Chapter 1590: The Visitor Comes with Ill Intent

"You're not being very sincere about this."

Li Li Xuewu smiled at her and said, "Inviting me to dinner right in front of President Wang, how do you expect me to accept?"

"Hahaha—" Wang Yan Shengli laughed and waved his hand, saying, "No, no, I don't mind; please go ahead."

"See, President Wang saying that means he's taking offense; you really don't know how to handle things."

Li Li Xuewu smiled, tapped Shangguan Qi lightly, then gestured toward the several key cadres from United Construction standing behind him, saying, "If you're inviting, invite everyone; otherwise, come find me separately later. Look at you, now I can neither go nor not go, isn't that right?"

"It's all your fault—" Although Shangguan Qi knew he was joking, she felt extremely awkward and retorted peevishly, "President Wang knows I didn't mean it that way—"

"It's fine, it's fine." Wang Yan Shengli smiled and waved his hand again, saying, "Keep talking like this and I'll be the one feeling embarrassed."

"Alright, I'll treat you all."

Li Li Xuewu glanced amusingly at Shangguan Qi, his eyes seeming to say: See? I still have to rescue you.

Shangguan Qi laughed in exasperation; she wasn't foolish, of course she remembered who had dug this trap for her.

By the time they finished the market research, it was already past five-thirty; after spending nearly another hour discussing the demolition of the Rolling Steel Factory's industrial zone, the workers had already clocked off for the day.

There were exceptions, however: the workers from United Construction, who, in order to rush the schedule, were working three rotating shifts.

"Debris trucks operate more conveniently at night."

Wang Yan Shengli explained to him, "Especially along the factory zone roads; during the day, there are too many employees coming and going, so closing the roads isn't appropriate."

"But nighttime construction increases both difficulty and danger." Li Li Xuewu, watching the drivers dozing off inside the debris trucks during their breaks, frowned slightly and warned, "You must be careful; if an accident happens, it won't be a minor matter."

"We considered this point when deciding to implement the three-shift system." Wang Yan Shengli nodded and assured him, "Military orders have been issued from top to bottom, and written guarantees submitted from bottom to top."

"While ensuring safe operations, we push the schedule forward as much as possible." He pointed toward the excavators and explained, "High-intensity special-operation personnel are not restricted to the standard eight-hour three-shift rotation; instead, they rotate in shifts lasting no longer than three hours each."

He then pointed to the temporary command post nearby and introduced, "Our project team's command headquarters is right beside us, staffed twenty-four hours a day; any issues are resolved on the spot."

"Hmm, with this kind of determination, there's nothing that can't be accomplished." Li Li Xuewu nodded, turned around to walk back, and emphasized aloud, "The production workshops in Steel City's industrial zone are all connected; I suspect the light industry zone will eventually be the same."

"When planning, you must consider that the group's future development will become faster and better."

He looked at Wang Yan Shengli and added one final instruction: "Engineering quality is just as important as operational safety."

"Secretary-General, I'm so sorry; I've made you spend your own money." Coming out of the guesthouse restaurant, Shangguan Qi said with an embarrassed smile, "I truly intended to treat you to dinner."

"Ah, you shouldn't put it that way."

Li Li Xuewu gestured toward Wang Yan Shengli and the others following behind, saying, "Speaking like that makes President Wang and the others feel awkward, as if they shouldn't have come."

"Leader, you didn't let me off the hook either."

Wang Yan Shengli smiled and said, "We ate this meal with our hearts pounding; how could we possibly let the leader pay?"

"Is that so?" Li Li Xuewu looked at him skeptically and asked, "I didn't notice you eating any less at the dinner table just now."

"Hahaha—" Several responsible persons from United Construction joined in with timely laughter, making the restaurant entrance quite lively.

They hadn't expected that when the leader said he would treat, he actually meant it; earlier that evening, they had thought he was just being polite or joking around.

Not a single person was left out; even the drivers were seated at their own table.

When the Secretary-General smiled and offered to treat, at least the clerks remained clear-headed, knowing that even if he really was treating, it wouldn't extend to them.

Today, they finally witnessed what people in the government offices had always whispered about: what it truly meant for the Secretary-General to be generous and righteous.

With the relocation of the Rolling Steel Factory and the large-scale transfer of its employees, the original factory zone's guesthouse was inevitably destined for decline.

However, since the group headquarters remained in Jingcheng, specifically in the Liangma River Industrial Zone, and with the rapid development of light industry in recent years, the former tertiary industries had gradually started up, expanded, and become independent, establishing specialized factories.

Overall, the total number of employees relying on the group for survival had not decreased significantly; they had simply been dispersed across various units.

Nevertheless, for the guesthouse itself, its existence was now counting down to an end, because a new guest hotel was about to be completed.

To raise funds for constructing the new International Hotel, the group increased the budget by adding two additional projects.

One was the Hong Steel Group Guest Hotel, and the other was the Riverside Garden residential district, reserved exclusively for cadres at the deputy division level and above.

These two projects would require no less than two to three million yuan; precisely because funding was sufficient, progress on them was extremely fast.

At Riverside Park, aligned on the same axis as the group headquarters, the guest hotel had already been topped out and was currently undergoing interior decoration.

There was no need to inspect the progress personally; it changed every single day, visible to anyone merely walking past on the main street.

Once the new hotel was completed, the original guesthouse would be transferred for use by the Vocational Education College, the 721 College.

The 721 College, also known as the Group Cadres College, was established in 1968 in response to higher authorities' call, serving as a specialized institution for the continued training and education of enterprise cadres.

The 721 College was not uniquely created by the Hong Steel Group, but the difference lay in the fact that Hong Steel Group had always adhered to the original intent of the policy: cultivating cadres.

This time, Cheng Kaiyuan was simply unlucky; certain people had built him a stepping stone, namely, sending him to the 721 College for further studies.

Of course, for both the Hong Steel Group and Old Li to accept this outcome, he could not be sent to another unit; it had to be within Hong Steel.

Yes, they had "magnanimously" given Old Li some face, now waiting for him to accept it with gratitude and virtue.

At this moment, Old Li possessed a mindset of being steadfast through having no desires; no matter how these people stirred things up, he prioritized the overall situation.

He had publicly stated on several occasions that priority must be given to the hard-won development situation and economic construction achievements of the group.

Such vision, such breadth of mind; compared to his previous attitude of clamoring to grab weapons and fight those bastards, he seemed like an entirely different person.

Others might not know what was happening, but Liu Bin, the general manager's secretary of the group, certainly did; yet even knowing, he could not speak of it.

Some matters were better left to rot in one's stomach than to let slip even half a word from one's lips; otherwise, for him, it would mean total disaster.

After all, the leaders still needed to save face.

"Didn't you say you had social engagements?"

Gu Ning, reading in the study, paused upon hearing voices downstairs; a moment later, she saw him walk into the small living room.

"Just a meal; no alcohol was consumed."

Li Li Xuewu lifted the lid off his teacup, picked up the thermos from the table, and poured himself a cup of Bai Shui, then turned to ask her, "What are you reading?"

"There's an exam coming up soon in the courtyard."

Gu Ning flipped through the book casually and said, "I thought you'd be coming back later."

"Too lazy for socializing; these are troubled times."

Li Li Xuewu unbuttoned his shirt, walked into the walk-in closet of the master bedroom, and explained while speaking, "If I hadn't happened to catch it, I wouldn't even want to eat this meal tonight."

"Li Er has already packed everything for you." Gu Ning did not stand up, but spoke to him across the small living room, saying, "See if there's anything else you need to bring."

"It's fine; as long as there's enough to wear."

Li Li Xuewu took out his underwear and pajamas, and as he passed the master bedroom door, he replied, "I might have to come back around the middle of the month."

"Isn't that coming up soon?"

Gu Ning was not unconcerned about him; at this moment, looking at the materials in her hands, she said, "Will you take the train or a plane when you leave?"

"Plane; there's a flight to Fengcheng."

Li Li Xuewu's voice came muffled from the bathroom, mixed with the sound of running water; he often left the door open while bathing.

It was a good while before he came out; wiping his body, he explained, "There's an economic construction work conference in the middle of the month."

"I might have two days off after I finish my exams."

Gu Ning tucked the hair behind her ear and said, "Because I didn't rest on Labor Day, so..."

"Coming to Liaodong or going to Jin Ling?"

Li Li Xuewu walked smiling into the small living room and said, "If you want to come to Liaodong, then take a few more days off and leave with me."

"If you want to go to Jin Ling, I'll see if there are any convenient flights so you and the children can go play for a few days."

"Not going to Jin Ling; they just got back."

Gu Ning flipped through the pages of her book and said, "I don't want to go to Liaodong either; traveling back and forth is too exhausting."

"Just staying at home?" Li Li Xuewu walked smiling to the desk and asked, "Have you decided which days you'll be off?"

He sized up Gu Ning and said, "Shall we go take a family portrait?"

"Didn't we take one in winter?" Gu Ning lifted her head, looked at him with amusement, and said, "If you want, there's a camera and film in the cabinet; feel free to take pictures."

"How can that be the same—"

Li Li Xuewu pulled over a chair and sat opposite the desk; while putting on his pajamas, he said, "I want to take you all to play at the Summer Palace, and take the family portrait there."

"To the Summer Palace?" Gu Ning lifted her head, propped her chin on her hand to think for a moment, and said, "Let's talk about it when the time comes."

"There probably won't be any barbecue."

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and teased her, saying, "Shen Guodong said those gates have all been repaired; vehicles can't get in."

"Mm." Gu Ning followed his words, also recalling that year when he had taken her, along with many others, to the Summer Palace for barbecue and a spring outing, where they had lost quite a few bicycles in the lake.

"What? Do you really want to eat barbecue?"

Li Li Xuewu finished putting on his pajamas; seeing her eyes vacant as if she were thinking of something, he said with amusement, "If you really want to eat it, we can just grill at home; it's not that troublesome."

"No—" Gu Ning shook her head slightly, looked at him, and said, "I'm thinking about past events."

"That time at the Summer Palace?" Li Li Xuewu lifted his teacup, took a sip of Bai Shui, and asked with a smile, "What did you remember?"

Gu Ning merely sized him up without speaking; after a good while, she smiled and said, "You've changed a lot."

"Is that so?" Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, put down his teacup, and said, "I think it's just that work has been busy and I've spent less time with you all; actually, I'm still the same me."

"Heh—" Gu Ning gave a light laugh, the corners of her mouth curling up; after savoring the moment for a while, she said, "Time passes so quickly."

"Isn't that the truth? Just think, I'm already twenty-four." Resting his arm on the desk, he said with emotion, "In a flash, five years have passed; when I first met you, I was only nineteen."

Hearing him mention age, Gu Ning raised her eyebrows with some sensitivity; if he was twenty-four, didn't that make her twenty-seven?

Although what he said was all fact, it sounded quite annoying; so what if he was twenty-four, and so what if she was twenty-seven.

"Go to sleep; don't disturb my reading."

"Hmm?" Li Li Xuewu was still immersed in reflections over the flow of time, yet he heard himself being disliked?

He looked at Gu Ning with amusement and said, "Did I say something wrong? You seem unhappy."

"No, I'm preparing for an exam."

Gu Ning looked at the pages in her hands and said indifferently, "Don't you have to catch a plane tomorrow? Go rest early."

"You ah—" Li Li Xuewu smiled, sized her up, and said, "Those little emotions are all written on your face."

Gu Ning lifted her head to look at him, her eyes full of unwillingness to concede.

Li Li Xuewu, however, leisurely lifted his teacup, took a sip of Bai Shui, and said, "I didn't say anything."

Gu Ning just looked at him like that for a good while, then rolled her eyes and said, "You're young, alright—"

"Hehe—hahaha—"

Li Li Xuewu suddenly burst out laughing, turned his head to look at Gu Ning, and said, "Li Shu doesn't even play age-comparison games at kindergarten anymore."

"Are you calling me childish?" Gu Ning narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice already carrying a threat.

"No, I just think you're cute." Li Li Xuewu looked at her with gentle eyes and said, "Just like the first time I saw you."

"Hypocritical—" Gu Ning lowered her head, pressed her lips together, and said, "The first time you saw me, you practically wanted to eat people."

"I don't even remember, yet you do."

Li Li Xuewu shook his head with amusement and said, "If it weren't for that one injection of anesthetic not being administered, I wouldn't have reacted so strongly."

These words made Gu Ning fall silent; after a good while, she murmured, "She doesn't have two years left."

"Mm, Tong Yan?" Li Li Xuewu knew who she was talking about; nodding slowly, he said, "Fate plays cruel tricks on people."

"Do you hate her?" Gu Ning lifted her head, looked at him calmly, and asked, "If she were still alive."

"You know, compared to the mistake on the operating table, I disliked her attitude at the roast duck shop even more."

Li Li Xuewu looked at Gu Ning very seriously and said, "Her character was bad; she lacked professional ethics and looked down on ordinary people."

Gu Ning lowered her eyelids as she listened to his evaluation of her former good friend; after thinking for a while, she said, "Perhaps, the former me was also that kind of person."

"A little bit—" Li Li Xuewu gestured with his fingers, saying, "The first time I saw you—I mean after I regained consciousness—I knew you weren't from an ordinary family background."

"Why?" Gu Ning lifted her head to look at him and asked, "Was there something special about me?"

"That kind of look in your eyes." Li Li Xuewu widened his eyes slightly and said straightforwardly, "Indifferent, with an inexplicable pride."

He nodded and said with certainty, "One reason I didn't like you back then was the way you looked at me."

"I had just come back from the battlefield then, used to the mutual trust and equal treatment among comrades, but you..."

Li Li Xuewu did not continue, but slowly nodded, representing everything he wanted to say.

Gu Ning was stunned for a while, twitched the corners of her mouth, not knowing how to explain.

His words were like a basin of cold water, poured over the her of the past in memory.

Even though he was now her lover, even though she could face her past self, she never thought that in his world, her former self had been so wretched and detestable.

"Maybe so—" Gu Ning gently leaned on the table, lying her side profile on the back of her hand, and said lightly, "Back then we were both proud... and both childish."

"The chosen of heaven," Li Li Xuewu seemed not to care so much about that past now.

He said casually, "A professional medical university graduate daring to go to the front line, this experience perhaps should have made you proud back then."

"But it also highlighted our childishness even more, didn't it?" Gu Ning looked at him and said, "Compared to you who came down from the front, what do we have to be proud of?"

"No, that is your current understanding."

Li Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "You cannot compare your current self with your past self, nor use your current thinking to evaluate your past self."

He spoke frankly, "Everyone has an embarrassing past, everyone has made decisions they regret; thinking about it at some moment does make one regret it quite a bit."

"And then?" Gu Ning looked at him.

"Don't expect me to coax you by saying those are past things, you don't need to blame yourself—" Li Li Xuewu amusingly changed his tone to tease her, then looked at her seriously and said, "There is no 'then', just as life has no 'if'."

Gu Ning looked at him, and only after a while did she prop herself up, saying lightly, "I was just about to ask you, if... you and that female comrade at the roast duck shop..."

"Mm, her name is Lin Lin Tingting." Li Li Xuewu stated her name very frankly, and his gaze added a few thoughts.

"I met her at the street supply and marketing cooperative." Recalling, he said, "The first time we met, I went to buy a bicycle, and she was the sales clerk."

"I heard you mention her." Gu Ning nodded, picked up her teacup and said, "Your first love?"

"Heh—" Li Li Xuewu couldn't help but laugh, looked at her, nodded and said, "If we're talking about after returning from active duty... then yes, it was."

Gu Ning raised an eyebrow, lowered her head to take a sip of warm tea, and made no other gesture.

"Looking at this half of my face, you can know how charming I must have been back in my youth."

He deliberately teased Gu Ning, covering the scarred half of his face with his hand, gesturing to Gu Ning and saying, "You tell me, if you had known me earlier, wouldn't you have fallen for the fifteen or sixteen-year-old me?"

"..." Gu Ning raised her head, looked at him with a strange gaze and said reproachfully, "Back then... I was already in university—"

After saying this last sentence, a blush appeared on her face; lowering her head, she thought about how a college student being charmed by a half-grown boy would be so shameful.

But thinking of his handsomeness back then, the chosen of heaven was a source of pride for her at that time; his handsome appearance might also have been his pride.

Thinking of these things, her heart faintly felt a bit of guilt again; even though they were already lovers, she still couldn't help thinking this way.

"What's wrong with being in university? Back then, those who liked me also included..."

Li Li Xuewu almost let it slip before he could stop himself; seeing Gu Ning raise her head and look at him, the corners of his mouth twitched again involuntarily.

"... also included those in high school."

At this moment, Gu Ning's inner guilt somehow decreased a bit; after all, she had already married him, so no matter how handsome he was, it was useless now, right?

"Tell me about you and her—"

"It's late at night, you want to hear this?"

Li Li Xuewu looked at her with amusement and said, "How about we go to the bed to listen? I'll tell you slowly?"

"I want to hear the 'if'." Gu Ning looked at him meaningfully and said, "If that day you hadn't met me... what would have happened?"

"Didn't I say it? Life has no 'if'." Li Li Xuewu drank some Bai Shui and said, "I don't even know what would have happened; after all, you know her background."

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but sigh; the world is unpredictable, who could have thought that the background of the first girlfriend he met after returning would be so complicated?

"Later I saw her a few times."

Li Li Xuewu put down his cup, looked at Gu Ning frankly and said, "Once was when I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to find their leader, and once was when I was buying something and happened to meet her."

"There was another time when a case in the branch bureau involved her; later I only saw her that few times."

"She... is she okay?" Gu Ning asked tentatively, "I mean her current situation."

"I'm not too sure about that." Li Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and explained, "We didn't talk about each other's lives during those meetings; she is married."

"Oh." Gu Ning nodded and said, "That's good then."

"Being affected is inevitable." Li Li Xuewu knew what she was worried about, pressed his lips together, and said slowly, "But as long as she remains ordinary enough."

To be honest, given the Lin family's situation at that time, for Lin Lin Tingting to return to her unit safely and continue working and living was truly fortunate.

Of course, if it weren't for Li Li Xuewu's involvement, all parties looked at the fact that he had almost sacrificed himself; after all, no one at the time thought the two of them would continue their relationship.

"Actually, everyone is the same; we are all ordinary people." Li Li Xuewu looked at Gu Ning and said with a smile, "Seeing yourself as more ordinary makes it easier to accept reality."

"You always speak so reasonably."

Gu Ning smiled with relief as well, looked at him and said, "Always make me believe in you."

Flying from Jingcheng to Fengcheng, conducting research in Fengcheng for two days, Li Li Xuewu then took a train to Yingcheng; he would continue researching the construction of Yingcheng Port and the production of Yingcheng ships.

On the first day in Yingcheng, Xu Si presented him with a great gift.

"You say this thing can make money?"

He pointed at the toy boat in Li Li Xuewu's hand and asked doubtfully, "How can this thing make money?"

"Who told you to tinker with this thing?"

Li Li Xuewu placed the model in his hand on the booth seat; it actually looked quite convincing.

"Catherine from Jili Xing Shipbuilding."

Xu Si spread his hands and said helplessly, "She said if we don't do it, she'll find domestic toy manufacturers to place orders for her; she ordered one hundred thousand units in one go."

"Do you think her brain isn't working right?"

Seeing Li Li Xuewu also frowning, he became even more convinced that the Italian woman had gone crazy, daring to place orders so recklessly.

"This is a marketing tactic."

Li Li Xuewu saw through Catherine's purpose at a glance; pointing to the emblem on the ship model, he said, "Look at this."

"Oh, the emblem of Geely Star Ships?"

Xu Si hadn't reacted yet; lifting his head to look at him, he asked, "Marketing what? Are they switching trades to sell toys?"

"No—" Li Li Xuewu glanced at him, explaining further: "Two directions; one is just as you said, selling toys."

"However, they aren't selling them as toy boats, but defining them as scale models to be sold alongside yachts."

He pointed at the model and asked, "Did Catherine say how much they plan to sell this thing for?"

"I don't know; she didn't say."

Xu Si looked somewhat dazed and still asked skeptically, "Do you really think anyone will buy this thing?"

"Of course; not only can children play with it, but it can also be placed on an office desk as an ornament."

Li Li Xuewu curled the corner of his mouth and continued explaining, "When their brand gains a certain level of influence, this thing becomes a symbol of status and value."

Looking at Xu Si, he said, "For instance, say you bought a yacht from Geely Star Ships, but the yacht is docked at the pier; sitting in your office, no matter how much you brag, who would know?"

"Ah—" Xu Si nodded as if suddenly enlightened, saying, "So it's for buyers to show off with!"

"Hehehe—you can understand it that way." Amused, Li Li Xuewu turned the model around, examined it carefully, and then asked, "Can this thing really float on water?"

"Yes; not only can it float, but it can also move." Xu Si introduced the functions of this iron-plated ship to him; the propeller underneath could indeed rotate, though it required winding.

In this era, one shouldn't even think about electric motors for toys produced in the interior; even if the technology existed, the costs couldn't be brought down.

Nevertheless, the production of wind-up toys absolutely required a certain scale and technical accumulation; after all, the country using and producing the most wind-up toys in the world was Northern Mao, while the domestic industry was merely copying their homework.

"This thing also has two sales methods."

Sitting down on the sofa and crossing his right leg, Li Li Xuewu explained, "Make it more exquisite and realistic, then distribute it through yacht sales channels either as gifts or for sale at a higher price."

"Once the prestige is hyped up, sell it through promotional channels at cost price, and they won't be losing money."

"What do you mean? Not making a profit?"

Xu Si was still standing there pondering the model; hearing Li Li Xuewu's earlier words, he had thought this thing could truly earn money.

"They aren't making money from the models."

Li Li Xuewu explained with amusement, "Their goal is promotion, to let adults who like models or children who like toys know that there is a yacht called Geely Star."

"What do you mean? Advertising?"

Having operated Yingcheng Ships for so many years, plus his contact with foreign engineers and people like Catherine, the world outside held little mystery for Xu Si.

To say nothing of other things, even the shirt he was wearing wasn't produced in the interior; looking at the emblem, it clearly wasn't.

Yingcheng counted as an important transit hub for the Sea Carriage Plan; many goods entered Yingcheng from the Bohai Bay before being rerouted to Gangcheng, Fengcheng, and other places.

With Li Li Xuewu teaching them how to behave, could Wen San'er fail to handle these people? This kind of beneficial yet inexpensive gift was something he frequently gave.

Speaking of advertising, while it was still very unfamiliar to the interior at present, it was nothing new to Xu Si, who had been exposed to foreign matters.

He walked over to the sofa, sat down, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "If that's really the case, can we do the same?"

"Regrettably, no." Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and stated bluntly, "Because we are a manufacturing plant; we don't control sales channels, nor do we have brand effect."

"What does that mean?" Xu Si widened his eyes, pointed at the model, and said, "Their ships were built by us, and even this model was ordered by us."

"That's exactly why I say we lack channels."

Shrugging his shoulders, Li Li Xuewu said, "If I told you to promote like they do, what would you promote? Yingcheng Ships?"

Seeing Xu Si frown without speaking, he continued, "The domestic market doesn't need promotion right now, and promoting in foreign markets would be useless; marketing is directed at the market, not transformed by the wishes of your production unit."

"I thought..." Xu Si sighed.

"No need to be depressed." Li Li Xuewu comforted him with a smile, "She actually learned this trick from me."

"Do you remember that the Group's External Affairs Office once uniformly ordered a batch of models?" Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "There were airplanes, ships, cars, and various small gifts."

"I seem to recall something like that."

Xu Si thought for a moment and said, "Those were given to the units that came to the Group for visits and study, right?"

"Exactly that." Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Actually, when it's time to promote, we won't be stingy."

"That's not right then—" Xu Si got excited, smiling as he said, "This counts as plagiarism on her part; we should charge her a fee."

"Heh—" Li Li Xuewu smiled and waved his hand, saying, "If we put it that way, our factory would never finish fighting lawsuits."

Thinking of how Honggang Group had developed, Xu Si also smiled; when it came to plagiarism, who could compare to them?

If one really got down to it, this method was Li Li Xuewu's idea in the first place, so the patent fees should be collected by him.

However, though others didn't know, he had long since collected those patent fees; Catherine voluntarily paid them every time.

Regrettably, this Italian was very shrewd, yet each time she managed to take away several hundred million.

"The wind at the port is quite strong."

Li Li Xuewu stood on the pier; the sea breeze blew his lightning-struck hairstyle into disarray, roaring loudly in his ears.

"It's always like this at this time of year; every year is the same."

Xu Si stood beside him, introducing the production situation at Yingcheng Ships and detailing the construction and production targets of several dry docks.

Li Li Xuewu listened very attentively, even asking a few questions he cared about, and Xu Si's answers satisfied him greatly.

"The future belongs to ten-thousand-ton cargo ships."

Standing on a high platform and gazing at the construction site within the dry dock, Li Li Xuewu said to the other man, "International shipping is growing at an astonishing speed, especially international trade."

Turning his head to look at Xu Si, he nodded and said, "Believe it or not, once the market opens, as long as you have sufficient production capacity and technology, orders will be booked up for several years ahead."

"Is that possible?" Xu Si asked skeptically, "Have you heard some rumors? Is the market about to open up?"

"I'm saying it's a matter of sooner or later; do you believe it or not?"

Li Li Xuewu didn't care whether cadres from Yingcheng Ships behind them might overhear their conversation; he spoke frankly, "When productivity satisfies the needs of domestic material life, that will be the time for us to vigorously develop foreign trade endeavors."

"When you pour water into a cup, once it's full, it naturally overflows; the principle is the same."

Turning around with his back to the wind, he emphasized, "International trade is the weather vane for the shipbuilding industry; striving for perfection is your development goal; you must seize this opportunity."

"Well then..." Xu Sinian looked toward the shipyard and asked, "Apply to expand and build a few more ten-thousand-ton-class shipyards?"

"That depends on how your revenue looks."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "The group hasn't made any big moves in recent years. If we don't hurry..."

"I'll go back and prepare the materials and file the report right away."

Xu Sinian was a man of action; he turned back and gave instructions to his secretary, telling him to be sure to remind him to handle this matter as soon as possible after returning.

The accompanying cadres from Yingcheng Shipbuilding also began discussing, studying the feasibility of the secretary-general's opinion.

They were also helpless regarding Xu Sinian's unconditional trust in the secretary-general, but they couldn't very well say the leader was wrong.

"Look over there." Xu Sinian pointed toward the Yingcheng Port terminal for Li Li Xuewu and introduced, "The second batch of automobiles is being shipped, destination East Germany."

He pointed and introduced, "Still Santaya Group's ships — they must have gotten a taste of the sweet profits."

"Originally planned to sell it off." Li Li Xuewu surveyed the direction of the port area and nodded, saying, "Now making a killing."

"This year, four batches of automobiles and other goods will arrive in East Germany. Total sales should reach twenty-four thousand automobiles and twelve thousand motorcycles, with total profit projected to exceed 9.6 million yuan."

He looked at Xu Sinian, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Do you know what this means?"

"What?" Xu Sinian asked back in surprise, "Our automobiles are running on the roads of East Germany?"

"Not just East Germany—"

Li Li Xuewu let out a long breath and said, "The Southeast Asian market has been opened up, and the farthest market now reaches East Germany."

He turned his head to look northeast, his gaze deep, and said, "Next should be Northeast Asia."

"Perhaps that April visit could be an opportunity?"

What Xu Sinian referred to was naturally Mr. Z's trip to North Korea last month; he too very much hoped to establish a Northeast Asian market.

Rather than doing business with the Germans all the way over there, the market right at one's doorstep actually has more profit to be made.

Shipping costs are relatively much lower, rail transport can even be realized, and importantly, it can create a market impact.

Hongxing-brand automobiles may find it hard to make an impact on the Japanese automobile market, but it shouldn't be difficult for North Korea and South Korea.

The high-end market remains to be proven, but the Hongxing Hongxing Lingyang second generation should be very much needed by these two countries.

However, each side has its own special circumstances.

North Korea is currently being supported by the Big Brother, looking down its nose at everyone; even if the people at home are poor, overall the economy isn't really backward.

If you really compare, the mainland at this time is the poor relative.

And South Korea goes without saying — with a godfather supporting it, just by servicing the women at the godfather's bases, they're already raking in profits.

From this point, South Korea and Japan, these two god-sons, are really six of one, half a dozen of the other — neither can laugh at the other.

Of course, if back then the workers and peasants hadn't driven away the brigade leader, the mainland at this time wouldn't be much better off than these two sons either.

Take just one example — after the war ended, in Modu, how many women lived off those monsters and demons, with the ugly country's big soldiers in their Willys jeeps doing as they pleased, then driving off afterward.

This kind of shameful thing happened more than once in Jingcheng under the brigade leader's control at the time — but what was the result?

So no matter when, one must remember: who was it that propped up your backbone.

For two countries like these, truly pushing goods into each other's markets really does require some scheming.

As projected, starting next year, eight to twelve batches of automobile exports can be realized annually, basically guaranteeing annual automobile exports to East Germany exceeding 60,000 units, and motorcycles 30,000 units.

Based on this data, Honggang Group's automobile production capacity will achieve another new breakthrough.

Existing capacity can meet domestic and Southeast Asian market demand; in the future, market saturation will inevitably occur.

For both the mainland and Southeast Asian markets, this is normal, so broadening the market also means broadening the future.

After concluding the inspection of Yingcheng, Li Li Xuewu arrived at Gangcheng on May 8. That day was Thursday, so he didn't go home but went directly to his unit.

"A call from the group."

Someone in the office called out; Zhang Enyuan answered the phone, spoke a few words, then transferred it to Li Li Xuewu's office.

"A call from Deputy Secretary-General Chen."

After reporting, he then picked up the receiver and handed it to Li Li Xuewu.

"Mm, Comrade Shouzhi, this is Li Li Xuewu."

Li Li Xuewu responded, then listened to Deputy Secretary-General Chen Shouzhi's report on the phone.

As the other party reported, his brow gradually furrowed.

"What does Director Li mean?"

"Director Li asked me to seek instructions from you."

Chen Shouzhi hesitated and said, "We didn't know how to reply, so we made this call to you."

"Reply to what? We're not qualified."

Li Li Xuewu said in a sharp tone, "We don't fall under the Third Ministry of Machine Building. If they want to come inspect Gangfei, it has nothing to do with us. Tell Director Li that this matter should be reported to Jingcheng Industry and the First Ministry of Machine Building, and ask them to study how to handle it."

"I'll say just one thing: without clear instructions and explanations from superiors, Gangfei declines to receive outside guests."

"That's that." He didn't wait to hear more from Chen Shouzhi and hung up directly.

"What's the situation?" Zhang Enyuan had listened to the call and now asked in surprise, "The Third Ministry of Machine Building wants to come inspect?"

"Minding other people's business." Li Li Xuewu said discontentedly, "Reaching pretty far."

It depends on how you look at this kind of thing — if there were no special circumstances, and a leader of this level really came to inspect, perhaps the factory should be overjoyed preparing reception work.

But for Honggang Group, this inspection by the Third Ministry of Machine Building was clearly ill-intentioned; who would be foolish enough to invite the wolf into the house?

"I don't know how Jingcheng Industry and the First Ministry of Machine Building will handle it." Zhang Enyuan said worriedly, "Could it be..."

"Don't worry about it." Li Li Xuewu said calmly, "Jingcheng Industry might seize the chance to stoke the fire, but the First Ministry of Machine Building won't be foolish — once is enough, they've overstepped their bounds."

Zhang Enyuan understood at once, feeling in his heart that the leader still saw the whole picture — what a brilliant move.

If Jingcheng Industry's side reacts a bit slower, that's fine, but if they really make a fuss at this time, it will absolutely provoke a backlash from the First Ministry of Machine Building, and the pressure on the group's side will be reduced.

As for Honggang Group, even though it's already been delegated to local jurisdiction, the First Ministry of Machine Building hasn't completely let go.

If any overstepping behavior were to actually occur, the First Ministry of Machine Building would absolutely not permit it; Steel Flight has long been defined as a tertiary industry.

Li Li Xuewu signed his opinion and name on the application submitted by the research institute to the group for approval regarding the establishment of the Optoelectronics Research Institute, then continued speaking: "Just wait and watch the spectacle."