MMB Chapter 1580 Uncle, You Don't Eat Fish
Chapter 1580 Uncle, You Don't Eat Fish
Chapter 1580 Uncle, You Don't Eat Fish
"That doesn't make sense. You're too modest."
Li Xuewu ran into Gao Yaqin, who was also about to leave work, at the elevator entrance and couldn't help but tease her.
Gao Yaqin rolled her eyes at him, handed the briefcase in her hand to her secretary Wang Qiang behind her, gestured for Li Xuewu to leave first, and said, "You can't stand the company being too peaceful, can you?"
"You make it sound like I'd be happy to see it happen."
Li Xuewu chuckled and put his arm around her, first escorting her into the elevator before following her in.
Don't let his shorter stature fool you; he's just as cunning, deliberately digging a little hole here.
Don't say that "ladies first" is a Western concept of gentlemanly etiquette. Does China not have any etiquette of mutual respect?
"Sigh, to be honest," he glanced at Gao Yaqin beside him and asked, "Are you feeling a little disheartened?"
"No, don't make things up—"
Gao Yaqin wouldn't fall into his trap. That bastard's every word is a trap, and you have to be extremely careful when talking to him.
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu tilted his head and continued to tease, "I thought you really cared about the core group, but I didn't expect you to be so relaxed."
Gao Yaqin glanced at him sideways, then scoffed, "If you have something to say, spit it out—"
"I've found that you're quite similar to Deputy Director Su."
She wasn't exactly known for her good temper either; her sharp tongue was just as venomous as Li Xuewu's. "You two must have similar interests," she said.
The elevator doors opened, and Secretary Wang Qiang and Zhang Enyuan stepped out first, standing by the elevator waiting for them.
After glancing at Li Xuewu, she pursed her lips and stepped out of the elevator, saying, "You two should sit together longer; maybe you'll become friends."
"Hehe, thank you for your kind words—"
Li Xuewu followed her out of the elevator. More than ten minutes had passed since the end of the workday bell rang, but there were still quite a few employees leaving the lobby on the first floor.
Especially at the customs gates, there are even slight queues at the ordinary staff passage.
Of course, this situation will not occur in the leadership corridor; cadres at the deputy division level and above will generally leave within ten minutes after the end-of-get off work bell rings.
On the contrary, the group leaders on the ninth floor would often spend ten or twenty minutes, and sometimes more than half an hour was normal.
"Director Li! Li—"
As soon as Li Xuewu passed through the leadership passage, he heard someone call his name. He turned around and saw Liu Guangqi standing there waving.
The security guards in the lobby had already noticed something was wrong with him, and when they saw him making a loud fuss, they rushed over.
Liu Guangqi was also startled. He looked straight ahead at Li Xuewu and suddenly saw a figure appear in front of him. Several uniformed guards rushed over from his left and right, and his voice was split.
"It's nothing, just an old neighbor."
Li Xuewu reached out and patted Zhang Enyuan, who was standing in front of him, and whispered an explanation to Gao Yaqin and the others who had surprised expressions.
"You go first, I'll see what's wrong with him."
He smiled and led the cautious-looking Zhang Enyuan toward Liu Guangqi, whose arms were being restrained by the guards.
"plum--"
"Alright, stop shouting." Li Xuewu looked him up and down and nodded to the security supervisor who was looking over.
"Secretary-General." The head of security was perceptive; he could tell from the way the other person addressed him that they might know each other.
However, they're definitely not that familiar with each other, otherwise they wouldn't call him Director Li; that would be ridiculous.
"How did you find this place?"
Li Xuewu waved his hand, signaling Liu Guangqi to follow. The employees who were leaving get off work in the lobby were all watching the commotion.
Liu Guangqi shook his shoulder, which had been pinched so hard by the guard. That sudden movement had almost killed him; he was so scared he peed his pants.
However, seeing the guards disperse, he still shrank back with lingering fear and quickly followed Li Xuewu.
"I'm sorry, Director Li, I wanted to go up to see you, but the security guards wouldn't let me, saying they needed my ID."
"Hmm, what's up?" Li Xuewu had already walked out of the lobby. A gentle evening breeze carried the scent of summer in the cooking smoke.
A black Shanghai-brand sedan was parked at the entrance, and the driver had already opened the door for him and was waiting on the side.
Seeing this situation, Liu Guangqi realized that if he didn't speak the truth soon, the other party would get on the car and leave.
He said it, but the bitterness in his heart was so intense that he couldn't help but want to vent it, but he knew that would be no different from courting death.
Regardless of what kind of person Li Xuewu was before, even after he came back and entered the steel rolling mill, he didn't intend to give him a second glance.
What's so great about a lowly security officer? Can he compare to a seasoned clerk like him?
Even though Li Xuewu used some unknown means to not only acquire the rear house and the west courtyard, but also Xu Damao's property in the backyard, he was still jealous of the Li family's hypocrisy and never envied Li Xuewu's status or success.
Of course, Li Xuewu was not as successful as him at that time; he was the only one in the compound who pursued a career in government.
Even elementary school teachers like Yan Fugui had to step aside; his father Liu Haizhong's prestige and status in the compound were at least largely earned by him.
Their family's wealth was among the highest in the neighborhood. Li Shun, who lived in the front yard, earned a lot, but his family was large and their expenses were also high.
Another point is that all of Li's children are in school, which is another significant expense.
At the time, people in the courtyard outwardly envied the Li family, but behind their backs they also gossiped about the school expenses of the Li family's three sons and one daughter.
Counting down from the old lady of the Li family, none of them were particular about food or clothing. They looked ordinary, and even their cotton-padded jackets had patches on the lining, but they couldn't compare to the comfortable lifestyle of their family.
Don't be fooled by their cramped living space; it's not because they lack money, but because that's just the policy they're in at the time.
No matter how much money you have, you might not be able to live in a royal palace. His father was a senior worker in a factory, and he could earn enough to rent a room, but unfortunately there was nowhere to rent, so he was allocated those three rooms.
The reason people say the Li family is hypocritical is because Li Xuewu found a job as soon as he returned, and he also got a house and a bicycle. Why did he complain about being poor and having no money? Who was he trying to impress with his previous displays of poverty?
Isn't this to keep an eye on someone?
In his opinion, the Li family's sudden rise to wealth was suspicious and revealed a kind of hypocrisy.
As Li Xuewu's status gradually rose and the Li family's situation improved, he became even less willing to pay attention to them, lest people say he was deliberately currying favor and that he would be disrespectful.
Especially after Li Xuewu sent his third brother to the artillery bureau, he hated the Li family's hypocritical attitude of pretending to be virtuous while actually being prostitutes.
It's just bullying others because they're powerful. They see their family is doing well and deliberately bully their father.
That's what he thought in his heart, but at the time he didn't dare to say it, because he had learned from Liu Guangfu's example and didn't want to lose his job and spend a few years in the artillery bureau.
Putting aside whether he has the guts, his wife and children depend on him for a living, so he wouldn't dare to take the gamble.
It wasn't until the Red Star Factory developed that he set his sights on the three side rooms in the compound, wanting to exchange them for residential buildings in the workers' new village.
If only we hadn't missed the right time!
Just as he was thinking this, his second brother, Liu Guangtian, went to Gangcheng, and his third brother, Liu Guangfu, wasn't home. He was almost convinced his father to transfer the property to him. And what happened?
When the news of the property swap spread, his third brother, Liu Guangfu, was released. His mother and wife had another fight, one after another, and his dream of living in a new building was shattered.
When he left the compound, he thought that even his father and his younger brothers would never see each other again, let alone the Li family who had made him angry.
He dared to say he would never have any dealings with the Li family in his entire life.
Fate is fickle; the situation has changed drastically in recent years, with things changing every day. His position as a lowly clerk is nothing.
When he actually had no choice but to ask Li Xuewu for help, do you think God was blind?
"Director Li, I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Liu Guangqi, with a shameless grin, handed over a Daqianmen cigarette and said with a fawning smile, "My child is transferring schools, what do you think..."
"You can smoke it yourself." Li Xuewu gently placed his hand on the hand that was offering him the cigarette, explaining, "I quit a long time ago."
Liu Guangqi was taken aback. He remembered that Li Xuewu loved to smoke Daqianmen cigarettes and often gave cigarettes to his second and third brothers.
He went out of his way to buy it just to please Li Xuewu; otherwise, he would only be willing to smoke Tuanjie cigarettes.
"Hehe—when did this happen? I didn't even know—" Liu Guangqi laughed awkwardly and said, "Look at the mess this has made. It hasn't been that long since we last met."
He was much older than Li Xuewu and two or three years older than Li Xuewen; they had never been in the same circle since childhood.
When Li Xuewu was riding on Yan Jiecheng's back and beating him up, Yan Jiecheng was already in junior high school. He was the most arrogant person in the neighborhood.
There's nothing you can do about it; his dad's powerful and his family's rich.
To be honest, when Li Xuewu was a child, he envied Liu Guangqi, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu.
Despite the fact that the second and third sons of the Liu family often get beaten, their family never lacks good food; they are the kind of people who can afford to eat eggs.
You have to understand that a few years ago, not just any family could afford eggs; even if you had children, you might not be able to buy them.
Everyone in the courtyard said that Liu Haizhong had always been like this since he was young, never lacking in fine wine and food. His wife would go out of her way to please him, after all, he was the breadwinner of the family.
Time has passed, and looking at Liu Guangqi standing in front of me again, I can't help but feel that he has suffered much more than I have.
This was something Li Xuewu had never noticed before, or rather, had never paid attention to.
The second son of the Liu family is simple-minded, the third son is cunning, and everyone in the courtyard knows exactly what kind of person the eldest son is.
Liu Guangqi hasn't been wasting his time all these years; you can tell from the way he talks that he knows how to flatter and elevate people.
What do you mean by "it's only been a short time since we last met"?
What does this mean? It both rekindled the old neighbor's friendship and subtly reminded Li Xuewu not to forget him after not seeing him for a few years.
"What did you just say?" Li Xuewu ignored him and asked directly, "The child wants to transfer schools?"
"Yes, there's really no other way," Liu Guangqi explained sincerely. "You know the situation now. If you don't finish junior high, you'll have to go to the countryside after graduating from elementary school. Sigh—"
He sighed deeply and said, "My husband can't bear to leave our child. Even though the child is doing well and finishes junior high school, we're still worried. After all, he still has to go to the countryside."
"Just say it directly, no need to beat around the bush."
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow at him. At this time, people who were leaving get off work would take the initiative to greet him as they passed by.
He had to nod in response and listen to Liu Guangqi's rambling, so he simply didn't have the time.
So he raised his hand and pointed at the other person, asking, "What brings you here to see me?"
“My wife and I discussed transferring our child to United School, so that he might have a chance to work in a factory in the future.”
Liu Guangqi looked at him pleadingly and said, "I don't have any connections here, so I thought of you. Could you please help me? If the school is willing to accept us, we can transfer."
"There's a procedure for transferring schools, right?"
Li Xuewu turned to look at Zhang Enyuan, and seeing that he also looked blank, he looked at Liu Guangqi.
He wasn't very familiar with the current situation of the joint school, but he paid attention to it when it was first being built.
At that time, the joint school had very strict requirements, selecting students from almost the entire capital city and the locations of its various branch factories.
Because of its independent educational resources and stable factory jobs, enrollment is extremely limited.
Aside from the children of Honggang Group employees, students transferring from other schools all have to compete based on their own merit.
However, that was three or four years ago. Now, Honggang Group's education system is quite comprehensive, and he hasn't visited it for a long time. At most, he only looks at the data in the briefings.
If he doesn't pay attention, Zhang Enyuan is even more at a loss.
Zhang Enyuan is just a secretary. He can know what is needed for daily office work, and he also has time to prepare for temporary tasks. But if someone suddenly asks him, where can he find the information?
Besides, it's just a student transferring schools.
That's why Zhang Enyuan's gaze towards the person in front of him revealed a hint of impatience.
The secretary-general's daily official business involves reports from deputy division chiefs and above; he has no experience dealing with elementary school students. This is like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.
Liu Guangqi knew the procedure, of course. He wanted Li Xuewu to take the lead and agree to his request, rather than pretending to be stupid.
However, he couldn't tell whether Li Xuewu was pretending to be stupid or genuinely unaware of the situation, which left him feeling uneasy.
“There is a process…” He hesitated for a moment before explaining, “But to apply for a transfer, you have to take an exam…”
"Then let's take the exam!"
Li Xuewu sized him up and asked, "What? You want me to pull some strings and get you in right away?"
"..." This question stumped Liu Guangqi. He had this thought, but he couldn't just say it out loud, could he?
In front of everyone, with so many people watching, and considering he's a cadre, how could he say such a thing?
"Let me tell you, there's nothing I can do."
Li Xuewu waved his hand and said seriously, "Don't even mention you, even my daughter wouldn't do that."
He nodded and emphasized, "If you have this intention, then encourage your child to study hard and pass the exam. Don't think about these crooked ways."
“No—” Liu Guangqi frowned and explained, “I’m an employee of another unit. If one of my parents worked in the factory, or… well, that would be simple.”
"Oh—" Li Xuewu suddenly realized that the joint school was still implementing the standards from a few years ago.
Children of employees of Honggang Group are given priority in school admission after interviews, which is the most basic guarantee of employee welfare.
Of course, if the parents have connections with Honggang Group, it will be easier to switch sides.
what relationship?
As you can tell from the name, it's a joint education school. Anyone with a deep partnership with Honggang Group can apply.
For example, the Dongcheng Branch Bureau, the Third Regiment of the Guard, Beijing Chemical Industry, Beijing Second Automobile Works, etc., all have actual vested interests involved.
After all, not all graduates of the United Education School go directly to work for the Honggang Group.
There are two channels: children of employees of Honggang Group will naturally have priority to work for the group, and children of employees of other affiliated units will also have priority to work for the units where their parents work.
Honggang Group is somewhat unique in that it selects outstanding graduates for recruitment when hiring new employees.
This involves assessment and selection.
Because it is an independently run school, it has an absolute advantage. Graduates officially graduate in June, but Honggang Group began the selection and recruitment process in May.
In other words, almost all graduates can apply for the assessment. Even if they are not recruited, they can still go to their parents' workplace in June or take the exam to get into their parents' workplace.
Whether they are children of employees of Honggang Group, children of employees of other affiliated units, or even unrelated graduates, they all have a fair competitive environment and opportunities.
When enrolling students, consideration will be given to the children of employees and employees of affiliated units, but all students will be treated equally during the admission process.
Judging from Liu Guangqi's current situation, he doesn't want to get involved with anyone else; he just wants to associate himself with Li Xuewu.
That's just a joke.
If this is done, Liu Guangqi will be safe, seemingly without any problems, but what about him?
If he wanted to assign a student, it would be a simple matter of saying a word; why would he need to go through all this trouble?
Besides, it's Liu Guangqi who's the one who's wasting his time!
"You said you wanted to transfer your child to another school."
Li Xuewu pointed at him and asked, "Does your father know about this?"
He stared into the other person's eyes and said, "If the child uses your father's relationship with Liu Guangtian, it should be very easy, right?"
"Even if the uncle-nephew relationship doesn't count with the United Education system, the grandfather-grandson relationship should at least be considered, right? Aren't you going to take the long way around?"
"Um..." Liu Guangqi lowered his head, looking embarrassed, and after a while said, "It's not convenient for my dad."
"Are you kidding me?"
Li Xuewu frowned, stared at him, and asked, "Tell me, how long has it been since you last visited your father?"
Liu Guangqi couldn't answer. He could describe it as "quite a long time," or he could lie and say it wasn't long, or he could simply lie to Li Xuewu and say that he had just visited him yesterday.
However, he dared not. Standing in front of Li Xuewu, he suddenly realized that he dared not lie under Li Xuewu's powerful aura.
"You—" Li Xuewu snorted and looked him over with displeasure, saying, "What should I say to you?"
"If we're talking about the long term, we've both grown up in the same compound since we were little. But if we're talking about the short term, I really don't want to talk about you."
He pointed and asked, "Your parents gave birth to you and raised you. If Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were standing here, I wouldn't say these things. They were beaten when they were young, but you weren't."
"Your second uncle and aunt have spoiled you rotten, treating you like a treasure. They always think of you when they have something good. Now that you're grown up, you've started a family, a wife and kids. What are you thinking about?"
Li Xuewu's voice suddenly turned serious as he reprimanded, "I have no right to, nor do I want to, meddle in your family's affairs, but let me tell you, there's nothing I can say about someone like you."
“No matter how stubborn Liu Guangtian is, he used to send his mother supplements every month and come back to visit during holidays.”
He stared at the other man with displeasure and said, "Even if Liu Guangfu is a scoundrel, he still knows to earn money to support his parents in their old age and see them off when they die. You, Liu Guangqi, are the eldest son in your family. What are you thinking?"
Li Xuewu had pointed out all of Liu Guangqi's family secrets, and Liu Guangqi's face turned red and white with embarrassment.
Li Xuewu, however, showed no mercy and bluntly said, "What were you thinking when your mother passed away? Don't you feel ashamed? Don't tell me that the petty squabbles between brothers made you unable to go home, unable to see your father, and unable to pay respects to your mother."
The more he looked at him, the angrier he became. Li Xuewu was too lazy to waste words with him, so he stepped into the car and, after the driver closed the door, rolled down the window and said, "Go home and ask your father about the child's matter."
After saying that, the car window rolled up again. He didn't want to say another word or even see him.
Zhang Enyuan gave Liu Guangqi a deep look, opened the car door, got into the passenger seat, and told the driver that they could drive.
The black sedan drove towards the exit, while Liu Guangqi stood there, his face as red as if he had been slapped a hundred times.
-
Who delivered the fish?
As soon as Li Xuewu entered the courtyard, he saw Li Shu and Li Ning squatting by the tap, stirring the water in the large basin with their hands.
I was just about to remind the siblings not to get cold and catch another cold when I got closer, but then I noticed there were a few fish in the large basin.
To be honest, these fish are quite large, with dark scales and their mouths opening and closing, full of energy. They definitely aren't from a pond; they're wild.
"Who else could have sent it?" An annoying voice came from the foyer, a little smug and a little arrogant.
"Why are you back again?" Li Xuewu looked up and was surprised to find Ji Weidong standing there, dressed in a very flashy manner.
"Sister—" A little boy ran out of the hallway, pulling up his pants as he ran, shouting, "Sister, I've finished pooping, let me touch it."
"..." Li Xuewu couldn't help but twitch his lips, silently reciting the saying "the father is to blame for not teaching his son well," and looked up at Ji Weidong.
At this moment, Ji Weidong also felt extremely embarrassed. Looking at his son's behavior, he wished he could pinch his mouth shut.
"Hehe, it's Boda here."
Li Xuewu was truly cunning, incredibly cunning. He walked over, smiled, looked at Ji Weidong's son, and asked, "Where's your mother?"
"Mom's inside—Hello Uncle—"
Ji Bufan looked up and realized that it was his uncle who had returned. He greeted him politely.
"Don't call him uncle, he doesn't act like one."
Ji Weidong stood on the steps with his hands in his pockets, glaring at Li Xuewu with a displeased look, clearly resentful.
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu didn't care at all. Who told Ji Weidong to have such a good name for that old Taoist priest?
"Did you sneak back here?"
He walked up the steps, looked at him, and asked, "Don't your superiors care about you? How many times a month have you made this trip?"
"What do you mean, 'running back several times a month'? I haven't been back for almost four months. Can't I come home to visit?"
Ji Weidong took out his cigarette case, shook it, and flicked a cigarette into his mouth. Just as he was about to light it with a lighter, he noticed warily that someone was watching him through the octagonal window of the restaurant.
"Damn, even smoking a cigarette is illegal."
That's all he's capable of. He doesn't even dare to complain loudly, muttering to himself like a woman.
"You should take it outside the main gate."
Han Yating pushed open the window, frowned, and said to him, "Can't you see the children playing in the yard?"
"I'm not smoking anymore." Ji Weidong shoved the cigarette back into the pack in a huff, pouting, "Smoking is illegal."
Han Yating ignored him and greeted Li Xuewu with a smile, "Secretary-General."
"Hmm, making dumplings?"
Seeing that she had noodles in her hand, Li Xuewu asked with a smile.
Han Yating raised her chin and explained with a smile, "Your Li Shu said she's craving dumplings, and that she hasn't had them in ten years."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu laughed in exasperation. Ever since this girl learned the vocabulary related to time, she has started to misuse it.
If she wants to say something, the adjective is "it comes to mind instantly." She's so young, yet she hasn't eaten dumplings in ten years.
"Where's the fish? Are you having both dumplings and fish?"
Li Xuewu walked into the lobby, put down his bag, took off his jacket, and asked, "When did you arrive?"
"Around 4 PM, I knew you weren't home."
Ji Weidong stood at the door talking to him, his eyes always on the children; he was quite attentive.
Even though Han Yating and the others were watching from the octagonal window of the restaurant, it wasn't as convenient as what he was doing.
"Why didn't you call ahead before you came? You could have given me some time to prepare."
Li Xuewu changed into his usual cloth shoes, went into the living room to make himself a cup of tea, and when he passed by the dining room, he saw Er Ya rolling out dumpling wrappers, while Zhao Yaping and Han Yating were making dumplings.
I was afraid you'd avoid me if I called in advance.
Ji Weidong's tone was always irritating. Relying on his brother-in-law being Li Xuewu's younger brother, he held the emperor hostage and commanded the princes. He wasn't afraid of Li Xuewu's revenge.
"You three alone can eat me out of house and home?"
After brewing the tea, Li Xuewu looked into the restaurant and asked, "Did you call Yuxiu? Ask her to come and have dinner with us."
"Not yet, I don't know when you'll be back." Han Yating didn't dare to joke with him, after all, he was her boss, and Li Xuewu had the aura of a superior.
"Call over that person, your sister Li Xue, and your brother-in-law's wife as well."
Ji Weidong stood at the door and exclaimed loudly, "We're all young people, let's get together more often when we have the chance."
He turned to look into the room and said, "Besides, we all work in the same unit. It would be so awkward to pretend we don't know each other if we met."
"You talk too much, go take care of the kids."
Han Yating knew what he meant, and she scoffed at him from the window of the octagonal hall, but said nothing else.
The decision was naturally made by Li Xuewu, who also knew that Ji Weidong wanted to help Han Yating expand her network of contacts.
"If we order everyone, will there be enough dumplings?"
Li Xuewu took a sip of hot tea, smiled, walked to the phone, picked up the phone, and called the branch office.
Ji Yuxiu was likely off work by now, but calling Li Xuecai was even less reliable, as the hospital was quite busy.
"I'm looking for Ji Yuxiu. Can you check if she's still there?"
If someone can call the branch office and immediately ask for the name of the head of the public security section, the staff on duty will know exactly what's going on.
After a while, the person on the other end of the phone replied, saying that Section Chief Ji had left work and was not there.
Li Xuewu didn't say much, and then called home again, where his grandmother answered the phone.
After giving a few words of explanation, he called the group's security department again, and this time he managed to find Zhou Yao.
With Gu Yan away, Zhou Yao has more time and energy to devote to her work, and she works harder than the average cadre.
Li Xuewu had been home for quite a while, but when I called her, she was still in the office. You can imagine how hard she works.
"Come over for dinner, we'll make dumplings."
"Secretary-General?" Zhou Yao was taken aback, but recognized his voice, and then smiled and said, "Brother, why so suddenly?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me to eat dumplings?"
Li Xuewu said with a laugh, "I knew you were in class. Alright, don't bother trying today, hurry up, we're all family."
Zhou Yao on the other end of the phone didn't refuse and agreed with a smile.
With Gu Yan not home, it's practically impossible for her to go out to eat when others invite her. She either eats at work or goes back to her parents' house. Given her personality, she would never be willing to spend time going out and having fun with friends.
She was like that, and so was Zhao Yajun.
Li Xuewu invited Li Xuecai and his wife, and his brother-in-law's wife Zhou Yao, so naturally he couldn't leave out Zhao Yajun and his wife.
Although Zhao Yajun is not his brother-in-law, he is his elder brother's brother-in-law, and the kinship is not as close as the relationship.
Another point is that Wang Lu has a lively personality and is not shy at all when she comes to our house. She is very close to both him and Gu Ning.
Not to mention his position as a leader, even when he went to the compound, he was close to Zhao Yafang, his mother Liu Yin, and the old lady.
The old lady said that this girl was honest and blessed.
She's not a fortune teller, so how did she tell he was lucky? She just looked at his personality.
With Wang Lu's temperament and personality, and with her family's connections and background to take care of her, she's unlikely to be a nuisance anywhere.
However, he called the security headquarters. Wang Lu had already left work by this time. She was not the type to work overtime. Once the clock struck midnight, she would never work an extra minute.
Zhao Yajun, on the other hand, is quite hardworking, especially now that she's leading a team, she works a lot of overtime.
Wang Lu would often leave work on time and wait for him at the Security Brigade's headquarters until he finished, then the young couple would go home together.
So when they finally got through to Zhao Yajun on the phone, after only a couple of sentences, Wang Lu's chattering voice came through the other end, shouting that she was coming right away.
"Who was it?" Ji Weidong asked as he walked into the foyer, having overheard the children playing and listening to them make a few phone calls. "Who else did they call?"
“My older brother and his wife,” Li Xuewu said, putting down the phone, taking a sip of his tea, “They both work for the group.”
"Is that Zhao Yajun?" Han Yating chimed in from inside the restaurant. "Is he with the security brigade now?"
"Yes, they got married the year before last." Li Xuewu put down his teacup and said, "His wife's name is Wang Lu, and she works in the union."
"Oh, I know." Hearing the name, Han Yating couldn't help but smile and say, "Quite famous."
"hehe--"
Li Xuewu naturally knew what she meant; Wang Lu, this not-so-famous matchmaker, had a very high reputation.
"Make more dumplings, there are quite a few people."
He checked the time, walked into the restaurant, looked at Zhao Yaping, and asked, "Do you know where your sister Qin lives?"
"I know, Second Brother." Zhao Yaping put down the dumplings in her hand and looked over.
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Go ride your bike over there and call them over for dinner."
"My goodness, how many dumplings will this take?"
Er Ya was startled to hear so many people and said, both amused and exasperated, "You won't even be able to eat dumplings in the middle of the night, will you?"
“Many hands make light work.” Li Xuewu raised his chin and said, “Qin Jingru’s home is not far from here, she will be here to help you soon.”
***
Just by listening to Ji Weidong's tone, you could tell how meticulous Li Xuewu was in handling matters.
They addressed Ji Yuxiu and her husband as "the couple," but not as "elder brother" and "elder sister-in-law."
Although they didn't call him "elder brother" and "elder sister-in-law," they did call Zhao Yajun and his wife, and with Zhao Yaping also present, the elder sister-in-law could find fault.
This was all instigated by Ji Weidong. Seeing that the child was growing up day by day, Han Yating could finally let go of some responsibilities, so he wanted to pave the way for his wife to quickly integrate into Li Xuewu's network of relationships.
Li Xuewu could see the purpose without him having to say it; Han Yating's past relationships were still with the people from the security department.
Later, I went to the International Hotel, and now I work at a publishing house. My network of contacts is relatively narrow, and I've become quite distant from Li Xuewu.
Like Li Xuewu, Ji Weidong was the kind of guy who was as cunning as a monkey, able to figure things out as soon as he talked to his wife.
Han Yating couldn't let go of the past, especially in front of Li Xuewu, so she didn't dare to say anything about building a relationship.
Ji Weidong didn't care. His relationship with Li Xuewu was quite complicated. He could just say whatever was on his mind without beating around the bush.
If you're looking for connections, just come to my house. I'll just mention it once and invite everyone I can. Getting to know each other here means we're all in the same circle. Isn't that much easier?
Then the question becomes who to call.
Li Xuewu called out Zhou Yao, Zhao Yajun and Wang Lu, Li Xuecai and Ji Yuxiu, and also Han Jiankun and Qin Jingru. It seemed like there weren't many important characters, but they were all important.
If anything happens, Li Xuewu can entrust his family to these people for care; they can put his mind at ease.
Qin Jingru is probably the least noticeable person here, but she has also been here the longest and has the best relationship with Gu Ning.
Han Jiankun was Li Xuewu's former driver and an absolute confidant. Therefore, his arrangements were all deliberate.
Just as Er Ya remarked, this meal of dumplings was quite difficult to prepare, involving thirteen adults and four children.
If it weren't for a few fish and other dishes, we would have made hundreds of dumplings just to eat, and the dough would have filled half a bag.
"You know how to cook fish?"
Li Xuewu and Ji Weidong couldn't help, so all that was left was the task of looking after the child. They simply brought two chairs and sat in the yard.
Ji Weidong looked at the three children with great affection, and didn't care even if he was given cold water.
"I don't know how to cook fish, I just know how to eat it."
He turned to look at Li Xuewu and said, "You don't think that just because I manage a port, I can cook seafood, do you?"
“No, that won’t do.” Li Xuewu said calmly, “You used to be in charge of the investigation department.”
"What do you mean?" Ji Weidong reacted quickly, glancing at him sideways before turning to Li Shu and saying, "Daughter, how about becoming your uncle's daughter-in-law when you grow up?"
"No good." Li Shu pressed down on the fish's head, looked up and glanced at the little kid squatting beside her, and really looked down on him.
She doesn't even look down on those crybabies in kindergarten, so why would she look at Ji Bufan who hasn't even started kindergarten yet?
Ji Bufan was still unaware of what was going on, his attention was focused on the big fish in the basin, watching his sister play.
He was a few months younger than Li Ning, but he spoke quite fluently. Gu Ning even said that Han Yating had a knack for teaching children.
While they were chatting idly, Han Jiankun and his wife came in with their child. They lived nearby, so they arrived quickly.
"Brother, when did you get back?"
Qin Jingru, with her lively personality and loud voice, greeted Ji Weidong with a smile when she saw him in the courtyard: "Hello, Director Ji."
"Jingru—"
Ji Weidong hadn't thought of her at first. He used to see her often when he came to Li Xuewu's house, but they hadn't spoken much. It was only after Li Xuewu arranged for Zhao Yaping to call her that he heard a few words of explanation from her and remembered this little nanny.
"Oh my, you look so prosperous."
"You really know how to compliment people." Qin Jingru put down the child in her arms and introduced him to Han Jiankun, who was pushing a stroller in behind her: "This is Director Ji, Brother Wu's best friend."
“We’ve met before.” Ji Weidong and Li Xuewu had already stood up. When they saw Han Jiankun coming over, they reached out and shook hands.
He was there to support Han Yating, so he couldn't underestimate the network of connections around Li Xuewu.
Even if he's just a lowly driver, he's still Li Xuewu's driver.
"Hello, Director Ji."
"Hey, you can call me whatever you want in private."
Ji Weidong patted his arm with a smile and said, "Call me Big Brother or by my name, don't be so formal."
He then gestured to Li Xuewu and said, "There's no need to be nervous at your leader's house; everyone here is on our side."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled lightly without saying a word. He really didn't treat himself as an outsider; he was even speaking up for him.
However, this isn't entirely untrue; they are indeed one of our own.
"Brother, are you looking after the child?"
Qin Jingru was very perceptive. Seeing the two of them sitting there while the children played, and with Han Lidong already squatting down next to his sister Li Shu, she knew what she should do.
"You guys chat, I'm going inside to help."
"Go ahead, go ahead, we've been waiting for your help," Ji Weidong said with a smile. "We'll clean the fish in a bit."
"You don't need to lift a finger, let Jiankun do it."
Qin Jingru still had the same old energy; once she entered this house, she could order Han Jiankun around to do this and that.
Actually, the couple are both quite honest and upright. Even though Han Jiankun is already a deputy section chief at his workplace, he is often asked by Qin Jingru to come and help out here.
This family is all women. Er Ya is good at some physical work, but she's not as good as Han Jiankun.
Qin Jingru doesn't come for three days, but arrives early for five. Since Li Xuewu isn't home, she's practically living here.
She didn't need Li Xuewu to pay her wages; she habitually treated this place like her own home, and naturally, Han Jiankun would take on any work.
Whether it's house maintenance, firewood preparation, or even the vegetable garden, Han Jiankun has been helping to till the land for the past few years.
Er Ya could have done it too, but the children were noisy, and she could see Qin Jingru's sincerity, so she didn't hold back her petty thoughts.
Er Ya used to be scary, afraid that Qin Jingru would come back and she would have to go home. Who could bear to give up this kind of life now?
"Want a smoke?" Ji Weidong teased, taking out a cigarette case from his pocket and gesturing to Han Jiankun, saying, "Sure, but you have to smoke outside the gate. That's a rule in your boss's family."
"Thank you, Director Ji, I just threw it away."
Han Jiankun smiled, went inside to get some scissors, changed his clothes, and then prepared to clean the fish.
"ah!"
Li Shu was the first to object. They were playing happily with the fish, and now they were going to use a knife?
"Uncle, would you please not eat fish?"
She pleaded pitifully, "Look how cute they are, it's such a waste to eat them."
"Uncle, I don't eat fish—"
Li Ning stood up with her sister and stretched out her little hand to stop her, while Ji Bufan joined in the fun.
Han Lidong had no idea what was going on. She had just arrived and was staring wide-eyed, wondering what her father was up to.