Xu Guangsheng disdainfully hung up the phone, cursing, "Idiot, how could I ever use a traitor like you?"
No matter what, even though he himself was not a good person, he deeply despised Luan Qingsheng.
There's a saying that goes, "Those who insult others will be insulted." If you've already abandoned your own bottom line, how can you expect others to take you seriously?
Human nature isn't inherently good or evil; in the face of desire and temptation, everyone makes different choices.
But clearly, Xu Guangsheng didn't see himself as that despicable tempter.
This feeling is akin to the story of Adam and Eve. For centuries, most people have blamed Eve for succumbing to temptation and eating the apple, while the main culprit, Satan, is often overlooked.
Did Satan himself consider himself evil? Of course not.
So, abandoning Luan Qingsheng brought Xu Guangsheng, now a renowned figure, no guilt at all.
These days, he was feeling extremely inflated; Lu Heming had been brought down, the Hongqi project had been seized, and he had become the president of the Automobile Association.
Interviews and flattery from various media made him feel that the peak of his life was beckoning.
The only thing that bothered him was seeing frequent mentions of Zhengxin and Li Fanyu in newspapers and on websites. Just thinking about the embarrassment at the annual banquet made his blood boil.
So, the first thing he did after taking over the project was to announce the termination of the engine procurement contract with Zhengxin.
This decision baffled the industry; weren't they supposed to ensure the launch of Shengshi C-Class within six months? Without Zhengxin's engine, how could they make up the time needed for new development?
In response to such doubts, he gave a grandiose explanation in an interview: "Now that Beiqi has taken over the project, we will bring a new atmosphere to it. The murky procurement process is clear to everyone, and there are issues right from the start. Even if Beiqi didn't have its own diesel engines, we wouldn't tolerate such a cooperation."
These words were strong, impressive, and portrayed him as an anti-corruption fighter!
Though he didn't explicitly say it, his words implied that Li Fanyu had used improper means to secure the order.
With his righteous stance and firm tone, he exuded an air of integrity.
In the midst of widespread disappointment with Hongqi and dissatisfaction with the procurement contract, his remarks garnered another wave of public support. This inadvertently added another layer to Xu Guangsheng's heroic halo.
As for Lu Heming, people no longer had the desire to step on him. He had already fallen into the mud with no chance of recovery. So, the public's attention shifted back to Li Fanyu.
"Who the hell is this Li Fanyu? He used to act all righteous, but behind the scenes, he's trading power for money."
"Sigh, I misjudged him. I thought China finally had someone grounded and dedicated to technology. Turns out, he's just as corrupt as the rest."
"Actually, what Xu said is biased. Regardless, the ZGX888 is pretty good..."
"You're an idiot! Even if ZGX is good, just for his dirty tactics, Shengshi shouldn't use it! Support Xu, he's done a great job!"
...
That afternoon, in the lab, Li Fanyu, who finally took a break, got annoyed watching a video clip sent by a troublemaker.
"What the hell? Was it worth being so petty over spitting in his face?"
Anning, sitting nearby, laughed, "You... I don't know if you're genuinely naive or just too lazy to think deeply. He's in power now, making his mark."
Li Fanyu asked curiously, "Making his mark? On whom?"
Anning, sitting beside him, adjusted her hair and said, "On the Automobile Association, of course. First, he dealt with Lu Heming, and now he's stepping on you. By punishing the two people who were highly regarded in the association, he can recover from the embarrassment at the banquet, and people in the association will respect and fear him. Xu Guangsheng is very cunning, every move he makes has a purpose. You may call him hypocritical or treacherous, but in Beiqi, people really follow his lead."
"Huh? I don't get it. I'm just a private enterprise. Besides the engine deal, what else can he step on me for? To be honest, I'm not keen on dealing with him. Our engine production is barely enough to supply A4 and a few others. Sis, if he doesn't use our engine, will he buy foreign ones? Or can Beiqi really develop a new one within six months?" Li Fanyu shook his head, puzzled.
Anning pursed her lips, "Who knows? But don't forget, the Shengshi C-Class project still has nearly seven billion yuan left. From what I know of Xu Guangsheng, if the project follows the previous plan, first, the money won't be all spent, and second, even if the model is launched, he won't get much credit. Only by overturning a significant portion and starting anew can he showcase his achievements."
Damn! Is that even possible? This is truly wasting money, isn't it? It seems this guy has a bigger appetite than Lu Heming.
Li Fanyu felt frustrated. If Zhengxin had those ten billion, he could exchange them directly for research points and get at least a hundred models from the space.
Sigh, what a waste.
Seeing his unusual expression, Anning quickly warned, "You must restrain yourself this time. He's being highly promoted right now. Don't provoke him."
Li Fanyu snorted inwardly, thinking, I don't want to provoke him, but now he's stepping on my head. Should I just endure it? Indulge him?
Just as he was feeling depressed, Wang Meimei called, saying someone was here to see him.
Li Fanyu was curious. Lately, he had been staying in the lab, focusing on the platform, with little contact with the outside world. Who would come to visit at this time?
When he arrived at the office, he was stunned.
The visitor was none other than the former Hongqi general manager, Lu Heming.
Just over ten days ago, at the annual banquet, Lu Heming was still energetic and looked like a top-notch elite.
Unexpectedly, in less than two weeks, he had turned into this!
Now, Lu Heming's hair was more than half white, and his once healthy complexion was gone. His eye sockets were sunken, and deep wrinkles like trenches crossed his eye corners and forehead.
Though Li Fanyu had only seen him twice, each time he was impeccably dressed and spirited.
Now, he wore a wrinkled cotton jacket, his dark blue trousers still passable, but his shoes were dusty and hadn't been polished for a long time.
Seeing Li Fanyu, he got up from the sofa, his hands on his knees, half-bowing. He nodded somewhat awkwardly.
Although Li Fanyu didn't like him, seeing his drastic change made him feel a bit sympathetic.
He couldn't help but sigh; a pitiful person must have something hateful about them, but when someone is too pitiful, he... really can't hate them.
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