Chapter 389

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Even at the old residence, Fang Yu still kept a pair of frog glasses in his pocket, with half of them sticking out to show off.

Among the younger generation, he ranked near the bottom in terms of closeness to him, but when it came to comparing fathers, he could rank near the front; therefore, he looked around left and right, putting on the air of a second-rate young miss.

Chen Yi plopped down opposite Fang Yu, waved to the service staff, and asked with a smile, "How does today's set meal taste?"

"It's only at the old master's place that one can eat a bite of authentic, simple Chinese fast food; it's edible." Fang Yu put on a righteous and stern front, only revealing his true colors in the last sentence.

Actually, not just him; which of Chen Zhongguo's relatives is doing poorly? If it weren't at the old master's place, why would they need fast food to fill their stomachs on ordinary days?

Chen Yi chuckled twice, and seeing his portion arrive, he stopped talking, lowered his head, and ate fiercely, sweeping away the rice in the bowl like autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves, not even wiping his mouth, and said first, "Another plate."

A service staff member immediately added rice for him.

From some unknown time, there were more staff members in the old residence, and they were basically all assigned by higher-ups. According to common practice, a retired central leader averages annual expenditures of over ten million; once needed, they can apply for state-paid staff at any time, who are not only well-trained and sincere in attitude but also save the trouble of political review and other tedious work, fully embodying care for old comrades.

Chen Yi continued to wolf down his food; the service staff moved two steps away, prepared new plates and food, and stood by at all times ready to add rice for him.

Judging by his eating speed, two more portions would be no problem.

Chen Yi indeed did exactly that. He ate six set meals in a row, roughly 1 kilogram of rice plus a corresponding quantity of dishes and meat, and only then, under everyone's shocked gazes, leisurely wiped his mouth and smiled, "Much better than the school canteen, not bad."

The attendants smiled without speaking, only nodding slightly. The last few set meals were all stir-fried individually by the chef; aside from the ingredients being similar, the flavors were naturally different. Serving central leaders, service staff must have this bit of discernment.

"You look like you've just returned from border support." Fang Yu had reason to express his surprise; in fact, everyone was watching.

"Hungry." Chen Yi laughed. All true words.

"That's truly hungry." Fang Yu also spoke nonsense: "Come to see the old master?"

If Chen Yi hadn't recently behaved so humbly and modestly, Fang Yu would be unwilling and find it improper to speak so many words with him.

"Of course."

"Heard... heard you've participated in quite a few charity fundraisers recently?"

"It's recruiting volunteers and such."

A few casual sentences, without any meaning. But from the gazes of the people around, Fang Yu suddenly realized his status had risen, which made him, after wild joy, somewhat dazed. It was both distress over his collateral branch identity and sighing at Chen Yi's rapid development.

"When you're free, let's have a meal together." Fang Yu suddenly blurted out this sentence.

Chen Yi was dumbfounded, then nodded repeatedly, smiling, "Good, when there's time."

The other party had helped him a few times after all; although he used to be quite disrespectful, now his fur was smoothed the right way.

Entering the courtyard, Chen Zhongguo and his several aides were all there, gesturing about who knows what.

Chen Yi stopped at the courtyard gate, waited thirty seconds, and only then was summoned forward.

"Heard you've been doing charity recently?" Chen Zhongguo's first sentence actually bore some resemblance to Fang Yu's.

Chen Yi then explained as usual.

"Seeing your temper is good, that's a good thing. Do charity if you have time, do something else if you don't." Chen Zhongguo didn't really support his volunteer work or whatever, but only because he was facing Chen Yi did he explain one more sentence: "Leaders in the upper echelons must think of ways to make the cake bigger; how to divide it is the business of those below."

"Unfair distribution is also trouble." Chen Yi couldn't help but argue back a sentence. Charity was his mother's career after all.

Old Fo laughed and said, "Mr. Chen, the common people who gain benefits from charity undertakings will not be sincerely convinced and satisfied with the status quo; they will surely want to stand on their own feet. Old Chen's meaning is to let us help these people who want to stand on their own feet."

A feeling of words within words.

Chen Yi twisted his buttocks, sitting unsteadily on the tea table.

"Doing charity isn't a bad thing, but you must consider clearly. Especially men, doing charity appears weak." Chen Zhongguo revealed the answer.

Chen Yi hehe-smiled and said, "How would it be weak."

"Of course it would be weak!" Chen Zhongguo straightened his back, knocked on the table, and said, "What is our Chen Family's greatest resource now? It's not me, this retired old man; it's reputation. Without reputation, are we supposed to rely on Chen Guoliang this Major General, or Chen Congyu's All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce Chairmanship to hold up the family gate?"

If it were another younger generation member, they would have long been scared into shrinking their shoulders and hiding their buttocks, but Chen Yi didn't flinch at all, still smiling and saying, "Your reputation is illustrious, how could it be influenced by a small fry like me; even if it is weak, that's me being weak."

"I'm saying you're weak." Chen Zhongguo angrily slapped the table and said, "Heard you did charity for 10 days at school? Unreliable, doing things without any plan or regularity..."

"Someone laughed at you?" Chen Yi probed.

"Hmph!"

"Like an old child." Once Chen Yi said this, Old Fo and Li Lao beside him couldn't sit still.

"You brat!" Chen Zhongguo stood up and made a gesture to knock his head, but fortunately was far enough away not to hit. His body has improved a lot, but a person's thinking doesn't rejuvenate. Compared to when he was in office, there is indeed some change.

Chen Yi took the opportunity to step forward sideways, grabbed his shoulder, gave an "enfeoffment," and said, "This isn't weakness, it's modesty, absolutely not tricking you. By the way, who dared laugh at you?"

"Hmph!" Chen Zhongguo naturally didn't answer; he only felt his spirit was better, so he sat back in the chair, gulped down half a cup of water, and reluctantly said, "That countervailing duty case, done well."

"Results out?" Chen Yi also hurriedly sat down.

"About the same." The speaker was Li Lao, speaking refinedly: "This is our country's best counter-suit result yet; although there are still punitive tariffs, several enterprises in Jiangning are all around 5%, very good. Hmm, the three non-Jiangning ones, roughly between 15% and 35%; those that didn't respond to the suit, roughly 75%."

So-called punitive tariffs are tariffs added on top of normal values. 15% is estimated to cut away all profits, or force price hikes; as for 75%, that is definitely a losing business — basically all goods accused of dumping in Europe and America are priced so low there's almost no profit margin; if there were high-profit goods, how could it be called dumping? Actually, even 5% is no small burden for enterprises; that's over ten million in tax money per year, just handed over to foreigners for nothing.

But from the national level, 5% punitive tariffs can at least guarantee enterprises' normal production and operation activities; maintaining employment can already be called the greatest harvest. With slight maneuvering, Chen Congyu's benefits are even greater. Among so many All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce organizations nationwide, so many aristocratic scions nationwide, only he achieved this point; it is absolutely a political achievement hard beyond harder.

Even Old Fo couldn't help but ask a sentence: "How did you do it?"

Chen Yi couldn't very well say it was fed with money, so he put on a profound appearance of smiling without speaking.

Grandfather Chen Zhongguo couldn't help but glare at him again, then said: "Seeing you're so capable, the high official matter, you operate it yourself."

"That won't do." Chen Yi immediately took out three slices of Dan Shen and said: "You're idle anyway, show some power."

The hand that takes from others is short; grandfathers are no exception. Chen Zhongguo accepted his Dan Shen, waved his hand and said: "Go, let him prepare to take office."

"Deal." Chen Yi left, feeling rich and powerful.

To speak of this overseas counter-suit led by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, the money spent was truly not small; lawyer fees alone exceeded 7 million US dollars, far exceeding the Federation's fund volume. This money didn't fall from the sky; it all had to be sent over through various methods. In addition, things like Senator Schumer's retainer are indispensable year-round; for this matter, several million more had to be added.

The Americans set up such punitive tariffs also after careful calculation; they insist on putting you in a state where, when balancing the economic account, you lose if you respond to the suit and lose if you don't. China has many wealthy people, but those who spend this money and can earn it back are absolutely rare; even those few color TV enterprises are unwilling to pay tens of millions in lawyer fees to reduce tens of millions in punitive tariffs per year. The Federation's money can be said to be purely for Chen Congyu's political achievement considerations.

With a different Leader, the same thing wouldn't happen either — tens of millions, hundreds of millions of RMB, transferred to whatever cushy post isn't enough, why throw it into the pool.

Of course, if you tally the Total Account, five large Color TV Enterprises plus a bunch of small factories, the money spent on litigation won't exceed the Chengfashi Tariff. However, the profits earned by the Enterprises come from the Workers in the factories working hard; to sell products in the United States, throwing most of the profits to American Lawyers... on the big Total Account, it's never worthwhile.

Chen Yi can't manage that much; he has neither the Faith of "Justice" nor the Faith of "compassion for the suffering of the world"; what he can do is only premised on conforming to Family and personal interests. If everyone minds their own business, the world will be full of love.

The second week, the United States anti-Monopoly ruling finally came down, differing little from what Chen Zhongguo and the others understood.

Accompanying the pages of Comments in the news is the Nanjing Municipal CPPCC plenary session. This session will use the Method of equal-number election to elect this term's Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary-General, and Standing Committee members.

Chen Yi completely Relieved. Equal-number election is a very Intelligence-based election Pattern; the number of candidates equals the number to be elected, Voters or Representatives have no Choose margin before the election, Unless half the people don't even mark a check, otherwise the candidates will certainly be elected. Of course, one could also assume half the people directly wrote in other candidates' names, and confirmed there was no collusion...

Such small-probability events naturally cannot happen to Chen Congyu of the Old Chen Family. (Unfinished. If you like this work, Welcome to Qidian (qidian. com) to Push Recommendation Ticket, Monthly Ticket; your support is my Maximum Motivation.)