136 Business Trip
At the end of the month, Guan Yuehe's long-awaited business trip finally arrived.
"Put the food here."
Lin Yiku swept the room clean, put a net bag of food on the table, and reminded her to remember to take it before leaving the house the next morning. Then she followed her in and out, looking for things.
"Clothes, ID, letter of introduction..." Guan Yuehe checked everything before stuffing the luggage into her bag.
This wasn't her first time traveling far from home, nor was it her first time visiting Shanghai and Guangzhou. She already knew what clothes to bring, so she packed quickly.
This was the first time Lin Yiku had encountered her going on a long trip since getting married.
Guan Yuehe suddenly turned around and almost bumped into him.
The next second, Guan Yuehe leaned closer to look into his eyes and coaxed him in the same way she coaxed Gu Yu, saying, "I'll bring you black soda when I come back."
During this period, I have heard Gu Yu call Coca-Cola "black soda" quite often, and she has started calling it black soda too.
Lin Yi painstakingly calculated that she had promised at least ten people that she would bring them soft drinks.
"Bring an extra empty bag."
"Huh? Why?" Guan Yuehe didn't understand what he meant. She patted the half-full duffel bag. "It's still empty. I can bring back enough stock."
"I'm afraid you won't have enough black soda to hold."
Guan Yuehe felt a little guilty. She didn't realize how many bottles she had until she did the math. She had so many friends... and she didn't know how many foreign exchange certificates she had could buy.
However, "even if you can only buy one bottle, we won't shortchange you."
As he spoke, he took a step forward and hugged Lin Yiku. They were about to be apart for a month, and he was truly reluctant to leave his home's heated brick bed and Lin Yiku.
Lin Yiku had just raised his hand to hug her back and was about to speak when he heard Guan Yuehe whisper in his ear, "We've run out of family planning supplies at home. Remember to get more, okay? We'll use them when I get back."
"..."
He should have realized it sooner; she was unlikely to say anything sentimental.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Guan Yuehe heard a noise and immediately sat up.
She was the one on the business trip, but he was the one who escorted her all the way to the alley entrance.
Neither of them were the type to be coy; they had already given the necessary reminders and advice more than once.
"Director Guan, I hope the work goes smoothly."
"Okay! I'll be back as soon as I'm done!"
The two looked at each other for a while, and Guan Yuehe urged him to go to work. Only after he turned and disappeared from sight did she turn around and go home.
She didn't stay home long. After breakfast, she carried a duffel bag in one hand and a net bag in the other, and strode out the door.
This was her first time traveling far away alone.
The first time I went on a long trip was also to Haishi, but Wang Zheng was with me then. The next two times were to Guangzhou, with the Five Star Automobile Factory's exhibition delegation.
It was also her first time riding in a sleeper berth on a train.
"Comrade, are you also going to Haishi?" The lady on the opposite bunk offered to help her put her luggage away, but Guan Yuehe kept refusing and put all her own luggage on the bunk herself.
"Comrade, which unit are you from?"
Guan Yuehe gave her a wary look, unable to tell if she was a good or bad person. She immediately asked, "I'm from the Public Security Bureau. Which unit are you from?"
"Oh, it's a police officer! I knew this woman was different." The older woman felt more at ease with her and even more warmly invited her to eat cookies and fruit together.
Guan Yuehe shook her head and refused, then took out a net bag full of things she had brought.
She didn't say anything, but her meaning was clear: I have plenty to eat.
Along the way, people got on and off the bus, and Guan Yuehe helped put their luggage down several times. She lifted and put down a heavy bag of things with ease, as if she were picking up a piece of cloth from the ground and putting it down.
The woman in the opposite bunk firmly believed in her police officer identity.
The two men in the upper bunk, having heard that there was a police officer in the lower bunk who was very strong and looked like a good fighter, were very polite to him the whole way.
Guan Yuehe was worried that she might encounter thieves if she went out alone, but now she feels a little relieved.
It was this experience that made her determined that in the future, if someone asked her what unit she worked for when she went out alone, she would say that she worked for the Public Security Bureau.
Anyway, she knows quite a few people in the Municipal Public Security Bureau now, so she can easily pass for the real one. Even if she runs into the Municipal Public Security Bureau, she's not afraid; she's already helped them out a few times, so she's practically an unofficial member of the bureau!
After getting off the train, she went straight to the guesthouse of the Haishi Electromechanical Bureau by bus.
When the guesthouse staff checked her in, they reminded her, "Comrade Guan, there's a meeting at 3 PM in the conference room on the second floor of the office building behind."
After a quick lunch, I went to the guesthouse's bathhouse for a shower and finally felt refreshed.
When Guan Yuehe arrived at the conference room with the documents, it was already almost full, filled with unfamiliar faces.
To the others in the meeting room, she was also a complete stranger.
"Hello, are you Ms. Guan Yuehe from the Foreign Trade Department? Your seat is over here."
Just as Guan Yuehe sat down, Director Jiang, who was in charge of the Sino-foreign joint venture project in Shanghai's automobile industry, arrived.
Director Jiang glanced around and fixed his gaze on the only new face at the conference table. He nodded to her and, before the meeting, specifically introduced Comrade Guan Yuehe, who had just joined the negotiation team, to the others.
"Comrade Guan Yuehe is in charge of negotiations for the Beijing-based automotive joint venture project. She has negotiation experience and is fluent in German..."
If a leader from the Ministry of Foreign Trade praised her like that, she would be all smiles. But when other leaders praise her like that, she only feels a heavy weight on her shoulders; the more praise she receives, the greater the pressure becomes.
After Director Jiang finished his introduction, he began to describe the current status of the project.
Guan Yuehe listened and took notes, while also recalling what she already knew.
The proposal for a joint venture automobile company between Shanghai and Germany was put forward two years ago. When Guan Yuehe was assigned to participate in the Beijing automobile joint venture project, she specifically checked out the situation of the Shanghai automobile joint venture project, thinking of learning from it.
I never expected that I would be transferred here to help.
"Currently, Volkswagen is considering suspending the project due to financial difficulties and return on investment issues... In order to retain the project, it has been decided after discussion to reduce the scale of the large project to a smaller one, with the original annual production of 150,000 vehicles reduced to 20,000 vehicles... Further negotiations with the Volkswagen delegation will take place in five days..."
We had a meeting all afternoon, and on our way to the cafeteria that evening, we were still discussing things with each other.
Director Jiang took two steps slower, and waited for Guan Yuehe to come out of the conference room before shaking her hand and saying, "Comrade Yuehe, it's finally time to meet you!"
Just then, Guan Yuehe was thinking of finding someone to learn more about the Shanghai Automobile Joint Venture Project, and Director Jiang also wanted to ask about the current progress of the Beijing Automobile Joint Venture Project, so the two chatted as they walked.
When the topic turned to Wuxing Automobile Factory, Director Jiang smiled and said, "Chief Engineer Zhang from Wuxing Automobile Factory came to serve as our technical consultant last time. You should know him."
What a coincidence! We're old acquaintances.
“She is my teacher. I learned German from teachers Zhang Xinbi and Guo Xusheng.”
"Ha! This is a classic case of a great teacher producing a great student!"
In retrospect, it seems that everything is preordained by fate.
When she was studying at the Workers-Peasants-Soldiers University, her "work-study" was assigned to the Five Star Automobile Factory for an internship. Since she majored in English, she was naturally assigned to the translation group to do simple document translation for Zhang Xinbi and Guo Xusheng.
Afterward, she studied German with two teachers and often helped them translate documents. Because the documents she worked with were related to automobile manufacturing, she, a complete novice, learned a great deal about the industry.
That's why she was assigned to be in charge of the negotiations for the Beijing-Shanghai automotive joint venture project, and now she's assisting with the negotiations for the Shanghai-Shanghai automotive joint venture project.
While she was learning German and helping with translation, she never thought about what benefits she would get in the future.
And now, all her past efforts and sacrifices have become stepping stones to help her go even further.
Factory Director Zheng is right; opportunity favors the prepared mind.
—
The three-day negotiations resulted in the preservation of the Sino-German automotive joint venture project, but the negotiations are not yet over, and no one can predict what the next hurdle will be.
One of the veteran members of the negotiating team said, "It seems we're in for a protracted war. We won't win until we get this joint venture up and running. The 'revolution' is not yet won; comrades, we still need to work hard!"
The negotiations have achieved a partial victory, and the comrades who were seconded to help are now busy with other work. Perhaps we can get together again for the next round of negotiations.
"Comrade Yuehe, I'm short on time this time, so I won't be able to treat you to a meal. I'll definitely need your help to come to Haishi in the future, and I'll treat you to some of our local dishes next time."
"Okay, I'll remember. I'll definitely remind you to treat me next time I come."
I didn't have time to go out and eat local dishes in Haishi, but I hitched a ride in the Machinery and Electrical Bureau's car, so I didn't have to transfer several times to catch the train.
The other members of the negotiation team came over to say goodbye, "Comrade Yuehe, see you next time!"
"See you next time, comrades!"
These days, everyone gets together to come up with ideas and speak out together at the negotiating table. She, a newcomer, quickly integrates into the team and even develops a "comradeship" with them.
But she also had to rush to Guangzhou to head to the next "battlefield" of struggle.
Guan Yuehe took the train from Shanghai to Guangzhou and compiled the report on the negotiations, hoping it might provide some insights for the negotiations on the Beijing-Guangzhou automotive joint venture project.
Having learned from her previous experience, when someone asked her which unit she worked for this time, she immediately replied, "The Public Security Bureau. And you?"
With her sharp eyes and a seemingly intimidating workplace, Guan Yuehe made a smooth journey to Guangzhou.
As soon as she got off the train, someone behind her shouted "Stop thief!" and she slapped the thief who ran over.
She didn't even need to lift a finger; the other kind-hearted people rolled up their sleeves and surrounded the thief, pinning him to the ground.
—
She last visited Guangzhou in March 1977, and at that time she felt that Guangzhou hadn't changed much in the past three years. But when she returned four years later, she found that Guangzhou had changed tremendously.
People were everywhere, but not all of them were there for the Canton Fair. Almost everyone waiting outside the station was holding a sign; some offered directions, some offered accommodation, and others offered to help with deliveries.
"Comrade, are you here to buy goods too? Where are you from? Do you want clothes? Or digital watches? My prices are definitely the lowest..."
"Comrade, do you need accommodation? It's two yuan a day, no registration required..."
"Comrade, hey, lady... oh, hey, my hand!"
Guan Yuehe squeezed his hand harder, trying to take advantage of him? He'd met his match!
What hasn't changed here for years is the damp and sticky weather.
Guan Yuehe spun around like a top. After checking into the guesthouse and settling in briefly, she took her documents and went to the exhibition hall.
"Comrade Yuehe is here? How's everything going in Haishi?" The vice minister in charge of the Canton Fair exchanged a few pleasantries. He then said, "Perfect timing, there's a German businessman waiting to sign a contract, but they need a translator..."
Guan Yuehe: "..."
Just as she was about to enter the negotiation room to help, Wang Zheng called out to her from behind, "Yuehe?"
Upon confirming that the person in front was Guan Yuehe, Wang Zheng exclaimed with delight, "You're here to translate for us?"
The translators from our own factory are more reliable.
Author's note: [Keep it up!]
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