Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 1355 Go Ask

Xiao Wei said, "Let's spend the New Year here. We can't just leave my aunt and uncle here and ignore them, can we? If everyone comes over, it will save us a lot of trouble. Just thinking about all those meetings and discussions at the end of the year gives me a headache."

Xiaowei's mother thought for a moment and said, "Okay, then let's stay here. We need to make preparations early. We need to make proper arrangements for everyone in this courtyard so that they can all go back and have a good New Year with their families."

You and Xiaohui should go where you need to go, and get what you need to get. Now that you've gone this far, you can't be afraid of trouble; don't let anyone find fault. Good things don't last forever; most grudges start overnight. It's not worth offending people over these things.

Chen Xiao said, "It's nothing complicated. The district will send their subordinates, and they're qualified. The city will pick the important ones, and you two just need to take care of things at the provincial level."

Xiao Wei said, "It's not as easy as you make it out to be. There's bound to be a lot of trouble in Kyoto this year."

Xiaowei's mother said, "Others might want to get involved but don't even have the chance. It doesn't affect you at all. Just go if you want to. Be able to talk a few words, but don't show off. That's what we Chinese value, isn't it? It's about appearances."

Xiao Hong teased the child for a while, then said to Xiao Wei, "And there's Hainan too, I guess you two won't be able to escape there either. I reckon you two will spend a lot on airfare this year, ask the government if they'll reimburse you."

Xiaowei's mother laughed and slapped Xiaohong on the back: "Nonsense, you're so unserious." She then picked up the child.

Xiao Hong looked out the window: "Can I go out for a stroll? It's just in the yard. Even in prison, you get some fresh air."

Xiaowei's mother asked Xiaowei, "Is it windy outside?"

Xiao Wei glanced out the window: "It's not very windy, there are big trees blocking the wind from all sides."

Xiaowei's mother said to Xiaohong, "Then you should cover yourself up properly and wear a hat."

Xiao Hong jumped up and down excitedly. Xiao Wei's mother scolded with a twitching face, "Can't you be a little more steady? You're like a madwoman. You're a mother now."

After getting dressed and putting on a hat, Xiao Hong eagerly pulled Chen Xiao out of the house. Xiao Wei opened all the windows to ventilate the room. Xiao Wei's mother wrapped the child in a small blanket, got up to tidy up the things on the kang (a heated brick bed), and put away the things that needed washing.

"Go wash your abstinence."

Xiao Wei carried a basin out to the back water room to wash the ring, and then came back to hang it on the clothesline that had been temporarily set up in the corner of the yard.

Chen Xiaohui ran over waving a small stick: "Raising the flag! Flags of all nations!"

"Mom, why are you wearing a hat? Are you cold?"

"Auntie isn't cold, you're so silly, she, she's in her postpartum period," Wang Yan explained to Beibei.

The courtyard became lively.

……

"Uncle." Guo Quangui saw that no one was in the director's office, turned around and walked in, closing the door behind him.

The director looked up and glanced over his reading glasses: "This is the workplace, not home."

Guo Quangui chuckled and said, "Director, I have something to report."

The director, pen in hand, glanced at the document and said, "Go ahead."

Guo Quangui placed the documents in his hand on the table and explained the situation from his perspective: "That's how it is. Nongshim Group is quite sincere, and the conditions they've offered are not low."

Of course, the company belongs to them personally, and they are free to decide whether to sell it or not. But isn't it a bit much to humiliate foreign guests like that? Do they really think their little, run-down company is a treasure?

This incident has seriously affected the perception of South Korean investors, and it's hard to say whether it will impact further investment plans—that's tens of millions of dollars. Besides, secrets don't stay hidden forever; what will other foreign guests think?

The director glanced at Guo Quangui, raising an eyebrow: "What's your opinion?"

Guo Quangui said, "This matter has risen to the level of the overall national investment promotion strategy. My opinion is to make an example of one small company to deter others. We cannot let the overall investment promotion strategy be affected by the actions of one small company."

"It's just a company in Fengtian, it doesn't have much influence. Let Liaodong make a move and put some pressure on them. It's not like they won't pay us. Selling it to them won't be a loss for them."

The director put down his pen and looked at Guo Quangui: "Is this your idea? The company in Liaodong and Nongshim Investment are not even in Beijing. Why are you so enthusiastic about it? How do you know they are just small companies?"

"Quan Gui, you're an employee of the Beijing Foreign Affairs Office, not the State Foreign Affairs Office or the Investment Promotion Office. Can't you be more aware of your place? Alright, that's enough for this matter. Do as Director Gao says. You can go back now."

Guo Quangui was a little anxious: "Uncle, although on the surface it has nothing to do with our Foreign Affairs Office, now this matter has fallen into our hands. This time, Xiaotian and I went to coordinate."

"You're saying that if this really affects attracting investment, wouldn't that be putting a label on Xiaotian and me?"

The director stared at Guo Quangui for over ten seconds: "Quangui, tell the truth, did you take bribes from them?"

Guo Quangui blushed: "No, it's just that I'm the one carrying this burden now."

The director said, "This company has a British background. Do you think you can just do whatever you want with it? They've invested nearly a billion yuan in Beijing and Tianjin last year and this year alone. How much have the Koreans invested? Think things through and do your research before making a decision."

That's settled then. My response to the Korean side was my decision: if they want to acquire it, they should negotiate with the British side themselves. Go and handle it; return whatever you've taken immediately. In the future, think things through more often.

Guo Quangui left the director's office absentmindedly and returned to his own office. Tian Yuan leaned over and asked, "Brother, what did you say?"

Guo Quangui looked at Tian Yuan and said, "No, I'll find a higher place." He got up and went to the director's office.

"Not busy up there, right?"

"Come in, what's up?"

"Regarding the Nongshim Group matter, I just spoke with the director. I have a feeling that giving a direct reply to the Korean side isn't a good idea. Doesn't this go against our working principles?"

"Hey, how about this? We can bring the British and South Korean sides together here to talk. If the deal goes through, everyone's happy, right? The South Koreans offered pretty good terms."

Director Gao was taken aback for a moment, then looked up at Guo Quangui: "You took money? How much?"

Guo Quangui's face twitched: "No, I just want to do my job well."

Director Gao said, "Guo Quangui, if you weren't the director's nephew, I wouldn't even bother with you. How much did you take? Return it immediately; you can't afford to get involved in this."

Guo Quangui, sticking his neck out, said, "Director, wouldn't this be good for our work if it works out?"

Director Gao slammed the documents in his hand on the table: "Guo Quangui, are you out of your mind? Do you think your uncle is the number one official in the country? I really don't want to deal with you. I told you, but you're getting involved and you're still insisting."

Do you even know what their background is? Putting aside their background, what gave you and the Koreans the courage to offer five million US dollars to acquire them? Their assets are forty or fifty times that of the Koreans. Can the Koreans afford it?

Or can you, Guo Quangui, afford to buy it? They've already invested nearly a billion yuan in Beijing alone—how many US dollars is that? Can you even do the math? Are you trying to force them to withdraw their investment? Can you even stop them?

The General Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Electric Power, the Organization Department, the Beijing-Fengtian Military Region, the Beijing Municipal Committee, the HAN Provincial Committee, the Liaodong Provincial Committee, the Jibei Provincial Committee, and the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee—ask your uncle which one he can handle. Go ask him.

People are too lazy to even bother with you, yet you keep going. If you really don't want to work here anymore, just quit. Don't drag me and the director into this."

Director Gao slammed a piece of paper on the table: "Open your eyes and look carefully. Get out of here."

Guo Quangui slunk out of the section chief's office, stood in the corridor, glanced at the letter, and turned pale. He was terrified.

(End of this chapter)