dognovel Chapter 1396 Humanity and Sophistication
Chapter 1396 Humanity and Sophistication
Chapter 1396 Humanity and Sophistication
"Director Liao, you look great today. Is there some good news?"
Gou Zhenbei, from the warehouse workshop, came to the company on business and happened to meet Liao Jinhui at the corner of the stairs.
When a deputy manager meets a manager, they greet each other with a smile, but their tone isn't particularly respectful.
why?
Because they are not in the same system.
Industrial enterprises have a very special management structure, namely the workshop leader.
You could call him a junior manager or a middle manager; the line is somewhat blurred.
The key point of ambiguity is that many of the workshop leaders were promoted from the deputy director in charge of industry.
You mentioned that the company also has a production management department or production management section, but the heads of these departments basically cannot decide the selection and appointment of workshop leaders.
If a senior and capable workshop leader can joke around with the factory manager and play mahjong together after get off work, can you say he has no connections or power?
If the workshop leader doesn't care about your production management department, he can directly report and coordinate with the deputy director in charge of industry, or even the factory's top manager, if he has any issues.
It depends on the relationship between the workshop leader and the supervisor. If the relationship is good, no one will say that it is reporting to a higher level. In terms of hierarchy, it is really hard to say whether it counts as reporting to a higher level.
Because workshop leaders can be either business leaders or managers, from a business perspective they are the main responsible persons, and it is perfectly fine for them to consult and report to the main leaders.
Therefore, workshop leaders in several important industrial enterprises of Hongxing Steel Group are all assigned the rank of full supervisor, while those who are slightly less qualified are assigned the rank of deputy supervisor. This is roughly equivalent to the rank of the head of a department in a branch plant, only the job position is different.
The next step for a workshop leader is to become a department head, which is usually a short transition. The next step is to become the deputy director in charge of industry.
It is almost an unwritten rule that deputy directors in charge of industry must have extensive grassroots management experience and must have served as workshop leaders or deputy directors.
So, while Gou Zhenbei was being polite, he wasn't really that polite, even though the person opposite him was Liao Jinhui, the office director.
Actually, his tone was somewhat sarcastic in addition to being a joke, but he was definitely not watching Liao Jinhui's misfortune.
At this time, Gou Zhenbei was unaware of the changes at his workplace. He was joking that Liao Jinhui had regained Li Xuewu's trust, just a friendly joke.
Just like the joke that Zhou Yongyuan, the deputy head of the finance department, made with Liao Jinhui yesterday, it was just for fun.
And what happened? He received the message way too late; it didn't match Liao Jinhui's schedule.
Whenever he made that joke yesterday morning, Liao Jinhui would have smiled and said a few words of modesty, and casually made a few silly remarks.
What about today?
"You think this complexion is okay?" He raised a finger and pointed to his face with a suspicious look, asking, "It's almost the color of donkey dung!"
After saying that, without waiting for the stunned Gou Zhenbei to react, she turned around and went downstairs.
"What is this—" Gou Zhenbei was furious. He really didn't expect Liao Jin to be so disrespectful.
Oh, you've regained the trust of your superiors and been entrusted with important responsibilities, and you're acting so high and mighty that you can't even take a joke?
"Old Gou—" Zhou Yongyuan waved at them from the finance department entrance and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"It's alright, I'm fine—"
Gou Zhenbei hesitated for a moment, then pointed in the direction where Liao Jinhui had just gone downstairs, a curse he didn't utter.
He wasn't looking for Zhou Yongyuan, but Liao Jinhui's reaction had puzzled him. Seeing Zhou Yongyuan waving, he figured something must have happened at work that he didn't know about, so he walked over here, his words muffled.
"Isn't everything alright? Come to my room and stay for a while."
The advantage of the group's branch offices is that they have excellent office environments, with each deputy manager having a standard office, unlike the group company where two teams are crammed into the old office area.
Zhou Yongyuan's office is quite large, with two sets of desks and chairs, plus a sofa and tea cabinet. This setup is basically the standard for deputy-management level cadres in this era.
If you ask why there are two sets of office desks and chairs, the answer is simple: because there were many cadres in that era.
Especially for deputy positions, one head and two deputies are considered few; large departments typically have one head and three or four deputies.
Li Xuewu had already given clear instructions in the group's cadre management regulations: except for the management of first-, second-, and third-level major branches, which may have multiple deputy positions, other units, departments, and offices shall not have more than two deputy positions.
In other words, the finance department can only have one head with a private office, while the two deputy heads share an office.
If even a senior manager has a private office, you can imagine how big Li Xuewu's office must be now.
It's definitely much bigger than his office when he was the manager of the security department, because he's a leader of the group.
Among the management of Liaodong Industrial, Li Xuewu held the highest position and was basically not restricted by office space.
Looking back at Zhou Yongyuan's office, it was similar to Li Xuewu's office when he was a leader in the group.
This is the difference between a group company and a branch factory.
The other deputy director wasn't in the room, so Zhou Yongyuan called Gou Zhenbei in and quickly brewed some hot tea.
"Haven't you looked at the documents these past two days?"
He led the other person to the sofa, brought over some hot tea, and said, "Director Liao seems to be in a bad mood these past few days."
"What did I do to him—"
Gou Zhenbei frowned and said, "It was just a joke, why is he acting so shamelessly?"
"Hey—you can't say that."
Zhou Yongyuan chuckled and explained, "You don't know, but yesterday the Industrial Leading Group Office issued a document removing Director Liao from his position as Director of the Leading Group Office."
"This morning, the factory management committee issued another document, removing Zhang Jing from his position as deputy director and transferring him to the position of director of the leading group office, while promoting Sun Jia to the position of deputy director of the office."
"Who? Sun Jia? Which Sun Jia?"
Gou Zhenbei was a little confused and frowned as he asked, "The one who came down from the group?"
"That's a long time ago, they came three or four years ago."
Zhou Yongyuan raised his eyebrows and said, "At that time, Director Luo was still there, and he directly refuted Director Xu's request."
"Oh—I vaguely remember."
Gou Zhenbei nodded and then asked, "Has that Sun Jia been working at our factory for the past three or four years? How come I didn't know?"
"See, that's why I said you've offended people." Zhou Yongyuan smiled and tapped him, saying, "Now you have to call him Deputy Director Sun."
He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and said, "You've endured this for three or four years. Do you think this person is harboring a lot of resentment? You want to be the one to stick your neck out and be the one to suffer?"
"What does this have to do with me?!"
Gou Zhenbei curled his lips, speaking firmly but cautiously glancing back at the doorway.
This behavior amused Zhou Yongyuan, who couldn't help but laugh and then said, "Don't worry, the wronged have their culprits, and the debtors have their debtors."
He put down his teacup and said, "Who tripped him up back then, and who has humiliated him all these years? Others may not remember, but he certainly does."
"I don't even remember who he is, how could I have offended him? It's ridiculous—"
Gou Zhenbei picked up his teacup dismissively, shook his head, and said, "So what if we offended him in the past? Does he intend to settle scores with each of us one by one?"
"Hey—you can't just say things like that."
Zhou Yongyuan glanced cautiously at the doorway, then said softly, "Can't you tell?"
"What? What did I see?"
Gou Zhenbei had already raised the teacup to his lips, but then stopped, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Why don't you say something?"
"Director Liao is probably—"
Zhou Yongyuan hesitated for a moment, shook his head slightly, and then continued softly, "The leader's thoughts are too deep; ordinary people can't figure them out."
He looked intently at Gou Zhenbei and said, "I don't think the leader intends to give him an important position this time."
"You still say that—" Gou Zhenbei was so excited that he almost spilled the teacup in his hand. He quickly put down the hot tea he hadn't even drunk yet and looked at Zhou Yongyuan and said, "Yesterday I heard the news that he had been promoted by his superiors again, and I thought it was a big deal."
That sounds a bit like hindsight, so he earnestly explained, "I didn't dare say anything at the time, afraid that things would go wrong, and he'd lose face, and we'd lose face too. See, I was right—"
“We’re only saying this among ourselves, so please don’t tell anyone else,” Zhou Yongyuan reminded him. “I’m telling you to go down and think it over. Don’t rush into the office recklessly. Things aren’t safe here right now, so be careful not to run into trouble.”
"I—" Gou Zhenbei was about to say that he didn't care, but then he remembered Li Xuewu's reputation, and his heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't finish his sentence.
Zhou Yongyuan glanced at him and knew that this old guy was all bark and no bite, not the kind of guy who could lead the charge.
However, within the circle of workshop supervisors, Gou Zhenbei is known for his loyalty and is well-liked by everyone.
The reason why it's closeness rather than respect is also related to his personality. Gou Zhenbei is like a pot of dog meat, which is not presentable, but tastes really good.
But if you want to connect with this circle, going through Gou Zhenbei's connections is definitely the way to go.
This old fellow is aware that he can't advance any further, so he's very tolerant and easygoing.
Limited by factors such as age, education, skills, and management, someone like him has virtually no hope. The group is promoting the rejuvenation and professionalization of its cadres. He previously took the path of a supervisor and became a workshop leader. It would be good if he could keep this position in the future.
That's right. Gou Zhenbei initially followed the path of Director Luo, also known as Luo Jiaping, and had a very harmonious relationship with Feng Xingke, the deputy director in charge of industry.
Logically speaking, people assigned by the factory director usually don't get the favor of the deputy factory director in charge, but Gou Zhenbei is an exception. This old guy has a stubborn streak, which is basically just being stupid.
During the major construction projects, he risked his life to participate in production and construction, making significant contributions. If it weren't for his lack of formal education, he should have been promoted long ago, instead of remaining stuck in this position.
He was sincere to every leader and had a strong sense of loyalty, so Feng Xingke didn't make things difficult for him.
It wasn't until Luo Jiaping, Yang Mingsu, and others were arrested, and Feng Xingke was transferred back to Beijing, that his network of connections was finally severed.
However, after Dong Wenxue, Yang Zongfang and others took over the steel plant, Yang Shuxing, who also came from the Beijing Steel Rolling Mill and was in charge of production, had the same scoundrel personality. The two hit it off and he benefited from it.
So although Gou Zhenbei has been suspected of being somewhat of a fraud over the years, the warehouse workshop leaders don't have to bear much responsibility. As long as they are careful with their money and don't make any major mistakes, they usually won't be held accountable.
In addition, given his straightforward personality, people don't hold it against him and even tease him.
Zhou Yongyuan was also cunning and wicked. He tried to persuade Liao Jinhui to test Li Xuewu, but when that failed, he turned his attention to Gou Zhenbei.
He wanted to instigate Gou Zhenbei to offend Liao Jinhui, or to deliberately offend Sun Jia, so that he could in turn attract Li Xuewu's attention.
If the leader likes cadres with this kind of personality, then it will be easier for everyone to cater to their preferences in the future.
Playing dumb, anyone can do that.
Some people are asking, what if the boss doesn't like such a reckless person? What if Gou Zhenbei falls from grace?
What do you mean, what to do? Gou Zhenbei brought this on himself. Someone of his caliber should have been removed long ago.
What's that old saying again?
Yes, make room for good cadres.
You say Zhou Yongyuan is ruthless? There are people even more ruthless than him. There are no good people in this workplace.
-
"Please inform them that the leadership will convene a working meeting of the Industrial Leading Group Office on March 1st."
Zhang Jing came out of the office cubicle, said something to Ma Baosen, and then looked at Zhang Enyuan and asked, "Has the time for the metallurgical plant's work meeting been set?"
"It's settled, it'll be the next day, March 2nd." Zhang Enyuan straightened up from behind his desk and answered the question from office director Zhang Jing.
This large office is a bit special; it was vacated a few days ago at Li Xuewu's behest, and many departments followed suit by making adjustments to free up office space.
At the time, no one knew what the office was for, but now they do.
Zhang Enyuan did not have his own office before, even though he was already Li Xuewu's secretary.
Liao Jinhui was dissatisfied with his attitude and delayed in having Zhang Wei's small office cleaned up.
Zhang Wei was Dong Wenxue's secretary. Dong Wenxue had asked Zhang Wei to stay in Liaodong temporarily to help out because he was worried that Li Xuewu would not have a good understanding of the business of Liaodong Industrial and Metallurgical Plant.
Li Xuewu did not invite Zhang Wei when he returned to Beijing, but he had already spoken with Zhang Wei during the Spring Festival.
He already understood the situation of the industrial and metallurgical plants in Liaodong, so there was no need for Zhang Wei to stay in Liaodong any longer.
Dong Wenxue can't stay without a secretary forever. This delay is inconvenient for Dong Wenxue, and Zhang Wei is also unhappy about it.
A secretary is like a leader's shadow; if they are away for too long, the leader might develop a different kind of shadow.
The fact that Zhang Wei was able to return to Beijing with Dong Wenxue shows that he had done a very good job and was well-liked by Dong Wenxue.
When a leader is promoted, they usually place their secretary in a suitable position. Bringing her back to the group like this must mean they have high hopes for her.
If Zhang Wei is demoted again in the future, it will be from a position within the group, and the level and position will be very different.
When Zhang Wei returned to Beijing, he discarded all his belongings from his office at the metallurgical plant, saving him the trouble of transporting them to the capital.
He made arrangements with Zhang Enyuan before he left, which was considered doing Zhang Enyuan a favor.
What kind of favor?
It's those documents and notes in his office.
Anyone who has worked as a secretary knows how important it is, especially for a leader's secretary, to have access to the notes of the previous senior colleague.
Of course, Zhang Wei had never been Li Xuewu's secretary, so his notes were somewhat useless to Zhang Enyuan.
However, his understanding and arrangement of work still helped Zhang Enyuan quickly get started and get into the role.
Zhang Enyuan was extremely cautious in his work. Although he knew that Zhang Wei had returned to Beijing and that the documents, including the office, had been handed over to him, he was still aware of Zhang Wei's actions.
That small office was right across from Li Xuewu's office, so he could hear his superior's instructions at any time.
But Li Xuewu didn't give any instructions, so he didn't move in.
Even after becoming the deputy director of the Industrial Leadership Group Office, he took advantage of the new colleagues moving in to find a place for himself and arrange his own office supplies.
These were all moved from the large office. His apprentice, Ma Baosen, tried to persuade him to move to the small office, but he was scolded for it. He felt that he could gain more trust from the leaders here.
Sure enough, Li Xuewu glanced into the office several times as he passed by. He saw that Li Xuewu was working there but didn't emphasize anything or tell him to move to the smaller office.
Where you work is not important; what matters is what you do.
A few days ago, he was harassed by Liao Jinhui, but he didn't react at all and continued to work in the same large office as before.
He not only did not complain or act on his own initiative, but also took the opportunity of accompanying Li Xuewu on his research trip to avoid Liao Jinhui's open and covert attacks, which showed great understanding and magnanimity.
Is Zhang Enyuan truly magnanimous?
Others may not know, but his young apprentice does: the two most recent personnel announcements were both written by him.
A gentleman's revenge is never too late.
As long as he can gain the leader's trust, he has to put on the right attitude and do his job as the deputy director of the office.
Zhang Jing, the office director, didn't say anything when Zhang Enyuan moved in, because Zhang Enyuan was qualified to do so.
Another issue is that Zhang Enyuan is too experienced; most people simply can't outmaneuver him.
Take his actions this time, for example. Was Zhang Enyuan trying to curry favor with Li Xuewu and adopt a humble attitude?
Bullshit. No matter how powerful Zhang Enyuan is, he's just a secretary. Even if he were a leader's secretary, he would still be under Liao Jinhui's management.
But once he moves into this large office, his identity will focus on the position of deputy director of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office. How will Liao Jinhui manage him then?
He's now the secretary to the group's leadership, the secretary to the head of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group. You, Liao Jinhui, are just the office director of the metallurgical plant. What right do you have to tell me what to do?
That's the gist of it, so Zhang Jing did manage to curry favor, and his actions were not surprising at all.
On the contrary, several new young people in the department have already been won over by Zhang Enyuan, this old fox.
Li Xuewu's secretary even came to sit and work with them, which is enough to show how much Li Xuewu values them.
These past few days they have been getting familiar with their work. Under Li Xuewu's instruction, Zhang Enyuan collected information on all the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong and handed it over to them for reference.
Next, these four young people will have to learn by doing and each take on a specific aspect of the coordination work.
In other words, the Industrial Leading Group Office directly connects with the heads of various industrial enterprises, and in effect, connects with the management committee offices or factory offices of these enterprises.
This large office was originally the location of the First Office Section, right next to Li Xuewu's office.
Because the department has a small number of staff, a space was partitioned off with wooden boards for Zhang Jing's use.
Zhang Enyuan chose a spot near the entrance so that it would be convenient for him to serve Li Xuewu and also to observe people passing by.
"Pass down the news of the meeting today, and pay attention to feedback, especially in Yingcheng and Fengcheng."
Zhang Jing nodded at Ma Baosen, emphasizing his point, and then looked at Zhang Enyuan and asked, "Who organized the metallurgical plant's work meeting? Was it Deputy Director Sun?"
"It should be, I told him this morning."
Zhang Enyuan nodded and replied, "Director Liao is still busy with the implementation plan and probably can't attend to this matter."
It's a joke, really; the work meeting was about to start, and Liao Jinhui was still working on the plan.
The purpose of the working meeting is already clear to everyone: to discuss and announce the work goals, plans, and implementation schemes for the next three years.
These past few days, those people who used to jump around around Liao Jinhui have all become quiet, trembling with fear, as if they've lost their parents.
They never expected that Li Xuewu would make a fool of Liao Jinhui and fool them.
It's too late to regret it now. Once you're on Liao Jinhui's evil ship, you're just waiting to suffer together.
"Keep an eye on it, just in case something goes wrong."
Zhang Jing glanced at Zhang Enyuan and said meaningfully, "By the way, I'd like to thank Director Liao. He had a brand new tea cabinet delivered this morning. We should never forget those who helped us."
"Really? I didn't even see it until you mentioned it." Zhang Enyuan glanced specifically in the direction of the door before turning back to Ma Baosen and saying, "Did you hear what Director Zhang said? Don't forget to thank Director Liao."
"Huh? Me? —"
Ma Baosen stared wide-eyed, pointed to his nose, his forehead full of question marks.
He seemed to have heard of some extraordinary mission, something as surprising as when the Nine-Headed Insect told Benboerba to go and eliminate Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
Zhang Jing glanced at him with amusement, then turned and went back to her office, abandoning the previous conversation.
Zhou Peilan and the others had just arrived in Steel City and were unaware of the situation there; they were simply observing the excitement.
Zhang Enyuan waited until Zhang Jing left before glaring at his apprentice and saying softly, "You think you're so capable? You even know how to trip up Deputy Supervisor Zhou."
"Me?—I was—"
Ma Baosen wanted to explain, but didn't know how, so he could only grimac and curl up his face in grievance.
Zhang Enyuan glared at him but didn't say anything more. He already knew what kind of people Zhou Yongyuan and his ilk were, and he believed Li Xuewu knew it too.
Even if Ma Baosen offended the other party, he was not afraid, because these people would be finished sooner or later.
"Okay, go and do your work."
Zhang Enyuan informed his apprentice and then lowered his head to continue working.
But Ma Baosen was still stunned. He leaned close to his master's ear and whispered, "Do I still need to thank Director Liao?"
"Should we thank his ancestors for eight generations?"
-
On March 1, Li Xuewu convened his first formal working meeting of the Industrial Leading Group since taking office in Liaodong.
Xu Sinian from Yingcheng Shipbuilding, Kuang Yusheng from Gangcheng Rolling Mill, Lü Yuanshen from Gangcheng Automobile, Bi Yuding from Hongxing Electronics, Xiao Zihong from Fengcheng Machinery, Kong Xiaobo from Gangcheng Aircraft, Ji Jiuzheng from United Energy, Zhang Jing, Director of the Office, and Zhang Enyuan, Deputy Director, attended the meeting.
At the meeting, he reported on the findings of his previous research on various industrial enterprises in Liaodong and conveyed the opinions and instructions of the group leaders on the research report.
In his speech, he pointed out that the Industrial Leading Group had made significant contributions over the past two years, representing the group's highest management body in Liaodong. Under the leadership of the Leading Group, all industrial enterprises had worked together, been courageous in innovation and pioneering, and contributed to the realization of the Hongxing Factory's group-based, systematic, and professional development.
At the meeting, Li Xuewu fully affirmed the work done by various industrial enterprises under the leadership of Director Dong Wenxue over the past two years, which is very important.
Secondly, in his speech, he clearly pointed out the adjustments and responsibilities that Hongxing Factory would face in the final year of the Three-Year Plan, which was also the final stage of its arduous task. This was the most crucial year for Hongxing Factory's group-based development, and many problems still existed in the development and construction of its various industrial enterprises, especially those located in Liaodong.
Without any preamble, Li Xuewu frankly emphasized the findings of his preliminary research and understanding at the meeting, and specifically criticized some issues.
The people in the meeting room had serious expressions and focused intently. Even though they already knew that Li Xuewu was about to start a fire, they still felt their faces burning with embarrassment, especially in this office.
We are all business owners; if something goes wrong in our own operations, we'll all lose face.
They all realized that Li Xuewu was neither easily fooled nor easy to talk to.
Li Xuewu is too young, yet his methods are brilliant, he is not limited by external factors, and he has a profound influence within the group.
Although the people present were senior and older, they had no room to argue with him.
He adopted a policy of courtesy before resorting to force, treating them to drinks and dinner on the day he took office, thus fulfilling his comradeship. Although he pointed out problems during the investigation, he did not get angry or criticize them, nor did he nitpick or find fault with them.
He is very principled in his work. He listens to their explanations and opinions on some issues, but he also emphasizes principles and discipline, and discusses and resolves these issues from multiple perspectives.
Li Xuewu has already taken the initiative by not pushing the issue down, not being arbitrary or arrogant.
Now they are sitting here listening to Li Xuewu talk about the issues, without any complaints. They can only understand that he is talking about the facts and that Li Xuewu is not targeting any of them.
So the problem was brought up, the names were named, the management authority of the industrial leadership group was established, and the organizational discipline for future meetings and management was also established.
That means being open and honest, addressing problems directly. He didn't hold back at his first meeting, and he won't in the future. Anyone who does something wrong will be embarrassed on the spot.
Unlike Dong Wenxue when he was in charge of management in Liaodong, Li Xuewu immediately made it clear that he wanted to firmly grasp the management rights of the various industrial enterprises in Liaodong, leaving no room for negotiation.
He would remove the hat of anyone who disobeyed management.
They are also key members of the group, and have multiple channels within the group, so they had already learned about the group leaders' attitudes and related information.
Li Xuewu wasn't bluffing. From Director Li down, everyone had reached a consensus, whether voluntarily or involuntarily: Li Xuewu's absolute control over Liaodong Industry was unshakeable at this stage.
Director Lu has already spoken with Director Li Huaide and offered his opinions and hopes for the future of Liaodong industry.
Director Li didn't say exactly how the talks went, but since the news has already spread, it proves that Director Lu is paying attention to and is optimistic about Li Xuewu's trip to Liaodong.
At this point, whoever shows their face will be punished, from the group to Liaodong. The group leaders have all remained silent, so how could they dare to go against Li Xuewu's wishes?
Therefore, the group's industrial leadership team in Liaodong truly began to exercise relevant authority starting with Li Xuewu.
Starting today, everyone must adopt a correct attitude and take every order issued by the Industrial Leading Group Office seriously. Note that it is an order, not a notification.
Li Xuewu never gave any leeway to the deputy directors of the metallurgical plant, and he treated them the same way.
They will listen to their opinions and be receptive to difficulties, but once an order is given, they will do everything in their power to complete it.
The main purpose of this meeting was to determine the status of the Industry Leadership Group and its office.
Secondly, Li Xuewu also used this time to explain his ideas and plans for the development of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong.
He formulated these ideas and plans from the perspective of the group's leadership and based on the group's future development plan for Liaodong. Everyone should take them seriously and have high expectations.
In his speech, Li Xuewu proposed a development strategy of "one line per year, three years for the three northeastern provinces".
The "one route per year" approach refers to the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group's requirement to dedicate one year to establishing an industrial and trade development route from Liaodong to Yingcheng, the port city, and to continuously develop and improve it.
The second year's goal was to establish an industrial and trade development route from Liaodong to Jilin Province, and the third year's target was Heilongjiang Province.
While building and developing each industrial and trade route, we must also explore the development potential of each route and integrate these three routes into a comprehensive network within three years.
When elaborating on the development plan of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group, Li Xuewu pointed out that the group will focus on industrial and trade development in the future. Liaodong has two absolute advantages, and developing inward and outward has become the mission and task of the Industrial Leading Group.
We will actively develop the domestic market and expand cooperation opportunities, while actively contacting and conducting trade with foreign entities. We will strive to elevate the Group's influence in Liaodong to a new level within three years and extend the Group's influence to the three northeastern provinces.
At the meeting, he also gave his opinions and instructions on the development direction of each industrial enterprise.
Li Xuewu urged Yingcheng Shipbuilding to deepen the transformation of shipbuilding processes, actively promote the implementation of new processes and projects, seize the opportunities of the times, and open a new chapter.
When discussing technological innovation and development, he also mentioned other industrial enterprises, including steel rolling mills and automobile manufacturing plants, emphasizing the relevant projects in each.
The meeting lasted for more than four hours, and the door to the conference room remained closed, leaving much to the imagination of those outside.
Li Xuewu's first meeting after arriving in Liaodong was regarded by them as a masterpiece of "releasing military power over a cup of wine".
Those in the metallurgical plant who had ulterior motives were also dejected, losing all illusions and hope.
The top executives of all industrial enterprises are obediently following orders, so what right do they have to be arrogant?
-
"Aunt Zhou, I don't understand this."
Banggeng found Zhou Yamei, who was busy in the kitchen, with a book in his hand. He frowned and said, "I've been reading this for almost a week, but I still don't understand it. I want to sleep."
"You say you don't understand 'Journey to the West'?" Zhou Yamei turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "What did you read when you were in school? Didn't you even read picture books?"
"Look, there are no pictures on this!"
Banggeng flipped through the book in his hand and said, "I don't like reading words, I like looking at pictures."
"Once you can read the words, you'll have a picture in your mind."
Zhou Yamei continued working on her task while patiently explaining, "If you only look at simple paintings, you won't retain any knowledge in your mind."
"Isn't this just the story of Tang Sanzang's journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures? What knowledge could there possibly be in it?"
Banggeng said somewhat dismissively, "I don't need to become a monk, nor do I need to go on a pilgrimage..."
"But you need to cultivate an interest in reading."
Zhou Yamei explained earnestly, "You are at the age where you should be studying. Even if I give you more professional books, you won't understand them. You should start from your interests and learn about human relationships and social customs."
“There’s no social etiquette involved here—” Banggeng flipped through the book in his hand, unconvinced, and said, “I didn’t see any.”
"Hehe—" Fu Zhidong was doing his homework in the study when he heard the conversation at the kitchen door and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Bang Geng glanced back, his lips curling into a sneer as if he was about to curse, but then he remembered that this was no longer the capital city, and he managed to hold back.
He has been in the steel city for a week and has already experienced the hardships in society that his mother talked about when she scolded him.
Leaving his hometown, all alone and helpless, and still having to study, you can imagine how miserable he must have been.
"Human relationships and social skills are not something you can just talk about, but something you can understand." Zhou Yamei prepared dinner and turned to Banggeng, saying, "You see, in the book, it says that Laozi's mount, the Green Ox, descended to earth and caused trouble. Why didn't Sun Wukong kill the Green Ox? Instead, he let it go back to heaven with Laozi."
"How would I know? I'm wondering the same thing—"
Bang Geng flipped through the book in his hand haphazardly, trying to find that chapter. He hadn't read the book, but he had read the comic book, which contained a description of the Green Ox Demon, the mount of Laozi.
"Why didn't Sun Wukong kill him? He's harmed so many people..."
"This is what they mean by 'you have to consider the owner before beating a dog.'"
Zhou Yamei said, "Laozi is a celestial being and also the guide for Sun Wukong to become an official in Heaven. Since his mount caused trouble, he was the one to deal with it. Sun Wukong had to give him face and let him take the Green Ox Demon back."
"Huh? You can interpret it that way?"
Banggeng looked up blankly at Aunt Zhou and said, "Then Laozi isn't a good person either."
"That depends on how you interpret it."
Zhou Yamei raised her eyebrows and said, "From Sun Wukong's perspective, Laozi is his connection in heaven. From the perspective of mortals, Laozi is a high and mighty deity. Even if the Green Ox Demon harms mortals, where can they go to seek justice?"
Banggeng seemed to understand these words, and stood there with a slight frown, looking completely bewildered.
Zhou Yamei continued, "Let's look at this from a different angle. If you caused trouble with me, how should I deal with you?"
Banggeng's attention was indeed drawn to it, and he began to seriously consider Aunt Zhou's question.
Fu Zhidong, leaning against the study door, laughed and said, "Of course, we should just kill the other person like Sun Wukong did."
"Go do your homework—"
Zhou Yamei glared at her son, Fu Zhidong, who had read Journey to the West since he was a child, including several versions.
Although my son is only 8 years old, his reading volume completely surpasses that of Bang Geng, and you can tell from what he says.
Bang Geng was startled and thought of himself. If he caused trouble in Steel City, how would Aunt Zhou treat him?
Should we really kill him with a single blow, just like Sun Wukong did with the Green Ox Demon?
No... it doesn't seem like that will work...
“You are a child with a mother. When you make small mistakes, I will remind you, correct you, and warn you.”
Zhou Yamei crossed her arms and looked at Bang Geng, saying, "But if you make a big mistake, then I can't punish you. I will tell your mother to come and take you home to deal with it."
"Huh? Is my mom Laozi (the Supreme Lord Lao)?"
Bang Geng seemed to understand the reasoning behind this, and his expression became serious.
Zhou Yamei nodded and said, "You can understand it this way: I know your mother, and I have to consider her feelings when dealing with this matter."
"Of course, I only let you live and study in Steel City because of your mother and because of your Uncle Wu's request. Do you understand?"
She looked at Banggeng and nodded, saying, "I can only ask you for help because of these connections. If you didn't have these connections, I wouldn't help you."
"That's just how human relationships are."
"This...this is..."
Bang Geng looked down at the book "Journey to the West" in his hand, frowned slightly, and turned to the first page. It was as if he was reading the story for the first time, and he was looking at the book from a different perspective, trying to use his understanding and thinking patterns to think about the actions of the characters in the book.
When Li Xuewu came home from get off work, he saw Bang Geng and Fu Zhidong sitting on the sofa, each holding a book and reading. However, this was different from the previous few days.
On the day Banggeng arrived, Fu Zhidong went to his maternal grandmother's house. After he came back, the two children got to know each other again.
Fu Zhidong didn't quite remember Bang Geng, but Bang Geng remembered Fu Zhidong. He was deeply impressed by the boy who was dressed neatly and spoke politely when they met.
When two children get together, they either hit it off or become distant, but neither of them is quite like that.
Banggeng goes to Zhou Yamei's workplace during the day and helps with cooking and reading when she comes home in the evening. Fu Zhidong studies and plays at home by himself and has little interaction with Banggeng.
Even when it's time to read in the evening, Fu Zhidong only stays in his study or goes back to his room.
Li Xuewu could tell that Banggeng wanted to sleep as soon as he started reading, and Fu Zhidong looked down on him.
Today the situation has reversed. What exactly happened? Even Bang Geng can concentrate on his book now.
When he looked at Zhou Yamei with surprise and astonishment, the woman responded with a confident and smug expression, as if to say: "Search for easy thieves—"
(End of this chapter)