pjbooks Chapter 1682 Red Romance
Chapter 1682 Red Romance
Chapter 1682 Red Romance
"Press this to turn it on."
"Press this to turn off the device."
Panasonic's beautiful public relations representative patiently taught Li Xuewu how to use the TV remote.
Kokichi Matsuno stood to the side, watching their interaction with a smile.
Liu Bin, who was also in the exhibition hall, was somewhat envious. At times like this, he would think to himself: Being a leader is so damn good!
Is this a light sensor or a sound sensor?
Li Xuewu seemed oblivious to the contempt in the female public relations officer's eyes. After playing with her for a while, he turned around and asked Matsuno Kokichi a question that caught him off guard.
"The one you are using now is an ultrasonic remote control."
The accompanying technical engineer was quite naive, replying, "This is the latest remote control technology."
"Hehe, where is the latest one?"
Li Xuewu glanced at him and said, "It's been almost 20 years since Robert Adler invented the ultrasonic remote control, hasn't it?"
He pulled his hand away from the female public relations representative, casually handed her the remote control, smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you."
"Um... well, you're welcome."
The female PR person hadn't even realized that the Chinese man in front of her, who was clearly a country bumpkin, was suddenly discussing technology.
"Do you work on infrared remote control technology?" Li Xuewu ignored her, stood up from the sofa, walked to the television, and gestured to the engineer standing next to him, saying, "Could you please help me take this apart?"
"Huh? That—this—"
The engineer was a bit confused. He thought, "Let them watch it, why do they suddenly want to take the TV apart?"
He looked at Matsuno Kokichi, who raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "I didn't expect Mr. Li to be an electrical technology expert."
“I can hardly be considered an expert,” Li Xuewu turned to look at him and said with a smile, “Just like you, I’m in a management position, so I need to know a little bit about everything.”
“No problem, let Mr. Li take it apart and have a look,” Matsuno Kokichi gestured, “Our television technology is very advanced.”
The following sentence was addressed to Li Xuewu, meaning that he was not afraid of Li Xuewu seeing it, nor was he afraid that Li Xuewu would steal the technique.
The sign of technological maturity is that I can do it, but you can't. Even if you can do it, you can't do it as well as I can, and if you do it well, the cost will be higher than mine.
Li Xuewu seemed not to hear, watching as the two engineers quickly disassembled the television set, soon revealing its internal structure.
Even now, if people in future generations saw this thing, they would collect it as an antique. It's a monitor shaped like a big pot, and it has a little tuft on the back, which is the picture tube that will break down over time.
"Do you manufacture your own color picture tubes?"
Li Xuewu squatted in front of the television, carefully observing its internal structure using the space the engineer had cleared for him. As he looked, he asked, "Is it assembled overseas, or are all the components manufactured overseas?"
“Of course, we produce it ourselves.” Matsuno Kokichi, who also had a technical background, saw that Li Xuewu was willing to lower himself and squat down next to him, pointing out the internal structure to Li Xuewu.
"Other components include decoders, oscillators, correction circuits, matrix circuits, and color adjustment circuits, all of which we manufacture ourselves."
He then pointed to common components such as screws and antennas and explained, "These are outsourced because there are unified manufacturing standards, which can appropriately reduce production costs."
"We can only produce black and white televisions right now."
Li Xuewu was aware of the gap, but he did not show any disappointment or discouragement. Instead, he said frankly, "But we have already achieved independent production of parts."
"The technology for things like picture tubes, tuners, and high-voltage transformers was actually imported from Japan."
"The technology was provided by Sanhe Co., Ltd., right?"
Seeing that he did not shy away from the topic, Matsuno Kokichi thought for a moment and then explained, "There are still differences between different technologies."
He pointed to the high-voltage transformer in the television and explained, "Take this for example. You must know its function; it provides high-voltage current to the picture tube."
"But in terms of manufacturing technology, Panasonic dares to say that we are number one in the world, and Sanhe certainly wouldn't dare to compare with us."
"Yes, I believe what you said."
Li Xuewu nodded seriously and said, "Having a larger market means having more resources to invest in research and development."
"By controlling R&D, we can reduce production costs, achieve a technological advantage, and thus achieve a closed loop of market control."
"Actually, there's something I've always wanted to ask," Matsuno Kokichi hesitated for a moment, then looked at him and asked, "Why did you choose to cooperate with Sanwa?"
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Li Xuewu turned to look at him, amused, and asked, "Is there something unreasonable about it?"
“No, that’s not it…” Matsuno Kokichi looked at him, he had something to say but didn’t, after all, there were still many people present.
Li Xuewu nodded, indicating that he knew he had something to say, but also understood that it was not convenient to say it at this time.
After a brief communication and exchange, the two had already established a certain understanding, and it wouldn't be too late to talk about some things in private.
As for whether Matsuno Kokichi wanted to say good things about Miwa or bad things, there's no need to consider that. Didn't the little fat guy say that competitors are the true enemies?
***
Matsuno Kokichi led Li Xuewu and his group to first look at black-and-white televisions, then white-and-white televisions, providing a comparative overview of Panasonic's electronics family.
Li Xuewu was very interested, and he also understood the basic knowledge involved; he wasn't just there for the spectacle.
Having learned his lesson from the PR girl he saw on TV, the engineers thereafter all looked very serious when he asked them questions.
Matsuno Kokichi didn't care about his feigned weakness; becoming the head of a group in China is no easy feat.
Even at Panasonic, it's extremely difficult for someone like the president to rise to power through his son-in-law's connections.
Balancing family relationships with work requirements presents both a greater challenge and a greater emphasis on performance.
During his lunch break, he also took the time to learn about the qualities and conditions required to become a business leader in China.
He didn't understand; he couldn't imagine how impressive it was that Li Xuewu, at such a young age, had reached his current position.
So, pretending to be weak to take advantage of others is just a sign of wisdom and maturity. This move will make the people of Matsushita no longer dare to underestimate him.
Everyone thought he was a lecher, but it turns out he's a gamer.
"We also make vacuum cleaners, rice cookers and electric fans, especially in overseas markets where we do more and better products."
On the way back, Kokichi Matsuno explained to him with great interest, "We are preparing for our listing on the New York Stock Exchange, so we compiled information and data on overseas markets. I never expected that we would need it now."
"How's your market in Southeast Asia?" Li Xuewu glanced at the cityscape of Osaka outside the window, then turned and asked, "Has the rise of Singapore's electronics industry had a significant impact on you?"
“Well, how should I put it?” Kokichi Matsuno thought for a moment and explained, “Our understanding of the market and brand is not fixed in a specific region.”
"While reducing production costs, we are also building excellent industrial brands, such as Panasonic, which is very popular in the United States."
"So you want to set up a factory in Taoyuan to offset these production costs?"
Li Xuewu wouldn't let him lead him astray; he maintained his original direction and asked, "What's your opinion on Ya Telephone's market in Southeast Asia?"
“Actually, I was thinking of saying this when we were in the exhibition hall,” Matsuno Kokichi said earnestly, taking a deep breath, “Sanhe is not a good partner.”
"Hmm, what do you mean by that?" Li Xuewu looked at him seriously and asked, "Can you tell me?"
“It’s nothing, just pretend we’re chatting.” Matsuno Kokichi paused, seemingly deep in thought. “I shouldn’t have brought this up.”
But you've already said it. Li Xuewu didn't speak, but waited for him to continue, knowing that the other person would inevitably want to say more.
“Sanhe uses despicable methods to compete for markets in Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, and even North America.”
Kokichi Matsuno frowned and said, "If it's just a matter of price reductions and promotions, as the head of Panasonic, I wouldn't say anything."
"Because as long as production costs are low, anyone can engage in a price war."
He raised an eyebrow and said, "But they have no bottom line. They wage a price war while simultaneously creating news and discrediting their competitors' products."
"Whenever an electronics company's new product or promotion comes into play, they will definitely create fake news to influence consumers."
"You're from Panasonic," Li Xuewu asked, somewhat surprised. "You wouldn't be afraid of them, would you?"
"We're not afraid, we're disgusted."
Matsuno Kokichi looked at Li Xuewu, sighed helplessly, and said, "Our promotional activities clashed last year. That Nishida Kenichi actually arranged for someone to slander our rice cookers by claiming that they contained pathogenic elements."
"Is there something wrong with your rice cooker?"
Li Xuewu asked curiously, "If there are no problems, we can turn the tables and sue the other party."
"What's the use? That consumer did buy our rice cooker and did get cancer, but it was later proven that it had nothing to do with us."
Matsuno Kokichi shrugged and said, "But it caused a public outcry at the time, and our promotional campaign came to an abrupt end."
“When we proved our innocence, it was all over. We lost a lot of customers and revenue. That’s what Kenichi Nishida did.”
"That person's character is really bad."
Li Xuewu said with deep feeling, "I don't like him either, especially recently, he caused us a lot of trouble."
“I’ve already heard about it.” Matsuno Kokichi asked curiously, “Did he really blow up your ship?”
“Not only that,” Li Xuewu said with a grim expression, “there were also six East German engineers on board.”
“Yes, he’s perfectly capable of doing something like that.” Matsuno Kokichi nodded knowingly and said, “His reputation in the Japanese electronics industry is completely ruined.”
“But Sanhe has succeeded,” Li Xuewu reminded Matsuno Kokichi, “Sanhe is now Panasonic’s biggest competitor?”
“Sanhe has caused us some trouble and problems only in the low-end electronics market,” Matsuno Kokichi said with a frown. “But overall, that’s about it.”
"You hate Sanhe, but you can't do anything about them, right?"
Li Xuewu smiled and looked ahead, saying, "Just like the case you just mentioned, you can't waste any more money and energy dealing with a scoundrel."
"Even if you win, it will only be a low-end market with low profits, and it will be even less worthwhile if you lose."
“You’re absolutely right,” Matsuno Kokichi couldn’t help but sigh, “You Chinese have a saying, if a dog bites you, are you going to bite the dog back?”
"Hahaha—" Li Xuewu was also amused by his erudition. Although this person was a senior executive of a large Japanese company, his thinking was not rigid at all. He was witty and humorous and had real knowledge.
***
When Li Xuewu arrived, he had only a team of seven people, but with the help of Matsushita's Kokichi Matsuno during the factory tour, the number of people accompanying him exceeded twenty.
The six cars returned to Panasonic's headquarters one after another. Before they even reached the building's entrance, Li Xuewu saw reporters blocking the doorway through the car windows.
He frowned slightly, feeling that these people were there for him; it was impossible for them to suddenly come to Panasonic for an interview.
Unless Konosuke Matsushita died, or Masaharu Matsushita had an affair.
It wasn't any of those; it was his book that became the focus of discussion in the Japanese media within just one day.
His other identity in China has also been exposed. As a corporate executive with multiple identities and backgrounds, isn't that exactly what the news is all about?
"Do you need my help?" Matsuno Kokichi knew who the reporters were after. He looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Can I call security to remove these people?"
"No, that would damage your image."
Li Xuewu raised his hand and looked at the reporters who were startled by the convoy and turned their gazes toward him, saying, "I can handle them."
He turned around, smiled at Kokichi Matsuno, and said, "I'm really sorry for causing you so much trouble today by coming to Matsushita."
“You are a guest of Panasonic,” Kokichi Matsuno emphasized earnestly, “We will definitely help you if you need anything.”
"Thanks, I'll give it a try." Li Xuewu looked confidently out the car window. The convoy had already stopped in front of the gate, and reporters swarmed in.
They quickly located Li Xuewu's car in the convoy, as it was the only one parked directly in front of the gate.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!"
The entourage jumped out of the cars in front and behind and ran toward the vehicle, trying to create space for the reporters to surround it.
Li Xuewu, however, seemed unconcerned, sitting in the car watching the farce outside the window with a calm and composed expression.
Matsuno Kokichi sat beside him, observing his state, waiting for him to take the initiative to ask for help.
"Mr. Li! What is your view on hegemonism?"
"Get out! You're not welcome here!"
Has Panasonic already begun collaborating with Honggang Group?
What aspects of the cooperation have you agreed upon?
……
There were all sorts of problems. Li Xuewu could even hear hysterical shouts and curses coming from the car window, all directed at him.
After observing for a while, which may have seemed like only a moment to the crowd outside the window, Li Xuewu was already ready.
Using the space in front of the car door that the staff had opened, Li Xuewu pushed the door open and nimbly climbed out of the car.
As if afraid of missing something, Matsuno Kokichi also got off the car from the other side, his eyes fixed on Li Xuewu, wanting to see his performance.
How this young man will handle this situation is a test for him.
"I'll talk, listen to me."
Li Xuewu was blocked in front of the car door. He watched as these people shouted in a chaotic manner for a while, and then, when their voices quieted down, he finally spoke.
"With all these questions, I don't know who to answer, and I can't even hear your questions clearly."
"Let me finish!" He spoke before the reporters could, pointing at the person about to ask a question, and emphasized, "I am here today to meet with Mr. Matsuno Kokichi at Matsushita, and I did not have any interview scheduled."
"But since you're already here, and I don't want to interfere with Matsuno Kokichi's work, I can only answer three of your questions."
Li Xuewu pointed his finger again and said, "Whoever I randomly point to will ask a question. After you have asked three questions, you can leave."
He didn't care what other people at the scene thought or what they were loudly questioning him about; he simply raised his hand and pointed at a young male reporter.
"You, the friend with glasses."
"Hello Mr. Li, I am Ryusuke Takagi, a reporter from the Sankei Shimbun. Have you noticed the public discussion this morning regarding your book 'Defending Peace'? What is your explanation for this?"
"Okay, first of all, I want to emphasize that the book was written when I was the head of the security department of Honggang Group. Its purpose was to summarize and share the experience of security work."
"Secondly, I don't know how this book came to Japan and was maliciously interpreted without any basis, or even made unfounded speculations."
Li Xuewu glanced at everyone present and emphasized, "I will give a unified explanation here, and I will not answer similar questions in the future."
"If you have any objections to the content of this book, please write to it in China, and I will communicate with you as the author."
"You mean you don't acknowledge their definitions, and that this book is written for Chinese people, right?"
"I didn't mention you, so your question is invalid."
Li Xuewu glanced at her, ignoring her proud figure. The weather was fine today, sunny and bright, and he didn't need her two headlights to shine on him.
“You, that lady who’s been chasing after me.” Li Xuewu casually pointed, but his finger landed on Yoshiko Oshima.
Yoshiko Oshima also has the potential to be an actress. She was taken aback at first, as if she had never expected to have the opportunity to ask a question.
"If you have no further questions, I'll move on to the next one."
"Yes!" Yoshiko Oshima seemed to only then realize what was happening, and asked somewhat flusteredly, "What other goals and functions do you have in your multiple identities during this visit? Or did you come with a specific purpose?"
“Multiple identities,” Li Xuewu glanced at her and said calmly, “Am I an associate professor at a college in China?”
"To be frank, I only have two workplaces in China. I don't know what you mean by multiple identities."
Ignoring Yoshiko Oshima's attempt to add anything, he stated bluntly, "I am here in Japan on behalf of the Honggang Group for an exchange visit."
"I can tell you very frankly that, just like the pursuit of superior craftsmanship and global influence, the pursuit of advanced technology and equipment is a quality that every company must possess."
Li Xuewu stood there tall and straight, and a group of reporters were looking up at him, almost making Matsuno Kokichi, who was not far away, pale in comparison.
"With communication comes comparison, and with comparison comes knowledge of where we can improve."
He nodded slowly and continued, "What's wrong with learning new technologies and understanding new equipment?"
After answering the question, he emphasized to the still resentful Yoshiko Oshima, "Don't follow me anymore, I have no news to give you."
“That’s not necessarily true!” Seeing everyone looking at her, Yoshiko Oshima raised her chin slightly and said, “I look forward to the day you return empty-handed.”
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
Li Xuewu smiled and gestured to Matsuno Kokichi, who was standing outside the crowd, and introduced him: "I'll be going in with Mr. Matsuno in a little while to discuss the next steps of our cooperation. Perhaps if you wait a little longer, you can witness the contract signing ceremony."
“…” Matsuno Kokichi, who was standing there watching the commotion, was completely bewildered when everyone looked at him. What did he mean by “cooperation” and “signing a contract”?
I'm just watching the show, what's it to us?
Has Honggang Group reached a cooperation agreement with Panasonic?
The reporters reacted as if they had stumbled upon a major news story, with some rushing to Matsuno Kokichi's side, holding up their microphones and bombarding him with questions.
They didn't receive three questions from Matsuno Kokichi, so they could ask whatever they wanted, as long as Mr. Matsuno answered one.
Li Xuewu felt much more relaxed and pointed at the female reporter who had raised her hand.
"You've been meeting frequently with key figures from Nippon Steel, Honda Motor, and Panasonic these past three days," the female reporter asked excitedly. "Do you think this approach increases the chances of achieving a successful collaboration?"
Seeing that Li Xuewu was about to speak, she raised her hand and added, "Overall, what are your impressions of Japanese industry, and what are your expectations?"
“You’re asking a lot of questions.” Li Xuewu glanced at her feigned displeasure, but still answered under her apologetic gaze, “Let me explain, it’s not my intention to meet with these company executives so frequently.”
He raised his hand to the commissioner from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and said, "Without the Ministry of Trade and Industry's arrangements, I would rather stay in Tokyo and travel around."
"But that's not realistic, because we're here to exchange ideas and seek cooperation, which means I have to travel to companies related to Honggang Group's business."
Wherever Li Xuewu went, he never forgot to advertise his group, repeating the same business he had introduced to Matsuno Kokichi, which blew people's eyes out.
“I even considered visiting Japanese food companies, but unfortunately my trip was limited this time. I’m really looking forward to my next visit to Japan.”
He nodded slowly and said, "As for your question about my impression of Japanese industry, I must admit that you have done a very good job."
"I am still qualified to say this, because the companies arranged by the Ministry of Industry and Trade this time are all related to our Honggang Group."
The reporters at the scene looked at him differently; this guy was too good at bluffing, even better than them, who were professionals.
“Some people say we are competitors, but I would say that the world market is limitless, and we can also become partners.”
He then looked at Matsuno Kokichi, smiled and nodded, saying, "Right? Mr. Matsuno?"
"Well, that's enough for today." Matsuno Kokichi keenly sensed that Li Xuewu had taken control of the atmosphere, and any answer he gave would be wrong and put him in a passive position, so he decided not to answer.
"You're a liar!" Just as Matsuno Kokichi and Li Xuewu met up and were about to walk into the building, a young man in a jacket suddenly raised a sign and threw it at Li Xuewu.
In fact, he had noticed it long ago; the sign contained some offensive language directed at him personally and the book.
Matsuno Kokichi was also surprised that such a thing had suddenly appeared out of the crowd when the situation was under control.
He admitted that the reporters were there because of their own arrangements, but he assured them that this particular program was absolutely not part of their plan.
Where did this thing come from?
He was terrified, because if that sign hit Li Xuewu, he would definitely get caught in the crossfire.
Snapped--
Just as everyone was still reeling from the suddenness of the incident, a loud slap rang in their ears, and when they looked ahead, there was no one there.
But Matsuno Kokichi saw a figure flash past his eyes. He was still wondering what had flown by when he realized it was that skinny young man.
The reporters at the scene were completely shocked by Li Xuewu's sudden action; they never expected him to dare to make a move.
The photographer also keenly captured the contemptuous look Li Xuewu gave the young man after he knocked him away.
Wang 黽mi! ! !
Now we have tomorrow's front page headlines and storylines!
This Mr. Li just said not to follow him anymore, because he can't provide any news.
Look, isn't this a misunderstanding Mr. Li has about himself?
They've only been here a short while, and the news is already pouring in! This isn't some corporate executive; this is practically a news marvel!
"Believe it or not, this guy might not even know who I am." As they entered the Panasonic building, Li Xuewu said to Matsuno Kokichi, who was utterly shocked, "He's the kind of guy who gets paid to do things."
"You mean—" Matsuno Kokichi hesitated, then looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Was it deliberately arranged by someone?"
"Otherwise what?" Li Xuewu said calmly, "Why didn't you come yesterday? Why did you have to sneak into the reporters' group today?"
“That is—” Matsuno Kokichi seemed to know what he was going to say.
Li Xuewu glanced back at the people behind him, his eyes revealing a coldness.
"The reason this happened today is because I came to an electronics manufacturing company."
"What a bastard—"
Matsuno Kokichi slammed his fist down and said, "That's the kind of person he is. He'll do anything to achieve his goals. You must have been targeted by him."
"He means that this is his territory, and he's threatening me."
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "If we really reach a cooperation agreement, perhaps even more strange things will happen next."
“He wouldn’t dare threaten you.” Matsuno Kokichi frowned and emphasized, as if he had thought of something. “He absolutely doesn’t have the guts.”
"But he blew up our ship."
Li Xuewu said in an icy tone, "Nothing he does is surprising or unexpected to me anymore."
Matsuno Kokichi was a little confused by his train of thought. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and said, "I will try my best to arrange it."
There was no promise, but this is already a very rare promise.
Li Xuewu was very satisfied.
-
How did you do that?
Gao Yaqin could hardly believe her ears and asked on the phone, "It's settled just like that?"
"Whether it's true or not, you'll find out when you come."
Li Xuewu said with a laugh, "You take care of the contract. I'll go back. I still want to go and take a look at THK."
“You’re going to come back and take a look.” Gao Yaqin suddenly became cautious and reminded him, “You also need to keep your eyes open.”
"What's wrong?" Li Xuewu asked, frowning. "What happened?"
“Beijing Auto has been scammed.” Gao Yaqin couldn’t help but sigh. “They contacted a company executive who claimed to be from Japan Precision Machinery, saying they could get high-precision CNC machine tools for bearing processing.”
"What do you mean?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Nippon Seiko doesn't produce CNC machine tools, so are you referring to second-hand machine tools?"
"It's secondhand. The person said it was equipment that Seiko (Japan) had phased out, but it still has a leading technology."
Gao Yaqin took a deep breath and explained, "Beijing Automotive Group wants to complete its parts industry layout as soon as possible, so they are very eager to get this batch of equipment."
In fact, there is no such thing as secrecy in the industrial sector. As long as you make a move, your peers will definitely find out.
The automotive industry of Honggang Group needs no further explanation; it operates through a broad supply chain system.
Beijing Automotive also wants to reduce costs, but building a supply chain is unrealistic because they do not have equipment with higher production efficiency and processing precision.
What if we had such a device?
Given the influence and foundation of Beijing Automotive Group, its production capacity can be unleashed instantly.
Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) also has another objective: to reduce internal costs and innovate production processes through technological means while maintaining its current scale.
As long as they can reduce their costs, they will still have a chance to compete with Hongxing Auto.
"Is this considered a premature end to a campaign?"
Li Xuewu wasn't gloating. Although they were fellow disciples and had disagreements, he wouldn't be happy to watch the other fall for a scam.
“Director Han had already given instructions,” Gao Yaqin emphasized, “We cannot communicate or make deals in private. Wang Youhan is too arrogant.”
"Is he afraid that others will steal their luck?" Li Xuewu said, amused and annoyed. "It's just a bunch of secondhand junk. He's being petty."
“If there really were a bunch of secondhand junk, that would be fine.” Gao Yaqin sighed again. “That person only had an authorization letter from Nippon Seiko to visit the factory. They didn’t know that, but they just followed him in.”
Li Xuewu could already imagine the scene at that time; it was just like those furniture stores in shopping malls in later generations.
Everyone claims to have a factory, but what's the reality?
If you actually go with him, he'll dare to take you to see the factory. The real factory owner will cooperate and hide, making you think that this store is really powerful.
As a result, you paid money and were scammed; it was all a case of false advertising.
That's how people from Beijing Automotive Group are; they followed others inside for a tour and thought they were being shown around by senior executives from Seiko AG.
"How much was the loss?" Li Xuewu asked curiously. "Without going through the leadership, they probably wouldn't be giving much in compensation, right?"
“Hehe—” Gao Yaqin sneered and said, “One million three hundred thousand. They said that once the contract was signed, the deposit would be skipped and the full amount would be paid.”
"Doesn't he have a brain?"
Upon hearing that 1.3 million had gone down the drain, Li Xuewu asked in surprise, "Wasn't it emphasized in the meeting that both the technology and equipment imports needed to go through customs and inspection?"
"If he were as smart as you, he wouldn't have banged his head against the wall."
Gao Yaqin said calmly, "The leader has already spoken with him, and Beijing Automotive is seeking help from Tokyo."
"What did the Ministry of Industry and Trade say?"
Li Xuewu frowned and asked, "Will they intervene in this kind of matter? Will the other party just take the money and run away, or is there anyone who can investigate?"
"They ran away. They took 1.3 million yesterday and ran away. Today, Wang Youhan and the others went to Seiko in Japan to complete the formalities and only then did they realize that they had been scammed."
Gao Yaqin said helplessly, "You weren't here. This morning, Director Han called a meeting with all the responsible persons and emphasized this matter."
"Wang Youhan is still too anxious. He's afraid that these devices will fall into our hands and that the consequences of hoarding them won't be good."
"This isn't eating alone, it's eating poison."
Li Xuewu shook his head and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about him anymore. You should get over here as soon as possible so we can hand over the work. I'll head back now."
"Yes, I've already asked Xiao Wang to book the plane tickets."
After thinking for a moment, Gao Yaqin still asked, "Do you think Panasonic is more sincere than Sanhe?"
"At least Matsushita still has some self-respect," Li Xuewu said calmly. "Since they're already here, we can't let them get away with this."
"Judging from the meaning of this visit, it is clearly a warm-up for the normalization of diplomatic relations. We have caught a good opportunity."
Li Xuewu emphasized, "Just this once, let's negotiate all the cooperation agreements we can get, even if it's just for purchasing some parts, we need to be able to get in touch with them."
"The next year or two will be enough for us to cultivate these relationships and expand into the Northeast Asian market—Japan—as soon as possible."
"Then let's do it your way." Gao Yaqin knew he had a plan, and before hanging up, she asked, "I heard you were attacked?"
“Just an idiot,” Li Xuewu said nonchalantly. “You should be careful when you come here; things haven’t been peaceful in Tokyo or here lately.”
"The issue in Tokyo is about the airport land acquisition, but what's going on in Osaka?"
Gao Yaqin said helplessly, "We don't seem to be very popular. It's as if we're the ones who are at fault."
“Stop giving yourself that advice,” Li Xuewu reminded her. “You have to approach this with the attitude of collecting debts. You’re still too emotional.”
***
Speaking of sentimentality, Li Xuewu witnessed a rare glimpse of Japanese characteristics at a private reception organized by Matsuno Kokichi.
There is a Japanese anime called Crayon Shin-chan. His father is an office worker, and his daily behavior is typical of a corporate setting.
They slack off during the day and drink and carouse at night. In this era of economic boom, they can make money without lying down and make others lie down.
Li Xuewu, along with Liu Bin and others, was led by Matsuno Kokichi to a place similar to a nightclub, except that it was much more luxurious and extravagant.
You don't need to go down and jump around yourself; girls will jump around in your private room and then jump into your arms.
Li Xuewu was not a man of unwavering virtue like Liu Xiahui, and he dared not let a girl jump into his arms, not even near him.
If it were a perfectly respectable place, he wouldn't mind having a romantic "friend zone" handout ceremony.
But in a place like this, he knew whether someone was holding a camera and staring at him.
Wang Youhan has suffered a major setback. He can't possibly add another "X-ray scandal" to Director Han's headlines, can he? Everyone should just pack up and go back to their hometowns as soon as possible.
Singing is fine, dancing is fine, just don't come any closer.
In this era of economic boom, not only are businesses thriving, but even young women are becoming seasoned veterans.
Some people say that girls are very interested in sex, and that it's a one-time thing, but Li Xuewu refuses. This thing doesn't kill people, but it's disgusting.
Liu Bin's face was flushed, even more radiant than the red wine the girl had poured for him.
Li Xuewu glanced at him and knew that the young man was a bit engrossed in it and couldn't pull himself out.
After all, it was Old Li who asked him to bring them out for training, so we can't let them be led astray like this.
“If you give them 30 yen, they will be willing to go anywhere with you.”
He explained to Liu Bin in a low voice, "You can do whatever you want tonight."
"Huh?!" Liu Bin was startled by his words, his eyes widening as he looked at the graceful figures on the dance floor, his face turning even redder.
"This—this isn't appropriate, is it?"
"That's inappropriate. You've forgotten who you are, comrade."
Li Xuewu patted him on the back and reminded him, "All of this is nothing but a dream bubble built on money."
"If Matsuno hadn't given them enough money, do you think they would have been willing to dance and sing for us?"
He glanced at Liu Bin's face and said meaningfully, "They're just waiting to see you make a fool of yourself, so they'll have something to talk about."
"In their minds, we should be this kind of people, just like in the old society decades ago."
The more he spoke, the lighter the color on Liu Bin's face became, until he mentioned organizational discipline, at which point Liu Bin's face had turned white.
"Relax, my comrade, we're here to criticize them."
Li Xuewu smiled, patted him on the shoulder one last time, and said, "Hold on to your principles, and nothing you see will affect you."
Liu Bin dared not watch anymore; he didn't have the willpower and was afraid he would become addicted to it again.
The self-blame after waking up plunged him into a pessimistic mood, making him feel like a bad person who had failed to uphold his principles.
In truth, he didn't do anything. Perhaps he had thought about it in his mind, but he didn't put it into practice.
Many people have a demon inside them; as long as they don't show it, they're just normal people.
Kabuki performances are limited to a few types of songs, and if you switch to local folk songs, they won't understand them.
If Matsuno Kokichi really made these girls sing "Eighteen...you know...you know," Li Xuewu would genuinely feel that the other party was bullying him.
The show ended before 10 o'clock. Matsuno Kokichi was clearly not satisfied. He smiled and saw them off to their car before going back home.
Liu Bin looked at the red lanterns with a nostalgic expression, while Li Xuewu said calmly, "Believe it or not, he will come out as soon as we leave."
"Huh?" Liu Bin clearly didn't believe it, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.
"If you don't believe me, just have the driver wait here for a bit," Li Xuewu said with a smile. "It won't make a difference if he comes out in a little while. He'll be out in less than ten minutes."
"Why?" Liu Bin asked, puzzled. "What kind of illusion are you trying to create?"