Chapter 497: Whether There Are Dates or Not, You Still Have to Swing the Pole

Seeing Jian Qiu said seriously, "Let me tell you, the radiator factory isn't big. All together, there are only about a hundred people, but there's a huge mess of chaotic things inside. It's very complicated. Several factory directors have been transferred there, and none of them could figure it out."

Zhou Andong said, "A radiator factory with a hundred people—no matter how complicated it is, can it be more complicated than our winery was back then? Besides, I can't put all my energy into it. If I go, I'll just be a figurehead, support someone obedient, and once the factory is up and running, I'll retire with my achievements intact. I'm not fighting for anything, so whether it's complicated or not has nothing to do with me."

Seeing Jian Qiu pondered for a moment, "As long as you're confident, that's fine."

Zhou Andong pulled Seeing Jian Qiu into his arms, "You have to have confidence in your man."

Seeing Jian Qiu laughed, "I've always had confidence in you, but we can't work for nothing, can we? If we put in all the effort to save the factory and don't get any benefits, how can that work?"

Zhou Andong said with a smile, "What benefits do you want?"

Seeing Jian Qiu said, "Acquire it!"

Zhou Andong said, "Radiators are a thing with too many limitations. The market is limited to the Northeast. Even if you want to make it big and strong, it's unlikely you'll make much money."

For Zhou Andong, the only things that could make money were future floor heating pipes, like Rifeng or Jinniu, but he didn't think much of them.

Seeing Jian Qiu said, "No, we can't put in all the hard work only for others to benefit in the end."

Zhou Andong looked helpless, "Whether there are dates or not, since you want to swing the pole, then swing it. I'll be responsible for developing new products, and you just find a reliable manager."

Gu Bing asked, "You can still make something out of those crappy radiators? And you're even developing new products."

"What the hell do you know!" Zhou Andong ignored this idiot.

Current radiators were all cast iron—big and ugly. Not only did they take up space in the room, but they weren't aesthetically pleasing either.

But more than a decade later, there were those decorative radiators—square, round, long, flat, wall-mounted—and they came in colorful varieties; you could have any color you wanted.

Once installed, they were beautiful and grand, and they were made of steel, so they were not only lighter in weight but also dissipated heat much better than cast iron.

Even in an era where floor heating was all the rage, this type of decorative radiator hadn't been eliminated by the market.

Seeing Jian Qiu said, "Tomorrow night, the family will be at the old man's place for dinner. I'll bring it up then. Let's see if Jian Minglang has the guts to agree."

Before the gala started, Yuan Liying, Zhou Anqin, and the fourth sister returned.

"Sister-in-law!" When the fourth sister saw Seeing Jian Qiu, she rushed over with a gust of cold wind.

Seeing Jian Qiu hugged her and kissed her little face, which was frozen red, "Oh my, you're so cold. Let sister-in-law warm you up quickly."

Zhou Andong said with an expression of disgust, "You still dare to kiss her? When her snot runs out, she just wipes it with her sleeve, getting it all over her face."

"I did not!" The fourth sister glared fiercely at Zhou Andong.

"Right!" Seeing Jian Qiu hit Zhou Andong, "Our Ningning is a clean little girl. How could she possibly wipe her snot with her sleeve?"

"Exactly!" The fourth sister glared at Zhou Andong again.

"In the first lunar month, the first of the month, clap your hands and light the lanterns. What kind of lantern? A carp lantern, bringing a bumper harvest year after year. You light a lantern, I light a lantern, every household hangs a red lantern..."

The gala had started; Zhou Anbei shouted.

Zhou Andong went into the inner room, "Dad, the gala has started. Want to watch?"

"Watch!" Zhou Xiaoxin propped himself up to sit.

Zhou Andong carried his father out and placed him on the sofa.

"Hello everyone, I am Liang Yanling from Xiangjiang. I wish you all a Happy New Year!"

"Liang Yanling!" Zhou Anqin said excitedly, "I didn't expect that they would invite Liang Yanling to the gala this year."

Zhou Andong watched the TV. At this time, Teacher Zhao was still around, and Sister Ni was still very young.

Yuan Liying said, "You guys watch the gala, I'm going to wrap dumplings."

Zhou Andong said, "What time is it, and you're already wrapping dumplings?"

Yuan Liying said, "Wrap them first, put them on the windowsill to freeze, and boil them after eleven o'clock."

"I'll help you!" Seeing Jian Qiu was about to get up.

Yuan Liying pressed her back down, "I've already mixed the dumpling filling. I'll call you when I've finished kneading the dough and we're ready to wrap."

"Okay!" Seeing Jian Qiu agreed, grabbed a handful of melon seeds, and leaned against Zhou Andong's shoulder to watch the gala.

"Ding-a-ling..."

The phone rang suddenly. Zhou Andong got up, picked up the phone, and Du Chunlai's voice came through.

"Chairman, Happy New Year!"

Zhou Andong said with a smile, "Happy New Year!"

The two chatted for a few sentences, and just as he put down the phone, it rang again.

From then on, the phone didn't stop ringing. The directors of each branch factory and the various leaders of the group all called to wish him a Happy New Year.

It wasn't until after eleven o'clock that it finally quieted down. At this time, the sound of firecrackers outside began to ring out gradually.

As soon as the twelve o'clock bell rang, the firecrackers outside were like a boiling pot, and half the sky was dyed red.

"Happy New Year!" The fourth sister was jumping up and down on the sofa, then jumped to the floor with a bang, ran to the window, and pressed herself against it, watching the fireworks filling the sky outside.

"Time to eat dumplings!" Yuan Liying brought out a large basin of boiled dumplings from the kitchen and placed it on the coffee table.

Seeing Jian Qiu and Zhou Anqin came out with bowls and chopsticks, "Fourth sister, come over and eat dumplings."

"Ding-ling..."

Zhou Andong had just eaten a dumpling when the phone rang again.

"Who is it, calling at this time? I can't even eat a dumpling in peace."

Wu Hongkang's laughter came through the receiver: "Director Zhou, it's the New Year, don't be so hot-tempered."

Zhou Andong laughed heartily: "Old Wu, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year!" Wu Hongkang said: "Do you have time tomorrow to come out for a drink?"

Zhou Andong's heart stirred. This guy was looking for him to drink on the first day of the Lunar New Year; there must be something going on.

"No problem, where?"

Wu Hongkang said: "Let's do it at my place, tomorrow at noon. I'll have the driver come pick you up."

Zhou Andong said: "No need. It's the New Year, the driver should be at home celebrating too. Just give me the address, and I'll head over myself."

"That works too!" Wu Hongkang gave Zhou Andong the address, "Come over early tomorrow."

Zhou Andong agreed and hung up the phone.

"Who was it?" Seeing Jian Qiu asked.

Zhou Andong said: "Wu Hongkang from Hongxing. He invited me to his place for a drink tomorrow. I reckon there's something up; otherwise, he wouldn't be asking me over for a drink on the first day of the New Year."

Seeing Jian Qiu said: "I don't have anything going on tomorrow, I'll go with you to see."

"Alright!" Zhou Andong picked up a dumpling and put it in his mouth.

Seeing Jian Qiu didn't leave that night and stayed at the hotel with Zhou Andong.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, after finishing breakfast, Zhou Andong picked up the phone and called Deng Zhangli and Cheng Zhanjun to wish them a Happy New Year.

Then he drove with Seeing Jian Qiu to Wu Hongkang's house. When he saw a man sitting on the sofa in Wu Hongkang's home, he was stunned for a moment. Why did he look so familiar?