MMB Chapter 1417 You're So Hypocritical
Chapter 1417 You're So Hypocritical
Chapter 1417 You're So Hypocritical
Su Qing didn't wait at the metallurgical plant's guesthouse for just one day, but for three.
After waiting for three consecutive days without receiving a reply from Li Xuewu, her patience and confidence completely vanished.
Her life for the past three days has been very good, extremely good. When it was time to eat, a waiter would knock on the door to remind her, and the bed and bedding in the room were very comfortable.
The bathroom has a full set of toiletries and hygiene products, and even a set of pajamas is provided.
Despite being a top student from the Central University of Finance and Economics, she admits she's quite unsophisticated when it comes to worldly experience.
This was the first time in her life she had ever seen a guesthouse with such a high standard of service. In her mind, a guesthouse shouldn't be like this.
The room was cleaned once a day, laundry was dried with help, and meals were free, including one meat dish, one vegetable dish, one soup, and rice. She had never heard of a guesthouse offering free shoe-shining services before; this was truly unheard of.
Even with such a comfortable life, she couldn't enjoy the food or sleep well because she was thinking about her future.
Because of the fatigue of the journey and Li Xuewu's comfort, she slept soundly the first night.
I waited from morning till night but received no notification, and the same thing happened the next day.
On the third day, she really couldn't sit still any longer. If she kept waiting like this, all she would get was the job assignment notice.
Just as she was going downstairs to find Li Xuewu in the office area, she happened to run into Zhang Enyuan, the secretary who was coming upstairs to see her, in the stairwell.
"Su, are you going out?"
Zhang Enyuan tilted his head slightly and looked at her, saying, "The Secretary-General asked me to inform you to come over."
"Okay, I can do it right away."
Su Qing's expression clearly showed surprise. She glanced at the secretary's expression a few more times, trying to figure out the result, but she couldn't see anything.
And so, she followed Secretary Zhang down the stairs, and as soon as she stepped outside, she saw the luxury car that had brought them to the guesthouse for dinner that day parked at the door.
"Get in the car, don't keep the secretary-general waiting."
Zhang Enyuan's gaze remained distant, but his tone of voice was quite warm.
He opened the back door for her in a rather lukewarm manner and gestured for her to get in.
"Thanks--"
With a sense of unease, as if facing trial, Su Qing got into the car and sat in the back seat.
Secretary Zhang remained in the passenger seat, and the two did not exchange a single word. Thus, in a tense and oppressive atmosphere, they arrived at the office area.
Getting out of the car and walking into the office building, the atmosphere here was like a wall, and Su Qing couldn't feel its warmth at all. Even the office staff who passed by greeted Secretary Zhang seemed to be wearing masks.
A mask, a fake smile.
Secretary Zhang was the same, except his mask was more real and looked more genuine.
When Su Qing looked at the other people, their faces seemed to be covered with a layer of mist, making them blurry.
First floor, second floor, third floor, and at the east end of the corridor on the third floor is Li Xuewu's office.
Secretary Zhang didn't explain anything to her, didn't introduce anything, and didn't say a single unnecessary word.
Standing at the office door again, it was Secretary Zhang who knocked and led her in.
"Secretary-General, Su Qing has arrived."
"Um, what time will the colleagues from the design institute arrive?"
Li Xuewu glanced at his watch, looked up at Zhang Enyuan, and asked, "Will we be able to make it this morning?"
"That's still uncertain." Zhang Enyuan ignored Su Qing and walked to the side of the desk, slightly bowing as he reported softly, "If the train is not delayed, they should arrive around 11:00 AM; otherwise, they will be delayed."
"Then let's wait until they arrive before we talk about it."
Li Xuewu put the documents in his hand aside, tapped them, and gestured to Zhang Enyuan, saying, "The survey institute's results are not ideal; we can only build nine stories."
"Does that mean the entire design needs to be scrapped and redone?" Zhang Enyuan said with slight surprise, "That would take a lot of time."
"Su Qing, come and sit down."
Li Xuewu rubbed his temples, nodded, and said to Zhang Enyuan, "Current technology is not capable of handling this situation; it's not something that can be intervened by humans."
"Okay, you should contact the engineering and construction company and the surveying institute first, and then meet with the design institute staff when they arrive to discuss it together."
He nodded wearily, indicating that Zhang Enyuan could go and take care of the matter.
After receiving the order, Zhang Enyuan tidied up the report, smiled slightly at Su Qing, and then left the office.
Moderate and reserved, neither too hot nor too cold.
Not to mention the unprecedented authority and pressure she felt when she visited Li Xuewu's office for the second time, just from what she saw and heard about the people around Li Xuewu, she felt that her trip to Gangcheng had been a lesson in itself.
"Having been waiting anxiously, haven't you?" Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked at Su Qing across from him, saying, "I heard you didn't sleep well last night?"
These words startled Su Qing slightly, and then her expression turned somewhat flustered. She really hadn't expected that Li Xuewu would have such great abilities, to know whether she had slept well or not last night.
Is there anything he doesn't know?
"I am so grateful that you still care about me despite being so busy." She tried to calm herself down and looked ahead as she spoke, "I'm a little anxious."
"Yes, we are indeed very busy. You just saw it." Li Xuewu raised his hand to indicate the documents on the side and said, "The group is going to build a guesthouse in the Liangmahe Industrial Zone."
"The design institute gave an eleven-story height, but the actual data from the survey institute only supports a nine-story building."
He looked into Su Qing's eyes and said, "This is the result of doing the work first and then investigating: twice the effort for half the result, laboring without gain."
Su Qing has high emotional intelligence and seems to have understood the deeper meaning in his words. At this moment, she lowered her head slightly, her face showing an undisguised look of disappointment.
"I've met with several engineering experts these past few days, but I still remember your matter."
Li Xuewu changed the subject, took a piece of paper from the drawer and handed it over, saying, "The company may not suit your taste, but it's the best choice I can make for you."
“Brother Li—” Su Qing suddenly looked up in surprise. She hadn’t expected Li Xuewu to be able to help her.
Before me lay a handwritten letter of introduction on an official document bearing the red letterhead of the Hongxing Steel Group.
The letter of introduction included her name and basic information, as well as the recommending organization and recipient.
The final signature belonged to the Secretary-General of the Red Star Steel Group, a figure she looked up to, a very important person in her life who was unreachable.
"Li Wenbiao mentioned you to me before he left, saying that your situation was somewhat difficult."
Li Xuewu said very frankly, "He asked me to take care of you when you're in trouble."
"I'm sorry—" Su Qing didn't dare to pick up the letter of introduction on the table, but instead lowered her head again.
“Li Wenbiao didn’t run away, nor did he get into trouble; he just has work to do.”
Li Xuewu looked calmly at the girl opposite him and said, "He has his job, and you have your choices. You have every right to choose your own life, and you are not wrong in this regard."
So there's no need to apologize.
He pushed the letter of introduction forward and said, "I've already told the driver to take you to the train station. Go back to the guesthouse to pack up, and head back to Beijing today."
"Brother Li, I—"
Su Qing raised her head with red eyes, tears welling up in her eyes, and her voice trembled slightly.
Li Xuewu nodded understandingly and said, "Work hard, and sometimes you have to look forward."
"Yes, thank you—"
Su Qing stood up, bowed deeply, and said, choking back tears, "No one is willing, and no one can help me anymore. Thank you—"
Li Xuewu didn't say anything more, he just looked her over. She was a strong girl.
Zhang Enyuan appeared at the door, looking over with an inquiring gaze, waiting for Li Xuewu's instructions.
"Brother Li, I'm heading back now. Goodbye."
Su Qing carefully put away the letter of introduction, bowed to Li Xuewu again, then wiped away her tears and left the office, going downstairs with Zhang Enyuan.
Downstairs, the car that had just brought her was still waiting there, with the driver standing in front of it smoking.
Completely different from her mood when she went upstairs, Su Qing, now that she had received the letter of introduction, seemed to suddenly see the sky, and the world before her eyes had color again.
She could now read the expressions of the office workers whose faces were covered with a layer of mist when she arrived; they weren't all fake smiles anymore.
Looking at Secretary Zhang's expression again, it wasn't masked by a sophisticated facade; instead, it held a greater degree of sincerity. Such a stark contrast, so significant, perhaps wasn't due to the other party's hypocrisy, but rather to a lack of sincerity in one's own world.
Looking at the driver standing in front of the car, she noticed that his gaze was somewhat evasive, as if he was secretly watching her but didn't want her to see him. This made her even more suspicious; she looked closely at the two of them and felt like she had seen them somewhere before.
"Xiao Yu will take you back to the guesthouse. The secretary-general has already prepared your train ticket back to Beijing."
Zhang Enyuan thoughtfully handed a train ticket to Su Qing, smiling as he said, "I still have work to do, so I can't take you to the train station."
"Thank you, Secretary Zhang." Su Qing looked at the train ticket in her hand; it turned out to be a hard sleeper ticket.
In those days, she wasn't entitled to a hard sleeper berth; she had traveled the entire way on a hard wooden board seat.
Brother Li made these arrangements because he saw how disheveled she was when she came the day before yesterday; it shows his meticulous concern.
At this moment, her expression showed even more guilt and self-reproach, and her heart was filled with even more gratitude and emotion.
Goodbye, Su Qing.
Goodbye, Secretary Zhang.
Su Qing got into the car and watched Secretary Zhang's figure recede into the distance outside the window before she had time to compose herself and look at the letter of introduction.
The letter of introduction was actually quite personal, more like a letter of recommendation. She could guess from the salutation in the first line which organization Brother Li had recommended her to.
She recognized the name Li Ge at the end of the signature, but she didn't recognize the name Xie Lanzhi at the beginning of the line. However, she recognized the words "bank manager" that followed the name.
The letter mentioned introducing her to a job at Red Star United Savings Bank, a wonderful surprise she had never dared to dream of. As for what Brother Li said that might not suit her taste, she was simply extremely satisfied.
"We've arrived at the guesthouse. Go upstairs and pack your luggage. I'll wait for you here."
The car stopped, and the driver, without turning his head, said, "Please hurry, it's the morning train."
"Have we met somewhere before?"
Su Qing put away the letter of introduction. Just as she was about to get off the bus, she suddenly remembered something, widened her eyes, turned around and looked at the driver in front of her, and asked, "Are you Yu Zhe?"
-
Hongxing Steel Group is indeed planning to build a guesthouse in the Liangmahe Industrial Zone, but it will not be the previously announced 11-story building; instead, it will be a 9-story building.
This change cannot quell the attention and expectations previously raised by the media; all eyes in Beijing remain on whether the project for the country's tallest building will be approved.
Just as Hongxing Steel Group announced the location and design plan for the Hongxing Guesthouse, a piece of news ignited the construction and media industries.
Hongxing Steel Group and Santay Group have officially begun further cooperation discussions and negotiations under a framework agreement. The content and core of the negotiations are unknown, but the two sides have already formed a design team.
Furthermore, it has been mentioned that the Survey and Research Institute of Red Star United Construction Engineering Corporation is conducting a site survey near the Red Star International Hotel.
These two news items, occurring one after the other, combined to push public opinion to its peak. Even news that Hongxing Steel Group was about to build a high-standard guesthouse and a modern cadre residential area in the Liangmahe Ecological Industrial Zone was overlooked by the public.
"Li Huaide, you're really good at holding it in!"
As soon as the news was published, Director Du called Li Huaide's office.
"Last time I asked you, you told me it wasn't true. What's going on now?"
"Director Du, these are two different things."
Li Huaide, holding the phone, smiled reservedly and said, "We're demolishing the old and building the new."
"Don't give me that nonsense," Director Du said with a laugh over the phone. "Li Huaide, just tell me the truth, who came up with the idea for the tallest building in the country?"
"That depends on your attitude."
Li Huaide could clearly tell that Director Du's tone was very good and that he was in a good mood, so he started joking.
He said with a smile, "If you think this is a good idea, then it was come up with by our group's management committee through collective wisdom."
"You, Li Huaide, are you trying to plant landmines in my path?" Director Du laughed twice before asking seriously, "Are you really going to build a large building?"
"You've already bragged about it for me, so I have to build it whether I want to or not," Li Huaide said on the phone, sounding quite aggrieved. "If this building can't be built, wouldn't that be a disgrace to you, Director Du?"
"Get lost, is my reputation worth that much?" Director Du laughed and scolded, "You, Li Huaide, are now a big shot, daring to invest ten million."
"Well, I guess I just happened to be there."
Li Huaide feigned helplessness and said, "It was Santaya Group that was eager to help, providing both technology and loans. We can't just let this opportunity slip away, can we?"
"Actually, we didn't have this plan, let alone this preparation; it was purely an opportunity."
"So you're actually a little reluctant?"
Director Du said meaningfully, "Li Huaide, if you're in a difficult position, why don't you give this opportunity to another unit?"
"Sure! No problem!"
Li Huaide raised his chin and readily agreed, saying decisively, "I'll listen to you."
"Over the years, you've known me, Lao Li, better than anyone. I've always been selfless and open, and I've never cared about what's yours or mine; it's all part of the organization."
He said very proactively, "Just tell me who you want to hand over this project to, and I'll tell the project team right now so we can complete the handover procedures this afternoon."
"Wow, this is the first time I've ever known that you, Li Huaide, have such a generous side."
Director Du chuckled and said, "Are you so confident this project won't fall through, or have you got the skills and are confident you can handle the job?"
"Look at what you're saying—"
Li Huaide immediately understood the meaning behind Director Du's words and said with a smile, "When will Old Li ever run out of diamond drills?"
"Furthermore, this project came to them on their own; I didn't string them along or force them to."
He said with a hint of pride, "Perhaps the other party values our group's development potential and strength; who knows?"
"Sure, as long as there's something to brag about."
Director Du made a joke to someone, then turned back to Li Huaide on the phone and said, "I didn't brag about this, but it's already all over the place."
“You, Li Huaide, are a man who cares about his reputation. Don’t let the title of the tallest building be ruined in your hands.”
He emphasized quite seriously, "Secondly, whether it's business cooperation or trade, I heard that the other party is a beautiful female CEO."
"You, Li Huaide, must stay alert and absolutely cannot make any mistakes in crucial positions."
"Don't worry about that. My character is well-known and respected."
Li Huaide shamelessly assured Director Du over the phone: "Regarding any project of the group, from funding to management, everything is handled by a professional project team. Our management committee will not give orders arbitrarily."
"As for the other party's identity and beauty that you just mentioned, we are also prepared for that."
He explained in detail: "All external reception work of the group is handled by the Foreign Affairs Office. Even I, as the director of the management committee, have to follow their arrangements."
"Okay, I trust you to do things well." Director Du said earnestly, "Your group's development today has not come easily. I hope that you, as the squad leader, will lead your team well and do good things."
"Yes, please rest assured, Director Du."
Li Huaide responded loudly, "I will definitely lead my troops well, do good deeds, and live up to the organization's expectations!"
That's what he said. After hanging up, he immediately called Gangcheng.
Ultimately, this project was negotiated between Li Xuewu and the Santayana Group, and any key details still need to be confirmed with Li Xuewu.
He and Li Xuewu had a clear division of responsibilities in business management: Li Xuewu was in charge of the details, while he was in charge of boasting; professional matters were left to professionals.
Since he took office as the director of the management committee, he has thought about "self-reliance and hard work". He wants to cultivate more young people, reduce dependence on Li Xuewu, and even make decisions on projects himself.
However, messing up once or twice is one thing, but after messing up several projects in a row, especially the things he trusted that just wouldn't work, he became disillusioned with the prospect of taking control of the business in the future.
Everyone was disappointed. They had been selecting people in the group for three or four years, but they hadn't seen a single young man with Li Xuewu's talent who was worth promoting and training.
If it's understandable that good generals are hard to find, then surely his broad-based training method must have produced a few promising talents after the personnel and organizational changes of the past few years?
It's useless; there's not a single one who can fight.
It wasn't that Lao Li was being picky; he genuinely only considered the young people he had to be half of Li Xuewu's.
These young people wouldn't even pass half of Li Xuewu's level. Look at the articles they wrote, oh dear!
Some people in the group privately discussed that the quality of his speeches was inconsistent, usually as bland as plain water, but only stood out at key meetings.
That's obvious. Li Xuewu only prepares his speeches for important meetings.
Normally? Normally, the office would prepare it. Li Xuewu is the secretary-general, not his secretary.
****
"Let me tell you, I've bragged about everything, and I've really got a good relationship with Director Du."
Li Huaide asked Li Xuewu over the phone, "How confident are you about this project?"
"Before you called, I was only 30% confident, after all, it's a big project that doesn't exist in China."
Li Xuewu was also good at chatting. Hearing Old Li's breathing gradually quicken on the other end of the line, he changed the subject and said with a smile, "But hearing that Director Du has taken the initiative to show concern for our project, I am now at least 70% confident."
"How come it's only seven points?!"
Li Huaide was still not satisfied and asked on the phone, "What else are you worried about?"
"Furthermore, the fact that Director Du is showing concern for us makes us feel 40% confident, doesn't it?"
“Of course,” Li Xuewu said confidently. “The fact that Director Du is taking the initiative to care about us means that the higher-ups have already taken notice of this news.”
"Whether the tallest building in China can be built on the site of the former International Hotel depends not on the geology and funding, nor on the design and engineering, but on what is above."
He cautiously reminded Lao Li, "If the authorities don't allow us to build such a tall building, then we can only build the tallest building in Beijing."
"So that's what you were worried about."
Old Li suddenly realized and said, "No wonder you didn't let the propaganda department exert its efforts before, but instead let the news spread. It was for this reason."
"It's better to be cautious," Li Xuewu replied after thinking for a moment. "After all, it's an internal and external cooperation project, essentially a flagship project for the group."
"Yes, you make a good point."
Li Huaide pondered for a moment and nodded, then said, "So, in the next round of negotiations, you'll also need to leverage this kind of invisible pressure?"
“You’re right.” Li Xuewu smiled and said, “I won’t participate in this negotiation. Let’s take it slow and see the reaction from above. Let Santaya Group see the reaction from above too, which will make the negotiations easier.”
"Yes, you're a professional in this area."
Li Huaide's words were truly convincing. When it comes to foreign cooperation and negotiation, Li Xuewu has indeed never lost, just as impressive as he is at the dinner table.
“However, you still need to keep an eye on the procedures and progress.” He emphasized, “After all, Deputy Director Gao has only recently taken over economic work, and she is not yet familiar with many of the procedures.”
That's a bit harsh. Whose heart is it hurting? Of course, it's hurting Gao Yaqin's heart.
It's already May, and Gao Yaqin has been with the group for a year, yet they still say she's not familiar with the business.
Let Li Xuewu do more work and put in more effort; why engage in this power struggle where one side is superior while the other is inferior?
Old Li is getting worse and worse! No wonder his name is Li Huaide (meaning "bad")
-
dong dong——
There was a knock on the office door. Li Xuewu looked up and saw Wang Yajuan standing in the doorway.
"Come here." He raised his eyebrows and looked at Wang Yajuan as she walked in, saying, "I thought you were going to hide for three years and never come to see me again."
"I haven't done anything wrong, why should I avoid you?" Wang Yajuan handed over a document and said, "I need to ask for leave to go back to Beijing."
"What are you doing? Tired of Steel City?"
Li Xuewu smiled, took the document, and said, "If you want to ask for leave, just tell your supervisor. Why are you asking me for leave?"
“Our supervisor is in Beijing right now, and I’d like to ask him for leave.”
Wang Yajuan tilted her head and looked at him, saying, "But I'm afraid that Supervisor Ji won't let me see him."
That makes perfect sense. The Publicity Department is under the Organization and Management Office, and was previously managed by Deputy Factory Director Yin Zhongyao. The new members of the leadership team haven't arrived yet.
"It would have been better if you had come earlier, so I could have talked to Director Li about how the deputy factory director position can't remain vacant for too long."
As Li Xuewu spoke, he glanced at her leave application and asked, "What are you going back for?"
"Personal matter, leave of absence, seven days."
Wang Yajuan curled her lips, turned to look out the window, and explained those three words.
Li Xuewu chuckled, picked up his pen, wrote "agree" on the application, pushed it back, and said, "Fine, seven days it is. You don't even have to come back."
"Are you hoping I won't come back?"
Wang Yajuan picked up the leave application from the table and looked at it, but she couldn't help admiring his calligraphy.
This person had this talent back in high school, but never used it properly.
He was too lazy to participate in any calligraphy competitions organized by the school, even if I forced or coaxed him.
He had only one reason: he was sure he would win if he participated, and he couldn't stand seeing someone wearing a big red flower standing on the stage like an idiot being teased and watched by their classmates.
He had been in the army for so many years that she could hardly recognize his handwriting anymore. It was only in the last few years, when they worked together, that she became familiar with it again.
"I just hope you work hard and live a good life." Li Xuewu picked up the documents on the table and started reading them, while muttering to himself, "If you like Beijing, go back; if you like Steel City, come back. It's that simple."
Wang Yajuan's lips twitched, but she could hardly hear him say anything else. Yet, she still felt somewhat unwilling.
"Ya Mei is pregnant, and my mom wants me to go back home," she explained.
"Really? That's good news." Li Xuewu looked up at her and asked, "Did you just find out?"
"Why are you so surprised and happy?" Wang Yajuan glared at him somewhat suspiciously and said, "Why do you need to find out so much?"
"Am I a bad guy in your eyes?" Li Xuewu looked at her with a mixture of amusement and helplessness. "You get nervous even when I ask Wang Yamei if she cares about me?"
“Who’s nervous?” Wang Yajuan looked at him and said, “You know very well what kind of image you have in my mind, so I don’t need to introduce you.”
"Okay, okay, okay, whatever you say." Li Xuewu smiled, took out ten yuan from his pocket, pushed it over, and said, "This is for Wang Yamei."
"Give it to her? Why?" Wang Yajuan frowned and asked, looking at the ten yuan on the table.
"Why so many whys?"
Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "I won't buy her anything since she's come all this way. I'll give her money to buy some tonics to help her recover and have a healthy baby."
What are you suspecting?
He raised an eyebrow, amused, and said, "What other purpose could I possibly have for giving her money?"
"You know your own purpose."
Despite saying this, Wang Yajuan still accepted the ten yuan that Li Xuewu handed over.
A single sheet of paper with the denomination "Great Unity" is a rare sight these days, and it's quite prestigious to present it.
Why should she care? Because these days, ordinary people don't give large sums of money when giving gifts at weddings or funerals.
Even if it's to nourish his sister's body, he doesn't need to give such a large sum of money.
"Yes, yes, just believe that we are innocent. Pazil is still my brother."
Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Ya Mei only regrets not being my sister-in-law. I really like this younger sister, so don't overthink it."
"Who's thinking such nonsense—"
Wang Yajuan had just retorted when she realized what she had said and glared at him, saying, "Who regrets not giving it to you... You're the one who's overthinking things."
It's easy to say a lie, but it's hard to say the truth. She couldn't bring herself to say that.
Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "Alright, I guess I was just overthinking. Go and come back soon, and don't forget to give her my best wishes and wish her a healthy baby."
Wang Yajuan stood there staring at him for a while before wiping her eyes and saying, "You're so hypocritical," before turning and leaving his office.
Li Xuewu watched her huffing and puffing back with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and said helplessly, "Am I hypocritical?"
-
It's forgivable that I couldn't attend the opening ceremony performance, but it's a bit unacceptable that I couldn't make it in for Children's Day too.
If Miss Li Shu is unhappy, she won't answer the phone, and she won't even talk to her father while crying.
Therefore, no matter how busy Li Xuewu is with work, he has to postpone his return to Beijing until around Children's Day.
He has a monthly leave to return to Beijing to visit his family, a right granted to him by the group company.
In addition, he has to return to Beijing every month to attend important leadership meetings, which is also an opportunity to return to Beijing.
For the first few months after he went to work in the steel city, he needed to sort things out, so he came back less often. But now that his work is gradually getting back on track, he can finally relax a little.
So when he saw his daughter and son running happily towards him, he secretly decided in his heart that he would come home more often in the future.
Work is never-ending, but children grow up before you know it, and there's no chance to make up for their longing for their father and his company during their childhood.
"dad--"
Li Shuke is quite the troublemaker. She let her father pick her and her younger brother up, then wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Li Ning learns everything from his sister, especially how to be well-behaved, and now he's doing it from another angle.
Li Xuewu was overjoyed. Holding his son in one arm and his daughter in the other, he walked into his home with a smile.
Er Ya stood at the door, wiping her apron with her hands, and explained with a smile, "I ran out as soon as I heard the car."
"Did you hear that Dad came back?"
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at his daughter, asking, "How did you know?"
“My brother and I have been watching you from the second floor,” Li Shu explained with a smile. “Mom said you were coming back today.”
"Are you happy that Dad is back?" Li Xuewu asked his son with a smile.
Li Ning nodded very seriously and said, "I'm even happier than my sister."
"Little bootlicker—" Li Shu pouted and scratched her face with her finger, teasing her younger brother for being so smug.
Li Ning remained unmoved; he always compared himself to his sister, using her as the yardstick for his actions.
Er Ya was worried that he would be too tired and wanted to take over for the next person, but neither of the siblings wanted to get off him.
"It's okay, it's not hard work."
Li Xuewu carried his daughter and son into the hallway and said, "My daughter and son are not heavy at all."
"Hehe—" Li Shu said with a grin, "My second aunt can't even carry my little brother anymore."
“I don’t need my second aunt to hold me—” Li Ning retorted, “Only my older sister lets her second aunt hold her.”
"My sister even cried out of embarrassment!"
He looked at his father and complained, "It was my second aunt who coaxed me into having a hug."
"Really—" Li Xuewu then looked at his daughter and asked, "Why are you crying?"
“I didn’t—” Li Shu said stubbornly, looking at her younger brother, “I didn’t cry!”
"Okay, okay, you're not crying, but Daddy is going to cry." Li Xuewu tilted his head, his ears just couldn't take his daughter's loud voice.
But no matter which way he leaned, it was no use, because his son's loud voice was still there.
When I'm away from home, I miss my children; when I get home, I get a headache.
Er Ya had known they would end up like this, so when she saw Li Xuewu's bitter smile, she covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Secretary-General, you're back."
Upon entering the living room, I discovered that Li Shu's tutor, Xiao Xiao, was also there, as was Zhao Yaping, who had just finished school.
"Second brother..."
Zhao Yaping had seen him less often in the past two years, and he wasn't as lively as he was when he was a child. She sounded a little nervous when she called him "Second Brother".
Li Xuewu smiled, nodded in response to their greetings, and gestured behind him as Han Jiankun carried in boxes he had brought back from Gangcheng.
Knowing that Li Xuewu was returning to Beijing today, Han Jiankun made special arrangements to personally pick him up at the station.
Li Xuewu is a man of principle; he never takes a penny of public money, nor does he spend a single penny of public funds.
However, one should not feign arrogance when it comes to the treatment one deserves; doing so would only make one a laughingstock and annoy people.
He is the group's secretary-general, and he presided over the drafting of the group's management regulations. If he takes the lead in being aloof and arrogant, who would dare to use the vehicles normally?
Follow the normal rules. A red line is a red line. Going inside the red line is not considered a violation, but going outside the red line is strictly prohibited.
He's now the red line; every word and action sets a standard. Being too aloof only invites criticism.
This is good enough. Even though he could enjoy the standard of using a car, he would never ride a bicycle back, much less have Shen Guodong pick him up.
He can return to Beijing without his secretary, but his itinerary must be transparent to the group, because he is selfless and has a clear conscience; this is what it means to act uprightly and walk straight.
"Xiaoxiao is here too. Jiankun, you guys can divide it up later, just leave some for me."
He placed Li Shu and Li Ning on the sofa and said to the people standing in the living room, "These are some local specialties from Gangcheng. Take them back and try them out."
"How can this be so embarrassing?"
Xiao Xiao stood beside the sofa and said cautiously, "I took some of your local specialties last time."
“You took them all last time, so don’t be shy this time. Everyone gets a share.” Li Xuewu smiled, reached out and patted his daughter’s head, and asked, “Li Shu, have you been a good girl? Have you been studying hard?”
"Yes—I'm very well-behaved!"
Standing on the sofa, Li Shu still felt too low, so she stood on tiptoe and said loudly, "The teachers all praised me—"
"Really? The teacher praised you?"
Li Xuewu timely displayed an expression of surprise and delight, then looked at Xiaoxiao with feigned suspicion.
Xiao Xiao understood what the secretary-general meant, and nodded with a smile under Li Shu's nervous yet expectant gaze, saying, "Li Shu is very well-behaved and studies very hard."
Seeing that Teacher Xiaoxiao said that, Li Shu finally felt relieved and looked at her father with a "see?" expression, waiting for him to praise her a few more times.
Li Xuewu was naturally generous with his praise for his daughter's growth, and he would never use a lecturing tone to dampen her enthusiasm, as suppressive education is of no benefit.
"Secretary-General, I won't stand on ceremony."
Han Jiankun carried all the things into the house, and with a smile, he unpacked the boxes and said, "Jingru likes to eat the fruit you brought back from Gangcheng. She said it doesn't taste the same as the fruit in Beijing, so I packed some of these to take back with me."
"Take more, and take more mushrooms too."
Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "When I came back last time, your sister Xiao Ning told me that since she likes to eat it, I bought more this time and brought it to you specially."
"Thank you so much!"
Han Jiankun changed jobs and became much more cheerful and talkative after having a daughter.
They packed some mushrooms and fruit into the box Er Ya had given them, and then picked up some grapes at Li Xuewu's instruction, and that was it.
Li Xuewu told him to take her home first and bring Qin Jingru and her daughter back for a meal, but Han Jiankun explained that the mother and daughter had gone back to the countryside and he would pick them up tomorrow.
After having a child, Qin Jingru finally reconciled with her father and her family of origin.
The proposition that there is no such thing as a family of origin is a postmodern pseudo-proposition.
According to traditional beliefs, raising a child without recognizing the parents and actively distancing oneself from them—where does this concept come from?
There's a saying that goes, "A child doesn't despise his mother for being ugly, and a dog doesn't despise his home for being poor." What the heck is this "family of origin" thing?
Han Jiankun's initiative also gave Xiaoxiao some courage, and with his help, she also received some local specialties.
Even so, she still felt a little embarrassed, since she had already received the salary from the secretary-general, and every time the secretary-general came back, he would give her things.
She worked as a tutor at the secretary-general's house. In reality, she was just a "safety net" that the secretary-general had placed there in case something went wrong while he was away.
With her coming to the house often, Li Shu could be taught correct literary and cultural knowledge on the one hand, and on the other hand, those with ulterior motives could be prevented from spying on her.
This family has more than just her as a fuse, which shows how much the Secretary-General cares for his family.
Dinner was naturally a lively affair, and Han Jiankun stayed for dinner at Li Xuewu's request.
Li Xuewu meant that it was getting late, so he should take Xiaoxiao home to avoid any safety issues on the way.
The two little ones received delicious treats and a whole box of fun toys that their father brought back. With so many people eating together at home, the laughter and chatter naturally drowned out the noise of the insects outside the window.
Seeing their laughter, Gu Ning's smile broadened, and she chatted with Li Xuewu about everyday things.
This is a change that Li Xuewu only noticed this year. He didn't emphasize it, but he actively cultivated this change in Gu Ning, even if it meant nagging.
Children will eventually grow up, but an old married couple will always be there for each other and cherish each other.
(End of this chapter)