That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1486 Aside from making money, I'm not as good as you guys at all.

Going through the proper procedures is a very important matter in mainland China. For example, when it comes to getting a driver's license, some people follow the prescribed procedures, including medical examination, registration, and examination, and get their driver's license in just a few days.

However, for some people, the same process takes several months or even half a year.

So when Peng Rui told Li Ye that "it's going through procedures, and we have to take it one step at a time, so there won't be any results in a short period of time," he changed the subject and didn't mention the invoices again.

You said there won't be any results for a while, so it'll definitely be several months or even half a year!

Besides, Li Ye asked you to investigate the false invoices, not to help him evade taxes, Peng Rui. Why are you dragging your feet on something so straightforward?
Peng Rui immediately sensed the change in Li Ye's emotions and said with a smile, "Li Ye, don't misunderstand me."
The main issue is that you only have a few invoices, the amount isn't too large, and one of the companies is located in a different district, so going through the expedited process is definitely not feasible.
However, Li Ye, you're not one to speak lightly. I'll make arrangements right away and come up with an investigation plan as soon as possible."

"Isn't the amount too large?"

Li Ye nodded slowly, then said, "Let's not alert them yet. Let me collect a few more invoices before applying for an investigation with the tax system. We'll follow the proper procedures."

"The formal procedure would be too troublesome. Don't worry, your senior brother still has some influence. Just bring the invoice tomorrow."

"Alright, alright, let me collect a few more invoices. Anyway, this project will take almost a year! The fox's true colors will show sooner or later."

"Hey, it doesn't need to take that long, just bring it to me tomorrow."

"Mmm, okay, okay."

Peng Rui realized that something was wrong with Li Ye and tried several times to smooth things over, but Li Ye politely declined with a smile each time.

Just then, Yuan Hongmin came out of the kitchen carrying a large soup bowl.

"Li Ye, try my Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup. I learned it from a female colleague from the south at our hospital. It's nutritious and delicious."

Li Ye quickly took the large soup bowl from him and said with a smile, "I was just joking with my senior brother, but I didn't expect to witness your real skills. This is even more impressive than going to a fancy restaurant!"

Yuan Hongmin also laughed and said, "Peng Rui often talks about you, saying that when he went to his teacher's house for meals a few years ago, it was always you, Li Ye, who cooked the dishes. For those years, he looked forward to eating your cooking every weekend. I'm nothing compared to you!"

"No, no, no, I can't compare to my sister-in-law. Back then, everyone was starving, so I used a lot of oil when I cooked, and of course everyone thought it tasted good. If they were to eat my cooking now, they'd definitely complain!"

"Hahaha, Li Ye, you're so clever, unlike our Peng Rui, who didn't even know to take the soup bowl from me just now."

Yuan Hongmin clearly had a good impression of Li Ye. While inviting Li Ye to eat, she casually asked, "By the way, what did you want to see your senior brother about today? I heard something about invoices and taxes in the kitchen just now."
Li Ye explained, "It's nothing, it's just that there's a problem with the price the unit is paying. I suspect there's something wrong, so I'm asking my senior for advice."

Yuan Hongmin said boldly, "Why bother asking? Just have your senior brother investigate for you, that's all. He's an expert at this; he solved a major case last year."

"Don't brag about me. Do you think Li Ye doesn't know how capable I am?"

Peng Rui awkwardly stopped his wife from speaking, and at the same time poured Li Ye a glass of wine.

"Li Ye, I can actually guess what's going on with you. Your company is building an office building, and your colleagues feel that it's good to keep the profits within the family, but you don't tolerate any interference, so conflicts are inevitable."

But I want to give you some advice, senior brother: "Water that's too clear has no fish." A 30% price difference is perfectly normal. Even if you find out something, you can't really harm them; you'll just make a bunch of enemies.

"Is this too normal?"

Li Ye gave a wry smile, raised his glass to clink with Peng Rui's, and then drank it all in one gulp.

"Then I must be the one who's not normal!"

. . . . . . . . . .

Li Ye stayed at Peng Rui's house for two hours and finished both bottles of wine he brought, but more than half of the food on the table was left uneaten. His boast a few hours earlier that "I haven't reduced my appetite" had completely turned into a bluff.

"Sister-in-law, these dishes you made are so delicious, but I really didn't realize I'm getting old and my appetite isn't what it used to be. Could you pack some to take away for me?"

"Takeaway? How can I let you take leftovers? I still have the ingredients at home, I'll cook it for you right now."

"No, no, no, I only really like these few dishes, please don't be shy."

After Li Ye left Peng Rui's house, the effects of the alcohol, which had made him feel quite tipsy, quickly dissipated.

Li Ye could feel Yuan Hongmin's enthusiasm, but he always felt a little awkward with his senior brother Peng Rui.

This awkwardness didn't entirely stem from those few invoices. A moment later, Li Ye dialed his senior colleague Yu Xiufen's number.

As soon as the call connected, Yu Xiufen teased Li Ye, "Hey, what's up with General Manager Li today? You actually called me on your own initiative?"

Li Ye didn't mince words with Yu Xiufen and went straight to the point: "Senior sister, has the teacher contacted you recently?"

Yu Xiufen was taken aback for a moment, then said, "No! What's wrong? What happened?"

Li Ye was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I had some tax-related questions I wanted to ask Senior Brother Peng Rui today, and he suddenly asked me if the teacher had contacted me after the Spring Festival. I did indeed run into the teacher when I was at D University."

Yu Xiufen listened quietly to Li Ye finish speaking, then smiled and said, "And then? You felt that Peng Rui was acting strangely, but you couldn't figure out why, so you came to ask me if that was the case?"

Li Ye sighed and said, "Yeah! I felt that my senior brother and sister-in-law were very enthusiastic, but it was just a little strange."

Yu Xiufen said with a laugh, "Of course it's strange! The teacher chose you and not him, it would be strange if he could agree with her."

Li Ye asked in surprise, "The teacher chose me? Not him? What does that mean?"

Yu Xiufen said helplessly, "Li Ye, sometimes I'm jealous of you. You don't know how lucky you are. You don't care at all about what's going on with your teacher. Peng Rui needs an opportunity to cross that threshold, and your teacher has that opportunity."

Li Ye asked in surprise, "Why didn't he just tell the teacher directly? Why did he have to be so hesitant and ask me? Is there any need to be modest about this?"

"Being modest?"

Yu Xiufen sneered, "When we went to pay our respects to our teacher this Spring Festival, didn't you notice that Peng Rui was dawdling? We had all left, but he was still there. How do you know he didn't confess his feelings to the teacher directly?"

"."

Li Ye finally understood why Peng Rui seemed awkward today. It turned out that the olive branch Zhang Qiyan extended to Li Ye was exactly what Peng Rui wanted most.

When Yu Xiufen heard Li Ye fall silent, she smiled and asked, "Let's not talk about these things. You told Peng Rui about the fake invoices. How did he agree to it?"

Li Ye chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "I underestimated this matter. The amount isn't large, and it's in a different region, so there are procedures to follow. Besides, too much purity leaves no room for fish."

"Follow his sister's procedure!"

Yu Xiufen said unhappily, "You call him 'senior brother' and I'm handling this for you, but you still have to go through procedures to find him? That's ridiculous."

Li Ye was immediately surprised and said, "You're in charge? Can you even tell me what to do, Senior Sister?"

"Then don't worry about it!"

Yu Xiufen said casually, "But I need to have a good talk with you another day. You need to explain the housing price issue to me."

Li Ye asked curiously, "Household prices? What house prices?"

Yu Xiufen said angrily, "Didn't you keep saying that housing prices in Beijing would rise a few years ago? Your senior brother Wang Zhiyuan believed it and partnered with Lao Zou to buy several courtyard houses."
It's not that I'm against them buying houses, it's just that house prices have skyrocketed, and they just won't sell. They're holding onto their houses with mortgages; how can they possibly build up a few more smaller houses?

Upon hearing this, Li Ye knew that Yu Xiufen had made a common mistake among retail investors—failing to hold onto stocks that were soaring.

So Li Ye patiently said, "Sister, you also studied economics, so of course you know the principle that scarcity makes things valuable. Given the location of the houses your senior brother Wang bought, do you think an inch more land could just appear out of thin air?"

"Oh, I see. You're implying that I'm not good enough? Well, then, we're both students of the same teacher. How come you're so good at making money?"

Li Ye said helplessly, "Maybe it's because everyone has their own expertise. Apart from making money, I'm not as good as you guys at anything else!"

That's true.

Yu Xiufen said with a smile, "But being able to make money can solve ninety percent of the problems. Otherwise, why would the teacher value you the most?"

"Ha~"

Li Ye smiled but didn't say anything.

Zhang Qiyan took a liking to Li Ye, but Li Ye politely declined. Peng Rui, on the other hand, wanted to be noticed, but it was out of reach. What should we do?

(End of this chapter)