MMB Chapter 1663 Live Well
Chapter 1663 Live Well
Chapter 1663 Live Well
"What do you mean by 'deterioration'?" Li Xuewu asked with a stern face. "Do you want to deteriorate, or do I want to deteriorate, or is it that Honggang Group is going to deteriorate?"
"It's no use telling me this."
Hu Ke spread her hands and explained helplessly, "The leader's idea is to slow things down, and it's for your own good."
"Of course, the leaders attach great importance to this project, otherwise I wouldn't have rushed over overnight, right?"
"I didn't say you don't value it."
Li Xuewu glanced at him, picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said, "So what do we do about this project now?"
"If you ask me, I'd certainly be willing to stick with it," Hu Ke tilted her head and said, "But this project isn't just for your Honggang Group, right?"
"With so many companies involved and such a wide scope, it's inevitable that it will cause controversy."
He turned the teacup on the desk in front of him and said, "When you first proposed this idea, Deputy Director Lu had some concerns and was carefully considering it. He even thought about putting the brakes on."
"We haven't even started running yet. If you step on the brakes again, we won't be able to run anymore. Everyone, just stay where you are and wait."
Li Xuewu said in a nonchalant tone, "It'll be fine when the cart driver arrives, or when everyone's finished playing."
“You don’t need to be so disappointed,” Hu Ke said, picking up her teacup. “I don’t believe you weren’t prepared.”
"If it were just your family, I would be happy. You can do whatever you want, and we can just start over."
He took a sip of warm tea before putting down the cup and saying, "But the situation is very special now, and I was the one who was anxious."
Hu Ke couldn't help but sigh and said, "Rome wasn't built in a day. I was thinking too simply."
"Isn't it time for self-criticism and self-reflection yet?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "What did the leader say? What happens after a break? How long will the change last?"
“Don’t blame the boss,” Hu Ke tapped her fingers on the office floor, emphasizing, “He’s anxious too!”
"I didn't receive the message until much later. You can imagine how anxious he must have been when he heard it."
"Why don't I recognize this person?"
Li Xuewu pointed at the internal reference materials Hu Ke had brought, frowned, and asked, "Are you familiar with him?"
"I've met him once. He's a writer for a major newspaper," Hu Ke glanced at him, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "You don't actually think he wrote this on his own initiative, do you?"
"Can you guarantee it's not true?" Li Xuewu retorted, his eyelids drooping. "Do you know who he is?"
"You probably haven't had any contact with them."
Hu Ke knew she wouldn't be able to find any cigarettes to smoke at Li Xuewu's place, so she would have to smoke his own.
He lit a cigarette, straightened up, and explained, "Generally speaking, these writers don't usually write articles on their own initiative; they mostly write on assigned topics."
"Even if I tell you who he is, are you going to cause him trouble or something? This is a public discussion."
"Don't you know about open discussion?"
Li Xuewu looked up at him and said, "But if we're talking about a discussion, who gave us the opportunity to participate?"
"If you really want to argue, then I won't stop you."
Hu Ke took a deep drag, blew away the smoke, and emphasized, "You've written articles for internal reference materials before, so you don't need me to recommend you."
"But there's one thing: Liaodong Industry can't share the risks with you."
He looked at Li Xuewu and said firmly, "I'll say it again, this isn't just your problem."
Li Xuewu's face grew increasingly grim. He looked at Hu Ke without saying a word, and the atmosphere in the office was extremely oppressive.
"The leader has already gone to Beijing."
Hu Ke flicked his cigarette ash into the ashtray and said, "If it makes sense, then continue. If it doesn't, then postpone it."
He glanced at Li Xuewu and asked deliberately, "Are you in a hurry?"
"Why should I be in such a hurry? Honggang Group can be restructured into a conglomerate again, so what?" Li Xuewu replied indifferently, "I don't care."
"I hope you really don't care."
Hu Ke sighed and couldn't help but ask, "Did your boss, Mr. Li, talk to you when you went back this time? Did he say when you could go back?"
He still pays close attention to Li Xuewu and Honggang Group.
“Your job level has been resolved, it’s time to slow down, and that’s not just about this project.”
“I can only work until the end of the year at most,” Li Xuewu said frankly to the other party. “The group will not give me any more time to stay here.”
"Yes, time is a bit tight."
Hu Ke thought for a moment and asked, "Including this year, you've been in Steel City for three years?"
Seeing that Li Xuewu remained silent, he nodded with a sigh and said, "Time flies. You've accomplished a lot over the years."
"Completely negligible, not a single thing was finished."
Li Xuewu said with a hint of regret, "Even if you gave me another three years, or even just one year would be fine."
"Giving you a few years won't help," Hu Ke smiled and said, "There's always work to be done."
"Yes, I understand the reasoning, but I just feel unwilling to accept it."
Li Xuewu looked out the window with a sense of melancholy and said, "From now on, I may rarely be in charge of industrial work so directly again."
“What goes around comes around, I’m sure you understand that,” Hu Ke comforted him. “The important thing is to live in the present.”
"The Honggang Group's three years in Liaodong are equivalent to its previous ten years of development. What more do you want?"
He straightened up and said, "Even if you have three heads and six arms, and are incredibly powerful, do you really think you can develop the Northeast Company into a conglomerate?"
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and shook his head, saying, "You're more clear-headed than I am."
"It's not that I'm clear-headed, it's that I don't have the opportunity to be confused."
Hu Ke smiled and said, "That's why I advise you not to do anything. Just let them argue it out. They'll figure it out eventually."
"As for this project, we should follow the leader's arrangements," he said in a friendly tone. "Even if we force it to start, who will follow us and push forward?"
"It can't just be the two of us, right?"
"So you're just a lobbyist, right?"
Li Xuewu glanced at him and said indifferently, "Alright, your mission is complete. You can leave now. Contact me when you have any news."
"Don't get discouraged and give up."
Seeing that he had relented, Hu laughed and said, "Don't let me comfort you here, and then when I go back to comfort them you run away. Then I'll really be stuck in the middle, unable to do anything about it."
"You can't blame me for this."
As Li Xuewu saw him off, he emphasized, "I heard the news yesterday, and I came to Gangcheng as soon as I hung up the phone. Aren't we good brothers?"
That's bullshit. If there wasn't something to be gained from it, who would take anyone seriously?
If you need something, call me brother; if you don't, call me comrade.
-
"Won't this interfere with your work?"
Gu Ning hesitated for a moment, then looked at him and asked, "I thought you wouldn't be back until the afternoon."
"Everything's alright now, are you ready?"
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at the two children waiting at the door with their little schoolbags on their backs, saying, "I won't take anyone who didn't bring a water bottle!"
"I brought it, Dad!"
Li Ning swayed slightly, and his small backpack jingled as his canteen rattled.
Only Li Xuewu and his wife would be willing to let their four-year-old child carry a water bottle on his back.
"Now that everything is ready, let's set off!"
He gestured to the cruiser parked at the door and said, "Dad's driving today, we can go wherever we want."
"And we don't even need to come home for dinner tonight."
"Dad, where are we going to eat tonight?"
Li Shu wanted to sit in the passenger seat, but then she thought she should let her mother sit there, so she slowed down and turned around to ask a question.
Li Xuewu then looked at Gu Ning and explained, "Mai Qinglan insisted that we eat at her house, saying that her husband and wife would be there too."
"Are you going straight there after you get back?"
Gu Ning hesitated for a moment and asked, "Wouldn't that be too impolite?"
"It's nothing, it's all a real relationship."
Li Xuewu smiled and tugged at her hand, explaining softly, "If we go, don't ask Biaozi, so she won't be upset."
"Isn't Li Wenbiao back yet?"
Hearing him say that, Gu Ning raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you go to Hong Kong?"
"Yes, they said they were quite busy." Li Xuewu shook his head slightly, turned around and closed the courtyard gate, then opened the car door for the children.
"Leave Mai Qinglan and the children at home?"
Gu Ning was a little puzzled. She glanced at him and got into the passenger seat.
Li Xuewu carried the two children to the back seat before walking around to the front to get into the driver's seat. As he started the car, he explained, "Biaozi is serious."
Gu Ning glanced at him, somewhat disbelieving.
He was the one who told himself that Li Wenbiao was dating another college student while he was dating Mai Qinglan.
I heard that college student still has lingering feelings for Li Wenbiao. How can someone who's two-timing be considered a respectable person?
Without mentioning Li Xuewu's past, Gu Ningke never thought Li Xuewu was a decent person, and Li Xuewu himself never admitted it.
"If I didn't even have this much sense, I wouldn't need to do anything."
Li Xuewu smiled confidently, started the car, and headed towards the river embankment outside the steel city. He had already called ahead; they were going to the dock for fun.
Steel City Wharf is not the only one, but it is the largest and most convenient one.
Previously, Dongfeng Shipping used this place as its base, and it was a golden river transport route connecting Yingcheng and Gangcheng.
Even with the current decline in shipping, Dongfeng Shipping still maintains a volume of six or seven ships per month, thanks to the support of its steel city distribution business.
After Dongfeng Shipping headquarters moved to Yingcheng, the area lost some of its liveliness, and even the people from the investigation department moved away.
Li Xuewu parked his car in front of the dock management office. Xiao Liu, who was stationed there, ran out and greeted him with a smile.
Liu Yongxiang, a soldier from the Third Regiment, got a job at Dongfeng Shipping after being discharged from the army, and came to work in Northeast China from his hometown.
"Boss, it's been a long time."
"You seem to have gained weight?"
Li Xuewu had a decent memory; he recognized the kid. He sized him up and asked with a smile, "Looks like the food here is pretty good."
"Hehe, thanks to your care."
Liu Yongxiang explained with a smile, "I injured my foot for a while and couldn't go on the boat, so I came here to recuperate."
"Later, when they relocated, they needed to set up a post station, so I volunteered and thought I would stay on the shore."
"What? Don't you want to get on the ship?"
Li Xuewu carried Li Shu and Li Ning out of the car and told them to stay close to their mother and not to go near the river.
"It's too lonely, I can't stand it."
Liu Yongxiang explained embarrassedly, "There are only a few people on the boat, and they have to work in three shifts."
"The captain was actually quite considerate of us, arranging for people from our three groups to be in the same squad."
He explained with a bitter face, "But who would have thought that during our time on the ship, we would say everything we could say in our lives."
"Even if I were to see them now, I wouldn't know what to say."
"Heh—" Li Xuewu looked him up and down with amusement and asked, "Are you dating someone?"
"Yes, we met while I was recuperating here." Liu Yongxiang seemed to have been seen through, and explained with his head down, "She's a nurse at the medical center."
"So it turns out even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman."
Li Xuewu chuckled as he picked out a few fishing rods and headed towards the riverbank, while Gu Ning and her two children had already followed the path to the river.
"If you're going to date, then date. Why be all alone on the ship?"
He teased Xiao Liu, saying, "If we arrange a nurse on your ship, would you all be willing to board?"
"I don't dare to think about it, something bad will happen."
Xiao Liu explained with a smile, "After three years on the ship, even a sow can look like Diao Chan. As soon as I boarded the ship, the captain told me not to bring any girls on board."
"Have you made enough money?"
Chatting with Li Xuewu, it was as if his gaze and words could always see through people's hearts. Xiao Liu only said a few words before Li Xuewu figured out his true feelings.
"How many years have you been sailing?"
"Less than four years, three years and a few months." Xiao Liu smiled shyly and said, "I arrived earlier than you."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu carried a bucket and a fishing rod to the fishing platform that someone had built, and found a stool for Gu Ning to sit on.
"I'm relieved to see that you guys are all making money."
He didn't refuse and let Xiao Liu help him hook the hooks and thread the earthworms.
Without a doubt, these earthworms must have been dug up by Xiao Liu in advance. There's no way they would have had the time to prepare them on the spot.
Although it was March, the wind still carried a chill, but sitting by the river felt incredibly hot.
The sun was shining brightly, and the river surface shimmered so beautifully that it was almost blinding to look directly at it.
Gu Ning wore his sunglasses, exuding a unique kind of dashing charm, his gaze fixed on Li Shu and Li Ning.
The siblings remembered their father's instructions and dared not go near the water's edge, but instead picked up pebbles at their feet and threw them into the water.
Li Xuewu baited the hook and threw it out, handing the fishing rod to Gu Ning, while he went to comfort the child.
Xiao Liu looked at the fishing rod in his hand somewhat awkwardly. He had thought that his boss was really in the mood to go fishing.
"Give it to me, and you can shake it for me."
Seeing his embarrassment, Gu Ning took the initiative to say, "I'll call you when I catch the fish."
"It's alright, sister-in-law, it's not like you can catch fish this way."
Xiao Liu cast his fishing rod, handed the handle to Gu Ning, and explained with a dry laugh, "The fish in the river are all very clever; they won't bite easily."
"Dad, I want to go fishing!"
Seeing his mother holding two fishing rods in each hand, Li Ning bravely rushed back to protect her, only to find that he wasn't as strong as the fish.
Here's a smaller fishing rod for you.
Xiao Liu was very patient. He smiled and took the smallest bamboo pole to tie up the fishing line, then cast the fishing hook nearby and handed the fishing rod to Li Ning.
Without a doubt, Li Shu wanted what her younger brother had.
After hearing his father's introduction and calling him Uncle Liu, Xiao Liu immediately made another one for Li Shu, which finally calmed the siblings down.
The silence lasted only a short while. Just as Li Xuewu was chatting with Xiao Liu about their comrades who had been demobilized and later worked in shipping, Li Ning couldn't help but ask him, "Dad, why aren't the little fish taking the bait?"
"Don't talk, fishing requires silence."
Li Shu stared at the position of the fishing float, shushed her younger brother, and reminded him, "You need to be patient."
"I'm not counting those who left early; there are others who changed jobs after two years."
Xiao Liu squatted down next to Li Xuewu, keeping a close eye on the two children, afraid that they might impulsively go near the water.
Li Xuewu squatted behind the two children; he was always so patient with them.
Where did they all go after their job transfers?
Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "There aren't many like you, are there?"
"Yes, some are going south. They're recruiting in Yuezhou Port."
Xiao Liu explained, "Some went to Yingcheng, and some went to Tianjin. They went wherever our unit had business."
"I'm probably the most useless one."
He lowered his head and smiled, saying, "My family keeps urging me to settle down, and I'm getting a little anxious too."
"How old are you this year?" Li Xuewu asked casually. "Are you twenty-seven yet?"
"I'm 27 this year. I was discharged from the army at 23. I served for six years."
Xiao Liu picked up a tree branch and scratched it on the ground, explaining, "I originally thought I could serve for a few more years, but I didn't expect to be caught up in the downsizing."
"That's normal. Didn't I change careers once too?"
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Life has no fixed direction. Maybe you'll want to change your way of living as you go along."
"Like now, you don't want to get on the ship anymore, you want to stay on shore and live a stable life, isn't that a change?"
He looked at Xiao Liu and said, "Actually, think about it, do you really want to continue being a soldier? Or is it that you've gotten used to that kind of life and don't know how to change your lifestyle?"
"Boss, please don't laugh at me if I tell you."
Xiao Liu explained embarrassedly, "Before leaving our village, I didn't even know how to take a train."
"All the skills I have now were learned in the army; you could say that it's my second home."
"I understand, what am I laughing at you for?"
Li Xuewu pointed to Li Ning, who was whispering to his sister, and said, "Before they came along, I didn't even know what it meant to settle down and start a family."
“You should have been a veteran by the time I joined the army.” He shook his head and said, “My dad sent me to work for my third uncle.”
“He said I’d get into trouble sooner or later at home because I’m always getting into trouble.”
"Me too, my dad always scolds me."
Xiao Liu laughed and chimed in, "But I wanted to join the army because I thought it would lead to a promising future. My dad got into a fight with the village chief to fight for this opportunity for me."
He said I would never be able to farm those few acres of land well in my life, and suggested I go out and take up arms instead, saying that if I was lucky, I could make a living.
"It seems your father has a good eye for people!"
Li Xuewu glanced at him with a smile and said, "You already have a promising future, and it's boundless."
"I'm so lucky to have met you."
Xiao Liu chuckled and said, "If it weren't for you giving me this future, I wouldn't know how to face my dad."
"Once you return with your wife and children, your father will stop scaring you."
Li Xuewu glanced at Gu Ning, who was sitting quietly in the sun, and then at the two children who couldn't help but chatter.
This is what it means to have a life where even a small success is better than everything else.
***
"Brother Wu, sister-in-law, welcome, welcome!"
Mai Qinglan stood at the door to greet them. When she saw the two fish Li Xuewu was carrying, she asked in surprise, "Did you catch these?"
"No way, I don't have that ability."
Li Xuewu explained with a laugh, "It was Xiao Liu from the dock who had someone use a net to catch them. I sacrificed two packs of cigarettes for these two fish."
"That's a good deal. Fish this big are hard to catch these days."
Mai Qinglan, laughing and joking, invited the family of four into the courtyard, and then introduced Gu Ning to the mother and father who came out carrying their child.
"Hello, grandpa and grandma." Gu Ning greeted the elderly couple, Mai Xiaotian and his wife, with a slight smile, which made them feel somewhat flattered.
The relationship between Li Xuewu and his son-in-law goes without saying; they naturally knew about Li Xuewu's background.
When they learned that a family of four had arrived, the elderly couple wanted to clean their house spotless so that the family wouldn't find it offensive.
Actually, they were overthinking it. Gu Ning was never that kind of person. She was aloof, but not the kind of person who kept people at arm's length and ignored everyone.
"Don't bother, we're all family."
Li Xuewu took Hu Niu from the old lady's arms and teased her with a smile, "How old are you now? Still want your grandma to hold you?"
"Even at six years old, she still needs to be carried by her maternal grandmother!"
Tiger Girl laughed and hid on his shoulder, knowing it was embarrassing to say such things.
"A six-year-old still wants his grandma to carry him?"
Li Xuewu feigned surprise and asked, "Can your grandma still carry you?"
"Grandma is so great that she can carry you."
Tiger Girl emphasized in a sweet voice, but her eyes were full of curiosity as she looked at Gu Ning.
She often saw Li Xuewu and knew he was the old man, but she hadn't seen the old woman much.
Even though he had seen her in the capital, he had forgotten her.
"Your name is Hu Niu?" Gu Ning reached out and touched her small hand, asking with a smile, "Aren't you called Li Qi?"
“My full name is Li Qi,” Tiger Girl said shyly, pulling her little hand away and nestling in the old man’s arms. “My nickname is Tiger Girl.”
"Really—" Gu Ning looked her up and down and asked, "How old are you?"
"Tell the old lady how old you are."
Hu Huilan patted her granddaughter on the back and reminded her, "You're going to school, right? Tell your grandma how old you can go to school."
"I'm three and a half years old, and I can go to school now."
Li Qi straightened up, rubbed her little hands together, looked at her mother and said, "I'm a big girl now."
"Yes, Li Qi is a big girl now."
Mai Qinglan smiled and tapped her daughter's little hand, saying, "Then come down and play with your older brother and sister, okay?"
She gestured to the two siblings standing in front of the sofa, looking them over, and said, "The older sister and brother are big kids too."
"Okay—" Tiger Girl had already seen the two children who came to the house, and now that her mother asked, she readily agreed.
Li Xuewu placed her in front of Li Shu and instructed her, "This is Uncle Biao's younger sister. You must take good care of her."
"Okay, Daddy," Li Shu replied earnestly, and tugged at Li Qi's little hand, saying, "Come on, we'll take you to play."
"Just stay under the window, don't go outside the gate."
Hu Huilan gave a slightly worried remark before turning to Li Xuewu and saying, "Please sit down first, I'll go to the kitchen."
"Do you need our help?" Li Xuewu asked with a smile as he walked to the kitchen doorway.
Mai Qinglan waved her hand readily and said, "It's alright, brother. You guys take a rest. Dinner will be ready soon. You don't need to help."
"Then we'll be waiting for our food to be served."
Li Xuewu was a guest, so naturally he didn't want to cook. Neither he nor Gu Ning could cook; they were just being polite.
Gu Ning sat on the sofa and looked around at the furnishings. She could tell that the family was cultured.
If an opera singer is uneducated, he won't be able to understand the lyrics.
Of course, opera singers don't pursue academic studies; they are merely a medium for the dissemination and continuation of culture or art.
Only when art and literature unearth the power and insights that resonate with the times can they be called culture, and can artists be called masters.
Clearly, Mai Xiaotian and Hu Huilan have not yet reached that level, and they may never have the chance to do so in their lifetime.
But this does not prevent them from being influenced by art, becoming knowledgeable and well-mannered, and having rich experience.
"Biaozi asked someone to bring this back before the New Year. Please try it."
Mai Xiaotian politely took out a can of tea and offered to brew it for him himself.
Li Xuewu smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Uncle, I can do it myself. Don't be shy. If you're being polite, then I should be the one being polite."
He pinched some tea leaves with his hands and put them into the teacup, then took a thermos from the coffee table and poured hot water into the teacup.
The rich aroma of warm tea wafted through the air, showing that Lao Biaozi hadn't fooled his father-in-law; his filial piety was commendable.
"I saw Qinglan at work last time and I was about to ask you about it. I thought you had gone back to Beijing."
“I did go back for a while,” Mai Xiaotian politely accepted the tea he was offered and explained, “but I came back after staying for half a month.”
"What? Can't you be without your granddaughter?"
Li Xuewu smiled and glanced out the window. Three children were squatting there, playing with small wooden spoons, picking at the yellow soil.
Mai Qinglan bought this courtyard later. The old couple didn't like living in the old building, and there were no front or back gardens to grow vegetables.
That's how Chinese people are. No matter how rebellious or carefree you were when you were young, you'll fall in love with opera and gardening when you get old.
This is an agrarian mindset ingrained in the Chinese psyche—not about how much food to eat, but about the vitality of a lush, verdant vegetable garden.
People listen to operas because life is like a play, fleeting like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall. By combining their own insights with these experiences, they can reflect on their own lives.
"I do miss it a bit; I can't live without it."
Mai Xiaotian laughed and nodded, saying, "When I was young, I often heard my master say that old people are just shameless."
"I didn't understand it before, but now I know what it means."
He gestured to his little granddaughter outside the window and said, "If I don't see her calling me 'Grandpa' when I wake up in the morning, I always feel like something's missing."
"They asked me to go back and help put together a play, but I'm always absent-minded. So I told them I'm too old and can't do it anymore, and they should find someone else, hahaha."
"The club's performance team is quite busy, putting on more than ten shows a month." Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said, "I heard about it during the Chinese New Year. They said there were a lot of people watching the plays."
"It's due to the good management of the team, and also because there are so many talented people here now."
Mai Xiaotian lamented, "The pulse of Peking Opera has been split into three streams: one has become the main performance, and the other has chosen to leave."
"The rest of these people have all gathered here with us."
He raised his hand, looking at Li Xuewu with some gratitude, and said, "Actually, they should thank you. If it weren't for you, sigh—"
"You're exaggerating, that's not true at all."
Li Xuewu smiled and said politely, "I didn't do anything. In fact, you know I'm an amateur and don't understand any of this."
"So many things have happened throughout history, and they can all be discussed and laughed about."
Mai Xiaotian felt somewhat relieved and slowly nodded, saying, "You are a person who does great things, and you plan small things."
"Hey, I can be stingy too."
Li Xuewu chatted with the old man with a smile, indicating that Gu Ning could walk around freely and not feel constrained.
Mai Qinglan came out of the kitchen with a plate of cold dishes on the table. Seeing Gu Ning get up, she asked, "Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing, I'm just going for a walk." Gu Ning raised her hand to tidy her hair behind her ear and explained, "I've been sitting here all afternoon, I'm going to check on the children in the yard."
"She had a great time," Mai Qinglan said with a smile as she peeked out the window. "My daughter is really happy today, having her older sister and brother to play with."
"Are you going to kindergarten?"
Li Xuewu turned to look at her and asked, "Didn't you say you sent it when I saw you last time?"
"Where? It's been sent; we can't wait any longer."
Mai Qinglan said helplessly, "He cried for more than an hour. The teacher had no choice but to call the office and ask me to pick him up."
“They’re still too young,” Li Xuewu said, looking at the three children outside the window. “Let’s get some older ones.”
"Three and a half years old, almost four years old."
Mai Qinglan sighed and said, "Everyone else's kids want to go to school, but our Tiger Girl doesn't want to play at school."
"Let's send it when it's a little bigger. Your dad and I don't have anything to do."
Hu Huilan brought the dishes from the kitchen and, listening to her daughter talk about her granddaughter's schooling, couldn't help but say something.
“Li Shu and Li Ning both started kindergarten at this age, isn’t it too early?” Mai Qinglan said, “Whose child doesn’t start kindergarten at three years old?”
That's really how it is these days. If parents work in factories, where else can a three-year-old go if not to kindergarten?
If even a one-month-old baby can get care, then kindergarten is even more so.
Honggang Group's investment in the steel city is simultaneous, with industry and living areas integrated. The number of workers is increasing, and the living area is also expanding.
Speaking of the living area, the group's logistics department even notified him to go and take possession of the apartment.
It was at the end of the year before last that the Riverside Garden project, along with the Unity Hotel which had been completed and in operation for more than half a year, was included in the International Hotel project.
The International Hotel was not even finished when these two projects were completed one after another.
The house that the logistics department asked Li Xuewu to take over was located east of Liangmahe Ecological Park, along the main road.
Unlike the workers' new village, this residential area only allows group cadres at the deputy director level or above to apply for residency; others are not permitted.
The group's leaders also live here, at the foot of a mountain, in thirteen small villas, which were prepared for them.
During the construction of the Liangmahe Eco-Industrial Zone, a lot of earth was piled up in the park area, just like in the steel city.
With the completion of the industrial zone, these excavated soils became useless.
Especially during the river channel renovation, the river was widened and deepened, and a lot of silt was removed, which created the mountain where the Riverside Garden residential area is now located.
The mountain has become the best vantage point for overlooking the Liangma River Ecological Zone, and a must-visit spot for citizens when they come to the industrial zone.
Honggang Group did not move the mountain, but instead made use of it by planting many saplings on it. After a few years, it has become a lush and green area.
In particular, the fruit trees planted on the mountain bloom in spring, and the petals flutter in the breeze, creating a spectacular sight.
Those who have the means will bring cameras and their families to capture the moment, and looking down from the mountain, the residential area of the group's leaders is located in the small valley.
Li Xuewu did not go back to choose a room, but let the logistics department assign one randomly. He didn't even get the key.
Qin Jingru had been waiting for this day for a long time. The house inspection was like her starting a new job, becoming the head housekeeper of this new house.
Li Xuewu had no intention of moving in, so she let her find someone to clean and renovate, with Shen Guodong paying for everything.
In fact, the group's logistics department had already commissioned United Construction to provide the leaders with several decoration plans, but Qin Jingru didn't like any of them.
Having worked alongside Li Xuewu for several years, she naturally knew what kind of personalities he and Gu Ning had, and that they would never like those fancy things.
Therefore, after consulting with Li Xuewu, Qin Jingru asked the veterans of Dongfeng Sany Architectural Design Institute to help her come up with a plan.
She cared a lot about this job, but she was a little too enthusiastic, which prompted Han Jiankun to remind her not to overdo it.
She didn't take it to heart, and didn't think that serving Li Xuewu's family was anything special; that's just her personality—she likes to take charge of things.
When Gu Ning was at home, she frequently visited her home to ask for Gu Ning's opinion.
When Gu Ning got annoyed by his questions, he simply told her to make all the decisions.
In fact, Qin Jingru's personality is quite similar to Mai Qinglan's; they both have a straightforward and decisive spirit, which Li Xuewu greatly admires.
Of course, he doesn't like women with strong personalities like that; they wouldn't be suitable as wives or girlfriends.
Appreciation is appreciation, it's not about dating. Naturally, women should be more assertive than men.
"I was planning to prepare four dishes today," Mai Qinglan said with a smile as she brought in the last dish. "But since we have your two fish, we'll have six dishes today."
"Wouldn't you like some of this food?" Li Xuewu asked Mai Xiaotian with a smile, "Shall I have a drink with you?"
"Just a little bit, please."
Mai Xiaotian gradually developed a drinking habit after he stopped performing on stage. He had always enjoyed drinking, but he couldn't eat spicy food in order to protect his voice from singing.
I no longer have the physical strength or drive for it; now I'm living for myself.
“My dad can’t drink as much as you, brother, so please take it easy.”
Mai Qinglan joked, "My dad doesn't act crazy when he's drunk, but he likes to sing a few lines. Don't scare the kids."
"Hahaha--"
Li Xuewu knew she was joking. He would never force someone to drink in this situation. He just noticed the old man was a little tempted by the wine but was too embarrassed to say so, so he brought it up himself.
If you really make him drink, he won't drink even if there are eight dishes at home.
"It's okay, drink if you can, sing if you can."
Li Xuewu poured the old man a glass and said, "Let's have some fun with today's dishes."
He gestured to the three children sitting on the kang table and said, "We adults see them often, but we children see them less often."
“Absolutely!” Mai Xiaotian, with a slight Hebei accent, sat down next to him and looked at the children with a smile, saying, “We’ve finally gotten together today.”
"Biaozi and I are like brothers."
Li Xuewu raised his glass to Mai Xiaotian and said, "I hope the next generation can also be as close as brothers and sisters."
"That's great, let's drink slowly."
Seeing that he was being respectful, Mai Xiaotian politely pressed down on his wrist, still mindful of his manners.
He had also heard from his daughter that this young man was now in a high position, someone he could hardly look up to.
Some people think that even reaching Li Xuewu's level is nothing special; you can easily find a lot of them in the capital.
That statement is both right and wrong, depending on how you look at it.
If you're talking about sheer numbers, then his level really isn't anything special. The mainland is vast, full of hidden talents.
But if you look at it from a personal perspective, and put yourself in that situation, who would dare say that they could reach that level even if they spent their entire life doing so?
A career in government isn't just about ability and tactics; luck also plays a part. Even if you're incredibly insightful, can you guarantee you'll have the luck of a lucky koi fish?
Amidst the clinking of glasses, Mai Xiaotian, having had a little to drink, gradually relaxed and began reminiscing with Li Xuewu about old times.
They are the ones who know the most about the history of Beijing.
It's not that their understanding or what they say is necessarily true or absolute history; it's not like that.
A person's life belongs to an era, and everyone is a witness to the progress of that era, and everyone has a unique perspective and definition of that era.
Whether it's firsthand observation or hearsay, it all combines with his understanding of this era to form his current perspective on past experiences.
Mai Xiaotian has an excellent memory and can accurately describe all sorts of things from back then, including various interesting stories about celebrities, speaking with great detail and clarity.
Li Xuewu jokingly said to him, "Since you're idle anyway, why don't you write these rumors into a book and leave them for future generations to enjoy?"
"I'd rather not write a book; I don't dare."
Mai Xiaotian was not drunk after all. He waved his hand and sighed, "First, I don't have the ability, and second, I don't have the qualifications."
"Even though I've been liberated, I still have self-awareness."
He nodded and said, "We were just lucky to have lived through this era; how could we be qualified to record it?"
"I dare not use these rumors to pollute such writing."
"You're being too modest."
Li Xuewu smiled and was about to pour him another drink, but he politely stopped him.
"I'm done, one glass is just right."
Mai Xiaotian gestured to Mai Qinglan, who was looking in their direction, and explained softly, "I took care of her when she was young, and now that I'm old, she takes care of me."
"That's how people are. When they're young, they complain about their bad luck because they don't have parents to take care of them. When they grow up, they complain about not having a wife to take care of them because they're not disciplined. When they're old, they complain about not having children to take care of them because they have no descendants."
He sighed and raised his chin, but his face was filled with a feeling called happiness.
Even kings and generals eventually turn to dust. No one has ever lived forever. So what's the difference between living and living well?