Chapter 1583: So many schemes

"This location is reserved for the bus factory; everything ahead is as well," Lu Yuanshen said, pointing at the vacant lot in the factory area. "Construction starts now."

"Has the soil layer thawed out yet?"

Li Xuewu stood before the vacant lot with his hands behind his back, surveying the scale of the site. He asked, "When is the factory building scheduled to be completed?"

"I asked United Construction. They said it would take at least three months, and that's assuming they rush the schedule."

Lu Yuanshen stood by his side and reported earnestly, "We could mobilize the staff for voluntary labor, but United Construction doesn't recommend it. They say everything is specialized construction now."

"You might not know this." Li Xuewu walked forward a few steps and waved his hand. "United Construction has developed very rapidly in the last few years."

As he said this, he reached the plot prepared for the foundation excavation. He squatted down to examine the unhardened section and said, "It's beyond imagination."

"I know the Santa Ya Group provided United Construction with quite a bit of standardized construction theory."

Seeing him stand up, Lu Yuanshen reached out to help him, though it was just for show.

Li Xuewu's rank was higher than his, but he was much younger; there was no issue of aging limbs, so he didn't need any support.

"That's one part of it." Li Xuewu pointed at him, then looked at the other cadres accompanying them from Steel Auto to explain, "United Construction also has its own set of development goals and standards. That is the main reason they have today's construction speed and standards."

"You have to set the craft, set the standards, and formulate construction processes and specific plans."

He clapped the dirt off his hands and said with a chuckle, "I don't know the specifics, but I know they listened to the requirements of the Group Management Committee."

"One is standards, the other is management."

Li Xuewu held up two fingers to emphasize, "Standards govern technology, equipment, and even every construction process, down to the smallest detail."

"Once you have work standards, management becomes much easier, and processes are simplified significantly."

He pointed to the nearby construction site of the Metallurgical Plant and said, "They don't need voluntary labor support now because they are implementing mechanized construction. It's easy to cause accidents if you aren't a professional."

"Furthermore, our Group's construction workers are currently in a state of surplus."

"That might be the main reason."

Lu Yuanshen said with a smile, "In any case, United Construction's reply to me was that unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering the construction site, and they take no responsibility for accidents."

"You must pay attention to this. If they are serious about their engineering, you must be serious too."

Li Xuewu pointed at him and said, "These kinds of accidents happen every year; there's no need for it."

"I understand. I've already instructed the Security Division." Lu Yuanshen had suffered the bitterness of a safety production accident earlier that year; the memory was still fresh, so how could he dare to relax?

"On one hand, it's security supervision; on the other, it's strengthening publicity." He reported, "Staff families cannot enter the factory area. Our factory's management is still very strict."

"The construction site side might involve the behavior of staff and their families after work."

Lu Yuanshen chose his words carefully, trying not to be too blunt. "United Construction has its own security force. Both sides should coordinate and communicate more."

"Hmm, you need to be prepared for this yourself."

Li Xuewu didn't want to repeatedly emphasize such trivial matters; he was already tired of it.

What do grassroots levels find most annoying when leaders speak?

It's these small things, repeated over and over. Everyone knows it's serious when it's brought up, but no one takes it seriously when it hasn't happened yet.

In any case, he wasn't a person who liked to nag or ramble, and he wouldn't be vague if something went wrong.

"The bus manufacturing production line and auxiliary production equipment, as well as parts production equipment shipped from East Germany, are about to arrive at the Yingcheng Port wharf."

He looked back at the Steel Auto cadres and said, "At most, it will take a month to transport them to your factory. There is a lot of rain in early spring, so you weigh your options."

"The foundation for the main production workshop was mostly finished in the winter. It should be about right, matching the equipment arrival time and the preparation and installation time."

Lu Yuanshen thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "I have already discussed it with the team members. Each person will watch one area to ensure the transition is normal."

"However, I just don't know..."

When he said this, he gave a bitter smile. Although he didn't finish the sentence, Li Xuewu understood, and so did the other Steel Auto cadres.

The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat heavy, perhaps because the Group's handling of Factory Director Lu Yuanshen made them feel a sense of shared sorrow.

Li Xuewu did not comfort him. He turned around to look at the rumbling production workshop, his gaze deep.

From operating and developing with only one production line to today's comprehensive automobile manufacturing plant with four complete lines, Steel City Auto had walked an extremely arduous path over these three years.

The four independent production lines for motorcycles, sedans, off-road vehicles, and buses supported all mass-produced vehicles for the Red Steel Group's automotive industry and laid a solid economic foundation for the Group's development.

The first name that should be inscribed on this book of merit was the contribution of the first factory director, Lu Yuanshen.

But this was an era that didn't talk about merit but about dedication; his achievements were only a part of the comprehensive assessment by the Group Management Committee leaders.

His merit was great, and his ability was strong—he didn't need to say it; the Group leaders could see it.

But he wasn't the only one in the entire Group with great merit and strong ability. With so many production units and branches, which person in charge hadn't carried the burden to get where they were?

Steel Auto developed fast, but did Steel Electric not develop fast? What about Steel Flight? The Metallurgical Plant?

Compared to outside enterprises, Steel Auto could be said to be quite impressive, but within the Group, it wasn't the most impressive. The Metallurgical Plant, which started the earliest, was the truly impressive one.

With the technology introduction agreement signed earliest by the Santa Ya Group, the Red Steel Group possessed a development foundation comparable to Japan 20 years ago. Coupled with the introduction and cooperation of the latest technology, it was at most ten years behind Japan.

Ten years was just ten years. In the long history of industrial development, it was critical, but for the Red Steel Group, which had accumulated scientific and production strength, it was nothing.

The goal Li Xuewu set for the Metallurgical Plant was to catch up with Japan's iron and steel metallurgical technology in ten years.

Whether this goal was difficult or not depended on whether the Red Steel Group could burst forth with the necessary strength in the metallurgical industry and whether cooperation with the international market could grow steadily.

The Red Steel Group's industrial foundation in Liaodong was entirely built on the high-quality development of the Metallurgical Plant. It was because the Metallurgical Plant continuously provided better production materials that the Red Steel Group decided to form an integrated light and heavy industrial base in Liaodong.

Speaking of technological transformation, Steel Auto was only in its fourth year, while the Metallurgical Plant was already in its fifth. From the time Dong Wenxue arrived in Steel City, he began to work on the construction of related projects.

Therefore, Lu Yuanshen only dared to speak of hard work, not merit. When it came to merit, he didn't rank high.

"Are you not going to celebrate the New Year just because you hear the dragon roar?"

Li Xuewu turned his head to glance at him and walked toward the production workshop, saying, "The training for the Trabant technicians is about to end."

"We have already made preparations for the reception."

Lu Yuanshen composed his emotions and reported very earnestly, "As long as the technicians can arrive, work can begin immediately."

"People from the Automotive Engineering Research Institute of the Research Academy will follow up." Li Xuewu raised his finger and pointed, saying, "You must thoroughly master the technology they bring."

"I don't care what methods you use; you must fully grasp the knowledge in their heads and the technology in their hands."

He stopped and looked back at the Steel Auto cadres, emphasizing, "Even if it means trickery or deception, spare no effort."

This was too blunt, and everyone couldn't help but be stunned.

But what Li Xuewu said next made them deeply understand why he had to emphasize it so absolutely.

"There is only one such opportunity."

He looked at everyone, nodded, and said, "And the time left for us is not much."

Everyone could hear the seriousness and urgency in his words. Was it a task assigned by the era, or was it the leader's own understanding of the international market? They didn't know.

They were not the decision-makers; in front of Li Xuewu, they were the execution layer and had to strictly complete the tasks assigned by the Group.

Was Li Xuewu's statement suspicious of alarmism?

Not at all. This was the spring of 1970. Two years later, the country would also welcome the true spring of economic and industrial development.

Taking the automotive industry alone, if advanced automotive production technology were truly introduced, would it be the Red Steel Group's turn to take over?

In Li Xuewu's view, that was wishful thinking; it was absolutely impossible.

Just looking at the future, whether it was FAW, SAIC, or even Beijing Auto, they could all get opportunities for technology introduction or even joint ventures. What about the Red Steel Group?

Steel Auto was the Red Steel Group's tertiary industry. To this day, it hadn't connected to the domestic planned production economy. What could it rely on to get such policies?

You might say that the first automotive industry joint venture in the country was finalized in the eighties, but basic cooperation didn't start that late.

Old Nixon didn't come for nothing. That year, he relaxed some export controls on the mainland, and after that, it loosened year by year, even becoming closer than with the North Soviets.

Great power games—that was the honeymoon period.

North America was a powerhouse in the automotive industry. If the Red Steel Group developed even a little slowly, it would lose the opportunity to compete with them.

That's right; the future Li Xuewu positioned for Steel Auto was competition.

Li Huai De had long emphasized at the Red Steel Group's office meeting that the Group's tertiary industry would never be connected to the planned production sequence.

This was the foundation of the Red Steel Group and the standard for a market-oriented experimental enterprise; it must adhere to a product competition development strategy.

Not counting the technology introduction starting the year after next, could the Red Steel Group's automotive industry withstand the market impact of imported cars ten years later?

Li Xuewu was very cautious about this question, but he was also very ambitious.

How would you know if you couldn't do it if you didn't fight for it?

The Red Steel Group's automotive industry was redefining domestic automotive production standards while building a supply chain that aligned with the development direction of the world's automotive industry.

Even if the domestic supply chain production capacity couldn't compare to countries with developed automotive industries, it could at least have the strength to fight, right?

As a comprehensive automotive industrial enterprise covering motorcycles, sedans, off-road vehicles, buses, and special vehicles, to compete, one must be ruthless to oneself.

Li Xuewu highly approved of the comments from some domestic automotive industrial enterprises regarding the Red Steel Group's introduction of a large amount of technology related to automotive production from East Germany last year.

What did they say? They said Li Huai De of the Red Steel Group went to East Germany to collect junk.

It was indeed junk. Compared to the rapidly developing automotive industry internationally, East Germany was still living off its past, and it was almost out of things to live off.

But for the mainland, and for the Red Steel Group, whose automotive industry had developed for less than three years, the technology introduced from East Germany at least filled the gaps in technological accumulation.

Without cooperation with Trabant, how could Steel Auto get independent suspension system technology, thermosetting plastic material technology, and a full set of engine technology?

Not to mention the front double-wishbone and rear trailing-arm, high-revving naturally aspirated engines, and other technologies that could hold their own in the world.

Without cooperation with the Ludwigsfelde factory, could the Red Steel Group be inclusive and complete further cooperation with Shen Flight?

The production technologies for aircraft jet engines and marine diesel engines jointly formed and developed by both sides were already well-prepared.

Whether in terms of engines or body structure, the Red Steel Group's automotive industry had made progress of more than one step.

In the current environment, with only that little capital in hand, having bought so many things from East Germany, what else could one want?

Li Xuewu came to Steel Auto today to inspect, focusing on the landing of the Fritz Fleischer bus manufacturing plant project, which was moved back in its entirety from East Germany.

Medium and large buses had always been a field that Steel Auto hadn't fully touched. Even though Steel Auto had successively produced the 45-seat Honghai and 12-seat Hongtu buses, it didn't hold a leading position in the domestic bus manufacturing field.

But once the Fritz Fleischer bus manufacturing plant project landed, the Red Steel Group would have the complete production capacity for medium and large buses.

Only automotive industrial enterprises could understand the significance of a complete production plant landing.

The Red Steel Group spent three years operating off-road vehicle and sedan production projects, but the medium and large bus project could produce as soon as it landed.

Counting transport, installation, and trial operation, at most, it would take about half a year.

The bus manufacturing plant project brought not only the production capacity for a vehicle model but also an improvement in comprehensive technology.

Li Xuewu didn't care about Lu Yuanshen's little schemes, and he didn't want to hear his complaints and grievances. Even if the Group transferred him away tomorrow, he had to get the preparation work done.

"Secretary-General, you know me."

Lu Yuanshen placed the teacup in his hand in front of Li Xuewu and said humbly, "I don't think about messy things; I just want to know how many more days I can work at Steel Auto."

After putting down the teacup, he sat in front of Li Xuewu, nodded, and said, "If there is still time, I will lead the comrades to work harder."

"If there isn't enough time, then I will prepare for the handover and the arrangements for the work in my hands."

"Haven't you made arrangements yet?"

Li Xuewu looked at the teacup he had brought, then looked at him and said, "How come I heard you even sent back a batch of luggage?"

"You can't keep me until the end of the year, right?"

Lu Yuanshen said with a bitter smile, "It just so happened that my wife came to see me, so I let her take it back together. I only kept the clothes for this season."

"I won't hide it from you." Li Xuewu put down his crossed right leg and looked at him, saying, "Director Li has already asked for my opinion regarding your handling and arrangements."

Hearing him say this, Lu Yuanshen couldn't help but sit up straight. The expression on his face was somewhat nervous, like a prisoner waiting for a verdict.

Li Xuewu didn't have the malicious interest to tease him and explained quite frankly, "But Director Li didn't give me a definite answer, nor did he reveal his attitude toward arranging your next step."

"However, I can tell you one thing."

He pointed at the coffee table in front of him and said, "What I say doesn't count. Director Li fully affirmed your work and contributions at Steel Auto over the phone."

"Secretary-General..." Perhaps because of the recent pressure, Lu Yuanshen's emotions stirred upon hearing this sentence, and tears even fell.

Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and said, "Is that all the pursuit you have?"

"No—" Lu Yuanshen shook his head with tears streaming down his face and wiped his eyes with his hand, saying, "To get such an affirmation from the leader, it means I haven't worked in vain at Steel Auto for three years."

"Have some ambition—" Li Xuewu glanced at him, picked up his teacup, and said, "Handling you after such a long time is already an attitude."

"I know, I know what's going on."

Lu Yuanshen sniffed, suppressed his excitement, and said, "If you hadn't helped me ease things, I would have become a typical example long ago."

"I told you, what I say doesn't count." Li Xuewu took a sip of hot tea, put down the teacup, and said indifferently, "You also know the situation of the Group's personnel work."

"But at this time, only you are helping me."

Lu Yuanshen pursed his lips, nodded, and said sincerely, "They say distance tests a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's heart. Only now have I learned it."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement and said, "You're quite learned."

"Don't make fun of me; I only graduated from junior high."

Lu Yuanshen picked up his teacup and took a big gulp, suppressing the emotion in his heart, and said with a bitter smile, "The little ability I have in my hands was also learned later on the job."

"Hmm, most of the Group's middle-level cadres are like this." Li Xuewu nodded slowly, looked at him, and said, "This is also a common phenomenon."

"I know the Group is promoting the rejuvenation of cadres." Lu Yuanshen put down the teacup and asked tentatively, "The cultural requirements for cadres will also become higher and stricter, right?"

"How should I put this—" Li Xuewu pondered for a moment, raised his head, and looked at him, saying, "Do you know how many university graduates the Group has recruited since 1966?"

"This..." Lu Yuanshen really hadn't paid attention to this data, but Li Xuewu remembered it very clearly. He raised his eyebrows and said, "In four years, counting everyone, it's over three thousand people."

"Ah!" Lu Yuanshen really hadn't noticed. Hearing the number he mentioned, he opened his mouth in surprise.

"Do you know what this means?"

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "In four years, Deputy Director Gu has spent over two million on this talent introduction project."

"This huge sum is a cost and must get a return. You say, what return can these three thousand university graduates from all over the country bring to the Group?"

He didn't wait for Lu Yuanshen to guess or think. He pointed at the coffee table and said, "I won't explain the technological accumulation; it's mainly management talent."

"Do you think the Group's finance department today is still run by junior high graduates as accountants?"

Li Xuewu chuckled, shook his head slightly, and said, "There are three graduates from the Central University of Finance and Economics in the work team Li Xue brought, and she herself says the pressure is very high."

"Director Li has repeatedly emphasized the rejuvenation of cadres at personnel work meetings. I'll tell you a fact: the proportion of university graduates among grassroots cadres is particularly high."

He raised his finger and pointed at Lu Yuanshen, who was sitting opposite him, and said, "Within ten years, if you people don't study hard, you'll have to give up your positions to them."

"I'm forty this year, Secretary-General."

Lu Yuanshen suddenly felt very tired and said with a bitter smile, "If you let me go to the workshop now, I might not even be able to handle it. I don't know how to operate that CNC lathe, so how can I learn?"

"Even if I study hard, I'll be fifty in ten years. At an age that's neither here nor there, if I compete with these young people, can I win?"

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu smiled, picked up his teacup, and said, "Competing with people is endless joy."

"I can't compete, and I can't win."

Lu Yuanshen suddenly felt that the fear he had been feeling for these past few months was pointless. Even if he fought for a good result now, what about the future?

Li Xuewu had already said that they would have to give up their positions before long, but in his view, this time was still too long.

Before 1966, the factory could only get two or three university students a year, seven or eight at most. But that year, more than twenty university students entered the factory.

The outstanding ones from that batch, like Zhou Yao, were already serving as the head of the Group's Security Division. Even if the rank of division head became somewhat hollow after the major department reform, one could still see the drive of this batch of university graduates.

The best arrangement he could get back to the Group was as a deputy manager of a major department, only one level higher than Zhou Yao. Was this gap as far as ten years?

Zhou Yao, who entered the factory in 1966, was twenty-six this year. Ten years later, she would be thirty-six—definitely the backbone of the Group. Where would they, these old things, be thrown?

Fifty years old competing with a thirty-six-year-old?

He didn't need Li Xuewu to say anything about studying hard; he had already defaulted to this failure.

It wasn't that he feared Zhou Yao at thirty-six ten years later, but he knew that there would definitely be more than one thirty-six-year-old who could rush up ten years later.

These university graduates of this era—the Red Steel Group threw out more than two million as if they were red-eyed, just to snatch them up and provide them with work and research environments.

If university graduates were like this, how many professor-level figures were snatched up?

There was a reason the Red Steel Group could handle the technology introduced by the Santa Ya Group and the technology brought back from East Germany.

Even if only one in ten of those three thousand people rushed into the middle-level management sequence, that was three hundred people. And if one in ten of those got into middle-to-high-level management positions, that was thirty people.

And that's only talking about ten years later!

You say, is Lu Yuanshen's sense of powerlessness real or not? How many middle-level and middle-to-high-level management positions are there in the entire Group?

With more than three hundred people rushing up, would there still be positions for these old timers?

Those three thousand people were the current number. This year, the Group's own vocational technical college welcomed its first batch of graduates. How many people would that be?

Rushing up from the bottom, a large group of fresh troops with higher cultural organization and stronger work ability would squeeze their living space.

He didn't disagree at all that the future belonged to the young, but he would only be fifty ten years later—in his prime.

Facing these young and strong cadres, would he retire?

"How did you talk to him?"

Bu Qingfang took a sip of coffee and asked with a smile, "Why can't I see any more decadent expressions on Old Lu?"

"What expression?" Li Xuewu was looking at the documents in his hand. He raised his head and scratched his eyebrows, asking, "Is he decadent?"

"Of course not now." Bu Qingfang grinned and said, "I heard from his words that it seems like... he's enlightened."

"Heh—" Li Xuewu couldn't help but laugh when he heard her nonsense. His eyes fell on the documents in his hand, and he picked up his teacup, saying, "Enlightened about what? He doesn't have the heart to become a monk."

"I didn't say he would become a monk; he's quite a playboy." Bu Qingfang curled her lips and said, "I mean he's opened up about the matter of progress and doesn't want to compete anymore."

"Is that so—" Li Xuewu took a sip of hot tea, shook his head slightly, put down the teacup, and said, "I didn't see it."

"He even advised me to do more practical work and waste less time." Bu Qingfang had an expression like she had eaten dog poop and rubbed her neck, saying, "What did you say to him?"

"If one conversation could achieve this effect, I would have talked to you long ago."

Li Xuewu put down the documents in his hand, looked at her, and said with amusement, "You're just too eager for progress."

"Who doesn't want to? Don't you want to?"

Bu Qingfang rolled her eyes and said, "Being in the game, one cannot help oneself."

"You call this idealism—"

Li Xuewu pointed at her with a smile and said, "I am eager to do more practical work and waste less time."

"You must have said something to him." Bu Qingfang couldn't help but laugh, "Otherwise, he wouldn't have said that to me."

Knock, knock—

There was a knock at the door. Both of them looked over and saw two female comrades standing there.

"Come in." Li Xuewu nodded and said with a smile, "I didn't disturb your work, did I?"

"Secretary-General, General Manager Bu."

Both of them nodded and greeted them, and at the same time smiled and shook their heads to indicate they weren't disturbed.

"Feng Xiaoling, Deputy Director of the Personnel Division."

Li Xuewu raised his hand to introduce her to Bu Qingfang, "Li Xue, Section Chief of the Finance Section, you know her."

"I know her, how could I not know her." Bu Qingfang nodded with a smile, looked at the two of them, and said, "Both are excellent female comrades in the Group."

"The more excellent ones are sitting right in front of you." Li Xuewu stood up with a smile, gestured to the sofa for them to sit, and used a joke to ease their nervousness.

Feng Xiaoling and Li Xue didn't know why they were called together. Secretary Zhang only said the Secretary-General invited them over, but didn't mention their team leader, Zhao Yong.

When they arrived at the office door and saw Bu Qingfang, General Manager of the United Energy Development Corporation, there, their confusion grew even more.

Sitting in front of them was the Group's current Secretary-General, who was also the head of the Group's Liaodong industry, and the other was the former Deputy Secretary-General of the Group, now the helmsman of an important share-cooperative enterprise under the Group.

Not to mention Li Xue, who had only worked for four years, even Feng Xiaoling, who had worked for ten years, felt nervous facing the two of them.

Without an important matter, it was impossible to bypass Zhao Yong and see them alone.

"The Secretary-General really knows how to chat."

Bu Qingfang felt no pressure here with Li Xuewu. She looked at the two of them with a smile and said, "Don't be nervous; we're just chatting about work."

She didn't need Li Xuewu to bridge the gap, nor did she need him to do any foreshadowing. She said quite bluntly, "Comrade Li Xue is going to participate in the Group's investigation team stationed at the United Energy General Corporation, right?"

"Yes, General Manager Bu." Li Xue glanced at her second brother. She wasn't panicked with him here, and seeing the other party ask this, she could guess a thing or two.

Bu Qingfang nodded and looked at Feng Xiaoling, who hadn't spoken yet, asking, "I heard you are going to work in Discipline Inspection after you go back?"

"I haven't received an official notice yet." Feng Xiaoling had a smile on her face, but her answer was watertight.

"I only had a talk with General Manager Jing before I left, and Deputy Director Gu also had a talk with me."

She was ultimately not facing someone like You Ning, so she didn't dare to play games in front of Bu Qingfang.

Regarding Bu Qingfang, it would be too superficial to only look at her current position. The solid foundation she had worked in the propaganda department for many years was definitely something she should pay attention to.

Therefore, when answering the question, she still stated the actual situation; how to interpret it was the leader's business.

Bu Qingfang didn't care about her attitude and said quite frankly, "I took the initiative to propose to the Secretary-General that the Group form a joint investigation team to station at the United Energy General Corporation."

This news was shocking enough. At least looking at the two of them, their expressions were all blank; they didn't know why she did this, or why she told them this.

"I have learned that the joint investigation team sent by the Group will enter the next stage of the work plan, and I also know that more forces will join in."

She looked at the two of them, paused slightly here, and gave them time to think and react.

Li Xuewu put down the teacup in his hand at this time, looked at Li Xue with a calm tone, and said, "Financial auditing will be the focus of the work group stationed at United Energy next. General Manager Bu means she hopes you will work hard."

Li Xue's reaction was more direct. She widened her eyes and looked at Bu Qingfang as if she were looking at a fool, while Bu Qingfang glared at her with amusement.

This girl was a bit too naive.

"Your situation of going to work in Discipline Inspection has basically been implemented." Li Xuewu turned to look at Feng Xiaoling and said, "Next, you will lead the formation of the Second Discipline Inspection Division."

"You will receive the order soon after you go back, to reinforce the joint investigation work group stationed at United Energy."

He saw the confusion and incomprehension in the other party's eyes and nodded slowly, saying, "I have already communicated with Deputy Director Zhou, and he is of the same opinion."

"Your first task for the Second Division is to take down this hard nut of United Energy. This is also a precious opportunity for your training and growth."

"Secretary-General, I..."

Feng Xiaoling still hadn't reacted. She hadn't even taken office yet, so how could the work task be pressed in front of her, and in front of Bu Qingfang?

"Don't have pressure. General Manager Bu being able to sit here is your strongest support."

Li Xuewu smiled faintly and said, "This is a process of scraping the bone to remove poison. She has a quick temper and won't give you much time, so she came to see you in advance, wanting you to have a psychological preparation."

Li Xue and the other looked at each other. They had never seen anyone give such a heads-up.

"Time is tight, and the task is heavy." Bu Qingfang nodded slightly and introduced, "I brought a summary of the basic situation of United Energy. You can take a copy back to read later."

Her gaze swept over the two of them, and she emphasized very earnestly, "One check, one handle—the breakthrough point for United Energy is right here with you."

"I came to see you in advance and asked the Secretary-General for help, also because I don't want to increase your pressure when we meet later."

"Another thing is to ask the Secretary-General to act as a guarantor."

She looked at the two of them and promised solemnly, "As long as you can help United Energy cleanse the filth and clear the atmosphere, I will definitely ask for credit for you from the Group Management Committee."

This was said with such a strong air of the martial arts world that Feng Xiaolin and Li Xue were left momentarily speechless, not knowing how to respond.

With Li Xuewu here, Li Xue's confidence was ultimately stronger. Encouraged by her second brother, she nodded and replied, "I will definitely work hard to complete my duties."

Hearing her answer, Bu Qingfang raised her eyebrows slightly. This wasn't the answer she wanted, but in her heart, she had to say that Li Xuewu was good at teaching his sister.

Looking at Feng Xiaoling again, she followed suit and expressed very earnestly that if there was an opportunity, she would definitely work hard, but she also thanked her for the opportunity given.

Bu Qingfang wasn't very satisfied with the two people's answers, but she knew that with Li Xuewu here, the two wouldn't be vague.

As for whether they believed her promise or not, that was no longer important.

"Huaqing is really going to resume classes this time."

Li Xue sat on her second brother's left side. It was only after Bu Qingfang left and he finished talking with Feng Xiaoling, and Secretary Zhang sent the other party away, leaving only the brothers, that she started talking about family matters.

"Did your sister-in-law call you?" Li Xuewu looked at his sister and asked, raising his eyebrows, "Worried about you coming to Steel City?"

"With you here, she wouldn't worry."

Li Xue held the teacup in her hand and said indifferently, "She told me there is news coming down from above that universities might resume recruitment."

"And then? Do you want to take the university entrance exam?" Li Xuewu smiled and asked, "Can you let go of your current work and position?"

"You have to realize, even if you retake the university entrance exam, there's no guarantee you'll be assigned to your current position after graduation."

"But in the future, they will definitely be better than me."

Li Xue looked up, her eyes burning as she watched him and said, "Whether it's work ability or theoretical knowledge, they are on a completely different level, far beyond me."

"It's good to feel pressure, but there's no need to be so jittery, seeing enemies in every bush," Li Xuewu said, leaning back on the sofa and gently tapping the armrest with his fingers. "If your heart is already in chaos before you even know the conditions for the recruitment, how will you manage?"

Li Xue kept her head down and didn't speak; not refuting him was proof enough that her heart was already in turmoil.

Li Xuewu was quite clear about his younger sister's obsession; if even he, this "good-for-nothing" second brother, could "muddle" his way to a university degree, why couldn't she?

Back then, she was the one in the whole school most confident about getting into a key university, and ever since her eldest brother got into university, she had set her sights on Huaqing. And yet, look at the result.

Her sister-in-law tutored her for over a year, and she still ended up with absolutely no chance.

She wasn't reconciled to it; sometimes she would dream that she had gotten into university, sitting in a classroom and studying hard.

Others might not know, but Li Xuewu knew that even today, his sister hadn't given up on her academic studies and was still persistently reviewing.

Even when work was exhausting, she still persisted. No one in the family dared to bring this up, fearing they would touch her scars and destroy her hopes and dreams.

"If you trust me, then work hard. If there really is such an opportunity, I won't let you have regrets for the rest of your life."

Li Xuewu ultimately couldn't bear to see her sad, so he gave her a promise that was unprecedented.

Li Xue was very surprised; she looked up into her second brother's eyes, knowing all too well his ability to keep a promise.

As long as he said it, there was nothing he couldn't accomplish.

"Really?!"

"Do you trust me or not?"

Li Xuewu smiled and tapped her, saying, "Work steadily. They have only just organized the resumption of classes; there is still plenty of time."

"Mm—" Li Xue's voice was as gentle as a kitten stepping on snow. After all, it was a regret in her life; how could she possibly let it go?

"The sister-in-law has gone back to work, but what about the eldest brother?"

Li Xuewu picked up his teacup, blew on it, and asked, "Aren't you afraid of being disappointed again?"

"Sister-in-law said he's observing the situation, but this time it seems real," Li Xue nodded and explained. "Even the back wages have been paid out, including the eldest brother's."

"Wait a little longer; their debts won't be paid off that quickly," Li Xuewu said indifferently. "It's easy to pay back owed wages, but there are still many other holes to fill."

Li Xue didn't quite understand what her second brother meant, but she trusted his judgment.

"The headquarters of the United Energy Corporation is in the capital, but they have branches in all major mining areas and large cities in Liaodong. You'll be going on business trips frequently from now on."

Li Xuewu thought for a moment and reminded her, "I won't arrange any backup plans for you, but you must promise me that you won't act alone, and even less so, act recklessly."

"I know, second brother," Li Xue nodded earnestly and said, "I will only audit the accounts; I'll leave the judgment on actions to the leadership."

"Consider this a training exercise," Li Xuewu looked at her, nodded slowly, and said, "Don't take Bu Qingfang's promises to heart; even if it succeeds, it might not necessarily materialize."

"I'm afraid even Deputy Division Chief Feng doesn't believe it herself."

Li Xue chuckled and said, "She still wants to use you as a guarantee, yet her words are so light and airy."

She had gained some insight in the years she'd been working. She looked into her second brother's eyes and asked, "This 'scraping the bone to remove poison' tactic—even she herself is like a clay bodhisattva crossing a river, barely able to save herself, right?"

"Not necessarily—" Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly as he sized up his sister and said, "Everyone has their own calculations; you don't know what backup plans she might be hiding, do you?"

"Of course I know," Li Xue curled her lip and said, "She talks about relying on the two of us, but in reality, the only thing she trusts is her own arrangements."

"Normal. Without some means, how could she keep those people in check?" Li Xuewu said indifferently. "They all crawled out of mine shafts; they're the type who would take a life if pushed too far."

"That's why I won't be the one to stick my neck out. If she wants to scrape the bone to remove poison, I'm not the knife in her hand to be used however she pleases."

Li Xue had a very clear head. She took a sip of warm tea and said, "If something really happens, the tallest one takes the hit."

"In your current state, can you still adapt to student life?"

Li Xuewu looked at his sister with amusement, always feeling that she was growing up too fast, leaving him a bit caught off guard.

It seemed that at her age, shouldn't she be the type to be stirred by a leader's passionate words and rush forward regardless of danger? Why was she so calculating?

"What's wrong with me?" Li Xue looked up at him and retorted, "What does this have to do with going to school? Didn't you go to university too?"

"Mm, well said," Li Xuewu nodded and smiled, "I hope you also have the ability to muddle your way to a university degree like I did."