Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1335 Shortsightedness

After the visit to the industrial park, Li Weimin specially arranged a celebratory banquet. The banquet hall of the Donghai Hotel was filled with the clinking of glasses, the crystal chandeliers illuminating the entire hall in a magnificent golden glow. Qin Hao was seated at the head table, exchanging toasts with the main leaders of Donghai City.

After a few rounds of drinks, Li Weimin, taking advantage of a break in toasting, subtly nudged Qin Hao's elbow: "President Lei, want to go out for a smoke?"

Qin Hao understood and followed Li Weimin to the rooftop terrace of the hotel. The June night breeze from the East China Sea carried the salty smell of the sea, and the harbor lights were bright in the distance, with the shadowy silhouettes of cargo ships faintly visible.

With a "snap," Li Weimin pulled out a lighter, lit Qin Hao's cigarette first, and then lit his own. The two stood side by side in front of the railing, gazing at Donghai City in the night.

"Mr. Lei, how's this cigarette?" Li Weimin took a deep drag and exhaled a long plume of smoke.

Qin Hao smiled and said, "Special supply Zhonghua cigarettes. Secretary Li has brought out all his best stuff."

Li Weimin smiled too, a few fine lines appearing at the corners of his eyes. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "After this term, I'll most likely be transferred back to Beijing."

The night wind tousled his hair, revealing several prominent wrinkles on his forehead. This once spirited Party Secretary of Donghai now looked exceptionally weary under the moonlight.

"The industrial park's successful commencement of production is a testament to my fulfillment of the expectations of the more than ten million people of Donghai during my tenure as an official." His voice choked with emotion, and his eyes were slightly red.

Qin Hao didn't reply, but just quietly smoked his cigarette. He knew that what Li Weimin needed at that moment wasn't comfort, but a listener.

"Of course, I also want to thank President Lei for being so efficient." Li Weimin turned his head, his eyes filled with sincere gratitude: "I originally thought I wouldn't make it."

Qin Hao exhaled a plume of smoke and half-jokingly said, "Beijing is great! Now I have another place to stay when I go to Beijing. Secretary Li won't be unwelcome, will he?"

"Haha, welcome, a warm welcome!" Li Weimin laughed heartily, patting Qin Hao on the shoulder. "Now that you're here, I'll treat you to a drink."

The two exchanged a knowing smile, everything understood without a word. In the distance, a cargo ship sounded its horn, the long, drawn-out sound echoing through the night sky.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Qin Hao left Donghai. As the black Crown sedan drove out of the hotel, the security guard on duty was still dozing. Looking in the rearview mirror, the driver, Lao Zhang, saw the dark circles under his boss's eyes and slowed down.

"No need, just drive at normal speed." Qin Hao rubbed his temples. "They're still waiting in Jingzhou."

The reason for this rush is that the new equipment introduced by Jingzhou Chemical is about to go into production. As a key investor and technology importer, Qin Hao naturally received an invitation.

He could have easily sent a vice president to this occasion, but out of respect for Song Yunhui, Qin Hao decided to go in person to show his support.

As the car pulled into the Jingzhou Hotel, Qin Hao called Song Yunping. His wife's gentle voice came through the phone: "Have we arrived?"

"We've arrived at the hotel." Qin Hao looked out the window at the scenery rushing by. "How are Mom and Dad feeling?"

"Everything's fine, but she keeps talking about Xiaohui." Song Yunping paused, then continued, "When you see him, make sure he comes home sometime. Mom says he hasn't been home for two years."

Qin Hao smiled and agreed, "Don't worry, I'll definitely bring him back."

After hanging up the phone, Qin Hao's brows furrowed involuntarily. He knew a little about Song Yunhui's situation at Jingzhou Chemical Plant over the past two years. Because of his daughter's situation, Director Cheng had openly and secretly made things difficult for his brother-in-law.

The gates of Jingzhou Chemical Plant were already brightly decorated, with red banners stretching across the factory walls. However, Qin Hao knew in his heart that this display wasn't to welcome him, but rather prepared specifically for the leaders of his department.

"Mr. Lei! Here to support your brother-in-law again?"

Lu Xiaodi, a name that sounds a bit strange, is actually a full-fledged department director in a ministry, and a director who is not even forty years old. His powerful background is well-known in Beijing's circles. Qin Hao had dealt with him a few times before because of Haoran International's foreign trade business, and they had become acquainted over time.

Qin Hao got out of the car, straightened his suit collar, and gave a teasing smile: "Well, as everyone knows, I'm terribly afraid of my wife."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaodi burst into laughter, his loud voice drawing the attention of several leaders nearby: "Alright, your sister-in-law isn't here, your flattery is so weak it's barely heard."

"You can help me promote it later." Qin Hao winked.

“I’m not as bored as you,” Lu Xiaodi waved his hand.

"Hehe, who was gossiping just now?" Qin Hao retorted sarcastically.

Lu Xiao was speechless for a moment, then pointed at Qin Hao and laughed, "So you were just waiting for me here?"

Amidst their laughter and conversation, the two had already blended into the group of department leaders. Secretary Shui and Factory Director Cheng were busy greeting the department leaders, and when they saw Qin Hao, they only nodded and smiled from afar.

Song Yunhui, however, squeezed through the crowd. Two years had passed, and this once naive college student had shed his bookishness, replaced by a more composed and resolute demeanor.

"Brother-in-law." Song Yunhui's voice was a little hoarse, obviously exhausted from days of equipment debugging.

Qin Hao looked his brother-in-law up and down, then patted him on the shoulder: "You've worked hard these past two years. When are you going to take a break and come home? Your parents miss you a lot."

Song Yunhui pushed up his glasses, looking troubled. "But brother-in-law, things will be even busier once the first workshop starts operating. I'm worried."

Qin Hao waved his hand to interrupt him: "Take three to five days off, it won't take you too long. Don't always take your health for granted, rest when you need to. Modern industry emphasizes division of labor and cooperation, don't always think of yourself as so important, the world will keep turning no matter who's gone."

Song Yunhui scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "Okay, brother-in-law, I understand."

Just then, a question came from the department head, seemingly inquiring about the technical parameters of the new equipment. Factory Director Cheng immediately called out loudly, "Xiao Song! Come here for a moment!"

Song Yunhui glanced apologetically at Qin Hao and quickly walked over. Seeing this, Lu Xiaodi moved closer to Qin Hao and whispered, "Your brother-in-law's skills are truly outstanding. Even Old Wang from the ministry's expert group, who's notoriously picky, praised his skills highly."

Qin Hao smiled but didn't say anything. Perhaps because spending every day with those old leaders in the ministry was rather boring, Lu Xiaodi preferred chatting with Qin Hao. The two stood at the edge of the crowd, chatting idly about the latest developments in the international chemical market.

However, Qin Hao soon couldn't escape his troubles. The department leaders finally remembered him as their "cash cow." A gray-haired leader beckoned to him: "President Lei, could you come over here for a moment?"

Qin Hao straightened his tie and went over. The leader patted him on the shoulder and asked in a loud voice, "How much of the production capacity of this workshop can you handle?"

All eyes were on Qin Hao. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "As long as Jingzhou Chemical can produce products that meet top international technical standards, I'm willing to take any amount."

A murmur of amazement rippled through the crowd. Hearing this, the leader looked at Secretary Shui and smiled, "Look, this product hasn't even been manufactured yet, and the sales channels are already secured. The rest depends on the capabilities of your Jingzhou Chemical Company."

"The ministry still has a shortfall of $50 million in foreign exchange earnings this year. Are you confident you can meet it?"

Secretary Shui and Factory Director Cheng exchanged a glance, both seeing the pressure in each other's eyes. But since the leader had spoken, they could only grit their teeth and declare, "We guarantee to complete the task!"

As they spoke, the group entered the equipment control room of Workshop 1. On the brand-new control panels, various indicator lights flashed with a cold light. All the technicians were already in place, their expressions tense as they stared at their respective monitoring screens.

Song Yunhui stood in front of the control panel, took a deep breath, and looked at Secretary Shui. Receiving an approving look, he pressed the start button. With a low hum, the production line began to slowly operate.

"Temperature normal!"

"Pressure is stable!"

"Catalyst flow rate meets target!"

Reports came from various posts. Song Yunhui stared intently at the data curves on the central screen until all indicators entered the green zone, only then did he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Congratulations on the official commencement of production at Jingzhou Chemical's Workshop 1!" The leader led the applause, which was immediately followed by enthusiastic applause from the audience.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, the leaders all left by car. Before leaving, Lu Xiaodi made a point of coming over to say goodbye to Qin Hao: "Next time you come to Beijing, remember to find me for a drink."

Qin Hao smiled and agreed. After watching the convoy leave, he didn't leave immediately. Seeing this, Secretary Shui immediately came forward and firmly grasped his hand: "I'm so sorry, Mr. Lei, I've been so busy today, I haven't been able to take good care of you."

Qin Hao smiled and waved his hand, "Secretary Shui, we're practically family now, no need to be so polite."

Secretary Shui slapped his forehead, a look of sudden realization on his face: "Right, they're our own people! I've been so busy I'm completely out of my mind."

Factory Director Cheng, standing to the side, looked somewhat uncomfortable. He coughed lightly and said, "Secretary Shui, I have some things to take care of at home, so I'll head back first."

Secretary Shui hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded at him.

Qin Hao observed everything without showing any emotion. No wonder Factory Director Cheng hadn't been promoted even after retirement; ultimately, he was short-sighted. In the past two years, because his daughter, Cheng Kaiyan, hadn't become friends with Song Yunhui, he appeared friendly towards Song Yunhui, but in reality, he had been sabotaging him behind his back. Otherwise, given Song Yunhui's contributions, he should have been promoted to a full-fledged position long ago.

"Old Cheng's wife hasn't been feeling well lately," Secretary Shui explained dryly.

Qin Hao nodded slightly: "I understand."

Seeing this, Secretary Shui sighed and led Qin Hao to his office. After closing the door, he made Qin Hao a cup of tea, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "President Lei, to be honest, I'm retiring next year."

Qin Hao picked up his teacup, gently blew on the tea leaves on the surface of the water, and waited for Secretary Shui to continue.

"The original plan was to promote Xiao Song's rank before I left," Secretary Shui's brows furrowed deeply. "But Old Cheng insisted on disagreeing. I had no choice but to..."

"Secretary Shui," Qin Hao put down his teacup, looking directly into the other man's eyes, "what were the department's arrangements after your retirement?"

Secretary Shui hesitated for a moment, seemingly choosing his words carefully: "Old Cheng is getting old. The higher-ups intend for his apprentice, Min Zhongsheng, the director of the first branch factory, to succeed me. Old Cheng will remain the second-in-command."

Qin Hao nodded thoughtfully: "So, does that mean Jingzhou Chemical will see another change of leadership next year?"

Secretary Shui naturally understood the implication in Qin Hao's words and quickly said, "President Lei, you flatter me. No matter what, Xiao Song is a key technical member of our team, and Workshop One still needs him to oversee things. Whoever is appointed next will be given a prominent role."

Qin Hao smiled noncommittally. Min Zhongsheng was Director Cheng's apprentice, and Director Cheng was the second-in-command, having managed Jingzhou Chemical for many years. Min Zhongsheng had just taken office and would definitely need to rely on Director Cheng's influence to secure his position. Judging from Director Cheng's attitude today, Song Yunhui would certainly not have a good future.

“Secretary Shui,” Qin Hao’s voice suddenly turned low, “I only have this one brother-in-law.”

Upon hearing this, Secretary Shui's expression changed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He quickly said, "President Lei, it doesn't have to be like that. I'll have a good talk with Old Cheng."

Qin Hao simply smiled and remained silent, then rose to take his leave. Secretary Shui watched Qin Hao's retreating figure and let out a long sigh.

That evening, Secretary Shui visited Factory Director Cheng's home. The Cheng family's dining table was still covered with unwashed dishes. Upon seeing Secretary Shui, Mrs. Cheng hurriedly went to make tea, but Factory Director Cheng waved her away, saying, "Go check on Kaiyan; I need to talk to Old Shui about something."

After his wife and daughter left, Director Cheng took out a bottle of Moutai from the cabinet, poured a glass for Secretary Shui, and said bluntly, "Old Shui, I know why you came."

Secretary Shui picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp, the pungent liquid burning his throat. "Old Cheng, Kaiyan is a good kid I watched grow up. But these days, matters between young men and women aren't something we elders can decide."

Factory Director Cheng snorted coldly, interrupting him: "Old Shui, tell me, what is it about our Kaiyan that makes her unworthy of Song Yunhui? In terms of looks and temperament, in what way is she lacking?"

"Old Cheng"

"Stop talking!" Factory Director Cheng slammed his hand on the table, making his wine glass bounce. "Isn't that guy surnamed Lei just looking down on our family because he has a few stinking bucks? He's afraid we'll drag him down, isn't he? Old Shui, tell me, am I the kind of person who's greedy for money?"

Seeing that he remained obstinate, Secretary Shui decided to be direct: "Old Cheng, I know you're not that kind of person. But don't you know what kind of people your son and daughter-in-law are? President Lei did give you a chance, but look at what your son and daughter-in-law said at the dinner table."

Factory Director Cheng's expression froze.

"Yes, Qianli and his wife were a bit too hasty." Factory Director Cheng's voice lowered, but quickly became agitated again: "But that doesn't justify killing our whole family, does it? Do you know how many times Kaiyan secretly cried under the covers?"

"Old Cheng!" Secretary Shui stood up abruptly, his voice trembling with anger. "How come I never noticed how protective you were of your own? It's clearly the fault of Qianli and his wife, how can you blame it on General Manager Lei and Xiao Song?"

Factory Director Cheng poured another glass of wine and pushed it towards Secretary Shui: "Old Shui, don't worry about this. Anyway, I'll do my best to help you complete this year's $50 million foreign exchange order, so you can retire with dignity."

Secretary Shui looked at the glass of wine in front of him, then suddenly swept it to the ground. The glass shattered on the floor with a crisp sound.

"Old Cheng!" Secretary Shui said, enunciating each word clearly, "Jingzhou Chemical is like my child. Anyone who tries to destroy it is my enemy!"

After saying that, Secretary Shui slammed the door and left. Factory Director Cheng sat frozen in his chair, then shouted at Secretary Shui's retreating figure after a moment, "Fine! We'll see!"

A few minutes later, Madam Cheng returned with Cheng Kaiyan. Seeing the mess on the floor, Madam Cheng's expression changed drastically: "You and Lao Shui had a falling out?"

Factory Director Cheng rubbed his temples and nodded, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

"Will he try to take advantage of you before he retires?" Mrs. Cheng asked worriedly.

"Hmph!" Factory Director Cheng sneered, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "Everyone knows Old Shui's term ends in less than a year. Min Zhongsheng, the most likely successor, is my apprentice. If things really come to a head, I'm not afraid of him."

"Anyway, I'll never have a chance for a promotion in my life, so I might as well retire early!" (End of Chapter)