sbdcsierra Chapter 1525 She? Him? Him!
Chapter 1525 She? Him? Him!
Chapter 1525 She? Him? Him!
Boom, boom, boom——
"Pause."
Under Yu Zhe's control, the Volga M24 came to a steady stop on the side of the road, even though he didn't know what his superior meant by ordering him to stop.
"Secretary-General?"
Zhang Enyuan turned to look at his superior, only to see that the secretary-general had already opened the car door and gotten out.
As a secretary, he couldn't be left behind. He only had time to say a few words to Yu Zhe before jumping out of the car after his boss.
Boom, boom, boom——
A row of pile drivers stood not far away, their diesel fumes completely enveloping the sky above, and even the ground beneath their feet trembled.
"It's the latest construction machinery deployed by the United Construction Corporation, and it's been working for several days."
Seeing that the secretary-general was staring in the direction of the construction site, Zhang Enyuan followed his gaze and found that he was looking at the pile driver, so he gave a brief introduction.
Li Xuewu nodded slightly and asked, "How is the construction progress of the underground project?"
"Secretary-General, I'm a complete novice when it comes to engineering," Zhang Enyuan reported sheepishly. "Director Zhang has assigned Wang Min to keep an eye on it."
"However, I communicate with the project command center every day, and they tell me that the construction period can be guaranteed."
"Who told them about the guaranteed construction period?"
Li Xuewu glanced back at him and said, "The three-defense project is a race against time. Meeting the deadline is not the goal; the goal is to ensure quality and quantity."
He took off his wool coat and put on the leather jacket he had brought from the trunk of his luggage.
"Alright, don't come with me in that outfit. I'll go check out the scene myself."
"Hey! Secretary-General—"
Seeing the leader striding towards the construction site, Zhang Enyuan waved, glanced down at his cadre uniform, gritted his teeth, rushed back to the car, and said to Yu Zhe, "Take off your clothes!"
"Ah—" Yu Zhe was startled by his actions, and he grinned cautiously yet absurdly.
"What are you 'ah'ing about!" Zhang Enyuan glared at him and asked, "Didn't you see the leader leave?"
"I saw it, I saw it..."
Yu Zhe awkwardly crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Zhang Enyuan warily as he asked, "Secretary Zhang... isn't this... not a good idea?"
"Why are you taking so long!"
As Zhang Enyuan spoke, he began taking off his coat, urging, "Hurry up—"
"Let's say goodbye, Secretary Zhang."
Yu Zhe hurriedly got out of the car, waving his hands repeatedly in refusal, saying, "It's the dead of winter, so cold."
He looked around, then grinned and reminded Zhang Enyuan across the car, "Besides, this is the factory gate, it's too embarrassing with all the people coming and going, I can't come here!"
"Are you going to take your clothes off or not!" Zhang Enyuan threw his clothes into the passenger seat and glared at him, reminding him, "If you don't take them off soon, the Secretary-General will be back!"
"Secretary Zhang... Brother, I really can't do this. Please find someone else!"
Yu Zhe tried his best to keep a car's distance from him, and after dodging a few times, he was already feeling itchy.
To be honest, this was the first time he had ever met someone like this. He had only heard from the old ladies in the village that princes and nobles in the city used to have this kind of taste.
What's this profession called again?
Oh—Rabbit Lord—
Zhang Enyuan said the secretary-general was coming back soon, and he couldn't wait for the leader to return so he could see what kind of face Secretary Zhang had.
"You—" Just as Zhang Enyuan was about to come over and pull off his clothes, Yu Zhe pointed one finger to the sky and solemnly swore, "Secretary Zhang, I really only like women, not men!"
"Get the hell out of here—"
Zhang Enyuan was so angry that he couldn't even control his swearing. He tore off Yu Zhe's coat, which hadn't been washed for days, and draped it over himself before running after him to the scene.
"Oh my god—" As if he had escaped a catastrophe, Yu Zhe breathed a sigh of relief and almost sat down on the ground in relief. "Oh, it was just clothes! You scared me to death—"
He wiped the sweat that had appeared on his forehead, grinned, and muttered, "If I'm borrowing clothes, I'm just borrowing clothes. Would it kill me to explain it clearly?"
Zhang Enyuan was furious with him. When he stumbled and caught up with Li Xuewu, he saw that the leader was already talking to the project manager at the construction site.
“Construction is difficult in winter. The steel city has already seen seven snowfalls, and the roads are all icy.”
The person in charge lifted the snow layer under his feet and explained to Li Xuewu, "If we use excavation methods for construction, we are afraid that the soil will loosen after the snow melts next year, causing a landslide."
Li Xuewu followed his gaze and looked at his feet, and indeed there was no soil layer.
Where does the coldness lie these days?
You might see snow covering the entire landscape, just like in later generations.
But if you look at this road, even though it's the main road in the industrial area, you can't see any asphalt on the surface; it's all covered by snow and ice.
How was this road surface formed?
The first snow fell but wasn't swept away in time, and it melted after the sun came out.
But at night the temperature drops sharply to below minus ten degrees Celsius, and the snowmelt from the daytime freezes into ice.
The first snow may not have completely melted before the second snow falls.
And so, the snow melted into ice, and the ice melted into the newly fallen snow, layer upon layer.
In the end, the temperature got so low that the snow stopped melting. Cars or pedestrians walked by, compacting and melting the snow, which then froze into ice.
So now, the entire road surface is undulating and shiny white.
That's why everyone says the Northeast produces the best drivers. With roads like this, only Northeast drivers dare to drive big trucks. Drivers from inside the Great Wall don't dare to come out of the Great Wall, because they'll ruin every single one of them.
Why?
Because drivers in Northeast China know that on this kind of road, stepping on the brakes is tantamount to suicide.
How do you stop a car without stepping on the brakes?
It will stop when it hits another car, or you can release the accelerator and wait for the car to stop on its own.
If you don't believe me, just think about it yourself. When you drive in Northeast China, there are very few pedestrians blocking your way, because they know they can't brake in time and might actually run you over.
Unlike other places, he can block half your path with his bicycle, betting that you won't dare to bump into him.
Li Xuewu, wearing leather shoes, kicked the ice but couldn't budge it, only sending up a few ice shards.
"This rail-mounted diesel pile driver, imported from France, can penetrate 25 meters underground."
The project manager pointed to the rows of pile drivers and said, "If all goes well, the foundation pile installation can be completed in half a month."
"What's the next step?" Li Xuewu asked, looking at the bustling scene. "Connect the piles?"
"We will carry out cross-connection work between multiple piles to ensure the stability of the project."
The project manager used hand gestures to explain the construction process and technical specifications.
Li Xuewu listened for a while before walking over to the area where the piling work had been completed.
"Won't the concrete set in this kind of weather?" He looked up at the sky; even with the sun high in the sky, the cold wind blowing against his face felt as sharp as a knife.
You can tell just by feeling that at least minus twenty degrees Celsius, concrete will freeze into ice crystals as soon as it hits the ground.
"The underground temperature is guaranteed."
The project manager explained, "We will monitor all piles in real time, and we will carry out insulation treatment after construction is completed."
"Of course, the underground temperature will also spread up along with the pile, but it won't have much of an impact."
Li Xuewu nodded and looked at the small shacks on both sides of the road, which should be the insulation measures mentioned in the person in charge's introduction.
"How do you keep it warm? One stove per shack?"
He shook his head with a wry smile and said, "How many stoves would we need to keep up?"
"A brazier will do. The hardware factory made a batch urgently, which should be enough for now."
The person in charge, with his chapped lips, explained, "Sometimes we try to find humor in our hardship, like roasting sweet potatoes in a brazier."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu chuckled and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your hard work."
Looking at the various shacks scattered across the work area, he said, "If it weren't for the pressure from above, I really wouldn't have been able to leave—"
The project manager didn't know whether the leadership was unwilling to let them work hard or unwilling to spend money.
To be honest, each shack has a fire, and the coal cart has been running non-stop since construction began.
Coal is added every hour. The coal pile delivered a few days ago is visibly sinking, and the ice surface near the shack has melted, leaving a patch of icy water.
Above-ground construction can still use open flames and charcoal braziers, but underground construction is truly a nightmare.
It's not cold anymore, but it's damp, even though we've dug down to a depth of over ten meters.
In addition, with such a large opening at the entrance, you can still feel the cold at close range.
There was no other way but to drill holes to serve as furnace openings, and a dedicated person had to monitor the underground carbon dioxide concentration, in case the entire operation was wiped out.
Li Xuewu, wrapped in his leather jacket, followed the project manager for quite a distance, inspecting the construction site, the workers' living quarters, and even taking a ride in the work area's vehicle to tour the underground engineering work area, thus gaining a clear understanding of the situation.
When he returned to the ground, Yang Zongfang, the executive deputy director of the metallurgical plant, and Wang Zhijun, the chief engineer, were getting out of the car.
"Secretary-General, you're back."
Yang Zongfang greeted him with a wry smile, "If you want to see the scene, please let us know so that Lao Wang and I can accompany you."
"Why are you being so polite?"
Li Xuewu glanced at the two of them, pointed to the living area behind him, and said, "The food in the canteen is a bit poor. In the dead of winter, the food standards are not up to par, which is affecting the progress of the project."
“This—” Yang Zongfang and Wang Zhijun exchanged a glance, and Yang Zongfang whispered a reminder, “This is the construction site of the General Construction Company. We shouldn’t do that, right?”
"Well?" Li Xuewu waved his hand and led them to the car, saying, "If the engineering company is working right here in our neighborhood and we can't even eat properly, wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing?"
“If the engineering company can’t see something, you should take the initiative to communicate. You can’t just turn a blind eye to things just because they’re not within our jurisdiction, right?”
He also understood Yang Zongfang, so his words weren't harsh; he only blamed the other party for being inflexible.
"Contact the engineering company and tell them that the factory is coordinating the supply of pork and vegetables, and ask them to be in charge of the allocation of funds for the purchase of materials."
"Secretary-General, I'm afraid they won't appreciate our kindness—"
Chief Engineer Wang Zhijun explained with a wry smile, "We only come to the construction site to coordinate and communicate; they don't like us getting involved in project management and supervision."
"If they don't like it, does that mean we don't have to do it?"
Li Xuewu turned to the two men and said, "We can't control where you go, but you're working right here in front of our house. It's a national disaster prevention and mitigation project, something for our own future use. What's wrong with being a little more attentive?"
"Go, just say what I said."
He waved his hand and said, "If you have any questions, you can come to me. Also!"
After Zhang Enyuan opened the car door for him, he pointed at the two of them and emphasized, "You have to come over every week to check on the construction progress and quality issues."
“If you don’t understand it yourself, then find someone who does.” Li Xuewu held onto the car door, gave the two of them a deep look, and said, “This kind of thing can’t be taken lightly; if something goes wrong, it could cost someone their life.”
Yang Zongfang and Wang Zhijun felt a chill run down their spines. Only after watching the secretary-general get into the car and leave did they breathe a sigh of relief, exchange a glance, and both give a wry smile.
Li Xuewu is the director of Gangcheng Metallurgical Plant, but he is not only the director of Gangcheng Metallurgical Plant. He is also the person in charge of the group's industrial operations in Liaodong and the secretary-general of the group's management committee.
The two men only saw things from the perspective of the metallurgical plant, failing to see the Secretary-General's perspective.
Everyone says that coordinating employee meals is the most troublesome thing.
As the Secretary-General said, it is acceptable to take the initiative to coordinate and return food supplies, but if they take the initiative, won't people think that the food here is not good, and that the Secretary-General will find out and suspect that they have embezzled food funds, or that the two of them have reported them?
This is like getting mud stuck in your pants—you're just asking for trouble.
But there's nothing we can do; leaders see things from a higher perspective and don't care about our personal emotions.
"What do you say now?"
Wang Zhijun appears honest, but he's actually quite cunning. Instead of speaking, he asks Yang Zongfang what to do.
That's true. Yang Zongfang is the executive deputy factory director, and he is just the chief engineer at the deputy factory director level. If he doesn't listen to Yang Zongfang, who should he listen to now?
Yang Zongfang was also extremely worried. Seeing the project manager grinning from ear to ear, she almost burst into tears.
"How about—" He thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow as he got into the car and said, "Let's say the Secretary-General came to investigate, found the food unsatisfactory, and wanted to hold those responsible accountable, but we persuaded him to stop?"
What a clever little devil!
Wang Zhijun gave him a thumbs up and said with a smile, "No wonder you're the executive deputy factory director, you're much better than me."
"Old Wang, you're not being honest—"
Yang Zongfang smiled wryly and nodded at him before bending down to get into the car.
"It's all the same thing, just with the order changed. I'm sure the Secretary-General won't mind these details."
"The Secretary-General only cares about results."
Wang Zhijun, who had just sat down, chimed in, "If the food problem is really solved, everything else will be easier to discuss."
"Anything is negotiable?" Yang Zongfang glanced at him sideways, then turned to look at the construction site outside the window and snorted coldly, "The Secretary-General is the most difficult to talk to."
"Especially this time when I came back."
Seeing that the two leaders had boarded the car, the driver drove back. It wasn't far from the factory office area; it was just a short drive.
"You're back this time? What's wrong?"
Wang Zhijun leaned to the side and looked at him, asking, "Have you heard any rumors?"
"There's no need to listen to the rumors; they've been around for ages."
Yang Zongfang looked out the window and said, "This morning's newspaper said that the Secretary-General's delegation of representatives from industrial and commercial units were the first to get off the plane. You can imagine that."
"What am I thinking—" Wang Zhijun was taken aback, then frowned and asked, "The Secretary-General is being transferred?"
"Wrong! It's because it can't be moved—"
Yang Zongfang turned to him and said, "With one achievement after another, the group is about to be granted a grand fiefdom. How will the higher-ups view the Secretary-General?"
"What...what else can we look at it?"
Wang Zhijun raised an eyebrow and said, "Reward those who deserve it, and punish those who deserve it."
"If only it were as simple as you think—" Yang Zongfang let out a long sigh and said, "You're still too young—"
Wang Zhijun didn't speak, carefully considering his words: Too young?
Indeed, if the secretary-general is old and experienced enough, even if he has only been in the steel city for a year, he is qualified to take a further step.
But precisely because he was too young, and because the goals set by the Secretary-General when he came to the steel city had not yet been fully achieved.
Furthermore, the Group Management Committee's important plans for the industrial development of Liaodong still require the Secretary-General to complete, so further progress is out of the question.
However, this is a regret for them, but it is also an opportunity for the Secretary-General.
If he stays in the steel city for a few more years and achieves solid results, he can return to the group. At that time, all the controversies and conflicts will be gone.
While others might not know, he had heard rumors that some people didn't want the secretary-general to pay too much attention to the group's work.
Looking back now, that might be true.
So, is it a good thing for a secretary-general to accumulate merits and achievements?
-
"Secretary-General, you're back."
Zhou Peilan passed by the door and, seeing that the leader's office door was open, went in for a look.
She saw her boss sitting in his office chair reading documents and greeted him with delight.
Li Xuewu looked up and saw it was her. He smiled and nodded, saying, "You're back. Come on in."
"Secretary-General, how is East Germany?"
Holding a document in her arms, Zhou Peilan asked the question that had been on her mind.
Li Xuewu smiled; he had answered this question at least 50 times in the past few days.
However, the answer is different for everyone. For example, the answer given to Zhou Peilan was: "I think it's not as good as the mainland, or even as good as the steel city."
"You're just trying to fool me—" Zhou Peilan snorted, "No matter what, it can't be more backward than Steel City, can it?"
"Perhaps in ten or twenty years, we really won't be able to catch up with Steel City—"
Li Xuewu smiled and shook his head, then asked, "Do you have any work to report? I still have a little time."
"Yes! But I wasn't prepared—" Zhou Peilan rushed out in a panic, then realized how rude she had been, and turned back to the doorway, apologetically explaining, "I'll go get ready, I'll be right back, wait for me—"
Yu Zhe, who had just come upstairs to ask his boss if he needed him to take his luggage home first, happened to hear this question and couldn't help but widen his eyes.
But then he shook his head, and even punched himself in the head in regret.
What are you thinking about all day long?!
What's wrong with me? Everything I hear seems to have a hidden meaning. Could it be something wrong with my heart?
It happened at the factory gate. Secretary Zhang was worried about getting his clothes dirty going down the mine with the leader, so he asked to borrow his dirty clothes. But he misunderstood what he meant and felt ashamed just thinking about it.
On the way back, Secretary Zhang gave me the clothes but didn't look at me once afterward. Even his thanks were distant and awkward...
Yes! It's like she's afraid he'll get it dirty!
Damn, this feeling is awful.
He went upstairs to ask the leader, but actually he also wanted to find an opportunity to see Secretary Zhang and explain that he didn't do it on purpose and that he really only liked women.
Especially those who wear glasses...
Boom, boom, boom——
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the sound of pile driving that reached the office building, it was Yu Zhe hitting his own head.
He only emphasized one sentence in his mind, and somehow defined his preferred type.
Isn't this just dirty?
What are you doing here?
Zhang Enyuan came out of the main office and saw Yu Zhe standing at the door of the leader's office like a gorilla, pounding his head. He looked at the other person as if he were mentally ill and couldn't help but ask a question.
"Ah! Secretary Zhang—"
Yu Zhe turned around in surprise, startling Zhang Enyuan.
What's wrong with this?!
Zhang Enyuan stared wide-eyed and took a step back, thinking to himself, "Does Yu Zhe have bipolar disorder?"
"Secretary Zhang, I'm here to..."
Yu Zhe wanted to speak, but in front of Secretary Zhang, he didn't know how to begin.
He lowered his head somewhat ashamed and explained, "I really didn't mean to. You just told me to take off my clothes in the car, and I didn't realize what was happening..."
Snapped--
Suddenly, there were scattered folders on the ground in front of Yu Zhe. When he looked up, he saw Zhou Peilan, who had just run back to the main office, staring at him in shock... and Secretary Zhang.
"That! Comrade Perrin—"
Zhang Enyuan's head was about to explode, and he waved his hands repeatedly to explain, "It's not what you think!"
"I was thinking... I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Zhou Peilan looked as if she had caught someone in an affair, and bent down with a guilty expression to pick up the folders on the ground, apologizing repeatedly.
"No!" Zhang Enyuan saw that Zhou Peilan must have misunderstood because she was blushing, bending down to pack her folders and apologizing repeatedly.
"Oh dear, Comrade Perrin, it's not what you think. I just borrowed his clothes."
Zhou Peilan, clinging to the last shred of trust she still held in Secretary Zhang, looked up at his clean and neat-looking, newly made Zhongshan suit, then turned to look at Yu Zhe's filthy jacket...
Okay! I can't help but believe it!
If she didn't believe that, she'd be a fool!
"Yes, I know, I know."
She nodded repeatedly, indicating that she believed Secretary Zhang's words and that he didn't want her Zhongshan suit but wanted to wear Yu Zhe's dirty clothes instead.
But she lowered her head again, and her movements as she packed the folders became even faster, making Zhang Enyuan feel like he had fallen into a trap. This girl simply didn't believe him!
"Well, we're not in that kind of relationship." When Yu Zhe saw Secretary Zhang raise her head and glare at him, he knew it was his turn to speak, so he waved his hands repeatedly and said, "You should know my hobbies."
After tidying up her documents and standing up again, Zhou Peilan looked at him with a flushed face, then at Secretary Zhang, who was gritting her teeth as if she wanted to devour him. She then quietly left behind the words, "Whatever makes you happy," and turned to go into the leader's office, leaving them behind.
"What have you even explained?!"
Zhang Enyuan stared wide-eyed, his back teeth practically grinding to powder. This bastard ruined his reputation!
If this misunderstanding spreads within the organization, his wife will surely divorce him when he gets home.
Liking a girl is forgivable, but liking a man... that's disgusting!
"From today onwards, let's maintain the purest lesbian relationship, understand?"
He pointed at Yu Zhe and emphasized, "You should make the most of your interests and hobbies. Don't let people think you have any other quirks. It's better for both of us."
After saying that, he walked towards the stairwell like a zombie, as if he had given up on treatment.
Yu Zhe was stunned for a moment. Had he explained something wrong? Had Zhou Peilan misunderstood?
If that's your thinking, then you're wrong.
Despite his seemingly unserious and unreliable nature, he is very responsible.
So after figuring it out, he waved his hand and shouted to Zhang Enyuan, who was about to go down the stairs, "Secretary Zhang, I will take responsibility for this!"
Hearing those words behind him, Zhang Enyuan turned around mechanically as if frozen in place, looking at the self-proclaimed brave and noble bastard, muttering, "What a tragedy—"
-
"I'm telling you... whatever you do, don't tell anyone... otherwise..."
"Really? The two of them..."
"My goodness!"
……
In just one afternoon, Zhang Enyuan felt that there were more people pointing and talking behind him.
He's about to die, and there's no way he can explain this. It's all that damned Yu Zhe's fault.
If it were just him, it wouldn't be a big deal, but as a leader's secretary, how much impact would such rumors have on the secretary-general?
The secretary and the driver got together, and they're both male... That's really something!
"Boss, I want to talk to you about something."
Li Xuewu spent the entire afternoon reviewing documents and meeting with several groups of people who came to report, without a moment's rest.
There were fewer people now, but looking at the time, it was already time to get off work.
Zhang Enyuan walked into the office with a pale face and stood in front of his desk, his eyes lifeless like a condemned prisoner being led to the execution ground.
"What's wrong?" Li Xuewu looked at him suspiciously and asked, "What happened?"
“Something terrible has happened…” Zhang Enyuan said to him in a dry voice, “Boss, I can’t be your secretary anymore…”
Before he could finish his sentence, his voice trembled with tears. It was chilling to hear a grown man speaking with such a sob in his voice.
"You—sit down and talk."
Li Xuewu looked at him in surprise, tapped the chair opposite him, and asked, "What exactly happened? Has something changed at home?"
"Not at home, it's me—"
Zhang Enyuan gritted his teeth and, suppressing his shame and sadness, explained the situation.
After explaining, he didn't dare to look up at his superior, afraid of seeing the other person's angry face.
"Just because of this?"
Li Xuewu looked at his secretary with amusement and absurdity. She was almost forty years old, yet she was making a huge fuss over such a trivial matter.
However, he wasn't very surprised, because each era has its own understanding.
The "beggar pants" that were popular in the 1990s were jeans with holes cut into them. Older people said they were wasteful and made you look like a beggar.
But in less than twenty years, she's already at the age to be a grandmother, yet she dresses younger than a young girl.
Eighty-year-olds dress like eighteen-year-olds, while eighteen-year-olds dress like eighty-year-olds.
These days, if someone spreads rumors about you, there are practically only two options: either drag your wife along and give it a live broadcast to outsiders to prove you're not gay, or find a secluded place and end it all.
It's really too difficult for someone as shameless as Yu Zhe to gain any trust among women.
It would be too easy for Yu Zhe to prove his "innocence." He wouldn't even need to say a word; those old A8s would only need to fight three rounds to ensure Yu Zhe gets out of this mess.
What about Zhang Enyuan, who made Yu Zhe take off his clothes?
"Alright, the more you care, the more people will think you have something to hide."
Li Xuewu stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Come on, I'll take you home first today."
"Secretary-General—" Zhang Enyuan stood up, feeling ashamed, and hesitated before saying, "There's no need for me to tarnish your reputation..."
"You? You think you can affect my reputation?"
Li Xuewu chuckled, glanced at him, shook his head, took his coat off the hanger, put it on, and said, "Let's go, it's time to go home."
Zhang Enyuan watched the leader leave, hesitated, but still followed him out.
It was rush hour, and the corridors and stairwells were full of people. But when they came out, some people voluntarily gave up their space to go downstairs.
"It's alright, you guys go ahead."
Li Xuewu smiled and waved his hand. After Zhang Enyuan locked the office door, they walked downstairs together.
In Zhang Enyuan's view, the secretary-general at this moment was like a sun, indeed, radiating light that could dispel all darkness.
Walking beside him, his gaze towards the crowd was so clear, without a trace of eeriness.
He knew that this matter wouldn't be resolved just because the secretary-general intervened, but the brief moment of brilliance could still numb his cold heart.
When they arrived downstairs, Yu Zhe, that bastard, had already parked his car and was flirting with Zhang Meili.
Seeing them get out, he quickly gave Zhang Meili a wink, then turned around and opened the back door of the car.
"Secretary-General, your luggage has been sent to your home first, and Jia Geng picked it up."
"Oh, I see."
Li Xuewu simply nodded in agreement and got into the car.
Yu Zhe wanted to turn around and greet Secretary Zhang to explain his efforts, but he saw the other party avoid him like a thief and get into the car.
With such a short distance between the driver and passenger seats, where could you possibly hide?
If it weren't to distance himself from her, would he have bothered trying to get close to Zhang Meili?
He's gotten a bit tired of his old A8, so he's set his sights on an A6, of course, the older model.
I don't know who said it, but they said that a woman is like a bottle of wine. The freshly opened kind is astringent and spicy, but the fine wine that has been aged and matured has a good flavor.
"Send Enyuan home first."
Li Xuewu, who was sitting in the back seat, only said this after Yu Zhe started the car.
Yu Zhe turned to look at Secretary Zhang, who was staring out the window. He raised an eyebrow, gave a nod, and turned the steering wheel to leave the factory area.
Actually, it was right to send Zhang Enyuan off first, since Zhang Enyuan's home was located in the middle of the factory area and Guanshan Road. However, Zhang Enyuan was used to sending off the leaders first, and Li Xuewu didn't pay attention to this.
In the car, Yu Zhe kept glancing at Secretary Zhang every now and then.
Zhang Enyuan, on the other hand, stared out the window with a heart full of despair, not even daring to look at Yu Zhe.
Li Xuewu sized up the two of them for a while before leaning back in his chair, amused, and closing his eyes to rest.
The car drove directly to Zhang Enyuan's house, a brick and tile house with a courtyard, which seemed to indicate that his family was quite well-off.
"dad--"
"Dad, you're back by car!"
Two children were playing in the snow in the yard when they heard the car and ran out, chattering and calling for their father.
Upon seeing his two sons, Zhang Enyuan regained his spirits, picked them up one on each side, and kissed them.
"Hello, Uncle!"
Zhang Enyuan's child had only met Li Xuewu once, but could still remember his face.
She huddled timidly in her father's arms, but still greeted him politely.
Li Xuewu smiled, reached out and touched the boy's little hand, and asked, "Where is your mother?"
"Cooking?"
The slightly older boy slid off his father and ran quickly into the yard.
"Mommy! Mommy! Daddy's home!"
"And Uncle Li—"
The younger one, imitating his older brother, ran into the yard and shouted as if reporting something.
"Hey! Don't run away—"
Hearing the commotion, Zhang Enyuan's wife left the house without even taking off her apron.
Upon seeing a tall, upright figure standing beside the car, illuminated only by the car headlights in the darkness, it appeared to be wearing a wool coat; there was no doubt about it.
"Old Zhang—" she called out as she stepped out of the courtyard gate. Seeing that it really was the leader, she smiled and waved her hand, saying, "The leader is here, why won't you let him in? What are you standing here for?"
"It's nothing, sister-in-law. I just dropped Secretary Zhang off at home today and came to see you as well."
"You're too kind. Please come inside and sit for a while." Zhang Enyuan's wife was quite tactful and greeted them with a smile, "Dinner is almost ready. If you don't mind, why don't you and Brother Yu have a meal at home? My husband has some wine stored up."
The warmth of Northeasterners can't be faked; if they really don't want you to stay for dinner, you can definitely tell.
Of course, if someone really wants you to stay for dinner, you'll be able to feel it deeply.
The more polite they are, the less they want you to stay. A slightly humble and casual attitude is definitely genuine.
For example, you'll find out when the food is served that there aren't many good dishes. There will be at least four dishes, and three of them must be main dishes.
If they say they don't have any good wine, then it must be something high-class; they wouldn't try to fool you with the cheap wine they usually drink.
People from Northeast China are like this; the more people come, the more generous they become, willing to take out all the best food and drinks.
Li Xuewu felt this enthusiasm and sincerely explained, "I just got back from Beijing today and went straight to work. I haven't even gone home to visit my family yet. Maybe next time, when I have the chance."
He patted Zhang Enyuan's arm and said, "You've been working hard lately. I'll give you a day off tomorrow. Take your wife and the kids out for a walk. Don't just think about work all the time."
After speaking of Zhang Enyuan, he turned to Zhang Enyuan's wife and said, "Sister-in-law, you should visit the factory more often when you have time. Everyone has heard that Secretary Zhang has a virtuous wife, but no one has ever met her in person."
"I don't have time to go to the factory."
Zhang Enyuan's wife waved her hand sheepishly and said, "I don't want to cause trouble for Lao Zhang."
“You’re a family member, one of us, don’t cause any trouble. Bring your kids to visit the factory too.”
Li Xuewu looked at the children standing in front of their parents and said with a smile, "It's a good thing to let them see their father's work and environment."
"Secretary-General—" Zhang Enyuan seemed to understand the meaning of his leader's words. His eyes were filled with gratitude and excitement, and his voice trembled.
"Alright, that's settled then."
Li Xuewu smiled and gestured to the car, saying, "I have to go back now; my family is waiting for me."
"Oh, by the way," he said to Zhang Enyuan and his wife as he got into the car, "My workplace is organizing a dumpling-making event for the Spring Festival next month."
"I've heard from Secretary Zhang that your sister-in-law is a good cook. If you can make the arrangements, please come and help out so that the comrades who are staying at the unit on duty can have a hot meal of dumplings."
"He just talks nonsense outside."
Zhang Enyuan's wife couldn't help but glare at him with a smile, secretly pleased, but still modestly said, "I don't have any cooking skills."
Although she said that, she still waved her hand and promised Li Xuewu, "Don't worry, leader, I will definitely help when I have time!"
After watching Li Xuewu's car pass the intersection, the couple walked into the yard.
Hearing his wife let out a long sigh of relief, Zhang Enyuan's wife glared at him and asked, "Old Zhang, tell me the truth, are you having an affair?"
"What?!" Zhang Enyuan exclaimed in surprise, "Who's there?!"
"You're still pretending with me, and you can't even fake it properly!" His wife pointed at his nose and scolded, "Look at you, all scared out of your wits! Is this all you've got? You're trying to go out and have affairs with other women?"
"If there were no one else around, would your leader come all the way to my house to tell me these things?"
"You're going to frame me so badly I could die!"
Zhang Enyuan's heart, which had just settled down when he got home, became anxious again. He went into the house, sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), and sulked.
"I've wronged you—"
His wife was formidable; with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at him, she demanded, "Tell me, which slut did you hook up with—"
"I've heard that there's a girl named Zhang Meili in your workplace, right? She's known for seducing men, isn't that right!"
"I might as well just smash my head against this wall and die."
Zhang Enyuan looked up at the solid wood pillar base beside him and really wanted to smash his head against it and end it all.
"Don't give me that life-or-death act. I don't have time for that!"
His wife frowned and glared at him, scolding, "Just tell me what you want! Are you even going to live like this? If you want to be with that Zhang Meili, I'll grant your wish. Give me a heads-up now, so we don't have to waste our breath talking."
"If you're looking for Zhang Meili, I can tell you in advance that you can't have the child."
His wife, exhausted from scolding him, sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and emphasized, "If there's a stepmother, there's a stepfather. I can't trust you. You'll just starve my son to death."
"Your mouth is like a machine gun, can't I say something?" Zhang Enyuan turned to her with a bitter face and said, "The leader did come to the house to talk to you about something, but it's not what you think."
"What do I mean?" His wife seemed to regain her fighting spirit upon hearing this, standing up and glaring at him as she asked, "Tell me, who else could it be but Zhang Meili?"
"Well, you Zhang Enyuan, you're utterly wicked!" His wife pointed at his nose and yelled, "Have you ruined some young lady's life?!"
In Northeast China, having an affair with an older woman isn't a big deal, but doing it with an unmarried young girl is considered a grave offense.
In his wife's mind, since she wasn't married like Zhang Meili, she must be unmarried.
"Oh dear, the boss is talking about Yu Zhe!"
Zhang Enyuan was at his wit's end; if he didn't tell the truth, his wife might tear the house down.
"Yu Zhe? Whose daughter is Yu Zhe?" His wife didn't react for a moment, frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly widened her eyes!
"Her? Him? Him!—"
When Zhang Enyuan saw that his wife had the same look in her eyes as Zhou Peilan had back then, he thought to himself that he had been incredibly unlucky. He had managed to avoid all the scheming and backstabbing in his workplace, but he never expected that his lifelong innocence would be ruined by Yu Zhe.
Poof——
Zhang Enyuan's wife slumped onto the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), staring blankly at him as she said, "Old Zhang, what have I done to wrong you—"
"Wife, I'm innocent!"
Zhang Enyuan hugged his wife's leg and started crying, even more so than his wife.
His wife stopped crying as his sobs drowned out his own. Suddenly, he felt a pang of sadness. Could it be that Zhang Enyuan had been...bullied by Yu Zhe?