Chapter 757: A Huge Appetite

The next morning, Li Ye returned to work at his unit. Before he could ask Lu Lu Zhizhang about any important matters in recent days, Lu Lu Zhizhang quietly asked him: "How many people are you planning to invite to your child's full-moon banquet?"

Li Ye replied in surprise: "Old Lu, do you think I need to throw a big celebration?"

Only a few people in the light truck company knew Li Ye had taken leave to accompany his wife through childbirth; he had no intention of making a fuss, and would simply invite Lu Lu Zhizhang, Old Ding, and a few others for a small gathering.

But Lu Lu Zhizhang said: "You haven't been in for several days, and several people have come asking if your family has welcomed a new member—so this secret won't hold out until the end."

"I know you don't want a big affair, but if you keep distancing yourself from everyone, you'll push some people into others' camps."

Li Ye glanced at Lu Lu Zhizhang in astonishment, then closed the office door and whispered: "Explain this to me—I don't understand."

Lu Lu Zhizhang poured Li Ye a cup of tea, then spoke carefully: "Let me put it this way: Over the years, our unit has developed unwritten rules."

Those with ambition always try to get close to their superiors, seizing chances to drink together, chat together, and subtly report work or express loyalty in their duties."

"If the superior shows annoyance, they'll turn to another leader to report and show loyalty, because they feel uneasy without a superior who recognizes them."

"."

Li Ye was genuinely surprised.

According to Lu Lu Zhizhang's logic, anyone with ambition had to cling to a powerful leg—like "either a friend or an enemy." If you won't let them cling, they'll find another leg.

Thinking back on the leaders from his past life who spent every day networking outside—was it really out of necessity, forced to toast and drink just to maintain their small circles?

Were the leg-clingers tired? And weren't the legs tired too?

Seeing Li Ye lost in thought, Lu Lu Zhizhang continued: "During your absence, the union proposed several suggestions: since our first plant is doing well, we should improve staff benefits."

"Besides building a primary school and kindergarten, we should also select outstanding workers for a seaside trip."

Li Ye understood—this was clearly an action from Lai Lai Jiayi's side.

He frowned: "With just these minor benefits, you won't win anyone's heart. A salary raise is the real key."

Lu Lu Zhizhang shook his head: "Li Ye, let me say something honest: Every single benefit in this unit must be held in your own hands. If these proposals pass without your approval, it proves your authority is unstable."

"Hahaha, unstable authority? You're the top boss, Old Lu."

Lu Lu Zhizhang smiled faintly without rebutting, then said: "Our first plant has few managers—workshop directors, department heads, and chief officers—so if you're willing, I'll organize it. No need for your wife to show up; just get everyone to eat and drink together, and mutual understanding will follow."

"."

Lu Lu Zhizhang's meaning was clear: the management structure of the first plant was simple, with few workshop directors, section heads, or supervisors. If Li Ye set up two tables, Lu Lu Zhizhang could help orchestrate things to bind everyone onto the same boat.

From now on, whenever new proposals or suggestions arose, everyone would quietly coordinate first, then exclude the "outsiders."

"Then I'll leave it to you, Old Lu."

Li Ye rubbed his forehead and finally nodded in agreement.

Previously, Li Ye had believed that cadre selection in the first plant should be "merit-based"—whoever was capable, whoever rose.

But human relations in this country were complex: colleagues like Xiao Zhu and Pan Pan Dachuan, who were close to Li Ye, might feel slighted if they weren't invited to his child's full-moon banquet, thinking he saw them as outsiders.

Yet if he invited only Xiao Zhu and a few others, others would think he looked down on them—especially those managers who felt they could "speak freely" with him. In the adult world, sometimes you simply had no choice.

"Alright, it's settled. During your absence, here are the other matters:"

After finishing personal matters, Lu Lu Zhizhang turned to official business.

"First, the general plant's production department has approached us again, asking us to procure diesel engines from Laidong and gearboxes from Changbei for them."

"From what they say, the supply department's procurement plan isn't going well—they're only willing to sell the general plant two hundred sets of engines and gearboxes per month."

Li Ye knew perfectly well why it wasn't going well—because that number, two hundred sets, was agreed upon with his master, Old Ding.

If they gave zero, Old Ding would be blamed for "incompetence." Now with two hundred sets in hand, anyone who complained could be told: "If you're so capable, go do it yourself."

Li Ye said: "We won't agree. We don't even have enough for ourselves! If we give them all, they'll sell them at high prices later—and it'll make me look like I sold cheap."

Li Ye had set the J3-130 at a low price to open the market; by next year, when inflation hit, the market would be established, and prices would naturally rise with soaring costs.

"They won't be able to sell them at high prices."

Lu Lu Zhizhang smirked: "I checked. The general plant hasn't even started retooling yet. The destination of those two hundred vehicles is already set—the factory price is ten yuan higher than what our first plant set."

"Ten yuan higher than ours?"

Li Ye was stunned. When he and Old Ding agreed on two hundred units, they'd estimated it would just satisfy the general plant's "connections."

Now that the first plant's monthly output was nearing two thousand vehicles, two hundred wouldn't make a difference.

But the idea of "ten yuan higher" was something he'd never anticipated.

Just days ago at the meeting, a group accused Li Ye of being "young and ignorant of the cost of rice and firewood," of selling public property cheaply—yet now they raise the price by ten yuan? Was this a joke?

You're so experienced—you make ten yuan more profit per vehicle than I do?

Lu Lu Zhizhang glanced out the window and whispered to Li Ye: "Those two hundred vehicles are being sold to Guan Liang's newly established trading company."

"."

Li Ye was stunned again.

He knew Guan Liang had started a trading company, but he'd heard it was just dealing in scrap metal and fuel—now it was swallowing entire vehicles?

"What a huge appetite!"

Li Ye smiled coldly. Forty thousand yuan in profit? One person can't swallow that—he'll choke.

Lu Lu Zhizhang sighed helplessly, then said: "Let's drop that. Second matter: Didn't you ask Pan Pan Dachuan to look into sourcing external 130 chassis?"

"There's been a response. The closest source is Jibei, but a factory in Dongshan somehow got wind of this and came forward proposing a joint venture."

"Joint venture? No way."

Li Ye immediately rejected the joint venture idea—throughout the 80s and 90s, state-owned factories had almost zero success with joint ventures; instead, they ended up propping up private enterprises.

Lu Lu Zhizhang said: "Fine. I'll treat them to dinner this afternoon. They came all the way from Zhucheng—it's not easy."

"Oh? Zhucheng? Then I'll go with you tonight."

Li Ye paused, then decided to meet them.

If it was the small factory from his original timeline, it was well worth cooperating with.

After all, such an open-minded local enterprise was rare and hard to come by.