Chapter 27: Meeting Zhou Jianguo

The moment he saw Su Wanqing, the sternness on his face vanished, replaced by a gentle smile.

“Hello, Wanqing. I’m sorry I’m late!”

Su Wanqing opened her mouth, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not bring herself to call him Uncle Zhou.

“Hello,” she said instead.

Lin Xiaoyu rose and sat beside her daughter. Liang Jiyong and Zhou Jianguo sat together on the other side. Perhaps this arrangement would make Su Wanqing feel a little more at ease and relieve some of the pressure.

Zhou Jianguo was very talkative. He showed no awkwardness or restraint, as though nothing had happened before.

He was not handsome, but he had a distinctive presence. He looked thoroughly masculine, with sharply defined features.

His tone was gentle, but whenever an important topic arose, he immediately became serious.

“Jiyong, have you thought about what major you want to study in the future?” Zhou Jianguo asked.

“Law!”

“Oh? Can you tell me why?”

“I used to get into fights with people all the time. As long as my fists were hard enough, I could win and protect myself and the people who mattered to me.

“But after growing up, I realized that fists can’t solve every problem. They might even create trouble. Only by using the law as a weapon can one remain invincible!”

“Hahaha, that’s an interesting reason. Using the law as a weapon and remaining invincible—very good indeed! What about you, Wanqing? What do you plan to study?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Su Wanqing lowered her head and used her chopsticks and spoon to move the pieces of fish around in her bowl.

“Wanqing has a calm temperament. She would be suited to academic or theoretical research. She can study whatever she likes,” Lin Xiaoyu said, bringing the subject to an end.

“Uncle Zhou, has the Municipal Party Committee come up with a solution to the problems at our Red Flag Factory?”

Zhou Jianguo frowned and shook his head. “There’s no conclusion yet. The factory’s management authority doesn’t lie with Yunzhou. How it should be reformed, and when, still requires discussion.”

“But if something goes wrong at Red Flag Factory, the trouble will all fall on Yunzhou, just like what happened with Red Star Factory and the State Cotton Mill.”

Zhou Jianguo put down his chopsticks. The issue had killed his appetite.

Before coming to Yunzhou, he had been specifically instructed to maintain social stability in the city.

Yet the greatest hidden danger lay precisely in the problems facing Yunzhou’s major state-owned factories.

Although he had been there for less than a month, these issues already kept him awake at night.

Only half an hour earlier, he had been in a meeting with the senior executives of several state-owned factories.

But when all was said and done, the solution came down to two words: give them money.

Those state-owned factories had no ability to save themselves.

Whether they needed technological upgrades or ownership restructuring, both required capital investment. Without money, nothing could be done.

Yet simply handing them money was not enough. The problem had to be changed at its roots.

“Does anyone at Red Flag Factory have a way to solve the problem?” he asked.

He had posed the same question to the leaders of the state-owned factories, but their answers always came down to three things: money, money, and favorable policies.

“Everyone knows where the problem lies,” Liang Jiyong said. “But to solve it, the people with the authority to make the final decision are afraid to speak up, while those whose interests and lives are truly at stake have no right to be heard.”

“I don’t have the authority to make the final decision, but I do have the right to offer suggestions. You should count as one of Red Flag Factory’s people. In your opinion, how can this problem be solved?”

“A top-down restructuring clearly won’t work for now. If we wait long enough, there will certainly be a solution someday.

“But for Red Flag Factory, the price of waiting would be far too terrible. Since a top-down approach won’t work, we can only proceed from the bottom up!”

“From the bottom up? That isn’t called restructuring. That’s called causing trouble. You’re a very bold young man!”

“Whether we bring in outside capital to renovate the technology and equipment, allow another company to merge with and reorganize us, or let the management and workers buy shares themselves, I believe any method is acceptable, as long as it allows Red Flag Factory to regain its vitality and adapt to the rules of the market.”

“Foreign investment and mergers require clear policy directives. Without them, no company would dare take that risk.”

“Then let the management and workers buy out the shares themselves. They can put up their own money and become shareholders.”

“The people would still be the same. What would be the point?” Lin Xiaoyu asked.

“The people would be the same, but their motivation would be different.

“It’s like cooking at a communal stove. A group of people gathers firewood. Some bring more, some bring less, and some slack off while pretending to work. Once the meal is ready, everyone eats the same amount regardless of how much they contributed.

“Sometimes, a whole group of people who did no work at all will show up with bowls and eat from the pot.

“But after the factory adopts a shareholding system, everyone burns their own firewood and eats their own food. If anyone wants to eat from my pot, they have to pay!”

His explanation was vivid and easy to understand.

“Is the system of state-owned enterprises really inferior to that of private companies?” Su Wanqing asked, moved by the thought.

Zhou Jianguo said nothing. He looked toward Liang Jiyong as well. He was certain that the young man had deep insight into the matter.

Liang Jiyong’s remarks that evening had piqued his interest.

“Jiyong, you don’t think like an ordinary twenty-year-old. I think you’d be capable of running an entire prefecture-level region!”

Zhou Jianguo rarely praised people, much less a twenty-year-old.

Liang Jiyong immediately brightened. “Uncle Zhou, a gentleman’s word is his bond. Just tell me which place, and I’ll report for duty tomorrow!”

His ability to seize an opportunity left Zhou Jianguo momentarily stunned. Still, everyone knew it was a joke. If Liang Jiyong were truly sent away, he probably would not be willing to go.

“A gentleman must be viewed anew after three days apart. Jiyong has matured a great deal,” Lin Xiaoyu added.

“I only heard these ideas from other people. I’m merely repeating what I’ve learned.”

“No matter who said them first, you’ve integrated them with your own understanding. That makes them your theory.

“We all have to keep learning and refining our knowledge before we can improve ourselves. Very good indeed. The younger generation is formidable! I’ll make an exception tonight and have a little drink with you.”

“Jianguo, you should stick to tea instead of alcohol,” Lin Xiaoyu said. Then she turned to Liang Jiyong. “Jiyong, your Uncle Zhou has a stomach condition. He can’t drink.”

Zhou Jianguo said helplessly, “It was alcohol that caused it. I once drank until my stomach bled just to keep an investor from leaving.

“Now that I think about it, it still frightens me. I nearly died. If I had actually drunk myself to death, the leader who had to read my eulogy would have been in a difficult position!”

“You really have no filter,” Lin Xiaoyu sighed, shooting him a glance.

Her eyes held both concern and reproach.

Perhaps that was what love looked like.

Su Wanqing’s gaze settled on Liang Jiyong, who was speaking animatedly with Zhou Jianguo. The look in her eyes probably carried the flavor of love as well.

Lin Xiaoyu looked at her daughter, then at Liang Jiyong, and felt a faint warmth in her heart. If her daughter had a man who loved her, perhaps she would never be lonely in this life.

She only hoped that he would treat her daughter well for the rest of his life.

“Your buyout proposal wouldn’t be easy either,” Zhou Jianguo said with a sigh. “Without support from higher authorities, how many people would have the courage to carry out a bottom-up restructuring?”

“That’s why choosing the person to lead the effort is so important. I think our current situation at Red Flag Factory is much like that of the farmers in Fengyang County back then.

“If we don’t resolve to stake everything on a desperate struggle for survival, then within a year at most, Red Flag Factory will end up like Red Star Factory and the State Cotton Mill. So now, we need the courage to burn our boats!”

“Easier said than done. From what I can see, neither of Red Flag Factory’s two principal leaders possesses that kind of courage.”

After saying this, Zhou Jianguo looked at Liang Jiyong.

“You should all know the leaders of Red Flag Factory well. Who do you think could lead the factory out of its predicament?”

“A large part of my theories came from Uncle Chen Wei. I think he’s a man of firm conviction, and he has a deep emotional attachment to Red Flag Factory.”

“Chen Wei? I remember him. He’s in technology, isn’t he?” Zhou Jianguo asked.

“People in technical fields tend to be more straightforward. Besides, Uncle Chen Wei has had a very remarkable life.”

“Remarkable?” Zhou Jianguo asked curiously.

Lin Xiaoyu spoke up. “Chen Wei really is a talented man. His father was one of the Soviet experts who came to assist China’s development. He left China when Chen Wei was ten.

“Their family had a very difficult life in those years. Later, when the national college entrance examinations were restored, Chen Wei became the first university graduate from Red Flag Factory. After graduating, he continued working in technology at the factory. He’s now the chief technical engineer.”

“Chen Wei.”

Zhou Jianguo committed the name to memory.

“Raising funds through a stock offering among Red Flag Factory’s employees probably wouldn’t bring in much money,” he said.

“After the buyout, the enterprise could be used as collateral for a loan.”

Hearing this, Lin Xiaoyu said, “Jiyong, wouldn’t your proposal amount to getting something for nothing?”

“I don’t know whether it would work. I’m only a child. This is just childish talk, so I’m not responsible for it.”

“Childish talk, huh? Heh…”

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Someone knocked on the door, and Liang Jiyong was somewhat surprised.

Zhou Jianguo frowned, but still called out, “Come in.”

Just as he had expected, two middle-aged men entered.

“Secretary Zhou, it really is you! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me just now!” said one of them with a laugh. He was broad-shouldered and even darker-skinned than Zhou Jianguo.

Beside him stood a thin, refined-looking middle-aged man in a white shirt and gold-rimmed glasses.

“Guangming, what a coincidence!” Zhou Jianguo rose to greet them. Liang Jiyong and the others stood as well.

“Secretary Zhou, President Lin, this is my old comrade-in-arms, Tao Zhu. We both served in the military in Sichuan Province. The food here is quite authentic Sichuan cuisine, so I brought him over to try it.”

Zhou Jianguo shook hands with the two newcomers, then introduced them.

“This is my daughter, Su Wanqing, and her classmate, Liang Jiyong…”

He spoke naturally, but Su Wanqing was stunned.

Daughter.

The word stirred an indescribable feeling in her heart.

“And this is Secretary Zhao from the Political and Legal Affairs Commission,” Zhou Jianguo added.

Secretary Zhao—Zhao Guangming.

Liang Jiyong suddenly remembered that he ought to know Zhao Guangming.

Of course, not in the present. He knew him from his memories of his previous life. After leaving the military, Liang Jiyong had entered the public security system. At that time, Zhao Guangming had already risen to the provincial department.

Yet less than three years later, he had been transferred to another province, where he became its leading official in political and legal affairs. Liang Jiyong had not paid much attention to what happened afterward.

After all, when Zhao Guangming had been in charge, Liang Jiyong had still been just a minor soldier.

But Zhao Guangming had an excellent reputation. He was capable and well-connected; otherwise, he could never have become a member of the Provincial Party Committee’s Standing Committee.

“Secretary Zhao, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Liang Jiyong said, giving him a crisp military salute before extending his hand.

“Young man, are you a soldier?”

“My father is a soldier. He trained me militarily from the time I was young. I’m still in school.”

“Very good. You have the makings of a fine soldier. It would be a pity if you didn’t enlist.”

Tao Zhu also smiled and shook Liang Jiyong’s hand. He then took out his business cards and handed one to each of them.

Tao Zhu was the chairman of Taoran Real Estate. In Yunzhou, there seemed to be a place called Taoran Residence, which had been developed by Taoran Real Estate.

Liang Jiyong had little impression of Taoran Real Estate. In his previous life, the most famous real estate company in Yunzhou had been Yunhai Real Estate, which he remembered as being connected to Ji Yun.

Ji Yun had served as Yunzhou’s second-ranking official for three years and later held the city’s top position for a full term.

Wait. In his previous life, Zhou Jianguo had never come to work in Yunzhou.

He had no idea what had gone wrong. The flutter of his butterfly wings had actually brought Zhou Jianguo to Yunzhou.

“Secretary Zhou, we know you can’t drink, so please use tea in place of alcohol,” Zhao Guangming said with a smile.

When they had come over, they had brought a bottle of Jiannanchun. But everyone in Yunzhou knew that Zhou Jianguo did not drink. He had once suffered gastric bleeding from alcohol, and no one dared let him drink again. If something happened, no one could bear the responsibility.

At Zhou Jianguo’s level, there were far fewer drinking occasions he absolutely could not refuse.

“I’ll use tea in place of alcohol. Jiyong, you can drink on my behalf and toast Secretary Zhao and Mr. Tao.”

Zhou Jianguo asking Liang Jiyong to drink for him surprised Zhao Guangming, but he soon understood.

This was probably a family dinner. He knew Zhou Jianguo had remarried, and the girl who had just been called Su Wanqing was Lin Xiaoyu’s daughter.

Although she was not his biological daughter, that was not important.

As for Liang Jiyong, there was a good chance he would become Zhou Jianguo’s son-in-law in the future.

Liang Jiyong toasted the two men. Zhao Guangming and Tao Zhu did not stay long; after exchanging a few words, they left.

Before eight o’clock, Zhou Jianguo also departed. He still had work scheduled for the evening.

When Liang Jiyong went downstairs to settle the bill, he was told that someone had already paid.

There was no need to ask. It was probably Tao Zhu.

What an extraordinary coincidence—that two of Yunzhou’s most important figures had chosen the same private restaurant at the same time.

Perhaps it was a tacit coincidence. Zhao Guangming had made private contact with Zhou Jianguo and introduced his old comrade-in-arms to him.

But none of that had anything to do with Liang Jiyong.

Lin Xiaoyu drove away. Su Wanqing declined her offer to take her home. She and Liang Jiyong walked hand in hand, seemingly without a care in the world.

“What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?” Liang Jiyong asked.

Su Wanqing shook her head.

“They love each other so much. I should wish them happiness.”

Liang Jiyong smiled and stepped in front of her. He embraced her briefly.

“We love each other too. You should wish us happiness.”

Before Su Wanqing could answer, Liang Jiyong leaned down and kissed her.

There were not many pedestrians on the street, but a young couple kissing in public still drew considerable attention.

It was the 1990s. Even an embrace in public was enough to attract sidelong glances, let alone a kiss.

After a brief moment of breathlessness, Su Wanqing hurriedly pushed Liang Jiyong away.

Laughing, Liang Jiyong took her hand and jogged away with her, dodging the strange looks of passersby.

“Jiyong!”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t want to go back to the dormitory tonight.”

Liang Jiyong exhaled slowly and looked at Su Wanqing. He understood the meaning in her eyes.