Chapter 698: See through but don't say through

Morning light shines on the roof beams,

The door opens with a drum sound.

The dog sleeps on the steps knowing the ground is wet,

Birds speak at the window announcing clear skies.

When Li Li Xuewu came back from the inverted house last night, he found that the moon was gone, which meant the clouds were thick.

He didn't calculate that there would be a light rain at night.

When he went out in the morning, he saw Bang Geng wearing boots and thought there had been a heavy rain, but there was no standing water on the ground in the courtyard.

"Hehe~ there are a lot of fish and shrimp this morning."

Bang Geng handed the broken bucket in his hand to Li Li Xuewu to see, showing off his achievements.

Li Li Xuewu yawned, wearing a white tank top, blinked his eyes, and squatted on the stone steps at the door.

"Is it cold? What time did you go?"

"A little past four~"

Bang Geng found a wooden board from Li Li Xuewu's doorway and got a kitchen knife from the chicken coop.

"My aunt said feeding chickens wild vegetables is fine, but I went to look, and there's nowhere to dig any."

While explaining, he used a broken basin to scoop some rice bran from the hatch under the chicken coop and walked over.

Then he grabbed a handful of fish and shrimp from the bucket, took the broken kitchen knife, and started chopping "clatter, clatter," with debris and water splashing everywhere.

Li Li Xuewu dodged in disgust, squinted his eyes, and asked: "What would happen if you used the energy you spend on raising chickens on your studies?"

"Nothing would happen~"

Bang Geng chopped vigorously a few times, scraped all the debris into the rice bran basin, and continued to grab and dodge.

"I'm working hard to feed the chickens now, and the chickens can lay eggs for me to eat. If I work hard at school, can the teacher lay eggs for me to eat?"

"Hiss~~~"

Li Li Xuewu found that this child's train of thought was very unique; it seemed to make a little sense.

Seeing his Wu Shu like this, Bang Geng said with a smile: "Actually, I understand too. Studying is good for me, but I just can't study; it's not as fun as working."

While speaking, he raised the kitchen knife and said to Li Li Xuewu: "I've thought about it. I won't study after primary school. The knowledge I've learned now is enough for me to use—reading books and newspapers, writing letters, and doing accounts are all enough. Why study more? It's a waste of money."

After speaking, he continued to chop "clatter, clatter" twice and threw the fish and shrimp debris into the basin.

Li Li Xuewu looked at Bang Geng and asked with a smile: "Then you don't want to be a policeman anymore? You were very envious that I could carry a gun. How come your ambition changed so quickly?"

"I want to, why wouldn't I!"

Bang Geng didn't stop the kitchen knife in his hand, and his words didn't stop either, saying "blah, blah, blah": "But what's the use of wanting to? I've asked your third aunt, and now to be a policeman, you need at least a junior high school diploma, and some even need high school."

"With my grades, the teacher shakes his head when he sees them and advises me to take over my mother's job and become a factory worker as soon as possible."

"Hey! Wu Shu~"

Bang Geng stopped what he was doing, looked up at Li Li Xuewu, and asked: "You say, if someone like me enters the steel mill, what can I do? I can't go serve dishes like my mother; I can only go to the workshop to forge iron."

"Otherwise?"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and looked at Bang Geng: "You're getting a bit arrogant. Now, how many people want to forge iron but can't? And you're actually looking down on it."

"Hehe, you don't say, I really don't think much of it~"

Bang Geng licked his lips, leaned over with a wicked smile, and asked in a low voice: "Wu Shu, guess how many eggs I've collected from spring until now?"

"How many?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at Bang Geng's fishy smell in disgust, frowned, and asked: "Can it exceed your mother's salary?"

"That's impossible~ I don't dare to think about my mother's salary now, but~~~"

Bang Geng learned from Li Li Xuewu, raised his eyebrows, and smiled wickedly: "I still dare to compare it with a first-grade worker's salary."

While speaking, he threw the kitchen knife in his hand and calculated for Li Li Xuewu: "One chicken lays one to two eggs a day, and it can lay for half a year. Two chickens? Twenty-six chickens?"

Bang Geng looked at Li Li Xuewu and said: "My grandmother said that chicks hatched in spring can lay eggs this autumn. I have twenty-six chickens in my hand, so at least thirty eggs a day."

"Thirty eggs!"

Bang Geng held up three fingers in front of Li Li Xuewu and said: "I've inquired about the acquisition price of eggs at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative—six and a half cents each. How much can I earn a day?"

"That's one yuan and ninety-five cents a day!"

"And this is only twenty-six chickens. I can't earn more than my mother in a month, but I can't earn more than Uncle Sha!"

Li Li Xuewu looked at the three pig-trotter-thick fingers shaking in front of him and slapped them away: "Alright, Manager Jia, keep a low profile. If you keep calculating, you'll be sentenced!"

Bang Geng showed off in front of Li Li Xuewu a few more times, then went to mix the chopped chicken feed with water, gave a small portion to the big chickens here, and prepared to feed the small chickens in the middle courtyard with the rest.

"Hehe~"

Bang Geng walked past Li Li Xuewu carrying the bucket and feed basin, showing off the rain boots on his feet with a chuckle: "See that? New! Victory brand, incredibly sturdy!"

"Wu Shu, just you wait. I can eat my fill even without going to work in the future."

Watching Bang Geng walk toward the moon gate with his big fat face swaying, Li Li Xuewu curled his lips, really unable to bear hitting him now.

It hadn't been said yet, but maybe one day the chickens in this courtyard couldn't exceed three.

Unless they were divided by household, saying they were raised together~

But counting Old Three's family, his own family, his mother's family, and the inverted house...

Hey, Li Li Xuewu had forgotten about the inverted house. The inverted house was divided into households, and many people held their own household registration books.

And to say the least, if Bang Geng could really think and conduct himself, maybe he could really keep raising these chickens.

Gu Ning washed Li Shu's face and hands, put on small clothes, held her, and walked out to say to Li Li Xuewu: "You hold her for a while, I'm going to wash up."

"Alright~"

Li Li Xuewu stood up, glanced at the opposite door, and took his eldest daughter from Gu Ning's arms.

"Oh my~ my daughter is so beautiful today, wearing such nice clothes~"

"Ya ya ya~"

Li Shu also knew that Daddy was praising her, but now that she was out of the room and had finished washing her face, it was time to go out and play.

Going from Mommy's arms to Daddy's arms meant he was taking her out to play, so why were they still dawdling at the door?

Li Shu saw Daddy not moving and thinking about taking advantage of her, so she angrily twisted her body and reached out, wanting to leave.

Li Li Xuewu saw his daughter was anxious and pointing with her little finger toward the moon gate, wanting to set off. He kissed his daughter and said: "You've finished washing your face, but your daddy hasn't yet~"

"Ga ga ga~~~"

Li Shu saw Daddy wasn't moving and was just thinking about taking advantage of her, so she angrily twisted her body and reached out, wanting to leave.

Liu Liu Guangtian came out of his house yawning, saw Li Li Xuewu coaxing the child at the door, and was stunned for a moment, then curled his lips and greeted with a smile: "Chief Li, morning."

"Hmm, didn't I tell you, just call me Brother at home."

Li Li Xuewu couldn't refuse his daughter, so he walked around the courtyard holding her, and replied to Liu Liu Guangtian.

Seeing Li Shu had stopped making a fuss, he glanced at him and asked: "I heard you had a fight with someone in the workshop? It was quite a scene?"

"No... there is such a thing."

Liu Liu Guangtian wanted to deny it when he heard Li Li Xuewu say this, but after seeing Li Li Xuewu's eyes, he admitted it.

It was just that he felt a bit embarrassed now, smiled awkwardly, and said: "It was Monkey; he kept provoking me and saying some things."

After speaking, he looked back at his own house and added to Li Li Xuewu: "Kept nagging about my dad's affairs, so annoying."

"Is that so~"

Li Li Xuewu bounced Li Shu, nodded without criticizing, and warned: "It's chaotic in the factory recently, try not to cause trouble. It won't be good if it gets too big."

"Hey, got it, Brother Li."

Liu Liu Guangtian nodded and agreed very readily, but his expression was unnatural, clearly having some thoughts in his heart.

Li Li Xuewu didn't care what thoughts he had, watching his big eyes roll around, knowing this kid wasn't a good thing.

Compared to Yan Yan Jiefang in the front courtyard, this kid was bolder and a worse character.

But things always had two sides. Looking at it separately, this kind of reckless person was simple to use; two or three sentences might ignite his hot blood.

Li Li Xuewu was the kind of person who would dig a hole and bury a nail even when there was nothing to do. If he hadn't asked him to call him Brother and hadn't shown concern just now, if Xu Sinian had seen it, he would have sighed for Liu Liu Guangtian.

But now Liu Liu Guangtian didn't think he was about to be pitted; he was pondering in his heart.

He also saw that something was wrong. Why did Li Li Xuewu suddenly care about him? They weren't related, so it couldn't be just because they lived opposite each other, right?

Besides, last time by the well, because of the conflict with the First Uncle, he had been threatened by Li Li Xuewu, so how could he dare to think Li Li Xuewu was doing it for his own good?

Since last year, he had been hoping to enter the Security Department, hoping from the time Li Li Xuewu was a section chief, until Li Li Xuewu became a deputy chief, and he was still doing manual labor in the workshop.

Saying he was disappointed couldn't blame Li Li Xuewu; after all, he lost the hope of entering the Security Department not because of Li Li Xuewu, but because of his father.

If it weren't for his father making a mistake, if it weren't for his father asking him to deliver that package, would there have been so much trouble?

However, although he didn't blame Li Li Xuewu, he didn't reach the point of believing whatever Li Li Xuewu said.

They were all adults, and he was about the same age as Li Li Xuewu, naturally having a kind of defiance and rebellion.

It was the same as Yan Yan Jiefang, except Yan Yan Jiefang had more jealousy in his heart and showed more of it.

Liu Liu Guangtian was big and burly, with big eyes rolling around. In fact, when he reached his age and had suffered enough losses, he knew how to defend himself.

He had heard that Deputy Factory Director Li had fallen, and the working group was investigating Deputy Factory Director Li.

Who was this Deputy Factory Director Li?

Liu Liu Guangtian knew that Li Li Xuewu's direct supervisor was Deputy Factory Director Li, and everyone knew that Li Li Xuewu had a good relationship with Deputy Factory Director Li. Could this time be about implicating Li Li Xuewu?

He had heard that when Li Li Xuewu got married, he didn't live here because Li Li Xuewu had a small villa.

Where did this villa come from?

The Security Department had so many projects, and the workshop and the design office had all made money. Li Li Xuewu couldn't have missed out; he must have made a lot.

Ah! The backer had fallen, and he was afraid of being liquidated, so he was saying nice things to himself?

Liu Liu Guangtian glanced at Li Li Xuewu, thinking, how did he know he participated in the small team organized by the factory workers, and how did he know he went to post big-character posters and write reports?

The security guards at the entrance of the Security Department didn't care about things, but they still reported who had gone in to the higher-ups.

Liu Liu Guangtian felt a chill in his heart, recalled what Li Li Xuewu had just said, and wondered if he was hinting at him?

In a flash, countless questions and thoughts flashed through Liu Liu Guangtian's mind.

He exchanged a few polite words with Li Li Xuewu, held the washbasin, and walked toward the moon gate, thinking about Li Li Xuewu as he walked.

What made Li Li Xuewu feel guilty toward him? What made Li Li Xuewu afraid of him?

Was it just the small villa?

Or was there something else he hadn't noticed...

Li Li Xuewu walked around the backyard holding his daughter. When Gu Ning called him to change shifts to wash his face, he couldn't help but glance at Liu Liu Guangtian's back, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

He had to find some "trouble" for himself. If no one really found trouble for him, then the hurdles ahead wouldn't be easy to pass.

Deputy Factory Director Li had been "framed" and "attacked," but he was safe and sound. Wouldn't that make him look special?

The Security Department was already very special. If the head of the Security Department was also special and could avoid the wind and rain, wouldn't he be a bright target?

This "self-soiling" had to be done properly; he couldn't play himself to death.

Someone like Liu Liu Guangtian was very suitable—he had small cleverness but no great wisdom, and he had ambition but no guts to make a fortune. Wasn't that just right?

Gu Ning didn't see anything unusual about Li Li Xuewu, took the child, watched him enter the room, and stood at the door coaxing Li Shu.

Li Shu dared to be fierce with Daddy, but she was very obedient with Gu Ning. She even tried to please Gu Ning, pointing at the ground with her little finger, telling Mommy where Daddy had taken her for a walk just now.

Gu Ning could roughly understand what Li Shu meant, but no one could decipher exactly what she was saying yet.

She could only respond while waiting for Li Li Xuewu.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu had finished washing, still wearing the tank top and shorts, she couldn't help but stare.

"Hey~ change when you come back later, don't get it dirty while eating."

Li Li Xuewu also saw what Gu Ning meant. His clothes were on the sofa, but he just hadn't changed.

He reached out to take Li Shu, held her while walking out, and explained: "I'm not going out this morning, and I'm holding her, so I'll have to wash it if it gets dirty."

Gu Ning pursed her lips when she heard Li Li Xuewu's words. She knew she couldn't win against him. She knew part of what Li Li Xuewu said was reasonable, and the other part was that Li Li Xuewu was lazy.

She had long known about Li Li Xuewu's laziness. He liked the relaxed life in the courtyard, the comfort of the city, without having to care about whether he was dressed properly or cleanly when going out.

The tank top exposing his two arms and most of his shoulders, along with the big shorts and slippers, formed the main melody of the chaotic morning in the courtyard.

Every family ate something different in the morning, and the aromas mixed together, so no one could tell what each family had eaten.

Li Li Xuewu knew Bang Geng's family was eating steamed buns and rice porridge because Xiao Dang and Little Huaihua were holding bowls and eating buns at the door.

Bang Geng was even more strange; he held a bowl, squatted on the chicken coop, and watched the chickens in the coop eat while he ate.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu's family of three pass by from the backyard, some greeted, while others just smiled and went into their rooms.

Everyone was busy in the morning, preparing to finish tidying up early so they could go out for a stroll, relax, and buy what they needed for the week.

Qin Qin Huairu came out of the room wearing the floral skirt and white shirt she had dyed last time. She wanted to scold Bang Geng when she saw him squatting on the wall, but seeing Li Li Xuewu and Gu Ning pass by with the child, she stopped her words and changed them into a greeting: "Up~"

"Hehe, what time is it now."

Li Li Xuewu responded with a smile, saw she was dressed neatly, and asked: "Going out today?"

"Work~"

Qin Qin Huairu walked into the courtyard helplessly, gave Bang Geng, who was secretly looking back, a sharp look, but explained the day's itinerary to Li Li Xuewu:

"Yesterday afternoon, I received a notice from Director Wang of the Service Department, saying that the working group wouldn't rest on Sunday and would still be busy at the guesthouse, and would call factory workers over for talks and meetings, saying they would start with the Service Department."

Speaking of this, Qin Qin Huairu sighed and said: "Fu Linfang was supposed to be on duty today, but I was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle it, so I swapped shifts with her."

"No rest on Sunday?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at Qin Qin Huairu with narrowed eyes and said with a smile: "The working group's enthusiasm for work is worth learning."

"You learn it yourself!"

Qin Qin Huairu pursed her lips and smiled, saying: "Haven't you seen everyone is annoyed to death? Asking the same broken things over and over, investigating them over and over, making everyone's hair stand on end~"

Gu Ning blinked when she heard Qin Qin Huairu speaking in a Northeast dialect.

Li Li Xuewu didn't pay attention, nodded, and said with a smile: "Then you have to execute it according to Director Wang's instructions. Cooperate with the working group's work, your work attitude is not acceptable."

"Go to hell~"

Qin Qin Huairu teased with a smile: "You're really good at talking officialese. Let's see if you're still laughing when they investigate the Security Department~"

Li Li Xuewu was holding his daughter and walking out, replying: "Laugh~ I must laugh. Why shouldn't I laugh if I'm clean and innocent? Right, daughter?"

Li Shu didn't know what Daddy was babbling about with her, but she was happy that they weren't strolling in the backyard anymore and were heading out.

Seeing Daddy talking to her with a smile, Li Shu gave him a small smile as a reward, making Li Li Xuewu laugh even louder.

Watching the family of three go to the front courtyard, Qin Qin Huairu turned to look at Bang Geng, but Bang Geng had already slipped home, and Xiao Dang and Little Huaihua at the door were also holding their rice bowls and walking into the room.

Bang Geng was naughty all morning, and after feeding the chickens, he didn't go home to wash his face and eat, but squatted on the wall and watched the chickens and giggled.

His grandmother called him several times, but he didn't respond. Finally, she shouted, and he rushed back to wash his face, then took his rice bowl and went back to the wall to watch the chickens.

Looking at his enthusiasm and silly smile, it seemed as if he could make the chickens grow up instantly and lay eggs for him immediately.

His grandmother muttered a few times that the child was possessed, but Qin Qin Huairu didn't pay attention; her palm was the cure for being possessed and disobedient.

Xiao Dang and Little Huaihua were young and just learned whatever their brother did. Just now, Bang Geng came out with his rice bowl to eat, and they followed suit.

Now that Bang Geng had been scared back home, the two children also knew this wasn't right and followed their brother back to the dinner table.

As soon as Qin Qin Huairu entered the room, she heard her mother-in-law talking to the three children: "You can't eat at the door, and you can't eat in the courtyard; that's what beggars do."

Jia Jia Zhangshi was eating while telling the three children about how poor people and beggars in the past begged and ate, what they wore, and what they ate.

Bang Geng hated hearing this the most. He didn't listen to anyone now, except Wu Shu; it seemed like everyone else was wrong.

Qin Qin Huairu saw Bang Geng shaking his head with a stubborn face and said fiercely: "If you're naughty again, I'll let you taste what it's like to go hungry three times a day."

This was the phrase from her mother-in-law's words just now, saying that beggars who couldn't get food went hungry three times a day.

Bang Geng stiffened his neck and retorted with his big fat face: "It's not like I haven't experienced it. Last year I was hungry even after eating my fill; isn't that just going hungry three times a day!"

"Alright, you dare to talk back!"

Qin Qin Huairu couldn't win against her son, gritted her teeth, and rushed toward Bang Geng, scaring Bang Geng into running away with his rice bowl again.

Jia Jia Zhangshi was stopping her, persuading Qin Qin Huairu while talking about Bang Geng, and the two little girls sat to the side holding their rice bowls and watching the show—it was very lively.

The Jia family's breakfast was lively, and the Li family's breakfast was the same. The little tormentor Li Shu was making a huge fuss; as soon as Li Li Xuewu brought her into the house, she started "yi yi," insisting on going out to play.

Gu Ning scared her, and the little one cried again, tears falling drop by drop.

Liu Yin was heartbroken coaxing her eldest granddaughter, and breakfast was only half-prepared, with Li Xue and the others continuing to prepare it.

At mealtime, she and the Old Lady were serving Li Shu, and after Gu Ning finished eating, she took over from her mother-in-law and the Old Lady to continue feeding.

Li Shu was small now, ate little, but slowly, eating and playing, her big eyes always looking outside, having a heart that couldn't stay idle.

She was in Grandma and Grandmother's arms, and now she was in Daddy and Mommy's arms. She was even trying to please Mommy, sitting in Mommy's arms, holding Mommy with her little hands, and looking up at Mommy from time to time, as if trying to please her.

Gu Ning didn't scold Li Shu like Qin Qin Huairu did; she just gave her a look and said a word.

Children, after all, are afraid of someone, even if it's just a look from the other party that will scare them into crying.

Li Li Xuewu loved his daughter and was someone who spoiled his children, but he wouldn't stop Gu Ning from disciplining the child; the Li family didn't have that rule.

After being busy all morning, they finally finished feeding the daughter, and everyone finally settled down.

Liu Yin originally planned to take her daughters-in-law to go shopping, but now she had no heart for it, feeling tired from being worn out by Li Shu.

She didn't feel tired when she brought up so many children at home when she was young, but now that she thought about how the eldest daughter-in-law would have another one soon, and the second daughter-in-law would be soon too, the family would soon become a kindergarten, and just thinking about it made her feel tired.

Li Li Xuewu had nothing to do in the morning, so he let Li Xue tidy up, saying he would take her out for a stroll in a while, and went out to play holding Li Shu.

Liu Yin watched Li Shu laughing and showing her little teeth as she went out, and couldn't help but shake her head and smile bitterly: "This way of spoiling the child is exactly the same as his father when he was young."

While speaking, she turned to look at Li Xue, smiled at the Old Lady, and said: "Back then, he would hold his daughter and stroll around all day, as if she were a treasure."

After speaking, she shook her head helplessly, saying: "No matter how busy he is, as long as his daughter makes a fuss or cries, he has to follow his daughter's wishes."

She didn't know what Li Li Xuewu was going to do with Li Xue, but now that her son was in charge of the family, and her daughter was working, she didn't have the heart to ask.

She just felt that her son had finally grown up, could take care of the family, take care of the children, and care for his parents and wife; he was an adult.

It was as if her son had grown up, her granddaughter had grown up, and they had all grown old.

Gu Ning saw her mother-in-law nagging and saw that Li Xue didn't know what was going on, so she hesitated whether to change clothes and explained softly: "We talked about it last night; Li Li Xuewu is taking Li Xue to visit the elders in the family and send holiday gifts."

Liu Yin nodded in understanding, and like the Old Lady, she couldn't manage her son's affairs now.

She wasn't very clear about what her son was doing at work or what friends he had made.

The Old Lady listened to Liu Yin talking to several daughters-in-law with a smile, nodding from time to time, her eyes a bit vacant, as if she were recalling the past.

Looking at Li Li Xuewu holding his daughter and going out, it was as if she saw her son back then, also spoiling his granddaughter like this.

Li Li Xuewu spoiled his daughter, and Li Shu could also feel Daddy's love. As soon as she was in his arms, she began to talk happily, her little mouth babbling non-stop, as if confirming that Daddy could understand her.

Outside the hanging flower gate, Li Li Xuewu had just come out holding his daughter when he saw Sha Zhu coming out of the inverted house with a bag, looking like he was going out to work.

"Why? Leaving so early?"

Li Li Xuewu had heard Sha Zhu say last night that he was going to help at the big leader's place today, but he didn't expect him to set off right after breakfast.

Sha Zhu nodded, winked, and explained after walking closer: "Lunch, the cook over there resigned, so I have to handle it all by myself, so I have to go early to prepare."

After speaking, he teased Li Shu, nodded to Li Li Xuewu, and went out the door.

Li Li Xuewu held Li Shu and stood in the outer courtyard looking at Sha Zhu, then followed his daughter's instructions and went to the west courtyard.

It was also lively here in the morning. The store was opening its door panels, and the boys were busy, laughing and joking. Wang Wang Yamei and Xiao Yan were taking out the braised goods that had been braised last night and sat for a night, and sending them into the room.

Li Li Xuewu couldn't help, so he could only stand to the side holding the child, not affecting their work.

Li Shu stared with big eyes, curiously watching the aunts and uncles busy, and didn't make a fuss anymore.

Yu Li and Diliya tidied the kitchen and walked out from the screen gate, followed by Second Uncle and Grandfather, who had clearly just had a few cups of hot tea and rested for a while.

"Yo~ why is the little devil so obedient today!"

Yu Li loved teasing Li Shu and also liked coaxing her. Seeing Li Li Xuewu holding her, she walked over and teased her.

Li Shu reached out her little hand wanting Yu Li to hold her, but Yu Li kissed Li Shu and said with a smile: "Not now, Aunt has to be busy."

While speaking, she reached out and rubbed Li Shu's little face, then went to the store to get busy.

Li Shu wanted to put her little hand into her mouth. Li Li Xuewu grabbed it, coaxed his daughter, and pointed to the people who were busy to talk to his daughter.

It was indeed busy in the morning. Shen Shen Guodong and the others pushed out the carts they had tidied up last night, lining them up in a long row.

More than a dozen tricycles, all with iron plates and wooden clappers tied to them. Under Shen Shen Guodong's instructions, the boys carried their bags one by one, got on the carts, and pedaled out the door.

The last one was Shen Shen Guodong's. After the boys had all left, he waved to Old Biao, pedaled his cart, and went out the door.

After they had all left, Er Hai pushed the cart into the north warehouse, busied himself with Grandfather for a while, and then pedaled out.

Old Biao had talked to Li Li Xuewu late last night, but he got up early this morning, loaded a cart of scrap, started the cart, and went out to deliver the goods.

Before leaving, he even gave instructions to Grandfather, saying that some furniture had to be delivered today, so let Grandfather choose the light ones to deliver with the horse cart first, and wait for him to come back to deliver the heavy ones.

The big green horse was well-fed, and driving the horse cart was easy. Li Li Xuewu held Li Shu and stood in the courtyard, basking in the morning sun, watching the eldest grandmother and Second Uncle harness the horse cart and load tables and chairs onto the cart.

There weren't many people coming to the store in the morning; there were only a few people during the time they went to work, so Yu Li and Diliya came out from the room to help Grandfather and the others load the cart.

The small recycling station had vitality because of the busyness of these people, and it also had the life that Li Shu found curious.

This might be the life that the little her had to learn and witness.

Today was the 22nd, Sunday, and Monday was the Dragon Boat Festival, so Li Li Xuewu had to find time today to visit every family.

Godmother's house, teacher's wife's house, cheap uncles Li Li Congyun and Li Li Zhengfeng's house, and matchmakers Yu Yu Huaiyou and Li Li De Shan's house, and finally a teacher who needed to be visited, Liu Zheng.

The elders visited today were all elders; Godmother and teacher's wife went without saying, as they were real relationships.

Li Li Congyun and Li Li Zhengfeng were uncles Li Li Xuewu officially recognized. Regardless of whether they were from the same branch of the ancestors, the status was set, so he had to go sit for a while during every festival.

As for the matchmaker side, Li Li Xuewu happened to meet them by chance and chose these two, but they all came to the wedding banquet, and they were witnesses and matchmakers, so this human favor and friendship had to be counted.

Now Li Li Xuewu and Gu Ning were living well. If it were in the countryside and they weren't living well and were having conflicts, the matchmaker would have to come forward to mediate.

Even for divorce, the matchmaker had to be notified; this was the old rule and the custom.

Of course, Li Li Xuewu and Gu Ning were living well, so the matchmaker couldn't be invited to mediate life; it was considered a kind of relative relationship.

When he got home, he saw Li Xue was all packed. Because Gu Ning said so, Li Li Xuewu took her to visit the elders, so she wore a shirt and skirt, and on her feet were the small leather shoes bought by Zhao Zhao Yafang, looking very neat.

Li Li Xuewu didn't explain to her, and because he had put many boxes in the back, she looked at them and then at her second brother.

Li Li Xuewu didn't explain to her, and after opening the door for her, Yu Li waved at him, and he drove out the door.

The first stop was the Dong family, visiting Han Shu who was at home with the children.

Now the school was chaotic, Han Shu went to school less often and spent more time at home with the children.

When Li Li Xuewu and his sister arrived, Han Shu was teaching her son to do homework, and they didn't notice them when they entered.

Whether you are a university teacher or a university professor, you are a high blood pressure patient when guiding children to do homework.

It was also Li Li Xuewu and the two entering the room

Books in the Huaxin Bookstore didn't require coupons, and books in the Supply and Marketing Cooperative didn't require coupons either, but stationery in the Supply and Marketing Cooperative required coupons.

"Just order according to the ratio of one set per person."

Li Li Xuewu frowned slightly as he looked at the documents in his hand and signed his opinion on them with his pen.

While busy with his hands, he also instructed Sha Sha Qizhi: "Go tell the Jiaodaokou Supply and Marketing Cooperative; Director Ma there has some friendship with me, so it will be easier to talk."

"Yes, I'll go handle it right away."

Sha Sha Qizhi responded and placed the documents in his hand on Li Li Xuewu's right side, making it convenient for Li Li Xuewu to pick them up later.

Ordering books and stationery was a troublesome matter, especially books, which required selecting titles and calculating the ratio between prices and stationery.

When Sha Sha Qizhi called the Huaxin Bookstore, he explained his identity, as well as Li Li Xuewu's identity and what he wanted to do.

The bookstore also found this matter strange when they heard about it. After clarifying the unit and address, they made an appointment with Sha Sha Qizhi to come to the steel mill next Monday to discuss the matter.

The Supply and Marketing Cooperative side was more convenient. As soon as they heard it was a call from the steel mill, especially about Chief Li's matter, the call was transferred to Director Ma.

Director Ma was also very surprised when he heard Sha Sha Qizhi explain what Li Li Xuewu wanted to do, but he was even more respectful and admiring.

Upon hearing the amount Sha Sha Qizhi reported for the purchase, he even said bluntly that he would communicate with the General Supply and Marketing Cooperative and would definitely try his best to meet the purchase needs here.

The production of stationery at this time had actually reached a certain level. The reason coupons were still required was because of the inertia of the planned economy; shortages didn't actually exist.

Even the Jiaodaokou neighborhood had its own stationery factory, and there was still a lot of handicraft industry.

After coordinating, Sha Sha Qizhi found that everyone in the large office was staring at him, thinking he was crazy to buy so many books and stationery.

"Director Sha, this is...?"

"Hey~ it's the chief."

Sha Sha Qizhi knew they had misunderstood and explained with a smile: "It's not that. The publishing house sent a letter saying the chief's two books have been published and reprinted, and there are over five thousand yuan in royalties. The chief wants to donate it just like last time."

"Whoa! ~~"

Everyone in the large office was stunned when they heard the number Sha Sha Qizhi "casually" mentioned. Some thought they had misheard and even confirmed with those around them whether it was really over five thousand.

Seeing the amazement and admiration in everyone's eyes, Sha Sha Qizhi also felt a sense of honor.

"This isn't the first time either; last time he donated books to the library."

Sha Sha Qizhi continued to explain: "This time, the chief wants to donate some readers and stationery to primary school students. That's why I'm contacting them right now."

"The chief is really... really admirable!"

"Indeed, donating so much money~"

Sha Sha Qizhi listened to everyone's discussion and felt a sense of heartache. Anyone who donated so much money all at once would feel heartache.

There were no secrets in government units. As soon as Li Li Xuewu made his decision, by the time they got off work in the afternoon, the news that Deputy Chief Li of the Security Department had over five thousand in royalties and had donated it all had spread throughout the office.

No one came to ask Li Li Xuewu personally about the authenticity of the news; after all, Li Li Xuewu really had published books, and the previous royalty had really been donated.

This time, they hadn't seen it reported in the newspapers, nor had they seen Li Li Xuewu admit it himself, so everyone just watched it as a bit of fun.

They were having fun, but Li Li Xuewu didn't pay attention to this because Sha Sha Qizhi was telling him about the office affairs in the afternoon.

While he was busy, the heads of several departments in the factory office had gone to report their work to Yang Yang Fengshan and Yang Yang Yuansong.

The tense atmosphere in the office was palpable; these department heads all had serious expressions, as if they had made some major decision.

Until the time they got off work in the afternoon, the factory director's and the secretary's offices were never empty.

Li Li Xuewu wouldn't delay his off-work time, let alone work overtime.

So, while many departments in the factory office were working overtime, or individual leaders were still talking, he had already gone downstairs, taken Sha Sha Qizhi, and driven away.

Today was Saturday, and he still had to take his family back to the courtyard, so he had to prepare early.

Li Xue didn't need him to take her; she had ridden her bike here today. It was a ten-minute trip, and it was convenient to go back and forth.

Going home with him would be a detour, so except for the first day when she rode in Li Li Xuewu's car, Li Xue hadn't thought about riding in her second brother's car again.

Li Li Xuewu also agreed with his sister's decision. This car belonged to the steel mill; it was fine for him to ride in it, but if Li Xue followed along, he was afraid people would gossip.

Work should look like work. Although he didn't avoid this kind of family relationship, he still had to pay attention to the influence of such behavior.

When Li Li Xuewu drove the car and brought his family back to the courtyard, Li Xue had already rested at home and was helping her mother prepare dinner.

"Yo! Man, you just got back~"

"Hey, Third Uncle, you are...?"

Li Li Xuewu let Old Lady and Gu Ning and the others enter the courtyard first, while he himself responded to the greeting from Third Uncle Yan Yan Fugui, who was standing in the outer courtyard.

After the farce on Thursday night, Li Li Xuewu hadn't asked about the courtyard again. Today, seeing Third Uncle standing at the outer gate as if nothing had happened, he felt it was strange.

Li Li Xuewu said he looked as if nothing had happened, which had two meanings: one was that he had seen him fall down with a thud on Thursday, and he had vascular disease, so he didn't expect him to recover so quickly.

Although he saw that the back of his head was still wrapped in gauze, his mental state looked okay now, and he even had a smile on his face.

This was also Li Li Xuewu's second meaning: regardless of how much face he had lost, it was ultimately not a pretty sight.

But looking at Third Uncle's mental state now, it seemed he hadn't taken Thursday's incident to heart. He didn't know if he was thick-skinned or if he had let it go.

Yan Yan Fugui held a palm-leaf fan in his hand, smiled, and gestured toward the gate, saying: "I'm waiting for my son, my eldest son."

While talking to Li Li Xuewu, he even explained: "They said they were coming back today, so I'm waiting for him."

"Oh~ then you go ahead~!"

Seeing Third Uncle say this, Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and gestured toward the hanging flower gate, saying: "I'm going home to take a look."