CHAPTER 305: CHAPTER 306: YOU’RE AS STUPID AS YOUR MOM

Dong Meihua managed to convince He Xuewu in the end. At that moment, Li Shengmei truly felt wonderful. She felt like a born leader, respected and adored by everyone who was willing to listen to her speak. She enjoyed the feeling.

So, inevitably, Li Shengmei ended up spending the whole afternoon at the Red Star Production Team and even had dinner at Liu Haiguo’s house. He Xuewu, unable to dissuade her, had gone back already, while Dong Meihua stayed with Li Shengmei.

At the He Family’s, He Hongjun was waiting impatiently for his youngest son to come home, his anger nearly bursting.

"Where is your mother?" He Hongjun asked.

"She’s at the Red Star Production Team, teaching everyone how to improve the team’s production."

No sooner had He Xuewu spoken than He Hongjun spat, "Your mother knows nothing."

"I think what Mom said was pretty good," He Xuewu dared to say. And precisely because he thought that Li Shengmei spoke well, He Xuewu ultimately heeded Dong Meihua’s advice and didn’t interrupt Li Shengmei.

He Hongjun glared at his son and scolded, "You are as stupid as your mother."

Just then, He Xuegang and He Xuebing arrived back and overheard He Hongjun scolding He Xuewu. He Xuegang asked, "What’s going on?"

"Big brother, second brother," He Xuewu said as soon as he saw He Xuegang and He Xuebing return, relieved to be off the hook.

Seeing his two sons come back, He Hongjun couldn’t suppress his anger and immediately disclosed the matter of Li Shengmei and Feng Ying going to the Red Star Production Team.

He Xuegang and He Xuebing frowned simultaneously, listening to He Xuewu talk about Li Shengmei at the Red Star Production Team. The brothers exchanged glances, and He Xuebing said, "Brother, I think we need to personally go to the Red Star Production Team and get Mom and sister-in-law back. They’ve been there the entire afternoon. It’s the New Year; if they stay any longer, it will become a joke."

"And Mom, being a women’s committee director, teaching others at the Red Star Production Team about boosting productivity—if word gets out, what will others think? Eventually, when it reaches the Guangming Production Team, what will everyone think?"

Upon hearing this, He Xuegang nodded, "I’ll go with you."

He Hongjun said, "Xuegang going alone is enough; Bingzi, stay here. Both of you going—what would that look like? Xuewu, go with your elder brother to the Red Star Production Team."

Accordingly, He Xuegang and He Xuewu left, while He Xuebing stayed to listen to He Hongjun’s complaints. "Your mother, it’s not that she lacks a brain; it’s that her brain is filled with crap. How could she meddle in the affairs of the Red Star Production Team? She’s worth nothing. Her stupidity is almost killing me."

"Dad, don’t get so angry. Mom has always been this way. You know it after all these years. Don’t ruin your health over it," He Xuebing said helplessly.

"How can I not be angry? I may end up being killed by her foolishness." He Hongjun was still wheezing. If Li Shengmei were in front of him now, he might not be able to restrain himself from hitting her, even in front of his son.

"How did Liu Haiguo manage to make such a mess of the Red Star Production Team?" He Xuebing was somewhat puzzled.

"Dad, are Gao Jiaxing and Xia Xiao married?" He Xuebing’s attention was diverted by this news.

He Hongjun glanced at his son and nodded. "They married before the New Year," he added, then said, "Don’t think too much about it. You and Xia Xiao aren’t meant to be."

He Xuebing fell silent, and He Hongjun asked, "How are things in the army?"

He Xuebing frowned, "Before coming back this time, the regiment commander invited my brother and me to his house for a meal."

He Hongjun looked at He Xuebing, waiting for him to continue. He Xuebing said, "The regiment commander values me highly and wants me to become his son-in-law. I declined politely, but he asked me to think it over and discuss it with the family."

"What’s his daughter like?" He Hongjun inquired.

He Xuebing frowned, "Quite annoying, like she can’t understand when someone says no."

He Hongjun laughed, "The girl has taken a fancy to you. Honestly, Dad hoped you’d make your mark in the army on your true merit, so people would respect you. But now, with you brothers struggling there, and with the regiment commander’s daughter and his high regard for you—Dad wants to know what you think?"

"I want to rely on my own true abilities, not become the regiment commander’s son-in-law, which would make others look down on me," He Xuebing said.

"That’s ambitious," He Hongjun commented, praising his son, but then added, "Dad certainly hopes for you to excel, but now you and your brother are in the same unit. This refusal might jeopardize your careers."

That was He Hongjun’s worry; initially, he had placed his two sons in the army to support and look out for each other—unaware it might eventually lead to difficulties.

If they rejected the regiment commander, the brothers’ careers might be at stake. If He Xuebing married the commander’s daughter, however hard they worked later, it might be said they advanced thanks to the commander.

"Bingzi, you need to learn to make choices," He Hongjun advised.

"Are you suggesting I agree? But I really don’t like Yu Zhen," He Xuebing shook his head.

"But with the regiment commander giving you a chance to discuss it with the family, he’s essentially giving you another chance. Does the commander have just one daughter?" He Hongjun asked.

He Xuebing shook his head. "He has a son in military school too."

"But besides a son, the commander has only one daughter," He Hongjun said and then added, "You don’t need to rush your reply to the commander. Take these days to think it over carefully: what you want, and weighing the gains against losses, you have to decide for yourself."

Meanwhile, He Xuegang and He Xuewu were heading to the Red Star Production Team, with He Xuegang catching up on recent matters from He Xuewu.

Over at the Red Star Production Team, Li Shengmei was highly esteemed by Liu Haiguo and his mother, which inflated her ego, making her quite self-important. Back at the Lius’ house for dinner, sharing some wine with Mrs. Liu, she talked incessantly with great pomp.

At the He Family’s, He Hongjun would never let Li Shengmei drink wine, and she didn’t get the opportunity at the Guangming Production Team either.

However, at Liu’s, Mrs. Liu loved her occasional drink. Ever since Liu Jiefang had died, Mrs. Liu invariably included alcohol in her meals—hence, naturally, Li Shengmei also got to drink then.

With that drink, her cheeks glowed red, and her words grew increasingly plentiful.