Siheyuan diet for men and women

Chapter 1596 Showdown
"You should sign this too."

After watching Hong Min sign the document, the cadre surnamed Zhao called Li Xuewu over and pointed to the family member section.

Hong Min had no objections, stepped aside, and placed the pen on the table.

"If you feel it's necessary."

Li Xuewu didn't touch the pen. Instead, after glancing at the other person, he took the pen out of his pocket and signed his name in the relatives' section.

He didn't write those three words as easily as he appeared. Signing meant agreeing to cremation and never seeing his third uncle again.

Li Xuewu put away his pen, glanced back at his third uncle, and noticed that the farewell hall was unusually lively today.

It should be described as lively; everyone who was supposed to come came, and even those who weren't supposed to came.

Li Xuewu believed that his third uncle would not be angry, because he was a kind and gentle person.

"If you have any other requests."

After the cadre surnamed Zhao confirmed the signature, he looked at him and sighed, "Just bring it up."

"Well, there's something I need your help with." Li Xuewu took out a cigarette from his pocket, offered one to the other man, and slowly nodded, saying, "I want to send my third uncle back to his roots."

"Back to the capital?" The other person paused, then looked at Hong Min and asked, "Have you two made a decision?"

Hong Min raised her head, her eyes bloodshot, her lips tightly pressed together, and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Aren't you even leaving me a memory?"

"Please don't say such things. You no longer need my third uncle's support or comfort, do you?"

Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said calmly, "We were husband and wife, let's let each other go."

"How he treated you, and how you treated him, are no longer important to mention."

He bluntly told the cadre surnamed Zhao, "I thank you on behalf of my uncle when he was alive, but I cannot forgive you on behalf of my uncle after he died."

"That's settled then, let's go today."

The last sentence was spoken to the cadre surnamed Zhao, and the words were very certain and left no room for doubt.

The farewell hall was crowded at the moment. News of last night's events had spread, and everyone's eyes were seemingly fixed on this side. Some young people had been brought over, in case Li Xuewu suddenly caused trouble, which would make things awkward for everyone.

So many people overheard their conversation. Considering Li Tong's sacrifice, the family members immediately raised questions and demanded an autopsy. They even managed to get the investigation department involved overnight. Many people were pulled out of bed to cooperate with the statement taking. How could they possibly keep it a secret?

There are no secrets in this world; pointing fingers is the least of it, and Pan Jinlian has already cried out.

The official surnamed Zhao said nothing more, nodded slowly, and left to arrange the cremation.

Actually, this task should have been completed yesterday afternoon, but it was delayed by Li Xuewu's questioning.

This morning, Li Xuewu received a positive reply from Ji Weidong, and only then did he sign the cremation papers.

During this time, the second uncle and Li Xueli unexpectedly remained silent and did not say a word about the matter.

Perhaps the father and son had talked about it, perhaps it was some kind of tacit understanding, or perhaps it was a final respect for the deceased.

The moment Uncle San was pushed into the crematorium, everyone standing in front of the furnace door lowered their heads.

Hong Min collapsed to the ground in tears. Along with Li Xuehan, no one questioned whether their kneeling farewell had touched a particularly sensitive nerve in this era.

The leaders from my third uncle's workplace came and shook hands with them to express their condolences, but they did not wait for the cremation to be completed before shaking hands with them again to say goodbye. They came and went in a hurry.

Li Xuewu never takes honor lightly, but at this moment, he has a new understanding of the relationship between life and honor.

"Second Brother." Li Xuehan, after resting on a bench for a while with Li Xueli's help, walked over and asked blankly, "Does my father have to go back to the ancestral graves?"

“Yes.” Li Xuewu looked at his younger brother and couldn’t help but sigh. He gently patted his arm and said, “I discussed it with my second uncle on the way here.”

"That……"

"Listen to me." Li Xuewu interrupted his younger brother's question, and slowly nodded to explain, "Your future lies in the army. Train hard and be a good soldier."

"Remember what your father told you."

Looking at his still-childish face, Li Xuewu couldn't help but reach out and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Don't resent anyone, man. Don't look back, look forward, and you'll go further in life."

"But...why?"

Li Xuehan frowned slightly and asked, "Uncle Zhao and the others have already prepared a martyrs' cemetery for my father..."

“Letter of instruction.” Li Xuewu’s face became more serious. He gripped his shoulders with both hands and looked at him, emphasizing, “Even if it’s just a second before you walk into the funeral home.”

Looking into his younger brother's eyes, he slowly nodded and said, "Third Uncle needs to go home. He needs someone to remember him."

“I remember,” Li Xuehan still didn’t understand.

"Yes, you are his son, of course he remembers."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "But he deserves to be remembered by more family members."

There's something I need to tell you.

He gently squeezed his hand and reminded his younger brother, "Your eldest uncle knows about Third Uncle's matter, but your grandmother doesn't. We plan to keep it from her."

“I understand what you mean.” Li Xuehan lowered his head and said, “My grandma is in poor health, my dad said so.”

"Yes, I hope you can understand." Li Xuewu put his arm around his shoulder again and comforted him softly, "A hundred years from now, your grandma will also want to see your dad."

"Oh—" Li Xuehan responded, and after a long silence, asked, "You guys..."

He looked up at his second brother and asked, "Second Uncle and you guys, why did you do that to my mother...?"

Even though he was numb from the moment they arrived, Li Xuehan noticed that something was wrong between them.

Li Xuewu didn't know how to explain either, and couldn't help but sigh again, saying, "Xuehan, just like your second brother told you, people have to look forward in the end. Your mother is still young..."

"No!" Li Xuehan looked at him suspiciously, frowning as she asked, "Second Brother, what are you talking about!"

He reacted strongly, tears streaming down his face. Looking towards the crematorium, he said in a hoarse voice, "My dad just passed away, how can you say that about my mom?"

"Well, just consider it your second brother's fault."

Li Xuewu pursed his lips, nodded slightly, patted his shoulder, and then turned and walked towards the office.

Li Gan overheard their conversation, thought for a moment, and followed them, intercepting Li Xuewu at the door.

"Shouldn't you tell Xuehan about this?"

"Second Uncle," Li Xuewu looked up at his second uncle and said, "I asked around, and Third Uncle did indeed die in the line of duty. It had nothing to do with Third Aunt."

"But--"

"And I've also checked on that man."

Li Xuewu knew what his second uncle wanted to say, so he reached out and patted his arm, saying, "I do have a relationship with my third uncle; they were comrades-in-arms from the same class."

"What kind of nonsense is this?" Uncle Er sighed helplessly and squatted down on the steps.

"Your third uncle suffered his whole life."

"Your life is already unclear, why would you care about what happens after you die?"

Li Xuewu walked down the steps and looked at his second uncle, saying, "You know, I can't do anything to her. She has the right to make any decisions after Third Uncle leaves."

"The only thing we can do is take Uncle San home and not leave him here to suffer."

"I understand." Uncle sighed deeply, but his expression was one of helplessness.

"If you don't tell Xuehan, he will resent you."

He did it all for Li Xuewu's good, but after all his efforts, he didn't get anything in return. Was it worth it?

Li Xuewu never thought about whether it was worth it. He only needed an answer, an answer for himself, and also an answer for his future grandmother and father.

Take Uncle San back to his hometown. Uncle San is still Uncle San. He is the old lady's son, the younger brother of Father and Second Uncle. He is not a lonely ghost far away from home.

"It's better for him to resent me than for him to hate his mother."

Li Xuewu also sighed and looked at the hazy sky, saying, "He's still young, he'll understand later."

"I hope so—" Uncle stood up with some difficulty, feeling the sudden drizzle from the sky, and shook his head slightly, saying, "It's all fate—"

Li Xuewu knew the pessimism and emotion in his words; the old lady had never approved of the relationship between Third Uncle and Third Aunt.

It's very simple. My third aunt was a member of the performing arts troupe and a singer, which was not considered proper in the old lady's mind.

Auntie San, who grew up in the city, always had an indelible petit-bourgeois sentimentality, and she was inexplicably arrogant even when facing Uncle San. Li Xuewu felt this most deeply.

But to be honest, Li Xuewu had lived here for a while. His third uncle and his wife were quite harmonious, and his third aunt treated him well and never looked down on him.

That's all he could do for his third uncle; the rest is up to fate, so let fate decide.

Uncle's photos are easy to find. Aunt loves taking pictures, so there are many black and white photos in the house.

The cadre surnamed Zhao brought an urn with a photo pasted on it; the style was simple, just like his third uncle's.

With the help of the other party, Li Xuewu and his second uncle worked together to collect the ashes.

Third Aunt Hong Min and Li Xuehan cried again. Finally, with Li Xueli's help, Li Xuehan carried his father's ashes and enlarged portrait, and they got into the car together.

There were two cars; one he drove, and the other was sent by his third uncle's work unit.

Because Li Xuewu requested to take his third uncle's ashes back to his hometown, the unit skipped the step of burial at the cemetery. A cadre surnamed Zhao explained the omitted procedure to him.

This involves some issues of preferential treatment and pensions, and he was afraid there would be further complications, so he wanted to clarify things.

"These benefits are all handled by my younger brother."

After settling everyone in, he stood under the car and, in front of his aunt and Li Xuehan, said to them, "Thank you for your hard work these past few days. On behalf of the family, I thank you."

To the other party's surprise, Li Xuewu gave him a very standard salute.

Regarding the salute, the other party felt that Li Xuewu was no longer qualified, because he only knew that Li Xuewu worked in a company and was a senior executive, so there was no need for such formalities.

However, he did not raise any questions, not only because of the situation on the ground, but also because of Li Xuewu's complicated relationships.

Even he himself is now unable to ascertain the true identity of Li Tong's nephew.

Not only is he incredibly powerful, but he can also make Hong Min obediently follow his orders with just a few words.

This is not the eldest son of the family, nor is he Li Tong's elder brother; even his second uncle has to listen to him.

He was just the person in charge of handling the compensation work, and at this moment, what else could he say besides comforting and being polite? He could only arrange a time with Hong Min to discuss the compensation.

Watching the two cars drive away, the cadre surnamed Zhao shook his head and sighed, unsure of what to say.

"Old Zhao, are they all gone?"

The older woman who came to work with me in the office came over and asked a question, her gaze also fixed on the doorway.

"Sister Yang, you should go back too."

The cadre surnamed Zhao nodded, lit a cigarette for himself, and said, "This matter is finally settled."

"That's it?" The woman called Sister Yang curled her lip and gestured towards the door, saying, "Just you wait and see, things will escalate sooner or later."

"..." The cadre surnamed Zhao's hand, which was lighting a cigarette, froze. He then took a deep drag, shook the match in his hand, and said, "Then it's none of my business."

"Old Zhao, do you know who Li Tong's nephew is?"

Sister Yang, however, was inquisitive. Standing beside him, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Such a powerful background?"

"Hey, I'm confused too." Old Zhao shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Li Tong did tell me that he was a manager at a company in Beijing, but I didn't expect it to be like this."

"Corporate management? Pshaw—"

Sister Yang chuckled and said, "I had no idea that corporate management could be so capable."

"Weren't you questioned too? How could you not know who the other person was?"

She said with a smirk, "As soon as they arrived, they sidelined Hong Min, and whatever they said went."

"What exactly happened?" Old Zhao was also confused, and asked with a frown, "Why did they turn against each other?"

"How could they not turn on each other?" Sister Yang raised her eyebrows playfully and said, "The three of them saw Hong Min and that guy hugging each other as soon as they entered the hall, and they were cursing each other."

"What?!" Old Zhao's eyes widened, and he frowned as he asked, "Really? With whom?"

"What do you think?" Sister Yang sneered and said, "Don't be fooled by her usual reserved demeanor; she's nothing but a reincarnation of Pan Jinlian, and she's incredibly promiscuous."

"Is this true?" Old Zhao was still somewhat skeptical and asked, "Who told you this?"

"Don't worry about who told me. Just wait and see. You'll find out who she hugged then."

Sister Yang snorted, "This is going to be interesting. Who knows how far it will escalate?"

"Old Zhao, don't blame me for not reminding you."

Her expression became more serious as she said, "Make sure you explain things clearly to Li Tong's nephew, don't be vague about it."

"I've figured it out. This kid's murderous intent is no less than Wu Er's. He'll get into trouble sooner or later."

"How could that be—" Old Zhao waved his hand and said, "Don't talk nonsense."

"I'm talking nonsense?" Sister Yang sneered, "You were there this morning, weren't you? Didn't you understand the ambiguous things he said?"

The cadre surnamed Zhao certainly understood, but he didn't think about it too deeply.

Hearing Sister Yang bring it up now, she couldn't help but frown and said, "No, is there?"

"There's a kind of knife in this world that kills without drawing blood," Sister Yang nodded and sighed. "Everyone talks about gender equality, but everyone is desperately trying to have a son."

She looked into the distance and said helplessly, "This boy is more useful than the girl, especially at times like this."
-
"We won't take the portrait."

Li Xuewu gathered some photos of his third uncle and looked at his third aunt and Li Xuehan, saying, "Just the urn."

"Second Brother." Li Xuehan stood up, looked at him with a frown, and said, "It should stop for at least three days."

He glanced at his mother and said, "I will send my father to the capital in three days."

“An extra seven days for the round trip, is that enough for your vacation?” Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, “Don’t bother, your third uncle won’t care about these things.”

"He misses you and will come back to see you."

“But—” Li Xuehan wanted to say more, but saw his mother get up, and the words stuck in his throat.

"Second Brother, please eat before you leave." Hong Min walked towards the kitchen and said, "I'll cook for you."

"Never mind, we're in a hurry." Li Gan glanced at Li Xuewu and said indifferently, "Let's head back now."

Li Xueli picked up his third uncle's ashes, which were wrapped in thick cloth and were heavy, requiring a lot of effort.

"Take care of yourself, take good care of yourself..."

Li Gan wanted to say one more thing before leaving, but all that remained was a sigh, omitting the last word.

Li Xuehan stood there blankly, his face full of panic. He still couldn't figure out what went wrong.

Why do the two uncles and the other two brothers all have this expression? They don't even want to stay at home for another minute.

His mother's unusual behavior made him hesitate to speak, and he didn't even come out to see his second uncle and the others off when they left.

Downstairs, Li Xuewu carefully placed the ashes, glanced back at Li Xuehan standing by the car, and said, "If you can get leave, take the train to Beijing by yourself."

"Your father won't be buried anytime soon."

He reached out and patted his younger brother's arm, saying, "I'll let you know the specific time once it's available."

"Second Brother..." Li Xuehan grabbed his arm, tears streaming down her face, and asked, "Are you and Second Uncle angry with my mother?"

Do you remember what I told you?

Li Xuewu looked at him and reminded him, "Don't think about what I've done, look forward, and live a good life."

"It was my mom who did it, right?"

Li Xuehan stood there with tears streaming down her face, pursing her lips as she asked, "What...did she do wrong?"

He tried hard to control his emotions and not think about the changes he had experienced from yesterday until now, but he couldn't help it.

My mind is full of these questions now, but when I put my second brother's words together, I have the answer.

But he couldn't bear to ask that question; he never imagined his mother would do something so wrong to his father.

So he hesitated and asked the wrong question.

Li Xuewu didn't answer, but simply patted him on the shoulder, got into the car, and drove away.

In the rearview mirror, Li Xuehan stood there silently shedding tears, and the three people in the car were also silently shedding tears.

At this moment, the bond between blood relatives takes on a more complex meaning, and life itself is interpreted in a different way.

Just like my third uncle, who wandered around in his youth before settling down in Guangzhou, getting married and having children.

In the end, they were left with nothing.

Think carefully, observe slowly, and you'll realize you're halfway through middle age. Who has your life's toil been for?

Power is empty, fame is empty, in the blink of an eye, a mound of earth in the desolate countryside.

Fate is empty, karma is empty, past and future lives are nowhere to be found.

Wife gone, children gone, after all the splendor fades, on the road to the underworld, we will never meet again.

"Third Uncle, may your soul return to your hometown—"
-
This trip was too rushed, and Li Xuewu dared not delay his work, nor did his second uncle.

Upon landing in Beijing, a car was already waiting to pick me up.

Shen Guodong brought four cars, which was considered to give his third uncle a proper final resting place, as his ashes needed to be stored.

He traveled thousands of miles, even risking a falling out with his third aunt, just to bring his third uncle back, but chose to store his ashes in a safe place.

No, Uncle San's passing is ultimately a special case. Whether you believe it or not, you still have to choose a date.

It wasn't that he cared much about the fortunes of his descendants, but rather that he hoped his third uncle could have a better future.

It's all nonsense. Once someone is gone, what's the point of talking about whether their passing was good or bad?

But there was still an elder above him, and his father was still alive, so Li Xuewu couldn't act arbitrarily.

If it were really up to his nature, even if his third uncle couldn't be buried immediately, it wouldn't matter if his ashes were kept at home.

There's an old saying that it can't be stored in the courtyard house because the old lady is still alive. What good would it do to store it in her house?

But things couldn't be done that way. In Guangzhou, he could represent the Li family, and in Beijing, he still had his father.

The father, Li Shuncai, was the head of the family.

Of the family, only the old lady and the children were absent; the remaining eldest son and daughters had all come.

Gu Ning pursed her lips tightly and followed her sister-in-law with a slight bow until they carried her third uncle's urn into the car, at which point she followed them into the car again.

Li Xuewu didn't get a chance to speak with her, as he was rushing to the funeral home, and there was no time for pleasantries between them.

Li Shun was the most grief-stricken. Sitting in the car, holding the urn in his arms, he gently stroked the photo, tears streaming down his face.

Li Xuewu and his second uncle sat in the car, while Shen Guodong drove, and the four cars headed towards the funeral home.

On the way, he took the initiative to tell his father about the situation he encountered in Guangzhou and how he handled it, without bias or emotion, because he was afraid that his father might misunderstand something.

Even after the convoy arrived at the funeral home, the father didn't say much, perhaps because he accepted what his father had said.

But he didn't utter a single word of blame towards his third aunt, Hong Min. Perhaps at that moment he couldn't think of any words of blame, and he couldn't bring himself to speak harshly or complain in front of his own brother.

The person is gone, so what's the point of saying anything?

It hurts the hearts of the living and dishonors the souls of the deceased.

Li Xueli volunteered to help, supporting the urn as they headed to the funeral home to say goodbye.

Li Xue sobbed softly, holding her mother's hand. Although she hadn't had much contact with her third uncle, she had still felt his kindness and warmth during her trip to Guangzhou.

During the brief rest period in the farewell hall, the family's mourning around the urn brought a touch of warmth to Uncle's passing, preventing it from becoming a somber atmosphere.

Shen Guodong and his men completed the storage procedures and then came over to remind Li Xuewu that he could send the ashes over.

"Dad, mom."

Li Xuewu gently helped them back a little before joining his brothers to escort their third uncle inside.

The eldest brother studied literature, the third brother studied talent, and the youngest brother studied strength. Together with him, there were four brothers and four nephews.

I wonder if my third uncle can see this scene. If he can, perhaps his gaze and smile will still be as warm as ever.

"His second uncle, that kid Xuehan..."

Liu Yin couldn't stop her tears and choked up as she inquired about Li Xuehan's situation.

Li Gan nodded, explained Li Xuewu's arrangements, and then softly comforted him, "Sister-in-law, don't cry anymore. Third Brother's life...sigh—"

"How old is he anyway?!"

Liu Yin covered the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, but the tears just wouldn't stop flowing.

The farewell hall was filled with sorrowful cries, but the funeral arrangements could only go so far; the burial would be arranged on a later date.

The Li family has ancestral graves, and because their descendants have never been separated, the burial grounds have not been reclaimed or leveled.

Since he died in the line of duty, it was not considered a violent death, and my third uncle is entitled to be buried in the ancestral grave; there is no doubt about that.

Li Xuewu has done all he can; the rest is up to his father.

After leaving the funeral home, the group went to the sea freight warehouse as agreed, where some things still needed to be clarified.

Er Ya had prepared lunch long ago, but everyone had little appetite and barely ate anything.

"We still need to keep this from the old lady."

After a long sigh, Li Shun said, "If you two want to see the old lady, just use the excuse of a business trip."

"Yes, we're here now." Li Gan nodded and said, "Xue Li and I will stay overnight tonight and take the train back tomorrow morning. Our unit can't leave anyone behind."

"Sigh—" Liu Yin also sighed and said, "It's all over the country."

Everyone knows what she's talking about, but that's life; who hasn't experienced the pain of parting from loved ones?

"Is Xuewu leaving tomorrow too?"

Zhao Yafang looked at him and said, "I heard that Wen San's wife gave birth. Should we bring something over?"

"Take it with you, everything is ready."

Liu Yin knew that she was deliberately changing the subject, so she went along with her and started talking about the family's arrangements.

After discussing the gifts he brought for Wen San'er, he inquired about Li Xueli's wedding.

Li Xueli, being filial, hesitated and asked, "My third uncle... should I postpone my wedding?"

"It's an old story, let's just forget about it."

Li Gan didn't speak; it was Li Shun who said it, looking at the father and son, "It's enough that you have the intention."

“Exactly,” Liu Yin chimed in, “It’s been a few months, there’s no need to be so particular about it.”

"I never expected this."

Second Uncle Li Gan sighed, "When I went to Steel City, I was discussing with Xue Wu how to handle things in October."

“He said he would bring the old lady over to stay for a while. I was thinking of asking my third son if he could come back.”

After saying this last sentence, he covered his eyes and sobbed uncontrollably, "Who would have thought...who would have thought..."

"Alright, Second Uncle." Li Xuewu reached out and gently patted his knee, comforting him, "Don't think about it anymore."

“My second brother paid for the gifts he bought for them,” Li Xueli said at this moment. “Including cigarettes and alcohol, how about I share the cost with you?”

He looked at his second brother and said, "After all, we're going together, so this is my way of showing filial piety."

"Don't make things worse—"

Li Xuewu glared at him and said, "What are you talking about? Go and talk to your dad properly."

"What kind of gift?" Liu Yin asked. "Why do we need to give a gift?"

“Those people were invited by my second brother,” Li Xueli explained. “And those who did things for my third uncle, my second brother gave them all gifts.”

"This—" Liu Yin said in surprise, "Is this how it's arranged?"

"You don't need to worry about it." Li Xuewu didn't want to explain too much to them, especially about his third aunt.

He looked at Li Xueli and said, "This matter ends here. Don't say anything more about it."

He had invited Ji Weidong's men, and since it was a favor from Ji Weidong, he couldn't possibly owe him one.

So even though everyone, including the cadre surnamed Zhao, received a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of wine, he didn't lose out.

He wasn't showing off his wealth or trying to impress people; he was just unfamiliar with the area and wanted to get things done as quickly as possible.

As for spending money, in his opinion, if money can save time, then spending money is more appropriate.
-
"Secretary-General, you're back."

At the group headquarters, everyone who saw Li Xuewu greeted him warmly, their smiles radiating sunshine.

Li Xuewu nodded slightly in response.

Zhang Enyuan wasn't there; he was alone. When he returned to the office, Wang Lu was already waiting for him.

"Aren't you busy with work?"

"It's nothing, what can the union possibly do for us?"

Wang Lu brewed him some hot tea, brought it over, and said, "Many people are surprised by your sudden return."

"What's so surprising?" Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, looked at her, and said, "And I should also say, if you have a clear conscience, aren't you afraid of ghosts knocking at your door?"

"Hehe—" Wang Lu chuckled mischievously and said, "How do you know they haven't done anything wrong?"

“Heh—” Li Xuewu took a sip of hot tea, put down the teacup, pointed at her, and said, “You’re a Ghost Daoist.”

“I promise!” Wang Lu raised her hand and said, “I won’t tell you anything.”

"Furthermore, I will not speak ill of anyone in front of you, as that would damage my character."

She pretended to straighten her back, but couldn't hold it in for more than a few words and started laughing at herself.

"I came here because of my maternal uncle."

"What happened to your uncle?" Li Xuewu asked, looking at the briefing on the table. "Did he send you?"

"Him? He's an old fogey—"

Wang Lu stood with her hands behind her back to one side of his desk, raised an eyebrow on tiptoe, and said, "I'm just afraid that Director Li will make things difficult for him, he's already gone like that—"

As she said this, she even imitated her uncle's manner of slamming his fist on the table and challenging Director Li in his office, and she did it quite well.

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu was also amused by her and nodded, saying, "Your uncle is pretty fierce."

"Please don't make fun of him," Wang Lu said with a helpless bitter smile. "He's just not suited to be a leader."

"Soft-hearted, clumsy with words, and stubborn."

She started listing her uncle's faults on her fingers, saying, "If you want to find fault, I could find a whole basketful."

"Does your uncle have so many shortcomings?"

Li Xuewu was teasing her, asking while looking at the briefing, "So how did he become a leader?"

“Who knows?” Wang Lu rolled her eyes and said, “He himself is even more helpless.”

She said with some emotion, "If he knew he wasn't suited to be a leader, that would be one thing, but he didn't have the ability and just kept pushing forward. Don't you think he's stupid?"

"Oh—I understand now—"

Li Xuewu put down the briefing in his hand, leaned back in his chair, looked at her and said, "You're not here to criticize your uncle, you're here to stand up for him."

"No way—" Wang Lu smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm here to flatter you."

"For your uncle?" Li Xuewu looked at her amusedly and said, "Do you think your uncle is really stupid, so stupid that he can't do anything right?"

"No, that's not it." Wang Lu pouted and said, "He's just okay technically, nothing else."

She shook her head as if she couldn't bear to speak ill of her uncle.

“You really should get to know your uncle better; he’s not as stupid as you make him out to be.”

Li Xuewu stood up and said, "To reach the level of middle management, there are fools, but there are no stupid ones."

"The fools just keep charging forward, and some of them will eventually stand out. But the stupid ones don't even know which way to charge, how can they possibly stand out?"

He pointed at Wang Lu and said, "Stop with your little schemes. Your uncle isn't at the point where you need to protect him yet."

"Then..." Wang Lu asked hesitantly, "You won't take your anger out on him, will you?"

"Hmm—" Li Xuewu pretended to think about it seriously for a moment before looking at her and saying, "Not necessarily."

"Huh?" Wang Lu asked in surprise, "Are we still going to deal with him?"

"What? No way?" Li Xuewu joked, "How about I recommend him to the guild so he can be your assistant?"

"Stop teasing me—" Wang Lu was startled by him and said reproachfully, "You scared me to death."

"Hehe." Li Xuewu chuckled as he tidied up the documents on his large desk, picked them up, and walked out. "If you're free, contact Zhang Enyuan and ask him if there's anything going on in Gangcheng these days."

"So you won't blame me for meddling, will you?"

Before he left, Wang Lu asked him a question, but Li Xuewu had already gone out.

This kind of scheming girl is quite interesting, though there aren't many of her; her scheming is written all over her face.

Trying to pull this stunt on him? Does he think he'll be fooled? What are you thinking?

"Secretary...Secretary General?"

When Li Xuewu arrived at Li Huaide's door, Chen Shuzhi was coming out. When she saw him, her eyes almost popped out of their sockets, as if she had seen a ghost.

"Why are you still at the company?" Li Xuewu frowned and looked at him, asking, "Have you finished dealing with things in Hong Kong? Or is it you...?"

"No, I'm handling it right now." Chen Shuzhi lost her usual composure and replied in a slightly distorted voice, "Please give me a little more time."

"It's alright." Li Xuewu glanced at him, knocked on the door and walked in, saying, "If you don't want to go, then don't go."

"..."

Chen Shuzhi's face turned pale instantly. These words sounded like, "If you don't go, you might as well not live."

"Oh, Secretary-General?" Li Huaide looked up when he heard the noise at the door, took off his glasses, and asked, "Didn't you say you were going to Guangzhou? You're back so soon?"

"I'm back now that I've finished dealing with it."

Li Xuewu placed the documents in his hand on his desk and sat down opposite him.

"Liu Bin, no need." He waved his hand, indicating that Liu Bin, who was about to make tea, didn't need to bother. "I'll just say a few words to Director Li and then leave."

Liu Bin glanced at Director Li before leaving.

"At your home..."

“My third uncle passed away.” Li Xuewu briefly explained his journey to the south.

Li Huaide listened with some emotion and said, "Sometimes, human life is too fragile."

“Who says otherwise?” Li Xuewu nodded, composed himself, picked up the documents and began to report, mainly about the work in Liaodong recently.

Li Huaide knew the purpose of his visit, but he did not interrupt him and listened patiently.

Only after Li Xuewu finished speaking did he slowly nod and say, "The situation this year is worse than last year. Fortunately, you were in Liaodong, otherwise—"

He sighed and said, "Sometimes things don't go as planned, and life is full of disappointments."

"To have everything go smoothly is the way of a god."

Li Xuewu nodded in agreement, saying, "Defying fate is the style of our organization, don't you agree?"

"Oh, hehehe—" Li Huaide glanced at him, chuckled, and didn't refute him.

He simply picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked, "What are your plans to do about Gangfei's matter?"

"I don't have much authority here, do I?"

Li Xuewu was still looking at him, and said calmly, "We've asked for instructions and reported as needed. Now we're just waiting to see what the other side or the higher-ups will do."

"You still insist on having that document?"

Li Huaide put down his teacup, crossed his arms over his lower abdomen, and asked with slightly narrowed eyes, "Unwilling to compromise?"

“This is a matter of principle.” Li Xuewu nodded and said, “There is never any room for compromise on matters of principle.”

“Alright—” Li Huaide looked at him for a while before letting out a sigh of relief and saying, “There’s not much I can do. Just like you said, report, ask for instructions, and then wait.”

“We all have to follow the rules, don’t we?” Li Xuewu retorted. Seeing that he didn’t respond, he continued, “I had Gangfei unlock the hangar door and told them to take whatever they wanted.”

But they won't take it—

He spread his hands and said bluntly, "Because they also know that this is not about the airplane."

"I know, I know." Li Huaide looked out the window, his pursed lips revealing a hint of helplessness.

"Let this mobilization order go back to where it came from, and come back in a new guise."

Li Xuewu said calmly, "Either take it yourself, the hangar isn't locked right now, you can take whatever you want."

"Did you think about the consequences of doing this?"

Li Huaide didn't continue the conversation, but instead talked about his future.

"Have you thought about the future? Your performance this time didn't exactly satisfy everyone."

“Impossible,” Li Xuewu said, shaking his head slightly. “No one can make a decision that satisfies everyone unless they sacrifice themselves.”

"On the contrary, I am not the kind of person who burns myself to light up others."

He shrugged and said with a touch of humor, "Please forgive my selfishness."

Li Huaide glanced at him sideways, shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying, "You don't need to tell me what to do. I didn't force you to do anything, and you know that."

"Of course." Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to see you today."

“I have a suggestion,” Li Huaide said, turning to look at him. “Why don’t you write something down, have the other party sign it, and that’ll solve the problem?”

“If we’re only talking about business today, then I absolutely support doing this, because I’ve wanted to do it for a long time.”

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "But do you know who will be in charge of the takeover?"

Li Huaide stopped talking and just looked at him.

"You should be able to understand my stubbornness."

Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "If anyone has a problem with me, they can simply rush over with a rifle and shoot me in the head. Why bother hiding and making such a fuss?"

“Nobody has a problem with you,” Li Huaide said calmly. “It’s you who has a problem with yourself.”

“I’m very lenient with myself,” Li Xuewu retorted, adding firmly, “I’d even be happy to see them charge at me with rifles so I can give them a shot.”

He patted the pistol on his waist, tilted his head, and said, "Isn't this much more exciting than hiding? Isn't this exactly the result he wanted?"

"I'll say it again: either you give the order, or I'll be transferred and replaced with someone who dares to give the order."

Li Xuewu stood up and walked out, not giving the other party any face, nor was it necessary to give face at this time.

“There’s no need to take it out on others, is there?” Li Huaide reminded him, “Deputy Secretary-General Chen.”

"No, he is no one else."

Li Xuewu stood at the doorway without turning around, and said indifferently, "I'm going back to Gangcheng this afternoon. Either you make the decision, or I will."

"If he still dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy me, I wouldn't mind killing this fat chicken to deter those stupid monkeys."