dognovel Chapter 1581 The Scent of Conspiracy
Chapter 1581 The Scent of Conspiracy
Chapter 1581 The Scent of Conspiracy
"This fish smells delicious!"
Li Shu finished the fish that her father had picked out for her with just three spoonfuls, and even licked her lips as if savoring the taste.
"Heh—" Zhou Yao couldn't help but burst into laughter, thinking of Li Shu's shamelessness when she first entered the hospital.
"Hahahaha—" Like a chain reaction, everyone around the table burst into laughter, looking at her and at Li Shu.
"Who said fish doesn't taste good?"
The most annoying one was Ji Weidong, who teased Li Shu, saying, "The fish is so cute, it's such a waste to eat it—"
“I didn’t—” Li Shu stubbornly shook her head, pouting as she argued, “It wasn’t me who said that.”
"Don't look at me!" Li Ning sat next to his sister, feeling guilty that the adults were also watching him. He said, "If my sister didn't say anything, then I certainly wouldn't say anything either."
He was good at arguing, and turned to his sister to confirm, "If my sister says one thing, I dare not say another."
"Huh? You didn't say that when I came this afternoon—"
Ji Weidong raised an eyebrow and said, "Didn't you tell me that in this house, if you say go east, your sister wouldn't dare go west?"
"I didn't!" Li Ning panicked and denied it hastily, "That's not what I said!"
"Li Ning—" Li Shuke could tell the truth from the lies, and squinted at her younger brother, saying, "I dare not go west?"
"Sister, Ji Bufan played with your pencil case."
Li Ning would not sit idly by and wait for his doom. Since Uncle Ji was unkind, then he would not blame him for being unjust. He was determined to drag Ji Bufan down with him.
The chubby boy, still unaware of what was happening, turned to look at his older sister and brother with a bewildered expression, while eating dumplings.
"Okay, let's talk about this after we finish eating." Li Shu, like a big sister, glanced at Li Ning and Ji Bufan, raised her eyebrows, and said sternly.
"It wasn't me who wanted to take it." The chubby Ji Bufan finally realized what was happening and pointed at Li Ning, saying, "My brother said it was his pencil case and that I could play with it as I pleased."
"Who told you to play—" Li Ning said with a mournful face. He knew this little fat boy was no good, just like his father.
"Hahaha—" Ji Weidong had enjoyed watching the fun to the fullest. He loved teasing these kids and wasn't afraid of fighting.
Han Yating couldn't bear to look at him, glared at him fiercely, and said, "You're not happy unless a fight breaks out, are you?"
"They're just kids, what's there to be afraid of in a fight?" Ji Weidong said nonchalantly. "It's through playful banter that friendships deepen."
He gestured to Li Xuewu and said, "Look at Li Xuewu and me, our relationship only gets deeper the more we argue."
"Uncle, did my dad hit you too?"
Li Ning's mind works very fast. At this moment, he looked at Uncle Ji with curiosity and asked a very appropriate question.
"Pfft—hahahaha—" Everyone burst out laughing when they realized what was happening. That's what you call innocent childish talk.
"You think your dad can beat me?" Ji Weidong squinted at the little kid Li Ning, raised an eyebrow and said, "Uncle is a martial arts master."
"What kind of expert?" Li Ning looked at him questioningly and asked, "What does 'expert' mean?"
"He's better than your dad."
Ji Weidong didn't care about Han Yating glaring at him, and continued arguing with Li Ning, seemingly enjoying himself.
"Don't listen to him, Dad is much better." Li Shu nudged her younger brother and whispered, "Uncle's drunk, he's just bragging."
"My dad is amazing!" Ji Bufan overheard this and naturally had to defend his father, raising his voice to emphasize, "My dad can kill a bull with one punch—"
"You're just bragging—" Li Shu looked past her younger brother and asked the chubby boy, "Did you see that?"
"It was my dad who said it—" Ji Bufan was extremely proud, turning to his father for confirmation, "Right, Dad?"
"That's right, Uncle's fists are very powerful."
Ji Weidong wasn't drunk, just a little frivolous. The atmosphere had reached this point, and he couldn't let his son lose face.
“My dad also killed an elephant with one punch,” Li Ning replied calmly, “that’s what my dad said too.”
"I didn't say that!" Li Xuewu, who had been watching the commotion, quickly emphasized when the fire was spreading to him: "Let's talk about how your Uncle Ji killed a cow with one punch."
He looked at Ji Weidong with a wicked grin and said, "It's okay, elephants are hard to find, but cows are easy to find."
"Yay!" Li Ning clapped his hands and said, "After we finish eating, let's go watch Uncle Ji kill a cow with one punch!"
"Serves you right—" Han Yating glanced at Ji Weidong, who was laughing heartily, and said, "You've blown your own horn too much. Let's see how you get out of this mess."
"Where can you find cows at this hour?!"
Ji Weidong, thick-skinned as ever, looked at Li Ning with a smile and said, "When there's another chance, Uncle will demonstrate his boxing skills for you."
"See, I told you Uncle was bragging."
Li Shu, with her mischievous and clever demeanor, quietly emphasized something to her younger brother, then glanced at her uncle and said, "He's had too much to drink."
“My dad wasn’t bragging—” Ji Bufan turned to look at Li Shu and said, “My dad is indeed more capable than your dad!”
“Then let my dad fight your dad—” Li Ning mimicked an adult’s manner and said helplessly, “There’s no other way. It’s hard to find a cow, but my dad is here.”
Everyone fell silent, looking at the children, then at Ji Weidong, wondering how they would handle the situation.
Ji Weidong glared at the naughty boy Li Ning, coughed, and said, "Uncle and your father are good friends, how can you fight? Fighting is wrong, right?"
“But you just said it was just for fun—” Li Ning looked at him with an innocent expression and said, “I really want to see how good you are.”
"Ahem—" Li Xuewu deliberately drew out his cough, and looked at Ji Weidong with a smile, saying, "It's been quite a while since we last met. I wonder how your skills have improved."
He raised his eyebrows and gestured to the children, saying, "What a coincidence today, how about we have a little competition?"
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"
Ji Weidong retorted defiantly, "You wait until I finish my meal, then I'll have a real match with you."
"My father..."
"Alright, son, let's eat."
Ji Bufan was about to cheer for his father when his father reached out and stopped him, gesturing for him to eat quickly.
Li Ning had the same expression as his sister; his eyes were darting around, clearly indicating that he was plotting something mischievous.
"Let's see if you still dare to brag—" Han Yating glanced at Ji Weidong and chuckled as she picked up a piece of boneless fish for her son.
The octagonal hall was spacious enough, and the Li family's dining table could seat more than a dozen people, creating a lively atmosphere from the very beginning.
The men drank some wine, and the women joined in with a small glass of wine, jokingly saying that the more dumplings and wine they ate, the better.
With the windows open, there's no worry about mosquitoes at this time of year. The evening breeze is especially refreshing, taking away the slight heat after drinking. Eating and chatting, old friends reuniting, is the most delightful thing.
***
"Is Li Xue still in Liaodong?"
They had planned to tidy up the restaurant and kitchen together, but Xiao Yan and Qin Jingru stopped them, saying they couldn't turn around.
Li Xuewu's dining room and kitchen are both spacious enough that there's no cramped space, which is a way to treat guests.
In their hearts, everyone except Gu Ning was a guest, and Qin Jingru thought so too.
When she arrived at Li Xuewu's house, she didn't treat herself like an outsider.
So Zhao Yaping made hot tea, but Gu Ning gestured for her not to stay there and told her to go back to her room to read.
Wang Lu held her teacup, glanced at the men chatting idly in the courtyard, and then turned to ask Gu Ning a question.
"Yes, her brother said she went to Fengcheng."
Gu Ning placed some candy and dried fruit on the coffee table and gestured to them, saying, "Help yourselves."
"Don't bother, Second Sister-in-law." Ji Yuxiu came out of the bathroom and waved her hand, indicating, "We're all family here."
Sitting together on the sofa were Han Yating and Wang Lu, as well as Zhou Yao, who didn't talk much.
Ji Yuxiu pulled her second sister-in-law to sit on the sofa, and then sat down next to her. The conversation naturally turned to family.
Li Shu had planned to find an opportunity to teach her two younger brothers a lesson, but since her father and the others were chatting in the courtyard, she simply put on an extra coat and started running around wildly in the yard with her brothers and sisters.
For children, nothing is more captivating than a courtyard at night; the area outside the light from the gate lamps appears as a mysterious and alluring world to them.
"Between Xuecai and Yajun, who is older?"
Ji Weidong took a drag of his cigarette. He had been holding back at the dinner table, so he chased the children away before lighting it.
Li Xuecai sat with Zhao Yajun as usual, chatting quietly as if they were at a dinner table.
He was always careful, after all, he was his brother-in-law.
“We’re the same age, I’m a month older than him,” Li Xuecai said with a smile. “He calls me Third Brother.”
Zhao Yajun nodded, her gaze towards Ji Weidong filled with curiosity.
He had heard this person's name many times; someone in the department knew him when he first joined the factory.
If you were to count them, the two could be considered distant relatives, but no one knows the other's true identity.
Even in the compound, the two rarely met, and he had never heard anything about him from his second brother.
At the dinner table, Li Xuecai quietly offered a couple of explanations, though they weren't exactly accurate.
A person who frequently disappears and then reappears.
He was no longer the reckless young man who rode his second brother's motorcycle into the city for the first time; now he was considered a city dweller.
His years of experience working in the security department made it easy for him to understand what this elusive identity meant.
"Does Ya Jun work in the security department?"
Ji Weidong put down his crossed legs, picked up his teacup and took a sip, but his gaze was fixed on Zhao Yajun.
"Yes, I work in the Security Brigade."
When Zhao Yajun arrived, he didn't understand why his second brother had suddenly called him over for dinner, but now he had some guesses.
"The Security Brigade?" Ji Weidong asked Li Xuewu, "Is it the reorganized factory security force?"
"Not entirely, it's more complicated."
Li Xuewu, holding a teacup, looked at Zhao Yajun and explained, "The group is becoming formalized, and the organizational structure must be changed."
"The original security division, guard team, and fire brigade have all been upgraded and reorganized, and new departments have been established."
He switched hands to hold the cup and said, calculating as he spoke: "The Security Brigade absorbed some of the security and factory guard teams; the Fire Brigade absorbed some of the factory guard teams on the basis of the original fire brigades; and some guard teams were transferred to the Inspection Brigade."
"Now the group's security force is not managed by one department, but mainly divided into daily security and security duty."
Li Xuewu turned to Ji Weidong and said, "It turns out that the factory guard team's mission and tasks have been transferred to the militia."
"Your group has a lot of militia quotas."
Ji Weidong nodded and said, "You still have money, and when it comes to armed forces, you are the ones who can put up a good show."
"Quite the opposite," Li Xuewu explained, raising an eyebrow. "The results of our factory's militia training are mediocre."
"What's going on? Was it intentional?"
Ji Weidong looked at him with puzzlement and asked, "With money and equipment production, doesn't your group care about this achievement?"
Who doesn't like an award certificate?
Li Xuewu smiled, picked up the teapot on the round table and refilled the teacups with hot tea, explaining, "This is something our group has been considering."
"Even if a real battle breaks out, adding or subtracting one regiment won't make much difference."
He put down the teapot and said seriously, "If we put more energy into production, then we would be the professionals."
"Some people don't like hearing what you're saying."
Ji Weidong smiled and said, "It's okay if we fall behind in other areas, but we can't fall behind in this one."
"Like you said, we're better equipped."
Li Xuewu smiled and shook his head, saying casually, "Furthermore, we have our own training base, as well as joint construction units like the Third Guard Regiment and the Light Infantry Detachment."
“If we really need to conduct a surprise inspection, our security brigade is made up of the best of the best; one of them could easily take on ten.” He pointed at Zhao Yajun and said, “One of them could easily take on three or five.”
"The elite force approach." Ji Weidong glanced at Zhao Yajun, took a deep drag on his cigarette, stubbed it out, and said, "Many countries abroad are doing this now."
“It’s not a deep, large-scale advance, but a vertical decapitation strike.” He picked up his teacup and gestured with his other hand as he explained, “Aircraft drop paratroopers to directly take out the main target, paralyzing your entire command and logistics system.”
"It's based on the lessons learned from the Normandy landings," Li Xuewu said, taking a sip of hot tea and nodding. "The true glory of the paratroopers began in World War II."
"Hehe, by the way, you guys could also do vertical decapitation strikes," Ji Weidong said jokingly, looking at him. "Your company even manufactures helicopters."
"I do have that idea."
Li Xuewu glanced at him sideways and said casually, "It's just that we haven't had the chance yet. Let's wait and see."
"No, are you serious?"
Not only Ji Weidong, but even Zhao Yajun and Han Jiankun, who were sitting on the side listening, widened their eyes.
Li Xuecai didn't take it seriously. He wasn't very interested in the topics his second brother and the others were talking about, but he still listened to them as if they were stories.
"It's not the kind of vertical decapitation you're talking about."
Li Xuewu put down his teacup and explained, "An airborne force primarily for defense and crime fighting—you haven't heard of that?"
"The American kind?" Ji Weidong certainly knew, but couldn't help raising an eyebrow and saying, "You really dare to dream."
"So what?" Li Xuewu said casually, "They also use Bell 47s, and the KH-4 produced by Steel Aircraft has certain performance advantages."
What can you do with a helicopter?
Li Xuecai was unaware of the situation and dared to ask questions compared to Han Jiankun and Zhao Yajun. The two were still somewhat concerned about Li Xuewu and Ji Weidong's identities.
“It has many uses—” Ji Weidong said with a light laugh: “Police work, security, fire fighting, inspection, patrol, disaster relief, rescue, and even medical care.”
He looked at the two of them and said, "There are hospitals in the port city that provide helicopter rescue services, but they are very expensive."
Zhao Yajun's eyebrows twitched; hearing the other party say this indirectly proved that Li Xuecai's explanation was correct.
"But your company doesn't need to, does it?"
Ji Weidong looked at Li Xuewu, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Is such a small place really necessary for helicopter patrols?"
“This is one direction,” Li Xuewu explained to him. “You should know the advantages of helicopters.”
"And then? Oh—" Ji Weidong narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I know what your purpose is."
He grinned and said with amusement, "You're really something. No wonder my mom always said you should work in an export-oriented field. You're wasting your talent in your company."
He spoke animatedly, but Li Xuecai and the other two were completely confused and didn't understand what he meant.
"What does that mean?" asked Li Xuecai again.
"Your second brother is willing to spend a fortune to build an airborne force to advertise the planes."
Ji Weidong picked up his teacup, glanced at Li Xuewu, and explained to the three of them with a smile, "And there's his new job."
"To judge a gentleman by the standards of a petty person."
Li Xuewu smiled faintly and said, "Couldn't it be for the purpose of promoting the development and progress of police work?"
"Of course, you have always been noble."
Ji Weidong smiled and nodded, confirming, "I admire your thoroughness in everything you do."
"Actually, we've already been experimenting with it."
Li Xuewu tilted his head, glanced at him, and introduced, "Honggang Group provided two KH-4 helicopters to the Third Regiment. The communication and equipment systems were jointly developed by the Light Infantry Research Institute and the Honggang Group Research Institute."
No wonder you were so confident!
Ji Weidong glared at him and said, "According to you, the Third Regiment has already started paratrooper training?"
"It's the kind of vertical decapitation you're talking about."
Li Xuewu pointed at him, confidently picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "But we'll use it the other way around."
"Good heavens—" Ji Weidong shook his head and exclaimed, "If this project succeeds, you guys will really become famous."
"I don't care, it's just a paper." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Besides, my current teaching focus is criminal psychology."
"But you also wrote a book called 'Public Security Management'."
Ji Weidong glanced at him, then looked at his brother-in-law Li Xuecai and said, "See? Learn from your second brother."
"Although you've only been working for two years, don't limit your focus to traditional Chinese medicine and hospitals."
He nodded to Zhao Yajun and Han Jiankun and said, "You two should also think about it; you should make a breakthrough in your careers."
The words had been made so clear. The three exchanged glances, each with their own plans.
The moon was high in the sky, and the living room was much warmer than the yard. The children had been called back to prevent them from catching a cold.
Han Yating was the first to suggest leaving, and Ji Bufan was so unsteady on his feet that he looked like he was about to fall asleep at any moment.
"I won't keep you any longer."
Gu Ning tried hard to learn the polite phrases she had memorized in the past, but today's gathering was a bit of a struggle for her.
If it weren't for Qin Jingru and Er Ya's help, she wouldn't know where to begin in entertaining them.
"Sister-in-law, don't be so polite. We'll be coming here often in the future." Han Yating had been here a few times and was familiar with Gu Ning, so she wasn't reserved. She smiled and called Ji Weidong into the house to hold the baby.
"...Ate has placed another order."
Upon hearing the greeting, Ji Weidong turned around and responded. As he stood up, he whispered to Li Xuewu, "I have already contacted Dong Wenxue; he is in charge of this project."
"Ate is still alive?" Li Xuewu shook his head with amusement and said, "Just for the sake of pride? Is it worth it?"
“This isn’t just a fit of pique.” Ji Weidong pointed with his finger, widening his eyes to emphasize, “He’s very shrewd—”
Han Jiankun and Zhao Yajun took the initiative to tidy up the tables and chairs in the courtyard, giving the two of them time to talk.
"He used to work for others, but now he's acting like a local tyrant. How can that be the same?"
Ji Weidong walked into the hall, raised his eyebrows again, and said, "You can still call him Art now, but maybe in a few years you'll have to call him Mr. Art."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu couldn't help but laugh. He simply couldn't imagine that the Kuwaiti youth who was always hanging around him and talking nonsense would appear in front of him as a "sir".
"Okay, tell him I'm waiting for this day."
"Who can say for sure which cloud in the sky will bring rain?" Ji Weidong chuckled and said, "Don't you think so?"
"Still chatting—" Han Yating called out to him with a smile, "You've been chatting all night and you're still not done?"
“I’d like to chat a little longer, but he’s already annoyed with me.” Ji Weidong pointed to Li Xuewu behind him and joked, “Every time he sees me, he asks, ‘Why are you back again?’”
"That just means you've been in front of me way too many times," Li Xuewu said with a smile. "Next time, just call. You don't need to come to my house and freeload a meal."
"Then it's settled. Come to my house again next time." Ji Weidong smiled and extended his hand to Zhao Yajun, saying, "Yajun, let's keep in touch. We're really relatives. Just let me know if you need anything."
After saying that, he looked at Han Jiankun, shook hands with him, and said, "Let's not talk about that. You are a direct descendant of the martial arts lineage."
"President Ji, you don't need to be so polite with me."
Han Jiankun responded to his teasing with a wry smile, saying that the term "direct descendant" was appropriate, but there was no need to say it aloud.
"We're all family, so don't be shy."
Ji Weidong smiled and patted the two of them on the shoulder, then took his dazed son from Han Yating and led the way out of the hall.
"Second brother, second sister-in-law, Xuecai and I have also gone back."
Ji Yuxiu and the others naturally wouldn't wait any longer before leaving. She tugged at Qin Jingru's hand and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
"Oh, don't be so polite."
Qin Jingru smiled and said nonchalantly, "You all have to work tomorrow, so go back and rest."
Gu Ning was not good with words, so Qin Jingru stayed a little longer, partly to help Er Ya tidy up, since it was quite late.
"Let's go, Second Brother." Wang Lu and Zhou Yao and a few others also left together. The car lights came on at the door, and there was a rumble of engines.
Li Xuecai and his wife arrived by car, as did Ji Weidong and his family of three. The only bicycle parked at the entrance belonged to Han Jiankun, and even Zhao Yajun arrived on Wang Lu's motorcycle.
Zhou Yao came from her class, so she drove an Antelope. She originally planned to give Han Jiankun and Qin Jingru a ride, but the two refused, saying that it wasn't far from their homes and they would ride their bikes back in a bit.
Several cars drove away noisily one after another, and the courtyard gate finally quieted down. Qin Jingru, who had come out to see them off, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hehe, you've worked hard, Jingru."
Li Xuewu smiled and glanced at her, then nodded to Han Jiankun and said, "It's too late, you three shouldn't leave."
"There's a place to stay downstairs, it's too late."
Gu Ning also took Qin Jingru's hand and said, "The child is asleep. Be careful not to catch a cold if you keep disturbing him."
Qin Jingru stayed overnight quite a few times, but only when Li Xuewu wasn't home.
If she brings her child to play, she won't go back if it gets late; she'll just call Han Jiankun and stay here.
However, since Li Xuewu was present today, she felt a little embarrassed and looked at Han Jiankun.
Han Jiankun naturally felt sorry for the child and nodded, saying, "Let them stay here. I have to go back, otherwise my mother will worry about me."
"Then let's go early, don't go too late."
Li Xuewu nodded and instructed Er Ya, "Have your older brother take the dumplings I left for the old lady back with him."
"No, the food was already ready when we came out..." Han Jiankun explained, but Li Xuewu waved his hand to stop him.
"It was specially reserved for the old lady."
Li Xuewu entered the hall and saw the children sprawled out asleep on the sofa. He chuckled and said, "Are you sleeping on the floor?"
"Then go back early and heat it up for Mom tomorrow morning." Qin Jingru took the lunchbox Er Ya handed her and instructed, "Don't forget to put water in the tank in the morning and turn off the water."
"Understood." Han Jiankun replied, took the lunchbox, said goodbye to Li Xuewu and Gu Ning, and went out.
Once things calmed down, one child each—two upstairs and one downstairs—were sent back to their rooms.
Qin Jingru and Er Ya didn't let Gu Ning do anything more. They quickly tidied up the living room and washed the teacups.
Li Xuewu could see that Gu Ning was tired. Knowing that she had to go to work the next morning, he told the two of them and took her upstairs.
***
The weather in May wasn't hot enough to sleep with the windows open. Gu Ning felt a bit chilly after taking a shower, so she closed the windows when she came back.
"Are you tired?" Li Xuewu leaned against the pillow, beckoned, and wanted to give her a hug.
Gu Ning shook her head, tidied her hair, and asked, "What does he want with you?"
"Hehe, it's nothing." Li Xuewu chuckled and looked his wife up and down, saying, "Just checking on me."
"What do you mean?" Gu Ning raised an eyebrow and said, "Just to come see you?"
"He wanted to see how I was feeling." Li Xuewu pulled the thin blanket around him, gesturing for her to get into bed and talk.
"They probably heard something."
Seeing that Gu Ning was still looking at him, he explained, "Afraid I might do something rash? Heh, or maybe you've run into trouble?"
"Then—" Gu Ning kicked off her slippers and got into bed, asking, "Is everything alright at work?"
"Would I not tell you if something happened?" Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "Don't worry, it's nothing, I can handle it."
“I don’t really understand your stuff…” Gu Ning hesitated for a moment, then lay down on the pillow and said, “If you have any trouble, you can tell Dad.”
"Hey—" Li Xuewu tilted his head with amusement and said, "It's not that serious, what kind of deep-seated hatred could there be?"
Gu Ning understood what he meant. Seeing that there was no difficulty on his face, she nodded and said, "You know what I mean."
"Yes, I understand." Li Xuewu pulled her into his arms and gently comforted her, "When you're in the game, you have to abide by the rules. Everyone speaks based on their abilities, so it's fair."
Gu Ning didn't understand, but felt that what he said made sense, so she reached out and put her hand on his chest and said, "I'm sleepy."
"Okay, go to sleep." Li Xuewu patted her gently, like he was coaxing a child, but he himself couldn't fall asleep.
Ji Weidong came to my house today not only to check on my condition, but also not simply to pave the way for Han Yating.
There were some things that were difficult to say at the dinner table, but in the courtyard, he spoke of some situations, some truth and some ambiguity.
It's unclear whether Li Xuecai and the other two understood, but Li Xuewu did; he was there to warn him.
He works in the investigation department, the nature of which is self-evident, and his parents are also there.
This family of three was extremely sensitive to wind direction. There were some things they couldn't say openly, or even dared not say too clearly, but he still wanted to convey them to Li Xuewu, telling him to be careful.
Ji Weidong wouldn't waste his time; he knew, of course, that Li Xuewu had a father-in-law connection and could learn some things about him.
However, for more sensitive matters, especially those related to... of course, the sooner you know, the better, and the more detailed the information, the better. You absolutely must not get involved, and you must not have any connection whatsoever.
He didn't think that telling Li Xuewu would reveal anything, nor did he think that Li Xuewu would betray him.
Their relationship was extraordinary, possessing a tacit understanding beyond mere verbal communication—a shared sensitivity to the storm.
Ji Weidong and his parents live in Hong Kong, where they have an extraordinary sensitivity to and ability to avoid trouble. Even his lover and sister who work in mainland China, he doesn't think they can get involved.
His only true friend was Li Xuewu, whom he knew all too well about Li Xuewu's influence and network of connections.
So, knowing that Li Xuewu was at home, they specially brought their family along and also asked Li Xuewu to invite his relatives and friends.
In this situation, nothing he says to Li Xuewu will arouse suspicion; at least Li Xuewu will be on guard.
Actually, he was overthinking it. Li Xuewu was very grateful to have such a good friend, and he already knew what Ji Weidong was going to warn him about.
If you are powerless to help, keep your distance.
This is Li Xuewu's plan, which aligns with his initial inclusion of Liaodong in his career plan. For the foreseeable future, he will continue to work for the group, but he will definitely not be transferred back to Beijing at this time.
Even in Liaodong, he felt the biting cold wind. He was not yet strong enough to handle a storm of this magnitude, so he had to hide when necessary and play it safe when necessary.
Ji Weidong valued his life, but he valued his life even more than Ji Weidong.
The only thing that worries him is that the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease; he does not seek out trouble, yet trouble actively seeks him out.
-
"Secretary-General, this morning's newspaper."
Zhang Enyuan placed a stack of newspapers on Li Xuewu's right, on top of a stack of documents.
He had folded a corner of the newspaper at the top to remind his superiors that this was important content and needed their attention.
Li Xuewu goes to class in the morning and doesn't return until noon.
However, he did not go upstairs directly, but instead wandered around the office building, going from the third floor to the sixth floor, before finally returning to his office.
In just over half an hour, he got a general understanding of the various units within the group, with Deputy Secretary-General Ji Jiuzheng accompanying him on the tour.
"Northern Industry News?" Li Xuewu glanced at the newspaper and saw that this was the top one.
He put down the documents in his hand, picked up the newspaper, and began to read. The headline was particularly eye-catching: "Losing the Watermelon for a Sesame Seed."
Okay, that's a good title; it's infuriating at first glance. Who's so foolish as to lose the big picture for a small gain?
Oh, so it's Honggang Group, which has been dominating the rankings in the Northern Industry Daily for a long time.
This article focuses on how Honggang Group put the cart before the horse, neglecting the steel rolling industry in order to develop tertiary industries.
If it hadn't been published in the Northern Industry News, Li Xuewu would have even suspected that the article was submitted by Kuang Yusheng.
Honestly, if anyone should complain, it should be Kuang Yusheng from the Steel City Rolling Mill who writes articles ranting and raving, saying that the group has neglected them.
To say that Hongxing Factory started out, it relied on its own metallurgical capabilities, combined with its main business of steel rolling, to get to where it is today. Now people say that Honggang Group is not doing its proper business.
If that were all, Zhang Enyuan wouldn't have folded the corner of the newspaper to remind him to pay attention, since countless similar articles had been published last month.
However, the core of this article is not to accuse Honggang Group of neglecting its core business, but to "selflessly" help Honggang Group solve these problems.
The article suggests that Beijing's industrial sector should actively intervene in Honggang Group to complete the separation and independence of its existing tertiary industries.
According to this logic, it would mean going back to the pre-liberation era, dismantling the Honggang Group, and reassembling it into several larger industrial enterprises based on its various production units.
In particular, the article criticizes Honggang Group's decision to invest in the Liangmahe Ecological Industrial Zone as completely wrong.
The view is that the economy at this time needs the support of industry, so there's no point in talking about ecology or protection. The decision to relocate the steel rolling business of Hongxing Plant to the steel city was a mistake from the start...
Li Xuewu insisted on reading the article to the end, but he couldn't help but laugh in anger. What kind of brain could write such an article?
"Couldn't we have found some experts to write the articles?"
He tossed the newspaper aside and sneered, "They've mistaken ignorance and naivety for ability."
"I'm afraid the person in charge isn't an expert."
Zhang Enyuan reported softly, "The group's publicity department hasn't made a move yet. Won't this cause discussion among the employees?"
"Director Li made a phone call to the Ministry of Machine Building."
Li Xuewu said casually, "Whether it's useful or not, I don't know. Anyway, the article was published today, wasn't it?"
"This is a real headache," Zhang Enyuan said, frowning. "Isn't there a solution?"
"If a dog bites you, you bite it back?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Just wait, this matter will be resolved."
That's what he said, but he didn't expect Li Huaide to call him and ask him to come to the office to give him this task.
"What am I supposed to do?" Li Xuewu spread his hands, amused. "I can't exactly bury him somewhere, can I?"
“If you can handle it this way, then I will support you unconditionally.” Li Huaide nudged him and said, “I’ll help you dig the pit.”
"Alright then, tonight it is."
Li Xuewu sat down in the chair and said, "A dark and windy night is the perfect time to kill."
"If only it were that simple."
Li Huaide sighed and looked out the window, saying, "They wanted to send Comrade Kaiyuan back, but he refused."
"Who wouldn't want to? Deputy Director Cheng?"
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked with a strange expression, "Could it be that you're being pampered somewhere and don't want to come back?"
"Hehe—" Li Huaide couldn't help but chuckle, fiddling with the pen in his hands. He looked at him and said, "When he comes back, you can ask him. I don't know if he's living the high life or suffering."
"If you ask me, we should respect Deputy Director Cheng's choice." Li Xuewu pursed his lips and said, "Look, they took him away without any explanation, and now they want to send him back."
There has to be some explanation—
He clapped his hands and said, "What are you doing? Just kidding. If you were really going to treat us to good food and drinks, then that would be fine."
"If you ask me, if you've really been wronged or suffered, then you should express the right attitude and fight to the bitter end."
"Why don't you go to the ministry?" Li Huaide ignored his question and instead looked at him and said, "Please ask Director Han to help me get the editor-in-chief of the Northern Industry Department to come and have a talk."
"Me? I'm not going." Li Xuewu shook his head and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to resist taking action."
"Then I can't resist even more—"
Li Huaide looked out the window and said calmly, "The city called to express their concern about this situation."
"Oh, so you're putting pressure on me?" Li Xuewu sneered. "What is this? Self-deception?"
"What it means is not important." Li Huaide shook his chin. "What matters now is who bows down first."
"Do you want to uphold the authority of the relevant authorities?"
Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said disdainfully, "What are they thinking? Do they think Honggang Group is a pushover?"
"Let me tell you, don't bother me with this. I'm not going no matter what. Whoever wants to go can go."
He said meaningfully, "Instead of making things difficult for me, why shouldn't I let those who want to go go?"
Li Huaide suddenly turned to look at him, and after a while lowered his eyes, picked up his teacup and said, "This saves trouble. We might finish talking in bed."
"Heh—" Li Xuewu was amused by him, scratched his brow and reminded him, "You'd better not say that. I've seen that person before, and the scene was really... disgusting."
"Then let him go, since he wants to go."
Li Huaide's smile became more playful. He lightly patted the table with his palm and said, "Pretty interesting, isn't it?"
"It's a pity I won't be able to see it."
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm going back to Liaodong tomorrow. This kind of scene will definitely be very interesting."
"It's a real pity," Li Huaide nodded and said, "Come back around the middle of this month."
"Has the meeting time been set?"
Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "There are many things going on in Liaodong this month, so I can only say I'll try my best to get back."
"You can't miss this great show."
Li Huaide twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "Also, I wanted you to pick up Comrade Kaiyuan."
"Then we might as well send him to Liaodong."
Li Xuewu tilted his head, offering Li Huaide a different perspective.
He stood up, smiling, and said, "I think Deputy Director Cheng might be happy to see this happen."