Restarting life in Siheyuan

After lunch, the four of them took a slow walk around the campus until they reached the dormitory area. This had become a habit for them because Zhu Xuefeng's dormitory was nearby, so they would always send him off first and then the three of them would go back to the outer courtyard together.

From a distance, I saw a man in military uniform standing by the woods in front of the dormitory.

Xie Junjie explained awkwardly, "Brother Feng, I really don't know this person, and I didn't invite him here. Zhu Xuefeng disappeared for more than a day, and the culprit was Xie Junjie, who was punished by Xia Yuhong. Now seeing someone in military uniform waiting for them, Xie Junjie felt a little uneasy.

"It's okay. He was looking for me. I know him. It has nothing to do with the jet ski."

Zhu Xuefeng could see clearly that this was Team Leader Guo's guard Zheng Dayong. Then he remembered that he had looked for him. It seemed that he had found the school. Zheng Dayong, who was in the distance, saw Zhu Xuefeng looking at him and nodded slightly.

"Xiao Hong, you guys go back first. I have something to do. Someone is looking for me over there."

"Will you disappear for another day?" Xia Yuhong asked in a low voice.

"Definitely not. You go back with Lin Na first."

Lin Na pulled Xia Yuhong, nodded, turned and left. Xie Junjie followed tactfully. Only Xia Yuhong looked back from time to time until Zhu Xuefeng waved his hand to drive her away again, and then she left reluctantly.

"Excuse me, what can I do for you? I heard you looked for me, but I don't have your contact information."

Zhu Xuefeng had no animosity towards Zheng Dayong. He had a very strange feeling. When they first fought, Zheng Dayong left a deep impression on him and thought that he should not be a bad person. At that time, he even tactfully advised him to have conscience and not to help the evil.

Zheng Dayong looked very struggling, but Zhu Xuefeng unexpectedly discovered that the collar badge on his military uniform was gone, and asked in surprise.

"Are you retired from the army?"

"Well, although I'm reluctant, there's nothing I can do."

It is said that Zheng Dayong should have been in the army for quite some time, but he was willing to retire. Zhu Xuefeng couldn't understand why, but it was definitely not a good thing. He blurted out the answer without thinking just now, and of course he would not dwell on it now.

"It looks like you have something to talk to me about. It's cool in the woods, why don't we find a place to talk."

It turned out that Zheng Dayong came to report that Team Leader Guo had been dealt with by the Disciplinary Committee for failing to discipline his spouse and children. Now he has been removed as the team leader and demoted to deputy director of the Municipal Bureau, which means his future is ruined. Unless something unexpected happens, he will not be able to move up in this life.

Naturally, he was not qualified to be a guard. Zheng Dayong was also implicated by his superiors and his own brother, so he chose to retire directly and wait for placement according to policy.

Looking at the other person's honest eyes, Zhu Xuefeng understood that the other person had already found out that it was he and his group who were behind the planning and collecting evidence.

"So, you blame me for sending your brother to jail for the second time."

Zheng Dayong shook his head. "I only have this little brother. I was reluctant to take care of him, which led to him getting along badly with Guo Junjie. Both times he brought it upon himself. I don't blame you. If I have to blame someone, I'll blame myself. If I have to blame someone else, I'll blame Guo Junjie."

This person has very positive values, and Zhu Xuefeng couldn't help but have a better impression of him, so he asked politely.

"Then you are looking for me?"

Zheng Dayong raised his head and looked directly at Zhu Xuefeng. "You advised me to have a conscience and not to help the evil. I still remember that. To be honest, I really didn't help their family do anything bad. Although I have retired, I still say that I am worthy of this military uniform."

"I believe, and I can see, that you are an upright man."

Zheng Dayong may have suffered a lot of grievances recently, and Zhu Xuefeng's words of believing in him also touched him.

"I now understand what you meant by advising me at that time, but I basically didn't get involved in other things except protecting his safety. Now the situation is clear, so I have to thank you for your reminder, and also remind you to be careful..."

Zheng Dayong told Zhu Xuefeng something very calmly.

Mrs. Guo was only given an internal punishment and dismissed from her public office. She has now been released and returned home. He is not sure whether there will be any further action against her.

The presiding judge of the case has been changed because Team Leader Guo took the initiative to state that Judge Cheng was recommended by him and needed to recuse himself. Now the Vice President of the Intermediate Court is personally handling the case, and it is expected to be heard in October.

Team leader Guo has already found out that it was Zhu Xuefeng and some of his friends who were making trouble behind the scenes. He once flew into a rage and cursed loudly in the office. Zheng Dayong guessed that he would cause trouble for Zhu Xuefeng in the future, so he came to remind him.

Zhu Xuefeng was somewhat surprised by Zheng Dayong's warning, and this man's character was once again elevated in Zhu Xuefeng's mind.

"Thank you. Do you think it's inappropriate for you to tell me this?"

Zheng Dayong's expression was indifferent. "I couldn't see it clearly before, but now I realize that this family has some character problems. I'm telling you this only because I think I'm still a person with conscience, that's all."

Zheng Dayong had always been feeling resentful about the fact that he accompanied Mrs. Guo to threaten the victim. After he passed on the news that Team Leader Guo might retaliate against Zhu Xuefeng, he obviously relaxed.

Knowing that Zheng Dayong was unwilling to discredit his old leader, is this a character problem? For the sake of his son, Team Leader Guo had to borrow his influence, whether he participated in it himself or agreed to his wife's operation. He must have known about it, and only sent his wife and son to jail after the matter was exposed. In order to remove the iron-willed Judge Cheng, he even put on a good show. This kind of person is full of bad water, obviously lacking in morality, and has a big problem!

"Thank you for your reminder. Didn't your old leader find someone to help you solve your work problems? Although he has come down, it should be easy for him to say a few words. If nothing else, with your good skills, it would be very suitable for you to be a police officer.

Zheng Dayong looked gloomy and spoke directly.

"He asked me if he was willing to take me to the Municipal Bureau, but I didn't agree."

Zheng Dayong looked very heavy-hearted. This incident forced him to take off his military uniform and caused him great harm. When he talked about his old leader, there seemed to be something else in his eyes. It seemed that the communication at that time was not very smooth. Zhu Xuefeng was unwilling to ask the truth, but felt sorry for Zheng Dayong's good skills. You know, when Zhu Xuefeng, who had been promoted, hit his carotid artery, he only suffered a brief paralysis. He didn't faint at all. This kind of physique was already extremely strong, at least Zhu Xuefeng had never seen it before.

"What are your plans for the future? You can't possibly not go to work, right? If you have any ideas, maybe I can help you."

Zheng Dayong had guessed Zhu Xuefeng's special identity from his service gun, and he seemed visibly disappointed when he brought up this topic.

"Originally, your department recruited me back then, but the chief was nice to me at the time and didn't want me to leave. Now that there are these things in my file, of course I can't go again. I'll just have to wait. It's fine if I can be assigned a job, but it doesn't matter if I can't. I can't starve to death as a living person with hands and feet."

Zhu Xuefeng didn't know that he had been conscripted before, and suddenly he had an idea.

"There is also this matter. In theory, we are almost comrades-in-arms. How about this, if you trust me, here is a way for you to try. If you can pass my test, there will be a major event that will benefit the country and the people for you to participate in. Are you interested?"

Zhu Xuefeng briefly described the location of the preliminary test, and Zheng Dayong was stunned.

"You still want to leave the country?"

"Of course, the choice is yours. Come back to me when you've made up your mind. Remember to keep it a secret. I don't need to remind you."

Zheng Dayong was struggling internally. Zhu Xuefeng didn't say what happened, but since he was not in the country, this matter must be serious. He didn't care and was not afraid of sacrifice, but his younger brother Xiaojun would be sentenced next month and might even be imprisoned for several years.

"Are you worried about your brother? Well, you said he was a fool and was deceived into working for him. When he comes out, I will take care of him."

"Do you want to go out too?"

"It's not impossible. He has a criminal record now, and he will be restricted everywhere in the country. If he moves to another place, with a brother like you watching over him, I hope he will come to his senses and turn back."

Zheng Xiaojun gave him the impression of being a brainless person. Zheng Dayong said that he was not a bad person by nature, which was not impossible. In order to recruit Zheng Dayong, Zhu Xuefeng thought about it and realized that Zheng Xiaojun would not cause any trouble if he really did something bad, and it would be easier to deal with him outside. Zheng Dayong's eyes lit up for the first time and he stood up.

"Let me go back and think about it. I also need to find more people to find out how much Xiaojun has done and whether it is worth your arrangement."

In Zheng Dayong's mind, it is not easy to settle two people abroad. He should know more about his brother's character. If he goes to do important things that benefit the country and the people, and his brother holds him back, his fate may be worse than if he stays in the country.

Zhu Xuefeng didn't expect that Zheng Dayong had considered his brother's life and death for a while. Although he felt a little regretful that Zheng Dayong did not agree immediately, it was obvious that Zheng Dayong was moved.

Unlike Zhu Xuefeng who felt regretful but still had a glimmer of hope, Li Huaide, who was far away in Hong Kong, felt regretful and confused.

The father-in-law sent a message saying that the status quo of steel mill product exports remained unchanged and the documents had been recovered. There was a sense of desolation between the lines, but he still encouraged Li Huaide to work hard.

Li Huaide was very confused. He looked at the letter in his hand, as if he was unwilling to believe it. After a long time, he sat down with a sense of loss. He was silent for a long time. He felt as if he had lost his backer. He always felt empty behind him, like a kite with a broken string. He could not control himself at all and could only drift with the wind on this dirty land of Hong Kong.

"General Manager, may I ask how the products will be distributed this month?"

The secretary who came in quietly was startled. General Manager Li seemed to have aged a lot in an instant, and he was no longer as lively as he was last night. But she still mustered up the courage to ask.

"Go, go, go. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Go and close the door first."

Li Huaide didn't have the energy to deal with this right now, and the delicate secretary in front of him didn't seem to be attractive anymore.

"But, we have been holding off on shipping the goods to the head office this month. They are very dissatisfied. Secretary Guan has personally urged us twice, and the business manager has also come several times. We have to keep the goods in the factory, and the warehouse is full."

Relying on her close relationship with Mr. Li, the secretary diligently reminded him that the head office was more important than the manager in the factory. How could it be justified to drag it on like this? She was just a selected small worker and was not clear about the relationship between the company and the factory. On the surface, the factory was just a subsidiary of the company.

Li Huaide was a little impatient. He was in a state of confusion and his tone was no longer as friendly as usual.

"Don't worry about this. Go do your own thing. It's still September, right? Ask them to wait for two more days and then tell them... just tell them that we have discovered a batch quality risk and are investigating it."

"But, but..."

The young secretary had already sensed something was wrong with Li Huaide, but she still wanted to remind him that just by looking at the security guards at the factory gate, she would know who was protecting the factory. Those people were not easy to mess with, and she didn't want Li Huaide to make a mistake. Although Li Huaide was a little older, he was still quite generous. Although he had more tricks, as long as he worked hard, there would always be rewards, so he was not a traitor.

"No buts, let's do it this way. Tell everyone not to disturb me in the morning."

Li Huaide was aware of his emotional fluctuations and tried to remain calm and speak in a calm tone. Although the secretary did not understand, she still closed the door as requested.

With his father-in-law's advice, Li Huaide ignored Dongsheng Company's opinion and held back the supply in September, waiting for the moment when the sun would shine to realize his grand plan. A few days ago, the Ministry of Commerce's Hong Kong office arrived. He thought that the matter had been settled, but he did not expect a reversal at the critical juncture.

Li Huaide lit a cigarette depressedly and walked around the office, engaging in a fierce struggle.

If we can't make any more trouble about this matter, what's the point of coming to Hong Kong? How can we make new achievements?

After all the trouble I have put in so far, it seems that I have gained nothing except a considerate secretary. I haven't made any money and I have offended Dongsheng Company.

Now even the factories dare not leave, for fear that people who have bought cars will come to them.

There is only one possibility that can make the father-in-law take back his opinion. This matter is too far away from Li Huaide. He feels uneasy even thinking about it. This place can actually attract such high-level attention. Li Huaide is a little terrified. Is he trying to pull chestnuts out of the fire? If he fails, he will be doomed.

Li Huaide was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat. This was impossible. He had to turn around! He had to find a chance to go back! He couldn't stay here any longer!
Li Huaide made up his mind that he could give up his achievements and must leave this vortex. Years of struggle experience told him that it was time for a major strategic shift. He still had to ask his father-in-law for help and find a way to return to the capital.

Li Huaide's father-in-law left the leadership office with a dejected look on his face. He thought he had taken a wrong step and his lack of understanding of the international market situation had led to major changes in the overseas market development this time.

What a pity. If this could succeed, it would bring great benefits to the country. It would no longer be controlled by others and suffer from the shameless exploitation of its own people. He was very disgusted with Dongsheng Company, a middleman that did not produce anything and only sucked blood.

As I watched him leave, I heard a sigh from the window behind me. A thin figure turned around and went back to the office, where a tall figure was lighting a cigarette.

"I think Lao Zhu is still not convinced."

The figure exhaled a puff of smoke and said with a smile.

"This old Zhu, his stance on resisting capitalism is correct, but he doesn't understand that there are some things that our cadres have too little exposure to. I think it is necessary to have a discussion on international politics, economic diplomacy, and national defense to unify our thinking."

The thin figure nodded in deep agreement.

"It is indeed necessary. Our comrades always focus on the domestic situation and some brother countries, and their understanding of the world as a whole is relatively one-sided. Decisions made in this way are indeed prone to go in the wrong direction."

"That's right. If you want to stand out in the world, you have to understand the world. Don't just focus on understanding the military strength of the great powers. You also have to pay more attention to their economic development. If you don't understand the enemy, how can you defeat the enemy? This is true on the battlefield and in the economic field. This old Zhu, he didn't even know the enemy's strength this time, but he wanted to take advantage rashly. He will suffer a great loss."

He took another puff and continued, "But I agree that they should go to Hong Kong to set up a special foreign trade department in advance. We also need a more formal window. The previous office was too low-level. If the country wants to develop, it will inevitably have to deal with all kinds of people. Isn't it for this that we kept Hong Kong back then?"

The thin figure held the tea, took a sip, chewed a few tea leaves, and swallowed them.

"I think so too. We should keep the motorcycle project at the steel mill unchanged. We can try the motorcycles from Shanghai."

"You, this habit of drinking tea has been going on for decades. There was a shortage of supplies back then, and you can't change it now. You threw away your pipe, but I can't change my smoking habit anytime soon."

The thin figure smiled, as if recalling the hard days of fighting in the past.

"It was not easy in the past, and it has not been easy in the past few years. Just hold on, and these difficulties will eventually pass."

"Yes, you've worked hard and lost weight. You need to take care of your health. We are not as healthy as before. Let the cook listen to the doctor's advice and ensure nutrition."

"By the way, what do you think of Lao Luo's report?"

"The country needs to accelerate development, and energy is a strategic issue. I think Lao Luo's suggestion makes sense. Now it is very difficult to ensure the development of domestic oil fields. Besides, this energy is a non-renewable resource. The more it is used, the less it will be. It is a good thing that we can buy it now."

"You're right. I think so too. The treasures left by our ancestors should be used as little as possible. But now we have very little contact with them. We don't have diplomatic relations with them. And the Americans will definitely not give in easily. It's hard to find a breakthrough."

"I do have an idea, and this time I have a chance..."

"Is there such a coincidence? This little guy is dating their prince?"

"Yes, this is a stroke of luck. We can take this opportunity to test the waters and see if there is any chance for cooperation. We have checked this guy. We met him because of the desalination project and now we are good friends."

"Good friends are good, this is a good way to make a breakthrough. We just want to make more friends and fewer enemies. I'll trouble you to arrange this matter."

The tall figure put out his cigarette and stood up.

"I have to go back for dinner, too. If I don't go back, Xiao Zhang will come to remind me again. I still have a pile of documents to look at after dinner. Also, the idea you just mentioned is not bad. Let Lao Zhu try the Western market. He is still a little unconvinced. Let's let the facts teach him a lesson. Don't let him get hurt. Let's go..." (End of this chapter)