Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

After Yan Jiekuang sat down, Lou Zhenhua said, "Jiekuang, I asked you to come here today because I want to hear your opinion on something."

Yan Jiekuang was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself: "What could make Lou Zhenhua so serious?! Could it be the steel mill?!" Thinking of this, Yan Jiekuang said: "Uncle, if you have anything to say, just tell me. I will tell you everything I know."

"Okay!" Lou Zhenhua responded with a smile, and said, "Tell me, what do you think if I buy shares in the steel mill?!"

Yan Jiekuang replied: "Not so good?! Don't say that the higher-ups won't agree to your investment at the moment. Even if you do, there will be many people who will hinder you. If it were me, I would rather open a new steel mill than the current one. As for the reason, my uncle should know it better than me."

Lou Zhenhua hesitated for a few seconds and asked, "Jie Kuang, do you think the steel mill can be saved?!"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head and said, "Not only the steel mills, but many other mills are beyond saving. Unless you are willing to make drastic changes."

Lou Zhenhua laughed and asked, "What if I let you be the director of a steel mill? What would you do?!"

Yan Jiekuang said: "Uncle, a good cook cannot cook without rice. I don't think I have the ability to revive the dead. If I were the director of the steel mill, I would be lucky to maintain the status quo."

Lou Zhenhua then asked: "What if the higher-ups delegate power to you?!"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head and said, "No! Absolutely not. Because this is something that will offend people. I can't withstand the storm those people stir up."

Lou Zhenhua stared at Yan Jiekuang for a while and said, "I didn't expect that you are also afraid of something?!"

Yan Jiekuang said, "Uncle Lou, to be honest, I'm not afraid, but I don't have the courage! I don't want to be beaten up on my way home from get off work."

Lou Zhenhua changed to a more comfortable position, leaned on the sofa, looked at Yan Jiekuang and said: "There are no outsiders here. Let's talk openly. Suppose you were asked to be the director of a steel mill. What would you do?!"

Yan Jiekuang smiled bitterly and said, "Uncle Lou, this assumption does not exist at all."

Lou Zhenhua said seriously: "Let's just assume this hypothesis exists. And the higher-ups have given you the power. What would you do?!"

Yan Jiekuang said: "The first step is to streamline the number of cadres in the factory. The second step is to get rid of the current burden and hand over the retired employees to the ministry, which will take over the payment of their wages and reimbursement of medical expenses. The third step is to re-evaluate and re-grade the workers. Those who meet the standards will stay, and those who do not meet the standards will change their positions or be transferred out of the steel mill. The fourth step is to replace the equipment. No matter which of these four steps, the higher-ups will not agree. Because it affects the lives of thousands of families and tens of thousands of people."

After hearing what Yan Jiekuang said, Lou Zhenhua instantly fell into deep thought. Lou Xiao'e, who had been sitting on the sidelines without saying anything, stared at Yan Jiekuang. Lou Xiao'e thought to herself, "Why haven't I met such an excellent man?! If only I could be born a few years later, or if Yan Jiekuang was born a few years earlier."

After about ten minutes, Lou Zhenhua came back to his senses and said, "I really underestimated you."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Uncle, you flatter me. These problems have always existed, but everyone is just fantasizing and unwilling to face them. Everyone is drunk but I am the only one sober. Even if I am the sober one, I am also the one who is most likely to offend others and be rejected."

Lou Zhenhua sighed and said helplessly: "If you are not envied by others, you are a mediocre person. This sentence really suits your current situation."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Uncle, you are flattering me! I know my own worth very well."

Lou Xiao'e asked: "Yan Jiekuang, mainland university graduates will be assigned jobs. When you graduate, will you take the job they assign to you?!"

Yan Jiekuang hesitated for a few seconds and replied, "Maybe I will do it. Maybe I won't. For me, everything depends on fate!"

"It's not easy for you to say the word 'follow fate'!" Lou Zhenhua joked. Yan Jiekuang smiled and replied, "Uncle, I originally wanted to say that I would retire after graduation. But then I thought that saying that would easily offend people, so I said that everything should be left to fate."

Lou Zhenhua laughed and said, "You are such a wonderful person. If it were a few years earlier, I would have sworn brotherhood with you!"

Lou Xiao'e joked, "Dad, if you become sworn brothers with him, won't our family be in chaos?!"

"You girl, are you waiting for your dad here?!" Lou Zhenhua rolled his eyes at Lou Xiao'e and continued, "Jie Kuang, after the New Year, Xiao'e will go back to Hong Kong City. Your aunt and I will be the only ones left at home. Come visit us more often when you have time."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Uncle, don't worry! I will come over when I am free." After that, Yan Jiekuang looked at Lou Xiaoe and asked, "Should I send the child over on the third day of the New Year, or should you go and pick him up?!"

Lou Xiao'e said, "I'll go pick it up from your place."

"Okay!" Yan Jiekuang responded, and said, "Uncle, I have something else to do at home, so I'll leave first! I'll come back in a few days to wish you and aunt a happy new year!"

After sending Yan Jiekuang out, Lou Xiaoe returned home and saw her father sitting on the sofa in a daze. Lou Xiaoe walked over and asked, "Dad, what are you thinking about?!"

Lou Zhenhua said: "It would be great if Yan Jiekuang was my son-in-law."

Lou Xiao'e smiled and replied, "Dad, you must not have gotten enough rest last night. How about you go back to your room and sleep for a while?!"

Lou Zhenhua glared at Lou Xiao'e angrily, stood up suddenly, and walked out. Lou Xiao'e asked hurriedly: "Dad! Where are you going?!"

Lou Zhenhua replied: "I'm going out for a walk."

At this time, Tan Lingya came in from outside, and seeing Lou Zhenhua's angry look, she asked, "Xiao'e, what's wrong with your dad?!"

Lou Xiaoe replied: "Nothing?!"

Tan Lingya sighed and said, "Your father is old. Just let him be. What if you make him angry to the point of causing harm? I wonder what you will do?!"

Lou Xiaoe said, "Mom, don't worry! My dad isn't that stingy." Then she asked, "Mom, I'll bring my godson back to stay for two days on the third day of the New Year. Is that okay with you?!"

Tan Lingya said, "As long as you like it, that's fine. Your father and I don't care."

About half an hour later, Lou Zhenhua came back. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Tan Lingrou and his wife were also there. Lou Zhenhua frowned unconsciously, then immediately smiled, greeted the two, and then returned to the study.

After waiting for Lou Zhenhua to go to the study, Tan Lingrou and his wife chatted with Tan Lingya for a while, and then they said goodbye and left. Tan Lingya walked into Lou Zhenhua's study with the freshly brewed tea. Lou Zhenhua glanced at Tan Lingya and asked, "Why is your cousin here?!"

Tan Lingya said: "They are here to introduce a date to Xiao'e."

Lou Zhenhua was stunned for a moment, and said, "Don't your cousin and your cousin's husband look down on our family?! Why did you suddenly think of introducing Xiao'e to someone?!"

Tan Lingya replied: "You ask me, who should I ask?! But as soon as they said it, I replied. How many good people do they know?! Besides, this is Xiao'e's own business. We have already let her down once. We can't let her down a second time."