Chapter 1201: The Power Station Project

"Leader, I'm here to submit an application."

Zhou Yao knocked on the door and walked into the office just as Li Li Xuewu looked up.

"Did I disturb you?"

"You've already walked in; isn't it a bit late to ask that now?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at her, took the document, and asked, "What kind of application is it? Don't tell me you're asking for money."

"Look at you," Zhou Yao said with an embarrassed smile, muttering, "If it weren't an application for money, I wouldn't dare to trouble you—"

"So you're treating me like a bank, then?"

Li Li Xuewu flipped through the document, marked a few spots with his pencil, looked up, and asked, "Asking for vehicles is one thing, but what's the thinking behind wanting a fuel storage depot?"

Before Zhou Yao could answer, he picked up the telephone and dialed the rotary dial, saying, "Get me the Engineering Planning Section."

"Leader, our division's fuel consumption for vehicles is quite high now. If we include the fire department's side..."

"Yes, this is Li Li Xuewu." Zhou Yao's words were only half-finished when the call went through.

Li Li Xuewu pointed to the chair opposite him, signaling her to sit down, while he began to speak on the phone.

"I'd like to ask, how is the gas station project we discussed some time ago progressing?"

"Yes, yes. Is there any need to discuss whether to use above-ground or underground tanks? Build underground tanks."

Li Li Xuewu said in a very firm tone, "Get two gasoline tanks and three diesel tanks."

"Yes, use 30-cubic-meter tanks. The total volume shouldn't exceed 150 cubic meters. Yes, yes, good."

After giving a few more instructions, he finally hung up the phone.

"You don't need to worry about the fuel depot; the factory has already communicated with the petroleum company."

Li Li Xuewu unscrewed his fountain pen and explained while writing his approval on the application.

Since the Red Star Factory can produce automobiles, it naturally has to consider the issue of fuel usage.

Other units don't need to worry; although the domestic refined oil sales market is still primarily based on oil coupons, it is basically able to meet supply and demand.

The Petroleum Corporation hasn't split up yet, and the whole country is one big chessboard; if you want to buy refined oil, you have to deal with them.

The situation of going to an oil depot to pull oil oneself, as seen in later generations, doesn't exist; business-to-business refined oil trading is still very convenient.

Mainly, many large enterprises, or internal systems like industry, communications, and transportation, build their own gas stations.

This type of gas station does not operate for the public and is only used to guarantee fuel for internal vehicles.

Since the second half of last year, the Red Star Factory's fuel consumption has been increasing every month; by the middle of this year, they even needed the petroleum company to arrange oil tankers to provide service at the factory.

Why? Where did these fuel-guzzling tigers come from?

The construction site, of course. The construction machinery provided by the French Saint-Taya collective aid are all fuel-guzzling kings.

The more massive the size and the louder the "put-put-put" sound, the more fuel the machinery drinks.

The arrival and use of this construction machinery consumed the Red Star Factory's entire annual fuel quota.

Through the petroleum company's connections, Old Li found the First Ministry of Machine-Building to coordinate, and only then did they apply for a special quota.

Of course, doing this was a helpless move; who told the Red Star Factory not to have its own gas station?

Two years ago, the Red Star Factory had fewer than two hundred vehicles in total, and most were in the transport fleet.

The transport team used diesel, basically purchasing and using it in oil drums; small car teams or vehicle fuel mostly went to the petroleum company's gas stations to refuel.

Someone might ask, is it a bit too extravagant for the Red Star Factory to build its own gas station just because it has a few beat-up cars?

Don't compare the gas stations of this era with those of later generations, and don't compare the cars of this era with those of later generations.

Li Li Xuewu requested to build a 150-cubic-meter standard gas station; do you think it's too big?

After all, by the standards of later generations, this belongs to a first-class station, enough to supply a small county town.

One still has to look at the displacement and fuel consumption of cars in this era.

In later generations, you'd feel a car with 8 liters of fuel consumption per 100km is fuel-inefficient, and if you drive often, you have to refuel every week, which is annoying.

But at this time, motorcycles are generally 250cc or 500cc.

Diesel vehicles generally have a fuel consumption of 30 to 50 liters.

Gasoline vehicles also have a fuel consumption of 20 to 30 liters; think about how far a tank of gas can take you.

Even a Luxgen 7 could be called a fuel-saving king if it came here, believe it or not?

It's not that the Red Star Factory has gotten cocky and wants to build a gas station just because it has a few beat-up cars; it's that it has to be built.

The Liangma River Industrial Zone still has at least two years of construction time, and the construction machinery on the site will have to keep "put-put-putting" for two more years; without a stable fuel supply channel, the construction schedule will inevitably be delayed.

The freight transport project that the Red Star Factory is cooperating on with the Beijing Railway Station has added 20 trailer trucks; counting the previous transport vehicles, how much diesel will be used every day?

Think again about the fact that the Red Star Factory has acquired sixteen enterprises, its size has grown explosively, and the number of employees has surged to over ninety thousand.

Under these circumstances, the number of transport vehicles will also increase sharply; how can the fuel for so many vehicles be guaranteed?

The application Zhou Yao submitted isn't for a gas station, but something similar to the skid-mounted stations of later generations.

An internal fuel storage depot for the Security Division, using a 15-cubic-meter above-ground tank, with external piping and a fuel dispenser, to serve all the Security Division's vehicle fuel needs.

The idea is good, but the consideration is still insufficient.

This "treat the head when the head aches, treat the foot when the foot aches" approach is the most common problem within the organization.

That is to say, the vision for looking at problems is not long-term enough, and the thinking ability to solve problems is not solid enough.

Above-ground tanks, external piping, etc., expose issues of risk management and cost management.

Building a skid-mounted station doesn't cost much, but who will be responsible for the risks of the gasoline tanks?

Who will be responsible for the procurement, transport, unloading, storage, and use of the fuel?

The person in charge at Zhou Yao's level is limited by her perspective, which restricts the comprehensiveness of how she views problems.

That is to say, when she encounters a problem, she can only propose solutions within the scope of her ability.

Li Li Xuewu, however, stands higher, sees further, and handles problems more comprehensively and cautiously.

This is also the reason why Li Huai De advised him to let go of the Security Group and concurrently serve as the Deputy Director of the Management Committee Office, where the working environment is more complex.

Only in a higher and more complex environment can he come into contact with more opportunities and learn more thinking models for handling problems.

Of course, this situation is not absolute.

In later generations, more and more capable cadres don't want to take the position of office director; I won't go into the specific circumstances here.

"The engineering side has already put the gas station project in the queue; you all just need to hold on a bit longer."

Li Li Xuewu pushed the approved document back, screwed his pen shut, and said, "As for the vehicles, you all should consider it further."

"My opinion is, don't get sidecars; there's no need. That's just a compromise product of the shortage of automobiles."

He tapped the table, looked at Zhou Yao, and said, "Discuss it with Director Sun and the others. Have the various sections of the Security Group conduct an investigation together before discussing and researching it."

"You mean..." Zhou Yao hesitated for a moment and asked, "If we apply to purchase vehicles, should we still prioritize Red Star Antelopes and Comet motorcycles?"

"The scale of the factory guard team will not increase anymore."

Li Li Xuewu looked at her and reminded her, "At the beginning of next year, we will give the Security Section a quota of 150 people as a reinforcement of our public security management capability."

The reason the personnel quota can be given as 150 at once is because the Red Star Factory is facing an upgrade in level and the establishment of multiple departments.

After the Red Star United School was established, the Security Group specifically set up a School Security Division.

After the Red Star United Savings Bank was established, the Security Group specifically formed a Bank Security Division.

With the emergence of more and more independent management departments, the Security Group is also facing the dilemma of personnel shortages and an increasing number of departments.

Not to mention Li Li Xuewu, even Zhou Yao feels that her rank should be raised; otherwise, she really can't stretch her legs in management.

The establishment of various branch companies and professional factories has been put on the agenda one after another, and the supporting security departments must also keep up.

This has led to the Security Group managing more and more Security Divisions, and the pressure on rank is getting tighter and tighter.

The gap in professional public security personnel and security personnel is also getting larger and larger.

Li Li Xuewu did not approve Zhou Yao's vehicle application because he wanted to remind her to take next year's work into account.

"Do you want special police vehicles?"

He flipped his palm and asked, "The future work will be primarily public security management; can Comet motorcycles meet the needs of public security patrols?"

"Are the vehicles currently used by the security divisions of various units saturated, and what is the gap? You need to know these things."

"Leader, how should this quota of 150 people be divided?" Zhou Yao sat up straight, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and asked, "I think it's necessary to expand the Public Security Section, and as for the Security Section..."

"Research. All work can be solved with scientific management methods."

Li Li Xuewu tapped the table and said, "You can't just sit in the office and decide whatever comes to mind."

"The Public Security Section says they lack manpower, so you decide to expand. The Security Section says they have too much work, so you decide to expand. If you let them all talk, what are you doing?"

He tapped the application he had just approved and said, "My advice to you is to clench your fist to do big things."

"The Public Security Section should hand over patrol and daily safety management work to the Security Section. Once they free up their hands, they can handle more public security issues well."

Li Li Xuewu found a newspaper in the pile of documents, handed it over, and asked, "Did you read the newspaper today?"

"Ah? I read it. What are you referring to?"

Zhou Yao was a bit stunned. She hesitantly took the newspaper and, under Li Li Xuewu's signal, read the article on the inside page of the People's Daily.

At the beginning of the month, a group of progressive youths from Beijing spontaneously organized to go to the Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia to settle down...

"Leader, you mean..."

"When looking at problems, you must also know how to think about them."

Li Li Xuewu tapped his temple with his index finger and said, "The future public security management situation is going to change. Comrade Zhou Yao, you must keep pace with the times."

"It's October now," he looked up at Zhou Yao and reminded her, "The number of people demobilized this year is not small. Our factory must be a major recipient."

"Write a work plan on exactly what should be done and submit it, attached with the necessary applications."

"Did you read today's newspaper?"

Li Huai De rubbed his hands with great energy, gripped a shovel, and while digging the soil, asked Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu and the others beside him were also gripping shovels and working; today is the voluntary labor day.

Since after National Day, the Red Star Factory Management Committee issued a labor advocacy notice.

All cadres and workers of the factory are to go to the Liangma River Industrial Zone to participate in voluntary labor under the command and arrangement of the Engineering Division's Engineering Command Center.

To show support for this movement, Li Huai De took the lead, personally bringing the Management Committee team members to the construction site on October 4th, which was a Sunday, to participate in voluntary labor.

The purpose of the voluntary labor is very clear: to complete the main construction work of the ecological industrial zone with quality and quantity before the first half of 1969.

To ensure the Red Star Factory successfully completes the transition to the Red Star Steel Group, and that all units and departments can orderly transfer to the new office area to start work.

This is an important project that coordinates with the Red Star Factory's level upgrade, group formation, personnel reform, and industrial reform.

For this reason, the Engineering Command specifically coordinated with the Factory Management Committee to further issue a call for voluntary labor.

Tens of thousands of people in the entire factory will powerfully support the construction work of the Liangma River Industrial Zone within the next three years.

It is not only calling on workshop workers to come to the construction site during their rest time, but also requiring staff from various administrative departments to actively join the labor force.

In this era, whether it's the workshops or the administrative offices, there aren't many objections or complaints about voluntary labor.

The Red Star Factory belongs to everyone; building the Red Star Factory is building one's own home, so there's nothing to argue about.

However, with more people, there are more problems. In a labor project of tens of thousands of people, there will always be those who are mischievous or lazy.

The Personnel Division, Engineering Division, and Security Division formed a labor inspection team. If they discover such a situation, they won't punish you; they will only record it and settle it all together when it comes time to distribute housing.

Only this one thing: watching the Liangma River bank, which has been divided into a residential area, break ground, the six factories that have completed mergers and relocations have successively completed demolition and renovation.

The planning map on the side of the road has already been set up; high-rise buildings, garden landscapes—it really can boost the workers' enthusiasm for participating in voluntary labor.

The underground structure with three-defense engineering functions has completed earthwork operations and is undergoing cement filling and pouring; these professional projects are completed by the engineering team.

The main direction of voluntary labor is the widening of the river bank, the cleaning of construction waste, the demolition of merged factory areas, the repair and paving of roads, etc.

Li Huai De and Li Li Xuewu brought a group of administrative cadres to the site of the river bank widening project.

There are large bulldozers and excavators working here, as well as heavy trucks transporting mud and soil.

Labor workers are mainly responsible for the repair of the river bank, the laying of stones, and the construction of cement bank protection projects.

What Li Li Xuewu didn't expect was that Old Li, who sits in the office for a long time, also looks quite capable when doing manual labor.

"You're talking about the news about progressive youths going to Inner Mongolia to settle down, right?"

Li Li Xuewu stepped on the shovel, dug up a shovel of mud, threw it into the cart, and said casually, "I didn't pay much attention to it."

Listen to that; can you still believe Li Li Xuewu's words?

How he analyzed it with Zhou Yao and how he taught her—it became "didn't pay much attention" when he got to Old Li.

"The weather is about to change—"

Li Huai De looked up at the clear blue sky and sighed, "They say the weather changes rapidly in the second and eighth months; you have to be careful not to catch a cold."

"You're right, 'dress warmly in spring and freeze in autumn', as they say," Li Li Xuewu agreed with a smile, "But don't freeze yourself, right?"

"Hahaha—"

Li Huai De's physical health is well-maintained; he has made friends with many dancers, yet he is still very robust.

"You know more about health than I do. Tell me, is it better to wear more clothes or fewer?"

"You're asking me?" Li Li Xuewu replied with a smile, "I say wear less when it's hot during the day, and wear more when it's cold at night. Hahaha—"

"Look at that! You really do know more about health than I do!"

Li Huai De straightened his waist, pointed his finger at him, and said with a smile, "You haven't listened to the weather forecast much, have you?"

"Hi, where would I find the time for that?" Li Li Xuewu straightened his body, wiped the sweat from his face with the towel hanging on his shoulder, and said with a smile, "It's like a fool watching the street wall during the New Year—"

"Hahaha—"

Li Huai De held his waist and stood there laughing along for a while, so that the people from the Committee Office could take good photos.

Once the young people from the Committee Office left, the smile on his face faded quite a bit.

"I just feel that the situation is changing rapidly and I'm feeling powerless," he looked at the wide road built in the distance and the high-rise buildings rising from the ground on both sides of the road, and sighed, "I hope this wind blows well and blows correctly."

"Why? Are you still worried about the future of the progressive youth group?"

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, leaned his arm on the shovel handle, and asked with a smile, "You're worrying too much—"

"Me? I'm feeling heartbroken—"

Li Huai De scanned the area, and seeing no outsiders around, he whispered to Li Li Xuewu, "The funds for our factory to receive progressive teachers and students last year haven't been returned yet, right?"

"Tsk, you're still thinking about that money?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at him amusedly and reminded him softly, "It's not popular to mention this anymore. Just treat it as doing a good deed and donating it on behalf of our factory."

"If you really try to settle these bad debts, I'm afraid you'll offend quite a few people. After all, everyone doesn't have extra grain in their hands."

"I'm not thinking about settling debts; I just don't want to add new ones."

Old Li calculated very stingily, "Now, how many people are jealous of us? They all want to take a bite out of us while they can. Can I not cry poor and ask for the debts?"

He nudged Li Li Xuewu with his arm and whispered, "No matter who the other party is, as long as they ate our food and stayed in our hotel, send them a bill."

"Ask for the debt when you should. Whether they give it or not is their business; asking for it is our attitude."

Li Huai De pointed his chin at the river bank under construction and said, "Use the excuse that the engineering budget is exceeded and the factory's finances are tight. Cry a little, make a scene."

"If I cry and make a scene like this, we can have some peace at the end of this year, right?"

"Sss—"

Li Li Xuewu pretended to be surprised and gasped, quietly gave a thumbs up, and said with admiration, "High, you are still high!"

"Ai—"

Li Huai De reached out and pressed down his thumb, smiled reservedly, and said, "A petty trick, not worth mentioning."

"You, you're still too humble—"

Li Li Xuewu said with feigned dissatisfaction, "At the next organizational life meeting, I'll have to offer some critical opinions about you."

How big is the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone?

Actually, it's really not that big; including the Liangma River, it's less than ten square kilometers.

But one has to consider that the location of the Red Star Factory is in Beijing's Dongcheng District, which can be considered the core area of future urban development.

At this time, Beijing has already planned and laid out the surrounding land.

What can be seen is that when the Red Star Factory applied for industrial land and residential land, Beijing's approval was very hesitant.

It was only because the Red Star Factory promised to replace sixteen industrial enterprises and integrate them into a group-type enterprise headquartered in Beijing.

At the same time, it supported Beijing's industrial construction with a complete set of steel rolling industries, so it was allowed to collect such a large area of land.

The Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone designed and prepared by the Red Star Factory integrates residential, industrial, educational, medical, scientific research, and other projects, relying on the Liangma River to build an industrial park with ecological demonstration significance.

From the perspective of urban planning and industrial development, Beijing supports the Red Star Factory in doing this.

But from the perspective of economic development and urban development, the Red Star Factory doing this has a sense of "drawing land for self-governance."

An area that can accommodate the living, education, work, and life of one hundred thousand people can completely be called a city.

Even if what the Red Star Factory reported is an ecological industrial zone, it is difficult to hide the status quo of a satellite city suddenly appearing outside the Second Ring Road.

Looking at history and overlooking the overall situation, the Red Star Factory's actions are actually pressing an advanced post-modern city somewhat abruptly into this era.

A small county-level city from the 24th year suddenly appeared outside Beijing in the 1960s.

Of course, the contrast of this city construction is not as big as imagined.

Many of the equipment and facilities possessed by a small city in the 24th year cannot be achieved in this era.

The residential area of the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone does not have high-rise buildings of more than ten floors, generally 6-9 story residential buildings.

Because of the engineering design assistance from the Saint-Taya Group, the residential area currently under construction has a relatively young French minimalist style in its overall design.

Just as Li Li Xuewu discussed with Jing Jing Yunong, the Red Star Factory does not intend to hold onto this piece of land and not let go.

Of course, while providing permanent residency rights, it is impossible to supply housing to employees entirely according to the distribution system.

Either replace it with existing urban housing, purchase it with cash, or take out a loan from the United Savings Bank.

The last type: apply for the allocation of guaranteed housing.

The Red Star Factory retains the residency rights of the houses and provides them to employees in the form of leasing.

The most special type, and also the type with the smallest housing supply, is the expert building.

No need to purchase, no need to apply, allocated entirely according to technical grade and actual needs.

The Red Star Factory's housing supply method for buildings under construction has received some criticism and opposition, but there are also people who hope to insist on this point because they want to purchase permanent residency rights.

Currently, the housing management agencies have not yet formed a perfect system for residential management, which has also given the Red Star Factory more room for operation.

Employees who replace and purchase houses are in one residential area, and guaranteed rental housing is in another, forming a differentiation.

If you think this set of housing supply methods proposed by Li Li Xuewu violates the characteristics of the era, then you might as well learn about the Fusuijing Building in Xicheng, the Beiguanting Building in Dongcheng, and the Anhua Building on Guangqumen Inner Street.

More bizarre housing allocation methods, stranger housing usage rights, and a housing management system that is more confusing.

In this era, the development of all things is still in exploration; no one dares to say what is right and what is wrong.

The residential area built by the Red Star Factory itself supplies housing in the form of allocation, replacement, sales, leasing, etc. Under the premise of not violating relevant regulations, no one can influence the implementation of this decision.

Many employees are dissatisfied and want the factory to provide free residential buildings.

The Red Star Factory Management Committee did not refuse this request, but there is no consideration for this in the residential area currently under construction.

That is to say, the factory will not refuse the application submitted by employees wanting free residential buildings, but they have to wait.

Wait until the factory has money, and then a batch of protective residential buildings similar to last year's will be built.

Last year, when finances were so tight, the Red Star Factory still built a batch of residential buildings and provided them to difficult employee families for free living.

However, consistent with rental housing, the ownership of the houses is in the hands of the Red Star Factory.

Several supply models have been explained very clearly by the Engineering Division coordinating with the Propaganda Division, and they have also been published in the factory newspaper.

Now the residential area has started construction, and all the workers are looking forward to it while calculating.

Do they have savings, are their existing savings enough to buy a house of what size, how to apply to purchase a house without savings, what loan can their salary level apply for...

Why does no one want to refuse these housing methods from the factory and choose to continue living in their existing houses?

There are several reasons:

The first, and most important, is that the housing provided by the Red Star Factory to employees is at pure cost price.

The second is that many employees currently do not fully own their own housing, but are leasing.

The third is that these residential buildings have free heating, are close to work, and life is more convenient.

The fourth is that there are too many children in the family, and the existing housing is no longer enough.

Do not use the concepts and impressions of commercial housing from later generations to cover the housing of this era.

Not to mention the quality of commercial housing in later generations, can it be supplied at pure cost?

If you apply the Red Star Factory's residential buildings to later generations, wouldn't people go crazy trying to grab them?

It's the same in this era; the factory will provide many free supporting facilities for the residential area, which is a benefit.

Shuttle buses, nurseries, heating, gymnasiums, tap water, bathhouses...

The Red Star Factory is building a threshold-type residential area with high welfare benefits and low living costs.

Workers will complain about why it's not free allocation, but no one will refuse to purchase these houses.

It's a very simple truth, a calculation that even elementary school students can figure out: the welfare expenses that can be enjoyed by purchasing a house multiplied by how many years can equal the house purchase price.

Attachment to housing and land is a gene engraved in the bones of the people.

Then someone asks, the Red Star Factory worked so hard to build buildings, housing, and benefits, and finally sold them at cost price?

That's right, because this project cannot be profitable, and the Red Star Factory never thought about making a profit on the housing project.

As long as the project is not profitable, no department can attack this decision of the Red Star Factory.

"Deputy Director Li, off work—"

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao pushed her Comet motorcycle past the entrance, and seeing Li Li Xuewu standing there, she greeted him with a smile.

Li Li Xuewu took a serious look at the motorcycle she was pushing and asked with a smile, "What's all this wrapped in?"

"Knitted seat cover, afraid of riding it until it breaks."

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao explained with a smile, "My mom is very careful; even the thermos at home has a sweater to wear."

"Hehe, that's careful enough—"

Li Li Xuewu smiled, took a look at her, and continued to ask, "Is the fuel consumption of this car high? How much is the fuel cost per month?"

"I really haven't calculated that," Zhou Zhou Miaomiao was stunned by the question, then thought for a moment and said, "Currently, 70-octane gasoline is 22 cents per kilogram. A full tank is less than 80 cents, enough to ride for more than a month."

How big is the Comet motorcycle's fuel tank?

A little over four liters, about the same as the water an adult drinks in a day.

But it can travel much further than an adult.

The fuel consumption per 100km is less than one liter, and it can travel 500 kilometers; that's why Zhou Zhou Miaomiao rode it for a month and didn't even use a full tank.

Also, she said one kilogram, which is actually about 1.2 liters, with a unit price of about 18 cents.

Is this fuel price expensive?

"Goodness, a catty of meat can run for more than a month."

Wang Wang Yimin looked at this Comet motorcycle with great interest and joked, "Give me a catty of meat, and I can't run 500 kilometers."

"Hehe, you can compare it like that—"

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao said with a smile, "This is a machine; how can people compare?"

"Envious? Get one—"

Zhou Yao smiled at Zhou Zhou Miaomiao, took the motorcycle from her hand, and sat on it.

"Hmm, it is more comfortable to ride than a bicycle!"

"I can't afford it; it's over four hundred!"

Wang Wang Yimin shook his head with a smile and looked at the motorcycle with some envy, saying, "It's worth ten square meters of housing."

"Brother Wang, you really know how to calculate!"

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao teased, "It seems you are planning to change to a bigger house?"

The factory has already announced the standard replacement and purchase price for the residential area under construction, 40 yuan per square meter.

For people in this era, it's really not cheap, but it won't make people feel intimidated.

If you work in Beijing in later generations, can you earn the unit price of one square meter of housing in a month?

Wang Wang Yimin can; as a deputy section-level cadre, he earns over 80, so he can buy two square meters a month. Is this housing price still expensive?

The formal workers who have been working for one year earn about 33 yuan a month. What is the general age of employees at this time?

About sixteen to eighteen years old.

Don't believe it? If there are elders in the family who joined the factory in that era, go ask them when they started working.

According to the universal worker grade standard of assessment every three years, when a worker is about 22 years old, his salary can buy one square meter of housing.

Of course, this is a calculation model under ideal conditions and can only be used as a reference basis.

However, with the basic situation of all employees in the factory in this era, the consumption ability is not low.

Wang Wang Yimin is almost fifty years old, and there are two children in the family who are studying. If he wants the whole family to live together, this housing area really can't be small.

"Can't compare with you young people; we have a family to support, right?"

He looked at the few people standing beside him with a smile, and everyone looked at the motorcycle with envy.

The motorcycle produced by the Red Star Factory itself has matched a purchase quota for every worker.

Within one year, you can ride the Comet motorcycle home for the price of 449 yuan.

It's October, and the major supply and marketing cooperatives in Beijing, as well as the Red Star Factory's own brand demonstration stores, can clear their inventory every day.

No matter how much is transported from Steel City, it can be sold out.

This type of lightweight motorcycle is in short supply due to its absolute price advantage.

Under the condition of fully satisfying the unit purchase quota, the quantity put into the market is not very large.

Therefore, what can be seen is that most of the people riding motorcycles on the street are factory employees, and a small part are young people.

The young people in the factory have no resistance to motorcycles; those with money in their hands will definitely buy one.

However, Zhou Zhou Miaomiao's car wasn't bought by herself; her salary is all saved in her own hands.

A motorcycle sent by a "top-tier big brother"—she doesn't feel heartache no matter how she rides or kicks it.

"Still talking about booking a house," she looked at Li Li Xuewu and asked, "Leader, when can we move into our factory's residential area?"

"How would I know that—"

Li Li Xuewu smiled and replied, "The specific time depends on the construction schedule. I just know it won't be later than the year after next."

"Why, are you planning to buy a house in our factory?"

"If I don't buy, what should I do? Wait for the factory to distribute housing?"

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao said helplessly, "A few years ago, I dared to think about it, but at this time? Dream on."

In the current Si Jiu Cheng, everything is scarce, except for people.

The year Li Li Xuewu started working, there was no housing to distribute; that inverted-seat room was only obtained because of connections.

"I'm getting married to Zhou Tan, and his parents gave a thousand yuan, which counts as the bride price. We plan to use it to buy a house."

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao explained, "We both earn salaries now. Save for two years, scrape together, and we should be able to buy a house of eighty or ninety square meters."

"Goodness, you're here to make us jealous!"

Wang Wang Yimin joked, "I've worked for half my life and never dared to think about an eighty or ninety-square-meter apartment."

"Stop joking. I'd believe it if Li Kezhang Zhou said it," Zhou Yao smiled and hugged Zhou Yao's arm, saying to Wang Wang Yimin, "If you say that, I don't believe it."

She also pointed to Ren An standing on the side and said, "The situation between Zhou Tan and me is about the same as Captain Ren's family. You ask Captain Ren if he can afford eighty or ninety square meters."

Ren An's partner is Fan Hua, the deputy section chief of the Third Section of the Committee Office. Both of them are high-wage earners, so housing is naturally not an issue.

It's just that he didn't expect Zhou Zhou Miaomiao to name him.

"Stop messing around, our family doesn't have a thousand-yuan bride price."

"Hahaha——"

The few people standing at the entrance all laughed out loud, and Zhou Zhou Miaomiao also covered her mouth and laughed.

They are all cadres in the factory. Today Li Li Xuewu is here to inspect the work, and they are just talking casually; no one really cares.

"What? Envious?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at Zhou Yao's thoughtful expression and teased her intentionally, "Let's find a partner who gives a bride price too."

"No—"

Seeing him say that, Zhou Yao blushed in embarrassment and scolded, "I wasn't thinking about that!"

"Ai, speaking of us, we also want to ask you," she jumped off the motorcycle, pointed to Li Li Xuewu, and asked, "How big a house do you plan to buy?"

"Hee hee! You really asked the right person!"

Zhou Zhou Miaomiao covered her mouth and explained with a smile, "The factory stipulates that cadres above the section level are not allowed to purchase housing."

In mid-October, Li Li Xuewu came to Steel City again.

This is already the third business trip to Steel City this year.

The first time was to accompany Li Huai De to Steel City for research, and the second time was to accompany Jing Jing Yunong to Steel City for research.

This time it was also to accompany Jing Jing Yunong, but with the addition of Cheng Kaiyuan and Saint-Taya Group Vice President Robin.

In September, the Red Star Factory officially began supplying foreign trade goods within the contract to the Saint-Taya Group, and the Yingcheng Shipyard also began preparations for the construction of a 10,000-ton cargo ship.

Correspondingly, the Saint-Taya Group also efficiently procured oxygen top-blown steelmaking technology from Austria.

This time, Li Li Xuewu accompanied Jing Jing Yunong and Cheng Kaiyuan, along with Chantal, to Steel City to meet with Dong Wenxue to discuss the implementation of relevant technologies and the technical innovation of the steelmaking plant, and also to negotiate the introduction of the next step of technology.

Actually, Li Li Xuewu doesn't know much about steelmaking technology. He listened to the speeches of the engineers at the discussion meeting in a "swallowing dates whole" manner, and he was half-understanding of some professional terms.

If you want him to talk about safety, sales, or engineering, he can still express some feasible viewpoints.

But if it's really placed in a particularly professional discussion meeting, he's only slightly better than Jing Jing Yunong.

Why not talk about Cheng Kaiyuan?

Because Old Cheng started as a workshop director and was previously a full-time deputy factory director in charge of industrial production.

Although machinery manufacturing doesn't have much business relationship with metallurgy, they both belong to the steel industry.

Therefore, in terms of professional knowledge, Old Cheng knows more than him; just look at his speeches at the meeting.

However, Li Li Xuewu is also learning. He is also reading books related to metallurgy and steelmaking, and he has asked many things he didn't understand when talking to professors at the Steel Institute.

He can do management, but if he were asked to work in a full-time position in the workshop, he definitely wouldn't be able to do it.

The main force of this meeting is actually not Li Li Xuewu, and even less Cheng Kaiyuan and Jing Jing Yunong.

It's mainly the engineers from both sides discussing the existing innovation and renovation plans of the steelmaking plant.

Within the next two years, the Saint-Taya collective will act as a white glove to help the Red Star Factory introduce these advanced technologies from abroad, corresponding to the steelmaking plant and steel rolling plant completing technical innovation, renovation, and construction within two years.

This project is really too big; the Red Star Factory can't compensate for it by building three 10,000-ton cargo ships, so it can only cast a long line to catch a big fish, striving to complete industrial technical innovation as soon as possible.

At the very least, three years later, when it is reborn from the ashes, it must have the ability to catch up with the steel production quality of the little devils.

That's right, after stacking advanced technologies introduced at great cost from all over the world, it will still take effort to have the ability to catch up with the little devils' steel production.

This is not inferiority, but a fact.

The original production mode of the steelmaking plant and steel rolling plant was learned from the Russian brothers, but it is already outdated.

If it continues to develop like this, when the little devils come to inspect in a group ten years later, that pouting and disdainful face will be right in front of Li Li Xuewu.

Can he let the little devils be presumptuous on his face?

On one hand, we must innovate the steel industry and not fall behind; on the other hand, we must cooperate with them to shorten the strength gap as soon as possible.

Working for the French for free, working for the little devils for free, working for the Italians for free—do you think the Red Star Factory wants to?

There's no other way. We must create foreign trade conditions as much as possible to exchange for as many advanced technologies and equipment as possible in an environment where there is no technical blockade yet, and it's not so cheap.

Comparing all countries in the world with us, there is no one whose development is more heartbreaking and harder than ours.

Those bastards look down on us, fear us, restrict us everywhere, threaten us, and establish us as a threatening existence. Their hearts are extremely evil.

Therefore, the more we are in such conditions and environment, the more we must stand up bravely and let those bastards kneel down and sing "Conquer."

Li Li Xuewu's ability is limited, but a little change is still a change, at least so that future generations won't be so hard-pressed.

Returning to the pinnacle of the world, being respected by the world, and having great scholars debate the classics for us—who knows how much we have paid.

A little bit, Li Li Xuewu just wants to change a little bit.

PS:

A: Congratulations to Sichuan Province for losing its aircraft carrier!

B: Don't say I'm padding! It's accelerating. After some content is explained, the back will be skipped directly. Don't ask why then.

C: Guess why the news in the newspaper was considered by Li Li Xuewu and Li Huai De to mean the situation is about to change, and how will it change?