Break out of the courtyard

Liu Yuan had imagined hundreds of scenarios of meeting Zhang Heping again, but she had never imagined this situation...

"Heping just went out. If Aunt Wang doesn't have anything urgent, I can tell him for you." Tang Xin stood at the door of the Capital Hotel. Although she was talking to Wang Sumei, her eyes kept looking in the direction where Ma Xiuzhen was cursing.

Wang Sumei was passing by there just now and saw the Zhang family quarreling on the side of the road, but she did not go over to mediate the fight to avoid embarrassing them.

After all, there were so many people trying to stop the fight, so it didn't matter if she joined in.

Liu Yuan was feeling very complicated at this moment. As soon as she approached the entrance of the hotel, she recognized Tang Xin!

Combined with the conversation between Director Wang and Tang Xin, as well as the children nearby, although Liu Yuan was extremely unconvinced, there was a faint voice in her heart telling her that this was Zhang Heping's wife!

It’s strange to say, but when Liu Yuan saw Tang Xin greeting Zhang Heping for the first time, she felt uncomfortable and had a vague resistance to Tang Xin.

Now that she thought about it, her intuition was correct!

However, when Zhang Heping brought another woman over, Liu Yuan had a doubt in her mind. Could the woman holding Zhang Heping's left arm be his wife?

When Zhang Heping approached and greeted Director Wang, he looked at Liu Yuan and hesitated for a moment before asking tentatively, "Are you, Liu Yuan?"

The girl in front of him looked like a haggard, yellow-faced woman in her 40s, very different from the chubby girl with fair skin in his memory. She looked even older than his first wife, Tang Xin.

If Zhang Heping didn't have a good foundation in painting, and didn't associate the other person with Liu Yuan through her eyebrows, eyes, ears and nose, he would not have recognized her.

When asked this by Zhang Heping, Liu Yuan felt mixed emotions.

Zhang Heping at this time looked to be in his twenties, almost the same as when they first separated, but seemed a little more mature.

Seeing that Liu Yuan did not answer, Zhang Heping could not help but look at Director Wang. After the other party nodded in confirmation, he invited the two of them in with some complicated words.

"Honey, do you want to go check on my parents?" Tang Xin looked to the right worriedly at the scolding that was still going on.

"Don't worry about my dad, he just deserves to be punished!" Zhang Heping walked into the restaurant indifferently, not paying attention to the surprise and astonishment on Liu Yuan's face.

Chen Shuting, who had just let go of Zhang Heping's left arm, was still greeting the children who were running around outside the door. She did not regard Liu Yuan as a threat at all. The main reason was that she also felt that Liu Yuan was too old and her husband would definitely look down on her.

"Do you have any tea like Longjing or Tieguanyin?" Zhang Heping walked into the lobby and said to the person at the front desk, "Send some tea and water to my private room!"

"Okay, Mr. Zhang!" The person at the front desk responded and quickly picked up the phone to contact the room staff.

Liu Yuan silently observed Zhang Heping's free and easy and friendly attitude; due to the confidentiality agreement she signed before coming, Liu Yuan could not ask more questions at this time.

After arriving at the living room of the suite, Zhang Heping picked up the teapot to clean it and said, "Please sit anywhere."

"Let me do it!" The first wife Tang Xin took the teapot from Zhang Heping and said with a smile, "You go ahead and do your work first!"

Zhang Heping didn't care. He sat leisurely on the sofa in the living room, glanced at Liu Yuan, who looked old and thin, and then looked at Director Wang and asked, "Aunt Wang, why are you here so late?"

"We can produce optical cards and readers, but we still need to research card machines and cash machines." Director Wang glanced at Liu Yuan who remained silent and said with a smile, "I came here tonight just to ask you, how are we going to cooperate this time?"

Zhang Heping didn't understand what Director Wang meant by bringing Liu Yuan here, so he said according to his previous thoughts:

"Since China does not allow me to build a factory on my own, I can only choose compensation trade and purchase the corresponding machines and raw materials from China. I just pay the money and get the goods!"

Director Wang smiled and said, "It's like this. After discussion, if you are willing to form a joint venture with a domestic company, your company can hold 51% of the shares. You can appoint the factory personnel at will and formulate relevant systems."

Hearing this condition, Zhang Heping frowned and thought for a while. This might be the biggest concession that the higher-ups could make at the moment!

If he wants to set up a factory or company on his own, he will probably have to wait a few years.

"If you agree, then the car factory and nuclear power plant we mentioned earlier will be easy to build!" Director Wang continued, "In other words, whatever factory you want to build in the future, you can cooperate with domestic companies in this way, and you don't need to worry about people in the factory pretending to obey you but actually disobeying you."

"Which department is in charge of the other 49%?" Zhang Heping's thought is not that simple. When doing business in China, one cannot simply look at the equity ratio, but also needs to consider policies, the political and business environment, and so on.

Director Wang frowned and said, "Our department originally wanted to fight for it, but others thought that our department managed too many factories and the amount involved was too large, so..."

"Then throw those factories away and keep Tingmei Health Factory as a pilot joint venture factory. If the cooperation goes well, we will build a joint venture car factory and nuclear power plant as you said." Zhang Heping said seriously:

"In addition, the optical card project will be done as compensation trade first. I need to use them to seize the market."

Director Wang hesitated and said, "It doesn't matter if we hand over the factories producing photolithography and etching machines, but if we hand over the factories producing computers and servers, it might affect Tingmei Trading's business."

"It won't affect me!" Zhang Heping said confidently, "I sell not only computers, but also the supporting software. If I am not satisfied with the domestic production, the Japanese magnesium factories will rush to supply me."

What Zhang Heping said is exactly what Director Wang is worried about. He is afraid that certain people in the country will cause trouble and affect foreign exchange earnings!

At the beginning of the year, there was a factory manager named Bu who made shirts. He turned his loss-making factory around and became a national role model. The factory did not let him manage the factory and instead took him to various places for meetings and exchanges.

Whenever Wang Sumei saw news about this factory director, she couldn't help but shake her head and sighed that some people were talking nonsense.

"Auntie Wang, listen to my advice. Get rid of those factories as soon as possible, and you can still have a good ending. When you go to them to talk about things in the future, they will be polite to you." Zhang Heping gave this advice and didn't say anything more.

Taking the tea handed to him by Tang Xin, Zhang Heping blew on the rim of the cup to test the water temperature. Feeling it was too hot, he put it on the coffee table and looked at Liu Yuan who had a complicated expression.

"How is Uncle Liu doing recently? Is he in good health?" Zhang Heping asked casually.

"My grandfather..." Liu Yuan's expression suddenly became depressed.

She glanced at Director Wang, remembered the confidentiality request she had made earlier, and stopped talking.

Zhang Heping thought she had something to hide that was inconvenient to say in front of Director Wang, so he changed the subject, "Where have you been working recently? I asked Huang Wenli, and she said that you didn't tell her the last time she saw you."

Liu Yuan glanced at Director Wang who was thinking about something, then lowered her head and did not dare to look at Zhang Heping, remaining silent.

Even though Zhang Heping's reaction was slow, he realized that something was wrong. He did not ask Liu Yuan anymore, but looked at Director Wang and said with a smile, "Why, Aunt Wang can't bear to part with those factories?"

Director Wang shook his head and denied it, "It's not that I can't bear to let them go, I'm just worried that they will fight on their own like before..."

"That's something the higher-ups should worry about!" Zhang Heping said indifferently, "Aunt Wang, let me say something unpleasant. Even if we leave this world, the sun will still rise as usual."

"Okay! Anyway, I was called here to manage those factories just to cooperate with you." Director Wang let out a long breath and said:

"I will go back later and report your opinions to the higher-ups, and hand over those factories at the same time."

At this point, Director Wang smiled and said, "Without those factories, I wouldn't have to travel all over the country."

"What's going on with Liu Yuan?" Zhang Heping picked up the teacup and took another sip of the tea, but he was worried that the other party would throw Liu Yuan into his company as well.

"She just came here with me today." Director Wang stood up with a smile, "Okay, I won't disturb you guys to rest. I'll go back and discuss the matters with the factories first."

"Auntie Wang, focus on my optical card project first, and put other factory matters on hold later." Zhang Heping said, then stood up and sent the person out without trying to keep her.

As for Liu Yuan's matter, Zhang Heping estimated that she would be absorbed into their department. However, he didn't know what happened to this old classmate to make him so thin and haggard.

As soon as the outsider left, the first wife Tang Xin started gossiping, "Honey, who is that woman? You seem to be very familiar with her!"

……

Director Wang took Liu Yuan out of the Capital Hotel and got into the car. He smiled and said, "How is it? I didn't lie to you, did I?"

"We really have no ill intentions. It's just that you and Zhang Heping are classmates, and we need you to join us to ease his relationship with the country at a critical moment."

Liu Yuan was still a little hesitant, "What is he doing now?"

"How can I tell you? You haven't joined yet, and many things are kept secret!" Director Wang thought for a moment and said, "Let me tell you this! The richest man in the country is currently this brat!"

Liu Yuan was stunned for a moment and asked stupidly, "How much money does he have?"

"I don't know!" Wang Sumei shook her head. "If you want to know, you can ask Zhang Heping after joining our department. We also want to know how much money he has now."

Out of caution, Liu Yuan asked another stupid question, "Well...can I go home and discuss this with my parents?"

Director Wang looked at Liu Yuan with a smile and did not answer the question.

After a while, the driver stopped the Santana on the side of the road, got out without saying a word, and stood in front of the car smoking.

"Now that we're there, what do you think?" Director Wang asked again.

Liu Yuan hesitated and asked, "How should I tell my family about changing jobs?"

"Just tell the truth that you have entered a confidential unit. They are all good comrades. I believe they will understand you and will not ask too many questions."

……

September 5th, Saturday.

In the morning, Zhang Heping went to the Friendship Store and bought a Seagull camera and 10 rolls of film.

Then, he took his wife and children back to No. 7 Courtyard on the North Bank of Houhai and took a family photo outside the door.

Afterwards, Zhang Heping gave the camera to his nephew Zhang Yi and asked him to take pictures for everyone.

"Xiao San, I have already told your dad last night that he will never mention that family in front of you again. You see..." Ma Xiuzhen looked at her son hopefully, hoping that he would take back what he said last night.

"Mom, the middle of next month is Xiaolong and Xiaohu's birthday. At the beginning of next month, Ah Xin will turn 40. In a few days, it will be Xiaobei and Xiaonan's birthday." Zhang Heping said, "Do you want to go to Hong Kong Island with us today?"

Ma Xiuzhen glanced at Zhang Bing, who was standing at the door repairing shoes, and asked hesitantly, "Can we ask your dad to come with us?"

"It depends on your mood. If you are not angry with him anymore, take him with you. If you are still angry with him, just leave him here." With just one sentence, Zhang Heping revealed what happened last night.

As for whether or when he will return to the capital in the future, Zhang Heping has no idea because he will be very busy when he returns.

When Ma Xiuzhen heard that her son was willing to let Zhang Bing go to Hong Kong Island, she immediately laughed, "Don't take him! This time, he must learn a lesson!"

Zhang Heping just smiled and didn't comment.

If Old Zhang had not refused many times, his mother Ma Xiuzhen would probably have agreed to live with Zhang Heping and take care of her grandchildren long ago.

"Brother, your call is from Aunt Wang!" Second sister Zhang Pandi shouted from the window of the east gate room.

After Zhang Heping answered the phone, he had a brief chat with Director Wang and confirmed that Tingmei Health Factory would be transformed into a joint venture factory.

Just as Zhang Heping was about to hang up the phone, Director Wang suddenly asked, "Heping, what do you think about letting Liu Yuan be the director of Tingmei Health Care Factory?"

"Not so good!" Zhang Heping frowned and refused: "Auntie Wang, Director Wei of Tingmei Health Care Factory is doing a good job. After it is changed to a joint venture factory, she will still be the director."

"If you want to use Liu Yuan, you can keep her by your side as your secretary for a while. When the right opportunity comes, you can arrange for her to train you."

Director Wang smiled and said on the other end of the phone: "Director Wei is a good comrade. I feel relieved if she continues to serve as the director."

"Auntie Wang, there is one more thing I need to tell you in advance!" Zhang Heping said seriously:

"Since the Tingmei Health Care Factory is going to be converted into a joint venture, and foreign investment will still account for 51%, you can't ask the management and workers to voluntarily hand over the excess wages as you did before. This doesn't make sense!"

"I have been wanting to tell you about this for a long time! As a capitalist, I don't care about the salary, but after I paid it, you guys exploited it. What kind of thing is this!"

"That's enough! That's enough!" Wang Sumei's helpless voice came, "I've explained to you before that I can't do anything about this stupid move. Now it's up to you, just do whatever you want."

"Oh, right!" Zhang Heping said hurriedly, as if he had just remembered, "What should we do with Sha Zhixiang? He has been staying in the printing factory all the time, which is a waste of his talent!"

There was a sudden silence from Director Wang's end, probably because he covered the microphone.

After more than ten seconds, Director Wang asked, "What do you think?"

"Let him help me set up the car factory!" Zhang Heping said with a smile, "If he performs well, he will be the director of this joint venture car factory."

"I need to ask Xiaosha's opinion on this matter first, and then call you after confirmation." After Director Wang finished speaking, he asked about the person in charge of the future nuclear power plant. After learning that Zhang Heping had no candidate, he hung up the phone.

After confirming the joint venture with Tingmei Health Factory, Zhang Heping called his concubine Chen Shuting and talked about the joint venture with the domestic company.

"The Chinese government is willing to let us control the joint venture?" Chen Shuting was a little unconvinced. "We have discussed this so many times before, but the Chinese government refused to give in. Why did they agree this time? Is it because they don't want us to build a nuclear power plant solely with their own capital?"

"I guess it's because most of the parts for the Santana sedan in Shanghai have to be imported." Zhang Heping looked at the other side of Houhai and smiled.

"So, two shoe salesmen went to an island."

"One salesperson came back to the company and said that people on that island didn't wear shoes, so there was no market for shoes."

"Another salesperson returned to the company and excitedly told his colleagues that the people on the island had no shoes to wear, which was a huge blank market."

"Do you think there is a car market in China?"

……