dognovel Chapter 1661 The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Chapter 1661 The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Chapter 1661 The Boy Who Cried Wolf
"Brother Li, you're back."
Er Ya came out to open the door, wearing a coat, and greeted him when she saw him.
Qi Yan took two boxes out of the trunk and, seeing Er Ya reach out to take them, reminded her, "They're a bit heavy."
"Let your brother Qi carry it."
Li Xuewu knew what Qi Yan meant, but waved his hand dismissively, indicating to the courtyard.
Er Ya was used to it; Qin Jingru had taught her when she first started working here not to let anyone into the courtyard easily.
Even if it's Brother Li's driver and secretary, unless Brother Li says so, it's assumed that she's the one who took the things.
Qi Yan is also a person of careful conduct and good manners, and has developed excellent qualities over the years of working for the Gu family.
He wouldn't suspect anything if the nanny reached out to take it, but he would remind her to wait for instructions from her supervisor.
The devil is in the details.
If Li Xuewu felt it was too late for him to enter the courtyard, he wouldn't ask, and the nanny would naturally take over.
But if the leaders think it's no big deal for him to be admitted to the hospital, then he can skip a procedure.
In fact, Li Xuewu trusted Qi Yan quite a bit and had nothing to be wary of, even at his residence in Gangcheng.
Although Qi Yan came from the Gu family, he was self-aware enough to know that he was there to work, not to be an informant.
Besides, even if he wanted to go to the Gu family to stir up trouble, the Gu family would not allow him to say such things.
To know Li Xuewu's whereabouts, would they really need an informant like this? The son-in-law never deliberately kept it from them.
Another point is that the Gu family had already made preparations, and neither Ding Fengxia nor Gu Haitao would do such a thing.
That's too petty.
To put it bluntly, if someone were to express dissatisfaction with their son-in-law, would they really need to arrange for someone to keep a close watch on them?
Li Xuewu doubts people and doesn't use them; he uses people and doesn't doubt them. Gu Ning mentioned that Xiao Qi had reached the age limit and was facing the predicament of being discharged from the army.
What else is there to say? If he were wary, arranging for Xiao Qi to go to the security department or some other unit would have been easy. Why keep him by his side?
Therefore, he might avoid Ma Baosen if he had something to do, but he rarely paid attention to Qi Yan, who was usually taciturn.
"What is this?" Er Ya asked curiously. "Is it so heavy?"
Qi Yan placed the box at the entrance of the hall and explained softly, "It's some decorative items, a gift from a leader or comrade-in-arms."
"Oh, oh—" Er Ya knew that Brother Li had a social engagement tonight, and she also knew some details from Sister Xiao Ning.
"Would you like me to help you carry it inside?"
Qi Yan hesitated for a moment. He wasn't planning to go inside, so he asked Er Ya a question.
Li Xuewu worked in the steel city for many years. Qi Yan went directly to the steel city after being discharged from the army, so he didn't see Er Ya very often.
Er Ya looked up at him, smiled, and said, "No need. If I can't move it, I'll just take it apart and move it piece by piece."
"Okay, just be careful not to bump into it."
Qi Yan glanced at the foyer. The leader had already changed into slippers and gone to the living room, so he didn't greet him again.
"Please tell my boss I'm leaving."
"Let me see you out." Er Ya straightened up and followed him down the steps. She saw Qi Yan out the door before closing it herself.
Li Xuewu didn't notice the interaction between the two people outside the door. He drank a glass of warm water in the living room and then went upstairs.
The two deliberately lowered their voices so as not to disturb the people at home who were already resting.
In fact, Gu Ning hadn't rested yet, but Li Shu and Li Ning had already fallen asleep early.
That's how kids are; they get sleepy after eight o'clock.
In this era, there were no cell phones or televisions, and even adults had little nighttime entertainment.
After dinner, I felt bad about the electricity bill. Even if I smoked or drank tea, it was all in the dark. Moonlight would be the best, of course.
Anyone who has lived in a traditional courtyard house in the countryside or city has this experience: the nights used to be dark.
It's not pitch black; as long as there's a moon and stars, it's bright.
You can even see pebbles while walking on the street.
If you have good neighbors or friends who visit often, three or five people can sit on the wooden block at the door and chat until very late.
But "late" here doesn't even mean 10 o'clock. Anyone who can stay up until this late is already considered a night owl.
What? One or two in the morning?
That's not the case, because during the busy farming season, everyone goes to work in the fields at three or four in the morning.
Tao Yuanming wrote a poem that goes, "At dawn I rise to tend the overgrown fields, and return home with my hoe under the moon," which is exactly what this means.
Of course, don't listen to him reciting poems and composing couplets as if he's working very hard; he's just rambling on.
If Tao Yuanming were placed in this era, he would at least be of the same status as Huang Gan. Do you think Huang Gan would personally go to the fields to weed?
I leave home at three o'clock and start working in the fields. I work until nine or ten o'clock in the morning, when the sun comes out. It's too hot to stay in the fields, so I have to go home to rest.
We would wait until the sun wasn't so strong around 3 p.m. before going out to work, and then we would stay busy until 7 or 8 p.m.
That's why people in ancient times only died from overwork or starvation; they never died from overeating.
No one has developed dry eye syndrome or other illnesses from staying up late playing on their phone.
Of course, there were also those who couldn't sleep at night and wanted to have children, so men in ancient times generally had poor kidneys, since there wasn't much fun in it.
"Still not asleep?"
Li Xuewu went up to the second floor and saw that the study light was still on. He tilted his head and looked at Gu Ning.
Gu Ning knew it was him who had returned, and nodded, saying, "I've been waiting for you."
"It's too late, I'm not tired."
Li Xuewu leaned against the door frame of the study, a smile on his face as he looked at Gu Ning behind the desk.
She is by no means the gentle and virtuous type, but she has a charm that makes people respect and like her.
She's a bit stubborn and a bit indifferent, but she does life-saving work every day.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Gu Ning felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, so she lowered her head, tidied her hair behind her ear, and gave him a light scolding.
Li Xuewu's smile deepened. He liked Gu Ning's temperament; she was knowledgeable, reasonable, and beautiful inside and out.
"Ahem—" Gu Ning felt increasingly embarrassed by his gaze, so she simply stopped reading, stood up, and said, "Go to sleep."
“Okay, good sleep,” Li Xuewu said as he followed Gu Ning toward the bedroom, carrying clothes in his arms. “I just love sleeping.”
Go take a shower—
Gu Ning was hugged from behind, and she struggled a little, feeling embarrassed and annoyed, and said in a low voice, "You smell of alcohol."
"I didn't drink much, just a little bit."
Li Xuewu gestured with his hand in front of Gu Ning and said, "Just a little bit. It wouldn't be right if you didn't drink it today, would it?"
"I didn't say anything to you—"
Gu Ning gently pulled away from him and walked to the bedside to remind him, "I put the underwear and pajamas in the bathroom."
"Okay, don't fall asleep, wait for me."
Li Xuewu put the clothes in his hand into the laundry basket, smiled and emphasized something, before walking into the bathroom.
***
By late March, the weather was already quite warm. If you went for a walk along the river, you could even see large clusters of blooming flowers on the treetops and in the bushes.
Red, white, pink... they vie for attention, showcasing the warm colors of spring and the power of life.
Even at this time of year, they dared not open the windows at home, even though both of them were covered in sweat.
Li Xuewu was prepared; when he returned, he wasn't wearing underwear or pajamas, but only a bathrobe.
After getting intimate, she went to shower and changed into dry underwear and pajamas, but Gu Ning no longer had the strength to take a shower.
"What's there to be shy about? We're an old married couple."
Seeing her glaring at him, Li Xuewu said with amusement, "I said I'd carry you to the bathroom, but you wouldn't do it."
Gu Ning didn't want to talk to him and turned her back to him.
He pressed himself closer, embracing her and whispering, "Did you miss me?"
Gu Ning didn't want to answer his question because saying she didn't want to would be lying and give him another reason to be smug.
If I said I wanted to, I'd feel a little reluctant to indulge him.
So she said nothing, remaining silent to express her dissatisfaction and protest.
Li Xuewu chuckled as he sat up, looked at her profile, and asked, "If you don't say anything, it means you're thinking about it."
"Sleep? Don't you have to work?"
Gu Ning closed her eyes, trying to suppress the breath he was breathing in her ear, yet she was still trying to seduce him.
"What have you thought about what I mentioned last time?" Li Xuewu lay back down on the pillow, reached out and stroked her hair, and said, "If you're not happy, try changing your environment."
"Perfect timing, didn't my sister-in-law say she was going back to Beijing?"
He paused in his work and said, "You and your sister-in-law should both come to the United Hospital. I'll make the arrangements."
"No need." Gu Ning sighed softly and said, "Vice Dean Zhang has already spoken with me."
"What did he say?" Li Xuewu knew his wife was reluctant to leave her current job, which was why he asked that question.
Rather than saying Gu Ning is reluctant to leave her current workplace, it would be more accurate to say she is reluctant to leave her military uniform, as well as the honor and legacy it represents.
She joined this company right after graduation and was already familiar with life here, so it wouldn't be easy for her to make changes.
"He didn't say anything, he just wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with me," Gu Ning explained simply. "He told me not to feel burdened."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled, "What burdens could you possibly have? They're the ones who should be carrying the burdens."
“You can clearly tell him that if he doesn’t get the treatment he deserves at work, then it’s time to part ways.”
He gently embraced his wife and said, "With me behind you, you can confidently express your opinion."
"If he dares to let you go, you can complete the handover and resignation in the morning, and I can get you started in the afternoon."
"Hmm—" Gu Ning knew that he meant what he said and did what he said, and responded with gratitude.
Li Xuewu sat up again, looked at her and said, "Wasn't your paper rejected by them?"
"Give it to me, and I'll get someone to verify it for you. We'll stop publishing it through your channel and try a different approach."
"I'd rather not." Gu Ning wasn't used to Li Xuewu's domineering and tough attitude.
It's not that she's weak, but rather that she doesn't like being too assertive or causing trouble for others.
She could imagine that if Li Xuewu were in their unit, he would have overturned the dean's office if his thesis was blocked.
She was quite disappointed at the time, but Li Xuewu's comfort and guidance, as well as his occasional inquiries about whether she wanted to leave, made her feel less distressed now.
Her calm demeanor at work, in particular, made her superiors and colleagues nervous, as if she were about to do something.
The conversation between Vice President Zhang and her was not as simple as she and Li Xuewu had made it out to be.
She could tell that the leader was there to comfort or reassure her.
The leader even explained that his disagreement with some of the arguments and viewpoints in that paper was not directed at her personally.
This is actually pointless; anyone can raise objections to her paper and viewpoints, but the Gu family won't say anything.
But if anyone targets her, not only her family, but even Li Xuewu would be the first to object.
Gu Ning was certain that she had never mentioned to the hospital leaders or colleagues that she was going to Hongxing United Hospital.
Even if they never expressed this intention or meaning, everyone in the hospital thought so.
Some of the news had already reached her ears, and it sounded quite convincing.
Some say she has already visited the Red Star United Hospital and that if she goes there, she can become an attending physician and undertake teaching and research tasks, and receive research funding, etc.
Others say she had long considered demobilization because the Red Star United Hospital had better equipment and facilities and more capable staff.
When these rumors spread, even her mentor looked at her with a hint of suspicion and inquiry.
Gu Ning was truly at a loss for words. She really hadn't said anything. Who was it that spread these rumors?
She might not have realized it before, but now that she thinks about it, it must be Li Xuewu; there couldn't be anyone else.
Don't assume that just because he worked in the steel city for more than two years, he has no connection or contact with their hospital anymore.
At least in her opinion, Li Xuewu was more popular in their workplace and department than she was.
Li Xuewu handles all the social interactions and interpersonal relationships. Sometimes, she doesn't even know if her colleagues have weddings or funerals, but Li Xuewu always finds out from afar and gives a monetary gift.
If he wanted to make a smokescreen, he wouldn't need to do it himself; he could just make a phone call to some older woman.
No wonder the director looked at her that way, no wonder Vice President Zhang came to talk to her personally, it turns out it was all because of this bad guy!
When are you going back to Steel City?
Gu Ning turned back to look at him and asked, "Is the meeting over?"
"What's up? Want to come to Steel City with me for a few days?"
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "I'll be leaving in the next couple of days. I have a meeting to attend, and then I'll be free after that tomorrow."
"Yeah, I still have a week of vacation left to take."
Gu Ning only said one sentence before Li Xuewu pulled her back into his arms.
"Let me think, where should we go?"
Li Xuewu coaxed her with a smile, as if he were coaxing a child, "Shall we go for a walk in the mountains? Fly kites? Or go fishing?"
"How about we go to Yingcheng and take a boat trip for a few days?" He patted Gu Ning's hand and said, "The Jili Star yacht is in Tianjin, so we can set off from there."
"I don't like traveling by boat; I get seasick."
Gu Ning snuggled closer to him and said, "I'll get dizzy if I stay in his arms for too long."
“Then let’s fly back, that way we can have another day to play in Steel City.” Li Xuewu said with delight, “I’m very happy that you can put aside your work.”
"It's not that I necessarily want you to come to the steel city to see me or stay with me, but I don't want to see you working too hard."
He gently comforted her, saying, "Life is only a few decades long; you should always give yourself some time to appreciate and enjoy it."
"Work and career are not your everything, and that applies to me as well."
"Hmm," Gu Ning looked up at him and asked, "When are you going back to work in the capital?"
"By the end of the year, or at the latest early next year, I guarantee it."
Li Xuewu said very seriously, "I miss you all very much, and I miss home very much, especially every time I leave home."
He stroked Gu Ning's arm and said, "Looking at you, looking at the children, nowhere is as good as home."
"Mmm—" Gu Ning was also somewhat moved, turned around and hugged him, saying, "I..."
"Shall we have another child next year?"
As if he knew what she was going to say, Li Xuewu smiled and looked at her in his arms, saying, "Don't force yourself."
He patted Gu Ning on the back and said, "Let nature take its course. We already have Li Shu and Li Ning."
"Mmm." Gu Ning's voice was soft and sweet. Lying in his arms, she felt safe from all the storms and slept more peacefully than ever before.
Li Xuewu gently patted her back, thinking about his work and life plans for the year, and slowly fell asleep.
In life, eventually someone will accompany you as you grow old. Perhaps she is not your only one, and you are not her only one.
In the seemingly short but actually long years, who can stop and wait for whom forever?
-
"What's this? A green stone?"
Li Shu laboriously picked up a stone, flipped it over, and examined the new gadget in the house with her younger brother.
Er Ya glanced at the restaurant and was so frightened that she quickly came out and took the ornament from their hands.
"Oh dear—" she said helplessly, "How can you find everything? Even a mouse hole can't hide from you."
These were brought back by Brother Li last night, and she hadn't had time to unpack them yet, afraid that the two little ones would break them out of curiosity.
She was prepared; she hid both boxes under the stairs and covered them with torn bed sheets.
The results of it?
The siblings, who were playing hide-and-seek at home, actually pulled this thing out of a big box and rolled it around on the floor like a ball.
Li Xuewu came downstairs, enjoying the fresh air, and greeted the two children with a smile, "Good morning, Li Shu and Li Ning."
Good morning, Dad!
Li Shu and her younger brother turned to look at their father at the same time, and then they both came over and grabbed one of his arms, saying, "Dad, Auntie brought the stones into the house, the green kind!"
Children seem to be born with a love for tattling, which is actually a psychological state of admiration and obedience to adults.
Li Xuewu knew what they were talking about, so he squatted down and asked, "Why?"
"I don't know—" Li Ning shook his head slightly and said in confusion, "Could it be the sauerkraut jar?"
He suddenly remembered that at his grandmother's house, his grandmother and wife would make sauerkraut every late autumn.
The stone his aunt picked up looked like the kind used to press sauerkraut; that was the only thing he could think of.
Li Shu looked at her father and asked, "Could it be some kind of good stone? Is it very valuable?"
"Dad doesn't know either," Li Xuewu explained with a smile. "It was a gift from Uncle Qi to Dad."
"Uncle Qi?" Li Shu asked curiously, "Is it Uncle Qi?"
"No, it's not Uncle Xiao Qi."
Li Xuewu touched his daughter's braids and explained, "She's Dad's comrade-in-arms, Uncle Qi Yaowu."
"Do you remember the cartridge gun he gave you?"
"I remember!" Li Shu suddenly remembered, but looked at her younger brother and said, "It was you who broke it."
Seeing that he was about to get beaten up, Li Ning quickly ran away, jogging to the restaurant and hiding under the table.
It's all Dad's fault. He brought up all sorts of old, trivial things. Luckily, he ran away quickly, or he would have gotten another beating for nothing.
"Your little brother is afraid of you," Li Xuewu teased Li Shu deliberately, "Do you like him like this?"
"That's not true at all—"
Li Shu pouted and snorted, "He's just feeling guilty, otherwise why would he run away?"
Li Ning heard everything his sister said in the restaurant. He wasn't guilty; he was just too cowardly.
Why are you even talking about running away? When has your sister ever been reasonable? Do you expect me to wait until she hits me before complaining?
Besides, he was the one who broke the cartridge gun, so he didn't dare to complain even after being beaten, because he was completely unyielding when he was hit.
“I’m going to play in the yard with Dad,” Li Shu said, holding her father’s hand as she walked out, heading towards the dining room. “If you don’t come out, we’re not taking you out anymore.”
"I want to go!" Li Ning quickly crawled out from under the dining table and jogged to catch up with her father and sister.
Li Shuzhen has the air of a grown woman; she possesses both her father's shrewdness and her mother's pride.
She found it no difficulty at all to manage her younger brother, who was just a little kid.
"Going out for a walk."
It was that same neighbor next door. I hadn't seen him for months, and his belly had gotten even bigger; he seemed to be doing very well.
When the other person saw that he was going out with a son and a daughter, dressed very casually, they took the initiative to greet him with a smile.
Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, greeting him, "You're here so early?"
"Hey, the old lady insisted on eating soy milk." The other person smiled and waved the thermos in his hand, explaining, "Well, she said it last night, so I went to the morning market early this morning to buy a pot."
"You really have to use a thermos to pack it, otherwise it'll be cold by the time you get home." Li Xuewu nodded and asked, "Where did you buy it?"
"It's the third house after turning at the street corner."
The neighbor explained quite earnestly, "That's the only restaurant around here that opens early; the other restaurants don't do that."
People in Northeast China don't have the habit of going out for breakfast, but this habit exists in Beijing, the surrounding areas, and even Hebei Province.
If you don't believe me, look closely. Even in later generations, it's still the same. There are very few breakfast stalls in Northeast China. Even if there are, they are either in the morning market or on the way to work or school.
If you come to the capital for a stroll, you'll find that breakfast stalls are lined up one after another, and the best ones even require queuing.
Moreover, there are many ways to eat it, at least more than in Northeast China.
The street where Li Xuewu lives now is quite special. Although there are no walls, few people wander around here because of the terrain and the surrounding buildings.
Stepping out from the street corner, you'll find yourself on a bustling main road where you can see the hospital where Gu Ning works, as well as a morning market.
This area is located in the city center, with a dense population, making it a place where any form of business can take root and flourish.
Just think about it, if something as awful as douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) has survived for so many years and can still attract young people to try it, then what can't take root and flourish here?
Of course, the "jiangzi" that the old lady liked to drink, as the neighbor mentioned, was not soy milk, but soy juice.
Even the native residents of Beijing don't like that taste; the differences in human tastes aren't that great.
Douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) was a drink for the poor back then, a protein drink for laborers, not a traditional beverage.
Li Shu and Li Ning were both curious. Watching their father chat with the neighbor, they both looked at the thermos in each other's hands.
"Hey! Let me tell you, their family is really something!" The neighbor spoke with a thick Beijing accent, babbling on and on, but don't listen too closely, it's all nonsense.
The other person spoke highly of the soy milk they brought back, even giving a thumbs-up in praise.
“I’ve been to every shop in this area, and none of them are as meticulous as this one. You can smell it if you don’t believe me.”
He was quite casual, uncorking the thermos and gesturing for Li Xuewu to smell it.
Actually, Li Xuewu could smell a faint aroma of soybeans even before the thermos stopper was opened, and now the aroma was even more enticing, making Li Ning's mouth water.
"My grandmother loves this."
The neighbor smiled as she looked at the two children, then re-stuffed the thermos stopper and explained, "If you scoop a spoonful of sugar into the bottom of the bowl, oh my! In our old lady's words, it's absolutely heavenly!"
"Dad—" Li Shu caught a glimpse of a glistening tear at the corner of her younger brother's mouth and turned her head away, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
She dared not let her neighbor continue talking, otherwise she would never be able to recover the embarrassment Li Ning had caused.
Li Xuewu had actually wanted to leave a long time ago, but the other party was too enthusiastic and kept talking to him.
Hearing her daughter's call, she smiled and nodded to her neighbor, saying, "Okay, we'll go take a look in a bit."
"Look, I was the one who made this. I should have brought your share with me."
This person is quite something; who knows how much is in the thermos, but they were certainly very polite.
Li Xuewu waved his hand repeatedly and said, "Not many people in my family like to drink this. You're too kind."
"Okay, go early so you don't have to wait in line."
The neighbor smiled and waved, saying, "I have to hurry back; my family is waiting for me to eat."
"You go about your business, we'll talk later."
Li Xuewu finally shook off his opponent and, holding Li Shu and Li Ning's hands, headed towards the lake.
Li Ning took a few steps but kept looking back at the neighbor and the thermos in the neighbor's hand.
Aren't you ashamed?
Li Shu pinched her cheek and scolded her younger brother, "You've eaten it before, why are you so craving it!"
"I didn't!" Li Ning retorted, "I just couldn't help drooling when I heard about white sugar."
"It's all because you're greedy! You're so spineless!"
Li Shu snorted and looked at her father, asking, "Do you and Mom like to drink soy milk?"
"I don't like it, I think it's too sweet."
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "We rarely drink that stuff at home, but your wife often soaks bean sprouts."
"Why is it sweet?" Li Ning's mouth watered again as he asked curiously, "Is it because sugar was added?"
"No, it's the natural sweetness of the soy milk." Li Xuewu looked at his son and asked, "Do you want some soy milk?"
"I want to—" Li Ning was not afraid of him. He could clearly feel that his father loved him, so he said whatever he wanted to say.
"What about the milk this morning?"
Li Xuewu smiled and asked him, "If you've drunk soy milk, do you still have room for milk?"
"Then what should we do?" Li Ning hesitated for a moment and asked, "So I'm not going to eat breakfast?"
"Fool—" Li Shu couldn't bear to look at her brother's foolish appearance and turned to look at the green willows by the lake.
I didn't see Grandpa Zhang all winter. Even though the lake was rippling with blue waves again, I still didn't see the old man fishing by the lake.
Li Xuewu wasn't very familiar with Old Zhang either, and he hadn't heard Zhang Jingsong mention anything about his family.
The three of them walked around the lake and came out of the street from the other end, strolling to the restaurant their neighbor had mentioned.
"Oh no, I forgot the thermos!"
Once they were at the restaurant entrance, Li Xuewu deliberately teased his son, saying, "How about we go home and get the thermos?"
"What time is it?!"
Li Shu checked the time on his wrist and said to her younger brother, "Mom is waiting for us to have breakfast together, Dad has to go to work, and we have to rush to school!"
"Ah—" Li Ning was stunned. He hadn't expected that he would arrive at the destination and still not be able to drink this bowl of soy milk.
Li Xuewu patted his little head and led the two into the restaurant, a state-run restaurant converted from a street-facing location.
The original restaurant space was partitioned off into a room that faces the street and also into the restaurant.
Li Xuewu took a slightly chipped rice bowl from the table against the wall, walked to the window and called out, "Comrade, please get me a bowl of soy milk."
"bowl?"
The waiter, who was busy with his work, looked up in surprise, only to be startled by his appearance.
"Yes, a bowl of soy milk."
Li Xuewu pointed to the small blackboard hanging on the wall and said, "Three points, right?"
As he said this, he took out three cents from his wallet and placed them on the table, then asked, "How much are the grain coupons?"
The waiter also wanted to ask how the food coupons were calculated, saying he'd never seen them bought like this before. Did the three of them only drink soy milk in the morning? A whole bowl?
"Please give me two more cents."
The older woman next door greeted him, but didn't pay much attention to his special request.
The young waiter was nudged on the arm by the older woman, and only then did he realize what was happening. He took five cents and made a bowl of soy milk.
Li Xuewu didn't explain, but carried the soy milk to the square table and placed the bowl in front of Li Ning.
"There's nothing I can do but drink it here."
He smiled and said, "Try it and see what it tastes like. Compare it to the taste at Grandma's house and see which one is better."
"Dad, you drink first." Li Ning was quite sensible, pushing her rice bowl towards her father first, "You take the first sip."
The young waiter, who had been watching the strange father and his two children closely, almost popped his eyes out of their sockets.
Is it really true that the three of them, father and son, shared a bowl of soup?
They don't look like they're in dire straits, so why the big deal?
Look at what that fierce-looking guy is saying, "Dad doesn't like to drink it, you drink it." This fatherly love is even stronger than the soy milk in the bowl.
"What are you looking at?" The older woman next door reminded her when she saw her craning her neck to look outside. "Get to work."
"Hey lady, look—" the waiter reminded the woman, "They even let the three of them on the table."
"Stop talking nonsense, you're wearing leather shoes."
The eldest sister had a sharp eye; she knew at a glance that he was no ordinary person. "Don't look around, or I'll teach you a lesson."
"I..." The waitress was really upset. What had she done? She just had to clean herself up.
Li Ning looked at the bowl that had been pushed back, then at his sister, and remembered the story of Kong Rong giving away pears.
"Sister, would you like a drink?"
"I'm not drinking, but you should drink it too." Li Shu glanced at him and reminded him, "If you dare to make me miss school, I guarantee you'll be in big trouble!"
"Sigh, soy milk is enough, why would I need fruit?"
Li Ning acted like a little adult, which made him want to be punched. Li Xuewu, however, amusedly reminded him, "Just have a bowl of soy milk to taste it. Do you really want to eat here and go back?"
What kind of fruit? It's a fried dough stick that someone brought over. This kind of thing is a rare item in these days, and it's not cheap.
Why?
It's not that noodles are expensive, it's that oil is expensive.
No wonder the neighbors rave about this place; the breakfast here is truly amazing.
Li Ning held his rice bowl, slurped a few small sips, raised an eyebrow, and said, "It's not sweet either."
"What's so sweet if there's no sugar in it?"
Li Shu was practically ready to stand up and force-feed her brother, but then she looked at him and reminded him, "You have three minutes left."
"It doesn't taste good. I want to take it home and add sugar before drinking it."
Li Ning looked at the bowl in his hand, then at the doorway. He didn't know how to solve this problem.
"Two minutes." Li Shu was still counting down.
"Sigh!" Li Ning sighed, almost saying that you can't have your cake and eat it too. He picked up his rice bowl and drank it down in a few big gulps, as if he were taking medicine.
hiccup~
As they left, Li Ning burped, clutching his stomach. Li Xuewu smiled and reminded him, "Leave some room; there'll be a big glass of milk when we get home."
-
"You really like drinking soy milk that much?"
Wang Shuhua wouldn't let go of Li Ning once she saw him, even holding him in her arms while sitting on the sofa.
Li Shu sat beside her father like a little adult, very ladylike. Today, her father brought them out to visit guests.
Li Xuewu returned from work early, carrying gifts he had prepared beforehand, and went to his godmother's house.
Both sides were busy during the Lunar New Year, so he sent Guodong instead. This time, he brought the children to make up for it.
Wang Shuhua was about to complain that he was reluctant to come, but when she saw the two children, she couldn't say anything to complain.
She has grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her own, but the children are all grown up and rarely come home, so she doesn't care who comes.
Li Shu and Li Ning were both good-looking, and they attracted attention wherever they went.
Listening to Li Xuewu recount the embarrassing story of drinking too much soy milk in the morning, then showing off by drinking milk at home, and finally vomiting at school, Wang Shuhua laughed and teased the already embarrassed Li Ning, asking, "Will you drink like that again next time?"
"I don't like drinking soy milk anymore."
Li Ning, however, changed the subject, childishly saying, "The soy milk isn't sweet at all."
"You're just after the sweetness—"
Wang Shuhua took a candy ball that she had found earlier from the coffee table, handed one to Li Shu, and then gave it to Li Ning.
Li Shu glanced at her father, but didn't rush to open the candy ball. She only unwrapped it after seeing her father smile and nod.
"This is Grandpa and Grandma's house, so don't feel uncomfortable."
Wang Shuhua looked at Li Shu and smiled as she instructed her, "Just like at your grandparents' house."
“Okay—” Li Shu nodded seriously, as if she had made a promise.
Wang Shuhua was amused by her question and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Why didn't her mother come?"
"Xiao Ning hadn't finished get off work yet when we came out."
Li Xuewu explained, "When I told them I was coming to visit, they couldn't stay still and insisted on coming along."
"You've come to the right place. Grandma will give you candy when you come."
Wang Shuhua smiled and patted Li Ning's leg in her arms, asking, "Won't you be able to come to Grandma's house again next time?"
"Here!" Li Ning chewed on the candy in his hand, seemingly not paying attention, and answered whatever his grandmother asked.
The couple couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of him.
"Then tell Grandma, can you not leave today?" Wang Shuhua asked him again. "How about you stay at Grandma's house? Grandma will buy you candy every day."
Li Shu, who was eating candy, suddenly looked up, stopped what she was doing, and looked at Grandma Wang warily.
Li Ning seemed to realize something as well. He looked at his sister, then at his father, and then said seriously to his grandmother, "No, eating too much candy will cause worms in your teeth!"
"Hahaha—" Wang Shuhua was laughing so hard she couldn't stop, and Zheng Shusen, with his legs crossed, leaned back on the sofa with a smile in his eyes as well.
"This little thing is so cute."
Wang Shuhua pointed at Zheng Shusen and asked Li Ning, "Who's that?"
"Grandpa, Grandpa Zheng." Li Ning leaned against her, then looked up and said, "You are Grandma."
"Hahaha—" Wang Shuhua tapped his little nose and said, "How come you're so smart! Who did you take after!"
Li Shu knew the adults were joking, so she ate the candy ball with peace of mind; it was a little sweet.
"I heard you're going to take on a major role?"
After watching the children make a fuss for a while, Li Xuewu turned to his godfather and asked, "Is the news confirmed?"
"That's about it." Zheng Shusen's face didn't show any of the arrogance one would expect when reaching the pinnacle of life. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Li Xuewu was asking if he had retired early.
If he were to retire early, he might burst out laughing.
"You're going to be under a lot of pressure."
Li Xuewu felt neither excited nor overjoyed that his godfather was about to take control of Beijing.
"You still need to take care of your health and get more rest."
"It's not that easy—"
At this moment, Wang Shuhua couldn't help but sigh, "At this point, we have no choice but to accept it."
She coaxed Li Ning, who was in her arms, saying, "They even notified us in advance to prepare for the move, saying we had to move there."
Zheng Shusen listened to his lover's complaints without saying anything. He wanted to smoke a cigarette, but then looked at Li Xuewu and the child.
"My dad has a broad mind and a promising future."
Li Xuewu glanced at his godmother before saying to his godfather, "You must have a detailed work plan. My godmother and I are not worried about anything else, but we are worried about your health."
"Okay, I understand." Zheng Shusen didn't just brush it off or laugh it off.
He has met countless people in his life, and he can tell whether someone is telling the truth just by listening to them.
Actually, it was his wife's idea to recognize Li Xuewu as her godson; he never refused, nor did he ever admit it.
Unlike his lover's idea, he only agreed to call Li Xuewu "godfather" after seeing his mature side.
Perhaps Li Xuewu never thought he could get anything from him, but he had another plan.
Based on Li Xuewu's affection for the couple over the years, he would be willing to help his godson with any request, as long as it didn't violate his principles.
So far, Li Xuewu has only called him once, and that was only to get a soon-to-be-disbanded cultural troupe from the railway.
The more Li Xuewu acted this way, the more considerate he felt. Overwhelmed with emotion, he patted his godson's hand, looking as if he knew exactly what was going on.
Few people knew about this relationship; everyone in the group said Zhou Wanquan was coming on strong, and that the wolf was coming.
But thinking about it carefully, was Li Xuewu ever afraid of him?
Perhaps for Zhou Wanquan, Li Xuewu, who was about to return to Beijing, was the wolf that was coming.