Chapter 519: The Canary

Rest assured, it wasn't Li Li Xuewu smashing the cup.

The cups in the office were public property; each one cost seventeen cents if broken.

It wasn't any other porcelain or glass that shattered, but Yu Yu Haitang's heart that broke into pieces.

She had never expected that not everyone attending university was a literary youth.

Those who wrote well were not all graceful gentlemen; some could be literary hooligans with mouths full of "damn it."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu glance toward the door, Sha Sha Qizhi also turned around, only to find a pretty, tall young woman standing there dumbfounded, as if she had just heard some earth-shattering secret.

That stunned expression suggested the person sitting in this room ought not to be Li Li Xuewu, but someone else.

"May I ask who you are looking for?"

"Uh... well..."

Yu Yu Haitang struggled to compose her expression, trying to look less surprised.

At the same time, her mind raced frantically, searching for some hobby of Li Li Xuewu's to use as an entry point.

Because the term "literary youth" no longer seemed to fit Li Li Xuewu's hobbies; she wasn't sure if it ever had, but now she was certain it absolutely did not.

"This is Comrade Yu Yu Haitang from the broadcasting station."

Li Li Xuewu also composed himself; he vented to Sha Sha Qizhi because their relationship was close—what use was a secretary if one couldn't speak freely to them?

What else would they be for?

It was normal that Sha Sha Qizhi didn't know Yu Yu Haitang; if she hadn't visited the courtyard, he wouldn't have known her either.

With over ten thousand people in this factory, Li Li Xuewu could remember only so many.

Although his memory was sharp now, allowing him to recall anyone he had ever interacted with, no one would dare boast about remembering all ten thousand-plus people.

Hearing the section chief's introduction, it was clear the two knew each other, so Sha Sha Qizhi smiled, walked over, and greeted her: "Hello, Comrade Yu Yu Haitang, may I ask...?"

"Ah, I... I am Yu Yu Haitang from the broadcasting station."

Damn it! The invariably successful love killer was actually stuttering; Yu Yu Haitang wanted to slap herself, as she couldn't even speak properly at this moment.

However, the urgent task now was to get through this immediate situation.

"Um, I wanted to come and interview Deputy Li Chu."

"Oh."

Sha Sha Qizhi turned and glanced at Li Li Xuewu; he knew about the series of publicity measures the section chief had recently arranged, but he wasn't sure if this Yu Yu Haitang had been sent by the chief.

Judging by her demeanor, it didn't seem so, but since the section chief hadn't objected, Sha Sha Qizhi decided in the instant he turned around what he needed to do.

"Please come in; I'll make you some tea."

"Thank you."

Yu Yu Haitang smiled and walked further into the spacious office, stopping in front of Li Li Xuewu's desk.

By now, Li Li Xuewu had adjusted his state; he was once again the good cadre everyone loved, graceful and refined, literary—pah!

"Sit."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and pointed to the seat opposite him.

"I didn't know you were coming; I don't seem to have received any notice of an interview."

He truly knew nothing about this matter, which was certainly correct; if there had been such an arrangement, Sha Sha Qizhi would have notified him.

Yu Yu Haitang had clearly come uninvited, but since he currently needed a powerful tool for publicity, he certainly wouldn't turn away something delivered right to his door.

"Hehe, I read your article and felt that the work the Security Section has done regarding safety deserves publicity, so I came."

How clever Yu Yu Haitang was; at a single glance, she spotted the conspicuous headline on that newspaper and instantly knew what to discuss with Li Li Xuewu.

"Is that so?"

Sure enough, as soon as Yu Yu Haitang finished speaking, Li Li Xuewu smiled, raised his eyebrows, and said to the secretary by the door: "Use that box of good tea leaves in the cabinet."

After speaking to Sha Sha Qizhi, Li Li Xuewu gestured to Yu Yu Haitang and said, "Well said; please continue."

Ten thousand long-necked sheep galloped through Yu Yu Haitang's heart; she didn't know what they were, but she could feel what these animals represented.

"Li Chu, I believe you are aware that another earthquake occurred last night; the comrades' understanding of earthquakes and their study of protective measures mostly come from... thank you."

Yu Yu Haitang paused mid-sentence upon seeing the secretary bring her tea, smiling her thanks.

She then continued speaking to Li Li Xuewu: "As the person in charge of the Security Section's operations and the leader promoting this profoundly significant emergency measure, I imagine you must have many words to share with all the comrades in the factory."

"Mm, first of all, I must thank the comrades from the broadcasting station for visiting the Security Section."

Li Li Xuewu smiled, adopted a sincere attitude for the interview, and after thanking the broadcasting station comrades opposite him, began thanking everyone from the factory leadership down to the frontline safety managers at the grassroots level.

Yet not a single word in his speech praised himself; after the thanks, he began discussing the significance of the dual emergency response, going on to detail several actual cases of emergency handling and summarizing the lessons learned.

Sitting opposite him, Yu Yu Haitang took notes in her notebook with her pen while gazing at Li Li Xuewu with admiration.

She completely returned Li Li Xuewu's earlier sentiments; as long as you were happy, you could keep talking, and she would think you were wonderful.

Li Li Xuewu assumed this was just the standard procedure for broadcasting station interviews with leaders, so he paid little attention to the slightly hypocritical gaze coming from across the desk, proceeding to explain his publicity direction and key points to Yu Yu Haitang one by one.

This truly matched Editor Hu's critique of Li Li Xuewu's article as conveyed by Sha Sha Qizhi: profound yet accessible, vast and deep, achieving everything in a single step.

The little stars in Yu Yu Haitang's eyes were not entirely feigned; judging by Li Li Xuewu's ability to speak eloquently, he was indeed worthy of her admiration.

Being a young woman who already loved literature, cared about current affairs, and was enthusiastic about politics, she harbored an even greater longing in her heart for the status of a cadre.

So although she stopped writing, her mouth still wanted to ask more questions.

However, Li Li Xuewu's time could not be entirely spent on interviews and publicity work; having stated his publicity objectives, he made the gesture of offering tea to signal the guest's departure.

Having worked at the broadcasting station for so long, how could Yu Yu Haitang not understand Li Li Xuewu's meaning?

Although she still wished to interact more with Li Li Xuewu, she understood the principle that haste makes waste.

Smiling, she closed her notebook, stood up, and said to Li Li Xuewu: "Thank you, Li Chu, for accepting my interview; I hope to have more opportunities to learn from you in the future."

"Hehe."

Li Li Xuewu also smiled as he stood up, reaching across the desk to shake hands with Yu Yu Haitang opposite him.

This Miss was carefree and unconstrained; although she was a bit tea-like, she was still very serious when working.

After shaking hands, Li Li Xuewu waved his hand, signaling Comrade Sha Sha Qizhi: "See Miss Yu Yu Haitang out for me; you two stay in touch, and if there are any issues in the future, you can speak to Sha Qizhi."

Yu Yu Haitang smiled and nodded, gracefully allowing Sha Sha Qizhi to escort her out the door.

She was truly a bit captivated by Li Li Xuewu, especially by his every move in the office; this man wielded words and authority with unrestrained brilliance.

Especially that last sentence, which used a double entendre to tell her that she could not launch surprise attacks in the future, and that if she wanted an interview, she should contact Sha Sha Qizhi.

Furthermore, having Sha Sha Qizhi escort her out was beautifully phrased as "seeing her out for me," expressing both importance and maintaining dignity.

Yu Yu Haitang did not feel that Li Li Xuewu speaking in official tones was particularly hypocritical; on the contrary, she felt a man ought to possess authority and the power to speak in such a manner.

After sending off the beautiful female broadcaster who had visited unexpectedly, Sha Sha Qizhi returned to Li Li Xuewu's office with some misgivings in his heart.

"Director, was it...?"

"It's nothing."

At this moment, Li Li Xuewu had long lost the humility Yu Yu Haitang had seen; he stood by the window with narrowed eyes, watching Yu Yu Haitang walking downstairs toward the broadcasting station.

If he could truly be captured by just a few words of flattery, a few looks of admiration, a deliberately adjusted collar, and the faint glimpse of snow-white skin, then he would be far too cheap.

This Miss really did not take Li Li Xuewu's rich past seriously; Wang Wang Yajuan would not allow it, Qin Qin Huairu would not allow it, Yu Li would not allow it, and Sister Lou along with all the other good girls and good young wives who had cultivated Li Li Xuewu would not allow it.

When Sha Sha Qizhi faced Yu Yu Haitang and asked that first question, the glance he exchanged with Li Li Xuewu upon turning around was already a warning to Li Li Xuewu.

The clarity in Li Li Xuewu's eyes told him that high-level hunters often appear in the form of prey.

"Keep an eye on news from the broadcasting station; as long as she doesn't change the theme, just ignore her."

Looking downstairs, Li Li Xuewu gave Sha Sha Qizhi this instruction; he would not refuse such benefits delivered willingly to his door, nor would he consume them recklessly.

Turning around, he returned to his desk to continue busy with his own work.

The factory leadership was not unaware that Li Li Xuewu was engaged in propaganda work; those leaders above were not to be trifled with.

No one believed Li Li Xuewu was a simple character; there must be some special purpose behind it.

But to say that no one guessed what Li Li Xuewu intended to do was impossible, after all, not everyone was Little Zhuge Liang.

The factory leaders either chose to turn a blind eye or chose to sit on the sidelines and watch.

Those afraid Li Li Xuewu would cause them trouble thought it better for him to stay busy, as long as he did not come to provoke them.

Even if Li Li Xuewu really wanted to achieve some work results by relying on earthquakes, they were willing, after all, this thing was not mass-produced; who could guarantee earthquakes happened every day.

Speaking of which, it was truly damn weird; just as those reading the newspapers thought this, the water cup right before their eyes shook once, followed immediately by a "glug" sound.

Whether it was the workers in the workshop or the cadres in the offices, everyone paused for a moment, then exchanged glances with nearby colleagues, before returning to whatever they were doing.

It didn't matter; if Li Li Xuewu truly succeeded by relying on this thing, then he deserved his success; even Heaven was helping him, so who could stop him.

Li Li Xuewu did not know if Heaven was helping him; all he knew was that currently, apart from himself, no one was helping him.

Letting Sha Sha Qizhi tidy up the office, he also put on his clothes; today he planned to go up the mountain to inspect work, and the two hurriedly headed out.

Dongcheng, Military Hospital.

Gu Ning checked the time on her wrist, placed the medical record in her hand onto the desk, and her gaze swept across the seawater aquarium on the table, causing her to smile faintly.

After Li Li Xuewu brought this over, she had never opened it again, leaving it sitting in a corner of the desk.

Sometimes, colleagues would take advantage of her absence to come look at her desk, or even plug it in to admire it.

Although she knew all about it, she never said anything, merely pretending not to know.

Getting along with these colleagues in the department carried no burden, but she also had no active desire to engage.

Ever since that incident involving Li Li Xuewu occurred in the south, she had maintained a distance from her colleagues.

Good sisters who came from the same compound, studied at the same academy, joined the workforce together, and went to the battlefield together had actually treated her like a fool and deceived her.

Sometimes everyone said she was aloof and proud, but she was simply too lazy to waste time on meaningless socializing.

Many people in the department knew she had background connections; those who knew the specifics did not spread it, leaving everything vague and mysterious.

However, Gu Ning was not bullied within the department; her status was one reason, and another was that she had a formidable sister-in-law.

Technically skilled and personally formidable, vigorous and straightforward yet scheming, she was not someone ordinary people could afford to offend.

At this moment, with no one else in the room, Mu Mu Hongyan, sitting beside the desk, turned to look at her sister-in-law and asked with a smile: "Didn't you say a date was set? Why haven't I seen you submit an application to the hospital leadership?"

"Not yet."

Gu Ning withdrew her gaze from the seawater aquarium, sat in her own seat, picked up a medical record to read, and explained orally: "He said he wants to finalize the plan only after consulting with Mom and Dad."

"He even wrote a plan?"

Mu Mu Hongyan smiled and shook her head, saying: "Back when your brother and I got married, we were muddled through the whole thing; we didn't even know what happened on our wedding day."

Gu Ning lowered her head and smiled, offering no reply to her sister-in-law; that person had an extremely strong desire for control, always wanting to keep the development of events within his sphere of capability, thinking that everything would progress in his predetermined direction.

Zhou Wang Yamei had told her this, stating from a psychiatrist's perspective that Li Li Xuewu was sick.

Actually, Gu Ning felt it was fine; at least she did not feel burdened, perhaps because Li Li Xuewu gave her ample room in his speech and actions.

In the process of their interactions, he handled everything that did not require a choice, while leaving all choices requiring decisions to her; this allowed her to unconsciously accept Li Li Xuewu's personality flaws.

Sometimes these flaws became virtues in her eyes; otherwise, how could the old saying go that lovers see beauty in each other's eyes.

"Mom mentioned this morning that after you two get married, and after Xiao Xiao Laosan gets married, she will voluntarily propose to retire."

The two sat diagonally opposite each other; neither looked at the other, yet both knew the other was listening to their words.

"Sigh, sometimes I also want to persuade Mom to transfer to Yangcheng to take care of Dad."

Mu Mu Hongyan turned her head, smiling at her sister-in-law: "But Mom will definitely not feel at ease leaving you."

"I know."

Gu Ning kept her head lowered, her voice somewhat hesitant; her mother paid far more attention to her than to her older brother and younger brother.

The reason was the injury she suffered during childhood, which caused her current personality and weaknesses.

Sometimes she also wanted to respond warmly to her mother's concern, but she simply could not bring herself to reach out and hug her mother.

As a sister-in-law, Mu Mu Hongyan naturally pointed out what needed pointing out; seeing that her sister-in-law understood her mother-in-law's painstaking efforts, she dropped the topic and instead began discussing Li Li Xuewu's marriage plan.

Although Gu Ning said on her lips that it was troublesome, she still read it carefully; the fact that Mu Mu Hongyan could answer as soon as Gu Ning asked proved this.

"Your mother-in-law really dotes on you."

Hearing her sister-in-law mention that Li Li Xuewu's family was making luggage and clothes, that Gu Ning need not worry about anything, and that they would even come over to check what was missing, Mu Mu Hongyan spoke up.

"Mother told me back then that while other things could go without demand, she must take good care of your brother."

Speaking, she teased her sister-in-law, asking: "Say, after you enter the door, will Li Li Xuewu's mother make such demands of you too? Will she also make you learn to cook?"

Gu Ning knew perfectly well her sister-in-law was teasing her again; at this moment she pressed her lips together, smiling, but simply said nothing.

As for taking care of people, she thought for a moment; it seemed there was nothing much—except cooking, mending, making clothes, and stitching shoes... she couldn't do any of these, and it seemed there was nothing else she couldn't do.

She had truly thought about their life together in the future, but she had not imagined it in such detail as her sister-in-law described.

In the past, her mother cooked at home; before she even started school, the family already had a chef.

She seemed never to have learned to sew clothes either; her mother had not taught her. She could do housework, but she didn't do much of it because the family had servants.

Thinking this way, she felt a bit nervous. Li Li Xuewu probably couldn't cook, and neither could she; wouldn't the two of them starve to death!

"Pfft~ Haha~"

Seeing her sister-in-law suddenly look up in confusion as if she had thought of something, Mu Mu Hongyan couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Back then, when she heard her mother-in-law tell her to learn to cook, she had worn this very expression.

The Gu family was high-ranking officials; the Mu family was the same in Mengdi. How Gu Ning grew up was exactly how Mu Mu Hongyan grew up.

She had married into a family with a younger sister-in-law and a younger brother-in-law below her; coincidentally, Gu Ning, marrying into the Li family, also had a younger sister-in-law and a younger brother-in-law.

The two could be said to have many similarities, differing only in personality.

Mu Mu Hongyan actually envied Gu Ning and understood the meaning behind her father-in-law and mother-in-law agreeing to marry their younger daughter to Li Li Xuewu, who had no status or background.

It was nothing more than fearing their younger daughter would, like herself, marry into someone else's home as a daughter-in-law and suffer discipline and grievances.

Her mother-in-law was a formidable person; she and Gu Ning felt this differently. It was not that her mother-in-law was particularly harsh or fierce toward her, but rather that the eldest daughter-in-law's role is difficult; the eldest daughter-in-law must have responsibility and bearing.

Gu Ning was marrying into a family where the household had already been divided; she was the second daughter-in-law, with no mother-in-law above her to discipline her, and the family had background, so in the end she would not suffer grievances.

However, this personality of non-contention, elegance, and tranquility, falling into the red dust of firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar, would have to endure how many flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy; only the younger sister-in-law herself would have to taste them.

"When do you plan to send invitations to your colleagues at the hospital?"

Thinking of her sister-in-law's marriage, Mu Mu Hongyan said with concern: "You must be careful; say everything that needs to be said, so they don't gossip, especially the Director."

"Ah, I understand."

At this moment, Gu Ning was frowning, thinking about how to solve the problem of eating after marriage.

Now Zhou Wang Yamei does the housework at home, but she cannot live here forever.

When Li Li Xuewu came to the house, he also said that the case in Gangcheng was progressing smoothly, and Zhou Wang Yamei's return date was just around the corner.

Then eat at home afterward?

If eating at home frequently, would that not be inappropriate...

Then take turns between the two sides?

Eat at one family per day?

Gu Ning seemed not to have encountered such a difficult problem in a long time; the last time she was so troubled was at the roast duck shop when she met Li Li Xuewu and hesitated whether to go say hello.

Just as she was chatting intermittently with her sister-in-law, a colleague from the department returned, and the two stopped discussing this topic.

Gu Ning could not think of a solution to the problem in her mind until after work; since she was going home today, she rode her bicycle home with her sister-in-law, arriving at nearly seven o'clock.

"Why did you think of coming back today?"

Ding Ding Fengxia, rarely seeing her daughter return, thought something was missing at the villa again, but fearing her daughter might feel shy, she did not dare ask directly.

However, this also made Gu Ning feel a bit embarrassed; was she taking too much?

Mu Mu Hongyan, who followed them into the door, laughed out loud, pushed Gu Ning inward, and while walking explained to her mother-in-law: "She came back to report her work to you."

Ding Ding Fengxia smiled and pouted; this daughter had been a taciturn gourd from childhood to adulthood, never telling her any worries; how could she report work?

"Hurry and wash your hands for dinner; Master Mi has already finished cooking the dishes."

She called out to both of them, but did not take up the thread her daughter-in-law had started.

Mu Mu Hongyan, holding Gu Ning's arm, winked at her sister-in-law, signaling her to speak up quickly.

But Gu Ning, as if deliberately retaliating against her, curled her lips and went to wash her hands.

"This wicked smile seems a bit familiar."

Mu Mu Hongyan raised her eyebrows and immediately thought of Li Li Xuewu when he was hospitalized at their hospital; he smiled at those little nurses in exactly the same way.

"Hey! You little girl!"

Laughing in anger, she went to the bathroom and started playfully quarreling with her giggling sister-in-law.

Standing in the living room, Ding Ding Fengxia, seeing the harmony between her daughter-in-law and her daughter, also smiled; this is what is meant by "when the family is harmonious, all affairs prosper." Raising a wise son, marrying a sensible daughter-in-law, and raising a kind daughter.

In educating her children, Ding Ding Fengxia bowed to no one; in this courtyard, one child was better than another; who could educate their children better than her family?

"Stop fooling around; hurry up and eat; there is twice-cooked pork, your favorite."

She smiled and said this to the bathroom, then went to the dining room.

The servant, standing by the dining table and just finishing arranging the dishes, smiled and asked Ding Ding Fengxia: "Teacher Ding, has the good news for Aunt Xiao Ning arrived?"

Although these service staff all belonged to the Administration Bureau's establishment, they had served the family for many years and had watched the family's children grow up, so their forms of address were very intimate.

Ding Ding Fengxia was also very close to the family's service staff; at this moment, she smiled, glanced toward the door, and secretly winked at the servant.

The servant also smiled at this moment; they knew Gu Ning's personality better than anyone.

If these matters were said to her face, she would surely blush; just looking at Ding Ding Fengxia's smile, she seemed unable to hold back.

When a Miss gets married, of course her mother is happy; the servant softly praised: "I have seen Aunt Xiao Ning's son-in-law and heard them speak of him; you truly have good taste."

"That's right, haha."

Ding Ding Fengxia, quite self-satisfied, accepted the servant's praise; everyone in the house knew this son-in-law was chosen by her and was also one she had taken care of.

Even if she were to take care of Li Li Xuewu for so many days, once Gu Ning married into his family, Li Li Xuewu would never let his daughter suffer any grievance.

While Gu Ning worried the two of them might go hungry, Ding Ding Fengxia had no such concerns; given Li Li Xuewu's thoroughgoing nature, how could he possibly let his daughter starve?

"Are you two hungry or not?"

Seeing the sister-in-law pair whispering endlessly in the washroom, Ding Ding Fengxia called out with a laugh, "If you aren't hungry, I'll start eating first."

"Coming."

Mu Mu Hongyan's voice approached from afar; she walked into the dining room looking triumphant, exchanged greetings with the waiter, and sat down beside her mother-in-law.

Gu Ning, who entered shortly after, had a flushed face; unsure what Mu Mu Hongyan had done to her, she now somewhat avoided her mother's gaze.

The waiter smiled at Gu Ning's appearance before heading to the kitchen in the back, where they had dedicated spaces for eating and resting.

"Try this; it's been several days since you've had a home-cooked meal."

Ding Ding Fengxia noticed her daughter had been bullied by her daughter-in-law but said nothing, merely smiling as she placed dishes into her daughter's bowl.

At the table, Ding Ding Fengxia chatted cheerfully about daily life at work and home; Mu Mu Hongyan, sitting opposite Gu Ning, made faces at her, while Gu Ning pouted her cheeks before glaring at Mu Mu Hongyan with suppressed laughter.

This was the usual dynamic at the Gu family dining table; the men were away from home three hundred and sixty days out of every three hundred and sixty-five.

Most military families were like this, leaving the three women to spend more time together.

After finishing their meal, prompted by Mu Mu Hongyan, Gu Ning handed the proposal Li Li Xuewu had written to her mother.

Ding Ding Fengxia found it somewhat amusing; although Li Li Xuewu had said that day he would prepare thoroughly before speaking to her, she hadn't expected him to actually submit a report in the form of a work summary, just as her daughter-in-law had claimed.

Smiling at her daughter, Ding Ding Fengxia still accepted the dozen-or-so pages of manuscript.

Upon opening it, setting aside the content for a moment, the handwriting was quite good, clearly showing careful preparation.

After finishing the proposal amidst the whispering of Gu Ning and Mu Mu Hongyan, Ding Ding Fengxia couldn't help but ask her daughter, "He doesn't seem like a rigid person; is he this organized when getting along with you too?"

"Hahaha!"

Before Gu Ning could react, Mu Mu Hongyan laughed first, hugging Gu Ning and saying, "I told you Mom would say exactly that."

Gu Ning also pursed her lower lip and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"No."

She emphasized this first, then added, "I think doing things according to a plan is very good."

Ding Ding Fengxia looked at her daughter, then raised her eyebrows at her daughter-in-law.

Mu Mu Hongyan naturally understood her mother-in-law's meaning and said with a smile, "You see now? Daughters are born for others; she's already protecting him."

"Mm, I can see that."

Ding Ding Fengxia smiled and nodded, agreeing with her daughter-in-law's point.

Gu Ning gently pushed her sister-in-law beside her; she knew Mu Mu Hongyan was only causing trouble for her.

"It's quite good."

Knowing her daughter was waiting for her opinion, Ding Ding Fengxia did not keep her waiting and spoke frankly, "I just didn't expect him to make the plan so detailed."

While speaking, she flipped through the wedding proposal in her hand and said, "Mm, there are even contingency plans for emergencies and alternative options; truly impressive."

Gu Ning knew this last remark from her mother wasn't pure praise but carried a tone of teasing as well.

"Is it convenient to call Father now?"

Not wanting her mother and sister-in-law to tease her further, Gu Ning spoke up, "He said, he said he also wants to ask for Father's opinion."

"Eeh~"

As if smelling something peculiar, Mu Mu Hongyan puckered her lips and teased with a smile, "He said? Who is 'he'? ~~~"

"Hahaha."

Seeing her daughter teased into helplessness, displaying a rare girlish demeanor, Ding Ding Fengxia, after laughing, answered, "It's convenient; while calls from others might be a disturbance, a call from his daughter might be something he's been waiting for all along."

Gu Ning took the proposal from her mother's hand, stood up, dodged her sister-in-law's mischievous hands, and clattered up the stairs.

There was a phone in the study upstairs; she had already been mocked by her sister-in-law for a while, so could she let her mock her for another round?

"Hahaha~"

The laughter drifting from the living room could be heard even at the second-floor stair landing, but Gu Ning, puffing her cheeks, closed the study door so she wouldn't have to hear it anymore.

"What will happen when she goes to her husband's family?"

Ding Ding Fengxia laughed for a while seeing her daughter's expression, but still worried about her daughter's temperament, and sighed a remark to her daughter-in-law.

"I think the Li family is very good."

She had visited the Li family and held an extremely favorable impression of Li Shun and Liu Yin, especially the old matriarch of the Li family, whose speech lacked any narrow-mindedness typical of women from the old era, being very generous and proper, inevitably reminding her of the term 'noble lady' she often used in the past.

When she first married into Jingcheng, she had heard people say that the waters of this 'Four-Nine City' ran very deep, and one could never tell when an apparently ordinary person might have many turbulent stories behind them.

"Just looking at the Li family matriarch tells us their family upbringing is excellent."

Mu Mu Hongyan comforted her mother-in-law, saying, "Perhaps they also like Aunt Xiao Ning's personality; otherwise, they wouldn't be so attentive in helping them organize the wedding."

"Sigh~"

Ding Ding Fengxia sighed and said, "Sometimes I reflect on myself, wondering if I haven't done enough, to the point where even my daughter's dowry luggage has to be thought of by our in-laws."

"It's about mutual understanding; isn't that wonderful?"

Knowing her mother-in-law was an overthinker, Mu Mu Hongyan advised, "Didn't Aunt Xiao Ning say Li Li Xuewu's mother is coming? Give Li Li Xuewu a call, arrange a time to go together, so you can also express your sincerity; let both sets of in-laws sit together to discuss what's missing, and we can proactively provide it, without getting tangled up in comparing who did more or less."

Hearing her eldest daughter-in-law's proper words, Ding Ding Fengxia looked at Mu Mu Hongyan, smiled, took her hand, and patted it, saying, "Regarding my children's marriages, the first extremely correct choice I made was finding such a good daughter-in-law in you."

"Mom, if you praise me like that, I'm going to get proud."

Mu Mu Hongyan was a smart person and had a special skill in coaxing her mother-in-law; just from the fact that they had never quarreled since living together, one could see her capability.

"Hahaha."

Ding Ding Fengxia laughed happily, then added, "Now I am making a second choice, which is helping Aunt Xiao Ning choose Li Li Xuewu; I don't know if my choice is correct."

"Look at you~"

Mu Mu Hongyan teased her mother-in-law with a smile, "Just a moment ago I said I was getting proud, and now it's your turn to be proud!"

"Hahaha~"

Ding Ding Fengxia was made to laugh again by her daughter-in-law; naturally, she felt proud in her heart for having chosen such an excellent husband for her daughter.

Just think, when she first discovered her daughter's feelings for Li Li Xuewu, if she hadn't prepared those chicken soups, actively delivered them to Li Li Xuewu, and fed and served him, could the two have ever come together?

Not to mention Li Li Xuewu's stubborn temper; just considering her own daughter's cold nature, even tying them together with steel wire would have been futile.

Men must be tamed with softness that bends around the finger; whenever someone praised her for choosing a good son-in-law, she felt genuinely proud, because this son-in-law was indeed one she had helped her daughter select.

"You really shouldn't be like this!"

Mu Mu Hongyan deliberately teased her mother-in-law, saying, "You're already so proud; what will we do when Xiao Xiao Laosan chooses a partner?"

"Hahaha~"

Laughter in the living room continued uninterrupted due to Mu Mu Hongyan's words; the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted more and more about Gu Ning's marriage, growing happier with every word, completely unaware of whether Gu Ning upstairs on the second floor was equally happy.

In their view, Gu Ning's expression upon returning home clearly showed happiness, so sharing this news with her parents far away in Yangcheng should have made her even happier.

However, the atmosphere in the second-floor study held no hint of joy; instead, it felt dangerous, stagnant, or perhaps shrouded in dark clouds.

"I understand, Father."

After a moment of hesitation, Gu Ning finally spoke these words; on the other end of the phone, Gu Gu Haitao now knew his daughter's choice, so he said nothing more, merely offering a few words of advice before hanging up.

Gu Ning sat alone in the study; though she could still seem to hear her mother and sister-in-law's laughter drifting from the living room, she no longer felt the shyness and inner joy of earlier, only bewilderment and helplessness.

Sitting behind the desk her father often used, she raised her eyes to gaze out the window at the desolate night sky; somehow, the moon had already been enveloped by a dark cloud, appearing dim and gloomy.

When she was young, she had often come to her father's study, but back then her father was mostly busy with work; only during his leisure time would he hold her, sit by the bed, watch the moon, and tell her what existed upon it.

She had believed that for her entire life she would have her father's protection and her mother's love, living forever within this very house.

At some point, it seemed as though she had become a rabbit whose burrow was suddenly unearthed; the light above felt somewhat blinding, filling her with panic and confusion.

She had shared her life and her interactions over the past few days with that person with a somewhat excited heart.

But after listening, her father fell silent—a silence that terrified her—and then told her about a different Li Li Xuewu.

This person felt so strange, as if he had never appeared in her world before; it was as though she had watched a movie, only to step out of the theater and face the bewilderment of the real world.

Nevertheless, after speaking, her father had added that this was life, this was reality; as she stood on the verge of leaving her parents, this was the final support a father could offer, and it was up to her to make the most correct choice herself.

Her father had not told her how to choose, nor had he said which choice was right; he only said she should follow her own heart, for no one's life is simply black and white, right or wrong; there is always life wavering between choices.

Gu Ning felt utterly bewildered; from childhood to adulthood, she had never made any difficult choices—school, work, even her partner had been arranged by her father and mother, who placed materials, photographs, and descriptions before her to select from, rather than letting her interact and choose in the real world.

This might have been the most realistic, most straightforward thing her father had ever said to her: she must now begin taking responsibility for her own life.

"What's wrong, Aunt Xiao Ning?"

Just as Mu Mu Hongyan was joking with her mother-in-law, she suddenly noticed her sister-in-law descending the stairs with an unusual expression.

She guessed in her heart whether the Eunuch had disagreed with some of Li Li Xuewu's proposals and spoken harshly to her sister-in-law, causing her unhappiness.

Ding Ding Fengxia also noticed something amiss with her daughter; she quickly stood up, walked over, and asked with concern, "What did your father say?"

"Nothing."

Gu Ning forced a smile, shook her head, and said, "Father and I just talked about some things from the past."

"This child..."

Ding Ding Fengxia narrowed her eyes slightly; though she seemed to understand something, she pretended not to, gently touching her daughter's face and saying, "You gave Mother quite a fright."

"I thought Father had scolded you."

Mu Mu Hongyan also knew her sister-in-law was making an excuse, but since her mother-in-law had said so, she accepted it as truth.

At this moment, she intended to ease her sister-in-law's mood while simultaneously glancing at her mother-in-law, wondering if something was being kept from her.

She was not a meddlesome person; if there were matters in the family inconvenient to share with her, she would never proactively inquire.

Gu Ning pressed her lips together, composed her emotions, and said to her mother, "Father said he has no objections and will leave everything to you."

"Hehe, I knew he would say that."

Ding Ding Fengxia squeezed her daughter's hand, smiling as she said, "Your father has long said that as long as you are happy, he is fine with anything."

These words seemed casual, yet she had already guessed what troubled her daughter and was using them to offer comfort.

Gu Ning nodded, smiled at her mother, and said, "I have to work tomorrow; I think I'll head back."

"It's too late."

Ding Ding Fengxia wanted to keep her daughter overnight, but seeing the stubborn look in her daughter's eyes, she hesitated briefly before saying, "Let Xiao Qi drive you back."

"Alright."

Gu Ning nodded and immediately went to fetch her bag.

Mu Mu Hongyan had already gone to the duty room to find Xiao Qi the moment her mother-in-law spoke those words; she knew the Eunuch must have said something to her sister-in-law, and her mother-in-law knew it too.

At this moment, she gave the mother and daughter time and space, deliberately stepping aside.

When Xiao Qi had secured Gu Ning's bicycle and driven her out the gate, only bitterness remained on Ding Ding Fengxia's face.

Yet this bitterness flashed by in an instant, not allowing the approaching daughter-in-law to worry; the two returned to the house in silent silence.

Li Li Xuewu had arrived at the large compound before dinner; after getting off work, he hadn't even entered his own home, driving directly here instead, because Master Dou was waiting for him.

"We plan to construct it section by section."

By now the workers had already left the site; Master Dou walked with Li Li Xuewu outside a partially demolished wall, pointing at the construction area and saying, "Doing it all at once would be laborious, difficult to coordinate, and would waste time."

"Mm, you are the expert; I'll follow your advice."

Li Li Xuewu smiled, following Master Dou to glance at the left courtyard currently under repair; part of the original wall had been demolished to allow for the relaying of water, electricity, and sewage pipes.

"If we renovate section by section, I can still rotate usage of this courtyard."

"That's exactly what I wanted to say."

Master Dou nodded, saying, "Houses cannot be left idle; not to mention the long term, even within a year, if human presence vanishes, the house will deteriorate."

Explaining further, he shone his flashlight into the courtyard undergoing renovation, saying, "The windows and door frames here are in better condition than those at the Public Security Brigade compound; my idea is to maintain whatever can be reused, and for what cannot, I will arrange for workers to recreate them exactly as they were."

Li Li Xuewu examined the area by the flashlight's beam; though night had not fully fallen, it was clear that the window lattices and such had already been removed, and these wooden window frames require regular maintenance with paint.

Don't expect Ding Ding Wanqiu to handle maintenance; what more can you expect from someone who makes a living selling confiscated goods?

Master Dou walked with Li Li Xuewu, and upon reaching the courtyard on the right, explained, "Two Misses live here; they even help us cook."

"Heh, is that so?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled skeptically as well; judging by the appearance of those two canaries, eating was about all they were good for.