National Tide 1980.

According to the district chief, no matter what, the Japanese employees were also people from Beijing, and they were recruited by Cao Jian and his team on behalf of the Japanese.

On such a crucial matter of principle, surely they, as Chinese people, would not forget their ancestors and traditions and side with the Japanese?
However, to everyone's surprise, Cao Jian revealed a shocking truth with a bitter expression.

"Sir, you may not know this, but the Japanese side personally selected the financial personnel from over thirty people. Moreover, they not only signed many legal agreements to ensure that these financial personnel would be loyal to them, but also paid them very high salaries, completely different from ordinary staff..."

"A legal agreement? You can do that?"

"Yes, if anyone leaks secrets, the Japanese will investigate and they will go to jail."

"Just how high is the compensation?"

Cao Jian's expression grew increasingly awkward, his face contorted with a look of utter despair.

"One thousand yuan, five hundred of which are RMB and five hundred are foreign exchange certificates. Bonuses are not included."

This answer not only caused an uproar among the audience, but also stunned District Chief Zhang, who had been asking questions one after another.

Double insurance!

These Japanese are so shrewd!

And they're willing to give the finance staff so much money, not including bonuses!
It's obvious that people who do this job, even without the threat of imprisonment, would definitely consider the Japanese their closest relatives and completely disregard their own ancestors.

"If they're willing to offer such generous compensation to finance staff, what do the other employees think? Doesn't anyone have any objections?"

"No one dares to voice their opinions openly. The Japanese have meticulously standardized the work regulations at the amusement park in Beijing, making it nearly impossible for anyone to fully comply. Therefore, if someone is targeted, it's easy for the Japanese to find fault and deduct pay. Furthermore, other employees earn good incomes. While individual income varies depending on the position and job, generally speaking, even the garbage collectors at the amusement park earn more than half the average Beijing employee. The gap is even wider for others; sales clerks earn twice as much as Beijing employees, and skilled electricians and repairmen earn one and a half to two times more..."

Well, now the problem is clearer.

The Japanese are typical two-faced; they're deliberately showing favoritism and treating others differently.

On the one hand, they were stingy with the Chinese companies, greedily swallowing all the operating profits and withholding tens of millions of yuan.

On the other hand, they also provide generous benefits to their employees, using small favors to win people's hearts, showing a lenient side.

As a result, in the eyes of those Chinese employees, the Japanese were naturally all kind-hearted, generous, and good people.

If conflicts or even antagonism arise between China and Japan in business operations, it goes without saying that the Japanese will be the side that people support.

Out of self-interest, it's likely that none of the amusement park's employees will side with the district government; instead, they'll probably think the district government is just being nosy by causing trouble for the Japanese.

They're just looking for trouble, they can't stand seeing others doing well, and they're trying to ruin their wonderful lives and jobs.

It must be said that Japan's use of economic manipulation to "sow discord" and "hijack public opinion" is extremely insidious.

Even District Chief Zhou was furious about this. He slammed his fist on the table and angrily denounced, "These Japanese are too wicked! They're clearly trying to undermine our socialism. I'm sure they've harbored malicious intentions from the very beginning."

Then, unable to contain himself any longer, he pressed Cao Jian for accountability, "And you, Cao Jian, your company's responsibility is to handle labor relations and logistical support. I remember when the amusement park first opened, the employees' wages weren't this high. How come there's such a huge gap between them and the wage standards of employees in Beijing now! So the amusement park is losing money every year, but the employees' wages are increasing every year? Such an abnormal situation, didn't you even suspect anything? What are you doing? Have you been bribed by the Japanese? Do you think you've lived up to the district government's trust in you?"

Of course, Cao Jian could not bear such a thing.

He almost knelt down before Deputy District Chief Zhou, nearly crying.

“Boss, I admit that I was too young. I lacked relevant experience and failed to see through the true colors of the Japanese earlier. I was indeed secretly pleased with the high salary offered by the Japanese. But I assure you, my stance has never wavered, and I have absolutely never done anything against my principles.”

District Chief Zhang also felt that Deputy District Chief Zhou's words were too malicious.

It's premature to draw conclusions about something that hasn't been thoroughly investigated.

Moreover, Cao Jian was the son of his old classmate. Based on his understanding of the kid, Cao Jian probably had the guts to eat, drink, and accept cigarettes and alcohol.

However, it is unlikely that he was without principles, easily bribed by the Japanese, or would commit such a serious mistake.

Moreover, Cao Jian himself reported this matter.

He could also see that Cao Jian was genuinely worried about the district government and did not make any excuses for the Japanese or try to cover up his own mistakes, which should show that he still had principles.

Therefore, District Chief Zhang frowned and tapped the table with his finger to stop Deputy District Chief Zhou from questioning Cao Jian.

"Alright, now is not the time to assign blame. The most urgent thing is to discuss how to solve the practical problem. It seems unlikely that we can find direct evidence in our favor right now. It would be difficult even to get the Chinese employees of the amusement park to testify. They would certainly be unwilling to do so for the sake of their jobs. Let's all think about whether there are any other good solutions?"

After District Chief Zhang finished speaking, the meeting room fell into an even deeper silence than before.

The heated discussions that had just taken place seemed to have been strangled by an invisible hand.

Deputy District Chief Zhou's anger had not yet subsided, but he did not continue to criticize Cao Jian.

He just grunted heavily and leaned back in his chair.

However, the soft creaking sound was particularly jarring in the quiet room.

The young section chief of the tourism bureau finally loosened his grip on the fountain pen, which had been clenched so tightly it had turned white, and the nib left a small ink stain on the four characters "Japanese breach of contract" in the notebook.

He looked at the ink stain and his brows furrowed even more.

Originally, we thought that Deputy District Chief Zhou's suggestion to file a lawsuit was the right way out, but who would have thought that the Japanese had already laid a tight net in the financial system, and we couldn't even get our hands on the books, so how could we win the case?

A surge of passion welled up, only to be chilled to the bone by reality.

The female comrade from the Parks and Gardens Bureau in the corner lowered her head even further, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

As she listened to these intricate schemes, she felt a chill run down her spine.

She originally thought that the amusement park's problems were simply due to poor management, but she never expected that there were so many shady practices behind it.

I only regret that I don't understand business or law, and in this room full of anxiety, I can't even say a useful word.

At this moment, Deputy District Head Xu, who was in charge of commerce, finally raised his head and spoke.

His brows were still furrowed, and his voice was unusually hoarse.

"I'm not trying to be pessimistic, but it seems that it's very difficult to collect financial evidence from the Japanese side, and we can't rely on the employees either. In other words, going through legal channels is unlikely to yield results. So, given this lack of evidence, is it even worthwhile for us to take the Japanese side to court?"

He paused, then looked at Secretary Zhao and District Chief Zhang, "I'm not deliberately going against everyone's wishes. Nor am I trying to collude with the Japanese. My main concern is that if we completely break ties with the Japanese and fail to obtain legal support, and the Japanese believe they have our Achilles' heel, won't we face an even more passive situation? So..."

These words were like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, immediately stirring up a chorus of sighs of agreement.

"That's right, they figured out we didn't have the skills or experience to handle this mess."

“This amusement park is the face of our district. If it really shuts down, none of us can bear the responsibility if the city holds us accountable.”

"We can't agree to that! If we do, it'll be a bottomless pit, and we'll be extorted countless times in the future!"

Discussions arose, but the confidence from before had vanished, replaced by a sense of helpless frustration.

Everyone understood what Deputy District Chief Xu meant: all counterattacks must be based on equal strength. If you don't have the strength to fight back, it will be a foolish act of throwing an egg against a rock, and you will only lose more miserably.

Cao Jian stood there, his face flushing red and then turning pale, sweat streaming down his forehead.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

He was the Chinese manager, but he was completely sidelined by the Japanese and had no room to fight back.

At that moment, I felt a tightness in my chest, as if a heavy stone was pressing down on me.

Secretary Zhao remained silent, his fingers tapping rapidly on the table.

The anger in his eyes gradually subsided, turning into a suppressed solemnity.

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, his voice as deep as ice, "Stop arguing."

The conference room fell silent instantly.

"It seems that this matter cannot be resolved through a purely confrontational approach. We still need to consider resolving the issue through negotiations with Japan."

Secretary Zhao said, enunciating each word clearly, "However, they won't have it so easy to extort us or take advantage of us for nothing." He looked at District Chief Zhang, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes. "No matter what, this is our territory. Old Zhang, aren't they playing the rogue, trying to be a tightwad? Well, we'll find another way. We'll give them a good scalding, a good pluck. I'll make sure they get a feather duster out of this tightwad..."

District Chief Zhang was taken aback, then his eyes lit up slightly, as if he had grasped some clue.

He leaned forward slightly and pondered for a moment. "You mean, find their weaknesses administratively?"

“Yes,” Secretary Zhao said without any hesitation, “The land for the amusement park is ours, the water and electricity are ours, and fire protection, sanitation, and security—none of these can function without our district’s management. It’s easy for those Japanese to find fault with the employees, but is it not easy for us, as a local government, to find fault with them? Let our people go, fine them, and even without profit, we can still make money…”

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was stunned, and then many people's eyes lit up.

"But……"

District Chief Zhang, however, had some concerns. "What if the Japanese are unhappy and really back out? We don't have anyone who can handle that. Who knows how to run an amusement park like this? If it really escalates to the point of affecting the normal operation of the amusement park, the people will also have complaints. At that time, we won't be able to explain it to the city."

"Therefore, we need to be careful about how we handle this. We need to make them feel the pain, but we can't really cause serious injury."

Secretary Zhao explained, "The Japanese aren't fools. They're here to make money. Aren't they still supplying their Japanese headquarters? How could they easily give up a profitable business? To put it bluntly, as long as they make more than the fines, they won't close down."

Secretary Zhao's words were like a key, instantly unlocking the knot in everyone's hearts.

The frustration and confusion that had just filled the meeting room had dissipated somewhat.

District Chief Zhang sat bolt upright in his chair, slammed his hand on the table, and his voice was louder than before. "Secretary Zhang is right! The Japanese are here to make money, not to spite us! As long as they can still profit, they will never truly give up. We can exploit their operational loopholes to impose fines, which will make them feel the pain without directly confronting them or breaking off relations, and we can also vent our anger. I think we can try this method!"

His words immediately drew a chorus of agreement.

Since the top two leaders both agreed, the crowd, who had been frowning just moments before, all showed expressions of relief.

"That's right! Administrative supervision is rightfully within our jurisdiction, so we have a legitimate reason to intervene! They have all sorts of excuses to find fault with us, and they dare to pin any accusation on us. So how could we not find problems when we inspect their fire safety and sanitation?"

"Punish them! Punish them all first! Since they won't give it to us, we'll just take it ourselves. At least we can make a scene and vent our anger!"

Those present seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, their anger turning into excitement.

Deputy District Chief Xu, who was in charge of commerce, also relaxed, his previous worries dissipating considerably.

The cigarette between his fingers had burned down to the butt, which he casually stubbed out in the ashtray. He then spoke in agreement, “The secretary’s instructions are excellent. This sense of proportion is indeed very important! It’s enough to keep them from pushing us too far while also preventing them from demanding exorbitant prices. If the Japanese want to make money, we’ll use the rules to limit their profits and let them know that on our turf, if they want to take advantage, they have to abide by our rules.”

Cao Jian stood there, the sweat on his forehead still wet, but the redness and pallor on his face had finally faded, replaced by a sense of relief.

He stepped forward, his voice tinged with excitement, "Leaders, if we follow this approach, I can cooperate! There are many operational details in the amusement park, such as maintenance records for special equipment and hygiene qualifications for food stalls. The Japanese usually take advantage of our lack of involvement in management and are somewhat perfunctory. I can arrange for someone to secretly compile a list to provide clues for our inspectors, guaranteeing that every investigation will be accurate!"

District Chief Zhang looked at Cao Jian, nodded slightly, and his tone softened considerably. "It's good that you thought of that. You need to pay more attention to their operations later on, and figure out their business details so that our supervision can be precise and effective, and we won't fight an unprepared battle."

However, although the atmosphere at the scene improved a lot, everyone knew their own situation. Although Secretary Zhao was the one who set the tone and gave the advice, he also knew that this was just a helpless measure that only addressed the symptoms and not the root cause.

The fangs weren't really scary when they were exposed; even he himself was a little discouraged.

Because he knew that this could only make the Japanese uncomfortable, but it would never make them submit.

Not only will it fail to solve the key problem, it may also make the Japanese laugh at the district government for being desperate and petty.

Therefore, his personal emotions were at their lowest at this time.

He had no interest in listening to his subordinates' praises and self-praise. Instead, he solemnly instructed them, "Remember, our goal is not to impose fines, but to force the Japanese back to the negotiating table, abandon their unreasonable demands, and properly resolve the loss issue. During the inspection, be firm in your attitude, but leave room for maneuver in your words. Let them know that as long as they are willing to talk properly, our supervision can be more 'flexible'."

Everyone seemed to understand his complicated feelings, and the previously heated discussion at the scene immediately subsided.

The excitement that had just arisen vanished as quickly as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it.

The previous agreement and cheers came to an abrupt halt, leaving only a few awkward coughs. The previously relaxed atmosphere tightened again, but this time, it was not anger and anxiety, but a knowing embarrassment.

Nobody was stupid. The heaviness in Secretary Zhao's words was unmistakable; behind that "more flexibility" lay a helpless compromise. The relief on everyone's faces froze, and the light in their eyes dimmed again—yes, relying on fines to exert pressure was ultimately a shortcut, treating the symptoms but not the root cause.

If the Japanese are truly determined to resist, this tactic may not work, and the district government will have to return to square one, or even be in a more passive position.

The so-called "venting anger" is actually more like a disguised form of self-comfort, better than nothing.

Deputy District Chief Zhou opened his mouth, intending to say a few more encouraging words, but seeing Secretary Zhao's gloomy face, he swallowed his words back, only sighed heavily, and leaned back in his chair, his previous energy gone.

The young section chief of the tourism bureau also slumped down, his hand holding the pen lost its strength, the pen tip hovering over the notebook, not writing a single word for a long time.

Even Cao Jian, who was most eager to prove himself, suppressed his previous excitement, lowered his head, and looked blankly into his eyes—he knew he could cooperate in investigating the loopholes, but he also knew that this would not solve the fundamental problem.

The entire conference room fell into an awkward silence, a silence that was outwardly strong but inwardly weak. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to look at Secretary Zhao's face.

Everyone could see the leader's lack of confidence and instantly realized the reality—this seemingly feasible method was nothing more than a weak resistance, a bluffing counterattack, and could not fundamentally get them out of the current predicament.

Just as this low mood was about to overwhelm him, Qiao Wanlin, the service bureau representative who had been sitting in the last row and hadn't said much, suddenly raised his hand.

His movements weren't large, but they stood out in the deathly silent conference room.

"Secretary Zhao, District Chief Zhang, and other leaders, I have a preliminary idea that I would like to share with you."

Qiao Wanlin's voice was not loud, but very steady, breaking the suffocating silence.

All eyes turned to him. Secretary Zhao looked up, his eyes showing a hint of weariness, clearly not recognizing him. "You are... from which department?"

Deputy District Head Xu quickly introduced, "This is Qiao Wanlin from the Service Bureau. He is a deputy division chief."

Service center?

It doesn't seem to have much to do with this matter.

Secretary Zhao found it a bit strange that Qiao Wanlin would become the one to stick his neck out when it was none of his business.

After all, speaking out means taking corresponding responsibility, while remaining silent at least avoids wrongdoing—this is an unspoken rule in officialdom.

However, he understood the principle of listening to all sides, so he nodded, indicating that Qiao Wanlin could speak.

So Qiao Wanlin stood up, his back ramrod straight, and said firmly, "I think the administrative pressure the secretary mentioned earlier is necessary; it can serve as a warning to the Japanese. But as the secretary worried, this ultimately won't solve the fundamental problem. The reason the Japanese dare to be so arrogant is, frankly, because they think we can't function without them, and they hold the reins of operations to control us. What if we turn the tables and stop relying on them?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was even more stunned.

District Chief Zhang frowned. "Xiao Qiao, what do you mean by that? We have no technology or experience; how can the amusement park operate without relying on them?"

"What I mean is, we can find a replacement. Even if the Japanese have backed out, it doesn't necessarily mean we have to take care of it. We can just find another partner, right?"

Qiao Wanlin spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, but like a thunderclap that exploded in the conference room: "Without Zhang the butcher, does that mean we have to eat pigs with hair on? Since the Japanese are asking for exorbitant prices and acting like scoundrels, let's not waste time with them. Let's find investors who can replace them and kick them out! There are plenty of foreign investors in the world; we don't necessarily have to use Japanese people."

"Find a replacement?" Deputy District Chief Xu sat bolt upright, his face full of astonishment. "Xiao Qiao, you're making it sound so easy. How easy is it? Amusement park projects require huge investments and high technical skills; it's not something you can just find any investor to take on. We partnered with the Japanese before precisely because they are professionals in this field, weren't we?"

“You’re right, I admit all of that.”

Despite the skeptical gazes of the room, Qiao Wanlin remained calm and composed. "But haven't the Japanese already pushed us to this point? I believe that if we can find a replacement, even just to make the Japanese aware of this possibility, we won't be in such a passive position. Besides, the person I'm recommending is not only financially strong with ample funds, but he's also always been keen on cross-industry ventures, even without relevant resources or experience. He's also willing to invest and has successfully built successful businesses. To date, he hasn't failed at any of his ventures. If we can facilitate a partnership with him to take over the Japanese shares, I believe we can not only solve the current funding gap but also regain complete control of operations, potentially resolving the problem at its root! Most importantly, he's trustworthy, and he has experience doing business in Japan and understands the Japanese well. Even if we take a step back, I think discussing this with him will only benefit us, not harm us."

Everyone present was astonished!

The previously lifeless conference room was instantly invigorated, as if injected with a powerful stimulant.

Everyone forgot their previous embarrassment and dejection, their eyes regained their light, and they all stared at Qiao Wanlin with disbelief on their faces.

Cao Jian suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something but couldn't, and could only stare blankly at Qiao Wanlin.

Deputy District Chief Xu stood up abruptly and asked excitedly, "Xiao Qiao, are you serious? Who is this person you're recommending? Is he really that reliable?"

Secretary Zhao's previously gloomy expression instantly changed, his fatigue vanished, and his eyes were filled with urgency and scrutiny as he stared intently at Qiao Wanlin. "Comrade Qiao, you can't be joking about what you're saying!"

In an instant, all eyes were on Qiao Wanlin, filled with doubt, eagerness, and even unbelievable anticipation. The awkward atmosphere of outward strength but inner weakness from before completely dissipated, replaced by a sense of exhilaration and anxiety, like suddenly seeing a glimmer of hope when one is on the verge of despair.

It was under these circumstances that Qiao Wanlin smiled and spoke, “Distinguished leaders, the person I recommend is Ning Weimin, the overseas manager of Pierre Cardin. He was the founder of Tangong Restaurant and successfully expanded it overseas. Now, he is also one of the important investors in our district, and is cooperating with Longtan Lake Park on a major Dragon Palace Aquarium project…” (End of Chapter)