Chapter 1411: Hot Spring Trip

On the third day since Zhou Wang Yamei conveyed Li Li Xuewu's instructions and arranged for Yu Li to communicate with Port City via radio, Gao Gao Yaqin departed from Jingcheng to meet Li Li Xuewu in Steel City.

"Director Li entrusted me to discuss this matter with you personally, as it is of grave importance."

On the 20th, Gao Gao Yaqin sat in Li Li Xuewu's office, accompanied by Sun Ji Jian, the Director of the General Manager's Office.

After serving tea to the two guests, Zhang Enyuan went out to arrange for Ma Baosen to keep watch over the area, instructed the Secretary-General to see no one at this time, and personally handled the rescheduling of the leadership's itinerary.

"Director Li has received confirmed intelligence that changes may be imminent in Port City, and he wishes to hear your opinion."

Gao Gao Yaqin spoke these words with extreme caution, her gaze fixed on Li Li Xuewu filled with solemnity.

Sun Ji Jian, sitting nearby, was equally serious; clutching his notebook, he dared not miss a single word.

What had Gao Gao Yaqin said?

This statement, hanging unresolved, might be incomprehensible to the average person, or even seem nonsensical; what exactly was she trying to say?

Li Li Xuewu, however, needed no further explanation from her; he understood everything completely, and his brows furrowed accordingly.

Having learned his lesson from forgetting about the incident in the north, Li Li Xuewu had been extremely cautious lately, reviewing every conceivable possibility.

In fact, the matter Gao Gao Yaqin intended to discuss today had already been transmitted to Lou Xiao'e via radio waves three days ago.

What Li Li Xuewu had not anticipated, however, was why Old Li would step forward at this juncture to meddle in the affair.

Did he truly believe his wings had grown so strong?

Alas, only now did Li Li Xuewu admit he had underestimated Old Li; never had he imagined the man would be so audacious.

Just yesterday, the 19th, a department within the Sunset Empire's cabinet responsible for Port City affairs drafted a top-secret report—note well, a top-secret report.

The report stated that "without considering our sovereignty over Port City, any approach to resolving the Port City issue would be untenable."

Therefore, the report concluded that the best course of action was to indicate to the interior that the Sunset Empire would completely withdraw from Port City when the time was ripe.

The report further recommended rapid informal contact with the interior, suggesting that a unified agreement with Jingcheng regarding the Port City issue should be reached no later than the early 1980s.

Note also that the definition of timing in this report was exceedingly precise.

One might ask: if this was a top-secret report submitted on the 19th, how did even Li Li Xuewu know about it today?

Do not ask; such matters cannot be spoken of.

Let us then discuss what can be said: why was the Sunset Empire so eager to reach an informal agreement with Jingcheng?

Do not mistakenly attribute this to a sudden awakening of conscience by the Ying Ying Ying; it was entirely driven by the Sunset Empire's consideration of its own interests.

The Sunset Empire produced this report and made such recommendations based on Jingcheng's anti-colonial stance; extending the lease of Port City after its expiration was impossible.

The Sunset Empire's objective was to strive to maintain Port City's economic development and social stability, thereby increasing its bargaining chips with Jingcheng upon the future return of Port City, to secure greater benefits for the Sunset Empire.

Another crucial point in the report was that if the situation changed drastically and pressure from the interior continued to mount, the Sunset Empire was considering withdrawing from Port City within the year.

As mentioned earlier, the relevant department of the Sunset Empire submitted a top-secret report; unfortunately, given the current circumstances, this report was absolutely no longer confidential.

Even Li Li Huai De knew about it, and it could be transmitted to Li Li Xuewu; naturally, those in Port City, who were directly involved, knew even more.

Encouraged by this, fluctuations appeared in the situation in Port City, indirectly confirming the authenticity of that report.

The department explained very "aggrievedly" that their recommendations were made out of necessity based on the actual current situation.

In their relevant statements, the Sunset Empire's department used phrases like "seriously considering," expressing concern that Jingcheng possessed the ability to undermine their administration in Port City using certain "economic means," such as cutting off labor, water, food supplies, and other methods.

The report even groundlessly speculated that Jingcheng would undertake certain "special operations," despite having neither true evidence nor solid proof.

The report claimed that should such a situation arise, the Sunset Empire would be utterly unable to maintain its administration in Port City and would be forced to withdraw.

From the perspective of international strategy, this was not yet the most appropriate time to execute the administration of Port City.

Of course, ordinary people could not see this far; some even became extremely agitated by such circumstances.

Wasn't it a good thing that the other party voluntarily relinquished administrative rights?

It was precisely at this moment that the Organization's long-term vision and keen judgment became evident; Port City could not be accepted in this manner.

In order to safely extricate themselves from Port City at a critical moment and avoid bearing any responsibility, the Ying Ying Ying had racked their brains.

Regarding the resettlement of the "meritorious contributors" who had previously helped the Royal Sunset Empire maintain public order, the Ying Ying Ying began hatching sinister schemes.

During this period, Port City had approximately twenty to thirty thousand public security personnel; including their families, the number ranged from ninety to one hundred thirty thousand, representing a significant burden for the Royal Sunset Empire to resettle.

Thus, the report recommended finding them a place to settle overseas while assuming "no responsibility" whatsoever; it also expressed suspicion regarding the loyalty of these public security personnel upon the Royal Sunset Empire's withdrawal, since they were, after all, not their own people.

This report also exposed the hypocrisy of the Ying Ying Ying regarding the administration of Port City; it showed that the Ying Ying Ying firmly opposed allowing free selection of administrators in Port City, fearing that certain individuals might win the election.

This stood in stark contrast to the Royal Sunset Empire's later attitude toward the Port City issue; Old Mai of Port City had absolutely no confidence that the Royal Sunset Empire commanded sufficient popular support in Port City.

Old Li had precisely targeted the other party's guilty and hypocritical mindset, intending to employ his old tricks, believing that Port City's economy at this time—specifically the stock market's reaction—would be extremely intense.

He was insatiable for easy gains; having taken a huge bite out of the capital operations market with the Oriental Era Bank the year before last, he thought he could snatch another delicious mouthful this time, his intentions barely concealed.

Li Li Xuewu knew about this matter but showed no reaction; he had not even made any arrangements within the Red Star Steel Group. Why was that?

Simply put, history had proven that all the Royal Sunset Empire's worries were merely "judging a gentleman's heart by the mind of a petty person"; a mother had never thought to slap her wandering child, nor would she cut off Port City's water or food; the interior had always hoped for Port City's prosperity and stability, returning step by step into the embrace of the Motherland.

Therefore, Li Li Xuewu was certain that these plans of the Royal Sunset Empire would come to naught; it was highly likely that certain ulterior-motivated individuals within the Sunset Empire were deliberately stirring up trouble to enhance their own value.

Thus, while the occurrence of events would certainly cause some ripples, it would absolutely not stir up towering waves.

This required no thought; as long as the Mother did not strike first and remained motionless, no problems would arise.

On the contrary, it was the Ying Ying Ying, directing and acting out their own chaotic schemes, who would lose popular support and damage their own prestige.

Gao Gao Yaqin had been closely watching Li Li Xuewu's expression, but unfortunately, she could not detect even the slightest fluctuation on his face.

She was first astonished by Li Li Xuewu's extensive sources of information, realizing he could obtain such intelligence almost simultaneously with Director Li.

Then, amidst Li Li Xuewu's silence, she gradually cooled the radical ideas in her heart and fell silent herself.

This silence proved that she was now even more astonished than when she had first realized Li Li Xuewu possessed channels to acquire such information.

To remain calm and respond with composure during such a critical period was something she, at least, could not do.

Since the information had been revealed to her by Director Li, she had naturally displayed extreme excitement, subsequently contemplating how the Red Star Steel Group should break through amidst these changes, filling her mind with numerous ideas.

Based on these ideas, she had convened personnel overnight, reviewed previous materials, prepared a detailed economic work plan and methodology, and submitted the proposal to Director Li.

After reviewing her submitted report, Director Li did not immediately respond; instead, he asked if she could make a trip to Steel City, as the plan she had prepared was still a report generated based on the summary of the previous cooperation with the Oriental Era Bank in Port City.

Gao Gao Yaqin was not quite sure what Director Li meant: was he doubting her capabilities were inferior to Li Li Xuewu's, or was he himself uncertain and asking her to bring this document to consult Li Li Xuewu?

But thinking along these lines, whichever of the two scenarios it was, both proved she was inferior to Li Li Xuewu.

This feeling was truly suffocating; only under Director Li's insistence had she brought the documents to Steel City.

Upon landing in Steel City, she and Sun Ji Jian rushed without stopping to the Metallurgy Plant, finding Li Li Xuewu at work.

After both parties took their seats, she spoke only one sentence!

Yes, that's right, she spoke only one sentence; before she even had time to hand over the report in her hands, facing Li Li Xuewu's silence, she had completely calmed down, entirely losing the confidence to take out the report and engage in discussion with Li Li Xuewu.

What was there left to present? Wasn't this obvious stance clear enough to show Li Li Xuewu's pessimism regarding this matter?

As for why Li Li Xuewu was pessimistic, could it be that Li Li Xuewu possessed more foresight than both her and Director Li?

No, one shouldn't put it that way; it should be said that Li Li Xuewu possessed a more long-term vision and greater foresight than she did.

Compared to Director Li? Not necessarily.

Why say that? Because now, recalling Director Li's expression and attitude at the time, she had a third conjecture.

That was: when Director Li first heard this news, he was just as unable to conceal his excitement as she was, but upon seeing the report she submitted, he thought of the Secretary-General far away in Port City.

He had confirmed that any information he could obtain, Li Li Xuewu could also receive, yet Li Li Xuewu, who could equally receive this news, showed not the slightest reaction, falling far short of his usual wisdom.

Gao Gao Yaqin had long heard that regarding certain matters, Director Li's trust in the Secretary-General surpassed what ordinary people could imagine.

Previously she had not believed it, especially given the events before and after the New Year, which made her scoff even more at such claims.

But nowadays she realized, where was Director Li's trust in the Secretary-General merely surpassing ordinary imagination? Clearly, Director Li revered the Secretary-General as a deity.

Ah, he was the one who first proposed this rare opportunity, getting everyone jumping with excitement, but the moment he noticed someone hadn't jumped up, he instantly stopped jumping himself, yet he didn't give them the slightest hint or reminder.

So, after traveling a thousand li, Director Li's purpose was simply to send her here to Li Li Xuewu to sober up?

Then did Director Li actually trust the Secretary-General, or did he distrust the Secretary-General and want her to come investigate the truth?

Actually, this point required no thought; although it was a journey of a thousand li, and even if one feared telephone communication might compromise secrecy, there were secure radio stations connecting the key factory zones of the Red Star Iron and Steel Group.

In other words, if Director Li had obtained this news and wanted to take action, he should have contacted and communicated with the Secretary-General immediately, rather than seeking her out to discuss matters.

Therefore, regarding this matter, Director Li himself lacked much confidence and was simply pushing her out to test the waters.

Mm-hmm, now she had become the one testing the waters.

"General Sha contacted me a few days ago," Li Li Xuewu finally spoke, but he did not address the previous topic; that previous topic had ended with Gao Gao Yaqin's first sentence.

Gao Gao Yaqin's complexion instantly grayed several shades, after which she forced her spirits up and listened carefully to Li Li Xuewu's words.

"I am still unaware of how you plan to proceed," Li Li Xuewu asked, looking at Gao Gao Yaqin: "Do you intend to establish corresponding foreign trade service and management mechanisms this year?"

"If that is possible, then of course the sooner the better," Gao Gao Yaqin nodded and replied: "Actually, the conditions for establishing normalized foreign trade services and guidance work in Tianjin, actively promoting communication and exchange between foreign merchants and joint trade, are already very mature; I feel we should take a step forward."

"I fully agree with your viewpoint," Li Li Xuewu first fully affirmed Gao Gao Yaqin's opinion and line of thinking, but in the subsequent conversation, he also raised questions regarding the specific implementation plan and details: "How do you intend to handle the difficulties foreign merchants face entering and exiting checkpoints, to further achieve normalized communication?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly and said: "You should have communicated with the Import-Export General Corporation regarding these doubts, right? What did they say? Would they allow us to build a foreign trade service bridge from Port City to Tianjin, even if we promise to engage only in high-end foreign trade?"

"I currently have no way to give you answers to these doubts of yours, because I myself am overwhelmed with anxiety over related work," she first looked at Li Li Xuewu apologetically with a bitter smile, then raised her eyebrows and asked: "Perhaps you could give me some suggestions to help me sort out the thoughts within this?"

"Hehehe—" Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, gesturing with his hand to offer tea, while teasing verbally: "So you didn't come to administer an exam, but rather to seek scripture."

"If the Tathagata possesses true scripture, why begrudge a long rush of three thousand li," Gao Gao Yaqin said frankly, spreading her hands and smiling: "My sincerity is abundant, and my confidence in you is full."

"I am not the Tathagata, and you haven't rushed three thousand li," Li Li Xuewu smiled, lifted his teacup, and took a sip, saying: "As the saying goes, the one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it."

He looked with amusement at Gao Gao Yaqin sitting opposite him and said: "To solve this puzzle, the final responsibility must fall upon you."

"Me?" Gao Gao Yaqin never expected that after coming to Steel City, Li Li Xuewu's skill at kicking the ball had improved so rapidly; he was kicking the ball better and better, making it impossible to guard against.

"Mm, it should indeed be you," Li Li Xuewu put down the teacup in his hand, nodded, and said: "To achieve a new breakthrough in the Group's foreign trade and truly connect the Andrew Buy Club with the Tianjin Binhai Business Club, building a bridge, we will need a special pass."

He raised his eyebrows slightly, looking seriously at Gao Gao Yaqin as he emphasized: "The reason for abandoning the rapid operation connecting Port City and halting at the situation of inter-bank capital cooperation, I have reported in detail to Director Li; he should know."

This sentence unexpectedly explained to Gao Gao Yaqin the reason why, after she arrived at the office and spoke only one sentence, Li Li Xuewu had not given her a direct response.

After going around in a circle, Gao Gao Yaqin seemed to understand: the primary risk in the Red Star Iron and Steel Group's external cooperation stemmed from operational standards and rationality; lacking this foundation, the Group lacked necessary confidence when conducting any foreign trade activities.

To put it plainly, the name was not correct, and the speech was not smooth.

She sat opposite Li Li Xuewu, lost in thought for a moment, then lifted her head and asked: "Is this... appropriate timing?"

"What do you think?" Li Li Xuewu smiled and countered: "When do you think would be more appropriate?"

"You, this Tathagata, are a fake Monk, aren't you?" Gao Gao Yaqin said dissatisfiedly: "Could it be that this place is the Little Thunder Sound Temple?"

"Hahaha—" Li Li Xuewu laughed, leaning back in his chair, and said: "If you believe, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't. If the heart is sincere, it exists; if the heart is not sincere, it doesn't. Whether I am a fake Monk matters not; whether you are the real Sun Sun Wukong still requires passing through the Mirror that Reveals Demons—"

"You're the one who needs to pass through the Mirror that Reveals Demons—"

Gao Gao Yaqin glared at him dissatisfiedly, then turned her head to look at Sun Ji Jian and asked: "Director Sun, don't you plan to say anything?"

"Me? Me? What should I say?"

Sun Ji Jian hadn't reacted yet; how could he have expected Deputy Director Gao to turn back and spear him? He hadn't spoken a single useless word since entering the office, so why spear him?

Gao Gao Yaqin shot him a sideways glance, feeling utterly frustrated; was she the only one heavily invested, having fallen into the eye of money?

"The hot springs on the mountain are quite nice; how about we go together tonight to relax and unwind?" Li Li Xuewu smiled, looking at Sun Ji Jian and saying: "Although it is already March and the weather isn't that cold, it is still suitable for soaking in hot springs in Steel City."

"You are too polite; this little ghost of mine must listen to the King of Hell," Sun Ji Jian also perceived some of the underlying dynamics, smiled, and replied to Li Li Xuewu, though his eyes darted toward Deputy Director Gao beside him.

"Am I so fierce and terrifying? Is it necessary for you to be so afraid?" Gao Gao Yaqin glared at him, then turned to Li Li Xuewu and complained: "With such a wonderful place available, why did you hide it until now to mention it? Have you been up the mountain enjoying yourself quite a bit since coming to Steel City?"

"To speak without any exaggeration, I haven't even had time to go up the mountain yet; recently I've been exhausted terribly."

Li Li Xuewu sat up straight, stretched his shoulders, and said: "If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have been willing to go myself."

"Look at that, we should be moved to tears of gratitude," Gao Gao Yaqin turned and shot Sun Ji Jian a sideways glance, saying: "Let's agree in advance: regarding the Secretary-General's generous hospitality, I am penniless and have nothing to repay; how about leaving you here to work for three years to offset the debt?"

"I would be willing, but I fear the Secretary-General wouldn't think highly of me," Sun Ji Jian said, smiling as he looked at Li Li Xuewu: "With Comrade Li Haiyang serving as a shining example before me, I dare not indulge in wishful thinking."

"It's all the same; all are good comrades."

Li Li Xuewu smiled, stood up, adjusted the wool sweater on his body, and said to the two of them: "You've endured a long journey by boat and cart; go to the guesthouse first to rest, and give me the opportunity tonight to fulfill my duties as host."

"Then I shall accept your kind invitation without further modesty—" Gao Gao Yaqin stood up, shook his hand, and said: "We've caused you to spend unnecessarily."

"Hehehe—" Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, nodded, and said: "Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?"

He looked at Zhang Enyuan, who had appeared at the doorway, and instructed, "Escort Deputy Director Gao and Director Sun to the guesthouse to rest."

It was a characteristic of this era that titles were a chaotic mess, making it unclear whether "Deputy Director" or "Director" ranked higher or lower.

Of course, for those within the workplace, this required no overthinking; no complete fool would confuse such titles and their corresponding ranks.

Zhang Enyuan politely saw the two off, and shortly after, Zhang Jing arrived at Li Li Xuewu's office.

"Arrange this for me," Li Li Xuewu said, the corners of his mouth twitching as he thought and gave instructions: "Ask Factory Directors Kuang, Lü, Bi, and Kong if they have time tonight; the hot spring pool on the mountain is still open, so let's go relax."

"Are we going to inspect the Qianshan Hot Spring Mining Area?"

Zhang Jing had been in Gangcheng for several years and naturally knew the environment very well, especially since Dong Wenxue favored this spot.

The year Li Li Xuewu accompanied Li Li Huai De to Gangcheng, they had spent the entire day playing in the Qianshan hot spring district.

Dong Wenxue had been present at the time, and since Zhang Jing was then Dong Wenxue's secretary, he had naturally been there too, so the moment Li Li Xuewu mentioned it, he recalled it immediately.

"Mm, let's go take a look first before deciding anything else."

Li Li Xuewu turned to look at him and said, "First, help me book with the Qianshan Hot Spring Park Management Office; we need a standard for about ten-plus people. If your section has no matters tonight, you all should come along too; I'm treating, so you can add the headcount yourself."

"How could we accept such generosity—"

Zhang Jing smiled and said, "Our section, including Comrade Enyuan, totals seven people; how could we let you bear the expense?"

"No need for politeness; you have indeed worked hard recently."

Li Li Xuewu naturally understood he was being falsely modest, yet it was also a genuine joke; since he had said it, he was willing to spend the money.

One point must be emphasized here: in any public activity in Gangcheng, Li Li Xuewu had never added a single cent of his own money, and in any private social activity, he had never used a single cent of public funds.

Even when hosting guests from the Group or other units at the guesthouse, as long as it was outside of official working meal times, Zhang Enyuan handled the payment on his behalf.

Li Li Xuewu was meticulous; every expenditure required an itemized list and the signature of the relevant person in charge.

Zhang Enyuan understood Li Li Xuewu's temperament and arranged the settlement method appropriate for each occasion.

Consequently, Zhang Jing and the others had all come to understand this principle of his, so when Li Li Xuewu said he was treating, they felt not a shred of surprise, having long grown accustomed to the Secretary-General's way of handling affairs.

Some people gossiped, claiming Li Li Xuewu was a traitor resembling a loyalist, one face to the front and another behind the scenes, arguing that such integrity was impossible.

Those capable of saying such things certainly did not understand much about Li Li Xuewu's daily life and had never witnessed his strict self-discipline with their own eyes.

Those truly familiar with the Secretary-General's life could all see that the Secretary-General was not short of money; he was the kind of person who truly lacked for nothing financially.

How much the Secretary-General's salary was is no secret; the payroll records were clear as day, allowing for no falsification.

Furthermore, many people knew that the Secretary-General received double salaries, which was also no secret.

Added to this, the Secretary-General's household consisted of dual income earners, as his spouse was a chief surgeon at the hospital, so being financially comfortable was perfectly normal.

There was also a rumor that the Secretary-General's financial comfort stemmed from people sending him money, but after so many upheavals within the Group, no one had yet produced relevant evidence; it was mostly just hearsay repeated by others.

Even certain Group leaders had crashed and burned, yet the Secretary-General's character remained unshaken; no amount of gossip could bring him down.

When people said the Secretary-General was not short of money, the admiration and respect he commanded within the section were not due to his "wealth" but to his generosity.

Even with a high salary, the loyalty and social grace he displayed in his interactions with them were truly textbook examples; otherwise, how could one explain that the young people who had studied and worked alongside him all possessed a certain magnanimity in their characters?

Of course, Li Li Xuewu's magnanimity and loyalty were not extended to everyone; at the very least, the recipient had to be someone he could see and appreciate.

Zhang Jing's performance recently had been excellent, especially in leading the team, as the people under his command were all fresh, vital forces.

Although the four university graduates had already completed two years of internship, when pulled out individually, they were still greenhorns unable to handle matters independently.

Zhang Enyuan was indeed an old hand, but he basically could not help Zhang Jing much and frequently "borrowed" Ma Baosen on temporary assignment.

Although the section still listed several great figures such as Liu Yao, the Deputy Factory Director of Gangqi in charge of technology, and Shangguan Qi from the Aircraft Research Institute, these individuals were mostly nominal attachments, listed in the section only for the Secretary-General's convenience in consultation, and one rarely saw the actual persons.

Therefore, currently, only Zhang Jing in the Leading Group Office was carrying the main burden, while also being responsible for the preparatory work for the audit.

Li Li Xuewu saying he would treat them to leisure was both a reward and generous treatment; one cannot expect the oxen and horses under one's command to plow the fields without being fed grass.

Besides, since soaking in hot springs involved only men, Gao Gao Yaqin would not feel at ease; it would be better to have a female comrade accompany her.

"What is this?" Gao Gao Yaqin picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and asked curiously, "Is it chicken?"

"Feilong, which is the hazel grouse," Kuang Kuang Yusheng took the initiative to explain to her: "Its scientific name should be Tetrastes bonasia." He gestured toward the dish in front of Gao Gao Yaqin and said, "This is an authentic Northeastern dish, Monkey Head and Feilong, very famous."

"It seems the Secretary-General has truly broken the bank," Gao Gao Yaqin said, putting down her chopsticks and smiling: "This makes me feel rather embarrassed."

"It doesn't matter; worthy guests have gathered, young and old alike; it is a fine occasion," Li Li Xuewu raised his wine cup, looked at everyone, and said, "I also thank you all for giving me this opportunity to relax properly."

"Hahaha—"

Rarely coming out to play, and with work colleagues no less, it felt quite like the team-building activities of a later era.

Those seated at this table were indeed, as Li Li Xuewu had said, a gathering of the worthy, young and old alike, with absolutely no one from the middle tier present.

Not a single Deputy Factory Director from the Metallurgy Plant had been invited, nor were any deputy positions from other plants included in the invitations.

This was not due to Li Li Xuewu being stingy, but rather an attitude.

"With Northeastern cuisine, the more you eat, the more your knowledge expands," Li Li Xuewu said, smiling as he looked at Gao Gao Yaqin: "Animals you couldn't see in the zoo before, you can find in Northeastern dishes."

"I've heard of it—" Gao Gao Yaqin said, nodding with a smile, "but I haven't really experienced it."

"I'm just showing off my learning to you; actually, I haven't eaten it either; this time I'm benefiting from your presence."

Li Li Xuewu gestured toward the food on the table and said, "I dare to eat this Feilong, but the other items on the menu I wouldn't even dare to look at."

"To speak truly, apart from the Feilong as the main dish, the rest of this table is merely mountain delicacies and wild game, not worth mentioning."

He turned to Zhang Jing and said, "Dishes like Orchid Bear Paw, Wine-Braised Camel Paw, and Poached Hashima Oil are beyond my means to eat."

"I've never seen them either," Zhang Jing said with a smile, pointing at the Feilong: "There are plenty of these things in the mountains."

"Truly a place where the land is blessed and produces great people," Gao Gao Yaqin said, looking out the guesthouse window with emotion: "No wonder the Secretary-General is so haunted by it in his dreams that he insisted on coming."

"Sigh, I love this land, I love it deeply."

Li Li Xuewu raised his wine cup and offered another toast; Gao Gao Yaqin was a Deputy Director and also a guest, so he had to show some gesture of respect.

The others followed suit and drank a cup; the atmosphere gradually grew warm and lively, with Wang Min and others whispering beneath the table, while Bi Bi Yuding and Sun Xitian Jianyi reminisced together; everyone ate and chatted, creating a truly bustling scene.

Kong Xiaobo from Gangfei appeared somewhat lonely; although he had been at Hongxing Plant for a short time, longer than Gao Gao Yaqin, he had never managed to integrate well into the Hongxing Plant system.

Even the Shangguan Qi family, who had come with him, were living very well within the Hongxing Iron and Steel Group, yet he always felt unsettled, even though he was already the top Factory Director of Gangfei.

"Can the first helicopter model go into mass production this year?"

Gao Gao Yaqin suddenly turned to look at him, who had remained silent for a long time, and asked this question.

Kong Xiaobo was startled, then immediately replied, "Yes, Deputy Director Gao, we can achieve mass production of the KH-4 helicopter model this year."

"What about the other two helicopter models?" Gao Gao Yaqin now asked Li Li Xuewu, who was beside her, "Next year? Or the year after?"

"You'll have to ask Factory Director Kong about that."

Li Li Xuewu smiled, took a sip from his cup of wine, and said, "I personally hope the other two helicopter models can achieve mass production this year."

"That's impossible." Kong Xiaobo shook his head with a bitter smile; seeing everyone at the table stop their respective conversations to look at him, he felt somewhat nervous and awkward.

He thought for a moment, then answered seriously, "By the end of next year, or perhaps the beginning of the year after."

"Let me emphasize one point first: I'm not in a hurry."

Li Li Xuewu raised his freshly filled wine cup in a toast toward him and said, "I understand the principle that slow work yields fine results, but Deputy Director Gao is somewhat anxious; you need to understand that."

"The Secretary-General just knows how to play the good guy."

Gao Gao Yaqin glared dissatisfiedly at Li Li Xuewu, then also raised her wine cup in a toast toward Kong Xiaobo, saying, "I was just asking; I don't mean to rush you. Just do your best."

"Thank you, Secretary-General; thank you, Deputy Director Gao, for your understanding." Kong Xiaobo raised his wine cup in return, saying, "We will certainly do our utmost."

With that, he drained the wine in his cup.

Kong Xiaobo was originally an engineer and possessed rich experience in project and team management, which was why Li Li Xuewu had previously suggested to Li Li Huai De that he be placed in the position of head of Steel Aircraft.

Facts proved that Kong Xiaobo had indeed performed excellently, dedicating himself wholeheartedly, and Steel Aircraft had developed very well.

The KH-4 helicopter production line transferred and assisted in installation by Sanhe Corporation, although second-hand, was extremely precious to the Red Star Steel Group.

Furthermore, the Jaguar transport helicopter and Alouette III helicopter production lines, procured with assistance from the Santa Ya Group, had already been under installation for half a year and were still in the process of construction and setup.

If one included the processes of training, debugging, and trial operation, Kong Xiaobo's statement that mass production could be achieved next year was truly uncertain.

Actually, Gao Gao Yaqin's sudden question to Kong Xiaobo was not intentionally meant to make things difficult for him; she merely noticed him sitting there without speaking, felt he seemed somewhat out of place, and simply took the initiative to pull him into the conversation.

As for where exactly she was pulling him, that depended on Kong Xiaobo's own understanding and performance; he was a clear-headed person.

Dinner lasted a full two and a half hours; with the moon high in the sky, everyone, dressed in thick cotton jackets with bath towels wrapped underneath, arrived at the indoor hot spring bathhouse, splitting into separate sides for men and women.

Currently, domestically, they truly couldn't pull off those fancy tricks the little Japanese devils played, like organizing mixed bathing; that would be behavior corrupting public morals.

Otherwise, why would Li Li Xuewu have asked Zhang Jing to bring people along? At least Zhou Peilan could accompany Gao Gao Yaqin over to soak.

If you were to ask why Deputy Director Gao's secretary wasn't accompanying the leader together?

The answer is simple: because Gao Gao Yaqin's secretary is a male comrade named Wang Da Qiang, who at this moment was together with Li Li Xuewu and the others.

As for why Gao Gao Yaqin, a female comrade, chose a young man as her secretary, there were some reasons behind that.

There's no need to discuss the overly complex ones; even if explained, you all wouldn't understand, so let's just mention something more superficial.

A male leader is not suitable for using a female secretary, as it appears frivolous; a female leader, however, need not avoid using a male secretary, which instead makes her appear resolute, serious about her work attitude, and unbothered by any difficulties.

If a female leader uses a female secretary, it generally conveys meticulousness, seriousness, and even nitpicking regarding operational work.

Separated by a wall, Li Li Xuewu and the others could hear the voices from next door; this could be considered a kind of special feature.

Actually, this Qianshan Hot Spring Park was not constructed after Liberation; it existed even before the little Japanese devils came, though it wasn't something ordinary people could afford to enjoy.

If you say that early Steel City had no princes or nobility, nor was it any major strategic stronghold, then why was it so precious?

This must be attributed to the Qing Dynasty's closure policy; Shanhai Pass was not easily permitted to be crossed, as this was the Manchu people's reserved land.

Even among the Manchus there were distinctions of rank; this place was the mountain villa of a certain Manchu lord, a place for enjoyment.

Later generations speak of villas, dividing them into upper stacks and lower stacks, or townhouse villas; those are all jokes. A villa is a villa, a unique existence; how could they possibly be stacked on top of one another?

The stones in this hot spring pool all exuded an aged quality; sitting on them did not feel rough, but rather greasy and smooth.

The result of being bare with one another was that everyone, who had just been mutually respectful at the dinner table with every third sentence revolving around work, now extinguished that fire; not a single word about serious matters was spoken, only tales of strange occurrences and anecdotes.

Since they were in the mountains, naturally they had to talk about things that couldn't be spoken of elsewhere.

Among these people, Kuang Kuang Yusheng was the old comrade, widely traveled and knowledgeable, so he began recounting some observations from his early days working.

Lv Yuanshen was slightly younger than him, but he too had learned about these matters and did not find them remarkable.

On the contrary, Wang Min, Li Muqin, and several other young ones listened with great curiosity, their eyes full of earnest attention, as if listening to a storytelling session.

Actually, Kuang Kuang Yusheng had only told one story about a yellow weasel blocking a carriage, yet it caused the few listeners to exclaim in surprise, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

"Secretary-General, did you ever encounter such strange matters down south?" Wang Min asked Li Li Xuewu curiously, "Tell us about it too—"

"Hehe—" Bi Bi Yuding exchanged a glance with Kuang Kuang Yusheng, and both burst out laughing.

Similarly, Lv Yuanshen, who had thought of something, also smiled; only Kong Xiaobo and those few young ones remained confused.

"How could that be? At that time, the Secretary-General held Truth in his hands; what evil spirits or monstrous demons would dare approach him?"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng raised his hand, rubbed his face, and said with a smile, "Just that aura of killing intent on the Secretary-General was enough to forbid a hundred evils and make all gods retreat."

"Ah?" Not only Wang Min, but Zhou Linghua and the others also looked at Li Li Xuewu with strange expressions, extremely curious.

Li Li Xuewu, however, smiled and glanced at Kuang Kuang Yusheng, then turned to the few others and said, "Factory Director Kuang is just joking."

"I don't believe it either." Ma Baosen pursed his lips and said, "The Secretary-General doesn't look fierce at all, nor scary; he speaks gently and treats everyone the same."

"Hehehe—" After he said this, Wang Min and the others deeply agreed, while only Kuang Kuang Yusheng and the others strained to hold back their laughter.

Li Li Xuewu felt somewhat amused yet helpless regarding Ma Baosen's evaluation of him; this child really knew how to speak, just not how to pick the right moment; such words should be said behind his back.

Zhang Enyuan also glared at his apprentice, warning him not to babble nonsense without cause on such occasions.

Ma Baosen, frightened by his master's rebuke and seeing the expressions of the several leaders, felt only grievance in his heart.

Clearly, what he said was the honest truth—

"Secretary-General, I heard you are planning to establish a sanatorium for our group here?"

Gao Gao Yaqin from next door raised her voice to ask this question; it seemed she had learned of it from Zhou Peilan.

The men's bathhouse side fell silent; everyone turned to look at Li Li Xuewu, awaiting his reply.

"I had thought about it, unfortunately, there's no money."

Li Li Xuewu answered quickly, but his request for money was just as fast: "Why don't you go back and discuss it with Deputy Director Jing to see if she can approve another special fund for us?"

"Approving a special fund might not work; if I bring this up to Deputy Director Jing, she might just split someone in half."

From next door, Gao Gao Yaqin laughed and said, "A few days ago at the meeting, Deputy Director Jing made it clear: no one is to mention money to her again; whoever does will face her wrath, hahaha—"

"Hehehe—" Hearing Deputy Director Gao tell a joke, the men in the bathhouse all burst into laughter as well.

Kong Xiaobo, however, smiled bitterly and said, "At the beginning of the month, Deputy Director Jing called me, saying that if the experimental workshop at Steel Fly didn't start producing results soon, she would cut off our experimental funding."

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he said, "She claimed what we have isn't experimental funding, but experimental waste."

"Hey, actually, I think that's a pretty good idea."

Li Li Xuewu turned to look at the few men and said, "From now on, there's an extra tight noose around the necks of all our industrial enterprises."

The others fell silent, exchanging bitter smiles; this year, Deputy Director Jing hadn't just called Kong Xiaobo—she had called them all too.

Only Kong Xiaobo dared to say it out loud; the rest of them felt too embarrassed, even Li Li Xuewu had been scolded over the phone by Deputy Director Jing.

The reason was simple: not only was Li Li Xuewu building a group sanatorium in Qianshan, but he was also investing in the construction of the group's second joint hospital in the Steel City Industrial Zone, with a scale matching the one in Jingcheng.

The First Joint Hospital in Jingcheng took a full ten months to complete even under conditions of maximum rush; how long would this one in Steel City take?

However long it takes, it must be built; wherever there are people in the Liangma River Industrial Zone, there will be just as many in the Steel City Industrial Zone.

Where there are people, there must be hospitals; this is an essential condition for any logistical support system.

Then again, where there are hospitals, there are people, and where there are people, there is money; this includes the future group sanatorium they were currently in, which would be no ordinary retreat, for in the future...