Things at the fertilizer plant were progressing surprisingly smoothly, which was something Li Cheng hadn't expected. He felt that he had underestimated the friendship between Yang Hong and his classmate who was the factory director.

Things went smoothly, and Li Cheng was so happy that he asked Yang Hong to invite the director of the fertilizer plant and the directors of the four textile factories to have dinner together.

Because of his work, Li Cheng knows the leaders of nearly 200 companies in the city. Someone once joked that if those company leaders took turns treating Li Cheng to dinner, he could go a year without going home for meals.

But is Li Cheng the kind of person who takes advantage of his position to extort money?

It was true that Li Cheng knew many bosses, but he rarely attended their banquets. It wasn't that Li Cheng was difficult to invite, but rather that he didn't want to spend too much time eating and drinking.

Some people live to eat, but Li Cheng eats to live.

This time it was Li Cheng who offered to treat everyone, which made the factory managers a little nervous.

There's no precedent! In the past, it was always the companies that invited the bank staff to dinner, but this time it was the bank staff that invited these company leaders to dinner. Something seems amiss!

But they had to go if Li Cheng invited them to dinner. Even if it was a big event, they had to attend the dinner first.

Li Cheng did not treat the guests to a hotel or the branch restaurant, but to a small restaurant run by a couple.

The couple are both laid-off workers. They cook very cleanly and the food tastes like home-cooked food. Li Cheng discovered this simple but home-cooked restaurant by chance.

Several factory managers came here excitedly according to the address given by Yang Hong, but when they got here, they saw that the place where Li Cheng was inviting them to dinner was just such a simple and a bit too small restaurant. They looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what Li Cheng was trying to do.

What are you doing? Eat!

Li Cheng paid for their meal out of his own pocket, so don't be ungrateful.

The restaurant is too small and there is no room for seven people.

Li Cheng seemed to have thought of this a long time ago. He and Yang Hong had already moved the two tables outside and put them together to form one table.

The dozen or so dishes the restaurant could offer were all served. The host, Li Cheng, picked up his chopsticks and said, "Eat!"

Several factory managers looked at Li Cheng and thought, "How stingy! Treating guests but not drinks?"

One of them stood up and went to the car to get the drinks they had brought. Li Cheng said, "Sit down," then put down his chopsticks and said, "Are you tired of eating all the delicacies from land and sea every day? Let me change your taste today and see if you can find some new flavors in these home-cooked dishes."

They were all stunned, unable to figure out what was wrong with the God of Wealth today.

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Li Cheng said, "Well, I'm very happy today, so I wanted to treat you to a meal and chat, and discuss the development plan of the company together..."

That's great. We were just thinking of talking to you about how we can revitalize our factory.

"But, I saw something here today, just before you came..."

After Li Cheng finished telling what he had seen here, these factory workers all understood what Li Cheng meant.

"You're all factory managers. If you saw the workers who once worked with you now come to this small restaurant to eat just two steamed buns and a bowl of tomato soup, and then finish them quickly before going back to work, wouldn't you feel bad?"

Several factory managers looked solemn and nodded.

"In ancient times, a general guarding a region was responsible for defending their territory. But if they lost their territory, those generals, concerned about their reputation, would die to atone for their sins. Now, you are all factory directors of state-owned enterprises, and in a sense, you are also generals managing this region of the city. Ultimately, you have a responsibility to defend your factories! If your enterprises fail, the blame doesn't lie entirely with you, but shouldn't you also ask yourselves whether you have fulfilled your responsibilities?"

Several factory workers shook their heads, all looking ashamed.

"Your workers have worked hard for you for years, but in the end, they've fallen to the point where they can only afford two steamed buns and a bowl of soup for a meal. Tell me, whose shame is this?"

Several factory managers sighed repeatedly, thinking that it was difficult!

Both the macro and micro environments make it difficult for these old state-owned enterprises to survive.

They also know the situation of laid-off workers, but what can they do?

Several factory managers shared this sentiment. The fertilizer factory manager, feeling confident he didn't owe the branch any money, whispered, "It's tough for them too! The textile factory's equipment is aging, and they don't have the money to replace it. It's not all their fault—"

Before he could finish, Li Chengji stared at him and said, "Do you think your fertilizer factory is doing well? Let me ask you, is there still a market for the ammonium bicarbonate you produce?"

“Yes, growing crops requires—”

Li Cheng asked again: "Are you satisfied then?"

The director of the fertilizer factory looked at Li Cheng and thought, "What if I'm not satisfied? After all, our lives are still bearable."

Li Cheng sneered, "Only fifty kilometers away from your fertilizer plant, there are vegetable greenhouses everywhere. From a distance, it looks like an ocean."

The director of the fertilizer factory looked at Li Cheng with a look that meant, "I know, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Let me ask you, if the city stops giving you subsidies, will you still be able to make a living?"

Upon hearing this, the director of the fertilizer factory shook his head like a rattle and said, "Without the subsidies, we will never be able to survive..."

Do you know why the fertilizer plants are doing okay on paper? They're subsidized.

"Then why don't you produce a fertilizer specifically for vegetables? You've stopped production because the city doesn't provide adequate subsidies. Your mentality of waiting and relying on others will only get you killed sooner or later."

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