Chapter 890: Li Lao has changed~

Dazhong Wharf, the night is alluring.

Behind him are the lights of ten thousand homes, yet they cannot warm a heart about to leave its homeland.

The river water splashes, hitting the somewhat crude wharf, making the slender figure standing by the railing look even more lonely.

Ta~ ta~ ta~ ta~ ta~

The sound of an engine comes from afar, not appearing special on this noisy river surface.

But the movement and direction of that iron-skinned boat made the people on the wharf unable to ignore it.

What kind of serious captain drives a boat in a serpentine pattern, and what kind of captain drives so fast on an inland river in the middle of the night?

As the boat got closer, there was a reaction on the wharf.

Three or four figures ran out from the duty room, hurriedly using flashlights to direct the boat to slow down and dock.

And the person steering the boat was clearly a novice; the speed wasn't controlled well, and it couldn't dock at all, brushing past the wharf straight and slanted, nearly crashing.

And the slender figure who had been standing on the wharf all along couldn't help but laugh out loud when she saw the somewhat flustered expression of the reckless captain who couldn't stop the boat.

"You're just a blockhead!"

"Damn you!"

A young man, cold sweat dripping, chased over from the other end of the wharf. Unable to catch up to the passing iron-skinned boat, he jumped on the wharf and cursed.

And by the time that boat turned a big circle and slowly approached the wharf at a turtle's pace, more than twenty minutes had passed.

The young man was tired of cursing, and the woman was tired of laughing.

"I'm truly impressed by you; you always manage to come up with new tricks!"

The young man sat on the wharf, looking at the reckless captain who was climbing ashore with a bitter smile, and grinned: "Can we not play something so thrilling and exciting? My heart can't take it!"

He had truly been scared just now; a diesel-engine iron-skinned boat crashing into the wharf would be a major accident.

"What are you afraid of!"

The captain shook off the cold sweat on his body, forced himself to stay calm, and bragged: "Don't you believe in my technique?"

"Just now?"

"Just now I was just showing off a little, wanting to perform what's called 'water-based cornering' for you."

"Fine! Fine! Fine!"

The young man stood up from the ground, nodded speechlessly, and said: "Fine, anyway, you're alive and ashore, so whatever you say makes sense."

He glanced at the iron-skinned boat below the wharf and asked: "Did you bring the goods?"

"What stuff?"

"I'm talking about the gang trade!"

The captain held onto the railing, not letting the other party see his slightly trembling legs, and cursed with a curled lip: "Do you want me to report my gang name so I know how many incense sticks to burn for you?"

"Then what should I say?!"

The young man looked left and right to make sure no one was around, gritted his teeth, and asked in a low voice: "Did you bring those twenty tons of gold? You idiot!"

The sharp-tongued captain didn't back down either, immediately retorting: "Who are you calling an idiot?"

"I'm calling... calling your grandfather an idiot!"

The young man couldn't hold back anymore, laughed, hugged the trembling captain, and patted his shoulder hard: "How have you been, Li Sir?"

"Don't try to get sentimental with me~"

The trembling captain was Li Xuewu, and the one hugging him and calling him "Li Sir" was Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong, whom he hadn't seen for over three months.

Li Xuewu pushed him away and reminded him: "You still owe me money you haven't paid back!"

"What money?"

Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong swatted away his finger, stared with wide eyes, and said: "I even mortgaged my motorcycle to you, what else do you want?!"

"Hurry up!"

Li Xuewu raised a hand, curled his lip, and said: "Take your broken motorcycle away; it's so in the way at my house, I don't collect junk~"

"Pay the money, seven hundred!"

"Damn! Where am I supposed to get money for you!"

Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong took a stack of Hong Kong dollars from his pocket, handed it to Li Xuewu, and asked: "Do you want this?"

"Are you burning newspapers at a grave, trying to fool a ghost?"

Li Xuewu said disdainfully: "This stuff is too hard even to use as toilet paper here."

"Fine! You're really something!"

Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong truly had no choice, pointed at Li Xuewu, and said: "Consider it as me owing you; we'll calculate the interest and pay it all together next time we meet!"

"No problem."

Li Xuewu stiffened his neck and said: "We'll calculate the motorcycle parking fees together then too~"

"I... fine, okay!"

Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong nodded and said: "Then settle the shipping fees, boat driving fees, management fees, and wharf docking fees for tonight."

"What does that have to do with me?"

Li Xuewu spread his hands, looked at Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong, and said: "Do I look like someone who knows how to drive a boat?"

After saying this, he pointed at Lou Jie, who was walking back from the edge of the wharf, and said: "The boat owner is right there; you can talk to her. I'm just an errand boy."

"You're truly shameless!"

Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong curled his lip, turned to look at Lou Jie, and teased: "Is this kind of person worth you waiting for him all night at the wharf?"

"Don't feel bad!"

He glanced at Li Xuewu with full disdain, curled his lip, and said: "Once we get to Hong Kong, I'll introduce you to someone better."

After saying this, he walked down toward the wharf while pointing at Li Xuewu, emphasizing: "Someone a hundred times, a thousand times better than this!"

Li Xuewu looked at Lou Jie with amusement, not even bothering to respond to him.

Lou Jie also looked at Li Xuewu with eyes full of smiles; the whole world was him.

The moon was big and round, reflecting on the river surface, sparkling and extremely beautiful.

The two strolled along the wharf corridor, time was quiet and good, filled with sweetness.

Below the wharf, Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong was with Wen San'er and Er Hai'er, checking the crates, camouflaging and sealing them, making the final preparations before departure.

Coming from Hong Kong, Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong had brought sufficient countermeasures, including documents and border-crossing papers, ensuring this trip would be foolproof.

Twenty tons of gold; if there was the slightest slip-up, it would be the end of their dreams in Hong Kong.

However, this trip, while seemingly risky, was actually very safe.

Departing from here, with Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong on the inland river channel, no one dared to board the boat to inspect the goods.

And once out of the inland river, it would be Hong Kong territory, so no one would dare to inspect his goods even more.

He hadn't just been drinking and living a life of luxury and color for these three months.

Below the wharf, it was busy, but they hadn't thought of calling the two people above down to help.

The two on the wharf corridor seemed to have forgotten about the matters below, enjoying their last bit of happy time together.

Lou Jie appeared very silent and calm, as if she had already accepted the fact of leaving.

She leaned gently against Li Xuewu, strolling through the night, letting the cold moonlight sprinkle on their faces.

Li Xuewu didn't say anything either; everything that needed to be said had been said. He only hoped for Lou Jie to have a smooth journey, achieve success, and return home for a reunion soon.

The two walked quite far without realizing it, until a flashlight signaled from the wharf side, and they turned back.

Approaching the wharf, Lou Jie stopped her steps, looked at Li Xuewu, and said: "I only have one request."

Li Xuewu stood before her, saying nothing, but his eyes were full of care. At this moment, she could say anything.

"Whether it's three years, five years, or ten, eight years."

Lou Jie's tears fell without her knowing, looking at Li Xuewu, she said earnestly: "The Haizi Courtyard will always be mine."

"Hmm."

At the moment of imminent parting, Li Xuewu had no grand oaths or flowery words, only a soft agreement, yet it let Lou Jie know his heart.

This bad guy only lies when he's being serious; his casual words are the truest feelings.

She didn't regret being with Li Xuewu, nor did she regret walking to this point with him because of family reasons.

After this year, who knows when they will meet again.

He might still be elegant, while she doesn't know where she will be drifting.

The only regret is that they loved each other, yet left no trace behind.

It's as if the passage of time turned every bit of their time together into her tears.

This man is the most sentimental, yet also the most heartless.

Lou Jie wiped away the coldness on her face, pursed her lips, and reached out to hug Li Xuewu, just like that night when she first took the initiative to hug him.

My heart remains the same, love is eternal.

Lou Jie left, following those twenty tons of gold and Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong's cursing.

Twenty tons of gold is the foundation for everyone to build their dreams in Hong Kong, the basis for winning big with small stakes, and the foundation for establishing a foothold.

Lou Jie was going to dance on the foundation of gold Li Xuewu gave her, displaying the business talent she was born with, the talent in her family's bloodline.

Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong was cursing because his good brother hadn't seen him for over three months, and instead of missing him, the other party asked him for money, which was truly hateful.

When Li Xuewu returned to his room, his heart felt empty; he didn't know if he was heartbroken for the gold or for his lover who had gone far away.

Lou Jie didn't scold him, didn't scold him for being heartless, for not even wanting to leave behind longing for her.

Li Xuewu, however, was silent, sitting on the sofa, looking at the moonlight outside the window. At this moment, Lou Jie should also be under the moonlight.

"Go to sleep early~"

Zhang Songying walked out of the bathroom wearing a white silk camisole; she had bought it at the trade fair, having heard that foreign women dressed like this.

She had originally wanted to repay Li Laoshi for his "pouring out his knowledge" last night, but she hadn't expected Li Laoshi to be absent-minded tonight, seemingly thinking about some woman.

Why say that?

Because a man would never be this melancholy when thinking about work or career.

And looking at Li Xuewu sitting by the window smoking, almost turning the oppression of the night into thick ink, what else could she not guess?

Looking at the still-silent man, Zhang Songying walked behind the sofa, placed her hands on his shoulders, and kneaded them, giving him a bit of comfort and relaxation.

"If you miss her, why don't you go find her?"

"Hmm."

Li Xuewu didn't actively respond to Zhang Songying's bold question, just stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, leaned back slightly, and lay on the single sofa.

"Is it a case of 'seeking but not obtaining'? Or 'regretting the past', or perhaps 'this hatred is endless'?"

Zhang Songying's hands stroked his chest along his shoulders, her chin resting on the top of his head, teasing his nerves.

"'When shall we trim the candle by the western window, and talk of the rainy night in Bashan'?"

Li Xuewu let out a long sigh and said leisurely: "'How can one have the best of both worlds in this life, without failing the Buddha or failing the beloved'."

"If I were lucky enough to get such a sentence from you."

Zhang Songying turned her face to look at Li Xuewu under the moonlight and said coquettishly: "Then I would be willing to die."

"Heh~"

Li Xuewu raised his hand and patted her head, saying gently: "I'm not a romantic saint, why am I being sentimental?"

"Still a romantic saint~"

Zhang Songying examined Li Xuewu's perfect profile, imagining how handsome he must have been before.

"I think you're just a fickle radish, always liking the next one."

"That hurts my heart too much."

Li Xuewu touched his chest and said with a sad tone: "I didn't expect that I would be so unbearable in your eyes. I'm heartbroken tonight, and you're rubbing salt in the wound."

"Hmm, indeed."

Zhang Songying pursed her lips, holding back a laugh, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Li Xuewu: "If you put your hand on your chest, I might believe your ghost stories."

"My chest is too cold."

Li Xuewu insisted on his choice, shook his head, and said: "It's freezing cold~"

"I'll warm it up for you~"

Zhang Songying's laughter was like White Snake in a play, and also like a man-eating tigress.

Nonsense, why come here in the middle of the night~

Of course, to eat someone!

"Is it still cold?"

"Cold."

"Even if it's cold, I'm not warming it anymore; you have things to do tomorrow morning."

Zhang Songying stood up and went around to the dressing table to gather her long hair.

"You should pay more attention to the influence; I don't think that Japanese merchant is a good thing."

"Especially that Momotani whatever."

She was tidying her hair with both hands, turned her body, and reminded Li Xuewu: "She doesn't look like a decent woman at all."

"Hmm, I know."

Li Xuewu's voice was very firm: "You know me; I'm the most decent person."

"Believe your ghost stories~"

After Zhang Songying finished her reminder, she didn't forget to scold him: "I saw it during the negotiation that day; that woman was always circling around you."

"And calling you 'Li-san'~ 'Li-san'~"

Zhang Songying pouted and said with dissatisfaction: "That coquettish voice, I can't even learn it."

"Hehehe~"

Li Xuewu looked at her with amusement and said: "If she doesn't call me Li-san, what should she call me?"

"The way they address people over there is a bit different from our understanding."

"For example, Nishida Kenichi, he wants to cooperate with me, and also wants to maintain a relatively friendly personal relationship. We aren't familiar, so he calls me 'san'."

"And it's obvious that he and Nakamura Shuji are old acquaintances, and their personal relationship is closer, so he calls him 'kun'."

"But this 'kun' also has another usage; it can be used to address close females."

Li Xuewu smiled and popularized the common sense he only half-understood, not caring if it was right or wrong, just bluffing first.

"Then what about 'sensei'?"

Zhang Songying pouted and scolded: "I saw that she even called out... called out that kind of meaning~"

"Maybe it's a professional factor."

Li Xuewu lay flat on the bed and explained: "For people you respect, if the personal relationship isn't close, you call them 'sensei'."

"Then what is her profession?"

Zhang Songying finished tidying herself, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at Li Xuewu: "Young and beautiful, how is she serving a male leader?"

"Hmm, outside is different from us."

Li Xuewu raised his pillow and explained to Zhang Songying: "Most of the secretarial work for corporate documents outside is handed over to relatively gentle women; they are meticulous and work seriously."

"Hmm, we are different in this point."

Zhang Songying nodded and said: "We all say that women hold up half the sky, and men and women are equal."

Li Xuewu certainly wouldn't explain to her the deep-seated issues of women entering the workshop due to national needs during development and reform.

He was afraid that this woman would slip up one day and cause trouble.

"Hmm, we are relatively advanced."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "The more labeled a profession is, the more inequality exists, so when women engage in secretarial work, other definitions will be attached."

"Just like that Momotani?"

Zhang Songying opened her eyes wide and looked at Li Xuewu in surprise: "Is she going to... with that Nishida... that?"

"How would I know~"

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "But outside, it's an independent enterprise responsibility system, private enterprises, they decide for themselves, anything can happen."

"Truly despicable~"

Zhang Songying curled her lip and said: "No wonder our enterprises have all been changed to organizational management; it's indeed more advanced than theirs."

"Hmm."

What else could Li Xuewu say? Now he can only say this, and can only think this.

The fixation of the ideological environment has an exclusionary effect on other influencing factors.

When an individual comes into contact with a different culture, they will self-correct and repair; this process will appear relatively stubborn, rigid, or even alternative under the gaze of open thinking.

But in their world, this is correct, principled.

Perhaps Li Laoshi's personal teaching was quite effective. The next morning, when Li Xuewu received the visiting Japanese merchant representatives at the station, Zhang Songying didn't show as much hostility when she saw Miss Momotani again.

"Li-san, hello."

"Hello, Mr. Nishida."

Li Xuewu shook hands with Nishida and smiled to greet Nakamura Shuji, Ninomiya Kazunari, and others who came together.

The Japanese merchants visited again today, mainly to discuss the details of the cooperation.

Last time, they took the agency agreement and trade agreement back for careful review. This time, both sides conducted consultations and negotiations on the clauses they disagreed with.

Because Li Xuewu was returning to Beijing next week, the content of the agreement basically had to be finalized today.

The next meeting would be in Beijing; they were going to attend the conference, and by the way, visit and inspect the industrial base in Steel City, and complete the signing at the same time.

Li Xuewu held back the contract and didn't sign it, mainly considering the identity of the Japanese merchants and the agreement they were currently discussing.

This was handled differently from the Hong Kong merchants; the Hong Kong side could operate through Oriental Trade, so they signed in advance.

And under the framework of agreement trade, the Steel Mill had to discuss compensation trade with the Japanese merchants, so it had to be delayed.

Time wasn't the problem; the problem was the subsequent trade impact, which was very complicated.

Only after the approval from above was confirmed could the Steel Mill obtain the compensation trade procedures from the Ministry of Trade and then carry out export operations.

Only then could both sides sign the compensation trade contract and other agency distribution agreements according to the approval.

The Japanese side also needed to deliver the agency deposit to the account of Oriental Era Bank in Hong Kong before this.

The Steel Mill would coordinate with them according to production and technical needs to see what equipment and support were needed.

After the infrastructure was completed and the equipment was commissioned in the factory, production activities could basically be carried out.

The most troublesome part wasn't construction and production, but the preliminary negotiations and the delineation of interests.

Both sides had the willingness to cooperate, but also had their own demands. Carrying out complex forms of trade under the complex international situation was itself a very difficult problem to handle.

Because of business needs, the Japanese merchants hoped to tilt the production plan toward them as much as possible, while Li Xuewu hoped more that the Japanese merchants would provide their country's most cutting-edge electrical appliance production technology.

Electrical appliance production is very troublesome; different operating voltages, different connection ports, different size requirements, different trademark symbols...

Doing international trade, especially for OEM production, is two different things from pure export trade.

You have to make whatever the other party requires, but producing multiple types of electrical appliances in one factory is itself a classification.

As long as there is differentiation, there will be planning divergence—you get more, they get less.

The Japanese merchants wished that after the factory was built, it would only produce Japanese-standard electrical appliances so they could fully complete their marketing to the market.

But this way, it would be unfair to other distributors.

Therefore, according to such problems, the electronic industry production line was constantly being refined and standards were being raised, and some categories were even divided into three production lines.

China standard, Japan standard, UK standard, and who knows how many standards in the future.

Maybe you want to say that this can be solved with a conversion plug.

It's not; this is OEM production. People take it back to use as their own goods, so it's impossible to have an extra procedure that makes people question it.

Although Li Xuewu was willing to see technology and equipment become rich and diverse, he was also unwilling to infinitely raise the threshold of this compensation debt.

All machinery and technology will undergo iteration and elimination. The machinery and technology obtained through the compensation agreement today might be outdated tomorrow.

Then the goods you compensate with will become a losing business.

Japanese merchants taking the initiative to give machinery and technology looks very polite, but in reality, it's not a good thing.

You have to evaluate in your heart how many years these machines can work and how much profit they can generate. After deducting the compensation price, the rest is what you earn.

Li Xuewu isn't really an angel big brother, helping Nakamura realize some ghost dream of dominating the entire home appliance electronic market for free; he also wants to make money.

Therefore, during the negotiation process, he insisted on requiring the most cutting-edge production technology and infinitely extending the leading advantage of the production line.

And strictly controlled the compensation debt, resolutely not allowing the procurement cost of machinery and technology to exceed the standard.

Doing OEM production is about competing on cost. If production costs aren't leading, then only labor costs can be compressed.

Do you think that's not how it was done in later generations?

When their production equipment doesn't have a leading advantage and they are reluctant to update technology, they can only compress other parts.

It can be product quality, or it can be salary quality.

In any case, this money won't be reduced from the vested interests of capital.

Discussing to this point, it was time to get stuck on product production process standards. Li Xuewu's requirement was to apply to a wide range of electrical appliance quality execution standards, but requirements could be appropriately raised according to technical input and ex-factory price.

What does that mean?

It means if you give me high-end technology, I'll give you high-end quality.

If you want top-tier construction technology, then the ex-factory price I set is also top-tier.

The ex-factory price fixed the threshold for compensation trade and represented the repayment unit price, which was also a crossbeam for locking in production costs.

It was impossible for the Steel Mill to lose money to earn machines; even zero cost was impossible.

Excluding labor and basic losses, low-profit operation was the main production mode during the compensation trade production process.

Of course, whether it was Japanese merchants, Hong Kong merchants, or even other agents who would participate in cooperation in the future, if they wanted to continue to enjoy this low-cost OEM mode, they needed to continuously invest in updating production technology and equipment.

To ensure that the compensation agreement continues permanently, otherwise, they would have to switch to processing with supplied materials or pure OEM production.

The advantage of this compensation agreement is that foreign merchants enjoy low costs and low production management fees, but need to continuously invest in high-tech and production equipment to maintain a leading advantage.

This, in turn, was a good thing for the Steel Mill.

Enjoying high-tech and equipment at low cost, repaying with products, and maintaining and expanding the work opportunities for enterprise employees.

Most importantly, even if production technology and equipment are iterated and updated, the products produced by the replaced technology and equipment during this period also have competitiveness when sold domestically.

As long as the economy is in the process of development, ensuring the orderly inheritance of industrial production echelons, there will be no crisis.

Therefore, when Li Xuewu proposed this cooperation plan, Japanese merchants and Hong Kong merchant Nande both showed abnormal interest.

They were also gambling, gambling that there wouldn't be big changes in the mainland for fifty years, gambling that the mainland's economic take-off wouldn't catch up with their technical iteration.

As long as their technology runs fast, OEM enterprises will always be working for them.

And while solving social employment, OEM enterprises enjoy high-level mechanical technology conversion rates and continue to create benefits.

This is a win-win situation.

What is the accident?

The accident is that mainland technology achieves a breakthrough, and OEM enterprises possess core technology that exceeds what they can provide in production technology.

At that time, the situation will reverse. If there is no tariff protection, their agency area will become a dumping ground for mainland goods.

Therefore, foreign merchants are gambling, and the Steel Mill is also gambling, gambling that the mainland's technological development can quickly catch up to the world's leading level.

Then how to ensure that the products of the OEM factory won't flow into the mainland?

This can't be guaranteed, and it was something Li Xuewu stated clearly during the negotiation.

In the production plan, a portion must be retained.

Foreign merchants don't need to care how these products are handled, nor do they need to worry about them flowing outside.

The few Japanese merchants weren't cooperating with the mainland for the first time, so they naturally understood the deep meaning of this clause.

Therefore, Nishida Kenichi took the initiative to represent the three-person group and agreed.

This clause was a back door opened by Li Xuewu; how to use it, how to distribute it, was left to Li Huai De and the relationships that would be used next.

It could be supplied to the factory internally as welfare, or sold to the Lianyi Society, or sold in special stores.

These goods were not in the production plan and didn't require any vouchers, naturally becoming special products of this era.

Are there such special products in this era?

You can't ask it like that; you should ask if there are many.

After visiting the trade fair, you'll know if there are many. You'll find good things that can't be seen in the mainland, can't be used, or even haven't been seen or used.

Fur coats, drawnwork embroidery, all kinds of small electrical appliances with unknown uses like visitors from outer space...

For a long time in the future, although the exhibits at the trade fair look mouth-watering, they have little to do with ordinary people.

Most export-oriented enterprises look down on the domestic market.

First-class products for export, second-class products for domestic sale also became an "unspoken rule."

The electronic industry cluster that Li Xuewu proposed to build is actually an export-oriented enterprise.

Are the several factories in the food industry also that?

Of course they are; the mainland temporarily can't afford such high-end goods.

Taking Moutai liquor as an example, if the ex-factory price is placed in the supply and marketing cooperative, do you see anyone buying it?

Then why fight to buy it at double the price in the future? This is consumer ability.

First solve the problem of food and clothing, then solve the problem of quality of life.

Therefore, the development theory Li Xuewu set for the Steel Mill now is also like this.

If you can't solve cutting-edge scientific research technology, then first connect production capacity with the outside world; you must have something in your hands.

First solve the problem of use, then solve the problem of quality.

The Japanese merchant representatives' attitude toward Li Xuewu went from questioning at the beginning of the discussion to slowly understanding, and the negotiation speed became faster as it went on.

Both sides understood the direction of the other's demands; the entanglement was nothing more than the break-even point.

Jing Yuong led the calculation team, with the support of Huaqing, and calculated this point very transparently.

Li Xuewu naturally wouldn't hand over his bottom line during the negotiation; not only did he add five points as the negotiation basis, but he also attached some harsh conditions.

In the end, the Japanese merchants used the procurement of other machinery and equipment and production technology as a condition, making Li Xuewu make concessions at the negotiation table.

Only three points were kept out of the five, and the additional conditions were also reduced by half.

This was already a big victory in the hearts of the Steel Mill's negotiation team, but Li Xuewu was still regretful.

If Nishida Kenichi and Nakamura Shuji hadn't taken the initiative to propose acting as agents for the procurement of advanced automobile and metallurgical industry production technology and equipment, Li Xuewu would absolutely not have made concessions at the negotiation table.

The balance point is transparent, but Li Xuewu's status sitting here talking to them, how could it not be worth three points?

Plus other additional factors, he really wanted to bite off five points.

He had even thought about it; if these five points were won, it would at least be enough to add more than a dozen residential buildings to the factory.

It's a pity; these conditions should have been investigated and prepared by the other party long ago, just to kill his price later.

Knowing that the Steel Mill was working on automobile production processes and the Steel Mill was working on metallurgical industry reform, they prepared such a move.

You say external restrictions? Technical blockade?

Don't look at the Japanese merchants as the adopted sons of the US; they didn't do less to pit their fathers.

What technology and equipment are they afraid to sell? As long as there is profit to be made, these businessmen even... hmm, won't say it.

Didn't you see Nishida Kenichi constantly winking at Momotani Erika? To take down Li Xuewu, he was even going to use small tricks.

It's a pity; Zhang Songying's task was completed, and only the final material organization remained. The material preparation was done by the office, so she didn't need to run out anymore.

So while doing service work, she was also supervising this little bitch among the Japanese merchants.

When sending them away, Nishida Kenichi intentionally entrusted Miss Momotani to act as a liaison representative, set up an office, and stay in Beijing to work.

Li Xuewu fully expressed his welcome, but his attitude of not refusing, not opposing, and not being responsible was very clear.

When Nishida Kenichi and others left with smiles, Zhang Songying pouted again and whispered: "She doesn't deserve it, she deserves it~"

Li Xuewu looked at her and smiled: "Why should women make things difficult for women~"

"Then I can only make things difficult for you."

Zhang Songying raised an eyebrow: "Nothing to do this afternoon? Let's go stroll around the trade fair together?"

"Ayy~ how can you call it strolling~"

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, and under Zhang Songying's stunned gaze, pointed out: "That's called inspection!"

In the afternoon, Li Xuewu was dragged by Zhang Songying to "inspect" the trade fair, looking and buying.

This woman spent money as if she had a grudge against it; she wanted to buy whatever looked good.

Zhang Songying said that in Beijing, you need vouchers for everything, and you can't buy good things like these here.

She had saved her salary for several months and wanted to spend it all here.

They looked at lentils, reeds, straw ropes, and citrus and oranges from Panyu, Luogang, Zengcheng, and Conghua.

Silk produced by major manufacturing factories in Xiguan, paper umbrellas from Foshan, lacquerware from Yang Jiang, olive carvings from Dongguan, and other specialties.

Regardless of whether they were useful or not, as long as she took a fancy to them, she wanted to buy them.

Unless they were big items she couldn't carry, or she was persuaded by Li Xuewu, she wanted them all.

At this time, there were also people selling lovebirds, mandarin ducks, thrushes, and golden turtles.

In the sales data Selena gave him, Li Xuewu remembered that these things were sold in units of ten thousand.

Zhang Songying saw that these things were alive and cute, so she wanted to buy them for Li Shu, but Li Xuewu refused no matter what.

Not to mention how much effort it would take to bring these things from thousands of miles away, once you get home, if the family asks what you bought, how do you answer?

I bought a bird?

I bought a turtle??

Li Shun might not be home, but wouldn't Liu Yin beat people up?!

Even if you're a spendthrift, you can't waste money like this; Li Xuewu didn't dare to go home and get scolded.

If he bought them locally in Beijing, that would be fine; get a birdcage, raise a few thrushes, and take care of them carefully, that would also work.

Zhang Songying was doing it on purpose; seeing him living so gloomily, she took advantage of the fact that there was no work arrangement this afternoon and dragged him out to get some air.

When looking at the exhibition area, Li Xuewu was also absent-mindedly thinking about work and didn't notice her expression.

Only when she giggled did he know this woman's intention.

Cosmetics, silk, jewelry, small household appliances, etc., either she paid or Li Xuewu took the initiative to pay, and the two bought a big pile.

This could also be considered a kind of exhibition welfare; as long as you can get in, you can pay to buy, and they just sold them as samples.

However, the ones with obvious logos and tags had to be torn off; you absolutely couldn't take them away with the logos.

The little cousin said he was coming to visit on Sunday; he didn't know if the family of three came or not, and even if they did, he didn't have time to receive them.

You see him free up an afternoon to buy things, and you think he has no work?

Returning from the trade fair, he had an appointment to have dinner with Hong Kong merchant Nande in the evening, inviting the other party to visit Beijing.

Considering Nande's concerns, Li Xuewu took the initiative to introduce the Italian businessman Naigishi who was in the group.

The commercial travel group's team was getting bigger and bigger, not just the people Naigishi organized himself, but Li Xuewu also helped him pull people in.

Going to Beijing together, they would be valued, easier to receive, and safety would also be guaranteed.

Li Xuewu had discussed it with Li Huai De; the trade fair would end in more than a month, so if they went back and tidied up the Liuguo Hotel, there would still be time to entertain foreign guests.

Li Huai De also seemed to have lost interest in entertaining those little brats; eating and drinking for free only exchanged for a bit of reception reputation, which was useless.

Reform pioneer Li Huai De was led astray by Li Xuewu, becoming someone who would call anyone with milk "mother."

The day to return to Beijing was set by Li Huai De, on Monday.

So all the projects in his hands had to be pushed for progress, and he had no more time to accompany Zhang Songying to stroll around.

This woman took people to the trade fair to sweep goods every day, not wanting to bring a single cent home.

The girls in the propaganda team were spoiled by her; as long as there was no work, they would follow her, and gradually they developed feelings.

They also learned from some channels that after Zhang Songying returned, she would be promoted to the director of the Steel Mill's guesthouse in the city.

Everyone knew the location; it was the old Liuguo Hotel, the most central location in the city.

How many more years could they dance in the propaganda team? Their cultural level was limited, and their progress direction was also limited.

There were only a few positions in the propaganda section, and they weren't enough for people like Wang Yajuan and Zhou Miaomiao to fight over, so how could it be their turn?

And guesthouse management was a good direction for job transfer.

Working in a big hotel, not having to endure wind, sun, and rain, dressing decently, and eating well naturally made them feel tempted.

If there were some connections, and they were arranged in a good management position, the road to progress would be much wider.

These young girls were shrewd; they could see that Zhang Songying had the intention to win them over, and they also had a tacit understanding—those who understood, understood.

Especially Zhou Xiaoling, who was now getting along well with Zhang Songying.

This made Li Xue fight with Li Xuewu, saying he was going to be dishonest again.

This was truly calling heaven for injustice; ever since the accidental rest on Wednesday afternoon, he hadn't been idle at all.

On Thursday morning, he met with shipping merchant Andrew for negotiations and finalized his inspection trip to Beijing.

If there were no accidents, he would also go with the commercial travel group.

And at that time, Li Xuewu would take him and the Japanese merchants to Steel City and Ying City for research, and by the way, sign a contract with the Tianjin Aquatic Products General Company.

In the afternoon, he accompanied Li Huai De to visit the Heavy Industry Bureau to report on the progress of the Steel Mill's transformation into a comprehensive enterprise of heavy and light industry.

As the main speaker for the report, Li Xuewu had to explain the current development and reform ideas to the leaders, and explain the self-reform plan of using small commodities to drive heavy industry that was being implemented.

Coming out of the Heavy Industry Bureau, the two went to the First Light Industry Bureau; the leaders there wanted to hear about the Steel Mill's development ideas.

Perhaps the Steel Mill's performance at the trade fair was very eye-catching, especially the multi-channel and multi-form foreign trade carried out relying on the trade fair, and so many cooperation plans were signed.

The leaders of the First Light Industry Bureau also wanted to see how the Steel Mill's path was taken and whether it had any value for reference and thinking.

Going to see the leaders certainly wasn't for nothing; Li Xuewu still calmly told the leaders about the plans, ideas, and development.

And in the discussion session, Li Huai De also, as the head of the Steel Mill, timely put forward the request to receive the commercial travel group.

Although Li Xuewu's actions were very hidden, the trade fair work was too eye-catching, and his motivation for actively assisting Naigishi in organizing the group had already been known by the leaders above.

Of course, Li Xuewu didn't have other purposes, so it didn't cause negative effects.

The above also supported this kind of commercial activity, hoping that more businessmen would join in the mainland's economic construction.

The Steel Mill's docking with the travel group was to take root in the negotiation results at the trade fair.

The leader smiled and pointed at Li Huai De, telling him not to be too greedy, and to know how to share.

Li Huai De really didn't want to share this result, but unfortunately, his level wasn't enough, and he was managed by others, so he could only agree to coordinate.

Li Xuewu also said that the foreign merchants were just there; whoever had the ability could invite them home, and they could talk slowly about business.

But coming out of the conference room, Li Huai De also advised him not to be too serious; don't look at what the leader said, when the time comes, if he really lets brother units come into contact, it's not certain that anyone will take the initiative.

Li Xuewu was also very surprised that Li Lao would say this; he wasn't like this before.

Just came to Guangzhou once, where did the Li Lao who used to talk about reform and close his mouth about caution go? How did he become so progressive!

If it were before coming to Guangzhou, if the Steel Mill had foreign merchants seeking cooperation, Li Lao could have kept people out of the door and would never have taken a wrong step.

But now? His eyes were only left with the money in the foreign merchants' pockets.

Sigh~ human hearts are not ancient~