Rebirth 78: Hunting for Treasure in the Mountains, Spoiling My Wife and Daughter to the Heavens

The paper mill is like turning stone into gold.

The problem was solved in an instant, and Director Yan's eyes widened in astonishment.

Logically speaking, with a beauty like Milan around, no man would pay attention to anyone else.

But women are fleeting; the real allure for a man is the moment he achieves success and fame.

"Secretary Dong, look, Old Lu is gone, isn't he...? Comrade Weiguo, take a look..."

Nervous, anxious, and a little shy.

The last time Director Yan felt this way was on the day he got married.

"Hey, no, don't look at me like that, I don't like men."

Lu Weiguo was startled by that naked gaze.

Secretary Dong laughed heartily, signaling Director Yan not to worry.

"Weiguo, could you give Xiao Yan some advice? The Industry Bureau is having a tough time these days. We've seen the problems that have arisen in your pilot projects."

These are not isolated problems; they are microcosms of the broader picture, revealing the state of our province's entire industrial system.

"A tail that's too big to wag" (meaning something becomes too big to handle).

Lu Weiguo was already prepared since he was sitting there; those empty, face-saving phrases would definitely not pass muster with him.

Without giving Director Yan any face, Lu Weiguo directly uttered those four words.

It's too big to fail!

Yes.

That's how it is.

Northeast China was once the largest heavy industrial base in the country.

Especially in Heilongjiang Province during the 1950s and 60s, there was oil and coal mining.

Heavy industry built up from various energy sources, plus support from the Russians.

The development of Heilongjiang Province, especially Harbin, is far superior to that of the bustling metropolis of Shanghai or the muddy, yellow city of Shenzhen.

The simplest comparison.

Right now, at this very moment, the state-run hotels and guesthouses in Harbin are fully automated with ordering and serving systems.

This is something that other places cannot match.

but.

It was in the early 1970s, at the moment when relations with the Russians broke down.

The development of heavy industry has encountered a bottleneck.

Previously, the machines relied heavily on Russian technology, and everyone was trying to establish a close-knit communist family.

But who would have thought that the breakup would happen so quickly.

Some key data and technologies were not mastered in time, which resulted in a large number of machines being rendered useless as soon as they stopped.

Of course, we also have our own industrial technology, but compared with those Russians, there is still a gap, at least for now.

"That's not how it works. Once upon a time..."

Director Yan's face turned bright red instantly, as if he had been smeared with red paint.

I wanted to explain, but I knew Lu Weiguo was right.

But if I don't explain, I'll lose face in front of Secretary Dong.

Who would have thought that these words, which even the directors of state-owned factories dared not say, would be uttered by a young man in his early twenties?

"The past glory is undeniable. To be honest, the development of the whole country was supported by these old factory directors."

We must not forget their contributions, but faced with rapid development, we cannot only dwell on the past; we must also embrace the future.

"Wei Guo is right!!"

At this moment, Secretary Dong slapped his thigh in exasperation.

"What face or not? It's just that we Northeasterners care about face, and we've missed so many opportunities because of it."

Wei Guo, you have no idea how anxious I am right now! You're right, things are changing rapidly outside, and if we don't keep up, we'll fall behind.

Falling behind at one step leads to falling behind at every step. We must seize every second and start aggressively. We are already behind, but I don't want to fall behind.

Industry is the root of Northeast China; these roots run very deep. We cannot function without industry, nor can we develop without it.

Secretary Dong was deeply moved today and, in his excitement, spoke his mind.

Seeing Secretary Dong's state, Director Yan felt deeply remorseful.

For most people, work is simply treated as work.

But Secretary Dong took all the pressure upon himself.

"Secretary Dong, I'm so ashamed of you, I've let down our Industry Bureau!"

No! You have wronged the people.

Secretary Dong said earnestly.

Milan had never seen such a passionate leader before, and were momentarily stunned.

They didn't even notice the tea overflowing from the cup.

On the contrary, only Lu Weiguo watched the two old men who were almost hugging each other.

I have many feelings about this.

Who says the development of Northeast China relies on shamanistic rituals or grandstanding!

That's because they didn't see the sacrifices and efforts of the older generation of Northeasterners.

The older generation of forestry workers, with their frail bodies, carried timber, which may have broken their own bodies, but they built up the entire country.

The older generation of industrial workers used hammers to smash steel, inhaling smoke and dust into their lungs and breaking bones, but they provided the foundation for the development of major southern cities.

The older generation of farmers toiled on the land with their sweat, using the simplest hoes and picks to dig out grain from the black soil that would feed the entire nation.

But what happened later...?

They truly had no regrets at that moment, and even in later generations, they had no complaints.

"Secretary Dong, Director Yan, I have a preliminary idea. Would you mind letting me hear it first?"

Lu Weiguo didn't get carried away, but instead, amidst their tears, he interjected.

"Oh dear, you've made a fool of yourselves today."

"Yes, he's getting emotional. If you have the chance, let's go to our Industrial Bureau's guesthouse and have a drink." Director Yan's tears soaked his clothes.

After a few cups of tea, the two finally calmed down.

With a glance from Secretary Dong.

Lu Weiguo explained his thoughts in detail.

"Regarding the problem of unwieldy businesses, we shouldn't cut them all off at once, but rather try a different approach, giving them a chance, for example..."

Start with environmental protection.

Lu Weiguo then reiterated the importance of environmental protection.

At the same time, he uttered the famous saying that everyone in later generations knows: "Green mountains and clear waters are gold and silver mountains, and so are ice and snow."

Moreover, he had learned about, and even participated in, the subsequent environmental remediation work of those large industrial sites.

It should be noted that environmental protection only began to receive widespread attention in the 1990s.

It is believed that the accumulated pollution of the land and environment over the years has resulted in an astronomical amount of money being spent.

Moreover, due to the unique geology of Northeast China, especially Heilongjiang Province, the polluted black soil is completely unusable.

The impact is irreversible for decades, or even centuries.

"You mean you want all factories to start prioritizing environmental protection?"

"It's not just about 'paying attention'! It's about making environmental protection our top priority. If the pollutants discharged or the wastewater doesn't meet environmental standards, we can't start construction!"

"ah?!!"

Everyone was stunned by these words.

this..

This. . . .

This idea was beyond everyone's comprehension.

No matter how important environmental protection is, it's not as important as production!

How could they... use environmental protection to control factories?