dognovel Chapter 1367 Jinling
Chapter 1367 Jinling
Chapter 1367 Jinling
One case involved five members of the group's leadership team. Within a single day, the higher authorities issued reprimands and admonitions to the five group leaders, which can be described as severe.
Looking back after the case was closed, Li Huaide had to clean up this mess. To demonstrate fairness and impartiality, he even had to relinquish some of his personnel authority to Jing Yunong, which was a huge embarrassment.
Gu Weijie, Xue Zhifu, and Zhang Jingsong were all deterred and no longer dared to be arrogant or selfish, let alone violate the discipline of unity and engage in malicious competition within the organization.
With everything settled, Li Xuewu sat in his office reviewing the situation, realizing he'd overlooked someone.
Who is it?
Even Gao Yaqin and Xu Sinian were included in the "Investiture of the Gods" list, accompanying him to the management committee meeting.
Both of them were whipped more than once, so how come Cheng Kaiyuan, the deputy director who had been on my mind for a long time, was unharmed?
Yes, in this incident, only Deputy Director Cheng was not involved or affected. Is that normal?
Some people say that Jing Yunong wasn't affected either, so why didn't Li Xuewu scheme against Deputy Director Jing?
Who says there was no calculation involved...?
Cough cough, can this be called scheming?
That's called caring!
This is called caring, this is called repaying, this is called supporting!
Jing Yunong viewed Li Xuewu's reward as a surprise attack, and he was filled with resentment whenever it was mentioned.
This scoundrel not only pushed her to the forefront but also forced her to make a choice. Furthermore, by putting her in charge of personnel work, he was bound to anger Old Li, but in doing so, he shielded Li Xuewu from a bullet.
Her ability to take the initiative in personnel work means that Li Xuewu has indirect influence over personnel matters.
But now, does she have a choice?
She couldn't just hand over the personnel authority she had acquired to others just to avoid making others wary, could she? Wouldn't that make her, the group leader in charge of personnel, a mere figurehead?
Can you give away something you've already got?
Li Xuewu wanted to cut off one of the hands of these group leaders before leaving, so he wasn't about to let Jing Yunong off the hook.
No matter what choice Jing Yunong makes, she will be isolated by the team members. If she wants to maintain her personal influence while gaining more support, she can only seek cooperation and get closer to Dong Wenxue and Li Xuewu.
Well, this is more than just taking a bullet for him.
Jing Yunong wanted to curse, to curse Li Xuewu for doing something inhuman.
Just a few days ago, I was worried about him, but he turned the tables on me.
She acted in his play for so long, but in the end, the grain she received was rigged. Do you think she could be satisfied?
Even if Li Xuewu willingly offered his own sister as a hostage to her, what good would it do? Could she possibly harm Li Xue?
Not only should she not resort to underhanded tactics, but she also saw that Li Xue was well-behaved and ambitious, so she wanted to nurture her properly.
She wasn't a heartless person; otherwise, she wouldn't have appointed Li Xue as the deputy head of the finance department.
If Jing Yunong were to be the first to stand up and support Li Xuewu at the management committee meeting, would that ruin the whole thing?
The atmosphere at the meeting was tense and chaotic. Even Zhang Jingsong and Kumamoto left the scene, and even Lao Li's reflection on her relationship with Li Xuewu was ambiguous.
Furthermore, supporting Li Xuewu to go to Liaodong as a leader is direct competition for some people, and reverse competition for others.
Those who sought to gain influence over industrial management in Liaodong naturally did not support Li Xuewu. However, Jing Yunong's situation was different.
As the head of personnel and finance, she had little influence over industrial and economic development.
Not to mention industrial management in Liaodong, even if the opportunity were given to her, she wouldn't go.
On the contrary, Li Xuewu's continued presence in the group as a leader hindered some of her work and influence.
Therefore, supporting Li Xuewu's trip to Liaodong is entirely in line with Jing Yunong's personal desires and thinking.
Even if Old Li had suspicions, he only suspected her motives. Her high-profile appearance this time was to drive Li Xuewu away.
If Lao Li wouldn't suspect that Jing Yunong was involved with Li Xuewu, would he suspect that Zhang Jingsong sided with Li Xuewu?
Of course not! Who is Zhang Jingsong? He's a stubborn mule!
If even he couldn't subdue himself, how could Li Xuewu, a mere manager, possibly exert influence to tame this stubborn mule?
In his mind, there was only one possibility that Zhang Jingsong would support Li Xuewu at the meeting: an exchange of interests.
Don't think that Li Xuewu has nothing and can't give Zhang Jingsong anything. Don't forget, Dong Wenxue is coming back.
Even if Li Xuewu couldn't give Zhang Jingsong anything when he left, Dong Wenxue, who returned, was going to take things a step further.
Besides, is Li Xuewu, the head of the entire group and its leader, really "completely innocent"?
Dong Wenxue has returned, but Li Xuewu didn't go down there naked this time; he still holds the position of a leader.
The leadership role may be handed over within one or two years, but Li Xuewu still has influence over the group's operations before that.
More importantly, with Li Xuewu handing over his position, he will inevitably be promoted to a deputy position within the group. Even if he ranks lower, he will still have voting rights.
It's impossible for anyone to guarantee that their opinion will always be correct and always receive unanimous support.
Therefore, Li Huaide didn't think much of Zhang Jingsong's actions, at least not compared to Kumamoto Naru.
Director Li hated Xiong Zhuxi so much that Xiong Zhuxi "fell ill" and had to return to the hospital right after the management committee meeting ended.
It's clear that Xiong Zhuxi's health isn't very good. He'll either have to retire due to illness while still in office, or he'll only be able to recover after Director Li leaves.
So this time, Li Xuewu didn't let anyone go; if you say he let anyone go, it would only mean he missed them.
Scheming against Deputy Director Jing is nothing compared to putting in a little more effort in "action" to make amends.
How could we let Deputy Director Cheng escape?
Even the most meticulous plans can have a flaw!
Back in Tianjin, Zhou Xiaobai had already dug this pit, just waiting for them to jump in.
He witnessed Su Weide taking the initiative to find Cheng Kaiyuan, and the two had a pleasant conversation. Why was there no follow-up?
According to the original plan, even if Deputy Director Cheng didn't offer his help, he should have at least taken the opportunity to get involved when Zhou Zechuan was investigating Zheng Xudong's case.
Pushing the case forward would involve a whole host of people, including Su Weide, Zhang Jingsong, and Gu Weijie, and would also make Lao Li unable to attend to everything, thus freeing up some power within the group. Wouldn't that be better?
If Deputy Director Cheng can act according to the script designed by Li Xuewu, then there will be no need for Li Xuewu to take away the account books and materials from Zheng Xudong's hands, and the strength and impact of the case will be just right.
In particular, Li Xuewu doesn't need to take the initiative; he only needs to coordinate and offer encouragement. There's no need for Yang Jun to find fault with him.
Deputy Director Cheng is just that mischievous. Does he really remember the principle of learning from mistakes so well?
Li Xuewu's strike was met with only Cheng Kaiyuan narrowly avoiding it, a feat that was remarkably precise.
Their caution is a little heartbreaking.
Honestly, am I really that scary?
Old Cheng, say something!
***
"I want to take this—"
Li Shu ran out carrying a machine gun, stood at attention in front of Gu Ning, and looked at her mother with hopeful eyes.
Gu Ning glanced at it only once, and just like when she refused her daughter's request to bring the family's little white rabbit along, she shook her head and rejected her suggestion, "No, the suitcase is too full."
"Oh—" Li Shu's hope vanished, and she walked back with her head down, somewhat disappointed, but in her heart she was thinking about going back to the inner room to see if there was anything else she could bring.
“We’re going to take a plane to see your grandpa and grandma.” Li Xuewu had just come home from get off work. He touched his daughter’s pigtails and comforted her with a smile, “Passengers aren’t allowed to carry weapons on airplanes.”
"Not this one either?" Li Shu asked tentatively, raising the machine gun in her arms. "I won't fire it randomly."
“It’s the rule.” Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said seriously, “Did you see your father carrying a weapon?”
Li Shuzhen carefully examined her father's lower back and, finding no holster, reluctantly returned to her room on the first floor.
There are just too many toys in the house, so many that there's no room in the living room, and Er Ya faces a messy scene every day.
So after consulting with Li Xuewu, they specially renovated the first-floor guest room into a toy room for Li Shu and Li Ning.
"And this one?" Li Shu seemed to have left her disappointment in the toy room, and her smile returned. She rode out on a metal-framed tricycle, her eyes full of anticipation.
"Huh? You don't mean I can't bring this either?"
Seeing that her mother's eyes had lost their patience and gentleness, Li Shu consciously pedaled hard a few times, turned a corner, and rode back.
"Why can't we bring anything?"
Although he was still complaining, the action of turning around was as smooth as could be.
Although her parents never hit her, her mother's eyes were already very frightening.
"Honey, we're only going for three to five days." Li Xuewu shook his head helplessly, arms crossed, and reminded Li Shu, who was determined to pack all her toys into her bag, "You'll also see your eldest and youngest uncles at Grandma's this time—"
Li Shuzheng had just changed to a children's shovel and was carrying a tin bucket when she came out. When she saw her father say this, she looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Uncle? The uncle who flies airplanes?"
"That's right, my eldest uncle is a pilot and my youngest uncle is a tank driver."
Just at the end of the year, news came that Gu Yan's regiment was going to carry out a mechanization pilot reform, and he was promoted from running on the ground to being carried on wheels.
Li Xuewu was unclear about this change; he had never encountered such things in his previous life, let alone knew how many pilot experiments had been conducted domestically. Perhaps spurred by something, the higher-ups had taken action at this time.
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "If you bring a lot of toys, how will your uncles buy you new ones?"
"Oh? Oh, really—"
Li Shu seemed to have just realized something. She looked at the beach outfit in her hand, then decisively turned around and went back into the house.
Gu Ning glanced at the smug-looking Li Xuewu, then curled her lip, too lazy to bother with him. He just fooled her daughter, what's there to be so proud of? Should she teach her daughter such a petty trick?
We had already planned a family trip to Nanjing at the end of the month to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and my eldest brother, Gu An, had taken a few days off for this trip.
It had been three years since the family had a proper reunion, and this was a rare opportunity for the Gu family.
In particular, in the past two years, Gu Haitao has publicly stated that he is in poor health and needs to rest.
If one has handed over their work and power, it would seem hypocritical for their dutiful children to remain indifferent.
Another reason is that Gu Haitao and his wife really miss their children. They haven't seen the older ones much in recent years, and they miss the younger ones even more.
Gu An and his wife had their wish fulfilled and had a child; Gu Ning and his wife were successful in their careers and had a harmonious family; the third son, Gu Yan, also found a partner and set a wedding date. With one happy event after another, it was time for them to reunite.
Knowing that she needed to prepare early for the long trip, Gu Ning was simply too busy. In order to get these few days off, she was working non-stop, wishing she could stretch 24 hours into 48.
Given Gu Ning's background, asking for leave directly from her superiors wouldn't be a problem. Even if the department didn't grant her leave, Vice Dean Zhang would be eager to give her leave to visit her family.
But she's no longer an eighteen or nineteen-year-old. With the influence of her lover Li Xuewu, who's as cunning as a honeycomb, and her increasingly outgoing personality and proactive learning, Gu Ning's aloofness has lessened, while her maturity and composure have increased considerably.
Before her department head asked for leave, she had already discussed the shift change with her colleagues, not wanting to owe anyone anything.
Whether it's the department head or the hospital director, they've already provided Gu Ning with all the resources they could. They've also witnessed her hard work and dedication since her marriage. Her display of responsibility and maturity this time has made the leaders very pleased.
Without a sense of responsibility, how can one be cultivated and given important responsibilities? Even if one values Gu Ning's influence, one must still carefully test him.
Fortunately, Gu Ning was not a hopeless case. Her superiors readily approved her leave application and did not prevent her from switching shifts with her colleagues.
And so, the couple didn't start packing until the day before their trip. They were inevitably in a flurry of activity, and their two little rascals, Li Shu and Li Ning, were always causing trouble.
The older sister, Li Shu, repeatedly pushed the limits of the couple's relationship, while the younger brother, Li Ning, ignored them and took out whatever his mother packed into her bag.
"Mom—I want to take this!"
Just as Gu Ning was about to calm Li Ning down who was grabbing at her clothes, Li Shu came out of the inner room with great effort, dragging a large wooden box.
"Mom, are there enough toys that my eldest uncle and youngest uncle bought? If not, I have another basket in my room."
This was no joke from Li Shu. What she had just dragged out was a large box from her room used to store toys, which Li Xuewu's great-grandmother had specially made out of solid wood.
Just think about how many toys she has, and how big the box she can use to store them is.
She said the basket she was going to bring was also woven for her by her great-grandmother from willow branches in the spring, and it was also used to hold toys.
The wooden box is now empty, all the toys inside are gone, and her little scheme couldn't be clearer.
Gu Ning was genuinely stunned this time. She turned to Li Xuewu, wanting to ask, "Who did the child take after to be so 'unreserved'?"
Li Xuewu, however, enjoyed his daughter's antics. He smiled and nodded, encouraging her, "Alright, let's take this big box with us. If your uncles' toys don't fill it up, we'll stay here and not leave."
“They’re not going to leave—” Li Ning, who loved to join in the fun, ran over and mimicked her father and sister’s jokes.
Li Shu rarely gets her father's support, so she was beaming with joy, her eyes filled with excitement as she looked at her mother.
I'm so smart!
Aren't you going to pack your things?
Gu Ning had no choice but to find another way to deal with the father and son. She sent Li Xuewu upstairs to clean up, so that she would have time to deal with Li Shu and Li Ning.
Ignoring his daughter's strong desire to stay, Li Xuewu tapped her forehead and said, "See, Mommy said that you have to do things yourself, and Daddy can't be an exception."
As he said this, he walked up the stairs, not forgetting to remind his daughter, "So, you'll have to take this big box with you tomorrow, Dad can't carry it."
Li Shu: "Huh?—"
***
"Good morning, sir. Welcome aboard the Red Star One business jet. I am your chief flight attendant, Zhou Xiaoling."
Near the boarding stairs were parked a Volga M24 and a GAZ-69. The Volga was Li Xuewu's vehicle, and the GAZ-69 belonged to Shen Guodong.
As soon as Li Xuewu got off the plane, he was greeted by the flight crew members wearing overcoats. The emotional support was very well done.
This is a specialty of the labor service company's aviation service team, especially in business jet operations, where the service quality is top-notch.
When the aviation service team was established, Li Xuewu emphasized several points, including service etiquette standards.
Han Yating specially organized outstanding etiquette trainers from international hotels to come and guide the development of aviation services.
This wasn't the first time Li Xuewu had enjoyed a flight service, but it was the first time he had brought his family along.
"Thank you. This is Gu Ning, my wife."
Li Xuewu first shook hands with flight attendant Zhou Xiaoling and the captain before introducing Gu Ning, who was sitting next to him, to them.
The captain's eyes held a hint of understanding, and he became more cautious and serious when greeting Gu Ning.
Zhou Xiaoling maintained her usual elegance, politely and courteously greeting Gu Ning with a smile, but addressing her as Madam Li.
Mrs. Li?
This was the first time Gu Ning had ever heard someone address her like that outside. Friends who knew her and Li Xuewu would usually call her Dr. Gu, or something more intimate.
She wasn't annoyed to hear the flight attendant call her Mrs. Li; instead, she seemed rather intrigued. She glanced at Zhou Xiaoling again as she boarded the plane, nodding without correcting or emphasizing any other form of address.
Li Xuewu didn't pay any attention. At this moment, Er Ya got out of the car, picked up Li Ning, and boarded the plane with Gu Ning.
Li Shu stood beside Zhou Yao, carefully examining the enormous object before her and the elegant and poised service staff.
Gu Yan and Zhou Yao met up at home in the morning, preparing to take a plane to Jinling with their brother-in-law's family.
As for when Gu Yan returned, Li Xuewu didn't ask, and Gu Ning didn't care to answer him either.
The young couple is currently on their honeymoon, especially since Gu Yan is not readily available to come back, and the two of them often spend time together intimately.
Zhou Yao showed Li Shu the airplanes for a while, then followed Gu Ning up the stairs. The sun was out this morning, but it was windy and still a bit chilly.
Together with Shen Guodong, Yu Zhe helped Gu Yan carry the luggage from the Volga M24 and the gift boxes unloaded from the GAZ-69 into the cabin.
Zhou Xiaoling thoughtfully accompanied Gu Ning and the others onto the plane first, and then organized people to help Yu Zhe and the other person store the packages and boxes.
Since it was a business jet, there was no reason for it to be used for private purposes. Li Xuewu's trip to Nanjing this time was not entirely for private business.
After a year of development and construction, the Group's Sales Headquarters decided to focus on expanding into several key cities in the south and connect these cities to form a regional branch in the Jiangnan area.
The management committee has initially decided that the office for the Jiangnan area will be located in Jinling.
This place is not only the capital of Jiangsu and Zhejiang (although the other 12 cities are unwilling to admit it), but also the former capital of the Republic of China.
Whether from an economic or commercial perspective, placing the regional branch here is of great significance.
Nanjing in the south and Tianjin in the north should form an integrated commercial system, with sales efforts being carried out simultaneously.
Businesses that have established mature sales systems in major northern cities over the past two years will expand southward in the next two years. Meanwhile, distribution experience and resources accumulated from several southern cities will be channeled and transferred northward.
They even chose two locations for the sea outlet and the trading port. One is naturally the Yingcheng Port area, which is currently under construction in Yingcheng, and the other is Yuezhou.
Yuezhou itself has a port, but it is an inland river port, very close to the sea, and shares one with Qiantang.
The reason why Yuezhou was chosen as the southern economic export port for Hongxing Steel Group is because it is very small.
Smaller entities are easier to control than those in Hongxing Steel. The group's strong desire to control the ports stems from the fact that the abundant raw materials from the southern seaports are destined for the north.
In other words, the production base was in Liaodong, while the raw materials needed for production were mostly transported from the south.
Railway transport would have been the most suitable option, but in those days, railway lines and transport capacity were in short supply, so water transport was a more economical choice.
Raw materials are transported along the coastline to the production base in the north by Dongfeng Shipping's thousand-ton cargo ships. The finished products are then transported from Yingcheng Port to Nanjing, Yuezhou Port, the port city, and Southeast Asia by ten-thousand-ton ships.
By placing the Jiangnan branch office in Nanjing, the city, with its golden trade route along the Yangtze River and the Qiantang and Yuezhou ports, effectively sandwiched this trading area in the middle.
Hongxing Steel Group dared not rashly extend its reach into Shanghai, fearing it would backfire, but it also did not want to miss out on the fastest-growing and best-performing economic city in the country.
Therefore, we should focus on key areas and make long-term plans.
To outsiders, he would naturally say that market research and organizational development were the main priorities, while taking his family to Nanjing to visit relatives was secondary. Internally, however, there was no need for ambiguity; the itinerary had been planned long ago, and even his father-in-law, Gu Haitao, hadn't objected.
In fact, some people at Hongxing Steel Group were hoping he would leave at this crucial moment to avoid causing further trouble.
The group's organizational ecosystem and structure have been restructured, and power and political resources have been reshuffled and redistributed. There is one person who should take the initiative to stand back, and that person is Li Xuewu.
In order to ensure Dong Wenxue's smooth return to Beijing, Li Xuewu not only disrupted the stability of the organization's ecosystem, but also created several potential partners for himself, and even had the opportunity to go to Liaodong for practical experience.
Everyone else suffered heavy losses, so why is he rising through the ranks so smoothly and smugly?
Li Xuewu knew when to stop; it was time for Jing Yunong and Dong Wenxue to take center stage. He wanted to fulfill everyone's wishes and give them some time to lay low and avoid the limelight.
Even though he was extremely cunning and schemed against so many people, he still earned a reputation for being treacherous.
The group still needs to unite, and at this time he should step down gracefully and temporarily avoid the limelight.
So he arranged for a private jet to handle the round trip. Not only did Zhang Jingsong, who was in charge of service and logistics, not say anything, but Lao Li also took the initiative to contact him, asking about Gu Haitao's current situation and asking him to bring some small gifts.
How could Old Li's gift be anything less than a small token? A piece of calligraphy or painting, its authenticity and quality indistinguishable—that's the old-fashioned way of reciprocating gifts.
In this era, slightly older calligraphy and paintings by famous people are not that valuable, and people dare not even promote them openly.
Many people collect these things and keep them at home, even secretly admiring them under the covers. On the surface, they still have to solemnly criticize these things as dross and garbage.
Yes, they are all garbage collectors.
On December 31st, Li Xuewu and Gu Ning, along with their child, brother-in-law, brother-in-law's fiancée, and the family's nanny, took a business jet to Jinling.
Gu An and Mu Hongyan, along with their child, flew from Xi'an to Nanjing. The family planned to spend a reunion Chinese New Year in Nanjing.
***
"Oh, let Grandma give you a kiss."
As soon as Li Shu got out of the car, still groggy and not yet able to see clearly what was happening outside, her grandmother hugged her tightly and kissed her repeatedly.
"Grandma missed you so much, my dear grandson! Did you miss Grandma?" Ding Fengxia loved her granddaughter's liveliness and coaxed her, asking, "Do you still recognize Grandma?"
"I know her, Grandma—"
Li Shu has a knack for coaxing people. She was half asleep on the plane, but now she tightly hugs her grandmother's neck and gives her a kiss, which almost brings Ding Fengxia to tears.
She had arrived quite early. Gu An, who had come with her to pick her up, saw her mother's excitement and took Li Shu into his arms, comforting her and calming her down.
Just as she put Li Shu down, Ding Fengxia picked up the adorable and charming Li Ning, who had just gotten off the bus.
Following his father's instructions on the plane, Li Ning kept repeating "Grandma, Grandma" to his older sister, which melted Ding Fengxia's heart. She held her eldest grandson tightly and wouldn't let go.
"You've been flying for several hours?" Gu An smiled at his sister and brother-in-law and asked with concern, "Are you tired?"
"Fortunately, I managed to get a nap on the plane."
Li Xuewu smiled and shook hands with his brother-in-law. Since his marriage, the two had only met a handful of times.
Gu Ning was too lazy to pay attention to her younger brother Gu Yan, but she was quite respectful to her older brother, though only relatively speaking.
This time, however, Gu An was pleasantly surprised to hear his younger sister call him "Big Brother" on her own initiative, with a smile on her face.
Before, his younger sister was also distant from him at home; only their mother could communicate with her. She was his only sister, and having experienced such danger as a child, as her older brother, he only felt heartache and would never blame her.
As he grew up and joined the army, and his younger sister went to university, the two saw each other even less often, and their relationship inevitably grew distant.
Gu Yan has been going home more often in the past two years, and he always stays at his second sister's house, so he can naturally sense the changes in his second sister.
After meeting her more often, Gu Yan didn't notice much change in his second sister, except that she had become more cheerful. However, while her attitude towards him was less aloof, she still didn't look down on him.
Gu An hadn't seen the girl for two years, and the changes in her appearance were immense, filling him with both relief and joy.
A driver and secretary came to help with the luggage, and the crew members also assisted, so they didn't need to put in any effort.
Looking at the small imported business jet behind Li Xuewu, and then at the changes in his younger sister, Gu An felt even happier.
Like his mother, he hoped that his younger siblings would have a good life and be happy, and he had a strong sense of responsibility as the eldest brother, like a father.
Li Xuewu also felt that his brother-in-law was kind and approachable to him, and spoke with maturity and composure, making him worthy of respect.
Of course, it's impossible to say that he and his brother-in-law had a bad relationship. He cared for and doted on Gu Yan, but they rarely communicated or shared common ground on serious matters.
Although Gu Yan has matured a lot in the past two years, he is still not mature enough in his eyes, at least much less mature than Gu An.
Seeing his brother-in-law and elder brother standing together, chatting and laughing, even seeming to appreciate each other and feel like they had known each other for a long time, Gu Yan raised an eyebrow at Zhou Yao with a smile on his lips.
Zhou Yao rolled her eyes at him, walked up to Li Xuewu, and greeted him after he introduced her.
"Okay, okay, Mom has told me all the good things about you."
Gu An was the eldest son, so he naturally thought his brother-in-law and sister-in-law were good, but he became a bit picky about his younger brother standing behind him.
It's okay to joke around at this time, but it's not the right time for admonitions and lectures. However, I did say a few words about work.
After Ding Fengxia had finished doting on her granddaughter and grandson and loaded all the luggage into the car, everyone got into their own cars and headed to Jinling Academy of Military Affairs together.
Er Ya sat somewhat awkwardly in the car. Before getting in, she wanted to hug Li Shu, but Li Shu was being held by her uncle. She then wanted to hug Li Ning, but Li Ning was being doted on by his maternal grandmother.
Gu Ning noticed her nervousness; she'd seen her pale face since boarding the plane, probably from fright. Ultimately, she didn't mention what would happen if the plane crashed.
When they got on the bus, Gu Ning called Li Xuewu and arranged for Er Ya to sit with them, while she sat in the same bus as her brother-in-law.
By the time the four cars sped from the airport and entered the college gate, the sky had darkened considerably.
In winter, it gets dark early, and as the convoy drove into the residential compound, it looked as if it were draped in the colorful makeup of the setting sun.
Although Gu Haitao didn't go to the airport early to pick up his grandson and granddaughter, he did leave work early, which is quite rare for him.
This time, not only his grandson and granddaughter came, but also his eldest son and grandson. He couldn't get enough of Gu An's son.
The saying "grandparents love their grandchildren more than their grandchildren" is absolutely true.
***
"Grandpa, Grandpa—"
Li Shuhuan ran out of the bedroom laughing, changed into a lighter outfit, and was having a blast.
Although it was a new environment and she hadn't seen her maternal grandparents many times, she could still feel their affection for her. Within half an hour of entering the house, she had already overcome her initial unfamiliarity and was used to calling her uncle and aunt.
Watching Li Shu run ahead, Li Ning following behind, and Gu Yunzhi tagging along like a little shadow, Gu Haitao, usually so serious and never smiling even at home, never lost his smile. He didn't look like someone who disliked children or enjoyed crowds at all.
When they first met, Ding Fengxia, the mother-in-law, jokingly mentioned that her father-in-law disliked children and noise the most. Previously, when he worked from home, the children would all hide outside.
And now? Did the mother-in-law lie?
The oldest, Li Shu, is three and a half years old; the second oldest, Li Ning, will soon be two; and the youngest, Gu Yunzhi, is 21 months old and will also turn two.
When several children of similar age can run, jump, talk, and chat, that's when they're most endearing.
Li Shu was the first to run to her maternal grandfather, throwing herself into his arms. The two younger children followed suit, climbing on the sofa and trying to climb on his neck by pulling on his clothes, like little monkeys clinging to their old man, making quite a fuss.
Ding Fengxia found it quite amusing to see her husband both amused and exasperated, unable to comfort the child. She even considered asking her secretary to bring out a camera to take a picture of him, as it was a truly rare sight.
Gu An was startled when he saw his son "taking advantage of his father's kindness" and trying to ride on his grandfather's neck. He tried to pull his son down, but his father glanced at him and he stopped moving.
Looking at the little ones laughing and joking, and then at their father's loving and gentle demeanor, their eyes were filled with astonishment.
The father in front of me is nothing like the strict father I remember from my childhood. And these grandsons, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters are all so wonderful?
That's how great it is! At dinner, only Li Shu among the younger children could eat by herself; the other two had to be fed.
As a result, the elderly couple each had one; Li Ning was held by his maternal grandfather, and Gu Yunzhi was held by his maternal grandmother, and they ate with great relish.
Mu Hongyan and Gu Ning tried to replace them several times, but the old couple refused, saying that they should also enjoy their retirement.
Being able to enjoy the company of grandchildren is a blessing, and it's a rare opportunity for family reunion. This kind of tiredness is nothing compared to the joy of family life.
Compared to Beijing, this property is larger, but the elderly couple lives there rather quietly on weekdays.
Today, all the children and grandchildren have returned, and the two-story house is finally filled with life. The lively atmosphere and laughter at the dinner table seem to melt away the ice and snow outside the window.
After dinner, the family naturally had a long talk. After sitting in the living room for a while, Gu Haitao called his two sons and son-in-law upstairs.
Upstairs, study.
After entering the house, Li Xuewu glanced at his father-in-law's study, but his gaze remained fixed on the desk.
It wasn't that there were many documents and antiques on the desk, but rather a small painting placed on it.
At Gu Haitao's age and position, creating a masterpiece is not exactly easy, but it's not difficult either.
However, the "masterpiece" he saw was somewhat special. It was a piece he had mailed to his father-in-law, a casual doodle made by Li Shu when she was one and a half years old, while accompanying her father and mother in the study.
At the time, Li Xuewu simply found the painting delightful and wanted to share it with his parents-in-law, hoping to ease their longing. He never imagined his father-in-law would cherish it so much, framing it and placing it on his desk.
Alongside this graffiti is a family photo, taken at Li Xuewu's wedding, and photos of his children receiving awards for their merits, including one of Li Xuewu himself.
Perhaps noticing Li Xuewu's undisguised gaze, Gu Haitao looked at the graffiti with deep emotion, his eyes filled with affection. His gaze then swept over his children's dashing figures and imposing presence, and the pride in his heart was more intoxicating and uplifting than the fine wine of the evening.
Gu Yan took the tea brought by the waiter and placed it on the coffee table, then distributed it to his father, elder brother, and brother-in-law.
Gu Haitao's gaze then fell on his youngest son, and he waved for his eldest son and son-in-law to sit on the sofa.
"Dad, strong tea can help with a hangover." Gu An offered the teacup to his father and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
"It's alright, I didn't drink much."
Gu Haitao waved his hand and sat down on the sofa, his gaze fixed on his two sons and son-in-law.
Although this era emphasizes gender equality, those who enter his study are probably still men. Especially since he is a professional soldier, he believes even more firmly in the idea that the battlefield is a man's domain.
That's why he called his son and son-in-law upstairs to talk in the study, leaving the living room for the women and children to make merry.
"My father asked me to send his regards to you before he came. He was very worried about your health, so he asked me to bring you more medicinal wine this time."
As the son-in-law, Li Xuewu took the initiative to speak, inquiring about his father-in-law's health and conveying his parents' greetings.
Gu Haitao nodded slightly and said in a very gentle tone, "Thank you for your concern, in-laws. I'm doing well these past few years thanks to your father. I hope everyone at home is doing well, and that the old lady is in good health."
“My grandma is still in good health and takes care of her great-grandson at home,” Li Xuewu said with a smile. “Sometimes when we’re too busy, we’ll send Li Ning and Li Shu over to ask her and my mother to help look after them.”
"The old lady is blessed to have four generations living under one roof; that's truly rare." Gu Haitao looked at his son-in-law and asked with concern, "Have your eldest brother and third brother resumed their work and studies?"
“My older brother has already returned to work at the school, and my younger brother is currently interning at the TCM hospital where my father works. He will graduate next year.”
Li Xuewu introduced his family situation and briefly talked about how he and his family dealt with the turmoil of the past two years.
Gu Haitao's expression remained gentle at first, but later it became more serious and emotional.
Li Xuewu's family situation was already quite extraordinary, especially with the rising prominence of the younger generation. Yet, even with such a family background, they had to be so cautious in Beijing, demonstrating just how tense and complex the situation had been in the past two years.
“I’ve heard that your factory is doing very well.”
After listening to his son-in-law recount the family situation, Gu Haitao nodded, offered a few words of comfort and affirmation, and then spoke about work.
Looking at his young yet composed son-in-law, he proactively asked with concern, "What are your plans for the future?"
"I still want to develop my career in the company." Li Xuewu, having left his earlier casual demeanor, reported to his father-in-law with a very serious attitude. "I've been gradually phasing out my work in the garrison area, but there's been no news from there. So for the time being, there's no other way but to leave it hanging."
"Things are going well at Hongxing Steel Group. Just a few days ago, the management committee passed a resolution to send me to Gangcheng to manage the group's industrial, trade, and economic development work in Liaodong."
"Go to Steel City?" Gu An frowned slightly and asked him, "Didn't you already join the group's management team?"
"Yes, I went there in my capacity as a group leader."
Seeing that his brother-in-law had misunderstood, Li Xuewu took the initiative to explain: "Because we need to coordinate and control the overall construction, our group will be setting up several key projects in Liaodong. These include port construction and operation, metal and coal mine development, trade and economic development, and so on."
"That's really true..." Gu An was at a loss for words. He only knew that his brother-in-law was doing very well in Beijing and was already a leader in a group. But if he was a leader, how come he was in charge of a region?
P.S.: Sorry, I had some family matters to attend to these past two days and was delayed. I probably won't be able to update tonight, but I will definitely make up for the missed chapters, either tomorrow or the day after.
(End of this chapter)