Chapter 325: A Little

After the awards ceremony, Ji Jue left the remaining matters to the staff and took the Tong family's airship directly back to Yacheng.

Little Niu Ma was loaded with gifts that he had asked the relay station staff to buy along the way, bags large and small. He first ran to the mainland auto repair shop to 'unload'—rice, pearls, craft ornaments, root carvings... piled into a small mountain big enough to bury the youngest.

Considering Lu Ma's habits, he bought things that weren't expensive, just rare in other places.

"How troublesome it is to go out, and you brought back so many things. There's no place to put them, and it's a waste of money."

Lu Ma didn't even look at those things, grabbed Ji Jue's hand, looked him up and down, and after finding that he hadn't lost or gained weight, her eyes narrowed into a smile: "You went out for a trip, and you're much more spirited, just a bit darker."

"Dark?"

Lu Feng, who was picking his feet and being lazy nearby, was amused: "This is the first time I've heard someone say that a Yacheng person got tanned after going to another place..."

Then, he successfully welcomed Lu Ma's differential treatment, scolding angrily: "What are you laughing at! You're tanned like a toad yourself, and you have the face to laugh at others!

Every day you only know how to lie down, there's no work in your eyes at all. Are you going to let Lu Ling move all these things by herself?"

Saying that, she went up and kicked him, kicking Lu Feng until he jumped up like a dog.

Lu Feng didn't dare to speak, covering his butt and moving things away sneakily.

The root carving ornament from Longyuan brought for Lu Ma was soon wiped clean and placed on the counter. The few packs of tobacco, a specialty of the Wasteland, brought for Lu Feng, the gemstone necklace from Kunwu for Lu Ling, the tiny gemstones shining in the sun, toys for the third sister, and extracurricular practice books found along the way for the youngest... suddenly, everyone was beaming with joy.

After finishing the work, Ji Jue wiped his sweat, only saying that he would come to eat in the evening, and continued to drive to the Beishan Security Bureau, piling two boxes of various spirits bought in the areas along the way on Wen Wen's desk, then stuffed the upgraded Rupert's Tear to Xiao An for him to play with first, brought a handmade wool blanket from Longyuan for Tong Hua, and a set of Kunwu tea sets for Old Zhang... After all the specialties were distributed, the trunk of Little Niu Ma finally became empty.

And by three o'clock in the afternoon, Ji Jue had already arrived at the Yacheng Security Bureau headquarters.

"The Protector has already ordered, no need to wait, you can go in directly when you arrive." The assistant took him directly to the door of Lü Yingyue's office.

Amidst the busyness, many people were moving things, and boxes large and small were piled inside and outside the office, looking slightly chaotic.

"Back so early. You've been busy for so long, I thought you would play for a few more days in Chaocheng."

Lü Yingyue was tidying up the documents on the table, beckoning to Ji Jue at the door: "Sorry, I'm tidying up the office recently, it's a bit messy, make yourself at home, don't mind it."

"You are..." Ji Jue looked around curiously, "Moving?"

"Just changed the place to work, actually there's no change. For the time being, Yacheng can't find anyone to take over, I'm afraid I'll have to hold both posts for a long time."

Lü Yingyue sighed with a headache: "It's hard to find people for important positions, and there are few who do well. Originally A-Shan could help, but after he is sent abroad, the vacancy will be even bigger."

"Brother Shan is going to be sent abroad?"

"It's not a good thing for young people to stay at home all the time, it's a good thing to go out and see the world."

When Lü Yingyue said this, the smile at the corner of her mouth became subtle: "However, if you are willing to help him... do you want to come to the Security Bureau?

The positions of the first, second, and third departments are all up to you to choose. No matter which one you do, with your ability, doing it for a few years is enough to take over his position."

"Ah, this..."

Ji Jue was stunned, couldn't help but shake his head and sigh: "This wouldn't be very good for the Viceroy, right?"

Suddenly, Lü Yingyue laughed loudly, hearing his meaning, and didn't mention it again.

"Only tea can entertain guests, don't mind."

She handed over a cup of tea, sat on the sofa opposite Ji Jue without any formality, and threw the cumbersome and messy documents on the table to the side.

Just, when she picked up a thick photo album, she couldn't help but pause.

Surprise or nostalgia.

Just like finding something that had been forgotten by herself for a long time...

"So it was here, I thought it was already lost." She sighed softly, opened the document that looked like a photo album, and to Ji Jue's surprise, it was full of clippings.

Scattered, from various newspapers, cut out and clipped inside.

Vaguely, one could see the photos on the newspapers, all of Lü Yingyue's appearance when she was young, and most of the many reports were related to her.

She turned to the middle and showed it to Ji Jue.

That old photo from more than twenty years ago was slightly faded.

It seemed to be in a foreign land, in front of a stall in a strange market, the focus of the lens had some problems, so that the subject was slightly blurred.

At that time, the young Lü Yingyue was wearing a headscarf unique to the Central Plains, making a V-sign at the lens, and with the other hand, she was holding a young woman who looked indifferent and repulsive, almost written all over her face 'get away from me'.

That is... Ye Xian?

Ji Jue couldn't help but lean closer, eyes wide, the teacher's young photo? It looks a bit like Ye Chun.

Subconsciously, he wanted to raise his phone.

Clap!

The photo album closed.

"Just look at it, Ye Xian's temper has been getting worse in the past two years. If she knows you saved this kind of thing, it's your bad luck, and I might suffer too."

Lü Yingyue's smile was mischievous, patted the clipping book in her hand, put it aside casually, and sighed: "When young, one is always vain. Occasionally, if there is any achievement, one will think of saving it, and flipping through it slowly when free. It might be saved into an epic in the future... As a result, the more one saves, the fewer things can be saved, but the more things cannot be saved, so that one almost forgets it oneself.

Getting old is like this, liking to nag and complain, accustomed to day-after-day life, but forgetting more and more things. You are still young, without such troubles, you should take advantage of your youth to venture out more. Always squatting at home, you will definitely regret it when you are old."

"... Compared to that, I prefer an unchanging life, quiet, stable and steady, adventures or something, forget it?"

Ji Jue smiled bitterly: "Easy to be overly anxious."

Lü Yingyue asked: "Shengnian told me, you don't plan to want Haichao's shares?"

Ji Jue shook his head: "The amount is too large, even if there is some contribution, how is it worth so much?"

After the merger and reorganization of Coast and Chaocheng, plus the military assets transferred by Qingtian Industry, and then counting the spoils dug out from the four companies of Echo and Xinyuan, even if it hasn't officially operated and gone public, it is destined to be a rising behemoth. It might be the premier military industry in the southeast region of the Federation in the future.

What Ji Jue did was at most revitalize a car factory and participate in a rally.

As a pawn to attract hatred, attract attention, make things happen, stir up waves, and most importantly, pave the way for the king. If it were really a mission settlement, even if there was some output, it wouldn't reach the edge of the MVP. It was just superficial work, how could it be worth such an expensive price?

"Only at this time, you don't look like a craftsman at all."

Lü Yingyue shook her head and sighed, "Being too measured is not a good thing."

If it were other craftsmen, when facing such huge wealth, they wouldn't have the slightest hesitation.

Alchemy is a technology that burns money. As long as it is ruthless and absolute, no matter how much money can be burned. Similarly, no matter how much money is not enough to spend. Craftsmen like Ji Jue who are in the rising period, encountering such a situation, even if they can't hold it, can't hold it steady, can't swallow it, they have to kick it into their pockets, not afraid of being stuffed to death, wait until they are stuffed to death.

Ye Xian might not be shaken, because she doesn't care about these interests at all, and doesn't want to be bound by Lü Yingyue because of this.

But why Ji Jue refused, she couldn't understand.

Just purely because of the measure?

"I'm afraid I can't promise you this point."

She pondered for a moment and said: "If you are too lazy to be troubled, then Chen Xingzhou and the Tong family will hold it for you, and you won't participate in the management. Originally, handing this part to you was the result of discussion and compromise among all parties. Handing it to others, no one will agree.

At the current stage, Haichao must maintain stability. This is not only a reward, but actually a duty you need to fulfill. Moreover, at this juncture, everyone is eating meat. If you want to be high-minded, you will only add trouble... Wait a few years, it doesn't matter who you sell it to. Even if you don't want money, you can donate it to the Chongguang Church.

As for the annual dividends, how about changing them into materials for you through the channels of the Security Bureau and the Wasteland Collection?"

"As far as I know, the material gap required for the research of the Sword Nine Types is not small. Ye Xian suffered a lot because of this back then. Relying only on your channels, even with the Taiyi Ring and the Tianping Chamber of Commerce, many materials are probably very difficult to buy."

Ji Jue was silent, thinking for a moment, and didn't push or insist anymore.

"Then let's do it this way."

After all, who doesn't want the good thing of money falling from the sky? Moreover, not bearing responsibility, not managing operations, sitting and waiting for dividends and materials every year, any craftsman probably can't refuse this kind of thing.

This is a disguised and stable sponsorship channel.

An investment that requires no repayment.

Since it has been said so clearly, continuing to push back is not only hypocritical, but also not knowing what's good for you.

"Besides this?" Lü Yingyue smiled and continued to ask: "You came to me so anxiously today, it's not just about the equity, right."

Not a single word of content is missed!

Ji Jue sighed and gave a self-deprecating smile. No wonder he was called an old fox by the teacher. Handling a player of Ji Jue's level was too easy.

Before his mouth was even opened, his hurried intention had probably been seen through to the bottom.

He simply didn't cover it up anymore and asked straightforwardly: "I heard that the first phase of Haichao's industrial park in Chaocheng is almost finished?"

This time, it was Lü Yingyue's turn to be silent.

"Are you interested?"

She was slightly surprised, "That couldn't be better. I can help you talk to your teacher. If you have any ideas and need any position, don't be polite."

For a true disciple of Ye Xian like Ji Jue, a master who is almost nailed down in the future, no company will be stingy with positions or power.

If Ji Jue really wants to join Haichao, that couldn't be better.

But if this is the case, why refuse the equity? It wouldn't be such a shallow probe, right?

"No, you might have misunderstood."

Ji Jue shook his head: "At this point, the overall situation is set, Haichao's rise is unstoppable, which means... the existence of the Coast car factory is actually not important, right?"

"..."

After a moment of astonishment, Lü Yingyue already understood his meaning.

"That's right."

She picked up the teacup and said slowly: "However, even so, Coast is still one of the most important components of the Haichao Group at present. Even if the group won't focus on the automotive industry in the future, it certainly won't waste the current foundation."

Lü Yingyue reminded, "Everyone has invested a lot of money in it."

"I know."

Ji Jue nodded decisively, as if he didn't understand her subtext, smiled, and suddenly asked: "However, only cars? Besides this?"

Besides this?

Besides this, what else could there be?

In the silence, Lü Yingyue produced so many doubts about this young man for the first time, until, at the moment she finally realized his purpose.

Suddenly realized.

"... Indeed."

She laughed out loud: "Besides this, none of it is important."

Besides cars, what else can the Coast car factory have left now?

Tricycles! Tricycles! And f*cking tricycles!

Now in the automotive industry, although Coast has won an award, it can only be considered a potential newcomer. But in the tricycle industry, Coast is a behemoth that has monopolized the entire Haizhou and even radiated to all directions!

Once the peanut beans come out, under the dimensionality reduction strike, who can compete?!

Now in the entire Haizhou, there is almost no way for other small factories to survive. Every small tricycle that has just come out has the word 'Ji' of Ji Jue written on it without exception.

From the suburbs to the wilderness, like an ant colony that is insignificant but endless, it is everywhere, covering all directions!

If there is something to be done, is there anything more suitable than such a foundation?

Long before this, the production of tricycles had basically been stripped from Coast, and all production was concentrated in the newly built sub-factory in Quancheng.

In that wilderness where only ruins remained, adjacent to many rich resources, holding the equipment moved directly from Coast, there are countless scavengers and almost endless market demand.

No regulations, no constraints, no restrictions, you can conduct research and production arbitrarily.

For the behemoths, it is a chicken rib that is tasteless, but for Ji Jue, it is completely a blue ocean!

Even if you have nothing, you still have infinite possibilities.

There is nothing more suitable for Ji Jue than this.

"If you want it, just take it, Ji Jue, no one will have any opinion." Lü Yingyue promised with a smile: "You want too little, this doesn't even count as compensation."

"For me, it's already enough."

After Ji Jue achieved his goal, he stood up and said goodbye with satisfaction.

However, before leaving, he heard Lü Yingyue's voice.

On the sofa, the woman who looked slightly old turned back, looked at him, full of curiosity: "Ji Jue, actually, if you want to achieve something, there are too many things more suitable than tricycles, right? Why choose this?"

"If I don't do it, Coast won't do it either, right?" Ji Jue asked back.

If he withdrew, these things would often be packed and divided in the end, or sold to others. In the end, when the association's ban comes down, the peanuts and potatoes that haven't been upgraded in design will become a swan song. Not just tricycles, including the prosthetic limbs Ji Jue is involved in, for such projects with no possibility of profit, rather than expecting others to invest resources in upgrading and promotion, it is better to go and help again, even if you make a few new models and designs?

Not only that, there are many things he wants to do.

Since he started this, made a promise, and drew a small and elusive dream for those who are not cared about by others, he must always have a beginning and an end.

Anyway, it doesn't take much energy and investment, why not do it?

Moreover...

"Just treat it as, I want to make this world a better place."

After Ji Jue finished speaking, he was amused by such brazen words, shrugged: "Even if it can't be much better, if it can be a little bit better, it's not bad."

Having walked such a long way, done so many things, around and around, twists and turns, he suddenly found what he wanted to do.

Even if he might not do it well, even if this world is not good.

Even if it can't be much better, even if it can only be a little bit better...

Then why not add a little more?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 326 =====