MMB Chapter 1680 Good Stuff
Chapter 1680 Good Stuff
Chapter 1680 Good Stuff
Why aren't you eating this fish?
The girl who was kneeling next to Kenzo Matsumura got up at the old man's instruction and came over to pour wine.
When the girl arrived in front of Li Xuewu in order, she noticed that the sashimi in the bowl and plate had not been touched, so she couldn't help but ask a question out of curiosity.
Li Xuewu looked at her with genuine surprise, not because he was surprised that she was talking to him, but because he was surprised that she could actually speak.
He certainly wouldn't be impolite enough to assume that the other party was a dud for not speaking during the banquet; quite the opposite.
In this banquet atmosphere that transcends both private and commercial boundaries, she shouldn't have spoken.
He believes that this should be part of Japanese etiquette as well: children should not ask questions while adults are talking.
“Hehehe—” Matsumura Kenzo looked at the two of them with amusement. When he saw Li Xuewu looking at him, he explained, “This is Nanako, my granddaughter. She came to the countryside to take care of me.”
Huh? Isn't this still in Tokyo? How come once we're outside the most bustling city center, it's considered the countryside?
Think about the pavilions and towers we saw when we arrived. This is what you call the countryside?
Seeing her grandfather's explanation, Nanako Matsumura bowed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed. After pouring Li Xuewu a cup of wine, she stood up, holding the white porcelain wine pot, and took small steps back to her grandfather's side.
Is the food not to your liking?
Kenzo Matsumura seems to have a childlike spirit, or perhaps he is becoming increasingly insightful as he approaches his death.
"Should we...?"
“I rarely eat fish,” Li Xuewu nodded slightly and explained, “whether it’s raw or cooked, I don’t eat it even at home.”
That would certainly be a pity.
Kenzo Matsumura said with some melancholy, "I have an old friend who, like you, never ate fish in his life. Until the time when he was dying, I sent him some fish."
The old man looked up at the bamboo shadows outside the bright window and stared blankly for about three minutes before he came to his senses. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Was I daydreaming?"
"Grandpa—" Nanako reminded him somewhat helplessly.
"I'm so sorry, I just remembered that old friend." Kenzo Matsumura patted his granddaughter's little hand and looked at everyone, saying, "He ate all the fish I gave him before he passed away."
He also told me, "What a regret in my life, I never knew fish was so delicious."
"When people are starving, they will eat anything: tree bark, soil, or even their own kind."
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and looked at Matsumura Kenzo in the host's seat, saying, "There's a reason why I've never liked eating fish since I was a child. After all, no one is born hating a certain food."
"The first reason is that cooking oil was a scarce resource when I was a child, even though I was born in the city and into a family with a long history in medicine."
He shook his head slightly, reached out and pushed the fish sashimi in front of him, saying, "Without cooking oil, the fishy smell is a painful memory. In impoverished times, what we needed was fat, not the amino acids it could provide."
Nanako Matsumura stared wide-eyed in surprise; she hadn't expected this person to be so rude.
But then I felt that what he said made a lot of sense. Had he experienced such hardship and poverty?
Judging from his age, it seems that he doesn't actually know that part of history, especially since he has such a grandfather.
"Secondly, human disasters may very well be a feast for fish."
This time, he even put down his chopsticks and said calmly, "I come from the capital. There's a saying among the older folks that during the war, the moat outside the city was filled in..."
“Mr. Li—” Kenichi Nishida could no longer hold back and frowned as he reminded him, “This is Mr. Matsumura’s house!”
"Oh, has this affected everyone?"
Seeing that they had all put down their chopsticks, their faces showed no interest in enjoying the food, yet they seemed to be suppressing something, Li Xuewu found it amusing.
"I'm really sorry, it just reminded me of some things from my childhood."
He seemed to be doing it on purpose, mimicking Kenzo Matsumura's earlier words: "Perhaps not eating fish will be an unavoidable regret in my life. Whenever I think of these past events..."
"Therefore, we must remember history—"
Kenzo Matsumura's reaction was quite calm. He nodded to Li Xuewu and said, "I am very pleased to see that you young people have such understanding and courage."
Li Xuewu sat up straight, looked at him, and, at Li Huaide's prompting, refrained from speaking back. He was here as a guest.
"Grandpa, you should rest now."
Nanako Matsumura glanced in Li Xuewu's direction before whispering a reminder.
Li Xuewu also saw the dissatisfaction in the girl's eyes, but he didn't care because it was Matsumura Kenzo who made the first move.
Compared to him, Kenzo Matsumura was an old man, while he was a young man compared to Kenzo Matsumura. Neither of them needed to be polite to the other, since they had no vested interests in each other anyway.
"I'm so sorry."
Matsumura Kenzo looked at his granddaughter with a mixture of helplessness and affection before addressing the crowd: "I'm getting old and need to listen to my granddaughter's instructions, so I won't be able to entertain you properly tonight."
As he said this, he raised his hand and waved to Kenichi Nishida, indicating, "Please take good care of the guests for me. The tea room is ready."
"You must have a cup of tea," Matsumura Kenzo said, looking in Li Huaide's direction. "Please also experience our tea ceremony culture."
"It's getting late," Li Huaide said cautiously. "You need to rest too."
"I'm getting old, you're still young."
He reached out and patted Li Huaide's arm, who was sitting next to him, and said softly, "The future belongs to you."
When he mentioned the discount, he glanced at everyone present before turning to Li Huaide and saying, "Let's cherish the time we have together today."
“Of course.” Li Huaide nodded, watching the girl help Matsumura Kenzo to his feet, and then stood up to see him off.
Li Xuewu also stood up. He saw the old man walking with difficulty, yet still managing to smile and wave at them. This great perseverance was commendable and worthy of emulation.
If he can still have this spirit when he's eighty years old, that's a blessing that comes after decades of good deeds.
"This way, please—"
The same butler who had led the way before, after receiving Nishida Kenichi's consent, raised his hand to indicate the direction to the left.
Traditional Japanese houses look like a large frame, with the rest separated by layers of paper partitions, making them resemble a maze.
After leaving the Japanese-style room, I walked a few steps and arrived at the tea room that Matsumura Kenzo had mentioned.
It's actually a living room without windows. Looking out from inside the room, the night is hazy, the moon hangs on the branches, and the pine and maple trees in the courtyard complement each other. The sound of flowing water penetrates the eardrums and hits the nerves directly.
To be honest, aside from the dampness, living in such an environment is truly tasteful and evocative.
Unfortunately, Li Xuewu was an ordinary man. Through the exquisite courtyard landscape, he saw that there was a lot of financial resources supporting it.
Ordinary families wouldn't dare to put such strange things in their yards, nor do they have the soul to appreciate beauty.
Only wealthy families have this kind of refinement, as well as the spare money and spiritual needs.
Li Xuewu's house also has a yard, but if he dares to do that, he'll definitely be sued.
Only those who nowadays grow vegetables in the gardens around their houses and raise chickens and plant fruit trees on both sides are considered proper households.
Even the small garden that Gu Ning tended in the East Courtyard when she had nothing else to do would be the subject of some comments from those who saw it.
Later, Gu Ning heard about it, and because he was busy with work, he simply asked Er Ya to plant strawberries.
That garden is now Li Shu and Li Ning's territory, and they have an endless supply of strawberries every day.
"You've misunderstood Mr. Matsumura."
The first thing Kenichi Nishida said after they sat down was to defend his teacher.
"His experience and past can withstand scrutiny and examination; otherwise, he would not have made so many contributions to the friendship between China and Japan."
"Then have I misunderstood you, Mr. Nishida?" Li Xuewu asked, looking at him coldly.
"What do you mean?" Kenichi Nishida looked up at him and said, "Do we need to argue about who's right and who's wrong at this time, Mr. Li?"
Actually, at this moment, Lao Li had already seen Nishida Kenichi glance in his direction, but he picked up his teacup and pretended not to see it.
Kenichi Nishida looked at him, naturally hoping that Old Li could take the initiative to resolve the grudges between the two sides, after all, Li Xuewu was not a lucky break for Honggang.
Old Li not only had opinions about him, but also harbored resentment, because Xitian had gotten involved with Su Weide.
Of course, you can't say that Lao Li resented Xitian for providing so many "resources" to Suweide; in hindsight, they were all poison.
But what Lao Li was criticizing wasn't his heart, but his reasoning: "You, Nishida Kenji, don't even see me!"
Why should I bother arguing with you now?
However, it was because Kenzo Matsumura had enough influence that they had no choice but to come to the appointment, even though they knew that Kenichi Nishida was very likely to be there.
When they actually met, Li Xuewu's words were somewhat sharp, while Li Huaide remained silent; their attitudes had already determined everything.
In fact, Gao Yaqin hoped that both sides could handle this matter properly. It was precisely because they had been involved too closely that a rift had formed.
If we cooperate fairly and avoid doing unnecessary things, we can prevent similar situations from happening.
The fact that Sanwa Corporation's Beijing office underwent a major reshuffle, with staff even increasing rather than decreasing, confirms that Nakamura made some changes.
Kenichi Nishida will be unable to travel to the mainland in the short term, so Hideji Nakamura will serve as his plenipotentiary representative.
However, this representative relationship also put Kenichi Nishida in a somewhat passive position.
If he can't even make a difference in the areas he's responsible for, then what's the point of having him as a burden on his partner?
"If you don't want to argue about right and wrong, then at least your first words when you see us should be an apology."
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and emphasized, "You dared to touch our ship. Letting you come back here is already considered lenient of us. What more do you want?"
The atmosphere in the tea room froze instantly, and even the butler sensed the tension, frequently glancing at Kenichi Nishida.
He wasn't afraid of anything else, but he was worried that the young man might suddenly start beating up Nishida Kenichi and disturb his master's rest.
Don't blame him for overthinking; he had personally witnessed the young man leaning slightly forward, as if he were about to get up at any moment.
He had no doubt what would happen if this fierce-looking, burly young man punched Kenichi Nishida.
Wouldn't they die a terrible death?
Kenichi Nishida, intimidated by Li Xuewu's ruthlessness and anger, dared not utter the more pointed words that were on the tip of his tongue.
He wasn't afraid of losing to Li Xuewu if he spoke out, but rather afraid that Li Xuewu would beat him up if he couldn't win the argument.
So no matter how eloquent or capable he was, sitting there with his face flushed red, he could only stammer and dare not utter another word.
wow——
The screen door opened, and the young girl, Nanako Matsumura, reappeared. She brought a small ceramic jar on a tray and knelt down in front of the tea table.
Li Xuewu glanced at the other party, then prepared to focus his firepower on Nishida Kenichi, trying to figure out what the other party was up to.
Before he could even speak, the girl glared at him, handed him a cup of tea, and said with a hint of displeasure, "You always have the loudest voice."
Who taught you Northeastern dialect?
Li Xuewu had already recognized her accent when she questioned him about why he didn't eat fish.
Having traveled all over the country for so many years, he could still tell which accent was which, even though the two only had a brief conversation.
Verifying if someone has a Northeastern accent is simple: just have them say "one, two, three, four..."
"Mind your own business—" The girl seemed to have a stubborn streak and a proud little temper, unlike a girl raised in the traditional way.
Gao Yaqin pursed her lips, trying to suppress a smile. She glanced at Li Xuewu, then looked at Li Huaide, whose eyes were full of helplessness.
The atmosphere had been built up by Li Xuewu, with Nishida Kenichi about to be publicly executed, when this unexpected troublemaker suddenly appeared.
"Please have some tea—"
It seemed that the girl only had a problem with Li Xuewu, but she was very polite when serving tea to Li Huaide and the others.
But the butler, kneeling in the corner, noticed that Miss Nanako's first cup of tea was given to that young man.
"Thank you. How old are you this year?"
Gao Yaqin smiled and thanked her, but then asked a gossipy question.
Nanako bowed slightly and replied, "I'm a freshman this year."
"Really? A college student?" Gao Yaqin could understand why the other party only mentioned the academic level to avoid mentioning age; a girl's age is a secret.
Especially with so many men in the tea room, it's a very shameful and disgraceful thing to do.
She only realized what was going on after hearing the other person's answer, and then asked with a smile, "Which university in Japan?"
"Not in Japan, but in the United States."
Nanako served the last cup of tea to Kenichi Nishida, then leaned back against the base of the tea table and sat down.
“No wonder—” Gao Yaqin said, holding a small teacup in her hand and looking at Nanako with some understanding.
Nanako seemed to know what she meant by "no wonder," and gave Li Xuewu a special glance.
Humph--
Hmm? Li Xuewu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth when he heard the other person's soft hum.
I wasn't targeting you, so why are you humming?
“Nippon Steel’s Nishikawa Ichiro wants some shares,” Kenichi Nishida suddenly brought up the matter, thus putting aside the previous conflict.
With Nanako Matsumura helping him out of the predicament, he naturally couldn't waste her kindness, and he certainly couldn't let Li Xuewu gain the upper hand again.
So he started tonight's topic with Li Xuewu's actions this morning.
Are we only getting to the point now?
Of course, we can't expect Kenzo Matsumura to do anything for him or for them. The fact that he's here to talk is itself an attitude.
“He came to me, but I didn’t agree to be with him.”
Kenichi Nishida looked up at Li Xuewu and emphasized, "However, they won't give up. The Australian Railways is developing too fast."
What do you think Nishikawa wants?
Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Just a small share of Australia Railways? Or do you want pricing power?"
"I have a feeling that Nippon Steel is hostile towards us, and this cooperation seems to be doomed to fail."
“Hehe—” Kenichi Nishida said with a light laugh, “How big is the Bohai Bay? Your Yingcheng Ship Development has already threatened them.”
"Furthermore, you have also started importing iron ore from Australia, which is a shock to the entire East Asian market."
"They're really meddling in other people's business—"
Li Xuewu snorted and said, "Are you still planning to ambush us? I'd rather the international market open up sooner."
That's a bit of a threat, because the industrial sectors under Honggang Group have very low costs. If they open up the market and engage in a price war, no one can compete with them.
"So they won't sell you their core technology," Kenichi Nishida said with certainty. "That would be asking for trouble."
“Nippon Steel is not our only option, and even Japan’s metallurgical industry is not our only option.”
Gao Yaqin couldn't help but remind him, "Xi Chuan Ichiro may not know the current strength of Honggang Group, but you should, right?"
“What we lack right now is cutting-edge technology,” Li Xuewu said, cracking his knuckles. “Without these things, it would be difficult for us to acquire them, right?”
Seeing Kenichi Nishida frown and nod, he sneered, "That's why we went to East Germany and that's why we have the international business division in France."
Kenichi Nishida was well aware of this: it was the French Saint-Tartars Group that helped Honggang acquire the world's most advanced metallurgical technology.
What's special is that the Santayar Group has thus reaped almost all the benefits that the Honggang Group has gained during its development.
It's impossible not to feel envious; Sanhe Co., Ltd. has also made significant contributions to the development of Honggang Group.
Of course, some were passive, but they still made contributions.
Now that things have come to this point, he needs someone to vouch for him and help him rebuild a safe and stable relationship with Honggang Group.
However, this step is somewhat difficult.
“Competition is the norm. I have never doubted the development potential of Honggang Group, otherwise I would not be on your side.”
He frankly emphasized, "What I want to say is that we are planning for the future. You are here for technology, but also for the future."
"That's what everyone's arguing about: do you think there's any hope of taking the best technology from here?"
“The technology can’t be taken away,” Li Huaide put down his teacup and nodded slowly, “but I believe that our presence here is a gain in itself.”
"..." Kenichi Nishida looked at Old Li speechlessly, cursing inwardly, "Damn it, I'm talking to you about competition, and you're talking to me about philosophy?"
"Please have some tea—" Nanako brought the teapot to pour tea for Li Huaide, and also told the old man to shut up.
Kenzo Matsumura is gone, and Li Huaide has become an old man.
Li Huaide glanced at her, then looked past her to Li Xuewu, reminding him to pay attention to the girl.
Li Xuewu had already noticed that this was not a pampered young lady, but rather a shrewd and worldly-wise little fox.
“They all have ambitions, otherwise there wouldn’t have been any disputes on the Australian railway.”
He raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Trying to exchange technology for a ticket to Australia's railway system won't work here."
"We didn't expect to get any core technologies from upstream."
At this point, Li Xuewu couldn't help but smile and said calmly, "But how long can you maintain your lead with this kind of technology?"
"The development of basic industries is not solely determined by technology; resources and influence also play a crucial role."
He squinted his left eye and said to Kenichi Nishida, "What will you do if Australia stops supplying you with iron ore?"
Kenichi Nishida calmly replied, "I personally am not afraid, because Sanhe's production is all in China."
He seemed to be trying to ease tensions, especially praising Honggang Group's industrial management system, but Li Xuewu didn't seem to care much about him.
"What if diplomatic relations are normalized?"
Li Xuewu asked meaningfully, "What if a company like Honda is willing to extend a helping hand in cooperation? What will you do then?"
What kind of talk is this? What do you mean by "what will happen to Sanhe"? When the trade borders are opened, are you going to make Sanhe fall apart?
However, he was also well aware of the meaning behind Li Xuewu's words: Honggang Group had more options, and Sanhe had nothing left to hold onto.
This is not about Honda, because Honda is not involved in the electronics industry, but there are indeed electronics companies preparing to meet with Honggang Group.
They all know and remember how Sanhe developed and how it dominated the market.
Now that Honggang Group has arrived, they have no reason not to take the initiative to make contact. If they can achieve further cooperation, it will definitely be a blow to Sanhe.
"Sanhe will never become an enemy of Honggang Group." After careful consideration, Kenichi Nishida looked at the three people opposite him and replied in this way.
Li Xuewu looked doubtful, while Gao Yaqin was hopeful. However, Old Li was calm enough that he closed his eyes slightly and showed no reaction.
“We should be friends,” Kenichi Nishida said with a sigh. “I was too hasty and caused trouble for your company. I’m really sorry.”
As Kenichi Nishida bowed and apologized, supporting himself with his hands, the three members of the Red Steel gang had different expressions.
Nanako Matsumura saw this and didn't think Mr. Nishida was wronged at all; she just looked at Li Xuewu with a bit more curiosity.
Why is he the one talking the whole time, even though the person in charge of Honggang Group is also there... Uh, is he asleep?
Just as Matsumura Nanako was puzzled, she heard a soft snoring sound from her side. When she turned around, she saw that the old man, also called Mr. Li, had fallen asleep!
Is it even possible to fall asleep in this kind of situation?
Does he really not care about the company's situation and just let a young man take charge of everything?
So what? It's just that she's all talk and no action. The significance of Lao Li appearing with Li Xuewu in the formal setting is to prove it.
***
Did I sleep for a long time?
Before getting on the bus, Li Huaide asked Gao Yaqin, who was traveling with him, in a slightly embarrassed and hesitant voice.
Gao Yaqin smiled helplessly and explained for him, "Everyone is tired after a long day."
These words didn't sound like they were making excuses for him, but rather like they were slapping him in the face.
Old Li's face turned even redder, because he hadn't worked too hard during the day; he was exhausted yesterday, and today he was completely worn out.
Even so, he persisted until he got on the bus, preventing the young girl from continuing to look at him strangely.
“My grandfather once said that there are all sorts of reasons for failure, but there are only a few secrets to success,” Nanako Matsumura said, deliberately walking alongside Li Xuewu as she saw him off. “You must have succeeded, right?”
"Success what?" Li Xuewu glanced at her and said, "I almost succeeded tonight, but you ruined it."
“Heh—” Nanako Matsumura chuckled and said, “Even without me, you can’t do anything to Mr. Nishida.”
"This is my grandfather's house after all. You really think you can force him to stay here?"
She glanced at the butler walking at the front and whispered to Li Xuewu, "Mr. Matsushima has been on guard against you."
"Then do you think he can defend against me?"
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and asked, "If I want to do something..."
"Who knows? That's just how I feel." Nanako Matsumura raised her chin and said, "Successful people never go downhill."
“But we’re going downhill right now,” Li Xuewu said with a laugh, gesturing to the courtyard below where the car was waiting.
"You're such a boring person."
Nanako Matsumura curled her lip and said, "My grandfather once said you were a rare young talent, but now it seems you're nothing special."
"Didn't your grandfather ever make a mistake?" Li Xuewu said with a smile. "I think you have a good eye; you're really good at judging people."
"It would be much more interesting if you said it like that."
Nanako Matsumura looked him up and down as if she had just met him, and then stood still.
"If you have the opportunity, you are welcome to visit us again."
It was time to say goodbye. She was there on behalf of her grandfather to see off these guests, including Kenichi Nishida, who was still there.
"What are you all talking about, getting along so well?"
After getting into the car, Gao Yaqin couldn't help but laugh and tease, "Why are you still so reluctant to leave? Don't tell me you want to stay here and be my son-in-law?"
This kind of joke can only be made at this time. If it were during work hours, or in China, Li Xuewu would suspect that she had been kicked in the head by a donkey.
"Believe it or not, at that moment, Kenichi Nishida was meeting Kenzo Matsumura in that house."
Li Xuewu did not respond to her joke, but instead pointed towards the quiet courtyard as he started the car.
Li Huaide had taken a nap and was now sitting there listening to the two talking.
After hearing Li Xuewu's words, he couldn't help but ask, "Did that girl tell you that?"
“How could that be?” Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and explained, “She’s studying at Stanford, she’s not an ordinary girl.”
"What's wrong with Stanford?" Li Huaide frowned slightly and said, "Is it a very famous school?"
“It’s considered a very good school,” Li Xuewu explained, “equivalent to Tsinghua University.”
Old Li had no concept of foreign universities. If it weren't for the increase in college students and professors with overseas study experience in the past two years, he wouldn't have any knowledge of them at all.
This is actually quite normal. If it weren't for the "Harvard girl" in the 1990s, who the hell would be interested in universities across the ocean?
Of course, thirty years have passed, and when people look at that book and that girl again, their mindset has changed.
Former idol, now disdain.
In particular, certain details in the book reveal strangeness when compared with the exposure of a scandal on a certain small island.
Why was that girl qualified to live in a Harvard professor's house, and after living there for a while, received a crucial letter of recommendation?
Interesting, isn't it?
What is knowledge? Knowledge is the ability to build your own thinking patterns and correctly perceive and judge your senses.
Whether it's something you see, hear, or experience firsthand, you can have a calm and wise perspective to judge it.
That is, to remove the filter and see through the essence.
Li Xuewu explained Stanford to Lao Li, and looking back at his attitude towards Matsumura Nanako, even Lao Li didn't think Stanford was anything special.
You see, Li Xuewu didn't take the other party seriously at all, did he?
“Nishida Kenichi is a bit difficult to deal with. I suspect he’s trying to tie us up,” Li Xuewu said. He didn’t care what the girl was capable of; he was only concerned with what Nishida Kenichi wanted to do.
"Both sides are aware of the importance of this industrial and trade visit."
He sat in the passenger seat, turned around to look at the two of them, and emphasized, "He wants to use this opportunity to achieve certain goals, and he must find a foothold to back him up."
"You mean—" Gao Yaqin asked, frowning, "that he wants to use us to put pressure on someone in a certain direction?"
"So we need to be more vigilant from now on." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Especially for personal safety, we must not be careless."
"Does he think he can resort to force?"
Gao Yaqin asked, somewhat skeptical, "Or did you receive some kind of message?"
“It’s intuition, do you believe my intuition?” Li Xuewu looked at her and said, “From the moment I got off the plane, I was on edge, not daring to relax even a little.”
“Yes, I understand.” Li Huaide nodded slowly and said, “Everyone is in the same boat. I can’t even sleep well.”
"..." Li Xuewu and Gao Yaqin looked at Old Li speechlessly. You've already gone to sleep with someone, and you're still so nervous that you can't sleep.
"I'll go to Panasonic tomorrow, you go to Yamazaki Mazak." Gao Yaqin didn't want to talk to Lao Li, and looked at Li Xuewu and said, "It's your turn to rest."
"Never mind, there's nothing wrong with the precision machinery. Kenichi Nishida will definitely come with me when I go to Panasonic."
Li Xuewu insisted, "He might not dare to come at me, but he's still a bit dangerous to you."
"I just saw that you were too tired," Gao Yaqin reminded him. "You must get some rest. There are still four or five days of fighting ahead."
"Okay, I understand." Li Xuewu couldn't help but sigh and said, "Go back and get some sleep. That's all for today."
He summarized the day, and Gao Yaqin fell silent. But Old Li couldn't stand the quiet in the car and asked, "Where am I going tomorrow?"
-
Why didn't you tell me sooner?
Li Xuewu had finished washing up and was getting ready for bed when he heard Gao Yaqin's voice coming from the corridor outside the door.
He sounded very angry. He walked to the door, opened it, and looked outside. He saw Gao Yaqin walking towards him with a frown.
"You're still awake? Perfect timing."
She approached and frowned as she explained, "We've received reports that the media here have obtained your book, 'Defending Peace,' and are saying you're advocating hegemony. Do you want to change your schedule for tomorrow?"
"My book?" Li Xuewu frowned. He had thought it was Gao Yaqin's problem, but it turned out that the problem was on his side.
How did my book end up in Japan?
He looked at his secretary standing not far away and asked, "What exactly happened?"
"I already have someone I suspect."
Gao Yaqin hadn't expected him to get much more information from his secretary, and said bluntly, "It seems you were right."
"I'm afraid this is just the appetizer," Li Xuewu said with some concern, his hands in his pockets. "Tomorrow's schedule can't be disrupted."
“Then bring a few more people,” Gao Yaqin reminded him. “This isn’t the mainland. You should think twice before you do anything.”
"Okay, I understand." Li Xuewu looked at her and asked, "What are you worried about regarding me?"
“All of them,” Gao Yaqin raised an eyebrow and said, “Don’t think that just because I didn’t go to East Germany I don’t know what happened there.”
"Remember this: the media makes a living by talking. If you take them seriously, you've already lost."
"Hmm? Isn't that something I said?" Li Xuewu looked at her amusedly and said, "Where did you learn that from?"
"I'm right." Gao Yaqin rolled her eyes at him, waved her hand, and went back to her room.
When the secretary saw Li Xuewu looking at him, he also gave an awkward smile. Being scolded by the boss was really embarrassing.
Li Xuewu only glanced at him before turning around and going back to his room.
He had a premonition of what would happen to his book, but he discovered something was wrong as soon as he left the hotel in the morning.
"Mr. Li, did you write a book called 'Defending Peace'?"
"Are you the author of this book?"
"In what state of mind did you write this book?"
……
Li Xuewu frowned, looking at the book in the reporter's hand. It was indeed his own.
When did my own book start being published overseas? It's in Chinese, so it needs to be translated before it can be published overseas.
Another point is that domestic publications cannot be easily taken out of the country, so where did his books come from?
Of course, you might say that you can buy books anywhere in domestic bookstores, but bringing them out in a targeted manner is what Li Xuewu is focusing on.
"Do you have anything to say about this book?"
……
Li Xuewu remained unmoved by the swarm of reporters, showing no intention of giving an interview, and walked towards his car with a cold expression.
During this time, reporters followed him closely, blocking his way and shoving their microphones into his face.
Qi Yan, somewhat annoyed, used his body to push his way through and laboriously helped him into the car.
"I never expected that President Li could achieve literary influence here." Wang Youhan crossed his arms and watched the morning's commotion with a cold smile.
Gu Litong was right behind him, and he frowned when he heard this.
However, he did not argue with Wang Youhan. Instead, he told his secretary, "Go call Director Han's office and tell him to look into it."
Wang Youhan suddenly turned to look at him, and when he saw that it was Gu Litong, his eyes narrowed slightly.
When Gu Litong walked over again, a slightly mocking smile appeared on his face as he asked, "Why weren't you with President Li and the others?"
"Which General Manager Li?" Gu Litong asked knowingly. "Are you referring to Comrade Li Huaide, the General Manager of Honggang Group, or Comrade Li Xuewu, the General Manager of Northeast Industrial Development Corporation?"
He was ruthless; those two slaps landed on Wang Youhan's face, making the other man's face turn red.
Yes, both Li Xuewu and Li Huaide are comrades.
It's one thing for you, Wang Youhan, to stand here and watch the show, but to make sarcastic remarks is a bit much, isn't it?
Leaders are all like this; they've long since mastered the ability to insult without using foul language, and when it comes to sarcasm and irony, they're absolutely the best of the best.
"They're about to reach an agreement with Honda, what will you get in return?"
Wang Youhan and Gu Litong had known each other for a long time, and it was precisely because of this relationship that he dared to ask such a question in private.
It was already a case of being embarrassed and angry. There was no attack, just a sarcastic remark, which could be considered a joke, but it was also serious.
There are many visiting groups coming and going at the entrance right now; everyone just stopped to watch the excitement for a while.
Hearing their conversation again, these people quickened their pace, eager to leave as soon as possible.
It's as if walking too slowly will get you scolded by Gu Litong.
"What I get is not important; what we get is important."
At this point, Gu Litong could easily overwhelm him with his strategic vision, and this approach has proven effective time and again.
Especially when Wang Youhan targets Li Xuewu alone, if he elevates this protection to a certain level, Wang Youhan will surely die.
"Didn't you receive the message?" Wang Xiansheng and his group came out of the hall and overheard their conversation. They couldn't help but laugh and say, "We're preparing to act as a group."
He raised his eyebrows, as if deliberately teasing Wang Youhan, and emphasized, "Many hands make light work. We're united, and we have many friends."
"Who's your friend?" Old Dong of Harbin Automobile Group was also ruthless when he cursed. This time, he deliberately glanced at Wang Youhan and said to Wang Xiansheng, "We're all here now, who's your comrade, who's your friend?"
"Of course, we should prioritize the good opportunities for ourselves. As long as we bring the technology back and sign the contract, the achievements will be ours anyway."
He had mastered the art of indirect criticism, and regardless of whether Wang Xiansheng was willing to cooperate, he launched a barrage of attacks on Wang Xiansheng.
Many people around were listening, watching as Wang Youhan's face turned red, then white, then green, then black.
Gu Litong raised his wrist to check the time. Seeing that the car below had arrived, he asked, "When will Lao Liu and the others arrive?"
"They'll be right down; they said they'd just grab something to grab and come down."
Wang Xiansheng ignored Wang Youhan and turned to Lao Dong, saying, "Let's look at Isuzu today. If we get it, we'll set up a production line in the steel city."
"I actually really like those small cars."
He said with a smile, "While saving costs, it is also suitable for transporting smaller goods, especially for some factories and mines."
"Isuzu, what a good thing."
(End of this chapter)