Chapter 240: For Whom

Looking up again, Lou Yan Jie had already opened the gate and was looking at him with teary eyes.

Li Li Xuewu was carrying things and couldn't wipe Lou Yan Jie's tears, so he could only laugh dryly and say, "What's wrong? Haven't seen each other for a few days and you've become a 'husband-gazing stone'? Why don't you take these?"

Lou Lou Xiaoe looked at Li Li Xuewu, turned around, and ran back into the room crying "Wuwuwu," slamming the door shut as she entered.

Li Li Xuewu stood at the doorway awkwardly carrying things, looked at the door that had been slammed with a "clang," and muttered dryly, "This woman must be too excited."

Carrying the things in his hand, he entered the courtyard, turned back to close the gate, and put on the door bar.

After entering the room and seeing the fire still burning in the kitchen stove, Li Li Xuewu kicked the firewood near the stove door inside with his foot, cutting off the fire source, before entering the inner room.

In the inner room, Lou Yan Jie was crying on the small quilt on the kang. The sound of crying passed through the small quilt to Li Li Xuewu's ears, making his heart itch.

Li Li Xuewu put the things in his hand on the small cabinet at the doorway, rubbed his hands, took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack at the doorway, before walking toward the edge of the kang.

"What are you doing? Why are you crying?" Li Li Xuewu said while using his hand to pat Lou Lou Xiaoe's lower leg.

Unexpectedly, Lou Lou Xiaoe's crying became even louder, and the tone went up an octave.

Li Li Xuewu couldn't laugh or cry, so he sat on the kang and hugged the crying Lou Yan Jie into his arms.

At first, Lou Lou Xiaoe struggled when Li Li Xuewu pulled her up, but Li Li Xuewu had great strength and hugged the crying Lou Yan Jie into his arms, which finally settled it.

Lou Lou Xiaoe struggled with Li Li Xuewu for a while but had no strength left, so she just used her fists to lightly hit Li Li Xuewu, crying, "Wuwuwu, I thought you didn't want me anymore, cough, cough, wuwuwuwu."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and patted Lou Yan Jie's back, comforting her, "How could that be? Didn't I tell you I was going to be busy when I left that day?"

Lou Lou Xiaoe looked at Li Li Xuewu, sobbing, "But you couldn't be gone for so long. If you couldn't come back, couldn't you have sent a letter? You let me think... I wanted to go to your house to find you but didn't dare, so I could only wait foolishly here."

Li Li Xuewu used a handkerchief to wipe Lou Lou Xiaoe's tears, comforting her, "Alright, alright, isn't this back now? Alright, alright, don't cry."

Lou Lou Xiaoe looked at Li Li Xuewu, who was holding her, and asked, sobbing, "Where have you been all these days?"

Li Li Xuewu widened his eyes and made up a lie, "Busy with work, didn't I tell you about a big case? Caught more than a dozen people, almost tired me to death."

Lou Lou Xiaoe looked at Li Li Xuewu's eyes, wanting to look into the windows of his soul to see if what Li Li Xuewu said was true.

But Li Li Xuewu's pair of eyes were installed with a display screen; whatever program you wanted, he would give you. If she could see his thoughts from his eyes, he would have lived his life in vain.

Li Li Xuewu blinked his sincere big eyes and said with a smile, "What are you looking at? If it wasn't work, what else could it be? Could it be that I went to find other women?"

Lou Lou Xiaoe reached out and touched Li Li Xuewu's face, saying, "No, your face is whiter, and you've gained weight."

Li Li Xuewu grabbed Lou Yan Jie's hand, muttering that this woman was really meticulous, and smiled, "Don't talk nonsense. When has my face not been this white? And gained weight? Can you gain weight from staying up late?"

Lou Lou Xiaoe heard that Li Li Xuewu had been staying up late to handle cases, and looking at Li Li Xuewu's face, it seemed to be the case.

"Why don't you cherish yourself? Do you think you can abuse yourself just because you're young?"

Li Li Xuewu used a handkerchief to wipe Lou Yan Jie's tears, lowered his head, kissed her, and said, "Get up. I came here as soon as I finished the case. I bought you a gift on the way to the department store."

As he spoke, he helped Lou Yan Jie up, sat up from the kang, walked to the doorway, took the shoe box and the bundle of books, and walked back to the edge of the kang.

Lou Lou Xiaoe sat on the edge of the kang, watching Li Li Xuewu bring her a gift, and hearing Li Li Xuewu say he came here as soon as he finished the case—although she didn't know if it was true or false, it felt very comfortable in her ears.

Even more comfortable was what followed. Li Li Xuewu opened the black leather shoes he bought from the shoe box, deliberately placing the receipt in a position where Lou Yan Jie could see the date, loosened the laces, squatted down, and was about to put them on Lou Lou Xiaoe.

"Oh, Li Xuewu, what are you doing? I'll do it myself."

Seeing the date on the receipt was indeed today, Lou Yan Jie already believed Li Li Xuewu's words by eighty percent, and the remaining twenty percent was waiting for Li Li Xuewu's actions.

Li Li Xuewu looked up and glared at Lou Lou Xiaoe, saying, "Sit! Also, what should you call me?"

Although she was scared and glared at by Li Li Xuewu and even shouted at, Lou Lou Xiaoe felt beautiful inside.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu ask, she called out in a voice like a mosquito, "Master of the house."

Li Li Xuewu took off the shoes Lou Yan Jie was wearing, scratched the soles of her feet, and said, "Louder, I didn't hear you."

Lou Lou Xiaoe's soles were scratched by Li Li Xuewu until they were itchy. Seeing this bad guy forcing her, she could only raise her voice and call out, "Master of the house, it's itchy~"

Li Li Xuewu saw Lou Lou Xiaoe call out, so he let her go, helped Lou Yan Jie stand up from the kang, and said, "Try them on, do they fit?"

Lou Lou Xiaoe felt sweet inside; the ten-plus days of waiting finally paid off.

She hadn't seen Xu Xu Damao buy her a pair of socks in the three or four years she was with him. It felt good to be loved.

"They fit, they're very comfortable."

Lou Lou Xiaoe's tears were still hanging on her eyelashes. She was very happy and circled around Li Li Xuewu wearing her new leather shoes.

Li Li Xuewu saw Lou Yan Jie was coaxed, smiled, opened the bundle of books, and said, "The books you wanted, I bought all the ones I could find."

Lou Lou Xiaoe looked at the bundle of more than thirty books and moved, hugging Li Li Xuewu and kissing him.

Li Li Xuewu was someone who wouldn't let go once he had the upper hand. Since she was already coaxed, he would beat her until she cried again.

Lou Lou Xiaoe saw Li Li Xuewu throw her onto the kang. Although her face was flushed red and she was saying, "The water is still boiling in the pot, and dinner hasn't been made yet," she didn't move to the ground at all.

"The water can wait a while. Now I need to boil water."

In the courtyard, in the inverted rooms, Yu Li was also boiling water, but she was really boiling water.

Because the men who came back from collecting scrap needed to wash their faces, and the big horse in the west courtyard also needed warm water to drink.

Seeing the firewood in the corner was gone, she carried a dirt basket and walked out, wanting to go to the west courtyard woodshed to get some chopped firewood.

In the previous text, it was mentioned that Li Li Xuewu prepared a place in the west courtyard specifically for kindling. Right next to this place was another place for chopped firewood.

These chopped firewood were chopped by Old Lao Biaozi and the others with axes, stacked one by one in the warehouse.

The source of the wood included what Li Li Xuewu had hunted last time, what Hearing Da Lao had picked up with the horse cart, and the offcuts from building the house that couldn't be used.

Yu Li had just walked to the screen door of the west courtyard when she saw a Jeep she hadn't seen before drive in. Yu Li thought it was some leader who had come, and wanted to go into the room to call Ye Ye Erye.

But before she could turn around, she heard the car horn: "Beep~ Beep-beep."

Yu Li looked suspiciously at the Jeep parked in front of her, not knowing what this car meant.

The car door opened, and it was Yan Brother Jiecheng who jumped down.

"Wife, how about it? Does it have style!"

Yu Li was scared half to death by Yan Brother Jiecheng. Seeing Yan Brother Jiecheng showing off to her, she blushed and said angrily, "You scared me to death. Where did this car come from?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng held the car keys in his hand and said proudly, "It's from the Security Section. Li Ke brought me out to handle some business and said to send the things to Li Ke's house, stay there for the night, and pick him up tomorrow morning."

Yu Li looked at Yan Brother Jiecheng taking things down from the back seat and asked, "Is it okay to drive the car home? Don't cause trouble for Li Li Xuewu."

At this moment, because of the two honks Yan Brother Jiecheng made, the busybodies in the courtyard all came out and looked over toward this side.

And since it was time to get off work, everyone walking back could see Yan Brother Jiecheng standing next to a Jeep talking to his wife.

"Oh, Eldest, you're driving a Jeep? Didn't you say you were driving a motorcycle?"

There were quite a few people crowded at the screen door. The Third Aunt was the happiest. This eldest son was really giving her face—he came back driving a Jeep, and a new style of Jeep she had never seen before.

Yan Brother Jiecheng put the two packages of cotton fabric into Yu Li's hands, put the two toy boxes on top, and finally took the floral fabric Li Li Xuewu bought for his wife out of the car.

Seeing the crowd of onlookers, Yan Brother Jiecheng revealed an indifferent tone and said to his mother, "Ah, a new car allocated by the unit. I came out to handle business with Li Ke today. Knowing I hadn't been back to live for several days, he let me drive it home."

The Third Aunt was stunned for a moment. Seeing the Third Uncle pushing his bike and some people from the courtyard who had come back from work standing at the west courtyard gate looking over, she asked, "Which Li Ke? A new leader in your unit?"

It was no wonder the Third Aunt would ask this, because in the Third Aunt's heart, Li Li Xuewu was Li Li Xuewu, and there was no concept of a Li Kezhang.

Another thing was, if it really were Li Li Xuewu, why didn't Li Li Xuewu come out? Maybe it was another "Li Ke."

Yan Brother Jiecheng said to Yu Li, "Give me what's in your hands. This was bought by Li Ke for his family, and this was bought by Li Ke for you, saying it was because I was tired from driving for him."

Yu Li heard the words coming from her husband and let out an "ah" sound, followed by asking, "What favor did you do for him? Why did he give you such good fabric?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng saw his mother still looking at him, so he swapped the fabric in his hand with Yu Li, carried the stack of things, and said to his mother standing at the screen door, "Which Li Ke could it be? Li Ke Li Xuewu."

After finishing his words, he didn't see his mother's expression and continued to say to his wife, "Li Ke said, since you're with him, he can't treat you badly, and he told me to work hard and he wouldn't treat me badly either. Didn't you see? I'm driving for him now."

Yu Li heard the words coming from her husband and her face turned red instantly. What is called "since you're with him"? Why is he so bad, saying everything in front of Brother Jiecheng?

The Third Aunt heard her eldest son's words, and her face turned white. She looked at the majestic Jeep, then at her eldest son's proud and serious dog-leg expression, and then at the high-end floral fabric in her eldest daughter-in-law's hands.

The pig she had raised painstakingly for all these years was lost because of a cabbage. Now looking at it, this cabbage heart seemed to have some problems. It looked like the pig wouldn't be coming back.

The Third Uncle stood at the gate and heard his eldest son's words, his face turning blue and white. The old couple had been whispering about Li Li Xuewu at home, waiting for the eldest couple to suffer a loss and run back on their own.

Now looking at it, the eldest son had become a small car driver that everyone envied, the eldest daughter-in-law had found a job there, and this was even giving fabric to make clothes.

The Second Uncle, who was standing at the west courtyard gate with the Third Uncle, smiled, "Old Yan, you have blessings. Your son is driving for Li Li Xuewu."

Although it sounded like a compliment, it didn't taste right no matter how he listened to it.

"Hmph." The Third Uncle didn't pay attention to the Second Uncle's "sour words." With a mixed feeling inside, he pushed his bike home, so angry that he even forgot to lock the bike.

After entering the room and seeing that dinner wasn't ready, he shouted at the Third Aunt who was still watching the excitement at the outer courtyard screen door, "What are you still watching? Can that thing be eaten as a meal? Hurry back and cook."

Yan Brother Jiecheng also saw his father, but thinking about what he "realized" this afternoon, he didn't pay attention to his father, but took Yu Li and walked into the courtyard.

Yan Brother Jiecheng's younger brother and sister didn't care about the adults' thoughts. Seeing their eldest brother drive a Jeep back, they ran to the Jeep in a swarm, touching it left and right.

Yan Jiekun looked at Liu Liu Guangtian and Liu Liu Guangfu, who had brought a group of children from the courtyard to watch the Jeep, and blocked the front of the Jeep, shouting, "Don't let you watch, this was driven back by my brother."

Liu Liu Guangtian looked at Yan Jiekun, then looked at Yan Yan Jiefang, who was climbing the window to peek inside, and mocked, "Heh, it was driven back by your brother, but isn't it Li Li Xuewu's? Your brother is just Li Li Xuewu's driver, what are you being arrogant about?"

Liu Liu Guangfu looked enviously at Yan Yan Jiefang stepping on the pedal to look at the car's antenna, and said, "Brother, brother, I also want to be Li Li Xuewu's driver, I also want to be this cool."

Liu Liu Guangtian felt his younger brother was tearing down his stage, so he patted his younger brother and said, "Go, what are you saying?"

Liu Liu Guangfu was unconvinced and muttered, "Didn't you also say..."

Before he could finish, he was glared back by Liu Liu Guangtian. Afraid that his second brother would beat him, Liu Liu Guangfu could only swallow the second half of the sentence.

Yan Brother Jiecheng carried the things Li Li Xuewu bought and sent them to Li Li Xuewu's house very seriously, handing them to Liu Yin personally.

At this moment, Qin Qin Huairu was cutting vegetables with Liu Yin. Seeing Yan Brother Jiecheng carrying several things in and saying they were bought by Li Li Xuewu, Qin Qin Huairu hurriedly told Liu Yin to go see, while she cut the vegetables herself.

Liu Yin was also very surprised to see the blue floral fabric handed over by Yan Brother Jiecheng, and hearing Yan Brother Jiecheng say it was bought by her second son for her to make a new cotton-padded jacket, her eyes narrowed with joy.

"Oh my, I've raised a son for so many years and finally can wear clothes bought by my son."

Whether the speaker had intentions or not, the listener definitely had intentions.

Zhao Zhao Yafang was kneading dough at this moment. Hearing her mother-in-law's words, her hand movements paused, and then she looked at Li Li Xuewen in the inner room.

But what made Zhao Zhao Yafang angry was that this bastard Li Li Xuewen was reading a book, and he didn't know what he saw, but the corners of his mouth were slightly hooked, as if he were mocking her.

Li Li Xuewen, you just wait for me.

Li Li Xuewen provoked his wife without knowing it. At this moment, he didn't know how to restrain himself. Perhaps he saw something interesting, and he even laughed out loud.

This sound, matched with the sound of Yan Brother Jiecheng handing the dark floral fabric to the old lady and the old lady laughing, made Zhao Zhao Yafang so ashamed and angry that she gritted her teeth, wishing she could give Li Li Xuewen a lesson right now.

Yan Brother Jiecheng finally put the toys on the kang, saying they were toys Li Li Xuewu bought for his daughter.

The old lady and Liu Yin were looking at the fabric in their hands, and then seeing Li Shu grabbing the toy box, it seemed to be very high-end.

The old lady was afraid that Li Shu would be hurt by the paper box, so she picked up the paper box and opened it to see—it was a tin carp that could move, almost as tall as Li Shu, made of tin, with fish scales chiseled on the surface.

The old lady used the key attached to wind up the keyhole on the fish's belly, and the big carp's eyes began to sway left and right, and the fins and tail began to sway left and right.

Li Shu was held by Li Xue. Seeing the big carp moving on the kang, she was stunned for a moment, and then clapped her small hands and giggled.

The old lady took out another box and opened it—it was an ethnic doll, as big as an adult's arm, a bit too big for Li Shu to hold in her arms.

Li Shu saw this white doll with double ponytails and was instantly attracted, as if she knew it was for her, pointing at the doll with her small finger and saying to the old lady, "Ah! Ya!"

The old lady looked at the ethnic doll in her hand and said to Liu Yin, "He is really willing to spend money for his daughter. It won't be long before it's broken by Li Shu."

Li Xue was sixteen years old after the new year, just the age to like dolls. Seeing the ethnic doll in the old lady's hand, she was a bit envious.

But knowing it was bought by her brother for her little niece, she was embarrassed to speak. Taking the excuse of playing with her little niece, she took it from the old lady's hand and played with Li Shu, babbling.

Liu Yin looked at the fabric on the kang, then looked at the doll in her granddaughter's hand and the big carp still swimming on the kang, and asked Yan Brother Jiecheng, who was about to finish his task and leave, "Brother Jiecheng, where did Li Xuewu go?"

Although Yan Brother Jiecheng didn't get Li Li Xuewu's instructions, he wasn't in the small car squad for nothing these past few days, so he blurted out, "Today the Li Kezhang is on duty at the police station, and he told me to pick him up tomorrow."

At this time, Li Shun, who was sitting in the main room, said, "Where can the child go? He's busy. Don't worry about those things for now, hurry up and fix dinner. Brother Jiecheng, eat at home today."

Yan Brother Jiecheng hurriedly waved his hand, "No, no, Uncle Li. The Li Kezhang gave instructions that I should go eat in the inverted rooms after I finish my duty. You go ahead, I'm going back."

As he spoke, he went out the door. Liu Yin sent him to the doorway until Yan Brother Jiecheng returned to the room with Yu Li before going back.

Yu Li sat on the kang in the room, looking at the floral fabric in her hand, lost in thought. Yan Brother Jiecheng "clanged" and lay on the kang, saying, "Oh, a golden nest or a silver nest is not as good as one's own dog nest."

Yu Li was interrupted by Yan Brother Jiecheng and didn't think any further, but pushed Yan Brother Jiecheng and said, "Go, what dog nest."

As she spoke, she folded the floral fabric and put it in the cabinet by the window, then was about to go out.

Yan Brother Jiecheng saw Yu Li was about to leave and asked, "What are you doing?"

Yu Li said angrily, "Working, the inverted rooms aren't finished yet. I'll bring dinner back for you later."

Yan Brother Jiecheng said dissatisfiedly, "Li Ke told me I could eat in the inverted rooms."

Yu Li glared at Yan Brother Jiecheng and said, "Don't push your luck. He's giving you face; do you really think you can sit at that table in the inverted rooms? Don't look at who is sitting there."

Seeing Yan Brother Jiecheng was unconvinced, Yu Li scolded, "I was just about to say you. Li Li Xuewu letting you drive the car back isn't for you to show off. Look at your mother and younger brother and sister—they almost carried the car home."

Yan Brother Jiecheng heard what Yu Li said and was stunned. Even more serious words were yet to come.

Yu Li looked at Yan Brother Jiecheng, who didn't understand her words, and said angrily, "Didn't you see so many people surrounding and watching? Do you think they were all saying good things? What will you do if Li Li Xuewu hears these gossip tomorrow?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng heard this and his heart skipped a beat, hurriedly asking, "Wife, what should I do?"

Yu Li said angrily, "What to do? Hurry up and call your younger brother and sister back. That car isn't ours, what's there to watch? Didn't you see how ugly the Second Uncle's face was when Jiekun blocked the Liu brothers from watching?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng said in a panic, "I... I didn't see it."

Yu Li scolded with a tone of "hating iron for not becoming steel," "Look at how arrogant you were. You drove the car back and honked the horn. What kind of style do you have? You didn't even greet the neighbors when you got off the car, you just knew how to shout. Your eyes are all on the top of your head, who can you see?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng was scolded by his wife until he didn't say a word. Only now did he know why Yu Li hadn't had a smile on her face since she met him in the west courtyard. She had been holding it in to clean him up when they got home. She didn't say this outside to save face for him as a man.

"Wife, I know I was wrong. I'll go call Yan Jiefang and the others back now."

Yu Li didn't pay attention to Yan Brother Jiecheng anymore, opened the door, and went to the west courtyard to move firewood. Passing by the Jeep, she didn't even look at it.

Even though Yan Yan Jiefang and the others who were shouting around the Jeep called her, she didn't reply.

This attitude angered the Third Aunt, who came to call Yan Yan Jiefang and the others for dinner.

The children called "Sister-in-law" one after another, but Yu Li didn't pay attention to them. This driver's wife had grown skills; those who didn't know would think she was Li Ke's wife.

"Yan Jiefang, Jiekun, Yan Jie Di, come back to eat. What are you shouting for? Didn't you see that people are about to fly high and don't even pay attention to you anymore? Why are you so lacking in respect for your sister-in-law?"

Yu Li's movements paused when she heard her mother-in-law's words. She didn't reply in front of these people in the courtyard, picked up enough firewood, and walked to the inverted rooms, not even looking at her mother-in-law when she passed by.

This angered the Third Aunt even more. The words in her mouth were even uglier, and she didn't care about the many men and women in the courtyard watching, so she scolded, "You heartless thing, you don't recognize your own family after eating someone else's food, right?"

Before she could finish speaking, Yan Brother Jiecheng walked over and called to his mother, "Mom, what are you saying?"

After finishing with his mother, he said to his younger brother and sister, "Stop watching, hurry home."

Yan Yan Jiefang wasn't afraid of Yan Brother Jiecheng, stood by the car, and shouted, "Big brother, drive us for a turn!"

"Yeah, big brother, I want to sit. I haven't sat in this car yet."

Seeing his second brother say it, Yan Jiekun also started shouting.

Yan Brother Jiecheng thought about what his wife said just now. If he hadn't heard it, he might have really taken his family out for a turn.

But now, looking at the envious, jealous, and hateful eyes of the people around, Yan Brother Jiecheng was so scared that his legs were trembling.

It wasn't easy for him to get a job. Everyone bullied him whenever they caught him. It was hard for his wife to find Li Li Xuewu to change his job, and now his family was dragging him down again.

Yan Brother Jiecheng was full of resentment from being scolded by Yu Li, and hearing his younger brother and sister ignoring the surrounding discussions and constantly shouting to go out for a turn, and looking at his mother's suspicious eyes...

Yan Brother Jiecheng was furious, roared at his younger brother and sister, "What turn? What does this car have to do with you? Hurry home, stay away from the car!"

As he spoke, he walked up and pulled Yan Jiekun, who was sitting on the front hood's guardrail, down.

Perhaps he used too much force, Yan Jiekun didn't stand steady when his feet touched the ground and fell to the ground.

This poked a hornet's nest. The Third Aunt howled and rushed up.

Yan Jiekun was fine, but his eldest brother pulled him and made him lose face in front of people in the courtyard. Now seeing his mother rush over, he pretended to be in pain and rolled on the ground crying.

How could the Third Aunt stand this? She scolded, "You beast, you hit your younger brother?" When she got to him, she gave Yan Brother Jiecheng a big slap on the face.

"Slap!"

She wasn't satisfied after hitting him, pushed Yan Brother Jiecheng hard, and said, "You can follow them, come and throw your mother to death too!"

Yan Brother Jiecheng was stunned when he saw his younger brother fall, but then he was stunned by his mother's big slap. When he reacted, his father was already standing at the screen door looking at him coldly.

That look, even if Yan Brother Jiecheng was stupid, he could see it—it was the look of a stranger and an enemy.

The Third Uncle squinted his eyes and said to Yan Brother Jiecheng, "You've grown capable, your wings are hard, you dare to hit your mother. Fine, you, fine."

After finishing his words, he said to the other children, "Hurry home, don't be embarrassing here. Don't come to this courtyard in the future. There are no relatives of yours in this courtyard, do you hear me?"

Yan Yan Jiefang, who was shouting the loudest, didn't shout about going for a turn anymore, snorted at Yan Brother Jiecheng, helped Yan Jiekun up, and followed his father home.

The Third Aunt glared at Yan Brother Jiecheng and pulled Yan Yan Jie Di, who didn't want to leave, away.

This scene was enough for the people in the courtyard watching the excitement. They were envious, jealous, and hateful when they saw Yan Brother Jiecheng drive the Jeep back.

They didn't expect that the Yan family would have an internal conflict first, letting the neighbors watch a good show for nothing.

Yan Brother Jiecheng walked home like a walking corpse with a crying face. When he passed his parents' house, he saw the door "clanged" shut by Yan Jiekun.

Looking at his younger brother, who was "in pain" just now but was nimble enough to flash into the room and close the door, Yan Brother Jiecheng's heart was cold.

They were all born to the same father and mother, why was there such hatred, why did they hate him so much that they wanted him dead?

Yan Brother Jiecheng moved back to the room, lay on the kang, looked at the pitch-black ceiling, and sighed deeply.

What kind of life is this?

It rains when the roof leaks, and the boat is late when it meets a headwind.

Just as Yan Brother Jiecheng was feeling sad, the sound of the Second Uncle teaching his children came from outside the window.

"Hmph, look, this is what happens when you get carried away by success, thinking that being a dog for Li Li Xuewu will make you rise to heaven. He didn't expect that a dog is always a dog."

"A dog doesn't even dislike its family for being poor. How long has it been, and he doesn't even recognize his own brothers and parents. You must remember this lesson."

Hearing the Second Uncle's words, Yan Brother Jiecheng's fists were clenched until his veins popped.

The Second Uncle said this deliberately walking slowly, just so the Third Uncle's family could hear it.

"What's so great about Li Li Xuewu? Driving a Jeep is nothing. Is it his? Driving for him is nothing. You wait, using public vehicles for private purposes, sooner or later both of them will have trouble."

The Second Uncle was finally able to vent his anger today. Looking at his two sons who were listless, he asked with hatred for them not meeting his expectations, "Seeing this 'abandoned by relatives' end, do you still want to get close to Li Li Xuewu? Do you still want to be a dog for Li Li Xuewu like Yan Brother Jiecheng?"

"Want..."

The Second Uncle thought he would get a negative answer, and his victorious attitude was all set, but he was slapped in the face by this "want." His body swayed, and he almost fell.

Looking at who said it, he saw Qin Qin Huairu carrying vegetables and rice out of Li Li Xuewu's house.

The sharp-tongued Second Uncle curled his lips and said, "Another dog."

Qin Qin Huairu wasn't a coward like Yan Brother Jiecheng, nor did she have a personality like Yu Li who endured before acting. Seeing the Second Uncle scolding his son and dragging Li Li Xuewu into it, the whole Li family was frowning, and now he was talking about her.

"Oh, isn't this Second Uncle? Why are you hitting your children again? It's not that I'm saying anything, but they are such good children, why do you hit and scold them every day?"

The Second Uncle held his head high and curled his lips, "Go, go, can you manage me managing my children?"

Qin Qin Huairu looked at Liu Liu Guangtian with pity and said, "I can't manage it, but I feel sorry for Liu Guangtian."

The Second Uncle said unconvinced, "What's so sorry about?"

Qin Qin Huairu had been taught by Li Li Xuewu. It was easy for her to mess with the Second Uncle.

She really wouldn't scold him in the courtyard; that was too low-class, especially since she was a cadre now, she couldn't scold in the street, but there were other ways.

Qin Qin Huairu looked at Liu Liu Guangtian with pity and said, "Li Li Xuewu was talking about you yesterday, saying you have good skills. You made an ashtray for Deputy Li Kezhang Dong, right? Deputy Li Kezhang Dong also said you were very good. Li Li Xuewu had the intention of transferring you to the Guard Team to drive, but who would have thought, sigh..."

Liu Liu Guangtian dreamed of going to the Guard Team, dreamed of driving a Jeep like Yan Brother Jiecheng. Now that Qin Qin Huairu had said half of it, how could he stand it?

"Qin Jie, who would have thought what? What did Li Ke say? Tell me."

Qin Qin Huairu looked at Liu Liu Guangtian pitifully and glanced at the Second Uncle, "Who would have thought that Li Li Xuewu saw your father eavesdropping under the window of Li Li Xuewu's house in the back courtyard that night..."

"Ah!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

Qin Qin Huairu saw Liu Liu Guangtian was stunned by the "ah," and heard the Second Uncle roar "You're talking nonsense" with a red and white face, so she knew her strategy had worked.

"Li Li Xuewu said, a son taught by such a father is unreliable. The Guard Team needs upright and bright men, and can't have petty people who steal chickens and dogs."

Liu Liu Guangtian looked at his father, who was at a loss for words, and knew what Qin Jie said must be true; otherwise, his father wouldn't dare not refute it.

"Dad, how could you..."

Although Liu Liu Guangfu didn't have any interests here, he looked at his father with disdain.

The Second Uncle saw his two sons were about to rebel because of Qin Qin Huairu, so how could he endure it? He roared, "Don't listen to her nonsense. Who knows how she got her cadre position? How does she know so clearly? Maybe she was in Li Li Xuewu's room."

Qin Huair

Liu Liu Guangtian looked at his father, who was at a loss for words, in disbelief. He knew what Qin Jie said must be true; otherwise, why wouldn't his father dare to refute it?

"Dad, how could you..."

Although Liu Liu Guangfu had no stake in this, he also looked at his father with disdain in his eyes.

Seeing his two sons about to rebel because they were intimidated by Qin Qin Huairu, the Second Master couldn't hold back and roared: "Don't listen to her nonsense! Who knows how she got her cadre position? How does she know so much? Maybe she was right there in Li Li Xuewu's room!"

Qin Qin Huairu's expression changed upon hearing this. She looked at the Second Master with a cold face and said: "We must speak with evidence. I said you were eavesdropping because Li Li Xuewu said so. If you aren't convinced, you can go confront him. But as for how I got this cadre position and you saying I was in his room, this matter must be cleared up. I am a clean and innocent widow; I cannot withstand you slandering me like this."

The Second Master was also in a rush of anger and blurted out those words. He wanted to apologize but couldn't bring himself to lose face, so the situation remained at a stalemate.

The people in the Bai Bai Xiyuan who were watching the Jeep gradually lost interest, but now there was new excitement. Today was truly a case of "you finish your act and I take the stage." After the Third Master finished his act, the Second Master started his.

Just as the stalemate was happening, the First Master walked out. He looked at the panting Second Master, then at the tearful and resentful Qin Qin Huairu.

"Sigh, you all must be idle since you don't have to work tomorrow. First, it was the Jeep—it belongs to the public, yet you insist on looking at it? Why is your perspective so shallow?"

After the First Master finished speaking, the whole courtyard went quiet; only the sound of chopsticks being thrown down came from the Third Master's house.

The First Master ignored him and continued: "It was a matter that had nothing to do with you, yet you insisted on sticking your nose in."

Seeing the Second Master was unconvinced, the First Master continued: "I saw with my own eyes when the Personnel Section came to announce Qin Qin Huairu's cadre status. If you have the ability, go find the Personnel Section."

Hearing the First Master's words, the Second Master lost his temper even if he was still unconvinced. Who would dare go to the Personnel Section? Did they not want to get promoted in the future?

The First Master continued to nag: "You can go report him for using a public vehicle for private purposes if you want, but I'm telling you, there's a radio on that vehicle."

"I heard Old Zhang from the maintenance workshop say that Department Chief Fu Bin from the Security Department is going into the mountains with Li Li Xuewu tomorrow to test the radio's effectiveness."

"I don't believe Li Li Xuewu would use a public vehicle for private purposes. If you don't believe me, you can go report him and see."

The Second Master mumbled: "I didn't say I was going to report him; I just said it off the cuff."

The First Master said sternly: "How old are you? Why is your mouth so fast? Are you a child? Do you not have to be responsible for what you say?"

Seeing the First Master looking at her, Qin Qin Huairu spoke up: "That's enough, First Master, no need to say more. I'll go find the leadership on Monday. I must get to the bottom of this matter. How is it that I was in Li Li Xuewu's room? When I go to Li Li Xuewu's house to communicate about work, I always take Banggeng with me. I am a widow, that's true, but does being a widow mean I have to be bullied?"

As she spoke, she began to cry "woo-woo-woo." This was Qin Qin Huairu's ultimate move.

The Second Master panicked now. If Qin Qin Huairu really reported this to the factory, he would definitely be disciplined, and even Li Li Xuewu wouldn't spare him.

"Old Yi, this, I, I didn't mean it that way."

"Then what did you mean? Woo-woo-woo, you think I'm easy to bully, right?"

Facing Qin Qin Huairu's pressing questions, the Second Master was helpless and could only look to the First Master for help.

The First Master glared at the Second Master and said: "Now you know to be afraid? Control that mouth of yours; you dare to say anything, even making things up out of thin air."

The Second Master nodded with a wrinkled face: "Yes, yes, yes, I was wrong, I shouldn't have spoken nonsense."

The First Master looked at Qin Qin Huairu and said: "Qin Huairu, everyone in the courtyard believes in your character, and they also believe in Li Li Xuewu's character. You are both cadres of the Rolling Mill; you should be broad-minded and not hold it against Liu Haizhong."

Qin Qin Huairu held back her tears, looked at the First Master, and said: "What about what he said about me? What does it mean 'in Li Li Xuewu's room'?"

The Second Master apologized with a smile to Qin Qin Huairu: "I was wrong, I was talking nonsense. That night, I misheard. Li Li Xuewu came back from outside and blocked me at the window. I was angry, so I just said it off the cuff. I was wrong, I'll reflect on it, I won't say it again."

Seeing the Second Master apologize, Qin Qin Huairu glared at him and said: "We all live in the same courtyard, and I even help out at Li Li Xuewu's house. We see each other every day; you tell me, how are we supposed to get along in the future because of your loose talk?"

The First Master waved his hand and said: "Qin Huairu, you are upright and don't fear a crooked shadow. Get along openly and honestly; no one will say anything. I believe Li Li Xuewu means the same."

After finishing with Qin Qin Huairu, he said a few words to the others, which served as a concluding remark.

"Look at yourselves. You all get off work and go home to your wives and children, while Li Li Xuewu and the security guards are on duty at their posts. Who is it for?"

The First Master waved his hand and said: "Isn't it all so everyone can sleep soundly? This morning, Li Li Xuewu even told me that the streets aren't peaceful, and he said he would pay to have our courtyard's gatehouse cleaned up for our young men and gentlemen to use while on duty."

As he spoke, the First Master looked at the tightly closed door of the Third Master's house and said: "But the Third Master disagreed and scolded Li Li Xuewu, babbling about Li Li Xuewu wanting to occupy the courtyard's house, ruining this good deed. Tonight, they are standing guard for you, yet you are gossiping behind Li Li Xuewu's back."

"Do you have any conscience left?"

"Tomorrow they have a mission, and he arranged for Brother Jiecheng to come back. That is also out of care for a comrade, thinking that Brother Jiecheng has been on duty for many days in a row. You all rested on Sunday; think about Li Li Xuewu and Yan Brother Jiecheng. They can't return home, their lives are a mess. Think about who their sacrifices are for."