Chapter 1642: The Great Bluffer

Li Haiyang was extremely clever. Upon hearing Li Xuewu's question, he casually found an excuse to stand up and take his leave; there were some things he was better off not hearing.

Yang Zongfang, however, had no choice. Only after Li Haiyang had left did he look at Li Xuewu and ask, "Is this your intention, or the leadership's?"

"That depends on your own intention."

Li Xuewu nodded slowly and introduced, "Comrade Xie Lan Zhi from the United Savings Bank called me, saying they want to establish a Jiangnan branch in Jin Ling."

He picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, giving Yang Zongfang time to think. Seeing him look up, he continued, "They need a comrade with drive."

"Is it for a branch manager position?" Yang Zongfang asked. "The Jiangnan branch?"

"Correct, branch manager." Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "You should know how much the Group values the United Savings Bank."

Yang Zongfang certainly knew; Xie Lan Zhi, the president of the Red Star United Savings Bank headquarters, was among the first batch of cadres this year to be graded as a deputy bureau-level official.

"This year, the Sales Corporation established the Jiangnan region in Jin Ling. Its development momentum is excellent, forming a complementary stance with the Jinmen Trade Management Center."

Li Xuewu introduced in a warm tone, "To support the Sales Corporation's development in Jiangnan, and also to expand the Savings Bank's business, the Group has decided to establish a Jiangnan regional branch in Jin Ling, a department-level unit."

Hearing this explanation, Yang Zongfang admitted he was tempted. Don't look at the fact that he was currently the executive deputy director of the Metallurgical Plant; he was still only at the deputy department level.

Although he had been only one step away from the department level last time, that step truly depended on luck for him.

And if he missed this opportunity, he didn't know how long he would have to wait.

"I'm not very familiar with banking business."

Yang Zongfang asked hesitantly, "Will it affect the work, especially with such an important task?"

"Who is born knowing how to work?"

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said indifferently, "Which school did you learn your professional ability as a deputy director at?"

"Learning on the job—"

Seeing Yang Zongfang look sheepish, he smiled and said, "Who isn't like that? Do you expect me to give you time to go study at a finance and economics university?"

"That's not what I meant..." Yang Zongfang wanted to explain, but Li Xuewu waved his hand to interrupt the rest of his words.

"I'm not saying this to let you mess around."

Li Xuewu looked at him very seriously and said, "You and I are both backbones of the Group; we must firmly believe in the principle of learning as long as we live."

"You are still young and haven't reached retirement age. You can completely improve your professional knowledge through auditing classes and self-study."

He lifted his chin and said, "You should be clear about how I got into university. Even now, I haven't given up the habit of studying at night."

"Yes, I've heard of your experience."

Yang Zongfang nodded and said, "Thank you. I am willing to accept this challenge. I am very grateful to you for giving me this opportunity."

"It was just a coincidence—"

Seeing him agree, Li Xuewu smiled, picked up his teacup, and said, "If it weren't for the lack of capable people, Comrade Xie Lan Zhi wouldn't have called me."

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Opportunities are always left to those who are prepared, right? Hehehe—"

Opportunities are indeed left to those who are prepared, but not everyone is qualified to be prepared.

Yang Zongfang was very clear about his situation. From the government office to Steel City, Li Xuewu, who was a section chief at the same time as him, had long since risen rapidly, while he was still idling in place. If it weren't for Li Xuewu's trust, he wouldn't even have obtained the executive deputy position.

He was in the golden period of his career. If he couldn't move up step by step, he would only end up with a stable retirement.

Some said he had been trained by Li Xuewu to lose his true nature and loyalty, but who knew the bitterness he had endured these past few years?

Arriving in Steel City in early 1966, he was high-spirited and held great power. With Dong Wenxue taking care of him from above and the Party Secretary supporting him at the main plant, how glorious he had been.

Five years had passed; he was still the same person, but he was no longer the person he was back then.

His edges had been worn away, his temperament had settled, and he no longer acted based on hot-bloodedness and impulsive faith; he had learned to solve problems with logic.

After going around in circles, the one who gave him the opportunity to go to Steel City was Li Xuewu, the one who advised him to stabilize was Li Xuewu, and the one who gave him the opportunity today was still Li Xuewu.

He suddenly discovered that Li Xuewu had never changed; he was still that mature, steady, and persistent learner.

This was the evaluation of Li Xuewu by the former Party Secretary Yang Yuansong, which he still remembered very clearly, because he hadn't been convinced back then either.

Now, it wasn't a matter of being convinced or not.

Li Xuewu was only 19 when he started working at the Red Star Plant, and he was only 24 this year. A great youth awaited him to struggle and write.

Reaching his position, he could already see the ceiling of his career, while Li Xuewu was the type of existence that ignored ceilings.

In terms of age, Li Xuewu was the youngest among the Group's middle-level cadres and above. In terms of education, Li Xuewu had a rare university degree in the Group's management.

In terms of seniority and achievements, Li Xuewu was not inferior in any aspect; he even had academic and management abilities, a multi-identity that no one could match.

Recently, there was heated discussion in the Group that Deputy Director Su and Deputy Director Zhou were joining hands to reorganize the Group's organizational discipline. It looked like a bed of flowers, but it was actually extremely dangerous.

Being in Steel City, right at the Metallurgical Plant, no one knew Li Xuewu better than him, or could feel Li Xuewu's management talent more.

Except for the first half-year Li Xuewu came to the Metallurgical Plant, they almost never had to report their business work to Li Xuewu.

You say he governs by doing nothing and understands nothing?

Completely wrong. No one dared to think so, and no one dared to fool him, because he knew everything and understood everything.

He didn't care if you did your work, but if you did it wrong, he would definitely care. This kind of pressure couldn't be felt unless you had worked under him.

It looked like he didn't manage things, but he was actually managing people.

Li Haiyang's relationship with him was okay. He had once said on a drinking table that Director Li was not his teacher, but the Secretary-General was.

How many cadres were stuck in a certain position for a long time without progress, racking their brains and hitting walls without finding the reason, and even seeking immortals and Buddhas without understanding?

Li Haiyang said the truth was very simple, and the Secretary-General had emphasized many times in cadre training classes and work meetings that managing business is managing human resources.

This sentence was too straightforward, so much so that many people felt they understood it well, but were actually talking nonsense, eventually blaming heaven and others, sighing at the unfairness of fate.

Yang Zongfang had to admit that he had learned a lot from Li Xuewu, not just work ability and skills, but also work attitude and knowledge.

Not to mention anything else, just for the things he did back then, Li Xuewu didn't hold it against him and recommended him for promotion twice, which was enough to call him a gentleman.

If it were him, could he do it?

On Wednesday, Li Xuewu arrived in Fengcheng by train to attend the industrial resource integration office meeting held by Liaodong Industry and Beijing Chemical.

"Coincidentally," the Group's Chief Accountant Jing Yunong was also there, and the two stayed on the same floor of the Machinery Plant's Tuanjie Hotel.

Li Xuewu arrived in Fengcheng that afternoon. As soon as he got off the train, he was invited away by Yu Han, Deputy Director of the General Office. He even dismissed the people from the Machinery Plant.

Yu Han and he were acquaintances. Every time he came to Fengcheng, Hu Ke would treat him to dinner. As long as he didn't have work, Hu Ke would call him over to sit for a while.

He seemed like a very good person, a native of Fengcheng who had worked in the Northeast for many years, very cultured and capable.

The two chatted and laughed in the car, mentioning the cooperation between the Red Steel Group and several key universities in Liaodong.

"Your unit has good benefits; students are fighting to go there."

Yu Han said with a smile, "In recent years, university students have become increasingly scarce, but you have become the popular choice, hahaha—"

"You have to know, this popular choice is hard to be."

Li Xuewu introduced with emotion, "How much have we spent on talent introduction and placement alone over these years?"

He shook his head and said, "No other unit could have this drive. We truly treat talent as precious treasures."

"Yes—the preciousness of talent has already manifested." He also said with emotion, "There is no right to speak without comparison—"

"Director Yu, let me tell you the truth."

Li Xuewu tilted his head, leaned in, and said softly, "Technological progress is the primary productive force for social development. This is an iron law."

"Yes, I understand, I understand."

Yu Han nodded very seriously and said in agreement, "In the past two years, the province has also been actively working on industrial development. Deputy Director Lu is particularly concerned about the technical innovation and progress of enterprises and has not spared special funding for support."

"I am a straightforward person, and I'm not afraid of offending people when I speak—"

Li Xuewu smiled, glanced at the driver and secretary in front, touched Yu Han's arm lightly with his hand, and said, "A drop in the bucket."

"Hehehe—" Yu Han nodded with a bitter smile and said, "It is indeed like that. If the province had money, it couldn't all be thrown into this."

"Does Deputy Director Lu have any ideas?"

Li Xuewu knew he wouldn't bring up this topic in the car for no reason. He raised his eyebrows and glanced at him, saying, "We are our own people."

"Hahahaha—" Yu Han was naturally happy to hear this, even if he didn't believe what Li Xuewu said, he would still feel happy.

Although this was only their private conversation, it was enough to show the determination of the Red Steel Group, represented by Li Xuewu, to base itself on Liaodong's industrial development.

This was not a topic of who relied on whom, nor who couldn't survive without whom, but of common progress under the condition of mutual help.

The large Red Flag car drove into the gate of the provincial compound. Yu Han pointed to the reception hotel and introduced, "We have also prepared a room for you to rest. Feel free to use it."

"Hahaha, then that's too much trouble for you."

Li Xuewu didn't decline or be polite. He wasn't sure what time tonight's banquet would go on until.

There was almost no need to doubt that after the banquet ended, there would definitely be one or two private meetings. Everyone's working time was very precious, and they could only use personal time to handle such work.

Li Xuewu actually hated this kind of socializing and arrangement, but who made him the person in charge of the branch company and a business-type cadre now?

Yu Han sent him to the door of his room and specially reminded him that it was at 7 o'clock in the evening in the banquet hall on the 3rd floor, and he could rest for a while during this time.

Li Xuewu naturally had no objections. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. After entering the room, he let Zhang Enyuan tidy up simply, while he went to the bathroom to wash up.

From Steel City to Fengcheng, it only took one hour and 5 minutes by train, but from the unit to the Steel City train station to wait for the train, and then from the Fengcheng train station to the hotel, this process took at least two and a half hours.

He was the most impatient with taking the train, but there was no high-speed rail now, so he couldn't save this time and could only use the most convenient transportation tool.

If he had driven here, he would have suffered.

He arrived at the hotel after 5 o'clock in the afternoon. After washing up, he lay down for less than an hour before being woken up by Zhang Enyuan. The front desk called to say someone was visiting.

"It's the director of the Fengcheng Ninth Pharmaceutical Factory." Zhang Enyuan reminded him softly, "The person is waiting for you in the lobby now. Do you want to see them?"

"Flies don't bite seamless eggs—"

Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "It must be that big mouth Hu Ke playing tricks. Last time, it was he who sold me out."

He had finally managed to take an afternoon nap, only to be disturbed by this bastard again. He secretly decided that tonight he would let him walk in upright and be carried out horizontally.

"I'll wash my face first. Arrange it on the third floor."

Li Xuewu took a deep breath, sat up, and went to the bathroom in slippers. Sleeping was much more comfortable than when he arrived.

Last night, Yu Li came back from Yingcheng and chatted with him and Wang Yajuan for half the night, so Li Xuewu was a bit lacking in energy.

Although he was still young, had a good body, and recovered quickly, he couldn't stand being tossed around like this.

Didn't Mr. Lu Xun say, a good tiger can't stand a pack of wolves, and a good man can't stand a lustful woman?

"Director Li, sorry to disturb you."

Fang Ai was wearing a high-neck sweater and a cyan cadre suit. Seeing him go downstairs, she took the initiative to stand up and greet him enthusiastically.

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said with a gentle smile, "It's okay, I'm also a guest here. When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

This remark was tricky, causing the smile on Fang Ai's face to freeze for a second. But who made her a female comrade? As long as she was willing to lose face.

"Look at what you're saying, Director Hu said you are our own people."

"Him—hehe—" Li Xuewu shook his head amusedly and said, "Him, he's the least reliable."

"Sit down, let's chat."

He was just joking, waved his hand, and sat down with the other party.

Fang Ai turned to face him, explained with a smile, "Since we parted last time, I haven't waited for your news. The workers in the factory have been looking forward to it. I heard you came to the province, so I acted on my own initiative. I'm really sorry."

"No need to be polite, we are all comrades."

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and said, "You might have heard that the Red Steel Group did not directly participate in this project."

"Listen to me finish first, okay."

Seeing Fang Ai wanted to speak, he raised his hand to signal and said, "I introduced your situation to Comrade Bai Changmin, the deputy director of Beijing Chemical."

"Of course, I also mentioned it once to Hu Ke here."

Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "Regarding the pharmaceutical industry, our Red Steel Group has resources in this area, but it's not the Western medicine industry."

"We have three Chinese herbal medicine planting bases in Jicheng, the frontier, and Beijing, and at the same time, we have configured Chinese herbal medicine pharmaceutical factories and medicinal cosmetics preparation centers."

"I have learned about the pharmaceutical situation of the Red Steel Group, Director Li."

Fang Ai explained carefully, "I was thinking about the two projects of Beijing Chemical in Steel City and Yingcheng. If there is a chemical foundation, the pharmaceutical industry will also have development."

"That is of course." Li Xuewu nodded and said, "I understand what you mean. It's a suggestion for the Red Steel Group to intervene in the Western medicine pharmaceutical field, right?"

Seeing Fang Ai nod, he smiled and said, "Actually, with the scale and capital of the Red Steel Group, intervening in this field is very easy."

"But this is considering it from your perspective."

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, his tone still warm, "With the resources we currently possess, which field is not easy to intervene in?"

"Then why, possessing such convenient resources, have the new projects we developed from last year to this year been so few?"

He raised his eyebrows, and without waiting for the other party to guess, he gave the answer, "Because the Red Steel Group is currently in a period of strategic contraction. In the process of groupization in the early stage, we consumed too much potential, and now we are unable to continue."

"I don't quite understand what you mean?"

Fang Ai frowned slightly and asked, "Is it convenient for you to explain it to me?"

"It's okay, I'm not putting you off."

Li Xuewu said with a smile, "Many people know about the difficulties we encountered and the solutions, including Hu Ke. You can ask him."

"The difficulty I mentioned, you might not understand. I'll use personnel as an example."

He tilted his head, looked at the other party, and asked, "Do you know how many general companies and branch companies the Red Steel Group has now?"

"I won't lie to you, I don't even know the specific numbers without looking at the reports."

"How is that possible—" Fang Ai looked at him in surprise and said, "If even you don't know, then..."

"It's not strange at all." The smile on Li Xuewu's face disappeared, replaced by a serious expression, "Take the Sales Corporation as an example. Almost every month, new branch companies are established, from key cities to provincial key cities. How could I know without looking at the reports?"

"The Red Steel Group currently has 14 general company-level units, over a hundred branch company-level units, and over 50,000 group employees. There are only over 4,000 cadres, accounting for less than 10%. You should know what this means."

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "We have our own vocational training schools, which can provide about 2,000 graduates every year."

"Among the 2,000 people who enter the Group to work after graduation each year, about 10% can be cultivated as cadres."

He shook his head slightly and said, "It's not that we are unwilling to expand, nor is it that we watch resources being wasted in our hands, but we are powerless and unable to continue."

"I just mentioned the predicament of cadre shortage, and haven't detailed the gap in technical workers for modern industrial enterprises."

Li Xuewu let out a long breath and summarized, "The operation and expansion of group-type enterprises require comprehensive consideration of many factors such as human resources, financial resources, material resources, the development prospects of new projects, and the operating environment."

Hearing his explanation, Fang Ai finally understood why there had been no reply from the Red Steel Group for so long.

It wasn't that they looked down on them, nor was it that they didn't want to intervene in the chemical and pharmaceutical field, but that they didn't dare to expand blindly.

"I very much agree with your point of view. Western medicine will definitely occupy an important position in future industrial development."

Li Xuewu nodded in approval and said, "We have indeed discussed related work and are also preparing for new projects."

"But the time might be postponed. Prioritizing the development of top-tier technology industry is the arduous task entrusted to us by the era."

He nodded slowly and said, "To put it bluntly, the resources we can mobilize are limited. Prioritizing which one to develop must conform to the needs of the era."

"I understand. The Red Steel Group has a development plan."

Fang Ai nodded with a somewhat dejected expression, then cheered up, looked at Li Xuewu with a smile, and said, "This is exactly what we admire."

"Better not to do it than to do it blindly. That would not only waste resources and time but also affect the overall development efficiency."

"Thank you for your understanding, Director Fang."

Seeing Zhang Enyuan signal that his time was up, Li Xuewu stood up with a smile, shook hands with her, and said, "If you don't mind, I will attend the resource integration work meeting tomorrow. You can come find me here then."

He shook her hand and said, "Your spirit moves me. I must help you find a clear path no matter what."

"Then thank you very much, Director Li—"

Hope reignited in Fang Ai's eyes. She shook Li Xuewu's hand with both hands and said gratefully, "I won't disturb you today. I'll come again tomorrow."

"Good, Enyuan." Li Xuewu nodded with a smile, called Zhang Enyuan again, and said, "Help me see Director Fang off."

"No need to be polite, no need to be polite—"

Fang Ai waved her hand with a smile, thanked Li Xuewu for his kindness, and went toward the stairs accompanied by Zhang Enyuan.

Li Xuewu turned and went to the banquet hall; he had to settle accounts with Hu Ke.

This time, Lu Qiming personally hosted the persons in charge of Beijing Chemical, United Savings Bank, and Red Steel Group, setting a very high standard.

Li Xuewu's identity was the most special; he was both the main person in charge of the Red Steel Group and the person in charge of the Red Steel Group in the Liaodong region.

At the same time, he was also the introducer of the cooperation project between Liaodong Industry and Beijing Chemical, and even more so the supervising leader of the United Savings Bank. He could be said to be the focal person at today's banquet.

He had wanted to find trouble with Hu Ke, but he was restrained by everyone and didn't have the opportunity. It was agreed that he would let him be carried out, but in the end, he left walking. He really miscalculated.

This time, it wasn't Bai Changmin who came from Beijing Chemical, but Yuan Beichen, the deputy director in charge of economic work. The chief engineer, Huang Yongjie, did come.

The United Savings Bank sent Zhao Shulan, the deputy president who participated in and presided over this project. She originally worked in the economic department and was an academic expert invited by Gu Weijie and Li Huai together, a typical representative of applying knowledge to practice.

Professors in schools in this era were all capable people. They could truly be said to be able to settle the world with a pen and determine the world on horseback. Each one was a ruthless person.

Unlike professors in later generations who only did research in ivory towers, they had to possess the ability of academic transformation in a special era.

This Deputy President Zhao could also be considered a typical representative of successful career changes during the implementation of the Red Steel Group's talent introduction policy.

It wasn't just Zhao Shulan alone; the professors invited by Gu Weijie didn't all teach at the United Vocational Technical College or do research projects at the Academy of Sciences. Many of them also moved into enterprise management positions.

After these people went through integration and training, entering management positions was truly a dimensionality reduction strike, directly forming a third pole within the Group.

Speaking of the development of the Red Steel Group, one must mention the source and composition of cadres in the development process, because this reflected a certain advancement.

The first part, and also the basic component, was the original cadre system of the Red Star Plant, which was the main framework for the Group's development.

The second part was the cadres who were screened, inspected, and trained before taking up their posts from enterprises merged and acquired by the Red Star Plant in the process of groupization.

The third part was the talent introduction plan presided over by Deputy Director Gu Weijie, including university professors, university graduates, and demobilized personnel, etc.

The three parts were mixed together, and after so many years of careful deployment by Li Huai, a relatively stable structural relationship had been formed.

In the future, no matter which cadre system it was, it would face the impact of graduates from the United Vocational Technical College.

Among them would be their children, and also their students.

A new generation replaces the old; this was the standard explanation for endless succession.

Liaodong Industry and Beijing Chemical were envious of this model. At the dinner table, Yu Han mentioned the topic that hadn't been finished in the afternoon.

The persons in charge of several parties participated in the discussion of this topic, during which they asked Li Xuewu several times about the experience and results in this process.

Li Xuewu was willing to share the development experience of the Red Steel Group, because every time he encountered such an occasion, it was an opportunity to advertise.

Everyone says Red Steel is good after hearing it,

Only after doing it do they know.

You can't do it by building a car behind closed doors,

You still have to find Red Steel.

Listening to him bluff, being able to raise the psychological standards of these people for industrial management to the same level as the Red Steel Group, this is called the anchoring effect in psychology.

Explaining it this way doesn't seem easy to understand how he pits people. Changing to another example makes it very easy to understand.

For example, a girl only receives 10,000 yuan in bride price when she gets married. Her three unmarried girlfriends ask her how much she got, and she says 300,000.

Now it's good. Her three girlfriends see that someone like her can get 300,000 in bride price, so why can't they, who are more excellent, get it?

Listening to the girl brag about how generous her in-laws are, how they take care of her, voluntarily offering gold jewelry, the husband voluntarily handing over the salary card, buying a house and a car...

The three girlfriends silently raise their criteria for choosing a spouse to an equivalent position in their hearts, or even a higher position.

And the result?

They hit walls repeatedly in the matchmaking market. Every time they propose these conditions, they encounter questioning from the other party, or even misunderstanding.

They understand even less why these people can't understand. There are clearly living examples in their lives!

The final result is that when the girl's family is harmonious and the children are already in middle school, these three girlfriends are still looking for partners.

This explanation in psychology is called the anchoring effect.

Looking back at Li Xuewu bluffing, it's the same. He is relatively honest. He first introduces why the Red Steel Group wants to make a fuss about talent cultivation and technical innovation, and then starts talking about future industrial trends.

Just think, it's not that he didn't have enterprise management experience in his previous life. Among the people at this table, facing a great bluffer who grasps future industrial development trends, who could out-talk him? Listening to him felt like a sudden enlightenment, benefiting a lot.

The key is that he wants to talk about the process, but everyone is still vague. He only talks about the present and the results, so everyone automatically ignores the more important process.

The current management model of the Red Steel Group is placed right in front of them. Who doesn't know how to copy homework?

They also know the long-term goals set by the Red Steel Group, so they just follow suit. Anyway, copying homework won't be wrong.

Thinking this way is a huge mistake!

The era changes in the process of development. The Red Steel Group's general development policy is set every five years, and the basic development strategy is set every three years.

They all think that the Red Steel Group expanded from 10,000 in bride price to 300,000, not knowing that this 300,000 bride price is a coefficient of capital operation.

Listening to his bluffing class, plus drinking some wine, these people got a bit carried away. After the banquet ended, they didn't go to rest, but went to the conference room to continue chatting, really having the spirit of not intending to sleep until they found the truth.

Li Xuewu couldn't afford to accompany them. There was someone waiting for him at the Tuanjie Hotel of the Machinery Plant.

"No need to see me off, I can walk by myself."

He wanted to go downstairs, but Hu Ke insisted on seeing him down, making Yu Han have to follow him downstairs.

"Listening to your words is better than reading books for ten years—"

Hu Ke put his arm around him and said admiringly, "You should really find an opportunity to call the cadres of the Liaodong industrial sector over and let you give us a lecture."

"Forget it—" Li Xuewu looked at him amusedly and said, "Where do I have this ability? Stop mocking me."

"Hey—" Hu Ke pretended to be dissatisfied and said, "Why are you being modest? Just based on the content you shared today, it's enough—"

"Bureau Chief Hu, Secretary-General Li is a real teacher, a real professor!"

Yu Han also chimed in from the side, joking, "Don't forget this identity of Secretary-General Li."

"Ah—" Hu Ke pretended to be suddenly enlightened, smiled, and patted Li Xuewu's arm, saying, "Look at my memory. I only remember you are the Secretary-General of the Red Steel Group."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu pointed at him with his finger and said with a light laugh, "Why do I feel like you only remembered where I live, and then sold me out!"

"Hahaha—" Hu Ke was exposed by him, didn't feel embarrassed at all, and laughed loudly, "This is called being capable means doing more!"

He grabbed Li Xuewu's arm, nodded, and explained, "A very excellent female comrade, has ideas, has ability. Help her if you can."

"Let me tell you, the one who tied the bell must untie it."

Li Xuewu emphasized to him before getting in the car, "For your sake, I didn't turn her away."

"And I made an appointment for her to come again tomorrow."

He looked at Hu Ke and said, "When the time comes, I will point out a clear path for her. Don't you dare back out!"

"Hahahaha! I can't!"

Hu Ke said decisively, "Whatever path you point out, I will beat the drum for it. I will definitely not beat a retreat."

"Hey, Director Yu, act as a guarantor!"

Li Xuewu pointed at Yu Han again and emphasized with a smile, "Today, no one is allowed to be a rogue. If you say it, you have to do it."

Qi Yan borrowed a car from Liaodong. At this moment, he and Zhang Enyuan helped him open the car door, just waiting for him to get in.

"No problem, I'll wait for your good news."

Hu Ke smiled and sent him into the car, reminding Li Xuewu through the car window, "Tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock, don't be late."

"Don't worry—" Li Xuewu waved his hand, signaled Qi Yan to drive, and waved goodbye to Yu Han from the car window.

Because it was a Liaodong car, entering and exiting the gate was very convenient. Qi Yan's driving technique went without saying; it was very steady.

Li Xuewu chatted a lot with them, but actually, he didn't drink any alcohol at all. It wasn't a heart-to-heart occasion, so why drink?

"This Director Yu is not simple—"

Zhang Enyuan turned around from the passenger seat, looked at Li Xuewu who was resting in the back seat, and said with a smile, "Polite in advance and retreat, not losing a bit of propriety."

"Learn from it—" Li Xuewu smiled, looked in his direction, and said, "This is the example you should learn from."

The night was deep. In winter, the moon was used to hiding. With the light of the car headlights, they couldn't see each other's faces clearly.

However, Li Xuewu's laughter could still express his mood today. He was happy, so Zhang Enyuan was happy.

"If there is an opportunity to learn, that's naturally good."

He said with a smile, "But it's the same by your side. At least I can see where he is worth learning from now, isn't that so?"

"Hey! —" Li Xuewu said amusedly, "I don't know about other things, but your ability to flatter has increased!"

"Hahahaha—" Zhang Enyuan found it funny and countered, "That's also learned from you!"

"Hahaha—" Li Xuewu didn't want to refute this at all. Flattery isn't necessarily a derogatory term, right? It depends on why you flatter.

As long as you are a person, as long as you live in society, who dares to say they haven't flattered others?

From a young age, you have to please your parents, and you say plenty of nice things!

"I think Director Hu is even more shrewd."

Zhang Enyuan commented with a smile on the two leaders who sent them out, pursing his lips and saying, "He looks like an old fox."

"He also has to be shrewd—"

Li Xuewu snorted and said, "He worked in the Beijing Office for 7 years. Do you know what kind of unit that is?"

"That's true." Zhang Enyuan nodded and said with some understanding, "It's also very impressive to be able to jump from that unit to his current position."

"Of course it's impressive." Li Xuewu curled his lips and said, "Eight-sided and exquisite with a seven-aperture heart. It's not an exaggeration for me to say he has more heart than a lotus root."

"Hehehe—" Zhang Enyuan said with a light laugh, "I heard he says the same about you in private. Can you two be considered tacitly compatible?"

"Pfft—" Li Xuewu shook his head amusedly and said, "He just can't stand losing a bit, and always wants to take advantage."

He knew that saying this, Zhang Enyuan would definitely think he had the same personality, and still had the face to talk about others.

But Li Xuewu was sure that he was different from Hu Ke; he was more shrewd than the other party and understood propriety better.

If Yu Han and Hu Ke were merged together, they would be somewhat similar to him, but everyone knew this was impossible.

"You wait and see. With this situation, there will be plenty of contradictions and friction in the future—"

"Are you saying—" Zhang Enyuan asked puzzledly, "Is it this project of Beijing Chemical, or our relationship with Liaodong Industry?"

"Both, no one can escape—"

Li Xuewu said indifferently, "Haven't you heard that old saying? It's easy to share adversity, but hard to share wealth."

"Can't be, right?" Zhang Enyuan said hesitantly, "Judging from the current cooperation situation of several parties, the future is still a state of mutual dependence."

"But don't forget, there is also territorial management."

Li Xuewu curled his lips and said, "Now we don't belong to Liaodong's management and have formed our own system, so they are still polite."

"Wait until one day when the whole country is a game of chess, and all industrial safety production and plan allocation need to comply with the local territorial management principle, then you'll see."

"How is that possible!" Zhang Enyuan was surprised again and said, "Then do our factories in Liaodong belong to the Group's management or the local management?"

"It depends on the situation and the business." Li Xuewu explained, "Now we have strong autonomy. In the future, fire management, safety management, etc., may all belong to the scope of local management."

"Will there really be such a day?"

Zhang Enyuan thought for a while and muttered, "If it's really like this, then our industrial enterprises will be too constrained by the local area."

"This is a trend, an inevitable choice of history."

Li Xuewu explained to him patiently, "You only saw that accidents were greatly reduced after the Red Steel Group implemented safety management standards."

"But have you thought about the implementation cost of this safety standard, and then comparing the Red Steel Group's safety production management achievements within the entire system, how will the higher-ups consider it?"

He patted the seat with his palm and said, "Letting enterprises do it themselves will always lead to situations where they make up the numbers and don't take it seriously, so it must be cut with one knife."

"Yes, I seem to understand—"

Zhang Enyuan turned around, looked at him, and asked, "It's just applying our standards nationwide and strictly regulating industrial enterprises within the territorial scope, right?"

"If it's like this, according to the standards we set, it can also reduce a lot of trouble when determining responsibility."

"That's what it means." Li Xuewu looked at the increasing light outside the window, knowing they had entered the factory area of the Machinery Plant.

"Enterprises manage themselves without anyone determining responsibility, and territorial management means enterprise responsibility is not in place, which can directly locate the person responsible."

Qi Yan parked the car at the entrance of the Tuanjie Hotel, waiting for them to get off before parking it in the small motorcade garage.

At the end of November, the temperature at night was very low. Li Xuewu walked quickly two steps into the lobby, waved his hand to signal the duty staff not to receive him, and walked by himself.

"You go rest first, don't worry about me."

Li Xuewu walked to the door of his room, signaled Zhang Enyuan, and said, "You've been busy all day too, and you have to get up early tomorrow."

"Then you rest early too." Zhang Enyuan nodded and replied, "I'll come call you tomorrow morning."

"Good." After Li Xuewu agreed, he pushed the door open and returned to his room.

At this time, in a room not far away on the same floor, Jing Yunong had already looked at the time on her hand several times.

If it weren't inconvenient to make a phone call, she would have wanted to ask if this bastard was coming back tonight.

Li Xuewu knew her long-lasting thoughts, but he just changed his clothes before going out and finding her room.

Hearing the movement at the door, Jing Yunong got out of bed in a few steps, but felt she was too unreserved, so she walked slowly for a few steps before opening the door.

"Are you drinking nectar and jade liquid?"

She complained without hiding it in her tone, "Why is it endless? What time is it now?"

"I ran away halfway through."

Li Xuewu explained the scene today amusedly, raised his eyebrows, and said, "They don't intend to sleep at all. They are all having a tea party in the conference room."

"Are they sick—" Jing Yunong also found it funny, glanced at him, and said, "Are they all so energetic? Competing to be model workers?"

"Today is just an appetizer."

Li Xuewu took off his clothes and got into bed, saying with a smile, "You wait for tomorrow. That will be lively." ===== CHAPTER 1643 =====