MMB Chapter 1514 The Mastermind Revealed!
Chapter 1514 The Mastermind Revealed!
Chapter 1514 The Mastermind Revealed!
"Got it, 450 million marks."
Wang Xiansheng didn't exclaim excitedly in a low voice, clenching his fist, until he walked into the conference room and his secretary closed the door behind him. "It's done!"
“450 million marks?” Li Xuewu, sitting in the conference room, raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly, saying, “That’s 300 million yuan.”
"It's worth it, the price is acceptable."
Tang Rongxuan, who arrived later, also walked in with a face full of excitement, saying, "If we split it between our two families, each family will only receive 150 million."
"Only?" Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and said, "150 million is enough to build a new factory."
"You can't do it that way—"
Tang Rongxuan smiled and walked to the conference table, where he sat down. He said, "The entire automobile manufacturing process includes two production lines."
"Two production lines—"
Seeing his words, Li Xuewu pondered for a moment, pursed his lips, nodded, and said, "That's acceptable."
"Of course, it's a four-cylinder diesel engine."
It was clear that Wang Xiansheng was quite satisfied. He said excitedly, "Moving this process and production line back will help Jinan Automobile shorten its development time by at least ten years."
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu could tell that the two of them were very satisfied, so there was no need for him to say anything more.
He pointed at the two of them and said, "Remember to treat me to a drink when you get back. I can't do this for nothing."
“I work as a media supplier at our factory, and they even send me four boxes of gifts as a token of their gratitude during holidays. Both of your families are major industrial enterprises under the provincial government, so you can’t be stingy!”
"Yes, I will definitely remember this favor."
Tang Rongxuan, now quite eloquent, chuckled and gestured to Li Xuewu, "Brother, I know of your reputation for being able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. I'll risk my life to keep you company. We'll definitely have a good time when we get back."
He then gestured to Wang Xiansheng, who was standing next to him, and said, "Old Wang, from now on we're brothers working together, right?"
"Further cooperation and communication are essential."
Without giving Wang Xiansheng and Li Xuewu a chance to speak, he gestured and said, "Putting everything else aside, I'll be the one to prepare the wine from now on."
"Since it's an exchange, shouldn't we also have a celebratory drink?" Wang Xiansheng was, after all, a leader of Jiqi Automobile, so he certainly wouldn't be stingy, nor would he let Tang Rongxuan do him a favor.
He gestured to Li Xuewu sitting opposite him and said, "Honggang has its own good wine, not to mention Shandong."
"Look at you, you even went for it—"
Tang Rongxuan laughed and said, "Alright, alright, let's raise a glass to celebrate our victory!"
When people are extremely excited, they tend to become arrogant. Before anything has even happened, they've already divided the world into three.
Li Xuewu looked at the two with amusement. Huang Zongfang, the deputy general manager of the international business department who walked in, nodded, indicating that he could come over.
"Secretary-General, Ms. Serena, the Vice President of Oriental Trade, has arrived," Huang Zongfang reported softly. "She wishes to meet with you."
"Work?" Tang Rongxuan exchanged a few words with Wang Xiansheng, then, seeing that Li Xuewu was busy, he said, "Alright, you go ahead and do your work. We just came over to give you some good news, so we won't disturb your work."
"I've heard about it—"
Wang Xiansheng raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Honggang really showed his skills this time and reaped a great harvest!"
"That's also due to your martial arts skills, Brother Xuewu!"
Tang Rongxuan gave a thumbs-up, stood up and said, "When it comes to international trade negotiations, I would say that no one in our circle can compare."
"Dude, that's over the top. It's not as mystical as you make it out to be—"
Li Xuewu stood up with a smile, shook hands with the two men, and explained simply, "Before coming here, I had my eye on a bus manufacturing plant project. I didn't negotiate it myself, but I guess it's almost done."
"Whoa—that's exactly what I was saying!"
Wang Xiansheng shook Li Xuewu's hand, pointed at him, and said to Tang Rongxuan, "Look, this is what it means to strategize within the command tent and win battles a thousand miles away."
Li Xuewu really wanted to say that he was acting innocent after getting the benefit. Why wasn't he this close to him before? Now he's really acting like an older brother.
But that's how it is in this circle; you can't hit someone who's smiling. Besides, after this experience, we'll definitely stay in touch after we go back.
Hongxing Steel Group has secured manufacturing orders for engineering machinery, engineering vehicles, and mining transport vehicles from Santayar Group.
The scale of the steel and automobile special equipment and special vehicle manufacturing plant is very average. Although it has developed special vehicles such as the Prairie Tiger and signal lights, they are mostly for security and fire protection and have not yet reached the needs of mining.
These orders are too large for steel and automobile companies to handle, so they can only be assigned to related units through the cooperation mechanism of the trade management center.
Sichuan Automobile's Hongyan vehicles have a great advantage, especially since Hongyan vehicles are basically not supplied to local areas, resulting in very little overcapacity.
However, during the meeting and negotiations with Hongxing Steel Group, Tang Rongxuan, on behalf of Sichuan Automobile, still expressed a strong desire for cooperation.
Sichuan Automobile is also a member of the supply chain, providing auto parts and also procuring parts from the supply chain.
This time, they've set their sights on the W50 truck project, hoping to achieve excellence and improve truck manufacturing processes.
They also hope to acquire a complete set of production line equipment in one go, and to source components from the supply chain as much as possible to increase production capacity.
The two sides had established a good foundation of trust in their previous cooperation, and Tang Rongxuan naturally trusted Li Xuewu this time as well, which led to their victory.
Jinan Automobile's situation is different from that of Sichuan Automobile, and it is slightly inferior in terms of overall strength and comprehensive production capacity.
However, Jinan Automobile Manufacturing Plant has a rich history. Its predecessor was the Jinan Automobile Repair and Assembly Plant, which was established in 1935.
In 1960, based on the Czechoslovakian Skoda 706RT truck, the Yellow River JN150 8-ton truck was successfully trial-produced, filling the gap in China's lack of heavy-duty trucks at the time.
However, there are some deficiencies in manufacturing processes and production technology. This time, they want to solve the production line problem once and for all.
Everyone knows that assembly lines are good, but most car manufacturers can't afford them, which is a challenge for workers' skills, the working environment, and the supply of parts.
Wang Xiansheng mentioned in private that they have developed an 8x8 off-road version of the JN262, with an off-road load capacity of 5 tons and the ability to tow 18 tons. It is basically finalized and just waiting to go into production.
In fact, Jinan Automobile has strong R&D capabilities. The Yellow River JN150 8-ton truck, which was initially successfully trial-produced, was also copied by Longjiang Automobile Factory.
Currently, Jinan Automobile's flagship model is the Huanghai JN651 truck, and many buses in Beijing use this chassis.
Tongji Automotive has a relatively short history of development and has had too little interaction with its peers. With passenger cars and special vehicles as its main business, Tongji Automotive has not really had any dealings with them before.
With this collaboration, the three parties have forged a revolutionary friendship, and they will naturally need to communicate more in the future.
Compared to Sichuan Automobile, Jinan Automobile is closer to the steel industry, separated only by the Bohai Bay. If Hongxing Steel Group wants to expand its supply chain system, it will inevitably have to make more powerful new friends like this.
With Wang Xiansheng giving Steel & Automobile a high-profile look, and Sichuan Automobile adding their encouragement, the handshake between the three parties naturally represented a certain attitude.
Yesterday's dinner was just for show; everyone was just going through the motions. But Li Xuewu's comment about going back for drinks didn't simply mean they were going to have a proper meal together. Everyone knew that this meant they were about to start a collaboration.
They owe Honggang a favor, and they have to repay it.
Just like Li Xuewu warned them, he couldn't help them for nothing. If they really took advantage of him and left, they'd be in big trouble.
***
Fritz Fleischer has been taken away.
Selena walked into the conference room with a serious expression. Before she could even sit down, she informed Li Xuewu of the news.
Seeing her expression and movements as she entered, Li Xuewu knew something was wrong. He frowned and asked, "Who took it away?"
"I don't know, I've asked everyone I can."
Selena came to Li Xuewu's side, smoothed her skirt and sat down, reporting, "I went to visit him in prison on the 28th but couldn't see him. After asking around, I found out he had been taken away."
"Where's the contract? Has it been signed?"
Li Xuewu tapped his fingers on the table and looked at her, asking, "He didn't give you a final answer, did he?"
He was waiting for his wife's reply.
Selena frowned and said, "I'm sure I've made proper and reasonable arrangements, but I don't know where things went wrong."
“Since something has gone wrong, it must be due to poor planning.” Li Xuewu glanced at her and asked, “What’s going on at the factory?”
"No feedback has been received."
Selena was also annoyed, and reported with a frown: "On my way back, I received a message from the Straussberg prosecutor's office confirming that the person is no longer in the county."
"I understand. I'll handle this."
After thinking for a while, Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Fritz's family is already in Hong Kong. You should go back to Hong Kong to handle this matter first."
"What! His family—"
Selena looked at him in surprise, slightly dazed, and said, "It's not already..."
"We can't reveal everything before we get the results."
Li Xuewu looked her up and down and said, "Is this your first day working here?"
This statement made Selena blush deeply, unsure how to explain or respond.
"Fritz's lover has already written letters and even called the prison; that's for sure."
"That's Fritz Fleischer's doing!"
Selena said angrily, "He must be unwilling to hand over the car factory and wants to use it to get away with it."
“That’s normal. Who would be willing to give up a business they’ve built up over many years?” Li Xuewu said, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair. “We can wait and see. I believe news will come soon.”
“He’ll either have to give up his business or his family.” Selena, now emboldened after being scammed, glared at him and said, “If he dares to play any tricks, I’ll make sure he never sees his family again.”
“Oh, okay—” Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said, “When we get back, I’ll arrange for you to take action and eliminate the problem completely.”
"Get lost—" Selena was even more embarrassed by his words, reached out and slapped him, then asked cautiously, "You're not mad at me, are you? You're not really going to leave me here, are you?"
"If you leave it here, you can find it yourself, right?"
Li Xuewu looked her over and said, "Or I'll bury you here, find a secluded spot, dig a hole..."
"Don't scare me—"
Selena nudged him and said, "I've been very careful, but it's just that we're in an unfamiliar place, so it's inconvenient to do things here."
She said somewhat coquettishly, "I was already reflecting and summarizing on the way here, and I won't do it again in the future."
"Okay, then I forgive you."
Li Xuewu seemed easy to talk to, and casually nodded, saying, "If there's a next time, we'll settle the score together."
"You still want to settle accounts?" Selena's gaze swept over his lower body, and she raised an eyebrow, saying, "How about I atone for my sins first?"
"I think you're about to commit a crime—"
Li Xuewu sat up straight, not giving her a chance to bite, and reminded her, "You have a family now, watch your words."
"Don't you men always like to have your cake and eat it too?" Selena winked at him deliberately, "Shouldn't you be even more excited to meet someone like me?"
"I didn't, don't talk nonsense—"
Li Xuewu looked at her warily and said, "I've already promised to forgive you, so don't do anything unnecessary or act on your own."
"You wouldn't even take it if it were given to you, you coward—"
Selena tilted her chin and said, "If I go back to Hong Kong, will I lose my chance?"
"You'd better talk about this project."
Li Xuewu turned away from her and said, "You won't get less of the bonus you're entitled to, but you can figure out the exact amount yourself."
“I want to take a gamble—” Selena said, turning his arm and looking him in the eye, “I think Fritz Fleischer is definitely in the running.”
"Based on what? On your gut feeling?"
Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said, "I've never believed in intuition, let alone yours."
"If he ran away, there wouldn't have been no sound at all."
Selena raised an eyebrow and said, "I've already made it clear to him that East Germany wants to take over his company."
“Once he sells his company, he will lose his value, and East Germany will no longer keep an eye on him. It will be easy for me to protect him.”
"And what happened? He still ran away."
Li Xuewu looked at him and asked, "How do you know he didn't sell the same goods to two different people? What if someone else comes looking for him?"
"It's not impossible."
Selena nodded and said, "However, I'm more inclined to believe that East Germany made the first move and didn't want us to take over the factory."
"Or rather, they don't want to give it to us so easily."
"What do you plan to do?" Li Xuewu asked, sizing her up. "Direct confrontation?"
“Am I that stupid?” Selena rolled her eyes and explained, “His wife is in Hong Kong, so we announced his death in her name and arranged for a lawyer to take over his estate.”
She squinted slightly and said, "Since he's playing the disappearing act, then I'll make him disappear completely."
How do you plan to win over his wife?
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "It's not easy to get a woman to give up her husband, is it?"
"That depends on how many chips are given."
Selena looked at Li Xuewu and said, "In East Germany, they were the bourgeoisie and were always the enemy, but it's different in Hong Kong."
She raised an eyebrow and said, "I can arrange for her children to attend the best schools, live in the best houses, and enjoy the life of the truly wealthy."
"Tell me, should a middle-aged woman choose to prioritize her child's future and her own future, or gamble everything to save her husband?"
"You think so too?" Li Xuewu looked into her eyes and said, "If the project failure has led you to this thought, I think you should go back to Hong Kong and handle the follow-up work."
"Did I say something wrong?" Selena said calmly, spreading her hands. "Husbands and wives are like birds in the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly away separately."
"You don't see me that way as your husband?"
She said with a laugh, "If that day ever comes, he'll be so eager to sell me for a high price so he can marry an 18-year-old."
“Wow, your views on love are really—” Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, “They’ve shattered my worldview.”
"That's why I liked you back then."
Selena has really let loose since getting married; she dares to say anything.
She looked into Li Xuewu's eyes and said, "Only you mainlanders still believe in love, and there is still pure love between husband and wife."
"I'm afraid you'll sell me off—"
Li Xuewu shook his head with amusement and said, "Since you want to take a gamble, I won't stop you."
"Okay, the existing project funding will remain unchanged. If you need my cooperation, just let me know."
He nodded at Selena and reminded her, "But this really is your last chance."
"Don't worry, if this project fails, I'll quit as soon as I get back." She reached out and patted Li Xuewu's arm, laughing as she said, "From now on, I'll be your full-time mistress, the kind you can call on and dismiss at will."
“I think we should forget about it,” Li Xuewu waved his hand and laughed, “I’m afraid you’ll murder people for money and eat them alive.”
"They eat people and don't spit out the bones, after all—"
Before getting up, Selena still managed to sneak up on him, grabbing a handful of food and laughing as she went out.
Li Xuewu merely glared at him, ignoring the joke.
Those who dare to speak and act are not necessarily serious. Don't be fooled by her seemingly ruthless and flowery words; she has quite the ambition.
She clearly has the ability to make a living with her looks, but she chooses to make a living with her brains. This kind of woman would never submit to anyone and become a concubine.
Her playful physical advances and jokes were mostly a way for her to test his attitude, and also a way for her to relax and cheer herself up.
Li Xuewu's attitude directly determines her eligibility to continue participating in the project, which is also the purpose of her coming here to seek his opinion.
When problems arise in a project, they can't be solved by just making a phone call. Some things really need to be discussed face-to-face to leave room for maneuver.
Li Xuewu wasn't giving her a chance to redeem herself, but rather a huge gamble. If she won, she could only recover her losses; if she lost, she would be utterly defeated with no chance of recovery.
If she can't do this project, she'll never have a chance to rise in the Eastern faction. Just like she said, she might as well be his concubine.
Conversely, it's uncertain whether the Eastern faction will still use her.
Why would Selena take another gamble?
This demonstrates the resilience and perseverance of working women. At that time, the port city was in a transitional phase of the old society, and the status of working women was indeed not high.
Selena wanted to use this opportunity of accompanying him to conquer East Germany to completely solve the problem of the glass ceiling in her career.
She's willing to use any means necessary to protect her career future.
Whether Fritz Fleischer ran away on his own, was helped by someone, or was taken hostage and went into hiding, Selena's move would inevitably force the other party to show up; otherwise, the factory would belong to someone else.
-
"Mr. Li, are you heading out?"
David, who was sitting in the lobby reading a newspaper, saw the elevator doors open and Li Xuewu and his group come out. He quickly stood up and went to greet them.
He glanced at his watch briefly; it was already three in the afternoon. Where could the other person have gone?
It must be said that compared to Anna next door, he was incredibly lucky; this dangerous individual did not do anything out of line in Leipzig.
He's been working at the hotel since he arrived yesterday, and this morning he was still worried about whether the other party would travel.
We've been waiting until now. Is the other party going to visit that factory?
It would be good to be able to send this big Buddha away safely, but it would also be good to have an opportunity to show merit and make contributions.
So he came with mixed feelings. When Li Xuewu saw him, he reached out and shook hands with him.
"I'm preparing to leave Leipzig. Thank you for your help, Mr. David," Li Xuewu said politely. "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not tiring at all—oh, are you leaving now?"
David looked behind him with some surprise. He didn't have many people with him, so it seemed that his team was still working here.
"Yes, I'm going to the Graz region."
Li Xuewu frankly stated his destination, showing no concern whatsoever about the danger of leaking information.
David looked at him with even greater surprise and said, "Then I'll take you there. Are you planning to take a car or...?"
"Train, train is more convenient."
Li Xuewu smiled and tilted his head, saying, "I think I won't trouble you, after all, I've already taken up a lot of your time."
"Please don't be so polite, Mr. Li."
David crossed his arms and said earnestly, "When I heard that you can scale walls, pilot helicopters, and have strong driving skills, I really wanted to learn from you and ask you for advice."
"Since this opportunity has come up, let me take you to Gela."
"Who told you I could fly a helicopter?"
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Flying over rooftops and scaling walls? You must have misunderstood something. I don't have any special skills."
"Don't be modest, Comrade Anna told me everything."
David, determined not to give up, said with a smile, "She said you are the most amazing person she has ever met."
"Don't listen to her nonsense and alarmist talk."
Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "I'm just a business manager, I don't know anything like what you're saying."
David spread his hands, said nothing, and looked behind him.
Li Xuewu turned around following his gaze, only to see the sweet Annabelle standing behind him, looking displeased.
"Why are you here?"
"Surprised?" Anna curled her lip when she heard him say that. "Didn't I tell you that I wouldn't let you go?"
"This isn't Dresden."
Li Xuewu looked at David, who was standing with his arms crossed and a mischievous grin, ready to watch the show, and said with amusement, "Or perhaps, Ms. Anna, you got a promotion?"
"Don't try to mock me, that trick won't work on me."
Anna looked at him and said calmly, "I'm really surprised that you can be so quiet in Leipzig. Perhaps this proves that the disaster in Dresden was caused by you, doesn't it?"
“We have a Chinese idiom, ‘to slander someone with a bloody mouth,’ I don’t know if you understand it.” Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and looked at her as he said, “I am the one who was hurt, and I cannot accept your statement.”
He looked at David and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. David, I have to catch my train, so I won't keep you company any longer."
With that, he ignored Anna and turned to leave.
But not only Anna, but David also followed, and they couldn't be shaken off like glue.
The secretary opened the door, but before Li Xuewu could get into the car, Anna slipped in ahead of him and thoughtfully moved inside, leaving him the seat outside.
Li Xuewu glanced at David standing to the side, wondering what the two of them were up to.
He could understand David's concerns; he was simply worried that something might happen to him on his way to the train station.
Or, if something dangerous happens to him while the train is traveling, and he has an accident in Leipzig, David will also be held responsible.
So just follow him and send this dangerous person to Gela, so he can feel at ease.
They say they want to learn from him, but isn't that their real purpose?
It was so obvious that Li Xuewu didn't know how to refuse him.
As the head of the Stasi Leipzig region, David's actions are understandable, but what is Anna doing all this fuss over here?
Are we going to arrest him?
"If you don't take this car, I'll go with you to another car."
Anna patted the seat next to her; how dare he threaten him!
“Mr. Li, Comrade Anna meant well.”
Seeing that Li Xuewu wasn't getting into the car and that there were people gathered around at the hotel entrance, David quietly advised, "Let's talk about it at the train station."
"You're coming with me to Gera?"
Li Xuewu glanced at the two of them and said, "Okay, that's fine."
He didn't say anything more and got into the car, sitting next to Anna. David smiled and closed the car door for them.
Li Xuewu's teeth itched at the sight of that smile; he was getting on the train to the train station, not to get married.
David's amused smile resembled that of a wedding attendant; he grinned as he closed the car door for the bride and groom.
The car started, and Li Xuewu watched as David ran towards the car behind. Several cars followed, presumably Stasi men.
Having learned from the previous experience, the Stasi were well-prepared this time, almost to the point of having armored vehicles escorting them.
Anna looked out the window quietly, seemingly not intending to interfere with Li Xuewu's work.
Li Xuewu, however, didn't let her off the hook, reminding her, "Didn't you ever think that if you hadn't insisted on coming with me last time, maybe things would have turned out differently..."
Before he could finish speaking, Anna stared at him with a death stare, her breathing noticeably heavier.
“There’s an idiom in China that I just learned, and I’ll give it to you now: ‘slanderous words.’”
"At best, this is just a futile attempt to cover up the truth." Li Xuewu smiled, looked her up and down, and asked, "Are you worried about me or concerned about me?"
"I'm really touched that they came all this way to escort me from so far away."
“That’s called self-pity.” Anna turned to look at him and emphasized, “I’m not here because I’m worried about you or concerned about you, but because I’m here to keep an eye on you at the behest of my superiors.”
She pointed two fingers at her eyes, then pointed at Li Xuewu, making a fierce expression.
Li Xuewu nodded knowingly and said, "It seems you were implicated by me and kicked out of your unit."
"You're the one who was—" Anna was eager to explain, but then she turned off the engine, angrily turned her head to stare out the window and said nothing.
Li Xuewu managed to provoke her idea with just a few words. It has to be said that this girl is all brawn and no brains... well, her headlights are well-developed too.
He didn't know if she was simple-minded or not, but he knew this girl was easy to fool; she would fall for his words immediately.
The foreign affairs secretary, sitting in the passenger seat, listened to the conversation in the back and was amazed. It was the first time he had seen a mainland cadre so relaxed, especially when interacting with foreigners.
Keep in mind that this was East Germany, and the members of the delegation unconsciously displayed caution in both their work and daily life here.
The only exception was the secretary-general of the Red Star Steel Group, who was much more adapted to the environment here than I, the foreign affairs secretary who had spent two and a half years in East Germany.
Some people are born with a strong heart and are naturally suited for foreign affairs work, but unfortunately they end up doing sales.
Li Xuewu remained silent, closing his eyes to rest, while Anna simply stared out the window, sulking. The convoy headed straight for the train station.
David wasn't being fooled; his destination was indeed the Grae district. He had his sights set on the Max Schüt Company, which accounted for 11% of East Germany's steel production capacity and produced stainless steel.
After completing negotiations on the stainless steel project, he will also end his trip in East Germany and return to Berlin to rejoin his team.
According to the delegation's itinerary, they need to return to Berlin before the 30th, because they need to participate in a group activity on the 31st, and then they will take a plane back home.
Today is the 29th. I'll be arriving in the Graz district tonight. Tomorrow morning I'll be meeting with local business leaders for negotiations, and then I'll return to Berlin in the afternoon.
The stainless steel project is also the last stop for Hongxing Steel Group's technology procurement in East Germany. Excluding the plans arranged by Li Xuewu and the Dongfang Group, it has basically entered the final stage of the operation.
Next, in Berlin, the German side will organize an on-site exchange meeting where companies with cooperation intentions can sit down together and make a final effort.
Real industrial enterprises don't participate in these trade fairs; they mostly have little hope of success and end up with nothing to show for it.
However, no member of the delegation would overlook this final trade fair; who knows what might happen next?
Another point is that East Germany also intended to finalize some procurement projects through the final trade fair.
In other words, they could buy all over East Germany and sell at the final trade fair.
Li Xuewu needs to attend this meeting because Hongxing Steel Group has many products worth putting on the shelves.
If we can sell goods to East Germany, or even use East Germany as a transit point to dump goods on the Warsaw Pact, then the trip will have been worthwhile.
However, this idea is just that—an idea. It needs constant practice and experimentation. The key now is to pave the way.
Just like when the Red Star Factory decided to develop tertiary industries and went to the Guangzhou Trade Fair, they had to find the corresponding channels and traders.
Li Xuewu planned to resolve the negotiations in the Graz region quickly and return to Berlin as soon as possible.
Not only do I need to organize and report on the group's work, but I also need to wrap up Catherine and Selena's projects.
Once the delegation returns home, the East German technology trading zone will inevitably close, and there's no need for the people from Hong Kong to stay any longer.
So Selena is very anxious; if she doesn't get a sales contract from KKF soon, she'll really miss this opportunity.
They were lucky to be able to get what they wanted from East Germany, which meant they were fortunate enough to be able to access technology at a time when it was readily available; otherwise, it would have been impossible.
***
Do you have train tickets?
After getting off the bus, Li Xuewu glanced at the crowd at the station and turned to ask David and Anna, who had followed him.
David and Anna didn't come alone; they brought their own teams, giving the impression of protecting important figures.
Of course, Li Xuewu's feeling was wrong, because they were not protecting important figures, but rather sources of danger.
"We don't need tickets, and your ticket is invalid."
David smiled and led him into the station, explaining as they walked, "We've contacted the railway authorities and added a separate carriage; we're getting special treatment."
"I can't accept this—"
Li Xuewu squinted at them, gestured towards the station, and said, "We can just call them ordinary carriages."
"Let's take the special train, it's safer."
David spoke in an unquestionable tone, his expression not so much a reminder that it was safer for him, but rather an emphasis that staying away from the regular carriages was the safer choice for ordinary passengers.
Li Xuewu nodded indifferently and walked straight ahead, saying, "I really hope you can continue to protect me on my way to Berlin, tomorrow."
“I don’t have time, but Comrade Anna does.” David’s arrangement was assertive, but he spoke with a smile throughout. “She will always be with you.”
"Forever?" Li Xuewu turned to look at Anna, then at David.
David knew it was a joke. He gave Anna a meaningful look and then said in jest, "If you could stay in Germany forever, I think Anna would be willing too."
"I thought she would come back to China with me," Li Xuewu said with some regret. "That would have been the best."
"Dream on—" Anna glanced at him and scoffed, "Is this all you men talk about when you get together?"
"So what should we talk about? Work?"
Li Xuewu said with a laugh, "It's a pity, the last thing I want to talk about is work, it's too boring."
"What do you want to talk about? Something thrilling or exciting?"
Anna blocked his way before he got to the platform, looked him in the eye, and said, "Want to talk about how you managed to take on ten people at once with guns and cannons?"
"How about we talk about where those two missing people went?"
"What about the two missing people?"
Li Xuewu looked at her with a puzzled expression and said, "Comrade Anna, I believe that one day you will clear up your misunderstanding of me."
"Never—impossible—"
Anna looked him in the eyes and said firmly, "I will expose your disguise and arrest you for interrogation!"
"I look forward to that day."
Li Xuewu smiled, walked past her onto the platform, because he could hear the sound of a train.
Are you two flirting?
Watching Mr. Li's retreating figure, David raised an eyebrow at Anna and teased her with a smile.
Anna stared at Li Xuewu's back and said calmly, "I'm in a bad mood right now, don't force me to beat you up."
"Ha—" David chuckled and followed him onto the platform.
It's not that he can't beat Anna, but that he understands Anna's background.
Of course, only Anna in the entire Stasi believed that no one knew about her background, but in fact everyone else did.
woo-
Trains sound their horns before entering the station, reminding passengers that their massive bodies are about to speed by, and warning them not to jump off the platform.
Li Xuewu was afraid that someone would rush out and jump with him, so he stood far away, since there were just too many strangers around.
Even with an extra train and a separate waiting area, he remained cautious, which drew several glances from David.
Just like trains in China, Li Xuewu sat in a hard seat as arranged by the other party after boarding the train.
Whether it's adding a carriage or an emergency addition, it's good enough if it's even useful.
David and Anna followed him one after the other, but David, as if on purpose, took the seat next to him first, leaving the seat opposite Li Xuewu for Anna.
Anna glared at him, but still sat down.
She seemed genuinely prepared to arrest and interrogate Li Xuewu, staring at him intently as if she were treating the place like an interrogation room.
Li Xuewu, however, didn't pay any attention and started flipping through the materials his secretary handed him, occasionally taking notes.
Even the train restarting didn't affect him; no matter how angry Anna was, her eyesight would eventually wear out.
After about two hours, the impatient David had gone out for a smoke several times to stay awake, while Anna remained seated, her eyes closed, whether asleep or secretly monitoring Li Xuewu was unknown.
bang-
It was already dark, and the platform outside was dotted with lights, with a few particularly bright ones that cast shimmering spots of light inside the carriages.
Anna lifted the curtain and looked outside. Seeing nothing unusual, she stood up and prepared to get something to eat.
Without needing to be told, David had already taken over the surveillance task, standing aside with his arms crossed, looking at the information in Li Xuewu's hand.
Perhaps to refill water, the train stayed at the platform a little longer, almost twenty minutes before restarting.
Anna hasn't returned yet, but new passengers have arrived in the carriage.
"Stop!" David pointed at the other person with a very alert expression, his other hand already on his waist, reminding him, "This is not the passenger compartment, go back!"
“Captain David Strauer, relax, I mean you no harm.” The man called out his name clearly, raised his hands to his chest, and said with a faint smile, “I’m here to see him.”
As he said this, he pointed to Li Xuewu, who was sitting in the seat, his intention quite clear.
David tilted his head to the side. Stasi colleagues had already surrounded the other man and quickly pulled the pistol from his waist.
"Aren't you going to explain?" David squinted, his gaze sweeping over the pistol, and asked the other man in a chilling tone.
The newcomer cooperated by waiting for them to finish searching him before walking over, spreading his hands and saying, "Do I need to explain anything? Don't you know who I am?"
“What do you think, Mr. Li?” He walked to a seat and looked at Li Xuewu. “May I sit here? Let’s talk?”
"Of course." Li Xuewu smiled slightly, looked at the man sitting opposite him, and said, "I don't know your name yet, but I've been waiting for you for a long time."
“Vashikin, from Kazan Metallurgical Corporation.” He extended his hand to Li Xuewu and introduced himself with a smile, “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
"Oh, I thought you were from the KGB."