Chapter 1479: Thunderclap

"Just the two of us, and you've made so many dishes! How can we possibly finish them all—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling washed her hands in the bathroom and came out; seeing four dishes already set on the dining table, she exclaimed in surprise.

Wang Wang Yajuan turned around, carried another bowl of soup out from the kitchen, and smiled: "You've come from far away, and my cooking skills are just average; if I didn't make a few extra dishes, how could I justify myself to you?"

"I told you that you were being too formal!"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling pouted with feigned dissatisfaction, then helped fetch bowls and chopsticks, saying: "Among those who joined the dance troupe in the same batch back then, only a few of us have stayed in contact."

She walked out of the kitchen, looked at Wang Wang Yajuan, helplessly shrugged her shoulders, and said regretfully: "Either we're scattered to opposite ends of the earth, or we're each busy with our own affairs; meeting up is harder than climbing to heaven."

"Do you still miss those days?" Wang Wang Yajuan glanced at her amusedly, stepped aside to find a soup ladle in the kitchen, and said: "Have you forgotten the times we argued and sulked?"

"Even arguing and sulking are memories." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling stood by the doorframe, watching her emerge from the kitchen, and asked: "Don't tell me you don't miss them at all."

Wang Wang Yajuan gestured for her to sit at the dining table, ladled some egg-drop soup for her, and said: "Some say that reminiscing about the past means there's someone you can't let go of or something you can't stop thinking about."

Handing the bowl of soup to Zhou Zhou Xiaoling, she asked: "What is it that makes you nostalgic for the past?"

"Who did you learn this from?" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling looked at her amusedly, took the soup bowl, and laughed: "Why do you sound so eloquent now?"

"Everyone in propaganda work talks like this, I suppose."

Wang Wang Yajuan smiled indifferently, ladled a bowl for herself, and only then sat down.

"I think you're the one with someone you can't let go of and something you can't stop thinking about." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling looked at her meaningfully and said: "Or perhaps you have regrets that leave you feeling lost."

"And you're criticizing me?" Wang Wang Yajuan glanced at her amusedly, placed some meat dishes in her bowl, and said: "You're sounding quite eloquent yourself now."

"Hee-hee—" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling giggled, also placed some meat dishes in Wang Wang Yajuan's bowl, and said: "Eat more meat; you need to nourish yourself."

She deliberately sized Wang Wang Yajuan up and said: "Look how thin you are; your front chest is sticking to your back."

"Here we go again, aren't we—"

Wang Wang Yajuan shot her a sharp glance and said: "Fine, yours are bigger, happy now?"

"Hey, do you remember when we first joined the troupe, and Zhou Zhou Miaomiao got scolded by the teacher for constantly staring at my chest?" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling covered her mouth and laughed: "I still remember her embarrassed look to this day."

"Wasn't that because you deliberately teased her?"

Wang Wang Yajuan certainly remembered that incident; hearing her bring it up, she couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Thinking back now, you were the naughtiest back then."

"Eh—" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling pouted in disagreement and said: "Even if I was naughty, I was still cute; Han Lu was truly wicked—you got bullied because of her."

As if Zhou Zhou Xiaoling's words had stirred up some painful memories, the smile on Wang Wang Yajuan's face faded slightly.

"Still talking about it; how is everyone doing?" She ate her rice, lifted her head, and asked Zhou Zhou Xiaoling: "Are they all doing well?"

"Who exactly are you trying to ask about?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling looked at her mischievously, raised her eyebrows, and asked: "Asking about Han Lu?"

"If you want to ask, just ask; why be shy?" Seeing Wang Wang Yajuan lower her eyes, she snorted and said: "As for her, those who commit many injustices will inevitably bring about their own destruction."

"Last year or the year before, you know she had an incident, right?" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling leaned forward, moved closer to Wang Wang Yajuan, and lowered her voice: "If not for our factory's good medical conditions and timely hospitalization, she nearly died."

"Was that the massive hemorrhage incident?"

Wang Wang Yajuan certainly remembered that matter; frowning, she asked: "I didn't hear it was that serious back then?"

"Of course you wouldn't know; her mouth is tightly sealed."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling glanced at her and said: "Besides, the relationship between you two has always been strained; do you think she would tell you this? I heard it all from Zhou Zhou Miaomiao."

"Do you know why I say she brought it upon herself, that those who commit many injustices will inevitably bring about their own destruction?"

She raised her eyebrows and explained softly: "Back then, she instigated everyone to isolate you; after coming to the factory, she badmouthed you behind your back—but let's not even mention those things."

"Even when Zhou Zhou Miaomiao found a benefactor, she still fought and competed with her—"

Seeing Wang Wang Yajuan frown, Zhou Zhou Xiaoling pouted and said: "It was all because her intentions were impure; she actually dared to secretly get pregnant and even tried to threaten that person."

"Did Zhou Zhou Miaomiao tell you this too?"

This was truly the first time Wang Wang Yajuan had heard these inside stories; looking at Zhou Zhou Xiaoling in surprise, she asked: "How did she know all this?"

"What do you think—" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling gave her a 'you know what I mean' look, then continued eating while saying: "She was already over four months pregnant and still dared to cause trouble."

"Guess what she wanted?"

She slightly narrowed her right eye, looked at Wang Wang Yajuan, and without waiting for an answer, said: "Seeing Zhou Zhou Miaomiao buy a house, buy a car, and advance in her career, she wanted those things too!"

"Just tell me, what was she thinking?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling sneered with a curled lip: "She really thought she was Wu Zetian; did she think her two ounces of flesh could demand heaven and earth? Isn't that just asking for trouble?"

"So her incident was because..."

Wang Wang Yajuan suddenly thought of something and froze instantly.

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling glanced at her and sneered: "You've figured it out too, haven't you? She claimed she had a stomachache, but when rumors spread and she lost face, she said she didn't want the baby; but in reality?"

"At that stage, she would eat and drink anything anyone gave her; not dying was just her great fortune."

"How could this happen?" Wang Wang Yajuan couldn't even bother eating anymore; looking at Zhou Zhou Xiaoling in shock, she asked: "Who did it?"

"Who did it? Who knows—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling ate her meal and snorted: "She shamelessly caused a life-and-death situation; wasn't she just trying to take that person's life? You tell me, who did it."

Wang Wang Yajuan fell silent immediately; the answer was far too obvious, because everyone in the group with any ambition knew about those matters.

That person was truly not as good as Li Li Xuewu, who had no scruples about anything; over these years, how many women were there—one or two? It's just that no one exposed it.

There were even cases resulting in death; wasn't the former director of the administrative canteen found hanged behind the factory hospital?

"Speaking of smart people, Zhou Zhou Miaomiao is the one." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling ladled another bowl of soup for herself and said calmly: "As the cause, so the effect."

"Where is she now?"

Wang Wang Yajuan also felt somewhat dazed; she truly hadn't expected such treacherous undercurrents hidden beneath the calm surface of the group.

"Is she still at the sales company?"

"Mm, Director of the Brand Department in the International Business Division." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling introduced: "She's very cosmopolitan now; she flies to Hong Kong two or three times a month; she's even tired of flying."

"You haven't seen her as she is now."

She raised her eyebrows and said, "From top to bottom, from inside out, her whole person is different from before; her clothes and styling are truly something."

"More something than you?" Wang Wang Yajuan said with a laugh, "I think you're stylish enough; I wouldn't even dare to perm my hair."

"What's the big deal? Doesn't that person upstairs also have permed hair?" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling dismissed it carelessly, smoothing her own hair, and said with a smile, "Do you want to get a perm? Tomorrow we'll go to the People's Department Store; I'll pick a fashionable hairstyle for you."

"Forget it; I certainly don't need it."

Wang Wang Yajuan tidied the hair by her ears and said with a smile, "This is quite fine as it is."

"You're almost living like an old woman."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling glared at her playfully, then continued, "Wait until you return to Jingcheng and see for yourself; the streets are full of curly hair."

"That certain someone," she said, raising her eyebrows meaningfully, "saw Zhou Zhou Miaomiao get a big wavy perm, so she got one too."

"Ever heard of Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi? She couldn't pull off the look and even argued with the barber; in the end, he kicked her out."

"How do you know about all these things?"

Wang Wang Yajuan, finding her stories lively, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren't you very busy?"

"Surely there are times to rest?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling put down her bowl and chopsticks, looked at her, and explained, "I've run into Zhou Zhou Miaomiao a few times on the plane; we don't contact each other much, but Xiaoxiao does."

"Ah, Xiaoxiao; you see her often?" Wang Wang Yajuan, also full, put down her bowl and chopsticks and asked curiously, "Is she still with the dance troupe?"

"Among our group, she's the one who has persisted the longest." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling nodded and said, "She truly loves dance."

"You know her personality; when we gather, we rarely talk about such things. It was Li Dan who actively came over to bring it up."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling tilted her head and said, "You can't hear about these things down below; inside the group it's quite lively, everyone treats it as a joke."

"Zhou Zhou Miaomiao and Han Lu live on floors above and below each other; Han Lu competes with her in everything, even comparing husbands."

She said with amusement, "You should know her husband; he used to be the Secretary-General's driver, the younger son of former Deputy Factory Director Nie, Nie Nie Xiaoguang."

"Oh, I know." Wang Wang Yajuan nodded and said, "The one who pulled a knife on Director Li, right?"

"That's the one; mud that can't be built into a wall." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling sneered, curling the corner of her mouth, and said, "The Secretary-General took such care of him initially, yet he insisted on jumping into the shit pit."

Wang Wang Yajuan, amused yet dissatisfied, lightly tapped her; the dining table hadn't even been cleared yet, and she was already talking about this.

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling just smiled, unconcerned, and continued, "Zhou Zhou Miaomiao's husband, Zhou Tan, hosted some project last month and received a bonus; she was green with envy and actually forced Nie Nie Xiaoguang to go earn a bonus too."

"Isn't Nie Nie Xiaoguang at..." Wang Wang Yajuan was still trying to recall where he worked, but Zhou Zhou Xiaoling had already burst out laughing.

"The Secretary-General arranged it: the Security Section."

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Nie Nie Xiaoguang was driven to desperation by her; he told her that when she met with that certain someone privately, he would catch them in the act, and it would certainly be a Da Gong merit, with however much bonus she wanted."

"You think it's bizarre too, right?"

Seeing Wang Wang Yajuan's strange expression, Zhou Zhou Xiaoling covered her mouth and laughed, "Before, people said 'not a family, don't enter one door,' and I didn't understand it; only after hearing about these two did I finally believe it—two bizarre people matched together."

"Is Han Lu still working at the theater?"

Wang Wang Yajuan pressed her lips together, stood up, and began clearing the bowls and chopsticks, asking, "Is it in Dongcheng or Xicheng?"

"Dongcheng; she's always been over there."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling stood up to help her clear, explaining as she worked, "She does want to advance, but that certain someone learned a lesson from a setback and keeps a close watch whenever she appears."

"She's just too strong-willed—"

Wang Wang Yajuan had no intention of mocking her; she didn't even mock Zhou Zhou Miaomiao, let alone Han Lu.

"Speaking of which, Xiaoxiao really knows how to keep her composure."

"Xiaoxiao is just too concerned with saving face."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling placed the leftover food in the cupboard, turned back to Wang Wang Yajuan, and said, "Even going to the Secretary-General's home as a tutor was something I forced her to do."

"By the way, you know about this, right?"

She looked at Wang Wang Yajuan and asked, "You and the Secretary-General are both in Gangcheng; do you have much contact usually?"

"It's alright; he doesn't talk about these things at the unit either." Wang Wang Yajuan explained indifferently, "I heard it from someone, but I've forgotten who."

"She tutors the Secretary-General's eldest daughter in dance and music." Zhou Zhou Xiaoling explained, "If not for this connection, she would have retired long ago."

Speaking of this, Zhou Zhou Xiaoling couldn't help but sigh, saying, "Everyone says they love dance, love the stage, love performance, but how many can persist until the end?"

"Dance relies too much on youth."

She walked back to the dining room, took a rag, and began cleaning the table, unable to help sighing, "Afraid of having children, afraid of losing their figure; just thinking about it is exhausting."

"Aren't you doing quite well now?"

Wang Wang Yajuan came out of the kitchen after washing the bowls and chopsticks, looked at her, and said, "Flying back and forth; much more freedom."

"Do you think I'm the only one flying?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling looked at her amusedly, took the rag to the kitchen, and said, "Work flying in the sky isn't easy either; otherwise, would I be running here to your place to seek some peace and quiet?"

"If we're really talking about it, you and Zhou Zhou Miaomiao have developed the best." She came out of the kitchen, looked at Wang Wang Yajuan, who was making tea for her, and said, "Especially you; relying on your own efforts, step by step, to reach where you are today."

"Do you believe it—"

Wang Wang Yajuan carried the tea over, placed it on the dining table, looked at her, and asked a question.

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling was startled, then sized up Wang Wang Yajuan's eyes and asked, "What's wrong? Did you hear someone gossiping again?"

"Others may not know you, but don't I?" She frowned and said, "Back when you first came to the factory, Han Lu spoke ill of you behind your back; the two of us nearly got into a fight."

"I know my own affairs; I can't deceive others." Wang Wang Yajuan sat down at the dining table with her, looked at the teacup spinning in her hand, and said indifferently, "Without his care these past few years, with just my little bit of ability, how could I possibly have reached this position today?"

"If you put it that way, then truly, within the entire group, there aren't many who are self-reliant."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling pressed her hand and said, "Nowadays, who has connections and doesn't think to use them? Only you are so foolish."

"Who in our troupe doesn't know about your past relationship with the Secretary-General?" She persuaded Wang Wang Yajuan, "Who hasn't had their youthful years? If lovers can't be made, can't they still be friends? Who decreed that?"

"You certainly know how to talk—"

Wang Wang Yajuan lifted her head, looked at her with a smile, and asked, "These years I've only heard about people chasing you unsuccessfully, going mad for love; how come I never see you choosing any one of them?"

"Me? To be honest, I've lost confidence even in my own feelings."

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling lay listlessly across the dining table, resting her head on her arm as she looked at her friend and said, "Flying around like this, south one day and north the next, even the sturdiest relationship couldn't withstand such tossing about."

"Especially when frequently interacting with senior leaders, one becomes numb to matters of rank and hierarchy, and the heart starts to drift."

"Since you know this, then settle down."

Wang Wang Yajuan lifted her teacup, took a sip, and looked at her with amusement, saying, "You realize it yet fail to act on it?"

"Sometimes I think I should just marry anyone and be done with it," Zhou Zhou Xiaoling said with a wry smile. "But then I fear I'll regret it and become a burden to someone else."

"Later I thought, if all else fails, I'll just live alone; if I find someone I like, I'll love them, and when the love fades, we part ways."

She helplessly twitched the corners of her mouth, looking at Wang Wang Yajuan as she joked, "If you don't find someone soon, the two of us could just muddle through together."

"Nonsense—" Wang Wang Yajuan shot her a reproachful glance, lifted her teacup, and said, "I still intend to get married."

"What is it that I'm seeking?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling looked at her and said, "In the past, elders said, 'Marry a man for clothes and food,' but now I can provide for my own food and clothing; do I still need a man?"

"Nowadays, apart from my mother nagging me every time she sees me to go on blind dates and get married, who else can control me?"

She sat up straight, shrugged indifferently, and said, "Counting my flight allowances and bonuses, I will definitely be able to buy my own house within five years."

"Look at you, getting so cocky—"

Wang Wang Yajuan looked at her with amusement and asked, "What about children? Don't you want children of your own?"

"Ah, so just to have a child, I must endure a lifetime of compromise and settle for a mediocre man to spend my days with?"

With stubbornness in her eyes, Zhou Zhou Xiaoling declared, "I don't want that kind of life; if I truly want a child, there are ways to find one."

"Besides, are children really that important?"

She looked at Wang Wang Yajuan and said, "Zhou Zhou Miaomiao and her husband are sharp enough, yet they haven't had children either."

"Aren't you afraid that gossip will devour you?"

Wang Wang Yajuan tried to scare her, saying, "No one says anything about you now because you're young, but what will you do when you become an old maid?"

"Whoever dares speak of me, I'll tear their mouth apart—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling feigned ferocity as she declared, "Everyone lives their own life; what does how I live have to do with them? I want to be free and unfettered."

"I think you've become too picky."

Wang Wang Yajuan set down her teacup and said, "This might be related to your current position."

"Do you think I don't know that?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaoling lifted her teacup, gulped down a large mouthful, let out a long sigh, and said, "There's no help for it; I'm just unwilling to settle."

"Then take your time choosing, select carefully, and eventually you will meet someone suitable." Wang Wang Yajuan stood up, gesturing toward her room, and said, "Tonight you sleep in the inner room, and I'll sleep in the outer room."

"What? You actually want to sleep in separate beds?" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling said with a laugh. "There's only one bed; how can you sleep outside? If you insist on this, I won't come at all."

"So you came here just for me, then?"

Wang Wang Yajuan looked at her with amusement and said, "How is it that I find you've changed so much this visit?"

"Changed how?" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling asked with a smile as she stood up and spread her arms to give a fuller view.

Wang Wang Yajuan sized her up with a smile and said, "You've turned into a female hooligan, hahaha—"

"Oh, you Wang Wang Yajuan—" Zhou Zhou Xiaoling truly assumed the posture of a female hooligan, waving her hands threateningly as she declared, "Tonight you belong to me; don't even think about escaping!"

Women are always sensitive; sometimes they deliberately play dumb, feign ignorance, and let things slide for the sake of each other.

Everything Zhou Zhou Xiaoling had done since arriving in Gangcheng naturally could not escape Wang Wang Yajuan's sharp eyes.

Previously, if one said she had no connections in Gangcheng, it might be understandable that Wang Wang Yajuan didn't know about Zhou Zhou Xiaoling's arrival.

But now? Now she was the head of the Propaganda Section at the Metallurgical Plant; where did she not have informants?

Li Li Xuewu had led so many people up the mountain, and people had already started talking about it; as the only female comrade among them, Zhou Zhou Xiaoling naturally attracted even more attention.

It was simply that she was beautiful enough, and her style of dress and grooming did not resemble that of a Gangcheng girl, so it was only natural that observant people would notice her.

Yet, clearly knowing that Zhou Zhou Xiaoling had not come to see her immediately upon arriving in Gangcheng, why did Wang Wang Yajuan pretend not to know?

Mr. Lu Xun once said, "Seeing through something but not speaking it aloud keeps friendship intact."

If some things are spoken too plainly, what could she gain from it? Nothing but awkwardness and ending the friendship forever, or even filling herself with anger and inviting unnecessary trouble.

Actually, things are quite good as they are now; if she were to lose even a friend like Zhou Zhou Xiaoling, she would truly become utterly alone, without a single friend left.

Li Li Xuewu did not count as a friend; he was a scoundrel.

Liu Hongmei, a reporter for the Northern Industry Daily, wrote about him going up the mountain to hunt, subtly mocking him for not attending to serious business; but in reality?

Li Li Xuewu's trip up the mountain was precisely his response to that article.

On November 7, the Red Star United Industry Daily published a report stating that Group Secretary-General Li Li Xuewu had led a team to the Qianshan region to inspect sites for a sanatorium, complete with photographs.

This report was produced by the Liaodong branch of the United Industry Daily; the original draft was written by Zhang Jing, Director of the Leading Group Office, while Wang Wang Yajuan was responsible for its specific implementation.

As for that reporter Liu Hongmei from the Northern Industry Daily, she truly possessed tenacity, lying in the hospital for a full three days.

A conflict had occurred with a driver from the Renewable Energy Processing Plant; cadres from the Red Star Gangcheng Industrial Zone Security Division had gone to investigate the situation, but since she had not yet been discharged from the hospital, it was inconvenient to coordinate the matter, so it was shelved.

Liu Hongmei also knew this was their territory; no matter how much she stirred things up, she was still within the palm of their hand.

Furthermore, that shameless factory director of the processing plant actually dared to bring a photojournalist to take pictures.

Truly damn it; once such photographs were published in the newspaper, she could guess exactly how they would write about her.

The reason she stayed two extra days in the hospital was precisely because she feared the scandal would break, and once discharged, she would be unable to explain herself clearly.

Every morning she would look for the United Industry Daily, terribly afraid of seeing her own photograph in it.

She had tried calling that person, but she did not feel safe making such a call from the hospital environment.

In the end, after suffering agonizingly on the hospital bed for three days, she could no longer hold out and finally came to find Li Li Xuewu.

Anyone capable of being a reporter is a smart person; naturally, she could detect the unusual tone from the security cadre who had taken her statement.

What did it mean to call it a "public security conflict between herself and the driver"?

She went to investigate the Processing Plant, fundamentally targeting the Hongxing Steel City Industrial Zone, and also targeting Li Li Xuewu.

If something goes wrong and you don't look for Li Li Xuewu, are you just going to spin around outside like a headless fly, deliberately playing dumb?

"Are you truly here to survey a site for the sanatorium?"

Li Li Xuewu, operating with the mindset of solving the problem, did not choose to meet her in his office, but rather in a private room at the guesthouse restaurant.

Of course, he was not alone; when a man and a woman share a room, things can sometimes be truly difficult to explain clearly.

Given Liu Hongmei's appearance, he did not want to suffer that kind of loss.

Although Liu Hongmei's slightly mocking tone made him somewhat uncomfortable, it remained within the range of what he could endure.

After all, only when a person is short on reason and words do they bare their fangs and brandish their claws.

"Of course; do you think I have so much free time?"

Li Li Xuewu had no intention of treating her to a meal; even the tea set on the table had been brought by a waiter.

Looking at her, he stated calmly, "The Hongxing Steel Group has over fifty thousand workers in Liaodong; every day when I open my eyes, the first thing I think about is how to feed those fifty thousand mouths and support their families."

"Heh-heh—" Liu Hongmei let out a light laugh, a sound that was indescribable.

She lifted her teacup and took a sip, saying lightly, "You should give me the opportunity to understand you more fully; there is no need to be on guard against me."

"How so?" Li Li Xuewu asked, frowning slightly, "When exactly was I on guard against you?"

"Oh, so I misunderstood?"

Liu Wang Yamei glanced at Wang Wang Yajuan, who sat silently at the adjacent table, then looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Secretary-General Li is meticulous in thought and truly has a way of doing things."

"If you could fairly write these words in your article, I would definitely treat you to a grand meal today."

Li Li Xuewu swept a direct glance at her and said, "What a pity; it is you who have betrayed our good intentions."

"So I should be thanking you for not kicking me out of the guesthouse, then?" Liu Hongmei, unconcerned by Li Li Xuewu's sharp language, smiled and said, "It seems you are quite concerned about your own image and also care deeply about our newspaper's commentary."

"Actually, no; I haven't read your report; Director Li merely mentioned it in passing."

Li Li Xuewu tilted his head, looked at her, and said, "You may not know that my time for reading newspapers is limited; I almost exclusively pick the headline news from major papers."

"As for the various bad habits of mine that you mentioned in your article, I can't even be bothered to explain them."

He said with a cold smile, "The reason I didn't drive you out of the guesthouse was to invite you to stay a few more days, lest I incur certain negative reviews that could end up in the newspapers."

"Are they really negative reviews?" Liu Hongmei asked, holding her teacup and staring into his eyes, "For instance, the issue with Furnace Number 4, or the problems at the Processing Plant?"

"That depends on you; it's been several days, and you still haven't found the truth?"

Li Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes, looked at her, and asked, "If someone is truly obstructing your investigation, just tell me straight, and I can handle it right now."

"Secretary-General Li, let's speak plainly with the windows open; there is no need to continue this entanglement."

Liu Hongmei suddenly laid her cards on the table, looking at him as she spoke, "You must already know my purpose for coming to Steel City."

She paid close attention to the changes in Li Li Xuewu's eyes, yet what she saw was a calmness as still as an ancient well without waves.

This only made her feel even more certain that the purpose of her trip had already been grasped by the other party, so she might as well lay her cards on the table.

"To be honest, our newspaper really does not lack your Hongxing Factory's support, but our leaders simply cannot swallow this insult."

Gesturing to Wang Wang Yajuan sitting beside her, she said, "Even if you brought only one person with you, I would still dare to say this: it is your Group's Director Li who is bullying us excessively."

Li Li Xuewu raised his head slightly, tilted his head to look at her, and signaled for her to continue speaking.

"Since the founding of our newspaper, no one has ever said we were beggars; he is too arrogant."

Liu Hongmei proudly curled the corner of her mouth and said, "So what if your factory is upgrading to a group? Can you escape the scope of the industrial management system?"

"I came to Steel City not to target you, Secretary-General Li, and even less to target the Hongxing Steel Group."

"Reporter Liu, there is no need to be so indignant and self-righteous; mixing public duties with private vengeance is spoken of too casually."

Li Li Xuewu suddenly interrupted her words, stating calmly, "I have never learned of, nor heard of, any remarks made by Director Li concerning your newspaper."

"The only thing I know is your performance at the signing ceremony last time; this I witnessed with my own eyes."

His tone was not serious, yet his speech allowed no room for sophistry, carrying great authority.

"Whether you say you cannot accept it or say you do not care, the only thing related to me is that article you recently wrote in your publication."

Li Li Xuewu crossed his hands on the table, looked at her, and emphasized, "I only want to ask you one question: with such malicious fabrication and groundless concoction, what have you treated the hard-won publication license of the Northern Industrial News as?"

His voice became even sharper; tapping his finger on the tabletop, he interrogated, "Just because you are dissatisfied with certain remarks by the group leadership, just because of personal desire, you would misuse a public instrument for private ends? What have you turned the four characters 'public opinion supervision' into?"

"Let me tell you this: if you continue like this, sooner or later you will overdraw the newspaper's credibility, and when that happens, the one who suffers the greatest loss will not be the Hongxing Steel Group."

After saying this, seeing Liu Hongmei's face turn pale then red, then red then pale, he softened his tone.

However, having said all he needed to say, he stood up and emphasized one last time, "I came to see you today to tell you: do not be bewitched by certain people's promises, and do not commit the erroneous act of sullying that newspaper."

He pointed to his own eyes and said, "The eyes of the masses are sharp; once a newspaper is sullied, it is difficult to wipe it clean again."

Wang Wang Yajuan stood up, watched Li Li Xuewu leave the private room with an air of pride, then turned her head to look at Liu Hongmei, who sat there changing colors and remaining silent; she wanted to say something but did not.

At this moment, saying anything would be superfluous; the attitude that needed to be expressed had already been made clear by Li Li Xuewu.

What the hell does 'cannot swallow this insult' mean? If you can't swallow it, go die! Why not challenge Old Li to a duel? Stabbing someone in the back and yet feeling a sense of superiority and pride about it?

Furthermore, Liu Hongmei's arrival in Steel City was not as simple as she claimed, targeting no one.

Are you kidding me?

Now even Wang Wang Yajuan knows that someone within the Group is playing tricks, trying to use the tactic of diverting disaster onto others.

Li Li Xuewu acts rather sharply; that he hasn't already struck back is itself an act of forbearance.

It is simply different; he can be considered a guardian of a region, and any move he makes in Steel City could be amplified, causing waves within the Group, which is something he does not wish to see.

When Li Li Xuewu came to work in Liaodong, someone obstructed him; when he wants to return, someone still obstructs him.

This is solely because when he came, his influence was 1, but when he returns, his influence is 1000.

Whether Liaodong's industrial construction is good or bad is not blown up by the Propaganda Section; it is built solidly through actual work.

Now Old Li wants him to return, but certain people do not want him to return; isn't this where the contradiction arises?

What is the reason?

The time has come; among the group's current leaders, some arrived in '68, while others came even earlier, in '66, meaning this year marks their third.

A minor hurdle every three years, a major one every five; each hurdle is hard to cross, yet each is crossed, and beyond the hurdles lies a smooth path.

Nothing will change before the end of this year, but what about next year? The authorities above have already decided that group corporatization will be achieved by early next year, followed by adjustments to the leadership team.

Old Li now holds absolute speaking rights, yet he cannot stop those above from swapping personnel and mixing in outsiders.

Li Li Xuewu certainly lacks the seniority for an external transfer, but at this stage of corporatization, he can still advance further.

Those people are not afraid of his advancement; rather, they fear his return to Jingcheng will disrupt the overall situation.

While in Jingcheng, Li Li Huai De would guard against him, but in Gangcheng, Li Li Huai De will only need him.

No matter how much economic development the Red Star Iron and Steel Group boasts, it cannot mask its inherent attribute as a key member of the heavy industry system.

The group is founded on heavy industry, extending upstream and downstream to expand operations across sectors; it is not a shift from light to heavy industry.

Industrial enterprises are the group's foundation, and Li Li Xuewu, who controls the management of all the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong, is an earth-shaking presence within the group.

Look at Dong Wenxue; after returning from Gangcheng, his ranking within the leadership team jumped directly by two spots.

If Li Li Xuewu returns to the group, he will surely surge even faster and higher than Dong Wenxue.

Why? Because his starting point is higher.

What status and rank did Dong Wenxue hold when he came to Gangcheng? Li Li Xuewu came to Gangcheng as Secretary-General.

Back then, Dong Wenxue managed only the Metallurgical Plant, supervising and organizing the development and operation of other industries.

But what about Li Li Xuewu? He is the head of the group's Industrial Leadership Group in Liaodong, the kind whose word carries immense weight.

To put it plainly, some people are afraid; knowing that Old Li intends to designate Li Li Xuewu as his successor, they realize that once Li Li Xuewu completes his training in Liaodong, his return will surely place him among the top three.

What does Li Li Xuewu lack?

He lacks neither seniority nor achievements; what he lacks is experience in industrial management, the standard requirement for taking the helm.

Old Li's disadvantage lies precisely here; to this day, he has not fully secured complete management authority over the group's operations.

Some say that Old Li choosing Li Li Xuewu as his successor will conflict with Dong Wenxue's path of advancement.

Actually, this is not the case; having reached this point, Dong Wenxue has essentially hit a ceiling within the Red Star Iron and Steel Group.

First, during his three years in Gangcheng, those above did not see in him the broad perspective and ability to oversee the overall situation.

Second, Dong Wenxue lacks the charismatic appeal of decisiveness and vigor, and his mass base is weak.

Finally, Dong Wenxue failed to gain Li Li Huai De's support and lacks powerful allies.

Li Li Xuewu is different; the age gap makes Li Li Huai De feel entirely at ease, and his outstanding ability allows him to shoulder heavy responsibilities.

More importantly, Li Li Xuewu understands him.

Dong Wenxue's next step will definitely not be within the group; his current work is all preparation for jumping out of the group.

In fact, within the workplace, once one reaches the level of Dong Wenxue and Li Li Huai De, one can basically see one's future development path clearly and make advance arrangements.

If one cannot see even this clearly, or has made no preparations, one would never have reached today's position.

Some say advancement depends entirely on luck, but this is not so; advancement is a technical skill.

The current situation is that Li Li Xuewu has settled everything in Liaodong; as long as he maintains the right rhythm and develops according to established goals and procedures, his achievements will undoubtedly be impressive.

Next, just as Li Li Huai De requested and as some people worry, the focus of work must gradually shift toward the group, returning to the group's stage.

The main reason Li Li Xuewu has delayed taking this step is that he is still waiting for the moment of thunder.

Now, someone has actively delivered a handle to Liaodong, placing it right into his hands.

"Has the technical difficulty with the sliding doors been resolved?"

Li Li Xuewu reached out and pulled open the door of "Chen Haonan's Mobile Office," peering inside.

Indeed, on November 13, Li Li Xuewu led a team to conduct research at Gang Auto; based on Hongyun's foundational technology, the Haishi passenger bus rolled off the line, achieving a solid daily output of 35 units.

Some might say, is a daily output of 35 units considered a good result?

That depends on how you look at it; after all, this passenger bus production line produces not only the Haishi model but also the Hongyun 7-seater, 9-seater, 12-seater, and so on.

The Zhao Hongtu buses and Honghai buses are not within the scope of assembly line production and cannot be put on the line.

Wang Zhi, the deputy factory director of Gang Auto in charge of technical production, smiled and introduced: "If we hadn't learned from others' technology, we really wouldn't have been able to solve this simple smooth door."

"It looks simple, but it's actually very difficult."

Li Li Xuewu reached out and pulled the relatively light car door, saying, "It would be even better if it had a buffer lock."

"You should say electric doors would be even better."

Kuang Kuang Yusheng stood nearby and joked, "We must set them a more distant goal; otherwise, they will become slack."

"Who said we would become slack—"

Lu Yuanshen, the factory director of Gang Auto, looked at him and scolded with a smile, "If anyone becomes slack, it will be the Rolling Steel Factory; our factory is full of vitality."

"Hehehe—" The cadres who came for the research today burst into laughter upon seeing the two bicker.

Li Li Xuewu also smiled, stepped onto the bus, and personally experienced the ride of the passenger vehicle.

To be honest, the seat technology of this era is truly a bottleneck; sponge is the only buffer layer.

For slightly higher-end cars, at best, a layer of spring mesh is added beneath the sponge.

You've all ridden high-speed rail, right? When the network first expanded, the hard seats weren't actually hard; they were quite comfortable.

And later? The hard seats became truly hard.

If you compare them to the green-skinned trains?

They are all the same; because so many people sit on them, no matter how elastic or restorative the material is, it gets compressed solid long ago.

Car seats in this era are the same; after a long time, it feels like sitting on a stone beneath your buttocks.

However, no matter how picky one is, this vehicle is the first medium-sized bus in the country capable of both cargo and passenger transport.

The Hongyun can only be classified as small; the Hongyun 12-seater has only one fewer seat than the Haishi, but the space size is different.

Even expanded to 12 seats, it remains a Hongyun; the 13-seat Haishi also has another name: Hongguan.

Cars produced by Gangqi that are registered for export always come with two sets of names.

One set is for domestic supply, the other for foreign supply; the names differ, and so do the internal configurations.

It's not that the internal structure or equipment differs, but rather that some countries use left-hand drive while others use right-hand drive.

This thing is rather absurd; the person who first invented the car should have been beaten to death for not settling whether cars ought to be left-hand or right-hand drive.

It's just like how the inventor of tofu pudding should have emphasized from the very beginning whether it should be eaten with salty or sweet gravy.

"Does this vehicle have other versions?"

Kuang Kuang Yusheng climbed in from the other side and asked Lü Yuanshen below, "For instance, better configurations."

"No, this vehicle doesn't need them."

Watching Kuang Kuang Yusheng, who always trailed behind Li Li Xuewu trying to borrow his master's terror to act like a leader, Lü Yuanshen curled his lips in disdain but kept his mouth shut so as not to undermine unity.

He voluntarily introduced, "If you want better configurations, you can choose the Hongyun, or a modified nine-seat Hongyun; there's no need to fuss over the Hongguan."

"This vehicle serves as a supplement to medium and large buses," Li Li Xuewu said, jumping down from the car. "With commuting now more convenient, we'll first allocate ten units to various industrial enterprises in Liaodong, to stop the constant complaining about insufficient seating."

"Give us one," said Wang Wang Yajuan, who had come along and also took a liking to the vehicle, smiling as she added, "Modify it slightly, and it becomes a standard news-gathering vehicle."