Chapter 393: Old Song is actually no longer limping

"Is this Zhongyingjie? Why is it just like the big market back in our county?"

"There are many people, so of course the goods are good! You guys keep an eye on things for me in a bit! I'm going to buy some good stuff."

"What good stuff are you going to buy?"

"Can't say, can't say. My wife entrusted me to buy it; don't go asking about women's business."

"Bullshit. I can guess even if you don't say it. If it's not silk stockings, it's underwear. You're thirty-four or thirty-five and still so flashy."

"That's so good, I'll buy a few pieces for my wife too."

"You're thirty-nine, damn it, and you don't think you're being flashy?"

"A man is in his prime at forty; it would be strange if I weren't flashy!"

On the fourth day of the tour group's arrival in Pengcheng, Li Ye, at the request of Li Zhongfa and the others, had Hao Jian handle the procedures for them to travel to Zhongyingjie, leading them over to take a look and satisfy their curiosity.

Zhongyingjie is even more famous now than it was two years ago. Many people feel that going to Zhongyingjie is just like going abroad. Since everyone had finally made it to Pengcheng, it would feel a bit incomplete if they didn't go take a look.

Everyone didn't feel much when they first arrived at Zhongyingjie, but once they saw the goods and asked about the prices, they couldn't control their hands anymore. Everything they looked at seemed good, and everything they looked at seemed cheap.

However, a few people were missing from the trip to Zhongyingjie today. Factory Manager Wang had taken a few attendants and returned early last night.

The reason was that the technical reform team of the Changbei Machinery Company had made a "major technical breakthrough" and had called Factory Manager Wang to report the good news. Factory Manager Wang had taken people back to preside over the big picture.

After arriving at Zhongyingjie, Li Zhongfa found a moment when no one was around to ask Li Ye: "Xiao Ye, do you think that major technical breakthrough is real or fake?"

"That's definitely fake," Li Ye said with certainty. "Grandfather, you've also seen the technical reform team that Factory Manager Wang put together. I don't believe that with your discernment, you couldn't tell how much weight they carry."

A few days ago, Li Zhongfa had led the Qingshui Food Company tour group to Changbei for a visit, and Factory Manager Wang had specifically shown everyone that technical reform team.

Scattered parts were placed here and there in half of the workshop, and the hands, feet, and clothes of the few technical reform personnel were all spotlessly clean. No matter how you looked at it, it looked like a facade project.

"Hmm, although I don't know much about machinery, I also felt it was a bit of a sham. Those few technicians clearly didn't look like people who would study diligently."

"However, Wang Qinshan is not a person who speaks empty words. Since the technical breakthrough is fake, then it's likely they bought something ready-made and cooperated with that so-called Zhongai Company."

Li Zhongfa looked at Li Ye and suddenly smiled as he said: "But it's very strange. Tang Mingtai heard the day before yesterday that they were going to cooperate with the Fusang people and was still arguing fiercely with Wang Qinshan, but after receiving the news last night, he didn't argue or make a scene, acting just like an obedient wife. Did you guys cook up some devious plan?"

Li Ye said in surprise: "Grandfather, you could even see that?"

Li Zhongfa put on a stern face and laughed, scolding: "I don't even need to look; I could guess it. Have you guys been willing to suffer losses in the past two years? The calmer you are, the more you're brewing something bad."

"Grandfather, you're truly amazing. You guessed half of it right."

Li Ye said, half-praising and half-flattering, then added: "We aren't brewing anything bad this time; we are preparing to compete technically with that Zhongai Machinery Company."

"You want to compete head-on with the little Japanese?"

Li Zhongfa immediately became serious and said in a deep voice: "Although I wasn't afraid of them on the battlefield, when it comes to machinery and technology... the little Japanese are truly not bad. You must be careful."

Li Ye looked at Li Zhongfa, feeling very respectful in his heart.

He didn't say big, empty words like "overcome difficulties and we will surely win," nor did he say discouraging words like "can you guys do it?" He just mentioned "must be careful."

In other words, Li Zhongfa didn't hesitate from the bottom of his heart; subconsciously, he felt they should compete head-on with that Zhongai Company and have a go at them.

Li Ye said calmly: "Grandfather, you don't need to remind me. I know the gap between our mainland and Fusang in terms of precision machining. They are ahead of us by more than ten or even decades."

"If this time it were a comparison of fully imported goods like the 2188 TV, then we wouldn't be able to compete. We really wouldn't be able to compete. After all, their multi-axis machine tools are far too advanced compared to ours."

Li Ye paused, then suddenly smiled: "But that Zhongai Machinery Company is in Pengcheng! So what are we afraid of?"

Li Zhongfa didn't quite understand, so he asked: "So what if they are in Pengcheng? Can you still have Hao Jian trip them up? Some methods aren't fit for the public stage."

"We aren't using underhanded methods; they tripped themselves up. Since Zhongai Company is in Pengcheng, then they are just like us, on the same starting line."

Li Ye explained: "The mechanical materials we don't have in the mainland need to be imported at high prices, but they also have to import them."

"If their core components are processed overseas, then we can also have them processed overseas through Hong Kong. It looks like the cost is high now, but the little Japanese are very shrewd; they will raise prices sooner or later. Let's see who can outlast whom."

"If they want to process locally, then the advanced machine tools they can get into Pengcheng, as long as we are willing to spend the money, we can also get our hands on."

"Even if they invite some craftsmen over from Fusang... our mainland's master craftsmen aren't any worse!"

"So what else is there to compare next? Isn't it just comparing technology?"

Li Ye said confidently: "Grandfather, we are indeed lagging behind others now, but we have a tradition of concentrating our strength to accomplish big things."

"That Zhongai Company isn't some super-large enterprise. How many PhDs can they afford to hire? How many professors can they afford to employ?"

Li Ye took a breath and said with extreme firmness, appearing calm: "Pei Wencong has already returned to Hong Kong today to inspect the new machine tools, and Tang Mingtai has also returned to the capital to recruit people. Next, it's time to speak with ability."

"That group of Fusang people didn't just contact Changbei Machinery Factory alone. They want to use that slightly advanced technology to win big with a small stake. Let's let them fly for a while first. When the right time comes, we'll cross bayonets with them."

"If we win, we'll hold our heads high and have a drink to celebrate."

"If we lose, it's just that our skills aren't as good as others. We'll dust ourselves off and stand up, and just have another round."

Li Zhongfa, who had experienced many storms, was stunned for a long time without speaking, his teeth sucking in air.

Of course, he understood the principles Li Ye spoke of, and he also agreed with competing against the other side, but the crux of the problem was "money"!

Of the things Li Ye mentioned, which one doesn't require spending money?

If you have money, everything you listen to sounds reasonable. If you don't have money... you kid are just farting. With so many people, can you really do it?

When others introduce a production line of advanced level, it requires a large amount of foreign exchange. If you don't have foreign exchange, what else is there to say?

Even if you have foreign exchange...

Grandson, we concentrate our strength to accomplish big things by using public money. You wanting to speak with ability against others is using private money... doesn't it hurt?

It definitely hurts, but why does it sound so satisfying?

"Xiao Ye! Although I don't quite understand the things you're doing, it sounds quite exciting to me. Go ahead and do it! If you lose your pants, Grandfather will support you."

Li Zhongfa wasn't a wishy-washy person either. Despite sucking his teeth, he still gave Li Ye encouragement with a face full of righteousness.

He had to support what his grandson was doing.

Li Ye also smiled and said: "Grandfather, your words sound... exciting too. Hmm?"

Li Ye was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly froze, because through Li Zhongfa's shoulder, he suddenly saw an "exciting" person in the crowd.

In the year 1984, the flow of people on Zhongyingjie was rolling. There were merchants carrying big bags to stock up on goods, and there were fashionable tourists holding cameras looking left and right.

There were also pickpockets and scammers with shifty eyes looking for underhanded gains, so no matter who appeared, it was nothing strange.

Old Song was wearing a sun hat that looked expensive and a pair of toad sunglasses that looked expensive. He was turning two iron balls in his hand, clinking and clanking non-stop.

If it were just his attire, it wouldn't be too strange. Li Ye wouldn't have taken an extra look at him in the crowd and recognized this guy who covered half his face.

Old Song was unique because he walked slowly.

Most people who came to Zhongyingjie walked with light steps, browsing this shop and looking at that store, but Old Song walked with a steady, square gait, moving one step at a time, as leisurely as an old cadre out for a stroll.

Such a person was rare on Zhongyingjie.

However, everyone who didn't know him couldn't tell that he was a cripple.

Li Ye, who was following behind, had been observing Old Song for a while. Through his keen observation, he could determine that Old Song was actually walking very arduously.

Can a cripple disguise himself as an ordinary person without being arduous?

So why was he hiding the fact that he was a cripple? He had been a cripple for so many years; it wasn't shameful.

Li Ye followed for a while and didn't find Old Song hiding the fact that he was a cripple from anyone in particular, but since he knew Old Song's background, there must be something fishy.

After careful observation, careful identification, and careful comparison, Li Ye finally locked onto a person.

That was a very tall man, probably over fifty years old, also walking and stopping on the street, not buying anything in his hands.

Old Song's gaze was always looking left and right casually, not focusing on anyone, but he always kept a distance that was neither too far nor too close from that man.

Li Ye looked carefully at the man's facial features and seemed to understand something.

That man looked somewhat similar to Guan Erdaye, Guan Ciying. Thinking back to the things Old Song had told him, Li Ye guessed that this man might be Guan Ciying's older brother, Guan Cihui.

Guan Ciying's younger brother, Guan Ciying, knew Old Song. Was he hiding from him?

In the summer in Pengcheng, the sun was vicious. Li Ye followed Old Song and that man suspected to be Guan Cihui, just like that for half a day.

Just as he was pondering whether to quietly go up and drag Old Song aside to ask clearly, Guan Cihui, who was at the very front, stopped.

And Old Song also suddenly seemed to have been hit by a freezing spell, standing by the roadside without his previous leisure and composure.

Li Ye followed Old Song and Guan Cihui's gaze and saw an old man at the intersection of the four gazes.

That old man's hair was already quite white, and there were age spots on his face, but his posture was very straight, and his eyes were very sharp, without any of the dimness and turbidity of an old person.

He stood on the side of Zhongyingjie that belonged to Hong Kong, quietly looking at Guan Cihui on this side, but didn't notice Old Song behind him.

"Clink, clink, clink, clink."

The pair of iron balls in Old Song's hand made a slight sound as they collided because his wrists were trembling, indicating the excitement in his heart at this moment.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 394 =====