dognovel Chapter 1561 Hongmen Banquet?
Chapter 1561 Hongmen Banquet?
Chapter 1561 Hongmen Banquet?
"Are you serious?" Shantal glanced at the pistol on the coffee table, frowning slightly as he reminded her, "If it's something like this, are you sure you can get through to shipping channels?"
"That's why I said 'I need twenty transport planes' instead of 'I want to buy twenty transport planes'."
As if he had found a reason, Li Xuewu spread his hands and emphasized, "We have regular buyers."
"Regular buyers?" Shantal looked at him with amusement, still thinking it was a joke, just a stubborn refusal and a trick to ask for exorbitant prices.
But as she laughed, she couldn't laugh anymore, while Li Xuewu's expression remained very serious.
"Who? Who dares to be so blatant?"
Shantal frowned and asked, "Twenty transport planes are used to transport weapons. Do you know what that means? I don't recall hearing about any war breaking out anywhere."
"Okay, okay, okay. Even if not all twenty transport planes you want are for this purpose."
Seeing that Li Xuewu was about to speak, she closed her eyes and waved her hand, emphasizing first, "Are you sure you have enough goods to meet such a large transport capacity?"
How many tons of cargo can a transport plane carry in a standard flight?
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and counted on his fingers as he calculated for her: "What type of transport aircraft can you buy? A C-160? Your French product."
"Then let's calculate based on the C160's standard payload. What is COMAC's standard? 16 tons at most, right?"
他轻笑着说道：“红星兵工厂过去几年的拳头产品，包括56式半自动步枪、56式自动步枪、56式轻机枪和57式重机枪，还有最好的66式精确射击步枪。”
"A rifle weighs about 4 kilograms, a light machine gun about 7 kilograms, and a heavy machine gun about 30 kilograms."
Li Xuewu spread his hands and looked at Shantal, saying, "In other words, not counting packaging and other necessary loads, if we only consider the rifles, we can only transport a maximum of 4000. Am I right?"
"What if we also include bullets?"
He shook his head and said with a smile, "That's all the capacity we have for a long-distance transport."
"4000 rifles?" Shantal didn't know much about weapons and had never even fired a gun.
However, she was not completely ignorant about war; she at least knew what 4000 rifles meant for the stability of a region.
What was Li Xuewu calculating just now?
That's right, this is just the weight of the empty gun, not including the bullets, the packaging box, or any other necessary additional load.
The French-made transport aircraft, which is currently in service with France, is the C-160.
Maximum payload is 16 tons, maximum takeoff weight is 51 tons, maximum airdrop weight is 8 tons, maximum speed is 593 kilometers per hour, and maximum range is 8858 kilometers.
"That's right, 4000 rifles."
Li Xuewu nodded firmly and confirmed, "It's not just 4000 rifles."
Of course, it wasn't just 4000 rifles, but also light machine guns, heavy machine guns, and other weapons and equipment.
If Honggang Group includes the tanker vehicles and other equipment they are developing and testing in the shipping mission, then asking for 20 transport planes wouldn't be unreasonable; in fact, their transport capacity might be a bit strained.
As Li Xuewu just mentioned, the transport planes are not only for transporting weapons and equipment, but also for commercial purposes. From Liaodong to Gangcheng, there will be a faster cargo transportation channel.
“If you have the means to get your hands on an An-12, that would be even better.” Li Xuewu looked intently at Shantal and said, “I know that the North is developing a new type of large transport aircraft, which is preparing to replace the current An-12 transport aircraft.”
He leaned forward slightly, tapped the coffee table in front of him with his fingers, and said, "It is appropriate to seek channels to purchase second-hand transport aircraft at this time."
Why do you want the An-12?
Chantal wasn't actually prepared to agree to Li Xuewu's request so easily, but that didn't stop her from reminding him that she was French and should support domestic products, right?
"Of course, I don't look down on the C-160. It would be great to get my hands on either one."
Li Xuewu pointed at Shantal and said with a smile, "Aren't you also developing a new transport aircraft? The C-160 is actually outdated, right?"
"..." Shantal narrowed his eyes and stared at him, saying quietly, "Sometimes I really doubt that you are more than just a business manager."
“I have every reason to be so suspicious.”
She felt that her tone wasn't strong or serious enough, so she added, "Absolutely."
"Please rest assured, I have no ill intentions."
Li Xuewu patted his palm to signal her not to be nervous, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and explained with a smile, "You should know my background and connections, so it's reasonable for me to obtain this insignificant information."
“What’s reasonable about it—” Shantal looked at him speechlessly and said, “It’s not reasonable at all!”
"I should have doubted you the last time you told me that Jaguar was coming out."
She twitched the corners of her mouth, stared into Li Xuewu's eyes, and said with a hint of warning, "Li, you mustn't disappoint me, and don't put me in an awkward position. I chose you."
What else can I say?
Li Xuewu sighed regretfully and said, "The most important thing between people is trust, and trust is even more important between men and women."
"You don't even trust me—" Shantal rolled her eyes at him and scoffed, "And you expect me to trust you?"
"But everything I said is true."
Li Xuewu said earnestly, "The intelligence I can obtain is definitely related to business."
"And it's through my own channels."
He emphasized, "I also have friends and my own channels for expanding my network. Aren't these necessary tools for business management and operations?"
“I’m sure you have your own sources of information in mainland China, not just the foreign affairs office.”
"What do you want to say?"
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Shantal frowned and was about to get up and refute him, but seeing his smiling and silent expression, she suppressed the nameless anger in her heart.
"You're the one who said we need to trust each other."
She raised her chin, gestured to the pistol on the coffee table, and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "You won't even tell me where these so-called weapons are going."
"Of course I can tell you."
Li Xuewu, with a scumbag expression, spread his hands and asked in return, "But what's the point of me saying all this?"
"Now you need to consider whether you can get the transport plane I want, and seriously think about whether you really want to get into the shipping business."
He reached down and tucked the M1911 back into its holster on his lower back, calmly saying, "This is a significant investment, and the project is quite large. I can give you time to consider it, but it won't be for a very long time."
"Another reason is that I said we should use the An-12 transport aircraft because its payload is 4 tons more than that of the C-160."
Regardless of what Shantal thought of him, he still stated frankly, "And the An-12 is cheaper."
"What you really want is not a transport plane."
Shantal saw right through his little scheme, narrowing his eyes slightly as he bluntly said, "What you want is an architecture and third-party transportation channel."
"It has absolutely nothing to do with you, with Honggang Group, or with the mainland. It's just a third party that can be used as a scapegoat at any time, right?"
She raised an eyebrow and said, "That way, your factory's weapons can keep 'flying' to that place you mentioned, and then 'bang bang bang!'"
Shantal was both mischievous and seriously funny, mimicking the sound of a gunshot with his fingers.
Seeing her like this, Li Xuewu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth and said helplessly, "It's not that bad."
"Heh—" Shantal rolled his eyes, giving her a "I don't believe you" look, and said, "You want the Santaya Group to take the blame for you?"
“We call it reciting from memory,” Li Xuewu nodded, emphasizing the wording.
Seeing the look in Shantal's eyes, he chuckled dryly and explained, "I didn't say that the Santayar Group would bear this risk and responsibility."
He pointed to the armrest of the sofa in Shantal, leaned closer, and whispered, "Don't you have many partners in Southeast Asia?"
"Oh, so you're not trying to scam us."
Shantal understood his meaning and glanced at Li Xuewu, saying, "You're trying to sabotage our partners. Isn't this what you call self-destruction?"
"See? I told you you could learn Chinese well. How could such a smart and beautiful lady not learn Chinese well?"
Li Xuewu suggested with a smile, "There's absolutely no need for individual shareholding. Cross-shareholding or third-party nominee shareholding are also acceptable."
"For example, Oriental Times Bank."
He raised an eyebrow and said, "The preparations for Tadon Airport will take time, and the establishment of shipping channels will also take time. At this time, acquiring an outbound transportation company and operating the business globally, I think it will only take one or two years..."
"Would you like to reconsider?"
Chantal leaned forward, staring at him so close, and asked, "I'll help you and your family settle down in France. Everything will be fine, as long as you become the vice president of the Santayana Group."
"Thank you so much for your appreciation and trust."
Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, "Actually, I'd rather be the CEO; I'll pass on the vice president position."
"Tsk—" Shantal raised an eyebrow, sat up straight again, and said calmly, "Don't rush to reject me, this invitation is valid for a long time."
She glanced at Li Xuewu with lingering interest and emphasized, "I reserve the right to add conditions, just in case you change your mind someday."
“Of course, no problem.” Li Xuewu smiled and shrugged, saying, “When you finally ‘think it through,’ you can come to me. I’m happy to help you with your problems.”
Shantal didn't quite understand what Li Xuewu's wicked smile meant, but she knew it couldn't be anything good.
"Let's talk about the shipping company later."
She put down her teacup and said, "I'm tired. I'll go back and rest first. Let's have dinner together tonight."
“Of course, even if you didn’t say so.” Li Xuewu smiled and stood up with her, gesturing with his hand, “It’s my treat.”
"Of course it's your treat—" Shantal couldn't help but place his hand on his chest and pat him gently, his gaze wandering.
It's not her fault; Li Xuewu, wearing only a white shirt, couldn't hide his great figure at all.
Coupled with that face brimming with ultimate masculine charm, it seems that housewives of Chantal's age are completely powerless against it; the fact that she didn't lose her composure is already quite professional.
"See you tonight then."
Ultimately, she had to abide by etiquette; she couldn't perform the "dragon sucking water" act in Li Xuewu's office—that would be too outrageous.
Li Xuewu could only endure being taken advantage of; after all, she was a rich woman, and he would have to wait until the 20 transport planes were in hand before emphasizing their respective identities.
"Secretary Zhang, please take Ms. Xiangtar to the Qianshan Sanatorium and Guesthouse for me."
It was still the Qianshan Sanatorium and Guesthouse. Honggang Group only had one guesthouse in the industrial zone. Although the conditions were quite good, it was not enough to meet the needs of foreign businessmen like Xiangtal.
Previously, there was no other way due to limited conditions; everyone who came had to stay at the metallurgical plant's guesthouse.
Things are different now. Qianshan Sanatorium is newly built, designed by a team from United Construction Corporation, so the environment is certainly extraordinary.
Furthermore, given the sensitive nature of Shantal's identity, staying in a guesthouse would be inconvenient, so this arrangement is better.
Zhang Enyuan thought so too. If the representatives of Sanhe Corporation had been accommodated at the metallurgical plant's guesthouse when they came to the steel city last time, the leader's three punches would have been known to everyone.
Sanatoriums are better; it's easier to handle any problems there.
Wang Yajuan, who had just gone upstairs, thought the same thing.
-
"Have you reached an agreement?" Watching Li Xuewu accompany the French woman downstairs, and then watch him go upstairs alone, Wang Yajuan glanced out the window and followed him into the office.
"It's not that easy, it's just playing house."
Li Xuewu picked up the blueprints from the coffee table and put them back on his desk. He took a sip of his tea and looked at her, asking, "Why didn't I see you wearing the red sweater from last time?"
"It's none of your business—" Wang Yajuan blushed slightly and glared at him, saying, "You even care what I wear."
"Who cares about you?" Li Xuewu said with a laugh. "I just think that sweater suits you really well."
"Hmm—" Wang Yajuan's true feelings were unknown, but she still muttered to herself, "Smooth talker."
"Heh—" Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, sat behind his desk, and asked, "What is it?"
"It's okay, I just came to see you."
Wang Yajuan checked the time on her hand and said, "It's almost lunchtime, nothing's wrong."
"Then help me clean up."
Li Xuewu unscrewed his pen, lowered his head to write, and casually tapped the coffee table in the sofa area opposite him, saying, "En Yuan has gone to Qianshan."
Upon hearing him mention the name Qianshan, Wang Yajuan suddenly felt a shiver run through her body for some reason.
For no apparent reason, she glared at Li Xuewu, but obediently turned around to clean up the teacups.
"Do I owe you anything?" That's what they said, but they were very serious about it.
Li Xuewu ignored her, his pen moving continuously as he prepared to write down his conversation with Xiangtar and report it to Li Huaide.
Although Honggang Group, taking advantage of its foreign trade qualifications, was granted special permission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to waive the "accompaniment" procedure in its foreign cooperation, especially in meetings with foreign businessmen, Honggang Group has also formulated relevant working regulations.
The regulations and requirements for external contacts and talks formulated by Honggang Group are stricter and more detailed than those of the Foreign Affairs Department, such as the written reports after the talks.
Industry standards are higher than basic standards, which is the most basic requirement.
The written report he submitted would be reviewed by Li Huaide, the director of the management committee, and then kept on file by the confidential department.
If they ever investigate this retroactively, then this will be the evidence.
"You mean those two from Sanhe..."
Wang Yajuan walked to Li Xuewu's side, leaned on the pile of documents on the desk, and asked softly with a slight bow, "Will you do it the way you said?"
"Do they have any other choice?"
Li Xuewu said without looking up, "Anyway, I didn't force them, and I don't want to have anything to do with them."
"You shouldn't worry about this too much."
At this point, he looked up and nodded at her, emphasizing, "Every action leaves a trace."
"I know—" Wang Yajuan said, pursing her lips. "I'm not stupid."
"Besides, what does this have to do with me?"
She glanced at Li Xuewu and said, "I'm just worried that your will isn't strong enough and you'll fall into their trap."
"What path? Is my will not firm?"
Li Xuewu glanced at her with amusement, then lowered his head to continue writing, saying, "You underestimate me too much."
"Stop bragging—" Wang Yajuan muttered, pursing her lips, "Even I can..."
"Ahem—" Li Xuewu looked up and glared at her when he saw her talking nonsense. He then coughed lightly and said, "Go eat if you have nothing else to do. Don't go hungry."
"You mean you're telling me not to worry about things that aren't my business?"
Wang Yajuan glared at her and snorted, "You're ungrateful for my kindness. If I go out to eat with you again, I'll be a dog!"
(Woof! Woof! Woof!)
Li Xuewu invited Xiangtal to dinner that evening, but naturally he couldn't go alone, as he didn't have many people he could bring.
So Wang Yajuan was called downstairs and into the car before she even got off work. When she heard that they were going to Qianshan for dinner again, she almost panicked.
We'll meet again under the moonlit night amidst a thousand mountains; to break your promise is to be a dog in your own wrath.
Liar! Liar! Big liar!
It was no use. Yu Zhe was driving, and Wang Yajuan was sitting in the back seat, not daring to openly glare at Li Xuewu sitting next to her.
He didn't even dare to question him loudly; he could only mutter to himself countless times that he was a big liar.
She didn't become the dog because she never intended to go out to eat with him; she was tricked into it.
"Yu Zhe, how's it going with your boyfriend?"
Li Xuewu couldn't escape Wang Yajuan's occasional furtive glances, so he used Yu Zhe as a scapegoat.
Yu Zhe couldn't help but put on a mask of pain and stammered, "It's...it's fine."
I was in a good mood today. We're all men, so why should the boss make things difficult for me?
When are you going to bring your partner over?
Seeing that he was stammering, Li Xuewu felt much better and looked out the window, saying, "Men should marry when they are of age, and women should marry when they are of age. It's time for you to start a family."
He does not mean that.
In Wang Yajuan's view, he did it on purpose, deliberately saying it to her.
What does this bastard mean?
They took advantage of you, then turned their backs on you after they were done?
Although she never fantasized that the two of them could rekindle their relationship, when the time came, things simply fell into place.
She didn't even dare to mention the future to Li Xuewu, fearing that he would feel pressured or forced to make choices and decisions.
Wang Yajuan knew that, apart from being his past lover, she was utterly worthless and had no chance of winning against him.
What's the point of comparing then? Let's not even mention it.
Some might say that it was his past after all.
What does "past" even mean? Hasn't his past been anything less?
"Um...yes...um..."
Yu Zhe seemed like a mute who couldn't speak, humming and hawing in response, but it didn't sound very pleasant.
"Is Master Yu's partner from Beijing?"
Wang Yajuan didn't want to talk to him, so she looked at Yu Zhe in the driver's seat and asked, "Is she also from our group?"
"That...no, it's from our village."
Yu Zhe really wanted to jump out of the car and leave. The two people behind him hadn't spoken since they got in, and even though they were halfway through the journey, they kept bringing him up in conversation. Who could stand that?
"Ah, so that's childhood sweethearts."
Seemingly implying something, Wang Yajuan glanced to the side, tugged at the corner of her mouth, and said, "That's nice."
"..." Yu Zhe was speechless. What was so good about it?
***
In the past, the village had a small population, and the villages were not connected. The two families were not very close to each other.
Later, as the population grew, houses and homesteads were allocated in the village, and the two villages were connected, making it a large village.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they were childhood sweethearts. They were classmates in elementary school. Later, she went to junior high school, while he graduated from elementary school and went home to farm.
If it weren't for his good older sister, he wouldn't have had the chance to get married to that strong-willed girl.
She looked down on me when I was a child, and guess what? She still looks down on me now!
He was well aware of what the villagers were saying about him and his sister behind his back.
His father, Yu Baodong, had a very poor reputation in the surrounding villages; he wasn't considered a good person.
People want to discuss it, and they can even argue from the root of the matter.
He knew, of course, how awful his sister's words were, but his father also said that those people were just jealous.
His sister, Yu Li, divorced less than a year after marrying into Dongcheng. The Yan family wasn't entirely without connections in the village, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to marry Yu Li. And how could such good words have come from the Yan family?
At first, it was just speculation. If they got divorced in less than a year of marriage, there must be some reason.
But when her sister returned home in glory, having not only built a house in the city but also secured a stable job, the meaning of the words changed.
A girl from the countryside, who got married and divorced, yet managed to establish herself in the city—who would recognize her if she didn't have something special?
Furthermore, they all agreed that the Yu family's maid was beautiful, which further corroborated their suspicions.
From Yu Li's story to the changes in Yu Baodong's family's life, and Yu Zhe's sudden availability for a factory job, there was no need for speculation anymore; everyone believed it was the truth.
No matter how much you, Yu Baodong, try to cover it up, it's no use; the fact remains that the girl has gone astray.
Yu Li naturally didn't want to dwell on these things. It was true that she hadn't been home for a year, and even now she rarely goes home.
Yu Baodong, still unable to contain his anger, grabbed the family connected to the Yan family and had a fierce argument with them.
Of course, they were scolding the eldest son of the Yan family, and they even brought up the fact that the eldest son of the Yan family had brought people back from outside.
That family was just scratching their heads; they had no right to argue with him. Later, when it was confirmed that the Yan family really had such a thing, that family knew they were in the wrong and avoided Yu Baodong.
Yu Li's reputation improved because Yu Baodong was still able to haughtily curse in front of the other party.
However, the rumors about her still exist.
In recent years, Yu Zhe has rarely returned home. He has become accustomed to life in the city and no longer cares about the village.
Even though their village wasn't far from the city—it would only take the time it takes to fart—at this time, their village was considered the countryside.
Forget about Shijingshan, even the area around Tsinghua University is rural; students can even see cornfields while attending classes.
Yu Baodong's bad habits and history, Yu Li's meteoric rise to prominence, and Yu Zhe's rise in rank and influence have made the Yu family an indispensable topic of conversation in the village.
Of course, it's not that their family's reputation would pose much danger in this day and age.
Yu Baodong brought up his ancestors for eighteen generations, all of whom were poor peasants, with impeccable revolutionary credentials, so red they were practically purple and black!
You can say Yu Baodong is a bastard, his father is a bastard, his grandfather is a bastard, but you can't say the Yu family has a problem.
What kind of families are most sought after in rural areas now?
That's right, it's a family like Yu Baodong's, so powerful they're practically corrupt, with connections in the city and plenty of money at home.
And so, the girl who used to ignore him and still looks down on him became his girlfriend.
As Lu Xun once said, a forced relationship is never sweet.
But these days, who cares if a melon is sweet or not? A good melon is one that can grow together, blossom, and bear fruit.
If he had a choice, he wouldn't choose a family as controversial as theirs.
It's all Yu Baodong's fault; he gave way too much.
Moreover, his girlfriend's parents had ulterior motives; although their daughter was in middle school, she was only a primary school teacher.
She can only work as a teacher in the village; if she were in the city, she wouldn't have a job.
Of course, the village primary school teacher has a noble status, but how noble can a teacher be in this day and age?
Especially in recent years, being able to move to the city with Yu Zhe and improve their family's circumstances is well worth it.
So, Yu Zhe, with his character, was able to pick the best girl in their village, even though the girl looked down on him.
However, he also knew that even if the girl didn't like him, she would still marry him. Even if he didn't like the girl, he still had to marry her. At home, he didn't have the final say.
That's right. In the Yu family, his father's words carry the most weight. If his sister comes home, his father's influence drops to second place.
She single-handedly changed the fate and life of the Yu family, and with the strong personality she developed after becoming independent, Yu Li had absolute say in the family.
Her father was not convinced, but he was also afraid that she would neglect Yu Zhe or even the family, and he couldn't bear to let her go.
In particular, Yu Baodong would emphasize the fact that Yu Li would take a car back to the village hundreds of times.
If a daughter can ride in a car and a son can drive a car, it's equivalent to the family owning a car.
The village chief's son only managed to get a pair of overcoat pants to wear over his cotton-padded trousers; he's even more awesome than the village chief.
Based on the fundamental principle that "no matter how poor we are, we can't let our families suffer; no matter how hard life is, we can only let Yu Zhe suffer," Yu Zhe became the one with the least say.
He didn't even have a choice when it came to marriage.
This negative attitude was fine for a few words, but his inability to keep up with the pace made Wang Yajuan suspicious.
"What's going on? Something's up?"
She glanced at Yu Zhe, then looked at Li Xuewu, who had a mischievous grin on his face, and asked, "Not satisfied with your partner?"
"What does he have to be dissatisfied with?"
Li Xuewu's smile widened as he introduced Yu Zhe, saying, "His girlfriend is the best girl in their village."
"Then why are you looking so gloomy?"
Wang Yajuan glanced at Yu Zhe, then suddenly turned to look at Li Xuewu. Seeing him slightly taken aback, she turned back to Yu Zhe and asked, "Master Yu, has your sister come to Gangcheng?"
"Yeah, I've been here for quite a while."
When Yu Zhe saw that she finally stopped asking about her boyfriend, her answers became smoother, but the smile on Li Xuewu's face disappeared.
Wang Yajuan finally realized where the soap smell on him came from. This rascal had never been clean since he was a child, how could he suddenly change his ways?
When we were together before, if she hadn't been watching over us, we would have been covered in mud.
Now it smells wonderful.
"Master Yu, where does your sister live?"
She stared into Li Xuewu's eyes and asked, "Do you need me to help you find a place to stay? There are still rooms available in our dormitory."
"No need, she has a place to stay."
Yu Zhe, unaware of what had happened, casually explained, "That place is closer to her current workplace."
He didn't know much about the recycling center because his sister had warned him not to ask too many questions.
So Yu Zhe had met Wang Yamei, but didn't recognize her, and didn't realize that the person behind her was Wang Yamei's sister.
Furthermore, he wasn't sure what was going on with his older sister going to the club after leaving the recycling center.
All he knows so far is that all of this is related to Li Xuewu, and he doesn't dare to ask anything more complicated.
As a result, while he was talking and Wang Yajuan was listening, Li Xuewu was looking out the car window.
Hmm, it's all black, but it looks pretty good.
-
"Northeastern cuisine is somewhat similar to German cuisine."
Shantal tasted the sauerkraut stewed with blood sausage with great interest, nodded and said, "They're all stews."
"It might be related to the geographical environment."
Li Xuewu smiled, picked up the wine bottle and filled the other person's glass, and also filled Wang Yajuan's glass.
He actually wanted Wang Yajuan to drink more, so she wouldn't have to play tricks on him that night.
"Is the Northeast region at a similar latitude to Germany?"
Li Xuewu put down the wine bottle, looked at Xiangtar and asked a question, then shook his head and said, "My knowledge of geography is only so-so."
“I knew that the climate in the northeastern region was somewhat similar to that in Germany, especially the Ruhr mining area, which is similar to the northeast.”
He raised his glass in a toast and said, "Pickled cabbage and pork go perfectly with baijiu (Chinese liquor), it tastes even better."
"You do eat—"
Xiangtar smiled and glanced at him, as well as Wang Yajuan beside him.
She's not a little girl anymore; how could she not see that the two of them have a connection?
But she didn't care. In France, how unsuccessful a man's life would be if he didn't have a lover.
Similarly, in France, how terrible a life would be for a noblewoman without a lover.
The more lovers one has, the better. Having more lovers signifies greater strength and personal charm—it's a French tradition.
Of course, they also emphasize fidelity in marriage, but there are very few stories of faithful marriages in history.
On one hand, there's the absolute protection of marriage, and on the other hand, there's adherence to tradition and the exuding of charm. That's France—contradictory, isn't it?
Similarly, Chantal also possesses a contradictory personality characteristic of the French.
When she was in danger, her husband abandoned her and ran away with his mistress, but she chose to endure it and continue the marriage.
But when her husband lost power, she could decisively kick him out and turn around to throw herself into the old man's arms.
While choosing an old man, she also lacked a sense of security and tried her best to increase her wealth and power to fight against him.
What is she after?
In her words, at this age, she was already preparing for her funeral. Once a person is gone, why worry about what happens after they die?
She has concerns, but she's also willful.
Right there at the dinner table, while discussing how both people from Northeast China and Germany enjoy eating pork, they also talked about the prospects for mineral development, resource utilization, and industrial development in the two regions.
Having more knowledge allows for a wider range of conversations, even to the point of being imaginative and free-flowing, where one can talk about whatever comes to mind.
Li Xuewu did not bring up the shipping matter again. Since the other party had said not to mention it for the time being, then he would not mention it either.
Anyway, he had already reminded her that she wouldn't have much time, and if Santaya Group didn't cooperate, there would be others.
In fact, this project was well-prepared in every aspect, from production to sales, except for transportation.
Even in the transportation process, Li Xuewu brought up the method of nominee shareholding, but what's still missing is someone to take the blame.
However, France is a major arms exporter, both in Europe and Africa, and in Southeast Asia.
Never underestimate the strength of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. France is a world-renowned military power and a major exporter of aircraft.
Li Xuewu submitted a request to Shantal to purchase transport aircraft. He talked to her about exporting weapons, which might surprise others, but she was not intimidated at all.
Santayar Group is not simply a machinery and equipment trading company; its business scope is very broad.
The fact that Honggang Group was able to quickly establish project cooperation plans with East Germany demonstrates this capability.
Her surprise was only that Li Xuewu had only gone to East Germany, yet he had received such a large order upon his return.
It's important to know that the arms trade has always been highly profitable. Even if the weapons produced by Honggang Group aren't considered advanced, they are still very popular in certain regions.
The key is that Honggang Group has a very flexible production capacity; even with more powerful weapons, they can quickly set up production lines.
When a company demonstrates flexibility, it indicates its development potential and vitality.
"Can we talk alone?" Sangtar, slightly drunk after the meal, asked Li Xuewu first, then looked at Wang Yajuan and said, "I only need to borrow it for a little while."
"Um... I don't understand what you mean."
Wang Yajuan's face paled, and she immediately stood up and said, "I'll go out for a bit, you guys talk."
She didn't even ask Li Xuewu's opinion before nervously fleeing.
Shantal then looked at Li Xuewu, whose expression was strange, and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"It's okay, God will punish you."
Li Xuewu smiled, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Pranks should also be punished."
"If only you were God."
Shantal was truly uninhibited, raising an eyebrow as he looked at him and said, "I am willing to accept your punishment."
"That's too easy on you." Li Xuewu put down his cup, turned to look at her, and said indifferently, "What do you want to talk about? She'll be back soon if you don't tell me."
"She won't come back, I'm sure of it."
Shantal smiled confidently, then lowered his head to take a sip of tea and asked, "Where is Art now?"
"I don't know," Li Xuewu answered quite readily, even spreading his hands innocently and saying, "I haven't seen him for almost a year. Why did you think of him?"
“Men are always confident they can fool women,” Shantal said, looking at Li Xuewu with a provocative gaze. “They’re all so naive, so incredibly naive.”
"Even if a woman believes a man's words, either she is deceiving herself and willingly being deceived by the man, or she is pretending not to know and preparing to deceive the man in return."
She asked in a tender voice, "Which one do you think I am?"
Li Xuewu shrugged again, pursed his lips, and said feigning ignorance, "I don't know. I don't understand women very well, nor do I know how to lie to people."
"Hehe—hahaha—"
Shantal suddenly burst into laughter, her laughter growing increasingly hearty and unrestrained. She clapped her hands and exclaimed with a loud laugh, "That joke is hilarious!"
"Haha, just be happy."
Li Xuewu, somewhat speechless, picked up his teacup to hide the smile playing on his lips.
"Aren't you curious how I know?" Shantal leaned forward, staring into his eyes at a dangerous distance, and asked, "About Art, yours, his."
"Is this necessary?" Li Xuewu smiled faintly and looked at her sincerely, saying, "We're good friends."
"A good friend?" Shantal looked at him with amusement and said, "You've never considered me a good friend."
"No matter where? Never!"
“No, you’re wrong,” Li Xuewu said firmly. “You have always been my good friend.”
Zhang Enyuan stood at the restaurant entrance listening, and he couldn't help but think it was two drunkards arguing, which was both funny and amusing.
"Then you have to prove it."
Shantal looked at him with amusement and said, "For example, can you be completely honest with your friends?"
“Of course, I’m a very sincere and honest person.” Li Xuewu shrugged and said, “I’ve never known how to lie in my life, I’m just that honest.”
"..." Shantal grinned, looked at him for a while, and then chuckled, "Really, a man's mouth is a liar's mouth. I actually wasted my time on your words."
No matter what Li Xuewu said, she reached out and pressed his arm, saying, "I want 20% of the net profit from this channel. Promise me, and you have to keep your word."
"20%? That's too little." Li Xuewu looked into her eyes and said with a light laugh, "How about 40%?"
Zhang Enyuan, standing at the door, was completely bewildered. Was he sure the two people inside weren't just drunkards?
No way, the leader has never been able to hold his liquor, why is he talking nonsense today?
This is bargaining, why are you offering to pay more?
Xiangtar wasn't drunk, and she didn't dare accept the offer that was offered to her. She looked at Li Xuewu for a while before squeezing his arm hard and saying, "15%, that's the lowest I can go."
Um? ! ! !
Zhang Enyuan couldn't help but peek into the room to make sure the wine today wasn't something wrong with it, that it had been laced with drugs.
"That would be too much of a hardship for you. We're good friends." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Honggang Group never lets down its friends, and it will never neglect its friends."
"How much do you want to give?" Shantal frowned and emphasized, "You should know what this means."
"But it's also a rare opportunity, isn't it?" Li Xuewu said calmly. "I've given you plenty of room to maneuver. My good friend here is pretty good, huh?"
"This is unbelievable!"
Shantal reached out and touched his face, then looked to the side speechlessly and complained, "Why is it always men who rule this world?"
“Congratulations, esteemed Ms. Shantal.” Li Xuewu smiled with satisfaction, extended his hand and said, “Your name will resound throughout the world.”