Chapter 690: Eating Melon

Li Xuewu has a profound influence at the guesthouse, which they all know. Xu Ning, formerly of the Security Section and now of the Steel Mill Security Division, was someone who jumped out from the guesthouse.

They have also heard that the current director of the guesthouse used to live in the same large courtyard as Li Xuewu, and Li Xuewu's parents still live there. Therefore, it is not strange to see Qin Huairu bringing Li Xue and the others over; those who recognized them even greeted them.

By the time they reached the third floor, there were even fewer people in the corridor. After all, if you aren't proactive about leaving work, it means your ideology is problematic.

This is Banggeng's first time here, and his first time on the third floor, so he is curious about everything he sees.

He is currently at an age where people dislike him and dogs avoid him, and Qin Huairu is unwilling to pay him any mind; give him a little sunshine and he'll start to shine.

Walking to the end of the corridor, they saw Sha Qizhi just coming out of the large office, talking to someone.

"Hurry up and take it, have a taste of something fresh."

Sha Qizhi said this with a smile to Zhou Yao, who was walking out politely. Seeing Qin Huairu and the others arrive, he greeted them: "Director Qin, not on duty today?"

"Yes, since we have an extra deputy director, we actually have an extra day off."

Qin Huairu responded with a smile. She glanced at Zhou Yao, knowing that she was also a newly arrived university student, and nodded politely.

Following Sha Qizhi's lead, Zhou Yao greeted both Qin Huairu and Zhang Songying.

Looking again at the girl following Qin Huairu, she heard Sha Qizhi take the initiative to introduce her: "This is Comrade Li Xue, Director Li's younger sister."

After finishing, he introduced her to Li Xue: "This is Comrade Zhou Yao, a university student assigned to our section this year."

"Hello."

"Hello."

The two sized each other up and exchanged greetings.

Qin Huairu gestured toward Li Xuewu's office and asked, "Is Director Li in?"

"The leader is in."

Sha Qizhi walked over with a smile to open the door for them. After inviting Qin Huairu and the others inside, he gestured to Zhou Yao at the entrance of the large office: "Hurry and head off work. The extra ones were brought specifically for you."

"Then, thank you, Li Kezhang Sha."

Zhou Yao nodded with a smile. It wasn't until Sha Qizhi entered the director's office that she returned to the large office.

Earlier, when Sha Qizhi returned to the large office, he had been very polite to everyone.

Because there were many people in the room, he had cut up some melons and fruits for everyone to taste.

When it was time to leave work, Zhou Yao had been signaled by Sha Qizhi to stay a little longer.

Once everyone had left, Sha Qizhi pointed to the two remaining Hami melons in the box, saying they were left for her to take home.

Zhou Yao hadn't expected Sha Qizhi to take such good care of her. Feeling very embarrassed, she had chased after him to be polite.

She roughly understood Sha Qizhi's intentions. Previously, people in this office had only a mediocre relationship with Sha Qizhi; she was a newcomer, yet she got along relatively well with him.

Furthermore, as a university student who had gone through more than two months of internship and received Sha Qizhi's guidance and help, she was considered his student.

These two Hami melons were not particularly precious items, but they were hard to buy in Beijing.

Although they were sold in the mill, one would have to buy them oneself. These were brought back from the frontier by Li Kezhang Sha; the gift may be light, but the sentiment is heavy.

In the past, she always felt that work was nothing special—everyone was just a colleague, so just work well and get along well.

But just a few days into her internship, she encountered a social crisis and was lectured by the leader's secretary.

In the days that followed, she constantly made mistakes and suffered setbacks, making her realize that after starting work, government units were not as good as she had imagined.

And just as she persisted in her internship at the Security Division, holding her ground, she encountered the warm side of the government unit.

The leader's concern and guidance, the Secretary Sha who had lectured her also taught her office skills, and even gave her a big surprise at the end of her internship.

Now, having received a gift from the person who had lectured her, Zhou Yao returned to the office and looked at the two Hami melons, only feeling that the workplace is like life—unexpected things always happen.

For Banggeng, life is like the gunpowder at noon; if it isn't lit, it ultimately carries regrets. There is a difference between what he thinks in his heart and reality.

"Wu Shu! Your office is really big!"

Banggeng was like a bumpkin who had never seen the world, shouting noisily, his eyes scanning the room's furnishings as if they weren't enough.

He knew Wu Shu was a cadre at his unit, but he had been to his mother's office, who was also a cadre; several people occupied a small room to work, and there was nothing special about it.

At this moment, he saw a large row of wooden file cabinets placed against the wall, with neat files stacked behind the glass doors.

There was a large desk, two chairs in front of the desk, a sofa in the room, and various application cabinets and flowers and plants decorating the surroundings.

Qin Huairu looked at her son helplessly, then asked Li Xuewu: "Did you keep any for yourself? Songying and I can just buy some; they aren't expensive."

"Take them away, there are plenty; if they aren't eaten, they'll just go bad."

Li Xuewu waved his hand, signaling Sha Qizhi to divide the remaining box of fruit between Qin Huairu and Zhang Songying.

Seeing his mother go into the inner room, Banggeng followed curiously, and upon seeing the box of fruit inside, his eyes widened even further.

Li Xuewu didn't pay him any mind; he was preparing to leave work and was tidying up the documents on his desk.

Seeing this, Li Xue also came over to help tidy up.

Li Xuewu raised his head, looked at his sister, and asked with a smile: "First day of work, how does it feel?"

"Nothing much~"

Li Xue pursed her lips and smiled, saying: "Just doing chores."

"Hehe, Peng Xiaoli didn't teach you how to slack off, did she?"

While joking with his sister, Li Xuewu tidied up the documents on the desk.

Sha Qizhi hadn't been here these days, so he had been tidying up the documents himself. Those that needed to be read at home were put into his briefcase, and those that didn't were placed to the side for Sha Qizhi to file.

Li Xue looked at the people in the inner room dividing the fruit and looked at her brother with some confusion.

She knew about this fruit; it was brought back by the second brother's secretary. She didn't know why it was just given away to Qin Huairu and that Zhang Songying.

However, this was her second brother's decision. She just took a look, didn't speak, and certainly didn't show excessive concern.

Sha Qizhi only opened the box for Qin Huairu and the others, leaving the rest for the two to divide themselves, while he tidied up Li Xuewu's documents for the day.

He hadn't handled many of them and didn't know how to file them, so his movements were a bit slow.

By the time Qin Huairu and the other had finished dividing them in the inner room, Sha Qizhi had just about finished tidying up.

Li Xuewu had been standing by the desk talking to Li Xue the whole time. Seeing that they were all ready, he took the lead and walked out.

Banggeng only felt that today was both disappointing and rewarding; he didn't know whether he should feel depressed or happy.

However, holding a bag of fruit, Banggeng still felt more happy. Coming down from the building and following Li Xuewu, his mouth didn't stop talking.

Li Xuewu also felt that this child was a bit annoying, but he still listened with a smile.

When they reached downstairs, the command vehicle was already waiting at the entrance. Li Xuewu flicked Banggeng on the forehead and warned: "If I find out again that you're playing dangerous games, I'll take you to experience what the consequences are like."

"Got it, Wu Shu!"

Banggeng was obedient to Li Xuewu—the unconditional kind. He knew Li Xuewu really dared to discipline him, and wouldn't be light-handed at all.

If you said Li Xuewu really dared to discipline him, he should just stay far away, but he insisted on not doing so.

Qin Huairu also had no way to deal with her son; she was afraid of Li Xuewu, yet she still rushed to hang out with him.

Banggeng knew himself that although Li Xuewu scared him, he had never laid a hand on him, and although he told him about dangers, he had never let him touch anything dangerous.

Children's eyes are bright; they know who is good to them and who is not.

For a mischievous boy like Banggeng, he knows what's good and bad, he just doesn't know how to measure things.

He knew gunpowder could blow up fish, but he never thought about blowing up people, so a boy like this must be kept in check.

Li Xuewu spoke to Banggeng about this because he saw the boy wasn't bad and would listen, which is why he said it.

He signaled for Li Xue to get in the car. Seeing Sha Qizhi and Han Jiankun helping the two secure the fruit box, he waved to Qin Huairu and the others, then got into the car himself.

Watching the command vehicle leave, Zhang Songying gave Qin Huairu a look and whispered: "What a smart girl."

"You don't even look at whose sister she is."

Qin Huairu twitched the corners of her mouth, replied to him, and then pushed her bicycle to walk out.

Zhang Songying also pushed his bicycle and followed, saying: "She doesn't have her brother's bad streak; she looks gentle and quiet, like a refined young lady."

"You haven't seen their family's upbringing."

Seeing that there was no one else around, Qin Huairu said to Zhang Songying: "Li Xue was raised by the old lady; her manners and conversation are all very disciplined."

"Not to mention Li Xue, look at their family's old lady again."

Qin Huairu pursed her lips and said: "The first thing she does when she gets up in the morning is comb her hair, meticulous; she tidies up even more properly than I do."

"Including his daughter now, the old lady is also watching over her; she tidies up very cleanly."

Zhang Songying nodded and said: "This is how a girl should be taught. Look at those running around playing on the street now; how many are serious? There isn't a day where parents don't worry."

After finishing, he glanced at Banggeng following behind and whispered to Qin Huairu: "Shouldn't you be more careful in the future? I just saw her looking at us."

"Go, what are you saying~"

Qin Huairu glanced at the people around her with a guilty conscience and scolded: "Just know it in your heart; do you have to say it out loud?"

After finishing, she glanced at her son, who was looking around like a monkey; the child was older, and he understood some things.

"You are a big girl now; you must understand some things."

Li Xuewu watched the command vehicle leave and said this to Li Xue, who was standing beside him.

Li Xue raised her head in confusion and looked at her second brother, not knowing what he meant by this.

Li Xuewu brought Li Xue into the courtyard, gestured to the fruit box in the foyer, and said: "In the unit, there is never such a thing as eating alone, and there is certainly no such thing as an equal share."

"You must understand the principle of spending small money to accomplish big things. You must grasp this degree well; if you exceed it, people will think you aren't sincere, and if you are too cautious, you won't achieve the effect."

"Sometimes you must learn to share, so that what you eat is the amount most suitable for you; otherwise, you will have indigestion, bloat your stomach, and get sick."

"And when sharing, you can't share with just anyone. You must start with people who have a relationship with you. The more important the person, the more they should receive, layer by layer. This is the only way to make more people feel close to you and give them a subconscious hint that only by being close to you can they gain more."

Li Xue listened to her second brother's words, thinking about when she and Peng Xiaoli brought those fruits back and let Peng Xiaoli lead her in distributing them.

They sent them to Li Kezhang Xu first, and sent the most, even provoking a joke from Li Kezhang Xu, asking if it stank.

Next was sending them to the Li Kezhang of the First Section, but they didn't send any to the other section chiefs.

And when distributing fruit to people in the section, there were more for the old comrades and fewer for the young comrades.

A few pieces per person might not show much, but Li Xue knew that from the attitude of those people talking to her with smiles, she could see what their psychological activity was regarding this gift from a newcomer.

Peng Xiaoli's distribution plan seemed to have loopholes and was unfair, but after she finished distributing, she didn't receive any dissatisfaction, nor did she hear anyone gossiping.

It was as if it were a default rule that distributing melons and fruits is not fair.

And in the corridor to her second brother's office, she also saw Li Kezhang Sha giving Zhou Yao a separate portion of fruit, which was also an unfair distribution method.

Thinking back to her second brother asking Qin Huairu and Zhang Songying to come to the Security Division to get fruit, and giving it to them openly, this seemed even more like a hint, a subconscious hint imposed on others.

Just like what her second brother is teaching her now: you must know how to distribute, but you cannot distribute equally.

She has a low rank now, so she must distribute to leaders, but not all leaders.

If she reached her second brother's rank, she would distribute to even fewer people; perhaps only the most "obedient" people would get a share.

Her second brother's distribution plan is more extreme, more immediate, and has more practical effects.

This is also what can be done with different identities and different ranks.

Li Xue seems to understand her second brother's meaning now: leaders won't be satisfied with equal distribution, and colleagues won't care.

What she should care about more is the leader's attitude, not the colleagues'.

Qin Jingru closed the large gate behind them and listened to the conversation between the siblings, only feeling shocked in her heart.

She understands now why farmers' sons mostly farm, and why cadres' children mostly become cadres.

Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and a mouse's son will dig holes.

Some things, some truths—some people need to pay a price to understand, while others only need to hear one sentence to understand.

These words sound ordinary, but they are valuable experience that young people who have just started work cannot buy with money.

"Hurry, wash your hands and eat."

The old lady came out of the dining room and greeted the siblings who were still talking.

"Let's go, let's eat."

Li Xuewu smiled at his sister and gestured for her to enter the room.

Li Xue changed her shoes at the entrance with her second brother and greeted her second sister-in-law, who was holding Li Shu by the sofa.

Seeing the teardrops still hanging on Li Shu's long eyelashes, she teased with a smile: "What's wrong, little devil? Why are you crying~"

Li Shu was also a bit embarrassed; she twisted her body and turned away, not looking at her little aunt.

Gu Ning glanced at Li Shu and said to Li Xue with a smile: "She saw people moving fruit just now and wanted to join in the fun, but she flipped off the sofa."

"My daughter is just curious about everything; she wants to see everything."

Li Xuewu walked out of the bathroom with a smile, gestured for Li Xue to wash her hands, and then took Li Shu to coax her.

Gu Ning handed the child to Li Xuewu and went to the kitchen.

When Li Xuewu left in the morning, he had instructed that he would bring Li Xue back for dinner in the evening, so the old lady personally cooked and prepared the dishes she liked.

Since she grew up by the old lady's side and encountered something upsetting, the old lady naturally wanted to show more concern for Li Xue.

The whole family felt sorry for Li Xue, but there was really no other way.

Now, Li Xuewu basically makes the decisions for the family's major affairs. Liu Yin and Li Shun didn't say anything about the arrangement of Li Xue's work.

Actually, there was no need to say anything. Li Xue's situation was nothing more than following the direction of her brothers: studying, becoming a doctor, or becoming a police officer.

It couldn't be following her grandfather's direction and becoming a carpenter~

The family is now mostly used to Li Xuewu's decisions on some matters. It seems Li Shun and Li Xuewen have both listened to Li Xuewu, and now Li Xuecai has also gone to the mountains.

With only the women left in the family, the family's affairs must be decided by Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu bringing Li Xue home for dinner was also to take the opportunity to talk more with his sister. It was impossible for him to take a whole day to teach Li Xue, and Li Xue wouldn't be able to remember it either.

It could only be this kind of subtle instruction and guidance, told to her in daily life.

At the dinner table, Li Shu clung to her father's arms and didn't want to sit on her own little stool. Even when she saw her mother looking at her, she turned her head and pretended not to see.

Li Xuewu wasn't very skilled at taking care of children, but he wasn't unfamiliar with it either. He ate while feeding Li Shu.

Li Shu didn't mind that her father's feeding wasn't as good as her grandmother's or her mother's, but she could play unscrupulously. Sitting on her father's lap, her little legs swinging, she was extremely comfortable.

With Li Xuewu taking care of the child, the women in the family had a good meal. The old lady didn't put food in Li Xue's bowl, but watched Li Xue eating happily with a smile.

Li Xue knew this was her second brother's home, her second sister-in-law was good to her, and it was her own grandmother; what was there to pretend about?

There were four dishes today, one meat and three vegetables. The meat was a full meat dish—the stewed chicken cooked by Qin Jingru. Li Xuewu had tasted it; it wasn't as delicious as Yu Li's cooking.

She was young, so her culinary skills were ultimately a bit lacking.

With Li Shu causing trouble, Li Xuewu's eating speed slowed down, and he finished eating at the same time as everyone else.

After the meal, the old lady and Qin Jingru tidied up the kitchen. Gu Ning was going to wash the fruit, but Li Xue rushed to do it.

Li Xuewu couldn't be idle either. The little devil was still pestering him with her crying, insisting on pointing at the goldfish pond and telling her father to go look.

She couldn't get enough of this thing, because there was a dragon spitting water, so there was a splashing sound at the entrance.

At first, the old lady couldn't sleep because of the sound of the water, but later she got used to it and slept soundly listening to it.

Li Shu ran over here for the goldfish in the pond. Last time Sheng Shaowei came to change the water and brought fish food, Li Shu caught on and scrambled to feed the fish every day.

The fish didn't need to be fed every day, but as long as she saw them, Li Shu would definitely join in the fun.

She was small but smart. Seeing how her father sprinkled fish food, she followed suit, clumsily sprinkling it, just not evenly.

But it didn't matter; up to now, Li Xuewu hadn't heard the goldfish in the pond cursing.

After sprinkling the fish food, Li Shu asked her father to put her down so she could squat on the platform and watch the fish eat. Her little hands held the faucet, her big eyes wide open. Seeing the big-eyed goldfish eating happily, she also smacked her lips.

Seeing his daughter drooling, Li Xuewu quickly took her bib and wiped it.

"Good girl, we can't be greedy for fish food; these are just little bugs, they don't taste good at all."

"Yo!"

Seeing her father talking to her, Li Shu pointed her little hand into the water, signaling to her father that the fish were eating.

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and took the opportunity to try to kiss his daughter's big cheek, but was blocked by Li Shu with her little hand in disgust.

Don't talk nonsense, you're delaying me from watching the fish!

"Second brother, let's eat melon."

Li Xue walked out of the kitchen with the cut fruit platter, called out to the father and daughter at the entrance, and at the same time, with her second sister-in-law's help, cleared the coffee table.

What was placed on the coffee table wasn't a tea set, but the little devil Li Shu's toys. She liked to play on the sofa because when she stood up, she could hold onto the sofa back.

Toys naturally couldn't be in the way at her feet; if they were in the way, she would throw them directly onto the floor.

So the old lady put them all on the coffee table, a big pile scattered around.

Li Xuewu wanted to hold his daughter to eat fruit. Li Shu was initially unwilling, but when she saw her father pointing at the fruit platter over there, she nodded.

She also smelled the fruity fragrance. The fragrance from the box at the entrance was even stronger. The half-ripe melons, after a journey and wandering around Beijing, naturally ripened.

It was said that the melon ripened, not that the melon was familiar with the roads of Beijing~

"Yo!"

"Melon."

"Ga!"

"Melon."

"Mama~"

Li Shu only learned two sentences from her father before she stopped. She opened her little hands and wanted her mother to hold her, because she saw her mother pick up a piece of melon to eat.

Li Xuewu put his daughter on the sofa with amusement, letting her hold onto the sofa back and go to Gu Ning's side.

"Is it sweet?"

"Hmm, very sweet~"

Li Xue nodded. Seeing her second brother ask her, she replied: "I tasted a piece in the afternoon; it is indeed more delicious than the melons in our Beijing."

"It's just fresh."

Li Xuewu was afraid the watermelon was too sweet, so he picked a piece of Hami melon to taste. He didn't expect the Hami melon to be extremely sweet as well.

At this time, there was no such thing as pesticides and chemical fertilizers for fruits and vegetables; they were all carefully tended by fruit farmers, so with enough sunshine and a sufficient growth cycle, it would be strange if they weren't sweet.

The old lady and Qin Jingru tidied up the kitchen before coming out to eat.

The old lady picked grapes to eat, also complaining they were too sweet, then took watermelon to eat, praising that this fruit was better than the local ones.

Li Xuewu thought this sweetness had a bit of a psychological effect. Thinking that these fruits came from afar, one naturally ate them carefully, and the taste became much better.

Qin Jingru was eager to try, tasting each fruit one by one. She had been here for a long time and was already used to Li Xuewu and Gu Ning's temperaments, and got along even better with the old lady, so she didn't pretend to be polite.

Eat when it's time to eat, don't pretend when it's time to eat; don't let people urge you when it's time to do things, don't let people tell you; when it's time to rest, she can stay or play as she pleases.

Li Xuewu and Gu Ning never said she couldn't go out after finishing housework and had to be confined to the courtyard.

It was Qin Jingru who was relatively homebound; unless she was going to buy groceries, she basically stayed in the courtyard or lay in her own room reading books.

The books weren't obscure ancient classics, but novels that Gu Ning had read, mostly romances, which she liked.

She hadn't gone to school much, not even graduating from elementary school, but she could recognize most characters, which didn't stop her from crying while reading novels.

Although the novels at this time weren't as tear-jerking as Aunt Qiong's, for Qin Jingru, who hadn't seen much of the literary world, such tortuous love stories were enough to make her teary-eyed.

She didn't just read them herself; she also read them with the old lady.

The old lady didn't like reading, complaining it tired her eyes, so she read to her, and after reading, they discussed them together.

Two people at home coaxing one child, tidying up the room, tidying up the courtyard, cooking three meals, and washing clothes—there was no work left, so they naturally had to find something to pass the time.

Especially recently, Qin Jingru had smoothed out the work here, her work efficiency was higher, and she had more time to talk with the old lady.

She was willing to talk to the old lady. Unlike her mother, the old lady was wiser, spoke with a sense of proportion, and what she said was reasonable, allowing people to learn things.

She was just a young girl, exactly at the time when she was confused about life and the world. With a kind-faced old lady explaining things to her, how could she not like it?

Now, the old lady often handed Li Shu to Gu Ning to take care of, while she herself helped Qin Jingru get busy.

When people get old, they need to exercise their muscles and bones. Although the old lady hadn't managed a vegetable garden, she wasn't unfamiliar with it, and the two of them tidied up the vegetable garden in front of and behind the house very neatly.

At this moment, the old lady complained the grapes were too sweet and gave her the remaining few in her hand. She didn't mind the old lady and ate them as soon as she took them, feeling that this fruit had more flavor than the ones at home.

When they were unloading the car earlier, they had heard Secretary Sha and Driver Han say that these were brought back from the frontier. There were many boxes in the car, but Li Xuewu didn't let them unload too many, wanting to let the two take more home.

The longer Qin Jingru lived in Li Xuewu's house, the more she could feel the good side of Li Xuewu's character.

It wasn't the first time she had seen him care about his secretary and driver, and she had never seen Li Xuewu give them a cold face.

The fruit brought back by the driver and secretary on their business trip was also for their families. He only let them unload two boxes and didn't want the rest.

Li Xuewu didn't know how to eat the two boxes he unloaded. At this time, there were no refrigerators, and even if they were put in the well, they would be gone in a few days.

He didn't need to worry about his home; Old Biaozi wouldn't let his home go without.

He didn't need to worry about a few relationships either. Now, Old Biaozi rarely used Li Xuewu to personally send gifts to these relationships; he was the one who went to send them, and Li Xuewu mostly went empty-handed when visiting.

Even if Li Xuewu was empty-handed, these people didn't say anything, because they all knew who Old Biaozi was representing.

Actually, what Old Biaozi thought and did was also right. Although Li Xuewu was young, his identity and position ultimately made it inconvenient for him to do these things. "A gentleman's friendship is as light as water" was more suitable for him.

Old Biaozi wasn't afraid of what others said, wasn't afraid of others knowing him. A scrap collector sending some things to various leaders' homes—who could say anything about that?

Even if they investigated him, so what? There was no direct relationship at all; they were completely unrelated.

This is the brotherhood of childhood friends: you think of me, I think of you, supporting and helping each other.

Old Biaozi couldn't remember to send things to his own parents, but he definitely remembered to send them to the Li family and these other families.

"Bring some to your colleagues at the hospital tomorrow."

Li Xuewu said this to Gu Ning, then said to Qin Jingru: "Help your Sister Gu wash the fruit and put it in a box; they can cut it themselves at the hospital."

"Okay."

Qin Jingru agreed first, glanced at Gu Ning, and said to Li Xuewu: "It's also very convenient to cut it at home and send it over; it's not far."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Li Xuewu smiled at her, which was considered acknowledging her opinion.

And Gu Ning hadn't spoken from beginning to end. She hadn't done this before and didn't know how to do it most appropriately, so listening to Li Xuewu's arrangement was the most appropriate.

Seeing Li Xuewu approve of her opinion, Qin Jingru was also a bit happy and satisfied. She explained: "Sometimes Sister Gu is busy at noon and can't come back for dinner, so I send it over. I know where their section is."

Li Xuewu looked at her with a smile and asked: "Still not going back this week?"

"Uh... that's fine~"

Qin Jingru didn't expect Li Xuewu to suddenly change the subject. She touched her ear with some embarrassment, looked at Li Xuewu with slightly raised eyebrows, and said: "Actually, there's nothing to do. Going back is just staying there; it's better to tidy up at home."

She dared to speak now. Although she was still a bit reserved, it was much better than when she first came. At least she wasn't afraid to chat with Li Xuewu.

Qin Jingru now regarded this place as home and the Sihe Academy as her sister's home.

She was just a young girl, and her thoughts changed quickly. Li Xuewu smiled and didn't say anything.

Li Xue was the same age as her, with Qin Jingru being a few months older. Li Xuewu didn't think about bullying or disciplining her just because she came to his house.

If she could be used, use her; if she couldn't, send her back. There was no reason to waste people or bully people.

Now looking at this "Old Six," she was doing okay. She couldn't be compared with professional waitresses like the Gu family, but conversely, Li Xuewu didn't give her as much as others did.

Besides, Qin Jingru was doing the work of several people, and she had to cook and take care of the child.

There weren't many rooms in this villa, and one was still empty. Although Li Xuewu and Gu Ning were both clean people, their hygiene requirements hadn't reached the level of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

So as long as Qin Jingru's hygiene standards were passable, Li Xuewu never made demands, and Gu Ning never complained about Qin Jingru.

If she couldn't stand it, she would do it herself. For example, the dust on the bookshelf—Gu Ning was afraid Qin Jingru would damage the books with a wet rag, so she wiped them herself.

Basic things, such as clothes, bed sheets, quilt covers, bath towels, and towels—Qin Jingru washed them diligently. As long as she was taught once, she would do them very well.

Therefore, Li Xuewu's attitude toward her was gradually easing, unlike before when he ignored her.

Now, when going back to the Sihe Academy on Saturday, if Qin Jingru wanted to go back, she could; if she didn't want to, she could stay at home. Li Xuewu didn't force her or lecture her anymore.

She didn't need to take care of the child. When they returned home, there was no shortage of people to watch Li Shu play.

Li Xue didn't come to her second brother's house often. At this moment, she was also eating fruit and watching her second brother and the others chat.

Her second sister-in-law didn't like to talk much, just sat there listening. Li Shu loved to pester people, circling around her second sister-in-law, her little mouth muttering.

Li Xue wanted to hold Li Shu, but Li Shu was unwilling; she just wanted to play like this.

She lightly slapped her eldest niece's bottom, causing Li Shu to run to complain to the old lady, pointing her little finger at them and babbling to the old lady.

She also knew she couldn't beat her little aunt. When she was at home, her little aunt spent more time coaxing her, but also teased her, playing with her like a doll, so she was afraid of Li Xue in her heart.

It wasn't the kind of fear she had for Gu Ning; it was the kind of fear of hating that she was too small to beat her—fear mixed with unwillingness to accept, the kind of fear that vowed to take revenge.

The old lady watched her complain with a happy smile but didn't listen to her to hit Li Xue. Li Shu was helpless again and had to run back to her mother's side to ask for fruit.

She also knew this thing was sweet and delicious. She would run a circle and come back to eat a small bite. She was the busiest and most tired person in the room.

Looking at the time, Li Xuewu got up and went to the entrance to put on his shoes. He went down from the garage door, turned on the garage light, and loaded the bicycle he had ridden back from home a few days ago onto the back seat again.

This was what he had prepared to ride to get milk for Li Shu every morning. He had been tired of walking for a few days and thought that since this car was idle at home and the third brother didn't use it, he would ride it back.

But who would have thought that Li Xue could use it now, so he prepared to give it to his sister to ride.

For something worth over a hundred yuan, Li Xuewu was very generous to his sister.

Mainly because this car was idle now, and Gu Ning couldn't use it. Her mother's family had all moved away, and there was a jeep to go there, so he thought about giving it to Li Xue to ride.

Li Xue had been taken by Qin Huairu for the past few days. She wanted to walk, but Qin Huairu wouldn't let her, saying she had to take her no matter what.

Li Xuewu had also thought about it; once she was confirmed, he would arrange a car for her.

This wasn't it—she started work today, and the car had to be prepared overnight.

Don't say that girls in the family are better when they are small; a younger sister has a brother who loves her, but if she were an older sister, who knows how much fatigue she would suffer.

When Li Xuewu drove the car out and parked it at the entrance, Li Xue was also sent out by the old lady and the others.

"Let's go, Mom is probably worried at home."

Li Xuewu said this to his sister with a smile, then took Li Xue's little bag and put it in the car.

This was still her little school bag, cross-body. She took out the textbooks and put in her documents and materials.

These days, Ji Yuxiu helped her handle the neighborhood procedures, and today Li Xuewu helped her handle the work procedures at the Steel Mill. She really didn't have to worry about anything herself, and the work matter was settled.

Saying goodbye to the old lady and waving to his second sister-in-law, who was standing there holding Li Shu in the room, he got into the jeep.

The old lady originally wanted to give Li Xue canned food, which was sent by Old Biaozi, but it was blocked by Li Xuewu.

Wouldn't this become a resale business? Li Xuewu smiled and whispered to the old lady: "There are these things in the Daozuofang; our family doesn't lack this. Please don't go to the trouble."

The old lady also understood Li Xuewu's meaning, nodded with a smile, and stood at the entrance holding the canned food, watching her grandson get in the car and drive away.

She was also worried about Li Xue from the bottom of her heart, wanting to give her everything delicious. Isn't that just how it is when people get old?

Just like Liu Yin—even though she knew her daughter was going to her son's place for dinner tonight, and even though she knew what kind of people her son and daughter-in-law were, the old lady was still there, but her heart was just worried about her daughter.

Especially since today was her daughter's first day of work, her heart was even more unsettled.

There were only three people eating dinner. She was with her two daughters-in-law. Ji Yuxiu was busy with work today and got off work a bit late, so the meal was also a bit late.

Hearing the movement of the car in the Bai Bai Xiyuan, Liu Yin knew her son had brought her daughter back. She put down her rice bowl and walked out.

Ji Yuxiu and Zhao Yafang looked at each other and smiled without moving, but their eating speed accelerated a bit.

They didn't go out to meet their little sister-in-law for reasons of status; after all, they were sisters-in-law.

Another reason was that the family atmosphere was good, and there were no such formalities. With only the women left at home, catching up to the dinner table, naturally, eating was the priority.

Finally, they were also afraid that going would affect their mother-in-law's performance. Their mother-in-law had been worried all day at home. If she shed tears again, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to see it.

In the Bai Bai Xiyuan, Li Xuewu parked the car. Before Li Xue could get out, she saw her mother walking out from the screen door.

"Why are you back so late? What time is it?"

"Hehe, you have to let people eat and rest, right~"

Li Xuewu knew his mother would say that. It was only past seven now. If this counted as late, then he really had no way to deal with it.

Understanding his mother's worry, Li Xuewu didn't say much and brought Li Xue out of the car.

Hearing her son's words, Liu Yin also knew she was over-concerned and that what she said was wrong, so she pulled her daughter and asked: "Is the work matter settled?"

"Yes, Mom, everything is settled."

Li Xue also knew that she would definitely be questioned upon returning, so she answered very crisply and even mentioned who had helped.

Liu Yin felt relieved after hearing her daughter's words. Seeing her son unloading the car, she asked: "Why did you bring it back again?"

"Isn't it because I have to prepare a 'special car' for your daughter?"

Li Xuewu complained jokingly, his words revealing his dissatisfaction with his mother's favoritism.

Liu Yin didn't care about this and said with a smile: "Does that mean my daughter isn't your sister anymore?"

After finishing, she gestured to Li Xue and said: "Let your sister save up her salary to pay you back for the car."

"That will take a while to save."

Li Xuewu said to his mother with a smile: "With a salary of twenty-something yuan, unless you continue to provide Li Xue's living expenses, it won't be until this time next year."

"That's hard to say."

Liu Yin said deliberately with a smile: "Since she's earning money herself, there's no reason for her parents to support her. I consider myself liberated starting today."

"You really dare to think."

Li Xuewu propped up the bicycle, handed the key in his hand to Li Xue, and walked into the courtyard with his mother, saying as he walked: "These twenty-something yuan aren't enough for a young girl to spend; they are all beautiful now."

Old Biaozi, who came out to open the door for Li Xuewu, smiled and chimed in from the side: "I think twenty-something isn't enough; Godmother should subsidize a bit more."

"I don't care~ Hehe~"

Liu Yin was truly happy today. She pulled her daughter's hand into the screen door, still teasing her daughter.

Old Biaozi signaled to Li Xuewu toward the Daozuofang, meaning he would go there when he left, so he didn't continue to walk forward with Li Xuewu and turned directly into the room.

Li Xuewu accompanied his mother through the inner screen door and entered the hanging flower gate.

The layout of this Sihe Academy was just like this. The daughter wall was an eyesore, and without it, it was awkward. It was just that there were many doors.

One door was one world. The outer courtyard had the residents and life of the outer courtyard, and the front courtyard had the residents and life of the front courtyard.

With this wall, there was a distance between each other, which gave a sense of security psychologically.

"Yo! Director Li, this is..." ===== CHAPTER 691 =====