Chapter 333: Drawing Fire from Under the Cauldron

"Damn it!"

Luo Cheng wanted to curse at these few blockheads, muttering to himself about where these idiots had been transferred from.

"What can coal do?"

Luo Cheng curled his lip and said, "My family has a coal depot. If you want it, I'll give you a good price!"

"Change to another one!"

"Steel, construction steel, do you want it?"

"Change to another one!"

"Slag? Cement? Grain?... Which one can you handle?"

Luo Cheng said disdainfully, "How about you just hang out with me? I guarantee you'll eat well, drink well, and have plenty of women in your arms."

"Screech!"

Following the sound of braking, Li Xuewu swayed forward, pushed aside the toppled Luo Cheng, stood up, and walked off the vehicle.

"Li Kezhang, we've arrived."

"Mm-hmm."

Li Xuewu strode forward, but behind him came Luo Cheng's terrified voice: "You... who are you people?"

The apartment building before them had the characteristics of this era: square and upright, gray and dusty on the outside, looking like a giant loaf of bread.

By the light of the lamps in front of the building, Li Xuewu led his men into the entrance.

On the third floor, Li Xuewu stood before the door and knocked; a young woman opened it.

"Who are you...?"

Li Xuewu pulled the door open directly, and Han Zhan and the others rushed straight in.

"Who are you people? What are you doing?"

Li Xuewu signaled for Qi Delong to block the entrance, while he himself took out his credentials, showed them to the young woman, and said, "Factory Security Division."

The young woman was likely startled by the people who had just rushed in and didn't even see the credentials in Li Xuewu's hand before he put them away.

"Who else is at home?"

The young woman looked at Li Xuewu nervously and said, "Just me and my mom at home, you guys..."

Before the young woman could finish her sentence, Li Xuewu saw a woman in her forties walking out of the bedroom in a panic.

"Youhong, what is... what is going on?"

Watching a group of people carrying guns rummaging through the room, the woman grabbed her daughter's hand, her eyes fixed on Li Xuewu.

"Mom, they said they are from the Factory Security Division, is it my dad..."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

The woman pinched her daughter's hand, then looked at Li Xuewu with great resentment and said, "This is the home of the Steel Mill's Deputy Factory Director. How can you be so presumptuous?!"

"Mm-hmm."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "You're right. If this weren't the Deputy Factory Director's home, we wouldn't be doing this."

"You!"

Li Xuewu ignored the mother and daughter. Judging from their reactions, he couldn't say they were 100% guilty, but he could say there was a 99% chance there was something they couldn't talk about.

The living room area wasn't small. Li Xuewu walked around each room. If you didn't calculate it using that unscrupulous shared-area method, this place had to be over a hundred square meters.

Good heavens, this would count as a luxury mansion in later generations.

Looking at his team members rummaging under the bed, Li Xuewu turned around and walked over to the sofa to sit down.

The mother and daughter stood at the entrance, holding each other's hands and watching this side.

"Click."

Li Xuewu lit a cigarette for himself, crossed his legs, leaned back on the sofa, squinted his eyes, and asked the mother and daughter, "Is this house allocated by the Steel Mill or...?"

The woman pursed her lips and stared at Li Xuewu without speaking, but the young woman was a bit timid.

Seeing Li Xuewu's cold face, she said with a trembling voice, "It, it was allocated by the Steel Mill."

Li Xuewu nodded and asked the young woman, "Are you Yang Mingsu's daughter? Or...?"

The young woman nodded. Hearing Li Xuewu ask this, she gathered her courage and asked, "My dad... what happened to my dad?"

"Nothing."

Li Xuewu pointed to the sofa beside him and asked, "Can we chat?"

"There's nothing to chat about!"

Before the young woman could speak, the woman said with a straight face, "If you have any business, you can go ask Yang Mingsu. We don't know anything."

"Mom..."

"Don't speak!"

The woman tugged at her daughter, then continued to Li Xuewu, "If you have evidence, arrest him, or arrest me. If you don't have evidence, then let's wait and see!"

"Mm-hmm."

Li Xuewu nodded and said nothing more.

Yang Zongfang stood at the entrance, watching the professional search in the room, thinking that working a case with Li Xuewu was truly easy.

The two were also collaborating for the first time, but Li Xuewu's style of conduct truly gave Yang Zongfang a refreshing feeling.

"Li Kezhang, found some jewelry."

Han Zhan placed a box of jewelry on the coffee table in front of Li Xuewu, then turned and continued into the inner room.

Ignoring the woman's fearful gaze, Li Xuewu glanced at the opened jewelry box.

It wasn't a large box, just the old-fashioned kind that could be opened from the top, bottom, left, and right.

Opening the top lid revealed an embedded mirror, likely for convenience when applying makeup.

Li Xuewu shook his face, looked at his own reflection, sighed that he was damn handsome, and then looked at the jewelry inside the box.

Gold bracelets, gold necklaces, gold rings... it was packed full, mostly gold.

He casually pulled out the small drawer in front. Good heavens, these should be jadeite bracelets, right?

At this time, there weren't those acid-washed A-grade or B-grade fakes to fool people, right?

In the drawer next to the bracelet, there were a few jade plaques. They looked a bit more obscure, but this was the form of old items.

Only newly processed jade would have a "thief's luster"; those worn for a long time would instead be restrained.

"Is this a family heirloom?"

Li Xuewu was quite capable; he directly defined the nature of this jewelry.

But what could the mother and daughter say?

If Li Xuewu had asked whose jewelry this was, the woman would have wanted to say it was a family heirloom.

But right now, Li Xuewu was twirling an ice-seed bracelet in the air with his finger, his face full of mockery, so she didn't dare say it was.

What kind of family would have ice-seed jade passed down? No one would believe it if she said so.

The young woman watched the bracelet swaying and spinning on Li Xuewu's finger, her heart trembling. If this fell to the ground...

How could Li Xuewu be so careless? Under their gaze, he threw the bracelet back in.

But the force of it made the mother and daughter's hearts tremble.

Yang Zongfang didn't stop Li Xuewu, because this was a technique for investigation and interrogation.

When the things you value most are treated lightly and with disdain by the investigators, the psychological dissonance will disrupt your values and self-perception.

"This is my stuff!"

Seeing Li Xuewu close the lid, the woman finally spoke, staring at Li Xuewu and saying, "This includes my dowry and things Yang Mingsu bought for me. That's not illegal, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

No matter what she said, Li Xuewu just nodded, but his hands continued to do what they were doing.

He closed the lid of the jewelry box.

One after another, the team members found several bankbooks in the room, and gold flakes were even found in the bookshelves of Yang Mingsu's study.

They were tucked inside books, and there were also gold bars hidden by prying open books.

Watching the growing pile of items on the coffee table, the woman's face had already turned pale.

The young woman's tears fell down, her mouth slightly agape, not knowing what she wanted to say to Li Xuewu, but Li Xuewu didn't look at her at all.

Yang Zongfang took a notebook and seal from the bag he brought, registered the items on the table one by one, and then began to organize these items and apply the seals.

All of this was done under the woman's gaze. In the end, Li Xuewu signed the seals.

"Li Kezhang, that's all for now. We haven't found anything related to the account books."

Han Zhan walked out of the study with a frown, looking at the items on the coffee table, still feeling somewhat annoyed.

"Then withdraw the team, we're heading back."

"Yes."

Han Zhan waved his hand to signal the team members who had followed to move the items from the coffee table and head downstairs.

Li Xuewu stood in the living room and paced around, waiting for the team members to move the last batch.

"What Yang Mingsu did and what mistakes he made, I don't need to say; you should know best."

Li Xuewu stood in the living room, looking at the painting on the wall, and said, "Don't look at it as just him making a mistake; the beneficiaries are more than just him. We aren't just recovering losses from him, but also from those who benefited along with him."

He turned around, ignoring the woman with the ugly expression and the panicked young woman, and said while walking out, "The only ones who can help Yang Mingsu correct his mistakes and make up for his faults are you, who are temporarily here."

When he reached the entrance, Li Xuewu turned back and emphasized, "If you voluntarily return the illicit gains, we have policies. If you resist to the end, then it's not just Yang Mingsu; concealing them is also a crime. Don't underestimate our determination."

After speaking, he went out the door and headed downstairs.

Yang Zongfang walked out carrying the bag in his hand. When passing by the mother and daughter, he said, "We are working out of the Steel Mill's guesthouse. Not only are we waiting, but Yang Mingsu is also waiting."

Downstairs, Luo Cheng, who was still nagging and asking questions in the patrol vehicle, saw Li Xuewu and the others return and shouted, "Can't you just tell me who you are?"

Li Xuewu stood by the vehicle, looked at Luo Cheng, who was glaring at him from inside, and laughed, "Didn't I say? We're also new here and want to find some business to get rich."

"Is there any point at this time? Are you playing with me?"

Luo Cheng said with a face full of indignation, "Carrying Type 56s to get rich?"

"Hey, look at how you put it!"

Li Xuewu pointed to the sealed items in the vehicle and said, "We just made a small fortune, and it's much faster than the coal or iron business you mentioned."

As he spoke, he had already boarded the vehicle and sat next to Luo Cheng again.

Once Yang Zongfang boarded, the convoy set off again, heading straight for the Steel Mill.

In the vehicle, Luo Cheng looked at Li Xuewu in the darkness and said, "Shall we discuss it?"

Li Xuewu turned his head and looked at Luo Cheng.

Luo Cheng knew Li Xuewu was looking at him and said directly, "You name a number. I won't let you come here for nothing."

"Oh?"

Li Xuewu asked with a smile, "Tell me, how will you not let us come for nothing?"

Luo Cheng wasn't sure if Li Xuewu was willing to cooperate, but this was his only chance, so he had to speak up.

"I'll give you money, or whatever you want. Let me off the vehicle, and pretend I wasn't involved in this case."

Li Xuewu looked at Yang Zongfang opposite him and said, "Li Kezhang Yang, uh, I have something to discuss with this brother. Do you think you could step aside?"

"Get lost!"

Yang Zongfang's voice came from across: "You want to hog the benefits now that there are some? I despise people like you the most. Not a cent less of what's mine, and now you want me to get off the vehicle? Dream on!"

Li Xuewu sighed, turned his head to Luo Cheng, and said, "Well, I originally wanted to eat it all, but now he wants a share too. What should we do?"

"No problem!"

Luo Cheng said generously, "One thousand for everyone in this vehicle, two thousand more for the one in charge. How about that?"

After speaking, he stared intently at Li Xuewu, wanting to hear heavy breathing or an exclamation of surprise.

But what came from the darkness was a "Pfft~"

"Are you trying to dismiss a beggar?"

"Exactly, last time someone gave three thousand per person, and gave our Li Kezhang ten thousand at once. You're too stingy!"

"Exactly! And you were bragging about doing coal and iron business!"

"Tsk tsk tsk!"

Yang Zongfang listened to the rising dissatisfaction in the vehicle and almost felt like he was about to crack a major case.

What factory director? Catching the section chief opposite him, wouldn't that be a bigger catch than the factory director?

"Are your appetites that big?"

Luo Cheng saw that everyone looked down on him and said helplessly, "My business isn't easy to do either, and the money I earn is hard-earned. Three thousand, ten thousand? I don't even make ten thousand in a year!"

As he spoke, he looked at everyone, gritted his teeth, and said, "How about this, five hundred more for everyone! That's equal to a year's salary for you!"

"Heh heh."

Yang Zongfang smiled and said, "The section chief next to you makes more than five hundred a year. Offering just this little bit doesn't even make sense to me, let alone him."

"Two thousand more for the one in charge! No more than that! You can come with me to get the money right now, cash!"

Yang Zongfang looked at Li Xuewu opposite him. He didn't know what expression Li Xuewu had in the darkness, but he was indeed shocked.

How much did this guy earn to dare use money to buy his life like this?

He had seen this situation before, but he had never chatted like Li Xuewu. Usually, they would righteously refuse and reprimand them. Today, he finally understood the market rate.

Li Xuewu poked Luo Cheng beside him and said, "Add fifty thousand, and I'll get your dad out. But the factory director position is gone; it can only be handled as a dismissal."

"Fifty thousand..."

Both Li Xuewu and Yang Zongfang could hear the hesitation in Luo Cheng's tone.

"My dad... my dad... if he doesn't... what will happen?"

Li Xuewu didn't answer this question but looked at Yang Zongfang opposite him.

And Yang Zongfang, as if knowing Li Xuewu was waiting for his answer, explained with a smile, "Based on my experience, although he isn't the mastermind, the amount involved for an accomplice is too large, and the harm is too great. There's a high probability he'll face the firing squad."

Luo Cheng, sitting beside Li Xuewu, didn't speak for a long time.

Li Xuewu could feel Luo Cheng's hesitation and the intense ideological struggle he was going through.

"I... I... I mean..."

After about five minutes, Luo Cheng's hesitant yet somewhat firm voice came from the darkness.

"I mean, if all the charges are placed on my dad, and you guarantee I'll be completely fine, is twenty thousand okay?"

Hiss~

Li Xuewu and Yang Zongfang in the darkness exchanged a glance; both could feel the other gasping.

This result truly exceeded both of their expectations. Even the security team members, who had been chatting, stopped talking and listened to the conversation here.

Before Li Xuewu could reply, Luo Cheng said, "What we do really isn't as profitable as you think. It's impossible to just pull out fifty thousand, fifty thousand."

As if defending himself, Luo Cheng continued, "Anyway, even if my dad gets out, the money will be gone. He loves money the most. Without money... rather than living painfully, it's better to leave some for me and my mother, after all..."

Before Luo Cheng could finish, Li Xuewu patted Luo Cheng's knee and said, "Your dad probably thinks the same way."

Li Xuewu, already feeling the vehicle enter the factory area, stopped paying attention to Luo Cheng and buttoned his coat to avoid catching a cold when getting off later.

"Screech~"

The patrol vehicle reversed and stopped at the entrance of the guesthouse. The team member sitting in front jumped off first to receive the vehicle.

As the door opened, the twenty thousand Luo Cheng had mentioned while saying earning money wasn't easy had already been increased to fifty thousand.

Fifty thousand to have his father take all the blame.

Just then, seeing the convoy return, Yang Shuji, standing in the lobby, watched the young man being escorted off the vehicle by the security team members, shouting, "Sixty thousand!", "Seventy thousand!", "Eighty thousand!"

"What is going on here?"

Li Xuewu and Yang Zongfang entered the lobby. Yang Shuji looked at the two of them and asked in confusion.

"Heh heh heh."

Yang Zongfang explained with a smile, "Life-buying money."

"Oh? This is the first time I've heard of someone giving so much."

Yang Shuji nodded with a smile and asked the two of them, "Did it go smoothly?"

Li Xuewu pointed to the team members moving things into the room and said, "It was okay, but the account books you mentioned might exist weren't found."

Yang Shuji shook his head and said, "That was just my guess. People like this don't treat the enterprise's money as money, but they care very much about the money they embezzle into their own pockets. It's impossible they didn't keep accounts."

Yang Zongfang also nodded and said, "We've checked, and most have the habit of keeping accounts."

Li Xuewu spread his hands and said, "But there really aren't any. The team members focused on searching Yang Mingsu's home, and even this much money was found. It's impossible there are no account books."

Yang Shuji patted Li Xuewu on the shoulder and said, "No rush, take it slow. Our Discipline Inspection investigation methods are a bit different from yours."

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "I understand. Punish the past to warn the future, cure the sickness to save the patient, right?"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Yang Shuji pointed at Li Xuewu and said, "I very much agree with this statement of yours. And don't say, many of your viewpoints are related to medical skills. It seems family learning truly influences a person."

Li Xuewu pointed to Luo Cheng, who had already been escorted upstairs, and said, "For example, this one. He actually said that things that can't be solved with money must be because of women. Ha ha ha."

Yang Shuji didn't laugh along with Li Xuewu and the others, but said somewhat painfully, "We shouldn't just supervise the cadre team; we also need to strengthen the supervision and warning of cadres' children."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "This is the difference between Discipline Inspection and us. Discipline Inspection investigates thoroughly, down to the smallest detail, not only wanting corrupt elements to repent but also to warn future generations. While we use thunderous means to strike forcefully, focusing more on the methods."

Yang Shuji looked at the night outside and said, "This is unavoidable. How many people do you manage, and how many do we manage? The focus is different."

Yang Zongfang said from the side, "The financial and material resources invested in cultivating a cadre won't allow us not to investigate things thoroughly. Only by blocking every path can we stop and warn those who come after!"

The three stood in the lobby and recounted the night's operation, then discussed the next direction of work.

According to Yang Shuji's intention, Luo Cheng would be temporarily detained by Discipline Inspection to assist in the investigation. It would be best if they could get information out of him.

If they couldn't, he would be transferred to Li Xuewu to be handled according to law and crime.

Although Yang Shuji said to take it slow, that referred to the progress of the case, not time. Li Xuewu and the others were still very pressed for time.

This morning, Yang Shuji had already communicated with Factory Director Yang of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill regarding the situation here.

And the next few days would follow this procedure, reporting progress and investigation results to the main factory every day.

After finishing their talk, the three parted ways.

Yang Shuji was going to interrogate Luo Cheng, Yang Zongfang was going to interrogate Yang Mingsu, and Li Xuewu decided to go back to sleep.

Why not sleep? Judging from Yang Shuji's arrangements, he clearly wanted to make a breakthrough from the Discipline Inspection side.

As for the arrangements for Li Xuewu, they focused more on safety and action, and even the relevant interrogation work hadn't been arranged for Li Xuewu.

But the necessary briefings and communication were still there, after all, both were members of the working group.

Li Xuewu had no thoughts about Yang Shuji's arrangements. He himself was eating well, so he couldn't stop others from having a sip of soup, right?

After giving instructions to the people at the entrance, Li Xuewu left the lobby, boarded the command vehicle, and drove out of the Steel Mill.

It was not yet 8 o'clock when he arrived at No. 17 Guancun Street. Li Xuewu parked the vehicle at the entrance and rang the doorbell.

"You're back."

Just like in the morning, Zhou Wang Yamei opened the door for Li Xuewu.

"Yes, just finished. Have you eaten?"

Zhou Wang Yamei closed the main gate and followed Li Xuewu inside, replying as she walked, "We ate. We ate after five in the evening. Have you eaten?"

"Mm-hmm, I also ate after five."

Li Xuewu opened the door and saw Gu Ning had changed her clothes and was sitting on the sofa, looking at the entrance hall.

"Finished?"

"Mm."

Li Xuewu took off his coat, hung it on the coat rack at the entrance, changed into slippers, and entered the living room.

"Didn't you take a nap? You were in the car for so long."

Gu Ning stood up, poured a cup of tea for Li Xuewu, then sat back down, her voice sounding somewhat lazy, "Just woke up. Slept after eating."

Li Xuewu went to the bathroom to wash his hands and face, took the towel handed over by Zhou Wang Yamei, and asked with a smile, "How is Sister Zhou's cooking?"

Seeing Zhou Wang Yamei also looking at her with a smile, Gu Ning replied with a smile, "Quite good."

Zhou Wang Yamei walked to the sofa and said, "I cook with a heavy hand on salt. I saw you didn't eat much, so I'll reduce the salt tomorrow."

Gu Ning waved her hand and said, "It's okay. I just don't eat much."

Li Xuewu walked to the fireplace to check the fire, then used tongs to throw a few pieces of wood in.

Watching the sparks flying in the fireplace, he stood up and looked at the photo on the fireplace.

"Tomorrow I'll go to the market to buy a fish, and we'll also try Sister Zhou's cooking."

"Let me go buy it. Just tell me what you want to eat."

Zhou Wang Yamei sat on the single-seater sofa and said to the two of them, "The vegetable market is a bit far from here. Tomorrow I'll take the bus to buy some vegetables. My child and I are at home, we don't eat much, so I don't dare buy too much."

Li Xuewu turned around, walked to Gu Ning's side, sat down, picked up the teacup on the coffee table, and took a sip.

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at Gu Ning, whose body had stiffened because Li Xuewu sat over, not knowing what the situation was between the two, but she didn't say anything more.

"Let me go."

Li Xuewu put down the teacup, leaned back on the sofa, and said somewhat tiredly, "It's more convenient to drive. I'll buy the vegetables and come back."

Seeing Li Xuewu say this, Zhou Wang Yamei didn't insist, but picked up the teacup in front of her to cover her somewhat embarrassed face.

She didn't know how Li Xuewu knew about her predicament, but she was still somewhat surprised by Li Xuewu's attentiveness.

Gu Ning seemed oblivious, turned her head to look at Li Xuewu, who was sitting in the same posture as her, and asked, "How long will the case take to end?"

"Don't know."

Li Xuewu shook his head and said, "The progress isn't slow, but I don't know how wide it will spread. They are investigating."

After asking just that, Gu Ning didn't ask anymore, but said, "Are you tired? If you're not tired, you can let Sister Zhou give you a treatment."

"Tomorrow."

Li Xuewu looked at Zhou Wang Yamei and said, "A bit tired today, and my heart is always thinking about things, not at ease."

"Okay."

Zhou Wang Yamei nodded and said, "Still need to rest more, relax more."

"Heh heh heh."

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "We are used to concentrating for long periods, we don't even know how to relax. Maybe, even when we sleep, we are thinking about others."

While laughing, he turned his head and asked Gu Ning, "How are you?"

Gu Ning looked at Zhou Wang Yamei, then nodded and said, "Much better. Slept very soundly just now."

Seeing Li Xuewu ask, Zhou Wang Yamei explained, "Gu Ning's situation is still different from yours. I tried to let her regress to the age when the accident happened, but it failed halfway."

Li Xuewu looked at Gu Ning, whose face was gradually turning pale, reached out, and grabbed Gu Ning's hand.

Gu Ning felt her hand being grabbed suddenly and wanted to pull away, but saw Li Xuewu looking at her, so she gradually relaxed the strength in her hand.

Zhou Wang Yamei also saw Gu Ning's reaction and softly advised, "It won't succeed in one go, nor can it be treated in one go. It requires multiple attempts. Don't think too much about those things in daily life; that actually has an impact on the treatment."

Li Xuewu applied some force to his hand, looked at Zhou Wang Yamei, and said, "Next time, wait until I come back to try treating her."

"Mm, if you are here, that's best."

Zhou Wang Yamei also knew the danger of doing this, nodded, and said, "Wait a few days. There are many mountains in Steel City. Although the fun places aren't as good as Beijing, there are still some places worth visiting. If you are busy during the day, I will take Gu Ning for a walk."

Li Xuewu looked at Gu Ning's complexion and nodded, "Okay, tomorrow I'll have someone send a car over. If you want to go anywhere, just tell the driver."

Gu Ning had a little sweat on her forehead just now, possibly because the temperature from the fireplace opposite had risen. Her complexion improved a bit, and she wanted to pull her hand away from Li Xuewu's.

Li Xuewu also felt Gu Ning's movement, took the opportunity to let go, and said, "Rest early. Go out for a walk with Sister Zhou tomorrow."

"Okay."

Gu Ning hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked toward the stairs.

Zhou Wang Yamei stood up and followed Gu Ning upstairs, holding a thermos in her hand.

Li Xuewu looked at the flames in the fireplace, frowning and thinking about his worries, until Zhou Wang Yamei returned from upstairs.

"Gu Ning is resting."

"Mm, sorry to trouble you."

Li Xuewu turned his head to look at Zhou Wang Yamei, who was walking over, and thanked her.

"You're welcome. If I should say thank you, I should thank you even more."

Seeing Li Xuewu looking at her, Zhou Wang Yamei explained, "Zhidong likes the gift you gave him very much. He was still holding it in his hand when he went to sleep."

"It's only right."

Li Xuewu picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "Fu Haibo told me he hopes you and your son are well and entrusted me to take care of you."

"Mm!"

Zhou Wang Yamei excitedly covered her mouth with her right hand, and tears flowed down her eye sockets onto her hand.

From the moment she saw Li Xuewu, Zhou Wang Yamei wanted to ask Li Xuewu about Fu Haibo's situation.

A day as husband and wife, a hundred days of grace. Although there was no affection, she still remembered Fu Haibo's care for her.

But she also knew Fu Haibo's case wouldn't be small, so she had been holding it in her heart. Now, hearing Li Xuewu say Fu Haibo's words, she couldn't help but cry.

Li Xuewu's expression didn't change, but he continued, "He is very cooperative, and the case is progressing quickly. When I came out, the part about him had already finished investigation. Now only Steel City is left. He hasn't suffered much."

"I know. Thank you, thank you."

Zhou Wang Yamei wiped her tears with her hand and thanked Li Xuewu with a choked voice.

Li Xuewu looked at Zhou Wang Yamei, who was sitting diagonally opposite him, and asked, "What about the things in the house?"

Zhou Wang Yamei wiped her tears with the paper on the table, stabilized her emotions, and replied, "I put them in the basement. If you want them, you can take them away at any time."

As she spoke, she took a key out of her pocket, placed it on the coffee table, and pushed it toward Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu looked at the key, shook his head, and said, "I can't touch it. You keep it for now. I'll have the Discipline Inspection comrades come over later."

"Okay."

Zhou Wang Yamei took back the key on the coffee table.

Li Xuewu stood up, looked around at the furnishings in the room, and said to Zhou Wang Yamei, "Keep the necessary things. If we take those things back, they'll just gather dust in the warehouse. Don't keep the precious metals. Keep one thousand for yourself; I'll explain it to the Discipline Inspection comrades."

"I can go to work to support myself."

"Mm, I know."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Just consider it my use. In the future, Gu Ning and I will have to trouble you more. I'll arrange your work later."

Zhou Wang Yamei knew what Li Xuewu meant. Although Fu Haibo was arrested, the influence Fu Haibo caused was still there.

Without Li Xuewu's arrangement and care, Zhou Wang Yamei and her son might have trouble.

This was also the reason Fu Haibo used this as a condition to exchange with Li Xuewu, and also the reason Li Xuewu brought Gu Ning here to stay.

Another reason was that Li Xuewu had set a trap for Nie Liansheng before leaving Steel City last time.

Today at the dinner table, it was even more so. This villa would become a symbol of Nie Liansheng's trust in Li Xuewu.

And Li Xuewu? He was already prepared to draw fire from under the cauldron, reporting Zhou Wang Yamei's situation directly to Discipline Inspection, filing it, and forming an established fact.

And this trap of Li Xuewu's perfectly satisfied many people.

Nie Liansheng was satisfied that Li Xuewu had handed his tail into his hands. As long as Zhou Wang Yamei and her son lived in this villa, it meant he could restrain Li Xuewu at any time, and they would cooperate happily in the future.

Yang Shuji had been waiting. Li Xuewu reporting Fu Haibo's situation directly represented Li Xuewu's loyalty, reliability, and impartiality.

And Zhou Wang Yamei was even more grateful to Li Xuewu, not only helping her and her son keep the house but also protecting their safety.

What bad intentions could Li Xuewu have? Nothing more than serving the people.

In the early morning, Zhou Wang Yamei pulled open the curtains in her pajamas. Hearing a "thump-thump" sound in the courtyard, she thought something had happened. She wiped the white frost off the glass, only to see Li Xuewu holding an axe and chopping wood in the courtyard.

"You're up so early?"

Zhou Wang Yamei changed into cotton clothes, walked out of the house, and asked Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu turned back to look and said, "Mm, the wood for the fireplace can't be burned in whole logs. Burning it that way isn't complete and will produce carbon monoxide."

As he spoke, he swung the axe and split the wood on the stump in one go.

"This kind of wood is cheaper..."

Zhou Wang Yamei stood on the side, wanting to help, but didn't know what to do.

"Go ahead, you don't need to do this."

Li Xuewu smiled at Zhou Wang Yamei and said, "Chopping wood for you will cover the rent!"

"Okay!"

Zhou Wang Yamei smiled at Li Xuewu, who was standing in the snow chopping wood, and turned back into the house.

For breakfast, Zhou Wang Yamei prepared rice porridge, steamed buns, and some pickled vegetables.

"This was sent by my mother."

Seeing Li Xuewu eating the steamed bun with pickled vegetables and rice porridge with relish, she introduced it, but thinking of the house her mother was living in now, she looked at Li Xuewu somewhat nervously.

Li Xuewu didn't say anything, just eating the steamed bun and porridge mouthful by mouthful.

Gu Ning only ate half a steamed bun and stopped, but she drank the porridge in her bowl.

"How did you sleep last night?"

Gu Ning looked at Li Xuewu, who was getting up, smiled, and replied, "Quite good. It's very warm in the room."

Li Xuewu went to the bathroom to take a shower, changed into the underwear he brought, and when he came out, the two had already cleaned the table.

And Fu Zhidong, who had become familiar with Li Xuewu, sat on the sofa watching Li Xuewu tidy his clothes as he walked out.

"Uncle Li, are we going out to play today?"

"Mm?"

Li Xuewu looked at Fu Zhidong in confusion, then looked at Zhou Wang Yamei.

Zhou Wang Yamei walked over with a smile and said, "It was this morning. I said I would take him out to play and to get up early, so he's been thinking about it."

Li Xuewu then understood. No wonder this kid kept looking at him while eating just now.

"We are going out to play."

Li Xuewu walked to Fu Zhidong's side, patted the child's small shoulder, and said, "But you go with your mother and them. Uncle Li isn't going. Uncle Li has to work."

After speaking, he walked to the entrance to put on his coat, and said while walking out, "Your mother's house needs to be moved because that's the treatment allocated to Fu Haibo by the organization."

When he reached the main gate, he looked at Zhou Wang Yamei and said, "But it shouldn't be moved for the time being. It will need to be handled after the new team at the Steel Mill stabilizes. The specific situation will have to wait for the Steel Mill."

"I know."

Zhou Wang Yamei also knew that house couldn't be kept, so she didn't feel very depressed when Li Xuewu said this, but moving her parents still made Zhou Wang Yamei somewhat unsure how to face them.

Li Xuewu boarded the vehicle, waved to Zhou Wang Yamei at the courtyard gate, and headed to the Steel Mill.

Zhou Wang Yamei entered the house, looked at the neatly stacked wood by the fireplace, and the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

Li Xuewu arrived at the Steel Mill guesthouse just in time to see the Discipline Inspection comrades taking Xiao Changqing inside.

Li Xuewu looked at this figure worn down by time and shook his head slightly.

Third floor, Yang Shuji's bedroom.

Li Xuewu handed the catalog Zhou Wang Yamei gave him in the morning to Yang Shuji.

"This is?"

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Voluntarily handed over by Fu Haibo's family. It has already been organized."

Yang Shuji looked at it, then nodded, and handed the catalog in his hand to Yang Zongfang beside him.

"This is what a cadre's family should look like: voluntarily helping the organization recover losses, helping the cadre who made a mistake repent, correct their mistakes, sigh~"

As he spoke, he sighed and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "The one brought back yesterday, heh."

"Heh heh heh."

Li Xuewu knew Yang Shuji was talking about Luo Cheng, and said with a light laugh, "He's stuck in the money pit and can't pull himself out."

"Blinded by greed."

Yang Shuji delivered the final verdict on Luo Cheng.

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "I have a situation I need to report to the organization."

Seeing Li Xuewu say this, Yang Shuji and Yang Zongfang were stunned for a moment, then both looked at Li Xuewu seriously.

"During the previous arrest of Fu Haibo, we received help from Fu Haibo's wife, Zhou Wang Yamei, which played a decisive role in our quick arrest of Fu Haibo."

Hearing this situation reported by Li Xuewu, Yang Shuji nodded and said, "A family member who can be so enlightened is truly rare."

Li Xuewu continued to report, "At that time, I promised her I would help her apply to keep the house she is currently living in. During the interrogation of Fu Haibo, I also promised Fu Haibo that I would give his wife a certain amount of care."

Before Yang Zongfang could speak, Li Xuewu continued, "Zhou Wang Yamei's attitude is quite good. When I went to her house yesterday, I found that she had registered all the property and locked it all in the basement, waiting for the organization to receive it."

Hearing Li Xuewu say this, Yang Zongfang, who was about to speak, stopped and looked at Yang Shuji.

Yang Shuji frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "That house is the joint property of Fu Haibo and Zhou Wang Yamei, and in view of Comrade Zhou Wang Yamei's assistance and initiative, I agree with your suggestion."

As he spoke, Yang Shuji said to Li Xuewu, "But try not to let this kind of thing happen when handling cases in the future. It's not a good thing for you personally."

"Understood. Thank you, Yang Shuji. I will be careful in the future."

Yang Shuji waved his hand and said, "You are our factory's vanguard in handling cases. I can understand your starting point, and I also know you have no selfish motives, otherwise you wouldn't have handed this catalog to the organization."

Yang Zongfang also nodded and said, "Still need to pay attention to the methods of handling cases. If this kind of thing isn't handled well, you'll be caught in the middle."

Li Xuewu took the initiative to shake hands with Yang Zongfang and said, "Thank you, Li Kezhang Yang."

"Heh heh heh."

Yang Shuji liked to see the two getting along harmoniously and said to Li Xuewu, "Your personalities and characteristics are both a bit extreme. Communicate more and cooperate more in the future, so you can learn from each other's strengths."

"Yes."

Both Li Xuewu and Yang Zongfang responded, and the matter of Zhou Wang Yamei's house was settled. ===== CHAPTER 334 =====