Chapter 200: The Father-in-law Who’s Slept With Thousands
Inside Fengze Garden’s private room, hearing that the other party was actually Lou Steel Rolling Mill’s Lou Zhenhua, Cao Weida was quite surprised in his heart.
Lou Zhenhua. Steel Rolling Mill.
He hadn’t expected that the one who wanted to get to know him would actually be Lou Zhenhua!
He felt a bit strange in his heart. If he wasn’t mistaken, this should be the “cheap father-in-law to ten thousand” that most of the protagonists in the transmigration Siheyuan novel had to “poke a Lou hole” with!
A well-fitted handmade suit, a head of jet-black thick hair, under forty years old, he indeed had quite the air and composure of a successful person.
“Doctor Zhu said a friend wanted to meet me, but I never imagined it would be General Manager Lou of Lou Steel Rolling Mill. Pleased to meet you.” Cao Weida cupped his hands, smilingly said: “General Manager Lou gives such a heavy meeting gift right away, this has me a bit flattered.”
“As the saying goes, no merits no rewards, now I’m worried if this money is too hot to handle.”
Two thousand five hundred silver dollars, what a big meeting gift!
“Cao Ye giving me a chance to show off, I’m grateful and haven’t even started yet. A trivial matter, not worth mentioning.” Lou Zhenhua smiled modestly and politely, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, with quite a Confucian air.
“I’ve long heard that Beiping’s Cao Weida, Cao Ye, has wide friendships, is righteous, cares for the people, loves them like his own children.”
“Stop stop stop, aren’t you cursing me!” Cao Weida waved his hand to interrupt, annoyed: “I’m a traitor and running dog, you say this about me, don’t I need face!”
“Ah???” Lou Zhenhua was stunned, clearly not expecting Cao Weida to say that.
Why did it feel like he was quite proud of it?
Could he really think being a traitor and running dog was something glorious and ancestral?
“Hahaha, just kidding, General Manager Lou don’t mind.” Cao Weida grinned, teasing one of the “national fathers-in-law” Lou Zhenhua was quite fun.
He took out a cigarette, lit one, “I’m a straightforward person, generally don’t like beating around the bush when talking, too tiring. General Manager Lou, just say it directly, what do you want from me.”
Although Cao Weida’s straightforwardness surprised Lou Zhenhua a bit, it was only a bit.
Everyone was smart, him going to such lengths pulling strings and helping buy women, naturally he had a request.
Since the other was so frank, if he kept circling around, it would instead make people look down on and dislike him.
“Cao Ye speaks frankly, so I won’t beat around the bush either.”
“Our family’s steel rolling mill is now extremely short on raw materials, already on the verge of shutdown, over a thousand workers about to have no work.”
“But raw material imports and exports are strictly controlled, can’t get them in at all.”
“So, I’d like to ask Cao Ye to lend a hand, help mediate a bit, Lou Zhenhua would be endlessly grateful.”
In today’s Beiping, although the Lou family could be considered affluent, it was far from comparable to the future Lou Bancheng. At this time, Lou Steel Rolling Mill only had around a thousand people.
It had even reached the brink of bankruptcy.
Cao Weida felt a bit emotional in his heart. Actually, the main reason the Lou family had reached this point was because the current head of the Lou family, Lou Yaozu, refused to collude with traitors, leading to them being targeted.
Born in chaotic times, steel was always in the top tier of materials.
And steel rolling mill materials were basically all steel. Traitors and running dogs could force a steel rolling mill to death with any excuse!
Cao Weida, who knew this well, glanced at him and said indifferently with a smile: “General Manager Lou really thinks highly of me. Such a big matter isn’t something a small patrol officer like me can intervene in.”
The attitude he showed was very clear: he didn’t want to help.
For others, over two thousand silver dollars was a huge sum, but compared to the life and death of a steel rolling mill with over a thousand people, this money was nothing!
Hilarious, thinking over two thousand silver dollars could make this old man help you, how big is your face.
“Cao Ye, a small token of appreciation, not enough to show respect.” Although he expressed refusal, he didn’t outright say it couldn’t be done. Lou Zhenhua wasn’t muddled, he naturally understood.
He placed the small box he had just carried in on the table and pushed it over, smiling lightly.
Cao Weida raised an eyebrow. This box wasn’t big, about the size of a lunchbox, obviously not suitable for gold bars. Could it be a check?
He opened the drawer in front of him, and sure enough, a check was revealed.
“It’s Citibank’s five thousand U.S. dollars, a small token, not enough to show respect.”
“After success, there will be another token of appreciation.”
Cao Weida’s expression was indifferent, eyebrow slightly raised, teasing: “General Manager Lou is really generous. Aren’t you afraid of wasting all this money and ending up with nothing?”
“Cao Ye rest assured, even if it doesn’t work out, no harm done. Just consider it me treating Cao Ye to tea.”
Yo, these polite words sound pretty nice.
Cao Weida looked at him indifferently, didn’t touch the box with the check again, as if discerning the truth of his words.
Lou Zhenhua took a deep breath, stood up and bowed slightly: “Lou Zhenhua on behalf of over a thousand employees in the factory and over a thousand families, begs Cao Ye to lend a hand.”
“This”
“Please!”
“…Alright, but ugly words first, I can only say I’ll try to help. As for success, I dare not guarantee.” Cao Weida pretended to hesitate, then relaxed his expression and agreed.
Look, look, this is the charm of power and connections.
He didn’t have to do anything, and people came begging him to take money.
If he didn’t take the money, they wouldn’t be content and would be disappointed.
If he took the money, they would still thank him!
Seeing Cao Weida finally take the money, Lou Zhenhua finally showed a relieved expression, his face smiling more, creasing into many folds.
“I, Lou Zhenhua, keep my word. You can rest assured.”
“This matter troubles Cao Ye, but can you try to make it quick? Our father and son have no worries about food and clothing, but those over a thousand workers’ families are waiting for grain to cook.”
Cao Weida’s brows immediately furrowed. What, are you morally kidnapping me?
Using those over a thousand workers and families to pressure me?
Being the leader of such a big factory, managing so many people, even becoming the future Lou Bancheng, Lou Zhenhua naturally wasn’t incompetent, his ability to read expressions wasn’t weak.
Seeing Cao Weida’s brows furrow, he immediately realized it was bad. He had been too anxious just now, his words inevitably improper, and hurried to make amends:
“Sorry, I was too anxious just now, a bit loose-lipped, I had no other meaning.”
“Like this, I’ll drink three cups as self-punishment. If you’re not satisfied, I’ll keep drinking until you are.”
Seeing his sincere attitude and him pouring alcohol into his mouth gulp by gulp, Cao Weida’s furrowed brows finally relaxed.
Seeing Lou Zhenhua down three cups, he said: “General Manager Lou no need for this. Your concern for your subordinates’ workers’ families is understandable.”
“I’ve agreed to this matter. Leave a telephone number, I’ll call you after it’s done.”
After Lou Zhenhua put down his business card, Cao Weida nodded, closed the box and put it in his bag.
Seeing the matter discussed, Lou Zhenhua hurriedly had the cook start serving dishes.
Soon, a table of dishes was served.
Among the Eight Great Buildings, Fengze Garden wasn’t included, but that didn’t mean Fengze Garden’s food wasn’t good.
On the contrary, Fengze Garden was a restaurant that could rival Beiping’s Eight Great Buildings, mainly Shandong cuisine, with quite high status in the industry.
Fengze Garden even showed more prominent influence at this time due to its own advantages.
From opening, Fengze Garden targeted upper-class people, dishes featuring fresh, fragrant, tender, crisp qualities, especially fresh and clear.
Signature dishes include scallion-braised sea cucumber, clay pot fish maw, clay pot crab roe, etc.
Seeking help, Lou Zhenhua naturally wouldn’t be stingy. Except for those missing raw materials, basically all Fengze Garden’s specialties were ordered.
This table of food had Cao Weida eating with oil dripping from his mouth, host and guest enjoyed fully.
After eating, Cao Weida stood up, said “Thanks for the treat, I’ll head out first,” picked up his bag and left Fengze Garden.
Not long after he left, the private room door was pushed open again. A man who resembled Lou Zhenhua by three points, a bit older, with more refined air, walked in.
“Zhenhua, you were too reckless, too hasty.” After the man sat down, he opened with criticism: “A gentleman can be dealt with squarely, a petty person with profit, but this Mr. Cao clearly isn’t someone who can be controlled by these two points. He’s very smart.”
“If you annoyed him just now and he refused this cooperation, our Lou family would be in trouble!”
“Luckily this surnamed Cao has a good disposition and still cares about the people’s survival, ultimately agreeing to help.”
“Next time you meet him, never play such little tricks again, or you’ll surely disgust him and it will be counterproductive.”
Lou Zhenhua hurriedly admitted his mistake: “Dad, I was indeed anxious just now. I was truly worried for those workers and families, lost measure in my words, had some ‘deal squarely’ phrasing. My fault, won’t happen next time.”
The one who just came in was none other than Lou Zhenhua’s father, the current true head of the Lou family, Lou Yaozu.
He gave his son an noncommittal glance, sighing in his heart.
How could he not understand his own son?
Their Lou family heritage passed down generations, only accumulating this bit of family fortune after several generations. To prevent family decline, always cautious.
Although this made family development a bit slow, it was safe.
His son Lou Zhenhua had been clever since childhood, talented in business and management, always smooth sailing, no big setbacks.
As the saying goes, fortune harbors disaster, disaster harbors fortune. Smooth sailing seemed good, but lacking tempering would lead to proud disposition, unable to take others’ advice.
Just now his son admitted his attitude very sincerely, but he could see his son hadn’t learned the lesson.
He sighed again in his heart, said: “No need for extra words, Dad won’t say more. Remember, in all things be cautious in word and deed, never act hastily.”
“When steady, be steady; when decisive, be decisive.”
