Chapter 1671: Unexpected Changes

"Why are you leaving as soon as I arrive!"

Zheng Xicai had just parked the car when he saw Li Xuewu taking the children out of his courtyard.

He had improved quite a bit over the past few years; he knew how to speak to different people, unlike before when everything was written on his face.

"This is Li Ning, right?"

Before Li Xuewu could respond, he smiled, picked up Li Ning, and bounced him, "This kid, he's grown really well."

"Call him Uncle." Li Xuewu smiled at his son and taught him, "This is Grandpa Zheng's son."

"Uncle~" Li Ning called out a bit blankly.

"Really good—"

Zheng Xicai smiled and sized him up, then looked at the girl who was standing there quietly, holding her father's hand.

"You're Li Shu, right?"

"Hello, Uncle Zheng, I'm Li Shu."

Li Shu didn't lack upbringing; not to mention following Er Ya and Zhao Yaping to learn how to speak, she had also inherited her mother's character and had the teachings of Great-Grandma, Grandpa, and Grandma, so she didn't lose her manners.

"Good, good child, both are good."

Zheng Xicai seemed to really like children; he held Li Ning and wouldn't let go, looking at Li Xuewu and asking, "What are you doing?"

"Still blaming me? Why don't you say you came back late."

Li Xuewu laughed, "We've been waiting for a while, and we were just about to go to her Grandma's house."

He was just this kind of character: if people respect me an inch, I respect them a foot; if Zheng Xicai spoke like a human, he was willing to treat the other party as one.

After all, there was the relationship of godfather and godmother; no matter how much friction there was between them, they wouldn't tear at each other in front of Wang Shuhua.

As for the conflict, it was just that Li Xuewu had progressed rapidly over those years, which made Zheng Xicai jealous.

Zheng Xicai wasn't competing with Li Xuewu; he was competing with himself, with his father and mother.

Especially when Li Xuewu was working in the Dongcheng, he often came here, and he felt a bit uncomfortable.

Don't look at the fact that he was already nearly thirty and had quite big children; he was still a bit petty in his actions.

Facing Li Xuewu, it wasn't clear if it was arrogance or unwillingness to accept it; anyway, he would make a scene every time they met.

The worst time was when his nephew wanted to join the army and asked Li Xuewu to help get him into the Third Guard Regiment.

With Li Xuewu's influence in the Third Guard Regiment at the time, wouldn't getting one soldier have been easy?

But Li Xuewu simply didn't agree.

He understood what was going on; back then, Zheng Xiaoyan's scene had really offended Li Xuewu.

Not to mention now, just back then, Li Xuewu was quite capable in the Dongcheng; if Zheng Xiaoyan knew how to handle things, wouldn't she have said a few decent words? Did it have to be that chaotic?

But it was good; they didn't know until they tried, and they were shocked—Li Xuewu's little circle got angry, and most of the shopping malls in the capital took the Jinmen radio factory's radios off the shelves.

Zheng Xiaoyan's factory leaders regretted it too late; they spent a lot of effort and entrusted many relationships to restore supply.

Zheng Xiaoyan was caught in the middle and didn't get any good out of it; she was complained about by her parents at home and by her leaders at work.

This also caused the brother and sister to look at Li Xuewu with displeasure, and some of the things they said were very ugly.

Li Xuewu didn't bother with them, but he came less often as his work shifted.

This year, he didn't even come for the New Year, which couldn't help but make Zheng Shusen and his wife think more.

"Why leave now? Let's have a drink tonight, brothers."

Zheng Xicai smiled and tried to keep him, "I bought food, and Xiaoyan and her husband are coming back tonight, let's have some fun."

"Should have said so earlier; everything was already set for tonight."

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "I'm returning to Steel City tomorrow; we haven't gathered at home since I came back, so just tonight."

He turned to look at his godmother and asked, "How about we go to my mother's house tonight? Shall we gather together?"

"Forget it, it's too noisy."

Wang Shuhua was very happy to see them talking politely and harmoniously.

She took Li Ning from Zheng Xicai's arms and said, "My head aches whenever there are too many children."

"Grandma's head aches, I'll blow on it for you."

Li Ning, who was being held by Wang Shuhua, was very good at handling things; he held Wang Grandma's face and blew on her forehead.

"Oh my, it's still my grandson!"

Wang Shuhua doted on him, kissed him hard, and praised him with a smile, "Li Ning is so well-behaved, Grandma's head doesn't ache anymore."

"Then when you come back, let's gather again when we have time, okay," Zheng Xicai smiled and shook hands with Li Xuewu, saying, "Give me a heads-up next time you come back, I'll arrange it."

"No problem, you go ahead and get busy."

Li Xuewu also responded with a smile; after seeing Li Shu get into the car, he said goodbye to his godmother and got into the driver's seat.

Wang Shuhua really doted on Li Ning's cuteness; she was still teasing him as the car drove away.

Zheng Xicai stood beside his mother, watching Li Xuewu's car leave.

"That child's features have opened up."

After his mother turned around, he looked into the distance and said this.

Wang Shuhua glanced at her son, but didn't say anything.

Everything that needed to be said had been said, and everything that needed to be taught had been taught; if he made a mistake again, he couldn't blame his mother.

He was already in his thirties, and he still needed his mother to wipe his butt; where could he say this made sense?

"Hasn't that child's family come looking for her? They're too heartless, tsk tsk—"

Zheng Xicai clicked his tongue, shook his head, and said, "Look at that little look, she doesn't look like she has any fortune."

"Where do you see she has no fortune?"

Wang Shuhua had just thought her son had improved after what he said to Li Xuewu at the gate, but she didn't expect him to show his true colors in three minutes.

"A whole family doting on her and protecting her since she was little; did her biological parents care as much as Li Xuewu and Gu Ning?"

She drooped her eyelids and said, "Starting first grade before she's even six; whose child is taught so well?"

"That—of course he has a good reputation."

Zheng Xicai smiled meaningfully and said, "This child came with her own rations; I've heard about it, Mom."

He deliberately lowered his voice and explained, "The North Soviet Foreign Affairs Office sends money to their house every month, child support."

"I don't know exactly how much, but it's definitely enough for the child to spend; he's just keeping up appearances."

"Where did you hear this nonsense again?"

Wang Shuhua frowned and said, "If others don't know about this, don't I know?"

She stood in the courtyard and reminded her son, "This is the last time; don't spread this nonsense around in the future."

"Also, if your father hears it, he'll scold you again."

"I know—" Zheng Xicai said indifferently, "People are now a deputy bureau chief; how would I, a little sesame seed, dare to compete with them? Don't worry."

Hearing his son talk more and more nonsense, Wang Shuhua glared at him and couldn't be bothered to talk to him anymore.

Zheng Xicai, however, pursed his lips and sneered in his heart: "Let's see how long you can jump around."

And saying it was a pure god-parent relationship—he had long known Li Xuewu had many tricks up his sleeve; wasn't he here to ask for help!

He had heard about the Red Steel Group's affairs; if his father didn't have the ability, would Li Xuewu have come to recognize god-parents?

Why didn't he believe it at all!

"Grass on the plain, one year withers, one year flourishes."

"Wildfire cannot burn it out, the spring breeze blows and it grows again."

Li Shu sat on a small stool, in front of her were three little bean sprouts, all of whom were now her students.

Li Yue was still young, but she already understood things and played with her sister and brothers; her expression was blank and very cute.

Gu Ning had asked for leave from her unit and didn't go to work in the afternoon. Li Xuewu took the children out, while she tidied up the luggage.

Actually, Er Ya could have helped tidy up the luggage, but she wanted to tidy up some summer clothes for Li Xuewu.

In the evening, she had wanted to give Er Ya the night off and bring Zhao Yaping to the house for dinner, but Zhao Yaping didn't want to come.

It wasn't that she felt distant or awkward, she just simply felt that a dinner party in the evening was a waste of time.

If they wanted to eat, where couldn't they eat? Staying at home with Er Ya might be more peaceful.

Besides, even if she followed them, she wouldn't have anything to say; most of the time, she would just listen to the adults chatting.

Even if there were topics related to her, they would just be asking about her family or her studies.

The only time she delayed her studies this year was because her grandfather passed away, and her brother, sister-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law all went back.

People all said that a golden phoenix had flown out of the Zhao family, the whole family was enjoying the blessings, and Old Zhao went away with a smile.

She naturally knew who the golden phoenix in the family referred to; in fact, she also wanted to be a golden phoenix.

Being first in the class certainly wasn't enough, and being first in the grade wasn't enough either; she even wanted to get full marks in every subject.

Her studies were truly not taught by anyone; except when Gu Ning was at home, Er Ya couldn't help at all.

Zhao Yafang had Li Yue, and her work at the unit was busy, so coming here once or twice a month was already a lot.

With no one to tutor her and a weak foundation, she could still steadily occupy the first place in the entire grade; no one could surpass her.

Zhao Yaping had become the nightmare of those city children, the "so-and-so in Class One" in the teacher's mouth, and the "so-and-so in your grade" in the parents' mouths.

Zhao Yaping didn't want to come, so Gu Ning could only come alone. When she arrived at the courtyard, Li Xuewu and the three children had long since arrived.

"If you hadn't come, I would have gone to pick you up." Ji Yuxiu saw her second sister-in-law enter the room, smiled, stood up, and greeted, "Come, come, we're just waiting for you to wrap dumplings."

"Hahaha—" Zhao Yafang smiled and said, "Are you waiting for your second sister-in-law to help wrap dumplings, or have you wrapped them and are waiting for your second sister-in-law to come and put them in the pot?"

"Look, even the eldest sister-in-law can't stand it."

Ji Yuxiu raised her eyebrows and said, "I'm the only one in this family who cares whether you came or not; they didn't even ask about you."

"Then I really have to thank you."

Gu Ning naturally knew they were joking, walked over, and reached out to pinch Ji Yuxiu's waist.

"Hahaha!" Ji Yuxiu was afraid of this move, held the dough in her hands, dodged, and said, "Returning evil for good, second sister-in-law!"

"Pay attention to the lecture!" Li Shu discovered that the gazes of her two younger brothers and one younger sister had all been attracted by her mother and the others; she coughed like a teacher and said loudly, "Don't get distracted!"

"Did you hear that? Li Laoshi said, don't get distracted!"

Zhao Yafang smiled and glanced at Li Shu, reminding Ji Yuxiu, "If you get distracted again, Li Laoshi is going to get angry."

"Read with me—Spring sleep, unaware of dawn."

Li Shu heard her eldest aunt's words and looked at her younger brothers and sister even more seriously; she really had the air of a teacher.

"Spring sleep, unaware of dawn, mosquitoes biting everywhere," Li Xuecai came out from the inner room and squatted beside Li Shu to cause trouble, "Bumps rising at night, don't know how many bites."

"Oh my! Uncle is annoying—"

Li Shu was so angry; the discipline she had finally established was disrupted by her uncle again.

"That's right, you're really annoying!"

Ji Yuxiu held a rolling pin and pretended to knock on Li Xuecai's head, scaring him, "Stay away from our Li Laoshi!"

"I can also recite ancient poems," Li Xuecai wouldn't leave his eldest niece and deliberately acted shamelessly, "I recite better than you."

"Bumps rising at night! Hahaha!"

Li Tang and Li Ning danced with joy, laughing loudly, feeling it was so fun and so happy.

"Wrong! You recited it wrong!"

Li Shu was anxious to correct him, "The teacher didn't teach it like that; you recited it wrong!"

"Third brother, if my son goes to school and recites this, see if I don't discipline you!"

Before Ji Yuxiu could say anything more, hearing her son imitate his uncle, Zhao Yafang got anxious first.

Li Xuecai was kicked by Ji Yuxiu and went to hug the firewood with a wicked smile.

He wasn't afraid of his wife, nor was he afraid of his eldest sister-in-law, but he caught a glimpse of his father sitting in the inner room glaring.

Daring to poison the future seedlings of the Li family—he really had guts and was tired of living.

When he was little, with his eldest brother and second brother as foils, he and Li Xue were definitely the good children of the family, the treasures in their hearts.

Li Xue didn't even need to be mentioned; with only one daughter, doting on her was only right.

And him? As the youngest, he enjoyed who knew how much parental favoritism, and even more so because he worked hard to study traditional Chinese medicine.

But looking at it now, those were all things of the past; his parents' hearts were all on the next generation.

Starting from Li Shu, all the way to Li Yue, who was currently the youngest, his father Li Shun wished he could keep them by his side and teach them personally.

If Li Shu said she had homework and didn't come home for class, Li Shun could take the bus to his second son's house to tutor his granddaughter.

He hadn't needed to watch over the studies of the children in the family, and they all learned very well.

It was even more so for the grandchildren's generation; Li Shu starting first grade at five had become a topic that must be discussed on this street.

As long as they saw Li Shun, anyone who wanted to chat with him found it very easy to use his eldest granddaughter as an entry point.

The youngest son wasn't good, only the eldest granddaughter was good.

"Look at the dumplings you wrapped," Zhao Yafang deliberately teased Li Xue, pointing to the dumplings she had just pinched on the lid, "If you go to your husband's house, you'll be laughed at."

"Did you laugh at me when you first came?"

Li Xue rolled her eyes and said, "It wasn't Grandma who taught you how to wrap dumplings."

"You're comparing yourself to me?" Zhao Yafang used her flour-covered hand to tap her sister-in-law's forehead and said, "Before I got married, I hadn't even seen what a dumpling looked like; I wanted to wrap them, but what was I supposed to wrap them with?"

"Then you don't have to shame me—"

Li Xue supported the dumplings she had pinched and said, "Isn't this quite good."

"You'll know once they're in the pot; they'll all become noodle soup."

Zhao Yafang glanced at Gu Ning and Ji Yuxiu, winked, and asked, "If you want to learn, hurry up; your second sister-in-law and third sister-in-law are both my apprentices; I won't charge you tuition if you learn now."

She cleared her throat and said with a suppressed smile, "If you wait until you're about to leave the house to learn, I won't teach you!"

"Who's leaving the house?"

Li Xue glanced at her third sister-in-law, who was about to laugh out loud, bumped her eldest sister-in-law with her shoulder in shame, and said, "Don't think about driving me away."

"Who wants to drive you away—" Ji Yuxiu raised her eyebrows and smiled, "We're just afraid we won't be able to keep you by then!"

"It's fine, I'll use an iron chain to lock her up by then." Zhao Yafang pursed her lips and smiled, "I'll see if she leaves or not!"

"Annoying—you two—"

Li Xue blushed and gestured to her second sister-in-law, who hadn't spoken, saying, "Why don't you learn from second sister-in-law."

She deliberately stood beside Gu Ning and said, "My second sister-in-law is still the best; you two are bad people."

"Yo—we've become bad people now?"

Zhao Yafang raised her chin and said, "Wait until the new groom comes to the door; we'll definitely have to make things difficult for him!"

"What 'new son-in-law'?" Li Xuewu had been pulled aside by Seeing Sha Zhu to chat for quite a while in the side room, and only heard this upon entering the house.

Zhao Yafang glanced at him and gestured in Li Xue's direction, saying, "Can you sleep at night knowing your sister can't find a partner?"

"That's—" Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "I've been suffering from insomnia for a long time."

"Second brother!" Li Xue chided, "Can't you learn something good?"

"Look at you all, forcing my sister to marry!"

Li Xuewu changed his tone quickly, turned to the eldest sister-in-law and Ji Yuxiu, and said, "Li Xue said she wouldn't marry for a lifetime, and you all insist on worrying about this."

After saying this, he turned to Li Xue and said, "It's fine, you have your brother to take care of you at home; you don't have to get married for the rest of your life."

"Oh my—I'm not wrapping anymore!"

Li Xue was ashamed and angry, threw the dumpling skin in her hand, turned, and went to the inner room to complain to her mother, "Second brother bullied me."

"You really don't appreciate kindness!"

Li Xuewu walked to the door of the inner room and teased his sister, "I'm helping you."

"I don't need your help," Li Xue hid behind her mother and chided, "You're the one who shouldn't get married for a lifetime."

"I'm not getting married for a lifetime."

Li Xuewu looked at his sister, who was angered into confusion, with amusement and asked, "Then are you going to get married in this lifetime?"

"I won't tell you! Annoying!"

Li Xue rolled her eyes, looked at her second brother who had entered the room, and said, "Eldest sister-in-law and third sister-in-law both learned it from him."

"Look, you've found the bad guy."

Li Xue pursed her lips, glanced at her second brother who had entered the room, and said, "Eldest sister-in-law and third sister-in-law both learned it from him."

"Look, you've found the bad guy."

Li Xue pursed her lips, glanced at her second brother who had entered the room, and said, "Eldest sister-in-law and third sister-in-law both learned it from him."

"Look, you've found the bad guy."

Zhao Yafang emphasized while wrapping dumplings in the main room, "Your third sister-in-law and I are both good people."

"Not that good either—"

Li Xue emphasized through the window, "I brought your children for nothing; no one will help you in the future when you give birth again."

"That's right, we're not giving birth anymore."

Zhao Yafang looked up at her and said, "We're just waiting for you to give birth so we can help."

"I don't know if you'll need help."

"I'm not talking to you anymore." Li Xue couldn't know that this question was a trap; no matter how she answered, it was wrong.

"Why didn't your grandfather come over?"

Li Shun, who was sitting at the end of the kang, asked Li Xuewu, "Isn't he in the guest room?"

"He is, the eldest uncle came, they're chatting."

Li Xuewu looked back at his father and explained, "Something about looking at dates or something; didn't listen carefully."

"Is it about setting up the tombstone for the eldest aunt?"

Liu Yin heard a bit and asked, "Are they setting it up now?"

"Shouldn't be; how could it be so early."

Li Shun shook his head, picked up his teacup, took a sip of warm tea, and said, "It's only set up when everything is complete."

"Complete" meant the eldest aunt's grave couldn't be set up first; they had to wait until the eldest uncle passed away before setting them up together.

Because they couldn't wait until the eldest uncle passed away and then change the tombstone, right? There was no such custom.

So the idea in later TV dramas that ancient people set up tombstones as soon as they died, whether stone or wooden boards with black characters, was pure nonsense.

Unless two people died together, there was no such way to set them up.

But there were exceptions, such as public funerals or public sacrifices; those who sacrificed for the country would have tombstones set up first; that was for fame, two different things.

"Don't know, didn't listen carefully."

Li Xuewu explained, "I was busy listening to Seeing Sha Zhu bragging; he said he wanted to organize a chef training class and was dragging me to talk nonsense."

"Is Zhuzi going to be a teacher too?"

Liu Yin smiled and said, "There's no chef who doesn't take apprentices; it seems he has absolute confidence in his skills."

"It's also because the few restaurants in the city are really too busy, and there aren't that many suitable chefs."

Li Xuewu explained while sitting on the edge of the kang, "In the second half of the year to next year, our unit is going to develop hospitality and service businesses."

"Are you going to build another guesthouse?"

Zhao Yafang asked curiously, "Isn't the current one enough?"

"It's not that it's not enough, it's that it's not profitable enough." Ji Yuxiu explained with a smile, "Haven't you heard that the Red Steel Group's International Hotel is about to be completed? Many people in the city are looking forward to it."

"Second brother, can the International Hotel break even in three years?"

Ji Yuxiu worked in the city, and the organs were very sensitive to such things, especially when chatting.

Li Xuewu laughed, "Not to mention three years, even five or ten years might not break even."

"Ah?" Ji Yuxiu was stunned, "Then wouldn't that be a loss!"

"How could it be a loss!" This time, Zhao Yafang understood better than her, "The Red Steel Group might not necessarily want to break even."

"What do you mean?" Ji Yuxiu asked, "Not in a hurry to break even? Not making money when there's money to be made?"

"It's not that there's money not to be made, but that there's money not to be distributed."

Zhao Yafang looked at the second younger brother-in-law sitting in the inner room drinking tea and shook her head slightly, "It's only troublesome when money is made."

"So it's just a chicken that lays eggs!"

Ji Yuxiu seemed to understand and looked at the eldest sister-in-law, asking, "Are those units that invested willing?"

"What's there to be unwilling about? The assets are right there, and they can't be moved," Zhao Yafang explained, "They didn't invest in the industry, but in the future of the International Hotel."

"As long as the International Hotel's future expected return valuation is always higher than their investment, they won't be annoyed."

"If you don't believe me, go ask Li Xue," she gestured to the younger sister-in-law sitting in the inner room slacking off, "Ask if their finance department has any plans to distribute money this year."

Distribute what money? Wasn't the money used to build the big building!

Could what the Red Steel Group ate into its mouth be spat out?

Li Xuewu had long since prepared the big pie for those shareholders; whether they could eat it or not, he didn't know, but they were full just looking at it.

These units threw money in, and they could all share a piece of the glory of the first tallest building in the country; this was what was important.

And they fought tooth and nail for the naming rights of the International Hotel building, which was equivalent to the "Unreliable Building."

"Daddy, I want to learn to fly a plane."

Li Ning's legs were short, and it was difficult to climb the boarding stairs; it was Qi Yan who held him and put him on the Red Star One.

After putting Li Ning down, he went down with Ma Baosen to move the luggage.

The flight attendants were actually helping, but how could the girls have as much strength as these big guys.

The driver who came to see Li Xuewu off didn't rush to leave; it was Han Jiankun's territory, how could they not know the ropes.

"Packed so much, have to move it back at the end of the year."

Li Xuewu looked at the suitcase fixed in the corner of the plane and smiled helplessly at Gu Ning, "You come again at the end of the year and help me move."

"Alright." Gu Ning seemed not to have heard his joke and nodded seriously.

Li Xuewu had long known her little thoughts and looked out the window with a smile.

It wasn't Li Shu and Li Ning's first time taking the Red Star One, so they started playing in their seats after getting on the plane.

Neither of the siblings was dressed very thickly; Gu Ning had brought some thicker long-sleeved clothes for the children in her bag.

"Two hours and a bit."

Li Xuewu raised his wrist to check the time and said, "You can rest for a while; I'll call you when we arrive."

"It's fine, not sleepy." Gu Ning took a book out of her handbag and started reading in front of him.

She said she was out to relax, but she still couldn't put down her studies; no wonder they said learning was a kind of inertia.

"You have to fasten your seatbelt when sitting on a plane."

Li Shu tried to help her younger brother, but couldn't buckle it no matter what; Zhou Xiaoling had put away the luggage and walked over to squat down and help.

"Thank you, Auntie—"

Li Ning looked up at her and only thought this aunt was so beautiful.

Li Shu still remembered her and took the initiative to greet, "Hello, Auntie Zhou."

"Hello Li Shu, going to Steel City with Daddy and Mommy to play?" Zhou Xiaoling looked at Li Xuewu and Gu Ning with a smile and asked Li Shu, "Do you have any plans for where to play?"

"We're going to climb a mountain!" Li Ning explained actively, "Daddy is going to take us to see tigers and lions."

"That's the zoo!" Li Shu really couldn't stand her younger brother's nonsense and, fearing he would lose face, corrected him actively, "The mountain we're going to climb doesn't have tigers or lions."

"Li Shu really knows a lot."

Zhou Xiaoling praised Li Shu with a smile; seeing Gu Ning look up at her, she nodded and greeted, "Hello, Leader, hello, Sister-in-law."

Li Xuewu rarely brought work home, and not many people in the unit knew Gu Ning; of course, they couldn't come into contact with her.

And those who could come into contact with Gu Ning generally called her Doctor Gu, or Comrade, rarely calling her Sister-in-law.

Zhou Yao and Wang Lu naturally didn't need to be mentioned; there was a family relationship there. Zhou Xiaoling doing so was thanks to Li Xue.

To this day, the relationship between the two was still very close; as long as it was the weekend and they weren't on duty, Zhou Xiaoling would definitely make an appointment with Li Xue to go shopping or play in the city; it was a very close friendship.

Another reason Zhou Xiaoling could get closer to Li Xuewu's family was Xiaoxiao; they were both in the dance troupe and didn't have that many schemes against each other.

Don't look at how close Zhou Xiaoling and Zhou Miaomiao were back then; now the two basically had no contact, unless they met and spoke.

Xiaoxiao was different; she was the most uncompetitive and peaceful person in their circle.

Until now, among the sisters in the dance troupe back then, only Xiaoxiao still persisted in her dance career.

They were getting older and rarely had the opportunity to perform on stage, so Xiaoxiao switched to choreography and teaching.

And the reason Xiaoxiao could become Li Shu's tutor was because of Zhou Xiaoling.

"Hello." Gu Ning nodded slightly and continued reading; she didn't like small talk and socializing.

Li Xuewu was flipping through the newspaper he had received before getting on the plane and said while reading, "Don't give them anything to eat; we'll be there in a while, and their stomachs will be uncomfortable if they eat too much."

"Just a little bit." Zhou Xiaoling looked at the children; Li Shu and Li Ning were very quiet, but the desire for good food in their eyes couldn't be hidden.

Li Ning was asking what to eat in a while when they got on the plane, because he had eaten on the plane when he flew with his mother last time.

It wasn't that the food on the plane was delicious; he just felt it was interesting to look at the white clouds outside the window while eating.

Zhou Xiaoling couldn't bear to see the siblings sad; after requesting the secretary-general and seeing him nod, she blinked at the siblings with a smile and whispered, "Auntie will go find you something to eat."

"Thank you, Auntie—"

Li Shu and Li Ning thanked her in unison.

Li Xuewu looked over the newspaper in his hand and looked at them with amusement.

Li Ning didn't feel embarrassed at all; it was Li Shu who saw her father's gaze and turned her head away in embarrassment.

Two hours and thirteen minutes later, the plane landed again and stopped steadily on the tarmac.

Ma Baosen and Qi Yan, who were sitting in the back row, stood up in unison and took the initiative to go to the front to prepare the luggage.

"Have you talked to the publishing house yet?"

Gu Ning seemed to have finished the book in her hand, turned her head to look at Li Xuewu, and asked, "How many copies are you printing this time?"

"Three thousand more than last time," Li Xuewu smiled, raised his head to look at her, and said, "Money's coming in again."

*Heh*—Gu Ning looked at him with amusement; she was just about to say he was a money-grubber.

Li Xuewu didn't feel he was a money-grubber at all; he had earned this money fair and square.

Last time it was over four thousand five hundred; this time it was over six thousand seven hundred—enough to eat pork for three years.

If he wanted to, he could even buy an Antelope car with this money.

"Actually, I should also thank the training base for their contribution."

He explained with a smile, "I heard that I wrote a book related to emergency management, and they plan to use it as a textbook."

Gu Ning felt a bit sour listening to his explanation; her own paper hadn't been valued like this.

Clearly, she was the one who worked harder, but she was surpassed by him.

The ones in this family who should be associate professors were either the eldest brother and sister-in-law, or her.

Who could have thought that the "unlearned and skillless" Li Xuewu would be the first to become an associate professor.

And up until now, he was the only one in the family.

"Secretary-General, you can get off the plane."

Ma Baosen and the others moved the luggage and came to remind Li Xuewu, "The car is already prepared."

"Alright, coming." Li Xuewu put down the newspaper in his hand and stood up to put on his jacket.

Gu Ning also stood up, packed her bag, and then walked out holding Li Shu and Li Ning's hands.

Li Xuewu walked at the very end, shaking hands with the crew members standing at the boarding stairs one by one to express his gratitude and say goodbye.

Because of his politeness, almost all the leaders of the group would do the same now.

To express gratitude to the crew for their "grace of not killing."

Ma Baosen had long since requested instructions for this trip and had also communicated with Qi Yan, so the small motorcade headed straight for Guanshan Road after getting in the car.

Li Shu and Li Ning sat between their parents, looking at the scenery of Steel City outside the window while talking about the scenery along the way.

The sun was fiery red when the plane landed, and the sky was already dark when the three cars arrived home.

Li Xuewu got out of the car first, held Li Shu and Li Ning, while Gu Ning got out of the car from the other side.

Qi Yan and the others moved the suitcases out of the trunk with nimble hands and feet, and under Ma Baosen's lead, moved them into the courtyard.

"Just put them in the living room; I'll tidy up the rest myself." Li Xuewu waved his hand and gestured to the drivers, "Sorry for making you work overtime, you've all worked hard."

Ma Baosen had long since received the leader's instructions and handed the bag to him; Li Xuewu took a few boxes of cigarettes from the bag and distributed them to them.

The cigarettes weren't expensive, just boxed Little Pandas; what was rare was whose hands these cigarettes came from.

Li Xuewu didn't smoke, but he never lacked cigarettes in his hands; these weren't cigarettes, they were stepping stones for human relations.

Even for his subordinates, he was never stingy; if a leader didn't even have this bit of human touch, it was over.

"Daddy, I'm hungry—"

Li Ning ran around the living room, returned to the foyer, and said with a bit of grievance, "I didn't get full on the plane."

"Your little mouth didn't stop for a moment, and you're still not full."

Gu Ning glanced at him, changed into her slippers, and walked toward the living room, just like she had been when she first came here years ago.

Only now, Zhou Miaomiao and her daughter were gone, and she didn't know where Yu Li, whom she knew, had gone.

"Not cooking tonight, let's go to the restaurant to eat."

Li Xuewu checked the time on his wrist; it was only a little past six, but children were always easily hungry.

"Aren't there noodles?" Gu Ning asked, "Let's just eat a little something."

"Tired?" Li Xuewu glanced at her, turned back to Qi Yan who had stayed behind, and said, "Go to the Tongshun Restaurant and order a few dishes; we'll eat as soon as you get back."

"Alright, I'm going." Qi Yan and Ma Baosen had discussed it and also asked the leader for instructions.

Ma Baosen was of no use here if the leader needed the car, so he took another car home.

He lived in the dormitory, so it didn't matter if he went back early or late.

"I want to eat meat! Uncle Xiao Qi!"

Li Ning was afraid Uncle Xiao Qi was stingy, chased him to the foyer, opened the door, and shouted at the gate.

Qi Yan turned back with a smile, waved his hand, then closed the courtyard gate, got in the car, and left.

Gu Ning had already walked through the downstairs, even turning through Zhou Miaomiao's study.

After a few years, the traces Zhou Miaomiao had left here were almost invisible; the bookshelves and desks were all filled with his ink and items.

He liked to read theoretical and professional books, especially in engineering; one could tell from the books on the shelf.

She didn't go upstairs; even if she did, she wouldn't see Yu Li, so why bother?

Li Xuewu, however, took the initiative to go upstairs to move the clothes she had brought up.

They were all clothes Li Xuewu would wear in summer and autumn, saving him from running back and forth.

"Want to take a shower first?" Li Xuewu came down from upstairs, went to the bathroom to test the stove, and found it was hot.

Yu Li knew Gu Ning was coming, so she made an excuse to go to Yingcheng and wasn't at home.

Gu Ning didn't feel anything; seeing through it without saying it, saying it had no meaning.

If Li Xuewu really did it for the sake of love, he wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to hide a beauty in a golden house here.

To put it bluntly, it was nothing more than complex emotions mixed with life's needs. If Yu Li could really get rid of her reliance on him and have no worries about food and clothing, and there were a hundred men chasing her shamelessly, see if she would still be so attentive to Li Xuewu.

Human nature cannot be analyzed too thoroughly, otherwise, there would be no human nature.

"I want to sleep in this big room!"

Li Shu and Li Ning followed their father upstairs, pushed open the door, and chose their rooms.

Li Ning was a step late; he wanted to choose the small one but was unwilling.

Li Xuewu put down the hot water, carried the luggage back upstairs, and said to the siblings, "Then who wants to sleep with Daddy and Mommy?"

"Me!" Li Shu and her younger brother raised their hands together, but both gave up the big room they had just wanted to fight for.

"Alright, in view of your excellent performance today, I have decided to open two spots."

Li Xuewu smiled, pointed at the siblings, and said, "Allowing you both to sleep with Daddy and Mommy."

"Yay—" The siblings cheered in unison, as if they had won a prize.

Since Daddy came to work in Steel City, Li Shu had been sleeping in a separate room from Mommy.

Her younger brother had followed Mommy when he was little, and later moved out to follow her; she didn't feel lonely anymore.

But Li Xuewu was afraid the siblings wouldn't adapt to the new environment, especially in the dark of night, so he decided to take them to sleep together.

Gu Ning took a shower in the bathroom downstairs and washed away the fatigue and worries of the day.

She gathered her hair and walked out, looked at the three of them coming down from upstairs, and asked, "Who's going to shower?"

"I'm showering with Daddy—"

Li Ning held his father's hand, looked at his father, and then said to his sister, "Then you shower first, sister."

"Alright." Li Shu just responded, took the clothes Mommy gave her, and went to the bathroom.

"What meeting did you have this morning?" Gu Ning used a towel to absorb the water on her hair and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Are you going to be busy?"

"Being busy is normal; which day can you not be busy in Liaodong." Li Xuewu smiled and explained, "The group approved the application for the establishment of the Northeast branch; I'm back to do preparatory work, to build the organizational structure and operations on time."

"Is that so, Northeast branch?"

Gu Ning asked with some surprise, "Has your unit developed to the point of conducting business in several provinces in the Northeast?"

"Heh, strategic definition."

Li Xuewu smiled and explained, "The full name is Red Star Steel Group Northeast Industrial Development General Company."

"Here we can also simply call it Red Star Northeast Industrial Company, coordinating and planning all industrial projects and businesses of the group in the Northeast region."

He patted his son's butt to signal him to go to the study to play, then sat on the sofa and explained to Gu Ning, "Group Director Li has already talked to me; it will be no later than the end of the year."

"So I only have more than half a year to plan and build the Northeast company."

"Will we disturb you?"

Gu Ning frowned slightly and said, "I thought you could rest for a few days."

"I'm the one who decides here; isn't it simple to want to rest?"

Li Xuewu smiled, patted the sofa, and signaled her to sit down and talk, "I'll go to the unit for a meeting tomorrow morning, and take you all out to play in the afternoon."

"It's fine if we don't go out if there's a lot of work."

Gu Ning thought for a while and said, "Actually, it's quite good at home."

"Then wouldn't it be a wasted trip."

Li Xuewu pointed to Li Ning, who was hiding in the study eavesdropping, and said with a smile, "The son and daughter are probably going to be disappointed."

Gu Ning glanced at the study door and nodded slightly, "I'll listen to your arrangements."

Li Xuewu's dinner was ruined by a phone call from Fengcheng; it was Xiao Zihong reminding him that there was a change in the group-style club.

Li Xuewu frowned as he listened; it turned out to be an article in the internal reference, defining this line of thinking as a tendency toward degeneration. ===== CHAPTER 1672 =====