Chapter 684: A Generation

"It's already being trained."

Lou Jie nodded and said, "Following your arrangements, he has started rotating through the grassroots levels of various departments—security, waitstaff, training hall management, and so on. I have arranged everything for him; he is guaranteed to learn something."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Take it slow. This child is still quite good. Once he's brought up properly, he'll be a good manager."

After finishing, he looked toward Lou Jie and asked, "Are there any suitable ones here? They could also be included in this training program, right?"

"There aren't many suitable ones; after all, there aren't many people."

Lou Jie walked over to the sofa and sat on the armrest. Looking at Li Xuewu, she said, "The existing management, viewed as a whole, is still not comprehensive, nor is it complete."

"It's the same when looking specifically at each department and each position. We still need to recruit people slowly and train them slowly."

What Lou Xiaoe said was the truth. There weren't many employees at the club who could earn a salary, and even fewer who could earn a formal worker's wage. Most were just earning enough for their daily meals.

Especially the management layer; people like Father Lou and Lou Xiaoe had never taken a salary.

The few "financial backers" who usually worked here also didn't take money; they managed for free and offered ideas for free.

Those who could earn money were the finance staff, the coaches, and the service personnel.

The finance staff could earn a bit more, while the coaches were all students interning from the martial arts school, as were the service personnel. Their wage levels were not high.

Furthermore, the club currently operated few projects, and the number of people was small; even if one tried to pick the best from the bunch, there weren't many to choose from.

"I understand."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "We still need to train a few people with reliable professional skills. It will be more convenient when we build the management structure in the future."

"Understood, I am also paying attention to this."

Lou Jie smoothed the long hair by her ear and explained, "Take Zhao Lao Si, who is responsible for the gate, security, and reception. I think he doesn't even need to rotate; focusing on this one area is enough."

"Let everyone make the best use of their talents."

Li Xuewu felt moved when he heard Lou Jie mention Zhao Lao Si.

People, once they have a goal and put in the effort, the potential they unleash is limitless.

Zhao Lao Si himself was just a small-time hoodlum, one of those who would follow behind Zhou Changli with a stick, acting fierce and bullying others.

But now, he was apprenticing to learn a trade, practicing his skills diligently, and even bringing his younger brother from home out to make a living.

In this day and age, to be able to find a job where one wouldn't go hungry without relying on family or connections was truly rare.

Especially this spirit of a prodigal son returning, which is worth admiring.

Don't look at the fact that Li Xuewu wasn't saying anything now; his thoughts were the same as Lou Jie's. He intended to slowly cultivate him for the security at the entrance, as well as for future reception and management work.

Unlike Zhou Changli, Zhao Lao Si had a heart inclined toward stability; he wanted to stay in the capital to take care of his family and his brothers.

Zhou Changli was in another direction. From what was heard from Wen Saner, this kid and the one he brought along had given Zhang Wanhe quite a shock.

Zhang Wanhe naturally knew what these kids from the capital had come to do, and he also understood the significance of Li Xuewu's arrangements.

This included what it meant to transfer the children and young people from Jicheng back home into the capital.

Seeing these two people risking their lives, he thought that if all those coming from the capital were this desperate, then those kids from Jicheng wouldn't be able to stand their ground.

Zhou Changli was also suppressing fire in his heart. He had made a name for himself in the alleys, but once he stepped out of the alleys, he discovered he was just a frog in a well.

Having seen the vast sky that Li Xuewu had ventured into, he only felt that the bragging he had done in the past was a joke.

Li Xuewu had told him to go to the Northeast to venture out; it would be a life-and-death struggle, but if he survived, he would surely stand out from the crowd.

Zhou Changli didn't understand what kind of state Li Xuewu meant by "standing out from the crowd." Perhaps he was thinking the same thing while he was on the boat now.

In the morning, Li Xuewu changed into sportswear, played a few games of table tennis with Huang Gan, and then went to practice wrestling.

The coach here was from a Bagua background and didn't use the same style as Ding Wanqu.

Li Xuewu didn't care about the methods the other party taught; he just found a coach to spar with to recover his body's memory.

This coach teaching the movements was a student from the sports school. When he first came with his master, he had heard people say that this person was also a practitioner, so he hadn't been careless from the start.

The foundations of Baji Quan and Xingyi Quan were all fast-hand movements.

But although he wasn't careless, he wasn't very careful either; after all, he had only heard about it and had never seen Li Xuewu in action.

Now, sparring with Li Xuewu, as soon as he opened his stance, the coach knew Li Xuewu was not to be trifled with.

Once they started, he was already regretting it in his heart.

What kind of person is this! He's already a high-ranking official, yet he's still so good at fighting.

The key was that Li Xuewu didn't follow the rules; his punches were Baji Quan, but as soon as he grabbed someone, he switched to wrestling, and the wrestling wasn't pure wrestling either—it had a hint of grappling.

Pulled up from the ground by Li Xuewu, the young coach asked with a smile, "Brother Li, have you practiced grappling?"

"Not exactly. It's all taught in the military; it should be a synthesis."

Li Xuewu opened his stance again, and at the same time, he explained to the other party, "We practice this mainly for work. Subduing the enemy in one move is the fundamental goal."

As he spoke, he had already charged forward, his feet very steady, his hands already reaching to grab the person.

The coach also got ruthless, dodging his body to punch Li Xuewu in the lower abdomen.

Li Xuewu wouldn't allow this; the hand he had extended retracted, blocking the direction of the incoming punch, while his body lunged forward violently, slamming into the other party's chest.

This was a "sticking and leaning" move from the techniques; it wasn't a very powerful method, but fighting relies on flexibility and change. There's no distinction between good and bad moves—as long as it works, it's good.

The coach was pushed back a few steps, and only then did he stand steady and smile bitterly, "Your physical fitness is too good. You're a great talent for practicing Baji."

"I haven't practiced in a long time."

Li Xuewu stretched his muscles and bones, saying, "I didn't have time when I was working, and when I got home, I became lazy and couldn't move my body."

After finishing, he signaled for the coach to come again, while also adjusting his body to simulate a state of being attacked.

Seeing him so focused, the coach was also willing to help, swinging his arms and going up.

Coming here to be a coach, while called an internship, was actually an arranged job; they were clear about this themselves.

They weren't on a proper path at the sports school to begin with, and coming out, they were aiming to be athletes.

But the competition for athletes nowadays was still very intense; just within the school, there were so many people competing.

And the domestic competition atmosphere wasn't very good, and the development of athletes was also restricted.

Therefore, the final way out for sports school students was nothing more than becoming PE teachers or changing careers.

Going into the military was a good way out, but not everyone could go.

At this time, let alone their sports school, even for proper middle and high schools, finding a job wasn't easy.

So, Li Xuewu discussed with the Sports Commission to find some graduates from the sports school to come for internships, which was also giving them a job. The school teachers were delighted to arrange for them to come.

Although they didn't know why the club was recruiting coaches, and even less why service personnel were also recruited from their school, being able to earn a meal for themselves was an attitude of responsibility toward their families and teachers.

When they came here, the teachers had warned them not to be willful, not to cause trouble, and even more so, not to do bad things, because they were falling into a police nest.

Anything that didn't follow the rules would be like "wielding a broadsword in front of Guan Gong."

After working for some time, they all understood that those exercising and honing their skills here were all department-level officials—people they couldn't usually reach.

Especially after the underground shooting range opened, they could feel the capabilities and danger of these people even more clearly.

It wasn't that these people had bad tempers and were always brandishing knives and guns, but the danger brought by their status was what is commonly known as an "iron plate."

What is the effect of kicking an iron plate?

These people were naturally not stupid; when training, they naturally had to serve these members well. Perhaps one day, an opportunity would fall upon them.

Like Li Xuewu's current training method, which didn't follow a system or a routine, it was the most exhausting and the most difficult to practice.

But Li Xuewu had already learned the routines and such; now he had formed his own unique movement habits, and what he wanted was to solidify these habits.

Grabbing people, fighting—it's not like a competitive match with rules and restrictions. As long as you dare to act and have the ability to withstand hits, it's fine.

At noon, Li Xuewu ate lunch and rested in Lou Jie's office. After waking up, he saw Zuo Jie sitting on the sofa.

"Didn't rest for a while at noon?"

"No, couldn't sleep."

Seeing Li Xuewu wake up, Zuo Jie smiled. Seeing Lou Jie about to help Li Xuewu pour water, he rushed to help.

Li Xuewu took the cup Zuo Jie handed him, signaled for him to sit, and sat up from the bed himself.

He looked out the window; the sun was at its hottest.

"What's up? Heart set on national affairs, worrying and laboring so much you can't sleep?"

"Hahaha~ No."

Zuo Jie said with a smile, "I just don't have the habit of napping. I'm used to running around playing, and I don't feel it's that hot at noon."

Li Xuewu looked him over a few times and asked, "Are you used to working here?"

After finishing, he signaled to Lou Jie, who was busy behind the desk, and asked, "Has Director Lou been harsh with you?"

Lou Jie was busy with her work and didn't respond to Li Xuewu's teasing.

Zuo Jie looked at Lou Jie with a smile. He had seen Wu Ge sleeping with her; what could he possibly say in front of Director Lou?

Besides, he had been here for so many days, and it was Director Lou who had been teaching him how to do things. It was clear she had a good relationship with Wu Ge and was also helping him wholeheartedly; how could he possibly say she was harsh?

"Director Lou has taught me a lot. I've learned quite a few things here, and there's nothing I'm not used to."

Zuo Jie said this with a smile on his face; it was clear he was willing to work here, so Li Xuewu didn't tease him anymore.

"Alright, as long as you're willing to do it. Love the job you do; everyone climbs up from the beginning. Train more, learn more."

Li Xuewu took a sip of hot water, put on his shoes, stood up from the bed, walked to the side of the sofa, sat down, and placed the cup in his hand on the coffee table.

Seeing Li Xuewu's slow movements, which seemed like those of an old man, Zuo Jie couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

However, he also knew that Li Xuewu was a relatively steady person. Although he would joke with them sometimes, he wasn't someone without depth.

After all, he was a high-ranking official now, and his words and actions carried that kind of demeanor. Zuo Jie couldn't fully grasp it, but he could feel it.

"Wu Ge, Aunt Zheng looked for me."

Seeing Li Xuewu sit down, Zuo Jie then spoke, "Just this Monday, she came to my house to see me, saying she wanted to find me a job, just like Yu Yao, at the air defense entrance. I didn't ask about the specific position and refused directly."

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, looked at Zuo Jie, then nodded and said, "This still depends on your own wishes."

"I told you from the beginning that letting you come here to work was because I had the convenient conditions, and I didn't want to see you hanging around at home."

"If we're talking about development, that is a proper unit, unlike our collective nature."

"As for what you said, whatever purpose this arrangement by Yu Yao's mother has, it's still up to you to decide."

Li Xuewu naturally wouldn't stop Zuo Jie from having better development, and even less would he block him from pursuing a better future.

He didn't say that following him was the only bright path; all roads lead to Rome, right?

Zuo Jie was quite clear-headed. He smiled and said, "I still feel comfortable working here."

"Comfortable even if they don't give you money?"

Lou Jie raised her head, looked at Zuo Jie, and said with a smile, "Working here every day, not getting a single cent, just mixing around for fun—are you really happy?"

"Still happy~"

Zuo Jie laughed, "If I'm not playing here, I'm playing at home. I don't have a way to get food at home, but here they provide food and play. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

"Alright, you're tough~"

Lou Jie said with a smile, "You've fallen for your Wu Ge the capitalist's trap, the kind where you don't even want to climb out once you've fallen into the pit."

"Hehe, it's happy here, and there's dignity."

Zuo Jie looked at Li Xuewu and said earnestly with a smile, "If I had gone with Yu Yao and listened to Aunt Zheng's arrangement, I would have owed their family for the rest of my life. Living like that is too meaningless."

"What owe or not owe? You're still young, don't mind this."

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "Open your heart a bit. Don't think about these things in a crooked way, and even less, don't get stuck in a dead end. Only with an open and honest heart can you walk more easily and go further."

"Understood, Wu Ge."

Zuo Jie nodded solemnly. He understood the meaning in Li Xuewu's words, and he was even more willing to listen to Li Xuewu's words and willing to do as he said.

His parents were away from home all year round, and he was at a confused age, so naturally, he wanted to find a role model to learn from.

To say that young men have a rebellious period and an arrogant nature at this time is actually both right and wrong.

What's right is that men at this age indeed doubt everything and question everything. Everything they see feels fresh, and the conservative words their parents say are, in their view, obstacles hindering their exploration of the unknown.

From the starting point, parents hope their children can take fewer detours, but children at this time can't see the future, and even less can they understand the destination. So, like a blind man in the fog, they only discover it's a cliff when they reach the end, and then it's too late to regret.

Just like Zuo Jie, he didn't learn the principles of how to conduct himself or do things from school; he could only follow everyone else's preferences, pursuing the excitement and prestige of young people.

Fighting, chasing girls, riding bicycles, wearing trendy clothes, etc.

Aren't the children of later generations the same? One generation of young people has one generation of young people's trendy items.

The 80s generation liked playing war and watching movies; the 90s generation liked playing video games and playing on computers; the 00s generation started liking mobile phones and ACG.

When they were children, whatever other children played, they played; if they didn't know how to play, it seemed like they were outdated.

Zuo Jie himself didn't like fighting, but since everyone else was fighting, if he didn't fight, it seemed like he was an outlier.

Learning was the same; everyone else was skipping classes and being playful. If he studied, he always felt something was wrong.

So, that led to the present: no achievements in studies, no way out in anything he did, no one to manage him at home, and he almost lost his life.

After meeting Li Xuewu, Zuo Jie finally saw what a path was, what a destination was, what being awesome was, and what prestige was.

Li Xuewu was the object he learned from, the idol he worshipped. The position Li Xuewu was in now was the direction Zuo Jie was striving for.

Young people, as long as they find a direction, their future is limitless.

Li Xuewu wasn't someone who liked to play the teacher, and even less was he someone who thought he was extraordinary and felt he could enlighten anyone.

He just happened to be there and laid out the layout along the way. In the end, Zuo Jie was just a chess piece on his life's chessboard.

Some people don't even have the opportunity to become his chess pieces. To say Zuo Jie listened to his words and believed his words, that's also correct.

Li Xuewu wouldn't push Zuo Jie into a fire pit, and even less would he think about harming him or selling him out.

Which of the kids following Li Xuewu didn't see this point before they followed him wholeheartedly?

Why did Zhao Lao Si not want to leave once he entered this door? Why did Zhou Changli do whatever Li Xuewu said? Why did Zuo Jie stay here even without money? It was all sincerity exchanged for sincerity.

Li Xuewu had made his intentions clear from the beginning, letting them see what Li Xuewu could give them, and also what they needed to pay.

Comparing the payment and the harvest, those who felt it was worth it did it, and those who felt it wasn't didn't. Li Xuewu didn't have the intention of retaliation.

Just like the kids who were security guards here with Zhou Changli before, they felt it wasn't worth it to go to the Steel City to change their future, so they left and dispersed.

The paths in life are all chosen by oneself; Li Xuewu just provided a platform and a direction for these young people.

Just like when he was young, he was also confused and couldn't find a direction to move forward. Now, seeing some who are good in essence, giving them a path makes them good young men.

"Do things well. Your Sister Lou also has good development. The future belongs to all of you."

Li Xuewu nodded toward Zuo Jie and then said, "If you have good buddies or good brothers, you can call them over to play. Don't be polite; just treat this place as home."

After finishing, seeing Zuo Jie nod with a smile, he then said to Lou Jie, "Tell Zhao Lao Si that the Steel City side needs people. There are shipping positions for going to sea, as well as port management positions, logistics transport positions, trade management, safety management, etc. See if the young people here in the capital are willing to go."

"Understood."

Lou Jie looked at Li Xuewu, just answered, and then went out to make arrangements.

Li Xuewu had already told her this, and saying it again now clearly wasn't for her to hear. Lou Jie could naturally tell.

After Lou Jie left, Zuo Jie blinked and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Wu Ge, what you just said is?"

"Hmm? What?"

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes, looked at Zuo Jie, and then, as if he had just realized, explained with a smile, "We set up a port in the Steel City with a few units and are cooperating with the Jinmen Port Authority. We need to undertake maritime shipping projects, so we're recruiting people."

"Wu Ge, your development is too big."

Upon hearing Li Xuewu's explanation, Zuo Jie was clearly interested. His eyes were full of envy and admiration as he asked, "Recruiting so many people, are there any requirements?"

"Hmm, you want to go?"

Li Xuewu took out a cigarette from the cigarette case on the coffee table, lit it, and looked at Zuo Jie.

Zuo Jie smiled and said, "I won't go; I like it here. It's some of my friends and classmates."

As he spoke, he brought the ashtray to Li Xuewu and explained, "I'm graduating this year. With you backing me, I have a job, but many of them are just idling at home."

"From the courtyards? That might not be very convenient."

Li Xuewu took a puff of the cigarette and said, "Let's be honest. Port work all starts from the grassroots level because you definitely haven't learned these things. You have to train bit by bit. It's very tiring."

"Is that so..."

Zuo Jie blinked and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "What about the work? How is the work treatment?"

"This also has to be looked at separately."

Li Xuewu tapped the ash in the ashtray and said, "Those on shore definitely don't earn as much as those at sea, and those at sea definitely don't earn as much as those managing the ships."

As he spoke, he introduced it to Zuo Jie as if painting a big picture, "There are twenty-seven ships in the Steel City. They are active in the Steel City now, but they have to go to Jinmen by the end of the year."

"The labor intensity at sea isn't considered high; it's just lonely and bumpy. What you earn is naturally more—more than what officials earn."

"After the year, the Steel City wharf might be expanded, but it will mainly be for aquatic products and inland river transport, serving cities along the river. The positions at this level earn less, but they are still better than workers."

"As for the logistics and logistics management on shore, that's at a normal level. Those from out of town can rent houses themselves. That place is close to the city, very convenient."

"As for the remaining basic positions, they earn about the same, but you can also understand that having a job is better than just staying idle, right?"

Li Xuewu took another puff of the cigarette and then said, "However, these basic positions are mostly done by locals, after all, it's stable. There isn't much recruitment. If your classmates are willing, they can also try."

"Going so far away, can they still do this?"

Zuo Jie had the temperament of a young person. Upon hearing about earning money, his eyes widened. He raised his eyebrows and said, "If they go to sea for a few years, won't they be able to support their families when they come back?"

"That's true."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "During the execution of tasks, food and housing are provided, and the unit still has guarantees."

After finishing, he signaled to Zuo Jie and said, "Our Rolling Mill has a steel mill branch in the Steel City, which is cooperating with this Dongfeng Port Authority, including local units and departments in the Steel City."

"Then... is it a formal worker?"

Zuo Jie widened his eyes and looked at Li Xuewu, asking a key question.

Because he knew that there were many temporary workers at the club, including himself—they were all temporary employment.

No need to register files, no need to report to the Personnel Bureau, no need to bear various welfare benefits, etc. As long as they paid money according to the unit's system, it was fine.

Some people at the club could receive money, while others could only receive meal tickets, meaning they were provided food but no wages, calculated according to internships.

The key was that the vast majority at the club were young people who had just graduated this year or hadn't finished school. A three-year internship was normal.

Temporary workers at this time had no guarantees; there was no such thing as having to become a formal worker after a certain number of months. The apprentice workers at the Rolling Mill probably had some who had been learning for five years.

Even less was there such a thing as how much money a temporary worker should be paid to be considered proper. Although there were wage standards, those were for proper factories or units. Were the units Li Xuewu set up proper?

"Temporary worker, definitely a temporary worker."

Li Xuewu took a puff of the cigarette and explained to Zuo Jie, "If they were counted as formal workers, their household registration would have to be moved to the Steel City. After that, all welfare benefits in the capital would have nothing to do with them. If it were you, would you be willing?"

Zuo Jie understood as soon as he heard it. He shook his head and said, "Of course not!"

"That's right."

Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Furthermore, I already told you just now that the work location for inland rivers might be fixed, rotating through a few cities, but once at sea, where would the Port Authority find their household registration? Move it into the ocean?"

"Understood."

Zuo Jie nodded and said, "They will pick up goods in Jinmen and send them to other cities, right?"

"Yes, many cities."

Li Xuewu said affirmatively, "Including the Port City, that is the piece we leased out."

Zuo Jie's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile, "You make me want to go too."

"Hehe, it's too tiring."

Li Xuewu took a puff of the cigarette and said with a light smile, "Young people should go out and venture, see the world outside, but they must also act according to their ability. After all, it's really tiring and really bitter on the ship."

"Unless you become management on the ship."

Li Xuewu spoke like fishing, pulling and releasing, always keeping Zuo Jie's interest hooked.

He had just said how good it was outside and how good the work was, but then he said how tiring the work was. But after saying it was tiring, he said it wasn't tiring as long as one became management.

Could Zuo Jie not ask? His heart was hooked by Li Xuewu. He widened his eyes and asked, "Then how can one become management?"

"Learning."

Li Xuewu said as a matter of course, "If you learn the knowledge of a third mate and can do the work of a third mate, then you can be a third mate. If you learn the knowledge of a captain and can do the work of a captain, then you can be a captain."

"Captain!"

Zuo Jie couldn't sit still anymore. His butt felt like it had grown thorns as he asked, "Then if one becomes a captain, does everyone on the ship have to listen to him?"

"That's for sure."

Li Xuewu continued to scatter bait, "Not only is it easy, but you earn more. As long as you do management, you'll earn at least one or two hundred yuan a month, or even more."

After finishing, he patted Zuo Jie on the shoulder and said, "That side is in urgent need of captain talent. Twenty-seven ships, counting the rotation system, need forty or fifty captains. Think about it, is this an opportunity?"

"Of course it is!"

Zuo Jie looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Then, Wu Ge, tell me what conditions are needed, and I'll go tell my classmates."

"This..."

Li Xuewu thought for a moment and said, "Must be young. Those who are old won't learn anything once they get on the ship, and their learning ability won't be good."

"Must also have a bit of perseverance and a strong heart. After all, once you go to sea, the ship can't turn back. If people don't want to stay, they can't swim back, right?"

"Finally, you must have a goal—the kind that wants to earn money. That is, to go all out, venture out for a few years, earn big money, build a house, and marry a wife."

Zuo Jie listened to these conditions Li Xuewu told him. Weren't they tailor-made for these young people? They were too suitable.

These classmates of his couldn't find work and could only idle at home, enduring the cold eyes of those around them and the sighs of their parents. Finding work was a worry, let alone marrying a wife.

As long as they could have a job, even if it was just a place to eat, they wouldn't be acting out in a cynical manner.

Their reckless youth was the helplessness of the era, and also the indulgence of their parents toward this helplessness.

If a job was placed in front of them, let alone going to sea, they would be willing to go abroad or even leave the Earth.

Who doesn't envy sailors? Those who have sailors in their families often bring back trendy things that make people envious.

Let alone sailors, even those train conductors who brought back local specialties from other places were enough to make people envious.

This was an era that particularly valued simplicity, and also an era that valued comparison.

People's yearning and pursuit of new things were urgent and intense.

"Wu Ge, then... can I call some classmates over to take a look?"

Zuo Jie said a bit embarrassedly, "There might be a lot of people, both men and women. If it's suitable, can you give them a chance too?"

"Of course, no problem."

Li Xuewu extinguished the cigarette in his hand in the ashtray and said with a smile, "They are your classmates and your friends. If I trust you on character, I trust them."

"Thank you, Wu Ge!"

Zuo Jie stood up excitedly and thanked him, then said a bit embarrassedly, signaling outside the door, "Then I'm going to work. I'll go find them after work tonight."

"Go, go."

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile and picked up the teacup to drink.

Watching Zuo Jie run away happily, Lou Jie then walked back from outside.

Watching Li Xuewu drinking tea in a leisurely manner, she twitched the corner of her mouth and said, "Do you just like to fool these young people?"

"What kind of talk is this!"

Li Xuewu put down the teacup, blinked his eyes, and said, "When did I fool him?"

"Hehe~"

Lou Jie rinsed the towel with water and handed it to Li Xuewu, saying, "Still saying you didn't fool him. I saw him run out happily. Did you promise him any conditions?"

"Did you promise to let him or his friends go to the Steel City?"

Seeing Li Xuewu wipe his face, Lou Jie took the towel and said, "Is it the same as the people Zhao Lao Si found—all temporary workers, using household registration and going to sea as excuses?"

After finishing, she couldn't help but glare at Li Xuewu and said, "You say, aren't you bad? Fooling those young people into going, and when they figure it out later, won't they curse you~"

"Hiss~ Curse me for what?"

Li Xuewu blinked and asked, "Curse me for giving them work, or curse me for them earning money?"

"You have the most reasons!"

Lou Jie walked over and said, "With so many people going, all thrown onto the ship to train, there will always be those who can't endure the bitterness. What will you do then?"

"What will I do?"

Li Xuewu sneered, "The ship is floating on the sea. If they can't endure the bitterness, they can swim back themselves, as long as they have the ability."

After finishing, he stood up and said, "I didn't force them to go. Aren't the conditions I stated proper? I just didn't say there's money for working and no money for not working. Isn't this normal?"

Lou Jie rolled her eyes. She now looked at Li Xuewu and saw him more and more like her father—the appearance of a capitalist, exactly the same.

Only working brings money, not working brings no money. This is the true meaning of being a temporary worker.

Working one day gives one day's money, which prevents laziness and also prevents slacking off.

Away from home, if one doesn't have determination and perseverance, can one still earn money?

"You promised to find people for Wen Saner's side. This high batch, that low batch—what is this?"

Lou Jie knew Li Xuewu wanted to fool those graduates into going to the Steel City and getting on the ship.

"Aren't you afraid that with such complex personnel composition, they won't fight? Won't cause you trouble? Won't say something messy when they come back?"

"Afraid of what? That's not my wharf."

Li Xuewu said indifferently, "The more complex the composition, the better. I'm afraid they'll be too united; then the ship won't listen to me."

"Causing trouble on the ship—isn't that waiting for an accident? Falling into the sea while going to the toilet, falling into the sea while fishing, jumping into the sea by oneself—there are plenty of reasons."

Li Xuewu said unconcernedly, "Just like what I said just now, as long as people are pulled to the sea to train for a few months, their thoughts will be trained out. No one will dare to act recklessly."

"As for safety..."

Li Xuewu thought for a moment, looked at Lou Jie, and said, "It doesn't matter if I tell you now. Anyway, you'll get to know him when you go to the Port City."

"Who?"

Lou Jie looked at Li Xuewu and asked suspiciously, "Is it a partner? Or a local from the Port City?"

"It's from the Investigation Department."

There was nothing Li Xuewu couldn't tell Lou Jie; there were only things not suitable to say now.

He didn't say Ji Weidong's identity, just briefly introduced the cooperation between the Steel City wharf and the shipping company with the Investigation Department.

Furthermore, he introduced that there also had to be people from the Investigation Department stationed at the wharf.

Seeing Li Xuewu say this, Lou Jie understood. Li Xuewu had told her that he wanted to arrange port and shipping business in the Port City, and this Steel City one was the trial version.

Recruiting people from Jicheng, recruiting people locally in the Steel City, recruiting people from the capital, and recruiting this year's graduates and those with some education.

Plus Li Xuewu's own people, Zhang Wanhe's people, and the people Guandong left behind.

This Steel City wharf was like a pot of porridge—as complex as a pot of Laba porridge.

Precisely because it was so complex, Li Xuewu wasn't afraid of anyone spying on it or trying to understand it.

Letting Zuo Jie's classmates go was for Wen Saner to use to cultivate the management layer, and letting people from the other three places go was to cultivate grassroots managers and the backbone force.

In ten years, these people would become the future of port and shipping. By then, the environment would be better, and their social relationships would also come in handy, and the port would usher in a takeoff.

Li Xuewu liked to take one step and calculate ten steps when doing things. If some things could be prepared in advance, development would be smooth sailing.

Father Lou was willing to cooperate with Li Xuewu and was willing to hand over the family foundation to Li Xuewu to control because he saw Li Xuewu's vision and his strategy.

Knowing Li Xuewu was at the club, Father Lou also took advantage of the time, invited Li Xuewu upstairs, sat together with the other families, drank tea, and chatted.

Li Xuewu had sent a lot of news recently, and there was a lot of relevant information, so they understood it more comprehensively.

Only when they understood the current social situation in the Port City did these people clearly feel the difference in economic models between the capital and the Port City.

The operating rules of related industries were also different. When formulating the operation plan, they also fully considered the complex social environment of the Port City, combined with their existing funds and political conditions, to gradually improve this plan.

Li Xuewu had also seen the plan they made and had also raised questions and modification suggestions for several items.

Lou Jie followed him up, stood on the side, and listened to the uncles discussing this, knowing that this plan was the standard she would execute in the future.

Even Uncle Qi, whose ancestors had operated the money shop industry, was already responsible for writing the management structure and operation mode of the bank.

Others were also each responsible for one area, bringing their family's younger generation and juniors to write it together.

They didn't quite understand why the head of the family wanted to do this, only thinking it was homework left for them, or to train their skills.

What Li Xuewu saw were project plans for industries such as banking, transport, construction, trade, industry, etc., as well as planning books for company management and operation.

These things couldn't be said to be the secret to success, nor could they be said to be the door to the world of money; they could only be said to be a reference, a kind of assistance.

Lou Jie going to the Port City to fight needed someone to assist and needed someone to help. Li Xuewu could provide her with a lot of support, but also very little.

A lot of money was given, very few people were given, a lot of plans were given, and very little supporting power was given.

If Li Xuewu hadn't told her today that the Investigation Department could help her, she wouldn't have thought about how to manage a port or how to operate a wharf.

When everyone discussed, Lou Jie would also participate, and everyone would earnestly tell her the principles within.

After all, she was the executor, and all plans were designed and built around her, just to make her understand, to make her know how to do these plans, and how to make people do things according to the plan.

If Li Xuewu hadn't specified Lou Xiaoe, if Father Lou didn't have only this one daughter who could be used, and if everyone's situation wasn't so complex, they wouldn't have pressed all the responsibility onto one woman.

The Lou family didn't cultivate this daughter as a business talent at all, so now they were also very tired teaching her.

Fortunately, Lou Jie had been influenced by what she saw and heard since she was a child and still had business acumen and talent. She was also very diligent in learning from her uncles.

At the same time, she practiced work and deduced plans with her father at the club, working much harder than what Li Xuewu saw.

If they hadn't seen her looking so serious, the other families would have had the heart to ask Li Xuewu if he wanted another concubine.

If they could gain Li Xuewu's trust, any of their children taken out would be much stronger than Lou Jie.

They held a discussion meeting upstairs for a long time. The old comrades were not in good health and couldn't persist through such long labor. The meeting dispersed before dinner.

Dinner was hosted by Li Xuewu, still in that hall, inviting these old people to dinner.

They didn't talk about these things at the dinner table, but talked about things from the past.

These people recalled the past, the years of struggle, and sighed at the impermanence of the world, the changing situation, and one generation overturning another.

Li Xuewu was very quiet at the dinner table. When asked, he would say a word or two, mainly listening to the seniors talk about doing business in the past.

There were no good people among these families; the ruthless ones even did business like killing and arson.

It's the era, after all; it always eats people. ===== CHAPTER 685 =====