1987 My Era

Chapter 704
When the two arrived at Anta Shoes, Li Wang was already waiting at the gate.

Seeing the Mercedes come to a stop, Li Wang quickly came over and helped Li Heng open the door. "I've been waiting for you so long! I thought your car had broken down on the way here."

Li Heng explained, "I slept in late this morning and only got up a short while ago."

"I see," Li Wang then turned to Yu Shuheng and greeted her warmly, "Good morning, Miss Yu."

Yu Shuheng smiled and nodded: "Good morning."

The three exchanged pleasantries briefly before entering the gate.

Li Wang asked him, "Shall we go to the office to have some tea and rest first, or shall I take you around for a walk?"

Li Heng said, "We haven't stretched our muscles yet today, so let's take a walk around first."

“Alright then.” With that, Li Wang acted as a guide, leading the two on a tour of the factory while explaining Anta Shoes’ latest achievements.

For example, because business was so booming that production capacity couldn't keep up, a new factory was built; or the laboratory developed some new materials; or some new best-selling shoes were launched, and so on...
Li Wang is very dedicated to this business and knows almost every detail of the factory like the back of his hand.

After touring the three large factories, Li Heng asked, "How many people are there in the company now?"

Li Wang replied, "Including the management team, there are a total of 2819 people."

Li Heng was secretly amazed. He had been busy with his new book "Dust Settles" in the first half of the year and spent the summer in Dongting Lake and Beijing, so he hadn't been here for a while. He didn't expect Anta Shoes to have expanded to this scale, with more than double the number of employees.

Li Wang explained to him: "Some of these batches are from people who were recently hired in the last six months, just to meet the deadline for delivery."

She then added, "Moreover, the market demand is huge right now, and supply can't keep up with demand. After the last batch of workers are trained and put to work, we'll still have to recruit more."

Li Heng nodded repeatedly and asked, "Take me to the R&D center."

"Okay, follow me." Li Wang turned and led the two toward the research and development center.

The R&D center is located in the southwest corner of the factory area. Management here is extremely strict, and factory rules do not allow ordinary people to set foot in this area.

Besides the familiar old people, there were many new faces. Seeing people gathered to discuss new materials, Li Heng even went over to listen for a while.

About 20 minutes later, he quietly asked, "Where did you find this guy in the blue shirt? He's pretty impressive."

"Good eye! That's a top talent I poached from the US at great expense. His name is Chen Hua, and he brought a team of seven with him," Li Wang said proudly.

Li Heng asked, "Are they all from Hong Kong?"

Li Wang said, "Chen Hua is from Hong Kong. Li Xi met him when she was studying in the United States, and she was the one who introduced me to him. As for Chen Hua's team, there is a Malaysian, a Singaporean Chinese, a Japanese woman, and the other four are all from Hong Kong."

Li Heng looked everyone over, listened for a while, and then continued to the next stop.

After walking around for more than two hours, stopping frequently, I returned to the office around noon.

Li Wang poured tea for the two men, then called over the company's finance department and handed them several detailed financial statements for review.

Li Heng didn't stand on ceremony, took the report, and looked at it while drinking tea.

When he and Yang Yingwen started the overseas training institution in their previous life, he was in charge of supervising and managing the finances, so he was quite familiar with the business. Thinking about how the company's sales had exceeded 300 million yuan in the first eight months of this year, he was excited but also extremely thorough in his review. Occasionally, when he encountered something confusing, he would directly ask the finance department.

Yu Shuheng, Li Wang, and the finance staff did not disturb him; they simply drank tea quietly and waited patiently without engaging in any conversation.

More than 40 minutes later, he put down the report in his hand and said happily, "Not bad, not bad, you've worked hard."

That short sentence was the highest praise he could receive as a big boss.

The finance staff, in particular, who had just been given a hard time by him several times, felt inexplicably relieved upon hearing this.

Li Wang gestured for the finance person to leave first, then checked his watch. "My assistant went to the airport to pick up Li Xi. She should be here soon. Brother, Miss Yu, please have a seat. I'll go outside and take a look."

Li Heng stood up: "It's been a long time since I've seen my eldest cousin, let's go together."

Seeing this, Yu Shuheng followed suit.

On the way, a supervisor had to stop Li Wang because of something urgent. After hearing the details, Li Wang had no choice but to follow.

After everyone left, Li Heng asked Yu Shuheng, "Teacher, what do you think of Anta Shoes?"

Yu Shuheng stared at the "Li-heng" shoe label hanging high in the factory. Objectively speaking, "To have built a company to this scale and this level in just a year and a half, your cousin's abilities are undeniable. However…"

Li Heng pressed further: "But what?"

Yu Shuheng said, "She is still not as experienced as Wang Ye. The company's management structure is not perfect, and there are loopholes in the rules and regulations. It's just that the company is currently in a period of rapid growth, and these problems have been temporarily covered up in the face of great achievements. If the company enters a stable period in the future, these hidden dangers will erupt at any time."

Li Heng nodded, he had also noticed these things. "Wang Ke is a mature professional manager who has independently managed Ming Pao in Hong Kong for 7 years. My younger cousin can't compare to her in a short time. But I have confidence in her. When she has some free time, I'll find an opportunity to talk to her."

Yu Shuheng agreed with this and smiled towards the door, saying, "Li Xi is here."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng turned around and looked towards the factory gate, where he saw Li Xi, dressed in a skirt suit, getting out of a car.

He immediately walked over, beaming, and called out, "Cousin, it's been so long! I've missed you so much!"

Li Xi's belly was starting to show. She first looked him up and down, then praised him, "It's been a while since I've seen you. Your temperament is even more refined than before. You're really handsome."

Li Heng smiled even wider, and then introduced the two women: "This is Teacher Yu, and you've met my cousin before."

Li Xi reached out to Yu Shuheng and said, "Hello, Teacher Yu, thank you for taking care of Li Heng for us all this time."

Yu Shuheng smiled and shook hands: "I am his teacher, it is my duty."

Li Heng then interjected, "What teacher? She'll be my wife in the future."

Li Xi looked surprised, glancing at him and then at Teacher Yu, her eyes darting back and forth between the two.

Yu Shuheng never expected her husband to say such things in front of outsiders. She felt incredibly sweet inside, as if all the grievances she had suffered over the years had been worthwhile. She was very pleased.

Don't think that Li Heng is talking nonsense; he is actually comforting Teacher Yu.

After all, she had shared a bed with Mai Sui last night, and the problem was that Teacher Yu found out. No matter how broad-minded or magnanimous she was, she was still just a woman.

Any woman would mind if her sweetheart slept with another woman.

They will get jealous to some extent.

Moreover, the affair between Li Heng and Mai Sui happened right under her nose, which made it even more outrageous.

Therefore, Li Heng, being a seasoned player in the dating scene, was adept at seizing opportunities and giving Teacher Yu a silent boost of confidence.

After exchanging pleasantries, the three went into the office to drink tea, chat, and enjoy the air conditioning while waiting for Li Wang to return.

Li Xi asked Li Heng, "Little brother, did you go back to your hometown for summer vacation?"

Li Heng replied, "I stayed at home for a week or so once. Sis, are you thinking of going back to your hometown?"

Li Xi nodded: "Before leaving Hong Kong, your uncle told me something. He said he dreamed about your great-grandfather and his family. Your great-grandfather told me in the dream that the ancestral grave was leaking air and water and that they had no money to spend."

Your uncle means that he hopes my younger sister and I can go back to our hometown and discuss with my uncle about repairing the Li family's ancestral graves.

Li Heng was taken aback: "Leaking air and water? That shouldn't be the case. My dad just had the ancestral grave repaired at the end of last year and even re-erected the stone tablet. What happened?"

Li Xi was also confused, staring at each other for a moment. After a long while, she finally spoke: "Then I'll call your uncle later and have him communicate with your younger uncle personally to see where the problem lies?"

Li Heng asked, "Does Uncle have my father's contact information in Beijing?"

Li Xi said, "My younger sister has it, and she told him about it."

Yu Shuheng chimed in, "Could it be a feng shui issue?" Li Heng hesitated, "It's hard to say. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be. After all, repairing ancestral graves is no trivial matter; it's a big deal. My dad must have consulted a feng shui master last year."

After saying that, he asked, "Why didn't Uncle come back?"

Li Xi said, "My grandmother is dying, and he and my mother can't leave for the time being. I had no choice but to leave Hong Kong at this critical moment."

"I see," Li Heng nodded.

About 20 minutes later, Li Wang returned.

Li Heng asked her, "Is the matter resolved?"

Li Wang explained, "One of the distributors came to the company to wait for a week but still didn't receive the goods. He got impatient and just now got into a fight with someone at the factory, and they almost came to blows."

Li Heng asked, "How did you handle it?"

Li Wang said, "It's true that there are too many people scrambling for the goods, and the supply can't keep up with the demand. Everyone has their own reasons, so I mediated and sent him a portion of the goods first."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng stood up and said, "It's noon, lunchtime. Let's go eat first and welcome my older sister back."

The others agreed and left Anta Shoes together.

As Li Heng was leaving the gate, he deliberately counted the trucks and vans queuing up to pick up goods outside through the glass. He was shocked by what he found.

There were a whopping 29 vehicles!
Li Heng asked, "Are you always this busy?"

Li Wang followed his gaze and looked over: "Pretty much. But we've been busiest lately because a batch of new shoes has been released, and there's been a buying frenzy in the market."

Since my older cousin is pregnant, we didn't go to a fancy restaurant; we just chose a nearby one.

During the meal, Li Wang finally couldn't help but ask Li Xi again, "Whose child is it?"

Li Xi ate her food and said, "Don't ask anymore. I've had a lot of worries lately. I've finally come to the mainland, so let me have a peaceful meal."

Li Wang curled his lip: "Everyone used to say you were smarter than a monkey, but I never thought you would do something so stupid."

Li Xi said, "Since ancient times, heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of beautiful women. Conversely, isn't it the same for women?"

Li Heng: "..."

Yu Shuheng: "..."

Li Wang asked, "So what are your plans for the future? What about after the child is born?"

Hearing this, Li Xi, who had been eating, put down her chopsticks and turned to Yu Shuheng: "Shuheng, since we're family, I won't stand on ceremony with you. After the baby is born, could you help me get a Shanghai residency permit?"

The Li sisters, Li Xi and Li Wang, vaguely knew that Yu Shuheng had an extraordinary background, which is why they asked this question.

Yu Shuheng glanced at Li Heng and readily agreed: "Okay."

Li Xi breathed a sigh of relief, thanked him, and then looked at Li Heng: "Brother, does your company need a legal counsel? I'm not planning to go back to Hong Kong, how about I work for you from now on?"

Li Heng had witnessed Li Xi's abilities firsthand in his previous life. Li Xi was even more capable than Yang Yingwen, who was at the Mahayana stage. He was truly formidable. Li Heng immediately expressed his delight, "Welcome. I'll take you to the capital after the child is born."

Of course, we have to go to Beijing; it's impossible to arrange for us to work at Anta Shoes.

Otherwise, with the two sisters in the same company, he risked being sidelined. This isn't to say he's petty, but rather that caution is always wise.

Li Xi had no objection to this arrangement, or rather, she had expected it. She picked up her soda and said with a smile, "Here you go, boss, I'll toast you with tea instead of wine."

"Just call me brother, boss is too stingy." Li Heng rolled his eyes and raised his glass to clink with hers.

Li Heng was in a great mood after gaining another capable general under his command, so much so that he drank a few extra cups.

After a satisfying meal, Li Wang returned to Anta Shoes.

Li Xi was arranged by Yu Shuheng to live in an apartment that was not only close to the hospital, but also provided with a nanny and a driver, emphasizing her attentiveness and thoughtfulness.

By the time we finished doing all this, it was already very late, and the sky was gradually darkening.

On the way back to school, Yu Shuheng asked, "Are you planning to send Li Xi to New Future Training School?"

Li Heng shook his head: "No. Wang Ye plans to enter the real estate industry. I'll have my cousin go and help him then."

Yu Shuheng pondered for a moment and asked, "Why would Wang give up such a promising future for real estate? Is he really so optimistic about it?"

"Ah."

Li Heng hummed in agreement and said with a smile, "She aspires to become a powerful family like the four major families in Hong Kong. She has been following the Li family in Hong Kong for a long time, studying real estate policies and markets. She is quite well-prepared. I also have high hopes for her."

Yu Shuheng then asked, "Will Runwen also go to the new real estate company in the future?"

Li Heng didn't hide anything, "Yes."

After driving for about ten miles, Yu Shuheng, who had been thinking for a long time, broke the silence again: "You now have many businesses, and it's difficult for one person to manage everything, not to mention you have to take care of writing."

Actually, you could set up a dedicated think tank to serve you, either led by Wang Ye or Li Xi, responsible for liaising with other companies.

Li Heng was very interested in this suggestion, but did not reply immediately.

Because he always felt that Teacher Yu's words were implied, and that she was testing him.
Well, his intuition told him that Professor Yu was interested in the head of the think tank.

He guessed it right.

Recommending Wang Ye and Li Xi was just a prelude; in reality, Yu Shuheng wanted to take charge of this "think tank" for him.

The goal was quite simple: by controlling the think tank, they could cut off any possibility of other women rising to power.

The reason Li Heng didn't reply immediately was because of these concerns.

Mr. Yu now manages hundreds of millions of dollars in assets at Hengyuan Investment, and also indirectly controls his affairs in literature and music.

Hengyuan Investment has huge potential. If it can seize the last opportunity of the Nikkei stock market at the end of the year, doubling its assets is not a problem at all.

In his vision, science fiction could make a fortune, but nobody has noticed it yet.

Hengyuan Investment, literature, and science fiction constitute half of his business.

If Teacher Yu were to take control of the think tank, she would become completely dominant, and all her female confidantes would have to be mindful of her feelings.

This is something he doesn't want to see.

After waiting for a while without receiving a reply, three figures unconsciously appeared in Yu Shuheng's mind: Song Yu, Zhou Shihe, and Huang Zhaoyi.

Of these three women, Huang Zhaoyi possessed this ability.

Zhou Shihe doesn't have that ability right now, but the Zhou family does, and they can send someone to assist her.

As for Song Yu, there's no need to say more; the young man dotes on her, so it's not impossible that he might be involved.

The atmosphere inside the car was somewhat awkward, but Li Heng stubbornly refused to budge, nor did he dare to.

Receiving no response, Yu Shuheng backed down immediately, without forcing or pressuring the issue. She understood that if she truly gained control of the think tank, other women would have no place to survive, and she doubted that the elders of the Li family would want that.

However, Yu Shuheng has her own plans: next spring, she will move the headquarters of Hengyuan Investment from Singapore to Hong Kong, and then use Hengyuan Investment as the center to radiate outwards to all walks of life, and eventually build it into a behemoth.

Even if the think tank falls into the hands of others, she can use her powerful influence to make them dispensable.

(End of this chapter)