fictionpage Chapter 1477 Longevity
Chapter 1477 Longevity
Chapter 1477 Longevity
"Go to East Germany? Where is East Germany?"
Hearing her son mention his recent itinerary, Liu Yin was stunned. "In the east?"
“It’s in the west,” Li Xuewu explained to his mother with a light laugh. “It’s the former German state, which is now divided into East Germany and West Germany.”
Why go so far?
Liu Yin put down the dumplings she was making, walked to the doorway of the inner room, looked at her son inside, and asked, "Go by boat? Wouldn't that take forever?"
"Mom—what era are we living in!"
Li Xue looked up with a smile and explained to her mother, "My second brother flew there by plane with other group leaders."
"An airplane? How long would that take?"
Liu Yin panicked a little, rubbing the flour in her hands as she looked at her son and asked, "Won't there be any danger?"
She didn't really care whether Germany was in the east or the west; she was worried about her son's safety on this trip.
Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, comforting his mother, "It's not just me; the entire industrial system needs to send more than sixty people."
The reason why Lao Li was unsure this time, fearing that he would show weakness in front of others, was because there were too many people.
Think about it, when a vice president leads a delegation on an overseas trip, the lowest-ranking members accompanying the delegation must be vice presidents of the company, and key vice presidents at that.
Li Huaide was able to recommend Li Xuewu's name because of Li Xuewu's past work achievements and the influence of the industrial enterprise cluster he was in charge of in Liaodong.
The number of positions available in the industrial system is limited, and the number allocated to the First Ministry of Machine Building is even smaller, usually only one position.
Why is Hongxing Steel Group so special?
There are many reasons. First, although Hongxing Steel Group does not yet have an absolute advantage in strength, the scale of the industries it is involved in is considerable and its development potential is huge.
Secondly, even with a reduction of nearly 3 employees, the group is still considered a super-large enterprise within the entire industrial system.
Finally, the group's foreign import and export and technological cooperation are typical examples, and the higher-ups also hope that this visit will achieve a series of practical and substantial cooperation results.
When selecting industrial representatives, the first consideration is development potential, followed by production scale and business scope, and finally the qualifications and capabilities of the person in charge.
If we're really looking at qualifications and abilities, Lao Li might be ranked outside the top 100, but he has the prerequisite of being good at management and achieving results.
Hongxing Steel Group has its own industrial enterprise cluster, which constitutes a closed-loop operation and management of the upstream and downstream industrial chains of heavy industry and heavy and light mixed industry.
They have achieved outstanding results, especially in typical heavy industrial sectors such as automobiles, electronics, aircraft, shipbuilding, and steel.
In its work on foreign cooperation and trade, it established a joint savings bank, set up an international business division, and opened up channels for connecting with the international trade market.
This unique industrial advantage makes it stand out as a top-tier and exceptional entity within the industry and system.
With so many buffs stacked up, who in the entire system can compete with Red Star Steel Group?
Even if Li Huaide were to bring two more deputies along, no one above would say anything.
This trip to East Germany had extraordinary practical goals and political significance. If practical cooperation could be achieved, it would have a decisive impact on the mainland's access to the international market.
Other companies have been out of touch with the international market for a long time, and they may not be able to find cooperation opportunities this time they go out.
However, Hongxing Steel Group is different. It already has a foundation in foreign trade, and this time, by joining the delegation to discuss cooperation with policy support, it is definitely a powerful asset.
If cooperation between Hongxing Steel Group and some heavy and light industrial enterprises in East Germany can be facilitated, the authorities can certainly expand the operational policy conditions for Hongxing Steel Group and relax restrictions.
Since Hongxing Steel Group has been selected as a pilot enterprise for market-oriented economy, it should be given more development conditions to promote further transformation of the enterprise.
Li Huaide only understood the purpose and significance of this trip after listening to Director Du's explanation.
What businesses of Hongxing Steel Group can be used as capital for cooperative operations?
Alternatively, consider what aspects of East Germany could Hongxing Steel Group learn from and cooperate with.
This issue was not only an assignment for Li Xuewu, but also something that the working group organizing and participating in this trip was thinking about and compiling information on.
It appears that the delegation from Hongxing Steel Group was led by General Manager Li Huaide, accompanied by Secretary-General Li Xuewu, and other relevant economic officials. But what was the reality?
Before Li Xuewu learned of this news, Li Huaide had already authorized Chief Economist Gao Yaqin, Chief Accountant Jing Yunong, and Chief Engineer Xue Zhifu to jointly form a working group to prepare and plan.
Don't assume Li Xuewu knows everything. He knew very little about East Germany at that time, only that East and West Germany were reunited in 90.
This is something he remembered while studying and researching the historical lessons and experiences of the dissolution and peaceful evolution of the Northern Mao.
No one's brain can remember all historical events. Even a history whiz couldn't possibly remember all the disciplines, including social sciences, economics, politics, and medicine.
Not knowing doesn't mean you can't know. The domestic closed-off nature is only relative. Even if Li Xuewu doesn't know, there are still upper-level channels and foreign company channels.
When Li Xuewu left the group, he spoke by phone with Santay Group, Sanhe Co., Ltd., and Catherine of Geely Star Shipbuilding.
It was very simple; he stated his purpose directly: to obtain all the information about East Germany at that time.
Some people asked, "Why should Hongxing Steel Group wait for him to come back and make contact when he already has connections with these three foreign companies that have been cooperating with us for a long time?"
It's very simple. The group has already sent letters of request to all related units regarding the relevant demands, but these letters were sent to the respective units, not the principal responsible persons.
Li Xuewu, on the other hand, directly contacted the other party's president, supervisor, or general manager by phone.
Back when Li Xuewu was in charge of foreign economic relations, these three companies were his associates.
This time, the group also sent a message to the Hong Kong office, asking the colleagues in the International Business Department to collect information.
The messages issued by the working group mainly focused on the industrial development status of East Germany, the list of enterprises and their scale of development, and more importantly, the product market and technological advantages.
What else did Li Xuewu ask besides these questions?
He wanted to inquire about the overall economic and social development of East Germany, knowing that the other side's products and technologies were not everything, and that negotiations needed to be tailored to the specific circumstances.
He certainly didn't have time to think about that today. After discussing the details of the work group's work with Lao Li and speaking with the foreign company he was connected with by phone, he went home.
When his mother turns sixty, he has to go home to show his filial piety, no matter how busy he is. It only happens once in a lifetime.
Besides, his third uncle, Li Tong, happened to be in Beijing, and it would be too inconsiderate for him to stay until evening before going home.
If we go by the old lady's idea, she wouldn't celebrate her sixtieth birthday, let alone her sixtieth, sixty-sixth, or even eighty-eighth birthday.
She refuses to hold birthday celebrations or accept gifts; the old lady is absolutely adamant about it. She says that celebrating her birthday is like shortening her own lifespan, and she wants to live a few more years to see her children and grandchildren grow up.
As the head of the family, Li Shun naturally had to listen to his mother's opinions, but he also had to consider the elderly woman's feelings.
The old lady had three sons, but for various reasons, they were scattered all over the country, and she might not be able to see them even once a year.
It was his children and grandchildren. I have to say that his second son was capable of gathering all his brothers and sisters in the capital. Otherwise, he would have had to endure the pain of separation and longing for his loved ones.
What's special is that the second son, Li Xuewu, doesn't work in Beijing and only comes back two or three times a month.
Which of the old lady's children and grandchildren does she care about the most?
Don't talk about who's near and who's far. If you see her often, you won't miss her or care about her as much. The less you see her, the harder it is for you to see her, the more you'll miss her.
Li Xuewu's third uncle, Li Tong, returned home the least often because he was in the army and had no choice in his own destiny.
Li Xuewu was busy with work in the first half of the year and exhausted in the second half. Even when he came back, he could only sit with the old lady for a while and exchange a few words.
The old lady misses her second grandson. She doesn't entertain him or accept gifts, but it's fine for the family to get together and have some fun.
Li Shun only discussed it with the old lady at the request of his sons.
Last year, my father-in-law, Li Xuewu's maternal grandfather, celebrated his 60th birthday, and the family had a similarly lively celebration.
Since the matriarch had already set an example, the old lady didn't insist anymore, only emphasizing that she shouldn't accept gifts from outsiders.
Li Xuewu and his father both agreed with the old lady's opinion on this point and also agreed with the principle of not celebrating birthdays in a grand manner.
A harmonious family brings prosperity; we should still focus on living our own lives well.
He doesn't accept gifts, only invites family members to dinner, but he can't stop visits from relatives and friends.
Li Xuewu's godmother had been looking forward to the old lady's birthday for a while, and she had visited her a few days ago with some gifts.
Li Shun and his sons weren't home at the time, and Liu Yin wanted to refuse, but how could she refuse Wang Shuhua's kindness?
The two families are not far apart, especially after Li Xuewu returned, he really treated his godmother like his own mother.
During holidays, Li Xuewu would visit Shen Guodong's home. However, since Shen Guodong was too busy with work to come home on weekdays, Shen Guodong would always visit on Li Xuewu's behalf.
We always accept gifts from Wang Shuhua when she comes to our house, so how could we refuse to accept them this time?
Since Wang Shuhua had come, Shen Guodong, who was at home, was bound to come and kowtow to the old lady.
This is none other than my godmother.
He and Li Xuewu were sworn brothers, brothers who kowtowed to each other. He called Li Shun and Liu Yin his godfather and godmother. He called the old lady "old lady" on weekdays, but also called her "grandma".
Shen Guodong came to kowtow, and Fei Shanying, who was a generation older than him, also came to see him, carrying a child and some things.
There was no way to avoid it. Li Xuewu, along with Li Wenbiao, called Wen San'er "uncle." Although they were not related by blood, or even related at all, they still called him that.
The brothers surrounding Li Xuewu now are all those who fought alongside him to build the empire; their relationship is no different from that of blood brothers, so calling Wen San'er "uncle" is truly a sign of their close bond.
Conversely, Wen San'er was close to Li Shun and the old lady, as was Fei Shanying.
You can't refuse the gifts these people bring, whether they are relatives, friends, or neighbors.
You can refuse that, but how can you refuse Sha Zhu and Yu Li when they come to see the old lady?
Shen Guodong and his friends are sworn brothers with Li Xuewu, and Sha Zhu is not far from Li Xuewu either; they'll drink together when they meet.
Needless to say, Yu Li was protected by the old lady back then, and the two of them get along very well.
Of course, these people didn't bring gifts solely because of Li Xuewu and the Li family; they genuinely wanted to visit the old lady.
So when Li Shun and Li Xuewu decided to organize a dinner gathering for everyone, they sent messages to them.
It wasn't a formal reception, but the feast was certainly impressive, and Sha Zhu didn't pretend to be a guest; he cooked himself.
It was in the rear building, or rather, the more spacious west-facing room.
The recycling station's warehousing operations have now moved to a larger warehouse, so there are no more tricycles parked here.
It's not that we've stopped doing business; we're just connecting with retail, which means neighbors come over to sell their junk.
Normally, it's mainly used as a studio, where my grandmother does carpentry work.
Second Master was back less often; every time he came back, he was either checking accounts or organizing the antiques accumulated in the storeroom.
Although the frenzy of those few months has not returned in recent years, Second Master has never given up his antique collecting.
Once he's filled a warehouse, Li Xuewu will take it away quietly when he has the chance.
The second master came to appraise and maintain these antiques, affix appraisal labels, and then properly seal them away.
Li Xuewu already had enough antique resources to create a museum. He knew that his second master liked these old objects, and the funds he received were always unlimited.
Second Master has no children, so Li Xuewu isn't worried about him keeping secrets. Even if it's the Thirteen Protectors, Second Master feels sorry for them, but he wouldn't use these things to cause them trouble.
Young people don't like this either; they don't recognize good quality jade and emeralds, and gold and silver are too eye-catching.
Li Xuewu was generous and allowed the Second Master to keep whatever he liked, as a gift from him.
Second Master didn't care too much. He had long seen through it. Although this thing was a keepsake, you can't take it with you when you die. He would just hold it in his hand and play with it. He would never hide it somewhere to feed the rats.
After the large warehouse was put into use, Li Xuewu could clearly feel that the recycling station had become quiet.
The boys' laughter and merriment are gone, as are the bustling mornings and evenings when the carts were being driven out and brought back. Even the back house is empty, with only Grandma living here.
Sometimes, when someone can't find a place to stay, they'll come here to spend the night. Sha Zhu often does this.
He drank too much and was afraid of getting a beating when he got home, so he made an excuse to chat with his grandmother and stayed here that night.
Delia knew what kind of person he was, so she didn't care as long as he didn't sleep outside.
Sha Zhu actually had a set of luggage in the back room, which he usually kept folded on the cabinet.
Li Xuewu also knew that his great-grandmother had been lonely these past two years, unlike the happy times she had a lot of people around her a few years ago.
There was nothing he could do; he had already told his great-grandmother that he wanted to take care of him in his old age, and that he could either come to live at her house or go to the steel city with her.
Given Grandma's personality, it's already incredibly difficult for her to live with her son-in-law. If Li Xuewu were truly penniless and destitute like when he returned, she would accept it.
He's his own grandson, and he has no descendants, so of course he has to take care of the child.
But Li Xuewu didn't give him a chance. Now that life is getting better and better, he doesn't want to stay with Li Xuewu anymore.
Isn't it much more comfortable to stay with your own daughter than to live with your grandparents?
Besides, Li Xuewu isn't a bachelor; how could his wife and children have the same lifestyle?
He was just trying to make a living, so he picked up his tools again and started studying furniture.
The furniture designs that Shen Guodong and Huang Gan are currently running are all provided by their maternal grandmother; they are both beautiful and practical.
Having grown accustomed to quiet days, the sudden liveliness was a bit overwhelming for the grandmother, who couldn't take her eyes off the children filling the room.
The adults were to talk and chat in the west room, while the children were arranged to stay in the east room.
The Li family has four children: Li Shu, Li Tang, Li Ning, and Li Yue. Li Yue is still an infant.
There are also Zhang Xinmin, He Zhuang, and Wen Yuan.
Zhang Xinmin is the oldest, three years older than Li Shu, making him a proper older brother.
But he was also at a mischievous age when he was in elementary school, especially spoiled by Wen San'er.
Fortunately, Wen San'er is rarely home, otherwise that kid would be completely out of control.
His mother was very strict with him; she would patiently lecture him if he disobeyed, but if he didn't study, she would really beat him.
Li Xuewu had encountered this once, but dared not offer any advice. Fei Shanying was by nature strong-willed, and when she got angry, she was terrifyingly serious.
There were no outsiders today; the whole family pitched in, and even the renowned doctor Li Xuecai lent a hand.
Li Xuewen, the eldest brother, was also busy, taking care of his youngest daughter while also looking after the other children.
Can you imagine how he, with his large-framed glasses, looks after children?
Zhao Yafang was worried and would come out of the kitchen every now and then to check on him, afraid that she would lose sight of the child.
Li Xuewu and the others sat and talked in the west room. He was the only special one in the family. Even Gu Ning was learning to make dumplings by her mother-in-law's side.
Originally, Liu Yin did not want Zhao Yafang to help, since she had just finished her postpartum confinement and should not be exposed to cold or overexertion.
Zhao Yafang was unwilling to act like a matriarch on this day and insisted on helping out.
Ji Yuxiu and Gu Ning took care of her and didn't let her do any hard work. The scene of the three sisters-in-law vying to do the work made Li Tong extremely envious.
"I wish Xuehan could find such a good wife someday."
"Hehe, Third Uncle, why are you in such a hurry?"
Li Xuewu smiled, took the teapot, and refilled his teacup with hot water, saying, "It's just a matter of the last few years."
He could tell from his uncle's aged appearance that the hardships he described in the letter were not untrue.
He looked at least ten years older than when he went to Guangzhou on a business trip that year. He was only in his early forties but already had gray hair. He said he would feel better after getting through these few years, but he didn't say how many years those few years were.
If we keep going like this, we'll probably die.
Li Xuewu didn't know how to persuade him. He wanted to use his father-in-law's connections to help him, but he was afraid that his father would object.
This time it was different from the last time he helped. Uncle San was also a proud man. He couldn't help his nephew, so he was unwilling to take advantage of his nephew's help.
However, it was clear that my third uncle was very happy when he went back to his hometown to visit his mother this time.
Li Xuewu persuaded him to drink some tea, jokingly saying, "Maybe you'll be a grandfather next year."
"Yeah, I'm really afraid he doesn't have the ability."
Li Tong hummed twice, amused and helpless, and said, "In June, an aunt in the compound introduced him to a girl, the daughter of the logistics director, but he thought she was fat."
"Isn't it good to be a little chubby?" Liu Yin said with a smile. "Who wouldn't want to be a plump girl?"
"Who knows what he's thinking."
Li Tong said with dissatisfaction, "I asked him if he had a girlfriend, and he said no. When I introduced him to someone, he was picky. He only knows to get anxious when he's really single."
“No way, Xuehan is good-looking, he takes after his mother.” Liu Yin praised with a smile, “Among the brothers, Xuehan is the most handsome, with the delicate features of a southerner.”
“He’s too spoiled, and his mother spoils him too.” Li Tong said with dissatisfaction, “I said I would arrange for him to join the army, but Hong Min insisted on waiting for two more years.”
"Xuehan is 18 this year, right?"
Liu Yin thought for a moment and asked, "You graduated from high school?"
“He graduated a long time ago.” Li Tong took a sip of hot tea, put down the teacup, and said, “He’s been loitering at home for more than half a year. I wanted to send him to the countryside, but his mother refused.”
"Look, he's still lounging around at home."
"I need to find some work to make a living; I'm 18 now."
As the elder brother, Li Shun naturally had the right to speak about his nephew's affairs. He frowned and said, "If we don't make arrangements soon, it will be too late."
"I'm determined to send him to the army this time when we get back." Li Tong seemed to have made up his mind, and looked at his nephew Li Xuewu once again.
My former nephew, who is even two years younger than my son now, dared to tell him he wanted to go to the front lines.
He thought about it all night, and in the end, on behalf of his elder brother and sister-in-law, he decided to send his nephew to pursue his future.
When he learned that his nephew was injured, he almost fainted. At that moment, all he could think about was how his nephew was doing, and how he would explain it to his elder brother and sister-in-law if anything happened to him.
Although Li Xuewu was not the eldest brother's only son, who could bear to part with their own son after raising him for so long?
They sent the child to him in the first place to settle him down, and he had also heard that his nephew had caused trouble at home.
Looking at his nephew now, he believes one thing: even the worst child, once sent to the army and reformed in the crucible, will come back as a good kid.
However, Li Xuehan is different from his second brother, Li Xuewu, who is born with a fierce spirit.
If a boy doesn't have a bit of ruthlessness, how can he survive in a dog-eat-dog world?
Li Xuehan has lived too well, and Hong Min has spoiled him too much, which is why he has lost his ruthlessness and courage.
He likes tough guys, preferably soldiers like Li Xuewu who rose through the ranks by fighting in the alleyways.
Fearless and fearless, they will charge forward without ever falling behind, and only in this way can they win battles.
Li Tong said he would send his son to join the army as soon as he got back, but he was also secretly worried.
If you're not cut out for it, you can't make a good knife.
Forcing a child to join the army might end up causing trouble and ruining their life.
This is what it means to have debts to one's children.
Li Xuewu knew what his third uncle was thinking when he saw the look in his eyes, so he quickly changed the subject.
He didn't want his third uncle to be immersed in such sorrow. Today was the old lady's birthday, and if he shed a couple more tears, the atmosphere that had been so hard to create would be ruined.
"Did you tell me? When are you leaving?"
Li Shun also realized that his son was trying to change the subject, so he took the initiative to ask about his schedule.
Li Xuewu then explained, following his father's words, "It hasn't been decided yet; we have to wait for notification from above."
"I came back not to prepare for going abroad, but because there was a work meeting at the group."
He gave a brief introduction to the steel city's work and what he was busy with to the people sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed).
The men started chatting about his topic, mainly about their respective jobs.
"You're so easy to deal with—"
Hearing about the situation of his elder brother's children, Li Tong sighed, "Those years of hard work weren't in vain."
"Your older brother had it harder back then than you are now."
Liu Yin used the past to persuade him, saying, "Think about it, back then the economy was unstable, and the whole family depended on your older brother for food and drink."
"All four children are in school. The half-grown boy is a real burden to his father and even has to subsidize our family."
She was telling the truth, and it was her true feeling. She genuinely wanted to serve Li Shun.
Why?
Even during the hardest times of those years, Li Shun was able to spare a portion of his family's food rations to give to her family.
At that time, Li Xuewu's maternal grandmother was still alive, but she was in poor health and often had to take medicine.
The Li family are doctors, so they can save a lot on medicine costs, but Li Xuewu's maternal grandfather will have to work in a different way.
What does it mean to go to work?
If you don't go to work and keep taking leave, where will you get so much salary? If you can't get paid, you'll go hungry.
Liu Yin had actually discussed it with Li Shun long ago, wanting to bring her parents to live with them here, and Li Shun had agreed.
It was their grandmother who disagreed, saying that even if they had to die, they should die at home.
Whether this saying still holds true in later generations is unknown, but at this time, elderly people stopped visiting each other as they got older.
If you say that a relative's child is getting married, the elderly will avoid going if possible, even if they are picked up in person.
I'm afraid of that risk, and I don't want to be disliked.
Do you think it's unlucky?
What if you really die on someone else's behalf? On such a joyous occasion, you're left lying on the ground. How are you supposed to live your life?
At this age, elderly people are aware that their health is not good and they will not easily leave home.
There are also those shameless people who want to go everywhere, especially to their own grandchildren or great-grandchildren, which ends up affecting other people's happy weddings.
Yes, it's one's own junior, and there's not much to say about it, but it's still a major event in one's life.
Li Xuewu's maternal grandmother refused to come, no matter how Li Shun and Liu Yin tried to persuade her. In the end, she really did die at home.
Moved by her mother's stubbornness and saddened by the thought of not being able to care for her parents when they were no longer there, Liu Yin made a difficult decision and brought her father from the countryside to her home.
When his maternal grandmother came to visit, Li Shun finally stopped giving her the allowance, otherwise he would have given her every year.
You said Li Shun's salary is quite good. When he first started donating medical prescriptions, he could earn more than fifty yuan, and it gradually increased to more than seventy yuan now.
Some people don't understand why Li Shun's high salary isn't enough to make ends meet, and why his family is struggling to make ends meet.
Life's expenses are hard to keep up with; once you start calculating, you realize that money is needed for everything.
Liu Yin had also gone through hardships with him, so she naturally understood his feelings deeply.
While making dumplings, they talked about their past life and the difficulties they had encountered.
She said these things not to complain or to say how hard she worked, but to advise Li Tong, and also to her children.
It's not that Li Xuewen and his brothers don't remember their childhood; it's just that life is better now, and they can't forget the hardships they endured in the past.
The men in the room were all listening, and the old lady would occasionally chime in. Compared to their current good life, the atmosphere didn't feel depressing.
By recalling past hardships and appreciating present happiness, Liu Yin used her own past experiences to teach her family a lesson in morality.
***
Why hasn't the rain returned yet?
Just as the dumplings were all wrapped and Sha Zhu was starting to heat the oil in the wok to cook vegetables, Liu Yin realized that not only had He Yushui not returned, but Yu Li hadn't returned either.
She understood why Yu Li hadn't come back, but what was going on with He Yushui?
Originally, they were thinking of naming her Wang Yamei, but she stopped after she got pregnant.
Perhaps because they had truly decided to support their youngest daughter in her old age, Wang Yamei's parents genuinely cared about Pazile and the child in their daughter's womb.
Wang Yamei works here, which they had agreed to before, but after getting married, they wanted her to really take a break.
Pazil didn't care. His salary was already quite good, and with Wang Yamei's parents' income, it was definitely enough for the family to live on.
Wang Yamei refused. Working at the recycling station wasn't just about getting a salary; she also wanted to have her own life.
She is still young and never wanted to stay at home taking care of her children, unlike Fei Shanying who did it a few years ago.
So she had already discussed it with her family: she could have the baby, but it couldn't interfere with her work.
When she was seven months pregnant, her belly was so big that Shen Guodong finally sent her home.
Wang Yamei is now incredibly powerful at home; no one can control her, and she actually listens to everything Shen Guodong says.
Actually, when they played together back then, she wasn't afraid of Shen Guodong at all, and she wasn't even afraid of Li Wenbiao.
Just imagine, she dared to peek through the crack in the door while Li Xuewu and her sister were doing *that* in the room. This girl is not only bold, but also has a very outgoing personality.
She could listen to Shen Guodong's words of concern for her, and she also knew that if Shen Guodong couldn't control her, he would definitely ask Li Xuewu to talk to her, so she didn't want to cause that trouble.
Is Li Xuewu's word really that effective?
Even now, she still considers Li Xuewu her brother-in-law. Others may not know, but she knows exactly where her sister is.
Although her sister went to Gangcheng before Li Xuewu, she didn't know how capable her sister would be in Hongxing Steel Group without Li Xuewu's arrangements.
As for whether her sister and Li Xuewu have that kind of relationship now, she doesn't know and hasn't inquired about it.
Even if it doesn't exist now, can we deny the past?
So she felt completely at ease working here, treating the place like her own business.
She just can't come today; her parents would never let her come out to visit at this time.
As for Yu Li, needless to say, she saw Yu Li when she went out this morning and asked her to come home for lunch in the afternoon, but Yu Li said she was busy with work and couldn't come back.
Whether she was truly unable to return or feigning it, Liu Yin knew in her heart that this was one of the few "unofficial daughters-in-law" she truly respected.
She knew her second son's character all too well. From Lou Xiao'e to Qin Huairu and now Yu Li, there was no one in the courtyard he couldn't get close to.
Let alone whether it was her initiative or his willingness, she just said that flies don't land on eggs without cracks.
Lou Xiao'e is probably out of the news; I haven't heard anyone mention her in all these years.
Qin Huairu got married and moved away last year, so I believe Li Xuewu wouldn't do something so wrong.
Only Yu Li remained, having not remarried all these years, and she devoted herself wholeheartedly to her family.
Speaking of Yu Li, Liu Yin really has a lot to say; it's not like no one has introduced her to anyone.
Yu Like is keeping the big house in the east courtyard. These days, it's rare for a woman to have a house after a divorce.
She owns her own house, has a job, earns a good income every month, and dresses young.
Yu Li was indeed young, even younger than Li Xuewu. The person who called her "sister-in-law" was actually Yan Jiecheng.
During the time Li Shu was recuperating at home, Yu Li treated Li Shu like her own precious jewel, making all her clothes and shoes by hand for all four seasons.
Now that Li Shu is older, Yu Li is afraid of upsetting Gu Ning, so she doesn't dare to get close to her anymore.
She was afraid that if the child remembered her kindness and spoke of it, it would offend Gu Ning and affect the child.
Li Xuewu might be too careless to notice this, but how could the old lady and Liu Yin not notice it?
Although she couldn't call her back for dinner today, Liu Yin still remembered her.
She couldn't say anything against her conscience. She only recognized three daughters-in-law, but Yu Li was the only special one.
Yu Li is a pitiful person who hasn't moved out all these years. She's clinging to Li Xuewu's old life as her only hope. How can she say she's ignoring him?
It's all Li Xuewu's romantic entanglements; what can she, as his mother, say?
Unlike He Yushui, she didn't like He Yushui. It had nothing to do with He Yushui's personality or character; she simply didn't like having a daughter-in-law who hadn't been raised by her parents since childhood.
This is not about discriminating against anyone, nor is it about being heartless. It's simply the mindset of the older generation, and their idea of choosing a daughter-in-law is to achieve the best possible outcome.
From a scientific perspective, children who lack parental love and companionship may lack a sense of security and may be prone to extremism and stubbornness in life.
In family life, especially when there are many family members, a stubborn and obstinate personality can often lead to getting stuck on trivial matters and causing disharmony and conflict.
If you were to ask what kind of person He Yushui is, he would definitely be willing to introduce Liu Yin to someone else, but he wouldn't recommend Li Xuewu.
They didn't even want it when they offered it to Li Xuewen.
With Li Xuewu's stubborn temper, if he were to marry a girl with a headstrong personality like He Yushui, life would be unbearable.
Her decision to ask He Yushui, not Yu Li, demonstrates her lack of psychological burden.
She knew that her son was busy with work and didn't have much contact with He Yushui anymore, and even if he did, he would avoid it.
Liu Yin didn't want her son to ruin other girls' lives and cause trouble for them. It was all Gu Ning's fault.
"She's not coming back, there's no need to wait for her."
While stir-frying the vegetables, He Yuzhu explained, "She has work today and said she can't come back."
"Then let's save the dumplings for her."
Liu Yin instructed, "Anyway, it's getting cold now, so it won't spoil if we cook it a little later."
"Forget about her, don't worry about her. We don't even know if she'll come back."
He Yuzhu smiled and turned around to say, "Her house in the Workers' New Village is finished and she has already moved in."
"Really? No wonder I haven't seen her much lately." Liu Yin asked, "Is she not coming back to live here?"
"Few are coming back."
While busy working, Sha Zhu explained, "There's a shuttle bus from the Workers' New Village to her workplace, which makes commuting more convenient."
"Also, it's convenient for her to rest at her workplace."
Sha Zhu quickly cooked a dish. Ji Yuxiu, who was cooking dumplings, turned around to pick it up, but Gu Ning had already reached out and brought the dish to the table.
That's the good thing about having many daughters-in-law; there are more people to do the work, so there's never enough to do.
Of course, there can't be too many daughters-in-law; if ten or eight get together, they're bound to fight.
"Rainwater has become successful and independent."
Liu Yin smiled and praised, "Now that your job is stable, you can rest assured."
"Hey—Auntie, my dear sister."
Sha Zhu sighed, "I'll always remember her, think about her, and never let her go, even for the rest of my life."
"That's right, it's a brother and sister."
Looking at Li Xue, who was busy helping out, Liu Yin said with a smile, "These guys still remember this."
“Li Xue is a good girl.” Sha Zhu turned to look at Li Xue and said, “A family with a daughter is sought after by a hundred families.”