MMB Chapter 1476 I Won't Go Without You
Chapter 1476 I Won't Go Without You
Chapter 1476 I Won't Go Without You
"Secretary-General, here is the newspaper you requested."
Flight attendant Xiao Han handed a folded newspaper to Li Xuewu in a gentle tone.
Li Xuewu reached out and took it, nodded habitually, and casually said, "Thank you."
You're welcome, it's my pleasure to serve you.
Xiao Han, somewhat flattered, said softly, "Please let me know if you need anything. I'm in the cabin at the front."
“Okay,” Li Xuewu looked up at her, then smiled and nodded again.
Xiao Han gave a satisfied bow before leaving.
Secretary Zhang Enyuan sat on the other side of the aisle, cautiously observing the flight attendant.
Seeing that the secretary-general was reading the newspaper, he unbuckled his seatbelt, stood up, whispered something to Li Xuewu, and then went forward.
A short while later, flight attendant Zhou Xiaoling returned with Zhang Enyuan, carrying a thermos, and quietly refilled the teacup next to Li Xuewu with hot water.
She left without saying a word of politeness, just as quietly as she had come.
It takes less than three hours to fly from the steel city to Beijing, and if all goes well, it will take a little over two hours.
That's the good thing about business jets; as long as the route application is approved, the takeoff time is very flexible.
The only drawback is also obvious: there are no business class seats.
The flight attendant, Xiao Han, did not reappear until the plane landed at Beijing Airport. Zhang Enyuan carried the two of their luggage and followed Li Xuewu off the plane.
As Li Xuewu stepped off the gangway, he glanced at the time on his hand; it was exactly 8:15 PM.
The reason he returned to Beijing in the evening was that he had just finished work and left at the designated time to get off work.
He was picked up by Han Jiankun, the captain of the group's motorcade, who looked smart and capable in a simple black leather jacket despite the winter weather.
"Secretary-General, welcome back to Beijing."
Han Jiankun habitually nodded and greeted Li Xuewu first, and then went to get the luggage.
Zhang Enyuan was very polite, greeting him with a smile and addressing him as Section Chief Han.
This wasn't the first time the two had met; both had served the secretary-general before, so their meeting was naturally polite.
Li Xuewu tightened his wool coat, looked him over, and asked, "Are you cold?"
"It's still hot, I haven't waited long."
Knowing that his superiors were considerate of their subordinates, Han Jiankun insisted on taking Li Xuewu's luggage from Zhang Enyuan while explaining with a smile, "I only drove over after I saw your plane land."
He gestured to the car not far away and said, "Please get in, it's still cold at night."
"Is everything alright at home?"
Li Xuewu nodded, walked towards the car, and casually asked, "Did your mother come back from your older brother's house?"
"He's been back for over a month, saying he misses his grandson." Han Jiankun smiled, knowing that his leader's concern for him stemmed from his worries about his family.
He first opened the car door for Li Xuewu, then turned around and went to the back of the car, opened the trunk with the key, and put their luggage in.
Looking at his skilled movements and diligent attitude, Zhang Enyuan couldn't help but nod in approval.
It's clear that the group does have capable people; they're not all carefree young men like Yu Zhe.
He wouldn't have dared to say it before, but now if you asked him to say that Yu Zhe didn't have the Secretary-General's protection, he would never believe it even if you beat him to death.
Look at Han Jiankun's clean and efficient manner; compared to him, Yu Zhe is no match and can't possibly survive.
"Send Enyuan to the guesthouse first."
After seeing Han Jiankun get into the car, Li Xuewu instructed, "Take him home first, then take me home."
"No, Secretary-General, please see me off first."
Zhang Enyuan knew Han Jiankun's driving habits, so he turned around from the passenger seat and said, "I'll take you home first, and then Section Chief Han and I will go back to the group together."
"I have to work tonight." Han Jiankun also turned his head and suggested, "Let's take you home first."
"Alright then, send it to me first."
Seeing that both of them shared the same opinion, Li Xuewu nodded in agreement and said, "If you're hungry, you can grab a bite at the guesthouse canteen."
"Don't worry about me, I won't go hungry."
Zhang Enyuan turned around and said with a smile, "You didn't eat on the plane, but I ate my fill."
"I don't really like airplane food," Li Xuewu said with a light laugh and a nod. "Especially for shorter flights, with half an hour for takeoff and half an hour for landing, the travel in between makes me lose my appetite."
"I'm really hungry. I didn't eat much at noon. I'm in a rush, and I haven't even finished arranging everything yet."
Seeing that his superior wanted to chat, Zhang Enyuan followed suit and started talking about the topic.
"Deputy Factory Director Li wanted to report to you on the work plan for organizational and personnel adjustments after the New Year, but there was simply not enough time, and Vice Bank Manager Chen's conversation went overtime."
"That Chen Dajun guy—"
Looking at the night view of Beijing outside the car window, Li Xuewu slightly curled the corners of his mouth and bluntly said, "He keeps repeating the same thing over and over, never getting to the point."
"This person speaks and acts in the same way; he lacks decisiveness."
If the Secretary-General could comment on the Vice President of the United Savings Bank in such a way, what right did the other two people in the car have to make any comments? They could only listen with a smile.
However, as a secretary, Zhang Enyuan couldn't let his boss's words fall to the ground.
“I heard your conversation, and I was a little worried for him even though I was sitting outside.”
He covered half his face and said with a wry smile, "I tried to go in and remind him several times, but he got too agitated."
"She has a strong sense of purpose and is very capable."
When Li Xuewu heard him say this, he chuckled and said, "It's just that you don't know how to use it, so you're wasting your time."
"Perhaps the entire group lacks experience in working with local governments."
Zhang Enyuan became more serious, turned around and looked at him, saying, "The group should pay attention to this and focus on cultivating talent. In the future, our cooperation and communication with local authorities will become closer and closer."
"We cannot cut off all contact with the local authorities just because we are in independent management; this will be detrimental to our future work."
"You're right, we should be careful."
Li Xuewu nodded and looked at him, saying, "Please make a note of this in your notebook. I need to mention this when I see Director Li tomorrow morning."
"Okay, I'll prepare it for you tonight."
Zhang Enyuan agreed earnestly, and had already taken out a pen and notebook to take notes.
Han Jiankun, who was driving, quickly glanced at him and nodded to himself.
In comparison, among all the secretaries the Secretary-General had used, Zhang Enyuan was indeed the most reliable and dependable.
Of course, it's not that Sha Qizhi and Peng Xiaoli are incompetent. Sha Qizhi is alright, but Peng Xiaoli is supposed to be Li Xuewu's secretary, but he's mostly learning.
Without comparing before and after, just comparing with the secretaries of other group leaders, Zhang Enyuan's qualities can be described as excellent.
When it comes to service, attitude is even more important.
-
"Secretary-General, you're back."
Er Ya heard the doorbell ring and ran out to open the door. When she saw him getting out of the car, she greeted him.
Li Xuewu smiled at her, gestured to the trunk of the car, and said, "There are some dried fruits from Steel City."
"I'll take it, it's okay."
Er Ya has grown quite a bit taller this year, and her face has become fuller, making her look honest and reliable.
He first greeted Han Jiankun and Zhang Enyuan politely, then took the luggage and dried fruit bags from them, intending to carry them into the yard by himself.
Han Jiankun came more often, and he took the initiative to bring the bag of dried fruit into the yard first.
It was getting late; it was almost nine o'clock when Zhang Enyuan arrived at the door. Fearing that his superiors would mind, he didn't go in.
Er Ya only left behind Li Xuewu's luggage bag, thanked Han Jiankun repeatedly, and then entered the courtyard with Li Xuewu.
Han Jiankun simply placed the dried fruit at the door and said to Li Xuewu as he came out, "Boss, I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, at 7:30 as usual."
"Okay, you've worked hard tonight."
Li Xuewu reached out and patted his arm, saying, "It's not convenient for the old lady to celebrate her birthday tomorrow night. Why don't you and Jingru bring the kids over for a casual meal the night after tomorrow? It's been a long time since I've seen the kids, I miss them terribly."
"If you're busy, I won't bother you."
Han Jiankun said apologetically, "Jingru comes here to bother us every ten days or so."
"Don't talk about her, let her come."
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at him, saying, "Sister Xiaoning likes her to come over to visit, and she also likes children. When I'm not home, I'm very grateful to Jingru for often coming to take care of me."
"She's just too lazy to cook, so she came here to freeload a meal—" Han Jiankun smiled and gestured to the house, saying, "Please come inside, it's quite cold. I'll take Secretary Zhang to the guesthouse, so don't worry about her."
"Go, be careful on the road."
Li Xuewu nodded, watched him leave, and then entered the foyer.
They had heard his voice long ago. If their aunt hadn't stopped them, saying it was too cold outside, Li Shu and Li Ning would have rushed in long ago.
Before he could even change his shoes, the two siblings climbed on him from either side, like climbing a tree, calling out "Dad" repeatedly.
"Ouch, ouch, it's so heavy."
Li Xuewu pretended to be clumsy as he let the two siblings cling to him. While changing his slippers, he said, "Have you been eating well at home? That's why you've grown so fast."
"Yes--"
Li Shu replied in a drawn-out, coquettish voice, "My little brother doesn't eat properly; he only likes to eat meat."
"I love eating meat—"
Li Ning pulled hard on his pants, kicking his legs as he climbed up, all the while arguing, "Grandma said eating meat is the only way to grow tall."
"Dad doesn't like to eat meat."
Seeing that her younger brother dared to contradict her, Li Shu said sweetly through her father, "Dad, you've grown taller."
"Do you two want to come down and talk?"
Gu Ning, wearing purple pajamas, stood on the stairs and looked at the two siblings, saying, "Dad worked hard all day and came back from the steel city. He must be exhausted."
"Dad, you've worked so hard—"
In the past six months, Li Shu has learned to act coquettishly and is no longer the rough and tough woman she used to be.
She used her father's arm to lift him up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek.
"Oh, it's not tiring at all, I even have energy now!"
Li Xuewu really cooperated with his daughter. After receiving only a kiss, he lifted his two children up and made them do squats, which made Li Shu and Li Ning giggle.
In this family, only the father can play so wildly with them, because only the father is strong enough.
Zhao Yaping came out of the bathroom wearing a cream-colored nightgown, still drying her disheveled hair with a towel, seemingly unaware of what had happened.
It wasn't until she saw her second brother playing with the children in the living room that she realized what had happened.
"Second brother, you're back."
"Yes, Ya-ping has grown taller."
Li Xuewu turned around and looked at Zhao Yaping, who had grown into a young woman, and smiled as he nodded, asking, "Have you gone home after the autumn harvest?"
"My aunt didn't give me a holiday to be a hooligan."
Li Shu was placed on the sofa by her father, and she bounced around as she said, "She took me to the park."
"What do you mean, fake?" Li Xuewu wondered if he had misheard, and looked at his daughter to confirm, "Say it again?"
"It's a scoundrel fake!"
Li Shu is truly a good daughter of Li Xuewu. Fearing that her father's hearing was failing, she leaned close to him and shouted each word clearly.
"Oh dear, Li Shu—"
Zhao Yaping's face flushed red instantly, and she moved closer to the sofa to remind Li Shu, "It's the busy farming season holiday!"
"Farming leave? Or hooligan leave?"
Li Shu didn't understand the significance of her earnest correction and muttered a few words in confusion.
"Hahaha--"
"It's the busy farming season holiday!"
Ignoring the laughter of her second brother and sister-in-law, Zhao Yaping was afraid that Li Shu would say something else funny about her, so she just kept correcting Li Shu's mistakes.
Seeing her father laughing so happily, Li Shu clapped her hands and laughed along, not knowing what to do.
"She won't listen to me at all—"
Zhao Yaping even dared to act coquettishly towards him, saying something in a coquettish tone before blushing and going back into the house.
Li Xuewu patted his daughter's cheek and emphasized with a smile, "It's the busy farming season holiday, you're wrong."
"Then what is a 'rogue fake'?"
Li Shu squatted down next to her father and asked curiously, "How come I remember there being such a holiday?"
"No, there are no holidays for hooligans."
Li Xuewu put his arm around Li Ning, who had climbed onto him, and said to his daughter, "The busy farming season holiday is for students and teachers living in the countryside who are busy with the autumn harvest."
"Then why isn't our kindergarten on holiday?"
Li Shu frowned and thought for a moment before asking, "Don't we have an autumn harvest?"
"No need, because neither do our family or your teacher have land to grow crops."
Li Xuewu patted the two children's bottoms and said, "Although Dad didn't participate in the labor, he still brought you the fruits of the autumn harvest."
He pointed to the dried fruit in the bag and said, "Want to try some?"
Are they nuts in their shells?
Li Shu tilted her head and asked, "Is it the kind that can crush your teeth with a clatter?"
"You can't bite it with your teeth—"
Li Xuewu taught the two of them, "You have to use pliers to pinch it and a small hammer to break it open so you can eat it."
"It's evening, we can't eat now."
Gu Ning stood to the side and reminded them, "You've already brushed your teeth, do you want to brush them again?"
Having a doctor as a mother is one of the downsides about having her; she absolutely cannot do anything that violates hygiene.
Li Shu and Li Ning looked at him expectantly, but seeing that he also had a helpless expression, they had no choice but to give up their wish to eat the fruits of the autumn harvest that night.
"It's late, say goodnight to Dad."
Gu Ning gently reminded the two children and gestured upstairs, saying, "Sister, take your brother upstairs to sleep. That's enough playing for today."
"I want to sleep with Daddy tonight."
Li Shu held her younger brother's hand, hesitated, and looked at her mother before making a request.
Li Ning, also looking eager to try, said to his father, "I have a big truck."
“Dad will watch the big truck tomorrow morning, okay?” Li Xuewu reached out and touched his son’s little face, then looked at his daughter and said, “Dad has to work tomorrow morning and needs to get up early. How about we sleep together tomorrow night? We can take your little brother with us too.”
"We're going to Grandma's tomorrow. If you don't get enough rest, you won't be able to go."
Er Ya finished packing the luggage and dried fruit that Li Xuewu had brought back, and then came over to persuade the two children, saying, "Who will stay with me to watch the house tomorrow?"
After having children, the most troublesome time of the day is getting them to go to sleep.
If we follow their lead, they are the same at 10 o'clock and at 12 o'clock.
They might even be up at 2 or 4 in the morning; their energy is so boundless that it makes their parents question the meaning of life.
Li Shu and Li Ning are alright; with Gu Ning around, they are both quite obedient.
Don't expect to go to bed early tonight; the two kids were very excited when Li Xuewu came back.
Knowing this, Gu Ning told them to go upstairs earlier.
"I would usually be asleep by this time."
Watching the two children go upstairs with Er Ya, Gu Ning looked at Li Xuewu and explained.
Li Xuewu tugged at her hand across the sofa, pursed his lips, and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
"No—" Gu Ning was still a little uncomfortable with his affectionate gestures, but she didn't shake him off.
He pulled her around the sofa and sat down next to her, asking, "What time did you come out?"
"After work," Li Xuewu picked up the warm tea Er Ya had prepared for him, took a sip, and looked at her, asking, "Did Gu Yan go back? Did he miss it?"
"He's fine—"
Gu Ning leaned back wearily on the sofa, tilting her body to look him over as she said, "My third uncle from Yangcheng is back. He came to Beijing for a meeting and happened to be staying at home because it's Grandma's sixtieth birthday."
"Hmm, I haven't heard about it?" Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "Did you come back in the last couple of days?"
"We arrived in Beijing yesterday, and Xuecai came to pick us up for dinner."
Gu Ning explained, "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow afternoon."
"He's been quite busy, especially in the last two years."
Li Xuewu nodded understandingly, put down his teacup and said, "We can't count on Yangcheng. He's the only one struggling to keep things afloat. It's not easy."
"Isn't Guangzhou supposed to be more open?"
Gu Ning frowned and said, "Many people in the hospital buy cosmetics and jewelry from Guangzhou."
"To what extent can we reopen?"
Li Xuewu shrugged and said, "It's just that they're too close to be easily controlled."
"I don't really know, that's what they said anyway." Gu Ning shook her head slightly and said, "They also said that my clothes and backpack came in from outside."
"Heh—nonsense."
Li Xuewu chuckled and turned to the side, saying, "However, it's clear that Old Man Li's craftsmanship and design are indeed unique."
Gu Ning knew exactly where her clothes and backpack came from; every quarter, tailor Li Guangnian would come to her home to take her family's measurements and make clothes.
This treatment was only available to Li Xuewu's family; Li Guangnian was also very busy in the prison.
She said this not to show off, but to remind Li Xuewu that someone was watching her.
"It's okay, it's normal."
Li Xuewu knew what she was worried about and gently comforted her, "At the main hospital, you're either in the outpatient clinic or on the operating table. What else could possibly need to come to you?"
"There are too many personnel changes these days, with all sorts of strange and unsavory characters coming and going. Just be careful, talk less, and read more."
Li Xuewu patted her shoulder and said, "As for Dad, you don't need to worry about him at all. Dad is preparing to apply for retirement recently."
"Retirement? How come I didn't know that?"
Gu Ning looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Did my dad tell you that?"
"Otherwise what? Could it be that I guessed?"
Li Xuewu chuckled, picked up his teacup, took another sip, and said, "Don't worry, Chang'an is at peace."
"It's enough that you know." Seeing that he didn't seem troubled, Gu Ning stopped thinking about it.
She stood up and said, "I asked my boss for leave tomorrow, and I'll be back this afternoon."
"I'm probably about the same."
Li Xuewu thought for a moment, then picked up his teacup and said, "I have to meet with Director Li and Deputy Director Xue this morning, and we may have to talk for a while."
"Your group is starting another project in Liaodong?" Gu Ning asked, frowning. "It's been so long and you're still not done?"
"Are you stacking building blocks?"
Li Xuewu chuckled and pulled out a building block toy that either Li Shu or Li Ning had left behind, saying, "It won't be finished even in another year."
How much longer until you can return to Beijing?
Gu Ning looked at him and said, "Mom asked about this yesterday, saying she was worried because she hasn't seen you for a long time."
"I won't be back for a while."
Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and explained earnestly, "The work in Liaodong has just gotten on track. We have laid a solid foundation for construction this year. Next year, we will work hard and quickly for another year, and the year after that, we will rush to finish the project."
He looked at Gu Ning and said, "It doesn't matter if the new underground project is a little longer or shorter, we can handle it. The key is Yingcheng Port."
"Almost all of the group's construction engineering resources are being directed toward Yingcheng Port, including construction machinery."
Li Xuewu put down his teacup, leaned back on the sofa, and said, "If it can be opened and put into operation during my term, that would be a great achievement, and it would at least earn me ten points."
"Tell your mom tomorrow, she's really worried about you," Gu Ning instructed him. "Even the old lady has been nagging you about it several times."
"I know, it's because of my third uncle."
Li Xuewu rubbed his face, yawned, and said, "Li Xuehan wrote to me saying that his father is almost exhausted. He's busy with work from morning till night, often doesn't come home, and can't even eat on time."
"Don't tell Mom about this."
He explained, "I spoke with my third uncle on the phone. His situation is rather unique. He's been busy for the past year or two. Once he gets through this, things will be much easier from now on."
"This is his ambition and his plan, and all we can do is respect it."
Seeing Er Ya come downstairs, Li Xuewu stood up and said, "Alright, I'll talk to the old lady tomorrow. Let's go upstairs to sleep; we're too tired."
"The children are all asleep."
Er Ya said with a smile, "Li Shu also said to go to bed early so she can go to Grandma's house early tomorrow."
"Thank you for your hard work," Li Xuewu replied with a smile. "Let's go together tomorrow afternoon and have some fun."
"I won't go over there, I have things to do at home." Er Ya waved her hand repeatedly and said, "I was just about to tidy up the kitchen, the stove is a bit smokey."
"No need for that, just have Guodong arrange someone."
As Li Xuewu went upstairs, he told her, "It's better for your brother Guodong to bring people to do it than for you to do it all by yourself. Don't tire yourself out like this."
As they were talking, without hearing Er Ya's reply, the couple had already entered the master bedroom.
-
"Hu-hu-"
Gu Ning, panting heavily, pushed him away and lay flat for a while before coming to her senses. When she opened her eyes and saw him coming out of the bathroom, she glared at him angrily.
I clearly said I'd get up early tomorrow, but he insisted on... insisted on...
Only the bedside lamp was on in the room. Li Xuewu didn't pay much attention to his wife's coquettish complaints, as he was preoccupied with himself.
"I didn't have a chance to ask downstairs earlier, but how is Li Shu doing at school?"
Li Xuewu lay back down on the bed and looked at Gu Ning beside him, asking, "How is the teacher treating her?"
"Phew—" Gu Ning let out a long breath, sat up, and said, "Haven't you noticed that Li Shu has changed?"
She got out of bed, straightened her purple pajamas, and walked towards the bathroom, saying, "I feel sorry for her and helpless. I don't know how to help her."
Li Xuewu naturally noticed his daughter's sensitivity. He watched Gu Ning go to the bathroom, then lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about Li Shu.
She's a four- or five-year-old child, and she understands everything. This experience will ultimately leave a deep mark on her life.
Even though the warmth and love of her family could soothe her anxiety, it still couldn't erase the memory of this incident.
As she grows up, she will eventually encounter the same problem again, and at that time, this memory will be recalled like a tide.
Everyone says that children don't understand things, but actually they understand everything, especially Li Shu, who is very precocious.
She might not remember how she got to the Li family, let alone suspect that he wasn't her biological father, but she definitely knew that Gu Ning wasn't her biological mother.
"Mom suggested I talk to the teacher at the kindergarten." Gu Ning took another shower, changed into her pajamas, and said to Li Xuewu, who was lying on the bed, "I thought about it, but I still didn't go."
“It was the right thing not to go. We can’t be unreasonable.” Li Xuewu put down the arm on her forehead and looked at her, saying, “In the end, it was all for Li Shu.”
"I don't think there's anything to talk about."
Gu Ning sat back down on the bed and took some hand cream from the bedside table drawer to apply to her hands.
"The teacher has already apologized for their mistake, and the kindergarten has also made a statement regarding their mistake."
She turned to Li Xuewu and said, "Even Director Liu's wife from the logistics department came to talk to me about this privately."
“I think handling this matter in too special a way would be bad for Li Shu.”
Gu Ning put down the hand cream, lifted the blanket, lay down on the bed, and said, "She shouldn't be special."
After saying this, she squinted slightly and looked ahead, saying, "At least for now."
"You've finally figured it out—"
Li Xuewu smiled and reached out to touch her hair, saying, "You'll only lose things if you care too much."
"You mean we shouldn't care too much?"
Gu Ning glanced at him, dodged his hand, and was afraid he would do it again.
She didn't want to take three showers in one night; Li Xuewu was absolutely capable of doing that.
"Yeah, just take it easy."
"What else can we do?"
Li Xuewu smiled and withdrew his hand, then moved to lie down on the bed and said, "There's nothing we can do about being anxious. We've done all we can."
"Spend more time with her." Gu Ning lay down beside him and murmured, "I can feel that she needs you more and needs a sense of security when she's clinging to you."
"I'll take them to the steel city during winter break."
Li Xuewu reached out and patted her shoulder, gesturing for her to come closer.
Once Gu Ning was nestled in his arms, he continued, "Let them go out for some fresh air, and you should also get some rest."
"You've worked so hard this past year, acting as both a father and a mother."
"You're taking them to Steel City?"
Gu Ning looked up at him, frowned, and asked, "Who will take care of them while you're at work?"
"If you think they are children, then they will always be children."
Li Xuewu looked at Gu Ning in his arms and said, "Are you worried about who will take care of them when we go to Steel City?"
"Bang Geng lives at home, so isn't this kid a perfect babysitter and bodyguard?"
He patted Gu Ning on the shoulder and reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Gu Ning knew that Zhou Yamei would return to Gangcheng every two weeks, but she couldn't take care of the child.
She really didn't know who Li Xuewu would find to take care of the two children; it couldn't possibly be...
"My third aunt is reluctant to leave the capital."
Li Xuewu wasn't teasing her on purpose after all, and gave a very straightforward answer: "I don't know what she's thinking. Wen San'er has also tried to persuade her a few times."
"You want to ask her to take care of the child?"
Gu Ning turned to look at him and asked, "Did Wen Hanze ask you to do this?"
"Of course not, he doesn't have that much influence. I wouldn't use my child to help him, would I?"
Li Xuewu shook his head with a smile and said, "It was just a coincidence. Otherwise, I would have also asked the old lady to go to Steel City to help."
"I was just thinking about my second uncle's family."
He pondered and explained, "If we send the old lady to Jicheng, she definitely won't want to."
“Then let’s come to Steel City. The old lady lives there, and Uncle’s family should come and visit.”
Why make it so complicated?
Gu Ning frowned and asked, "You want to take the child to Gangcheng, take care of Wen Hanze, and also look after your second uncle. Don't you feel exhausted?"
"Isn't that how all heads of households are?"
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at her, saying, "If this were in the countryside, you'd have to call me the boss."
Gu Ning ignored his joke and continued to look at him, waiting for his explanation.
"That's just how life is, you just have to get by, but taking care of the kids is a real thing."
Li Xuewu also became more serious and explained earnestly, "Everything is for the child; everything else is secondary. Whether we can take care of both depends on fate."
No one can do everything.
Gu Ning found a comfortable position to lie down and reminded him, "You're trying to do too much. You don't even know what you want anymore."
"Well, I see."
Li Xuewu gently patted her arm, coaxing her like he was putting a child to sleep.
pat-
I casually turned off the light on the bedside table, and the night enveloped the entire room. Only a few rays of moonlight peeked through the curtains, trying to spy on the room's occupant's dreams.
The couple thought about their children, as well as their elderly parents and relatives and friends. This is perhaps the true feeling of having both elderly parents and young children.
Gu Ning, at least, started feeling this sudden pressure this year, and she felt very tired.
But each time, she could rely on Li Xuewu's strong and powerful arms to regain her energy.
Every time is a step forward, every time she grows, she feels stronger than ever before.
Isn't this also the meaning of home?
-
"Secretary-General, you're back."
Zhang Li and Zhou Miaomiao went upstairs together and ran into Li Xuewu at the corner of the corridor. The two greeted each other in unison.
Li Xuewu smiled and pointed ahead, explaining, "We're going to find Director Li. What are you doing here? —"
"Isn't the goal to build up the organization?"
Zhou Miaomiao took the initiative to introduce herself, saying, "Our sales team is operating in a fragmented manner, and I happen to know Director Zhang, so I've come here humbly to learn from him."
She smiled and glanced at Zhang Li beside her, then said to Li Xuewu, "I didn't know you were coming back. If I had known, I would have invited you to give us a lecture."
"Please let Zhang Li give the lecture. I don't have time to give a lecture."
Li Xuewu smiled and pointed at Zhang Li, asking, "How are you doing? Are you adapting to the work of the Party Committee?"
In July of this year, organizational work resumed, and in the process of rebuilding organizational order and structure, the group focused on examining and transferring some employees to fill the organizational system.
Zhang Li has experience working in the security department, as well as in the cultural troupe and the publicity department. Her efficient work style and past outstanding work performance led to her being selected by the group's Party Committee to serve as the director of the Party Committee Office of the Comprehensive Management Department.
However, she was Li Xuewu's soldier. He promoted her from the People's Armed Forces Office to the Cultural Troupe and assigned her to work in the Propaganda Department, which is how she gained her current abilities.
"Thank you for your concern, Secretary-General. I've already adapted." Zhang Li said with a smile, "Deputy Secretary-General Chen often talks about your work philosophy of combining theory with practice in meetings. I'd also like to hear you give a lecture."
"So I'm not the only one who thinks this way, am I?"
Zhou Miaomiao chimed in, "I'm risking offending Director Zhang by inviting you."
"This trip was too packed."
Li Xuewu explained with a smile, "I have something to do this afternoon. The group will hold a quarterly work meeting tomorrow morning, and this afternoon I will be representing the group to talk with some colleagues."
"And the day after tomorrow?" Zhou Miaomiao raised an eyebrow and asked, "When are you going back to Steel City?"
"Hehehe—the day after tomorrow."
Li Xuewu smiled and pointed to the general manager's office they had already arrived at, then waved to the two of them and said, "Work hard, we can talk again later."
Zhang Li and Zhou Miaomiao exchanged a glance and shook their heads with amusement.
In the past, when the secretary-general worked at the group, he presided over many ideological work meetings for them.
But since the Secretary-General was transferred to Liaodong, such a situation has not been seen again.
It's not necessarily that the secretary-general doesn't have time; perhaps he doesn't want to preside over the meeting, or it's inconvenient for him to speak.
In the office, Li Huaide saw him come in and took the initiative to stand up, walk out of his desk and shake hands with him.
"You came back last night?" Old Li gestured for him to sit on the sofa, asking with concern, "Is everything alright at home?"
"Everything is fine, but I have to take the afternoon off today." Li Xuewu explained with a smile, "It's the old lady's sixtieth birthday. Although I didn't plan to host a banquet, I still have to show my appreciation to the family members who are visiting."
"Oh, really?"
Li Huaide truly had no idea that Li Xuewu had such a plan upon his return; otherwise, he would have been prepared.
He may be stingy, but he's not stingy at all towards his subordinates and friends; in fact, he's a bit of a fake philanthropist.
"Of course, you're back in Beijing on vacation anyway," Li Huaide said with a smile. "Even a whole day would be appropriate, let alone an afternoon."
"Our whole family took the day off today."
Li Xuewu explained with a smile, "The old lady doesn't like to be in the limelight. My dad wanted to liven things up for her. She's usually too quiet, and he was afraid she'd become too reserved."
"Yes, I can understand, they're elderly."
Li Huaide nodded and said with a touch of emotion, "People, time flies. I used to think I was young, but now look at me, I'm an old man."
“You don’t need to go that far. Why don’t you work for another thirty years?” Li Xuewu said with a smile. “With you at the helm, the future of our group is limitless.”
"Hahaha—" Li Huaide laughed and tapped him, saying, "You're praising yourself, aren't you!"
After exchanging a few jokes, the conversation got back on track.
Li Xuewu mainly communicated with him and reported on the recent operating conditions of various industrial enterprises in Liaodong.
This kind of work is a routine report, and every time he returns to Beijing, he would talk to Lao Li about the work in Liaodong.
This wasn't about making things difficult for Li Huaide in every little detail, or asking him to listen to divine pronouncements; it was a statement of intent.
Li Huaide is the head of the group, and he is the person in charge of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong.
If he can't put Old Li at ease, then his job as the person in charge is over.
"...I don't think the market response to sea lions will be very good, after all, our mainland is still too backward."
Li Xuewu explained the birth of the new steel car model and also analyzed the market.
"There's nothing we can do. Even small cars aren't selling well, let alone buses of this size."
He emphasized to Li Huaide, "However, the test for the new steel bus model is not in the domestic market, but in the overseas market. I have enough confidence in the Haishi bus."
"Yes, I understand what you mean."
Li Huaide nodded slightly and looked at him, saying, "We've made significant investments in overseas markets over the past two years, but we don't know when we'll be able to turn a profit."
“Brand building takes time.”
Li Xuewu could tell that Lao Li wasn't too concerned about the domestic car sales market, but rather about the overseas market.
It's actually quite simple: the feedback from the domestic market is not significant, and the rate of profitability is very slow.
If it weren't for Li Xuewu's insistence, Old Li would have wanted to ask the market for quotas for the steel-gas docking plan.
Li Xuewu knew that while it was easy to obtain quotas for the planned market, it was difficult to withdraw from them.
Everything else is fine, but the car market is the most unique. Once you open a dealership, it's no longer yours.
"It's not just cars that need brand marketing events; helicopters and other products do too."
Li Xuewu explained, "You can see how high the customer recognition is once the brand image is established by looking at the group's hardware, food, and electronic products."
"This has something to do with the retail industry in Hong Kong, right?" Li Huaide thought for a moment, then looked at him and asked, "How has Watsons been doing since it expanded its business scope? Has it faced any operational crises?"
"Judging from the dynamic data, there shouldn't be any major problems."
Li Xuewu shrugged and explained, "After all, the quality of the cosmeceuticals supplied through our channel is absolutely the best, and the effects are also the most outstanding."
"Make a note of this. When you take a detour to East Germany, you must visit the port city."
Li Huaide nodded at him and emphasized, "I really want to see how competitive our products are in the port city, and how big the market is."
"Then you should go to Southeast Asia."
Li Xuewu smiled and replied, then asked, "Has the trip to East Germany been finalized?"
“Yes, even if others don’t consider me first, I’ll consider you first.” Li Huaide said with a smile, “It’s the foreign language communication and negotiation part that I won’t go without you.”