MMB Chapter 1587 The Intricacies
Chapter 1587 The Intricacies
Chapter 1587 The Intricacies
"You received the message?"
On his way downstairs to eat, Gao Yaqin appeared as if she had been waiting for him.
"I'm completely confused by what I'm hearing."
She reached out and pressed the elevator call button, then turned to look at Li Xuewu, raising an eyebrow, and asked, "What do you mean by making a fuss about Deputy Director Cheng?"
"How do you know they're making a fuss? Couldn't it be that Deputy Director Cheng has a problem?"
Li Xuewu turned to look at her, raised an eyebrow, and said, "You need to be mindful of your stance."
"Am I the one who's scared, or are you?"
Gao Yaqin rolled her eyes, stepped into the elevator, and pouted, "Can't you just tell the truth for once?"
"Tell the truth? Well, someone has to be listening."
Li Xuewu, with his hands in his pockets, didn't seem to care that the driver was still in the elevator car, and bluntly said, "I don't know about the article or not, but I do know that he's not having an easy time right now."
"You know that, yet you still say it—"
Gao Yaqin glanced at him, narrowed her right eye slightly, and deliberately asked, "You don't have a grudge against him, do you?"
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled, looking at her calmly and saying, "How did you know?"
When the two first entered the elevator, the driver was quite reserved, but after listening to their conversation, he thought they were arguing like elementary school students—it was so childish.
"I think so too. If there's no grudge, you shouldn't kick someone when they're down like that."
Gao Yaqin looked away and said calmly, "Did you read the morning newspaper? Pay attention to your studies."
"Thank you for your concern, I have already studied it."
Li Xuewu licked his upper teeth and said, "I firmly support the leadership and decisions of my superiors, and I will resolutely follow the organization and work wholeheartedly..."
"Do you expect me to teach me?" Gao Yaqin nudged him impatiently with her elbow and said, "You're annoying, stay away from me."
"Can I even climb up to the top of the elevator?"
Li Xuewu looked at her with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and said, "Why don't you go down first, and wait until I go down before you go down, so I don't bother you."
The driver couldn't hold back any longer; he was pursing his lips tightly, his shoulders shaking, which made Gao Yaqin laugh as well. "I can't be bothered with you—"
"You have a very bad heart."
Li Xuewu smiled and tapped her, saying, "You have problems of your own but don't solve them; all you do is cause trouble for your comrades."
"Don't talk the talk about how great you are."
When the elevator reached the first floor, Gao Yaqin rolled her eyes at him and got off the elevator first.
Li Xuewu smiled, nodded to the driver, and then followed him out.
What do you think of the articles in the newspaper?
Surrounded by employees heading towards the cafeteria, he no longer hesitated and asked directly.
Gao Yaqin thought about it seriously for a moment before saying softly, "The louder the thunder, the smaller the raindrops."
"What do you think?" she asked, then looked at Li Xuewu. "What's your opinion on this article?"
"Me? I think about the same as you."
As Li Xuewu walked, he said, "How can people all over the world unite? Without a core leadership ideology, we are just a disorganized mess, and we can't lead anyone."
"If you ask me honestly, sometimes we can't be too selfless or too soft-hearted."
He went to the tray station, took two steel trays, handed one to Gao Yaqin, and carried the other to the window where people were queuing.
"Annam's situation is quite special. Since he was able to remain undefeated for nine years, he can continue for another nine years."
"Is that what you think?"
Gao Yaqin looked at him with some surprise and said, "I felt that you had other opinions on the previous few times, especially on the aid policy to Annan."
"Believe it or not," Li Xuewu said, casually joining a line and turning to look at her. "Within ten years, this snake will definitely bite us back. It's an ungrateful wretch."
"Why?" Gao Yaqin frowned and reminded him, "Without us, they would have been defeated long ago."
“Yes, without us, they would have been defeated long ago.” Li Xuewu shrugged and said, “But if you think about it from another perspective, without us, they would have been living a happy capitalist life long ago.”
"..." Gao Yaqin looked at him speechlessly, and after a while she frowned and said, "I can't understand this line of thinking, and I can't believe they would do this."
"The relationship between countries is like the relationship between people; you can never get too close," Li Xuewu said, turning to look at her. "People will say you're meddling."
"Of course, you're always right."
Gao Yaqin stared at his retreating figure for a long while before saying in a serious tone, "But I don't want this to happen."
“I don’t want that either.” Li Xuewu didn’t turn around, but said in a somewhat indifferent tone, “But facts are facts, and they cannot be changed.”
"So you've been targeting aid projects from that time onward?"
Gao Yaqin had carefully studied Li Xuewu, including his various experiences since he started working.
Otherwise, how could she have discovered Li Xuewu's sensitivity to decisions related to Annam and the Northern Dynasty?
During the Hongxing Factory period, it was originally a heavy industrial enterprise, but Li Xuewu actively coordinated with the factory and other joint units to take over a portion of the aid projects.
The "eating" here is not wasteful, but rather a substitute made up for it with a few units of product, which is converted into production tasks and funds.
In the following years, Honggang Group would take on such projects every year, mainly in the form of clearing inventory.
The majority of aid projects are in the tertiary sector, especially the food industry, which accounts for a significant proportion not only in aid projects to Annam but also in aid projects to North Korea.
"Whatever you think is fine." Li Xuewu glanced back at her, then when it was his turn to order, he chose one meat dish and one vegetable dish, and also took two steamed buns.
"So this morning's article."
Gao Yaqin quickly finished getting her food and caught up with him, asking, "Do you share my opinion?"
“Of course.” Li Xuewu found an empty table, gestured for her to sit opposite him, and then continued after sitting down: “I think the Americans are about to give up.”
"What do you mean?" Gao Yaqin asked, her eyes wide with surprise. "Where did you hear that from?"
"Where would I hear that? I read it myself, in the newspaper."
Li Xuewu tapped the table with his finger and looked at her as he said, "A few days ago, a newspaper published a news item: On May 4, at Kent State University in Ohio, the U.S. National Guard opened fire on anti-war protesting students, killing four people."
"I dare say that this incident will further exacerbate the American public's skepticism and weariness with the Annan War."
He spread his hands and said, "We drew the 17th parallel north for the Americans. They can't fight their way over, and they can't stabilize the South. There's also anti-war sentiment emerging internally. How long can they hold out?"
"..." Gao Yaqin was completely shocked. It was because Li Xuewu had prompted the Honggang Group to undertake some aid projects that she had visited Nanjing and the port city several times and had learned about the situation of the Annam War from the sidelines. She never thought there would be such a logic.
Perhaps every day people are hoping for the war to end, but she has never heard of a clear idea of when the war should end.
"Is it only people like you who have participated in wars or served in the military who can think of these things?"
She couldn't understand it, and could only attribute this thinking ability to Li Xuewu's past experiences.
Li Xuewu shrugged and looked at her, saying, "What you should be thinking about now is how the various branches under the leadership of the Jinling area can do a good job in economic development in the post-Annam War era."
"Don't doubt my stance, I'm just stating the facts." He pointed to his plate with his finger while eating, emphasizing, "Fighting doesn't necessarily have no benefits, and not fighting doesn't necessarily have any benefits."
"What do you mean?" Gao Yaqin glanced at him and asked, "So you think it doesn't matter whether we fight or not, the important thing is whether we can get any benefits?"
Snapped--
Li Xuewu snapped his fingers, confirming her statement without saying it aloud.
"I acknowledge that a stable geopolitical environment can bring us economic development, but given our current situation, I don't think this level of effort will be of much use."
He shrugged and said, "Of course, I'm not denying that there are problems with the strategies formulated by the higher-ups; I'm just speaking from my perspective."
"Moreover, my opinion is of little use to those above, but it's better to be pragmatic for our group."
“…I understand.” Gao Yaqin looked at him for a while before she fully understood the meaning behind his words.
“I remember inviting them to the import and export trade fair in September.” Li Xuewu nodded with a smile, reminding her, “They may not actually be short of money.”
"You wouldn't know whether we're short of money or not." Gao Yaqin glanced at him amusedly and said, "You want them to exchange goods for it, right?"
"Director Li likes the fruits produced in Annam." Li Xuewu's answer was somewhat irrelevant, but every word he said was to the point.
He said with a smile, "Tundra cars, Lark III helicopters, the latest combined arms battalion equipment system, etc. I think war is the best way to test equipment."
“Of course—” Gao Yaqin looked at him meaningfully, nodded and said, “I think so too.”
"So thank you for your hard work." Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, "There are less than four months left until the opening of the Joint Import and Export Trade Fair."
"I have already suggested to Director Li that Deputy Director Dong take charge of this project."
Gao Yaqin gave Li Xuewu a surprising answer, and smiled as she looked at his expression, saying, "I knew you would say that."
"Are you serious?" Li Xuewu was genuinely surprised; he hadn't expected Gao Yaqin to have such a "selfless" side.
"Of course, do you think I'm a rash person?" Gao Yaqin said calmly, "I'm not omnipotent, but I still understand the principle that many hands make light work."
Li Xuewu sized her up for a while before nodding with a smile and saying, "I believe Deputy Director Dong will not let you down."
“No, I believe you won’t let me down.” Gao Yaqin pointed her chopsticks in his direction, emphasizing, “You won’t stand idly by, right?”
“If you really need my help, you don’t need to go to such lengths,” Li Xuewu said meaningfully. “If you just said the word, would I dare not do my duty?”
"Hehe—" Gao Yaqin chuckled softly, her gaze towards him filled with disbelief.
As Lu Xun once said, "You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub."
If she doesn't give up this project, will she still have a place on Li Xuewu's ship in the next stage?
She is the chief economist in charge of economic development. Even if this project is handed over to Dong Wenxue, how much credit would she get for it?
Besides, at their stage, merits and achievements are no longer so important; what matters is their influence on the work and the group.
Dong Wenxue is currently in an awkward situation. The technology development department he is in charge of has not performed well, and the Liangmahe Industrial Zone is basically doomed.
At this moment, if she reaches out and helps the other person, she will not only gain their favor, but also score points with Li Huaide and Li Xuewu.
Don't be fooled by the troubles Old Li is currently embroiled in, or by Li Xuewu's retreat to Liaodong, or by Dong Wenxue's apparent decline. She is fully aware of the underlying schemes.
These three devils will stick together even more tightly in the face of such a crisis. With a scourge like Li Xuewu, who in the Honggang Group can be their match?
Su Weide? Zhou Wanquan? Ha—
-
"Secretary-General, here's a can of tea for you."
During the lunch break, Gu Cheng suddenly knocked on the door and came in. He politely held up the tea canister in his hand and explained that it was a gift from his father-in-law.
"Did your father-in-law give it to you, or did you take it yourself?" Li Xuewu sat up from the sofa and asked, looking at him, "Don't tell me you took it yourself like I did, right?"
"Hey! I haven't done that kind of thing in ages."
Gu Cheng knew his boss was joking with him. He chuckled and placed the tea canister on the coffee table, explaining, "It was Peng Xiaoli who told me to do it that way back then."
"Neither of you are any good cakes."
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked at him, asking, "What brings you here? You didn't just come to deliver a can of tea to me, did you?"
"It's nothing, I just came to drop by."
He glanced at the doorway, seemingly casually, and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've seen you. I'd like to learn from you."
"You're interrupting my lunch break?"
Li Xuewu had just taken a nap. He was already awake, but he wasn't in a hurry to get up.
Whether you take a nap or go to bed early, don't rush to get up after waking up. Close your eyes and rest for a while to let your heart adjust to the rhythm before getting up.
He was so unlucky; I wish he had lived to be a hundred.
"No, I know your lunch break time," Gu Cheng said with a chuckle. "If I hadn't come right on time, you would have kicked me out."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and glanced at him, then asked, "What exactly did you come here for? Spit it out."
"I have something to report to you," Gu Cheng said softly, "About Sanhe Corporation..."
He held his teacup, sipping his hot tea, and listened to him ramble on for three to five minutes, his eyes narrowing slightly.
I didn't dare tell Xiaoli about this.
After finishing speaking, Gu Cheng explained softly, "Firstly, I was afraid of causing him trouble, and secondly, I was afraid that if it were told twice, it would be distorted."
"Of course, you'll have to discern the key points yourself; I'm just saying what I see."
"Okay, I understand." Li Xuewu nodded and asked, "I heard your wife is pregnant? Are you doing well?"
"You heard it from Peng Xiaoli, right?"
Gu Cheng said smugly, "He's just envious. Yu Haitang is focused on her career and doesn't want to have children with him for the time being. She'll wait until my son is born so she can envy him."
He knew that the leader changed the subject to protect him, so when he talked about himself, he talked on and on, so that those who were interested could hear it.
“I heard it from Wang Lu.” Li Xuewu smiled and looked at him, saying, “She said you’re so proud of yourself, and you’re always showing off when you have nothing better to do.”
"Boss, do you also think I'm too idle?"
Gu Cheng was very concerned about his attitude and said apologetically, "I know that myself, but I just don't know what to do."
“When you don’t know what to do, you should settle down and study.” Li Xuewu nodded at him, put down his teacup and said, “You can study anything, as long as you can get into it.”
"Study?" Gu Cheng asked somewhat blankly, "Will you be auditing classes at a vocational college?"
"Either is fine, it depends on your situation." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "The guesthouse is about to be relocated. The original site has been allocated to the 721 Academy, and it's not far away."
“Over there…” Gu Cheng raised an eyebrow, looking at him hesitantly, but didn’t dare to say the rest.
Li Xuewu understood what he meant and leaned back on the sofa, saying calmly, "The group established the 721 College under the vocational and technical college system not to supervise or restrict anyone."
"You should know what name Director Li gave to College 721."
“I know, the Red Star Steel Group Cadre Academy.” Gu Cheng looked at him, still somewhat hesitant, but he trusted Li Xuewu’s opinion more.
There's no need for Li Xuewu to harm him; he's hardly worth anything, so why would the leaders need to scheme against him?
"Go ahead, remember to let me know when the baby celebrates his one-month birthday, I'll give the baby a big red envelope."
"Then I'll thank you in advance."
Gu Cheng didn't stand on ceremony at all, and stood up with a smile, saying, "Please try the tea, it's really delicious."
"Alright, I understand." Li Xuewu chuckled as he stood up, took a few steps, and saw him off.
A figure flashed through the doorway; it was Liu Bin, Li Huaide's secretary, who walked in carrying documents.
"Gu Cheng, didn't you take a lunch break?" Liu Bin greeted him with a smile, stepped aside to let him pass, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then went into the office.
"Secretary-General, Director Li specifically instructed me to forward these materials to you for your review first."
He placed the document on his desk and reported, "I gave you instructions this morning, but I haven't had a chance to bring it to you yet. I reckon you're awake by now."
"It's okay, the door isn't closed."
Li Xuewu nodded, sat down behind his desk, and asked, "Where are you going this afternoon, Director Li?"
"There's a meeting at the ministry that he has to attend."
Liu Bin reported, "Originally, we arranged for Deputy Director Zhou to go, but he said it wasn't appropriate, so he went himself."
"Okay, let's leave these here."
Li Xuewu casually flipped through the pages, then looked up at him and said, "I'll have Secretary Zhang send it to you after I've finished reading it."
“Okay, Secretary-General.” Liu Bin nodded and replied, “If Secretary Zhang doesn’t have time, I can come to pick it up tomorrow.”
"Okay, we'll talk about it later," Li Xuewu said, his attention already on the documents.
Liu Bin glanced at him, and seeing that he had no further instructions, he quietly left the room.
He was a little surprised to have just met Gu Cheng here, and he couldn't quite put his finger on what he was thinking.
He had a rather vague impression of the Secretary-General's prestige within the group and his influence over the organization and its branches.
You might say he doesn't have much influence in the government, but while his approvals aren't absolute, no one has ever contradicted him in all the years he's been working here.
But if you say he has influence in the government, more than half the people in this building have never greeted him, let alone spoken to him.
Some people don't even know who he is; he's one of those who joined the group in the last year or two.
Working alongside Li Huaide, he naturally knew what his superior cared about most.
In his view, Li Huaide's attitude toward the secretary-general was also very ambiguous.
They had determined that Li Xuewu was the most suitable successor for the future and the successor that Honggang Group needed most, but they were also hesitant about whether the other party's growth was healthy.
It cannot be ruled out that he may have tried to force Li Xuewu to grow too quickly. Even if Li Xuewu has withstood the test and proven his excellence through his actions and work performance, and deserves his current position and power, it is still possible that he may have engaged in some form of misconduct.
Liu Bin knew that Li Huaide's support for the Secretary-General had fluctuated over the past two years, and that he had to rely too much on the Secretary-General's decisions on key issues.
The last time he rushed to Liaodong overnight, he experienced for the first time the influence of the secretary-general over the leadership.
Conversely, he could also see Li Huaide's reflection and restraint regarding the Secretary-General's decision.
Even though Li Huaide knew the secretary-general was right and the decision was correct, he was still very hesitant. He felt that the leader was facing the secretary-general with a self-contradictory mindset, because he lacked the ability to do so, yet had to rely on these opinions.
This lack of ability might not be noticeable under normal circumstances, but in today's world where there are ambushes on all sides, any wrong step would be a defeat that Li Huaide cannot afford to lose.
Liu Bin is all too aware of how complex the organizational ecosystem of Honggang Group is today; he is also caught up in it.
Some might say that Zhou Wanquan, the deputy director, represented Beijing's industry, while Su Weide, the deputy director of the First Ministry of Machine Building, represented so-and-so...
Liu Bin used to think that the group's organizational ecosystem was very complicated. Li Huaide seemed to have everything under control, but nothing was actually under his control.
Each has their own thoughts and goals.
Can you simply say that Deputy Director Gu was always thinking about replacing Director Li? No.
Because she herself has shortcomings, she wouldn't be the one to step in if something really happened to Li Huaide.
This wasn't something she said, nor was it something Li Huaide said; it was a fact that was generally acknowledged by everyone in the group.
Why has Deputy Director Gu been so composed and focused on employee welfare work in recent years?
Her goal was to consolidate and enhance her influence and trust among the group's employees.
Even without absolute confidence, she still wanted to support Li Huaide, the class monitor.
But I don't mind her causing trouble for the class monitor.
Is it complicated? Is it contradictory? Not at all.
Gu Weijie is like this, and so are others.
If Li Huaide cannot fully trust Li Xuewu, how can he gain the other party's full trust? This is a paradox.
To reiterate, it's not absolute who represents whom; everyone involved is a pawn in the game.
Deputy Director Su wouldn't dare say he has absolute influence within the ministry and can affect everyone, would he?
The same applies to Deputy Director Zhou. He is now a cadre in Honggang Group, and he is also subject to the principle of shared prosperity and shared loss. He understands this very well.
The struggle for influence and the competition for the right to speak are obvious to everyone, but the underlying competition and cooperation are an intractable and complex situation.
Therefore, it is not surprising at all that Gu Cheng appeared in the secretary-general's office.
Now, no matter how chaotic the environment is, he doesn't think it's chaotic at all, because some people think the more chaotic it is, the better. They are just waiting for an opportunity to fish in troubled waters.
However, from Liu Bin's perspective, it's still possible to see things more clearly: who is the fisherman and who is the fish?
-
“You rejected the invitation to the Guangzhou Trade Fair, and instead organized your own trade fair.”
Jing Yunong grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at Li Xuewu, who was fiddling with her phonograph.
Can't you just listen to me properly?
“Go ahead and say it, I’m listening—” Li Xuewu bent over and studied it for a while, then turned around and asked, “Do you usually listen to this stuff?”
"I won't listen, and I won't give it to you—"
Jing Yunong glared at him and said, "Are you even listening to what I'm saying? Fiddle with that thing."
"It's just an import and export trade fair," Li Xuewu straightened up, walked back to the sofa, crossed his legs, and said, "Are you just reluctant to spend the money or what?"
"Whose money would I be reluctant to part with?" Jing Yunong narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is seeing is believing."
Li Xuewu reached out and patted her thigh, reminding her, "Without absolute certainty, Lao Li won't sign it."
"Take your hand away—" Jing Yunong kicked him, feeling ticklish from touching himself.
"You came up with this idea, didn't you?"
She shuffled to her feet in her slippers, went to the tea cabinet to pour herself a glass of warm water, and turned back to ask, "Why don't you stand in front of me?"
"I prefer to stand at the back."
Li Xuewu smiled and said meaningfully, "This way it's easier to exert force."
Jing Yunong rolled her eyes at him, recalling the "story" that had just happened on the sofa, and said, "You don't leave yourself any chance at all."
"An opportunity? Do I need it?" Li Xuewu patted the sofa and said indifferently, "Even if I were given one now, would I be able to use it?"
"Do you also want this opportunity?"
He seemed to have figured something out and deliberately teased Jing Yunong, saying, "If you have any ideas, feel free to say them. I'll support you."
"Heh—" Jing Yunong sneered at him, sat down on the sofa with one leg turned to the side, and said with drooping eyelids, "You can remember me?"
"It's no use even if I think of you." Li Xuewu pressed down on her outstretched foot, raised his eyebrows, and emphasized, "You need to keep a low profile."
Jing Yunong tried to pull it out, but couldn't. He glared at him and had no choice but to give up. He frowned and asked, "What's wrong with Lü Yuanshen? Is he just going to be left like this?"
"That depends on what Lao Li and Lao Su think." Li Xuewu patted her instep, rested his arm on the sofa, and shook his head slightly, saying, "He's lost his will to live."
"It's in your hands." Jing Yunong stared into his eyes and said slowly, "He's long since lost his will to live, hasn't he?"
There's no need to see me as a schemer.
Li Xuewu said with a smile, "I have always won people over with virtue. Their willingness to support my work is a reflection of my personal charm and work ability."
"Well, just tell me, and see if I believe you or not." Jing Yunong smirked and said, "Don't think that Lao Li and Lao Su are fools who can't see through your tricks."
"So what if they figured it out?" Li Xuewu shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Which side can they afford to abandon?"
"I'm not the one who's now in a predicament."
He tapped his knee with his right hand and emphasized, "Lu Yuanshen is a troublemaker all the time, and if he does something wrong, it can easily trigger a chain reaction."
"You're the one who set this up."
Jing Yunong looked at him and emphasized with certainty, "If it weren't for you, the accident at the steel plant wouldn't have taken so long to be dealt with."
"Also, the problem with Furnace No. 4 at the metallurgical plant was also caused by your interference, which is why it has dragged on until now and made the problem more and more complicated, right?"
"What exactly do you want?"
She squinted at Li Xuewu and asked, "Even Dong Wenxue was included in your scheme, so does that scheme include me too?"
"Want to hear the truth?" Li Xuewu picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said with a faint smile, "You've never been absent from my plans."
"You—" Jing Yunong really wanted to kick this bastard to death. She knew she had been playing him for a fool all along, no wonder every step she took was so strange.
Can you understand that feeling of walking smoothly for no apparent reason, yet feeling like you're being pushed along by someone?
Li Xuewu could understand, of course, because he was standing behind her providing the support. Without his help, how could she have walked so smoothly?
"Calculating things means I need you."
Li Xuewu reached out and pressed down on the kicking donkey, comforting it, "I didn't do anything to hurt you, did I? We work well together, we're great partners."
"I—" Jing Yunong was pressed down on the sofa by one hand. He struggled but couldn't break free. Just as he was about to curse him, he was silenced by the other hand.
That bastard is infuriating!
"The joint import and export trade fair must be held smoothly." Li Xuewu reassured the donkey, gently patting her rosy cheek and reminding her, "It must go smoothly."
"What does this have to do with me—"
Jing Yunong shook off his hand, sat up, tidied his disheveled hair, and complained, "Li Huaide has already signed, how can I refuse to pay?"
"What do you think is the significance of our group holding this exhibition?" Li Xuewu did not directly respond to her complaint, but turned around and asked her a question.
"Supporting the other side?" Jing Yunong straightened his hair, gave him a push, but couldn't push him away, so he had no choice but to let him sit next to him. He said irritably, "That's what the higher-ups will think."
"No, those above might not think that way."
Li Xuewu put his arm around her knee and looked at her so close to him, saying, "It's okay to think that way, because it's not necessarily a bad thing."
"You mean, some people are happy to see this exhibition we've put together competing with the south, right?"
“Even if we fail, it’ll still be a good show,” Li Xuewu said with a smile, raising his eyebrows. “Why would they want to stop us?”
Aren't you afraid they'll sabotage you?
Jing Yunong, supporting himself on his knees, looked at him and asked, "Are you so sure that this trade fair you've organized will be a success?"
"We must succeed." Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "If we put the equipment and machinery we can import there, and the imported goods there, will they come?"
“We’re not compradors; we’re using the sales headquarters as distributors.” He raised his eyebrows and emphasized, “In Guangzhou, they only export, they don’t import; we import and export.”
"They do it twice a year, we do it once a year."
Li Xuewu said confidently, "Once a year, we will exhibit the technologies and equipment we can introduce, and showcase the latest and most advanced products of the group and United Industries."
"No need for much, a transaction volume of one-tenth of that at the Guangzhou Trade Fair would be considered a success."
He swung his arm, which pulled Jing Yunong's knees together, and slowly nodded, saying, "You'll understand the meaning behind this for yourself."
“Beijing Industrial, right—” Jing Yunong looked at him and felt that he was too smart and too good at scheming. He was also impressed by his mind that could plan ten steps ahead for every one step he took.
Despite Li Xuewu's strong reaction to admitting he had schemed against her, even if Li Xuewu had told her long ago, or even if she had already figured it out, she would still have chosen to follow Li Xuewu.
It's clear from the several incidents that Li Xuewu didn't know everything; he simply considered all the possibilities.
Even if problems arise along the way, he can make timely adjustments.
In other words, he plans ten steps ahead for every one he takes. Even if you see through his third step, he still has seven more steps left to trap and bury you.
Given the current situation of the group, she doesn't think she has the ability to avoid all malice.
Conversely, by siding with Li Xuewu and creating a superficial opposition, she actually gained many opportunities.
No one in the group has such an open level of conflict as they have, so she has the option to attack or defend as needed.
Her resentment and anger were just for show, a way to cover up her own weakness. She couldn't let him get away with it and then act innocent, could she?
As for the next step, Beijing Industry, since he has already admitted it, he should give her a share. I believe that bastard won't be stingy.
"Where are you going?" Seeing him get up to leave, Jing Yunong asked with some reluctance. Realizing what he meant, he quickly coughed and emphasized, "Didn't you say you sent your wife and child away? Isn't it inconvenient to have a nanny at home?"
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and raised an eyebrow, asking in return, "What? You don't want me to leave?"
"Who would miss you?" Jing Yunong put on his slippers, stood up, and waved his hand, saying, "Hurry up and leave, I hate seeing you."
"Okay, then I won't bother you anymore."
Li Xuewu picked up his car keys, put on his coat, and said, "I can't go home tonight, and it's not convenient to stay here. I'll just spend the night on the street."
"I don't believe you for a second—" Jing Yunong rolled his eyes and said, "You already have a key to my house. If you say it's inconvenient, it means you have somewhere else to go, right?"
“I’m going back to my mom’s house. I still have a house in the compound.” Li Xuewu put on his shoes in the entryway, looked up at her, and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, I won’t be sleeping on the street.”
"Heh—who cares about you—"
Jing Yunong stood at the door with his arms crossed and said, "It would be best if you slept on the street and someone moved you away, so you wouldn't cause trouble for others."
"You have absolutely no conscience."
Li Xuewu walked out the door, pointed at her, and said, "Alright, next time I won't come unless you beg me."
"Dream on—" Jing Yunong saw him leave through the door, turned around and closed the door, then slipped on his slippers and went to clean up the mess.
We ate dinner at her place, and she ate the most.
-
"Hey, what brings you here today?"
As soon as He Yushui saw him enter the courtyard, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "It's been quite a while since I've seen you. Have you been busy in Liaodong?"
“That’s right, look at my accent, it’s changed.” Li Xuewu smiled and raised his eyebrows, saying, “I’m a Northeasterner now.”
"Ha—" He Yushui found it amusing, rolled her eyes at him, and said, "Nonsense—"
"What did you come back for?" Li Xuewu asked her in return, "To see your brother?"
"Why would I look at him? I'm looking after the kids."
He Yushui gestured towards the backyard and asked, "My sister-in-law isn't feeling well, so I bought her some nutritional supplements."
"Yes, I know, your brother told me." Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said, "Congratulations on becoming an aunt again."
"What do I like? It's too noisy."
He Yushui looked him up and down and asked, "How many days are you coming back? Have you had dinner?"
"Go back on Monday." Li Xuewu pointed to the courtyard and said, "We came after eating, and there's nowhere to stay. Go to the backyard to spend the night."
"Huh? What happened?" He Yushui raised her eyebrows and asked, "You got kicked out?"
“What are you talking about—” Li Xuewu explained with a laugh, “Your sister-in-law took the children to visit relatives in Nanjing, so I had no choice but to come back here and make do for two nights.”
He Yushui knew about his family situation, and after listening to him, she understood that he felt uncomfortable because his family consisted mainly of girls.
"How long has it been since anyone lived in the backyard?" She blinked and said, "How about I arrange for you to stay at the International Hotel?"
"Do I need your arrangements? If I wanted to go, I would have gone already." Li Xuewu pointed to the courtyard and said, "Alright, go about your business. There are always people living in the backyard."
He exchanged a few words in the doorway, and then a neighbor came in from the courtyard. He greeted them and then left Yushui.
He was able to face her calmly, but she was reluctant to part with him, as it was not easy to see him once.
But since she's already out, she can't go back now; her brother is such a nuisance.
"Learning martial arts?" Having heard the voices from the doorway, the old woman came out wearing her clothes. When she saw it was indeed him, she smiled.
"Grandma, have you eaten?" Li Xuewu walked to the screen door and asked with a smile, "By yourself?"
"What time is it? Haven't you eaten yet?" The old woman smiled, looked him up and down, and asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten." Li Xuewu nodded and explained, "Xiao Ning took the children to Nanjing, and I came from work."
"I just heard your voice."
The old woman smiled and pointed towards the doorway, saying, "I was wondering why I thought it was you, so I came out to see."
“Rain, it’s been a long time since we last met, we chatted for a bit.” Li Xuewu said, glancing into the back room, which was empty.
"What time did Xiaoyan and the others get back?"
"They left after get off work and didn't eat here," the old woman explained. "The days are getting longer, and after work they all go home to eat, so they eat here for lunch."
"He Yuzhu isn't cooking anymore either."
Li Xuewu asked with a smile, "You'll have to take care of your own food at the warehouse, won't you?"
“They’ll do it themselves; your second uncle and the others are over there.”
Grandma hasn't aged much in the past few years; she's always been making a living. It's just that she looks a bit lonely at this time of night, probably because she's used to being around people.
"I'll be staying here for two nights tonight," Li Xuewu said, pointing to the back room. "Do you have blankets?"
"Yes, aren't you going home to live?"
Grandma was a little surprised and said, "I'm a light sleeper, and I still need to smoke a cigarette in the middle of the night. Aren't you afraid of choking on it?"
"Don't worry, let's go see my mother in the front yard." Li Xuewu pointed to the front yard, gesturing for his grandmother to come along, but she waved her hand and said, "You go first, I'll heat up the kang again."
He was naturally willing to let his grandson stay with him, and he agreed cautiously, but his face was full of smiles.