12: New item, Bobcat tractor!

[Stop being a fangirl, you upstairs. Think about it properly: a billionaire under twenty-five who owns a steel mill—would he even look at you?]

[Damn it! My heart hurts!]

People in the live stream were pounding their chests in frustration, and many bosses at the commendation conference were also quite regretful.

"Why did Director Lu leave so early?"

"I was planning to talk to him about a corporate acquisition."

"Do any of you have Director Lu's phone number?"

Compared to showing off in public, Lu Shenwei preferred to work silently and get things done.

"Uncle Ma, are you done with the bank?"

"With Director Zhou's help, it went quite smoothly. How about you?"

"It's fine, but there's a drinking party at noon that I need Uncle Ma to help me handle."

"No problem, I'm coming over now."

Ma Quanlin knew that Lu Shenwei disliked those kinds of occasions, so he immediately took two deputy directors and rushed to the commendation conference.

"Old Ma, you're finally here. Where is your Director Lu?"

Zhou Wen asked. Ma Quanlin chuckled and said, "Isn't the drone production line about to be assembled? He's busy keeping an eye on the progress."

"I see. I was going to introduce you to Director Wang of the Shanmao Tractor Factory."

"Director Wang? We're old acquaintances. Is their factory undergoing restructuring too?"

Qinchuan Shanmao Tractor Factory was a famous military-to-civilian enterprise from the era of reform and opening up in Qinchuan.

Before the restructuring, Qinchuan Shanmao Tractor Factory was a legitimate military enterprise. At its peak, it was responsible for producing the Longxia Five-Team Wheel!

Its annual production reached 500 units, but later, during the major industrial reform, Qinchuan Shanmao divested its military production functions.

The pot-bellied Director Wang standing before them was leading the workers who had taken off their military uniforms to work enthusiastically on the transition.

They produced the first fully autonomous tractor in Longxia—the Shanmao brand tractor.

Later, the factory was renamed Qinchuan Shanmao Tractor Factory, and it remained a Longxia state-owned enterprise.

However, after entering the new century, the development philosophy of the Shanmao Tractor Factory lagged behind the times, and it gradually fell behind.

The factory had been shut down for over half a year, and it could no longer pay wages.

"Shanmao Tractor Factory, Wang Zizhong."

Wang Zizhong reached out and shook Ma Quanlin's hand respectfully.

He had heard the news of Julong Steel's rebirth from Director Zhou.

At first, he thought Julong Steel was just experiencing a final flash of brilliance, but he didn't expect that more than a year later, Julong Steel had not collapsed.

Instead, it had spent a huge amount of money to acquire the Eagle Drone Company and was marching toward the high-tech industry.

He was already old and couldn't work anymore.

But the workers who had followed him all his life still had elderly parents and children to take care of. He was afraid that a rash restructuring would break their hearts.

The four paths of closing, stopping, merging, and transforming were laid out before him. Fortunately, with Director Zhou's introduction, he thought of cooperating with Julong Steel.

"Julong Steel, Ma Quanlin. Director Wang, we've met before!"

Ma Quanlin chuckled, while Wang Zizhong was confused.

"We've met?"

"The National Industrial and Mining Enterprise Commendation Conference in the nineties. Yes, '92. You were a National Advanced Worker back then."

"'92? I did go to the capital once. What a coincidence! It's fate."

The word "fate" invisibly brought the two closer. Zhou Wen struck while the iron was hot and said, "You two brothers should go to the reception room and chat."

The two nodded and walked into the reception room holding hands.

"Director Ma is lucky to have met a pragmatist like Director Lu."

Wang Zizhong kept complimenting him. Ma Quanlin waved his hand and said, "There was no other way back then. Our Director Lu put up all his assets and mortgaged the factory to get a loan for technological upgrading."

"If he hadn't had such great courage and led the whole factory to go all out, we wouldn't be where we are today."

"Director Ma is being modest. Everyone has witnessed Director Lu's strength. I spoke to you today because I wanted to see if there's an opportunity for our two companies to cooperate."

Wang Zizhong got straight to the point. Ma Quanlin asked with confusion, "Doesn't the Shanmao Tractor have policy support?"

Even if traditional industrial and mining enterprises face restructuring, the General Administration of Longxia will provide a transition period.

As long as the enterprise can turn losses into profits within five years, they can still keep their iron rice bowl.

"Next spring will be the fifth year. I, Old Wang, lack the ability."

Wang Zizhong's tone was gloomy, and Ma Quanlin empathized with him.

If Lu Shenwei hadn't turned the tide back then, Julong Steel's fate would have been no better than the Shanmao Tractor's today.

"What are your thoughts, Director Wang?"

Those who carry firewood for the masses should not be allowed to freeze to death in the snow.

As the factory director, Wang Zizhong had already saved enough money for his retirement.

He could have easily just walked away, but if he left, what would happen to the hundreds of workers?

Ma Quanlin had been caught in the rain, so naturally, he wanted to hold an umbrella for others.

"I wonder if your Director is interested in fully acquiring the Shanmao Tractor Factory?"

Full acquisition?

The Shanmao Tractor Factory had at least five hundred workers, five hundred mouths waiting to be fed.

Ma Quanlin couldn't make up his mind for a moment. "If it were a project worth eight or ten million, I, Ma Quanlin, could make the decision myself."

"The key is that our Shanmao Tractor has hundreds of people and over six hundred acres of factory area. The land alone is worth over a billion."

Wang Zizhong sighed. "I know it's difficult. You, my old brother, also came from our industrial and mining enterprises. Can you bear to watch the workers be forced into unemployment?"

"This... let me think about it."

Wang Zizhong's words were like sharp knives, stabbing at Ma Quanlin's weak spot.

"I can talk to the workers over fifty in the factory and let them go home to start their own businesses. I can also communicate with the authorities about transferring the factory buildings and land for free."

"Consider it my plea as your old brother—help me get over this hurdle."

Wang Zizhong started to kneel, but Ma Quanlin grabbed him. "Director Wang, what are you doing? If there's a problem, we can find a solution together."

"So you're agreeing?" Wang Zizhong was overjoyed.

Ma Quanlin nodded. "I only promise to help you talk about it. As for whether Director Lu will agree, I can't guarantee that."

"Having your word is enough," Wang Zizhong said happily.

He had done his homework for today's meeting. The young Director Lu of Julong Steel listened most to Director Ma Quanlin.

He would consult Ma Quanlin on major decisions. It could be said that as long as Ma Quanlin nodded, the matter would be half done.

"However, you also need to communicate with the higher-ups. You know the situation at Julong Steel. We just opened a new drone production line, so funds are not that abundant," Ma Quanlin reminded him.

Wang Zizhong said excitedly, "The higher-ups are also waiting for my reply. As long as Julong Steel can take over the Shanmao Tractor Factory, full acquisition, or even selling it at half price, is fine."

"How are you two talking? The cocktail party is about to start. Let's take our seats first."

Zhou Wen entered the room with a grin. He had heard their conversation from outside the door.

If he could facilitate the cooperation between Julong Steel and Shanmao Tractor, it would count as a good deed he had done for the Qinchuan industrial and mining enterprises.

"There's no such thing as a good feast. Your meal, Director Zhou, doesn't have good intentions," Ma Quanlin joked half-heartedly.

Zhou Wen wasn't annoyed upon hearing this. "Large enterprises should take on the responsibilities they ought to."

"Large enterprise? If Director Zhou can lift our production capacity restrictions, I will admit that Julong Steel is a large enterprise."

"Let's not talk about this. Come, come, let's drink!"