131: Chapter 131 A Generous Sum Fulfills a Wish! Luxury Cars Add Splendor and Bring Joy to Leisurely Life; Leisurely Dwelling and Drifting on the Waves, Forgetting the Weariness of the World (4)

Deep down, Mu Li told himself that he must not ignore those who had contributed silently; he wanted to carefully select a gift to express his most sincere gratitude.

Following the signs for the folk culture street, he specifically sought out a local specialty shop. Upon entering, his gaze carefully scanned the various specialties, as he only wanted to select gifts that were both practical and meaningful.

In the end, he selected many local snacks—savory and delicious dried seafood, a specialty of Qingyu Town, which was easy to store. Whether it was the cafeteria ladies taking a break or the security team colleagues between patrols, they could all take them out to snack on and experience the flavor of this small coastal town.

Sweet and chewy coconut candies, tangy and delicious dried mangoes, and chewy shredded squid were all snacks loved by everyone, capable of bringing a touch of sweetness and relaxation during their busy work.

In addition to this, he also selected many local souvenirs—small, exquisite shell wind chimes that would produce a crisp, melodic sound when the wind blew, much like their simple, unadorned contributions: not flashy, yet deeply moving.

Lifelike coconut shell carvings and paintings full of coastal charm all carried the character of Qingyu Town as well as his own intentions. He hoped that when they received these souvenirs, they would feel a sense of warmth and respect, and remember this time spent working side by side.

Mu Li selected them with great care, organizing them one by one until he had filled a large bag. Every gift was filled with his gratitude, and every intention was hidden in the details.

Zhou Ming had been following at Mu Li's side. Watching him select so many gifts, his face was full of smiles, and he couldn't help but tease, "Mu Li, you are too good to your colleagues! Buying so many gifts must have cost quite a bit, right? And you've been so thoughtful—from the deputy manager and Technical Team leader to the young engineers, and even the cafeteria ladies and the security team colleagues, you haven't missed a single person. If I were your colleague, I would definitely be moved. It's truly their good fortune to have a leader like you."

Mu Li smiled, his tone full of sincerity and gentleness, the warmth in his eyes almost overflowing. He gently patted the gift bag in his hand, his voice calm yet firm, "It's only right; I really should thank them."

"During this period, I poured all my heart into the nuclear fusion power station project. All my energy was focused on addressing technical difficulties and preventing the threat of the 'Dark Web Phantom'. Many times, I neglected everyone's feelings and didn't even express a proper thank you to them. In truth, I have always felt very guilty about that."

"They followed me, working overtime day and night, pulling all-nighter after all-nighter, bearing immense work pressure, and even facing unknown dangers. Yet, they never complained, never backed down, and always silently supported me, sticking with me through the struggle and the hard work."

"Without their full commitment and silent contributions, the project could not have progressed smoothly, I would not have been able to receive this bonus, and I certainly wouldn't be in this position now—able to let down my guard and enjoy this vacation with peace of mind."

"These gifts are not truly valuable, nor are they worth much money, but they represent the sentiment I have kept in my heart—a token of my most sincere gratitude. I don't want to measure our friendship with how expensive the gifts are; I just want them to know that I have seen and remembered every bit of their contribution. They have never been ignored, and they have never been let down. I hope that when they receive these gifts, they can feel a touch of warmth and know that their hard work was all worth it."

Zhou Ming nodded, the teasing on his face gradually fading, replaced by admiration. "You really are a good leader; you are thoughtful and know how to care for your subordinates and empathize with their hard work. It's not like the leaders at my company, who only know how to squeeze their employees. They never care about how we feel, don't pay for overtime, criticize us harshly for the smallest mistakes, and never even think about rewarding us. The gap between them and you is just too big. Sometimes, I really envy the colleagues on your team for being able to have a leader like you."

"Everyone has a different management style; I just did what I ought to do," Mu Li said, gently shaking his head, his tone calm. "A team is a whole. Only when everyone works together, supports each other, and cooperates can we get things done well. As a leader, I must not only guide everyone to complete our work tasks but also care about their work and lives and empathize with their hardships. That way, everyone can have more motivation and dedicate themselves to their work even better."

As they talked, the two continued to stroll through the folk culture street, occasionally popping into small shops to look at the handicrafts and soak in the rich cultural atmosphere. Yet, Mu Li's gaze would always unconsciously fall on the gift bag in his hand, his eyes filled with gentleness and anticipation—every gift corresponded to a colleague's contribution, and every token of his affection held his gratitude.

The sun began to set, casting a warm, soft, golden glow upon them. Only then did the two carry the large bag full of gifts, strolling leisurely toward the parking lot before driving back to the sea-view house.

Back home, Mu Li did not slack off in the slightest. He carefully took out the selected gifts one by one and organized them by category. He found several exquisite bags, carefully packed each gift, attached small labels, and marked the corresponding names. He placed the fountain pen for Zhang Hongyuan in an exquisite pen case, gently wiping it clean for fear of leaving a single scratch. He carefully placed Lin Wei's pearl necklace into a jewelry box to prevent wear and tear. After checking that the tablet computers and wireless headphones for the young engineers were all in order, he arranged them neatly. He also categorized and packed the specialties and souvenirs for the cafeteria ladies and the security team colleagues, setting them out neatly.

He worked with extreme seriousness and meticulous care. Every movement carried his intentions, and every bit of organization hid his gratitude. He carefully stored all the gifts in the bedroom cabinet, terrified they might be damaged. In his heart, he silently looked forward to the end of the vacation, when he could personally hand these gifts to each of his colleagues and say to them, "Thank you all for walking this path with me and for all your hard work."

Over the next few days, Mu Li and Zhou Ming maintained their leisurely pace, enjoying food, drink, and entertainment as they traveled around. They went to Yueya Bay to go clamming, following local fishermen to catch crabs and dig for clams, experiencing the joy of the seaside. They visited the beach, where they walked, sunbathed, and played in the sand, feeling the coolness of the seawater. They also went to the park in Qingyu Town, strolling and chatting, enjoying the tranquility and freedom.

In addition, the two often sat on the balcony of the sea-view house in the evenings, enjoying the sea breeze, drinking beer, and chatting. Zhou Ming poured out the frustrations and pressures of his work to Mu Li—the client pushing for progress, the limited budget, the disagreements within the team, and the exploitation by his boss. These worries left him unable to breathe, and at times, he even thought about resigning and escaping such a work environment.

Mu Li listened patiently without interrupting. Once Zhou Ming had finished venting, he offered his advice and encouragement in a soft voice, "Everyone encounters all kinds of frustrations and pressures at work; it's a very normal thing. You shouldn't give up easily just because you encounter a few difficulties; after all, a stable job is hard to come by. You can try adjusting your mindset, not worrying too much about your boss's attitude, doing your own job well, and improving your skills. When you become excellent enough, you will have more choices and will be able to break free from your current predicament. If you really can't keep going, you can also consider changing jobs and finding one that suits you and makes you happy. After all, life is only a few decades long; living freely and comfortably is what matters most."

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Zhou Ming listened intently to Mu Li's suggestions and nodded, the clouds of worry on his face gradually dissipating, and his tone became much more relaxed: "Thank you, Mu Li. Hearing you say that makes me feel much better. Before, I kept all these worries bottled up inside with no one to talk to, and I felt like I was about to break down. Now, having spoken about them and heard your advice, I suddenly feel that these troubles aren't so terrifying after all. I will try to adjust my mindset, do my job well, improve my abilities, and I won't give up so easily again."

Seeing Zhou Ming's brow gradually relax, a gentle smile appeared on Mu Li's face: "You're welcome. I'm happy I could help. In the future, if you have any more worries or pressure, you can call me anytime. I'll always be here to listen and give you advice. We are old classmates; helping each other is only natural."

Mu Li also told Zhou Ming about the difficulties and challenges he encountered in the nuclear fusion power station project—technical difficulties emerged one after another, the hardships of equipment troubleshooting, and the threat of the "Dark Web Phantom." He told Zhou Ming that on several occasions, he had faced life-threatening danger, being followed and threatened by the remnant forces of the "Dark Web Phantom," and even encountered ambushes, nearly losing his life several times; there were also those nights spent troubleshooting equipment, day after day, year after year, with his nerves constantly strained, never daring to slack off in the slightest, for fear that even a small oversight in the equipment would affect the project's progress or even threaten national security.

Zhou Ming was terrified as he listened, his face full of worry, occasionally interrupting Mu Li to ask about his safety: "Good heavens, Mu Li, you've had it so hard! To think you encountered so many dangers—why didn't you tell me sooner? I always thought you were just under a bit of work pressure; I had no idea you were facing such great mortal danger. It really worries me."

Mu Li smiled, his tone nonchalant as if he were telling someone else's story: "It's fine, it's all in the past now, and everything is good. At the time, I didn't want you to worry, and besides, the matter involved project security and national secrets, so it wasn't convenient to disclose it. Fortunately, I had my colleagues from the team with me to face these difficulties and dangers together. We worked with one heart and finally neutralized the threat of the 'Dark Web Phantom' and successfully completed the project's phased goals. All the hard work and sacrifice were not in vain."

Zhou Ming looked at Mu Li, his eyes full of admiration, his tone sincere: "Mu Li, you are truly amazing and brave. Facing so many difficulties and dangers, you were actually able to persevere without flinching or giving up, and even lead your team to successfully complete the project goals; you are truly remarkable. I have always envied you—envied that you could be in charge of such an important project and envied the high bonuses you receive. Only now do I realize that everything you have today was earned through hard work, sweat, and even your life. You truly deserve all of this."

The two of them continued to confide in and encourage each other, and their friendship grew even deeper during this leisurely holiday. As the days passed, Mu Li's vacation gradually drew to a close. He had originally planned to travel in Qingyu Town for a week to relax his body and mind, but before he knew it, ten days had passed. This leisurely and carefree time had gone by too quickly, so quickly that he was somewhat reluctant to leave.

During these ten days, he completely let go of his work-related worries and pressures, escaped the threat of the "Dark Web Phantom," enjoyed the daily life of an ordinary person, and felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation and happiness. Every day, he woke up to the sound of waves, played in the sunshine, and fell asleep under the stars; together with Zhou Ming, he visited every corner of Qingyu Town, admiring the stunning coastal scenery and experiencing the local customs; he selected satisfying gifts for his colleagues in the team to express his gratitude; and he also relived his college friendship with Zhou Ming, confiding in and encouraging each other, reaping a wealth of warmth and emotion.

These ten days of leisure allowed Mu Li's body and mind to be fully relaxed and nourished. He knew he was ready to return to the nuclear fusion power station project at any time and throw himself back into the intense and busy work. He also became more firm in his idea: in the future, he would set aside some time every year to vacation at the seaside house in Qingyu Town to relax and recharge himself. That way, he could face the difficulties and challenges in his work in a better state, guarding the Nuclear Fusion Power Station and the nation's vital assets.

That evening, the night was exceptionally beautiful, with a bright moon, twinkling stars, shimmering waves on the sea, and the dots of light from fishing boats, which were particularly moving. Mu Li and Zhou Ming were still sitting on the balcony of the seaside house, feeling the sea breeze, drinking beer, and chatting in a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

Zhou Ming leaned against the railing and looked at the distant sea, his tone full of reluctance: "Time really flies; before we knew it, we've already been here for ten days. Tomorrow you have to go back, back to that project full of pressure and danger. I'm really a bit sad to see you go. During this time, traveling, chatting, and eating seafood with you has been so much fun. I really wish this time could last a little longer."

Mu Li nodded, his heart also full of reluctance, his tone gentle and sincere: "Yes, time really does fly; in the blink of an eye, the holiday is over. Thank you for your company during this time. Every day spent with you has been very happy and relaxing. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have enjoyed myself nearly as much here alone, nor would I have felt so much joy and warmth."

"Why are you being so polite with me!" Zhou Ming waved his hand, his tone open-minded and enthusiastic. "We are old classmates. Being able to accompany you on vacation and help you relax makes me very happy too. In the future, when there's a chance, I'll come to Qingyu Town to see you again. When that time comes, I'll stay in your seaside house again, eat the seafood feast you cook, and have you accompany me to tour Qingyu Town and see the beautiful scenery here once more."

"No problem!" A bright smile appeared on Mu Li's face, his tone firm. "My seaside house is always open to you, and my car is always at your disposal. Whenever you want to come, just call me, and I will definitely treat you well, travel with you, eat seafood, chat, and relive this wonderful time. In the future, if you encounter any difficulties or need any help, you can call me anytime. No matter where I am or how busy I am, I will do my best to help you."

"Good!" Zhou Ming nodded, his eyes full of emotion. He raised the beer bottle in his hand and said sincerely, "Come on, Mu Li, to our friendship, to this wonderful holiday, and to our respective futures—Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Mu Li also raised his beer bottle and lightly clinked it against Zhou Ming's with a crisp sound. The two of them took a sip of beer together, both with sincere and bright smiles on their faces.

The sea breeze brushed past gently, carrying the saltiness of the seawater and a faint floral scent, blowing their hair and whisking away all the reluctance and worry. On the distant sea, the lights on the fishing boats continued to flicker, and the moonlight spilled over the water, shimmering beautifully. Mu Li looked at the beautiful scenery before him and his old classmate beside him, his heart filled with warmth and emotion. He knew that this wonderful holiday and this deep friendship would become the most precious treasures of his life, inspiring him to move forward bravely on the road ahead, living up to the time, living up to himself, and living up to the trust and support of his team colleagues, as he continued to guard the Nuclear Fusion Power Station and the security and peace of the nation.