Chapter 857: You

Seeing Third Uncle enter through the door with a grim face, Li Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes.

Hearing him say that, his head buzzed, and he felt an urge to pull out his beloved little hammer and start pounding.

Fuck, here we go again!

What the hell is this so-called "relying on age to dominate"?

What the hell is this so-called "shameless audacity"?

What the hell is this so-called "brazen boasting"?

Li Li Xuewu's expression darkened slightly; he raised his hand, signaling him to wait there.

He turned and spoke two words to Hearing Da Lao and Shen Shen Guodong, then walked toward the screen gate.

You can't deal with this mushroom in public, especially not in front of Hearing Da Lao.

The more elders are around, the more he feels empowered, the more he acts out and throws tantrums.

If Hearing Da Lao ignores him, it makes Li Li Xuewu look uncultivated; if she intervenes, she'll have to plead for him.

He already knows the guy's tricks inside out—won't fall for this again.

Not eating that!

Yan Yan Fugui saw his expression and felt awkward, unsure how to continue speaking.

He heard the car and came out to check; seeing Li Li Xuewu here, he launched into his rehearsed speech.

But he'd barely uttered one line when Li Li Xuewu interrupted his rhythm—how could he continue acting now?

Li Li Xuewu had no time for his performance; he waved him over, signaling to come inside the courtyard.

Yan Yan Fugui glanced at Li Li Xuewu walking through the screen gate into the outer courtyard, then glanced at Bai Bai Xiyuan—he wanted to speak in Bai Bai Xiyuan.

People often say begging for help is like swallowing a three-foot sword, and relying on others is harder than climbing nine heavens.

To Yan Yan Fugui, that was bullshit—how could anyone live a lifetime without ever needing to beg for help?

As long as you can swallow your pride and find the right leverage, asking for favors can sometimes be a kind of wisdom.

Yeah, real fucking wisdom!

He never expected Li Li Xuewu was even wiser—completely denying him any ladder to climb.

No choice—he had to say it anyway; couldn't waste this chance.

Li Li Xuewu couldn't bring his wife and child back to stay because his wife was pregnant and the weather had turned cold.

He might come weekly, or might not; if you don't see him this week, you might not see him next week either.

He hurried forward in small steps, following Li Li Xuewu into the outer courtyard, never stopping, grabbing his arm to pull him home for a sit.

Li Li Xuewu impatiently tilted his head and said, "Get to the point. I'm busy right now."

"No matter how busy you are, you still have to go see your mom, right?"

Yan Yan Fugui raised his eyebrows, cornering Li Li Xuewu—he couldn't grab Li Li Xuewu's grandfather in the back house, so he turned to target Li Li Xuewu's mother.

Li Li Xuewu gave him a amused look, gesturing for him to walk ahead—he didn't need to be pulled.

Stepping past the floral gate, Li Li Xuewu didn't follow him into the house; he simply stood in a sunlit spot by the wall.

Seeing this, Yan Yan Fugui had no choice but to stand beside him.

People coming and going in the courtyard greeted Li Li Xuewu, but he was clearly dissatisfied with this spot.

But seeing Li Li Xuewu's impatient expression, he had to make do.

"So, uh… have you eaten?"

"…"

Li Li Xuewu stared at him, speechless—what time is it even now?

"Third Uncle, let's skip the small talk. If you're not in a hurry, we can talk when I'm free!"

He deliberately prodded him: "When the time comes, you can say I bullied Third Aunt, or that I favored Qin Qin Jingru—either works."

"No no no."

Yan Yan Fugui waved his hands, forcing a laugh: "That's not what I meant—I know you well!"

He looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Actually, I should thank you, since you came to see off Lao Da."

"Whenever I think of Lao Da, I…"

Yan Yan Fugui vaguely wiped his eyes, then looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "To be honest, Third Uncle is really in trouble—I need to ask you for a favor."

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said bluntly, "Third Uncle, let's be clear—you told me yourself to stay away from your family, not to ruin anyone's prospects."

"Didn't you say that?"

"How can you say that!"

Yan Yan Fugui, anxious, said to Li Li Xuewu, "I just meant you misunderstood—I never had that intention!"

He frowned, pleading: "I was just afraid the younger ones might be careless and cause you trouble."

Yan Yan Fugui earnestly patted his hands: "That's truly what I meant!"

"Oh~~~"

Li Li Xuewu deliberately stretched the sound, clearly showing he didn't believe him.

But he didn't care; he smiled and nodded: "Alright then, I overthought it. See you later!"

Saying that, he turned to leave, looking as if he understood everything.

Yan Yan Fugui was about to reply casually, "See you," but then realized—he hadn't even said his business yet! Where would he find Li Li Xuewu later?

"Hey! Hey! Li Xuewu!"

He grabbed Li Li Xuewu's arm, chasing after him: "Third Uncle hasn't finished speaking!"

"Oh oh, you still have something?"

Li Li Xuewu feigned ignorance, nodding: "Then go ahead."

"I..."

Yan Yan Fugui, seeing the mocking expression on his face, knew that his tactic of appealing to emotion through reason had been dismantled by the other party.

Hesitating awkwardly for a moment, he grinned and said, "Sigh~ Third Master will tell you the truth; I'm here about Eldest Brother's matter."

"Is that so?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at the other man with an expression full of amusement and feigned surprise as he asked, "Isn't the matter regarding Yan Brother Jiecheng already settled? Were the factory procedures not handled properly?"

"No, it's that..."

He felt somewhat embarrassed discussing this topic with Li Li Xuewu, but since money was involved, it was no small issue.

No matter how embarrassed he felt, he had to discuss it; otherwise, the heartache would keep him from sleeping.

"It's about Brother Jiecheng's job... that thing."

Seeing someone from the courtyard walking out, Yan Yan Fugui moved closer to Li Li Xuewu and said in a low voice, "Doesn't the factory have conditions for inheriting a worker's position?"

He said somewhat embarrassedly, "I was just thinking that since Brother Jiecheng is... gone, I wanted my son Yan Jiefang to take over his brother's quota and work at the factory."

"After all, you were the one who handled Brother Jiecheng's entry into the factory back then."

Yan Yan Fugui emphasized, "Our family also meets the regulations; we just need to follow the normal procedures."

"Wait a moment!"

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand, looked at him, and said, "Third Master, you aren't thinking of bringing up past matters, are you?"

Having said this, he waved his hand again, not waiting for the other to speak, and asked with amusement, "So because I helped Yan Brother Jiecheng, I must also help Yan Yan Jiefang? Can your favors be passed down through generations like this?"

"When Yan Brother Jiecheng's children grow up, will I still have to find jobs for them?"

"And still follow normal procedures!"

Li Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and said, "Inheriting a position does require normal procedures, but do you really think the Rolling Steel Factory still has any positions left to inherit?"

In response to Yan Yan Fugui's insatiable greed and arrogant attitude of refusing to die without gaining an advantage under the guise of "following normal procedures," Li Li Xuewu struck directly with a blunt rebuke.

"Let me say one more thing."

Li Li Xuewu first rejected his stance, then drooped his eyelids and said, "Even if inheriting a position were possible, shouldn't this be Ge Ge Shuqin taking over? How did it become Yan Yan Jiefang's turn?"

"I... Li Xuewu, listen to my explanation!"

Yan Yan Fugui wore a bitter expression, looking at Li Li Xuewu anxiously wanting to speak, but Li Li Xuewu gave him no opportunity.

"Third Master! ~"

Li Li Xuewu raised his hand to stop him from speaking, softened his attitude slightly, and smiled as he said, "I am a security cadre, not a personnel cadre!"

"Besides, doesn't your Yan Jiefang have a very good chance of entering the factory anyway? Why bother seeking this quota for inheriting a position?"

"I think you should trust Yan Jiefang."

With an expression strongly supporting Yan Yan Jiefang and believing in his capability, Li Li Xuewu said very sincerely, "With his strength, entering the factory is absolutely no problem."

"Hey~ I also know that inheriting a position to enter the factory isn't appropriate."

Yan Yan Fugui was still pretending with Li Li Xuewu; acting like a sensible person now, he nodded and said, "One must serve as an apprentice, undergo an internship, and even pass an exam to truly become a regular worker, but it does increase the certainty, doesn't it!"

Entering the factory as a graduate differs in form from entering by replacing a family member's quota.

The former begins learning and working directly with the status of a regular worker.

The latter is different; just as Yan Yan Fugui said, one must start working as an apprentice laborer.

Qin Qin Huairu is a perfect example; she entered the Rolling Steel Factory by taking over Jia Jia Dongxu's quota, lacked any work foundation, could not keep up with her master's guidance, and could only earn an apprentice's wages.

Of course, although she failed the exam, the three-year procedure to become a regular worker was still normal.

They grant you regular status, allowing you to enjoy the treatment of a normal worker, but your wage remains the intern's twenty-seven yuan and five jiao.

If you want to earn thirty-two, that's fine; pass the exam.

Yan Yan Fugui also thought of this point; if he truly followed Qin Qin Huairu's example and arranged for his daughter-in-law to take over the eldest son's shift, the outcome might end up just like Qin Qin Huairu's situation back then.

Qin Qin Huairu was able to ride Li Li Xuewu's coattails and leap to become a deputy section-level cadre, but his daughter-in-law might not necessarily encounter such a "benefactor."

Of course, he forgot that his former daughter-in-law had indeed ridden those coattails and is now doing no worse than Qin Qin Huairu.

This is why they say that when first entering the workplace, one relies on hard work; if hard work isn't enough, one relies on a benefactor.

If you cannot even rely on a benefactor, it can only mean you look truly unsightly and do not know how to proactively play some "clever tricks."

You may lack talent, but you cannot lack "tricks"!

"She is just a woman, and having just suffered the life-and-death ordeal of childbirth, I truly cannot feel at ease."

Yan Yan Fugui was truly skilled with words; when pretending to be sensible, he spoke with such convincing logic.

"If she enters the factory, I can already imagine it; given what Qin Qin Huairu in the Middle Courtyard is like, how could I not know!"

"You know it too~"

He gently patted Li Li Xuewu's arm and said with difficulty, "Third Master has a soft heart; I cannot bear to see her suffer such hardship."

"Yan Jiefang is already sixteen or seventeen, a grown young man; let him endure this bitterness; he should also shoulder a share of responsibility."

Yan Yan Fugui lowered his voice again to explain, "Third Master will tell you the truth; I think that since he has education, is male, learns quickly, and will become a regular worker faster, won't he also earn more?"

"Ah~~~ I understand!"

Li Li Xuewu nodded, wearing an expression of deep understanding; on the day Yan Brother Jiecheng's spirit tablet was displayed, when he returned, Yan Yan Fugui had nagged at him for so long—wasn't this exactly what he wanted to say?

He understood the little schemes hidden within all too well!

Yan Yan Fugui had spent money to find a job for his eldest son; originally agreed upon, half of the wages from the first three years were to be handed over to the family to repay his "investment."

But who could have expected that Yan Brother Jiecheng would be such a sneak; he lost his job and stopped handing over his wages.

Not only did he not hand over money, but he also swindled a sum from his father, using the divorce to create a time gap, successfully pulling off a cash-out and exit.

Although he later returned, it was a chaotic mess, and he stubbornly refused to give any money.

It was Ge Ge Shuqin who became sensible, indirectly compensating him for the money, but there was still a portion missing.

Now that the eldest son has completely lost the ability to repay, during festivals and holidays, he still has to remember to go burn paper money for his eldest son.

In the end, he had lost!

The person was dead, the money wasn't earned back, and with costs about to become sunk, he had to rescue the market!

If the job were given to Comrade Ge Ge Shuqin, it would be equivalent to transferring debt, and a custodial one at that.

How could this be acceptable? Comrade Ge Ge Shuqin did not bear the surname Yan!

He truly could not accept it; Brother Brother Jiecheng's child had just been born and could not take over the shift, so wasn't this perfectly suited for Qin Qin Laoer?

Of course, this matter of inheriting a job depended on whether the factory allowed it; while sons or daughters replacing their fathers or mothers was permissible, replacing a sibling was indeed rare.

Therefore, this matter still required asking someone to handle it, and Yan Yan Fugui knew very well whether Li Li Xuewu could manage it.

He was now the Deputy Secretary of the Factory's Discipline Inspection Commission; handling such a matter would be nothing more than a word, wouldn't it?

These past few days, all he had heard from neighbors working at the Rolling Steel Factory in the courtyard was that Li Li Xuewu had shown his power.

He had thought to himself: with my old face, plus the fact that Yan Brother Jiecheng once served as Li Li Xuewu's driver, plus my active request, and since we are all neighbors, could he not help with this favor?

Had he not previously helped the eldest son transfer jobs and arranged employment for Yu Li, proving that he still cared for neighborly relations?

He was convinced that this man Li Li Xuewu was principled, kind-hearted, and found joy in helping others!

Seeing Li Li Xuewu wear an expression of understanding, Yan Yan Fugui thought he had been persuaded and said happily, "I leave this entire matter in your hands, Li Xuewu; Third Master Yan will certainly never..."

"Dad! I won't do it!"

Before he could finish speaking, and just as Li Li Xuewu was about to open his mouth to refuse, someone else refused on his behalf.

Could there really be such a good person in this world?!

Li Li Xuewu turned his head to look at Yan Yan Jiefang, who had emerged from the room, raising his eyebrows in some surprise.

Yan Yan Jiefang did not even look at Li Li Xuewu but shouted angrily at his father, "I don't want this quota, I don't want it!"

"What did you say?!"

Yan Yan Fugui was so stunned by his sudden insolence that he felt dazed; what exactly had he just heard!

"My older brother's job belongs to my sister-in-law!"

Yan Yan Jiefang stated stubbornly, "I cannot snatch my sister-in-law's job; Dad, you cannot bully people like this!"

"You! You scoundrel!"

Yan Yan Fugui was furious; who was he doing this for? Was he finding a job for himself? Did he ask Li Li Xuewu for fun?!

This scoundrel claimed he was bullying people; did that make him out to be the villain?!

Yan Yan Fugui's lips turned blue with rage, and he raised his hand to slap his son.

But at this moment, Yan Yan Jiefang held his head high, looking as though he were righteously willing to endure a beating for his sister-in-law's sake, glaring at his father and waiting for the slap to fall.

Hit me! Go ahead and hit me!

You've already beaten me lame; what difference does one more slap make?!

If you're going to hit me, do it quickly; after you finish, I can go claim my reward... no, go pour out my heart's bitterness to my sister-in-law!

Just look, my dad even hit me; I did it all for you, for the child!

Seeing his son practically thrusting his face toward his palm, actively seeking to play the victim, Yan Yan Fugui grew even angrier.

"What do you know!"

Knowing that hitting him would not work, Yan Yan Fugui could only reason with him: "She is a woman; what could she possibly do if she entered the Rolling Steel Factory!"

"That is heavy physical labor; are you stupid! Do you want to work your sister-in-law to death!"

His voice carried concern, and within that concern lay affection: "By then, she won't be able to care for the child, nor perform well at work; wouldn't that be a complete waste of an opportunity!"

"What waste!"

Yan Yan Jiefang glanced at Li Li Xuewu; he disliked it most when his family spoke to him in such terms.

"I will strive to earn a factory entry quota myself!"

He wanted to be independent, he wanted to be self-reliant, he wanted to show Li Li Xuewu that everything he had once lost, he would take back one by one!

"Stop dreaming!"

This was precisely the sentence that came to Li Li Xuewu's mind, yet he would not speak it aloud; this was a young person's dream, the confession of a "leek," the most simple and unadorned pursuit of society's consumable resources.

If one truly shattered their dreams, did one expect them to simply lie flat?

Then who would create resources for this society, who would provide the consumables?!

Yet while he remained silent, Yan Yan Fugui spoke it aloud, directly delivering a heavy blow to Yan Yan Jiefang.

"Stop dreaming~!"

Yan Yan Fugui pointed at his son's nose and said, "Do you know how difficult it is to enter the Rolling Steel Factory nowadays!"

"Someone like you!"

"Do you think a junior high school diploma is something remarkable!"

Yan Yan Fugui said viciously, "Even if you were the top student among junior high graduates, if I gave you a math problem to calculate the machining area of a workpiece, could you do it!"

"You are good for nothing!"

"You are good for nothing... good for nothing... nothing..."

Hearing his father's words echoing in his ears, Yan Yan Jiefang felt completely undone.

Saying such things about me in front of Li Li Xuewu; you might as well have just slapped me directly, so I could go talk to my sister-in-law!

From the corner of his eye, he had already seen that trace of mockery on Li Li Xuewu's lips; it was ridicule, and also silent indifference.

"Fine! I am good for nothing!"

Yan Yan Jiefang's face turned iron-green; denied once again by his own father, especially here in the courtyard with people coming and going, he gritted his teeth hard and shouted, "I am good for nothing!"

"You take the job yourself then; anyway, I don't want it!"

He shouted loudly, then added another sentence: "If you want me to take over the shift, fine, but only if you give all the money I earn from working to my sister-in-law!"

"You! What nonsense are you spouting!"

Yan Yan Fugui heard these words and his eyes bulged in rage, his blood vessels nearly bursting.

He wanted to say more, but remembering Li Li Xuewu was still there and that they were in the courtyard, some words were truly unfit to speak aloud.

Just because he didn't speak, did that mean Li Li Xuewu wouldn't know?

How many unrepentant criminals had bowed their heads in submission and suffered total defeat before Li Li Xuewu?

With whatever skill Yan Yan Jiefang possessed, how could those little schemes hide from Li Li Xuewu, who studied psychology?

Yes, Yan Yan Jiefang might truly not want the Rolling Steel Factory job; the bastard wanted to sweep up the whole pot!

Yan Brother Jiecheng had just died, and he was already eyeing his sister-in-law?

What kind of human nature is this!

One look tells you he's no good!

Anyone who covets another man's wife is no good!

But Yan Yan Jiefang had only one intention: earn money, support his sister-in-law... and he could support the children too.

Anyway, the children would call him Second Uncle, though he could accept it if they called him Father.

Li Li Xuewu watched the father and son standing there like fighting roosters, performing a show for him, and felt thoroughly satisfied.

This was far more interesting than Third Master performing a monologue all by himself!

He loved watching this sort of thing; excellent!

Li Li Xuewu smiled and nodded at Yan Yan Jiefang, signaling that he spoke well, should say more, as he loved listening.

Unlike your father, who only speaks useless nonsense that I don't even like hearing.

He now found great joy in watching Yan Yan Jiefang act brazen, and found Yan Yan Fugui's embarrassment even funnier.

Yan Yan Fugui had really calculated well: let the second son take over the post, but when the second son earned money, he wouldn't give it to him, he would give it to Ge Ge Shuqin.

No matter how he calculated, he was still going to lose money.

Now it was not just a matter of losing money; it looked like a family scandal was about to break out!

Aiya, truly interesting; the Yan family had contributed gossip for the entire courtyard's leisure time and provided a year's worth of laughter.

Such a spirit of selfless dedication was truly great.

Yan Yan Fugui stood there fuming; if he didn't arrange for the second son to take over the post today, the second son would definitely not find a job.

If he couldn't find a job, the second son would keep gnawing on the old, eating his food, drinking his wine, and talking back to him.

Meanwhile, the job opportunity at the Rolling Steel Factory might very well fall into Ge Ge Shuqin's hands.

It wasn't that his heart was bad, nor that he was siding with his son.

Rather, he realized that Ge Ge Shuqin was still so young; how could she possibly remain a widow for the eldest son?

If she had a job, given her current conditions, wouldn't there be plenty of men available?

Then how would things be calculated?

Should they keep this daughter-in-law, or let her go out and behave recklessly?

Ge Ge Shuqin had such a history before, and she certainly had the conditions for it.

Even if she didn't behave recklessly, if she married someone else later, how would the job be accounted for?

So in the end, he would still have to throw in a sum of money, wouldn't he!

Could he not understand the second son's thoughts? He had spotted it long ago, he just hadn't spoken.

Could he speak of it? How could he speak? Matters between a younger brother-in-law and his sister-in-law have been a messy account since ancient times.

Their family had already lost all face; they could not lose any more.

Now Yan Yan Jiefang had presented him with a multiple-choice question: either keep the fertile water from flowing into outsiders' fields, or expose the family scandal to the world.

Li Li Xuewu was also surprised to discover that Yan Yan Jiefang had made a ruthless move!

To take over the post, one must marry the sister-in-law, or the sister-in-law takes over the post and marries him!

A win-win!

Brilliant! Brilliant!

With such a brain, he shouldn't have done such a bastardly thing!

Or is he only this clever when thinking about his sister-in-law?

"Li Xuewu, come home, I have something to tell you."

Li Li Xuewu had wanted to stand aside and watch the fun, but his mother gave him no such opportunity.

Perhaps she had heard Yan Yan Jiefang arguing with his father inside, or perhaps she had heard him sowing discord in there.

The couple Li Shun were honest people; it was just that the Li family's second son was no good.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu reluctantly return home, Yan Yan Fugui also pushed Yan Yan Jiefang, not wanting to lose any more face in the courtyard.

In just this short while, who knew how many pairs of eyes were watching this side; they might even be laughing out loud.

Who doesn't know right from wrong? Being pointed at and gossiped about made him feel ashamed.

When Li Li Xuewu arrived home, he received a scolding from his mother, who blamed him for meddling and complained that he stooped to the level of the neighbors across the door.

Where in this world was the most suitable place to cry injustice?

Li Li Xuewu wanted to go there right now; he wanted to explain to his mother that Third Master had personally invited him home to watch a show, so it was not his fault.

But Liu Yin was too lazy to pay attention to her son's witty remarks; seeing the father and son across the way return home, she instructed him not to meddle in their affairs and said no more.

Her son was grown now; if she spoke too much about certain things, even she would find herself nagging.

Seeing his mother stop speaking on the matter, Li Li Xuewu told his sister-in-law about his eldest brother's affairs.

Zhao Zhao Yafang pursed her lips, laughing at him for getting scolded, and also laughing that he disregarded his status to deliberately tease the neighbors across the way.

Li Li Xuewu also perceived the meaning behind his sister-in-law's smile, and the corner of his mouth curled up in a wicked grin.

After Yan Yan Jiefang caused this scene, Third Master would likely not come to speak to him about this matter for at least ten days or half a month.

If he really waited for him to come looking, would Li Li Xuewu just agree?

Even if he found a reason Li Li Xuewu couldn't refuse, wouldn't he still have to play some dirty tricks!

"Salute!"

The sentry at the club entrance, stiff as a pole, snapped a salute to Li Li Xuewu.

Still in the car, Li Li Xuewu didn't know whether he should return the salute or not.

On one hand, returning it seemed inappropriate given his status relative to a gate guard here.

On the other hand, not returning it felt wrong since the kid had actually given him a crisp attention salute.

Who the hell came up with this nonsense!

"What do you think, sir?"

The moment Li Li Xuewu stepped out of the car, Zhao Zhao Lao Si scurried over like a lackey.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu glance toward the sentry at the gate, he immediately beamed and began taking credit.

Li Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth, looked at him, and asked, "Did you arrange this?"

"Uh..."

Seeing that Li Li Xuewu seemed displeased, Zhao Zhao Lao Si hesitated, unsure whether to admit it.

But Li Li Xuewu simply nodded and said, "Not bad..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Zhao Zhao Lao Si nodded frantically, saying, "Yes, yes, it was me! I arranged it!"

"... Don't do it again when people get out of their cars."

He finished speaking just as Li Li Xuewu finished his sentence.

Upon hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, Zhao Zhao Lao Si froze completely, turned to stone.

What did that mean?

"Not bad," but "don't do it again next time"...

So was this good... or not good?

Li Li Xuewu picked at his ear and hinted to him, "This is a club; there are no leaders here, only members. Why salute?"

"Oh, oh, oh, I understand now!"

Hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, Zhao Zhao Lao Si suddenly saw the light, muttering, "We're a service unit, not an administrative office..."

"Then..."

Hesitating, he reported to Li Li Xuewu, "Should we station a female attendant at the entrance to say 'Welcome'?"

"..."

Li Li Xuewu looked at Zhao Zhao Lao Si somewhat speechlessly, genuinely afraid he would stage something like, "Good evening, Mr. Welcome to Red Romance... three male guests!"

"Too much."

He patted Zhao Zhao Lao Si on the shoulder and said, "Silence is the highest realm of service. You don't speak, yet they understand. Get it?"

Understand what?

Zhao Zhao Lao Si looked at Li Li Xuewu somewhat perplexed; a service unit staying silent and relying on members to figure it out themselves?

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, walking toward the courtyard as he said, "That's called experience!"

"Expe..."

Zhao Zhao Lao Si tilted his head, still unable to fully grasp it.

At this moment, Zhao Liu Lao Wu sidled up, following his older brother in gazing at Li Li Xuewu's retreating back, then asked, "Big Brother, what does 'experience' mean?"

Zhao Zhao Lao Si turned and glared at his younger brother, saying, "Idiot, you don't even know that! Think hard!"

Having said that, without waiting for his brother to react, he hurried off toward the dining hall first.

He was now the supervisor in charge of training all service staff at the club.

Sister Lou had tasked him with exploring and summarizing a set of high-standard service guidelines adapted specifically for the club.

All waitstaff, in different application scenarios, should have corresponding service standards and the ability to provide appropriate service support.

For Zhao Zhao Lao Si, who had only completed four years of elementary school in full, this was truly a challenge.

To be fair, he had some experience training gatekeepers, and he was certainly capable of managing gate guards and the security section.

But training waitstaff and having to establish standards as well? This...

How could this be difficult!

His master, who had once served as a butler in a wealthy household, had seen everything, managed everything, and taught everything!

Although modern waitstaff were not the same as the maids and old nannies of the past, the workflows and standards remained the same!

He was striving to become the club's number one chief steward, and now wasn't the opportunity right here!

The gate guards saluting was his first step, meant to enhance image and train quality.

Although Li Li Xuewu wasn't satisfied, he had still said it was "not bad"!

He encouraged himself: keep going, redouble efforts!

Redouble efforts!

Sister Lou also said this to Li Li Xuewu: connect again, exert greater force!

As the date of parting drew nearer, Sister Lou became increasingly clingy toward him.

Li Li Xuewu fully understood her feelings and selflessly devoted his energy, hoping to ease her longing.

Wiping away the drops and splatters on the coffee table, Sister Lou tidied up the traces on the sofa.

Li Li Xuewu, meanwhile, sat behind the office desk, fastening the last button.

"Any latest news from Hong Kong?"

"You still care about that?"

Sister Lou went to the doorway to wash her hands and said without turning around, "You haven't asked or mentioned it; I thought you'd forgotten about the Hong Kong matter."

Li Li Xuewu twitched the corners of his mouth; he wanted to say: It's you who wants me to forget!

He could only think this sentence, daring not to tease Sister Lou, for she was very sensitive right now.

A single misspoken word would make her shed tears, so Li Li Xuewu adopted an attitude of tolerance and understanding toward her words.

As long as you don't say you're quitting, what harm is there in me being a punching bag for a few days?

Before, when she didn't want to go, Li Li Xuewu wouldn't have said anything.

Now everything is ready, lacking only her as the final crucial element; changing personnel at the last moment is truly impossible.

So, if you want to speak, speak; if you want to act, act; I will accompany you to the very end!

Haven't you noticed he hasn't gone to listen to opera recently? He's conserving his strength, all prepared for Sister Lou.

Sister Lou was also very satisfied with him today; after merely teasing him with a remark, she turned to the main business.

"You really hit the nail on the head!"

She turned around and, walking toward the sofa, said, "Hong Kong is truly in chaos right now!"

"The whites are fiercer than the blacks, the blacks are more vicious than the whites; when black and white mix together, it's the people of Hong Kong who suffer the bitterness."

"Normal."

Li Li Xuewu jerked his chin and asked, "Ran into trouble?"

"Mm, someone has approached my father."

Sister Lou sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and said, "They want sixty percent of my father's company shares, saying that if we don't give it, they won't let him continue operating."

"Heh heh, pretty good then."

Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly and said, "They even left us forty percent~"

Sister Lou looked at Li Li Xuewu and smiled, then rolled her eyes and said, "Sixty percent is for the whites, thirty percent must be kept for the blacks, and the remaining ten percent is what's left for us."

"Oh~ so that's how it is."

Li Li Xuewu wiped the smile from his face and said, "Only stated this way does it make sense; otherwise, I would have thought our father went to the wrong place."

"You still have the mood to joke?"

Sister Lou chided angrily, "Aren't you afraid I won't be able to handle things once I go? Aren't you afraid I'll be in danger?"

"Afraid! How could I not be afraid!"

Li Li Xuewu widened his eyes and said, "That's exactly why I sent Third Uncle over to help you."

"Rest assured!"

He waved his hand and said, "Let alone sixty percent, I wouldn't give them even a single fucking percent!"

"No one has ever been able to snatch food from my rice bowl; if they disagree, we fight."

Li Li Xuewu lifted his teacup, took a sip, and said, "No matter who it is, anyone who dares to come to our door to extort us gets chopped into pieces and thrown into the sea to feed the sharks!"

"Especially the messengers!"

He pointed at Sister Lou and emphasized, "I hate this kind of person the most; whoever dares to tell you they'll help someone by passing a message, you slap them hard across the face immediately!"

Sister Lou felt invigorated hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, yet she was also somewhat speechless.

"I'm going to do business, not to be a hooligan!"

"It's all the same!"

Li Li Xuewu told her very seriously, "If you intend to be a dragon crossing the river, you must have the intention to eliminate the local snakes!"

"Over there, there is no planned economy; to do business, you rely on having no shame and being fiercer than your opponent!"

"You must get used to their way of handling affairs while maintaining your own style of doing things; otherwise, why would anyone cooperate with you?"

"Has Wu Feng Hang made their move?"

After finishing his talk with Sister Lou, Li Li Xuewu asked again about the earlier matter.

Sister Lou didn't speak; after thinking for a while, she frowned, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and asked, "Won't I turn into a female bandit once I go over there?"

"Heh heh heh~"

Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, stood up, walked in front of the sofa, carefully examined Sister Lou, and clicked his tongue saying, "Don't say it, you really do have the aura of a bandit's wife!"

"Get lost! You're the one with an aura!"

Sister Lou complained angrily, "I've been led astray by you!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Li Li Xuewu kept nodding his head, indicating that this was indeed the case; he offered no argument.

"Once you go over there, you must still respond flexibly; some people cannot be trusted, some people you cannot be soft-hearted toward, some things must be done, and some things cannot be done."

"Remember this."

Li Li Xuewu looked at Sister Lou and said seriously, "You are going to return; there cannot be any stains on your record."

Sister Lou stared at Li Li Xuewu in a daze for a moment, then fell silent.

After a long while, she finally said, "The troubles my father encountered, I will encounter them too, but surely we can't ask Wu Feng Hang for help every time?"

"Of course not!"

Li Li Xuewu said with a gloomy look in his eyes, "Otherwise, what did I send people from Steel City to do for you?"

"Be ruthless in heart, but not ruthless in hand; your hands must never touch the darkness."

Li Li Xuewu sat down beside her, took her hand, and said, "If anything happens, tell Third Uncle; he will arrange for people to handle it."

"Also."

He added an instruction, "Ji Wang Weidong is making huge moves over there; you must keep your distance from him, at least superficially."

"Why??"

Sister Lou looked at Li Li Xuewu puzzledly and said, "He is a shareholder in the company and also the person in charge of port and shipping affairs; how can I keep my distance?"

"He is not merely a shareholder of the company."

Li Li Xuewu looked into her eyes and corrected her: "He is also a chess piece, one placed there to make others fear; you are not!"

"You cannot play that game of chess, nor can you get involved with those who play it; we cannot afford to play at this level."

Li Li Xuewu squeezed her hand and said: "The company's business dealings are normal; as long as you grasp the bank's operations, all the companies will be under your control."

Sister Lou found Li Li Xuewu's words easy to understand; during this period, she had been frantically cramming her knowledge of economics and management.

Once she reached Hong Kong, she would undergo systematic study; Lou Yu had already arranged all of this for her there.

In their subsequent conversation, Sister Lou also mentioned the real estate company that had already begun operations.

This was an industry planned out by the think tank at Li Li Xuewu's direction, one destined to become a cash cow in the future and a pillar industry enriching the bank's cash flow.

During his time in Hong Kong, Lou Yu had devoted more than half of his energy to the real estate company.

Wufeng Hang's real estate business in Hong Kong had only just begun; unlike the rules Li Li Xuewu had set, there was no competition.

Therefore, Lou Yu's development of real estate operations in Hong Kong had received both support and tacit approval from Wufeng Hang.

Of course, this was not due to Wufeng Hang's kindness, nor was it the result of Ji Wang Weidong's mother's influence; rather, in the upcoming cooperation, Li Li Xuewu's side would have to pay a certain price to repay their favor.

Ai Ai Jiaqing, who had come last time, had been maintaining contact with Lou Yu, and through her, had conveyed to Li Li Xuewu's side the pathways and necessities for continuing their cooperation.

Regarding the proposal Li Li Xuewu had put forward—a "chance encounter" at the Yangcheng Trade Fair—they had expressed their agreement and were willing to launch cooperation based on this opportunity.

Li Li Xuewu had already completed his layout in Tianjin, and Gangcheng was poised to strike; all that remained was the final push in Hong Kong.

Once the door to foreign trade was kicked open, Li Li Huai De could at least boast even louder.

The brighter the future of the Rolling Steel Factory, the more stable the situation within the factory would be.

With more money, benefits improve; with better benefits, the workers cherish their current lives.

As long as they have something to cherish, they will not easily break the current rules.

Therefore, management is also a science; managing people is not easy.

Just as the two were talking, Yu Li turned the corner and entered through the doorway.

"What are you doing!"

Yu Li feigned surprise as she looked at Li Li Xuewu holding Sister Lou's hand, saying rudely: "Are you acting like a hooligan!"

"Hey! Look at what a fuss this has caused!"

Li Li Xuewu shook Sister Lou's hand and said: "I was taking Sister Lou's pulse; you misunderstood, didn't you?"

"Oh, really!"

Yu Li laughed and teased: "Later I'll ask Li Shu; is taking a pulse on the back of the hand a family heirloom of yours?"

"If you know, then why ask!"

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, deliberately stroked Sister Lou's hand, and said with a smile: "It's a family secret; even if you ask my father, he won't tell you."

Sister Lou rolled her eyes, slapped his large hand away, and asked: "So what did you diagnose?"

"Exactly! What did you diagnose!"

Yu Li chimed in from the side: "Did you diagnose a pregnancy pulse!"

"Get lost!"

Seeing that Yu Li was shaming her indirectly, Sister Lou scolded her and reached out to pinch her.

Yu Li dodged with a chuckle, looked at Sister Lou, and teased: "Ah! I was wondering why you've gained weight recently; so that's the reason!"

"Say another word, and I'll pinch you!"

Sister Lou shot Li Li Xuewu a dirty look, then immediately stood up to scare Yu Li.

Yu Li was not afraid of this; she had been coming here for quite some time, so how could she not guess what the two were hiding in the room to do?

Playing games, of course!

From the day she saw Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe here, she had guessed everything.

Previously, she had even discussed this with Yan Brother Jiecheng; she had always felt that something was going on between Li Li Xuewu and Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe.

Later, when Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe moved out, she had stopped paying attention to it.

But after she started following Li Li Xuewu, she discovered that his clothes changed as if by magic; whenever he did not return home to sleep, he would definitely change into a different set.

What did this mean if not that someone was taking care of him?

At that time, Qin Qin Huairu was right under her nose; her own family barely had enough cloth, so where would she get the coupons to make clothes for Li Li Xuewu?

Therefore, after thinking it over, it could only be Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe.

Of course, seeing through things but not speaking them aloud is what keeps one a good friend.

Since coming here, Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe hadn't been surprised, so what was there for her to be surprised about!

Are those who share the same path friends, while those who share the same pole and endure hardships together are not?!