Chapter 931: Borderland Characteristics

The train arrived at Wucheng Station on the evening of November 30th, the last day of the month.

The sky had not yet darkened when Jin Jin Yaohui, wrapped in a thick fur coat, shuffled his obese body forward to greet Li Li Huai De's dark, stern face with a guilt-ridden smile.

It was not that the car sent to pick them up was inadequate, nor that there were too few people; Li Li Xuewu only learned the true reason after returning to the office compound and raising his wine cup.

Jin Jin Yaohui had intended to liven up the atmosphere and proactively asked Wang Wang Zongli about the leader's itinerary.

Wang Wang Zongli, of course, knew Jin Jin Yaohui was Li Li Huai De's man, and smiled as he replied: "Barring any unexpected developments, the leader plans to depart for Jingcheng next Saturday."

Since today was Sunday, this meant Li Li Huai De and his entourage would remain in the borderlands for nearly a week.

The Director of the Factory Management Committee, the top leader, was actually going to stay at the Borderland Office for a whole week; cold sweat immediately broke out on Jin Jin Yaohui.

As the Director of the Borderland Office and Li Li Huai De's former secretary, Jin Jin Yaohui actually did not know the leader's schedule.

Wang Wang Zongli cast a meaningful glance at Li Li Huai De, pursed her lips over the wine in her cup, and said nothing.

Tonight's meal was exceptionally good; several meat dishes were laid out on the table, all of them relatively precious beef and mutton.

While this meat was naturally considered precious in Jingcheng, it was not difficult to obtain in the borderlands.

Especially for the Borderland Office, which guarded the import and export trade business, how could there possibly be a shortage of meat to eat?

Since the Borderland Office began operations in March, over this nearly year-long period, Jin Jin Yaohui had completely cured his illness of craving meat due to past deprivation.

Formerly a dry, thin pen-pusher, he now looked like a plump, rustic local landlord.

Especially paired with the fur coat and fur hat he wore, his image was now thoroughly complete.

Seeing him chatting so happily with Wang Wang Zongli, Li Li Huai De swallowed a mouthful of wine, tapped his wine cup, and signaled him not to pour any more.

Jin Jin Yaohui's face stiffened; he looked at the wine pot in his hand, suspecting that the wine he had prepared was of poor quality and did not suit the leader's taste.

He did know that at the Rolling Steel Factory, it was always Li Li Xuewu who prepared the wine for the leader.

He had heard it was top-tier wine, so it was normal if the leader was not accustomed to the kind available here.

"The office's business is conducted in a sloppy, disjointed manner, yet you have grown fat and gluttonous."

Li Li Huai De's eyebrows were raised in anger; he was clearly genuinely furious and was about to start scolding before even taking a single bite of food.

Everyone at the table stopped their chopsticks and listened to his reprimand.

The table next door, however, was unaffected; Ding Ding Wanqiu knew this had nothing to do with him and hugged a leg of mutton, gnawing on it vigorously.

During his few months in Chen Jicheng, he had developed a condition of lacking fat in his liver, so he had to take every opportunity to replenish himself.

As for Brother Da Chun and Zhao Liu Lao Wu, neither had much sense; they could not understand what the leader was saying and were also keeping their heads down, eating.

Only Xiao Xiao Jianjun understood, but it was none of his concern; he was merely marveling at how different people were, recalling that when he first came to the borderlands, there was never such fine food.

Looking at the table full of wine and dishes, he had no mind to listen to what the next table was saying; seeing the other three eating with such relish, he stopped pretending and focused exclusively on the meat dishes.

While this side was eating noisily and heartily, the people at the main table sat as if they had swallowed blocks of ice.

Especially Jin Jin Yaohui, whose face flushed bright red; he sat there timidly, not daring to make a sound.

Listening to Li Li Huai De's lengthy rambling, Li Li Xuewu basically understood what was going on.

The major study activities at the Borderland Office had essentially not been held; morale was lax, thinking was sluggish, and the place was a scattered mess.

The volume of new business developed by the office had stagnated, even showing signs of regression; it was worse than both Jingcheng and Gangcheng, and even inferior to the recently established Yuezhou.

Contradictions regarding personnel issues were prominent, with problems constantly being reported to the factory, even reaching Xue Xue Zhifu's desk.

When the disciplinary and inspection departments were split and merged, such issues, which had previously been suppressed by Xue Xue Zhifu, were directly reported to Li Li Huai De.

Among these problems, there were even matters involving women that made Li Li Huai De blush with shame.

Finally, the handling of local relations was extremely inadequate; various related units in the borderlands had more than once expressed disgust and resistance toward his work, saying he knew neither how to conduct himself nor how to get things done.

He was actually very clear about these problems, as they had been reported from here before, but he had not intended to intervene.

In terms of business, Li Li Xuewu was absolutely inferior to no one; he truly wanted to achieve something, but business ability in an individual never exists in isolation.

If one does not know how to manage working relationships, even the best business abilities cannot be brought into play.

When problems regarding Jin Jin Yaohui were continuously reported back, since he was not the supervising leader, Li Li Xuewu would simply suppress the relevant issues or transfer them to the appropriate departments.

Seeing that the disciplinary and inspection side had made no move, Li Li Xuewu was even less inclined to cause trouble for Li Li Huai De.

More importantly, there was no need to affect the relationship between the two of them over such a worthless fellow.

Given the way Jin Jin Yaohui was conducting his work, Li Li Xuewu knew there would come a day when Li Li Huai De could no longer tolerate him.

Xue Xue Zhifu was even more thorough, waiting until the disciplinary and inspection departments were dismantled before exposing Jin Jin Yaohui's problems.

Li Li Xuewu had not expected that these issues would become known to Li Li Huai De, prompting him to come specifically to the borderlands to handle them.

It seemed he was extremely dissatisfied with Jin Jin Yaohui's work, displaying a cold face the moment he stepped off the train.

Although he raised the matter at the dinner table, giving Jin Jin Yaohui some face and protection, it was ultimately a criticism.

Judging from Jin Jin Yaohui's performance over these past few months, he had loyalty in excess but ability in short supply; he was gluttonous and lustful, with no bottom line.

This kind of work mentality was likely learned from Li Li Huai De; after all, having served as his secretary for so many years, he was bound to be influenced.

However, Jin Jin Yaohui had only learned half the lesson; he had not mastered it completely.

Li Li Huai De might play, but he also handled serious business.

For business matters he did not understand, he knew how to employ others, using management to compensate for his own shortcomings.

Furthermore, regarding greed and pleasure, he was quite conservative and had not yet been caught with any incriminating evidence by anyone.

Even regarding Liu Lan, she was just a fool whom anyone could approach; it simply did not count as a real issue.

But what about Jin Jin Yaohui?

No one knew how many letters of accusation there were; in the later stages, evidence was even sent directly to Li Li Huai De's hands along with the reports.

If you were a bit greedy or a bit lustful, it did not matter; Li Li Huai De did not care, as long as you had work ability.

But Jin Jin Yaohui was good for nothing; he lacked work ability and specialized only in underhanded tactics.

To speak of his loyalty, his thinking had rigidified to the extreme; anything Li Li Huai De had not agreed to, he resolutely refused to execute—how the hell could one get work done like that?

A secretary might operate this way, and the leader might like it, but once you are sent out to serve as a manager, you are expected to work boldly and decisively; why are you acting with such petty narrow-mindedness?!

The cadres in the borderlands are all ruthless characters; they traveled thousands of miles to engage in construction here, and you expect to deal with them using a caliper?

Even if the Borderland Office has a communication radio station, everything must be reported, and every task waits for leadership approval; who is going to wait around with you for that?

For over half a year, Li Li Huai De seemed to be acting as the Director of the Borderland Office himself.

At first, he did not feel there was a problem, but later, after the Management Committee was established and matters multiplied, he became too busy to handle it all.

He was busy, not neglecting affairs, yet matters must be distinguished by their priority and urgency.

Jin Jin Yaohui, on the other hand, reported on everything; whenever Li Li Haiyang made his reports, he often had to push Jin's matters to the back of the queue.

Consequently, the work efficiency of the Borderland Office grew lower and lower, until finally, it began consuming its own past achievements.

Basically, no business had been developed; it was all trade projects actively requested and delivered by the Rolling Steel Plant side.

Li Li Huai De had made arrangements in Jingcheng and specifically chose the borderlands just to see how Jin Jin Yaohui was conducting his work.

Well, the moment they met, his temper flared up; having served as the Director of this Factory Management Committee, he himself had lost more than ten jin, while Jin Jin Yaohui had gained a damn good thirty or forty jin!

Damn it, I am suffering hardships for you in Jingcheng, while you, you bastard, are here fattening up like a pig!

Jin Jin Yaohui felt deeply aggrieved by the reprimand and poured out his bitterness at the drinking table.

On one hand, local protectionist thinking was stubborn, making dealings with the agro-pastoral farm cadres extremely laborious.

Secondly, the Office lacked sufficient authority, so many problems could not be resolved immediately.

Thirdly, the pressure of personnel management was high; in such a small Office, the staff alone came from three or four different sources.

Finally, there was a large gap in funding management, and on this point, he actually shifted the blame onto Li Li Xuewu.

Ever since the Economic and Trade Leading Group Office was established, Li Li Xuewu had taken charge of trade management and began tightening the fiscal budget.

Especially with the retroactive audit of past accounts, the timid Jin Jin Yaohui hurriedly used existing activity funds to plug the holes from before.

"Feasting heavily in the first half of the year, facing tight rations in the second half"—this described Jin Jin Yaohui perfectly.

Hearing this, Li Li Xuewu said nothing, nor did he look at Li Li Huai De; he simply used his chopsticks to pick up a large mouthful of beef and stuffed it into his mouth.

Damn, it's so fragrant!

No wonder those few bastards behind him were clattering their bowls and plates; the chef at this Borderland Office was actually quite capable.

As they say, like father, like son; whatever kind of person Li Li Huai De was, Jin Jin Yaohui was exactly that kind of thing.

Upon hearing Jin Jin Yaohui accuse Li Li Xuewu, Li Li Huai De was so angry he nearly flipped the table on the spot.

Seeing Jin Jin Yaohui tearfully recount how domineering the borderland cadres were, how fierce the farm leaders were, and how difficult it was for an honest, decent person like himself to cope, he felt utterly exhausted in his heart.

This fellow was completely an A-Dou who could not be lifted up!

The fundamental problem of the Borderland Office was actually that the distribution issues had not been handled properly.

Claiming that the borderland cadres and farm leaders were difficult to get along with was, in reality, just a result of distribution resources not being regulated clearly.

When problems arise in resource allocation, others will naturally pick faults with you from other angles.

Saying that Li Li Xuewu had imposed restrictions on him, talking about this and that, ultimately boiled down to Jin Jin Yaohui's scholarly temperament, which simply could not withstand the pressure here.

"When a general is away from the court, there are commands from the sovereign that he need not obey."

Given the small scale of the Borderland Office, if he had truly launched a few major projects, or even just continued developing according to the original rhythm, these little problems of his would never have been brought up at the drinking table.

The problems had to be solved; if Jin Jin Yaohui failed and was looked down upon or deemed unworthy by others, it meant Li Li Huai De himself had failed in discipline and made a poor choice in personnel.

Li Li Huai De absolutely would not allow such a situation, so he did not reprimand Jin Jin Yaohui further at the dinner table.

After dinner, disregarding the fatigue of travel, he called Li Li Xuewu for a private meeting.

"Jin Jin Yaohui can no longer be used; he must be replaced. Find someone to take his place."

Li Li Huai De was also very depressed; seeing Li Li Xuewu silently making a fortune by leveraging the Rolling Steel Plant's resources, he was envious.

He dared not say that the distribution units in Jingcheng and Gangcheng were entirely Li Li Xuewu's doing, but they certainly could not be entirely disconnected from him.

Therefore, regarding the Borderland Office, he had originally intended for Jin Jin Yaohui to prop it up so that he could earn some pocket money.

But alas, that material was mud that could not be plastered onto a wall, so he could only summon Li Li Xuewu and voluntarily hand over the distribution rights clutched in his own hands to him.

He was very unwilling, yet he had absolutely no other choice; who asked that he had no usable personnel available locally?

"Internal problems must be addressed by replacing or transferring those who need it, showing no mercy whatsoever, but external problems must be rectified to save face!"

With a serious expression, Li Li Huai De tapped his finger on the table and emphasized to Li Li Xuewu: "Especially regarding the borderland cadres and the leaders of local farms; if you cannot suppress them, future cooperation will be impossible."

"On one hand, we must establish a positive political image; on the other, we must possess an economic and trade mindset."

Looking at Li Li Xuewu, he tapped his own head and said, "Do not be like Jin Jin Yaohui, a blockhead."

"The Borderland Office is too far away."

Smoking a cigarette, Li Li Xuewu wore an expression of difficulty, saying, "With such harsh geopolitical conditions, among those at the section-chief level, there are not many usable cadres left."

He deliberately paused for a moment before looking at Li Li Huai De to suggest: "Xu Ning from the Steel Plant Security Division might be usable; he is at the section-chief level, has rich work experience, and possesses strong adaptability."

"Mm, acceptable; let's use him."

Li Li Huai De tapped the table and said, "Using a cadre from the Security Division as the top leader requires sufficient ruthlessness; otherwise, one cannot stand firm here."

"The distribution relationships must be sorted out; the current situation is unacceptable, it is too chaotic."

Smelling the scent of Li Li Xuewu's smoke, his own craving flared up again, so he took a medicine box from his pocket, popped a pill into his mouth, and swallowed it.

Speaking of which, his control over his smoking habit had been quite good, but every time Li Li Xuewu smoked in front of him, his quitting achievements regressed.

"Then continue changing personnel."

Li Li Xuewu watched him; the more medicine he ate, the harder he worked his mouth craving smoke—it was truly wicked.

"Since personnel relationships here are complex, we should align them with the factory's personnel system and implement regular rotations."

"Distribution issues cannot be held in hand; it is better to transfer them out, which also facilitates the handling of certain problems."

"I will not manage this matter; you arrange it."

Hearing him say this, Li Li Huai De waved his hand and said, "I have only one requirement: the Borderland Office must be stabilized, there must be achievements, and there must be action!"

He had truly become ruthless; he would rather sacrifice a portion of his own profits than allow loopholes to appear in the work.

Li Li Xuewu, of course, would not let him feel uncomfortable and took the initiative to ask about Jin Jin Yaohui's next arrangements.

Li Li Huai De, annoyed, said he would withdraw and return to the Management Committee Office to serve as an administrative secretary.

"That's unnecessary; Director Jin deserves credit even if he hasn't achieved great merits."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and persuaded him: "The working environment in the frontier is indeed harsh, so some problems are understandable."

"Heh~ You're actually speaking up for him."

Li Li Huai De chuckled lightly and scolded Li Li Xuewu: "Did he secretly give you some benefits?"

After joking for a moment, he shook his head slightly and said: "Old Jin is just too honest; he's not quite suited for business work, his thinking has become rigid, and he lacks the daring spirit of youth."

"Then let him go to the Economic and Trade Office."

Li Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said: "That works out perfectly; he can serve as Deputy to Yu Yu Decai over at the Joint Third-Industry sector."

"Besides, the setup over at the Third-Industry side is getting bigger and bigger, and they need someone to go provide support; Comrade Yu Decai has mentioned it several times."

"... Let's talk about it later."

Li Li Huai De sat in his chair, sighed slightly, and looking at Li Li Xuewu said: "I have problems in managing personnel; I'm simply not as good as you in this regard."

Working late at night and rising early in the morning—this is the rhythm of a business trip.

After chatting nonsense with Li Li Huai De for half the night, they finally sorted out the issues at the liaison office.

Early in the morning, right after breakfast, following Jin Jin Yaohui's arrangements, the group set off to visit the related ranches and farms.

Li Li Xuewu specifically called for the four members of the Frontier Pioneer Squad to follow along, letting them see the world and lay the foundation for future distribution work.

Ding Ding Wanqiu was an old hand who could survive anywhere, just like an unkillable cockroach.

The frontier was located in a region of severe cold; even for them, who were northerners by birth, facing this chill on the first day of December still made them shiver.

The cotton-padded jackets and trousers they had brought from home were all swapped for the fur goods provided by the liaison office; sitting in the vehicle and looking at the pristine Bai Xue, they still felt an indescribable chill in their hearts.

From now on, the four of them would be reclaiming wasteland here; the confidence Li Li Xuewu had stirred up in them on the train was gradually dissipating.

Xiao Xiao Jianjun wanted to cry the most; if his father had arranged this opportunity for him to come to the frontier, he would have dared to run back, but since Li Li Xuewu had arranged it, he would rather die here than return.

"Hahaha!"

"Director Li!"

A farm cadre they had met last time actively came out to greet them, laughing loudly as he exchanged pleasantries with Li Li Huai De.

Upon seeing Li Li Xuewu dressed in military uniform, he nearly dropped his glasses in shock.

Last time he came, he was from the Security Division; had he changed identities just like that?

Or was he deliberately dressed this way, given that clothing regulations were somewhat chaotic at this time.

Li Li Xuewu did not deceive him; he took out his credentials for the man to see and smilingly explained his identity.

Good heavens, a Deputy Regiment Commander; the other party immediately saluted.

The ranks of farms varied, some high and some low; it was quite normal for some to be at the division level, while regiment-level ones were especially numerous.

Someone like Li Li Xuewu was already considered a very formidable existence among them; the key point was his affiliated unit.

They belonged to the Border Reclamation District, while Li Li Xuewu belonged to the Capital Garrison Security.

Li Li Huai De had said he wanted to save face, so naturally, Li Li Xuewu had to support him and bolster his presence.

These frontier cadres lacked education and sometimes acted without reason or principle; an ordinary person really couldn't keep them in check.

In the morning, they toured production areas including the slaughterhouse, the fur processing factory, the tobacco and grain reclamation districts, and the fruit planting zones; upon returning to the regiment headquarters, they held a symposium to discuss agendas for deep cooperation, with lunch arranged at the Xiaoshitang.

If this kind of reception had taken place in Jingcheng, Li Li Huai De would have voiced objections long ago; it was too brutal!

Not to mention that the morning itinerary was too packed, even the noon meal was too rough.

It wasn't that there was no meat, but it was all served in large iron basins, very much in the style of Northeastern home-style stewed dishes.

Li Li Huai De refused to believe these cadres didn't know where he was from, or that their cooks couldn't prepare a few refined dishes.

But whose fault was it that his secretary had caused this mess? The other party clearly held a grudge and was deliberately making things difficult.

In the past, the Rolling Steel Factory could be said to be sending warmth to the frontier, taking care of the frontier.

But now, frontier trade occupied an increasingly important position in the Rolling Steel Factory's overall industrial layout.

If Li Li Huai De really withdrew the liaison office from the frontier, he truly would be reluctant to do so.

Maintaining good relations with the local agricultural and animal husbandry farms and stabilizing frontier trade, this cornerstone of industrial development, had become the Ci Xing De Zhong of Li Li Huai De's journey.

Thus, with bowls of wine and chunks of meat, Li Li Huai De ate until his mouth soured and his stomach ached.

Li Li Xuewu, however, didn't care; seeing the frontier cadres dig in, he also reached out to grab bones and meat to eat.

Especially when it came to drinking, he not only accepted every challenge but also took the initiative to attack, adhering to the principle: "If you break my leader's wings, I will destroy your entire heaven."

These frontier cadres were very capable drinkers, especially since they were deliberately "hosting" the Rolling Steel Factory group; everyone who came to accompany the drinking had immense capacity.

But no matter how immense their capacity, they simply couldn't outdrink Li Li Xuewu.

So just as Li Li Huai De was about to get drunk, the other party wisely chose to sound the gong and withdraw the troops.

If they kept drinking, not only would everyone on their side be knocked down, but the afternoon itinerary would be ruined.

Led by several Jeeps with two Liberation trucks bringing up the rear, the group set off again to inspect the ranches.

These related units were all located around Wucheng, belonged to the same department, and were very closely connected, with information flowing freely between them.

The Rolling Steel Factory had sent its top leader this time, along with a "wine leak"; from the moment they exited the regiment headquarters gate, all these units had already known.

Therefore, the next receiving unit did not arrange a drinking competition, but rather a horse-riding contest.

Under the pretentious name of experiencing the most authentic herder life and better understanding the primitive ecology of the Tianshan grasslands.

Li Li Huai De really wanted to curse; after eating so much meat at noon and downing so much wine, they wanted him to ride a horse?!

Damn it! Riding a rouge horse or a thin horse would have been acceptable!

Li Li Xuewu stumbled down from the vehicle, scanned the horses led over by the herders, grabbed the reins, and smilingly said he would test one out for his leader.

When they saw him about to mount the horse, the receiving cadre from the frontier was startled, not expecting the other party to be serious.

They were also deliberately making things difficult for these big shots from Jingcheng; who asked Jin Jin Yaohui to put on airs with them?

Riding horses was naturally out of the question; if anything truly went wrong, they simply could not bear the responsibility.

So even though the horses had been brought over, as long as Li Li Huai De said he wouldn't ride, a few pleasant words would suffice to let the matter pass.

But who could have expected that today, of all days, they would run into not just a heavy drinker, but a stubborn fool!

Before they were even ready on their end, that heavy drinker had already started acting drunk and wild.

No one knew exactly how much alcohol Li Li Xuewu could handle; anyway, if you drank, he drank, and if you got drunk, he got drunk.

Just moments ago in the car, he had looked completely intoxicated; how would these cadres dare let him take such a risk?

But nothing could stop Li Li Xuewu, with his long legs and quick body; while the herdsmen were still stunned, Li Li Xuewu had already spurred his horse and galloped away.

Good heavens! This was truly asking for trouble.

Fearing he would fall off while drunk, the reception cadre waved his hand, signaling those herdsmen to mount up immediately and give chase.

They themselves were in a panic, scrambling and crawling into the vehicles, shouting at the drivers to hurry up and provide support.

Even if the Rolling Steel Mill's office stationed in the borderlands was utterly worthless, that had nothing to do with these people from the capital.

Since they had taken the initiative to ease relations, they should just let things slide; they couldn't send someone back crippled, for that wouldn't be cooperation, it would be creating enemies.

Especially that heavy drinker, a cadre from the Garrison Command; if anything really happened, even their leaders would have to bear the responsibility.

Thus, a comical scene unfolded on the wilderness: a white horse carrying Li Li Xuewu galloped ahead, followed by more than ten horses in pursuit, and behind them, an entire convoy trailed along.

Those who knew understood they were chasing someone; those who didn't might think some big shot was out exercising his horse, bringing along such a grand entourage.

Sitting inside the vehicle, Li Li Huai De felt incredibly proud this time; having his own people bring him honor gave him an indescribable sense of pride.

"Don't be afraid, don't panic, our Deputy Director Li... *hic*..."

He spoke in gasping breaths, letting out a burp that nearly suffocated the reception cadre in the passenger seat.

"Director Li, can this Deputy Director Li actually ride a horse?"

Unable to see the situation ahead, the reception cadre was so anxious he was nearly jumping up and down; turning around, he asked Li Li Huai De, "He's drunk so much; he won't fall off, will he?"

Actually, the reception cadre's first sentence was directed at Li Li Huai De, while the latter sentence was entirely his own worry.

But Li Li Huai De was now slightly drunk himself; how could he distinguish the difference?

"No~ no~ no..."

Waving his hand like that, swaying with the car, he was nearly asleep, yet his original intent was to say Li Li Xuewu would not fall off.

The reception cadre, however, thought he was saying Li Li Xuewu did not know how to ride; his face turned as green as shit, and he urged the driver to accelerate further.

You say someone who can't ride a horse can mount up and gallop this far?

What hadn't the reception cadre seen before? Even those who had never ridden a horse once could still gallop on one when drunk; this was nothing strange.

What was strange was being so drunk and dazed that the horse ended up riding him while running.

"Faster~ faster~ faster!"

The reception cadre shouted at the top of his lungs, waking Li Li Huai De up again.

"Still haven't caught up?"

He really knew how to speak sarcastically; the reception cadre felt like dying.

"It's fine~ it's fine~ Comrade Li Xuewu~ *phew*~"

There it went~! Not a single useful word came out, and he fell asleep again.

"Screech~"

The horse convoy ahead stopped; seeing Regiment Commander Li still sitting atop his horse, the reception cadre finally felt a slight relief in his heart.

Before he could even open the car door to check on Li Li Xuewu, he heard Li Li Huai De, shaken awake in the back seat, say: "See! I told you, he knows how to ride!"

"..."

Tears were nearly streaming down the reception cadre's face; when did you ever say that!

"Hahaha!"

Li Li Xuewu laughed loudly, jumped down from his horse, and flicked the reins in his hand to the herdsman who came to receive them.

"Exhilarating! Truly exhilarating; I haven't ridden a horse this freely in a long time!"

He was exhilarated, but the people following behind were nearly frozen to death.

Wasn't it agreed that they would just lead the horses out to put on a show? They hadn't even worn thick clothes suitable for riding; urged by the reception cadre to chase this bastard, their frozen nasal mucus bubbles were dripping down.

Watching Li Li Xuewu approach, the reception cadre felt both embarrassed and terrified in retrospect.

Li Li Huai De, however, patted his shoulder and asked how the Rolling Steel Mill's men were.

"Young heroes, truly extraordinary!"

"Hahaha~"

Seeing this cadre convinced, Li Li Huai De laughed loudly and emphasized: "Where we come from, we call this 'awesome'!"

"Aw~esome~~~"

"..."

Li Li Xuewu, walking over, paused in his steps, looking speechlessly at the drunk Li Li Huai De, regretting his choice of words.

If you don't know how to describe something, you could actually just remain silent!

Ding Ding Wanqiu and the others crawled out of the vehicles; watching Li Li Xuewu letting loose, they were filled with envy.

Since they had already arrived at the ranch, how could they not get on a horse and play around a bit?

But the reception cadre had been thoroughly frightened by Li Li Xuewu; he only let them fool around casually before saying it was time to return.

In his early years, Ding Ding Wanqiu had also been a wealthy playboy; riding horses was his specialty.

Xiao Xiao Jianjun had learned this mode of transport in the borderlands this year; he could barely ride for fun.

Brother Da Chun rode the best, because this was a family heirloom skill for earning a living; everyone knew that if bandits ran too slowly, they would be fed bullets by others.

Only Zhao Liu Lao Wu was a native of Jingcheng; his ancestors hadn't even left behind a four-legged stool, let alone a horse—they didn't even have a donkey.

So he could only watch as his three little companions rode, while he squatted on the cart himself, staring with desperate envy.

On the way back, the reception cadre, fearing Li Li Xuewu might suddenly want to ride again, hurriedly praised him, saying how good this was and how good that was, just so he wouldn't get off the vehicle.

Since their bellies were already full of alcohol by noon, this evening's feast of roasted whole lamb seemed much more polite.

Li Li Huai De had been bustling about all day; the effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off, and together with Li Li Xuewu, he started shooting the breeze with the cadres from the farming and animal husbandry fields.

Jin Jin Yaohui, kept company on the sidelines and neglected, felt constantly uncomfortable in his heart.

During the day, Li Li Xuewu had stolen all the spotlight, completely overshadowing him.

Now, in the evening, he had earned the respect of those frontier cadres, saving face for Director Li.

Especially when they heard him rambling on about everything under the sun from all corners of the country, these frontier cadres, showing their lack of worldly experience, actually said his words made sense!

They praised Li Li Xuewu for speaking so pleasantly, for being so talented, capable in both literary and martial arts...

Jin Jin Yaohui's mouth filled with acidic reflux, thinking in his heart that this damn guy was nothing but a big swindler!

They don't approve of someone honest and decent like me; do you have to listen to this big swindler tricking you before you call it good?

This frontier work environment is truly damn frustrating!

All day long, Li Li Huai De hadn't done any other serious business; just like a damn street wanderer, he hopped from one household to another.

Not a single serious word was discussed, not a single serious project mentioned; he truly seemed as if he had come just for sightseeing.

Yet it was precisely this casual attitude that truly delighted these frontier cadres; conversations flowed freely, and relationships eased.

Especially the farming and animal husbandry fields that had previously cooperated with the Frontier Office all proactively brought up cooperation projects for next year.

Li Li Huai De, instead, was in no hurry; waving his hand, he said he had drunk too much today, would not discuss work, and having been busy all year, needed to enjoy himself properly.

Jin Jin Yaohui also cursed helplessly in his heart; although this man was somewhat gluttonous, he truly had the intention to do practical work.

Otherwise, why had he accepted it when Li Li Huai De asked him to stay back this March?

Staying in the frontier after traveling a thousand li, unable to care for his wife and children, wasn't it all for the sake of advancement?

But serving as Li Li Huai De's secretary, he had long forgotten how to make decisions himself; the other party also seemed accustomed to his requests for instructions and reports.

Originally just an honest and decent scholar, suddenly thrown into such a distant place, he also felt somewhat unsure in his heart.

Furthermore, the Frontier Office was the first external unit established by United Trade, serving as the starting point; the pressure was imaginable.

This year Li Li Huai De claimed exhaustion, but how was Jin Jin Yaohui, far away in the frontier, not also supporting Li Li Huai De under pressure?

Everything is difficult at the beginning; his time at the Frontier Office was not easy, requiring caution everywhere, yet this caution had become a mistake.

Watching Li Li Xuewu laughing loudly, behaving impolitely, competing in drinking and joking nonsense with those cadres, even telling dirty jokes, yet he won their favor instead.

In his heart, he felt a strange sorrow and indignation, as if the whole world was drunk while he alone was sober, the whole world turbid while he alone was clear.

Why is it so hard to be a person of integrity?

Li Li Xuewu actually thought the same!

Especially after the group returned to the office compound and heard Jin Jin Yaohui inviting Li Li Huai De to go out and experience some "special projects."

Watching the two sneak out the door with shifty expressions, he could only sigh inwardly, marveling at his own purity.

Alas~ among the cadre ranks of this Rolling Steel Factory, surely I am the most serious one, right?!

"Let's go! I'll take you out to play!"

"Huh? We're going out again?"

Brother Da Chun had been running with the team all day and was just preparing to lie down; hearing Li Li Xuewu shouting at the door for them to go out, he couldn't help but let out a complaint.

Li Li Xuewu, however, paid no attention to his laziness and said with a wicked smile: "Do you want to go see some frontier specialties?"

"What frontier specialties?"

Zhao Liu Lao Wu, particularly innocent, stuck his head out from the bathroom door, looking at them with complete confusion.

Li Li Xuewu smiled mysteriously, gave him a "you know what I mean" look, then instructed them to gather downstairs before leaving.

Zhao Liu Lao Wu scratched his head, his expression like a parrot's, having failed to understand Director Li's meaning.

Ding Ding Wanqiu chuckled, his face full of profound implication, patted his buttocks, and hurriedly climbed down from the heated kang to put on his shoes.

"If you don't even know what the frontier specialties are, then what did you come to the frontier for?"

Saying this, he raised his eyebrows again and added: "I'm old; unlike you young people who care about quantity, I now focus more on quality~"

"Hey~ you may be old in years but young at heart; your heart may be old but your lust never fades."

Xiao Xiao Jianjun also climbed down to put on his shoes, jokingly saying: "Looking at your physique, doing it two or three times a night shouldn't be a problem."

While speaking, he said to Brother Da Chun, who was also getting down to put on his shoes: "When we get old, if our bodies can be as rock-solid as Elder Ding's, I'll be satisfied."

"What are you guys talking about? I don't understand any of it."

Brother Da Chun pulled up his trousers, a wicked smile on his face, and said: "I'm young, so I'm mainly going with you all to broaden my horizons."

"You don't need to go personally to broaden your horizons~"

Ding Ding Wanqiu adjusted his clothes in front of the mirror, smiling as he said: "It's so cold outside; why suffer through the trouble? It's the same if we tell you about it when we get back."

"How could that work!"

Brother Da Chun wore an expression that said, "I haven't read many books, but don't think you can fool me."

He tightened the belt on his waist, pursed his lips, and said: "The boss said that what's learned from paper, whether deep or shallow, doesn't count; for this kind of thing, you have to bend your waist and say it works!"

"Tsk~~~"

Ding Ding Wanqiu turned his head, looked at Brother Da Chun who was arrogantly showing off his vocabulary, and asked Xiao Xiao Jianjun: "Is this kid's education level really enough to write letters?"

Over the past few days, they had always been active together and had become familiar; Xiao Xiao Jianjun didn't hold back anymore and had long started joking around.

"Hey~ who doesn't know how to write letters cursing people? Even the kids in the hutongs know how to write them."

"Don't look down on people~"

Brother Da Chun jutted out his chin and said: "I properly attended elementary school!"

"Hahaha!"

Seeing Zhao Liu Lao Wu emerge from the restroom, Xiao Xiao Jianjun tossed him the coat hanging on the wall, then pointed at Brother Da Chun with a smile and asked, "The 'elementary school' you mentioned isn't some village girl, is it?"

"Go on~ what girl would be called 'elementary school'!"

Old Se Pi, led by Ding Ding Wanqiu, filed out of the room; glancing back, he winked at Xiao Xiao Jianjun and said, "Only a 'little sister' can be called 'elementary school'!"

"Scram~ scram~ scram!"

Clearly understanding the joke, Brother Da Chun waved his hand impatiently and said, "None of you are serious; no wonder the employer doesn't trust you and sent me here to supervise the work!"

"Hmm~ on that point, the employer truly didn't misjudge you."

Ding Ding Wanqiu beckoned Zhao Liu Lao Wu to follow and lock the door, while verbally mocking Brother Da Chun: "He knows exactly what kind of goods you are!"

"What are you all talking about?"

Zhao Liu Lao Wu locked the door in confusion, trailing behind without yet knowing what had happened.

"What exactly are borderland specialties?"

"Shh~~~"

Hearing Zhao Liu Lao Wu ask this right in the corridor, the three quickly gestured for him to quiet down.

Such matters were fine to discuss among brothers in a room; after all, telling dirty jokes could strengthen bonds, but out in the open, everyone was still a decent person!

At the office entrance, Li Li Xuewu led the four men, shivering and chattering from the cold, onto the vehicle, instructing the driver not to wait for them as they would return later.

Then, after driving out of the gate, Li Li Xuewu honked the horn; two headlights suddenly flashed on at the street corner, and a jeep pulled out immediately after.

Li Li Xuewu didn't exchange any secret signals with the other party; this wasn't some clandestine meeting, for heaven's sake.

With only people in these two vehicles on the main road, getting it wrong would mean having one's brain kicked by a donkey.

One leading, one following, the two vehicles drove through the streets of Wucheng; occasionally other cars passed by, but no one paid them any attention.

After turning through several streets and entering a large compound, the two vehicles finally came to a stop.

Someone from the earlier vehicle went to open the garage door, directing both cars to park inside.

Given the weather here in the borderlands, if you planned to use your vehicle at night, don't even think about leaving it outside.

The slight heat generated by the engine would freeze the car's radiator solid within fifteen minutes.

Either park in a heated garage or drain the water.

After disembarking, Li Li Xuewu led the four men out of the garage, looking around the courtyard with its exotic style, filled with novelty.

Wucheng actually had many apartment buildings and was developing quite rapidly; it was a major stronghold in the borderlands, serving as an important political, economic, and cultural center.

The architectural styles within the city varied greatly, displaying distinct ethnic characteristics mixed with other exotic flavors.

The courtyard where Li Li Xuewu stood was located on the city's edge; moonlight spilled over the high walls, creating a beautiful decorative picture.

"Wow~ friends from afar."

A greeting suddenly came from the entrance; Kuozi Kuozi Bayi, whom he had met and done business with before, stood at the door wearing a robe, opening his arms wide toward him.

A smile suddenly appeared on Li Li Xuewu's face as he spread his hands and walked over.

The two embraced each other, exchanging greetings.

"I was saying I'd invite you in summer to taste our melons and fruits~"

With one hand on Li Li Xuewu's arm, Kuozi Kuozi Bayi used the other to gesture for him to enter the hall.

Walking along, he complained, "But I waited all summer and never saw you; what a pity~"

"Please forgive my broken promise."

Smiling as he entered the hall, Li Li Xuewu gave the attendant a slight nod, removed his hat and coat, and explained simultaneously, "This year, I've wished I could split myself like a watermelon into several pieces to get things done."

Saying this, he leaned closer to Kuozi Kuozi Bayi and whispered, "Matters in Jingcheng... hmm... you understand; otherwise, I would have come long ago."

"However, I have indeed tasted the borderland's melons and fruits."

Smiling, Li Li Xuewu shared another embrace with the big-bearded Maimaiti Yaer, who had walked into the living room, saying, "Old friend, how have you been?"

"Of course, I'm doing just fine~"

Maimaiti Yaer smiled as he looked Li Li Xuewu up and down, saying, "The March Great Merchant is still as strong and powerful, majestic and extraordinary~"

"Hahaha~"

Kuozi Kuozi Bayi and Li Li Xuewu laughed together loudly; raising a hand, Kuozi Kuozi Bayi indicated the living room, inviting them to sit inside.

"Although we regret not meeting you sooner, we fully understand your hardships."

Speaking very sincerely, he added, "Moreover, since the March Great Merchant's envoy personally brought us your news, we offer our utmost wishes for everything to go smoothly for you in Jingcheng."

"Thanks to your kind words."

Pressing his palms together, Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Fortunately, everything has gone smoothly; being able to see good friends is truly a happy event!"

Following behind, Ding Ding Wanqiu and the other three listened to Li Li Xuewu's pleasantries and exchanged glances simultaneously: Good friends?

That wasn't exactly a complimentary term...