MMB Chapter 1593 Rally
Chapter 1593 Rally
Chapter 1593 Rally
The receiving team from Xi'an was stuck in the steel city, unable to move forward or backward.
Gu An appeared anxious, but inwardly he remained calm. Apart from calling once a day to inquire about the progress, he spent the rest of his time resting, a rare opportunity for relaxation.
"The environment here is quite nice."
He had already scouted his brother-in-law's office, and it was impossible for him not to feel envious.
The two are at roughly the same job level, but their working environments are vastly different.
"Hehe, it's alright." Li Xuewu was looking at documents and chatting with him casually. The two had been spending a few days together and there was no need for formalities anymore.
"It's so much more comfortable being a business!"
Gu An leaned back; the texture of the leather sofa was definitely incomparable to that of wood.
"What? Are you envious?" Li Xuewu looked up at him with amusement and asked, "How about I talk to Dad and you switch to working for a company?"
"Sigh—" Gu An sighed and said helplessly, "You've been in the military before, so you should know what this feels like."
"It's hard to break out of an environment once you've stayed in it for a long time. I may not be able to adapt to the local environment."
“That’s not necessarily true.” Li Xuewu smiled and looked at him, saying, “Local areas still need cadres with outstanding management abilities, just like you.”
"Do we really need to be so overly flattering?"
Gu An glanced at him with amusement, sipped his hot tea, and then turned his gaze back to the large office. How comfortable it must be to work here.
However, after only sitting with Li Xuewu for a morning, he didn't think such a large office was worth it, because Li Xuewu was just too busy.
To put it simply, he arrived here late this morning, but the reports kept coming in.
Not only did I have to report on my work, but I also had to handle some temporary matters and even attend a meeting.
He was representing his company to make a statement, so he had to sit there for the whole morning. But seeing his brother-in-law so busy, he felt exhausted himself and realized he couldn't do the work.
He spent the entire morning there, except when he went to the toilet, witnessing firsthand how Li Xuewu worked.
There's no need for lengthy explanations; if any department is involved, a phone call is all it takes to summon them to his office for a meeting.
Concise and to the point.
With his keen insight into right and wrong, his ability to discern contradictions, and his decisive and efficient work style, it's no wonder his father thought highly of his work in the local area. He's truly remarkable.
"Secretary-General, has Director Li replied?"
Gao Yaqin appeared at the door with a document in her hand. After asking this question, she saw Gu An.
"You must be Captain Gu," she greeted him politely.
Gu An stood up and looked at Li Xuewu. He didn't recognize the woman, but she looked like a leader, so he waited for his brother-in-law to introduce her to him.
"The group's chief economist is Gao Yaqin."
Before my brother-in-law could even introduce them, the other person introduced themselves first, and they were very capable.
"Hello, I'm Gu An."
Gu An appropriately showed goodwill, and he could see that the other person's eyes also held goodwill.
No need to think about it, the other party must know about his relationship with Li Xuewu.
"Please sit down, there's no need to be so polite."
Gao Yaqin smiled and nodded, then looked at Li Xuewu and said, "Were the pilots in our group's flight team introduced by Captain Gu?"
"It was nothing." Gu An glanced at her and said with a smile, "We should also thank Honggang Group for their support and assistance in our demobilization and resettlement."
"Then we're family now."
Gao Yaqin smiled and looked at him, saying, "Mutual support and help are only natural."
"..." Gu An was slightly taken aback, then smiled more and said, "It's a deep bond between fish and water."
This brief exchange revealed to Gu An the complexities of local work; he rarely encountered such a character who immediately set traps in the military.
"I haven't received any calls from the company." After they finished their pleasantries, Li Xuewu spread his hands and asked, "What about your end?"
"This is Liaodong." Gao Yaqin let out a long breath and said, "You're asking me about something like this?"
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu stood up, gestured to the sofa and said, "Sit down, sit down and let's talk."
"I won't sit here anymore, I'm going to Yingcheng."
Gao Yaqin shrugged and said, "Anyway, there won't be any news for a while, so I might as well take this time to go to Yingcheng for a stroll. It's been a long time since I've been there."
"That's good, Xu Sinian must miss you." Li Xuewu said with a smile, "He must miss you terribly."
"Then I think I'd better not go."
Gao Yaqin smiled helplessly, nodded to Gu An, and said, "Captain Gu, even without the Secretary-General's connection, we're still family here."
"Please rest here for a few more days. We'll work together to solve any problems that may arise."
Seeing Gu An get up, she nodded and said to Li Xuewu, "I need to go to the port area to take a look. The port will open at the end of next year, and there are many things that need to be prepared in advance."
“Okay, that’s fine too.” Li Xuewu saw her to the door and gently reminded her, “Don’t agree to any of Xu Sinian’s requests. He’s been acting very strangely lately.”
"So what if he jumps?" Gao Yaqin raised an eyebrow at him and said, "With you here to keep him in check, let him jump."
"You should be prepared for the projects involving the port area," she reminded Li Xuewu, "especially those projects that you are managing on behalf of others."
"Yes, Santa Ya Group, Ng Fung Hong and Geely Star Shipbuilding will all be moving in."
Li Xuewu nodded slowly, then frowned and said, "Jilixing Shipbuilding is interested in undertaking the management project."
"You agreed to their request?" Gao Yaqin raised an eyebrow and said, "More than one company contacted me."
"Is the Guangzhou Trade Fair about to end?"
Li Xuewu, with a wicked glint in his eye, suggested, "Once things are settled here, you can fly to Hong Kong. Even if you can't reach an agreement, at least let the word get out that next year..."
“The sand artifacts are now in the port city.”
Hearing him say that, Gao Yaqin narrowed her eyes slightly and asked, "Do you think the import and export trade fair in September would be suitable...?"
"This year's exhibition will mainly be an experimental event, and we will explore expanding it next year."
Li Xuewu said softly, "The current situation is not very favorable for us, as you know."
"My suggestion is to give the lower levels some buffer time, and also give the upper levels some buffer time."
He pointed vaguely with his finger and emphasized, "Stable development is more important than anything else. We have long since passed the stage of reckless action. Now we are afraid that all our previous efforts will be in vain."
“Then I’ll wait for your news.” Gao Yaqin thought for a moment, nodded and said, “After I return from Yingcheng and settle things here, I’ll go back to the group and report this to Director Li.”
"I still want to thank you." Li Xuewu smiled and extended his hand, saying, "Your kindness is beyond words."
"That's a bit hypocritical—"
Gao Yaqin slapped his hand away, waved with a smile, and said, "I'm leaving now, no need to see me off."
***
"Hey?"
"I am Li Xuewu."
Zhang Enyuan arranged the call and connected it to the office, at which point Li Xuewu picked up the phone.
"If I go to Director Zhu now, he should have already retired, right?"
"Hehehe—" The other person chuckled for a while and said, "Why are you so direct?"
"He still owes me a meal, why can't I just say so?" Li Xuewu laughed and asked, "Who's in charge now? Deputy Factory Director Bai?"
He asked that on purpose, just to see how the other person would answer.
Liu Yongtao, the director of the office of Beijing Chemical Industry, was the one who got so drunk with the other guy last time.
Even when talking on the phone, the other end's tone is noticeably weaker, and it's not without the influence of that drinking session.
Li Xuewu is now a well-known connoisseur of wine; no one asks him to drink when he goes out on business.
He became famous overnight.
"Director Zhang, he was just transferred here three months ago."
Liu Yongtao explained, "Deputy Factory Director Bai is now mainly in charge of business operations, so you can contact him if you need anything."
"Then it's okay if I contact you, right?"
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "I have a situation here, could you ask about it for me?"
"No!" Liu Yongtao said with a smile, "Your matter must be serious. It would be pointless for me to listen. How about I contact Deputy Director Bai for you, or you can ask Director Zhang directly?"
“I’ve never dealt with Director Zhang before, how can we communicate over the phone?” Li Xuewu said casually, “Just convey my message. If it works out, great; if not, forget it.”
Without waiting for Liu Yongtao to ramble on, he bluntly explained the needs of Liaodong's industry.
That's not the core issue. The core issue is that he mentioned going to East Germany at the end of last year, where Zhu Xiaolin and Bai Changmin both wanted to develop tertiary industries, to see what the Beijing chemical industry is like today.
If he's interested, then we can discuss it; if he's not, he certainly won't force it.
Honggang Group brought back quite a few good things from East Germany, which made Beijing Chemical Industry very envious.
The two parties are currently negotiating cooperation on technologies related to the automotive industry, such as paint, nylon, foam, and flame-retardant materials, to jointly develop and establish production units. Honggang Group is considering contributing its technology as equity.
The fertilizer production, crude oil refining, chemical fiber and synthetic resin that Jingcheng Chemical obtained are exactly what Honggang Group needs, which is the basis for the cooperation between the two parties.
In particular, Honggang Group acquired the matching automotive shell production technology for synthetic resins.
This was a mutually beneficial situation, and his proposal to establish a fertilizer plant in Liaodong and develop tertiary industries was an unexpected boon for Beijing's chemical industry.
Now it depends on who takes charge of Beijing Chemical Industry.
Why not call Bai Changmin? The communication between the two sides went smoothly during the trip to East Germany, and they had already developed a private relationship. Why can't some things be said openly?
Yes, this involves too many relationships; their friendship alone wouldn't be enough to support it.
Furthermore, if personal relationships are used to implicate this kind of cooperation, it will inevitably backfire sooner or later.
So this call wasn't made to anyone else, but directly to Liu Yongtao.
Li Xuewu had already made inquiries and found out that if Bai Changmin hadn't taken over, and a new leader had been parachuted into Beijing's industrial sector to replace Zhu Xiaolin, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to speak with the other party.
If he's in the capital, that's fine. He can go around and meet people, and they'll definitely be willing to see him.
Some things can't be explained clearly over the phone, especially when emotions aren't fully expressed.
Instead of wasting time, it's better to give Liu Yongtao a heads-up and wait for his reaction before contacting him again.
If that's really the case, that Zhang guy will definitely have Bai Changmin, someone he knows, contact him. If he doesn't, then contacting Bai Changmin would only be setting up obstacles for future meetings.
He had no idea what the situation was like at Beijing Chemical Industry. What if it was a battle between two tigers?
We can't abandon Jingcheng Chemical, so Liaodong Industry took the lead for them. The follow-up work must be completed; we can't let ourselves break our promise.
What bad luck! I didn't do anything, but I've already caused a huge mess. I feel so frustrated.
They don't even know who the other party is, or who set this up for them.
Through his conversation with Gu An, Li Xuewu realized that this whole scheme was set up specifically for the two of them.
That's too direct, and it treats them like dirt, just blatantly sticking it on their foreheads.
This is outrageous!
Of course, it's impossible to say there wasn't a mole. Li Xuewu had already figured out who the mole was, but now he needed to find out who had helped him.
Similarly, he also needed to ascertain Li Huaide's stance and attitude on this matter.
Why didn't he just ask Dong Wenxue directly?
We can't ask, because his stance and attitude on the No. 4 furnace issue are very ambiguous.
Contact with Dong Wenxue has decreased significantly, although both of them know that they must stay closely connected and stand together.
However, the subtleties involved are beyond words.
Dong Wenxue must resent him; he clearly had the ability, but he didn't help him put out the fire in time.
Despite the long delay and the fact that the investigation team has come down several times, no final results have been given.
Even Jing Yunong could see something was wrong; either it was his scheme, or he was deliberately ignoring it.
In any case, it all comes down to his attitude, so calling Dong Wenxue at this point is pointless and will only make him angry.
Even if he hadn't made that call, Dong Wenxue wouldn't have let things escalate to an irreversible point, because this matter involved Gu An.
An irreparable rift has formed between the two of them, but they will not blame Gu An.
Therefore, there is no need to make this call.
There has been discussion within the group regarding the relationship between Dong Wenxue and others.
Some say the master and disciple turned against each other, some say it was all pretense, and others say he discarded the donkey after it had served its purpose; the reasons are varied.
Li Xuewu himself thought that Dong Wenxue resented him for another reason, which was related to that incident back then.
He was the one who ultimately resolved the issue between Dong Wenxue and that waitress in Liaodong.
At the time, Dong Wenxue was grateful to him, as he had saved his future and family. However, as time has passed, the story has taken a different turn.
Li Xuewu had anticipated this; he had considered this matter when Han Shu approached him and explained the cause and effect of the matter to Han Shu.
But Han Shu assured him that no matter the outcome, he would not be implicated, and would even take the initiative to coordinate.
Han Shu wanted to save his family and his last bit of face. Li Xuewu didn't know the state of his relationship with his wife, or if they had any lingering resentment.
However, he played a crucial role in this matter, as any conflict in Dong Wenxue's marital relationship and family dynamics would be directed at him.
It was his reflection and shame on his wrongdoings, as well as the prejudice that inevitably formed during the process of repairing his self-esteem after escaping danger.
This mentality is not hard to understand. Even though you helped him, you still have to face his indifference.
Because you saw his most cowardly and despicable side. If you magnified it, in the ancient struggle between emperors, he would have been killed to silence him long ago.
Therefore, the cooling of their relationship did not begin after the other returned to Beijing, but rather started from that point onwards.
Does Li Xuewu not know the gains and losses involved?
He knew, but if he didn't help, his father-in-law would be upset, and Han Shu would blame him for not saving him from a life in danger.
Dong Wenxue will also be disappointed in him, and their alliance will inevitably break down. He will also lose an important relationship at the Red Star Factory.
So the choice we made back then was out of necessity; it was both helpless and understandable.
From the fact that Gu Anlai never mentioned the other party when he came to Gangcheng, it's clear that Dong Wenxue must have contacted his brother-in-law, since they are brothers.
Li Xuewu's current situation can be described as being surrounded by dangers on all sides, with the possibility of being abandoned at any time.
If Li Huaide really wanted to abandon him, it would be simple: he could dismiss him from his post and transfer him back to the capital, taking the blame for the rest.
What is Gao Yaqin here for?
Just think about the attitude they expressed when they came to the steel city, and you'll understand that they're not exactly a friendly bunch.
If Li Xuewu had shown even a little weakness or the slightest lack of confidence, the other party would have been prepared to replace him and take over the work.
Li Huaide was expressing his dissatisfaction, putting pressure on him, and warning him not to disobey.
Gao Yaqin was very shrewd. She was considering whether the relationship between Da Li and Xiao Li had truly broken down, and she was also thinking about the deeper reasons why Gu An was here.
She dared not place a bet blindly, because Li Xuewu had been in Liaodong for quite some time.
Even if Li Xuewu had no influence in the group, she might not be able to control the situation even with the blank order signed by Li Huaide in her bag.
Who is Li Xuewu? He has long since developed the shrewdness of a monkey through countless elimination rounds.
To scheme against him? She needed to be prepared.
Upon seeing Li Xuewu's tough attitude and sharp words, she knew things were going badly.
His decisiveness was so great that he was able to persuade Liaodong Industry to help him shoulder this burden.
She never doubted Li Xuewu's social skills; he was a social tyrant.
But she never imagined that Li Xuewu would have such power, managing to withstand the opponent's first wave of attacks in such a short time amidst the entanglement of several parties.
The current situation is perhaps something that even the person behind him did not anticipate. Given the nationwide decentralization of industrial enterprises to local management, who has such great power to directly influence local industries?
Gao Yaqin is a very shrewd woman. If there is no possibility of her taking over, she will never show any intention of usurping the position. Instead, she will take the initiative to express goodwill, ease tensions, and even express her support for Li Xuewu to the group.
The atmosphere at the time seemed like two people were arguing, but in reality, swords were drawn and tensions were high.
She dares to feign compliance and play the game of waiting for an opportunity; Li Xuewu is absolutely capable of bringing her down in Liaodong and preventing her from returning to the capital.
Gao Yaqin dared not gamble on whether Li Xuewu had any tricks up his sleeve, because she had arrived in such a hurry and did not have any sure-win cards.
Don't blame her for being hesitant; she had to guard against Li Huaide's treacherous and cunning nature.
Giving her a blank document and expecting her to come to Liaodong, what kind of nonsense is that?
If things really take a turn for the worse and Li Xuewu remains unmoved, she will have to face Li Xuewu's unequal and strongest counterattack.
Li Xuewu is petty and has made an example of someone before; it's not the first time he's done this. You could say he's vindictive and vengeful.
She even suspected that Li Huaide had deliberately sent her here, mainly to scheme against her.
She became too close to Li Xuewu in business, and even listened to his opinions on many things. In her opinion, this was nothing, after all, Li Xuewu had great insights into economic work.
However, General Manager Li Huaide believes that this is not necessarily the case. The tacit cooperation between the two and their frequent interactions have already had a certain impact on the group's ecosystem.
As the general manager, what situation does Li Huaide most want to see?
The problem is that there are some minor differences among the people in his team, so they don't stand together, but it doesn't affect their work. The team all listens to him.
This is impossible, but he must keep pushing the relationships between team members toward this state in order to improve his control.
That's what he thought, but not everyone was willing to agree, such as Li Xuewu and Gao Yaqin.
Li Xuewu used him as a shield, and he used Li Xuewu as a troublemaker; neither of them had good intentions.
Therefore, in this round, Li Xuewu will not only face conspiracies in the dark, but also tests of relationships.
Of course, Li Huaide might not care; under pressure, he could abandon anyone.
Even if Li Xuewu gets away, he will have plenty of time to repair the relationship between the two.
He bet that Li Xuewu wouldn't dare to die together with him, because he had leverage over Li Xuewu that Li Xuewu wouldn't dare to gamble on—that kid from Tianjin.
-
"Secretary-General! I am Shangguan Qi."
The phone rang suddenly. Hearing the anxiety on the other end of the line, Li Xuewu frowned and asked, "Yes, it's me. What's wrong?"
"Secretary-General, Peter has been taken away."
Shangguan Qi reported in a hoarse voice, her voice filled with fear: "This morning, the comrades from the group's security department took him away without any reason."
"Who picked him up?" Li Xuewu's brows furrowed even deeper; he was furious.
"Let me ask you something, please wait a moment."
It seemed that Shangguan Qi wasn't alone on the other end. After asking a question, she returned to the microphone and reported, "It's people from the Confidentiality Department, and Zhang Yamin is leading the team."
"Yes, I understand." Li Xuewu remained calm and said, "If it's convenient for you, report this matter to Comrade Xia Zhongquan."
"I understand." Shangguan Qi was flustered at this moment, and her voice trembled as she answered.
"If Comrade Xia Zhongquan finds out, you don't need to worry about this matter. Just focus on your work."
Li Xuewu gave her one more instruction and then hung up the phone.
The Institute of Power and Optoelectronics, located 800 miles away, even used its security personnel without his knowledge. Was this a provocation or a threat?
Peter had been under surveillance for quite some time, and he was not unprepared, but these precautions proved utterly ineffective in the face of the unexpected situation.
Peter came from East Germany, bringing with him optoelectronic technology, and was an important talent he brought back through his efforts.
Li Huaide was aware of this matter, as it was something he was in charge of, and he must have known the value of this person.
Now that the security department has taken action, he hasn't stopped it. What is he trying to do?
Honggang Group doesn't belong to Li Xuewu alone. If he continues down this path, who will listen to his orders in the future?
Furthermore, Honggang Group has introduced a lot of technology from East Germany, and many technical engineers work at Honggang Group. Given this background, why would they do this? Aren't they afraid of causing instability in these projects?
Li Xuewu hadn't expected this situation to arise, so he had to wait for the phone to ring.
The most likely scenario is that Xia Zhongquan will attack.
But the first call came from Yu Decai, the manager of the Quality, Safety and Environmental Protection Department, who was his former deputy.
"Secretary-General, I am Yu Decai."
pat-
When Li Xuewu heard it was him, he didn't respond at all and hung up the phone immediately.
His call came both late and early.
It's late to say this because, as the manager of the Quality and Safety Department, he should have reported this matter to Shangguan Qi before Shangguan Qi called, but he didn't.
It's too early to say that, because Li Xuewu hasn't won this defensive counterattack yet, and it's not time to settle the score. It's a bit premature for him to admit his mistakes and surrender.
Even Gao Yaqin knew he was vindictive, let alone someone who had been his deputy for two or three years.
He owes his success to Dong Wenxue's recognition and support, but he also owes it to Li Xuewu's guidance and support. Without Li Xuewu, he wouldn't be where he is today.
Li Xuewu didn't want to hear his explanation now; no matter how good his reasons were, they were not enough to quell his anger in the face of the facts.
This is a slap in the face to him.
Although he has left the group's security system, his contributions to security work are not so insignificant; it's not like he's been completely forgotten just because he left.
He doesn't want to answer anyone's calls right now; he just wants to hear what Xia Zhongquan has to say.
The phone rang quickly; this time it was Xia Zhongquan, and his tone was very serious.
"I'll go see Director Li right now. If there isn't a sufficient reason for this, I will definitely give you an explanation."
This was completely different from his usual timid personality, and you could tell he was also annoyed and angry.
This incident didn't happen in Liaodong, but at the research institute, which was his territory.
Someone was able to pick someone up right under his nose without making a sound. This was different from the incident with Cheng Kaiyuan a while ago, where the other party crossed the line.
Li Xuewu said nothing and hung up the phone again. He didn't believe that Li Huaide would risk giving up the future of the group's technological development to gamble on this.
Even if he gets through this smoothly, the group will lose its two legs in Liaodong and scientific research, and the industrial and scientific research situation will decline. Can he bear the consequences?
"Connect me to the Group's General Management Department."
Li Xuewu thought for a moment, picked up the phone and took it back, his target being his headquarters.
The call was answered by the General Office. Upon hearing that it was the Secretary-General, they quickly transferred the call to the Deputy Secretary-General.
"Secretary-General, I am Chen Shuzhi."
"Comrade Shouzhi, is it convenient for us to talk?"
Li Xuewu's voice carried a hint of coldness. After hearing the other party's cautious reply, he said, "I discussed it with General Manager Gao, and we need to increase the scale of the import and export trade fairs in the second half of this year."
"Secretary-General," Chen Shuzhi's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "What about me..."
"President Gao will be returning to Beijing in the next few days. Contact her and then go to Hong Kong with her."
Li Xuewu said over the phone, "We must make sure to take the reception and coordination work seriously."
He didn't give the other person a chance to speak, and said bluntly, "The group's supervision in the port city is not very comprehensive. At this time, it would be unnecessary to send comrades from the discipline inspection and supervision department there rashly. After discussing it, we think it is more appropriate to send you there."
"Secretary-General, this is me—"
Chen Shuzhi panicked and explained, "There's still a lot of work to be done in the General Management Department. Could you arrange for another colleague, or could I make a few more trips..."
"I feel more at ease if you go. The work in the second half of the year will mainly revolve around the trade fair."
Li Xuewu didn't allow him to argue further, and said firmly, "I don't trust anyone else to go. If something goes wrong, it will be a big deal. Let's leave it at that."
He hung up the phone as soon as he finished speaking. I haven't received any feedback from the management of the General Management Department in the past few days. There's no need to save face for someone like him.
We're not dealing with him now because it's not the right time yet, but there's no need to keep him around to continue being an eyesore.
Go to the port city?
Is the port city so easy to visit?
As the head of the international business division, Sha Qi spends most of the year in Tianjin. Even when there is necessary work, he takes many people with him to avoid getting involved in any karma.
This time, Li Xuewu was determined to keep him in the port city for three months, until the trade fair opened in September. They would then see how many self-defense tricks he had up his sleeve.
Three months later, when the other party returns, whoever dares to use him, Li Xuewu will ignite this bomb and see who gets blown up.
Gao Yaqin didn't dare stay in Gangcheng for even a day longer than three months, haha.
He's not made of clay. If you want to play these underhanded tricks, he'll play along. At worst, it'll be a fight to the death, and we'll start all over again.
Li Xuewu continued reading the documents, using work to calm his emotions; he had to stay calm at this moment.
He's only 24 this year, and even if he leaves Honggang Group, he'll still have plenty of time to make a name for himself.
Even if I leave, I have to let these people know that they shouldn't mess with the wrong people.
Ring ring ring—
The phone rang, but Li Xuewu didn't answer it.
Xia Zhongquan's call won't come back so soon, and there's no need to answer other people's calls.
Even if he doesn't answer, the office will; important work won't be missed.
The phone rang only six times before stopping. A moment later, Zhang Enyuan knocked on the door and came in, reporting softly, "It was Deputy Director Dong on the phone. He said he knew about the security department's situation, and that General Manager Yu had told him."
“I don’t know,” Li Xuewu said calmly. “I don’t care who he told, I just know he didn’t tell me.”
"Then—" Zhang Enyuan hesitated for a moment and asked, "How should I respond to Deputy Director Dong's call?"
"Just say that." Li Xuewu's voice gradually became impatient, and Zhang Enyuan decisively shut up.
At this hour, the corridor was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. No one dared to laugh or talk loudly in such a depressing environment. The phone kept ringing, its sound extremely jarring.
Not long after Zhang Enyuan left, Zhang Jing knocked on the door and came in, frowning as he reported, "Secretary-General, Gangfei reported that Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's researchers suddenly received orders to evacuate."
"Okay." Li Xuewu replied calmly, "Contact Shen Fei and ask what's going on."
"I asked, and they said they received a request from higher authorities to temporarily suspend the cooperation." Zhang Jing glanced at him and reported softly, "I asked them over there, and they seemed to be very vague. It's because we've used a lot of foreign researchers, but they haven't confirmed it yet."
“Okay, I understand.” Li Xuewu looked up at him and said, “Go to Gangfei and see Kong Xiaobo. Tell him what I said: arrange for the accountant to settle the cooperative projects between the two parties, submit the accounts as soon as possible, I will sign them, and then send them to Shen Fei.”
"Boss—this—" Zhang Jing looked at him in surprise and said, "Is the situation that serious?"
"Heh—" Li Xuewu chuckled coldly, leaning back in his chair and said, "This is the perfect time to screen friends, don't you think?"
“I…” Zhang Jing hesitated before reminding him, “We have signed a cooperation agreement.”
"Yes, they breached the contract."
Li Xuewu said calmly, "They voluntarily gave up the cooperation; the fault does not lie with us."
“But—” Zhang Jing placed his hand on the desk, leaned forward, and said softly, “Only the steel aircraft project has been stopped; the engine and other projects are still running. Is it appropriate to liquidate the projects at this time…”
"Don't you have a good relationship with the leaders of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation? Why don't you make a call and ask?"
"Is it necessary at this point?"
Li Xuewu looked at him, raised an eyebrow slightly, and said, "Zhang Jing, remember this: there are never winners or losers in cooperation, only in competition."
"From the very beginning, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation has been competing with us in this race."
He tapped the table with his finger and said, "You have Steelfly, which means you are a potential competitor to them. Project cooperation is just a delaying tactic."
"Steel flies in Liaodong, and Honggang Group has set a comparative example for the industry in Liaodong."
Li Xuewu's lips curled up slightly as he said, "In Deputy Director Lu's eyes in Liaodong, if you can't outrun Honggang Group, you must be able to outrun its subsidiaries, right?"
"We're a target right here."
He opened his palm and said, “When the weather is fine, we can talk about cooperation, and they have no choice but to actively pursue cooperation because it is their pressure.”
"But they won't miss any opportunity to kick someone when they're down, even if it's just a test."
Li Xuewu clenched his fist and gestured to him, saying, "Not even once. If he dares to bare his teeth, I'll beat him up."
"I understand." Zhang Jing nodded slowly and said, "Then, is it very disadvantageous for us to only liquidate Gangfei's project at this time?"
“It’s okay, they have to react.”
Li Xuewu said nonchalantly, "The joint industrial system can withstand this loss."
“Projects such as engines are bound to encounter difficulties, which gives us the opportunity to contact and cooperate with other units. We are not the only option.”
"Then... what about the group..."
Zhang Jing reminded him, "Shouldn't you report this decision to the group?"
“Of course, of course I’ll report.” Li Xuewu sat up straight and continued reading the documents. “I’ll do it whenever I have time. There’s no rush.”
Of course he wasn't in a hurry. If Li Huaide dared to stir up a hornet's nest at the research institute, he would dare to demolish Liaodong's home.
It's just a steel project, especially in the face of such last-minute defection. If he doesn't do something, the people in the group will really look down on him.
Furthermore, he is the head of the group's industrial operations in Liaodong, and therefore has the authority to handle all matters.
Especially if the other side takes the initiative to withdraw its personnel, he wouldn't be himself if he didn't seize the opportunity to make a move.
It is believed that Wang Xin of Gangfei was also testing him. The reason why he did not move on the engine project was because he was betting that Gangfei would lose his composure. With his own backyard in trouble, Gangfei took the initiative to call him and redefine the cooperation between the two parties.
Haha, don't even think about it.
Li Xuewu's intention is to shut down the project if there's no cooperation, and prevent it from ever starting again.
Since both sides have put in equal effort and funding, and the research progress is in their own hands, what is he afraid of? Settling accounts is the killer move.
If they dare to remove the chair this time, they'll dare to pour chili oil on the rope that hanged him next time.
Wang Xin is a very clever person, but there are countless examples of how cleverness can backfire.
***
Xia Zhongquan's call never came, but Zhou Yao and Wang Lu called separately during that time.
Zhou Yao explained the situation at the Security Department. That day, she was assigned to the Red Star Training Ground, where there was a training program in cooperation with the Third Guard Regiment.
Of course, she offered an explanation, admitting her mistake—a basic one.
Li Xuewu did not reprimand her, but told her that the head of the confidentiality department must be replaced, and that the department's personnel work priorities should be reviewed.
His tone wasn't menacing, but his words were full of killing intent; he wanted to make an example of someone to deter others and prevent future trouble.
Zhou Yao understood the deeper meaning, and after confirming that he didn't need any help, she proactively promised that it wouldn't happen again.
She knew that even with Gu Yan around, her mistake this time had caused trouble for her second brother.
It was because she failed in her management duties that a loophole appeared at headquarters, and her second brother was slapped in the face.
If it happens again, even without her second brother saying anything, she won't have the face to work in the security department anymore.
Wang Lu's phone call was very long-winded. She works in the labor union and told him everything she knew, useful and useless, as if she was afraid he wouldn't know what was going on in the group.
Li Xuewu wanted to remind her that she didn't need to do that, but Wang Lu seemed even more anxious than him, so he had no choice.
Not all the information she provided was useless; the news about Chief Engineer Xia Zhongquan slamming his fist on the table in General Manager Li's office was quite shocking.
She had heard that Xia Zhongquan was furious. He not only slammed his fist on the table but also warned President Li that he would resign if he did not see Peter within three days.
The implication behind forcing a chief engineer who personally established the research institute to resign is quite clear.
If Li Huaide dares to do that, the research institute will certainly still exist; he just needs to send a management team to oversee the work.
However, for a long time, as long as Xia Zhongquan's influence remains, morale will not recover, researchers' motivation and confidence will be hit, not to mention ongoing projects.
By doing this, Xia Zhongquan has almost pushed himself into an unnecessary confrontation.
Because he had no reason to do it, at least that's how it appears to others.
If Li Huaide is treated this way, his future development will be in danger. Will Li Huaide still use him?
Li Xuewu knew that this was what Xia Zhongquan had told him on the phone—that he would get a reply.
It's a very simple logic. If Xia Zhongquan doesn't take responsibility for Peter's incident, then he won't have to do any more work, and the pressure from Peter's situation will shift from Li Huaide to him.
Because the people from the research institute couldn't see Li Huaide, but they could see him and knew that he hadn't taken action.
Therefore, Xia Zhongquan had no choice but to take action at this point, as he was already in a dangerous position.
So, who will win this rally?