That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1394 You want to be my equal?

November 20th, Friday, the 26th day of the tenth lunar month.

Suitable for: betrothal, marriage, offering sacrifices, praying for offspring, traveling, opening a business, signing contracts, hanging plaques, moving into a new house, relocating, installing a door, meeting relatives and friends, and laying foundations. It is an auspicious day for starting a business.

Li Ye arrived at the group's headquarters building at 7:30 a.m. because a notice had been issued yesterday that everyone should arrive early today to prepare for receiving guests from all directions.

At 7:30 in the northern winter, the sky was just beginning to lighten, but Li Ye was surprised by the patch of red that came into view from a distance.

Red flags, red lanterns, a red archway, red banners. If there were a red carpet, it would rival a film festival decades from now.

Li Ye couldn't help but chuckle.

He remembered the last time he experienced such a scene was probably during his first two years at the light vehicle company. Even though the company was short of funds, they would still try their best to make arrangements when receiving visiting guests, regardless of whether it was tacky or not, as long as it made people feel that it was very grand.

However, in the past few years, the light automobile company has seen a significant improvement in its economic performance thanks to Li Ye's sales network, but this superficial formalism has quietly diminished.

Even when the higher-ups took Shang Bin and others on a visit a few days ago, the main factory only made simple arrangements to make people feel comfortable.

From Li Ye's perspective, the light vehicle company still has stubborn old habits, but in recent years, due to the subtle influence of the No. 1 factory, it has actually been influenced by the atmosphere of "simplicity and pragmatism". It can be said that one is influenced by one's surroundings.

However, when Li Ye arrived downstairs and saw Office Director Jia Zhongyue leading Shang Bin and several senior executives to check every detail one by one, looking extremely cautious as if facing a formidable enemy, he remembered a few words Lu Zhizhang had said.

"It's only because our branch factory has the necessary expertise that we've been criticized so harshly by the higher-ups. They've been treating us like dirt."

Come to think of it, if you don't have real skills, you'll just end up engaging in a lot of formalism, right?

Just like in the movies decades later, they spend tens of millions on an annual meeting, everything looks great, and then they turn around and lay off 20% of their staff to reduce burdens and increase efficiency.

The province should save what it should spend, there's no conflict, and there's nothing wrong with that.

However, although the people from the light vehicle company abandoned this way of treating guests, they were still helping out on site. They were just subtly divided into several small circles, the smallest of which was led by Zhou Ziqing and Xiao Zhu, and consisted of only a dozen or so people from the first branch factory.

When Li Ye arrived, Zhou Ziqing and Xiao Zhu were looking up at the building.

The upstairs was covered with banners welcoming XX and congratulating the opening, one after another, almost too many to hang.

Li Ye laughed and said, "What are you two looking at so seriously? Do you think one of them is crooked? If it is, don't say anything! Otherwise, I'll have you two hang it up yourselves. It's annoying to just nitpick without lifting a finger."

Xiao Zhu pursed his lips and whispered to Li Ye, "No, Factory Director, we were just watching them show off."

Li Ye was taken aback, then asked with a smile, "What are you showing off? Showing off how many red silks you have at home?"

Xiao Zhu shook her head and said, "They're just showing off how many powerful family members they have."

"Ok?"

Li Ye then raised his head and carefully examined the colorful banners, looking at the signatories on them.

Well! Southwest Heavy Truck has a lot of affiliated companies, and each of them is a "very influential" government agency or organization. Compared to them, Light Truck Company reminds Li Ye of a scene from decades later.

A groom went to the bride's house to pick her up, only to find the village entrance covered with banners that read: "The bride has twelve brothers. If you cannot be happy after marriage, I will twist your dog's head off even if you are thousands of miles away."

Well, if married life isn't going well, I'll wring your dog's head off.

Whose head does he want to twist?

Li Ye's?
Sigh~
Try it!

At 9:30 a.m., the guests who came to watch the ceremony arrived one after another as if they had made an appointment, almost keeping the staff on site very busy.

And indeed, most of these guests were acquainted with Shang Bin. Although they also greeted Ma Zhaoxian politely, it was obvious to anyone with discerning eyes that the difference was obvious.
When the important visiting leaders arrived at 10 o'clock, only Minister Xue and Ma Zhaoxian were relatively enthusiastic, while Shang Bin often received praise such as "Little Shang is not bad". The difference between the two sides in terms of connections and leaders' appreciation became even more obvious.

However, both Ma Zhaoxian and Li Ye remained calm and composed in the face of this situation.

They already knew that Southwest Heavy Truck's parent company was powerful, and Li Ye's statement, "If we split up, the 28-story building will be mine," made Ma Zhaoxian understand Li Ye's attitude.

What good are your connections if you can't break up? At worst, you can just part ways.

If someone has enough financial support and is ready to break up at any time, what's the point of having a lot of people?

However, when most of the guests had arrived, the arrival of the two individuals boosted the prestige of the light vehicle company.

Pei Wencong arrived first.

Pei Wencong is now hailed by many mainlanders as the "Number One Hong Kong Businessman," a title that is even more renowned than that of Li Ka-shing.

After all, he is not only wealthy, but also has many investments in mainland China. He has also been to the highest viewing platform on National Day many times and has entered the Great Hall of the People on numerous occasions, indicating that he has extremely close ties with the mainland.

In this era where everyone wants to earn foreign exchange, the status of this god of wealth is self-evident.

Moreover, Pei Wencong came today with a generous gift—three Mercedes-Benz W14 sedans, and not just the V8 500s, but the V12 600s.

The arrival of these three new cars, which had not yet been registered, immediately attracted everyone's attention.

After all, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan was the first Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan to enter China in a truly large-scale manner, and also the first D-Class luxury sedan to enter China in a truly large-scale manner.

In an era when Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and Hongqi were not common, the Mercedes-Benz W14 was the most luxurious car on Chinese roads.

Moreover, the Mercedes-Benz W14 was just launched globally last year and boasts the most fashionable design in the world. In the still underdeveloped mainland China, its eye-catching factor is off the charts.

"It's just a small token, nothing more, hehehe~"

Pei Wencong first shook hands with Ma Zhaoxian, and then with Shang Bin: "Today is the opening of Jingnan Group. I can't be of much help, so I'm just bringing a small gift to express my good wishes."

"Oh~"

Those around gasped upon hearing this. Three luxury cars were considered "small gifts"? Were we here to freeload? This is outrageously extravagant!

But what Pei Wencong said next surprised everyone even more.

"One of these three cars is for Mr. Ma, one is for Mr. Shang, and the other is for my good friend Mr. Li."

Almost everyone looked at Li Ye.

It's one thing to give it to Ma Zhaoxian and Shang Bin, since they are the top two in Jingnan Automobile Group, but what's the meaning of giving it to Li Ye? Does that mean he's the third?
But Li Ye is only a division-level official, and there is a "temporary" position before the deputy general manager. Logically speaking, he should be lower in rank than Cong Jinhong and Weng Keming. Is it appropriate for him to enjoy the same treatment as Ma Zhaoxian and Shang Bin?

In mainland government agencies and enterprises, there are all sorts of unwritten rules, so if this matter is not handled properly, it could bring Li Ye a lot of hatred. If he were sensible, he should hand over the car to his unit for unified arrangement.

However, Li Ye slightly moved his chin, allowing his personal driver to take the keys to one of the Mercedes-Benz W14s.

Shang Bin's eyes immediately sharpened.

[Damn it, you really want to be on equal footing with me?]

(End of this chapter)