Chapter 697

"When did this happen?"

Li Xuewu walked into the room, asking his mother a question while washing his hands.

Liu Yin patted her daughter's hand, signaling her to rest for a while and not to help.

Li Xue, however, insisted on scooping the vegetables from the pot into a basin, following Ji Yuxiu and the others to help out.

Seeing her daughters-in-law all pitching in to help, Liu Yin also revealed a gratified smile on her face.

Seeing her son ask just now, she composed her expression and said to the old lady who was coaxing Li Shu to play in the room: "He came back last night. I didn't see him then. It was this morning when I went out to pour the slops that I ran into him standing in the courtyard, greeting everyone one by one. He didn't look very well."

Li Shu didn't understand what her grandmother was saying. She held the little car that Uncle "Di" had bought for her, squatting on the ground and rolling it, occasionally showing it to her grandmother.

Liu Yin had to respond to her eldest granddaughter's excitement while talking to her children at the same time; she was incredibly busy.

She was usually the one with the most free time at home, with only these few things to do in a day. Although Zhao Yafang was at home, she would read books or prepare little clothes for the baby whenever she had a spare moment.

Liu Yin busied herself with household chores, and when she was free, she would join in.

However, she didn't let Zhao Yafang do too much; pregnant women shouldn't strain their eyes, as it could easily lead to lingering health issues.

The family already had quite a few of the little clothes Li Shu had worn. When Zhao Yafang's baby was born, all of Li Shu's clothes could be passed down to the baby.

At this time, how could every child's clothes be brand new? Wasn't it just a matter of passing them around among relatives?

Especially for infants, they grow so fast that you have to prepare clothes before they are even born; otherwise, they'll be too tight, which doesn't look comfortable at all.

This family had the most clothes for Li Shu—some made by the old lady, some by Liu Yin, and some by Yu Li.

Yu Li had made the most. Last time she came back, she was still thinking of Li Shu and made her several new sets of clothes. When she went back, the old lady would change her into them, and they were so cool and comfortable.

Li Xuewu wiped his face with a towel and, seeing that the food was all on the table, continued: "I just saw him greeting Qin Huairu, and I thought something didn't look right."

"Sigh~"

Liu Yin sighed and said: "There's no way to talk about this; every family has its own grievances."

"The people across the way grit their teeth when they see her, yet she is tough, smiling and greeting people in the courtyard, and the same with those across the way. It looks quite chilling."

Ji Yuxiu picked out the steamed buns, put them in a basin, and brought them over, chiming in: "The matters in this courtyard, the problems between neighbors, really can't be talked about; there are no winners."

"Do you think the heads of this courtyard are easy to be?"

The old lady carried Li Shu to the table, helped her sit in a chair, and placed her right next to the great-grandmother, with the two of them watching over her together.

Liu Yin waved to signal her daughters-in-law, daughter, and son to come to the table to eat, and she herself wiped her hands and sat down as well.

"Back then, people in the courtyard asked your father to be this managing head, but your father refused no matter what. They asked him so many times."

"An honest official finds it hard to settle family affairs; there are a thousand threads that are hard to untangle."

The old lady also used this to teach the children about the principles of life. While looking after Li Shu, she continued Liu Yin's words: "Living in this courtyard, being too strong-willed won't do, and being too yielding won't do either; there must be a balance."

As she spoke, she gestured toward the backyard and said: "That old lady was a strong-willed person when she was young; she was very formidable in this courtyard."

"And Qin Huairu's mother-in-law, they are all the same."

These words were not meant to belittle or mock, but simply to tell the children that they must think more and be more considerate when doing things.

Especially regarding the matter between Qin Huairu and the Yan family—it was the Yan family's fault, and Qin Huairu was in the right, but look at the mess now.

The Yan family is in chaos, and Yan Fugui has become what he is now. Just as Liu Yin said to the old lady, Yan Jiefang's leg is truly broken again, and this time he will likely be left with a disability.

The key is that this disability was caused by his own father, and the people in the courtyard forced it. They say that since Yan Jiefang came back, he has been lying on the bed like a dead person, not speaking and not going out.

I don't know if Yan Fugui's mind is not working well because of this shock; it's all retribution.

Look at Qin Huairu again; she vented her anger, but she didn't gain anything, and instead, the people in the courtyard are whispering about her behind her back.

Living in this courtyard, how could Qin Huairu not see the fake smiles of others and not hear the gossip behind her back? She must be feeling incredibly stifled.

As long as this kind of conflict intensifies, there are no winners. Ji Yuxiu has handled many such cases and seen many, which is why she said that just now.

Li Xuewu didn't say much at the dinner table, listening to his mother talk about the matters in the courtyard, which were all about their own family or related to the family.

Speaking of the neighbors across the way, Liu Yin also urged her children that if they encounter anything wrong with their family, they should avoid them and not get involved.

The old lady meant the same thing; living a life at home is about smoothness, peace, and joy—how can there be constant confrontation?

After the meal, the women sat in the main room chatting and teasing Li Shu, while Li Xuewu accompanied the great-grandmother to the rooms in the front courtyard.

They had just finished eating here too. There weren't many people tonight, so they finished work early and ate early.

As usual, the men wouldn't clear the table or tidy the kitchen. Shen Guodong and Old Master Ye were tallying accounts at the desk, while Erhai, Seeing Sha Zhu, and the others were sitting by the kang table talking.

Yu Li came out of the kitchen carrying a thermos and, seeing Li Xuewu and the old master enter, smiled and said: "You just finished eating too?"

"Indeed~ They came back early today, so they ate early."

The great-grandmother responded happily and, at Yu Li's invitation, stepped into the west room first.

Yu Li invited Li Xuewu to go first, but Li Xuewu gestured toward the east room and let Yu Li go to the west room to pour hot water.

In the east room, Yushui and Diliya were tidying up the table, and the boys were helping by moving things to the kitchen.

Li Xuewu had just seen people washing dishes in the kitchen; these boys weren't lazy and had learned to work.

I don't know if Old Master Ye taught them privately or if they understood things themselves, but they didn't just sit there waiting for things to be done for them.

Although this place is called a collective enterprise, it doesn't look like one. The only one who can take charge is Old Biaozi; the rest are all managing their own stalls.

Li Xuewu came to the east room mainly to see how their living environment was. He didn't say it, but he actually cared about these boys.

The quilts and mattresses on the kang had already been changed once. When they first came, several people were squeezed into one quilt, and the mattresses were even worse.

It was still winter back then; having a warm kang and a bowl of hot food was considered a blessing.

Now they are all set—one mattress and one quilt per person, folded neatly and placed on the kang.

It was when Li Xuewu returned from the frontier that he had Biaozi use frontier cotton and frontier cloth to equip these people in the front courtyard rooms.

The handiwork was done by Yu Li leading Ailin and the others at that time. No matter what, having bedding meant they weren't considered homeless.

The eldest, second, and third ones took this bedding with them when they went to the Steel City; it was their first set of belongings in their lives.

Li Xuewu touched the heated kang; it was still being heated in the summer, but they slept late, so it wasn't that hot, which was good for their health.

Seeing that the room was tidy, especially the bookcase over there, which was filled with many books, and there were notes tucked inside the books marking where everyone had read to.

The days were long and hot, so the boys had more time to read, which was reassuring. Sometimes Seeing Sha Zhu and the others played cards in the west room, and there were people playing cards in the gatehouse, but these boys didn't join in the fun; Old Master Ye was there.

After walking around and seeing that these boys had all returned one after another, they greeted Li Xuewu with smiles and went to the bookshelf to get books to read at the long dining table. Li Xuewu then left the room.

"I'm going to pick up Biaozi."

Li Xuewu stood at the entrance of the west room, said a word to the old master and the others, and then went out.

Seeing that Li Xuewu was going out, Yu Li followed him to help open the main gate.

"Tossing about like this, when will it ever end?"

Yu Li muttered behind Li Xuewu: "Coming here every Saturday, getting up early and staying up late, it's too exhausting."

"What isn't exhausting~"

Li Xuewu lit a cigarette after going out. There was no wind tonight, and he felt hot sweat all over his body.

Even though it was past seven o'clock, the treetops looked motionless, with no sign of cooling down at all.

"Soon, once autumn arrives, this work will stop."

Li Xuewu took a puff of his cigarette and explained to Yu Li: "Earning a bit more now is better than nothing; it'll be easier for us to have full stomachs once winter comes."

Yu Li also knew that Old Biaozi was working so hard now for the sake of the people in the courtyard and also for the situation ahead.

"I see the streets are chaotic, with young people tossing about. What for?"

"What for~"

Li Xuewu jumped into the jeep, took the cigarette from his mouth, and curled his lip: "Just bored and restless~"

"Talking nonsense~"

Yu Li scolded Li Xuewu, knowing he wouldn't explain it to her.

She also knew that even if he explained, she wouldn't understand, but she just wanted to talk more with Li Xuewu, even if it was just listening to his nonsense.

She opened the gate for Li Xuewu, urged him to be careful, and watched the car lights disappear at the end of the alley before closing the gate and turning back toward the courtyard.

Just as she entered the screen gate of the west courtyard, she saw someone standing at the entrance of the screen gate opposite. She walked forward a few steps and, with the light from the hanging flower gate and the east room, saw clearly that it was the Third Master from the front courtyard.

Ever since the falling out with the Yan family and separating from Yan Jiefang, Yu Li hadn't spoken to the Yan family again, and whenever she saw them, she acted as if she didn't.

Only when the Third Master was injured last time did Yu Li ask Old Biaozi to bring over two bottles of canned food.

Now seeing her former father-in-law standing at the door looking at her, she didn't know what to call him.

Before she could hesitate about what to call him, Yan Fugui spoke first: "Eldest daughter-in-law, where have you been?"

Hearing the Third Master's question, Yu Li was stunned. She immediately glanced toward the hanging flower gate and saw that the usually lively front courtyard was very quiet, while there were more people cooling off in the middle courtyard.

I don't know if they were avoiding the Yan and Jia families, but even when cooling off, they sat by their own doors and didn't spread out to the sides.

Yu Li couldn't see the situation in the courtyard, just glanced at it, saw no one in the front courtyard, and didn't know how to answer this question.

Seeing Yu Li not speaking, Yan Fugui pursed his lips and continued to ask: "Eldest daughter-in-law, where is the eldest? Didn't we agree he was coming back?"

"Dad!"

This time, before Yu Li could open her mouth, Yan Jie Di's voice came from inside the hanging flower gate.

Yan Jie Di called out and, seeing her father standing outside the hanging flower gate, walked over only to see Yu Li.

At thirteen or fourteen, she didn't understand the affairs between her brother and sister-in-law, only knowing that this sister-in-law was not a good person, as her mother often muttered.

Seeing her father talking to Yu Li, she scolded him with dissatisfaction and pulled his arm, wanting to pull him back.

Seeing it was his daughter, Yan Fugui frowned and scolded: "What are you doing! I'm just asking when your eldest brother is coming back!"

"My eldest brother isn't coming back, so stop making a scene! Can you!"

Yan Jie Di's words carried a sobbing tone. These days, the family had suffered changes; her second brother had become a living dead person, and her father was acting crazy, which really made her panic.

Being tortured by her father, tears fell down.

Seeing this, Yu Li's heart skipped a beat, thinking that the Third Master might not be well.

Last time they said there was something wrong with the blood vessels in his brain; could the fall the other day have really damaged him?

Yu Li was kind-hearted and took another look, but it drew a glare from Yan Jie Di. After glaring at Yu Li, she tried to pull her father back by force.

"What do you mean he's not coming back! It was clearly agreed on the phone that he was coming back today!"

Yan Fugui glared at his daughter and then looked at Yu Li, saying: "Eldest daughter-in-law, you tell me, didn't the eldest agree to come back for the New Year today!"

Yu Li could now be sure that the Third Master was truly ill, and not lightly either.

Seeing she couldn't persuade her father, Yan Jie Di let go of his hand and ran home crying to call for help.

Yu Li stood there, and Diliya and Yushui, hearing the commotion from the west room, also walked out. Seeing the Third Master standing anxiously at the door, they didn't know what had happened.

Shen Guodong was pushed by Xiaoyan and also followed Seeing Sha Zhu out of the room.

"Yo! Third Master."

Seeing Sha Zhu wasn't afraid of this. Seeing the people from the front courtyard rooms standing at the door, he took the initiative to greet them and signaled everyone to step back, so as not to get involved.

"At this hour, why aren't you in the courtyard, and why have you come here?"

Yu Li was pulled back by Yushui and Diliya, but her eyes were still on the Third Master.

During her time in the Yan family, Yu Li had to say she hadn't suffered much from her father-in-law, nor had she received much anger from him.

Although this father-in-law was stingy, calculating, and petty, he was devoted to his children and was capable of managing a household.

She couldn't say he took great care of her, but he didn't give her cold looks or make her life difficult.

It wasn't that she missed the past, but seeing a familiar person suddenly become like this made her feel very uncomfortable.

Yan Fugui didn't feel he was ill and still stood at the door. Seeing Yu Li retreating, he couldn't help but ask anxiously: "Eldest daughter-in-law, what are you doing? Tell me, when is the eldest coming back?"

"Ho~ Third Master, who are you calling!"

Seeing Sha Zhu greeted him, blocked the entrance of the screen gate, and said to the Third Master with a smile: "There's no daughter-in-law of yours here; you've come to the wrong door!"

Yushui walked over and pulled her brother, not wanting him to lower himself to the Third Master's level. Anyone with eyes could see that the Third Master wasn't right; he even said it was New Year's today just now.

"You! Seeing Sha Zhu!"

Yan Fugui was anxious from being spoken to and pointed at Seeing Sha Zhu, his mouth twitching, unable to speak, his hands trembling.

Unable to out-talk Seeing Sha Zhu, he looked at Yu Li behind Seeing Sha Zhu and asked urgently: "Eldest daughter-in-law, you tell me, when exactly is the eldest coming back? He still owes me money, house money!"

Seeing Sha Zhu naturally could see what was going on with the Third Master. He blocked the front, waiting for someone from the Yan family to come, so it would be easier to talk then.

After all, the Third Master was looking for Yu Li. If the two of them stood together, maybe the Yan family wouldn't talk properly in a while.

Looking at his appearance, given the current state of the Yan family, if they made a scene again, it would surely be another mess.

Yu Li pursed her lips and didn't speak, her eyes on the Third Master. She understood in her heart that the Third Master was remembering the time Yan Jiefang came back during the New Year.

But he didn't remember it very clearly, mixing up the fact that Yan Jiefang had cheated him out of money, blending the time points together; he was anxious to get the money.

Half a year had passed, but he remembered it when he was ill. It must be that being cheated by his son had always been a knot in his heart.

Hearing the Third Master standing at the door muttering about finding a house for the second son, it must be related to what happened this time.

He broke his son's leg himself to save his own face, making his son a cripple, in this half-dead state.

Yan Fugui himself must be guilty, and I don't know why he thought of his son's house, waiting here since morning, thinking of the eldest coming back, to quickly talk about the house for the second son.

"His dad!"

Just as everyone was in a stalemate, the Third Master's wife walked out from the hanging flower gate. She glanced at everyone inside the screen gate, reached out and patted her husband's back, and advised: "It's late, time to go back and rest."

"I'm not going~"

Seeing his wife had come, Yan Fugui pulled his arm that was being held and said stubbornly: "I still have to wait for the eldest to come back and talk about the house."

Everyone watched the Third Master "going crazy" here, not daring to speak, for fear of provoking him again.

Seeing the Third Master's wife had come, Yu Li couldn't bear to see the Third Master's situation and turned back into the room.

Yushui and the others didn't have the heart to watch the fun and followed her back.

Only Seeing Sha Zhu and Shen Guodong stood in the courtyard, fearing something might happen.

The Third Master's mind wasn't clear, and if this continued, something might happen.

But if something happened, it couldn't happen here, or there would be no way to talk about it.

Seeing fewer people, the Third Master's wife whispered a few words of persuasion and signaled her young children to pull the Third Master back to the courtyard together.

Even after being pulled back, the Third Master was still looking at the door of the front courtyard rooms; he still wanted to ask Yu Li when the eldest would be back.

Shen Guodong threw the cigarette butt in his hand on the ground and stepped on it, looking at Seeing Sha Zhu in confusion: "How did it become like this?"

"Hey! Who knows~"

Seeing Sha Zhu glanced at the hanging flower gate again, thinking the Third Master wouldn't come back, so he followed Shen Guodong back, saying: "The pettier a person is, the easier it is to get this kind of illness."

"Stop talking."

Diliya stood at the door and, hearing Seeing Sha Zhu say this, reminded him, closed the door, and said to Seeing Sha Zhu: "I'll go sleep at Yu Li's place tonight. Remember to wash your feet when you go back."

"Sister-in-law, I'll go."

Yushui in the room heard Diliya say this and took the initiative to say: "It's more convenient for me to go."

"I'm fine~"

Yu Li rubbed her eyes, knowing their good intentions, and said with a smile: "It's nothing, don't bother. Once the east courtyard gate is closed, no one can get in."

"Still, it's scary."

Yushui took Yu Li's hand, her expression somewhat uncomfortable: "He didn't look like this before; why did his mind suddenly go bad?"

The old master and the second master had heard and seen it from the window just now. They were smoking and squinting without speaking.

It was Seeing Sha Zhu whose mouth couldn't stay idle, chiming in: "You didn't see how calculating he was. With this kind of mind, it's no wonder he got sick."

"Say less~"

Yushui scolded her brother, knowing he didn't get along with the Third Master. Although he wasn't gloating, it wasn't good to let others hear it.

Being scolded by his wife and sister, Seeing Sha Zhu didn't ramble on this topic, poured tea for the old master and the second master, and talked about other things.

Yushui discussed with her sister-in-law how to stay, while Xiaoyan and Wang Yamei just stood on the side watching; they couldn't get a word in on this kind of matter.

On weekdays, the matters of the retail department were mostly managed by Yu Li and Diliya, or by the second master.

Both were women, and when facing some customers, they could speak openly and dared to speak.

Xiaoyan and Wang Yamei were sixteen or seventeen, and there was no problem with them working, but they were shy and didn't dare to make decisions on matters.

Now that they encountered something, the weakness in their personalities was revealed.

Just now they only stood at the kitchen door, not daring to go out and watch; perhaps they were also afraid of the Third Master "going crazy."

"Auntie! Auntie! Auntie! Auntie!"

Just as they were talking, they saw Qin Huairu bring Banggeng over, and Banggeng was greeting them one by one.

He called Yu Li auntie, called Xiaoyan and Wang Yamei the same, and when it was Diliya's turn, he called her auntie.

Everyone responded and greeted Qin Huairu at the same time. The talking in the west room died down as they watched Qin Huairu walk in.

"You've finished eating?"

"Just finished tidying up."

Seeing Seeing Sha Zhu ask, Qin Huairu replied with a smile, thanked Xiaoyan for the tea, and sat on the edge of the kang.

Seeing Qin Huairu enter the room, Yu Li and the others followed her example and sat down along the edge of the kang.

Qin Huairu also saw them standing in the room talking about something. Now that Banggeng was naughty, greeting Seeing Sha Zhu and the others, she turned her gaze to Yu Li and the others.

"My mother-in-law just said, did you have a quarrel in the front courtyard?"

"No~"

Yu Li smiled with some embarrassment and explained: "We just happened to run into it, coming back from the west courtyard..."

"The Third Master came here on his own initiative."

Seeing Yu Li's hesitation and embarrassment, Yushui chimed in: "He was making a scene, wanting to find Yan Jiefang, and saying it was New Year's today, wanting a house and money from Yan Jiefang."

"When did this happen?"

Qin Huairu looked at Yu Li and asked: "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"No~"

Yu Li shook her head. There was no need to hide anything from Qin Huairu. Now her face no longer had an embarrassed smile, and she said with difficulty: "I just didn't expect it to become like this."

"Who says it isn't."

Qin Huairu also sighed, looked at her son who was being naughty with Seeing Sha Zhu, and said: "If it weren't for Banggeng being naughty, there wouldn't be so many things."

"Can you blame this? You're just letting your imagination run wild!"

Seeing Sha Zhu snorted, looked at Qin Huairu, and said to Banggeng, who had suddenly stopped being naughty and was standing there at a loss: "Naughty children are all like this; you can't tie them up with a rope and lock them in the room."

After speaking, he reached out and pulled Banggeng, saying: "Are you raising a boy or a girl?"

Qin Huairu also replied with some sadness: "I'm just worried about him; otherwise I wouldn't have gotten angry with the Third Master. I'm really scared."

"Sister Qin, why are you like this again?"

Yushui moved to Qin Huairu's side and patted her arm: "I just persuaded her, and you're like this again."

Qin Huairu nodded, sighed, and said: "I'm fine, just feeling uncomfortable. Banggeng's grandmother didn't expect this matter to turn out like this either."

Yushui nodded in understanding. She understood in her heart that Qin Huairu was like this because she was clearly in the right, but now she had become someone who wouldn't let go even when she was in the right.

If you go into detail, this matter has no end. If the Third Master hadn't been stingy with money and broken Yan Jiefang's leg for the sake of his own face, he wouldn't have ended up like this himself.

In the final analysis, it was Yan Jiefang's own retribution; he had no good intentions and wanted to harm others.

Li Xuewu didn't investigate him in detail. He ran fast at the time and got into the room; otherwise, Qin Huairu would have had to ask who he was aiming at.

Tricking Banggeng into blowing up fish, and even letting him go to Tuanjie Lake to blow it up—was he trying to blow up Banggeng, or her, or was he going after Li Xuewu?

Because as long as something happened, this whole string of people wouldn't be able to escape, and no matter who he blew up, he would be a suspect.

Because Banggeng raised chickens and sent eggs to the Li family every day, and their family also ate eggs from time to time, how could people not be jealous?

What was the Jia family before? A widow's door; Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu were both widows, both raising children, the most looked-down-upon people.

What was Qin Huairu before? A rural woman who borrowed her dead husband's light to enter the Steel Rolling Mill, relying on her good looks, someone who would lower her face to beg for a little food.

Now? Cadre outfit, little leather shoes, bicycle, and they can eat meat at home. Who isn't jealous?

Yan Jiefang, at sixteen or seventeen, knew what was good and bad, but he had no brain. Hearing the women in the courtyard gossiping, he really thought he was a justice seeker.

He was jealous, he was greedy, but the one he was most jealous and greedy of was Li Xuewu!

About the same age, why could Li Xuewu be a big cadre, marry such a beautiful wife, and why was he a cut above everyone else in the courtyard, with everyone fawning over him?

If you talk about the past, the Li Xuewu of the past wasn't as obedient as him; he wasn't a good thing.

It's true that he exchanged gunpowder for eggs, and it's probably true that he wanted to harm this whole string of people behind it.

Qin Huairu's own child brought gunpowder into the Steel Rolling Mill, and she couldn't explain it clearly.

Li Xuewu is a cadre in the Security Division, the entrance is under his management, factory safety is under his management, and Qin Huairu and the guest house are also under his management.

If something happened, he would definitely suffer.

Li Xuewu didn't deal with Yan Jiefang immediately because he had other concerns and also left face for the people in the courtyard. Everyone in the courtyard knew about this, and no one really said anything about Li Xuewu.

It's just that everyone is a bit wary of the ruthlessness Qin Huairu showed, and the strong contrast and comparison with the past always makes the people in the courtyard feel a bit uncomfortable.

Now that something happened to the Yan family, hasn't it turned from being in the right to being in the wrong?

Yushui and the others all knew what she was thinking and what she meant, but they still had to persuade her.

No matter what, Qin Huairu's relationship with the front courtyard rooms was very good. On weekdays, whether it was getting along or helping each other, they never fell short.

Now the vegetables that Old Biaozi was moving were first purchased by the guest house canteen. Because the leaders ate well in the Steel Rolling Mill's big canteen, Director Guo also started purchasing vegetables from Old Biaozi.

Nothing else, Director Guo of the canteen also had his own connections, but Old Biaozi's connections were tougher than his.

With Qin Huairu helping to speak in the guest house canteen where the leaders ate, plus the relationship between Hongxing Village and the Steel Rolling Mill, could there be other units sending things?

Hongxing Village and the vegetable planting on the mountain—didn't they have living money because of Old Biaozi's hard work?

In the past, the vegetables grown in the courtyard in the summer couldn't be eaten and were thrown away. There was no way; they couldn't be sold, and people didn't want them if they were given away; every family had them.

And city people couldn't get village vegetables; they were too far away.

Unless there were relatives close to the city who would send them, otherwise it was inconvenient for both sides.

Old Biaozi made a trip every three or four days, about five tons of vegetables per trip, just enough for several units to divide.

Steel Rolling Mill, First Detention Center, Security Brigade, Club—he went up the mountain twice a week, one trip to deliver to these four units, and one trip handed over to Li Xuewu to deliver.

If the vegetables from each household in Hongxing Village weren't enough, they would collect from other villages. Yin Mancang was helping Old Biaozi with this.

It wasn't just Yin Mancang; the village cadres were all busy with this. Once they really earned money, what spirit or what doctrine?

When cadres came from above to inspect, they would shout a few slogans, kill a chicken, and have some wine; weren't they all saying good things?

Once the villagers had money, weren't they full of energy? They were more supportive and enthusiastic toward the training factory, the cannery, and the 816 Regiment on the mountain than ever before.

Especially Old Biaozi, this young man who brought them a good life—the more they looked at him, the more pleasing he was.

If it weren't for the fact that Old Biaozi really didn't want to find someone in the village, people would have been introducing him to a wife by now.

Old Biaozi was popular not only because he collected vegetables and earned money for the villagers, but also because it wasn't easy to go up and down the mountain, so he purchased things the villagers needed and sent them up the mountain.

Anyway, the trucks were empty when going to collect vegetables, so pulling some things back was actually profitable.

He was just like this: he collected vegetables from the villagers, gave them money, and then used the things he got from the supply and marketing cooperative, along with the old items from the recycling station, to take the money out of the villagers' hands again.

Old Biaozi learned from Li Xuewu, shouting about win-win, but in fact, he was the same, winning twice!

When Li Xuewu connected with Old Biaozi, Old Biaozi told Li Xuewu that Yin Mancang asked him to go up the mountain to take a look when he had time.

The houses halfway up the mountain were being built. Li Xuewu hadn't been up the mountain recently, and Secretary Yin was feeling uneasy.

Li Xuewu looked at the young man in the passenger seat whose demeanor was normal; clearly, Old Biaozi wasn't teasing them anymore. While looking at the vegetables with Old Biaozi, he nodded in response.

He hadn't been up the mountain recently, partly because there were many problems and things to do in the factory.

Another reason was that the high-power radio communication equipment he asked Zheng Xiaoyan to purchase from the Tianjin Radio Factory was about to arrive, and he was preparing to wait until they were sent up the mountain together to take a look.

These radio devices were all ordered in the name of the Steel Rolling Mill.

He had also talked to Li Huai De about this problem. Beijing was too far from the frontier and the Steel City, so communication was destined to be inconvenient. Having their own radio was a guarantee for telephone communication.

Li Huai De naturally wouldn't refuse Li Xuewu's opinion. Now that trade was confirmed to be profitable, and he was busy with factory matters, he approved whatever Li Xuewu applied for.

Therefore, the Steel Rolling Mill purchased a total of three sets of high-power radio equipment from the Tianjin Radio Factory this time, fully guaranteeing communication between the three places.

These radio devices naturally had to be regulated. After all, they were high-power and long-distance communication, and everything from equipment production to installation was monitored by the radio management department.

One set for the Steel City Steel Mill, one set for the Wucheng Office, and one set for the Beijing Training Ground.

These three sets of equipment were all installed outside the city, relatively far from the city. Mainly because radio is still the main means of communication, and the interference in the city is too strong.

The Steel City one was installed at the wharf; the Steel Mill had cooperation with the wharf, and office work was also convenient.

The Beijing one was installed directly in Hongxing Village, because the Steel Rolling Mill had a training ground here, which was also very convenient.

Only the frontier office—they weren't familiar with the local geography, had no base, and had no suitable location to install the equipment.

Fortunately, Jin Yaohui accidentally met a local person. The other party was a local herdsman who had his own house on the edge of the city and was willing to let the office arrange the communication room in one of his houses.

The problems in the three places were solved, and the equipment was being customized and produced. Li Xuewu was just waiting for the news.

Old Biaozi said he should go up the mountain; in fact, it would be soon. Zheng Xiaoyan's factory was a big one, and the things he wanted weren't difficult, so it was estimated to be a matter of a week or two.

After saying a few words, Old Biaozi took the boys and left. Li Xuewu tidied up for a while, rested in the car for a while, and then drove back.

It was almost nine o'clock when he returned to the west courtyard, and he saw there were still many people in the west courtyard room.

After parking the car and watching the boy close the gate, Li Xuewu also entered the front courtyard.

Glancing into the west room, he saw Qin Huairu sitting in the room talking.

The atmosphere was good at this moment, everyone was laughing and talking, much livelier than when Qin Huairu first came.

"Busy until so late?"

"Yeah, the road isn't far, and there are many hands, so it's okay."

Li Xuewu glanced into the room, saw everyone was still there, and asked with a smile: "Why is everyone so complete today? Having a meeting?"

"Hey~ aren't we all waiting for your lecture~"

Seeing Sha Zhu laughed and teased, then got off the kang and said: "It's lively when there are many people, and it never ends when we start talking."

"Alright, enough talking, going home to sleep!"

Seeing Sha Zhu put on his shoes, winked at Li Xuewu, and said: "So you don't have to see me and get annoyed."

"Hehe, talking nonsense with me, right?"

Li Xuewu pulled up a chair by the desk, took the hot water Yu Li handed him, and asked: "Chat for a while longer, there's nothing to do tomorrow anyway."

"Can't, have things to do."

Seeing Diliya also stand up, Seeing Sha Zhu explained to Li Xuewu: "Have to get up early tomorrow and go to the big leader's place; heard there's a gathering."

After a simple explanation, he looked at Yushui and Yu Li and said: "Let's go, you guys go rest early too."

"Okay."

Yushui responded and got up, preparing to go home to get some things and sleep at Yu Li's place.

Seeing Yu Li and Yushui like this, Li Xuewu looked at Seeing Sha Zhu in confusion.

Seeing Sha Zhu stood by Li Xuewu's side waiting for his sister and wife to leave first, and then whispered to Li Xuewu to explain what had just happened.

After a few words, seeing Li Xuewu understood, he nodded at Li Xuewu, followed his sister out the door, and went home.

After Seeing Sha Zhu and the others left, Xiaoyan and Shen Guodong also got up to prepare to go back, and Wang Yamei, who had been waiting, also got up, took her things, said a few words to Li Xuewu, and all went out the door.

Old Biaozi had just finished eating in the kitchen and came out. He let Old Six Sun Yongli wash the dishes, while he sat on the edge of the kang drinking tea.

He knew why Seeing Sha Zhu and the others left; it was nothing more than to give them space.

Everyone knew Li Xuewu had been busy all day and had gone out to work hard again tonight. Since he came back here, there must be something to talk about, so they couldn't ramble on and delay Li Xuewu and the others from having a meeting and resting.

Shen Guodong knew there was nothing for him to do, and his mother-in-law was alone at home, so it wasn't good to go back too late, and Wang Yamei was there too, so they left together.

Only Qin Huairu and Banggeng, this mother and son, were "outsiders" left in the room.

Watching everyone leave, Qin Huairu also took the time to mutter to Li Xuewu about the Yan family's affairs.

When Li Xuewu saw her out, she even complained to Li Xuewu, saying that the neighbors were gossiping about her behind her back.

"Especially Wang Laoqi's wife, I don't know what to say about her."

Qin Huairu said with an unhappy face: "Saying something like 'a dog that bites doesn't bark.' Did I provoke her? Saying that about me~"

Li Xuewu nodded and comforted her: "Hey, we're all in the same courtyard. If you see her, ask her face to face; what can't be said face to face?"

After persuading her, Li Xuewu scratched his ear with the hand holding the cigarette and whispered: "This matter, you have to look at it dialectically. Think more about the front courtyard. Wang Laoqi's wife—don't bother with people like her. Don't you know what kind of people they are?"

Qin Huairu watched Banggeng go to the hanging flower gate and stood at the entrance of the front courtyard rooms complaining to Li Xuewu: "I didn't do anything wrong. Who could swallow this anger? They are pretending to be good people."

"Look at Banggeng, he's so naughty, I don't know when he'll cause trouble again. I don't dare let him suffer this kind of deception. Who knows what he'll do next time."

Qin Huairu pursed her lips, let out a hard breath, then looked at the Yan family in the front courtyard again, and said: "Something happened to the Third Master, which is something I didn't want to see, but I have to think for myself. I manage Banggeng because I don't want to see Banggeng become like Yan Jiefang in the future."

"He didn't manage his child well, now he's saving face, and when something goes wrong, it's as if it's everyone else's fault. Am I wronged or what?"

"Hmm, be more broad-minded."

Li Xuewu nodded, took a puff of his cigarette, and said: "Managing children is right; if you don't manage them, it'll be a disaster. We'll see about the Third Master later; it's not clear what's going on yet."

Qin Huairu looked at Li Xuewu suspiciously, wondering what his words meant.

Li Xuewu watched Qin Huairu take Banggeng to the front courtyard and smiled when he thought of the sentence "a dog that bites doesn't bark" that Qin Huairu said just now.

Indeed, he had been bitten.