Siheyuan diet for men and women

Chapter 1571 Why don't you dare to fight with President Li!

"Let's go, don't strain yourself."

After Li Xuewu got out of the car, he saw Yu Zhe take the luggage out of the trunk and hand it to him, seemingly unwilling to go inside.

I just asked him to take Zhang Enyuan home first, and the kid probably thought of something, because he was acting very cautiously.

"What? Is there a tiger inside that's going to eat someone?"

"That's not—"

Upon hearing his words, Yu Zhe forced a smile and said, "Isn't that a bit inconvenient?"

"Whatever," Li Xuewu smiled, pushed open the courtyard gate, turned around and looked at him, saying, "Shall I explain for you?"

"Then let's forget about it—"

Yu Zhe certainly didn't trust him; this brother-in-law, whom he couldn't call brother-in-law, was more terrifying than anyone he had ever met.

People say that a knife can wound people and a gun can kill them, but this guy can take a life with just a blink of his eye.

"Let me help you with your luggage."

"Otherwise what?" Li Xuewu didn't seem to appreciate it, but felt that this was what he should do. He glanced at him up and down and went into the courtyard first.

Yu Zhe sighed helplessly, locked the car door, and then followed them into the yard.

In late March, the weather was still chilly, but not as cold as in winter. Even on the streets and corners, there were still remnants of ice and snow in places where the sun couldn't reach.

The lights behind the glass windows in the living room and entryway were so warm as darkness fell, and Yu Zhe's heart felt much more at peace.

"You're back so early." Yu Li came downstairs, still wearing her work apron. Seeing him standing in the entryway, she smiled and said, "Didn't you go to work?"

"It's already this late, going there would only be annoying." Li Xuewu had taken off half of his coat, and Yu Li took it from him and considerately hung it on the hanger.

"I invited Yu Zhe to my house."

Li Xuewu changed into slippers and stepped into the living room, where he heard Yu Zhe greeting his sister behind him.

"You've finally shown some courage today, daring to come inside?"

Yu Li glanced at her younger brother with feigned displeasure, seemingly quite angry at his avoidance of her.

Yu Zhe didn't dare to argue, he just chuckled, which earned him a slap from his sister.

Siblings can't really fight, can they? Even if they did, it wouldn't hurt.

"Change your shoes and take your luggage upstairs."

Seeing his ingratiating manner, Yu Li couldn't bear to scold him. She gave him a brief instruction and then went to the kitchen.

Banggeng slipped out of the study, saw Uncle Wu sitting on the sofa, greeted him with a smile, and then gave Yu Zhe a mischievous smile and raised his eyebrows.

Yu Zhe is unreliable; even a half-grown boy like Bang Geng dares to joke with him.

Of course he couldn't do anything about it. This was the leader's house, and even if he wanted to deal with this kid, he could only wait until later when no one was around.

You just wait!
There was nothing he could do but point at the naughty boy with his finger. Yu Zhe glared at him and gave him a threatening look.

Banggeng wasn't afraid of him at all. With a mischievous grin, he asked into the kitchen, "Auntie, why didn't my uncle's girlfriend come along? My mom said she's really pretty!"

You little brat! You ambushed me!
Before Yu Zhe even entered the house, he was afraid his sister would bring this up. When he heard that Bang Geng was being naughty, he wished he could kick the bad boy out the door.

Don't listen to Banggeng calling him "Auntie" and "Uncle." The two families are not related; it's just that this naughty boy called her that.

Of course, this naughty boy's family used to be neighbors with his sister's family, living in the same compound. They couldn't call him by his name, right?

Since his sister got divorced, this kid has been calling her "Auntie." Now that they see each other more often, from his sister's perspective, she calls him "Uncle."

This is all thanks to Li Xuewu's good discipline. The boy is much smarter than before. Normally, a naughty boy wouldn't lower himself to call someone "uncle."

As for whether this kid has any other motives, that's for sure. His sister lives here and is practically his mother.

Another thing is that if I have anything good, this kid will be the first to covet it. I just got a fur hat, and he's already eyeing it.

"Shh—" Yu Zhe put his finger to his lips, made a gesture, took off his hat from his head, and threw it at him.

"Thank you, Uncle! You're so kind!"

The hamster didn't mind at all, and put it directly on his head. The stubble was even smelling of smoke, and he still looked smug.

Yu Zhe couldn't stand him anymore, so he took off his coat, picked up his luggage, and went upstairs.

He'd been to this house more than ten or twenty times. He'd also been upstairs a few times, glancing at the guest rooms as he passed by. The bedding was neatly folded, but it didn't look like someone lived there often.

Once he saw the master bedroom, he had no idea what to guess; it clearly contained his sister's usual items. And of course, his own as well. He put down his luggage and went downstairs.

"What do you need that piece of junk for?"

Yu Li watched with amusement as Bang Geng wore that dog-skin hat and acted strangely, then pointed to the sofa and reminded him, "Aren't you going to make tea for your uncle?"

"Alright!" Banggeng was in a good mood today, so he kicked up and ran towards the tea cabinet. He slid down and stopped in front of the cabinet, quickly making two cups of tea.

"This is for my Uncle Wu, and this is for my maternal uncle."

He called out to him so affectionately, carrying teacups as he walked over. He placed one cup in front of Li Xuewu and the other on the other side of the coffee table, not to suggest which seat Li Xuewu should choose, but to make the choice for him beforehand.

Yu Zhe was still worried about his hat, glared at him, but appreciated his gesture.

Why didn't you go to work?

"I came back early." When he asked, Banggeng sat down on the other side with a grin, fiddling with his leather hat, and explained, "I'm mainly learning things from my aunt now."

"Your accent has changed?" Yu Zhe looked at him amusedly and said, "Don't say 'learn' (xiao) instead of 'learn'?"

"This is called 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do,' you know?"

Banggeng emphasized confidently, "My aunt said that when we come to do business outside the Great Wall, we need to be mindful of interpersonal relationships and adapt to local customs."

He shook the ridiculous hat in his hand and explained, "You really think I like wearing this thing? Even though it's awful."

"Then give it back to me." Yu Zhe reached out to grab it, but the stick seemed to have caught fire, and he darted away to dodge.

Do you know what this is called?

Banggeng, shaking the hat in his hand, raised an eyebrow and said, "This is called identity, this is called a pass. In Northeast China, you have to be dressed like this."

“Never heard of it—” Yu Zhe curled his lip and said, “You think you’re Yang Zirong.”

"Hey! This is all the rage now!"

Bang Geng tilted his neck, put his hat on his head, and imitated the pose from the Peking Opera "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy," raising his arm to make a gesture.

"Uncle, do you think I have any of those feelings for Yang Zirong?"

"I think you're quite interesting—"

How could Yu Zhe not know how this hat became popular? There are eight plays that can be seen all over the country, and "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy" is one of them.

Currently, many popular elements in China are learned from traditional opera or movies. Whenever a movie becomes popular, the hairstyle and clothing of the female lead also become popular.

In recent years, film releases have declined, and theatrical productions have also been regulated. Unless it's an internal corporate "promotional film," there's nothing else that's trendy to learn from.

However, every era has its special corners. Although many films that had been completed could not be released in theaters at this time, they could be shown on a limited scale.

Generally, film academies or cultural departments will show this in their own cinemas. Tickets are hard to get, and it's mostly employees or their family members who can see it.

It's not just domestic films; some departments even manage to get their hands on foreign films, ostensibly to watch them critically.

Yu Zhe has some skills now, but not many. His style, including the hat that someone gave him, is something he learned.

In any world of black, white, and gray, there are always a few oddballs. They have the means and connections to wear clothes you've never even seen before.

Yu Zhe witnessed firsthand that, in addition to the same few sets of work uniforms that were worn repeatedly, the leaders of Honggang Group also wore clothes from brands he had never seen before.

For example, when exercising, the leaders wear sportswear from the Gangcheng brand.

Even the children of leaders have several sets of clothes that don't look like they belong in mainland China.

He had met Zhou Xiaobai; that girl was definitely the most daring and fashionable person he had ever seen.

It's a pity he's a bit young; if he were a little older, he'd start to fall for her.

***
"You don't want to wear it while eating, do you?"

Yu Li set the food on the table, glanced at Bang Geng, and reminded him, "Keep that thing away from me, or you'll go hungry."

"Auntie, next time I go with you to discuss business, I'll wear this hat and two 54 pistols on my waist. Let's see who dares to bare their teeth at you."

Bang Geng's personality has improved a lot, but the boy's words are still unreliable.

This is all thanks to him starting to read books. If he hadn't had this drive to learn, he would have become a hooligan long ago.

The Northeast is the most fertile land; any seed can blossom and bear fruit here.

"Do you think I need you to back me up?"

Yu Li glared at him, and when she saw Li Xuewu walk into the restaurant, she reminded him, "Serve your Uncle Wu rice, and stop showing off."

"What's wrong? Having trouble at work?"

Li Xuewu glanced at Bang Geng, then looked at Yu Li who was bringing over the dishes.

Yu Zhe was very perceptive and offered his help; he certainly didn't dare act like a big shot here.

"Sis, did someone bully you?"

He was being kind, staring at me with wide eyes and saying, "Tell me who he is, and I'll have someone take care of him tonight."

"Are you trying to impress me?" Yu Li glared at him and said, "Sit down and eat!"

"I'm just concerned about you—"

Yu Zhe muttered something with a hint of grievance, but still obediently sat down at the dining table.

Li Xuewu glanced at him but didn't rush to ask any further questions. He was sure Yu Li would tell him if she had something to say.

“It’s Chai Hua and his gang.” Bang Geng explained bluntly, holding his rice bowl, “They came to my aunt to ask for the appliances, saying they would report her if she didn’t give them to them, and nobody would be able to do business with her.”

"You're just eating your food, what do you know?"

Yu Li glared at him, pointed at the table to remind him to eat properly, and then sat down next to Li Xuewu after setting out the last dish.

“She’s not an outsider; she used to work for Biaozi selling canned goods.” She explained to Li Xuewu, “She probably saved up some capital and wants to go to sea.”

"Did I threaten you?" Li Xuewu had long since stopped caring about such things, and he didn't care where the other party came from. He just asked this question.

"He's so naive and talks like a dog." Yu Li shook her head slightly and said, "That's why I don't dare to let him go. It would be troublesome if something happened."

"From Steel City? Or somewhere else?"

Li Xuewu glanced at Yu Li, then turned to Yu Zhe and asked, "Is that guy named Sun Ming from last time still looking for you?"

"Yes, he gave me that hat."

Yu Zhe turned his head and gestured to the dog-skin hat that Bang Geng had placed on the sofa, saying, "I heard he's been doing leather goods business lately and has made quite a bit of money."

"Who is Sun Ming?" Yu Li asked her younger brother, frowning, when she saw them talking about this.

Despite the hardships she faced following Li Xuewu through thick and thin, it's easy to imagine the immense risks she took in the work at the recycling station.

In other words, with Li Xuewu protecting them, a network of connections supporting them, and the backing of the Honggang Group, they were able to have a smooth and successful journey.

To be honest, their little affair is really hard to investigate, so they have to be careful in everything they do and find reliable people.

If Yu Zhe really had that ability, she wouldn't have waited until today, only agreeing to let her younger brother drive a car at the factory.

She doesn't know how good it is to make money. Ou Xin and Pei Pei, who have worked at the club for three or four years and were only officially accepted last year, can now earn sixty or seventy yuan a month.

How many years do you have to work in a factory to earn sixty or seventy?

High risk, high capability, and high reward – this is the key to attracting people to recycling stations.

Do you think those young men on the frontier willingly left their homes and families? A little over a hundred yuan a month isn't enough to make them rich.

Even without considering the gifts Li Xuewu usually gives her or the pocket money he occasionally gives her, she earns over a hundred yuan a month just from her salary.

Everyone knows money is easy to spend, but she just didn't want her younger brother to work at the recycling station.

why?
Because my younger brother doesn't have that kind of brain.

Even she had to say that Li Xuewu taught her step by step, and she worked at the club for more than three years before she came out to manage a station.

Does she have the ability?

She was self-aware; Dongfeng Shipping's headquarters were at Gangcheng Wharf, and the investigation department's vacation rotation point was also at Gangcheng Wharf.

Besides having its earliest roots in Northeast China, Honggang Group's heavy industry base is also here. With Li Xuewu here, what does she have to be afraid of?

If we were to go somewhere else, like Jicheng, she might not be so sure about the situation.

She herself wouldn't dare to do anything reckless, so how could she let her impulsive younger brother get involved in this line of work?

Being a driver is a stable job, and with Li Xuewu taking care of him at Honggang Group, this job and status is something many people envy.

Without this, how could he have found the best girl in the village?

So when she heard that a businessman was trying to seduce her brother, Yu Li frowned.

Is it even possible to do business these days?
Yes and no.

Handicrafts and traditional service industries are allowed; they can even obtain business licenses. Examples include street vendors, barbers, tailors, shoemakers, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and craftspeople.

Therefore, some transactions are possible.

In addition, as Yu Zhe just mentioned, the buying and selling of leather goods, unless it is for the supply and marketing cooperative or the government, is considered reselling.

Do you think anyone would dare to do this?

Of course there are. Under any set of rules, there are blind spots that cannot be covered. Some of these blind spots or loopholes are caused by human error, while others are due to oversight.

Regardless, as long as the channels for procurement, transportation, and sales can be established, the deal is done.

“He’s the nephew of Jia Yun, the head of the production management department at the metallurgical plant.” Seeing his sister frown, Yu Zhe quickly explained, “I didn’t go looking for him; he came to me.”

"You smell good, he's coming to find you."

Yu Lizhen showed no respect for her younger brother, retorting, "Did you get involved in his affairs?"

"No, really no!" Yu Zhe practically swore to the heavens, not even bothering to eat, and earnestly assured them, "You said you wouldn't let me get involved in these things."

“That’s right.” Yu Li glared at him and said, “If you dare to disobey me, I’ll send you back to the village to farm, to farm for the rest of your life.”

"I know—" Seeing her sister's fierce expression, Yu Zhe became like a kitten.

Li Xuewu glanced at Yu Li, knowing that she was saying this to him, and that she was afraid he would use her brother for something.

Yes, he actually does have that plan.

However, given Yu Li's intense reaction, he couldn't bring it up again at the dinner table. He simply told Yu Zhe, "If he comes looking for you again, tell your sister."

"I understand." Yu Zhe looked at him meekly and asked softly, "Do you want a dog-skin hat too?"

"Shut up! Eat your food—" Yu Li glared at him, further strengthening her resolve to keep her brother away from the business world.

With that kind of brain, it's no wonder he got cheated on by an old woman. If he had any sense, he wouldn't have asked such a question.

Actually, Yu Zhe isn't brainless; he just lacks tact and has been too well taken care of by his family, so he has no guile whatsoever.

He regretted asking the question as soon as he did, and his face turned bright red.

Li Xuewu looked at him with amusement, really wanting to pry open his head and see if the brain inside was as big as a melon seed.

***
Yu Zhe didn't want to stay any longer after dinner, but his sister pointed to the sofa and asked him to sit down and talk.

coming! coming! coming!

Yu Zhe knew that this calamity would come sooner or later; he could dodge it once and for all.

Seeing that the siblings had something to say, Li Xuewu went to the bathroom to take a shower. He knew without guessing that it was about their wedding.

This guy isn't exactly an experienced driver, but he's had his license for a few years now. Why does he prefer driving old cars? He doesn't seem to care about new cars at all.

He couldn't compare to Nie Xiaoguang, who drove a used taxi. Nie Xiaoguang didn't care about anything and still made money. He was even more determined to get his only passenger off the bus.

What did Yu Zhe get?

He learned some techniques and skills, and didn't care whether the old cars leaked oil or not. Relying on his youth and boldness, he drove several old cars in rotation.

"Uncle Wu? Are you asleep?"

Banggeng waited for a while before opening the bathroom door. Seeing that he was still soaking in the bathtub, he took the initiative to ask him a question.

Li Xuewu opened his eyes, turned his head to look at him, let out a long breath, and asked wearily, "Yu Zhe is gone?"

"It took five minutes to walk there, and my aunt scolded me." Banggeng chuckled gloatingly, "She said I have to get married on May Day."

"Hehe—" Li Xuewu looked at him and asked, "What about you, when are you getting married?"

"Don't tease me. If I said I was getting married, my mom would be scared to death." Banggeng raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Besides, I haven't had enough fun yet."

“You’d better say ‘life is a game.’” Li Xuewu sat up in the bathtub, grabbed a towel to wipe his face, and reminded him, “Don’t treat emotions like toys.”

"I will listen to you and learn from you."

Banggeng has gone astray and become bolder. Fearing retaliation, he turned and slipped away.

Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth, stood up, grabbed a bath towel and put it on, stepped out of the bathtub, shook off the water dripping from his body, and then dried himself off.

Learn from me? You need to have the qualifications first.

"I thought you were asleep."

Yu Li pushed open the door and walked in. She glanced at him and said, "You can't soak for so long next time. It's bad for your health."

"Yeah, I don't want to move, I'm tired."

Li Xuewu responded and let her take the towel away, then opened his arms to wait for her help.

"Yu Zhe is gone?" he asked lazily. "Bang Geng said he's getting married on May Day?"

"If I wait any longer, I'll become an old bachelor."

Yu Li complained, "He can't hear what his colleagues say, but the villagers will respect him. How will my parents stay at home then?"

"Hmm, she's not young anymore." Li Xuewu glanced down at her and asked, "Did he agree?"

"He has to agree, whether he likes it or not. His word doesn't count." Yu Li wiped his body, straightened up, and snorted, "Even if you tie me up with ropes, I'll make him go through with this marriage."

"Should we teach him a lesson?"

Li Xuewu asked with a smile, "He just hasn't seen it before, that's why he finds it fun."

"You've seen it for yourself, haven't you?

Yu Li slapped him in dissatisfaction and said angrily, "No, don't mess with my brother. He's not as shrewd as you. He can't see things clearly and is likely to cause trouble."

"I'll say something you won't like to hear," Li Xuewu said, putting on his underwear and pajamas. "It's all because your family spoils him."

“I don’t want to get involved in him, but how can I bear to see him acting so irresponsibly?” Yu Li sighed helplessly. “But my dad only has one son.”

“Your dad has a good daughter.” Li Xuewu reached out and ruffled her hair, then smiled as he left the bathroom.

Yu Li simply scolded him, without refuting his words.

After cleaning the bathtub and taking a shower myself, I called Banggeng out to take a shower, told him to turn off the hot water in the kitchen and add more coal to the boiler before going upstairs.

Li Xuewu was lying in bed reading a book, not paying attention to what kind of book it was, when she went to the dressing table to fix her hair.

"Don't worry about Chai Hua's matter. If anything goes wrong, I'll have Lao Si handle it."

She looked at Li Xuewu in the mirror and explained, "I wanted to see if there were any other guys like him with little capital and no connections, so we could gather them together and send them away."

"Well, you decide for yourself."

Li Xuewu glanced at the book in his hand and casually replied, "If it's too much trouble, just call Wen San'er. It's convenient for him to come and go."

"It's better not to, he was too ruthless."

Yu Li looked at him and said with lingering fear, "He set up a huge scheme in Yingcheng before the New Year, but less than one-twentieth of the people came back."

"People call him the living Yama when they see him. I don't want Steel City to become like Yingcheng. Let's make money peacefully."

“Actually, you can make use of that Sun Ming,” Li Xuewu said casually. “He’s only bothering Yu Zhe because he wants to get close to me. You can arrange for someone to tease him.”

"What are you doing?" Yu Li turned around and asked him, "Do you want to use him, or that Section Chief Jia behind him?"

"Try it out first," Li Xuewu said, turning the pages of his book. "The old ways in the metallurgical plant are very complicated; some of the lower-level cadres are in cahoots."

"Are we trying to find a breakthrough through that Section Chief Jia?" Yu Li put down the comb, walked to the bedside, moved one leg to sit next to him, and leaned on his shoulder to ask, "Didn't you already sort out the personnel relations at the metallurgical plant?"

“Middle-level cadres are about right, but we can’t reach the grassroots.” Li Xuewu turned around, picked up the teacup on the bedside table, took a sip, and said, “Stretching your hand too far is annoying and despicable.”

"So you're waiting for them to jump out on their own, and then grab them all at once?" Yu Li looked at him, and sure enough, she had a handful of them in her hand. Li Xuewu couldn't help but turn around and glance at her.

"Who taught you all this?"

"Do I even need to learn this?" Yu Li smiled and said, "If anyone needs to learn, it's all because you taught me."

"I didn't teach you that."

Li Xuewu put down the book in his hand, turned around and looked at her, saying, "I originally planned to use Yu Zhe as bait, to teach him a lesson."

"No way! He doesn't have that kind of heart."

Yu Li emphasized very seriously, "He can't even handle his own little affairs. If you use him, it will only cause trouble."

"I know you're reluctant, so let's just forget about it."

Li Xuewu curled his lip indifferently and said, "You can arrange it as you see fit. That kid is easy to catch. If he can get his hands on furs, he must have connections in Jicheng or Bingcheng."

"If it's Jicheng, small-scale operations are fine. But if the shipment volume is large, then we should investigate its background. Perhaps it's from Bingcheng."

"You mean...the Russians?"

Yu Li could certainly think of that, and asked with wide eyes, "Is that possible? I mean, could that Sun Ming have that ability?"

“He doesn’t have it, but his uncle does.”

Li Xuewu lay down and said, "He's a section chief now, and his connections are very complicated. I don't want to make a big fuss about them, lest I cause serious damage."

"So?" Yu Li asked, leaning over him, "Pull it out bit by bit?"

"They brought this on themselves, it can't be that I deliberately caused trouble."

Li Xuewu put his hands behind his head and looked at Yu Li, saying, "These people have worked in the metallurgical plant for many years, and when the industrial park was established, they were transferred to other factories."

"Many of the grassroots cadres, including those in steel mills, steel steam plants, and steel rolling mills, came from metallurgical plants."

He snorted and said, "I don't care how many tricks they pull, and I don't have that much energy to argue with them."

"You can never completely eradicate these networks. Once you wipe them out, they just spring up again in a few years. Wherever there are people, there is a social hierarchy."

"Oh, what are you going to do?"

Yu Li thought about his words and tried to learn his methods. He was smarter than her, and his methods were endless.

“Cut off any that are sprouting, and clear away the entire area. Don’t worry about the rest; they won’t amount to anything in two or three years.”

Li Xuewu said calmly, "Anyway, we know who they are. We'll connect them to our network later and then eliminate them in a targeted manner."

"..." Yu Li's lips twitched. She knew Li Xuewu was ruthless, but she didn't know he was this ruthless. Was he treating those people like pigs?

This isn't a weed, you can't just wipe it out and it will grow back every time you want.

There are far too many connections involved here, not just the positions of those people, but also their individual relationships.

After this round of rectification, perhaps he will have the resources to do something.
-
"Have you read the newspaper?" Wang Yajuan came to me as soon as I arrived at work on Monday, holding a copy of the "Northern Industry News".

Li Xuewu glanced at the newspaper she handed him and asked, "From a few days ago?"

“Today’s,” Wang Yajuan explained, “There’s an article criticizing the Tadon Airport deal, saying it’s an asset loss and a deterioration of the business.”

"Who wrote it? Was it Liu Hongmei again?"

Li Xuewu was quite curious about what promise Su Weide had made to her that would make her so enthusiastic, even dragging Shen Fei into it.

"Who else could it be but her?" Wang Yajuan put down the newspaper and snorted. "The publishing house contacted their newspaper, saying they couldn't do anything about her!"

"Maybe." Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, not even glancing at the newspaper, his attention still focused on his work.

Wang Yajuan was very concerned and frowned, saying, "What exactly is she trying to do? Is it really just because of Director Li's loose tongue?"

"Of course not." Li Xuewu looked up at her and said, "If we really had a grudge, we would have just fought it out with real swords and spears."

“I’m right,” Wang Yajuan said, looking into his eyes. “Could it be that someone higher up is trying to make things difficult for us? I heard it’s the Third Ministry of Machine Building…”

"Director Li is keeping an eye on this matter." Li Xuewu gave her a meaningful look, then lowered his head to continue his work, saying, "Don't contact her."

"I won't contact her."

Wang Yajuan curled her lips in disgust and said, "I'm afraid of getting myself into trouble."

"No need to make a fuss," Li Xuewu said, pointing to the newspaper she had brought with his fingers as he held the pen. "Anything that gets published in the newspaper isn't a big deal."

“I’m afraid the Third Ministry of Machinery Industry will use the Tadong Airport issue to take over Gangfei.” Wang Yajuan directly expressed her concerns and reminded him, “I’ve heard from others that the higher-ups really intend to do so.”

"What would we do there? Produce scrap metal," Li Xuewu said nonchalantly. "The core components aren't even produced at Steelfly. It's just an assembly plant. What can it do?"

"Can the CNC machining center hold out?" Wang Yajuan had some knowledge of the core component production process of Steelfly and quickly thought of these questions.

Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow but did not answer her question. If he didn't even have this little trick up his sleeve, wouldn't he have been taken advantage of long ago?

In fact, it's not just Gangfei; after Honggang Group became more standardized and emphasized the protection of technology, it has long established barriers to the production and distribution of core components.

Even if you steal it or rob it, it's useless unless you spend money on repairs.

In this time, Honggang Group can recover; no one is made of clay.

Unlike other production units, Honggang Group's technology and management have export value; they are not something that anyone can simply take away and share.

This has been agreed upon at the group's management committee level; no one is qualified to unconditionally transfer the group's technology and core equipment.

Suweide wanted to use this thing to curry favor with his superiors, but he needed to have access to the core content first.

Even Li Huaide didn't have this ability; the core technology wasn't in the hands of any one person, but rather within a system.

***
On March 19, the Honggang Workers' Cinema (Theater) on Riverside Avenue in Liangmahe Industrial Zone was officially completed and began preparations for operation.

At the same time, the Workers' New Village Service Market, located on Riverside Avenue, was also officially completed, and the group's various service departments began relocation work on the same day.

Compared to the cinema, the relocation of the service center was easier, as employees could purchase all the necessities of daily life nearby.

The Workers' New Village Service Market not only completed its connection with the supply and marketing system, but also organized all the group's internal supply and marketing channels, providing a large amount of living resources.

The French Pavilion on the same street is not yet fully completed, but a Western restaurant with a lovely name, Furonglou, has opened next to it.

It doesn't sound very sophisticated, because it's not run by foreigners at all.

This is the fourth catering brand launched by the newly established Hongxing Catering Service Management Company, following Qinyuanchun, Langtaosha, and Yujia'ao.

The predecessor of Hongxing Catering Service Management Company was the three catering brands established by the steel mill's guesthouse in response to policy calls, while meeting its own operational needs.

After two years of development and expansion, the group has seen the huge profits in the catering service industry, so it has set up a dedicated management company.

In reality, this company only manages four brands, which correspond to four restaurants. It is neither too big nor too small in scale, but it has a considerable number of employees.

When Qin Huairu came to Li Xuewu for advice on how to choose, it was actually because she was struggling with the decision.

The decision to separate the catering services from the existing hospitality system was made at the group level.

Correspondingly, the group has approved the application submitted by the recently established Hongxing Property Service Management Corporation to establish Hongxing Hospitality Management Corporation.

Hongxing Hospitality Management Company is at the same level as the Catering Management Company and is under the jurisdiction of the Property Service Management Company. It owns three brands: Hongxing International Hotel, Hongxing Hospitality Hotel, and Hongxing Business Club.

Specialization, commercialization, and marketization.

Honggang Group has been undergoing organizational restructuring to adapt to the upcoming wave of economic change, which was also a suggestion given by Li Xuewu.

Red Star International Hotel will not only have one location in Beijing; new hotels will be built in other cities in the future, so they will be managed under a separate brand.

Similarly, there is now more than one Red Star Guesthouse. In accordance with the group's unified plan, all guesthouses are managed and serviced according to the same standards.

Starting today, all hospitality facilities, including the Hongxing Steel Group Guesthouse currently under construction in the Riverside Garden of Liangmahe Industrial Zone, the Hongxing Steel City Unity Guesthouse which has already been renamed, and the Hongxing Fengcheng Machinery Factory Guesthouse, will have their organizational structure unified under unified management.

This was a major undertaking, even becoming a key focus for the group recently, with Lao Li personally overseeing and monitoring its implementation.

Everyone knows he's making arrangements and relocating people, but there's nothing anyone can do about it.

They either get involved or distance themselves from it.

The establishment of Hongxing Property Service Corporation not only includes the construction of catering and hospitality systems, but also integrates the group's original comprehensive service system and property management system, and establishes Hongxing Comprehensive Service Management Company and Hongxing Comprehensive Property Management Company respectively.

The former brought together several Red Star Theaters in Beijing, all the group's libraries, cinemas, workers' clubs, internal post offices, radio services, communications services, stadiums, and cultural palaces, etc.

The latter involved establishing the Liangmahe Ecological Industrial Zone Management Office, Hongxing Steel City Industrial Zone Management Office, Yingcheng Port Area Management Office, Fengcheng Machinery Industrial Zone Management Office, and so on, thus completely separating the asset and service systems.

Looking at the documents and notices issued, people who don't understand the situation might think it's nothing special; it's just that the group is reorganizing and consolidating these messy departments.

Movie theaters and such are irrelevant. Property management sounds like a new term, but isn't it just the same as the old dormitory management and cleaning staff?

But anyone with a sharp mind knows that from today onwards, the group's management and control over its various branches and production units have been completely elevated to a new level.

The various branches no longer hold any secrets from the group, and the budgets originally allocated to each branch have been drastically cut.

Take the Steel City Industrial Zone as an example. Originally, the guesthouse, asset management and service departments here were all under the control of the factory leaders. But what about now?

All departments unrelated to production and management were subject to a single-line management system. Even if you were the factory manager, you still had to pay and get a receipt to book a room at the guesthouse.

This is the essential difference. The guesthouse is no longer under your control, factory director. Once the accounts are checked, no one can take more than their share.

Looking at the branches, a large portion of the projects that were originally eligible for reimbursement have been cut, and they no longer have the opportunity to do anything outrageous.

In the past, you could get a few cents more for a broom, which could cover a lot of financial deficits over the course of a year. But what about now?

All material procurement is managed by the group. Although the application system and responsibility system are a bit slow, they are insignificant compared to the cost reduction achieved through management.

It was only after reading the group's document that the heads of various branches realized what the group meant by "putting the brakes on the pace of development" in its latest three-year plan formulated last year.

It wasn't about cutting projects or removing staff, but rather about making management more restrictive. This left everyone stunned, unsure of how to proceed with their work.

In Li Xuewu's office, Kuang Yusheng was smoking heavily, and even with the windows open, the smell of smoke they were creating couldn't dissipate.

Lu Yuanshen, another smoker, is also a heavy smoker. Recently, he has been troubled by the lack of strength in cigarettes and has started smoking dry tobacco.

Li Xuewu frowned and glanced at the group. Xiao Zihong, who had come from Fengcheng, didn't smoke, but his worried expression was even worse than that of an opium addict.

"Alright, this isn't an opium den."

He stood up and opened the last window. The cool March breeze blew in, and even he, wearing a shirt, felt a little cold.

There was no other way; he had already quit smoking, and he couldn't possibly continue to inhale secondhand smoke—that would be too unfair.

"Boss, I'm not complaining."

Xu Sinian shrugged and said with a wry smile, "This—this is too sudden. Why couldn't they have given us some warning so we could have been prepared?"

"Prepare what? To settle accounts?"

Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "Didn't I remind you the year before last and last year? Didn't I tell you that the group's management of financial work is becoming increasingly strict?"

"That's not complaining, that's grumbling."

He pointed at Xu Sinian and said, "Complain or grumble all you want, don't get worked up with me. If I had a solution, I wouldn't need you guys choking me with cigarette smoke."

“The leader has no choice.” Kuang Yusheng glanced at him and said to Xu Sinian, “The secretary-general has been forced to come back, so let’s not make things difficult for him.”

"Hey! Old Kuang, how can you talk like that?"

Li Xuewu pointed at him and said, "Okay, we elect you as our representative. Go to the group and have a fight with Director Li."