Chapter 1294: The Mantis Shrimp

On May 4th Youth Day, the wind was beautiful and the sun was bright, the grass was growing and the warblers were flying, the willows were brushing the embankments, and the spring was harmonious and the scenery was bright.

Zhang Jianguo and others, who had just returned from their injuries, came to Zhongshan Park to stroll and play in the water, splashing their unrestrained youth.

It was also on this day that he achieved the title that the "wandzhu" (hooligans) of Beijing passed on by word of mouth as the most daring and unrestrained.

Who is Zhang Jianguo?

Zhang Jianguo is the second influential figure of the "wandzhu" to grow up in Xinjiekou after Zhou Changli.

An underworld boss who rose rapidly after Zhou Changli, Zhao Lao Si, and others successively washed their hands of the business and retired from the Jianghu.

Known for being ruthless and loyal.

To say that Xinjiekou is truly lively, it doesn't raise idle people, and Zhou Changli started his name here, having already made quite a name for himself.

Jianghu people gave him the nickname "Little Bastard."

But his luck was bad, and his fate was bumpy. In his early years, he had the good fortune to glimpse another world through the convenience of his uncle.

If he hadn't opened that door, if he hadn't secretly peeked into it through the crack of the door, perhaps there wouldn't be this person named Zhang Jianguo in Xinjiekou, and perhaps today's glory of Zhang Jianguo would be his.

What exactly was inside that door? Zhou Changli and Zhao Lao Si, who followed him to retire from the Jianghu and were willing to be gatekeepers, kept their mouths shut and didn't mention a word, burying their heads in doing the rules of the gate.

But anyone with a discerning eye could see that although the two had Jianghu righteousness, they were no longer Jianghu people.

Legends of Zhou Changli's righteousness still circulated in the Jianghu, but there was no longer this boss in the "wandzhu" circle.

Righteousness is true righteousness. All the brothers who followed him out, as long as they were willing, could follow him and leave.

Leave? Where to go, and do what?

The future is long, the sea of people is vast, and who would be willing to give up this territory at their doorstep that had long been beaten down, to risk their lives to run for a future that was like a mirror flower and water moon, unable to be seen clearly or touched.

Even his good brother Zhao Lao Si didn't dare to leave with him, but chose the next best thing and became a gatekeeper for a certain unit.

But just being a gatekeeper made the brothers who didn't follow Zhou Changli out back then regret their intestines turning green.

Even the gatekeeper became the Fourth Master, so how glorious must those who followed Zhou Changli be now.

The most unreasonable thing in this world is having no vision, and the hardest thing to buy is regret medicine, so righteousness was called out like this.

If all the brothers of Zhou Changli had followed him out back then, perhaps they wouldn't have ended up with such prestige.

Only what cannot be obtained, under the weight of regret and longing, gains a majestic, towering, and legendary reputation through word of mouth.

Where did those little brothers who were leaderless and came out of Xinjiekou go?

The Jianghu has always been forgetful. There are only newcomers, where are the old ones? Without Zhou Changli, could "Little Bastard" still be called out?

After receiving the scattered sand left by Zhou Changli, Zhao Lao Si, and others, Zhang Jianguo, who initially only had five or six childhood playmates, became the new "wandzhu" force pushed out by Xinjiekou.

Strong, ruthless, very strong. Zhang Jianguo was taller than Zhou Changli, his body was strong, and his hands were also hard, having quite a bit of brute force.

Compared to Zhou Changli's small stature, Zhang Jianguo swung a car lock and swept away a large area, quickly standing firm in Xinjiekou.

Standing firm doesn't count for anything. The old saying goes: "When the tiger is not at home, the monkey is the king." He couldn't be counted as a tiger at that time.

Xinjiekou is truly evil. It is adjacent to the "wandzhu" forbidden zone of Jiaodaokou. Whoever enters it enters it, and can never come out again.

He was making a name for himself in the "wandzhu" circle while waiting for the opportunity to become famous and carry the flag openly.

Finally, the former "Little Bastard" Zhou Changli returned to Beijing. Right at the gate of the gate guarded by Zhao Fourth Master, he had the good fortune to witness the famous scene of the Xinjiekou "wandzhu" predecessor boss washing his hands of the business, which also gave him the opportunity to take over the Xinjiekou flag in a justified and logical manner.

Zhao Fourth Master made a move, hitting those old soldiers until they saw stars and ran away howling, which could be considered as setting rules and prestige for the "wandzhu," to protect the aftermath of him and Zhou Changli.

Jianghu people grow old in the Jianghu. How easy is it to wash their hands of the business? If there wasn't that door supporting them, they would have died there.

What is the Jianghu?

The Jianghu is a whirlpool that eats people. As long as you get involved, it will pull and drag you and not let you run, and sooner or later it will swallow you.

Zhou Changli and Zhao Fourth Master could go ashore, besides the protection of that door, there was also their true righteousness.

All Jianghu disciples, as long as they put down the past and give up the "wandzhu" name, could follow the two and mix for a decent future.

"Wandzhu" bosses might not care, but they care that their younger brothers and sisters cannot walk this path of theirs again.

So Jianghu people must accept this favor from the two. Every time Zhou Changli returns to Beijing, there must be "wandzhu" bosses coming forward to host a banquet.

The reason is very simple: inviting Zhou Changli doesn't lose the "lining," increases the "face," and also has a "number" in the Jianghu.

For the sake of the "lining," for the sake of the "face," and also for the "number" that he couldn't get, Zhang Jianguo didn't want his life at all.

Actually, after being ambushed last time, he had a period of reflection and summary, but he couldn't stand the attraction of the Jianghu.

He lurked for a whole month. When his injuries were healed, he shouted: "I, Hu Hansan, have returned, I have returned again."

Nie Xiaoguang heard this sentence clearly at the entrance of the Red Star Central Theater. No need to report his big name; people's names, trees' shadows.

After such a big thing happened, he thought it would be over after hiding for a month? Where is there such a cheap thing.

Nie Xiaoguang originally thought he would disappear from then on, even if he went to the mountains to get married and have children, and come out five, eight, ten, or twenty years later, the grievances of the Jianghu would be laughed off.

But one month—isn't this slapping the faces of the old soldiers?

What was the result?

Hmm, you Zhang Jianguo are alive and returned, jumping around to add trouble to us, then how can we spare you?

So as soon as he showed up, that night there were groups of old soldiers chasing him on that street, chasing him like a dead dog.

If this is also called returning from injury and returning home in glory, if this is also called the glory of the "wandzhu," then this glory is better not to have.

But at this time, Zhang Jianguo took the initiative to carry the blood debt of his lover, and with this as a banner, thoroughly set off the opposition between the "wandzhu" and the old soldiers.

Zhang Jianguo is most willing to carry the flag, because he has tasted the cheapness of carrying the flag countless times.

Carrying the Xinjiekou flag, he became the Xinjiekou boss; taking over Zhou Changli's flag, he became the new "Little Bastard."

Now carrying the "wandzhu" flag, wouldn't he become the "wandzhu" boss? Who else could have a better momentum than him?

Even if he returned with a high profile and was chased like a silly dog by the old soldiers, he still dared to come out to play on the weekend of May 4th Youth Day. If he didn't dare to come out, then what did he come back for? He might as well have suffocated to death.

The sky was clear and the air was bright. Zhang Jianguo strolled to the Tongzi River at the northernmost end of the park, and more than a dozen people rented several boats and went into the water.

The water surface of the Tongzi River is narrow, with high walls on three sides, and only the south side can go ashore, with a row of iron railings stuck on the shore.

There were no other boats on the water at that time. Zhang Jianguo and others had just gotten off the boat, and they were not skilled in rowing, so several boats collided randomly.

Before they could straighten out their boats, they heard someone shouting from the south bank: Hey, what are you shaking for? Come up there, all of you come up!

Looking back suddenly, I saw countless old soldiers blocking the way behind the iron fence on the south bank.

On the water, some boats hesitated and spun in place; some boats slowly approached the south bank; Yan Shengli and Li Heping were in one boat, Li Heping desperately rowed toward the shore, but in the rush, one oar fell into the river, and the two grabbed the other oar to row urgently, but were still a step late.

The boat steered by Li Kuiyong was the first to rush toward the shore with all its might.

Li Kuiyong?

Wasn't he injured?

Yes, he was injured, and Zhao Lao Si even maintained him, asking about the matter to Li Xuewu, and he got treatment on the mountain.

Li Xuewu's arrangement for Zhao Lao Si was that he must surrender, then rest on the mountain, and not be allowed to go down the mountain within half a year.

As a result, Li Kuiyong could stand up, which meant he surrendered and went up the mountain.

But Zhang Jianguo returned, and Li Kuiyong also returned. It can only be said that good words are hard to persuade a ghost who should die, and compassion doesn't save those who are determined to die.

Zhang Jianguo stood at the bow of the boat steered by Li Kuiyong, and the two cooperated tacitly. Before the boat reached the shore, he leaped up.

Li Kuiyong threw the two boat oars onto the shore and followed him without a trace of ambiguity or hesitation.

He and Zhang Jianguo each had a wooden oar, Zhang Jianguo led the way, and he brought up the rear. The two rushed toward the other side one after the other.

It was long ago not a hatred that could be solved by talking, so without a second word, they started moving as soon as they went up.

Yan Shengli, Li Heping, and others also followed up quickly.

These kids already had the experience from last time. This time they were no longer panicked or cowardly; all they had was unity and self-sacrifice.

Zhang Jianguo was charging in front, so how could they have any reason to retreat? If they said it out, they wouldn't have to be people anymore.

They were so fierce that the other side was stunned at the time.

The old soldiers were the kind who wouldn't forgive others after being reasonable, thinking that with so many of us blocking here, and you only have a few people, shouldn't you kneel and call us Grandpa to beg for life?

As a result, except for the first few who were lying on the ground with broken heads, the others who followed scattered, and a miserable, heart-trembling cry sounded over the park.

Some ran wildly, and some couldn't run anymore, so they hid in the bushes.

At this time, all those dozen people of Zhang Jianguo went ashore, chasing and beating, determined to earn back the face they lost last time.

Repay grievances with grievances, repay hatred with hatred.

You say there are grievances and hatred between individuals? No, what they have is a heart of hot blood, belonging to two circles, incompatible like fire and water.

Then someone asked, is this Jianghu just about fighting to the death?

Not really. Little brothers avenge their grievances, but Zhang Jianguo, Yan Shengli, Li Heping, and others didn't participate in the continued chasing and beating, but stayed on the shore to check the injuries of those old soldiers.

According to Zhang Jianguo's instructions, Li Heping sent one of the more seriously injured people to the hospital.

In this way, Li Heping left first.

But Zhang Jianguo never imagined that the true collision between him representing the "wandzhu" and the old soldiers today hadn't even started yet.

As soon as Li Heping left, Li Kuiyong ran over, pulled Yan Shengli to a tall bush in a hurry.

Under this bush, Yan Shengli saw a scene of humiliation he would never be able to forget in his life.

Under the tall bush, a short and fat "wandzhu" was using a scraper to force a girl dressed as an old soldier hiding in the tree cluster to take off her clothes.

The girl faced outward, hunched her waist, half-squatting and half-sitting in the tree cluster, desperately retreating backward.

Her "board green" uniform had all been taken off and put on the short and fat man. The girl only had a narrow vest and triangular underwear left on her body.

The short and fat man stretched out the tip of the knife and picked up the girl's vest... A scream, and the girl peed out...

Li Kuiyong rushed up and pushed the short and fat man away, cursing shamelessly.

The short and fat man had a face full of flesh, cursed: "None of your damn business," and raised the knife to stab Li Kuiyong.

Yan Shengli also pulled out his scraper in anger. The short and fat man turned and ran. Li Kuiyong ran fast, chased him, grabbed the clothes back, and threw them to the girl.

Just at this time, Zhang Jianguo ran over and called Yan Shengli, saying that after the old soldiers ran out of the front gate of the park, the old soldiers gathered in the big square were now very numerous, and they were turning back, so they had to rush out quickly.

Yan Shengli greeted Li Kuiyong and left in a hurry with Zhang Jianguo.

They had already walked very far when Li Kuiyong pulled Yan Shengli again, pointed to the bush behind, and said that the girl hadn't come out yet.

Yan Shengli had no choice but to run back, only to find that the girl's hair was twisted on the branches and couldn't be freed.

Yan Shengli was panicked and anxious, grabbed the girl's hair and pulled it hard. The girl felt pain and couldn't help but cry.

She cried, and Yan Shengli became even more irritable, kicked her, and the hair was untied.

Sometimes when things happen, it's truly infuriating. You tell me if this girl is grateful to them or hates them. This kick is truly unclear and indescribable.

During this period, the East Gate of Zhongshan Park was closed, and the whole park only had this one exit at the Shui Jin Bridge on the south side.

Before reaching the South Gate, from the open gate tunnel, one could see from the Shui Jin Bridge to the open space in front of the park gate, it was tightly blocked by yellow skins, crowding and rolling into the gate.

Zhang Jianguo and others stood still.

The old soldiers also saw them. Starting from the front, the team stood still.

It was also at this time that Zhang Jianguo said his famous words: "Anyway, I want to go out from here! Whoever wants to go out, follow behind me!"

After speaking, Zhang Jianguo narrowed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and walked toward the crowd with a fierce face.

According to the experience of previous encounters, the two sides lined up to collide. When they were ten or twenty meters apart, the other side's formation would shake.

But this time it was different. The number of people was too disparate, and after many trials, they were no longer the mob that would collapse at the first touch.

What's more, behind them was the narrow Shui Jin Bridge and the reinforcements from all sides constantly surging up, and there was no way to retreat.

The two sides approached, the other side's formation was as solid as a rock, and the yellow skins didn't retreat a single step.

When the two sides were only one or two meters apart, Zhang Jianguo suddenly pointed at a big guy wearing a new military cap in the front and shouted fiercely:

"I want this hat!"

This is as arrogant as it gets. What's the difference between this and shouting to seize the flag in front of the two armies?

Li Kuiyong was also truly brave, and after being injured last time, he opened his mind and knew how to move his hands.

As soon as Zhang Jianguo finished shouting, he responded and rushed up, jumping up to snatch the military cap on the big guy's head.

The big guy was a bit panicked, covered his hat with his hands, and squeezed through the crowd to hide behind.

Li Kuiyong led the way, Zhang Jianguo followed, and a group of people followed the big guy into the crowd.

It wasn't that no one tried to stop Li Kuiyong.

But Li Kuiyong shouted fiercely: "None of your business, today, Grandpa just wants his hat!"

Originally there were many people and they were powerful, but suddenly, they became the "weak" who had their hats snatched!

The old soldiers were all stunned. Before they could wake up, they watched a group of people squeeze and collide and rush out.

These dozen people ran to the street, stopped a No. 1 bus on the street, and rushed on.

After the bus started again, they saw Li Kuiyong actually grabbing two hats in his hand, and also, right behind the bus, a flood-like bicycle team of yellow skins was chasing wildly all the way.

Since then, there has been a saying in the "wandzhu" circle: Li Kuiyong can "take the head of the general in the midst of ten thousand armies."

Does this sound absurd and ridiculous?

Actually, there are countless absurd and ridiculous "cha jia" (fights) in this era. Actually, the more people there are, the less interesting it is. Very few people move their hands, and the rest are mostly far-fetched and small stories made up.

And the "Zhongshan Park Escape" that they were proud of and complacent about became a major case that must be handled on the desk of Gao Zhen of the Dongcheng Branch Bureau. The contradiction between these two circles had definitely become a climate, and the superiors were very dissatisfied, and both sides became the targets of the branch bureau's net.

Li Xuewu also felt the time was ripe, so he asked Ji Yuxiu to perform the "desperate plan," playing "driving the tiger to swallow the wolf," catching both sides off guard.

The Jianghu is a pool of water stagnant in a low place, its status is always lower than the shore, and it is turbid and unbearable inside, but under the thunderous momentum of cleaning up, any filth and miscellaneous fish must turn white and show their bellies.

Even if you are a thousand-year-old turtle, it won't work, not to mention that these new Jianghu forces are just a few small miscellaneous fish in front of thunder.

What did Zhou Changli and Zhao Lao Si glimpse through the crack of that door? Perhaps it was this thunder that made people awe-struck.

"Leader, have you read this morning's newspaper?"

Li Xuewu walked into Li Huai De's office with his teacup, holding a newspaper in his hand.

Seeing him come in, Li Huai De gave a wink to Li Haiyang, who was organizing materials. Seeing the secretary go out, he took off the glasses on his face and waved his hand, signaling him to sit opposite.

"I was just thinking about this matter. Since you're here, let's study it and see how to handle it."

He picked up his teacup, opened the lid, and didn't drink immediately, but looked out the window with a frown. Even though the sun was bright at this moment, it couldn't drive away the haze in his heart.

If it weren't for fear of bad influence, and if it weren't for fear of going to the temple and not finding the monk, he would have wanted to worship the Bodhisattva.

Nothing else, he just wanted to ask himself if this year was unfavorable for everything, why was there a hurdle in every step?

Just today, the "People's Daily" published an article about the Longjiang Province Management Committee organizing a large number of organ cadres to go down to the countryside to carry out labor learning and retraining according to the instructions of May 7th from the superiors.

A farm was set up in Yushu, Anqing County, named "Nong Wu Cadre School," and this behavior was recognized and affirmed by the superiors.

The "People's Daily" reported on the situation of the first "Nong Wu Cadre School" in the country, and publicly published the above instructions in the "Editor's Note": "Cadres going down to labor is an excellent opportunity for cadres to relearn. Except for the old, weak, sick, and disabled, everyone should do this. Cadres in office should also go down to labor in batches."

If there are instructions, there must be actions. Now it's just propaganda in the newspaper, and specific action measures will be issued soon.

According to past experience, even if the industrial system isn't involved, it will be partially executed in the management system.

What Li Huai De fears isn't that problems will arise in the factory, but that he will be among the cadres sent down, or that there will be people he doesn't want to arrange to go.

Naturally, he doesn't want to go himself. If he goes, there basically won't be anything for him in the Red Star Factory Management Committee.

And he doesn't want the management team that Red Star Factory has just built to face the risk of collapse and reconstruction again.

Therefore, how to handle this limelight must be heard from Li Xuewu's opinion.

"I feel that the industrial system shouldn't be included," Li Xuewu pondered for a while before saying: "Looking at the situation, it should be the management organs, schools, and scientific research and literary units that should execute it."

"Of course, we can't exclude the possibility that the factory's organ functional departments will execute according to this instruction."

As soon as the first half of his sentence was finished, Old Li's heart just fell, and the second half lifted it up again.

It was Old Li's poor health recently, eating vegetarian food, otherwise, he would have been fainted by him from overwork.

"I can think of it. Some functional departments of the factory organ might be involved in the scope of the instruction's influence."

Li Xuewu said frankly: "So you should lay out in advance and guard against this possibility. I also agree."

"I'm also worrying about this—"

Old Li put his reading glasses on the desk, let out a long sigh, and said: "If it were the industrial system, it would be easy to say; it would be our precaution. If it's not the industrial system?"

"Then wouldn't we become frightened birds."

"Then change the form," Li Xuewu sat up straight and looked at the opposite side of the desk: "Our factory has just completed the adjustment of the group personnel management structure, and the personnel are initially set. It should have a comprehensive, thorough, and solid training and learning activity."

"According to the normal training and education procedures, set the main classroom location at the United School, and be off-duty and closed for three months."

He moved the cup and laid out the notebook to introduce: "It just so happens to take advantage of the advantages of our factory's two sets of teams at the middle and grassroots levels to give comrades an opportunity to return to the furnace for further study. There's nothing bad about it."

"Whether it's the young comrades who have just been promoted or the old comrades who have been through many battles, they all need to adapt to and familiarize themselves with the working environment."

Li Xuewu unscrewed his fountain pen and pointed to the notebook: "If organ cadres all accept training and empowerment education in order, I think this is also a benefit for the rapid evolution of group development in the future."

"In terms of training and education courses, invite famous teachers, walk into the workshop, walk out of the factory, grasp precise guidance and training, combine theory with practice, and let cadres have time to think and summarize."

He tilted his head and said: "I think this time, regardless of whether the scope of the instruction includes us, it should be a new opportunity for our Red Star Factory to reflect on itself and adjust itself."

"Hmm, yes, we can't wait passively for guidance—" Li Huai De understood the meaning in Li Xuewu's words, nodded, and said: "Regardless of whether there are instructions, we should train and empower our cadres. If there are, then add one more item to go to the countryside to learn the excellent quality of arduous struggle and self-reliance."

He still remembered the lesson of Nie Chenglin and specifically exhorted: "The purpose of training and education is to better cultivate and tap the work ability and enthusiasm of comrades. It must be carried out closely around this point. It cannot be excessive or excessive."

"Even if we have to go to the countryside for practical training, it should be based on learning, supplemented by training, and we cannot put the cart before the horse."

Once he figured it out and understood it, his thoughts became clear. Li Huai De became a strong person in thought again, and his words were reasonable.

"Secretary-General, let me refill your tea."

Li Haiyang heard that the talk in the room was almost over, so he walked in again with a thermos and took the initiative to refill Li Xuewu's tea.

"Okay, this is enough, thank you Haiyang," Li Xuewu looked at him with a smile, and after he refilled the hot water in his teacup, he asked Li Huai De: "Director Li, how do you plan to arrange Haiyang? This adjustment opportunity is rare."

"Hmm, I haven't thought about it for a while."

Li Huai De didn't avoid Li Haiyang. Li Xuewu is his supervisor, so talking about this topic is not excessive.

He hesitated while holding the teacup, raised his eyes to look at Li Xuewu, and asked: "You are his supervisor, what is your opinion?"

"If you want to hear my opinion—" Li Xuewu looked at Li Haiyang with a smile, and hearing Old Li kick the ball back, he said straightforwardly: "Of course I don't want to let him go."

"Oh, how do you say that?"

Li Huai De laughed, sized Li Haiyang up, and asked: "He caught your eye? Is it too much?"

"If you want to use a steady one, I can, but you need one even more than I do," Li Xuewu looked at Li Haiyang gently and said: "I'll do a favor."

"Hehehe—"

Li Huai De suddenly laughed, pointed at Li Xuewu, and said: "You, you, you calculated it on me."

"Hahahaha—"

Although that's what he said, who let this calculation follow his heart? Otherwise, how could he laugh so loudly?

Actually, Li Haiyang was also listening nervously from the side. These few seemingly joking words between the Secretary-General and Director Li were actually related to his future and destiny.

If Li Xuewu really wanted to use him, he wouldn't treat him badly no matter where he went. Although he had a trace of hesitation in his heart, he also knew this was indeed a good opportunity.

From 1965 to now, he had served Li Huai De for three years. Even if the big secretary was glorious, he couldn't just be a secretary forever.

Countless precedents prove that three years is actually a hurdle. If he doesn't go down for training, he won't have the opportunity to go down.

Of course, Director Li's career is smooth, and he will have opportunities to go down in the future, but the opportunity to contact the grassroots will be less.

Li Xuewu has discerning eyes, and he is famous for cultivating talents. Working in business under his hands is also a good way out.

It was just unexpected that the Secretary-General would shift the topic and circle back to him, which actually probed Li's intentions.

It's not that the Secretary-General doesn't want to use him, but that Director Li doesn't want to let him go, because he knows too many things.

Moreover, Director Li's personality and work habits had long been figured out by him. Habit becomes nature, and who is willing to change secretaries?

This calculation gave him a future.

After all, he is the Secretary-General. Li Haiyang looked at him gratefully, said thank you in a low voice, and then carried the thermos out.

Thank you for what? Thank you for the progress.

Li Haiyang had been grinding in the organ for many years, and had been by Li Huai De's side for many years, and had also "learned" a lot of knowledge from Li Xuewu.

The Secretary-General's meaning was very straightforward. How to make progress without leaving Director Li?

There is only one direction for a secretary, and that is to concurrently serve as the deputy director or director of the office belonging to the committee.

Previously, Yang Fengshan's secretary, Sun Jian, who is now the director of the Comprehensive Office of the Security Group, had served as the deputy section chief of the First Section.

Therefore, Li Xuewu said he would do a favor, which was actually responding to the vague answer Director Li gave last time when asked about his arrangement. If he was vague again this time, he naturally understood.

Therefore, if there are no accidents, the personnel application for his promotion will be submitted by Liang Zuodong or Bai Changshan,

His position as Deputy Director of the First Division was settled.

Of course, the personnel application couldn't possibly contain only his name; there would be changes for all secretaries working around the leadership.

Therefore, if he doesn't move, how can the other leaders' secretaries move? If the other leaders' secretaries don't move, how can Li Xue move?

When Li Xue first arrived in 1966, she was only assigned as a Grade 28 clerk based on her intern status; later, when she became a regular employee, she was just a normal Grade 25 clerk. This time, based on her seniority, performance, and the recommendation and evaluation of Deputy Director Jing, how could she not be assigned as a Grade 23 clerk?

Initially, being assigned as a Grade 28 clerk was neither high nor low; it was Xu Sinian's consideration and also agreed upon by Li Xuewu, with a salary of 27.5 yuan.

After becoming a regular employee a year later, because Li Xue was a high school graduate, the then-Director of the Committee Office, Ding Zigui, calculated her status as a technical secondary school graduate, promoting her to a Grade 25 clerk with a salary of 37.5 yuan.

It was also standard and conventional, leaving no room for anyone to find fault.

In this full-scale organizational adjustment, there was no reason for Li Xue, who had already served as Deputy Director Jing's secretary for two years, not to be adjusted.

One step forward is a Grade 24 clerk with a salary of 43 yuan; two steps forward is a Grade 23 clerk with a salary of 49.5 yuan, which is the rank and salary standard for university graduates just starting work.

If she could truly leap over the dragon gate and jump three grades at once, that would be extraordinary, because a Grade 23 clerk is also called a First-Class Clerk, the highest level among clerk ranks; at Grade 22, one is called a staff member.

And the Grade 22 staff member position is the post most university graduates hold after becoming regular employees; it is very rare to see someone like Zhou Yao jump straight to Grade 21.

Zhou Yao also came to the factory in 1966; her first year as a regular employee was Grade 21, and in the second year, due to her achievements, she was successively adjusted to Grade 20 and Grade 18. Who dares to compare? Who dares to question? That girl performed a major back-throw, and those leaders in the working group were scared silly at the time, almost losing their ability to have offspring.

They dare not compare with university graduates, and they cannot afford to; as long as one dares to think and act in the early stages at the grassroots level, the upward momentum is like a skyrocket.

The batch of university graduates Zhou Yao belongs to progressed very quickly, and now they are basically all in charge of grassroots levels or small departments.

But if we talk about rising fast, it still has to be her.

However, Zhou Yao also paid a great price; at the very least, no one in the factory dares to date her. The young girl has turned into an Iron Lady.

Li Haiyang is steady in his thinking, guessing that Li Xuewu would not promote his own younger sister like this during his tenure.

If she isn't held back for another year, or promoted to Grade 24 in order, that would have to be the result of Deputy Director Jing's emphasis and efforts.

Now it depends on the relationship between Li Xue and Deputy Director Jing, and whether the leader will speak up for her.

Of course, even if she is held back by her second brother for a year, or promoted in order, Li Xue is not in a hurry, because she is only 18 this year.

A high school graduate, eighteen years old, secretary to the Deputy Director of the Management Committee; her future is limitless, just like his, Li Haiyang's.

"Whose call is it?"

Li Xuewu returned to the office and saw Wang Lu on the phone, nodding and murmuring in response to something.

"Alright, President Xu, the Secretary-General is back. I will ask him to take the call," Wang Lu turned around, saw Li Xuewu, covered the receiver, and reported: "It is a call from President Xu Sinian of Yingcheng Shipping."

"You all change your titles fast enough."

Li Xuewu took the phone and teased Wang Lu: "Your mother-in-law must have given a generous 'title-change fee'; I knew Director Xu loves to hear this."

Wang Lu knew that the leader didn't speak immediately after taking the call but instead made a joke with her, which was actually a reminder that it wasn't appropriate for her to stay, so she smiled and went out.

Don't think she is naive; that was in the past. Recently, she has been learning humbly from Li Xue and understands quite a bit now.

In the office, Li Xuewu held the phone and said: "Hello, is that President Xu? This is Li Xuewu."

"Hahaha—"

Xu Sinian had already been laughing on the phone; he had heard Li Xuewu teasing the secretary on the other end.

"Since she calls me that, I can't very well refuse; wouldn't that go against the group's policy?"

He joked and asked: "What do you think, Secretary-General?"

"I say, I say the trees want to be still, but the wind won't stop—"

Li Xuewu sat in his chair and said with a smile: "I also say that the sea in Yingcheng doesn't make waves without wind; I must say that you, President Xu, don't visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason."

"Hahahaha, the Secretary-General understands me after all!"

Xu Sinian's laughter was enough to shatter the phone in Li Xuewu's hand; he was just short of running to his ear and shouting loudly.

Li Xuewu held the receiver a bit further away and asked with a light laugh: "Am I right, General Manager Xu? You are now an ant on a hot pan, can't wait to start the meal, right?"

"You don't need to ask; I was going to tell you. Don't be anxious; good food is worth waiting for. I will definitely make sure you get to eat this hot meal."

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his right leg, and said into the phone: "This cooperation negotiation is a comprehensive action involving multiple directions, multiple levels, multiple projects, and multiple frameworks. It cannot be rushed, nor can it be handled carelessly. You must give Deputy Director Gao time."

"Let me tell you, President Xu, Deputy Director Gao is currently like a firecracker on a hot kang; she'll ignite without even being lit. You'd better not provoke her."

Listening to Xu Sinian's explanation and assurance on the phone, Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Hmm, it's good that you know. In Jinmen, she has to negotiate with Zhongrun, Wufengxing, and the Saint-Aya Group, and also with capital from the Dongcheng Credit Union, the Labor Union, and Oriental Times. She has a splitting headache and absolutely does not want to listen to your nagging."

"Then I will just do good deeds and not ask about the future." Xu Sinian laughed happily on the phone, quoting the words Li Xuewu had said when sending him off before he took office at Yingcheng Shipping, "Not asking about the future, then let me report some good news to you."

"The second-generation cargo speedboat independently developed by our factory is basically finalized; its cruising speed and load capacity both exceed those of the patrol boats."

He asked happily on the phone: "Another purpose of my call is to ask you to name the new cargo boat."

"How did you think of asking me to name it?"

Li Xuewu looked at the documents on the table with amusement and teased: "Director Li is the best at this; don't tell me you were afraid Director Li wouldn't think highly of it, so you sent it to me instead?"

"Hahaha, alright, alright, alright, that's fine, whatever you say, President Xu," he held the phone for less than two seconds and immediately gave the answer: "Then let's call it the Mantis Shrimp—"

"What the heck? Say that again." Xu Sinian on the other end of the phone suspected he had misheard, "Mantis Shrimp?"

"Hello, hello—hello—"

Listening to the dial tone on the phone, he knew Li Xuewu had already hung up, but he still said hello twice.

It wasn't for anything else; he just wasn't sure if Li Xuewu really meant Mantis Shrimp; isn't this thing just a shrimp crawler?

Damn it, whose good boat is named such a crappy name.

On May 9th, Li Xuewu accompanied Li Huai De and Xue Zhifu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the site of the New Beijing No. 1 Rolling Mill, located in Fengtai.

The groundbreaking activity didn't have as many gimmicks as in later generations, and certainly didn't involve everyone holding a shovel tied with a big red flower to throw a few shovelfuls of dirt as a formality.

Although formalities were even more severe in this era, in some aspects, pragmatism was still emphasized.

For example, the directive publicized in the newspapers two days ago did not include the industrial system in the list that arrived in hand today.

Perhaps the higher-ups also considered that as the pillar of the economy, the secondary industry should not be subjected to major upheaval at this time.

Without a market economy, protecting industry and production is actually protecting the market, supply and marketing, and the economy.

Therefore, as Li Xuewu expected, the industrial system was not within the scope of this directive action.

This made Li Huai De breathe a heavy sigh of relief, and also made Beijing's industry breathe a sigh of relief.

Why was there such a rush to launch the New Beijing No. 1 Rolling Mill? Besides the Red Star Factory urging them to prepare for construction in advance, it was to create a margin to act as a buffer for such sudden situations.

Industry is more like a flood storage reservoir; at least for administration and finance, this is the case, and Li Xuewu understood this very well.

Therefore, the New Beijing No. 1 Factory broke ground more like it was under the urging of the Red Star Factory, amidst the sounds of Beijing's industry thanking heaven and earth.

"The infrastructure project for the Liangma River Industrial Zone is almost done. Except for some heavy machinery transferred to Yingcheng and Steel City to participate in engineering construction, the rest will all come here."

Li Huai De stood at the edge of the construction site, accompanied by Zhao Fuchun, the person in charge of Beijing Industry, and pointed to the construction site not far away: "Red Star Construction will continue to launch new construction machinery, and the construction teams that finish their work in the Liangma River Industrial Zone one after another will also come here."

"The construction period is one year and five months, right?"

He turned his head to look at Xue Zhifu, and seeing him nod, he continued to say to Zhao Fuchun: "With the development momentum of our factory's construction company, shortening the construction period is a certainty; we will definitely be able to catch up with the demolition of the rolling mill."

Li Xuewu actually wanted to remind Old Li that this was a groundbreaking ceremony, so don't go around setting flags; this thing is damn ominous.

But since Old Li is the chosen one, no one can stop him from showing off at this time; even Jesus wouldn't be able to help.

(End of chapter)