dognovel Chapter 1499 I want it too
Chapter 1499 I want it too
Chapter 1499 I want it too
The impressions of Schönefield Airport distracted the delegation from the lack of a welcoming ceremony.
In reality, even if they paid attention, they wouldn't get a satisfactory answer. They could tell from their own size that none of them in this delegation were up to that standard.
If you pay close attention, you can still learn from the staff around you that there was actually a welcome ceremony at the airport, but it has already ended.
That's right, when their plane landed, the first group of distinguished guests in the delegation had already arrived at the hotel.
The welcoming ceremony was naturally reserved for the big shots; these small fry were only fit to ride in minibuses and buses.
The few cars available were reserved for the leaders in charge, and Li Xuewu was fortunate enough to ride in the minibus with Lao Li.
The bus was mostly filled with members of the tour group and their entourage; Li Huaide's secretary, Liu Bin, was on the bus behind.
Of course, this also includes everyone's luggage.
Why was Li Xuewu allowed to appear on the minibus?
This all comes down to Zhu Xiaolin's domineering and enthusiastic nature. Without waiting for the team leader to explain, he dragged Li Xuewu into the car.
When the supervisor tried to speak again, he only needed to say one sentence to make the person roll their eyes.
“If you know more about the industry and trade here than him, I will come to you and I won’t need to ask him for help.”
Look at what you're saying. Even if that person is ignorant, would they really take Zhu Xiaolin seriously in this kind of situation and compare themselves to Li Xuewu to see who understands East Germany better?
Let's not even talk about Li Xuewu, the secretary-general of the management committee of Hongxing Steel Group, and his reputation in the industrial system. Just take Zhu Xiaolin for example. Who can afford to offend him now?
Privately, some people call him an old scoundrel and a piece of dog shit.
Anyway, he's retiring next year, so anyone who messes with him at this point is just asking for trouble.
Zhu Xiaolin was already seething with anger and had nowhere to vent it. If he really ran into them, he wouldn't be the only one to suffer.
So no one refuted what he said; the supervisor turned his head away, pretending not to see or hear anything.
Why should I be the one to "seek" knowledge from him, while he has to "beg" him for knowledge?
"Ignore him, you stinking dog."
Zhu Xiaolin really went all out, patting Li Xuewu's arm to signal him to get in the car, making Li Xuewu quite embarrassed.
He clearly hadn't planned to get on this bus anyway. It's just a difference between a large bus and a minibus, what's there to care about?
It would be one thing to compete with the car in front, but he seems to lack any sense of propriety, acting as if he's just trying to be aggressive because of his good relationship with the boss.
On the way here, rumors were already circulating that affiliated companies of Hongxing Steel Group were forming cliques and creating their own factions.
Dragonscale Horse! It's just a business trip organized by the industry and trade organization, and there are already so many petty squabbles and conflicts of interest. I wonder how many more such backstabbing and intrigues will occur in larger projects and events.
So what if it's just a small hill? Zhu Xiaolin didn't care, and Lao Li, respecting his status, completely ignored such rumors.
They're incredibly powerful now, surrounded by a number of people, including affiliated companies and those who have actively formed a group with them.
It is evident that, as a long-established trust company, Beijing Chemical has an absolute advantage in terms of scale during this industrial and trade visit.
Initially, everyone's preparations were not very thorough, but with Li Xuewu's reminder, Jingcheng Chemical took the lead in collecting remedial data.
In particular, after Hongxing Steel Group took the initiative to share some information, companies with project procurement and technology introduction plans and requirements flocked to it, ready to follow the two companies.
When you're traveling, what you need is to support and help each other.
Old Li is rather reserved, but he is a loyal friend. He will never refuse anyone who asks for his help and will always lend a hand.
Old Zhu, on the other hand, was more outgoing and raised his voice, becoming the leader of the small group.
He originally wanted to support Lao Li in stepping forward and making a big splash, but Lao Li was much more low-key than he had imagined.
Not only did they reject his proposal and ideas, they also supported him in standing up and calling on everyone to take action and create miracles.
That's why Li Huaide was able to build the Hongxing Steel Group; just look at his awareness of respecting veteran comrades.
Unlike some people like Mudma... who just won't say who they are.
"There are no outsiders on our bus, just reminding everyone."
Li Xuewu didn't go inside to sit, but sat by the door. He glanced at the driver and, seeing that he was from China, said to the people in the carriage, "This is no longer our territory. We have to be careful what we say and do. Be careful, the walls may have ears."
He twirled his fingers around his ear, and everyone understood what he meant.
There were indeed no outsiders in the car. The passenger seat was occupied by the secretary of the foreign affairs office, and the driver was also from the foreign affairs office.
The carriage was filled with members of what some people called small groups. Once the doors were closed, everyone's conversation became more structured.
“I completely agree with that.”
Zhu Xiaolin, the oldest among them, was sitting behind the driver. Hearing Li Xuewu say this, he turned around and said to everyone, "Comrade Xuewu is a professionally trained individual and is an expert in security and confidentiality."
He pointed to Li Xuewu sitting diagonally opposite him and emphasized, "Since he brought this up, it means that the environment here is not as optimistic as we thought."
The people sitting in the carriage were all heads of domestic industrial and trade enterprises, and they knew Li Xuewu to some extent.
It's understandable if you say there are still people in Hongxing Steel Group who don't know Li Xuewu's background, family connections, or who his father-in-law is.
But it would be ridiculous to say that these people didn't know Li Xuewu's background and connections.
They may not know the necessary circumstances and objectives of this trip, but they absolutely cannot ignore the backgrounds and relationships of those in the same group.
They're all part of the system; how many of them would unknowingly commit sinful acts?
Don't strive for great achievements, but at least don't kick a hornet's nest.
"Don't forget, this is Russian territory."
Zhu Xiaolin mumbled a vague reminder to everyone again, and the excitement on everyone's faces from just landing in Germany vanished. Recalling their experience at the airport, their faces all fell.
After all, he's a person of absolute authority in China, so he naturally carries a certain air of authority abroad, especially since he's traveling with a group.
The secretary from the Foreign Affairs Department glanced back at them, her lips twitching but she said nothing.
Some things are better left for them to say and figure out themselves, so that he doesn't have to waste his breath and cause suspicion and displeasure.
It was because he overheard the discussion in the car that he took another look at Li Xuewu and memorized the scarred man's face.
Generally speaking, people with such appearances are not selected for foreign affairs visits. It's not that they would be detrimental to the national image, but rather that they would be too conspicuous and easily attract the attention of the other party's media.
To put it bluntly, the fact that there was no welcoming ceremony at the airport shows that Li Huaide, Li Xuewu, and others were not there to visit or attend high-level meetings, but rather to exchange business information.
They're here to work, to get things done. If they're constantly being chased by the local media, how can they carry out their work normally?
Just explaining the scar on his face is enough for the other side's news media to hype up, especially since the two sides' foreign relations are not very harmonious.
Don't ask, the answer is that at this time, East Germany was firmly on the side of the Russians.
The reason is simple: they have no choice but to stand.
Think about it, who conquered this place?
The passengers on the bus had all come to a realization and thought that they should keep their mouths shut after getting off the plane and before boarding the plane back home.
In China, you can apologize if you say something wrong, but here, there's no going back.
A convoy consisting of multiple police cars, luxury sedans, minibuses, and buses sped through the city to the hotel where the delegation was staying.
What was consistent was that all the vehicles had white gauze curtains drawn, allowing passengers inside to see a relatively clear view of the international metropolis through the gaps.
The Berlin residents outside the car windows were quite surprised and taken aback by the size of the convoy, and stopped to watch in the traffic-controlled restricted area.
"The very front line of the battle."
Looking at the street scene outside the window, Li Huaide couldn't help but sigh, feeling that East Germany had made the right choice in following its leader, who really got things done.
Aside from necessary constraints, it certainly gave them ample face and treatment in terms of economic and technological development.
Putting everything else aside, the comfortable, slow-paced lifestyle here is something no other Warsaw Pact faction can match; this is a land of sin.
Due to the international relations situation and the main objective of this visit, East Germany did not organize any welcoming activities for the social strata.
It was quite obvious that when the convoy arrived at the hotel, there weren't many distinctive welcome messages. Was it because they were afraid the delegation wouldn't understand them?
"Eleven o'clock, have you calculated the time?"
When the convoy arrived at the hotel gate, Li Xuewu glanced at the time on his hand; the minute hand had just reached 12.
"I wouldn't say it's accurate to the minute or second, but it's close enough."
The secretary from the foreign affairs office, who was sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly turned around and said something, but by the time Li Xuewu looked at him again, he had already jumped out of the car.
Actually, there was no need for any organization; the Leipzig Hotel, located near the Palace of the Republic, had already made thorough preparations.
The main activities and meetings were held here, and most of the accompanying personnel also stayed here. East Germany had booked the 7th to 11th floors of the hotel for them.
Of course, you don't need to worry about where the leaders leading the delegation will stay. Generally, they will stay at the foreign affairs office unless there are any special arrangements.
"Sehr geehrter Gast, herzlich willkommen im Hotel Leipzig!"
He couldn't understand it. Li Xuewu could speak English, Russian, French, and some Japanese that he didn't need to learn, but he really couldn't speak German.
The elegantly dressed lobby manager, Lao Qianfeng, stood at the entrance, welcoming the guests alighting from their cars.
Unfortunately, no one responded to him.
As the organizer of this event, the Economic Council of East Germany dispatched a professional team to be responsible for visitor liaison and accommodation.
As the organizers, they naturally have qualified translators.
As the two sides began to coordinate, translators who had just gotten off the bus came running over and began to provide simultaneous translation.
"It's okay, we'll provide translators."
The person in charge sent by the Economic Committee gave suggestions, but Li Huaide and others did not speak.
Do we still need to talk about organization and discipline?
The leader of their group was Han Song, the director of the General Office of the Ministry of Machine Building. He got out of the car in front, and the two sides bumped into each other.
While the leaders were talking, Li Xuewu, Li Huaide, and Zhu Xiaolin looked around at their surroundings.
Unlike Zhu Xiaolin and others who brazenly sized up the waiters in suits and stockings standing at the entrance, Li Xuewu was observing the emergency exits.
Don't say he's straight and doesn't appreciate the beautiful scenery of East Germany, nor that he's picky and can't appreciate the charm of uniforms.
It can only be said that he cherishes his life and is afraid of death. Being in a foreign land, if something were to happen to him, he wouldn't even know where to run. Wouldn't he deserve to die?
Even in later generations, he developed the habit of checking the escape routes behind his hotel room doors, let alone in this era of insecurity.
"Please follow me, esteemed leaders."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Xuewu saw Han Song and the others enter the hotel lobby first, which seemed to have been arranged.
The secretary accompanying the car assigned members to specific groups and called everyone to follow, walking together into the hall.
Liu Bin and the others followed behind, carrying simple luggage, and consciously refrained from trying to steal the limelight.
Right now, the media area set up separately in the hotel lobby has some cameras and video cameras, and there are reporters present.
However, the questions they asked from time to time left everyone completely baffled.
Amidst the constant German-language interviews, a few Chinese sentences did occasionally slip in, but they were all unclear and were largely ignored by the audience.
At this moment, the person in charge of the delegation from the foreign affairs office stepped forward and communicated with the media personnel in fluent German.
The other party was clearly dissatisfied because they couldn't interview any of the people accompanying the group, but most people were just trying to kill time and didn't care too much.
The main character has already gone inside. What news is there to dig up about these accompanying personnel? They're staying here more for mission requirements.
In a way, we're all "one of us," and we all believe in the teachings of Marx and Engels, so calling each other comrades isn't an exaggeration.
However, the ideological competition has made everyone somewhat wary and defensive in cooperation and exchanges.
So it seems that apart from the service staff having sufficient professionalism, the other staff lacked a sense of welcome and excitement.
"Company leaders can stay in single rooms, and accompanying personnel can stay in double rooms. Here is the room assignment table; please find your corresponding room."
There were quite a few people on this flight, and the rapid-fire language and efficient explanations from the foreign affairs department staff made everyone a little uneasy.
Li Xuewu was tall and had good eyesight, so he quickly found the room numbers of the people around him from the list posted on the wall.
After he gave everyone their numbers, he and Li Huaide went upstairs, with Liu Bin following behind carrying their luggage.
There were only four people from Hongxing Steel Group on this trip: Li Xuewu, Li Huaide, secretary Liu Bin, and translator Xiao Chen.
Before they left, Xiao Chen and Liu Bin had already decided that they must not leave Li Huaide's side to ensure that his movements would not be hindered.
Li Xuewu did not need any extra services, as his negotiation team, which had already departed from Gangcheng, was prepared on the 6th floor.
They arrived early to complete the check-in procedures and had already made work preparations and set up an office before their arrival.
The person in charge, Li Xuewu, was very familiar with Sha Qizhi, his former secretary.
Sha Qizhi is the vice president of the sales headquarters, mainly responsible for the international business division, so he came this time.
"Director Li, Secretary-General."
He was quite capable; when Li Xuewu and Lao Li arrived at the room, he and his men were already standing at the door.
"Let's go inside and talk."
Li Xuewu patted his arm and opened the door to his room.
Li Huaide lived right across from him, his secretary Liu Bin and Xiao Chen shared a room, and Li Xuewu also had a single room because of his connection with the group's leaders.
"Get to work, and hurry up."
Sha Qizhi understood Li Xuewu's work habits and style, so without much nonsense, he turned around and gave a brief explanation to the two people he had brought.
The two nodded in agreement and, carrying their equipment, entered Director Li's room, where they began a thorough examination, from top to bottom and inside to outside.
Li Huaide was unaware of this arrangement. He opened his eyes in surprise but didn't utter a single word.
What if the eavesdropping device is operating at this time?
Therefore, it's better to say nothing at all and wait for the test results before making a decision.
The two people brought by the sand equipment company were professionals, working very quickly and skillfully. They were also very familiar with the hotel's equipment, suggesting they had already tested it countless times in their rooms downstairs during their advance visit.
Zhu Xiaolin walked over and, seeing them standing at the door without going in or saying anything, asked with some surprise, "What's going on here?"
Li Huaide didn't say anything, but pointed to the room and could tell what the two young men were doing just by looking at them.
Zhu Xiaolin stared in surprise, then asked softly, "Didn't the consulate and the people in charge conduct any checks?"
"Who knows, maybe."
Li Huaide stood calmly at the door, saying softly, "But I only trust my own people."
No need to ask, the "one of his own" he was referring to was Sha Qizhi, and the two professionals he brought with him.
Zhu Xiaolin looked at Li Huaide and Li Xuewu with some surprise, thought for a moment, pointed to his room and said softly, "I want one too."
Fuck you!
Li Huaide couldn't help but roll his eyes. With your meager preparations, what difference would it make even if someone overheard them?
Besides, he didn't believe Zhu Xiaolin could achieve anything in business; Old Zhu was just here for a vacation.
"Director Li, Secretary-General, General Manager Sha, it's ready."
The two young men looked very young, but they were full of energy and competence, and it was clear at a glance that they did not come from ordinary organizations.
Sha Qizhi nodded, gesturing towards Li Xuewu's room, indicating that they should continue.
After watching the two enter the room, he smiled and said to Li Huaide, "Director Li, you can rest now."
"Thank you for your hard work, you were very meticulous."
Li Huaide smiled and nodded, patting his arm before entering.
Liu Bin entered the room before the leader to put down Director Li's luggage, while the translator, Xiao Chen, carried Li Xuewu's luggage.
"Please wait inside."
Li Huaide glanced at the situation at the other end of the corridor and greeted them.
"Just leave it at the door, you can go back inside first."
Li Xuewu said something to Xiao Chen, gestured towards the door, and told Xiao Chen to put down his luggage.
Xiao Chen and Liu Bin live next door to Li Xuewu, which is really convenient.
Xiao Chen and Liu Bin were smart enough not to touch anything in the room, but instead went to help Director Li.
Just as Li Xuewu was about to tell Zhu Xiaolin to wait on the other side, a report came from behind him.
"Sir, did you leave your things here?"
One of the young men pointed to the lamp base on the coffee table in his room and asked a question.
The people standing at the door understood instantly, and Zhu Xiaolin's eyes widened in surprise.
Li Xuewu pressed his hands down, signaling them not to touch the thing, and then turned to Zhu Xiaolin and said, "Director Zhu, I'll change my clothes first, and then I'll come to your room to find you later."
"Okay, I'll go back first, no rush."
Zhu Xiaolin understood the meaning behind his words, nodded meaningfully, and turned to go back to her room.
Li Xuewu exchanged a glance with Sha Qizhi, who had a furrowed brow, and then quietly stepped into the room.
Another young man came out of the bathroom, shook his head slightly, and indicated that there was no problem.
Li Xuewu nodded, picked up the luggage placed by the door, and casually threw it on the bed. While tidying up, he said, "I don't need that thing for now, so I'll leave it there and come back to you when I need it."
He pointed to the base of the lamp and then gestured to the other furnishings in the room.
The two young men worked quickly, following the line until they found the pipe leading downstairs.
No need to think about it; the other party will arrange it randomly, since the embassy won't provide the other party with an accommodation schedule.
Li Xuewu was unlucky; he was also caught up in Sha Qizhi's meticulousness, which allowed the conspiracy to be exposed.
Since we've gone downstairs to the pipes, we need to check them carefully. This floor might be unattended, but the floors below are a different story.
Li Xuewu didn't let Sha Qizhi lead his men down there. This thing was impossible to defend against; on someone else's turf, they had plenty of new tricks up their sleeves.
Removing this would not only alert the other party, but also leave no evidence against them; at best, the hotel would have to apologize.
Li Xuewu doesn't need their apology, because it's worthless.
"Please take this to Director Zhu and tell him I'll be there in a bit."
He gave instructions to the two young men in the tone of giving a command to his secretary, and had already made a gesture with his hand.
The two nodded slightly, responded, and then left.
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow at Sha Qizhi, who had stayed behind, and said, "This hotel's environment is so-so, not as good as our International Hotel."
"Yes, you're right."
Sha Qizhi looked on in surprise, but he kept repeating what his leader was saying.
Nothing beats the International Hotel. It seems the leaders are always trying to advertise their own businesses wherever they go.
The new site under construction goes without saying, but the current International Hotel can't compare to this place at all—that's no joke.
"Okay, I'll make do with staying here."
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and complained deliberately, "A model of socialism, and this is the level you've reached? Back in the day... humph—"
Sha Qizhi couldn't help but smile and give his leader a thumbs up.
That's some serious trash talk; it's like killing someone by attacking their spirit.
What back then? This was like stabbing the Germans in the heart!
A true hero doesn't dwell on past glories, for doing so brings tears to his eyes!
If they hadn't been defeated back then, the Americans would be raising their hands at a 45-degree angle and shouting "Hello!" today!
"I'll be waiting for you upstairs. Please call me anytime if you need anything."
Sha Qizhi pointed to the ground, speaking sarcastically, as long as Li Xuewu could understand him.
They were on the 6th floor, which is downstairs, of course. Upstairs is where the group members stayed. Sha Qizhi is trying to confuse their identities.
No one can guarantee who put that thing under the lamp, and similarly, he can't guarantee that every word here will be analyzed word by word.
There is no doubt about East Germany's methods and capabilities at this time; the Security Service was not actually run by their own people.
Li Xuewu dared to say that KKB was definitely behind this operation, and perhaps someone on the other end of the line was eavesdropping on their conversation with an earpiece.
What? You don't understand Chinese?
Stop joking around. What era are we living in? Li Xuewu isn't speaking Wenzhou dialect, so where would he get the code from in Mandarin?
After hearing the news of the visit, he began preparations, investigating more than a few things about the situation and information here.
Even with such thorough preparation, I still felt that my initial preparations were insufficient once I arrived here.
This was the front line of the Warsaw Pact versus NATO confrontation, so East German troops, like the Soviet garrison in Germany, were among the first to use new Soviet-made weapons, including T-72 main battle tanks and MiG-29 fighter jets, which were new Soviet weapons at the time.
With the help of the Russians, East German troops achieved full mechanization at this time.
东德仅仅170000人的部队中装备了各型坦克约2400辆、装甲车约7600辆、各种火炮约2500门、作战飞机约400架。
Tell me, with such advanced weaponry right here, how could Moscow sleep soundly without a few watchdogs keeping an eye on things?
It's perfectly normal. He wouldn't be surprised if someone next door had a stethoscope, let alone just under the lamp.
Don't think that everything is fine just because there are no problems after checking Lao Li's room. The absence of listening devices does not mean absolute safety.
The most uncontrollable factor – people.
Who can sit in their room all day, waiting for the other person to come to their door?
As long as you leave the room, there is a risk of leaks. The other party can enter silently or under the pretense of tidying up the room.
Therefore, materials and documents left on the table will be in a state of being leaked; this will definitely happen.
Soon, Zhu Xiaolin also got the results, and the old man walked in, his beard bristling and eyes wide.
"What's wrong? Didn't I say I'd come over to find you later?"
"I'm hungry, when are we going to eat?"
Zhu Xiaolin plopped down on the sofa, glanced at the base of the lamp, rolled his eyes, and said, "I didn't eat enough for breakfast."
"The schedule is set for 11:50, so it'll be soon."
Li Xuewu did not open his luggage; the rummaging and tidying he had just made were merely for show.
He probably won't be staying here for the next few days, so why bother packing his luggage?
"I'm not quite used to the environment here."
Zhu Xiaolin pointed to the radio on the cabinet, then to his room, his eyelids drooping.
No need to think about it, they must have found something wrong with the radio.
Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "We just got off the plane. Why don't you adjust to the weather a bit before we talk?"
"Sigh—" Zhu Xiaolin sighed deeply, looking across the open door at Old Li's room.
He said to Li Xuewu, "Why did we come all this way? We're practically falling apart."
"Without leaders like you making decisions on some important matters, how dare we take any action?"
Li Xuewu smiled and sat down on the other sofa, completely ignoring the table lamp beside him.
"Besides, everyone says this place is full of treasures and has developed well. You should know whether this place is really good or not."
"What do you mean, 'treasures everywhere'?!"
Zhu Xiaolin understood immediately and said with a smile, "It's nothing more than the Russians bragging on the international stage. The industrial technology here can't compare to West Germany's."
"If you ask me, we might have come here for nothing this time."
He is truly a genius performing artist; his speech, both in tone and attitude, is so realistic that it's hard to believe he's actually speaking.
Who would have thought that East Germany would one day be despised?
The key point is that not many people know the specifics of the Eastern Mighty Army. Judging from their tone, someone who didn't know better would think they were from America.
That's so damn arrogant!
"Sure, what can we do? This is East Germany."
Zhu Xiaolin got carried away with her performance, and kept grumbling and complaining to Li Xuewu, finally uttering this line at the end.
This statement is practically an admission that East Germany was a product of castration.
Regardless of the nationality of the person behind the listening device, it will certainly not sound pleasant to the ear.
The seeds of division and conflict are planted in the other party's heart.
One of the listening rooms is KKB, but it can't be all of them, right?
Are these people united in purpose when they get together to do something?
Stop joking. When the Big Brother is paralyzed in the future, East Germany will be the first to kneel down, and kneel down cleanly.
***
"Tell me, what the hell is going on here?"
The welcome lunch was a simple buffet, which is typical in Europe; having a buffet is considered a high level of welfare.
Europeans eat casually in the morning, and even simpler lunches, such as a sandwich or a small bread roll.
The main meal is in the evening, and only that meal is cooked properly and eaten well.
"I'm too scared to go back to sleep—"
Once Zhu Xiaolin arrived at the restaurant, his mouth never stopped complaining, and the inevitable result was that he couldn't sleep.
Seeing that Li Xuewu was so cautious and hadn't removed the devices, he pretended not to know and prepared to follow Li Xuewu and do something big.
It was a simple meal, and we didn't even get to see the bigwigs from either side. However, Felix, the Secretary General of the Economic Council of East Germany, did come to the event and took the stage to host the banquet and deliver a speech when there were more people in the seats.
There's no need to elaborate on his approach; it's part of this circle and faction, and the official rhetoric is basically the same for everyone.
"Damn it, this is all the stuff they give us to eat?"
Li Huaide arrived a little late, and when he saw the row of green vegetables and pickled cucumbers, his back teeth almost started to ache.
Potatoes can be made into all sorts of dishes, but no matter how fancy the dishes are, they're still just potatoes. You can't make sweet potatoes out of potatoes, can you?
Li Huaide has a big appetite; he doesn't care if the living conditions are poor, but he is very particular about food.
"Is this for feeding the production team's donkeys?"
He pointed angrily at the vegetable leaves in the basin, practically ready to curse.
The secretary from the Foreign Affairs Department looked over, and Li Xuewu went over and nudged him, signaling him not to cause trouble here, as it wasn't appropriate.
Li Huaide was also someone who listened to advice. He angrily followed Li Xuewu's example and put some cold food on his plate. He had to fill his stomach no matter what.
"Speaking of this Economic Committee..."
Zhu Xiaolin found a seat for them and invited them to sit down. During the meal, he said softly, "They are much more powerful than our benchmark units."
"The supervising unit is pretty much the same."
Li Huaide casually replied, but judging from his expression while eating, he was still dissatisfied.
"Oh—it's nowhere near as good—"
Zhu Xiaolin looked around and said softly, "I don't know the details, but those who study martial arts will definitely know."
"These are changes that have occurred in recent years."
Li Xuewu, while eating a relatively fresh hamburger, explained: "The German Economic Council manages the economy of the Soviet-occupied zone in Germany, and in recent years it has expanded its authority, granting the Economic Council the power to issue binding orders over the entire occupied zone."
"The General Administration of Economic Planning was subsequently established, which later became the Planning Commission."
"Is it similar to our approach?"
Hearing him say this, Li Huaide forgot his displeasure at not getting any good food and looked at him, asking, "Is there a big difference?"
"They're not even on the same path."
Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and looked at him, saying, "With the full support of the Russians here, their development is faster than ours."
"However, this kind of economy also has its drawbacks."
He raised his eyebrows and said, "That is, a single production and economic structure is prone to collapse."
"When?" Zhu Xiaolin asked, frowning. "Under what circumstances would their economy collapse?"
"When the Russians are no longer able to support this economic system," Li Xuewu said to the two of them while eating, "when the Russians are no longer able to exert absolute influence here."
Li Huaide and Zhu Xiaolin were slightly taken aback, then their brows furrowed even deeper.
"When the hell will we get here?"
"Hehe, there's no such thing as a monkey year or a horse month."
Li Xuewu glanced at him with a light smile, but did not explain. Because of the rigid thinking of the times, many people cannot imagine what things will be like 20, 30, or even 50 or 60 years from now.
Even if he tells the truth now, they won't believe him.
In the 1980s and 90s, how many young people lacking self-confidence rushed headlong toward the lighthouse, and what was the result?
In less than forty years, the lighthouse will collapse.
"Agriculture here is very well developed."
Li Xuewu explained softly, "After the war, the Soviet-occupied zone nationalized basic means of production. By 50, agricultural production in East Germany had reached the pre-war level."
"In 51, East Germany implemented its first Five-Year Plan, and by 1953, East Germany's total industrial output accounted for 78.9% of the national economy."
"In 60, East Germany also achieved agricultural collectivization."
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and looked at the two of them, saying, "Does this sound somewhat familiar?"
"It's more than just familiar—"
Zhu Xiaolin shook his head with a wry smile and said, "If I go to the countryside now, will I be able to see the production team leader?"
"Hehe, that's hard to say."
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at him, saying, "Why don't you represent our industrial system and go to the countryside of East Germany for a visit and investigation?"
"Anyway, you've got nothing better to do," Li Huaide suddenly said, which startled Zhu Xiaolin.
"In 63, East Germany put forward the guiding principles of the 'New Economic System,' which is the current economic achievement."
Li Xuewu finished his introduction, took a bite of his hamburger, and waited for everyone to look at him before continuing, "As you can see, East Germany has completely decoupled from the West."
“This isn’t just about handing your back to someone else,” Zhu Xiaolin said, frowning. “Now I feel even more how great *** was.”
"So we have to prove ourselves."
Li Xuewu said earnestly, "The saying 'If you fall behind, you will be bullied' is always true."
"Their temporary prosperity is like a castle in the air," he said, pointing out the window. "Just like this dazzling nightlife, it's all bubbles that will burst with a single breath."
"Well said!" Zhu Xiaolin said with a smile, "If it weren't for the fact that we can't drink, we should all have a drink based on your prediction."
"However, East Germany still has certain advantages in fields such as precision instrument manufacturing." Li Xuewu did not completely despise or belittle East Germany at this time, and objectively commented: "But its overall industrial level is still lagging behind that of neighboring West Germany."
"As I said before, if you're controlled by others, you'll always be a puppet."
After he finished eating, he took out a tissue from the table to wipe his hands and looked at the two men, saying, "Take East Germany's optical instruments and machining technology, for example; they were influential throughout the entire socialist camp."
"But this is a planned economy, where technological innovation and market application are relatively lagging behind, so they have no motivation to make efforts."
Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "Without comparison, there is no harm. That wall in the city will accumulate more and more resentment."
"Hmm, you mean the Berlin Wall?"
Zhu Xiaolin smiled and said, "Our itinerary this afternoon is to go over there, and then we'll get to see this wall for ourselves."
There was nothing surprising or unconventional about them. They ate and chatted in a corner, and even took a short rest in their room before 12:30.
Zhu Xiaolin had planned to rest in Li Huaide's room, but Li Huaide chased him out.
"I don't have the habit of sleeping in the same bed with men."
"Are you kidding me—" Zhu Xiaolin was so angry he laughed. "When you were young, you would have laughed in your sleep at a roadside inn."
"That's right, we were young back then."
Li Huaide, ever sarcastic, stood at the door with a smile and said to Zhu Xiaolin, "Now that I'm older, I can't take this kind of torture anymore."
"Did you perhaps have someone waiting for you in the house?"
Zhu Xiaolin remembered the joke they made when they got off the plane, and chuckled as he teased Li Huaide, "How about I go in and take a look? What does it look like?"
"Don't worry, I definitely won't date someone like you."
Li Huaide waved his hand, closed the door, and said, "Get some sleep. We have a schedule this afternoon."
Indeed, the afternoon's schedule was extremely tight, with time set down to the minute, leaving no room for delays or carelessness.
At one o'clock, Li Xuewu, who had only slept for a little over twenty minutes, arrived at the 11th-floor conference room at the secretary's notification.
The person in charge of the team stood at the door looking at the list to make sure that all the people on the list had entered.
Li Xuewu followed the crowd and sat in the middle, where he had a good view.
Just as the discussion in the conference room was getting louder, Zhao Zhinan, one of the team leaders and deputy director of foreign trade and economic cooperation, walked in.
"Hello comrades, let's have a meeting."
Zhao Zhinan didn't sit down at the front either. Holding the microphone, he looked at everyone and said, "This meeting was originally supposed to be held in China, but there wasn't enough time. I could only squeeze out some time to meet with everyone."
"First of all, I want to remind everyone to respect the situation here and adjust your mindset."
He said meaningfully, "We're here to cooperate, not to stir up trouble. We can talk about it later."
It's obvious that someone discovered the problem, reported it to their superiors, or had a dispute with the hotel.
Li Xuewu raised his head slightly to meet the gazes of Lao Li and Lao Zhu; he had much more to plan.