MMB Chapter 1595 Dignity
Chapter 1595 Dignity
Chapter 1595 Dignity
Li Xuewu was unable to coordinate the launch of the Red Star No. 1, but he managed to buy a plane ticket from Fengcheng to Guangzhou.
This was thanks to Hu Ke's help; tickets from Fengcheng to Guangzhou are not easy to buy.
Or to put it another way, in this day and age, plane tickets to anywhere are very hard to buy, as plane tickets are not sold to the public.
If it weren't for special circumstances, he would never have given up his job in the steel city and used his work connections to buy these three plane tickets.
That's right, there are only three plane tickets.
He spoke with his father on the phone in the morning, and the result of their discussion was that his father would not go to Guangzhou, and the fact that his third uncle had passed away must be kept a secret from the old lady.
In those days, letters were the only convenient means of communication. Telegrams and telephones were not available to everyone. At least, the old lady couldn't think of calling her son in Guangzhou to ease her longing.
As for letters, Li Xuewu and his father had plenty of ways to handle it.
Being over sixty years old may not be considered old by later generations, but it was no easy feat in this era.
The old lady lived through that era, so her health was far from being very good.
A young person may be able to bear the pain of losing a husband, but an old person may not be able to bear the pain of losing a child.
Moreover, from Li Xuewu's perspective, his father was no longer young and could hardly bear the pain of losing his compatriots.
Therefore, Li Xuewu, representing the eldest branch of the family, traveled to Guangzhou with his second uncle and Li Xueli to attend the funeral.
They first took a train to Fengcheng, and then a car from the machinery factory that had been waiting there took them to Fengcheng Airport to catch a midday flight to Guangzhou.
This flight only runs once a week. Without Hu Ke's help, he could get his own ticket, but he couldn't get his second uncle and his son onto the plane.
Not only was he caught off guard, but his second uncle also made several phone calls in the morning, not only to ask for leave from work, but also to explain things to his family.
The plane landed in Guangzhou at 6 p.m. The person in charge of the Guangzhou office of Honggang Group came to pick them up, and he brought two cars.
Don't even think about taking a taxi; it's not that we can't afford one, it's that they won't let us use them.
He needed a car, so the office delivered a second-generation Antelope. He didn't explain why he came to Guangzhou, and the person in charge didn't inquire either.
They were all insightful people; otherwise, they wouldn't have been assigned to work in Guangzhou. After a brief conversation, I handed over the car with a full tank of gas to him.
"Why isn't anyone coming to pick us up?" Li Xueli complained, somewhat dissatisfied, as he watched his second brother running around. "Aren't we considered family?"
"What are you saying—" Li Gan frowned and glared at him.
“That’s true.” Li Xueli said, still somewhat unconvinced, “I’m not complaining about my third aunt, I’m talking about my third uncle’s workplace.”
He glanced at his father, then at his second brother who was sitting in the driver's seat, and said, "Xuehan must have told us about our trip south. They should ask him about it."
"Even if it's inconvenient to arrange a plane or train, you won't pick me up from the station?"
"Stop talking nonsense." Li Gan glanced at his nephew, who was also frowning, then patted his son's arm and said, "Remember, we're here for your third uncle."
Li Xueli muttered a few more words under his breath before turning his attention to the view outside the window.
Guangzhou in June is naturally more charming than the north, but the three of them had no interest in appreciating the scenery of the south. They drove at high speed all the way to their third uncle's house.
In those days, transportation and communication were inconvenient. If Li Xuewu hadn't lived here for a period of time, he might not have known where his relatives lived.
Neither Li Gan nor his son had ever been here. They knew the address, but had never set foot on this land. Sometimes, it wasn't just a matter of a train ticket; it was a matter of life and death.
On the way, the three of them were somewhat silent. It was Li Xueli who, lost in thought, suddenly asked if they wanted to buy paper money, which broke the silence in the car.
The second uncle, ultimately not understanding the local customs and situation, looked at his nephew who was driving.
"Don't buy it, and don't mention it."
Li Xuewu reminded them, "Third Uncle died in the line of duty. All funeral arrangements, whether simple or complex, will be decided by the organization, Third Aunt, and Xuehan. We shouldn't say anything."
He turned to his second uncle and said, "Let's see our third uncle off and discuss whether he should rest here or return to the ancestral graves after his death."
“This—” Li Gan frowned and asked, “Can’t it be placed in the ancestral grave?”
“The organization will respect the wishes of the family members. Everyone understands the principle of returning to one’s roots.” Li Xuewu nodded slowly and explained as he looked ahead, “We still need to ask Third Aunt and Xuehan for their opinions.”
Li Gan understood the deeper meaning in his words, frowned slightly, and remained silent.
Li Xueli, being young, didn't understand what he meant and continued talking about the difference between returning to the ancestral graves and not returning, and whether it would affect the benefits enjoyed by the children.
Li Xuehan just turned nineteen this year. In Li Xuewu's eyes, he is still a child. Although he has been in the army for two years, he cannot hide the immaturity and confusion of a young man.
When a sudden change occurs in the family, the third aunt may be the one in charge.
This involves the family relationships after the brothers separated their property. If the third aunt needed their help, then they would go to help. If the third aunt did not need their help, they were just there to see the third uncle off on his final journey. They were only close relatives and could not make decisions.
Does this relationship seem familiar?
That's right. In law, property is defined in the same way: both spouses are each other's first heirs, and children are second only to each other.
Li Xuewu's words were a reminder to his second uncle to act according to the situation and not to complicate matters.
In other words, whether they can do anything for Uncle San in Guangzhou depends on Aunt San's wishes.
Such complex relationships are not uncommon in life. Some people say that after their fathers passed away, they never received care or support from their uncles or aunts when they were young; it was always their maternal uncles who helped them.
Some people say that their uncles treated them poorly, and after their fathers passed away, their mothers didn't care about them. Ultimately, they were raised and cared for by their uncles and aunts until they grew up.
In fact, whether it's uncles and aunts, or cousins, there are degrees of closeness or distance in individual relationships, and you may perceive them as good or bad.
This is from the perspective of the person involved. If you change your perspective, it's not hard to understand how uncles and brothers should choose when faced with such a dilemma.
When a woman loses her husband, the first thing she thinks of is her brothers and sisters, which puts her uncles and aunts in an awkward position.
Taking a step forward is unpleasant, taking a step back is also undesirable; it's a dilemma.
It is precisely because of this contradictory mentality that they gradually drift apart in the future, and even become enemies.
Therefore, Li Gan quickly understood his nephew's words and began to reconsider his purpose and actions in coming to Guangzhou.
In middle age, he lost a brother, but his sister-in-law lost a family; these are two different mindsets.
Speaking of which, he couldn't help but sigh that his nephew's success in learning martial arts was definitely not due to luck, as he always managed to think calmly when facing problems.
Especially during this trip south, he finally saw the difference between his son and nephew.
***
"We've arrived." Li Xuewu parked the car at the entrance of the family compound, got out, and identified himself to the security guard.
When the other party heard that they had come to attend a funeral, they already knew whose relatives they were, and when they saw his work ID, they couldn't help but widen their eyes even more.
After carefully examining and comparing the documents, they solemnly returned them and saluted before letting the person pass.
The car drove into the family compound, which looked much the same as it had a few years ago, except that his third uncle was no longer there to greet him downstairs.
"Who are you looking for? Who are you looking for?"
Li Xuewu knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Just as he was about to turn around and ask, he saw the door of the room opposite open, and a middle-aged woman poked her head out to ask.
"Aunt Zhang, I am Li Xuewu."
He had lived here before, so he naturally knew the neighbors in this building; it's just that they hadn't seen him for many years and didn't recognize him.
After he gave his name, the other person was surprised and looked him up and down for a few moments before exclaiming, "Little Li, you've changed so much! Your face..."
"Aunt Zhang, my third uncle's house..."
Li Xuewu glanced at the time on his hand and asked somewhat anxiously, "Can you tell me where my third uncle is now?"
"Oh, I'm sorry." The middle-aged woman nodded apologetically and said, "Your third uncle went to the funeral home this afternoon, and your third aunt and Li Xuehan should be there too."
With a sorrowful expression, she explained, "Your Uncle Liu also went over this afternoon. They should all be here by now tonight. They are all old comrades-in-arms. Please accept my condolences."
"Thank you, Aunt Zhang." After getting the address of the funeral home, Li Xuewu didn't say anything more and quickly led his second uncle downstairs.
"You were still at the hospital when I called in the early hours of the morning, and now you're at the funeral home?"
The second uncle was a little puzzled and asked a question with a frown before getting into the car. Li Xuewu also frowned but didn't say anything.
He was fairly familiar with the roads around here, but he had never been to the direction of the funeral home before, especially at night, and it took him quite a while to find the location.
Few vehicles arrive at the crematorium at this time, so the road leading from the compound to the cremation workshop is deserted under the cold, dim streetlights.
After turning a corner, the pine and cypress trees on both sides of the road disappeared, and a row of two-story buildings with lights on could be seen, with figures moving around in front of the doors, and several cars parked at the bottom of the steps.
"Is it over there?" Li Xueli, being young, was somewhat intimidated by the eerie atmosphere and asked timidly, "Should we go down and ask?"
"There are only two buildings. One is a cremation workshop connected to the office area, and the other can only be a funeral home."
Li Xuewu explained in a tight voice, "Look at the car at the door, it should belong to Uncle San's company."
He parked the car, but before getting out, he told his younger brother to take good care of his father.
"I'm fine," Li Gan replied in a hoarse voice, but he stumbled and almost fell when he got out of the car. Fortunately, Li Xuewu reminded him, and Li Xueli reached out to help him up.
"Dad—" Li Xueli was also startled, and his voice trembled slightly with shock.
"It's alright, let's go in." Li Gan squeezed his son's hand, stepped up the stairs with difficulty, and followed his nephew into the hall.
Without Li Xuewu needing to ask, he had already seen his third aunt at the corner of the farewell hall on the right.
However, the scene before him enraged him. His second uncle and the other man who followed him in were also stunned. They saw that his third aunt was nestled in a man's arms.
This person was definitely not Aunt's brother, because Li Xuewu knew that Aunt was an only child, and Uncle had taken on the responsibility of supporting his parents-in-law.
"ah--"
Perhaps because their appearance was too sudden, Aunt Hong Min didn't even have time to react immediately, and it took her several seconds to break free from their embrace.
"Second...Second Brother...learning martial arts..."
Hong Min's trembling voice made her look so flustered that she didn't even have time to tidy up the hair that was scattered around her ears.
"You son of a bitch—"
Li Xueli is not a good-tempered person. Although he is like a little lamb in front of Li Xuewu, he is a domineering person at home.
Think about it, kids from Northeast China, their parents are all capable, they've been dealing with those roughnecks in the forestry industry since they were little, it's no wonder they're furious when they see this.
He instinctively tried to rush forward, but Li Xuewu grabbed his arm and forcefully pulled him back.
At this moment, Li Gan also pulled his son aside, which stopped Li Xueli.
However, this roar completely broke the deadlock between them, and made the two people at the corner turn red and white, then white and red again.
It doesn't matter who the insult was directed at; both of them felt guilty and dared not retaliate.
Li Xuewu gritted his teeth, gave his third aunt a cold look, and strode towards the farewell hall.
"Learn martial arts—learn martial arts—" Hong Min was anxious and stopped him halfway, grabbing his arm and explaining urgently, "It's not what you think!"
"Let go—" Li Xuewu swung his arm and ruthlessly flung her away, but the man still managed to support her from behind.
"You just wait, you son of a bitch."
Li Xueli followed his father inside, and as he passed them, he uttered some harsh words. His father then pushed him, but that did not stop his angry gaze.
"Second Brother..." Hong Min's greeting did not receive a response from Li Gan. His gaze toward her was filled with cold hatred, as if he were treating a beast in the forest.
There were only a few people in the farewell hall. As soon as Li Xuewu entered, he saw Li Xuehan squatting in the corner, like a small animal that had lost its last protection, with empty eyes.
My third uncle lay in the ice coffin, wearing a brand-new uniform. He had earned this honor with his life, but he couldn't maintain his dignity in the end.
"Letter of study? Letter of study——"
Li Xuewu first walked to the ice coffin and carefully examined his third uncle's face. His face was ashen, and although it was covered, one could still tell from the sunken area on his chest what he had suffered in his life.
"Xiao Tong—Xiao Tong—"
Li Gan, who had just entered, could no longer hold back. He staggered and collapsed onto the ice coffin, crying out in anguish. His grief over the loss of his brother was palpable.
With red eyes, filled with hatred and sorrow, Li Xueli supported his father as they stood beside the ice coffin, gritting his teeth as if he were about to explode at any moment.
Li Xuewu turned and walked to the corner, calling out a few times. Only then did Li Xuehan react, looking at him blankly. After a moment, she hesitantly asked, "Second Brother?"
Li Xuewu didn't say anything, but reached out and pulled him up, then hugged him tightly.
"Second brother... second brother—" Li Xuehan's voice grew more and more shrill, and her cries became more and more urgent. She seemed helpless, as if she were having a nightmare, and she buried her face in his shoulder and cried loudly.
The grief of the past few days finally overwhelmed me when I saw my brother. Just like when I was a child and had been bullied, I cried so sadly and helplessly.
Li Xuewu hugged him tightly, gently patted his back, and tears streamed down his face.
"Second brother—my father is gone—"
Just like in the early morning phone call, Li Xuehan's distraught words repeated the heartbreaking news, which he had completely released at this moment.
The person who remained here was an official from my third uncle's workplace who was in charge of compensation work. He was taken aback when he first saw the three people who barged in at the door, and even came over to ask him questions when he went to examine the ice coffin.
But when he saw the middle-aged man who came in later shouting in grief, he stopped in his tracks. He knew that someone from Li Tong’s hometown had come, and judging from his age, he was a brother or nephew.
Li Xuehan cried for a long time before finally stopping. It wasn't that she stopped crying, but that she had no strength left and no will to live.
"Your brother hasn't eaten all day."
A man who looked like the person in charge walked over, sized up Li Xuewu, and asked, "Are you Li Xuewu?"
"Uncle Zhao, it's me." Li Xuewu helped his younger brother to a wooden bench, sniffed, wiped away his tears, and said, "Thank you for taking care of my brother."
"What you're saying—" the cadre surnamed Zhao said, feigning displeasure, before asking kindly, "It's so far, how did you get here? I was asking Xuehan when you would arrive so I could pick you up."
"I came by plane." Li Xuewu nodded slightly and said politely, "Thank you, Uncle Zhao. My company has an office here, and they sent me a car to the airport."
"Oh—" The cadre surnamed Zhao nodded slowly and said, "Look at how this was handled. Xuehan said he called you, but didn't say when you were coming. I'm really sorry."
“No need.” Li Xuewu took a deep breath and looked at him, asking, “Uncle Zhao, please tell me, how exactly did my third uncle die?”
“This—” The cadre surnamed Zhao glanced at Li Xuehan, who was sprawled on the bench, and asked with a frown, “Didn’t Xuehan tell you?”
"You saw him like this."
Li Xuewu frowned and asked seriously, "If it's inconvenient, could you tell me if my third uncle was murdered?"
"Xuewu—" Suddenly, his aunt's trembling voice came from behind him. Li Xuewu turned around and saw her looking at him with pleading eyes.
But his eyes no longer held any familial affection; all that remained was his determination to get to the bottom of things.
"Come here." The cadre surnamed Zhao was taken aback by the way the relatives were behaving, then gently patted Li Xuewu's arm, gesturing towards the door.
Li Xuewu gave his third aunt a cold look before following her to the door.
“I can tell you definitively that your third uncle died in the line of duty.”
The cadre surnamed Zhao was in charge of handling the aftermath. He had encountered similar situations before, but the person he was dealing with today was rather special.
The reason he took the initiative to talk to Li Xuewu was because he had a fairly good relationship with Li Tong; otherwise, Li Xuewu wouldn't have known him.
Li Tong often praised his nephew in private, saying that the mischievous boy had become a big shot, so he was well aware of Li Xuewu's identity.
Of course, his formal response also reflects his awareness of what it means to have a nephew like Li Xuewu who expresses doubt about Li Tong's sacrifice.
If Li Xuewu formally raises questions, or even requests an investigation from relevant departments, he will be the one in an awkward position.
He wasn't afraid of being questioned by his superiors; he was afraid of being blamed by his superiors for not doing a good job with his family and for not explaining things clearly, which he considered a mistake in his work.
“If you have any questions about your third uncle’s sacrifice, you can come with me to his workplace. As a family member, you have the right to know the reason for his sacrifice.”
Li Xuewu is certainly a family member, and a direct relative at that, at least at this moment.
If he doesn't speak, he's just a nephew, a relative distant from Hong Min and Li Xuehan. But when he raises questions, the organization has a responsibility and obligation to explain clearly.
The cadre surnamed Zhao didn't know what had happened between Li Tong's family and relatives, but he knew something was wrong from the way Li Xuewu looked at his third aunt.
So I pulled him out first and explained things clearly.
"Then, can I request a higher level of investigation and autopsy?"
The coldness in Li Xuewu's voice couldn't be concealed even in this funeral home, and the other person's face even showed embarrassment and doubt.
"Of course you have the right to do that."
The official surnamed Zhao asked hesitantly, "But may I ask you why you did this?"
"Xue Wu—" It was Hong Min again. She hadn't dared to get too close, but she had heard everything Li Xue Wu said clearly.
This was the farewell hall, and the oppressive atmosphere meant no one was talking or laughing. Of course, she could hear everything clearly, and Li Xuewu wasn't worried about her hearing it.
"You need to explain..."
"Learn martial arts!" Before Li Xuewu could finish speaking, Hong Min stepped forward, her eyes red, and looked at him pleadingly, saying, "You have to let me speak."
The cadre surnamed Zhao glanced at them. The atmosphere was tense, and it wasn't appropriate for him to stand there, so he took the initiative and said, "I'll go in first. Call me if you need anything."
Watching him leave, Hong Min wiped away her tears and explained to Li Xuewu, "That man was your third uncle's comrade-in-arms, we were very close..."
"So close that they hugged while hiding in a corner?"
Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes and stared at her. Seeing that she was about to explain, he reached out and pointed at her, asking, "I'll just ask you one question: is my third uncle's death related to you?"
“You can’t do this—” Hong Min said, crying.
"I will investigate this matter thoroughly."
Li Xuewu no longer believed her tears, nor did he care whether she had cheated on him or not; he only wanted to know if her death was related to his third uncle.
"If I find that you are involved in even the slightest thing..."
He gritted his teeth, nodded at Hong Min, walked past her into the farewell hall, where his second uncle was also loudly questioning his third uncle about the cause of his death.
"Li Xuewu, come here." The cadre surnamed Zhao was in a state of panic. Seeing him come in, he waved him over and said, "All your family members, come here. Hong Min?"
He walked to the door and called to Hong Min, saying seriously, "This matter must be made clear, right in front of Li Tong."
When Hong Min came in crying, he frowned and looked at the family members. He said seriously, "I have already conveyed the news of Comrade Li Tong's sacrifice to the family, namely Comrade Hong Min, on behalf of the organization. Are you sure about this?"
He first pointed at Hong Min, then pointed at Li Xuehan, who was still sprawled on the bench, and said, "After communicating with Hong Min, we notified Li Xuehan according to regulations. Is that confirmed?"
"I coordinated with Li Xuehan's workplace to issue his leave application and arranged for someone to pick him up and take him to the hospital. I also relayed the details of his father's sacrifice once again. Is that correct?"
After explaining the process of informing him, he turned to look at Li Xuewu and his two nephews, and said with an unfriendly gaze, "As relatives, I want to make it clear that you have the right to know."
"However, you must reach a consensus with your relatives before we can do the work."
He said sharply, “If you have any doubts, demands, or opinions about Li Tong’s sacrifice, you can raise them together. Don’t argue or make a scene.”
"Now I ask you, what questions and opinions do you have?"
He knew the problem lay with Li Xuewu, so he called his family and relatives together to ask them directly where the problem lay.
"You should know the seriousness of your third uncle's sacrifice, right?" The cadre surnamed Zhao emphasized the word "sacrifice" to remind Li Xuewu to pay attention.
Li Xuewu could certainly understand what he meant. No one would dare to tamper with such matters, not even the murder he had just suspected.
“I understand what you mean,” Li Xuewu said calmly, looking at him. “But on behalf of my family, I request an investigation and examination to see if there are any problems.”
“No problem.” The official surnamed Zhao’s tone became a bit more serious as he asked, “How do you want to investigate and examine this? Do you really want an autopsy?”
At this moment, Hong Min covered her mouth and started crying again. The cadre surnamed Zhao glanced at her impatiently and asked Li Xuewu, "You two can't reach a consensus, right?"
“Yes, I represent the family.” Li Xuewu ignored Hong Min and looked at her, emphasizing, “Li Tong’s mother, eldest brother, second brother, and all his nephews and nieces.”
"Second Brother?" Li Xuehan realized something was wrong at this point and stared blankly at him, not knowing what had happened.
“Studying the letter is something Second Brother must do.”
Li Xuewu turned to look at him and emphasized, "No matter what resentment or hatred you feel towards your second brother in the future, even if you never speak to him again, since my second uncle and I are here, we must give our family an explanation."
“My dad…” Li Xuehan first looked at her mother, who was covering her face and crying, then looked at Uncle Zhao, whose face was getting paler and paler, without a trace of blood.
"Alright, how do you want to investigate?" The cadre surnamed Zhao had already understood Li Xuewu's determination. He could usually dismiss an ordinary person with a few words, but not Li Xuewu.
“If you don’t have any other procedures to follow,” Li Xuewu glanced at him, saw him frown, and slowly nodded before continuing, “I’ll proceed according to my plan.”
"Let him investigate," Hong Min suddenly said at this moment. "Otherwise, Li Tong won't be able to leave in peace."
She composed herself, wiped away her tears, sat down beside her son, and lowered her head, saying nothing more.
"Let me make a phone call to report first."
The official surnamed Zhao certainly didn't want this matter to cause conflict or disputes. In fact, as a friend, he didn't want to see the family members turn against each other and cause trouble for Li Tong.
He gave Li Xuewu a deep look, sighed, and walked out.
Li Xuewu glanced at the departing figure, said a few words to his second uncle, patted Li Xueli on the shoulder, and told him to take good care of Li Xuehan and his second uncle.
"Second brother..." Li Xuehan had been looking at him, and now asked blankly, "My dad..."
"Listen to me, don't say or do anything until there's a result. Just stay here and stay with your dad, understand?"
Li Xuewu pointed to his feet and looked into his eyes, emphasizing, "Don't think about what I'm doing, and don't ask me what I'm doing. If you're sleepy, just take a nap."
He patted his younger brother on the shoulder and chased after the cadre surnamed Zhao in the direction he had left.
***
The early morning hours are not the coldest time; even in the coldest winter, it is the time of dawn that is most biting.
In Guangzhou in June, it's not cold even at dawn, let alone in the early morning. A slight chill seeps through your pores, but it can still cause goosebumps.
ta-ta-ta--
A sudden sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor of the funeral home, startling the grieving woman from her sleep and shattering the tranquility.
"Learning martial arts?" Ji Weidong's voice came from the doorway. He glanced into the farewell hall and saw Li Xuewu get up from the bench before walking in.
He first glanced at the few people sitting on the bench before shaking hands with Li Xuewu.
"What brings you here?" Li Xuewu asked, looking at him with some surprise. "Are you in the capital?"
"Can I get here so quickly from the capital?"
Ji Weidong glanced at him, patted his shoulder, pulled him a few steps to the side, and said, "Our people have already entered your third uncle's unit and are still investigating."
He gestured with his chin toward the ice coffin and said, "I've brought the people and the vehicle. We can start working now. Do you have any other requests?"
"Try to maintain my third uncle's dignity."
Li Xuewu sighed and said, "I won't do this unless absolutely necessary. Please understand."
“Of course.” Ji Weidong looked at him without the slightest hesitation and said, “You don’t need to explain anything to me. I will always believe in you. Everything you do is reasonable.”
"Let's begin." Li Xuewu turned to look at his second uncle and the others who had stood up, then nodded to him and said, "As soon as possible."
"Don't worry, we are professionals."
Ji Weidong reached out and patted his arm, walked to the door and said something to the people waiting outside, and then a group of people wearing white coats walked in.
"Waaah—" It was Hong Min's crying. Just as everyone lifted Li Tong out of the ice coffin, she could no longer hold back and collapsed to the ground.
Li Xuehan stood there blankly, watching as her father was steadily carried away by the crowd.
"Second brother..." he said in a hoarse voice, wanting to ask a question, but then he saw his second brother turn around and look at him, and then he remembered his second brother's instructions last night.
"You don't need to go, just stay here."
Before leaving, Li Xuewu reached out and stopped his second uncle, reminding him, "I will be back as soon as possible. You can keep the car and take good care of Xuehan."
"Okay, we'll wait for you to come back."
Li Gan nodded. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong on the way here, but he never expected to encounter these situations.
The cadre surnamed Zhao was still there; he stood in the corridor, his gaze equally blank and bewildered.
Last night he reported the situation here to his superiors, who, after asking a few questions, approved the request.
After making the call, Li Xuewu went to the duty room to use the phone. He had no idea where he called, and he didn't even hear Li Xuewu mention any names or organizations.
He was certainly aware of Li Xuewu's background and connections; otherwise, the leader would not have granted this seemingly unreasonable request.
He never expected that the people who came to investigate his workplace were not the ones he had assumed.
Upon hearing the identities of the people who had been stationed at his workplace overnight, he suddenly had a sense of absurdity. Did Li Tong not understand his nephew, or was he hiding something?
When he first heard Li Tong praise his nephew, he was somewhat skeptical, thinking that Li Tong was exaggerating.
Later, I heard that Li Tong returned to Beijing to attend his nephew's wedding, and it turned out that it was that person who made the arrangements so that he could board the same plane.
No secrets stay hidden forever in any workplace. Gradually, everyone learned about Li Tong's relationship with that person, which led to Li Tong receiving special treatment and also knowing that he had a connection with that person.
Then, when they thought of Li Xuewu, their nephew, they realized that the mischievous boy from back then was no longer the same.
No matter how well they knew each other, it all ended at the moment Li Tong introduced them. They just couldn't understand how this mischievous boy had acquired such a network of connections.
As the person in charge, he was well aware that there was nothing fishy about Li Tong's matter, and there would be no problem. But why was Li Xuewu so determined to investigate?
Something's not right; something must be wrong.
Of course, his first thought was that the conflict between Li Xuewu and Hong Min must have been the trigger for this incident.
So, after seeing Li Xuewu and the others off, and seeing Li Gan and his son helping Li Xuehan into the car and leaving, he went back to the farewell hall and sat down next to Hong Min.
“Hong Min, we’ve been comrades-in-arms for a long time.”
He let out a long sigh and said, "Is there anything you want to say to me?"
"As a comrade-in-arms and as the person in charge of this matter, how could I possibly know the reason why the uncle and nephew are making such a big fuss?"
Hong Min lowered her head, and sobs began again. It was unclear whether she was crying for herself or for Li Tong. This made the cadre surnamed Zhao frown deeply, but he didn't dare to ask any further questions.
“You should know that this is a difficult situation for me,” he explained. “I don’t approve of what they did, and I really don’t want Li Tong to suffer that pain again.”
"As a family member, you have a responsibility and an obligation to protect Li Tong and try your best to gain their understanding."
He glanced at Hong Min, sighed, and said, "That's all I have to say. Take care of yourself. Today is the last day. Many old comrades have come back to see him off on his final journey."
"If I had known this would happen..."
"It's all my fault—" Hong Min cried, "I deserve to die, I deserve to die—"
Seeing that she was in this state and showing signs of losing control of her emotions, the cadre surnamed Zhao beckoned to a colleague who had been waiting there, signaling her to come and take care of Hong Min.
At this moment, Hong Min seemed to be possessed, wailing and her body uncontrollably slipped to the ground again, her face covered in tears.
***
Ji Weidong was even more professional than Li Xuewu had imagined, and his timing was perfect.
"We'll have to wait for the autopsy results."
He lit a cigarette and looked at Li Xuewu's third uncle, who had been carried back onto the ice coffin, in a posture that seemed as if he had never moved. He turned his head away with some reluctance.
"Thank you." Li Xuewu stood by the door with his head down and arms crossed. Outside the window, Li Xueli, as requested, had placed a box of cigarettes in the car that Ji Weidong had brought.
"I don't know if this is the result you wanted." Ji Weidong glanced at the farewell hall and said calmly, "Please accept my condolences."
"Hmm." Li Xuewu nodded slowly and asked, "When are you going back?"
"Me?" Ji Weidong shook his chin and said, "Wait until you're done here."
"Alright." Li Xuewu looked towards the door. Li Xueli was carrying the breakfast he had bought and wanted to hand it to him, but he waved his hand and refused. "Take it to Third Aunt."
"Why..." Li Xueli frowned and was about to shout, but Li Xuewu shoved a pestle into his stomach, and he swallowed the rest of his words.
"I—" Seeing his second brother frowning and glaring at him, Li Xueli lost his temper.
The second brother didn't use any force just now, but he was genuinely afraid of the second brother.
Because he saw it clearly last night, right at the door, when his second brother was talking to his third aunt, the last thing he said was that he gestured to the gun on his waist.
He dared to curse and hit people, but he didn't think he was ruthless enough. His second brother was the real ruthless one. He didn't curse or hit people, but dared to deal with people in a more direct way.
Watching Li Xuewu's little brother somewhat forcefully shove breakfast into the woman's hands, Ji Weidong raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is that your... your third aunt?"
"Hmm." Li Xuewu responded, then looked up at him and asked, "Have you found out about the person I asked you to investigate?"
"We've found out, and they're not some hidden figures," Ji Weidong said nonchalantly. "Do I need to do it? It's much easier for me than for you."
“No need.” Li Xuewu looked at him bluntly and asked, “You don’t actually think I would seek revenge for this reason, do you?”
"Hey—" Ji Weidong curled his lips and said, "I don't care about you. Like I said, you're my brother, and I only recognize brothers, not people."
"Stop with your old gangster act."
Li Xuewu glanced at him and said very seriously, "I don't care whether she has any moral failings. I just want to know if my third uncle's death is related to her."
"Understood." Ji Weidong took a puff of his cigarette, nodded, and said, "These are two different things. You're becoming more and more rule-abiding in your actions; sooner or later, you'll be trapped by those rules."
"There are still some rules to follow when doing things."
Li Xuewu lowered his head and said calmly, "Give me an answer as soon as possible. If it really has nothing to do with her, then this matter ends here."
"Are you willing to accept this?" Ji Weidong raised an eyebrow and asked, "I can't tolerate something like this."
"There's no question of being willing or unwilling."
Li Xuewu looked up at him and said, "If my third uncle were still alive, then this is his family matter, and it's none of my business."
“Now that my third uncle is gone, she can’t even be considered my family anymore, so why should I care about her?”
He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I never waste time on this kind of person or this kind of thing."
“I know you’re ruthless.” Ji Weidong flicked the cigarette butt away, blew out the smoke, and said, “Indifference is the most ruthless form of torture.”
"However, I still have to say something."
He pointed at Li Xuewu and said very seriously, "You people who play psychology are really bad. Don't use it on your brothers."
"Heh—" Li Xuewu snorted coldly, staring into his eyes and said, "Don't do anything to hurt your brothers either."
"Damn it—" Ji Weidong couldn't help but swear, and asked with a sneer, "Are you worried that I have designs on President Lou?"
"You don't know, do you?"
He reached out and touched Li Xuewu's stomach, squinting slightly as he said, "Your confidante isn't just being pursued by one or two women; it's all thanks to your brother, me, protecting her."
"You think you're so special?" Li Xuewu said impatiently, "Mind your own business."
"Ugh! My temper is so bad!"
Ji Weidong frowned and glared at him, asking, "You've made a mistake by helping me, haven't you? Do you believe that without me, those people would be harassing her in no time?"
"Whatever." Li Xuewu turned to look at the farewell hall, at his third uncle lying there, and said calmly, "Those who can stay don't need to be kept, and those who can't..."