Chapter 332: Violent Toad

"Who said it's not? If there's no oil in the stomach, how can one work?"

Nie Liansheng raised his eyes and looked around, saying: "Sometimes we can only come here to improve our food and eat some sauerkraut without oil."

As he spoke, Nie Liansheng looked at Li Xuewu and asked: "What does your friend want? It wouldn't really be just white wine, right?"

Hearing Nie Liansheng's "sour and vegetable" words, Li Xuewu smiled and said: "Really want it. Not only white wine, but he also wants all the specialties here."

"How much?"

"Hehehe."

Li Xuewu didn't speak, buried his head and continued to eat the sauerkraut in the pot, picking it up chopstick by chopstick.

"It seems that friends in Beijing are different, their appetite is bigger than ours in Steel City."

Nie Liansheng lit a cigarette for Li Xuewu, lit one for himself, narrowed his eyes, and said: "Isn't it a coincidence? I also have a friend whose situation is not much different from yours. Life is also very difficult, sigh!"

"Drink, drink! Who doesn't have two difficult friends!"

"Drink!"

As they spoke, the two drank another glass.

Just after putting down the wine glass, the woman who was talking to Nie Liansheng downstairs came in with a plate of deep-fried peanuts and a plate of salted duck eggs.

"Captain Nie, added two dishes for you and this big brother!"

"Put it here, put it here!"

As he spoke, Nie Liansheng looked at Li Xuewu with smiling eyes and said: "Is our Steel City people enthusiastic?"

Li Xuewu smiled at the woman who came in and didn't say anything.

Nie Liansheng put his glass on the edge of the table and poured wine into it.

While pouring, he smiled and said: "Xiuzhi, this is my friend from Beijing. How does he look? Hehehe."

This woman called Xiuzhi by Nie Liansheng didn't refuse, picked up the wine glass Nie Liansheng poured, signaled to Li Xuewu, and said: "So this big brother is from Beijing. No wonder he looks extraordinary."

As she spoke, she had already held the wine glass high, smiled at Li Xuewu, and said: "Since he is Captain Nie's friend, he is our Steel City people's friend. I will toast you on behalf of our shop."

Just when Li Xuewu's hand touched the wine glass, this woman had already drunk the two-tael wine into her stomach without blinking.

Li Xuewu looked at Nie Liansheng with a smile, and then drank the wine in the glass in the woman's bright glass bottom.

"Thank you, big brother!"

This woman was obviously a hero in drinking, smiled brilliantly at Li Xuewu, signaled to Nie Liansheng, and retreated.

Li Xuewu, who finished drinking, put the glass on the table and didn't move his chopsticks, just looking at Nie Liansheng.

This is called having coming and going. Now it's time for Nie Liansheng to express himself.

This woman didn't come in casually, and Nie Liansheng didn't let her toast casually.

More importantly, the tacit understanding between this woman and Nie Liansheng.

Nie Liansheng could let this woman toast him, so he had to give himself an explanation.

Li Xuewu wasn't someone who would eat anyone's toast.

"Hahahaha."

Nie Liansheng took the initiative to take Li Xuewu's wine bottle and poured a glass for Li Xuewu, saying with a smile: "Thank you, brother, for giving me face."

Well, knowing that Li Xuewu was called brother from this sentence, Nie Liansheng knew what he meant.

"She is a confidante of mine. She knows that everyone I bring here is a good friend, so she is especially kind to you."

"Hahaha."

Li Xuewu picked up the wine glass and touched it with Nie Liansheng.

It seems that this Nie Liansheng is an old-fashioned person, still talking about this old etiquette.

Seeing Li Xuewu drinking one glass after another without any drunkenness, Nie Liansheng was already beating drums in his heart.

This 52-degree Niulanshan is like 52-degree hot water.

"Are you settled in?"

Nie Liansheng picked up a piece of sauerkraut to suppress the wine gas in his mouth and wiped the sweat on his forehead with a paper towel on the table.

Li Xuewu picked up a piece of blood sausage. The taste was indeed authentic, but it wasn't the taste of a mother.

Remember, except for your mother, no one can make the longing for your relatives, so listen less to some people's nonsense.

This blood sausage just didn't have any blood smell, and there was a faint medicinal fragrance.

"Just in the villa I went to last time, hmm hmm."

"Oh?"

Nie Liansheng raised his eyebrows, the smile on his face became stronger, knowing that this was Li Xuewu answering his words.

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "I should be resting there these few days. If you have time, you can go sit, but I have to return in the evening."

"I know."

The two didn't talk about this topic anymore, but talked about the customs of Steel City and the strange stories of Beijing.

It was as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years. One was in his forties, one was twenty, and the two felt they trusted each other.

No! It was Nie Liansheng who felt he trusted Li Xuewu.

And Li Xuewu...

It was already past one o'clock in the afternoon after drinking and eating.

The two went downstairs, Nie Liansheng took Li Xuewu and walked out directly, not mentioning the bill at all.

Li Xuewu saw that Nie Liansheng didn't mention it, so he pretended not to know and followed him out.

This was Nie Liansheng showing his strength to Li Xuewu, and also showing his weaknesses to Li Xuewu.

At this time, mentioning the bill was not only slapping Nie Liansheng in the face but also meant that what was said at the wine table didn't count.

Seeing Nie Liansheng walking out with a red face and full of wine, the woman called Xiuzhi sent them out.

"Did you eat well, brother?"

"Hehe, thank you for your hospitality!"

"Brother, you are too polite!"

Just said these two sentences, Li Xuewu opened the car door and jumped onto the 212.

Nie Liansheng pulled the car door but didn't open it, almost slipping.

"Watch out! Clumsy, comparing with young people?"

The woman supported Nie Liansheng's arm and reached out to open the car door.

"Hehehe."

Nie Liansheng looked at the woman with a smile, raised his leg and got into the car, and touched the woman's face while closing the car door.

"Hehehe, go back to the room, it's damn cold, we are leaving."

The woman glared at Nie Liansheng but didn't say anything, standing on the side of the road watching Nie Liansheng hadn't closed the car door yet, and the car drove out.

Nie Liansheng lay on the seat, gasped for wine, and then said: "Her man is in our team, six guns, hehe, left behind a girl and a boy."

Li Xuewu took out a box of cigarettes from his pocket and signaled to Nie Liansheng.

Seeing Nie Liansheng take out one and light it, he put it to his mouth and lit it with a lighter.

"Normal, he is still lucky, there is someone to take care of his family. Many of us didn't even pick up the bones before we had children."

Li Xuewu didn't take these things seriously now and could understand these things from other angles.

It's all because of money. If you have money, everyone is a sentimental person. If you don't have money, don't talk about sentiment, children will starve to death first.

Maybe it's because he has seen too much life and death, Li Xuewu naturally has a fierce spirit.

It's called a fierce spirit, it's called killing intent, but it's actually just being used to life and death, indifferent to human life.

Nie Liansheng had seen a lot, naturally knew what kind of person Li Xuewu was, and dared to be friends with Li Xuewu.

Arriving at Nie Liansheng's unit courtyard, he didn't say anything to Li Xuewu, but jumped off the car and waved his hand, then turned and entered the courtyard.

Li Xuewu stepped on the accelerator and returned to the Rolling Steel Factory.

At this time, the surroundings of the steel factory were very quiet, with only security team members on alert.

Li Xuewu parked the car steadily, and saw Yu Decai walking out of the guesthouse gate wiping sweat.

"Ah, Section Chief Li, you are back."

Yu Decai was thinking about something. Seeing Li Xuewu walk over, he looked up abruptly and was startled.

Li Xuewu looked at the sweat on Yu Decai's forehead, narrowed his eyes, and said: "Not afraid of catching a cold?"

Yu Decai followed Li Xuewu's gaze, touched his forehead, and only then found a forehead of cold sweat.

"Hehe... hehe, it's hot in the room, it's hot in the room."

Li Xuewu looked at the factory office secretary who was wiping his hands on his trousers, patted Yu Decai on the shoulder while walking into the room.

Feeling Li Xuewu's hand on his shoulder, Yu Decai's body shook, and his legs almost bent down.

When he came down from upstairs, his legs were already trembling. Now he felt that all his strength had flowed away with the sweat.

"Sit in the room for a while before leaving. It's so cold, be careful of catching a cold."

Li Xuewu's voice came from behind, accompanied by the closing sound of the gate.

Yu Decai turned back to look at the wooden door that was still flapping, gritted his teeth, wiped his hands hard on his trousers, turned around, and followed Li Xuewu into the guesthouse again.

The Steel City Guesthouse was smaller than the one in the Rolling Steel Factory, but it had everything it should have.

Li Xuewu pointed to the lounge next to it, signaling Yu Decai to sit.

At this time, the sun was shining through the treetops, just shining on the sofa in the lounge of the lobby.

Yu Decai signaled to the waiter who was looking at this side from the bar, and sat down with Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu sat on the sofa with his back to the sun, while Yu Decai sat by the glass window, carefully looking at Li Xuewu.

The waiter nimbly brought a pot of tea and two cups to this side.

Yu Decai waved his hand to stop the waiter, and poured tea for Li Xuewu and himself.

Li Xuewu crossed his legs, leaned on the sofa, looked at the somewhat "bald" Yu Decai, and asked: "How old are you?"

Yu Decai's hand holding the teapot shook, then put the teapot on the tray, and put the cup in his hand on the tea table in front of Li Xuewu.

"I was born in '31, I'm 36 this year."

Li Xuewu waved his hand, refused Yu Decai's cigarette, put his hand on his leg, and signaled Yu Decai to sit.

"Where are you from?"

Yu Decai sat on half of the sofa, looked at Li Xuewu's casual appearance, and didn't know why Li Xuewu asked this.

But now no one in the steel factory dared to refuse to answer the questions asked by people from the general factory like Li Xuewu.

"Just local to Steel City. My dad was originally a worker in the steel factory, and I was lucky enough to read books, and I read until I graduated from junior high school."

"Hmm."

Li Xuewu nodded, looked at the teacup with white gas on the tea table, and said casually: "Fu Haibo's family is also local to Steel City, right?".

"Uh..."

Yu Decai's face stiffened, looking at Li Xuewu, not knowing what this meant.

"I... I am not from the same place as Fu Haibo. I only knew he was from Steel City after he was transferred back."

"Hmm, hmm."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "I'm just saying it casually, don't be nervous."

"Yes, yes, not nervous."

Yu Decai laughed dryly, then explained: "Many people in our factory are local to Steel City, because their fathers were old people in the steel factory, and they were in the steel factory before liberation, so there are many children of workers."

"I understand, heroes have good sons."

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and looked at the security team member who was walking by with a dog outside the window.

"It's not a hero, it's just that the predecessors planted trees and the descendants enjoyed the shade. We can't follow anything, we can only take over our father's shift."

Yu Decai picked up the teacup in front of him and moistened his dry throat, but his eyes were fixed on Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu looked at the guesthouse and said casually: "This is a good thing, and also a bad thing."

Yu Decai couldn't keep up with Li Xuewu's way of asking questions, and was obviously stunned for a moment.

Then he looked at the lobby and replied: "Ah, this is, this was the office of the boss of the steel factory before."

As he spoke, he used his hands to gesture and introduce: "The whole three-story building was his. Upstairs there were offices for administrative secretaries, financial secretaries, general affairs secretaries, etc."

"After receiving it, it was changed into a guesthouse. The experts from the north also lived here for more than a year."

Li Xuewu looked at the patterns on the ceiling and asked: "Which year was the steel factory assigned to the Rolling Steel Factory?"

"60 years, do you know the reason?"

Yu Decai saw Li Xuewu looking at the ceiling without speaking, knowing that he had made a mistake again.

When a leader asks a question, you can't use a rhetorical question. Whether you know it or not, if you are asked, you just say it.

"After the Red Star Rolling Steel Factory took on the task of special material manufacturing and experiments, it needed special material research, so the industry assigned our low-capacity steel factory to the Rolling Steel Factory for direct jurisdiction."

"Hmm, hmm, I know some."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "I look at the data, this side seems to be a factory that did research before."

"Yes."

Seeing Li Xuewu mention business, Yu Decai introduced: "This side was a factory that researched and produced machinery before. Steel was smelted by itself, and after the experiment was successful, it would be handed over to other factories for mass production."

Li Xuewu glanced at the high tower standing in the distance outside the glass behind him and said: "One era has the master of one era, and one era has the requirements of one era. Now the management of enterprises has put forward higher and more complex requirements for our generation."

Turning his head, looking at Yu Decai, he said: "If we don't want to fall behind, we must keep pace with the times, constantly explore, and of course, making mistakes in the process of exploration is unavoidable."

Yu Decai nodded, his hands on his knees, listening to Li Xuewu continue to speak.

Li Xuewu shook his hand on his leg lightly and continued: "We allow mistakes made on the road of exploration, but we cannot forgive those who go further and further on the wrong road, especially those who have abandoned their ideals and original beliefs."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, and swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

Yu Decai looked at the teacup that had been drunk dry by himself, swallowed his dry and painful throat, but seeing Li Xuewu speaking, he didn't dare to take the teapot.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Yu Decai, but said seriously: "From the collapse-style problems of the steel factory, we can see the crux of enterprise management, that is, the lack of talent mobility."

"Hahahaha."

With progress made in their work, everyone had smiles on their faces and followed Yang Shuji in teasing Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu, however, was thick-skinned; he smiled and said to Yang Shuji, "If everyone could smile like this every day, I'd truly be willing to sit in the lead seat."

"Hahaha."

Everyone likes to hear auspicious words, and smooth progress is always better than being at a dead end.

Li Xuewu used his lunch box to scoop up a large portion of sorghum rice, and used another to scoop up a portion of stewed potatoes and cabbage strips, with a few chunks of meat on top.

Seeing pickled vegetables on the table, Li Xuewu used his chopsticks to pick up a piece, put it in his lunch box, and said to the server with a smile, "There's even this perk? This is good stuff."

Laughing and talking, he walked over to Yang Shuji's side, sat down, and asked Han Zhan, who was sitting opposite him, "No situation this afternoon, right?"

Han Zhan swallowed the sorghum rice in his mouth, shook his head at Li Xuewu, and said, "Very quiet."

"Hmm, don't leave the machine guns on the third floor and the vehicle unattended. If anyone dares to force their way in by force, shoot directly!"

Seeing Li Xuewu speak so nonchalantly, the corners of Yang Shuji's eyes twitched. He patted Li Xuewu on the shoulder, said nothing, and continued eating.

After they finished eating, Yang Shuji led Li Xuewu toward the detention room in Luojiaping.

"You'll be going on a field assignment in a moment. Yu Decai provided some leads; go take a look."

As he spoke, they had already reached the door of Luojiaping's room. Yang Shuji stopped and said to Li Xuewu, "While you're at it, take the comrades from the Steel Mill and Zongfang to visit Yang Mingsu's home."

Li Xuewu glanced at the room next to Luojiaping's; there were already people standing guard there.

Yang Shuji ignored Li Xuewu's gaze and pushed open the door to enter Luojiaping's room.

At this moment, Luojiaping was sitting in a chair, staring blankly at a painting on the wall.

Li Xuewu walked into the room without paying attention to Luojiaping; instead, he checked the room's facilities once more and then nodded to the two guards on duty.

Yang Shuji sat on the bed, looked at Luojiaping opposite him, and asked, "Have you thought it over?"

Luojiaping squinted at Yang Shuji, moved his fingers, and said, "I reserve the right to report to higher authorities. For now, do as you please."

Li Xuewu crossed his arms and looked at Luojiaping, then at the solemn-faced Yang Shuji.

Yang Shuji nodded and said, "Then you can wait for us."

As he spoke, he stood up and walked out.

Li Xuewu followed him out.

It was evident that Luojiaping in the room still held onto fantasies, clearly disdainful of Yang Shuji's questioning, which was obviously not the first time.

Yang Shuji merely frowned, showing no signs of anger.

Looking at Yang Zongfang, who was already prepared, Yang Shuji turned to Li Xuewu and said, "Go ahead, stay safe."

"Yes!"

Li Xuewu saluted and then took Yang Zongfang downstairs.

In the lobby at the entrance, six guards were already standing there, all fully armed.

Li Xuewu waved his hand at the group to signal departure, and they filed out, heading straight for the duty vehicle at the entrance.

Having carried out special missions multiple times, the guards no longer needed the requirements emphasized.

Li Xuewu sat in the back seat of the duty vehicle and said to the driver, "Go to the Steel City Workers' Club first."

The driver had spent the entire day looking at the map of Steel City; for anything he didn't understand, there were local comrades to lead the way.

The vehicle drove straight out of the Steel Mill, which was shrouded in night.

The Steel City Workers' Club was built in the early years of this era, located in the middle section of Victory Street, facing west. It stood across the street from the Steel City Bank, guarding the thousand-year-old city that had seen all the vicissitudes of human life.

Li Xuewu slammed the car door shut and let the guards jump out and rush to the entrance to secure the club's security.

"Mind the impact."

Watching a guard push the security personnel against the wall and pin them there, Yang Zongfang couldn't help but grimace and remind Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu, with a cigarette in his mouth, squinted and glanced at the club's building.

It was a building with a distinct Russian style, with bungalows on both wings and a two-story section in the middle, topped with a Gothic spire that looked like an eagle spreading its wings to fly.

The azure decorative panels embedded along the eaves, contrasting with the bright yellow exterior walls, were even more pleasing to the eye.

"It's fine, we have influence in Steel City, hehehe."

Just as Li Xuewu finished this sentence, not only did Nie Liansheng, who had just returned home and laid down, sneeze.

Even Shen Fang, who was far away in the capital and had been thoroughly tricked by Li Xuewu, looked back at the branch office building, cursed a certain disloyal grandson under his breath, and turned to hurry home, as if someone behind him was chasing him back.

The reason Li Xuewu could see the club building so clearly in the night was entirely due to the lights in the open space in front of the club.

This area was relatively trendy, perhaps due to the fact that the majority of Steel City's population consisted of migrants.

In the spacious open space in front of the club, a trendy lighted basketball court for this era had actually been built, with several rows of huge pendant lights illuminating the area as bright as day.

Especially on the terrazzo ground, where snow had piled up but a large area had been cleared, there were some young people who weren't afraid of the cold playing basketball.

"A young city, even the people seem young and vibrant."

Seeing Li Xuewu examining the basketball court, Yang Zongfang couldn't help but sigh.

Li Xuewu glanced at the jeep in the bicycle parking area, looked at the sentimental Yang Zongfang, and smiled, "I'll suggest to Yang Shuji later that you stay here, so you'll remain forever young."

"Hahaha, if we stay, we stay together!"

Li Xuewu didn't wait for Yang Zongfang and walked toward the club entrance first.

During the day, the club was a paradise for culture, as the indoor reading room was open to the public.

At night, it was a place for young men and women to relax and be entertained after a hard day's work.

Li Xuewu pushed open the door, cigarette in his mouth, and walked into the lively lobby like a hoodlum.

On the high platform, the conductor made a light gesture, the drummer struck up a brisk rhythm, and loud, melodic music instantly filled the dance floor.

Pairs of husbands and wives, couples, and dance partners spun and danced lightly like butterflies.

Li Xuewu looked at the order of the dances for the night written on the blackboard at the entrance.

"Moscow Nights," "Red Berry Blossoms," "Hawthorn Tree"...

According to the Steel Mill comrade who followed him in, it's worth mentioning that the music accompaniment for the dance floor was provided by the Steel City Steel Mill's brass band.

The band had everything: trombones, cornets, tubas, trumpets, French horns, flutes, bamboo flutes, Western drums...

The musicians were all highly skilled, adding even more luster to the daily dance parties.

Li Xuewu took a puff of his cigarette, waved his hand to signal Yang Zongfang, who had followed him in, to wait there.

Then, he led the Steel Mill comrade along the edge of the dance floor and walked in.

Dancing at this time wasn't the messy stuff brought in later from Hong Kong and Taiwan, but proper waltzes.

However, there were no "lights-out" programs, which made Li Xuewu, who was here for the first time, have to say it was a little regrettable.

After all, the girls in this room were all wearing "blagis" (dresses).

On the reading desks along the wall where people were resting, there were unfinished drink bottles, and poker cards on the tables.

Li Xuewu followed the Steel Mill comrade halfway around the inside, and saw a young man with a side-parted hairstyle holding a big girl in a red dress, swaying wantonly in the center of the dance floor.

The dance steps had to be said to be quite good, with a certain flair; it seemed they danced often.

Waving to the Steel City comrade who signaled to him, Li Xuewu, cigarette in his mouth, swayed into the dance floor.

Just like a drunkard who couldn't dance, without a partner, he swayed alone toward the center of the dance floor.

Yang Zongfang, standing at the entrance, found Li Xuewu's appearance quite funny.

This guy is really unreliable sometimes!

Li Xuewu, cigarette in hand, gave a hoodlum-like smile to the big girl in red who was looking at him, earning a big eye-roll from her.

Li Xuewu didn't care at all and pressed toward the girl. Just when the girl in red thought Li Xuewu was there to harass her.

Just when the girl in red was preparing to righteously refuse this toad, she saw the toad pat her dance partner on the shoulder.

Huh? Man...

The girl in red watched helplessly as the toad patted her dance partner on the shoulder, and her partner, who was twisting enthusiastically against her, was interrupted. At the moment he frowned and turned his head.

"Bang!"

"Ah! Uh..."

Li Xuewu didn't pay attention to the young man he had knocked down, but reached out and lifted the chin of the girl in the red dress, stifling her scream in her throat.

The girl was suddenly lifted by the chin and bit her tongue directly. The scream stopped naturally, followed by a face full of astonishment and anger.

You don't have to hit people just to dance with me!

Although competition from the opposite sex would make a girl happy, such violence was still not good.

Just when the girl was preparing to condemn this violent toad, Li Xuewu bent down, grabbed the young man by the collar, and walked toward the entrance.

"You...!"

The girl really wanted to ask: You're already like this, didn't you come for me?

The people on the dance floor had long been frightened by the sudden situation here. The band had stopped playing, and the young men and women dancing were all huddled together, watching this side.

Li Xuewu carried the young man, whose face was covered in tomato sauce, to the entrance and, under the gaze of Yang Zongfang, who hadn't yet recovered from his astonishment, handed him over to the two guards who walked in.

And just as Yang Zongfang was about to grimace and say something, Li Xuewu, with the cigarette in his mouth, had already turned around and waved his hand under the gaze of the whole room.

Li Xuewu shouted with a smile to the "dumbfounded" band on the platform and the "stunned" young men and women on the dance floor: "Keep playing, keep dancing!"

"Hahahaha."

Li Xuewu laughed, turned around, put his arm around Yang Zongfang's shoulder, and walked out of the Steel City Workers' Club entrance.

After getting into the car at the entrance, Li Xuewu took a set of car keys from the pocket of the "tomato sauce" young man and threw them to Qi Delong in the car.

Qi Delong caught the keys, jumped out of the car, and ran to the jeep in the parking area.

Li Xuewu ignored that side, took a wad of toilet paper from his pocket, and threw it to the young man lying on the truck bed.

"Wipe it off."

The young man felt the car start, shook his dizzy head, and asked in a muffled voice, "I don't seem to know you. We don't have a grudge, do we?"

The truck bed was very dim, and the young man hadn't seen the attire of Li Xuewu and the others, but he clearly remembered the face he saw the moment he turned his head.

Li Xuewu smiled at Yang Zongfang, who was sitting opposite him in the truck bed, then looked down at the young man and flashed his flashlight on the young man's face.

"Who told you to steal my girl!"

"Damn it!"

The young man wiped his nose with the toilet paper and said, "Just for a woman, you hit this hard?"

As he spoke, he reached out and pushed away Li Xuewu's flashlight, saying indignantly, "Just like the one from before, you tell me, you speak, how many do you want?"

As the young man spoke, he actually swayed and knelt up, and with a sway of the car, sat directly next to Li Xuewu.

"Pfft~"

He blew his nose with the toilet paper in his hand, then said to Li Xuewu, "Give me some more paper!"

Seeing him ask for paper so righteously, Li Xuewu took another wad from his pocket.

Just as he was about to tear off half for him, the young man grabbed it directly.

"Give it here, you hit me like that and you're still stingy when I ask for some paper."

He wiped his nose again, felt a bit more comfortable, and then said, "I only met Shao Min two days ago. She didn't say she had a boyfriend. If I had known, I definitely wouldn't have touched her."

As he spoke, he waved his hand at Li Xuewu to explain, "It's not that I'm looking down on you, it's about morality!"

Li Xuewu reached out his hand and said, "That was me being impulsive. What's your name?"

The young man slapped Li Xuewu's hand away and said, "Cut it out, I don't want to deal with you."

He threw the paper in his hand on the ground, looked at Li Xuewu, and said, "I can see you've got influence too. Tell me, which path are you on? There isn't a single person in Steel City, left or right, that I, Luo Cheng, don't know."

Li Xuewu shook his slapped hand and said with a smile, "Our family just transferred over, so we're really not familiar with this side."

"Damn! Just entered the city and you're hitting people!"

Luo Cheng glared at Li Xuewu, then glanced at the dark figures in the truck bed, and said, "Are you from the compound? There are quite a few of you, and you're quite harmonious."

Li Xuewu didn't explain, but asked, "They all say you're really something, I just wanted to test how 'something' you are."

"Pfft~"

Luo Cheng sneered and said, "Something my foot. We're all mixing in the same circles, who doesn't know who? Someone must have badmouthed me. Tell me, who told you?"

"Hehehe, you uphold morality, I can't betray a friend, can I?"

Luo Cheng looked in Li Xuewu's direction and said, "Fine, I won't ask. Then tell me, how are we going to handle this?"

Li Xuewu laughed "hehe" and said, "You tell me, you tell me how to handle it?"

Hearing this creepy, evil laugh, Luo Cheng grimaced and said, "Do you want money or women? You speak! My dad said, problems that can be solved with money are just lacking in the woman department. What do you want?"

Li Xuewu stomped on the steel plate under his feet and said with a smile, "We're new here, and we don't want to take things too far. I know you, Young Master Luo, are wealthy and generous, so I wanted to ask if there are any ways to make money together to get rich?"

"Damn!"

Luo Cheng cursed and asked disdainfully, "Murder, arson, and robbery, do you dare to do that?"

Before Li Xuewu could speak, he continued to ask, "Fraud, deception, and smuggling, do you dare to do that?"

Li Xuewu took a dagger from the waist of the guard next to him and pressed it against Luo Cheng's thigh.

"If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll open a hole for you!"

Luo Cheng looked at the dark shadow on his leg, felt the sharpness piercing through his pants and pressing against his skin, and stubbornly said, "What do you have, asking me for paths? My family has many businesses, but they're all heavyweight. With just you few people, are you going to carry them on your shoulders?"

Li Xuewu patted Luo Cheng's thigh with the dagger and said, "Tell me a few businesses that will make me give up. If I really can't do them, give me some money."

As he spoke, he emphasized, "Also, I want a woman even more exciting than Shao Min!"