dognovel Chapter 1474 Thunder
Chapter 1474 Thunder
Chapter 1474 Thunder
"It's just the two of us, and you cooked so much food! Will we be able to finish it all?"
Zhou Xiaoling came out of the bathroom after washing her hands and was surprised to see that four dishes had already been laid out in the dining room.
Wang Yajuan turned around and brought out another bowl of soup from the kitchen, smiling as she said, "You've come all this way, and my cooking skills are just so-so. How can I explain to you if I don't make a couple more?"
"I told you you were being too polite!"
Zhou Xiaoling pouted, feigning dissatisfaction, then helped get the bowls and chopsticks, saying, "Of those who joined the dance troupe back then, only a few of us have kept in touch."
She walked out of the kitchen, looked at Wang Yajuan, shrugged helplessly, and said regretfully, "We're either far apart or busy with our own things, so it's extremely difficult to meet up."
"You still miss those old days?" Wang Yajuan glanced at her amusedly, turned around to go to the kitchen to get a soup spoon, and said, "Have you forgotten when we used to argue and bicker?"
“Arguments and disagreements are also memories.” Zhou Xiaoling stood by the door frame, watching her come out of the kitchen, and asked, “Don’t tell me you don’t miss them at all.”
Wang Yajuan asked her to sit down at the table, and while serving her egg drop soup, she said, "Some people say that reminiscing about the past means having people you can't let go of or things you can't forget."
She handed the soup bowl to Zhou Xiaoling and asked, "Why do you miss the past?"
"Who taught you that?" Zhou Xiaoling looked at her amusedly, took the soup bowl, and asked with a smile, "How come you can talk so eloquently now?"
"That's how it is when you do publicity work, right?"
Wang Yajuan smiled nonchalantly, served herself a bowl, and then sat down.
“I think you’re the one who can’t let go of people and things you can’t forget,” Zhou Xiaoling said meaningfully, looking at her. “Or maybe you have a sense of loss and regret.”
"You're still talking about me?" Wang Yajuan glanced at her amusedly, picked up some meat and vegetables for her, and said, "Now you're quite eloquent, aren't you?"
"Hehe—" Zhou Xiaoling chuckled and put some meat and vegetables on her plate, saying, "Eat more meat to nourish yourself."
She glanced at Wang Yajuan deliberately and said, "Look how thin you are, your chest is practically touching your back."
"It's starting again, isn't it—"
Wang Yajuan glanced at her with a disapproving look and said, "Yours is big enough, okay?"
"Hey, do you remember when Zhou Miaomiao first joined the Youth League and got scolded by the teacher for staring at me all the time?" Zhou Xiaoling covered her mouth and laughed, "I still remember how embarrassed she was."
"It's because you were teasing her on purpose."
Wang Yajuan certainly remembered this incident, and couldn't help but laugh when she heard her mention it.
"Looking back now, you were the worst back then."
"Ew—" Zhou Xiaoling curled her lips in dissatisfaction and said, "I'm cute even when I'm naughty. Han Lu is really naughty. You get bullied because of her."
Seemingly stirred by Zhou Xiaoling's words, Wang Yajuan's smile faded slightly.
"And you're still talking? How's everyone?" She ate her rice, looked up at Zhou Xiaoling, and asked, "Are they all alright?"
Who are you trying to find out about?
Zhou Xiaoling looked at her with a mischievous grin, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Ask Han Lu?"
"Just ask if you want to, what's there to be embarrassed about?" Seeing Wang Yajuan with her head down, she snorted and said, "Her, she'll surely bring about her own downfall if she does many evil deeds."
"You know about her accident last year or the year before?" Zhou Xiaoling leaned closer to Wang Yajuan and whispered, "If it weren't for the good medical facilities in our factory and the timely medical treatment, she would have almost died."
Was it the time of massive bleeding?
Wang Yajuan certainly remembered this incident, and frowned as she asked, "I didn't hear that it was this serious back then?"
"Of course you don't know how tight-lipped she is."
Zhou Xiaoling glanced at her and said, "Besides, you two have never gotten along. Why would she tell you this? I only heard it from Zhou Miaomiao."
"Do you know why I said she brought it on herself? Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish."
She raised her eyebrows and explained softly, "I won't say anything about how they used to instigate others to isolate you, or how they talked about you behind your back after you came to the factory."
"Even if Zhou Miaomiao finds a lover, she'll still fight to see who she can have—"
Seeing Wang Yajuan frown, Zhou Xiaoling curled her lips and said, "It's all because she has wicked intentions. She dared to secretly have a child and even tried to threaten that person."
"Did Zhou Miaomiao tell you this too?"
This was the first time Wang Yajuan had heard of these inside stories, and she looked at her in surprise, asking, "How does she know all this?"
"What do you think—" Zhou Xiaoling gave her a knowing look, then said while eating her food, "It's been more than four months, and she still dares to cause trouble."
What do you think she wants?
She squinted at Wang Yajuan with her right eye and said before the other could answer, "Look at how Zhou Miaomiao has bought a house, a car, and made progress in her career. She wants it too!"
"Just tell me what she's thinking."
Zhou Xiaoling curled her lip in disdain and said, "Does she really think she's Wu Zetian? With just a little bit of breasts, she wants to have everything? She's just asking for trouble."
"So the reason she had the accident was..."
Wang Yajuan suddenly thought of something and froze.
Zhou Xiaoling glanced at her and sneered, "You guessed it too, didn't you? She said her stomach hurt, and when that got out, she was too ashamed to admit it, so she said she didn't want the baby. But what's the truth?"
"Even at that time, she would eat and drink whatever people offered her. It's a miracle she didn't die."
"How could this happen?" Wang Yajuan, forgetting all about her meal, looked at her in astonishment and asked, "Who did this?"
"Who did it? Who knows—"
As Zhou Xiaoling ate her food, she snorted, "She's shameless enough to cause someone's death. She just wanted that person dead. Who do you think did it?"
Wang Yajuan immediately fell silent. The answer was all too obvious, because everyone in the group who was interested knew about it.
That guy is really not as good as Li Xuewu. He doesn't care about anything and has done so much over the years. It's just that no one has exposed him yet.
It's not uncommon for people to die from such incidents. For example, the former director of the government canteen hanged himself, right behind the factory hospital.
"If we're talking about smart people, Zhou Miaomiao is the best." Zhou Xiaoling ladled herself another bowl of soup and said calmly, "You reap what you sow."
Where is she now?
Wang Yajuan was also somewhat dazed, never expecting that such dangerous waves were hidden beneath the calm surface of the group.
Is she still with the sales company?
"Yes, she's the Director of the Brand Department in the International Business Division," Zhou Xiaoling introduced. "She's very sophisticated now, going to Hong Kong two or three times a month. She's tired of flying."
"You haven't seen her now."
She raised her eyebrows and said, "From top to bottom, inside and out, she's completely different from before. Her clothes and appearance are so stylish now."
"More stylish than you?" Wang Yajuan said with a laugh, "I think you're stylish enough. I don't even dare to perm my hair."
"What's the big deal? The person upstairs also got a perm, didn't she?" Zhou Xiaoling casually smoothed her hair and said with a smile, "Do you want to get a perm? Let's go to the People's Department Store tomorrow, and I'll pick out a trendy hairstyle for you."
"Forget it, I don't need it."
Wang Yajuan tidied her hair behind her ear and said with a smile, "It looks good like this."
"She's almost turned into an old woman."
Zhou Xiaoling glared at her with a smile, then continued, "You'll see when you go back to Beijing. Everyone on the street has curly hair."
“That guy,” she raised an eyebrow meaningfully, “look at Zhou Miaomiao’s perm, she got one too.”
"Have you heard of the story of Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi? She didn't get the desired effect and even got into an argument with the hairdresser, who then kicked her out."
How did you know these things?
Hearing her talk so enthusiastically, Wang Yajuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren't you very busy?"
"There must be times when you need to rest, right?"
Zhou Xiaoling put down her chopsticks and looked at her, explaining, "I've run into Zhou Miaomiao a few times on the plane, but we don't keep in touch much. It's Xiaoxiao who's more familiar."
"Ah, Xiaoxiao, do you see her often?" Wang Yajuan, having finished eating, put down her chopsticks and asked curiously, "Is she still in the dance troupe?"
"Among our group, she's the one who's persisted the longest," Zhou Xiaoling nodded and said, "She truly loves dancing."
“You know her personality. We rarely talk about these things when we get together. It was Li Dan who took the initiative to bring it up.”
Zhou Xiaoling tilted her head and said, "People below can't hear about these things, but it's quite a spectacle inside the company. Everyone treats it as a joke."
“Zhou Miaomiao and Han Lu live on different floors. Han Lu always tries to compete with her, even with her lover.”
She said with a laugh, "You should know her husband. He's the one who used to be the secretary-general's driver, the youngest son of former Deputy Factory Director Nie, Nie Xiaoguang."
"Oh, I know." Wang Yajuan nodded and said, "The one who drew the knife with Director Li, right?"
"It's him, he's hopeless." Zhou Xiaoling curled her lip in disdain and said, "The secretary-general took good care of him back then, but he still insisted on jumping into the cesspool."
Wang Yajuan patted her lightly, amused and slightly annoyed. "The table hasn't even been cleared yet, and you're already talking about this."
Zhou Xiaoling smiled and continued, not caring, "Zhou Miaomiao's husband, Zhou Tan, received a bonus for hosting some project last month. She was so envious that she forced Nie Xiaoguang to earn a bonus as well."
"Isn't Nie Xiaoguang working here..." Wang Yajuan was still wondering where he worked when Zhou Xiaoling burst out laughing.
"The Secretary-General arranged it; it was the Security Department."
She raised an eyebrow and said, "If Nie Xiaoguang gets desperate, he'll tell her that he'll catch her in the act when she's having a secret rendezvous with that person. That'll be a huge achievement, and he'll get a huge reward."
"You think it's weird enough, right?"
Seeing Wang Yajuan's strange expression, Zhou Xiaoling covered her mouth and laughed, "I used to not understand the saying that birds of a feather flock together, but after hearing about these two, I finally believe it. They're such oddballs."
"Is Han Lu still working at the theater?"
Wang Yajuan pursed her lips, looked at the dishes, stood up and cleared away the chopsticks, and asked, "Is it in the East City or the West City?"
"Dongcheng has always been over there."
Zhou Xiaoling got up to help her tidy up, saying, "She does want to improve, but everyone learns from their mistakes and knows how to deal with her."
"She's just too strong-willed—"
Wang Yajuan didn't mean to laugh at her. She didn't even laugh at Zhou Miaomiao, let alone Han Lu.
"Now that you mention it, Xiaoxiao is quite composed."
"Xiaoxiao is just too concerned about saving face."
Zhou Xiaoling put the remaining food in the cupboard, then turned to Wang Yajuan and said, "Even though she went to the secretary-general's house to tutor, I was the one who forced her to go."
"By the way, you knew about this, right?"
She looked at Wang Yajuan and asked, "You and the secretary-general are both in Gangcheng. Do you have a lot of contact with each other?"
"It's alright, he doesn't talk about these things at work." Wang Yajuan explained casually, "I only heard it from someone, but I forgot who it was."
"She tutors the eldest daughter of the secretary-general in dance and music," Zhou Xiaoling explained. "If it weren't for this connection, she would have retired long ago."
At this point, Zhou Xiaoling couldn't help but sigh and said, "Everyone says they love dancing, the stage, and performing, but how many can actually stick with it to the end?"
"Dance is a career that relies too much on youth."
She walked back to the restaurant, grabbed a rag, and started clearing the table, sighing as she said, "I'm afraid of having children, and I'm afraid of losing my figure. Just thinking about it makes me tired."
"You're doing just fine now."
Wang Yajuan came out of the kitchen after washing the dishes and said to her, "Flying around like this, you're much freer."
"You think I'm the only one who can fly?"
Zhou Xiaoling glanced at her amusedly, took a rag and went to the kitchen, saying, "Working in the sky isn't easy either, otherwise I would have come here to find some peace and quiet."
"To be honest, it's you and Zhou Miaomiao who have done the best." She came out of the kitchen and looked at Wang Yajuan, who was making tea for her, and said, "Especially you, who have gotten to where you are today step by step through your own efforts."
Do you believe it?
Wang Yajuan brought over the tea, placed it on the dining table, and asked her a question.
Zhou Xiaoling was taken aback, then looked Wang Yajuan up and down and asked, "What's wrong? Did you hear someone gossiping again?"
"Others may not know you, but I know you well." She frowned and said, "When I first came to the factory, Han Lu talked about you behind your back, and we almost got into a fight."
“I know my own situation, and I can’t lie to others.” Wang Yajuan sat down at the dining table with her, looking at the teacup she was turning in her hand, and said calmly, “If it weren’t for his care these past few years, with my abilities, how could I have gotten to where I am today?”
"If that's really the case, then there are hardly any self-reliant people left in the entire group."
Zhou Xiaoling pressed her hand down and said, "These days, everyone with connections doesn't want to use them, but you're so naive."
"Everyone in our group knows about your past relationship with the Secretary-General," she advised Wang Yajuan. "Everyone has their youthful days. If you can't be lovers, can't you still be friends? Who says that?"
"You certainly know how to talk—"
Wang Yajuan looked up at her with a smile and asked, "These past few years, I've only heard about people pursuing you relentlessly, going crazy for you. But I haven't seen you choose any of them."
"Me? Don't laugh at me, but I've lost confidence in my own feelings."
Zhou Xiaoling slumped wearily over the dining table, resting her head on her arm, and said to her, "Just flying around like this, south today, north tomorrow, even the strongest relationship can't withstand this kind of torment."
"Especially when you frequently come into contact with high-ranking leaders, you become somewhat numb to things like hierarchical relationships, and your mind gets carried away."
"Now that you know, then settle down."
Wang Yajuan picked up her teacup, took a sip, and looked at her with amusement, saying, "You've thought of it, but can't do it?"
“Sometimes I think, why don’t I just find someone to marry?” Zhou Xiaoling said with a laugh. “But then I’m afraid I’ll regret it and cause trouble for them.”
"Thinking about it later, if it really doesn't work out, I'll just live on my own. If I find someone I like, I'll love them; if I don't, I'll let it go."
She gave a helpless twitch of her lips and joked at Wang Yajuan, "If you don't find someone soon, we might as well just make do."
"Nonsense—" Wang Yajuan glared at her, picked up her teacup, and said, "You still have to get married."
"What are you asking for—"
Zhou Xiaoling looked at her and said, "The old folks used to say that a woman should marry a man for food and clothing. Now I can take care of my own food and clothing, so why would I need a man?"
"Now, apart from my mom who urges me to go on blind dates and get married every time she sees me, who else can control me?"
She sat up straight, shrugged nonchalantly, and said, "With the flight allowance and bonuses, I'm sure I'll be able to buy my own house within five years."
"Look at how capable you think you are—"
Wang Yajuan looked at her amusedly and asked, "What about the child? Don't you want your own child?"
"So, just to have a child, I have to suffer for the rest of my life and settle for a man I barely know?"
With a stubborn look in her eyes, Zhou Xiaoling said, "I don't want to live like this. If I really want a child, there's no way I can't find a way."
"Besides, are children really that important?"
She looked at Wang Yajuan and said, "Zhou Miaomiao and her husband are smart enough; they didn't have any children."
Aren't you afraid the rumors will eat you alive?
Wang Yajuan threatened her, "No one will say anything to you now that you're young, but what will you do when you become an old maid?"
"Whoever says that about me, I'll tear their mouth apart—"
Zhou Xiaoling said in a deliberately fierce tone, "Everyone lives their own life. What I do is none of their business. I want to be free."
"I think you're overwhelmed by the choices."
Wang Yajuan put down her teacup and said, "This might be related to your current position."
"Do you think I don't know?"
Zhou Xiaoling picked up her teacup, took a big gulp, let out a long sigh, and said, "There's no other way, I'm not willing to compromise."
“Then take your time and choose carefully. You’ll eventually meet someone you like.” Wang Yajuan stood up, gestured to her room, and said, “You sleep in the inner room tonight, and I’ll sleep in the outer room.”
"What? You want to sleep in a separate bed from me?" Zhou Xiaoling said with a laugh, "There's only one bed, how are you going to sleep outside? If you're going to do that, I won't come at all."
"So you came here specifically for me?"
Wang Yajuan looked at her amusedly and said, "I've noticed that you've changed a lot since you came here."
"What has changed?" Zhou Xiaoling stood up with a smile, spreading her arms to show her a more complete view.
Wang Yajuan laughed and looked her over, saying, "You've become like a female hooligan, hahaha—"
"You, Wang Yajuan—" Zhou Xiaoling really took on the air of a female hooligan, waving her hands and threatening, "Tonight you're mine, don't even think about running away!"
-
Women are always sensitive, and sometimes they will deliberately play dumb, pretend not to know, and let each other off the hook.
What Zhou Xiaoling did in Gangcheng naturally did not escape Wang Yajuan's keen eyes.
Previously, it was understandable that she didn't know Zhou Xiaoling had come to Gangcheng, since she had no connection to the city.
Now? Now she's the head of the publicity department at the metallurgical plant, and she has informants everywhere she goes.
Li Xuewu led so many people up the mountain, and people had already been talking about it. As the only woman among them, Zhou Xiaoling naturally received more attention.
She was simply beautiful enough, and her style of dress was not typical of girls from the steel city, so it was only natural that she would be noticed by someone with ulterior motives.
But knowing full well that Zhou Xiaoling didn't come to see her immediately upon arriving in Gangcheng, why did Wang Yajuan pretend not to know?
As Lu Xun once said, "If you see through something but don't say it out loud, you can still be good friends."
What will she gain from speaking too bluntly? Nothing but embarrassment and a complete breakdown in relations, and she might even end up angry and causing herself unnecessary trouble.
Actually, things are fine as they are now. If she loses even a friend like Zhou Xiaoling, she will truly be all alone, with no friends left.
Li Xuewu is not a friend; he's a bad guy.
Liu Hongmei, a reporter from the Northern Industry Daily, wrote about him going hunting in the mountains, implying that he had no serious business to attend to. But what was the reality?
Li Xuewu's trip to the mountains was a response to that report.
On November 7, the Red Star United Industry News published an article about the group's secretary-general, Li Xuewu, leading a team to inspect the site selection for a sanatorium in the Qianshan area, along with photos.
This report was produced by the Liaodong branch of the United Industry News. The original draft was written by Zhang Jing, director of the leading group office, and Wang Yajuan was responsible for its implementation.
Liu Hongmei, the reporter from the Northern Industry Daily, was truly resilient; she stayed in the hospital for a full three days.
A conflict occurred with a driver from the renewable energy processing plant. An official from the security department of Hongxing Steel City Industrial Zone went to investigate the situation, but because she had not yet been discharged from the hospital, it was inconvenient for her to coordinate the matter, so the matter was shelved.
Liu Hongmei knew that this was someone else's territory, and no matter how much she caused trouble, she was still in their grasp.
Furthermore, that shameless plant manager actually dared to bring a photographer to take pictures.
Damn it, once this photo is published, she can guess exactly what they'll write.
The reason I stayed in the hospital for two more days was because I was afraid that if the truth came out, I wouldn't be able to explain myself after being discharged.
Every morning she would look for the United Industries Daily News, terrified of seeing her own picture in it.
She did try calling that person, but she didn't feel comfortable in a hospital environment.
Finally, after enduring three days of agony in her hospital bed, she couldn't bear it any longer and went to find Li Xuewu.
Reporters are all smart people, so of course she could tell something was off from the security officer who was taking her statement.
What constitutes a security conflict with the driver?
Her investigation at the processing plant was essentially aimed at the Hongxing Steel City Industrial Zone, and also at Li Xuewu.
If something goes wrong, why don't you look for Li Xuewu? Are you just going to wander around outside like a headless fly, pretending to be stupid?
Are you really scouting sites for a nursing home?
Li Xuewu, also aiming to solve the problem, did not choose to meet her in the office, but in a private room of the guesthouse restaurant.
Of course, it wasn't just him; sometimes it's really hard to explain when a man and a woman are alone in a room.
Given Liu Hongmei's appearance, he didn't want to suffer this loss.
Liu Hongmei's slightly sarcastic tone made him a little uncomfortable, but it was still within his tolerance.
After all, people only resort to violence when they are at a loss for words.
"Of course, do you think I have nothing better to do?"
Li Xuewu had no intention of inviting her to dinner; even the tea on the table was brought by the waiter.
He looked at the other person and said calmly, "Hongxing Steel Group has more than 50,000 workers in Liaodong. Every day, the first thing I think about when I open my eyes is how to feed these 50,000 people and make a living."
"Hehe—" Liu Hongmei chuckled softly, a laugh that was hard to describe.
She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "You should give me a chance to get to know you better. There's no need for you to be wary of me."
"What do you mean?" Li Xuewu asked, frowning slightly. "When have I ever been on guard against you?"
"Oh, then I misunderstood?"
Liu Yamei glanced at Wang Yajuan, who was sitting silently next to her, and then looked at Li Xuewu and said, "Secretary-General Li is meticulous and has a real knack for getting things done."
"If you can fairly write these words in the article, I will definitely treat you to a big meal today."
Li Xuewu glanced at her bluntly and said, "What a pity, you have failed to live up to our good intentions."
"Should I thank you for not kicking me out of the guesthouse?" Liu Hongmei didn't seem to care about Li Xuewu's sharp words and said with a smile, "It seems you care about your image and also about our newspaper's commentary."
"No, that's not true. I haven't read your report. Director Li mentioned it to me."
Li Xuewu tilted his head and looked at her, saying, "You may not know, but I only have limited time to read newspapers. I almost always read the headlines of the major newspapers."
"As for the various bad habits of mine that you mentioned in the article, I'm too lazy to explain them."
He said with a sneer, "The reason we didn't kick you out of the guesthouse is because we wanted you to stay a few more days, so you wouldn't have to endure any more bad reviews that could be published in the newspapers."
"Is it really a bad review?" Liu Hongmei asked, holding a teacup and staring into his eyes. "For example, what about the problems with Furnace No. 4, or the processing plant?"
"That depends on you. It's been several days, haven't you found out the truth yet?"
Li Xuewu looked at her with narrowed eyes and asked, "If someone is really obstructing your investigation, please tell me directly, and I can handle it right now."
"Secretary-General Li, let's be frank and open with each other. There's no need to keep arguing like this."
Liu Hongmei suddenly laid her cards on the table, looking at him and saying, "You must already know why I came to Steel City."
She paid special attention to the changes in Li Xuewu's eyes, but what she probably saw was a calm and composed demeanor.
This only made her feel more that the other party had already figured out the purpose of her trip, so she decided to lay her cards on the table.
"To be honest, our newspaper doesn't really need the support from your Red Star Factory, but our leaders just can't swallow this insult."
She gestured to Wang Yajuan, who was sitting next to her, and said, "Even if you brought just one person, I would still dare to say this: it is Director Li of your group who has gone too far in bullying us."
Li Xuewu raised his head slightly, tilted his head to look at her, and gestured for her to continue.
“Since our newspaper was founded, no one has ever called us beggars. He’s too arrogant.”
Liu Hongmei curled her lip arrogantly and said, "So what if your factory is going to be upgraded to a group? Can it still escape the scope of the industrial management system?"
“I came to Gangcheng not to target you, Secretary-General Li, nor to target Hongxing Steel Group.”
"Reporter Liu, there's no need to be so indignant and righteous. You're being too casual about using public office to settle personal scores."
Li Xuewu suddenly interrupted her, saying calmly, "I have never heard of or been aware of any of the comments Director Li has made concerning your newspaper."
"The only thing I know is your performance at the last signing event, which I witnessed firsthand."
His tone wasn't serious, but when he spoke, he left no room for argument and was very authoritative.
"Whether you say you're angry or you don't care, the only thing that concerns me is the article you recently wrote in your newspaper."
Li Xuewu placed his hands on the table, looked at her and emphasized, "I just want to ask you one question: With such malicious fabrication and nonsense, what do you mean by the hard-won publication number of the Northern Industry Daily?"
His voice grew increasingly sharp, and he tapped the table with his finger as he questioned, "Just because you're dissatisfied with some of the remarks made by the group's leaders, just because of your own selfish desires, you're going to abuse public power for private gain? What do you take the term 'public opinion supervision' for?"
"Let me tell you this: if you do this, you'll eventually erode the newspaper's credibility, and the biggest loser won't be Hongxing Steel Group."
After saying this, he saw Liu Hongmei's face turn white and then red, then red and then white again, so he softened his tone.
Having said all he needed to say, he stood up and emphasized one last time, "I came to see you today to tell you not to be misled by the promises of certain people, and even more so, not to do anything that would tarnish that newspaper."
He pointed to his eyes and said, "The eyes of the masses are discerning; once a newspaper is stained, it's hard to clean it up again."
Wang Yajuan stood up, watched Li Xuewu leave the private room with an air of arrogance, then turned to look at Liu Hongmei, who was sitting there silently, her expression changing. She wanted to say something but didn't.
At this point, saying anything would be superfluous; Li Xuewu has already made his stance clear.
What the hell do you mean you can't swallow this insult? If you can't swallow it, then die! Go and fight Old Li one-on-one, okay? You stab someone in the back and you still feel superior and proud?
Furthermore, Liu Hongmei's visit to Gangcheng was not simply, as she claimed, without targeting anyone.
Just kidding?
Now Wang Yajuan knows that someone in the group is behind this, trying to shift the blame elsewhere.
Li Xuewu is quite shrewd; the fact that he didn't retaliate is already a sign of his restraint.
It's different after all. He's also a local official, and any move he makes in the steel city could be magnified and cause trouble within the group, which is something he doesn't want to see.
When Li Xuewu came to work in Liaodong, he was obstructed by some people; when he wanted to go back, he was still obstructed by others.
It's simply because his influence was 1 when he came, and 1000 when he left.
Whether the industrial development in Liaodong was successful or not was not something the propaganda department boasted about; it was something that was actually accomplished through hard work.
Now, Lao Li wants him to go back, but some people don't want him to go back, and that's where the conflict comes from.
what is the reason?
The time has come. Some of the group's current leaders have been here since 68, while others have been here since 66. This year marks their third year in office.
Every three years brings a minor hurdle, and every five years a major one. Each hurdle is difficult, but you overcome them all, and after that, the road ahead is smooth.
There will be no changes before the end of this year, but what about next year? It has been decided that the group will be formed by the beginning of next year, and the next step will be the adjustment of the leadership team.
Old Li now has absolute authority, but he can't stop the higher-ups from replacing him with outsiders.
Li Xuewu is certainly not qualified for an external transfer, but at the stage of achieving group-level development, he can go even further.
Those people weren't afraid of his advancement, but rather that his return to the capital would disrupt the overall situation.
In the capital, Li Huaide would be wary of him, but in Steel City, Li Huaide would only need him.
Hongxing Steel Group says that no amount of economic development can conceal its status as an important member of the heavy industry system.
The group is based on heavy industry, extending upstream and downstream, and expanding its business across industries; it is not a case of converting light industry to heavy industry.
Industrial enterprises are the foundation of the group, and Li Xuewu, who controls the management of all industrial enterprises in Liaodong, is an extraordinary figure within the group.
Look, when Dong Wenxue returned from Gangcheng, his ranking within the leadership team rose by two places.
If Li Xuewu returns to the group, he will definitely rise even higher and more rapidly than Dong Wenxue.
Why? Because it started from a high level.
When Dong Wenxue came to Gangcheng, what was his status and rank? Li Xuewu came to Gangcheng as the secretary-general.
Dong Wenxue was initially only in charge of the metallurgical plant, overseeing and organizing the development and operation of other industries.
What about Li Xuewu? He is the head of the group's industrial leadership team in Liaodong, the kind of person whose word is law.
To put it bluntly, some people are scared. They know that Li Xuewu is the one who has been chosen as his successor. After Li Xuewu has been trained in Liaodong, he will definitely be among the top three when he returns.
What is Li Xuewu lacking?
He has no shortage of qualifications and achievements, but he lacks experience in industrial management, which is a standard requirement for being a leader.
Old Li's downfall lies in this area; he still hasn't fully gained control over all of the group's business.
Some say that Lao Li's choice of Li Xuewu as his successor will conflict with Dong Wenxue's path to advancement.
Actually, that's not the case. Reaching this point today means that Dong Wenxue's career at Hongxing Steel Group has come to an end.
Firstly, during his three years in the steel city, his overall strategic vision and ability to see the big picture were not observed.
Secondly, Dong Wenxue lacks a decisive and charismatic personality and has a weak mass base.
Ultimately, Dong Wenxue failed to gain Li Huaide's support and lacked powerful allies.
Li Xuewu is different; the age difference makes Li Huaide feel very reassured, and his outstanding abilities make him more capable of taking on important responsibilities.
More importantly, Li Xuewu understood him.
Dong Wenxue's next step will definitely not be the group; his current work is all in preparation for leaving the group.
In fact, in the workplace, people like Dong Wenxue and Li Huaide are basically able to see their future development path clearly and make plans in advance.
If we couldn't even see this clearly, or were unprepared for it, we wouldn't be where we are today.
Some people say that progress depends entirely on luck, but that's not true. Progress is a skill.
The current situation is that Li Xuewu has settled everything in Liaodong. As long as he keeps a good pace and develops according to the established goals and procedures, the results will definitely not be bad.
As Li Huaide requested, and as some people worried, the focus of work will gradually shift to the group, allowing us to return to the group's stage.
The main reason why Li Xuewu has not taken this step yet is that he is still waiting for the moment when the thunderclap will strike.
Now someone has proactively handed over their leverage to Liaodong, putting it into his hands.
-
"Have the technical challenges of sliding doors been resolved?"
Li Xuewu reached out and opened the door to "Chen Haonan's Mobile Office," then looked inside.
Indeed, on November 13, Li Xuewu led a team to Gangqi for research, where the Haishi bus, built on Hongyun's basic technology, rolled off the production line, achieving a good result of 35 units per day.
Some people have said that producing 35 units per day is a good result?
It depends on how you look at it. After all, this bus production line doesn't only have the Haishi model; there are also the Hongyun 7-seater, 9-seater, 12-seater, and so on.
Hongtu Bus and Honghai Bus are not within the scope of assembly line production and cannot be put on the assembly line.
Wang Zhi, the deputy director of the steel plant in charge of technical production, said with a smile, "If we hadn't learned their technology, we really wouldn't have been able to handle this simple sliding door."
"It looks simple, but it's actually very difficult."
Li Xuewu reached out and pulled on the lighter car door, saying, "It would be even better if it had a soft-close lock."
“You’d say electric doors are better.”
Kuang Yusheng, standing to the side, joked, "We need to set more ambitious goals for them, otherwise they'll become complacent."
"Who says we'll slack off—"
Steel Plant Director Lü Yuanshen looked at him and said with a smile, "If anyone is slacking off, it's the steel rolling mill. Our plant is full of energy."
"Hehehe—" The cadres who came to conduct research today all burst out laughing when they saw the two bickering.
Li Xuewu smiled as he stepped onto the bus, experiencing firsthand the bus ride.
Honestly, the technology for car seats these days is really stuck at the neck level; foam is the only cushioning layer left.
Even the most advanced cars might add a layer of spring mesh underneath the foam.
You've all ridden the high-speed rail, right? When the network was first rolled out, the hard seats on the train weren't hard at all; in fact, they were quite comfortable.
What happened next? The hard seats were really hard.
How does it compare to a green-skinned train?
They're all the same; because there are so many people riding in them, any attempt at springbacking is futile—they've already been compacted.
Car seats from that era were the same; after a while, it felt like sitting on a rock.
However critical you may be, this vehicle is the first medium-sized bus in China to have both cargo and passenger carrying capabilities.
The Hongyun can only be considered small. The 12-seater Hongyun only has one less seat than the Hiace, but the space is different.
Even if it expands to 12 seats, it is still called Hongyun; the 13-seat Haishi has another name: Hongguan.
Automobiles produced by steel companies that are registered for export will have two names.
One set is for domestic supply, and the other is for international supply; they have different names and different internal configurations.
It's not that the internal structure and configuration are different, but rather that some countries use left-hand drive and some use right-hand drive.
This thing is a bit strange. The first person in the world to invent the car should have decided whether the car should be left-hand drive or right-hand drive.
This is like how the person who invented tofu pudding should have emphasized from the very beginning whether it should be eaten with savory or sweet brine.
Are there other versions of this car?
Kuang Yusheng sat down from the other side and asked Lü Yuanshen below, "For example, a better configuration."
"No, this car is not needed."
Lu Yuanshen looked at Kuang Yusheng, who always followed Li Xuewu around like a fox trying to gain power and become a leader. He grimaced inwardly, but he couldn't let his words affect unity.
He proactively explained, "If you want a better configuration, you can choose the Hongyun or the Hongyun 9-seat renovation. There's no need to focus on the macro aspects."
“This vehicle is a supplement to the medium and large-sized buses.” Li Xuewu jumped off the vehicle and said, “It will make commuting more convenient in the future. We will first equip ten of them to various industrial enterprises in Liaodong, so that Lao Qiao will not complain about not having enough seats.”
"Give us one." Wang Yajuan, who came along, also took a liking to the car and said with a smile, "With a few modifications, it will be a standard news reporting vehicle."
(End of this chapter)