N-M Chapter 1712 Yu Li's Counterattack
Chapter 1712 Yu Li's Counterattack
Chapter 1712 Yu Li's Counterattack
On August 2, Li Xuewu presided over a special study meeting at the headquarters of the Northeast Industrial Development Corporation in Gangcheng.
At the meeting, he conveyed the content of the recent industrial system economic work conference he attended in Beijing, and also conveyed and disseminated the spirit of the "Minutes of the National Industrial Work Conference" that the group company studied at the end of July. He also explained and conveyed the decisions of relevant leaders in Beijing on the organization of the work to come.
Attendees included members of the leadership team of the Northeast Industrial Development Corporation, as well as key personnel from various affiliated enterprises.
At the end of the meeting, he emphasized that the head office would, in accordance with the arrangements and plans of the group headquarters, focus on organizational, publicity, and cultural development work in the coming period...
"It's only August, why is it so hot!"
Xu Sinian was broad and stout. Even though the towel he used was wet with cold water, he still felt stuffy and hot as he kept wiping his neck and head.
He turned and looked out the window, frowning as he asked, "Little Ma? Did you listen to the weather forecast? Is it going to rain today?"
"No, I didn't hear any rain."
Ma Baosen walked to the window and looked up at the sky, saying, "I don't see a single cloud; is it about to rain?"
"This silly boy—" Xu Sinian chuckled, looking at Li Xuewu who was leisurely sipping his hot tea, and said, "The second period of the hottest days of summer is almost over, and he's still talking about the hottest days of summer!"
"Huh? So fast?" Ma Baosen turned to look at him and said, "It feels like it's only been warm for a few days."
"It's only been a few days, and autumn will be here in no time."
Kuang Yusheng smiled, glanced at him, and asked, "Don't young people these days celebrate the lunar calendar?"
“No way—” Ma Baosen opened the office window a little wider and explained, “Even if I don’t, my dad keeps nagging about this all the time.”
“He gets up very early every day, tears off a page of the almanac, smokes a pipe, and sits by my pillow while smoking, talking about me. He only goes out for a walk after he has woken me up from his nagging and finished smoking.”
"Hehehe—" Xu Sinian quite liked Ma Baosen's innocent personality, and his face was full of smiles as he looked at him.
Kuang Yusheng was a man of few words. He glanced at Li Xuewu and, seeing that he was still staring at the documents in his hand, began to drink his hot tea.
Ma Baosen isn't stupid. Would a fool be a leader's secretary?
In his master's words, this is called being wise in a seemingly foolish way.
"The fans in the electronics factory are like helicopters, and the helicopters in the aircraft factory are like Big Mati."
He walked in carrying an electric fan in both hands, plugged it in, and made sarcastic remarks about electronics factories and aircraft factories.
Kuang Yusheng turned and glanced at him, then asked, "Was this delivered from the electronics factory?"
"No, it was bought by the Secretary-General."
Ma Baosen smiled, turned on the switch, adjusted the fan angle, and directed it towards the side of the sofa.
"The electronics factory sent several new models, saying that each unit should try them out and give feedback."
He walked to the tea cabinet, picked up the thermos, and came back, continuing to explain: "The office sent one to the secretary-general, but the secretary-general said that his opinion alone was not representative, so the fan was assigned to the main office for everyone to try out."
"I think the new model is much quieter and has a much stronger airflow than the one we're using now."
He politely refilled the teacups of the three leaders and even chatted to ease the atmosphere.
The Secretary-General is reviewing the work plans for the second half of the year submitted by the two Vice Presidents, as well as the management plans for key engineering projects.
It's been more than ten minutes since the two came in, which shows that the secretary-general is meticulous, conscientious and responsible in his work.
"If I were to give advice to electronics factories, I would definitely suggest that they put more effort into reducing noise."
"You're quite picky—"
Xu Sinian picked up his teacup and said with a smile, "Isn't this much better than the electric fan from Bei Mao?"
"You hear our fans sound like helicopters? That's because you haven't used Russian fans. Those are real propellers."
He looked at Kuang Yusheng and said, "It's been eleven or twelve years in the blink of an eye. I still remember there was a fan in the office left by an engineer from Bei Mao."
"Oh dear, it's lasted a long time without breaking down. I was just saying that if it broke, I would just get a new one. It's just a bit noisy. As soon as it's turned on, everyone on the floor knows that Secretary Yang is using the fan."
"Hahaha—" Ma Baosen found the joke funny, and his body trembled.
With a smile on his lips, Kuang Yusheng took a sip of hot tea and recalled the interesting things that happened in the government office in the past.
At that time, he was the head of the production management department, and the leaders above him changed one after another like a revolving door.
Ever since Li Xuewu came to Hongxing Factory, I don't know what kind of evil curse he was under, but over the years, only Gu Weijie has had a peaceful death. The whole team almost perished.
"Tell me, what does this industrial work conference have to do with cultural and artistic work?"
Xu Sinian finally brought up the content of the study meeting, saying somewhat naggingly, "Isn't this completely irrelevant?"
Kuang Yusheng didn't speak, glanced at Li Xuewu, and continued sipping his tea.
"If you really want to deny a period of history, I think you're just making trouble for yourself and trying to find an excuse to dredge up old grievances."
"Ahem—" Li Xuewu cleared his throat, put down the documents in his hand, picked up his teacup, and asked, "Why has the metallurgical plant's production capacity exceeded expectations by so much this year?"
He looked at Kuang Yusheng and asked, "What's the situation at the steel rolling mill? Is it the same?"
"Pretty much, I even went there for that."
Kuang Yusheng put down his teacup, straightened up, and explained, "The data shows that everything is normal; there haven't been any major ups and downs."
"We analyzed it and summarized a few points," he explained. "First, it's the gradual improvement in equipment and technology since the group's industrial and technological transformation."
"Secondly, after the organizational and personnel reforms, the main leaders of the group's production line are younger and more combat-ready. The average education level of front-line workers has increased, and their technical learning and work proficiency have directly affected production capacity."
He nodded slowly and continued, "Finally, there's the incentive policy that the group has gradually promoted and implemented over the past two years. The 'more work, more pay' policy has received positive feedback from grassroots employees."
"When I came here, I also checked the bonus distribution for the first half of the year, which increased by 7 percentage points compared to the same period last year."
"There's also safety and risk management."
Xu Sinian picked up where he left off and added, "The 100-day safety campaign has received a positive response from grassroots employees, and with adequate training, the enthusiasm of frontline management has increased."
He tapped his finger on the armrest of the sofa and said, "Without hearing any talk of accidents in the workshop, and without the fear of coming to work in a panic, work efficiency naturally improves."
"Furthermore, our group's unique three-shift work system has greatly boosted production enthusiasm and capacity."
“I believe that working three shifts can increase productivity, but what does that have to do with increasing enthusiasm?” Li Xuewu looked at him and said with a smile, “Don’t go around saying that, or you’ll get scolded.”
“See, you still don’t understand what I mean.” Xu Sinian raised his eyebrows and said, “The fact that the three-shift system can inspire the employees’ enthusiasm for work just proves that our propaganda and cultural work is doing a good job.”
"You're really talking nonsense—"
Kuang Yusheng glanced at him with amusement and nodded, saying, "No wonder you were able to become the executive vice president."
"Hahaha—" Xu Sinian said with a laugh, "I'm just telling the truth. There's a subsidy for working two shifts out of three."
"Don't take it all as a joke."
Li Xuewu thought for a moment and reminded the two of them, "These other two shifts are key areas of focus for both production safety and employee safety."
"While striving for more production capacity, we must, at all times, protect the health of our employees."
He pointed to the sofa armrest and emphasized, "The 100-day safety campaign is not just about workplace safety."
"Hmm, I've thought of that."
Kuang Yusheng nodded and said, "In addition to requiring the security department to strengthen patrols and inspections, we also require the workshop leaders to take responsibility and organize the work-to-get off work activities."
"Go to work safely and return home safely."
"It won't be easy to achieve this goal," Xu Sinian said seriously. "Many local employees still live in the city, and the safety of their nighttime commutes is something we need to pay attention to, just as the Secretary-General mentioned."
"Could you please take the company shuttle bus?"
Kuang Yusheng looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Just like in the Liangmahe Industrial Zone, provide commuter services as well."
“Sure, let’s not have each unit submit applications,” Li Xuewu nodded and said, “Let’s just submit an application in the name of Northeast Industry, I’ll sign it, and we still have some funds left.”
He looked at Kuang Yusheng and said, "Investigate the main residential areas of the employees, calculate the demand, and then submit an application and place an order as needed."
"Well, I'll let Steel & Auto know," Xu Sinian said, leaning to the side with his arm resting on the armrest. "Honghai's orders are also tight right now, so let's not delay its use."
"The steel and automotive industry has achieved impressive results this year."
Kuang Yusheng nodded and said, "I estimate that by October we will have surpassed the total output of last year."
"Besides the reasons mentioned above, the inventory of steel and automotive parts supply chains is not so tight."
Xu Sinian explained, "The most important thing is still the engine. As long as we don't wait for the engine, the production capacity will be increased."
"Another reason is that cars are selling well right now, and export orders are quickly squeezing out domestic sales orders."
Kuang Yusheng looked at Li Xuewu and reported, "The steel and gas companies are studying whether to build another production line."
"That won't work now; there's no need for them to study it."
Li Xuewu opened the development report on steel and automobiles in his hand and said, "The automobile city project is under construction, and I don't have any more money to invest in them in the short term."
"Unless they find a way to raise the money themselves, they'll have to wait another two years."
"The main problem is that I can't make the money I could, so I'm getting impatient."
Kuang Yusheng explained, "Export orders have been pressing us, so the steel and gas production lines are operating at full capacity with three shifts."
"Many workers on the production line have not taken a vacation and have been working overtime. They are under immense pressure."
"Then let's loosen the reins. Is production capacity more important or safety management? Do I need to explain that?"
Li Xuewu frowned and said, "When the market is doing well, we should focus on improving our internal capabilities. If we create problems, we won't make any money."
"Besides, what's the use of exporting a lot now? The policy of low profit and high volume will never retain loyal customers."
He thought for a moment and said, "I'll ask the Vehicle Engineering Research Institute later how the Taurus is progressing."
"Pushing out mid-range models as soon as possible is the real measure of market share."
"I estimate it will take some more time."
Xu Sinian reported: "They are still waiting for the Hongxing-4 series engine, saying that the core technology has been fully upgraded."
"We can wait for the engine, but other work also needs to catch up," Li Xuewu nodded and said, "as soon as possible."
"Regarding the production line, you can tell Xu Ning that Steel & Gas will not be adding any more production lines."
"You mean—" Kuang Yusheng's eyes widened, but Xu Sinian reacted first, raising an eyebrow and asking, "We're going to build a new car manufacturing plant?"
"This is an inevitable trend—"
Li Xuewu glanced at the two of them and said, "You only see the convenience of steel mills and car cities, but have you ever thought about the market share of cars in the south?"
"The next new car manufacturing plant will definitely be located in the south, and we'll set up an auto parts warehouse there."
“Then it won’t just be a test for the engine manufacturer.” Xu Sinian glanced at Kuang Yusheng and said, “The entire supply chain will feel the pressure from now on.”
"I have the same idea regarding the engine manufacturing plant," Li Xuewu nodded slowly, emphasizing, "Our current production technology and capabilities can still meet our production needs."
“I have already spoken with Ms. Gao, and she will be responsible for investigating companies with core power production capabilities across the country.”
"Acquisition is still the fastest way—"
Xu Sinian understood what he meant and said with emotion, "Building a factory requires starting from scratch, but when it comes to organizing and reorganizing a factory, Honggang is a professional."
“This idea is really—” Kuang Yusheng nodded in agreement, saying, “Last year, I read in the newspaper that the domestic automobile manufacturing environment was excellent, and even bicycle factories had started assembling cars.”
“It is our supply chain warehouse that has changed the current automobile production model.” Xu Sinian smiled and said, “The managers of those small factories only need to take a walk around the warehouse, and they can put together the whole car except for the exterior.”
“But this year is different,” Kuang Yusheng said with a serious expression. “While we can’t say there’s widespread suffering, we can say that every family is having a hard time.”
"You reap what you sow."
Li Xuewu put down the documents in his hand and said, "The barbaric era of automobile industry development is coming to an end. If they continue down this old path, it's no wonder they'll starve."
“It’s terrifying to even look at.” Xu Sinian shook his head and said, “The engineers trained by those companies take the list to the warehouse and nail it on one by one. When they’re in a hurry, they even fight over the defective products that are thrown away.”
"That was when the blueprints for Project 212 were made public."
He raised his chin and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "Old Xia leaked a list of parts for the 212 assembly. Now, almost everyone has a copy."
"Regardless of whether they are car manufacturers or not, anyone who wants to make money from cars has flocked in."
"How big is the domestic market?"
He shook his head and said, "We have almost monopolized the passenger car market. Their attempts to copy the 212 are extremely difficult. They've fallen into a quagmire and can't get out."
"The key is money. Even the simplest assembly workshop is an investment, which some small businesses can't afford."
Kuang Yusheng remarked with emotion, "In the near future, similar automobile manufacturing enterprises in various regions will definitely face a critical period of rectification and reconstruction."
“If you were planning to make a move at that time,” he paused, then said, “it would have been a perfect time.”
As Lu Xun once said, money can be earned back, but if you lose your conscience, you can earn even more money.
As a leading enterprise, it's a bit much to be overjoyed about the industry being reshaped by the winds, and it would be inappropriate to make sarcastic remarks.
In reality, this situation is a case of bad money failing to drive out good money; instead, it has backfired in the market.
The rush to launch "trendy" industries is no longer a problem limited to one place or one manufacturer.
Whether it's the automotive industry or the electronics industry of Honggang Group, they may seem unremarkable, but their structure is very stable.
In terms of making money, it's the domestic sales price that's profitable; the net profit from exports isn't very high, mainly because middlemen make a profit from the price difference.
However, in terms of increasing sales volume, it has positive significance in completing compensation trade in exchange for parts and technology resources.
Honggang Group has a dedicated management department to balance both aspects, ensuring that there is no compromise.
This is what other factories have observed: Honggang Group is ramping up its production capacity, yet it still has no inventory even before the domestic car sales market has taken off.
And what about them?
They produced the 212 car, which is quite practical at present, but the car manufacturing technology became worthless after it was "open sourced".
Of course, at Beijing Automotive's sales department, the factory price of this car remains firm, but there's no need to wait to place an order.
Previously, if you wanted to buy a 212, you'd have to wait at least six months, otherwise it wouldn't do justice to how awesome this car was.
However, as Hongxing Automobile has captured a large share of the domestic passenger car sales market and further refined the market structure, the situation has fundamentally changed.
Actually, since last year, there's no need to wait for the 212 from Beijing Automotive Group; it's available for immediate sale, and there are already inventory cars in stock.
Think about it, even the original Calabash Brothers have inventory, how can those counterfeit Calabash Brothers still sell?
Everyone knows that if you can buy the original factory parts, you should definitely choose the original factory parts. If you can't afford the original factory parts, why not check out Hongxing Auto?
It's a no-name brand car, it looks a bit like a 212, and its failure rate is extremely high.
All the cars that have entered the market now are doomed; those from the previous two years managed to reap the last benefits of the 212.
However, factories that haven't stopped or haven't been able to transform the dividends into industrial upgrades, technological upgrades, and equipment upgrades will start to give back the dividends they've taken in this year. That's the ruthlessness of the market.
When the market becomes saturated with available products, who can compete with Red Star Motors in terms of technology, cost, and after-sales service?
Even the once-dominant 212 sales department has started using connections to promote cars; these small factories must be feeling incredibly frustrated.
If they don't produce, they can't afford to support the workers; if they do produce, they can't sell the products. The first market-driven death cycle has begun.
The extent to which steel and gasoline have been involved is unmatched, at least in the northern region.
Despite the fact that Beijing Automotive and Factory No. 17 are joining forces to form a parts industry alliance, this plan is still just a plan.
It has been almost two years since Li Xuewu first heard about this plan, but there has still been no movement from either of the two companies.
Building a supply chain is not a simple matter; it can't be accomplished by just two large automakers collaborating.
Unless they have the capacity to tolerate others or absolute influence, they will only be fighting their own battles and becoming a disorganized mess.
Factory No. 17 now only has the Big Red Flag aircraft that can be fired, but that is a symbol of status, a custom-made product that has not entered the market.
After Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) refined its steel and automotive markets, its 212 model couldn't compete with the Tundra and Cruiser in the military sector, nor with the Alto II in the civilian market.
The second-generation engine can rival the core power of the 212, and the third-generation engine has been delivered from the laboratory to the production line. It is currently in the reserve stage, just waiting for the third-generation Antelope to be put into production.
What was the Vehicle Engineering Research Institute of Honggang Group doing at this time?
That's right, the fourth-generation engine has entered the testing phase, truly putting into practice the slogan that each generation is better than the last.
The third generation had already overturned the previous cylinder block structure and power mode, and the fourth generation is catching up with the pace of international advanced production technology, striving to do better, or even surpass it.
At this point, it's just as Li Xuewu said: it's not technology that creates market barriers, but production.
Kuang Yusheng and Xu Sinian understood that he needed to decisively enter the market during the restructuring phase.
If Honggang Group were to step in at this time, industrial leaders in any region of China would surely breathe a sigh of relief.
Instead of prolonging its existence, it's better to hand over the mess to Honggang Group, even if it involves asset transfer.
When a factory becomes insolvent, its biggest debt is actually the issue of worker resettlement.
Does Li Xuewu want to take on this mess?
"You all really enjoy collecting junk?"
He joked with a laugh, "Haven't the mergers and acquisitions over the years caused enough chaos? Haven't you had enough of this trouble yet?"
"Then you mean..."
Xu Sinian and Kuang Yusheng were both stunned for a moment, looking at him with confusion, not knowing what he meant.
"We definitely need to build a factory in the south."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "But our technology and equipment are quite special, so there's no point in merging with problematic companies."
"At this point, there's no need to try to gain such small advantages; instead, we should focus on understanding the policies."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "When the time comes, if we say that we want to replicate a car city in the south, what kind of reaction do you think it will elicit?"
"Is that even a question?" Kuang Yusheng and the other man exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with an unusual light.
Yes, now that it's Honggang Group, it should invest in building factories openly and honestly, without being stingy anymore.
But why did the secretary-general, who always tries to take advantage of others, suddenly change his ways and become so generous?
Something's not right, there must be something wrong here!
Xu Sinian is an old hand; if he wants to follow Li Xuewu's line of thinking, he must be heading in a unique direction.
Considering the recent changes in the situation, the domestic economy is recovering, and tensions with America are easing...
That means our previous move to secure Yuezhou Port will be successful!
-
"Big sister, please give me some money to spend."
Judging from their clothes, a few young people would never say such a thing.
After all, they all look respectable, so how could they be brandishing razor blades with lustful glints in their eyes?
Yu Li frowned slightly and glanced at the group of people, clearly feeling like she was being targeted by a pack of wolves.
She rarely leaves work this late on weekdays, but today was the mid-year summary, so she stayed in the office a little longer.
Without realizing it, it got late, and by the time I came out again, it was already dark.
The security guard offered to call a car for her, but she didn't want to trouble the driver, so she waved her hand and refused.
When she rode her bicycle towards Guanshan Road, it was, after all, a villa area, and still a bit far from the city center.
An accident happened at such a short distance.
She had just come out of the supply and marketing cooperative carrying her things when she encountered this group of people.
Perhaps it was because he saw that she had bought a lot of things, and it was dark and dimly lit, that he got the idea to do something wrong.
Which organization are you from?
She questioned her sternly, "Believe it or not, I'll go and call the security department of the supply and marketing cooperative. There's no one here!"
"Oh, lady, are you being so heartless?"
The leader squinted and brandished the razor blade in his hand, saying, "We brothers are also in dire straits, otherwise we wouldn't have targeted a glamorous woman like you."
"Why don't you take care of us?"
As he said this, he stepped forward, intending to take the black leather bag that Yu Li had placed in the front basket of her bicycle.
It was only then that Yu Li realized that the bag was the culprit.
That's true. At this time, even those who worked in government offices in the city rarely had the means to carry a briefcase.
Only those officials would be so fashionable as to buy these kinds of handbags.
Actually, she didn't buy the bag; the one she usually carries is an internal model, the kind sold at the club.
She couldn't bear to use the one Li Xuewu bought for her; she hadn't even fully opened the packaging, and it was just sitting in the cabinet.
But it was precisely these everyday bags that caught the eye of these young people, making them unable to resist making a purchase.
"Wait a minute—"
Seeing that the supply and marketing cooperative behind her was not making a sound, and that they were pretending not to hear her even though she was speaking so loudly, it seemed that this was not the first time.
These young men look fierce; they must have either wandered over or escaped from the countryside.
Those who have persevered until now and returned are all tough guys; when they're starving, they're capable of anything.
She called out to the leader, glanced at him, and said, "You want money, right? No problem, I'll give you some."
"No need, I can take it myself." The leader was quite alert and reached out to grab it.
Yu Li grabbed the bag first, but when the other person made another move, she pretended to be calm and scolded, "Do you know what's in a woman's bag? You're going to rummage through it!"
"We'll give you the money if you want it, but what if you mess it up?"
As she spoke, she reached into her bag, as if looking for money.
Another impatient young man raised his dagger and warned her, "Don't try anything funny. We brothers haven't eaten for days. We only care about money now!"
"You haven't eaten for several days, have you?"
Yu Li raised her head, squinted slightly, and said, "So pitiful, then fine, I'll treat you to—bullets!"
As she spoke, she pulled a black pistol from her bag and fired a shot at the person who had spoken.
boom--
It was well past closing time, but the supply and marketing cooperative was still open because there were staff on duty.
But it's not like everyone goes to bed early, so the gunshots traveled far in the night, and everyone who was supposed to hear them heard them.
To be honest, Yu Li's marksmanship is mediocre, but her bullets are fast within seven paces.
The young man who threatened her just now probably had never been shot and didn't know what it felt like, but now he does.
This small pistol doesn't look big, and its actual combat power is only average, but it's still quite reliable for self-defense.
When Li Xuewu gave it to her, he said that the most powerful thing was not how many shots she fired, but that there were still bullets left in the gun.
Yu Li never intended to kill everyone; she just wanted to drive them away or attract their attention.
So after the young man in front of her fell to the ground, she turned her gun on the leader.
That's why people say that anyone in the underworld with a tattoo of loyalty or trust on their arm is just bluffing. They were just calling each other brothers a moment ago, but now they've abandoned their brothers and run away.
The other one was the same; it wasn't even the same as when Li looked at him. He wished his parents had given him two more legs, and he dashed into the night and disappeared in a flash.
Yu Li was panting heavily, still shaken. Hearing a noise behind her, she nervously pointed her gun at the other person.
"No! Don't shoot, it's me!"
It turned out to be the sales clerk on duty at the supply and marketing cooperative. He came out to check the situation and almost got a great deal.
Seeing the gun pointed at him, he quickly raised his hands in surrender, adding, "I'm here to help."
"What were you thinking about all along—" Yu Li said angrily when she saw it was him, "You really dare to let these bastards bully a woman like me? You don't even deserve to be called a man!"
She was so scared that she was sweating profusely. At this moment, she vented her emotions by cursing, and even told the salesperson to squat to urinate from now on.
Everyone says that Southerners have unpleasant swearing, but that's not true. Come to Northeast China and try it; it will change your mind.
The saleswoman knew she had made a huge fool of herself, her face as red as a sheet of cloth, and she didn't dare to talk back even when Yu Li scolded her.
Yu Li tried to scare the young people by saying she would go back and find the security department, but she couldn't actually frighten them.
It's probably this sales clerk's big mouth that let these guys know that there was no one in the security office at night.
He himself was too scared to come out. He only dared to come out and see what was happening after he heard the gunshots and there was no more noise outside.
As a result, he didn't get to see any excitement and even got scolded by Yu Li.
"Get out of the way—" Yu Li walked to the door, pushed him aside, and said irritably, "You wait, I'm going to find your leader."
"Hey! Big sister, this has nothing to do with me!"
The sales clerk waved her hand hastily, emphasizing, "Those kids are all carrying weapons, how dare I go out?"
"Besides, you have this guy in your hands, what are you afraid of? Just take them down."
"Here you go, go and deal with them."
Yu Li was furious. She brandished the pistol as if to give it to the salesperson, but when the salesperson stepped back, she rolled her eyes and picked up the phone to call home.
Li Xuewu must have been home at this time. There are fewer phone calls at night, so the call was answered quickly.
"Um, who is it?"
Upon hearing Li Xuewu's voice, Yu Li explained with a wronged tone, "I was at the supply and marketing cooperative on Sanshan Road when I encountered a few young men trying to snatch my bag as I was leaving. I fired my gun."
"Really? Where are you now?" Li Xuewu frowned slightly and asked, "Is there still any danger?"
“I was still at the supply and marketing cooperative. There were four or five of them. I managed to take down one of them, right at the entrance.”
"Alright, I understand," Li Xuewu said calmly. "I'll call Qi Yan, and he'll come over to handle it."
"Then—" Yu Li asked hesitantly, "Should we call Lao Si over?"
"He can't handle anything. You just wait there and don't worry about anything else. If anyone comes and asks you, just tell them the truth."
Li Xuewu instructed her over the phone: "Give them your gun, but don't go with them. You can come back to me."
"I understand." Yu Li made the call, as if she had found her anchor. She sniffed and wiped away her tears.
The sales clerk stood by, her heart pounding. The guy who dared to fire the gun was actually complaining about being wronged.
What about that thing lying outside the door?
Was he too talkative, or did he die young?
After hearing Li Xuewu's reminder, Yu Li did not go outside to check on the boy.
Her primary goal right now is to protect herself, so she keeps the safety on the gun.
The sales clerk hesitated for a moment, glanced at her, moved closer to the phone, and secretly called the police.
Qi Yan came from the direction of the metallurgical plant, which delayed him a bit. By the time he arrived, the joint defense team had already arrived.
"Hey! Where are you from?"
When the security guard saw him get out of the car and rush into the supply and marketing cooperative, he frowned and asked, "Do you know what's going on?"
Qi Yan glanced at him, looking down on him, and continued walking forward.
But just as the other person reached out, he darted out and pushed them, causing them to stumble.
Before the other party could react, he had already entered the supply and marketing cooperative and saw Yu Li sitting in a chair.
"My boss sent me to pick you up." Qi Yan walked to her side and said softly, "You don't need to say anything, I'll handle it."
The cadre sitting across the desk raised an eyebrow, looked at Qi Yan, and said nothing.
The concept of temperament is hard to define, but he could tell from Qi Yan's manner of speaking that those young people had finally met their match.
Recently, several similar cases have occurred in the city. After careful investigation, they discovered that the boys who had been sent to the countryside before had returned.
These guys are very good at counter-surveillance, and many of them work in gangs. We haven't found any clues yet.
The reason they were able to be won over by Yu Li was because these young people were careless and thought that a woman like Yu Li was no big deal.
They never expected that the person in front of them would be so ruthless.
"From the Northeast Industrial Security Department."
Right in front of the other person, Qi Yan blatantly pulled out a stack of documents from his pocket, found one, and handed it to the other person.
The joint defense team leader gave a helpless twitch of his lips, and without even looking at his identification, pushed him back.
"No need, just put it away."
He pointed out the window, where Qi Yan's car was parked. How could someone who got out of such a high-class car be a bad guy?
If he's not a bad person, how could he be an ordinary person?
"We're just doing our job, asking about the situation as usual," he explained, but to the sales clerk, this was a far cry from his earlier arrogant demeanor.
When he first entered the room, this person was giving him a cold shoulder, but he didn't expect to speak to him so kindly.
"I'll take the person with me first. If you want a gun, that's fine." Qi Yan glanced at him and didn't say anything more.
The official smiled, nodded, and said, "No need. We'll take him to the hospital later and we'll talk about it after he wakes up."
"That's settled then." Qi Yan wrote down his company name and his name in the notebook the other party had given him.
In fact, the cadres also knew that the names they wrote might not be real, but the names of their work units were definitely fake.
Of course, there's no need to investigate any of this; as long as we can find the person eventually, that's all that matters.
Seeing that Qi Yan had taken care of everything, Yu Li got up and followed him out. The saleswoman saw this and wanted to follow as well, but the cadre said irritably, "Did I tell you to leave?"
It turns out the other person wasn't very good at speaking politely; they were just being intimidated by the woman from before and the person who came.
**
Li Xuewu waited at home for Yu Li to return. Seeing that she seemed to be in a relatively normal mood, he said a few words to Qi Yan.
After seeing Qi Yan off, he turned to look at Yu Li. Seeing that she was silent, he asked, "Were you scared?"
"No, I'm afraid of causing you trouble."
Yu Li frowned and explained, "I fired a shot, and the security team came. They chased after me, asking where I got the gun and who I was."
"Okay, it's alright." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "I've already called Deputy Director Wang in Gangcheng. She'll handle the rest. You don't need to worry about it."
"Oh, I'm sorry—"
When Yu Li heard him say that, the tension in her heart finally eased, but she also felt very useless.
Li Xuewu smiled and took her hand, saying, "Tell me how you fired the gun. You're pretty good."
"You scared me to death, and you were still laughing."
Looking at the smile on his face, Yu Li said helplessly, "Who would have thought I'd run into them? I was just going to buy groceries for tomorrow morning."
"That's normal. The steel city authorities are also working on resolving this issue, but we need to give them some time."
Li Xuewu led her to the sofa, gave her a glass of warm water, and comforted her, saying, "For your next commute, I'll have Banggeng take you. He's free anyway."
“They’re working regular jobs, they’re not idle at all.”
Yu Li glanced at him and said, "It's okay, it's too late today. I'll come back earlier next time."
"Alright, after this experience, you won't be afraid next time." Li Xuewu smiled and patted her shoulder, saying, "Don't be afraid, just do the same thing next time you encounter this situation."
"I don't want to—" Yu Li shook her head, holding the hot water cup, and said, "There will be a next time?"
"Hehehe—aren't you quite brave?"
Li Xuewu had already heard Qi Yan's explanation and felt that she handled the situation quite cleanly and efficiently, which showed a different kind of toughness compared to when she was in the capital.
He never expected that the small pistol he gave her as a gift would come in handy.
This "deeply cooperative" partner has gained recognition beyond what I previously knew.
The strong only befriend the strong. If your friends are all dragging you down, why not distance yourself from them?
"Thinking about it now, I still feel a little scared."
Yu Li felt much better after drinking a glass of warm water. She lowered her head and explained, "I don't even know where I hit him. I didn't dare to look."
"It's alright, you won't die." Li Xuewu smiled and said, "This has nothing to do with you anymore, just wait and see the news."
"Will this make the news?" Yu Li asked in surprise. "Aren't we really complicating things?"