MMB Who is Chapter 1584 about?
Who is Chapter 1584 about?
Who is being referred to in Chapter 1584?
"What's wrong?" Li Xuewu was playing with the two children in the yard when he saw Gu Ning return looking distracted. He frowned and asked, "What happened?"
"Our dean has been taken away."
Gu Ning looked up at him and said in a somewhat bewildered tone, "Just now, before I got off work."
Li Xuewu's brow twitched, but he said nothing and walked over to gently hug her.
"I don't know... I don't know why..." Gu Ning seemed to have found a support, her wooden arms wrapped around his waist, hugging him tighter and tighter, as if she was trying to grasp a lifeline.
"Don't overthink it. Dad called me before I came back to ask about the children." Li Xuewu gently patted her back and comforted her softly, "Dad was prepared and won't get hurt."
"I'm scared..." Gu Ning's voice trembled slightly, unable to hide her inner fear.
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she simply couldn't have imagined the vicissitudes of the situation and the gap between reality and expectations, even though Li Xuewu would read those newspapers at home.
She wasn't made of steel without feelings; she was just a little clumsy when it came to expressing them.
"How about I take a day off this Saturday?"
Li Xuewu looked down at her and said, "I'll arrange for you and the children to stay in Jinling for a few days. Your parents miss the children."
"I still have to go to work." Gu Ning looked up, wiped away her tears, and saw Li Shu and Li Ning standing beside her, looking at her with concern. She tried her best to calm herself down.
“Mom—” Li Shu reached out and tugged at her finger, asking, “Why are you crying?”
"Li Ning is not afraid of bad people!" He didn't know what had happened, but in Li Ning's mind, only bad people could make people shed tears.
Gu Ning bit her lip, squatted down and hugged the two children in her arms, nodding slightly and saying, "Mom is fine, she'll be alright in a little while."
Li Xuewu looked at the mother and her two children embracing each other, sighed helplessly, and turned to walk into the hallway.
"Mommy, don't cry—"
Li Shu pouted, tears welling up in her eyes, and cupped her mother's face in her hands, pleading, "Don't cry."
"Don't cry, Mom." Gu Ning gave her a smile, raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and said, "Li Shu, don't cry either."
Li Ning was already crying in fear, clinging to her shoulder with her little hands tightly gripping her clothes.
"Sister?" Zhao Yaping, who had just returned from school, was startled and stared blankly at the mother and her two children, her face turning pale.
"It's alright, your second brother is back."
Gu Ning picked up her son, turned around and smiled at her, saying, "Come inside quickly."
“I just went…” Zhao Yaping pointed blankly to the door and explained, “I went to pick up Li Shu. The teacher said her father came to pick her up.”
"Yes, he's inside." Gu Ning took Li Shu's hand and walked with her into the yard, reminding her, "Next time Daddy picks you up, be sure to leave a message for your aunt."
"Mmm—" Li Shu's response was still nasal, she blinked, and tears fell, cool and refreshing.
In the living room, Li Xuewu had just hung up the phone when he turned around and saw them come in. He said, "I've already arranged your leave. You're taking a flight to Nanjing on Saturday morning."
Gu Ning was stunned for a moment, unable to describe the feeling in her heart, only feeling that it was so good to have him here at this moment.
“Mom.” Li Shu looked up at her mother; she had heard everything her father had said.
"Li Shu, do you miss your grandparents?"
Li Xuewu stepped forward, squatted down, looked at his daughter, and asked, "How about you come with Mom to visit Grandma and Grandpa on Saturday?"
"Can we still go?" Li Shu's eyes suddenly widened, and she nodded in surprise, saying, "Yes—we'll go see Grandma and Grandpa!"
"Could it be..." Gu Ning looked at him hesitantly and said, "The department has been quite busy lately."
"Director Zhang has granted you a week's leave." Li Xuewu pursed his lips and explained gently, "You won't be able to take a month off after you return from your leave."
"Okay." Hearing him say that, Gu Ning nodded and said, "Then let's go to Jinling."
“A research team from the group will be going to Nanjing on Saturday morning. You will be with them.”
Li Xuewu stood up, walked to the tea cabinet, brewed two cups of tea, handed one to her, and said, "Your parents miss you very much."
"I haven't had a break in a long time, so I'm going to relax and unwind this time."
"Hmm—" Gu Ning picked up her teacup, sat down on the sofa, and explained with her head down, "Today..."
"Don't think about what happened today."
Li Xuewu sat down beside her and gently comforted her, "You can't understand the essence of the changes, nor are you interested in them, so it's all in the past."
What was a scene he had long been accustomed to was easily associated with Gu Ning's parents who were far away in Jinling.
On his previous visits home, he made phone calls to his father-in-law from his study, during which he mentioned certain things that she may have overheard.
What I fear most is half-baked speculation, especially what he said in the study, which caused Gu Ning's already fragile heart to have a stress reaction when she witnessed the dean's ordeal.
Fortunately, he was there. Gu Ning gently rested her head on his shoulder and stopped talking. Even though the dean's desolation kept flashing through her mind, she closed her eyes slightly.
The most powerful force of a storm is not the cold rain, but the destructive wind, the ruthless force that wipes out everything.
It brought torrential rain, yet turned raindrops into billions of bullets that swept across the world.
The world trembled and deformed in its roar.
What you can hear is its shrill whistling as it tears through the air, the bursting of something as strong as a tree trunk unable to bear the weight, and the faint wails of all things under the suppression of absolute power, drowned out by the howling wind.
In such an environment, one feels like an ant, and any protection seems precarious and vulnerable.
It was a suffocating feeling, like having your heart gripped by a huge, invisible force.
The cruelty of the wind lies in its unquestionable and irreversible absolute will when it carries out destruction, as if the only truth in the world is its rage at this moment.
Either linger in rage or exile yourself in rage.
Li Xuewu never dared to consider himself a savior; he was merely a drop in the ocean, an ordinary wave in the tide.
He gave Gu Ning and the children a home, and Gu Ning and the children gave him a home, so he must be responsible for her, for the children, and for this family.
He has been advising himself in the same way he has advised his father-in-law over the years.
When the father-in-law and son-in-law first discussed the situation, he only used one sentence: "As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. The fire is burning brightly, and one more or one less will not make a difference."
What is truly needed is the courage to stand up in times of crisis, not to make ambiguous sacrifices in the midst of a crisis.
Li Xuewu didn't know how his father-in-law interpreted his arrogant and selfish words. Perhaps something had touched his heart, leading him to make a choice.
-
"Surprised? What kind of look is that?"
Seeing him stop and look him up and down, Cheng Kaiyuan asked with amusement, "It's only been a few days, and you don't even recognize your comrade?"
"If you had come back a month later, I really wouldn't have recognized you," Li Xuewu teased him with a smile. "Where have you been having so much fun? You've gotten so fat!"
"Ten pounds, can you even imagine?" Cheng Kaiyuan took out his cigarette case, lit one for himself, raised his eyebrows, and exclaimed, "This is the most comfortable vacation I've had since I started working."
"Really—" Li Xuewu asked with a strange expression, "The food is pretty good, isn't it?"
"Hmm—it's alright—" Cheng Kaiyuan nodded in a seemingly serious manner, and counted on the finger holding the cigarette: "A meal should have at least... three dishes."
He turned to Li Xuewu and said earnestly, "One meat dish and two vegetable dishes every meal."
"Tsk tsk—I'm so envious—" Li Xuewu cooperated by showing an envious expression and said, "Next time you have this kind of opportunity, could you think of me?"
"You?" Cheng Kaiyuan looked him up and down with amusement, and snorted, "I'm afraid you can't stand the loneliness."
"You wouldn't mind if I said you're petty, would you?" Li Xuewu was quite sarcastic, grinning as he looked at him and asked, "When you're on vacation, you think about me the most, don't you?"
"Ha—hahahaha—" Cheng Kaiyuan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, laughing louder and louder until tears streamed down his face.
"What are you doing? Why are you so happy?" Gao Yaqin peeked out of her office and glanced at the two of them, asking, "Do you have something good to share with me? Let me have a laugh too."
"Great news, absolutely great news!" Li Xuewu said as he walked. "It's wonderful! Didn't you see that Deputy Director Cheng was laughing so hard he cried?"
"Oh—" Gao Yaqin glanced at Cheng Kaiyuan, raised an eyebrow and said, "What's with this laugh? It looks like he's crying when he laughs, and like he's laughing when he cries."
"That's the characteristic of Deputy Director Cheng."
Li Xuewu stood at the door of her office, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, and said, "He said that's called personal charisma."
"Tch—" Gao Yaqin couldn't help but glance at him, knowing he wasn't going to say anything nice, but she didn't expect him to be so sarcastic.
"He's just envious." After finally composing himself, Cheng Kaiyuan rubbed his chin and raised an eyebrow as he explained, "He also wants to take a month's vacation."
"You're willing to do that?" Gao Yaqin glanced strangely at Li Xuewu as he left, and asked, "Won't you come in for a cup of tea?"
"I'm not thirsty. I'll drink it when I have time. Save it for me." Li Xuewu waved his hand casually and carried his notebook to his office.
Gao Yaqin smiled faintly, turned around and looked at Cheng Kaiyuan who was leaving in another direction, her eyes full of inquiry.
Deputy Director Cheng has returned, but not all of the cadres who were taken away at the same time have returned. Even those who have returned have been sent to the 721 Cadre Academy for further study.
No one knows how they got back, and they didn't mention where they went. It's as if they just mysteriously disappeared and then mysteriously returned.
Even if they were very curious, the people in the organization only dared to discuss it quietly in private, and on the surface, everyone maintained an attitude of indifference.
They're not crazy; is this something they have the right to care about?
Li Xuewu had just returned from the general manager's office, and everyone was watching him, wanting to know his next move.
Strangely enough, this secretary-general was even more composed than Director Li, as steady as a mountain.
At the group's economic development work conference held at nine o'clock, his speech suddenly exploded in the ears of the delegates like thunder.
Since September of last year, the Japanese company Sanwa Co., Ltd. has been actively seeking further cooperation with Honggang Group in the electronics industry, but has been repeatedly rejected by Li Xuewu.
In everyone's opinion, last year's economic situation was just right, making it the best time to begin negotiations and sign a cooperation agreement with Sanwa Corporation.
But his series of actions left everyone puzzled, and even those who had complaints dared not voice them, for fear of being proven wrong by him.
This isn't the first time. Those who were slapped in the face are still hurting, so they wouldn't dare to jump out and attack him in the face of such an obvious mistake.
That's Li Xuewu, the founder of the group, who has never experienced failure. Who would dare to underestimate his judgment of the situation and circumstances?
Director Li, who is in charge of the group, only listens to the opinions of the secretary-general.
Judging from his confidence, and even as the situation becomes more and more serious, he still insists on delaying the cooperation with Sanhe Co., Ltd., this is obviously a trap!
So they remained silent. Even when some uninformed grassroots cadres made wild guesses and suggested that the secretary-general was acting somewhat arbitrarily on this issue, the group's management remained silent.
Nonsense! Just because of some speculation from those people below, they're supposed to shamelessly scapegoat Li Xuewu? Their dignity is worthless.
As Lu Xun once said, "Let's see how things unfold while riding a donkey and reading a script."
At this point, whether we oppose or support Li Xuewu's opinion, it's pointless to voice it; we should just wait for the Secretary-General's feedback.
We can't keep dragging this out without cooperating. Even Suweide had this kind of patience. Don't be fooled by his use of vehicles and personnel; he was incredibly tolerant.
Time flew by and it was May. Just when the situation was deteriorating rapidly, Li Xuewu suddenly stepped forward and made a statement, demanding that all operating units and departments of the entire group emancipate their minds, unleash their potential, and work hard and fast.
The situation was so shocking that even some members of management were stunned.
Even if they had planned and prepared in advance, there was no need to be so surprised. They didn't even understand whether this was the right time to go all out.
They had no doubt, because Li Huaide, the director of the group's management committee and a policy decision-maker, was the first to stand up and express his support for the secretary-general's opinion.
In his speech, he pointed out that Honggang Group is currently facing its best development opportunity in history, and it should focus on the key tasks at present and carry forward the spirit of dedication...
Well, actually, all the representatives at the meeting could treat General Manager Li Huaide's statements and speeches as nonsense, because everyone knows he doesn't understand business operations at all.
Everyone's gaze swept over the serious and earnest faces on the stage. Those who should be expressing their opinions and offering suggestions were the leaders in charge of the business operations.
To everyone's surprise, Gao Yaqin, the chief economist in charge of the group's economic work, subsequently expressed her support for the secretary-general's opinion.
Then, Dong Wenxue, the deputy director in charge of foreign economic and technological cooperation, and Cheng Kaiyuan, the deputy director in charge of the group's industrial production and scheduling, and others made statements.
The doubts and skepticism in the meeting room were instantly silenced. With so many leaders supporting the Secretary-General's opinion, it seemed there would be no surprises.
However, they still had doubts in their hearts about what had happened that made the secretary-general so convinced that another opportunity for the group's economic development had come.
In response to the "winter" it encountered last year, the group proactively sold off its tertiary industrial and light assets in exchange for better development opportunities, and even included stable development in its three-year plan.
But why did we suddenly step on the gas pedal to develop the economy at this particular time?
The answer might lie in a newspaper article about the Guangzhou Export Commodities Fair, which included Mr. Z's comments on the exhibition hall design for the 27th Guangzhou Fair:
Foreign trade should also promote production and domestic trade, combining production, use, and scientific research.
You Ning found a newspaper, hurriedly walked into the office of Deputy Director Su Weide, and without any formalities, flattened the newspaper and pointed to a passage.
Suwei frowned slightly, picked up his reading glasses, put them on, and began to examine the object carefully.
He stared at that short passage, just a few dozen words, for several minutes before finally taking off his glasses and looking at You Ning, asking, "That's it?"
"Boss, this is the only thing I can think of." You Ning nodded and confirmed, "Foreign exchange, it must be foreign exchange, otherwise it won't affect our group."
"Oh—" Suweid crossed his fingers in front of him, and after a moment of thought, said, "Is it just because of foreign exchange?"
"It seems so, otherwise..."
You Ning hesitated when mentioning that name, and dared not even mention the words "Secretary-General," saying, "He wouldn't be that radical."
Actually, when he saw Deputy Director Su frowning and deep in thought, he also had some doubts, wondering if the leader had understood what he had just said.
If you understand, you should at least say something, right? If you don't understand... well, just ask! What are you pretending for?
"It's really too radical, really too radical." Suwei clenched his fist nervously, then relaxed it, then clenched it again, then relaxed it again, over and over again.
He wanted to retaliate, but he didn't dare to gamble. His face was still numb from the slaps he received last year, and he couldn't possibly offer his right cheek to be hit again this time.
"How about..." You Ning asked tentatively.
"What?" Suweide seemed to have just realized what was happening, and looked at him with a frown, saying, "Don't make a fuss about this. Let's wait and see."
"Leader." You Ning was about to blurt it out, but then realized her tone was off, paused, and softly reminded him, "Don't miss the opportunity."
"Yes, there's still time." Su Weide's nerves, which had just calmed down, were jolted back up by his words. His fists clenched, and his palms were sweaty.
He knew what You Ning's unspoken opinion was. Ever since he introduced him to the world, this deputy director of the General Cadre Department had become his confidant.
You Ning knew some of his methods, including the support from the Northern Industry Daily and the affirmation and recognition from that young man whose nickname also contained the word "Tiger".
Compared to him, You Ning was much bolder.
He had to admit that Yuning was a trusted confidant he truly controlled, someone who had rallied his ambition, and someone who was absolutely in the best interests of his career and advancement.
As the old saying goes, "A new emperor brings a new court," and You Ning knew perfectly well what he was thinking.
He's just waiting to reward his meritorious officials after he takes office.
However, Suweide said that there was still time and he still had a chance to make a move, but he was afraid that You Ning's words would come true and he would miss the opportunity.
God knows if he'll have another chance to win over Li Xuewu if he misses this opportunity.
The mocking voices, the sarcastic remarks and strange looks from his former colleagues, made him seem like a primary school student after joining Honggang Group.
He suffered a series of setbacks and had no one to confide in.
In some people's eyes, Honggang Group is full of loopholes and vulnerable. Any one of them could become the general manager, take control of the entire group, and reach the pinnacle of life.
But actually?
He, Suweide, was a complete waste of a brain.
If the management of Honggang Group is really that weak, and the ecosystem is really that fragile, how did Honggang Group achieve such a large scale?
This isn't a zoo; this is a monster cage.
-
"You bring a secretary to play mahjong?"
Li Huaide glanced at Zhou Xiaobai following behind him with amusement and asked, "On holiday?"
"I don't have class tonight." Zhou Xiaobai was really blunt. She felt no pressure at all when she saw him, and even dared to talk back.
Li Huaide wasn't angry. He smiled and pointed towards the coffee table, saying, "We have some new fruit. Help yourself to whatever you like."
Zhou Xiaobai didn't treat him as a leader; he'd much rather Zhou Xiaobai call him "uncle." However, Li Xuewu thought this was wishful thinking; the girl was a bit cunning.
"I'm just here to relax, I definitely won't bother you." She smiled, raised her hands, and walked towards the sofa, saying, "I can also serve you tea or pour you some water."
"That's great, Liu Bin should thank you."
At this time, there were only a few of them in the room. The card game had not yet been fully completed; Li Xuewu and Zhou Xiaobai had arrived first.
"Who's here tonight?" Li Xuewu caught the melon Zhou Xiaobai tossed to him, broke it open with a smile, and asked, "They're not just people we invited on the spot, are they?"
"Can I call for more people while playing mahjong?"
Li Huaide smiled and waved his hand, refusing the half melon offered to him, nodding and explaining, "I can't enjoy it, it's too sweet."
"Oh, I forgot." Li Xuewu took a bite of his food and asked, "Won't it interfere with playing mahjong?"
"Hahaha—" Li Huaide laughed heartily, then pointed at him and emphasized, "Even if you're going to die tomorrow, you should still have fun today."
What does it mean to be bad at cards but addicted to them? Over the course of a year, he must have given away an unknown amount of money just at the card table. If it weren't for the fact that he was a leader, people would have given him the nickname "Money-Giving Boy".
"How long is the move here?" Li Xuewu tilted his chin, gesturing towards the room, and asked, "How's the renovation going at the guesthouse?"
"I haven't had time to go and see it these past few days."
Li Huaide scratched his completely bald head, walked to the sofa and sat down, saying, "According to their report, it should be soon."
"This money can't be wasted." Li Xuewu ate the remaining cantaloupe in a few bites, went into the bathroom to wash his hands and mouth, and said, "Just thinking about it makes my heart ache."
"Yes, they are different after all."
Li Huaide tilted his head slightly, leaned back on the sofa, and looked at the furnishings in the room, saying, "The interior design of the guesthouse was done by the French, and the equipment was also sourced from outside."
"Is it really that high-standard?" Zhou Xiaobai, who was eating watermelon, looked up and asked in surprise, "Even higher than the standards of the International Hotel?"
“Hehehe—” Li Huaide laughed and looked at her, explaining, “You’re talking about the current International Hotel, I’m talking about the soon-to-be-operational guesthouse.”
“That’s not—” Zhou Xiaobai was about to say “Isn’t that the same?” but then she suddenly realized that there was something else Li Huaide hadn’t said, which was the future International Hotel.
Yes, the fact that Honggang Group was able to bring in a French design team to lead the renovation plan for the hotel, and even spend foreign exchange to purchase equipment from abroad, shows that this plan is also an international hotel design and configuration standard.
"The group headquarters is located in the Liangmahe Ecological Industrial Zone," Li Huaide said casually. "This place cannot be without an excellent hotel."
She turned to look at Li Xuewu blankly, then realized the deeper meaning of his words, which was that the supporting industries needed to be complete.
"Like I said, as long as the money isn't wasted, that's fine."
Li Xuewu wiped his hands clean, picked up the tea that Liu Bin had prepared for him, took a sip, and then continued, "The group does indeed need good hospitality."
Li Huaide spread his hands, curled his lips, and said smugly, "Of course."
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled. Only he in the room understood the source of Old Li's confidence.
"Oh! Secretary-General, it's you."
The speaker was Ding Zigui, the general manager of the Literature and Art Publishing House. I saw his back as soon as I entered the room and greeted him.
Li Xuewu turned around, put down his teacup, shook hands with him, and said, "Director Li didn't say who would be there tonight."
"Director Li didn't tell me either." Ding Zigui smiled, his handshake firm and his smile friendly.
Being able to enter this room, and even play a game of mahjong with the secretary-general present, is a rare privilege for Ding Zigui, who has a history of "mistakes".
"Oh, I forgot to introduce you, this is Sun Tong, a reporter from our United Industry Daily."
He introduced him to Li Xuewu, saying, "I specially brought him here for Director Li to do an exclusive interview."
"Hahaha—" Li Huaide laughed and pointed at him, too exhausted to even scold him.
Of course, this is a joke. Could we really interview Director Li about how he uses his off-get off work hours to play mahjong with his colleagues?
"Hello, Secretary-General, it's a pleasure to meet you." Sun Tong was very polite, smiling as she accepted Li Xuewu's outstretched hands and gently shook them.
“Last month I wanted to apply to the newspaper to interview you in Liaodong, but the director said you rarely give interviews and I haven’t had a chance to meet you yet…”
“You have your chance now.” Li Huaide, still smiling, pointed in Li Xuewu’s direction and teased her, “Ask me any questions you may have.”
"How could I dare?" Sun Tong smiled and looked at Li Xuewu, saying she wouldn't dare, but her eyes were full of anticipation.
"Director Li is picking on you, haven't you realized it yet?" Li Xuewu didn't let her off the hook either, smiling as he stepped aside to let them come in and sit down, while teasing her, "You only talked about interviewing me, aren't you neglecting Director Li?"
“Hey—” Li Huaide waved his hand with a laugh and said, “It’s the same no matter who you interview. Ask the secretary-general, every word he says is a gem.”
"Listen to your leader." Li Xuewu smiled and patted her arm, gesturing towards Zhou Xiaobai, and said, "Tomorrow, go to Director Li's office to interview him about his feelings after losing the game."
"Hahahaha—" Li Huaide never cared about winning or losing at the card table. The more Li Xuewu teased him like this, the happier he felt.
This room is full of leaders, so Sun Tong wouldn't dare to take the joke.
She glanced at the pretty girl sitting there eating and drinking heartily, feeling surprised, but smiled and nodded as a greeting.
Zhou Xiaobai had noticed her long ago; it was the way she looked at Li Xuewu that made him feel a little wary.
However, seeing the other party's friendly expression, she returned a kind smile. Li Xuewu wasn't hers, so why was she nervous?
Besides, even if Li Xuewu wanted her, he would only look at someone as young as her; he wouldn't even glance at a young married woman like her.
"We're one short for the game." Li Xuewu didn't go to the sofa, but picked up his teacup again and asked, "Who else did you invite?"
"You'll see in a moment." Li Huaide pointed to the fruit plate and gestured to Sun Tong, "Don't be shy, help yourself to whatever you like."
"Thank you, boss." Sun Tong smiled politely, glancing at Zhou Xiaobai who was acting without any restraint, and felt too embarrassed to reach out and take it.
Who is this girl? How can she be so relaxed in front of the leader? Does she really think this is her own home?
Could she be Director Li's daughter? Or a relative?
The kind eyes of Director Li do resemble her, but Director Li doesn't have a daughter, nor have I heard of any younger relatives like her.
The girl's clothes and demeanor suggest she's not from an ordinary family. If she were truly a relative of Director Li, she wouldn't have appeared so late if she were sitting here.
If it's not Director Li's relative, then it can only be the Secretary-General's...
Okay, we can't guess anymore. Reporters have the sharpest observation skills, the most discerning eyes, and the most open minds.
She suppressed her surprise and speculation, and sat there quietly listening to the leaders' nonsense.
This was the first time Sun Tong had participated in such a scene in private. Director Li was not unfamiliar with her, as she, as a newspaper reporter, often accompanied Director Li on field research trips.
As for the secretary-general, she had only been working at the newspaper last year and had little contact with such people, which is why Ding Zigui introduced her when she entered the room.
Sun Tong knew about the other side of the leaders, which was different from their working hours, so she wasn't surprised to see them chatting and laughing, or even joking.
Leaders are human too; they are not serious all the time. They also need entertainment and life outside of work hours.
In the minds of ordinary cadres and employees, leaders are often seen as either serious or smiling when they sit on a stage to speak or when they walk into the workshop for research.
Actually?
Privately, Manager Ding of the publishing house is very good at pretending. He used to pretend to be cultured, and after joining the publishing house, he pretended to be a cultured person even more.
Seeing a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall of the secretary-general's office, he also copied it and hung up a scroll with the phrase "Great Tolerance." As a result, his colleagues privately said that Manager Ding's belly had indeed grown quite a bit.
When Ding Zigui first started working at the publishing house, he weighed just over 120 pounds. Three years have passed, and it seems he won't be able to get down to 160 pounds.
"Oh! Oh! Oh! Secretary General!"
Feng Xingke, the general manager of the labor service company, came in like a machine gun, rattling off a string of words. Before Li Xuewu could even put down his cup, he reached out his hand.
"If we're missing one player, you're the one who's lacking (morality)."
Li Xuewu smiled and shook his hand, but made a teasing remark with a double meaning.
Feng Xingke could easily tell what was going on. He smiled, raised his eyebrows, and said, "If it weren't for me, you definitely wouldn't have gotten this."
He wasn't made of paper either; he replied to Li Xuewu in kind, then walked into the living room with a smile and greeted Ding Zigui and Li Huaide.
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, squinted slightly at his enthusiasm, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Zhou Xiaobai and Sun Tong started chatting. Although they were not in the same age group, they were both curious about each other's identities and jobs, and they were having a great time talking.
"How much are we betting today?" Feng Xingke pointed to the card table, gesturing for Liu Bin to place the tea he had brewed for him on the small table, while he was busy talking to Li Huaide.
But Liu Bin smiled and agreed, but the smile on his face turned cold as he turned away.
Offending people often happens unintentionally.
Another situation is the fear of comparison. The secretary-general is of a higher status than him, and when they met at the door, he even patted his arm. Why is Feng Xing acting so arrogantly?
He's here to serve the leaders at their card games, not to serve them personally. What are you pretending for?
"Same rules as always, you can't leave until you've lost all the money in your pocket." Li Huaide got excited; he hadn't even drunk any alcohol that night in preparation for today's card game.
Of course, he rarely drinks now, and even when he has social engagements, he brings other people with him. He still wants to work for the organization for another thirty years.
"Then you'll have to step up your game," Feng Xingke said ingratiatingly, patting his bulging wallet. "I've come prepared today."
"Alright, I'm keeping an eye on you." Li Huaide stood up, supporting himself on the sofa armrests, and waved for everyone to come to the card table, saying, "Today I'm going to dominate the game."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu glanced at Ding Zigui, and the two couldn't help but smile as they looked at each other.
Director Li always boasted of dominating the battlefield, but what was the result?
Li Xuewu hasn't been back often in the last two years, and even when he is, he rarely plays mahjong with Li Huaide. Ding Zigui, on the other hand, has managed to find a few opportunities to play.
He knew very well the rules of playing mahjong with Li Huaide. He played seriously, and no matter how much money he won, he wouldn't get excited. In fact, he would be very happy. He absolutely could not play a fake hand.
But when it comes to a real game, even if you win a whole bag of money from him, you always feel uneasy, as if you're afraid he'll make things difficult for you.
However, as time went on, and no one tried to make things difficult for me, all I felt was resentment.
Winning once or twice is fine, but if you play ten times, you'll inevitably lose seven or eight times.
Director Li is really bad at playing cards. You know, the worst thing about playing mahjong is changing the feng shui, and even worse, having someone sitting behind you watching your cards, but none of that applies to Director Li.
Even if you have a god of wealth sitting behind you, your card skills will still be terrible.
If you say he has bad luck, that's not true at all. Just look at the cards he plays; he's actually quite lucky.
But it's precisely this card-playing skill, along with that lack of shrewdness and stubbornness, that always manages to ruin a good hand.
Hey! Don't try to give him any pointers. He hates it when people are nagging behind him while he's playing mahjong; he won't listen to a single word.
So right from the start, Li Xuewu grabbed him and stood there, without even opening the door, losing four rounds.
"A great start!" Feng Xingke chuckled and glanced at him, saying, "Secretary-General, you're really lucky."
"This is only the first game, it's nothing yet."
Remember, one should always be humble, except at the card table. If you are humble, then you're just waiting to lose money.
The more aggressive and arrogant you are, the more likely you are to maintain your winning streak and the more confident you will be when playing cards.
"How come you have time to play cards?"
Ding Zigui changed the subject, glanced at the person opposite him, and asked, "Didn't you take leave a while ago?"
"My father-in-law passed away, and I've been busy for several days."
While touching the cards, Feng Xingke explained, "Actually, it's okay if I don't go, but my wife keeps nagging me, so I can't not go."
"We should go no matter what." Li Huaide looked at the cards in his hand and busied himself with the cards, saying, "A father-in-law is also a father."
"Hehe." Feng Xingke said with a smile, "My father-in-law looked down on me. When he was alive, he wouldn't let me visit his home, saying that my birth chart was incompatible with his."
"Hahaha—" Li Huaide almost burst out laughing, glanced at him and said, "I've only ever heard of couples whose birth charts don't match, but I've never heard of a couple whose birth charts don't match their father-in-law's."
“When we went on blind dates, my partner liked me, but he didn’t like me.”
Feng Xingke chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "Back then, I was just a poor kid. There were seven brothers in my family, and we had to share our pants. We were starving."
"That's fine then," Ding Zigui said with a smile. "You've started from scratch."
"Hey, if I hadn't gotten into the factory, I would have starved to death." Feng Xingke curled his lip and said, "Do you know how much I weighed when I joined the factory?"
He glanced at the person opposite him, then looked at Li Huaide and gestured, saying, "It weighs less than eighty pounds, not even as heavy as the pigs in the village."
"Those were tough times. We'd risk our lives for a bite to eat." He smacked his lips and said, "Back then, I'd do anything to get a spot in the factory."
"In the end, it was your father-in-law who helped you?"
Li Huaide glanced at him and asked, "Was your father-in-law originally from the factory? Or...?"
“The former factory accountant, that’s why they hired me.” Feng Xingke nodded and said, “But back then it was still a steel mill, not here at the rolling mill.”
"The steel rolling mill was a metallurgical plant that was acquired later."
He raised his chin, looked at the card table, and said, "It's only because I went to work in the factory and started earning wages that I was able to support my whole family."
"You have no idea, my monthly salary supports a whole family. My wife's salary has to go into it, otherwise we wouldn't have enough to eat."
"Well, how many mouths to feed?" Ding Zigui said with a smile. "If this were now, it would be quite a challenge."
"I've suffered a lot," Feng Xingke continued, playing the victim. "In ten years of marriage, I haven't dared to make a single new dress. If it weren't for my father-in-law's support, and if I hadn't been willing to swallow my pride, we wouldn't be where we are today."
He smiled, glanced at the group, and said, "Don't let my words fool you, I was the only one who actually shed tears on the day of his funeral. His sons were too busy moving things around."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "I've seen this scene before, it's quite lively."
"Have you ever seen a fight break out over a cemetery?" Feng Xingke asked him. "Just because a few of us couldn't decide whose land to bury the dead on, we almost came to blows."
"Isn't the old man the accountant?" Ding Zigui asked. "He didn't even make arrangements for his own son?"
"They have to be capable," Feng Xingke said calmly. "They're hopeless."
Ding Zigui's eyes darted around. Who was he talking about?