dognovel Chapter 1665 This time it's in jeopardy.
Chapter 1665 This time it's in jeopardy.
Chapter 1665 This time it's in jeopardy.
"It hurts so damn much!"
Yu Zhe sat in Li Xuewu's office, grimacing as he recounted the news he had heard, as if he were there himself.
Li Xuewu looked up at him and asked, "You saw it?"
"I didn't see it, but Gu Cheng and the others did."
Yu Zhe sighed regretfully and explained, "I ran over there as soon as I heard the news, but the security office had already set up security lines, and they still wouldn't let me in. Sigh—"
Look, he's even sighing!
"Damn it, it's like eating shit before it's even hot!"
He realized something was wrong only after he finished speaking; this was in the leader's office, not in his own home, nor on the street.
"I'm sorry, boss."
Yu Zhe nodded with an embarrassed smile and said, "I didn't mean to, I just wasn't paying attention..."
Has the investigation team contacted you again?
Li Xuewu flipped through the materials in his hand, but didn't delay calling Yu Zhe over for a talk.
Yu Zhe knew why his superior had called him in, and prepared himself to report, "No, not even once."
He sat up straight and said seriously, "I was originally planning to conduct further investigations after I came back, but it's still going on until now."
"Well, that's good." Li Xuewu said casually, "Your sister asked if you wanted to work in the steel city."
"Going to the steel city?" Yu Zhe asked, puzzled. "Didn't I just come back from the steel city last year?"
"She said you lack training." Li Xuewu finished signing a document, picked it up and put it aside, then looked at the carefree man opposite him and asked, "Don't you want to go to Steel City anymore?"
He smiled slightly and said, "Your sister said that if you want to go to Steel City, you can bring your lover with you."
"Then forget it, it's not suitable."
Yu Zhe refused without hesitation, but then felt that he had refused too quickly and was trying to cover up his mistake, so he quickly explained, "My wife has a proper job and can't lose it."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and asked, "Just that one reason?"
He raised an eyebrow and said, "Your sister said she can use her connections to help her transfer, and that there are more opportunities in Steel City."
"I don't want to go, it's not interesting."
Yu Zhe rubbed his nose and explained somewhat embarrassedly, "Don't listen to my sister, she just wants to discipline me."
"She even said I needed more exercise, but what she really meant was that I needed more exercise and she wanted to give me a boost."
"Well, I don't think going back to Steel City is a good choice for you either, especially after everything you've been through."
Li Xuewu put down his pen, picked up his teacup, looked him up and down, and said, "I heard you've matured quite a bit?"
Even if Yu Zhe wasn't very bright, he had studied under him for two years, so he could understand some of what Yu Zhe was saying.
Leaders are like that; a seemingly casual question or a single sentence can very well have two layers of meaning.
Yu Zhe understood what his leader had just said; it was a reminder to go to the steel city less often in the future.
It might not even be what his sister said, that she wanted him to develop in the steel city; it could very well be a test by the leader.
If he hadn't realized it yet, he should have understood what the leader meant by the subsequent question.
"Hey, I'm not much of a success either."
Yu Zhe chuckled dryly and said, "Even if I've made some progress, it's all from learning from you; I'm slow to realize it."
Only after he finished speaking did he dare to raise his head and look at the leader opposite him, saying, "When I served you before, I always felt that I hadn't learned anything, but now I realize that I was just too slow to react."
"Is that so?" Li Xuewu picked up a document and said while looking at it, "Then your reaction is too slow."
That's why I say I'm a good-for-nothing—
Yu Zhe sighed dramatically and said, "I didn't realize it at the time, but every time I encountered a problem and figured it out, I finally understood. It turns out you had already taught me this a long time ago."
"I'm stupid, I really am stupid."
He grinned and said shyly, "If I had studied for a few more years, I might have been able to learn even more from you."
"There's a saying I don't know if you've heard before," Li Xuewu said, looking at his brother-in-law with some surprise. "It's called: 'A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation.'"
"I've heard of it; it's a story from the Three Kingdoms period."
Yu Zhe smiled, knowing that his boss was praising him, and couldn't help but laugh as he said, "My dad loves listening to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and even though I don't want to listen, I've learned a few lines."
"Yes, I can use that phrase to describe you today too." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "You have indeed improved a lot; at least you've learned to say nice things."
"Hey, I just learned from others too."
Yu Zhe knew his own limitations; he could only manage a few words before reaching his limit.
He lowered his head and said, "My wife has taught me a lot about how to speak and how to conduct myself during this time. She is indeed a very good person."
"Well, if that's how you see it, then I really should look at you in a new light."
Li Xuewu nodded with satisfaction and said, "If your sister knew you said those words, she would be overjoyed."
"It's my fault for being useless and incompetent, causing her so much worry." Yu Zhe nodded with a slight smile and said, "I will definitely be a better person in the future and try to do fewer foolish things."
"It's better not to do foolish things."
Li Xuewu looked up and asked, "Have you ever thought about changing your work environment? Do you like working in the motor pool?"
"As for the car team... it's alright," Yu Zhe said vaguely. "All I can do is drive, otherwise what else would I do?"
"Would you like to work for a sales company?"
Li Xuewu was marking up the contents of a document with his pen, while saying, "You can put your talents to good use."
"I don't have any talent, I just talk nonsense."
Yu Zhe smiled, but seeing that his leader didn't smile, he quickly dropped his playful attitude.
"Are you serious? You want me to go to the sales company?"
"Don't like it?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "I'm not asking you to sell goods in the market, but to expand the market."
"What 'tu'?" Yu Zhe was taken aback. Seeing him looking over, he explained somewhat awkwardly, "I've never heard of this word before."
"It means going outside the market to find potential customers, contacting them, gaining their trust, and selling the products."
Li Xuewu explained and asked, "Do you understand what I mean? We don't sell small orders, we sell large orders."
"Oh—" Yu Zhe understood and nodded, asking, "Is it like a purchasing and sales person in a materials company?"
"Similar, but the content is different."
Li Xuewu continued working, explaining, "Recently, the sales company has been expanding its business and departments, and is preparing to recruit sales personnel within the group."
He tapped the pen in his hand, wrote down a few comments, but closed the document without signing it.
"I think you are still young and have good interpersonal skills. You should explore broader horizons."
Li Xuewu tightened the pen, looked him up and down, and said, "Making you drive for the rest of your life, doesn't that seem very interesting?"
"Well, I really haven't thought about this," Yu Zhe asked cautiously. "Boss, can I go back and think about it?"
“Of course you can. It’s not like I’m forcing you to go,” Li Xuewu said with a smile. “Go if you want to, and don’t go if you don’t want to. This is just my suggestion.”
"I understand, I'll think about it carefully."
Yu Zhe politely stood up and said, "I mainly need to discuss it with my wife. Thank you for your understanding."
"Go ahead and discuss it properly."
Li Xuewu smiled and waved his hand, picked up his teacup and said, "If you've already discussed it, you don't need to come looking for me. Just go and register for the exam yourself."
"Okay, thank you, sir. I won't bother you any longer."
Yu Zhe left very politely, even though he knew this man was his brother-in-law, he still felt immense pressure.
He had never shouted like that before, and he knew his sister wouldn't let him, but he understood what was going on.
As he walked out of the office, his posture straightened; he had just been talking with the secretary-general.
The elevator operator looked at Yu Zhe strangely as he walked in, thinking to himself, "Is this guy crazy, walking with his head held high?"
Yu Zhe had no idea what she was thinking, and even if he did, he wouldn't care. It wasn't that he wasn't humble enough, but rather that a sense of pride and self-worth prevented him from walking with his head down.
The Secretary-General said I've improved a lot; you should look at me with new eyes after just three days!
"Brother Wu, are you at work today?"
Shen Guodong made a series of phone calls before finally mustering the courage to call Honggang Group.
Li Xuewu hummed in response and asked casually, "Is there something you need?"
"It wasn't me, it was Second Master who was looking for you."
Shen Guodong hesitated before explaining, "Mr. Zhao, who has been helping out at the warehouse, is ill and came to Second Master for help."
He listened carefully to the reaction on the other end of the phone, and seeing that Brother Wu didn't speak, he continued to ask, "Do you have time?"
"Hmm, Zhao Youkuan?"
When Li Xuewu heard that it was Shen Guodong, he knew that this was the case. Seeing that he agreed, he said, "Come to my house tonight."
“Okay,” Shen Guodong agreed first, then tentatively asked, “Am I alone, or will I be with Second Master?”
"It's not like I got this done through your connections, can you explain it clearly?" Li Xuewu retorted, then said, "Don't get involved in these kinds of things in the future, and focus your attention on serious matters."
"Understood, I've got it."
Shen Guodong saw him the most and for the longest time in Beijing, but he was also the one most afraid of him.
Don't let Wen San'er's timidity fool you; he's actually only intimidated by Li Xuewu, not afraid of him.
If Wen San'er were truly afraid, he wouldn't have done that back in Hong Kong.
I'm afraid I wouldn't dare sit down beforehand, and I'd be too intimidated to respond when the time comes.
Shen Guodong was genuinely afraid of him, especially as the gap between their social statuses widened, he unconsciously became timid.
Li Xuewu is alright in private, but he is very serious when he is working, though his attitude may be a little indifferent.
The main problem is that I'm trying to multitask, and my brain can't keep up.
When Shen Guodong called, Ma Baosen was giving a report while holding documents; he was still busy with other work.
After agreeing on a time, he hung up the phone and gestured for Ma Baosen to continue.
***
"Guodong, should I change my clothes?"
Ye Jizu, the second master, straightened his collar and looked somewhat uncertainly at Shen Guodong, who was already getting impatient, asking, "Isn't this too formal?"
"Well, you'd be fine dressed like this if we were going to Brother Wu's office, but we're visiting Brother Wu's home now."
Shen Guodong glanced at his watch and reminded him, "We still need time on the way, you'd better hurry."
“Then I’ll change into the blue jacket.”
Master Ye took off his Zhongshan suit, walked to the wardrobe, and took out the blue cloth jacket he usually wore to change into.
"That's enough, we're not going on a blind date." Seeing that he still wanted to look in the mirror, Shen Guodong quickly put his arm around him and walked out.
"You should save your breath. Even if you wore a dragon robe, my brother wouldn't give you a second glance."
He led Master Ye into the car and said, "The reverse is also true; he won't laugh at you if you go wearing a burlap sack."
"It's all just speculation. Why would I wear a dragon robe and burlap sacks?" Master Ye said with amusement. "Alright, whatever you say."
"It's not like you're listening to me." Shen Guodong got into the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove off, muttering, "No matter how well you're dressed, being late is still impolite, don't you think?"
"Sigh, it's not my first time going there."
Master Ye explained helplessly, "It's fine to chat and laugh when we meet normally, but this is my home after all."
"Same, no difference."
Shen Guodong turned the car around and drove out of the alley. Once on the street, he stepped on the gas and sped forward.
"Let me tell you in advance, don't use those old-fashioned ways when you get there, they're really outdated."
He earnestly reminded me, "If he really kicks you out, I'll lose face. I'm afraid of him now too."
"Why are you afraid of him?" Master Ye asked with amusement. "You two are sworn brothers, like blood brothers."
"If he were a real brother, I wouldn't be afraid of him at all."
Shen Guodong shook his head and said, "It's only because we're brothers that we're treated better and more ruthlessly. Who isn't afraid of him?"
“When we were together, we didn’t dare to joke with him. Now, I don’t even dare to laugh when I see him.”
“A person cultivates their spirit, and their spirit nourishes them. Once you have that spirit, you can’t help but be afraid.” Master Ye sighed, “He has cultivated his spirit, so it’s normal for you to be afraid of him.”
"Actually, he was good to me and to Biaozi, I have to tell you from the bottom of my heart, really."
As Shen Guodong drove, he emphasized, "If it weren't for his help, what the hell would I be?"
"Now they act all high and mighty, but back then everyone knew I was a wild child with no parents. Now—ha—"
He smiled and said, "The more I am respected and fawned over, the more I think back to the past."
Master Ye didn't speak, he just listened to him and nodded or nodded in response from time to time.
"They know me as I am today, not as I was yesterday, but Brother Wu knows me as I was yesterday."
Shen Guodong gestured as he explained, "So what I am now has nothing to do with what I was like before."
"They respect me as I am now, so I can only repay them as I am now. I don't need to, and can't afford to, repay them as I was before."
He felt he had been long-winded after he finished speaking, and turned to Master Ye to ask, "Master Ye, did you understand what I said?"
"Yes, you are compassionate, yet you hate evil like poison."
Master Ye summarized the core of Shen Guodong's words in just one sentence.
Shen Guodong had to admit defeat, giving a thumbs-up and saying, "That's why people say you have to read and study."
"One word from you is worth ten thousand words from me."
"It's not too late for you to start reading and studying now," Master Ye said, turning to look at him. "Learning has no beginning and no end."
"I've already given up. I don't have the brains for it."
Shen Guodong drove the car onto the street, turned a corner, and arrived at Haiyuncang No. 1 Courtyard.
"Remember what I said, don't get carried away."
Before getting out of the car, he couldn't help but give Ye Er a heads-up, fearing that the old man might stab him in the back for the sake of his friend.
Ye Erye ignored him and walked to the front door, waiting for Shen Guodong to ring the doorbell.
Helpless, Shen Guodong locked the car door before pressing the doorbell on the door jamb.
The doorbell rang, and soon footsteps could be heard. The small door opened halfway, revealing Zhao Yaping.
"Brother Guodong, you're here."
When Zhao Yaping saw it was him, she smiled and nodded, taking the initiative to greet him.
Shen Guodong smiled and gestured to the Second Master beside him, asking, "You only see me? Don't you recognize me?"
"Second Master, you've arrived."
Zhao Yaping had been to the recycling station and had met everyone in the compound during the time she lived there.
"Good boy, are you out of school?"
Master Ye nodded with a smile and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you at the compound."
"I came to school." Zhao Yaping was still a little shy, but she took the initiative to open the door for me.
Shen Guodong let the Second Master go first, and after helping Zhao Yaping close the gate, he walked into the courtyard.
Vegetable gardens were planted on both sides of the path and in the backyard. Er Ya was more diligent and better at growing vegetables than Qin Jingru.
Wow! It's so lively!
When Shen Guodong saw Li Shu running out of the foyer with her younger brother and another little girl, he smiled and asked a question.
Zhao Yaping turned around and explained, "Brother Han and Sister Qin are here. That's their Han Lidong."
"Oh, Jiankun is here, right?"
Shen Guodong had just asked a question when Han Jiankun came out of the house to greet him, and the two shook hands in the foyer.
"I've been waiting for you for ages," Han Jiankun greeted with a smile. "If you hadn't come soon, I would have come to pick you up."
He first joked with Shen Guodong before turning to Ye Erye and asking, "Second Master, how are you feeling?"
"Okay, thanks to you all."
Master Ye smiled politely and said something, but his gaze couldn't help but drift towards the living room, where Li Xuewu had come out.
"Second Master, is this your first time here?"
Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, gesturing for someone to come inside. "It's been a long time since I've seen you."
"You're too kind, boss. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
Master Ye bowed slightly; if Shen Guodong hadn't coughed behind him, his back would have bent even more.
"You're home now, don't be shy."
Li Xuewu invited them into the house, then pointed towards the tea cabinet and said, "Yaping, go make some tea."
"Yes—" Zhao Yaping responded and quickly went to the tea cabinet to get busy.
This wasn't Li Xuewu deliberately ordering Zhao Yaping around to entertain guests, nor was it an inappropriate request from a close relative.
Li Xuewu's family was never short of servants, and he never intended to treat his elder brother and sister-in-law as maids.
He wouldn't have used Zhao Yaping like this if he didn't consider her a relative.
Conversely, if he were too polite and treated Zhao Yaping like a pampered princess, neither Zhao Yafang nor Zhao Gen would dare to let the child stay here.
Even at home, the girl is already so grown up, she should learn to serve tea and water to guests.
These are all skills for daily communication; who would bother to teach them step by step when they have nothing better to do? Children from ordinary families learn by doing.
“I told him I was going to buy some things for the kids at the supply and marketing cooperative near the entrance, but no matter how much I called him, he wouldn’t stop the car.”
After entering the house, Master Ye explained somewhat embarrassedly, "I came empty-handed; it's really too impolite."
"Hehe, I'll deal with him after you leave."
Seeing that the old man was a little nervous, Li Xuewu joked, "If you feel bad about it, just bring more next time you come."
"Haha, definitely, definitely."
When Master Ye heard him joking, his tense mood eased a little, but his posture was still a bit stiff.
Li Xuewu didn't try to persuade him, but instead placed a cup of tea that Zhao Yaping had brought in front of him.
“Please try my tea,” he said, gesturing to the coffee table. “It was mailed from the south by my former secretary, but I didn’t quite understand it.”
"This is Maojian tea, a fine tea."
Master Ye praised him and then looked at Shen Guodong, asking, "Do we also have a tea business?"
“It’s from the distributors,” Shen Guodong said casually, sitting on the sofa and peeling an orange. “They got it from the Tianjin supply chain. We don’t have that kind of channel.”
Tea, salt, iron, and other commodities were state-run monopolies in ancient times and were not easily given to individuals.
There are individual business owners now, but absolutely no individual tea merchants, because the environment for such businesses doesn't exist.
It's obvious if you think about it: the tea plantations must be within the commune; who would have the authority to control the tea mountains?
"I knew it, I think I've heard it before."
Master Ye nodded, took a sip of his tea, and slowly said, "Good tea, indeed good tea."
"You really know your stuff. When you leave, I'll have Guodong get you a box. It'll go bad if I leave it here too long."
Li Xuewu waved his hand generously, indicating that Shen Guodong should remember this matter.
Master Ye's expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly lowered his head to drink tea to cover it up.
Listen carefully to the underlying meaning. If you can't even understand what's being said, why are you sitting here spouting nonsense?
"I'm so sorry." Master Ye put down his teacup, his face full of apology. "I came empty-handed, and you've let me leave with a full load. How can I accept this?"
"It's my duty." Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "You've really put in a lot of effort for the recycling station over the years."
He said meaningfully, "Guodong and I discussed what your preferences are so we can give you a gift."
Before Master Ye could speak, Li Xuewu said with a smile, "He said you're no good at anything, so don't bother."
"It is already a great favor that my employer has taken me in; I dare not ask for more."
Master Ye lowered his posture and said politely, "I've been fortunate to receive your care over the years, Master, and I'm enjoying my retirement in peace."
"It's all thanks to your good deeds."
Li Xuewu gestured to the fruit plate on the coffee table, indicating to Han Jiankun and the others, "Don't just stand there, take whatever you like."
He pushed the fruit plate towards the Second Master and said, "I don't know what you like, please don't be shy."
"You can't eat that anymore; it's time to avoid it."
Master Ye smiled knowingly and explained, "One bite of something sweet will fill you up, and you won't be able to eat anything else all day."
"Then please take care of yourself. If you feel unwell, don't hesitate to tell my dad or the third son."
Li Xuewu's attitude was still very warm, but it made Master Ye hesitate a bit.
The sounds of children playing came from the doorway. Zhao Yaping, who had gone to the kitchen to help serve the dishes, came out and greeted them, "Second Master, Brother Wu, the food is ready."
"Okay, let's eat." Li Xuewu stood up with a smile, pointed upstairs and said, "Go call your Sister Xiao Ning."
"Yes." Zhao Yaping responded crisply and climbed the stairs with the composure of a young woman.
Shen Guodong smiled and glanced at her, then asked, "Still calling me 'sister'? Why not 'sister-in-law'?"
"Call us whatever you want, we're all family."
Li Xuewu waved his hand towards the restaurant and casually said, "Call me whatever you want at home, just call me by my name."
"Then she's going to get beaten up."
Shen Guodong said with a smile, "My sister-in-law can be very ruthless when disciplining her brother; I've only seen it once."
"You can do that to your younger brother, but not to your sister."
Li Xuewu smiled and invited the group to the table. Han Jiankun had already taken out some baijiu from the cabinet.
Even though Qin Jingru no longer works here, Han Jiankun still knows what's in this house.
At first, Er Ya couldn't find it and had to contact him to ask where it was.
"I should actually drink beer."
Seeing Han Jiankun pour the wine, Shen Guodong smiled and said, "I drove here."
"Take a small amount, and control the quantity yourself."
Li Xuewu said nonchalantly, "Where am I supposed to find you beer so late at night? Come earlier next time if you want some."
"Hehe, I'll bring it myself next time."
Shen Guodong explained with a smile, "I know a deputy section chief in the sales department of the Beijing Brewery. His beer is delicious."
"How's the Beijing Fruit Winery doing?"
As Li Xuewu distributed chopsticks to everyone, he said, "I remember drinking fruit wine the year I first came back."
He smiled and said, "Back then, I had just started working and had some money. I invited some friends to eat hot pot and drink wine."
"It's still available, but it doesn't taste good."
Shen Guodong offered to share his rice bowl and, after sitting down, explained, "Especially in the last two years, your group's beverage factory has been struggling to keep up."
“Even the supply and marketing cooperatives are buying from your factory. They treat everyone equally, so they have no market.”
“Wufeng Beverage Factory.” Li Xuewu nodded and said, “I heard someone say that the other day, it’s really good.”
“These past two years have been a steady climb, wow.” Shen Guodong praised, “Speaking of beer, I prefer Wufeng, but it’s hard to buy. Getting it through connections is too much of a hassle.”
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu asked with a smile, "Even you can't buy it?"
"It's unavailable. The internal supply department gets its goods according to quotas, so forget about getting them from outside."
Shen Guodong raised his glass to toast everyone, took a small sip, and then continued, "The rest were all taken by the supply and marketing cooperative."
"They're not selling them out yet; they might have been used up somewhere. I certainly won't see them."
Who is the factory manager of Wufeng Factory?
Seeing Gu Ning enter, Li Xuewu gestured in the direction of Second Master Ye and introduced, "Second Master has arrived."
"Greetings, Second Master." Gu Ning nodded and greeted him.
Master Ye was about to get up, but Li Xuewu waved his hand, indicating, "Don't be shy, let's eat."
"Hello, Dr. Gu," Ye Erye finally greeted him.
"Li Changyu, formerly worked at the cold drink factory."
Han Jiankun explained, "In the end, it was still merged, so he was always the leader."
"The ice cream factory of Hongxing Factory used to be just so-so."
Shen Guodong curled his lip and said while picking up some food, "All you know is that you sell ice cream and soda in the summer, nothing else."
"For beverage factories, the alcohol business is better, as it has higher profit margins."
Han Jiankun explained, "We're currently producing baijiu, red wine, beer, and even medicinal wine."
"Actually, medicinal wine has a higher profit margin. Now it is rarely sold in China and is mostly exported."
How do you know so much?
Shen Guodong smiled and looked at Han Jiankun, asking, "Does your motorcade team also handle these kinds of businesses?"
"The more people you meet, the more you hear."
Han Jiankun smiled and explained, "They often talk about this in the duty room, and I've remembered it even though I don't listen."
"That's why they say drivers have a lot of information."
Shen Guodong glanced at him, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Do you know about the incident at the United Academy?"
"Ahem—" Li Xuewu coughed lightly, glanced at him, and reminded him, "Eat."
"Hehe—" Shen Guodong knew he had asked at the wrong time, so he chuckled and focused on eating.
Qin Jingru brought out a plate of fish, and Gu Ning turned to look at the kitchen and said, "You guys eat too."
"That's the last dish, coming right away."
Qin Jingru said with a smile, "You guys eat first, I'll bring the children's portion over here separately."
There's enough room at the dinner table, but the adults are chatting, and it's not helpful for the children to listen.
After washing their hands, Li Shu and the other two sat around the coffee table on the dining room sofa, each on a small stool of just the right height.
Qin Jingru served rice to the three children and then sat down on the sofa, but Li Xuewu called her to the dining table.
"Er Ya and I are both exhausted from all the work."
She wore makeup today, a light touch, which made her face look somewhat refined and gave her a mature air.
Er Ya was sitting next to her, and when she heard her mention herself, she smiled.
The two worked together seamlessly, preparing a large table of dishes, and successfully completed their mission.
Shen Guodong suggested pouring drinks for the two of them, but Qin Jingru wasn't bothered by him and let him pour the drinks for her.
"I never used to drink alcohol, but ever since the beginning of winter, I don't know why I've started craving it."
She explained with a smile, "When I feel like it at home, I have a drink with my grandma. It doesn't give me a headache, and it gives me energy."
"It's okay in winter, but it's too hot in summer."
Shen Guodong looked at her and said, "I'm also a little craving it, but it's beer. It feels so refreshing to drink it in the summer."
"Drinking beer is so classy, isn't it?" Qin Jingru saw him raise his glass and readily clinked glasses with him.
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at Gu Ning, who was also a little surprised, as she did not know that Qin Jingru drank alcohol.
"How's the house cleaning going?"
Li Xuewu changed the subject to something lighter, saying, "If you don't have money, ask your sister-in-law."
“I have enough money. I’ll give you as much as you need.” Shen Guodong smiled and gestured to Qin Jingru, saying, “If you want to know about the progress, you’ll have to ask her. I rarely go there; Jingru is the one keeping an eye on things.”
"That's all, just the noodles left."
Qin Jingru reported, "Will you choose the furniture yourself, or will Brother Shen arrange it?"
She looked at Li Xuewu and explained, "We should place the order now, otherwise it will take a while to make the furniture."
"You guys figure it out yourselves, we don't have the time."
Li Xuewu put down his chopsticks, picked up his wine glass, looked at the two men, and said, "On behalf of my whole family, I would like to toast you both. Thank you for your hard work."
"Hahaha—" Shen Guodong didn't laugh, but Qin Jingru couldn't help but laugh when she saw Brother Li being so deliberately formal.
She knew Brother Li was joking, but she still expressed her gratitude in a humorous tone.
Qin Jingru was quite honest; she downed her drink in one gulp, outshining Shen Guodong, who was trying to control his intake.
The dinner table was quite lively because there were so many people there today.
The meal lasted for more than an hour. The children had naturally eaten dinner and gone out to play long ago, and some of them were drinking.
A slight buzz is just right, but none of the people at the dinner table were in that state, which means they've met a truly exceptional person.
After dinner, Han Jiankun and Shen Guodong moved chairs to the courtyard, where they sat and chatted.
Just now, even though the window was open inside, I refrained from taking out a cigarette because Li Xuewu doesn't smoke.
Even at night in April, Beijing is already quite warm; you don't need to wear short sleeves, but it's not cold either.
Qin Jingru brought out tea for the group and then didn't bother them again. She coaxed the children to play with building blocks.
Zhao Yaping finished her meal and was told by Li Xuewu to go study before she even had a chance to clean up the table.
Gu Ning, after finishing her meal, didn't wait for the others, said goodbye, and went upstairs to read.
Without them around, it became much easier for the men to talk.
"Master, I've come with some business."
Ye Jizu waited until the topic had come to an end before hesitatingly speaking.
Since things have come to this point, if he doesn't speak up now, he'll really miss his chance.
"Yes, I heard it from Guodong."
Li Xuewu didn't want to put him in a difficult position, so he nodded and asked, "What's the situation, Mr. Zhao?"
"He suffered a sudden stroke, and things don't look good."
Ye Jizu explained in a low voice, "I only heard about it yesterday, and I went to the hospital to see him."
"He didn't recognize me when I first came in. It took us a while to remember who I was."
He frowned slightly and said, "We had met before this; I never imagined it would be this serious."
Who is taking care of him in the hospital?
Li Xuewu's expression also turned somewhat gloomy as he asked, "Where is Zhao Zhiqiang now?"
"I heard it's still in the security department. They probably need to investigate it thoroughly before transferring it to the branch office."
Shen Guodong explained, "I asked the branch office, and they said they know, but the handover hasn't been completed yet."
His explanation was crucial, and it was also the reason why Master Ye was so eager to explain tonight.
If the Honggang Group were to label Zhao Zhiqiang, then he would be basically finished once he reached the branch office.
To properly handle this matter, we need to proceed at this stage.
"He can no longer speak, so he wrote to me by hand, asking for your help."
Only then did Master Ye take out a piece of paper from his pocket and respectfully hand it over.
Li Xuewu reached out and took it, glancing at it briefly. The handwriting was messy, but he could make out the meaning.
"I still owe him a favor, right?"
There was no need for Second Master Ye to think about how to bring up this sentence in a tactful way, so as not to create the illusion of a threat.
That's exactly what Shen Guodong said; Brother Wu dislikes his own people beating around the bush the most.
"This favor is hard to repay."
Li Xuewu put the paper in his hand aside, thought for a moment, and said, "What Zhao Zhiqiang did is all true."
"But it's also truly pitiful." Shen Guodong explained softly, "His wife had been with that man for three years. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have acted so impulsively."
"Furthermore, I have met Zhao Zhiqiang. He was very upright and simple-minded when he was in the mountains."
He shook his head slightly and said, "He's too honest. Anyone with a bit more skill wouldn't be like this."
"You can't bully honest people."
Even Han Jiankun, who rarely speaks in such situations, spoke up, which shows his attitude towards this matter.
Li Xuewu simply listened to what they were saying and didn't rush to express his opinion.
“I can roughly understand what Old Zhao means.” Ye Erye explained hesitantly, “He doesn’t dare to write down what he’s asking you to do specifically, because he’s afraid of writing too much, too little, and even more afraid that you won’t help.”
“If I hadn’t seen him like that, I definitely wouldn’t have come to ask him to do this.”
He lowered his head, but couldn't help but sigh.
From a moral and ethical perspective, Jing Rong deserved to be stabbed.
But this isn't an era of quick revenge; we still need to use our brains when we do things.
"I don't know how to describe it."
Shen Guodong shook his head with a wry smile and said, "After hearing what Second Master said, I went to the hospital to see him. Wang Hanlu was still taking care of him."
"What do you mean, granddaughter-in-law?"
He shrugged and said, "Can you say that Wang Hanlu hates the old man for not dying? She really went to great lengths to do so."
“But if she’s there, Old Zhao won’t get better; if she’s not there, Old Zhao won’t survive.”
"There's another child, right?"
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked, "How old is that child?"
"Going to middle school now, sigh—"
Shen Guodong lamented, "This time, because of his parents' situation, the child has been ruined."
What's Jingrong's current situation?
Li Xuewu looked at Han Jiankun and asked, "Is he still in the hospital?"
"Yes, it's at the United Hospital."
Han Jiankun nodded and explained, "Because of this matter, the Medical Education Bureau is on edge and seeing threats everywhere."
"Director Wei is in serious trouble this time."
He looked at Li Xuewu, his words not entirely clear, but they had already explained the speculations of the people below.
Wei Zaike's chances are indeed slim. After Li Xuewu advanced, it should have been their turn.
But luck was against them; just when luck was about to come, bad luck struck. Jing Rong got into trouble, and Wei Zai Ke had to take the blame.
Jing Rong was not originally from Honggang Group; he was transferred from Huaqing when the United Vocational and Technical College was established.
Because the Joint College has a project cooperation relationship with Huaqing, Jing Rong's personnel file is still with Huaqing.
After this incident, no one from Honggang Group went to see him, and Huaqing was even more ashamed to acknowledge him.
Schools are sacred places that respect teachers and value education. How could he possibly earn people's pity for doing this?
Even Li Xuewu, who recommended Jing Rong for a position at the United Vocational and Technical College, was a little annoyed.
Does he know about this?
He knew it all along, but he didn't care because there were probably eighty to a hundred such cases in the company, so how could he care?
He had warned Jing Rong before, and Jing Rong had restrained himself considerably at the time, but this kind of thing can't be undone.
I've only ever heard of infidelity, never of someone going back on their word. Once you get involved in this, there's no going back.
"Old Zhao will probably be gone in the next few days."
After a long silence, Master Ye finally spoke, "If it weren't for my grandson, we wouldn't be in such dire straits and have to ask me to come here for help."
"Ok, I know."
Li Xuewu put down his teacup, nodded, and said, "But personal relationships are personal relationships, and work is work; they cannot be mixed up."
First, he corrected his stance on the matter, then sighed and said, "I have indeed thought about this."
He looked at Shen Guodong and asked, "Has Jingrong considered issuing a letter of understanding to resolve this matter?"
Upon first hearing this, the group was somewhat surprised, but being intelligent, they quickly grasped the meaning.
Jing Rong probably doesn't want everyone to know about this either, right?
(End of this chapter)