Chapter 1477: Fell into a Pit

Li Xuewu wanted to curse. He pointed at his own face and asked back: "Do you think I look like I know about this?"

"That can't be—" Ding Zhichen said as if deliberately looking for trouble: "Your group got the indicator. As Secretary-General, you can't not know."

"Don't talk about East Germany first."

Li Xuewu picked up the teapot to refill the other party's tea, raised his eyebrows, and asked: "How did you study the airport? You can't keep studying how to sell it to us, right?"

"We are chatting privately—" Wang Xin raised his hand to gesture to each other, and said with a serious attitude: "Honestly speaking, currently the only ones with the ability to take over Tadong Airport, who have relevant business, and can operate it, are you."

He spread his hands and said: "I'm not afraid to show my cards to you. The Third Ministry of Machine Building has in principle agreed to our proposal to sell Tadong Airport. We are just waiting for the specific implementation plan. Anyway, we are prepared."

"Running to the end of the road—"

Li Xuewu didn't move the food on the table, tapped the table with his finger, and said: "Since you've said so, then I'll tell you the truth. We can accept it."

"Hey—"

"Wait for me to finish—"

Before Wang Xin could exclaim in surprise, Li Xuewu pressed his palm on the table, looked at him, and emphasized: "Just like you said, we have the conditions and needs to accept Tadong Airport, but we can't take out much money."

"How is that possible—" Wang Xin stared at him and asked: "Red Star Steel Group, holding independent foreign trade rights, possessing foreign exchange entry and exit permits, such a huge group, and you tell me you can't take out much money?"

He stared and asked: "Tell me the truth. How much can you offer? You won't cut the price to the ankles, right? You can't cut prices like that."

"I'll tell you first why our group can't take out so much money."

Li Xuewu picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said frankly: "Since last year, the group has been shrinking capital and reducing the share ratio of tertiary industrial enterprises."

"Don't believe it. You can go inquire yourself."

Seeing Wang Xin's full-of-doubt expression, he shook his head with a smile and said: "Three years of capital expansion, three years of capital contraction, five years of infrastructure construction—this is the content written in the current "Plan" and "Program" of the Red Star Steel Group. You can't be fooled."

"You mean—" Wang Xin thought about the content he mentioned, frowned, and said: "Your group's newly announced "Three-Year Plan" has content about shrinking investment?"

"You haven't studied it carefully, have you?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said: "This was the development idea designed when our factory planned to group. It can be considered an open secret."

"Then where did your money go?"

Wang Xin stared into his eyes, counted with his fingers, and calculated the family assets of the Red Star Steel Group for Li Xuewu one by one.

From foreign trade to industrial enterprises, from supply chain to technology replacement—which one isn't a way to make money?

"Yes, that's right. Our group's annual revenue has long realized the great goal of doubling year by year."

Li Xuewu nodded very frankly, acknowledging every account he calculated. Wang Xin really understood the Red Star Steel Group, but he didn't understand too much.

"But we have a "Five-Year Plan"."

He tapped the table with his finger and explained seriously: "Since the decision to implement grouping in 1967, wanting to perform surgery on the whole factory and achieve the magnificent goal of comprehensive transformation, we have been throwing money into it."

"In the nearly three years until now, we have invested in the construction of the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone, Jinmen Trade Management Demonstration Zone, Yingcheng Shipping and Yingcheng Port Area, Red Star Steel City Industrial Zone, and Fengcheng Machine Processing Factory."

Li Xuewu listed the investments of so many years on the table one by one, and also said: "We have also participated in investing in multiple profitable and non-profit projects, including banks, construction, worker new villages, hospitals, schools, supply markets, transportation warehouses, etc."

"According to the "Five-Year Plan", we must basically complete the engineering construction of the three major regional sectors within the first five years, and complete the determination of the basic standards for the group's worker welfare benefits and safety standards."

He spread his hands and asked back at Wang Xin, who was dumbfounded: "You tell me, where did our money go?"

"Doing so much in five years?"

Wang Xin didn't understand at all why the Red Star Steel Group was in such a hurry. Infrastructure investment had been done from the beginning, and it was high-standard and strict-requirement. In his view, it was a bit nitpicking and far higher than the normal standard.

Go to the industrial production areas of the Red Star Steel Group in the capital and Steel City, and you will find that here, from production to management, it embodies the definition of advanced and excellent everywhere.

Workers here will always tell you with a proud tone: don't look at the Red Star factory with industry standards, because the Red Star factory's standards are far higher than industry standards.

Don't mention anything else. Just talk about safety production standardization. Currently, which enterprise in the country has truly achieved it?

Even today, in the industrial system, activities to organize visits and learning every year are endless.

They came, saw, and asked questions, and all were given answers. But the result?

Just strictly wearing safety clothing during work hours and wearing safety protection facilities—can it be done?

All workers in the Red Star Steel Group's factories can do it, because those who couldn't were screened out.

No one will open their collars because of the hot weather, risking the danger of being rolled into the machine, and risking the danger of being stopped by leaders' inspections to do so.

People who came to visit all said that the Red Star Steel Group had the most excellent machinery and workers in the whole system.

Safety production standardization doesn't talk about mechanical standards, but requires the people who operate the machinery to be standard.

"To tell the truth, there isn't much time left for us." Li Xuewu pursed his lips and said with great emotion: "We started late, our foundation is weak, and we are in the heavy industry field. Our ability to resist market fluctuation risks is too weak, so we have to work hard to change."

This made Wang Xin speechless. Whose foundation isn't weak? Who isn't in the heavy industry field? It's as if only you have a sense of crisis, and we don't?

"You are already strong enough." Wang Xin looked at him and said very seriously: "The enterprises I understand don't have one that manages more seriously than you."

"But compared to international big enterprises, it's still far behind."

Li Xuewu sat up straight, nodded slightly, and said: "Next door to us, South Korea is researching semiconductors, Japan is researching the steel industry. What about us?"

"People want to do international standards from the start, the market is connected with the international, and what they receive are the most advanced and cutting-edge technologies. This is the gap—"

"Then you can't throw everything into it—"

Wang Xin raised his hand to rub his face and smiled bitterly: "At least leave some for us."

"I'll tell you another thing."

Li Xuewu picked up his chopsticks, ate a cold dish, looked at him, raised his eyebrows, and said: "You know about the International Hotel our group did a while ago, right?"

"Heard about it. The tallest building in the country—" Wang Xin looked at him curiously and asked: "What's wrong?"

"A total investment of over 13 million. Our group only took out less than 10% in cash."

Li Xuewu pressed his chin and looked at him and said: "It's not that we can't take out these 13 million, but since last year, the group's investment method has been optimized. Unless it's a professional factory like the Metallurgical Plant, or a project like the sales end that has no cost, otherwise they are all joint-stock joint ventures. Large investments basically have no play."

"Then what to do? We have already reported it."

Wang Xin stared at him and emphasized: "If the superiors know that our airport can't be sold, won't they find a chance to take it back?"

"This can't blame me—"

Li Xuewu sat up straight, waved his hand, and emphasized: "From beginning to end, we never said we wanted to buy an airport."

"You—" Wang Xin pointed his finger at him, looking like he was about to get anxious, and he really had reported it.

"Hey, listen to me—"

Li Xuewu reached out and pressed his hand, glared at him impatiently, and said: "Look at you, anxious again."

"Can I not be anxious—"

Wang Xin patted the back of his hand and said: "Wanting to engage in tertiary industry operation, wanting to exchange the airport for opportunities—these are all projects I took the lead in doing. If it really collapses here, then I basically won't have a play in the future."

"Change a train of thought?" Li Xuewu said embarrassedly: "Who told you not to do research before starting."

"What train of thought? Don't go in circles."

Wang Xin couldn't care about his complaints and said anxiously: "I'm really at the end of my rope."

"You sell the airport to exchange for money, right?"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows at him and continued to ask: "What are you going to do with this money?"

"Do what? Didn't I just tell you? Engage in tertiary industry, make money to subsidize R&D—"

Wang Xin pointed at the table and emphasized: "Just because R&D funds are tight, do you know how many projects we cut? My heart aches—"

"Tertiary industry is not easy to do. If you believe me, study it first before deciding."

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said: "I can open a green light for you here. Go to our factory and take a look."

"Why? Inside—"

Wang Xin looked at him suspiciously and asked: "Is there any problem? Isn't the Red Star Steel Group developed by raising funds through tertiary industry?"

"That's right, but our success cannot be replicated." Li Xuewu looked at him and said: "Those who learn from us live, those who resemble us die. Understand?"

"The end of this road is mastering foreign trade, and you also need to master foreign exchange autonomy. Do you have it?"

He looked at Wang Xin and said: "Even if you can get these, it will be the year of the monkey."

"Really need scientific research funds, it must be that kind of short, flat, and fast investment, or a project with long-term stable profits."

"Where to find short, flat, and fast?"

Wang Xin leaned back and said: "This money hasn't been received yet, and it's troublesome after receiving it."

"Even projects with long-term stable profits are hard to find. If there really are such projects, would people be willing to sell them?"

"That's not necessarily—"

Li Xuewu smiled and picked up the teacup, took a sip, and swept a glance at him.

Wang Xin was slightly stunned, then frowned and asked: "You mean—"

"You aren't wanting tertiary industry? We have a pile of shares in factories in our hands."

Li Xuewu shrugged his shoulders and said: "I'll make an application to the group and can distribute the shares of these tertiary industrial enterprises to you to offset the acquisition payment for Tadong Airport."

"How much money can that be—"

Wang Xin glanced at him and said: "The price we estimated for Tadong Airport is 8.9 million yuan."

"Don't talk about the price you estimated first. Talk about the value of the shares we hold in tertiary industrial enterprises."

Li Xuewu couldn't help laughing when he heard his quote, looked at him, and said: "Do you know how many tertiary industrial enterprises we have?"

"Textiles, packaging, sponge, chemical, plastic, clothing, thread, cloth, leather, auto parts, glass, electronic control, decoration, radiators..."

He counted a pile for Wang Xin with his fingers and emphasized: "During the group's technology transformation, tertiary industrial enterprises received some relatively advanced mechanical equipment. It can be said that they have full production capacity."

"You don't need to doubt the profitability of these factories. Independent operation and management include financial accounts."

"You should know the specific data, right?"

Hearing Li Xuewu's introduction, Wang Xin became interested. For example, chemicals, plastics, etc. —these are assembly materials needed for aircraft manufacturing.

The original intention of the Red Star Steel Factory developing tertiary industry was also to supplement the shortage of raw materials.

Precisely because production raw materials could be supplemented, the steel rolling capacity was increased, and there was the five-metal industry, which pried open the first bucket of gold for the establishment of the Red Star Steel Group.

As for profitability, Wang Xin didn't doubt it, because the tertiary industrial enterprises held by the Red Star Steel Group mainly serve the joint industrial circle centered on it.

These production raw materials and auxiliary industries provide products for many joint industries and don't need to find purchasers.

That is to say, these tertiary industrial enterprises can make money as soon as they are in hand, have mature management, relatively advanced equipment, excellent workers... How could he not be interested?

"Since last year, we have been reducing shares." Li Xuewu introduced: "Through profit-for-share, cash increase, cross-swap, and other means, joint industrial enterprises have taken away over 6 million yuan of shares from the Red Star Steel Group. This year, there should be another 6 million yuan."

"So much?" Wang Xin asked in surprise: "Then how much is left?"

"No matter how much is left, there is operation right."

Li Xuewu looked at him and emphasized: "This is written into the cooperation agreement and cannot be changed."

"Moreover, at the beginning of the establishment of tertiary industry, the Red Star Factory's shares occupied the big head. After reducing for two years, there is still a lot. I'm just afraid you can't eat it."

He waved his hand, gestured for Wang Xin not to speak first, and then said seriously: "I can take out the accounts of the tertiary industrial enterprises under the group from creation to now. Can you show me the profit accounts of Tadong Airport every year?"

"This—" Wang Xin hesitated, because Tadong Airport basically had no profit at all. Where would there be profit accounts?

If it's said like this, they are holding a losing business to exchange for the Red Star Steel Group's profitable business. It seems a bit excessive, right?

"The Third Ministry of Machine Building agreed to your sale of Tadong Airport. Did it mention worker resettlement and subsequent appropriation policies?"

Seeing that he couldn't answer, Li Xuewu let out a long breath, leaned against the chair, and continued to ask: "We need mature technical workers, but we don't need too many cadres, and we can't keep losing money. This appropriation..."

"Secretary-General Li, let's speak the truth. Don't pit anyone. Don't even think about appropriation."

Before Li Xuewu could finish chanting, Wang Xin waved his hand and said helplessly: "The Third Ministry of Machine Building has already given a clear answer. If Tadong Airport is sold to the Red Star Steel Group, then the ministry will not continue to give appropriations."

"Why?" Li Xuewu frowned and asked: "After we accept Tadong Airport, passenger planes won't need to use this airport anymore?"

This question was asked quite directly. No appropriation, and passenger planes still want to land at Tadong Airport?

Even if Shen Flight wants to train here, it has to pay fees. This is the standard for basic operation.

Wang Xin's answer was also very difficult, but he still spoke frankly: "The leader's opinion is that since the airport is handed over to the Red Star Steel Group for operation, it belongs to the jurisdiction of the group enterprise under the First Ministry of Machine Building. In terms of ownership..."

"Oh—" Li Xuewu said oh indifferently, looked at him, nodded, and said: "Then in the future, planes landing at Tadong will all be charged service fees separately."

He shrugged his shoulders and said: "If the Third Ministry of Machine Building wants to say this, we also acknowledge it. Determining ownership is indeed very important, otherwise, having an extra mother-in-law is something no one wants."

What could Wang Xin say? He could only report with a bitter smile.

This was also the reason why he didn't dare to ask for a high price. Without appropriation, the current losing situation was even worse.

Don't think that because it's an airport, there are flights every day. In this era, where are there so many passenger planes, and even fewer passengers who need to take passenger planes?

"Airport workers can be left for you."

Wang Xin felt guilty and said seriously: "The personnel rights of this part of the workers are in our Shen Flight. I can take charge of coordination. We support those who are willing to stay."

"Then talk about money and don't hurt feelings."

Li Xuewu nodded slightly, looked at him, and said: "You can talk to me in Steel City, or you can form a group to go to the capital to talk to the group. Both are fine."

"Is there any difference?"

Wang Xin looked at him suspiciously and said: "What's the difference between being in Steel City and going to the capital?"

He naturally knew what the difference was. In Steel City, Li Xuewu was cutting him. Going to the capital, Li Xuewu was cutting him in front of the group's team members. What was the difference?

"No matter who you talk to, the price isn't decided by you or me." Li Xuewu looked at him frankly and said: "Shen Flight can send a working group to our group to evaluate the value of tertiary industrial shares. We will also send a working group to Tadong Airport to evaluate the value of the airport."

"This way, both sides have a bottom in their hearts. When the time comes, whether to invite a third-party unit to help evaluate, or discuss it at the negotiation table, both are fine."

He spread his hands and asked the other party: "Do you think the method I said is feasible?"

"This—" Wang Xin hesitated. He didn't expect the acquisition process to be so fast.

"Can it only be shares of tertiary industrial enterprises?"

He looked at Li Xuewu and asked: "Can you consider the industrial projects and R&D projects you are currently producing?"

"We are also very interested in cars, construction, energy, etc." Wang Xin looked at Li Xuewu with an inquiring gaze and said: "Or... your drone project."

"Other projects can be considered, but don't even think about the drone project!"

Li Xuewu looked at him firmly and said: "In the future, that will be a big market of tens or hundreds of billions of yuan!"

Li Xuewu dared to swear to heaven with the heads of 26 alliance leaders that this time it really wasn't him deliberately pitting Wang Xin!

He had already said that he could use the shares of tertiary industrial enterprises with very good current profitability to exchange for Tadong Airport with the other party, but Wang Xin didn't understand and pretended to understand, insisting on taking a big bite.

What enterprises does the Red Star Steel Group hold shares in?

Besides tertiary industrial enterprises operated and managed independently, there are United Savings Bank, Steel City Auto Manufacturing Factory motorcycle projects, sedan projects, bus projects, etc.

Besides internal cooperation, in the United Construction General Company, Yingcheng Port Area, Logistics Development General Company, Energy Development General Company, there are joint-stock companies with foreign investment participating in the form of technical support, etc.

As for scientific research projects, there are many. Most are technical R&D projects shared with Huaqing or other universities, and then projects shared with investors.

The International Hotel building doesn't count. This is a capital operation project, not a joint-stock project.

It has to be said that Wang Xin really has vision, biting onto the future most valuable research project laid out by the Red Star Steel Group in one bite, it's just a bit too early.

How long is the future?

Li Xuewu didn't dare to tell Wang Xin, afraid he would cry.

Isn't it good to honestly operate sunset industries? Why challenge high-difficulty actions?

Saying that the many tertiary industrial enterprises under the Red Star Steel Group's tertiary industry management office are sunset industries isn't entirely correct. It depends on who says this sentence. If it's said by the group's high-level, there is absolutely no problem, because these industrial enterprises are marginalized and sunset-ized.

Didn't tertiary industry make a profit?

Of course not. From the current point of view, the profitability of the tertiary industrial enterprises held by the Red Star Steel Group is very good.

Just think, the production raw materials produced by these factories are directly supplied to the United Factory. No marketing is needed, management is unified, and there is support from affiliated enterprises. How low must the production cost be?

Since the profitability is so good, why does the Red Star Steel Group still want to throw them away as burdens?

Production costs are low, but management costs are high!

The basic condition for tertiary industry profitability is no management costs and marketing costs.

The Red Star Steel Group bears this part of the pressure, making the accounts of these tertiary industrial enterprises look very beautiful. Whoever comes wants to take them away.

Compared to management costs, there are several reasons why the group wants to throw away the burden, such as the huge worker welfare system, the exclusion of increasingly perfect organizational structures, etc.

The most critical point is that these tertiary industrial enterprises have already completed the important role and significance of their establishment.

The Red Star Steel Group has already developed professional factories from tertiary industry, such as hardware factories, food factories, etc. It doesn't need to raise tertiary industrial enterprises separately.

Take the auto parts system industry, for example. When the Red Star Steel Group was preparing to build a factory before, it was afraid of being restricted in parts, so it formed its own auto parts factory.

Now it's not needed. Steel Auto has grown up. Steel City industry followed up more actively and has already established integrated auto parts production factories nearby, exclusively supplying the automotive parts supply chain belonging to the group.

The auto parts industry in the capital is a bit chicken-rib-like. If there is a sucker to take over, it's naturally good.

Li Xuewu still has a conscience. He didn't pit the other party too hard. These tertiary industrial enterprises can at least bring value returns to Shen Flight that exceed Tadong Airport itself.

It's just that the time for return is a bit long, but it's better than them blindly investing and losing all their money, right?

You tell me, is Li Xuewu thoughtful or not? Where to find such a conscientious cooperation partner?

After all, the Red Star Steel Group and Shen Flight still have to continue to cooperate next. They can't pit them to death all at once.

If the popularity is exhausted, who will dare to do business with them next time?

As for Tadong Airport, that is the big pit.

However, the Red Star Steel Group hasn't decided whether to introduce foreign capital to participate in the operation. After all, the airport can't be counted as a high-return project, at least that's how it is now.

Introducing foreign capital has advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage is to master resources faster and improve the airport's service level and shipping capacity.

The disadvantage is that influence and management rights are weakened, and buck-passing phenomena may appear in the future.

To tell the truth, including Li Huai De, even Li Xuewu never thought about acquiring an airport.

This thing is too unexpected. If you have a business jet, you have to buy an airport?

If you have a boat, you have to buy a Pacific Ocean?

Li Huai De asked Li Xuewu for his opinion, and Li Xuewu thought of the personnel reform the group was worrying about.

If the tertiary industry could be thrown out, then the worker reduction plan would be greatly improved.

Even the tertiary industry that had long been prepared to be stripped could be transferred out together, which could be considered killing two birds with one stone.

To talk about these shares of tertiary industrial enterprises, they were used as flood storage pools before, increasing the tension needed for the group's development funds and also providing more ability to resist wind direction.

But with the Red Star Steel Group's current size, it's impossible to rely on tertiary industry to discharge floods.

This kind of flood control system can't withstand the industrial scale of Red Star Steel, unless it's those few big projects.

If the Red Star Steel Group really reaches a critical moment, throwing out Steel Auto will definitely return a big wave of blood.

Tertiary industry is all sold. What about the production raw materials and auxiliary materials needed by the group in the future?

Very easy to handle. Still buy the original materials and clothing. This is selling the factory, not not interacting anymore.

If you really continue to purchase materials from here, Shen Flight doesn't know how happy it will be. A good partner is to give support.

As for the joint units, they aren't responsible for operation themselves, just taking dividends. Whoever comes is the same.

However, they haven't received dividends for so many years, and they were all offset by the Red Star Steel Group with shares.

Wang Xin wanting shares of other projects is looking at the pot while eating from the bowl, a bit picky.

However, he still knows what's good. He didn't discuss this topic at the dinner table, and will talk about it after going back to report.

Li Xuewu has more advantages than him, because he doesn't need to worry as much as Wang Xin about what to talk about.

Even if it's a private meeting, he has no burden. How to talk, he talks.

Anyway, this time Li Xuewu didn't actively pit the other party. It's impossible to want Steel Auto's shares, unless it's the Pathfinder's.

It's impossible to want United Construction and United Energy, because Shen Flight doesn't have resources in this regard.

Finally, there is only the drone project. Li Xuewu is really afraid they won't invest, and afraid they will invest too much and cry later.

On November 1st, according to the requirements of "strengthening combat readiness" and "deep digging of holes", the Liaodong Industrial Leadership Group of the Red Star Steel Group issued a clear instruction: everyone must go to the construction site for voluntary labor in their spare time.

The soil in this month hasn't frozen porcelain-solid yet. After mechanical excavation, there are parts that need manual help.

According to the idea Li Xuewu had at the beginning, the underground traffic pattern was designed, part of the highway was blocked, and construction began.

Underground construction doesn't need to worry about the problem of freezing, it's just that building materials aren't enough.

According to the requirements of the headquarters, the Red Star Steel Group needs to form cement factories in various places.

But this thing can't be invested in for a while, so everyone didn't move much.

The Red Star Steel Group moved, and it was a big move.

The Liangma River Industrial Zone continues to dig deep into the potential of underground traffic and three defenses. The Steel City Industrial Zone started the auxiliary project of the worker village, wanting to build a shopping mall underground.

Li Xuewu's strange idea received widespread attention and thinking from designers.

Let's put it this way, there are few such thinking modes in the country currently, at least they won't build shopping malls underground.

On November 4th, the Renewable Energy Processing Plant invested and built by the Recycling Station in the Steel City Industrial Zone issued a notice, officially recruiting local workers and starting to expand operation.

The expansion mentioned here isn't that the operation site has expanded, but the scale has expanded.

The biggest difference between the Renewable Energy Processing Plant and the Recycling Station is that workers don't need to recycle waste from individuals.

The processing plant prepared several cars, going to collect the trash cans every day and putting one there again.

The waste materials collected will return to the furnace for processing. Those that can't be recycled will be sent to the thermal power plant as fuel.

Zhao Lao Si (Zhao Dezhu) was officially transferred back to Steel City and served as the factory director of the processing plant.

A young man in his early twenties can be a factory director. How unreliable must this unit be?

But it can't stand that this is a proper unit. It produces and operates in the Red Star Industrial Park, and Steel City Industry has filed it. This is enough for the conditions of the return-to-city indicators for those young people. You tell me if this unit is reliable or not.

Don't worry about the problem of reliability first. You have to grab the recruitment quota first.

In just one morning, the quota for two hundred people was gone.

That's right, just one morning. Zhao Lao Si reported to Li Xuewu, and he also recruited more than twenty high school graduates.

It's really against the sky. Are high school graduates in this era so worthless? Even a waste processing plant

Never mind whether it's reliable or not; you have to grab a recruitment quota first.

In just one morning, the quota for two hundred people was gone.

That's right, just one morning; Zhao Lao Si reported it to Li Xuewu, and he even recruited more than twenty high school graduates.

It's truly heaven-defying; have high school graduates become so worthless in this day and age? Even the Scrap Processing Plant is willing to take them.

Of course they are willing; after a year of being sent to the countryside, these restless young people have thoroughly realized one fact: everyone has their moment of glory, so don't take a moment as permanent.

They were as arrogant as could be back then, and now they are just as lost; their hands for tilling the land have worn into blood blisters, and they have peeled off who knows how many layers of skin from the sun, looking more than a year older.

They were naturally restless when they first went down, and fights were everywhere, but starving them for a period of time did the trick.

The production team has plenty of ways to handle them; even the most stubborn ox or horse has to behave once the halter is on, just as Zhao Lao Si said, the people who come up now are very disciplined and rarely shout those empty slogans.

Li Xuewu hadn't paid much attention to the processing plant, but it was because some worker hit Liu Hongmei that he called Zhao Lao Si over to ask about it.

"I really don't know about this."

Zhao Lao Si looked miserable, muttering to himself about his bad luck; the matter in Fengcheng had just been handled, and now something happened here; why does he always have such bad luck this year?

"Tell me the actual situation, don't hide anything."

Li Xuewu appeared very calm; if the Northern Industry Daily hadn't called the Group, he wouldn't have known either.

"It's Old Wang, who drives the garbage truck."

Zhao Lao Si looked bitter, spread his hands, and said: "That reporter Liu followed Old Wang for several days, and every time she blocked him, she asked those same few questions, which annoyed Old Wang."

"That still doesn't justify resorting to violence, does it?"

Li Xuewu frowned as he looked at him and asked: "Are you hiding something? Why did that Old Wang resort to violence?"

"He was really just annoyed by the questioning—"

Zhao Lao Si swore and explained: "She asked every day, over and over again; Old Wang said he really couldn't hold it in, and he regretted it the moment he threw the punch."

"That punch of his almost killed her."

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said indifferently: "Knowing the other party was a reporter and still doing this, didn't you emphasize work discipline to him?"

"It was an emotional impulse; what could I do?" Zhao Lao Si said with a helpless look: "If I were asked those questions every day, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to hold it in either."

"How long have you been working?"

"Who is the leader of the processing plant?"

"How did you get the garbage disposal rights?"

Li Xuewu listened to his vivid reenactment of the scene and said just as helplessly: "What do we do now? Reporter Liu is holding onto this matter and won't let go, claiming she was retaliated against and wants to blow this matter up."

"We will cover the medical expenses."

Zhao Lao Si took the initiative and said: "I'll go to the hospital in a while to apologize to her and seek her forgiveness."

"You should take this step; even if she doesn't want to forgive you, you cannot lose your manners."

Li Xuewu leaned back in his chair, thought for a moment, and instructed: "Go to the Propaganda Section and find Wang Yajuan; ask her to arrange for someone to take a camera and go with you."

"Ah? We need to take photos too?"

Zhao Lao Si asked hesitantly: "Will it end up in the newspaper? If people see me, how will I..."

"Is your face that important?" Li Xuewu looked him over and asked: "Have you done something shameful that needs to be kept secret?"

"That's not it; it's just that I'm afraid I won't be able to face people in the future, apologizing to her..."

"Go quickly—"

Li Xuewu glanced at him, too lazy to talk nonsense with him anymore, and emphasized: "Pay attention to Wang Yajuan's arrangements, and when the time comes, stand in the right position and provide the shooting angle."

"Got it—" Zhao Lao Si knew he had been sold out again, and his reply was listless.

It's really bad luck; things settled down in Fengcheng, and he came back, only for that silly fool Zhou Changli to pick up a huge bargain and become a person in charge of a side.

And him?

Although he also came back to serve as a factory director, this factory director is under Li Xuewu's nose.

Not to mention whether Li Xuewu will come to supervise his work, Zhou Wang Yamei has to come back often, right?

Zhou Wang Yamei hasn't left these days, just guiding him in recruiting workers and completing production.

After coming out of Li Xuewu's office and finding Wang Yajuan downstairs, the other party seemed to have been prepared for a long time.

"When the time comes, don't care whether she accepts your apology or not; just kneel down to her as soon as you enter the room."

Wang Yajuan took him out and found a place where no one was around, whispering instructions: "Don't get up until you hear the sound of the flash; it's better to take a few more shots."

"Ah? —"

Zhao Lao Si hadn't reacted yet, "Isn't this a visit? Why do I need to kneel down?"

"If you don't kneel down, how can you drag her into the water?"

Wang Yajuan looked him over; how could the person Li Xuewu found be so stupid? Wasn't he supposed to be quite clever and sharp? He looks like a fool.

Zhao Lao Si is not stupid; he thought of something at this moment, his face turned pale as he looked at Wang Yajuan and asked: "This—won't there be any danger to my life, right?"

"What are you thinking about—"

Wang Yajuan glared at him and said unpleasantly: "If you have any reservations, don't go, so as not to ruin things."

"Go! Must go—"

Zhao Lao Si could tell that this idea might, eight out of ten, possibly be Li Xuewu's.

Just think, he kneels down as soon as he enters the room carrying fruit, and the photographer snaps away; can Liu Hongmei, lying on the hospital bed, take it?

There isn't just their newspaper in this world; the Red Star Steel Group also has its own propaganda channels.

If such photos appear in the newspaper, and then some unscrupulous reporter writes nonsense, she will really be finished.

It was precisely because he thought of this point that Zhao Lao Si asked Wang Yajuan if this operation had any danger to his life.

Having offended someone so severely, can the other party just let it go? Even he might face retaliation.

But he has no way back; Old Wang was brought in by him, and now that something has happened, if he doesn't take the blame, can he just hand Old Wang over?

Besides, as soon as the incident happened, Old Wang was taken away by the Security Section and hasn't returned yet.

So, if he has to kneel, he'll kneel; it's not like he hasn't knelt before; if this kneeling doesn't scare the other party out of their wits, he'd have wasted the name Zhao Dezhu!

After instructing Zhao Lao Si and seeing that he understood her instructions and remembered the contingency script, Wang Yajuan then called the photographer down to follow him.

After sending the two off, Wang Yajuan hugged her arms, curled her lips in amusement, and cursed "bad egg."

I don't know who she was cursing, but anyway, the one who left and the one upstairs are neither good things.

Liu Hongmei, lying in the hospital receiving an IV drip, also never expected that Li Xuewu would dig such a big pit for her.

She first launched an investigation and asked many workers, but didn't get much useful material.

She finally brought the Vice President of Shouqi, but the other party played her, and she watched helplessly as the other party left.

Recently, she has been investigating very hard and has also given up on pursuing Furnace No. 4, because it is too difficult to investigate.

She wants to use the processing plant as a breakthrough; once she gets the evidence here, she can definitely pull Li Xuewu off his horse.

Even if she can't pull Li Xuewu down, she can find something for him to do; anyway, he can't return to Beijing at this time.

Clang—

Just as Liu Hongmei was holding the notebook in her hand and thinking about how to proceed with the next step, the door was suddenly opened.

Before she could even ask about the other party's identity in her astonishment, she saw the other party slide and kneel before her.

So polite?

"Reporter Liu, I am the director of the processing plant; I am truly sorry that such a thing happened; I bear full responsibility, and I don't expect your forgiveness, but we will definitely cover all your medical expenses..."

She doesn't like listening to these nutritional-less words; she likes listening to things she can talk about for a day and a night without repeating.

But apologizing is apologizing; why the hell are you kowtowing on the ground?

And why the hell are you bringing a photographer to kowtow?

This isn't coming to apologize; this is coming to find trouble!

"Get up! Do you hear me!"

Liu Hongmei blushed, pointed her finger at Zhao Lao Si on the ground, and cursed, but the photographer captured the best photo.

Photos don't talk; watching the photographer run away, she knew she had fallen into a pit.