Chapter 237: If He Is Well, Then I Am Well

Li Li Xuewu knew that the ruble was very strong at this time, because the average monthly wage for Soviet people was only 65 to 90 rubles, and raising a child on 20 rubles was considered affluent.

"As you also know, even if I took this money and exchanged it at the bank, what use would it be? I don't lack money."

Zhou Ganbu smiled and said, "They asked me, and I suggested giving you rubles; this way, you won't need coupons and can go directly to the Friendship Store to purchase goods for the child."

Hearing this, Li Li Xuewu was slightly stunned; although he knew such things existed at this time, he didn't know when they had started, but since Zhou Ganbu had spoken, he could only nod in agreement.

Sharapova smiled and placed an envelope on the coffee table, saying, "This is the subsidy for the child this month."

Liang Ganshi also placed a certificate on top of the envelope, and Zhou Ganbu said to Li Li Xuewu, "This is the certificate I issued for you; it allows you to enter and exit the Friendship Store."

Li Li Xuewu picked up the certificate and looked at it; it had his photo in military uniform, along with his personal information, and the access information listed the Waishi Force.

Li Li Xuewu smiled and nodded to Zhou Ganbu, saying, "You've really gone to trouble for me."

Zhou Ganbu waved his hand and said, "It's just work; we are here to serve foreign affairs."

Seeing the official business was concluded, Zhou Ganbu said to Xie Xie Liaosha and the other two, "Let's take another photo, and then we'll head back?"

Li Li Xuewu politely said, "It's mealtime; please stay for a simple meal."

Xie Xie Liaosha and Sharapova both stood up, and Zhou Ganbu also rose, whispering to Li Li Xuewu, "It's not convenient."

After explaining, he let Liang Ganshi direct things, and Li Li Xuewu held the child while posing for a photo with Xie Xie Liaosha and Sharapova.

Li Li Xuewu handed the child to the old lady and, taking Li Shun and Zhao Zhao Yafang, who had remained silent the whole time, escorted the group out of the courtyard gate.

Seeing people gathering in the courtyard to watch, Xie Xie Liaosha and the others paid no heed; after exchanging a few jokes with Li Li Xuewu, they got into the car parked at the entrance.

Finally, Liang Ganshi exchanged a farewell word with Li Li Xuewu, and then the two vehicles drove away.

Standing outside the gate, Li Shun asked in a low voice, "What does this mean?"

Li Li Xuewu watched the departing jeep, let out a cold laugh, and only then answered his father.

"Either they are true friends, the kind who would entrust their wives and children to you, or they have done something guilty and want to make amends; looking at this Xie Xie Liaosha, which kind do you think he is?"

Li Shun frowned with considerable worry, while Zhao Zhao Yafang, standing beside him, asked, "Then, then what should we do? Will this affect the child?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at his sister-in-law and said, "We live our lives as we always have; these people and matters are too high up—even if lightning strikes, it won't hit us. Since the child has ended up in our family, he bears the surname Li."

Walking back into the courtyard with Li Shun and Zhao Zhao Yafang, Li Li Xuewu said, "In the future, if they come to see the child, let them, openly and squarely, but they must never leave our sight, and Zhou Ganbu must always accompany them."

Li Shun said nothing more, merely sighing before heading inside, whereas Liu Ying, who had been worried for quite a while, pulled Li Li Xuewu aside to ask questions as soon as she saw the three of them return.

Seeing that everyone in the courtyard was looking over, Li Li Xuewu comforted his mother with a few words and then went back to the side house.

By this time, Lao Biao and the others had returned and were washing their hands and faces in the kitchen, while Yu Li had already brought out the dishes and rice.

Since there were many people today, Hearing Da Lao had ordered two kang tables to be set out; when Li Li Xuewu entered the room, he saw Qin Qin Huairu pulling Banggeng to leave, obviously having seen the dishes Yu Li brought out.

"Why pull him? Everyone who sees gets a share; let him eat here. You too—it's already mealtime, so why fuss? Just sit down quietly and eat."

Qin Qin Huairu glanced at Li Li Xuewu's expression; seeing nothing amiss, she said, "Everything is prepared at home; the dishes were also served from your house. Banggeng hasn't eaten at home for two days, and we've caused you too much trouble."

Li Li Xuewu pinched Banggeng's chubby face, nudged his shoulder, and pushed him toward the kang table.

"Go eat; if you're late, you won't get a single piece of meat."

Banggeng looked at Qin Qin Huairu; seeing his mother wasn't too strict, he broke free, climbed onto the kang table, picked up the wine pot warming in a bowl, and poured wine into the cups before Ye Second Master and the others.

Seeing her son's happy expression, Qin Qin Huairu didn't scold him in front of the whole room, instead asking Li Li Xuewu in a low voice, "Is everything alright?"

"Is everything alright?"

Li Li Xuewu shook his head, said nothing to Qin Qin Huairu, and instead pointed to the kang table, saying, "You eat here too; Brother Zhu stewed young chickens, three of them, enough for everyone."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu shake his head, Qin Qin Huairu felt relieved; nowadays, Li Li Xuewu was her sky, truly embodying the saying, "If he is well, then I am well."

"No, an elder and two little ones are waiting at home."

As she spoke and turned to leave, Li Li Xuewu tugged at Qin Qin Huairu and then said to Yu Li, "Sister-in-law, please serve Qin Yan Jie a bowl of meat to take back."

Hearing this, Yu Li looked at Qin Qin Huairu; although she felt something was strange, she agreed, turned, went to the kitchen, and scooped out one or two bowls of chicken stewed with potatoes and dried mushrooms, carefully covering them with a plate when she came out.

Qin Qin Huairu did not stand on ceremony with Li Li Xuewu; she took the bowl from Yu Li, thanked Yu Li, exchanged a farewell word with Li Li Xuewu, and then went home.

The people in the room didn't think much of it; Qin Qin Huairu had helped at Li Li Xuewu's home for a month, taking food and dishes back every evening, so everyone had grown accustomed to it.

Furthermore, the more openly Li Li Xuewu interacted with Qin Qin Huairu, the less anyone thought there was anything unusual.

Especially Seeing Sha Zhu; seeing Li Li Xuewu take care of Qin Qin Huairu made him feel even more that Li Li Xuewu was someone worth befriending, loyal and righteous.

"Drink, drink!" Seeing Sha Zhu raised his wine cup and urged everyone to drink as soon as Li Li Xuewu took his seat at the table; he was truly delighted now.

This month, when grain was distributed, Seeing Sha Zhu had carried a sack of white flour and dumped it in the small storeroom of the side house; Hearing Da Lao objected, but he insisted on leaving it there, saying that since he would be eating here morning and night from now on, he would cook whenever he returned early.

Hearing Da Lao mentioned this to Li Li Xuewu once, but Li Li Xuewu heard it and didn't mind.

This Seeing Sha Zhu was sharp-minded; though his life was a bit muddled, he was bright and absolutely reliable when it mattered.

It wouldn't do to be overly polite with Seeing Sha Zhu on this matter, as it would seem fake, so he said nothing.

Seeing Sha Zhu had been muttering a couple of days ago about finding some young chickens to eat; today, when Lao Biao went to the countryside to get eggs, he managed to find three roosters, which were slaughtered at noon and prepared by Yu Li.

When Seeing Sha Zhu returned in the evening, he was so moved that he voluntarily proposed toasts tonight.

The drinking capacity of Lao Biao and the others was just so-so; matched against Seeing Sha Zhu, it was like comparing half a jin to eight liang.

At the drinking table, these few were completely like novice chickens pecking at each other, a gathering of bad chess players.

To say that half a bottle of beer wouldn't send one home drunk was a joke; to say that everyone could easily drink over a jin like Li Li Xuewu—there weren't two such people.

So after three rounds of wine, these few started eating meat, and the atmosphere was quite lively.

Seeing Sha Zhu picked up a piece of chicken for Banggeng and then asked Lao Biao, "How did things go earlier?"

Seeing Sha Zhu had heard about the disturbance in Bai Bai Xiyuan; he had just grabbed a kitchen knife and gone out when he saw Li Li Xuewu standing in the courtyard holding a gun.

Well, the kitchen knife wasn't needed, so he turned back, since there were still young chickens stewing in the pot.

Only Yu Li, seeing Li Li Xuewu fight for the first time, stood by the screen door watching over there, both frightened and nervous.

Lao Biao put down his chopsticks, assumed a serious expression, and said, "I was just about to report this to Wu Ge; Director Shen wasn't there, so Brother Xing handled it. He said they were already looking for those few boys; after looking at the injuries we inflicted, he didn't say much, just wrote up a record, had us sign it, and let us return."

Li Li Xuewu wasn't worried about this matter; instead, he was thinking about what Dong Wenxue had mentioned the day before yesterday regarding Godmother calling the Security Department.

"I asked you about this today, and you said no one here would dare to come; well, they showed up tonight."

Seeing Lao Lao Biaozi hadn't expected his crow's beak to prove prophetic again, and said with great grievance: "Who the hell could have thought those from this area wouldn't dare come, yet those from Xicheng actually did?"

This slap in the face came too fast; Lao Lao Biaozi, speaking out of spite, said: "We should have broken a leg off each of them right in Bai Bai Xiyuan; let's see if anyone dares to cause trouble again."

Wen San'er looked at his nephew and said: "Breaking that kid's arm wasn't enough? If you had broken the arms and legs of three people, could you have come back? Do you really think that place is opened by Wu Ge?"

Hearing this, Lao Lao Biaozi stopped muttering, knowing this was a plan agreed upon by his third uncle and Li Li Xuewu, and dared not say much more.

Li Li Xuewu frowned and asked: "Setting theft aside for now, were there any other vicious acts?"

Lao Lao Biaozi looked at his third uncle, as if he dared not speak certain things.

Wen San'er glared at Lao Lao Biaozi.

"Speak up, or let it out."

Only then did Lao Lao Biaozi quietly tell Li Li Xuewu: "I saw Wang Wang Yamei."

"Who?"

Li Li Xuewu was stunned.

"It's the younger one of that pair of sisters back then; I saw her mixing with those guys, and it seems she's having quite a wild time."

As soon as Lao Lao Biaozi finished speaking, Wen San'er glared at him again.

Lao Lao Biaozi felt very aggrieved and muttered: "Didn't you tell me to say it?"

Wen San angrily said: "Who told you to say that?"

Seeing the two bickering, some of the others understood while others were confused; Li Li Xuewu, however, did remember that name.

Even someone with a face as thick as Li Li Xuewu felt the situation was too melodramatic; he had just sent off an ex-girlfriend, lost a current girlfriend, and now heard news of another ex-girlfriend.

Does Laozi curse girlfriends or what?

"She should be eighteen this year, right?"

Seeing Li Li Xuewu asked, Lao Lao Biaozi said: "Indeed; when I saw her, I almost didn't recognize her. They say girls change eighteen times; those two sisters were already beauties in the making when they were young, and now they've blossomed even more beautifully."

The more Lao Lao Biaozi spoke, the more excited he got; raising his eyebrows, he said: "Hey, looks familiar, right? I just took a few extra glances; guess what? That bunch of guys almost came to beat me up; well, it was only after Wang Wang Yamei spoke to me that I dared to acknowledge her."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Her sister studied well; I think she got into university the year I left?"

No wonder Li Li Xuewu kept running into ex-girlfriends; they all grew up in this area, and every family lived not far away.

Unless it was someone from Tiannanhaibei, given the travel conditions of this era, they would be at most two li apart, so they would inevitably meet sooner or later.

Lao Lao Biaozi raised his eyebrows and said: "Wang Wang Yamei even asked about you; she looked down on me for collecting scrap, but pretended to be loyal, asking how you were doing."

Li Li Xuewu helplessly said: "Did you tell her?"

Lao Biaozo grinned wickedly: "If she had still been calling me 'Brother Biao' like before, maybe I really would have told her; now she calls me Li Li Wenbiao directly; hey!"

Wen San'er looked at Lao Lao Biaozi and cursed: "Are you spouting nonsense again?"

Ignoring his third uncle's attempt to save him, Lao Lao Biaozi grinned wickedly and said: "I said Wu Ge is in the same scrap-collecting business as me."

Laughing as he spoke, he continued: "But he's doing a bit worse than me; he's walking around picking up scrap; I told her to wander the streets a bit more, saying maybe she'd run into him; hahaha."

"Hahaha."

Wen San'er and Shen Shen Guodong and the others all laughed; Yu Li also understood the reason and, looking at Li Li Xuewu, couldn't help but laugh too.

"You really are vicious," Seeing Sha Zhu said, directing Banggen to pour Lao Lao Biaozi another glass of wine.

Li Li Xuewu, half laughing and half crying, picked up a chicken bone from the table and hit Lao Lao Biaozi with it.

After everyone laughed for a while, Lao Lao Biaozi said again: "She asked about you, so I asked her about her sister."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu look over, Lao Lao Biaozi said with a smile: "Wang Wang Yajuan is much more promising than her younger sister; after you left, she got into the literary and art troupe; they say she dances."

Shen Shen Guodong nodded and said: "When she was playing with us before, she said her mother was a dancer and taught her to practice at home all the time; I didn't expect she really turned out so well."

Wen San'er knew a bit about it, snorted, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and said nothing.

Li Li Xuewu, having eaten his fill, put down his bowl, leaned back against the quilt, and asked: "Just a young girl mixing on the streets; how vicious could things really be?"

Seeing Li Li Xuewu didn't want to discuss this topic further, Lao Lao Biaozi said no more, replying instead: "It's those bastards she's with; I only heard about it; those bastards have robbed others, but there's no evidence, so they're still mixing on the streets; they look quite wealthy, dressed in flashy, smooth clothes."

Li Li Xuewu frowned and said: "Shen Fang really picked a bad time; he's about to be promoted to station chief, yet the streets are in chaos."

Wen San'er snorted and said: "There's even more chaos; take the place we went to today; hey, a bunch of young women and married women were dancing in the room; they called it social dancing."

As he spoke, he made a mocking noise and continued: "To me, it looked more like friction dancing; a man and a woman hugging each other, grinding against each other to the music from the phonograph."

Seeing the skeptical looks from the others, Wen San'er pointed at Ye Erye and said: "If you don't believe me, ask Second Master; there was even a table playing mahjong; damn it, rich people really know how to play."

As soon as Wen San'er finished speaking, the few men in the room didn't mind much, but Yu Li's face turned a bit red.

Normally, Wen San'er and Lao Lao Biaozi and the others spoke carefully, but today, having drunk alcohol and reached this topic, they casually said a few words.

Ye Erye just smiled and said nothing about the dancing; he was too embarrassed to bring it up, but did say: "Mahjong looked pretty good to me; bamboo-bone mahjong; the host said that after we finish playing mahjong today, they'll give it to us tomorrow too."

Li Li Xuewu didn't pay much attention to this; these two things had existed long ago, only they were danced and played in clubs.

Those dancing were mostly couples or lovers; of course, there were also those doing that sort of thing, causing many scandals; this cannot be elaborated on; Li Li Xuewu feared death.

Those playing mahjong were not common now, perhaps due to restrictions, but those playing cards were very numerous, especially in clubs; card tables were the main entertainment; mahjong existed too, but few played for money.

"Moving house and still having a dance?"

Wen San'er said with a smile: "How fresh; they aren't refugees; they're just moving the whole family to Mogudu; the furniture and appliances can't be moved there; besides, they have money; could they lack this?"

Ye Erye looked at Li Li Xuewu and said: "There were indeed some good items on the collection shelves, but they were all picked up by friends of that family; when we went, we only got the leftovers; however, we did take back all the furniture and appliances."

Speaking of this, Wen San'er had much to say.

"Good heavens; radios, phonographs, clocks, sofas, large and small cabinets; I scraped them all back."

Seeing Sha Zhu asked, puzzled: "Why didn't the host send them to the entrusted store?"

Wen San'er said with a smile: "They care about time; where would they care about such a small sum of money? They sold them to us at roughly fair prices, saying the house must be vacated for others, so they handed over all these things to us together; we just needed to clean the room."

"Tomorrow; tomorrow we all go; today they said the farewell dance party needs it, so we must wait one more day; tomorrow morning they take the train to leave; we just go and take over."

Yang Yang Erhai shook his head; the lives of the rich were truly incomprehensible.

Li Li Xuewu understood, but could not speak; this fellow Wen San'er had managed to infiltrate the inner circle of these people.

The talkative cultural worker from last time was so pleased by Wen San'er's flattery that he introduced quite a few clients to Wen San'er; this household was one of those introductions.

"Don't look down on them just because they're old furniture; their condition is quite good, not to mention the appliances and such. Our second-hand store is about to open, so we can stock the shelves with these items right away."

Li Li Xuewu hadn't expected Wen San'er to think so far ahead; the storefront roof was finished today, decoration would happen tomorrow, and after two or three days of work, it would be ready for business.

"Lao Biaozi, how are things going with Director Ma? There shouldn't be any problems with us opening this second-hand store, right?"

Lao Lao Biaozi nodded and said, "It was coordinated long ago. Two days ago I delivered a basket of eggs to their place, and Director Ma said we should just carry on as usual and to find him if anything comes up."

Li Li Xuewu was now reassured; the only authority that could manage this was the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, since it fell under their jurisdiction.

Now that Director Ma said there was no issue, that meant there truly was no issue.

Besides, who would bother checking who owns the acquisition station and second-hand store tucked away in an alley?

"Keep in touch more often; don't wait until trouble arises before scrambling to make preparations."

Lao Lao Biaozi nodded in agreement, then asked, "Understood, Wu Ge. Shall we open normally?"

Li Li Xuewu sat up, thought for a moment, and said, "Open normally. Second Uncle handles acquisitions, Hearing Da Lao handles sales, and Sister Yu Li can help manage things; that should be enough to handle the workload."

Yu Li had already perked up her ears when Lao Lao Biaozi brought up this topic.

Now that she heard Li Li Xuewu speak, she hurriedly agreed, "Rest assured, I will do my utmost."

Li Li Xuewu knew Yu Li's intentions; it was exactly as Qin Qin Huairu had said. Li Li Xuewu didn't mind this; his operation was small, so the staff needed to take on more work. Since Yu Li was willing, he would let her do it.

"Then it's settled. You all continue drinking; I'm heading back. I have matters to attend to tomorrow."

Lao Lao Biaozi called out, "Wu Ge, we agreed to go to the bathhouse at the entrance later. Aren't you waiting for us?"

Li Li Xuewu put on his clothes, fastened his cap, waved his hand, and replied, "No, it's too messy. By the time we finish soaking, it'll be past ten o'clock. I need to go home early to sleep."

Knowing that Li Li Xuewu had a bathtub at home, the others did not press him further. Once Li Li Xuewu left the room, they resumed their lively drinking and toasting.

As Li Li Xuewu walked home, he looked at Li Shu, who was currently being held by Liu Yin and fed milk. Upon seeing Li Li Xuewu enter, the baby reached out to grab him.

Seeing her granddaughter refusing to drink her milk properly, Liu Yin angrily scolded Li Li Xuewu, "Hurry home and sleep; you reek of alcohol. Now that you're here, Li Shu won't drink her milk."

Li Li Xuewu let Li Shu pinch his nose, then gently blew a puff of alcoholic breath at her. Li Shu pinched her stinky father's nose hard, then let go and turned back to Liu Yin to ask for milk.

Seeing that nothing was amiss at home, Li Li Xuewu went out again and walked toward the rear courtyard.

The house was still in disarray; teacups remained on the coffee table, and armchairs were still arranged in the living room.

Li Li Xuewu, being lazy by nature, took off his clothes, stood with hands on hips in the living room, and stared at the teacups and dried fruit peels on the coffee table, wondering whether to clean up now or wait a while longer.

Just as he was pondering this, Qin Qin Huairu entered carrying a stack of clothes.

"What have you taken a fancy to? Do you think staring at it will make it clean itself?"

Li Li Xuewu turned to look at Qin Qin Huairu, heaved a sigh, and said, "No need to think about it anymore; you come and wash them."

Qin Qin Huairu handed the clothes in her hands to Li Li Xuewu, saying, "Go try them on and see if they fit."

Li Li Xuewu took them and looked; they were the pajamas discussed that night. The fabric felt very comfortable, and the color was navy blue, which would hide dirt well.

"That's not right; why isn't there that little leg you measured in the front of the crotch?"

Qin Qin Huairu angrily pushed Li Li Xuewu, telling him to go into the inner room, and said, "You're just bad, that's what you are."

After pushing Li Li Xuewu once, Qin Qin Huairu turned around to tidy up the room; the teacups needed washing, and the fruit peels needed clearing away.

Once everything was cleaned up and she had drawn bathwater for Li Li Xuewu, she picked up the armchair from the living room and carried it into the inner room.

By now, Li Li Xuewu had changed into his pajamas and was lying on the kang bed. Indeed, this woman's craftsmanship was quite excellent; the stitching was very dense.

It was no wonder Qin Qin Huairu had taken measurements that day; the resulting clothes fit perfectly, neither too loose nor too tight.

Qin Qin Huairu set down the armchair, walked to the edge of the kang, tugged at Li Li Xuewu's clothes, and examined them.

"Not bad; they fit quite well."

Li Li Xuewu saw Qin Qin Huairu bending over; the room was warm, he had unbuttoned his collar while working earlier, and having drunk alcohol tonight, he felt somewhat hot.

Since it was still early, they didn't make much fuss; Qin Qin Huairu, bending over and holding onto the armchair for support, finished the task while standing.

After finishing the work, Li Li Xuewu went to the bathroom, while Qin Qin Huairu collapsed onto the kang to rest for a while before going to collect the clothes Li Li Xuewu had changed out of.

While scrubbing the shirt in her hands in the bathroom, she asked Li Li Xuewu about matters at the guesthouse.

Li Li Xuewu, lying in the bathtub with a Mao Jin towel covering his face, spoke in a gentle tone, "Xu Ning has just been transferred there; many things require his attention. Give him a hand and take on more work wherever you can."

Qin Qin Huairu rinsed the shirt in her hands twice with clear water; afraid of creasing it, she dared not wring it dry. Instead, she caught it in a basin and hung it in the dining room. Hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, she nodded and said, "I know this; I just don't know how to do this work."

Li Li Xuewu chuckled twice and said, "It's a very simple matter."

Qin Qin Huairu flicked a few drops of cold water from her hand at Li Li Xuewu and chided, "Are you going to explain or not?"

The cold water splashing on his skin made Li Li Xuewu shiver; he pulled down the towel and looked at Qin Qin Huairu.

"Those rooms are custom-made according to specifications; some have double beds, some have two single beds, and some have four single beds. You just match the bed sheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases to the bed sizes. Change them once per person staying, and just maintain hygiene."

Qin Qin Huairu chided, "How can it be as simple as you say? Following your logic, isn't this just the kind of work done at home?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "What else did you think? Isn't a guesthouse just a home for the people staying there?"

"Clean the bathroom every day, place a trash can and an ashtray in the room, and tidy up once daily. How could it not be clean? What else would they need you people there for? Isn't it just this?"

While washing Li Li Xuewu's black trousers, Qin Qin Huairu chided, "If only it were truly as simple as you say."

Li Li Xuewu laughed and said, "It's simple if you call it simple, and not simple if you call it not simple. Doing simple things to the extreme is what makes them not simple."

Qin Qin Huairu understood Li Li Xuewu's meaning; after thinking for a moment, she asked, "What about me? How do I perform as a section chief?"

Li Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "I haven't been a section chief for long either; I don't have much experience. I'll tell you once I've done it longer."

Qin Qin Huairu paused, thinking Li Li Xuewu was referring to his time as the Public Security Section Chief, but upon hearing the next sentence, she realized Li Li Xuewu was being mischievous again. Angry, she raised the basin of cold water in her hands as if to splash Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu begged for mercy, "Don't mess around; washing a bird with cold water makes it shrink. If I catch a chill from the cold water, the one who suffers uncomfortably will be you."

Helpless in her anger, Qin Qin Huairu could only vigorously scrub the trousers in her hands.

Seeing that Qin Qin Huairu was somewhat angry, Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "It's a very simple matter. Manage the people well; once the people are managed well, the tasks will be done well."

"Your section is the largest in the guesthouse, equivalent to a deputy director. All forty-five guest rooms fall under your management; how do you think you should manage them?"

How would Qin Qin Huairu dare to get angry with this Huozu Sect ancestor? She could only chide, "It's because I don't understand that I came to ask you."

Li Li Xuewu used his finger to sketch a simple diagram of the guesthouse on the tiled wall, pointing to it as he explained things to Qin Qin Huairu.

"Starting with the first floor, you need two people on duty at the bar, and two people on duty at night as well; you can't use your own people, you must use those selected by Xu Ning."

Qin Qin Huairu had gone to report for duty today and had already seen those young ladies.

Not only were they tall, but they also had good figures and striking features.

Hearing Li Li Xuewu speak this way, she couldn't help but chide him playfully: "Are you selecting concubines? You're just being mischievous."

Li Li Xuewu shook his head and said: "That's not it; this is about image, service image, what's called soft power; listen to me."

Continuing to speak, he explained to Qin Qin Huairu: "The second floor consists of multi-person rooms; each room has either two beds or four beds; with so many people, things can get messy, so you need to pay attention to hygiene and safety."

"I've already told Xu Ning to place several trash cans and ashtrays in the corridors, and to set up two fire sand boxes as well."

He then pointed to the third floor and said: "These are single rooms; the guests here are of higher status, so the service requirements for you are also higher."

Finally, he pointed to the fourth floor and said: "You need to keep this in mind; the fourth floor consists entirely of suites; factory leaders may have long-term reserved rooms here; use the people selected by Xu Ning for service, but you must manage them strictly; if anyone tries to play smart tricks, kick them out immediately."

Qin Qin Huairu looked at Li Li Xuewu and said: "This, this seems quite complicated."

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand and said: "There's nothing complicated about it; didn't Xu Ning say there would be teachers to train you? Just study hard; what I'm saying is just the key points; what Renjia Sect teaches is the comprehensive aspect."

Feeling the water had grown cold, Li Li Xuewu stood up, let Qin Qin Huairu wipe him dry, walked into the living room, and put on the pajamas he had tried on earlier.

It had to be said, wearing these pajamas in the warm room was simply comfortable, and they made getting things done convenient as well.

"But as a section chief, you must establish your own authority; don't joke with them usually, be strict; if anyone refuses to submit, send them back to the Service Department; the same goes for your sisters; this time is both an opportunity and a test for you."

Qin Qin Huairu hung all of Li Li Xuewu's clothes to dry by the radiator in the dining room, then followed Li Li Xuewu into the living room and sat down on the sofa.

"I've never been a cadre before; I hope I won't cause you any trouble."

Li Li Xuewu took a pack of cigarettes from under the coffee table, flicked one out, held it in his mouth, lit it, and then, under Qin Qin Huairu's anxious gaze, blew a smoke ring.

This angered Qin Qin Huairu so much that she stood up intending to straddle him, but before she could make a move, Bang Geng pushed the door open and entered.

"Wu Shu, they've finished drinking and say they want to take a bath, but they won't let me go."

Li Li Xuewu nodded toward the door, telling Bang Geng to close it tightly, then said: "You definitely can't go over there; the water in that pool has been filled with scalding hot water; if you went in, your testicles would be boiled away."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu being mischievous again, Qin Qin Huairu glared at him, then beckoned Bang Geng to sit beside her.

Bang Geng didn't mind; his grandmother had already explained this knowledge to him.

"I haven't had a bath in so long; Mom, I want to go take a bath too."

Knowing Bang Geng just wanted to join the fun, Qin Qin Huairu nudged him and said: "I told you not to go, yet you insist; if you want a bath, wait until we get home and I'll heat water for you."

Bang Geng frowned and said: "A shower isn't as comfortable as soaking in a tub."

Li Li Xuewu flicked off some ash, pointed to the bathroom, and said to Bang Geng: "Wait until tomorrow night; I have matters to attend to and won't be back; let your mother take you to wash in that room."

Bang Geng only knew that room had a soaking tub; seeing Li Li Xuewu agree, he nodded his big head happily.

"Thank you, Wu Shu; can I bring my little sister to wash together?"

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said: "You must wait until your mother returns before coming; remember this; you can go play in the side house, but you cannot come to this room on your own."

Li Li Xuewu wasn't afraid this little fatty would dare touch his things; rather, he was worried...

Ahem, it was all for the child's own good; how could Li Li Xuewu have any bad intentions?

Qin Qin Huairu pulled her son to stop him from speaking, scolded him for a while, and then looked back at Li Li Xuewu.

Knowing Qin Qin Huairu was worried the waters here were deep, Li Li Xuewu explained: "When it involves the leaders, just be careful with your service; speak less and ask for instructions more, and that will suffice."

"Furthermore, there is Deputy Factory Director Li; be careful of this person yourself; usually, when speaking, you can mention my name; that way, he won't dare act recklessly."

Qin Qin Huairu glanced at Li Xueu and said: "Liu Lan from the cafeteria went this afternoon; she said she's also been transferred to the guesthouse as the chief of the Catering Section."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said: "This pie was given up by Factory Director Yang; the cake is only so big, and everyone wants a bite; this is still despite me not yielding any share."

Knowing she was Li Li Xuewu's connection, Qin Qin Huairu asked: "What connection does this Liu Lan have?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked: "Didn't Seeing Sha Zhu tell you?"

Qin Qin Huairu paused for a moment and said: "He didn't say; how would he tell me these things?"

Taking a drag of his cigarette, Li Li Xuewu said: "She is the connection of the very person I told you to guard against."

"Ah?! How... how is that possible?"

Seeing Qin Qin Huairu's disbelief, Li Li Xuewu offered no further explanation, but continued: "You don't need to worry about her; although she has this connection, she won't act recklessly; she's a very decent person, just not very good at speaking; she manages the guesthouse's Xiaoshitang and the catering sector, which has nothing to do with you."

As he spoke, he pointed at Qin Qin Huairu again and said: "Even though the Service Department is managed by Zhang Zhang Songying, you still need to pay some attention; the profits in here are huge; don't let anything go wrong."

Qin Qin Huairu looked at Li Li Xuewu, thinking in her heart that this rogue must have his eyes on Zhang Zhang Songying again; that woman was a vixen.

Li Li Xuewu didn't anticipate Qin Qin Huairu's inner thoughts; instead, smoking his cigarette, he said: "You need to adapt to the guesthouse work as soon as possible; Xu Ning won't be staying at the guesthouse for long; I have other uses for him."

Understanding Li Li Xuewu's meaning, Qin Qin Huairu nodded and said: "I will adapt as quickly as possible; if there are any issues, I'll ask you then."

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand and said: "Go ask Xu Ning; this is a matter of procedure and cannot be messed up; I will not manage the guesthouse affairs."

Knowing Li Li Xuewu wanted to avoid suspicion, Qin Qin Huairu said nothing more.

Li Li Xuewu looked at the Ba Zhang Yin on Qin Qin Huairu's face and smiled as he asked: "What's the story with this slap mark?"

Qin Qin Huairu glanced at Bang Geng and said: "What can be said? She was so happy she didn't know which way was up; she apologized and wiped away tears; what could I do to her?"

Li Li Xuewu smoked his cigarette, squinting his eyes without speaking, which actually startled Qin Qin Huairu.

"Don't; between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, a single slap is nothing; she used to just mutter a few words; this time she was just frightened, that's why she lost control of her hand."

Li Li Xuewu said with a bitter smile: "Am I that fierce? Who said I was going to meddle in your family affairs?"

Bang Geng also realized who his mother and Wu Shu were talking about; frowning, he said: "I said it long ago, but she wouldn't listen."

Qin Qin Huairu nudged Bang Geng and said: "Go on, don't speak out of turn; when adults are talking, children shouldn't interrupt; who is 'she'? That is your grandmother; from now on, you are not allowed to speak like that."

Watching Qin Qin Huairu scold Bang Geng, Li Li Xuewu did not interrupt, because Qin Qin Huairu truly wanted to teach Bang Geng properly; she did not want a Bai Yanlang to emerge from her family.

But Bang Geng spent little time with her and much more time with his grandmother; that old lady taught Bang Geng all sorts of knowledge.

However, the knowledge he learned was a messy mix; he even picked up that petty, narrow-minded attitude typical of women; added to the later turmoil, that was why he became so detested.

After finishing her scolding of Bang Geng, Qin Qin Huairu gave Li Li Xuewu a meaningful look and said: "When I came back, I heard the sounds weren't right; after Liu Liu Guangtian spread the news, he was blocked at home by the Second Elder and scolded for a while; when I went to check on the Old Lady, I heard a few sentences; they were very unpleasant to hear."

Li Li Xuewu glanced toward the opposite door; though the drawn curtains blocked all view, he could still feel the Second Master's thick, seething resentment.

It seemed the work of eliminating dangers still had to be done; in this courtyard, only the Second Master and Xu Xu Damao would later cause such trouble, while Yan Yan Jiefang was just a little brat whose fire would be extinguished within a single summer.

"It's nothing; last time I scared him once, so he's just satisfying his mouth with talk. Don't provoke him; it's not worth it."

Qin Qin Huairu nodded; reflecting on the incident from last time, she too felt a lingering fear, cursing the Second Master in her heart for being like a dog catching mice—meddling in things that were none of his business.

"Alright, I won't disturb your rest any longer; we're heading back."

With that, Qin Qin Huairu stood up, taking Banggeng with her, put on her clothes, and headed out; Li Li Xuewu did not go out to see them off, instead finishing his cigarette in the living room before resting.

At dawn, while the sky was still dim, the rooster in Li Li Xuewu's home began crowing "Cock-a-doodle-doo," urging Li Li Xuewu to get up quickly.

Li Li Xuewu opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling of his home, feeling straight away that his current job was truly hard work; in later generations, people enjoyed two days off per week.

Now, not only was there only one day off, but sometimes even on Sundays one had to participate in voluntary labor.

Li Li Xuewu stretched his muscles and bones as he climbed off the kang bed, then walked to the bathroom to wash up.

After tidying himself, he rushed ahead of Hearing Da Lao to tend to the stove, emptying the ash and adding fresh fuel.

The reason the stove here was kept burning continuously was not only that the heating could not be stopped, but also because the old lady brought Li Shu here every day to stay.

This place was quieter and warmer than home, so Li Shu preferred playing on the kang bed here.

Li Li Xuewu changed into his padded jacket, put on his military greatcoat over it, picked up the ash bucket, and went out to dump the ash and dirt.

It was not that Li Li Xuewu's constitution was weak, but rather that it was truly cold at this time, especially in the early morning before the sun had risen, cold enough to freeze a person's bones stiff.

At this hour, any household with someone working would already be up; the men, if lazy, might lie in bed a while longer with the children, but the women had to rise early to light the fire and cook.

Such was the Sihe Academy; while noon was fine, the smoke and fire of cooking were particularly thick in the early morning and evening.

Especially at this early hour, some households had stoves that were difficult to light; having added little coal the night before, they would fill the entire courtyard with thick smoke upon rising, choking people until they coughed uncontrollably.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Sure enough, the Old Wang family, living in the gatehouse of the middle courtyard, had filled the entire middle courtyard with smoke, choking the First Master, who had also come out early to dump ash and dirt, into a coughing fit.

"Good morning, First Master," Li Li Xuewu said, greeting the First Master as soon as they met.

The First Master's face was flushed red from coughing, clearly having been severely choked by the smoke.

"Cough, cough, Li Xuewu, good morning; are you dumping the ash and dirt yourself?"

Li Li Xuewu knew the First Master was implying that he was lazy, usually waiting for Grandfather to come and tidy up.

But this was simply his lazy and gluttonous nature; nowadays he was much like the incredibly lazy Wang family in the gatehouse, the only thing missing being a capable wife.

Li Li Xuewu walked out together with the First Master; upon reaching the gatehouse, the First Master could not help but say to Mrs. Wang, who was busy inside: "I say, Mrs. Old Seven, this cannot go on; tell Wang Wang Laoqi to repair the stove tomorrow when he rests; constant smoking is unacceptable."

Good brothers:

This is now a chapter of over ten thousand words,

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