Chapter 1520: Famous Abroad

"Do you believe what he said?"

Wang Mr. didn't drink much, but his face was red, though his speech was very clear, looking like someone who knew how to pretend.

Wang Youhan glanced at Li Xuewu, who was walking over to toast, and curled his lips without saying anything.

But even if he didn't speak, Wang Mr. could feel his emotional change. Beijing Automobile had been suffering from Steel Automobile for the past few years.

"Secretary-General Li has made many acquaintances—"

He didn't get Wang Youhan's words out, and aimed his target at Tang Rongxuan, who was still calling Li Xuewu brother just now.

Old Tang was an old slippery guy; could he be stumped by him?

"There are also many people who want to make acquaintances with Secretary-General Li—"

He picked up the wine bottle, filled a glass for himself, let the others at the table let it go, and drank it himself when he saw them shaking their heads.

"Red Star Steel Group, what a big name—"

Once Li Xuewu left, the food on this table became sour; otherwise, how could the words coming out of their mouths be sour?

"Heard that the electronic industry is also making a lot of money, not earning less than automobiles."

"Who did you hear that from?"

Tang Rongxuan glanced at him and said, "How come I heard him say that Red Steel has been busy paying off debts for the past two years and hasn't made much money?"

"Listen to him—"

Wang Mr.'s eyelids drooped, he turned his head, and clicked his tongue, saying, "This rising star is no simple character; he's very shrewd."

"Old Li, that's also someone who broke through the mountains of knives and seas of fire. How about it?" He raised an eyebrow and said, "You didn't see, the business of Red Steel was all handled by this secretary-general."

"Then one must say Director Li is blessed—"

Wang Youhan's gaze lowered, he picked up the wine glass and took a sip, saying calmly, "How does that saying go? A blessed person doesn't need to be busy."

"That's true—" Wang Mr. laughed and said, "I wish I had this blessing, but who told me I don't have that life."

He glanced at Wang Youhan, smiled, and said to Tang Rongxuan, "Old brother, your factory has a good relationship with Red Steel? Is there any cooperation?"

"Isn't it from last time in Beijing? Didn't you come?" Tang Rongxuan had a seemingly careless personality. He ate a piece of food, looked up, and said, "Red Star Factory held a promotion meeting, that's how I met him."

He raised his chin, signaling to Li Xuewu, who was drinking and chatting with Han Song, director of the First Ministry of Machine Building's General Office, not far away, and explained, "Steel Automobile has a special vehicle project and wants to use our chassis."

"Oh oh oh—" Wang Mr.'s eyes narrowed slightly, nodded, and smiled, saying, "This belongs to a strong alliance."

"Our work and development focus is on the truck project." Tang Rongxuan glanced at him while pouring wine, and suddenly smiled and said, "If we cooperate, that's called a strong alliance."

"I believe there will be such a day."

Wang Mr. picked up the wine glass and took the initiative to signal Tang Rongxuan. The two were acting here, which made Wang Youhan a bit disgusted.

His gaze had been hanging on Li Xuewu. Every time he saw Director Han communicating with him in a low voice, he would frown slightly.

But seeing Li Xuewu smiling and responding to the other side, and repeatedly urging him to drink, his heart felt even more mixed.

Is Wang Youhan jealous of Li Xuewu?

Of course not. What he was observing was Director Han's attitude toward Li Xuewu, and then judging the attitude of the above toward the Red Star Steel Group.

Li Xuewu suddenly came to Leipzig, and Director Han followed. To say there was no connection, who would believe it?

What does this mean?

This is expressing concern for the Red Star Steel Group and expressing importance to the inspection performed by Red Steel here.

Beijing Automobile and other automobile manufacturing plants have been delayed here for three days, and they haven't seen leaders come to ask. Why is it that when Red Steel people come, Director Han comes too?

To say it's a coincidence is to fool a child.

Just now at the wine table, Li Xuewu was drinking and chatting, dealing with everyone, with a look of not fighting, which fooled everyone.

But after Li Xuewu left, how many were truly happy?

Anyway, he wasn't very happy.

Beijing Automobile came to East Germany with only one purpose: to obtain more advanced production technology, in order to seek new breakthroughs under the conditions of assembly line and supply chain cooperation.

According to his statement, he should go to Zwickau, because VEB Sachsenring is in Zwickau.

Then why did he follow here?

Human greed. With Beijing Automobile's size and strength, what if they got W50?

By then, cooperating with the 17th Factory, wouldn't this third industry be there?

Saying that they don't look favorably on Red Steel's third industry entrepreneurship route is because they don't have better third industry projects.

If there really is a profitable third industry, look at whether they go up or not!

It's a pity that there are many wolves and little meat. The W50 truck project is too conspicuous. They fought each other, giving the other side a chance to sit on the ground and raise the price.

In the morning, he had already received news from East Berlin that the leadership was unhappy because of this competitive situation.

Otherwise, do you think he would easily let go and watch the W50 project fall into other hands after squatting for several days?

Now Li Xuewu is here, saying he has no interest in the truck project, in W50. Do you think he believes it?

Maybe he was still hesitating just now, but now Director Han is here, and he doesn't believe it at all.

The leadership above is really dissatisfied, and the W50 project must be taken down. Being a big head is impossible, so?

Wang Youhan guessed for himself that there must be leadership authorization, arranging for Director Han to come and assist Red Steel's Li Xuewu in solving the W50 project.

Everyone is fighting, now it's good, the wolf is coming, fight a fart!

He is unwilling. Red Steel already has so many good projects, and yet they come to fight for development opportunities with them.

Beijing Automobile also has truck projects and production capacity. Why isn't it coming to support his work?

This fire was suppressed in his heart, and then fueled by Wang Mr. at the same table, it's no wonder his face looked good.

Just when he was drinking sullen wine alone, he saw Li Xuewu suddenly stand up and walk back toward this side.

Looks like he's coming for him?

Could it be that the leader noticed him and wanted to...

"Deputy Director Tang, Deputy Director Wang."

Li Xuewu did walk back, but he wasn't coming for him. He called Tang Rongxuan, and also called Deputy Director Wang, but this Wang wasn't him.

"The leader has a few words to say to you." Li Xuewu did things without any leaks. Even when greeting Deputy Director Wang, he patted Wang Mr.'s arm, and that's how he greeted him.

And Wang Mr. was obviously stunned for a moment, then stood up and organized his emotions, looked over there, and asked softly, "Brother, what's the situation?"

"Good thing, follow me."

Li Xuewu smiled and patted his arm lightly, taking him to the dining table where Han Song was.

At this time, Wang Youhan's face became even uglier after a trance, and he even had the impulse to leave the table in anger.

But in front of the leader, where did he have the courage? Director Han was looking at this side.

Of course, he was looking at the three people walking over. Wang Mr., who was still speaking sourly just now, looked like Li Xuewu's own brother.

If it weren't for being old and having a high status, he could have put his arms around each other's shoulders and jumped over.

"Look at how you are showing off—"

"Hey! Old Tang, what instructions does the leader have?"

"Yes, Old Tang, what task did Director Han give you?"

Li Xuewu didn't come back, someone was looking for him, he went directly to Red Steel's table, Tang Rongxuan and Wang Mr. came back.

Director Han chatted with them for a while and then left. Everyone was curious about what the leader said to them.

"Nothing, just asking around."

Tang Rongxuan laughed and said, "That, everyone eat first, I have something to do upstairs, excuse me."

He greeted, took the cigarette and lighter on the table, grabbed the suit jacket on the back of the chair, and walked out.

Wang Mr. also had a look of pretending to be calm, followed his words and said to everyone, "I have something to do too, see you tomorrow."

The crowd blinked. Everyone had some small calculations in their hearts, but someone couldn't help raising an eyebrow and saying, "Looking at this appearance, it is..."

"Still need to ask?" Old Dong of Harbin Automobile put down his wine glass, sighed long, and said, "Scatter early, we'll go to Eisenach tomorrow. Old Yang, what about you?"

"Us?" Yang Aidong, factory director of Hebei Province's Changzheng Automobile Manufacturing Plant, thought about it and said, "We'll go to Ludwigsfelde."

"Go to Ludwigsfelde?"

Wang Youhan raised his eyebrows, looked at Old Yang, and said, "Don't you know? Red Star Steel Group people are over there."

"Red Steel people? How come I haven't heard?"

Yang Aidong frowned and said, "Aren't Red Steel's business in East Germany all handled by Li Xuewu..."

He pointed to Li Xuewu who was eating not far away with some confusion, meaning Li Xuewu was here.

"Do you really think he is Nezha, with three heads and six arms?"

Wang Youhan glanced at Li Xuewu's direction, took a sip of wine, and said to Old Yang and others, "Red Steel prepared a huge service and support team for this trip to East Germany."

"You only saw him running around with people, but didn't see that they had already laid the foundation. He only needs to make the final decision."

When he said this, the wine glass in his hand paused in coordination, and he sneered, "Wait until you go over, the day lily will be cold."

"Huo—" Someone exclaimed in surprise, "It seems they deserve to eat the first table, we have become the ones left behind."

"Can't be, that he—"

Yang Aidong hesitated for a moment and said, "Red Steel doesn't have a plan to produce trucks, and besides, didn't he just bridge the gap for those two just now?"

Look, everyone is clear in their hearts. Seeing Tang Rongxuan and Wang Mr. leave, they knew what happened.

Since there is a move to bridge the gap for others, how could he grab their opportunities?

"Steel Automobile's production system has been basically built, and it won't develop truck projects, but it didn't say it won't develop in the future."

Wang Youhan knocked on the table and said, "Then again, Red Steel didn't collect all production lines, because they don't lack this, they want technology."

"Wait until they go through it, and then you try to negotiate."

He sneered and stood up, saying, "This is called them eating meat, and you don't even get to drink the soup."

After speaking, without waiting for the crowd to react, he swayed out.

The crowd at the dining table looked at each other. Some reacted slowly and hadn't realized what happened, how could he say such words.

After a while, Old Dong of Harbin Automobile looked at Old Yang and asked, "What's wrong with this? Which sentence of yours stimulated him?"

"I stimulated him? Hehe—"

Yang Aidong shook his head amusedly, ate a piece of food, and said, "He is unbalanced in his heart, speaking the truth after drinking."

"Actually, it's quite interesting." Old Liu of Nanjing Automobile said with a smile, "The one who came to East Germany this time is him, not Old Zhang, you think about it."

"Old Zhang is really—"

Yang Aidong couldn't help but smile, nodded to Li Xuewu who was walking back after eating, and said, "Secretary-General Li is back."

This table is basically the deputies of various enterprises, because they have to be responsible for business work, and the heads are all in Berlin.

Of course, there are also more pragmatic heads who will lead the team down personally.

"Sorry everyone, this meal was messy."

Li Xuewu didn't sit down, smiled and said to the crowd, "Today was rude. Let's have a good drink when we go back to Beijing."

"Hey, Secretary-General Li, don't rush to leave, chat for a while." Old Dong of Harbin Automobile waved his hand and said, "There are only a few of us left at this table, have something to consult with you."

"Director Dong, you are too polite."

Li Xuewu didn't want to leave just like that after hearing him say so, explained to Huang Zongfang, and sat down again.

"Not talking nonsense, Wang Factory of Beijing Automobile just said such a sentence when he left." He shook his hand, meaning others could testify, "He said Red Steel eats meat, and doesn't even share the soup with others."

"Is that so—did he really say that?"

Li Xuewu didn't get angry, but smiled and said, "It seems I offended Beijing Automobile. It seems our Antelope Automobile has a lot of market."

"Hahahaha—"

Everyone laughed after hearing it, and the atmosphere at the dining table instantly became lively.

This Old Dong is someone who dares to speak. He is not afraid of offending Wang Youhan, just wants to see how many pounds Li Xuewu has.

Unexpectedly, Li Xuewu really knows how to speak, making jokes, and pulling the contradiction to the competitive relationship between the two sides.

Even if Wang Youhan was malicious, Li Xuewu said it like this, and everyone didn't have the intention to joke anymore.

"I said the same." Old Dong signaled to Old Yang of Changchun Automobile and said, "Factory Yang is going to Ludwigsfelde. Just now he was scared by Wang Youhan and didn't dare to go, afraid that he wouldn't even get to drink the soup."

"Hahahaha—"

"Hehehehe—"

The laughter was real, but everyone's eyes were staring at Li Xuewu, wanting to know what his reaction was and how he answered.

Seeing Li Xuewu look at himself, Yang Aidong also explained with a smile, "Want to go see the parts production situation of W50."

"Going to Ludwigsfelde?"

Li Xuewu looked at him and said, "Don't want to try the W50 assembly technology anymore?"

"Forget it, we have no hope."

Old Yang said, "Heard that many parts of W50 are produced in Ludwigsfelde, I want to go over and see."

"Can go—"

Li Xuewu explained to him, "Coincidentally, we have a technical team over there inspecting and negotiating. You can ask them for help when you go over."

He said generously, "Not to mention anything else, understanding the industrial situation quickly is no problem."

"This—this is so embarrassing."

Yang Aidong smiled and looked at Old Dong, and said to Li Xuewu, "If we go over, will it cause you trouble?"

"What trouble, we are all one family."

Li Xuewu didn't care and said, "You go find them tomorrow. I'll say hello when I go back."

"Rest assured, we really don't look at W50."

Also didn't wait for him to test and inquire again, Li Xuewu explained to them with a smile, "We have taken a fancy to their engine technology."

"Diesel engine!" Seeing Old Yang's excited reaction, it was obvious that he was not unprepared and had done his homework.

But he only knew that the IFA factory in Ludwigsfelde had diesel engine production technology, and didn't know the rest.

Doesn't matter if he doesn't know, Li Xuewu can tell them.

"Not only marine diesel engines, but also jet engines for aircraft, as well as machine tool production technology."

Li Xuewu pursed his lips and introduced to several people softly, "There is another one, their stamping and forging technology is very advanced."

Several people were stunned, not expecting that the IFA factory located in Ludwigsfelde hid so many treasures.

What they didn't expect was that Li Xuewu was so generous, actually sharing such important intelligence with them.

But after Li Xuewu stood up and left, everyone realized later that since Li Xuewu dared to say it, it meant—

"Really or fake! These things can be obtained!"

"What did I ask you to do?"

Li Xuewu looked at Catherine, who was showing off the camera in her hand, speechless, and was thinking about how to scold her.

Catherine didn't care about his face, held the camera in her hand, aimed at his face, and gave a close-up with a click.

Li Xuewu really wanted to slap the camera away. He had already bragged, but she went off track and got the production technology of the Praktica camera.

What's the use of camera technology? Even if the best camera in the world is produced, what changes can it bring to domestic industry?

"Why are you so fierce—"

Seeing that he was really angry, Catherine showed a flattering smile, and said, "Guess who got the cooperation agreement?"

She pulled a stack of documents from the file bag beside her and shook them in front of her, teasing Li Xuewu.

Li Xuewu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "If you use this ability well, actually getting married is also a good investment project."

"What do you mean—"

Catherine rolled her eyes, threw the documents in her hand onto Li Xuewu, and said, "Do you think I'm only fit to be a vase when I get married?"

"What's wrong with being a vase—"

Li Xuewu picked up the documents on his body and said without looking up, "My biggest wish in this life is to find a rich woman and not worry about food and clothing."

"Then you should have said so earlier—"

Catherine shook the gemstone ring on her finger and said boastfully, "Isn't the rich woman right in front of you."

"I'm talking about not worrying about food and clothing."

Li Xuewu looked at the documents in his hand and said without looking up, "You can't even control your own freedom, and you still want to satisfy my food and clothing?"

"Just a joke, friend." Catherine stared at him and said, "Do you have to tell the truth in every sentence?"

"You'd better restrain yourself—"

Li Xuewu pointed to her foot stepping on his thigh and reminded, "You have to give your future lover an explanation, right?"

"Are you saying I'm too flirtatious?"

Catherine wasn't speaking French now. Her Chinese was quite something, especially the action of raising her hand and shaking her big waves.

She stared at Li Xuewu's eyes and asked, "Don't you men like my style?"

"I like it very much, but your lover might not like it."

Li Xuewu looked up at her and smiled slightly, saying, "It's like he might like other people's wives, but he definitely doesn't want others to like his wife."

"Too mature, you have to be reserved."

"Like this?" Catherine cooperated very well, crossed her legs, looked at him shyly, and asked, "Will it be too green?"

"It's a bit too colorful, not like a serious girl."

Li Xuewu looked at her pretentious look and couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth. What kind of picture is this foreign woman leaning on the second-floor window waving a handkerchief and calling "Master, come and play"?

"Told you to be reserved, didn't tell you to push your luck."

He reached out and grabbed the other side's silk-footed foot and threw it aside. The gear lever was almost broken, how could he come hard.

"Humph—" Catherine gave him a coquettish white look and scolded, "Bad man who doesn't understand style—"

"Talking about serious work with you, can you be serious?"

Li Xuewu flipped through the documents in his hand and said, "Where is the technical list for the Trabant I want?"

"You are really a greedy man—"

Catherine reached out and picked his chin from the desk she was sitting on, looked down at him and said, "You haven't given me the reward yet."

"No cash, let's talk about it later."

Li Xuewu glanced at her and said, "Will definitely compensate you, rest assured."

"Made it clear, they have already sold Pay6-NoteHigh."

Catherine picked up her briefcase from the desk she was sitting on and pulled out a stack of documents and handed them to Li Xuewu.

"Sold? Sold to whom?"

Li Xuewu looked up in surprise and asked her, "Someone got there first?"

"It wasn't sold to you, it was West Germany."

Catherine raised her eyebrows and said amusedly, "Didn't expect it, right? I didn't expect it either, it's a bit shocking."

"Think about it and it's normal—"

Li Xuewu squinted his eyes and thought for a while, nodded and said, "One of the predecessors of VEB Sachsenring was the Zwickau Automobile Factory, and the predecessor of that factory was the Audi Zwickau Automobile Factory."

He flipped through the technical list in his hand and said, "The other predecessor was the Horch Automobile and Engine Manufacturing Factory."

In other words, Sachsenring is essentially the Audi left in East Germany, equivalent to Li Xuewu buying technology from Audi.

The difference is that West Germany's Audi definitely wouldn't be willing to sell the best technology, and wouldn't even sell technology to the East.

But East Germany is different. Their automobile manufacturing industry has always been limited by the lack of steel and energy, and production capacity is quite sluggish.

Think about it, they started using plastic car bodies from this time, how much steel material they saved.

In other words, the people who drive Passats and A6Ls in later generations shouldn't complain that the front and rear car shells are too soft, and don't say anything about the bad habits after coming to the mainland. Germany's automobile industry has lacked steel genes from the root.

The same mistake is made by the Japanese cars. Japan lacks iron, so their automobile industry also took the plastic shell route.

In any case, the automobile industry embarked on a different path from this time.

Catherine didn't care about walking out, lowered her head, pointed to the paragraph on the material and asked, "You don't lack iron, why do you want to learn this?"

"Who told you we don't lack iron?"

Li Xuewu looked up at her and said, "We are a country lacking iron. The reserves look like a lot, but what about per capita?"

He lowered his head and continued to look at the technical documents in his hand, saying, "This Duraplast material synthesized from cotton fiber and resin looks cheap, but it actually has many advantages."

"Then tell me, what are the advantages of this plastic shell?"

Catherine raised her arm and put it on Li Xuewu's shoulder, sat beside him, and said, "Doesn't it fall apart when it hits?"

This mouthful of Northeast dialect, Li Xuewu's ears were itchy. He had strictly emphasized that the two absolutely could not speak Chinese during technical exchange, absolutely!

"Why do you want to hit a car?" Li Xuewu glanced at her and said, "Drive well, can you still have a traffic accident?"

"What if?" Catherine looked at him close at hand and said, "It's not safe like this?"

"You are in the driver's cab, protected by a steel frame keel, what about the person being hit?" Li Xuewu looked at her and asked, "You don't care about the other side's life or death?"

"Ah? Did I hit someone?"

Catherine didn't expect the scene he set to be like this, and asked unexpectedly, "Can't this plastic shell kill people?"

"If you drive fast, you can still kill people." Li Xuewu pointed at her and emphasized, "Especially those who are greedy for cups like you."

"Who is greedy for cups between us?" Catherine puffed out her chest and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Do you think I can kill people?"

Using car lights to shake people is also illegal!

Carrying a ball and hitting people is also not allowed!

Li Xuewu put away the documents and asked, "How much did these technologies cost? Not counting that camera technology, I didn't ask you to buy it."

"I have to sell it to you—"

Catherine rolled her eyes, and said, "Including independent suspension system technology, thermosetting plastic material technology, front double wishbone rear trailing arm, and high-speed naturally aspirated engine, it cost less than 5 million in total."

"5 million—" Li Xuewu turned to look at her and said, "You learned to keep fake accounts, right? Or did you use your own money?"

"Less than 5 million, 3.8 million."

Catherine patted his shoulder lightly and said, "Can you be a little gentler to me?"

"3.8 million is not a small amount."

Li Xuewu looked at her, rubbed the technical list in his hand, and said sadly, "This is all hard-earned money."

"It's not your money—" Catherine glanced at him and said, "Do you really have the excellent quality of serving the people?"

"Otherwise?" Li Xuewu looked at her seriously and asked, "My salary at Red Star Steel Group is 118 a month. Compared to your Geely Star Shipping, how much salary should I get?"

"If I can really get you, I'll give you everything—"

Catherine hugged his neck and said, "Why don't you be my general manager, and I'll give you Geely Star Shipping in five years."

"Five years later—" Li Xuewu raised the corners of his mouth amusedly and said, "Meaning I have to work for you for five years for nothing."

"You are really a capitalist, you know how to calculate."

He patted the documents in his hand and said, "Working for you, I'll be fired in less than five years. How can I have the security of my current job."

"I want to say you are just reluctant."

Catherine pointed to his forehead and said, "In Red Star Steel Group, you have a response to every call, enjoying the treatment."

"Okay, you have studied us clearly."

Li Xuewu couldn't stand her stickiness, stood up with a teacup, and said, "When you return to Italy, you will be a genuine China expert."

"Don't you want Pay6-NoteHigh anymore?"

Catherine sat in the position he just left, looked at him and asked, "The other side

"Don't you want the Pay6-NoteHigh anymore?"

Catherine sat in the seat he had just vacated, looked at him, and asked, "The other party didn't say they couldn't sell the same goods to two different buyers, did they?"

"Does the 3.8 million not include the Pay6-NoteHigh?"

Li Xuewu was truly a master negotiator; with a single sentence, he had Catherine cornered, so frustrated she rolled her eyes.

"The reason I want it is actually quite simple."

Ignoring Catherine's irritation, Li Xuewu walked over to the tea cabinet, added hot water to his teacup, and explained, "This car model uses a rotary engine, and the Group's Power Engineering Research Institute is quite interested in it."

The Pay6-NoteHigh they were discussing was something few people had likely heard of, because compared to the "People's Car"—the Beetle—which had already resumed production, this more advanced car couldn't even be manufactured.

The biggest reason was that the capital required for production was too high; the project was shelved in 1968, and only improvements to existing models that could recoup costs in the short term were permitted.

In fact, East Germany at this time was very similar to the East in a certain period; many advanced technical studies were delayed.

After this car project was shelved, just as Catherine said, the East German leadership sold the design to Volkswagen through Coco.

And Volkswagen, based on this, developed the Golf model that saved their company.

Now you know that East Germany's car manufacturing technology had an advanced side, and you also know how little they cherished this advancement, right?

At that time, West Germany's pride and joy, the Beetle, compared to this car's independent suspension system—which used a semi-independent suspension on the rear axle and a single-arm structure on the front axle—was literally "chopstick suspension."

To add one more thing, the suspension system of the car Li Xuewu wanted was the very same Super McPherson structure used by many cars in later generations.

Did East Germany not know their car manufacturing technology was good?

They knew, and they knew it very clearly.

As an East German car company, wanting to prove how good their manufacturing technology was without involving motorsports was unthinkable; otherwise, their national credibility would be questioned.

Therefore, Trabant established its own racing department in 1960, which was affiliated with the main design department.

The team initially used the P50 model, switched to the Sex-9 model in 1964, and subsequently, the Trabant 800FS, built specifically for rallies, was equipped with a 0.77-liter engine outputting 65 horsepower, matched with a five-speed gearbox.

They once won the championship in the 850cc class at the Monte Carlo Rally and took multiple class championships in events such as the Rally of the Thousand Lakes in Finland, and rallies in Munich, Vienna, and Budapest.

The Trabant brand could be considered the face of East Germany, but what was the result? They were still selling technology to recoup funds.

East Germany's overall car manufacturing environment simply couldn't develop.

The big Munich factory was struggling to survive by producing refrigerators and bubble cars, the big Stuttgart factory had become detached from the masses, and the big Wolfsburg factory was still manufacturing 1920s cars and small vans based on that technology.

So, after the East's trade and technical inspection team arrived, high-end technology was placed on the shelves.

Some prices might have been called too high, like the W50 truck; the technology was good, but it was also spoiled by these people from the East rushing over in a swarm.

You see, once the technical procurement gate opened, the Red Star Steel Group acted swiftly—didn't they snatch the fattest piece of meat?

As for the W50, Steel Auto couldn't use it at all, but he had calculated a move by riding the coattails of Director Han; he just didn't know if it would succeed.

And there was also good news for Beijing Chemical, which was carrying the burden for them far away in Lubmin, in the northeast corner of East Germany.

On the 29th, Li Xuewu kept his promise and really didn't leave the hotel, leaving David, who was waiting downstairs, both relieved and disappointed.

What relieved him was that if Li Xuewu didn't come out, those people wouldn't rush in to cause trouble, and he wouldn't have to clean up the mess.

But since Li Xuewu didn't come out, naturally there was no opportunity for him to perform, let alone earn any merit.

Although Anna next door was very unhappy, she had also gained glory; even if it came easily, he wanted it too.

He sat in the lobby sipping coffee, but saw many heads of enterprises from the East and local East German companies coming and going, as if many meetings were being held.

The actual situation was indeed so.

What surprised the Leipzig regional car manufacturing plant was that an accident really did occur.

The units from the East's visiting delegation that were interested in the W50 car project suddenly disappeared.

There should have been three rounds of negotiations, but this morning they received letters from almost all the units saying they were leaving.

Well, well, had the East collectively banded together?

The person in charge still wanted to stall, but the news from the hotel was that the units of the East's visiting delegation had all set off and left this morning.

The people tracking them also had a response: many units had left the Leipzig area, and some had gone to other cities.

The current situation was that more than half of the East's people in the hotel had left, and those remaining were not all units interested in the automotive industry.

The person in charge's idea of stalling was shattered; the vice president took the initiative to ask about the situation, and it was the organization secretary of the visiting delegation who received them.

The situation was explained very clearly: the overall technical procurement price for the W50 was too high, and the relevant units were deterred.

The result was that some units decided to inspect the production technology of individual components, while some units had already abandoned the W50 project.

The vice president wanted to fight for it, and the organization secretary introduced an enterprise, saying they were all very capable units from the East.

It was just that this unit's interest didn't lie there; they were inspecting a small car project, not a truck project.

So, when Li Xuewu met the visiting IFA factory vice president, the attitude he displayed was friendly, but what he said was vague.

The other party was naturally very embarrassed; if the time dragged on, were they betting that these people would come back tomorrow to fight for the W50 project?

They couldn't exactly learn from other car companies and change their trade to hatching chicks and selling eggs.

So he took the initiative to provide a quote, which was much lower than the quote Li Xuewu had heard, showing sincerity.

Unfortunately, Li Xuewu had no sincerity.

The two of them haggled in the hotel reception room for the whole morning, and the result was that this vice president's patience was worn out, and he could only choose to take his leave.

The price he gave was overturned time and again, and Li Xuewu wouldn't make an offer; no matter how much they talked, it was useless.

Actually, Li Xuewu wanted to take a stab at him; what if the price was agreed upon?

However, he thought about it and held back; after all, Steel Auto really couldn't handle truck production in the short term, and even if he got it, it would be a hot potato.

He had already promised it to others; he was helping out now, and if he pocketed it himself, he wouldn't be able to mix in the car industry circle after returning home.

Even if he got it, if the higher-ups wanted it, could Red Steel refuse to give it?

By then, it would truly be losing the wife and the army.

So he instigated Chuan Auto and Ji Auto to cooperate to take it down, and with Director Han's reputation as a banner, it would be twice the result with half the effort.

Just as Li Xuewu was seeing the other party out, Wang Mr. from Ji Auto and Tang Rongxuan from Chuan Auto found them.

The other party had seen these two old things before; as soon as they met, he became vigilant, feeling he had fallen into a trap.

But Li Xuewu didn't give him a chance to think, waved his hand, and asked how the H6 project was going.

What was the H6 project?

It really was the IFA brand; it was also a car model under that brand, and it was a style that the East had purchased many of in the past.

It just wasn't produced at the Leipzig factory.

It was mentioned earlier that IFA was not just a car brand, but more of a car manufacturing alliance.

Carrying this brand didn't mean they were all produced in one factory, so there was cooperation and competition between the Leipzig factory and factories in three other cities in the region.

Now hearing that the East was inspecting the H6, the vice president of the IFA Leipzig factory panicked and wanted to ask, but was sent out the door by the secretary.

Which strategy in the Thirty-Six Stratagems did this move belong to?

Anyway, the East German comrades hadn't experienced it, and even if they had seen it, they couldn't recall it; by the time they came looking with cooperation documents, it wasn't a situation where East's car companies were surrounding them for quotes.

Li Xuewu didn't participate in the final price negotiation because with him present, Ji Auto and Chuan Auto wouldn't feel at ease.

It was really because his reputation was well-known, for better or worse.

Truth be told, his reputation in the circle wasn't that loud originally, but who told Wang Youhan from Beijing Auto to be here?

This old brother was really something; he didn't seek fame or profit, he just helped Li Xuewu with publicity, and as a result, everyone knew him.

Knew what?

Everyone knew to guard against him.

On the 29th, the feedback from the few units that ran to the other three car manufacturing centers in Leipzig was that they had arrived too late.

Li Xuewu met with the heads of the Trabant car manufacturing plant and the Wartburg car manufacturing plant separately at the hotel in Leipzig.

He represented the Red Star Steel Group and signed a technology transfer agreement with them; note, this was not a technical cooperation agreement, but a transfer.

The Red Star Steel Group lacked technical management capabilities in the shipbuilding industry that matched the international shipbuilding industry, but it did not lack management capabilities in the car manufacturing industry.

Li Xuewu hadn't managed a shipyard, but he was very skilled in managing car manufacturing plants; he didn't want technical exchange, only pure technology.

The Red Star Steel Group had its own technical team and would certainly be able to master these technologies in the shortest possible time.

Saying East Germany's car manufacturing technology was good was only partially true; it didn't mean all technology was very good.

If the technology wasn't very advanced, why did Li Xuewu still want to spend a high price to buy it back?

Because Steel Auto's foundation was thin, and the foundation of the Red Star Steel Group's Automotive Industry Research Institute was even thinner, which was a challenge for R&D.

Obtaining technology from East Germany was equivalent to supplementing the foundation for the Group's Automotive Industry Research Institute; after mastering it, they could start climbing the peak on the shoulders of East German technology.

Without a foundation, one could only spend money to make up for the lessons; if there was a teacher willing to help make up for them, why complain about spending too much?

Of course, Catherine's camera production technology hadn't gone to waste either; she planned to study it after returning, hand it over to a mainland factory for OEM, and then make it a subsidiary brand of luxury yachts.

A trash bag isn't worth a dime, but once you print "LV" on it, it becomes valuable.

Catherine wasn't a peerless beauty, but being called "President" made her charming.