Chapter 987: Wantonly Indulgent Youth

"Over here~!"

Peng Xiaoli, like a secret agent meeting a contact, stood in the duty room on the first floor of the Security Building and waved at Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng's mouth twitched, almost wanting to curse.

After entering the room, he cursed, "Why do you do this every time? Do you really take me for a scout from the Security Department!"

"I take you for a hardworking little bee!"

Peng Xiaoli still stood by the window, eyes on the opposite Main Office Building, and asked, "What did you find out?"

"Found out that Bukharin is a traitor~"

Gu Cheng sat on the rattan chair unhappily, grabbed a cigarette from the desk, and lit it.

Peng Xiaoli turned his head to look at him and said with amusement, "Do you think I don't know Bukharin is a traitor?"

Saying this, he snatched the cigarette from Gu Cheng's hand and lit one for himself.

Shaking the match in his hand, leaving a trail of white smoke, he added, "I'm not responsible for Comrade Lenin's safety now; I just want to know if your mission this time has been completed, my little Ivan."

"How the hell did I become little Ivan?"

Gu Cheng rolled his eyes and said, "I even thought I was Rudolf Abel~"

"In your dreams!"

Peng Xiaoli said with amusement, "For such a small matter, would I even need to let Abel go and scout?"

Gu Cheng flicked the ash unhappily and said, "I should also say, for such a small matter, why didn't you go yourself!"

After saying this, he didn't continue the nonsense, raised his hand to signal to the opposite side, and said, "Found out, it's Huo Ding from the Third Office of the Security Department in Beijing."

"And then?"

Peng Xiaoli raised his eyebrows and said, "What did he come for? Who did he meet, and what was the content of the conversation?"

"Do you really take me for Abel!"

Gu Cheng said speechlessly, "The door to the reception room was tightly closed, and the leaders were talking. Do you want me to press my ear against the door and listen!"

"You should at least know the general content, right?"

Peng Xiaoli also said quite unhappily, "I don't believe no one heard."

"Don't know!"

Gu Cheng said impatiently, "He was received by Deputy Director Ao and went straight to the reception room."

"Did Director Li meet him?"

Peng Xiaoli turned around, looked toward the Main Office Building, and frowned, "Did you ask Li Haiyang?"

"Pfft~ that kid~"

Gu Cheng curled his lips and didn't continue, but his disdainful tone had already expressed what he wanted to say.

He took a puff of the cigarette and added, "Director Li went in first, later Li Haiyang invited Deputy Director Jing, that's all."

Seeing Peng Xiaoli glaring at him, he spread his hands and said, "You might as well kill me. Staring blankly is useless; I don't have clairaudient ears."

Saying this, he pointed to the opposite side and said, "Otherwise, let's install a bug over there later; you won't need to scout for anything you want to know."

"Get lost~"

Peng Xiaoli wouldn't believe his bad ideas. Installing a bug, even Deputy Director Li wouldn't dare do that.

Official units aren't afraid of you being able to scout for news; they are afraid of you bugging. This is the bottom line.

Gu Cheng flicked the ash and said to Peng Xiaoli, "It's useless for you to be anxious. If they don't want you to hear, you just won't hear."

Peng Xiaoli naturally knew this point, but the other party hadn't come out of the Main Office Building yet, so he could wait.

One is to wait for news from the service secretary, to see if one can tell the purpose from serving tea and water, or from any actions on Deputy Director Jing's side.

Deputy Director Li doesn't care about the other party's motivation; he might have already guessed it, but Peng Xiaoli cannot not care.

He is the leader's secretary and must closely follow the leader's pace and rhythm, knowing the key issues he must know.

"Have you kept an eye on Deputy Director Cheng's side?"

Peng Xiaoli turned his head to look at Gu Cheng and said, "Don't tell me this matter wasn't done well either."

"Can't keep an eye on it, am I not working anymore?"

Gu Cheng glared back and said, "I can only say I've kept an eye on his driver's departure time, whether it's the secretary or himself in the car, and the fuel consumption."

"As for the rest, I'm powerless; after all, I'm not really a secret agent."

"Sigh~"

Peng Xiaoli sighed powerlessly, "If only you really were~"

"Are you crazy!"

Gu Cheng curled his lips and said, "If I were really a secret agent, would I still be under your control, scouting these crooked paths for you?"

"I'm saying, if you really were,"

Peng Xiaoli looked at Gu Cheng sincerely and said, "I would have turned you in, so I could also rise in the world and be promoted three levels to become a leader."

"... I'll screw your grandfather!"

Gu Cheng was almost angered to death by him. He was working so hard for him, and in the end, he was thinking about selling him out.

Although he wasn't really one, and what he said was a joke, he still felt angry thinking about it.

"You're crazy about wanting to advance, aren't you? You've started attacking your own people!"

"I was just saying~"

Peng Xiaoli smiled embarrassedly, then looked at the opposite side and explained, "Isn't this because I remembered Deputy Director Li's matter~"

"I think you're being sincere!"

Gu Cheng stood up and said, "Fine, can't stay here anymore. What if I get detained and forced to confess? I'm most afraid of pain."

Saying this, he was about to walk out, but didn't hear Peng Xiaoli's reply. Turning his head to look, he saw several people walking out of the opposite Main Office Building.

"It's Deputy Director Ao."

Gu Cheng walked to the window, stood beside Peng Xiaoli, and frowned, "The one she's seeing off is Huo Ding."

"Hmm."

At this moment, Peng Xiaoli also lost the mood for nonsense. He narrowed his eyes to watch the other party get in the car and leave, then sized up Deputy Director Ao's attitude, his eyelids jumping slightly.

"Just left like this?"

Gu Cheng didn't react, watching the Shanghai-brand sedan leave, turned to look at Peng Xiaoli, and said, "Not here to find Deputy Director Li."

"Don't know."

Peng Xiaoli's gaze followed Deputy Director Ao Yuhua's figure as she disappeared from the first-floor lobby and aimed directly at the third floor.

"You go over there again. If there's news, come find me; if there's no news, forget it."

"Done."

Gu Cheng nodded earnestly, then was about to walk out. Walking to the door, he turned back to say to Peng Xiaoli: "I suggest you find a professional for Deputy Director Cheng's side; the situation isn't quite right."

"I know."

Peng Xiaoli didn't turn his head, but he had already agreed, counting as understanding his previous complaint.

Waiting until Gu Cheng's figure appeared in front of the Main Office Building, he turned and left the duty room, going upstairs.

The Saturday off-duty bell rang, and the broadcasting station's music began to play.

The office building seemed to come alive suddenly; the creaking of tables and chairs rubbing against the floor and the noise of colleagues saying goodbye and laughing filled the corridor.

The third floor was fine; knowing the leaders were working on this floor, everyone in the large office knew to pay attention to the volume when coming in and out.

Peng Xiaoli came out of his office, holding documents, his face somewhat ugly as he walked into Li Xuewu's office.

"Leader, it's off-duty time."

"Hmm, good."

Li Xuewu replied without raising his head, still flipping through documents in his hand.

After Peng Xiaoli tidied up the office, he raised his head and asked, "Has the work arrangement for next week come out?"

"Yes, leader."

Peng Xiaoli first replied, then asked, "Do you have any arrangements?"

"Hmm~"

Li Xuewu thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "We'll see. Don't arrange the schedule too tightly; there might be something to busy ourselves with at the Wei Third Regiment."

"I know."

Peng Xiaoli nodded and recorded Li Xuewu's request in his notebook.

Just as Li Xuewu stood up to change his shoes and put on his coat, he tidied up the documents Li Xuewu had just been reading on the desk and reported, "There's still no news from the Main Office Building side."

Li Xuewu didn't say anything, just glanced at the opposite side, thinking that there hadn't been any relevant phone calls all afternoon.

However, he didn't care that the other party didn't pay attention to him when visiting, instead going directly to find Li Huai De.

This didn't mean Li Huai De would turn around and pit him, or exert pressure on him; worries were all superfluous.

Furthermore, the other party doing this might also have the intention of exerting pressure directly on him; it depends on how you interpret it.

As for whether Li Huai De would communicate this meeting with him, or have any news for him, that wasn't important.

If Li Huai De were a shortsighted villain, he wouldn't have reached today, and he wasn't some small child who could be bullied.

If people are willing to tell you, they will tell you; if they aren't willing, you just wait, or it's just an unimportant matter.

The aftereffects of the snow a few days ago still existed. Although the snow in the factory area had been cleared, the residual snow on the building, blown by the evening wind, drifted down again.

When Li Xuewu came out of the building, the peak of the crowd had passed, and the driver was already waiting for their leader in front of the Main Office Building.

Using a car on the Security Building side was very convenient; only Li Xuewu and Yu Decai used cars for commuting, one 212 and one GAZ-69.

When he came down, he saw Yu Decai's driver, Xiao Liu, still waiting. He must have had work he hadn't finished.

The work of the Security Group wasn't easy. Now that a deputy leader was still missing, the burden on Yu Decai was very heavy.

Especially with Li Xuewu holding multiple positions, he had to take more responsibility for daily management.

Peng Xiaoli knew how to behave. He got into the passenger seat, saw the leader's gaze on that GAZ jeep, called Han Jiankun to drive, and reported softly, "Yesterday after work, I loaded the things into Deputy Leader Yu's car."

"Hmm."

Li Xuewu replied casually, directed the car to start, and withdrew his gaze.

Winter days are short, and it's inevitably dark when getting off work in the evening.

He didn't read documents in the car, just closed his eyes to rest, listening to Han Jiankun talk about things in the factory today.

The things he just mentioned were the local specialties brought back from Yingcheng, the ones Xu Sian had gotten.

Everyone had some, so naturally, Yu Decai wouldn't be left out; it was just given to him last night.

There was no need to say this kind of thing; Yu Decai's driver also understood. Deputy Leader Yu wouldn't want things sent by subordinates below, but he wouldn't dare refuse things from Deputy Director Li.

The factory office area isn't small, but it isn't big either, with several hundred people working here.

Peng Xiaoli had been working for several years. Although everyone knew he was young and liked to play, they also knew he was reliable in handling things, otherwise, he wouldn't have been chosen as Li Xuewu's secretary.

Now that he was even more influential, following behind Deputy Director Li, he was becoming more mature and confident, and was liked by many young girls in the factory.

There was a little accountant in the Finance Department who was chasing him, but he heard he disliked her for being short and didn't take a fancy to her, even being picky.

If it were anything else, Peng Xiaoli would think those people were blind, unable to see his ability and level.

But if it were about emotional matters, and talking about liking or not liking, it must have been spread by Gu Cheng.

The two were friends and also each other's "black fans." They wouldn't miss serious matters, but in private, they both wished the other would lose face.

At this moment, after reporting the factory matters to the leader, he pondered his words and told Li Xuewu about Gu Cheng's reminder.

"You still have to judge for yourself."

After finishing, he added, "Although this kid said it seriously, it's still hard to be sure."

Seeing Li Xuewu look over, he hesitated and defended Gu Cheng, "He knows what I asked him to do, so he wouldn't talk nonsense."

"Where is Gu Cheng's home?"

After Li Xuewu glanced at him, he leaned back on the seat, closed his eyes, and asked, "You two are about the same age, didn't your families urge you to find a partner and get married?"

"Ah?"

Peng Xiaoli was stunned by Li Xuewu's question. They were talking about Deputy Director Cheng's matter, how did it turn to the marriage issue?

However, since it was off-duty time, talking about marriage wasn't too sudden.

"That... neither of us is in a hurry. His home is behind the Drum Tower; I've been there a few times."

"You two are even competing~"

Li Xuewu's eyelids moved, and he said very casually, "If you can solve your personal problems as soon as possible, you should hurry up; it can also be considered an advantage."

"Yes."

Peng Xiaoli replied, turned to look at the leader, and didn't know how to respond.

Li Xuewu sighed and said, "Establishing a family and establishing a career; establishing a family before establishing a career makes sense."

"Are you the eldest in your family? No, right?"

Without waiting for Peng Xiaoli to answer, he continued, "If you don't have the pressure of supporting a family, you have the pressure of supporting yourself. Marriage is one hurdle, having children is another, and parents getting old is yet another."

"I really haven't thought about it~"

Peng Xiaoli said with a bitter smile, "I still feel I'm young; marriage seems... seems not urgent."

"It'll be too late when you're in a hurry~"

Li Xuewu sat up straight, pointed at him, but looked out the window, saying, "You and Gu Cheng are the same. Don't think twenty is still young; wait a few more years and you won't find anyone suitable."

"Don't believe it?"

Seeing Peng Xiaoli didn't answer, he turned his head and smiled at the other party, explaining, "You're twenty this year. Let's say you want to get married at twenty-four; four years is enough for you to play, right?"

"At twenty-four, which girl waits until twenty-four to find a partner? Aren't sixteen or seventeen, eighteen or nineteen considered late?"

"Can you still find a sixteen or seventeen-year-old?"

Li Xuewu crossed his legs, paused, and said, "A sixteen or seventeen-year-old might have a job, or might not. Even if they do, they've just started working."

"The economic environments of the two are different. By then, no matter how much you earn, you won't be able to solve problems like housing, marriage, and age gaps. At least you have to think about the other half supporting you economically, right?"

"Is it difficult?"

Saying this, he looked ahead and added, "You find an eighteen or nineteen-year-old; although the age gap isn't as big as sixteen or seventeen, your current thoughts are exactly their thoughts. They've just gotten used to society and haven't played enough yet; can they follow you?"

"Take another step back. You find someone in their twenties; the age is equivalent, the thinking is suitable, the environment is suitable, but!"

Li Xuewu nodded slightly and said, "By then, given your state, what kind of conditions must the person you fancy have, and what kind of conditions must the person who fancies you have?"

"Looking at the mountain and running the horse to death~"

"..."

Peng Xiaoli's face was left with a bitter smile. He had only heard of parents urging them to find a partner and get married; he hadn't heard of a leader worrying for him.

"I actually want to find a partner, but there has to be a suitable one."

He said with a somewhat helpless tone, "The one I fancy, doesn't fancy me; the one who fancies me, I feel it's a loss, sigh~"

"Help me think, what kind should I find?"

"Help you think? Hehe~"

Li Xuewu smiled and looked at Peng Xiaoli, saying, "I know your thoughts too well. You don't want to find a good partner; you want to find a good father-in-law!"

"Hehehe~"

Peng Xiaoli had his thoughts exposed by Li Xuewu. He didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed. After laughing, he teased Li Xuewu, "I don't think it's too much to think this way; who told me to be your secretary."

"Hehe~"

Li Xuewu was also amused by him. Seeing the command car enter the alley, he said to the front, "Of course it's not too much, but you're not beautiful but thinking beautifully~"

After the car stopped, before Peng Xiaoli got out, he added, "If you were as jade-like and handsome as me, maybe a good girl would really take a fancy to you and marry you."

"You're just teasing me!"

Peng Xiaoli got out of the car, waved at Han Jiankun, and watched the command car leave.

After the car disappeared at the alley entrance, he curled his lips and muttered: "Who are you fooling? Even if I looked like you, you look like a local tyrant, full of murderous aura; who could take a fancy to me!"

After saying this, he turned and entered the courtyard, still thinking about the leader's joke, only assuming Li Xuewu was joking with him.

It wasn't that he didn't know Li Xuewu's father-in-law had ability, but Peng Xiaoli wouldn't believe it was the girl who took the initiative to give it to him even if he died!

Regarding Li Xuewu, he still had a certain understanding: young and promising, outstanding ability, mature thinking, future is promising.

For such a person to say he found a partner with a background, it's not difficult, especially since Li Xuewu was in the army before. It's not that there's no chance to find such a partner.

Love needs to look at the face, but marriage doesn't. I haven't heard of anyone getting married because the man looks good.

If it's really like that, either the family is really rich, or the girl isn't valued by the family.

Why?

Think about it yourself; I'm afraid of not being able to bear it if I say too much.

Li Xuewu's merits in the army, as well as the achievements he created in the local area, are enough to support his advancement. In this era, he is inevitably a leader.

Even if the girl likes a handsome young man, she might not be happy just looking at him, but she can't stop her family from taking a fancy to him.

The scar on his face is fine to joke about in private, but in documents, in formal occasions, that is a military medal.

No wonder he said today he felt Gu Cheng wasn't a secret agent. If he really were, he would be willing to gamble, turning a bicycle into a motorcycle.

Maybe he could really find a good father-in-law!

Even if he couldn't find a good father-in-law, finding a capable good brother-in-law would also work.

Thinking this way, he still couldn't help but look back at the alley entrance, his mouth twitching.

Wanting to find a good father-in-law, wanting to reach the sky in one step, wanting to achieve success and fame, and struggling thirty years less, there are far more than just Peng Xiaoli.

This world has never lacked people waiting for pies to fall from the sky; otherwise, what kind of people do you think buy lottery tickets?

But it's not easy to have great luck, but it's too simple to step into a big pit.

Sunday, which was the morning of January 4th, Li Xuewu had just finished breakfast and was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper.

Qin Jingru put small shoes on Li Shu and let her play on the sofa side.

The little girl wasn't honest; she was the type who couldn't be idle for a moment.

Qin Jingru wanted to mop the floor for a while, so she didn't let her play with toys, so she wanted to grab the dried fruits on the coffee table to eat.

Hands idle, feet idle, the mouth couldn't be idle!

But at only a year and a half old, how could she eat dried fruits? Qin Jingru couldn't watch her, so she could only call Li Xuewu for help.

"Or... can you watch her for a while?"

Somewhat embarrassed to disturb Li Xuewu, Qin Jingru dug all the nut kernels out of Li Shu's hands, making Li Shu furious.

"Ah! Want to eat!!"

Li Shu was snatched, shouted at her little aunt, and seeing she was still snatching, she stamped her foot hard, indicating she was angry and the consequences were very serious!

"Eat what eat, not allowed to eat~"

Qin Jingru scared Li Shu and said to Li Xuewu, "Jiankun will be back in a while, I'll let him watch her then."

"I'll do it."

Li Xuewu put down the newspaper, gathered his breath at his daughter, stood up, and walked over to pick her up.

"Daughter, when will you have the look of a big girl?"

"Heh! Just wait~"

Qin Jingru said with amusement, pointed at Li Shu's little hand, and said, "With this little temper, she'll be someone not to be messed with when she grows up!"

Li Shu was still angry that she had just snatched what she was eating, turned her head, and ignored her, indicating she was still angry.

Li Xuewu held her and went to the front of the big radio, adjusted the knob, thinking that there should be some movement in the living room, which would save Li Shu from making a fuss.

This big radio was bought with the house; it was an old antique, but the radio effect and sound effect were particularly excellent.

Adjusting and adjusting, he heard the news channel, so he didn't move again. Li Shu stared and watched, thinking that in the future when Dad wasn't home, she could play with this herself.

As long as Dad didn't care, Mom didn't care, this room would be her world, and she could play with anything.

Li Xuewu stood at the door while holding his daughter, letting her watch the little fish play.

The news was talking about the visit of 144 scientists from 33 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania to Beijing in the second half of last year, which was late July.

At that time, the highest leader received them, and the theme of the exchange was related to atomic energy. Li Xuewu didn't remember this news.

But he knew that the leader above actually understood science and technology very well and paid more attention to the protection and support of high-tech and cutting-edge science.

Look at the current situation, it's very complex, but those people in the big desert haven't been affected at all. Even in a disaster area like Huaqing, cutting-edge technical talents are being protected.

It's just that some people's problems are more prominent; they are masters in the field of scientific research, but they have expressed or supported some inappropriate attitudes in other fields, so they have been implicated.

But overall, fields like humanities and arts have been more affected, while science and technology have been less interfered with, especially the talents the country needs.

It's not just scientific and technical talents; professional technical talents haven't been affected either.

Li Xuewu knew that the three people he borrowed from the Training Department were all defectors.

Fearing that the Training Department would have fluctuations, he kept asking, and he really hadn't heard that there was anything wrong there.

These people are mostly senior military talents who returned from studying abroad. With a little bit of wind and grass moving, they would have been sent away long ago.

Actually, everyone is as clear as a mirror, knowing what the current situation and the main contradiction are. Even if you dig up the ancestral graves of these people, what can you do?

Technical talents cannot affect the overall management situation, and cannot cause any important influence on the main contradiction.

The routines for responding are all the same; the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital is the same, the Wei Third Regiment is the same, everyone is the same. If the wind is not right, pull these people into the mountains for three months of training or drills, and time will pass in a flash.

This is such old news, and it's being mentioned again today, talking about scientific progress and research results, nothing more than wanting to cool down the wind and waves of this hot winter.

This matter has nothing to do with him, it's just killing time while coaxing the child, listening and caring a little.

Unexpectedly, after this news ended, the subsequent broadcast was related to the "Great Learning."

On January 4th, the highest preparatory leading group for the "Great Learning" activity in Beijing received the "Great Learning... Delegation" from Quzhou to Guangzhou.

The news wasn't special; what was special was the content. Li Xuewu's eyebrows immediately frowned.

Subsequent news also confirmed his conjecture. Sure enough, this delegation wasn't simple, and the target was directly aimed at the propaganda department.

The wording in the news broadcast was very sharp, and the content was also very incisive. The words criticizing that person included "loyal executor of the bourgeois reform line," "biggest conservative," etc.

Li Shu was still young and didn't understand what the news was saying. She was still standing by the fish pond, carefree, watching the little fish inside.

When she looked up to tell her dad how fun her little fish were, she realized her dad was frowning and not listening.

"Yo!"

Li Shu raised her eyebrows and shouted angrily, then looked at the fish pond helplessly again.

Dad is just unreliable like this; he can even get distracted while coaxing a child.

Li Xuewu heard his daughter's shout, looked down at her, and also looked at the goldfish pond. I'm afraid this year's situation will be like this pool of muddy water, hard to calm down.

After a long period of cultivation, the goldfish pond had already achieved a stable ecological environment.

If it weren't for Li Shu's stirring, it wouldn't be clear to the bottom, but it wouldn't be as chaotic as it is now.

The situation is the same; if no one deliberately stirs up trouble, how could it possibly be chaotic?

Club, Li Xuewu's mood wasn't very good. After driving here, he plunged into Yu Li's office.

Seeing his serious expression, Yu Li thought it was because of her brother's matter last week, so she didn't dare to speak loudly.

She served tea, helped him take off his coat, washed his hands, and scalded his face, until he started looking at documents, and then she breathed a sigh of relief.

Here, Li Xuewu didn't have a secretary to help, and Yu Li had nowhere to ask why he was unhappy.

She could only serve him carefully, even reporting work in a soft voice, very afraid of making him angry.

Approaching noon, seeing Li Xuewu had finished his work, she took the initiative to say: "Zhou Ya Mei is coming next weekend. Did she tell you?"

"Next week?"

Li Xuewu frowned slightly and asked, "When did she say that?"

"Yesterday."

Yu Li took a hot towel to wipe his hands and replied, "She said Dongfeng Shipping still needs to recruit people, and Steel City Trade also needs manpower."

Looking at Li Xuewu's expression, she paused and said, "After all, she is responsible for personnel work."

"I know."

Li Xuewu nodded, pulled his hand out of the towel, stood up, and was about to leave.

But before he could take a step, he was pulled by Yu Li.

"I'm sorry~"

Yu Li pursed her lips and said aggrievedly, "I drove Yu Zhe away and didn't allow him to come here again. Don't be angry with me."

"Hmm?"

Li Xuewu thought for a moment before he knew what she was talking about.

"Su Qing's matter?"

Without waiting for Yu Li to answer, looking at her eyes, he continued, "This matter is a bit complex. I don't need to say it for you to understand. Just understand it."

"Then you're not allowed to be angry~"

Yu Li gathered her courage and hugged his hand, very afraid of being neglected.

Even if this job was good, what was the point of her working if she didn't have Li Xuewu.

She really wanted to find someone to remarry. Given her conditions, it wasn't that she couldn't find a better one.

But after all, she was married, and she was in that courtyard, seeing each other every day.

Besides, all her connections were here with Li Xuewu. If Li Xuewu really hated her, this backbone would be gone.

Li Xuewu also understood Yu Li's meaning. Looking at her appearance with amusement, he said, "Are you acting like a spoiled child with me?"

"Can't I~"

Yu Li saw he had a smile on his face, so she shook his hand and said, "I'm also a woman, am I not allowed to act like a spoiled child with you?"

"Not very appropriate."

Li Xuewu teased her with a bad smile, pinching her face. Although she was still youthful and beautiful, he teased, "You are no longer a sixteen or seventeen-year-old child."

"So you like ten~"

Yu Li was a bit annoyed by what he said, hugged him tightly, and said, "You can't be annoyed with me!"

"I'll say it first!"

Li Xuewu raised his hand to signal and said, "It's not warm in this room. If you provoke me, I won't care if you catch a cold!"

"I'm not afraid!"

Yu Li hung on his neck and whispered, "Then let's sweat a little~"

"Tired me to death~"

Huang Gan took a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, waved at Wei Qing who was walking over, and said, "Rest for a while, too tired."

"Your body isn't working anymore~"

Wei Qing was also sweating all over his head at this moment. Fortunately, it wasn't cold in the training room, otherwise, he would definitely have caught a cold.

The two were practicing grappling, also with the meaning of wrestling.

The instructors teaching the moves here were from the martial arts school; they knew better which moves could be used and which couldn't.

When teaching, they explained clearly which moves could be used in daily training and which couldn't.

When really taking action, naturally, they would be ruthless and wouldn't leave any room for mercy.

However, these people had reached this level, and the opportunities for them to take action on the front line were truly few.

Therefore, the training moves were mostly for exercise, and the aggressiveness wasn't very high.

Li Xuewu turned in from the front door, wanting to go to the bathhouse to wash up, but was seen by the sharp-eyed Huang Gan.

He called him in noisily, insisting on teasing him a few times.

"What are you doing? Haven't seen you all morning."

Huang Gan drank a mouthful of warm water and said to Li Xuewu, "Saw your car parked there in the morning. You wouldn't be working on the weekend too, right?"

"Serving the people~"

Li Xuewu waved his hand with a smile, refused Wei Qing's cigarette, found a stool to sit down, looked at their appearance, and asked, "How long have you been practicing?"

"All morning, haven't been idle."

Wei Qing didn't dare to sit down, afraid he wouldn't be able to stand up later. At this moment, he was wiping sweat with a towel and explained to Li Xuewu, "Haven't practiced for a long time, my muscles are stiff."

"Pfft~"

Huang Gan had the most damaging mouth. At this moment, he glanced at Wei Qing and said, "Old vegetable, still muscles, no strength to practice anymore."

"Heh~"

Wei Qing didn't tolerate him, looked at him and said, "People all say a knife hangs over the word 'lust.' Be careful; maybe one day you'll be more brittle than me."

Huang Gan couldn't beat this old man, turned to Li Xuewu and asked, "You haven't been exercising, what are you going to the bathhouse for?"

Saying this, he sized up Li Xuewu and asked, "Secretly exercising?"

Seeing that there was no amusement on his face, and his mouth was not serious at all, Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "How about we practice?"

"Intentional retaliation, right!"

Huang Gan was making trouble, but his mouth still had a gate. He teased Li Xuewu about "secretly exercising" in the office, but he wouldn't say it too directly.

At this moment, seeing Li Xuewu wanted to "practice" him, he decisively admitted defeat.

Wei Qing stood on the side and beat the drums, saying Huang Gan's skills were also good, don't be afraid of Li Xuewu, go up boldly.

Huang Gan wouldn't fall for his evil trick. Others didn't know, but didn't he know Li Xuewu's?

This kid's youth is one aspect, his skills are absolutely good. The coaches here all said he could fight, so he wouldn't be a meat target.

"Hey! I've heard about it~"

He was the type who remembered eating but not beating. Avoiding Li Xuewu's slap, his mouth wasn't idle again: "Is there a reversal in that case?"

"Don't know."

Li Xuewu lowered his head to brush the dust off his trouser legs and replied, "I haven't been in Beijing lately, too busy, haven't been able to take care of it."

"I don't believe it~"

Huang Gan pursed his lips, signaled to other training rooms for Li Xuewu, and whispered, "But someone has really seized the opportunity to change positions!"

Saying this, he sized up Li Xuewu and said earnestly, "Don't end up making a wedding dress for others, and end up with nothing yourself!"

"How?"

Wei Qing looked at Li Xuewu in surprise and frowned, "An accident?"

"Anyway, it's not small~"

Huang Gan said meaningfully, "Working in vain doesn't matter, I'm just afraid of not catching the fox and getting a body full of stench."

"Thanks for your concern."

Li Xuewu glared at him unhappily, then pointed to his watch and said, "It's lunchtime, I'll go wash my hands first and wait for you at the restaurant."

"What for?"

Huang Gan raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile, "You're treating us to lunch?"

"No problem."

Li Xuewu walked out and replied, "I'll treat, you pay."

"Why!"

Restaurant, the food at noon was truly good. They only cooked for more than a hundred people here, so there were more styles and it was naturally more refined.

There were still many people coming here on weekends. If it were a workday, they basically only cooked staff meals.

Now the club was still in a state of loss. If it weren't for the existence of the Service Department, it would have lost even more.

The main thing was the personnel expenses; other construction costs were still fine.

Li Xuewu had just sat down when Zhou Xiaobai appeared at the door.

She must have known he was here, waved with a smile, and then hurried to get food.

After sitting beside Li Xuewu, Zhou Xiaobai finally had time to catch her breath.

Li Xuewu handed his water cup to her, signaling her to drink warm water before moving her chopsticks.

Without saying thank you, Zhou Xiaobai took a mouthful while holding his cup.

After a hiccup, she put down the water cup and said, "I was waiting for you. I saw your car here in the morning."

"Busy with work."

Li Xuewu explained, "Went to the training room again."

Saying this, he sized up Zhou Xiaobai and asked, "What about Luo Yun? Did you two tell your families when you went back that day?"

"No~"

Zhou Xiaobai shook her head, revealing a well-behaved smile, and then explained, "Luo Yun and I have to take turns eating; the Service Department can't be without people at noon."

"Also!"

She smiled and blinked, saying, "Luo Yun wants to come with Zuo Jie."

"Is that so~"

Li Xuewu didn't show special surprise at this news, but still smiled.

"Hmm~"

Zhou Xiaobai wrinkled her nose and said, "She was still stubborn with me, but after coming back, she confessed leniently; she's in love."

"Good thing~"

Li Xuewu nodded while eating and said, "At this age, one should have a romantic love."

Zhou Xiaobai nodded in agreement, then glanced around, leaned close to Li Xuewu, and whispered, "Do you remember Luo Yun's attitude toward you when we went out to play?"

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, looking at her with some confusion.

Zhou Xiaobai pursed her lips, hesitated, and said, "First of all, Luo Yun is a good person; she has reasons for targeting you."

"Hmm?"

Li Xuewu didn't understand even more, frowned and asked, "Did she target me?"

"Hmm~"

Zhou Xiaobai whispered, "She's a bit afraid of you, and also said... also said that we two... aren't very good."

When she said this, she was a bit embarrassed. Those words couldn't be spoken, so she could only mumble a few words.

Seeing Li Xuewu's confused expression, she explained, "Actually, I understand her. After all, my choice and her choice are different."

Zhou Xiaobai lowered her head and poked at the rice in her bowl, whispering, "Our families are also a bit different. She compared Zuo Jie with you, and there's quite a gap."

After saying this, she waited nervously for Li Xuewu's answer, but her ears turned red for a while, yet she didn't hear any sound from her side.

Looking up again, she saw Li Xuewu greeting Huang Gan and the others at the door.

Her confession was ignored. Zhou Xiaobai's face turned pale, and then she looked at Li Xuewu with some grievance.

Li Xuewu actually heard it, but he couldn't respond to these words.

He couldn't give a young girl the romance she wanted, nor could he give her any promises of eternal love, so what was there to say?

It wasn't that he cared about Zhou Xiaobai's identity, but that he had never thought about being responsible for a beautiful youth and life.

Otherwise, do you think that in Tianjin, Zhou Xiaobai had already sent herself to his mouth, why didn't he eat it?

He still had principles; the "three-no" principle was also a principle.

A girl who obviously had adolescent fantasies, if he really ate her, he might not be able to spit her out.

If Zhou Xiaobai clearly didn't care about eternity, only about having it once, and wanted a different, wantonly indulgent youth, then he wouldn't care; who doesn't like young ones?

Seeing the world, learning knowledge, and experiencing another side of society with a mature and steady big brother.

It's better than being hurt by a scumbag in a muddled way; at least Li Xuewu still has principles. ===== CHAPTER 988 =====