Chapter 808

Sha Zhu's drunkenness had faded; he had been scared sober.

He had really tried, he really had, but it seemed to be of no use.

This business between men and women was just like two magnets, damn it.

People who weren't a match would avoid each other no matter how they were pushed together, but for those who were a match, even if one didn't move, the other would automatically move closer.

Right now, his sister and Li Xuewu were just like that.

Even though he knew it was impossible, and Li Xuewu didn't have that intention either, it was precisely his damn, uncontrollable, scattered personal charm that was attracting his sister to keep moving closer.

Wasn't this just a moth flying into a flame, playing with fire and getting burned?

Improper relationships between men and women were dangerous games, and Sha Zhu was firmly opposed to them!

He would not allow Yushui to engage in such irrational behavior, and even less would he allow her to ruin her own future.

What was important was the emotional damage; in any relationship, as long as there wasn't a good outcome, then one side must have been hurt.

Li Xuewu was his good brother, and Yushui was his own sister; he wasn't willing to see either of them hurt.

He was even less willing to see their relationship become awkward and embarrassing because of what happened between the two of them.

But!

How should he bring this up? How could he express his concern about this issue?

Li Xuewu clearly didn't have intentions in that regard, or any improper designs on his sister, otherwise he wouldn't have said these things in front of him.

Sha Zhu believed Li Xuewu was upright; although this person would use some less-than-glorious little tricks in his work, he would absolutely never use them on him.

Everyone in this room had confidence that Li Xuewu would absolutely never sell them out.

Li Xuewu taking the initiative to help Yushui, in Sha Zhu's view, had to do with his need to lay out a layout within the Joint Enterprise, and also had to do with the brotherly affection between the two of them.

He had also heard a rough idea of the messy business over at the Joint Enterprise, and he understood the underhanded dealings inside well enough.

This time, Li Xuewu had launched three major "satellites," resolving Li Huai De's worries, smoothing over Jing Yunong's "grafting" scheme, and pushing Gu Weijie to take a step further.

Killing many birds with one stone; he was like this toward his superiors, and in the middle, he had also won over a large group of cadres. As long as they benefited during this cadre adjustment process, who wouldn't remember his kindness?

Perhaps the least valuable harvest from these arrangements was the concern and gratitude of the workers whose children were recruited.

But Sha Zhu understood clearly that the foundation of the masses was intangible and accumulated over time; for Li Xuewu, perhaps these things were also within his calculations.

Ever since he realized that Li Xuewu was no longer simply his neighbor or his childhood brother, he had stopped looking at Li Xuewu with a simple perspective.

However, his perspective was still too limited; he couldn't understand many of Li Xuewu's actions.

For example, regarding Yang Fengshan, his relationship with Yang Fengshan went without saying, and even now, he would occasionally go to offer Yang Fengshan some comfort.

Although Li Xuewu had never expressed an opinion on the matter of Yang Fengshan, it didn't prevent him from believing that Li Xuewu was targeting Yang Fengshan.

It was very simple: Li Huai De and Yang Fengshan were in a competitive relationship, and since Li Xuewu stood on Li Huai De's side, he was in a competitive relationship with Yang Fengshan.

But the matter was also very complex; Yang Fengshan wasn't brought down directly by Li Huai De, and it wasn't a trap set by Li Xuewu, but rather by Wang Jingzhang.

Or was Wang Jingzhang arranged by Li Xuewu?

It was too chaotic in there; Sha Zhu would never be able to figure out what these relationships were.

Just as Yang Fengshan had mentioned in his casual conversation with him, Li Xuewu was absolutely not a bad person, and even less was he a cadre without principles.

If one simply used right or wrong, good or bad to evaluate a cadre, it would be unfair.

In political work, there was never right or wrong, good or bad; there was only "you go down, I go up," and the direction of work.

Watching the Rolling Mill change day by day, especially in propaganda work and business work.

Li Xuewu had proposed the theory of industrial spillover redistribution at the office meeting, as well as the theory that heavy industry could not have a fundamental guarantee if it developed with a "lame leg."

Watching the Rolling Mill slowly transform under the helm of Li Huai De, or rather, Li Xuewu, and seeing the boldness of having major developments and major recruitment right from the start, Yang Fengshan was also looking forward to the future of the Rolling Mill.

This had nothing to do with whether one was convinced or not; he firmly believed that the grand blueprint he had designed for the Rolling Mill also had great potential.

If he abandoned what he firmly believed in, it would be the destruction of all his past convictions, and there would be no meaning in struggling anymore.

Now he was a member of the cleaning team, and his job responsibility was to sweep up trash and maintain the hygiene of a designated area.

And the responsibility of Li Huai De and the others was to lead the Rolling Mill to continue moving forward, to forge ahead bravely.

Regardless of whether it was correct or not, this was a principle and rule that every person in a superior position should understand.

Listening to him talk about these things, Sha Zhu couldn't figure out what kind of relationship Li Xuewu and Yang Fengshan actually had.

He even heard Yang Fengshan say that Li Xuewu was secretly protecting him, and the security department's patrol team often passed through his designated area.

What did this count as?

At least in Sha Zhu's view, Li Xuewu was a good person.

But he was not a good romantic partner!

He was sure Li Xuewu had no problems and no liability, but he couldn't just go to Li Xuewu and say, "Stay away from my sister, watch out that she doesn't fall for you."

Wouldn't that be making a joke of himself, damn it? Any normal person wouldn't do that.

Even when there was nothing, one would end up creating something, damn it!

So he couldn't talk to Li Xuewu, he had to talk to his sister.

But the two of them were talking about work and personal development; it had nothing to do with romance. Even if there was a single ambiguous word, he could have used it as a pretext to make a point.

Think about the conversations between Yushui and Li Xuewu; it was either sharp retorts or mockery, or else it was teasing and sarcastic jabs.

Although none of it was malicious or targeted, it wouldn't be appropriate to say Yushui was flirting or making eyes at Li Xuewu.

Not to mention that there was nothing between them right now; even if there were, this couldn't serve as evidence.

Could he say to his sister, "You really aren't suited to be this workshop director, Li Xuewu over there is too dangerous"?

Yushui had been working for over five, almost six years; he knew very well how difficult it was to get the opportunity to be promoted from a section-level cadre to a deputy division-level.

If it weren't for Li Xuewu's connection here, she might not be able to progress even in another five years.

Blocking Yushui from becoming this workshop director would be preventing her from progressing; wouldn't that be ruining his sister's future?

But even if he refused, what reason could he use? Just because he couldn't accept Li Xuewu's favor, or because Li Xuewu was very dangerous?

These were all nonsensical arguments; if he couldn't explain it clearly to Yushui, it would have no weight.

If you wanted to blame Li Xuewu for this matter, it shouldn't be, because Li Xuewu had no friendship with Yushui; the main issue was still with him.

It should have been him taking the initiative to help the recycling station, contracting the cooking work he was capable of, and then living here together.

Li Xuewu was not a guy who owed favors; he always thought about repaying him.

Yushui just happened to be there today, giving Li Xuewu an opportunity to repay him.

He really didn't want this repayment, but he really couldn't push it away.

He couldn't blame anyone but himself for not keeping a close watch!

Downing a mouthful of white liquor, listening to Yushui already asking Li Xuewu about the textile workshop and the Rolling Mill's commercial layout in the Joint Enterprise, his depression was even greater than the effect of the alcohol.

At least 52 percent proof!

Li Xuewu ate quickly; he had been delayed a bit at the dinner table by those few sentences he said to Yushui.

Once he was full, he didn't wait for them to finish, signaled outside, and said, "Going to pick up Biaozi and the others."

Turning back to see Li Shu reaching out to be held, he grabbed his daughter's little hand, kissed it, and said, "Be good, go play with your aunt~"

Yushui knew Li Xuewu and the others had things to do, so she coaxed Li Shu to the edge of the kang to talk.

Perhaps autumn had really arrived; there was a cool breeze at night, different from the daytime, carrying moisture.

Beijing wasn't a rainy city, but it wasn't a dry climate either; the moisture in the air was just the moisture that fell due to the large temperature difference between day and night.

Driving the jeep out, he thought that when the new car came off the line next year, he would have to change to one no matter what.

The soft top had no cover, and it leaked wind everywhere; it was impossible to drive once winter arrived.

In the freezing cold, Li Xuewu would rather use the unit's car than use his face to bear the wind.

However, by the time the new car came off the line, it would probably be spring again; who knew what things would be like by then.

Lao Biaozi and the others arrived ten minutes late; Li Xuewu heard the sound of the vehicle while he was smoking.

Waiting for the large truck to stop steadily, watching Shen Guodong and Lao Biaozi jump off the truck, Li Xuewu then said, "If you had been any later, I would have gone along the main road to find you."

"Biao-ge had something delay us; this was even with stepping hard on the gas pedal."

Shen Guodong shook his body, took the cigarette from Li Xuewu, ran to the side of the road to relieve himself, and explained with his mouth, "I was holding it in so urgently~"

"Hehe~"

Lao Biaozi chuckled, lit his cigarette with a match, glanced at Li Xuewu, and said, "Old Uncle-in-law heard you were picking up the vehicle, so he brought you some things."

As he spoke, he signaled to the back of the large truck, led Li Xuewu around in a circle, pointed to the large boxes on the vehicle, and said, "I checked, various styles of canned fruit and canned meat."

Li Xuewu climbed onto the truck by grabbing the side board, opened a box, and took a look by the moonlight.

Hmm, there was even canned braised pork.

Canned fruit could use glass jars, but canned meat could only use tinplate boxes.

(Tinplate is tin-plated steel sheet, which has the characteristics of corrosion resistance, non-toxicity, odorless, surface gloss, light weight, high strength, easy coating and printing, easy welding and processing, and strong adaptability to ambient temperature.)

This stuff was ordered by the food factory on the mountain from the packaging factory in the city; it was very cheap. Now, the packaging factory that the Rolling Mill Joint Enterprise was running was also going to produce this stuff.

The cadres who went to the south for inspection had already set off, and the factory was making preparations for canned food production.

He threw away the tin can in his hand and looked at the canned fruit; there were quite a few styles.

Compared to the mixed mountain fruits from a while ago, the raw materials now included fruit varieties from the frontier.

"Old Uncle-in-law really knows how to manage a household; even when giving gifts, he chooses things that are beneficial without being expensive~"

"Be content, I don't even have any yet!"

Lao Biaozi smiled and gave Li Xuewu, who had jumped off the truck, a hand, saying, "This year, the wild boars on the mountain are rampant and are going to come down to harm the grain again. The Third Security Regiment cleared out a batch in advance; the big ones were made into braised pork, and the small ones will be made later."

Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth, looked at Lao Biaozi, and asked, "This wild boar rampant, what does it have to do with yellow sheep?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the large box and said, "That canned meat isn't just braised pork."

"This is called 'if you want to make canned food, why worry about having no excuse'~"

Shen Guodong came over from the front of the truck with a cigarette in his mouth, laughing, pointed to the truck bed, and said, "This year, the female livestock still have a way to live; as for the males, except for the good breeds, all the ones that have reached size have to be made into canned food."

"In a few more years, the pastures on the mountain will really take shape."

Lao Biaozi walked toward the jeep with Shen Guodong, smoking and muttering, "It serves Red Star Village right to get rich; this year, their village has the best life among all the communes."

"Watch out for 'red-eye disease' (jealousy)."

Li Xuewu reminded him, "When you go up the mountain again, tell Old Uncle-in-law to let the people in the village keep their mouths shut; don't let them have money and not know how to spend it."

"Rest assured~"

Lao Biaozi smiled and said, "I am enriching the variety of goods going up the mountain; I won't let the people in the village on the mountain have too much money in their hands."

After finishing, he patted Shen Guodong on the shoulder and said, "Guodong is already doing it; we'll strive to get Red Star Village's cash reserves down below the safety line before the new year."

Shen Guodong also said with a giggle, "There's too much money; they can't handle it, so we'd better help them hold onto it."

Li Xuewu ignored their endless nonsense, started the engine, and signaled for the two to leave quickly.

On the way back, Lao Biaozi drove; only when the taillights behind them couldn't be seen did he slow down and ask Shen Guodong beside him, "Aren't you curious about where Wu-ge sent the stuff?"

"Not curious."

Shen Guodong pointed ahead and signaled, "Drive the car well, get home quickly, I'm starving to death."

Lao Biaozi glanced at him and said, "Are you not curious, or are you afraid to be curious?"

"So much nonsense!"

Shen Guodong looked back, then said to Lao Biaozi, "What he doesn't tell you is what needs to be kept secret. His network of relationships is so large; do you know how many relationships need to be kept secret?"

A smile appeared on the corner of Lao Biaozi's mouth; he didn't mind Shen Guodong's criticism and said, "Yeah, he has so many secrets."

After finishing, he sighed again, "So it's better not to know many things; obey orders and listen to commands."

"What do you mean?!"

Shen Guodong turned his body to look at Lao Biaozi, glared, and cursed, "You're testing me, damn it!"

"This is for your own good!"

Lao Biaozi said with a chuckle, "Third Uncle used to test me like this; look, I'm about to guard a region now, aren't I? Now it's my turn to test you, which proves you're also about to progress!"

"Get the hell out of here!"

Shen Guodong was so hungry he didn't even have the strength to curse him, but he still said indignantly, "I am loyal to Wu-ge! I am loyal to the recycling station; my red heart can shine upon the sun and moon!"

"Hey~ hey~ that's too much, pull it back a bit~"

Lao Biaozi patted Shen Guodong's arm and reminded him, "We're not home yet; wait until we get there to shout, it'll be more effective."

"Get lost~"

Shen Guodong dodged Lao Biaozi's large hand and curled his lip, "Still testing me; wait until you get home and think about how to tell Wu-ge about those things of yours."

"What things! My heart is sincere..."

Lao Biaozi just wanted to shout, but then remembered something; his tone gradually lowered, and he said, "Won't it be fine if I don't say anything~"

"Won't he know even if you don't say anything?"

Shen Guodong glanced at Lao Biaozi and asked, "Since when did our recycling station become a confidential unit?"

"I just knew you guys couldn't keep any secrets; there's absolutely no discipline to speak of!"

Lao Biaozi accused him with heartache, "Look at this quality; how can a team like this fight a good battle, how can they unite as one to pursue a career!"

"You'd better wait until you get home to say that."

Shen Guodong had a stomachache from hunger, leaned back in the passenger seat, and reminded him slowly, "Maybe everyone can popularize the Marriage Law for you before you go to sleep, telling you the fact that you can't find another partner after you're married."

"The fact is that the partner was found before I got married!"

Lao Biaozi emphasized with justification, "This matter really isn't my fault; no one stipulated that you can't have two partners at the same time!"

Shen Guodong twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "But the law stipulates that you can't have a partner after you're married~"

"That's why I say it's unreasonable~"

Lao Biaozi helplessly stepped hard on the gas pedal, as if he could vent his anger.

Shen Guodong was truly speechless; he looked at Lao Biaozi and asked, "So your meaning is that the law is delaying you from finding a partner?"

Lao Biaozi didn't speak either, just drove with his head down; it was clear that was his meaning.

Shen Guodong slapped his forehead and said, "I'm too lazy to talk to you; either get a divorce, or give up that one named Su Qing."

After finishing, he looked at Lao Biaozi, who was driving, with great suspicion and asked, "What the hell is attractive about you? Dogs don't even get near you when they see you; how did you become so popular now?!"

"This is called personal charm~ You don't understand~"

Lao Biaozi reached out and touched his own big, fat face, and said with full satisfaction, "To tell you the truth, I really hadn't discovered I had this damn charm before; I was just watching Wu-ge change partners, damn it."

After finishing, he looked outside the car and said proudly, "Heaven doesn't starve the blind sparrow; maybe girls nowadays like men who have a sense of security more."

"Hmm, you are quite secure~"

Shen Guodong drooped his eyelids and curled his lip, "Just wait; peach blossom luck is also a peach blossom disaster. I'll see how you get through this disaster."

"You don't need to worry about that~"

Lao Biaozi shook his big head and said, "Happy for one day is one day; brother doesn't care about eternity, I only care about having once possessed~"

Lao Biaozi's free-spiritedness was extinguished as soon as he got home; it was Shen Guodong's turn to gloat.

By the time Li Xuewu finished arranging that truckload of goods and returned to the courtyard, Lao Biaozi and the others had already finished eating and were sitting in the west room drinking tea.

Yu Li had also returned; seeing Li Xuewu enter the room, she got up to pour tea.

"How did you get back? Have you eaten?"

"The director arranged a car."

Yu Li responded, brought the tea to Li Xuewu at the edge of the kang, and explained, "There was something on this evening, so I ate over there."

Li Xuewu nodded, scanned everyone in the room; the main people in charge were all there. It was time for the weekly recycling station office meeting.

Grandfather and Second Uncle were sitting inside the kang with a kang table in front of them; Lao Biaozi and Shen Guodong were sitting at the edge of the kang, and Erhai was sitting by the desk.

Sha Zhu's family wasn't there; it was said they had drunk too much and gone to rest.

Wang Yamei wasn't there either; she had been picked up by her sister. Wang Yajuan had gotten off work late and arrived late as well.

Sitting beside the eldest sister-in-law was Mai Qinglan; it wasn't clear if someone had asked her to stay, or if she had stayed here herself.

It was normal for the eldest sister-in-law to be here; she also helped organize the recycling station's accounts, but she wasn't responsible for anything specific. Bookkeeping and business were still handled by the station itself.

Mai Qinglan had been helping out here all along, and no one had said what she should do; at least Chen Xiaoyan'er hadn't directed her to do anything.

Everything had to wait for Li Xuewu to return to decide. The recycling station wasn't like outside industries where adding people could be decided by oneself. No one dared to arrange personnel issues for family members or the recycling station without Li Xuewu's nod.

The last person to make this mistake was Lao Biaozi; the people he took the initiative to arrange were the "Thirteen Guardians," and even now he was still the "boss" for these kids.

Everything regarding the kids was handed over to him; he was in charge of everything, big and small.

If something went wrong, of course, it was his business.

As for adding people, there was no fixed number or rule. When Wen San'er got married, Li Xuewu didn't say to invite Third Uncle-in-law's wife to the recycling station to help, after all, the child was small.

Xilin and Diliya were another situation; there was no way for them to "settle down" like Diliya, so he didn't dare keep them.

So Xilin and Gelin went to Jicheng, and Pazile went to the Public Security Brigade, which was now the Third Security Regiment.

If Lao Biaozi had found a neighborhood girl like Chen Xiaoyan'er, he wouldn't have cared about this.

But the strange thing was that he had actually realized the boast he made; a university student, how should she be arranged?

Li Xuewu didn't talk about her matter first; it had been shelved for a week, so it wouldn't hurt to wait a little longer.

He let Second Uncle and Chen Xiaoyan'er briefly report on the situation in the shop, while Grandfather and Shen Guodong talked about the situation with the glass coffee tables and furniture.

Shen Guodong spoke separately about the product shipment situation at the First Detention Center, focusing on the club, the licensed store that used to be the Public Security Brigade, the retail department here, and the supply and marketing cooperatives and several other units.

Influenced by the current situation, the products produced by the First Detention Center were the most popular. The previously backlogged inventory was being consumed and turned into cash rapidly, and the printing machines that Huaqing had moved over under protective status were moving energetically.

The "Red Book" had become the main product; because the paper was excellent and the printing was exquisite, some people even said that these were historical dregs refined and forged again, having more representative significance.

Therefore, the "Red Book" published under the name of the First Detention Center was very popular among young people. There were only a few stores where it could be bought, which actually ignited the antique recycling business of the recycling station.

Second Uncle said that now there were people collecting antiques by weight, also using this name, and what they provided was actually the "Red Book" printed by the First Detention Center.

Lao Biaozi guessed that it might be someone who deliberately bought these books as a cover to dig for antiques.

He was investigating to see who was stealing the fruits of the recycling station's victory, preparing to report them and make those grandsons go bankrupt.

Li Xuewu waved his hand, stopping Lao Biaozi's anger.

"Where can we finish collecting this stuff? Just wait a while before you go to investigate; let's catch a big one in one go."

Everyone: "......"

"Wu-ge is still the high one!"

Lao Biaozi flattered him, "Only by killing the chicken can you warn the monkey; killing ants is no fun."

Mai Qinglan also looked at Li Xuewu with some astonishment; her impression of Li Xuewu in her heart was constantly being refreshed. The current "black-bellied" nature made it even harder to figure out the bottom line of this Wu-ge.

Li Xuewu signaled to Lao Biaozi, "Your work focus should still be on integrating existing resources, and handing over all work progress to Guodong."

"Especially over at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital."

With Mai Qinglan present today, everyone spoke very vaguely, still sticking to "stopping at the point." When Li Xuewu assigned work, he also picked the convenient things to say.

Even if she sensed something was wrong, she didn't know exactly what was being said.

Because the eldest sister-in-law was there, Li Xuewu didn't ask about the accounts, and chatting about business didn't take much time.

Chen Xiaoyan and Guodong still had to go home, and both had to be busy tomorrow, so the meeting ended very early.

First, Guodong and the other person were sent off, Yu Li accompanied the eldest sister-in-law out the door, and Lao Biaozi and Mai Qinglan were also about to get up, but they saw Li Xuewu wave his hand and say, "I'll see you out."

It was almost ten o'clock, and they didn't go to the back courtyard, just saw the two of them to the main gate.

The gate light was very bright, illuminating the front of the Sihe Academy main gate very clearly.

Mai Qinglan stood sideways to the light, facing away from the courtyard wall, while Lao Biaozi stood silently and lit a cigarette.

Li Xuewu didn't want his cigarette, but looked at Mai Qinglan, who was lowering her head, and Lao Biaozi, who had stopped talking.

"How are your parents?"

"I..."

Mai Qinglan suddenly raised her head, glanced at Li Xuewu, opened her mouth, and then said, "They're quite good."

"Hmm."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "I was in closed-door study last month and didn't have time to handle the affairs of the two elders, which made you suffer a grievance."

"No... no."

Mai Qinglan pursed her lips, looked at Li Wenbiao, and said to Li Xuewu, "My parents are quite good; I'm very grateful to you..."

She wanted to say words of gratitude, but was stopped by Li Xuewu waving his hand.

"We're family; don't say this word."

Li Xuewu's voice was very warm, yet it didn't allow for refusal; it was the bearing of someone accustomed to issuing orders.

"Biaozi and I are childhood sworn brothers, and you are his partner; this is a family matter, we can solve it no matter what."

As he spoke, he patted Lao Biaozi, who was standing with his back to the light, and said, "He is a rough person, and also a muddled person. I didn't know he was in a relationship with you, and even when he said it, I didn't believe it."

"If I had seen you earlier, or believed his words earlier, I wouldn't have let him marry you."

Li Xuewu's words surprised Mai Qinglan very much; she stared blankly at him, not knowing what this meant.

Compared to her, Li Wenbiao didn't seem to have any room for choice, did he?

Based on her conditions... yes, it wasn't like before anymore, but no matter how one looked at it, she was worthy of Li Wenbiao, right?

So, according to the person in front of her, she was still climbing high?

That was exactly what Li Xuewu meant. Amidst Lao Biaozi's astonished gaze, he said to Mai Qinglan, "You aren't very suitable for him."

"Why?"

Mai Qinglan looked at Li Xuewu, braving his aura and pressure, and asked, "Is my background unqualified, or does my family background affect him? Then why did you help me in the beginning?"

"No~ no~ no~"

Li Xuewu loosened his hand from Lao Biaozi's shoulder, shook his head at Mai Qinglan, and said, "We don't talk about background and family status here."

As he spoke, he signaled toward the west courtyard and said, "There are all kinds of people in this recycling station; we don't care about your so-called 'actor' status."

He pointed directly at the deep-seated inferiority complex in Mai Qinglan's heart and said bluntly, "We have all kinds of people here, but we don't have university students or intellectuals. We can't understand your arrogance and artistic nature; this is an objective fact."

"I chose to help you because Biaozi opened his mouth; he had never asked me for anything before. And I didn't say that just because I helped you, you had to marry him."

Li Xuewu signaled to Lao Biaozi and said, "If it were up to me, he should find a girl in the hutong; she wouldn't need to have high culture, just be hardworking and simple."

"So, my conditions still don't meet your wishes?"

Mai Qinglan's tears fell uncontrollably; she felt so aggrieved in her heart.

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "It's still that same sentence: you are his partner, and since he chose you, I must respect his choice and also respect you."

As he spoke, he signaled to the inverted room and said, "That's why you can sit in the room and listen to our meetings, come here to work, take care of your parents, and enjoy everything Biaozi gives you and their tolerance."

Mai Qinglan wiped her tears and looked at Li Xuewu, waiting for his follow-up.

Li Xuewu paused as he looked at her stubborn gaze and said, "I'm telling you these things because I want to tell you that while family status has high and low, feelings do not, but you must choose the right person."

"He chose you, which means he feels he is suitable for you; you chose him, which means you are also willing to be suitable for him."

"Then,"

Li Xuewu said earnestly, "No matter what kind of life you choose, first judge his situation and see if you can accept his shortcomings and problems."

"I know it's unfair for you to say it like this,"

Li Xuewu patted Lao Biaozi's shoulder and said to Mai Qinglan, "But I have to tell you clearly: he cannot accommodate your life. He is in our business map and has to bear the life responsibilities of more people."

"To put it more bluntly, his life and future are more brilliant and glorious than you imagine; he will never lack women."

After saying this, Li Xuewu spread his right hand and said, "I'm not just talking about money and status, but please understand our vulgarity."

Mai Qinglan's aggrieved tears wouldn't stop; she didn't look at Li Wenbiao, only at Li Xuewu. She felt so helpless now.

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "He told me about his affairs, and I only dared to take it seriously now. You should also know my status, so I can make decisions for him."

"You can choose to break up."

In the state of Mai Qinglan's surprise and Lao Biaozi's silence, Li Xuewu said earnestly, "You don't need to accommodate him because of excuses like parents; not delaying each other is the best gratitude."

After finishing, he paused again, giving her time to think, and then said, "If you feel you can still get along, are willing to understand each other, and accommodate and respect each other."

"If you can put down the burdens and prejudices in your heart, put down the prejudices of status and knowledge, learn from each other, and help each other learn, then I sincerely and earnestly welcome you to join our big family."

After Li Xuewu finished speaking to Mai Qinglan, he let her cry and turned to look at Lao Biaozi.

By now, Lao Biaozi also knew Wu-ge was angry; the cigarette butt in his hand had long been thrown away, and the usual cheeky smile was long gone.

"You told me about the suffering your family brought you, saying you were a bitter child; have you ever thought that she is also suffering now?"

Li Xuewu narrowed his left eye slightly, while his right eye was hanging, and said to Lao Biaozi with a serious tone, "You want to send the suffering your family gave you to the person you pursued with such great difficulty?"

"Then what is the point of you asking me to save her? Bringing someone from one suffering to another; is this your original intention for marrying her?"

Lao Biaozi lowered his head, not daring to answer; his eyes looked at Mai Qinglan, who had crouched down and was hugging her arms and crying, and he didn't feel good in his heart either.

"How many women you have is your own business; I wouldn't care if you found eight or ten by your own ability, but you have to be worthy of every woman who follows you."

Li Xuewu hung his eyes and reached out to pat Lao Biaozi's big face; although he didn't use force, Lao Biaozi still felt it burning.

"Do you think that because our life is better now, you can do whatever you want, and you don't have to cherish the things you looked up to in the past?"

"Do you think you're a big shot now?"

Li Xuewu put down his hand, sized up Lao Biaozi, and said, "You want to guard a region for me in the Northeast like this? You can't even handle the affairs at home, and you want to go handle the Northeast?"

"Wu-ge..."

Lao Biaozi knew he had to speak; he looked at Mai Qinglan, who was crouching on the ground, raised his head to look at Li Xuewu, and said, "I really never thought I could... could catch up to her... them; I just... now..."

"You can't even handle one, and you're learning from others to hang two."

Li Xuewu drooped his eyelids; he really didn't know what to say to his big brother.

"What now? You want a divorce?"

"No, no..."

Lao Biaozi glanced at Mai Qinglan; if he hadn't truly liked her, he couldn't have moved to that courtyard and crouched for Mai Qinglan for four months.

Even though he said he didn't want to get married, the moment he got the certificate, he still thought about bringing her home to show off.

Li Xuewu looked at his dead-beat virtue, signaled to Mai Qinglan, who was crouching on the ground and had stopped crying, and said sternly, "Stop being a manager first; don't come to work. I don't raise bastards here."

"Handle the family affairs clearly before talking. Either bring the divorce certificate, or bring her to work."

"But there's one thing I have to make clear to you."

Li Xuewu hung his eyes, pointed at Lao Biaozi and Mai Qinglan, who was burying her head and shedding tears on the ground, and said, "Choosing to come to work requires rules. You can't say you won't come if you don't want to, or ignore people if you don't get along. There is no position for university students here, only positions for family members."

After finishing, he glared at Lao Biaozi, nodded toward Mai Qinglan, reminded Lao Biaozi to coax her, and then entered the main gate himself.

Yu Li was listening to the commotion; she came out from the east courtyard, glanced at the main gate, and asked Li Xuewu softly, "Did you persuade them?"

"I don't know; I don't know how to persuade people."

Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth, looked back at the main gate, and said to Yu Li, "I've been tired all day, go rest early; I'll handle it myself."

"I'd better help you, otherwise I don't know when you'll be finished."

Yu Li glanced at the gate again, pushed Li Xuewu, and said, "You were supposed to persuade them to reconcile, but you kept mentioning divorce."

"Him?"

Li Xuewu deliberately raised his tone, "He shouldn't even have a wife; he's so arrogant he doesn't look like a human anymore, and he'll never grow up."

"Forget it, stop talking."

Yu Li pushed Li Xuewu hard; she knew he was trying to reconcile the two, but it wasn't good for people in the courtyard to hear.

When they reached the west courtyard, Yu Li turned on the warehouse light, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "Are you planning to keep her working here?"

"If I don't keep her, what else can I do? Biaozi likes her."

Li Xuewu said helplessly, "Just suppress both ends; if they can live, they live. Their family doesn't have an intellectual yet, so it counts as improving the genes."

Yu Li said amusedly, "You're talking nonsense."

"But looking at Mai Qinglan, she looks down on Biaozi; I'm afraid she's only accommodating him because of her parents."

"That's what I meant too."

Li Xuewu started packing the calligraphy and paintings as usual and said while packing, "How long can this accommodation last? Wait until her parents are buried, and then they'll just go their separate ways?"

"It's not like there's a deep hatred; why make things difficult for each other?"

"Easier said than done."

Yu Li helped Li Xuewu pack the ancient books and documents and asked, "If they get a divorce, can you still take care of her parents?"

"That's what I said."

Li Xuewu looked at Yu Li and said, "Since there's no choice, then put down the so-called arrogance and worthless prejudices. Don't keep hanging the 'actor' status there to make others uncomfortable, and don't make yourself act with that kind of 'moaning without illness' attitude."

"That was a bit too much."

Yu Li brought over a stack of ancient books and said, "After all, it's a family of traditional arts, and she has the status of a university student; there will always be a process of adaptation."

"It's different from us; she used to think about matching social status and mutual affection. How could she have thought about being with Biaozi?"

"That's why I said it~"

Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "She feels aggrieved, but I also feel it's inappropriate. Biaozi doesn't lack money or power; he can find any kind of woman, why find a 'grudge-bearer'?"

"If you ask me,"

Li Xuewu pointed at Yu Li and said, "Women should either be a little silly or a little smart; both live happily."

"Unless they have the ability to be independent."

Stopping Yu Li before she could speak, Li Xuewu added, "The kind who dares to say they won't ask a man to support them for the rest of their lives."

"Pfft~"

Yu Li pouted and said, "Fallacy, isn't this your feudal thinking? We women can hold up half the sky~"

"The more you emphasize it, the more you need it."

Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "Don't be silly; this isn't social status determined by gender, but an imbalance determined by the possession and distribution rights of social productive materials."

"I don't oppose women's independence, and I don't oppose women being the masters of the house and participating in social activities; this is a manifestation of progress."

Li Xuewu pointed at Yu Li and said with a smile, "I'm just telling you the facts; only when society stops emphasizing gender equality will it be truly equal."

"Also!"

Li Xuewu thought of something and said with a smile, "It's fine for male comrades to say this sentence; it represents social productive forces and distribution rights compromising toward female comrades."

"What's wrong with women saying it?"

Yu Li looked at Li Xuewu and said, "Shouldn't we emphasize this point even more?"

"If it's emphasized by you,"

Li Xuewu said earnestly, "And the more extreme it's emphasized, the more it represents that society doesn't want to give you any resources or distribution rights."

Yu Li didn't quite understand, but she still pursed her lips and said, "You always have something to say; you're a man, of course you're speaking for men."

"You're confused again~"

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "If I were speaking for male comrades, I would really be talking about gender equality."

"Talking about gender equality only happens when social productive labor is insufficient and women who need to stay at home to raise children and serve their husbands need to walk into factories and work like men."

"Tell me, is it better to stay at home to raise children and serve your husband, or to go to a factory and work like a man?"

"I..."

Yu Li was a bit stunned; she felt she had been led into a trap by Li Xuewu. She used the long scroll in her hand to point at Li Xuewu and asked, "Then according to your meaning, we can't participate in politics and other social activities?"

"That's why!"

Li Xuewu smiled, took the scroll, and said, "Now there's the slogan of gender equality, isn't there?"