Chapter 224: Little Brother, Find Your Uncle, It Works!

Today is a workday, so there aren't many people in the Jinyu Hutong. On such a freezing day, even the children don't want to run outside to play.

During the few days Li Li Xuewu was away, Lao Lao Biaozi and the others had already cleared away the accumulated snow piled at the entrance, making the road in the Jinyu Hutong look remarkably spacious and clean.

One could tell just how heavy this snowfall had been from the large lumps of ice on the street and the "snow mountains" that had yet to melt.

The sun is out today, so the ice and snow on the street are melting and freezing at the same time; people slip and slide with every step they take.

The driver is a very observant person; he parked the car right in front of the courtyard gate and even helped Li Li Xuewu pull the car door open. Li Li Xuewu invited the driver inside for a drink, but he declined, exchanged a few words with Li Li Xuewu, and drove off.

Li Li Xuewu shook the overcoat on his shoulders, stamped his feet on the ground, glanced at a jeep parked by the wall of the Sihe Academy, and lifted his legs to walk inside.

Li Lao Er is back!

After entering the outer courtyard and glancing at the south-facing rooms, he saw that Da Lao wasn't inside. He walked out through the newly repaired screen wall and looked toward the west courtyard. The north warehouse had already been topped off, and the east and west warehouses were also ready for roofing. As for the four rooms facing the street, Li Li Xuewu saw that the walls had already been raised when he returned.

Da Lao was standing at the entrance of the north warehouse chatting with Master Dou. Master Dou was facing Li Li Xuewu's direction, so he saw him first and raised his hand to greet him.

Li Li Xuewu walked over with a smile, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, handed it to Master Dou, and said, "You've worked hard."

Master Dou took the cigarette and waved his hand to signal he would light it himself. After all three of them had lit their cigarettes, he said, "What hard work? It's only right. Proprietor, have you been busy with work? I haven't seen you for a long time."

Seeing that Da Lao was also watching him, and thinking that Da Lao must have been worried about him during his days away from home, Li Li Xuewu said, "Yes, there was a case that required our support, so I haven't been able to come back."

Da Lao looked at the flesh on Li Li Xuewu's cheeks and didn't believe his nonsense, but he didn't say anything in front of an outsider. It was a good thing that his grandson had returned safe and sound.

Master Dou knew Li Li Xuewu's profession and didn't ask further; that was the rule. He nodded to acknowledge Li Li Xuewu's answer and then said, "The north warehouse in our courtyard is finished, and the east and west warehouses will be done in a couple of days. I was just telling your grandfather about how to decorate the rooms facing the street."

Li Li Xuewu walked a few steps into the gate and looked at the spacious north warehouse; it wouldn't be a problem to park twenty cars inside. He then looked at the passage door leading to the underground warehouse and was very satisfied with Master Dou's work.

"You and my grandfather can just discuss the decoration. You are both professionals; you must be much better than a novice like me."

Master Dou chuckled at Li Li Xuewu's flattery and said nothing. Da Lao looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Go home. Your mother has been talking about you for several days."

Li Li Xuewu nodded, greeted Master Dou, and returned to the main courtyard.

He felt very reassured having Da Lao watching over the courtyard here, and Master Dou wouldn't dare to cut corners. Besides, in this era, there really weren't many people in construction who would cheat others.

After entering the front courtyard and stepping past the second gate, he saw that his home was quite lively, with quite a few people talking inside. He lifted the door curtain and walked in, but the liveliness came to an abrupt halt as soon as he entered.

Li Li Xuewu squinted his eyes to adjust to the light and looked into the room. Sitting beside the Eight Immortals table was a middle-aged man with an extraordinary air. Sitting next to him was his older brother, Li Li Xuewen, who winked at him when he saw he had returned.

Beside them were perhaps the people who had come with them, both men and women, who looked like intellectuals.

"Li Xuewu, you're back? Why haven't you sent any word after being gone for so many days?" Liu Yin was standing by the door and hurried over to ask when she saw Li Li Xuewu enter.

He glanced at his sister-in-law standing to one side; clearly, she hadn't told the family about his situation after going to the hospital. He nodded at her.

Li Li Xuewu turned his head and winked at his mother, saying, "Work was busy, I couldn't get away to send word. Who are these?"

Liu Yin looked at Li Li Xuewu's complexion, which seemed fine, and wondered why he looked like he had even gained weight. Didn't he say work was busy?

"Your brother's colleagues. They came to the house to find your brother to go to work, but your brother doesn't know what kind of madness has gotten into him; he just won't go and insists on waiting for you to return. What did you say to your brother?"

Li Li Xuewu squinted and looked at the few people who had stood up over there; clearly, they had received news of his discharge today and had come to block the house.

"You must be Li Ke from the Red Star Rolling Mill. I visited you at the hospital, but it just so happened that you were..."

Before the middle-aged cadre could finish his sentence, he was pulled back by the person who had stood up last, who had a very graceful demeanor.

This person laughed "haha" and said very humorously, "We can be considered to have known each other in spirit for a long time. Today, we have finally met. Li Ke is truly a dragon among men, with an extraordinary, fierce spirit."

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and sized the man up, saying, "You are too kind. I am just an ordinary security officer. I wonder why you have mobilized so many people?"

The man didn't let the middle-aged cadre introduce him again but said directly, "I am the Vice President of Huaqing University. My name is Li Li Congyun. Speaking of which, we are from the same clan. We have come to discuss some matters with you, and also to notify Comrade Li Li Xuewen to return to school to continue his classes."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the old lady who was watching them with Li Shu in the room and Liu Yin who was standing in the main hall.

"Let's go to my place to talk. It's more spacious over there."

Vice President Li clearly knew that Li Li Xuewu had some things he didn't want to say in front of his family, and he himself had some things he didn't want to say here, so their opinions were in agreement. He nodded happily and said, "Then I will disturb you."

Li Li Xuewu made a gesture of invitation and took the lead in going out to the backyard.

Li Li Congyun said to the few people beside him, "How about this: Comrade Li Li Xuewen and Comrade Jing Rong, let's go over and talk. The others will wait here for now."

After speaking, he nodded at Liu Yin and followed Li Li Xuewu out.

Seeing his second brother return, Li Li Xuewen stopped being silent, let the Dean of Academic Affairs go first, and followed behind the two of them out the door, closing it behind him and blocking Zhao Zhao Yafang's path.

Zhao Zhao Yafang had originally wanted to follow, but the school leaders hadn't mentioned her, and Li Li Xuewu hadn't either. Now that Li Li Xuewen had closed the door, she could only entertain the two remaining colleagues in the room with a heavy heart.

"Please have some water." Zhao Zhao Yafang smiled politely and greeted the two comrades from the Academic Affairs Office.

One of these two was a man and the other a woman. The man was the one who had helped their Director Jing at the hospital that day, so he naturally knew that the person who had just entered was the one they hadn't seen at the hospital.

Although the Li family's house wasn't that grand, and Zhao Zhao Yafang didn't have the temperament of a city person, they didn't dare to look down on this Instructor Li's family.

This woman had also gone that day and had called Zhao Zhao Yafang later. Zhao Zhao Yafang had listened to Xu Ning's words and ignored them, so she held a grudge in her heart.

Seeing this house and courtyard today when coming to Li Li Xuewen's home, she felt even more disdain. When she greeted Zhao Zhao Yafang just now, she had already complained a few times.

These school bureaucrats were even more pretentious than the people in Li Li Xuewu's factory, because they were all intellectuals, so they had more etiquette to observe.

Looking at this just now, the person who entered carried a fierce and valiant temperament. He wasn't the same type of person as the Li Li Xuewen they knew. They couldn't imagine how the Li family had raised two brothers with such opposite personalities.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu answering his leader's questions, neither humble nor pushy, and not losing the upper hand, and seeing that even his own leader had to beg him, they couldn't help but weigh the situation.

"Sister-in-law, your brother-in-law is truly majestic. If you don't look closely, you'd think he was a general."

Although Zhao Zhao Yafang didn't have much experience, she could see that this woman in charge of the Youth League looked down on her. Borrowing the woman's words, she started to brag.

"Hey, this is my second brother-in-law. He's studying at the Medical University. This second brother-in-law was originally a military officer who transferred to civilian work. If he hadn't been wounded on the battlefield, he would have been at least a battalion-level cadre if he had stayed in the army. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he could be a general in the future."

This woman wanted to mend relations with Zhao Zhao Yafang and the Li family, so she naturally spoke with flattery: "Oh my, I was wondering why he looked so domineering. Being a section chief now is already quite something."

Seeing her mother-in-law looking quite proud, Zhao Zhao Yafang said, "Hey, you only see him as an official, you haven't seen him suffering. He also serves as the deputy director of the local police station. He's often so busy he doesn't come home. Look, he hasn't been back for more than ten days, which had my father-in-law and mother-in-law so worried."

As she spoke, she pushed the basket of dried fruits forward and said, "Try these dried fruits. He brought them back from a business trip to the Northeast. He's busy, but he always thinks of home. Otherwise, why would his brother listen to everything he says?"

The woman said with some envy, "Instructor Li lives a relaxed life. Why haven't you two had children yet?"

In the backyard, in the Li family's living room.

Li Li Xuewu sat on a single sofa, Li Li Congyun and Jing Rong sat on the long sofa, and Li Li Xuewen sat on the sofa slanted by the fireplace.

As soon as Li Li Congyun entered the room, he sized up the layout of Li Li Xuewu's home. Although he had seen the world, it was relatively rare to see this kind of decoration and layout in an ordinary courtyard house, and he couldn't help but praise it a few times.

"Spacious and bright, unique in style; it can truly be called an elegant residence."

Li Li Xuewu had finally made it home and was too lazy to engage in idle chatter with these people, so he said, "It's just a humble room, though I am fortunate today to be able to say, 'In conversation, there are only great scholars; in coming and going, there are no unrefined men.'"

Li Li Congyun smiled as he looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Li Ke is being too modest. I was a classmate of Ji Wang Weidong's father, and even that brat Ji Wang Weidong doesn't dare tell lies in front of me. Yet, he said you have a million soldiers in your chest. Looking at you today, you do indeed carry the air of a commander reviewing troops on the autumn battlefield, yet you are no mere brute; you possess the potential of a scholar-general."

Li Li Xuewu hadn't expected the person who came today to have such a deep background. Ji Wang Weidong had never told him what kind of relationship their families had, but just judging by the brat's words and actions, he didn't come from an ordinary family either.

"Ji Wang Weidong and I are friends who have shared life and death, so of course he speaks in my favor. He was just bragging to you in front of me. I only spent a few years feeding and slaughtering pigs in the army; I'm not worthy of your praise as a 'scholar.' If we're talking about talent, my older brother is the one who is truly overflowing with it, far surpassing me. It's a pity my brother has a simple nature and is always being schemed against by petty people."

Li Li Xuewen sat to one side with a straight face, maintaining that same expression; even when Jing Rong looked at him, he still didn't speak.

Because it had been like this since they were small: whenever the two of them went out, the younger brother, Li Li Xuewu, would do all the talking. He himself treated his younger brother's smooth-talking as nonsense, not believing a single word of it.

Li Li Congyun finally understood why the little rooster of the Ji family held Li Li Xuewu in such high regard—he wouldn't even give him face. Now, for the sake of work, he couldn't use the old classmate relationship to pressure him; that would be improper. So, he had no choice but to come to Li Li Xuewu's door personally to talk.

If you are wrong, you must admit it; if you are being beaten, you must stand at attention.

"Sigh," Li Li Congyun waved his hand and said, "Yun Jing once said, 'After scholars ascend to officialdom, most are entangled by worldly affairs. Only those with character can value each other through literary talent, style, and the spirit of friendship.' Instructor Li is a man of character and is truly someone worth befriending."

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is my older brother held in such high regard at school?"

Jing Rong looked at Li Li Xuewu and turned his head away, feeling somewhat awkward. Li Li Congyun, however, was experienced and didn't let Li Li Xuewu's words fall to the ground.

"Hahaha, Comrade Li Li Xuewen was kept at the school by my own arrangement. Would you say we value him or not?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled as he looked at his older brother and asked, "I really didn't know my brother had such prestige at school. Then, how did I end up with him being suspended when I asked about his case this time? Old brother, you aren't doing so well yourself. Don't tell me you conspired with your school leaders to use me as a pretext to hide at home and enjoy some leisure?"

Facing Li Li Xuewu's questioning, Li Li Xuewen turned his head away, pretending he hadn't heard. His acting skills were still far inferior to his younger brother's; a thousand words were not as good as silence being golden. As long as his younger brother didn't give him a clear signal, he would treat whatever his younger brother asked or said as a monologue, lest he say the wrong thing and end up being blamed later.

Seeing Li Li Xuewen like this, how could Li Li Congyun not understand Li Li Xuewu's meaning? He said, "It wasn't a suspension. Director Jing, how did you convey this to Comrade Li Li Xuewen? Didn't we agree that the situation was complicated and that we should let Comrade Li Li Xuewen rest for a while? How did it turn into a suspension? We were acting out of care for a comrade; with you conveying it like this, we've become the bad guys."

Jing Rong had come today specifically to be the scapegoat. After hearing the leader finish speaking, he hurriedly took the blame and placed it on his own back, busily saying, "It's my fault, it's my fault. At the time, you were in a hurry, and I only heard you say to let the instructor go home, but I misunderstood and handled it wrong. I admit my mistake; I will write a self-criticism."

Li Li Congyun frowned and glared at Jing Rong, then turned to Li Li Xuewu and said, "You might not know, but the Dean and the Deputy Dean of the Academic Affairs Office went south to attend a seminar. With this temporary matter, Director Jing from the office found me. I also followed the normal procedure to protect Comrade Li Li Xuewen. Look at this mess; it's caused a misunderstanding."

Li Li Xuewu smiled as he watched the two of them perform a double act with him. After they finished speaking, he asked Jing Rong, "Director Jing, has the misunderstanding regarding my older brother been cleared up?"

Jing Rong smiled awkwardly and said, "Cleared up, cleared up. I notified the instructor to resume classes immediately, but this..."

Li Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said, "That's good, haha. It's good that the misunderstanding is cleared up. You see, Li Xiaozhang also has a relationship with Ji Wang Weidong's family; once we've talked it out, there's no conflict."

Jing Rong said very happily, "Exactly! The students are all waiting for the instructor to resume classes."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and shook his head, looking at Li Li Congyun as he said, "Last time I met Director Wu from your school, we had some communication issues. The second time we met, I said I was looking for a job and a house for my brother."

He looked at Li Li Xuewen, who was sitting to one side, and continued, "This isn't me making threats or intimidating anyone; I really have been looking, and I've already found them."

As soon as Li Li Xuewu finished speaking, Jing Rong's smiling face immediately stiffened. Looking at Li Li Xuewu, he didn't know if he was telling the truth or lying; jobs weren't just found casually.

Li Li Xuewu said to Li Li Congyun, "I wanted to tell my brother this when I came back this time. It just so happens that you've come, which makes it convenient. I'll trouble you to approve the transfer procedures for my brother."

As he spoke, Li Li Xuewu took the document he had requested from Dong Wenxue out of his bag and handed it to Li Li Congyun, saying, "My teacher is the Dean of the Academic Affairs Office at our Capital Steel School, surnamed Han, Han Shu. You might know him. It's already been settled; once my brother goes over, he will be an 8th-grade instructor."

When these words were finished, the complexions of Li Li Congyun and Jing Rong changed instantly.

That wasn't all; they heard Li Li Xuewu continue, "At the same time, I also found a part-time job for my brother at our steel mill. Two positions have just opened up for engineers in the Engineering Department. Our factory director said my brother can be arranged there; he can definitely be a technician. The housing problem that has troubled our family for a long time has also been solved together."

Li Li Congyun had felt something was wrong the moment Li Li Xuewu said the misunderstanding was cleared up. If it were really so easy to solve the matter, would he have needed to come himself?

Now it was fine; looking at the transfer application handed over by Li Li Xuewu, with the bright red official seal on it, Li Li Congyun was truly caught in a dilemma.

This application was something Li Li Xuewu had requested by calling his teacher's wife. Whether it counted or not was a secondary matter; the teacher's wife trusted Li Li Xuewu's ability very much and, upon hearing his meaning, processed it directly. This was the benefit of having connections.

Now Li Li Congyun was in a difficult position. This 8th-grade instructor position wasn't just a simple wage grade; it involved quite a few things.

Looking at the document on the coffee table, he didn't dare to bet that Li Li Xuewu was bluffing him, because compared to his own school, the Steel School's benefits were not inferior in the slightest.

Steel was now the country's main artery. The funds invested every year were not a small amount, and the country placed more focus and importance on the steel industry, so the benefits at the Steel School were good.

Secondly, the Steel School had very close ties with the steel industry. Many teachers were leaders in the steel industry, which resulted in even better benefits for teachers at the Steel School.

Although his own school had a bigger reputation and a longer history, these things really didn't make much difference to teachers. So now that Li Li Xuewu had brought out the documents and conditions, Li Li Congyun was in a tough spot.

But even if it was difficult, it had to be handled. This kind of talk wasn't a trade negotiation where you could come back a second time if the first didn't work, like playing a game.

If this kind of talk didn't work the first time, it would just break off directly, so Li Li Congyun was also frowning as he looked at the document on the table, thinking it over and over.

It wasn't him talking to someone else now; it was him begging someone else to talk to him. If he really stood his ground against Li Li Xuewu and signed this, then those guns would really never be returned, and a huge disaster would inevitably be caused.

Jing Rong sat to one side, staring wide-eyed. Li Li Xuewen was like an invisible person at school; whether it was meetings or activities, his figure was never seen. He could only be found in the library. If it weren't for this incident, he wouldn't even have known such a person existed in the Academic Affairs Group.

Yet, this Li Li Xuewen, who couldn't even let out a sound when beaten with three sticks, had such a formidable younger brother. He couldn't handle the hidden daggers in his words and could only hand it over to Li Xiaozhang, who was leading the team, but now he saw that Li Xiaozhang was also feeling intimidated.

This matter was truly difficult to handle!

What is an Office Director? It means worrying about what the leaders worry about and thinking about what the leaders think about. If you ask an Office Director to handle actual business, he might only do half a job for you, but if you ask him to handle a certain matter for a leader, that is like picking up a snail with three fingers—a sure thing.

"Li Xiaozhang, we have a professor quota that's empty, right? Look at Old Zhang from the Physics Institute; it's been several years, and he should have been evaluated by now. It just so happens we can let the instructor take Old Zhang's position, hang a title of Deputy Director of Teaching and Research, and he can be promoted."

Li Li Congyun had also thought of this plan, but it would take some effort to operate, after all, many people were eyeing it. But now that such a problem had arisen, he could only prioritize Li Li Xuewen first.

Having thought it through, he made a decision, reached out, and pushed the document Li Li Xuewu had handed over back, saying, "Comrade Li Li Xuewen is a teacher cultivated by our own school and is a precious asset to our school. Forgive me for not being able to sign this for you, because our school also intends to make heavy use of Comrade Li Li Xuewen."

Li Li Xuewu frowned and pushed the document back in front of Li Li Congyun, saying, "Li Xiaozhang, my teacher said that if my brother goes over there, he will be an 8th-grade instructor."

Li Li Congyun reached out and pushed the document back again, saying, "This time when we go back, we will adjust Comrade Li Li Xuewen's position to Deputy Director of the Teaching and Research Office."

Li Li Xuewu thought for a moment and pushed the document back in front of Li Li Congyun again, saying, "Li Xiaozhang, if my brother goes over there, he can be allocated a house. You've seen it yourself; our family really can't fit anymore."

Li Li Congyun looked at Jing Rong. Jing Rong pushed the document back in front of Li Li Xuewu and nodded, saying, "We have that too; the Logistics Department can vacate a two-bedroom residence."

Li Li Xuewu stopped looking at the document in front of him, leaned back, and said to Li Li Xuewen, "Older brother, I'm really sorry. The sincerity your school has in keeping you is truly too great; I can't snatch you away from them. It's really difficult to handle now; I still have to go back and reply to my teacher."

Li Li Xuewen looked at Li Li Xuewu and blinked. The meaning was: are you really asking for my opinion?

Seeing that his older brother's acting was still so poor, Li Li Xuewu rubbed his chin, coughed twice, and nodded while pretending to cough.

Li Li Xuewen immediately said, "I think it's fine."

Li Li Xuewu covered his face with the hand that had been rubbing his chin; he really couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Older brother, you go home first and tell Mom to prepare the food. Our uncle has come to the house; make a few solid dishes, pork, and the blue sheep meat from last time."

Li Li Xuewen agreed and went out of the room. He really didn't like the atmosphere of this kind of talk; it wasn't that he didn't understand, but he was too lazy to listen. Listening to his younger brother talk too much was easy to get carried away with.

So, after Li Li Xuewu finished asking, Li Li Xuewen gave an affirmative answer that was completely irrelevant.

Hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, the corners of Li Li Congyun's mouth twitched. This person was truly too good at climbing up the pole; he had just said they were of the same family to open up the situation in his house, never expecting that he would now directly acknowledge him as an uncle.

"Li Ke, we also came with a mission. Now that the matter is finished, we have to go back, so we won't stay for dinner."

Li Li Xuewu held down Li Li Congyun's hand as he was about to stand up and lean on the sofa, saying, "Uncle, you wouldn't be looking down on our family because our house isn't good and our clothes aren't good, would you? You're trying to slap me in the face, aren't you?"

"That's not what I meant, you misunderstood."

Seeing that Li Li Congyun was still being polite, Li Li Xuewu directly placed his right hand on his own face and said, "Since you said we are of the same family, I have to acknowledge you as this uncle. I, Li Li Xuewu, live for face. You, as an uncle, came to my door to talk to me, and I didn't even say a single 'no.' If you don't give me this face, then I'll slap my own face."

Everything was fine just a moment ago, how did it get involved with family relations! And "didn't say a single 'no'"—you didn't say it, but you were just one step away from pulling a gun to talk to me.

Good heavens, Li Li Congyun was now in a position where he couldn't advance or retreat. This matter had only been handled halfway; the guns and the matter of Wu Wu Youqing hadn't been settled yet.

"Li Ke, Li Ke, this really isn't..."

"Uncle, you can just call me Li Xuewu. Whatever matter there is, we'll talk about it after we've eaten and drunk our fill. If you talk now, I'll only take it as you looking down on me."

Fine, seeing Li Li Xuewu acting as if he were about to slap his own mouth, Li Li Congyun hurriedly grabbed Li Li Xuewu's hand and said, "Li Xuewu, Li Xuewu, I'm truly afraid of you. Then we'll impose on you here, but there's one thing: eat whatever there is, don't be extravagant."

Li Li Congyun didn't believe Li Li Xuewu would actually slap himself, but they were all people who had "mixed in the world"; see through it but don't say it, because saying it would surely lead to a beating.

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Of course, just eat whatever there is. Don't look at how many people are in our family; there are only a few who earn money. But my grandmother, your old aunt, is a genuine Northeasterner who values family the most. When relatives come, even if there's only a sliver of meat in the house, she'll take it all out for you to eat; she definitely won't neglect you."

Li Li Congyun looked at the decor of Li Li Xuewu's house and thought back to when he had asked for the location of the Li family when he first arrived; the neighbor had pointed it out: "Here, here, there, and the backyard are all the Li family's. You can check them one by one; you'll surely find it."

Then looking at Li Li Xuewen and Li Li Xuewu's clothing, good heavens, if this was living poorly and dressing poorly, then there were no poor people left.

"Oh my, I was afraid of this. We came here and it was already an imposition; if we add... oh my, Director Jing, say something!"

Jing Rong looked at Li Li Xuewu and then at Li Li Congyun, shouting "MMP" in his heart. Why do you two always call me when you're fighting?

But when you're out, how can you not take care of the leader's face? He smiled and said, "Li Xiaozhang, this is a matter between you uncle and nephew. Since we've come to your relative's house, we won't be polite. Coming out for a trip with you wasn't a wasted trip, and we even get a meal out of it."

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand and smiled, "Director Jing, don't worry. Today we will definitely eat and drink well. You sit for a while; I'll go arrange things. I haven't been home for more than ten days, I'm afraid there might be something lacking."

Li Li Congyun hurriedly said, "Keep it simple!"

Li Li Xuewu didn't look back as he went out the door, his voice coming from the entrance: "Understood, you sit."

Li Li Xuewu walked into the front courtyard and entered his own house, seeing his mother and sister-in-law cutting vegetables, while Li Li Xuewen was sitting in the south room chatting with the two cadres.

"Mom, cut more meat. Today, this person counts as a relative; my brother and I have to call him uncle. Since we're of the same family, we have to acknowledge it. Grandma, you're right, aren't you?"

The old lady looked at her grandson. This little monkey had never suffered a loss. Since the second grandson was now standing on his own two feet and supporting the family, he was the master of the house, and whatever he said went.

"That's the etiquette. You can't write two 'Li' characters with one stroke. Since Li Xiaozhang himself said we're of the same family, then you and Li Xuewen must call him uncle. Remember to pay respects in the future. Also, go call your father back and tell him I said that a 'guest' has come to the house."

"Yes!" Li Li Xuewu nodded and walked out. The man and woman sitting in the south room looked at each other. How did they manage to create a family relationship in such a short time, and it even meant they were going to formally acknowledge the relative?

As he spoke, he went out the door, got on his bike, and headed to the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It wasn't far, and Li Shun walked to work every day, so he arrived in no time.

Li Li Xuewu remembered that Li Shun was seeing patients on the first floor. He followed the names of the doctors hanging at the entrance and found him. Fortunately, Li Shun was right there in the first-floor clinic.

Li Li Xuewu didn't queue either; he pushed the door open and called out directly, "Dad, I'm here."

This sentence blocked back those in the queue who had wanted to say why Li Li Xuewu didn't queue.

Fine, the doctor's family member had come; he wasn't cutting the line.

In this day and age, no one would randomly acknowledge a father just to cut the line; that wouldn't be certain in later generations, because the "godfather" that was normally addressed now wouldn't be pure in later generations.

Li Shun looked at Li Li Xuewu, frowned, and didn't speak, continuing to take the patient's pulse.

Li Li Xuewu didn't care about Li Shun's attitude either. He picked up the teacup by Li Shun's hand and looked at it; it was empty. He walked to the door, poured a cup of water for Li Shun, placed it by his father's hand, and sat down on the chair his father's apprentice usually sat on to wait.

Li Li Xuewu didn't have a measure of Li Shun's medical skills; after all, in later generations, TCM was in a state where the effective were very effective, and the ineffective were shouting that they were effective all over the street.

Li Li Xuewu watched his father look, listen, ask, and feel the pulse, write prescriptions, and dispense medicine. Only after the patient left did he push the teacup to signal Li Shun to drink tea.

Li Shun took a sip of tea in the gap before the next patient entered and asked, "Where have you been?"

Li Li Xuewu said indifferently, "Handling a case."

Li Shun looked at Li Li Xuewu with slanted eyes and said, "What case takes so long?"

"A long-term case."

Hearing Li Li Xuewu's answer, Li Shun made a move to slap Li Li Xuewu's big mouth.

Li Li Xuewu knew he couldn't hide it from his father and could only say, "It really was handling a case, but I got shot and was recovering from my injuries."

Li Shun looked at Li Li Xuewu, his eyelids twitching, knowing this brat must have gotten into trouble. He wanted to scold him, but the patient had already entered. He glared at Li Li Xuewu, grabbed Li Li Xuewu's hand to take his pulse while the patient sat down to explain the condition, and only then did he shake off Li Li Xuewu's hand and get busy.

When Li Shun was seeing patients, Li Li Xuewu didn't dare to disturb him. This had been the rule since he was small; when a patient was being seen, the children in the family stayed far away. If anyone dared to come forward to watch the excitement, they would definitely get a fat beating.

After sending that patient away, Li Li Xuewu said before Li Shun could attack him, "My brother's school leaders came, saying they want my brother to go to work."

Li Shun drank some tea and glared, signaling Li Li Xuewu to speak quickly.

Li Li Xuewu also knew time was tight, so he picked the important parts and said, "I made the request. They gave him a Deputy Director position and allocated a house. The Vice Principal leading the team is surnamed Li, so I had my brother acknowledge him as an uncle."

Li Shun almost choked on this sip of tea. He wiped the tea from the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief and said, "Do you think it's better if everyone in the world is your relative?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled and patted Li Shun's back, saying, "I certainly wish so. Hey, you really have to ask for leave to go home and accompany the guests. My grandmother said that since they took the initiative to acknowledge the relative, gave a raise, and allocated a house, we can't neglect them."

Li Shun glared at Li Li Xuewu, walked to the door, announced he would be a moment, and went to the office to find someone to cover his shift.

Li Li Xuewu very skillfully helped Li Shun pack his personal items for the clinic; there was nothing much, just a towel and a teacup.

After Li Shun returned with someone, Li Li Xuewu took the initiative to stand up and call the doctor covering the shift "uncle," and only then did he follow Li Shun out to change clothes and go home.

The grandfather and grandson communicated simply on the way, and they arrived at the door of the house before they had explained things too clearly.

The food was ready-made; Qin Qin Huairu had helped cut the vegetables last night, and they had steamed two-grain flour buns. Li Li Xuewu didn't ask his mother to raise the standard to make white flour buns.

Pork stewed with cabbage and vermicelli, scallion-fried lamb, lamb stewed with potatoes, and cold-cut pork jelly.

The staple food was two-grain flour buns, but Li Li Xuewu didn't intend to let these people eat the buns, because he had already prepared Northeastern loose liquor when he came out.

When he entered the room, he saw Li Li Congyun and Jing Rong were already in his house. It seemed that he had left them in the backyard to give them time to discuss, and they had discussed it before coming to the front courtyard.

Li Li Xuewu took the initiative to introduce Li Li Congyun to Li Shun, and introduced Li Li Congyun and his group to Li Shun. Especially after introducing Li Shun, he formally introduced his grandmother to Li Li Congyun.

Li Li Congyun had a high level of education; he was a high-achieving student who had studied abroad and was himself from a wealthy family. He had seen a lot of the world, but this kind of enthusiasm and practicality unique to Northeasterners was a bit hard to bear, especially with Li Li Xuewu's mouth constantly calling him uncle here and there, both intimate and warm, completely unable to see the appearance of him confronting him just now.

Li Li Congyun looked at the old lady sitting cross-legged on the kang, looking at him with a kind and gentle face, and hurriedly revealed a kind smile, saying, "Aunt, you are in good health."

Fine, with this "Aunt" spoken, the brotherhood with Li Shun was settled, and Li Li Xuewen and Li Li Xuewu had to call Li Li Congyun uncle.

The old lady had quite a bit of class; she wasn't like other old ladies who couldn't leave family gossip for three sentences. Liu Yin hadn't read many books, but the old lady had. This wasn't something educated by an ordinary family. Back then, Li Li Xuewu's grandfather also had an industry; how could he have married a girl from an ordinary family?

The old lady grabbed Li Li Congyun's hand, asked about his ancestral home, and asked about his experiences. She patted Li Li Congyun's hand and said, "We are all from the same branch of Zhongshan. His grandfather's ancestors were from the same county as your family. It was later that he followed his grandfather into the city and set up this medical industry. His grandfather told me about this; it can't be wrong. We are truly real relatives of the same clan."

The old lady counted on her fingers and said, "According to the generation ranking, you are truly of the same generation as our eldest. Li Xuewen and Li Xuewu and the others really have to call you uncle."

Good heavens, Li Li Xuewu was originally just trying to force a connection, using the topic Li Li Congyun had initiated to trap him, never expecting the old lady to be even better at pulling strings, even bringing out his grandfather. That wasn't all; she even said his grandfather's grandfather. Li Li Congyun had to believe it whether he wanted to or not.

I let you play, but I didn't let you surpass me.

The kinship relationship at this time was a different matter from later generations, because transportation was inconvenient and communication was not easy at this time. People who traveled north and south to do business and wander the world had no way to gain mutual trust, so kinship was an indispensable bond.

You are out traveling and suddenly encounter trouble, so what do you do?

Simple, mention people. This isn't like later generations mentioning "my friend is so-and-so" or "my sworn brother is so-and-so." That stuff doesn't work now, and it doesn't work in later generations either.

Mentioning people means mentioning where you are from and what relatives you have in which area.

In this way, after some twists and turns, you can always climb up to a relationship. Once these two people mention people they both know, the relationship of trust is established, and the business is easy to do.

This theory is called the Six Degrees of Separation in foreign countries, which means that the relationship chain between any two people is basically fixed at about six people.

That is to say, two strangers can establish a connection through the relationship of six people.

Now the old lady has really established this relationship of the same surname and same clan through some twists and turns, so Li Li Congyun has to acknowledge this relative.

If Li Li Xuewu and Li Li Xuewen really want to acknowledge this relative, they have to pay respects every year, which means visiting them with gifts from time to time.

Correspondingly, as long as the old lady is alive, Li Li Congyun has to ask about them from time to time and come to see them during the New Year and holidays.

What is a relative? Visiting relatives, visiting relatives—only those who move around are called relatives. If you don't contact each other for eight hundred years and don't recognize each other when you meet, that's not called a relative. Even if you recognize each other, the words you say are hypocritical.

"Grandma, since Li Xiaozhang is a real relative of our family, I have to treat him well."

The old lady smiled and said, "It should be. Today is fate. We wouldn't have been able to acknowledge the relative without the eldest's matter. The eldest works under you, so I'll leave Li Xuewen to you to manage. It doesn't matter; I, the old lady, said it. You should scold him if you need to, treat him like your own child. If he dares to lose his temper with you and not acknowledge the relative, I, the old lady, will beat him with a big stick."

What could Li Li Congyun say? Dare not acknowledge this nephew Li Li Xuewen? He could only accompany her with an awkward smile and agree with his whole mouth.

Seeing that his grandmother had already said what needed to be said, Li Li Xuewu hurriedly said, "Grandma, why are you being so polite? I'll treat him well. He just said he was going to give my brother a raise and allocate a house; that's why I said I was destined to be with my uncle."

Li Li Congyun looked at Li Li Xuewu, thinking to himself that he didn't know if they were destined or not, but he was a bit dizzy now.

Seeing that Liu Yin had already served the dishes on the table, Li Li Xuewu hurriedly and politely invited Li Li Congyun to the table.

The Li family still set up a table in the main room, which could seat at most twelve people.

Li Li Congyun brought four people and a driver, and because Li Li Congyun brought female comrades, Zhao Zhao Yafang also sat at the table to accompany the guests. This made nine people, just right to sit together.

Liu Yin and the old lady ate a bite at the kang table in the inner room with the children.

Li Li Xuewu specially arranged for Li Li Xuewen to sit next to Jing Rong, Zhao Zhao Yafang to sit next to that female comrade, and he and Li Shun sandwiched Li Li Congyun in the middle, which was convenient for drinking.

"Uncle, we are truly destined, let's have one."

"Uncle, thank you for taking care of my brother, let's have one."

"Uncle, thank you for taking care of me, let's have one."

"Brother, let's toast our uncle."

"Brother, let's toast our uncle together."

Li Li Congyun and Jing Rong wanted to bring up the matter of the guns and Wu Wu Youqing several times, but it really wasn't appropriate at this "family banquet."

Another thing was that Li Li Xuewu didn't give them a chance, constantly urging them to drink, and he could take care of everyone Li Li Congyun brought, and the happy topics never stopped.

Today, Zhao Zhao Yafang really showed her true colors. The wine glasses for guests in the Li family were 2-tael glasses, and the wine was the Northeastern loose liquor Li Li Xuewu brought back.

Good heavens, Zhao Zhao Yafang kept toasting that sister from the Youth League Committee. Counting it up, each of them drank 5 glasses, which was a catty each. Zhao Zhao Yafang directly won the nickname "Zhao One Catty" in the mouth of that sister from the Youth League Committee.

Li Li Xuewu didn't know how much Li Li Congyun and Jing Rong drank; anyway, his older brother Li Li Xuewen and the other male comrade had already exited the battlefield early. He had Li Shun pressing the line, one against two, and they drank nearly three catties of wine. Those two had drunk at least nearly two catties, because Li Li Congyun and Jing Rong were already confused.

"Old brother, hehe, we are destined. Come to our school, uncle will definitely handle it for you."

Li Li Xuewu walked out with his arm around Li Li Congyun's shoulder, saying as they walked, "Brother, you are my uncle. If I don't go to you when I get to school, wouldn't that be slapping your face? We who mix in the world live for a face."

Li Li Congyun followed Li Li Xuewu out with unsteady steps, saying, "That's right, that's right. You, good, I'm happy when I see you. Look for uncle, it's easy."

Li Li Xuewu sprayed alcohol breath and helped Li Li Congyun walk to the jeep outside the door, swaying with every step. The driver first entered the carriage and pulled Li Li Congyun inside, which was how he arranged for him to get in the car.

Following Li Li Xuewu and Li Li Congyun out were Jing Rong, who had to be helped out by the Li family, and a man and a woman who were walking unsteadily.

The driver looked at these four cadres and his head grew big. Now that the Li family was helping them get in the car, what about on the road and when they arrived at the school?

They were all so drunk, could they still return to the school? They would definitely be sent home one by one. Carrying them upstairs one by one would be exhausting.

He had never seen such unreliable people; they could even get drunk like this while out on business.

Li Li Congyun and his group left, waving their hands under the farewell of the Li family.

When the jeep was on the road, Li Li Congyun was shaken until his head hurt. He forcibly suppressed the alcohol and asked Jing Rong in the back seat in a muddled way: "Hey, Director Jing, is there something we haven't handled yet?"

Answering Li Li Congyun was a thunderous snoring sound.

Li Li Congyun really couldn't remember what he hadn't handled; he only remembered acknowledging a relative, acknowledging two big nephews, one of whom was especially capable of drinking.

Good brothers~

It's the end of the month,

If you have monthly tickets, give your younger brother a reward~

Your younger brother updates more than ten thousand words every day, it's truly hard work~