You are a bit bullying, coming to my office to scold me?"

"Who dares to scold you—"

Gao Yaqing curled her lips, her eyelids drooping, and said, "Turning hands for clouds, covering hands for rain, scaring people to death."

"I don't even know what you are talking about." Li Xuewu looked at her with a smile and asked, "Do you want to teach me? Explain it to me?"

"Forget it—" Gao Yaqing leaned sideways and said, "I don't dare to teach you. I still have this bit of self-knowledge."

She looked at the door, then raised her chin and asked, "Talked to Director Li?"

"Mm," Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Talked as soon as I came back."

"That's good, it's finally about to settle." Gao Yaqing narrowed her eyes and looked him over, saying, "When is Deputy Director Gu leaving? Is it decided where to go?"

"Hm?" Li Xuewu looked at her in surprise and asked, "Deputy Director Gu is leaving? Who told you?"

"What kind of expression is this?"

Gao Yaqing looked at him and said, "Don't tell me you don't know. In previous years, didn't you represent the Management Committee to make the work report? This year it was changed to her. Is this normal?"

"Hey! Think before you speak!"

She tilted her head, stared at Li Xuewu's eyes, and emphasized, "Don't treat me like a fool."

"What am I fooling you with."

Li Xuewu shook his head amusingly and said, "Just relying on this, you conclude she is leaving?"

"If she doesn't leave, could it be old Su leaving?"

Gao Yaqing leaned over and looked at him, saying softly, "You won't let him go, and Director Li didn't want to let him go either."

Li Xuewu was speechless. How could such words be said in this kind of occasion? How was he supposed to answer!

"If he is smart enough, he should apply now, or even find connections to transfer out."

Gao Yaqing curled her lips in disdain and said, "Refusing to stop until he makes himself doomed, he is truly muddled."

"Since you are so smart, help him."

Li Xuewu looked at her amusingly and said, "In case he is grateful, kowtows, and recognizes you as a big brother."

"You can truly pull it off—"

Gao Yaqing almost couldn't hold back her laughter, stood up to leave, but couldn't help glancing at him, pointing at him and saying softly, "You are truly cunning!"

"I'm not wearing ice skates, why would my feet be slippery—"

Li Xuewu was too lazy to pay attention to her and continued to look at the documents. Breaking his plan so bluntly, isn't it also a kind of attitude?

He never thought about calculating her, but she was afraid.

The days around the winter solstice are getting shorter, and the sky gets dark if you are not careful. The bell for getting off work also rang after dark.

He never remembers the school bell when he was a child being after dark. Perhaps this is why adults are harder than children.

After five o'clock in the afternoon, Sha Zhu told him on the office phone that the eldest aunt in the courtyard was gone.

No panic, not so sad, expected long ago. After all, that situation could live until now, which is already considered long.

He just asked one sentence. Sha Zhu replied that the coffin had been prepared long ago, and he had also greeted the street office.

This era still advocates cremation, but it doesn't card death that it must be cremation. If there is a grave, naturally there is no worry about falling into the wilderness.

Hate Yi Zhonghai is a local resident, settled in the Fengtai area for more than three generations, and later entered the city when he couldn't live.

It's easy for him to find ancestral graves, but Sha Zhu said the eldest grandfather didn't want to, just wanted to find an empty place to bury her.

Said it was for fear that it would be inconvenient for Sha Zhu to visit the grave.

This is the pain of having no children to rely on. When leaving, although not lonely, there is no lack of regret.

Sha Zhu is close, but he is not his own biological son. Even things like visiting the grave after death have to consider the other party's feelings.

Li Xuewu didn't say much. He asked if there was anything difficult. Sha Zhu said it had been prepared long ago, nothing difficult.

The eldest grandfather had already asked for leave. With the face of an eighth-level worker, naturally, the leaders were willing to give leave.

The bell for getting off work rang. Li Xuewu had already called Gu Ning and home, so he prepared to tidy up and go to the courtyard.

If he wasn't at home, forget it. If he was at home, how could he justify not going over to take a look.

Although the two families had no economic dealings or kinship feelings, they were neighbors in the same courtyard for so many years.

You say there is no involvement. The eldest grandfather has been in charge of the courtyard for so many years, how could it be that they are strangers.

"You don't need to send me, let Qi Yan help me prepare a car. I won't go home tonight, there is something in the courtyard."

Li Xuewu saw Zhang Enyuan coming in to tidy up things, intending to send him home first and then come back to work overtime. 【1647-212

He waved his hand and said, "Don't work too late either; if you can't manage, go to the office and find someone to help. Many hands make light work."

"I'm doing alright; I can handle the work."

Zhang Enyuan walked to the phone and said, "I'll request a car for you; Qi Yan should be warming up the engine right now."

"Hmm." Li Xuewu nodded, went to the lounge, and found a pair of thick cotton-padded trousers in the cupboard.

It wasn't that he was being delicate; it had just finished snowing heavily, and it was the coldest time, plus with the funeral at night, just thinking about it made him feel cold.

He changed into his thick cotton-padded clothes, and when he came out, Zhang Enyuan reported that he had already communicated with Qi Yan, and the car was waiting downstairs.

"Alright, go back to your work."

Li Xuewu nodded and instructed, "If you don't want to go to the Tuanjie Hotel, just make do for the night in my room."

He picked up his leather gloves, didn't even take his briefcase, and after giving instructions to Zhang Enyuan, he left the office.

Downstairs, Qi Yan was waiting by the car in his military overcoat; seeing him walk out of the building entrance, he came over to meet him.

"The car was arranged by Captain Han."

He reported in a low voice, "He helped you prepare some spirit paper in the trunk, saying you might find it useful."

"Alright, I know." Li Xuewu patted his arm and said, "It's the first day; I won't need that yet."

It wasn't strange at all that Han Jiankun could judge his itinerary; in that position, if one didn't understand or know the leader's needs, one wouldn't last long.

This was also the reason why, even though many people knew Han Jiankun had once been his driver, he could still remain in that position for a long time.

Careful, steady, and never making mistakes.

Let alone Li Xuewu's former driver, even if it were Li Xuewu's former secretary, no one would say anything.

Li Xuewu looked at the Cruiser at the entrance and didn't say anything more to Qi Yan; after all, it was Han Jiankun's good intention.

According to the rules, as a Group leader, he shouldn't be driving the car himself; he didn't even have a Group-issued driver's license for official vehicles, which was a violation.

But since Han Jiankun was his man, who else would dare to challenge him?

If other Group leaders also wanted to drive themselves, no one would stand up and say anything; it was better not to use a driver anyway.

However, not many leaders were truly willing to drive themselves; after all, driving in this day and age was both a technical and exhausting job.

Li Xuewu just didn't want Qi Yan to suffer along with him; after all, there was no telling how long it might take.

He opened the car door and got in; the heater had been running, and the inside of the car was quite warm.

He waved to Qi Yan, stepped on the gas, and slowly drove out; it wasn't until he turned onto the main road that he picked up speed.

Han Jiankun giving him this car, fearing the roads would be difficult to navigate in the snow, showed he had put in the effort.

It hadn't been in development for over two years for nothing; while the performance and handling of this car couldn't compare to the ease of later vehicles, it possessed a certain level of advancement.

At least it was much more comfortable than the Red Star Antelope, and Li Xuewu's build was just right for driving this car.

On the night after the heavy snow, with the reflection of the streetlights, there was almost no need to turn on the headlights, and the visibility was quite clear.

There were many bicycles on the road at this hour as people got off work, and it took half an hour to reach the alley.

He didn't dare to park the car outside, but since the gate of the Bai Bai Xiyuan was wide open, he drove the car inside.

The retail department could still be open for a while at this time, but because there was something going on in the courtyard today, they had closed the door early.

The gate of the Bai Bai Xiyuan was open to facilitate the entry and exit of cars; Shen Guodong and the others had also come over here tonight.

"Brother Wu."

Li Xuewu parked the car in the garage and nodded to the few young men warming themselves by the fire in the Bai Bai Xiyuan as he came out.

The coffin was resting on two long benches, the lacquer shining brightly under the light; one could tell just by looking that high-quality wood had been used.

"You've all eaten?"

He pointed toward the lively activity in the inverted wing room and asked them, "Why aren't you inside?"

"It's too noisy, and the smoke is choking."

The older Liu Guangfu smiled and said, "They are discussing the funeral tomorrow; you should go ahead."

"Hmm, you all stay here." Li Xuewu nodded, urged them to be careful with the fire, and then headed into the courtyard.

Seeing Sha Zhu and the others had long since heard the sound of the car, and seeing him enter the outer courtyard, they beckoned for him to come inside.

"Why are you smoking so much?"

Li Xuewu opened the door and wanted to close it behind him, but he was choked by the smell of smoke in the room.

He decided not to close the door at all; if the windows hadn't been papered over, he would have wanted to open them all.

One didn't need to look from the outside; just standing in the hallway at the kitchen entrance, one could see the smoke billowing out of the room.

Those who knew would know it was from smoking; those who didn't might think the house was on fire.

The West Room was occupied by the older men, or rather, the men who had a certain say in the courtyard.

The East Room was mostly young people and women—neighbors from the surrounding area, as well as former neighbors from this courtyard who had returned out of respect for the care the First Elder had shown them.

Glancing at the uncleaned dishes in the kitchen, he knew they were preparing a banquet for the evening; Seeing Sha Zhu was still as generous as ever.

However, just listening to Liu Guangfu, they intended to keep the body for only one night, so preparing a banquet was understandable.

"We were just about to call and ask you when you'd be coming."

Seeing Sha Zhu took a drag of his cigarette and said, looking somewhat haggard, "We've decided to head out at 5:00 AM; we need to arrange for people to go ahead and dig the grave."

"It's quite a hardship at this time."

Li Xuewu waved his hand, refusing the cigarette offered by an elder from the neighborhood, and explained, "I've quit for a long time."

His father, Li Shun, was sitting on the kang with the old grandmother, and several elderly people were gathered around the kang table discussing something.

"Guodong has arranged a truck; we just need to count how many people are going and arrange the number of vehicles."

Seeing Sha Zhu explained, "There are a few at the recycling station, my tricycle can be used, and there are also Guangfu's and Jiefang's."

"I drove one back; count that one in."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "For the Group's vehicle, remember tomorrow morning to find a piece of white paper to cover the markings."

"I might not remember; Xuecai, you keep it in mind."

Seeing Sha Zhu made a note in his notebook, then looked up and signaled to Li Xuecai, "He's driving a car tomorrow too."

Li Xuewu glanced at his third brother but didn't pay it much mind; he was married and had his own career, so he should experience these social occasions.

Red and white social events in this day and age were originally about those with money contributing money, and those with strength contributing strength.

The noise here was indeed unbearable, and they were all heavy smokers who had finally gotten their hands on free cigarettes, so they were smoking away.

Li Xuewu couldn't stand it; after staying for only a short while, his throat felt uncomfortable, so he quickly got up and walked outside.

"If there's anything, come find me in the front courtyard; I'm going to the back courtyard to take a look, and then I'll head back to my mother's place."

"The old lady went to your place; she's not at home."

Seeing Sha Zhu explained, "Xuewen might be at home; you can come back over in a while."

"Alright, go back to your business."

Li Xuewu waved his hand; he really couldn't stand it anymore and didn't want to say another word, so he walked quickly out of the inverted wing room.

Not many people lived here this year, only the old grandmother, so only the windows of the West Room had been papered.

Anyone who has lived with these wooden-framed glass windows knows exactly how drafty they are.

But even so, it hadn't dissipated much of the smoke; some people were afraid of the cold and had even closed the door.

Now it was even better—after finishing one cigarette, they weren't satisfied, so they inhaled some secondhand smoke to get the flavor back.

The lights in the courtyard were all on, and with the reflection of the snow on the roofs, it was bright; the back courtyard was much quieter.

When Li Xuewu passed the front courtyard, he glanced at his home; indeed, only his eldest brother was at home.

When he called home in the afternoon, Er Ya had told him that the eldest sister-in-law and Li Xue had taken the children to accompany the old grandmother home.

As for his mother, he saw her when he reached the middle courtyard, just coming out of Seeing Sha Zhu's house.

"You're off work?"

Liu Yin looked at her son and explained, "I'm watching the children; Diliya and Yushui are at your First Elder's house."

"Alright, I know." Li Xuewu nodded, glanced at Seeing Sha Zhu's house, and said, "If you can't manage, ask the people in the front courtyard for help."

"I can manage; the children are easy to coax."

Liu Yin explained, "He Zhuang went to his maternal uncle's house; the little one is afraid of catching a cold, so I don't dare take him out of the room, and he has to stay at home."

She nodded and said, "Yamei wanted to hold him, but Diliya didn't dare let her, fearing she wouldn't be able to take care of him."

"I'll go take a look first." After listening to his mother's chatter, Li Xuewu headed toward the First Elder's main room.

The door was wide open, and even the windows were broken—this was the custom for a "cold room."

Actually, in this freezing weather, there was no need to be so observant of the custom, but since the First Elder also had a place in the Workers' New Village and wouldn't be living here after this was all over, that was how they had handled it.

However, having arrived home early, he had already received the toys and delicious food his father brought back.

Just seeing his sister enter the door, he immediately leaned over ingratiatingly and curried favor: "Sister, sister, Dad bought this for you."

"Since Dad bought it for me, why is it in your hands?" Li Shu glanced at her younger brother and said, "Li Ning, you are becoming more and more presumptuous now."

"I was just helping you take a look."

Li Ning hurriedly looked for all kinds of reasons to explain why he had opened his sister's gift in advance.

Li Shu didn't listen to him. She took off her schoolbag at the door, changed into slippers, and then, while taking off her outer clothes, gave her brother a slap—not light, not heavy—counting as a lesson for him.

Li Ning didn't dare to cry after being hit by her, nor did he dare to get angry; he could only purse his little mouth and follow her into the living room.

Li Xuewu saw all of this but didn't manage them. There always has to be an older and a younger in this house.

Otherwise?

Otherwise, they could fight eight times a day, and it would be annoying just to hear them.

The sister and brother were fiddling with snacks and toys in the living room, Er Ya was preparing dinner in the kitchen, and Zhao Yaping was tidying up the house.

Gu Ning had already returned; she arrived home when he went to pick up his daughter. She was currently upstairs washing up and changing clothes.

Li Xuewu brewed a cup of tea for himself, turned on the radio in the corner, adjusted it to the news channel, walked back to the sofa, and sat down, letting the children chat beside him.

Gu Ning heard Er Ya's reminder to eat and only then came down from upstairs. Seeing him still coaxing the children to play, she asked, "Did you go see the old lady this afternoon?"

"Mm, sat there for a while."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "The old lady might be failing; it's a matter of these one or two days. I asked Xuecai to send the old lady over tomorrow to stay for a few days."

"Let the eldest sister-in-law and the children come over too." Gu Ning thought for a moment and said, "Even if Li Xue comes, there will be a place to stay. The courtyard is narrow, and it's noisy, so she won't rest well."

"Mm, didn't see her today, will ask tomorrow."

Li Xuewu reached out and tapped on the toys, reminding Li Shu and Li Ning, "Mom is down, time to eat."

"Alright—" The two children responded in unison and truly put down the toys and headed toward the dining room.

Li Xuewu also stood up and said to Gu Ning, "I have class tomorrow morning and a meeting in the afternoon. If there is something there at night, I won't come back. You don't go there either, lest you get scared."

"Mm, got it." Gu Ning entered the dining room with him and said, "Gu Yan came back a few days ago, saying that many soldiers in their unit were discharged this year and couldn't find work, and wanted to ask you for help."

"Tell him to call me, or have someone bring a letter of introduction and files directly to the Group's Personnel Department, and I will arrange it."

Li Xuewu agreed very crisply, not asking how many people the brother-in-law had in his hands, nor asking why he did this.