Chapter 1420: Do Not Reach Out Your Hand

"Damn it, this guy is full of bad ideas!"

Bao Peigang slammed down the phone and cursed angrily, yet looking at the telephone on his desk, he felt somewhat unwilling to let it go.

He was naturally at his workplace; the credit union's office meeting had run late, and since he had only just learned of this matter temporarily, he was calling Li Li Xuewu from his office.

It wasn't that he possessed divine calculation or had access to privileged information knowing Li Li Xuewu's home phone number in Gangcheng; rather, he had dialed the Metallurgical Plant and requested the duty phone.

The first person to learn of this news and report it to Bao Peigang was Hu Youqiang, the deputy director of the credit union in charge of funds, who was responsible for liaising with the Joint Savings Bank.

Precisely because of this convenience, he was able to obtain this information from a former credit union cadre now working at the Joint Savings Bank.

Initially, when the credit union and the Red Star Factory jointly established the Joint Savings Bank, there was an urgent need for financial and banking cadres as well as staff, so a batch was transferred from the credit union to provide support.

Because the Joint Savings Bank had a broad scope of business, developed rapidly, and offered high wages and benefits, those supporting cadres who had been transferred previously did not want to return and thus remained there.

Although their official employment relationships had changed, their personal connections remained, especially since they were all within the same systemic sector.

After Hu Youqiang learned of this news, he felt something was amiss and therefore sought instructions from Bao Peigang.

Bao Peigang also felt uneasy in his heart, so he could not resist making the call; he was confident that his relationship with Li Li Xuewu was fairly good, so he should be able to coax out some information.

However, the recent conversation left him very annoyed; although Li Li Xuewu had spoken of some so-called "inside information," it had absolutely nothing to do with the concrete news he wanted to know.

"Could this be a smoke screen released by the Red Star Factory?" Hu Youqiang frowned slightly and said, "This isn't the first time they've played the trick of catching a Bai Lang with empty hands."

"Hmm, there is that possibility."

Bao Peigang also sat there with a contemplative expression, his hands clasped over his lower abdomen, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

He was recalling his earlier conversation with Li Li Xuewu, pondering the key points within it.

"However, we cannot rule out that they truly intend to pull off a big move; hasn't Director Li Li Huai De made any grand boasts recently?"

"If you put it that way, I actually have a bit of an idea," Hu Youqiang crossed his right leg and said softly, "Last year, Director Li had quite a conflict with the First Ministry of Machine Building over organizational personnel matters; could it be that he has some scheme in mind?"

"Carrying thorns to apologize? Making an active display of merit?"

Bao Peigang curled the corner of his mouth and said, "You know, although that reason sounds far-fetched, it's entirely possible that this old Li is just too eager for quick success."

"What about Li Li Xuewu's side? What is his stance?" Hu Youqiang raised his eyebrows and reminded Bao Peigang, "The Secretary-General of the Red Star Factory is no pushover; if he doesn't agree to a project, there must be something dubious about it."

"You mean him?" Bao Peigang drooped his eyelids and curled his lips even more sharply, "That guy's heart is completely rotten!"

"Hehehe—" Hu Youqiang also knew why Bao Peigang harbored such deep resentment toward the Red Star Factory's Secretary-General; the fellow simply didn't act like a human being and was filled with bad ideas.

Just take their effort to drag the credit union into capital operations; basically, one out of every three projects they invested in turned out to be a massive pit.

Two made money, one lost money; put together, it seemed like they had profited, yet it also seemed like they had lost, leaving Bao Peigang feeling dizzy and unable to stop, nearly crippling his legs.

The first project of their cooperation was the Joint Savings Bank; this project appeared to be extremely successful, especially when leaders from the Credit Corporation Headquarters came down for inspection and gave their Dongcheng Credit Union high marks for external investment.

It was no wonder the leadership appeared so delighted during their research tour; just look at how the Joint Savings Bank broke through constraints to reach a credit investment cooperation agreement with Hongcheng's Oriental Times Bank, launched employee insurance and loan services domestically, and accomplished many tasks that the credit union itself could never achieve.

The annual report data submitted by the Joint Savings Bank last year was incredibly impressive, with total investments exceeding thirty million and total profits surpassing two million, making them more profitable and more technically adept than the Dongcheng Credit Union.

However, they hadn't seen a single cent of that two million in total profit, yet they were sharing the burden of the total investment pressure; some people said this Joint Savings Bank was a damn Pixiu, taking in everything but giving nothing out.

Since the Joint Savings Bank was a joint-venture entity, the articles of association formulated at its establishment clearly stipulated that for the first ten years, serving as a development phase, no dividends would be distributed, with all dividends retained as construction funds.

Initially, they never expected that this small joint-venture savings bank could develop to its current scale; damn it, it had only been three years!

The Joint Savings Bank project didn't matter much; even if they couldn't receive dividends for those ten years, as long as development proceeded well, they, as bankers, could afford to wait.

But! Why did this automobile project seem to be one pit after another?

First, co-investing in the motorcycle project made money, and co-investing in the sedan project also made money, but then they took a huge tumble on the terrain vehicle project, throwing in two million without even splashing a drop of water.

Hey, don't say there wasn't even a splash of water!

Some time ago, the Tantuo Automobile they co-invested in indeed performed excellently in the battle to defend the national gates, attracting a certain amount of attention, for which they had even gotten excited.

They became famous! Yes, they saw the actual vehicle! Correct, mass production must be imminent! Absolutely, they were about to make money!

But what was the result? Bao Peigang took the initiative to call Gangqi to inquire, and their response was that they had not received any relevant notifications currently and were not proceeding with any mass production procedures whatsoever.

Bao Peigang refused to believe in evil spirits, so he called Li Li Xuewu again, but Li Li Xuewu was not available, and the call was answered by the Red Star Steel Group's Liaodong Office.

Upon hearing him identify himself as the number one person at Dongcheng Credit Union, the other party was indeed very polite, but what use was politeness? When he asked about the current production progress of Tantuo Automobile, their response was that the project was still in the research and development phase and had not yet reached the stage of confirming production.

Beep—

Bao Peigang's excitement instantly turned cold; it was already shining so brilliantly, yet it still needed research and development?

He didn't understand, so he didn't dare to ask further, merely grunting a few times before hanging up; if he asked blindly, he might get retorted by a professional automotive engineer, which would hardly be worth it.

The two million invested in the Tantuo Automobile project looked somewhat dubious; whether it would be money down the drain remained unknown.

If research and development proceeded smoothly, given the performance feedback of this vehicle model during that incident in the North, it would absolutely crush the 212.

There was no need to think about it; he had seen the prototype of that vehicle model, and its modular armor and response capabilities were absolutely incomparable to the 212; they couldn't even be compared on the same level.

The 212 could mount a recoilless rifle, but the Tantuo could directly mount anti-aircraft guns and rocket launchers; how the hell could they be compared?

He had even thought about it: if he went to ask that damaging brat Li Li Xuewu, the other party would definitely tell him that the Group pinned high hopes on this vehicle model and would absolutely not proceed with mass production until it completely crushed the 212 by an entire era; then what should he say?

Could he possibly beg the Red Star Factory to start mass production first?

Of course, he also hoped for the Tantuo Automobile to emerge suddenly and achieve instant fame.

Fine, even if the Tantuo Automobile had already seen a glimmer of hope, what about the other projects?

The five million invested in the unmanned aerial vehicle project seemed truly destined to be money down the drain; compared to the future market worth hundreds of billions that Li Li Xuewu promised, it was absolutely endlessly far away.

Bao Peigang had already mentally prepared himself that he would only hear the good news of this project going into production and turning a profit thirty years later when he retired, or perhaps he would die without ever seeing this project earn even a single cent.

Damn it, five million! Li Li Xuewu claimed that an airplane the size of a butt cushion could crush a tank.

"No, I must go to Gangcheng."

The more Bao Peigang thought about it, the more itching he felt in his heart; slapping the table, he said, "Rather than sitting in the office letting my imagination run wild, I might as well go hear what he has to say."

"Although this kid is damaging, his instinct for corporate management and project investment is still convincing."

Looking at Hu Youqiang, he said, "If Old Li wants to undertake a vanity project, he absolutely won't agree to it; just as you said, even if it really is a smoke screen, I'll accept it."

"At worst, it's just a wasted trip."

"It wouldn't exactly be a wasted trip," Hu Youqiang said with a chuckle upon seeing Bao Peigang's gritted-teeth and unwilling demeanor, "Ever since Secretary-General Li went to Liaodong, you two haven't had a proper chat yet."

"I really don't want to see him at all—" Bao Peigang stood up, shook his head with an amused smile, and said to Hu Youqiang, "Do you think I don't know the nickname he gave me? I feel like I'm about to be tricked again."

"Hehehe—" Hearing this, Hu Youqiang found it even funnier.

What was he laughing at? He was laughing at the nickname Li Li Xuewu gave Bao Peigang, coined during casual banter over a game of mahjong.

Although it happened at the mahjong table, it was actually related to their work and business dealings. Li Li Xuewu had dubbed Bao Peigang "Big-Headed Bao," which was damnably vicious, truly hitting where it hurts most.

But look at Bao Peigang; even though he knows he's likely to be tricked again on this trip to Steel City, why is he still going?

For cadres in the banking system, no profit means no early rising.

Every time he gets tricked, the trick is different.

They say Li Li Xuewu is vicious, but he's vicious in such a brilliant way that absolutely no one can find fault with him.

Even though Bao Peigang seems to hate and curse him now, once they meet, the two might become best friends again, exchanging praises like "666."

In recent years, Bao Peigang's position has become increasingly secure, largely thanks to several impressive investments made through the credit union.

Although the money hasn't appeared on the books yet, the influence has already been generated; who in Jingcheng's capital circle wouldn't admit that Bao Peigang possesses a unique eye for investment?

Back when Old Bao invested in the Red Star Factory's motorcycle project, how many people were pessimistic about it? And what was the result? Last year's dividends from Steel Auto truly allowed Old Bao to bask in glory.

In these times, banking is difficult; everyone is merely implementing local policies, mainly focusing on absorbing deposits.

If a bank has no money, can it still be called a bank?

Old Bao boarded the fast ship of the Red Star Steel Group and subsequently invested in both the helicopter project and the Yingcheng Port District project; both of these are guaranteed to make a 100% profit.

Why dare to say this with such confidence?

Because the production line for the helicopter project is already in the workshop, ready to commence production at any moment.

As for the Yingcheng Port District, there's no need to elaborate; countless foreign enterprises are begging at their doors, seeking connections to secure agency rights.

You might hear Old Bao complaining bitterly, but he would never complain to Li Li Xuewu; no matter how many times Li Li Xuewu plays him, he still regards Li Li Xuewu as his first love—that's just how perverted he is.

The reason Bao Peigang insists on going to Steel City to see Li Li Xuewu is that they all know Li Li Xuewu controls half of the Red Star Steel Group.

On May 8th, the Steel Auto United Vehicle Engineering Research Institute developed a 13-seat light bus based on the Hongyun bus, further broadening Steel Auto's bus production structure and providing the market with more choices.

To be honest, when Li Li Xuewu first saw this vehicle in the workshop, he was completely dumbfounded; he never expected that the bunch at the Vehicle Research Institute would actually listen to him so literally.

Xia Xia Zhongquan really knows how to stir things up; as soon as the 13-seat bus project was approved, he led the head of the design research team to find Li Li Xuewu, asking him to provide design concepts.

The team leader was new and unaware of the internal situation; he only knew that Secretary-General Li Li Xuewu was proficient in both civil and military affairs, having achieved success in his career and serving as the founder of the Red Star Steel Group's automotive industry.

When the man looked at Li Li Xuewu with eyes full of admiration and expectation, Li Li Xuewu really wanted to punch Xia Xia Zhongquan.

But since he had been put on the spot, he couldn't afford to lose the title of the Red Star Steel Group's number one automotive designer, so he forced himself to rack his brains and came up with the exterior design of the Hiace.

Calling it damn inspiration was just plucking wool from his memory; at this time, the first generation of the Hiace had just entered mass production, looking exactly like the Tianjin Daihatsu of later generations.

What Li Li Xuewu had in mind was the styling of the second generation and beyond; what he drew was square and boxy, resembling a matchbox.

However, as Xia Xia Zhongquan rightly pointed out, Li Li Xuewu only provided the concept; the remaining drawings were perfected by Xia Xia Zhongquan himself.

Li Li Xuewu drew a matchbox, yet Xia Xia Zhongquan managed to refine it into the likeness of a Hiace bus.

As a result, the head of the 13-seat bus design team took this rough exterior sketch back as if it were some damn imperial edict.

At the time, Li Li Xuewu didn't pay much attention, but when he saw the finalized vehicle, he was truly stunned; he really hadn't intended to replicate it.

How the hell was he supposed to name it? His mind was completely filled with the name "Hiace."

"How about we just call it the Hiace?"

Li Li Xuewu thought for a moment, then turned to look at Wang Zhi and said, "Later, help me contact the representative of Sanhe Corporation; I want to promote this vehicle model to Japan."

"Uh, mass production has only just been confirmed." Wang Zhi, the chief engineer of Steel Auto, was somewhat bewildered and reminded him, "Are we setting export targets this early?"

"Let's just try it out first," Li Li Xuewu replied vaguely; he was thinking of securing this vehicle model first, so that when Toyota designs the second-generation Hiace later, they must circumvent the Red Star Hiace, otherwise he would curse them as copycats.

Yes, that's exactly how it must be done.

"Leader, the office called; Director Bao from the Jingcheng Dongcheng Credit Union has arrived," Zhang Enyuan walked over and softly reminded Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu turned to look at him, nodded with some surprise, and said, "He arrived really quickly."

Indeed, it was fast; they had spoken on the phone last night, and the man arrived this afternoon—had he traveled overnight? Did he need to work this hard?

"There's also a news item published in the Jingcheng Daily." Zhang Enyuan handed over a newspaper; cutting in line to report work in such a situation indicated the urgency of the matter.

The entire Steel Auto group felt confused, but at this moment, everyone remained quiet, waiting for the leader's reaction.

Li Li Xuewu took the newspaper and looked at it; it turned out that the Jingcheng Daily had published on its supplementary page that the Red Star Steel Group was seeking to build a modern hotel, with feasibility data reaching a height of one hundred meters, which would become the tallest building in the country.

Damn, did this news spread so quickly?

Li Li Xuewu had told the United Savings Bank not to worry too much about confidentiality in order to attract the sharks, but he hadn't intended to attract the bees as well.

The newspaper stated that major newspapers had sought verification from the Red Star Steel Group in various directions, but the Group's Comprehensive Management Department had given no response, privately directing them to ask the Propaganda Office.

But when they contacted the Group's Propaganda Office, the reply was that no confirmed information had been received yet, and once there was news, it would be announced immediately.

What exactly does this mean? Are they going to build the skyscraper or not? Everyone is waiting to see the spectacle.

With the news media so curious, let alone individuals; those related to the Red Star Steel Group were calling to inquire one after another, with some even calling Old Li directly.

But Li Li Huai De, just like Li Li Xuewu, gave no definite answer; even Director Du from the Ministry called, and this time Old Li kept his mouth extremely tight, boasting not one bit, yet also not telling the truth.

He had learned his lesson, especially when speaking with leaders; one absolutely cannot reveal everything.

Just after the group company was established, Old Li had social engagements every single night, exhausting himself to the point of collapse.

At first, he quite enjoyed this pleasure and liked listening to people's flattery, but gradually he grew tired of it.

Bragging, after all, becomes exhausting when done too much.

Now he has learned to keep a low profile, preferring to enjoy this most awesome form of showing off; he loves seeing the unexpected surprise and envy on others' faces.

Li Li Huai De could keep his mouth shut because he was also full of anticipation for this project and didn't dare cause any trouble or disruption for Li Li Xuewu.

He would just wait; wait until the project commenced construction, wait until the hundred-story skyscraper was topped out, and wait until the international standard hotel began operations before nodding to confirm this news.

This trick Old Li learned had something to do with Li Li Xuewu, but Bao Peigang couldn't stand to see him act this way.

Li Li Xuewu had just returned to his office when he saw Old Bao, who was sitting on the sofa drinking tea, jump three feet high, waving the newspaper in his hand and spraying words at him in a rapid barrage.

"You still say there's no movement; what is this then!"

"To think we are friends, yet you are so unjust!"

"Just tell me if this project exists; what exactly are you people thinking!"

……

This old rascal had truly rushed here overnight; even his secretary looked utterly exhausted, clearly not yet fully awake.

Li Li Xuewu glanced at the newspaper Bao Peigang had slammed onto his desk and signaled to Zhang Enyuan to show him the front page.

"What I told you is the truth."

He took off his outer jacket, hung it on the chair, sat down, took a sip of hot tea, and then said, "What could I possibly deceive you about? What is there between us two to deceive?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah—" Bao Peigang abandoned the sofa, sat directly opposite him, stared wide-eyed, and asked, "One hundred meters high; is it really one hundred meters high?"

"The feasibility data says so, but the actual figure remains uncertain."

Li Li Xuewu held his teacup and replied indifferently, but Bao Peigang would not accept that.

"What do you mean 'the feasibility data says so, but the actual figure remains uncertain'?" Bao Peigang tapped his fingers on the desk and said seriously, "I rushed here overnight; I did not come to hear your perfunctory excuses. You must tell me the truth."

"How else am I supposed to say it?" Li Li Xuewu put down his teacup, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "For us, what difference is there between one hundred meters and ninety-nine meters?"

"I have already told you the feasibility data; the actual data still depends on the engineering assessment and the experts' opinions."

He curled the corner of his mouth and said, "If the experts say that with current engineering technology we cannot build to one hundred meters, only to ninety-nine, should I stand on top and make up that remaining meter myself?"

"So it is indeed true then!"

Bao Peigang truly did not care whether it was one hundred meters or ninety-nine; he only cared whether this project was real.

"If you really intend to build the tallest building in the country, and moreover an internationally standardized hotel, how much capital are you prepared to invest?"

"Can I trust you?"

Li Li Xuewu tilted his head, sized Bao Peigang up, and said with some hesitation, "To be honest, we are also being very cautious about this project; that is precisely why we need the feasibility study."

"You should know what kind of person I, Old Bao, am." Bao Peigang thumped his chest to guarantee, "We are partners; if I do not come to help at a time like this, who else will?"

These words were deliberately vague; he neither committed to co-investing nor clarified whether this was a business matter or a personal one, leaving everything thoroughly blurred.

Li Li Xuewu understood the implication in his words, curled the corner of his mouth, and said, "Of course I trust you, but…"

He deliberately hesitated; seeing the other party growing impatient, he continued, "Director Li has forbidden any leakage of information, especially regarding the fundraising aspect…"

"Damn it! Does he want to hog everything for himself again!"

Bao Peigang excitedly slapped the table and said, "I knew calling him was a waste of breath; it turns out he has money in hand and intends to do it alone."

"Hey, how can you say that—"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at him and explained, "This year our group has reduced its budget expenditures, primarily to concentrate our resources on accomplishing major tasks."

"Our current consideration of this project stems from a proposal submitted by the Santa Ya Group."

He lifted his teacup, blew on it, raised his eyes to look at Bao Peigang, who was sitting opposite eagerly awaiting more inside information, and said, "I will not elaborate further on the details within."

Hm? Why stop talking now?

Bao Peigang, sitting opposite, widened his eyes; this was exactly what he wanted to hear.

He had long inquired with the Red Star Steel Group; indeed, the group's finances had been extremely tight during the first half of this year, and their attitude toward anyone requesting funds was uniform: no money available, but take my life if you wish.

Last year the Red Star Steel Group earned so much; what were they saving it all for? Then, recalling the visit of the Santa Ya Group's president to Steel City some days ago, he began to ponder.

It must be related to the Santa Ya Group; the two groups had already cooperated on a construction company, and the Santa Ya Group was eager to rapidly open up domestic construction channels…

Having connected these dots, Bao Peigang understood everything; the Red Star Steel Group possessed such boldness only because they had received assistance from a powerful benefactor.

Truly, if the Santa Ya Group provided both funds and effort, the Red Star Steel Group could indeed reap an easy benefit; even if the Santa Ya Group did not supply all the capital, the Red Star Steel Group would still be capable of bearing the construction costs alone.

"What is the project cost?" Bao Peigang looked at Li Li Xuewu and asked, "Give me a rough figure."

"Around ten million to twelve million."

Li Li Xuewu set the documents on the desk aside, glanced at the person opposite, and said, "This is the construction cost budget provided by the engineering team."

"So much—"

Bao Peigang had anticipated that the tallest building in the country would certainly not be cheap, but he had not expected it to be this expensive.

He blinked his eyes, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and asked, "Does your group intend to fund this project entirely on its own?"

Did you hear that? At this moment, Bao Peigang also felt apprehensive; he no longer dared to charge forward aggressively, nor did he complain that Li Li Xuewu was being unfair by withholding information.

Li Li Xuewu, however, remained perfectly calm; since the man had already come to Steel City, how could he possibly let him escape now?

"This is the Santa Ya Group's position." He rested his arm on the desk, looked at the person opposite, and said frankly, "They will provide us with a low-interest loan, which can be repaid using trade commodities."

"Oh? Is that so—"

Bao Peigang frowned slightly as he pondered, simultaneously observing Li Li Xuewu's expression.

After a moment's thought, he asked again, "How long do you estimate it will take for this project to break even?"

"My estimate? How am I supposed to estimate?" Li Li Xuewu said with a bitter smile, "At present, I do not even know whether this project can proceed; perhaps it is merely the Santa Ya Group's wishful thinking. Waiting a few more years would not be too late."

"But this—this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Bao Peigang continued to probe Li Li Xuewu, "It would be such a pity to abandon it; besides, you have your own engineering and construction company."

"There is no help for it; we do not wish to take this risk." Li Li Xuewu nodded and explained, "If this project incurs losses, our group's development momentum will be halted, or even regress."

"That is true." Bao Peigang continued to watch his eyes, yet said, "Has Director Li not considered raising funds domestically, or perhaps from the Oriental Times Bank in Port City?"

"Mm, Director Li's intention is not to expand this project; he prefers to avoid financing if possible."

Li Li Xuewu sighed and said, "The Oriental Times Bank would indeed be convenient; they are very eager to invest in high-quality mainland projects. In fact, we fear their losses even more than they do; that is precisely our concern."

Upon hearing this, Bao Peigang's eyes shifted; he said nothing more, exchanged a few casual remarks, then claimed he was tired and wished to rest first at the guesthouse, arranging to meet for dinner in the evening.

Li Li Xuewu naturally agreed; when a friend comes from afar, must one not share a few drinks?

After leaving Li Li Xuewu's office, once Bao Peigang's secretary saw him descending the stairs, he quietly asked his superior whether there was any certainty about this matter.

"Can you still believe his words?"

Bao Peigang slanted a glance at his secretary and said, "Whoever believes his words is a complete fool."

"Then, according to your meaning—" the secretary asked softly, "this project has a chance; is the Red Star Steel Group planning to eat it all alone?"

"Not necessarily; let's wait and see." Bao Peigang sighed and said, "This kid is too slippery; I just can't get a hold of him."

"I feel this project is a bit dubious," the secretary reminded softly. "It would be very strenuous for the Red Star Steel Group to come up with ten million, let alone secure a loan."

"What's strenuous about a loan? Introducing capital and operations are what's strenuous." Bao Peigang spoke with great wisdom in his eyes: "Listen to him ramble on so much; has he said a single word about how the hotel will be operated after it's built?"

"Ai, you're right—"

The secretary asked with slight surprise, "Why is that?"

"Because he has confidence in his heart."

Bao Peigang, looking as if he had seen through Li Li Xuewu long ago, curled the corner of his mouth and said, "The one who wants to eat it all alone isn't Li Li Huai De, but he, Li Li Xuewu!"

As he walked down the stairs, he said, "Just you wait and see; the direction of financing for this project will definitely be international loans and the Oriental Times Bank in Gangcheng."

"Why?" the secretary asked, puzzled and confused. "Is it because money is more convenient there?"

"Isn't our money convenient?"

Bao Peigang turned his head and said, "He thinks our people aren't convenient; he doesn't want us pointing fingers and giving orders."

"You mean—" The secretary suddenly understood, eyes widening as he said, "He wants to use foreign capital, so that the operational rights of the building will be entirely in the hands of the Red Star Steel Group, right?"

"Had a drink? Do you want some tea?"

Zhou Wang Yamei had been waiting for Li Li Xuewu to return, because Li Li Xuewu hadn't told her he wouldn't be coming back today.

Hearing movement outside the courtyard, she leaned out the window to take a look; confirming it was Li Li Xuewu, she went out to meet him.

In May, Gangcheng still retained a hint of coolness, but it was a refreshing cool, much warmer than winter.

Around the May Day holiday, people were already farming; the scent of freshly turned soil drifted over, smelling particularly fragrant at night.

"I had just a little bit; you haven't slept yet?"

Li Li Xuewu walked into the entryway, allowed her to help him take off his outer jacket, changed into slippers, and then walked into the living room.

Zhou Wang Yamei tidied up behind him before following him into the living room.

"How would I dare to sleep if you hadn't returned?" she said while going to make tea, then asked, "Did you drink with Factory Director Kuang?"

Recently, Li Li Xuewu had been getting very close to Kuang Kuang Yusheng; sometimes after work, they would have a few drinks together.

The companions varied; whoever had time would show up, possibly leaving early or staying late, generally at the guesthouse.

Of course, Li Li Xuewu was the one treating.

Every time it was like this; he would have Zhang Enyuan reserve a table in advance, and he would definitely pay the bill.

Kuang Kuang Yusheng and the others would naturally feel awkward, but after a long time, they got used to it.

Eating someone's food shortens one's tongue; since their tongues couldn't stay long at Li Li Xuewu's place anyway, they might as well go with the flow.

"A friend from Jingcheng," Li Li Xuewu said, taking the teacup. "Director Bao from the Dongcheng Credit Cooperative."

"Never heard of him; what kind of friend?"

Zhou Wang Yamei glanced at him, took his hand, and pulled him toward the bathroom to take a shower.

Li Li Xuewu waved his hand, indicating he wanted to rest a while, and gestured for her to sit beside him.

"In a little while the water will get cold, and all the boiling will be for nothing," Zhou Wang Yamei chided. "Just rest while you wash."

Even though she said that, she still sat down beside Li Li Xuewu.

"A work friend; he led the investment for several of the group's projects, and our relationship is quite good."

Li Li Xuewu lifted the teacup and took a sip of hot tea, saying, "Later, I'll introduce you two."

"Me? Meet him?" Zhou Wang Yamei frowned slightly, looking at Li Li Xuewu as she asked, "Are we going to do some business?"

"What else? Make friends?"

Li Li Xuewu laughed, reached out to pat her face, and said, "You're starting to indulge in wishful thinking."

"You're the one indulging in wishful thinking," Zhou Wang Yamei glared at him and chided, "You never have any good intentions."

"Hehe—" Li Li Xuewu smiled, sizing her up, and said, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have noticed; if I introduce someone like you to him, I'm afraid he'll be the one indulging in wishful thinking."

"Can you be serious for once?" Zhou Wang Yamei glanced at him sideways and said, "If you don't have any serious business, hurry up and go take a shower."

"He should be getting promoted soon."

Li Li Xuewu lifted the teacup and took a sip; ignoring Zhou Wang Yamei's glare, he nodded and said, "Rushing over so urgently, it seems he's just missing that final kick to get through the door."

"What does his promotion have to do with us?"

Zhou Wang Yamei knew he was about to discuss serious matters; although they had been joking, she listened attentively now.

Li Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said, "His next step will definitely be entering the United Cooperatives, or even going directly to the Head Office."

"The Yingcheng Port District needs to absorb funds for investment construction and operations; he has already made preparations on that end."

Speaking to this point, he paused briefly before continuing, "If Dongfeng Shipping wants to achieve something in three years, it must expand its shipping scale; where will the money come from?"

"Must we take out loans or seek financing?" Zhou Wang Yamei frowned slightly as she reminded, "This could carry the risk of exposing the company's internal operational status."

"If you don't expose it voluntarily, does that mean no one will know?" Li Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "If Dongfeng Shipping wants to enter this track, it must abide by the rules of the game."

"Even if Dongfeng Shipping has three to five years of construction history, it probably can't provide more sources of funding, can it?"

He patted Zhou Wang Yamei's knee, nodded, and said, "Using their money is safer; they won't say there's anything wrong with the fleet's funds, saving us from more trouble down the road."

"Then should we directly link the loans to speedboats?" Zhou Wang Yamei was truly bold; raising her eyebrows at this moment, she asked, "If we really open this channel, I estimate hundreds of people will apply for loans."

"They might dare to lend, but the Credit Cooperative must also dare to approve," Li Li Xuewu said, shaking his head slightly. "Don't think about it; it's impossible within three to five years."

"What about after three to five years?"

Zhou Wang Yamei wouldn't give up; she was somewhat envious of those handling speedboat loans, as this was leveraging the shipping company's strength.

Back when Li Li Wenbiao initiated the Sea Caravan Plan, the only thing he didn't calculate was this lending project; his idea was that they could buy and sell cargo, buy and sell ships, but they absolutely could not lend money to these people to buy ships—not a single penny.

Li Li Xuewu shared this opinion, so when Zhou Wang Yamei brought it up, he rejected it outright.

"After three to five years, you won't even look twice at these petty profits," Li Li Xuewu stood up, took off his shirt, and said, "We can't earn every kind of money; earning too much weighs on one's conscience."

"I'm afraid things will get out of hand." Zhou Wang Yamei glanced at him, stood up to help him, and explained, "You have no idea how chaotic it is in there."

"Then it's even more reason not to get involved."

Li Li Xuewu turned his head to look at her and said, "Chaos is nothing to fear, because order will come sooner or later; as long as they still want to make money, they won't act recklessly."

"The fact that these people dare to step forward and offer loans shows they are already mentally prepared and not afraid of you making a move."

"Do they actually dare to take action?"

Zhou Wang Yamei frowned slightly and asked, "Or have they already set their sights on me?"

"Taking direct action is unlikely, but sabotage is real." Li Li Xuewu walked toward the restroom and said, "This project is just a lure; there's nothing worth worrying about losing."

"Just let them do as they please; from now on, we'll also offload the speedboat sector and let them find their own ways."

Li Li Xuewu's voice came from inside the restroom: "We only handle shipping out and bringing in; everything else is none of our concern."

This meant assuming zero risk, engaging only in large-scale integrated trade, so naturally the profits would be less.

Zhou Wang Yamei would of course listen to Li Li Xuewu; she also knew that Li Li Xuewu had promoted her precisely to get things done.

Originally, she was only responsible for personnel work; even though Wen San was in Jingcheng, Li Li Xuewu didn't use him, choosing only her instead.

Apart from her capability and experience, she had only one other advantage: she was obedient.

The Sea Caravan Plan was about to enter its intermediate stage; she had to strictly execute Li Li Xuewu's arrangements without the slightest carelessness, as this was a major plan.

On May 10, the administrative offices of the Metallurgical Plant suddenly shook as if hit by an earthquake: Ji Wangzeng, head of the Sales Section; He Shuiming, head of the Finance Section; and He Youkui, head of the Organization Section, were all taken away.

Before everyone could recover from the shock, that same afternoon the Plant Director's Office, together with the Organization Department, issued documents appointing Zhang Da, formerly deputy head of the Personnel Section, as head of the Organization Section; Wang Zishan, formerly deputy head of the Sales Section, as head of the Sales Section; and Li Ming, formerly deputy head of the Finance Section, as head of the Finance Section.

It was a swift resolution to a tangled problem; no one knew why the leadership's moves were so fast, or whether they had been prepared long in advance.

In any case, those three were suddenly taken away from their offices, which served as a sharp warning to many others.

Nothing could educate people more effectively than such a scene; some individuals, unable to bear the pressure, one after another confessed their mistakes to the audit team and the disciplinary inspection working group.

Li Li Xuewu did not care how much progress the disciplinary inspection work had made; he only demanded that continuity of operations be maintained during the process of organizational and personnel changes, so as not to affect the normal work of the Metallurgical Plant.

These three were veterans of the Metallurgical Plant; after Yin Yin Zhongyao was taken away, they were taken away as well, a outcome that most people had already largely guessed: Deputy Director Yin had confessed.

In fact, starting from Yin Yin Zhongyao down to these three, all were cases that the previous plant director, Dong Wenxue, had wanted to deal with but hadn't had time to, or situations he had found inconvenient to handle.

After Li Li Xuewu took over the Metallurgical Plant, Dong Wenxue had briefed him on these issues.

The reason they were not moved at the very beginning was not because Li Li Xuewu feared them, but because it was necessary to comprehensively assess the impact of moving against them; after all, work was more important.

Now that he had already taken control of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong and had fully mastered the operations of the Metallurgical Plant, moving against people like Yin Yin Zhongyao was only a matter of course.

Do not reach out your hand; if you do, you will surely be caught.

Yin Yin Zhongyao, along with his three little companions, being taken away, truly stunned numb some of the arrogant cadres cultivated during Dong Wenxue's tenure in Gangcheng.

From the end of March until now, anyone with a guilty conscience felt endangered, unable to sleep even at midnight.

No longer could one see idle chatter in the office corridors or frivolous talk in the workshops; rules and regulations were enforced with the utmost strictness, and everyone was eager to demonstrate their performance.

This series of actions also made the people of the Metallurgical Plant see reality clearly: this Group Secretary-General, who concurrently served as Plant Director, was colder and more domineering than Director Dong had been back in Gangcheng; he was the type of person who truly dared to take action against problematic cadres.

Some said he never treated the vice-directors of the Metallurgical Plant as peers, but rather as subordinates.

Just look at Vice-Director Yang Yang Shuxing; where was that former arrogance? He ran to the Secretary-General's office eight hundred times a day, wishing even to report before letting out a fart.

Then look at Vice-Director Yang Yang Zongfang; where was the laziness from Director Dong's time in Gangcheng? He had long since regained his spirit and vitality, his combat power exploding beyond limits.

At work meetings, Li Li Xuewu had never emphasized organizational discipline, nor had he used regulations to intimidate anyone; he only took real action, yet the effect was surprisingly good.

On May 11, Bao Peigang had not yet left; not only had he not left, but he had also attracted even more capital.

Li Li Xuewu was also driven to the brink of exhaustion by him and could only receive these capital tycoons collectively in the conference room.

What else could be done? First, engage in Zhou Wang Xuan; finally, with great reluctance, promise them that he would definitely raise the matter within the Group and give them priority consideration when financing.

Were these people fools? Was the attraction of the tallest building in the country really that great?

No, it had nothing to do with being the tallest building; rather, the internationally benchmarked hotel was what proved highly attractive.

This was a weather vane; the situation was about to change.