Chapter 668: Knowing Not Good from Bad

Now, Li Li Xuewu was simply waiting for the Working Group's favorable wind.

As long as they dared to speak, Li Li Xuewu would dare to "graft flowers onto trees" and "sell dog meat under the guise of mutton."

Since someone else would take the blame anyway, he might as well play; did Li Li Xuewu fear them?

He only feared that Yang Yang Yuansong wouldn't allow it; others might not know, but how could Yang Yang Yuansong and Yang Yang Fengshan not know what kind of character Li Li Xuewu was?

A man bold enough to overturn a Deputy Factory Director, if he leveraged the Working Group's power, might just clean out every single leader in the factory one by one.

Li Li Xuewu himself estimated that his plan wouldn't work; it would get stuck with Yang Yang Yuansong and Yang Yang Fengshan, and once those two mentioned it to the Working Group, the game would surely be up.

Yet this still prevented villains from causing trouble and saved the Security Section from unnecessary trouble.

Yesterday, he had clearly seen malice in those few people's eyes; perhaps they were treating him like a fool to mock.

Given a single steamed bun, they thought he had lost all sense of direction, wanting Li Li Xuewu's Security Section to serve as their vanguard and lead the charge.

Once the matter was settled and they left, Li Li Xuewu would become the Rolling Steel Factory's piece of rotten dog shit; who would then care whether he lived or died?

Therefore, while they were preparing to use Li Li Xuewu, Li Li Xuewu had already judged their ending in his heart.

For people like them, Li Li Xuewu could toy with Li Li Huai De until he squeezed the shit out of them.

Was the Working Group so impressive? Li Li Xuewu still held to the same words he had told Seeing Sha Zhu: as long as the workers remained the masters of this Rolling Steel Factory, the sky would never change.

Indeed, just as Yu Yu Decai had said, this entire morning saw a continuous stream of meetings, large and small, with several specifically requiring Li Li Xuewu's attendance.

Li Li Xuewu was very cooperative, going wherever he was told, yet like Xu Shu entering Cao Cao's camp, he remained silent throughout.

When questioned, he spoke only of practical matters concerning the Security Section.

Although very low-key, he left an excellent impression on the Working Group members attending the meetings: a young cadre who was truly pragmatic.

At noon, Li Li Xuewu had people patrol the office area, production zone, living quarters, and other locations; the feedback received was that the impact had been basically contained, especially in the production zone, where order had already been restored.

After lunch, Li Li Xuewu pulled Kuang Kuang Yusheng aside and asked what brilliant move the Working Group had actually made to resolve the issue within a day and a night.

Kuang Kuang Yusheng's expression was equally strange; looking at Li Li Xuewu, he said in a low voice, "One word: ruthless."

"What thing?"

Li Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes, glanced at Kuang Kuang Yusheng, and asked, "So you weren't ruthless before?"

"Hmm~ Me? I certainly don't have such a ruthless heart!"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng tugged Li Li Xuewu and explained to him, "Do you know how they negotiated?"

"Tell me."

Li Li Xuewu turned and looked around; since no one was nearby at this moment, he took out his cigarettes.

Kuang Kuang Yusheng took a cigarette in his mouth, glanced at Li Li Xuewu, and said, "You weren't here last night, were you?"

After speaking, he glanced at the guesthouse behind him and said to Li Li Xuewu, "Wang Wang Jingzhang is here."

"Is that so?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "I saw everyone leaving, so I left too."

"You're too young."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng gave a hollow, insincere sneer, saying, "That's why I say you're young; you lack the rich political experience of us old comrades. Look at that fellow; hey, he nearly went into the room to scrub his back."

"Pfft~"

Li Li Xuewu was just holding a cigarette in his mouth, preparing to light it, but upon hearing Kuang Kuang Yusheng's words and imagining that scene, he nearly shot the cigarette out like a bullet.

Kuang Kuang Yusheng was merely idly teasing; narrowing his eyes, he said, "I've truly gained some insight; here in the Rolling Steel Factory, when it comes to fawning and flattery, even Xu Si has to step aside; that man is number one."

"Mm, hehe."

Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, lit his cigarette, took a puff, and thinking of Wang Wang Jingzhang, felt he was indeed the type capable of such acts.

"You haven't seen anything even more disgusting yet, tsk tsk~"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng grimaced, glanced behind him again, and continued, "Tonight, the Working Group held talks with grassroots cadres; guess what that bastard said?"

"Mm."

Li Li Xuewu lifted his eyelids, playing the straight man for Kuang Kuang Yusheng, signaling him to continue.

Kuang Kuang Yusheng sneered with disdain, saying, "That bastard intimidated them, saying that if they caused more trouble, the Working Group could directly strip them of their worker status."

"And not just his!"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng said with a face full of disgust, "He also said that his entire family should never dream of stepping through the gates of the Rolling Steel Factory again; tell me, isn't that vicious?"

"Heh~ Isn't this..."

Li Li Xuewu provided Kuang Kuang Yusheng with a lead-in but did not finish the sentence.

"Isn't he just a second-rate traitor?"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng knew what Li Li Xuewu intended to say; pursing his lips, he remarked, "That's why I said at the dinner table earlier; it's just bad timing. If this were twenty years ago, we'd probably have to call him 'Translator,' wouldn't we?"

"Hehehe, you're vicious too~"

Li Li Xuewu smiled, looked at Kuang Kuang Yusheng, and then said, "No wonder I was wondering what you were muttering about at the dinner table; I saw their faces over there turn the color of pig liver."

"Heh, I did well not to punch him."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng spoke fiercely, "That bastard intimidated the kids in our workshop, telling them to bite so-and-so, and even incited the children to go find evidence; damn it, he's absolutely despicable."

Hearing this, Li Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes; as he thought, Old Kuang had taken a long detour only to wait for him here.

It turned out that Wang Wang Jingzhang was targeting Li Li Huai De, but not directly; he had taken a roundabout route, preparing to borrow a knife to kill, letting the Production Management Department bear the brunt.

He hadn't expected that although Old Kuang appeared rough, he was actually a meticulous person; how could he fall for such a trick?

By chattering about this with him, wasn't he just clearing his own name, ensuring that if trouble arose later, Li Li Huai De wouldn't come after him?

Nowadays, who didn't know that the Investigation Team had been invited by Yang Yang Fengshan precisely to quell the farce in the factory and ensure the smooth progress of several projects?

Yet these people were beating grass to startle rabbits; it seemed they were unwilling to merely come here as hired hands, and one couldn't say what they were actually aiming at.

The position of Department Head was already quite high; taking down two of them, paired with a Deputy Factory Director, seemed sufficient for one trip.

Despite the fact that production order had been restored in the factory now, who knew how many people were cursing Yang Yang Fengshan's mother.

Internal conflicts, no matter how fierce, were manageable and wouldn't lead to major disasters, but if one turned traitor and aided outsiders, Factory Director Yang Yang Fengshan's tenure would truly be at an end.

Li Li Xuewu hadn't expected him to act this way, let alone with such ruthlessness.

Li Li Xuewu could understand leveraging senior leaders to lend their prestige; that was a common trick of the administration.

But outsourcing authority and inviting superiors from above to take charge of operations? That was a first.

Whether at the joint enterprise construction site, the residential district site, or in the production workshops, incidents were normal; who could help it that they had landed in this specific time and under this particular situation?

Li Li Xuewu could even persuade Kuang Kuang Yusheng to correctly guide public opinion and direction, conducting individual talks to clarify stances, so how did Yang Yang Fengshan dare to apply a one-size-fits-all approach?

Things had quieted down now; Li Li Huai De didn't dare make trouble, both projects could be studied for resumption, and there were no more troublemakers in the factory workshops, but damn it, morale had scattered.

Looking only at the past, without mentioning other things, Nie Nie Chenglin and Xiang Xiang Jingyu had certainly supported him, and the Party Secretary had never openly caused him any obstruction.

This had resulted in Xue Xue Zhifu, and even Gu Gu Weijie included, never targeting him.

This was also the reason why Li Li Huai De had struggled for so long without achieving his desires.

But look at the situation now?

At the very least, the working group had arrived, and the Party Secretary's position had become passive; why hadn't Yang Yang Yuansong, as the squad leader, shown up when the working group went to the guesthouse last night?

There was no need to guess now; Xue Xue Zhifu and Gu Gu Weijie would absolutely no longer support him; given the natural power of the Party Committee, they wouldn't support him either.

Looking at the factory office side, Xiang Xiang Jingyu had finally risen, because the east wind she had been waiting for had arrived.

But now that she was riding the wind to rise, would she still care who you, Yang Yang Fengshan, were?

If thanks were due, they should be given to the working group for providing the east wind, not to you, Yang Yang Fengshan, for setting obstacles?

Perhaps only Nie Nie Chenglin would still support him, but with the Production Management Department now in trouble, Nie Nie Chenglin was too busy attending to his own affairs; even if he did offer support, how much could it amount to?

A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust one finds little.

Upon hearing this, Li Li Xuewu knew that Li Li Huai De's opportunity had arrived.

Although the working group was currently here to cause him trouble, the factory workers had been pushed by them toward Li Li Huai De's side.

This was especially true when combined with Li Li Huai De's earlier propaganda calling for clean and upright governance, streamlining the administration, perfecting management, and improving worker welfare.

In terms of concrete work, Li Li Huai De had even instigated Zhang Zhang Guoqi to make reckless promises regarding the joint enterprise project.

Now with the residential district project added, Zhang Zhang Guoqi had even more to boast about.

Nowadays, Li Li Xuewu didn't even dare to get close to Zhang Zhang Guoqi; he feared that one day, once Li Li Huai De was firmly seated in power, when those people came demanding their "rewards," Li Li Huai De would have nothing to give and would ultimately have to sacrifice Zhang Zhang Guoqi to the heavens, causing the lightning to strike and splatter blood all over him.

Sometimes, when you are given too much and the giver can no longer deliver, that is your most dangerous moment.

The smart approach was exactly what Li Li Xuewu practiced: appearing useful, yet difficult to use; indispensable, yet forced to perform even when incapable.

Li Li Xuewu could see straight to the bottom of things; Kuang Kuang Yusheng couldn't see that far, but he could see what was right in front of him.

Taking a puff of his cigarette, he looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Our vehicle maintenance project has run into trouble again."

After speaking, he frowned and said, "This morning, Vice Factory Director Nie spoke with me, saying we must halt this project to guarantee the normal production order of existing projects."

"Is that so? Well... in that case, maybe we should just stop it; perhaps Vice Factory Director Nie is right."

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "Your department is the key division of our factory, holding the lifeline of our operations; we cannot give up eating for fear of choking and affect the production progress of the factory's approved projects."

"If this is halted, what will be done about the workers' subsidies!"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng frowned and said, "Leaving that aside, our department has already exceeded production targets; the vehicle maintenance project was done by workers volunteering for overtime, so what the hell does it have to do with formal projects!"

"In my opinion! This is aimed directly at me!"

Li Li Xuewu sighed and said, "I have implicated you all; if this project had been led by your department alone, there wouldn't be so many complications."

Acting quite like a "green tea bitch," Li Li Xuewu patted Kuang Kuang Yusheng's arm and advised, "An arm cannot twist a thigh; he is your direct supervisor, so it's not good to oppose him head-on; it's unnecessary, and letting such a small subsidy affect your career advancement would be troublesome."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng felt utterly losing face under Li Li Xuewu's words; listening to them, they sounded like advice, but upon careful reflection, wasn't it just calling him a coward?

To sacrifice his comrades' opportunity for subsidies for the sake of his own advancement? If such words spread, he wouldn't need to return to the workshop; even if he did, his comrades would mock him to death.

"Don't try to persuade me!"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng got fired up, waved his hand, and said, "You don't need to worry about this matter; our workshop absolutely guarantees that we will not delay the progress of vehicle maintenance; we will only do more, never less."

"Hey, hey, Old Kuang, don't be like this; it's not worth it."

Li Li Xuewu brought the cigarette to his lips, reached out to pull Kuang Kuang Yusheng back, and verbally dissuaded him, "You are currently carrying a disciplinary record; don't act recklessly; he is, after all, a Vice Factory Director."

"I don't care about that; I am the head of the Safety Production Management Department; within the department, my word is law."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng waved his hand at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Enough, you don't need to manage this; let matters stand as they are; just be aware of it."

"Just be careful~"

Watching Kuang Kuang Yusheng leave, Li Li Xuewu even made a show of giving a final admonition; only after seeing the man walk far away did he narrow his eyes like a fox, remove the cigarette from his lips, and take it between his fingers.

"Hiss~ Old Kuang has been persuaded, but where has Old Xia run off to?"

He was truly vicious; having just instigated Kuang Kuang Yusheng, he immediately thought of Xia Xia Zhongquan, wishing to pull the firewood from under the pot for Nie Nie Chenglin, causing both departments under his supervision to fall into ruin and leaving him as a lone stalk of grain.

Li Li Xuewu had been plotting against Nie Nie Chenglin for more than just a day or two; the two had clashed since their very first meeting.

Nie Nie Chenglin had even explicitly expressed his conservative attitude toward Li Li Xuewu's appointment during several office meetings.

It wasn't that Nie Nie Chenglin held a new grudge against Li Li Xuewu, nor was it an old hatred; he simply could not stand the sight of cadres from non-production departments rising to high positions while so young.

He still harbored old-fashioned ideas, believing that without the Design Department and the Production Management Department, the Rolling Steel Factory would collapse, and that all other departments existed merely to serve these two.

Furthermore, regarding cadre appointments, priority should always be given to cadres from these two departments because they contributed more and were more "rooted in the correct soil and sprouting red shoots."

Such thinking might seem biased, but in the factories of this era, it was indeed the mainstream ideology.

There was no other reason; cadres promoted from the workshops were all of worker origin, inherently possessing the advantage of their class background.

Moreover, the Rolling Steel Factory was a factory; if the workers did not represent the Rolling Steel Factory, who else could?

Speaking of Model Workers, they should be generated through genuine hard work and practical production efforts, not like Li Li Xuewu, who obtained one merely by relying on a set of theories or inventing a safety management method.

Therefore, while others might or might not have opinions about Li Li Xuewu receiving a Labor Medal, Nie Nie Chenglin's objections were enormous.

Awarding a Labor Medal to the Deputy Director of the Security Department? Wasn't that a huge joke?

He had spoken these words frequently in internal meetings, showing Li Li Xuewu very little face.

Very well, then. Let's go. Let's hurt each other.

Since you're so good at talking, I'll raid your home base and snap your spine.

First, I'll sow discord in the two departments under your charge, then kick you when it matters most, ensuring you never recover for the rest of your life.

Li Li Xuewu's character at the Rolling Steel Factory was known to men, women, and children alike; although he acted somewhat ruthlessly, he was fundamentally kind-hearted and never quarreled with others.

Just look; throughout his journey, even toward those who opposed him, Li Li Xuewu had never spoken ill of anyone behind their backs.

Of course, the exceptions from a few days ago regarding Xue Xue Zhifu and Yang Yang Fengshan were insults delivered openly, and not on his own behalf, but on behalf of the comrades from the Security Division who had nearly sacrificed their lives.

Therefore, while some said he was ruthless and others said he was relentless when defeated by Li Li Xuewu's hand, no one ever said he was bad.

Well, that's not quite right; some people often called him a scoundrel, or coquettishly remarked, "You're so naughtyy~"

"Are you up to some mischief again?"

Li Li Xuewu was standing beneath a tree when Qin Qin Huairu walked over, pointed at him with a smile, and said, "Look at that wicked grin of yours; are you plotting against someone again?"

"Don't slander an honest man~"

Li Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "I'm just thinking about what to eat for dinner."

"Hey~ as if I'd actually believe that~"

Qin Qin Huairu chided Li Li Xuewu lightly, then added, "I don't know what you're eating tonight, but we're having beef tonight; are you coming or not?"

"The guesthouse? Beef?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, squinted his eyes, and asked, "Hasn't all that little beef in the warehouse already been devoured by you lot?"

"Get lost with you; I'm kindly inviting you to enjoy some good food."

Qin Qin Huairu pursed her lips and said, "Director Wang personally collected the meat; it was a huge piece. He said it was meant to properly entertain the working group."

"Heh~"

Li Li Xuewu rolled his eyes, pursed his lips at Qin Qin Huairu, and said, "So it turns out it wasn't made for me; you just want me to pick up the scraps. I'm not going; it's too humiliating."

"Hey~"

Qin Qin Huairu glanced left and right, raised her eyebrows, and said, "Well, some people don't find it humiliating and are actively coming to pick up those scraps~"

Li Li Xuewu looked at Qin Qin Huairu, who smiled without speaking, and chuckled, "Let whoever wants to pick them up do so; I need to get back to work."

Having said this, he crushed the cigarette butt in his hand, tossed it casually into the trash bin, and strode toward the office area.

Due to the arrival of the working group, Deputy Director Li's midday tea session was temporarily cancelled.

Besides, Li Li Xuewu had no desire to join in the fuss; with so many people around, nothing meaningful could be said, only damn nonsense.

It would have been fine if a few female comrades had come, but it was all damn men; what was there to chat about?

Speaking of which, among the division-level and deputy division-level cadres at the Rolling Steel Factory, female comrades were indeed scarce; unlike the Textile Factory, this factory had mostly male staff.

With his hands in his pockets, Li Li Xuewu walked back across the main road, passing the broadcasting station where he spotted Yu Yu Haitang.

Yu Yu Haitang saw him too; upon seeing him, she stopped in her tracks and stared at him for quite a while.

Li Li Xuewu didn't pay much attention; there were quite a few people in the Rolling Steel Factory who regarded him as an idol, making him feel like a celebrity just by being a cadre.

Yu Yu Haitang only moved her feet after Li Li Xuewu had walked away, though her steps felt somewhat unsteady.

It wasn't that she feared Li Li Xuewu, but seeing him inevitably brought forth a sense of awkwardness.

Furthermore, whenever she thought of Li Li Xuewu, she was reminded of the beating she had suffered earlier; having been awakened by it, she now understood how shameless her past actions toward Li Li Xuewu had been.

Nowadays, she had become much more subdued, though the factory had just issued a notice requiring activists and youth to attend a meeting for study.

Li Li Xuewu learned of this news only after returning to his office; the deputy director from the working group, who was specifically in charge of such matters, was currently organizing study sessions for the young clerks and cadres of the Rolling Steel Factory.

After Yu Yu Decai finished speaking, Li Li Xuewu cast an amused glance across the room.

Speaking of this matter, it was indeed somewhat interesting; while others might not know, Li Li Xuewu was well aware that Yang Yang Fengshan most detested subordinate factions and underhanded maneuvers.

Yang Yang Yuansong also disapproved of this organizational format; if they wanted to study or discuss, didn't every unit already have its own study session? Was there no room there?

Li Li Xuewu wondered whether Yang Yang Fengshan now felt like someone who had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot.

In the afternoon, a call came from Steel City; Dong Wenxue, perhaps having heard something, made a special call to inquire about the Security Division's work.

Li Li Xuewu had told Dong Wenxue that certain confidential topics could not be discussed over the phone, as he himself had previously engaged in phone tapping.

Therefore, the topics Dong Wenxue discussed over the phone were handled with great caution.

He focused his inquiries on the current progress of the Security Division's main tasks, and in his responses, Li Li Xuewu interwove the situation at the Rolling Steel Factory into his work report for Dong Wenxue.

Dong Wenxue likewise informed him of the situation at the Steel Plant through the guise of work communication.

From the looks of it, the main storm center was still in Jingcheng; although Steel City was fraught with tension, the overall situation remained good.

Li Li Xuewu also advised Dong Wenxue to communicate more with relevant comrades, strive to control the situation, and ideally find a breakthrough point so that certain issues would not affect the bigger picture.

It was unclear whether Dong Wenxue understood what Li Li Xuewu meant by "certain issues."

Over the phone, Li Li Xuewu could sense the pressure in his teacher's heart and better understand his helplessness as the top leader at the branch factory.

Holding the positions of both Party Secretary and Factory Director was an honor, but also a responsibility.

One had to escape the pressure of Yiyantang while shouldering the heavy burden of primary leadership.

To be honest, Li Li Xuewu also knew clearly that his teacher, Dong Wenxue, was better suited for work at the general factory headquarters; with his rather soft personality, he relied too heavily on others' opinions for many decisions and deployments.

Even Li Li Xuewu himself had offered him opinions and suggestions many times, and it was based on Li Li Xuewu's advice that Dong Wenxue had launched the transformation work at the Steel Plant.

As for Dong Wenxue himself, he had no problems in management, but he had achieved little in terms of innovation and development direction.

A conservative personality represented a singular behavior in the workplace, possessing both advantages and fatal flaws.

Government agencies would never have enough positions for one's promotion; eventually, one must gain experience as a primary leader.

The teacher and student talked about work for a while before turning to family matters.

Li Li Xuewu mentioned his recent visit to his teacher's home, noting that both his teacher's wife and child were doing well.

He said only this; the two of them surely had telephone contact regarding the specific condition of his teacher's wife, and Dong Wenxue merely wished to confirm indirectly through Li Li Xuewu that everything at home was fine.

At the very end of the call, Li Li Xuewu hinted to his teacher about the questions his teacher's wife had asked when he had left their home back then.

Of course, these words could not be spoken directly; instead, he had to say that his master's wife was quite concerned about him, had asked about matters in Steel City when he left, and requested that his teacher make more calls to the home.

Upon hearing Li Li Xuewu's remark, Dong Wenxue paused briefly, said "Very well," and then ended the call.

This was all Li Li Xuewu could do; the points that needed highlighting had been highlighted, and the necessary content had been conveyed.

Due to the short timeframe, Yu Yu Decai had not received any news regarding Wang Wang Shumin on his end, indicating that things had evidently quieted down considerably.

Li Li Xuewu also felt worried for his teacher; with such a temperament, yet engaging in the game of "red sleeves adding fragrance," he was simply inviting suffering upon himself.

After putting down the phone from Dong Wenxue, he actually wanted to make a call to his godfather, but given the current period, it was ultimately rather inconvenient.

Leaving aside whether matters had escalated to the district level, the situation at the district itself was amidst wind and rain; his godfather was the type to avoid trouble whenever possible and contend for nothing.

Reading the newspapers, Li Li Xuewu found no abnormalities, but the dazzling array of statements from various parties above did give him somewhat of a headache.

Several afternoon meetings involved the Security Division, all of which Li Li Xuewu had Yu Yu Decai attend on his behalf.

Such instances of having meetings attended by a substitute were not rare for Li Li Xuewu, as everyone knew he held two positions simultaneously and had a heavy workload.

Moreover, since both the Security Division and the Sub-bureau were departments with strong requirements for timeliness, no one at the Rolling Steel Factory would pick fault with him over this.

Furthermore, the newly arrived working group had received proactive explanations and communication from Yu Yu Decai even before the meeting, so naturally, no one cared whether he attended or not.

While processing documents on his desk, Li Li Xuewu also received a call from Huang Master Qian, inviting him to watch a folk dance performance.

"Are you so bored that your balls hurt?!"

Holding the phone to his ear, Li Li Xuewu spoke irritably to Huang Master Qian on the other end: "Or are you doing this on purpose, seeing me busy enough that my feet are hitting the back of my head, just to make me envious of your leisure?"

"Look at that, such a huge temper; you really do need some relaxation."

Huang Master Qian teased over the phone: "I am here to save you from fire and water; seeing how hard you work, I invite you to experience a visual feast to relax your nerves."

"My nerves are quite relaxed already."

After signing the document and setting it aside, Li Li Xuewu continued to banter over the phone: "If no bastards disturbed my work, my nerves would be even more relaxed."

"Hey, I say, don't be ungrateful."

Huang Master Qian said arrogantly: "I didn't even ask anyone else; I invited only you. If you don't give me face, you truly are no good."

Li Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth; that bastard must be using him to cover for himself with his wife, and today he might be watching something unsuitable for a married man.

Li Li Xuewu could roughly guess the situation: it surely contained an extremely high concentration of "thighs."

Folk dance; is there even such a program?

"Let me ask you first."

While looking at documents, Li Li Xuewu asked Huang Master Qian: "Why are you so keen on watching dance?"

"Damn it, I need to have something else to watch!"

Huang Master Qian complained from the other end: "In all of Four-Nine City, there are only these few theaters; it's either ballet or folk dance, otherwise it's movies or Peking Opera."

"Cultural galas would be fine, but damn it, one has to be able to stomach them."

Li Li Xuewu could roughly understand the situation he described; essentially, the programs at the various theaters in Four-Nine City were quite monotonous, which conformed to the characteristics of the era and met the needs of current troupe rehearsals and cultural task arrangements.

Performances featuring all sorts of types, like those cultural galas, mostly occurred during consolation tours or within holidays.

But at those times, whether it was Li Li Xuewu or Huang Master Qian, they were required to be on duty, so where would they find the time to watch performances?

Over the phone, Huang Master Qian also mentioned another type, which was the spoken-word arts that were currently quite popular.

For instance, cross-talk and drum-singing; while he could tolerate drum-storytelling, he simply could not accept cross-talk.

For no other reason than the female Mr. in drum-storytelling looked good and wore skirts, whereas cross-talk featured just two old men.

"If I worked all day, exhausted like a third-rate grandson, and then went in the middle of the night to watch two old men cracking jokes, would I not be out of my mind?!"

Huang Master Qian was actually quite reasonable; his words went straight to the point, telling Li Li Xuewu that he was simply going to look at beautiful women.

Indeed, at this time, if you stared at a pretty Miss or woman on the street, you were sure to be scolded.

But if you sat in a theater and watched, no matter how straight your gaze was, people would say you possessed eyes that appreciated art.

This was truly reasonable; change the location, and the argument and logic became entirely different.

After rambling on at length, Huang Master Qian finally told Li Li Xuewu the theater's address and time before hanging up.

Li Li Xuewu had originally intended to refuse, but Huang Master Qian gave him no time, so he could only curse with a laugh and put down the phone.

He truly had many matters on his hands; documents returned from the mountain training ground required his review of the progress and specific details of several training projects.

This included the Class A and Class B of the dual-contingency plan, which had already started classes and were undergoing training; Li Li Xuewu could not allow his primary duties to become disconnected from himself.

There was the execution and implementation of security work at the Rolling Steel Factory, as well as the inspection work of the Fire Protection Section and the handling of violations.

In between, he also called the training ground to inquire about the medical workstation supported by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and the situation at the Canned Food Factory.

Wei Tong naturally understood what Li Li Xuewu was concerned about and reported on the training ground, Red Star Village, Mountain 816, as well as the two projects Li Li Xuewu had just asked about.

Although Li Li Xuewu went up the mountain once a week, Wei Tong's proactive reporting on the progress of related work still allowed Li Li Xuewu to grasp the dynamics on the mountain in real time.

After finishing his talk with Wei Tong, Li Li Xuewu checked the time on his watch, called the Car Squad, and prepared to go downstairs to the Public Security Brigade.

Yu Yu Decai had gone to a meeting and had not returned by this time; Li Li Xuewu did not intend to wait for him, knowing that if there was an urgent matter, Yu Yu Decai would know where to call to find him.

Downstairs, Xiao Liu was standing by the car waiting; upon seeing Li Li Xuewu come out, he immediately spoke up: "Division Head, let me drive; later, I can just take the bus directly home."

"No need for the trouble; I can drive too."

Smiling, Li Li Xuewu patted Xiao Liu on the shoulder, took the keys, and waved his hand.

Watching Li Li Xuewu get in the car, start the engine, shift gears, and drive off in one smooth motion, Xiao Liu felt nothing but bitterness in his heart.

Following such a strongly individualistic leader, he wondered when he would ever get the opportunity to stand out.

The reason Li Li Xuewu had just called Xiao Liu was to have him prepare the car and to inform him that he would not need to drive him home tonight.

Not letting Xiao Liu drive him was not because he disliked this Xiao Liu, nor because he wanted to drive himself, but because that bastard Huang Master Qian had scheduled the time far too early.

The parking lot administrator on the Public Security Brigade side was also slightly surprised to see Li Li Xuewu step out of the driver's seat.

Li Li Xuewu paid it no mind, smiling and waving his hand as he walked toward the eastern courtyard.

The dormitory building renovation project on this side was unaffected by the current situation, proceeding with vigorous momentum.

Because the construction team had set up safety warning signs, Li Li Xuewu only stood outside and took a look.

They had been demolishing for three days; the rubble and trash were piled high, and the interior of the building was mostly stripped.

Actually, this kind of old building renovation demolishes quickly and refurbishes quickly too; as long as there are enough hands, progress is no problem.

The engineering team here lacks no people; Dou Dou Yaozu truly has the stuff for business and managing a team—he is straightforward, has a set of old rules for internal affairs, and is serious, diligent, and earnest in external matters.

This kind of diligent essence, if developed well, becomes a corporate culture.

The requirements and development goals Li Li Xuewu set for him were established to make the business bigger and stronger; if he can truly achieve this and maintain it, he will definitely have a place in the future construction industry.

Over the past year, Li Li Xuewu arranged all sorts of projects for him, letting Dou Dou Yaozu earn so much money it felt like it bit his hands; consequently, he actively moved closer to Li Li Xuewu and followed Li Li Xuewu's words to the letter.

Although Li Li Xuewu never mentioned shares, in Dou Dou Yaozu's mind, there was a clear account kept.

For private capital or technical strength to occupy the market, develop steadily, and remain unaffected by the situation, one must have certain backing.

Such backing cannot be said to be entirely bad; if it can aid enterprise growth, stimulate development potential, and guide the direction forward, then this is a force anyone would want.

Dou Dou Yaozu wanted it, and he achieved it: whatever Li Li Xuewu valued, he valued; whatever Li Li Xuewu required, he accomplished; whatever Li Li Xuewu cared about, he cared about.

Since Li Li Xuewu valued quality and safety, worker safety was important, and project quality was important.

Since Li Li Xuewu required him to be low-key and pragmatic, he developed steadily, neither seeking to rise to heaven in a single step nor dreaming of lasting ten thousand generations.

Since Li Li Xuewu cared about three projects—the club, the residential area, and the dormitory building—he ran to these three places every day; even if he wore out his bicycle tires, he ensured that when Li Li Xuewu arrived, he would see him, or at least know he had been there that day.

The older generation of craftsmen, or rather artisans, had a set of standards they upheld for conducting themselves and their work, which they would not easily change.

Just like now, Li Li Xuewu felt Dou Dou Yaozu was damn well a fortune teller; every time he went to inspect a project, he could always see him.

If one couldn't explain it by calling him a fortune teller, then one could only say Dou Dou Yaozu was tailing him.

"Finished demolishing?"

"Not yet~"

Dou Dou Yaozu stretched the Mao Jin around his neck, removed the mask from his face, and wiped his face and hands as he walked over.

Walking up close, he explained to Li Li Xuewu: "Walls with corrosion and leaks still need to be cleaned up, and we also need to check if there are any problems with the internal structure."

He took an enamel mug from the follower behind him, let the little follower pour a cup of reddish, eye-piercing soup from a thermos, and gulped it down.

"Heh~"

After finishing the soup in one gulp, he exhaled heavily, wiped the sweat with the Mao Jin again, and explained: "It's boiled mung bean soup, chilled with ice-cold well water; can't get by without this."

Li Li Xuewu could also feel the heat on the construction site; looking left and right, he pointed toward the Public Security Brigade canteen and said: "Boil it nearby at the canteen, have them add some white sugar, and make sure no one gets dehydrated."

"It's fine, it's not far from home anyway."

Dou Dou Yaozu waved his hand and said: "The women at home boil it, leave it in the well overnight, take it out in the morning, fill the thermos, and bring it over; it's enough."

Speaking, he gave a simple, honest smile and said: "This place is different from the Rolling Steel Factory; there are rules here, so it's not good to trouble people."

Seeing he had arrangements in place, Li Li Xuewu said no more, only asking with concern: "Did you go to Commissar Wang to settle the funds?"

"Yes, gave it; Monday morning, that's when it was given."

Dou Dou Yaozu handed the enamel mug in his hand to the little follower, waved his hand, and signaled for him to go back.

Li Li Xuewu looked at that half-grown boy and teased Dou Dou Yaozu: "Not bad, even using a secretary now."

"Please don't mock me."

Speaking, he wiped his hands, took the cigarette Li Li Xuewu handed over, struck a match himself to light Li Li Xuewu's cigarette, then lit his own.

Both smoked a bit before he explained: "He's my cousin's son; graduated from primary school, loafed around for several years, so now he's come here to be an apprentice."

Li Li Xuewu nodded, not minding this, and pointed toward the building, saying: "Electricity is convenient here; if necessary, just string up lights and work at night; it's cooler then, avoiding the noon heat."

"Hey~ not that delicate~ this is nothing~"

Dou Dou Yaozu smiled, showing a mouthful of big white teeth, and signaled to Li Li Xuewu while saying: "Not much sun gets inside; now that the windows are knocked out, there's ventilation, so it's not too hot."

After speaking, he looked up at the big sun overhead and said: "But we do need to speed up progress; otherwise, once July and August arrive, this weather will be unbearable."

Li Li Xuewu took a puff of his cigarette, nodded, and said: "Prepare the internal beds and other fittings early too; the renovation period must not exceed October."

"Rest assured about this; I guarantee it won't exceed."

Dou Dou Yaozu took a hard drag on his cigarette and said: "I've slowed down the projects on the residential area side; I've pulled all the people over here, so the speed is guaranteed to be fast."

"The iron-frame beds are custom-ordered ready-made; when the time comes, they just need to be fixed directly onto the walls."

"For the bed boards, I went directly to the timber factory; for the office desks, chairs, and furnishings for the conference and activity rooms, I spoke with your grandfather's side; Lao Lao Biaozi will arrange it later."

Master Dou listed the specific arrangements item by item for Li Li Xuewu, fearing Li Li Xuewu might have other requirements and need changes at any time.

"The training equipment is the same as the club's; just make it according to the drawings, so that's nothing much."

After hearing Master Dou finish, Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked: "Has anyone approached you regarding that residential area project matter?"

"Hmm, people from the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission came to see me, but haven't been back since."

Dou Dou Yaozu looked at Li Li Xuewu and asked: "Can we still take on that project?"

"It should be no problem."

Li Li Xuewu flicked off some ash and said: "As long as the investigation finds no issues with you, you are covering the bottom and saving face for those people at the Rolling Steel Factory; use them however you should."

This matter was originally assigned by Li Li Xuewu to Dou Dou Yaozu; otherwise, he wouldn't have such a firm grasp on Deng Deng Zhiwang's affairs.

Of course, the little tricks still needed to be played; at the very least, one couldn't let anyone grab hold of the tail.

When Xiang Yun was investigating this side, Li Li Xuewu did not interfere, fearing he would alert the snake by striking the grass.

Clearly, this old hand of the Jianghu was no joke; he really had some skills.

After chatting for a while, Li Li Xuewu returned to the Public Security Brigade.

This time he saw Wang Wang Xiaoqin; Shen Fang was nowhere to be seen.

Upon asking, he learned that the first-step review led by Wang Wang Xiaoqin was nearly complete; the material review could be done upon return.

However, the physical examination, which followed behind Wang Wang Xiaoqin's actions, had to be carried out.

The physical examinations at this time, to speak of, were simple; they were more like exams for sports students.

Whether it's a mule or a horse, take it out for a run; after a few laps, those with no leg or foot problems basically pass.

The recruitment plan formulated by Wang Wang Xiaoqin was interlinked: the initial document review sifted out the dregs, the physical examination filtered out the weaklings, the cultural review weeded out the incompetents, and the political review screened out the bad apples.

After four rounds of screening, those who remained depended on luck; they would be ranked downward by the composite score of cultural and physical qualities, stopping once they reached the fifteen-hundredth position.

When Li Li Xuewu entered the room, he saw many people busy in both the main hall office and Wang Wang Xiaoqin's office, clearly conducting the first round of screening.

"Yo~ who's this~ must have walked into the wrong door!"