dognovel Chapter 1648 The Children
Chapter 1648 The Children
Chapter 1648 The Children
"Are you going back to Steel City?"
Gao Yaqin approached Li Xuewu and, seeing him looking at documents, frowned and asked, "What should we do about the situation in Beijing?"
"What do you mean, what should we do?" Li Xuewu looked up, only to see that she had closed the office door behind her when she came in.
"You can't leave now."
Gao Yaqin didn't pay attention to his raised eyebrow gesture. Closing the door was for better communication, not for doing anything bad.
"You should know that things are far more complicated than they seem."
“Of course, of course—” Li Xuewu leaned back in his chair, looked at her, and asked, “What are your thoughts?”
What do you still doubt about me?
Gao Yaqin was very impatient with his attitude and frowned, saying, "Do you want to see the team run into problems?"
She was naturally dissatisfied with Li Xuewu's reserved and affected manner, which hurt her somewhat.
"You don't want to see Old Li suffer, do you?"
"What are you trying to say?" Li Xuewu asked, looking at her. "I don't understand what you mean."
"Of course you understand!" Gao Yaqin glared at him, her hands resting on his desk. "We don't have any conflicts, do we? Why can't you just—let it go!"
She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly felt it was pointless. After taking a deep breath, she looked out the window and said, "I've been meddling in other people's business."
"Am I that intimidating to you?"
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup and said slowly, "You think I'm some kind of scheming villain."
With her arms crossed and eyes full of resentment, Gao Yaqin turned around and glared at him without saying a word, but her expression clearly showed her dissatisfaction.
That's right, she felt that Li Xuewu had planned everything, manipulated everything, and even dominated everything that happened today.
She hadn't previously realized how terrible or terrifying such schemes were.
But now that the dust has settled, she is in the midst of it all, and cold sweat runs down her face.
“I know you don’t look down on me.”
Li Xuewu took a sip of warm tea, lowered his head and put down the teacup, saying, "You look down on Director Li, and you look down on Deputy Director Su even more."
"What do you mean?" Gao Yaqin asked, frowning. "I don't want to hear your cryptic talk."
“Once people are prejudiced, they won’t listen to explanations.” Li Xuewu shrugged and looked at her calmly, saying, “If I said that Deputy Director Su might one day make a comeback, you wouldn’t think I’m joking, would you?”
Gao Yaqin's wide eyes were filled with incomprehension. She understood Li Xuewu's explanation, but she really didn't understand.
"why?"
She tilted her head, looked at Li Xuewu, and asked, "You—"
Li Xuewu knew that what she wanted to ask was, since he had already pushed Su Weide to this point, why not just kill him outright?
Why not strike while the iron is hot, knowing the other person has a chance to rekindle their flames, and then finish them off with a single piss?
This is a typical example of subjective thinking; she was convinced that Li Xuewu wanted to kill Su Weide.
She was convinced that Li Xuewu had manipulated everything, for some purpose she believed Li Xuewu was determined to achieve.
But is the situation really as she thinks?
"Mr. Gao, you are really cute."
Li Xuewu looked at her, who seemed lost, and said with a smile, "Sometimes I can't help but think like that."
Gao Yaqin's nostrils twitched, clearly provoked by his words, but reason told her that the truth was not so.
She had heard rumors about Li Xuewu's romantic escapades, but she wasn't so desperate as to flirt with him.
This statement sounded off, but what truly provoked her was Li Xuewu's contempt.
You think I'm childish, right?
She narrowed her eyes slightly and asked with a hint of annoyance, "You are more cunning and treacherous than I imagined."
"Thank you for the compliment." Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, completely unconcerned about her evaluation.
He sat up straight, straightened his cardigan, and looked at her standing across the desk with a leisurely air, saying, "You should have heard of Fu Bin, the former director of the security department, right?"
"That was my former boss, and he greatly helped and influenced my growth and progress."
Li Xuewu pointed with his finger and said earnestly, "He once said something to me that I remember very well."
He said, “Praise from friends is a good reputation, and slander from enemies is an honor.”
After saying this, he looked into Gao Yaqin's eyes and asked, "President Gao, are you my enemy or my friend?"
"I'm your maternal grandmother—" Gao Yaqin was so angry with him that she threw down those words and turned to leave.
Li Xuewu was also amused by her exaggerated gestures, and shook his head slightly as he looked at the slammed door.
Anyone who says he orchestrated all of this just to get rid of Suvid is really degrading himself.
If we wanted to get rid of someone like Suweide, we would have done it long ago. Why wait until today?
Zhou Xiaobai was willing to sacrifice himself, and they even dug a pit for him, but Li Xuewu still let him go.
Do you really think he's kind-hearted and can't bring himself to do it?
If anyone were to use this phrase to describe him, those dead souls at the Xishan shooting range who witnessed his meteoric rise would certainly disagree.
If someone were in his position, they could see the life-or-death struggle in a single move, and they would have been struck by lightning long ago.
After seeing Fu Bin off, he knew he had to tone down his sharp edges and learn to solve problems using rational thinking.
Otherwise, wouldn't all those books he read have been read in vain?
***
It's really funny, Gao Yaqin was cursing Li Xuewu a hundred times over in her mind as she listened to her secretary's report.
But after careful consideration, she still needed to calm down and think about how the organizational ecosystem of Honggang Group needed internal balance.
Her aggressive behavior in Li Xuewu's office was not for her own sake, nor was it unfounded worry.
This case didn't involve her at all, but it has already affected her.
At the leadership meeting that Li Huaide had just chaired, he asked all members of the leadership team to make statements.
What state does it represent?
Of course, we firmly support the organization's decision, actively distance ourselves from Su Weide and others, and actively report and expose related issues.
Li Huaide's impatience seemed somewhat unreasonable to her.
Suweide was taken away for investigation, not taken away and executed. Why are you celebrating with champagne now?
She doesn't object to Li Xuewu standing up to get rid of trash like Su Weide, but she doesn't have a high opinion of Li Huaide's current performance.
Gao Yaqin took the initiative to find Li Xuewu, hoping he could persuade Old Li not to be too complacent.
Didn't you see that some of the team members' statements at the meeting were insincere or forced?
These people certainly didn't sympathize with Suvid; everyone knew about his despicable deeds, they just never said anything.
But what is Li Huaide trying to do with such a grand display?
Everyone knows what he's up to; he's just using the Suvid incident to stir up a big controversy.
As the group's leadership team expanded, management authority inevitably became more decentralized, causing some panic among Lao Li.
It's certainly understandable for a group's general manager to be in charge of personnel, finance, and business, but there's no need to be so anxious and intense about it.
Today it was Suweide who went down, but who will go down tomorrow? That's what everyone is worried about.
No one wants to see Li Huaide become complacent and act recklessly. Even the slightest change in the organizational ecosystem requires ample time to repair and rebalance.
If we let Lao Li run wild, no one will have an easy time. Only a stable ecosystem allows them the time and energy to achieve results, and results and influence are the ladder to their advancement.
We look at performance at the top, and influence at the bottom.
But Li Xuewu's attitude drove her crazy; everyone said that Li Huaide was sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight.
But in her opinion, she couldn't find Li Xuewu's shadow anywhere in this fight scene.
On the contrary, Li Huaide, who was thought to be sitting on the mountain, actually appeared in the arena.
Isn't this bizarre situation enough to make one tense and tremble? Who exactly is playing chess?
"Leader, Director Li criticized General Manager Deng Yuanneng of the Jinling area of the Sales Headquarters during the training session."
While pouring tea, the secretary quietly reported, "They say the work is ineffective and the situation has not improved for a long time."
"What were you thinking about all this time!" Gao Yaqin was already annoyed by Li Xuewu's attitude. Hearing her secretary's report, she snorted irritably and said, "That's just bullshit."
The secretary knew that the words were not directed at him, or even at Deng Yuanneng.
Thinking about it, this mechanism isn't really that interesting. We've heard about it so many times that all our previous positive perceptions of it have been shattered.
Most grassroots cadres and employees probably see the group headquarters as a busy, wise, and elite unit of the entire group.
But actually?
Beneath the glamorous facade lies a mess of trivialities.
Take Deng Yuanneng, who has only been in office in the Jinling area for half a year, for example. Do you think he is capable of doing his job?
Was Li Huaide's criticism of him justified at the study session meeting?
This kind of thing can't be said publicly, but everyone has their own opinion, the most direct one being Deng Yuanneng's background.
Many people know that Deng Yuan was able to obtain this position only after Deputy Director Su argued strongly for it at the meeting.
You could say he was Deputy Director Su's confidant, or you could say there was some unspeakable secret between them.
However, looking at the issue fairly, Deng Yuanneng did achieve results in the Jinling area.
In just six months, the group's sales business has spread throughout the Jiangnan region. You could say this is a natural result of building the Red Star brand's influence, but you can't deny his efforts, can you?
If Deng Yuan is incompetent, would he have been assessed by the Organization Department and listed as a candidate for appointment?
But when it comes to the fundamental issue, everything is wrong. Gao Yaqin's anger and complaints were actually directed at Li Huaide.
The investigation team hasn't even given a definitive report yet, and he's already starting to purge Su Weide's close associates—he's too hasty.
While it's often said that people are forgotten once they leave the workplace, there are unspoken rules, and we can't just eradicate them all, can we?
If there's a real problem involved, no one will say anything. But judging an official's success or failure based on personal subjective judgment is unconvincing no matter where you look.
In any case, Gao Yaqin was very disgusted with Li Huaide now, and even complained about Li Xuewu who ignored her.
It's like Li Xuewu owns a dog that bites people randomly, and the dog owner just stands by and does nothing. Isn't that infuriating?
-
Li Xuewu failed to properly handle the issues at Sanhe Co., Ltd., which led to the stagnation of the cooperative project between the two parties.
But this wasn't something he could decide. Kenichi Nishida was gone, and no one could talk to him directly anymore.
The two clerks from Sanhe who remained in Beijing also received a notice to meet with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who reminded them not to leave the country.
This tense atmosphere of investigation directly brought the new cooperation between Honggang Group and Sanhe to a halt.
Li Xuewu didn't know how Sanhe should respond or react next, or whether they would arrange for Nakamura to visit.
But he couldn't wait any longer in the capital; with the end of the year approaching, he still had a lot of work to do.
Li Huaide asked Liu Bin to book a plane for him as a reward for this mission.
The date was set for Monday.
On Sunday, Li Xuewu arrived at Zhou Yamei's home in Beijing as promised, having promised to take his godson out for a trip.
"It's too cold, I'll catch a cold if I get chilled."
Zhou Yamei looked at her son with some reluctance and said, "How about Mom goes to the library with you to read?"
"I want to go out and play with my uncle."
Fu Zhidong looked at his mother pitifully, then glanced expectantly at his uncle sitting on the sofa.
“Don’t look at me, you’re a big kid now.” Li Xuewu shrugged and said, “You have to convince your mother.”
“Mom—” Fu Zhidong said, taking his mother’s hand. “I finally waited until Uncle had some time.”
He looked at his mother and said, "I promise I'll come home after dinner, I won't play around, and I'll be a good boy/girl."
Zhou Yamei patted her son's head, smiled, and said, "Go on, dress warmly."
"Okay!" Fu Zhidong finally got his mother's permission and skipped to the door to put on his coat, which he had already prepared.
"Don't you find them noisy?"
Zhou Yamei glanced at him and said, "No work or social engagements today?"
"You have to keep your promises, otherwise don't make them in the first place." Li Xuewu smiled and looked at Fu Zhidong, who was eavesdropping at the door, and asked, "Isn't that right, son?"
"Hehe—" Fu Zhidong said with a smile, "Uncle is the best."
"We're almost done with the work." Li Xuewu turned to Zhou Yamei and explained, "We'll deal with the rest when we get back to Steel City."
He glanced at Zhou Yamei and asked, "Are you and your daughter going back to Gangcheng for the Spring Festival this year?"
Although the steel rolling mill has moved away, there are still industrial boilers in the Liangmahe Industrial Zone, which serve as the power source for the light industry.
Tuanjiehu Lake remains a cooling pond, but it has gradually lost its function as the workers' new village expands.
Take Zhou Yamei's house heating, for example. Li Xuewu had only been inside for ten minutes when he felt like he was about to break out in a sweat.
At home, Zhou Yamei wore only a thin nightgown, her hair tied up, exuding a relaxed and alluring charm.
She took a sip of her tea, nodded, and said, "It doesn't have to be during the Chinese New Year. Let's wait until Zhidong has his winter break."
As she said this, Zhou Yamei looked at her son at the door and said, "Take him back to see his maternal grandparents."
"Are the old folks still in good health?"
Li Xuewu looked her over and asked, "Didn't you say you were going to come to the capital to see you, or to live here?"
"No, I didn't mention that either."
Zhou Yamei lowered her head and said softly, "I can't get in touch with them even once a year."
What she didn't say was that her parents didn't contact her because she didn't contact them.
Or to be more precise, after Fu Haibo's accident and the house he had arranged for his parents being taken back, they had much less contact.
There was an awkwardness between the two parties when they met, and the younger brother and sister-in-law also fueled the flames. Her family members knew a little about her situation.
Her parents knew she had found a man, and a rather powerful one at that, and they were somewhat displeased with her behavior.
Zhou Yamei is not heartless. No matter how emotional her parents are, as long as they are alive, they are her roots.
So even though I've been living in Beijing for the past two years, I still sometimes take the kids back to visit.
She didn't want to talk to her younger brother and sister-in-law, nor did she care about their veiled insults; she had long been disgusted by this kind of intrigue.
Her younger brother and sister-in-law had come to her asking for money, believing that she must have gotten close to a powerful and influential family to maintain her dignity after Fu Haibo's incident.
The sister-in-law still had some reservations, but the brother would ask for money at the drop of a hat, always mentioning that their parents were getting old and needed a lot of money.
She was in charge of personnel at the recycling station, but she relied on the living expenses given to her by Li Xuewu. There wasn't enough money for them to squander.
She didn't give it to me the first time, let alone the second time, and she didn't give me a friendly look when I came home the third time.
Even parents are like that.
So she didn't contact him this year because of the unhappiness she felt last year. It was only when Li Xuewu asked that she didn't even remember.
Fu Zhidong put on his clothes and changed his shoes, then quietly called out "Uncle." Li Xuewu turned around, looked at him, and winked.
"Let me know in advance if you're going back to Gangcheng, and I'll arrange for someone to pick you up." Li Xuewu stood up and instructed, "If your parents need anything, you can also contact Yu Li for help."
"Okay, it's nothing."
Zhou Yamei got up to see them off, gave her son some more instructions at the door, and then watched them go downstairs.
The sounds of the father and son chatting and laughing echoed in the stairwell. They sounded so cheerful and in sync that she couldn't help but smile.
Sometimes Zhou Yamei wondered if he really liked her, otherwise why would he be so good to their son?
Later she discovered that this wasn't necessarily the case; he simply had a naive side, simply enjoying being with children.
Of course, she believed he liked her because he was really good to her.
-
"Uncle, my mom doesn't actually want to go back to her hometown."
As they exited the building, Fu Zhidong looked up at him and said, "My uncle can be quite rude."
"Oh, really?" Li Xuewu asked, "Do you want to go back to your hometown?"
"No, I don't want to at all."
Fu Zhidong followed him to the car, tilted his head and explained, "My eldest brother from my maternal uncle's family swears and curses, while my youngest brother from my maternal uncle's family is spoiled and cries all the time. My maternal grandmother beats me."
Have you talked to your mother about these things?
Li Xuewu unlocked the car door with his key, looked at him and asked, "About the incident where your grandmother hit you?"
Fu Zhidong lowered his head and shook it, saying in a low voice, "I don't want Mom to worry, and I especially don't want her to argue with Grandma."
"Yes, you've grown up." Li Xuewu patted his godson on the shoulder and opened the car door, gesturing for him to get in.
It was still that cruiser. Li Xuewu, with his size, felt that the larger vehicle was easier to drive.
Fu Zhidong sat in the passenger seat, dutifully fastened his seatbelt, and looked at the car's interior with some curiosity.
“If you don’t want to go back to your hometown, you can tell your mother directly.” Li Xuewu got into the driver’s seat, started the car and said, “She’s afraid you’ll miss your grandparents.”
"I don't miss them at all."
Fu Zhidong turned his head away and looked out the car window, saying, "They treat me differently than before. My maternal uncle's eldest brother said I'm not..."
"Next time I see him, I'll beat him up."
Li Xuewu did not comfort him or advise him to be magnanimous. Instead, he said directly, "If someone dares to bully you, it means they are unreasonable. So, fight them back."
"Do you still remember all the tricks I taught you?"
He turned to look at his godson and said, "Except for the 'Monkey Stealing Peaches' move, don't use too much force. Do whatever you want with the rest."
"I remember, I've used it before."
Fu Zhidong couldn't help but grin and looked at his godfather, saying, "When I first came to this school, some older students bullied me. Whenever I reached out, they would cry out in pain."
"Use it with caution. Martial arts practitioners must not be reckless." Li Xuewu smiled and glanced at him, saying, "While protecting yourself, you must also learn to win people over with virtue."
"Understood. Win people over with virtue; if they still disagree, then we'll fight again."
Fu Zhidong was still just a child; in just a few words, he had shifted his emotions and stopped thinking about those sad things.
Li Xuewu turned the car around and drove towards the compound. Since the goal was to have fun today, he decided to bring the children along.
Li Yue is no good. Although she can run, jump, and say a few words, Li Xuewu can't handle her alone.
He went to the compound to pick up Li Tang.
"Take him away quickly, don't let me see him."
The eldest sister-in-law, Zhao Yafang, doesn't seem like a biological mother at all; she's even more ruthless than a stepmother.
"Go away, your mother doesn't want you anymore."
Li Xuewu smiled and patted his nephew's little face, asking, "What did you do to make your mother angry?"
"It's all my sister's fault. I'm a good kid." Li Tang, though young, was very serious and emphasized, "It's not my fault."
“You still dare to say that—” The eldest brother pointed at his son and reminded him, “Your mother’s patience has its limits.”
Li Tang glanced at his mother, knowing that it wasn't the right time to explain to his second uncle; he should wait until they were outside to try and fool him.
"You'd better keep a close eye on him." Liu Yin dressed her eldest grandson in his outdoor clothes, a cotton-padded jacket and trousers, afraid that Li Tang would get cold.
"That's not necessarily true," Li Xuewu joked. "How about I save myself the trouble and just not take him out to play?"
"No! What you say goes!"
The eldest sister-in-law, Zhao Yafang, was the first to object. She came out from behind the desk to help, as if she was afraid that Li Xuewu wouldn't help take care of the child.
"Is she even your biological mother?" Liu Yin chuckled and slapped her, saying, "How can you chase your son away like that?"
"I'm so annoyed—" Zhao Yafang glared at her son and pinched Li Tang while putting on her cotton-padded pants.
"It's been making a ruckus since this morning, and it hasn't stopped at all."
Li Tang had reached the point of being mischievous. Even when his mother pinched him, he just found it funny and giggled.
Li Yue sat in his wife's lap watching the commotion, and when he saw his elder brother getting dressed, he became anxious.
"Me too! Me too!"
She pointed her little finger at her brother and said in a childish voice, "Outside! Go outside!"
"If you don't go, your brother will go get his shot."
Zhao Yafang used a combination of coaxing and intimidation, but while the old lady was comforting her daughter, she looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Why don't you take them all?"
"Now I know what my stepmother looks like," Li Xuewu said with a laugh. "Aren't you afraid I'll sell them off?"
"That's even better, remember to share the money with me."
Zhao Yafang skillfully put her son down, put cotton shoes on him, and said in an annoyed tone, "It's fine if you get a smaller share."
"You must be really unpopular."
Li Xuewu tapped his nephew's cheek and said, "How about I sell you off?"
"Fine!" Li Tang was in agony, and replied, mimicking his mother, "Just give me the money, even a small amount is fine."
"Hahaha—" Li Shun, who was lying on the kang, was amused and sat up to look at his grandson with eyes full of love.
“No need for a long time, let’s do it today.” Zhao Yafang pointed at Li Xuewu and said with a smile, “Don’t send him back to us early, or we’ll see if you want to be a stepfather.”
"That depends on how you take care of the child."
Li Xuewu tilted his head and teased, "It's because none of you know how to carry them that you feel tired. Watch me."
He said to his nephew, who was putting on his shoes and getting out of bed, "Take your little schoolbag and let's go."
"Let's go!" Li Tang was overjoyed. Who wouldn't be happy to be able to go out and have fun in the dead of winter?
Li Yue was so anxious that she stood by the window and cried, pointing at her departing brother with a look of grievance.
Li Xuewu really couldn't bring him along, otherwise he definitely would have. The moment Li Tang got on the bus and Fu Zhidong, who was waiting in the bus, met, it was like Mars colliding with Earth.
"This is Fu Zhidong, 8 years old, and this is Li Tang, almost 4 years old." Li Xuewu didn't care. After a brief introduction from the driver's seat, he sent Fu Zhidong to the back to let the two boys get to know each other.
Li Tang was used to being mischievous in kindergarten. When he saw that Fu Zhidong's schoolbag was nice, he reached out to touch it, but Fu Zhidong slapped his hand away.
"Wow! You're pretty arrogant!"
Li Tang's living environment is different from Li Ning's. Li Ning has a powerful figure suppressing him at home, but Li Tang does not.
In the compound, there was no real devil, but his great-grandmother, great-grandmother, and grandparents doted on him. That was the real devil.
Therefore, compared to Li Ning's cleverness, he is more eccentric.
Fu Zhidong glanced at his uncle who was driving, and seeing Li Tang being mischievous, he reached out and used the "monkey stealing peaches" trick.
"Ah!" Actually, it didn't hurt, I was just scared.
This was the first time Li Tang had been suppressed by the heroes of the martial arts world, especially since his weak point had been exploited, leaving him huddled in his seat, too afraid to move.
"Who are you calling arrogant?"
Fu Zhidong squinted, and upon closer inspection, he looked remarkably like Li Xuewu, especially his raised eyebrow gesture, which frightened Li Tang so much that he dared not speak again.
Li Xuewu saw it in the rearview mirror, but ignored it. Little boys have to go through these things, otherwise they'll become like Jia Baoyu.
The car drove directly to the sea freight warehouse. Before leaving, he told Li Shu and Li Ning to get ready.
As soon as the car arrived, the two children excitedly ran out, each carrying a small schoolbag.
Er Ya followed nervously behind, wanting to remind them not to run too fast and fall again, but the two children had already reached the door.
"dad--"
Li Shu laughed and called out, then climbed into the car through the passenger side door her father had opened.
Li Ning was a bit short, so it was a little difficult for him to get on the bus. Li Xuewu carried him up.
With the three boys in the back seat, Li Xuewu naturally had his own passenger seat. This was not Li Xuewu's decision.
For Li Ning, anywhere is fine as long as he doesn't sit with his sister—the roof, the floor, or even the trunk.
For Li Tang, when Li Shu is not around, he is the king, but as soon as he sees his sister, he becomes Li Shu's number one lackey.
"Sis, I brought some fruit candies."
Only then did Li Tang, as if presenting a treasure, take out a candy ball from his schoolbag and hand it to Li Shu in front of him.
Li Shu waved her hand impatiently and said, "Don't bother me, I find you disgusting."
"Alright!" Li Tang seemed not to understand his sister's answer. He turned to look at his younger brother, then at the ruthless gangster, and decided to share his candy balls.
"Do you want some?"
He initially yielded to the gang leader because he couldn't beat him and even wanted to learn a few moves.
Fu Zhidong glanced at him, but still politely took a piece of candy.
Li Ning didn't need Xiao Ge's permission; the two were very familiar with each other, getting into trouble together, getting beaten up together, and being bullied by Li Shu together.
It could be said that only the two brothers in this family lived through thick and thin under Li Shu's shadow.
"Li Shu, don't you remember Fu Zhidong?"
Li Xuewu drove out, gestured behind him, and introduced to his daughter, "This is the young man who came to Aunt Zhou's house."
“I remember Aunt Zhou.” Li Shu turned to look at Fu Zhidong and said, “I think I remember.”
“I remember you,” Fu Zhidong smiled and said, “Little slug.”
"You're the little snotty one!"
Li Shu, like a firecracker that had been lit, glared at Fu Zhidong, then turned to her father and said, "I don't remember him."
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu said with a laugh, "Didn't you two agree to meet soon?"
"I've forgotten. Who remembers him?"
Li Shu crossed her arms and looked out the window, but couldn't help glancing at Fu Zhidong in the rearview mirror.
When Zhou Yamei first came to Beijing, she stayed at home for six months, and the two children played together every day.
Li Shu was only a little over a year old at that time, so it's normal that she doesn't remember, but Fu Zhidong does.
"It's a deal, we're here to have fun today, no arguing, no crying, no making a scene."
What do children like to watch?
It's too cold at this time of year, so we can't go to most places. It's also too early to eat, so finding a place to have fun is really not easy.
The best place to go is a museum.
However, at that time, very few of the fifteen museums in the capital were open for normal exhibitions.
The Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the Military Museum, and other museums have all undergone some renovations and are now open to the public under certain conditions.
Instead of choosing places with more serious and somber content, Li Xuewu went to the Beijing Natural History Museum.
Fu Zhidong is in the second grade, Li Shu is in the first grade, and Li Tang and Li Ning are in kindergarten. It is more intuitive for them to see fossils and specimens.
This is the perfect age group to watch these, and they don't even need professional explanations.
Like other museums, the Natural History Museum has undergone renovations, and the walls are covered with many iconic posters.
Li Xuewu didn't care about any of that. He took his work ID, queued up to buy tickets, and then led the little ones into the museum for a visit.
The weather was pretty good today, with plenty of sunshine, but it was a bit chilly, so I didn't dare let them stay outside for long.
The museum is heated, and it displays many plants and specimens, so a suitable temperature is required.
Li Xuewu gave the four children a task: the two older children should take care of the two younger children, and he would buy them treats afterward.
Li Shu naturally chose her younger brother Li Ning, and Fu Zhidong could only choose the brat Li Tang.
The four children formed two teams, holding hands, and walked with the sparse crowd of exhibition visitors, looking at the novelties along the way.
Sometimes we would stop to discuss what the stones and specimens were, or to decide what the flowers and plants should be called.
Actually, all of this information was written on the cards. Those who could read corrected the mistakes of those who couldn't, while the two who couldn't read emphasized their own reasoning. It was quite lively as they walked.
Taking care of four children is not easy for Li Xuewu, but it's not too hard either. As long as he keeps a close eye on them and they don't run around, everything will be fine.
Besides, there are few people who steal children these days. They can't even support their own children, let alone go out and cause trouble for themselves.
The four children would chatter and argue without reaching a conclusion, then turn to him for answers. Li Xuewu would answer if he knew the answer, and if he didn't, he would just tell them to write it down and look it up later.
This does instill the right learning attitude in children: say what you know, and don't say what you don't know.
I wasted the whole morning at the museum, especially at the World of Plants, one of the four classic permanent exhibitions.
The temperature and humidity here are ideal for plant growth, and walking through it feels like stepping into a rainforest.
The glass dome looks more high-tech and has been well-received by children.
The four children talked all morning without feeling tired. Not only were the four of them arguing, but they also argued with other children.
Today's exhibition has few other things but lots of children.
The children cherished the opportunity, having finally waited for a weekend.
"Are you hungry?" Li Xuewu asked with a smile after getting on the bus, and the four children all groaned.
"Hehehe—" This is exactly the effect he wanted. You like to talk, don't you? You have so much energy that you don't know where to put it? Let you release it all at once.
"Target restaurant, eat, then sleep!"
Li Xuewu drove towards the club. He had already arranged with Zhou Yamei to prepare a delicious lunch.
Children's food is different from adults', and it's definitely not presentable if you don't prepare it in advance.
Another advantage of going to the club is that it's spacious and warm, and it also has a flower hall and a library.
He had everything arranged: after lunch, he would take the children to the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) for a nap, and then they would watch a movie in the afternoon.
After watching the movie, we took them to a shooting range to learn how to fire a gun, combining academic and physical skills.
If there's still time, go play chess in the flower hall or entertainment hall, and wait to go home for dinner.
Dinner was not eaten at the club, but at home.
He also told Er Ya that he would prepare a nice meal to entertain the children.
"set off!"
Even Li Shu, who usually acts like a little adult in front of her younger brothers, was cheered up by them.
She sat in the passenger seat, but turned around and continued to chatter happily with the three of them about what they had seen and heard at the museum.
Although many people looked at her this morning, she knew they were looking at her hair and appearance.
She's old enough to understand things and can sense both kindness and malice, but with her father and younger brother around, she doesn't care about it.
-
"cheers!"
The heavy snow from a few days ago hasn't completely melted yet, and a little more snow fell after nightfall.
Light snow was falling outside the window, but the Octagonal Restaurant was warm and cozy.
The children had gotten to know each other in a day, especially Fu Zhidong, whom they had just met again.
He was the oldest and had the deepest impression of this place because it was the period of his childhood when he felt most insecure.
I was very happy to be back here and to be welcomed by Aunt Ning and Uncle, and to see Li Shu again.
He also met two younger brothers, Li Tang and Li Ning, who were both mischievous but also adorable.
Gu Ning looked at the children, then at Li Xuewu, and asked with some curiosity, "Did you have a lot of fun today?"
"Of course," Li Xuewu said with a smile, then asked the children, "Answer me, did you have fun today?"
"I'm so happy!" Li Shu said to her mother with a smile. "The museum is so much fun, there are live butterflies."
"And there are dinosaur fossils!" Li Ning gestured wildly as he introduced, "Like this, it's terrifying."
"What's there to be afraid of about stones?"
Li Tang habitually raised his chin again, emphasizing, "That big snake is scary, it even crawls!"
What did Zhidong gain?
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at his godson, asking, "What impressed you the most today?"
Fu Zhidong glanced at his godfather, hesitated, and said, "Being able to have fun is the reward."
He looked at Li Shu and his two younger brothers again and said, "It's a gain to get to know Li Shu again, and it's also a gain to get to know your brothers."
"Hehe—" Li Ning said with a smile, "You've even learned how to fire a gun."
"Yes! And shooting!" Li Tang excitedly looked at his second aunt and said, "I learned how to shoot, and then, bang!"
He gestured with his hands and said, "My second uncle taught me, it's really good!"
Gu Ning looked at Li Xuewu speechlessly and asked, "You took them to the shooting range?"
"No, it's at the club's training facility."
Li Xuewu explained casually, "Just playing around, it's still very safe over there."
“They’re only a few years old.” Gu Ning glanced at him, then looked at her daughter and son.
Li Shu and Li Ning were both very excited when discussing this topic, showing no sign of fear whatsoever.
Li Shu, in particular, looked up at her father with her little head held high, waiting for him to praise her.
Li Xuewu glanced at Gu Ning with amusement before praising her, "Li Shu is the best; she hit the target on her first try."
“It’s a spear!” Li Shu was afraid that her father’s explanation was incomplete, so she looked at her mother and emphasized, “I’m not afraid at all.”
"You're really something." Gu Ning glanced at Li Xuewu again before saying to Li Shu, "Don't go to school and tell your classmates and teachers about today's shooting practice, understand?"
"why?"
This wasn't Li Shu asking, but Li Tang. He had already prepared for this, planning to brag about it in class as soon as he got to school.
Although he didn't fire the gun independently, his second uncle played with him, so that counts as hitting the target.
"There's nothing to brag about."
Gu Ning's tone wasn't serious, and her attitude was very gentle, yet she could still get the child to listen to her obediently.
“You’re too young to learn these things. Uncle is just taking you there to have fun.”
She knew she couldn't explain the reasons to the children, and that once she said it, they would understand.
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "As long as you don't tell anyone, I'll take you out to play again next time."
“Okay!” The four children looked at each other and agreed in unison.
The atmosphere at the dinner table became lively again, and the children continued to report on their afternoon's activities, even mentioning the nicknames they had given each other.
This is the norm in primary schools and kindergartens; the given name might be wrong, but the nickname will never be wrong.
Li Shu gave Fu Zhidong incomprehensible nicknames like "Big Snot" and "Little One," because he didn't understand anything he saw and only knew to turn around and ask his father.
Fu Zhidong gave Li Tang the nickname "Little Sugar Ball" because the kid ate candy from the moment he got on the bus until he got off.