sbdcsierra Chapter 1478 Jealousy
Chapter 1478 Jealousy
Chapter 1478 Jealousy
"My aunt has high standards and is very picky."
Li Shu was picking at the tangerines in her hand, not even noticing who was behind her, her little mouth still chattering away.
The people in the room found it funny, but they dared not laugh out loud and tried their best to hold it in.
Do you think your aunt should find a boyfriend?
While coaxing Li Yue, Zhao Yafang teased Li Shu, "What kind of partner should you look for?"
"She—she—she's already 19!"
Li Shu said with great emotion and excitement, "What kind of 19-year-old girl isn't looking for a boyfriend yet?!"
She was practically raised by an old lady; she speaks with a strong Northeastern accent, and anyone who hears it would think she's a girl from Northeast China.
Li Xue couldn't hold back any longer. She reached out and grabbed Li Shu by the neck, asking in a sinister tone, "Li Shu, has it been a long time since I've dealt with you?"
"My aunt is gentle, kind, beautiful, and intelligent; she never has trouble finding a partner—"
Li Shu's small body stiffened for a second, then she quickly retorted, "The men pursuing her are lined up all the way to Dongzhimen, too many to count—"
"Hahahaha-"
Zhao Yafang and the others could no longer hold back and burst out laughing. Even Gu Ning couldn't help but laugh.
After the meal, the women cleared the table, and the diligent Zhang Xiaoyan and Diliya washed the dishes.
Men naturally have certain privileges, especially since they've had a few drinks today; they're still chatting and drinking tea at the dinner table.
Worried that Zhao Yafang would get tired, Liu Yin sent her to the east room to take care of the children. Gu Ning and the others also came to the east room after they finished tidying up, so as to avoid the noise from the west room.
The old lady was celebrating her birthday, and perhaps because the day was too lively, she was a little tired. She leaned against the pillows on the kang (a heated brick bed) and watched her children and grandchildren play, with a smile on her face the whole time.
And so, the women and children were in the east room, and the men were in the west room. No one emphasized manners, but everyone knew who should rest on which side, and the distinctions were clear.
Liu Yin and Fei Shanying are of the same generation, so they sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and chatted with the old lady while watching the children play.
Zhao Yafang sat with her child near the kang cabinet, breastfeeding the baby while leaning against it.
Gu Ning, Ji Yuxiu, Zhang Xiaoyan, and Diliya sat down by the kang (a heated brick bed), listening to the old lady and the others talk, their eyes mostly on the children, especially the playful Li Shu.
It wasn't that Li Shu hadn't noticed; her aunt had simply not been there. She had gone to make tea for the people in the west room.
Now that he'd been caught red-handed, he was terrified and quickly begged for mercy.
Her mischievous wit made everyone in the room laugh uncontrollably, and Li Xue angrily slapped her bottom twice.
Li Shu didn't care about that at all. She ran to the kang (a heated brick bed) with a grin and leaned against the old lady, exclaiming, "Hurry up and find a boyfriend! Madam and Grandma are getting anxious!"
"Mind your own business. Mind your own business."
Li Xue glared at her fiercely and said, "Wait till I grab you again, and I'll spank your bottom until it's a bloody mess."
"I wish my butt could bloom like a flower—"
Li Shu was very talkative. With the old lady's support, she tilted her head back and chattered, "I've never heard of anyone sticking their butt in a vase before."
"Hahaha--"
"How can she be so talkative!"
Chen Xiaoyan covered her mouth, her face flushed with laughter, and she could hardly breathe. Her voice was hoarse as she spoke.
The old lady also pulled Li Shu into her arms to stop her from saying anything more, and whispered a warning to her, "If you say another word, I won't be responsible if your aunt secretly pinches you."
"Let her be arrogant for another two years—"
Li Shu waved her hand dismissively, and before her sister-in-law could climb onto the kang (heated brick bed) to pinch her, she shrank into her mother-in-law's arms and rolled around to hide behind her.
She was so startled that she giggled, but still stubbornly said, "I don't believe you'll never find a partner in your life."
"Li Shu, you're really tight-lipped."
Li Xue widened her eyes and waved her hand, saying, "Come on, I'll take you to the yard to loosen up the skin."
"I'm not going—"
Her words made Li Shu hide even further away. She was tough on the outside, but she still knew who the two kings were.
The reason I brought up the topic of my aunt is because I overheard it at the dinner table.
During the meal, Third Uncle brought up his Uncle Xuehan's marriage again. As he talked, perhaps because he had drunk too much, he started talking about the love lives of his children.
The three Li brothers are a given. Li Tong's envy and satisfaction were undisguised. He was referring to his second brother's wife, Li Juan, and Li Xue, who had been working for more than two years.
After all, she was a girl in the family, and the Li family had a tradition brought by the old lady, so they valued girls.
In fact, locals in Beijing also value their daughters highly; the title "auntie" isn't given lightly.
You've all heard the term "Beijing girl," right? It's not a derogatory term, nor is it a compliment; it's just an adjective describing a girl from Beijing as forthright and generous.
If it weren't for the influence of their family environment, where would these strong, independent women come from? Aren't they all just timid, petty, and narrow-minded?
The Li family has only two daughters, Li Juan and Li Xue, across three generations. Almost everyone in the family knows about what happened to Li Juan last year, including Li Tong from Guangzhou.
The reason why the second son, Li Gan, and his family didn't come to the old lady's birthday celebration this time is because they felt ashamed.
If Li Juan had gotten divorced last time, it would have been easier to explain. She would have admitted her mistakes, and they would still be family after all.
But for some reason, Li Juan seemed to be bewitched and set her sights on Shen Jianbing.
When they found out she was pregnant, what was the point of getting a divorce? Li Gan and his wife could only swallow their pride and accept it.
Li Juan's work relationship was reassigned back to the railway. Shen Jianbing couldn't go back to his original unit. Li was afraid that he would become lazy and cause trouble again, so she simply arranged for him to stay by her side, not caring what others said.
Why don't you care?
Given Shen Jianbing's character, he didn't expect this son-in-law to amount to anything; he just hoped he wouldn't do anything reckless.
Since they don't care about their son-in-law's future prospects, they don't think about taking care of him at work, so why would they have any reservations?
Since Li Juan didn't get a divorce, she naturally had no way to explain things to Li Xuewu. Li Gan, being the second uncle, was a proud man his whole life and couldn't bring himself to do it.
He certainly couldn't apologize to his nephew, but he was also too ashamed to apologize to his elder brother. It wasn't until Li Xuewu waited until things calmed down and arranged for his parents to go to Jicheng that the matter was finally settled.
After all, they were his uncles, and Li Xuewu couldn't put his father in a difficult position. He was also grateful for the care his second uncle and aunt had given him.
Without a doubt, his second uncle and aunt were truly devoted to him and took good care of the family in the past few years.
What else can I say? My older sister is still my older sister. I know what kind of taste she has. From now on, we'll only talk about family ties and not discuss or do anything with her.
However, my second uncle and his wife couldn't get over this hurdle in their hearts, feeling that they owed my eldest brother's family something.
This time, the old lady will definitely send them a message for her birthday. Uncle Li Tong, due to the nature of his work and the long distance, will come if he can, and if he can't, that's fine.
My second uncle, Li Gan, isn't far from the capital; if he really wanted to come, he could.
Even if my second uncle is too busy with work to come, my second aunt or my younger brother Li Xueli can still come.
This time, none of the family came. Li Xuewu and his family knew that their second uncle was probably feeling guilty at home and didn't have the face to see his mother.
Of the three brothers in the Li family, Li Gan went to the Northeast with his belongings, while Li Tong went to the South with the army.
The three brothers were separated, one in the south and one in the north, leaving the eldest brother, Li Shun, in the capital to take care of their mother.
Over the years, the three brothers have supported each other and have never had any financial disputes or quarrels.
Li Shunyou acted like an elder brother, and Liu Yin acted like an elder sister-in-law. The elder brother was like a father, and the elder sister-in-law was like a mother.
Li Gan and Li Tong respected their elder brother and sister-in-law, and never hesitated to help them when needed.
The medicinal herbs that Li Shun used to practice medicine independently in the capital were all collected by Li Gan.
Li Xuewu went to the south thanks to his third uncle, so how can you say they had no feelings for each other?
To be honest, Li Xuewu could sense a sense of desolation in his third uncle's words this time.
He was talking about his second uncle's family, but he was also reflecting his own troubles and frustrations.
According to him, his third aunt, Hong Min, should come.
I only realized this when they mentioned my second uncle, Li Gan, and said that my second aunt, Han Xiumei, should come.
However, Liu Yin explained that her second aunt, Han Xiumei, had attended her third son Li Xuecai's wedding some time ago.
So this time, when the old lady celebrated her birthday, no one came back from the city, and neither Li Shun nor Liu Yin bothered to pick up gifts.
The more she explained, the more her third uncle, Li Tong, frowned. He was a man of deep thoughts and rarely spoke of family matters.
Even without him saying it, Li Xuewu could guess that he must have been too busy with work to come, so he asked his third aunt, Hong Min, to come. However, his third aunt declined and didn't want to come, so his third uncle found an opportunity to come to Beijing.
In all these years, his third aunt only came back once, for his wedding, and hasn't been seen coming back since.
My third aunt Hong Min's parents were both involved in the arts and culture, and they had a Hong Kong-style romanticism and petit-bourgeois sentiment in their bones.
The lifestyle of a southern girl was hardly acceptable to the old lady. When she first came home after getting married, she showed signs of being unaccustomed to it in every way.
The old lady favored her eldest daughter-in-law, Liu Yin, the most, believing that she embodied the standard of a traditional woman. She disliked Hong Min, who was considered fashionable at the restaurant, feeling that her son only valued her appearance.
However, her third son didn't support her in her old age and hadn't relied on his family for a living since he joined the army, so she didn't say much about it.
Over the years, Hongmin has come to realize that the old lady didn't take a liking to her back then. It's impossible for her not to feel awkward, but she doesn't dare to express it.
She's not even the head of the household; she has no right to act wildly.
Feeling awkward and unwilling to come, what could Li Tong say? He could only come by himself.
But when he heard his sister-in-law showing concern for Hong Min, he felt a tightness in his chest, and he drank a bit too much today.
They talked about Li Juan, Li Xue, and then Li Xuewen and his brothers, listing them one by one.
He is the third uncle, so regardless of Li Xuewu's or Li Xuewen's status, they have to listen to him.
Don't worry about whether Uncle Three is right or wrong. Of course, you should listen to what's right, but if he's wrong, just understand what's going on in your heart.
However, to be fair, Uncle Li Tong had no ulterior motives. He was genuinely happy to see the three brothers doing well, without a trace of pretense.
Li Tong is a bit of a chauvinist; he knows he values women, but he still has prejudices.
Li Xue worked at Hongxing Steel Group. She first served as a secretary to the leaders, then went to the port city for training, and upon returning, she became the deputy head of the finance department. She was only nineteen years old.
While it's not fair to say she's unprecedented or unparalleled, it seems she's catching up with her second brother.
When Li Xuewu returned home, he was also nineteen years old, which was not as high as Li Xue's starting point.
Li Tong believed that young women should start dating when they reach their prime and find a respectable family to discuss important life matters.
Nineteen is a good age; every year after that brings more pressure.
Li Xue didn't refute her third uncle at the dinner table, but she didn't respond either; that's just her personality.
Li Xuewu understood his younger sister well; she was decisive, not arrogant, but with sound ideas.
She's still young, and it's perfectly fine for her to want to find someone suitable. Li Xuewu also agrees with her attitude of focusing her energy and attention on her work first.
It's better for people to be more mature before thinking about important life events. Those who get engaged and married at sixteen or seventeen are still children themselves; how can they have any independent thinking?
Is Li Xue having trouble finding a partner?
Not to mention how much Peng Xiaoli pursued her back then, even now quite a few young men are actively trying to get close to her.
Li Xue may seem amiable, but she has a proud streak and prefers boys who are cultured, have strong personalities, and are ideally devoted in relationships.
This was also influenced by Li Xuewu; she watched her second brother grow up step by step.
You should be cultured, thoughtful, well-mannered, and have a good personality, but you can't be as promiscuous as your second brother.
Her second brother was a good brother; he hadn't told her about the things that happened around him, but he hadn't kept them from her either.
To put it simply, Li Xue knew almost all of her second brother's women.
It's true, you don't need to look or investigate. As long as you get to know her, anyone who is nice to her for no reason is basically her second sister-in-law.
When she first joined the group, Deputy Director Jing took care of her; when she went to Gangcheng, General Manager Lou took care of her; and on weekends, Yu Li would often invite her out shopping and buy her things from time to time.
Recently, even that bastard Zhou Xiaoling, my best friend, has started showing concern for me. She must have done something bad and is feeling guilty.
She's become quite sensitive within the company. If someone is nice to her for no reason, she'll think it over and carefully examine whether that person is her second brother's type.
She can't control her second brother's womanizing ways, but she can't find a man who's just as womanizing as him.
Because she never even considered finding a man as capable and accomplished as her second brother.
Are it hard to find a cultured, thoughtful, well-mannered man who isn't a womanizer?
Li Xue firmly believes that it's not that it doesn't exist, it's just that she hasn't encountered it yet.
So she was anxious. Even though her grandmother and mother had been showing her a lot of concern lately, and her third uncle had mentioned it to her a couple of times, she didn't care.
Just like my second brother back then, he doesn't get annoyed by his family's concern, and he won't listen to things he doesn't want to hear.
However, Li Shu said that wouldn't do. This little girl was getting more and more presumptuous. It was time to establish her authority as the aunt, otherwise how would she maintain her standing in this family in the future?
"Come here, I'm going to count to three."
Li Xue pointed at Li Shu and threatened, "If you don't come over after you've finished counting, I'll climb onto the kang (heated brick bed) and grab you."
I'm not afraid of you—
"1--"
"Madam—Auntie is yelling at me!"
"2--"
"Little aunt, you're the best!"
Li Shu had begged everyone she could, but seeing that her mother-in-law and grandmother just smiled at her without helping, she thought to herself that it was better to rely on herself than others, and quickly said some nice things, afraid that her bottom would hurt later.
Can you really put a flower in a vase if your butt is all bruised and battered?
"If you ask me, there's no need."
Sha Zhu lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the west room, his face flushed red; he had drunk quite a bit today.
However, this old guy's alcohol tolerance has increased; even when he's drunk, he speaks very clearly, though he has to lie down to talk.
"The situation is better now—"
He grinned and said, "The winds of university studies have finally blown over. Although there are still occasional gusts of wind, they don't really matter."
"Although we still shout slogans in our cafeteria, everyone has long lost the passion they once had and is just going through the motions."
Li Tong listened to their conversation in a half-dreamlike state, and soon his snoring began.
He's drunk a lot, and it's impressive that he's managed to hold on this long. How many people are still energetic like him?
Li Shun's alcohol tolerance was average, and he didn't drink much at the dinner table. He was still drinking tea water and hadn't fallen asleep yet.
Grandpa was a man of few words; he would just listen to them talk and only say a few words when the conversation turned to a topic that interested him.
Sha Zhu is a chatterbox and enjoys this atmosphere, so he always tries to speak first.
Shen Guodong was worried that the current situation was not good, so he wanted to consolidate the influence of the recycling station.
His idea was simple: now that recycling stations were getting more and more business, there were just too many unofficial scrap collectors riding bicycles all over Beijing.
What does it mean to "play with fire"? If someone really wants to cause trouble, they don't need to take direct action. They can just set these unofficial personnel on fire, and it will surely burn all the way to the recycling center.
The insurance that Li Xuewu initially obtained for the recycling station was only valid in the nearby neighborhood. Shen Guodong worked in the neighborhood and provided it with real money, manpower, and resources, so the neighborhood naturally had to provide the recycling station with a guarantee.
But if they are too far away, the street can't reach them and can't help them.
Shen Guodong has indeed made progress, gaining experience after taking up a position in the subdistrict.
How do you say that?
The older you get in the world of martial arts, the more timid you become.
It's not that I've become timid, but rather that I have more things to consider and need to take everything into account.
Li Xuewu has already tried to entrust him with the affairs of the capital. Whether the work is done well or poorly, it is still his own business, so there is no need to worry. It is just a matter of how much he earns.
But if something goes wrong and causes a big disaster, then it will be trouble for Li Xuewu.
Shen Guodong knew very well that as long as Li Xuewu was around, the recycling station would remain; they were still a force to be reckoned with.
Without Li Xuewu, the recycling station would just be a waste collection point, and these people would be nothing.
Although they are using Li Xuewu's connections and preferential treatment to develop trade, they will absolutely not cause trouble for Li Xuewu.
Sha Zhu's thinking was simplistic, or rather, he hadn't even considered it at all; he just blurted it out without thinking.
Shen Guodong glanced at him but didn't say anything. His gaze then fell on Li Xuewu. He still had to wait for Brother Wu to make a decision.
"Since the affairs of the capital are entrusted to you, it is natural for you to make the decisions."
Li Xuewu first affirmed him, then thought for a moment and said, "As for the situation, we can never let our guard down until we see the light at the end of the tunnel."
"My advice to you is not to focus solely on Beijing; you can set up branch stations all over the country."
He leaned to the side and looked at Shen Guodong, saying, "It's still too risky to put all our resources into the capital."
"I think so too."
Shen Guodong nodded and looked at him, saying, "I've also been thinking about whether to expand the scale of the recycling stations to Tianjin and several cities in Northeast China."
"You decide this matter."
Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "I really don't have the time or energy to think about this right now. You know there are a lot of things going on in Liaodong."
He looked at Shen Guodong and emphasized, "I can still keep an eye on things in Gangcheng and Fengcheng for you, but you'll have to take the lion's share from now on."
"I think it's almost the end of the year, so nothing major will happen."
Sha Zhu sat up, swayed slightly, then picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "If anything happens, the wind will definitely blow first."
"I'm afraid it will be a tornado by the time it reaches you."
Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "When I heard that Fatty Guo had been transferred, why didn't you talk to Director Li about it?"
"What are you talking about? Talking about progress?"
Sha Zhu glanced at him, curled his lip, and said, "I'm a worker now, who can do anything to me? It would be really tough if I became a cadre."
"I can't say it freely, and I have to be willing to make sacrifices and act against my will. Why would I want to suffer like that?"
He lay back down on the kang (a heated brick bed), his eyelids drooping, and said, "I know perfectly well why Fatty Guo left. If he could keep working, would he have left?"
"This cafeteria is like an oven; anyone who stays there for too long will feel scorched. If he leaves now, he can at least have a peaceful end."
Seemingly having seen through everything, Sha Zhu muttered casually, "But he shouldn't get his hopes up either; everything in this world is predetermined."
"After working for so many years, I've long since figured it out: nothing tastes as good as being a cook. Who would let me go hungry?"
"You've really figured things out—"
Shen Guodong joked, "When you have time, please give me some advice so I can learn something too."
"Heh—bullshit—"
Sha Zhu glanced at him sideways and said, "If I asked you to give up your street job and all the housework, would you be willing?"
"I'm not fucking becoming a monk," Shen Guodong said with a laugh. "Do you really need to distance yourself so cleanly?"
"This is called 'impure of the six senses'—"
Sha Zhu was talking nonsense. He turned to Second Master, who was sitting on the kang, and asked, "Second Master, you are a wise man. Explain it to him."
"Am I a sensible person?"
Master Ye said with a wry smile, "I'm deeply mired in this predicament and have given up on getting out."
When he returned this time, Li Xuewu noticed that he wasn't in good spirits, and he realized that the man already knew that Lao San was gone.
They weren't related by blood, but the Thirteen Protectors had been connected to him for a long time, and he was the one who brought these kids to the recycling station to find food.
Upon hearing the news of Xi Yongzhong's passing, he didn't eat all day and just stared blankly into space.
If we hadn't brought them to the recycling center in the first place, would we have avoided this ordeal?
Master Ye did not doubt that Xi Yongzhong's death was related to Li Xuewu, nor did he dare to doubt such things. He only knew that Xi Yongzhong was gone.
It's true that I couldn't accept it at first, but it's also true that I was thinking about the other twelve children.
So when Li Xuewu told him about the Li family matriarch's sixtieth birthday, he came, wanting to find an opportunity to talk and chat.
What to say? What to talk about?
The information about Xi Yongzhong was not actually relayed by Li Xuewu or Wen San'er, but by Lao Liu and Lao Shi.
Sixth Brother and Tenth Brother followed Ge Lin, first to Yingcheng and then to Bingcheng, and personally heard about the process and purpose of these people's crimes.
After receiving two letters, Master Ye truly believed that the death of his third brother had nothing to do with Li Xuewu.
Even if the third brother made a mistake, it was still related to Li Xuewu's original arrangements.
"My children are growing up day by day and have all gone out to work. I have no more worries now."
He looked at Li Xuewu with eager eyes and said in a slightly trembling voice, "More importantly, the recycling station is on the right track. I haven't let down the boss's trust. This old body has done its best."
"Second Master, you flatter me."
Knowing he should say something, Li Xuewu took the initiative to say, "I'm very sorry about Lao San's situation; I didn't take good care of him."
"It's not your fault, he brought it on himself."
Master Ye waved his hand and said, "Among these children, he is the most honest and upright. He doesn't even get a share of the food."
“He was an unlucky man. He didn’t even know who his parents were, let alone what would happen after his death. He called me Grandpa, and that’s how I fulfilled that obligation.”
He looked at Li Xuewu and said sincerely, "Please have pity on my feelings as a grandfather, and please take good care of the children for my sake."
"It's my fault, I didn't take good care of the third child."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "We will learn from this lesson and give the boys more opportunities to train."
"That's it for this year. Next year, we'll arrange jobs for the boys who are willing to work."
He looked at Shen Guodong and instructed, "Ask them for their opinions as well, what they want to do."
"Whether it's trade, recycling, or Dongfeng Shipping, we should make the best use of people's talents and resources."
"Understood, Brother Wu." Shen Guodong nodded, glanced at Master Ye, and then asked Li Xuewu, "Should we reorganize the existing personnel structure?"
He understood what Li Xuewu meant; it seemed that he wanted to adjust the organizational structure of several systems.
The current recycling system is somewhat chaotic, having developed into several different directions with little connection between them.
Li Xuewu has recognized this problem, but due to the current social situation and business development environment, he does not dare to make sweeping changes to these businesses.
Dongfeng Construction, Dongfeng Shipping, recycling stations, supply chains, Jinmen Shunfeng Commerce, clubs, and other businesses—any one of them would require touching personnel relationships.
He only has a few capable people at his disposal right now, and that's only because Wu Shuping has the idea of settling down in the mainland; otherwise, she wouldn't count.
"I'll think about it and see what happens later."
He thought for a moment, then looked at Shen Guodong and instructed, "Go and ask the heads of each unit about the performance of the young men. If they are old enough and capable enough, give them more responsibilities and promote them to important positions."
Hearing Li Xuewu's words, Master Ye's eyes reddened. This was the first time in so many years that he had pleaded for someone.
Even if he tries to be sentimental with Li Xuewu, the third brother, Xi Yongzhong, is not coming back. All he can do is care for the remaining twelve children.
It was only because of Xi Yongzhong's death that Li Xuewu thought of giving important positions to and nurturing these children, and Master Ye could be considered to have accepted it.
What can he do if he doesn't admit it? He's a homeless man, and the respectability he has now is all thanks to his employer.
It was only because it was a new society that he dared to bring this up with Li Xuewu; in the old society, he wouldn't have had the guts.
Shen Guodong was good at reading people's expressions. While listening to Li Xuewu's instructions, he was already thinking about what to do.
Li Xuewu never intended to give these young men positions as heads of their respective units, let alone let them take on major responsibilities.
Lu Yao knows horsepower and sees people's hearts over time.
Li Xuewu and the others knew exactly how to use these youngsters. Without ten or eight years of experience, who would dare to use them?
These kids have all gone wild in society; they can't be tamed with just a bowl of rice or a piece of clothing. It takes time and experience to train them.
Li Xuewu's promise to give opportunities is likely true, but to actually give someone a leadership position is pure nonsense; it's just something Ye Erye would hear.
Shen Guodong could tell that he had agreed, but whether or not he could actually do it, and how much he could do, was up to him.
He also has an explanation; it depends on how things develop.
After finishing his business, Master Ye got up and said he was going back.
Looking at his increasingly thin body, Li Xuewu felt a pang of emotion; these thirteen children had finally found their grandfather.
These days, there are all sorts of wicked people out there, and there are plenty who would use these thirteen children as stepping stones.
After seeing off Master Ye, Shen Guodong explained softly at the gate, "He had a bad cough a while ago, and he refused to go to the hospital. In the end, I had to take the boys there to carry him."
"What's wrong?" Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, "Is there something wrong with your health?"
"The doctor said there was nothing wrong with my body, it's just that I get internal heat in the autumn."
Shen Guodong shook his head slightly and said, "I don't believe in this, so I took him to ask my godfather. My godfather said it was internal heat attacking the heart, and the qi was stagnant."
He glanced in the direction where Master Ye had left, sighed slightly, and said, "My godfather said that his body is already riddled with holes. If he continues to suffer like this, his already short lifespan will be further shortened."
Have you talked to him?
Li Xuewu looked at him and asked, "Does he have any thoughts or requests? Try to fulfill them if you can."
"You know him well, he keeps everything to himself and rarely tells us anything."
Shen Guodong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "But I could have guessed it too, it's just these few kids."
“What kind of kid are you?” Li Xuewu raised his head slightly and said, “You’re a grown man of seventeen or eighteen.”
"This time it was a huge blow."
Shen Guodong nodded and said, "I'll try my best to comfort him, or arrange for him to visit a few different organizations to help him relax."
"He will not leave the capital."
Li Xuewu waved for him to enter the courtyard, and said casually, "What he cares about most now is returning to his roots; he doesn't want to be too far away from his wife and children at this age."
Master Ye had no wife or children; they had perished in a fire decades ago.
But that's why he won't leave the capital. Even if he dies, he wants to die in the capital so he can reunite with his wife and children in the afterlife.
These children were his thoughts, but not his hopes; his hopes lay in Li Xuewu's trust.
When they took him in, it was agreed that Li Xuewu would take full responsibility for his funeral arrangements and do everything according to his wishes.
He wasn't the type to push his luck. He didn't want a grand funeral; he only asked Li Xuewu to bury him next to his wife and children.
Li Xuewu would certainly not refuse such a small request.
So after spending the last few years together, Li Xuewu has shown him enough respect and trust, and today he is able to listen to his requests.
"You're in the capital, so I see you almost every day. Please take good care of me."
Before entering the house, Li Xuewu instructed him, "Second Master has done us a great service. Even if we don't do it for him, we must do it for others to see."
"Brother Wu, don't worry, I understand this principle." Shen Guodong said earnestly, "My third uncle told me before leaving Beijing that I will pay attention to Second Master's health."
"Yes, thank you for your hard work—"
Li Xuewu patted his brother's arm before going inside.
By this time, a group of people were already lying on the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room. The children had grown tired from playing and had all fallen asleep. The women straightened their backs and rested for a while.
Li Xuewu reached out and closed the door, then returned to the west room.
The west room was also filled with snoring; Grandpa and Father Li Shun had already lain down and were about to fall asleep.
The eldest brother, Xuewen, and Xuecai lay on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), the stove was burning brightly, and the room was not cold at all.
Only He Yuzhu, who was already quite drunk, was still squinting as he waited for them to return.
Are you having dinner again tonight?
He asked groggily, "I'm afraid you'll be hungry when you get home."
"I'm not going to eat here even if I'm hungry." Li Xuewu looked at him amusedly and said, "Go to sleep. We'll go home when the kids wake up."
Li Xuewu exchanged a few perfunctory words with him, then found a pillow, lay down on the kang (heated brick bed), and covered himself with his jacket to sleep.
I'm exhausted after a long day. I've been busy all morning and afternoon, and now the sun is about to set. If I don't take a nap while these people are snoring, I'll have to wait until tonight to sleep with them.
Shen Guodong didn't feel sleepy, so he lay down next to him on the kang (a heated brick bed), planning to take a nap and then go to check on the warehouse.
Since the neighbors from the Red Star Factory moved away, the courtyard has become less and less lively, especially after winter. The group's engineering company came to draw and measure, but they haven't taken the time to repair the houses.
However, the engineering company is only targeting the houses that were vacated, such as the Yan family across the street, the Jia family in the backyard, and the old man's house.
According to Sha Zhu, the Li family decides whether the compound is lively or not. When all the Li family members come back, the compound is lively; when the Li family members go their separate ways, the compound returns to tranquility.
Sha Zhu likes lively places, but he couldn't bear to part with his newly built house, so he didn't choose a house in the workers' new village.
He visited an old man's house and found the environment to be quite nice, and the living conditions to be much cleaner. The only downside was the distant relationship between the upstairs and downstairs neighbors.
When we first moved away, the neighbors in the compound were still in close contact, often visiting each other's homes to talk about the people and things that had happened since we moved away.
As time went by, everyone stopped contacting each other. Unless they met in the factory area or the living area, they wouldn't talk to each other.
It's not that the relationship has soured, but rather that they've all developed new social circles and new neighbors; the old neighbors only exist at banquets.
Who would habitually invite old neighbors or long-time acquaintances when holding an event, since they still owe the other party a gift of money?
He rarely comes back to the compound anymore.
At first, some people found it inappropriate. For example, the three older women who used to live across the street would occasionally bring their granddaughter back to visit the old house.
Before the group came to take possession of the house, she could go inside to take a look and pick up some junk that she had forgotten to take during the move.
After the group took possession of the properties and sealed them off, she couldn't go in anymore, but she would still look at them for a while, as if she were reminiscing about the past.
Back then, Uncle San always wore a pair of large-framed glasses with broken temples that were wrapped with white tape. What he cared about most was his seven-times-used bicycle.
Hou Qinghua reminisced about the past years, reflecting on himself and the lives of his children.
The old man is gone, the eldest son is gone, but life goes on.
Like her other neighbors, she couldn't quite let go of this place, as if she had left something important behind when she moved away.
However, as time went on, she came less often, and even when she was just passing by, she rarely came in to take a look at the alley.
The group has already taken possession of all the houses. There are reports that renovations will begin next year. After the renovations, the houses with property rights will be reorganized, and the residents will be grouped together as much as possible to create complete courtyard houses.
Land in the city is extremely valuable, and even in this era, it is sometimes insufficient. Through the development of the Liangmahe Industrial Zone, the group has realized that land resources, especially residential buildings, are scarce in Beijing.
Li Huaide probably can't imagine that this city will have tens of millions of permanent residents in the future; even the current few million seem like too many to him.
If it weren't for the young people going to the countryside, the streets of this city would still be full of street urchins.
Li Xuewu and his family of four returned home around 7 p.m. He and Gu Ning woke up early because the children were sleeping soundly and they couldn't bear to wake them.
Li Shu had been having a blast with her younger brother all day, and by the afternoon the battery was almost dead. After three hours of charging, they were back home and happy again.
Li Xuewu was concerned about his child's studies, so he asked Li Shu to show him her homework and inquired about what she had learned in kindergarten.
Li Shuke didn't take it negatively. She really wanted her father to pay attention to her studies, so she cooperated by talking about her studies.
It's clear that after that incident, the kindergarten teachers treated her much better; she would scold the teachers every few sentences.
After taking a shower and changing into her pajamas, Gu Ning came downstairs and took the initiative to ask Li Xuewu about his trip to East Germany.
"If you can't go this month, you'll have to wait until next month at the earliest."
Li Xuewu watched his daughter do her homework and shook his head slightly, explaining, "This kind of visit won't last too long, at most three or four days, and we'll have to come back."
He looked up at Gu Ning and said, "The work is all in the preliminary stages. I estimate that we will receive letters from East German company representatives starting this month."
"The negotiations will mostly be completed within a day or two after arriving in East Germany. The initial phase will involve visits and mutual probing."
Li Xuewu shrugged and smiled, saying, "Sounds pretty boring, right? Actually, there are procedures for all work."
"Was it very cold in East Germany?"
Gu Ning frowned and pondered, then said, "If I'm leaving next month, should I bring a sweater?"
"No rush, we'll have time to prepare by then."
Li Xuewu smiled and took her hand, asking, "Are you worried about me?"
“No—” Gu Ning shook her head slightly and looked at him, saying, “In my heart, you are omnipotent.”
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu squeezed her hand, pulled her to sit behind Li Shu, and watched her do her homework.
Li Ning went to take a shower with Er Ya, while the three of them chatted around the homework in the living room.
Li Xuewu told Gu Ning about what he knew about East Germany, but it was only a simple and one-sided account. At most, it was history, but he knew nothing about its culture.
Will you be staying in Beijing for the foreseeable future?
Gu Ning asked the question casually, but unexpectedly, Li Xuewu was looking at her with a smile.
Perhaps feeling a little embarrassed by Li Xuewu's gaze, she nudged him and said, "What are you looking at?"
You're a little worried about me, aren't you?
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "Are you afraid that if I go to Germany, I won't come back?"
"You're going to East Germany, not West Germany."
Gu Ning wasn't afraid of that at all. She said calmly, "Where you go isn't important. What's important is where your heart is. What's the use of a person if you can't keep their heart?"
Ouch—
Li Xuewu stared in surprise. Was this the first time Gu Ning had expressed jealousy?
Only now did he realize that his wife was a woman.
Before? Before, it was Gu Ning.