Chapter 1651 A Surprise for You (Part 2)

"Hello, this is Yi Mingzhao. I'm looking for Li Ye."

"Oh, I am Li Ye. What are your instructions, Mr. Yi?"

"What instructions did I give? Hehehe, I just saw that your business has been doing quite well lately, so I called to verify if it was true. This is even better than the best outcome I could have hoped for!"

"Mr. Yi, you flatter me. This is the result of everyone's hard work, and we thank you for your support."

"Hey, Li Ye, you're being modest again. I've told you before, young people shouldn't be so modest! Your abilities are obvious to everyone, so it's only right to be a little more assertive."

However, with great power comes great responsibility. You cannot be arrogant or complacent, and you should not ignore the opinions of some veteran colleagues. Regarding the situation at Southwest Heavy Truck, Deputy General Manager Shang has unique insights. You must actively cooperate and expedite the plan to expand the company's scale.

Shang Bin and Zhuo Minglan's plan of "accumulating little by little and causing qualitative change through quantitative change" eventually had some effect. Li Ye's continuous negative attitude towards the head office's "guidance" finally prompted Yi Mingzhao to personally approach Li Ye.

However, as the head of the parent company, Yi Mingzhao was quite shrewd. Even when he questioned Li Ye, he only made a phone call, and his attitude was very mild.

Moreover, Yi Mingzhao first praised Li Ye highly, and then casually put forward the requirement to "actively cooperate with Shang Bin and strive to achieve even better results".

If it were someone else, they wouldn't think Yi Mingzhao's words were "casual," because every word spoken by someone in a position of power is not said carelessly. The more casually something is said, the more seriously you should take it.

But Yi Mingzhao just happened to run into Li Ye.

Li Ye knew Yi Mingzhao's intention: to achieve outstanding results at the very beginning of the company's establishment, so that Yi Mingzhao could gain some prestige.

Why is Beijing Automotive Group, which has integrated so many car companies, so determined to target Li Ye?

This is because it's like whipping a fast ox.

"Whipping the fast ox" is a common tactic used by many superiors; the more capable you are, the more they will whip you.

Even if you whip those lazybones, they won't produce any results. Only those oxen and horses that are already running fast can take another step forward and achieve even greater success.

However, this principle has a flaw: whether cattle and horses are afraid of whips.

The whip is ultimately just a means of urging; you can't really whip a fast ox to death. If you whip it to death, who will do the work?

Shang Bin is like a whip in Yi Mingzhao's hand, while Li Ye is the strongest bull in the family. All kinds of work, such as grinding grain, pulling carts, and plowing fields, ultimately depend on Li Ye to do, while the whip can be replaced at any time.

Therefore, Li Ye responded "very sincerely": "President Yi, we have been working on the plan targeting Southwest Heavy Truck, and I believe it is progressing very smoothly."

However, there were some minor differences that conflicted with the plan proposed by Deputy General Manager Shang, so he felt that we were not cooperative enough with him.

Furthermore, Deputy General Manager Shang not only raised objections to Southwest Heavy Truck, but also interfered with the normal operations of Jingnan Group, which is not in line with your original intention, Mr. Yi.

After eight years of reform, Jingnan Group has finally figured out an efficient operating mechanism. Now, Deputy General Manager Shang is making sweeping changes, which is far too dangerous. I know I cannot afford the consequences.”

“.”

After Li Ye finished speaking, Yi Mingzhao remained silent for several seconds.

Because his intention in sending Shang Bin to guide Jingnan Group was not only to annex Southwest Heavy Truck, but also to continuously infiltrate and insert his own power during the guidance process.

Since the job is to guide your work, someone has to provide guidance, right? If you keep giving guidance, setting up a department temporarily today and promoting a "reform team leader" temporarily tomorrow, won't you just end up redistributing power?

Li Ye's branch factory was developed from the original innovation team. Back then, Lu Zhizhang was the team leader, Li Ye was the deputy team leader, and the factory director was the top leader!

Where is the top leader now? Does Li Ye not understand the tricks of the trade?

Change is necessary; change must come first. Otherwise, how can one firmly grasp the "monolithic" light vehicle company? Therefore, Yi Mingzhao wanted to use Shang Bin to muddy the waters and then take advantage of the situation to intervene.

But so much time has passed, and Li Ye simply won't budge. Shang Bin's various instructions have been issued, but they haven't been effectively implemented at all. If even the plan isn't being followed, how can you exercise your authority?

Moreover, Li Ye's words today almost made his stance clear.

It's not that I don't obey your leadership, Yi Mingzhao, but I dislike Shang Bin, and I dislike this kind of underhanded tactic even more.

After a moment of silence, Yi Mingzhao calmly said, "Alright! It seems I underestimated the situation. I'll convene the relevant personnel as soon as possible to discuss this and come up with a feasible solution."

Also, I must remind you, Li Ye, that Southwest Heavy Truck is about to go public. If they try to acquire it after the IPO, it won't be such a simple matter!

Yi Mingzhao's words were neither too soft nor too hard, clearly telling Li Ye that no matter how powerful he was, he was still under his control and had to bow his head when necessary.

But after hearing his words, Li Ye said in surprise, "Isn't that even better? We can go public through a backdoor listing!"

"Backdoor listing?"

"Yes, you could say that they achieved their goal of usurping someone else's place at a very low cost."

“.”

Yi Mingzhao was completely speechless.

When it comes to professional topics, the worst thing is to encounter a professional. Back in 1994, Li Ye's knowledge far surpassed that of Yi Mingzhao.

Furthermore, what does Li Ye mean by "the cuckoo occupying the magpie's nest"? Who is the cuckoo? Who is the magpie?

However, Yi Mingzhao got stuck with Li Ye, but some people didn't know that and thought they had the support of their superiors!

Five minutes after ending her call with Yi Mingzhao, Zhuo Minglan walked into Li Ye's office with her head held high and her chest puffed out. Because of her upright posture, her large belly was very noticeable, and even her long trench coat couldn't hide it.

When Zhuo Minglan arrived, Li Ye was giving instructions to his clerk, so there were several people in the office.

Zhou Ziqing tried to stop Zhuo Minglan from entering, but Li Ye let her in and then asked casually, "What's wrong, Zhuo Minglan? What instructions have you brought us this time?"

Zhuo Minglan slightly raised his chin, a half-smile on his face, and said, "Vice General Manager Li, you're joking. How could I be qualified to guide you? But I believe you must have received General Manager Yi's call, right?"

Li Ye nodded expressionlessly: "That's right, President Yi did call me just now, but how did you know? Did President Yi specifically notify you after calling me?"

“.”

Zhuo Minglan looked at Li Ye and felt extremely disgusted.

Because every time Li Ye spoke to Zhuo Minglan, she could always sense a hint of sarcasm.

Zhuo Minglan took a breath and said in a deep voice, "Deputy General Manager Li, I'm only responsible for liaising and conveying relevant documents, so I communicate with the head office more often."

Now that General Manager Yi has taken notice of this matter, shouldn't you urge the relevant departments to carry it out diligently? According to the plan, we must complete the coordination of all tasks with Deputy General Manager Shang by the end of this month.”

"Before the end of the month? Mr. Yi didn't tell me before the end of the month!"

Li Ye chuckled softly, then said rather bluntly, "Zhuo Minglan, you've been working for quite a while now, and you still haven't figured out the work culture of our Jingnan Group?"

In all our work at Jingnan Group, we adhere to the principle of seeking truth from facts. We absolutely do not make empty promises or boast, and we certainly do not engage in empty talk.

But none of the guidance you provided offered any substantial direction. We had to analyze and figure everything out ourselves. For example, this sentence—"Strive to change our mindset and keep up with market trends"—is problematic.

Which direction should I change my mindset towards? Where is the market trend heading? Is it just talk?

If I had plenty of free time, that would be one thing, but right now I'm responsible for the marketing and sales, technology research and development, and I also need to keep a close eye on the group's production. So I really don't have time to play these kinds of games with you guys."

“.”

Zhuo Minglan was shocked.

Because what Li Ye said was completely different from the "secret transmission scriptures" she learned from Shang Bin.

Isn't the art of leadership simply about being ambiguous?

If I clearly tell you "go east," what if you fall into a ditch to the east?

Wouldn't I have to take responsibility then?

Therefore, it is necessary to be ambiguous. No matter what problems arise, it is your responsibility to carry them out, and no matter what achievements are made, it is all thanks to my guidance.

As for your inability to understand Shang Bin's instructions, that's because you, Li Ye, are not competent enough, your attitude is not correct enough, and you are not working hard enough!

I don't care about the process, I only care about the result. If you're not satisfied, then climb to a higher position and torment me in return.

But now Li Ye doesn't even give Yi Mingzhao any face; he's simply gone too far.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhuo Minglan suddenly lost control and blurted out, "Deputy General Manager Li, I know you're very busy, but if you feel overwhelmed by the workload, you can actually delegate some tasks to others."

"Should we delegate this to others? Is that something you should be saying?"

Li Ye was so angry he almost laughed.

[Who will I assign my work to? Will it be assigned to you, Zhuo Minglan? Did Shang Bin promise you that he would arrange a position for you in advance in this guidance plan?]

In fact, Li Ye knew that what Shang Bin, Zhuo Minglan, and others really wanted was for others to help him with his work.

The core power of the light vehicle company was far too concentrated. Funds, technology, and marketing were almost all in Li Ye's hands, which was a major taboo in the eyes of those in power.

However, in the eyes of the majority of employees, ambitious people like Li Ye are the people they need and love the most.

For example, Xiahou Xiaojuan.

Xiahou Xiaojuan is Xiahou Xiaoxu's older sister. When Xiahou Xiaoxu went to the Southwest as a technician, she was stabbed by someone from Southwest Heavy Truck. After that, she was recruited by Li Ye to work as a clerk in his office.

After joining Jingnan Group, Xiahou Xiaojuan realized that not all state-owned enterprises are the same, and not all factory directors are the same. Having a powerful figure like Li Ye as a patron truly provides shelter from the storm.

So when someone tried to "seize power" from Li Ye, she was the first to object.

Xiahou Xiaoxu pointed at Zhuo Minglan and cursed rudely, "Who the hell do you think you are, pointing fingers here?"

Instead of wasting your time, you should check if your own belt is loose. There are plenty of people who wield power like it's nothing, but I've never seen anyone as arrogant and shameless as you.

"Who are you calling shameless? What right do you have to say that to me?"

Zhuo Minglan's lips trembled.

She was aware of the rumors circulating in the workplace a while back, but ever since Shang Bin started issuing frequent instructions from head office, Zhuo Minglan felt that the people around her had become more amiable, so she felt that she was "on her side again."

Just as Shangbin told her—moral standards between people are all hypocritical; only strength and interests are real.

Unexpectedly, Xiahou Xiaojuan's two sentences today seemed to have torn off the emperor's new clothes, leaving Zhuo Minglan exposed to the sunlight and utterly ashamed.

Moreover, Xiahou Xiaojuan was relentless in her sharp tongue, immediately retorting, "How can I not be qualified to talk to you? You're a clerk, and so am I. What, are you some kind of superior being to me?"

Zhuo Minglan was speechless.

Even if she considers herself extraordinary, she is still just an ordinary clerk. Therefore, her abilities have not yet been publicly recognized. Everything she has now comes from her "intimate relationship" with Shang Bin.

Xiahou Xiaojuan's assessment of whether her belt was loose or not was spot on.

She bit her lip and said, "Deputy General Manager Li, is this how you train your people? I'm going to sue you for defamation!"

But Xiahou Xiaojuan said, "I said it, so sue me if you want, but before you do, shouldn't you talk to your man about it first?"

“.”

...

Zhuo Minglan did go to her man to cry, but that man was not her legal husband Lu Junyi, but Shang Bin, who held a "high position and great power".

"Hey, Mr. Shang, do you still want your son?"

"What? Minglan, what did you say? My son... What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Mr. Shang Bin was taken aback, and then immediately became nervous.

He only has one daughter in his life. A couple of years ago, she moved to the lighthouse with her wife. At first, they would call each other a few times a month, but later the calls became less and less frequent, and the father and daughter grew increasingly distant.

It is often said that the traditions of China have continued to this day, and the cultivation of "responsibility" has a bias. A boy who is instilled with various concepts of responsibility from a young age has a stronger sense of responsibility.

This is also why some people are worried decades later: once everyone starts to "de-responsibly" their lives, the order of the whole society will be seriously changed.

Shang Bin is now desperately wanting a son, and Zhuo Minglan is carrying a son.

How could he not worry?

Zhuo Minglan burst into tears: "Waaah, today I went to Li Ye's place to urge him on your behalf. A mere clerk actually scolded me, saying my belt was loose. My stomach started hurting after I got back. If you harm the baby, you'll regret it!"

Shang Bin immediately said anxiously, "Minglan, don't be angry. Where are you now? I'll pick you up and take you to the hospital right away. Wait for me! I'll definitely get revenge for you later. She's just a lowly clerk; I'll strangle her to death!"

Shang Bin comforted Zhuo Minglan for a long time before hanging up the phone and rushing out to pick her up.

However, he was stopped by two women as soon as he stepped out of the office building.

Shang Bin stared at the other person in astonishment, almost thinking he was seeing things.

Because the two women in front of him were his wife, Zong Lidan, and his daughter, Shang Yunduo.

Shouldn't this mother and daughter be enjoying their retirement in the lighthouse? How did they suddenly return to Beijing without my knowledge?

However, Shang Bin quickly revealed a delighted smile: "Lidan, Duoduo, when did you return to China? Why didn't you tell me?"

Zong Lidan smiled faintly and said, "I just wanted to give you a surprise!"

[Surprise? More like a shock?]

Shang Bin, feeling guilty, smiled even more broadly and said to his daughter with a grin, "Duoduo, your mother has actually learned how to create surprises now. It seems that these two years at the lighthouse have changed her a lot."

Shang Yunduo stared coldly at her father without saying a word, causing Shang Bin's smile to freeze on his face.

Shang Bin was also a quick-witted person, and suddenly felt a sense of unease.

Zong Lidan smiled faintly: "Let's talk about it when we get home!"

Shang Bin pursed his lips: "I have a little something to take care of. Why don't you and Duoduo go home first?"

"oh?"

Zong Lidan smiled strangely: "Old Shang, what's more important than me and Duoduo? Is it... the child in Zhuo Minglan's belly?"

Shang Bin felt as if the hair on the back of his head was standing on end.

Many people knew about his rumored affair with Zhuo Minglan, but he never cared.

But in front of Zong Lidan, he dared not be indifferent.

Couples who have shared a bed for decades know too much about each other, making it all the more easy for them to destroy each other.

Otherwise, decades later, the bosses of a certain group wouldn't have repeatedly issued orders requiring everyone to manage their families properly.

Zong Lidan's smile became even more sinister, and her words sent a chill down Shang Bin's spine.

"Old Shang, you're old enough to rejuvenate and play with flowers, but you can't give me another son. Your only heir can be Duoduo."

Shang Bin slowly turned his head to look at the "little cotton-padded jacket" he had once loved so much, and finally understood why she had become so indifferent.

Aren't all debt collectors like this?

...

Shang Bin was preoccupied with his wife and daughter, while Zhuo Minglan was oblivious to the situation.

Zhuo Minglan waited and waited at the agreed place for a long time, but Shang Bin never came. She tried calling and paged him, but no one answered. She was extremely resentful.

So when she got home, she was ready to vent her anger on her husband, Lu Junyi.

But today is destined to be a "good day," and Lu Junyi also has a surprise waiting for Zhuo Minglan.

(End of this chapter)