dognovel Chapter 1390 Nuclear Physics?
Chapter 1390 Nuclear Physics?
Chapter 1390 Nuclear Physics?
"dad--"
"dad--"
Li Ning had just snatched her brother Li Tang's toy car when she suddenly heard her sister shouting. Turning around, she abandoned the toy in her hand and ran towards them.
"Hey, hey—"
Li Xuewu smiled and responded to his daughter and son's surprise, picking them up one in each arm.
Li Shu was even better at coaxing her father, hugging his neck tightly and giving him a big kiss.
Li Ning followed suit and kissed her father on the other side of his cheek; the two siblings were getting closer to him than the other.
"Look, it's obviously his biological father."
He Yushui came in through the main gate, saw this scene, and jokingly teased them.
Li Xuewu was so busy "embracing women on both sides" that he didn't even notice someone following behind him.
He smiled and kissed his daughter, then his son, before turning to He Yushui and asking, "Off work so early?"
“I don’t have a class—” He Yushui rolled her eyes at him, walked up to him and teased Li Shu and Li Ning, and said with some resentment, “Now I’m a lost soul.”
“Nonsense—” Li Xuewu glanced at her, bounced the children in his arms, and said, “If you don’t want to do this job, then go back to the group.”
I knew you'd say that—
He Yushui was quite dissatisfied with his answer, glared at him, and then picked up her bag and walked to the backyard.
Seeing her like this, Li Xuewu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. He turned around, squatted down, took out a box of cookies from his bag, opened it, and gave them to Li Shu, Li Tang, Li Ning, and the other children who were standing in the corner watching him from a distance.
"Tell me your name first."
Just as a little girl in a floral apron stepped forward demurely to receive her cookies, Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, grabbed the cookies in his hand, and teased her with a smile.
The little girl immediately took a step back, looking at him with her big, blinking eyes.
Seeing that the other children had all received cookies, she didn't dare answer Li Xuewu's question. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she couldn't help but raise her finger to rub her lips.
"Call me 'Grandpa,' why don't you greet me?"
Yan Jiefang entered through the west gate, and as soon as he passed through the hanging flower gate, he smiled and taught his daughter how to greet people.
When Li Xuewu turned around to look at him, he greeted him somewhat embarrassedly, "Brother Li, when did you get back?"
"We just got home." Li Xuewu turned around and looked at the little girl who had run past him and thrown herself onto Yan Jiefang's lap. "Did you come to see Guodong?"
"Yes, he mentioned it to me a while ago, wanting me to come back and help him manage the team. I happen to be free today."
Yan Jiefang explained, then looked down at his daughter who was hugging his leg, and smiled as he taught her, "It's Grandpa, isn't it? We used to see him all the time."
"Grandpa...Grandpa—"
The little girl was a bit shy, and kept hiding behind Yan Jiefang, but her big eyes never left Li Xuewu, as if she was afraid, curious, and also reminiscing.
Li Xuewu remained squatting there, distributing a few more cookies to the children who had finished theirs and came back to ask him for more.
He waved the cookie box in his hand at the little girl and said with a smile, "Tell me your name, and I'll give you some cookies."
The little girl touched the corner of her mouth with her finger, looked at him, and then looked up at her father.
Yan Jiefang squatted down with some effort, reached out and took his daughter's finger out, patted her back and said, "Grandpa is asking you a question. What did your mother teach you at home? Be generous and open."
"Be confident and outgoing." The little girl repeated to her father, then looked at Li Xuewu and timidly answered, "My name is... my name is Yan Fang—"
"Oh—your name is Yan Fang."
Li Xuewu nodded knowingly, as if he really didn't know her and was very curious about her name.
Upon hearing her answer, he held out the cookie box in his hand, under the little girl's eager yet nervous gaze.
Yan Fang didn't dare to come closer, leaned back, put her fingers in her mouth again, and just looked at her father.
Yan Jiefang, now quite patient, gently removed his daughter's finger and said softly, "It was given to you by the old man. Go take it, and don't forget to say thank you."
"Thank...thank you, sir!"
The little girl walked over step by step under the watchful eyes of Li Tang and the others, but very restrainedly took only one cookie from the cookie box.
Li Xuewu had been observing her closely. When she took the cookies and became a little embarrassed, hiding behind Yan Jiefang again, he smiled and looked at the father and daughter, saying, "The child is very well-mannered, and now she has a stable life. That's good."
"You're so kind of person, you didn't hold it against me and even took care of me." Yan Jiefang lowered his head somewhat ashamed, looked at his daughter who was taking small bites of a cookie, and asked with a smile, "Was the cookie that Grandpa gave you delicious?"
"Mmm, it's delicious." Yan Fang nodded earnestly, then turned away somewhat shyly.
Li Xuewu stood up and reached out to help Yan Jiefang, who was also about to get up but couldn't hold on any longer. "It's pointless to talk about these things. Don't dwell on the past. Living a good life is more important than anything else."
"You're right." Yan Jiefang nodded, looked at the little boy and girl surrounding Li Xuewu, and said with a smile, "Li Shu is growing up very fast, and so is Li Ning."
“They can eat a lot.” Li Xuewu smiled, looked down at his daughter and son, divided the cookies in the box into portions for each of them, and handed the rest to Li Shu.
"Dad bought you other snacks, so let's give these to Yanfang, okay?"
"No, Brother Li, we have plenty at home." Yan Jiefang saw that Li Xuewu was generous, but he couldn't just accept it like that.
Li Shu looked at him, then at her father, before nodding and saying, "Okay, give it to Yan Fang."
With her father's approval, she walked up to the astonished Yan Fang, clutching the tin of cookies in her arms, and handed it to her.
The little girl's eyes showed a hint of panic. She forgot to eat the cookie in her hand and looked up at her father.
Yan Jiefang looked embarrassed and wanted to push Li Shu's hand away, but he didn't dare. He could only look at Li Xuewu with difficulty.
Li Xuewu raised his head and looked at him, saying, "Kids are supposed to interact. Why are you being so polite to me over half a box of cookies?"
"Brother Li—" Yan Jiefang wanted to say something more, but Li Xuewu was no longer looking at him. Instead, he said to his daughter, "What do you call me? Say it again so I can hear it."
"Grandpa." Yan Fang was a little confused, not knowing the relationship between the adults. She only knew that Li Shu had given her a box of cookies, the kind of delicious ones she had just eaten.
At that time, resources were scarce, and city dwellers were barely able to solve their basic needs. Children, in particular, lacked snacks, and ordinary families couldn't afford biscuits in tin boxes like these.
However, this was nothing to Li Shu. Not to mention that her father had never mistreated her since she was a child, her countless uncles and aunts also spoiled her.
I bought her toys and snacks by the box.
So when her dad said she could share, she gave away the snack without hesitation.
Perhaps she had already tasted the joy of sharing, the happiness of giving roses and having the fragrance linger on your hands. After giving out the cookies, she smiled and played with her younger brothers.
Looking at Yan Fang, who bore a resemblance to Hu Niu, Li Xuewu already had some guesses in his mind.
Of course, there are some things that can be said and some things that cannot be said; it's not his place to take care of this child yet.
"I've got it. Next time you see me, what should you call me?"
Li Xuewu smiled and patted her head, saying, "Call me next time, and I'll give you cookies again."
"Okay, I understand." Yan Fang was no longer afraid of him and nodded obediently in response.
Yan Jiefang looked at his daughter with tenderness in his eyes. Although she was not his biological daughter, she was his niece.
Because of his love for his elder brother, he transferred all his feelings of guilt towards his elder brother and love for his sister-in-law to Yan Fang.
Li Xuewu raised his chin and asked him, "What did Guodong tell you? Who are you going to manage the car fleet for?"
"They say it's for the neighborhood committee, but I don't really understand it."
When Yan Jiefang saw that he had asked, he took the initiative to explain, and then looked at him hopefully and said, "I don't know how to choose. It would be great if you could give me some advice."
"It's not up to you to choose, but I'll give you some advice." Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "Is the transportation job still easy to do these days?"
"You're absolutely right," Yan Jiefang grinned, looking embarrassed. "There are more and more cars, but less and less work."
Li Xuewu turned his gaze elsewhere; how could he not know Yan Jiefang's little scheme?
If someone is ambitious and doesn't want to come down once they've climbed up, it doesn't necessarily mean they can't afford to fall; it could be that they can't bear to give up.
Yan Jiefang was one of the first to try something new. He started making tricycles in Beijing before they were even a big business, and later he even switched to heavy-duty cargo tricycles.
In the past, this kid would never have been willing to come here to wander around, let alone say he wanted to listen to his opinion.
If you're too busy to handle all the work, even if the Dragon King came, he wouldn't listen to your opinions. You're in trouble now, that's why.
Li Xuewu had reminded him when he was about to buy a car that the most difficult business in Beijing was following trends.
If anyone in this alley makes a fortune in a certain trade, even if it's just a little bit of money, then just wait and see, within six months, the whole alley will be full of people doing the same thing.
Of course, this may not only be the case in Beijing, but also throughout China and even the world.
The next step after following the trend is involution, which will lead to a brutal and unbearable situation in the industry where no one can continue.
Unless they come up with something new, innovate on the existing industry foundation, and grasp the key points, what new tricks can they come up with in the transportation sector, and what are the key points?
Currently, only companies can buy large trucks; individuals with money cannot buy them, so they can only buy tricycles.
The Hongxing Automobile Manufacturing Plant only produces two types of three-wheeled motorcycles: a light model and a heavy model.
Yan Jiefang was the first to switch to a heavy-duty truck, but he won't be the last; they're a common sight on the streets now.
It only costs a few hundred more dollars, and if you invest from the beginning, you can recoup your investment in just six months.
After personnel changes and disciplinary reforms, the Beijing Railway Freight Station saw its business volume increase significantly. However, even with this rapid growth in business volume, it couldn't keep up with the growth rate of transport drivers and tricycles, especially during this period.
Any family with a little extra money wouldn't have the heart to see their children suffer in the countryside.
With the money for a tricycle, several children in the family can be attached to it. Find a few people to apply for a cooperative group at the street office, and that's considered entering the industry.
Running errands to the freight station is hard work, but you can really make money, especially if you have good connections and can always get jobs.
Alternatively, you can take odd jobs, such as picking up people on the street or delivering goods to various businesses and shops. Basically, you can do anything as long as it makes money, and you don't need to spare any effort.
It has only been less than a year and a half since Li Xuewu advised Yan Jiefang to buy a tricycle for transportation.
But look at Yan Jiefang's current state; he's clearly been overwhelmed by his peers.
"What did Guodong say?"
Li Xuewu nodded to the neighbor who came into the courtyard, returned the man's greeting, and then looked at Yan Jiefang and asked, "He only asked you to come back and take charge?"
"Yes, he said that the transportation business is not easy now, and we have to stick together to keep warm." Yan Jiefang said in a somewhat low voice, "He said that it would be easier for the Dongfeng Transportation Fleet to get things done if it was affiliated with the street office, no one would make things difficult for them, and the transportation volume would be guaranteed."
"And then?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "How did he agree to it?"
"He told me to find more honest and reliable transport drivers, preferably those from the street or nearby."
Yan Jiefang looked up at Li Xuewu and said, "He said he could take me to a freight station and find other companies with connections that need transportation services to get me some work."
"I didn't really care how much he paid me; I just felt that it would be good if I could do something."
"What the hell are you talking about—" Li Xuewu glared at him and said, "You'd chase after a penny that fell on the ground for miles, and now you're telling me you're enlightened? You're kidding me."
"Alright, do it if you want, or keep running your transport business if you don't. You won't starve anyway." Li Xuewu glared at him impatiently and said, "But I have to tell you something: whatever you do, you need to broaden your perspective as a person."
Don't be so petty about everything.
Li Xuewu sized him up and said, "You're such a grown man, and you don't even have the responsibility to support your family?"
"It's not necessarily that Guodong has no one to use. You don't need to put yourself in a difficult position or hold back. Just say what you want to say."
He curled his lip, turned his head, and said, "Even between brothers, accounts should be kept clear. You should get exactly how much pay you're owed. He didn't say he was using you for free, did he?"
"No...no..." Yan Jiefang's thoughts were seen through, and he couldn't even lift his head now.
Honestly, the reason Shen Guodong was so eager to use him was mostly out of consideration for him, taking into account their past friendship as fellow residents of the same compound. If we're talking about people Guodong needs, many would be eager to serve him.
He cursed himself for being stupid, but sometimes people's greed is uncontrollable, and he didn't have the self-control either.
Only when scolded awake did he feel unbearably ashamed, and he became submissive and hesitant in the face of Li Xuewu's reminders.
Li Xuewu didn't want to see him like this, so he glanced at the child again before saying to him, "Alright, it's getting dark. Get back to Guodong soon so we don't become estranged."
"Okay, I'll go right away." No longer hesitant as before, Yan Jiefang readily agreed.
***
The compound was still the same compound, but much quieter. Many houses were dark and locked, uninhabited all winter, looking rather desolate and lonely.
However, fewer people also have their advantages. Everyone's life is much quieter now that there are no more neighbors chirping around. Before it even gets dark, no one goes out.
Li Xuewu came directly back to the compound from his workplace. His driver dropped him off and then arranged for him to pick up Gu Ning from the hospital.
We had arranged it over the phone long ago; his first meal after returning home would be at the compound.
The two children had been there for a long time. If Li Xuewu hadn't been talking to Yan Jiefang, Liu Yin would have come out much earlier.
Seeing that Yan Jiefang had left, she came out of the house and carefully looked at her son, whom she hadn't seen for more than twenty days. Seeing that he was still full of energy, she smiled with satisfaction.
Li Xuewu smiled, gathered his three children into the house, and asked his mother about her New Year celebrations.
Liu Yin adjusted the knitted hat on Li Ning's head as he walked at the back, explaining how they had spent the New Year.
However, she only used a few brief words before asking about her son's life and work in the steel city.
"It's fine, who would let me down?"
Li Xuewu placed the gifts he had brought back on the octagonal table, glanced around the inner room, and then asked, "Where did Grandma and the others go? Why aren't they home?"
"Old Mrs. Sun from the next courtyard passed away. Your sister-in-law was too scared to go alone, so she took the old lady with her."
Liu Yin explained, "This person is really fragile. The New Year is over, and he just tripped and fell while walking, and then—"
"Why isn't there any movement?" Li Xuewu glanced towards the neighboring courtyard, but couldn't see anything through the opposite door. "Do we still have any gift money for them?"
However, he has a keen sense of smell and hearing; he should be able to hear the sounds of burning paper money and wailing as soon as someone enters the room.
"How could there not be? Don't talk nonsense." Liu Yin scolded him, "You didn't know about your older brother's wedding, but when you got married, Old Mrs. Sun brought several of her granddaughters to the banquet, have you forgotten?"
"I really don't remember that."
Li Xuewu shook his head, coaxed the children to take off their outer coats, and carried them onto the kang (a heated brick bed) to play.
Although the weather in Beijing isn't as badly cold as in Northeast China, it gets cold as soon as the sun sets.
Children, in particular, are most susceptible to the cold; they often get their ears damaged or their faces become numb, looking like frozen potatoes.
"Don't my dad and third son have time? Why don't we let them go? We can give this gift anytime."
"It's all for you—" Liu Yin scooped water from the water vat with a ladle to boil water and prepare dinner.
Her son was willing to talk to her, and she was also willing to chat with him, talking about everyday family matters.
"Knowing you'll be home for dinner tonight, your dad and third son thought they'd be busy during the day and come home on time after get off work."
She explained, "Your older brother is very timid. He wouldn't dare go even if he died of old age, let alone if he fell to his death."
"Don't scare him, he's really afraid of this," Li Xuewu said with a laugh. "He's been afraid of it since he was a child."
"He was frightened by Old Zhao from the front yard." Liu Yin felt regretful when she thought about what happened when her eldest son was a child. If she had been more careful back then, her eldest son wouldn't have been frightened.
This thing is really weird. Old Zhao from the front yard is very healthy. After retiring, he goes for walks by the lake every day. He doesn't look like he's going to die at all.
They've lived in the front and back yards for decades, and the neighbors know each other well; they know everyone's children and elderly relatives.
Li Xuewen naturally knew Old Zhao. Coincidentally, that day after school, he was afraid someone would block his way, so he took a long detour and came back from the lake. As a result, he encountered something strange.
On his way back, he met Old Zhao, who called out to him and handed him a large bunch of keys, saying that he had forgotten to leave them when he left home and asked Li Xuewen to make sure to deliver them to his home.
Li Xuewen didn't think much of it and agreed, even asking Old Zhao where he was going and why he didn't take the key back with him.
Old Zhao only glanced at him, said nothing, and went to the lakeside, just like he always did when he took a stroll.
Li Xuewen was only twelve or thirteen years old at the time. When his neighbor asked him for help, he didn't ask any further questions and just took the key and came back.
As soon as he entered the alley, he saw the neighbors coming and going in the front yard. Without even asking, he learned from them that Old Zhao from the front yard had passed away that afternoon.
When Li Xuewen looked at the key in his hand again, it was gone; he had no idea when it had disappeared.
So Li Xuewen was frightened and didn't dare tell his family when he got home. He then fell seriously ill.
Li Shun, being more experienced, noticed something was wrong and carefully questioned his son to find out what was going on.
At that time, Li Xuewu was even younger, but also more impulsive. He pretended to be asleep under the covers and heard about his older brother's story. The next day, he used a slingshot to break the window of Old Zhao's house.
That wasn't all. He then hired people to confront those who had bullied his older brother, causing a scene at school for quite some time. The matter only ended after he received a beating from his father.
It's no wonder that Li Xuewu's relationship with his eldest brother is deeper than his relationship with his third brother.
When we were kids, only the older brother could bully him; no one else could. No matter how much the two brothers fought, they couldn't let outsiders get away with it.
As the mother and daughter were chatting, Zhao Yafang and the old lady entered the courtyard, followed by her eldest brother, Li Xuewen.
Seeing Li Xuewu standing inside, Zhao Yafang smiled and opened the door to invite the old lady in, while saying to Li Xuewu, "I knew it! I heard the car moving."
"Your hearing is still the best. Mom told me there was something going on in the next yard, but I didn't hear it."
Li Xuewu looked the old lady up and down and greeted her with a smile, "Grandma, Happy New Year! I'm here to wish you a Happy New Year."
As he said this, he was about to kneel down, but the old lady stopped him with a smile and gently tapped him.
"Didn't I already tell you not to kneel anymore?"
The old lady always thought her grandson was right. She tugged at his hand and looked at him as if he were a child.
"It's not that you can't hear well, it's just that things are quiet in the next courtyard, there's hardly any noise there."
After entering the house, Zhao Yafang took off her coat and then helped the old lady take off her coat, explaining to Li Xuewu as she went.
"They say he was old, but he died a violent death. Many families are superstitious about this, especially during the Lunar New Year."
"These days, human relationships are as thin as paper."
The old lady sighed, "The Sun family used to be quite wealthy. Countless distant relatives would come to our door to beg for money, but after they left, none of them came back."
"Why are you worrying about that?" Zhao Yafang smiled and glanced at Li Xuewu, then asked, "Is it cold in the Northeast, Second Brother? Is it colder than here?"
"Hmm, dry and cold." Li Xuewu went into the house with the old lady and sat on the kang (a heated brick bed). Behind him, the three little ones were making a ruckus, playing with the old lady's playing cards.
"You went too?" He looked at his older brother and asked with a smile, "Aren't you most afraid of this?"
“I didn’t go. I just came back from the bookstore and happened to run into your sister-in-law and the old lady coming back.”
Li Xuewen pushed up his glasses, not paying much attention to his younger brother's teasing; it was nothing to him.
Li Xuewu nodded and asked, "How's it going at the research institute? You haven't been having any proper classes at school, have you?"
"Yeah, they're all just sitting there unused." Li Xuewen was clearly uninterested in the topic, and seemed more like he didn't want to answer, showing a strong aversion to his current job.
Li Xuewu glanced at his sister-in-law and said frankly, "If you're not happy with what you're doing, then don't do it. Why make things difficult for yourself and make your family worry?"
Li Xuewen looked up and saw that his mother and Zhao Yafang were both avoiding his gaze, while the old lady was looking at him with concern, hesitant to speak.
There are some things the two brothers can say to each other that are not easy for other family members to advise him on, after all, he is the eldest son in the family.
Li Xuewu never treated him as his eldest son from childhood, so his words were clear, straightforward, and to the point.
Li Xuewen remained silent for a long time before finally not responding to his brother's question. Instead, he took the initiative to talk about the research institute.
Zhao Yafang went to the kitchen to help her mother-in-law, but she felt relieved.
Li Xuewen's behavior has been somewhat unusual lately. Someone as naive as him should know without even thinking that something is wrong.
She also understands her husband's responsibility and commitment to teaching and nurturing students, but some things cannot be rushed.
Fortunately, Li Xuewu arranged for him to go to the research institute; otherwise, he might have gotten sick if he had stayed at home.
"You can think about it later. Whether it's drones or helicopters, they are all key scientific research projects for our group in the next few years or decades."
Li Xuewu looked at his elder brother and emphasized, "The group now attaches great importance to related scientific research activities, provides ample experimental funding, and is very generous with bonuses."
"I didn't really care about the bonus. I was just bored and wanted to read in a different place."
Li Xuewen is quite carefree when it comes to his career, unless he's the kind of person who takes money but doesn't get to do the work.
He couldn't go back to the prison, because Huang Gan had also left, and it would be inconvenient to go there again.
Even though the person who replaced Huang Gan was originally the deputy director of the prison, he hoped that Li Xuewen would go back to work. However, Li Xuewu did not agree with his elder brother going back to "cultivate himself".
Huaqing didn't fail; it just encountered difficulties. If we don't share the hardships now, how can we enjoy the good times together later?
It's hard to say what happened a few years ago. In such a chaotic situation, it was really important for everyone to take care of themselves, and no one criticized him.
Although Li Xuewu admired his elder brother's carefree attitude, he did not agree with his values, as his elder brother's life was indeed too decadent.
More importantly, he can't enjoy this carefree life, so his older brother shouldn't expect to be idle anymore.
“You can be indifferent to fame and fortune, but what about your sister-in-law and children?” Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, “Don’t forget, you’ll be the father of two children this year.”
"Furthermore, your parents are in your care, so don't ask me for money for everything later, or I won't give it to you."
Liu Yin and the old lady both heard these words, but they didn't react at all; they both knew exactly what was going on.
Li Xuewu wanted to provoke his older brother, but who would take it seriously at this point? The second brother had already provided enough support to the family.
Li Xuewen didn't believe that his second brother would stand idly by when he was in real trouble; he just felt embarrassed.
He knew his younger brother was trying to encourage him, so he didn't get angry. Looking at the busy figure in the kitchen, he felt he should cheer himself up too.
The younger brother is a cadre, the mother takes care of the whole family, the wife is always worrying, and he is a good-for-nothing.
"How about... I give it a try?"
-
What did you say to your older brother last night?
Gu Ning tidied her freshly washed hair, turned her head to look at Li Xuewu lying on the bed, and asked, "Why is he so absent-minded? Sister-in-law keeps looking at you too."
"Sigh, what else could it be?" Li Xuewu sighed softly, flipping through the thick book in his hand, and said, "Big brother wants to do something, but he's hesitant and timid."
"Going out to work?" Gu Ning frowned and looked at him with confusion, asking, "Isn't your older brother at work?"
"His class was a complete mess."
Li Xuewu looked up at his wife, put down the book in his hand, and said, "Does he look like a professor? He has no emotional intelligence at all, and he's incredibly lazy."
Gu Ning glanced at him sideways, not wanting him to speak like that, but after all, he was Li Xuewu's older brother, not hers.
Li Xuewu said this because he felt close to his elder brother and there was nothing to care about. If he really didn't care, he would just ignore him.
"You know perfectly well that he's been treated like royalty by his whole family and can't be allowed to get down to earth at all."
"What do you want him to do?" Gu Ning turned around, picked up a wooden comb, and started combing her hair, reminding her, "Your sister-in-law cares about this a lot, so don't do something wrong with your good intentions."
"Hey, I've noticed you've changed quite a bit."
Li Xuewu got out of bed, put on slippers, walked behind his wife, took the wooden comb from her hand, and started combing her hair.
Gu Ning glanced at him in the mirror and asked, "What has changed?"
"Yes, things have changed." Li Xuewu also looked her over in the mirror, nodded seriously, and said, "Answer me seriously, are you my wife?"
Gu Ning smirked and raised his hand to give him an elbow strike, but Li Xuewu nimbly dodged it.
"So beautiful and understanding," Li Xuewu said, looking at Gu Ning in the mirror while combing his wife's hair. "You're not some fox spirit in disguise, are you?"
This guy is getting more and more irresponsible. Gu Ning is too lazy to pay attention to him. It's a waste of energy to even glance at him.
Li Xuewu didn't seem to care about his wife's expression and said with a smile, "You're so beautiful."
"Give it to me, I'll comb it myself."
Gu Ning couldn't take it anymore. What was this all about, an old married couple putting on such a show?
Li Xuewu refused to give it to her, continuing to work with his hands, saying, "My brother said he wanted to study nuclear physics. He said it before you came, and my sister-in-law got angry."
"What? Nuclear physics?" Gu Ning was also taken aback for a moment before frowning and asking, "What is my brother thinking?"
"In my heart, he is a god, an immortal, not like a normal person. You ask me what he thinks?"
Li Xuewu said with a laugh, "Wait until I'm crazy before asking me this question again. I should be able to answer you then."
Gu Ning now understood the look in his sister-in-law's eyes, and also the reason for his brother's silence.
Today is Li Xuewu's homecoming, a family reunion. The children are excited, but the adults have some concerns that they don't care about. In fact, the adults don't really care much either.
After Li Shu and Li Ning returned, they went to sleep. Li Xuewu hadn't seen his wife for almost a month, so how could he let Gu Ning go? The couple took a shower together after they were intimate.
"Nuclear physics isn't ideal, but mechanical or engineering fields would be much better, since it's your company."
When Li Xuewu returned this time, he noticed that Gu Ning was talking more. He wondered if it was because the couple hadn't seen each other for a long time and had gathered their thoughts together to say something.
“That’s what I think too.” Li Xuewu finished combing her hair, put down the comb and said, “The group plans to develop aircraft in the future, and he is the perfect person for this field.”
“In our group, he has both funding and talent. With a couple more years of experience, he can lead his own research projects. If he does well, he might actually be able to get several projects approved.”
"You knew he could succeed?" Gu Ning glanced at him, slapped his hand away, and got into bed from the other side.
Li Xuewu didn't care and went back to bed to continue saying, "Don't you know your older brother? He's like a donkey. You have to put a harness on him before he'll walk."
"Don't say that again. If your sister-in-law finds out, she'll be furious with you." Gu Ning pushed him away, turned and lay down next to him, saying, "I never knew how your sister-in-law felt when your brother was hiding in a prison, until she found out you'd been gone for over twenty days..."
"Miss me?" Li Xuewu bent down, hugged her, and kissed her. He said, "If you miss me, take the children to Gangcheng to see me, or call me and I'll come back to see you right away."
"Mmm—" Gu Ning snuggled closer to him, found a comfortable position to lie down, but didn't close her eyes, looking especially gentle in the light of the bedside lamp.
“Give me a little more time. In less than six months, once I have sorted out my work ideas and standardized the order, I will be able to return to Beijing more often, and you won’t have to work so hard.”
"It's not hard work, it's the same as before."
Gu Ning said affectionately, "Knowing that you're going away for work, Li Shu has been very well-behaved, and her little brother is too. Er Ya said they've grown up and are easier to please."
“Your sister-in-law’s younger sister will be here in a few days, and she can help you out then.” Li Xuewu kissed her forehead and said, “You don’t need to worry about your sister-in-law, just treat her like your own younger sister, treat her the way you would like to be treated.”
Gu Ning looked up at him and asked, "Do you still treat me like a child?"
“How could that be? You are the mother of my child.” Li Xuewu looked at her very seriously and said, “Your training class is ending this year, and Li Shu is getting older. Someone has to take care of her while she studies.”
“Isn’t he well-mannered?” Gu Ning said somewhat reluctantly, “He’s still a child, what if…”
"At thirteen or fourteen, he might still be a child in the city, but in the countryside, he would have already accomplished something."
Li Xuewu patted her back with the hand that was around her and said, "I'm not comfortable with Er Ya being home alone. I don't think I can use anyone else, so I might as well use her."
"Xiaoxiao can't live at home all the time, so it's just about regulating and cultivating Li Shu and Li Ning's study habits."
He looked towards the foot of the bed and said, "Don't trust her too much. It's the same with everyone; you have to be wary."
"Hmm—" At this moment, she would listen to whatever Li Xuewu said, because he must have a reason.
Gu Ning's life is so simple and worry-free because Li Xuewu arranges everything for her.
Her proactive behavior today stemmed from a sudden realization that the absence of Li Xuewu in her life caused her an unbearable sense of panic and loss, as if she had lost her anchor.
Only when I hear his phone call or receive his letter can I feel a little relieved.
She could accept Li Xuewu being away on business for a few days or ten days, but she could not accept him being away for extended periods.
But she couldn't stop Li Xuewu's development and progress, so she mostly kept her emotions bottled up inside.
As husband and wife, Li Xuewu knew exactly what she was thinking, so he cherished the time they spent together all the more.
Even though it was late at night, the two were still inseparable and reluctant to go to sleep.
The story begins with Li Xuewu's work and life in the steel city, then moves on to his brother-in-law's wedding preparations, and finally to the mundane details of family life in Nanjing.
Li Xuewu never neglected to keep an eye on Jinling. His father-in-law's phone number and mail address had been moved from Beijing to Gangcheng, and the two had never lost contact.
Li Xuewu truly possessed the ability and intuition that Gu Haitao admired, and before they knew it, the two were getting along more like comrades-in-arms.
At certain critical junctures and turning points, Li Xuewu would remind his father-in-law through reasonable analysis and judgment, and his father-in-law would actively make good use of his reminders.
This tacit cooperation, and the mutually beneficial exchanges and communication, brought benefits to both Gu Haitao and Li Xuewu.
Li Huaide was afraid that he would take over the position too early, so he hardly introduced him to anyone in the First Ministry of Machine Building circle.
He could only get to know a few people through work relationships, those he had only had business dealings with, and that was about it.
Every circle has its barriers, and Hongxing Steel Group is no exception. Since Li Huaide didn't actively help him advance, he couldn't proactively befriend those people.
Rules are rules. If the rules are broken, how can the game be played?
However, there are always those who defy the rules of the game, such as Gu Haitao, and the veteran comrades or key officials that Gu Haitao entrusted to visit.
The Gu family's network of connections in Beijing has been handed over to him, and he is almost entirely responsible for maintaining it.
Gu An had long harbored ambitions, his heart soaring like an eagle, yearning only for that sky. Gu Yan, being young and inexperienced, had little interest in developing in that direction, so it was he, as the son-in-law, who represented the Gu family in maintaining face and prestige within a certain circle.
Otherwise, where would he get so much accurate information? Even with a superb memory, it would be impossible to remember so many key dates and crucial information.
Li Xuewu was inclined to bring Gu Ning along to visit those connections, believing it would be much more effective.
Unfortunately, Gu Ning didn't want to go at all; she didn't even know any of her father's old acquaintances.
Li Xuewu dared not risk an awkward situation by forcibly dragging her over, but starting this year he deliberately took Gu Ning to visit some close relatives, and would bring the children along.
With the two children, a girl and a little girl, following along, Gu Ning had something to focus on, preventing her from becoming too indifferent.
People will have something to talk about.
In the days following the New Year, Li Xuewu made several trips to arrange for Gu Ning to visit all the homes she could in the evening.
Li Shu and Li Ning really hit the jackpot, receiving so many red envelopes they couldn't keep up. They obediently called out whatever their father told them to, and even knew to say "Happy New Year."
Whenever this happens, Li Xuewu would say, "No, no, the child is still young."
The other party would then tear open the envelope and forcefully stuff it into their hands, emphasizing, "This is for the child."
(End of this chapter)