Chapter 238: Never Fought Such a Wealthy Battle Before

This Wang Wang Laoqi was a stubborn mule. He was lying on the edge of the bed in his room smoking, not caring at all whether the children who hadn't gotten up yet were choking on the fumes.

Seeing the First Uncle pass by the doorway just now and even lecturing him, his stubbornness flared up, and he said, "First Uncle, since you're so good at talking, why don't you help me fix it? If you think the smoke is choking, why don't we swap houses? I don't mind the smoke."

Li Li Xuewu, walking behind the First Uncle, saw the First Uncle's face turn even redder from Wang Wang Laoqi's retort. He looked at Wang's wife, who was standing at the doorway looking uncomfortable.

Li Li Xuewu smiled at Wang Wang Laoqi and said, "I have a room in the back courtyard that's even better. How about I swap with you?"

Wang Wang Laoqi hadn't noticed Li Li Xuewu behind them. Seeing Li Li Xuewu approach from the doorway now, he hurriedly stubbed out his cigarette and said with a sheepish grin, "Heh, I was just joking around with the First Uncle. You go ahead with your business; I'll tidy up later."

Li Li Xuewu continued to smile and said, "Don't force it. If it's uncomfortable to live in, I'll talk to the factory and have you transferred to the factory dormitory area. It's more spacious there."

The Rolling Mill's dormitory area consisted of brick and earth houses built on a patch of open land cordoned off by the mill. There was no need to mention the conditions; there wasn't even a commune nearby, and life depended entirely on the factory. How could it be as comfortable as living in the city?

"No need, no need. I'll tidy up when I get back tonight. I absolutely won't let smoke out tomorrow."

Seeing Wang Wang Laoqi go from arrogant to obsequious, the First Uncle felt he had lost face. He snorted and walked away.

Li Li Xuewu smiled, nodded at Wang's wife, and also walked out.

It wasn't that Li Li Xuewu loved meddling in other people's business, nor was he willing to help the First Uncle save face. It was just that this lazy man was truly infuriating at times. The smoke blew wherever the wind took it, and since they lived between the front and middle courtyards, his own home sometimes suffered from this nuisance too.

Another reason was that Li Li Xuewu couldn't stand the way the guy disrespected his elders. After all, the First Uncle was quite old; a couple of small jokes didn't matter, but being so confrontational was a bit much.

Since he had seen it again today, he had spoken up.

On the way, the First Uncle didn't dwell on the matter anymore but instead asked Li Li Xuewu about Qin Qin Huairu receiving a disciplinary action.

Li Li Xuewu didn't say much to the First Uncle either, only stating that the rules were the rules and it was just a flexible handling of the situation.

He did, however, recall what he had heard in the west courtyard and on the streets last night, so he mentioned a few things to the First Uncle.

"You might know the current situation. Although our courtyard is tight-knit, we still have to be on guard. No one can handle it if trouble breaks out. I think we really should lock the main gate."

The First Uncle walked to the gatehouse, stood there, looked around, and said, "In the past, we used to clear out this gatehouse and take turns keeping watch every night, but now it's all piled up with junk. It's very difficult to clear out."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the gatehouse. It was indeed true; the area inside wasn't large, but if cleared out and a kang bed built, it would be just enough for two people to sleep. There was also a window facing the gate tunnel, though the glass was gone now.

"First Uncle, if you have the heart to organize it, do it sooner rather than later. For one, the current situation is indeed like this. It would be perfect to have two big young men take turns keeping watch at night, and two old men or women keeping an eye on strangers during the day."

"Secondly, I have workers doing jobs over there. If you get it organized, I can have them do it while they're at it—build a heated kang and a stove in this room, and fix the windows and doors. That way, whoever is on duty at night will be warm, won't they?"

Li Li Xuewu doing this wasn't because his heart was so good that he cared about everyone in the courtyard, but because his own storefront was in the outer courtyard. That didn't matter much—with a house full of grown men, no bad guy would think of getting out if they got in.

What he was truly worried about was his own home—the old were old, the young were young, and his eldest brother wasn't someone who could handle things. That was why he thought about spending money to buy some peace of mind.

The First Uncle looked at Li Li Xuewu and nodded, saying, "This is a good thing, and it's the right thing to do. Don't you worry about it; I'll go organize it. I'll tell you once it's cleaned up."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and nodded in agreement. The two of them dumped their ash buckets and headed back. Just as they reached the front courtyard, they happened to run into the Third Uncle coming out to wipe his bicycle.

The First Uncle had just seen that most of the things in the gatehouse belonged to the Third Uncle. Since they happened to run into him, he spoke up: "Morning, Third Uncle."

The Third Uncle turned around, saw it was the First Uncle and Li Li Xuewu, put down the rag in his hand, stood up, and replied, "Oh! Morning, morning. Old Yi, you two are...?"

The First Uncle lifted the ash bucket in his hand and said, "Went to dump the ash. Just happened to run into Li Xuewu going too, so we chatted for a bit."

The Third Uncle looked at Li Li Xuewu, wanting to say something but not saying it. Although he was angry inside, he didn't dare to truly cross swords with Li Li Xuewu.

The First Uncle continued, "Li Xuewu told me about the instability on the streets. We have so many people in our courtyard, so we were discussing clearing out the gatehouse and arranging for people to take turns on duty every night, just to be safe, you know?"

As soon as the Third Uncle heard it was about clearing out the gatehouse, he frowned. But since the First Uncle was still talking, he didn't speak and continued to listen.

"It just so happens that Li Li Xuewu said his west courtyard is being renovated. If we clear it out, he can have them build a kang for the gatehouse and fix the doors and windows."

The Third Uncle, who had been holding back, was now unwilling. Ah, so it was Li Li Xuewu's proposal! No wonder it was aimed at him. It turned out he saw his things over there and was taking revenge on him.

"First Uncle, don't say it's all for our own good. When the inverted rooms were moved, we weren't even notified. Fine, the neighborhood office assigned it, we accept that. But you can't push us to the wall, right? You won't even let us put our things there. Where are we supposed to put our stuff?"

The First Uncle frowned and said, "You don't know the situation inside. There are more petty thieves on the streets now. Isn't this just to be on guard?"

The Third Uncle smiled and shook his head, saying, "How come I haven't heard of that? The streets are very peaceful. We've lived here for so many years and haven't lost anything."

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Li Xuewu and said sarcastically, "Ah, so just because Li Ke says there are, we have to vacate the room? You can't keep pushing us common folk around again and again, right?"

"Besides, isn't this Li Ke also a Station Li Kezhang? He lives here, so he should be responsible for safety. Why doesn't he vacate one of his inverted rooms to use as a duty room?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled, looked at the Third Uncle, and said, "If you're unwilling, just say so directly. There's no need to drag on like this. Alright, First Uncle, consider it my meddling. Let's do this: I have to take the bucket back, and I still have to eat breakfast and go to work. See you later."

After finishing his words, Li Li Xuewu carried the bucket and walked toward the back courtyard.

The First Uncle looked at Li Li Xuewu and then said to the Third Uncle, "Li Li Xuewu has good intentions. Why do you think that way? That gatehouse isn't your private property; it's unassigned by the neighborhood office and counts as public."

The Third Uncle held his head high, squinting his eyes, and said, "Old Yi, you're wrong to say that. I didn't say it was my family's. The things inside aren't just my family's either; every household has some."

"Besides, how do you know Li Li Xuewu is telling the truth? How do you know he isn't doing this to occupy that gatehouse? You, you're just too benevolent; you can't see Li Li Xuewu's schemes at all."

The First Uncle was also angered by the Third Uncle. Not wanting to nag him anymore, he said, "Fine, fine, you're the one who's good at scheming. There will be a day when you'll be crying."

After finishing his words, he also headed to the back courtyard.

At this moment, the Third Aunt came out and asked, "What were you saying to the First Uncle and Li Li Xuewu?"

The Third Uncle curled his lips and said, "Heh, the two of them teamed up to fool me, saying the streets aren't safe. Hah, it must be Li Li Xuewu wanting that gatehouse again. Don't I know him?"

The Third Aunt also said, "Isn't that so? This Li Li Xuewu is full of tricks. Look, the eldest couple are being ordered around by him."

The Third Uncle looked at the small room over there, then looked at the inverted rooms, and asked, "The eldest daughter-in-law went to cook?"

The Third Aunt curled her lips and said, "Isn't that so? She went early. She never gets up this early at home to help me cook."

The Third Uncle said disdainfully, "Just watch. Once the eldest couple takes a tumble, they'll know the pain."

After finishing his words, he turned around and continued to wipe his bicycle.

The Third Aunt, however, stared at the inverted rooms and muttered, "They ate chicken last night and didn't even know to bring some back. And they're still working? Pfft."

When Li Li Xuewu came out again, he had already changed into a wool coat. He didn't stop when he passed the Third Uncle—this was a case of "half a sentence is too much when words don't click."

Entering the inverted rooms, Yu Li had already served the millet porridge and steamed buns. Li Li Xuewu started eating with the pickled vegetables. There was a lot of work today, so Li Li Xuewu planned to leave a bit earlier.

Wen Wen Saner was even more proactive than Li Li Xuewu. He had been very annoyed yesterday because he arrived late and didn't receive those treasures.

Today, he urged Old Lao Biaozi and the others to get up early. Old Lao Biaozi had just grumbled a word when he was kicked by Wen Wen Saner.

Now, no one dared to grumble anymore. Everyone quickly got out of bed, washed their faces, put on their clothes, and ate.

Wen Wen Saner's persistence in making money was something Li Li Xuewu truly admired; he had a feeling that if he didn't make money when he went out today, he was losing money.

But doing business required this kind of drive. If it were up to Old Lao Biaozi's personality, he would have to collect tanks and rocket launchers to sell to Africa to make money.

Wen Wen Saner made money, but he wasn't stingy. Whenever Old Lao Biaozi, Shen Guodong, and the others said they wanted to eat something, he never stood in their way.

They ate those three chickens yesterday just because they wanted to. If that were any other family, it would break their hearts.

At this time, chickens weren't that cheap—over a yuan each, and good ones were two or three yuan.

In the courtyard, an ordinary family like the Third Uncle's had a monthly salary of only 32 yuan. After subtracting the money for three children's schooling, they wouldn't dare think about buying chicken to eat every month.

It was only these bachelors in the inverted rooms; no one else would dare to live like this.

But then again, if they didn't have the money, they wouldn't dare to eat like this either. They had the conditions.

The food in the inverted rooms shocked Yu Li; she had never seen anyone eat like this.

Mornings were fine—cornmeal porridge, big steamed buns, and small pickled vegetables, which were about the same as other families. Of course, they were much better than the Third Uncle's family; the buns were basically two-flour mixes, rarely pure cornmeal.

But lunch was a grade higher than breakfast. Basically, it was potatoes, cabbage, and radishes rotated, but there was meat in the dishes.

Not to mention dinner—every now and then a meal of braised meat, every now and then a fish.

This was all supported by the west courtyard's scrap recycling station.

Wen Wen Saner had tasted the sweetness. Just collecting scrap was enough for them to earn money. The money exchanged for that truckload of scrap last time was much more than what they earned working early and late at the black market.

If they really set up a recycling shop, it would truly be "a little cow riding a plane" (a big deal).

Wen Wen Saner was in charge of the accounts, and he knew the profits inside. He really didn't know before that these bits of copper and iron and chicken feathers were so profitable.

If he had known, why the hell would he be a "gangster"? It was much better to pedal a tricycle easily.

This kind of thinking was also shared by those who read a lot in later generations—look at the monsters and freaks in mobile live-streaming rooms.

"Follow your big brother, family members, I'll perform eating an eel alive for you..."

Who the hell can't do that? Big girls and young wives wiggle their hips and earn millions a year. Who the hell would still risk their lives in this trade?

So, the one who defeats you might not be your peer; it might also be a cross-industry competitor.

Hey! Now Wen Wen Saner, who ran the black market, crossed over to collect junk and squeezed his peers out of a living.

Now, Wen Wen Saner and his group's scope of activity wasn't just limited to the Nanluoguxiang area. There wasn't a place in the DC District they couldn't reach. Carrying the radish seal Old Lao Biaozi carved, they even dared to go into large courtyards.

These people each had their own style, and the groups they were popular with were different.

Wen Wen Saner knew how to flatter; one look at you and he knew what you wanted to hear.

Then come on, it didn't cost money anyway. It would be a waste if he didn't perform crosstalk; he could talk you into smashing your own pots to sell as scrap iron to him.

Shen Shen Guodong was honest. Wherever he went, he would first light an 8-cent economic cigarette, calling everyone big brother and big sister. He would never let the host reach out; he did all the dirty and tiring work himself.

He was sincere and earnest. When weighing, he would hold the scale rod and insist on pushing it in front of people so they could see clearly.

When paying, if there were children around the person selling scrap, he would definitely take out a piece of candy and hand it over, saying the child looked really good.

Yang Erhai was young, and his body was small. He rode his bike like a child racing. His voice was thin; those who didn't know would think he was a girl.

This kid was also very clever. Before going out, his face was always dirty, black and white in patches. Whoever he saw, he would show a mouthful of big white teeth.

Hearing someone shout "Scrap collection!", he would immediately give a "healthy white" smile.

When collecting scrap, he didn't talk nonsense. His thin, small body and nimble hands always made people feel sorry for him.

Those who were wealthy would just give up the extra few cents, saying that such a small child was out earning a living, and they would definitely look for him next time they had scrap.

The one who knew how to play the most was Old Lao Biaozi. This guy treated collecting scrap as a side job and playing as his main job.

Wen Wen Saner and the others didn't shout anymore, only knocking on the clappers, but Old Lao Biaozi kept shouting.

And he didn't just shout properly; he had to shout with high and low tones, with twists and turns.

Earlier, vegetables in the capital were sold by vendors carrying poles and walking through the streets. Selling needles, thread, baskets, meat buns, and medicinal candy was also done this way.

Of course, they didn't sell like that anymore, but Old Lao Biaozi liked this tune.

It wasn't that Old Lao Biaozi wanted to develop this career, but he had heard since he was a child about which young wife had an affair with which needle-and-thread seller.

Which family's big girl was led away by the cloth seller.

Old Lao Biaozi also wanted to have such an "extramarital affair," so he specifically wandered through streets where big girls and young wives lived.

But after wandering for a month, all he turned out were old men and old women. Some were hard of hearing and had to be shouted at for a long time, making the big girls and young wives even more afraid to come out to sell scrap.

What is called "a wrong move hitting the mark"? What is called "planting flowers intentionally but they don't bloom, planting willows unintentionally and they provide shade"?

Hey, he couldn't shout out the big girls, but he attracted the liking of the elderly. It wasn't for anything else, just because they liked this loud voice.

Others shouted, but these old men and women couldn't hear and always missed the scrap collection. Meeting Old Lao Biaozi meant they caught up, and Old Lao Biaozi really managed to grab it.

In this day and age, which family kept idlers? Everyone had to go out to earn money. Only these old men and women stayed at home to guard the door.

So, the scrap Old Lao Biaozi collected was actually more than Wen Wen Saner and the others. Where can you reason with that?

These four people covered the East District, while Hearing Da Lao drove a horse cart to the countryside every now and then for a spin.

At this time, there were few people selling scrap in the countryside because every family was poor. They could only buy a few items a year, and some scrap was reused by the village itself. How could they sell it to scrap collectors?

But there were many people and large places in the countryside after all, and relying on the capital meant they were wealthier than other places.

Not to mention anything else, just the chicken, duck, and goose feathers, livestock bones, and bits of copper and iron dug out of the fields were enough for Hearing Da Lao to go around and collect a cartload.

Mainly, this trip wasn't in vain. Broken wood, rotten wood knots, corn stalks the village didn't want—anything that could fit in the cart was brought back.

The west courtyard specifically left an open space to store this firewood. Whether it was the inverted rooms, Li Li Xuewu's parents' house, or Li Li Xuewu's home in the back courtyard, they all used this kindling to light the fire.

The best to burn were the pine needles from the pine forest outside the city. They were full of pine oil, so they could light a fire even if the weather was bad and it was snowing.

Li Li Xuewu didn't need to worry about these things. Old Lao Biaozi and the others went out collectively, and in one morning, they could bring back enough to burn for a whole winter.

Among these people, the one who stayed behind, Ye Ye Erye, was the main force in collecting scrap, because neighbors from all around walked to the scrap recycling station to sell scrap. This was the main force.

Even more main force were those half-grown children who were idle. How could these children resist the temptation of firecrackers and sugar-coated haws?

The most devious was Old Lao Biaozi, who would occasionally put a few tin frogs in the west courtyard.

This was like the lottery walkie-talkies or big car toys in small shops in the 90s of later generations. The temptation was huge.

This was still with Ye Ye Erye blocking and guarding; otherwise, these naughty boys could have emptied their homes.

Li Li Xuewu knew that the west courtyard scrap recycling station was on the right track, so he didn't manage it anymore. Even when the recycling shop was about to be set up, he had no intention of managing it. This was also the reason why Li Li Xuewu only asked for half the shares at the beginning.

Wen Wen Saner didn't lack the brains for business; he just lacked experience.

As long as Li Li Xuewu pointed out the road, Wen Wen Saner could kick and urge Old Lao Biaozi and the others to run forward.

So, Li Li Xuewu never stopped them from spending on food and drink.

"Sister-in-law, don't count my portion for tonight. I have to be on duty, so I won't be back for dinner."

Li Li Xuewu put down his rice bowl and informed Yu Li, chatted a bit with the others who were eating, then went out to the west courtyard, pushed his bike, and rushed to the Rolling Mill.

On the way, Li Li Xuewu really took a careful look. He saw that the workers were all going to work normally, and he didn't see any street loafers wandering on the main road.

Li Li Xuewu was also taking things for granted. Anyone who could get up in the morning and go out on the street wouldn't end up being a street loafer.

These people were all hanging out until the movie theater let out at night, and then they couldn't get up in the morning. It would be strange if Li Li Xuewu met them on his way to work in the morning.

He rode leisurely to the Rolling Mill, locked his bike at the storage area, and went to the police dog training ground on the way.

This time in the morning was exactly the time to feed the police dogs. When Li Li Xuewu entered, Gao Gao Fengkun was shouting to get the police dogs to line up for food.

Looking at it now, the training effect was still there, much better than the chaotic scramble for food when they first arrived.

"Woof, woof, woof!"

The police dogs barked when they saw a stranger enter the courtyard. Gao Gao Fengkun saw Li Li Xuewu standing at the doorway, handed the small stick in his hand to Yin Qun, and then trotted to Li Li Xuewu, stood at attention, and saluted.

"Li Kezhang, the police dog squad is currently performing the feeding task."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and asked, "How are you making the dog food now?"

Gao Gao Fengkun replied, "Logistics approved a food subsidy for the police dogs. It's still being made in the cafeteria, and we use a cart to push it over."

Li Li Xuewu didn't expect that the mocking words of Xu Si and the others had actually come true—the dogs in his relative's village were actually eating government-provided food.

"How is the training going now?"

Gao Gao Fengkun's goal was the police dog squad, so he was often immersed in it and was very familiar with the training.

"The police dogs have adapted to the daily training. What we are doing now is constantly correcting the police dogs' wrong movements because they were converted from hunting dogs, so they still have some hunting dog movements."

Li Li Xuewu nodded. He also approved of Gao Gao Fengkun's idea of wanting to stay in the police dog squad. Interest is the best teacher, after all. People have their own aspirations and cannot be forced. Being able to train the police dogs was also a great contribution.

"Is your body better? Why were you discharged from the hospital so quickly?"

Seeing Li Li Xuewu caring about him, Gao Gao Fengkun smiled and said, "I'm better, I was fully recovered before I was discharged. Zhao Yajun still needs some time; I go to see him every night."

"Tell him to recover well. It won't be so comfortable after he comes out. He has to make up for all the subjects he missed during these days, otherwise, he will also be eliminated."

"Yes!"

Li Li Xuewu patted Gao Gao Fengkun on the shoulder and said, "The instructors of the police dog squad can also be emergency elite soldiers. After all, you sometimes have to rush to the front, so you must do the training well."

Gao Gao Fengkun stood at attention and saluted, "Yes, guarantee to complete the training task."

Li Li Xuewu returned a salute and came out. The police dog kennel shouldn't have strangers entering—one reason was hygiene, and the other was that it would disrupt the police dogs' training, so Li Li Xuewu always stood at the doorway.

He went up to the office building. Just as Li Li Xuewu threw his keys on the desk, Han Han Yating came in, carrying a document in her hand.

"Li Kezhang, the coordination document from the Investigation Department. It was at the gatehouse mailroom, and I brought it over for you when I saw it."

Li Li Xuewu nodded, and while taking the document, he said, "The relocation matters are all settled, right?"

Han Han Yating picked up a thermos from the doorway and poured a cup of hot water for Li Li Xuewu. While pouring, she replied, "All settled. The order and time of the relocation are all set. Li Kezhang Han Zhan will bring the young men from the Security Section to work overtime on Sunday. For those with a lot of things or who are moving slowly, we can provide support."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the document from the Investigation Department. It was the handling result of the last case. He didn't open it immediately but lit a cigarette for himself.

"How are the gun vault and our small warehouse arranged?"

Han Han Yating saw Li Li Xuewu waving for her to sit, so she sat opposite Li Li Xuewu and answered Li Li Xuewu's question.

"The gun vault was completed last night. The factory maintenance team welded the iron door. I worked overtime last night, and I took the Security Section people and Li Kezhang Han's Security Section to move the gun vault first. The remaining things in the warehouse are prepared to be moved over on Sunday."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "We are moving away, but we aren't leaving as strangers. We can't leave it in a mess. Clean the room for the brothers in logistics, and clear out all the trash. We can't control others, but our Security Section must have this standard."

Han Han Yating replied, "Understood. When Station Chief Xu handed it over the day before yesterday, he already mentioned our office—that we must clean up the hygiene when we leave. The Li Kezhang cares about this the most."

She looked at Li Li Xuewu's expression and continued to say with a smile, "Heh, I didn't expect him to guess it right. No wonder he gets promoted so fast."

Li Li Xuewu opened the document in his hand and said while reading, "Want to do office work? Don't want to be on the front line anymore?"

What is called "looking at a person and seeing their appearance, listening to words and hearing the tone"—as soon as Han Han Yating opened her mouth, Li Li Xuewu knew what she wanted to say.

"We are all brothers and sisters in the same trench; there's no need to hide anything. Tell me what you're thinking."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the handling result of Huhu Zhengquan. Because he continued to engage in related activities after the war and did not report it during the unification and collection in the 1950s, and his subjective intent was very obvious, the result column read "execution."

Han Han Yating looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "I know I can't hide it from you. To be honest, I'm a bit tired of the front line. I've felt that although administrative management work is a bit busy these days, there isn't as much pressure."

Li Li Xuewu frowned when he turned to the handling result of Dong Dong Wenwen and said, "You know, I have high expectations for you. I've taught you more than Xu Ning did."

Han Han Yating saw Li Li Xuewu frown and knew that Li Li Xuewu felt it was a pity for her, but ever since the Liu Liu Fusheng incident, Han Han Yating hadn't been willing to touch the Security Section's business anymore.

"I know, I know your expectations for me, and I feel really sorry for you, but..."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the word "execution" in the result column and still felt a bit uneasy.

When reporting the case file, Li Li Xuewu wrote a document that could be considered a plea for mercy, explaining Dong Dong Wenwen's experience.

However, Dong Dong Wenwen's subjective intent and the later killing of Feng Xing cost her points, so the result was now like this.

Li Li Xuewu looked at the execution date, closed the document in his hand, sighed, and placed the document in front of Han Han Yating.

"It's also quite good for a girl to do internal administrative work. Send this document to the confidential room for filing. Get more familiar with the Comprehensive Section's business in the future. You can't just say you want to do one thing and then do it, right?"

Han Han Yating saw Li Li Xuewu agree, stood up, saluted, and said, "Yes, guarantee to complete the task. Thank you, Li Kezhang."

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "The Security Section has cultivated you; I can't have you leave me with a mess."

Han Han Yating said with a smile, "Ren An is quite good. He has been learning from me with an open mind. I've taught him everything you taught me."

Li Li Xuewu nodded. It seemed Han Han Yating had intended to leave for a long time. Fine, a forced melon isn't sweet.

"I haven't promised you anything yet. This matter has to be done slowly; you can't rush it. But you must teach Ren An well."

Han Han Yating picked up the document and nodded, "Yes."

Li Li Xuewu also stood up, walked to Han Han Yating's side, patted Han Han Yating's arm, and said, "I can't teach you anything about emotional matters. You know I just lost a relationship too, but what I want to tell you is that our life path has just begun. The road is still long, so walk it well."

Han Han Yating looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Thank you, Li Kezhang. I know."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and sent Han Han Yating out the door.

Returning to the office to handle some Security Section matters, Wei Tong ran up, panting. Entering the room, he first poured himself a cup of hot water, then sat opposite Li Li Xuewu with it.

"Li Kezhang, the SH141 truck is almost finished being modified. Do you have time to go take a look?"

Li Li Xuewu looked up at Wei Tong and asked, "So fast?"

Wei Tong took a sip of hot water and said, "That's because you added the glass guardrail, radio, and heating system projects. Otherwise, it would have been finished long ago. The paint on the truck bed has already been applied in the warehouse."

Li Li Xuewu threw a cigarette to Wei Tong and said, "Our factory's maintenance workshop is quite efficient. How does the effect look?"

Wei Tong caught the cigarette, put it in his mouth, struck a match to light Li Li Xuewu's first, then his own, and then replied, "It looks quite good."

He walked back to sit opposite Li Li Xuewu and said, "That truck has a rated load of four tons, but seven or eight tons is no problem. It's currently being fitted with the radio for testing. I calculated that with twenty people, it's exactly 4 tons, but if you add some people or equipment, it can easily carry them."

Li Li Xuewu nodded. This was to enrich and satisfy the Guard Team's duty support capabilities as much as possible with existing things. With this vehicle, the Guard Team truly changed from two legs to four wheels.

"How is your learning to drive and use the radio going?"

Wei Tong said with a smile, "We're learning. Yan Brother Jiecheng, who left the Guard Team, is teaching driving, and Li Kezhang Han is teaching the radio at night."

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Isn't Yan Brother Jiecheng a motorcycle driver?"

Wei Tong also had an expression of disbelief and said, "I heard from the Guard Team members that this kid was so stupid when he was in the Guard Team. He was taught to march for a long time, and he was always out of step."

"Heh~ Before Li Kezhang Xu left, he handed him over to me. I didn't have time, so I sent him to the small car team downstairs. I have a decent relationship with Old Zhang, so I just told him to teach him well."

Wei Tong widened his eyes and said, "I didn't expect this kid to be a bear in a gown—he became a person! Once he got in the car, he wasn't out of step anymore. He has a lot of strength when kicking the motorcycle. Can you guess what happened? He learned to drive a car after learning the motorcycle for two days. He really is a genius."

Li Li Xuewu laughed, "This kid told me he just likes driving, saying he gets excited as soon as he touches a car."

Wei Tong, while talking, was also choked by the smoke, coughed twice, and laughed, "Cough, cough. Why do you think I'm surprised? He explains how to drive and reverse to those team members in the Guard Team in a very professional way. Now that the car is being modified, these people sit on the edge of the kang, put two sticks on the side as gear shifters, and step on bricks to learn how to drive."

Li Li Xuewu nodded. At least he didn't live up to Yu Li's... his own painstaking efforts, putting him in this position he loved.

"Learn well. Everyone must know how to drive and use the radio."

This requirement wasn't excessive. First, driving—this skill might be a disaster for women, but for men, there are very few who don't like cars, and very few who can't learn.

Moreover, apart from the physical effort, everything else is very simple. There are no messy functions like in later generations; just step on the gas and hold the steering wheel, and you can drive.

As for why it takes physical effort, everyone knows. I won't say much here; anyway, the current drivers having thick arms is true.

As for the radio, this thing looks very complicated, but now there are no more "beep-beep" telegraph radios for short distances.

Those "beep-beep" button telegraphs are used for long-distance transmission, such as the capital needing to contact the Magic City or other cities.

The radio Li Li Xuewu is configuring for the duty vehicle now is the Type 81 15-watt shortwave radio.

The "81" here doesn't refer to the year '81, but the Type 81, divided into Big 81 and Small 81.

To be precise, it's the 102 radio, commonly known as the "Big 81," a CW/AM shortwave radio with a maximum output power of 15 watts developed by the Tianjin Radio Factory.

Its derivative models, 102E and 102D, were adopted in large numbers by the military and have withstood the test of multiple wars.

Because it needs to be installed in a vehicle, Li Li Xuewu equipped this shortwave radio with a pi-type antenna, which is completely sufficient for city duty.

In Continuous Wave (CW) mode, the transmission power is 15W, the receiving frequency is 2~12MHz, and the communication distance is 45 kilometers.

In Amplitude Modulation (AM) voice mode, the communication distance is 20 kilometers.

Li Li Xuewu asked the auto repair factory to connect the power battery to the vehicle's power supply and added three batteries, so there is always power as long as the car isn't turned off, and it can last for a long time even if it is.

Actually, this also reminded Li Li Xuewu of a movie that was a household name in the 1950s—Wang Cheng in "Heroic Sons and Daughters" used a Type 71 walkie-talkie.

Of course, the movie showed the 1950s. It's already the end of 1965 now, and it has already gone through several rounds of research and changes. The military is currently equipping the Small 81 walkie-talkies.

That kind of radio is smaller in volume and better in effect than the one Li Li Xuewu is using now.

But Li Li Xuewu's duty vehicle doesn't need something as advanced as the Small 81, so he didn't force it. The current one is quite enough—a 20-kilometer communication range can cover the entire East District.

And now that Li Li Xuewu's family fortune is wealthy, he is generous in his actions, and his back is straight.

Li Li Xuewu, who had never fought such a wealthy battle before, even equipped the Guard Team with Type 702 walkie-talkies.

How big is this thing? As long as an adult's arm, it can be held in the hand. Wang Cheng used the 702 walkie-talkie, and when he was anxious, he could use it as a weapon to hit people.

This thing is like a mobile phone today, or what's called a "Big Brother" (brick phone). The headset and microphone are separate from the main body of the walkie-talkie. When contacting the vehicle-mounted Big 81, you need to wear a headset and hold the microphone to speak.

The 702 walkie-talkie came out much earlier than the Big 81. It was successfully developed in April 1951 and mainly equipped troops below the battalion level (company, platoon, squad).

Li Li Xuewu used it in the south, but the signal in the rainforest wasn't very good; it was all "static" when talking.

The 702 walkie-talkie was designed with reference to the SCR300 frequency-hopping walkie-talkie from the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, the predecessor of Motorola in the United States.

Small and portable, small volume, light weight, low output power, power-saving, and convenient to carry.

It uses a whip antenna, the communication distance exceeds 15 kilometers, and the modulation methods include Amplitude Modulation (AM), Frequency Modulation (FM), Single Sideband (SSB), etc.

What is mainly used here is AM and FM. Of course, I won't talk much about these terms. The meaning is that each patrol team carrying a 702 walkie-talkie can contact the duty vehicle.

Whether calling for support or passing information, it facilitates the Guard Team's duty management and also facilitates the arrest of criminals.

As for why they didn't use it before, it was all because the Security Section didn't have this budget and didn't dare to procure it.

Now that Li Li Xuewu and Dong Wenxue met a client who wasn't short of money, they ordered these things from the manufacturer in Tianjin that very day and transported them over by train directly.

Four Big 81 radios, twenty 702 walkie-talkies.

Of course, these weren't all for the Rolling Mill; there were also some for Huaqing University. Half for each, and the entire cost was covered by Li Kezhang Wu.

Although they were products about to be phased out, the products transported over weren't phased out; they were just handed over from the manufacturer's warehouse, all brand new.

One advantage of these models about to be phased out is that they are cheap and don't require waiting—they have them now if you want them now.

Li Li Xuewu directly arranged to install one on the duty vehicle first, just to see how the effect was.

Wei Tong smiled until his eyes almost disappeared and said, "We tested it last night, it works quite well, the communication is very clear."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "That's because the Rolling Mill is outside the city and there is no signal source interference. The situation in the city is more complicated; there will be signal interference. You should explore this yourselves and see how to avoid communication interference. This is also a form of combat."

Wei Tong nodded, "Yes, we thought of this. We prepared two types of antennas in the car. The most powerful one is said to have no problem for over a hundred kilometers, but the antenna is large and cumbersome, so it can only be used for stationary duty. If moving, we still have to use the pi antenna."

Before Li Li Xuewu could continue speaking, the phone at his hand rang.

"I am Li Li Xuewu. Mm-hmm, understood. Just have them drive the car to the office building area. I will go down directly with the Guard Team leader."

It turned out to be the gatekeeper reporting to Li Li Xuewu that Huaqing University had come to deliver the cars—one big and three small.

Li Li Xuewu happily said to Wei Tong: "Speak of the devil, come on, follow me down to take a look at the Jeep patrol vehicle we're preparing to equip."

Wei Tong excitedly said: "Haha, we can consider this trading in our bird guns for cannons, right?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled, stood up, took the keys, and said while walking out: "We call this borrowing a chicken to lay eggs. By the way, how is the production of our equipment coming along?"

Wei Tong followed Li Li Xuewu downstairs and replied: "It's still in progress. It's mainly the sizing for the clothes and gear. The steel helmets and protective plates are all done, and the steel plates to be sewn into the shoes are also done. Now we're just waiting on the labor protection factory."