Chapter 417: The Prodigal Son

They all say don't hit a person in the face, but Li Xuewu went straight for Pazile's face.

"Remember, your sister was robbed by them, and you were looking for your sister and just happened to meet us. Do you understand?"

Li Xuewu gritted his teeth, grabbed Pazile's collar, and gave this instruction.

Pazile's reaction was even more heartbreaking.

"Platoon leader! Woo woo woo, sob sob~"

Unable to answer Li Xuewu's question, Pazile just lay on the ground and cried loudly.

He was too helpless, and this crying was so heart-wrenching that it was unbearable to listen to.

Pazile's sister saw Li Xuewu say this and also knelt beside her brother, supporting her brother and crying.

Only they themselves knew what kind of suffering they had endured. Li Xuewu only needed to know if they had touched his bottom line.

He was only responsible for judging the human heart, and the law had to be above the judgment of the human heart.

Li Xuewu turned and waved to Zhao Yajun in the distance, signaling that he could come over.

Zhao Yajun had been guarding the surrounding environment and monitoring the actions of these people in the middle of the field.

He knew that the second brother didn't trust these herdsmen, and even less would trust the person kneeling.

One reason Batuer was wary of Li Xuewu was the light machine gun in the distance. He had seen with his own eyes how a person was torn to pieces by that kind of sharp weapon.

Pazile cried for a while, stood up with his sister's support, and looked at Li Xuewu pitifully with the slap print on his face.

When he was in the army, Li Xuewu was his platoon leader, and on the battlefield in the south, Li Xuewu was even more of an older brother to the brothers.

So at this moment, seeing Li Xuewu was like seeing his own relative, and he completely lost the bullsh*t momentum of daring to suppress the whole field alone just now.

Li Xuewu took out a stack of toilet paper from his pocket and threw it on Pazile's face, glanced at him with disgust, and then looked at the woman supporting him.

"Is this your sister?"

Li Xuewu was carefully examining this sister now, and couldn't help but feel a sense of being deceived.

Pazile was nineteen, and his sister shouldn't be over nineteen, but how did this "sister" look like she was thirty-nine?

"Yes, this is my sister Diliya."

Seeing Li Xuewu's puzzled expression, he explained: "It means shepherdess."

"I f*cking asked you this!"

Li Xuewu grabbed Pazile's collar, walked out, frowned, but asked softly: "Are you f*cking telling me the truth, is this your sister?"

"Yes, this is my sister!"

Pazile said firmly: "Platoon leader, I know I was wrong! I know what I did was wrong. When I met you, I knew I was liberated."

As he spoke, he was about to cry again.

"Platoon leader, I have been living in vain just for this sister of mine. Now that I have entrusted my sister to you, I can rest assured. Take me back for trial!"

"Wait a minute!!!"

Li Xuewu pushed Pazile, tilted his head, and said: "Get lost, I treat you as a brother, and you f*cking treat me as a brother-in-law?"

Pazile said pitifully: "I am sincere. One is to repay you for taking care of me in the south, and also to repay you for saving me now."

Li Xuewu stretched out his arm to support Pazile who was about to chase, and asked very seriously: "Are you f*cking sure this is sincere? Are you f*cking sure this is repaying me?"

Pazile turned his head to look at his sister, then said to Li Xuewu: "Herdsmen, it's hard to avoid sleeping in the open on the Gobi Desert, and the wind on the grassland is also strong..."

"You don't need to explain!"

Li Xuewu grabbed Pazile's collar and said seriously: "Count me f*cking thanking you for your kindness, but you have to understand the refusal of a man with a fiancée."

Li Xuewu was incomparably gratified by Gu Ning's identity to him. If there were no Gu Ning, he really wouldn't have been able to escape this disaster... sister... sister.

Pazile was also dumbfounded. He thought that his platoon leader had just returned with him, so how could he be married so quickly.

He was sincerely wanting to repay Li Xuewu, and Li Xuewu also sincerely felt that he was taking revenge on himself.

Li Xuewu reached out and patted his head guiltily and said: "Don't think so much. If I had known you were back earlier, I would have gone to see you at home long ago, and there wouldn't have been so many things."

Pazile understood in his heart and said with a bitter face: "It would be useless even if you knew I was back earlier."

As he spoke, he looked at the vast white snow on the grassland, and tears fell.

"Never mind you, I also searched for two months before finding home..."

Since that incident in '62, this place had been empty, running around at will, running for a day without seeing anyone, consider yourself capable.

"Besides, when you were injured, and left so hurriedly, we..."

Li Xuewu patted Pazile on the shoulder and hugged him as they walked back.

Seeing Batuer and the others loading the car, he wanted to take him onto the car and go back with him.

But halfway there, Pazile was stopped by Batuer.

"Since you are a friend of Officer Li, go find your things."

Pazile was stunned for a moment, looked at the precious materials on the ground, shook his head and said: "There are no things of ours here, we..."

He just wanted to explain, but Batuer shook his head and said: "It won't do without yours, there must be yours!"

Pazile looked at his compatriot blankly and said very seriously: "There really isn't!"

"There must be!"

Li Xuewu looked at the stubborn Batuer and smiled helplessly: "Batuer, he doesn't have to, right?"

Batuer licked his lips, bent down, picked up two pieces of gold from the ground, and stuffed them into the hands of Pazile and his sister shepherdess... Diliya.

Pazile and Diliya looked at the gold in their hands blankly, and Li Xuewu also shook his head and smiled helplessly.

Only hearing Batuer, who was bending down to pack these precious things, mutter: "Dilly-dally."

Li Xuewu and the others were indeed dilly-dallying, but Hawule led his nephews to be quick, cleaning up the scene cleanly.

Even the jewelry on those corpses was cleaned up. Li Xuewu just pretended not to see it.

Batuer and the others originally didn't want those skins and materials broken by Zhao Yajun's machine gun, but Li Xuewu insisted on taking them.

At first, Batuer and the others didn't understand, but Li Xuewu asked: "Do you want these things?"

Batuer looked at Li Xuewu and shook his head, saying: "We only take these things."

He referred to the money bag and those precious small things. As for skins and firearms, they didn't want them.

Millions of livestock froze to death this year, and the least lacking were skins.

"Then I want these skins, horses, and corpses."

Food and cooking utensils were put on the trailer by Batuer and the others. Li Xuewu wanted horses, they understood.

They couldn't have these horses, because the pasture was starving livestock every day. What would they feed the horses?

Wanting skins could also be understood, after all, they were from the interior, and taking them back was also a wealth.

But these corpses... especially those broken corpses, what was this for?

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "Those yellow and white things look like treasures to you, but to us, these corpses are treasures."

Seeing Li Xuewu's smile, Batuer understood instantly, thinking of Li Xuewu and the others' status, knowing this was for war merit.

Otherwise, why say that Han people can govern the world? Just this heart...

Except for the destroyed truck, everything that could be used was loaded onto the trailer of the remaining truck.

And the seven corpses were wrapped in skins by Batuer and the others, really fulfilling the saying of being wrapped in horse leather.

"Can you drive?"

Li Xuewu helped them finish packing, looked at Diyar standing at the door of the driver's cab, and asked.

Diyar supported his chin with his index finger and thumb, nodded, and said: "No problem, I can estimate it by looking. I've seen others drive tractors in the city."

"Hiss! ~"

Li Xuewu had a toothache. This was really a hardcore character.

Daring to drive a truck after seeing others drive a tractor, he had even driven a jeep himself; could he drive a plane?

"Yajun!"

Li Xuewu walked back to the back of the car and shouted at the carriage covered by the tarpaulin.

Zhao Yajun then pulled open the tarpaulin, revealed his head, looked at Li Xuewu and responded: "Director."

Li Xuewu took Zhao Yajun's gun and waved for him to come down.

"Go drive in front."

Zhao Yajun blinked and said: "That... didn't he say he could drive!"

"I f*cking... I f*cking am afraid!"

Seeing the few herdsmen in the car looking over, Li Xuewu didn't feel embarrassed to talk about the second-rate person in front.

But he didn't get hurt even when fighting horse bandits, if there were casualties because of this goods, that would be a big injustice.

Li Xuewu signaled Zhao Yajun to come down quickly. In this heavy snow, who knew where that second-rate person could drive the car? It was better to have his own people.

If he didn't want to chat with Pazile, he would have driven it himself.

Zhao Yajun jumped off the car and opened the car door under Diyar's gaze and got on.

"Ah! So that's how the car door opens!"

"F*ck!"

Li Xuewu was about to climb to the back carriage when he heard this and almost tripped and fell.

A few horses were tied to the back of the car. Everyone unanimously decided to take the car back in this weather.

So there were more people in the back carriage on the way back.

Fortunately, these brothers piled the skins that were riddled with holes by Zhao Yajun's machine gun on the bottom, and piled the good skins around, which made the carriage not so cold.

The return journey was much smoother, and they met Wei Tong who came to meet them on foot halfway.

There were more people in the carriage on the way back.

On the way, Pazile told Li Xuewu about the composition of this group, the bad things those people did, and their scope of activities.

He also told Li Xuewu about their direction of selling stolen goods—Aierken Market.

"Aierken Market? Are you all going to Aierken Market to sell stolen goods?"

Pazile was talking, but Hadier became interested and asked with wide eyes: "Then do you know the boss of the Azayi caravan?"

"Hadier!"

Hawule glared at his son, signaling that his son shouldn't be so impolite.

Pazile smiled indifferently and said: "I'm just a driver, how could I know the most famous merchant in Aierken Market."

"Oh! ~"

Hadier's voice was obviously low.

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows when he saw the conversation between the two.

"What is this Aierken Market? What is this Azayi caravan?"

Hearing Li Xuewu ask this, Hadier and the two younger brothers giggled.

Batuer and his younger brother Hawule smiled helplessly at their respective sons.

Pazile looked at his sister and explained Aierken Market to Li Xuewu, but didn't explain the Azayi caravan.

Listening to Pazile's explanation, Li Xuewu finally understood that this Aierken meant freedom, and Aierken Market was the market of freedom.

It meant the same thing as the pigeon market where Wen San'er used to mix.

It's just that the sky is high and the emperor is far away here, and the people who organize the market all have some ability.

Plus they are mobile and won't stay in one place for a long time, so no one handles it.

Their organizers are very low-key and have a strong sense of safety.

There is a set of rules in the market, and they protect everyone who consumes and sells goods in the market.

Only then did they open the market in the surrounding areas and win credibility.

At this time, the surrounding land was really uninhabited. Who could guarantee that they could catch a caravan hidden?

Rather than mobilizing the masses, it's better to let them provide services to the surrounding people.

What the people need, naturally someone will provide services.

This is the frontier, and many problems are much looser than in the interior.

Pazile explained this Aierken Market to Li Xuewu, but Pazile wouldn't explain that Azayi caravan no matter what.

Li Xuewu also saw something wrong, and Wei Tong and the few bad kids giggled even more.

Until the truck drove to the train, a nest of people got off the car.

And the pile of corpses on the trailer pulled behind the truck startled Li Huai De and Ji Wang Weidong at the door.

Seeing Li Xuewu jump off the car, Li Huai De's heart finally returned to his stomach.

There were many people now, and he didn't scold Li Xuewu, just pointed at Li Xuewu with his finger, and then entered the carriage.

Li Xuewu smiled and didn't care much after knowing Li Huai De's meaning from Ji Wang Weidong's hint.

After rearranging the guards and looking at the bright sky, he handed the work of arranging these people to stay to Ji Wang Weidong.

And he himself changed into a resolute and mission-accomplished expression and got on the train.

"Manager Man, we've arrived!"

"Hmm~ Heh~"

Wen San'er stopped snoring, lifted the clothes covering him, looked outside, and asked with closed eyes: "Arrived in Steel City?"

"Of course, we've entered the station, get up quickly~"

After being punished last night, Da Chun didn't dare to provoke Master Man again. The tone of his speech was gentle now.

"Hmm."

Wen San'er sat up from the seat, stretched his waist, and muttered: "Hey~ didn't sleep well, my waist is uncomfortable."

Da Chun curled his lips and looked at Da Qiangzi standing by the door.

Seeing Da Qiangzi curling his lips with a f*cked-up expression.

The two were constantly scolding Master Man in their hearts. This grandson occupied the seat for a whole night last night, and now he said he didn't sleep well.

Wen San'er sat up, drank some water, put on his clothes, greeted the surrounding passengers politely, and then walked toward the door with his bag.

He also timed it well; the car stopped just as he walked to the door.

After taking the Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick out of the platform, Wen San'er took out the introduction letter and went straight to the reception station in front of the station.

Da Chun and Da Qiangzi were visiting Steel City for the first time, their eyes scanning, and followed Master Man into the room.

Wen San'er felt distressed and asked for a single room with a telephone and a regular double room. Fortunately, they were on the same floor.

After taking the keys and thermos to the second floor, Wen San'er first let the two settle down, and he entered the room.

After putting down the thermos, Wen San'er made the first call to Guanshan Road, and the second call to the backyard of the Beijing Sihe Academy.

Following Lou Jie was already waiting by the sofa. According to the established plan, she should have contacted by this time.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Comrade Wen? I've arrived."

"Sorry, you dialed the wrong address."

Following Lou Jie heard the other party looking for Comrade Wen, so she replied and hung up the phone directly.

After hanging up the phone, she smiled and said to Zhou Wang Yamei who was dressed neatly and going downstairs: "You look really good."

"We don't need to praise each other, right?"

After a night of deliberation, Zhou Wang Yamei also restored her calm expression.

Seeing Wu Fengxian ready, she said indifferently: "Let's go, let's set off after I send the child to kindergarten."

"Good."

Following Lou Jie took the bag on the sofa and walked out.

The two led the child just out of the door when they saw a jeep drive over and stop slowly at the courtyard gate.

Zhou Wang Yamei already saw who was driving this car, and couldn't help but look at Wu Fengxian.

"What to do?"

"What to do? The fish is about to take the bait, hold it tight."

Following Lou Jie replied and pulled Fu Zhidong's little hand and walked out.

Yu Min saw the two come out, jumped off the car with a smile, and greeted: "Sister Zhou, passing by here this morning, come over to see if you need any help."

"No need, we don't have any..."

Zhou Wang Yamei tried to keep smiling, refusing Yu Min's kindness according to the established script.

At this moment, Following Lou Jie pulled Fu Zhidong's little hand, squinted at Yu Min and asked: "Is the car yours?"

Look at this question, it's really a meat-eater who can ask "Why not eat meat porridge?" At this time, who dares to have a car?

It's just the heart of the country, there can be this special situation.

"Hehe, no."

Yu Min laughed dryly. Seeing this Wu Fengxian roll her eyes and want to bypass him, he hurriedly explained: "But I still have some face in the unit, I can use this car at will."

Wu Fengxian, who had already walked a few steps, turned back and looked at Yu Min and asked: "Are you here to be a driver?"

"Fengxian!"

Zhou Wang Yamei, who had come out and locked the door, stopped her: "Director Yu still has work to do, don't be rude!"

Wu Fengxian had an arrogant temper at this moment, rolled her eyes and wanted to turn back and continue walking.

Yu Min gritted his teeth. He really hated Zhou Wang Yamei at this moment. Every time he wanted to get close to this little lady, he was stopped by her.

"Hey, Comrade Fengxian!"

Yu Min greeted, ran a few steps and blocked in front of Wu Fengxian, saying: "I have a real relationship with Sister Zhou and Brother Fu. Using a car, do I need to be polite?"

"I'll make it clear to you!"

At this moment, Wu Fengxian suddenly pointed at Yu Min and said strongly: "Don't mention my brother outside, and don't mention his affairs!"

"Fengxian!"

Zhou Wang Yamei wanted to say more, but Yu Min replied apologetically: "Look at me, I really didn't pay attention to this aspect for a while."

Isn't this what you want to hear?

Yu Min wanted to understand the situation of the Fu family now. Although this little lady refused, she also gave him a topic, didn't she?

"It's okay, Sister Zhou, where are you going? I'll drive you. I'm free today."

Okay, the paving has been laid. As long as you get on the car, today is close-range reconnaissance.

"Director Yu, we..."

Zhou Wang Yamei wanted to be polite, but Fu Zhidong was pulled by Wu Fengxian and walked toward the car again.

Seeing Yu Min standing still, she said impatiently: "Drive!"

"Hey hey!"

Yu Min had never been so humble before, except in front of those people.

At this moment, hearing Wu Fengxian's words, he hurriedly walked toward the driver's cab.

On the way, he saw this Wu Fengxian walk to the car and look at the unhappy Zhou Wang Yamei without looking, while pulling open the car door and muttering: "Walking is so tiring, I take a car when I go out in Beijing."

Yu Min's mouth curled slightly at this moment, and then returned to his original appearance, saying to Zhou Wang Yamei: "Sister Zhou, you are being polite. If you have something to do, can I not help?"

Saying this, he supported the car door and signaled Zhou Wang Yamei that she could get on the car.

Zhou Wang Yamei sighed helplessly, then piled up a smile and thanked Yu Min.

"Director Yu, thank you, and made you work hard."

"Look at what you said, Sister Zhou."

Yu Min replied, closed the car door for Zhou Wang Yamei, and jumped onto the main driver's seat.

After getting the news that Zhou Wang Yamei would go to the kindergarten first and then to the Steel City Department Store, he stepped on the accelerator and went to the kindergarten.

There were many doctors from Steel City Hospital living in this residential area, so the Steel City Hospital kindergarten was nearby.

Taking advantage of Zhou Wang Yamei sending the child into the kindergarten, Yu Min turned back and asked Wu Fengxian sitting in the back: "Comrade Fengxian, are you here in Steel City to play or to live for a long time?"

"Does it have anything to do with you?"

Yu Min asked politely, but Wu Fengxian's reply was quite choking.

Yu Min took two breaths, his face didn't show any embarrassment, and said with a smile: "How can it have nothing to do with it? If you are here to play, I can introduce you to a few places, or I can take you there."

Wu Fengxian turned her head at this moment, looking at Yu Min, as if she was very interested.

Seeing this, Yu Min hurriedly continued: "If you are here to live for a long time, we can make friends. If you want to do any work, I can do my best."

"Hehe."

The role Following Lou Jie played was a true performance. Every frown and smile carried the momentum of a rich young lady.

It was completely the arrogant spirit of the relative who was over-raised by the Fu family.

"How big is Steel City? Except for soot, it's soot. What's fun?"

Saying this, she rolled her eyes and continued: "Besides, do I still need to work? Even if I want to work, I pick and choose. Do I still need you?"

After speaking, she didn't care about Yu Min's embarrassed expression and looked out the window with a chuckle.

Yu Min pinched his finger bones. Although this sounded really annoying, a lot of information was revealed.

Eyes above the top, never suffered, rich and powerful.

Especially this last one, powerful, made Yu Min squint his eyes.

At this moment, Zhou Wang Yamei came back. Seeing that the atmosphere in the car was colder than outside, she couldn't help but ask Yu Min: "Is Fengxian rude?"

"Sister-in-law~!"

Wu Fengxian shouted at Zhou Wang Yamei angrily.

"Hahaha."

Yu Min smiled and said to Zhou Wang Yamei: "No, we were chatting. I said I would introduce work to Comrade Fengxian."

"Oh, oh."

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at Wu Fengxian and explained: "Fengxian is just here to see us, and will go back in a few days."

"Is that so~"

Yu Min said while driving to the department store: "It's not easy to come here once, stay a few more days."

"What's there to stay in this broken place? If it weren't for Liu..."

"Fengxian~"

Zhou Wang Yamei poked Wu Fengxian and said with a smile: "Didn't I tell you about that matter? Wait for the news."

Yu Min didn't need to look back to imagine the expressions of the two now.

That Wu Fengxian must be curling her lips impatiently, and Zhou Wang Yamei must be giving an awkward and secret fake smile.

He just said that Fu Haibo couldn't have left nothing at all. What was searched from home was a cover.

As for Li Xuewu

He felt that Li Xuewu living at Fu Haibo's house was also for that money, that hidden money.

Yu Min admired Li Xuewu's methods, taking care of this mother and son with a gentle approach while having his relatives break through from another angle.

As for why there hadn't been a breakthrough, Yu Min only now found the reason.

That was the person sitting in the back, and the people behind this person.

As long as those people didn't fall, this mother and daughter could protect those assets.

Hiss~

The more Yu Min thought about it, the more he felt he had discovered the trap Fu Haibo had laid.

According to Nie Liansheng, Fu Haibo had given up resistance himself.

But it was possible that he had started laying the trap back then, just to divert attention and protect his descendants.

Now, this Wu Fengxian had clearly come with a mission, and the person who gave the mission might be surnamed Liu.

Zhou Wang Yamei had introduced the person to handle the matter, and they might be waiting for the handover.

As for why they sent such a naive young lady, Yu Min estimated it was because the Fu family had no one left.

Yes, the case had broken, everyone had been arrested, and only two and a half were left here.

"Sister Zhou, Comrade Fengxian."

Yu Min smiled and said: "Although I don't have any big status in Steel City, I have a few friends. If there's anything you need, just say it; at least driving you around to run errands is no problem."

"Hmph~"

Wu Fengxian gave a cold laugh, not intending to reply at all, but Zhou Wang Yamei couldn't let Yu Min's words fall to the ground.

"Too much trouble, we don't have anything to do; you just go do your own work."

Yu Min smiled and didn't continue the conversation, instead driving the car to the department store parking lot.

Several cars were already parked at the building entrance. Yu Min opened the car doors for the two and said: "Since Sister Zhou is considerate of me, I'll help out for the day today; I'll have a driver from my unit come tomorrow."

"Don't bother!"

Zhou Wang Yamei waved her hand and said: "This is your unit's car; we can't cause you trouble."

Wu Fengxian, who had already gotten out of the car, walked to the entrance with her bag and, seeing them still dawdling, couldn't help but shout: "Sister-in-law, can you hurry up!"

Yu Min closed the car door, signaled for them to walk to the entrance together, and said while walking: "It's just a personal favor; next time Brother Li comes, he can just return it for me."

Hearing Yu Min mention Li Xuewu, Zhou Wang Yamei's expression changed, then she gave a dry laugh and responded politely.

Yu Min also saw Zhou Wang Yamei's dry laugh and felt secretly proud.

He was now certain that Zhou Wang Yamei had fooled Li Xuewu, and as for what she used to fool him, he could guess it with his eyes closed.

After fooling Li Xuewu, Zhou Wang Yamei had to either run away or continue hiding those assets.

But now that someone from the Fu family had come to handle things, she had to show her tail.

Hehe, interesting!

Following Lou Jie stood at the entrance watching the changes in Zhou Wang Yamei's expression and couldn't help but pout inwardly.

Sure enough, those who look good have more tricks; at first, she said she was just a housewife, but she didn't fool anyone~

Tsk tsk tsk~ look at her now; she's even better at this than someone like me who's just being herself.

Once they entered the mall, Yu Min finally saw what a spendthrift was.

Wu Fengxian's bag was like the God of Wealth's cornucopia; every time she pulled something out, it was money, and every time she pulled something out, it was silver.

She asked for the price of the things she liked and paid directly with money and coupons; Yu Min watched as this spendthrift woman bought a pile of useless things.

"I like tea-scented and orange-scented soap; take one of each. Also take two towels; I need them to wipe my feet~"

"This soap box is quite pretty; take it out and let me see."

"..."

Yu Min looked at Wu Fengxian speechlessly; didn't she say she was only staying for a few days? Why buy this stuff?

Living a life?

And two towels, one for wiping feet!

He was also a character who played both sides; he looked glorious, but his warehouse was full of good stuff.

But he was just a passing God of Wealth; none of it was his, and he was just living a glorious life on the surface.

Why else would Nie Liansheng look down on him?

Watching this spendthrift woman waste money like this, he felt his heart ache.

In the middle, he even went out to exchange national grain coupons for meat coupons; he watched as Wu Fengxian bought all the meat.

When she bought it, she muttered that she hadn't eaten well last night.

Now, if someone said Fu Bin and Fu Haibo were wronged, he, Yu Min, would be the first not to believe it!

What kind of family could raise such a spendthrift girl? Anyway, he hadn't seen one.

He also didn't believe Wu Fengxian was pretending to be rich; he could distinguish between the way rich people bought things and the way people pretending to be rich bought things.

He was just a person who dealt with the surface of such people; he had plenty of experience.

If this Wu Fengxian hadn't grown up pampered, she absolutely couldn't have spent money with this kind of flair.

As the old saying goes, some eat grain, some eat chaff, some eat sugar, and some suffer.

Someone was squandering in the mall, while someone was sad in the car.

Qin Huairu's second uncle looked at his two sons with his hands behind his back and couldn't help but frown and turn his eyes away.

Their clothes were patched upon patches, and the cotton was showing from the sleeves of their cotton-padded jackets, and they were still shrinking inward.

The cotton shoes they wore also had their toes poking out, and you could see they weren't wearing socks.

As the bus swayed, you could smell the foot odor.

It wasn't that he didn't want to get his sons some decent clothes for the trip, but he had to have money.

The eldest son was twenty-one; if he didn't get married soon, he would be a bachelor.

All the good fabric in the house had been used for the daughter, just thinking that the daughter could exchange for the son's bride price.

At first, Old Qin didn't think about how much the daughter could exchange for; at most, it was just exchanging daughters with the other party.

That is, the most common way in the village: your brother marries my sister, and I marry your sister.

But ever since the girl in the family went to the city and got in touch with her niece Qin Huairu, his heart had been restless.

Old Qin thought that if his daughter could marry into the city, it would be her good fortune; at the very least, the bride price would be quick, and the range of choices for the eldest daughter-in-law would be wide.

The cook who had agreed to come see her didn't make it, but then another letter came saying he wanted to marry her and gave a large bride price.

Old Qin's heart suddenly became active; this person was coming to be slaughtered, so why let him off?

He directly asked for two hundred and one; he also gave his reasons: the bride price for three sons, not a bit of nonsense.

What excited Old Qin was that he asked for a sky-high price, and without waiting for them to bargain, they agreed.

This guy didn't even go to work yesterday and waited at home all day with the matchmaker.

He was just waiting for the new son-in-law to send the bride price so he could immediately ask the matchmaker to arrange marriages for his two sons.

They had eaten two tables of food for the matchmaker.

The matchmaker's mouth is a man-eating ghost; she eats at one house and then another, and if you don't feed her well, she won't praise you.

He waited until night and really couldn't wait any longer, so he angrily sent the matchmaker away, and this morning he took the bus to the city to find the son-in-law and reason with him.

"There's no such way of doing things."

"Exactly."

The two brothers were already in the city, whispering to each other to boost their courage.

They rarely came to the city, and the state of the city made them very uncomfortable; they felt a sense of inferiority.

Old Qin glared and said: "Follow my lead when we get there. If we don't get the money today, take your sister back; the Zhang family can set a date anytime."

"Mm."

Qin the eldest immediately had a smile on his face; the Zhang family's daughter was also good-looking.

Qin the second, however, was pouting; it had been agreed that there would be bride prices for all three brothers, and this was also to arrange his marriage.

Now, hearing his father say this, if they couldn't handle the old sixth's business in the city this time, he would have to be a bachelor.

"Dad, talk nicely when we get there; if it really doesn't work..."

Qin the second hesitated and suggested softly with lowered eyes: "Just ask for less bride price for the third one~"

He was good at talking; he could sacrifice his younger brother's bride price, but definitely not his own.

Old Qin took a puff of his dry tobacco pipe, didn't even look at his son, and stared out the bus window.

He didn't come to the city often, and this ever-changing transformation really made him feel lost.

Why did he bring his two sons to the city this time? It was also to boost his courage.

"Hmph!"

Old Qin snorted in his mouth, his eyelids drooping, ignoring the ghost-minded second son, and listened to the conductor's impatient shouting as he prepared to get off the bus.

"Report to the factory director, Li Xuewu has led the team to attack as ordered, has wiped out the horse bandits according to your requirements, and is now reporting to you!"

Li Huai De puffed on his cigarette and waved his hand, signaling Li Xuewu to sit opposite him.

Li Xuewu said with a grin: "Leader, there is something I need to report to you separately."

Li Huai De squinted at Li Xuewu, then stood up and walked toward the soft-sleeper compartment.

Li Xuewu took Li Huai De's teacup and followed.

Ji Wang Weidong saw their little actions, laughed evilly for a while, and then arranged for the people who had boarded the train to take their seats and rest.

It was still snowing heavily outside, and Batuer and the others couldn't leave even if they wanted to, so they had to stay on the train.

Pazile was a bit reserved as he took his younger sister to sit down according to Ji Wang Weidong's arrangement.

At first, Ji Wang Weidong didn't pay much attention to whether this shepherdess was male or female, but seeing the two leaning on each other, he realized something was wrong.

His eyes clearly saw that the woman's skin was rough and her features were rugged, looking like a man.

But now, he didn't know what was wrong with him; as he talked, he kept wanting to look over there.

Jin Yaohui saw Li Xuewu and Li Huai De enter the compartment, stood guard outside, and arranged for the attendant to prepare food for the returning team members.

This kind of intense battle consumed energy, and team members who didn't get replenished would appear exhausted.

Li Xuewu didn't stay in the compartment with Li Huai De for long, only reporting the general situation.

Of course, the local specialties Batuer had asked him to bring for Li Huai De were also delivered.

Li Xuewu hadn't wanted to take over this kind of thing, but the situation was very special.

Regarding Pazile and his sister, Li Xuewu could only do this.

Of course, there were two portions of local specialties for Li Huai De; Li Xuewu didn't keep his own or Zhao Yajun's, giving them directly to Li Huai De.

No need to ask; this kind of thing must have been looted or stripped from the hands of the dead.

Li Xuewu didn't want to be tainted by this kind of karmic fruit, nor would he let Gu Ning or any of his relatives wear it.

No matter how valuable this stuff was, it was just jewelry.

Greed often starts from such small things, and disasters also crawl out of people's hearts to harm them.

Li Xuewu recognized that he would earn it himself, but he wouldn't touch this stuff.

Li Huai De was very fond of these special local specialties, constantly rubbing them with his hands, and his look at Li Xuewu was no longer one of blame or resentment.

"I don't need to teach you how to handle this; form a written report and submit it as soon as possible."

Li Huai De stood up, patted Li Xuewu on the shoulder, and said earnestly: "You can't be so reckless in the future; you only have one life."

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "If they hadn't been so presumptuous, I wouldn't have lost my temper, but they dared to open fire on you..."

Li Huai De laughed; he was truly laughing.

Where could he find a subordinate who wasn't greedy, was willing to risk his life, and had ability!

"I understand, I understand."

Li Huai De patted Li Xuewu on the shoulder and said: "But you must also pay attention to safety!"

As he spoke, he whispered: "The content you report should also include little Ji and the others; you're comrades!"

"Yes."

Li Xuewu hurriedly responded.

It wasn't that he disliked Li Huai De's words, nor did he think Li Huai De was wrong.

It was just that looking at Li Huai De's bloodshot eyes and his smiling face as he patted his shoulder, his butt felt a bit itchy.

This compartment was too dangerous, so he responded and hurried out.

He came out also to give Li Huai De time, time to hide the things.

Just as he walked back to the duty station in the carriage, he saw everyone staring blankly at Ji Wang Weidong.

Ji Wang Weidong was staring blankly at the shepherdess Diliya.

Seeing Li Xuewu come out, Pazile, who had been blocking his sister, gave Li Xuewu a pleading look.

It was fine for the sister to be with the platoon leader, but it wouldn't do for her to be with this rabbit spirit.

The few herdsmen and the security team members who were eating normally were watching the show, and seeing Li Xuewu come out, they all hid back.

"What are you looking at?"

Li Xuewu pulled Ji Wang Weidong's head and looked at his straight, staring eyes.

Hiss~

What did Dad soak this bottle of medicinal wine with? Why is it so strong?

It wasn't like he hadn't stolen sips of his father's medicinal wine before; the strength only lasted a while, at most an hour or two.

This damn thing had been a whole night, and it was still going to his head.