dognovel Chapter 1538 My chapter is here
Chapter 1538 My chapter is here
Chapter 1538 I’m back
"Harbin Mining Group responded that all engineering projects are under the unified management of the General Administration, and they have no say in the matter."
Liu Xinhua, deputy general manager of the United Construction Corporation, reported helplessly, "We have tried our best, but..."
"Okay, I get it."
Li Huaide slammed the 100-coin to the table, pushed it away casually, and said, "That's pure nonsense."
Sitting next to him, Feng Xingke, the general manager of the labor service company, played a one-of-a-kind and discarded a two-of-bamboo, and said with a sneer, "That's a really casual excuse."
"I won! I won the hand on the second draw!"
Li Xuewu, sitting opposite him, revealed the cards, picked up a teacup from the tea tray beside him, took a sip, and said calmly, "This was expected. Why get angry?"
"I'm not angry, I'm just not convinced."
Li Huaide truly lived up to his reputation as the God of Wealth at the gambling table; he counted money with remarkable speed, tossing it onto the table with a flick of his wrist.
"First of all, we should say that our border office has not enough influence. We should ask them why this didn't work out."
He was arranging mahjong tiles in his hand, and grumbled with some dissatisfaction, "Three years have passed, and you still can't resolve this little thing?"
"And another thing, what has Lang Zhennan been doing? He's been busy for months and hasn't gotten anything out of it!"
At this point, Old Li raised his eyebrows and glanced sideways at Liu Xinhua, who was standing behind Li Xuewu. His eyes were somewhat gloomy, not because he had lost money, but because he was genuinely annoyed.
When it comes to the manpower and resources required to carry out business, Lao Li never complains about being stingy, nor does he blame or resent his subordinates. The only problem is that they are not ambitious enough.
Money can be earned again if there are other opportunities, but losing face is a real loss. Old Li is very concerned about his reputation, especially now.
"Everything is difficult at the beginning. If you stay in your comfort zone for too long, you will run into a lot of problems when you first start your business."
Li Xuewu spoke up before Feng Xingke could, casually tossing the money he had collected into the money pocket that came with the mahjong cloth.
Sure enough, after having a cup of tea after dinner, chatting about work for a while, and then starting to play games, his wallet was already bulging after just over an hour.
Needless to say, the biggest contributor was Old Li, followed by the lousy gunner Feng Xingke.
Old Feng was personally dismissed from Gangcheng by Li Xuewu, and the two had always had a lukewarm relationship.
It was hard to say whether it was resentment or hatred, or more likely, awkwardness, but Feng Xingke never took the initiative to contact him.
Li Xuewu was never willing to implement the office network system. In recent years, Lao Li has been keeping a close eye on him, afraid that he would bring the external system to Hongxing Factory. Everyone knows Li Xuewu's ability to make friends, so he has always kept a low profile.
Even without taking the initiative, Li Xuewu has gathered a vast, solid network of relationships with shared goals and interests.
In recent years, we have only seen those "scattered soldiers" fighting each other, but we have rarely seen any conflicts among the people around Li Xuewu, which shows how extraordinary his methods are.
Feng Xingke is quite capable. He didn't fall into any trouble in the complex environment of the steel city. Even with the ruthlessness of Yang Yuansong and Li Xuewu, they couldn't find out his problems, which is why he was transferred back to the main factory.
Because of the joint liability from the past, Lao Li didn't treat him very well in recent years, which led to his current appointment as the general manager of the labor service company.
Despite his apparent dislike, Feng Xingke's work ability was undeniable, and Li Huaide had no choice but to use him.
Labor service companies are quite lucrative, and since they're not business departments, the pressure comes only from within. Although the group's organizational structure doesn't have a deputy director level, it's still quite respectable.
Being able to sit at Lao Li's mahjong table, it has to be said that Feng Xingke is quite capable within the group.
Once a person achieves success, if they lack a broad vision or lofty ambition, they will inevitably lose their way, become overly confident, and appear arrogant.
Li Xuewu noticed that Feng Xingke's current manner of speaking and acting was somewhat arrogant and overly proud.
Ding Zigui, whom he targeted, seemed much more low-key, barely saying a word after sitting down at the card table.
"I think they're all high and mighty, and don't want to give us face." Feng Xingke picked up a card, glanced at the people at the table, and said meaningfully, "What's that saying again?"
"Yes, it's so thick you can't get a needle in it or splash water in it."
"Alright, let Lang Zhennan review this himself when he gets back." Li Huaide glanced at Liu Xinhua and said indifferently, "You can go back now."
"Yes, sir, then I..."
Liu Xinhua verbally agreed, but his eyes were fixed on Li Xuewu, full of pleading.
"A soldier is in raging state, and a general is in raging group."
Li Xuewu caught a glimpse of his pleading eyes, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it, so he scolded, "If you lose face, find it back yourself. If you can't, then quit!"
"Yes, Secretary General, I understand."
Upon hearing this, Liu Xinhua finally calmed down and left the room with a slight bow.
Feng Xingke glanced back at him, then looked at Li Xuewu, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"The Secretary-General is really good at educating people."
He drew a card, glanced at Old Li, and said, "So this Liu Xinhua is from the sales department?"
"Pong, are you going to play or not?" Li Xuewu put down the two tiles in his hand, looked at the 10,000 that Feng Xingke had just taken back, and asked, "Do you want me to teach you how to play mahjong?"
"Look at that, you scared me!"
Feng Xingke awkwardly handed the ten thousand yuan he had just habitually taken back to Li Xuewu.
Perhaps it was at the card table, or perhaps it was in front of Lao Li, but he really couldn't save face.
Ding Zigui glanced at him, reached for the cards, and snorted, "What are you thinking about? You got scared?"
"Isn't this about how United Construction can help Director Li and our group save face?"
Feng Xing really knows how to stir things up. He went around in circles and brought up Lao Li again, probably because he was afraid that Lang Zhennan would be spared Lao Li's blame because of Li Xuewu's words.
Ding Zigui looked down on him, curled his lip, and asked Li Xuewu, "Secretary-General, when are you going back?"
"Steel City? We'll listen to Director Li." Li Xuewu looked at the cards in his hand, played a 3 of Wan, and said, "We'll head back as soon as we're done here."
"Tell me when you leave, and I'll go with you to see the steel city." Ding Zigui had taken his 30,000 yuan, played a six of bamboo, and then looked in the direction of Old Li to explain, "The Liaodong Radio Station is doing quite well, and its cultural propaganda work is also very impressive. I'd like to go and take a look."
"What are your thoughts?" Li Huaide glanced at Li Xuewu after drawing his cards and asked, "Going into the arts?"
Do you think I have the time?
Li Xuewu put the cards face down, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "It was done by the people below."
“We should definitely go and take a look,” Li Huaide said, throwing down a four of coins. “Artistic propaganda is a big deal.”
"What? You've really gone all out with your advertising?"
Feng Xingke glanced at Ding Zigui across from him with amusement, picked up a card and said, "No matter how good it is, it can't be better than our group's front desk."
He glanced at Old Li and emphasized, "Our station's arts and culture propaganda work was completed under Director Li's guidance. Liaodong Station is comparable."
"Oh, Manager Feng also knows about arts and publicity?"
Ding Zigui dared not provoke Li Xuewu, much less offend Old Li, but he was not going to tolerate Feng Xingke.
He almost got killed by Lao Li because he chose the wrong side back then. If it weren't for Li Xuewu pulling him out of the crisis, he wouldn't be the general manager of the Literature and Art Publishing House today. His memory is excellent.
He glared at Feng Xingke, then turned to Old Li and replied, "I'll report the findings of my research to you when I get back."
"Hmm, no rush, take your time."
Li Huaide didn't know whether he was answering his question or talking about the bad hand he had.
Li Xuewu didn't give him time to take his time. As soon as Feng Xingke threw out a nine of coins, he pushed his card away, saying, "I'll win on the kong and double the value of the one."
"Hiss—" Feng Xingke gasped as he gasped after realizing that the card he had left in his hand was not safe and was preparing to change his card to win in the next round.
He was prepared for someone else to beat him to it if he made a call, but he didn't expect Li Xuewu to be so eager to make a move.
A small opening costs 3.2 yuan, a large opening costs 6.4 yuan, and if he doubles it, he has to take out 12.8 yuan.
A single hand of mahjong tiles that costs only one cent can cost twelve dollars and eighty cents! That's terrifying!
"You're not going to win big, you're going to win big!" Ding Zigui couldn't stand it anymore, grabbing Li Xuewu's hand and examining the cards that had been pushed away, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
What about Old Li? He didn't eat or touch anything, he just stood there the whole time, and ended up with the same price as Feng Xingke, 12.8 yuan.
"Your luck today is terrifying!"
Old Li was more generous than anyone else. He counted the money out of his purse and tossed it over, laughing as he said, "It's been so long since I've seen such a generous opening."
"Yes, it's twelve yuan and eighty cents."
Feng Xingke had to grit his teeth and count out the money, otherwise he would be dead in Lao Li's eyes.
Ding Zigui was prepared to lose as long as he sat down at the card table. Even though he looked somewhat envious, he still counted his money.
Li Xuewu didn't rush to collect the money on the table. Instead, he looked at Old Li and asked, "Boss, how about we call it a day? We have to go to work tomorrow."
"What time is it? What's the rush!"
Before Feng Xingke and Ding Zigui could speak, Old Li spoke first. He glanced at the time on the wall and said with a sneer, "It's only 8:30. Let's play until 11 o'clock."
He's completely addicted to the game, he doesn't care about anyone else's life or death, and he doesn't even consider whether Feng Xingke and Ding Zigui's wallets can hold up. Li Xuewu won quite a bit today.
According to Li Xuewu, he would not collect the money on the table for the last hand; instead, he would return the money to whoever was owed it.
If you manage to take advantage of two opponents in one go, and you don't have the mentality of knowing when to quit while you're ahead, you'll only make them curse you in their hearts.
Besides, he never cares about winning or losing when he plays cards; he plays for the sake of social skills and relationships.
If you fixate on those two coins on the card table, your future is over.
He could already see that Feng Xingke's eyes were fixed on him. This guy was a heavy hitter; he wouldn't fire a regular shot, but instead targeted the big shots in Li Xuewu's hand.
Ding Zigui kept taking small sips all night, but when he calculated it, he didn't miss out on much; he sent them all to Li Xuewu.
Not to mention Old Li, even though Feng Xingke took the first shot tonight, it didn't stop him from losing money. Old Li is the kind of guy who gets happier the more he loses money.
Look at Li Xuewu, he's so embarrassed by his victory. If Old Li opens his mouth again, he'll really have nothing to say.
Go ahead and play, or Old Li will get really angry.
Feng Xingke and Ding Zigui also realized this, and no matter how bitter it was, they had to endure it so as not to lose face.
In fact, Ding Zigui was perfectly aware that Li Xuewu wasn't focusing all his attention on the card table. He kept getting small wins by relying on Li Xuewu's ability to consistently win big hands, completely ignoring the small ones. That's what you call being righteous.
Seeing that you're having a lucky day, you're trying to win big, big and small hands. Who would want to play with you then? You really think you're some kind of mythical creature?
Why did Old Li immediately want to organize a card game as soon as Li Xuewu returned? Because he has a good card-playing style and is a loyal friend.
At today's meeting, Lao Li said he had something to do tonight, but all he really had to do was play mahjong. What kind of business did he have?
As for work-related matters, he doesn't even have enough to talk about in his class, so why would he need to stay up all night to discuss them?
He did stay up a lot of nights, but most of them were spent at the mahjong table, and a few at the dance studio.
One hand holds mahjong tiles, the other holds car headlights; both hands must be strong.
"What? Did Gu Ning give you orders?"
Li Huaide was really good at talking nonsense. He looked at Li Xuewu with a smile and asked, "You already have two children, and you still want a third?"
“Hehehe—” Feng Xingke chuckled and looked at him, saying, “You’re young, there’s no need to endure a few more years of hardship.”
"It's better to have fewer of them; my kids are driving me crazy with all the noise."
Ding Zigui, not wanting Li Xuewu to be attacked from both sides, took the initiative to steer the conversation to his own side.
He was holding a deck of cards and said with a wry smile, "The eldest and second eldest are fighting, the third and fourth eldest can't stand together, and the fifth and seventh eldest team up to bully the sixth eldest."
"Among us, your family is the most prosperous, Old Ding's, right?"
Feng Xingke smiled, handed the dice to Li Xuewu, and said, "Sure, it's good to have some fun."
He turned to Li Xuewu and joked, "It's so quiet and deserted when I get home. How boring."
How many children does Mr. Feng have in his family?
Li Xuewu took the dice, rolled them, and grabbed the cards opposite him based on the number rolled. He casually asked, "Boss, you'll be starting work soon, right?"
“Hehehe—” Ding Zigui laughed when he heard him say that. While drawing cards, he glanced at Feng Xingke, who was blushing, and then turned to Li Xuewu to explain, “President Feng’s eldest daughter is only 6 years old.”
"Huh? --" Li Xuewu showed enough surprise to cover up the fact that he already knew.
He turned and stared at Feng Xingke carefully for a moment, then asked, "That's not right, Mr. Feng didn't live up to the one-child policy, so why did you have a late birth and late childbirth?"
"Hey, Mr. Feng, you're overwhelmed by the choices."
Ding Zigui had no intention of letting go of the opportunity to cooperate with Li Xuewu, and teased Feng Xingke with a few casual remarks.
"Secretary-General, you don't know this, do you? Our General Manager Feng used to be a middle school teacher, and he even taught Chinese."
"Really—" Li Xuewu was even more surprised. His acting skills were comparable to Old Li's. His surprised and unexpected gaze made Feng Xing wish he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
He wanted to say something to Ding Zigui, but he was afraid that Ding would expose his true colors and he would be too ashamed to face anyone.
What's so shameful about having taught middle school Chinese?
"Look, even Mr. Feng is shy."
Ding Zigui is really ruthless. He chuckled as he looked at the mahjong tiles in his hand, while introducing them to Li Xuewu: "They say even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman, but our General Manager Feng's wife couldn't resist the charms of a talented man, hehe—"
In fact, even if he didn't say it, Li Xuewu already knew that Feng Xingke had married his student. Although it didn't violate the law, it was still unacceptable to the school, which is why he was transferred to the factory.
In those days, there was still some secular order and morality, unlike those hypocritical beasts of later generations who loved to prey on their own students.
"A talented man like him is bound to be easily bewildered by any beautiful woman."
Li Xuewu smiled understandingly, and seeing that Feng Xingke blushed and stopped talking nonsense, he let him off the hook.
We all work in the same company and see each other all the time, so there's no need to offend anyone at the card table.
Ding Zigui wasn't afraid of him, and Li Xuewu was even less afraid of him, but there was no need to create conflict just because of the other party's smug arrogance; that would be foolish.
So the joke was just a joke, and it was over in a minute. There were only four people in the room, so Feng Xing could probably handle it.
Even if he can't stand it, he has to endure it. Which of these three at the card table is someone he can afford to offend?
dong dong——
There was a knock on the door, and Liu Bin walked in carrying a thermos, followed by Zhang Enyuan, who was carrying a plate of fruit.
"Hey, what brings you two together?"
Li Huaide smiled, pointed at Zhang Enyuan, and asked, "Did Liu Bin ask you to help with the work?"
"No, I need to speak with my supervisor."
Zhang Enyuan smiled, distributed the fruit to the small tables next to each person, and finally reported softly to Li Xuewu, "Comrade Zhou Xiaobai has arrived."
"Hmm?" Li Xuewu turned around and looked at him with some surprise.
"It's downstairs. I drove here."
Knowing he didn't have time to deal with it, Zhang Enyuan quickly reported, "She said she wants to see you."
How did Zhang Enyuan come to know Zhou Xiaobai?
He didn't know her, of course, but he did know Zhou Yamei's driver; it was Zhou Yamei's driver who brought the other person over.
Who is Zhou Yamei's driver?
Zhu Yongtong, the youngest of the Thirteen Protectors, learned to drive at fifteen and started working as Zhou Yamei's driver at sixteen.
He's seventeen years old this year and is old enough to be Zhou Yamei's assistant. She's the apprentice she personally selected and trained.
As the recycling system grows larger and its business expands, it needs capable people to fill the gaps.
The only people I can trust to a certain extent are the dozen or so boys who grew up with my family.
Of course, from the beginning, Li Xuewu never fully trusted them, much less expected them to be completely loyal.
I just told Master Ye that I would give the children a chance, and whether they succeed or not is up to them.
Four years have passed since the beginning of 1966, and the boy has grown into a young man.
Even the youngest, the thirteenth son Zhu Yongtong, is seventeen. You can imagine how capable these kids are.
Li Xuewu's principle in arranging the Thirteen Bodyguards was to rotate assistants, with each person becoming an apprentice under the command of someone else.
Some are in steel cities, some are on the frontier, some are in Jilin cities... and some are even in port cities.
Because he was the youngest, Zhu Yongtong started working the latest, after Zhou Yamei came to Beijing, and ended up working under her.
It was inconvenient for Zhou Yamei, a woman, to teach a young man how to do things, so she took the opportunity to have him be her driver as a test and to gradually train him.
After two years, he finally started to look like a decent person, and he even brought his thirteenth son home a few times when he returned to the steel city.
When Li Xuewu travels in the steel city, he leaves his car at home whenever he needs it, and his driver is Zhu Yongtong.
When Zhang Enyuan saw that Zhu Yongtong had brought the person over today, and that he hadn't gone directly to Li Xuewu but instead went to him, he knew that this was because of their superior relationship.
He wasn't sure who Zhou Xiaobai was or what their relationship was. Even though he had occasionally heard a bit about him before, he couldn't figure out the truth, so he came up to report.
Since there was no one else in the room, Old Li listened carefully and heard Zhou Xiaobai's name. He then waved his hand and said, "Did I hear Xiaobai's name?"
Seeing Li Xuewu looking over, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Tell her to come up here so I can take a look."
"They say girls change a lot as they grow up, and it's been over a year since we last saw our little Bai. Has she become even prettier?"
Zhou Xiaobai had given his wife more than a year's salary, so of course she knew who Zhou Xiaobai was.
Old Li not only knows who Zhou Xiaobai is, but also who Zhou Zhennan is.
So when he heard Li Xuewu's secretary mention this name, he didn't hold back and said this.
Since he had already said so, Li Xuewu didn't mince words. He turned to Zhang Enyuan, gave him some instructions, and then continued playing cards.
"Who is Xiaobai?" Feng Xingke was eager to integrate into Lao Li's circle, and seeing that there was a girl whom both Li Xuewu and Li Huaide knew, he became curious. "Is she from our company?"
"Hehe—" Li Huaide glanced at Li Xuewu opposite him, smiled and said, "Little Bai."
“Zhou Xiaobai—” He played a card and introduced, “You might not recognize the name, but you’ll definitely know Jinmen Shunfeng Trading Co., Ltd.”
"Oh, that's the distribution company." Feng Xingke knew it, of course, and widened his eyes to confirm, "It's the largest distribution company of United Trade, right?"
“Yes, you’re right.” Old Li picked up a card and continued, “Xiao Bai used to be the general manager of Shunfeng Trading. She’s a very capable young woman.”
dong dong——
The knocking sounded again, and Zhou Xiaobai's voice came from the doorway.
"Just as I was about to knock on the door, I heard someone praising me."
Zhou Xiaobai was still the same as before, wearing a fur-trimmed leather jacket, gray flight pants, and fur-lined leather shoes, looking both playful and elegant.
"Hahaha—" Li Huaide saw her come in and waved with a smile, saying, "Little Bai is here. Come in and sit down. It's been so long since I've seen you."
"Director Li, I've been thinking about you a lot."
Zhou Xiaobai has changed. She's become more articulate and looks much more mature than she did with her previous outfit.
With Li Huaide's offer, she didn't let Liu Bin help her move a stool, but instead took the initiative to sit behind Li Xuewu, in the seat that Liu Bin had prepared for Liu Xinhua.
Liu Xinhua was so nervous after entering the room that she didn't dare to sit down and talk. Now it was the perfect time to give it to her.
"That? I just don't believe it."
Li Huaide chuckled as he looked her over and said, "You're probably thinking of someone else, aren't you?"
"Pong." Li Xuewu pushed aside the three One of Bamboo tiles, reached out and drew a tile, saying, "Three of Bamboo."
He had already covered his cards with his hands, and he didn't look at them when he drew or played them, relying entirely on his memory.
There's no need to look. Even if you uncover his hand, it won't help. The cards are scattered everywhere. It's useless for anyone to look at him from behind. You can't figure out how he's going to win without careful analysis.
Li Xuewu's position wasn't ideal; his back was to the door. Whenever Liu Bin came in to pour water or Liu Xinhua came in to report on his work, they would stand behind him.
It's not that they would tip off anyone or give signals, but Li Xuewu wanted to be on guard against them.
This isn't about being unable to play or accept defeat; it's about attitude. Only those with a sense of self-preservation can earn the respect of others.
"Alright, you've won enough tonight. Spend some of your energy on our little girl."
Li Huaide looked at Li Xuewu and joked, "It's good that we can use Miss Xiaobai's fame to try and salvage our situation."
"My brother doesn't want to see me—"
Zhou Xiaobai said, feigning grievance, "If I hadn't come to him, he would have acted as if I hadn't come back."
As she said this, she turned sideways and moved to Li Xuewu's left side, looking him over without any restraint.
Aside from Li Huaide knowing her identity, Ding Zigui vaguely understood, and Feng Xingke looked at her with some surprise. Seeing the reactions of Lao Li and Lao Ding, he wasn't too surprised, as the two were very close.
I just heard Zhou Xiaobai call Li Xuewu "brother" and Li Huaide very affectionately. What exactly is their relationship?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Li Xuewu glanced at her sideways and said, "Is there something on my face?"
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all.
Old Li continued jokingly, "Little Bai, don't you think so?"
“If Director Li says so, then so be it.” Zhou Xiaobai sat up straight with a smile and looked at Old Li obediently, saying, “If Director Li says it’s not, then it’s not.”
"Hehe, look at this—"
Li Huaide slammed his cards on the table and laughed, "Little Bai's here, and my luck's on my side too! Single wait, self-draw, hahaha!"
"What brand is this?!"
After more than a year apart, Zhou Xiaobai seemed no different in front of Li Xuewu, showing no signs of awkwardness and naturally reaching out to reveal his hand.
"Why are you being so mysterious about this piece of junk?"
She also knows how to play mahjong; she learned it at the club. Luo Yun used to love playing it, but now... now Luo Yun has changed and doesn't like playing with her anymore.
"What do you know—"
Li Xuewu glanced at her, gestured to the money bag under the table, and explained, "Didn't you hear what Director Li just said? They've all lost so much they're practically smoking. If I don't deliberately lose a little, do you think they'll let me off the hook?"
"Hey! Comrade Li Xuewu, what you said was a bit hurtful—"
Li Huaide, who had just gotten a little cocky, pointed at him with displeasure and said, "Arrogance is no good!"
“That’s right—” Ding Zigui chimed in, “Now that you’re successful in love, you can’t be successful in gambling.”
Listening to Lao Li and Lao Ding teasing Li Xuewu back and forth, Feng Xing looked left and right, but didn't respond or make any jokes.
He dared not joke around before figuring out where the girl came from, lest he say something wrong and couldn't take it back.
"Look at you, I was going to wreak havoc all over the place, and you still don't appreciate it!"
Li Xuewu feigned displeasure as he tossed the money to Old Li, jokingly saying, "Then I'll take this seriously."
"You're making us sound so useless!"
Li Huaide was genuinely happy to receive the money; he wasn't happy about the petty profits, but simply because he had won.
Even if he's almost lost eighty dollars today, he'd still be very happy to win a dollar or two.
Don't ask about today's results. The answer is always the same: there were wins and losses.
"Be serious, you absolutely must be serious!"
Following Lao Li's words, Ding Zigui deliberately emphasized earnestly, "If you're not serious, you'll be letting us down!"
“Xiao Bai is here—” Li Huaide gestured to Zhou Xiaobai, who was sitting next to Li Xuewu, and said to Ding Zigui, “Our chance to turn the tables has come.”
That's how it is when playing mahjong; the worst thing is for guests to come over at night, especially if they stand behind you and watch you play.
To put it simply, no matter how good your cards were before, you're bound to lose every hand now, and there's no way to explain it.
If you're talking about ghosts and spirits, everyone here is an atheist, a proletarian worker; they don't believe in that.
Li Xuewu is the kind of guy who would stand in a graveyard and fire a gun while cursing. Do you think he would believe this or be afraid of this?
It's just hard to explain. Ever since Zhou Xiaobai came, he hasn't won a single hand. No matter how hard he tries to get a big hand, it's all for nothing. And he can't even get a small hand. It's really hard to explain.
"Your technique doesn't seem very good—"
Zhou Xiaobai stayed by his side for a while and saw that his money bag was much emptier. He raised an eyebrow and said, "How about I play for you? You're about to lose all your money."
"Hey! You can't make substitutions on the spot!"
Ding Zigui smiled and pointed at Zhou Xiaobai, saying, "We finally managed to salvage a little bit, so please have mercy on us."
He pointed at Li Xuewu and joked, "If you can keep the secretary-general in check tonight, Director Li will treat you to Peking duck tomorrow."
"You certainly know how to do people a favor—"
When Li Huaide heard him say that he should treat him to a meal, he glanced at the cards in his hand with amusement, feeling quite smug!
Finally got the cards on! I've been so frustrated all night!
"You lost the most, so who else is going to treat us if not you?" Ding Zigui only dared to speak so boldly to Lao Li when playing cards. "Tell me, if you don't treat us, who is? Should I and General Manager Feng treat us?"
"Hahaha—" Old Li didn't care about the money, nor did he care who was paying. Hearing Ding Zigui's joke, he laughed and nodded in agreement, "Okay, okay, I'll treat you to roast duck."
“If that’s what you’re saying—” Zhou Xiaobai took Li Xuewu’s arm in a joke and said with a grin, “Then I’ll be waiting for the roast duck.”
"Hahaha!" Seeing that Zhou Xiaobai was so cooperative, Li Huaide and Ding Zigui both laughed.
Feng Xingke glanced at Zhou Xiaobai's arm around Li Xuewu with some surprise. This relationship was a bit too close; even a younger sister wouldn't act like this.
Clearly, Li Xuewu's arm had deformed Zhou Xiaobai's headlight. Could this be... his sister?
Li Huaide and Ding Zigui didn't pay attention; even if they saw it, they pretended not to.
Why not take advantage of Li Xuewu's troubles and win more? Where else can you find the fun of beating Li Xuewu?
"Whose side are you on?" Li Xuewu glanced helplessly at Zhou Xiaobai and asked, "Am I only worth a roast duck?"
"Is it just one?" Zhou Xiaobai didn't answer him, but instead asked Li Huaide, "Director Li?"
"You name the number, that's how many, haha!"
Li Huaide was happy to win, and even happier when Zhou Xiaobai teased him. He said, "Forget about roast duck, eat as much as you want!"
"Look, it's not a roast duck."
Zhou Xiaobai turned to look into Li Xuewu's eyes and said very seriously, "There are quite a few."
"You've only grown a heart-shaped bone."
Li Xuewu had one arm wrapped around her chest, making it difficult for him to move, while his other hand was used to grab cards.
He dared not move, for if he moved, the sensation would become more pronounced, and it would also allow the three scoundrels at the table to see what was happening.
But Zhou Xiaobai had no intention of letting him go, or rather, as punishment for his indifference, she pressed closer and closer to him.
"Alright, that's enough. How much have you lost already?"
Li Xuewu gently patted her head and said, "Good girl, go sit behind Director Li for a while."
"Hey! You can't do this!"
Li Huaide waved his hand with a smile and said, "Xiao Bai came to see you, how can you be so clueless about romance?"
"She's here to torment me."
Following the joke, Li Xuewu pulled his arm away and said, "Today was a wasted day."
"I'm still losing," Feng Xingke complained with a smile. "Director Li won them all."
"Hahaha!" Li Huaide enjoyed this kind of flattery the most, and he was also the most susceptible to such praise.
To put it simply, he might not be happy for long if you give him an award for outstanding cadre, but if you call him the God of Gamblers, he'll be ecstatic.
Li Xuewu knew how to behave, but Old Li knew even better. When it was nine o'clock, he called a halt to the game without caring about the outcome.
"You've had a long day, relax a bit. You have to go to work tomorrow, so let's call it a night."
Li Huaide stood up with a smile and said, "If we keep playing like this, the Secretary-General will have to spend his savings."
"The spring night is too short, a moment is worth a thousand pieces of gold."
Ding Zigui joked, "Don't waste your time dealing with us at the card table."
"Looks like we really did lose—"
Zhou Xiaobai personally counted the small and large bills in Li Xuewu's money bag and asked curiously, "How much capital did he have?"
Li Xuewu went to the restroom and handed the card table over to Zhou Xiaobai, who played the last round.
It was precisely because Zhou Xiaobai had been there for quite a while that Li Huaide's addiction had been somewhat relieved, which is why he voluntarily stopped.
Otherwise, given his temperament, he would insist on playing until 11 o'clock before resting, no matter who comes.
"I don't know, but I lost anyway."
Feng Xingke had been interested in Zhou Xiaobai ever since she entered the room, and now he chimed in, "Miss Xiaobai, you don't play cards often, do you? Where do you work now?"
"Um, I was so focused on playing cards that I forgot to ask." Li Huaide picked up the conversation and looked at Zhou Xiaobai, asking, "Where are you now?"
"I'm in Beijing, and I haven't been back for very long." Zhou Xiaobai smiled and introduced himself frankly, "I'm back to study at medical school this time."
“Oh, it’s an exam—” Feng Xingke nodded knowingly, but then felt that something was not quite right.
"Did you come directly from the military?"
Ding Zigui reacted the fastest, looking at Zhou Xiaobai and asking, "You guys are trained internally, right?"
"I guess so, I don't really understand it either."
Zhou Xiaobai smiled slightly, straightened Li Xuewu's money, and even smoothed out the curled edges.
Several people were drinking tea, and she was waiting for Li Xuewu to return.
"That's good; studying medicine offers career prospects."
Li Huaide smiled and said, "If you need anything, just tell Xuewu, and he will help you."
"Thank you, Director Li—" Zhou Xiaobai's smile brightened as she looked at Li Huaide and said, "We are an empirical science, which requires a large number of cases to master comprehensive medical skills."
"I've heard that the United Hospital has a particularly large number of outpatients. It would be great if I could have the opportunity to come and learn from them."
"You don't need to tell me this, talk to the secretary-general." Li Huaide smiled and nodded at Li Xuewu as he entered the room, then said to Zhou Xiaobai, "Go find him."
“My brother is very selfless and would never break his principles for my sake.”
Zhou Xiaobai looked back at Li Xuewu, then at Li Huaide and said, "If I really need to come for an internship, I'll come to you for approval. Please don't be stingy then, and definitely don't avoid me."
"Hahaha--"
Li Huaide laughed loudly and nodded, saying, "No problem, the Secretary-General won't take care of you, but I will."
"Then it's settled today!"
Zhou Xiaobai, feigning childishness, held up his little finger across the mahjong table and said, "No taking it back."
"Hahaha!" Li Huaide laughed heartily at her joke and childishly tugged at her fingertips.
Only after Li Huaide agreed to make a pinky promise with her did Zhou Xiaobai smile and say in a relaxed manner, "Then I'll be counting on you for my medical studies and internship. Thank you so much."
"Okay, that's it for today."
Li Huaide smiled, his face slightly flushed. He stood up, waved to Li Xuewu, and said, "Let's send Xiaobai back as soon as possible. It's not easy for him to come back. We'll be meeting a lot more often now that we're both in the capital."
Li Xuewu knew that Lao Li was helping him out of a predicament, and it also confirmed that what was said tonight was just a joke and shouldn't be taken seriously.
He didn't say anything more, nodded and said, "Then we'll go first. If you're not going back, you can rest at the guesthouse. It's cold outside, so don't catch a cold."
"Go ahead, don't worry about us."
Li Huaide waved his hand to indicate that he could leave, and then called Ding Zigui and Feng Xingke to have tea.
After leaving his room on the fourth floor, Zhou Xiaobai was unusually quiet, not as talkative as he had been inside.
It was the maturity Li Xuewu felt when he first saw her; it was the confidence and independence she exuded.
"Secretary-General, the car is ready."
Zhang Enyuan had been waiting downstairs. When he saw Li Xuewu come down, he stepped forward and reported, "The gift for Director Li has been given to Liu Bin."
"Well, I see."
Li Xuewu nodded and got into the car first.
The gift Zhang Enyuan mentioned wasn't for Li Huaide. Given their current relationship, why would Li Huaide accept his gift?
As for the wine stored in the canteen, that's alright, since Li Xuewu himself also has social engagements.
But if you say that Li Huaide accepted his gifts, then their relationship is not entirely pure.
At least that's what Li Huaide thought, so the gift was also Li Huaide's original suggestion: to send some medicinal wine to that leader.
Li Xuewu certainly wouldn't bypass Lao Li to deliver it, nor would he take the initiative to go to Lao Li's door to express his opinion; giving it to Lao Li was just right.
Whether Lao Li kept it, sent it up in his own name, or claimed it was a gift from Li Xuewu, none of that matters. What matters is this matter.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Li Xuewu glanced at Zhou Xiaobai, who hadn't spoken a word, and asked, "Are you deliberately trying to act profound with me? You were quite talkative just now."
"Hmph—" Zhou Xiaobai snorted in dissatisfaction, "If I hadn't come looking for you, would you have never come looking for me?"
Li Xuewu glanced at her, then turned to look ahead, not intending to answer her question.
But Zhou Xiaobai persisted, looking at his profile and asking, "Don't you miss me at all?"
"I've written you so many letters, why haven't you replied to a single one? Do you hate me that much?"
"If I hate you, would I let you get on the bus?"
Li Xuewu reached out and pushed her head back as she leaned in, saying, "Don't think nonsense, just focus on your studies."
“You should know in your heart who I came back for.” Zhou Xiaobai reached out and pushed his arm away, staring into his eyes as she said, “I’m back.”