Road to Revival

"Let's talk about the functions of your Development and Planning Department first," Tao Tang said, pouring Lü Qi a cup of Longjing tea and sitting opposite her. "The tea is genuine pre-Qingming tea, but the water isn't very good, not as good as Binjiang's. The taste will be a bit off."

"I don't know anything about tea... You sound like a real expert..." Lü Qi wanted to talk about life rather than the boring work, but she couldn't take the lead in the conversation with Tao Tang.

"I learned it from a college roommate; he was a real expert. But drinking tea is one of my hobbies, I admit."

"Besides drinking tea, what other hobbies do you have? Reading? I remember you used to sneak peeks at novels all the time."

"Haha, you too. I remember you were reading a novel, what was the title again, 'Bitter Struggle,' right? It got confiscated by Teacher Fu..."

He still remembered... Ms. Fu was the Chinese teacher, a very knowledgeable and strict old lady who had a great fondness for Tao Tang because Tao Tang's Chinese grades were absolutely the best in the class at that time...

"You still dare to talk... Teacher Fu just favors you. She doesn't care if you read leisure books, but I can't..." Ever since she understood Tao Tang's feelings, Lü Qi has been plunged into unprecedented panic and distress. The scene of sitting at the same table with Tao Tang became clearer and clearer in her memory, and it felt like a rat was tearing at her heart.

"Haha, Professor Fu is really good to me. Let's not talk about that anymore, let's get down to business, it's getting late." Tao Tang glanced at his watch. "Whether it's the Development and Planning Department or the Planning Department, they're generally the most important management departments in a company, and they represent the company's top management, which is different from other departments. But I've noticed, or rather, I feel, that there's something wrong with the current functional setup of your department. It's roughly divided into two parts: one is corporate management, which is mostly what you manage... plus annual and quarterly plans. The other part is planning and projects, am I right?"

"These are the two main responsibilities of the planning department."

"But I've noticed that Liu Xinjun isn't very familiar with business management and relies on you more, is that right?"

"Yes, his energy is mainly focused on planning and projects."

"Would it be better to split the Development and Regulation Department into two departments?"

"How do we break it down?" Lü Qi's heart skipped a beat, and the disappointment that Tao Tang had brought her by changing the subject earlier disappeared.

"Establish an Economic Operations Department to manage targets and performance evaluations. That's what I did at Shengdong."

"Won't this weaken the department's authority? Especially its coordination authority? You know, the Development and Planning Department's authority relies heavily on its performance evaluation power..."

"Other departments can operate, and the Development and Planning Department can operate just as well once it takes over enterprise management. I'm considering this from my perspective. Setting targets and performance evaluations are the most important things right now, and being overshadowed by planning projects isn't in my interest." Tao Tang smiled. "Think about it, isn't that right?"

"Maybe..." Lü Qi was beginning to understand Tao Tang's line of thinking.

"Furthermore, the functions of the Policy Research Office and the Development and Planning Department overlap. The Development and Planning Department's medium- and long-term plans inherently involve macroeconomic policy research. How can you formulate medium- and long-term plans without studying policy trends, right? In addition, the Policy Research Office also undertakes some of the Development and Planning Department's functions, such as the relocation issue that everyone is concerned about. For example, the steel pipe factory issue was assigned to both of your departments, which took into account the current situation, but this is definitely not right. I think it would be smoother if the Policy Research Office were merged into the Development and Planning Department."

"Then we'll have to eliminate one department."

"I know about the establishment of policy research offices in large enterprises. The headquarters has made such a requirement. But now it seems that the actual operation of the policy research offices in various enterprises is not necessarily as the headquarters leaders thought. I should be qualified to speak on this. Too many institutions are not a good thing. It has always been so."

Lü Qi thought that behind every organizational reshuffle lies a power struggle over personnel. But if Tao Tang really made this decision, Liu Xinjun's position would be in danger, because Sheng Guangyun's status was no less than Liu Xinjun's, and his trust in him was even greater. What exactly was Tao Tang up to?

Seeing Lü Qi deep in thought, Tao Tang continued, "If we establish an Economic Operations Department, I'd like you to head it. Lü Qi, this isn't nepotism; you're the most suitable. Of course, this is just an idea of ​​mine; I haven't told anyone... Let's get back to the practical issue: do you all have a unified opinion on the East Lake proposal?"

Lu Qi tried to suppress her thoughts about the "Economics Department." "We had a meeting once, chaired by Director Sheng, with Liu Shulin from the Marketing Department also in attendance. Because no one knew anything about the steel pipe factory, and the Marketing Department couldn't explain the market potential, nothing could be decided. Yesterday, Director Sheng and the two assistants, Liu, went to the development zone together, you should know that, right?"

"I know." Of course, they need to ask permission before leaving the factory.

"Then why are you asking me?"

"Haha, I wanted to ask for your opinion on this matter." Lu Qi's expression when she asked the question made Tao Tang's heart tremble, as if he had returned to more than 20 years ago, and the girl in front of him was still that beautiful and charming female classmate.

"To be honest, I don't understand. Because I don't deal with this area, I haven't thought about it."

"Sometimes an outsider's intuition is quite accurate. They've sent you information about the steel pipe factory's basic situation, you've seen it, haven't you?"

"Director Sheng read it twice at the meeting, and I wrote it down."

"Based on your intuition, tell me now, is it good or bad?"

"The key is personnel..."

"Just tell me if it's good or bad."

"Do I really have to say it?"

"I must say."

"I think it's good."

Why?

"You're so domineering. Didn't you want me to go by my gut feeling? Why are you asking why?"

"Intuition is based on logical reasoning. After a judgment is made, the reasoning naturally emerges."

"I'm not as smart as you. I can't see the logic... Giving away a factory for free, plus the potential increase in market share, isn't that a good thing?"

"When making a decision, it's crucial to consider things from the other party's perspective. Why did Donghu Machinery give us a factory? Because the steel pipe factory was struggling? In reality, many of Donghu Machinery's businesses are similar to the steel pipe factory; eliminating one factory won't help turn around the entire Donghu Machinery. I've met with Tang Yikun twice, and I admit he's intelligent. For example, he did a great job integrating Donghu Industrial Group. Look, he established three independent large companies, divided according to both business functions and profitability. Especially his use of Donghu Machinery to unify a bunch of smaller companies is quite interesting… Actually, this approach is worth learning from; our current product line is too disorganized…"

"And you? Do you agree to accept it? You've said all that, but I can't understand what the leader is trying to say," Lü Qi retorted.

"Haha, how could you possibly guess my thoughts so easily?" Since Lü Qi was joking, Tao Tang retorted, "Although the other party offered a zero-sum transfer, it's actually an overseas investment." Tao Tang's expression turned serious. "This time, the headquarters' audit team is quite thorough, and Red Star has significant hidden losses. I estimate headquarters will have a headache... A large part of it is due to overseas investments. Are you familiar with this area?"

"I'm basically not familiar with it... In our department's current division of labor, Assistant Liu personally oversees overseas investment, while Duan Hui has very little involvement..."

"There are mainly two projects. One is in Jiju, where we've partnered with Jiju Steel to establish a company that plans to produce railway freight cars, with an investment of 3.5 million yuan. It hasn't officially started production yet. The second is in Xiqin, where we've partnered with Xiqin Automobile to develop heavy-duty vehicle transmissions, with an investment of 4.2 million yuan. Right?"

"Yes. Both projects were approved by Yanjing." Lü Qi thought that Liu Xinjun or Luo Chong had probably reported to him, or that he had already done his research before coming.

Seemingly understanding Lü Qi's thoughts, he said, "I wasn't at headquarters then... but now it seems both projects have some problems. Luo Chong recently gave me a special report, and it's still too early to say they've failed, but after three or four years, the situation isn't as predicted in the feasibility study. First, construction has been delayed; full completion won't be until at least 2015. Second, additional investment is needed, especially for the gearbox project. Third, the estimates for technology and the market were too optimistic, and now a whole host of problems have surfaced, both technical and market-related. Finally, there's the struggle for control. The gearbox is alright; Zhizhou and I each hold 50% of the shares. Such cooperation isn't unprecedented, but it's not always successful... Now it seems that even if both projects are completed and reach full production, the payback period will definitely not be the six years predicted in the feasibility study! It will be at least ten years or more, with many variables... This will put a heavy burden on the company. Not to mention the financial expenses, the depreciation costs after the projects are transferred to fixed assets will be unbearable..."

"Boss, it seems pointless for you to tell me all this, isn't it? Even for you, this messy situation shouldn't be a headache, right? They're not going to make you take responsibility, are they?"

"Since I've taken this chair, I have to take responsibility. Nearly eight hundred million! How huge would that be if you stacked up hundred-yuan bills?"

"I attended the initial feasibility study meeting. At that time, Duan Hui went to Zhizhou, and I temporarily took over for a while. Actually, I didn't do much; Assistant Liu personally handled everything... At that time, the headquarters made a request that Hongxing reach a scale of 18 billion by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan and strive to break through 20 billion. This put a lot of pressure on the company, but it was also very exciting. So we started looking for projects, and at that time we kept saying that we should further liberate our thinking... To be fair, it was not Hongxing that facilitated these two projects, but Yanjing."

"But the headquarters' thinking has changed, especially after General Manager Feng took over from General Manager An. Scale is no longer the primary indicator; he values ​​efficiency, cash flow, and profit more. I think Chairman Feng's management philosophy is correct. Just like our Red Star, the size of the company isn't actually important; the key is whether we have sufficient cash on hand. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to do anything else; the funding problem alone would tie me down..."

"But I feel you place a lot of emphasis on scale." Lü Qi looked directly into Tao Tang's eyes. She hadn't had the chance to discuss work with the company's top executive like a friend before…

"Yes. That's because with our current product structure, our existing scale isn't enough; we can't take away the costs. But how do we improve efficiency? There are different paths we can take. Mr. Feng and I share similar ideas on this; we place more emphasis on internal management, eliminating waste, and improving efficiency. I'd like to hold a meeting before the holiday to focus on lean management..."

Lü Qi sensed that Tao Tang's thoughts were jumping around extremely fast, starting from the steel pipe factory and drifting further and further away...

Tao Tang continued, "Tang Yikun must have a grand plan... He's preparing to play two games simultaneously, one on Pingquan New City and the other on Donghu Machinery. Both games involve us, and it's difficult for me to make a decision before I've fully grasped Tang Yikun's strategy. Adding a few hundred people isn't a big problem, but what about the aftermath? Will we become increasingly entangled in Donghu's game?"

"How could that be? I don't think Tang Yikun is a match for you."

"Haha, you overestimate me. We're in different systems, so our thinking habits are bound to be different. In fact, I'm no match for Tang Yikun. Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. You should think about the problems with the Ministry of Economic Affairs."

"I'm afraid I'm not capable of shouldering that responsibility."

"Definitely. Lü Qi, I want to talk about a way of thinking: don't put yourself in the shoes of others first, but consider the problem from an outsider's perspective. First, figure out whether splitting up the Development and Planning Department is beneficial or detrimental to the company at this stage. As for ability, how can you have experience in a full-time position if you haven't held one? It's the same for everyone. Besides, based on my observations over this period, you're excellent, outstanding, and the most outstanding one in our class."

"Stop being sarcastic..."

"I'm telling the truth. By the way, Sun Dunquan and I went to Xu Deyu's house that day... I felt really sad. I never imagined that Xu Deguang's only relative was doing so badly, so very badly. How should I put it? It felt a bit like time travel, as if I had returned to twenty years ago. Are you familiar with her?"

"We're fairly familiar... You're right. Deyu is just too closed off. Especially after his parents passed away, he seems disconnected from the world... What made you decide to go to her house?"

"Once, after get off work, Han Ruilin and I were strolling around outside when we happened to run into Xu Deyu. Actually, Sun Dunquan had mentioned her to me before, but I hadn't paid attention at the time. You might not know, but back then, when we caused trouble at the Pingquan Hotel, I was the one who started it all. I hurt Xu Deguang... I've always felt guilty about that, and seeing Xu Deyu like that made me feel even worse..."

"Don't feel guilty. I've heard Sun Dunquan talk about that matter more than once. It's not entirely your fault... Besides, the older you get, the more idealistic you become. It's all fate." Lu Qi felt a pang of sadness thinking that Tao Tang had stirred up trouble for her sake.

"I don't believe in fate. If it's convenient, please show more concern for Xu Deyu. She's a woman with a hard life."

"See, you've accepted your fate."

"By the way, I asked you to buy a gift to visit Li Suyi, where's the receipt?"

"The matter is settled. The message has been delivered, and the items have been purchased, though no invoice was issued. She expressed her gratitude for your concern and help."

"Find an invoice sometime. It's both a token of friendship between classmates and a way for me, as the general manager, to show my concern for my employees. It's reimbursable. By the way, is that matter settled? I haven't had time to check on it."

"Don't even mention it. Su Yi can't swallow this insult and insists on severely punishing the murderer. But her family, including her in-laws, don't care about catching the murderer; they care more about the compensation. They're forcing Li Su Yi to sign a 'settlement agreement.' They have considerable influence. The police haven't caught the murderer yet, probably because they've been working on it... It's still at a stalemate, and it's driving Su Yi crazy."

"If it's determined that the other party didn't commit the crime intentionally but rather injured someone accidentally, forgiveness is certainly an option..."

"Let's not talk about this anymore, there's nothing we can do to help. I've been wanting to ask you, but I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do..."

"Ask away, what can't I tell you? I won't keep secrets from you." Tao Tang gazed into Lü Qi's beautiful eyes; time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her, she was still so beautiful...

"It's not business. Tao Tang, how did your wife die? I'm sorry, I just want to know."

Tao Tang sighed. "This matter... it's been six years, it doesn't matter anymore... it was a car accident. During the Spring Festival holiday, she wanted me to go with her to visit a relative in the mountainous area of ​​northern Hebei. I didn't go, I had to work overtime... so she drove there alone. It had snowed, the roads were slippery, and she only realized there had been an accident ahead when she went up a slope. She couldn't brake in time and crashed into the back of the car in front of her. That wasn't the worst part; in retrospect, the initial collision wasn't serious, but the heavy vehicle behind her also couldn't brake, and that was fatal. That accident claimed three lives... What I regret is that if I had gone, maybe this wouldn't have happened. I would have taken the highway, but she took the provincial road because she knew the roads well..."

Seeing Tao Tang's pained expression, she said, "I'm sorry, I brought up something that saddened you..."

"It's nothing. It's been six years. Xiaohe has grown into a young woman. She doesn't blame me anymore..."

"Tao Tang, you're still young, you should consider finding someone else," Lü Qi finally said, words she had been holding back for a long time.

"Many people have advised me like this, including my mother-in-law. But it's not that easy. The older you get, the more practical you become. If you can't find someone suitable, it's better to be alone. Besides, given my situation, I can't take care of a family anyway. Luckily, I'm used to it... Oh, let's not talk about this, okay?"