[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji":3,"chapter-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-989":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Siheyuan: Food, Love, and Family in 1960s Beijing",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2315039,4526,"Chapter 989: Who Had the Baby?!","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-989",989,"\u003Cp>\"What surname they bear doesn't matter\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu patted his daughter's bottom, telling her to behave herself—this kid was always so rowdy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said to Gu Ning: \"Last time I went to Jinmen, Teacher Wu mentioned this matter to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm, what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning turned her head and looked at Li Xuewu, frowning slightly: \"About the child?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, the situation isn't optimistic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu nodded: \"Given the current circumstances, it looks like we'll be raising another child.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning instinctively rubbed her belly and said: \"Then we'll raise one more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being scolded by her father, Li Shu quieted down upon hearing her mother speak, her big eyes bright and alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I suppose I still have a knack for children.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu looked down, smiling at Li Shu in his arms, and said: \"I hope everything goes smoothly in the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning said nothing more, only gripped Li Xuewu's hand—it gave her peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had thought deeply about Wu Shuping and the child in her womb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning from Jinmen, Li Xuewu had spoken to her: Brother Xuewen and Sister Yafang had suggested taking the child under their own names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, no one knew when this storm would end, or how many more upheavals might come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shuping’s pregnancy was roughly the same timeline as Sister Yafang’s, and their due dates were nearly identical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brother Xuewen felt Wu Shuping was his colleague and already familiar with Zhao Yafang, so he didn’t want to burden his younger brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Li Xuewu’s proposal to “borrow” Wu Shuping had been absurd enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the child was about to be born, certain issues had to be resolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shuping’s status differed somewhat from Xuewen’s, and it was uncertain whether she could return to teaching anytime soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Wu Shuping’s own attitude and wishes were ambiguous, let alone anyone else’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shuping herself could hide in a detention center or in Li Xuewu’s Jinmen residence, but the child couldn’t be hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, identity: out of respect for new life and for Wu Shuping, the child couldn’t be an unregistered person, nor could it be deprived of childhood and a future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, daily life: even if they stayed in Jinmen to evade Beijing’s investigations, Wu Shuping and the child couldn’t stay indoors for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this era, population control was extremely strict; unless Li Xuewu arranged everything, the two would be effectively immobile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the future: whether conditions improve and winter gives way to spring, or restrictions ease and Wu Shuping returns to her hometown, preparations must be made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Brother Xuewen, the child could be registered under Sister Yafang’s name, as if they’d had two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu hadn’t immediately replied to his brother; instead, he chose to return home and discuss it with Gu Ning first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Gu Ning, Li Xuewu described the employment situation of Wu Shuping’s husband, Lai Jiasheng, in Gangcheng, and Wu Shuping’s circumstances in Jinmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most crucially, Li Xuewu explained he intended to assign Wu Shuping to oversee the future Jinmen operations of the recycling station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning had never heard Li Xuewu formally mention the recycling station’s business—this time, she’d only heard fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It involved leveraging the advantages of the Jinmen Trade Management Center of the steel rolling mill to shift the recycling station’s trade operations to Jinmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu was bold in hiring—he differed sharply from the more conventional Huang Ganjian, and he’d hire anyone he thought he could control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Erye, the former merchant; Ding Wanqiu, the wastrel; Xi Lin, from the brothel; Zhang Wanhe, the bandit; Zhou Yamei, the wife of an enemy…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he was about to hire Wu Shuping, whose status was unusual, along with Lai Jiasheng, whom he was already using.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he believed he could control someone, he’d use them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone like Zhang Wanhe, after his wings were clipped, was still given a way out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people he controlled had truly complex backgrounds and uneven qualities—white and black, tall and short, all kinds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the managers were like this, how much more so the second-tier staff—like Xiao Jianjun, Zhao Laosi, Zhou Changli, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recycling station didn’t sound grand by name, but that long string of operations clearly had something special about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning knew Li Xuewu wasn’t short of money; their household had never suffered financial worries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had nothing directly to do with spending—even living here, with food and clothing guaranteed, money was never visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu never flaunted his wealth before her, let alone before Qin Jingru, with whom he spent even more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Jingru had been living with them for over half a year, yet Li Xuewu had never mentioned raising her salary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d originally said twenty yuan per month—that was the rate; any extra money for groceries or pocket change was separate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much money he had, how many tentacles the small recycling station in the west courtyard extended, how many people it supported, its annual income—Gu Ning knew none of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She only learned bits and pieces from his explanations or fragments of conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Zhou Yamei had abandoned her career as a psychologist to work for him—clearly, the recycling station was no longer just “small.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning understood Li Xuewu’s meaning, but didn’t answer immediately; only today did she respond with action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her concern wasn’t whose name the child would be registered under, but that Li Xuewu had hired Wu Shuping—or might hire many more like her in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What impact this would have on her, on Li Xuewu, or on their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was Li Xuewu’s confidence, or the determination in his eyes, that gave Gu Ning the courage to face it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, the child’s surname didn’t matter; what mattered was that Li Xuewu offered Wu Shuping help in her time of need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether in Gangcheng, Jinmen, or before those alive now or those who will come later, for Wu Shuping and the child, they must act more proactively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, the child would be registered under her name, under Li Xuewu’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t Xuewen who was hiring—Li Xuewu was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Husband and wife were one; Gu Ning knew that while enjoying the wealth and comfort these connections brought her, she had to do something for Li Xuewu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that Gu Ning had learned to be calculating from Li Xuewu—she’d once been simple, now she was more strategic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her view, if human relationships required calculation, then even parental affection couldn’t escape that category.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, why did people say “raise children to support you in old age”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kindness and righteous acts didn’t conflict with self-interest in her mind; in her eyes, Li Xuewu had already done enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they adopted Li Shu, Li Xuewu had never explained the circumstances—her father later told her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet from the way every member of the Li family, including Li Xuewu, treated Li Shu, you’d never sense any reluctance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because once you entered the Li household, you became Li family—or did he simply possess a pure, kind heart?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, why did so many good friends and brothers surround him—even Zhou Yamei helped him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind any reasonable situation lay a contradictory tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At night, Gu Ning lay in bed, restless, turning over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching Li Shu sleep, she asked Li Xuewu, who sat propped against the headboard reading: “Should we name the child?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, I’ve decided.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu replied, turning to his wife: \"Let’s call him Li Xin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Li Xin…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning thought about it, gave him a skeptical look, then muttered: \"Too casual. What if it’s a girl?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The meaning’s good—girls can have this name too~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu flipped through his book, saying casually: \"I’m not good at naming, but I know how to adapt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning eyed him with suspicion and danger: \"You’ve already decided the child’s name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Registering Wu Shuping’s child under her name as Li Xin carried deep meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was Li Xin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ancient general, a pillar of state—Li Xuewu’s blessing and hope for the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the character “xin” expressed trust in Lai Jiasheng in Gangcheng, his trust in return, and trust bestowed upon Gu Ning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One character—“xin”—would link everyone’s web of relationships; even if this matter were mentioned later, it would become a fine story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning doubted Li Xuewu’s casualness and adaptability—what name had he chosen for their own child?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not something like Li Gang, Li Tie, Li Jun, Li Mei, Li Ying, Li Li, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, she’d strip him of his naming rights and ask her father-in-law, Li Shun, to name the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Names~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu sensed her worry and smiled: \"It doesn’t matter—simple, elegant, easy to say.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning still didn’t trust him—this rascal sometimes went off the rails and did anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu, seeing her anxious, said seriously: \"The first one’s Li Da, the second Li Er, the third…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You’re serious?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning narrowed her eyes, her tone edged with menace—if he nodded, she’d kick him right now, and he wouldn’t sleep in bed tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just teasing you—why get so worked up?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu put down his book, hugged Gu Ning, and said: \"I’ve already prepared it. Today I went to Brother’s house to check—they never thought of it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I spent forty-nine days, pored over countless classics, thought day and night—this is the name I struggled to come up with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not just penetrating past and present, echoing through the cosmos, unprecedented and unmatched—it’s at least…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning saw right through his earnest nonsense—he’d seen her anxiety and was deliberately teasing her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she stayed silent, narrowing her eyes as he blathered on, refusing to let him sleep until he gave a satisfactory answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about Li Ning? Gender-neutral, suitable for all ages, destined for wealth and nobility…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu saw that Gu Ning had reached his limit of patience, so he gave his answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Ning scowled and asked, “You spent forty-nine days thinking? Consulted countless texts? Even consulted the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bastard is getting worse—he claims his name is unprecedented and echoes through the cosmos, but it’s just his surname plus his own given name!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not that he’s dissatisfied—combining the parents’ names to form a child’s name has ancient precedent and is often classic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after all that buildup, after dragging it out for so long, this is all he comes up with?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You’re not happy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu explained seriously: “On the first day of the forty-nine days, I thought of this name. The remaining forty-eight days, I kept thinking—and finally decided the name is fine, it works.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This explanation was simply brilliant—no flaw at all, even Laozi himself would give him a thumbs-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just ridiculous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last year, on December 30, thunder struck; this year, on January 1, wind blew; on the 4th, dark clouds covered the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On January 5, light rain began; on the 6th, hail started falling—the kind that can kill people!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In three days, the situation turned dire: violent storms raged outside, and the steel rolling mill inevitably suffered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All on-duty personnel in the Security Team had their vacations canceled; security and surveillance were strengthened, and warnings were relayed to lower-level security departments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not quite “seeing enemies in every wind and rustle,” the atmosphere had grown paranoid—the factory leadership had lost their smiles, and the Security Department’s Tiger wore a grim face, as if ready to devour someone whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Security Team stepping in to stabilize the situation, the Propaganda Department took the initiative, analyzing and promoting the current circumstances in line with the mill’s key messaging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last Saturday, the “Red Star Interview” program didn’t invite any leaders for a special feature—it chose instead a lathe worker from Workshop Six.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the worker’s perspective, the program discussed production, daily life, safety, welfare, and his views and hopes regarding the mill’s current development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being selected for the interview meant the person was disciplined, organized, and an active, exemplary figure in production and daily life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speech wasn’t read verbatim, but it had been polished and standardized—no inappropriate words appeared on air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The core message closely aligned with current propaganda needs, injecting a much-needed sense of stability into the mill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai had appeared in the first episode and naturally paid close attention to “Red Star Interview.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving positive feedback from listeners and workers, he grew even more supportive of the project.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The propaganda campaign bore fruit: the mill’s key policies were fully implemented, thoroughly understood, and resolutely executed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher-level policies changed constantly; when they reached Li Huai’s hands, they had to pass through a sieve—he had to interpret the documents, analyze the mill’s development situation, and then issue them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they had to align with policy, fit reality, and remain grounded in the masses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over these past few days, whether the policy interpretation offices or the department heads responsible for implementation, all were buried under headaches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first batch of new staff recruitment for the new year began on Monday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors spread that the steel rolling mill would strictly limit recruitment standards after meeting this year’s quota.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So these final batches caused intense anxiety among workers wanting to get their children into the mill, or families with connections in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Monday morning, calls flooded Li Xuewu’s office—pleas, favors, appeals to connections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people he didn’t know, had never heard of, somehow managed to reach him—all with one goal: get someone hired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu briefly wondered if his reputation had weakened, or if people now thought he was easy to pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although new staff recruitment was always handled by the Personnel Department, with Gu Weijie as the lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But everyone working in the mill’s administrative offices knew: the overall goals, plans, and strategies for recruitment were all formulated by Li Xuewu in coordination with the Personnel Department and other leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the recruitment plan and rules for these batches—nearly twenty thousand people—came from Li Xuewu’s own hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now people were asking him to break the very rules he himself had made, to let some in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this old man eating arsenic, tired of living too long?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that calls reached Li Xuewu meant other personnel officers had long been overwhelmed by phone calls and private pleas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To address this, Li Xuewu specially coordinated with Deputy Director Gu to summon the Personnel Department, Finance Department, Service Department, Logistics Department, and the Workers’ Union for a special meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the meeting, he stressed the importance of personnel work for the mill’s future, and emphasized the discipline required in recruitment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He specifically stated: receiving a quota doesn’t mean someone is permanently hired and will never leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All recruited personnel must pass a probationary training period; those who fail will not be hired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Security Team’s Surveillance Division had already formed a special investigation team to strictly handle any bribery or violations during recruitment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Weijie also emphasized in her speech the handling of violations, conveying Director Li’s stance on the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is: once discovered, no leniency—anyone involved, immediately fired, no discussion allowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just recruitment, but also upcoming training and evaluation work—Personnel has established dedicated training and evaluation departments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Training instructors include professors from Huaqing, as well as senior workers from the mill—but the examiners will not come from among them; all are drawn from the mountains or borrowed from other factories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu gave a fiery speech, swore like a sailor—and suddenly, recruitment became much smoother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least no one called him anymore to plead for favors; others now had grounds to refuse requests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a worker or related unit or superior department truly had someone to place, they must go through official procedures, openly accept evaluation, or use designated special channels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you have ability, then follow the same rules as everyone else—take training and exams. If you have connections but no ability, then get sent to the tertiary sector to work on the shop floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the tertiary sector was part of the steel mill’s operations and a key personnel management unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about later?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many enterprises eventually spin off the tertiary sector into separate companies—and if times turn bad, kick them out entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the tertiary sector would be full of slackers and deadbeats; under personnel freezes, no one could leave, and they’d all just loaf around, waiting to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Xuewu designed the tertiary sector management system, he’d already considered this—he made the Tertiary Sector Management Office not an administrative department, but a coordinating one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each workshop is an independent unit; if superiors or connected entities force someone in, Li Huai can’t stop them, and neither can Li Xuewu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we can create a packaging or loading workshop within the tertiary sector and dump these slackers there—if they ever get tired of the hassle, we can form a packaging or logistics company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, under the guise of acquisition or partnership, shuffle them around a few times, find a scapegoat, and kick them out—no one will even know how to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one can force Li Xuewu to act; if you try to trap him or pressure him, you’ll end up eating your own shit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take this storm, these three days of escalating chaos—Li Xuewu didn’t believe anyone would dare to challenge him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly Huo Ding from the Confidentiality Department said to Li Huai last Saturday, Li Xuewu no longer cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they had plans or schemes, under current conditions, he wasn’t afraid they’d dare act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the rain clears, when this storm passes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it’ll be his turn to strike—otherwise, why did he plant so many agents in the Third Guard Regiment?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Li Huai gets a bite of fat from this case, Li Xuewu will make sure he pays back double—or more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This case involves too many people, too many connections—it’s no longer something Li Xuewu can swallow directly; eating it would give him indigestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let the Discipline and Supervision Bureau eat it. Let the Branch eat it. Let Li Huai eat it. Even let Cheng Kaiyuan eat it—but not the Confidentiality Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Discipline and Supervision eat it, they’ll exchange resources with him. If the Confidentiality Department eats it, they’ll swallow it whole—and think Li Xuewu is a fool?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Wednesday afternoon, around four o’clock, Li Xuewu, along with Production Management Group Leader Kuang Yusheng, Economic Management Group Deputy Scheduler Bi Yuding, and Logistics Group Deputy Service Manager Xie Tingzhi, inspected several workshops of the steel rolling mill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The focus was on building a new steel rolling mill in Gangcheng this year—new plant, new equipment, new processes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Construction of the new plant is expected to be completed within three years; only after stable operation begins three years later will the Beijing mill be shut down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current inspection focused on equipment and process applications, safety, and supporting service measures for the new plant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accompanying them were the head of the New Steel Rolling Mill Project Office, the chief designer, and the chief engineer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed to fully absorb the leaders’ inspection feedback and requirements regarding production and management.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While inspecting the component processing workshop, Li Xuewu emphasized the need for integrated assembly lines and machine processing systems, including safety and environmental management.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current industrial management system lacked any awareness of environmental protection—but Li Xuewu couldn’t ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some believed environmental protection wasn’t important, or that current priorities were production and growth, and environmental issues could be left for later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu disagreed: today’s debt becomes tomorrow’s interest. Environmental interest far outweighs immediate gains and cost savings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wastewater, exhaust, dust—not only harm living environments, but also damage production conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many accidents and disasters stem from environmental neglect; maybe nothing happens today, tomorrow, or even for ten years—but when it finally breaks, it’s catastrophic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Safety management shows clear results: fewer finger amputations, fewer deaths. But environmental issues are harder to manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no precedent, no immediate visual impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Yusheng questioned Li Xuewu’s proposal for a “three-waste” treatment workshop, citing tight production funding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his view, Li Xuewu was a perfectionist, nitpicking, obsessively responsible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially during safety management, the two had frequently argued over phone calls about fire safety, inspections, sealing orders, and fines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d been scolded several times by Li Xuewu, Kuang had a deeper, more direct understanding of the mill’s current hardships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the year-end meeting, they said this year was a year of development, a year of hardship—yet hardship hit from day one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Funding was cut, budgets frozen, production was under severe strain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When money’s tight, people get tense, tempers flare—Kuang Yusheng was utterly exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu saw the attitudes and opinions of everyone present; though no one spoke as bluntly as Kuang, their frustration was written on their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So in the workshop, he explained to everyone the necessity of safe production and environmental management, directly leading into the topic of occupational disease management.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a new production management system Li Xuewu planned to implement after the new mill began operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All hazardous waste generation posed a danger to workers and the local environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact on workers might appear within ten years—illness, or death. What about the next generation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu pointed at their noses: if occupational diseases affect workers’ children, everyone here today who helps shape the future is a criminal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still: affecting workers impacts one generation; affecting the production environment impacts countless future generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The logic is simple: today you trade health for economy; tomorrow you can’t buy back health with economy. Health is not sacrifice or devotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dedication and sacrifice have value, but deliberately creating problems and manufacturing sacrifices is a crime!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone on the scene, including Kuang Yusheng and all other leaders and cadres, were stunned by Li Xuewu’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who felt this care and attention most directly were the workers in the workshop who had heard him speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The production department cadre assigned to receive the inspection dared not speak, but the workshop director dared to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The factory needs to develop, and yes, there are difficulties—but the workers are naturally willing to struggle together with the factory and create success together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if that means sacrificing the physical health of the laborers, as workshop director, he was the first to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the workers said nothing, their sincere gazes and the clear admiration and respect they directed at Li Xuewu could not be hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, according to the previously established construction standards and plans, science, safety, and environmental protection were all preserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the inspection, Li Xuewu specifically checked safety management issues, asked the workshop director about fire safety and production safety, inspected fire extinguishers on-site, and reviewed production procedures and standardized operations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his conversation with Kuang Yusheng, he particularly emphasized that production safety must be enforced consistently; the safety management of the new rolling mill plant would be stricter, not weaker, than here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This involved not merely production and management issues, but personnel matters as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three years from now, when the new factory is completed and trial operations end, whether these workers meet the new factory’s labor standards will depend entirely on Kuang Yusheng’s management.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More deeply, the rolling mill plant will soon face corporate group restructuring, at which point it will naturally become a standalone departmental unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Kuang Yusheng to hold a position in the future collective structure, he must achieve results in his work and gain organizational standing among the workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With thousands of positions in the Beijing rolling mill project, if he cannot secure a spot in the Steel City rolling mill, he’ll be the one left holding the bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the construction of the new factory doesn’t mean the Beijing plant stops progressing or developing—it must feel urgency and maintain a pace of learning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s inspection was Li Xuewu’s first large-scale field visit since taking on the role of Deputy Director of the Management Committee Office and assuming responsibility for coordination and organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All accompanying leaders, including Kuang Yusheng, followed him as escorts during site visits and meetings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Kuang Yusheng was a group-level cadre, holding a Level 10 official rank, before Li Xuewu he still had to listen to instructions and accept coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The workshop workers saw for the first time, clearly, Li Xuewu’s position within the rolling mill’s management structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the factory leadership, above all other management layers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some in the administrative offices even whispered that Li Xuewu wielded more real power than other factory leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coordination and organization were tasks entrusted to him by Director Li and assigned by the Management Committee, to oversee the entire factory’s economic and production work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t directly manage like the other deputy directors, merely through coordination, Li Xuewu’s authority was infinitely amplified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the factory administration said: the absence of visible changes in Deputy Li’s authority didn’t mean it didn’t exist—it was precisely his caution and seriousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even compared to Deputy Cheng, who directly oversaw production, Deputy Li handled more matters through coordination alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Deputy Li never displayed arrogance or intimidation; instead, he embodied the true meaning of coordination and organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deputy Li was not trained in production management or economic management; he had never handled finance or personnel work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in concrete work, he cut straight to the heart of advantages and disadvantages, grounded himself in reality, placed laborers at the core, followed scientific development, aimed for shared progress, and explained the rolling mill’s development needs in simple, understandable terms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most fundamentally, the workers understood what he was saying, what he demanded, and knew the effects such demands would produce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cadres also understood what policies and systems he established were meant to regulate and guide them toward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huaide once told several other deputy directors in a small meeting: Li Xuewu’s talent made him anxious—he didn’t know how to use him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some people are suited for personnel work, some for production, some for finance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Xuewu? Put him anywhere, he delivers results; put him anywhere, it feels like a waste!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This remark spread only in small circles, but Li Xuewu feared it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So today, he brought these people to see production, the workshop, the site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not for any other reason—just because Deputy Cheng had seemed depressed lately, and the things he did behind the scenes couldn’t stay hidden forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he did nothing, Li Huaide would act recklessly; they couldn’t just fabricate some trouble for Old Li later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation was complicated, so Li Xuewu dared not act rashly—he figured Deputy Cheng was easier to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are there problems in production?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Kaiyuan sat behind his desk, glancing coldly at Kuang Yusheng across from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone said Cheng’s orders were already invalid before they left his office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Kuang Yusheng’s attitude toward him, it was clear Cheng’s working environment at the rolling mill was truly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not just production that has problems.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Yusheng’s reply was dull; unlike Cheng’s furrowed brow, his expression held more thought and concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Safety and service have new requirements too—especially in personnel training and evaluation. Today’s inspection exposed many problems.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Problems~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Kaiyuan gave him a cold glance, picked up a cigarette from the box on his desk, lit it, tossed the box aside, and didn’t offer one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are the problems? Where aren’t they? I just want to know—why is production having problems?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Yusheng looked up, sensed something was off with Deputy Cheng’s attitude, and wisely fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Say more, make more mistakes; say less, make fewer mistakes; say nothing, make no mistakes—perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no personal grievance against Deputy Cheng, only disagreement with his “rebellious” stance on the rolling mill’s overall development plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the other man intended to use this to attack him, expressing his discontent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But organizational appointments at the level of production group leader weren’t decided by Cheng Kaiyuan alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just about his performance in his duties—Kuang Yusheng had Li Xuewu’s support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did Li Xuewu’s support mean? It meant Cheng Kaiyuan’s words could be treated as bullshit without consequence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A leader is a leader—especially a supervising leader—and deserves full respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for what the other man had done to him or to production work in the past, the organization would have its judgment—not something one man could decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, whatever Cheng Kaiyuan wanted to say, whatever attitude he wished to express, Kuang Yusheng would simply listen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he didn’t curse at him, everything could pass with calm indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Kaiyuan clearly saw this too—Kuang Yusheng said nothing, no exchange was possible, so what was there to discuss?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave the materials here. Think carefully about my opinion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Kaiyuan placed the documents on the desk and said to Kuang Yusheng: “You’re a veteran who oversees production—you’re the main responsible party. You need your own stance and understanding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a drag on his cigarette, lifted his hand, and lightly tapped the management plan, squinting: “Management isn’t coordination—you’ll be held accountable if something goes wrong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved his hand impatiently, signaling he could leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Kuang Yusheng rose to go, Cheng casually added: “The Dongcheng Industrial-Trade Joint Venture Factory needs a deputy factory director. Someone told me they want an experienced veteran.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, Cheng looked at Kuang Yusheng, who looked surprised, and asked: “Do you have any thoughts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuang Yusheng stood straight, his gaze tinged with contempt: “I’ve devoted my whole life to the rolling mill—I’d rather die here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, understood. Go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Cheng was truly impatient—he didn’t want to hear Kuang’s grand speeches or inner feelings, and waved him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Kuang Yusheng left, the secretary entered and muttered with a sneer: “Ungrateful fool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The secretary didn’t know what had happened—why was the leader so furious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he’d just met Kuang Zuguang in the hallway, who’d muttered, “F*** your old man!”—what the hell was going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing much—one thought the other was old and in the way; the other thought the first was useless and talked too much. They simply couldn’t stand each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before quitting time, Jing Yunong sought out Li Xuewu and asked about the afternoon’s inspection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu was busy—he told her a few words, then headed upstairs to return to his office; Yu Decai was waiting for his report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jing Yunong pulled him aside to talk about their upcoming visit to the automobile factory and the foreign trade delegation they’d met at the Yangcheng exhibition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu’s head spun—he’d been busy since Monday, still buried under work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go to the automobile factory on Friday, meet the foreign businessmen on Saturday—perfect, they’re staying at the International Hotel. Prepare a banquet for them that evening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s handling the foreign businessmen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Yunong raised an eyebrow: “I’ll coordinate the automobile factory visit—personnel, finance, and technology all need to go, and we’ll hold a meeting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, by the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She emphasized: “The merger might change—the ministry has offered conditions. The Beijing Automobile Factory and the Second Auto Plant both seem interested in this project.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then give it all to them—we want nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu chuckled: “They’re fighting over trash—what’s the point for us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t get cocky!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Yunong shot him a look: “Our own automobile factory isn’t even built yet—they’ve already started production. Their technology and reserves are right there. Aren’t you tempted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It depends on how you look at it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu knew Jing Yunong wasn’t letting him off—he couldn’t get back to the other side before quitting, so he stood still: “Compared to a mountain of personnel and economic problems, technical reserves can be sourced or solved another way—they’re not worth it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the ministry’s decision.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Yunong spread her hands: “Especially after you gave such a profound suggestion to the leadership—they have to do something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu muttered silently under his breath, making Jing Yunong’s eyebrows twitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew he was cursing—glared at him, telling him to hold his tongue, don’t speak recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu tapped his watch: “Then we’ll go see on Friday. Either way, we’re cleaning up messes—if they actually find something valuable, just don’t let them start fighting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for the International Hotel...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced toward the Management Committee’s direction and said to Jing Yunong: “I’ll assign the Foreign Affairs Office to handle it. You and Director Li must free up time—this time, not showing up won’t look good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s split up and act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Jingyu sized up Li Xuewu, saw the fury on his face, pursed his lips and tapped a finger at him as a warning, then returned to his office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xue stood aside, listening to their conversation; when the superior left, she imitated Deputy Jing, nodded at her second brother, winked and made a warning gesture, making Li Xuewu nearly chase after her to give her a knuckle rap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he stepped downstairs, Kuang Yusheng caught up from behind, sneering and muttering a few low words—Li Xuewu heard nothing but curses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could laugh, Kuang Yusheng pointed upstairs and told Li Xuewu: “I just heard—news came from Gangcheng; the automobile manufacturing equipment purchased from foreign countries has arrived at the port and is being transported to Gangcheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu exhaled deeply, smiled, and stepped down the stairs to say to Kuang Yusheng: “Finally, some good news.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he spoken than Peng Xiao came rushing in from outside, leaned close to Li Xuewu, and whispered: “Your family called—they said… it’s happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s had it?!”\u003C\u002Fp>",5572,"2026-06-20T13:47:03.676Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","76403aa41ba611c35bf1c070cf081bc38998098282ca09f02e6f3d509dcd8704","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-990","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-988",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-cover.jpg"]