N-M Chapter 1714 Playing with Fire
Chapter 1714 Playing with Fire
Chapter 1714 Playing with Fire
Li Xuewu has done his best to ensure that he will not get involved in any trouble, and he is even less willing to get himself into trouble.
But once you're involved, how can you stay out of it?
Sun Wukong?
To transcend the Three Realms and escape the Five Elements is absolutely impossible, unless he abandons everything he currently possesses; otherwise…
"Yes, Qi Zhi, that's me."
He first called Sha Qizhi, the general manager of the international business division of the sales headquarters.
Sha Qizhi was naturally surprised to receive his call, as the secretary-general had rarely contacted him since he was transferred to another position.
When I received the call, I was completely stunned.
It's definitely not a work-related matter, because the secretary-general is extremely disciplined and wouldn't bypass the sales headquarters to contact him directly.
That's a private matter.
But if we're talking about private matters, what kind of things would the secretary-general ask him to do?
"Hello, leader." That was all he managed to say.
"There's something I need you to do for me."
Li Xuewu said on the phone, "I want to know where Takahashi Seiko, who used to work at the Beijing office of Sanhe Co., Ltd., is now."
“Takahashi Seiko?” Sagiyuki was confused again. He had heard of the name before, but his memory of it was vague.
“Yes, there were three female colleagues at Sanhe’s Beijing office back then, and she was one of them,” Li Xuewu explained. “It’s inconvenient for me to contact Sanhe. Could you contact the Tuben branch and ask them to inquire about it?”
“I understand, leader.” Sha Qizhi didn’t ask any more questions and readily agreed.
"No need to worry, I was just asking for someone else," Li Xuewu added, then emphasized, "Get back to me as soon as possible."
"Understood, I'll contact them right away."
After hearing his boss hang up the phone, Sha Qizhi then hung up his own.
Only after being reminded by a leader did he remember who this Gaoqiao was. In fact, the reason he remembered the name was because of Deputy Director Su.
During that period, the news spread privately throughout the headquarters and branch offices, with some busybodies jokingly remarking that Deputy Director Su was very lucky.
However, he had only heard of this person and had never met him or had much dealings with Sanhe Co., Ltd.
The business dealings between Sanwa Corporation and the Group are mainly conducted through the industrial sector, and the compensation trade does not involve orders from the sales sector.
Relationship maintenance is not the responsibility of the sales company, but rather the responsibility of the External Relations Office under the General Manager's Office.
Even within the sales department, it has little to do with their international business division. It was only this year, when the group's leaders went to Japan for inspection and exchange, that the two sides had some opportunities to meet, as the group officially invested in Sanhe.
If his boss calls and asks him to investigate Sanhe Electronics Co., Ltd., that's normal; he'll just do as he's told.
But the leader's intention was to investigate a former employee of Sanhe's Beijing office, an employee who had connections with Deputy Director Su.
That's where things get interesting; he's also a cautious and careful person.
Of course, it wasn't that he was wary of Li Xuewu's demands, but rather that he was thinking about how to ensure the task was completed well.
At least keep it a secret.
After thinking it over carefully, he then sent the message through external communication channels.
Li Xuewu was unaware of Sha Qizhi's cautious behavior, but he knew that the cadres he had trained knew what to do without his reminder.
To be honest, Sha Qizhi was one of his more satisfactory disciples; at least he had style in his work and knew how to use his brain.
Regarding Fang Yuan's request, Li Xuewu would not directly hand it over to anyone for investigation; he would first need to understand the situation himself.
Whether or not you can help, and how you can help, you have to plan carefully.
It is foreseeable that the fact that Fang Yuan was suddenly called at night proves that he was at work at the time.
Working overtime at that time is an abnormal work schedule, indicating that she was in an abnormal work situation.
What constitutes an abnormal work situation?
For example, participating in research activities, participating in auditing activities, or being secretly recruited into an investigation team.
During the case involving Furnace No. 4, Li Xuewu could clearly sense her resentment.
This woman has a ruthless streak, both towards herself and towards her work.
Liu Wei tricked her at the time, but she didn't retaliate afterwards; instead, she chose to remain silent.
In fact, Li Xuewu was prepared for what to do if she continued to investigate.
Liu Wei was also worried about this problem, but all the preparations were in vain, which surprised both of them.
Li Xuewu certainly wouldn't let Liu Wei do all the work for nothing, much less let her bear all the consequences alone.
So even though he didn't get any further action from Fang Yuan, he still recommended Liu Wei to serve as the deputy secretary-general of Honggang Group.
None of this is a secret, and Fang Yuan, who is following the developments of this case, is likely aware of Liu Wei's transfer.
In this situation, even after only a few months, she is still clinging to this case.
She wouldn't do something so foolish all by herself, relying solely on her strength and the wisdom of decisive silence.
If anything happened, it must be that her persistence was recognized and affirmed by some party, and she was given an opportunity.
That's why I said that last night: I wouldn't call him unless absolutely necessary.
But since she called him, it means that her investigation team must have believed that he would not leak the information.
At the same time, she must have realized that Li Xuewu could deduce what she was doing based on these few pieces of information.
A special investigation operation—it was obvious.
If that's really the case, then it perfectly confirms the fact that while the media has been reporting that everything is fine, the actual situation is tense.
The occurrence of any event, though seemingly accidental, is in fact the result of multiple inevitabilities that make it unexpected.
This phone call was quite unusual for Li Xuewu. Was it a sign of trust or a test?
It wasn't that he was sitting in his office daydreaming and really thinking of himself as a key figure; rather, he simply didn't want to cause trouble.
He was more afraid that the other party might have some thoughts about him, and that he might be chosen to carry out some kind of mission, just like Fang Yuan.
To be honest, from Li Xuewu's perspective, in the long run, this is actually not good for him.
For example, he didn't want to work in the oversight system.
If he were in Xue Zhifu's position at this moment, he would definitely make some arrangements, at least to obtain something.
Working in a government office without a purpose is a waste of life; you might as well read the newspaper or tend to your plants.
Therefore, he decided to take a roundabout approach, asking Sha Qizhi to help investigate, and then make a decision after receiving definite information.
-
"Li Ke, the leader sent me to pick you up."
Qi Yan waited for Li Xue, who was carrying luggage, at the exit of the train station. He took the initiative to greet her and offered to help her with her luggage.
"Thank you, I can do it myself."
Li Xue smiled and nodded, saying, "It's not heavy, just a few pieces of clothing."
"It's okay, I'll put it in the trunk for you."
Qi Yan insisted on taking it, raised his hand to indicate the direction of the parking lot, and said, "We'll have to walk a bit further."
In fact, given Honggang Group's position in the steel city, it would be quite easy for them to drive their vehicles onto the platform.
Especially Li Xuewu's Volga, both the model and the license plate are quite recognizable.
In the past, when there were pick-up and drop-off duties, this car would also come to the station. As the driver, Qi Yan could use facial recognition.
While the railway system may disregard local areas, there is still a connection between train stations and local communities.
Furthermore, Honggang Group is not a local enterprise; it spans several provinces and has a very large volume of business cooperation with the railway.
Despite these conveniences, even though the person picking him up was Li Xuewu's sister, Qi Yan still waited outside the station.
When the person in charge of the station's duty room heard the report, he said that he saw the car of the leader of Honggang Group in the parking lot and asked Qi Yan if he wanted to enter the station, but he politely declined.
Qi Yan understood the leader's bottom line well; using the car was fine, he could just pay for his own gas.
No one is a saint. When you have resources, it's inevitable that you'll have times when it's convenient for you, but there must be rules.
But it's wrong to break other people's rules for your own convenience.
You could say that Qi Yan followed the rules, but the principles were still those of Li Xuewu; ultimately, the driver was still serving the leader.
Rules are rules. For official business transportation, his car can enter the station for convenience, but such private matters are absolutely not allowed.
Let alone personal matters, even when he takes the train back to Beijing, he gets off outside the station and queues in the waiting room.
When I came back, I quietly got off the train, walked out of the station, boarded the train outside the station, and left.
You shouldn't cause trouble for others, otherwise you'll get into trouble.
Once you start to take the preferential treatment from others as your due, you're not far from losing your true self.
Therefore, since the secretary-general did not give any instructions, Qi Yan did not dare to drive into the station and could only wait outside.
Of course, the fact that the Secretary-General asked him to drive to pick up Li Xue was itself a form of enjoying the convenience of resources.
But he doesn't need to grasp or measure this standard; as the Secretary-General, he has plenty of opportunities to seek more convenience.
To this day, it has remained a pillar of the group, having weathered many leadership changes, and its foundation remains clean.
If you're going to treat something as a car-related issue and investigate it, then that's making a mountain out of a molehill and it's not fair.
Even Su Weide, who saw him as a thorn in his side, and Zhou Wanquan, who considered him a thorn in his flesh, never thought of starting their investigation from this point, because they were afraid of being laughed at.
If they really investigate like this, it only proves that they can't find anything else about Li Xuewu; they've gone to such extremes of nitpicking.
You said that in the end, will Li Xuewu be more severely criticized, or will they be more severely distrusted?
So while it may seem like there are no standards, in reality, standards are always in place.
Li Xue dared to ride in her second brother's car precisely because she had confidence in him.
You should know that she had never ridden in her second brother's car in Beijing, not even when she was at home.
The fact that her second brother arranged for this car to pick her up this time can only mean that he wants to have a serious talk with her.
Before getting on the bus, Li Xue sighed deeply. She had nowhere else to go. If there were any other place where she could relax, she would not have come to Steel City.
"The leader instructed us to take you to Guanshan Road first."
After getting into the car, Qi Yan only said this one sentence before silently starting the car, turning the steering wheel, and driving away.
Li Xue sat in the back seat of the car, looking out at the steel city, her face full of worries she had brought from home.
This frustration and helplessness didn't dissipate even after Qi Yan parked the car in front of the villa on Guanshan Road.
But upon seeing Yu Li who came out to greet him, his expression gradually softened, and a smile of reunion appeared on his face.
"Oh dear—have you gained weight?"
Yu Li looked her up and down and asked with a smile, "It's only been a short time since I last saw you, and you're already looking more and more like a young lady."
Because of her love for the house, she never imagined she would have this connection with the Li family's daughter when the two families lived across the street from each other.
Now, holding Li Xue's hand, she also receives care and attention, as if she should be treated as a younger sister.
"Sister Yu, your eyes are like a ruler."
Li Xue smiled and said, "Nobody noticed that I've gained weight, except you."
"I knew it!"
Yu Li warmly took the luggage from Qi Yan's hands and said, "It's been a long time since we last met, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to tell."
"I've gained six pounds; I've been craving something sweet lately."
Li Xue pouted and said in a slightly coquettish tone, "I'm coming here to improve my life."
“Great!” Yu Li nodded and said, “This is a perfect opportunity for me to show off my cooking skills!”
She nodded to Qi Yan and said, "It's alright, leave Li Xue to me, you go ahead with your work."
"Alright, Li Ke, goodbye."
Qi Yan nodded slightly, opened the car door, got in, and left after making the gesture.
Yu Li carried the luggage in one hand and pulled Li Xue into the courtyard with the other, showing her concern and care.
Li Xue also felt like she was coming home, but after entering the house and looking at the furnishings, she still felt a strange sense of wonder. How come her second brother always has a home wherever he goes?
This is actually a good thing for her; wherever she goes, there are people who care about her and take care of her.
"Sit wherever you like. Your second brother won't be back for lunch, so let's eat our own food," Yu Li said. "The food will be ready soon. After we eat, let's rest for a while, and I'll take you out to play this afternoon."
"Don't bother, Sister Yu." Li Xue followed her into the kitchen and said, "Let's just have something simple to eat."
"It's not a big deal."
Yu Li waved her hand and said, "I don't need you. Just go and rest. Give me twenty minutes, and dinner will be ready in a bit."
She did it as soon as she said she would, and without Li Xue's help, she prepared four dishes quite skillfully.
While Li Xue was chatting with her, the meal was ready.
She's not a lazy girl at home, and even though Yu Li said she didn't need to do anything, she still helped serve the dishes and rice.
"Sister, you're too kind."
Looking at the four main dishes on the table, she joked, "Is this the only meal we're having, and we're going to eat cornmeal for every meal from now on?"
"Look at what you're saying. We've come to Steel City, how could we let you go hungry?" Yu Li joked. "How can we not mix in some wheat flour? We can't have cornbread for every meal."
"Sister—" Li Xue said reproachfully, "I came here to improve my life, not to experience life."
-
How could Yu Li let Li Xue down? When Li Xuewu got home from get off work, he found no one there.
He only saw his sister's luggage, and after searching upstairs and downstairs, he found no one at home.
What did those two go about?
There were leftovers in the kitchen, so it seems he forgot he was supposed to come home for dinner and went out to play?
Li Xue is no longer a child, and Yu Li is not a bad person, so of course he wouldn't worry about the two of them getting lost.
Besides, nowadays Yu Li has Bang Geng following her everywhere she goes, so even if something happens, Bang Geng will be there to protect her.
A fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, are you scared?
At this age, even the King of Heaven himself would have to take a knife from me before he leaves; it's the time when I'm fearless.
Li Xuewu wasn't worried about that. He made himself a cup of tea, took a shower, and then went to his study.
He has been working very hard lately, not only to complete his studies but also to prepare his personal books.
Summers in the steel city are hot, but the nights are alright. He can't stand having a fan on him; even a gentle breeze is more comfortable than a strong fan.
As night fell, the chirping of insects filled the air outside the window, and finally, the sound of a car could be heard.
Many families on this street have cars, making travel convenient, but Li Xuewu can still hear cars parked at their doorsteps.
Soon, the door opened, and Yu Li and Li Xue's voices came from the doorway.
"Your second brother is back." Yu Li walked to the study door and asked shyly, "Are you hungry? I'll go heat up some food for you."
"Going out to play?" Li Xuewu looked up from his book and looked towards the study door.
Li Xue appeared behind Yu Li, looking at him and his study with some curiosity.
"We're going shopping," Yu Li smiled and whispered to Li Xue before heading to the kitchen.
Banggeng's voice finally came through at this moment. He asked, "Auntie, I've put the things on the sofa for you!"
"Alright, just leave it there," Yu Li replied from upstairs. "You should go home early too, you must be tired after a long day."
"Alright, goodbye, my two aunties."
Banggeng cheerfully responded, and just as he was about to leave, he ran back and shouted to Li Xuewu in the study, "Goodbye, Uncle Wu."
Li Xuewu had no idea when he had learned to be polite; it couldn't possibly be because Li Xue had come.
The psychology of teenage boys is really hard to explain. He went through that age himself, so he understands it very well.
At this moment, Li Xue walked into the study, glanced back at Bang Geng, and only after seeing him run away did she go to her second brother's desk.
"Did you have fun?"
Li Xuewu smiled, looked at his younger sister, and asked, "Where did you all go to play?"
“We went to the mall,” Li Xue explained. “We had dinner with Sister Mai.”
"You went to your brother Biao's house?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "He said he was coming back a while ago, but he hasn't come back yet. Mai Qinglan is going to complain."
“They didn’t tell us.” Li Xue sat down in the chair next to the desk and said, “Maybe they told Sister Yu, but I might not have heard it.”
She glanced at her second brother and asked, "Is Brother Biao still in Hong Kong?"
"Well, not necessarily." Li Xuewu smiled and explained, "It could also be in Australia."
“He’s so cool—” Li Xue said with no small amount of envy, “He never dreamed he could travel that far.”
"What, you want to go out for a walk too?"
Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "Then apply for a transfer to the International Business Department. There will be plenty of opportunities to travel."
"Then forget it. Work and life are two different things." Li Xue shook her head and said, "If you want to go and see, it's out of curiosity about the outside world. If you really go to work, you'll lose that curiosity, and that would be so boring."
Listening to his sister's words, Li Xuewu suddenly felt that she had grown up, as if it had happened in the blink of an eye.
Li Xue felt a little uncomfortable under her second brother's gaze. She raised her hand to tidy her hair behind her ear and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Yes, you've grown up." Li Xuewu said with satisfaction, "You're a young lady now."
"You just realized that?" Li Xue glanced at him amusedly, then was touched by the tenderness in her second brother's eyes.
“Mom called me.” Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, “She said you left home without saying goodbye.”
"You don't want to nag me like Mom does, do you?"
Li Xue looked at him warily and said, "If you really do that, I'll really be homeless."
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu was amused by his sister's words and nodded, saying, "No, it has nothing to do with me whether you get married or not. If you are lonely and helpless when you get old, that's your own problem. By then, Mom and Dad may not be around anymore."
“No—” Li Xue didn’t want to hear him say that, and said in a low voice, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t find a partner.”
“I’m not saying this to pressure you,” Li Xuewu said earnestly, looking at his younger sister. “Before you came, I was talking about you with your sister Yu.”
Seeing Li Xue raise her head and look at him curiously, he continued, "I suddenly realized that you've grown up. I hope you settle down soon, but I also hope you don't rush it and take your time to find a suitable husband."
"Hehe—" He also saw the emotion in his sister's eyes and said with a light laugh, "Your sister Yu said that I don't treat you like a sister, but rather like a daughter."
"Second Brother—" Li Xue pouted, unusually acting coquettish, and reached out to pull his arm.
"Don't worry, I support you. We'll take our time finding it."
Li Xuewu patted his sister's hand and said, "Your second brother will definitely support you. Find someone you like who also likes you."
“Hmm—” Li Xue had never been close to her second brother since childhood; it was only in recent years that the two siblings had become close.
Right now, she needs comfort and support the most; she came to the study with a heavy heart.
Li Xue had even mentally prepared herself to listen to her second brother's lecture before being sent back to Beijing for a blind date.
I never expected my second brother to say such a thing, and suddenly I couldn't hold back my tears.
"Silly girl, who would sell you out?"
Li Xuewu chuckled as he wiped away his sister's tears and explained, "Does Mom really want to be so heartless as to kick you out of the house as soon as possible? Isn't it all for your own good, to help you settle down and start a family soon?"
"Yes, I know—" Li Xue cried so hard that snot bubbles were coming out of her nose. She took the tissue her second brother handed her and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I just want to be alone for a while."
"Okay, calm down. I understand how you feel." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "You need to relax and think about your future."
He reached out and touched his sister's hair, saying, "I'll say it again: you can find love whenever you want, even if you're fifty, I'll still support you."
"Second Brother—" Li Xue said coquettishly, her voice tinged with dissatisfaction, "Before he's fifty—"
"Good, good, good—forty is never too late!"
Li Xuewu teased her on purpose, and seeing her anxious, he couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you two doing?"
Yu Li appeared at the door at this moment, having changed her clothes, and said with a smile, "I'll cry one minute and laugh the next."
She came in and greeted us, saying, "The food is heated up. It's just leftovers from lunch. I just fried an egg."
"Alright, I'm not hungry at all tonight."
Li Xuewu stood up, pointed to Li Xue who was wiping her nose and composing herself, and said, "She said she'll look for a partner after she turns forty."
"I didn't—" Li Xue, ignoring her snot, insisted, "That's what you said—"
-
Li Xuewu truly kept his promise to his sister. After the first day the two siblings talked, he did not bring up any topics related to his personal feelings for the next few days.
These past few days, Li Xue has really let loose, having a great time in the steel city with Li by her side.
Go to the mall to buy new clothes and shoes, go to the mountains to soak in hot springs, go to the river to enjoy the scenery, and pick mushrooms.
She seemed to have truly forgotten the troubles of the capital and planned to live carefree like her second brother had suggested, even if she lived until she was forty or fifty, her second brother would still be able to support her.
She knew that this was just her second brother showing concern for her and taking care of her, acting as her protector.
She was only in her early twenties, full of fantasies about love, and longed for a steadfast love and marriage.
So, as her second brother said, she might not be able to find love until she's in her forties or fifties.
While having fun these days, she also thought about a question: what if she can't find love?
Just like my second brother said, what if she can't find someone she likes who also likes her?
Even if it's out of desperation, is there any hope for a marriage between someone she doesn't like and someone who doesn't like her?
She will eventually have to take responsibility for her own future; her parents will grow old, and even her second brother will grow old.
There are only a handful of relatives in this world who can still support her. Does she really have to wait for love to come unexpectedly?
Yu Li once told her something like this: if forced to, people will eventually have to be a little selfish.
In other words, don't choose someone you like, choose someone who likes you.
This is a life choice that everyone has to face, but fortunately she is young and has many options.
In her mother's eyes, she didn't have many options left; if she didn't find a partner soon, she would be too old.
That's right, if a 20-year-old girl isn't dating, she'll have to wait until her late twenties to get married.
Although my mother didn't mean it that way, she mentioned the rainwater in the yard, and her words still conveyed a lot of regret.
She works for the group and is naturally very familiar with Yushui, even more so than when they lived in the same compound.
In the past, when we met, we would only exchange greetings. She was a student, and Yushui was a cadre; we were from two different worlds.
But now, they both work in the same company, and when they meet, they always chat for a bit.
It was mostly Yu Shui who cared for her, the kind of care that she was very familiar with, but she was also certain that there was nothing between her second brother and Yu Shui.
Why do I say that? Because Rainwater is still a girl, which she didn't realize herself, but her mother told her.
Back then, the neighbors all said that she liked the second brother and took the initiative to pursue him, and there were also rumors about what happened between the two of them.
My mother was very angry at that time, but my father remained silent until he saw Yushui return, at which point my mother breathed a sigh of relief.
There's no other reason. The rumors might be true, but her eyes can't lie; her second brother didn't do that kind of thing.
After so long, the rain still covered the girl's body, and the neighbors who came and went could see it too. The rumors were dispelled on their own. In addition, her second brother was transferred to the steel city, and the two of them did not have much contact. No one mentioned it again.
But while others might not know this, my mother did. She had said in private that rainwater was unsuitable.
She was, after all, a girl from the courtyard, and her second brother had such a good relationship with Sha Zhu. After what happened, they really wouldn't be able to see each other anymore.
Even if Sha Zhu tacitly agreed and Yu Shui rushed to get married, in her mother's eyes, a woman should formally start a family.
Only a stable family can form the foundation of love, unless someone like Yu Li, who no longer has a family, is involved.
Li Xue knew that her mother was afraid she would become confused and follow Yu Shui's stubbornness, and never meet a good man again.
What if you accidentally encounter someone like the second brother?
She wasn't feeling sorry for her second sister-in-law, but she thought her second brother was too much of a womanizer.
Of course, from her perspective, she naturally sided with her second brother. Although she knew he was wrong, she wouldn't say anything.
But what if it were her?
My second brother also said to take your time choosing and find someone you like. But in this world, where can you find true love and happiness for a hundred years?
Yu Li also said that life is something you have to live yourself, and marriage, like a career, also needs to be managed.
But at her age, if she feels that marriage requires a lot of effort to maintain, then she might as well live alone.
If you think about it this way, you'll see how good Yu Shui's life is. He lives in an apartment building in the workers' new village, has his own career, earns his own money and spends it as he pleases—how free he is!
Should she go find love again?
Standing by the river, gazing at the distant meadow, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. If only she had known this would happen...
No, the decision we made back then was not wrong.
Li Xue only hesitated for a moment before extinguishing the possibility that crossed her mind. Peng Xiaoli might be a good cadre and a good husband, but he was definitely not hers.
Everyone has their own destiny. Peng Xiaoli's success today is due not only to his own efforts but also to Yu Haitang's help and support.
In recent years, the publicity has more or less favored the food factory, and Peng Xiaoli has been in the news every few days.
He was officially promoted last month; how could that have been possible without Yu Haitang's support?
Never look at the present. The present is not necessarily the present of the past, and the present of the past is not necessarily the future of the present. You have to look forward.
"Second brother, I've made up my mind."
Right there in Li Xuewu's office, Li Xue unexpectedly came over and looked at him earnestly, saying, "I'm going back to work tomorrow."
"Well, the holiday is almost over, isn't it?"
Although Li Xuewu was surprised by his sister's change, he still asked with a smile, "How many days off did your boss give you?"
Speaking of this, Li Xue became depressed again, because she had told President Jing about her recent experiences, and President Jing told her to come out and relax and not to worry about the holiday.
In other words, it doesn't matter how she plays, as long as she can adjust her mindset.
There's no one else in the entire group who gets this kind of treatment, only she does. Why is that?
"Well, it's not good to take too much leave."
Li Xue nodded and said, "I suddenly remembered something you once told me."
"Hmm?" Li Xuewu glanced at Ma Baosen as he entered, then looked at his sister again, waiting for her to continue.
"The reason people feel lost is simply because they think too much and do too little." Li Xue took a deep breath and said, "I plan to go back to work and focus on my career. As for matters of the heart, things will work themselves out."
Ok? ? ?
Upon hearing this, Ma Baosen raised his eyebrows. He didn't know if the boat would be straight when it reached the bridge, but his boat was definitely straight!
"Is this the idea you've come up with after thinking about it for over a week?" Li Xuewu looked at his sister with amusement and said, "Well, at least you know what you want now."
He nodded and said, "Okay, if you've had enough, go back. Come back and play whenever you want."
"Okay, just don't bother me—"
Li Xue stood up and said, "I have an appointment with Sister Mai. You go ahead and do your work. I'll talk to you when I get home."
She stood up, nodded to the stunned Ma Baosen, smiled brightly, and turned to leave.
That smile almost stole Ma Baosen's soul.
Li Xue, whom I thought was just average-looking back then, looks so beautiful today!
On the very day Li Xue returned to Beijing, Li Xuewu received a reply from Sha Qizhi, the result of which surprised him greatly.
"What do you mean you can't find them?"
He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you resign? Or did you disappear?"
"The information from Tokyo is that after returning from here, Takahashi did not go to work at the Sanhe headquarters."
Sha Qizhi dared not give a random explanation, so he reported according to the information: "Because of their special status, Nakamura did not directly manage this matter, so no one mentioned them."
"So it can't be found now?"
As Li Xuewu pondered, he asked, "What about personal contact information? Can't you find it either?"
“Yeah, we can’t find the person.” Sha Qizhi explained helplessly, “The person I arranged is definitely reliable. He got the other party’s home address from Sanhe, but by the time he got there, the person had already been replaced.”
"Okay, I get it."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Okay, you can keep an eye on what's going on in Hong Kong for me."
"Okay, I understand," Sha Qizhi knew his task was complete and he could no longer investigate.
The leader told him to pay attention to what was happening in the port city, which was to make him remember this process clearly.
He doesn't need to remember everything, like this incident.
Li Xuewu sat in his office for a long time, pondering, before finally calling Yu Li and asking her to contact the port city.
After hanging up the phone, he called Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan had been waiting for his call, but she knew that it was difficult to find information about him, so she didn't dare to call again to urge him.
It wasn't until she received a call from Li Xuewu that she asked hopefully, "Secretary-General Li."
"We can't find him." Li Xuewu didn't mince words and told her directly, "It's news from the Japanese side."
"Where did you go?" Fang Yuan asked anxiously. "Did you go missing or resign?"
“It’s not resignation.” Li Xuewu hesitated for a moment, but still reminded her, “You can ask in Hong Kong.”
"You mean—" Fang Yuan certainly knew what happened to the case afterward, including Li Xuewu's arrangements.
Since she had already called Li Xuewu, she wasn't afraid to ask any more questions.
"Could you help me check if Takahashi is with Heiji Taniguchi?"
"I'll investigate, but you should go yourself."
Li Xuewu thought for a moment and reminded her, "I don't know why you're investigating her, but I know you need to see her, right?"
"It would be best if we could meet," Fang Yuan said hesitantly, "but it's inconvenient for me to go to Hong Kong."
“There’s nothing inconvenient about it.” Li Xuewu smiled and said, “If you want to go, I can introduce you to someone.”
"That would be great." Fang Yuan didn't know who he was going to introduce her to; she just thought it was a simple favor.
Little did she know that Li Xuewu could sell her out and even make her help count the money.
Of course, Li Xuewu dared not touch her; at least right now, she was embroiled in trouble, and anyone who touched her would die.
So after hanging up the phone, he asked Yu Li again, and after confirming, he wrote a letter and handed it to Ji Weidong.
The long-distance telegram was delivered directly to the port city, and Ji Weidong's reply would be received soon.
Of course he would ask Ji Weidong to handle this matter. From his perspective, there was no way he could gain any benefit from it, and he would even avoid it at all costs.
But Ji Weidong, who was far away in Hong Kong, was not afraid of this, and even the investigation department behind him hoped to take the initiative to help.
So he informed Ji Weidong of the situation. If Gangcheng could make any progress at this time, that would be considered a help.
At least he helped, so Fang Yuan won't make things difficult for him, and he believes he won't cause him any more trouble in the future.
That's what he thought, but he didn't know what Fang Yuan thought.
A few days later, Fang Yuan did indeed call him, not for any other reason than to thank him.
Upon hearing this, Li Xuewu knew that they had made contact with Ji Weidong; otherwise, why would he thank him?
He humbly said it was nothing, adding that having many friends makes life easier, and after a few more pleasantries, he hung up the phone.
There's not much to talk about with Fang Yuan now; talking too much could lead to mistakes, and it's not worth it.
Ji Weidong replied to him afterward, saying that he had found Gao Qiao in a residential area in Gangcheng and brought him out.
Even Takahashi himself didn't know how he got to Hong Kong. He was in Japan before he fell asleep and in Hong Kong after he woke up.
She was trapped in the rented room for several months and almost died there. She didn't know what the perpetrator's purpose was.
This time, with Ji Weidong's help, Fang Yuan went directly to Hong Kong and obtained firsthand information.
Takahashi provided information about the people Nishida Kenichi asked her to do public relations with, as well as details of the process and circumstances.
Especially regarding financial matters, Ji Weidong helped her find Gu Cangping Er, who was living in seclusion in the port city.
This person, who had previously served as the head of the Beijing office of Sanhe Co., Ltd., knew everything Takahashi confessed to.
Even Yua Mikami, who lived in seclusion with the barn, told Fang Yuan everything she knew, encouraged by him.
In his reply, Ji Weidong joked that the leaders of Honggang knew how to have fun, to which Li Xuewu replied that they didn't play as fancy a game as he did.
After learning about it, Li Xuewu stopped paying attention to the matter. As the end of August approached, the weather got hotter and hotter, and more and more things came up.
"Boss, the car is ready."
Ma Baosen pushed open the door and reported, "I've already called the hardware factory."
"Okay, let's set off now."
Li Xuewu tightened the pen in his hand, glanced at the document, and then stood up.
Ma Baosen waited at the door with his notebook, and then the two went downstairs together.
Qi Yan waited by the car. When Ma Baosen opened the car door, Qi Yan got into the driver's seat. Once the leader was seated, Qi Yan started the car and drove towards the hardware factory.
Located in the same industrial area and not far apart, a truck suddenly crashed into them at an angle as they were turning at the intersection.
Even with Qi Yan's excellent driving skills, he couldn't dodge it at this moment. He could only hold the steering wheel tightly and watch helplessly as the truck rushed towards him.
boom--