MMB Chapter 1627 The Fire-Breathing Calabash Brothers
Chapter 1627 The Fire-Breathing Calabash Brothers
Chapter 1627 The Fire-Breathing Calabash Brothers
"What did you say?"
Su Weide, who was talking in Zhou Wanquan's office, suddenly turned his head and looked at the duty officer who came to report.
The officer on duty was also in a difficult position, looking at the two leaders with a pained expression, unsure of how to explain.
"Who is this Yu Zhe...?" Zhou Wanquan asked, frowning. "What's the situation?"
"The Secretary-General's original driver was in the car crew and was chosen by the Secretary-General to go to the steel city."
The officer on duty explained Yu Zhe's background and connections, then cautiously probed, "Should we speak to the Secretary-General about this?"
"What did you say?" Su Weide said coldly, glancing at Zhou Wanquan before turning to the officer on duty. "Call the security department to come and drag him out. Let's see what he can do."
The officer on duty heard this, but did not move, because he had come to report this matter to Deputy Director Zhou and needed to hear what Deputy Director Zhou had to say.
Deputy Director Zhou is their supervisor. Who is Deputy Director Su?
Su Weide also clearly realized this, his expression changed slightly, and he looked at Zhou Wanquan, saying, "Some comrades are like this, lenient with themselves but strict with others, saying one thing to your face and another behind your back."
Zhou Wanquan glanced at him but didn't respond. Instead, he asked the officer on duty, "Did you overstep your bounds during the investigation?"
“This—” the duty officer hesitated, then carefully explained, “Sir, as you know, we have a certain degree of autonomy when handling cases, but we also know that we absolutely cannot go too far.”
"Furthermore, at the time, Deputy Director Su was pressing us hard, so we stayed up all night to conduct a surprise inspection, but we didn't expect him to have caught us red-handed."
Su Weide's expression truly changed at this moment. He frowned and looked at the duty officer, wanting to say something, but considering that this was Zhou Wanquan's office, it was not appropriate to speak in front of him, so he could only hold back for the time being.
Zhou Wanquan glared at the officer on duty and said, "Talk about your own business. What do you mean by 'autonomy'? Who gave you that authority?"
Did I emphasize this point in the work meeting?
He pointed at the table and said seriously, "You are dealing with our comrades first, not the security department handling a case. Do you understand?"
After saying this, Su Weide's expression turned even uglier. This was clearly a response to his earlier statement that he would have the security department deal with Yu Zhe.
Isn't this a slap in his face?
This was a reminder to him to be mindful of his actions and not to overstep his bounds. The Discipline Inspection Commission was no longer under Su Weide's control, and he shouldn't say whatever he wanted.
Faced with Deputy Director Zhou's criticism, the duty officer could only agree; he was like a teapot boiling dumplings—he had a mouth but couldn't speak out.
Think about it, the hardest job is getting things done. If you're too soft, the boss will say you lack initiative; if you're too hard, the boss will criticize you for not knowing how to strike the right balance.
Now that something has gone wrong, it's all their fault. When there are achievements, the leaders don't even need to mention them; they have to be the first to praise the leaders' good leadership.
That's why everyone wants to be a leader.
"Alright, go and let the secretary-general know."
"But—" Seeing Deputy Director Zhou's arrangement, he panicked and said awkwardly, "Can the Secretary-General help?"
"Can't you even handle something this simple?"
After giving the duty officer a stern lecture, Zhou Wanquan still glared at him with dissatisfaction: "If I had known this would happen, I would have communicated with the secretary-general first. Would this situation have arisen?"
"You don't even understand the most basic procedures?"
He glared at the officer on duty and said, "You don't communicate beforehand, and then you expect me to clean up your messes afterwards? Is this how you do your job?"
Despite saying that, he still picked up the phone and asked for Li Xuewu's office.
The reasoning is simple: the disciplinary inspection team has just been established independently and its work has only just begun. He must appear serious, but he also cannot be indifferent; otherwise, no one below will trust him or listen to him.
Furthermore, scolding his subordinates was also a response to Su Weide's earlier arrangements against Li Xuewu.
Before the duty officer arrived, Su Weide came to him and said that they should give up investigating Yu Zhe's situation, showing a united front.
They also said they wanted to maintain the group's external cooperative relationships, etc. Anyway, they suddenly removed the ladder, leaving him on the roof.
Back then, Su Weide had approached him with great confidence to cooperate, and he simply went along with it. Seeing how enthusiastic Su Weide was, he let him take charge of the discipline inspection team.
Who knows what got into Su Weide, suddenly halting the investigation, stopping at Sun Ming, and wanting to close the case as soon as possible.
Tell me, would Zhou Wanquan be willing?
Absolutely not. What does it matter to him what happens to Su Weide? He must establish himself in Honggang Group and exert significant influence.
So this time, if Lao Su wanted to retreat, he wouldn't allow it. Even if it meant kicking Lao Su into a pit, they had to charge forward.
"Hello, Secretary-General, this is Zhou Wanquan."
Zhou Wanquan answered the phone and said with a smile, "It's not easy for you to come back this time. I've been wanting to sit down with you for a long time, hehehe."
"Um, today?"
He made a phone call to invite Li Xuewu for drinks that evening. After they reached an agreement, he explained, "The discipline inspection team is newly established, and many things are not yet in order. It's inevitable that problems will arise. I have already criticized them."
Zhou Wanquan listened intently to what Li Xuewu said on the other end of the phone for a while before saying, "That's for sure. I've emphasized this many times in meetings: we must handle cases in accordance with the law, regulations, and procedures."
"It's just that this time the comrades were affected by their emotions. The fault lies with me; I put too much pressure on them."
Zhou Wanquan softened his tone on the phone, saying politely, "It's normal for Comrade Yu Zhe to be dissatisfied now. My opinion is that he should apologize and make necessary rectifications. If he has any other requests, I will handle them."
He said with a smile, "Even if it's just me going over to apologize to him, that's fine. After all, there were loopholes in our disciplinary and supervisory work, and he was wronged."
"Okay, okay, then that's settled."
Zhou Wanquan was satisfied with the reply and said with a smile, "You don't need to bring any alcohol tonight, I have some Zhuyeqing liquor that a friend gave me, haha!"
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, just as Su Weide's expression grew increasingly gloomy, he finally hung up the phone.
However, he didn't look at Su Weide. Instead, he put away his smile and looked at the officer on duty, asking, "Did you investigate Yu Zhe's wife's workplace and village? What did you say? What questions did you ask?"
“We…” The duty officer hesitated. This investigation was all part of the procedure and was normal. Even if there were any questions that went too far, it wasn’t his responsibility.
He was the duty officer, and he basically wouldn't go down to conduct investigations; those were all the staff members in the department. But he couldn't shirk this responsibility.
"Nonsense—!"
Zhou Wanquan slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Who gave you permission to do this? Who gave you the audacity to verbally sentence someone?"
"What's going on?" Suweide was also startled and asked in confusion.
“Hmph—” Zhou Wanquan glared at the duty officer before turning to Su Weide and explaining, “Yu Zhe said that our comrades from the Discipline Inspection Commission went to his home, village, and his wife’s workplace to say that he had made a mistake and would be dismissed or even sentenced.”
He grew angrier as he spoke, and pointed at the officer on duty, saying, "Go apologize to Yu Zhe right now, go personally to Yu Zhe's wife's workplace, to Yu Zhe's home and village, and explain to every household! Go—!"
“You should take responsibility for your own mistakes. I’m ashamed to even say it. How did you lead the team!”
Zhou Wanquan cursed angrily, "Now people are pointing their fingers at me and cursing, saying I didn't discipline them properly, that we're bandits and tyrants!"
"I'm giving you three days to eliminate the negative impact, or you don't need to come to work anymore."
"Yes!" The duty officer's face grew even more bitter. He turned and left the office, wishing he could slap himself twice.
This job is impossible to do. He has to cater to his superiors and appease his subordinates. He's always the one covering for others, whether there's a problem or not. How the hell can he do this job?
But we have to do it whether we want to or not, there's still an ancestor lying in the detention cell!
***
It's no exaggeration to say that Yu Zhe is a living ancestor.
"I won't eat—I'd rather starve to death!"
Yu Zhe was quite defiant, completely different from when he came in eating and drinking as usual. He looked indignant and determined to starve himself to death.
He didn't even glance at the meat and vegetables the clerk brought, preferring to endure his rumbling stomach rather than eat them.
"None of you are getting away!"
He sat on the bed like a living grandfather, pointing at the people outside the detention room and saying, "I remember who you are. If I don't skin you alive, I won't even be surnamed Yu! I'll take your surname!"
"I won't leave—I won't go out—"
No matter who tried to persuade him, even familiar colleagues or Han Jiankun, it was no use.
"Captain Han, don't worry about this, it has nothing to do with you—"
When Yu Zhe saw Han Jiankun arrive, he shook his head like a ball and said, "I refuse to believe there's no justice! Zhou Wanquan and Su Weide won't rest until they apologize to me and restore my reputation! Apologize! Apologize on the radio!"
Han Jiankun was also annoyed by him. This kid was always like this in the team, always acting carefree and irresponsible.
But you can't find fault with him. He may have a bad temper and be blunt, but he's also righteous and generous.
He's always been a helpful person when someone's family is in trouble; he'll lend a hand even when watching a commotion. And when we're just sitting together, he's the one who smokes the most cigarettes.
Tell me, how could someone like this have enemies in the workplace?
You've driven for your boss before. Even if you don't care about the boss, you should at least respect him. He has no ambition and no ulterior motives, so why do you hate him?
If you offend him, you risk offending your boss, so why bother?
So when Yu Zhe was taken away, few people watched the spectacle, and no one in the convoy even mentioned his past outrageous deeds.
Even if Yu Zhe gets into trouble, it won't affect his relationship with his superiors. Who would want to be the bad guy at a time like this?
Therefore, it's normal for the disciplinary inspection commission to encounter obstacles when investigating Yu Zhe; no one would say that Yu Zhe's personal life was immoral or that he was not serious about his work.
They're all the same in their little car team. If we really talk about Yu Zhe, and they get cracked down on, do you think they can escape?
"Alright, enough already, and you're still asking your boss to apologize?"
Han Jiankun glared at him, but before he could finish speaking, he saw that Yu Zhe was already lying on the bed, which made him laugh in exasperation.
"Well... Captain Han," the officer said with a wry smile, "we should persuade him to eat first. He's been hungry all day, and if he really starves, there'll be even less we can do anything about it."
"If he doesn't want to eat, fine—" Han Jiankun said irritably, "Does he think he's right? Would he act like this if he were normally well-behaved?"
"Yu Zhe, let me tell you, don't push your luck. Didn't the person in charge of the case apologize to you?"
“No—not enough—” Yu Zhe muttered, arms crossed, facing the wall. “He’s not qualified. Let Zhou Wanquan and Su Weide come.”
"Don't be so shameless—" Han Jiankun said in a serious tone, "Now that they're giving you a way out, you should know when to stop."
He glanced at the disciplinary inspector and said, "The person in charge personally went to your spouse's workplace, your home, and your village to explain the situation. Isn't that enough?"
"That's what they should do—"
Yu Zhe grumbled, "Who told them to wrongly accuse an innocent person without distinguishing right from wrong? My fragile heart has been severely wounded!"
"Oh dear—" Han Jiankun said irritably, "A fragile heart? It's not disgusting to you to say it, but it's disgusting to hear."
“I’m saying, you’ve apologized when you needed to, and your reputation has been restored when you needed to. You should take responsibility for your actions. Whoever wronged you should apologize to you. It has nothing to do with your superiors.”
"How can you not be involved!" Yu Zhe tilted his head and shouted, "It's that Su Weide, that damn bastard, who's been causing me trouble for no reason. What did I do to him? Did I desecrate his ancestral grave? Why is he treating me like this?"
"Yu Zhe—" Han Jiankun frowned and warned, "Alright, stop talking nonsense, get up and come back with me."
"Let me tell you, the disciplinary inspection department has lifted the investigation on you. If you don't go back to work, it will be considered absenteeism."
"Then how will my losses over the past few days be calculated?"
Yu Zhe rolled over and stood in the detention cell, shouting, "I'm not eating or drinking well, Captain Han, look at me, I've lost weight from hunger!"
"Tsk—" The disciplinary and supervisory officers were really at their wits' end. They were incredibly unlucky to have encountered such a tough nut to crack.
You can't hit them, you can't scold them, they're completely unresponsive to both soft and hard tactics.
"You look like you've gained weight."
Han Jiankun looked him up and down and said, "Don't you mind the smell here? Hand over the keys and go home early. I'll give you a day off to heal your wounded and fragile heart."
"Then I can't go back by myself—"
Yu Zhe knew that Han Jiankun's arrival meant that Li Xuewu had already agreed to let him leave; otherwise, Han Jiankun wouldn't have come.
Li Xuewu is coming?
Stop joking. If Li Xuewu came, Yu Zhe would be scared to death.
So he's putting on a show right now; he has to save face, after all, Yu Zhe is someone important.
He swears to God that he will never cross the red line; he will only cross the yellow line, which is his bottom line.
"What do you want?" Han Jiankun glared at him and said, "I'll take you home, okay?"
"There's no need for you to see me off." Yu Zhe looked at the clerk standing at the door and said, "They invited me here, so take me back the same way!"
"Okay, no problem." As soon as the clerk heard that the old man had agreed, he quickly waved his hand and replied, "I'll drive you back."
“That won’t do—” Yu Zhe pointed at the group of people at the door and said, “You were the ones who invited me here that day.”
He put his hands on his hips and grumbled, "I'll go back the way I came, understand?"
"Okay, no problem." The clerk still agreed. As long as Yu Zhe agreed to come out, they would carry him back themselves.
Yu Zhe glanced at Han Jiankun before pulling the keys out of his crotch and handing them over.
Han Jiankun grinned disgustedly and cursed, "Don't you find it cramped? Why are you stuffing it there?"
"I'm afraid they'll steal from me while I'm sleeping!"
Yu Zhe raised his chin and looked at the officers who opened the door with an indignant air, saying, "Today I'm letting you off the hook just to give our captain some face!"
"Remember this from now on, if you dare to mess with me again, I'll skin you alive!"
These guys all hated Zhe to death, but there was nothing they could do. He was a scoundrel who didn't care about anything.
Are you saying that Yu Zhe offended them and will never be able to advance in his career?
Haha, don't be ridiculous. With Yu Zhe's character, how could he possibly improve?
It's not so bad if Yu Zhe really has the ambition to improve; the real problem is that he lacks ambition and just coasts along in this position.
No normal person would bother with dog poop.
Ugh! They really learned something new today, they kicked in some dog poop! It's disgusting.
When Yu Zhe came out of the cell, he didn't forget to grab the lunchbox he had previously ignored.
"I can't have come for nothing anyway—"
Seeing Han Jiankun glaring at him, he didn't seem to care about the embarrassment. He carried the lunchbox out, muttering to himself as he went, "I'll let the outsiders see what kind of food I'm eating in there!"
"Not many people who come to the Discipline Inspection Commission can get out unscathed, right? I've really nailed it, I have to show off for once!"
Han Jiankun walked behind him, clicking his tongue and arguing with the fake number. It was hard to know whether to pity Su Weide or laugh at him.
And so, amidst the "farewell" of the three officers and the watchful eyes of the entire disciplinary and supervisory team, Yu Zhe emerged from the case-handling area, carrying his lunchbox like Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.
There wasn't a hint of mockery in the eyes of these disciplinary and supervisory officers; they were full of disapproval.
Yu Zhe still had something to say. He wasn't afraid of these people at all, and with his chin held high, he rattled off, "Hey, listen up! I'm Yu Zhe from the convoy. You might even be driving on missions in the future—"
He really dared to say that! He swept his gaze over those people and shouted, "We'll see! I accept falling into your hands, but one day you'll fall into my hands!"
"Hurry up and leave, stop talking nonsense."
Han Jiankun kicked him in the butt and urged, "If you don't mind looking bad, then stand here and show yourself properly."
"What do I have to be ashamed of? Only those who are ashamed know!"
Yu Zhe shook his head and walked towards the elevator, muttering to himself, "I, Yu Zhe, can swagger out of the Discipline Inspection Commission; it's them who are embarrassed!"
That really hits the nail on the head; otherwise, why would I say these people have such unfriendly eyes?
But who can guarantee that this bastard won't be driving them on their next mission, especially if they deliberately drive into rough fields...?
They were completely helpless.
Moreover, they were pretty sure that if it really fell into this bastard's hands, he'd really dare to drive it into a ditch; they certainly wouldn't dare ride in his car.
Furthermore, offending Yu Zhe is equivalent to offending the entire convoy; you can tell just by looking at the way Han Jiankun came to pick them up.
This is what they mean by "better to offend a gentleman than a petty person."
Undoubtedly, Yu Zhe is a petty person, a petty person among petty people.
-
"Come on, Xiaoli, are you all alone?"
Gu Cheng opened the door, and Peng Xiaoli was carrying the beer he had bought.
Both families live in the Workers' New Village, which is not far from each other. They used to get together often, but now that Qian Youqiong is pregnant, the gatherings are mostly held at Gu Cheng's house.
Qian Youqiong's family was wealthy, and Gu Cheng's family was not poor either. The young couple both worked for government agencies, so they were not short of money.
When Peng Xiaoli and Yu Haitang first bought a house, the young couple wasn't in a hurry because both of their families already owned houses.
Qian Youqiong's father also found them a small courtyard house in the city, but six months later, they started arranging to sell the house in the workers' new village.
First, Qian Youqiong was pregnant, making commuting inconvenient. Second, the hospitals in the city were not as good as the joint hospital here, making it more convenient to give birth here.
Thirdly, there's the living environment. When the workers' new village first started distributing houses, the landscaping wasn't very good. But in recent years, with the completion of various projects, the entire plan has been revitalized.
The Workers' New Village is now the city's premier residential area, and anyone with connections wants to get a house there.
However, Honggang Group has strict qualification reviews, so not just anyone can buy commercial housing here; scarcity drives up prices.
The house that Gu Cheng and Qian Youqiong bought was much bigger than Peng Xiaoli's house, at least twice the size.
"She has to wait a while before she can get off work."
Peng Xiaoli knew that Gu Cheng was asking about Yu Haitang, so he rubbed his hands together and explained, "He said he still has some work to finish."
"Could it be that Deputy Director Su and Deputy Director Zhou are really going to apologize to Yu Zhe at the radio station?" Gu Cheng said with a wink. "If that's the case, then there'll be a good show."
"Hehehe—" Peng Xiaoli knew that he had the advantage of being close to the source and was enjoying the gossip immensely, but he still said with a smile, "Yu Zhe is out."
"What? You're out?" Clearly, Gu Cheng was unaware of this, raising an eyebrow and asking, "When did you get out? How did you get out?"
“He came out on his own—” Peng Xiaoli said with a laugh, “What else could he have been carried out of there?”
"Didn't he say he was going to die in there?"
Gu Cheng was truly addicted to watching the drama unfold, never shying away from a good spectacle, even going so far as to involve Yu Zhe in the spectacle.
"Could he really die in there?"
Peng Xiaoli took off her coat, smiled and greeted Qian Youqiong, who was heavily pregnant, before continuing, "It was Captain Han who went to pick her up."
"Oh—I understand—"
Gu Cheng nodded knowingly and said, "So when Lao Su went to see Lao Zhou, he discussed calling the Secretary-General."
"Otherwise, it wouldn't have been Captain Han who went to pick them up, right?"
"I don't know, I just heard it from them."
Peng Xiaoli rolled up his sleeves, walked into the kitchen, and said, "Weren't you in the office? Didn't you hear what they were saying?"
"How could I hear him? He's guarding against me like I'm a thief." Gu Cheng laughed carefree, finding it increasingly amusing the more he thought about it.
"Hey, what do you think Old Su will do in the end?"
He stood with his arms crossed in the kitchen doorway, watching Peng Xiaoli busy at work, and quipped, "What's that saying again?"
"He really didn't expect that the investigation would eventually lead back to him, did he?"
"You're just watching the show, aren't you?!"
Qian Youqiong nudged Gu Cheng with a feather duster and gestured to the kitchen, saying, "Go help out quickly."
"Isn't this just a prelude to getting started?"
Gu Cheng and Peng Xiaoli were best friends, and they got along very well and were very casual with each other, so Peng Xiaoli didn't care about this.
It doesn't matter who goes to whose house.
There was a knock at the door. Qian Youqiong went to open it, and then Yu Haitang's voice came through.
"Oh dear, it's so cold today—"
Did you ride your bike back?
Gu Cheng poked his head out of the kitchen and said gloatingly, "I knew as soon as I came downstairs that I was going to freeze to death riding my bike today."
"Go to the side and be cowardly—" Qian Youqiong glared at him and tried to take Yu Haitang's hand, but the other party dodged her.
"No, my hands are freezing." Yu Haitang rubbed her face and said, "I'll make you feel cold again."
As she said this, she put her ear close to Qian Youqiong's belly and said, "Let me hear, is there any movement?"
"You just kicked me—"
Qian Youqiong, holding her belly, said with a smile, "You're not behaving yourself anymore."
"He's obviously a boy." Yu Haitang took off her scarf and coat, glanced at the kitchen, and then asked, "What are we having for dinner?"
"Four dishes and a soup, a state banquet."
Gu Cheng chuckled and joked, "We'll eat whatever your wife makes. Xiao Qiong and I aren't picky eaters anyway."
"Look how lazy you've become—" Yu Haitang tidied her hair behind her ear and said, "You don't look like someone who can cook."
She rubbed her hands together, then touched Qian Youqiong's belly through her clothes and asked, "Is the baby hungry?"
"I don't know if the child is hungry or not, but the child's mother is not hungry." Gu Cheng took out some dried fruit from the drawer and put it on the coffee table, saying, "Don't be shy, it's a specialty from Northeast China."
"Oh—" Yu Haitang smiled and raised her eyebrows, saying, "Secretary Gu has connections in Northeast China now."
"Look!" Gu Cheng said with a smile, "The Secretary-General brought back one for each person."
"What? Don't you have any of ours?"
Yu Haitang ate some dried fruit, glanced towards the kitchen, and asked deliberately, "Then I'll have to ask the Secretary-General about it when I see him tomorrow."
“Who said there aren’t any?” Gu Cheng pointed to the dried fruit in the box and said, “Isn’t what you’re eating the dried fruit?”
"Huh?" Yu Haitang paused, looking at him in confusion. "How did ours end up with you?"
"Yes, Secretary Zhang gave it to me. I said our two families live close by, so I brought it back for you." Gu Cheng said with a smile, "You're welcome."
"Do I need your help?"
Seeing that quite a bit of food had been eaten from the box, Yu Haitang said irritably, "You ate ours, what about yours?"
"We'll save ours for later."
Gu Cheng did it on purpose, deliberately trying to provoke Yu Haitang, and teased her with a smile, "Eat yours first."
"Why are you so cunning!"
Yu Haitang knew perfectly well he was joking. She rolled her eyes and shouted into the kitchen, "Xiaoli, Gu Cheng embezzled our dried fruit!"
"Got it, I'll report him to the Discipline Inspection Commission tomorrow." Peng Xiaoli was even more mischievous; his reply from the kitchen almost made Qian Youqiong laugh so hard she went into premature labor.
"Hey, speaking of discipline inspection, any latest news from your side?" Gu Cheng asked gossipily, "Didn't the leader go over the radio to apologize?"
"Come on—" Yu Haitang curled her lips and said, "He was just saying that, asking for an exorbitant price. We should just bargain."
She ate some dried fruit and said, "Didn't they say they had already sent him home? Director Song from the Discipline Inspection Commission even went to apologize to him personally and restored his reputation."
"Pshaw—he has no reputation whatsoever."
Peng Xiaoli came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, his hands still wet, and said with a smile, "He did quite a few shady things in Steel City, but no one bothered him because of the Secretary-General."
"This is strange enough—"
Gu Cheng crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, saying, "I was shocked when I heard the news, but I never expected things to take such a turn for the better! The investigation has stalled."
"If you ask me—" Peng Xiaoli twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "There's a lot more to this than meets the eye, and this matter won't be resolved so easily."
"Didn't they say that Deputy Director Zhou treated the Secretary-General to drinks?"
When Yu Haitang returned from work, she had heard more news, and she said, "Is this the end of the matter?"
"Really? How could that be—"
Gu Cheng said with a laugh, "If Lao Zhou wants it, the Secretary-General won't take it anymore; if Lao Su wants it, Lao Zhou won't take it anymore either."
He gestured with his chin, indicating to Yu Haitang, "Your little brother is definitely doing it on purpose, who knows—"
"Maybe what?" Yu Haitang glanced at him.
Yu Zhe is indeed her younger brother, but not a biological brother. She has more contact with Yu Li. Yu Zhe has been annoying since childhood, and she can't be bothered with him.
"I wouldn't dare say that." Gu Cheng turned and went to the kitchen, his voice coming back shortly after: "Let's wait and see, there'll be a good show to watch."
“Playing hard to get—” Qian Youqiong curled her lips and looked at Yu Haitang, asking, “What kind of relationship are you with that Yu Zhe?”
“He’s an old man,” Yu Haitang explained, adding, “I had no idea he could pull something like this.”
"She has a wonderful older sister—"
Peng Xiaoli grabbed a handful of dried fruit and looked at Yu Haitang, asking, "Why haven't I heard you contact your sister lately? I haven't seen you visit her either."
"Where are you visiting? Steel City?" Yu Haitang glanced at him and said indifferently, "Don't say things like that in the future, such as 'good sister' or 'bad sister'."
Peng Xiaoli was mocked and realized she had said the wrong thing. She awkwardly turned around and went to the kitchen, where she received another teasing look from Gu Cheng.
"Did you keep an eye on the things I asked you to keep an eye on?"
He ignored Gu Cheng's teasing and gently reminded him, "Don't be vague, be serious."
"Yeah, I know—" Gu Cheng replied while chopping vegetables, "I report on time every time."
Do you think this matter has a significant impact?
After he finished speaking, he looked at Peng Xiaoli and asked, "Will this affect our current cooperation? What if we mess it up? Wouldn't that ruin a deal?"
“Business is business, as long as there’s profit to be made.” Peng Xiaoli glanced at him and said, “Was that incident two years ago a small matter? We still cooperated.”
"But this time it's a bit special. If Lao Su comes down, it will definitely involve a lot of people."
He thought for a moment and said, "You should also know that in the past two years, not a few people have impulsively jumped on the bandwagon, and some have even made a fortune from it."
"But anyone with eyes can see that Lao Su is like a grasshopper in autumn, he won't last long, he'll either leave or fall down."
While heating the oil in the wok, Peng Xiaoli explained, "With this thing in your hand, a bunch of people will suffer the consequences."
stab-
As soon as the vegetables were put into the pot, a fragrant aroma filled the kitchen.
-
How is the old lady?
Li Xuewu didn't get home until after 10 p.m., and it was almost 11 p.m. when he arrived, but Gu Ning was still waiting for him to come back.
After washing up and getting into bed, his voice was filled with exhaustion.
"It's nothing, I just went there the day before yesterday."
Gu Ning put down the book in her hand, glanced at him, and then turned off the bedside lamp.
"Sigh—" Li Xuewu sighed and said, "Everyone says that old age is about enjoying the blessings of children and grandchildren, but the feeling of an old person sending off a young person is not pleasant."
"Didn't you say you'd be back tonight?" Gu Ning answered his call and learned that he had a business dinner tonight and would be home late.
"I was hoping to come back soon."
Li Xuewu got up, took a sip of hot water, and explained, "It was Deputy Director Zhou from the city who called, and I couldn't refuse."
He turned to face Gu Ning and said, "This is the first time we've met privately. If you refuse, there won't be any room for discussion next time."
"You've made it all so complicated." Gu Ning said with a hint of helplessness, "Is this the career you wanted?"
"The career I want is one that goes my way, but there will always be a difficult process to achieve this goal."
Li Xuewu pinched his nose and said, "The weather has changed. You and the children need to be careful. A cold can be very serious."
"Well, Li Shu and Li Ning are alright."
Gu Ning looked at him and asked, "Do you have enough cotton clothes? Do you want me to buy you two more sets?"
"It's enough, and I don't wear that many."
Li Xuewu crossed his arms and said in a slightly grumbling voice, "We'll get in the car as soon as we leave the building, and we'll go back inside as soon as we get out of the car. It won't be too cold."
"Okay, just make sure they don't get cold." Gu Ning ran her hand through her hair and said, "Mom called and said that my sister-in-law and the child have gone to Jinling."
“What a hassle—” Li Xuewu sighed for his brother-in-law’s family, turned over and said, “They went from the capital to Xi’an, and then from Xi’an to Nanjing. My sister-in-law’s job is really fragmented.”
The medical profession is quite special; even in cases like Gu Ning and Mu Hongyan's, they still choose the hospital.
Think about it: is it better to work in one company for a long time and have access to more resources, or to move around and frequently change companies and have access to more resources?
Of course, someone like Gu Ning, who works in one unit for a long time, has a stable family, receives more attention, and can enjoy more training resources.
Mu Hongyan wouldn't stay in Jinling for long either, and Li Xuewu figured his father-in-law wouldn't be able to retire for much longer either.
He will have to return to work by the second half of next year at the latest. It's not fair to say he's not in good health; many of the veterans currently on duty are returning to work while ill.
Even if he is truly ill and in poor health, he has been recuperating for so many years; how could he possibly be given more time to rest?
Given his qualifications, level, and physical condition, if we don't use him, who would be in even worse shape?
What is the most precious thing about a father-in-law?
It wasn't the honors he had received, nor the camaraderie he had shared with his comrades, but rather his age and health.
He has been healthy and free from illness and disaster all these years, and he has not been overworked at the academy. He has been recuperating for four or five years, and when he comes out of retirement, he is still a young and vigorous man.
It will be impossible for her to stay in Jinling at that time. Her brother-in-law will also return to the front line. What will happen to her sister-in-law, Mu Hongyan?
"My sister-in-law said she wants to come back." Gu Ning couldn't help but sigh, "She said the children are all grown up and she doesn't want to go through all this trouble anymore."
"Alright." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Once the situation stabilizes, if she wants to come back, I'll arrange for someone to clean the house."
If Mu Hongyan were to return to the capital, she would certainly not stay here for even a short while; she would definitely return to that small building.
Don't look at Gu Yan and Zhou Yao. They are the younger ones and can buy a house and live outside. Mu Hongyan is the eldest daughter-in-law.
Unless Gu Haitao and Ding Fengxia are no longer alive, the building should not be returned to the organization; otherwise, no one would go to take back the house at this time.
Mu Hongyan felt perfectly justified and at ease moving back in; her return signified the Gu family's return to the capital and their establishment as a new household.
"We'll see. It's impossible for him to come back in winter." Gu Ning turned to the side, put her arm around his side, and said, "Sister-in-law can't bear to leave the child."
“Who could bear to part with them? I miss my two little ones terribly if I don’t see them for a month, let alone a long time.”
Li Xuewu reached out and pulled her into his arms, saying, "Wait a little longer. I'll return to Beijing next year, at the latest by the end of next year."
"Mmm—" Gu Ning wrapped her arms around his neck. It was impossible for her not to miss him. Supporting a family alone had been incredibly difficult and unspeakable.
This is also because she doesn't have to do housework or worry about the children's studies. If it weren't for the old lady's situation, she wouldn't even have to worry about household matters.
Normally, it's her mother-in-law, Liu Yin, who takes the initiative to visit her, showing concern for her and showing care. There are no conflicts in the family.
"Let's have a baby next year." This was the first time Gu Ning had brought up this topic with Li Xuewu. She shrank back and said, "Maybe I won't be so busy next year."
"Don't feel pressured, it's fine with you or not." Li Xuewu patted her on the back and said, "With Li Shu and Li Ning, it's lively enough."
"Hmm—" Gu Ning knew he liked children, and her in-laws also hoped for many descendants. Through years of married life, she had learned to understand this word.
Just because of her in-laws' understanding and care, and because of Li Xuewu's concern and love, she can't keep living in her own world forever.
***
On November 18, Li Xuewu, in his capacity as Secretary-General of the Management Committee and Head of the Group (Liaodong) Industrial Leading Group, attended the Workers' Congress and delivered a work report to the Management Committee on behalf of Liaodong Industry.
On the same day, without Li Huaide's consent, Su Weide gave an investigative report on the No. 4 furnace case to the management committee.
In his statement, he arbitrarily concluded that Dong Wenxue, the then director of the metallurgical plant, had failed to supervise the design and construction of Furnace No. 4, had made improper personnel decisions, and could not rule out the possibility of bribery and other shady dealings. He requested the management committee to deal with Dong Wenxue seriously.
In his statement, he also criticized Li Xuewu, the leader of the Group (Liaodong) Industrial Leading Group, and determined that Li Xuewu interfered with the investigation team's collection of evidence during the Group's investigation and covered up Dong Wenxue's violation of regulations. He requested the Management Committee to severely punish Li Xuewu and remove him from his relevant positions.
At the management committee meeting, Li Huaide immediately rejected Su Weide's statement, demanding that he provide concrete evidence, otherwise it would be slander and affect the unity of the team.
Su Weide was not alone, and Zhou Wanquan then suggested in his speech that the case be escalated to a higher level for review.
Upon hearing this, Li Huaide almost transformed into a Calabash Brother, the one whose eyes could spit fire.