Chapter 1665: One step further

Ma Baosen puffed out his stomach, glanced at the corridor, and seeing no one, he hummed and hawed as he came out of the office.

"Hey!"

"Oh my god!"

Wang Min's "hey" almost scared Ma Baosen into "Ma Baojian," and his voice even changed.

"You scared me to death—"

"Hehehe—"

Wang Min smiled wickedly, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Thinking about what good thing, that you didn't even hear me calling you?"

"When did you call me?" Ma Baosen knew he was doing it on purpose, glared at him, and said, "Talking nonsense with me, right?"

"Yo, yo! Look at you!" Wang Min leaned back slightly, pretending to be dissatisfied, and looked him over, saying, "Prices have gone up?"

"Oh, right, now it's Secretary Ma!"

He tilted his neck and teased, "Do you want me to apologize to you? Don't put on small shoes for me in front of the leader."

"No need to apologize." Ma Baosen glanced at him, unable to stand Wang Min's reserved and proud look, rolled his eyes, and said, "You can just die here."

"You're really ruthless! We're buddies!"

Wang Min reached out to pull him, but was dodged by Ma Baosen.

"Who's your buddy?" Ma Baosen pursed his lips and said, "Found the wrong person, right? Comrade, it's daytime!"

His speaking level now also had a few parts of his master Zhang Enyuan's skill; at this moment, looking at Wang Min, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "I heard you're dating two girls at once?"

The measure word in Northeast dialect is relatively abstract; "a pile" can be two, or it can be many, depending on one's own strength.

Wang Min's strength is naturally okay: high education, young, stable work, appreciated by the leader.

Especially now that he leads a team and is about to become a section chief, those little girls are rushing at him like flies.

Ma Baosen's intelligence seemed to have been opened after becoming the leader's secretary; his tone of voice changed, and his meaning was also half-said and half-left.

Look, asking if it's two girls didn't even need to be heard.

"Why? Envious?"

Wang Min raised his eyebrows and said, "Those things said about me are rumors, but in your brother's place, it's absolutely skill."

He looked Ma Baosen up and down and said, "Don't you have a partner yet? Shall I introduce one to you?"

"You'd better stay away from me," Ma Baosen said impatiently, "I'm afraid of eating your leftovers."

"What kind of talk is that—" Wang Min followed his footsteps and chattered, "I'm a decent person."

"Aha!" Ma Baosen stood still, looked at him, and asked, "Did I say you're not decent?"

"Then you—" Wang Min was stunned, just wanting to speak, but heard Ma Baosen say, "I'm saying you don't do decent things; why do you always come to annoy me?"

"Look at you, don't be so heartless—"

Wang Min leaned closer and muttered, "I just want to ask you for a favor; you wouldn't not give me this face, right?"

He covered his right cheek with his hand, looked at Ma Baosen, and said, "If you refuse me, that's hitting my face."

"Is that so?" Ma Baosen was no longer the little follower from before; he raised his hand and touched his right cheek lightly.

Don't hit the face when hitting people; he also knew Wang Min didn't have any bad intentions, and was even less of a bad person; jokes could still be made.

"I hit you, what can you do?"

He raised his chin and said, "I know about your matter; wait until I'm in a good mood before talking about it."

"Hey!" Wang Min was really angry, pointed at him, and scolded with a smile, "The wolf of Zhongshan, arrogant once successful!"

"Hey! You really said it right!"

Ma Baosen pointed at him and said, "I'll give you a chance to say it again; do you dare?"

"You—" Wang Min patted his neck hard and said, "I'll remember you, Secretary Ma."

"Oh, so easy for you to remember me?"

Ma Baosen pursed his lips and said, "Then in a few days when the leader is about to finalize the details of the branch company, wouldn't you be even more deeply impressed by me?"

"Hehe—Director Ma, stop joking—"

Wang Min was truly able to pick up and put down; at this moment, his cold face had a smile again, and it was even a bit fawning.

He patted Ma Baosen's arm and said, "Look at you, what kind of friendship do we have; could you pit me?"

"Yeah, I couldn't pit anyone, let alone you."

Ma Baosen raised his eyebrows, looked at him with a smile, and asked, "Then who do you think I would pit?"

"That's impossible—" Wang Min smiled, leaned closer, and asked, "When will the branch company be established? You've heard the news, right?"

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Tell me about it; I guarantee this news won't reach a second person's ears."

"You guarantee it? Fine, I believe you," Ma Baosen smiled, "But I have to know it too."

He tilted his chin and signaled toward the leader's office, saying, "Why don't you go ask, and then tell me when you come back?"

"I also guarantee to you that the news you tell me won't reach a second person's ears."

"You—you've learned to be bad!"

Wang Min pursed his lips and pointed at him angrily, saying, "Learn something good from your master!"

"Thanks! I'm learning—"

Ma Baosen had long since lost patience with these people coming to inquire about news; at this moment, he was naturally saying whatever was most annoying.

He stood there watching Wang Min leave, then turned around with a smile, humming a little tune as he went to the confidential room.

That's how it is in the agency; any matter, even if only a trace of wind is heard, will form a sandstorm.

Especially content related to personnel and organization, often the leaders haven't even held the meeting yet, and people below are already discussing it.

Don't think they are just shouting blindly; ten times, six or seven times can be guessed right, as for whether it was guessed, it's hard to say.

And in Ma Baosen's place, he didn't dare and couldn't open this gap, otherwise, he would be the first to be scolded by his master.

It's no wonder that there have been undercurrents in the agency recently; the Group suddenly relaxed the restrictions, and there really is news of the establishment of a Northeast branch company, otherwise, Liaodong wouldn't be so nervous.

To tell the truth, this speculation belongs to the old tune being played again; it is mentioned once or twice every year, but all end up with nothing.

But the situation this year is different; this year is the third year the Secretary-General has worked in Liaodong, and also the year with the biggest changes in the Group's organizational ecology, so one has to speculate.

Some people have already made a prediction, estimating that the Northeast Branch will be established in the second half of the year, that is, before the Secretary-General returns to the Group's headquarters.

If the Secretary-General fails to set up the Northeast Branch before returning to the Group's headquarters, they say this project will basically be yellow.

Northeast Branch is a name in the agency, but those who understand the actual situation of the project know that this branch should be called Red Steel Group Northeast Industrial Development General Company.

From the project name that has not yet been announced, one can see that this is a branch institution at the general company level.

Besides, can a company that the Secretary-General is sitting in to prepare be at the branch level?

So from the name, one can see who is an insider and who is watching the fun.

Wang Min is of course an insider, but he is confused as a spectator, now just hoping that the branch can be established so that the position can be finalized.

Then looking back, why did the Group suddenly relax the opening and give the opportunity for the Northeast Company to be established?

"Old Li is going crazy."

Gao Gao Yaqin flew to Steel City to handle the Auto City project, and when meeting with Li Li Xuewu, she couldn't help but rub her forehead and complain.

Li Li Xuewu had long been used to these people in the Management Committee treating him as a confidant sister, so as soon as she opened her mouth, he put down the fountain pen in his hand.

"Has he talked to you?"

Gao Gao Yaqin looked at the opposite side of the desk and asked with a frown, "Even if it's just on the phone, has he told you what he's going to do next?"

"No," Li Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said lightly, "Do you think he would ask for my opinion on what he wants to do?"

"He should do that." Gao Gao Yaqin said hatefully, "If he had asked you first this time, could there be so many things?"

"I really can't understand how he played a good hand into a mess."

"You don't know?" Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Old Li is a famous 'gift-giving boy,' a pioneer of donations at the mahjong table."

"Do you know what he wants to do now?"

Gao Gao Yaqin was clearly breathing through her nostrils, really angry, "He wants to take over that piece of Deputy Director Gu."

"Mm, and then?" Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked, "What is Deputy Director Gu's reaction?"

"Deputy Director Gu hasn't left yet!"

Gao Gao Yaqin pursed her lips and said, "Do you think she will passively cooperate with him? What kind of joke is that."

"It can only be that she doesn't want to manage it anymore; it's absolutely impossible for Old Li to snatch it from her hands without letting her manage it."

"He's playing bad cards again, right."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Did you stimulate him?"

"Us? Stimulate him?" Gao Gao Yaqin picked up her teacup with amusement and said, "I'm so angry now that I want to coax him not to cry—"

She took a big gulp of tea, but still couldn't extinguish the fire in her heart; she said indignantly, "He's aiming at you."

"Mm?" Li Li Xuewu looked at her without speaking, waiting for her explanation of this sentence—what did it mean to aim at him?

"Deputy Director Dong is going to suffer this time."

Gao Gao Yaqin put down the teacup in her hand, frowned, and said, "We all know he's a bit wronged, but reality is reality."

She leaned forward slightly, looked into Li Li Xuewu's eyes, and asked, "What exactly are you thinking? You're not really going to wait another three years, are you?"

"What do you mean?" Li Li Xuewu's eyebrows moved slightly, and he asked, "What do you mean by 'wait another three years'?"

"Otherwise?" Gao Gao Yaqin spread her hands and asked, "Can you go back to the Group this year?"

"Although you didn't get a disciplinary action, Deputy Director Dong and the others have..."

She paused when she said this, and the look in her eyes when she looked at Li Li Xuewu was all "you understand."

Li Li Xuewu was amused by her, glanced at the desktop, and then looked at her and said, "You should know that I cannot decide my own arrangements for staying or leaving."

"Taking a step back," just when Gao Gao Yaqin was about to speak, he emphasized again, "Even if I could decide, should I go back now?"

Gao Gao Yaqin's eyebrows frowned, thinking about his words, and her mouth couldn't help but remind, "According to Old Li's way of doing things, he might not be able to get you back to Beijing."

"You underestimate Old Li." Li Li Xuewu restrained his tone and said lightly, "No matter how much he makes trouble, he won't die."

"But he is anxious for you to return to Beijing." Gao Gao Yaqin looked at him suspiciously and said, "Being so anxious now is paving the way for you."

"Paving what way? A dead end?"

Li Li Xuewu's attitude became serious, and he said, "I don't care if you believe it or not, but what I can tell you is that the work in Liaodong is not finished yet."

"I came to Liaodong with goals and tasks; before this goal is achieved, who can make me go back early?"

He tapped his finger on the table and reminded, "Unless they are dissatisfied with my work progress and ability, that situation will appear."

"How do you think I'm doing here?"

"It's not up to you—"

Gao Gao Yaqin still believed in her intuition, looked at him very firmly, and said, "I told you this for one purpose."

She widened her eyes and said, "If you are ready to return to Beijing, then do it as soon as possible, because you absolutely don't want to wipe his butt for him."

"If you are not ready to return to Beijing, then I can tell you, you should be prepared; you are too far from Beijing here."

She pointed to her ear and emphasized, "The news reaches you here ten or eight years later; it's long since outdated."

"Thank you, I will be prepared."

Li Li Xuewu rarely gave her a positive response, nodded, and said, "I advise you to be calm; the sky won't fall."

"Of course, if the sky falls, the first one to be crushed won't be me."

Gao Gao Yaqin pursed her lips and said, "But I don't want to perish with you; none of you are good things; you deserve this disaster."

This time it was Li Li Xuewu's turn to rub his forehead and say it was annoying; for the past six months, Gao Gao Yaqin had been urging him to return to Beijing to tie up Old Li.

But her starting point was different from his own goal; how to explain it?

"Old Su is afraid of you returning to Beijing, that's why he made so many things happen."

Gao Gao Yaqin frowned and said, "He also knows he can't stop you, but just to trip you up for these few months, what is he doing it for?"

"Think about it yourself—"

She raised her chin and said, "One stone hitting two birds only hit Deputy Director Dong, but also startled Old Cheng and these frightened birds."

"Now it's good; he himself has also stumbled, Deputy Director Dong won't be able to move for two years; who lost? Who won?"

Li Li Xuewu didn't care who lost or won; his fingers danced on the table, and he frowned and said, "Deputy Director Dong had psychological preparation long ago."

"Then did he have psychological preparation for being transferred?"

Gao Gao Yaqin asked with a mocking look, "Did you guys play it out of control?"

Li Li Xuewu didn't answer her question, but glanced at her and said, "You should go ask Old Li this question."

"Him? Hehe—"

Gao Gao Yaqin sneered, "He doesn't even know what game he's playing; he's just a puppet."

"Then what do you want?" Li Li Xuewu was a bit impatient, looked at her, and asked, "Watch a puppet show? Or go on stage and perform a segment?"

Gao Gao Yaqin suddenly fell silent, just looking at him, and after a long while, she nodded, stood up, and said, "I have a meeting, you get busy."

Leaving only this sentence, she turned and left.

Li Li Xuewu sat in the chair looking at her back, frowned and thought, secretly saying that Confucius was right: only women and villains are hard to raise.

The one watching the fun is anxious, actually wanting to go down and play chess.

"Fifty thousand each, six people in total, three hundred thousand."

Ji Wang Weidong pinched his fingers, looked at him, and introduced, "This is the final price."

Li Li Xuewu didn't speak, but picked up his teacup and continued to wait for his introduction.

"Regarding the matter of Gucang Ping'er, Nishida Kenichi will make a formal apology, and will arrange for another president of the Sanhe Stock Company to come to the mainland to negotiate."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Maybe it's that Nakamura Yang Shuji who has a good relationship with you."

"Six people?" Li Li Xuewu's eyebrows frowned slightly, and he asked, "Who told you there were only six people on the ship?"

"There are six passengers; the crew is counted on the ship."

Ji Wang Weidong sat up straight, took a sip of tea, and said, "Including the ship and the people, I asked him for two million in total."

"That's fine; you have to leave room for your next negotiations."

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Next, it's up to you; I've tried my best anyway."

"How did he do it?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "I mean, installing bombs on the ship—were the people found?"

"Found, found as soon as the incident happened." Ji Wang Weidong shook his head and said, "I won't tell you specifically why, so you don't get upset hearing it."

"Sometimes when you think about it, it's all the fault of the era."

He seemed to have suddenly become a poet, sighing for no reason, which made Li Li Xuewu think he was going to improvise.

"My task is completed; next is the matter at the negotiation table, so I won't get involved."

He picked up the lighter to light a cigarette for himself, blew a puff of smoke, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and asked, "Have you returned to Beijing recently?"

"Returned, normal vacation, why?"

Li Li Xuewu stood up, walked to the window, and opened a window; he didn't like the smell of smoke much now.

People who don't smoke are like this; even their respiratory resistance drops.

When he used to smoke, let alone smelling smoke, even if the nicotine was rolling and playing in his throat, he wouldn't care.

But now it doesn't work; smelling smoke makes him feel annoyed, and even his throat hurts, and it might even cause respiratory infections.

Seeing him so delicate, standing by the window and not coming back, Ji Wang Weidong extinguished the cigarette butt with amusement.

"The rules here are so big."

"That's not as big as you, Ji Zong."

Li Li Xuewu's words were always sinister and vicious; even a bastard like Ji Wang Weidong, who was immune to all poisons, felt his lungs hurting.

"Don't go back much recently; it's not peaceful."

Ji Wang Weidong was concerned about his good friend; they belonged to the same kind of people, and had nothing to do with being like-minded.

"Is this something I can decide?"

Li Li Xuewu stood there with his arms crossed, back to the sunlight, quite imposing, but his words were sharp.

"I wish I could be like you, coming and going freely, jumping out of the Three Realms, not in the Five Elements."

He said with envy, "Sometimes I really envy you; I don't see you doing anything, but you live so freely."

"No way—" Ji Wang Weidong couldn't listen to praise, spread his hands, and said proudly, "I look better than you, so I should live more freely than you."

"That's true; being shameless is also a kind of ability." Li Li Xuewu nodded, and since he couldn't smell the smoke anymore, he closed the window and walked back.

Steel City in February already had heating; although there was still cold air in the air, the earth was returning to spring, and the ice was melting.

However, precisely because Spring was coming, even during the day, it felt colder and more piercing than the winter wind.

He was only wearing a shirt, and after standing by the window for a while, he couldn't take it anymore; if Ji Wang Weidong dared to smoke again without shame, he would have to issue an order to chase him away.

"Are you coming from Beijing?"

"Mm, go home and take a look."

Ji Wang Weidong raised his head, glanced at him, and said, "Han Yating told me about the car; thank you."

"Are you mocking me? Or complaining about me?"

Li Li Xuewu sat down, looked at him, and said, "I wasn't in Beijing during that time, and I had a pile of trouble on me."

He let out a long breath, then continued to explain, "It wasn't intentional to distance myself from her; I was afraid she would get into trouble because of me."

"You're overthinking; I don't blame you for anything."

Ji Wang Weidong shook his head with amusement, held his teacup, and said, "I told her; she thought wrong, and thought left."

"Not to mention from my side, you are her leader; if she doesn't tell you when she has something, she deserves to suffer."

"She's also afraid of trouble." Li Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "You know the changes in the situation; she might be afraid."

"Mm, I know," Ji Wang Weidong wanted to smoke, but held back his craving and said, "She was originally very timid, plus my profession is special."

Speaking of this, he tilted his head and looked at Li Li Xuewu, asking, "What level is your brother-in-law now? Is he interested in coming to our unit?"

"What do you want to do?" Li Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Still think my trouble isn't enough?"

"I'm also well-intentioned, hehe."

Ji Wang Weidong didn't even believe himself after saying this, smiled apologetically, and explained, "I've had enough of being outside, I want to come back."

"Can't bear to leave your son, right?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "Last time I saw him, he even asked me to call you, telling you that you hadn't been home for a long time."

"Sigh—" Ji Wang Weidong let out a long sigh and said, "Exhausted by the prosperity, you'll know after you've been out for a few years."

"I don't need to go out; I feel tired just looking at you."

Li Li Xuewu pointed at Little Ma who appeared at the door and instructed, "Do you know Director Ji? Help him book a room, and help me book a table of wine and dishes in the evening."

He looked at Ji Wang Weidong and asked, "Leaving from Yingcheng? Returning directly to Hong Kong?"

"Mm," Ji Wang Weidong first glanced at Ma Baosen, and seeing him leave, he explained to Li Li Xuewu, "The base of Dongfeng Shipping is moving to Yingcheng; I'm here to coordinate this matter."

Steel City has a wharf; it's the inland river wharf that Li Li Xuewu and he got back then.

Over the years, inland river transport volume has gradually declined with the construction of railway and highway networks, especially in the Northeast.

The industrial base in the Northeast is solid, and with money in hand, they have the ability to build railway and highway networks, so transportation development here is faster.

Inland river transport has drawbacks: it cannot pass in winter, and the carrying capacity is limited, especially with sand accumulation in the river channel, increasing transport costs.

And railway transport and highway transport are showing a downward trend in transport costs with the construction of road networks and the increase in car ownership.

Although inland river transport has not completely stopped now, the main transport function is being replaced.

Dongfeng Shipping has basically confirmed that it can get the domestic shipping indicators for the Yingcheng port area, so the focus is naturally shifting toward Yingcheng.

Even now, many goods from Yingcheng to Steel City are transported directly by rail.

Yingcheng Port unloads the ship and transports it directly to the industrial park, without having to go through another procedure, saving a lot of effort.

Dongfeng Shipping has hidden shares of the Investigation Department; Ji Wang Weidong came this time to handle this matter, as well as those people left on the wharf.

Dongfeng Shipping moved away, and these people naturally had to follow; their leader knew he was coming to Steel City, so he handed this task to him along the way.

"Then this meal tonight counts as both a welcome and a farewell."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Don't mind that our food is simple."

Ji Wang Weidong tilted his head and said indifferently, "I'm not someone who loves to eat lobster and abalone every meal."

He thought of something when he got to this point, raised his eyebrows and said, "I've already settled the two people you asked me to arrange."

"Mm, Nishida Kenichi didn't see them, right?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked, "No changes, right?"

"What changes could there be." Ji Wang Weidong explained lightly, "According to your requirements, I sent them to the Oriental Times Bank."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and reminded, "Tell you something."

"Mm? Say it." Li Li Xuewu glanced at him; it was rare to see him so serious.

"Lou Lou Xiaoe hasn't appeared for a long time." Ji Wang Weidong sat up straight and asked with a frown, "Has she been in contact with you recently?"

"Mm, normal contact." Li Li Xuewu also frowned slightly and asked, "Do you feel something is wrong?"

"It's very wrong." Ji Wang Weidong rested his arms on the desk, leaned forward, and explained softly, "Recently, it has always been Lou Xiaohan who has come forward to take charge."

"Her second sister?" Li Li Xuewu thought for a moment and said, "Hasn't she always been helping her?"

"But she can't not appear for so long."

Ji Wang Weidong reminded vaguely, "Even I haven't seen her for a long time; are you sure nothing happened?"

"You're in Hong Kong." Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Why don't you go see her?"

"Do you think I can predict the future or have clairvoyance?"

"I'm doing this for your own good!"

Ji Wang Weidong widened his eyes and said, "Don't let her find another one after a few years, or give you a surprise and have a big fat boy."

"Hehe—" Li Li Xuewu looked at him with a smile and said, "If she makes a mistake, I won't spare you either."

"Why!" Ji Wang Weidong stiffened his neck and said, "I didn't find a man and have a son behind your back! Why won't you spare me!"

"What are you going there for?" Li Li Xuewu pursed his lips and pointed at him, saying, "If you can't even do this little thing well, then come back."

"Are you threatening me?"

Ji Wang Weidong slapped the table and said, "Fine, I'll go see, I'll go see; I don't believe it, she really wants to hide a beauty in a golden house?"

Li Li Xuewu was of course not threatening him, but Ji Wang Weidong didn't dare to bet with him; if Han Han Yating gave birth to another big fat boy, he wouldn't be able to find the tune even if he cried.

Although he was sure Han Han Yating wasn't that kind of person, he still felt that Lou Lou Xiaoe was still infatuated with Li Li Xuewu, and wasn't she also playing tricks now?

Time is like a husky that has let go of the rope; it disappears in the blink of an eye.

In March, the spring breeze sent warmth, the cold winter dissipated, and Li Li Xuewu didn't wait for Ji Wang Weidong's report, but waited for his own good news.

"Slow down, what happened?"

Li Li Xuewu frowned slightly, looked at Ma Baosen who suddenly rushed into the office, and asked, "Chased by a dog?"

"No—no!" Ma Baosen placed a document on his desk with surprise in his eyes and tried to lower his voice to report, "You've been promoted!"

"What the hell did I grow?"

Li Li Xuewu hadn't had time to look at the document yet, and was poked by this kid's nonsense; he turned back and glared at him, saying, "Stand further away."

This kid was trying to lower his voice, but he wasn't trying hard enough; he was whispering in his ear, almost shouting the report.

He even felt spit flying onto his face.

"It's true, look at it yourself."

Ma Baosen thought he didn't believe it, pointed to the document on the table with some grievance, and said, "I just received it."

"What's the hurry? Can you stand at attention?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Stand straight, close your mouth first, and don't speak until you've stabilized your emotions."

"Mm-mm—"

Ma Baosen was obedient; the leader told him to stand at attention, so he stood at attention; told him to close his mouth, so he closed his mouth, but still couldn't help but respond.

After lecturing this kid, Li Li Xuewu looked at the document he sent; there wasn't much content, but it proved that this kid was right—he had been promoted.

Without any warning, suddenly promoted to deputy bureau level, inexplicably.

Li Li Xuewu read the content of the document several times, confirmed it wasn't a joke, and then began to think about the meaning behind this document.

"Who sent it?"

He turned to look at Ma Baosen standing on the side and asked, "The Group's confidential secretary?"

"Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm—"

Ma Baosen was obedient, but he was too obedient, to the point that he didn't know how to listen.

He saw the leader glaring, so he explained, "It was sent by the Group's confidential secretary, but I heard him say the document didn't come down from the Group."

"Nonsense—" Li Li Xuewu tapped his finger on the red seal of the document and said, "Does this still need you to say?"

Ma Baosen didn't know if the leader was happy or unhappy; why scold him when he was unhappy, and still scold him when he was happy?

Li Li Xuewu thought for a moment, picked up the phone on the table, and asked, "Help me connect to the Red Steel Group General Manager's office; I am Li Li Xuewu."

The operator responded and then there was no sound; he knew it wouldn't be connected so quickly, so he put the receiver aside and frowned at the document.

Of course, it wasn't about his promotion document; he had already read that document many times, no need to stare at it.

After more than ten minutes, he finally heard Old Li's voice from the receiver.

"Hello? I am Li Li Huai De."

"Director Li, it's me, Li Li Xuewu."

Li Li Xuewu responded, "I received the document sent by the confidential secretary, just didn't understand what was going on."

"Hehe—" Li Li Huai De said bitterly on the phone, "If you ask me, who should I ask? I'm also confused."

"Didn't go through the Group?" Li Li Xuewu actually wanted to ask why it didn't go through Li Li Huai De.

This still needs to be explained; for Li Li Xuewu's rank to achieve promotion, even if it required the higher-ups to make a decision, they would consult Old Li's opinion.

At least the procedure of organizational talk should be executed, right?

None; the document was sent directly, even in the form of an official letter, with no one coming down to read the order, as if his promotion wasn't worth mentioning.

"What I can be sure of is that this appointment did not come from the First Ministry of Machine Building."

Li Li Huai De pondered for a moment and explained, "I called the leader, and the leader said he didn't know about this matter."

"Then it's in the city?" Li Li Xuewu frowned and asked, "What does this mean? Giving me a candied date to eat?"

"Humph humph—" Li Li Huai De hummed twice and said, "Maybe, what if, it's very possible."

"This is really looking up to me."

Li Li Xuewu thought for a moment and asked, "How should I respond? Write a thank-you letter and send it to them?"

"Hehehe—" Old Li was amused by his humor and said, "Actually, it's not a bad thing, right?"

"Originally, I wanted to handle this matter last year; if it weren't for Su Weide making trouble, it would have been handled long ago."

He said after deliberation, "Don't express your position yet; do what you should do, wait and see, and see if they have any actions."

"However, I can think of one situation."

Li Li Huai De seemed to have an idea long ago, and explained in a relaxed tone, "Your associate professor status played a role."

"Isn't this nonsense—"

Li Li Xuewu shook his head with amusement and said, "There are many associate professors in the Group; can they all go one step further?"

"So it depends on the individual."

Li Li Huai De was slightly silent, then sighed and said, "Literature comrade is a bit passive."

"Is the situation very complicated?" Li Li Xuewu inquired, "When Gao Zong came to Steel City last month, he mentioned this matter to me."

"Mm, more complicated than you imagine."

Li Li Huai De said helplessly, "I went to talk to the leader, and he has a positive attitude and view on this case."

"You also know that settling the case is everyone's hope; this matter must pass, and cannot be overturned again."

"I just feel it's a bit of a pity."

Li Li Xuewu also sighed and said, "Originally it didn't have to be so rushed; I heard there were still many doubts that hadn't been cleared up."

"Mm, I know." Li Li Huai De sighed after every sentence, clearly under great pressure.

"I also talked to Literature comrade."

He thought for a moment and said on the phone, "He is fine, very calmly accepted this reality, and talked very well with the leader's side."

"Do I need to return to Beijing?"

Li Li Xuewu understood the subtext in his words and asked actively, "I heard that the situation has changed a lot recently?"

"Mm, it would be best if you could come back."

Li Li Huai De sighed again and said, "We two should also have a good talk."

Li Li Xuewu knew what Old Li wanted to talk to him about, and he also knew what he should talk to Old Li about, and even others in the Group Management Committee were waiting for him to go back so they could have a good talk with Old Li.

Everyone treated him, the Secretary-General, as a rope that could tie up Old Li; as long as Old Li didn't kick, everyone was willing to live in peace.

Judging from Zhou Wanquan's performance in the past few months, it was clear that there was an intention to actively ease the relationship.

When Gao Gao Yaqin came to Steel City and asked Li Li Xuewu who lost and who won, Old Li lost completely, but did Zhou Wanquan win?

What kind of joke is that; he was dragged out to wipe the butt for the Joint Investigation Team, and that can still be considered winning?

If he really won, he should have followed the momentum Old Li suppressed, shrunk his body into the soil, and not come out.

Wait until the dungeon updates to stand out and take over everything; that would be the time he was the fisherman benefiting from the snipe and clam fighting.

What is it now?

It's losing the wife and losing the army, stealing a chicken but losing the rice.

Old Li performed more anxiously than Li Li Xuewu recognized; after the phone was hung up, the flight of Red Star No. 1 was arranged.

Li Li Xuewu only had time to arrange work, then hurriedly rushed to the airport by car.

"Secretary-General, hello," Zhou Zhou Xiaoling was wearing a flight attendant uniform, and when she saw him, she greeted him with a smile and took the initiative to help him carry his luggage.

Li Li Xuewu looked her over; her face seemed to have some cosmetics on it, looking very exquisite.

"Aren't you cold wearing so little?"

"It's okay, we brought coats."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling smiled, and while leading him into the cabin, explained, "It was a bit cold when I was in the lounge just now."

"Steel City is still in winter, unlike Beijing which has already entered spring."

Li Li Xuewu sat in his seat and said to her, "No need to prepare anything, I'll sleep for a while; I didn't rest at noon today."

"Okay, I'll get you a blanket."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling's service was meticulous, and he didn't even wait for her to bring the blanket before falling asleep in his seat.

These days he had been busy with that book on emergency fire science at night, and if he didn't sleep during the day, he always felt his energy was insufficient.

Actually, like him, a young man, where would he have so much sleep; it was just that the work like a small mountain pressing down consumed too much of his energy.

Why do the trivial work in the agency like to be handed to young people? Because those old things have long been numb and lost the passion for seriousness.

In later life, Internet giants are the most realistic; reading the news, one feels that those engineers in their thirties being forced to leave their posts is very pitiful.

However, the choice of capital is precisely the most realistic; looking at this matter from another direction, do those giants not want a single middle-aged engineer?

Impossible; there must be a reason.

Of course, one cannot beat everyone to death with one stick; no one can explain clearly what the hell "optimization" is, right.

When the plane was landing, Li Li Xuewu felt the bumps and shaking, opened his eyes, and found the cabin slightly dim.

Looking out from the window, under the night, the city lights were like flames on ashes, with stars and dots, some connected into lines, and some in a large area.

He turned his head, but found Zhou Zhou Xiaoling sitting in the position facing him, looking at him, her eyes full of smiles.

Li Li Xuewu also smiled, moved the warm blanket draped over him to express his gratitude.

The smile on Zhou Zhou Xiaoling's face became more and more brilliant; if the plane hadn't landed, she would have wanted to look at him for a few more minutes.

A small motorcade composed of three cars had been waiting on the apron; when the gangway was set up, Li Li Xuewu walked out of the cabin door, and Liu Bin had already greeted him.

"Secretary-General, the leader is waiting for you in the office."

"At this time?"

Li Li Xuewu frowned slightly, glanced at his watch, then nodded and said, "Good, let's go, go to the Group headquarters."

The secretaries cooperated to load the luggage into the car, and the motorcade soon set off, heading straight for the Red Steel Group headquarters.

Seeming to be able to feel Old Li's anxiety, this time it saved at least ten minutes more than usual.

The motorcade arrived at the headquarters building, and just as it stopped, an office worker helped open the car door; Li Li Xuewu stepped out of the car, glanced at Ma Baosen, and instructed, "Arrange yourself, no need to follow me."

No one knew what the Secretary-General, who had rushed back from Steel City, talked about with Director Li during this time after work, but the next day, news suddenly came out that Director Li had actually gone to the Ministry to take the initiative to apply for the retention of Su Weide. ===== CHAPTER 1666 =====