Chapter 403: The Tech Guy Is Honest, But Not a Fool

mayiwsk

"Brother, you—you—slow down! Be careful on the road! Come visit often!"

In the minds of most men, no relationship can't be fixed with one drink; if not, then two; if still not, you simply didn't drink enough or weren't generous enough.

Li Ye drinks with great integrity—once he takes a liking to you, I'll down mine, you do as you please.

Wu Yan and his band of tech guys were also quite upright—they rarely tried to weasel out of drinking.

So when he left Changbei Machinery Company that afternoon, even though Wu Yan and the others were staggering drunk, they still forced themselves to see him off, slurring, "Brother, come visit often!"

Meanwhile, Professors Zhao and Wu, who had been sitting with Tang Mingtai and Guo Tianyong, noticed Li Ye after their own students turned into drunken messes.

Professor Zhao frowned at Tang Mingtai: "Who is that young man? Shouting 'domestic goods must be self-reliant'—and claiming top three nationally? That's audacious. And look how drunk he got Wu Yan and the others—will they even work tomorrow?"

Tang Mingtai whispered: "He's an old high school buddy of Li Dayong's—they both got into Beijing University together. And he's also a student at Beijing University, like Pei Wenhui."

"Another student?"

Professor Zhao sneered: "Why are today's students so restless? Can you just shout 'domestic goods must be self-reliant' and think it means something? It's easy to yell, but do you know how hard it is to actually do it?"

"Young people should study seriously and work diligently. Don't be like you back then, always thinking you're a genius—until you hit a wall and finally realize who's really in charge? Too late to turn back now."

Tang Mingtai rolled his eyes. Who's the one who hit a wall and wanted to turn back? I never turned back, okay?

And which young person doesn't think they're a genius? Didn't you old folks ever feel that way? Is it really because I didn't marry your daughter? Do you have to keep throwing that at me?

I've got to fire back, or they'll think I'm still that obedient little student from back then!

Tang Mingtai's eyes darted, then he smiled: "Teacher, not all young people are the same."

"Look at Pei Wenhui—she's barely out of school and already helping her family run a business. Age doesn't equal ability. You can't keep judging people by your old standards."

Professor Zhao glared: "You're just stating obvious truths, aren't you? Pei's girl is young, sure—but she's rich!

You've been in management long enough—don't you understand the old saying: 'A single coin can defeat a hero'? Money is the greatest ability, don't you get it?"

"If you had enough money, domestic goods would've been self-reliant long ago—why would anyone need to shout empty slogans?"

Tang Mingtai dodged the professor's spittle and muttered: "But we have money right here! If we've got cash, isn't it fine to shout 'domestic goods must be self-reliant'?"

Both Professor Zhao and Professor Wu froze, then slowly savored Tang Mingtai's words.

Though they pretended to be at odds, Professor Zhao and Tang Mingtai were close enough to speak plainly—he thought a moment, then asked directly: "How much money do you have? How much are you planning to invest?"

Tang Mingtai shook his head: "I'm just a technical manager—I don't know the company's finances. But when I first joined, I asked this question. Li Ye said something to me—I remember it clearly."

Professor Zhao blinked, puzzled: "What did Li Ye say?"

Tang Mingtai smiled: "He told me to just focus on the technology. Don't worry about money. If overseas giants can research it, so can we. And if they can spend the money, so can we."

Tang Mingtai's words were a bit convoluted, but both professors understood.

Professor Zhao couldn't help but complain again: "So an economic consultant gets to decide?"

Tang Mingtai replied: "I don't know for sure. But from the tone when I spoke to Pei Wenhui, he seems to have some connection with her brother, Pei Wencong—so he probably has some influence."

Professor Zhao fell silent. He was a shrewd man, had been coming to Changbei often lately, and clearly saw how much influence Pei Wenhui had over Guo Tianyong.

If Li Ye could influence Pei Wencong, then by institutional standards, he was clearly someone who had real authority—after all, only a handful of people can speak directly to leadership.

Usually quiet, Professor Wu, seeing his junior fall silent, stepped in: "It's good that young people have energy. When we were young, we too had ideas like 'domestic goods must be self-reliant.'"

"But now, don't go around saying things like 'number one nationally'—it makes you a target and invites trouble."

Tang Mingtai frowned: "Trouble? What do you mean by that, Professor Wu?"

Professor Wu glanced at his junior and lowered his voice: "Since ancient times, reputation and profit—reputation comes before profit. If you get the title 'number one nationally,' how would you feel? Would you give up that promotion advantage?"

Tang Mingtai: "..."

Professor Zhao chuckled at Tang Mingtai's stunned expression: "Surprised? You still have a lot to learn, kid."

Tang Mingtai felt annoyed and opened his mouth to argue, but Professor Wu shook his head: "If you stay in Hong Kong-funded operations, you won't need to learn these things."

"Look at Guo Tianyong—he used just a few overseas study and training slots to solve the problems back home. Sharp move."

Professor Zhao nodded: "True. He doesn't fully understand mainland ways, but this time he handled it cleanly and efficiently. He's a capable man."

"The key is still the money."

"Exactly. Even the cleverest woman can't cook without rice. Without money, you can't afford to be generous."

Compared to Li Ye, Li Dayong, and even Pei Wenhui, the two old professors held a far higher opinion of Guo Tianyong, the Hong Kong manager. Perhaps they believed that while Pei Wenhui and Li Dayong seemed to be managing Changbei, they were really just learning from Guo Tianyong.

They never imagined that the idea of overseas study and training came from Li Ye—and that Li Ye's motive went far beyond mere "pulling strings."

"Dayong, you okay? Should we stop and rest before we go on?"

"No, I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy—I won't vomit in the car."

"Hey, I'm not worried about you vomiting in the car—I'm worried about your stomach. Don't drink so much. You don't have your brother's tolerance—you're just showing off."

"I'm not... showing off."

During the drinking, Li Ye had been completely open-handed—downing every glass. Li Dayong felt it wasn't right to let his brother shoulder it alone, so he joined in.

But Li Ye drank a whole bottle and was fine; Li Dayong had barely finished a liter and was already burping nonstop, making Pei Wenhui deeply concerned.

Still, no matter how worried she was, she drove slowly and steadily, occasionally scolding Li Dayong softly—she'd learned the temperament of men from Dongshan: don't poke at their pride, or things get messy.

But Li Ye still explained to his brother: "Wenhui, understand Dayong—he mostly deals with tech people. He needs to build rapport. Today was a good chance."

"A good chance?" Pei Wenhui paused. "What do you mean by 'good chance'?"

Li Ye smiled: "Who do you think will actually get those overseas study and training slots we promised today?"

"Well... probably some of them will go to Wu Yan and the tech staff."

Though Pei Wenhui had only been on the mainland for a year, she'd learned enough. Hong Kong had plenty of dirty tricks too—so she used the word "some," implying that even though Guo Tianyong said the slots could go to "children, colleagues, or family members," she believed most wouldn't be decided by Wu Yan's team.

That is, although Guo Tianyong had said "it could be children, colleagues, or family members of technical staff," Pei Wenhui also believed that most opportunities were not up to Wu Yan and his group to decide.

Li Ye shook his head: "But no matter how many slots others take, do you think Wu Yan and his team will be happy?"

"If Wu Yan and his team are unhappy, then our opportunity arises."

"But you said the domestic and overseas benefits are the same?"

Li Dayong was confused—after all, the benefits Guo Tianyong offered Wu Yan's team weren't fully aligned with overseas standards yet, but overseas trips no longer held strong appeal for them.

Li Ye raised one finger, calmly: "Remember this, Dayong—tech guys seem quiet and honest, but they're not stupid."

"If something belongs to them, they'll gladly give it to you if they're willing. But if they're not, you absolutely cannot take it."

"Because when an honest man gets angry, no sweet-talking lady can calm him down."

Li Ye meant those overseas study and training slots had a dual purpose—but Li Dayong's brain sometimes worked in odd ways.

"Brother, who's this 'loving auntie'?"

"'Loving auntie'—someone who says 'let the other guy die, not me,' and talks big without standing in the fire."

"Oh, I've met people like that—back at school."

Li Dayong suddenly understood, and connected Li Ye's words to certain people he remembered.

In the front, Pei Wenhui quietly memorized Li Ye's words.

In her view, Li Ye's words likely had two layers.

First, he was teaching her and Li Dayong how to recruit talent—how to unite the idle tech guys on the mainland into productive force and make domestic goods strong.

First, teaching her and Li Dayong how to recruit talent, how to unite the numerous idle technical men from the mainland into productive force, and how to make domestic products bigger and stronger.

Though Li Dayong was considered smart on the mainland, in Pei Wenhui's eyes, he was just a quiet, honest tech guy—far from the smooth-talking, love-song-singing Hong Kong boys.

But quiet honesty had its advantages: loyal, responsible, very manly, and extremely safe.

You absolutely cannot make a guy like this angry.

Didn't Li Ye say? Once he gets mad, no one can stop him.

(End of Chapter)

Didn't you hear Li Ye say? Once he loses his temper, no one can stop him!

(End of Chapter)