Chapter 559

"First, do this pilot project well. Plant the parasol tree, and the golden phoenix will come. Only when you are seen to have developed well can you broadly recruit comrades and good friends."

Li Xuewu spoke to Yang Fengshan in a relaxed, flowing manner, which greatly surprised Yang Zongfang, who was sitting opposite them.

Wasn't it said that he came to Steel City to hide from the affairs of the Rolling Steel Mill? Wasn't it said that he had been marginalized? Wasn't it said that he only refused to answer the phone because he had grievances?

From this point of view, he could not see any selfish behavior in Li Xuewu at all, no matter how he looked at it.

From now on, he would never believe anyone who spoke of Li Xuewu in that way again.

Although this person was a bit young and lively, he was definitely not a petty person.

Li Xuewu put down the phone, raised an eyebrow at Yang Zongfang, and said, "Don't you dare tell the Secretary."

"Heh heh, so even you have things you're afraid of."

Yang Zongfang teased him with a smile and began to talk about the affairs of the Steel Mill here.

The two of them had now officially begun to communicate about the affairs of Steel City and the capital. Li Xuewu had already understood Yang Zongfang's thoughts earlier, and after some probing, they were now being open and honest.

There were some things that Dong Wenxue found inconvenient to say, but Li Xuewu's relationship with Yang Zongfang was somewhat special, so it was easier to communicate.

Furthermore, Li Xuewu and Yang Zongfang were of the same rank, and both were individuals with strong personalities, so both sides were quite cautious.

Li Xuewu was afraid that he would be influenced by Yang Yuansong and target Dong Wenxue in Steel City.

Secondly, in the competition within the Rolling Steel Mill, Dong Wenxue would certainly represent Steel City, and the question was whether a second voice would emerge at that time.

This was something Li Xuewu had to determine on this trip to Steel City; if Yang Zongfang had any issues, he could raise them now.

Both sides had to talk clearly about what Dong Wenxue could achieve and what Li Xuewu could achieve.

Yang Zongfang was no fool; although his background in the Rolling Steel Mill was Yang Yuansong, Yang Yuansong was not his father.

Now he was a cadre in Steel City and would be working in Steel City for the next few years, so how he should choose needed to be carefully considered.

This was also the reason why, after arriving in Steel City, Li Xuewu talked to Dong Wenxue first and only talked to him several days later.

No one knew what Li Xuewu's purpose was in coming to Steel City, so naturally, no one knew about the conversation in the Deputy Factory Director's office.

After talking in the morning, Li Xuewu, as usual, held a meeting with Xu Ning and the cadres of the Security Division here.

The main focus was on the mission objectives for the current stage, as well as the preparatory work for training, exchanges, learning, and equipment.

Since he had rarely come here, Xu Ning also hoped that Li Xuewu could provide some guidance on the security work at the Steel Mill.

He was from the capital and naturally did not want to work in Steel City for his whole life; if he wanted to go back, he had to show some real skills.

During the lunch break, Li Xuewu talked to Xu Ning in private, mainly about the layout of the Steel Mill and the security work related to Dong Wenxue.

Secondly, he told Xu Ning about the current situation and the psychological preparations he should make for his future in the security post.

In fact, work methods can all be copied, but when it comes to ideology, without the guidance of superiors, you simply cannot grasp the pulse.

This is why everyone talks about grasping the intent and implementing the ideology; if you can't grasp the key points, you'll be exhausted for nothing—it's all futile effort.

Xu Ning was arranged and promoted by Li Xuewu personally, so naturally, he was full of hope for him and valued him even more.

In the upcoming layout for Steel City, Xu Ning was a crucial figure for Li Xuewu.

Therefore, while ensuring Dong Wenxue's stability in Steel City, Xu Ning's work became particularly important.

There were some things Li Xuewu still wanted to entrust to Xu Ning, after all, Dong Wenxue was still somewhat conservative in his thinking.

For example, the matters concerning Wen San'er and Zhang Wanhe, and the Recycling Station Office; if necessary, Li Xuewu still hoped that Xu Ning would come forward to resolve them.

Although the teacher-student relationship was very solid, Dong Wenxue's methods for handling these small matters were more conservative.

The evening time belonged to Wen San'er and Zhang Wanhe; on Sundays and this evening, both would come to Li Xuewu's room to report and ask for instructions on their work.

Zhang Wanhe moved very quickly, taking Da Qiangzi to take over the wharf, and at the same time, he "communicated" properly with the crew members of the previous fleet.

Wen San'er also did some work in this; the day he went to the meeting with Ji Weidong, he established contact with the relevant persons in charge of those units and enterprises.

Afterward, he began to contact the crew members who were being detained and had already finished their review and investigation.

The backgrounds of these people were not very clean; they were either original fishermen or temporary workers in the city. Having been used by Guandong for a long time, they had settled down in the surrounding area and started families.

However, more of them were like Yu Min—young people from villages near the city who had no jobs and always wanted to venture out for their ideals.

But the reality at this time was too harsh; there were no opportunities for them to venture out, which was why they boarded Guandong's "ship."

Now there were two paths for them: either go back to where they came from, or continue to work as crew members, but they would have to be under restraint.

The wharf was not just a simple pier; it was a place where cargo ships could dock, with warehouses, surrounded by a large courtyard, and even more importantly, it had transportation roads to the city.

However, this place was very remote, even more remote than the warehouse Li Xuewu went to see with Yu Min for the first time.

According to Wen San'er and Zhang Wanhe, it was remote because of the city's relocation; there used to be market towns in the surrounding area, but many were moved away in preparation for building the factory.

Added to factors like the renovation of river embankments and the extension of railways, the role of river transport was diminishing, and the wharf was gradually heading toward decline.

Li Xuewu didn't care about the location; after all, he didn't want to develop real estate here, and being remote actually saved him from attracting attention.

Knowing that Li Xuewu wouldn't stay here long, the two of them tried their best to talk to Li Xuewu about the construction of the fleet.

When the time reached eight o'clock and the two were about to leave, Li Xuewu asked Wen San'er, "Third Uncle, my train is tomorrow afternoon, are you coming back with me?"

Wen San'er and Zhang Wanhe were both stunned when they heard this news. Zhang Wanhe looked at Wen San'er and didn't speak.

He didn't hear Li Xuewu ask him to go back to the capital, so he knew that Li Xuewu was going to arrange for him to stay in Steel City.

He asked Wen San'er if he was going back to the capital, but he didn't ask him if he was going back to Jicheng.

Moreover, Da Chun was in charge of Jicheng now; this silly boy was quite fresh, as if he had really become the proprietor. With the "three fires" of a new official, he seemed to really want to rely on Li Xuewu's support to put on a good performance.

Especially now, Li Xuewu's attitude of distinguishing between close and distant relations made him feel that the hearts of the people were scattered and the team was not easy to lead.

Da Qiangzi and the others who came from Jicheng had seen Li Xuewu's energy here, but seeing those rows of ships at the wharf, they never spoke of avoiding Li Xuewu again.

Although Zhang Wanhe was still respectfully called "Proprietor" by Li Xuewu, and was even entrusted with the main affairs of Steel City, the feeling in his heart was still not very pleasant.

Wen San'er thought a lot after being asked this by Li Xuewu—not just about his family, but also about Zhang Wanhe, and the scrap recycling station at the wharf.

Li Xuewu saw the hesitation in Wen San'er's eyes and said with a smile, "If you want to go back, come back with me. Talk it over properly with Third Aunt when you get back, so that it will be easier to take care of things when you come here in the future."

After finishing with Wen San'er, Li Xuewu looked at Zhang Wanhe and said, "Sharpening the knife doesn't delay the wood-chopping work. With Proprietor Zhang in Steel City, what else do you have to worry about?"

Wen San'er glanced at Zhang Wanhe and said, "It's not that I care about this..."

Zhang Wanhe naturally knew that this was exactly what Wen San'er cared about. From the moment Guandong was caught, the cooperation between him and Wen San'er was over.

What formed instead was a working relationship; the relationship between the two could no longer be one of intimate cooperation. If it really were like that, Li Xuewu might have to break them up.

"If you go back, I will take care of things here. I also look forward to you bringing your concerns to Steel City; we still have to work together."

Zhang Wanhe spoke very politely, but also very vaguely, which did not affect the judgment of the two of them.

He didn't make any promises either. At this time, the relationship between the three was very complicated—whether Wen San'er was here to monitor him or to help him, this had to be discussed slowly.

Li Xuewu smiled, reached out and patted Wen San'er on the arm, and said to him, who was still hesitating, "Think about it slowly. If you're going back, just go to the station at one o'clock in the afternoon."

Wen San'er nodded but didn't give an answer, only smiling helplessly as he explained, "The work here has just started; I thought you would stay for a few more days."

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile to show he understood, and then said to Zhang Wanhe with a smile, "Once Third Uncle has arranged things properly, Proprietor Zhang can also go home and take a look."

"I'm not in a hurry; I'll attend to work first."

Hearing Li Xuewu say this, Zhang Wanhe knew that his family members could forget about leaving Jicheng, but at this moment, he could only smile and agree.

The three exchanged pleasantries for a while before Li Xuewu saw them out the door.

The decision to return to the capital on Tuesday afternoon came after receiving a personal phone call from Li Huai De.

Perhaps it was news from Dong Wenxue, or perhaps it was someone else; Li Xuewu didn't ask, he just reported his work to Li Huai De.

Li Huai De didn't probe into his intention for coming to Steel City, but merely revealed a piece of news to him: the dual contingency plans had entered the sight of the upper levels and were officially being taken seriously; Li Xuewu needed to go back to respond to inquiries at any time.

Another thing was that the situation at the Rolling Steel Mill had attracted the attention of certain leaders. During the day today—that is, after Dong Wenxue had called Li Xuewu—Vice Minister Xiao, who had previously accompanied the research team to the factory, had arrived.

After arriving at the Rolling Steel Mill, this leader, Xiao, prepared to conduct research for two days, and his accommodation was arranged at the guesthouse.

Li Huai De didn't introduce more detailed circumstances to Li Xuewu; he also wanted to test how much Li Xuewu really understood about the situation behind this, and even more, he wanted to see how Li Xuewu would respond to the current political situation.

Li Xuewu didn't offer any other explanation, only replying to Li Huai De that he would take the train back to the capital at one o'clock tomorrow afternoon and would arrive on Wednesday morning.

It was inconvenient to say many things over the phone, but Li Xuewu understood how much pressure Li Huai De was under.

This leader, Xiao, was the leader in charge of the Rolling Steel Mill and had always been very concerned about the development of the Rolling Steel Mill.

Of course, concern meant influence—influence over the factory's personnel, policies, decisions, and so on.

This had both positive and negative influences. For Li Huai De, leader Xiao coming to the Rolling Steel Mill for research was very likely to have a negative impact on his current work.

Others might not know, but he was very clear about the relationship between Yang Fengshan and this leader, Xiao; he feared that this research trip was also to provide a platform for Factory Director Yang.

Although leaders wouldn't express their stance directly, a single word could influence the decisions of others.

It also influenced the level of support from subordinates for Li Huai De; this kind of influence was very significant.

Li Huai De now wanted to test whether he could indirectly shake Yang Fengshan's authority at the Rolling Steel Mill, which was why these things had happened.

Afterward, there were even other arrangements; if Yang Fengshan couldn't hold on, then in the eyes of the leaders above, Yang Fengshan would be seen as lacking control.

If he was lacking, what should be done? Then promote an executive deputy to strengthen the leadership of the organization.

All cadres in officialdom are in a situation where they must either advance or retreat; if they don't move forward, they fall behind.

This included Li Huai De; if he didn't seek to increase his own power and promote his own progress, he would be squeezed further in his scope of power by the achievements of other deputy factory directors.

He was already the deputy factory director in charge of the logistics system; if he were marginalized further, then in the eyes of the leaders above, he would be a cadre without ability.

The result would not only be the loss of his room for advancement, but his current position would also face the risk of adjustment.

This was a normal process; space always had to be made for cadres below, survival of the fittest.

The organization emphasizes that "the water is clear because it comes from a living source."

To maintain the vitality and purity of the organization, fresh forces must be constantly introduced to impact old and outdated ideas.

It sounds cruel, but this is the law of survival in a political ecosystem.

Li Xuewu was also a small insect in this ecosystem; if he wanted to live longer and more comfortably, he had to keep moving.

Judge the changes in the situation and choose the most suitable time to do the most suitable things.

The arrival of leaders is by no means just as simple as research and hindering struggles; it is more likely the intention of the leaders above to adjust the current development of the Rolling Steel Mill.

Regardless of what it was, Li Xuewu hoped to grasp the changing situation at the first opportunity and then react accordingly.

If it were normal times, it would be easy to talk about, but now it was already mid-April, and there wasn't much time left for him.

"Hello, Leader."

"Good, good."

Leader Xiao nodded and smiled at the waiter who was greeting him from inside the bar counter.

Walking past the corner and into the lobby, he saw Yang Yuansong waiting for him. Xiao Yuanhua smiled and praised, "Your guesthouse is not ordinary."

"Heh heh, Leader, please give us more suggestions."

Yang Yuansong smiled and replied, inviting the leader to the canteen for breakfast.

He had originally thought that the leader would eat upstairs, but yesterday the leader rejected the factory director's arrangements and had been eating in the canteen.

So in the morning, he also came to the canteen to wait.

Xiao Yuanhua didn't blame Yang Yuansong for coming to wait for him in the morning; although he didn't advocate this kind of welcoming and sending off, he still understood the principle that one is not always the master of one's own actions when in the world.

Saying not to be polite or to engage in special treatment was one thing, but it was inconvenient for the comrades below to receive him.

One must give comrades some understanding and tolerance; after all, having breakfast together is not special, is it?

I don't know if the comrades at the guesthouse received any notice, but except for the active serving of dishes when eating in the private room yesterday noon, the subsequent meals were all left to the leader to dine in the same self-service form as everyone else.

Without the complicated reception etiquette and the enthusiastic service of the staff, the leader actually felt relaxed.

The breakfast at the guesthouse could be considered rich: four cold dishes, two kinds of pickles, the staple food was flower rolls and steamed buns, and they drank millet porridge and egg drop soup.

Guests staying here could spend two mao to eat their fill, which was quite affordable at this time.

If you wanted to eat your fill of the pancake fruit and soy milk outside, it would cost one mao.

Furthermore, the pickles and staple food outside weren't as substantial as here, so guests staying here generally ate in the small canteen.

And for those with dual-income families where one person reached a certain cadre level and didn't want to cook, they could also come here to buy and eat.

Otherwise, they would have to go to the large canteen, where the food wasn't as refined or varied as here.

Xiao Yuanhua held a small dish of pickles and cold dishes in one hand and a plate of flower rolls in the other, while his secretary cleverly helped him get the millet porridge.

Yang Yuansong also got his own food, which surprised those who knew his identity and were dining here.

The Secretary never ate breakfast here.

However, those who knew Leader Xiao also understood what was going on; they might take a few glances at most, but they didn't dare to annoy the leader.

Xiao Yuanhua gestured to Yang Yuansong, who was about to take the dish from his hand, that he didn't need help and could do it himself. While smiling and putting down the dish in his hand, he said, "Your model is very good; it's convenient and saves trouble."

Hearing the leader's praise was naturally a good thing; early in the morning, a good start was also a victorious beginning.

After the few sat down, Yang Yuansong asked with a smile, "How does it compare to the canteen of the ministry's organs?"

"Hmm, it's not inferior at all."

Xiao Yuanhua smiled and praised again, greeting the accompanying people to eat, while saying to Yang Yuansong, who was eating a steamed bun, "The management of your factory is still very advanced. This can be seen in the service personnel and methods, not just in the way of dining."

"We have also learned from our bitter experiences."

Yang Yuansong took advantage of the breakfast time to tell the leader about the situation of the guesthouse in the past, and then talked about the factory's determination and resolve to reform.

"To tell you the truth, the person in charge of this guesthouse before was Comrade Fengshan's brother-in-law. Heh heh, it actually caused him quite a lot of trouble."

"Is that so!"

Xiao Yuanhua acted as if it were the first time he had heard about this, and seeing the situation Yang Yuansong introduced, he looked at him with great surprise.

The accompanying people were also pondering Yang Yuansong's words in their hearts. During breakfast, there was no need to start talking about work, but these anecdotes were interesting enough.

"Fortunately, Comrade Fengshan is quite upright and cannot tolerate this kind of situation."

Yang Yuansong was quite good at maneuvering, smiling as he pulled the meaning of his words back.

"We met together and decided to transfer someone strong, organized, and disciplined to manage it."

Watching the leader look over, Yang Yuansong explained with a smile, "That is the designer of the dual contingency plans, Comrade Li Xuewu."

"Oh?"

Xiao Yuanhua took a sip of porridge and asked, "Let the Deputy Section Chief of the Security Division be the Director of the Guesthouse?"

"Of course not."

Yang Yuansong seemed to be waiting for this sentence on purpose, explaining, "This guesthouse was originally under the management of the Factory Office, but now it is considered to be under Comrade Li Xuewu's management. Initially, a director was transferred from the Security Section to manage it."

While explaining, he also gestured to the waiters and others in the canteen, saying, "Good discipline should be created by people who value and execute discipline."

Xiao Yuanhua looked at Yang Yuansong and nodded, saying nothing.

And seeing that the leader understood the meaning of his words, Yang Yuansong also smiled and said, "After discipline is cultivated, simple and honest qualities are also needed, so Comrade Li Xuewu transferred several workers from the workshop to manage the guesthouse. That's how we have the good style and service you see today."

"This is indeed worth thinking about."

Xiao Yuanhua said this while holding a flower roll, and at the same time looked at the several accompanying cadres.

These cadres naturally understood the leader's meaning and were also thinking about Yang Yuansong's words in their hearts.

One was a Vice Minister, one was the head of a bureau-level enterprise's leadership team, and the others were personnel from the ministry's organs. Could they sit together and just chat about a guesthouse?

The leader praised the management of the guesthouse; was that just praise? Was it just praising a guesthouse?

And what did the Secretary's tactful answer represent?

Starting from the situation of the guesthouse in the past, from the factory director's brother-in-law, from the changes brought by Li Xuewu to the management of the guesthouse—

This was precisely starting from the management praised by the leader, seeing the big from the small, emphasizing the work discipline of the team, emphasizing the simple and honest thinking of the team, which led to the leader's most intuitive feeling. What did this mean?

What did the leader's "worth thinking about" represent?

These questions were not only lingering in the hearts of the accompanying personnel, but the leader was also thinking about them, and the host, Yang Yuansong, was also thinking about them.

Gamesmanship is everywhere, at all times.

In the time that followed, the leader didn't ask about this again, and Yang Yuansong didn't continue this topic either; he knew when to stop.

The few seemed not to have noticed, and finished this rich breakfast.

After breakfast, Xiao Yuanhua signaled for the accompanying cadres to go upstairs to rest and continue the research work at the factory later, while he himself signaled for Yang Yuansong to accompany him for a walk in the courtyard.

Looking at the small garden, sports field, and outdoor swimming pool next to the auxiliary building, and then looking at the Unity Lake in front of the guesthouse and the garden-style scenery by the lake.

The morning sun was as red as fire, illuminating the lake water until it also danced like flames.

Just like the current situation of the upper levels of the Rolling Steel Mill, complex and ever-changing.

Wandering on the path by the lake, Xiao Yuanhua, who had taken the initiative to suggest a walk, and Yang Yuansong, who was accompanying him, did not speak, as if they didn't want to disturb this serenity.

But the Unity Lake in the morning did not exist in silence; the birdsong and the moving wind could give people a kind of vibrant, flourishing, and vigorous power.

After walking for a long time, Xiao Yuanhua finally spoke, saying, "What a great time; we must cherish it."

Yang Yuansong followed behind and listened, not rushing to express his own opinion.

The leader arrived yesterday, but he didn't come to report his work to the leader because he knew the factory director was more anxious than he was.

Thinking about inviting the leader to the Rolling Steel Mill, the factory director's pressure must be very great, right?

He wanted to sit firmly on the Diaoyutai, so he wasn't in a hurry, which was why he only came to see the leader on the second morning.

But obviously, the factory director had said something to the leader; now, regarding the Rolling Steel Mill, the leader still had some areas of dissatisfaction.

Otherwise, why would he be full of all kinds of praise as soon as he saw him, the head of the Rolling Steel Mill's leadership team?

Xiao Yuanhua didn't care about Yang Yuansong's attitude either; he raised his head to look at the birds in the trees, and while walking, said, "Regarding Fengshan's work, what is the opinion of your Party Committee?"

"This..."

Yang Yuansong didn't expect the leader to be so direct and hesitated for a moment.

However, he was used to storms and waves, so he paused and replied, "The current development situation of the Rolling Steel Mill is naturally fine, and the progress of all work is advancing steadily..."

Xiao Yuanhua listened patiently to Yang Yuansong's report, and even though he knew he was playing Tai Chi, he didn't stop him.

Until Yang Yuansong said "however," he then asked, "However, what?"

Yang Yuansong also glanced at the leader and replied, "Comrade Fengshan is still somewhat blind in some work arrangements and decisions."

Xiao Yuanhua turned his head to look at Yang Yuansong, then turned back to continue walking, saying, "Isn't this the responsibility of you, the team leader? To remind him at all times and correct the mistakes of comrades."

"Mistakes are not the word."

Yang Yuansong naturally wouldn't completely deny Yang Fengshan's work; this didn't fit his demands, nor was it what a team leader should do.

"The administrative decisions of the factory must still be based on Comrade Fengshan's opinions. The Party Committee, well, it grasps the big direction and must give comrades who do practical work the opportunity to try and fail."

Xiao Yuanhua looked at the lake view ahead and didn't immediately comment on Yang Fengshan's answer. After a while, he suddenly asked, "The Security Division is managed by Li Huai De, right?"

"Yes."

Yang Yuansong was somewhat surprised by the jumpiness of the leader's question, but now it was just a casual stroll, not a work talk, so he didn't care.

However, the leader's next words made him take it seriously.

"The security work in your factory is very prominent, and the Security Section Chief is also very capable in managing safety production."

What did this mean?

Although Yang Yuansong didn't immediately understand, he replied immediately: "Comrade Li Xuewu, although he is a bit young, he is still very capable."

This was said in reverse; if he was capable, he was capable—why emphasize that he was young?

Xiao Yuanhua didn't care about Yang Yuansong's answer, just raised his eyebrows and didn't talk about this anymore.

Just like the two's initial decision, this was just a casual walk after breakfast, and what was said during this period was just casual talk.

After sending the leader back to the guesthouse, Yang Yuansong stood in front of the bar counter and couldn't help but ponder.

At this time, the Guesthouse Director, Qin Huairu, walked over and asked the Secretary for instructions: "Secretary Yang, just now Section Chief Wang from the Service Division called and said he wanted to transfer waiters over to specifically serve the leader. What do you think about this..."

Seeing Yang Yuansong recover from his thoughts, Qin Huairu continued to ask: "Should we withdraw the waiters on the fourth floor, and what about the leader's meals..."

Before Qin Huairu could finish, Yang Yuansong frowned and said, "Didn't I say not to engage in special treatment?"

"But..."

Qin Huairu said with a very difficult expression: "This was specifically arranged by Section Chief Wang, saying he wanted the Youth Service Vanguard to come over and provide tracking-style service for the leader."

"Tracking? What kind of nonsense is that!"

Yang Yuansong was also confused by Qin Huairu's words and reprimanded: "What does Wang Jingzhang want to do? Nonsense!"

After saying this, he also realized that this was the guesthouse; although the personnel were affiliated with the Service Division, it wasn't the same thing.

So he waved his hand at Qin Huairu and instructed: "Continue to work according to your methods; don't worry about him."

Yang Yuansong walked out while beckoning his secretary over to give a few instructions, then headed toward the main office building.

Qin Huairu saw the Secretary out the door, and when she came back, she saw Zhang Songying coming over and curled her lips.

Zhang Songying rolled her eyes and said, "Are you crazy about wanting to advance? Why don't you kneel down to serve them~"

"Keep it down, will you~"

Qin Huairu was afraid of Zhang Songying's mouth; it was sharp, and what she said was satisfying, but it was easy to offend people.

Zhang Songying actually agreed with Qin Huairu's way of asking the leader for instructions; although the relationship of their waiters was affiliated with the Service Division, the management didn't belong to the Service Division.

Now Wang Jingzhang was brazenly calling to say this and demand that, really thinking he was something special.

Qin Huairu was also taking advantage of the Secretary's presence to give this old guy a hard time, letting him learn a lesson and not randomly stretch his claws into the guesthouse.

They didn't feel it before; whether it was the Service Division or the Logistics Division, they only regarded the guesthouse as stinking dog shit and didn't want to bother with it.

They let the Factory Office manage it, just regarding it as one less trouble.

It's different now; the guesthouse has become prosperous, and these people are flying over like flies again, always wanting to point fingers at the guesthouse's work.

What they are looking at is nothing more than the fact that Li Xuewu is not convenient to directly intervene in the management of the guesthouse, and Li Xuewu is not at home.

Leaders have come and stayed at the guesthouse, and they all want to drive nails here.

No one said Li Xuewu was good when he was arranging it, but now that it's arranged, everyone thinks he's not good.

Who doesn't say Li Xuewu is smart now? He set up an advertisement sign for himself early on.

Although no one has caught the handle of these cadres and waiters at the guesthouse gossiping about leaders, it doesn't prevent them from understanding and speculating on Li Xuewu's purpose in doing so.

Even if there is no intention to eavesdrop on the leader's secrets, there is always the intention to show off one's own ability, right?

Whoever stays at the guesthouse has to ask why the guesthouse is so comfortable and tidy; compared with the past, one can discover the magnitude of this change even more.

Those who know the inside story can always bring up Li Xuewu's affairs to talk about; if one out of ten people listens and takes it to heart, it's considered useful.

Until now, Qin Huairu finally understood why Li Xuewu didn't let her ask about gossip, and even more, why he didn't let such people appear among the guesthouse service staff.

Under Li Xuewu's management, the more tight-lipped these waiters are, the less Li Xuewu knows about these things, which represents Li Xuewu's selfless character.

The guesthouse's work is done well, which further represents Li Xuewu's advanced work ability and management experience.

Qin Huairu and the others don't need to help Li Xuewu eavesdrop on anything; as long as they work well, it's equivalent to a machine that constantly brushes reputation. Every guest who stays here has the opportunity to get to know Li Xuewu or listen to Li Xuewu's advanced stories.

Didn't they just catch up with this today? Qin Huairu heard the Secretary's table mention Li Xuewu while standing at the door.

"Hey, how come I heard Yu Haitang asked for leave?"

Qin Huairu was afraid that Zhang Songying would say something else, so she took the initiative to change the topic and asked, "Is there such a thing?"

"Who knows~"

Zhang Songying curled her lips and mocked, "She had the nerve; that day she even had the face to call for help in her unit's courtyard. If she had made one friend, she wouldn't have ended up with so many people watching and no one paying her any mind, heh heh."

Qin Huairu asked Yu Li when she was at home on Sunday, and Yu Li also said that Yu Haitang hadn't come to look for her again.

It wasn't that she cared about Yu Haitang; Qin Huairu was just afraid of something happening. If this matter blew up and Yu Haitang suffered, they would also end up in a bad spot.

So when she heard Yu Haitang asked for leave, she hurriedly asked about it.

Zhang Songying listened with her ears pricked up, pointed outside the door, and signaled to Qin Huairu: "Isn't that it? The voice on the broadcast isn't it her? She's fine~"

Qin Huairu listened, and indeed, seeing that everything was normal, she felt relieved.

However, thinking of Zhang Songying's temper, she also advised: "You shouldn't bother with her anymore; it's not good for you."

"Do you think I'm a child?"

Zhang Songying replied with dissatisfaction, then narrowed her eyes and said, "After she's done cleaning up, those women in the Propaganda Department better wait; I'll tear their mouths apart."

"Look at how capable you are."

Qin Huairu also chided her and went back to her own work.

Zhang Songying looked at the time on the wall, thinking about what the leader said at the dinner table that day, and calculated in her heart that he would be back soon, right?

Actually, it was still early. Li Xuewu had a final long talk with Dong Wenxue in the morning as the final opinion for handling the situation at the Rolling Steel Mill after returning to the capital.

After these days of thinking, Dong Wenxue also gave his final decision, which was to follow Li Xuewu's opinion and formulate the next innovation plan for the Steel Mill.

If it followed the normal progress, he feared he would have to work at the Steel Mill for five years before he could go back.

Even if he were promoted to deputy factory director in these five years, it would be a long road, and he feared it would affect Li Xuewu's progress.

Therefore, only by creating innovation would there be an opportunity to make bigger plans and show performance.

If there was a major breakthrough in the Steel Mill's work within three years, Dong Wenxue could return to the factory directly.

And Li Xuewu would also smoothly take over as the regular section chief and come to the Steel Mill to take over.

Whether the situation at that time would still be as good as it was now was hard to say; after all, what the two were encountering now was also an unconventional pattern.

After talking with Dong Wenxue, Xiang Yunian also took the initiative to talk with Li Xuewu.

He was thinking about returning to the capital as soon as possible, but the progress of the work here really couldn't be sped up.

Even following Li Xuewu's opinion and conducting the screening, it still left him stranded in Steel City, unable to return with Li Xuewu.

Regarding the special agents who came to support, according to the mission requirements, Li Xuewu handed the people over to Pa Zile to lead.

Wait until Xiang Yunian's work is completed before returning to the capital together; his work is very complicated and has regional requirements, so it's better to use special agents here.

The previously agreed-upon matter of the Investigation Department supporting their case-handling funds should have received a reply from their leaders, and Xiang Yunian also brought thanks.

Li Xuewu was somewhat surprised, but more than that, he was understanding and happy.

Being able to establish a relationship with the Discipline Inspection Commission, although the surface area for contact is very narrow, can play a big role at critical moments.

Li Xuewu didn't think the money would be spent in vain; "taking people's money makes one soft-handed"—this principle is always acknowledged.

Ji Weidong had been very busy these past few days, like an old miser from Shanxi, looking at warehouses everywhere and negotiating prices.

He didn't come to find Li Xuewu in the evening, and couldn't be seen during the day; he only saw him at the farewell dinner for Li Xuewu at noon.

Li Xuewu also asked him if he was going back with him this time. Ji Weidong's answer was very helpless, but Li Xuewu looked and felt there was a sense of high spirits.

Damn, having money is really different.

"Hey, there's something I want to ask you."

After lunch, after greeting the people who came to see him off, Li Xuewu asked Ji Weidong, who was seeing him to the station: "How do you plan to use the money you divided?"

"What are you doing?"

Ji Weidong looked at Li Xuewu with slanted eyes, as if he were afraid that Li Xuewu would go back on the distribution plan and wanted to grab his share.

"Eww~"

Li Xuewu curled his lips and looked at Ji Weidong with disdain, saying, "Even a dog guarding its food isn't as fierce as you are now."

"Cut the crap."

Ji Weidong didn't bother with Li Xuewu's mockery; he knew Li Xuewu must have something to say.

"I'm just concerned about you."

Li Xuewu saw that this kid wasn't used to nice words and was still guarding against him, knowing that he had suffered too many losses and had developed a conditioned reflex.

So he changed his attitude and said in an indifferent tone: "Money belongs to the organization. Even if it gets into your hands, how much can there be? It's nothing more than a travel allowance~"

"And then?"

Ji Weidong waited for Li Xuewu's follow-up and said, "You don't look down on our little allowance, right? And then? Don't tell me you're asking me for money!"

"How can you look at me like that! What kind of person do you take me for!"

Li Xuewu said with dissatisfaction: "If you don't want to listen, I won't say it. Is it really necessary~"

Ji Weidong looked at Li Xuewu with horizontal eyes, and after walking for a while, seeing that Li Xuewu really wasn't saying anything, he asked: "What exactly do you want to say?"

Li Xuewu knew this kid had to ask. He paused for a while before saying: "Do you understand that floating wealth is not wealth? Haven't you heard the principle that 'goods obtained by improper means will also be lost by improper means'?"

"Cut the crap~"

Ji Weidong looked at Li Xuewu and asked: "If you have something to say, just say it directly; don't drop book bags with me."

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked: "Have you heard of cows having calves, sheep having lambs, and pigs having piglets? Then have you heard of money begetting money?"

"What?"

Ji Weidong didn't understand the meaning of Li Xuewu's words—what kind of cows, sheep, and pigs, and even money having money.

"Say it more clearly; why is it so exhausting to talk to you~"

Li Xuewu listened to Ji Weidong's full-blown Northeast dialect and couldn't help but curl his lips; the charm of the Northeast dialect was indeed very powerful.

"It's your comprehension ability that's not good. You've been busy for more than a month this time; the unit must give you an allowance, right? How do you plan to handle so much money?"

Li Xuewu guided him step by step: "Are you going to spend it, save it, give it to your sister, or give it to your partner..."

"Why would I give it to my sister?"

Ji Weidong hung his eyes and said: "It's even more impossible to give it to a partner; do I look like someone who is henpecked!"

Replying to Li Xuewu, Ji Weidong asked: "You wouldn't be wanting to borrow money, would you? Say, how much?"

"You're showing your ignorance, aren't you?"

Li Xuewu took the few to the platform and asked Ji Weidong rhetorically: "Do I look like someone who is short of money?"

Ji Weidong narrowed his eyes and asked: "Then why are you asking about my money?"

"Do you understand investment?"

Li Xuewu explained with his eyes hanging: "Financial management. You invest your spare money into a project that is making money, let your money have piglets, and you become wealthy. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Ji Weidong nodded with narrowed eyes, twisted his mouth and said: "You're trying to come up with some damaging trick to cheat me out of my money again, right! Borrowing money has a return, but investment might just drift away. You want to take advantage of me!"