dognovel Chapter 1565 New Members
Chapter 1565 New Members
Chapter 1565 New Members
Where's my mom? Did she go out?
As soon as Li Xuewu entered the courtyard, he could clearly feel that it was much quieter than before, with almost no one in the courtyard.
Inside the house in the front yard, only the old lady was playing with the children on the kang (a heated brick bed), but the mother, who was usually at home, was nowhere to be seen.
"Old Mrs. Sun from that courtyard has passed away. Your mother should go and see her." Seeing her second grandson return, the old lady smiled, took his hand, and asked, "Why did you come alone? Aren't you cold?"
As if just realizing what she'd just said, she asked again, "When did you get back? Yesterday?"
"I came from work, and I'm all alone." Li Xuewu smiled, caught Li Tang who ran over, and replied to the old lady, "I just arrived in Beijing today."
"You came over before you even got home?"
The old lady knew her grandson was filial, but she was also upset with him. She patted his hand and said, "It's not easy for Xiao Ning to take care of the child alone at home. You should pay more attention."
"Okay, I understand." Li Xuewu explained to the old lady with a wry smile, "She won't be home when I go back now, and I have to go on a long trip tomorrow, so we won't be coming over tonight."
"You just got back, and you're leaving again?" The old lady's eyes showed no sign of reluctance as she took his hand and asked, "Just staying one night?"
"Well, my company has set up a branch in the south, so I have to go there for an on-site meeting," Li Xuewu explained briefly, then reassured her, "I'll be back in two days."
"Can you stay a few more days now that you're back?"
The old lady knew her grandson was busy, and busy with important matters, but she still hoped he could stay home for a few more days.
As people get older, they hope to be surrounded by their children and grandchildren, which is why traditional residential layouts like the courtyard house exist.
The courtyard houses are not filled with rules, but with the warmth of family ties.
"It depends on the specific arrangements. It's not like during the Spring Festival now; it's springtime." Li Xuewu teased his nephew and said with a smile, "Construction sites need to start work, and projects need to be kept in mind."
Li Yue was able to roll over, her big eyes darting around as she looked him over, she was incredibly cute.
Seeing how cute Li Yue was, even his nephew lost interest and picked up his niece instead.
"Do you recognize him? Call him Second Uncle."
Although the old lady was reluctant, she stopped asking about her grandson's schedule. What kind of man stays at home all day? He'd become a useless person.
"Hehe—" Li Yue was still young and didn't understand anything, but she wasn't afraid of him. She reached out to grab his chin.
“Second Uncle has a beard.” Li Xuewu took his eldest niece’s small hand and rubbed it on his chin. The stubble made Li Yue laugh so hard that she drooled.
"Did my sister-in-law go to that hospital too?"
He glanced across the street in the direction where the Yan family used to live; just across the wall was the courtyard where the old lady had mentioned the Sun family.
"No, Avon went out on the street."
The old lady rubbed her calves and said, "They said schools would reopen after spring? I don't know what's going on."
"Really? You sent a message to your sister-in-law?"
Li Xuewu stood up, picked up his eldest niece, and strolled around the room, watching as she became sleepy and prepared to go to bed.
"I think that's what it sounds like, but I don't know the specifics." The old lady patted Li Tang's bottom to stop him from being naughty, and told him not to play near the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) or he might fall to the ground.
Li Tang saw his second uncle holding his little sister and was eager to play with him. He was rolling around on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking a little impatient.
"I wouldn't remember it even if you told me now, and I don't bother asking anymore." The old lady took a moment to pack herself a pipe of cigarettes and muttered, "You can't deny getting old, can you?"
Seemingly affected by the sudden passing of Mrs. Sun, she seemed somewhat listless and spoke rather weakly.
Especially when the sun is setting and there are no lights in the house, it's easy to feel melancholic in the still chilly season.
Li Xuewu glanced at Li Yue in his arms; she was already asleep, sucking on her thumb.
Children always represent hope, just like this spring. Look at her rosy little face, so innocent and pure.
Li Tang seemed to sense his wife's nagging and his second uncle's silence, so he slipped to the windowsill and peered out, as if waiting for his mother to return.
"That old lady was too strong-willed, strong-willed her whole life." After a long silence, the old lady took a puff of her pipe, and then, as if remembering something, uttered this remark with emotion.
Li Xuewu noticed that the old lady was smacking her lips, but there was no smoke in her pipe. She had been so distracted that she forgot to light it.
"Her family lives a good life." He pulled over the small quilt and pillow from the kang (a heated brick bed), arranged them, and then placed his sleeping niece on them, patting her gently until she was sound asleep.
The old lady first looked at the pipe in her hand, then looked at her grandson, her eyes full of tenderness and satisfaction.
“It’s just barely enough.” She nodded, pressed the tobacco in the pot with her thumb, but had no intention of lighting it. She said lightly, “Of all the family members struggling, she’s the most strong-willed.”
"That's fine, you're not young anymore."
Li Xuewu sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), put his hand on his niece's side, looked out the dim window and said, "She must be over sixty, right?"
"No, she's only sixty, a year younger than me." The old lady tilted her head and said, "She came to visit before the New Year, saying that she was feeling unwell and complaining about back pain."
"Is it a back problem?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn't you go to the hospital to get it checked out?"
“How could she bear to go? She’s been terrified of going to the hospital her whole life.” The old lady gazed at the last glimmer of light outside the window and said, “She always says that once you go to the hospital, you’ll never come out.”
"Now look what's happened, they didn't go to the hospital, and now they're gone."
"Old-fashioned thinking, too much talk."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Guodong said that his family has made a lot of money from the sewing cooperative in the past two years, and they have even bought two sewing machines."
"They're like they're fighting for their lives." The old lady raised her chin and said, "The three granddaughters are disciplined like kittens, never leaving the house."
"Didn't you say you were going to date?" Li Xuewu seemed to remember hearing Guodong and the others casually mentioning the matter next door when they were eating in the back room.
I can remember the neighbors who live on the left and right sides, those around the same age, but I really can't remember those who live further away.
I left home at sixteen, and my living environment and social circle have changed several times since then. I no longer remember the neighbors who live further away.
There's a poem that describes it like this:
I left home young and returned old, my accent unchanged but my hair gray.
Children meet but do not recognize each other, laughing and asking the fat man, "Who are you?"
It is often said that once a person becomes a cadre, they become detached from the masses and become arrogant. In fact, environmental factors also play a role.
Li Xuewu used to live here. We would greet each other every day. How could he just stand there with a straight face and not respond?
So at that time, the neighbors all said he was approachable and friendly.
Now I might not even come back once a month. When I do come back, it's just to eat with my family. I don't have that much time to chat with the neighbors.
This also unknowingly distanced him from his original circle. It was not easy for people from the recycling center to even see him, and all sorts of things were said about him.
There are also people talking about Gu Ning. Li Xuewu isn't home, and the second daughter-in-law of the Li family doesn't even come once a month. It's obvious that she doesn't respect her mother-in-law.
Liu Yin was both amused and exasperated. It was rare to find a family where all three sons stayed in the capital; after all, every family had sons who had gone to the countryside.
The eldest and youngest sons lived in the same courtyard as them, and no one said anything about it. Only the second son, who did not live here, became the subject of gossip.
She returned from the neighboring yard and saw that the lights in her house were not on yet. She only heard her son speaking after she went inside.
"When did you get back? Why aren't the lights on?" As she spoke, she pulled the light cord in the kitchen, and the room immediately lit up.
Incandescent bulbs emit a yellowish light because of their tungsten filaments, especially low-wattage bulbs.
Let alone kitchen lights, even a family like theirs that "doesn't mind spending money" wouldn't use a 100-watt bulb; a 60-watt bulb would be bright enough.
After the electricity meters were changed to individual meters for each household, the lights in the courtyard became much dimmer, and every household replaced their light bulbs with lower wattage ones.
If someone turns on a 200-watt light bulb, something bad is bound to happen.
The Sun family next door is using a 200-watt light bulb right now, making their yard as bright as day, and you can see the light even in this yard.
It seems that the lights in this era were brighter than those in later times, and the sky was also darker.
Not every alley and street in Beijing has streetlights. When Li Xuewu walked through the night, he found it to be truly dark; it was no exaggeration to say that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Only one light was turned on in the kitchen, but the inner room was already quite bright. Maybe people these days have very good eyesight.
"I arrived this morning and went straight to work. I came back early this afternoon." Li Xuewu smiled and explained to his mother, "Li Yue is still awake when I got here."
"I came before I even got home," the old lady said with a smile. "And I even managed to put the little girl to sleep."
"With you?" Liu Yin took off her clothes in the kitchen, rubbed her hands together, and then went into the inner room. She glanced at her granddaughter from a distance before leaving.
"They're very obedient; you can coax them into doing whatever you want."
Li Xuewu stood up and walked out of the inner room, looking at his mother and asking, "There are quite a lot of people in that courtyard?"
“We’re all neighbors, and he doesn’t have any distant relatives.” Liu Yin even took off her outer pants, threw her clothes into the washbasin, and then looked at her son, asking, “Are you eating here tonight?”
"No, I'm going to Nanjing tomorrow."
Li Xuewu helped his mother carry the kettle from the stove and added hot water to the washbasin, explaining, "They're setting up a new branch over there."
"You must be very busy now?" Liu Yin washed her hands and face, then took the towel her son handed her and dried them. She asked with concern, "Are you leaving tomorrow morning?"
"There are two more meetings this morning, around noon."
Li Xuewu reached into his pocket and asked, "Do I need to spend money? Should I ask Lao San to bring me one tomorrow?"
"Let's talk about it tomorrow. Ask your dad when he gets back," Liu Yin said casually. "We don't have much contact or relationship, so let's avoid spending money and not cause any trouble."
“If you don’t want to come back for dinner, then don’t come at all. It’s a mess here.” She glanced at the house and said, “The children are all young, so please be careful.”
"Hmm, I don't know." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "My sister-in-law hasn't come back yet. Should I tell my brother where to pick her up?"
"No need, she went to find Yuxiu."
Liu Yin explained, "The two of them had arranged to go shopping together, and they should be back later."
She changed her clothes and started preparing a meal. Li Xuewu couldn't wait for his father to return, so he teased Li Tang, who wanted to come with him, and then turned and left.
It gets dark early, and it's only a little past five o'clock in the morning. If we wait for my father and the others to come back, it won't be good to go home for dinner.
"Hey! When did you get back?"
Sha Zhu came in from outside carrying a lunchbox. He was taken aback when he saw him, then smiled and asked, "I just saw your car parked at the entrance of the alley. Are you leaving already?"
He only asked the question after he saw Liu Yin coming out to see her son off.
"Where have you been all this time?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and said with a smile, "Trying to treat yourself again?"
"Do I need extra food?" He lifted the fat on his belly and gestured with a smile towards the backyard, saying, "Your sister-in-law is pregnant again, so we need to prepare something good for her."
"Oh, this is wonderful news!" Li Xuewu smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Congratulations! May you have many children and much happiness."
"You're too kind," Sha Zhu replied earnestly, bowing with his hands clasped in greeting. "When the baby is born, I'll still recognize you as my godfather."
"Alright, let's serve the people."
Li Xuewu was happy for him, and started talking nonsense, which made his mother, who was following behind, laugh and pat them.
Sha Zhu turned around and saw him to the door, waving his hand as he stood there and said, "Let's drink tomorrow night, four dishes."
"If you don't drink any of the eight dishes, you won't be able to come back." Seeing the driver bring the car over, Li Xuewu didn't go any further. He just stood at the door, checked his watch, and said, "I'm going to Jinling tomorrow."
"That's really unfortunate," Sha Zhu asked with some regret. "When are you coming back?"
"It depends on the plan. I'll make an appointment with you then."
Li Xuewu opened the car door, said something to his mother, and got into the car.
Neighbors coming and going from the next courtyard heard the commotion and came out to see what was going on. They saw that it was him returning. Some even wanted to come up and say hello, but then the car drove away quickly.
This caused quite a commotion. Some people were gloating, some were standing on tiptoe to watch the spectacle, and others were whispering and pointing, talking about something indiscriminately.
Liu Yin didn't bother with these things. She had overheard them in the neighboring courtyard, but she wasn't one to make a fuss, and she was even less willing to argue with anyone.
She knows whether her son is good or bad, and that's enough. She can't force others to say that her son is good.
Sha Zhu had sharp ears; he heard it, glanced at those people, and then turned and went into the courtyard.
"You really don't need to lower yourself to their level." He was also afraid that Liu Yin would get angry, so he advised her: "It's pointless to bother with them."
"Don't be angry, why be angry?"
Liu Yin smiled and looked at him, saying, "People have mouths; how can I teach them how to speak one by one?"
"Auntie, you see things very clearly."
Sha Zhu accompanied her into the courtyard, agreeing, "If they ever ask to learn martial arts, their words will surely be more eloquent than their songs."
"Well, I don't really want to listen to their rap." Liu Yinzhen didn't care about that, and said with a smile after passing through the hanging flower gate, "I just hope they don't cause trouble for Xuewu."
"Don't worry, I won't find him." Sha Zhu walked home, laughing and joking, "You didn't see him? It's so hard for me to even ask him out for a drink."
"Hahaha--"
-
"Going to Nanjing, so suddenly?"
When Gu Ning returned, she heard him say that he was going to Jinling the next day, and asked in surprise, "Leaving in the morning?"
"It's almost noon, and I have two meetings to attend this morning." Li Xuewu closed the newspaper in his hand, stood up, and said, "Do you have time? Would you like to come with me to see Mom and Dad?"
"I don't have time," Gu Ning said, glancing at him. "The department is short-staffed, so I can't very well ask for leave."
"Another year of busy work?" Li Xuewu pursed his lips helplessly and said, "Then I'll have to wait until the end of the year to go."
"Take Li Shu with you," Gu Ning said, glancing at her daughter who was lying pitifully beside her thigh. "It'll save her from causing trouble at home."
“I’m very good—” Li Shu wanted to laugh, but felt unwilling. She looked at her mother and emphasized, “I will be good when I go to Grandma’s house.”
"Mmm, you're a good girl." Gu Ning reached out and touched his daughter's cheek, saying, "Daddy hasn't agreed to take you yet."
"Mom said I can go!" Li Shu quickly discovered the loophole in her mother's promise, turned around and went to find her father, repeatedly emphasizing, "Dad, Dad..."
Li Xuewu's head was throbbing from her nagging. He looked at Gu Ning with amusement and asked, "Are you really comfortable letting me take her so far away?"
"Have her maternal grandmother pick her up after she gets off the plane."
Gu Ning didn't hold back at all when it came to her family; she picked up the phone and asked, "Have you called your parents?"
"Will it be possible to get through at this time?"
Li Xuewu picked up his daughter and bounced her around, asking, "You said you'd come with me to Jinling, but what about school?"
"You just started school, and you've already missed so much time?"
“It’s okay, I’m good at studying, I’m not afraid of being delayed.” Li Shucai was the one who didn’t hold back, and she arrogantly tossed her hair and said, “Even if they have a week, they still can’t catch up with me.”
"Arrogance is no good!"
Li Xuewu tapped his daughter's nose and reminded her, "Have you forgotten the story of the tortoise and the hare that Dad told you?"
“I’m not arrogant—” Li Shu playfully bounced on her father, still insisting, “My grades are good, you know—”
Gu Ning had given up on calling them; it was impossible to get through at this hour. So she stood up and said, "Call them again when you get to Jinling."
"Alright, don't worry, you won't get lost." Li Xuewu couldn't persuade his daughter otherwise, so he had to agree to take her to Jinling to see her maternal grandparents.
Li Ning had sharp ears and had been watching this side for a while. Seeing that his sister had gotten her wish, he quickly ran over and hugged his father's leg, raising his head and blinking his eyes with a bright light.
"You can't do it, you're too young."
Li Xuewu put Li Shu down with a wry smile, hugged his son and advised, "Dad can manage to take care of my older sister by himself, but I really can't take care of both of you."
"Daddy—" Li Ning began to imitate her older sister, pretending to be pitiful. She grinned and was about to cry, with tears already welling up in her eyes.
"I miss my grandma and grandpa..."
"Go, go, all of you go, all of you go."
Li Xuewu only came back a few times a month, so he couldn't bear to see his daughter and son being wronged. He only persisted for one round before giving in and nodding to satisfy his son's request.
Gu Ning originally wanted to help persuade her son, but before she could even speak, Li Xuewu had already surrendered, so she could only give him a disappointed look.
"What can I do?" Seeing her look, Li Xuewu helplessly spread his hands and said, "My son said he misses his grandparents."
"I miss my grandma and grandpa."
Seeing her father explain for her, Li Ning quickly looked at her mother with tearful eyes, nervously repeating the reason she had just used, which had already worked.
What else could Gu Ning say? She looked at her son and instructed him, "Don't be naughty at Grandma's house, okay? You have to listen to Grandma."
"Okay, I'll listen to Grandma."
Li Ning now knows who has the final say in this family. Hearing his mother say that means he's allowed to go out, and he's so happy he could jump for joy.
Even if his mother asks him to dance now, he will not hesitate to do a dance, which he learned from his sister.
"I want to bring a gift for Grandma!"
Li Shu was so happy that she ran upstairs excitedly, wanting to find something from her collection to give to her grandmother.
Li Ning always followed his sister's lead. Seeing her run upstairs, he didn't care whether he had any collections or not, and just followed her up.
Seeing the two children go upstairs, Gu Ning turned around, looked at Li Xuewu, and nodded, saying, "Don't look at me, you asked for this."
"He Yuzhu's wife is pregnant again."
Li Xuewu brought this up out of the blue, but his intense gaze terrified Gu Ning.
"You don't find it noisy to have two of them?"
Gu Ning dared not look at him again. The living room was no longer a place to stay, so she quickly turned around and went upstairs. If she continued talking, someone would die.
"Hehe—" Er Ya came out to get a thermos and heard their conversation. She laughed and joked, "Why don't you have two more? It's more lively when there are many children in the house."
"Didn't you hear your sister Ning say that both of them are too noisy?" Li Xuewu smiled and glanced at her, saying, "If you have two more, you can take care of them."
"I'm the one taking care of the kids now, aren't I?"
Er Ya, looking completely at ease, tried the thermos in the living room, picked it up and walked towards the dining room, turning back to him and saying, "You two just have the baby, I'll watch how many there are."
"Your sister is so loyal!" Li Xuewu gave her a thumbs up and said, "Your sister and I will definitely work hard so that you can hold your nephew this year."
"Hehe—" Er Ya couldn't help but laugh when she heard what he said was funny.
Just then, Zhao Yaping came out of the bathroom and saw that only her second brother was in the living room, so she asked, "Second brother, where are Li Shu and Li Ning?"
"I've gone upstairs, your sister-in-law is back."
Li Xuewu pointed upstairs and said, "Go help them pack their luggage. I'll give you two days off. They're coming to Jinling with me."
"Ah!" Zhao Yaping was taken aback at first, then realized what her second brother meant by "holiday". She covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "There's such a thing as a holiday?"
"Just tell me if you're willing or not—" Li Xuewu teased her on purpose, "If you can't bear to part with him, I can leave Li Ning at your house."
"Willing to give, willing to give, extremely willing to give!"
Zhao Yaping smiled and waved her hand, assuring them, "I'll go help them pack their luggage right now. Please let them stay in Jinling for a few more days."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu watched her flee in disarray with amusement, and could only sigh that Li Shu and Li Ning, at their age, were truly disliked by both people and even dogs.
-
"What are you doing—" Gu Ning looked at him in surprise and said in a flustered manner, "Put it on—"
“Didn’t I tell you?” Li Xuewu subdued her effortlessly, raising an eyebrow and emphasizing, “Let’s not talk about sister-in-law. Dilia already has one, we can’t fall behind.”
"No—" Gu Ning tried to push him away, reminding him, "I don't have time right now."
"Don't worry, I've arranged everything." Li Xuewu chuckled and whispered in her ear, "Er Ya said she'll keep an eye on how many babies she has."
How could you be so mean—
Gu Ning was furious and reached out to slap his arm, but she had no strength left. She could only scold him, "I won't let you into the house next time."
"Are you willing to do that?" Li Xuewu reached out and touched her face. He found her coquettish and charming appearance quite endearing. He gave her a deep kiss and said, "Li Ning is already three years old. It's time to work hard."
"Waaah—" Gu Ning was both amused and annoyed. She glared at him and said shamelessly, "Didn't we already agree on this—"
"Oh dear, plans can't keep up with changes."
Li Xuewu focused on his work and left the rest to luck. He propped himself up on his elbows and emphasized, "When I go to Jinling this time, you have to let me give my father-in-law and mother-in-law some explanation, right?"
He argued illogically, "What am I supposed to say if my mother-in-law asks why I don't plan to have another child?"
"Are you asking me to lie to your parents against my conscience, or do you not want to do it now?"
"Just say I don't want it." Gu Ning was already out of breath and too lazy to argue with him, so she said bluntly, "Just say I am me... ah!"
"How could I bear to part with it?" Li Xuewu chuckled and teased her, "If I said you didn't want it, you can wait for Mom to fly back and settle the score with you."
"So..." Gu Ning looked at him with a flushed face and said reproachfully, "So I should thank you?"
“We’re really close friends, so being so polite is too much of a hassle—” Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, took another big sip of the aroma, and said with a smile, “One more would be enough to settle things.”
"You're so bad—" Gu Ning wanted to punch him hard, but her fist had no strength left when it landed on his chest. It was more like a tease, which only made Li Xuewu more aggressive.
When it comes to having children, men should take the initiative and not always let women have their way, because women are emotional and sometimes have too many concerns.
Li Xuewu respects the reason that he is busy with work, but no matter how busy the hospital is, he has never heard of doctors becoming childless. If they want to have children, they still want to have children.
As long as your health permits and your family's financial situation allows, having more children is certainly a good way to have more fun.
"Have you been planning this for a long time?"
Li Xuewu sat up, looked at her, and asked softly, "Are you angry? I was just envious of other people having so many kids, how about you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Ning had already raised her arms and hugged him. This was the most proactive and passionate response she had given him since they got married.
Li Xuewu paused for a second, then quickly realized that having a child couldn't rely solely on luck and effort; it also required diligence.
-
"Good morning, Secretary-General."
Good morning, Secretary General.
From the moment he got off the bus to the elevator, he was greeted with a constant stream of greetings, which he responded to with a smile. Only after he got on the elevator did the greetings quiet down.
"Good morning." Gu Weijie nodded and greeted him as he entered the elevator. Li Xuewu smiled and replied, "Good morning, you look great."
"Hehe, how can I compare to you?"
There were only the two of them and their respective secretaries in the elevator, so they could joke around without any restraint.
She glanced at Li Xuewu standing beside her and joked, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder; the Secretary-General looks radiant."
"Take advantage of your youth, otherwise you won't have the energy to work hard when you're old." Li Xuewu was known for his sharp tongue, and he didn't shy away from this topic at the moment, laughing as he retorted, "You should also work hard."
These words made Gu Weijie's face freeze. Was he doing this on purpose?
He was the first to find out about the change in their relationship, and now he's telling himself to try harder?
How can we make an effort?
Work hard on your own?
This bastard is infuriating!
The secretaries standing behind the two suddenly felt the atmosphere in the elevator car freeze. After exchanging a glance, they both lowered their heads and pretended to be quails.
The Secretary-General's words were so powerful that they completely killed the conversation.
After waiting for ages, they finally reached the ninth floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Gu Weijie stepped out first, followed by Li Xuewu with a big smile.
What difference does it make whether you take a step first or a step later? The key is to walk steadily.
"Deputy Director Gu, Secretary-General."
Ji Jiuzheng was standing in the corridor with his laptop in his hand. He greeted them when he saw them coming.
Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "You came to see me?"
Seeing him nod, she pointed to her office and said, "Come in, let's talk."
Zhang Enyuan waited until Deputy Director Gu had passed before entering his office and quietly began tidying up the documents and cleaning.
"There are two meetings this morning: one is a meeting of cadre representatives, and the other is a meeting to introduce the new members of the leadership team. Director Li requests that you attend."
"Okay, I understand." Li Xuewu stood behind his desk, tapping the calendar under the glass with his finger, and asked, "What time is the flight to Jinling?"
"We'll fly at 1:30 pm, and leave right after lunch," Ji Jiuzheng reported. "Director Li specifically instructed that the team members should have lunch together at noon."
"Who will escort the cadres?" Li Xuewu glanced out the window. The early spring sun was shining brightly, but the organizational structure of the group had changed again.
"It's Deputy Director Zhang from the Ministry of Machine Building, and Deputy Director Liu from the city." Ji Jiuzheng glanced at his notebook and reported, "The meeting starts at 9 o'clock in the conference room on the 10th floor."
"Yes, I'm fine here."
Li Xuewu nodded and looked at him, saying, "Go ahead and do your work, there's a lot to do today."
"Okay, I'll head over now." Ji Jiuzheng nodded, mentioned a few times, and then turned and left.
Li Xuewu pressed his finger on a piece of paper that Ji Jiuzheng had just left on the glass tabletop, and gently twisted it to reveal more detailed information about the new member of the team.
In the two years since Ji Jiuzheng was transferred back to the government office, he has become increasingly capable of doing his job, and his work has become noticeably more meticulous.
Of course, he didn't doubt that everyone had this information, and he never expected that the entire group would be of one mind and all his people.
This situation and predicament is something even Old Li, who gets dizzy from dancing, wouldn't dare to dream of, let alone him.
The situation cannot and will never be decided by one person alone, and the higher-ups will not allow this to happen.
The group had just been established, and Lao Su was eager to stir things up. Lao Li was ruthless and wanted to kill everyone in sight. The chaos was so great that it was hard to see clearly.
The results of it?
As Li Xuewu looked at the description in the materials, a cold smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
"I heard that the group's new leader was transferred from the city?" Zhang Enyuan leaned over for a glance, then looked at him and reported softly, "There were a lot of rumors yesterday, all sorts of nonsense."
"Yes, deputy director of the Municipal Bureau of Industry."
Li Xuewu pushed the document he was pointing at aside, sat down in his chair, and said calmly, "So it's under dual management now."
"Then from now on..." Zhang Enyuan hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "Whose opinion should we listen to first?"
“You have two mothers-in-law.” Li Xuewu turned his chair around and looked at him, saying, “One mother-in-law is your first husband’s mother, and the other is your widowed mother. Whom should you listen to?”
So, our company is now in a situation where neither side cares about us nor does anyone else?
Zhang Enyuan also understood the situation and asked with a wry smile, "Will there be any more preferential policies and support in the future?"
“Honggang Group didn’t get started with policy support and preferential treatment either. We’ve overcome even the most difficult paths.” Li Xuewu pointed to the document and said, “Put it away. Don’t let anyone see it. What will become of our image?”
"Deputy Secretary-General Ji is indeed very thoughtful."
Zhang Enyuan put away the document, smiled, and said, "We wouldn't dare put it on paper."
"Maybe that's not what he wanted to do."
Li Xuewu turned his chair around and looked out the window. To be honest, a nine-story building in this era already offered a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains; don't even think about it for the next thirty years.
Zhang Enyuan looked at his back with surprise, then looked down at the materials in his hand, pondered for a moment, but dared not voice his guess.
***
At 8:55, Li Xuewu carried his laptop in one hand and a thermos in the other, and walked up the stairs to the tenth floor. There were already people in the corridor.
"Hello, Secretary-General."
They were the office secretaries and the group leaders' secretaries, standing at the conference room door talking about something.
Seeing him approach, they all made way for him, greeting him with smiles.
If we consider organizational management, then Li Xuewu is the supervisor of all secretaries in the group's headquarters, and even the general manager's office is within his management scope. Who can stay out of it?
However, an organization is an organization, and a situation is a situation. He couldn't very well order Gu Cheng around to do anything, could he? It would be too awkward if it involved other leaders.
Hmm, he does have moments of embarrassment?
"Secretary-General, are we going to Nanjing today?"
In the temporary rest room, upon seeing Li Xuewu enter, Cheng Kaiyuan stood up and shook hands with him.
It wasn't that he was being polite; Li Xuewu rarely returned to Beijing, so the two of them met infrequently. When they did meet, they would shake hands—they were good friends, after all.
"It's scheduled for today." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "This office is very strict about the time, it won't delay anything."
"Hehe, I arrived yesterday morning." Xue Zhifu stood up and nodded to him, saying, "You have to leave after the meeting today. It must be very tiring."
"It's not like I'm the only one suffering, so I wouldn't dare say I'm suffering." Li Xuewu took the initiative to shake his hand, leaned closer, and asked softly, "How are you feeling?"
She then distanced herself slightly, looking at him with concern and asking, "I heard you were hospitalized? What happened?"
"I had a cold, but I didn't expect it to be so serious."
Xue Zhifu nodded with a sigh and said, "From what the doctor said, this pneumonia almost took my life."
"The sudden change from hot to cold weather is no joke."
Li Xuewu squeezed his hand a little harder and emphasized with great concern, "You must take care of your health."
"You'll know how serious it is once you've experienced it."
Xue Zhifu looked into his eyes and nodded slightly, indicating that he understood the deeper meaning in his words. He said with some emotion, "You're doing well in Liaodong, aren't you?"
He squeezed Li Xuewu's hand and said, "It's colder here than in the capital. Even though you're young, you should take care of your health."
"Look, the Secretary-General really knows how to care about people." Gu Weijie walked in, smiled and glanced at the two of them, then said to Xue Zhifu, "President Xue, the Secretary-General is younger than you."
"Sigh, you can't deny getting old."
Xue Zhifu released Li Xuewu's hand, turned to look at her, and said, "Deputy Director Gu is young too, hehehe—"
The meaning behind those words was clear to everyone in the room. Li Xuewu smiled and walked towards Dong Wenxue and Zhang Jingsong, who were sitting together.
When they saw him coming, the two of them stood up and shook hands with him one after the other.
"This trip is really tight, like you're working non-stop?"
Zhang Jingsong grasped his hand and gestured to Dong Wenxue beside him, asking, "Shouldn't the project in East Germany also be finalized?"
"It'll be in the next few days." Li Xuewu nodded, glanced at Dong Wenxue, and said, "The flight schedule has been confirmed."
"Yes, I should be in Class 1 tomorrow."
Dong Wenxue began by introducing them: "They are automotive engineers and technicians."
"Should we go to Beijing first or go straight to Steel City?" Zhang Jingsong released Li Xuewu's hand and asked, "Shall we take a look around Beijing first?"
"Absolutely, it needs to be registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." Dong Wenxue continued, "We've been working on this recently, thanks to our connections at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
"Is that the vice president of the International Hotel?"
Zhang Jingsong, who was in charge of logistics, was naturally aware of the situation. He nodded and said, "That's good. The next set of procedures will be easier."
"We'll temporarily house him at the International Hotel, and then we'll go to the steel city once the procedures are completed." Dong Wenxue instructed Li Xuewu, "You must ensure his well-being and work arrangements are in place, and there can be no mistakes."
"Yes, Steel City has prepared several emergency plans." Seeing that he was serious, Li Xuewu nodded and emphasized, "I'll finish up here as soon as possible and go straight back to Steel City."
"Landing is of utmost importance," Zhang Jingsong said softly, leaning forward slightly. "So many eyes are watching us."
"Everyone's saying they don't seek merit, but only to avoid mistakes." He smirked, glancing at someone whose identity was unclear, then turned to Li Xuewu and reminded him, "I'll keep an eye on things in Beijing, and you keep an eye on things in Steel City. Keep in touch if anything comes up."
"Definitely." Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said, "With you here, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."
"It depends on Deputy Director Dong." Zhang Jingsong smiled and gestured to Dong Wenxue beside him, saying, "Whether these projects can be successfully implemented depends on the leaders in charge."
“If Deputy Director Zhang says it can be implemented, then it definitely can be implemented.” Seeing the tacit understanding between the two, Dong Wenxue joked, “I’ll just focus on doing my best.”
"Hahaha--"
As they were saying this, a commotion came from the doorway. Li Huaide walked in with two leaders, accompanied by a middle-aged cadre who looked quite imposing.