Sail across the sea

Chapter 369 is basically just being cute.

In Ruizhang, the provincial capital, in the newly built office building of the provincial fertilizer industry company, General Manager Gao Yiping, as fresh and new as the company itself, was lecturing his son Gao Fan in his office.

"Xiao Fan, you're being too ridiculous. Do you know how many old friends have called me these past few days wanting to cut ties with me?" Gao Yiping scolded, his voice clearly carrying a resentful air of despair.

Yesterday, the fertilizer company just completed a cooperation agreement with Lingchuan City and Xifeng Fertilizer Plant. This is the last fertilizer plant selected by the Chemical Industry Department for the ammonium-to-urine conversion project.

The Chemical Industry Bureau had originally estimated that it would take at least six months to persuade the four designated fertilizer plants to agree to carry out the ammonium-to-urine conversion project, and that would require the Bureau to make several concessions. However, after assigning the task to the Fertilizer Industry Company, the four fertilizer plants, which had initially vowed to resist to the end, all surrendered within just two months, agreeing to much better terms than the Bureau had anticipated.

Xu Ying expressed great satisfaction with the result and hinted to Gao Yiping that the Party Committee of the Chemical Industry Department was considering promoting Gao Yiping's position, but some procedures still needed to be followed.

Gao Yiping hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. However, along with his joy came a small trouble: the directors of the city and county fertilizer plants who were originally at his level were calling him to protest.

Some of these people directly launched into a tirade over the phone, accusing Gao Yiping of abandoning his old friends after his promotion. They said the Gao Yiping of the past was someone who would go to great lengths for his friends, but now he's stabbing them in the back. In ancient times, he'd be a Chen Shimei, Qin Hui, or Guizi Liu (a notorious corrupt official).

Others, on the contrary, praised Gao Yiping's abilities and methods, but their words had a sarcastic tone and were clearly not complimentary.

Gao Yiping knew the reason for all this: his beloved son Gao Fan had set a trap, ensnaring several fertilizer plants and the local officials in their respective areas.

Gao Fan's scheme, to put it bluntly, was not complicated; it simply exploited human weaknesses.

His first step was to sell a batch of urea to these counties, sparking interest in urea among local farmers and officials. Some farmers, having tasted the benefits of using urea, became staunch urea advocates. Those who didn't manage to buy urea, seeing other farmers' crops growing well, naturally became envious.

Subsequently, Gao Fan began to create momentum, publicizing the province's plan to implement ammonium sulfate-to-urine conversion in these counties. In addition to advertising through newspapers, Gao Fan also bribed some informants in the local area to spread the word privately, thereby creating an atmosphere of widespread knowledge.

Next, newspapers naturally interacted with the public, guiding locals to speculate on the government's motives for refusing to convert ammonium urea to uranium. Conspiracy theories always have an audience. When Gao Fan first dumped urea, he specifically requested that county government officials be taken into consideration, thus implicating them.

Government officials are undoubtedly the most adept at conspiracies; they can stir up trouble even where there's none, especially when such matters are endorsed by newspapers. Hearing that a private individual reselling urea made a fortune, these hardworking officials, while envious, naturally wanted to "analyze" the background behind it all.

At this point, it would be difficult for the county to avoid chaos.

In this county, 80% of the population are farmers, and the rest are all related to farmers in some way. The supply of urea is a major issue concerning farmers' income. Taking away someone's money is like killing their parents. If people hear that someone is preventing everyone from using urea for their own selfish reasons, how can they not be furious?
As a result, some people complained, which escalated into instigation and rioting. Others hid in the shadows and wrote anonymous letters, and some even had direct conflicts that resulted in injuries.

Fortunately, Gao Yiping had learned that the incident in Jingqiao County hadn't caused too much damage. Luo Jiazhen, the director of the Jingqiao Fertilizer Plant, had only lost a shoe and wasn't injured. Several fertilizer plant directors called Gao Yiping about the incident, their indignant tone barely concealing their regret at missing the spectacle. All of this was orchestrated by Gao Fan, who also played several key roles. Even the so-called interview with Gao Yiping published in the newspaper was completely fabricated; Gao Fan had secretly prepared it in a dark room and given it directly to Sun Shanshan to publish.

The factory managers were unaware of the behind-the-scenes manipulation; they blamed the fertilizer company, or more precisely, Gao Yiping.

We agreed to work hard together, but you quietly became some kind of general manager.

You got promoted, and not only did you not treat everyone to drinks, but you also schemed against a few old friends. How could this not arouse public anger?
Gao Yiping took the blame for his son, so naturally he wanted to confront him after seeing him.

Well, ever since his son became successful, Gao Yiping has become increasingly insecure in front of him. He thought he would give the kid a good scolding, but all he could say were complaints.

"Dad, do you really think these people will cut ties with you?" Gao Fan asked Gao Yiping, sitting comfortably on the sofa, happily munching on an apple.

Gao Yiping said, "Of course not. Now that the fertilizer industry company has been established, I heard that the fertilizer department of the Chemical Industry Bureau will be abolished next, and the province's fertilizer work will be transferred to the fertilizer company. These factory directors are all very shrewd, why would they fall out with the fertilizer company?"

"Isn't that enough?" Gao Fan said. "When they call you, they're just being cute and trying to get close to you so they can get things done in the future."

Gao Yiping understood the term "acting cute." His son and daughter were both good at it, and he was used to it.

When his colleagues called him, they were grumbling and cursing, but they all ended up saying the same thing: they were angry and wouldn't be appeased unless Gao Yiping treated them to drinks. And the drinks couldn't be too cheap; even if they didn't have Moutai or Wuliangye, at least it had to be the best, right?

With things said to this extent, how could Gao Yiping not understand?
What does saving the county 200 million yuan have to do with the fertilizer plant director? The county takes the profits, but the director has to take the blame. Who would be happy with that?
Gao Yiping's conspiracy thwarted the factory directors' plans, leaving the county leaders unable to find fault with them. Everyone was too grateful to Gao Yiping.

As his son once said, there are no eternal friends in the world, only eternal interests, and Gao Yiping is now increasingly finding this statement to be true.

"Dad, signing contracts with four factories is just the first step in a long journey for the fertilizer company. We need to hurry up with the rest. Time waits for no one."

After Gao Fan finished eating the apple, he threw the core into the wastepaper basket, took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, and said to his father in an old-fashioned manner.

(End of this chapter)