Chapter 991: Bound to fail sooner or later!

"What? Me?"

Jia Zhangshi didn't react at first, and only asked in surprise after Qin Huairu looked at her.

Qin Huairu glanced at her and then looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Is there any situation?"

"Nothing really, it's just that we're truly overwhelmed."

Li Xuewu smiled and explained, "Li Xue and Ji Yuxiu both have to go to work, and you know my eldest brother; relying on my mother alone..."

"Understood~"

Seeing Li Xuewu say so, Qin Huairu nodded with a smile and said, "You scared me."

She didn't finish the second half of her sentence, but Li Xuewu understood the meaning.

Coming to the house to ask her mother-in-law for help so suddenly, she thought there was something inconvenient with Zhao Yafang or the child.

Now that she understood, she smiled and explained to her mother-in-law, "He can't bear to see his mother get tired, so he's asking you to lend a hand."

"I..."

Jia Zhangshi was caught off guard by Li Xuewu's request.

Especially since Li Xuewu just mentioned that it was the old lady of the Li family who spoke up; it must be that there was really no other way.

Actually, thinking about the situation, it was clear; the Li family and those close to them really didn't lack women.

But counting carefully, one in the backyard, one in the middle courtyard, one in the front courtyard—three pregnant women!

Li family's daughter and daughter-in-law were both working, leaving only the two girls in the front courtyard's store department.

Serving a woman in labor, it was better to use an old woman than a big girl; counting outside the courtyard, there really wasn't anyone else who could be used.

Li Xuewu saw her hesitation and explained, "It's a natural birth, maybe just two or three days; by Saturday, the family will be down, you just need to lend a hand to give my mother a chance to relax."

"If you feel it's convenient, please help."

Qin Huairu said, "This isn't an outsider, neighbors..."

"But I... how will the family be?"

Jia Zhangshi knew that Li Xuewu was generous and open-minded; since he opened his mouth to use someone, it definitely wouldn't be for nothing.

Just three days, and following Liu Yin, it was like picking up money.

But she was also thinking about her family, afraid of any ambiguity; what if the three children were left to graze?

Qin Huairu smiled, touched Huaihua's braids, and said, "What's there to worry about at home? It's in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, and it's not far."

"Isn't it worrying about the children~"

Jia Zhangshi said this, then looked at Li Xuewu and added, "I don't have any preparation, and I don't know how to take care of it properly."

"There's no such thing."

Li Xuewu heard the meaning in her words, so he took out ten yuan from his pocket and pressed it on the table, smiling, "Can't trouble you for nothing; my grandma gave it, saying you've worked hard."

"Oh! What are you doing!"

Jia Zhangshi's eyes lit up when she saw the big group of ten, but she refused in her mouth, "We all live in the same courtyard, what would it count if I took your money!"

"Take it back!"

"Just take it if he gives it!"

Hearing Li Xuewu being polite to her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law still feeling embarrassed, Qin Huairu smiled and took the money from Li Xuewu's hand and sent it to her mother-in-law's hand.

"You help him, and it saves him from asking others outside; this money can't be saved."

"But I can't..."

Jia Zhangshi looked down at the big group of ten in her hand, feeling beautiful in her heart, and started to become ambiguous in her mouth.

She was still hesitating just now whether to go or not.

If she went, she felt embarrassed to ask for Li Xuewu's money, and felt a loss if she didn't ask.

Her daughter-in-law took the initiative to help her take it, which fulfilled her wishes.

"Still the same sentence, you've worked hard."

Li Xuewu pointed to the door and said, "The car went to send Li Xue; you pack up, don't need to bring anything, single ward, everything is there."

After speaking, he stood up, smiled at Qin Huairu and the others, and said, "I'll go home first and tell my grandma; I'll call you when the car comes back."

"Sit a while longer~"

Seeing Li Xuewu's figure leave, Qin Huairu sent him out and said politely.

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "The old lady is at home alone; I'll tell her early so she can be at ease, and I'll go home early after arranging things."

"That's right~"

Qin Huairu asked with concern, "When is your wife's date? It should be around this time, right?"

"Next month."

Li Xuewu nodded to her with a smile and went to the second gate.

Watching the other party's figure leave, she turned back and returned home.

In the room, Bangeng three children were excitedly watching the ten yuan their grandmother just got.

"Grandma! You are still the best! Ten yuan in three days!"

Bangeng widened his eyes in surprise, "In a month, you'll earn a hundred!"

"Go~"

Qin Huairu coaxed her son with a smile and anger, "You really think pies fall from the sky? Not everyone is as generous as your Wu Shu!"

"That's okay too~"

Bangeng rubbed the money in his grandmother's hand, raised his face and smiled, "Grandma, it's not convenient for you to go to the hospital, let me keep this money for you."

"Ah~!"

Jia Zhangshi heard her grandson's words and felt that the money hadn't been warmed up yet, and it was about to fly!

Qin Huairu pushed Bangeng's shoulder from behind, told him to do his homework, and scolded, "Keep what? Go do your homework!"

"Oh~"

Bangeng acted shamelessly, his eyes not leaving the ten yuan, always feeling that the money came too easily and really wanted to spend it generously.

Jia Zhangshi didn't show off at this moment, and under her daughter-in-law's signal, she hurriedly tucked it into her pocket.

"Wait until Grandma comes back, I'll buy you candy."

Saying this, she got up and entered the inner room, not daring to stay in the outer room, fearing that the hard work hadn't been paid yet and the money would be gone.

Qin Huairu followed into the inner room to help, found her mother-in-law's underwear and coat, and said: "That money must have been given by Li Xuewu himself. When you get to the hospital, find a time when no one is around and tell Liu Shen."

"Tell... oh oh~"

Jia Zhangshi just wanted to ask why she had to say this, but then she understood.

Li Xuewu did say the relationship between the two families was good, and he asked for help, so work hard.

But in reality, before Li Xuewu was "good" with Qin Huairu, the relationship between the two families was very average.

Even if there were things to help with, he wouldn't ask her.

If she appeared in the hospital suddenly, Liu Yin wouldn't be embarrassed to use her, and would be even more ambiguous about why she went.

Clarify it directly, saying it was Li Xuewu who used the old lady's name to call her; this help, or getting along, would be steady in the heart.

In this year, people getting along with people still sought a sense of steadiness; money that shouldn't be taken couldn't be taken, and money that should be taken, do what you should do.

Don't say, if she went in a muddle, she wanted to help, Liu Yin wouldn't be embarrassed to let her work hard.

Don't ask why, once a woman matures, her thinking ability doesn't regress, especially the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, who had a tacit understanding.

While packing, Qin Huairu pointed out her mother-in-law in her words; take money and do things, Li Xuewu didn't want to use human feelings, just talk clearly.

When you go to the hospital, you can't treat yourself as a guest; you must take the initiative to reach out, and don't let people say anything later.

Jia Zhangshi also understood in her heart; what her daughter-in-law said didn't sound good, but it was practical.

"Money is not easy to earn~"

"Stop talking about this~"

Qin Huairu glanced at the outer room, glanced at her mother-in-law and said: "Ten yuan in three days, I don't know how to tell Bangeng; if he tells others later, you watch someone talk about it, and it won't be you who is talked about~"

"Hey~ hey~"

Jia Zhangshi waved her hand, also regretting what she just said, and nodded in agreement that what her daughter-in-law said was right.

Glanced at the outer room, she asked quietly: "Why don't you... with him..."

"Pack up quickly~"

Qin Huairu was really convinced by her mother-in-law; this couldn't be said anymore.

In front of the children, inciting the daughter-in-law to find a man...

Jia Zhangshi saw her like this, curled her lips in her heart, secretly thinking that you are acting now, at the beginning...

Not mentioning Han Jiankun's return, Li Xuewu sent Jia Zhangshi and the things prepared at home to the hospital, and was very busy.

When the command car stopped at the gate of Haicang No. 1, it was already almost nine o'clock.

Li Xuewu and Han Jiankun were both busy, and hadn't eaten dinner yet.

Qin Jingru asked when entering the room, and went to the kitchen to get busy.

Li Shu was sleepy, started to doze off after eight o'clock, and had long been sent to the room to sleep.

Han Jiankun came home to report news and take things at night, so Gu Ning knew Zhao Yafang's situation.

Seeing Li Xuewu enter the room at this moment, she propped up her body from the sofa and asked, "Is it okay?"

"Very good, mother and child are safe."

Li Xuewu smiled, changed his slippers, took off his coat, and explained: "Mother and eldest brother are in the hospital, and I found Qin Huairu's mother-in-law to help, nothing else."

After speaking, he looked at the bedroom on the first floor, saw Li Shu sleeping soundly, and closed the door halfway.

"Have you been waiting?"

"No, can't sleep."

Gu Ning put down the book in her hand, unconsciously touched her belly; it was really anxious.

Li Xuewu rubbed his hands, rubbed his face, went to the bathroom to wash, then warmed his body, and sat beside her.

"Looking at the little guy wrinkled, so ugly~"

"The child is just born, aren't they all like that~"

Gu Ning looked at him amusingly, knowing he was deliberately teasing her, but still scolded: "Wait until I give birth, you say that."

"Our family's child is definitely more handsome than eldest brother's family's child."

Li Xuewu chuckled and said: "Since childhood, people have said that I look the best in our family, and you are so handsome, the child must be beautiful."

Gu Ning was embarrassed by his praise, pushed him, and told him not to say it again.

Li Xuewu let out a long sigh of relief and said: "This feeling of being a father is torturing; you didn't see it, eldest brother's appearance, sigh."

Gu Ning blinked, pursed her lips and looked at Li Xuewu, then lowered her head again, stroking her belly.

In the past few months, the little guy in her belly had been very naughty, kicking and stomping.

Especially last month, it was like Sun Wukong entering Princess Iron Fan's belly, kicking in the sky and on the ground, and the footprint of the feet could be seen on the belly skin.

They said it would be fine after entering the basin, but looking at it now, it was still not honest; when it was uncomfortable, she really wanted to give birth to him now.

Looking at Li Xuewu sitting on the side, savoring and sighing at the mood of being a husband and father, she had some insights again.

Ten months of pregnancy, brewing not only a fresh life, but also the bond between two families, the future of the husband and wife.

But it was enough to have one in the future; she really had no interest in giving birth to another one.

For the past few months, it was like being locked in a room, not daring to eat, not daring to move, and having to endure his naughtiness.

"Did eldest brother name the child?"

Gu Ning remembered the name Li Xuewu gave the child, so she asked.

Li Xuewu turned his head, looked at her with full smiles, and said: "I said that when it comes to naming, I am better than eldest brother!"

Gu Ning saw him say so, and became interested, blinked and asked: "What's it called?"

"Li Tang."

Li Xuewu pursed his lips and said: "Is it not as good as Li Ning?"

Gu Ning glanced at him, her mouth twitched lightly, and said: "Half a catty and eight taels~"

"Good~ good~ half a catty and eight taels is fine."

Li Xuewu said very contentedly: "I don't ask for the child to be successful, rich and noble, just don't do things that regret."

After speaking, he looked at Gu Ning again and said: "If you are willing, we will give birth again; if you are not willing, one son or daughter is enough; our family has no throne waiting for descendants to inherit."

"Go, talking nonsense again~!"

Gu Ning was comforted by what he said, twisted him with her hand, and said with her head lowered: "If it's a boy, we'll see, if it's a girl, then..."

Before she finished speaking, her hand was held by Li Xuewu, and the rest didn't need to be said; they understood in their hearts.

"Giving birth to children is for having old people above, responsibility for supporting the old, and small people below, blessings for supporting the small; more or less doesn't matter."

Li Xuewu patted Gu Ning's hand and said: "We live our lives, no greedy enjoyment, no isolated family affection, cherish blessings, cherish blessings."

Han Jiankun came out of the kitchen, wanting to call Li Xuewu to eat, seeing the leader and his wife sitting and talking, he didn't know how to open his mouth.

Gu Ning saw it, pushed Li Xuewu, signaling him to eat quickly.

Li Xuewu stood up and looked at the wall clock; it was already past nine o'clock.

Actually, he had the heart not to eat this meal, fearing that eating and going to bed would hurt his stomach.

However, if he didn't eat, it wouldn't be convenient for Han Jiankun, who had been busy all night, to eat.

So health preservation was health preservation, and worldly wisdom was worldly wisdom.

In the restaurant, Qin Jingru was quick with her hands; maybe she knew they had to come back to eat, so the dishes were prepared, just put in the pot.

Li Xuewu only filled half a small bowl of rice, which was seen by Qin Jingru, who shouted not to be hungry.

In this year, the most painful thing was being hungry; any taste could be endured, but only hunger couldn't be endured.

Li Xuewu didn't explain health preservation, just said he wasn't hungry, picked the green vegetables that were easy to digest, which made Qin Jingru grin.

Gu Ning didn't know if it was the interaction between the two just now, or wanted to hear him talk about family matters, so she also came to the restaurant.

Sat on the sofa by the bay window, because of the fire wall, it was warm.

The curtains only pulled the white gauze curtains, and under the light in the room, the snow in the courtyard could be seen clearly.

The contrast between cold and warm had a heartwarming artistic conception and a full sense of security.

Li Xuewu ate while introducing the situation of the eldest sister-in-law in detail, even Qin Jingru followed up, and the room was not cold.

After putting down the rice bowl, Li Xuewu took the initiative to ask about the situation of the eldest brother-in-law; Mu Hongyan was also pregnant.

Gu Ning was idle at home, often contacted her mother, sometimes Mu Hongyan also had calls, and with letters, the communication was very tight.

But it was always Mother and Mu Hongyan who cared more, and Gu Ning returned fewer calls and letters.

Qin Jingru waited for Han Jiankun to finish eating, packed up the bowls and dishes and went to the kitchen, and Han Jiankun also got up to clean up the table and hygiene.

Li Xuewu and Gu Ning talked in the restaurant, talking about Mu Hongyan also resting, asking for leave from the unit, and raising the fetus at home.

It wasn't that Ding Fengxia asked, but Mu Hongyan herself, her expectation and importance for this fetus.

Married for many years without giving birth, not to mention the mother-in-law was anxious, even her mother's family was asking what was going on.

If the husband and wife didn't really have a good relationship, there would have been words long ago.

Now that she got what she wanted, she finally had good news from the Chinese medicine Li Shun took back to warm her body, and the husband and wife reunited.

Compared to Gu Ning, Mu Hongyan's surprise was really not easy to come by.

Especially the sister-in-law just got married and successfully became pregnant, which made her even more anxious.

Li Xuewu drank hot tea, muttering about preparing some specialties and nutritional supplements from Beijing, and finding time to mail them.

Gu Ning didn't care about these, even receiving things mailed by her mother and eldest sister-in-law felt unnecessary, let alone mailing them actively.

She was such a person; say she was cold and heartless, but she was also a sentimental person, most liking to sit there alone quietly, letting her thoughts go empty.

Her mother had said when calling that it was Li Xuewu who spoiled her, and she didn't have the look of being the head of the house after marriage, still like a girl in her own home.

Gu Ning sometimes felt Li Xuewu spoiled her too much, never arguing, completely following her wishes.

Even during pregnancy, he never forced her to eat this or drink that; her mother sent tonics from Jin Ling for her to use, she was impatient, and Li Xuewu pretended not to see.

Her mother called and asked her to lie down more, but she wanted to read, so she sat on the chair, sat on the sofa, and Li Xuewu at most hugged her and coaxed her.

Just like now, the tone was never urgent or slow; the last urgent temper in this family might be Li Shu.

After Han Jiankun and his wife left, the two talked a few more words in bed.

Li Xuewu missed the eldest brother-in-law, and also missed the younger brother-in-law.

Gu Ning was a bit sleepy, talked about Gu Yan's situation, and couldn't come back after going to the company.

But he had time to call and ask if the second sister's body was good, when she would give birth, and if she could give birth to a little nephew for him to play with...

"Annoying to death~"

"Annoying to death!"

Jing Yunong threw away the documents on the table, picked up the teacup angrily and took a sip.

Li Xuewu glanced at her and didn't say anything, picked up the documents from the table and read them.

It seemed like it hadn't been extinguished by the tea just drunk, and at this moment Jing Yunong tapped the table and frowned and asked: "You tell me, ah? What do they mean?!"

Li Xuewu didn't rush to answer her, it wasn't a question, but venting anger.

It wasn't surprising that Deputy Director Jing was angry; there were too many troublesome things, and she happened to catch them all.

Yesterday, January 8th, good news came from Steel City that the first batch of production equipment for the automobile manufacturing factory had arrived at the Yingcheng Port wharf.

The canal was frozen in winter, inland rivers couldn't complete transportation, and could only rely on railway transportation.

These equipment needed to be transferred to Steel City via the railway line through the Yingcheng Port wharf.

Fortunately, the local work was done solidly in the early stage, and there was a work foundation with the transportation department, so the equipment transportation didn't wait for the plan and completed the transfer in order.

After the New Year, it was the most tense time for railway transportation, especially in the second half of this year, the little cubs running south and north seriously affected the railway transportation task.

Now the railway cargo transportation task was very backlogged, and everyone was thinking about solving a part before the lunar New Year, which was before the big year.

Yingcheng to Steel City belonged to short-distance transportation, and there was room for operation.

Dong Wenxue ran this matter personally, and he walked through the local relationships of Steel City and Yingcheng to ensure the automobile factory completed the equipment reception smoothly.

This was the first large-scale project presided over by Li Xuewu, and it was also the second large-scale project developed by Dong Wenxue in Steel City following the industrial transformation of the steel mill.

The equipment was purchased by Japanese businessman Er Gong He Ye, and the cooperation agreement was reached with the Steel Mill in the name of the foreign trade company established by the three.

With this batch of mechanical equipment entering the mainland, it opened a good situation for this winter's large-scale equipment procurement.

Successively, there would be equipment for shipbuilding, hardware industry, electronic industry, etc.

According to the agreement, the Steel Mill would bear a certain amount of agreed trade foreign debt, and all procurement funds would be offset by products produced by contract manufacturing or agreed trade processing.

Of course, whether it was the automobile industry or the food industry, the procurement of equipment would definitely not be controlled by one party alone.

According to the design and planning of the Steel Mill's Technical Office, the equipment procurement for the automobile factory was subcontracted to three companies.

Japanese businessmen, Italian businessmen, and Hong Kong businessmen.

From January, until the end of this year, with the progress of project construction, the arrival time of mechanical equipment would also be arranged accordingly.

The foundation was up, so ship it; the ship arrived at the port, and the factory building was built.

The time for installation and debugging of equipment was exactly the time when the factory area completed the final construction.

The most difficult management of investment construction this year was not construction and installation, but coordinating this time work.

The project management department under the Engineering Department was constantly expanding its staff, but it still felt stretched and urged the Personnel Department to transfer people.

Transferring people was impossible; Jing Yunong had no one to transfer.

Couldn't transfer people from the organs to support, otherwise the organs would all be scattered.

The Engineering Department urging expansion was one aspect of Jing Yunong's annoyance, and the other aspect was personnel recruitment work.

Actually, whether it was organ expansion or personnel recruitment, it wasn't work under Jing Yunong's charge.

The Personnel Department was under Gu Weijie's charge, including the deployment of organ cadres and the adjustment of positions, which were all discussed by Gu Weijie and Li Huai De.

But what had to do with Jing Yunong was that transferring people up would inevitably increase the budget; the goal she set for herself this year was not to exceed the budget.

But the New Year had just begun, and one thing after another in the factory was constantly challenging her bottom line.

Li Xuewu had just emphasized the work discipline of personnel recruitment at the meeting, and as a result, the deputy director of the dispatch workshop accepted gifts from others and was caught by the security inspection department when looking for relationships in the Personnel Department.

She was so angry; Li Xuewu raised his gun, and someone bumped into the muzzle, as if deliberately provoking him to kill the chicken to warn the monkey.

You don't say, working in an organ unit was sometimes just so evil.

Clearly, the work discipline had just been emphasized above, and when the work style was seriously rectified, someone went against the wind and committed crimes, as if deliberately provoking.

You ask him what he was thinking, and he couldn't say it; even if he answered, the answer would make you angry again.

Li Xuewu was very particular; although the security inspection caught the person and mastered the solid evidence, he didn't mention this when he came here today.

She also knew that no one could stop Li Xuewu from establishing prestige at this time, and the deputy director of the dispatch workshop must be dealt with seriously.

Jing Yunong didn't think about pleading, Li Xuewu didn't tell her, and the meaning was very clear.

The relationship between the two was a bit complex; she really didn't think about colliding head-on and getting angry with Li Xuewu's decisions.

It was just that the fire was held in her heart, and encountering other things, and Li Xuewu was here, she didn't want to endure it at all.

"Drink tea, don't be angry, it's not worth it."

Li Xuewu persuaded softly: "Don't let work be nothing, and make yourself sick, which is more or less."

"You're still talking cool words!"

Jing Yunong glared at him, then tapped the table and asked: "You say, how should this matter be handled?"

"If people want to wait for a price, you can't rob them!"

Li Xuewu gently placed the documents in his hand on the table, curled his lips, and said: "Even if I rob, I won't rob this junk."

He tapped the documents at hand, looked at Jing Yunong and said: "If you ask me, only these two factories have some value, others, heh."

"You can see it, others can see it too."

Jing Yunong took away the documents, adjusted her emotions at this moment, and said: "The Ministry talked to us first, and the plan was set, and now they let the Second Automobile Factory come in, want to compete?"

"Stop messing around, fighting over junk?"

Li Xuewu hesitated to pick up the cigarette box, but put it down, raised his head and looked opposite, and said: "I said don't worry, if there's something, let's go to the site and see, see what the Ministry says."

"What if the Ministry forces a split?"

Jing Yunong frowned and said: "Split a pile of junk over, what can you do?"

Saying this, she looked at the merger plan in her hand with some anger and said: "Shouldn't have taken this mess at the beginning, so many things."

"There will be no less in the future."

Li Xuewu looked at her calmly and said: "Our factory can say no money this year, what about next year, the year after?"

"You feel that splitting junk will be difficult now, maybe they will throw garbage into your hands directly later."

Jing Yunong pursed her lips and didn't speak; she understood the meaning of Li Xuewu's words, just had no place to vent her anger.

Factories had to be under the jurisdiction of the locality and the Ministry, and how they arranged you, you had to execute.

You can vent your anger in the office, but in reality, you can't talk about conditions or reason.

If you really want to say grievance, when the Beijing Automobile Factory was established, it unreasonably merged all the automobile industries in Beijing.

Those factories were doing well, and they all felt hope to build cars, but suddenly they were merged, mechanical equipment and talents were transferred away; who was aggrieved?

Li Xuewu wanted to put heavy industry and automobile industry in Steel City, shipbuilding in Yingcheng, trade management in Tianjin, and hollow out the headquarters to engage in light industry and scientific research, living integration industry—what for? 【991

The executive leadership department is in Beijing, at the ministry level; if they want the Rolling Mill to donate blood to Beijing enterprises, they must be able to reach them first.

After the industrial center adjustment, if they want to take advantage of the Rolling Mill, they have to consider whether Steel City is too far away.

Looking at Steel City again, if the local authorities want to restrain or make things difficult, the factory's headquarters isn't in Steel City; if they want to talk, they have to go to Beijing, which is another favorable position.

A reasonably decentralized layout of industries and manufacturing from the perspective of scientific development will not delay the development of enterprises; on the contrary, it protects itself under the circumstances of unwritten rules.

Local protectionist policies will always exist, and "turncoat" enterprises like the Rolling Mill, which are ready to revolt and form a group enterprise at any time, are the least favored by local competent departments.

They have a knack for stirring up trouble and a knack for industry, and the more they work on it, the more they slip out of their hands.

What to do?

Add sand; whoever develops well, distribute the burden equally—this is called common progress and common development.

You dare to oppose it?

This is the current main management model and policy: balancing wealth, not just for individuals, but also for enterprises.

The Rolling Mill was jumping around so vigorously last year, with trade fairs, foreign businessmen, and even initiating the autonomy of trade orders.

Even Zhao Yufeng from the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine has heard of it; who in Beijing doesn't know?

So, quite naturally, the leaders above feel they can't bear to part with the dilapidated enterprises bundled to the Rolling Mill and want to have a competitive bidder take them.

The settlement conditions originally agreed upon with the Rolling Mill now have another party entering the field, so naturally, they no longer count.

If these factories can be tidied up and sold for a good price, perhaps they can take a hard dig before the Rolling Mill levels up.

Even if the bidding isn't ideal, with the Second Auto Works as a safety net, they can just dump all the remaining junk on the Rolling Mill; who would dare to go and reason with them?

Therefore, Jing Yunong is furious, fearing that once they go, they will be forced by others to accept them.

The current development situation of the Rolling Mill looks particularly good; the main contradictions in personnel, ideology, finance, and future development have been alleviated.

However, the fundamental contradiction of the Rolling Mill has not been resolved.

The contradiction between enterprise ownership and the management system under the planned economy market conditions and future development.

Li Huai De and Li Xuewu spent the entire last year studying this problem, including Gu Weijie and Jing Yunong, who later united with them; they are all practicing and researching how to resolve this fundamental contradiction.

On one hand, there is a positive attitude toward accelerating industrial reform, personnel reform, and ideological reform.

On the other hand, there is the deep-level implementation of market-oriented exploration under planned production conditions.

Whether it is Li Huai De, who is rich in management experience, or Li Xuewu, who has solid management and business capabilities, including these factory leaders, they are all crossing the river by feeling the stones.

No one dares to say that the path the Rolling Mill is taking now is correct or zero-risk.

The first time handling foreign trade orders, the first time contacting foreign business negotiations, the first time completing project investment and production—step by step, like walking on thin ice.

Hardware industrial products began executing order delivery work in October when the foreign trade orders were signed, laying a solid foundation for subsequent foreign trade work.

But the small hardware sector has not yet been able to fully satisfy the transformation of the Rolling Mill, this large factory; it needs more boosters and more manpower and material resources.

Enterprise groupization is the iconic stage for resolving this contradiction; further autonomous management can better enhance enterprise cohesion and management execution.

If the groupization process were completed, unreasonable actions like today's would absolutely not be possible from above.

Jing Yunong slapped the table, stood up, and said: "Let's go, let's see what tricks they are playing!"

At the Beijing No. 16 Automobile Manufacturing Plant, Li Xuewu accompanied Jing Yunong, following behind the ministry leaders, to observe the production situation in the workshop.

Also accompanying them were the business executive leaders from the Beijing Second Automobile Plant, as well as other accompanying personnel.

Just now in the office building, the ministry's reception staff had already introduced everyone; Li Xuewu only remembered the other party's executive leader in charge: Deputy Factory Director of the Second Auto Works, Gu Litong.

For today's "Hongmen Banquet," there are only these few people who can actually speak and be effective.

Li Xuewu's attention has always been on those people from the ministry and on Gu Litong.

He didn't even pay attention to what the leaders of the No. 16 Automobile Manufacturing Plant were called.

The factory can't even hold on or keep running; what kind of ability could such factory leaders have? It's not worth the effort to remember them.

Actually, he didn't expect that while he looked down on the other party, the other party didn't even want to host them.

The group walked and watched, and a cadre from the ministry handed everyone documents about the factory's situation.

Jing Yunong didn't even look at them, turning and handing them directly to Li Xuewu, while she herself frowned at the distracted workers and the old, broken-down mechanical equipment.

Hand-crafting hammers is fine, hand-crafting wrenches is fine, even hand-crafting artillery shells is fine, but this is an automobile manufacturing plant—they don't even have a single decent piece of machinery, and they are all holding files; are they trying to hand-craft cars?!

Jing Yunong doesn't understand production operations, but she isn't a useless person sitting in an office looking at files; she often tours factory workshops and equipment.

The feeling this factory gives her now is that it will go bust sooner or later!

There's no need to ask the technical personnel behind her; just by looking at the state of the workers, the attitude of the management, and the maintenance and operation of the mechanical equipment, one can know the overall value of this factory.

Li Xuewu looked at the materials in his hand and couldn't help but scratch his eyebrows.

The Beijing No. 16 Automobile Manufacturing Plant was originally a military-industrial enterprise, mainly imitating the German Zündapp K500 motorcycle at the time, producing the first batch of motorcycles named "Jinggangshan" brand.

How to put this—at that time, productivity was backward, and there was no scientific research capability; the most direct method was to dismantle, and after dismantling, imitate.

The Willys was like this, and motorcycles were the same.

From imports, captured goods, and other channels—as long as the performance was superior, they would dismantle and imitate it; there was nothing shameful about it.

But if you think about it carefully, this thing is bulky and drinks a lot of oil; where it can really be used, it's not as practical as a Jeep, and as for the city, it's not as suitable as buying a bicycle.

The engine is a two-cylinder opposed air-cooled machine, with a displacement of 498cc, power of 11.8KW, a curb weight of 195KG, and a top speed of 110KM/H.

Four hundred jin!

500cc displacement!

So this thing can only be used to realize the "motorcycle infantry" concept, and it's still just a conceptual problem.

Good heavens, Li Xuewu looked at the data in his hand and exclaimed "good heavens!"

Ji Weidong isn't here; if he were, he would definitely love this thing, riding it like riding a bomb.

He had just left his home in the West City, and Li Xuewu knew he had arrived while in the East City; he could judge the speed just by listening to the sound from near or far!

It really is "a tiger when heard from afar, a two-hundred-fifty when heard up close!"

It's just as well that their factory went bankrupt early; if they had waited another year, until the Rolling Mill's light motorcycle came out, no one would want this "oil-guzzling tiger" even if it were given away for free.

Look at what's written on this material—it says this motorcycle can pull artillery.

This is truly awesome, a "dragon-slaying technique"—where on these streets is there artillery for it to pull!

Actually, it wasn't just Li Xuewu who was speechless; even the people from the Second Auto Works couldn't help but twitch their mouths after finishing the materials and coming out of the workshop after the inspection.

The people from the ministry might have been feeling guilty, or perhaps they discovered their lack of enthusiasm, so they really didn't ask anything on the spot.

Li Xuewu reckoned that if they dared to ask about the bidding price, Deputy Director Jing would have exploded on the spot.

After leaving the Beijing No. 16 Automobile Plant, the group rushed without stopping to the Beijing Motorcycle No. 7 Manufacturing Plant.

Just listen to the name of this factory, and you know what the situation is.

A low ranking doesn't mean the factory was established recently, nor can it directly judge that the other party is a "stepchild."

The most direct judgment is that it's already the seventh one and still hasn't been merged, or like the Red Star Rolling Mill, which changed from the Third Rolling Mill to Red Star—this means it has no hope.

No hope of merger, no hope of rescue; it can only wait to be split up and readjusted.

It was still the same old routine: meeting with the factory management, then going straight to the workshop to see the site.

For such an enterprise, only the technical workers and equipment are valuable; see what there is to see, straightforward.

As for technical reserves, in this day and age, how many factories have that? Whatever ability they had was organized into documents, and they read them while touring.

Jing Yunong still didn't take the materials, leaving it to Li Xuewu to review.

Also in the motorcycle business, the No. 7 Plant had a bit of strength.

Starting from the fifties, they produced the first batch of imitated Changjiang 250 motorcycles.

The blueprints for this thing were everywhere; at that time, there must have been hundreds of enterprises across the country imitating it, and its popularity was quite high.

To what extent? Even those producing bicycles could produce it.

Ordinary provinces with a bit of industrial foundation could all set up factories; there was no technical content.

Saying they had a bit of strength is because the No. 7 Plant, in '63—that is, the year before last—obtained the 250-type mapping blueprints of the Nanyuan Manufacturing Company from the Beijing Motorcycle Manufacturing Plant.

Last year, they properly completed the trial production of the first batch of 15 "Bull 250" motorcycles.

Don't think that the No. 16 Plant producing 500s is more awesome than this 250; they are completely incomparable.

In this day and age, oil is more expensive than the car; still the same saying, wanting to complete political goals is very simple—just be greedy for size and completeness and go for it.

But to adapt to the planned economy and the needs of marketization, one must follow market rules.

The 500-type has more power, but it still has three seats; the 250 has two seats, but it is more convenient and fuel-efficient.

According to Li Xuewu's opinion, a single-cylinder 60cc would be best; one that can travel two kilometers on a single pee is what you call economical and practical.

However, power needs and technical ability are inversely proportional; in China, a 250cc engine is already very awesome.

Really doing a 125cc would require developing for a few more years.

Or just learn from Li Xuewu: overtake on a curve, import technology and equipment from outside, and discard those impractical, flashy things.

"Deputy Director Li, right?"

Li Xuewu was frowning while looking at the data; he didn't expect Gu Litong from the Second Auto Works to take the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.

Glancing at the ministry cadre in front, Li Xuewu nodded to the other party with a smile and said: "Hello, Deputy Factory Director Gu."

"Go for a smoke?"

Gu Litong really had a sharp eye, knowing which cadre leading the Rolling Mill team today was the one doing the business.

At this moment, he gestured toward the doorway and said to Li Xuewu with a smile: "My nicotine craving is acting up; it's unbearable."

"Good, good, me too."

Seeing him wink, Li Xuewu knew immediately that the other party had also long suffered from the ministry's blind commands!