sbdcsierra Chapter 265 My son-in-law is a multi-millionaire?!
Chapter 265 My son-in-law is a multi-millionaire?!
In the evening, a table full of dishes was prepared, and the whole family sat around the table to eat and drink. His mother-in-law kept putting food on his plate, calling him Yuemin by his nickname. Compared to the years when he was not treated well and was neglected, he is now treated like a distinguished guest in the family.
The meal was initially quite harmonious and warm, but halfway through, three uninvited guests arrived: Li Yuanchao and his parents, carrying gifts. They were very humble, with smiles plastered on their faces. However, the three of them probably hadn't expected this "uninvited guest" to be there. It's safe to say the two sides have a deep-seated feud, and this conflict is irreconcilable. Their smiles froze, and after five or six minutes, they left.
This little incident didn't affect the atmosphere at all!
After dinner, as usual, my father-in-law invited me into his study for a lecture. He hadn't been there in years, and he hadn't changed much.
The father and son sat down facing each other. Zhong Yuemin offered him a cigarette and lit it for him.
Zhou Zhennan took a puff of his cigarette and said, "You don't have any objections to the Li family coming to our door, do you?"
"Uncle Zhou, I'm a junior, how could I dare to have any objections? I understand," he said bluntly.
"Everyone knows the unspoken agreement; it's all just a charade, a pretense!"
Zhou Zhennan nodded.
"After serving as the commune director in northern Shaanxi for a year, I've made a lot of progress. Actually, it wasn't that I deliberately tried to make connections. There's nothing else to it, it's just that the situation above isn't very favorable for the Li family faction. Speaking of which, your father's involvement has had a significant impact on the situation. The Li family... how should I put it, they need to find a way out so they don't have to completely break ties."
He's adaptable and resourceful; Li Hailong is quite a character!
Zhong Yuemin couldn't help but scoff.
"What, you don't agree?"
Zhong Yuemin said:
"Uncle Zhou, it's true that this Commander Li is a remarkable person, but I can't agree with the description that he's flexible and adaptable. I think 'opportunist' and 'fence-sitter' are more appropriate. He has no military integrity whatsoever."
Zhou Zhennan looked at his son-in-law and then said:
"I heard that you had another conflict with Li Yuanchao when you were in the army?"
Zhong Yuemin nodded, and after explaining the matter,
"Uncle Zhou, like father, like son. Li Yuanchao has been in the army for so many years, but he hasn't changed any of his bad habits. On the contrary, he's become even more arrogant, always acting superior. He forms cliques and engages in favoritism in the army, hanging out with those few cronies who do nothing but spew nonsense all day long. Yet, he's the one who climbs the ranks the fastest."
This is the military, meant to defend our country. When the enemy invades, they need to pick up their guns and rush to the front lines to fight and shed blood. Do you expect these people to fight? To struggle? To kill?
I think this is a very dangerous sign. If the military is infiltrated and corrupted by these bad apples, the consequences will be unimaginable.
Zhou Zhennan flicked his cigarette ash.
"The situation you described also exists in other units, and quite often. This is indeed a dangerous sign. The military merits earned by the soldiers in the grassroots units through their own efforts are not as valuable as those earned by others simply by talking and having a meal. This will discourage the soldiers and greatly damage their enthusiasm. They will think that they can get military merits by being opportunistic and flattering, and they will be thinking about how to scheme and plot instead of training properly. Can such a team be relied upon in critical moments? Can it withstand the pressure? Can we expect them to win battles?"
This problem has been noticed by several high-ranking officials, and they are currently studying and formulating a new promotion policy that may link it to an individual's education and qualifications.
Zhong Yuemin said:
"Uncle Zhou, in a few years, I'm afraid there will be a lot of layoffs, right?"
"Oh, why do you say that? What did your dad say to you?"
Zhong Yuemin shook his head.
"At home, my dad never talks to me about work. I've analyzed it myself. In recent years, to deal with the international situation, mainly the Russians to the north, the military has increased recruitment by 30-40% compared to normal years, amounting to a million soldiers. If a war breaks out, there will naturally be no layoffs. But given the current situation, especially since both sides are major powers, the possibility of a full-scale conflict is almost zero. The situation is also stable right now."
Currently, our country's armed forces number over 500 million, right? The economy itself is weak, so it can't afford to feed, drink, and provide for so many people. Plus, Uncle Zhou, you just mentioned that future promotions will emphasize diplomas and academic qualifications. Doesn't that mean we need to streamline, not build large forces, but strong ones, and pursue a path of elite troops?
However, I think this is just a change in name only. It has basically no impact on those children of officials. On the contrary, it's the soldiers from rural areas who go through all sorts of hardships, begging and pleading to get into the army, only to have their path to advancement completely blocked because of their low education level. After two years, they are discharged and go home.
"Yuemin, isn't that how the world is? Not just in the military, but in society outside as well."
Zhou Zhennan Road:
"Take you and me for example. If I weren't the army commander, would Xiaobai have been able to go to military academy? Would he have been able to be transferred back to Beijing? If your father hadn't come out, you probably wouldn't have been able to get into the army so smoothly. It's not that I look down on anyone, but there's an invisible hierarchy and class distinction. Do you think it's possible to expect the top leaders to treat the soldiers below equally?"
Zhong Yuemin nodded.
"You're thinking about layoffs, aren't you planning to leave the military again?"
Zhong Yuemin gave an awkward smile, "Uncle Zhou, this is still a long way off, it's a long time coming."
"Alright, just stay in the army for the next few years. With your abilities and the help of me and your father, it won't be a problem for you to climb a few steps. But we won't promote you deliberately; you'll have to rely on yourself."
His tone was exactly the same as his father's.
"Uncle Zhou, you should know that I have some business dealings in Hong Kong Island. There's something I need to tell you."
"you say!"
"There's a trading company on Hong Kong Island, but the actual controller behind it is from Beijing, and it also has military connections. It's this Commander Li..."
"Longhai Trading?"
Zhou Zhennan frowned slightly. "Yuemin, are you saying that the Li family is secretly shuffling state-owned goods and enriching themselves?"
Zhong Yuemin nodded, "The amount is quite large. Last year alone, the amount he pocketed was probably a million."
Zhou Zhennan's pupils contracted sharply. "Are you sure?"
“Uncle Zhou, my company has a partnership with this company, and the accounts are crystal clear. However, this Commander Li is quite cautious and keeps a deep secret. We don’t have enough evidence to take action against him right now, so we haven’t dared to make a move for fear that he might escape.”
Zhou Zhennan looked at his son-in-law with some surprise. He really underestimated him. He was incredibly audacious. A mere soldier like him was thinking about how to overthrow a commander. He did have some of his father's style back then.
"Yuemin, so you mean you have quite a business in Hong Kong Island, right?"
"It's alright. I'm involved in ocean trading, real estate, construction, stock investment, and movies over there. The Li family only supplies my trading company. I can handle it all. Earning a few million a year is no problem."