dognovel Chapter 1612 One step to heaven, one step to abyss
Chapter 1612 One step to heaven, one step to abyss
Chapter 1612 One step to heaven, one step to abyss
"When do you plan to propose restarting negotiations with Sanhe Co., Ltd."
Gao Yaqin was still influenced by the Hong Kong style, and wore a white long dress at the banquet tonight.
Middle-aged women cannot surpass young girls in age and appearance, but they have a unique charm.
If Li Xuewu were to rate her, given her years of experience in a high position, she would get at least a 7 out of 10.
"The tug-of-war has always been going on."
Li Xuewu picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and frowned slightly, saying, "The taste is still a little lacking."
"You're so picky—"
Gao Yaqin glanced at the wine glass in his hand; it was a new product from Wufeng Beverage Factory: sparkling fruit wine.
Sparkling wine is neither a wine nor an alcoholic beverage, because its alcohol content is comparable to that of beer.
People with a high alcohol tolerance might not even consider beer as a beverage, but rather as an alcoholic drink.
Shouldn't we strive for perfection?
Li Xuewu handed over his wine glass and emphasized, "Can't you taste the faint sourness?"
“It’s normal, it’s fruit wine.” Gao Yaqin was defending the beverage factory: “In my opinion, this is already a very good level of craftsmanship and quality.”
She picked up a glass of the same wine from the long table, sniffed it lightly, and shook her head, saying, "At least it can completely crush similar products in the market."
"You haven't tried the products from the Beijing Fruit Winery, have you? They have a much stronger fruity acidity."
"Can't we compare ourselves to those above us?"
Li Xuewu wanted to put down his wine glass, but felt it would be a waste, so he simply downed it in one gulp.
He didn't want to drink anymore anyway, so let Old Li drink it.
"Nakamura from Sanhe contacted you?"
Li Xuewu put down his wine glass, looked at Gao Yaqin, and asked, "What did he say? Does he want to start negotiations?"
Do you think he would do that?
Gao Yaqin raised her eyebrows and said helplessly, "Anyway, you can decide for yourself. I admit you have a brilliant plan and have really cornered them."
“But!” she said earnestly to Li Xuewu, “The longer this drags on, not only will our cooperation and friendship be damaged, but the technological transformation process of Gangcheng Electronics will also suffer.”
"So, since Director Li has entrusted this project to you, I won't say anything more."
She shrugged and said in a softened tone, "I'll wait for your notification if you need me to organize negotiations for this project."
“No problem, you’re a professional.” Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, “Director Li trusts you.”
"How should I answer?" Gao Yaqin smiled and asked in return, "I'd rather gain your trust?"
“No need for that—” Li Xuewu waved his hand, stepping aside to walk past her as he said, “Comrades’ flattery is like poison to me.”
"Tch—" Gao Yaqin didn't want to pay attention to him; this bastard was always inexplicably arrogant.
She picked up her glass, took a small sip, and let the wine linger in her mouth. Suddenly, she felt it tasted sour.
No wonder Li Xuewu complained; when you taste it carefully, the fruit acid lingers in your mouth for a long time and has a slightly astringent taste, which does affect the flavor.
***
"Secretary-General."
When Sha Qizhi saw him, he took the initiative to come up to him and greeted him with a smile.
Li Xuewu shook hands with him, smiled back, and looked him up and down in his suit, raising an eyebrow as he said, "The event was well organized. I heard the response was very enthusiastic?"
"I'm also learning from you."
Sha Qizhi had just arrived, his forehead still damp with sweat. He looked around and asked softly, "If you're not busy, I'd like to treat you to dinner tonight?"
"Something wrong?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, nodded and said, "I have to pick Li Shu up from school tonight. Come over to my house for dinner."
"How could I possibly accept that?"
The smile on Sha Qizhi's face immediately became much brighter. He clenched his fingers and said, "How about I bring a bottle of good wine?"
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and patted his arm, saying, "I don't need your bottle of wine."
As he said this, he pointed to Xue Zhifu, who was walking over, and said to Sha Qizhi, "Wait for me at the entrance of the company after work, that's all."
“Okay.” Sha Qizhi responded, turned around and greeted Xue Zhifu with a smile, “President Xue.”
"Hmm, all done with work?" Xue Zhifu looked at him and nodded. "You haven't had lunch yet, have you? Go find something to eat, you still have a lot to do this afternoon."
"Alright, you two continue your conversation."
Sha Qizhi smiled and nodded, then headed to the dining area. There were many foreign guests today, so a buffet was served.
It was basically a buffet, but we had an etiquette instructor from the French Consulate General to guide us, so it had a very European feel.
"I thought you could make it back at the beginning of the month to attend the stadium's opening ceremony."
Xue Zhifu handed the empty wine glass to the waiter, gestured to the lounge area by the window, and invited him to sit down.
Li Xuewu scratched his itchy scalp with his ring finger and replied, "The project has been officially approved in Liaodong, and people from Beijing Chemical Industry have already gone to investigate."
"I heard about it, another big project?"
Xue Zhifu turned to look at him and said, "You always manage to come up with something unexpected."
"Is this considered a trick?" Li Xuewu glanced at him amusedly and said, "Why don't you try it too?"
"Hahaha—" Xue Zhifu had long been familiar with his sharp tongue, so he just smiled this time.
Once the two sat down by the window, they had long forgotten the unpleasant conversation they had had a few months ago.
"How much money has Beijing Chemical prepared?"
Xue Zhifu was quite interested in this project. He crossed his right leg, looked at Li Xuewu across from him, and asked, "If the total amount is too small, it won't be of much use to the group's projects. If the total amount is too large, they won't have the money to do it, right?"
He said with a hint of amusement, "We can't just follow Shen Fei's example and pull out some non-performing assets to exchange for cash, can we?"
"Beijing Chemical Industry is not a bankrupt company."
Li Xuewu leaned back, adjusted his belt, and raised an eyebrow as he explained, "They haven't given me a chance to bring in the United Savings Bank yet."
"Really—" Xue Zhifu was now somewhat surprised and serious. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Where did they get the money? Did the city approve it?"
“How could that be?” Li Xuewu tilted his head and glanced out the window. “With our group as an example, the city has always maintained a cautious attitude towards the corporatization of factories and the corporatization of enterprises.”
He waved and whispered to the approaching waiter, "Two cups of black tea, please."
"Okay, boss, coming right away."
The waiters were dressed in white shirts, gray vests, and matching blue ties, and were very polite.
It truly resembles an "international hotel," not just on the surface, but also in its substance.
In recent years, the group has invested heavily in its service business, with young people like Han Yating and He Yushui serving as general managers. They have been very bold in their management and have achieved good results.
At least in today's situation, if a veteran comrade were in charge, the results certainly wouldn't have been as good.
"Beijing Chemical must have some connections."
Li Xuewu cracked his knuckles and carefully considered his words before speaking: "However, I estimate that in the end they will still have to ask me for it, after all, it's an investment of tens of millions."
"Could the United Savings Bank really have that much money?"
Seeing his words, Xue Zhifu became somewhat hesitant and frowned, asking, "Isn't it very risky?"
At this moment, the waiter brought two cups of tea and placed them on the coffee table between them before leaving.
"The risks are manageable." Li Xuewu picked up his teacup and took a small sip; he'd recently taken a liking to black tea.
For some reason, I had an upset stomach after drinking green tea. Maybe it's because my spleen and stomach are weak?
"If all goes well, I will arrange for the United Savings Bank to act as a guarantor and capital controller."
He put down his teacup and said calmly, "This is also what Liaodong Industry hopes to see."
“Of course they would prefer Honggang Group to get involved,” Xue Zhifu said, turning his teacup. “It’s better to stick with what’s familiar than what’s unfamiliar.”
“No, I’m not talking about the group, but the United Savings Bank.” Li Xuewu looked across at the other side and emphasized, “The group will not participate in this project as a joint venture, but will approach it from the perspective of capital operation.”
"Capital operation?" Xue Zhifu frowned slightly, withdrew his right hand, and crossed his hands in front of his lower abdomen.
He thought for a moment, then looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "You mean to be a pure shareholder?"
"Of course not—" Li Xuewu snorted and said arrogantly, "Shareholders' words are useless. Capital operation is about being the referee of a project."
He tapped his finger on the small table and looked at Xue Zhifu, emphasizing, "Whether it's the resources and policies of Liaodong industry or the projects and operations of Beijing chemical industry, they must all be completed under our control and guidance."
"You're that confident?" Xue Zhifu looked at him in surprise and reminded him, "Don't mess it up."
“I have a plan,” Li Xuewu replied casually, then asked, “You want to ask about the engineering plan?”
"Yes, United Construction mentioned it to me." Xue Zhifu picked up his teacup and said, "They said that Beijing Chemical Industry plans to build a large-scale integrated industrial park in Liaodong."
"Wait a minute, there will be news."
Li Xuewu glanced around the banquet hall, pointed inside, and asked, "Are there any clients here today that United Construction can secure?"
“Hehehe—” Xue Zhifu glanced in the direction of the meeting room and said, “Lang Zhennan is personally overseeing it.”
"He's still too weak," Li Xuewu commented bluntly. "He lacks offensive power."
"It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but difficult to find a good general."
Xue Zhifu looked at him with amusement and said, "If I had a cadre like you, I would immediately tell him to step down, but I don't have one right now—"
He took a sip of hot tea, put down the teacup, and said, "I quite admire Xu Ning, but it's a pity that Director Li beat me to it."
"Who suggested he go to the steel company?"
Li Xuewu frowned slightly and said, "Isn't this forcing growth, or do you think I'm too easy to talk to?"
"Forget it, it's not worth getting angry about."
Xue Zhifu sighed softly and advised him, "Everyone in the group is talking about making cadres younger, and we should boldly let young cadres take on management positions."
He sat up slightly and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "You are a role model for this group. How can you oppose this appointment?"
"I am not against this policy."
Li Xuewu impatiently emphasized, "Don't you know me? I'm someone who boldly uses people, but—"
He only said half a sentence, not wanting to say the rest, and glanced out the window, saying, "This appointment is not good."
"It's already like this, whether it's good or bad."
Xue Zhifu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Look forward, think positively. Xu Ning can really use this opportunity to grow, even if he only has half of your abilities."
"Heh—" Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and asked, "Do you really have to compare yourself to me?"
"Otherwise, who should we use as the standard?" Xue Zhifu smiled, picked up his teacup and said, "You are already the ceiling for young cadres in the group, but don't be arrogant."
"Then I must thank you for reminding me."
Li Xuewu reached out and picked up his teacup, gesturing to it, and said, "I advise you to drink more black tea; it's good for your blood vessels."
"Really?" Xue Zhifu, who was drinking tea, was slightly taken aback and looked at the tea in his cup, asking, "Where did you hear that from? Did your wife tell you?"
“She’s a surgeon,” Li Xuewu said, pursing his lips. “My dad told me.”
"Then I have to believe it." Xue Zhifu nodded as if he was thinking, then suddenly looked at him and asked, "I heard that even Director Li went to your father to recuperate?"
"Cough cough—" Li Xuewu almost choked, and looked up to ask, "Who told you that?"
Everyone in the company knows that Director Li has kidney deficiency. If word gets out that his father cured Old Li's kidney deficiency...
"Isn't that how it is?"
Xue Zhifu said meaningfully, "We are comrades, after all. Although we have some differences in our work, it doesn't mean we should differentiate between close and distant relationships, does it?"
He raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you still have that kind of medicinal wine that Director Li drinks? Give me some."
"Your kidneys... are also failing?"
Li Xuewu looked him up and down with a complicated expression, as if the person sitting opposite him was an old lecher.
"Ahem—" Xue Zhifu seemed to have been prepared, and coughed lightly to explain, "You're getting old, you know. We're all men, and you'll have this day sooner or later."
"That also depends on the individual's physical condition, right?"
Li Xuewu gave him a wicked look and said, "If someone like you, who doesn't know how to make tea, is also suffering from kidney deficiency, it just means you don't take good care of your health."
"I knew you'd have a sharp tongue."
Xue Zhifu sighed and said helplessly, "Of those who came from that era, how many are still healthy?"
He gestured to Old Li, who was chatting and laughing with foreign guests in the room, and said, "Do you really think his body is ruined? He suffered a lot in the past."
"Okay, I understand." Li Xuewu couldn't stand seeing older comrades complain, so he nodded seriously and said, "I'll ask my dad when I get home to see if there's any left."
Why not make more at once?
Xue Zhifu blinked and said, "Director Li alone must cost a lot a year, right?"
"Do you think he drinks it all the time?"
Li Xuewu glanced at him with amusement and said, "Even if it's given to you, you have to be careful. You're an old comrade, you have to be restrained and not act like a young person showing off."
"What are you talking about?!" Xue Zhifu assumed he was being sarcastic and gestured towards the meeting room with his chin, saying, "I'm going to meet with the vice president of Santaya Group. Don't forget about the Beijing Chemical project. Let me know if there's any progress."
"Understood." Li Xuewu nodded.
"Oh, right, and there's wine too." Xue Zhifu, after walking a few steps, turned back and pointed at him, reminding him of this more important matter.
Li Xuewu smiled and looked out the window, pretending not to hear.
***
"Why do I feel that there are just as many foreign guests as there are heads of the joint organizations?"
Li Xuewu got into the car and asked Sha Qizhi, who had been waiting for him.
Sha Qizhi replied with a smile, "Sixty-eight international traders can't compare to the Guangzhou Trade Fair, but our clients are more powerful and better meet the expectations of both parties."
"Many of these people are members of the Andrew Buyers Club and know us very well."
He said with great confidence, "I also told General Manager Gao that instead of copying the general approach, we should take the route of high-quality products and long-term cooperation, and make the trade fair more refined, detailed and strong."
"You certainly have a lot of ideas—"
Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "You've been running around outside the whole time? Haven't you come home?"
"No way, my wife would be furious."
Sha Qizhi smiled and explained, "I've been busy these past few months, but I've also been going home quite often."
"Yeah, don't make trouble for yourself."
Li Xuewu patted his knee and reminded him, "Although this is nothing, you are still young and shouldn't stumble over something like this."
"Understood." Sha Qizhi nodded with a smile and said, "The children are all so big now, and I'm too busy with work to think about anything else."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked him up and down and said, "Alright, I wish you continued success."
"Thank you for your kind words—" Sha Qizhi said without any politeness.
The car stopped across the street. Li Xuewu got out and went with Sha Qizhi to the entrance of the primary school across the street.
You don't smoke anymore, do you?
Sha Qizhi took out a cigarette case and gestured to it. Seeing Li Xuewu shake his head, he lit one for himself.
"Hey, I'm used to it."
Seeing Li Xuewu looking at him, he explained somewhat embarrassedly, "I rely on this to keep myself awake when I'm busy at work."
"Suit yourself." Li Xuewu had already noticed that he wanted to smoke, which was why he didn't wait for Li Shu in the car.
However, he didn't offer to give way to me in the car. He doesn't smoke now and was a little impatient with the smell of smoke.
Unlike the filter technology of later generations, many cigarettes in this era did not have filters.
Cigarettes with filters are considered high-end cigarettes.
Even with filters, the tobacco roasting techniques weren't as sophisticated as in later times, and even the slightly cheaper cigarettes had a pungent smell.
However, there are those who really enjoy this, and they would love to stuff tobacco into their nostrils, light it with a match, and inhale it into their lungs.
"You must have heard, right?" After taking a couple of puffs of his cigarette, Sha Qizhi said, "At the beginning of the month, Deputy Director Gu was appointed as the First Deputy Director of the Group's Management Committee."
"Yes, I saw it in the briefing."
Li Xuewu stood at the door with his arms crossed, waiting for his child to get out of school, just like other parents.
Not all primary school students have parents to pick them up. In this day and age, even if you don't pick them up, your child won't get lost.
It's not just elementary school students; even kindergarten students are organized by teachers to escort them home after school.
Holding hands, a few people in a small group walked home in different directions.
This is even more true for primary schools.
However, Li Shu is even younger, the youngest child in the first grade, and Li Xuewu and Gu Ning are both worried about her.
Starting first grade this year was entirely Li Shu's own choice. If Li Xuewu and Gu Ning were to look at it, even if she was capable enough, they had no intention of forcing her to become something extraordinary.
But since she's so determined, let's give it a try. If it doesn't work out, she can repeat first grade, or even two.
However, someone needs to keep an eye on her when she goes to and from school. Although Li Shu is assertive and dares to fight, she is afraid of being bullied or having conflicts with older students.
Today, either Li Xuewu or Er Ya came; even if dinner is a little late, I still have to come to pick her up.
"I heard it was the city's opinion?"
Shaqi said meaningfully, "Is there some other intention behind this?"
"Have there been many city officials coming to conduct research recently?"
Li Xuewu looked into the gate and asked a question.
“I know quite a bit,” Sha Qizhi thought for a moment and replied, “but that’s quite normal.”
“The city has organized many study and research activities in recent years, and there have been even more since March.”
He smiled as he finished speaking and said, "Let me tell you something interesting, it's about Director Li."
Seeing that Li Xuewu glanced at him, Sha Qizhi said softly, "Isn't this an inspection and research trip? According to custom, we should arrange hospitality, but Director Li won't allow it."
"Hmm, hmm?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow.
"The note that Deputy Director Zhou had already signed was rejected by Director Li, which caused a very unpleasant situation."
Sha Qizhi chuckled and said, "I knew I wasn't afraid of bad things happening, I was afraid of not having any good people."
He raised an eyebrow and said, "The group already has regulations for hospitality, and someone even set a trap for Deputy Director Zhou. We thought Director Li would handle it flexibly, but we didn't expect him to just reject it so directly."
What does it mean to handle things flexibly?
There are so many eyes watching this, Li Huaide is caught in a dilemma: should he let it go or not?
But Zhou Wanquan came from the city and had just arrived. He might not know the ins and outs of the game. For both reason and duty, Lao Li should give him face.
As long as you write "No government-sponsored hospitality" on the application, and add "This is a one-time exception," you can see what Zhou Wanquan will think. He will definitely turn around and punish the person who dug the trap.
But Lao Li didn't do that; he refused outright.
The result was that Zhou Wanquan received a solid slap, and the news spread throughout the organization.
"With more and more people coming from the city to conduct research and inspections, the government offices can't afford the hospitality expenses."
Sha Qizhi shook his head slightly, smoking a cigarette as he said, "Especially after we have a hospitality company, if this door is opened, who knows how much we'll eat in a year."
"Now that's settled, even Deputy Director Zhou won't allow it, so who can risk getting into trouble?"
“This matter probably has nothing to do with Deputy Director Gu.” Li Xuewu didn’t care about these petty squabbles. Zhou Wanquan’s experience had nothing to do with the application either. It was just that Old Li couldn’t stand him being too arrogant and overstepping his bounds.
Using this opportunity to give him a warning is a tactic that anyone can see through, including Zhou Wanquan himself.
He was thinking about Gu Weijie's situation, which was probably no better than Zhou Wanquan's.
Given Gu Weijie's past behavior and Lao Li's understanding of her ambition, it would be strange if he didn't have doubts.
But as an outsider, Li Xuewu felt she had been tricked; the appointment was unnecessary.
"You mean..." Sha Qizhi paused, frowning as he held the cigarette in his hand and asked, "Was someone else plotting against her? Did they push her?"
Li Xuewu did not answer his question, but glanced at him and then looked back at the campus.
The school bell had already rung, and the children's voices surged toward the gate.
He was searching for his daughter, hoping she would be the first to spot him.
"That can't be right." Sha Qizhi still hesitated and asked, "Was that Deputy Director Zhou's idea?"
"I don't know, but she didn't get away with it."
Li Xuewu said calmly, "Whether it's first place or not, can it surpass Director Li?"
“That’s true—” Sha Qizhi took a deep drag on his cigarette, frowned as he pondered, and seemed to have figured something out.
This matter is strange. At the beginning of the month, the organization issued a notice requiring the organization to rebuild itself, restore its leadership mechanism, and gradually resume organizational life.
Appointing Gu Weijie as the first deputy director of the management committee is like putting her in a very difficult position.
Old Li was already wary of her, and now that's settled, it's no wonder he's keeping a close eye on her.
Thinking in reverse, who benefits from Lao Li's close scrutiny of Gu Weijie?
The biggest beneficiaries were Su Weide and Zhou Wanquan, who were targeted, but it cannot be ruled out that there were others as well.
It is obvious that with Gu Weijie restricted by Li Huaide, others have more space and room to maneuver.
In Li Xuewu's view, everyone was a suspect, even those in the city who were in a higher position.
One Zhou Wanquan is not enough. Now, by sowing discord between Gu Weijie, the organizational ecosystem of Honggang Group can become even more complicated.
"Dad? Dad—"
Li Shu was talking to a child when she glanced at the doorway and saw her father standing there.
She was both excited and surprised, and without caring about the other children, she ran out with all her might, and even the teachers blocking the school gate couldn't stop her.
"Li Shu!"
"dad--"
Li Shu seemed not to hear the teacher's call and ran over to her father, throwing herself into his arms.
I miss you so much—
"Dad misses you too."
Li Xuewu picked up his daughter, comforting her as she cried. He smiled apologetically at the teacher who had caught up with him and greeted her, "Hello, teacher, I am Li Shu's father."
He handed over his work ID to avoid the teacher scolding his anxious daughter.
"Hello, Director Li, I've never met you before."
The teacher was very responsible; after checking his identification, he smiled and offered an explanation.
"I work out of town, and I'm sorry to have troubled you, Li Shu." Li Xuewu nodded his thanks and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work, it's what I should do."
The teacher pointed to the school gate and said, "Then I'll leave Li Shu to you. I have to go back to work."
"Thank you, goodbye teacher."
Li Xuewu nudged Li Shu, who was still crying, and gestured towards the school gate.
Li Shu turned around shyly, waved goodbye to her teacher, and then asked about the sandalwood objects with her head down.
"Hello, Uncle Sha!"
"Hehe—" Sha Qizhi watched the commotion, reached out and rubbed her face, teasing her, "You're already in elementary school and you're still crying, aren't you ashamed?"
"Mmm~~" Li Shu was even more embarrassed, covering her face and burying herself in her father's arms.
"Quickly wipe away your tears, it will be so embarrassing if your younger brother sees you."
Once in the car, upon hearing her father's words, Li Shu quickly took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes.
Sha Qizhi sat in the passenger seat, looked back at the delicate doll, and felt a pang of envy in his eyes.
In his environment, whether it was his neighbors or relatives, everyone regarded him as an intellectual.
He used to think so too, until he met Li Xuewu and learned about his family life.
True intellectuals are cultured, and this is directly reflected in the education of their children.
He couldn't say his child was uncultured or lacked manners, but compared to how Li Xuewu and his wife raised and cared for Li Shu, he felt there was a gap.
She should have been subjected to unusual observation and treatment in class because of her appearance, but Li Shu's self-confidence, which she had cultivated since childhood, allowed her to adapt to school life very easily.
Whether in terms of academic performance or in artistic expression, she can be considered a good student in the eyes of teachers. Who would dare to discriminate against her?
What is the key to gaining respect?
It's self-confidence.
Sha Qizhi knew about Li Shu's background, but he felt even more sorry for the little girl and was also glad for her.
She is fortunate to have parents like the Secretary-General and Dr. Gu.
Li Shu had wiped away her tears and neatly put the handkerchief back in her pocket before chattering away to tell her father about her school life, not forgetting to ask him if his work was hard.
Li Xuewu was too busy dealing with her to talk about work with Sha Qizhi any further.
-
In mid-September, the night air was already cool, unlike the warmth of later generations; it was truly chilly.
The coolness in Beijing doesn't come from air conditioning, but from the -25 degree Celsius chill in Siberia.
Of course, Li Xuewu didn't know the temperature in Siberia at that time, but he knew that it was going to snow in Ba Shang.
"When I went to the port city, people said that you should drink alcohol but not tea, because drinking tea will ruin your wealth, your fortune and your health."
He was fiddling with the tea set, sitting on the stone table and benches in the courtyard, while the driver took Xiaoxiao home.
Li Shu's tutor has been coming to her home for almost two years and still makes three or four trips a week.
Sometimes Li Xuewu would catch up, but most of the time he wouldn't, and they rarely met.
However, as usual, she had to stay for dinner. Li Xuewu wasn't home, and if the weather was bad, she would stay overnight. If the weather was good, her father would come to pick her up and take her home.
The nights of this era are not so safe. Although in a sense there shouldn't be any bad people in this era, there are always some who aren't quite right in the head.
After dinner, Xiaoxiao took the initiative to find him and asked if he still needed to teach Li Shu.
Li Xuewu saw through her thoughts; perhaps she was afraid he would care, or perhaps she was embarrassed.
There are monthly tuition fees, and since Li Xuewu is not at home, Gu Ning usually pays them on her own initiative.
Even if they forget, they'll have Er Ya deliver it; they won't let this matter go wrong.
But Xiaoxiao knew that her purpose in coming to the house to teach was more to help take care of Li Shu and share the burden.
After all, Li Xuewu wasn't there, and the house was full of women with young children, so someone had to be in charge.
Li Xuewu and Gu Ning value their child's education highly and cannot entrust it entirely to Er Ya or Zhao Yaping.
Zhao Yaping is capable of teaching children, but she herself also needs to learn.
However, Li Shu is now in first grade and spends more time at school. Apart from weekends, she has less time to teach, for fear of taking advantage of the leaders.
She initially approached Li Xuewu because of some inexplicable feelings, and she never imagined it would develop into this situation.
Li Xuewu never expressed any interest in her, and she didn't dare to take the initiative to show her affection, so they remained at a stalemate.
She asked this question now partly to gauge Li Xuewu's attitude, and partly to save face for herself. If the leader no longer needed her, then she would give up.
Unexpectedly, Li Xuewu didn't pay any attention to her point and naturally started talking about the children's education.
First, she thanked her for taking care of Li Shu, and then she mentioned Li Ning, who had just started kindergarten.
Xiao Xiao was both amused and exasperated. This was not her intention, but now she had another student named Li Ning.
She used to teach Li Ning some things, as long as he was willing to learn from her when she was teaching Li Shu.
Now that her boss has said that, what reason does she have to refuse?
She wasn't unaware of Zhou Xiaoling's situation; although she hadn't learned the specifics, she could guess what it was.
Zhou Xiaoling's family was relatively well-off, but working in the flight services department definitely wouldn't provide a comfortable life.
They may not be able to afford a house or a car, but in terms of clothing and lifestyle, they are much better off than the sisters who came from the dance team.
To be honest, she was a little envious and also a little tempted. She knew that he was the only one who could be accepted by Zhou Xiaoling and provide her with a better life.
However, she didn't have the courage to take the initiative, so she wasn't in a very good mood when she left.
Li Xuewu, of course, did not notice that he and Sha Qizhi shared a bottle of wine at the dinner table. They did not talk about work, but inevitably they talked about the group's dynamics.
After the meal, the two went to the courtyard, where they had a suitable space to chat.
The fact that the sand artifacts came to him on their own initiative indicates that they had encountered trouble or had a problem.
"Drinking tea after drinking alcohol is not a good idea."
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Actually, drinking some rice porridge would be most suitable."
"Hehehe—I can't drink rice porridge anymore." Sha Qizhi said with a light laugh, "Your food is too lavish, my stomach can't hold any more."
"You should have said that at the dinner table."
Li Xuewu pointed to the figure in the kitchen and said, "The girl has grown up and knows how to be proud."
"It must be at your house," Sha Qizhi said, sipping his hot tea and shaking his head slightly. "Making money isn't easy these days."
"How's things at home?" Li Xuewu looked at him and asked, "You shouldn't be under any pressure, right?"
“My family is doing well.” Sha Qizhi nodded and said, “My wife has sacrificed a lot and worked very hard, so she basically doesn’t give me any worries.”
"The children are very sensible and know what they can and cannot do, which puts our minds at ease."
He looked at the small garden in the yard. It wasn't very bright at the moment, but he could smell the scent of grass and trees.
How are you doing in Steel City?
After introducing his life, he turned to Li Xuewu and asked, "You must be under a lot of pressure."
"It's all the same, work is work."
Li Xuewu leaned back in his chair and said calmly, "There's never a smooth journey; the higher you go, the more difficult it becomes."
"Actually, it's pretty pointless when you think about it, right?" Sha Qizhi said as if he had realized something. "If you do a good job, people will say you're showing off; if you don't do a good job, people will say you're incompetent; if you're lukewarm, people will say you're putting on airs."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked at him amusedly and asked, "You just started working?"
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "You only understand this now? You only see through it now?"
“Hehehe—” Sha Qizhi lowered his head and smiled bitterly, saying, “I never thought work was this difficult before.”
"That's because you didn't put your heart into it," Li Xuewu said with a smirk. "The more you put your heart into it, the more tired you'll get."
"So it's my fault for working hard?"
With a look of utter helplessness, Sha Qizhi said, "How are we supposed to do this job?"
"That depends on what you want to achieve."
Li Xuewu leaned back in his chair, looked up at the stars, and said, "If you want others' approval, do what they like. If you want your own approval, do what you like."
"How can you please everyone?"
After a long pause, Sha Qi sighed deeply, looked into the distance, and said, "That's how people are."
"Then what else do you have to feel about?"
Li Xuewu turned to look at him and said, "I thought you had grown up, but you're still so naive."
“I was too attached to it.” Sha Qizhi shook his head with a wry smile, fiddling with the teacup on the table. After a while, he said again, “Our company’s General Manager Zhuang told me that he wants me to be in charge of the supply and sales business.”
He looked up at Li Xuewu and explained, "They said that the international business division is unlikely to achieve results and should not be over-promoted, and that sales and marketing work is more suitable for me."
"Hmm? What are you thinking?" Li Xuewu knew where his doubts lay, and asked with a slight frown, "You want to be in charge of supply and sales?"
“I don’t really want to go.” Sha Qizhi thought for a moment and replied, “I’ve just started to set things up in the international business division and have just sorted out the relationships.”
"Then what are you hesitating for?" Li Xuewu said nonchalantly, "Just tell him he doesn't want to."
“But…” Sha Qizhi frowned slightly and explained, “He said that the group’s future focus is not on foreign trade. The newly arrived Deputy Director Zhou and Deputy Director Su both hope to focus the group’s sales efforts on the domestic market.”
"Mr. Zhuang means that international trade can only be carried out after the domestic market is satisfied first."
"That's what he told you?"
Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Who has he been spending more time with lately?"
"I didn't pay attention to that." Sha Qizhi was also vague about this point, otherwise he wouldn't have come to see him.
"I just don't know the group's attitude towards the international business division and international trade."
He said with some concern, "The disciplinary inspection department is also talking to the sales company's executives, and it seems they're targeting the international trade department."
"What are you afraid of?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "If your feet are straight, why are you afraid of crooked shoes?"
"You yourself work in international relations, how could you not know the group's stance?"
Li Xuewu's attitude turned serious. He said, "Didn't Director Li emphasize many times at economic conferences that foreign trade should be developed as a key pillar of the sales company? How could all the money invested over the years be wasted?"
He sat up straight, tapped the stone table with his finger, and said, "Don't believe any nonsense. You have to see with your own eyes, hear with your own ears, and think with your own mind."
“That—” Sandweapon frowned, “The meaning of the above is…”
“Don’t worry about these things,” Li Xuewu said, frowning. “We’re not at your level yet.”
"This is the group's business strategy, a key focus written into the three-year plan and five-year plan. Can it be changed by the wishes and opinions of one or two people?"
As he spoke, he snorted and said, "I think Zhuang Cangshu is getting shrewd."
It's probably not just Zhuang Cangshu; when disagreements arise within the group's management, subordinates unconsciously take sides, sometimes rising to the top, sometimes falling into the abyss.