Chapter 59 What else do you want to buy? I'll buy it for you.

Qingzhi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't want any unpleasantness to arise between them.

Breakfast consisted of dim sum, milk tea, and steamed buns suited to the local taste of Changjiang.

"The crystal shrimp dumplings here are quite good. You've always liked these the most!" Shen Hao slid a steamer basket of buns across the table.

His gaze was gentle.

Liang Jiyong thought to himself that Shen Hao was indeed a fine man. If Qingzhi were to be with him...

It didn't seem entirely unacceptable.

However, matters of the heart were truly difficult to fathom.

Just like in the past, hadn't Di Yutong been good to him? Hadn't he been good to Su Wanqing?

Some things simply couldn't be forced.

Yet, would there come a day when Qingzhi might grow to like Shen Hao after all?

Forget it, there was no use dwelling on it. Let nature take its course. With Qingzhi's free-spirited nature, that was the only way her soul could truly be free!

"As an economics major, you must have profound feelings about the situation here in Changjiang!"

Shen Hao nodded. "My father used to work in a state-owned factory. I witnessed the prosperity of those days, and seeing the current state of decline makes me feel truly..."

"Heartbroken, and unable to make sense of it, right?" Liang Jiyong added.

Shen Hao nodded repeatedly. That was precisely the feeling.

Liang Jiyong then brought up several circumstances, improvement measures, and rather bold suggestions.

At that moment, Qingzhi gently tugged at Liang Jiyong's sleeve.

Liang Jiyong looked over in surprise. What was wrong? Was he not allowed to speak about this?

"It's fine. I will take Jiyong's words back and tell my father. They are truly thought-provoking!"

"Uncle Shen is currently the top figure in Changzhou, Shen Guangrong!" Qingzhi remarked. Hearing this, Liang Jiyong smiled helplessly. It was indeed rather awkward, criticizing a man's father right to his son's face.

"I apologize. I wasn't aiming at anyone in particular!"

"I know. Over the past two years, voices like this have been everywhere. It's just that some things aren't a matter of my father being unwilling to act, but rather having the ambition without the means.

Changzhou is the provincial capital. My father often sighs, wishing he were still back in the enterprises where at least his intentions could be implemented!"

Shen Guangrong—Liang Jiyong suddenly recalled that in his past life, Shen Guangrong seemed quite infamous.

That was because he had another nickname: Shen the Liquidator!

It was precisely during Shen Guangrong's tenure governing Changzhou that all the state-owned enterprises in the city were restructured, with state-owned assets practically given away for a song. Although it invited heavy controversy, it undeniably saved hundreds of thousands of industrial workers.

However, because his actions stepped on the toes of too many vested interests, it was ultimately rumored that he became entangled in certain economic issues, though the truth of those allegations remained impossible to verify.

Yet Shen Guangrong's career stopped right there; given his age and capability, he should have gone much further.

As for his character, Liang Jiyong hadn't known much about it previously, but looking at Shen Hao, he figured Shen Guangrong's character couldn't be fundamentally flawed—like father, like son.

"I'd like to ask a question on behalf of my father: how can these enterprises be brought back to life?"

Liang Jiyong smiled. "Your question makes me almost afraid to answer, lest I appear presumptuous!"

"Yutong said you are a man of great courage!"

Liang Jiyong looked at Qingzhi in surprise. When had he ever demonstrated remarkable courage in front of her?

Qingzhi didn't speak. She simply sipped her milk tea while watching the diners in the lobby downstairs.

"Very well, I'll dare to venture an opinion. Mayor Shen certainly has his own insights, but the general direction is clear to everyone: property rights reform, allowing enterprises to shed their burdens and start afresh."

As I mentioned earlier, enterprises fall into three categories. The first consists of bankrupt ones, where the core issue is simply putting food on the workers' tables.

For those struggling to operate on the brink of bankruptcy, the strategy boils down to one word: give them away!

As long as there is capital, technology, and the capability to revive the enterprise, no matter the reform method, provide the utmost policy support. Save every single one you can!

Then there is another category: those operating smoothly. If these enterprises undergo property rights reform, they will inevitably face public censure.

Yet I must still say: it is better to endure criticism now than to face disaster later and sell them off when they are half-dead."

"Are you so certain that well-run enterprises will fall into trouble again?" Shen Hao asked.

"People's minds are bound to change. Enterprises running smoothly right now at least have management teams with genuine capability.

If other struggling enterprises successfully reform—regardless of whether it's through management shareholdings or external investment—the returns for management and shareholders will far exceed those of state-owned enterprise managers.

Ask yourself: a group of capable people doing the exact same job, while others make millions or tens of millions a year, yet they themselves are stuck with a meager fixed salary of eighty or a hundred thousand, and occasionally have to look over their shoulders just to make a little extra on the side—what would you do?"

Shen Hao paused for a moment and shook his head. "I'm not a fool. At worst, I'd quit and start my own business!"

Liang Jiyong shook his head. "Starting your own business is so difficult. These enterprises are already readymade. All it takes is artificially manufacturing a few hardships to plunge the business into difficulty, and presto—the enterprise becomes ripe for restructuring.

Then, pull a few strings, orchestrate a management buyout, and voila! Empty-handed wolf hunting, how wonderful is that!

That is why, rather than waiting for that to happen, it is far better to seize the moment while the enterprises are still running well and restructure them directly.

The government should extricate itself from enterprise management, focus on providing services and supervision, collect taxes, and nothing more. That is the smartest course of action.

Whether a business makes a profit or takes a loss should be left entirely to the market.

When that day comes, even if a company goes bankrupt, the workers will figure out their own solutions. They won't be like they are now, with leaders facing agonizing headaches every single day. What's the point of that?"

Qingzhi turned her head slightly to look at Liang Jiyong, who was speaking eloquently with occasional touches of witty humor.

Shen Hao noticed her gaze and his heart sank. Such a look was something he could only dream of receiving.

Perhaps Liang Jiyong was truly the one worthy of Yutong!

"If you enter officialdom in the future, are you going to become a corrupt little bureaucrat?" Qingzhi asked with a smile.

Liang Jiyong shook his head. "Corrupt? Why on earth would I be?

Before I even graduate, I'll definitely have earned enough money to spend for the rest of my life. I'm not a miser; once I have enough, why bother taking petty bribes? How boring would that be!"

"It was a pleasure meeting you, truly. Yutong is a good girl, and she's worth cherishing forever!" Shen Hao extended his hand, and he and Liang Jiyong shook hands.

"I will," Liang Jiyong replied simply.

Then, Shen Hao looked at Qingzhi. "I should have made up my mind long ago, but I still clung to a sliver of hope. Now, though there is regret, I'm somewhat comforted. Your judgment didn't disappoint me!

I probably won't be bothering you for a long time after this. After the Spring Festival, I'm heading to England for my studies!"

"Oh, I'll see you off when you leave!" Qingzhi said.

"No need. I'm afraid it would stir up old feelings again. If you can just give me a parting hug, I'll be able to leave without regrets!"

Shen Hao spoke with utter candor.

Liang Jiyong felt no displeasure whatsoever—partly due to Shen Hao's openness, and partly because of the delicate, on-again, off-again relationship between himself and Qingzhi.

Originally, Liang Jiyong thought Qingzhi would agree, but she smiled and refused.

"Save your regrets for when you return triumphant. I hope you will come back—you will always be my best friend!"

Hearing this, Shen Hao felt a mix of disappointment and consolation.

"Very well. To make up for this regret, I will definitely return to the embrace of our motherland!"

"Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

Liang Jiyong and Shen Hao shook hands once more.

After Shen Hao left, Qingzhi extended her hand to Liang Jiyong. "Let's reintroduce ourselves. I am Huo Yutong!"

"Huo Yutong—what a beautiful name. My name is Liang Jiyong!"

The two shook hands and looked at each other. "Can I still call you Qingzhi?" Liang Jiyong asked.

"Mmm. Originally, that was a name exclusively for you."

Liang Jiyong knew that Ouyang and her friends had already learned this nickname.

"Life is always full of unexpected twists. If not for these coincidences, we wouldn't have crossed paths. Nothing in this world is ever completely flawless."

"Indeed..." Qingzhi withdrew her hand, recalling her late-blooming acquaintance with him.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Liang Jiyong asked.

"Buy some clothes. It's genuinely a bit cold outside."

"And your bag!" Liang Jiyong added.

"That won't be necessary. I'll fix it when I get back. It's just the strap that needs altering, and I happen to like this bag."

"Oh, you're going to sew it yourself?" Liang Jiyong asked in surprise.

"Does that look unlikely?"

"A bit unexpected. Girls these days rarely learn how to do that."

"When I was little, I liked making clothes for dolls!"

"Ah. Let me make a phone call. I suspect the others won't have time to deal with me right now!"

Qingzhi didn't speak. She propped her chin in her hand and looked out at the diners in the lobby below, as if trying to read the various facets of human life from them.

Liang Jiyong called Zhou Jianguo and Chen Wei. True to his guess, the two of them had no time to spare; they had headed back to Yunzhou early that morning.

However, they gave Liang Jiyong a brief rundown of the previous night's meeting and told him to get in touch with Long Si.

Liang Jiyong then called Hu Jin'an to express his gratitude and asked for Gao Shiliang's phone number.

Since Gao Shiliang had helped out, it was only proper to thank him.

When the call went through, Gao Shiliang's attitude was very cordial. Liang Jiyong figured he must have already caught wind of the Standing Committee meeting from the previous night.

Liang Jiyong offered to treat him to a meal, but was politely declined. At the very least, Liang Jiyong's current status didn't warrant Gao Shiliang making special time for a dinner date.

Still, contact had been established, and opportunities for future interaction might arise.

Figures like Chai Lin and Hu Jin'an held modest ranks, but they were young. While they couldn't be called paragons of the police force, they weren't bad cops either.

"Let's go. We'll buy you some clothes first, and then I'll call Uncle Long, otherwise he'll surely dispatch troops to drag me over right away!"

Qingzhi nodded, though she corrected him: "Not buy me clothes, but accompany me to buy clothes."

"Alright, understood—financial independence!"

...

Even Qingzhi could not escape the allure of shopping.

It took an hour and a half for her to pick out a long down jacket.

Coincidentally, Liang Jiyong happened to be wearing a remarkably similar one; walking side by side, they looked almost like a couple in matching outfits.

"You told me not to buy you things, yet you went ahead and spent money on clothes for me. That hardly seems fair," Liang Jiyong said as they walked.

"Such chauvinism! I bought you clothes to thank you for retrieving my bag yesterday."

"Fair enough. Is there anything else you need to buy? I'll treat you."

"No!" Her elegant face flushed crimson!

Liang Jiyong happened to notice a lingerie shop nearby and suddenly remembered that Qingzhi was probably still...

"Oh, almost forgot!" Liang Jiyong blurted out.

"Don't you dare keep score..." Qingzhi said, her face burning with shyness.

"What? What did you just say?" Liang Jiyong immediately played dumb.

Qingzhi turned her head away, ignoring him. "Wait for me here!"

The refined young woman stepped into the lingerie shop, leaving Liang Jiyong to sit on a nearby bench.

The time was nearly right, so Liang Jiyong pulled out his phone and called Long Dingguo.

Long Dingguo's orderly answered the call.

Moments later, Long Dingguo's booming voice came through the receiver.

"Where are you hiding, you little rascal?"

"Uncle Long, Changzhou is freezing cold. I just bought a jacket. Do you have a moment? I'd like to drop by and see you."

"Name the spot, I'll have someone pick you up. We'll settle accounts once you get here."

Liang Jiyong didn't refuse, knowing that unauthorized vehicles might not even gain entry to where Long Dingguo was stationed.

He had already agreed with Qingzhi that she would spend the afternoon reading at the Savory Bookstore, so he simply gave Long Dingguo the bookstore's name as the rendezvous point.

When Qingzhi emerged, Liang Jiyong refrained from any further teasing. However, having changed into proper undergarments, she no longer walked with the cautious, restrained steps she'd had earlier.

Arriving at the Savory Bookstore, Liang Jiyong checked his watch.

"It's 10:45 now. I'll definitely be back before one o'clock. If you get hungry, grab something to eat first!"

"Mmm. Bye-bye, the car to pick you up is here!" Qingzhi waved, carrying her handbag and a shopping bag inside.

Liang Jiyong and his original coat were inside that bag; he couldn't very well drag a pile of clothes along to visit Long Dingguo.

Yet showing up empty-handed was out of the question either, so he stopped by a department store counter and bought two bottles of Moutai.

The moment he saw Long Dingguo, Liang Jiyong was greeted with a pair of flying kicks.

"You ungrateful brat, I signed your enlistment papers and you just backed out without a word. Didn't you deserve a kick?"