dognovel Chapter 1381 is truly eye-opening!
Chapter 1381 is truly eye-opening!
Chapter 1381 is truly eye-opening!
"Brother, how are you doing in Steel City?"
"You've only been here a few days, what can you do?"
Holding the phone, Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Why are you calling at this hour? You don't miss me, do you?"
"Huh—" Li Xue on the other end of the phone grinned, let out a slightly disgusted "huh," and then laughed out loud.
Li Xuewu could tell that his sister was worried about him, and his parents were also worried about him, otherwise they wouldn't have called at this time.
He had just returned from the factory guesthouse when Zhou Yamei told him that his family in Beijing had called, so he called back.
"Second brother, Mom told you to drink less." Li Xue's voice on the phone was a little coquettish, much more relaxed than when they were face to face.
She then conveyed with a smile, "Mom said to tell you to focus on your work, not to worry about home, and to take care of your health and safety."
"Hehe—I understand."
Li Xuewu heard his mother's voice on the other end of the microphone; it truly shows how a mother worries about her son even when he is far away.
His daughter and son are already so grown up, and they've visited the steel city countless times, yet his mother still treats him like a naive young boy going on his first long trip.
"Mom, my second brother said he knows," Li Xue said into the microphone, suppressing a laugh. "He told you to take care of yourself and work hard."
"Hahaha--"
Someone at home, upon hearing her joke, burst into laughter, accompanied by a scolding from her mother.
"Second brother, if you miss home, just ask for leave and come back." Li Xue teased him again. "If you miss your sister-in-law, you can also tell me, and I'll pass it on for you."
"You think I can't deal with you if I don't go back, right?" Li Xuewu said with a laugh. "There's less than half a month until the New Year. You just wait."
Will you be able to come back for Chinese New Year?
Li Xue's tone was filled with anticipation and surprise as she said, "Mom and Dad were just talking about whether you could come home for the New Year."
"Yes, I can go back after the New Year. Please tell my parents for me." Li Xuewu's tone became more serious as he said, "I just took over the work here, and I can't leave anyone for a while, especially during the New Year period."
"Yes, I just told Mom and Dad too." Li Xue's voice inevitably carried a hint of disappointment. However, she also knew that her second brother wouldn't be able to come home for the New Year, and her parents would be the most disappointed. So she said considerately, "You have to take on such a huge workload, with tens of thousands of workers. How can you just abandon it? Especially since you're the main person in charge."
"Yes, please explain this to my parents properly."
Li Xuewu breathed a sigh of relief and instructed over the phone, "I've already talked to your brother Guodong about the New Year's goods, and he will help the family prepare them."
"I know, it's the same every year," Li Xue replied. "You don't need to worry about things at home, we're not children anymore."
"Oh, by the way, Second Brother," Li Xue asked with a smile, "Should I tell Second Sister-in-law that you're coming back after the Spring Festival?"
"Hehe, no need, your second sister-in-law knows." Li Xuewu knew her little thoughts and said with a light laugh, "Just take good care of Mom and Dad."
“You coward—” Li Xue pouted and said, “When you come begging to me, see how I gossip about you to my second sister-in-law.”
"Whatever you want." Li Xuewu chuckled, then asked, "Did you give me the wedding gift money for Peng Xiaoli's wedding?"
"Yes, I did. I can't forget it." Li Xue said in a light tone, "There were quite a few people who went, it was very lively."
“Peng Xiaoli told me that you couldn’t go back to officiate his wedding, which was his biggest regret that day.”
"It's a joyous occasion for a newlywed, what's there to regret?" Li Xuewu muttered with amusement, then said into the phone, "Alright, that's enough for now, it's too late, we'll talk about it when I get back."
His sister's tone wasn't one of disappointment, but rather of感慨 (a feeling of mixed emotions, including regret or reflection). He didn't want Li Xue to overthink things, so he didn't say anything more.
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Yamei heard the noise and came out of the study, asking softly, "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, it's Li Xue. She's asking about my situation." Li Xuewu stood up, leaning on the sofa, and explained, "My parents want to know if I can go home for the Chinese New Year."
"Can we go back?" Zhou Yamei took the wool vest he had taken off and reached out to help him take off his shirt. "It's almost Chinese New Year."
"After the New Year, it's definitely not going to work before the New Year," Li Xuewu said casually. "The leadership transition just happened, and people are restless, it's almost the end of the year."
"Have they said when the team members will be changed?" Zhou Yamei packed up his shirt and vest, preparing to wash them together.
She was very self-aware and would not easily inquire about Li Xuewu's family affairs, much less listen to his family phone number.
She quickly steered the conversation to work, not wanting to put Li Xuewu in a difficult position or make him feel like she was overstepping her bounds.
Li Xuewu understood her boundaries and felt that this tacit understanding was just right, the most comfortable position for his psychological defenses.
He took off his pants and socks, put on slippers, and walked towards the bathroom, explaining, "I do need to change them, it's been three years. But I'll have to wait until I've sorted out the work in Liaodong."
"Aren't the other factories going to leave it alone?" Zhou Yamei followed her in and asked softly, "Are they waiting for your opinion?"
“The other factories are basically not going to move.” Li Xuewu sat in the bathtub, leaned back, and closed his eyes slightly as he said, “Next year there will be a group-wide audit, and passing the audit and overall promotion is already a foregone conclusion.”
Feeling the comfortable water temperature, he said somewhat lazily, "The current manager is very likely to become the deputy director next year. Everyone's putting in a lot of effort."
"Is it even possible?" Zhou Yamei has worked at the recycling station for the past two years and has come into contact with this kind of content quite a bit. She is very familiar with the industrial layout of Hongxing Steel Group in Liaodong.
There's really not much to say about this, since everyone at the recycling station depends on Hongxing Steel Group for their livelihood, so how could they not know the details?
"Perhaps, it still depends on the individual's cultivation." Li Xuewu paused before saying, "I also need to cultivate for three years."
"What about three years from now?" Zhou Yamei asked, turning her head after soaking the clothes. "What kind of goal have you set for yourself?"
“We’ve set a goal—” Li Xuewu opened his eyes, looked at the fog in front of him and thought for a moment, then said, “It’s hard to say.”
"What's wrong? Is it too grand, or too complicated?" Zhou Yamei sat down on the stool next to him, amused, and looked at him with a smile. "You have a lazy streak in your personality, as well as a picky and nitpicky nature."
Are you waiting to see me make a fool of myself?
Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said with a smile, "How about we make a bet?"
"Go to hell—" Zhou Yamei rolled her eyes at him, gently patted him, and then started rubbing his back.
"Now you want me to be serious?" Li Xuewu chuckled, sitting up to let her do as she pleased, and joked, "What do you want to ask me?"
"I'm not asking anymore, I'm too lazy to ask," Zhou Yamei said reproachfully, tightening her grip on her hand.
Li Xuewu also found it amusing, let out a long sigh, and then said, "At the very least, we should let the light of the Red Star shine all over this land in Northeast China."
"That really came true—"
Zhou Yamei turned to look at him and asked, "You set such high goals for the workers at Hongxing Steel Group, so what kind of goals should you set for us, for the recycling station? You don't mean you want the light of the recycling station to shine all over the Northeast, do you?"
"The business model of recycling stations is only suitable for survival in big cities, at least in the current situation."
Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said, "So there is no such thing as conquering all the land, we just want you to blow the east wind into the sky above the city."
"Come on, you really are a picky nitpicker."
Zhou Yamei said with a laugh, "This morning Zhou Changli was still asking me what I was thinking and how big I wanted to go."
"Do as much as your ambitions allow."
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked, "He's back again? Wasn't he supposed to be going to Fengcheng? Why does he keep coming back?"
"They're just not sure what to do." Zhou Yamei helped him straighten his back, handed him a towel, and explained, "They wouldn't be like this if you hadn't come. But when they heard you were here, they all became hesitant."
"I didn't even try to interfere, so why are they so hesitant?"
Li Xuewu was both amused and annoyed. He picked up a towel and washed himself, asking with a hint of dissatisfaction, "You don't have any troublemakers under your command, do you?"
"No way, everyone knows you're coming. Who would be so blind as to not know what's going on?"
As Zhou Yamei washed the clothes, she said, "Even if you don't go to the dock to see the scene, they are still under pressure."
"Yeah, it's better to bear some pressure."
Li Xuewu lay back down in the bathtub and said, "If they don't have pressure, then it's my turn to have pressure."
"We were just talking about Hongxing Steel Group, what are you thinking about the recycling station?" Zhou Yamei turned to him and asked, "Should we make some changes?"
"And you? What are your thoughts?" Li Xuewu asked, frowning slightly. "You've been in charge of personnel, what are your opinions?"
“The border office can wait another year, but the port city has been waiting for three years,” Zhou Yamei reminded, “especially after the recent accident.”
"It's not just Gangcheng. This time, Daqiangzi went to Bingcheng, Zhao Dezhu and Zhou Changli went to Fengcheng. The fourth, fifth and sixth brothers should also be mobilized."
“Hmm, three years—” Li Xuewu’s mind raced as he thought, “Let Zhou Ziqiang go to Bingcheng. He’ll definitely be bringing men with him, no need to worry about that. Fourth Brother is mature, let him go.”
"Fourth brother?" Zhou Yamei stopped her work and frowned slightly. "Fourth brother has a soft personality and may not be able to control Zhou Ziqiang."
“We don’t need him to control Daqiangzi.” Li Xuewu said, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Zhou Ziqiang knows what he can and cannot do.”
“If I give him something, he can take it; if I don’t give him something, and he dares to take it, I’ll chop off his hand.”
"The fourth brother went to Bingcheng, but what about the fifth brother?" Zhou Yamei straightened up and asked. "The fourth and fifth brothers came to Gangcheng together a long time ago."
"Don't move the fifth brother, let him take over the fourth brother's post." Li Xuewu continued to arrange, "Let the ninth brother come to Steel City, that kid is a bit cunning."
He slightly twitched one eyelid, revealing a classic triangular eye when viewed from the front. He wasn't usually like this, but this was how he looked when he got angry.
"You don't think highly of Lao Jiu?" Zhou Yamei raised an eyebrow and asked, "Then why are you still using him?"
As she said this, she continued washing clothes, asking, "Are you worried about his quirks, or do you feel uneasy about keeping him by your side?"
"I can use sheep, and I can use tigers too." Li Xuewu's lips curled slightly as he said calmly, "Even a treacherous wolf can be a wolf if used properly."
"How old is he? Is he already working?"
Zhou Yamei asked, "How did you figure out he was an ingrate?"
"I'm pretty good at judging people—"
Li Xuewu turned to look at her, smiled mischievously, and said, "But I must admit that I underestimated you back then."
"Ok?"
Zhou Yamei didn't hear this sentence and looked at him in surprise. When she saw those mischievous eyes staring at her, she finally understood what he meant.
Can't you be serious for once?
“Who said I’m not serious?” Li Xuewu turned his head and looked at the water droplets on the wall. “Tell Zhou Changli to hurry up and go to Fengcheng. Cooperate with Zhao Laosi and establish a recycling station system as soon as possible.”
“Call the third brother back from Jicheng and have him go to Fengcheng with us.”
Before Zhou Yamei could ask, he explained, "The third brother is more capable and educated than the fourth brother, making him a perfect partner for those two."
"You've taken a liking to the third brother again?" Zhou Yamei said with amusement. "If you can take a liking to him, it means you're comfortable using Xilin. Isn't this a bad thing to do?"
Are you close to her?
Li Xuewu suddenly turned his head, looked at her, and asked, "Or are you two still kindred spirits?"
"Think what you want," Zhou Yamei said, scrubbing the clothes. "If you don't trust me, then I should thank you."
"Trying to back out? Dream on!"
Li Xuewu chuckled and turned back to say, "It's not that we don't trust her, but we need to treat everyone fairly. We can't just move things elsewhere and leave Jicheng untouched."
Hearing him say this, Zhou Yamei remained silent, because she knew it was a lie; Li Xuewu still didn't trust Xilin.
Not to mention Xilin, even she knew her own limitations; no one could take away Li Xuewu's complete trust.
She still has children, and he has her completely under his control. But look at the years he's been away from Gangcheng, has the family ever lost its spies?
When Wen San'er was around, his wife would come; when Wen San'er left, Lao Biao's wife would come. Going back further, Xu Ning had someone watch her for a full six months. Even then, she still didn't gain his complete trust.
This guy's mental fortitude is so strong that he's the type who wouldn't make a single wrong move. He's scheming against others even while taking a shower; who can outsmart him?
"After the third brother is transferred from Jicheng, let the tenth brother go to Jicheng." Li Xuewu thought for a moment and said, "I've been supporting him for four years, he can't just eat my rice for nothing."
"The tenth one is already twenty?" Zhou Yamei turned to look at him and asked, "Are they all the same age?"
"Nineteen, I guess. After eleven, it's eighteen."
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and muttered, "Old Eleven is usable now, so who should we replace him with?"
“Let’s change the eldest brother. The eldest brother should get married by now.” Zhou Yamei reminded him, “If the tenth brother is nineteen, then the eldest brother will be twenty-one.”
"Yeah, pretty much, I think so."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "When they first came to me, they were all fifteen or sixteen years old. They could eat more than ten steamed buns in one meal and half a basin of pickled vegetable strips. They were all so hungry that they looked like they wanted to eat people."
“That sounds far-fetched—” Zhou Yamei smiled and said, “You’re not raising them for nothing, now they’re coming in handy.”
“That depends on how it’s used and who uses it,” Li Xuewu said, squinting slightly. “These kids crawled out of piles of dead bodies and have long since thrown all sense of propriety and shame into the mud.”
"They look all grown up now, but they're still the same hungry wolves they used to be. You'll see when they open their mouths and bite."
"What on earth do you think?"
Zhou Yamei hung the washed clothes on the rack and looked at him, asking, "You look down on them, yet you need to use them, and you have to be wary of them. Aren't you tired?"
"Managing people is a skill."
Li Xuewu, feeling relaxed and tired from the bath, struggled to his feet and said, "There's a trick to this."
"Hmm, you know your stuff." Zhou Yamei scolded him playfully, but her hands were quick as she picked up a bath towel to dry him off and then wrapped it around him.
"Hurry up and put on your bathrobe, catching a cold is no joke."
"It's alright, it's not cold inside." Li Xuewu shuffled out in his slippers, saying as he went, "Let the boss come back from Hong Kong."
"Don't forget you have a third uncle in Beijing." Zhou Yamei tidied up the bathroom, but didn't forget about work.
Li Xuewu dried himself off, changed into a bathrobe, sat down on the sofa, and said with a smile, "I haven't forgotten, and I can't forget."
"You think there's something wrong with him?"
Zhou Yamei came out of the bathroom, looked at him and asked, "Are you waiting for news from Hong Kong?"
“No, there’s no need.” Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, “He won’t have any problems. The problems are with those people in Hong Kong.”
“I think so too.” Zhou Yamei washed her hands and looked at him, saying, “If it were really his fault, he wouldn’t have been injured like that.”
“It has nothing to do with the injury.” Li Xuewu put down his teacup and said, “He was injured because he was careless and didn’t use his brain.”
“My brothers and I stay home to raise his wife and children. If he dares to cheat his brothers outside, I will never allow him to come back to recover.”
Li Xuewu thought of Gangcheng. His brother with big breasts had been gone for several days and there had been no news from him. He was very worried.
"Let's wait until after the New Year, let him recover from his injury and stabilize the family business, otherwise he won't be able to work outside."
"Fei Shanying must be angry, right?"
Zhou Yamei, who was in charge of human resources and knew everyone in the recycling system, couldn't help but chuckle. "They say men become bad when they have money, I wonder if that's true."
“You haven’t heard the truth that women get rich when they turn bad.” Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, “Being rich has nothing to do with turning bad. He was that kind of person when he came out of the capital.”
“I also heard that he has a lover in Steel City,” Zhou Yamei said with a hint of gossip. “Biaozi often talks about it.”
“Those two, uncle and nephew, are exactly the same.” Li Xuewu smirked and said, “Old Biao also has a Su Qing in Beijing, they’re still entangled, it’s hard to tell.”
"Is he that college student who worked at the club? The one from the University of Finance and Economics?" Zhou Yamei raised an eyebrow and asked, "Someone like Biaozi, what do you think Su Qing and Mai Qinglan saw in him?"
"Sigh, matters of the heart are the most difficult to explain."
Li Xuewu glanced at her and asked, "Are you done packing? Go to sleep now, you have to go to work tomorrow."
"It'll be ready soon," Zhou Yamei replied. "I'll start the dough rising, and I'll steam some buns for you tomorrow morning."
Why bother with all that trouble? Just have whatever's convenient. I'm not picky about food.
Li Xuewu was really sleepy, his eyelids were drooping, and he mumbled, "I'll just have porridge for breakfast."
"If you don't eat, how can you hold out until noon, you're such a big guy?" Zhou Yamei scolded him, saying, "If you get thin from hunger, people in the capital will say you suffered in the steel city."
"What kind of hardship could make me so thin?" Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "Stop making noodles all the time, Zhidong doesn't like them."
During his two days here, Zhou Yamei ate noodles for every meal, so she figured he must be from inside the Great Wall and liked noodles.
Actually, no. Li Xuewu eats both noodles and rice, but Fu Zhidong prefers rice and doesn't like noodles.
“He ate rice tonight,” Zhou Yamei explained, then reminded him, “If the eldest brother wants to find a girlfriend, you also have to think about the third and fourth brothers. Even if you don’t take care of them, you still have to show them some concern.”
"I've really become their godfather—"
Li Xuewu chuckled and complained, then said, "My third uncle is free, so let's assign this to him."
"What's that saying again? People get more fond of playing matchmaker as they get older, so this comes in handy."
"You're not tired at all."
Zhou Yamei glared at him from the kitchen, amused. The thought of how her thighs ached from exhaustion last night made her even happier.
Li Xuewu, however, didn't think so. He stretched and said, "This is called 'the capable should do more,' and Master Ye is willing to do it too."
"I have something to tell you," Zhou Yamei said earnestly as she kneaded the dough. "Yu Li messaged me asking if we should move the recycling station's office to Steel City."
"Huh? When did she tell you?"
Li Xuewu walked to the kitchen doorway with considerable surprise and asked, "Why didn't she tell me this when I came out?"
"I don't know, it was just yesterday." Zhou Yamei looked up at him and explained, "You just arrived here, and I was worried about tiring you out, so I didn't mention it."
"Don't move it, keep it in the capital."
Li Xuewu frowned slightly and said, "Tell her to focus on her work and stop overthinking things."
"She probably wants to come to Steel City too, right?" Zhou Yamei said in a flat tone. "Actually, she should move to Steel City; it would be more convenient for your work."
"Nonsense, ignore her—"
Li Xuewu turned around and said, "Go see Mai Qinglan tomorrow. It's not easy for a mother and daughter to take care of a child at home. Don't be afraid to ask if you have any difficulties."
"Okay, I'll go tomorrow morning," Zhou Yamei replied. Seeing him walk towards the stairwell, she wanted to say something, but she held back.
Why should women make things difficult for each other?
-
"Hello, Leader Li."
Hu Ke's voice on the phone was very warm and friendly, with the characteristic enthusiasm and initiative of a Northeasterner. He said in a loud voice, "When is a good time for me? I'll treat you to a welcome dinner!"
"I'm not going. Director Hu's food isn't good." Li Xuewu held the phone receiver to his ear, tilted his head slightly, looked at the documents, and joked, "If I eat too much, I'm afraid I won't be able to repay the favor."
"What kind of talk is that? Are we still friends?" Hu Ke said, feigning displeasure. "You've arrived in Liaodong. If I don't give you a welcome dinner, how can I bother you in the capital in the future?"
"So you still want to go to the capital to rip us off, huh?" Li Xuewu chuckled. "Then I definitely can't eat this meal."
"Hey—" Hu Ke said, both amused and annoyed, "You've really become a tough nut to crack. Let me tell you, if you come to Liaodong, you'll be in the same pot as us. Where do you think you're going to run off to!"
"Look, the true intentions have been revealed."
Li Xuewu picked up a pen and made annotations on the document, then wrote a few keywords in his notebook before saying, "Alright, brother, since you said I'm one of your own once I'm in Liaodong, there's no need to be so polite."
"Okay, if there's anything you need, just let me know. I'll do what I can, and if I can't, I'll find a way to help. Is that alright?"
"Hahaha—" Hu Ke's laughter came through the phone, very loudly, "That's what friends are all about."
"But let me tell you something, this is really not a trap." He became more serious and said, "Deputy Director Lu heard that you were here and specifically asked me to invite you, our God of Wealth, and it would be best if you could come to Fengcheng. He also wants to meet you."
“I also want to meet Deputy Director Lu,” Li Xuewu sighed and said, “but as you know, I just arrived in Gangcheng and I’m still sorting things out and getting to know everything. I really can’t find the time.”
"We understand, we understand." Hu Ke was transferred back to Liaodong from the Beijing office last year, so how could he not understand the handover process?
Meanwhile, Li Xuewu has taken over a massive operation involving tens of thousands of people, moving from the capital to Liaodong. This is far more challenging than his current job.
“I didn’t mean anything by calling you. I just wanted to know when you have time to come to Fengcheng so we can get together.”
He emphasized again on the phone, "It's fine before or after the New Year, Deputy Director Lu said he'll wait for you."
"Oh dear, I really can't refuse such kindness," Li Xuewu said with emotion. "Please tell Deputy Director Lu that I'm sorry, and thank him for me."
"Well then," Li Xuewu said, glancing at the calendar pressed against the glass on the table. "If I can make it before the New Year, I'll call you. If I can't, I'll definitely visit you both in Fengcheng after I return from Beijing."
“Then it’s settled.” Hu Ke said on the phone, “Deputy Director Lu asked me to tell you that once you’re in Liaodong, you’re at home. Don’t hesitate to ask if you encounter any difficulties. We’ll work together to find a solution.”
"That's what I mean too. Liaodong's industry needs to work together. If you come to Liaodong to develop, we have no reason to just stand by and watch."
He concluded by saying, "Alright, that's all for now. We'll have a proper chat once you're done with this busy period."
He's a shrewd individual, but his generosity and loyalty mask his cunning and mercenary nature. Is Liaodong Industrial Group something most people can only dream of?
Not to mention this kind of warm greeting and brotherly acquaintance. If Li Xuewu were still just a security officer at the Red Star Factory, people would know who he was.
That's just how the workplace is; it's a mix of sincerity and pretense, so mutual understanding is the best approach. If you try to be too clever, no one will play along; if you're too honest, people will think you're a fool.
Look how polite Hu Ke is. Isn't it because she's attracted to his status and position? There are so many industrial enterprises in Liaodong, how many of them would accept his invitation? She even brought up Deputy Director Lu, who is in charge of industry in Liaodong.
Hongxing Steel Group's influence extends throughout the Bohai Bay area and even has a profound impact on several inland cities. If it weren't for this development capability, would Liaodong Industry even consider it a piece of garlic?
They invested 80 million yuan in Yingcheng to build a port and trade zone, which is even more advanced and larger in scale than the current port in Bincheng.
Hongxing Steel Group has invested over ten million yuan in Gangcheng, and has also invested in Fengcheng and several other cities.
To put it simply, if Hu Ke wanted to open the door to industrial development in Liaodong, there were other ways, but using Hongxing Steel Group as the key was the easiest and most promising.
If he's not inferior to Li Xuewu, then who is he inferior to?
When Li Xuewu was competing for the position of leader of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group, when did Hu Ke go to cheer him on?
That's right, the match has just been decided.
It's obvious that this guy has been keeping an eye on the group's movements, just waiting for things to settle down so he can build a relationship with them.
He's the one who doesn't suffer any loss at all.
Li Xuewu had no obligation to give him face, but he also wouldn't want to ruin the relationship. He liked to treat people differently based on their status.
In politics, without foresight and absolute certainty, who would dare to criticize someone who hasn't done something before? So no one should look down on anyone else.
Li Xuewu gave himself time because he didn't want to appear too eager. Frankly speaking, Liaodong needed the industrial investment and technological influence of the Hongxing Steel Group. Anyone would be eager to have the Hongxing Steel Group build an industrial behemoth in Liaodong.
Hongxing Steel Group has money, technology, and management expertise; most importantly, it has great development potential.
The mixed development of light and heavy industries, breaking down barriers between upstream and downstream sectors, and expanding the steel company into related fields—this is definitely a large enterprise.
Once Hongxing Steel Group is operational in Liaodong, it will inevitably drive other industrial enterprises to achieve major breakthroughs in technological innovation, production transformation, and management upgrading in the new era.
At this time, Liaodong needs a leader, the faster the better, just like the No. 17 Factory in western Liaoning.
In retrospect, Hongxing Steel Group is more comprehensive, more representative, and more in line with the industrial development of Liaodong than Plant No. 17.
So it looks like a win-win situation now. Just as Hu Ke said, Li Xuewu will definitely have a smooth ride in Liaodong. Whoever is in that position will ensure that this golden goose remains unaffected.
Finding out how to take control of this golden goose is Li Xuewu's most pressing task and the goal he most needs to achieve.
-
"Is that person still looking at the documents?"
As Yang Shuxing passed by in the corridor, he saw that Yin Zhongyao was alone in his office. He glanced in the direction of Li Xuewu's office and then went inside.
Yin Zhongyao looked up and saw it was him. He smiled, got up from behind his desk, picked up his teacup, and said, "It's normal to be like this when you first take office."
"Has it been almost a week?" Yang Shuxing took a teacup from the tea cabinet, borrowed some tea leaves from Yin Zhongyao, and brewed himself a cup. "Is he going to write some long article to shock us?"
He chuckled, picked up his teacup, and sat down on the sofa, saying meaningfully, "Our leader is the group's top writer."
“I’m not afraid of long speeches.” Yin Zhongyao refilled his teacup with hot water, sat down on the sofa, took a sip, and said calmly, “I’m just afraid he’s too eager for quick success and instant benefits, and too ambitious.”
“He’s been holding back for so long, he must have some purpose.” Yang Shuxing said with certainty, “I’m afraid he’ll attack from behind.”
"What's the use of being afraid?" Yin Zhongyao said nonchalantly. "Let's just wait and see. Someone will jump up and down before we do."
"Hehehe—" Yang Shuxing chuckled, picked up his teacup and took a sip, and said, "That one also has a stubborn temper. I heard that the two of them used to have a very good relationship, but later it got too tense because of Director Dong's matter."
"Whose fault is it? It's all because he was too ambitious." Yin Zhongyao blew on the tea leaves in his teacup and said, "He deserved this fate."
Yang Shuxing had some different thoughts on these words. Back then, Yin Zhongyao was also one of Yang's men, just like Yang Zongfang.
From the very beginning, the two were simply not on the same page, neither willing to yield to the other.
When Yang Zongfang first came to Gangcheng, he worked very well with Dong Wenxue, and with Li Xuewu looking after him in Beijing, he lived a very carefree life.
Looking at Yin Zhongyao, he was older and more experienced than Yang Zongfang, and had been with Yang for a longer time. At the time, Yin Zhongyao felt that since they were both assigned to the steel city by Yang, they should definitely cooperate well.
However, there are limits to the size of such collaborations. Yin Zhongyao naturally wouldn't listen to Yang Zongfang, but unexpectedly, Yang Zongfang didn't intend to listen to him either.
Dong Wenxue trusted Yang Zongfang greatly and gave him the opportunity to make bold strides in his career. Yang Zongfang, who had just been promoted, was also eager to make a name for himself and wouldn't listen to Yin Zhongyao's advice to keep a low profile.
That's where the two fell out, and they never mentioned cooperation again.
Yang Zongfang was no ruthless character either; even though he knew that Leader Yang was leaving, he still dared to stand up and cause trouble.
Yes, everyone in private says he is kind and righteous, but what was the result?
Is Li Xuewu someone to be trifled with? Dong Wenxue is his teacher and the key figure in their strategic deployment in Liaodong. Now he wants to cut down the tree and reap the rewards? Let alone a ruthless character like Li Xuewu, even Dong Wenxue wouldn't allow it.
As a result, Yang Zongfang went from being highly sought after to being sidelined overnight. If he hadn't made any mistakes, Li Xuewu would have definitely gotten rid of him, and wouldn't have allowed him to run wild like that.
Dong Wenxue established himself in the steel city and always marginalized Yang Zongfang, neither suppressing him nor using him.
Yang Zongfang was sensible enough not to take the initiative or back down, and just stood there stubbornly until Li Xuewu was coming to Liaodong.
Even Yang Shuxing could see that he was anxious. Did he think everyone was blind?
However, Li Xuewu was in the capital, which gave him an advantage, and as a leader of the group, he also had the air of someone who had won a great victory.
Look at him again, so lifeless, yet he still wants to rise to power?
There are some things others can say, but Yin Zhongyao can't. These two sentences seem to criticize Yang Zongfang for being out of touch with reality, but aren't they also implying that Leader Yang has dragged them down? Isn't this a accusation against Yang Yuansong?
For a former leader to be slandered like this shows what kind of character Yin Zhongyao is.
To be honest, Yang Shuxing really didn't want to associate with them, but there were only a few people in the group, so who could he possibly recruit?
Liu Yongnian and Wang Shuqiong clearly didn't want to get involved in these matters and were already waiting for the new leader to arrive so they could start a new work journey.
People like them, the "old guard," will eventually be disliked, feared, and even thrown into the trash heap.
For Dong Wenxue, three years is a term, and it is for them too. From the winter of 65 until now, it has been four years.
If I hadn't come to the steel city and stayed in my unit, I might be in charge of a region by now. Look at Ji Jiuzheng, he's just like them, he used to be a deputy director of a department, and now he's all risen to prominence.
United Energy Corporation, the investment alone exceeds several million, it's really enviable.
Who doesn't want to be in charge? Who doesn't want to be in charge? The greater the desire in one's heart, the more resentment one harbors.
"Not necessarily," Yang Shuxing said with a smile after gathering his thoughts. "What if the two of them can get along again?"
“Hehe, Li Xuewu—” Yin Zhongyao looked at the tea leaves in the teacup and said meaningfully, “Now he’s the leader, what position does he hold? The past is the past, the present is the present.”
"Just wait and see, haven't you seen how many times Old Liao has stumbled?"
He raised his gaze to Yang Shuxing, who was sitting to the side, and said, "I'd like to see where he's finally going to ignite this fire that he's been holding back for so long."
"Should I...?" Yang Shuxing raised his eyebrows and said with a half-smile, "I need to take leave to go home before the New Year. My father-in-law is sick."
"Hehe, you really know how to pick your timing."
Yin Zhongyao glared at him with some dissatisfaction and said, "I originally wanted my father-in-law to get sick too, but you beat me to it."
"Alright, whoever speaks first gets to keep it."
Yang Shuxing drank the tea in his cup, stood up and said, "When I get leave, I'll bring you some specialties from the capital."
"Thank you so much." Yin Zhongyao stood up to see him off, and said with a smile, "If you hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten where I'm from."
"Anyway, you're not from Steel City, right?"
Yang Shuxing turned around and smiled, his eyes full of teasing, but Yin Zhongyao rolled his eyes at him in return. The two of them had reached a tacit understanding.
The corridor had returned to its usual bustling state, and the arrival of the new leader seemed to have little impact, which made everyone a little restless.
Although I still try to figure out what the new leader's temper will be like, I have never let the new leader interfere with my normal work and life.
So soon, things will be the same as before, except people will be a little more cautious near the new leader's office.
Some people have already found out that the new leader has read through all the decision-making documents from 65 to the present, even more carefully than an audit.
I heard that they filled two or three notebooks with notes; they didn't seem to be there to do anything, but rather to conduct research.
It's almost the end of the year, and there's still no sign of an office meeting. How everyone will spend the New Year, how they'll be on duty, and how they'll take time off depends on what the leaders decide.
If this continues until the end of the year, everyone will probably be cursing.
Every family has elderly members, and every family has relatives and friends. If we don't make arrangements for these things, how can we celebrate the New Year?
Hey! Just as everyone was discussing this, Zhang Enyuan handed over a notice signed by the leader to the office.
No meeting or discussion, just issuing orders directly—that's truly eye-opening!
(End of this chapter)