MMB Chapter 1460 The Red Star Fox
Chapter 1460 The Red Star Fox
Chapter 1460 The Red Star Fox
"I've finished tidying up the garden."
On Monday morning, before Li Xuewu went to work, Zhou Yamei specifically reminded him, "You have to buy groceries."
Have you ever seen me shopping at the market?
Li Xuewu let her help him put on his coat, saying casually, "Don't worry about me."
I'm afraid you'll starve to death—
Zhou Yamei looked at him with amusement, then turned to look at Wu Shuping, and helped him straighten his clothes.
"Don't worry, you won't starve to death."
Li Xuewu tilted his head slightly, looked at Wu Shuping, and asked, "Do you need someone to take you?"
"No need—" Wu Shuping said shyly, tidying her hair behind her ear. "It's not like I've never been on a long trip before."
"Besides, Tianjin isn't far away."
“I’ll take her to the dock first, then to the station,” Zhou Yamei said. “There are plenty of trains to Fengcheng, so it doesn’t matter if it’s early or late.”
"Oh, really, you don't need to—"
Hearing their concern, Wu Shuping found it both amusing and heartwarming, saying, "It's not like I can't find the dock."
"Actually, taking the train is more comfortable."
As Zhou Yamei handed her briefcase to Li Xuewu, she said to herself, "I'm afraid of traveling by boat."
"The Red Star commuter boat is doing well."
Standing at the entrance, Wu Shuping watched the interaction between the two and said, "Sitting here doesn't make me seasick."
"Anyway, I've never ridden it even once."
Zhou Yamei smiled, gently brushed the last speck of dust off Li Xuewu's clothes, and nodded in satisfaction.
"I'll have Yu Zhe come back to see you off in a bit."
Li Xuewu didn't waste any more words, glanced at the two of them, and then went out.
Zhang Enyuan was waiting at the courtyard gate. When he saw him come out, he quickly stepped forward and took his briefcase.
A month later, Yu Zhe finally returned to his job as a driver, and he seemed much more composed.
"Take me to work first, then you can come back and see Sister Zhou and the others off."
Li Xuewu said something to Yu Zhe, who was standing by the car door, and then got into the car.
Yu Zhe nodded and closed the car door, glancing furtively at the yard as he turned around.
The fleeting glimpse of the gold-rimmed glasses touched his heartstrings, yet he struggled to suppress a certain flutter of emotion.
He didn't sit idle during his month-long vacation. In his father's words, he almost went on blind dates with all the girls in the city. People who didn't know better would think he was selecting a concubine.
"Is Xiaoyu's good news coming soon?"
As the car started, Zhang Enyuan, unusually, took the initiative to inquire about Yu Zhe's living conditions.
Yu Zhe glanced furtively at the rearview mirror, his expression stiffening for a moment before he nodded slightly without saying anything.
"It's good to settle things sooner rather than later. The organization is quite concerned about your relationship status."
Zhang Enyuan spoke in a polite but not overly intimate tone: "Director Sun has already asked you twice. If you don't come back soon, he'll personally introduce you to a girlfriend."
As he said this, he glanced back at Li Xuewu, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Li Xuewu didn't speak, but just looked at the street scenes flashing by outside the window.
The steel city is still too small. It takes less than half an hour to drive from Guanshan Road to the Hongxing Industrial Park outside the city, and that includes the time spent in traffic jams.
Don't laugh, traffic jams still happen these days.
However, compared to later generations, the traffic jams in this era were caused by bicycles, not cars.
Outside the car window was a dense crowd of bicycles, a monotonous array of colors stretching as far as the eye could see.
The year 1969 is almost over, and people's clothing is still limited to blue, green, and black.
In summer, fashion-conscious and daring girls might add white and pink themes to the heat, but in early autumn, the chill has arrived, and beauty can be freezing.
He has been working in the steel city for almost ten months, but he doesn't seem to have adapted to the city yet, nor does he seem like someone who lives in this city.
The air pollution unique to heavy industrial cities is said to be a symbol of industry, but in Li Xuewu's eyes it is an inescapable smog in winter.
Living in such an environment, even if you get a respiratory disease, you should feel proud and honored.
"Where are you from, girl?"
There was a long silence in the car. Yu Zhe didn't want to talk, and Zhang Enyuan didn't dare to disturb him.
Even during today's morning briefing, he couldn't find a chance to speak until Li Xuewu broke the silence.
Zhang Enyuan has a very cautious personality and rarely shows too much in front of him.
His initiative in showing concern for Yu Zhe also represents the office's emphasis on organizational discipline as the deputy director, even if Yu Zhe is his secretary.
This reflects a serious and responsible attitude. The Director Sun he mentioned is Sun Jia, the director of the metallurgical plant's office, who is also the supervisor of Zhang Enyuan and Yu Zhe.
Although Zhang Enyuan holds the position of deputy director of the Industrial Leading Group Office, his primary job is still to serve as Li Xuewu's secretary.
Sun Jia has a more serious work style than Liao Jinhui, which is the result of a long period of silence.
Li Xuewu never criticized his work, much less corrected his work style.
Sun Jia and he were not close, although their first meeting could be traced back to when he was the head of the security department.
He was neither too close nor too distant, upright and honest, setting a good example for the lax and undisciplined metallurgical plant administration, following in the footsteps of Li Xuewu.
Regardless of who approved Yu Zhe's vacation or what the reason was, it was right for Sun Jia to stand up and express her concern.
Zhang Enyuan merely used a subtle tone and approach to remind Yu Zhe that if he wanted to do a job, he should do it properly; if he didn't want to, he should get lost.
If someone's love life has reached the point where they need the organization's intervention, then that person is truly doomed.
Yu Zhe knew the difference between good and bad words, and he understood the meaning behind Zhang Enyuan's words.
Upon hearing Li Xuewu's concern, he readily introduced himself, saying, "He's from our village."
"Suddenly, I turned around and found him where the lights were dim?" Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, "Was it introduced by a matchmaker, or did your father arrange it?"
"My sister arranged it; she's the younger sister of her elementary school classmate." Yu Zhe explained, then added somewhat awkwardly, "I'd never met her before."
"How did you come to be interested in me?"
Li Xuewu asked with amusement, "Was it your sister who vouched for you, or did your father go to great lengths to secure it?"
"Yes, my dad gave a lot in betrothal gifts."
Yu Zhe smiled and said, "My sister talked to her sister twice, and that's how we made the deal."
"So this is fate, right?"
Zhang Enyuan jokingly added, "It's great that we're all from the same village. It's so convenient to go home and see my parents and in-laws without having to travel back and forth."
When do we need to get this done?
Li Xuewu asked with concern, "Have your parents discussed where you two will live in the future?"
"If you don't want to live apart, I'll arrange for you to return to work at the group. Don't let it affect our relationship."
"No, we haven't talked about that yet."
Yu Zhe hurriedly explained, "My sister told me that even if we want to get things done, it won't be until next year."
"Well, you're not a child anymore. Pay more attention to your own affairs and don't act like you used to."
Once the car entered the factory area, Li Xuewu didn't say anything more, but instead spoke a few words about work with Zhang Enyuan.
Yu Zhe has his own plans; even if he gets married, he won't quit his job.
His sister explained it to him clearly: being able to drive for Li Xuewu was both a learning process and a process of building connections.
This process is essential if he wants to continue to work and grow within Hongxing Steel Group in the future.
Less than a year as a driver wasn't enough; anyone who didn't know better would think that Li Xuewu was dissatisfied with him and laid him off early.
It should take at least three years to count as one term, and even if other arrangements are made, it can still be considered a successful completion of the task.
Marriage wasn't a life goal his sister set for him; rather, it was something he was supposed to do at a certain age, especially in his work where he couldn't be irresponsible.
After dropping Li Xuewu and Zhang Enyuan off at the building entrance, Zhang Enyuan no longer needed to remind him with a look; he had already gotten out of the car and opened the door for Li Xuewu.
Actually, the driver should be the one to open the car door, since the boss is sitting behind him.
If the secretary is driving, by the time the secretary jogs from the passenger seat to the left rear, the leader has already gotten out of the car.
“Go to the department store on the way and buy two pastries to take back, one for your sister Zhou and one for your sister Wu.”
After getting off the bus, Li Xuewu took out a few bills from his pocket and handed them to Yu Zhe, instructing, "Small portions but lots of different kinds are better. Treat them to food on the way, that's all."
"I understand, leader."
Yu Zhe responded. He knew Sister Zhou, but who was Sister Wu?
After Li Xuewu led Zhang Enyuan up the steps, he closed the car door, got in, and drove away.
Although the steel city is small, it has all the essential functions.
This is an important industrial city in Liaodong, and its industrial prosperity means that workers make up a large proportion of the population.
Workers are the main consumers of this era and the driving force behind economic activity.
Consumer spending power also represents the demand for services and supporting facilities that a city should have.
To meet this demand, the department store offers both local goods from Liaodong and trendy items from Guanzhong.
What's even more unique are the imported goods.
Due to geopolitical influences, economic and trade exchanges in Northeast Asia are fixed and singular.
However, this did not affect people's pursuit and yearning for excellent products, and imported goods would still appear in the supply and marketing cooperatives from time to time.
Supply and marketing cooperatives were the largest sales groups of this era, and their procurement and sales of materials formed a vast network system.
Without the aid of computers and networks, the supply and marketing systems of each province and city have certain rights to procure and sell materials.
For example, in the agricultural input sector, grain crops that can be used for processing and selling as non-staple foods, as well as organisms that grow and reproduce naturally in the field, can all be independently recycled and sold.
The same goes for imported goods; sometimes it's impossible to tell where these imported goods come from.
Perhaps the purchasing manager discovered it in the fields; it grew naturally.
Yu Zhe was willing to spend money. Li Xuewu gave him extra money so that he wouldn't have made a wasted trip. He was willing to do his best, and the money was spent on two orders of pastries.
"What is this? Chocolate?"
Wu Shuping looked at the box he handed her in surprise and asked, "They sell this in Steel City?"
“I never noticed before.” Zhou Yamei looked at the youthful-looking Yu Zhe with surprise, then smiled and nodded, saying, “Thank you.”
"Please don't mention it, it was arranged by the leader."
Yu Zhe opened the car door for the two of them, but still didn't dare to look at Sister Zhou's gold-rimmed glasses.
-
"I didn't do it on purpose."
Ji Weidong still came to see him, and the first thing he said after sitting down was, "You know what kind of person I am."
“I used to think I knew, but now—” Li Xuewu glanced at him and continued looking at the documents in his hand, “I’m not sure anymore.”
"I've really offended you."
Ji Weidong sighed helplessly and said, "I didn't come here today to talk about that. It's about Art..."
"What are you trying to say?" Li Xuewu looked up at him before he could finish speaking and reminded him, "We should keep to ourselves. Are you trying to overstep your bounds?"
"If possible, I will never interfere with your work. I have great respect for you!"
Ji Weidong spread his hands forward and emphasized, "But this time I must remind you that Art has come to the mainland with a special mission."
"What special mission?"
Li Xuewu put down his pencil, crossed his arms, and looked at him leisurely, asking, "Saving the Earth, or for world peace?"
"..." Ji Weidong was so shocked by his words that he almost fainted.
That bastard is still so sharp-tongued; he can shut someone up with a single sentence.
Do you know who he works for now?
Ji Weidong deliberately lowered his voice, leaned forward slightly, and asked Li Xuewu a question.
Li Xuewu followed suit, leaning forward and staring into his eyes as he softly said, "Who cares—"
"I'm talking to you about something important!"
Ji Weidong rolled his eyes, suppressing his temper as he emphasized, "He came here this time to purchase weapons and supplies for Ka Dafei. Do you know Ka Dafei?"
“I don’t know Kadafsky, but I do know that there was a Gaddafi in Libya.”
Li Xuewu smirked, leaned back in his chair, and said calmly, "But even if he's working for Colonel Ka, what does it have to do with me?"
He raised his head slightly and said, "Don't even mention Gaddafi, even if God came, he would still have to follow the rules. What do you want to talk to me about?"
"You know what's happening in Libya right now?" Ji Weidong asked, looking at him with surprise. "Or did you find out from Att..."
"Do I need to know?" Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Even the International Business Division of Hongxing Steel Group can't manage that far. We're just doing trade work."
"But your decision is influencing the evolution of the international situation, and if we're not careful, it could lead to a major disaster!"
Ji Weidong frowned and emphasized, "At's procurement intentions this time basically represent the scope and direction of Libya's use of weapons for some time to come."
He said in a distinctive tone, "You wouldn't want domestically produced weapons to be labeled as shoddy, would you?"
"I regret what you said."
Li Xuewu said calmly, "Even though I, as a comrade, should uphold your right to speak, I still cannot accept your prejudice."
"Who told you that Hongxing Steel Group's products are representative of shoddy workmanship?"
He frowned and said, "Are you Ji Weidong or the Investigation Department? Do you want to make it clear?"
“But what you’re giving him is definitely not a properly equipped weapon—” Ji Weidong frowned and argued, “This will bring great uncertainty to this procurement!”
"Who does this create such great uncertainty?" Li Xuewu retorted bluntly. "We didn't say we'd guarantee it would last ten thousand years, did we?"
I understand what you mean.
Before Ji Weidong could speak again, Li Xuewu raised his hand, signaling him to be quiet.
"Isn't it just questioning the quality and subsequent production capacity of our weapons? Compared to the weapons in service, they lack combat testing experience and a large reserve stockpile, right?"
He tilted his head and looked at Ji Weidong, saying, "As *** said, 'No investigation, no right to speak.' Have you thoroughly researched our product?"
"So, have you ever handled any of our products? Even a handgun?"
Li Xuewu sneered and said, "Don't jump to conclusions. Art is not enough to satisfy our appetite. Even if he wants to equip twenty divisions, we can afford to supply them. The only problem is that they may not have ten divisions."
Ji Weidong was speechless at this moment. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak, but he knew that even if he did, Li Xuewu would have a hundred things to say to him.
As a member of the Overseas Affairs Department of the Investigation Department, his perspective on the issue was naturally different from that of Li Xuewu.
What he is trying his best to maintain is international influence and the instinct for continuous expansion.
Li Xuewu's confidence and persistence did not give him absolute confidence. He could trust Li Xuewu out of personal loyalty, but as an organization staff member, he had no reason or right to do so.
"I will do my best to dissuade Art."
He looked at Li Xuewu and insisted, "Helicopters can be purchased, but weapons still need to be put into service. If you can't provide them, then find someone else."
Whether it succeeds or not is my business, but I have to do it, and I hope you can understand.
You don't know yet, do you?
Li Xuewu looked at Ji Weidong, who was getting up to leave with a serious expression, and pointed to the calendar under the glass on the table, saying, "The news that will be published soon is that Chinese and Western medicines in China are about to see a significant price reduction."
"What do you mean?" Ji Weidong didn't understand this sentence, stopped in his tracks, and turned to look at him.
Li Xuewu did not rush to answer his question, but continued to introduce: "It is 37% lower than at the beginning of the year and 80% lower than in 1950."
"and then?"
Although Ji Weidong was surprised by Li Xuewu's source of information and shocked by the news of the drug price reduction, what did it have to do with him?
"I have another piece of news for you."
Li Xuewu tilted his head and looked at him calmly, saying, "The higher-ups have decided to provide Annam with 556 million yuan worth of supplies free of charge."
"This—" Ji Weidong suddenly hesitated, frowned and looked at him, asking, "Where did you get this information? Is it reliable?"
"You can wait and see whether it's reliable or not." Li Xuewu tidied up the documents on the table and said, "What I want to tell you is that the situation abroad is changing, and the situation at home is also changing."
"Do you know what lower drug prices mean?" He looked up at Ji Weidong and said, "It means focusing on people's livelihood, integrating medical resources, reducing the medical burden on the public, and thus stimulating the economy."
"Think again, where will the nearly 600 million yuan worth of aid supplies come from?"
Li Xuewu raised his eyelids slightly and said, "Without strong economic development momentum and a vibrant tertiary sector, would the higher-ups dare to do this?"
"You can go back and think about it slowly."
Without waiting for Ji Weidong to speak, he waved his hand and said, "I have other things to do, goodbye."
"..." Ji Weidong watched him take a couple of deep breaths, but ultimately held back and didn't say anything more.
Whether the situation is really as Li Xuewu said, he only needs to make a phone call to find out.
So, what exactly does Li Xuewu mean by the active tertiary sector economy?
"Yes, I am Li Xuewu."
The phone rang non-stop all morning, and the office was constantly filled with people coming to ask for instructions and report.
His pen never stopped moving for long; he was either signing opinions or signing his name.
"That's a bit of a surprise. I thought you really intended to enjoy your retirement and didn't want to contribute anymore."
The call was from Zheng Fuhua, who frankly inquired about the re-employment mechanism for retired personnel like himself from the security department of Hongxing Steel Group.
"I've already spoken to the security department, so you can just go directly to Zhou Yao."
Li Xuewu joked on the phone, "As long as you don't mind that she's become your boss, it's fine."
Zheng Fuhua responded with a laugh over the phone, clearly indicating that he had agreed to come work for the group.
The position Li Xuewu initially assigned him was that of an instructor, a training position with an advisory function.
He can work as a guide in the security department or as a lecturer in the training department.
They were originally senior criminal investigation officers who were rehired, so how they were used wouldn't cause any reaction from the group.
Zheng Fuhua has already retired and does not occupy a position in the group's staff quota, nor will he compete with younger people for a position.
As Li Xuewu said, he came to Hongxing Steel Group to contribute his remaining energy and to pass on his many years of experience to the police officers in the security department.
When Li Xuewu told Zhou Yao a while ago, she really hoped that Zheng Fuhua could come.
However, Zhou Yao understood his mindset after retirement and didn't have high hopes.
Li Xuewu knew that Zheng Fuhua would never stay idle. He was so young to retire completely, and it was not easy to change the habits he had formed over a lifetime.
He definitely won't be able to adapt to a completely idle life. Actually, it would be better for him to gradually adapt to the group's security department. There's no hard work, no work pressure, and he can still expend his abundant energy and time.
"If you want to come to Steel City, that would be great. I know they'll welcome you without me even having to think about it."
Li Xuewu said with a smile, "It's up to you. You can work wherever you want."
He was just saying that; Zheng Fuhua's family could support him returning to his old profession, but they would absolutely not support him traveling thousands of miles to work in the steel city.
Retirement means retirement; you can't act like a young man anymore. My spouse feels the same way.
So Zheng Fuhua covered it up with a couple of jokes on the phone and decided to stay in Beijing.
He felt no pressure in front of Zhou Yao. What kind of ambition could a contracted employee have that could be held hostage by a leader? He figured Zhou Yao wouldn't make things difficult for him.
But things were different with Li Xuewu. Although Li Xuewu was his former subordinate, things were very different now, and the two could no longer be compared in terms of their past circumstances.
In particular, Li Xuewu's achievements in criminal investigation and administrative management made this old leader feel the pressure even after retirement.
I came to work at Hongxing Steel Group to slowly enjoy my retirement life; there's no need to make it seem like I'm re-entering the workforce under Li Xuewu's management.
"Okay, I'll say the same thing."
Li Xuewu said with a smile, "You are doing something meaningful and enjoying your old age, so we're taking advantage of you."
After exchanging a few more jokes, he ended the call when his secretary, Zhang Enyuan, brought Bu Qingfang in.
"Please sit wherever you like. I'll make a phone call first."
Li Xuewu waved his hand, indicating to Bu Qingfang not to be polite, and then called the Beijing hotline.
As the influence of Hongxing Steel Group grows, the speed at which phone calls are connected has also increased significantly.
Less than two minutes later, after Li Xuewu and Bu Qingfang exchanged a few pleasantries, Zhou Yao's voice came from the other side.
"Secretary-General, I am Zhou Yao."
"Comrade Zhou Yao, I have good news for you." Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Comrade Zheng Fuhua has decided to come to your office as an instructor."
"Who? Director Zheng?" Zhou Yao asked, both surprised and delighted. "When is he coming?"
"Hehe, I just received his call."
Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "Now you can rest assured, the rest is up to you."
"Don't worry, I will definitely do a good job in organizing and serving, so that Director Zheng can continue to contribute his remaining energy."
Zhou Yao replied with a smile, "I thought he didn't want to come."
"From now on, let's call him Comrade Zheng Fuhua. That way, he'll feel more comfortable."
Li Xuewu joked, "Or you could call me Instructor Zheng."
Zhou Yao smiled and replied a couple of times before hanging up the phone, preparing to take the initiative to visit Zheng Fuhua.
Li Xuewu has already taught her how to express herself, so how could she not know?
Zheng Fuhua's decision to work in the security department was voluntary, but it was also at the invitation of Li Xuewu.
Since the security department has benefited, she, as the person in charge, should show some attitude and make a statement; she can't just wait for people to come to her looking for jobs.
A thousand troops are easy to get, but a general is hard to find.
If a veteran like Zheng Fuhua were to be in charge of the security department, her job as the person in charge would be much easier.
Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. Just based on their rich experience in public security and management, the young people in the department will have plenty to learn from for a while.
She actually hopes that more and more experienced retired comrades will come to the department to serve as instructors, even if it's just to sit here and watch the young people work.
She didn't know how Li Xuewu and Zheng Fuhua talked, and the group didn't have a mature system or reference for rehiring employees.
Zhou Yao decided to talk to him in person. Even if Director Zheng was willing to come and guide the work, she couldn't let him come to work for nothing. At the very least, he had to receive some benefits.
At this time, the security department was not short of money. Li Xuewu had left behind a substantial fortune, and the department received generous funding and rewards from the group for its excellent work performance every year.
The group's development is good, and it has the financial resources to support security work, which complements each other.
"You're really busy—"
A well-fitting and capable women's business suit accentuated Bu Qingfang's strong and capable demeanor.
She sat opposite Li Xuewu and said with a smile, "Is it because you care about the old leaders at the branch office?"
“Director Zheng, Zheng Fuhua, you should know him.” Li Xuewu explained, then said, “I met him once last time, it was really a pity, after all, he is very young and very experienced.”
"Working for the group is also quite good."
Bu Qingfang nodded in agreement, saying, "This will make the relationship between the Security Department and the branch bureau more harmonious."
"Hehe, I didn't think that much about it."
Li Xuewu chuckled and glanced at her, then asked, "Did Director Li speak with you?"
"Yes, Deputy Director Gu also talked to me, and she supports my decision to come down here for some training."
Bu Qingfang nodded and said, "But this puts a lot of pressure on me."
"It's good that your boss cares about you."
Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, "Some people are afraid that their superiors won't notice them or care about them. You're just taking your blessings for granted."
"Hasn't Ji Jiuzheng received enough attention?"
Bu Qingfang looked at him and said, "I'm like a raging fire, ready to be fried as soon as it touches water, and ready to be set on fire as soon as it's lit."
"I really hope to take over the work at United Energy smoothly and try not to be too high-profile."
"That depends on you—"
Li Xuewu nodded knowingly and said, "You came to Steel City because you want me to help you?"
"It would be great if you could help me."
Bu Qingfang laughed and said, "Even if you don't ask, I'll still pester you to help."
“A local area is not the same as a corporation. You’re right to think that way. I’ll help you if I can, and I won’t just stand by and watch.”
Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "However, United Energy is somewhat special in nature and is not under the jurisdiction of Liaodong Industry."
"I know, it's directly under the group's management."
Seeing that he was talking about serious matters, Bu Qingfang also became serious. "General Manager Zhang is my supervisor."
"He talked to you?" Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked, "Did he say anything else?"
"Not yet, he's been busy lately."
Bu Qingfang picked up her teacup and explained, "The organizational structure of the labor service company has changed. Someone has run into problems, and he was the first to discover it. It's like he's making an example of someone."
"We've killed plenty of chickens, but the monkeys are still as mischievous as ever; we can't control them."
Li Xuewu sighed helplessly and looked at her, admonishing her, "When you get to the branch office, you must be very careful. Sometimes it's not that you're looking for trouble, but that trouble comes looking for you."
"I thought it would be very complicated."
Bu Qingfang nodded seriously and said, "I am mentally prepared for even the most complicated environment."
"That's good. If there's anything I can help you with, just let me know. I'll do my best to help."
Li Xuewu readily agreed, waiting for her to speak.
After the meeting with the organization, there should be a public announcement period. She came to me during this time, and all she wanted was support and help.
It would be unfair to say that Bu Qingfang was related to Gu Weijie; she was already the head of the publicity department when Gu Weijie arrived.
The progress and transfers over the years have basically had nothing to do with Gu Weijie, so why should she care?
The only thing to care about is Li Xuewu's attitude. She said she had no connections or background, but that was because she was saying it to Li Xuewu. Wasn't Li Xuewu her support and source of confidence?
She wouldn't underestimate Li Xuewu just because he was young, or even ignore his influence.
Compared to other leaders, Bu Qingfang has more faith in Li Xuewu's unlimited potential and greater future prospects.
As the old saying goes, when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. She may not be Li Xuewu's chickens and dogs, but she can still benefit from his fame.
She can't come to the steel city for nothing this time; she has to settle down first.
"May I ask about Xu Ning's situation?"
Seeing Li Xuewu's quick agreement, Bu Qingfang stopped hiding her intentions and asked directly, "Is he the vice president of United Energy now?"
"Yes, I'm in charge of sales."
Li Xuewu glanced at her, nodded, and said, "Although United Energy's development this year hasn't been very good, its sales work has been quite good."
“I’ve heard about it, and I’ve also looked at his resume. It’s true that seasoned cadres are more capable.”
Bu Qingfang agreed with his opinion, saying, "I want to understand the situation of United Energy with him first, so that we don't have to go through the handover blindly."
"Hasn't Ji Jiuzheng returned to the capital?"
Li Xuewu frowned and asked, "Didn't he hand over the work to you?"
“He came to see me, but at that time the leader hadn’t spoken to me yet, so I didn’t respond to him.”
Bu Qingfang nodded and said, "In that situation, how could I not be cautious?"
"Even now, my boss has already spoken to me, but the rumors keep coming."
She shook her head slightly and sighed, "I won't go into what they were saying, it's rather boring."
"I'll call Xu Ning."
Li Xuewu thought for a moment and said, "He should be in Gangcheng recently, working with United Savings on pilot projects in Liaodong, and with United Energy cooperating in the expansion."
"Xie Lanzhi is very capable at work."
Bu Qingfang exclaimed, "She's one of the few female leaders in our group; she's incredibly capable."
"United Savings Bank has indeed developed rapidly in the past two years, but it has also been affected by some conditions."
Li Xuewu nodded slightly and said, "So she wants to expand her business based on the Steel City Industrial Zone and the group's industrial layout in Liaodong."
"This line of thinking is correct, at least that's what I think."
Bu Qingfang nodded approvingly and said, "It's quite remarkable that she could think of taking the United Savings Bank out of the factory area, out of Beijing, and into Liaodong."
"United Energy should do the same."
Li Xuewu looked at her and emphasized, "There are many things you can do, such as gas stations, gas stations, coal stations, etc. You should know better than I do how much potential there is in sales terminals."
“The group can see the relevant materials.” Bu Qingfang nodded, but still said, “What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand.”
She looked at Li Xuewu and said, "No matter how hard I try to understand, it's not as good as what Xu Ning sees."
"I'll help you make an appointment with him, but I don't have time to introduce you."
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "It's clear you've made thorough preparations."
"I wouldn't say we're fully prepared, but we'll do our best." Bu Qingfang knew Li Xuewu was busy, so she stood up and said, "I'll go ask around in Gangcheng if there are any decent restaurants. I'll treat you tonight."
"Of course, it's your loss if you don't go." She joked with Li Xuewu, and then let Zhang Enyuan see her out.
The change of leadership at United Energy Corporation has far-reaching consequences, affecting everyone from top to bottom.
The reason why nothing has been done below is that everyone is waiting for the new leader to take office.
Before Bu Qingfang even took office, she had already begun studying the vice president of United Energy, and the executives at United Energy had also been studying her for a long time.
This is what you call a two-way approach. Although there is a negative side, which is a drawback of the workplace, there is also a positive side, which is to reduce the adjustment period for both parties.
Li Huaide and the management committee are reluctant to replace their leaders unless absolutely necessary.
This is extremely damaging to the company; all subsequent work has essentially come to a standstill.
At least the new projects have been halted, and we're waiting for the new leadership to arrive so they can report back and issue policies.
Li Xuewu didn't intentionally avoid getting involved; he was genuinely busy.
After helping Bu Qingfang make an appointment with Xu Ning, he threw himself into his busy work.
With no one at home, he usually eats dinner in the cafeteria and then works overtime in the evening.
On September 27, Hongxing Steel Group held a general meeting of all employee representatives. He flew back to Beijing on the night of the 26th and barely rested.
There was no going home; it wasn't worth bothering Gu Ning and the children in the middle of the night.
I rested for half the night at the group's guesthouse, and got up early the next morning to deal with the preparations for the conference.
It wasn't that he couldn't return to Beijing earlier, but rather that a backlog of work forced him to squeeze in time.
He also had to attend this meeting because he was entrusted by General Manager Li Huaide and the Group Management Committee to draft and deliver the "Summary Report of the First Three-Year Plan" at the conference.
The meeting was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., and Li Xuewu, walking behind Cheng Kaiyuan, was the eleventh person to enter the meeting room.
The audience erupted in applause, both to welcome the group's leaders and to praise the group's achievements this year.
During the recent holidays, the group distributed fresh welfare items to its employees.
This alone proves that the group's development is excellent and on the rise.
What do the employees hope for? They hope that this big family will get better and better, because in this era, whether it is the group or the Hongxing Factory, they are the masters of this collective.
The meeting was chaired by Gu Weijie, deputy director of the management committee, and Li Xuewu was the first to speak.
In his speech, he pointed out that in the past three years, Hongxing Steel Group has taken a big step forward in its development from a single steel enterprise to a diversified group company, from a municipal industrial enterprise to a multi-regional joint industrial group, and from a domestic planned economy production model to a development direction that is mainly based on domestic planned economy supply, supplemented by market-oriented experiments and import and export trade.
Based on the construction goals set in the Three-Year Plan, Hongxing Steel Group has initially resolved the contradiction between the group's future development direction and current planned production needs. In conjunction with the Five-Year Plan, all construction indicators have exceeded the original expectations...
Li Xuewu, who was speaking on the stage, was the youngest member of the group's leadership team. No matter how he tried to look older, he couldn't hide the gray hair and wrinkles of the other leaders.
Especially Kumamoto Naru, who was sitting near the center, aged very quickly that year.
Rumors say he was in poor health and had been recuperating, while others say he fell ill out of necessity.
Seeing him at the event today, especially with his white hair, everyone realized how old he has become.
Not only Kumamoto Cheng, but many people know that Li Huaide, the director of the group's management committee and general manager, is ill. Although it has not been publicized, those who need to know know it already do.
Some say he brought this upon himself, while others secretly laugh at him for dancing so much and giving so much instruction.
However, it is undeniable that Hongxing Steel Group underwent a qualitative change and took off during his tenure.
Today, the welfare and benefits of all the factory's employees are inseparable from his leadership. Justice resides in the hearts of the people, and right and wrong will be written in black and white in the annals of history.
Li Xuewu, who was speaking, demonstrated with his abilities just how secure his position as the group's successor was.
With Li Huaide's support and the trust of many group leaders and middle-level managers, who can say that he lacks the qualifications and is unfit for the important task?
Why was Li Xuewu representing the Group's Management Committee to deliver the summary speech on the three-year plan?
This question only lingered in the minds of everyone in the meeting room for a moment, but after thinking about the group's stable development and rapid progress in Liaodong industry over the past six months, the answer became clear.
Red Star Fox is returning to the group.
(End of this chapter)