Chapter 1666: Men are poisonous

"Retain? How to retain? Used where?"

Jing Jing Yunong asked three questions in a row, carried her teacup from the kitchen to the sofa, sat down, and looked at him, asking, "What are you thinking?"

"Is this a flower you raised?"

Li Li Xuewu didn't answer the question, reached out to pluck the pink one in the flowerpot next to the sofa, but was slapped away by her.

"Asking you a question—"

Jing Jing Yunong said with some dissatisfaction, "You are so distracted; I wanted to talk to you just now."

She didn't want to talk about work in bed, but he insisted on talking endlessly; now that she wanted to ask, he wouldn't say anything.

She glanced at Li Li Xuewu and said lightly, "If it's not convenient to say, then forget it."

Remember, if a woman takes a step back, if you dare to take a step back, even half a step, she will go crazy.

"There's nothing inconvenient to say."

Li Li Xuewu was mischievous, continuing to pull at that tender flower, "One has to give Old Li a step down."

"Is this giving Old Li a step down?"

Jing Jing Yunong looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Isn't this giving Old Su a step down? You said it backward, right?"

"When have I ever been confused?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his head with amusement, looked at her seriously, and said, "You look better than this flower today."

"Get lost—" Jing Jing Yunong glared at him and said, "If you don't want to leave, you can stay here; I didn't chase you away, but stop flirting with me."

"Old Li can't stop the car." Li Li Xuewu still didn't intend to stay here; he felt a bit unable to cross the bottom line of morality.

Mm, that's right, he was a person with a moral bottom line.

"Otherwise he wouldn't have called me."

He rubbed his palms, shook his head with amusement, and said, "You should know how difficult this call was for him."

"He's just a dead duck with a hard mouth." Jing Jing Yunong said impatiently, "He played a good hand into a mess."

"I've heard this more than once."

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand, leaning against the sofa, and said, "He also regrets it; he told me his goals, and it didn't sound like there was no reason at all."

"And then? You believed him?"

Jing Jing Yunong looked at him and asked, "Do you believe that all his recent actions were for the good of the Group, for the good of everyone?"

"Hehe—" Li Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "No."

She knew it would be like this; Old Li's cultivation in the team was actually not low, especially in organizational management and personnel work, where he had unique talents.

How many absurd things had Old Li done over the years?

But if you go to the workshop and ask around, there are people who take these things as fun, but very few who truly scold Old Li.

To put it bluntly, Old Li was never harsh on those below, especially in terms of welfare and treatment, where he was quite generous.

Some people said he was generous with other people's money, so he naturally wouldn't feel heartache.

But Old Li's personal development was tied to the development of the Group; if the Group's books didn't look good, he couldn't fly either.

"Old Li actually has the heart to do things."

Li Li Xuewu leaned forward, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "It's just that he lacks a bit of luck and talent."

"Then what else does he have?"

Jing Jing Yunong rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and asked, "Is it that you can't bear the pressure, or Old Li can't take it anymore?"

"I'm indifferent; maybe he couldn't take it."

Li Li Xuewu thought for a moment, took another sip, then put down the teacup and said, "You are in the Group, so you should understand the situation better than me."

"But I can't talk to them." Jing Jing Yunong adjusted her pajamas at her chest, avoiding his eyes that kept wandering.

She wasn't afraid of him wandering, nor did she care about being taken advantage of, it was just that when his gaze swept over her... she wanted it again.

"My task is considered completed."

She coughed lightly, picked up the teacup, and said, "When will your promise be fulfilled?"

"What promise?" Li Li Xuewu just asked, and seeing her glare, he said with amusement, "Look at you, what's the hurry—"

He rested his arm on his folded right leg, raised his chin, and said, "The outcome hasn't been decided yet; have to wait until the dust settles before settling the reward, right?"

"I'm just afraid you'll renege on the debt—"

Jing Jing Yunong took a sip of hot tea and said bluntly, "I can see it now; you are a person who doesn't know how to trust."

"Heh—" Li Li Xuewu glanced at the inner room with amusement, thinking to himself, she's pulling up her pants and refusing to acknowledge it now; who was tangling with whom just now?

Jing Jing Yunong was irritated by his gaze, frowned, and emphasized, "You haven't answered my question yet."

"Old Su? Or the reward?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and glanced at her, saying, "Old Su's matter hasn't been decided yet; now it's just Old Li expressing his position."

"Maybe he can come back, maybe he can't, but no matter if Old Su can come back or not, the higher-ups have to recognize his sense of propriety."

He tapped his finger on the coffee table and said, "You have to know, Old Su has been gone for so long; if it were easy to handle, news would have come out long ago."

"Think about it carefully; for such a long time, has there been any news of him?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Jing Jing Yunong frowned and asked, "Could it be that you knew long ago he could escape death?"

"It's not that I knew long ago, but his life is not meant to end."

Li Li Xuewu spread his hands and said, "Perhaps even he himself didn't expect that it was that last kick from Old Zhou."

"Now Old Li is actively releasing signals; it depends on Old Su's attitude. If he wants to survive this disaster, he has to show something, right?"

"I knew it—" Jing Jing Yunong nodded knowingly, looked at him, and said, "You guys are playing that 'drive the tiger to swallow the wolf' trick again."

"No, this time Old Su is not a tiger; he's shit." Li Li Xuewu didn't mind the disgust, raised his eyebrows and said, "Old Li just wants to dig out this piece of dog shit to stink out Old Zhou, so he can't have peace."

He didn't mind the disgust, but Jing Jing Yunong did; she frowned slightly and said, "Isn't he afraid of being stunk himself?"

"At this point, what else is he reluctant to give up?"

Li Li Xuewu said lightly, "He even gave up Deputy Director Dong; he's a doctor in a hurry to see a doctor, treating a dead horse as a living one."

"You guys are really something!" Jing Jing Yunong looked him over and asked, "What about you? Rising to a higher level, is that also Old Li's planning?"

"Bullshit—" Li Li Xuewu stood up, walked in front of her, reached out and lifted her chin, and said, "It's your credit."

"If you do this again, don't leave."

Jing Jing Yunong let him tease her, looked at him with blurred eyes, but said a harsh word.

"It's really not possible tonight; there's a reception."

Li Li Xuewu wiped her face smoothly, smiled and said, "Let's put this on the tab for now; we'll pay it back together next time."

"You haven't talked about the reward yet."

Jing Jing Yunong saw he was about to leave, her gaze became clear, and she reminded him lightly, "I don't like to owe debts the most."

"Have some patience; bread will come."

Li Li Xuewu waved at her with his back turned, leaving a dashing silhouette.

Jing Jing Yunong bit her lip, watched him go out, and then let out a long breath, lying back on the sofa.

This man is poisonous—

Li Li Xuewu saying there was a reception really wasn't fooling Jing Jing Yunong, but it wasn't others entertaining him, but him entertaining others.

Brother-in-law Gu Yan was back.

"Brother-in-law, why did you get off work so late?"

Gu Yan heard the movement at the door, straightened up from the vegetable garden, and said with some complaint, "I've been waiting for you for half a day."

"What are you waiting for me for? Isn't this doing just fine?"

Li Li Xuewu pointed at the soil clods he had turned over with a smile and instructed, "This won't do; you have to use the back of the shovel to pat them open."

"You really treat me like livestock!"

Gu Yan slammed the shovel into the ground and walked out, complaining dissatisfiedly, "Not doing it anymore; whoever wants to do it, do it!"

"Your sister is looking at you," Li Li Xuewu pointed to the second floor and said to his brother-in-law, "Is she going to praise you?"

Gu Yan turned his head, but it wasn't his brother-in-law joking; sister Gu Ning was really looking at him from the balcony, but there was no sign of wanting to praise him at all.

"I just said I didn't need your help!"

He braked and turned, picked up the shovel again, and dug.

Spring had come, and the air carried the scent of newly turned soil.

Gu Yan was turning the soil; Er Ya was preparing to plant the garden; early vegetables like small cabbage and water radish had to be planted in March.

Don't look at Steel City still being cold; the third month of spring in Beijing was truly warm; even at the same temperature, Beijing was warmer than Steel City.

"What's wrong? Made a mistake?"

Li Li Xuewu stood by the vegetable garden and looked at his brother-in-law with amusement, asking, "Did your sister find out about your lifestyle problems?"

"Otherwise it wouldn't be like this, right?"

"You only know how to say cool words—"

Gu Yan looked back secretly, and seeing his sister had really gone back, he sighed, leaned on the shovel, and explained, "I quarreled with Zhou Yao."

"Mm-hmm—" Li Li Xuewu looked at him suspiciously and said, "Just because of this? That can't be it, right?"

"Even if you quarreled, it wouldn't make your sister this angry, right?"

He raised his eyebrows and asked, "Tell the truth, was it a quarrel or a fight? Whose fault is it?"

"It's just... she also made a move."

Gu Yan was still arguing, hanging his head and explaining, "She kicked my ribs until they hurt, and I also fought back."

"You're really something—" Li Li Xuewu's smile faded a bit, and he said, "Came to me, the matchmaker, to ask for an explanation?"

"No, just wanted to ask you for help."

Gu Yan was clever; he heard the dissatisfaction in his brother-in-law's words, raised his head, and explained with a frown, "It's that she said she didn't want children, and I got anxious and..."

"Can't you talk properly if you have something to say?"

Li Li Xuewu glared at him, and seeing his low spirits, he waved his hand, signaled toward the entrance hall, and said, "Let's go, talk inside."

Gu Yan was not a stubborn person; if he was wrong, he was wrong; he would speak frankly if he had something to say, wouldn't lie, and wouldn't make excuses.

Saying he wouldn't lie wasn't because he didn't have the cleverness, but because he didn't dare in front of his brother-in-law, because his brother-in-law was a psychologist.

Just think, he was already a university professor, going to give students psychology lessons; he didn't have the confidence to lie in front of his brother-in-law.

At the door, he looked into the living room, and seeing his sister wasn't there, he kicked off the shoes on his feet, wore socks, walked into the entrance hall, and found slippers.

His rubber shoes had long been covered in mud in the yard; it wouldn't be good to bring them into the house, but one could see he was cautious in his heart.

"Second Brother," Zhao Zhao Ya Ping was coaxing Li Ning in the living room, and when she saw them come in, she stood up and greeted them.

Li Li Xuewu nodded, pinched his son's little face, and asked, "Where's sister? Why are you playing alone?"

"Sister is studying upstairs."

Li Ning raised his little face and explained with dancing eyebrows, "Teacher criticized her, saying she didn't review her homework well during the winter vacation, and Mom also scolded her."

"Is that so—" Li Li Xuewu looked upstairs, then said to his son, "Then why don't you go up and accompany sister?"

"She told me to get lost," Li Ning shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's not my fault; I said a lot of nice things, just couldn't help laughing."

"Then you're lucky you didn't get beaten."

Li Li Xuewu picked up his son with amusement and sat on the sofa, "Uncle is here, did you ask Uncle if he's okay?"

"Uncle is not okay—" Li Ning first looked at his uncle, then whispered to him, "Uncle made Mom angry, and got scolded by Mom."

"Is that so—" Li Li Xuewu glanced at his brother-in-law who was sitting opposite, dejected, and asked, "Then did you ask Uncle how he made Mom angry?"

"I don't know that, I'm still small,"

Li Ning shook his head, looked at his uncle, and whispered, "But I guess it's definitely not because Uncle is bad at studying."

"That's not necessarily true," Li Li Xuewu put down his son, patted his butt, and said, "Go, go play in the dining room with Auntie."

He let Zhao Zhao Ya Ping take Li Ning away, then looked at his brother-in-law and said, "Marriage is a process of life, and it also needs to be learned."

"If you haven't learned how to handle the contradictory relationships in marriage, or if you can't handle this kind of relationship well, you will suffer like today."

"I'm not making an unreasonable request," Gu Yan also felt very aggrieved, spread his hands and said, "Why can't I have children?"

"You are very aggrieved, and she is also very aggrieved; turning the soil won't solve the problem," Li Li Xuewu glanced at him, picked up the phone, and said, "The one who tied the bell must untie it; mm, I am Li Li Xuewu, help me connect to the Security Department."

He looked at the opposite side and asked, "She hasn't gone home, right?"

Because it was in Beijing, the call was not hard to connect, and it was fast; Zhou Yao was not surprised to receive his call.

Gu Yan only had one place to go in Beijing, which was his second sister's house; if he really held the attitude of solving the problem, he would definitely go to his brother-in-law.

Because Li Li Xuewu was not only his brother-in-law, but also her leader; this wasn't just after work time, and the call came over.

"Brother-in-law, I am Zhou Yao."

"Mm, are you on duty today?"

Li Li Xuewu first asked, and after hearing her answer, nodded slowly and said, "If you are not on duty, I'll let Gu Yan pick you up and come home for dinner; your sister misses you."

He didn't ask on the phone, nor did he ask for her opinion, just said it lightly, not allowing Zhou Yao to refuse.

Zhou Yao also knew that the brother-in-law's call represented the final verdict; if she didn't show up, she would really be walking toward a dead end.

She and Gu Yan still had feelings, not to the point of divorce because of a fight, and in her heart, she also hoped that her brother-in-law could come forward to mediate.

Hearing her brother-in-law's words, she paused and responded, without saying that she would drive over, defaulting to waiting for Gu Yan to pick her up.

Li Li Xuewu didn't care how much grievance Gu Yan had in his heart, waved his hand, and signaled, "There is a motorcycle in the garage; go pick up Zhou Yao and bring her home for dinner."

"I..."

Gu Yan just wanted to speak, but saw his sister coming down from upstairs; he didn't have time to complain, and ran out smoothly.

Li Li Xuewu looked at his brother-in-law who ran out like a rabbit, frowned, and looked at Gu Ning who was coming down from upstairs, asking, "Did you scold him?"

"No, too lazy to pay attention to him."

Gu Ning looked at the entrance hall through the open door, and saw her brother running out without even putting on his shoes properly; her eyes were full of disgust.

"I asked him to pick up Zhou Yao."

Li Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "What to do, Mom and Dad aren't around; if we don't help maintain it, who else can he count on."

"Not sensible at all—"

Gu Ning breathed through her nostrils, clearly angry, and frowned, "If he dares to make a move again, you beat him."

"Forget it, there's no such thing as a brother-in-law beating a brother-in-law." Li Li Xuewu smiled, signaled toward upstairs, and asked, "How is the girl?"

He asked with concern, "I heard from Li Ning that she was scolded by the teacher?"

"She was greedy for play herself and didn't do her homework."

Gu Ning explained, but didn't say much on this topic; the couple had goals and methods for the education of their children.

The core point was that no matter how bad the children were in their studies, they would never beat the children, or even yell at the children.

There was no such thing as "can" or "cannot" in learning; there was only whether the attitude was serious or not; they didn't care about the children's learning, only the children's attitude.

It is said that parents are a mirror for children; if you want children to become what kind of people, you must first live out a style yourself.

If your own work and life are a mess, and you are exhausted in the face of the children's learning problems, no amount of beating or scolding will work.

Learning and life are a state; Li Li Xuewu didn't ask about the girl's learning problems, just wanted to ask how the girl was doing now.

And Gu Ning's answer explained everything; learning is the child's own business; she only emphasized the cause and effect of the girl's bad mood.

Li Shu was very greedy for play, but also very competitive, with a character that wouldn't admit defeat; this point was very similar to her mother.

Looking at the eccentric Li Ning, he was imitating and learning from his father's appearance in his speech.

"Add two more dishes in the evening, Zhou Yao is coming."

Li Li Xuewu walked to the dining room, instructed Er Ya who was busy in the kitchen, and seeing her respond, asked, "Any meat dishes?"

"Yes, made one, should I make another one?"

Er Ya stood at the kitchen door, looked at him, and explained, "Sister Ning said Brother Gu has a big appetite, so I was thinking of making a larger portion."

"Larger is fine; both of them have big appetites." Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Add another meat dish; if not, go buy a duck."

"Don't, there's meat at home."

Er Ya saw he was going to tell Zhao Zhao Ya Ping to buy a duck, so she hurried to the refrigerator door, took out the meat, and said, "I'll stew another meat dish; it will be ready very soon."

"No hurry, they won't be back for more than half an hour."

Li Li Xuewu looked out the window from the dining room, saw the dandelions in the corner of the wall blooming with small flowers, and said with a smile, "Just because Gu Yan helped with the work, we have to treat him to a good meal."

This was of course a joke; his brother-in-law came to the house, and he had never been stingy; if there was no meat, he would have to buy it and treat him well.

Before Gu Yan got married, his parents were in Jin Ling; he would come here whenever he was on vacation, just like his own home.

It was just that he didn't talk much with his sister, and it didn't look close, but in reality, a biological sister and brother are a biological sister and brother.

No matter how much Gu Yan made Gu Ning angry, he still let Er Ya add meat dishes.

In the evening, the weather was still cool, so no one dared to open the windows; Li Shu finished her homework and came down from upstairs, but her little face was tight.

Li Ning had long since hidden away; he was very afraid of his sister venting her anger on him; when it was wrong to step with the left foot first or the right foot first, getting a slap was too unworthy.

Just when the sky outside was completely dark, headlights flashed on the open gate; listening to the movement, it was Ji Wang Weidong's motorcycle.

Li Ning rushed out from the room, took a look at the entrance hall, and ran back to report, "Uncle and Aunt are here!"

Li Li Xuewu saw Gu Ning didn't intend to get up, so he could only get up to greet them himself, his heart also amused.

Saying he scolded Gu Yan, saying he punished Gu Yan to turn the soil, in reality, Gu Ning also had opinions about Zhou Yao.

Otherwise, when her brother and sister-in-law quarreled, wouldn't she, the sister, have to arrange mediation?

But thinking about Gu Ning's character, it was understandable; she was angry, but she wouldn't have any malice.

"Sister-in-law." Zhou Yao greeted him as she walked to the steps, "Heard the news, didn't have time to congratulate you."

"Family, don't say this."

Li Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and asked, "Are you cold?"

"It's okay, afraid of the cold, so I wore an extra piece."

Zhou Yao secretly looked at his complexion, her inner anxiety calmed down slightly; after changing shoes in the entrance hall and walking into the living room, her heart that had just been put down was lifted again.

Gu Yan followed behind; although he didn't say anything, Li Li Xuewu also knew that the young couple both had the heart to reconcile.

As long as they both understood the matter, it would be easy to talk.

"Sister." Zhou Yao pursed her lips and greeted her.

Gu Ning's reaction was light, responding, "Wash your hands and eat."

Zhou Yao looked back at her brother-in-law, and seeing her brother-in-law nod, she went to the bathroom; Gu Yan also wanted to go, but was blocked by Zhou Yao behind her.

Haven't reconciled yet, what are you rushing for!

Gu Ning wanted to sing the white face, so Li Li Xuewu could only sing the red face; he originally wanted to sing the white face, but it was hard to be a brother-in-law.

Er Ya heard the motorcycle movement and started to serve dishes to the table; at this moment, the braised pork was out of the pot, and the fragrance instantly filled the dining room.

"I want to eat meat—"

Li Ning excitedly climbed onto his dining chair, but also stared at his sister's face; seeing she didn't say anything, he sat down.

The state of the siblings was just like the siblings Gu Ning and Gu Yan; when Gu Yan came back from the bathroom and sat at the table, he also looked at his sister Gu Ning's face.

He was quite self-aware, sitting next to Zhou Yao, otherwise, the firepower tonight wouldn't be a women's singles match, but very likely a mixed doubles match.

"Use your chopsticks, don't just look."

Li Li Xuewu saw they were ready, picked up his chopsticks, and signaled, "Eat more meat; your sister specifically asked Er Ya to prepare it for you; you've all worked hard."

Gu Yan and Zhou Yao had originally picked up their chopsticks, but hearing this, they couldn't help but glance at the smiling brother-in-law.

This family's brother-in-law is the worst!

Sister's anger was only on her face; if she didn't give a good face, it could always be seen, but brother-in-law's anger was all in his words, torturing people like a dull knife.

Look at how he said it; who worked hard? Worked hard at what?

No wonder the brother-in-law is a leader; in the art of language, he had long since reached the peak; if you don't listen carefully and attentively, you'd really think he was caring about them, praising them for working hard.

"I was just saying, when will there be time to call you to the house for a gathering; didn't see you during the New Year."

Li Li Xuewu said with a smile while picking meat for Li Ning and Li Shu, "Everyone is young, work is very busy, it's the time to struggle."

He looked at Gu Ning, said to the two, "Your sister misses you, and is afraid you don't have time; she's mentioned it to me twice."

"Sorry, brother-in-law, I went for training a while ago."

Zhou Yao stopped her chopsticks and explained, "When I came back, you had already gone to Steel City; I was thinking of waiting for Gu Yan to come back before coming over together."

"That's it—forgot when busy."

"It's fine, we're all family."

Li Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Your sister just wants to see how you are; nothing else, Jin Ling also called to ask about you."

He got to this point, looked at Gu Yan, and asked, "How long has it been since Gu Yan wrote home? Mom is going to be angry."

"I also forgot this."

Gu Yan was stunned by what he said, then explained, "Caught up in the Spring Festival training, I was exhausted."

"Fine, you all have legitimate reasons, understandable." Li Li Xuewu still said with a smile, "But also consider the elders' mood."

He swept his gaze over Zhou Yao, then looked at Er Ya and asked, "Er Ya used to want to write home, always feeling heartache for the postage; is it still one letter a month now?"

"Mm, yes." Er Ya suddenly heard Li Ge mention herself, nodded apologetically, and explained, "My mom and dad haven't been to the city, don't know about things outside, I want to tell them more."

"Very good, the family must be looking forward to your letters."

Li Li Xuewu looked her over; it is said that a girl changes eighteen times; Er Ya was sixteen when she came, and now she is eighteen.

No longer

"That's great; your family must be looking forward to your letters."

Li Li Xuewu took a look at her. They say a girl changes eighteen times by the time she's eighteen; Er Ya came here when she was sixteen, so she must be eighteen this year.

She was no longer the cautious and timid girl who had just arrived; now, she had a sense of ease and naturalness, having gained experience from living in the city.

However, this growth hadn't bred a sense of arrogance. From the fact that she persisted in writing letters home, Li Li Xuewu could see her character.

Gu Yan and Zhou Ya heard this, their faces looking somewhat awkward. They couldn't help but exchange a glance, both feeling that the food in their bowls tasted like wax.

Their brother-in-law was truly ruthless when lecturing people, one sentence after another. Both of their faces were burning, as if they were being lashed by a small whip.

This meal was eaten in a somewhat stifling atmosphere. Li Li Xuewu had made his point, so he didn't nag further, instead patiently tending to the children.

Although he had been working in Steel City for over two years, Li Shu and Li Ning's feelings for him hadn't grown distant.

They could often only see him once a month, so the children cherished it greatly; they wouldn't make him angry and would even try to coax him into being happy.

"Daddy, you eat some meat too."

Li Ning was naughtier than the average child, not just in a simple, foolish way, but in a clever way; his mind was always full of all sorts of novel ideas.

To be honest, Li Ning was his biological son, so it was normal to like him a bit more; Gu Ning, however, had never hidden her affection for him.

Li Li Xuewu preferred Li Shu. The husband and wife each had their reasons, but the sister and brother didn't feel their parents were biased, finding it quite balanced.

In Li Shu's eyes, their parents' care was different from how it appeared in Li Ning's eyes—two identities, two perspectives.

The interaction between father and son and father and daughter at the dinner table also gave the young couple, Gu Yan and Zhou Ya, a lot to think about.

After the meal, Gu Ning made tea, but Gu Yan and Zhou Ya sat on the sofa anxiously, like prisoners waiting to be tried.

Yet, they waited a long time without hearing any questioning from their sister or brother-in-law, let alone any accusations or lectures.

Their brother-in-law brought up interesting stories from his work in Steel City; his sister didn't say much, and when she did, it was just a few words about the children.

At these times, their brother-in-law would inevitably lay some groundwork and then laughingly tease the sister and brother who were standing in front of the coffee table playing with toys.

At first, both of them felt the time would be agonizing, but they didn't expect that until the tea was finished, their brother-in-law hadn't mentioned the matter of having children at all.

When Zhou Ya and Gu Yan came out of the foyer, they realized that although their brother-in-law hadn't said anything, it seemed he had said everything.

As the couple looked back at their brother-in-law seeing them off, they had a moment of realization, knowing that some problems had to be communicated between the two of them.

Gu Yan pushed the motorcycle out the door and took the initiative to put down the footrest for her; she got on the motorcycle and also took the initiative to straighten his hat for him—everything was understood without words.

Not many days after Li Li Xuewu returned to Steel City, he received news from the Group; the higher-ups had handled Su Weide's problem seriously.

There was no need to go into the specific details; perhaps truly moved by Li Huai De's sincerity, the higher-ups didn't strike Su Weide down completely.

How did that saying by Mr. Lu Xun go? When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer.

Dong Wenxue had already taken on the role of Security Director, concurrently managing the Technical Department; even if Su Weide could return, he had lost his original portfolio.

What was even more surprising was that Deputy Director Su was returning to work at the Group, but he couldn't return to the Management Committee; instead, he went to the Labor Union.

Xiong Xiong Bencheng, the Labor Union Chairman who had been bedridden for a long time, almost jumped off his hospital bed to cheer; he had finally made it through, and with Su Weide coming, he could retire.

It was true; for these years, Old Xiong had practically been soaking in the hospital ward, and he had been "plagued by illness" since before the United Hospital was even built.

Now that the United Hospital had been operating for almost three years, the organization should consider his physical condition and allow him to process his retirement early.

This could also be considered giving him some dignity.

Xiong Xiong Bencheng was thinking about his own dignity, but he hadn't expected Su Weide's lack of it.

He was arranged to be in the Labor Union, but he wasn't taking over Old Xiong's position.

Clearly, Xiong Xiong Bencheng could have retired and the position could have been vacated, but they just didn't give him that face; even if there was a proper position, they wouldn't give it to him.

Listening to Gu Cheng's report over the phone, Li Li Xuewu only found it amusing.

Gu Cheng worked at the Medical Education Bureau and happened to be the liaison for the Labor Union; when he went to the Labor Union for a meeting, he happened to run into the scene of Deputy Director Su coming to hand over his duties.

They say enemies are especially jealous when they meet; when Su Weide saw his former secretary again, he only felt an indescribable sense of stifling, but no jealousy.

He was now a man under a cloud of suspicion, and those problems of his were still unresolved; he could be dealt with at any time.

The reason he could return to work at the Group was because Li Huai De had taken the initiative to state his position: for the sake of the Group's work and the stability of the organization's ecosystem, the investigation into him would be shelved for the time being.

This was like having a sharp sword hanging over his forehead, with Li Huai De holding the rope in one hand and a whetstone in the other, scaring him.

If you asked who was most annoyed by Su Weide's return, it was naturally Zhou Wanquan.

Come to think of it, it wasn't anything glorious; although everyone knew about Su Weide returning to the Red Steel Group, there was no formal meeting to announce it.

Just like that, quietly, he came back, and he left again.

News about Deputy Director Su was flying everywhere within the Group, but what Gu Cheng knew was definitely the truth.

After Su Weide finished handing over his work, he only stayed in the office for a while before leaving as if his backside were on fire.

Afterwards, he also followed the procedure to ask for leave—sick leave.

This matter was quite interesting; he was a deputy in the Labor Union, so naturally, he had to ask for leave from Xiong Xiong Bencheng, the principal.

What was interesting was that Xiong Xiong Bencheng was in the hospital, so the two of them could be considered to have had a victorious meeting in the hospital; the request for leave was even made in person.

Gu Cheng said that from that day on, Deputy Director Su could be considered to have been soaking in the hospital, never returning to the Group again.

Li Li Xuewu couldn't help but raise his eyebrows; Old Li pleading with the higher-ups to let Old Su off "halfway" and letting him return to the Group wasn't to let him play the pampered master.

Xiong Xiong Bencheng had the capital to recuperate, but what qualifications did Su Weide have?

One or two days would be fine, but if it went on for a long time, Old Li would lose his temper. Could a good dog that didn't bite still be called a good dog? Could it still be called a dog?

If he really couldn't bite anymore, then the hospital wouldn't be his final destination.

"Leader, there are some clothes for you."

Just as Li Li Xuewu hung up the phone, Xiao Ma walked in carrying a duffel bag and reported with a smile, "And it's not just one set."

"Where did they come from?" Li Li Xuewu took a look; these clothes were all new, looking like the standard green, but the material was a bit different.

"They were mailed here; I helped you bring them up."

Xiao Ma reported, "Looking at the addresses, there are several places, but they all came from Beijing."

Li Li Xuewu glanced at the mailing receipts; they were indeed from Beijing—from the Third Guard Regiment, from the Academy, and even from home.

"This material is different from before!"

Xiao Ma rubbed it with his hand and said in surprise, "It's finer than cotton cloth and also stiffer."

"This is a blend." Li Li Xuewu recognized it after a careful look; he had worn this kind in his previous life—the era of Dacron was coming.

A few years ago, the chemical industry was working on blending technology, which was blending polyester, nylon, and cotton into poplin to make fabric for summer shirts.

This era prioritized the military over civilians, so after this material was released, it was first applied to the standard green uniforms.

Ma Baosen curiously opened a jacket and gestured with it, "It looks better than the old ones."

"They're all the same style; how could it look better?"

Li Li Xuewu just looked at it curiously and didn't spend any more effort studying it. Dacron material was very scarce right now; wait a few years, and the most popular fabric on the streets would be Dacron.

Actually, he preferred wearing cotton clothes because they were soft and didn't feel stiff on the body.

The work uniforms of the Red Steel Group were divided into two categories: administrative and grassroots; within each category, various styles were subdivided according to different job types.

Li Li Xuewu had worn the work uniforms of the machine workshop—cotton thread fabric, a bit prone to getting dirty, but truly warm and comfortable.

The clothing material had changed this year, and in a few years, the styles of the clothes would also change. In an era where military clothing was the fashion trend, this change also reflected the changes of the times.

Changing the material was an advancement in technology; changing the style was an advancement in thought.

Li Li Xuewu only kept one set of the new clothes he had received, and seeing that Ma Baosen really liked them, he gave him a set.

It was just that he was tall and big, so Ma Baosen would have to have them altered after taking them home, otherwise, he would look like he was wearing a gong-beater's outfit.

"The ore dressing project must be expedited."

While inspecting the third-phase project of the Metallurgical Plant, Li Li Xuewu instructed Zhang Zheng Minhua, "You are effectively adding a branch plant."

"I really did go once." Executive Deputy Plant Director Zhang Minghua stood beside him and reported, "The progress is indeed not slow."

"But you have to keep an eye on it, especially regarding the connection with the port."

Li Li Xuewu turned back to remind him, "The new port area of Yingcheng Port might only be able to achieve formal operation by the end of the year."

"The Dispatch Department is coordinating with the railway to strive for dedicated line quotas; if you can secure them, your line can be considered unobstructed."

"That would be great," Zhang Minghua said with a smile, "The day before yesterday, when Deputy Director Wang from the city came to our plant for research, she also asked about the dispatching."

"She's quite diligent in coming here—"

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "You can consider yourselves targeted by her; this is a good thing. If you have any issues, ask her for help more often."

"Deputy Director Wang is indeed a good person."

Zhang Minghua introduced with a smile, "When she comes, she asks if we have any difficulties and if we have any opinions or suggestions for them."

"She even said that if we have problems, we can call her directly; although I don't know how she handles things, it certainly sounds forceful."

"She does get things done; she's not just for show."

Li Li Xuewu stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the production workshop and said, "Since you've come to work in Steel City, you must have the preparation and awareness to deal with the local authorities."

Speaking to this point, he turned his head to look at Zhang Minghua and said, "If you can't handle the local relationships well, your work will be very difficult to do."

"I understand; you've told me before."

Zhang Minghua reached out to push up the glasses on the bridge of his nose and said earnestly, "We are also preparing materials, wanting to coordinate a few projects with the city, which can be considered mutual assistance and cooperative development."

"The city actually has always wanted to learn from our current development model, for example, that power plant setup; we can consider this borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha."

He glanced at the other deputy plant directors of the Metallurgical Plant, smiled, and said, "The coarse extraction project requires a lot of procedures; we are also thinking about whether to cooperate with Steel City and set up a preliminary processing step here."

"Outsourcing or cooperation?" Li Li Xuewu walked back, saying as he walked, "Don't expand the scope too much; currently, the Group doesn't have approval funds for new projects."

"Do you think project approval was difficult enough last year?"

He pointed his finger and said, "This year it's even harder, and it's difficult upon difficulty. Director Li has already said that future project applications must pass through General Manager Jing's hurdle."

"Overall profits fell last year, and there's no money to start new projects this year; if you go to seek investment now, you're walking right into the line of fire."

"I can understand, so I'm trying to find a way."

Zhang Minghua was indeed someone who wanted to get things done; he was in a very awkward position, and whether he could successfully take over Li Li Xuewu's position depended on his real, solid work.

Li Li Xuewu moving a step further also indicated that he was really going to leave, but what about after he left? Who would take over the Metallurgical Plant?

He didn't dare to think about the Northeast Company; among those eyeing that piece of cake, who wasn't more formidable than him?

Being able to figure out the matters right in front of him and figuring out his younger brother's affairs was enough.

His younger brother, Zhang Mingyuan, was in Steel City at this very moment.