Siheyuan diet for men and women

Chapter 1506 A White Lotus
"Who can predict the future?"

Li Xuewu smiled helplessly, spread his hands and said, "You should understand our situation; at least for now, we haven't decided to come out."

"Oh, really?"

What? You haven't decided to leave yet? Why don't you say you're incapable of leaving? You certainly have ambition, right?

Waldrich eyed the visitor from the East sitting opposite him with suspicion. Although they shared the same social system, their relationship was...

What's in it for us?

He asked bluntly, "You don't expect new technologies, nor do you have any desire to bring them to Rostock. What exactly do you want?"

Honestly, Waldrich is a bit bewildered right now.

He was neither a stupid person nor an arrogant one; on the contrary, he was a very pragmatic person.

His ability to become the head of the regional shipyard was not solely due to his family connections, but also to his own skills and capabilities.

His initial surprise and astonishment upon meeting was genuine, as he truly hadn't expected a delegation to visit the Rostock shipyard.

It is true that staff members have come to the shipyard for inspection and research during this period, but this is not unusual in international trade activities.

Moreover, the other party did not use the name of this delegation, but rather came to conduct research under the name of Gangcheng Shunfeng Ocean Shipping Company.

So the surprise was genuine, and the unexpectedness was also genuine.

If you want new technology, there's absolutely no need to come to Germany. And even if you want to buy technology in Germany, there's no need to come to Rostock.

They don't want new technologies, they don't want to set up factories and cooperate locally, but instead invite them to go out of Germany to Southeast Asia to take on orders.

Listen to what they just said; they're willing to provide venues and equipment, and even more willing to share Southeast Asian orders with them.

Are there really such good people in the world?
Yes, there is one, and this is it, but he couldn't believe it.

So he wanted to figure out what the Rostock shipyard could get and what the other party really wanted.

"50% of the net profit from orders."

Li Xuewu didn't beat around the bush and stated directly: "We will provide all the shipping, office, rest areas, equipment and facilities."

"You only need to provide a complete set of shipbuilding technicians."

He spread his hands and said frankly, "As for the manpower shortage caused by your dispatch of technical personnel, we will provide personnel to fill the gap."

"Wait! You mean—"

Waldrich was almost confused by his words, and squinted at him, asking, "Shall we exchange technical personnel?"

"That's right, for the purpose of exchange and learning."

Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, saying, "We will fully guarantee the safety and rights of your technical personnel working and living in Hong Kong."

He tilted his head and emphasized, "We also hope to receive your technical support and exchanges."

“In other words—” Waldrich thought for a moment and said, “You are willing to give up 50% of the net profit from the order in exchange for technical support?”

He didn't mention technical exchanges at all, because in his view, even if the technology of Neptune Shipyard and Valnor Shipyard was mediocre, it was still better than the other's.

“It’s 50% of the net profit from jointly undertaking orders,” Li Xuewu emphasized again. “It also means 50% of the Southeast Asian shipbuilding market.”

That was pure nonsense, and Waldrich certainly wouldn't believe it.

He'd never seen anyone so boastful, claiming that a 50% net profit from joint orders meant 50% of the Southeast Asian shipbuilding market.

So your shipyard accounts for more than 50% of the entire Southeast Asian shipbuilding market!
That's what he thought, but he couldn't immediately resist the temptation to leave the Baltic Sea.

Mecklenburg Bay is too small, even though it is surrounded by many Nordic countries, which are all too small in size.

When it comes to shipbuilding, those countries that control the Pacific Ocean are the best.

History may make mistakes, but it will never be wrong forever.

Which countries eventually concentrated their shipbuilding industries? This definitely speaks volumes.

Italy's shipbuilding industry developed relatively early, but have you seen any achievements from Italy in large vessel projects such as cargo ships and icebreakers?

If you're talking about luxury and high-end vessels like yachts, cruise ships, or passenger ships, the Italians definitely have a knack for coming up with new and innovative ideas.

You can't train a real navy in a bathtub.

The same applies to the shipbuilding industry. Without a market, there will be no business, and without business, how can we develop technology and train workers?

This is East Germany. East German shipyards in the Baltic Sea were treated like stepchildren, receiving very few orders from Western Europe, except for those from the Mutual Economic Assistance (MEC) member countries.

If things continued like this, he was even considering organizing workers to clear wasteland and grow grain, so that at least they wouldn't starve to death.

Fortunately, he seems to have found a way to generate a surge in orders; his only hesitation is about the impact of doing so.

Despite the seemingly pleasant words and apparent cooperation, it was actually a training program. Engineers and technicians from the Varnemünde shipyard went to China to lead local technicians in production.

Conversely, when the other party's technical engineers and workers come to work together at the Varnemünde shipyard, isn't that also a learning process?
Therefore, this is not a collaboration, but a shrewd calculation.

Oh dear, Marco Polo was right, the Chinese are the most calculating, the kind that can see through anything.

How can we protect our interests?

Waldrich asked bluntly, "Don't talk about contracts and guarantees. Once your technology matures, we will be useless."

“Your definition of technological cooperation is too narrow,” Li Xuewu said with a smile, shaking his head. “Why are you so sure that our technologies are so different?”

"That's right, we're here to learn technology, and we want to learn technology."

He nodded slowly and continued, "But we also have our advantages. We prefer and hope that both sides can achieve cooperation and technical exchanges from the perspective of mutual benefit and mutual assistance."

"You don't need to doubt our equipment and business volume."

Li Xuewu said with some pride, "Yingcheng Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Hongxing Steel Group, possesses world-class shipbuilding equipment and docks."

"The only thing we lack is a mature technology system and a rigorous quality management system."

He pointed with his finger and emphasized, "Your technology will eventually become outdated, but you lack the core motivation to develop new technologies."

"We have this core driving force. Let's help each other, develop together, and share the future. Isn't that a good thing?"

What is core motivation?

Waldrich was well aware that this statement was a way of saving face for his side, as the order volume at the Warnemünde shipyard was indeed not good.

Once the order volume increases, profits will follow, and the core motivation for scientific research will be generated. This is the condition for cooperation with the other party.

"Sharing new technologies?" Waldrich looked at him with some skepticism and asked, "Do you have the technological reserves and R&D capabilities in this area?"

"If I said yes, would you believe me?"

Li Xuewu looked at him and explained earnestly, "Our group has an independent research institute, which is jointly established with several universities."

"The Institute of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering is just one part of it, but we have great confidence in the future."

“I understand—” Waldrich leaned back in his chair and said in a tone that was a mixture of envy and regret, “It was the market that gave you confidence.”

“There are also multiple collaborations.” Li Xuewu smiled faintly and said, “Yingcheng Shipbuilding has accumulated excellent shipbuilding equipment and technical experience from Italy, France, Japan and other countries, so we can achieve fair cooperation.”

What is fair cooperation?

Don't ask for an exorbitant price, and I won't try to haggle. If we're both honest and sincere, we can achieve our goal of cooperation.
"Can our technical personnel use the equipment and data from the Naval Engineering Research Institute you just mentioned?"

"Of course, no problem. We will also proactively hire instructors to provide guidance, so you can rest assured about that."

"I'll think about it."

Waldrich was still somewhat hesitant. He was worried about the attitude of the North Russians and whether they would criticize him if he decided to cooperate.

The decline of the Warnemünde shipyard is almost a foregone conclusion. Despite its current rosy appearance, a real crisis is already looming.

Others might not know, but how could these senior executives not know?
Why did East Germany eventually engage with the West a few years later? Why did an economic crisis occur more than a decade later? Why did East German companies go bankrupt almost overnight after the reunification?

The reason is simple: Rome wasn't built in a day. While the support from the North was not yet apparent in East Berlin and the southern industrial areas, the Rostock region had long shown signs of industrial decline.

When it comes to shipbuilding, North Russia has absolute influence; there are no orders within the United Nations system to be allocated to these small Karami.

If Neptune Shipyard and Valnor Shipyard hadn't used their profits in the early postwar period to pay reparations, they wouldn't have even received this small order.

Rostock, with a population of just over 100,000, is experiencing population loss every year, so the pressure on its shipyards is considerable.

You need to make a decision as soon as possible.

Li Xuewu explained very seriously and frankly, "I can only give you one night. I have to leave tomorrow morning."

He pursed his lips, shrugged, and said, "I'm sorry, our group also has an automotive business, so we have to rush to Leipzig."

Sitting behind him, Sha Qizhi twitched the corner of his mouth, looked down at the documents in his hand, and realized that his leader's negotiation skills were beyond his reach.

Going to Leipzig is a perfectly valid reason; it can be used anywhere. It seems the group is eager to acquire Leipzig's automotive production technology.

In particular, the W50 truck project, which everyone envies, is the most needed infrastructure project in China.

It's interesting to think about. Everyone is arguing, including the Red Star Factory, but it's impossible to tell who's really arguing and who's just putting on an act.

Anyway, he knew that the Secretary General had no interest in W50 technology; his only interest was in acquiring Ludwigfeld Industries' bomber and fighter engine technology.

The Secretary-General desperately wants the production technology for aircraft jet engines, marine diesel engines, machine tools, and their supporting parts.

Once we have mastered the engine production technology, we can integrate resources and build a supply chain system for the aircraft manufacturing industry.

The same applies to the production technology of marine diesel engines and lathes.

The industrial production in Liaodong and the parts supply chain system in Tianjin should complement each other.

Don't worry about Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) gathering other automakers to form an independent supply chain system; the two sides are no longer on the same level.

Even if Beijing Automotive and other automakers break through the supply chain technology barriers set up by Hongxing Steel Group, so what?

It's just a matter of continuing the competition.

Steel Auto has almost all types of passenger cars and military vehicles except for trucks, and its production capacity is second to none in China.

The consumption of components is sufficient to support the basic order volume of a supply chain, and the rest is left to the partners.

Large enterprises like Beijing Automotive and Factory No. 17 can band together to build a supply chain system, but what about those provincial, municipal, county, or town-owned automotive industrial enterprises?
These smaller car manufacturers, unable to access the resources of larger companies, find it more accessible to collaborate with the supply chain of Hongxing Steel Group.

You're saying there's a car industry in town?

This is absolutely no joke. Many large groups and enterprises in later generations started as street-level or village-owned enterprises.

With standardized production specifications for engines, chassis, and various components, car manufacturing seems to have become an industry that anyone can do.

To put it simply, a certain county had abundant labor resources, but there was no way to resettle the workers, so an automobile manufacturing plant was established.

There's no need to go through the trouble of sourcing and ordering parts from all over the country. You only need to select the parts needed to assemble the car from the Hongxing Steel Group's auto parts supply warehouse and make the necessary transportation and inventory preparations.

leftover?
We don't necessarily have to buy assembly line equipment, right?

The lack of this budget is one reason, and the lack of supporting technology and workers is another.

Since there's an abundance of people and workers can't be accommodated, we'll just assemble them manually. We don't have assembly lines, but we can still make mobile frames.

The automotive industry of that era was on the verge of explosive growth due to the establishment of the Hongxing Steel Group.

The market is facing severe challenges.

There are only so many companies that can afford to buy cars, but the production capacity and price of cars, as well as the local protection system, are very complicated.

So even though steel and automobile manufacturers have established sales channels nationwide, it doesn't stop these small workshops from opening for business.

Currently, the price of the 212 remains at 36000 yuan per unit, and in some areas it can even reach 42000 yuan.

This is even though the Red Star Antelope has already developed a second-generation model and is selling it nationwide.

While maintaining the price of the 212, these small car companies don't imitate others, they specialize in imitating the 212.

Just look at it, the 212s across the country are all different. From a distance, they look the same, but up close... they're unbearable to look at.

With a shell similar to the 212, it houses the entire vehicle system of the first-generation Antelope, which achieves some complementary advantages.

Before the 212 was even equipped with a heater and radio, the pirated cars had them first.

However, this car also has obvious disadvantages, combining the shortcomings of the first generation of Antelope and the 212, making it a polarizing product.

Some people have asked, since it's already a copy and uses the same vehicle system as the first generation of Antelope, why put on a 212 shell?
The antelope's most outstanding feature is its appearance, so isn't this design putting the cart before the horse?

This issue isn't about who to imitate. SteelCars has never seriously criticized the imitation of the Antelope car, because there is no patent law in this era.

The reason they made imitations of the 212 is because the 212 was expensive; they could sell it by lowering the price.

The idea of ​​replicating the Antelope Generation 1 is ridiculous. They were all handmade, how could they compare to the assembly line production costs of steel and gas?
Selling your cars at the price of the first-generation Antelope would be like hauling coal from Pingdingshan to Datong, Shanxi.

This has led to an amusing phenomenon: the circle, led by Beijing Automotive Group, criticizes and resists this shoddy "carpooling" and "hand-assembled car" behavior while simultaneously shutting out these small car companies.

Since these smaller car manufacturers have no access to the supply chain circles established by large enterprises, they can only rely more on the supply chain of Hongxing Steel Group.

Faced with competitive pressure, they had no choice but to frantically imitate the 212 car.

The results of it?
Beijing Automotive Group was naturally dissatisfied with the instigator, Hongxing Steel Group, but they could not provide any evidence to accuse Hongxing Supply Chain of unreasonable behavior.

Essentially, Red Star Supply Chain only provides automotive system assembly parts, not the car body.

In other words, if ordinary people have the means, they can purchase a batch of parts according to the parts list and assemble the car themselves at home.

Whether you use shoelaces or wire, the supply chain doesn't care, because the supply chain doesn't sell cars, so it's not considered a violation.

So the current situation is that Beijing Automotive knows who did the bad thing, but they don't dare to openly criticize them.

Because Old Li is better at navigating the streets and swearing than them.

It is precisely because of this competition and conflict that major car companies have engaged in fierce competition, both openly and covertly, and after arriving in East Germany, they have resorted to all sorts of tricks to guard against each other.

Li Xuewu is absolutely wicked. His Hongxing Steel Group's technology procurement team clearly had no interest in automotive technologies like the W50, yet they insisted on acting like they were determined to win and causing trouble.

That's right, people in the industry call them troublemakers.

Why abandon the perfectly good steel industry and insist on venturing into a completely different field, and doing it so well and so ruthlessly? How are they supposed to survive?

Therefore, Li Xuewu shouted that he must go to Leipzig and bring the W50 back to Hongxing Steel Group.

So unsurprisingly, almost all companies have shown interest in the W50.

In addition, the meeting between Deputy Director Li and the head of the East German Economic Committee did not go as planned, and everyone wanted to get the first pick in technical cooperation.

The previous cooperation negotiations were put on hold, which was precisely the opportunity for these "ragtag" forces to show their strength.

Even if it means looting, they have to take the best trucks from East Germany back with them, because even if they don't need them themselves, they can still exchange them for benefits with the car manufacturers.

After feinting and watching the show, where will Li Xuewu's next target be?

Don't ask, even Shaqi doesn't know.

Because the next target must be set when the time is right, Li Xuewu will arrive at the crucial moment to make the final decision.

The preliminary work was underway, and a decision-maker was needed. Li Xuewu was the one who made the final decision when Hongxing Steel Group came to East Germany.

Of course, nominally the final decision was made by Li Huaide, who was making a fuss at the Leipzig Hotel, and he acted on Li Xuewu's phone call.

If Li Xuewu can secure the shipyard cooperation project in Rostock, he will immediately notify the visiting delegation at the hotel that his performance will begin.

Under his leadership, the working group of Hongxing Steel Group successfully secured the [specific] project. Congratulations!
Everyone wants to be number one, but is it so easy to be number one?
Li Xuewu pinned his hopes on Rostock, but Waldrich was surprised by his impatience.

"You only have one day?"

"No, it wasn't me, it was you."

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and emphasized very seriously, "If you cannot give me your decision by tomorrow morning, we will have to give up our work here. Our schedule is very tight."

"Your company manufactures both ships and cars?" Waldrich was skeptical, his eyes conveying an attitude that said, "You're bragging."

"That's right, as well as the food industry and the hardware industry."

Li Xuewu shrugged and casually boasted, "In addition, we also produce helicopters, have construction companies, energy companies, and so on."

He said with great helplessness, "As a large corporation, you should be able to understand how tight my schedule is."

How could I understand? I could understand nothing!
Vasily looked at him speechlessly, thinking to himself, "I'm not the head of a large corporation."

Look at you, so capable! You're probably only in your early twenties!
“Even if a cooperation agreement is signed, we still have to see concrete actions, don’t we?” Li Xuewu could see the doubt in the other party’s eyes, and said calmly, “We warmly welcome you and your colleagues from the shipyard to visit our group.”

"Being able to conduct on-site inspections and research will also help our future cooperation."

Ugh, is seeing is believing?

This surprised Waldrich. Could it be that what he said was true?

"Even if you don't trust me, you should at least trust your Economic Committee's vetting of our group's qualifications for visiting, right?"

Li Xuewu smiled and raised his chin, saying, "You have a whole night to investigate our information, as long as you can sign the contract in time."

"No, not at all—" Seeing that Li Xuewu had said so, Waldrich seemed to have no reason to continue to doubt.

However, he still decided to contact the Economic Committee immediately after the talks to investigate the background and strength of the Chinese company.

He also needs to report on the details of this collaboration.

Yes, after fully considering the pros and cons of such cooperation, Waldrich decided to use the word "cooperation" in his report, rather than "technical cooperation" or "exchange".

He was well aware that if he used the term "technical exchange," he would definitely encounter obstacles from the Northern Mao.

Waldrich didn't want to become a historical sinner of the Warnemünde shipyard; at least they didn't lose anything from this collaboration, did they?
With orders decreasing and engineers having nothing to do, can't they go out and earn some extra money?
“One last question.” Waldrich frowned slightly, looking into his eyes, and asked, “You should know that shipbuilding, like the automobile industry, is a systems engineering project.”

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Many parts in our shipyard are not produced independently. Some technologies rely on other countries and companies. Are you sure you have the technology you want here?"

"You know what? Technology isn't important."

Li Xuewu leaned forward slightly, looked at him, and explained softly, "The important thing is to let certain parties know that we have this technology."

He raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "Once they think we have such technology, we will naturally have it."

"As for parts and materials."

Li Xuewu chuckled and said, "We already have the technology, why would we need people to come and deliver materials? They want the product more!"

"..." Waldrich understood completely. The company represented by this young man wasn't there to buy technology; they were clearly there to...

Indeed, the Neptune Shipyard and the Valnemünde shipyard could give each other ample reason to control the technology, which could be used to coerce other partners into selling equal or even better, more advanced shipbuilding technology.

Conversely, once they possess the technology, the party that invests more is more likely to receive a quick return from the company.

Isn't this just the middleman making a profit from the price difference?
When he thought of the technology partners, such as Italy, France, and Japan, that the other party had just mentioned, he completely understood their scheme.

Damn it, they're profiting from both society and capital!
Does this mean that if they go to the other party's shipyard, they can get shipbuilding orders from the capital world?
Wouldn't that make them traitors?

But when he thought about the massive number of orders waiting for him, he felt that being a double agent wasn't so bad, since the Northern Mao didn't treat them as one of their own anyway.

Once he understood, his confidence in his own technological advantage diminished, and this was indeed a win-win collaboration.

Shipbuilding is indeed a systems engineering project, but the other party only needs their technology and quality management system. Even the equipment is not theirs, so why would they ask for parts and subsystems?

East German technology, Western equipment, and the ships needed in Southeast Asia—the person who devised this theory of economic cooperation was truly a genius.

What aspect of your work are you responsible for at your company?

Waldrich suddenly became interested in Li Xuewu and asked, "Is this kind of cooperation your innovation?"

"This is the result of collective wisdom and unity."

Knowing the project was a success, Li Xuewu smiled, stood up, and extended his right hand, saying, "Then I wish us a smooth cooperation and all the best."

"Everything is going well..."

Waldrich was somewhat taken aback by his witty remark, but the smile on his face revealed his yearning for and sincerity towards capital.

The other party is also a socialist country, but they also act as middlemen who profit from the price difference. Aren't they worse than traitors?
Therefore, he felt no pressure when cooperating with the other party.

Where will you be resting tonight?

Just as they were about to part, Waldrich warmly invited them, saying, "If there is no suitable option, our guesthouse welcomes you and your team."

"I've already booked a room at the Fishman Hotel," Li Xuewu said frankly, revealing his accommodation for the night with genuine sincerity.

“We all wanted to see the view of Rostock Harbor in the morning; we heard it was an option that you absolutely couldn’t miss during your visit.”

"Hehehe—" Waldrich nodded with a smile, saying with a double meaning, "It seems you were prepared, so I won't force you to stay."

I look forward to your reply.

Before getting into the car, Li Xuewu shook hands with him again and said, "I also hope the cooperation will be successful. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Waldrich waved his hand and said, "If the cooperation can be achieved, I will definitely give you a rare gift."

"I really want a German version of 'Mein Kampf'."

Sitting in the car, Li Xuewu spoke to Waldrich through the downturned window about the gift he most desired.

As the car started, Sha Qizhi, sitting in the passenger seat, clearly saw that Walderich outside the window had stopped smiling.

Looking in the rearview mirror again, the other person stood there speechlessly, letting their hair be disheveled in the wind.
-
Waldrich wasn't the only one standing disheveled in the wind; Julia was too.

You said you'd be back soon...

We had planned a romantic dinner together...

It was a promise...

hateful!

With the makeup done, the white stockings on, and even the padding layer applied to the correct standard, I absolutely guarantee the headlights won't be dazzling.

But where are you?!

Yulia glanced at the time on the wall, then at the time in her hand, confirming that none of the times were inaccurate.

But! It's 8:30 already, are you planning to have a late-night snack with me?

She was so frustrated she could barely keep her mouth shut. Looking at the twinkling stars outside the window and the distant lighthouse, she felt utterly heartbroken.

"I still prefer local dairy cows..."

A series of conversations could be heard from the not-so-soundproof corridor. Yulia, who could understand Chinese, knew who had returned.

Cows! And more cows!
She's really going crazy! Is this how you fish?! If you want me to take the bait, you'd better cast the hook out!
Click——

She heard the door open, and confirmed that the other person had walked past her room, and then... opened his own door?
Have you forgotten about me?

If you've truly forgotten me, why bother using cow-related phrases to lure me in?

Damn it, no wonder the higher-ups upgraded this mission so much. It's not a freebie, it's not a freebie!

Since the other party isn't contacting her, she has no choice but to take the initiative to reach out to them.

Of course, at this time, she couldn't go there dressed like that.

Click——

After changing into her pajamas, Yulia rubbed her eyes and sleepily walked out of the door, looking towards the room next door.

Just then, Li Xuewu was standing at the door whispering something to his attendant. She couldn't hear clearly, but it definitely wasn't about buying dairy cows.

"You're back—"

There was no resentment, no surprise, only the dazed feeling of just waking up, as if sleepwalking.

This is how a female college student should behave.

"Oh, sorry I'm late."

Li Xuewu looked at her apologetically and explained, "The car broke down on the way back, and since we couldn't find a repair shop, we had to walk back."

"Oh, I see—"

Yulia suppressed her anger, closed her eyes, and dozed off as if she were still sleepy.

Your leather shoes aren't even a speck of mud on them. You don't even want to act anymore, do you? Do you really think I'm some clueless college student?

Have you eaten?

"Not yet, I'm so sorry."

Li Xuewu apologized again, spreading his hands and saying, "I should have come back earlier. Have you eaten?"

"Not yet, you fell asleep while waiting." Yulia walked to his side, glanced at the man who had left, and asked Li Xuewu, "Is it still possible to find food now?"

"The hotel should provide hot food."

Li Xuewu shrugged and asked, "Want to come with me to the restaurant and try your luck?"

“Why not?” Julia smiled understandingly and said, “I’d like to hear about what happened to you this afternoon.”

"Don't even mention it, it was a nightmare."

Li Xuewu waved his hand helplessly and said, "Let's go. I hope the restaurant isn't closed yet. I'm starving."

What about your team?

Yulia looked around the other rooms in confusion. No one seemed to be looking for food. Weren't they hungry?
"They need to rest and change their dirty clothes."

Li Xuewu spread his hands to indicate his clothes and said, "I just changed my clothes too."

I don't believe you!

Yulia smiled and nodded, saying, "You're really fast."

Isn't that considered swearing?

Li Xuewu glanced at the girl and asked, "Didn't you go out for a walk this afternoon? You were just in your room by yourself?"

"Yes, I've been waiting for you—"

Only then did Yulia show a hint of dissatisfaction, turning to her room and saying, "I'm going to change my clothes, wait for me."

"Okay, I'll wait for you." Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, watched the other person enter, and then glanced at the room opposite.

dong dong——

A light knock sounded on the door, indicating that someone was on the other side; these were the security personnel they had left behind when they left at noon.

Having said he would keep a close watch on Yulia, Li Xuewu was determined not to let this butterfly slip by. Regardless of whether it was poisonous or not, it had to be dealt with properly.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting—"

Yulia, who had restyled her hair in pigtails and changed into a white silk mini-skirt, walked out gracefully, seemingly forgetting her frustration from waiting all afternoon. She smiled and gently took his arm.

Hmm? You've got some interesting stuff going on.

Li Xuewu didn't mind her closeness and smiled as he recounted his afternoon encounter, leading her into the elevator.

Sandy wanted to come along, but was stopped by the security personnel because the Secretary-General had just instructed them on what to do.

Just now, there were already people waiting on the floor where the restaurant is located. Right here in this hotel, what could they possibly do to cause trouble?

Unless that girl is willing to swallow her pride and squat down in the elevator...

Imagine the elevator doors open, a girl stands up and wipes her mouth. What would people who see this think?
It's not about thinking, "So fast?" but rather about stereotypically assuming that there's something going on between the two of them.

If we could take a picture of it, it would definitely become a news story with a compelling narrative.

This is what they call "yellow mud falling into your crotch, even if it's not shit, it's still shit."

Li Xuewu would certainly not allow this to happen. He deliberately kept standing parallel to Yulia, not giving her a chance to squat down.

"Are you and your colleagues really here in Rostock to buy dairy cows?"

Yulia listened to his serious nonsense, feeling annoyed but amused, and asked, "Did you buy it?"

"As you can see, there isn't—"

Li Xuewu helplessly shrugged and said, "Our team has differing opinions. I'm very optimistic about the cows here, but they say..."

"What did you say?" Yulia asked curiously.

"The elevator's here." Li Xuewu pointed to the elevator doors and led her out, unaware of Yulia's glaring expression.

“They say the cows here are of average breed,” he said, walking ahead without turning his head. “They say the cows’ milk is too small.”

"..." Yulia inexplicably looked down at herself, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest, almost suffocating herself.

Okay, okay, so you're saying I'm young, right?

If it weren't for the fact that I didn't put on enough padding, I could have squeezed out an F-cup for you, believe it or not!
“Hehe—you guys watch this too?” Yulia chuckled and said, “I know practically nothing about agriculture.”

"It's alright, I was just saying." Li Xuewu led her to the front desk and asked the waiter, "Is the restaurant still open?"

"I'm sorry, sir, the restaurant is closed." The waiter replied mechanically, "However, the kitchen still offers delivery service."

"Is that so?" Li Xuewu frowned, glanced at the closed restaurant door, and turned to Yulia, asking, "Then... shall we eat in my room? Wouldn't that be too much of a hardship for you?"

“That’s the question I should be asking,” Julia said understandingly. “It’s to repay your generosity. If you don’t mind, I’ll definitely pay for this meal.”

"Then please deliver it to our room."

Li Xuewu didn't mind Julia's politeness and went straight to order a few German specialties from the menu handed to him by the waiter.

Without asking, it's either sausage, ham, or stew.

While he was ordering, Yulia also ordered herself a salad and fruit. She had already waited so late, and she didn't want to make herself suffer.

Even though I'm starving, I have to pretend to be cheerful. This job is tough!

"I'll pay—"

"Never mind, I appreciate the sentiment."

Just as Yulia was about to take out her wallet, Li Xuewu smiled and grabbed her hand, saying to the waiter, "Put it on my room number."

"How can that be? We clearly agreed that I would treat you—"

Yulia wanted to insist, but her hand was being held by the other person, preventing her from taking out her money.

"That's fine, let's go back upstairs and wait for our food."

Without letting her explain, Li Xuewu grabbed her hand and walked back, saying with a smile, "This meal is on you, I'll pay the bill."

"How can I feel good about that~"

When Yulia saw that the other person had already taken her hand, she knew that the fish had taken the bait, and she had to take the bait herself.

She said in a coquettish tone, "I want to thank you."

"It's never too late to express your gratitude later."

Li Xuewu wasn't in a hurry; his charming demeanor made it easy for him to win over naive female college students.

But Julia was different; she had seen far too many men like that.

With a little cleverness, one can show generosity in front of a girl, and then take the opportunity to display one's wealth or achievements, thereby gaining her admiration.

When a young, inexperienced female college student falls in love with a man, it's not far from her eventual downfall.

Back in the elevator, even though Li Xuewu had let go of her hand when they entered the elevator so she could go first, she took his hand again this time.

When Li Xuewu looked down, he was greeted by Yulia's bright yet shy gaze, a gaze filled with admiration and affection.

I know everything you want, and I can give you all the emotional value you crave. So why don't you come and be my good girl?
"Your smile is beautiful, like the winter sun, dazzling and warm, and like a white lotus flower."

Li Xuewu's praise made Yulia lower her head shyly, then she looked proudly at her toes and said, "Thank you—"

"You're welcome, you deserve it."

Gollum-

A discordant sound disrupted the romance, making Yulia blush deeply; her belly was being incredibly uncooperative—

"It's my fault, I shouldn't have let you go hungry."

Li Xuewu feigned helplessness and took the blame upon himself, saying with remorse, "I should have stayed home this afternoon."

"It's okay, I was wrong too."

Yulia, of course, couldn't bear to see her blaming herself, so she took the initiative to explain, "If I hadn't fallen asleep, I wouldn't have missed the meal."

"You must eat more later," Li Xuewu said gently, looking at her. "Consider it my way of making it up to you."

From the door across the street, Sha Qizhi glanced back at the security guard who was taking over the shift... and at the table full of food.

Even if you put all their scores on that girl, is it really necessary to eat like this? Are you trying to eat your enemy?