MMB Chapter 1415 Don't Reach Out
Chapter 1415 Don't Reach Out
Chapter 1415 Don't Reach Out
"Damn it, this guy's got a lot of bad intentions!"
Bao Pei just hung up the phone and cursed angrily, but looking at the phone on the table, he felt somewhat unwilling.
He was at work, of course. The credit union had a meeting that was a little late, and he only found out about the matter at the last minute, so he called Li Xuewu from his office.
It wasn't that he was a genius or well-informed person who knew Li Xuewu's address and phone number in Gangcheng; rather, he called the metallurgical plant to ask for the duty officer's number.
The first person to learn of this news and report it to Bao Peigang was Hu Youqiang, the deputy director of the credit union in charge of funds, who was responsible for contacting the United Savings Bank.
It was precisely because of this convenience that this information was obtained from a former credit union cadre who worked at the United Savings Bank.
When the credit union and Hongxing Factory jointly established the joint savings bank, they urgently needed financial and banking cadres and employees, so a group of people were transferred from the credit union to provide support.
Because the United Savings Bank had a wide range of businesses, developed rapidly, and offered high welfare benefits, these cadres who had been sent to support the bank did not want to return and stayed there instead.
The working relationship has changed, but the personal relationship remains, especially since we're both in the same system.
After learning of this news, Hu Youqiang felt something was amiss and consulted Bao Peigang.
Bao Peigang was also suspicious, so he couldn't help but make the call. He was confident that he had a good relationship with Li Xuewu and could get some information out of him.
The phone call he had just had was upsetting. Li Xuewu had shared some so-called "insider information," but it had nothing to do with the specific details he wanted to know.
"Could this be a smokescreen put out by the Red Star Factory?" Hu Youqiang frowned slightly and said, "This isn't the first time they've tried to pull off this scheme of getting something for nothing."
"Yes, that's possible."
Bao Peigang sat there deep in thought, his hands clasped around his lower abdomen, his gaze somewhat unfocused.
He was recalling his conversation with Li Xuewu and pondering the key points.
"However, it can't be ruled out that they really want to pull off a big heist. Has Li Huaide made any big moves lately?"
"Now that you put it that way, I do have an idea," Hu Youqiang said softly, crossing his right leg. "Last year, Director Li caused quite a stir with the Ministry of Machinery Industry over personnel matters. Could it be that he has some ulterior motive?"
"Bearing thorns to apologize? Making a positive impression?"
Bao Peigang curled his lip and said, "You know what, although this reason sounds far-fetched, it might just be that Old Li is too eager to succeed."
"What about Li Xuewu? What does he mean?" Hu Youqiang raised his eyebrows and reminded Bao Peigang, "The secretary-general of Hongxing Factory is no pushover. If he doesn't agree to a project, things are probably not going to go well."
"You mean him?" Bao Peigang's eyelids drooped, and his lips curled up even more. "He's wicked!"
"Hehehe—" Hu Youqiang also knew why Bao Peigang harbored such deep resentment towards the secretary-general of the Red Star Factory. It was simply because that kid was a scoundrel and full of bad intentions.
Take their credit union for example, when they invest in capital operations, about one in three of their projects turns out to be a huge disaster.
Two were making money, and one was losing money. Putting them together seemed like a win and a loss, leaving Bao Peigang in a daze, unable to stop, and almost crippled.
The first project the two parties collaborated on was the joint savings bank. This project seemed to be very successful, especially when the leaders of the credit union headquarters came down to inspect it and gave Dongcheng Credit Union a very high evaluation of its foreign investment.
It's no wonder the leaders were so pleased during the research trip. Look at how the United Savings Bank broke through its constraints and reached a credit investment cooperation agreement with the Port City Oriental Times Bank. They also launched employee insurance and loan services in China, and there are many other things that credit unions themselves cannot do.
Last year, the annual report submitted by United Savings Bank showed impressive figures: total investment exceeded 30 million yuan and total profit exceeded 2 million yuan. It was more profitable and had better technical means than Dongcheng Credit Union.
However, they didn't see a single penny of the total profit of two million. They were the ones who shared the burden of the total investment. Some people say that this United Savings Bank is like a mythical creature that only takes in and never gives out.
The United Savings Bank was a joint venture, and its articles of association, which were established at the time of its formation, clearly stipulated that no dividends would be distributed during the first ten years as a development phase, and that any dividends would be retained as construction funds.
They never imagined that this small joint venture savings bank could grow to this size in just three years!
The United Savings Bank project doesn't matter. Even if they don't receive dividends for ten years, as long as it develops well, they, as bankers, can afford to wait.
But! Why is this car project plagued by one pitfall after another?
First, they made money investing in motorcycle projects, and then they made money investing in car projects. But when they got to the off-road vehicle project, they suffered a huge setback, investing two million yuan and making no difference whatsoever.
Hey, don't tell me there wasn't even a splash!
A while ago, Tundra Motors, which they co-invested in, did perform exceptionally well in the battle to defend the country's borders, attracting some attention, which excited them.
They're famous now! Yes, we've seen the real car! That's right, it must be going into mass production soon! It's definitely going to make money!
As a result, when Bao Peigang called Steel & Gas to inquire, they replied that they had not received any relevant notification and had not yet gone through the mass production process.
Bao Peigang refused to believe it and called Li Xuewu again, but Li Xuewu wasn't there. The call was answered by the Liaodong office of Hongxing Steel Group.
When he told the man that he was the head of the Dongcheng Credit Union, the other party was very polite. But what good is politeness? He asked about the current production progress of the Tundra car, and the reply was that the project was still in the research and development stage and had not yet reached the stage of confirming production.
beep--
Bao Peigang's excitement cooled down immediately. They'd already shone so brightly, why the hell did they still need to do research and development?
He didn't understand, so he didn't dare ask. He could only mumble a few words and hang up. It wouldn't be worth asking a random question and getting scolded by a professional automotive engineer.
The two million investment in the Tundra project seems a bit risky; whether it will be a complete waste of money remains to be seen.
If the development goes smoothly, based on the performance feedback from that incident in the north, this car will definitely be able to beat the 212.
No need to think about it, he had seen the prototype of that vehicle. Its modular armor and responsiveness were far superior to the 212; they were not even in the same league.
The 212 can be equipped with a recoilless rifle, while the tank can be directly mounted with anti-aircraft guns and rocket launchers. How can you compare them?
He had already thought about it. If he went to ask that rascal Li Xuewu, the other party would definitely tell him that the group had high hopes for this car and would never mass-produce it unless it completely crushed the 212 by an entire era. What should he say then?
Could we possibly beg the Red Star Factory to start mass production first?
Of course, he also hoped that the Tundra would emerge as a sensation and become an instant success.
Okay, even if Tundra Motors has seen a glimmer of hope, what about the other projects?
The five million invested in the drone project seems like it's really going to go down the drain. Compared to the trillion-dollar market promised by Li Xuewu, it's definitely a long way off.
Bao Peigang was mentally prepared that he wouldn't hear the good news of the project going into production and making a profit until he retired thirty years later. Or perhaps he wouldn't see the project earn even a single penny before he died.
Damn, five million! Li Xuewu was talking about a plane the size of a buttock cushion that could take down a tank.
"No, I have to go to Steel City."
Bao Peigang became increasingly itchy to listen to what he had to say, and slammed his hand on the table, saying, "Instead of sitting in the office and overthinking, I should go and hear what he has to say."
"This kid may be ruthless, but his sense of business management and project investment is still convincing."
He looked at Hu Youqiang and said, "Old Li wants to do a vanity project, he will definitely not agree. Just like you said, it's really a smokescreen, and I accept it."
"At worst, we'll just have made a wasted trip."
"It's not like we made a wasted trip." Seeing Bao Peigang's gritted teeth and unwilling look, Hu Youqiang chuckled and said, "Since Secretary-General Li went to Liaodong, you two haven't had a proper chat yet."
“I don’t want to see him at all—” Bao Peigang stood up, shook his head with a laugh, and looked at Hu Youqiang, saying, “You think I don’t know the nickname he gave me? I think I’m going to fall for it again this time.”
"Hehehe—" Hu Youqiang found it even funnier when he heard him say that.
What was he laughing at? He was laughing at the nickname Li Xuewu gave Bao Peigang, which was given in casual conversation at the mahjong table.
However, though it was supposed to be a mahjong table, it was actually related to their work and business dealings. Li Xuewu gave Bao Peigang the nickname "Big-Headed Bao," which was incredibly mean and malicious.
But look at Bao Peigang, he was aware that he would be tricked in the steel city this time, so why did he still go?
Bank officials are driven by self-interest.
Every time I fall for a scam, it's different each time.
Li Xuewu is known for his sharp tongue, but he's so sharp-tongued that it's impossible to find fault with him.
Look how much Bao Peigang hates and curses him, but when they meet, they might be good buddies, lol.
Bao Peigang's position has become increasingly secure in recent years, which is undoubtedly related to several successful investments made by the credit union.
Although the money hasn't been seen on the books yet, the influence has already been generated. Everyone in Beijing's capital circles has to say that Bao Peigang has a unique investment vision.
When Lao Bao invested in the motorcycle project of Hongxing Factory, many people were not optimistic. But what happened? Last year, the steel and automobile dividends made Lao Bao very proud.
These days, banks are not doing well. They are mostly doing things in accordance with local policies, and their main business is attracting deposits.
What kind of bank is it if it doesn't have money?
Lao Bao boarded the fast ship of Hongxing Steel Group and successively invested in the helicopter project and Yingcheng Port Area project, both of which were 100% profitable.
Why are you so confident in saying that?
Because the production line for the helicopter project is right in the workshop, ready to go into production at any time.
Needless to say, in Yingcheng Port Area, countless foreign companies have come knocking on our door seeking connections and agency rights.
Look at how bitter Lao Bao is. He would never complain to Li Xuewu. No matter how many times Li Xuewu messed with him, he still considers Li Xuewu his first love. That's how twisted he is.
Bao Peigang insisted on going to Gangcheng to see Li Xuewu because they both knew that Li Xuewu could be half the head of Hongxing Steel Group.
-
On May 8, the Steel & Automobile Joint Vehicle Engineering Research Institute developed a 13-seat light bus based on the Hongyun Bus, further expanding the Steel & Automobile Bus production structure and providing the market with more choices.
To be honest, Li Xuewu was also dumbfounded when he saw the car in the workshop. He never expected that the guys at the Vehicle Research Institute would actually listen to him.
Xia Zhongquan is always good at making things happen. When the 13-seat bus project was approved, he took the head of the design and research team to Li Xuewu and asked him to provide design ideas.
The team leader was new and unaware of the situation, but he knew that Secretary-General Li Xuewu was both a scholar and a warrior, not only accomplished in his career but also the founder of the automotive industry of Hongxing Steel Group.
When Xia Zhongquan looked at Li Xuewu with adoration and expectation, Li Xuewu really wanted to punch him.
But having been put on hold by the other party, and not wanting to lose his title as the top automobile designer of Hongxing Steel Group, he forced himself to rack his brains and find the exterior design of the Hiace.
They call it inspiration, but it's just exploiting memories. At that time, the first generation of sea lions was being mass-produced, and they looked exactly like the Tianjin Dafeng of later generations.
In Li Xuewu's mind were the designs from the second generation onwards, which he drew as square and box-like.
However, Xia Zhongquan explained it well: he only provided the ideas, and Xia Zhongquan completed the rest of the drawings.
Li Xuewu could draw a matchbox and still manage to perfect the appearance of a Sea Lion bus.
As a result, the head of the 13-seat bus design team returned home with the exterior draft as if it were an imperial edict.
Li Xuewu didn't really pay attention at the time, but he was stunned when he saw the prototype. He really didn't intend to replicate it.
How am I supposed to name this? All I can think of is "sea lion."
"How about we call it Sea Lion?"
Li Xuewu thought for a moment, then turned to Wang Zhi and said, "Could you help me contact the representative of Sanhe Co., Ltd.? I want to promote this car in Japan."
"Uh, we just confirmed mass production." Wang Zhi, the chief engineer of Steel & Automotive, was a little confused. He looked at him and reminded him, "You've already set export targets so early?"
"Let's give it a try first." Li Xuewu's answer was vague. He was thinking of securing this model first, so that when Toyota Hiace wanted to design a second generation, it would have to bypass Hongxing Hiace, otherwise he would call the other party a plagiarist.
Yes, that's how it has to be done.
"Boss, there's a call from the office saying that Director Bao from the Dongcheng Credit Union in Beijing has arrived," Zhang Enyuan said softly as he walked over to remind Li Xuewu.
Li Xuewu turned around and looked at him, nodding in surprise, and said, "You came really fast."
That's incredibly fast! They talked on the phone last night, and the person arrived this afternoon. Did they rush over overnight? Do they have to work so hard?
"There's also a news item published in the Beijing Daily." Zhang Enyuan handed over a newspaper. The fact that someone would cut in line to report on their work in this setting showed how important the matter was.
The group from Steel Company were also confused, but they remained quiet and waited for their leader's reaction.
Li Xuewu took the newspaper and looked at it. It was the Beijing Daily, and the supplementary page reported that Hongxing Steel Group was planning to build a modern hotel. The feasibility study showed that the hotel would be 100 meters high, making it the tallest building in China.
Wow, this news spread so fast?
Li Xuewu intended for the United Savings Bank not to be too concerned about secrecy in order to attract sharks, but he didn't expect to attract bees as well.
The newspapers reported that various newspapers sought confirmation from Hongxing Steel Group, but the group's comprehensive management department did not respond and told them to ask the publicity department in private.
When they contacted the group's publicity department, they were told that they had not received any definite information yet, but would announce it as soon as they had any.
What does this all mean? Are they going to build this skyscraper or not? Everyone's waiting to see what happens.
The news media were so curious, not to mention individuals; those connected to Hongxing Steel Group called to inquire, and some even called directly to ask Lao Li.
But like Li Xuewu, Li Huaide couldn't be sure either. Even Director Du from the department called. This time, Old Li kept his mouth shut and didn't brag at all; he just didn't tell the truth.
He learned a lesson, especially when speaking to superiors; he must never reveal everything.
When the group company was first established, Lao Li had social engagements every night and was so exhausted that he could barely keep going.
At first, he enjoyed this pleasure and liked listening to people's praise, but gradually he got tired of it.
Bragging can get tiring if you do it too much.
Now he has learned to be low-key and prefers to enjoy this most awesome way of showing off, enjoying seeing the other person's unexpected surprise and envy.
Li Huaide was able to keep his mouth shut, and he was also full of expectations for the project, not daring to cause any trouble for Li Xuewu.
He waited until the project started, until the 100-story building was topped out, and until the international standard hotel was operational, before he would nod in confirmation of the news.
Old Li's skill was somewhat related to Li Xuewu's, but Bao Peigang couldn't stand to see him do it.
******
As soon as Li Xuewu returned to his office, he saw Lao Bao, who was sitting on the sofa drinking tea, jump up and down, holding up a newspaper and launching into a tirade against him.
"You said there was no movement? What is this?!"
"We're supposed to be friends, and you're really being disloyal!"
"Just tell me, does this project even exist? What are you really thinking?!"
……
This old man really rushed over overnight; even his secretary looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept properly.
Li Xuewu glanced at the newspaper he had slammed on his desk and gestured to Zhang Enyuan that he was showing him the first page.
"I'm telling you the truth."
He took off his jacket and hung it on the chair. After sitting down and taking a sip of hot tea, he said, "What can I possibly fool you about? What's there to fool between us?"
"Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!" Bao Peigang didn't even sit on the sofa anymore, but sat down directly opposite him, staring wide-eyed as he asked, "One hundred meters high, is it one hundred meters high?"
"The data used for argumentation is real, but the actual situation is uncertain."
Li Xuewu, holding a teacup, replied casually, but Bao Peigang wouldn't admit it.
"What do you mean by 'the data is valid, but the actual situation is uncertain'?" Bao Peigang tapped his finger on the desk and said seriously, "I rushed over here overnight, not to listen to your perfunctory answers. You have to tell me the truth."
"What else can I say?" Li Xuewu put down his teacup, shrugged, and said, "What difference does one hundred meters make to us compared to ninety-nine meters?"
"I've already given you the data for the demonstration, but the actual data will depend on the opinions of the engineers and experts."
He curled his lip and said, "If the experts say that with current engineering technology we can't build it to be 100 meters high, it can only be 99 meters. What am I supposed to do, stand on top of it and make up the missing meter?"
"Then it really happened!"
Bao Peigang doesn't really care whether it's 100 meters or 99 meters; he only cares whether the project is real.
"Are you really going to build the tallest building in the country, or even an international standard hotel? How much money are you prepared to invest?"
"Can I trust you?"
Li Xuewu tilted his head and glanced at Bao Peigang, then said hesitantly, "To be honest, we are also very cautious about this project, which is why we need to conduct a feasibility study."
“You should know who I, Lao Bao, am,” Bao Peigang said, patting his chest confidently. “We’re business partners. If I don’t help you now, who will?”
This statement is vague; it neither mentions co-investment nor whether it's a business relationship or a personal one, making it quite ambiguous.
Li Xuewu understood the implication in his words, and a smirk appeared on his face. He said, "Of course I trust you, but..."
He deliberately hesitated for a moment, and seeing that the other party was getting impatient, he continued, "Director Li doesn't allow this to be spread, especially about fundraising..."
"Damn it! Is he trying to hog everything again?!"
Bao Peigang excitedly slapped the table and said, "I knew he'd lied all the time when I called him. Turns out he had money and wanted to do it himself."
"Oh, you can't say that—"
Li Xuewu glanced at him and explained, "This year, our group has reduced its budget expenditures mainly to concentrate our efforts on major tasks."
"The current consideration of this project is also based on a proposal from the Santa Y Group."
He picked up his teacup, blew on it, and looked up at Bao Peigang, who was waiting for him to explain more about the situation, and said, "I won't go into details about what's going on here."
Huh? Why don't you say anything?
Bao Peigang, sitting opposite him, widened his eyes; this was exactly what he wanted to hear.
I had already inquired with Hongxing Steel Group, and they confirmed that the group's finances were indeed severely strained in the first half of the year. Their attitude towards anyone asking for money was the same: no money, but you can take their life.
Last year, Hongxing Steel Group made so much money. What was he going to do with it? Then, thinking about the recent visit of the president of Santay Group to the steel city, he began to ponder.
It must be related to the Santayar Group. The two groups have even partnered on a construction company, and the Santayar Group wants to quickly expand its domestic construction channels...
Upon realizing this, Bao Peigang understood everything. It turned out that Hongxing Steel Group had such boldness because it had the help of a benefactor.
It's true that with Santayana Group contributing both money and effort, Red Star Steel Group can really benefit. Even if Santayana Group doesn't contribute all the funds, Red Star Steel Group can still cover the project costs on its own.
"What is the project cost?" Bao Peigang asked Li Xuewu. "Give me a rough estimate."
"Around ten million to twelve million."
Li Xuewu put the documents on the table aside, glanced at the person opposite him, and said, "This is the project cost estimate."
"so much--"
Bao Peigang had anticipated that the tallest building in China would be expensive, but he hadn't expected it to be this expensive.
He blinked and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Does your group plan to undertake this project solely as a private venture?"
Did you hear that? At this moment, Bao Peigang also became timid and dared not run forward with all his might. He also stopped saying that Li Xuewu was not fair and did not give him any information.
Li Xuewu remained calm. "They've come all the way to Steel City, how can we let them get away?"
“This is what the Santayar Group says,” he said, resting his arm on his desk and looking across at the person opposite him. “They will provide us with low-interest loans, which can be repaid with traded goods.”
"Oh? Is that so—"
Bao Peigang frowned slightly as he pondered, while also observing Li Xuewu's expression.
He thought for a moment before asking, "How long do you estimate it will take for this project to break even?"
"My estimate? How can I estimate?" Li Xuewu said with a wry smile, "I don't even know if this project can be done right now. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on the part of Santaya Group. Well, it's not too late to wait a few more years."
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Bao Peigang was still testing Li Xuewu. “It would be such a pity to give it up. You still have your own engineering construction company.”
“We have no choice, we don’t want to take the risk.” Li Xuewu nodded and explained, “If this project loses money, our group’s development momentum will be halted, or even reversed.”
“That’s true.” Bao Peigang was still looking into his eyes when he said, “Didn’t Director Li think about financing from domestic sources, or from Hong Kong’s Oriental Times Bank?”
"Well, Director Li means he doesn't want to expand this project and prefers to avoid financing if possible."
Li Xuewu sighed and said, "Oriental Times Bank is convenient, and they are very eager to invest in high-quality projects in the mainland. We are more worried about them losing money than they are about losing money. That's what we are concerned about."
Upon hearing this, Bao Peigang's eyes flickered, but he didn't say anything more. After chatting for a couple of minutes, he said he was tired and wanted to rest at the guesthouse first, and that they would have dinner together that evening.
Li Xuewu naturally agreed; when friends come from afar, one must offer them a drink and a toast.
After leaving Li Xuewu's office, Bao Peigang's secretary saw them going down the stairs and quietly asked his boss if the matter was confirmed.
"Can you still believe what he says?"
Bao Peigang glanced at his secretary and said, "Anyone who believes him is a complete fool."
"So, according to your opinion—" the secretary asked softly, "This project seems promising, but is Hongxing Steel Group planning to monopolize it?"
"Not necessarily, let's wait and see." Bao Peigang sighed and said, "This kid is too slippery, I can never catch him."
"I think this project is a bit risky," the secretary whispered a reminder. "It would be difficult for Hongxing Steel Group to come up with ten million, let alone a loan."
"What's so difficult about loans? It's attracting capital and running the business that's difficult," Bao Peigang said with a wise look. "After listening to all his rambling, has he said a single word about how to operate the hotel after it's built?"
"Sigh, it really is—"
The secretary asked with slight surprise, "Why is that?"
"Because he knows what he's doing."
Bao Peigang, looking as if he had seen through Li Xuewu long ago, said with a smirk, "It's not Li Huaide who wants to hog all the benefits, it's Li Xuewu!"
As he walked down the stairs, he said, "Just you wait and see, the financing for this project will definitely be from international loans and the Port City Oriental Times Bank."
"Why?" the secretary asked, puzzled. "Is it because money makes things easier?"
"Isn't it inconvenient to use our money?"
Bao Peigang turned around and said, "He thinks it's inconvenient for us to be around, and he doesn't want us to give him orders."
"You mean—" The secretary suddenly understood, her eyes widening as she said, "He wants to use foreign capital so that the building's operating rights will be entirely in the hands of the Red Star Steel Group, right?"
-
"Have you been drinking? Would you like some tea?"
Zhou Yamei had been waiting for Li Xuewu to return, because Li Xuewu hadn't told her he wouldn't be coming back today.
Hearing the commotion outside the courtyard, she peeked out the window and, after confirming it was Li Xuewu, came out to greet him.
The steel city in May still has a bit of a chill, but it's a cool chill, much warmer than winter.
Around May Day, people start planting crops, and the smell of freshly turned soil wafts over, smelling especially sweet at night.
"You only had a little bit, and you're still not asleep?"
Li Xuewu walked into the entryway, and with her help, took off his jacket, changed into slippers, and went into the living room.
Zhou Yamei tidied herself up before following him into the living room.
"I wouldn't dare sleep until you're back." She asked as she made tea, "Did you drink with Director Kuang?"
Recently, Li Xuewu and Kuang Yusheng have been getting very close, and sometimes they'll have a drink together after get off work.
The companions are unpredictable; whoever has time will attend. They may leave early or late, and they usually stay at the guesthouse.
Of course, Li Xuewu was treating.
It's always the same; he'll have Zhang Enyuan book a table in advance and make sure he pays for the meal.
Kuang Yusheng and the others were naturally embarrassed, but they got used to it over time.
Since they couldn't keep up with Li Xuewu's demands, they decided to just let things take their course.
"A friend from Beijing," Li Xuewu said, taking the teacup. "Director Bao from the Dongcheng Credit Union."
"Never heard of him, what friend?"
Zhou Yamei glanced at him, then reached out and pulled him to the bathroom to take a shower.
Li Xuewu waved his hand, indicating that they should rest for a while, and asked her to sit down next to him.
"The water will get cold soon, and all that boiling will have been for nothing," Zhou Yamei said reproachfully. "Just wash and rest at the same time."
Even so, she still sat down next to Li Xuewu.
"He's a friend from work. He led the investment in several projects within the group, and we have a pretty good relationship."
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said, "I'll introduce you to each other later."
"Me? I know him?" Zhou Yamei frowned slightly and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Is it for some kind of business?"
"What else? Make friends?"
Li Xuewu chuckled and touched her face, saying, "You're still having wild thoughts."
"You're the one who's having wild thoughts," Zhou Yamei glared at him and scolded, "You're just as bad as me."
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu smiled and glanced at her, saying, "If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have noticed. If you introduce him like this, I'm afraid he'll have all sorts of wild ideas."
"Can you be serious for once?" Zhou Yamei glanced at him and said, "If you don't have anything important to do, get up and take a shower."
"He should be getting promoted soon."
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, let Zhou Yamei glare at him, nodded, and said, "You rushed over here so urgently, you must have just missed the final step."
"What does it matter to us whether he gets promoted or not?"
Zhou Yamei knew he was going to get down to business, and despite her joking around, she listened attentively this time.
Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said, "His next step will definitely be to join the credit union, or even go directly to the head office."
“Yingcheng Port Area needs to attract investment and operating funds, and he has already made preparations.”
He paused for a moment, then continued, "If Dongfeng Shipping wants to achieve something in three years, it must expand its shipping scale. Where will the money come from?"
"Is it absolutely necessary to take out a loan or seek financing?" Zhou Yamei frowned slightly and reminded her, "This might expose the company's internal operating conditions."
"Do you think no one will know if you don't expose yourself?" Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "If Dongfeng Shipping wants to enter this field, it has to abide by the rules of the game."
"Even if Dongfeng Shipbuilding has a construction history of three to five years, it can't provide any more funding sources, can it?"
He patted Zhou Yamei's knee and nodded, saying, "It's safer to use their money. They won't say the fleet's money is wrong, which will save us more trouble later."
"Should we link the loan directly to the speedboat?" Zhou Yamei was really bold. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "If we really open this door, I estimate that hundreds of people will apply for the loan."
“They are willing to lend, but the credit union also has to be willing to approve it.” Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, “Don’t even think about it, it’s impossible within three to five years.”
"What about three to five years from now?"
Zhou Yamei was not giving up. She envied those who got speedboat loans, as they had leveraged the shipping industry's resources.
When Li Wenbiao first launched the "Sea Coachmen" project, he didn't consider the loan aspect. His idea was that he could buy and sell goods and ships, but he couldn't lend money to these people to buy ships; he couldn't lend them a single penny.
Li Xuewu shared this opinion, so when Zhou Yamei brought it up, he directly refused.
“In three to five years, you won’t care about such petty gains anymore.” Li Xuewu stood up, took off his shirt and said, “You can’t make money from just any kind of money; if you make too much, you’ll feel guilty.”
"I'm afraid something will go wrong." Zhou Yamei glanced at him, stood up to help him, and explained, "You have no idea how chaotic things are here."
"Then we absolutely mustn't get involved."
Li Xuewu glanced back at her and said, "Don't be afraid of chaos, because order will come sooner or later. As long as they still want to make money, they won't cause trouble."
"The fact that these people dare to step forward and lend money means that they are already mentally prepared and are not afraid of you taking action."
"Do they dare to make a move?"
Zhou Yamei frowned slightly and asked, "Or have they already set their sights on me?"
"I wouldn't actually resort to violence, but I definitely would cause damage." Li Xuewu said as he walked into the bathroom, "This project is just a starting point, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Let them do their job. From now on, we'll let them handle the speedboat business and let them find their own way."
Li Xuewu's voice came from the bathroom, "We only handle shipping and receiving; we don't care about anything else."
This means taking no risks at all and only engaging in large-scale integrated trading, which naturally results in lower profits.
Zhou Yamei would certainly listen to Li Xuewu, and she knew that she had been brought up by Li Xuewu to do things.
Originally, she was only in charge of personnel work. Even though Wen San was in the capital, Li Xuewu didn't use her, but he used her.
Besides her ability and experience, she has only one other advantage: she is obedient.
The "Sea Coachman" project is about to enter its middle stage. She must strictly follow Li Xuewu's instructions without any carelessness, as this is a major plan.
-
On May 10, the metallurgical plant's headquarters was suddenly shaken up. Ji Wangzeng, the former head of the sales department, He Shuiming, the head of the finance department, and He Youkui, the head of the organization department, were taken away.
Before everyone could recover, that afternoon the factory director's office, together with the organization department, issued a document appointing Zhang Da, the former deputy head of the personnel department, as the head of the organization department; Wang Zishan, the former deputy head of the sales department, as the head of the sales department; and Li Ming, the former deputy head of the finance department, as the head of the finance department.
The leader acted swiftly and decisively, and no one knew why he did so, or whether he had been prepared all along.
Anyway, the fact that those three were suddenly taken away from the office served as a wake-up call for some people.
Nothing is more educational than this scene. Some people could not withstand the pressure and confessed their mistakes to the audit team and the discipline inspection team.
Li Xuewu didn't care how much progress had been made in the discipline inspection and supervision work. He only required that the continuity of the work be maintained during the personnel changes and that the normal operation of the metallurgical plant not be affected.
These three were veterans of the metallurgical plant. After Yin Zhongyao was taken away, they were taken away as well. It was already widely suspected that Deputy Director Yin had confessed.
In fact, from Yin Zhongyao onwards, all three cases involved situations that the previous factory director, Dong Wenxue, wanted to handle but didn't have time to deal with, or that were inconvenient to handle.
After Li Xuewu took over the metallurgical plant, Dong Wenxue explained these issues to him.
The reason why they weren't touched at first wasn't because Li Xuewu was afraid of them, but because he needed to comprehensively assess the impact of taking action against them, since the work was more important.
Now that he has taken control of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong and has complete control of the metallurgical plant, it's only natural for him to take action against people like Yin Zhongyao.
Don't reach out, or you'll get caught.
The fact that Yin Zhongyao and his three companions were taken away truly shocked some of the arrogant cadres that Dong Wenxue had raised during his time in the steel city.
Since the end of March, people with guilty consciences have been living in fear and unable to sleep at night.
No more idle chatter in the office corridors or casual conversation in the workshops; rules and regulations are now strictly enforced, and everyone is eager to make a name for themselves.
This series of actions also made the people at the metallurgical plant see reality clearly. This group secretary-general, who came to serve as the plant director, was colder and more domineering than the former deputy director Dong. He was the kind of person who really dared to take action against problematic cadres.
Some people say that he didn't treat the deputy directors of the metallurgical plant as equals, but as subordinates.
Look at Deputy Factory Director Yang Shuxing, does he still have that arrogant attitude he used to have? He runs to the Secretary-General's office eight hundred times a day, and he even asks for permission to fart.
Look at Deputy Factory Director Yang Zongfang. He's completely recovered his energy and fighting spirit from when Deputy Director Dong was in the steel city.
Li Xuewu never emphasized organizational discipline at work meetings, nor did he ever use regulations to intimidate anyone. He only took things seriously, and the results were surprisingly good.
On May 11, Bao Peigang was still there. Not only did he stay, but he also attracted more capital.
Li Xuewu was also overwhelmed by him and could only entertain these capitalist tycoons in the conference room.
What else could we do? We tried to negotiate first, and then reluctantly agreed to give them our feedback within the group and to give them priority consideration when seeking financing.
Are these people all idiots? Is the attraction of the tallest building in the country really that great?
No, it has nothing to do with the tallest building; it's the internationally benchmarked hotel that's so appealing.
This is a bellwether; the situation is about to change.
(End of this chapter)