MMB Chapter 1536 Associate Professor
Chapter 1536 Associate Professor
Chapter 1536 Associate Professor
Will the airport be renamed after renovations?
“Of course we have to change it, otherwise it would be a waste of money.” Li Xuewu, carrying a notebook, walked with Xue Zhifu toward the elevator and emphasized with a smile, “I think the name ‘Fengcheng Hongxing International (Tadong) Airport’ is quite good. It’s eye-catching and prominent enough.”
“Hehe—” Xue Zhifu paused at the elevator entrance, looked at him and chuckled, “It’s quite eye-catching, revealing the group’s ambitions to the fullest.”
"Honggang's vision extends beyond the international arena."
Li Xuewu stood at the elevator entrance, raised an eyebrow, and confidently emphasized to Xue Zhifu, "And the airport too."
"Hahaha, the world is yours."
Xue Zhifu smiled and nodded at him before turning and walking toward his office.
Li Xuewu, also with a smile on his face, pressed the elevator call button; he had a meeting to chair that morning.
"I heard from General Manager Gao that we're going to set up an iron ore crude extraction project in Yingcheng? When was the project approved?"
Jing Yunong chatted with Lao Li for a few more minutes, then arrived at the elevator, ready to attend the meeting.
"If you haven't even seen the report, it means the project hasn't been approved yet." Li Xuewu glanced back at her, his attitude rather indifferent. "I heard? Heh."
He's fucking stupid!
Although she knew he did it on purpose, her suspicions about Li Xuewu's intentions only grew stronger in the face of his attitude.
What? You're not convinced?
The elevator doors opened, and the elevator operator was surprised to see Deputy Director Jing, who was waiting at the elevator door, giving the Secretary-General a meaningful look that was... hard to describe. No wonder everyone in the organization said the two didn't get along.
"Hello, Mr. Jing. Hello, Secretary-General."
The driver greeted her with a smile, though there was a hint of embarrassment in her smile.
Li Xuewu was much more at ease. Without waiting for Jing Yunong, he stepped onto the elevator and said, "10th floor."
"Yes, sir, 10th floor."
The driver's polite smile was increasingly tinged with embarrassment. At first, she could doubt that she was seeing things, but just as the secretary-general rushed into the elevator, she saw with her own eyes Deputy Director Jing frown and glare at the secretary-general's back—a fierce glare!
Actually, she still didn't see the whole picture. With Li Xuewu's tall figure blocking her view, and Jing Yunong even pinching him with gritted teeth, the driver only saw the latter half.
"Mr. Jing, you're also on the 10th floor."
Just as the elevator doors closed, the driver suddenly felt the temperature inside the car plummet, becoming even colder than outside.
"Hmm." Deputy Director Jing gave a curt "hmm," not even glancing at the Secretary-General's expression, making the driver wish he could fly the two of them up to the 10th floor.
Fortunately, there was only one floor, and the elevator arrived quickly. The two of them got out of the car one after the other, and the driver breathed a huge sigh of relief. This job is really hard!
***
"Deputy Director Gu." Li Xuewu greeted Gu Weijie, who had arrived early, in the meeting room lounge.
"Comrade Yu Nong, Secretary-General."
Gu Weijie's polite and slightly courteous response revealed the true nature of the relationship between the three.
The way members of the group's management committee address each other is a good indicator of their closeness or distance in relationships.
For example, a name without a surname but with the word "comrade" is considered a relatively formal form of address in any situation. While it may seem polite, it lacks intimacy.
Of course, addressing someone this way is much better than calling them by their job title; at least it represents recognition of their status.
For example, the Secretary-General?
A closer look reveals that in formal settings, Li Huaide habitually addresses Li Xuewu as Secretary-General, while in private they simply call each other Xuewu, and in front of others, they address each other as Comrade Xuewu, indicating a close relationship between the two.
Referring to himself as Secretary-General in any situation is no different from calling someone Section Chief Liu or Manager Li when meeting with subordinates, although Li Xuewu's rank is indeed not high.
How can someone who's only been in office for a few years be considered an equal?
If the relationship is good, that's fine; giving face or flattering someone can make comrades feel closer.
In the past two years, the relationship between Gu Weijie and Li Xuewu has gradually become more delicate.
None of them are as stable as the superficial relationship between Li Xuewu and Jing Yunong; the temperature has dropped drastically.
what is the reason?
Their first meeting at the conference venue wasn't exactly harmonious, but it wasn't exactly unpleasant either.
The second meeting at Dong Wenxue's home, facilitated by Han Shu and Dong Wenxue, saw the two tacitly establish a political and interest-based alliance.
In the subsequent work, Li Xuewu was indeed very supportive of her, and she also actively provided feedback.
At that time, Li Xuewu's conflict with Jing Yunong was almost public, and his relationship with her became even closer, to the point that they went so far as to visit each other's homes and exchange personal feelings.
The results of it?
From close comrades-in-arms to strangers, it only took them four years. What happened in those four years?
Did Li Xuewu do something wrong?
No, Li Xuewu is still Li Xuewu; it's just that Gu Weijie's heart has changed, or rather, her goals have changed.
After Gu Weijie started working at the Hongxing Factory, the situation changed several times, and she experienced many people and events.
In this process, her position gradually became more secure, and the support she received and the influence she gained increased day by day, naturally leading to a change in her mindset and goals.
Then why did you have to part ways with Li Xuewu?
Rather than saying she parted ways with Li Xuewu, it would be more accurate to say she actively distanced herself from Li Huaide, demonstrating a more independent attitude in terms of ideology.
Meanwhile, Dong Wenxue, who had consistently supported Li Huaide, found his alliance with Gu Weijie growing increasingly distant during the creation and development of the steel city industrial zone due to his lack of involvement in the steel rolling mill.
After several fluctuations in the situation and some proactive choices, although the relationship has not yet reached the point of breaking down, Han Shu's pride is almost useless.
Two years ago, she could still go to Dong Wenxue's house to play mahjong and eat dumplings during the Spring Festival, but she hasn't been able to do that in the last two years.
When Li Xuewu was transferred from the Security Department to the Management Committee Office, he faced a critical moment of taking over the Liaodong position, but Gu Weijie did not stand firmly on their side.
This also made Dong Wenxue completely disappointed in him, because loyalty to class sentiment that is not absolute is absolute disloyalty.
Therefore, in this alliance, it was Gu Weijie who first showed her maverick side, which forced Dong Wenxue to take the initiative to terminate the relevant cooperation.
On the surface, the group's management committee maintained a united comradeship under Li Huaide's emphasis, but in reality, undercurrents were surging and the situation had long since changed.
Of course, some people say that relationships are complicated, and Dong Wenxue's decision to terminate the cooperation does not mean that Li Xuewu has lost the possibility of continuing cooperation.
This statement depends on the situation. When Li Xuewu, with the support of Li Huaide, completed the establishment of relevant systems for the organization and the sorting out of relevant personnel, he inevitably touched on the minefield of Gu Weijie, who was planning to gain more influence.
At the same time, Li Xuewu's young age and premature entry into the management committee also raised Gu Weijie's vigilance.
Gu Weijie certainly wasn't fighting alone. With Su Weide stirring things up, plus her numerous activities over the past few years, she had plenty of opportunities and methods.
Thanks to the workers' new village project, she now enjoys high prestige and has at least some power to rival Lao Li. On some important issues, Lao Li has to give full consideration to her opinions.
Following this line of thinking, within three years, after Lao Li makes progress, she will definitely be the one to take over.
That's what Gu Weijie thinks; whether others think the same way is unknown.
However, Li Xuewu was certain that Lao Li didn't think that way, nor did he or Dong Wenxue.
Gu Weijie could not become Li Huaide's successor because she lacked a certain ruthlessness.
Old Li was able to quit smoking and drinking in order to work a few more years, tolerate Xiong Bencheng's scoundrel and Su Weide's arrogance, and even tolerate Cheng Kaiyuan and Zhang Jingsong. How many people can have such a magnanimous attitude towards the big picture?
When Cheng Kaiyuan fell into trouble, Gu Weijie did not offer any help, which was the main reason why Li Xuewu concluded that she could not rise to power.
Judging from Cheng Kaiyuan's reaction, he was of course grateful for Li Huaide's help, but he was still unconvinced.
But after that incident, Cheng Kaiyuan's methods became more straightforward and decisive; he never resorted to underhanded tricks again.
When gentlemen compete, they test their true skills.
What about Gu Weijie?
Li Xuewu knew, or rather, heard from Dong Wenxue, that they would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
Yes, she was anxious. She was afraid that her superiors would not wait and would let Lao Li leave early, and she was afraid that she did not have enough influence and prestige to take over this post.
If she misses this opportunity, she won't have another chance next time, and she will leave Honggang Group.
In the past, Hongxing Factory wasn't considered a highly desirable enterprise, but now Honggang Group is a completely different story.
Anyone with eyes can see that Honggang Group is thriving and is regarded as a favored son by its superiors, serving as a touchstone for testing the market economy.
Working here means you don't have to worry about wind or rain, and every decision you make is supported by experimental experience.
Having reached this point, leaving Honggang Group essentially means two options: either there's nowhere left to advance, and they can be transferred to another unit for advancement, or they'll be laid off directly.
Based on the age of the current group leadership, none of them even qualify to stay in the group for retirement; only Kumamoto Cheng among them does.
Old Li's future is almost bright; his promotion from Honggang Group is practically a done deal.
Those who are younger in these deputy positions can wait another term, while those who are older and cannot secure a successor position can only transfer to other units, where they can easily get a job.
But this was the last choice, and also the most helpless one. She clearly had a chance, so why didn't she take a chance?
Readers who have been through the rough and tumble of the underworld know that the first step to getting ahead is not stealing the second sister-in-law, but betraying the eldest brother.
Stealing from one's sister-in-law and betraying one's elder brother are two different things.
Only by taking the lead and becoming the leader can one have the opportunity to recruit soldiers and horses, and the opportunity to compete for supremacy.
In Gu Weijie's view, it was completely foolish for Li Xuewu to follow in Li Huaide's footsteps and wait to succeed him.
Even if Li Huaide is kind and considerate, would he wait three years for him at Honggang Group?
If Li Xuewu were given three years, could he rise above her?
Differences in beliefs and ideals led to a change in Gu Weijie's attitude towards Li Xuewu.
This is what is meant by "those who walk different paths cannot make plans together."
Looking at Deputy Director Jing, who appears to be irreconcilable on the surface but is actually colluding with others behind the scenes, the relationship is quite different.
Jing Yunong was very self-aware; she knew what she lacked to reach Lao Li's position.
She came from a ministry and had previously worked in government agencies. She lacked grassroots management experience and professional technical knowledge in such heavy industrial enterprises.
You can say that Lao Li doesn't understand business operations, but you can't deny that Hongxing Factory, under Li Huaide's leadership, ushered in a new chapter of technological transformation and innovation.
Even in future development histories of the group, this period will be emphasized, and the content will certainly highlight how much the group's first general manager, Comrade Li Huaide, valued technological innovation and development, led all colleagues in the factory to cultivate business, forge ahead, and create brilliant achievements.
With today's achievements, no one dares to say that Li Huaide doesn't understand business or technology.
But what about Jing Yunong?
Lacking experience in foreign affairs in economic work, compared to Gao Yaqin who has now established herself in the group and thoroughly revitalized foreign trade and the group's economic work, she is well aware of her second disadvantage.
Looking at Gu Weijie today, he seems to be building a tall building and entertaining guests, but where is the foundation?
What advantages does a deputy director in charge of organization and publicity have if she can neither handle organizational and personnel work nor completely influence the company's publicity efforts?
To manage a company and a group, you first need to have certain business skills, and at the very least, you need to have your own decision-making power in human resources work.
But think about who is in charge of human resources within the group?
That's right, it was she, the chief accountant in charge of finance, who actually managed the group's human resources and labor department.
Even if the Human Resources Department is labeled with the words "Labor and Wages," shouldn't it be under the jurisdiction of the Chief Accountant?
But that's the reality. With the support of General Manager Li Huaide, she firmly controlled the personnel work and, in the past year and a half, cooperated with Li Huaide to complete the personnel reform from top to bottom of the group.
Over the past three years, Hongxing Factory has experienced the merger of seventeen enterprises, the restructuring of the group's organizational and personnel relations, and the establishment of Beijing No. 1 Factory.
Human resources work, under peak pressure, steered the group through a historic transformation, assisting the group in industrial upgrading and transformation.
Her report on personnel changes and financial work was included in the work report at the beginning of this year.
what does this mean?
It's very simple. She will still be in charge of personnel work this year. What does it mean to control personnel work for another year? Others may not know, but Li Xuewu certainly does.
He was able to make great strides in Liaodong, where the government was efficient and the people were harmonious. Could he have been so carefree without Jing Yunong's support behind him?
The personnel change application documents reported by the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group often required supplementary materials, which suggests that the documents signed by the Secretary-General were sometimes rejected.
On the surface, Deputy Director Jing dislikes the Secretary-General and makes things difficult for him at every turn, which makes the people below him very nervous.
Actually?
The documents were all approved, which made it seem as if Li Xuewu had worked hard for the development of industry in Liaodong and had been wronged.
Jing Yunong knew very well that she wouldn't stay at Honggang Group for long; as an outsider, she could only use Honggang as a stepping stone.
They could choose to return to the ministry, serve another term as a major deputy in another heavy industry enterprise, or seize the opportunity to jump ship and take on a major responsibility.
Returning to the department means she has corporate management experience and can take on a leadership role in important departments.
Taking on a key deputy position in another heavy industrial enterprise is an extension of her work at Honggang Group. It reflects the superiors' expectation that she will share her work experience with other companies, and her future remains bright.
Where is the opportunity to take on a major responsibility?
It's a rare opportunity, and it depends on luck, so she's not in a hurry and is still waiting for Li Xuewu to help her.
Jing Yunong knew that Li Xuewu would definitely help her, and that there would be no place for her in the group's management team centered around Li Xuewu in the future; that was for sure.
It's not a conflict of management philosophies, but rather the necessity for the group's management team to evolve.
The higher-ups wouldn't allow Li Xuewu to bypass her and assume the position of the main person in charge; it would seem too hasty.
Li Xuewu wouldn't push her to improve unless the time was right; it wasn't worth it, and of course, he wouldn't push her away either.
Compared to Gu Weijie, who put herself in a very difficult position, Jing Yunong appears much more low-key and pragmatic.
If one day the higher-ups have to make changes to the group's leadership, they will definitely consider Gu Weijie first, rather than her, who has always been in charge of finance and human resources.
This gives her the opportunity to hone her organizational and personnel skills while also gaining control of the group's finances.
She's in charge of both people and finances; do you think she's important or not?
At Honggang Group, you could say she lacked grassroots management experience and had no business management foundation, but when she went to other companies, you would say she had rich corporate management experience and was fully qualified to take on a major responsible role.
Think about it, what must the person in charge know?
Of course it's not business, it's human resources, it's finance!
What does a pen sign? It's for personnel and finance. As long as these two weapons are firmly in hand, who would dare not run away!
So Gu Weijie got anxious and distanced herself from Li Huaide. She seemed independent and lively, but in reality, she was like oil being poured on a hot fire. She slowly learned what it meant to be all alone.
While Jing Yunong appears to be firmly following Li Huaide, her seriousness in work and life has instilled a sense of awe and respect in everyone in the group, who dare not underestimate her.
By gradually gaining control of the group's personnel and finances through a "boiling frog" approach, does Old Li respect Gu Weijie more or Jing Yunong more?
So, in this light, is Gu Weijie more independent within the group's organizational ecosystem, or is Jing Yunong more independent?
Jing Yunong may not know about the other things, but today's meeting was not chaired by Gu Weijie, the deputy director in charge of organizational work, but by Secretary-General Li Xuewu.
At the secretary's prompting, Gu Weijie walked ahead, while Jing Yunong glanced at Li Xuewu, a slight smile playing on his lips, and followed behind Gu Weijie.
The three of them entered the large conference room on the 10th floor of the group's office building one after another, and the room erupted in applause.
Above the rostrum of the meeting hall, a row of large characters in yellow on a red background read: “The Second Congress of Representatives of Active Learners, Four-Good Units, and Five-Good Soldiers of Hongxing Steel Group in Studying and Applying the Thought of ***”, which was quite clear.
Li Xuewu was the last to take the stage and the last to sit down, making him seem like the main character of the day.
Actually, looking at today's arrangements, this way of thinking isn't necessarily wrong; the Secretary-General really was the first to speak.
"Comrades, on behalf of the Group's Management Committee, I, on behalf of the Group's Management Committee, and Comrade Li Huaide, Director of the Management Committee and General Manager of the Group, will preside over today's meeting..."
Those in the audience who were perceptive had already discerned a different meaning from the secretary-general's first words.
Sitting next to Gu Weijie, Jing Yunong's eyes gleamed, and he secretly thought Gu Weijie was a little fox.
Old Li was incredibly unlucky to have met him!
"Shouldn't economic work be Gao Zong's responsibility?" Li Xuewu glanced at Ji Jiuzheng, who was standing to the right of the desk, and said, "You're asking me about this kind of thing?"
"It was arranged by Director Li."
Deputy Secretary-General Ji Jiuzheng showed no embarrassment or awkwardness, because he was just a messenger.
He wouldn't have come personally if it weren't for Director Li's arrangement, and if the person arranged was Li Xuewu.
"This is really going to kill me with exhaustion."
Li Xuewu complained directly to Ji Jiuzheng's face, without caring who assigned the work.
"Secretary-General, there is still time to prepare."
Ji Jiuzheng is also a veteran of the Hongxing Factory. He used to be the deputy director of the technical department and had known Li Xuewu for a long time.
But back then, Li Xuewu was just a security officer at the newly arrived Red Star Factory; now he is his superior.
Thinking back on Li Xuewu's work achievements over the years and his experience of climbing to the top by stepping on others, he felt immense pressure.
Another reason for Ji Jiuzheng's low spirits was his work experience at the Energy Corporation.
He considers this experience a failure in his life, as he failed to seize the opportunity, which affected his career plans.
The energy corporation is the first major enterprise in the group to establish a technical and management cooperation with foreign capital.
The group positions United Energy Corporation as a company that focuses on the present while looking to the future, with the goal of developing mineral resources, both domestically and internationally. The future potential is limitless.
In the early days of United Energy, the middle-level managers who were needed at the Red Star Factory were all in charge of their own areas. When there was a temporary shortage of manpower, he was given the opportunity.
What a pity, what a pity, he didn't seize the opportunity.
Now that Bu Qingfang is making a big fuss, and no one in the group is worried about the performance of United Energy Corporation, it only makes his incompetence in business seem more apparent.
Swapping positions with Bu Qingfang might seem like he was returning to work in an important department of the group, but in reality, the group leaders were deliberately humiliating him, making him learn from the experience from the back.
For almost a year, he hadn't recovered from that initial burst of energy, and his spirits and energy levels had plummeted.
Li Xuewu glanced at him, and although he was very reluctant to take on these tasks, he still took the documents and started reading.
"Is this being led by the General Management Department?"
As he looked at the document, he asked, "Which departments did Director Li assign to assist in the task?"
"Director Li didn't give any specific instructions, only saying that you would be responsible for organizing and coordinating the relevant work."
Ji Jiuzheng glanced at him cautiously and reported, "If you need anything, I'll contact you again when I come down."
"The 25th? Saturday?" Li Xuewu frowned, tapped the date on the document, looked up at him, and said, "Don't I need to take care of the work in Liaodong anymore?"
He pushed the documents in his hand away with some dissatisfaction and said, "I told Director Li that I don't have time. I'm planning to go back to Liaodong on Wednesday. I still have work to do there."
"This—" Ji Jiuzheng was in a dilemma. Li Xuewu could say these things, but he had no way to relay them to Director Li.
As the head of the group, Li Huaide can communicate with Li Xuewu over the phone, and meeting in person is also fine, but it's not acceptable for him to relay messages; he can't withstand the pressure.
"Director Li considered that the other party's identity was special, and the group had few people with experience in external work."
Of course, Ji Jiuzheng couldn't go back with a refusal, so after thinking for a moment, he took the initiative to explain, "After all, Sanhe Corporation is a foreign company that you were responsible for contacting, so what do you think..."
"This kind of work should be handled by General Manager Gao; she's the right person for it."
Li Xuewu glanced at him, tapping the documents in front of him with his fingers, and emphasized, "You clearly know this is foreign trade work, that involves dealing with foreign economic and trade matters, yet you didn't go to General Manager Gao but came to me. Do you think that's appropriate?"
"Yes, yes, I don't know either."
Ji Jiuzheng nodded repeatedly, feeling awkward, and stood there with his head slightly lowered, listening to Li Xuewu's dissatisfaction.
"I'm the one who contacted the companies, so all the work has to be handed over to me?"
Li Xuewu's eyelids drooped, and seeing that he was timid and silent, he reached out and pulled the document back.
On January 25, General Kenzo Matsumura, former Cabinet Minister of the Masaharu Masaharu family of Waseda University and Honorary Doctor of Law, led an economic and trade delegation to visit the mainland.
Sanhe Co., Ltd., a company that has been cooperating with mainland China for many years, was naturally included in the delegation.
The document brought by Ji Jiuzheng was an inquiry letter from Sanhe Co., Ltd., asking whether a new round of inter-company trade cooperation could be reached during this visit.
"What the hell is this? A coup d'état?"
After reading the document, Li Xuewu sneered and tossed it aside, saying with a snort, "Who gave them the guts?"
"The letter of inquiry was forwarded by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, and the leaders above should have also taken note of this intention to cooperate."
After careful consideration, Ji Jiuzheng replied, "I believe Director Li was also worried about problems, which is why he asked me to give the letter to you for processing, after all—"
He raised his hand somewhat awkwardly, implying that Sanhe Corporation and Li Xuewu had a close relationship and that Li Xuewu should be the one to resolve the matter.
Li Xuewu glanced at him, but didn't get angry at him. He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window.
The air in the office seemed to freeze. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "I understand. Go back and prepare. I'll be attending a meeting on the 25th."
"Yes, Secretary-General." Ji Jiuzheng finally received his reply, and a weight was lifted from his heart. He stretched his stiff neck, nodded, and said, "If you need anything, I will make preparations in advance."
"When will General Manager Gao return?" Li Xuewu turned to look at him and asked, "Is he still in Nanjing?"
"I heard it's in Jinling," Ji Jiuzheng replied cautiously. "If you need to contact General Manager Gao, I'll arrange for my office to inquire about the situation in Jinling."
"Forget it, let's talk about it then."
Li Xuewu sat up straight, picked up his teacup, glanced at him, and asked, "Did you go for your physical exam this year?"
"Oh? I went, I went."
Ji Jiuzheng didn't know why Li Xuewu suddenly asked him that question, so he answered somewhat hastily.
"No problem?"
Li Xuewu, with droopy eyelids, took a sip of hot tea, seemingly concerned about his health.
Ji Jiuzheng had also spent many years working in government offices, so he could easily detect the hidden meaning in his words.
"It's nothing serious, just that my prostate is a little enlarged."
He couldn't figure out Li Xuewu's intentions, and his answer couldn't be too simple, nor could it be too hypocritical.
So say what should be said, and don't say what shouldn't be said.
This confirms his work requirements and style of conduct as deputy secretary-general: low-key and cautious.
Li Xuewu put down his teacup and said, "Which office worker doesn't have a prostate problem by middle age?"
He looked up at Ji Jiuzheng and said sharply, "Just because your prostate is enlarged, you've exhausted all your energy? Look how listless you are."
Before Ji Jiuzheng, who was looking at him with a surprised expression, could speak, he lowered his eyes and said calmly, "If you don't have something difficult to say, then find a good doctor to take care of you. Don't be listless all day long. People who don't know you might think you're just wasting your time in the government office."
"……Yes, I understand."
Ji Jiuzheng was hit hard. Li Xuewu said this very casually, but with great force.
Even as he walked out of the office, his mind was still buzzing, demonstrating its extraordinary power.
"Deputy Secretary-General Ji, what brings you here?"
Zhang Enyuan came out of the room carrying documents. He saw Ji Jiuzheng standing at the door with his expression changing several times, and asked him in a low voice.
"Secretary Zhang, I'm done here. You can go now and get back to your work."
Ji Jiuzheng waved his hand somewhat hastily, picked up his notebook, and walked past Zhang Enyuan toward the office.
Zhang Enyuan turned around and looked at him, raising his eyebrows slightly, before turning and entering the secretary-general's office.
"Boss, we have a call for you."
He walked to Li Xuewu's desk, picked up the phone and spoke briefly to the group's communications team before handing the phone to Li Xuewu, saying, "It's a call from the garrison."
"Yes, I am Li Xuewu."
Li Xuewu initially didn't pay much attention. In the past year or two, he had received calls from both the garrison command and the 3rd Regiment, and he wasn't a missing person.
How can you take someone's salary and not do any work?
He was involved in coordinating training bases, organizing militia drills, and coordinating experiments with light infantry units, among other things.
However, he was mentally prepared for this call because when he returned from East Germany last time, the relevant leaders had spoken with him and asked about his attitude.
If this phone call wasn't business-related, it must be about the outcome of his next move in the garrison command.
When he was in the Security Department, the 816th Regiment merged with the Public Security Brigade to form the 3rd Guard Regiment. With his help, the 3rd Guard Regiment became an elite regiment, the most capable regiment.
Just as the Third Regiment of the Guard was achieving great success and becoming famous in the garrison area, Li Xuewu chose to retire at the height of his career.
Qi Yaowu didn't quite understand his actions, and other comrades in the Third Regiment also had some thoughts on the matter.
Several people, including Wang Xiaoqin, contacted him privately and asked him what he thought.
He had only one answer: he could not leave the Red Star Factory, and his attitude was very firm.
Wang Xiaoqin had worked at the Hongxing Factory and could understand his thoughts; they were quite complex.
It was only after Wang Xiaoqin's explanation that the entire Third Regiment tacitly accepted his invisibility.
In the past year or two, Li Xuewu has hardly been to the Third Regiment's garrison, even though it is very close to the courtyard house.
Qi Yaowu and the others also tacitly chose to support and wait, supporting his choice and waiting for the garrison district's decision.
In fact, Li Xuewu knew that he had put the garrison in a difficult position, and the longer the matter dragged on, the more awkward it would become.
Fortunately, someone came up with a solution.
In his previous conversation, Li Xuewu stated his position: he would step down if he could, and obey the organization's decision.
The person he was talking to was also surprised that he would have such thoughts, and even more surprised that his attitude would be so firm.
However, considering his position at Honggang Group, his choice can be understood from other perspectives.
In that leader's view, working in a company is nothing more than getting promoted faster and receiving a better salary and benefits.
However, given the current complex environment and the uncertainty of future developments, if it were him, he would definitely choose to stay in the Third Guard Regiment.
Even if it weren't him, anyone else would have made the same choice; stability is paramount.
If Li Xuewu had stayed in the Third Regiment, with his work ability, strong physique, and special background, he would have had excellent opportunities for development.
This is one of the reasons why those leaders are considering it.
Another reason is Li Xuewu's contributions to the development of the Third Garrison Regiment and other garrison units.
Whether such close cooperation will continue in the future is questionable if Li Xuewu's opinion is agreed upon.
What would they do in their shoes?
So after much consideration, we finally reached a decision today.
Li Xuewu listened to the request over the phone and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll be right there. Goodbye, Director Lu."
"Secretary-General, shall I prepare a car for you?"
Zhang Enyuan listened to his phone call but did not leave, waiting for his superior to give him any instructions.
I just heard from my boss on the phone that we need to go there right now, so we'll need a car.
"Okay, in ten minutes."
Li Xuewu raised his wrist to check the time, stood up and said, "Come with me to the garrison area."
"Okay, I'll contact the car company right now."
Zhang Enyuan readily agreed, packed his file bag, and then turned and left.
Li Xuewu pushed open the rest cubicle and looked at the green military uniform hanging on the wall. The Third Regiment of the Guard would send over a set of such clothes every year, including an overcoat and leather shoes.
After thinking about it, he closed the door and decided to wear the navy blue jacket he was wearing.
The collar of his white shirt stood firm, reflecting his attitude and determination. His jacket concealed his youthful brilliance, for he would eventually have to make a choice; he couldn't have his cake and eat it too.
After washing his face and putting down the towel, Zhang Enyuan came in and reported, "Secretary-General, the car is ready and downstairs."
"Okay, let's go."
Li Xuewu put down the towel very casually, no longer showing the hesitation he had when answering the phone.
Zhang Enyuan looked at him, then silently took the wool coat from the hanger and draped it over his shoulders.
***
The car only stopped briefly at the gate of the garrison area. After checking his identification, the guard saluted and let him pass, indicating that he had been notified.
This was the first time any of the group's car drivers had ever been to a place like this, and unfortunately, Zhang Enyuan was in the same boat.
The two sat in the front, and only found the location of the office building by relying on Li Xuewu, who was sitting in the back, to guide them.
"You guys wait for me in the car, you don't need to get out."
Li Xuewu gave a brief instruction, then walked into the office building alone without putting on a coat.
Zhang Enyuan had waited for his superiors before, and this time when he came to the garrison, he thought he might have to wait a while, but he didn't expect to wait for more than an hour.
If it weren't for the strict rules here, he would have gotten out of the car to find the leader, in case the leader needed something.
When Zhang Enyuan saw Li Xuewu come out of the office building again, he jumped out of the car and opened the door for him.
"Let's go back to the company."
Li Xuewu only gave one instruction before sitting back in the back seat and closing his eyes to rest after getting in the car.
Aside from the complex emotions he felt when welcoming the leaders, Zhang Enyuan couldn't figure out what the leaders had gone through here.
The group's office building was busy, and after Li Xuewu returned to his office, Zhang Enyuan did not arrange for anyone to report on their work, and he proactively turned down anyone who wasn't in a hurry.
He wasn't sure what state his boss was in, but at least when he got back to the office, his boss wasn't working.
The leader took a thick red book from the bookshelf and started reading, then sat down on the sofa.
It wasn't until the end-of-get off work bell rang that Zhang Enyuan tidied up the documents in his office, checked the time on his hand, and confirmed that it was already ten minutes past the end of the workday before knocking on the door of his boss's office.
Without waiting for the leader's permission, he pushed open the door and went in. Seeing that the leader was still sitting on the sofa reading a book, he quietly reminded him, "Secretary-General, it's time to go home."
"Hmm." Li Xuewu simply responded, and after a while, he put down the red book in his hand, leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and began to think.
Zhang Enyuan didn't dare to disturb him. He was just sure that his boss knew he had come in and that it was time to leave work.
The bigger the office, the harder it is to organize, especially these past few days since the secretary-general returned to Beijing. The departments below are all trying to save time and avoid reporting to the steel city again, so they are rushing to submit the documents for review here.
He tidied up the documents that the secretary-general had reviewed and signed, and placed them on a corner of the conference table.
He doesn't need to distribute them or inform the office; someone will come to pick them up first thing tomorrow morning.
He would rearrange the documents that he couldn't approve according to their urgency and set them aside. If there were any particularly urgent ones, he would take them out separately and hand them to the secretary-general after getting in the car, reminding him that he must give his opinion today.
This is why the work of a secretary is necessary.
It serves as both the leader's assistant and their alarm clock, reminding them what to do and when.
"No need to see me off, you can go straight to the guesthouse." Li Xuewu opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Enyuan, saying, "It will save you the trouble of running back and forth."
"No trouble at all." Zhang Enyuan finished tidying up the documents, turned around and smiled at his leader, saying, "There's no particularly urgent work today. I was even thinking of taking a stroll around the city."
"Then let's call Peng Xiaoli and the others."
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at him, saying, "We might be staying in the capital for a bit longer, so you can explore the city more."
"Peng Xiaoli has to spend time with his wife after get off work."
Zhang Enyuan did have some connection with this "senior," and it was Peng Xiaoli who took the initiative to invite him.
The two are from the same family and have a natural network of relationships; they are friends who can sit down and drink together.
He was merely responding to the leader's concern and did not mention Peng Xiaoli's intentions.
Having observed Li Xuewu's expression, he asked softly, "Sir, what's the purpose of going to the garrison this afternoon...?"
"Hmm, this is a bit troublesome—"
Li Xuewu let out a long sigh, gently patted the red book he had just read, and looked at Zhang Enyuan, asking, "Do you think I have the image of a teacher?"
"Huh? This—" Zhang Enyuan was taken aback by his question, then tentatively asked, "Are you asking me to go somewhere to be a teacher?"
"Yes, Zhengfa Academy, Associate Professor."
Li Xuewu stood up, walked to the window, and looked out. The Liangmahe Industrial Zone was laid out before him.
"Associate Professor? I didn't even know I had this ability."